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-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- aruban authorities questioned joran van der sloot in the netherlands about the disappearance of natalee holloway , the aruban prosecutor 's office said friday . joran van der sloot awaits transfer from the netherlands to aruba in november . he later was released . it happened less than a week after a dutch television program aired video footage showing the young man saying he was with the missing alabama teenager when she died . during the two-hour interview with aruban investigators , van der sloot again denied any role in holloway 's vanishing , the prosecutor 's office said in a written statement . van der sloot said that he was under the influence of marijuana when he was secretly videotaped saying that he was with holloway when she died , and that he arranged for a friend to dump her body in the ocean , the statement said . on the video , which aired sunday , van der sloot also says that he was n't sure holloway was dead before a friend disposed of her body .<doc-sep>patrick van der eem , a man who feigned friendliness toward van der sloot , recorded the conversations on hidden cameras installed in the range rover he was driving , according to the report that aired sunday . watch how the video has renewed interest in the case '' shortly after the video was made public , an investigative judge said that enough evidence exists to reopen the inquiry against the dutch college student , but denied a prosecution 's request that van der sloot be detained . hans mos , the aruban prosecutor , is appealing that decision , and a three-judge panel will rule on it `` after this weekend , '' mos said . watch holloway 's father say van der sloot should ` come clean ' '' earlier this week , dutch authorities executed several search warrants at van der sloot 's current and former residences , a source close to the investigation said . they took a hard drive and a laptop computer , the source said . van der sloot 's attorney , joe tacopina , told cnn that the video did not show a `` confession '' and said that van der sloot is innocent . the college student is willing to answer `` any questions '' investigators ask , tacopina said .<doc-sep>earlier this week , he told abc that much of what was on the video is `` easily disprovable based on corroborative evidence . ... the fact of the matter is he still is not responsible . the evidence -- not joran , the evidence -- says he 's not responsible for natalee 's death . '' holloway , 18 , was last seen in the early hours of may 30 , 2005 , leaving an oranjestad , aruba , nightclub with van der sloot , deepak kalpoe and his brother , satish . mos dropped charges against the three men in december , saying he could n't be sure of a conviction . see a timeline of the case '' holloway was visiting aruba with about 100 classmates celebrating their graduation from mountain brook high school in suburban birmingham , alabama . holloway failed to show up for her flight home the following day , and her packed bags were found in her hotel room . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's tracy sabo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- aruban and peruvian authorities have agreed to `` help each other '' in the murder investigation of stephany flores -- in which joran van der sloot is the prime suspect , an aruban government spokesman said tuesday . investigators hope the cooperation will lead to new information about the disappearance of alabama teenager natalee holloway in 2005 in aruba . van der sloot is also a suspect in that case . following a phone meeting with peruvian judge carlos morales on tuesday morning , aruban government spokesman taco stein said peruvian authorities have agreed to allow aruban investigators into peru to interview van der sloot once a formal request has been made . stein did not indicate when the request would take place or when aruban investigators are expected to arrive in peru , but described the meeting as a `` positive start '' to information sharing that many arubans hope will shed more light on the holloway case . holloway 's father , dave holloway , met with aruban authorities on the island tuesday and told cnn he believes progress is being made in the investigation . he declined to elaborate further . peruvian authorities have charged van der sloot , a 22-year-old dutch citizen , with murder in the death of 21-year-old flores last month . van der sloot said he was in peru for a poker tournament and had met flores while he was gambling . police have said they think van der sloot killed flores to steal money she won from gambling . van der sloot told authorities he attacked flores on may 30 after she read an e-mail on his computer connected with the holloway case . cnn 's david ariosto and rupa mikkilineni contributed to this report .<doc-sep>aruban prosecutors said a team of detectives from the netherlands has been reviewing the holloway case at the request of authorities in aruba , and had been on the island as late as last month to complete the investigation . the kalpoe brothers were being interrogated by aruban police wednesday , aruba prosecutor dop kruimel told cnn . they will appear before a judge friday for a preliminary arrest hearing , in which the judge determines whether the arrest was credible , she said . the judge can then authorize their being detained for eight more days , meaning police have that much time to produce evidence . the suspects then go before a judge again , she said . van der sloot was arrested in arnhem , the netherlands , by dutch police , kruimel said . aruban authorities have asked for him to be extradited to aruba within eight days . because they were not familiar with the case , dutch police were not questioning van der sloot , she said . he will be questioned when he is brought back to aruba , she said . however , he will appear before a judge thursday in arnhem . when cnn called the kalpoe household , the person who answered the phone hung up . earlier , van der sloot 's mother , anita van der sloot , told cnn her son had not been arrested , but had only reported to a police station in the netherlands for questioning wednesday after receiving a letter asking him to do so .<doc-sep>lima , peru -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- joran van der sloot was charged with murder friday , acting `` with ferocity and great cruelty '' in the slaying of a 21-year-old student in lima , peru , according to court documents . van der sloot also was charged with robbery in last week 's slaying of stephany flores ramirez , according to a release from the lima superior court of justice . judge juan buendia valenzuela ordered that van der sloot be detained and turned over to penal authorities while awaiting trial . he was transferred to a prison friday afternoon , america tv showed in a broadcast . the 22-year-old dutch citizen was considered the main suspect in the 2005 disappearance of alabama teen natalee holloway in aruba , where van der sloot lived . he has been arrested twice in connection with the case but was released for lack of evidence . van der sloot told authorities he attacked flores on may 30 after she read an e-mail on his computer connected with the holloway case , peruvian national police said in a statement thursday . the court also accused three men of failing to report the crime , the release said . brothers john williams aparcana pisconte and john oswaldo aparcana pisconte , along with carlos alberto uribe petril , drove van der sloot from peru to chile last week , police said . van der sloot was arrested in chile on june 3 and returned to the next day to peru , where police say he confessed to killing flores . police say that in addition to savagely beating and killing flores , who had a broken neck , he took money and bank cards from her wallet before fleeing . the robbery charge is related to that accusation . flores and van der sloot went to a hotel room registered in his name after playing poker at a nearby casino , police say . hotel surveillance video shows them entering his room together and him leaving alone more than three hours later . in the holloway case , van der sloot told investigators during an interrogation that he knows the location of her body , a peruvian police official said . but van der sloot would not identify the location or say what happened to her the night of her disappearance , said miguel canlla , head of the homicide division of the peruvian national police investigative unit . `` in the interrogation done to the dutch citizen , he says he knew the location of the corpse of the american citizen but that he was going to explain everything to aruban police , '' canlla said thursday . canlla said thursday that aruban police were not currently in peru and that he did not know whether aruban and peruvian investigators had been in contact . van der sloot 's lawyer , maximo alonso altez navarro , has said he plans to ask the judge in the case to strike down van der sloot 's confession because he was not properly represented when he was interrogated .<doc-sep>van der sloot , a 22-year-old dutch citizen , was arrested twice in aruba in connection with holloway 's disappearance but released for lack of evidence . holloway 's body has never been found . van der sloot has stated to peruvian police that he wants to talk to aruban officials about the holloway case , aruban attorney general robert f. pietersz said wednesday . `` i am not worried . i trust the justice in peru . so , we are just waiting for the judgment , '' said stephany 's sister-in-law carolina jorge . `` we are praying that this case -lrb- will bring closure -rrb- ... for us and ... for natalee 's family , too . '' dave holloway met with aruban authorities on the caribbean island tuesday and told cnn he believes progress is being made in the investigation . he declined to elaborate further . aruba also will have to wait to see what information may be contained in a laptop computer peruvian authorities confiscated when they arrested van der sloot , aruban prosecutor peter blanken said . the fbi will obtain that information from peru and then share it with aruban investigators , blanken said . | <t> the two-hour interview takes place in the netherlands . </t> <t> joran van der sloot again denies any role in natalee holloway 's disappearance . </t> <t> says he was under the influence of marijuana when he was secretly videotaped . </t> <t> footage shows van der sloot saying he was with holloway when she died . </t> | aruban police question van der sloot again<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- he 's been described as the richard branson of asian airlines . and he certainly knows a thing or two about building a brand . tony fernandes , ceo of air asia , spoke to cnn 's andrew stevens in the boardroom . in just five years , tony fernandes has built air asia from a bankrupt local carrier to the region 's biggest budget airline -- 18 million passengers will fly the airline this year . cnn 's andrew stevens talked to fernandes in macau to find out why , at the age of 37 , he would leave a comfortable job in the music industry to start a new business in the cut-throat , not to mention high risk , aviation industry . fernandes : well there 's a fine line between brilliance and stupidity , so the second point in a statement that richard branson 's made is how to become a millionaire , start with a billion and start an airline . now i was the other way around , i did n't have a billion . so i think that was one of the things , that i did n't have a lot to lose .<doc-sep>and i thought i was young enough . i got tired of the corporate life , i got tired of corporate politics . and i saw a business opportunity . everyone likes to fly . and i think the key number that got me going was only six percent of malaysians flew . i started looking at the prices of tickets , and to travel from one part of malaysia to another it was almost someone 's one month salary . so that drove me . but i did n't want to be there , you know , at 55 , and say i should 've done it . life is about risks , life is about not being afraid to fail . stevens : but at the time , airlines were going into bankruptcy , oil prices were going through the roof , people were too scared to fly globally , did n't you think , `` oh my god i 've made the worse decision of my life ? '' fernandes : no , i knew malaysians very well . you put a price low enough , they 'd risk their lives . i think also when you start a business the most important thing is does the market want it . and i knew the market wanted it . if that 's there , everything is surmountable because people power is strong .<doc-sep>stevens : you like to pluck people from all different walks of life , from all different professions . how do you meld them all together ? what 's the philosophy underlying this ? fernandes : well i think , first is that everyone plays a part . there is no hierarchy . everyone is valuable . i make all my senior management carry bags and things so they appreciate that . stevens : do they ? fernandes : oh yes , they do . some try to shirk their duties , but it 's very hard when they see the ceo doing it -- they have to do it . the second is that everyone 's got ability , it 's how you bring the best out of them . and that 's a very motivating thing . if you see someone who 's carrying a bag suddenly flying a plane . that 's a very powerful motivator . you can do all the theory and books and promise people the world but when they see it in reality , boy that 's a powerful thing to see .<doc-sep>stevens : when air asia started , you were known to go down , roll up your sleeves , and really get in with your staff at all levels , do you still have time to do that ? fernandes : i have less time , but i still do it . i think it 's fundamental to running my company , because , unless you get down to the floor and see what 's happening , you wo n't make effective decisions . i do it for two reasons . one is , to see what 's going on , and to make sure if i 'm making the right decisions . and the second thing is , i still want to discover these raw diamonds . stevens : what 's the best piece of business advice you 've ever been given ? fernandes : focus and discipline . stay focused and disciplined . stick to a plan , stick to a vision . you change but the vision 's still the same . and that came from conor mccarthy of ryanair . he has taught me about discipline and focus and i think that 's been a really good lesson for me . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tony fernandes is the ceo of air asia , asia 's leading low fare , no frills airline , flying to destinations across the region . after graduating from the london school of economics in 1987 , he worked as an accountant for richard branson 's virgin records from 1987 to 1989 . the amateur guitarist went on to become vice-president for southeast asia for warner music group from 1992-2001 . in a dramatic change of direction , fernandes left the music industry to buy air asia , a bankrupt carrier -- the purchase cost him a token fee of 26 cents . since taking over air asia he has become known as the richard branson of asian air travel . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>tony fernandes , ceo of regional low-cost carrier air asia and chairman of the queens park rangers football club , caused headlines recently by announcing his move from his native malaysia to indonesia . `` jakarta has the potential to be the biggest market for air asia , '' fernandes told cnn tuesday at the launch of air asia asean in jakarta . `` it 's also home for asean . so it 's a statement we want to accelerate change in asean and we 've made the bold move of physically relocating ourselves here . `` we believe there is a massive market potential that 's untouched here -- that 's what we 're after , '' he said . global insight , an economics consulting firm , predicts the indonesian economy will grow five-fold by 2030 to become a $ 4.5 trillion economy - roughly the size of germany 's economy today .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tony fernandes is the ceo of air asia , asia 's leading low fare , no frills airline , flying to destinations across the region . after graduating from the london school of economics in 1987 , he worked as an accountant for richard branson 's virgin records from 1987 to 1989 . the amateur guitarist went on to become vice-president for southeast asia for warner music group from 1992-2001 .<doc-sep>for any normal human 50 cents is worthless -- for tony fernandes it was all he needed to buy his own airline . when fernandes bought airasia in 2001 from malaysian conglomerate drb-hicom for a single malaysian ringgit -- worth about 50 cents at the time -- the carrier was in free fall and plunging deeper into debt by the day . but the flamboyant businessman built the small and failing company into a dominant player in south-east asia with a low-cost model that focused on short and cheap flights . some years later he started airasia x , which focused on long-haul flights . scroll down for video . airasia ceo tony fernandes used a low-cost model that focused on short and cheap flights to make the airline a major player in south-east asia . mr fernandes worked with fellow air tycoon sir richard branson at virgin communications london in the late 1980s . they are now firm friends . his cavalier attitude in business and willingness to take a punt on an outside chance made his name . one of his most notable recently was when he bought premier league football team queens park rangers in 2011 . he is currently their chairman and the team is sponsored by airasia . a minute 's silence was observed at the start of rangers ' premier league game against crystal palace on sunday for those missing . but the 50-year-old 's renowned self-belief will be severely tested after airasia flight qz8501 between surabaya , indonesia and singapore went missing with 137 adults , 17 children and one infant on board . it 's a nightmare now , but he 'd dreamed of operating his own budget airline since he was in school , he told the bbc in 2010 . his motto , according to the airasia website , is : ` believe the unbelievable . dream the impossible . never take no for an answer . ' | <t> tony fernandes , ceo of air asia , talks to cnn 's andrew stevens . </t> <t> he turned air asia into the region 's biggest budget airline . </t> <t> fernandes is known for joining in with staff at all levels . </t> | tony fernandes , ceo of air asia<T> |
bogota , colombia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the commander of the revolutionary armed forces of colombia 's force 47 told reporters in bogota monday -- a day after surrendering -- that `` the solution is not through war . there must be dialogue . '' nelly avila moreno , center , alias karina , is escorted by soldiers after surrendering . nelly avila moreno , 45 , whose nom de guerre was karina , said she and her longtime male companion made the decision jointly to abandon the farc group , based in the jungle , at 5 a.m. sunday . she said pressure from colombian soldiers had been key to their decision , and she called on her fellow rebels to follow her example . `` i invite them to change the sensibility that is among the guerrillas , '' she said , seated by her companion , who said nothing during the news conference . she also had a message for the colombian people : `` it is important to do something for peace in colombia , and that need to do something is precisely one of my motivations . '' after 24 years with the farc , karina said she wants to reintegrate with society . `` at this moment , what i am thinking about is reuniting with my family and with all of society , '' she said . karina said she had had no contact with the group 's leaders for the past two years . during that time , she said , `` i was trying to stay alive . ''<doc-sep>she said she knows nothing about the group 's leaders , because `` everything in the farc is very compartmentalized . '' still , she did hear through the news media about the killing by another member of farc of ivan rios , a member of the group 's central high command . `` we suffered a very strong blow , '' she said . she acknowledged that news led her to worry about the possibility that one of her fellow guerrillas might consider doing the same thing to her . `` a person has a lot of combatants alongside , but you do n't know what each one is thinking , '' she said . asked about news reports of guerrilla operations she may have participated in , karina admitted to nothing . `` they accuse me of a lot of things i was n't part of , '' she said . but miguel antonio paez told cnn en espanol that he remembers well the woman who , with a band of guerrillas , stopped the bus he was on in 2004 in northwest colombia , ordered him and the other passengers off and the bus be burned . `` the commander of that guerrilla group -- a dark-haired woman , tall , with one eye missing -- called herself karina , '' he said . `` she ordered me tied up . here , i have the marks from the wires , and there , while i was tied up , she lopped off my penis and testicles and i remained castrated for all my life . ''<doc-sep>asked specifically about the killing of the father of president alvaro uribe in 1983 , she said she did not know who carried out the act , and added , `` i do n't have my hands stained in that deed . '' she said that with her surrender have come new fears about possible retribution from farc loyalists , who consider her a traitor . wearing a red sweatshirt and what appeared to be a diamond earring in her left ear , she said she once believed the farc would rule colombia . `` i once dreamed of that , '' she said . gen. mario montoya , chief of the army , said two colombian air force helicopters were sent sunday to pick up karina and her companion , who had given authorities their general location . `` with this , we have given a confounding strike to the farc structure , '' particularly to front 47 , which at this point is practically dismantled , '' he said . since the killing of rios , 45 members of the group have laid down their arms and accepted a government plan for reinstallation into society , he said . `` we want to send a message to all members of farc who persist in the mountains , '' he said . `` to tell them , what karina has done is the road all the members of farc should go down . if they do n't , we are going to continue combating them . today , more than ever , i invite them to lay down their arms , take the plan . we do n't want them dead . we want them alive . ''<doc-sep>musical youth : farc fighters perform a rap music track with lyrics supporting dialogue with the government . mailonline was unable to independently verfiy the track 's meaning . revolutionary chic : the farc fighters appeared in che guevara t-shirts and paramilitary uniforms in the video . president santos said a week ago that bogota would not cease military operations against the farc or withdraw security forces while contacts were under way , and seven rebels were killed in clashes yesterday . without referring to the latest farc statement , the president said : ` with much hope , we the people of colombia are going to see if we can end this conflict , which has caused us so much pain . ' he warned against ` repeating the mistakes of the past ' - a reference to a vast demilitarised zone set up for the farc during the last talks , in 2002 , that allegedly just helped them regroup . but some analysts say a ceasefire may be necessary as a confidence-building measure for any successful peace talks . political scientist fernando giraldo said timochenko 's word choice was cause for hope after decades of fighting and suffering . class struggle : the farc are colombia 's oldest rebel group and draw their roots from anger among landless peasants in a country with a gaping divide between rich and poor . fighting a losing battle ? the farc have some 9,200 fighters , down by half over the past decade after a series of military defeats , and have been largely corralled in rural areas . ` the farc have suffered many tough blows , . and to say that they are going into the dialogue not seeking revenge .<doc-sep>`` they have robbed us of nearly 50 years as a nation , '' he said . `` we are going to end the narco-terrorist farc nightmare . '' suarez , who was believed to be 47 , joined the farc as a teenager and rose through the ranks to become commander of one of the rebels ' seven fighting divisions . he became a top commander in the early 1990s , when he was appointed as one of the farc 's seven-member general secretariat . he eventually became the farc 's military commander in chief . although he was considered the no. 2 person in the rebel group , suarez had much more military experience and time served in the farc than its leader , cano , who was appointed to the general secretariat as the result of a deal with the colombian communist party . in recent years , suarez had been in charge of holding significant prisoners and kidnap victims in jungle camps . he also was in direct command of units responsible for the deaths of three americans in 1999 . he was under indictment in the united states for those deaths as well as drug-trafficking charges . suarez also was the first farc commander to order in the late 1980s or early 1990s that the rebels collect a tax from peasant farmers on coca plant cultivation . that , analysts say , marked the start of the farc 's wholesale involvement in drug trafficking . cnn 's karl penhaul contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the guerrilla leader 's death was the farc 's second major setback in the past few days . an airstrike over the weekend killed a high-ranking rebel commander who was wanted in the united states , police said . sixto antonio cabana guillen was among the more than two dozen guerrillas killed in a colombian air force bombing operation sunday , the national police said monday . the u.s. state department had been offering a reward of up to $ 2.5 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction . cabana , as a top member of the farc , helped set policies directing and controlling the production and distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the united states and the world , according to a statement on the state department 's website . speaking at thursday 's news conference in bogota , rivera urged farc leader guillermo leon saenz , known as alfonso cano , to surrender . `` we guarantee your life , '' rivera said . `` we guarantee just treatment . '' regardless , rivera vowed , the war against the farc will continue .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- talks aimed at ending 50 years of fighting between farc guerrillas and colombian forces are expected to take place wednesday in norway . in an interview last month , colombian president juan manuel santos told cnn 's christiane amanpour that he was hopeful about the prospect for peace . the sides were able to negotiate a `` short '' and `` pragmatic '' agenda for the talks , he said . santos said he has been thinking about the possibility of peace ever since the farc 's military commander was killed in 2010 . read more : five facts about colombia 's farc rebels . a developing economy and the military successes colombia has scored against the farc make it a good time for negotiations , according to santos . | <t> rebel `` karina '' and her male companion surrender . </t> <t> karina was a commander of colombian rebels . </t> <t> she says , `` the solution is not through war . there must be dialogue '' </t> <t> she says she fears possible retribution from farc loyalists . </t> | farc commander gives up , calls for dialogue<T> |
-lrb- gametap.com -rrb- -- everyone wants to be more physically fit , but the toughest thing is finding motivation -- the motivation to get started , the motivation to keep going , the motivation to push yourself to the next level . a man tries out the wii fit at a nintendo launch party in central park , new york city . wii fit does n't try to motivate you with before and after photos . it does n't try to motivate you with testimonials from fitness gurus . it does n't even offer you three easy payments . but it does entice you to get into shape by making working out look like fun . and that it does very well . in fact , wii fit might be some of the most fun you can have by just more or less standing still , which must make it about as mass market friendly as any video game product ever was . wii fit requires a wii , of course , and it comes bundled with a balance board . but the entire setup does n't take up much space , and the board is no eyesore , either . unlike a bathroom scale that 's usually squirreled away in a closet or shoved into the corner of a bathroom , looking at it does n't make you feel guilty . designed to fit in with japanese living rooms , where space is usually at a premium , the balance board is sleek and elegantly designed . ireport.com : send us your wii fit review . it conveys cool asian style with a streamlined appearance . it 's something you would n't mind having in your living room at all . one thing about nintendo : they know how to make hardware that 's rugged but easy on the eyes . getting started with wii fit is a snap , but you might have to get some bad news out of the way first . the balance board connects to the wii through a wi-fi connection . you stand on it and use the wii remote to record your height and age . the balance board then registers your weight . from those figures , wii fit calculates your body mass index -lrb- bmi -rrb- , a standard metric many doctors use to determine a person 's overall fitness , which you can track over time . oddly , however , there 's no easy way to just use the scale to see your weight without recalculating your bmi each time . the wii fit-ness program is organized into 48 activities divided among four general areas : yoga , aerobics , strength training , and balance games . you can choose to work through all four in one session or just concentrate on one . if you 've never tried yoga before , working through the 15 positions here are as good an introduction as any . all of them are done with at least one foot on the balance board , so wii fit can measure how centered you keep your body . yoga is a great way to stretch muscles and joints out and to work on overall flexibility . as meditative as this physical activity would seem , you 'll feel the burn even before you reach any of the advanced forms . once you 're loosened up a little with yoga , you might move on to aerobics . the majority of these nine activities are basically variations of hula hooping , jogging in place , and simple step aerobics . the one exception is rhythm boxing , which you unlock later on . by turning these aerobic challenges all into minigames , wii fit entices you to keep working on them to earn better scores and ratings . with the hula hoop , for example , you have to stand on the board and grind your hips to keep a virtual hoop twirling . later , you have to `` catch '' tossed hoops , and then keep them all twirling , too . wii fit sets a mellow , steady pace for all its aerobic challenges , but it still manages to make your heart pump . if just the words `` push '' and `` ups '' makes you break out in a sweat , then you 've probably already surmised that strength training contains some of the most physically demanding wii fit workouts . the torso twist and rowing squat are easy , but push-ups , planks , and even the lunges will show you what you 're made of . the push-ups in particular make you work extra hard . you do push-ups with your two hands on the board , but because it 's 17 1/2 inches wide , people over six feet tall or with broad shoulders might find themselves with their hands positioned inside their shoulder width . while it 's certainly a worthwhile goal to build up to , it 's difficult to snap off a set of push-ups from that position . the balance games require you to just apply pressure to the board through your feet . skiing slaloms and ski jumping are fairly straightforward , but you can also walk a tightrope or try to float down a river inside a giant bubble . all of these are simple and fun , and they really do make you aware of how well you maintain good posture and keep your balance . however , they are also short and very limited in the variety of levels and layouts . could you do all these exercises and balance activities right now without wii fit ? sure you could . but would you ? that 's where the wii fit balance board comes in . just like the wii itself , it just looks like something you 'd like to try out . but once you take that first step onto it , you might find yourself on the way to becoming more fit . read about video games . watch video game news . play complete , original console , arcade and pc games - free ! visit gametap.com . copyright : tm & © 2007 turner broadcasting system , inc. . a time warner company , or its licensors . patent pending . all rights reserved . gametap is part of the turner young adult network .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- playing the nintendo wii fit could improve balance and help avoid falls in seniors , researchers taking part in a new study suggest . researchers in aberdeen think playing wii fit may improve the elderly 's balance and lower risks of falling . the university of aberdeen , scotland and the uk 's national health service -lrb- nhs -rrb- have embarked on a four month study on people over 70 to observe any changes in balance after regular use of the wii fit . the video game has different activities including yoga poses , push ups , strength , balance and aerobic exercises . the wii fit includes a balance board that records movements and gives feedback on performance . dr marie fraser , a specialist registrar at woodend hospital in scotland , uk , is carrying out the research . she told cnn : `` falls are the most common cause of accidental injury in older people and the most common cause of accidental deaths in 75-year-olds and over . '' it is hoped that using the wii fit 's balance board can improve elderly people 's balance and confidence . dr alison stewart , who devised the study said she came up with the idea while working in the osteoporosis department at the university of aberdeen , after seeing a large number of fractures in old people who had fallen . stewart , a commercial research manager with the nhs , said she then decided to research how to improve older people 's balance . she told cnn : `` there exists a medical fitness device that improves balance , but it is expensive and i could not get the funding . `` that 's when i looked up the wii and discovered it is very similar to the other equipment , but less expensive . `` what is great about the wii is it also has an entertainment value . the fact that it is enjoyable also makes the compliance rate higher . '' the latest study comes as another pilot study at southern cross university , australia looked at the benefits of using the wii to help parkinson 's sufferers .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 19:53 est , 13 june 2012 . | . updated : . 19:53 est , 13 june 2012 . behold the bonobo , our ape cousin that 's kinder and gentler than the chimpanzee or , well , us . now scientists have mapped the primate 's dna , and some researchers believe that may eventually reveal secrets about how the darker side of our nature evolved .<doc-sep>before becoming president , bush `` senior '' served as vice president under ronald reagan . he is also a former navy pilot and flew 58 combat missions in world war ii in the pacific . bush was shot down once but was rescued by u.s. sailors , according to his white house biography . he received the distinguished flying cross . bush became known for his declaration that the united states should become `` a kinder and gentler nation . ''<doc-sep>goh ran a `` kinder , gentler singapore '' and helped dilute the perceptions of a lee family dynasty . after 14 years in power -- steering singapore through the 1997 financial crisis and the sars outbreak , and reaching out to his neighbors and to the west -- 63-year-old goh turned the office over to lee 's son in 2004 . enduring legacy . even after his departure from office , the elder lee retained his influence around the world . | <t> entire ` wii fit ' setup does n't take up much space , and the board is no eyesore . </t> <t> wii fit calculates your body mass index -lrb- bmi -rrb- , a metric many doctors use . </t> <t> program organized into 48 activities divided among four general areas . </t> <t> people over 6 feet tall or with broad shoulders may find some activities difficult . </t> | review : ` wii fit ' gives kinder , gentler workout<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- cristiano ronaldo missed an early penalty as manchester united earned a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the champions league semifinal at barcelona 's nou camp stadium on wednesday night . cristiano ronaldo sent his penalty attempt wide as united failed to take an early lead at the nou camp . the portugal winger , the top scorer in this season 's competition , spurned the chance to net for the 39th time overall this campaign and give united a vital away goal . the 23-year-old hit the stanchion high outside goalkeeper victor valdes ' left-hand post in the third minute after gabriel milito handled his header from a paul scholes corner . it was united 's best chance in a game dominated by the home side , who had the best of possession with some silky moves but failed to find the killer pass in the final third of the pitch . united goalkeeper edwin van der sar made a string of saves , especially in the second half , but was not often seriously tested . barcelona were boosted by the return of argentina forward lionel messi , who started alongside samuel eto'o up front , with thierry henry on the bench after also being cleared following an illness . messi picked out samuel eto'o in the 13th minute only for midfielder scholes -- making his 100th champions league appearance -- to make a vital interception . barcelona pressed forward again in the 21st minute and rafael marquez got clear of his marker but his header failed to trouble van der sar , who was back in the side following a groin injury . then yaya toure showed good skill for the home side and sent a good cross into the area that was turned away by van der sar . ronaldo felt he should have had another penalty in the 30th minute when he was bundled over by marquez after xavi had carelessly lost possession , but swiss referee massimo busacca allowed play to continue . eto'o rattled in a shot after 34 minutes but wes brown -- who passed a late fitness test to replace the ill nemanja vidic in central defense -- made a vital block . brown partnered rio ferdinand , with england midfielder owen hargreaves operating as a makeshift right-back . deco , starting his first game for barcelona after two months out with injuries , then failed to test van der sar with a free-kick in the 38th minute . marquez was booked in the 44th minute after tripping ronaldo as he attempted to surge forward , meaning the mexican is suspended for next tuesday 's second leg at old trafford . ronaldo sent his effort from an acute angle wide of the post . after the break , messi saw his effort blocked in the 47th minute and then van der sar tipped over defender gianluca zambrotta 's long-range effort . messi beat three united players but ferdinand cut out his low cross from the right , then he played in a superb ball for eto'o -- who lashed his shot against the side-netting . deco tested van der sar with a low drive , then the dutchman easily dealt with a 20-yard effort from xavi . barcelona coach frank rijkaard took off messi in the 62nd minute , replacing him with teenager bojan krkic , who scored the winner in the first leg of the quarterfinal against schalke . a foul on the serbian-born spaniard drew a yellow card for hargreaves in the 73rd minute , then united boss alex ferguson bolstered his midfield by bringing on nani for england forward wayne rooney -- who had started up front with carlos tevez . rijkaard responded by replacing deco with henry in the 77th minute , and the french forward forced a scrambled save by van der sar with a long-range shot on 83 . ferguson brought on veteran winger ryan giggs for tevez soon after , then van der sar denied andres iniesta and also dived to comfortably save henry 's free-kick from 35 yards . barcelona continued to press until the final whistle , but still could not create a clear-cut opportunity . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>roberto martinez admitted leighton baines is everton 's penalty king after kevin mirallas missed from the spot in monday night 's stalemate against west brom . the belgian took responsibility after joleon lescott was penalised for handling in the box , despite baines being the toffees ' normal penalty taker . however , mirallas , who was successful from 12 yards in the shoot-out in last week 's fa cup clash with west ham , was left red-faced after his kick skimmed the post and went wide . kevin mirallas caused a stir after snatching the balla head of everton team-mate leighton baines . the belgian was left red-faced after he fluffed his lines from 12 yards . martinez told sky sports : ` our penalty taker is leighton baines , he 's the number one penalty taker , but , in the same way , we had a penalty shoot-out on tuesday night against west ham and , as you saw , kevin mirallas takes the penalties really well and he felt really confident and he wanted to take it . ` at that point you need to feel confident and he was feeling that he could take the penalty and leighton baines was quite happy to allow him to do that . ` only the takers can miss the penalties , but both have got the qualities to score goals .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the two-match ban imposed on manchester united striker wayne rooney for swearing in front of a television camera has been upheld by the english football association -lrb- fa -rrb- after an appeal by the player that the punishment was excessive was rejected . the decision means the england international -- who scored united 's only goal in a 1-0 champions league quarterfinal victory against chelsea on wednesday -- will now miss a crunch domestic cup semifinal against city rivals manchester city on april 16 as well as saturday 's english premier league clash with fulham . the ban was initially imposed by the fa after rooney shouted expletives directly in front of a tv camera during his hat-trick celebration in a 4-2 league win against west ham last saturday . the 25-year-old said his outburst had been provoked by `` continuous verbal abuse from west ham supporters . '' but in an official statement released on thursday , the fa said : `` rooney had admitted a charge for the use of offensive , insulting and/or abusive language , but claimed that the automatic penalty of two games was clearly excessive . `` the commission did not accept the claim and rooney will begin the standard two-match suspension with immediate effect . '' in a statement issued through his spokesman ian monk to cnn , wayne rooney said he was `` gutted '' to miss two matches . `` i am not the first player to have sworn on tv and i wo n't be the last , '' the statement read .<doc-sep>leeds also had a player sent off when gaetano berardi saw red , but united had already wrapped up a 3-0 yorkshire derby win over huddersfield , with rodolph austin , mirco antenucci and souleymane doukara scoring at elland road . stevie may struck late on as sheffield wednesday edged out reading 1-0 at hillsbrough , on-loan glenn murray missing a penalty for the royals . rotherham and charlton shared the spoils in a 1-1 stalemate and brighton and blackpool drew 0-0 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- italy beat england 4-2 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals of euro 2012 after their match in kiev sunday ended goalless following extra time . alessandro diamanti converted the deciding penalty to give italy a deserved victory after they had dominated for prolonged periods . they will play germany for a place in the final in warsaw thursday . portugal play defending champions spain in the first semifinal in donetsk wednesday . the italians were first to miss in the shootout when riccardo montolivo shot wide , but england 's delight was short-lived when ashley young 's well-struck spot-kick rattled the crossbar . man of the match andrea pirlo then pulled italy level at 2-2 with an impudent chip over joe hart , before ashley cole saw his effort saved by gianluigi buffon . | <t> manchester united earn 0-0 draw away to barcelona in first leg of semifinal . </t> <t> united 's top scorer cristiano ronaldo misses penalty in the third minute . </t> <t> barca dominated champions league tie but could not breach united 's defense . </t> <t> goalkeeper edwin van der sar made several saves but not seriously tested . </t> | united miss penalty in semifinal stalemate<T> |
tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a u.s. marine pleaded guilty friday to abusive sexual contact with a child under 16 , bringing to a close a criminal case that stoked outrage in japan , a marine spokesman said . protesters turned out in march after the rape allegations surfaced . the marine pleaded guilty to charges friday . staff . sgt. tyrone l. hadnott was sentenced to four years of confinement , said first lt. judd wilson , a marine spokesman in okinawa , japan . the marine corps withdrew several other charges , including rape of a child , kidnapping and making a false official statement , wilson said .<doc-sep>japanese police arrested hadnott in february on charges alleging that he raped a 14-year-old junior-high school student . he saw her while riding his motorcycle , offered to give her a ride and later assaulted her at a park , the police said then . the case stirred outrage at the highest levels of the japanese government . prime minister yasuo fukuda deplored the incident as `` unforgivable . '' the japanese foreign ministry lodged an official protest with the u.s. government . and okinawa gov. hirokazu nakaima said the offense `` violates the rights of women '' and that `` this is a crime that we should not accept . '' the japanese authorities released hadnott after the girl withdrew her allegations , but the marine corps conducted its own investigation . the marines charged hadnott with rape of a child , abusive sexual contact , making a false official statement , adultery and kidnapping .<doc-sep>more than 40,000 u.s. troops are stationed in japan , most of them on okinawa . the u.s. military presence has at times bred resentment among locals , who have long complained about crime , noise and accidents . anti-american sentiments boiled over in 1995 , after three american servicemen kidnapped and gang-raped a 12-year-old okinawan schoolgirl . two years ago , a u.s. civilian military employee was jailed for nine years for raping two women . the marine corps said in a statement on friday that it does not tolerate sexual assault . `` we remain committed to maintaining an environment that rejects sexual assault and attitudes that promote such behaviors , '' the statement said .<doc-sep>tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a u.s. marine pleaded guilty friday to abusive sexual contact with a child under 16 , bringing to a close a criminal case that stoked outrage in japan , a marine spokesman said . staff . sgt. tyrone l. hadnott was sentenced to four years of confinement , said first lt. judd wilson , a marine spokesman in okinawa , japan . the marine corps withdrew several other charges , including rape of a child , kidnapping and making a false official statement , wilson said . japanese police arrested hadnott in february on charges alleging that he raped a 14-year-old junior-high school student . he saw her while riding his motorcycle , offered to give her a ride and later assaulted her at a park , the police said then . the case stirred outrage at the highest levels of the japanese government . prime minister yasuo fukuda deplored the incident as `` unforgivable . '' the japanese foreign ministry lodged an official protest with the u.s. government . and okinawa gov. hirokazu nakaima said the offense `` violates the rights of women '' and that `` this is a crime that we should not accept . '' the japanese authorities released hadnott after the girl withdrew her allegations , but the marine corps conducted its own investigation . the marines charged hadnott with rape of a child , abusive sexual contact , making a false official statement , adultery and kidnapping . more than 40,000 u.s. troops are stationed in japan , most of them on okinawa . the u.s. military presence has at times bred resentment among locals , who have long complained about crime , noise and accidents . anti-american sentiments boiled over in 1995 , after three american servicemen kidnapped and gang-raped a 12-year-old okinawan schoolgirl . two years ago , a u.s. civilian military employee was jailed for nine years for raping two women . the marine corps said in a statement on friday that it does not tolerate sexual assault . `` we remain committed to maintaining an environment that rejects sexual assault and attitudes that promote such behaviors , '' the statement said .<doc-sep>the fbi crime statistics differed from a telephone crime survey released in october by the justice department . that report showed crime increasing last year but attributed the change to a jump in simple assaults . james alan fox , a criminologist at northeastern university in boston , said many of those assaults described to interviewers were pushing-and-shoving incidents with no injuries and were not reported to any law enforcement agencies . new york nanny pleads not guilty in child deaths .<doc-sep>filled with emotion : 32-year-old christopher colleps , in august , wipes away tears as he pleads with the jury to spare his wife from jail . mercy : brittni colleps is overcome as her husband pleads for leniency before her sentencing in august . but the 32-year-old , who testified that he and his wife had engaged in group sex on previous occasions , says he still loves colleps and he asked the jury to spare his wife from jail . ' i love her with every part of my heart , every ounce of my being , ' her husband told the jury . guilty : brittni colleps was convicted on 16 counts of having improper relationships with students . ` i 'm asking that you give her probation ... because it 's not mine or my children 's fault . ' christopher colleps , was away at louisiana 's fort polk when his wife was having sex with her students . in the 20/20 interview , the cuckold said that dealing with the aftermath of this affair will be punishment enough for his wife . ` when our children get old enough , she has to look them in the eye and tell them what she did . that is punishment , ' he said . similarly , colleps mother asked the jury to not sentence brittni to jail , for the sake of her family .<doc-sep>and a u.s. marine was detained in the rape of a 14-year-old girl until the girl dropped the allegations . as ogbogu was arrested , the u.s. ambassador to japan , thomas schieffer , met with japan 's foreign minister . `` we 're dealing with human beings that do criminal acts from time to time , '' schieffer told reporters afterward . `` and i think justice is going to be done in this matter because we 've been able to work so closely together . '' watch the u.s. ambassador to japan discuss the case '' the u.s. military presence in japan has at times bred resentment among locals , who have long complained about crime , noise and accidents . anti-american sentiments boiled over in 1995 after three american servicemen kidnapped and gang-raped a 12-year-old okinawan schoolgirl . two years ago , a u.s. civilian military employee was jailed for nine years for raping two women . e-mail to a friend . | <t> u.s. marine pleads guilty to abusive sexual contact with a child under 16 . </t> <t> staff . sgt. tyrone l. hadnott is sentenced to four years confinement . </t> <t> the marine corps withdrew several other charges , including rape of a child . </t> | marine pleads guilty in japan sex crime<T> |
new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police imposed a curfew in jaipur on wednesday , a day after near-simultaneous bomb attacks in the ancient indian city killed at least 63 people and wounded more than 200 . indian women mourn the death of their relatives in the may 13 serial blasts in jaipur . vasundhara raje , chief minister of rajasthan -- the state of which jaipur is the capital -- blamed an `` unnamed international terror group '' for the attack , but said it was too early in the investigation to specify which one . h.g. ragavendhra , jaipur 's superintendent of police , told cnn that police found nine newly-purchased bicycles at the scene , and think they were used to carry the explosives . the owner of the bike shop is helping police draw a sketch of the person who purchased them . police have also picked up six suspects and were questioning them . jaipur , known as the `` pink city '' for its rose-colored forts and palaces , is a popular tourist attraction . the majority hindu city of 2.7 million people has a sizable muslim population . the day-long curfew , authorities said , was meant to prevent `` communal violence . '' it was intended to prevent large crowds from gathering at the blast site and hampering the investigation , said jaipur police director kanhaiya lal . also , tempers could flare as mourners spend the day carrying bodies to their home villages and to crematoriums , he said . home ministry officials suspect the islamic militant group harkat-ul-jihad al-islami -lrb- huji -rrb- of being behind the attacks , according to cnn 's sister network cnn-ibn and the press trust of india . no one has claimed responsibility .<doc-sep>in the past , officials have blamed attacks within its borders on `` foreign '' islamic extremist groups fighting against indian rule in the disputed himalayan territory of kashmir . it is a term that is commonly understood to refer to pakistan . kashmir has been the source of bitter dispute and two wars between india and pakistan . both control parts of the region , which is predominantly muslim . pakistan has denied any involvement in the attacks . see the aftermath of the explosions . '' raje told reporters wednesday that the military had been placed on alert and security tightened around the borders of the state , the western edge of which lies next to pakistan . she also took to task the central government , saying it had provided no advance warning about the possibility of such an attack . furthermore , raje said , the central government left a state-proposed organized crime bill unapproved for two years . the bill would have allowed local police more leeway to interrogate suspects plotting attacks , she said . on tuesday evening , eight bombs tore through crowded markets and a packed hindu temple in jaipur 's walled city . the blasts went off within a 12-minute span and within 500 meters -lrb- 0.3 miles -rrb- of each other . police defused a ninth bomb . the jaipur blasts bear an eerie resemblance in its pattern to a deadly attack two years ago in india 's financial capital , mumbai .<doc-sep>in july 2006 , more than 200 people were killed when seven explosions targeted commuter trains in mumbai , formerly bombay . in that incident , the explosions went off within a span of 11 minutes . both attacks used rdx , one of the most powerful kinds of military explosives , and ammonium nitrate , an oxidizing agent in explosives . and both attacks took place during the evening hours and on tuesdays . the jaipur blasts occurred near the temple on a day when devotees pray to hanuman , the hindu monkey king . nearby markets and bazaars that were also targeted were filled with tourists and locals . in the mumbai attack , the blasts were timed to go off during the height of rush hour . and authorities said the bombs all appeared to have been planted on trains that left the churchgate station -- used daily by thousands of commuters in the metropolis of more than 11 million people . indian officials blamed pakistan 's intelligence services and a pakistan-based militant group , lashkar-e-tayyiba , for the attack . pakistan , which banned lashkar-e-tayyiba in 2002 , denied any involvement . the jaipur blast has one more element in common with yet another deadly attack : the use of bicycles . just as on tuesday , assailants used bombs strapped to bicycles in an attack at a mosque in the western indian city of malegaon in september 2006 .<doc-sep>at least 33 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in that explosion , which took place on a friday -- when the mosque is filled with muslim worshippers . that attack was also blamed lashkar-e-tayyiba . authorities have not connected the jaipur blast to any previous attacks . huji -- or the movement of islamic holy war -- is considered a terrorist organization by the united states . it is banned in neighboring bangladesh , where it is accused of carrying out several attacks , including a foiled plot to kill the country 's former prime minister sheikh hasina in 2000 . and it has been blamed for several attacks inside india , including one at the american center in calcutta that killed five policemen in 2002 . india ranks among the countries where terrorism is most common , the u.s. state department said . `` the conflict in jammu and kashmir , attacks by extreme leftist naxalites and maoists in eastern and central india , assaults by ethno-linguistic nationalists in the northeastern states , and terrorist strikes nationwide by islamic extremists took more than 2,300 lives this year , '' the agency said . cnn 's tess eastment and saeed ahmed contributed to this report .<doc-sep>new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- two bomb blasts killed at least 15 people and wounded 119 others on thursday in the southern indian city of hyderabad , the city 's police commissioner , anurag sharma , said a day after the attack .<doc-sep>the last major bomb attack in india was a september 2011 blast outside the high court in new delhi that killed 13 people . a bus shelter has been ripped to pieces by the bomb blast . wounded : the blasts occurred about 10 minutes apart outside a movie theatre and a bus station . distraught : a relative reacts at the omini hospital as panic spread through the city following the blasts . federal home secretary r.k. singh said . officials from the national investigation agency and commandos of the . national security guards were leaving new delhi for hyderabad , the . capital of andhra pradesh . india has been in a state of alert . since mohammed afzal guru , a kashmiri , was hanged in a new delhi jail . nearly two weeks ago . guru had been convicted of involvement in a 2001 . attack on india 's parliament that killed 14 people including five . gunmen . many in indian-ruled kashmir believe . guru did not receive a fair trial , and the secrecy with which the . execution was carried out fueled anger in a region where anti-india . sentiment runs deep . video : two blasts rock indian city of hyderabad .<doc-sep>diplomats were targeted in simultaneous bomb plots which were also . blamed on iran . it is not known whether the attacks are linked . a bomb attached magnetically to a car in . the indian capital new delhi exploded and injured the wife of an israeli . official and two bystanders . officials in georgia said an explosive device was attached to the bottom of a diplomat 's car in the capital tbilisi , but was found and defused before it detonated . israeli leader benjamin netanyahu said iran was behind both incidents , adding that the islamic republic 's lebanese ally hezbollah - which battled israel in a month-long war in 2006 - could have been involved too . last month , a lebanese-swedish man with alleged links to hezbollah militants was detained by thai police . he led authorities to a warehouse filled with more than 4,000 kilos of urea fertiliser and several gallons of liquid ammonium nitrate . fireball : the bangkok blasts came the day after israeli diplomats were targeted in simultaneous bomb plots which were also blamed on iran . a bomb attached magnetically to a car in the indian capital new delhi exploded and injured the wife of an israeli official and two bystanders . closer examination : indian security and forensic officials examine the car on monday - israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu immediately blamed iran for the attacks .<doc-sep>by . simon tomlinson . published : . 10:40 est , 21 february 2013 . | . updated : . 14:26 est , 21 february 2013 . at least 11 people were killed and 50 injured today in a pair of explosions in a crowded area of the southern indian city of hyderabad . the bombs were attached to two bicycles about 150 meters -lrb- 500 feet -rrb- apart in dilsukh nagar , a residential and commercial district . ` this is a dastardly attack , the guilty will not go unpunished , ' prime minister manmohan singh said , who appealed to the public to remain calm . scroll down for video . the carnage left in hyderabad after a bomb ripped through a crowded shopping centre today . the explosion in india has killed 11 people and injured at least 50 more . police officers examine the site of the explosion at dilsukh nagar , in the southern indian city of hyderabad . carnage : the scene of one of two blasts that have killed at least ten people and injured more than 50 in the indian city of hyderabad . horrific : indian medical staff treat some of the injured at the omini hospital in kothapet , hyderabad . federal home minister sushilkumar shinde said eight people died in one explosion and three in the other . he spoke to reporters in new delhi , the indian capital . the blasts occurred about two minutes apart outside a movie theater and a bus station , police said . television images showed the injured being taken to nearby hospitals . | <t> police impose a curfew in jaipur day after bomb attacks kill at least 63 people . </t> <t> local indian official blames `` unnamed international terror group '' for blasts . </t> <t> bombs explode within 12 minutes of each other , 200 people also wounded . </t> <t> police suspect bicycles may have been used to carry the bombs . </t> | curfew crackdown after deadly indian bomb blasts<T> |
delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- india is on high alert after a series of near-simultaneous explosions killed at least 60 people and wounded 150 others in a top tourist spot , government and local officials told cnn-ibn . an injured man rests at swai man singh hospital in jaipur . bicycles and rickshaws were strewn about the streets , with pools of blood nearby , in the northwestern city of jaipur . motorcycles , pieces of which were found at nearly every bomb site , appear to have been used in the attacks , said rajasthan home minister gulab chand kataria . there was no immediate claim of responsibility , but indian government officials -- including minister of state for home affairs shriprakash jaiswal -- were quick to label it a terrorist attack . the eight explosions started at about 7:30 p.m. -lrb- 1400 gmt -rrb- and detonated within 12 minutes of each other , police said . the bombs exploded within about 500 meters -lrb- 0.3 mile -rrb- of each other in jaipur 's old city , which is frequented by tourists . see the aftermath of the explosions . '' an ninth bomb was defused , according to h.g. raghavendra , a jaipur city official . he described all the bombs as `` medium intensity . '' `` there is no reason to panic , '' he told cnn-ibn . `` everything is under control . '' one blast struck near hanuman temple , which was crowded with hindus worshipping hanuman , the religion 's monkey god . another struck near a market area inside jaipur 's walled city where tourists and locals frequent restaurants and shops . jaipur , known as the `` pink city , '' is about 260 kilometers -lrb- 160 miles -rrb- southwest of india 's capital , new delhi . many of the casualties were taken to sms hospital , the largest government hospital in jaipur . people gathered outside the hospital to hear news about friends and relatives ; the hospital issued an urgent appeal for blood donations . the state of rajasthan , where jaipur is located , was placed on alert , local officials said . delhi police officials said they too were on high alert after the blasts and were receiving regular updates from jaipur on developments in the investigation . the deputy chief minister for the state of maharashtra , r.r. patil , said the entire state was also on high alert . mumbai is in the state of maharashtra . the attack was immediately condemned by the united states . u.s. state department spokesman sean mccormack said the attacks were `` quite clearly an act intended to take innocent lives . '' he told reporters at his daily briefing that washington was still collecting information , and could not `` offer insight into who may be responsible . '' according to the u.s. state department , india ranks among the countries where terrorism is most common . `` the conflict in jammu and kashmir , attacks by extreme leftist naxalites and maoists in eastern and central india , assaults by ethno-linguistic nationalists in the northeastern states , and terrorist strikes nationwide by islamic extremists took more than 2,300 lives this year , '' the agency said . it said india 's counterterrorism efforts `` are hampered by outdated and overburdened law enforcement and legal systems , '' and described the country 's court system as `` slow , laborious , and prone to corruption . ''<doc-sep>the last major bomb attack in india was a september 2011 blast outside the high court in new delhi that killed 13 people . a bus shelter has been ripped to pieces by the bomb blast . wounded : the blasts occurred about 10 minutes apart outside a movie theatre and a bus station . distraught : a relative reacts at the omini hospital as panic spread through the city following the blasts . federal home secretary r.k. singh said . officials from the national investigation agency and commandos of the . national security guards were leaving new delhi for hyderabad , the . capital of andhra pradesh . india has been in a state of alert . since mohammed afzal guru , a kashmiri , was hanged in a new delhi jail . nearly two weeks ago . guru had been convicted of involvement in a 2001 . attack on india 's parliament that killed 14 people including five . gunmen . many in indian-ruled kashmir believe . guru did not receive a fair trial , and the secrecy with which the . execution was carried out fueled anger in a region where anti-india . sentiment runs deep . video : two blasts rock indian city of hyderabad .<doc-sep>injured people were being treated at various hospitals . denying the . possibility of a political conspiracy , nitish said the motive of the . explosions was obviously to create disturbance in the country . he said bihar did not have a history of such incidents during political rallies . `` this incident is a blot on the state record in this regard . the conspiracy behind the blasts will be revealed soon , '' he said . `` regardless of the political differences , we need to stay united to foil the designs of divisive forces , '' he added . conspirators behind the serial explosions appear to have hoodwinked the bihar police by planting a bomb at the railway station ahead of gujarat cm narendra modi 's rally at gandhi maidan on sunday . the bomb planted inside a station toilet exploded around 9.30 am , more than two hours before the next bomb went off at the rally venue . investigation : bihar chief minister nitish kumar -lrb- right -rrb- and bihar director general of police abhyanand -lrb- left -rrb- addressed members of the press after the attacks . five more blasts occurred in an hour on the premises of gandhi maidan . investigators are probing if the bomb was kept at the railway station to divert the attention of top bihar police officers who were busy monitoring security arrangements for the bjp rally . senior police officers had reached patna junction with experts from the forensic science laboratory , a bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs soon after the first blast at the rally venue was reported . there are apprehensions among police officers that the terror suspects , who are believed to have carried out the operation , might have sneaked into gandhi maidan and mingled with the crowd when senior police officers were busy monitoring the situation at patna junction . patna ssp manu maharaj , meanwhile , said the arrested person had confessed to his involvement in the blasts . preliminary investigation hinted that the attacks might have been carried by indian mujahideen . the police said the arrested person is a relative of a top im operative who has been absconding . the union home ministry swung into action soon after serial bomb explosions rocked patna on sunday and dispatched teams of the national security guards -lrb- nsg -rrb- and the national investigation agency -lrb- nia -rrb- to bihar . minister of state for home rpn singh said the nia and nsg teams have been rushed to patna to probe the blast sequence . support : nsg commandos arrive at gandhi maidan to support the security response and investigation . initial reports indicated that the explosions were caused by low-intensity devices . the centre assured full cooperation to the nitish kumar government . `` we are in constant touch with the authorities , who are updating us on the situation , '' singh said . the minister also claimed that there was no specific intelligence input about the blasts in patna . the ministry cautioned against politicisation of the blasts and singh appealed to political parties to refrain from inciting people , as the blasts took place before bjp 's prime ministerial candidate narendra modi 's hunkar rally in the state . the centre has also sought a report from the bihar government on the explosions .<doc-sep>islamabad , pakistan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a series of blasts in the city of quetta in southwest pakistan killed 93 people and wounded 169 thursday , police said . children were among the dead , officials said . a bomb thursday morning in a vehicle near a security checkpoint in the center of town caused the first explosion , which wrecked a marketplace , destroyed eight security vehicles and claimed at least 12 lives , police spokesman wazir khan nasir said . at least another 45 people were wounded there . nasir said he believed the checkpoint was the target of the attack . more on pakistan : india and pakistan trade accusations over kashmir violence . nearby , twin blasts during the evening killed at least 81 people and wounded 121 , chief capital city police officer miz zubair mehmood told cnn . the second of the two explosions erupted when police and reporters arrived at the scene of the first blast . a videographer for a private television network was among the dead . nine of the dead were security officers , mehmood said . `` the government of baluchistan is working on mitigating security concerns , and we will make sure to protect citizens as best we can , '' mehmood said . a fourth blast wounded three people . the cause of the blasts was not known , and no one had claimed responsibility for them , he said . prime minister raja pervez ashraf condemned the blasts . `` the prime minister , while expressing his heartfelt condolences and sympathies with the bereaved families , reiterated the government 's resolve to stamp out the menace of militancy and terrorism from the country in its all shapes and manifestations , '' his office said in a statement . `` he said that such cowardly acts would not deter the government from fighting the menace of terrorism . ''<doc-sep>new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- two bomb blasts killed at least 15 people and wounded 119 others on thursday in the southern indian city of hyderabad , the city 's police commissioner , anurag sharma , said a day after the attack . | <t> eight quickfire explosions kill at least 60 people in northwest indian city . </t> <t> bombs explode within 12 minutes of each other , 150 people also wounded . </t> <t> explosions within a small radius in jaipur 's old city , popular with tourists . </t> <t> motorcycles appear to have been used in the attacks , state minister says . </t> | serial bomb blasts leave 60 dead in india<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- al qaeda is still operating within pakistan 's mountainous tribal region bordering afghanistan , and the united states lacks a `` comprehensive '' plan for meeting its national security goals there , said a u.s. government study released thursday . a pakistani policeman watches over a border area in february 2008 . despite the united states providing $ 10.5 billion in military and economic aid to pakistan , a key u.s. ally , the government accountability office said it `` found broad agreement ... that al qaeda had regenerated its ability to attack the united states and had succeeded in establishing a safe haven '' in pakistan 's federally administrated tribal areas . of the $ 10.5 billion in u.s. aid , more than half -- $ 5.8 billion -- was specifically provided for the tribal region , the gao said . furthermore , the report said , `` no comprehensive plan for meeting u.s. national security goals in fata has been developed , as stipulated by the national security strategy for combating terrorism -lsb- in 2003 -rsb- , called for by an independent commission -lsb- in 2004 -rsb- and mandated by congressional legislation -lsb- in 2007 -rsb- . '' `` our report does not state that the u.s. lacks agency-specific plans ; rather , we found that there was no comprehensive plan that integrated the combined capabilities of defense , state , usaid -lsb- u.s. agency for international development -rsb- , the intelligence community , '' gao said . after the september 11 terrorist attacks , u.s. officials said intelligence indicated that osama bin laden and other senior al qaeda leaders , who had been based in afghanistan before the attacks on new york and washington , were operating in the tribal region . pakistani president pervez musharraf has denied that claim and has said that u.s. military missions there would violate pakistan 's sovereignty . so , since 2002 , the united states has `` relied principally on the pakistan military to address u.s. national security goals '' in that region , the gao report said . of the $ 5.8 billion the united states provided for aid in the tribal region , 96 percent of it reimbursed pakistan for military operations there , the agency said .<doc-sep>two of the eight lawmakers who commissioned the gao report , democratic sens. tom harkin of iowa and bob menendez of new jersey , said it indicated a failing on the part of the bush administration . `` the bush administration has had six years to come up with a plan to get osama bin laden and his group , but it is still flying by the seat of its pants , '' menendez said in a statement . `` we 've dumped 10 billion american taxpayer dollars into pakistan with the expectation that the terrorists will be hunted down and smoked out , but al qaeda has been allowed to rejuvenate in the area that is supposed to be locked down , '' he said . harkin called the report 's findings `` appalling . '' `` the white house must propose a strategic policy in this area and follow it , especially when we have this new opportunity to forge a fresh strategic relationship with the new civilian government in pakistan , '' he said in a statement . the defense department said it agreed with the report 's findings , according to letters attached at the end of the gao report , but the state department disagreed with them , saying there was a comprehensive plan in place . a letter from kathleen turner , a spokeswoman for the office of the director of national intelligence , said that office and the national counterterrorism center concurred with the report 's assessment that the united states has not met its national security goals in the tribal region but maintained that there was a plan in place . usaid said that it generally agreed with the report 's recommendation for a comprehensive plan but that work in the tribal areas should be guided by the pakistani government 's own fata sustainable development plan from 2006 . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- al qaeda is the strongest it has been since the aftermath of the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , a new u.s. government analysis concludes , according to a senior government official who has seen it . a pakistani soldier mans a bunker near the afghan border in a tribal area of pakistan . despite a campaign of military action and counterterrorism operations , al qaeda has regained its strength and found safe haven in the tribal areas of pakistan , the report says , according to counterterrorism officials familiar with the report . the five-page intelligence analysis remains classified and was prepared for senior u.s. policymakers . it was not issued in response to a specific threat . two intelligence officials said the report 's finding are similar to what is expected to be in the national intelligence estimate anticipated to be released later this summer . the nie is the intelligence community 's collective analysis of pressing national security issues . the white house 's view is that `` over the past six years , we have prevented attacks from al qaeda by taking the fight to them , '' a senior administration official said . `` but they are an enemy that adapts . '' this new report backs up warnings by homeland security secretary michael chertoff and other officials that al qaeda remains a serious threat and that the united states is vulnerable despite the numerous security changes made since september 11 , 2001 . watch chertoff explain his `` gut feeling '' '' chertoff said wednesday , however , that there is no `` specific , credible information '' that terrorist attacks on the united states are imminent .<doc-sep>according to the document obtained thursday , the queens , new york-born vinas converted from catholicism to islam in 2004 . he hooked up with al qaeda in pakistan three years later , and by september 2007 was determined to wage jihad in afghanistan , the document says . he left new york exactly six years after al qaeda struck the city and arrived in lahore , a major city in eastern pakistan , on september 12 , 2007 . with the help of a friend he had known in new york , who was connected in militant circles , vinas sought out individuals in lahore who could help connect him to jihadists fighting in afghanistan , according to the document . weeks later , the document says , vinas was in afghanistan 's kunar province , a hotbed of the insurgency , with a group of 20 insurgents who crept up near an american combat outpost . at the last minute , they decided not to fire mortars on the base because american war planes were circling overhead , the document says . before launching the raid , vinas said , recruits were required to sign a number of forms . from the document , it is not clear whether those forms constituted formal membership in al qaeda , but vinas stated that `` it was not necessary to sign documents or take part in a ceremony to become a member of al qaeda . '' later in the document , he was quoted as saying he succeeded in becoming a full member of al qaeda . vinas then returned to mohmand , an agency in pakistan 's tribal areas , the document says . his handlers then asked him to become a suicide bomber . he agreed , and was sent to peshawar , pakistan , to receive more instructions . but vinas told investigators that his handlers decided he needed more religious instruction before he would be ready to become a suicide bomber , the document said . after his instruction in peshawar , vinas said , he traveled into the mountains of waziristan in pakistan 's tribal areas . vinas said that during his time there he spent a lot of time with members of al qaeda , including operatives from saudi arabia and yemen , according to the document .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nearly a year after commandos killed osama bin laden at a compound northern pakistan , u.s. officials `` still have work to do '' in order to defeat al qaeda , a top counterterrorism official said sunday . `` we 're on a path to al qaeda 's destruction , and the president has committed that we 're not going to rest until al qaeda is destroyed as an organization in the afghan-pak area , as well as in other regions of the world , '' john brennan , u.s. president barack obama 's chief counterterrorism adviser , told cnn 's `` state of the union . '' killing bin laden and dismantling the terror group 's infrastructure in areas of pakistan and afghanistan have been key steps , brennan said . officials believe ayman al-zawahir , the longtime deputy of bin laden who took over leadership of al qaeda after his death , remains in that region , brennan said . `` we believe he 's in that region of the world , as well as other al qaeda leaders that continue to borough into areas of ... the federally administered tribal areas of pakistan . that 's why we 're working very closely with our pakistani partners , '' he said . `` we 're not going to relent until they 're brought to justice one way or the other . ''<doc-sep>a new york man who pleaded guilty in january to charges of aiding al qaeda was ready to be a suicide bomber for the organization , but was told he needed more religious instruction , according to a document obtained by cnn on thursday . bryant neal vinas says he spent time in the mountains of waziristan with al qaeda members . bryant neal vinas gave an interview in march to belgian prosecutors as part of a terrorism case there involving a cell he was associated with . cnn obtained the prosecution-prepared interview summary document from a belgian defense attorney , and it was authenticated by both a federal prosecutor in new york and vinas ' defense attorney . the french-language document gives a detailed picture of how vinas traveled from new york to pakistan and what he did while he was there . vinas pleaded guilty in january to charges of conspiracy to murder u.s. nationals , providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and receiving military-type training from a foreign terrorist organization , the fbi said wednesday . he admitted involvement in an attack on a u.s. military base in afghanistan in september 2008 , according to an indictment filed under seal and made public wednesday . in addition , authorities said he provided al qaeda with information about the new york transit system and the long island railroad . vinas , 26 , is an american citizen , said a source close to the investigation . he was arrested in pakistan , the source said . according to the document obtained thursday , the queens , new york-born vinas converted from catholicism to islam in 2004 . he hooked up with al qaeda in pakistan three years later , and by september 2007 was determined to wage jihad in afghanistan , the document says . he left new york exactly six years after al qaeda struck the city and arrived in lahore , a major city in eastern pakistan , on september 12 , 2007 . with the help of a friend he had known in new york , who was connected in militant circles , vinas sought out individuals in lahore who could help connect him to jihadists fighting in afghanistan , according to the document . weeks later , the document says , vinas was in afghanistan 's kunar province , a hotbed of the insurgency , with a group of 20 insurgents who crept up near an american combat outpost . at the last minute , they decided not to fire mortars on the base because american war planes were circling overhead , the document says . before launching the raid , vinas said , recruits were required to sign a number of forms . from the document , it is not clear whether those forms constituted formal membership in al qaeda , but vinas stated that `` it was not necessary to sign documents or take part in a ceremony to become a member of al qaeda . '' later in the document , he was quoted as saying he succeeded in becoming a full member of al qaeda . vinas then returned to mohmand , an agency in pakistan 's tribal areas , the document says . his handlers then asked him to become a suicide bomber . he agreed , and was sent to peshawar , pakistan , to receive more instructions . but vinas told investigators that his handlers decided he needed more religious instruction before he would be ready to become a suicide bomber , the document said . after his instruction in peshawar , vinas said , he traveled into the mountains of waziristan in pakistan 's tribal areas . vinas said that during his time there he spent a lot of time with members of al qaeda , including operatives from saudi arabia and yemen , according to the document . between march and july 2008 , vinas said he attended three al qaeda training courses , learning how to fire an ak-47 , a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and handguns . he also familiarized himself with explosives and was taught to make suicide bombing vests . at the end of his training , vinas said , his handlers judged that he was qualified to participate in missile attacks against american , nato and afghan bases in afghanistan , the document said . in september 2008 , vinas said , he traveled to a town near the afghan frontier where he joined a group of jihadists including al qaeda fighters . creeping toward the afghan border , he said , the group fired rockets toward an american combat outpost in afghanistan . this is the attack vinas pleaded guilty to in january , authorities said wednesday . after launching the attack , vinas spent several weeks in the mountains of waziristan near the afghan border . it was there , vinas said , that he had detailed conversations with `` al qaeda chiefs , '' according to the document . vinas is quoted as saying the subject of those discussions included attacks in the west , including in the united states . vinas is not quoted in the document elaborating further . vinas stated that he left pakistan 's tribal areas in october 2008 and returned to peshawar in search of a wife . that 's where he was arrested a few weeks later . vinas is quoted in the document saying that during his stay in pakistan he spent time with a number of belgian and french citizens who had traveled to pakistan 's tribal areas in early 2008 , and who , like vinas , received military training there . in december 2008 , several members of this group and some of their brussels associates were arrested on their return to europe after security services received indications they might be plotting a terrorist attack in belgium . belgian magistrates wanted to question vinas in march for this reason . vinas pleaded guilty on january 28 in a closed hearing , according to court documents . at the time , the case was filed naming `` john doe '' as a defendant and was sealed . the fbi 's new york office would not say whether vinas has been sentenced or comment on why the case was sealed . it said vinas is in the custody of the u.s. marshals service . vinas is also known as `` ibrahim , '' `` bashir al-ameriki '' and `` ben yameen al-kandee , '' according to the indictment unsealed wednesday . in pakistan , according to the document , vinas said he met with the alleged leader of the franco-belgian cell , a tunisian , who belgian intelligence sources have told cnn was moez garsallaoui . garsallaoui is the husband of malika el aroud , a belgian woman who has been described as an `` icon '' of the jihadist movement because her former husband assassinated ahmed shah massoud , the head of afghanistan 's anti-taliban northern alliance , two days before 9/11 . el aroud was one of those arrested in brussels and is awaiting trial , accused of having teamed up with her new husband to recruit europeans to fight jihad . in 2006 , cnn interviewed garsallaoui and el aroud in switzerland . garsallaoui , who belgian counterterrorism sources believe is still at large in the tribal areas between afghanistan and pakistan , boasted to other group members that he had carried out an attack on an american base in afghanistan , firing rockets from pakistan , according to legal documents obtained by cnn . it is not clear whether vinas also joined garsallaoui on these raids . | <t> al qaeda has `` succeeded in establishing a safe haven , '' gao says . </t> <t> report says there is no comprehensive u.s. plan for reaching security goals . </t> <t> democratic critic says report is `` appalling , '' blames administration . </t> | al qaeda still in pakistan tribal areas , report says<T> |
atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it 's midnight on the streets of atlanta , and bar owner rufus terrill patrols his neighborhood with a rolling crime fighter of his own creation . meet `` bum-bot , '' as terrill describes it ; others in his neighborhood call it simply , `` robocop . '' this former bbq smoker is armed with a water gun to chase off bums and drug dealers in downtown atlanta . it 's a barbecue smoker mounted on a three-wheeled scooter , and armed with an infrared camera , spotlight , loudspeaker and aluminum water cannon that shoots a stream of icy water about 20 feet . operated by remote control , the robot spotlights trespassers on property down the street from his bar , o'terrill 's . using a walkie-talkie , terrill belts out through the robot 's loudspeaker , `` that 's private property . you guys need to get out of here . '' terrill is chasing out unsavory-looking characters from a street corner that resembles a drug dealer 's dream at night . more than 20 suspicious people were seen huddling in the dark in the front driveway and side parking lot on this night . some were seen openly making drug deals . watch `` bum-bot '' in action '' but during the day , it 's where young children frolic on a nearby playground at a the beacon of light daycare center in downtown atlanta . it has become a nightmare for day care operator lydia meredith . `` this whole square is enveloped with homeless people and drug dealers , defecating , urinating , prostituting -- the whole nine yards . and the overflow of that behavior , we get to cleanup every morning , '' she says . meredith says people often toss used syringes and condoms onto the playground . terrill , an engineer by trade , is also a board member at the day care center . tired of cleaning up after the shady characters , he decided to take action . that 's when he built his downtown darth vader of sorts . `` he 's a neighborhood vigilante , '' says meredith , `` and when he came up with this -- you know , i call it robocop -- i said , ` praise god . ' '' the daycare center is a block from a homeless shelter . meredith has a security guard at the center who leaves in the early evening . `` they know when the guard leaves , '' she says . `` they know when the cleaning crew leaves and then here comes the drug dealers to prey on the homeless people . '' anita beatty , the director of the shelter , is suspicious of the barbecue-smoker robot . `` i just think the whole ` robocop ' spraying people is a little freaky . we really need some police protection in this neighborhood . i think it 's confusing the issue . i think the issue is homeless people . they are being confused with the folks who prey on them and sell them drugs , '' she says .<doc-sep>atlanta police patrol the area , but say it 's difficult to stay on top of the large number of people who roam the streets in the area late at night . police major lane hagin says the robot is definitely a different crime-fighting idea . `` there 's no problem with the robot going up and down the street or being visible or any of the other things it does -- with the exception of spraying water on people . '' hagin adds , `` then , it becomes an assault no matter where it happens . '' so far no one has filed charges against terrill or the robot . but one homeless man who declined to give his name followed terrill and his robot down the street and laughingly told him , `` i know about you . i can sue you for assault . '' terrill says he 's not hurting anyone and often sprays the water to the side of loiterers as a ploy to get them to move on . he 's also not about to back down . `` if you 're throwing condoms out on the side of the playground , if you 're throwing needles , you 're throwing crack pipes out there , i 'm not going to let those kids be out there like that . i 'm going to stop you . '' terrill bought his bar four years ago knowing nothing about the restaurant business . he ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor of georgia in 2006 . he 's had ongoing problems with people breaking into his bar and stealing things , but it was the day care center problems that spurred him on to create the robot . some of terrill 's bar patrons say they 've seen a difference in the neighborhood . susanne coe lives nearby . `` i 've seen a marked change simply with this robot that does n't have any power of arrest . it does scare people and to be honest with you i 'm grateful for it , '' she says . on this night , as terrill and his robot make their way to the street corner , he shines the robot 's spotlight on the parking lot of the daycare center . one by one , the shadowy figures stand up , walk away and saunter down the street . `` ninety-nine percent of the time , when i go up there and once i turn the spotlight on and i talk to them through the speaker , they leave , '' he says . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . sara malm . published : . 03:33 est , 26 september 2013 . | . updated : . 03:33 est , 26 september 2013 . one of detroit 's most famous fictional sons is set to be honoured in bronze , as the city unveils a statue of the 80s crime-fighting cyborg robocop . the statue of motor city 's protector will be erected next year after more than $ 67,000 was raised in under a week to fund the project . the foam model of robocop has finally made its way to detroit , and is being prepared for the bronze castings , over 25 years after cult film was released in 1987 . detroit man : a foam model of the robocop statue is being prepared for the bronze casting , set to be unveiled in the summer 2014 . the road to robocop began in february . 2011 , when detroit 's mayor dave bing asked his twitter followers what . detroit needed in the future . as . a response , one massachusetts resident tweeted : ` philadelphia has a . statue of rocky & robocop would kick rocky 's butt . he 's a great . ambassador for detroit . ' not . knowing what he was about to start , mayor bing replied : ` there are not . any plans to erect a statue to robocop . thank you for the suggestion . ' robocop fans , not missing a beat , launched a facebook campaign for the statue requesting donations from around the world . the kickstarter campaign lasted just six days , during which 2,718 people donated $ 67,436 to ensure that a giant robocop would be watching over detroit . people 's protector : more than $ 67,000 was raised in a six-day campaign to fund the robocop statue . honoured : the campaign behind the statue hopes that it will be erected in a ` prominent location ' in detroit . a . majority of the funds , $ 25,000 , came from graphic designer pete . hottelet of omni consumer products , a san francisco company named after . the fictional corporation which builds robocop in the film . venus . bronze works in detroit is getting ready to cast pieces of the model , . and robocop campaigners hope the statue will stand in a prominent place . downtown . brandon walley , . director of development for the nonprofit the imagination station , says . the statue `` will add nicely to detroit and the rejuvenation that 's . happening here . '' futuristic future : a robocop remake starring joel kinnaman in the title role will his the big screen in february next year . killing machine : the remake of the 1987 film is also starring samuel l jackson and gary oldman in supporting roles . the 1987 . science fiction movie was set in a futuristic and crime-ridden detroit , . and spun off into two sequels and a television series . a remake starring joel kinnaman as robocop with gary oldman and samuel l jackson in supporting roles is set to premiere in . february 2014 . no location . in the city has been announced yet for its placement as the group , . working behind the website detroitneedsrobocop.com , continues to take . suggestions and weigh their options . but according to mr walley , no matter where that is , one thing 's for sure , it ` will withstand the end of time .<doc-sep>colleges , and at several suburban high schools . the two named their network ` the main line takeover project , ' investigators said . ` their . intention , as the name suggests , was the two of them would take over . drug distribution - in particular , marijuana distribution - in schools . and colleges on the main line , ' district attorney risa vetri ferman . said . ` this was not a game . these people were in business , they were in business to make money and . they were going to do whatever they needed to do so that no one . threatened their business . ' scott would receive bulk shipments from a california supplier which would be shipped to his haverford apartment , which allegedly served as his base of operations . ferman said local students would be drafted into the drug distribution operation as sub-dealers to allegedly distribute cocaine , marijuana , hash oil and ecstasy . ` the high school sub-dealers were encouraged to develop their business so they could sell at least one pound of marijuana each week , ' ferman said . damning evidence : montgomery county district attorney risa vetri ferman holds a rifle that was part of the drugs , guns , money and other illegal items seized when lower merion police broke up a drug distribution ring . quite the haul : the duo allegedly set up a drug ring that supplied marijuana and cocaine to schools in philadelphia 's affluent main line suburbs . pictured , a haul of guns , cash and drugs that authorities seized . brooks - who ferman said acted as the supervisor of the student dealers - instructed them to make sure there was ` never a drought , ' ferman said . he wanted dealers to make certain there was always a constant supply in the assigned schools . if the dealers met their weekly quota , the incentives included a lower purchase price for marijuana in order to increase their profit margin . ferman said investigators learned about the ` main line take over project ' through confidential informants and conducted a one-day round-up in february . in that operation , prosecutors said they confiscated 8 lbs . of marijuana , 3 grams of hash oil , 23 grams of cocaine , 11 grams of ecstasy , $ 11,000 in cash , a loaded handgun , an ar-15 assault rifle and ar-15 style rifle . most of the contraband came from scott 's haverford apartment , authorities said . questions : as well as the two ringleaders , garrett johnson , 18 , -lrb- left -rrb- and daniel mcgrath , 18 , -lrb- right -rrb- were arrested in the investigation . they are both students at scott and brooks ' former prep school . ` sub-dealers ' : willow orr , -lrb- left -rrb- , and domenic curcio , 29 -lrb- right -rrb- were also arrested in connection with the ring . ` involved ' : reid cohen , 18 , -lrb- left -rrb- a high school student , and john rosemann , 20 , -lrb- right -rrb- a lafayette student . investigators found approximately . eight pounds of marijuana , three pounds of hash oil , 23 grams of . cocaine , 11 grams of ecstasy , $ 11,000 in cash , a loaded ar-15 assault . rifle , a loaded 9mm pistol , and a loaded .22 ar-15 style rifle along . with ammunition for all of those guns . during . the four-month investigation , text messages revealed scott gave brooks . advice on how to expand the marijuana sales in high schools , . investigators say . brooks then supervised sub-dealers who sold marijuana . at local high schools . ferman says the two men exploited those relationships to help build their drug operation . in addition to scott and brooks , seven alleged ` sub-dealers ' were also charged . they are : daniel mcgrath , 18 , a student at the haverford school ; john rosemann , 20 , a student at lafayette college ; christian euler , 23 , a graduate of the haverford school and student at lafayette college ; garrett johnson , 18 , a student at haverford college ; reid cohen , 18 , a haverford college student ; willow orr , 22 ; domenic curcio , 29 . two juveniles , a 17-year-old radnor high school student and 17-year-old lower merion high school student , have also been petitioned by the da 's office . lafayette college senior christian ` stocky ' euler , a star lacrosse player who attended haverford with the two ringleaders , was also involved and turned himself into police last tuesday . arrest : christian ` stocky ' euler , pictured left . and right , has turned himself in to police after he was linked to a drug . ring in philadelphia . the lafayette lacrosse player went to the same . high school as other suspects .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporters . published : . 17:01 est , 13 october 2013 . | . updated : . 04:20 est , 14 october 2013 . two police officers has secretly been caught on camera detaining and interrogating two men for stopping to say hello to someone on the street . the confronting scene - which goes for over 16 minutes and was uploaded to youtube - was captured on a cell phone unbeknownst to the officer in charge , who seems to be under the impression he turned the device off . during the course of the video , the officer in charge , phillip nace of the 25th district , appears to threaten violence , use derogatory language and accuse the men of being drug dealers . the video - purportedly taken on september 27 - is called ` police unlawful harassment and racial profiling , ' but the race of the two pedestrians is unclear .<doc-sep>by . ashley collman . and lydia warren . the two young men at the head of a philadelphia prep-school drug ring have turned on each other after authorities raided their operation - confiscating pounds of drugs , several weapons and $ 11,000 in cash . neil scott , 25 , and his 18-year-old associate timothy brooks were arrested as the ringleaders of the ` main line takeover project ' - a drug dealership in suburban pennsylvania which dealt exclusively in colleges and high schools . while the two once worked closely together to run their illicit business , they have since turned on each other as they . face multiple felony charges . friendship over : neil scott , 25 -lrb- left -rrb- , and timothy brooks , 18 -lrb- right -rrb- , are the alleged ringleaders of a philadelphia drug business . after the two were arraigned last monday on several felony counts , they turned on each other in statements released by their lawyers . haul : a raid in february turned up pounds of drugs , several guns and thousands in cash the two men used to run their drug ring in suburban philadelphia . sorry : brooks ' lawyer says he was only involved in the drug ring for three months and was ` remorseful ' of his behavior . pictured above being led into court on monday for an arraignment . he is currently free on $ 250,000 bond . partner in crime ; however , a lawyer for scott says brooks was a drug dealer before he met his client and that scott never worked with the high school drug dealers . pictured above on monday . scott is still in jail on $ 1million bail . after the two were arraigned in montgomery county court on monday , their lawyers issued statements defending their clients . greg pagano , the attorney for brooks , told abc news that his client was only involved in the ring for three months , did not posses any of the weapons and was ` remorseful ' for his behavior . ` he suffered an injury as an athlete at his first year of college in the fall of 2013 requiring him to come home for surgery and to recuperate , ' pagano said . ` he became depressed and was not well physically or mentally . it was during this time period that he became acquainted with the wrong people . ' scott 's lawyer timothy egan paints a different portrait of brooks however , saying he was a drug dealer before meeting scott and the only one who worked directly with the high-school dealers . ` mr. scott had no direct relationships with any high school students or any high school drug dealers with regards to any substance - including marijuana , ' egan said . ` the main contact he had with the high school was mr. brooks ... and mr. brooks already had per-existing ties in at least a few of the high schools . ' scott remains in jail on $ 1million bail while brooks is free after his parents posted his $ 250,000 bail . both are facing multiple felony counts including working for a corrupt organization , conspiracy , and possession of a controlled substance . scott and neil are graduates of the haverford school , a $ 35,000-a-year prep school where they played lacrosse and went on to supply drugs . good upbringing : both scott and brooks the posh attended haverford college . a private , nonsectarian , preparatory boys ' school outside philadelphia . scott . graduated in 2008 and went to connecticut college , but he dropped out . after three semesters when he was caught smoking pot and making fake . ids , the philadelphia daily news reported . afterwards , . one of his high school coaches found him a job working for a team in . california , and when that folded in february 2013 , another coach in the . state gave him a job on his program . ` he told me there was nothing good at . home , ' the coach , zack burke , told the daily news . ` nothing but drugs and trouble , and he wanted to get . away from it out here . ' but burke said that scott 's attitude . began to change . he added that . he thought scott began dating a 40-year-old dermatologist who could provide him xanax and other pills . ' i feel like she made him crazy , ' he said . ' i heard he packed up his car and went back to philly in september . ' likewise , . brooks headed back to philadelphia for surgery after suffering a sports . injury after one semester - and he met with brooks , a fellow haverford . grad who he knew through lacrosse circles . the pair allegedly bought books about street-smart drug dealers to learn the business . prosecutors say they then hired . students to peddle the drugs at lafayette , gettysburg and haverford . | <t> atlanta bar owner converts bbq smoker into robot to chase off drug dealers , others . </t> <t> `` bum-bot '' is armed with a water gun and loudspeaker . </t> <t> cops frown upon spraying water at bystanders , say it could be assault . </t> | bbq-smoker-turned - ` robocop ' chases off drug dealers<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- before monday , eliot spitzer was a rising star in the democratic party -- his squeaky-clean image as a corruption buster led to his being mentioned as a potential vice-presidential candidate and possibly even a future white house contender . new york gov. eliot spitzer arrives with his wife monday for a press conference . now , after federal investigators have linked the new york governor to a top-dollar prostitution ring , political advisers are split over whether spitzer has any political future at all . `` there 's no way he can survive it , '' said ed rollins , a republican political consultant and adviser to former presidential candidate mike huckabee . `` all the facts are n't out there , but as they 're being reported , there 's no way you can survive . `` not only is he a hypocrite , he may also end up being a charged felon . '' on monday , spitzer publicly apologized for an undisclosed personal matter . he did not specifically mention the prostitution sting , nor did he resign . watch spitzer 's apology '' the apology came four days after federal prosecutors announced the arrests of four people in an international prostitution ring that charged clients up to $ 5,500 an hour . a source with knowledge of the probe said that wiretaps in the case identify spitzer as an unnamed client who met a prostitute on february 13 at a washington hotel . many political professionals said they were stunned by monday 's developments regarding spitzer , a man who once made a name for himself going after organized crime and wall street corruption as new york 's attorney general . `` obviously , the facts are going to come out in the next several days and the story will be told , '' said robert zimmerman , a political adviser and democratic national committee member . `` but if the facts are as we suspect , it 's very hard to imagine him staying in office . '' but james carville , a cnn political analyst and onetime adviser to former president bill clinton , said spitzer could hold on to his position if the scandal remains strictly about sex -- or if it 's revealed that his political enemies were responsible for leaking the story .<doc-sep>carville mentioned other high-profile politicians who have weathered sex scandals , including republican sen. larry craig of idaho , who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor after his arrest in a men 's room sex sting , and his own former client , president clinton . `` all of us remember the monica lewinsky scandal and the immediate rush to judgment , '' he said . `` a lot of people said , ` how could bill clinton survive a scandal like that ? ' yet , he managed to survive . `` if it 's not a financial or monetary thing involved , i do n't know . '' watch a discussion of spitzer 's political future '' on a more personal level , dina matos , the estranged wife of former new jersey gov. jim mcgreevey -- who resigned after an alleged affair with a male political aide -- said spitzer should step down whether he thinks he can salvage his political career or not . mcgreevey , who announced he is gay and is now attending an episcopalian seminary , and matos are in the midst of divorce proceedings . matos said `` was very difficult for the family '' when her husband tried to hang on to the governor 's office for several months after stories about the relationship with the aide surfaced . `` i thought gov. spitzer was going to announce his resignation today , '' matos told cnn 's `` larry king live . '' `` by not doing so , he 's only prolonging the pain and and anguish and humiliation for his wife and family . '' watch responses to the question : will spitzer have to resign ? '' if spitzer resigns , lt. gov. david paterson would complete his term in accordance with the new york state constitution . paterson , 53 , is the highest-ranking african-american elected official in new york state . paterson , who is legally blind , is a leading advocate for the visually and physically impaired . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . rachel quigley . published : . 13:05 est , 5 october 2012 . | . updated : . 13:53 est , 5 october 2012 . ashley dupre , the call girl most famous for bedding former new york governor eliot spitzer , is on the verge of giving birth to her first child - if these pictures of her huge baby bump are anything to go by . a very-pregnant dupre was photographed on thursday in red bank , new jersey . she is believed to be due any day now . the 27-year-old revealed in august she is set to wed long time love , thomas ` tj ' earle , now that he is . divorced from the wife he cheated on with ms dupre only months after the . ` love guv ' scandal broke . former call girl : ashley dupre was spotted out in new jersey with her dog yesterday , showing off her very big baby bump . she is due any day now . the high life : ashley dupre , the former call girl who became world famous for her tryst with eliot spitzer , announced she was engaged and pregnant in august . dupre 's affair with spitzer - who became known as ` client no 9 ' - led him to resign after just 14 months in office . a . stint as a relationship advice columnist for the new york post and a . spread in playboy followed the scandal for the mother-to-be . she . recently opened a lingerie and swimwear store in redbank . former new york governor eliot spitzer was forced to resign over the prostitution scandal . rumors have been circulating since femme by ashley customers started noticing the large ` rock ' on ms dupre 's finger and her obviously swollen stomach this summer , but details of the wedding plans and sex of the baby are being kept a secret . asked about her pregnancy , ms dupre told the new york post in august : ` so far so good ! ' she and mr earle began an illicit affair shortly after news of her dealings with mr spitzer hit the headlines but the asphalt heir was still married to wife alisa with whom he has two children .<doc-sep>ashley dupre , the call girl most famous for her bedding former new york governor , eliot spitzer , is engaged to be married and expecting a baby in just two months . the new jersey native revealed to the new york post that she is set to wed long time love , thomas ` tj ' earle now that he is divorced from the wife he cheated on with ms dupre only months after the ` love guv ' scandal broke . much has changed for the one-time prostitute , 27 , who , aside from her romantic news , opened a lingerie and swimwear store in redbank in may . the high life : ashley dupre , the former call girl who became world famous for her tryst with eliot spitzer , announced she was engaged and pregnant in august . rumours have been circulating since femme by ashley customers started noticing the large ` rock ' on ms dupre 's finger and her obviously swollen stomach , but details of the wedding plans and sex of the baby are being kept a secret . asked about her pregnancy , ms dupre told the post , ` so far so good ! ' she and mr earle began an illicit affair shortly after news of her dealings with mr spitzer hit the headlines but the asphalt heir was still married to wife alisa with whom he has two children . scandal number two : ms dupre set the rumour mill spinning again in 2008 when she was spotted getting out of a car in new york city with then married thomas earle -lrb- pictured above -rrb- to whom she is now engaged .<doc-sep>davis became synonymous with the prostitution scandal involving spitzer , then serving as governor . she has no proof of her arranging escorts for spitzer , but she did spend four months behind bars because of her business . spitzer , a democrat , resigned in 2008 . a former hedge fund senior vice president , davis is running as a libertarian with a plan to legalize marijuana in new york city . cnn 's jesse solomon and mark preston contributed to this report .<doc-sep>infamous as client 9 of the emporers club vip call-girl ring , he resigned at a public press conference with his wife by his side . he then attempted to rehabilitate his public image with a stint presenting a cnn news show which failed and then eventually made his way back to work for his father bernard spitzer - the legendary new york real estate mogul . different public appearance : lis smith and eliot spitzer -lrb- seen here during his failed campaign for comptroller -rrb- made their first outing together on christmas since news of their affair broke . smith , left , worked on spitzer 's campaign and . then jumped over to work for bill de blasio after spitzer lost in the . primary . silda spitzer , right , was not seen on the campaign trail for . her husband . lis smith had been considered for a senior role within de blasio 's permanent team but those plans were sunk once her relationship with spitzer became public knowledge . the couple had long been known to be leading separate lives - despite spitzer maintaining that he and his 56-year-old wife were still together as he attempted to gain election as city comptroller . however , she never appeared at any event son the campaign trail and one source close to the former governor confirmed to the new york daily news that they had separated . the couple released a statement in december to mailonline after spitzer , 54 , was pictured slipping into the home of 31-year-old lis smith , a press secretary who worked on his failed bid for new york city comptroller . ` we regret that our marital relationship has come to an end and we have agreed not to make any other public statement on this subject , ' spitzer family spokeswoman lisa linden said in a terse statement released on tuesday night . scandal : the alleged prostitute at the centre of former new york governor eliot spitzer 's sex scandal has broken her silence . ashley youmans was named by the new york times as the high-price prostitute . multiple reports indicate that the spitzers have been living apart for some time . mrs spitzer was also noticeably absent from the campaign trail this past year . the couple have three grown daughters together : elyssa , 23 , sarabeth , 20 , and jenna , 18 . spitzer and his wife silda stayed married for five and a half years after the scandal that cratered his meteoric political career . it 's unknown whether the timing of silda and eliot 's split has anything to do with the his relationship with miss smith going public . a friend of the new couple told mailonline : ` the relationship began long after eliot and his wife were living separately and it was not a secret to any of their friends or family . ` it 's sad to see lots of outright lies about lis and her career - lis is an incredibly smart and dynamic woman who is at the top of her profession and is universally respected . ` she 's dealing with this well and is looking forward to getting on with her career and life . ' | <t> n.y. governor , a hard-charging ex-prosecutor , falls far amid link to prostitution . </t> <t> `` there 's no way he can survive '' scandal , gop consultant and adviser says . </t> <t> ex-bill clinton adviser : he has a chance if scandal 's enemy-driven or only about sex . </t> <t> estranged wife of ex-n.j. governor says spitzer should resign to spare family grief . </t> | is scandal enough to sink spitzer for good ?<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- forbes ' list of the world 's wealthy has named warren buffett the richest person on the planet , surpassing his friend and philanthropic partner bill gates who had held the title for 13 consecutive years . american investor warren buffett has been named world 's richest person . the american investor and philanthropist is worth an estimated $ 62 billion , up $ 10 billion from a year ago thanks to surging prices of berkshire hathaway stock , according to forbes magazine 's annual ranking of the world 's billionaires .<doc-sep>gates , the co-founder of microsoft , is now ranked as the world 's third richest person . at $ 58 billion , his net worth is up $ 2 billion from a year ago . mexican telecom tycoon carlos slim helu was named the world 's second richest man , with a net worth of around $ 60 billion , up $ 11 billion since last march . for the first time , forbes ' rich list named more than 1,000 billionaires from around the world , with 226 newcomers . the total net worth of the group is $ 4.4 trillion , up $ 900 billion from 2007 . watch who 's up and who 's down '' this year 's survey finds an increasing number of the world 's richest coming from emerging markets , including china , india and russia .<doc-sep>two years ago , 10 of the top 20 billionaires were from the united states . this year , there are only four . india is now home to four of the 10 richest people in the world , the highest number for a single country . but the united states still holds the top spot as the country with the most billionaires -- americans account for 42 percent of the world 's billionaires and 37 percent of the total wealth , according to forbes . with 87 billionaires , russia is now in second place , overtaking germany , with 59 billionaires , which had held that position for six years .<doc-sep>it is also a record-breaking year for young billionaires , with forbes listing 50 billionaires under the age of 40 . check out the youngest billionaires '' over half of them are self-starters , including google co-founders sergey brin and larry page , and india 's sameer gehlaut , who started online brokerage indiabulls . facebook founder mark zuckerberg , age 23 , was called `` quite possibly the world 's youngest self-made billionaire ever . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- forbes ' list of the world 's wealthy has named warren buffett the richest person on the planet , surpassing his friend and philanthropic partner bill gates who had held the title for 13 consecutive years . american investor warren buffett has been named world 's richest person . the american investor and philanthropist is worth an estimated $ 62 billion , up $ 10 billion from a year ago thanks to surging prices of berkshire hathaway stock , according to forbes magazine 's annual ranking of the world 's billionaires . gates , the co-founder of microsoft , is now ranked as the world 's third richest person . at $ 58 billion , his net worth is up $ 2 billion from a year ago . mexican telecom tycoon carlos slim helu was named the world 's second richest man , with a net worth of around $ 60 billion , up $ 11 billion since last march . for the first time , forbes ' rich list named more than 1,000 billionaires from around the world , with 226 newcomers . the total net worth of the group is $ 4.4 trillion , up $ 900 billion from 2007 . watch who 's up and who 's down '' this year 's survey finds an increasing number of the world 's richest coming from emerging markets , including china , india and russia . two years ago , 10 of the top 20 billionaires were from the united states . this year , there are only four . india is now home to four of the 10 richest people in the world , the highest number for a single country . but the united states still holds the top spot as the country with the most billionaires -- americans account for 42 percent of the world 's billionaires and 37 percent of the total wealth , according to forbes . with 87 billionaires , russia is now in second place , overtaking germany , with 59 billionaires , which had held that position for six years . it is also a record-breaking year for young billionaires , with forbes listing 50 billionaires under the age of 40 . check out the youngest billionaires '' over half of them are self-starters , including google co-founders sergey brin and larry page , and india 's sameer gehlaut , who started online brokerage indiabulls . facebook founder mark zuckerberg , age 23 , was called `` quite possibly the world 's youngest self-made billionaire ever . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . tara brady . published : . 05:51 est , 21 april 2013 . | . updated : . 06:05 est , 21 april 2013 . pledge : lord ashcroft plans to leave at least half of his # 1.2 billion fortune to charity . billionaire businessman and tory peer lord ashcroft is set to give at least half of his # 1.2 billion fortune to charity . next month it is believed the former tory treasurer will sign up to the giving pledge - a commitment by the world 's wealthiest individuals and families to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy . the movement is led by warren buffett and bill gates - two of america 's richest men . other briton 's who have already made the pledge include sir richard branson and his wife joan , john caudwell , michael moritz and harriet heyman who have pledged a combined # 3.7 billion in total , according to the sunday times . ashcroft , 67 , founded crimestoppers and over the years has donated # 20million to the cause . in the past year he has given # 5m to anglia ruskin university ; # 1m to complete the bomber command war memorial in london and a further # 1m to help refurbish the first world war galleries at the imperial war museum in london . back in 2008 , ashcroft , who is president of the west india committee , wrote in his book dirty politics , dirty times : ' i have prepared my will . i have never been a great believer in inherited wealth . more than 80 per cent of my assets -- and i never discuss how much i am worth -- will be left to a charitable foundation in my name . ' the giving pledge was set up in 2010 and has quickly become popular among the world 's richest families . there are now a total of 105 donors . today a billionaire oligarch was named britain 's richest man in the sunday times rich list . billionaire john caudwell -lrb- left -rrb- and sir richard branson -lrb- right -rrb- who have also made their pledge . wealth : warren buffett -lrb- left -rrb- and bill gates -lrb- right -rrb- who are america 's two richest men . alisher usmanov , who was born in uzbekistan , owns almost one-third of arsenal football club and is said to be worth # 13.3 billion . usmanov , 59 , owns sutton place , the former surrey home of the oil baron j. paul getty , as well as a # 48million mansion in london . he is married to irina viner , 64 , the head coach of russia 's rhythmic gymnastics team . alisher usmanov who has been named britain 's richest man and michael moritz who is supporting the giving pledge . he replaces steel tycoon lakshmi mittal , who now drops to fourth place after eight years in the top spot . the steel magnate , now worth # 10billion , is the biggest faller in wealth terms .<doc-sep>by . louise boyle . published : . 09:43 est , 30 september 2013 . | . updated : . 11:54 est , 30 september 2013 . billionaire investor warren buffett posted a rare tweet on sunday to share his love of emmy-award winning series breaking bad . buffett , the world 's third richest man , tweeted a picture of himself dressed as the show 's main character walter white , complete with wide-brimmed felt hat , glasses and goatee . the 82-year-old looked the spitting image of white , played by bryan cranston . buffett wrote : ` not even the oracle knows what will happen tonight . #waltsuccessor ' scroll down for video .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 11:27 est , 4 march 2013 . | . updated : . 12:13 est , 4 march 2013 . mexican billionaire carlos slim was today named the world 's richest man for the fourth year in a row as the annual forbes magazine list was released . this year also marks the first time that warren buffett has dropped out of the top three in more than a decade . the list showed that poverty-stricken nepal had gained its first ever billionaire , entrepreneur binod chaudhary , while in the uk the fortune of jcb mogul anthony bamford more than doubled to # 2.8 billion . other british billionaires to make a splash on this year 's edition of the list include larger-than-life businessmen such as richard branson , philip green and bernie ecclestone . scroll down for video . billionaire : mexican telecommunications magnate carlos slim remains at the top of the forbes list with an estimated wealth of $ 73billion . getting bumped : this is the first time sin 2000 that warren buffett was not in one of the top three spots on the annual forbes list of the world 's wealthiest people . 1 . duke of westminster , 61 - # 7.6 billion . 2 . david & simon reuben , 70 - # 7billion . 3 . srichand & gopichand hinduja , 77 - # 5.5 billion . 4 . earl cadogan , 75 - # 3.7 billion . 5 . philip green , 60 - # 3.3 billion . mr slim 's net worth increased to . $ 73billion from $ 69billion a year earlier . bill gates of microsoft held . on to his spot at second place , but berkshire hathaway 's mr buffett . slipped to the fourth spot with a $ 53.5 billion net worth . mr buffett was surpassed by spanish . clothier amancio ortega , owner of zara , who jumped two spots from 2012 . with a net worth of $ 57billion . a record 1,426 people around the world made the forbes latest annual tally of billionaires , up 16 per cent from last year . | <t> forbes crowns american investor warren buffett as world 's richest person . </t> <t> after 13 years on top , microsoft 's bill gates drops to number three position . </t> <t> russia replaces germany as no. 2 country with 87 billionaires . </t> <t> facebook founder mark zuckerberg may be youngest self-made billionaire in history . </t> | buffett named world 's richest man<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- south korea 's new president has pledged to donate his salary to the underprivileged . south korean leader lee myung-bak says he would donate his salary to help the underprivileged . lee myung-bak made the pledge during an unscheduled meeting with reporters sunday in the press room of his presidential office , the state news agency reported .<doc-sep>the president said he would donate his salary during his entire five-year term . lee is a former ceo of an engineering and construction company with a vast personal fortune . as mayor of seoul from 2002 to 2004 , lee donated his salary to the children of street cleaners and firefighters . `` i promised to spend my whole salary earned as a public official on public welfare , '' lee told reporters . `` my plan to donate the presidential salary to the underprivileged is an extension of that promise . ''<doc-sep>the news agency did not say how much the president earns in a year . during the election campaign , lee , 66 , vowed to donate his entire personal fortune of more than 30 billion won -lrb- $ 30.2 million -rrb- to the poor . he said at the time he would keep only a retirement house in seoul . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>north korea says it 's ready for a ` full scale nuclear war ' and called south korea 's president a ` crafty prostitute ' with president obama as her ` powerful pimp . ' the north korean insults come after president obama visited south korea and its president park geun-hye for two days in which both leaders asked that north korea not proceed with its nuclear program . the committee for peaceful reunification of korea cprk -rrb- said , ` park geun-hye 's recent behavior with obama was like a mean immature girl begging gangsters to beat up someone she does not like . or a crafty prostitute eagerly trying to frame someone by giving her body to a powerful pimp . ' south korean president park geun-hye -lrb- r -rrb- and us president barack obama -lrb- l -rrb- arrive to receive a briefing from united nations commander general of us-rok combined forces command in seoul during obama 's two day visit . the korean newws agency -lrb- kcna -rrb- said the official english translation of north korea 's description of park was as a ` capricious whore . ' north korea called obama ` master ' and park guen-hye his ` puppet ' and said that park would pay a ` dear price , ' reports the guardian . satellite imagery has shown an increase in activity at north korea 's nuclear test site and park warned that pyongang was ready to execute another atomic test . both obama and park threatened north korea with harsher rules and economic sanctions on the already poor country . they encouraged china to speak against it 's ally 's nuclear threats . the cprk called the both park and obama 's statements ` intolerable insults ' against their leadership . us president barack obama -lrb- l -rrb- and south korean president park geun-hye -lrb- r -rrb- attend a joint press conference at the presidential bule house oin which they discussed north korea 's nuclear threats . ` in particular , park geun-hye continued to viciously take issue with our dignity , system and nuclear programmes , ' it said . they said her remarks were as though she were ` froth -lrb- ing -rrb- at the mouth . ' ` she thus laid bare her despicable true colours as a wicked sycophant and traitor , a dirty comfort woman for the us and despicable prostitute selling off the nation , ' said the kcna translation . the cprk claimed that obama should have ` postponed or shelved his trip ' following the ferry full of schoolchildren that sank in south korea . the cprk said that obama was ` utterly indifferent to the sorrow ' felt by south korea after the ferry incident . ` the latest visit by obama only reaffirmed our long-held belief that might , not words , are the only option to deal with the old enemy us and strengthened our resolve and determination to stick with our policy to fight a full-scale nuclear war , ' they said . pyongang is north korea rejected south korea 's proposal to absorb the north into the south . ` park geun-hye will pay a dear price for abandoning the opportunity we earlier gave and choosing a path of anti-unification and anti-peace and a path to confrontation and war , ' they continued . they also likened park to a ` comfort woman , ' a term used to describe women who were sexually enslaved by japanese soldiers during world war ii . the comments will be a controversial topic in south korea as it 's still a touchy subject regarding their relationship with tokyo . north korea has been known to criticize south korean leaders including park 's predecessor lee myung-bak . the attacks on park have been even more offensive and sexual in nature since she is the first female president in seoul . park has expressed her wish to build a trusting relationship with pyongang but she says she will also remain strong if she faces provocation . pyongang rejected her proposal to prepare for unification and to attempt to absorb north korea into south korea . ` she thus laid bare her despicable true colours as a wicked sycophant and traitor , a dirty comfort woman for the us and despicable prostitute selling off the nation , ' the kcna translation said of parks allied relations with the united states .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- south korean president lee myung-bak apologized to his country for what he called `` shameful incidents '' involving his family and inner circle on tuesday . earlier this month , his older brother , lee sang-deuk was arrested on bribery charges involving two troubled korean banks . this week , prosecutors in korea sought arrest warrants for two former aides to lee on the suspicion of receiving bribes from the same two banks , according to yonhap , a south korean news agency . lee addressed the nation with a speech that was carried live . `` i came into the office with firm determination to bring a clean political climate , '' lee said . `` i tried , by returning my entire fortune to the society and donating my salary . i was proud that i thought i brought in good results . but my heart collapsed and i can not keep my head up after what happened to people so close to me . ''<doc-sep>seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. president george w. bush praised the u.s. relationship with south korea on wednesday and said the two nations should continue to work together to eliminate threats from north korea . president george w. bush and south korean president lee myung-bak attend a joint press conference in seoul . bush spoke during a news conference with south korean president lee myung-bak . the stop in south korea is part of bush 's weeklong asian tour . `` our relationship is important vital and i believe it is strong , '' bush said . bush said he was still concerned about north korea and said the country has a long way to go before it is taken off his `` axis of evil list '' as well as removing it from a list of countries that sponsor terrorism . `` i am concerned about north korea 's human rights record , '' bush said `` i am concerned about the uranium enrichment ... ''<doc-sep>as the clock ticked down , enyeama blocked messi as he looked certain to score but in a swift counter attack nigeria then had their best chance of the match as aiyegbeni yakubu crossed from the right and kala uche made a hash of his volleyed attempt from 10 meters out . at the final whistle it was a deserved victory for argentina , but they will face a sterner test in their next match in five days ' time against south korea . nigeria , who have lost five and drawn once since their last world cup finals victory in 1998 , will be looking to break that winless run against the greeks , who also have a poor record in football 's global showpiece . south korea 2-0 greece . goals from lee jung-soo and park ji-sung earned south korea a comfortable 2-0 win against a poor greek side , who never looked like getting on the score sheet . central defender lee opened the scoring in the seventh minute , volleying home from close range from a well directed free-kick delivered by ki sung-yong . | <t> south korean leader lee myung-bak says he will donate his salary to help the poor . </t> <t> while mayor of seoul , he donated salary to children of street cleaners and firefighters . </t> <t> lee is a former ceo of an engineering and construction company . </t> | south korea president to donate salary to poor<T> |
basra , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the man , blindfolded and handcuffed , crouches in the corner of the detention center while an iraqi soldier grills him about rampant crimes being carried out by gangs in the southern city of basra . iraqi authorities say this man has confessed to killing 15 girls , including a 9-year-old . `` how many girls did you kill and rape ? '' the soldier asks . `` i raped one , sir , '' the man responds . `` what was her name ? '' `` ahlam , '' he says . ahlam was a university student in the predominantly shiite city of basra . the detainee said the gang he was in kidnapped her as she was leaving the university , heading home . `` they forced me , and i killed her with a machine gun , sir , '' he says . the suspect , who is unshaven and appears to be in his 20s or 30s , was arrested by iraq security forces after they retook most of basra in april . cnn was shown what authorities say was his first confession . on it are the names of 15 girls whom he admitted kidnapping , raping and killing . the youngest girl on the list was just 9 years old . basra turned into a battleground between warring shiite factions vying for control of the country 's oil-rich south after the u.s.-led invasion of iraq in 2003 . basra 's streets teemed with shiite militias armed with weapons , mostly from iran , according to the iraqi forces and the u.s. military . watch a mom describe her three sons killed '' for four years after the invasion , basra was under the control of british forces , but they were unable to contain the violence and withdrew in september last year . women bore the brunt of the militias ' extremist ideologies . the militants spray-painted threats on walls across basra , warning women to wear headscarves and not to wear makeup . women were sometimes executed for the vague charge of doing something `` un-islamic . '' in the wasteland on the outskirts of basra , dotted with rundown homes , the stench of death mixes with the sewage . local residents told the iraqi army that executions often take place in the area , particularly for women , sometimes killed for something as seemingly innocuous as wearing jeans . militias implemented their own laws with abandon , threatening stores for displaying mannequins with bare shoulders or for selling western music . many store owners are still too frightened to speak publicly . but the horrors of militia rule are now surfacing as some residents begin to feel more comfortable speaking out . inside her rundown home , sabriya 's watery eyes peer out from under her robe . she points to the first photo of one of her sons on the wall . `` this one was killed because he was drinking , '' she says . she draws her finger across her neck and gestures at the next photo . `` this one was slaughtered for his car . '' `` this one the same , '' she adds , looking at the third . her three sons , her daughter and her sister were all killed by the hard-line militia . her sister was slaughtered because she was a single woman living alone , sabriya says . `` they came in at night and put a pillow on her face and shot her in the head , '' she says . sabriya lives on what was once dubbed `` murder street '' for the daily killings that happened there last year . on the day cnn visited , dozens of young men sat where there used to be piles of bodies . sheik maktouf al-maraiyani shudders at the memory . `` every day , we would find 10 or 15 of our men killed , '' he says , adding sorrowfully `` one of them was my son . '' his son was 25 years old . now , `` murder street '' is part of a citywide effort to get basra back on its feet . in a project funded by u.s. forces , sheikh maktouf and others are being paid $ 20 a day and upwards to clean up trash . watch the transformation of ` murder street ' '' basra may be part of the country 's oil-rich south , but it wallows in its own sewage and trash . the stench of filth is impossible to escape . the effort also helps with the massive unemployment plaguing the city . british forces officially handed over responsibility of basra to iraqi forces in december . `` the situation was so bad because the security forces were controlled by the militias , '' says brig. gen. aziz al-swady , who commands the 14th iraq army divison . to help curb the violence , british troops have returned to the city , adopting the u.s. approach of embedding with iraqi units as advisers . the iraqi prime minister also has flooded the city with additional troops , bringing in soldiers from western iraq along with their american advisers . `` now the citizens have started to trust the iraqi security forces , '' said al-swady . the biggest difference is that residents are starting to leave their homes , something unthinkable just a few months ago . at one of the parks in the city this past weekend , a father named al ` aa was out with his three young children and his wife . `` it 's the first time that we have dared to come here in two years , '' he said . the park was once often used for executions . everyone , residents and soldiers alike , knows the battle for basra is not over . militias still lurk in the shadows , and the security gains may not last without economic gains . `` the most important thing , our government must focus on finding jobs , different jobs for these people , '' says maj. gen. tariq al-azawi .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- two bombings in separate iraq provinces on monday killed eight u.s. troops , the u.s. military said . a boy with a machine gun weeps monday at the site of a suicide bombing in kanan that killed a sheik . a roadside bomb killed three u.s. soldiers and an interpreter in diyala province , which has been a major front in the war during the `` surge '' of u.s. troops fighting insurgents near the capital . earlier in the day , at least five u.s. soldiers on foot patrol were killed and three others wounded in a suicide bombing in baghdad . in addition , suicide bombers killed five iraqis in two bombings in diyala province monday morning , including a sheik who helped battle sunni extremists and his 5-year-old niece . watch new suicide tactics in iraq '' four u.s. soldiers died at the scene monday 's baghdad blast and one more died later of wounds , the military said . they were with multi-national division-baghdad . an iraqi interpreter also was wounded in the explosion , the officials said . initial reports indicate the bomber was wearing an explosive vest . `` five soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the iraqi and american people . i ask you remember these fallen heroes and their families as well as their wounded brethren in your thoughts and prayers , '' said col. allen batschelet , chief of staff for multi-national division-baghdad .<doc-sep>crammed into a prison cell with 36 other people , the man debated his fate as he listened to the shelling . outside , fighters with the islamic state in iraq and syria fired mortars at the anti-terrorism detention facility in tal afar , where fierce battles raged between the al qaeda splinter group and iraqi security forces . with the facility close to being overrun by isis fighters , the prison guards did the unthinkable . `` at about 2 a.m. , three of the guards came into our cell ... and they opened fire with a machine gun , '' the man said in a video obtained by cnn . the account mirrors allegations put forward by amnesty international , which released a report friday saying it has evidence pointing to a pattern of `` extrajudicial executions '' of sunni detainees by government forces and shiite militias in tal afar , mosul and baquba , cities where iraqi forces were either routed or have been locked in fierce battles with isis fighters and allied sunni militants . `` the killings suggest a worrying pattern of reprisal attacks against sunnis in retaliation for isis gains , '' said donatella rovera , amnesty international 's senior crisis response adviser , who is currently in northern iraq . the government is aware of the amnesty international allegations but has yet to see any evidence , said abdul-sittar al-birqdar , spokesman for the supreme judicial council , which oversees the country 's judicial system . `` at this stage , this is all just media reporting , '' he told cnn on friday . `` no witnesses have come forward , and no families have come forward with such claims . no one has officially asked for an investigation . '' he called for the rights group to provide evidence , saying that `` we are still monitoring and checking , and we will keep checking , '' adding that `` under iraqi law , we can not move on it without claims and evidence . '' ` he was in the prison . he was killed ' survivors and witnesses tell amnesty international that iraqi prison guards carried out the slaughter before iraqi forces withdrew . a video obtained by cnn , confirmed by amnesty international as one of the rooms where the killings took place in tal afar , shows a prison cell , the floor slick with blood , where bodies of men are piled on top of one another . they appear to have fallen where they were shot . in that same video , a woman in a black abaya with a printed head scarf stands over her brother , brushing flies from his body . she said she found his body among others in a room in the tal afar detention facility . `` he was in the prison , '' said the woman , clearly in shock . `` he was killed . '' asked how many bodies were among those with her brother , she said : `` they killed a lot . i do n't know . '' bodies found in mosul .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the office of muqtada al-sadr accused iraqi and u.s. forces of attacking sadr city on friday , just hours after the shiite cleric called for calm in the wake of the assassination of one of his top aides in the southern city of najaf . iraqi sadrists march friday in the najaf funeral procession of sayyed riyadh al-nuri , top aide to muqtada al-sadr . witnesses and media in the heavily shiite baghdad neighborhood of sadr city , home to the cleric 's power base in the capital , reported heavy fighting between u.s.-backed iraqi troops and al-sadr 's mehdi army militia . the witnesses said u.s. aircraft had been bombarding the area for hours , and media reported rockets slamming into houses and many casualties . witnesses and al-sadr 's office said mosques were making loudspeaker announcements about mehdi army attacks on u.s. military armored vehicles . u.s. troops working in support of iraqi soldiers killed two snipers , two other men firing rocket-propelled grenades and `` multiple others from a nearby building where soldiers were taking rpg and machine gun fire , '' the u.s. military said in a statement . at the same time -- about 9 p.m. -- at least six roadside bombs damaged vehicles in a u.s. army convoy that was transporting barriers for a group of iraqi army soldiers establishing a checkpoint , the military said . afterward , the military said , the iraqi and u.s. soldiers were attacked by small-arms , machine-gun and rpg fire from buildings overlooking the road . the soldiers fired back at their attackers , killing at least four of them . more explosions from the buildings indicated possible arms and munitions stored there , the military said . but the small-arms attack continued until the u.s. forces fired two rounds from an m1a2 abrams tank , killing two more attackers . not long afterward , the u.s. air force , operating an unmanned aerial vehicle , fired a hellfire missile at three men spotted setting roadside bombs , killing all three . maj. john gossart , executive officer of the american unit involved , said that no u.s. or iraqi troops were seriously hurt . earlier , al-sadr issued remarks about the killing of sayyed riyadh al-nuri , who was shot outside his house in najaf 's adala neighborhood after returning from friday prayers . `` the hands of the occupiers and their collaborators have treacherously reached our beloved martyr sayyed riyadh al-nuri , '' al-sadr wrote in a statement on the web . al-nuri is one of 17 people killed over 24 hours in airstrikes , fighting and attacks in areas wracked in recent weeks by fighting among shiites . the assassination prompted an immediate vehicle ban in the shiite holy city of najaf , anger among mourners and an intensification of fighting in baghdad 's sadr city neighborhood . iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki issued a statement deploring the killing and ordering an investigation . al-sadr issued remarks about the killing in a statement on a web site . spokesman sheikh salah al-obeidi emphasized that the cleric is not accusing anyone in particular of the killing but believes that the killers `` are the ones who are following the occupiers ' steps and do n't want stability for the country . '' but al-obeidi called the killing an `` act of provocation '' after the `` siege of sadr city . ''<doc-sep>canadian special forces clashed with islamic state fighters in iraq last week , in the first recorded firefight between western troops and the islamic militants . soldiers visiting front-line positions with kurdish peshmerga forces came under heavy mortar and machine gun fire , brigadier general michael rouleau confirmed . the canadians used sniper fire to ` neutralise ' the isis threat without taking any casualties . he said the troops , whose job it is to train the iraqi military , fired back only in self-defence , adding : ` my troops had completed a planning session with senior iraqi leaders several kilometres behind the front lines . scroll down for video . isis threat : an islamic state flag can bee seen in sayed ghareeb - 70km north of baghdad - where a coalition of iraqi soldiers and pro-government forces fight the militant group -lrb- file photo -rrb- . standing guard : an iraqi soldier , draped in black , keeps watch in sayed ghareeb as a rocket launcher is loaded -lrb- file photo -rrb- . heavy weaponry : an iraqi soldier loads a multiple rocket launcher during clashes between islamic state and a coalition of combatants , made up of the iraqi army and pro-government forces -lrb- file photo -rrb- . retaliation : the rockets were fired in the area of sayed ghareeb , which iraqi forces tried to recapture from isis -lrb- file photo -rrb- . non-combat : the canadian special forces are in iraqi to train the kurdish peshmerga forces -lrb- pictured -rrb- . ` when they moved forward to confirm the planning at the front lines in order to visualize what they had discussed over a map , they came under immediate and effective mortar and machine gun fire . ' the general said that while canadian soldiers are not participating in active combat , they do have the right to fire back in order to protect themselves . he told a group of reporters in ottawa : ` this is the first time this has happened since our arrival and our reaction is wholly consistent with the inherent right of self-defense . ' rouleau , who is the commander of special operations , and other canadian officials declined to say where the gunfight happened - citing operational security . for the first time , the general did admit that canadian soldiers have been helping kurdish forces by directing coalition air strikes from the ground . | <t> residents of basra have begun telling stories of militia massacres . </t> <t> mom says one son was killed for drinking alcohol , two others slain for their car . </t> <t> authorities : man admits to killed 15 girls , including one 9 year old . </t> <t> dad in park says , `` it 's the first time that we have dared to come here in two years '' </t> | iraqi : ` i killed her with a machine gun '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- mormon leader gordon b. hinckley died sunday night at age 97 , the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints announced . gordon b. hinckley , 97 , president of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints , died sunday . hinckley had `` been in failing health for some time and his passing is due to age , '' said church spokesman bruce olsen . `` he was speaking in public as late as two to three weeks ago and had a full schedule in his office as late as last week . '' hinckley became president of the salt lake city-based church in 1995 , at age 84 , and had been a member of its top leadership since the 1960s . mormon church presidents serve for life . the church has about 13 million members worldwide and has experienced 5 percent annual growth in recent years . he died about 7 p.m. sunday with his family by his side , church officials said .<doc-sep>`` his life was a true testament of service , and he had an abiding love for others , '' said u.s. sen. orrin hatch , a utah republican and fellow mormon . `` his wit , wisdom , and exemplary leadership will be missed by not only members of our faith , but by people of all faiths throughout the world . '' hinckley married marjorie pay at the salt lake city temple in 1937 . they had five children , 25 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren . marjorie hinckley died in 2004 . `` i 've been blessed so abundantly that i can never get over it , '' hinckley told cnn 's larry king in 2004 . `` i just feel so richly blessed . i want to extend that to others , whenever i can . '' hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the mormon church . president bush awarded him a presidential medal of freedom in 2004 . watch hinckley receive medal , share his views '' according to a church statement , hinckley was the most-traveled president in the church 's history , visiting more than 60 countries . he also oversaw a massive temple-building program , doubling the number of temples worldwide to more than 100 . hinckley spent 70 years working in the church and is considered the architect of its vast public relations network . he worked to defuse controversies over polygamy and to promote full inclusion of nonwhites .<doc-sep>mormons believe the president of the church is a living prophet and apostle . they considered his words divinely inspired , including his views on homosexuality and the role of men and women in the home . `` we are not anti-gay . we are pro-family , let me put it that way , '' hinckley told king in 2004 . `` we love these people and try to work with them and help them . we know they have a problem . we want to help them solve that problem . '' in an earlier interview with king , hinckley laid out his views on family structure . `` put father at the head of the house again , '' he said . `` a good father , who loves his wife and whose wife loves him , and whose children love him ... and let them grow together as good citizens of the land . '' a church body known as the quorum of the twelve apostles becomes its governing body upon the death of a president . it will choose a successor after hinckley 's funeral . no arrangements have been announced , olsen said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's matt smith , ed payne and ninette sosa contributed to this story .<doc-sep>janeromney , mitt 's sister , is expected to reduce the house to tears with a deeply personal story . now 74 , the immaculately preserved bottle blonde dreamed of following her mother , lenore , into a career as an actress . but she put aside her ambitions to start a family when , aged 20 , she married a nephew of gordon hinckley , the head prophet of the mormon church . after more than two decades of marriage , and four children , the couple had an acrimonious divorce . ` family members told me jane had a terrible divorce , ' said scott . ` it destroyed her life . her husband had been a terrific philanderer . ' aged 42 , she decided to ` resume ' her acting career , although roles have been few . in florida she is expected to admit to another skeleton in the romney family closet : she once campaigned for two of california 's best-known democratic politicians . however , she now says she is a committed republican . tight : there 's not much in it for the race to be president between romney and the current premier barack obama . ` i 'll be at the convention for six or seven days , ' she told the mail on sunday . ` i have a big story to tell . 's cott romney , mitt 's 71-year-old brother , is expected to deliver a frank testimonial about ` sin and redemption ' , says a party insider . scott shared his brother 's passion for politics , yearning to follow in the footsteps of their father , george , a millionaire car tycoon and governor of michigan . but he failed to become michigan 's chief law officer . he was ` sealed for eternity ' in a mormon temple ceremony to a tv presenter , ronna stern . after bringing up six children -- five of their own and hers from a previous marriage -- they divorced in 1992 . later , he was ` disfellowshipped ' from the mormon church when he married ellen rogers , a tv host who , in what scott 's book calls a ` religious transgression ' , was pregnant with his child . he and ellen divorced in 2009 . in july last year , he married a widow , sheri lelalian . first wife , ronna , now 68 , will attend the convention , with sheri and all seven of his children -lrb- including two by ellen -rrb- and their seven grandchildren . it should all make for dramatic viewing . will it prove to be car-crash tv , dashing romney 's presidential ambitions ? or a masterstroke that sets his campaign alight ?<doc-sep>by . rachel quigley . last updated at 3:09 pm on 31st january 2012 . would-be presidential assassin john hinckley jnr has engaged in ` risky ' relationships with married and psychotic women and may still pose a risk to society , according to a psychiatrist who is an expert in risk assessment for assassins . hearings to determine whether hinckley should be allowed more free time outside of st elizabeth 's hospital to visit his elderly mother in williamsburg , virginia , is entering its tenth day today . the 56-year-old tried to kill president ronald reagan in march 1981 outside a washington hotel to try and impress actress jodie foster . he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has been in mental hospital ever since . risk : john hinckley jr , shown here in 1987 , wants to extend his supervised day trips away from the mental hospital where he has been confined since he tried to assassinate former president reagan . chaos : john hinckley tried to assassinate former u.s. president ronald reagan on march 30 , 1981 outside the washington hilton hotel . yesterday , dr robert phillips testified that he is . opposed to hinckley being given more free time from the hospital he has been treated in the last three decades , citing concerns about the risks his . relationships with women may cause . dr robert phillips said that in the ` real relationships ' he has formed with women , he has not always shown good judgement . on the mend : reagan with his wife nancy at a hospital in washington as he recovered from the assassination attempt by hinckley . as well as getting involved with a ` psychotic ' patient from the mental hospital - whom he allegedly became physically affectionate with - he tried to begin a relationship with an employee at eastern state hospital , a mental facility hinckley works a few hours a . week when he 's in williamsburg . the woman was married with children . dr phillips said his efforts to attract the married woman were ` either fantasy or abject narcissism ' . hinckley has been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder . he was also diagnosed as suffering from major depressive and psychotic disorders , but doctors say these are now in remission . dr phillips , who is also a medical doctor , is an expert in risk assessment for assassins . the presidential assailant is currently allowed to leave st elizabeth 's hospital for ten days each month to visit his visiting his mother in a gated community in williamsburg , virginia . the hearing is to determine whether the visits can be increased . the latest proposal would allow for two 17-day releases followed by six 24-day releases . federal prosecutors oppose expanding hinckley 's visits , saying he remains a danger to society . hinckley shot president reagan , press . secretary james brady , secret service agent timothy mccarthy and police . officer thomas delahanty in 1981 . all of the men survived the assassination attempt but brady was left permanently disabled . better : hinckley , pictured here in 2003 when he told a federal court that his his mental condition has improved enough that he should be allowed to visit his parents without psychiatric hospital staff supervision . shooting : hinckley shot president reagan , press secretary james brady , secret service agent timothy mccarthy and police officer thomas delahanty . reports from the u.s. secret service surveillance of hinckley said he would often visit bookstores when he went to williamsburg and focused on books about reagan and assassinations . though he did not buy the books or even open then , dr phillips said this activity indicated a risk factor . he said : ` his target is on this shelf . ' hinckley 's defense lawyer argued the shelves at the store he was found to be staring at also contained other books and that he never actually picked any up or bought them but instead bought music books . however the court also heard that he looked at a classical music cd entitled the dead kennedys . dr phillips , who spent five hours interviewing the would-be assassin last year , will continue testifying today .<doc-sep>the issue of hinckley 's relationships with women has frequently come up during the discussion of increasing his freedom . witnesses have testified about his girlfriends , including a woman identified only as miss cb , a former mental patient at hinckley 's hospital . patterson said hinckley said he was engaged to cb and was unhappy his mother would not allow her to visit him during his stays at her virginia home . hinckley 's mother was concerned cb might have a mental breakdown . patterson said hinckley showed `` little regard '' for his mother 's views . according to patterson , hinckley said he had ended his engagement to cb anticipating he would be spending more time at his mother 's and would not be able to see her there . patterson said he was not sure if hinckley had , in fact , told cb the engagement was over because she continues to visit him when he is at the hospital . the psychiatrist said he asked hinckley what the impact would be on cb if he were to go to williamsburg and no longer see her , and hinckley replied that she has other friends . patterson said hinckley showed `` not a lot of empathy . '' hinckley 's defense team will get a chance to question patterson on wednesday . in his opening arguments in late november , attorney barry levine said the central issue is whether hinckley is dangerous and said no one has offered any proof that he represents a danger to himself or others . levine said hinckley is `` flawed , '' but insisted he is `` fundamentally decent . '' hinckley currently spends 10 days a month visiting his mother in virginia . doctors at st. elizabeths have proposed the visits be increased , first to two stays totaling 17 days . that would be followed by six trips totaling 24 days . following the extended visits the hospital would like the authority to decide whether hinckley can be released as a permanent outpatient . in december , u.s. district court judge paul friedman said the decision should rest with him .<doc-sep>lawyers for presidential assailant john hinckley jr. say he is not dangerous and should eventually be released from a government mental hospital . but prosecutors are fighting that , saying hinckley has been deceptive about his activities while on visits to his mother in williamsburg , virginia . a hearing began in washington on wednesday to determine the future of hinckley , who shot president ronald reagan and three others in march of 1981 . he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1982 . in opening statements , prosecutor sarah chasson said secret service agents will testify they performed surveillance on hinckley without his knowledge earlier this year when he was allowed what he was told was unsupervised free time in williamsburg . on several occasions in july and september , hinckley was supposed to go to the movies or shopping but instead went to bookstores where he looked at books about ronald reagan and presidential assassins , chasson said . a requirement of hinckley 's current visitation program is that plans be laid out detailing what he will do when on his own and that medical staff and the secret service are informed . according to chasson , in the first instance in july , hinckley was supposed to go to the movie `` captain america . '' later when he saw his `` treatment team , '' hinckley not only maintained he had gone to the movie , but he enthusiastically recommended it . chasson also quoted from a 1987 diary entry by hinckley in which he said `` psychiatry is a guessing game '' and doctors `` will never know the true john hinckley . '' `` the hospital does n't know what mr. hinckley is thinking and he wants it that way , '' the prosecutor said . hinckley 's attorney , barry levine , said the issue is not whether hinckley has sometimes been deceptive but whether he is dangerous . `` this man is not dangerous and the evidence shows he is not dangerous , '' levine said . he added that hinckley is `` flawed '' but is `` fundamentally decent . '' levine said that in the two and a half decades that hinckley has been at st. elizabeths hospital in washington to undergo treatment and during his visits outside that facility , there has `` not been a single act of violence . '' since 1999 , levine said , hinckley has been taking a drug called risperdal . medical websites describe risperdal as an antipsychotic medication often used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia . dr. tyler jones , director of psychiatry at st. elizabeths , testified hinckley also started taking zoloft in 2005 after complaining about anxiety . jones said hinckley had been diagnosed years ago as suffering from depression and from an unspecified psychotic disorder . but jones said he 's been in remission for both of those disorders for many years . he said hinckley also suffers from narcissism , which has improved but is still present . jones said he has interviewed hinckley but has not treated him . | <t> hinckley was president of church of jesus christ of latter-day saints since 1995 . </t> <t> the church will choose a successor after hinckley 's funeral . </t> <t> hinckley died at about 7 p.m. with his family by his side . </t> | mormon pioneer gordon hinckley dead at 97<T> |
dallas , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- arizona sen. john mccain , whose white house aspirations went into a nose dive last summer , clinched the republican party 's presidential nomination tuesday night with a sweep of gop contests in four states . `` i am very , very grateful and pleased to note that tonight , my friends , we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence , humility and a great sense of responsibility , that i will be the republican nominee for president of the united states , '' mccain told supporters in texas . cnn estimates that mccain has amassed 1,195 delegates to the gop 's september convention in minneapolis-st . paul , minnesota , four more than the 1,191 needed to claim the party 's nomination . `` now , we begin the most important part of our campaign : to make a respectful , determined and convincing case to the american people that our campaign and my election as president , given the alternative presented by our friends in the other party , is in the best interest in the country that we love , '' mccain said . `` the big battle 's to come , '' he said . `` i do not underestimate the significance nor the size of the challenge . '' watch mccain address supporters after sweeping tuesday 's contests '' mccain 's last leading rival , former arkansas gov. mike huckabee , bowed out of the race after his projected losses in texas , ohio , rhode island and vermont and urged his supporters to back the arizona senator in november . `` it 's now important that we turn our attention not to what could have been or what we wanted to have been but now what must be , and that is a united party , '' huckabee said . watch as huckabee ends his presidential bid '' claiming the title of presumptive nominee will give mccain a head start on the general election campaign while democratic contenders hillary clinton and barack obama are still locked in a battle for their party 's title , said alex castellanos , a gop strategist and cnn contributor . allocate delegates yourself and see how the numbers add up '' `` tomorrow , he can get started , '' castellanos said . `` he 'll have the -lsb- republican national committee -rsb- behind him . he 'll have a broad base of financial support . it 's a big step . meanwhile , it looks like the democrats are engaged in the land war across russia , so he 's got a big advantage now . '' both clinton , the new york senator and former first lady , and obama , the first-term senator from illinois , called mccain on tuesday night , campaign officials said . obama told mccain he looks forward to running against him in the fall , campaign spokeswoman jennifer psaki said . mccain is slated to go to the white house on wednesday to receive the endorsement of president bush , according to two republican sources . the arizona senator 's campaign -- his second run for the white house -- was largely written off last summer amid outspoken opposition from the party 's conservative base , a major staff shakeup and disappointing fundraising . but the former navy pilot and vietnam prisoner of war rebounded with wins in january 's primaries in new hampshire and south carolina , the state where his first presidential bid foundered . `` there were times , obviously , when my political campaign was not viewed as the most viable in america , as you probably know , '' he told reporters in san antonio earlier tuesday . `` in fact , i was reminded of the words of chairman mao , who said it 's always darkest before it 's totally black . ''<doc-sep>mccain 's fortunes also rebounded as u.s. commanders in iraq credited the 2007 launch of a campaign to pacify baghdad and its surrounding provinces with a sharp decline in american and iraqi casualties . the senator had been one of the most outspoken advocates of the shift and has blasted his potential democratic rivals for calling for the withdrawal of u.s. combat troops from the widely unpopular war . `` this is a man with a lot of trials in his life , '' said former education secretary william bennett , a cnn contributor . `` he 's had a lot of downs ; he 's been up , and this is a big up . '' mccain has been turning his fire on the democrats , for whom tuesday 's races in ohio and texas are seen as pivotal . see scenes from tuesday 's voting '' but democrats have been pounding mccain over his january comment that he would be satisfied if u.s. troops remained in iraq for 100 years , as long as the insurgency there died down . and democratic national committee chairman howard dean has attacked his reputation as a reformer over the past week , accusing mccain of trying to evade federal spending limits by opting out of public financing after using the promise of federal funds to obtain a bank loan and automatic ballot access for his primary campaign . dean told cnn on tuesday that mccain `` really is the focus of what we 're doing now , in terms of his ethics problems and his problems with the war and his problems with the huge deficits that they 've run up on the republican side . '' in 2000 , mccain upset then-texas gov. george w. bush in the new hampshire primary by touting `` straight talk '' and his record as a republican maverick . bush came back in south carolina amid a divisive and bitter campaign that left mccain denouncing leaders of the party 's religious conservative wing as `` agents of intolerance , '' and bush went on to win the presidency . since then , mccain has enraged conservative leaders by opposing bush 's signature tax cuts , co-sponsoring the campaign finance reform law that now bears his name and supporting a controversial white house-backed plan to offer a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants . but their support was spread among a fractured gop field , and their main standard-bearer , former massachusetts gov. mitt romney , quit the race after a disappointing showing in february 's super tuesday primaries . exit polls in texas and ohio found that about three-quarters of republicans would be satisfied with mccain as their nominee , however . those surveys found that the economy was the top issue for gop voters in both states -- and by a wide margin in ohio , which has seen a sharp decline in manufacturing jobs in the past decade . although national security issues are a strong suit for mccain , castellanos said he might need some help if a weakening economy is the central issue in november . `` it 's never been sen. mccain 's strength , '' castellanos said . he said mccain would need to make the case that `` i 'm going to grow this economy ; barack or hillary , they 're going to grow government . '' mccain had amassed 1,047 delegates before tuesday , according to cnn estimates . at stake in tuesday 's contests were 256 delegates , allocated on a winner-take-all basis by statewide or congressional district results . e-mail to a friend . cnn correspondent dana bash and political editor mark preston contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` sen. mccain said the other day that we might be mired for 100 years in iraq -- which is reason enough not to give him four years in the white house , '' obama has said on several occasions . mccain told king he thinks opponents are taking the quote out of context . he said any long-term troop presence in iraq would depend on agreement from the iraqi government . `` if they do n't want to and we do n't feel a need to do so , obviously , the whole thing is keyed to americans being able to withdraw and come home with honor , not in defeat , '' he said . mccain was endorsed thursday by former massachusetts gov. mitt romney , once considered his fiercest rival for the gop nomination . former arkansas gov. mike huckabee remains in the race , although mccain has an overwhelming advantage in the number of delegates earned for this year 's republican convention . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. hillary clinton got her campaign back on track with projected wins in the texas , ohio and rhode island primaries . sen. hillary clinton claimed victory in texas , ohio and rhode island . delegate-rich texas and ohio were considered must-wins for her campaign . obama , who claimed victory in vermont , had won 12 straight contests since super tuesday on february 5 . texas also held democratic caucuses tuesday , but it was too close to declare a winner . `` for everyone here in ohio and across america who 's been ever been counted out but refused to be knocked out , for everyone who has stumbled but stood right back up , and for everyone who works hard and never gives up -- this one is for you , '' clinton said before supporters in columbus . `` you know what they say , '' she said . `` as ohio goes , so goes the nation . well , this nation 's coming back and so is this campaign . '' obama congratulated clinton on her victories but downplayed his losses . cnn 's political team weighs in on the results '' `` we know this : no matter what happens tonight , we have nearly the same delegate lead as we had this morning , and we are on our way to winning this nomination , '' obama told supporters in texas . sen. john mccain swept all four republican contests on tuesday to become his party 's presumptive nominee . read about mccain 's victory . mccain won primaries in texas , ohio , vermont and rhode island , giving him more than the 1,191 delegates needed to clinch the gop nomination . `` i am very , very grateful and pleased to note that tonight , my friends , we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence , humility and a great sense of responsibility , that i will be the republican nominee for president of the united states , '' mccain told supporters tuesday night . watch mccain claim victory '' mike huckabee dropped out of the republican race after the results came in . `` it 's now important that we turn our attention not to what could have been or what we wanted to have been , but now what must be -- and that is a united party , '' huckabee told a crowd in dallas . watch huckabee bow out '' mccain is slated to go to the white house on wednesday to receive the endorsement of president bush , according to two republican sources . the arizona senator 's campaign -- his second run for the white house -- was largely written off for dead last summer amid outspoken opposition from the party 's conservative base , a major staff shakeup and disappointing fundraising . but mccain said earlier tuesday that he was confident he would emerge as the presumptive nominee by the end of the night . mccain overwhelmingly won moderates and conservatives in ohio , but he lost the evangelical vote to huckabee , according to exit polls . obama 's campaign pressed to extend voting by one hour in two ohio counties . see county-by-county results in ohio . `` due to reports of ballot shortages in cuyahoga and franklin counties , we requested a voting extension in those counties , '' said obama spokesman bill burton . a judge ruled to keep parts of cuyahoga county open an extra hour . in texas , clinton held a two-to-one advantage over obama with hispanic voters , while obama had the overwhelming advantage with black voters in the state 's democratic primary , according to cnn 's exit poll . see county-by-county results in texas . eighty-three percent of blacks voted for obama , while 16 percent supported clinton , according to the exit poll . meanwhile , 64 percent of hispanics backed clinton , while 32 percent went for obama . early exit polls indicate a distinct `` age gap '' in both states . obama appealed most strongly to younger voters while older voters favored clinton . among ohio democratic primary voters aged 17 to 29 , 65 percent went for obama , and 34 percent went for clinton . among those age 60 and older , clinton led obama 67-31 percent . the same pattern held true in early exit polling from the texas democratic primary . among voters aged 18 to 29 , obama led clinton 61-39 percent , and among voters 60 and older , clinton led obama 63 - 36 percent . poll workers in collin county , near dallas , estimated that nearly three-quarters of the democratic voters would participate in the democratic caucuses to be held after the polls close . in an unusual system , the 193 delegates that texas will send to the democratic national convention will be split between obama and clinton according to the results of both the primary and the caucuses . state party officials say the dual primary/caucus system promotes participation in the party . both clinton and obama have encouraged supporters to do the `` texas two-step '' and vote in both events . obama came into the day with momentum on his side . he had 1,378 pledged delegates and superdelegates to clinton 's 1,269 . neither candidate is close to the 2,025 needed to win the democratic nomination . allocate delegates yourself and see how the numbers add up '' former president bill clinton said in february that if his wife won ohio and texas , she 'd go on to win the nomination . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's paul steinhauser , rachel stratfield , mary snow , mark preston and sasha johnson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>his speech was the third of the evening by former gop presidential candidates who pumped up the republican faithful ahead of palin . former arkansas gov. mike huckabee got the crowd cheering when he ripped obama for looking to europe for ways to change america . `` barack obama 's excellent adventure to europe took his campaign for change to hundreds of thousands of people who do n't even vote or pay taxes here , '' he said . `` the fact is , most americans do n't want more government ; they want a lot less . '' huckabee said mccain represents small government and has ideas for change that will make the nation 's economy better . he added that mccain is `` a man with the character and stubborn kind of integrity that i want in a president . '' huckabee took a jab at the `` elite media '' for `` unifying the republican party and all of america '' in support of mccain and palin . `` the reporting of the past few days has proven tackier than a costume change at a madonna concert , '' huckabee said . former massachusetts gov. mitt romney blasted `` liberal washington , '' saying mccain is a `` prescription for every american who wants change in washington . '' he added that it 's time to take a `` weedwhacker '' to excessive regulation and to impose lower taxes and to stop big-government spending . `` throw out the big-government liberals and elect john mccain , '' romney said . `` we need change , all right : change from a liberal washington to a conservative washington . '' he also threw his support behind palin , saying the mccain-palin ticket `` will keep america as it has always been : the hope of the world . '' `` we will never allow america to retreat in the face of evil extremism , '' romney said . the republican party officially nominated mccain for president at the convention wednesday . mccain will give a speech accepting the nomination thursday night . police said two protesters were removed during palin 's speech . they said they were members of the anti-war group code pink . a representative for the joint information center said the two women were escorted by law enforcement officers from the xcel center for heckling . they stood and yelled off to the side of the podium during palin 's speech . they were not charged and have been `` sent on their way , '' this representative said . cnn 's kristi keck , dana bash , ed hornick , paul steinhauser and scott j. anderson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>when asked if the rising tide of support for gay marriage should lead to more republicans backing legalization in the party - huckabee said he was n't opposed as long as the party does n't ` change its overall view ' . if he ends up running for the republican nomination , it will be his second shot at the white house . huckabee launched a failed campaign to get the republican nod in 2008 , but lost out to arizona senator john mccain . | <t> cnn projects mccain wins ohio , texas , rhode island and vermont . </t> <t> huckabee withdraws from race for gop nomination . </t> <t> cnn : mccain had amassed 1,047 delegates before tuesday . </t> <t> mccain campaign was largely written off last summer . </t> | mccain wins gop nomination ⁇ huckabee bows out<T> |
-lrb- mental floss -rrb- -- we all want to live forever . but , chances are , you 'd rather forego a legacy altogether than have your name be synonymous with a goofy flub like a spoonerism or a dim-witted word like `` dunce . '' you can find a saint under tawdry in the dictionary . for the following eponyms , we ask : did these word-inspiring folks really deserve their drag through the linguistic mud ? 1 . dunce . dictionaries do n't play fair , and john duns scotus is proof . the 13th/14th-century thinker , whose writings synthesized christian theology and aristotle 's philosophy , was considerably less dumb than a brick . unfortunately for scotus , subsequent theologians took a dim view of all those who championed his viewpoint . these `` scotists , '' `` dunsmen , '' or `` dunses '' were considered hairsplitting meatheads and , eventually , just `` dunces . '' 2 . -lrb- slipping a -rrb- mickey . when you have to drug somebody against their will -lrb- hey , you got ta do what you got ta do -rrb- , it just would n't sound right to slip 'em a ricardo , a bjorn , or an evelyn . it 's got ta be a mickey . at the turn of the 20th century , mickey finn was a chicago saloon owner in one of the seediest parts of town -- and he fit right in . finn was known for serving `` mickey finn specials , '' which probably included chloral hydrate , a heavy sedative . after targeted customers passed out , finn would haul them into his `` operating room '' and liberate them of all valuables -lrb- including shoes -rrb- . never a host of the year candidate , this mickey seems to have thoroughly earned his legacy , so do n't hesitate to use it the next time you drug and rob your own customers .<doc-sep>3 . spoonerism . reverend william archibald spooner -lrb- 1844 -- 1930 -rrb- was famous for his muddled one-liners . and though it 's hard to know which ones he actually said , lines such as `` i have a half-warmed fish '' and `` yes indeed , the lord is a shoving leopard '' still prove that the sound-switching flub is pretty charming as far as mistakes go . the spoonerism has even been used as a literary technique by poets and fiction writers , giving spooner little reason to roll over -- or otherwise inarticulately protest -- in his grave . 4 . lynch . although several lynches -lrb- not including david -rrb- have been investigated by inquisitive etymologists , virginia native charles lynch -lrb- 1736 -- 1796 -rrb- is most likely the man behind the murderous word . lynch was a patriot , a planter , and a judge . but when he headed a vigilante court to punish tories -lrb- british loyalists -rrb- during the american revolution , he decided to play the roles of jury and executioner , too . lynch has more than earned his besmirched name . in fact , he did half the besmirching himself by egotistically referring to his actions as `` lynch law '' and `` lynching . '' 5 . shrapnel . while battling napoleon 's army , english general henry shrapnel -lrb- 1761 -- 1842 -rrb- noticed that original-flavor cannonballs just were n't massacring enough enemies for his liking . so , to get more shebang for his shilling , he filled the cannonballs with bullets and exploding charges . these `` shrapnel shells , '' or `` shrapnel-barrages , '' were pretty darn effective , and later designs proved even more successful in world war i. shrapnel did n't get much credit for the `` innovation '' during his lifetime , but he ultimately contributed to enough death and misery that he pretty much deserves to be synonymous with a violent , metallic byproduct of combat .<doc-sep>6 . draconian . a lexis-nexis news search shows that folks are still talking about `` draconian policies , '' `` draconian penalties , '' and , most frighteningly , `` draconian sex rules . '' though athenian lawgiver draco is not entirely confirmed to have existed , if he were real , then around 621 b.c.e. , he instituted two time-honored traditions : 1 -rrb- writing laws down and 2 -rrb- making laws that were batcrap-insane . they include ascribing the death penalty to such atrocities as being lazy , whizzing in an alley , and stealing an apple . apparently , he justified his measures with a sort of non-logic along the lines of , `` jaywalkers deserve to die , and i ca n't do anything worse to mass murderers . so what 're you gon na do ? '' 7 . boycott . in a nutshell ? boycott got boycotted . charles cunningham boycott -lrb- 1832 -- 1897 -rrb- was a retired english army captain who claimed his unwanted fame in 1880 when the irish land league decided to punish him for not lowering his rents . this then-new strategy , which was a mere paragraph in the russian-novel-size saga of irish land reform , was a kind of systematic shunning in which boycott was cut off from servants , supplies , mail , and lifestyle free of death threats . he might have been an evil landlord , but if boycott could see just how successful his name became , he 'd probably be a very sad , regretful , evil landlord . 8 . tawdry . the story of st. audrey -lrb- also known as st. etheldreda -rrb- is a classic example of how bad names happen to good people .<doc-sep>st. audrey was the daughter of the king of east anglia -lrb- then the norfolk section of anglo-saxon england -rrb- , who lived a monastery-founding , self-abdicating life . but , when she died of the plague in 679 , she was sporting a pretty nasty-looking tumor on her neck , which gossipmongers blamed on her penchant for wearing audacious necklaces in her youth . after her death , silk scarves called `` st. audrey laces '' were sold in her honor at ely 's annual st. audrey 's fair . then the british tendency for dropping letters and syllables took over , and audrey became `` tawdry . '' it was a short trip from there to the dictionary , and tawdry has been synonymous with gaudy ever since . 9 . chauvinism . nicolas chauvin was an early 19th -- century french soldier who was so patriotic and nationalistic , he gave patriotism and nationalism a bad name -- or at least a new name . a slave to the cult of napoleon , chauvin shed his fair share of blood for the emperor . how did napoleon show his appreciation ? by giving chauvin a ceremonial saber , a ribbon , and a pittance of a pension . later , however , french dramatists began basing über-patriotic characters on chauvin , which paved the way for the soldier 's ultimate reward : a dubious spot in the english language . e-mail to a friend . for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>the study , published in the journal science , looked at emotions buried under the surface and whether they affected an individual 's responses . photos of volunteers ' spouses were flashed on a computer screen for a fraction of a second , followed by a positive word such as ` awesome ' or a negative one such as ` awful ' . participants had to choose whether they viewed the word as positive or negative . ` people who have really positive feelings about their partners are very quick to indicate that words like awesome are positive words and very slow to indicate that words like awful are negative words , ' said dr mcnulty . analysis : couples ' sub-conscious feelings for each other were tested . the opposite was also true , the . researchers said , with participants who had negative feelings about . their partners taking longer to respond to positive words and less time .<doc-sep>`` like dorner said he cross the blue line and they burn him down for it , '' said one reader identified as silla1 . `` poor guy , driven over the edge and then killed in the cover-up . guess you need assault rifles at home with the lapd around , '' wrote a person named phrenchy . `` well , it could n't have turned out better for the lapd , they definitely did n't want dorner in court . heads would have rolled if dorner would have been taken in alive somewhere , '' said a posting by wedontmatter . public fascination with and endorsement of an anti-hero is common in history and the arts , especially when the figure advances a political message that resonates with people , experts said . `` he 's been a real-life superhero to many people , '' said marc lamont hill , an associate professor of english education at columbia university . `` do n't get me wrong . what he did was awful . killing innocent people is bad . `` but when you read his manifesto , when you read the message he left , he was n't entirely crazy . he had a plan and mission here , and many people are n't rooting for him to kill innocent people , they 're rooting for somebody who was wronged to get a kind of revenge against the system . '' hill added . `` it is almost like watching ` django unchained ' in real life . '' fueling dorner 's folk-hero status is social media 's iconoclastic tone , said buzzfeed radio host jack moore . `` you 'll have people on social media who support these villains , '' moore said . it 's also home to fans of james holmes , the man charged with killing 12 people and wounding 58 more in a colorado cinema in july , he added . `` there is some part of it that is social media weirdness , '' moore continued . the narrative of chris dorner `` resembles a denzel washington movie where someone is wronged , and he stands up for himself and goes down in a blaze of glory , '' he said . opinion : do n't focus on chris dorner 's politics .<doc-sep>jeremy clarkson once candidly said : ` deciding which one is worse -lrb- the austin allegro or morris marina -rrb- , is like deciding which leg you 'd rather have amputated . ' the allegro was named ` the worst british car ever made ' in a 2008 poll by the sun but auto express readers have been kinder to the 1970s model , putting it last in their list . number six : the mitsubishi mirage , another japanese flop , was said to be overpriced with poor handling . number seven : the suzuki x-90 is not a car japan will be proud of , with readers saying it had ` awful handling ' number eight : the morris marina was condemned by auto express readers as ` an utterly awful car ' number nine : the lada riva , produced in the eastern bloc , was said to be ` uncomfortable and basic in the extreme ' number 10 : the austin allegro was described as ` everything bad about british car manufacturing in the seventies ' below are the top ten worst cars as voted for by auto express readers with their comments : . 1 -rrb- ssangyong rodius : ` it 's time these were taken away and destroyed . ' 2 -rrb- reva g-wiz electric car : ` slow , not very safe and ugly as sin . a tiny , uncomfortable box . ' 3 -rrb- chrysler pt cruiser cabriolet : ' a real ugly duckling . a lack of refinement and driver enjoyment plus poor quality cabin . a novelty car that was no fun at all . ' 4 -rrb- fso polonez : ` cheap , performed poorly and lacked any desirability at all . ' 5 -rrb- rover city rover : ` poorly received from off , with build quality coming in for particular criticism . ' 6 -rrb- mitsubishi mirage : ` poor handling and a very low-rent feel and it does n't even have a super-cheap price to reflect that . ' 7 -rrb- suzuki x-90 : ` who wanted a two-seater convertible mini-suv ? nobody , especially when it had awful handling and zero off-road ability . ' 8 -rrb- morris marina : ` terrible handling and poor build quality meant it was an utterly awful car , ' said one reader . 9 -rrb- lada riva : ` poor to drive , uncomfortable and basic in the extreme . virtually any car of the same age will trump this in any category . ' 10 -rrb- austin allegro : ` the poster child for everything bad about british car manufacturing in the seventies . looked awful and handled dreadfully . '<doc-sep>he added : ` by all accounts it was a great event which is why what has happened is a real shame . but the national park is a very precious resource , it 's our world-famous brand and it 's precious for all its features . the mural was painted onto a cliff face near gladstone rock in snowdonia national park , shown here above . ' a really wonderful event has unfortunately left a very bad taste . ' james arnold , recently climbing in the area on holiday , told the independent : ` they are left with probably the biggest piece of graffiti in the uk in a national park , and it looks awful . ' a spokesman for the national theatre for wales said : ` the poetry written on the rock face near hafod y llan was part of national theatre wales ' production the gathering/yr helfa . ` the production involved a series of temporary installations , developed in collaboration with hafod y llan farm and the national trust , highlighting the life and activity of the farm . ` the intention with all the installations was to return the whole site to its original state . despite detailed research , the removal of the poetry on the rock face is taking longer than anticipated . ` following consultation with the national trust , the words in this installation were written in a natural , clay-based paint , which is non-harmful . after the performance , the vast majority of the paint was removed , but some of the words remained visible . | <t> some awful words named after real people . </t> <t> tawdry named for st. audrey who wore audacious necklaces . </t> <t> draconian came from lawyer who wanted lazy put to death . </t> <t> general henry shrapnel built more deadly cannonballs . </t> | awful words named for real people<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a video showing the last moments of a polish immigrant , who died after canadian police shot him with a stun gun at vancouver international airport , has been made public . this image from video shows an agitated robert dziekanski , left , before police used a stun gun on him . robert dziekanski , 40 , was traveling to join his mother , who lives in british columbia , when he ended up spending about 10 hours in the airport 's arrivals area , the canadian press said .<doc-sep>the video shows dziekanski , who had never flown before , becoming agitated . it then shows mounties purportedly shocking robert dziekanski with a taser device after confronting him . dziekanski did not speak english . the recording was captured by bystander paul pritchard on october 14 and was in police hands until he threatened legal action and it was returned to him last week , the canadian press reported . watch as police stun man with taser '' `` probably the most disturbing part is one of the officers uses his leg and his knee to pin his neck and his head to the ground , '' pritchard told cbc news .<doc-sep>the dead man 's mother , zofia cisowski , told cbc news that tasers should not be used by police . `` they should do something because that is a killer , a people killer . '' the incident is being investigated by police , canada 's national police complaints commission and by the coroner , cbc news reported . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a lumpkin , georgia police officer who repeatedly tasered a 57-year-old woman violated police policy but resigned before he could be fired , a city attorney said thursday . lumpkin city attorney william nesmith said an internal police investigation revealed former officer ryan smith inappropriately tasered janice wells earlier this year . the incident , caught on a patrol-car dash-camera tape that was released this week by wells ' attorney , cost smith and another officer involved their jobs . wells called police on april 26 because she thought there was a prowler on her property in west georgia , her attorney , gary parker said . police officer tim murphy of the richland police department arrived and found wells at her home with a guest who had been visiting but was leaving , parker said . the officer asked for the guest 's name , and when wells declined to give it to the officer , he threatened to arrest her for obstruction of justice , parker said . the police report of the incident has a slightly different take on the situation . according to the report , officer murphy was responding to a call regarding an `` unwanted guest '' at wells ' home . when the officer arrived , wells said that she wanted the guest , a man , to leave her property , according to the report . the cop asked the man to leave , and then asked wells what his full name was . she declined and he said he would arrest her . what ensued was that murphy tried unsuccessfully to arrest wells and called for backup . smith , of the lumpkin police department , responded and tasered the woman during the incident . wells was `` peppered sprayed about four times and tasered 11 to 12 times , '' parker said . `` you can hear the -lrb- stun -rrb- gun going off , you can hear her screaming . '' `` do n't do that , do n't do it ! '' wells can be heard shouting on the dashcam video . on the video , it sounds as though she was stunned about four times . despite the different versions of what led to the use of the stun gun , the police departments of richland and lumpkin were quick to move to discipline both officers . murphy was fired , richland county attorney tommy coleman said . smith , the officer who used the stun gun , resigned and went to another police department before receiving a termination letter written by lumpkin police chief steven ogle , authorities said .<doc-sep>the incident is now being investigated by the independent police complains commission . when contacted by mailonline , the commission said it could not comment on mr carter 's claims . commissioner kathryn stone obe added : ' i would like to express my sincere condolences to the man 's family at this difficult time . death : a man has died after being shot with a taser stun gun by police at a home in newcastle-under-lyme . investigation : the incident came after police allegedly received reports of burglary . ` we are at a very early stage of our independent investigation into the actions police took at the scene . ` we will be examining closely police involvement in this incident and the circumstances surrounding the man 's death . ' mr thompson 's death comes after matthew williams died after being shot with a stun gun . the 34-year-old had launched a horrific attack on cerys yem at a hostel where he was staying after being released from prison . miss yemm was allegedly murdered by williams who ` ate her face while high on cocaine ' in caerphilly , south wales . police discharged the taser after finding the 22-year-old unconscious with severe facial injuries . solicitor sophie khan , from the police action centre , has now called on theresa may to consider a temporary ban on tasers . she said stun guns are a ` real threat to life and their use must now be curbed ' . neighbour mark finney , 50 , said : ` i was asleep and at around 1.30 am , i woke up and heard shouting and tremendous banging . it sounded like someone was in distress . ' a 22-year-old local resident , who did not want to be named , said he heard the taser victim shout ` help me ' after the stun gun was fired at around 1.45 am . he added : ` there were seven or eight police and i saw them dragging this bloke out . ` he was still alive then but he looked like he was drunk or something . they were carrying him with their arms under his shoulders . they bunged him in the back of the van . '<doc-sep>controversy over police use of tasers erupted again last night after the death of a man shot during an alleged burglary . the raid suspect is the second person in two months to die after being tasered by police officers . he was shot with a 50,000-volt stun gun in the early hours of yesterday after reports of a break-in at flats in newcastle-under-lyme , staffordshire . scroll down for video . death : a man has died after being shot with a taser stun gun by police at a home in newcastle-under-lyme . investigation : the incident came after the man apparently tried to burgle a house early this morning . he was bundled into a police car , but soon became ` unresponsive ' and died hours later in custody following emergency treatment . last month matthew williams , 34 , died after being shot with a stun gun following a horrific attack on cerys yemm at a hostel for the homeless . miss yemm was allegedly murdered by williams who ` ate her face while high on cocaine ' in caerphilly , south wales . police discharged the taser after finding the 22-year-old unconscious with severe facial injuries . solicitor sophie khan , from the police action centre , has now called on theresa may to consider a temporary ban on tasers . she said stun guns are a ` real threat to life and their use must now be curbed ' . yesterday officers remained on guard outside the flat , which neighbours say is occupied by a ` hard-working ' couple in their twenties and their baby boy . police : officers at the scene in the aftermath of the fatal taser shooting in the early hours of the morning . block : the attempted burglary and subsequent death happened at these flats in newcastle-under-lyme . on guard : a police officer at the scene with a taser holstered on his jacket . neighbour mark finney , 50 , said : ` i was asleep and at around 1.30 am , i woke up and heard shouting and tremendous banging . it sounded like someone was in distress . ' a 22-year-old local resident , who did not want to be named , said he heard the taser victim shout ` help me ' after the stun gun was fired at around 1.45 am . he added : ` there were seven or eight police and i saw them dragging this bloke out . ` he was still alive then but he looked like he was drunk or something . they were carrying him with their arms under his shoulders . they bunged him in the back of the van . ' staffordshire police , which deploys tasers more than any other force in the country , has now been referred to the independent police complaints commission , which will investigate the death . probe : the independent police complaints commission will be investigating the man 's death . quiet : the incident took place in the suburb of chesterton just outside newcastle-under-lyme . an ipcc report revealed in july that staffordshire officers had used tasers as ` a deterrent ' 619 times in the past nine years . between 2012 and 2013 , the force fired stun guns a total of 71 times -- more than three times more than similar-sized forces such as leicestershire and west mercia police . the weapons have been linked to at least ten deaths in england and wales over the past decade . staffordshire 's police and crime commissioner matthew ellis said it was ` immensely sad ' that a man had lost his life , but added that it would be inappropriate to comment further during an ongoing ipcc investigation . witness : mark finney said he heard screams but could not tell what was going on in the flat . weapon : a man has died after being shot by police using a taser stun gun similar to the one pictured .<doc-sep>when he ignored the officer 's command to stop , the officer fired his taser stun gun -- and the man `` caught alight , '' munnee said . when used , some stun guns emit an electric spark as they deliver an electric current . the jolt of electricity inhibits voluntary control of muscles , temporarily incapacitating the person . while the officer tried to put out the fire , a woman from inside the house threw rocks at him , munnee said . the officer suffered both burns from the fire and cuts from the rocks . the man was airlifted to a hospital in the western australian capital of perth , where he is undergoing treatment for severe burns . police charged him with assault with intent to prevent arrest and possession of a deleterious substance . | <t> man died after canadian police shot him at vancouver airport on october 14 . </t> <t> polish immigrant became agitated after being left waiting at airport for 10 hours . </t> <t> flight was first time he had been on a plane ; he spoke no english . </t> <t> incident , captured on video by a bystander , is being investigated by authorities . </t> | man 's stun gun death caught on tape<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- those battling global warming by promoting biofuels may unintentionally be adding to skyrocketing world food prices , creating what one expert calls `` a silent tsunami '' in developing nations . the rising prices are `` threatening to plunge more than 100 million people on every continent into hunger , '' josette sheeran , executive director of the united nations ' world food program , said on the agency 's web site tuesday . sheeran is one of the experts attending a food summit hosted tuesday by british prime minister gordon brown , aimed at determining ways to boost food supplies and identify deterrents . also attending the meeting are scientists and representatives from the european union and africa . on the web site , sheeran said the increase in food prices is `` a silent tsunami that respects no borders . '' `` the world 's misery index is rising ... as soaring food and fuel prices roll through the lives of the most vulnerable , '' she said friday .<doc-sep>the crisis is forcing the organization to look for cuts in aid to some of its recipients , she said . soaring food prices have triggered violence in some developing countries , and biofuels are bearing at least part of the blame . producing fuel from plant crops is supposed to be greener than drilling for oil , and biofuels generally burn cleaner , too . but the global biofuels industry now stands accused of a list of side effects that are said to be damaging lives , especially of the world 's poorest people . `` the drive for more biofuels means more investment is going into those crops , meaning less land and less investment going in for food crops , causing a massive conflict and resulting in rising prices , which is having a huge negative impact , especially on developing countries , '' said clare oxborrow , food campaigner for friends of the earth . see why tortilla makers are blaming biofuel for increasing food prices '' critics also say that in africa , asia and south america , people are being driven from their land and forests are being cleared to make room for the booming biofuel industry .<doc-sep>the international food policy research institute says the use of cereals for industrial purposes like making biofuels has risen by a quarter since 2000 . brown said in an article posted on the 10 downing street web site , `` we now know that biofuels intended to promote energy independence and combat climate change are frequently energy-inefficient . `` we need to look closely at the impact on food prices and the environment of different production methods and to ensure we are more selective in our support . if our uk review shows that we need to change our approach , we will also push for change in eu biofuels targets , '' he said . `` we must also do more to explore the links between climate change and food , and particularly their impact on the livelihoods and vulnerability of the very poorest , who are likely to be most affected by climate change . '' the meeting he convened , brown said , is a precursor to the g8 summit of industrial nations , to be held in july , and a special u.n. summit in september .<doc-sep>he urged prompt action . `` with one child dying every five seconds from hunger-related causes , the time to act is now , '' brown stressed . the world health organization views hunger as the no. 1 threat to public health around the world , responsible for a third of child deaths and 10 percent of all disease . douglas alexander , britain 's international development secretary , announced tuesday that britain has set aside a 455 million-pound -lsb- $ 900 million -rsb- aid package to address the food crisis . his agency manages britain 's aid to poor countries with the goal of eliminating extreme poverty . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's phil black contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the death toll from massive floods in pakistan rose to 1,497 on friday as u.n. chief ban ki-moon said the crisis is a `` slow-motion tsunami '' that is expected to grow . the number of homeless as a result of flooding has doubled to 4 million . ban urged the international community to give more aid during a special fundraising meeting thursday night . `` make no mistake , '' he said . `` this is a global disaster , a global challenge . it is one of the greatest tests of global solidarity in our times . '' the u.n. secretary-general , who traveled to pakistan last weekend to visit sites devastated by the disaster , said almost 20 million people need shelter , food and emergency care .<doc-sep>though the number of fatalities was not comparable with either the tsunami or the earthquake , both of which had death tolls that exceeded 200,000 , pakistan 's flooding `` is a major disaster of enormous magnitude , '' said john holmes , u.n. under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator . many pakistanis are not happy with the government 's response to the floods , saying it has been slow and ineffective . pakistani president asif ali zardari returned home monday from an overseas trip , facing growing criticism of his actions following the massive flooding . he had been in england for talks with british prime minister david cameron during the worst of the crisis . prime minister yousaf raza gilani said a true assessment of the loss of life and infrastructure can be determined only after the water recedes . he appealed to the international community and to pakistanis living abroad to help . aid agencies scrambled to help those in need . `` the assistance that we have so far provided has alleviated suffering , but relief operations need to be massively scaled up , '' said martin mogwanja , the u.n. humanitarian coordinator in pakistan . u.s. emergency relief teams continued to arrive in peshawar to help , the u.s. state department said . the u.s. agency for international development has committed $ 55 million in aid to international organizations and nongovernmental organizations , it said . the united states has provided more than 435,000 meals . this assistance is in addition to u.s. military efforts , which include rescue airlifts , food supplies and other deliveries provided by the pentagon . of the total , $ 20 million will be used to expand humanitarian operations farther south as the flood zone expands , mark ward , acting director of the office of foreign disaster assistance , told reporters tuesday . cnn 's reza sayah and samson desta and journalist nasir habib contributed to this report .<doc-sep>santiago , chile -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon arrived friday in earthquake-damaged chile , which endured two more strong aftershocks while working to recover from last week 's devastating earthquake and tsunami . `` i 'm here to express -lsb- the -rsb- solidarity of the united nations , of the international community , to the people and government of chile , '' ban told reporters at the airport in the capital , santiago . `` i know that this is one of the worst natural disasters in recent history of chile ; at the same time , i 'm very moved to see such strong courage and fortitude and resilience of chilean people , '' ban said . earlier , shortly before 9 a.m. friday , an aftershock with a magnitude of 6.6 struck the area , the u.s. geological survey said . the aftershock followed another with a 6.0 magnitude , the survey said . the two are the latest in scores of aftershocks that have hit after the massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami saturday . full coverage of chile 's earthquake . friday 's aftershocks did not cause any known injuries or damage , chile 's national emergency office said , and the u.s. national oceanic and atmospheric administration 's tsunami center did not issue any warnings . the tsunami and 8.8 magnitude earthquake -- the fifth-strongest worldwide since 1900 -- killed hundreds of people and toppled buildings , particularly in the maule region along the coast . shocking scenes hours after quake . roads were torn up and power was cut off in many areas . thousands have been left homeless . food , water and the restoration of basic services , such as electricity , are top priorities , said the u.n. office for the coordination of human affairs . the chilean government , which is leading the rescue and relief efforts , has asked the united nations for items such as field hospitals with surgical facilities , dialysis centers , generators , satellite phones , structural damage evaluation systems , saltwater purifying systems , mobile bridges and field kitchens . ban said friday that he will talk to chilean president michelle bachelet and president-elect sebastian pinera about how the united nations can best help . pinera , a conservative billionaire businessman , takes office next week .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- international regulators need to rethink their procedures for handling nuclear accidents in the wake of the crisis in japan , the head of the u.n. atomic watchdog agency said monday . the current framework for responding to emergencies dates back to the aftermath of the chernobyl accident in 1986 and `` reflects the realities of the 1980s , not of the 21st century , '' international atomic energy agency chief yukiya amano said . `` the speed at which information now travels and the huge volume of information in public circulation are among the most significant changes since then , '' amano said . `` live television and the internet provide constant updates on a crisis situation -- not always accurately -- to a global audience . the responsibility of the iaea is to provide authoritative and validated information as quickly as possible , but doing this under the current arrangements inevitably takes time and has limitations . '' amano said the first priority remains cooling down the damaged reactors at the earthquake - and tsunami-battered fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant . but he said authorities should move to revise their playbooks for similar crises `` in a reasonable amount of time , '' and an april conference on nuclear safety would be a good opportunity to start . | <t> prices mean 100 million people could go hungry , u.n. official says . </t> <t> soaring food prices have triggered violence in some developing countries . </t> <t> expert says focus on biofuels means less focus on food crop . </t> <t> world health organization views hunger as main threat to public health . </t> | u.n. expert : food crisis ` a silent tsunami '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- gasoline prices set a record for the 16th consecutive day wednesday . a gallon of gas cost an average of $ 3.62 , according to aaa , and much more in some markets . shell oil co. . president john hofmeister says a boost in u.s. production would startle the world market . all three presidential candidates have weighed in on the issue , and president bush on tuesday addressed it during a news conference . john hofmeister , president of shell oil co. , the u.s. division of royal dutch shell , addressed rising gasoline prices during an interview wednesday with john roberts on cnn 's `` american morning . '' roberts : what do you say to people who are in this budget crunch of trying to fill up the family car ? hofmeister : i say we need more gas to be produced in this country . i 've been saying that for three years , ever since i took this position -lsb- as president of shell -rsb- .<doc-sep>if the u.s. set a goal to produce 2 to 3 million barrels more a day in this country , we would send a shock around the world that would immediately say to the speculators , hey , u.s. is serious . president -lsb- bush -rsb- said something yesterday about this . i did n't hear him , but i think that 's good news . but we should set a specific target . the presidential candidates should be out there on the postings saying let 's increase domestic production by 2 to 3 million barrels a day . that would be something that would put money back into this country , jobs back into this country , and it would bring more supply toward the americans who need it . roberts : the president is advocating more drilling on u.s. territory . is n't it true that globally we 're starting to reach a peak in production and that within maybe a decade or two oil production will begin to decrease ? hofmeister : well , i think there is some argument -lsb- that -rsb- with convenient , easy oil we will peak sometime in the next decade . i think shell sees that coming , but in terms of total oil supply to the world , we 're a long way from reaching peak oil because it does n't take into account unconventional oil . i think the president brings up a good point in that we could , we have the available domestic supplies off the coast of alaska as well as -lsb- the alaska national wildlife refuge -rsb- . shell has won $ 2 billion worth of high bids for the chukchi sea -- that 's a few years off before we could begin production . but let 's remember there 's more than 100 billion barrels of untouched oil and gas in this country that is subject to a 30-year moratorium . now , there 's only one body in this country that can set a 30-year moratorium , and that 's the u.s. government .<doc-sep>roberts : sen. hillary clinton wants to slap you with a 50 percent tax on what she calls windfall profit , profit above a certain level . is that a good idea ? hofmeister : look at our revenues and our income for the last quarter . if we had made $ 7.8 million on $ 114 million of revenue , nobody would call that excessive , because that 's 7 1/2 percent . we made $ 7.8 billion profit on $ 114 billion revenue -- same 7 1/2 percent . so to me that is not an excessive number when banks and pharmaceuticals and it companies earn a whole lot more . watch hofmeister defend shell 's profits '' roberts : would it hurt you if she put in place this tax on the windfall profits ? hofmeister : sure it would . it would slow down investment . taxing the oil companies was tried in the '80s . it drove us to do imports , which is exactly the problem we have today . roberts : where is the top of all this ? how high can the price of a barrel of oil go ? how high will the cost of a gallon of gasoline go ?<doc-sep>hofmeister : i heard somebody say the other day it 's as long as a piece of string . we do n't know . roberts : the president of opec said $ 200 a barrel . hofmeister : yeah , well , there are some countries out there subsidizing the cost of their energy to their consumers and industries to compete with america -- or against america -- because they think america wo n't solve the problem . roberts : you 're saying you have no idea where the top is . hofmeister : we do n't know . but we should produce more oil in this country . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the former president of shell oil usa did n't candy-coat it : america 's political fund-raising system , he said , amounts to legalized extortion . `` i feel extorted , '' john hofmeister told cnn 's drew griffin . `` every time i wrote a check i felt that it was a form of extortion , the price of entry , because of the reception that you got when you contributed versus the reception when you did not contribute . '' hofmeister , who ran shell oil usa from 2005 through 2008 , said he was constantly being asked for political donations , by members of both parties . it 's against shell oil policy , he said , for corporate contributions to be made . so any donations came out of his own pocket -- something , he said , he felt forced to do . hofmeister said he and other oil executives were summoned to more than a dozen capitol hill hearings in 2008 when the retail price of gasoline began to skyrocket . in one hearing , a member of congress suggested that nationalizing u.s. oil companies might be a way to tamp down prices at the pump . not long after one of those hearings , hofmeister told cnn , several members of congress pressed him for political contributions . and it 's all perfectly legal .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a sharp increase in the price of north sea oil helped drive u.s. gasoline prices up about 12 cents a gallon since late january , according to a new nationwide survey . the latest lundberg survey found the average price of regular gasoline rose to $ 3.51 per gallon , publisher trilby lundberg said sunday . the survey canvasses about 2,500 filling stations in the continental united states twice a month . west texas intermediate crude , the u.s. benchmark fuel , remained largely flat between january 20 and friday , when the most recent survey was conducted . there 's a glut of the fuel on u.s. markets , so its price went up only 21 cents a barrel between surveys , lundberg said . but europe 's benchmark brent crude -- another fuel commonly used in american gasoline -- traded up by $ 7.45 per barrel over the same period . lundberg blamed the jump on reduced production from north sea platforms , tensions among iran , its persian gulf neighbors and western powers and a dispute between sudan and newly independent south sudan that has cut off southern oil from global markets . `` brent is highly sensitive to these events , '' she said . meanwhile , u.s. retailers have little margin to absorb the increased fuel prices , meaning pump prices may edge up `` a few more pennies '' in the coming weeks , lundberg said . the lowest prices in the latest survey were in denver , where regular gas cost an average of $ 3.01 a gallon . the highest were on new york 's long island , at $ 3.82 . average prices in some other cities : . atlanta : $ 3.54 . baltimore : $ 3.52 . billings , montana : $ 3.03 . boston : $ 3.60 . chicago : $ 3.63 . houston : $ 3.42 . jackson , mississippi : $ 3.38 . las vegas : $ 3.41 . minneapolis : $ 3.45 . portland , oregon : $ 3.48 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- for most americans , energy policy right now is all about gasoline prices . and given the political claims and counterclaims on this issue being tossed about , it 's no wonder that the public is both skeptical and confused . republicans charge that the president is responsible for higher prices at the pump , and a certain gop presidential hopeful has even been so bold as to promise a return to $ 2.50 a gallon gasoline . how can the average american , already feeling the impact of higher prices , filter through the nonsense and noise ? critics of the administration are quick to note that when barack obama took office , gasoline prices were $ 1.95 a gallon . but they neglect to note the u.s. economy was in a virtual depression . for purposes of comparison , when president george w. bush took office in 2001 , gasoline sold for an average of $ 1.55 a gallon . in the summer of 2008 , his last year in office , prices exceeded $ 4.25 . in reality , presidents have little to do with near-term fluctuations in gas prices . earlier this year , closures of refineries announced in the united states and elsewhere began pushing up gasoline prices well in advance of the coming `` driving season . '' more recent increases are more closely tied to the delicate balance between increased demand growth and concerns related to supply disruptions , including but not limited to concern over iran . the single largest component in the price of gasoline is the cost of crude oil . federal , state and local taxes as well as refining costs , transportation , retail advertising and the cost of the service station lease also figure in . all things being equal , for gas to cost $ 2.50 a gallon , the crude oil price would have to be in the $ 50-a-barrel range -lrb- less than half of the current price -rrb- . and to achieve this anytime soon would likely require a global economic collapse . with oil at $ 50-a-barrel it would not be economically viable for oil companies to bear the cost of extracting oil locked up in hard-to-reach places such as the deep ocean or oil sands , where much of the new production is found . such a price reduction would , in any event , be short-lived , as demand would grow with lower prices while supply languished . for the longer term , the president 's goal of doubling fuel economy standards and increasing fuel choices makes eminent good sense : it would make $ 4 gasoline feel like $ 2 gas to consumers . also a very good thing . republicans charge that the president has impeded domestic oil production , while democrats are quick to note that production is at its highest level in years . here , the facts are on the president 's side , as u.s. oil production is at its highest level since 2003 and imports are below 46 % . this is truly good news . nonetheless , the nit-pickers are quick to point out that much of the recent development has been the result of technology improvements on the part of industry and is largely occurring on private , not federal lands . this too is true . the domestic oil and gas industry has been the source of enormous and valuable technology , innovation , tax and royalty revenues , and new jobs . but production is also up on federal lands as well . critics claim that if the president had been more aggressive in promoting domestic development of oil and gas and increasing development acreage over the past three years , domestic production would be significantly higher and gas prices would thus be substantially lower . this assertion is false for a couple of reasons . the deepwater horizon oil spill -lrb- for which the president bore no responsibility -rrb- necessarily curtailed u.s. offshore production for the better part of a year . additionally , exploration and production of green field projects take time -- several years , in fact -- and even modest increases on the order of several hundred thousand barrels per day in a 90-million-barrel-per-day world would not guarantee significantly lower prices at the pump . the president has recently characterized the latest iteration of his energy strategy as an `` all of the above '' approach , albeit with a continued emphasis on lower carbon sources . this seems to have struck a raw nerve with industry activists and political opponents , even though in 2007 the national petroleum council -- and more recently , republican proposals -- reached the same conclusions . similarly , obama 's language emphasizing the need for responsible development mirrors exactly what the industry said in a 2011 national petroleum council study and is consistent with the findings produced by secretary steven chu 's energy advisory board with respect to shale gas development . thoughtful debate here may be falling victim to politics and pique . sloganeering and political infighting should not drive our energy debate when there are real challenges to be addressed . the bottom line is that we are all in this together . regardless of your political affiliation , if the nation does well , we are all the better for it . so let 's try to find some common ground to advance economic , energy and environmental goals where the opportunities present themselves and stop the petty bickering and finger-pointing . the american people deserve better . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of frank verrastro and j. robinson west .<doc-sep>the price of a barrel of oil is just under $ 56 , down from a summer high of $ 107 , and lower than at any time since the u.s. was still in recession in the spring of 2009 . the plunge in prices is being blamed on a global imbalance of supply and demand that is rippling across the world economy , for better and worse . years of high oil prices , interrupted briefly by the recession , inspired drillers around the world to scour the earth 's crust for more oil and they found it . since 2008 oil companies in the u.s. , for example , have increased production by 70 percent , or 3.5 million barrels of oil per day . to put that in perspective , that increase alone is more than the production of any opec member other than saudi arabia . as u.s. production was ramping up , turmoil in the middle east and north africa reduced supplies from libya , iran and elsewhere . more to come ? oil prices have dropped sharply around the world , easing gasoline costs for u.s. driver . a balance was struck : increasing supplies from outside of opec and from iraq 's recovering oil industry helped meet rising demand around the world as other opec supplies waivered . but now those opec supplies look more certain despite continuing turmoil , and those non-opec supplies have swamped the market . opec estimated last week that the world would need 28.9 million barrels of its oil per day next year , the lowest in more than a decade . at the same time , opec countries plan to produce 30 million barrels of oil per day next year . that supply surplus is sending global prices lower . | <t> u.s. should produce 2 million to 3 million more barrels a day , says john hofmeister . </t> <t> plenty of oil waiting to be drilled by unconventional means , he says . </t> <t> shell 's $ 7.8 billion profit not excessive , company president says . </t> <t> executive says he ca n't predict how high price of oil will go . </t> | shell oil president : to cut price , produce more gasoline in u.s.<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- austrian investigators monday released more details about the elaborate underground cellar where josef fritzl kept his daughter imprisoned for 24 years , along with three of their children . josef fritzl admitted to authorities he raped his daughter and fathered her children . investigators believe fritzl planned to build the cellar as early as 1978 , shortly after , according to his daughter , he began raping her at age 11 or 12 , said police spokesman franz polzer . the 73-year-old austrian began building the dungeon as part of an addition to his home that year , and simply added the hidden space -- which was not recorded in any building plans -- polzer said . it took fritzl until 1983 to finish the addition , polzer said . investigators recently discovered another door to the dungeon prison , which was blocked by a 500-kilogram -lrb- 1,100-pound -rrb- steel and concrete door that fritzl probably stopped using when he later constructed an electronic door for a second entrance , polzer said . fritzl , who police believe was the only one with access to the cellar , had to travel through an elaborate maze to get to the prison . `` you would have to open up a total of eight doors , and ... -lrb- for the -rrb- last door which would go into this space -lrb- where the family was imprisoned -rrb- , you would also have to use electronic opening apparatus , '' polzer said . `` we will have to find out perhaps later from now if perhaps there are other spaces we have n't discovered yet , and perhaps maybe there is something else interesting . '' fritzl was recently arrested and confessed to holding his daughter , elisabeth , captive in the dungeon under the fritzl home for decades , repeatedly raping her and fathering seven children -- six of whom survived . three of the children were adopted by josef fritzl and his wife after he concocted the ruse that elisabeth had left the babies on their doorstep . the story of the family 's imprisonment began to unravel more than two weeks ago , when one of the children still in the dungeon , 19-year-old kerstin fritzl , fell seriously ill with convulsions . the father agreed to take her to a hospital , the first time she was allowed out of the prison where she had spent her entire life with her mother and two brothers . dr. albert reiter , who is treating kerstin , said monday that while her condition is still `` grave , '' it `` has improved somewhat . ''<doc-sep>`` she has become more stable , but despite that we have to continue to keep her under sedation and give her respiratory help , '' reiter said , noting it is not clear how long she will be kept under sedation . elisabeth and her two sons were reunited with her mother , rosemarie , who police say knew nothing about the basement prison . they were also reunited with the three children that josef had taken from elisabeth . the reunited family is living in secluded quarters at a psychiatric clinic , where they are finding a daily routine and adjusting to sunlight -- something the two boys had never seen -- according to the clinic 's chief doctor . `` the mother and the smallest child have , in just the last couple of days , increased their sensitivity to light , '' dr. berthold kepplinger said . `` so we have been able to equip them with protective sunglasses . '' five-year-old felix is `` getting more and more lively , '' kepplinger said . `` he 's fascinated by everything that he sees around him -- the fresh air , the light , and the food -- all of these things are helping them , '' he said . `` slowly the color of their skin is changing back to a more normal -lrb- shade -rrb- . '' he also said the family members are still getting to know each other and live together as a family . kepplinger praised elisabeth for having provided a daily living routine for her children during their captivity . he said the family is getting into a new routine in which the mother and the grandmother make breakfast for the family , and the children make their beds . however , he said there is a noticeable difference between the pace of life of the children held in captivity and that of those who grew up in fritzl 's home . he said the mother , elisabeth , takes breaks and naps several times a day . the health of the family members is satisfactory and hospital staff have been able to let more and more light into the rooms where the family is staying , kepplinger said . kepplinger said the children , after being confined to a small space their entire lives , are finding it increasingly easy to be in larger spaces . initially the dungeon where fritzl held his daughter was only 35 square meters . in 1993 , around the time elisabeth was pregnant with her fourth child , fritzl decided to add to the dungeon , building another room that increased the entire living space of the family to about 55 square meters . on wednesday or thursday , prosecution authorities will attempt to question fritzl -- who is no longer talking to police following his initial confession , state prosecutor gerhard sedlacek said . a warden at the st. poelten jail , where fritzl is being held , told cnn that fritzl appears to be doing well , but he is refusing to go on walks outside the building where he is detained . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>they would then beat his head and body with a baseball bat until he lost consciousness . viviana and brandon gunn would duct tape jordan 's hands over his head to a vertical bar and then hang him from a wooden rafter where he was beaten with a metal bar and where the evil couple would then heat a knife with a lighter and cut him . the couple would then get further kicks from their cowardly attacks on the boy by spraying alcohol onto his wounds . sometimes , the teen 's 27-year-old brother would produce a staple gun and ram staples into his right hand - after which he would strike his teenage brother 's feet with a hammer . house of horror : neighbors reported hearing cries come from the home in silverdale , washington . often jordan was stripped naked and kept in a dog house for two or three days with no food or water or thrown into the cellar with his hands , legs , eyes and mouth duct taped for days . his penis was beaten with a baseball bat and he was given only water and a pill which caused him to fall unconscious . it was during the last session that his sister-in-law and brother left the house to get food while he was hanging from the rafters in the cellar . he managed to removed the duct tape from his mouth and chew away the tape that bound his hands together . he then rammed down the cellar door and fled onto the streets where he remained until he was found at the bus stop in bremerton - in need of medical help .<doc-sep>-lrb- ew.com -rrb- -- ryan murphy has added another attraction to his `` american horror story : freak show '' â $ '' and this one is a real show stopper . ew : ` american horror story ' at comic-con - ` freak show ' cast announced . veteran singer patti labelle will appear in four episodes of the fx anthology series from co-creators murphy and brad falchuk . labelle will play the mother of gabourey sidibe 's character , a townie in 1952 jupiter , florida who discover the secrets of twisty the clown killer . sadly , the grammy-winner 's part will only require her to act ; no singing will be involved .<doc-sep>dr york 's brother , kansas state senator alexander m. york , launched a hunt for his missing sibling but to no avail . on . april 3 , colonel york returned to the inn with armed men after a woman . fled the lodging claiming ma bender had threatened her with knives . house of horror : the benders would smash their guests over the head with a hammer from behind a strategically-placed curtain before tipping their body through a trap door into a made-to-measure cellar . ma allegedly could not understand . english while the younger benders denied the claim . when york repeated . the allegation , ma flew into a rage and branded the woman a witch who had . cursed her coffee and ordered the men to leave her house . it was this outburst that revealed for . the first time that ` her sense of the english language ' was much better . than had been thought . before york left , kate bid him to pay . a second visit the next friday night when she promised to use her . clairvoyant skills and contact the spirit world to help him find his . missing brother . the . men with york were convinced the benders were guilty and wanted to hang . them all but york insisted that evidence must be found . however , as suspicions strengthened and the finger of blame pointed stoutly towards the family . as . more people vanished , a town meeting decided the perpetrators of the . crimes had to be found and a search of every home in the area was . authorised . pa bender and his son both attended the meeting . then , . within two weeks of the meeting a passer by noticed the benders '<doc-sep>the move was forced by politicians of the hard-left die linke and the environmentalist green parties , and the official berlin letter seeking documents was sent to british intelligence a little over a week ago . both britain and america are fuming . both have refused to send any of the requested files to germany . included among them was a demand for information about a 2013 operation handled by both countries - and in co-operation with the bnd - which was , and remains , top secret but was known to involve a massive surveillance programme on suspected islamic terrorists across europe . britain fears a ` big debate ' in the german parliament which would lay open secret sources and intelligence gathering techniques . ` never has a friendly nation been asked to divulge its secrets in this way , ' said one bnd source . ` it is outrageous and we completely understand the fury that this has unleashed in whitehall . ` the british have a horror of secrets being revealed . if they and the americans withdraw co-operation , it would be catastrophic for germany . the rift between the secret services came after a german government request asking britain to release details of secret operations in germany to its committee currently probing into the nsa affair -lrb- pictured -rrb- and other foreign spy agency activities in the country . it would brand germany among the community of nations as a country not to be trusted to share intelligence aimed at combatting terror and spying by hostile governments . it would make us a pariah . ' gerhard schindler , the president of the bnd , met politicians concerned with the enquiry on wednesday to ask them to drop the demand for british intelligence documents . chancellor merkel is known to be angry herself at the high-handed stance of the left and greens but is treading a fine line in a country where many citizens remain outraged at the extent of foreign intelligence snooping in their country . britain has no intention of releasing one single classified document to the germans but is threatening the breach nonethless should the demand for them continue . german confirmed the meeting on wednesday between schindler and lawmakers but had no further comment on ` security matters . ' | <t> new : hospitalized incest daughter 's condition is grave but stable , police say . </t> <t> fritzl imprisoned and raped daughter , also fathered her children , police say . </t> <t> wife of josef fritzl was too scared to question him , her sister says . </t> <t> fritzl 's wife focused on keeping family healthy , according to her sister . </t> | secrets of horror cellar revealed<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama raised more than $ 40 million from more than 442,000 donors in march , his presidential campaign announced thursday . sen. barack obama greets campaign volunteers during a stop in philadelphia , pennsylvania , wednesday . more than 218,000 of the donors were giving for the first time , the campaign said . the figures are estimates , a campaign spokesman said . `` we 're still calculating . '' sources in sen. hillary clinton 's campaign said the new york senator raised $ 20 million in march .<doc-sep>impressive as the $ 40 million figure is , it is well below the $ 55 million obama raised in february . clinton , obama 's rival for the democratic nomination , raised about $ 35 million in february . political analysts say this kind of fundraising power catches the attention of voters . `` they add to the so-called ` bandwagon effect ' -- the sense that obama is building , that he 's going to be the nominee , '' said stu rothenberg of the rothenberg political report . with its march totals , the obama campaign has raised approximately $ 234 million , which surpasses the democratic record of $ 215 million that 2004 nominee sen. john kerry raised in that presidential primary season . obama is $ 25 million shy of president bush 's presidential primary fundraising record of $ 259 million , set in his uncontested campaign in 2004 .<doc-sep>obama raised $ 194 million through the end of february . official fundraising tallies for march are due to the federal election commission by april 20 . clinton raised $ 156 million through the end of february . the clinton campaign said thursday morning it would not release march figures until required to file its fec report , two days before the critical pennsylvania primary april 22 . but later , campaign sources provided the figures , which show march to be clinton 's second-highest fund-raising month for the campaign . a clinton spokesman downplayed the importance of obama 's fundraising total .<doc-sep>`` we knew that he was going to out-raise us . he has out-raised us for the last several months , '' howard wolfson said after obama 's figures were released . `` we will have the resources that we need to compete and be successful in the upcoming primary states . '' wolfson also said he expected clinton 's tax returns to be released soon . clinton pledged march 25 she would release her returns within a week . sen. john mccain , the expected republican nominee , raised $ 11 million in february . he has not announced his march total . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's rebecca sinderbrand and rob yoon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . david martosko , u.s. political editor . published : . 14:32 est , 20 december 2013 . | . updated : . 17:40 est , 20 december 2013 . on a day when his signature health care program suffered the latest in a series of website outages , president barack obama made one last 2013 pitch to a standing-room-only thong of journalists who have engaged lately in more knife-sharpening than hero-worship . he tried to tee up a series of economic achievements , noting the addition of ` another 2 million jobs , adding up to 8 million in just over the past 45 months . ' we head into next year with an economy that is stronger than it was when we started the year , ' he insisted , ' with unemployment ` the lowest in 5 years ' and budget deficits that have fallen to half their 20078 levels . ' i firmly believe that 2014 can be a breakthrough year for america . ' his economic policies , obama predicted , would bring ` bigger paychecks for middle-class families ' in the new year . then , a surprise : more than 1 million americans , obama announced , have enrolled in obamacare-based insurance plans plans through federal and state marketplaces this month . that includes ' 15,000 a day in california , ' he said , and ` tens of thousands ' each day on healthcare.gov . a cheerful obama put a positive spin on his fifth year in office as reporters peppered him about the public-opinion disasters he 's suffered during 2013 . every seat was full and every square foot of carpet covered as obama made the year?s final public pitch for his policy objectives . ` for all the challenges we 've had ... more than half a million americans have enrolled in healthcare.gov through the first three weeks of december alone , ' obama said . a white house official added on background that more than 1 million people have entered the ranks of the insured during december , if both the federal and state exchanges are included . and obama later said millions of americans , ` whether they know it or not , ' had already benefited from the affordable care act , including ' a couple of million ' who will have health insurance on january 1 . but estimates of americans who have lost insurance because their policies did n't meet the law 's strict benefit requirements range from 5 to 15 million . the department of health and human services insists that the number is less than 500,000 . it 's unclear how many of those enrollees have selected taxpayer-subsidized medicaid coverage , as did a large majority of americans represented in the department of health and human services ' numbers through the end of november . it 's also unknown whether the administration can continue adding enrollees at a fast enough pace to reach its goal of more than 7 million by the end of march , including 2.7 million americans under age 35 . but few people likely signed up on friday , as the main obamacare portal experienced crashes and again demonstrated an inability to keep up with a year-end crush of traffic brought on as uninsured americans panicked .<doc-sep>the second trip , which occurred less than a month later , from march 7-9 , cost $ 885,683.40 in flight expenses , the watchdog group said . for that trip , the first family joined the president . the obama 's arrived in homestead , florida , on friday at 1.40 pm eastern time . the president and the first lady spoke at a high school at 2.25 pm . there are no public events on the president 's schedule after that until monday morning , when he is listed as having received his daily briefing at the white house at 10 am . the white house said obama had ' a bit of down time in the warm weather with his wife and daughters ' that weekend . the obama 's stayed at the ocean reef club , where the president played two rounds of golf with friends . the first family was accompanied on that trip by 50 secret service agents and five government helicopters , the washington times reports . ` only president obama . would deliver a brief speech about education and then have the nerve to . jet over to the posh ocean reef clubs -- an exclusive members-only . resort for the wealthy -- for a quick vacation , ' said jahan wilcox , a spokesman for the republican national committee , in march of the trip . other costs for the trips such as food and lodging are unknown , but judicial watch says the president , vice president and their immediate families have spent upward of $ 40 million since 2009 on taxpayer funded trips . the obama 's most expensive trips were in 2013 when they went to africa and honolulu , hawaii , the reports says . obama billed both trips as official business , but he spent more time golfing than he did participating in government meetings . obama is pictured here at a golf course in kaneohe , oahu , hawaii , during another expensive trip he took this year .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- in case you have n't noticed , this election season is awash in money . by the end of july , mitt romney had widened his cash advantage over president obama by $ 62 million . romney has also been raising more money than obama in the last three months . if romney continues to outraise obama , does it mean that he will win the presidential race ? can money buy elections ? palin not present at rnc but still a presence . historically , the candidate who raises the most money is likely to win . in recent presidential elections , the only victors whose campaign committees raised less than their opponent were bill clinton in 1996 -lrb- raising $ 116.8 million to sen. bob dole 's $ 134.7 million -rrb- and ronald reagan , who raised less than jimmy carter but nevertheless swept into washington in a 1980 landslide . in both instances , the comparison of funds raised is limited to their primary campaigns as , unlike today , these candidates relied exclusively upon the presidential public financing system which provided funds in equal amounts to both major party candidates for their general election campaigns . fortunately , for candidates in any given race , money alone provides no guarantee of victory . candidates need exceptional campaign skills , a solid election team , charisma , name recognition and it helps to be an incumbent who usually has these attributes and whose viability often attracts more donations . still , money is essential . for example , in the 2010 cycle -lrb- including both primaries and general elections -rrb- , only 9 winning house challengers spent under $ 1 million . candidates need a lot of resources to conduct a meaningful campaign and , these days , that costs $ 1.4 million for an average house seat and up to hundreds of millions to take the white house .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the obama administration 's got some good news on obamacare . scratch that . it was arguably great news . despite the jumbo embarrassment of a flawed rollout , a website that barely worked for more than a month , and hellfire and brimstone headlines that impacted public perceptions of the law , it turns out people are signing up . millions of them . according to data released wednesday , more than 1 million people signed up for private health insurance under the obamacare exchanges during january . that raised the open enrollment total during the first four months to 3.3 million . obamacare sign-ups jump to 3.3 million . with six weeks left for people to enroll under current deadlines , there is an outside chance the obama administration could hit its goal of 7 million by the end of march . seems like a big deal , right ? | <t> new : sen. clinton raised $ 20 million in march , campaign sources say . </t> <t> clinton camp says her tax returns will be released soon . </t> <t> more than 442,000 donors contribute to sen. barack obama 's , campaign says . </t> <t> number is below record $ 55 million obama raised in february . </t> | obama raises more than $ 40 million in march<T> |
atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it 's a neighborhood of shotgun houses painted a rainbow of colors , a community of artists , workaday folks and students where everyone knows everyone 's name . destruction in atlanta 's historic cabbagetown district , which many artists call home . saturday morning , people were out walking their dogs , sipping coffee and taking a look at who was hit the worst in atlanta 's cabbagetown district . it appeared friday night 's 130 mph tornado had delivered its wrath randomly -- some houses were perfectly intact while others were flooded and smashed . `` it 's a sad thing , '' said 56-year-old bertha wise , standing next to a splintered tree that had buried her car and blocked a side-door to her yellow and cobalt-blue house . a sign advertising her hand-crafted art , which she sells from her home , hung slightly askew . `` i was cooking dinner and the lights started to flicker , '' she said . `` there was no warning . my door flung open and papers went flying . by that time , there was nowhere to go . '' without a basement , she hunkered down and hoped for the best . but wise fared well compared with her neighbors in this historic neighborhood , which has gone from crime-ridden to cool in recent years . a few blocks down , a woman named rebecca -- too distraught to speak with a reporter -- carried what belongings she had left out of her rental home , which had been split in half by a giant oak tree . watch residents describe the storm 's quick arrival '' she was n't at home at the time , her landlord mark rogers told cnn , which was a good thing for her safety . but in the early morning hours , looters got there before she had and took almost everything . looting was a problem throughout the neighborhood , many said . see photos of the damage '' a few doors down from her , pastor richard davis stared up at the tire-size hole in the roof of his eastside christian community pentecostal church . he has been preaching in its single room for 10 years . `` yes ... well , that is something is n't it ? '' he said , then gestured to the church 's bathroom -- a brick yellow outhouse . `` that 's still here though . we 'll be ok . '' he plans to give a sermon on palm sunday and ask his parishioners to pray hard that lack of insurance wo n't force him to close his doors . steven and laura powell , thinking they were in store for a short lightning storm , were startled by the storm 's quick escalation . they were frightened when they spotted the storm beginning to circulate in the distance from their tiny home , and rushed to scoop up their sleeping 5-week-old audrey . bundled in a soft pink onesie , audrey was still sleeping saturday morning as her parents walked the neighborhood , amazed that their home had not been damaged -- and that their daughter had snoozed through the entire ordeal . `` i just put myself on top of -lsb- laura -rsb- and the baby and we got under the strongest beam in the house , '' said steven powell . `` i thought that if a tree came crashing through , i 'd take the brunt of it . '' cabbagetown 's houses were built for the workers at the local fulton cotton mill . the mill closed and the neighborhood slid into decay . the renaissance of cabbagetown began when the mill buildings were converted to the trendy fulton cotton mill lofts and the artists and urban pioneers moved in . in addition to hitting the houses , friday night 's tornado seriously damaged the top floor of the lofts . remarkably , nobody was hurt . cabbagetown residents remember when the under-construction lofts survived a five-alarm fire in 1999 -- and say they plan to rebuild and survive this disaster as well . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>with its thundering , round-the-clock traffic , talgarth road in west london is hardly the place you would expect to find a row of houses purpose-built for painters to gather inspiration . but it 's on this section of the a4 in baron 's court where you 'll find a terrace of art and crafts-era dwellings known as st paul 's studios , which were indeed created as artists ' homes . amid the rows of conventional victorian terraces that line this artery linking central london , heathrow airport and the west , the eight houses stand out majestically with their soaring chimneys and red-brick and terracotta exteriors . but their most distinctive feature -- north-facing double-storey windows -- provides the biggest clue to the fact that they were designed for artists . the muted yet constant light that comes through the expansive panes would greatly enhance the conditions for any painter 's work . inspirational : the reception room in the house on artists ' row , home of painters . in 1891 , when the eight houses were built , the area was an altogether more peaceful setting than now , and a colony of artists , including pre-raphaelite painter sir edward burne-jones , were already living nearby . landscape painter william logsdail and illustrator charles sims were among those who made their homes here a century or so ago . the houses went on to attract residents from the arts in general -- most famously the great ballerina margot fonteyn , as well as ernest gebler , a bestselling author in the fifties who is better known today as having been married to writer edna o'brien . anyone with # 1.3 million to spend can purchase 135 talgarth road , a house at one end of the terrace , which has been put up for sale by 92-year-old american art dealer dorothy edinburg . the terrace was built by architect frederick wheeler , who picked the location -- then called colet gardens -- because of what was an almost rural view looking out over the playing fields of the fee-paying st paul 's school . let there be light : the double-height windows on the top floor was built specifically to suit ` bachelor artists ' and allow sunlight to flow into the studio . st paul 's studios : the eight houses were build in 1981 to become the perfect home for artists and painters . wheeler designed the houses for ` bachelor artists ' . each property had a bedroom , reception area and a bathroom on the ground floor for the artist , and a scullery , kitchen and bedroom in the basement for a housekeeper .<doc-sep>atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- waves of severe thunderstorms streaked through downtown atlanta on saturday , hours after a tornado left a trail of destruction through the heart of the city . an atlanta sidewalk is heaved up by an oak tree toppled in friday night 's storm . a swath of uprooted and broken trees , downed utility lines , peeled-off roofs and collapsed brick walls marked the path of the tornado that struck around 9:40 p.m. friday . `` this was clearly a tornado , '' lans rothfusz of the national weather service 's peachtree city , georgia , office said . he rated the storm an ef-2 on the enhanced fujita scale , meaning it packed top winds of 130 miles per hour . utility and cleanup crews worked saturday to restore traffic lights , clear streets and remove tons of debris in the city 's business district after friday night 's unusual urban storm . atlanta mayor shirley franklin and georgia gov. sonny perdue declared states of emergency . police in atlanta were urging people to stay away from downtown , fearing shattered glass and hanging metal would continue to fall from buildings as new storms rolled through . see a map of the downtown damage '' a heavy thunderstorm prompted another tornado warning as it plowed across atlanta just south of downtown saturday afternoon . more storms were seen forming in alabama and heading toward atlanta . at least two people were killed saturday afternoon as the same line of storms destroyed structures elsewhere in northern georgia . trees blown down in friday night 's storm crushed a row of houses in the city 's historic cabbagetown district just east of downtown . initial estimates from the mayor 's office said at least 20 of the historic homes were damaged or destroyed by the tornado . atlanta police maj. renee propes urged people to stay away from cabbagetown . see photos of the destruction '' `` we appreciate the fact that people may want to help , '' propes said . `` but , in most instances , they are hindering our efforts and possibly putting people and property at risk . '' the top floor collapsed at one building in the fulton cotton mill lofts , a 104-year-old industrial complex redeveloped into residences . police officials said everyone was out of the structure and surrounding buildings and all residents in the lofts had been accounted for . watch firefighters search building '' across the street , headstones were toppled in the historic oakland cemetery . about 10,000 customers were without power saturday morning , according to georgia power , but by about 5:35 p.m. saturday that number had mushroomed to 41,000 customers statewide . crews were working to restore power but were pulled back when waves of bad weather threatened . earlier , georgia power spokesman john sell said more than 40 power poles were broken by friday night 's tornado . some customers will not have power restored until sunday , sell said -- and it could be even longer if weather hinders crews ' efforts . watch a report on problems amid the cleanup '' part of atlanta 's marta mass-transit rail system was shut down because of damage east of downtown . the twister is the first to strike downtown atlanta since record-keeping began in the late 1800s , said laura griffith , a national weather service forecaster . on march 24 , 1975 , a tornado hit the city 's buckhead area , including the governor 's mansion , she said . three people died and more than 150 were injured . the weather service said friday 's tornado plowed a path about 6 miles long and 200 yards wide . the twister appears to have first struck several houses and churches in the vine city neighborhood west of the business district , then moved on to the georgia dome , cnn center , centennial olympic park and cabbagetown . a brick apartment building in vine city was roofless saturday morning . curtains waved through broken windows high up the cylindrical 73-story westin peachtree plaza hotel downtown . gaping holes were torn in the roof of the georgia world congress center , and an auto parts warehouse just east of downtown partially collapsed . watch a stairway become a waterfall '' although tens of thousands of people were in the path of the storm -- many in town for a major college basketball tournament -- there were no known deaths and just one life-threatening injury , police said . about 30 people -- one of them a firefighter -- were treated at hospitals , mostly for minor cuts , scrapes and bruises , police said . the american red cross reported about 70 people were using one shelter it established , and a second was added later in the morning . the storm struck the 71,000-seat georgia dome at 9:45 p.m. during a southeastern conference tournament basketball game . it shattered windows and tore roofs from buildings -- including cnn center -- before continuing into several residential neighborhoods . mahsud olufani , an atlanta painter and sculptor with a studio in cabbagetown , said , `` it looks like a bomb went off , it looks like world war iii . '' a large hole could be seen in the 14th floor of a high-rise dorm at georgia state university in downtown atlanta . students were evacuated from the area on buses . the storm interrupted a southeastern conference game between alabama and mississippi state . `` it was actually in overtime , and the game was getting exciting , and i thought people from the alabama side were hitting the bleachers trying to get some noise going , '' said basketball fan lucas shields . `` all of a sudden the tv went out , the overhead clock stopped working , and you hear that distinctive noise of a train . '' amanda reimann , an ireporter and university of georgia cheerleader , said she and her teammates heard a loud noise . `` it sounded like the fans were banging on the seats or stomping their feet , but it kept up and got a lot louder , '' she said . `` then the ceiling of the dome started waving , the giant tv screens were waving , and light fixures and dust started falling . `` my teammates and i thought it was a bomb but our coach came running for us and a security guy and said it was a tornado . we all ran for the locker room . '' watch what happened inside the dome '' the game resumed about an hour later , but a later game between kentucky and georgia was postponed . a professional basketball game at philips arena next door was not disrupted , but the thousands attending that game also had to make their way home through the storm debris . police closed several streets in the vicinity of cnn center because of glass and other debris . two of centennial olympic park 's towering olympic torches were toppled and a performance pavilion was destroyed . watch a man pick through the debris '' inside cnn center , water poured through the damaged roof into the building 's atrium . glass shattered , and parts of the building filled with dust . virtually all of the windows facing centennial olympic park on the omni hotel , which is adjacent to cnn center , were shattered . visitors to the hotel were moved to the facility 's exhibition hall at street level . watch scenes of the destruction '' cnn moved its national desk operation to another location saturday after parts of the ceiling fell in , and cnn international aired domestic programming . windows also shattered in the cnn.com newsroom , and cnn 's library was damaged . slabs of metal and insulation material were strewn on the streets outside . heaps of bricks and drywall were pushed up against cars . street signs were bent in half . the city 's st. patrick 's day celebration and the sec parade set for saturday morning were canceled . sec tournament games were to be moved to the alexander memorial coliseum at georgia tech in atlanta 's undamaged midtown area . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>a florida painter smashed a $ 1million vase by famous chinese dissident artist ai weiwei to protest a miami museum 's preference for foreign work . maximo caminero , 51 , now faces up to five years in prison after he was arrested and charged with one count of criminal mischief for the vandalism at the perez art museum miami on sunday . according to the arrest affidavit , caminero picked up the ancient vase painted over by weiwei and a security guard told him to put it down . instead , caminero smashed the vase on the . floor and ` spontaneously told -lsb- police -rsb- that he broke the vase in . protest of local artists and that the museum only displayed . international artists . ' vandal : florida painter maximo caminero -lrb- left -rrb- was arrested sunday after destroying a piece of chinese dissident artist ai weiwei 's -lrb- right -rrb- art at a miami museum . valuable : ai weiwei 's colored vases was created by covering urns that are thousands of years old with paint . caminero has been working as a painter for 30 years and says he 's frustrated that local artists like himself are n't showcased in miami-area art museums . ' i did it for all the local artists in miami that have never been shown in museums here , ' caminero told the miami new times . ` they have spent so many millions now on international artists . it 's the same political situation over and over again . i 've been here for 30 years and it 's always the same . ' caminero plans to hold a press conference tuesday afternoon to ` answer all the questions ' . the police affidavit lists the value of the vase as $ 1 million - but caminero said he had no idea it was that valuable and feels sorry for damaging such an expensive relic . frustrated : caminero was protesting a lack of gallery space for local artists . ` if you saw the vases on display and the way they were painted there was no way one would think the artist had painted over an ancient artifact , ' caminero said . ` instead i thought it was a common clay pot like you would find at home depot , frankly . '<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- poland has become the land of the giants . in cities across the country artists have transformed the sides of houses and apartment blocks with enormous murals , some pieces stretching upwards of ten stories . the artists behind most of the colossal pieces are przemyslaw blejzyk and mateusz gapski , also known as sainer and bezt , and collectively as `` etam '' . | <t> some homes damaged , others unscathed in atlanta 's cabbagetown district . </t> <t> the community of shotgun-style homes is home to artists and students . </t> <t> neighbors surveyed damage saturday and offered help to each other . </t> <t> church is damaged , says pastor , but he plans to give palm sunday sermon . </t> | houses smashed in artists ' cabbagetown<T> |
charleston , south carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. john kerry on thursday endorsed sen. barack obama for the 2008 democratic presidential nomination , saying the senator from illinois is a `` candidate to bring change to our country . '' `` barack obama is n't just going to break the mold , '' said kerry , the democratic presidential candidate four years ago . `` together , we are going to shatter it into a million pieces . '' the senator from massachusetts made the announcement in front of an enthusiastic crowd in charleston , south carolina , 16 days ahead of the state 's democratic primary . kerry said he was stirred by the way obama `` eloquently reminded us of the fact that our true genius is faith in simple dreams and insistence on small miracles . '' watch kerry explain why he 's picking obama '' the endorsement could be seen as a blow to former sen. john edwards , who was kerry 's running mate in the 2004 election . edwards also is vying for the democratic presidential nomination this year . the endorsement should n't come as a surprise to edwards , who was publicly critical of kerry 's campaign after the earlier election . following news of the endorsement , edwards released a statement saying he respects kerry 's decision . `` when we were running against each other and on the same ticket , john and i agreed on many issues , '' edwards said . `` i continue to believe that this election is about the future , not the past , and that the country needs a president who will fight aggressively to end the status quo and change the washington system and to give voice to all of those whose voices are ignored in the corridors of power . ''<doc-sep>kerry made an oblique reference to the other candidates in the race `` with whom i have worked and who i respect '' in his speech thursday . `` they are terrific public servants , and each of them could be president tomorrow , and each would fight to take this country in the right direction , but i believe that more than anyone else , barack obama can help our country turn the page and get america moving by uniting and ending the division that we have faced , '' he said . a source suggested senator 's support for obama will be a big boost because kerry `` remains one of the most popular figures in the democratic party and -lsb- has -rsb- an e-mail list with millions of addresses . '' in an e-mail sent to the johnkerry.com community thursday , the former presidential candidate said the next president of the united states `` can be , should be , and will be barack obama . '' a kerry spokesman said obama will be sending out a note to kerry 's e-mail list , which was created during the 2004 run and numbers 3 million . obama on wednesday picked up endorsements from two key unions in nevada , which holds its caucuses january 19 . atlanta , georgia , mayor shirley franklin recently announced her endorsement of obama , and sources said thursday that sen. tim johnson of south dakota also would back the senator from illinois . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's candy crowley and mark preston contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . associated press reporter . published : . 13:18 est , 23 june 2013 . | . updated : . 04:14 est , 24 june 2013 . u.s. secretary of state john kerry on sunday urged fast-growing india to work with the united states on global warming before it 's too late . ` the irreversible climate challenge is speeding towards us , crying out for a global solution , ' he said . kerry spoke on climate change in a speech in new delhi , the second stop on his two-week swing through the mideast and asia , just two days before president barack obama is to unveil his long-awaited plan for the united states on the issue . ` the world 's largest democracy and its oldest one must do more together , uniting not as a threat to anyone , not as a counterweight to a region or some other countries , but as partners building a strong , smart future in a critical age , ' kerry said in a reference to how india is often viewed as a counterbalance to china . let 's make a deal : u.s. secretary of state john kerry called on the u.s. and india to tackle global warming during a sunday speech in new delhi , india . people consulting with white house officials on obama 's plan say they expect the president to put forth regulations on heat-trapping gases emitted by coal-fired power plants that are already running . environmental groups have been pleading with obama to take that step , but the administration has said it 's focused first on controls on new power plants . more than half of india 's power comes from coal and while the u.s. has emission issues of its own , it wants to see india and other nations in the region rely less on old , coal generation facilities . the u.s. is backing a turkmenistan-afghanistan-pakistan-india pipeline that would bring energy to a power-starved region .<doc-sep>palin , an evangelical christian , opposes stem cell research because it involves the use of human embryos , but her running mate , gop presidential nominee mccain , does support stem cell research . `` well , guess what , folks ? if you care about it , why do n't you support stem cell research ? '' asked biden , the running mate of democratic presidential nominee sen. barack obama . those comments brought a sharp response . `` barack obama 's running mate sunk to a new low today , launching an offensive debate over who cares more about special needs children , '' mccain-palin spokesman ben porritt said . `` playing politics with this issue is disturbing and indicative of a desperate campaign . '' biden spokesman david wade insisted that the delaware senator 's comments were not directed at palin .<doc-sep>edwards was sen. john kerry 's running mate on the 2004 democratic presidential ticket . cnn 's joe sutton contributed to this report .<doc-sep>in 2004 , sen. john kerry entered the campaign against incumbent president george w. bush with a seemingly unassailable advantage on a sensitive issue -- the liberal kerry served in the vietnam war , and the conservative bush did n't . rather than avoid the topic , bush supporters came up with the notorious `` swift boat '' campaign that raised enough questions about kerry 's war record to negate a major strength . such `` attack the strength '' tactics have been a staple of this year 's presidential race , with both sides trying to undermine perceived advantages of the other . the latest example is a new web video that accuses president barack obama of engineering classified leaks and claiming undue credit on his signature foreign policy achievement : the raid that killed osama bin laden . the premise is simple : in a political environment where perception often trumps policy , mount early challenges to your opponent 's strongest attributes to raise questions and create an alternative image in the minds of voters . for example , the obama campaign has attacked certain republican nominee mitt romney 's successful business career , portraying the venture capitalist company he founded as a pioneer in outsourcing american jobs . the purpose was to blunt romney 's persistent claim that his business background made him better qualified than obama to manage the slow-recovering economy , the most important issue to voters . meanwhile , romney 's team is challenging obama on the volatile issue of reforming medicare , the popular health care program for senior citizens . by naming house budget chairman paul ryan as his running mate last week , romney and his team knew the obama campaign would attack ryan 's proposal to partially privatize medicare , so they have tried to turn the tables by accusing the president this week of cutting more than $ 700 billion out of the government-run system . both of the attacks are misleading or untrue , according to independent assessments . | <t> new : sen. barack obama will bring the country together , sen. john kerry says . </t> <t> kerry was the democratic presidential candidate in 2004 . </t> <t> john edwards , also running for the '08 democratic bid , was kerry 's running mate . </t> <t> obama picked up key endorsements from unions in nevada this week . </t> | kerry endorses obama over '04 running mate<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a member of the group dubbed the `` jena 6 '' is facing misdemeanor assault charges after a fight at his texas high school wednesday , police said thursday . bryant purvis was arrested after a fight wednesday at his texas high school , police said . bryant purvis , 19 , was arrested after the incident at hebron high school in carrollton , texas . carrollton police sgt. john singleton told cnn the altercation does not appear to be racially motivated . school officials contacted police about the fight wednesday morning . an 18-year-old student told authorities two males approached him and asked if he had flattened the tires of `` their homeboy 's '' car , according to an affidavit supporting the arrest warrant .<doc-sep>the student said he did n't , but the two told him they did n't believe him and walked away . purvis , he said , approached him from behind immediately afterward , then grabbed him with one hand and began to choke him . `` purvis continued to choke -lsb- the student -rsb- and told him , ` do n't you ever mess with my car again , ' '' the affidavit said . `` purvis then pushed his head into the seating area of the bench , '' causing the student to strike his left eye , then walked away .<doc-sep>the affidavit said that in a written statement , purvis wrote , `` i walked over to him and grabbed him by his neck , then told him not to mess with my car anymore , then i left . '' police reported the student had marks on his neck and bruising on his eye . a municipal judge set purvis ' bond at $ 1,000 , and he was transferred to the denton county detention facility , singleton said .<doc-sep>purvis is one of six former students in jena , louisiana , accused of being involved in the beating of a white student . he initially was charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy , but charges against him were reduced in november to second-degree aggravated battery . he is awaiting trial in that case . civil rights leaders martin luther king iii and al sharpton led more than 15,000 marchers to jena -- a town of about 3,000 -- in september to protest how authorities handled the cases against purvis and the five others accused in the december 2006 beating of fellow student justin barker . after his arraignment in november , purvis told reporters he had moved to another town to complete high school . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>`` he has remarkably transcended race , however the impact of katrina and jena makes america 's unresolved moral dilemma of race unavoidable , '' he said . '' i think jena is another defining moment of the issue of race and the criminal justice system . this issue requires direct and bold leadership . i commend sen. obama for speaking out and demanding fairness on this defining issue . any attempt to dilute my support for sen. obama will not succeed . '' tensions had simmered at jena high school and in the small town for first three months of the 2006 school year after a black student asked the vice principal if he and some friends could sit under an oak tree where white students typically congregated . told by the vice principal they could sit wherever they pleased , the student and his pals sat under the sprawling branches of the shade tree in the campus courtyard . the next day , students arrived at school to find three nooses hanging from those branches . according to the town talk in nearby alexandria , the school 's principal recommended expulsion for those involved in placing the nooses . instead , the newspaper reported , a school district committee suspended three white students for three days calling the incident just a `` prank . '' on december 4 , several students jumped a white classmate , justin barker , knocking him unconscious while stomping and kicking him . the charges against the six blacks -- dubbed the '' jena 6 '' -- resulted from that incident . jackson is slated to be on hand for a march in jena this thursday . the rev. al sharpton , martin luther king iii , and hip-hop artist mos def are also expected to be on hand . obama formally released a statement on the case friday evening after one of the teen 's charges was thrown out , saying , `` i am pleased that the louisiana state appeals court recognized that the aggravated battery charge brought in this case was inappropriate . '' `` i hope that today 's decision will lead the prosecutor to reconsider the excessive charges brought against all the teenagers in this case , '' he added . `` and i hope that the judicial process will move deliberately to ensure that all of the defendants will receive a fair trial and equal justice under the law . '' he also said in a separate statement last week , `` when nooses are being hung in high schools in the 21st century , it 's a tragedy . it shows that we still have a lot of work to do as a nation to heal our racial tensions . this is n't just jena 's problem ; it 's america 's problem . '' cnn senior political analyst bill schneider said obama is under special pressure because he is the only african-american running for president .<doc-sep>bails for the jena 6 had been set at between $ 70,000 and $ 138,000 , and all but bell posted bond . the judge has refused to lower his $ 90,000 bail , citing the teen 's record , which includes four juvenile offenses -- two simple battery charges among them . bell and five other defendants were arrested in the alleged beating of barker , who is white , at their high school on december 4 . the incident followed months of racial tension , sparked originally when three white teens hung nooses from an oak tree the day after a group of black students violated an unofficial rule among students that only whites sit in that area . see timeline of how events unfolded '' prosecutors originally charged all six black students with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy . walters reduced charges against at least four of them -- bell , robert bailey jr. , carwin jones and theo shaw -- to battery and conspiracy . bryant purvis awaits arraignment . charges against jesse ray beard , 14 at the time of the alleged crime , are unavailable because he 's a juvenile . civil rights leaders and other demonstrators call events in jena a sign of unequal justice in the 21st century . the white kids who hung the nooses were briefly suspended from classes but faced no punishments from the legal system . donald washington , u.s. attorney for the western district of louisiana , told cnn that the fbi and other investigators thought the noose incident bore the markings of a hate crime , but a decision was made not to press charges because the case did n't meet federal criteria . the students were under 18 and had no prior records , and no group such as the ku klux klan was found to be behind their actions . authorities estimated about 15,000 to 20,000 protesters came out thursday to jena -- a town of about 3,000 , according to the 2000 census . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- jesse ray beard said he was constantly in trouble , even when he behaved . it took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the deep south to turn his life around . living with attorney alan howard , right , has afforded jesse ray beard a bevy of new experiences . beard , 18 , now interns at a new york law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at canterbury school , a connecticut prep academy where beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers . `` i did n't change the way i act . i did n't do nothing different . it was just that i was at canterbury instead of jena , '' he said . `` it was like jena was out to get me -- and not just me , but other people , too . '' if not for the controversy surrounding the jena six and the palpable racial tension in the louisiana town , beard never would have met the attorney who changed the course of beard 's life by removing him from everything he knew . watch beard describe his reaction '' alan howard met beard , the youngest of the african-american teens who made up the jena six , in january 2008 when he began representing him in a lawsuit filed by beating victim justin barker . the fight followed months of disquiet among jena high school students , including off-campus skirmishes , a school arson and nooses hung from a campus tree . in september 2007 , thousands of protesters , alleging the teens were treated harshly because they were black , converged on middle louisiana . protesters were particularly angered at the jailing of mychal bell , one of the six , who was charged as an adult . later in september , he was reclassified as a juvenile and released . the jena six were lionized and vilified ; donations for their defense poured in , as did threats on their lives . howard said his first impression of beard -- that he had `` tremendous character , tremendous resilience and tremendous potential '' -- was so strong he invited the teen to live with his family in new england . it 's been a tidal shift , beard said , moving from a louisiana town of 3,000 to bedford , new york , a well-to-do city of 18,000 situated an hour north of the big apple . the biggest shock ? `` where i 'm from in jena , i think the only time it snowed is when i was 6 , and it was like 1 inch . '' another difference , he said , is not living in a town where everyone associates him with one of the most controversial events in contemporary race relations . see history of jena six '' the howards say beard meshes seamlessly . though he struggled with the curriculum at canterbury -- a catholic school in new milford boasting a six-to-one student-teacher ratio -- he is seeing tutors and showing improvements . he spent the summer helping attorneys at howard 's firm prepare for court cases and looks forward to his senior year as a three-sport athlete . head football coach ken parson said he `` ca n't wait to unleash '' the 5-foot-11 , 215-pound beard . beard is a candidate for team captain , parson said , and the coach hopes beard 's leadership and `` quiet confidence '' will draw recruiters from division i schools . division ii schools are already snooping around , he said . `` when he gets going , he 's like a freight train . he 's also got the softest pair of hands you could ever imagine on a high school football player and can make moves in the field like barry sanders , '' parson said , invoking the detroit lions ' legendary running back . though football , baseball and basketball are his preferred sports , beard has picked up lacrosse from playing with howard 's sons -- nick , 14 , and tommy , 11 -- and tennis from playing with howard 's daughter , jessie , 17 . she said his tennis skills are `` ridiculous . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a louisiana teenager whose 2006 arrest in the racially charged `` jena 6 '' assault case drew thousands of protesters tried to commit suicide days after a separate arrest last week , a police report says . mychal bell was released in september 2007 and later agreed to a plea deal in the beating of a classmate . mychal bell , who was arrested last week after allegedly stealing clothes worth $ 370 from a department store , told investigators he shot himself monday evening `` because he was tired of all the media attention , '' the report says . the high school senior 's mother and his grandmother also told an investigator that he 'd indicated `` he did not feel like he could live anymore '' because of media coverage of the shoplifting allegations , according to the report . earlier , bell 's attorney , carol powell-lexing , told cnn that bell 's family told her he 'd accidentally shot himself while cleaning a gun . according to the police report , however , an officer responded to a 911 call from his grandmother 's monroe , louisiana , home , where bell lives . the grandmother , rosie simmons , told the officer that she had hidden the gun after the shooting `` for mychal 's safety so he did not try to shot -lsb- sic -rsb- himself again , '' according to the report . bell , 18 , suffered a wound to the upper right chest , the report says . powell-lexing told cnn that bell had surgery monday night , and monroe police sgt. cassandra wooten said the wound was not life-threatening . bell was being treated tuesday at a hospital in shreveport , louisiana . in december 2006 , bell was one of a half-dozen black teenagers who faced felony charges in the beating of a white classmate in the town of jena , louisiana , an incident that followed months of racial tensions in the community of about 3,000 people . the case of the `` jena 6 '' drew national attention from civil rights groups that said the charges were excessive , and an estimated 15,000-plus people turned out for a september 2007 rally in jena on the youths ' behalf . bell eventually pleaded guilty to battery in a juvenile court and later moved to monroe , about 70 miles north of jena . on christmas eve , bell was arrested at the pecanland mall in monroe and charged with shoplifting , simple battery and resisting arrest , monroe police lt. jeff davis said tuesday . bell was released on $ 1,300 bond , and the case was assigned to city court . watch cnn 's sean callebs report on the case '' on monday , simmons and bell 's mother , melissa bell , told investigators they heard a gunshot from the teenager 's room and found him on the bed , according to the police report . `` rosie and m. bell stated mychal had made comments over the past two days that because of the current media attention he had because of a shoplifting arrest he did not feel like he could live anymore , '' the police report says . monroe police lt. jeff harris said investigators do not know whose gun bell used . bell 's christmas eve arrest came after security guards at the shopping center were told bell and a male friend were seen stuffing clothing into a bag in a menswear section of dillard 's , according to the investigative report . once spotted , the men split up , police said . bell , chased by security guards , ran from the store to a parking lot , where he tried to hide under a car , davis said . as a store security officer tried to pull bell out , `` bell swung his arms wildly '' and hit the guard with his elbow , the report says . davis said the guard was hit in the face . bell admitted to the thefts , which police said included four shirts and a pair of jeans , davis said . the merchandise was photographed by store security and returned to stock , he added . bell was taken to jail and booked . davis said the second man escaped . powell-lexing told cnn her client went to the mall with someone to return a shirt , for which he had a receipt . the person with bell did the shoplifting , and bell was caught in the middle , the attorney said . powell-lexing said bell has been trying to stay out of trouble since the jena arrest , and that he has been on the verge of getting a college football scholarship . bell attends a monroe high school , but has not been allowed to play high school football since his arrest in jena , where he was a running back . in april , after his move to monroe , bell told cnn that he wanted to keep his life on the straight and narrow in part because of the support he received during the jena case . `` i feel like -lsb- after -rsb- all the people came down and supported me -lsb- and -rsb- gave money to the defense fund , i feel like ... if i would do something now , i would let the whole country down , '' he said . cnn 's sean callebs and cnn radio 's amanda moyer contributed to this report . | <t> bryant purvis , 19 , is facing misdemeanor assault charges , police say . </t> <t> fight involving jena 6 teen does not appear to be racially motivated , official says . </t> <t> purvis allegedly choked a teen who he thought flattened friend 's car tires . </t> <t> teen , whose bond is $ 1,000 , is still awaiting trial in the jena 6 case . </t> | police : ` jena 6 ' teen arrested after another school fight<T> |
editor 's note : in our behind the scenes series , cnn correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events . cnn 's senior vatican analyst john l. allen jr. is following the pope during his u.s. trip . pope benedict xvi asked pilgrims in st. peter 's square on sunday to pray for the success of his u.s. trip . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the official motto of pope benedict xvi 's april 15-20 visit to the united states , the first of his papacy , is `` christ our hope . '' based on the frequency with which papal spokespersons have struck a different note , however , its unofficial motto might well be , `` this is not a political event . '' here 's a typical example from early april : `` the pope is not coming to get mixed up in the local political process , '' said italian archbishop pietro sambi , the pope 's ambassador to america , in an interview with the national catholic reporter . `` his presence is about something more universal and , at the same time , more personal . '' fear that benedict 's visit might be read through the lens of party politics reflects a key fact of electoral life in america : the `` catholic vote '' matters . to take the most obvious example , if a few heavily catholic counties in ohio had gone the other way in 2004 , pundits would today be handicapping the re-election of president john kerry . america 's almost 70 million catholics , representing a quarter of the country 's population , are diverse and divided . they do n't all agree with official church positions , and although catholics were once reliable democrats , today they 're not clearly aligned with either party . that 's a key reason why states with large catholic populations , such as ohio , pennsylvania , wisconsin and florida , are considered crucial battlegrounds . already in the 2008 race , catholics have made themselves felt . on the democratic side , they 're the biggest single reason sen. hillary clinton is still afloat . so far , the more catholic a state , the better clinton has done . with her back to the wall not long ago in ohio and texas , clinton decisively outpolled sen. barack obama among catholic democrats . in ohio , clinton won the catholic vote by a margin of 63 percent to 36 , while in texas it was 62 percent to 38 . clinton is now hoping that catholics will come through for her again in pennsylvania 's april 22 primary . the state 's 3.87 million catholics represent more than 30 percent of the population , and clinton is clinging to a lead despite pennsylvania sen. robert casey 's endorsement of obama . casey is a hero to pro-life catholic democrats , and his backing is apparently helping obama narrow the gap . clinton does better than obama among latinos , who are disproportionately catholic . she 's also winning catholic `` reagan democrats , '' meaning socially conservative blue-collar voters . obama 's recent gaffe , telling a crowd in san francisco , california , that small-town americans were `` clinging to guns or religion '' out of economic frustration , may help cement that advantage . once the democrats settle on a candidate , the catholic vote seems wide open in november . sen. john mccain , the presumptive republican nominee , appeals to many catholics because he 's pro-life and has a moderate stance on immigration . yet his willingness to remain in iraq for `` 100 years '' is at odds with the church 's opposition to the war . either clinton or obama could make a strong appeal to catholics on peace-and-justice issues , yet both are out of sync with catholic teaching on issues such as abortion , stem-cell research and gay rights . both sides are expected to court catholics aggressively . the mccain campaign recently formed a `` national catholics for mccain committee '' led by former kansas sen. sam brownback and former oklahoma gov. frank keating , along with a `` who 's who '' of prominent catholic conservatives . obama has his own `` national catholic advisory council , '' led by casey and former indiana rep. tim roemer , both pro-life democrats . clinton likewise has top-drawer catholic advisers . pope benedict 's trip is unlikely to offer a decisive boost to either side . he 'll probably strike pro-life notes that republicans can exploit , but he 'll also likely accent peace , concern for the poor and the environment , issues that generally skew to the democrats . watch as cnn 's rosemary church speaks with vatican analyst john allen about the pope 's visit '' any political fallout may thus depend on what happens to the pope 's message once it 's swept up into the sausage grinder of american spin . benedict xvi usually speaks not in sound bites but in carefully crafted paragraphs , which sometimes leaves the door ajar for competing explanations of what he really means . one can expect a `` war for the microphone '' among republican and democratic operatives , each looking to exploit pieces of the pope 's message . in a tight race , movement of even a few percentage points among catholics could be decisive . one sign the democrats understand what 's at stake is that house speaker nancy pelosi has arranged an april 16 conference call with reporters to comment on benedict 's trip -- in effect , not wanting president bush , and by extension the republicans , to claim a monopoly on the pope . all this makes the political implications of the pope 's presence difficult to anticipate . the best advice boils down to that classic broadcast cliché : `` stay tuned ! '' e-mail to a friend . john l. allen jr. is cnn 's senior vatican analyst and a senior correspondent for the national catholic reporter .<doc-sep>one of the stated goals of the pope 's visit is to energize the u.s. catholic community , which has an estimated 70 million members . three years after succeeding pope john paul ii , benedict is likely to address the sex scandal within the catholic church , the church 's relationship with other faiths , the u.s.-led war in iraq and the upcoming u.s. presidential election , said john allen , a cnn vatican analyst . the fallout from the sex scandal has had a serious impact on the u.s. catholic church in terms of its finances , its moral authority and the demoralization of catholics . during the flight from rome to washington , the pope told reporters aboard that he was ashamed of the problem . watch the pope express his shame about the scandal '' ` intense ' security . meanwhile , security preparations were under way in the air , on land and in the water . twenty-seven state , local and federal agencies will protect the pope as he meets with religious leaders , celebrates mass at a baseball stadium and makes his way around the capital in his distinctive `` popemobile . '' there are no specific threats against benedict , according to the fbi , but a march audio message from osama bin laden mentioned the pontiff .<doc-sep>the vatican defends him and is gradually opening its archives in an effort to show that he acted behind the scenes . franco gave the news of pope benedict 's visit to yad vashem at a news conference in jerusalem . pope john paul ii also did not visit the museum section on his historic pilgrimage to israel in 2000 , father federico lombardi , a papal spokesman , said as he confirmed that pope benedict will not do so . an official with israel 's foreign ministry said the decision was made jointly because of the sensitivity of the matter . yigal palmor conceded that there is an argument over the wartime pope 's actions during the holocaust and noted that the museum has a sign stating that the facts are in dispute . he said that pope benedict may visit other parts of the yad vashem complex , which is divided into several compounds , and that the pontiff will lay a wreath at the site 's hall of remembrance , which is part of the protocol for visiting heads of state .<doc-sep>he cited the upcoming visit of pope benedict xvi as one of the motivations behind the move , which he said showed the `` generosity and strength of the revolution . '' the pope has said he plans to visit mexico and cuba before easter . in 2010 , castro agreed to free prisoners arrested during the 2003 crackdown on political dissidents . the caribbean nation has released many of them , as well as other prisoners jailed for `` counterrevolutionary '' activities , ranging from hijacking to arson . cnn 's willie lora contributed to this report .<doc-sep>benedict 's spokesman , father federico lombardi , called pius xii an `` important pope that we know was guiding the church in very difficult times . '' the vatican has long argued that pius did more behind the scenes to help jews than he gets credit for -- but has not produced proof . it says it will open the vatican archives from pius xii 's era to scholars , but not for several more years , blaming the delay on the length of time it takes to catalogue and prepare the materials . but by wednesday , lombardi was backpedalling on the wartime pope . first , he said , benedict xvi had merely ratified a decision which the vatican committee that evaluates candidates for sainthood had already made about pius xii . further , the pope 's declaration was about pius xii 's `` intense relationship with god and continuous search for evangelical perfection ... and not the historical impact of all his operative decisions , '' lombardi said in a written statement . the decree `` is in no way to be read as a hostile act towards the jewish people , and it is to be hoped that it will not be considered as an obstacle on the path of dialogue between judaism and the catholic church , '' lombardi said , looking ahead to the pope 's planned visit to the main synagogue in rome in january . the visit will be the first time a pope goes to the synagogue since john paul ii did in 1986 , and is meant to be a major symbol of good relations between the two faith communities . | <t> papal representatives stress benedict 's u.s. trip is `` not a political event '' </t> <t> but catholic vote still matters in u.s. politics , as 2004 's close ohio vote showed . </t> <t> obama 's `` guns and religion '' gaffe may help clinton with blue-collar catholics . </t> <t> once democrats settle on a candidate , catholic vote seems wide open in november . </t> | behind the scenes : watch for political fallout from pope 's visit<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an elementary school at the center of a civil rights battle , a hospital ravaged by hurricane katrina and a hangar that once housed u.s. navy dirigibles are on this year 's national trust for historic preservation 's endangered list . sumner was the centerpiece of the landmark 1954 supreme court case brown v. board of education . the 11 sites represent the country 's architectural , cultural and natural heritage , and `` reflect extraordinary periods of american history , '' national trust director richard moe said . the sites were chosen from about 70 nominees by the member-supported nonprofit group . founded in 1949 , it aims to protect significant buildings and locales , now protected under the 1966 historic preservation act . of the roughly 200 places listed by the organization in the past 20 years , the national trust says only six have been lost . moe said the list is designed to raise awareness . `` the 11 represent the different kinds of historic places in different parts of the country . it 's a representative list , '' said moe , who leads the organization of nearly 300,000 members . endangerment does n't necessarily mean the building is in the potential path of a bulldozer , according to moe . lack of funding can be just as serious , as the case of the california state parks demonstrates . the sites are listed in alphabetical order : . boyd theater , philadelphia , pennsylvania the art deco movie palace known as the sameric was closed in 2002 and is for sale . a local group , friends of the boyd , is trying to save the 1928 theater , the last of its kind in philadelphia . only a few elaborate theaters from that era have survived , and the boyd was the only one built in the downtown area . moe said a `` sympathetic developer '' could restore the theater . california 's park system the largest state park system in the united states suffers from chronic underfunding , including $ 1.2 billion worth of deferred maintenance , the national trust said . the problem is worsening because of california 's budget crisis . gov. arnold schwarzenegger submitted a budget proposal this year that would have closed 48 parks , but the national trust said the revised budget restored $ 11.8 million of the $ 13.3 million in cuts he requested . current funds cover only 40 percent of maintenance and operations , which means irreplaceable historic and cultural resources remain endangered , the national trust said . the system includes 278 parks , 1.5 million acres and 295 miles of ocean front . many parks house historic buildings such as the 1820s-era franciscan la purisima mission complex near lompoc . charity hospital and adjacent neighborhood , new orleans , louisiana charity hospital , once the main trauma center for southeastern louisiana , was closed after hurricane katrina swamped new orleans in 2005 . the building was declared unsalvageable , according to donald r. smithburg , chief executive of louisiana state university health care services division , which operates university hospitals . there are plans to demolish nearly 200 homes in the mid-city neighborhood to accommodate construction of two new hospitals . alternate locations for the new hospitals are available , and charity hospital could be rehabilitated , according to the national trust . great falls portage , great falls , montana this national historic landmark is one of the best-preserved landscapes along the lewis and clark trail , but a massive coal-fired power plant is planned in the area . `` development abutting the great falls portage , an undeveloped rural area under panoramic blue montana skies , will irreparably harm the cultural and visual landscape , '' the national trust said . hangar one , moffett field , santa clara county , california the hangar was built in 1932 to house u.s. navy dirigibles . it is a cavernous , 200-foot-tall , dome-shaped structure sitting on more than 8 acres . a 2003 inspection revealed carcinogenic pcbs leaking from the hangar 's metallic exterior , the national trust said . pcbs were widely used in electrical transformers . the navy transferred hangar one to nasa in 1992 . although the navy remains responsible for environmental remediation , it is not required to preserve the building . lower east side , new york the lower east side in southeast manhattan was home for immigrants and the working class in the 19th and early 20th centuries , but it is becoming gentrified . development threatens historic churches , theaters , schools and tenements , `` a unique architectural type which , by the sheer numbers who lived in such a building , had an impact on more americans than any other form of urban housing , '' the national trust said . michigan avenue streetwall , chicago , illinois this 12-block stretch of historic buildings along michigan avenue between 11th and randolph streets dates back to the early 1880s . the streetwall is a collection of notable buildings by architects including adler & sullivan , louis sullivan , d. h. burnham and holabird & roche , the national trust said . although the stretch was designated a chicago landmark in 2002 , the national trust says its historic character is threatened by the inappropriate addition of large-scale towers that retain only small portions of the original buildings or their facades . peace bridge neighborhood , buffalo , new york the bridge and neighborhood , which has homes and buildings dating to the 1850s , includes two parks on the national register of historic places that are part of frederick law olmsted 's park system . the public bridge authority proposes to expand the bridge and build a 45-acre plaza that would destroy more than 100 homes and businesses , many of which are eligible for inclusion on the national register , the national trust said . according to the organization , the pba has refused to `` properly consider '' other sites . the statler hilton hotel , dallas , texas when the statler hilton opened in downtown dallas in 1956 , it was considered the most modern hotel in the country . today , the vacant building sits on a desirable parcel of real estate . the statler hilton faces pressure from encroaching development that may lead to demolition . the national trust says a sympathetic developer is needed to restore and reopen the hotel . sumner elementary school , topeka , kansas sumner was the centerpiece of the landmark 1954 supreme court case brown v. board of education . the court 's decision that `` separate educational facilities are inherently unequal '' helped launch the civil rights movement by declaring school segregation unconstitutional . vizcaya and the bonnet house , florida the development of out-of-scale buildings and corresponding zoning changes will ruin the vistas surrounding vizcaya museum and gardens in miami and the bonnet house museum and gardens in fort lauderdale , the national trust said . such development could set a precedent for high-rise structures , it added .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- development threatens to engulf civil war battlefields , a preservationist group said as it released its annual list of endangered battle sites on wednesday . civil war reenactors fire a cannon at the gettysburg , pennsylavnia , battlefield in 2003 . `` in town after town , the irreplaceable battlefields that define those communities are being marred forever , '' said james lighthizer , the head of the civil war preservation trust . `` as we approach the sesquicentennial of the bloodiest conflict in our nation 's history , we need to be more aware than ever of the importance of preserving these sacred places for generations to come . '' the group says it has helped save more than 25,000 acres of civil war battlefields in 18 states . topping the 2009 list of endangered battlefields is monocacy , maryland , where the preservation trust wants to prevent a trash-processing facility with a 350-foot smokestack from being built nearby . in virginia , the group is fighting to keep a wal-mart supercenter from going up on the edge of the wilderness battlefield , which also is on this year 's list . on that site , 160,000 union and confederate troops fought a two-day battle in 1864 . `` these hallowed battlegrounds should be national shrines , monuments to american valor , determination and courage , '' actor richard dreyfuss said in prepared remarks . `` once these irreplaceable treasures are gone , they 're gone forever . '' dreyfuss has been involved in a pair of civil war documentaries . rounding out the group 's top 10 list of endangered battlefields are : .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- endangered cultural sites are the stars of the annual international day for monuments and sites -- more commonly known as world heritage day -- on april 18 . some of these wonders are part of the global heritage fund 's first annual list of five endangered cultural sites , issued to mark the day and draw attention to the fund 's work . the day was first adopted as a concept in 1983 to draw attention to the cultural heritage of communities around the world . sites include a natural guatemalan wonderland larger than yellowstone national park , colombia 's lost city and medieval villages in the transylvanian alps .<doc-sep>the fund , which works to protect significant and endangered cultural heritage sites in the developing world , named sites they 're working to save from the impact of uncontrolled modern development , tourism and looting . `` many cultural sites are endangered , especially those in the developing world -lrb- regions where per capita income is less than $ 2 per day -rrb- , and they languish without any international attention , '' wrote vince michael , the fund 's executive director , via e-mail . `` it 's our hope that world heritage day and our list will inspire community involvement in preserving the legacy of these sites . '' travelers ' choice : world 's top 25 destinations .<doc-sep>unesco has been gradually adding to the world heritage list since 1978 . click on the gallery or go to whc.unesco.org/en/newproperties to learn more about other newly named sites . sites in danger . the west bank village of battir , a few miles outside bethlehem , was named to the world heritage list , and at the same time , it was added to another unesco list for sites in danger . the hills where battir 's ancient terraces are located date back some 2,000 years to roman times . some of the terraces are irrigated for market garden production and others are planted with grapevines and olive trees . the landscape is in danger of being damaged by israel 's plans to build a barrier through the area . the wall `` may isolate farmers from fields they have cultivated for centuries , '' according to a unesco press statement . australia gets time to keep great barrier reef off endangered list . | <t> national trust for historic preservation releases list of 11 endangered sites . </t> <t> list includes urban neighborhoods threatened by development , gentrification . </t> <t> school at center of brown v. board of education makes list . </t> <t> the national trust hopes the list will draw awareness to the endangered sites . </t> | civil rights school on list of 11 endangered sites<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- canada 's house of commons voted thursday to extend the country 's military mission in afghanistan until 2011 , with the stipulation that nato send reinforcements to the volatile kandahar province . canadian soldiers walk along a track at the kandahar air base in afghanistan last month . most of canada 's 2,500 troops in afghanistan are in kandahar as part of the nato-led mission to stabilize the war-torn country . their presence has sparked controversy in canada , with the bloc quebecois and the new democratic party calling for an immediate troop withdrawal . supporters of the mission argued that canadians have made progress in providing schools , health care and clean water for thousands of afghans .<doc-sep>they said the improving conditions would be impossible without troops ensuring a secure environment for aid workers and local residents . `` the military needs to be there , '' said harold albrecht , a conservative member of parliament . `` the military provides the civil order we would expect from police here . '' the canadian mission in afghanistan was to end next february . it has claimed the lives of 80 soldiers and a diplomat , according to the associated press . canadian prime minister stephen harper has endorsed a panel 's recommendation to keep troops in place only if another nato nation dispatches additional troops to kandahar .<doc-sep>canada wants a minimum of 1,000 reinforcements , the globe and mail reported . thursday 's motion , passed with a 198-77 vote , brought harper 's conservative party and the opposition liberals together on the issue . other parties , however , noted that the cost of maintaining a troop presence in afghanistan has not been disclosed to parliament or the public . `` we must provide clarity to the canadian people , '' said nathan cullen of the new democratic party . `` we believe it to be wrong for our country . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- canada 's house of commons voted thursday to extend the country 's military mission in afghanistan until 2011 , with the stipulation that nato send reinforcements to the volatile kandahar province . canadian soldiers walk along a track at the kandahar air base in afghanistan last month . most of canada 's 2,500 troops in afghanistan are in kandahar as part of the nato-led mission to stabilize the war-torn country . their presence has sparked controversy in canada , with the bloc quebecois and the new democratic party calling for an immediate troop withdrawal .<doc-sep>based in the kandahar area , canadian forces have been one of the major troop contributors to nato 's international security assistance force . there are more than 2,900 troops at present , isaf said , and 152 canadian service members have lost their lives in the conflict , according to a cnn count of the fatalities . after next year and until march 2014 , canadian troops will continue training afghan security forces and will provide up to 950 military trainers and support personnel . `` since this mission began , canada , along with our international partners , has helped to train and mentor about 50,000 afghan troops . the post-2011 non-combat training mission will further contribute to the goal of preparing afghans to assume responsibility for their own security , '' said national defence minister peter mackay .<doc-sep>this election will change the political dialogue in canada with the conservatives potentially in full control of law-making in the house of commons . some of harper 's priorities for defense , the economy and justice issues now stand a much better chance of becoming law . the head of canada 's green party also made history on monday night . elizabeth may became the first green party member to be elected to parliament . the election was called after canada 's house of commons passed a no-confidence resolution aimed at harper 's government , triggering the dissolution of parliament . liberal party leader michael ignatieff sponsored the resolution , citing a recent house committee report that found the government in contempt for failing to provide lawmakers with requested information on its spending plans .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- canada , which is ending its combat mission in afghanistan in july , on tuesday announced `` a new role '' to play in the war-torn nation , with a focus on security , diplomacy , human rights and development . `` building on strengths and accomplishments over the past years , canada is committed to helping build a more secure , stable and self-sufficient afghanistan that is no longer a safe haven for terrorists , '' said foreign minister lawrence cannon . the government says the estimated cost from 2011 to 2014 `` is $ 700 million -lrb- us $ 694.5 million -rrb- a year over three years , although final costs will not be known until after 2014 . '' `` the combat mission will end in 2011 , '' cannon said in a statement . `` as we continue to work alongside the afghan people and the international community , canada will continue to play an important role in supporting efforts toward a better future for all afghans . '' | <t> troops to stay until 2011 , with the stipulation that nato contribute more forces . </t> <t> most of canada 's 2,500 troops in afghanistan are in kandahar province . </t> <t> the canadian mission in afghanistan was to end next february . </t> <t> critics say the cost has not been disclosed to parliament or the public . </t> | canada 's house of commons extends afghan mission<T> |
lagos , nigeria -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a group of nigerian rebels who wrote a letter to u.s. president george w. bush , stating that they attacked two oil pipelines monday , have asked for former president jimmy carter and actor george clooney to help solve issues in the oil-rich niger-delta . military policemen patrol the creeks of the omadino community in warri south district of the niger delta . in a letter written by a group called movement for the emancipation of the niger delta , or mend , the group said they attacked two pipelines they believed are owned by chevron corp. and shell oil . a spokesman for royal dutch shell said its pipeline was damaged last week . the attack will temporarily cut shipments by 169,000 barrels a day as workers try to repair the damage , the spokesman said . the pipeline is owned jointly by shell and nigerian , french and italian oil companies , the spokesman said . chevron spokesman kurt glaubitz told cnn that `` no chevron pipelines have been vandalized in nigeria . '' there was no immediate comment from the nigerian government . in the letter the group called themselves `` commandos '' and stated that their aim was `` the crippling of the nigerian oil export industry . '' watch how nigeria attacks help hike gas prices '' `` today 's attack was prompted by the continuous injustice in the niger delta region of nigeria where the root issues have not been addressed by the illegal and insincere government , '' the letter stated . the letter stated that two other letters had been sent to bush and also actor george clooney , and the group also asked for president jimmy carter to help . clooney is one of the united nations ' messengers of peace , and has campaigned for an end to the long-standing conflict in darfur , as well as further humanitarian relief efforts in the region . carter is currently in the middle east , where he has met with the exiled militant hamas leader khalid meshaal , on what he calls a `` study mission '' to support peace , democracy , and human rights in the region . `` mend is prepared for talks and will prefer ex president jimmy carter to mediate . mr. carter is not in denial as the rest of you who brand freedom fighters as terrorists , '' the letter stated . `` the ripple effect of this attack will touch your economy and people one way or the other and hope we now have your attention . '' the organization also said they attack was in response to one of the arrest of one of their members , henry okah , who was arrested last year and according to local reports , is charged with treason . since late 2005 , mend militants have carried out numerous attacks on nigeria 's oil sector and abducted dozens of foreign workers , releasing nearly all of them unharmed . in the past the organization has said it had ratcheted up its attacks to redress what it says is the unequal distribution of the nation 's oil wealth . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>`` they 've been very involved '' in darfur , clooney said . `` vice president biden has been incredibly vocal on the issue . '' clooney , a longtime darfur activist and a messenger of peace for the united nations , was in darfur last week with journalists nicholas kristof of the new york times and ann curry of nbc . `` i think somehow we should all know that these people are hanging on by the skin of their teeth , '' clooney told king of his visit . the government of darfur has waged a brutal counter-insurgency against militias for the past six years , a war that some international critics have characterized as genocide . an estimated 300,000 people have been killed through direct combat , disease or malnutrition , according to the united nations . an additional 2.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of fighting among rebels , government forces and the allied janjaweed militias .<doc-sep>clooney said of his conversations with obama and biden : `` basically , we were just talking about coming back from chad and right on the border of darfur . and we were talking about there 's a moment coming up relatively soon -- probably by the middle of next week -- where the international criminal court is going to indict the president of sudan for war crimes , which has never happened before -- a sitting president . '' last year , sudanese president omar al-bashir was charged with genocide by the international criminal court for the government 's campaign of violence in darfur . the violence erupted in 2003 after rebels began an uprising against the khartoum government . sudanese authorities armed and cooperated with arab militias that went from village to village in darfur , killing , torturing and raping residents there , according to the united nations , western governments and human rights organizations . the militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels drew strength . under pressure to end the fighting , al-bashir in november agreed to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire in darfur . `` this is n't about needing american dollars , '' clooney said of the push for peace in darfur . `` i understand that it 's a very difficult time . it 's not about needing american troops . it 's about needing what we do best -- what we have done best since the start of this country -- which is good , robust diplomacy all across the world . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the human rights group amnesty international is calling on nigeria to arrest sudanese president omar al-bashir if he attends an african union summit there on thursday . al-bashir is wanted by the international criminal court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity relating to a five-year campaign of violence in western sudan 's darfur region . and nigeria , as party to the treaty that created the criminal court , is obliged to cooperate , amnesty said . nigerian officials could not immediately be reached for comment . `` the nigerian government has an unconditional legal obligation to arrest president omar al-bashir and hand him over to the icc , should he enter nigerian territory , '' the group said . `` any failure to fulfill obligations under international law and may amount to obstruction of justice . '' the group said nigerian president umaru yar ` adua invited al-bashir to attend the african union peace and security council in the capital , abuja . the international criminal court issued the warrant against al-bashir in march . it was the first ever issued for a sitting head of state by the world 's only permanent war crimes tribunal , based at the hague in the netherlands . the warrant covers five counts of crimes against humanity , including murder , extermination , forcible transfer , torture and rape . it also includes two charges of war crimes for intentionally directing attacks against civilians and for pillaging . al-bashir remains president and has traveled to several countries since the warrant was issued . the united nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict in darfur , and 2.5 million have been forced to flee their homes . sudan denies the death toll is that high . the violence in darfur erupted in 2003 after rebels began an uprising against the sudanese government . to counter the rebels , sudanese authorities armed and cooperated with arab militias that went from village to village in darfur , killing , torturing and raping residents , according to the united nations , western governments and human rights organizations . the militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels drew strength . eighteen heads of state are slated to attend the summit , at which ex-south african president thabo mbeki is expected to submit a report on the situation in darfur .<doc-sep>lagos , nigeria -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- some 700 people have been killed in clashes with islamic militants in nigeria , a military commander told cnn . bodies of hard-line islamic rebels killed in battle lie in a nigerian city . civilians and troops also have died . the fighting in the northeast nigerian town of maiduguri began with attacks by the muslim militants on police and government targets , starting a week ago . col. ben ahonotu , commander of the operation to combat islamic militants , gave the new total . previous reports said at least 400 rebels , troops and civilians had died in the region , including borno , yobe , kano and katsina states . maiduguri is in borno state . ahonotu did not elaborate or provide further information , and it was unclear whether the 700 was in addition to the previous death toll . | <t> nigerian rebels write to u.s. president george w. bush , say they attacked oil pipelines . </t> <t> appeal for former u.s. president carter , actor george clooney to help mediate . </t> <t> group say they attacked two pipelines believed owned by chevron corp. , shell oil . </t> <t> adds that their aim was `` the crippling of the nigerian oil export industry '' </t> | nigerian rebels seek help from clooney , carter<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sin hwa dee began operations in the 1970s as a cottage industry in the former soya sauce-producing enclave of kim chuan road , in the paya lebar area of singapore . mr. and mrs. chng kee started out producing soya and oyster sauces , bean paste and plum paste in the 1970s . it was founded by the late mr. chng kee , a former soya salesman , who ran the business with his wife , a soya production operator .<doc-sep>together they sold mainly soya and oyster sauces , bean paste and plum paste in bulk under the sin hwa dee label to the restaurant , hotel and catering industries . in 1990 , the company began producing the preserved fruits and vegetables used to make the traditional lunar new year dish of yu sheng . one of sin hwa dee 's factories is dedicated exclusively to the production of yu sheng products , while another factory produces noodles for the restaurant and catering industries .<doc-sep>mr. chng 's daughter jocelyn first decided to introduce the company 's products to the foreign market when she attended the sial exhibition in paris in 1992 , noting that there was a clear interest in asian food . sin hwa dee 's first premix , the laksa paste , was launched into the food services market under the chng kee 's label in 1994 , followed by the kung bo sauce , the black pepper sauce and their famous chicken rice mix . in 1996 , the company invested heavily in equipment and technology to produce sauces and premixes in bottles for the retail market under the chng kee 's label .in 2005 , sin hwa dee moved into their own building , chng kee 's foodlink , located in senoko south road , north of singapore , with a production team of over 75 employees producing more than 20 tons of sauces per day . today , their clientele includes singapore airlines , pizza hut , kfc , burger king , hotels such as the ritz carlton , conrad international centenniel , raffles hotel , hilton hotel , marriott hotel , and restaurants such as lei garden and crystal jade .<doc-sep>together they sold mainly soya and oyster sauces , bean paste and plum paste in bulk under the sin hwa dee label to the restaurant , hotel and catering industries . in 1990 , the company began producing the preserved fruits and vegetables used to make the traditional lunar new year dish of yu sheng . one of sin hwa dee 's factories is dedicated exclusively to the production of yu sheng products , while another factory produces noodles for the restaurant and catering industries .<doc-sep>in 2005 , sin hwa dee moved into their own building , chng kee 's foodlink , located in senoko south road , north of singapore , with a production team of over 75 employees producing more than 20 tons of sauces per day . today , their clientele includes singapore airlines , pizza hut , kfc , burger king , hotels such as the ritz carlton , conrad international centenniel , raffles hotel , hilton hotel , marriott hotel , and restaurants such as lei garden and crystal jade .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sin hwa dee began operations in the 1970s as a cottage industry in the former soya sauce-producing enclave of kim chuan road , in the paya lebar area of singapore . mr. and mrs. chng kee started out producing soya and oyster sauces , bean paste and plum paste in the 1970s . it was founded by the late mr. chng kee , a former soya salesman , who ran the business with his wife , a soya production operator .<doc-sep>mr. chng 's daughter jocelyn first decided to introduce the company 's products to the foreign market when she attended the sial exhibition in paris in 1992 , noting that there was a clear interest in asian food . sin hwa dee 's first premix , the laksa paste , was launched into the food services market under the chng kee 's label in 1994 , followed by the kung bo sauce , the black pepper sauce and their famous chicken rice mix . in 1996 , the company invested heavily in equipment and technology to produce sauces and premixes in bottles for the retail market under the chng kee 's label . | <t> sin hwa dee founded by former soya salesman and soya production operator . </t> <t> one of sin hwa dee 's factories dedicated exclusively to yu sheng products . </t> <t> in 2005 , sin hwa dee moved into their own building , chng kee 's foodlink . </t> | sin hwa dee facts<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- striking hollywood writers will be back at their keyboards wednesday after voting overwhelmingly to end a 100-day walkout that essentially shut down the entertainment industry . writers guild of america member steven binder shows his approval as he votes tuesday in beverly hills , california . more than 92 percent of the writers guild of america members who cast ballots tuesday in los angeles and new york voted to end their work stoppage over residuals for writing in the digital age , including new media and the internet . the new deal is for three years . `` the strike is over . our membership has voted , and writers can go back to work , '' said patric verrone , president of the wga 's west chapter . michael winship , president of wga 's east guild , said , `` the success of this strike is a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community , now and in the future . '' wga members walked off the job november 5 after talks broke down over how writers are paid for the use of their material on the internet and dvds , among other issues . `` it is not all that we hoped for , and it is not all we deserve , '' verrone said when a tentative deal was announced saturday . but he added , `` this is the best deal this guild has bargained for in 30 years . '' leslie moonves , chief executive officer of cbs corp. , told the associated press , `` at the end of the day , everybody won . `` it was a fair deal and one that the companies can live with , and it recognizes the large contribution that writers have made to the industry . '' the alliance of motion picture and television producers , which represents production companies and media conglomerates , has had no comment on the agreement . the vote meant that the academy awards ceremony on february 24 will be the usual scripted gala , the ap reported . `` i am ecstatic that the 80th academy awards presentation can now proceed full steam ahead , '' without `` hesitation or discomfort '' for the nominees , sid ganis , president of the academy of motion picture arts and sciences , which stages the oscars , told the ap . as long as the strike continued , the traditional oscars spectacular was in doubt since many hollywood stars would not cross wga picket lines . it 's unclear how soon new episodes of scripted programs will start appearing , because production wo n't begin until scripts are completed , the ap reported . it will take at least four weeks for producers to get the first post-strike episodes of comedies back on the air ; dramas will take six to eight weeks , the ap said . verrone said the wga achieved two of three goals through negotiations with the studios . watch verrone explain what he thinks the strike accomplished '' the first goal relates to writers ' `` jurisdiction '' in new media , verrone said , meaning that any content written by guild members specifically for new media , such as the internet or cell phones , will be covered by their contract . the second goal relates to reuse of content in new media , verrone said . the agreement bases payment for reuses on a distributor 's gross formula for residuals , `` so that when they get paid , we get paid , '' he said . it is the `` first time in our history that a new delivery system pays on a residual formula superior to the prior existing system , '' verrone said . the third goal , which verrone said the guild did not achieve , was to shore up writers ' shares of the revenue from animation and reality television . `` giving up animation and reality was a heartbreaking thing for me personally , '' he said . `` but it was more important that we make a deal that benefited the membership , the town as a whole , that got people back to work and that solved the biggest problems in new media . '' e-mail to a friend . copyright 2008 cnn . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . associated press contributed to this report .<doc-sep>sag 's board of directors voted last month to ask for a federal mediator to help with the negotiations . at the same board meeting , it authorized a strike referendum in the event the mediation effort failed . approval of a strike referendum , which requires the support of 75 percent of sag 's members , is not a foregone conclusion because hollywood is still recovering from a costly writers strike that dragged on for 100 days just a year ago . sag 's 120,000-plus members include many who no longer pursue acting jobs or who work only occasionally . a member who joined after having just one line in one show has a vote equal to hollywood 's highest-paid stars , as long as his or her annual dues are paid .<doc-sep>`` after 3 1/2 months of bargaining , the amptp still has not responded to a single one of our important proposals , '' a statement from the wga said . `` every issue that matters to writers , including internet reuse , original writing for new media , dvds , and jurisdiction , has been ignored . this is completely unacceptable . '' tv writer bryce zabel agrees . `` it sounds like the producing companies that have decided to force the writers into a situation of a strike , '' zabel said late thursday . `` so really , our choice right now is to accept a completely unacceptable deal or to go on strike . `` strike is the only option . '' if hollywood writers do go on strike , late-night television hosts like david letterman , jay leno and jimmy kimmel , as well as programs like `` the daily show '' would feel the pinch first . watch how a strike could affect your favorite shows ''<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- viewers may have to get used to a steady stream of reruns now that television and film writers have gone on strike . members of the writers guild of america manned picket lines monday morning outside nbc studios at rockefeller plaza , carrying signs and yelling , on the first day of the writers guild of america 's strike against studios and production companies . late-night talk show and comedy shows , including `` the tonight show with jay leno , '' `` the late show with david letterman '' and `` late night with conan o'brien , '' have announced they 'll air reruns monday night and until further notice . if the strike continues , it could affect soap operas and prime-time television programs as well . `` i support them , '' leno said of the writers . `` people get the wrong idea about how much writers make . '' watch leno back striking writers '' the writers ' union says the strike , which began at 12:01 a.m. pt -lrb- 3:01 a.m. et -rrb- , is necessary to protect their members ' future incomes as the shows they write are increasingly distributed over new media , primarily through internet downloading . a last-day effort to reach a new work agreement collapsed sunday night despite the writers conceding a demand for a doubling of how much they are paid for dvd sales . this had been considered the major stumbling block to a deal . `` the dvd situation has always been a catastrophe , '' warren leight , the executive producer of nbc 's `` law and order : criminal intent , '' said monday . but , he stressed , `` at the moment , we have no piece of the internet at all . '' watch what 's at stake '' while studios have been hoarding scripts for months in anticipation of a strike , some television shows that are more topical -- particularly late-night tv talk shows -- are expected to immediately go to reruns . watch `` 30 rock 's '' tina fey talk about the issues '' `` it 's affecting us in the most visible way possible , '' john oliver , a writer and correspondent for `` the daily show , '' told cnn on monday as he stood amid the pickets , who carried signs that read `` on strike '' and `` pencils down . '' the group had also brought a large inflatable rat , which they had tethered to metal railings set up along the street . `` we 're off the air , '' oliver said . `` we 'd much rather work than stand in the cold . writers are people who fear the sunlight , '' he added , smiling . however , he said , the writers need new contracts that incorporate new media 's impact . `` clearly , revenue is being created '' from new media , he said , `` but we are not receiving any of it . ''<doc-sep>there was no mention of when a strike referendum might be called . `` let 's review the facts : sag is the only major hollywood guild that has failed to negotiate a labor deal in 2008 , '' the producers ' group said in a saturday statement . `` now , sag is bizarrely asking its members to bail out the failed negotiating strategy with a strike vote -- at a time of historic economic crisis . the tone-deafness of sag is stunning . '' sag and amptp representatives came together under the guidance of a federal mediator thursday for their first talks since july . the effort ended at 1 a.m. saturday after 27 hours of talks . the producers ' alliance has demanded that sag accept terms similar to those in contracts concluded over the past year with six other unions representing writers , directors , stagehands , casting directors and a smaller actors union . | <t> more than 92 percent of writers vote to end 100-day walkout and return to work . </t> <t> writers guild of america strike began november 5 . </t> <t> issues in walkout included handling of writers ' work for new media such as internet . </t> <t> report : february 24 oscar show will go on as usual . </t> | strike over , hollywood writers head back to work<T> |
-lrb- aol autos -rrb- -- some drivers would say that the united states is a crazy quilt of speed limits , with an emphasis on the `` crazy . '' a sign indicating the highest speed limit in the country stands by interstate 10 outside of the west texas town of el paso . since 1995 , states have been free to set their own maximum speed limits , leading to long debates on safety standards . to some folks , the speed limits are just insane -- either too low or too high , depending on their views about what makes driving safe . advocates of low speed limits wo n't find much to like about texas . true to its frontier roots , it stands out as the land of the fast getaway . the top rural speed limit is normally 70 mph , but in 2006 it set a maximum daytime speed of 80 miles per hour , the highest speed limit on the country , on more than 500 miles of rural interstate in its southwest corner . this includes parts of interstate 10 between kerrville and el paso and of i-20 between monahans and the i-10 interchange . the speed limit for rural roads in montana is 75 mph . as a result , it takes just three hours to travel the 228 miles from billings to butte at the posted speed . but that 's much slower than a montana driver could have made the trip in early 1999 . at that time there was a six-month speeders ' honeymoon when the state had almost no control over rural speeds , partly as a result of an unfavorable court ruling .<doc-sep>st. thomas in the u.s. virgin islands is at or near the other end of the spectrum . in the u.s. territory the speed limit is 20 mph in the city and 30 out in the country . when it comes to accident rates , though , you would be far better off on a montana interstate than competing with the island 's frenetic drivers on the way to paradise point . nationwide , maximum speeds range from 60 miles per hour in hawaii to 75 in most of the west . meanwhile , much of the eastern midwest and the northeast has opted for maximum speeds of 65 mph , although michigan and indiana chose the 70 mph standard more common to the south and the great plains states . so if you are cruising west along i-90 out of ohio , you can enjoy the increase in speed across 150 miles of indiana before illinois ' lower speed limit -- or its state police -- reins you in . as you continue west , interstate speed limits bump up to 70 in iowa , and then you can maintain a steady 75 from nebraska through to the california line , where interstate speeds drop off to 70 again . should you choose to detour into oregon , you 're back down to 65 . from a highway safety standpoint , the patchwork of speed limits at least seems to make sense . speeds are slower in more populous eastern states and faster in the wide-open west , although the insurance institute for highway safety argues that some of the new , higher speed limits out west and elsewhere are costing lives . it estimates that deaths on interstates and freeways have increased 15 percent due to the higher speed limits . but some researchers are skeptical about the link between accidents and high speeds on rural highways , if not on city streets and rural two-lanes . they point to the lower fatality rates on european highways , even though the speeds are generally higher . the maximum legal speed is roughly 80 mph in poland , austria , france and a few other countries . there is no speed limit on much of germany 's autobahn , although some sections are restricted to about 80 mph or less .<doc-sep>ironically , the new regime of u.s. speed limits has helped researchers make sense of whether higher rural speed limits are dangerous . political scientist robert yowell , a professor at northeast lakeview college in texas , examined what happened after states began setting higher rural speed limits in 1995 . with the federal 65 mph limit gone , it was possible to compare the accident rates before and after the new limits went into effect . the results were clear : `` by and large , across the 50 states , there was no discernible effect from the higher limits , '' yowell said . `` two or three states actually had a decrease in fatalities . '' once speed limits are raised on interstates , drivers are more likely to get off the more dangerous two lanes and use the faster routes , yowell said . furthermore , the motorists traveling the fastest on the higher-speed interstates tend to be good at that kind of driving . the less competent drivers at high speeds tend to drive more slowly . while yowell admits most states are well-intentioned , he 's `` not willing to accept that speed limits are solely a function of safety , '' he said . `` they are a function of revenue generation as well . there have been cases of judges saying communities have to raise their speed limits because they were obviously being used to raise revenues and that 's not a proper use of the law . '' in part , yowell looks to differences in political cultures to explain the great continental divide in speed limits . `` it may be that certain states have a different approach to questions involving personal liberty versus collective safety , '' he said .<doc-sep>his research does n't surprise jim baxter , president of the waunakee , wisconsin-based national motorists association . his organization had lobbied heavily for an end to the federal limits . baxter 's rule of thumb for computing the right speed limit is the traffic engineering standard known as the 85th percentile speed . that 's the speed that 85 percent of motorists drive at or below . but it tends to be well above the speed limits that most jurisdictions set . with the speed limit set at that level , traffic tends to move smoothly , reducing the risk of accidents , baxter said . if you put the limit below that speed , some vehicles are traveling far more slowly than the fastest drivers , creating the most dangerous conditions of all . baxter argues that most drivers naturally tend to drive at speeds that suit the road conditions and their driving skills . st. thomas is a case in point , albeit an extreme one . with its congestion and rugged terrain , the island is bereft of performance cars ; many of the vehicles are older pickups , aging japanese compacts and suvs . the treacherous conditions restrict speeds far more effectively than any local law . as joe aubain , executive director of the st. thomas-st . john chamber of commerce , puts it , `` even if you wanted to go a whole lot faster , you could n't , '' he said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>` the problem is there 's so many signs . you are driving along and you get mesmerised by them and you get situations where you get a 50 -lsb- limit -rsb- , to 40 , to 30 and it goes to 20 and back up again . ' ` if we 're going to do something about speed and villages , we ought to just take all the signs down and say all villages are 30mph , or whatever it 's going to be , and you drive on roads -- like they do in germany and italy -- as road conditions say . ' he added : ` people say if people are going fast they will cause trouble , but a lot of people , if -lsb- the limit -rsb- was 70mph , would go faster anyway . ' when asked at what speed a driver could safely travel on an open road in the early morning , he said : ` if you have got someone who 's a formula 1 racing driver , well , you can go flat out . if he was a racing driver and really good and had tremendous reflexes , probably as fast as the car will go . ' however , david williams , chief executive of the guild of experienced motorists , said : ` twenty-four per cent of road deaths are caused by inappropriate speed . ` we need to protect innocent road users from people who think that they can drive faster , like racing drivers , on the highway . that just is nonsense . ' kevin clinton , head of road safety at . the royal society for the prevention of accidents , added : ` abolishing . speed limits is a daft idea . '<doc-sep>fast food ? mcdonald 's is planning to add a third window to its drive-thru lanes in response to mounting customer complaints about slow service . mcdonald 's spokeswoman lisa mccomb says the fast forward drive-thru will be featured in new and renovated restaurants starting next year . the drive-thru is an important revenue generator for fast-food chains . mcdonald 's gets about 70 percent of its sales from the drive-thru , according richard adams , who now runs a consulting firm for franchisees . 2014 : mcd 's will begin restructuring the drive-thrus next year . analysts say drive-thru waits have been getting longer because new menu offerings like pumpkin spice lattes are distracting employees from the core product . the fast food giant will begin restructuring the drive-thrus next year . ` it enables customers to pull forward to receive orders at a third window when their order is not yet ready , ' mcdonald 's spokeswoman lisa mccomb told bloomberg , adding . that it ` will enable us to better serve more customers quickly . ' analysts say drive-thru waits have been getting longer because new menu offerings like pumpkin spice lattes and chocolate chip frappes are distracting employees from the brand 's core product . a more complicated menu has bogged down mcdonald 's service . customers can choose from nine different sauces , such as spicy buffalo and creamy ranch , to go with mighty wings . ` the more items you have on the menu , the more challenging it is to get everything served on time and at the right temperature , ' said sara senatore , an analyst at sanford c. bernstein in new york . big chain : mcdonald 's has more than 14,000 locations in the u.s.<doc-sep>a car enthusiast spent $ 100,000 on a custom-made vehicle which can zip over desert sand dunes and handle practically any type of terrain . russell white , 41 , from texas , built the souped-up car , nicknamed the ` rally fighter ' and boasts that it can reach speeds of up to 135 miles per hour . but he readily admits that he tends to drive it around town and can only go a paltry 35mph to keep up with the pace of local traffic . speed : the rally fighter is pictured here leaving a trail of dust in the mojave desert , las vegas , nevada . cost : russell white spent over $ 100,000 to create the car that can leap over sand dunes in the desert . owner : white , right , and his son tim white , left , beam with pride as they are pictured with the rally fighter . the rally fighter was manufactured by a car specialist called local motors but was built by white who put it together with his bare hands . he said : ` the car was built to drive very fast , that 's where it 's happy , that 's where it wants to be - you just have to be willing to be there with it .<doc-sep>by . sam adams . published : . 09:38 est , 8 march 2013 . | . updated : . 14:51 est , 8 march 2013 . if you like to drive fast you may want to avoid a village in ohio where more than 6,000 drivers are caught speeding each month . nearly $ 1.5 million worth of fines have been issued to motorists since two traffic cameras were installed in elmwood place , near cincinnati , last september . | <t> u.s. drivers face patchwork of speed limits across the nation . </t> <t> parts of texas have speed limits of 80 miles per hour . </t> <t> some researchers skeptical of link between accidents , high speeds . </t> | states where you can drive fast<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former abc news chief national security correspondent john mcwethy died from injuries in a colorado skiing accident , a coroner said thursday . john mcwethy , right , shares a laugh in 2002 with former defense secretary donald rumsfeld in washington . a witness said mcwethy , 61 , was skiing fast on an intermediate trail wednesday at keystone ski resort when he lost control and slammed into a tree , said joanne l. richardson , the summit county , colorado , coroner . mcwethy died while being treated for blunt-force injuries at summit medical center , richardson said . `` he just missed a turn and slid sideways is what we 're surmising , '' she told cnn . mcwethy was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident , she said . with his wife , laurie , mcwethy recently had moved to boulder after nearly 30 years as an abc news correspondent , so he could enjoy colorado 's ski trails , according to a statement from abc news president david westin . `` he was doing something that he truly loved , '' weston said . `` but he deserved many more years doing it than he was given . '' friends and former colleagues described mcwethy as an outstanding reporter who also cherished life outside work .<doc-sep>`` he always knew without exception what so many in the powerful business of tv news fail to learn until it 's too late : in the end , all we have is our families and our friends and our self-respect as news reporters , '' said cnn pentagon correspondent barbara starr , who worked as a producer with mcwethy for three years . both starr and former cnn producer chris plante admired mcwethy 's coolheaded reporting from the pentagon on september 11 , 2001 , when a hijacked airliner punched a huge , fiery hole in the building 's massive facade . `` he was unflappable even in the most extreme situations because he was always centered by his love for his family and the knowledge that the television news business and all of this washington hoo-ha was not ` real life , ' '' plante said . `` unlike so many , he really did have a handle on what life was for . and the last moments of his life are proof of that . '' college classmate bob steele wrote about mcwethy 's `` mighty '' skepticism of authority in an article published online for the poynter institute . while they attended depauw university in greencastle , indiana , steele said mcwethy `` challenged the university president and his policies . he protested against the vietnam war . '' steele wrote that mcwethy considered `` why '' to be `` the most powerful word in the english language . '' len ackland of the university of colorado 's center for environmental journalism told the denver post that his longtime friend `` was a very humble guy . '' ackland told the paper that mcwethy `` did n't talk about himself much . he was the kind of journalist who did n't want to be out front . it was always about the story , not about him . he was the kind of guy you enjoyed sitting down to have a beer with . '' mcwethy left behind two sons , adam , 28 , and ian , 24 , according to the post .<doc-sep>his wife , who was with mcwethy at the time of the accident , told the post her husband was a good skier who enjoyed living in colorado . `` he loved it here , '' she told the paper . `` i think he loved the beauty of its nature , the open spaces , the wildlife , everything . '' in his statement , westin said , `` he was one of those very rare reporters who knew his beat better than anyone , and had developed more sources than anyone , and yet , kept his objectivity . '' after working as a reporter for u.s. news & world report , mcwethy joined abc news in 1979 , going on to cover conflicts in bosnia , kosovo and liberia , according to the abc news web site . mcwethy was the network 's primary reporter assigned to secretaries of state james baker , george shultz , warren christopher and lawrence eagleburger , abc said , and he had traveled to more than 50 countries . mcwethy was honored with at least five national emmys during his time at abc and also received an alfred i. dupont-columbia award and an overseas press club award , according to abc news ' web site . `` for three years i watched one of the finest news reporters do what so many in television still can not do to this day : be a reporter first , foremost and always , '' starr said . colleagues said he 'll be missed . `` everyone that knew jack is trading stories today , '' plante said . `` there is nothing but a sense of unambiguous loss on the part of all of his friends , colleagues , competitors and even the uniformed military officers that he covered as a reporter . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the whole thing went down in flames though when two men who were on the chopper called out williams on his version of events , saying they never took any enemy fire . williams is now also being questioned over claims he made in the wake of hurricane katrina -lrb- above -rrb- . nbc has now launched a probe , and more of william 's stories are now being questioned , including one in which he claimed to see a body floating down the street in the french quarter of new orleans in the wake of hurricane katrina , right past the ritz-carlton hotel where he was staying . the lack of flooding in that area makes this sighting seem unlikely to some . he also claimed during the trip to be one of the few people to come down with dysentery , something that was not prevalent in the flood waters at that time , and that he witnessed a suicide . and nbc is not the only network looking into williams , as reports have emerged that abc is now doing the same in hopes of finding other possible false claims made by the newsman .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- award-winning newsman richard threlkeld , whose wide-ranging career took him from war zones to presidential campaigns , was killed friday in a car accident on new york 's long island , authorities said . he was 74 . threlkeld , who worked for cbs and later abc , died after his 2008 mini cooper collided with a tanker truck in amagansett , east hampton police said in a statement . the cause of the accident remains under investigation , the statement said . the driver of the tanker , 57-year-old earl fryberger jr. of coatesville , pennsylvania , was uninjured , it said . threlkeld 's career took him from the jungles of vietnam to the desert of iraq during the gulf war , from courtroom trial of patty hearst to the execution of gary gilmore . threlkeld joined cbs news in 1966 and jumped to abc in 1981 . he returned to cbs in 1989 before retiring in 1998 , according to the network . `` we liked him because he was a gentleman . we admired him because of what he could do with words , '' cbs evening news ' anchor scott pelley said during friday 's broadcast . pelley described threlkeld as a `` reporter 's reporter , writing with speed and accuracy , delivering insight on deadline . '' threlkeld is survived by his wife , besty aaron , two children and two grandchildren . aaron worked as a correspondent for cnn and cbs . cnn 's leigh remizowski contributed to this report .<doc-sep>came out of retirement to moderate the debate last week - making it his . 12th and earning him the title of having moderated the most debates in . u.s. history - and tarnished his previously stellar reputation . romney . steamrolled over lehrer as he tried to intervene , and the president . alternated between looking on longingly for help or giving a jab at the . pbs newsman . some conservatives were worried about raddatz 's neutrality in the days leading up to the debate as it was revealed that then-senator obama attended her wedding . obama went to law school with raddatzâ $ ™ s first husband julius genachowski , who is the current chairman of the federal communications commission . enjoying the limelight : raddatz tweeted this instagram picture of she and her family onstage after the debate . different discussion : she posed for a picture with her son and his friend taking the candidate 's spots after ryan and biden left the stage thursday night . abc news , which has employed raddatz since 1999 , issued a statement characterising the allegations that obama 's presence at her wedding proves she is biased as ` absurd ' . ` martha raddatz is known for her tough , fair reporting , which is why it was no surprise to her colleagues inside and outside abc news that she was chosen by the commission on presidential debates for this assignment , ' the statement said . ` barack obama was a law school classmate of raddatz 's ex-husband julius genachowski at harvard . at the time barack obama was a student and president of the law review . ` he attended their wedding over two decades ago along with nearly the entire law review , many of whom went on to successful careers including some in the bush administration . raddatz and mr genachowski divorced in 1997 and both are now remarried . '<doc-sep>` he has had a lot of success regionally and was starting to enjoy the rewards of hard work . talented : trent in action doing what he loved . friends said he died engaged in an activity he was passionate about . ` this is just tragic . he was far too young but i ca n't help thinking he was doing what he loved and that is a lesson for all of us in life . spend your time doing something you are passionate about . ' police said his death was the first in the event 's 35 year history . | <t> ex-abc news reporter john mcwethy , 61 , dies in colorado ski accident . </t> <t> mcwethy was wearing helmet at time of crash , coroner says . </t> <t> reporter died doing `` something he truly loved , '' says abc president . </t> <t> `` unflappable '' reporter `` really did have handle on what life was for , '' ex-colleague says . </t> | ex-abc newsman died ` doing something that he truly loved '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- democratic presidential candidate barack obama defended himself and his wife sunday against suggestions that they are insufficiently patriotic . sen. barack obama defended himself and his wife against recent suggestions that they are not patriotic . after a town hall meeting in lorain , ohio , a reporter asked obama about `` an attempt by conservatives and republicans to paint you as unpatriotic . '' the reporter cited the fact that obama once failed to put his hand over his heart while singing the national anthem . obama replied that his choice not to put his hand on his heart is a behavior that `` would disqualify about three-quarters of the people who have ever gone to a football game or baseball game . '' the reporter also noted that the illinois senator does not wear an american flag lapel pin , has met with former members of the radical anti-vietnam war group , weather underground , and his wife was quoted recently as saying she never felt really proud of the united states until recently . asked how he would fight the image of being unpatriotic , obama said , `` there 's always some nonsense going on in general elections . right ? if it was n't this , it would be something else . if you recall , first it was my name . right ? that was a problem . and then there was the muslim e-mail thing and that has n't worked out so well , and now it 's the patriotism thing .<doc-sep>`` the way i will respond to it is with the truth : that i owe everything i am to this country , '' he said . the first-term senator from illinois has been the subject of various debunked rumors since launching his presidential campaign -- allegations that he is a muslim , that he took his oath of office on a copy of the quran and that he attended a radical islamic school while living in indonesia as a boy . `` you will recall that the reason i came to national attention was a speech in which i spoke of my love of this country , '' said obama . he and his wife , michelle , had already explained her comments . `` she simply misspoke , '' he said . `` what she was referring to was -lsb- that -rsb- this was the first time she has been proud of politics in america . watch what michelle obama said '' `` that 's true of a lot of people who have been cynical and disenchanted . and she 's spoken about how she has been cynical about american politics for a very long time , but she 's proud of how people are participating and getting involved in ways that they have n't in a very long time . '' about not wearing an american flag lapel pin , obama said republicans have no lock on patriotism .<doc-sep>`` a party that presided over a war in which our troops did not get the body armor they needed , or were sending troops over who were untrained because of poor planning , or are not fulfilling the veterans ' benefits that these troops need when they come home , or are undermining our constitution with warrantless wiretaps that are unnecessary ? `` that is a debate i am very happy to have . we 'll see what the american people think is the true definition of patriotism . '' obama did not respond to the question about the weather underground , a group whose members bombed the u.s. capitol and the pentagon during the 1970s . last week , the new york sun reported that as an illinois state senator in 2001 , obama accepted a $ 200 contribution from william ayers , a founder of the group who was not convicted for the bombings and now works as a professor at the university of illinois at chicago . but the paper said that , in a statement , a spokesman for the obama campaign , william burton , said , `` sen. obama strongly condemns the violent actions of the weathermen group , as he does all acts of violence ... but he was an 8-year-old child when ayers and the weathermen were active , and any attempt to connect obama with events of almost 40 years ago is ridiculous . '' former first lady sen. hillary clinton has said repeatedly that she is a stronger candidate because she has already shown she can withstand conservative attacks . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama defended his patriotism monday , telling a crowd in independence , missouri , that his `` deep and abiding love for this country '' is the reason he is running for president . sen. barack obama 's speech on patriotism comes days before the fourth of july . `` at certain times over the last 16 months , i have found , for the first time , my patriotism challenged -- at times as a result of my own carelessness , more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears and doubts about who i am and what i stand for , '' he said in president harry truman 's hometown , just days before the fourth of july . obama vowed to never question the patriotism of others in the campaign , adding `` i will not stand idly by when i hear others question mine . '' obama has been defending his patriotism ever since the beginning of the primary season , when he was first criticized for not wearing a flag pin -- which he now does much more frequently -- and when false rumors began circulating that he did not say the pledge of allegiance . watch excerpts of obama 's speech '' a widely distributed photo also seemed to show him failing to place his hand over his heart during a rendition of `` the star-spangled banner . '' obama 's wife , michelle , also was criticized about her patriotism , after telling an audience at a campaign event , `` for the first time in my adult lifetime , i 'm really proud of my country . '' obama 's campaign said she was just excited about the campaign 's grassroots support , but her words still provided fodder for her husband 's opponents . at his appearance monday , barack obama appealed to unity . `` given the enormous challenges that lie before us , we can no longer afford these sorts of divisions , '' he said . `` none of us expect that arguments about patriotism will , or should , vanish entirely ; after all , when we argue about patriotism , we are arguing about who we are as a country , and more importantly , who we should be . `` but surely , we can agree that no party or political philosophy has a monopoly on patriotism . and surely , we can arrive at a definition of patriotism that , however rough and imperfect , captures the best of america 's common spirit . '' obama said that for him , `` patriotism starts as a gut instinct , a loyalty and love for country that 's rooted in some of my earliest memories . '' obama described how as he grew up , his patriotism matured to something that `` would survive my growing awareness of our nation 's imperfections : its ongoing racial strife ; the perversion of our political system that were laid bare during the watergate hearings ; the wrenching poverty of the mississippi delta and the hills of appalachia . '' obama said he learned that `` what makes america great has never been its perfection , but the belief that it can be made better . '' patriotism , he said , must involve the willingness to sacrifice . he called attention to the service of john mccain , the presumptive republican candidate . mccain 's campaign has been calling on obama to condemn comments from retired gen. wesley clark , who said this weekend that mccain 's service in vietnam did not necessarily mean that he was qualified to serve as commander-in-chief . read about what clark said . clark is a military adviser for obama .<doc-sep>invoking the american system . some opponents warn he 's willfully starting a new war . others call him indecisive because he delayed military action . president obama said he 's taking the debate to congress , even though he maintains he does n't have to , because `` our democracy is stronger when the president acts with the support of congress . '' obama seeks support for attacking syria while pursuing diplomacy . answering questions . like the faqs on a website , much of the speech answered questions that president obama said members of congress and private citizens have asked him , such as `` wo n't this put us on a slippery slope to another war ? '' president reagan also made a point of answering questions that people had asked in their letters to him . in his address to a joint session of congress after the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , president george w. bush answered questions , as did winston churchill in his radio talks during world war ii . offering hopeful news . towards the end of a speech that could have been completed several days earlier , president obama discussed the latest developments surrounding the russian proposal that syria turn over its weapons to international authorities . yes , the transition sounded choppy , but listeners care more about encouraging news than elegant rhetoric . opinion : speech aims to keep heat on syria . appealing to american patriotism . president obama said america is `` different '' because we right wrongs when we can . answering the common criticism that he does n't believe in `` american exceptionalism , '' he concluded , `` that 's what makes america exceptional ... let us never lose sight of that essential truth . '' with down-to-earth arguments and a lofty conclusion , last night 's speech was a model of how to turn an audience around , point by point . the opinions in this commentary are solely those of david kusnet .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the rev. jeremiah wright on monday said the black church , not him , had been subjected to attacks in the 2008 presidential campaign . speaking before the national press club , sen. barack obama 's former pastor sought to give insight into the black church and clarify some of his remarks that have sparked a firestorm . earlier this year , some of wright 's sermons , circulated and widely discussed on the internet and on television , became an issue in the democratic presidential race because of the former pastor 's ties to obama . wright is a retired pastor from the trinity united church of christ in chicago , illinois , where obama worships . in one sermon , wright said the u.s. had brought the september 11 attacks upon itself and said `` america 's chickens are coming home to roost . '' asked to explain those remarks , wright said , `` have you heard the whole sermon ? ... no , you have n't heard the whole sermon . that nullifies that question . '' watch as wright explains his 9/11 comments '' wright said those who heard the entire sermon would have known that he was quoting the ambassador from iraq and keeping in line with biblical principles . `` jesus said , ` do unto others as you would have them do unto you . ' you can not do terrorism on other people and expect it never to come back on you . those are biblical principles , not jeremiah wright bombastic principles , '' he said . watch as wright questions his critics ' patriotism '' wright shot back at the notion that obama has walked away from him , saying the candidate `` distanced himself from some of my remarks . ... he had to distance himself , because he 's a politician , from what the media was saying i had said , which was un-american . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama is bracing for the general election fight , and conservatives are likely to throw some jabs at his wife , michelle obama , as well . sen. barack obama has told critics to `` lay off my wife , '' michelle obama . conservatives view the presumptive democratic nominee 's wife as a target of opportunity . but one republican consultant said attacks on candidates ' wives often backfire . `` considering there are so many issues -- legitimate issues -- that you can use on barack obama , to attack his wife to me is sheer utter stupidy of the highest level , '' said stephen marks , a republican strategist . `` mr. obama is going to come to his wife 's defense , and it 's going to humanize both of them . '' michelle obama was widely criticized on conservative blogs when she said `` for the first time in my adult lifetime , i am really proud of my country '' at an appearance on behalf of her husband in milwaukee , wisconsin , in february . the obama campaign said michelle obama 's comment reflected her excitement about the grass-roots support her husband is receiving , but conservatives said the statement raised questions about her patriotism . cindy mccain , the wife of presumptive republican presidential nominee sen. john mccain , also took a shot at michelle obama , saying , `` i am proud of my country . i do n't know about you , if you heard those words earlier . i am very proud of my country . '' in may , the tennessee republican party used video of michelle obama 's comments in a tv ad that aired during one of her husband 's campaign stops in the state . the ad features tennesseans saying why they are proud of america while repeatedly cutting to michelle obama 's comments . the obama campaign called the ad `` shameful , '' and it was condemned by the state 's two republican u.s. senators . after his wife 's comments were criticized , barack obama said michelle did not mean what she said . `` statements like this are made , and people try to take it out of context and make a great big deal out of it , and that is n't at all what she meant , '' he told san antonio radio station woai in february . | <t> obama responds to question about attempts to paint him as unpatriotic . </t> <t> obama cited for not wearing american flag lapel pin , among other things . </t> <t> obama : `` there 's always some nonsense going on in general elections '' </t> <t> clinton has said she has shown she can withstand conservative attacks . </t> | obama fights back on questions about his patriotism<T> |
berlin , germany -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- six italian men were shot dead in the german city of duisburg on wednesday in an execution-style killing linked to a mafia feud . police remove a body from the scene . italian interior minister giuliano amato said the shootings appeared to be linked to a feud between two mafia clans in the southern region of calabria , home to the ` ndrangheta organized crime group . here are some key facts about the group : . origins : . -- the calabrian `` honored society '' , known as '' ` ndrangheta '' , in the calabria region of south italy is the equivalent of the sicilian mafia . -- ` ndrangheta began as a defense network for impoverished rural peasants against aristocratic landlords . members emigrated to canada and the united states , and were discovered running an intimidation scheme in pennsylvania mining towns in 1906 . how does it work ? -- they are known as `` the honored society '' , fibbia or calabrian mafia . instead of the pyramid structure of bosses used by other mafia , the ` ndrangheta '' uses families based on blood relationships , inter-marriages , or being a godfather . each group is named after their village , or after the family leader .<doc-sep>twentieth century expansion : . -- when calabria began the process of industrialization and urbanization in the late 20th century , the ` ndrangheta became interested in drug trafficking , weapons sales and public works and construction . the present : . -- in 2004 , authorities uncovered an international drugs trafficking network involving gangs in south america , australia , and europe . drugs from colombia were destined for countries such as greece and bulgaria . -- italian officials estimated at the time that 80 percent of europe 's cocaine had arrived from colombia via gioia tauro 's docks in reggio calabria . -- italian anti-organized crime agencies have estimated that the ` ndrangheta earns about $ 30 billion annually , mostly from illegal drugs , but also from ostensibly legal businesses such as construction , restaurants and supermarkets . -- there are believed to be about 100 ` ndrangheta families in calabria , who have become more successful than their sicilian counterparts because their family ties are closer . e-mail to a friend . copyright 2007 reuters . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed .<doc-sep>italian police have arrested 163 in a major crackdown on the notorious ` ndrangheta mafia gang - said to be the most powerful crime organisation in the country . the crime syndicate from calabria , in italy 's deep south , are believed to be the biggest importers cocaine in europe . over the last two decades , they have outgrown rival gangs in sicilian and naples to be regarded as the most powerful mafia organisation in italy . now italian police have dealt a major blow to the gang as they carried out arrests across the country , with more than forty alleged members and associates detained in calabria alone . italian police arrest members of the notorious ` ndrangheta mafia gang - said to be the most powerful crime organisation in the country . officers also seized an incredible 1,300 lb of drugs and found evidence of the trafficking of another 3,300 lb of coke and hashish , reuters reported . the crackdown was coordinated by the national anti-mafia prosecutor and authorities in bologna , who were expected to give further details of the operation later in the day . last week police made 31 arrests in connection with an alleged plot by an offshoot of ` ndrangheta to take control of rome 's cocaine trade . secrets revealed : italian police have deciphered a mysterious document written in a code to reveal that it is an initiation rite into the ` ndrangheta mafia which is based in calabria -lrb- above -rrb- . renowned : the ` ndrangheta was thrown into the spotlight recently after it was found that the grillo sisters -lrb- above -rrb- , nigella lawson 's former personal assistants hailed from a ndrangheta family . police were able to move in on the roman operation thanks to a testimony from one of the four men arrested for femia 's murder , reported the local italy .<doc-sep>are a boy whose father , uncle or grandfather is a mafioso , then there 's . no-one who can set rules - and we provide them with a context . ' the . intention is that intervening early will encourage the youngsters to . choose not to follow a life of crime through their own volition . when they are 18 , they can return to their families and it will be their own decision . but it will not be an easy choice , as ` ndrangheta expert antonio nicaso explains . the . ` ndrangheta , based in calabria in the far south of italy , is now . believed to be the most powerful of italy 's four mafia organisations . they have grown from a rural mob to a brand-name international criminal syndicate . in the past decade , the ` ndrangheta . has emerged as a powerful and aggressive organization , becoming one of . the world 's biggest cocaine traffickers . the origins of the ` ndrangheta are . thought to date back to shortly after italian unification in 1861 when . secret societies were established in calabria . the group confined its activities . to calabria until the 1970s , after which it began to target rich . businessmen and their relatives for ransom kidnappings in northern . italy . the organisation turned its attention to drugs in the 1990s , importing cocaine from colombia and distributing it around europe . police have found it hard to penetrate the ` ndrangheta because it is family-based and informers are rare . however , last year police arrested around 300 alleged mafiosi , dealing the organisation a major blow . italy 's eurispes institute has . estimated that the ` ndrangheta 's turnover from trafficking in drugs and . arms , prostitution and extortion amounts to more than 40 billion euros a . year - the equivalent of three percent of italy 's gross domestic . product . ` there 's a religious baptism and a . mafioso baptism , which is confirmed when you reach a certain age , ' he told the bbc . ` so this means that , often , the children of bosses - particularly the . first-born - are predestined to follow in their father 's footsteps . ' the programme is still in an experimental stage , but if successful it will be rolled out in other parts of italy .<doc-sep>his membership of the ira was ascertained by wiretapped phone conversations , the arrest warrant said . the irish separatist group allegedly first contacted the ` ndrangheta mafia branch , based in calabria , as far back as 2007 . the ira has previously been known to launder money through organised criminal gangs in spain . colonel claudio pettrozziello said : ` we know from the terminology he used that the money originated from crime . ` we ca n't prove it was ira money but we know he still had strong links to the organisation . ` we are still hoping to catch . fitzsimons . we have issued the warrant for his arrest but he has already . fled europe , beyond our jurisdiction . ' he said . he added : ` he knew he was involved with the mafia and we believe he himself had reason to fear for his life . ' the ` ndrangheta , whose name means ` virtue ' in a dialect of ancient greek , originally made their money from kidnappings and extortion . but they have now expanded into the drugs and property from which their huge profits are invested in northern europe . police seized 12 companies and 17 tourist complexes in calabria where the ` ndrangheta had allegedly invested illicit money . the investigation was led by veteran anti-mafia prosecutor nicola gratteri who says the ` ndrangheta has evolved into an extensive business network reinvesting the profits from narcotics , arms trafficking and other sources estimated at ten of billions of euros a year . ` this is a new ` ndrangheta entrepreneurship , a new way of ` doing mafia ' where there is no shooting or killing , but where affiliation derives only from one matrix : money , ' the finance police statement said according to the financial times .<doc-sep>on the roof of the torched car was a single unmarked 50 cent coin , an apparent symbol from the assassins that mr iannicelli had not paid his debt . police in cosenza , in the far south of italy , believe both the killers and victims hail from clans affiliated to the ndrangheta mafia . the ndrangheta , based in calabria , the toe of italy , are the country 's richest and most powerful mob , with global ties that include colombian drug cartels and the ira . they supply an estimated 80 per cent of europe 's cocaine . nicola 's mother , antonia iannicelli , and father , also nicola campolongo , who are both in prison for drug trafficking offences . the grandfather was caring for little nicola , nicknamed coco , because the boy 's father and mother , mr iannicelli 's daughter , are both in jail . they were arrested a year ago as part of operation tsunami , a crackdown on the mafia trafficking of hallucinogenic drugs . the child 's uncle had reported the group missing after mr iannicelli , who had previously spent time in jail , did not return home for his court-imposed curfew , which was between 8pm and 8am . police in cosenza , in the far south of italy , believe both the killers and victims hail from clans affiliated to the ndrangheta mafia . | <t> six young italians found shot in the head in western german city of duisburg . </t> <t> five were dead when authorities arrived , one died later . </t> <t> the victims were between 16 and 39 years old , police say . </t> <t> police believe the killings may be linked to organized crime in italy . </t> | who are the ` ndrangheta ?<T> |
johannesburg , south africa -lrb- reuters -rrb- -- his name is `` average '' and the story of his desperate flight from the wreckage of president robert mugabe 's zimbabwe is an increasingly common one . math teacher mawise gumba fled zimbabwe and found his qualifications mean little as a refugee . the tall 34-year-old , slouching exhausted in a johannesburg church that has become a de facto transit camp , is one man in a tide of migrants washing up in south africa . `` there is nothing for me there in our country any more . i had no job and i could not afford anything . even when i was working life was tough , '' he said . `` it 's hard for everyone ... i thought it was better for me here , '' said the former store clerk , whose dusty jeans and boots tell of a long and difficult journey . the tale told by average -- whose name is not unusual in zimbabwe -- is depressingly familiar to a people who have watched their once prosperous land spiral into economic disaster . when mugabe 's government , facing inflation of close to 5,000 percent , ordered companies to halve prices of basic goods and services a month ago -- effectively demanding that they operate at a loss -- average lost his job as the supermarket chain he worked for cut staff . facing the prospect of homelessness and hunger in his own country , he joined the estimated 4,000 zimbabweans who head south to south africa , most of them illegally , every day .<doc-sep>mugabe , 83 and in power since the country 's independence from britain in 1980 , has been accused of running zimbabwe 's economy into the ground while implementing a draconian crackdown aimed at keeping power . his decision to launch violent seizures of white-owned farms seven years ago is partly blamed for soaring unemployment and the highest inflation rate in the world . average scraped together his last salary , some money he made from trading sugar bought at a discount from the supermarket where he worked , and funds borrowed from friends to secure a visitor 's visa and bus ticket to johannesburg . a friend who promised to meet him on arrival failed to show up , leaving him stranded without a place to sleep . on wednesday evening he walked into the central methodist church in downtown johannesburg and joined a long queue of people waiting for shelter and food . the church 's homeless shelter has become a virtual refugee camp for 800-900 zimbabweans and a smaller number of migrants from other countries . `` over the past three years , and more so over the past couple of months , i have noted an exponential increase in the number of people we have from zimbabwe , '' bishop paul verryn said . outside his office the line of people waiting for help grew . many of the new arrivals were asleep in their seats .<doc-sep>`` we offer them a place off the streets , where they are protected and have warmth from the inclement streets of johannesburg , '' verryn said . at sunset the refugees crowd into the building and lay out reeking blankets . `` people just sleep anywhere they can find a space to sleep . some people sleep on the steps here , in the corridors and others in the foyer and in the meeting rooms , '' said 27-year-old walter rusike from harare . the commerce graduate and his wife and two children share a meeting room with other families and have been at the shelter for four months . average said he hoped to get accommodation for a few days until he finds his friend , work or both . `` i have a diploma in stores management and store control , a certificate in security and a driver 's licence . i think maybe i will be able to find some work with my qualifications . anything will be better than the situation i was in , '' he says . e-mail to a friend . copyright 2007 reuters . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed .<doc-sep>people slept overnight at the bank doors , hoping to get money for the next day . president robert mugabe apologized to his zanu-pf party supporters thursday for the problems zimbabweans were facing but insisted his nation has turned a corner in its fight against its worst humanitarian crisis , the state-owned herald newspaper reported . shortages of most essentials such as electricity , fuel , medicine and food have become a common feature in zimbabwe , forcing people to flee the country . zimbabwe has slashed zeros from the amount of its worthless currency during the past two years -- the latest being 10 zeros in august . once one of africa 's most promising economies , zimbabwe is reeling under its worst humanitarian and economic crisis . a cholera outbreak has killed more than 1,000 zimbabweans since august , forcing hundreds to cross the border into south africa and botswana to seek treatment .<doc-sep>the foreign nationals were transported from the city after angry crowds formed at a public meeting seeking to calm tensions , jones told cnn . they were being housed at community centers and churches . the attacks in south africa have forced thousands of immigrants to flee , prompting neighboring mozambique to declare a state of emergency on friday . desperate stories of those fleeing violence . the country 's foreign minister oldemiro baloi said the decision was taken after about 10,000 mozambicans fled from south africa . cnn 's robyn curnow reported long lines of people -- including many from zimbabwe and mozambique -- waiting for buses in johannesburg to take them home . bloom , from gauteng province , which includes johannesburg , said the attacks on foreigners who fled to south africa for a better life has become a `` humanitarian crisis . '' south african president thabo mbeki has approved the deployment of the army to help stop the attacks , which have drawn condemnation from south african officials and other african leaders . about 28,000 people have been displaced by the violence , hangwani malaudzi , a spokesman for the ministry of safety and security said . and more than 400 have been arrested for crimes ranging from murder , to causing a public disturbance , he said . the country has also seen a disturbing throwback to the 1980s apartheid-era lynching tactic of `` necklacing , '' which was widely used in the townships at the time .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's central bank is introducing a $ 500 million note -- the highest current denomination -- as the once-prosperous southern african nation battles against spiraling hyperinflation . zimbabwe 's new $ 500 million note . finance minister samuel mumbengegwi made the announcement about the new note in a government gazette set for release friday . on the back , the purple cotton bill will feature pictures of dairy cows being milked mechanically and a miner drilling underground , he said . the reserve bank of zimbabwe -lrb- rbz -rrb- last week introduced a new set of denominations , including a $ 100 million note , but that has not helped to clear long lines for cash at banks . some people sleep outside banks after failing to get cash . the rbz said a $ 200 million note would be in circulation friday , together with the $ 500 million note . the $ 500 million note is worth about 8 u.s. dollars and enough to buy just eight loaves of bread . thursday , the greenback was trading around zw$ 60 million and is expected to shoot up in light of the new note 's introduction . prices change on an almost daily basis as businesses now peg their prices against the u.s. dollar . zimbabwe has had higher denominations than the $ 500 million note in the past . but over the past two years , the country has slashed zeros from the amount of its worthless currency -- the latest being 10 zeros in august . once one of africa 's most promising economies , zimbabwe is reeling under its worst humanitarian and economic crisis . a cholera outbreak has killed nearly 800 zimbabweans , forcing hundreds to cross the border into south africa and botswana to seek treatment . the situation has been exacerbated by the closure of government hospitals for more than a month as health personnel demand the government review their salaries and equip the hospitals with medicines and modern machinery . in addition , 5 million people are in need of food aid , the united nations says , in a nation that once exported food to its neighbors . there has been a spate of protests -- including two by soldiers -- over the past four weeks as people voice their displeasure over president robert mugabe 's policies . shortages of most essentials such as electricity , fuel , medical drugs and food have become a common feature in zimbabwe . that has forced many people to flee the country .<doc-sep>hamilton masakadza brought up his fifty in fine style by despatching dale steyn over the cover boundary for a sweetly-struck six , and he reached 80 before tahir tricked him into spooning to cover . his 74-ball innings included eight fours and two sixes . irvine takes a swing during the south africa v zimbabwe game in hamilton , new zealand . captain brendan taylor picked up where masakadza left off and he made a run-a-ball 40 before falling to morne morkel at the start of the 37th over . zimbabwe were five down when sean williams top-edged duminy to give wicketkeeper de kock a routine catch . the loss of two quick wickets really hampered zimbabwe 's chances of winning the match and , with 106 required from the final 10 overs , their middle and lower order crumbled under the pressure . chigumbura -lrb- eight -rrb- was run out in the 41st over by de villiers , who took a regulation catch at mid on off steyn 's bowling to dismiss ervine two overs later . de villiers took his second catch of the innings to leave zimbabwe eight down in the very next over as tahir , who finished with figures of three for 36 , tricked panyangara into providing a leading edge as he attempted to sweep the leg-spinner . de villiers had his third catch when he snaffled mire -lrb- 27 -rrb- at deep mid-wicket . south africa completed what in the end proved to be a comfortable victory when morkel caught tendai chatara -lrb- six -rrb- off his own bowling as zimbabwe were dismissed well short . ervine of zimbabwe bats during the 2015 icc cricket world cup match against south africa . | <t> his name is `` average , '' he fled wreckage of president mugabe 's zimbabwe . </t> <t> one of the 4,000 who flee hunger , homelessness into south africa a day . </t> <t> once-prosperous nation now an economic disaster with 5,000 percent inflation . </t> | thousands flee zimbabwe into south africa a day<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- panama city beach , florida , police are looking for a hotel security guard accused of raping an alabama student and throwing her off a sixth-floor hotel balcony , a police spokesman told cnn . police released this photo of shawn wuertly , who worked as a hotel security guard in panama city beach , florida . the 18-year-old woman from tuscaloosa , alabama , remains hospitalized , but her injuries are not life-threatening , lt. dave humphreys said . the incident happened early monday at the sandpiper beacon beach resort in panama city beach during spring break . police have issued an arrest warrant for shawn wuertly , 29 , who worked as a security guard at the resort , humphreys said . he is wanted for attempted felony murder , sexual battery and false imprisonment . wuertly had been questioned by police regarding the attack , but they lacked the evidence to hold him , the spokesman said . the police investigation has found that the suspect had seen the girl `` several times '' at the hotel and had `` taken a liking to her at some point , '' humphreys said . around 1 a.m. on monday , the suspect grabbed the woman and pulled her into an unoccupied room on the sixth floor , using his key to get in , humphreys said . she said he sexually assaulted her and , after a brief altercation , threw her over the balcony , the police spokesman said . she hit two smaller roofs on her way down , which likely saved her from more serious injuries , before she came to rest in a second floor stairwell , humphreys said . after his initial questioning , wuertly told police he was leaving for tennessee and would return on wednesday . wuertly has an outstanding arrest warrant , something that police did not discover until after he was released . `` obviously no one checked his warrants because he has an outstanding warrant in indiana , '' humphrey said , noting that police are `` not happy and will address that . '' cnn 's calls to the hotel 's manager regarding wuertly 's outstanding warrant were not returned . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>' i think it shows that the process has begun , and people know the president is watching , ' johnson told the post-dispatch . still angry : there are widespread calls by protesters for the resignation of local prosecutor robert mcculloch . racial divisions : the protesters have sought to highlight the level of racism still faced by black people in the u.s. police stand guard along florissant avenue but apparently in a less belligerent stance than previously . no justice : two people side by the street and watch a sombre procession through ferguson . no peace : police were still standing ready with clubs and guns but the night passed without incident . force : missouri national guard militia stand guard at the command centre where operations have been directed . bleak future : the killing of michael brown has once again raised difficult questions about being black in america . loyalty : despite the killing and the questions it 's raised , protesters still march brandishing the american flag . relatively unarmed : police stand guard along florissant avenue to prevent looting by furious demonstrators . the national guard was called out of ferguson , missouri today on the orders of gov jay nixon . a small band remained thursday night to help police another night of protests , though it was much more peaceful . the national guard helped secure the streets of the st. louis suburb for three nights , beginning on monday , as hundreds of angry residents took to the street and confronted state troopers in riot gear . last night , police arrested only a few people in the protest zones - the quietest night so far . gov nixon says the guard provided security that allowed cops to restore trust with residents . nixon 's announcement comes as st. louis county 's prosecuting attorney issued a defiant letter - typed in all caps - saying he refuses to ` walk away ' from investigating the racially-charged shooting of black teen michael brown by a white ferguson police officer . leaving town : national guard troops are pulling out of ferguson four days after missouri governor jay nixon ordered them there to help keep order . nixon said the troops have completed their mission , which was helped to provide security while the missouri highway patrol and st. louis county cops took over .<doc-sep>defense team claims the man - currently being held on charges he gunned . down an anchorage police officer - took drugs the day of the murders . and skipped town before being caught . he acknowledged in court being on . the island during the killings and leaving shortly after . fbi . agents talked to barnum in the months after the double murder while . making it clear he was n't a suspect , but he refused to answer any of . their questions . barnum 's . testimony was then sought by the defense team because he was a known . acquaintance of an ex-con who dated belisle 's teen daughter , according . to the paper . she admitted to having past drug problems and dating the . former convict . they once worked together : this july 2 , 2011 file photo provided by the u.s. coast guard shows richard belisle , second from left , and coast guard petty officer 1st class james hopkins , second from right , with jim wells , left , and coast guard petty officer 3rd class cody beauford as they help erect a communications antenna on shemya island , alaska . dead : belisle , shown here in 2011 after killing a caribou , was gunned down at the coast guard base . remote : the base is located on kodiak island , about 250 miles south of anchorage . prosecutors were able to convince the . judge the already-accused killer had nothing to do with the kodiak . murders and would only be brought to the witness stand ` to frighten the .<doc-sep>shattuck was released on $ 84,000 bond after an arraignment on wednesday at sussex county superior court in georgetown , delaware . molly shattuck is separated from billionaire business executive mayo shattuck iii , 60 , the current chairman of energy provider exelon . shattuck is also alleged to have sent the teen pictures through instagram of him taken at the beach over the labor day weekend . on september 26 , the boy 's family reported shattuck to the police who executed a search warrant at her $ 2.5 million home on october 1 . the search warrant led investigators to seize her cell phone and her computer . detectives also specifically sought a pink lace bra and panties that the victim described her as wearing in the bedroom of her beach house . the grand jury indictment against shattuck reveals that the two counts of rape in the third degree are for ` putting her mouth on his penis . ' there four counts of unlawful sexual contact in the second degree are ` touching his penis , ' causing or allowing the teen to ` touch her breasts with his mouth , ' causing or allowing the teen to ` touch her vagina with his hand , ' and for causing or allowing the teen to ` touch her vagina with his penis . ' the three counts of providing alcohol to minors are for providing alcohol to three different minors . shattuck is also a fitness consultant and advocate and published a book in february called vibrant living . shattuck is separated from mayo shattuck iii , 60 , the billionaire former ceo of baltimore-based constellation energy nuclear group and the current chairman of chicago-based exelon corp. , also an energy provider . the couple have three children - spencer , 15 , lillian , 11 , and wyatt , 8 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police arrested another teen thursday , the sixth suspect jailed in connection with the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl on a northern california high school campus . jose carlos montano , 18 , was arrested on charges of felony rape , rape in concert with force , and penetration with a foreign object , said richmond police lt. mark gagan . montano was arrested thursday evening in san pablo , california , a small town about two miles from the city of richmond , where the crime took place . montano , who was held in lieu of $ 1.3 million bail , is accused of taking part in what police said was a 2 1/2 - hour assault on the richmond high school campus . | <t> police in panama city beach , florida , looking for hotel security guard shawn wuertly . </t> <t> he 's suspected of raping teen staying at hotel , tossing her from 6th-floor balcony . </t> <t> victim remains hospitalized ; injuries not life-threatening , police say . </t> <t> wuertly was questioned by police earlier , released for lack of evidence . </t> | police : guard sought in rape of teen<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- record oil prices , the sub-prime mortgage mess and slumping stock markets are hardly music to the ears of investors . in tough economic times like these , investors seek out safe , stable investments such as guaranteed government bonds or cds . yet a growing number are being wooed by the sweet sounds , and profits , of something new -- investment funds specializing in high-end musical instruments . the stradivarius violin -- only about 700 are believed to exist -- is the premier investment instrument . talented musicians want them , but ca n't afford them -- one fetched $ 3.5 million at auction . enter nigel brown , winner of the queen 's award for enterprise and chairman of the nw brown group , a financial services company . he brings musician and investor together . `` what happens is , a musician comes along to see me , having fallen in love with an instrument , '' brown says . `` then , what i do is to pull a syndicate of people together to buy this instrument so that the musician can then have the use of it ... ''<doc-sep>down the road , the musician can buy the instrument from the investors . they split the profits if its value appreciates . that 's how violinist matthew trusler got his $ 2 million stradivarius . brown loved trusler 's playing and funded the instrument himself . `` they are just the most fantastic violins that were ever made , '' trusler says , clutching his . `` this one was made in 1711 ... and it 's been around for 300 years and it 's a really wonderful violin . '' not everyone is convinced a stradivarius is such a great deal -- particularly modern instrument makers . `` i think if you can get hold of one of the very best strads , not just any strad ... i think they probably give you , as a player , something special , '' says violin-maker andreas hudelmayer . `` but if you ca n't have one of the very few best , you are just as well off with a new instrument . ''<doc-sep>his reasoning ? the cost of insuring a stradivarius for just a couple of years would pay for a new , top-quality violin , hudelmayer says . even so , the reality is that old violins are attracting those looking for alternative investments . a new hedge fund called the fine violins fund is dedicated to top-range instruments . the latest studies show exclusive violins are earning a steady 3.5 percent a year since 1850 . that beats u.s. treasury bonds over the same timeframe , with their 2.19 percent average yield . of course , you have to be in the investment game for the long haul .<doc-sep>`` they 've proved to be fantastic investments , '' says simon morris , director of beare 's -- a broker and appraiser of high-end violins , violas and cellos . `` for many of the musicians that bought say in the 1960s , they 've been the best pension plan they could 've had . `` like anything , you have to purchase well and sell well . you ca n't just go and buy any old thing . '' but for these investors , the financial return is only part of the investment . `` the fact they make a financial gain is of course gratifying at the end of the day , but it is mostly the support of the musician , '' says brown . `` they like being able to go along to a concert and hear their instrument performed by their artist . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>twitter user ` toof ' wrote : ` that was lovely . i really hope your talented daughter get 's what she wants . god bless . ' the theme song for the hit itv series was written by british composer john lunn , who has also written operas and a violin concerto . at the time of writing the footage has been viewed over 1.8 million times .<doc-sep>while the iphone might be a handy tool for musicians -lrb- a couple of months ago , i watched as rock 'n' roller rhett miller tuned his guitar using an app called power tuner -rrb- , go says he 's still a fan of old-school methods . the londoner used real instruments when making his self-titled debut album , out this week in the u.s. -lrb- decca -rrb- . lead single is `` wonderful '' that 's actually the song title : `` wonderful . '' it dips and soars in all the right spots like any good coldplay-esque pop song should . it had a good run on itunes as the service 's single of the week and is worth checking out if you like a good chorus that sticks in your noggin for a few days . twitter-lyrical ... go was intrigued by a heart-shaped balloon he saw entangled in a tree outside his home , so he posted a picture of it on the social networking site twitter . he then enlisted his followers to suggest lyrics based on the pic , and wrote and recorded a song incorporating their comments : `` love , i 'm caught by the wind , i 've lost all control , 'cause you caught my heart string ... ''<doc-sep>` this is my tribute to matt groening and my favourite tv show , ' he said . ` the recording is 100 per cent vocals and 100 per cent my own voice . the singer , who said the violin runs were the most enjoyable part to do , wrote out the full orchestration from a recording , reported gizmodo . youtube viewers commented that mr mckaig 's version of the song was ` so animated and fun ' , ` outstanding ' and ` better than the original ' . some even suggested mr groening , who created the simpsons , should use mr mckaig 's recording in an episode , reported the huffington post . mr mckaig , originally from tampa , florida , began singing aged 10 and has also played the cello in an orchestra and french horn in a band . impressive : youtube viewers commented that mr mckaig 's version of the song was ` so animated and fun ' , ` outstanding ' and ` better than the original '<doc-sep>by . alex ward . published : . 13:41 est , 5 november 2012 . | . updated : . 03:09 est , 6 november 2012 . world 's smallest : miniaturist david edwards has created a violin just an inch-and-a-half long , one 12th their normal size . a musician has created the world 's smallest violin , standing just an inch-and-a-half long , and is selling them for more than # 1,000 . david edwards , who once played cello in the scottish national orchestra , gave up his professional music career to make doll 's house miniatures when he realised there was a gap in the market . the miniaturist from edinburgh has made his hobby a full-time career , creating hand-crafted pieces including mini everyday household items such as pegs small enough to fit through the eye of a needle , mini shaving brush and razor and kitchenware . the violins , based on the world-renowned stradivarius , stand just one 12th of the normal size and can fetch a small fortune . mr . edwards , 76 , said : ` i 'm the best in the world by far and i 'm very well . known internationally . ` my pieces have the most detail for their size . ` i 've tried making them smaller but then they would look very bland . i like them to still be recognisable . ' ` i make ordinary things but of a very high quality . ` i know what a violin looks like , that 's why i have a big advantage over other people where making violins is concerned . ` there 's no doubt my miniature violins are the best in the world . ' | <t> investors are being wooed by funds specializing in high-end musical instruments . </t> <t> the stradivarius violin is the premier investment instrument . </t> <t> a new hedge fund called the fine violins fund is dedicated to top-range instruments . </t> | investing for a song : violin market soars<T> |
mexico city , mexico -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- buses that carry women only are experiencing a smooth ride with passengers in mexico 's capital . a woman rides on a bus exclusively for female passengers last month in mexico city . fans of the new service call their daily commutes more pleasant now that bus rides steer clear of too-close-for-comfort contact with men . `` we 're not just talking about sexual harassment , about rapes or about incidents of violence , '' said ariadna montiel , director of the network of passengers ' transportation for the government of the federal district .<doc-sep>`` but also about touching , staring , which is what generally occurs on public transport . '' the single-sex service , which started in january , is available on four major lines in the city , and it 's expected to expand to another 15 . other plans include replacing male drivers with women . one woman described the service as `` excellent , '' saying it 's `` more comfortable too because it does n't make as many stops . '' another passenger said she feels more comfortable and safer .<doc-sep>last year , the government received seven complaints of sexual abuse aboard the city 's buses , which provide 200 million rides each year , officials said . authorities said that a single complaint is enough to justify taking such measures . juan flores , who has driven buses in mexico city for 15 years and now steers one for women only , said he even notices a difference . `` i feel more tranquil , i work more peacefully and the interior of the bus is cleaner , '' he said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mario gonzalez contributed to this report .<doc-sep>mexico city , mexico -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- buses that carry women only are experiencing a smooth ride with passengers in mexico 's capital . a woman rides on a bus exclusively for female passengers last month in mexico city . fans of the new service call their daily commutes more pleasant now that bus rides steer clear of too-close-for-comfort contact with men .<doc-sep>latin american cities have the most dangerous transport systems for women , according to a new survey . colombia 's capital bogota , that has no city train system but a network of red buses , was found to have the most unsafe public transport in a poll conducted by yougov . the poll of 15 of the world 's largest capitals and new york , the most populous us city , found bogota was followed in the list by mexico city , lima , and then delhi . scroll down for video . colombia 's capital bogota , a city that has no city train system but a network of red buses , was found to have the most unsafe public transport for women in a poll conducted by yougov . the survey of more than 6,550 women and gender experts ranked moscow as the worst european capital , coming ninth in the list , with women lacking confidence that authorities would investigate reports of abuse . paris came 11th , with those questioned saying they had little confidence that other passengers would help a woman in trouble . new york was rated the best of the 16 cities , followed by tokyo , the world 's largest capital with 38 million people , then beijing and london . the study was commissioned by the thomson reuters foundation , with a minimum of 380 responses from each city between august and september this year . more than six out of 10 women in mexico city , 64 percent , said they had experienced some type of physical harassment on public transport . the female participants were asked six questions focussing on their experiences of travelling alone at night on buses , trains or trams . they were asked about the risk of being verbally harassed by men , the risk of being groped or physically harassed , their trust in whether other passengers would assist a woman being abused , trust in authorities to investigate reports of sexual harassment or violence and the availability of safe public transport . the yougov survey of more than 6,550 women and gender experts ranked peru 's capital lima as the third worst city when it came to women 's safety on public transport . mexico city , the world 's third largest capital with 21 million people , fared worst when women were asked if they were at risk of verbal or physical abuse on public transport . more than six out of 10 women in mexico city , 64 percent , said they had experienced some type of physical harassment on public transport . after the latin american cities and delhi , the fifth worst in the list was jakarta , followed by buenos aires , kuala lumpur , bangkok , moscow , manila , paris and seoul . by contrast only three out of 10 women surveyed in new york said they had suffered any kind of verbal or physical harassment while using the city 's extensive subway system and buses . after the latin american cities , new delhi was the next worst on the list of the world 's largest cities with the most unsafe transport systems for women . the female participants were asked six questions focusing on their experiences of travelling alone at night on buses , trains or trams . jakarta in indonesia came fifth in the survey . women in moscow ranked the russian capital as worst when it came to confidence in authorities investigating harassment . seoul in south korea ranked 12th in the overall survey but fared worst when women were asked how confident they were that other passengers would assist a woman in trouble . new york has transformed its subway and bus system in the past 25 years and the metropolitan transit authority figures released this year showed subway usage at 1.7 billion in the preceding 12 months , the highest in 60 years . the city was hailed for its growing network of cctv security cameras on streets and transit lines , interactive help point communications kiosks , and obvious police presence . women in moscow ranked the russian capital as worst when it came to confidence in authorities investigating harassment . the study was commissioned by the thomson reuters foundation , with a minimum of 380 responses from each city between august and september this year . buenos aires came sixth on the list . the chow kit monorail station in kuala lumpur . malaysia are among the countries who have introduced women-only sections on public transport along with indonesia , egypt and the philippines . tokyo was rated second for safety , which experts attributed to a raft of measures taken in the city in recent years to combat groping of women in often overcrowded buses and trains . 1 . bogota , colombia . 2 . mexico city .<doc-sep>juan flores , who has driven buses in mexico city for 15 years and now steers one for women only , said he even notices a difference . `` i feel more tranquil , i work more peacefully and the interior of the bus is cleaner , '' he said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mario gonzalez contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a crowd of 300 angry protestors forced three buses carrying 140 undocumented migrant children and their parents to turn around in murrieta , california , on tuesday after they blocked the road . the dramatic confrontation between the flag waving protestors and the homeland security buses came one day after mayor alan long urged residents to resist the federal government 's plan to transfer the central american migrants to california to ease overcrowding of facilities along the texas-mexico border . holding up banners that said ` return to sender ' and suggesting the children should be sent to the white house instead , the irate protestors succeeded when the buses turned around and headed to a customs and border facility in san diego - within sight of mexico . scroll down for video . fury : protestors stop three buses outside murrieta , california after they arrived to attempt to drop off undocumented migrants . demonstrators picket against the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the murrieta border patrol station . border patrol agents watch as demonstrators picket against the possible arrivals of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the murrieta border patrol station . the illegal immigrants had been flown from texas to california on tuesday and arrived at 2pm to face many murrieta residents furiously protesting the processing of the migrants to the riverside county city us customs and border protection facility . it was the first flight planned for california under the federal government 's effort to ease the crunch in the rio grande valley and deal with the flood of central american children and families fleeing to the united states . many of the immigrants were detained while escaping violence and extortion from gangs in guatemala , el salvador and honduras . the government is also planning to fly migrants to texas cities and another site in california , and has already taken some migrants to arizona . unequivocal : the protestors did not hold back with their strident opinions outside of murrieta . patriotic : flag waving protestors prevented three buses from dropping off 140 illegal immigrants on tuesday in murrieta . murrieta resident , bryan escobedo , pickets against the possible arrival of undocumented migrants who may be processed at the murrieta border patrol station in murrieta . buses packed with undocumented migrants who were scheduled to be processed at the murrieta border patrol station retreat up the road after being stopped in their tracks by demonstrators . more than 52,000 unaccompanied children have been detained after crossing the texas-mexico border since october in what president barack obama has called a humanitarian crisis . as the caravan neared its destination , a group of 150 protesters waiving american flags and shouting ` go home - we do n't want you here , ' filled a street leading to the access road for the border patrol station , blocking the buses from reaching the facility . the demonstrators disregarded orders shouted by local police to disperse , but officers did not attempt to intervene physically to break up the demonstration . after about 25 minutes , the buses backed up , turned around and left . a board member of the union representing border patrol agents , chris harris , said the buses would likely be rerouted to one of six other border patrol stations in the san diego sector . lois haley , a spokesman for the immigration and customs enforcement agency , or ice , declined to say where the buses were headed . ` for the security of everybody ... we 're just not saying anything about any contingency plans now . ' many of the migrants are under the impression that they will receive leniency from us authorities . another flight was expected to take 140 migrants to a facility in el centro , california , on wednesday , said lombardo amaya , president of the el centro chapter of the border patrol union . the border patrol would not confirm that arrival date . mayor alan long has warned his citizens to expect busloads of people every 72 hours for the next several weeks , while mayor pro-tem harry ramos has warned that tuesday 's standoff could be repeated in the coming days . | <t> passengers on female-only buses describe their commutes as more pleasant . </t> <t> seven complaints of sexual abuse aboard mexico city buses made last year . </t> <t> single-sex service is available on four major lines in mexican capital . </t> | ` for ladies only ' a new stop for mexico city buses<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three u.s. soldiers were killed and 31 others wounded in two rocket attacks sunday afternoon in baghdad , the u.s. military said . mehdi army militiamen celebrate after attacking an iraqi army vehicle in baghdad 's sadr city on sunday . earlier sunday , fighting between u.s. troops and the mehdi army militia loyal to shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr left at least 20 dead and 52 wounded in baghdad 's sadr city , according to an iraqi interior ministry official . the u.s. military said it had no information about the sadr city fighting . sunday 's violence came as iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki demanded al-sadr disband his mehdi army and threatened to bar al-sadr 's followers from the political process if the cleric refused . watch a report from the front line in sadr city '' `` a decision was taken yesterday that they no longer have a right to participate in the political process or take part in the upcoming elections unless they end the mehdi army , '' al-maliki said . sunday 's american fatalities bring the death toll of u.s. troops in the iraq war to 4,022 ; that toll includes eight civilian contractors working for the pentagon . nearly 30,000 others have been wounded in action .<doc-sep>an attack involving a `` couple of rounds '' of fire on the international zone , also known as the green zone , killed two soldiers and wounded 17 others about 3:30 p.m. , a military official said , declining to give the specific location of the attack for security reasons . a separate attack about 30 minutes earlier killed one soldier and wounded 14 at a u.s. military outpost in rustamiya in southeastern baghdad , the military said . responding to al-maliki 's comments , a spokesman for al-sadr , sheikh salah al-obeidi , said that any effort to bar sadrists from participation in politics would be unconstitutional -- and that any decision to disband the mehdi army is not the government 's to make . `` it is up to the side that established it , '' he said . al-maliki spoke in an exclusive interview with cnn after a weeklong military offensive against what iraqi officials called gangs and militia members in the southern iraqi city of basra . hundreds were killed or wounded in the fighting across iraq , which reportedly ended when iranian and iraqi shiite officials held talks in iran with al-sadr . asked about iran 's role in ending the basra conflict , al-maliki attributed the cease-fire to the work of his security forces . haidar al-abadi , an iraqi lawmaker who belongs to al-maliki 's dawa party , said last week that iranian officials participated in the discussions , and another source close to the talks said the iranians pressured al-sadr to craft an agreement .<doc-sep>`` i am not aware of such an attempt , '' al-maliki said sunday . `` what happened on the ground and the breakdown in the structure of this militia is what made muqtada al-sadr issue his statement to withdraw his militants from the streets . what happened was something to save muqtada , not to help us . '' watch al-maliki talk about issues that concern iraq '' in northern iraq , security forces detained a suspect sunday and were searching for others in connection with the kidnapping of 42 college students , authorities said . gunmen seized the male students in northern iraq before releasing them several hours later , according to a military spokesman and police in nineveh province . none was harmed , according to the u.s. military . gunmen stopped two buses loaded with students who were on their way to college , but one bus managed to escape , police said . four students on the bus that escaped were wounded by gunfire , police said . students on the other bus were released sunday afternoon after coalition military forces spotted the bus during an air patrol on the western outskirts of mosul , according to a u.s. military news release .<doc-sep>the kidnappers fled the vehicle after it was stopped , according to a military press release . other developments . • a christian priest was shot and killed in eastern baghdad 's wihda neighborhood around noon saturday , according to an iraqi interior ministry official . the priest was identified as father yousif adel . he belonged to st. peter and paul 's assyrian orthodox church . • at least two people were killed saturday and 16 others wounded when a bomb exploded in a minibus in eastern baghdad 's beirut square , the official said . • president bush is planning to address the nation thursday morning about the iraq war , sources said . bush is expected to address the administration 's decision to reduce combat tours of duty from 15 months to 12 months , republican and democratic sources said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's nic robertson , jomana karadsheh and ingrid formanek contributed to this report .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iraqi shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr has extended for six months the cease-fire he imposed last summer on his mehdi army militia , al-sadr 's office in baghdad said friday . a baghdad street is reflected in the glass over a poster of powerful iraqi shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr . the official said a letter was distributed to all al-sadr offices announcing the extension of the suspension , credited by the u.s. military with helping reduce the sectarian violence that has engulfed baghdad and other hot spots across the country . the cease-fire is `` an important commitment that can broadly contribute to further improvements in security for all iraqi citizens , '' said a u.s. military statement delivered by navy cmdr. scott rye . `` it will also foster a better opportunity for national reconciliation and allow the coalition and iraqi security forces to focus more intensively on al qaeda terrorists , '' the statement said , referring to the predominantly sunni militant group al qaeda in iraq . the iraqi government on friday welcomed the decision . `` this step will contribute to the establishment of security and support of the national unity , and push forward the efforts of rebuilding and construction , '' iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki said in a statement .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. military called radical shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr 's order to suspend his mehdi army militia for the next six months `` encouraging . '' a mehdi army member holds a rocket launcher and the quran during a parade in baghdad in 2006 . in a statement issued saturday , the military said al-sadr 's order would enable the u.s.-led coalition and iraqi security forces to `` intensify their focus on al qaeda in iraq ... without distraction from -lsb- mehdi army -rsb- attacks . '' al-sadr 's suspension -- which one of his senior aides said would be a period for restructuring -- comes after nearly 60 people were killed and scores were injured during recent street fighting between armed shiite factions in karbala and baghdad . `` muqtada al-sadr 's declaration holds the potential to reduce criminal activity and help reunite iraqis separated by ethno-sectarian violence and fear , '' the u.s. military said . the cleric , who emerged as a popular grass-roots shiite leader after the u.s. toppled saddam hussein , has been staunchly opposed to the u.s. occupation . the u.s. military has tangled with his forces in baghdad 's sadr city and in southern iraq and , through the years , his political clout across iraq 's shiite heartland has grown . the military believes rogue members of al-sadr 's group have smuggled weaponry and received training from iran . an end to mehdi army `` would also be an important step in helping iraqi authorities focus greater attention on achieving the political and economic solutions necessary for progress and less on dealing with criminal activity , sectarian violence , kidnappings , assassinations , and attacks on iraqi and coalition forces , '' the military said . al-sadr has openly opposed violent actions before , and last week he called for calm and urged his followers not to attack rivals ' offices . but observers think that many mehdi army fighters are breakaway forces who are more radical than al-sadr himself . iraq 's government hopes the mehdi army 's hiatus will spur similar moves by other armed groups . `` this initiative is an encouraging step toward consolidating security and stability throughout the country and an opportunity for the suspension of the work of the rest of the militias in various political and ideological affiliations to preserve the unity , independence and sovereignty of iraq , '' prime minister nuri al-maliki 's office said thursday . the number of iraqi civilians killed in violence across the country rose in august for the third consecutive month , the iraqi interior ministry told cnn friday . but the number of iraqi soldiers and police officers killed dropped in august from last month 's totals . using figures collected from iraqi interior , defense and health ministries ' records , the interior ministry said 1,773 civilians were killed in august , up from 1,653 in july . in june the number had dipped to 1,227 from may 's 1,949 . twenty-one iraqi soldiers were killed in august , compared with 79 in july and 31 in june . sixty-six police officers were killed , down from 145 in july and 190 in june . u.s. troop deaths in august matched july 's number of 79 , the lowest toll since november 2006 . according to cnn daily counts , the number of unidentified bodies recovered in baghdad also dropped in august , to 428 from 612 in july and 563 in june . those deaths would be part of the overall civilian death figures supplied to cnn by the interior ministry . the number of people described as insurgents who died in august was 472 ; up from 428 in july and 416 in june . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's yousif bassil and jomana karadsheh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- radical anti-american cleric muqtada al-sadr thanked followers who offered to launch attacks against the u.s. military in iraq should he reinstate his notorious mehdi army militia , according to a posting on his website . the exchange between a follower and al-sadr on his website comes as iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki is talking with members of his government about the possibility of requesting american troops to stay in iraq beyond a year-end deadline to withdraw . al-sadr vowed earlier this year to `` escalate armed resistance '' if the u.s. military does not pull its troops as scheduled , a move that could destabilize the country should the mehdi army repeat the bloody battles it waged against american and iraqi forces during the height of violence . `` we intended to be martyred , if you intend to lift the freeze of imam al-mehdi army to defend islam , doctrine and iraq . our martyrdom will be restricted only on activities against the infidel occupier without harming the civilians or any public proprieties , '' an unidentified follower posted on the website on friday . al-sadr responded : `` thank you dears ... may god preserve you and watch over you . '' a u.s. military spokesman on sunday told cnn that , `` muqtada al-sadr 's statement speaks sufficiently for itself about his attitude toward the use of violence as an alternative to democratic processes . '' `` it 's the same attitude that has caused so much violence for the iraqi people in the past , '' col. barry johnson said . `` we are not inclined to characterize it further at this point . '' since 2003 , al-sadr has had the support of tens of thousands of shiites , especially the young and impoverished in baghdad 's slums and the shiite south . his mehdi army has been considered one of iraq 's most formidable private armies following the fall of saddam hussein . it was blamed for some of the worst sectarian violence in iraq before al-sadr suspended most of its activities in 2007 and 2008 , which dramatically reduced violence in iraq .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a top iraqi political figure -- who also is an imam at a prominent shiite mosque in the capital -- urged the abolition of militias friday and decried violence and pervasive corruption in baghdad 's sadr city . sheikh jalal al-din ali al-saghir is a parliament member and a representative of the most influential shiite cleric . sheikh jalal al-din ali al-saghir , speaking at buratha mosque , blamed the corruption on followers of anti-american shiite cleric muqtada al-sadr . al-saghir is the most senior representative in baghdad of grand ayatollah ali al-sistani , arguably the most influential shiite cleric in iraq . as a member of iraq 's parliament , al-saghir represents the islamic supreme council of iraq , part of the ruling united iraqi alliance . his political group dominates the iraqi security forces and has been fighting members of a rival shiite group , al-sadr 's mehdi army militia . he said the supreme council , part of the ruling united iraqi alliance , once had an armed group called the badr brigade that is now a renamed non-military organization . he repeated prime minister nuri al-maliki 's call for all armed groups not affiliated with the government to disband . `` we said from the beginning , and since 2003 , the necessity of laying down the weapons by all , and the weapons should be in the hand of the state , '' al-saghir said . he praised iraqi security forces ' efforts in basra , the southern shiite city where al-maliki launched an offensive in march . the cleric said al-maliki freed the region of gangs . `` we can say that the iraqi security forces have made a great change in terms of establishing the security and imposing the law , '' al-saghir said , adding that effective security must be imposed to ensure the fairness of this autumn 's provincial elections . `` the elections will be tomorrow , '' he said , meaning soon . `` how can we respect ourselves as politicians , political parties and officials within the government ? how can we respect ourselves by saying we conduct honest elections while there are gangs controlling areas or provinces ? '' meanwhile , sadrist cleric suhail al-iqabi delivered a fiery sermon in the eastern part of baghdad as hundreds of sadr city residents sat on the street performing friday prayers . al-iqabi said an `` act of genocide '' is taking place in the town . | <t> rocket attacks kill 3 u.s. troops , wound 31 . </t> <t> prime minister to ban sadrists from politics if mehdi army not disbanded . </t> <t> one arrested in kidnapping of a busload of college students , police say . </t> <t> interior ministry official says militia fighting u.s. troops in sadr city . </t> | iraqi pm issues al-sadr ultimatum amid baghdad violence<T> |
milan , italy -- european super cup winners milan were brought back down to earth at the san siro on monday , as fiorentina held them to a 1-1 draw in serie a. kaka -lrb- right -rrb- wheels away in celebration after scoring his penalty against fiorentina . fiorentina striker adrian mutu earned the visitors a point with a 56th-minute header after milan playmaker kaka had scored from the penalty spot in the 27th minute .<doc-sep>milan , who beat genoa 3-0 in their opening league game , join fiorentina as one of seven teams with four points in the league table . mutu scored against the run of play from mario alberto santana 's cross . earlier , fiorentina defender dario dainelli had conceded a penalty when he tripped massimo ambrosini in the area .<doc-sep>filippo inzaghi wasted a golden chance to win the match in the 71st minute when kaka slid the ball across the front of fiorentina 's goal . however , the italy forward somehow managed to miss the ball and an open net . fiorentina could have won it late on but midfielder zdravko kuzmanovic hit the post .<doc-sep>`` i am always angry when we do n't get the maximum points , but in this case we did everything we possibly could , '' said milan coach carlo ancelotti . `` we tried to win and ran quite a few risks , but so soon after our last game it was understandable we had some difficulties . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>mutu celebrates scoring in serie a for fiorentina with his teammate franco semioli . chelsea signed adrian mutu from parma for # 15.8 m before they eventually released the romanian . mutu is romania 's joint top international goal-scorer after netting 35 times in 77 internationals , the same goal tally as the great gheorghe hagi .<doc-sep>the naples side are now eight points off the top and just two points ahead of fourth placed lazio , who saw off palermo 2-0 thanks to an early double from giuseppe sculli . ever-improving udinese are just a point behind lazio in fifth place after a 1-0 win over bottom side bari courtesy of antonio di natale 's second-half penalty , his 22nd goal of the season . in other matches , adrian mutu scored twice to help fiorentina to a comfortable 3-0 win over catania , while an injury time goal from gaston ramirez helped bologna to a 2-2 draw against cagliari .<doc-sep>adrian mutu is set to join the indian premier league after featuring for the romanian national team . co-owned by bollywood actor salman khan , pune , who also have a technical partnership with mutu 's former club fiorentina , have confirmed their ongoing negotiation with the romanian player . mutu , who has played for a host of italian clubs including inter milan and juventus , returned to his homeland in the january transfer window after agreeing to leave french ligue 1 club ajaccio for petrolul .<doc-sep>francesco tavano gave the home side the lead midway through the first period and veteran forward cristiano lucarelli doubled their advantage 17 minutes into the second half . blerim dzemaili pulled one back for parma six minutes later but livorno held on as francesco guidolin 's side ran out of steam . substitute jose castillo struck the winning goal for fiorentina as the viola came from behind against bari to prevail 2-1 and climb to sixth in serie a. castillo struck the winner in the 74th minute but he was shown a red card 10 minutes from time , with bari 's sergio almiron already dismissed for two bookings . fiorentina striker adrian mutu had earlier cancelled out paulo barreto 's 25th minute opener . genoa jumped above city rivals sampdoria in the table thanks to a routine 2-0 win over 10-man catania at the stadio luigi ferraris . | <t> super cup winners ac milan are held to a 1-1 home draw by fiorentina . </t> <t> brazilian kaka gave milan the lead with a penalty after a foul on ambrosini . </t> <t> adrian mutu equalised for fiorentina with a header from santana 's cross . </t> | mutu goal earns fiorentina a point<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- two hours before his scheduled execution thursday , the georgia board of pardons and paroles commuted the death sentence of samuel david crowe , his lawyer said . samuel david crowe 's death sentence was changed to life in prison by georgia authorities , his attorney says . crowe was convicted in 1988 of murdering joseph v. pala , the retail manager at wicks lumber company in douglas county . crowe admitted to the crime . the board 's ruling means crowe 's sentence will be changed to life without the possibility of parole . the board did not give a reason for its decision . when attorney ann fort called crowe with the news , he was quiet . `` he was really shocked and relieved but very somber about it . he takes very seriously the deep harm that he caused when he committed this crime , '' she said . crowe had a cocaine habit that his attorney says he kicked in prison . he spent his time behind bars counseling other inmates , teaching some of them to read and writing to people outside of prison who had drug habits . `` he did n't want them to go down the path he did , '' fort said . as for the pala family , they are devastated . the atlanta journal-constitution reported that pala 's widow , fran pala , and his daughter , lisa pala-hansen , were too upset to address the parole board . a representative spoke to the board on their behalf , the newspaper said . crowe had been scheduled to be executed by injection at 7 p.m. et thursday at georgia diagnostic and classification prison in jackson , 45 minutes south of atlanta .<doc-sep>he would have been the 19th inmate in georgia executed by injection . william earl lynd was executed by injection the first week in may . he was the first inmate to die in the state since september , when the u.s. supreme court agreed to consider whether the three-drug combination represented cruel and unusual punishment . lynd was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend in 1988 . the u.s. supreme court had effectively halted all executions in the country last september , when it agreed to consider whether the three-drug combination used by most states violated the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment . 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 . their claims are supported by medical studies . of the 24 death sentences the georgia board has considered , crowe 's is the third it has commuted . also this week , mississippi executed murderer earl wesley berry by lethal injection . berry confessed to abducting mary bounds in 1987 , beating her to death and then dumping her body in a rural road . the courts rejected berry 's attorneys ' arguments that he should be spared because he was mentally retarded . cnn 's ashley fantz contributed to this report .<doc-sep>` georgia should not violate its own prohibition against executing individuals with serious diminished capacity , ' president carter said in a statement . clemency : members of the georgia board of pardons and paroles prepare to hear a clemency hearing for hill last july - which they turned down . a fierce legal battle raged over the death penalty sentence of hill in february . despite originally testifying for the state , three doctors who claimed that hill was not mentally disabled dramtically changed their minds . hill 's lawyers have continually argued that their client has had mental issues for the duration of his incarceration , and are doing everything in their power to spare his life . authorities said that hill , who was already serving a life sentence for the murder of his girlfriend , maya wright four years earlier , attacked handspike again and again with a nail embedded in a piece of plank . handspike died of his injuries . however , the handspike family has publicly declared that they do not agree with hill 's execution . hill 's lethal injection would have gone directly against the 2002 case , atkins v. virginia , which ruled that daryl atkins was ` mentally retarded ' and was not of sound mind , and therefore could not be sentenced to death . dr thomas sachy wrote in a february affidavit : ` having reviewed my earlier evaluation results and the far more extensive materials from the record of this case , i believe that my judgement that mr hill did not meet the criteria for mild mental retardation was in error . ' watchful : a corrections officer stands guard with a shotgun on the main road into the georgia diagnostic prison in jackson , georgia last july after a 30-day stay of execution was announced for condemned murderer hill . the other doctors concede and claimed their evaluations of hill in 2000 were ` rush jobs , ' according to the atlanta journal-constitution . the state said that hill 's lawyers failed to prove ` beyond a reasonable doubt ' that the man is mentally disabled . outrage : troy davis was the last georgia inmate to be executed in the state ; his 2011 death was highly controversial . lauren kane , a spokesperson for the state attorney general 's office , declined comment , at the time . hill was originally scheduled to be executed in june , but the supreme court allowed him a stay of execution while his attorneys pursued a challenge based on the state 's changing of execution method . hill is among three georgia inmates on death row fighting for a court order that would prevent the state from using a drug to execute them without a doctor 's prescription first . hill , along with andrew allen cook and marcus wellons , argue that the georgia department of corrections ' use of the drug without a doctor 's prescription violates the federal controlled substances act . even if the court finds him mentally disabled , hill would still spend the rest of his life in prison , the journal-constitution says . the case has stirred a national outcry of those believing hill to be mentally unwell . if he is executed , it will be the first carried-out execution in the state since the 2011 death of troy davis . at the time , davis ' conviction and condemnation drew fury , as many believed that davis was the victim of mistaken identity in the murder of burger king guard mark macphail in 1989 . prosecutors and macphail 's family said they were certain davis was guilty and that justice was served . prison officials also provided an audio recording and transcript of his last words , which he used to again proclaim his innocence and urge his supporters to `` continue to fight this fight . '' davis was notified of the execution date on sept. 7 , and a day later he was asked to make a last meal request . he scrawled a response in big letters : `` none . will be fasting ! '' according to figures collected by amnesty international , the u.s. was the only country within the g8 to carry out executions in 2011 .<doc-sep>atlanta -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- autopsy results released friday revealed that ryan brunn , the georgia man who this week admitted murdering a 7-year-old girl , committed suicide by hanging himself in a prison cell , a state agency said . the georgia bureau of investigation , in a news release , said the autopsy indicated that brunn died of `` ligature hanging and the manner of death -lrb- was -rrb- suicide . '' the 20-year-old hung himself with his sweatshirt , investigators determined . a medical examiner did n't find any `` other significant trauma on brunn 's body . '' `` the ongoing investigation by agents ... has not uncovered any evidence to indicate brunn 's death was anything other than a suicide , '' the state investigative bureau said . georgia department of corrections spokeswoman kristen stancil had said that brunn was found unresponsive at 4:15 p.m. thursday in his cell at georgia diagnostic and classification prison in jackson , and was pronounced dead at a hospital at 5:37 p.m. . in a cherokee county courthouse on tuesday , brunn pleaded guilty to a charge of murder in the death of young jorelys rivera in canton , about 40 miles north of atlanta . he was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole , avoiding a potential death sentence by lethal injection . a maintenance worker at the same apartment complex where the girl lived , brunn said in court that he devised a plan to lure jorelys -- whom he said he 'd never talked to before -- after he found one of her skates .<doc-sep>owen was sentenced to life in prison , instead of facing the death penalty , after he testified against gissendaner . in the state of georgia , the last time a woman was executed occurred in 1945 . lena baker was electrocuted in march of that year after she was convicted of murder for shooting her boss . in 2005 , the state pardoned her after agreeing with her family that she acted in self defense . under georgia law , only three offenses are punishable by death - murder , rape and kidnapping . gissendaner , who is incarcerated at arrendale state prison -lrb- above -rrb- , is the only woman of 84 inmates facing the death sentence in the state , according to figures from georgia 's department of corrections last year . she is set to be the 14th woman executed in georgia since 1735 .<doc-sep>atlanta -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ryan brunn , the man who this week was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering a georgia girl , apparently killed himself in his prison cell thursday , a corrections spokeswoman said . georgia department of corrections spokeswoman kristen stancil said that brunn was found unresponsive at 4:15 p.m. in his cell at georgia diagnostic and classification prison in jackson . brunn was pronounced dead at a hospital at 5:37 p.m. due to an apparent suicide , she said . the case since has been referred to the georgia bureau of investigation , according to stancil . brunn had entered a guilty plea tuesday at a hearing in a cherokee county courthouse , during which he described in detail how he enticed , molested and killed 7-year-old jorelys rivera . he was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole , avoiding a potential death sentence by lethal injection . the girl 's father , ricardo galarza , told cnn en espanol that news of brunn 's death partly made him `` feel good but , on the other hand , it does n't because my daughter will never be with me again . '' galarza said that he felt that a lifetime of brunn being watched after , `` eating three times a day -lrb- and -rrb- sleeping with air conditioning '' while in prison was not enough . `` what i wanted was for them to put him in the electric chair and burn him , '' the father said . `` i would have taken him there myself and prepared it , so he would burn . '' jorelys ' mangled body was found in a trash compactor three days after she went missing on december 2 from an apartment complex in canton , about 40 miles north of atlanta . according to the indictment , jorelys was severely beaten and stabbed repeatedly in the face , neck and chest . | <t> new : attorney says inmate was shocked , relieved , somber . </t> <t> new : victim 's family too devastated to address parole board . </t> <t> samuel david crowe 's death sentence was changed to life in prison thursday . </t> <t> crowe admitted killing a store clerk in 1988 in georgia . </t> | georgia man 's death sentence changed to life in prison<T> |
miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama told florida 's cuban-american community friday that his cuba policy would be based on `` libertad '' and freedom for the island nation 's people . sen. barack obama speaks at a cuban independence day event in miami , florida , on friday . `` my policy toward cuba will be guided by one word : ` libertad , ' '' he said , using the spanish word for liberty at an event celebrating cuban independence day in miami , florida . `` the road to freedom for all cubans must begin with justice for cuba 's political prisoners , the right of free speech , a free press , freedom of assembly , and it must lead to elections that are free and fair , '' obama said . `` that is my commitment . `` i wo n't stand for this injustice ; you will not stand for this injustice , and together we will stand up for freedom in cuba . that will be my commitment as president of the united states of america , '' he said . watch obama call for freedom in cuba '' obama also said the policy for cuba and the rest of latin america would be guided by `` the simple principle that what 's good for the people of the americas is good for the united states . ''<doc-sep>`` after eight years of the failed policies of the past , we need new leadership for the future , '' he said . `` after decades of pressing for top-down reform , we need an agenda that advances democracy , security and opportunity from the bottom up . '' obama called for looser restrictions on travel to cuba so cuban-americans can visit family members relatives as well as allowing larger money transfers to the island , two positions that are popular within the cuban-american community . obama , however , may lose votes among cuban-americans if they think he is willing to talk with raúl castro , the president of cuba who recently took over leadership of the island nation from his brother , fidel castro . speaking in miami on tuesday , sen. john mccain , the presumptive republican presidential nominee , blasted obama for changing his positions on normalization with cuba and for wanting to `` sit down unconditionally for a presidential meeting with raúl castro . '' `` these steps would send the worst possible signal to cuba 's dictators : there is no need to undertake fundamental reforms ; they can simply wait for a unilateral change in u.s. policy , '' mccain said . `` i believe we should give hope to the cuban people , not to the castro regime . watch mccain blast obama 's position on cuba '' `` my administration will press the cuban regime to release all political prisoners unconditionally , to legalize all political parties , labor unions and free media , and to schedule internationally monitored elections . the embargo must stay in place until these basic elements of democratic society are met , '' mccain said .<doc-sep>but obama said mccain had misrepresented his position . `` john mccain 's been going around the country talking about how much i want to meet with raúl castro , as if i 'm looking for a social gathering ; i 'm going to invite him over and have some tea . that 's not what i said , -lsb- and -rsb- john mccain knows it , '' he said . obama also faulted mccain for pursuing what he called the failed cuba polices of president bush . `` now , i know what the easy thing is to do for american politicians . every four years , they come down to miami , they talk tough , they go back to washington , and nothing changes in cuba . that 's what john mccain did the other day , '' obama said . `` he joined the parade of politicians who make the same empty promises year after year , decade after decade . `` instead of offering a strategy for change , he chose to distort my position and embrace george bush 's and continue a policy that 's done nothing to advance freedom for the cuban people . that 's the political posture that john mccain has chosen , and all it shows is that you ca n't take his so-called straight talk seriously . '' republicans have been able to count on the support of southern florida 's cuban american community by maintaining a no-compromise stance against cuba 's communist regime .<doc-sep>and with a 70 percent turnout rate , cuban-americans have been a powerful force in florida and thus , because of florida 's role as a swing state , national politics . watch how obama is wooing cuban americans '' younger cuban-americans , however , are beginning to question their community 's alliance with the gop . `` in reality , all they give to cuban-americans is lip service , and i think cuban-americans of my generation , cuban-americans of previous generations , are tired of the lip service , '' said giancarlo sopo , who is backing obama . but despite democratic efforts to reach out to cuban americans , `` the reality is , there is no change , '' says rep. mario diaz-balart , a republican who has represented his south florida district for eight terms . obama , diaz-balart said , may even help republicans unite cuban-americans behind the gop banner once again . `` this community is steadfast . it 's solid . it understands the value of freedom , '' diaz-balart said .<doc-sep>clinton has done well among hispanic voters in this year 's primaries , and she is expected to have similar success in puerto rico . on thursday , clinton sent daughter chelsea to campaign in puerto rico , a sign that she is refusing to give up the race despite the delegate math in favor of her rival . according to cnn 's latest estimate , obama leads clinton in total delegates , 1,969 to 1,779 . however , obama does not have enough delegates to secure the nomination outright . he has 1,962 delegates , including superdelegates , short of the 2,026 needed to secure the nomination , according to cnn estimates . obama was in florida on friday courting the cuban vote , a bloc that has tended to vote republican in past elections . with a 70 percent turnout rate , cuban-americans have been a powerful force in florida and thus , because of florida 's role as a swing state , national politics . he told florida 's cuban-american community friday that his cuba policy would be based on liberty and freedom for the island nation 's people . watch more of obama 's comments '' `` my policy toward cuba will be guided by one word : ` libertad , ' '' he said , using the spanish word for liberty at an event celebrating cuban independence day in miami , florida . cnn 's ed hornick , chris welch , peter hamby and suzanne malveaux contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the $ 410 billion budget president obama signed wednesday will make it easier for u.s. residents to travel to cuba and to send money to family members on the island . it also could facilitate the sale of agricultural and pharmaceutical products to cuba . the residents of havana , cuba , often rely on bicycle taxis for transportation . three provisions attached to the omnibus spending bill loosened restrictions enacted by then-president george w. bush after he came to office in 2001 . analysts see the move as a way for the new obama administration to start thawing relations with cuba one month before the fifth summit of the americas brings together the u.s. president and 33 other leaders from the western hemisphere in trinidad and tobago . '' -lsb- cuba -rsb- is the issue of greatest symbolic importance , '' said peter hakim , president of the washington-based inter-american dialogue policy institute . `` it will be seen as a test of real u.s. readiness to change in the hemisphere . what he says about cuba will make headlines . '' hakim testified about latin american policy wednesday before the house foreign affairs committee . cuba and the united states have had a troubled relationship since fidel castro came to power in 1959 . the united states broke off diplomatic relations in 1961 and imposed a trade embargo in 1962 . bush tightened some of those restrictions in recent years , most notably limiting travel to the island to once every three years for a limit of 14 days . under the new provisions , relatives will be able to go once a year and stay for an unlimited time . in addition , the definition of relatives has been broadened to include uncles , aunts , nephews and nieces . the new measures also increase the amount of money visitors can spend .<doc-sep>rubio tore into kentucky sen. paul on thursday night over paul 's decision to come out in support of the president 's cuba policy shift . paul ` has no idea what he 's talking about , ' rubio accused . rubio has said he will use his position on the senate foreign relations committee to block the creation of a u.s. embassy in cuba and will oppose the lifting of the u.s. trade embargo on the country , which only congress can authorize . in an op-ed in the wall street journal , rubio called obama 's decision ' a victory for oppressive governments the world over and will have real , negative consequences for the american people . ' rubio argued that ` the opportunity for cuba to normalize relations with the u.s. has always been there , but the castro regime has never been interested in changing its ways . ` now , thanks to president obama 's concessions , the regime in cuba wo n't have to change , ' he asserted . he went on to say that the u.s. policy shift ` is based on the illusion -- in fact , on the lie -- that more commerce and access to money and goods will translate to political freedom for the cuban people . ` cuba already enjoys access to commerce , money and goods from other nations , and yet the cuban people are still not free .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the $ 410 billion budget president obama signed wednesday will make it easier for u.s. residents to travel to cuba and to send money to family members on the island . it also could facilitate the sale of agricultural and pharmaceutical products to cuba . the residents of havana , cuba , often rely on bicycle taxis for transportation . three provisions attached to the omnibus spending bill loosened restrictions enacted by then-president george w. bush after he came to office in 2001 . analysts see the move as a way for the new obama administration to start thawing relations with cuba one month before the fifth summit of the americas brings together the u.s. president and 33 other leaders from the western hemisphere in trinidad and tobago . '' -lsb- cuba -rsb- is the issue of greatest symbolic importance , '' said peter hakim , president of the washington-based inter-american dialogue policy institute . `` it will be seen as a test of real u.s. readiness to change in the hemisphere . what he says about cuba will make headlines . '' hakim testified about latin american policy wednesday before the house foreign affairs committee . cuba and the united states have had a troubled relationship since fidel castro came to power in 1959 . the united states broke off diplomatic relations in 1961 and imposed a trade embargo in 1962 . bush tightened some of those restrictions in recent years , most notably limiting travel to the island to once every three years for a limit of 14 days . under the new provisions , relatives will be able to go once a year and stay for an unlimited time . in addition , the definition of relatives has been broadened to include uncles , aunts , nephews and nieces . the new measures also increase the amount of money visitors can spend . otto reich , who served presidents reagan and both bushes in a number of high-level latin american posts , also testified wednesday before the house foreign affairs committee . reich and hakim have different perspectives on how far obama should go on improving relations with cuba , but they agree that attaching the latest measures to the spending bill was the wrong way to do it . `` it 's important to open up cuba , but it should be done systematically , '' hakim told cnn . `` this is very important for the cuban american community . it ought to be done with them at the table . if they 're not involved , they 're going to push back . '' | <t> new : sen. obama says cuba policy will be based on liberty for cuban people . </t> <t> new : democratic front-runner accuses sen. mccain of distorting position . </t> <t> obama calls for looser restrictions on travel , fund transfers to cuba . </t> <t> mccain argues for continuation of hard line policy against communist regime . </t> | obama : cuba policy to be based on ` libertad '<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- air crash investigators are trying to work out why a boeing 777 landed short of the runway at london heathrow airport , skidding on grass and ripping apart sections of the aircraft . i-reporter alex quinonez took this image of a casualty being taken by medics from heathrow airport . an investigator who has been briefed on the incident told cnn the plane 's captain `` is claiming there was n't power when he needed it . '' passenger paul venter told the uk press association : `` the wheels came out and went for touchdown , and the next moment we just dropped . i could n't tell you how far . '' london ambulance services said 17 people suffered minor injuries , and the number could increase as several others are still being assessed . images showed the boeing 777 -- ba flight 38 from beijing , china -- grounded on tarmac after touching down several hundred meters short of the airport 's south runway , close to a perimeter road , with its emergency chutes deployed and white fire-fighting foam covering the engines . the undercarriage , left wing and left engine of the aircraft were severely damaged , as if it had skidded across the ground . at least one of the plane 's wheels had been torn off . the most visible damage was to the left wing , which was covered in mangled metal where it meets the fuselage . tire tracks hundreds of meters long could be seen in the grass behind the plane , which was surrounded by fire engines and other emergency vehicles . eyewitness neil jones said the plane had made a `` very , very unusual approach '' to the airport and sounded louder than usual , pa reported . `` you could see the pilot was desperate , trying to get the plane down . the aircraft hit the grass and there was a lot of dirt . the pilot was struggling to keep the plane straight . i think he did a great job . '' read passenger and eyewitness accounts of the crash landing . the bbc said an unidentified heathrow worker told the broadcaster that he had spoken to the pilot . the pilot said , according to the worker , that the plane 's electronics had failed and that he was forced to glide it to the ground . the uk air accident investigation branch will lead the inquiry into the crash landing . a team from the u.s. national transportation safety board is also heading to london , accompanied by representatives from boeing and the federal aviation adminsitration . jerome ensinck , a passenger aboard the flight , said there had been no indication that the plane was making an emergency landing . `` there was no indication that we were going to have a bad landing , '' he said . `` when we hit the ground it was extremely rough , but i 've had rough landings before and i thought ` this is the roughest i 've had . ' `` then the emergency exits were opened and we were all told we should go through as quickly as possible , and the moment i was away from the plane i started to realize that the undercarriage was away , and we had missed the runway . `` i feel lucky at the moment , but i think now i realize i 've had a close call . if we had hit the runway , it would have been worse . '' in a statement , british airways said all 136 passengers and 16 crew members had been evacuated from the plane with six minor injuries taken to hospital . ba chief executive willie walsh praised the actions of the crew . `` we are very proud of the way our crew safely evacuated all 136 passengers on board , '' walsh said in a statement . `` the captain of the aircraft is one of our most experienced and has been flying with us for nearly 20 years , '' he added . walsh also said that an investigation was being conducted by the air accidents investigation branch and that it would be inappropriate to speculate about likely causes . airport authorities said heathrow 's southern runway had been closed , but the northern runway remained open . but the incident immediately led to major delays for passengers . some incoming flights were being diverted to other airports on a flight-by-flight basis , according to heathrow 's web site . a spokesman for london 's metropolitan police said there was nothing to suggest the incident was terror-related . the boeing 777 is the mainstay of many airlines ' long-haul fleets and has never been involved in a fatal accident . however , the aircraft involved in thursday 's incident appeared to have had a fortunate escape , having approached heathrow over heavily-populated west london suburbs before its crash landing . cnn 's richard quest , who covers the airline industry , said it appeared the damage happened after the plane touched down . the incident occurred at 12:42 p.m. -lrb- 7:42 a.m. et -rrb- as british prime minister gordon brown was due to leave heathrow for a visit to china and india . his flight was delayed but his jet was not directly involved , pa said . • british airways has set up helpline numbers for friends and relatives concerned for passengers involved in the incident : . from within uk : 0800 389 4193 . from outside uk : +44 191 211 3690 e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>today 's crash of an asiana airline boeing 777 at san francisco airport has striking similarities with the crash of a british airways 777 five-and-a-half years ago . in both instances , the aircraft came down before the threshold of the runway after coming to the end of a long haul flight . the hull of both planes also remained largely intact with the majority of the passengers walking away unhurt , shaken with just a few cuts and bruises . crash no. 1 : the crash of a british airways boeing 777 on landing in london heathrow was caused by ice crystals forming in the fuel and cutting power to the engines . crash no. 2 : the plane slammed into the tarmac before the runway touchdown zone . the engines and the tail fin broke away from the main wreckage . this is the third hull loss for a boeing 777 , introduced in 1994 . british airways flight 038 from beijing lost power as it approached the london heathrow airport on january 17 2008 . eighteen of those on board needed treatment for minor injuries . many were hurt as they came out of the plane on its emergency slides .<doc-sep>a major computer crash caused chaos at heathrow last night - disabling the airport 's baggage system and leaving planes unable to park at their respective gates to unload . hundreds of passengers sat stranded on the tarmac for hours with departing flights also being prevented from leaving the london airport . a heathrow spokesman acknowledged the it glitch but insisted it did not lead to any delays and that pilots had misinformed any passengers who thought otherwise . the systems failure also led to angry scenes inside terminals - and astonishingly many ba flights took off without passengers ' luggage to relieve pressure on the airport . scroll down for video . a major computer crash has disabled the baggage system at heathrow airport leaving thousands of passenger stranded on the airport 's runways -lrb- file picture -rrb- . one passenger , karen theedom , wrote on twitter : ` we are going , minus baggage ! it will be fine , i have a sense of humour . i hear nyc is pretty good for shopping ! ' another particularly unlucky passenger arrived in hong kong , having missed his connection flight to taipei , only to discover his luggage was still in london . despite claiming their system ` was back up and running ' at 9pm , many passengers tweeted their dismay at still sitting aboard stationary planes as late as 1am . sally silver tweeted : ` an hour and a half on the plane at #heathrow and counting ! why do they let us on when they know we are n't going anywhere . ` and there is no guarantee our luggage will be there when we do eventually get there !! @egyptair @heathrowairport #heathrow . ' earlier , a pilot on one stranded plane told passengers that electronic boards informing him what gate to park at were not working . british airways was hit hardest with 23 of its jets being delayed - with six long-haul virgin flights also late to leave . hundreds of others passengers took to twitter to express their anger at the situation . andrea cecile cohen wrote : ` stuck on the plane new york bound , but not going anywhere . computer crash to do with luggage . . great could be hours . . all #heathrow affected . ' another passenger claimed that people were becoming increasingly annoyed as little information was being given to them .<doc-sep>there were no fatalities but 47 people sustained injuries ; one serious . intact : an asiana airlines boeing 777 is seen on the runway at san francisco international airport after crash landing . no casualties : in 2008 the ba plane on a flight from china crash-landed short of the runway at london 's heathrow airport . all the passengers escaped with just a few injuries . everyone survived in london : fire engines smothered the boeing 777 in foam after it landed with its wings extensively damaged and its undercarriage wrecked . the 150-tonne aircraft was the first boeing 777-200er to be written off in the model 's history . the boeing 777 's engines did not produce the necessary thrust to reach the front of the runway as it came into land . the plane struck the ground and came to a halt a few hundred yards later . after a year-long investigation into the causes of the crash , it was found that both engines were still running when the boeing 777 came down perilously short of the runway but on far less power than had been demanded by the pilot .<doc-sep>the victims ' identities have not been released . according to the kansas city star , the plane looked like it was turning back shortly after taking off . ` it turned like it was going back for a landing , ' navarrio smith , who had been watching planes and witnessed the crash , told the kansas city star . smith said he saw the plane 's wheels but heard its engines go quiet . it then crossed the missouri river , headed for the runway . ` it just dropped . there was no smoke , no boom , no fire . ' garrett says the cause of the crash is under investigation by the national transportation safety board . | <t> beijing to london jet lands short of runway at heathrow airport . </t> <t> new : investigator says pilot talked of not having power . </t> <t> passenger : we just dropped . i could n't tell you how far . </t> <t> 136 passengers evacuated from plane ; 17 minor injuries reported . </t> | heathrow crash plane ` just dropped '<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- every day , five u.s. soldiers try to kill themselves . before the iraq war began , that figure was less than one suicide attempt a day . a u.s. soldier patrols the streets of baghdad in january . the dramatic increase is revealed in new u.s. army figures , which show 2,100 soldiers tried to commit suicide in 2007 . `` suicide attempts are rising and have risen over the last five years , '' said col. elspeth cameron-ritchie , an army psychiatrist . concern over the rate of suicide attempts prompted sen. jim webb , d-virginia , to introduce legislation thursday to improve the military 's suicide-prevention programs . `` our troops and their families are under unprecedented levels of stress due to the pace and frequency of more than five years of deployments , '' webb said in a written statement . watch cnn senior pentagon correspondent jamie mcintyre on the reasons for the increase in suicides '' sen. patty murray , d-washington , took to the senate floor thursday , urging more help for military members , especially for those returning from war .<doc-sep>`` our brave service members who face deployment after deployment without the rest , recovery and treatment they need are at the breaking point , '' murray said . she said congress has given `` hundreds of millions of dollars '' to the military to improve its ability to provide mental health treatment , but said it will take more than money to resolve the problem . `` it takes leadership and it takes a change in the culture of war , '' she said . she said some soldiers had reported receiving nothing more than an 800 number to call for help . `` many soldiers need a real person to talk to , '' she said . `` and they need psychiatrists and they need psychologists . '' according to army statistics , the incidence of u.s. army soldiers attempting suicide or inflicting injuries on themselves has skyrocketed in the nearly five years since the start of the iraq war . last year 's 2,100 attempted suicides -- an average of more than 5 per day -- compares with about 350 suicide attempts in 2002 , the year before the war in iraq began , according to the army . the figures also show the number of suicides by active-duty troops in 2007 may reach an all-time high when the statistics are finalized in march , army officials said .<doc-sep>the army lists 89 soldier deaths in 2007 as suicides and is investigating 32 more as possible suicides . suicide rates already were up in 2006 with 102 deaths , compared with 87 in 2005 . cameron-ritchie , the army psychiatrist , said suicide attempts are usually related to problems with intimate relationships , but they are also related to problems with work , finances and the law . `` the really tough area here is stigma . we know that soldiers do n't want to go seek care . they 're tough , they 're strong , they do n't want to go see a behavioral health-care provider , '' cameron-ritchie said . multiple deployments and long deployments appear to exact a toll on relationships , thereby boosting the number of suicide attempts , she said . traditionally , the suicide rate among military members has been lower than age - and gender-matched civilians . but in recent years the rate has crept up from 12 per 100,000 among the military to 17.5 per 100,000 in 2006 , she said . that 's still less than the civilian figure of about 20 per 100,000 , she said . the `` typical '' soldier who commits suicide is a member of an infantry unit who uses a firearm to carry out the act , according to the army . post-traumatic stress disorder also may be a factor in suicide attempts , cameron-ritchie said , because it can result in broken relationships and often leads to drug and alcohol abuse .<doc-sep>`` the real central issue is relationships . relationships , relationships , relationships , '' said u.s. army chaplain lt. col. ran dolinger . `` people look at ptsd , they look at length of deployments ... but it 's that broken relationship that really makes the difference . '' to reduce suicides , the army said it is targeting soldiers who are or have been in iraq for long periods and teaching them to notice signs that can lead to suicide . that training came too late for army specialist tim bowman . the 23-year-old killed himself in 2005 after returning from iraq . `` as my family was preparing for a 2005 thanksgiving meal , our son timothy was lying on the floor , slowly bleeding to death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound , '' said his father , mike bowman , in testimony to a house veterans ' affairs committee hearing in december . `` his war was now over . '' he said veterans return home to find an `` understaffed , under-funded , under-equipped '' veterans affairs mental health system . `` many just give up trying , '' he said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an increase in the number of suicides among military personnel can be traced , in part , to a `` stressed and tired force '' made vulnerable by multiple deployments , a military leader said wednesday . long troop deployments in iraq , above , and afghanistan have been cited in the rise in military suicides . `` we must find ways to relieve some of this stress , '' said gen. peter w. chiarelli , vice chief of staff of the army , in testimony before the senate armed services military personnel subcommittee . `` i think it is the cumulative effect of deployments from 12 to 15 months , '' he said , adding that the longer deployments are scheduled to continue until june . he cited long deployments , lengthy separations from family and the perceived stigma associated with seeking help as factors contributing to the suicides . adm. patrick m. walsh , vice chief of naval operations , said suicides are the third leading cause of death in the navy . `` we must eliminate the perceived stigma , shame and dishonor of asking for help , '' he said . gen. james f. amos , assistant commandant of the marine corps , said his branch of the service has incorporated education and training about suicide prevention `` at all levels . ''<doc-sep>by . associated press . an estimated 161 us soldiers have committed suicide so far this year . suicides among active-duty military have increased somewhat so far this year compared with the same period last year , but pentagon officials say they are encouraged that more service members are seeking help through hotlines and other aid programs . pentagon documents show there were 161 confirmed or suspected suicides as of july 14 , compared with 154 during the same time frame in 2013 . the uptick was among the air force and navy , while soldiers and marine suicides went down . the documents were obtained by the associated press . tragic : pentagon documents show there were 161 confirmed or suspected suicides as of july 14 . while the 2014 numbers are likely to change over time as each death is investigated , the slight increase this year is a reversal in the sharp decline in active-duty suicides last year , compared with 2012 . according to the final report released tuesday , active-duty suicides dropped by nearly 19 percent in 2013 , compared with the previous year , going from 319 to 259 . suicides among national guard and reserve members increased by about 8 percent , going from 203 to 220 . the ap reported preliminary 2013 numbers in april . jacqueline garrick , director of the defense department 's suicide prevention office , said in an interview tuesday that while there is always a concern when officials see the number start to go up again , it 's still too early to tell because things could change . she also noted that while often military suicides spike in the summer months , this year the number has gone down in the last month or so .<doc-sep>more u.s. troops are committing suicide than are being killed in active service in afghanistan , shocking figures have revealed . even before not-yet-released data from october , the number of suicides among active and reserve army personnel this year has surpassed the number of combined military combat deaths from january to october 22 , according to cns news . a total of 247 u.s. army personnel are believed to have taken their own lives between january and september this year , army data shows . this compares to 222 deaths from ` hostile causes ' in afghanistan . shocking statistics : more u.s. troops are committing suicide than are being killed in active service in afghanistan -lrb- file photo -rrb- . the figures , collated by the brookings institution , show an extra 40 troops were killed by ` non-hostile causes ' while on deployments in the country . this means their deaths were not caused by the taliban , insurgency forces or afghan forces . the latest army statistics on troop suicides were released last friday and show 15 active duty soldiers are suspected of killing themselves last month alone . the same number of potential suicides was recorded in august . ` every suicide in our ranks is a tragic loss for the army family , adversely affecting the readiness of our army , ' lt. gen. howard b. bromberg , deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel , said in a department of defense release . ' i am asking soldiers , family members , department of the army civilians , neighbors , and friends to look out for each other and reach out and embrace those who may be struggling , ' he said . suicides : a total of 247 u.s. soldiers are suspected to have taken their own lives between january and september this year , army data shows . combat killings : the high number of suicides compares to 222 deaths from ` hostile causes ' in afghanistan between january and october 22 . ` recognize the warning signs such as substance abuse , relationship problems , and withdrawal from friends and activities and use available resources to help yourself or others . our actions can save lives . ' for the year up to september , 146 potential suicides were recorded among active-duty army personnel and an additional 101 possible suicides were recorded for troops not on active duty . marine corps commandment james amos .<doc-sep>reacting to the figures , joe ferns , samaritans executive director of policy , research and development , said : ` the excessive risk of suicide in men at mid-life continues to be a concern . ` the rate for this group has now reached its highest level for more than 30 years . ` these figures can not be ignored . ' the charity 's men and suicides report concludes that men from lower socio-economic backgrounds , living in deprived areas are around 10 times more likely to take their own lives than those living in affluent areas . mr ferns noted the suicide rate in men varies dramatically across geographic regions . in the north east rates were highest in 2013 , while london had the lowest suicide rate across the uk . he added : ` sadly , we know that suicide is an inequality affecting people in the most deprived areas from the most disadvantaged backgrounds . ` the all party parliamentary group on suicide prevention and self harm recently reported on how varied local suicide prevention activity can be . ` it found that around a third of local authorities do not collect information about suicide , do not have a suicide prevention action plan , or a multi-agency suicide prevention group . ` this is an issue which needs to be urgently addressed in the context of rising rates . ' marjorie wallace , chief executive of the mental health charity sane , said : ` it is really shocking that men who are or could be in their prime of life should feel driven to such a state of hopelessness and despair for the future that they are taking their own lives . ` our concern is the number of suicides which are preventable and the fact that when people with mental illness hit crisis point , there are no available beds or units and they are sent home from a&e and left to suffer in silence . ' a department of health spokeswoman said : ` losing a loved one to suicide is a tragedy and one life taken by suicide is one too many . ` our suicide prevention strategy is backed by # 1.5 million funding for research and we 've set a zero suicide ambition to tackle the assumption that some suicides are inevitable . ` we 're also introducing the first ever waiting time standards for mental health , backed by # 120 million investment . ` and we 're taking action to improve crisis support across the country , with new standards set out in the crisis care concordat and investment in liaison psychiatry . ' contact the samaritans on 08457 909090 or email [email protected] . the helpline is open 24 hours a day , 365 days a year . | <t> average of 5 soldiers per day tried to commit suicide in 2007 , army figures show . </t> <t> sen. jim webb introduces legislation to improve care for soldiers . </t> <t> army psychiatrist says soldiers must overcome stigma of treatment . </t> <t> psychiatrist : `` we know that soldiers do n't want to go seek care '' </t> | concern mounts over rising troop suicides<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe president robert mugabe has warned against outside influences in next month 's run-off election , likening one american diplomat to a `` prostitute '' and threatening to oust another from his country . robert mugabe tries to stir voters with a blistering speech criticizing the u.s. and britain . `` zimbabwe can not be british , it can not be american . yes , it is african , '' said mugabe , whose speech sunday was quoted monday in the herald , the state-run newspaper . `` you saw the joy that the british had , that the americans had , and saw them here through their representatives celebrating and acting as if we zimbabwe are either an extension of britain or ... america . you saw that little american girl -lsb- u. s. assistant secretary of state for african affairs jendayi frazer -rsb- trotting around the globe like a prostitute ... '' mugabe went on to say that u.s. ambassador to zimbabwe james mcgee would be expelled from the country if he `` persisted in meddling in zimbabwe 's electoral process , '' the newspaper reported . the fallout from zimbabwe 's stalled election has brought international criticism , with frazer taking the most emphatic stance . in april , frazer accused mugabe , who has ruled zimbabwe for nearly three decades , of `` trying to steal the election '' and `` intimidating the population and election officials as well . '' the first election was march 29 . an announcement of the winner of the presidential election was delayed for weeks as opposition leader morgan tsvangirai claimed he had won . the zimbabwe electoral commission , after a long delay , ruled that neither candidate had won the required majority of votes , and scheduled a runoff election for june 27 . since the march balloting , there have been numerous reports from tsvangirai 's party and church groups about kidnappings , torture and other violence , including the deaths of opposition party members . they say the violence targets opponents of mugabe and his zanu-pf party . at about the same time sunday that mugabe was giving his campaign speech , tsvangirai was speaking at a funeral . tsvangirai spoke harshly as he stood near the casket of a man he claimed was killed by mugabe 's supporters . watch tsvangirai address mourners '' `` this is a clear testimony of the callousness of this regime , '' said tsvangirai to a funeral procession of hundreds gathered outside the capital city of harare . `` they can kill us . they can maim us . but we are going on the 27th of june , our hearts dripping with blood , to vote him out of office . '' mugabe denies his supporters were responsible for election-related violence .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe president robert mugabe described the u.s. government and western nations as `` quite stupid and foolish '' tuesday for trying to be involved in the african country 's affairs . zimbabwe president robert mugabe has ignored international calls for him to step down . mugabe made the comments at the funeral for a former senior soldier , just days after a top u.s. diplomat said the united states no longer supports a power-sharing deal between mugabe and his political rival , morgan tsvangirai , that might pave the way for economic , health and other reforms . jendayi frazer , u.s. assistant secretary of state for african affairs , said sunday that the u.s. felt a viable unity government was not possible with mugabe in power . at the funeral , mugabe reacted : `` the inclusive government ... does not include mr. bush and his administration . it does not even know him . it has no relationship with him . watch u.s. say mugabe needs to go ''<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe president robert mugabe described the u.s. government and western nations as `` quite stupid and foolish '' tuesday for trying to be involved in the african country 's affairs . zimbabwe president robert mugabe has ignored international calls for him to step down . mugabe made the comments at the funeral for a former senior soldier , just days after a top u.s. diplomat said the united states no longer supports a power-sharing deal between mugabe and his political rival , morgan tsvangirai , that might pave the way for economic , health and other reforms . jendayi frazer , u.s. assistant secretary of state for african affairs , said sunday that the u.s. felt a viable unity government was not possible with mugabe in power . at the funeral , mugabe reacted : `` the inclusive government ... does not include mr. bush and his administration . it does not even know him . it has no relationship with him . watch u.s. say mugabe needs to go '' `` 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 . mugabe blames western sanctions for zimbabwe 's worst economic and humanitarian crisis since independence from great britain 28 years ago . the nation is facing acute shortages of fuel , electricity and medical drugs . the inflation rate -- the highest in the world -- is 231 million percent . mugabe , referring to bush 's call for him to leave office , said : `` we realize that these are -lsb- the -rsb- last kicks of a dying horse . we obviously -lsb- are -rsb- not going to pay attention to a sunset administration . zimbabwe 's fate lies in the fate of zimbabweans . they are the ones who make and unmake the leaders of the country . their decision alone is what we go by . '' bush leaves office january 20 . tsvangirai announced friday that his party will withdraw from efforts to form a unity government unless 42 kidnapped party members are released or brought to court to face formal charges by new year 's day .<doc-sep>pretoria , south africa -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the united states no longer supports a power-sharing deal between zimbabwe 's president robert mugabe and the country 's main opposition because a viable unity government is not possible with mugabe in power , a top u.s. diplomat said sunday . zimbabwe president robert mugabe , in a speech to supporters saturday , refused calls to step down . the statement from u.s. assistant secretary of state for african affairs jendayi frazer follows recent calls from president bush and other world leaders for mugabe to abandon power amid a growing cholera epidemic that the united nations says has killed more than 1,000 people in recent months . frazer visited southern africa to articulate the change in u.s. policy toward mugabe at the request of u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice . she made the comments sunday during a roundtable discussion with journalists in pretoria , south africa , before her expected return to the united states later in the day . she called for a new vote in zimbabwe . `` fresh elections are necessary but not possible under the current environment , '' frazer told reporters . zimbabwe has had no cabinet since the march presidential election , during which no candidate won enough votes to avoid a runoff , according to the government . after opposition leader morgan tsvangirai withdrew from a june runoff , saying mugabe 's supporters had waged a campaign of violence against opposition supporters , tsvangirai and mugabe reached a power-sharing agreement that has yet to be implemented . the political impasse has aggravated the country 's humanitarian and economic crisis , including a cholera outbreak that began in august . frazer said that during her trip , she consulted with the leaders of zimbabwe 's neighbors who are stuck between their concerns about mugabe 's grip on power and their support of the power-sharing agreement , which they still think is the best way to deal with the crisis without creating a backlash . frazer said she believes it could be weeks before african leaders put pressure on mugabe to step down , which she said could be achieved by simply telling him with one voice that he should go . she said the u.n. security council will deal with the issue of zimbabwe next month . this time , she said , south africa will not be able to block resolutions calling for more sanctions because south africa will no longer hold a seat on the council in 2009 . watch what options the international community has in zimbabwe . `` the south african government will be held responsible for what is happening in zimbabwe because they are the country with the most influence in zimbabwe than any other in the world , '' frazer said . the security council 's recent failure to impose sanctions on mugabe 's regime drew scoffs from the 84-year-old mugabe , who has accused britain -- zimbabwe 's former colonizer -- of trying to take over the country to get its resources . tsvangirai said friday that his party will withdraw from efforts to form a unity government unless 42 party members who have been kidnapped are either released or brought to court to face formal charges by new year 's day . mugabe 's zanu-pf party and the movement for democratic change , led by tsvangirai , have failed to implement the september 15 power-sharing deal because they can not agree on who should control key ministries . under the deal , brokered by former south african president thabo mbeki , mugabe would remain president while tsvangirai would become zimbabwe 's prime minister . there had been hope that a unity government would reverse mugabe 's policies , which are widely blamed for the country 's economic crisis . mugabe blames economic sanctions imposed by western nations for zimbabwe 's economic collapse . zimbabwe , once the breadbasket of africa , is now a net importer of food and facing acute shortages of most essentials such as fuel , electricity and medical drugs . its inflation rate -- the highest in the world -- is officially at 231 million percent . last week , zimbabwe 's central bank introduced a $ 10 billion note worth less than 20 u.s. dollars . mugabe has repeatedly refused calls from western leaders to step down , most recently telling his supporters late saturday that he would not follow the u.s. president to his `` political death . '' `` they now want to topple the mugabe government . mugabe must go because bush is going , '' he said in his address saturday to his party 's 10th annual conference outside zimbabwe 's capital , harare . `` zimbabweans will refuse that one of their sons must accompany bush to his political death , '' mugabe said . `` is it a ritual now that bush with his political death must be accompanied by some african from zimbabwe , and that african must be the leader himself , and that leader is mugabe ? '' mugabe did not mention the cholera epidemic , which his government has said is under control despite the united nations ' assessment that half the country 's population may be at risk . there are more than 20,000 suspected cases of the water-borne disease in zimbabwe , and the u.n. said it fears that number will triple by the time the rainy season ends in april . in addition to bush , the leaders of britain , france and several african countries have called on mugabe to abandon power and let a national unity government take over to help prevent the cholera epidemic from spilling across zimbabwe 's borders .<doc-sep>`` if there had been a police escort maybe what happened yesterday could have not have happened , '' biti said . '' -lrb- a -rrb- police escort would have warned oncoming vehicles of a vip arriving . i think authorities must understand the omission . `` we hope that this omission will be rectified , that the prime minister must be given the protection that ought to be accorded to a prime minister . '' biti said the mdc would launch its own investigation . analysts say the crash raises suspicions of foul play . one former u.s. diplomat called for an outside investigation , saying it was not the first time one of mugabe 's political foes had been killed or injured in a car crash . tsvangirai , zimbabwe 's main opposition leader , took office last month under a power-sharing deal with mugabe following a contentious election . the mdc reached the agreement with mugabe in september after months of angry dispute that included violence . more than 200 deaths , mainly opposition supporters , were reported leading up to and after the election . `` i 'm skeptical about any motor vehicle accident in zimbabwe involving an opposition figure , '' said tom mcdonald , the u.s. ambassador to zimbabwe from 1997 to 2001 . `` president mugabe has a history of strange car accidents when someone lo and behold dies -- it 's sort of his m.o. , of how they get rid of people they do n't like . '' watch more on the fatal crash '' mcdonald cited the car crash deaths of defense minister moven mahachi in 2001 , employment minister border gezi in 1999 and elliot manyika , a government minister and former regional governor , last year . `` so when i hear that tsvangirai was in an accident , it gives me pause , '' mcdonald said . now an attorney with the washington law firm baker hostetler , he urged a full independent investigation . however , he added that traffic accidents are common in zimbabwe . the highway tsvangirai was traveling on was only two lanes and tractor-trailers were common , mcdonald said . vehicles in the country were often in bad shape and drivers inexperienced . `` it 's certainly plausible that this was just one of those tragic things , '' he said . cnn 's nkepile mabuse contributed to this report . | <t> zimbabwe president robert mugabe likens u.s. diplomat to prostitute . </t> <t> mugabe warns u.s. and britain to keep out of zimbabwe . </t> <t> morgan tsvangirai attends funeral and accuses mugabe supporters of murder . </t> | mugabe labels u.s. diplomat a ` prostitute '<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a german woman held hostage in iraq since february has been freed , but her son was still being held , german foreign minister frank-walter steinmeier said wednesday . an image taken from a video issued in april shows hannelore marianne krause and her son sinan . the woman , hannelore marianne krause , was taken to germany 's embassy in baghdad after being taken captive with her adult son 155 days earlier . steinmeier said he was `` very relieved '' krause was released on tuesday , yet there still remains `` a great deal of uncertainty '' about her son , who `` remains in captivity . ''<doc-sep>`` rest assured we will do everything in our power to reach her son , sinan , '' the foreign minister said . in early march , iraqi militants holding krause and her son hostage demanded that germany withdraw its troops from afghanistan to ensure their safety . as part of nato 's afghanistan force , germany sent about 3,000 troops in the relatively peaceful northern part of the country . german troops also help train iraqi soldiers and police , but not in iraq . the arrows of righteousness group posted video clips on the internet , threatening to kill the two in 10 days if berlin did not comply . cnn could not independently confirm the authenticity of the video .<doc-sep>in it , the woman identified as krause urged german chancellor angela merkel to heed the demands . a passport with krause 's name was shown in the video . while sitting next to her son , krause tells merkel , `` these people want to kill my son in front of my eyes , and then they 'll kill me , if the german troops did not withdraw out of afghanistan . '' she and her son clutch each other and cry as they speak while three militants , two armed with large assault rifles , stand behind the pair . `` they are not joking , and they 'll kill us . i am very tired . please help me . take any decision or we will be killed . ''<doc-sep>reading a prepared statement , one of the militants says , `` we have warned you . otherwise you will not see their bodies . '' `` muslims are all one nation , and have one religion . it is not acceptable that germany leads the coalition troops in afghanistan , and attacks the secured villages and claim it is not fighting in iraq . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's diana magnay contributed to this report .<doc-sep>negotiators paid a $ 1.6 million ransom for the release of a german-american journalist who was kidnapped in somalia and held for two years and eight months , a commander of pirates who held him said wednesday . a german spokeswoman would not confirm that money was paid for the freedom of michael scott moore and u.s. policy prohibits paying ransoms . moore is ` doing well ' and receiving medical care , germany 's foreign ministry said . somali pirates on tuesday freed a german-american journalist and writer , michael scott moore , two and a half years after he was kidnapped in the war-torn horn of africa nation . moore is ` doing well ' and receiving medical care , germany 's foreign ministry said .<doc-sep>a british man was freed by ukrainian secret services after being kidnapped and tortured while seeking a potential ` bride ' through a dating agency in odessa , it was revealed today . the man , aged 58 , was abducted by a ` criminal gang ' , believed to be muslim , after arranging to meet a young woman . he has been named as martin john , but he could be john martin as ukrainians often give the surname first . scroll down for video . a british man was freed by ukrainian secret services after being kidnapped and tortured while seeking a potential ` bride ' through a dating agency in odessa -lrb- pictured -rrb- . the man , aged 58 , was abducted by a ` criminal gang ' , believed to be muslim , after arranging to meet a young woman . he was held in a cellar for three days while his relatives were contacted in britain and told he would be killed if they did not pay # 3,700 to save his life .<doc-sep>by . sam webb . this is the heart-warming moment spanish reporter javier espinosa is reunited with his son yerai after six months being held captive in syria by a rogue al qaeda group . as espinosa walked down the steps from the plane , his young son raced across the tarmac and threw his arms around his father in a bear hug . the el mundo newspaper reported earlier that the war correspondent made contact late saturday from turkey , where he and photographer ricardo garcia vilanova were under military protection . it was not clear whether the journalists had escaped or were released by the extremist islamic state in iraq and the levant , which abducted the pair at a checkpoint in northeastern syria on september 16 as they were trying to leave the country . spanish reporter javier espinosa , reacts as his son yerai runs towards him upon his arrival at the military airport of torrejon in madrid , spain . he was freed after being kidnapped for more than six months in syria by a rogue al qaeda group . home : photographer ricardo garcia vilanova -lrb- second from left -rrb- and war reporter javier espinosa -lrb- second from right -rrb- pose with espinosa 's wife -lrb- centre -rrb- and children and el mundo 's editor casimiro garcio abadillo -lrb- left -rrb- and former editor pedro j. ramirez -lrb- right -rrb- . syria ranks as the most dangerous country in the world for reporters . nearly 30 journalists have been killed there since the conflict began in march 2011 , while dozens more have been kidnapped by both rebels and pro-government forces .<doc-sep>free at last : journalist michael scott moore , 45 , a resident of germany , was freed by somali pirates tuesday after spending more than two years in captivity . a german-american journalist who was kidnapped in somalia more than two years ago was freed tuesday , according to a somali police official and a leader of the somali pirates who had held him . the journalist , identified by the german weekly der spiegel as 45-year-old michael scott moore , was immediately flown to kenya 's capital , nairobi , after being freed , somali police official mohamed hassan said by phone from the town of galkayo in north-central somalia . some of the pirates who held moore reached a deal with negotiators after a ransom was paid , said bile hussein , a pirate commander in the somali coastal town of hobyo . moore , who was moved from place to place as his captors tried to avoid detection , was most recently held near the central somali town of adado , hussein said , offering no more details . germany 's foreign ministry confirmed that a ` german citizen who also had u.s. citizenship and who was kidnapped in somalia was set free today ' but would n't give further details . der spiegel , for which moore had freelanced , reported on its website tuesday that moore was taken by plane to the somali capital , mogadishu . spiegel 's editor-in-chief wolfgang buechner said the magazine was grateful for the efforts of everyone who had helped bring about moore 's release . scroll down for video . kidnapped : moore , a freelance reporter for der spiegel , was picked up by somali outlaws in january 2012 while researching a book about piracy . deal reached : the 45-year-old regained his freedom after a ransom was reportedly paid out to his captors . ` we never gave up hope and we 're happy now with michael and his mother marlis that this nightmare is finally over , ' he said . afp reported via yahoo news that sources familiar with the matter revealed that moore appeared to be in good condition and ` thrilled to be free . ' the journalist and author will now undergo a medical check-up and psychological counseling . moore 's mother , marlis saunders , from redondo beach , california , expressed her relief and joy after learning of her son 's long-awaited liberation tuesday . ` we are just ecstatic that finally -- after over 2 1/2 years -- that he 's been released , ' saunders told the daily breeze . according to a nairobi-based environmental and human rights group , moore was kidnapped by somali pirates on the road to galkayo airport in january 2012 while researching a book on piracy on a grant from the pulitzer center on crisis reporting . plea : in this video released in may 2012 , moore appeared on camera at gunpoint asking for the governments of germany and the us to pay his captors the full ransom . prompted by one of the pirate speaking off camera in heavily accented english , moore complained that he was in poor health , that he was being starved , and that his life in captivity was terrible . over the past two and a half years , moore 's captors shared photos and videos of the hostage online as german and american officials negotiated for his release . in a video made public in may 2012 , moore appeared on camera at gunpoint asking for the governments of germany and the us to pay his captors the full ransom to stop them from selling him to the radical militant group al-shabaab . moore graduated from mira costa high school and made a name for himself as a surfing writer , publishing a book on the subject titled sweetness in blood . prior to his captivity , moore lived in berlin and worked as an editor-at-large of spiegel online , der spiegel 's english-language website . he also contributed articles to atlantic monthly , the los angeles times and salon . although piracy once was a scourge off the coast of somalia , it has dropped significantly as a result of armed guards aboard cargo ships and an international naval armada that carries out onshore raids . | <t> german foreign minister says woman was released after 155 days . </t> <t> germany will continue efforts to free her adult son , who remains in captivity . </t> <t> in video , militants had demanded that german troops leave afghanistan . </t> | german woman kidnapped in iraq freed , but son still held<T> |
santiago , chile -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nearly 100 former chilean soldiers and secret police will be prosecuted on charges they tried to cover up the disappearance and deaths of 119 people during the dictatorship of augusto pinochet , a judge ordered monday . former chilean president augusto pinochet , pictured in 2000 . the disappearances occurred between 1974 and 1975 , during what was known as `` operation colombo , '' which targeted pinochet 's opponents . chile 's military government published information outside the country to make it seem that the victims had died fighting guerrillas . chilean magistrate victor montiglio based his order on an investigation that says 60 victims were illegally arrested by the office of national intelligence -lrb- dina -rrb- and kept in detention centers before they disappeared . dina 's former director , retired gen. manuel contreras , has already been sentenced to 250 years in prison in other cases involving human rights violations . he found out about montiglio 's ruling in his prison cell . minister of justice carlos maldonado said the former soldiers will be taken to military compounds after they appear before montiglio on tuesday . the civilian suspects will be jailed in the santiago uno and punta peuco penal facilities , which are outside santiago , he said .<doc-sep>a u.s. backed-coup toppled democratically elected president salvador allende in 1973 , after which pinochet took power . in march 2008 , a court in chile sentenced 24 former police officers for their roles in kidnappings , torture and murders that happened just after the coup , chile 's judicial authority said . thousands of chileans were victims of the national crime wave . pinochet , whose reign lasted from 1973 to 1990 , was widely blamed for encouraging subordinates to kidnap , torture and kill people with suspected leftist ties , such as journalists and union members . years after he left power , courts indicted pinochet in two human rights cases , but judges threw out the charges on the grounds that he was too ill to stand trial . pinochet died in 2006 . cnn 's alberto pando contributed to this report .<doc-sep>santiago , chile -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- arrest warrants for more than 120 former soldiers and agents of chile 's national intelligence directorate were issued tuesday for alleged human rights violations during the dictatorship of augusto pinochet , cnn chile reported . nearly 2,300 people disappeared during the rule of augusto pinochet , 1973-1990 , say government reports . the scale of the order by judge victor montiglio makes this the largest human rights prosecution case in chile 's history . the pinochet dictatorship ruled from 1973-1990 , after which chile returned to civilian rule under a democratically elected government . government investigations conducted after pinochet left power say nearly 2,300 people disappeared during the dictatorship and another 30,000 were tortured .<doc-sep>last december , barrientos and another officer were charged in chile with murdering jara , while five other former military officers were named as accomplices . most were detained , but barrientos , who left chile in 1989 , has yet to face justice . history catching up : pedro barrientos nunez , a former lieutentant of the pinochet regime , has been served with a civil lawsuit over the poet 's deathpedro barrientos nunuz . the criminal case has yet to be tried in chile , but this civil suit claims that barrientos led the ` criminal enterprise ' . it makes seven civil claims , including torture , extrajudicial killing and crimes against humanity . the suit invokes two u.s. laws , the torture victim protection act and the alien tort statute , that give u.s. courts standing to judge allegations of rights violations committed in other countries . victor jara , whose songs tackled social and political issues , was swept up with thousands of other allende supporters as gen. augusto pinochet consolidated power in september 1973 . the lawsuit alleges that the folk singer was pulled from the crowd and was taken to a locker room inside the stadium where barrientos ordered soldiers under his command to torture him . according to the lawsuit : ` lieutenant barrientos put a pistol to the back of victor jara 's head and proceeded to '' play '' rounds of ` russian roulette . ` lieutenant barrientos loaded one bullet in the chamber of his pistol , spun the chamber and pulled the trigger , knowing that each shot could be lethal . ' finally , barrientos ` shot victor jara in the back of the head at point blank range , ' and then ` ordered five military conscripts under his command to repeatedly shoot victor jara 's corpse ' at least 40 times before dumping the body outside , the lawsuit says . on september 11 , 1973 , a u.s.-backed junta bombed the presidential palace in chile 's capital santiago to overthrow the socialist government of president salvador allende . allende refused to surrender and committed suicide in the palace after his armed forces turned against him . in the months that followed the coup d'état , leader of the army , general augusto pinochet assumed power and brought a reign of terror down upon his people . many fled to live in exile while those who remained that were considered allende sympathizers and left-leaning liberals were rounded up and detained . pinochet 's dictatorship killed 3,095 people and made 1,000 or so others . ` disappear ' during the 17-years that it held power over chile . the . government recently acknowledged 9,800 other victims , increasing the . list of those killed , tortured or imprisoned for political reasons to . 40,018 . to this day , the bodies of those who lost their lives to one of the darkest periods in chilean history are still being found . the suit does n't identify any witnesses , but attorney almudena bernabeu with the san francisco-based center for justice and accountability , which is assisting the jara family , told the associated press that barrientos ' responsibility was verified by two witnesses who corroborated information supplied by former conscript jose paredes , who himself was originally charged with jara 's murder . the singer 's widow joan jara and her . daughters amanda jara turner and manuela bunster , who were eight and 13 . years old when jara was killed , are seeking unspecified compensatory and . punitive damages .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- dick cheney , it has been said , fears that `` somebody will pinochet him . '' this extraordinary grammatical twist of the word pinochet can not be found in cheney 's recently published memoirs . it was used in several television interviews by col. lawrence wilkerson , the former chief of staff to colin powell , to suggest that george w. bush 's vice president dreads the possibility that he , like gen. augusto pinochet , chile 's late dictator , will be put on trial for crimes against humanity in a foreign land . in effect , ever since pinochet was arrested in london in 1998 and spent the next year and a half fighting extradition to spain to face charges of having ordered and condoned torture during his regime , ever since the british house of lords -lrb- equivalent to the u.s. supreme court -rrb- judged that it was valid to indict a head of state for human rights abuses in a country other than the one where those abuses had been committed , the specter of that decision and that fate has haunted rulers and former rulers everywhere . what terrifies cheney -lrb- and perhaps should terrify his boss , bush , as well -rrb- is that one morning he will be sipping his cafã © au lait in paris or strolling along the thames in london or examining picasso 's `` guernica '' in the museo reina sofia in madrid -lrb- would he recognize iraq in that painting ? -rrb- , only to be suddenly tapped on the shoulder and escorted to a nearby police station . politely , of course -- there would be no roughing him up , no extraordinary rendition , say , to north korea , certainly no waterboarding in guantã ¡ namo to get him to come clean , no one whispering in his ear , `` if you have nothing to hide , you have nothing to fear . '' and , after being booked , cheney would be brought before a magistrate to be informed that according to international law , he is indicted for authorizing torture -lrb- he has acknowledged direct involvement in approving its use on prisoners detained after 9/11 -rrb- , an activity that is condemned in a covenant that the united states ratified in 1994 . and then he will have the chance -- which none of his purported victims did -- of defending himself with attorneys and the possibility of cross-examining his accusers . it 's true that the former vice president can avoid all this unpleasantness by simply staying within the borders of his own land and never venturing abroad , except perhaps to bahrain or yemen , nations that have not ratified the u.n. convention against torture . what cheney can not avoid , however , is the universal shame and disgrace of being targeted and tainted by the word pinochet , an infamy that , unfortunately , also soils the country where cheney was born and which now gives him refuge and offers him impunity .<doc-sep>by . rebecca evans . published : . 09:18 est , 9 may 2013 . | . updated : . 18:18 est , 9 may 2013 . missing : michael woodward is presumed to have been murdered by pinochet men in 1973 . for 40 years , patricia bennetts has been seeking justice for her brother who was tortured to death by the chilean regime of general pinochet . former british public school pupil michael woodward , a roman catholic priest , was seized soon after the dictator seized power in 1973 . he was tortured and beaten for ten days and eventually died on the chilean navy ship esmeralda -- where many of the regime 's opponents were systematically brutalised . his body was never found . finally this week , two men were found guilty of kidnapping father woodward and the chilean government was ordered to pay compensation to his sister . chilean press reports state the government was ordered to pay # 35million to mrs bennetts , but she said it was only # 70,000 . | <t> chilean judge orders prosecution of 98 former pinochet soldiers , agents . </t> <t> order is related to investigation of 60 people who disappeared in 1970s . </t> <t> hundreds were killed or disappeared during augusto pinochet 's rule . </t> <t> suspects are expected to appear in court in chile on tuesday . </t> | former pinochet agents , soldiers ordered to trial<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a federal grand jury indicted a man arrested last week in connection with a mysterious case of exposure to the deadly biological agent ricin , prosecutors said . authorities found ricin , weapons and an anarchist manual in roger von bergendorff 's nevada hotel room . roger von bergendorff , 57 , was indicted on charges of possession of a biological toxin , possession of unregistered firearms and possession of firearms not identified by serial number , said natalie collins , a spokeswoman for the u.s. attorney 's office in las vegas , nevada . bergendorff was hospitalized for two months with suspected ricin poisoning , and was discharged before his arrest . his initial court appearance was last week , collins said , and he did not enter a plea . an arraignment is scheduled for may 2 . bergendorff was hospitalized in february complaining of breathing difficulties . two weeks later , thomas tholen , a cousin who went to bergendorff 's las vegas hotel room to recover his belongings , discovered what turned out to be ricin .<doc-sep>authorities also said a search of the room found four guns , the book `` anarchist 's cookbook , '' a collection of instructions on poisons and other dangerous recipes and castor beans , syringes and beakers . ricin is extracted from ground-up castor beans . tholen was charged earlier in april with failing to report the commission of a crime . a federal grand jury indicted him for allegedly concealing the knowledge that production and possession of a biological agent -- a felony -- was being committed . bergendorff previously lived in tholen 's home in riverton , utah , just south of salt lake city . after the ricin was discovered , the fbi searched that home as well as storage units bergendorff used in utah . authorities said fbi agents searching the storage units found castor beans , chemicals used in the production of ricin , a respirator , filters , laboratory glassware , syringes and a notebook on ricin production . if convicted as charged , bergendorff would face a sentence of up to 30 years in prison . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>if inhaled , injected or ingested , less than a pinpoint of ricin can kill a person within 36 to 48 hours because of the failure of the respiratory and circulatory systems . there is no known antidote for the toxin , which is derived from castor beans . it has been included in letters in the past few months sent to president barack obama and other officials . in april , letters were sent to obama ; sen. roger wicker , r-mississippi ; and sadie holland , a judge in lee county , mississippi . james everett dutschke of tupelo , mississippi , has been charged with possession and use of a biological agent in connection with the case . last week , fbi agents arrested matthew ryan buquet after a grand jury charged him with mailing threatening communication to a senior judge in the u.s. district court for the eastern district of washington state . the fbi said in a statement that tests -- conducted by that agency and the spokane regional health district -- showed that a suspicious substance found with the letter was `` active ricin toxin . '' there are no indications the cases are connected . man , 37 , arrested in probe of washington state ricin-laced letters . cnn 's deborah feyerick , jason kessler , lawrence crook iii , carol cratty and mary snow contributed to this report .<doc-sep>texas grand jury indicts sinaloa cartel leaders . sinaloa cartel members named kingpins . eight bodies found in northern state of chihuahua . cnnmexico.com contributed to this report .<doc-sep>bergendorff is scheduled for an initial court appearance at 3 p.m. wednesday . it is illegal under federal law to possess a biological agent and toxin unless it is used for bona fide research or other peaceful purpose , u.s. attorney gregory bower said in a written statement . bergendorff 's cousin , thomas tholen of riverton , utah , was indicted by a federal grand jury in salt lake city this month , accused of failing to report production and possession of ricin . ricin is a poison that can be made from the waste of castor bean processing , according to the centers for disease control and prevention . it can come in the form of a mist or pellet and can be dissolved in water or weak acid , the agency said . bergendorff was hospitalized february 14 in las vegas after he complained of difficulty breathing . he slipped into a coma and awoke march 14 . bergendorff , 57 , is an artist who neighbors said had lived in his cousin 's basement before moving to las vegas . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's kevin bohn , karan olson and carol cratty contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a 37-year-old man arrested wednesday in washington state as part of an investigation of ricin-laced letters threatened in one such letter to injure and kill a federal judge , a grand jury indictment alleges . fbi agents arrested matthew ryan buquet on wednesday afternoon , and he made his initial court appearance in spokane later in the day , the federal agency 's washington state office said in a news release . buquet remained in custody after the appearance , and he 'll stay behind bars at least until a bail hearing takes place next tuesday afternoon , fbi spokeswoman ayn dietrich said . a grand jury charged buquet with mailing threatening communication , claiming he `` knowingly and willfully '' mailed through the u.s. postal service a letter `` containing a threat to injure and kill judge -lrb- fred -rrb- van sickle , '' according to the indictment . van sickle is a senior judge in the u.s. district court for the eastern district of washington . in a subsequent news release , the fbi said tests -- conducted by that agency and the spokane regional health district -- showed that a suspicious substance found with the letter was `` active ricin toxin . '' `` our coordinated team acted swiftly to resolve a potentially dangerous situation , and continues working tirelessly around the clock to investigate the origin of the letters and to address any remaining , potential risks , '' said laura laughlin , the fbi 's special-agent-in-charge at the bureau 's seattle office . | <t> roger von bergendorff indicted on ricin possession charges . </t> <t> bergendorff had been hospitalized with suspected ricin poisoning . </t> <t> authorities found ricin , guns in bergendorff 's nevada hotel room . </t> <t> thomas tholen , bergendorff 's cousin , also faces charges . </t> | grand jury indicts man for ricin possession<T> |
mugello , italy -- italian valentino rossi 's resurgence continued on saturday , as the five-time motogp champion took pole position at his home race in mugello . rossi gives the thumbs up after taking his first pole position of the season at his home race in mugello . the 29-year-old has struggled since winning his last title in 2005 but is back at the head of the field this season on his fiat yamaha and has won the last two races . a lap of one minute 48.130 seconds was enough to see him take his first pole position of the season ahead of dani pedrosa in second and fellow-italian loris capirossi in third -- the 50th pole of his career and 40th in motogp . `` for sure we will try to keep this winning streak going . i was quite worried after practice because we had some problems but the team modified the bike and it is faster now , '' said rossi .<doc-sep>`` my last pole position was a long , long time ago -- i ca n't even remember when it was , so i am very happy . loris is behind me and with two italians on the front row the crowd will be very special here . '' rossi is three points ahead of repsol honda rider pedrosa and his team-mate jorge lorenzo going into sunday 's race with reigning champion casey stoner a further 28 points back on his marlboro ducati . rossi 's time bettered the previous record pole time by spaniard sete gibernau by more than 0.8 seconds , and that marker was posted two years ago on a more powerful bike . in fact , the top seven finishers all beat gibernau 's lap , achieved on a 990cc bike as opposed to the 800cc versions of today .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- marc marquez held off a resurgent valentino rossi to win his fourth straight motogp race since start of the season with first victory sunday at the spanish circuit of jerez . the repsol honda rider is the first man since australian great mick doohan in 1992 to win the opening four rounds of the season in motorcycling 's premier class and he was never headed after starting from pole . he had built up a four second lead by lap 12 , but a charging rossi on his yamaha had closed up the finish in andalusia . seven-time world motogp champion rossi was picking up his second runners-up spot of the season and held off marquez 's teammate dani pedrosa on the final corner . rossi 's teammate and two-time champion jorge lorenzo finished fourth . defending champion marquez has a 28-point lead over pedrosa in the title race after his 36th grand prix victory from just 100 starts . `` i 'm really happy , it 's a different kind of victory , '' marquez told the official motogp website . `` in the beginning i was able to open a gap and push . i know that dani and valentino are so strong at the end of the race so i pushed very hard at the start , '' the 21-year-old revealed . rossi , who was winning his 149th podium finish in motogp , was delighted to be a factor again at jerez , which is one of his favorite circuits . `` since 2010 i have not been on the podium here , so it 's great to be back , '' said the italian . earlier , finland 's mika kallio took the moto2 race ahead of switzerland 's dominique aegerter and jonas folger of germany . italian romano fenati won the moto3 race ahead of spanish pair efren vazquez and alex rins .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- new signing casey stoner became the first honda rider to win the opening race of the motogp season since 2003 with his third victory in qatar on sunday . the australian emulated seven-time world champion valentino rossi 's effort as he triumphed after starting in pole position -- he is the only motorcyclist to have ever won at the losail circuit after qualifying fastest , repeating his 2009 feat . the 25-year-old finished 3.440 seconds ahead of yamaha 's second-placed world champion jorge lorenzo , with honda repsol teammate dani pedrosa third . rossi , who replaced stoner at ducati after leaving yamaha , finished back in seventh in his debut race for the italian team . stoner on pole for motogp season-opener in qatar . stoner , the 2007 world champion and a winner in qatar the following year , also started last year 's race from pole but crashed on lap six .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- world motogp champion valentino rossi cruised to the 100th victory of his illustrious motorcycling career with a comfortable win at the alice tt assen race in the netherlands on saturday . valentino rossi dominated the dutch race to move clear at the top of the championship standings . the italian took sole ownership of top spot in the overall standings after finishing 5.638 seconds ahead of fiat yamaha team-mate jorge lorenzo and 23.113 in front of 2007 world champion casey stoner . the trio had been tied on 106 points ahead of the seventh of 18 races this season . rossi started in pole position but briefly lost his lead to stoner 's ducati before moving out in front again , and the italian steadily increased his advantage throughout the 26-lap race .<doc-sep>with his sixth consecutive victory , marquez became the first rider since valentino rossi won seven straight in 2002 to take six or more successive races . all smiles : marc marquez won the italian grand prix on sunday to win his sixth consecutive motogp race . marquez started on pole but trailed jorge lorenzo for much of the race before finally passing his fellow spaniard on a straight with seven laps to go . | <t> valentino rossi claims pole position for sunday 's italian motogp in mugello . </t> <t> a lap of one minute 48.130 seconds enough to give rossi first pole of season . </t> <t> yamaha rider rossi three points ahead of honda 's dani pedrosa in standings . </t> | resurgent rossi on pole for italian motogp<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- actress sharon stone said in a statement saturday that she `` could not be more regretful '' of her comments this month regarding the earthquake in china , in which she suggested that the quake was an act of `` karma . '' sharon stone made the controversial remarks before she hosted a charity auction at the cannes film festival . `` yes , i misspoke , '' said the statement released by stone 's publicist and entitled `` in my own words by sharon stone . '' `` i could not be more regretful of that mistake . it was unintentional . i apologize . those words were never meant to be hurtful to anyone , '' stone said . `` they were an accident of my distraction and a product of news sensationalism . '' stone said saturday that she was issuing the statement to set the record straight about the comments she made to a reporter at the cannes film festival .<doc-sep>the statement drew fire from citizens and government officials . `` there have been numerous reports about what i said in cannes . i would like to set the record straight about what i feel in my heart and end all of the understandings , '' she said . `` they 're not being nice to the dalai lama , who is a friend of mine , '' stone said on camera at the time , discussing the chinese . `` and then all of this earthquake and all this happened and i thought , is that karma ? when you 're not nice , that bad things happen to you ? '' qin gang , spokesman for china 's foreign ministry , said stone `` should do more to promote understanding and friendship between nations . ''<doc-sep>french fashion house christian dior said it would drop stone from its advertisements in china after her may 22 remarks . `` we absolutely disagree with her hasty comments , and we are also deeply sorry about them , '' dior said in a statement from its shanghai , china , headquarters . but stone said she was `` deeply saddened by the pain that this whole situation has caused the victims of the devastating earthquake in china . '' as of friday , the death toll from the may 12 magnitude-7 .9 quake stood at 68,858 , with another 18,618 missing .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- actress sharon stone said in a statement saturday that she `` could not be more regretful '' of her comments this month regarding the earthquake in china , in which she suggested that the quake was an act of `` karma . '' sharon stone made the controversial remarks before she hosted a charity auction at the cannes film festival . `` yes , i misspoke , '' said the statement released by stone 's publicist and entitled `` in my own words by sharon stone . '' `` i could not be more regretful of that mistake . it was unintentional . i apologize . those words were never meant to be hurtful to anyone , '' stone said . `` they were an accident of my distraction and a product of news sensationalism . '' stone said saturday that she was issuing the statement to set the record straight about the comments she made to a reporter at the cannes film festival . the statement drew fire from citizens and government officials . `` there have been numerous reports about what i said in cannes . i would like to set the record straight about what i feel in my heart and end all of the understandings , '' she said .<doc-sep>she won best actress awards at the paris film festival in 2000 and numerous awards in china for her role in 2005 film `` perhaps love '' and more recently , `` the equation of love and death . '' coming from a middle class family , she was a young girl at a dance academy when spotted by a film director and encouraged to become an actress . `` being an actress in china , i 'm actually a very lucky actress ... especially now that chinese movies are becoming more diverse with more viewers overseas , '' she told cnn . `` i think it 's the same to be an actress anywhere because the profession is about attitudes towards events -- it is a process to try to understand life . i think this is the case for actors across the world .<doc-sep>cohen made the gaffe while responding to a question from a reporter about sexual assault charges levied at tennessee titans player sammie hill . after tmz published a video of the encounter , the tennessee lawmaker 's office said he ` misspoke ' and does not think that the nfl players mistreat their wives . ` congressman cohen misspoke , abhors sexual violence of any kind , is a fan of both manning brothers , and deeply regrets any confusion , ' a spokesman for legislator said . ` his intention was simply to indicate that eli and peyton are in committed , monogamous marriages . '<doc-sep>after unveiling its `` first latina '' princess last week , disney now says jamie mitchell , the producer of the tv show `` sofia the first , '' `` misspoke '' during a press tour and that the title character is not a latina . the word comes after questions arose about what made `` sofia the first '' culturally relevant and why the media was n't informed when the show was first announced in 2011 . backlash for disney 's first latina princess . the national hispanic media coalition , a latino media advocacy organization , met with nancy kanter , disney junior worldwide 's senior vice president of original programming and general manager , to discuss the impact of `` sofia the first '' in the latino community . `` she shared that sofia the first is in fact not a latina character and that the producer of the television program misspoke , '' nhmc president and ceo alex nogales said in a statement . `` we accept the clarification and celebrate the good news that disney junior has an exciting project in early development that does have a latina as the heroine of the show . '' just days before meeting with the media group , kanter tried to clarify the princess ' ethnicity on their disney junior worldwide facebook page : . `` some of you may have seen the recent news stories on whether sofia is or is n't a `` latina princess . '' what 's important to know is that sofia is a fairytale girl who lives in a fairytale world . all our characters come from fantasy lands that may reflect elements of various cultures and ethnicities but none are meant to specifically represent those real world cultures . the writers have wisely chosen to write stories that include elements that will be familiar and relatable to kids from many different backgrounds including spain and latin america . for example , sofia 's mom comes from a fictitious land , galdiz , which was inspired by spain . '' there has been no confirmation from disney on whether a project with a latina heroine was already in the works , but the nhmc has agreed to share an alumni list from its writers program to help create authentic , three-dimensional latino characters . nogales said he appreciated disney/abc 's commitment to diversity and that he looks forward to seeing more latino lead characters as the stars of their shows . what you do n't know about latinos in america . | <t> sharon stone had suggested that deadly earthquake might be karma . </t> <t> actress issues statement `` to set the record straight '' regarding remark . </t> <t> stone says comments were product of `` news sensationalism '' </t> | actress says she misspoke on china<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- serie a champions inter milan have confirmed the dismissal of coach roberto mancini , opening the way for former chelsea manager jose mourinho to replace him . mancini guided inter milan to the italian league title for three successive seasons . ironically , the 43-year-old mancini , who guided inter to three successive italian league titles , is now the favorite to take mourinho 's former job at stamford bridge .<doc-sep>inter -- who won the first of their three titles in 2006 because those above them were demoted or deducted points over the matchfixing scandal -- released a statement about the sacking . `` inter milan have informed roberto mancini that he has been relieved of his role as coach , especially because of his comments that he was not going to stay after the end of the season following the champions league tie against liverpool on march 11 , '' read their statement . mancini , however , rescinded those comments the following day declaring that he had made them in the heat of the moment following inter 's elimination from the competition , losing 3-0 on aggregate .<doc-sep>inter 's reasons for sacking mancini appear less credible after club president massimo moratti announced that the coach had changed his mind about leaving at the end of the season . `` i 've had a talk with mancini , who confirmed to me that he wanted to stay at inter next year to see out his contract . he wants to win the champions league for us next season , '' moratti said on march 12 . `` mancini 's words surprised me , i did n't expect it and even less so i believe the people close to him . '' mourinho , nicknamed ` the special one ' for guiding porto to the champions league in 2004 and then chelsea to two premier league titles , would not come cheap , but the exit of mancini has cost inter dear too as his contract , which runs till 2012 , will leave him 24 million euros richer as compensation .<doc-sep>however , mancini was unable to make inter into viable champions league contenders despite the three serie a titles . mancini is the ninth coaching casualty under moratti , following ottavio bianchi , roy hodgson , luigi simoni , mircea lucescu , marcello lippi , marco tardelli , hector cuper and alberto zaccheroni .<doc-sep>former manchester city boss roberto mancini looked rejuvenated as he began his second stint in charge of inter milan . mancini left galatasaray by mutual consent in june , and has been out of work since . inter are struggling in ninth position in serie a after a summer of heavy spending , and they sacked walter mazzarri on friday . mancini was presented to the media during a press conference on saturday , and spoke about the challenges ahead . roberto mancini -lrb- second right -rrb- have been unveiled as manager of inter milan for a second time . mancini smiles during his press conference at the inter milan training ground on saturday . the 49-year-old was very successful in his last spell at inter , leading them to three successive league titles . ' i never thought i would return ... but i think it can be another nice story , ' mancini said . ' i believe in this project .<doc-sep>roberto mancini was flattened by one of his own players on sunday as his inter milan side continued their resurgence in serie a with a 3-1 win over genoa . with the score at 2-0 , genoa tried to unlock inter 's defence with a quick counter attack that was abruptly halted by defender marco andreolli . andreolli cut across and went to blast the ball into the stands , but instead the ball flew straight into mancini 's face . video - scroll down to see roberto mancini get hit in the face by the ball . inter milan boss roberto mancini falls to the ground after marco andreolli 's clearance hit him in the face . mancini -lrb- second right -rrb- was not hurt and laughed off the incident as his team went on and won the game 3-1 . rodrigo palacio -lrb- centre -rrb- scored a rebound from close range to give inter an early lead in the game .<doc-sep>inter milan coach roberto mancini firmly believes his team will be challenging for a champions league berth until the end of the season . ` there 's a long way to go , ' mancini told a news conference on saturday . ` i 'm sure we will be fighting for third place till the end and i know we can finish there . now 's not the time to look at the tables . the key is to keep on improving . ' inter milan sit 11th in serie a , seven points behind seventh-placed napoli who have a game in hand . but boss roberto mancini is adamant that they can still qualify for the champions league . mancini began his second spell in charge of inter by taking one point from three games before they won at chievo on monday . ' i ca n't be satisfied since we 've lost twice , ' he said . ` however , i 'm happy to see that the players are learning and improving . we can definitely make up ground in the next months . ' inter 's mateo kovacic celebrates after scoring during the 1-0 win against chievo on monday . mancini has see his inter side just win one game out of four since he returned to the club . inter are in 11th position in serie a on 20 points , seven behind third-placed napoli who have a game in hand . inter face lazio on sunday and mancini has never lost to his former team . he played for lazio for three years , a run that ended gloriously as the roman club won their second serie a title in 2000 . he went on to manage the team for two seasons before moving to inter . ` they -lrb- lazio -rrb- are a dangerous team , ' mancini said . ` it 's true that they have lost five games already but they deserved better in a few of them . ' inter 's yugo nagatomo -lrb- right -rrb- fires a shot past chievo defender alessandro gamberini .<doc-sep>lukas podolski was all smiles as he took part in his first inter milan training session since joining on loan from arsenal until the end of the season . the 29-year-old was put through his paces on monday by boss roberto mancini at their appiano gentile base as the italian giants prepared for their daunting trip to serie a leaders juventus on tuesday night . and despite only joining his new side over the weekend , podolski appears to have already created some bonds with his new team-mates . video scroll down to see roberto mancini discuss the capture of podolski . lukas podolski was thumbs up as he trained for the first time as an inter milan player on monday . podolski was put through his paces by inter boss roberto mancini during the session . inter boss mancini talks through tactics with podolski as he gets to work with his new team . | <t> serie a champions inter milan confirm dismissal of coach roberto mancini . </t> <t> mancini allegedly fired for comments made after defeat to liverpool in march . </t> <t> former chelsea manager jose mourinho favorite to take over at the san siro . </t> | mancini dismissal confirmed by inter<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- seven players involved in last week 's champions league final have been excused from england 's trip to trinidad and tobago for their friendly international on sunday . only jermaine defoe -lrb- second right -rrb- of the england players congratulating john terry will travel to trinidad . coach fabio capello confirmed that of the men involved in moscow last week , only manchester united central defender rio ferdinand , who has links with the caribbean , and chelsea full-back wayne bridge , who did not get onto the pitch at the luzhniki stadium , will be part of his 22-man squad for the final game of the season . chelsea 's john terry , who opened the scoring in wednesday 's 2-0 win over the united states at wembley , is one of those given a holiday along with wayne rooney , wes brown , ashley cole , frank lampard , joe cole and owen hargreaves . england squad : . goalkeepers : david james -lrb- portsmouth -rrb- , joe hart -lrb- manchester city -rrb- , joe lewis -lrb- peterborough -rrb- . defenders : wayne bridge -lrb- chelsea -rrb- , rio ferdinand -lrb- manchester united -rrb- , phil jagielka -lrb- everton -rrb- , glen johnson -lrb- portsmouth -rrb- , stephen warnock -lrb- blackburn -rrb- , david wheater -lrb- middlesbrough -rrb- , jonathan woodgate -lrb- tottenham -rrb- . midfielders : gareth barry -lrb- aston villa -rrb- , david beckham -lrb- la galaxy -rrb- , david bentley -lrb- blackburn -rrb- , stewart downing -lrb- middlesbrough -rrb- , steven gerrard -lrb- liverpool -rrb- , tom huddlestone -lrb- tottenham -rrb- . forwards : theo walcott -lrb- arsenal -rrb- , ashley young -lrb- aston villa -rrb- , gabriel agbonlahor -lrb- aston villa -rrb- , dean ashton -lrb- west ham -rrb- , peter crouch -lrb- liverpool -rrb- , jermain defoe -lrb- portsmouth -rrb- .<doc-sep>`` the back four and scott -lrb- parker -rrb- were fantastic , '' he said . `` they are without doubt the best team in the world . it gives us something to build on but we know we have to improve . '' lampard 's chelsea teammate terry , under investigation by the english fa for an alleged racist comment in a match against queens park rangers , is expected to return for tuesday 's match against sweden . but rooney , who is appealing against a three-match euro 2012 ban , has been left out of the squad as capello experiments for next year 's finals .<doc-sep>by . dmitriy rogovitskiy . striker pavel pogrebnyak has been cut from russia 's world cup squad after coach fabio capello on friday trimmed his provisional 30-man lineup . pogrebnyak , 30 , who has yet to appear for his country under capello , had been a surprise inclusion on monday . ' i am a bit shocked and did n't believe that i had been excluded from the squad , ' pogrebnyak , whose last appearance for russia came against greece in june 2012 , said in an interview with sovetsky sport .<doc-sep>by . tom sheen . follow @@ tom_sheen . lionel messi and his argentina team took part in training ahead of their first world cup warm-up match next wednesday . while snubbed striker carlos tevez was relaxing on a beach in miami with his wife and kids , alejandro sabella 's men were put through their paces in a session at their ezeiza training base in buenos aires . la albicelste are set to face trinidad and tobago on wednesday night before facing slovenia on friday night , both in buenos aires . preparations : lionel messi and the argentina squad took part in training ahead of their first warm-up match . support : argentine coach alejandro sabella said his squad needed to support messi . messi , who will captain his nation at the tournament , is under huge pressure in his homeland to finally deliver at a world cup . for all his goals and trophies at club level with barcelona , messi has just one goal in his two world cup appearances and has not come close to winning silverware with argentina . but sabella has urged his team-mates to make sure the four-time world player of the year has as much help as he can get to be successful in brazil .<doc-sep>in the sun 's serialisation of his autobiography # 2sides , ferdinand said : ` don fabio , who was appointed to us in 2008 , came to us with a sky-high reputation and i could n't wait . rio ferdinand worked with fabio capello before the 2010 world cup for which he was meant to be captain . capello ran england 's squad with ' a prison-camp mentality ' according to rio ferdinand . ` but he brought in a prison-camp mentality . what a let-down ! with capello you have to just do what you 're told or you 're out . | <t> seven players have been cut from the england squad for friendly in trinidad . </t> <t> the seven players had all appeared in the champions league final last week . </t> <t> however , manchester united central defender rio ferdinand will be playing . </t> | capello cuts squad for trinidad match<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. hillary clinton on thursday sharpened her attacks on democratic rival sen. barack obama as she faces what even her supporters admit are must-win situations in texas and ohio in the weeks ahead . at a campaign stop at a general motors corp. plant in youngstown , ohio , the senator from new york accused obama of caving in to special interests . `` my opponent says that he 'll take on the special interests , '' she said . `` well , he told people he stood up to the nuclear industry and passed a bill against them . but he actually let the nuclear industry water down his bill -- the bill never actually passed . '' clinton was referring to a 2006 bill that obama drafted after an illinois nuclear power plant was found to have released radiation into surrounding groundwater . obama 's original bill would have required power plants to notify the public and government officials when any radiation was released , but subsequent versions had less stringent reporting requirements , the new york times reported . the bill was never voted on by the full senate . clinton also accused obama of supporting `` billions of dollars of breaks for the oil industry '' by voting for an energy bill she opposed and said he did not support the workers of a maytag corp. plant that closed in his home state of illinois . watch clinton attack obama '' reacting to clinton 's charges , obama spokesman bill burton said his candidate `` does n't need any lectures on special interests from the candidate who 's taken more money from washington lobbyists than any republican running for president . '' `` sen. clinton may have said that attacks and distortions are the ` fun ' and ` exciting ' part of the campaign , but they 're exactly what everyone else in america is tired of , '' burton said . in recent days , clinton has challenged obama 's ability to deliver on his rhetoric .<doc-sep>`` there 's a big difference between us -- speeches versus solutions , talk versus action , '' she said . `` speeches do n't put food on the table . speeches do n't fill up your tank or fill your prescription or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night . '' her remarks in ohio echo statements she made a day earlier in mcallen , texas , when she said , `` i am in the solutions business . my opponent is in the promises business . '' clinton was set later thursday to hold events in dayton and columbus , ohio . obama was to be in his hometown of chicago , illinois , and had no public events scheduled . cnn contributor and clinton supporter james carville said the senator must do well in the march 4 ohio and texas primaries if she is to stop obama 's momentum . carville said he thought clinton could still win the nomination . `` you know , this thing is close . not all the democrats have been heard from . ... if anybody can do this , i think she can , '' said carville , a major force behind president clinton 's successful 1992 campaign . clinton 's aggressive stance may be in reaction to obama 's momentum after he won eight contests in a row -- including victories by wide margins in tuesday 's primaries in maryland , virginia and the district of columbia . watch how the so-called potomac primaries put obama on a roll '' in those contests , obama also outpolled clinton among demographic groups she had carried earlier -- women , lower-income voters and latinos . clinton is banking on those groups to carry her to victory in texas and ohio .<doc-sep>the wins in the potomac primaries gave obama a lead over clinton in the delegate count for the first time -- 1,253 to 1,211 , according to cnn calculations . `` in my neighborhood , you know , you had to win games if you wanted to brag , '' said jamal simmons , a democratic strategist and obama supporter . `` and i think right now , barack obama is ahead in delegates . he 's ahead in states . he 's ahead in the popular vote . he 's winning . `` sen. clinton has got to win some of these contests , you know , to get to the finals . '' neither clinton nor obama is likely to pick up the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination outright before the primary season ends in june , mainly because democrats divvy up each state 's delegates in proportion to the candidates ' share of the popular vote . watch an outlook of the democratic race '' the democratic nomination likely will be decided by the roughly 800 superdelegates , which include party officers , elected officials and activists . obama 's camp argues the superdelegates should support the candidate with the most popular support , as indicated by a majority of pledged delegates going into the convention . clinton 's campaign , on the other hand , says the superdelegates should support the candidate they think will be the best nominee in the general election as well as the best president . watch how the campaigns are fighting for superdelegates '' moveon.org , an influential liberal activist group , on thursday said it would launch a petition drive calling on the superdelegates not to go against the popular vote . `` the worst thing for the party and democracy is if all these new voters feel like the nomination was brokered in a backroom somewhere . the superdelegates have got to let the voters decide , '' moveon.org executive director eli pariser said in a statement .<doc-sep>moveon.org has endorsed obama . in a possible indication that clinton is going to fight for every delegate , her camp on thursday announced that daughter chelsea clinton would be dispatched to hawaii to campaign before the state 's primary tuesday . watch how each campaign is fighting for delegates '' however , chelsea clinton may face an uphill battle there since hawaii is obama 's native state . bill clinton on thursday was scheduled to campaign in wisconsin , which also holds its primary tuesday . recent polls in that state have shown a tight race between the two democrats . a strategic vision survey conducted february 8 through sunday finds obama ahead of clinton 45 percent to 41 percent , a lead outside the poll 's margin of error of 3 percentage points . carville said clinton could recover from a loss in wisconsin . `` it certainly would be preferable for her to win wisconsin , but i do n't put it in the same category as i would put texas and ohio on march 4 , '' he said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's peter hamby and chris welch contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama received key endorsements friday from a top former clinton administration official and two former democratic senators . robert reich , a former labor secretary under president clinton , endorsed sen. obama friday . robert reich , a former clinton cabinet member and longtime friend of the former president , formally endorsed obama 's white house bid , saying that `` my conscience wo n't let me be silent any longer . '' `` although hillary clinton has offered solid and sensible policy proposals , obama 's strike me as even more so , '' reich wrote on his blog . he served as the secretary of labor from 1993-1997 and is currently a professor at brandeis university . `` his plans for reforming social security and health care have a better chance of succeeding , '' reich continued . `` his approaches to the housing crisis and the failures of our financial markets are sounder than hers ... he has put forward the more enlightened foreign policy and the more thoughtful plan for controlling global warming . '' reich , whose relationship with the clintons dates back to their law school days at yale , has long been a critic of the new york senator 's white house bid . shortly before the iowa caucuses in january , he wrote that voters would have a choice `` between someone who talks the talk , and somebody who 's walked the walk . '' `` i do n't get it , '' he wrote then . `` if there 's anyone in the race whose history shows unique courage and character , it 's barack obama . hrc 's -lsb- hillary rodham clinton 's -rsb- campaign , by contrast , is singularly lacking in conviction about anything . '' reich also criticized bill clinton earlier in the year over the former president 's sharp attacks on obama in south carolina . `` bill clinton 's ill-tempered and ill-founded attacks on barack obama are doing no credit to the former president , his legacy , or his wife 's campaign , '' he wrote in january . `` nor are they helping the democratic party . '' asked to respond to reich 's endorsement , clinton spokesman mo eleithee said , `` did n't he endorse him last year ? ''<doc-sep>the reported culmination of the behind-the-scenes wranglings was an on-camera love-fest nterview with obama and hillary clinton when the secretary of state stepped down in january . the pair lavished compliments on one another as they gave a rare joint interview . obama said during the interview that he considers mrs clinton ` a strong friend ' and she described their relationship as ` very warm , close ' . more than anything , their camaraderie and grins appeared to show that time had healed the bitter rift from when they faced off in the democratic primary leading up to the 2008 election . the ongoing tension between obama and bill clinton has been well-documented . during the election campaign in 2012 , clinton said republican presidential candidate mitt romney 's business career was ` sterling ' and criticized the obama campaign 's attacks on romney 's background at the private equity firm bain capital . hail to the chief : bill clinton bows to president obama as he walks on to the stage following clinton 's endorsement at the democratic convention last year .<doc-sep>obama continued to look to the general election , focusing his attacks as he has for the past week on sen. john mccain , while commending clinton for `` her courage , her commitment and her perseverance . '' obama said mccain 's policies do n't represent change . `` this year 's republican primary was a contest to see which candidate could out-bush the other , and that is the contest john mccain won , '' he said . mccain 's camp accused obama of launching `` the tired old political attacks of a typical politician , not the ` new politics ' he 's promised . '' `` without a doubt , barack obama is a talented political orator , but his naive plans for unconditional summits with rogue leaders and support for big tax hikes on hardworking families expose his bad judgment that americans can ill-afford in our next president , '' spokesman tucker bounds said in a statement . after kentucky 's results came in , clinton thanked her supporters for handing her a win `` even in the face of some pretty tough odds . '' `` tonight we have achieved an important victory , '' she said in louisville . `` it 's not just kentucky bluegrass that 's music to my ears . it 's the sound of your overwhelming vote of confidence even in the face of some pretty tough odds . '' watch clinton vow to keep going '' clinton beat obama across all age groups , income groups and education levels in kentucky .<doc-sep>sen. hillary clinton is focusing her attention on states with contests next month on `` super tuesday , '' leaving the campaigning for this week 's south carolina primary to her husband . south carolina 's primary is the democrats ' last big contest before super tuesday on february 5 , when two dozen states hold primaries or caucuses . the senator from new york is zigzagging across the country , while bill clinton makes the rounds in south carolina and doubles up the attacks on obama . obama sees his rival 's absence as a good thing , according to christian broadcasting network correspondent david brody , who interviewed the senator from illinois on tuesday . `` he believes that it is a sign , in essence , the fact that she 's leaving the state -- that that bodes well for him , '' brody said . `` he was talking about the fact that she had said that ... he 's not running against bill clinton . but then , at the same time , bill clinton is here in south carolina by proxy , running against barack obama down here in south carolina . '' the 42nd president has been immersed in the intense , back-and-forth exchanges between his wife and obama , who said this week in a debate in myrtle beach , south carolina , that he sometimes ca n't tell which one he 's running against in the race . the former president has attacked obama in recent days , accusing him of overstating his opposition to the iraq war , complaining about obama 's union supporters in the nevada caucuses last weekend and blasting his remarks on former president reagan in a newspaper interview . watch the battle brewing between the clintons and obama '' clinton on wednesday tried to distance himself from the attacks , telling a cnn correspondent that the rhetoric was `` crazy '' and `` getting a little carried away . '' | <t> new : spokesman says obama `` does n't need lectures on special interests '' </t> <t> sen. hillary clinton accuses sen. barack obama of caving to special interests . </t> <t> clinton has challenged obama 's ability to deliver on his rhetoric . </t> <t> clinton supporter james carville says she must win in texas , ohio on march 4 . </t> | clinton sharpens attacks on obama<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- she 's faced the glare of public life since she was a girl , but chelsea clinton must contend with renewed press scrutiny as she increasingly assumes a role in her mother 's campaign for president . chelsea clinton accompanies her mother to the polls on super tuesday in chappaqua , new york . the former first daughter always has been off-limits to the media , especially while she was growing up in the white house . but pressure to burst this protective bubble is likely to grow as the soon-to-be 28-year-old campaigns across the country for sen. hillary clinton , even heading to hawaii -- sen. barack obama 's home turf . chelsea clinton will spend three days there to strum up last-minute votes before the state 's tuesday caucuses , said a source from her mother 's campaign . in the rough-and-tumble world of politics , her parents always have been protective of her -- including most recently after a tv correspondent 's comment that the clinton campaign found inappropriate . watch how controversy goes with the last name '' `` does n't it seem as if chelsea is being pimped out in some weird sort of way ? '' msnbc correspondent david shuster said this month about her reputed calls to superdelegates . clinton communications director howard wolfson excoriated shuster and called his remarks `` beneath contempt '' and disgusting . the senator from new york even sent a damning letter to nbc and demanded `` appropriate action . '' `` i am a mom first and a candidate second , and i found the remark incredibly offensive , '' she said . -lrb- shuster was suspended indefinitely for the remark , made february 7 when he was a guest host for tucker carlson . msnbc said thursday that the suspension will end february 22 . -rrb- . even a fourth-grader apparently ca n't get through to the press-shy chelsea clinton . scholastic news `` kid reporter '' sydney rieckhoff was in pursuit of a story as she questioned presidential candidates last month on the campaign trail in iowa , according to the associated press . approaching chelsea clinton , she reportedly asked , `` do you think your dad would be a good ` first man ' in the white house ? '' but clinton was n't talking . `` i 'm sorry , i do n't talk to the press and that applies to you , unfortunately . even though i think you 're cute , '' she said , according to the ap .<doc-sep>during a campaign stop at the luckie food lounge in atlanta , georgia , in mid-january , one supporter asked clinton to reveal something that nobody else knew about her . she responded she would love to -- if all the cameras were n't around . clinton has proven to be an effective campaigner for her mother , according to a campaign source , saying there 's a strong correlation between her visits and improved performance . at this point , the campaign has become a fight for delegates , and even narrowing a loss has a big impact , a source said . this election cycle , clinton campaigned for her mother in california , the first state where the senator won the youth vote . a rural congressional district in nebraska where she campaigned reportedly outperformed others in the state . politicians protecting their children from the spotlight is hardly new . the bushes complained when daughters jenna and barbara became fodder for late-night comics and media outlets . vice president dick cheney also has been reticent when it comes to his daughter mary , who had a child with her lesbian partner . during a debate with cheney in 2004 , democratic vice presidential candidate john edwards broached the topic , saying , `` i think the vice president and his wife love their daughter . i think they love her very much . and you ca n't have anything but respect for the fact that they 're willing to talk about the fact that they have a gay daughter . '' cheney responded , `` let me simply thank the senator for the kind words he said about my family and our daughter . i appreciate that very much . ... that 's it . '' but the vice president later slammed sen. john kerry for his remarks about mary cheney when asked about homosexuality during a debate with president bush . the vice president said kerry was `` out of line ; '' wife lynne cheney called him `` not a good man . '' these exchanges show that as chelsea clinton 's public persona rises , so too will questions about why she does n't make herself available to reporters . the clinton campaign said chelsea clinton is trying to reach as many people as possible and has `` appeared in dozens of venues in more than 20 states . '' but she 's still not granting interviews . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's trisha henry , frank sesno , rebecca sinderbrand and jessica yellin 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>for hillary clinton , having her own baby grandchild to kiss on the campaign trail , could be one of the biggest boosts to her possible presidential election campaign . although the former secretary of state and first lady has not said if she will run in 2016 , the arrival of her first grandchild will soften her image , analysts have said . while chelsea only revealed her pregnancy on thursday , supporters of her mother have already started cooing over a possible baby in the white house . scroll down for video . celebration : hillary beams as chelsea announces that she is to become a mother . excited : hillary clinton looked delighted at her daughter 's news . with the clintons having a near-royal status in the u.s. , the announcement of a new arrival due this fall has sent ripples across media outlets and political forums . ` my most exciting title yet : grandmother-to-be ! , ' mrs clinton had tweeted yesterday . but some , such as republican strategist michael . goldfarb , have highlighted the ` perfect timing ' of the pregnancy , tweeting : ` just in time for hrc to have a baby on stage with her . when she announces she 's running , right ? ' on msnbc andrew ross sorkin , a guest on the morning show , said friday : ` can we talk about the human drama that is grandma clinton ? ' ' i do n't want to be cynical and i 'm not suggesting anyone 's having a baby for election purposes , but ... ' the new york times columnist added before the panel drowned him out . young votes : hillary clinton cuddles a baby wearing a campaign sticker from her 2008 election bid .<doc-sep>by . alex ward . published : . 05:00 est , 18 january 2013 . | . updated : . 05:02 est , 18 january 2013 . it seems that hillary is not the only clinton to be in the wars lately as daughter chelsea stepped out with a plaster on her leg . but despite the unsightly fashion faux-pas , chelsea was all smiles in new york yesterday after speaking about mother and u.s. secretary of state , who was hospitalised earlier this month when doctors detected a blood clot in her head during a routine checkup . the spotlight has been on the 32-year-old from new york following rumours that she may be considering moving into politics after accepting the role of honorary chair for the national day of service tomorrow . in the wars : chelsea clinton stepped out in new york with a plaster on her leg yesterday as rumors swirled that she may be considering moving into politics after accepting the role of honorary chair for the national day of service tomorrow . speaking on the today show she said of her mother : ` she is exuding the energy , the vibrancy and certainly the mental acuity that she always has . ` i 'm so grateful that she is not only fine , but healthy and vibrant and strong and , god willing , will be for the next 65 years of her life . ' new role : chelsea will be the honorary chair after participating in the festivities as an adolescent when her father was in office . acting as the all-day summit 's . honorary chair is a new role for the woman who participated in the . festivities as an adolescent , standing next to her father , bill clinton , . as he was sworn into office in 1993 and 1997 . she will headline a service summit on . the national mall for the president 's call for americans to honor the . legacy of dr. martin luther king jr. on the holiday weekend celebrating . his birthday . she will join other participants . including actresses eva longoria and angela bassett , singers ben folds . and yolanda adams , television personality star jones and delaware . attorney general beau biden , the vice president 's son . hillary is in such excellent shape that ` she had time for three more husbands ' , bill clinton said . he said : ` she 's always been very , very healthy and she has very low blood pressure , very low standing heartbeat . ' i tell her that , you know , she 's still got time to have three more husbands after me . so , i think she 'll live to be 120 . ' chelsea was often seen but not heard as a youth growing up in the white house , but increasingly has made her public voice heard in recent years . she campaigned for her mom , secretary of state hillary rodham clinton 's , 2008 presidential primary campaign against obama and now is an nbc news special correspondent . mother and daughter : chelsea with mother hillary clinton who was hospitalised earlier this month when doctors detected a blood clot in her head during a routine checkup . last fall she traveled to nigeria on . behalf of her father 's charitable foundation , meeting with the country 's . president and promoting the clinton health access initiative 's efforts . to reduce child mortality there . a week after election day , she . appeared at the glamour women of the year awards in new york with a . stage full of women who had been involved in races across the country , . noting that gender progress was made in 2012 although there still is a . long way to go . she has promoted efforts to allow gay marriage and assisted in raising money for victims of hurricane sandy . chelsea said : ` when i was growing up , both my parents and grandparents instilled a commitment to service in me . ` they taught me that helping our neighbors and serving our community were essential parts of being a good citizen and a good person . ' first daughter : chelsea is pictured aged 11 in january 1992 before her father won the presidential election .<doc-sep>now experts quoted in politico.com are saying chelsea is ready to take her place as the ` young clinton ' to pave the way for hillary 's democratic presidential bid . family ties : chelsea clinton looks set to become the new public face of her family 's political dynasty as her mother hillary steps down from the helm at the state department . as a young girl growing up in the white . house , chelsea was the subject of massive public fascination , although . her parents are credited with succeeding in protecting her from much of . the media frenzy . and it seems she has not been put off a political career - she joined the board of the clinton foundation a few years ago and in july , accompanied her father to africa on a foundation mission . in 2011 she made what was effectively her first step major in politics on her own , volunteering in campaign to pass new york 's gay marriage law . public life : chelsea clinton speaks at the ' 12-12-12 ' concert for victims of hurricane sandy earlier this month .<doc-sep>she stepped up her national political role in 2004 , assisting the presidential campaign of sen. john kerry , especially in battleground states . she also helped shape her party 's platform , traveling the country as a co-chair of the democratic national committee . in early january 2005 , tubbs jones led an unsuccessful fight against certifying ohio 's tally in the 2004 presidential election , citing voting irregularities . lawmakers voted down the challenge , allowing president bush to carry the state by about 70,000 votes and sealing his 286-251 victory in the electoral college . tubbs jones was one of the most ardent supporters of sen. hillary clinton 's 2008 run for the white house . after clinton bowed out of the race in june , she endorsed sen. barack obama , now the presumptive democratic nominee . tubbs jones , a superdelegate , had been scheduled to attend the democratic national convention next week in denver , colorado . `` she was not only a professional , but she could reach into your soul and shake it , '' said rep. joe sestak , d-pennsylvania , who said he met tubbs jones at a clinton rally . `` hillary clinton was lucky to have a supporter like her . '' clinton , in a statement with her husband , former president clinton , and their daughter , chelsea , said tubbs jones ' friendship `` meant the world to us . '' ireport.com : share your memories of tubbs jones . `` we could always count on her to be a shoulder on which to lean , an ear to bend , a voice to reassure , '' the clintons said . `` over the course of many years , with many ups and many downs , stephanie was right by our side -- unwavering , indefatigable . `` it was that fighting spirit -- safely stowed behind her disarming smile , backed by so much integrity and fiery intelligence -- that allowed stephanie to rise from modest beginnings , to succeed in public service , to become a one-woman force for progress in our country . '' born in cleveland , tubbs jones started public life as a municipal judge in 1981 . she also had been a trial court judge and , for the seven years before her election to congress , a county prosecutor . her husband , mervyn , died in october 2003 of a heart attack . the couple had one son . tubbs jones would have turned 59 on september 10 . cnn 's alexander mooney contributed to this report . | <t> chelsea clinton steps up her role in her mother 's campaign . </t> <t> the clintons have always shielded their daughter from the media spotlight . </t> <t> ex-first daughter , who soon turns 28 , will campaign in hawaii for tuesday caucuses . </t> | campaign role ups pressure on chelsea clinton to talk to media<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a shadowy figure in the back seat of an suv in surveillance photos is a second `` person of interest '' in the slaying of the university of north carolina student body president , police said monday . investigators say a second male appears in the back seat in this atm photo , which has been colorized . police on saturday released photos taken by an atm camera that show a young man driving a sport utility vehicle possibly using one of student eve carson 's atm cards in the chapel hill area . a large , shadowy form appears in the back seat of the vehicle , which police say may have been carson 's . carson , 22 , was found shot to death early wednesday in a suburban neighborhood near the university of north carolina at chapel hill campus . her toyota highlander was found the next day in another neighborhood to the west , close to where she lived with roommates . `` we do believe there is a second unidentified male seated in the rear seat , '' the chapel hill police department said in a statement . `` we have been exploring ways to enhance the quality of this photo in an effort to learn more about this person . '' police have not identified the pictured driver , who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a vintage houston astros baseball cap . chapel hill police chief brian curran said saturday that carson 's killing `` feels like a random crime . ''<doc-sep>the medical examiner told police that there were no injuries to carson 's body besides gunshot wounds and no signs of sexual assault , curran said . on sunday , more than 1,000 people crowded the first united methodist church in carson 's hometown of athens , georgia , for her funeral , the athens banner-herald reported . the university of north carolina will hold a memorial service for carson after students return from this week 's spring break , chancellor james moeser said in a statement on the school 's web site . on saturday , the school 's top-ranked men 's basketball team wore reminders of the popular student president on their jerseys as they took on duke university in durham , north carolina . watch as students remember the slain campus leader '' the north carolina players wore patches on the jerseys that simply read `` eve , '' and many of duke 's fans donned small light-blue ribbons as a show of support . a moment of silence for carson also was held before tipoff . the unc-chapel hill board of trustees has pledged $ 25,000 to the crime stoppers program in the area for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible in carson 's slaying . carson was a student member of the board . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- federal prosecutors said friday that they will seek the death penalty for a 22-year-old man accused in the shooting death last year of eve carson , student body president at the university of north carolina at chapel hill . police said unc student body president eve carson was taken from her home and killed . a grand jury indicted demario james atwater on october 27 on federal charges of carjacking resulting in death , carrying and using firearms in relation to carjacking , being a felon in possession of a firearm , and possessing a short-barreled shotgun not properly registered to him .<doc-sep>orange county district attorney jim woodall has said he also will seek the death penalty against atwater , according to the raleigh news and observer . authorities can not seek the death penalty against lovette because he was 17 at the time of the slaying , the newspaper said . carson 's death shocked the community and drew national attention . an estimated 10,000 people turned out for a service in her honor . the athens , georgia , native was a pre-medicine student double-majoring in political science and biology . she was a recipient of the university 's prestigious morehead scholarship and a member of the phi beta kappa honor society , according to unc .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police are investigating the killing of a 19-year-old university of north carolina student and are questioning those who last saw her , a police spokesman said tuesday . the death of faith hedgepeth was an `` obvious homicide , '' chapel hill police sgt. josh mecimore told cnn , but investigators are still waiting for an official determination of the cause . there are no suspects in custody , he said . friends found hedgepeth dead friday morning at her apartment off campus , police said . she was a member of north carolina 's haliwa-saponi native american tribe , and the unc american indian center , where she was a volunteer , held a candlelight vigil for her monday night . `` although the police have not determined the cause of death , they also said they do not believe that this was a random act , '' unc officials said in a statement on her death . `` law enforcement officials do not believe that there is danger to other students , faculty or staff . '' hedgepeth 's death comes four and a half years after the slaying of unc student body president eve carson , who was killed after being kidnapped and forced to take money out of an automatic teller machine , police said . two men are serving life in prison in connection with her march 2008 killing . more from cnn justice : .<doc-sep>on saturday , police released two surveillance photographs of a `` person of interest '' taken by an atm camera in the chapel hill area , chapel hill police chief brian curran said . the person appeared to be using one of carson 's atm cards and was driving a vehicle that was possibly hers . curran called the photographs the `` biggest break '' in the case , which he said still appears to be random . reminders of the popular student president appeared on the jerseys of the university 's men 's basketball team saturday night as they took on duke university 's blue devils in durham , north carolina . the top-ranked tar heels wore jersey patches that read `` eve . '' many of duke 's fans donned small light-blue ribbons as a show of support . there was a moment of silence for carson before tip-off . the ribbons and moment of silence say `` a heckuva lot about duke university , '' unc coach roy williams told reporters after the game . the tar heels won 76-68 . e-mail to a friend . | <t> atm photo shows driver , shadowy figure in back seat of suv . </t> <t> driver appears to be using one of student eve carson 's atm cards . </t> <t> carson was found shot to death early wednesday near campus . </t> <t> carson was student body president at university of north carolina at chapel hill . </t> | police seek second ` person of interest ' in unc death<T> |
gerolstein , germany -- mineral water company gerolsteiner have decided to drop their sponsorship of the german protour cycling team , which expires at the end of the 2008 season . german rider stefan schumacher is a member of the gerolsteiner team . gerolsteiner , who have been team sponsors since 1998 , said there was a change in marketing strategy . gerolsteiner has invested around $ 12 million annually in the team , which includes riders stefan schumacher , fabian wegmann , markus fothen and robert foerster . gerolsteiner said on tuesday they were no longer reaching their targeted audience through cycling because it was changing from being solely a producer of mineral water to a supplier of nonalcoholic drinks .<doc-sep>gerolsteiner team chief hans-michael holczer was deeply upset by the news . `` there were tears in my eyes , '' said holczer . the german cycling federation -lrb- bdr -rrb- said they would help the team to find a new sponsor . `` it is not an entirely unexpected decision . after such a long collaboration , you notice changes in your partner , '' said holczer , who will begin the hunt for a new sponsor . `` we have one of the best teams on the market with a national and international reputation . ''<doc-sep>the t-mobile cycling team has fired rider lorenzo bernucci after his positive doping test at the tour of germany last month . bernucci violated the team 's code of conduct and was removed from t-mobile 's roster at the spanish vuelta , the team said on tuesday . he tested positive for a non-amphetamine appetite suppressant . bernucci is licensed by the monaco cycling federation , which will be responsible for further investigation and possible additional sanctions , t-mobile said . he tested positive on august 15 for the substance sibutramine , an appetite suppressant sold under various brand names , such as reductil and ectiva . the world governing body of cycling , uci , informed t-mobile of bernucci 's positive test .<doc-sep>bernucci told team management that he had been using ectiva for four years and had purchased it over the counter at a pharmacy in italy , not knowing it been added to the list of prohibited substances by the world anti-doping agency , t-mobile said . according to uci rules , a first violation for sibutramine -- if it is determined that it was not intended as a performance enhancer -- can result in anything between a warning and a one-year suspension . `` we do not know if this was an attempt at performance enhancement or just poor judgment , '' t-mobile team chief bob stapleton said . `` but we know it is unacceptable that riders take any medication without the approval of the team doctor . it 's a clear violation of our code of conduct and we act now on that basis . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>both teams have been allowed to miss the us and brazilian grands prix while a buyer is sought . mosley , 74 , who led the sport 's governing body from 1993 and 2009 , tried to introduce a cost cap five years ago but those plans fell through and similar proposals were also abandoned earlier this year . ` in the end , they -lrb- teams such as caterham and marussia -rrb- were bound to drop off - and they may not be the last , ' he added . ` from a sporting point of view , the sport should split the money equally and then let the teams get as much sponsorship as they can . ' a team like ferrari will always get more sponsorship than marussia , but if they all get the same basic money , then they all start on a level-playing field , particularly if you have a cost cap where you limit the amount of money each team is allowed to spend . ' medical staff gather around jules bianchi 's car after the marussia driver 's horror crash in japan . marussia and caterham have both been granted dispensation by f1 supremo bernie ecclestone to miss the next two grands prix in texas and brazil .<doc-sep>how is sponsorship evolving ? cs : what 's increasingly happening is that sponsorship deals are being done with f1 owners . you have rolex and emirates in the last three/four months alone doing gigantic deals to sponsor f1 . what you get as a f1 sponsor is numerous things . you get packages of trackside advertising around the circuit . those are probably some of the best value sponsorships in the whole of sport . what sponsoring f1 offers over sponsoring a team is guaranteed exposure . if you 're a team , you could crash out , do badly . take a look at mclaren which is doing far worse this year than it did last . it 's harder to build a case to invest in a team than it is to invest in f1 . the fact is that f1 can grow , but it 's very difficult for a team to expand . the bulk of a team 's revenue comes from sponsorship . teams exist to try and win races . f1 objective is to make profits . there is big difference between them . where can we expect to see f1 races in the future ? cs : thailand is on the cards . russia is a fact -- they are going -lrb- to sochi -rrb- in 2014 . beyond that , there are so many countries knocking on the door . hong kong , south africa , more races in north america -- las vegas is a strong possibility . remarkably , greece wants to host a race , but i do n't think that will ever happen . what 's your overall assessment of f1 's finances ? cs : the f1 group is in better health than it ever has been . the -lrb- share -rrb- float -lrb- on the singapore stock exchange -rrb- is pending . cvc -lrb- capital partners -rrb- are saying over the next 12 months pending clarity of bernie ecclestone 's situation in germany -lrb- the f1 boss was recently indicted by a german judge investigating allegations of bribery in the wake of the conviction of banker gerhard gribkowsky -rrb- . beyond that , it 's a matter of timing . there are question marks over the majority of the teams but provided they stay afloat it does n't really matter what guise they race under . could another team drop ? yes . ecclestone has said himself that 10 teams would be ok .<doc-sep>the football league have axed nine members of their commercial staff as part of a total revamp of the department as they seek increasingly elusive new sponsors . the changes will include football league chief executive shaun harvey taking overall charge of commercial business . but there is no direct replacement for former director richard heaselgrave , now with tennis australia , whose team and structure have been dismantled , with a third of the department losing their jobs . heaselgrave was made the scapegoat for the league losing a lucrative title sponsorship with b&q at the final contract stage and having to make do instead with a budget deal involving bookmakers sky bet . video scroll down to watch jonny wilkinson drop the rugby world cup . qpr celebrate their championship play-off victory over derby at wembley stadium . the football league have completed a budget sponsorship deal involving bookmakers sky bet . the fa have also adopted a different approach -- copying manchester united 's example -- to finding new backers . but so far this has not paid dividends , with the fa cup still lacking a backer and the televised first round fast approaching . the fa say they are having many conversations with potential backers but do n't want to put a time frame on attracting a # 9million-a-year replacement for budweiser .<doc-sep>by . charles sale . follow @@ charliesale . the fa plan to attract sponsorship rights for their flagship cup competition from around the world in the style of manchester united 's successful global commercial operation . wembley are remarkably confident they can find a # 9million lead partner for the fa cup to replace budweiser , as well as five separate sponsorships of the tournament split between overseas territories . this version of old trafford 's scalpel approach to sponsorship coincides with phil barker , former global sales manager at united , having joined the fa commercial department to spearhead the new approach . the fa are working on 20 live leads from companies . sponsor 's drop : arsenal 's lukas podolski pours a giant bottle of budweiser over arsene wenger 's head after they won the 2014 fa cup final over hull at wembley . new deal : the fa is looking for a # 9m sponsorship to replace budweiser and separate deals in other markets . | <t> the gerolsteiner company is ending its sponsorship of the pro tour team . </t> <t> they have been team sponsors since 1998 and their contract ends next year . </t> <t> stefan schumacher and davide rebellin are leading team members . </t> <t> t-mobile have fired lorenzo bernucci after a positive dope test . </t> | gerolsteiner drop team sponsorship<T> |
wichita , kansas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- she found her husband on their bed in a pool of his own vomit , dead from an accidental overdose of drugs he received from an online pharmacy . these pills were sent to cnn 's drew griffin , even though he was never seen by a doctor . every night before her husband went to bed , he would open a prescription bottle of the muscle relaxant soma and swallow the eight or nine pills it took for him to fall asleep , said the woman . she spoke to cnn on condition of anonymity because she wants to protect her husband 's identity and not embarrass his family . the drugs arrived at their doorstep every week . she thought they were being prescribed by a treating physician . her husband had been in a car accident and suffered back pain , and soma was the one drug that could relieve the aches . she was wrong . the drugs were purchased online without a doctor 's visit . she says that her husband had become an addict -- and that the internet sites that sold him the drugs were his pushers . `` absolutely , '' she said . `` that 's exactly what they are . '' `` these pharmacy people that are doing this and these doctors that are doing this , they do n't give a dadgummit about people . it 's just the almighty dollar ; that 's all it is . '' rusty payne , a spokesman with the drug enforcement administration , agreed . the abuse of pharmaceuticals `` is one of the biggest drug problems we are dealing with , '' he said . `` the internet is the biggest culprit , '' payne said . about $ 39 million in cash , bank accounts , property and computers were seized in 2007 as a result of internet drug investigations , he said . in 2004 , the figure was $ 11.9 million . the dea has formed an initiative with google , yahoo! and aol to warn people about buying drugs online . between 2005 and 2007 , payne said the official warning popped up nearly 80 million times . a cnn investigation shows just how easy it is to purchase prescription drugs online without a legitimate prescription , revealing a growing new battle in the war on drug abuse . watch why ' i wanted to end it ' '' to prove it , a cnn investigative reporter went to linepharmacy.com , which advertises a long list of prescription drugs for sale . the site sent back an e-mail saying `` all orders made are still subjected to doctor 's evaluation . '' the reporter placed two orders for anti-depressants with the site : one for prozac , the other for elavil . a health survey on the site was already filled in . the reporter submitted a credit card and a shipping address . within 24 hours , the prozac had arrived at the reporter 's front door . the elavil arrived two days later . both prescription bottles had a doctor 's name and pharmacy on the label . watch woman describe online drug ` christmas ' sales '' the reporter had neither seen a doctor nor talked to a doctor on the phone . in fact , he had n't even heard of the doctor listed on the bottle . carmen catizone , the executive director of the national association of boards of pharmacy , which works to implement and enforce uniform pharmaceutical standards , said prescription drugs are the new crack and heroin , and internet sites that sell them are the new drug dealers . except narcotics , catizone said , `` you can order virtually any drug in the world by simply clicking a mouse and going to various web sites that exist out there . '' his group blames unscrupulous doctors for writing prescriptions without ever seeing the patients or even reviewing their medical records . it has created a list of nearly 80 sites selling online drugs that it recommends people not use . it is illegal in every state for doctors to prescribe medicines to patients whom they do not know across state lines . it is also illegal in most states for pharmacies to ship prescriptions to where they have no license to operate . the national association of boards of pharmacy has tried to lobby congress , asking for some federal oversight or federal prosecution to stem the tide of illegal internet pharmacies . but catizone says legislators gave the board a chilly response : '' ` show us the dead bodies , ' and if that was me or my family , that 's a pretty sad statement for our legislators to give . '' it is unknown just how many people have died from overdoses related to these online drug sales . it is also unknown how many people have tried to commit suicide with drugs bought online , as nancy fitzpatrick of washington state tried to do earlier this year . she showed cnn her prescription for soma . the drugs were delivered by a pharmacy in american fork , utah , and prescribed by a doctor in long island , new york . `` i wanted to end it , i wanted to die , '' `` fitzpatrick said , describing how she swallowed about 130 pills after she fell into a deep depression . fitzpatrick , the sister of cnn investigative producer david fitzpatrick , says she had no contact with the doctor or the pharmacy . read about a sister found , an abuse uncovered . the doctor , kareem tannous , lives in a $ 4-million estate on long island and runs three health clinics . when confronted about the prescriptions in front of his valley stream , new york , clinic , tannous hustled to his car and drove off without answering any questions . workers inside roots pharmacy in american fork , utah , also refused to answer questions about why fitzpatrick 's prescriptions from tannous were filled . the office in the small foothill town has a bolted security door and closed-circuit security cameras . the workers inside refused to even open the door or provide the name of the owner . in the reception area on the first floor , dozens of boxes of federal express envelopes were waiting to be filled . while cnn cameras rolled , one of the workers emptied a large clear plastic trash bag filled with empty wholesale prescription drug bottles . most of the containers were labeled carisoprodol , the generic name of the muscle relaxant soma . `` they need to be stopped , '' fitzpatrick said of the doctors and pharmacies involved . `` it just boggles my mind that it 's so simple . '' cnn 's kevin bohn contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a widow locked in a 10-year legal battle with a texas hospital to have her husband 's heart returned says the organ she was given could be from an animal . when linda carswell 's husband , jerry , died unexpectedly after being treated for kidney stones in 2004 , his heart was removed and kept without the family 's permission . the remains were finally released by st joseph medical center but when mrs carswell had them tested independently the results were disturbing . questions : linda carswell has filed a petition to ask why the organ the hospital claims is heart tissue from her husband , jerry , was found to have no human dna when she had it tested by an independent laboratory . grief : linda , pictured with husband jerry , wanted his heart returned so she could fully lay her husband to rest . when scientists at nms labs , a forensic laboratory in pennsylvania , examined the heart they could find no trace of human dna . according to a biologist , the missing human dna could be a result of how the heart had been preserved , or a ` real possibility that the heart submitted was not human ' . the lab analysis also questioned what the tissue had been preserved in , stating it ` did n't smell like formaldehyde ' . the shocking results mean mrs carswell is still unable to fully lay her husband to rest . she told propublica she feared burying the unknown organ tissue could ` desecrate the grave ' . mrs carswell told mail online : ` the hospitals and their pathologists continuously have represented to the courts and to us that it was jerry 's heart , that it was properly preserved , and that dna testing would confirm it was his heart . ' memories : linda and jerry carswell at their son jordan 's wedding . mr carswell died in hospital in 2004 . shocked : linda carswell , pictured with jerry and their granddaughter , says she was horrified to learn that no human dna could be found in the heart tissue . she added that after the long legal battle following her husband 's death , the family thought nothing could surprise them . ` now we are more than surprised - we are shocked and horrified , ' she said . adding : ` as much as we would like to put this behind us , now we find it necessary to go back to court . ' the family 's attorney , neil mccabe , said they had approached the court to ask for depositions of relevant representatives of the hospitals and pathologists , to get answers about why the materials that they claimed was mr carswell 's heart were found to be devoid of human dna . ` whether or not our inquiries will lead to further legal action must await the court 's decision on our request for depositions and what those depositions reveal , ' he told mail online . unexpected : jerry carswell was being treated for kidney stones when he unexpectedly died at christus st catherine hospital in texas . autopsy : when the retired teacher 's body was examined at st joseph medical center , part of the heart was removed and kept . for the family , the results mean they . are still lacking closure in the unexpected death of mr carswell , who . died shortly after being given drugs on the day he was due to leave . christus st catherine hospital in katy , texas . the retired teacher had been admitted to hospital for kidney stone treatment . his . widow successfully sued the hospital for $ 2 million for fraud over an . independent autopsy she had requested to see if the drugs had played a . role in her husband 's death . the autopsy did n't determine a cause for death and did not include the drugs test the family had requested . the hospital was cleared of causing the father-of-two 's death by negligence . a . court of appeals upheld the lawsuit verdict , but the hospital is asking . for the case to be heard again . it declined to comment on the dna . testing of the heart . two years after her husband 's death , mrs carswell also discovered that the st joseph medical center that carried out the autopsy had kept part of her husband 's heart . the hospital argued that it needed the tissue for possible evidence in the legal battle , but finally an appeals court ordered that it be returned to the family . erin lunceford , an attorney for the medical center , told propublica she did n't know why the heart had no human dna . closure : the ongoing legal battle and dna test results have been hard for linda , who is mourning the loss of jerry , who died in 2004 . she said the hospital was now under new ownership and the heart was only under the current owner 's possession . mrs carswell , who has filed a petition to be able to question the hospital about the dna results , said the analysis ` really hurts me ' . ' i felt it was right to get jerry 's heart returned to us , to our family , so we could bury the heart and get it out of their hands , ' she said . ' i could n't think of just leaving jerry 's heart . ' -- .<doc-sep>by . belinda robinson . mugger : mona haj youssef , 24 , laughed in the dock at her sentence for mugging the widow of murdered church organist alan greaves . a callous young woman who heartlessly mugged the brave widow of murdered church organist alan greaves - who died two years ago on christmas eve - burst out laughing in the dock as she avoided jail . mona haj youssef , 24 , launched a terrifying attack on maureen greaves , 64 , punching her in the face just two days before the widow had to face the ordeal of the start of her husband alan greave 's murder trial . in the shocking christmas eve murder , mr greaves , 68 , was brutally beaten over the head with a hammer just minutes after he left his home in sheffield on his way to play the organ at midnight mass at st saviour 's church in 2012 . the former social worker suffered severe head injuries when he was attacked by two men with a pickaxe handle and a hammer in the unprovoked attack . he died three days later . the devoted family man had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time when he bumped into jonathan bowling , 22 , and ashley foster , 22 , who were out looking for a random target . mr greaves , a grandfather and father of . four , was found by a delivery driver a short time later with . ` catastrophic ' head injuries . jonathan bowling admitted to mr greave 's murder and was jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years . meanwhile , accomplice ashley foster was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to nine years behind bars for the motiveless attack which provoked shock and outrage across the uk . but in a cruel twist of fate just days before foster 's trial was due to start , his kind-hearted widow mrs greaves was attacked outside shops by youssef leaving her shaken , bruised and with a cut cheek . youssef , a former university student whose studies fell apart because she became hooked on drugs was given a two-year probation supervision order , 12 months ' mental health treatment and ordered to pay # 250 in compensation for the assault . in happier times : maureen greaves is pictured with her late husband alan greaves . loss : mrs greaves has already had to come to terms with the murder of her husband alan greaves . but when she realised she had avoided jail , youssef laughed and shouted : ` yeah , # 250 . '<doc-sep>japanese police investigating a so-called `` black widow '' who could be behind the deaths of six partners have found traces of cyanide in soil from her pot plants , reports said friday . chisako kakehi , 68 , who was arrested last month on suspicion of murdering her 75-year-old spouse , received one billion yen -lrb- # 5.4 million -rrb- in insurance and other payouts over 10 years following the deaths of husbands and lovers , media have said . police believe she killed isao - her fourth and most recent husband - with cyanide in december last year . japanese woman chisako kakehi has reportedly received # 5.4 million over the last two decades -- in the form of insurance payments and other assets she received after the deaths of her seven partners . investigators who tested plant pots she had taken to a recycling centre about six months after her husband died discovered a bag at the bottom of a planter . lab results showed the presence of cyanide compounds , according to kyodo news . since the death from illness of her first husband in 1994 , kakehi had reportedly been involved with more than 10 men , six of whom had perished . reports say that most were elderly or ill and she was deliberately targeting unattached wealthy men as part of a plan to get insurance payouts or to inherit their assets . kakehi has denied murder . cyanide was found in the body of at least one of the men she was involved with before her recent marriage . police who earlier raided her home in kyoto found traces of cyanide in the rubbish , media said . they also found paraphernalia for administering drugs and medical books at an apartment she kept south of kyoto . japanese police probing a so-called ` black widow ' who could be behind the deaths of six partners have found traces of cyanide in soil from her pot plants .<doc-sep>after her husband died of cancer in 1997 , a florida woman decided to honour his wishes and live on the sea ... permanently . lee wachtstetter , 86 , sold her five-bedroom fort lauderdale home and moved to a stateroom aboard a luxury cruise ship . the widow , who often cruised with her husband during their 50-year-marriage , lived on a holland america line ship until it discontinued its dance host program . she then moved on to the crystal serenity and has been living on the 1,070-passenger ship for almost seven years . scroll down for video . lee wachtstetter , who has been nicknamed mama lee , sold her five-bedroom fort lauderdale area home and moved aboard a luxury cruise ship after her husband died in 1997 . mama lee 's husband guy mason wachtstetter and military dog tubby . tubby was killed in action on guam in 1944 and mr wachtstetter was one of his marine corps dog handlers . since setting saii , mrs wachtstetter has completed more than 200 cruises - including 15 round-the-world trips - taking in more than 100 countries . some of the ship 's 655 crew members took to calling her mama lee and the nickname has stuck . ` nobody can pronounce my last name anyway , so it 's fine with me , ' she told the the news-herald . mrs wachtstetter rarely goes ashore but does keep in touch with her family via computer , visiting them when the ship docks in miami . she misses her three sons and seven grandchildren , but says ` they have families of their own and do what 's right for them ' . ` the day before my husband died of cancer in 1997 , he told me , `` do n't stop cruising . '' ` so here i am today living a stress-free , fairy-tale life , ' the widow told the asbury park press . ' i enjoy dancing , and this was the best of the remaining ships that still use dance hosts . ` my husband did n't dance , just did n't like to , and encouraged me to dance with the hosts . ' i dance every night for a couple hours after dinner . ' | <t> cnn reporter gets drugs online without ever seeing a doctor as part of investigation . </t> <t> widow describes losing her husband to overdose of drugs bought online . </t> <t> expert says online pharmaceutical industry needs better regulation . </t> <t> woman tells cnn she tried to commit suicide after falling into deep depression . </t> | widow : my husband died from online drugs<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three-time defending champion rafael nadal made light work of his heavy schedule and a recurring foot problem to reach the last 16 of the french open on friday . rafael nadal inspects his blistered foot during his third-round victory against jarko nieminen . the world no. 2 crushed finnish 26th seed jarkko nieminen 6-1 6-3 6-1 in his fourth successive day of action on the paris clay , following frustration this week with bad weather . he will play fellow spaniard fernando verdasco after his 7-6 5-7 7-6 6-1 win over 15th seed mikhail youzhny of russia .<doc-sep>third seed novak djokovic was also untroubled in a later third round match to see off wayne odesnik of the united states 7-5 6-4 6-2 . nadal will be hoping for some time to let his blistered foot recover , needing treatment during the match against nieminen for a problem that saw him beaten in the second round of the rome masters earlier in the claycourt season . he is bidding to become the second man after the legendary bjorn borg to win four successive titles at roland garros , but has already vented his anger at the atp tour for scheduling four top-level clay events in as many weeks . watch nadal talk about his tournament hopes '' nadal showed little signs of tiredness as he cruised past nieminen in less than two hours to extend his winning record at the tournament to 24 matches .<doc-sep>his opening victory against brazil 's thomaz bellucci took two days due to torrential rain , then on thursday he saw off another qualifier in straight sets when he beat frenchman nicolas devilder . in other third round action on friday , spain 's nicolas almagro again showed his clay court pedigree with a 6-3 6-7 6-3 7-5 win over britain 's 10th seed andy murray . almagro , who has won two titles on clay this season , was made to work hard by murray , but recovered from a 3-1 deficit in the third set to win seven games in row and take command .<doc-sep>he will now play 145th-ranked frenchman jeremy chardy who ended the run of 30th seed dmitry tursunov of russia in straight sets . latvia 's ernests gulbis continued his fine run as he defeated nicolas lapentti of ecuador 6-3 7-5 6-2 to set up a clash with home hope michael llodra who beat italy 's simone bolelli in straight sets . in second-round action , france 's florent serra completed a hard-fought 6-4 6-3 6-7 7-6 win over victor hanescu of romania and will next face american bobby ginepri .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- rafael nadal ended the paris masters run of defending champion jo-wilfried tsonga on friday to help fellow-spaniard fernando verdasco book his spot at the atp world tour finals in london . tsonga needed to retain his title to deny verdasco a place at the prestigious eight-man tournament later this month , but found nadal far too consistent and fell to a 7-5 7-5 quarterfinal defeat . the world number two struggled in his first two matches , saving five match points against nicolas almagro before edging out tommy robredo , but his form was much improved on friday . tsonga dominated much of the first set with his blistering groundstrokes but could not take advantage of five break points and gradually nadal took the sting out of his opponent before breaking in the 11th game . the second set took on a similar pattern , although the errors were more frequent from the home favorite and nadal again broke at 5-5 thanks to a poor game from tsonga . the 23-year-old confidently served out for victory and will now face third seed novak djokovic in a superb semifinal showdown on saturday .<doc-sep>by . graeme yorke . birthday boy rafael nadal hit back from a set down to turn his quarter-final against david ferrer around completely and keep his hopes for a record ninth french open title alive . on the day after he turned 28 , nadal was slow to come out of the blocks and deservedly lost his first set at roland garros this year as ferrer nudged in front . almost every facet of nadal 's game was below par at that point , but he awoke from his slumber and struck back in blistering fashion to win 4-6 , 6-4 , 6-0 , 6-1 . on the march : rafael nadal continued his incredible form at the french open . kneesy does it : rafa nadal sealed his spot in the semi-finals of the french open after blitzing his compatriot . powerhouse display : after losing the first set , rafa nadal was relentless in his pursuit of victory . in the . early stages ferrer 's impressive shot variation caused problems for . nadal , but he used the anger from losing the opening set to fuel a . complete turnaround . nadal will face andy murray in the semi-finals after the wimbledon champion 's win over home favourite gael monfils . the . world number one made 12 unforced errors in the first seven games , to . ferrer 's five , and that made it all too easy for his compatriot to gain a . foothold in the contest . ferrer , . who hit 13 winners in the opening set and had plenty of joy from forays .<doc-sep>saturday but showed no sign it was bothering him as he strolled around the streets of paris . rafa faces a tricky test today in the form of serbia 's no 2 dusan lajovic who has impressed in only his second grand slam tournament . he has also yet to drop a set and surprised many by dispatching american jack sock with such ease in the third round . big smiles : nadal did n't seem fazed on the eve of his fourth-round clash on monday . eyes on the prize : nadal was focused during a straight-sets win over leonardo mayer on saturday . in the pink : nadal did n't go unnoticed in a bright jumper as he walked the streets of paris with xisca .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- rafael nadal failed to clinch the year-end no. 1 ranking for the third time in his career after suffering a shock defeat at the paris masters on saturday . the form player of the men 's tennis season after coming back from long-term knee problems , nadal could have added to his 2008 and 2010 feats by beating david ferrer and reaching the final of the penultimate tournament on the calendar . however , he lost 6-3 7-5 to his third-ranked compatriot , who will defend his title in sunday 's final against novak djokovic . the serbian earlier kept alive his hopes of being year-end no. 1 for the third successive year by beating 17-time grand slam champion roger federer in saturday 's opening semifinal . `` i played maybe my best match this season , '' ferrer said after ending a nine-match losing run to nadal . `` paris is very special for me . i made my first final of a grand slam in roland garros ; last year i won my first masters 1000 title ; now i 'm in the final again in paris . '' | <t> three-time defending champion rafael nadal into last 16 of the french open . </t> <t> spanish world no. 2 crushes finnish 26th seed jarkko nieminen 6-1 6-3 6-1 . </t> <t> second seed next faces fernando verdasco who beat mikhail youzhny . </t> <t> third seed novak djokovic later joins nadal in the fourth round at roland garros . </t> <t> nicolas almagro of spain puts out 10th seed andy murray of britain . </t> | nadal continues blistering paris form<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- negotiations between the united states and libya that could result in compensation for past acts of state-sponsored terrorism by libya are under way , a senior state department official said friday . the wreckage of pan am 103 in lockerbie , scotland ; the bombing killed 270 people in 1989 . u.s. and libyan officials met wednesday and thursday , the official said . the nations hope to hammer out a deal in which libya would `` resolve all outstanding claims in good faith '' and offer `` fair compensation '' to victims and their families , he said .<doc-sep>`` we are just at the beginning of this process . the goal is to get something that is fair and comprehensive , '' the official said . the official said that any agreement would cover about eight acts , including the 1989 bombing of pan am flight 103 over lockerbie , scotland , which killed 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground ; and the 1986 bombing of the la belle disco in berlin , germany , that killed two people and injured at least 120 , including 40 americans . outstanding terrorism claims have been a problem for libya in its attempts to normalize relations with the united states and to begin development of its oil resources . libya has expressed disappointment that it has failed to reap any political and economic benefits promised by the u.s. government and others after libya renounced terrorism and stopped development of weapons of mass destruction .<doc-sep>and some of the largest u.s. oil companies are eager to begin exploration and development of libya oil fields , among the 10 largest in the world . the new negotiations and development of an agreement would ideally fulfill all outstanding lawsuits against libya and allow investment to move forward . a joint u.s.-libyan statement said , `` both parties affirm their desire to work together to resolve all outstanding claims in good faith and expeditiously in the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism . ''<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- secretary of state condoleezza rice will meet tuesday with the son of libyan leader moammar gadhafi to discuss deepening ties between washington and tripoli , senior state department officials said monday . saif al islam gadhafi has been credited with convincing his father to compensate victims of a 1988 bombing . `` it 's a growing , evolving relationship , '' one senior official said , calling saif al islam gadhafi `` a significant political figure . '' al islam gadhafi , who has been mentioned as a possible successor to his father , is in the united states on a private visit . libyan activists have urged rice not to meet with gadhafi 's son while in the u.s. until leading libyan dissident fathi eljahmi is released from prison after seven years behind bars . the western-educated al islam gadhafi is widely credited with convincing his father to abandon his weapons of mass destruction program and compensate victims of the 1988 bombing of pan am flight 103 over lockerbie , scotland , in order to forge better ties with the west . in september he announced he was retiring from political life to push for political and economic reforms through his gadhafi international charity and development foundation , of which he is the chairman . in an interview with cnn , he said it was time for libya to embrace democracy and establish a parliament and a constitution . his visit comes amid warming ties between the united states and libya following an agreement between the two countries on a final settlement for the lockerbie bombing . president bush called moammar gadhafi monday to express his satisfaction that a settlement for the flight 103 bombing has been fully implemented . the state department described the call as the first conversation on record between a u.s. president and the flamboyant libyan leader . a libyan intelligence officer was convicted of masterminding the bombing , and libya was obligated to pay $ 2.7 billion in compensation to the families of the 270 victims killed in the attack , or $ 10 million per family . at least 189 of the people on board were americans . `` the two leaders discussed that this agreement should help to bring a painful chapter in the history between our two countries closer to closure , '' said national security council spokesman gordon johndroe . `` while we will always mourn the loss of life as a result of past terrorist activities , the settlement agreement is an important step in repairing the relationship between libya and the united states , '' johndroe said . `` libya has taken important steps on the road to normalizing its relations with the international community , beginning with its renunciation in 2003 of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction . '' the agreement was fully implemented october 31 . the bush administration lifted most u.s. sanctions against libya in april 2004 , opening the way for u.s. investments and commercial activities . in september , rice made a historic visit to libya , where she met with gadhafi -- the first visit by a secretary of state in 54 years .<doc-sep>in 2007 scottish judges granted megrahi the right to make a second appeal against his conviction on grounds that he may have suffered a miscarriage of justice . that process is ongoing . another man -- al-amin khalifa fahima -- was also tried in the bombing but was acquitted . libya has formally accepted responsibility for the bombing , though libyan leader moammar gadhafi later denied any culpability . the north african country has paid out more than $ 500 million to the families of victims of the attack as part of a wider $ 1.5 billion settlement to end its legal liability in u.s. terrorism cases and restore diplomatic full relations with washington .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- libya will pay hundreds of millions of dollars to victims of terrorist attacks involving americans in an agreement signed and finalized thursday , the u.s. state department said . u.s. assistant secretary of state david welch , left , and libyan deputy foreign minister ahmad fitouri sign the deal . assistant secretary of state david welch signed the deal in tripoli , libya , on thursday . if implemented , the deal will end libya 's legal liability in numerous lawsuits from families of victims of what the united states considers libyan terrorist acts . it also paves the way for stronger ties between the two nations and increased u.s. involvement in the oil-rich nation . `` this resolves the last major historical issue that has stood in the way of a more normal relationship between our two countries , '' welch said . the deal had hinged on congressional approval . last month , just before leaving for summer recess , congress unanimously adopted the libyan claims resolution act , sponsored by sen. frank r. lautenberg , d-new jersey . the legislation cleared the way to end the feud with libya over terrorist attacks and creates a fund for victim payments . `` the libyans did n't believe that congress would ever be helpful , and congress did n't think libya would ever do it , '' welch said thursday . `` we found a diplomatic way to accommodate both sides by turning suspicion into an asset . '' under the new law , congress gives the bush administration the authority to restore sovereign immunity for libya only when the united states receives the agreed-upon money to pay american claimants in the fund and the secretary of state certifies it . see a timeline of events following the pan am attack '' once the money is received into the fund , libya would be exempted from legislation passed this year enabling terrorism victims to be compensated from frozen assets of governments blamed for attacks . the 1988 bombing of pan am flight 103 over lockerbie , scotland , killed 270 people , including 189 americans . the 1986 la belle disco bombing in berlin , germany , killed two american servicemen and injured 79 americans . libya has paid 268 families involved in the pan am bombing $ 8 million each of a $ 10 million settlement . it was withholding the remaining $ 2 million owed to each family over a dispute regarding u.s. obligations to tripoli . under the deal , libya would pay more than $ 500 million to settle remaining claims from the lockerbie case and more than $ 280 million for victims of the la belle disco , according to jim kreindler , the lead attorney for the pan am families . it would also set aside funds to compensate victims of several other incidents blamed on libya but for which libya has n't accepted responsibility . the total settlement could exceed $ 1 billion . the pact , supported by the victims ' families , closes the book on a contentious period in u.s.-libyan relations . ties between the two countries began to improve in 2003 , when libya gave up its weapons of mass destruction program and began compensating lockerbie victims . but lingering lawsuits prevented the two countries from fully normalizing ties . a joint u.s.-libya statement issued thursday in tripoli said `` both parties welcomed the establishment of a process to provide fair compensation for their respective nationals , and thereby turn their focus to the future of their bilateral relationship . ''<doc-sep>outstanding terrorism claims have been a problem for libya in its attempts to normalize relations with the united states and to begin development of its oil resources . libya has expressed disappointment that it has failed to reap any political and economic benefits promised by the u.s. government and others after libya renounced terrorism and stopped development of weapons of mass destruction . and some of the largest u.s. oil companies are eager to begin exploration and development of libya oil fields , among the 10 largest in the world . the new negotiations and development of an agreement would ideally fulfill all outstanding lawsuits against libya and allow investment to move forward . a joint u.s.-libyan statement said , `` both parties affirm their desire to work together to resolve all outstanding claims in good faith and expeditiously in the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism . '' | <t> nations hoping for deal in which libya would compensate terrorism victims . </t> <t> eights acts would be covered in possible agreement . </t> <t> libya has tried to normalize relations with u.s. by renouncing terrorism . </t> <t> u.s. oil companies want to explore and develop libya 's oil fields . </t> | u.s. , libya discussing terrorism settlement<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- researchers have produced aerial photos of jungle dwellers who they say are among the few remaining peoples on earth who have had no contact with the outside world . indigenous brazilians are photographed during an overflight in may , reacting to the sights over their camp . taken from a small airplane , the photos show men outside thatched communal huts , necks craned upward , pointing bows toward the air in a remote corner of the amazonian rainforest .<doc-sep>the national indian foundation , a government agency in brazil , published the photos thursday on its web site . it tracks `` uncontacted tribes '' -- indigenous groups that are thought to have had no contact with outsiders -- and seeks to protect them from encroachment . more than 100 uncontacted tribes remain worldwide , and about half live in the remote reaches of the amazonian rainforest in peru or brazil , near the recently photographed tribe , according to survival international , a nonprofit group that advocates for the rights of indigenous people . `` all are in grave danger of being forced off their land , killed or decimated by new diseases , '' the organization said thursday .<doc-sep>illegal logging in peru is threatening several uncontacted groups , pushing them over the border with brazil and toward potential conflicts with about 500 uncontacted indians living on the brazilian side , survival international said . its director , stephen cory , said the new photographs highlight the need to protect uncontacted people from intrusion by the outside world . `` these pictures are further evidence that uncontacted tribes really do exist , '' cory said in a statement . `` the world needs to wake up to this , and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law . otherwise , they will soon be made extinct . ''<doc-sep>the photos released thursday show men who look strong and healthy , the brazilian government said . they and their relatives apparently live in six communal shelters known as malocas , according to the government , which has tracked at least four uncontacted groups in the region for the past 20 years . watch a report on the tribe '' the photos were taken during 20 hours of flights conducted between april 28 and may 2 .<doc-sep>the tribe , which numbers about 200 , lives in acre state . the government follows a policy of not contacting them but monitors their land as it is threatened by logging , mining , cattle ranching , fishing and hunting . leaders of the ashaninka tribe , which shares territory with this tribe and other uncontacted ones in the amazon , have asked the government and ngos for help in controlling the encroachment of these tribes in their own area , according to reuters . according to survival international , an organisation working for tribal people 's rights worldwide , this particular uncontacted amazonian tribe grows crops , peanuts , bananas , corns and more . the pictures also show banana plants near the tribe 's straw-roofed huts .<doc-sep>a highly vulnerable group of uncontacted amazon indians forced out of the rainforest in brazil has caught flu , it has been confirmed . members of the unnamed tribe emerged from the rainforest in brazil near the peru border and made contact with a settled indigenous community , following ` violent attacks ' . however , officials confirmed they caught flu - and have now returned to their tribe , amid fears they could infect them . scroll down for video . three of the seven uncontacted indians who made contact with a settled ashaninka community near the brazil-peru border in june . authorities have treated them after an outbreak of flu , but fear they could spread it through their tribe . a specialist funai team is in the area to provide help to the newly-contacted group , and a medical unit has been flown in to treat possible epidemics of common respiratory and other diseases to which isolated indigenous groups lack immunity .<doc-sep>by . mark prigg . the world 's last uncontacted tribes could be monitored using satellites and online service , researcher have said . a us team has already used google earth images to assess the demographic health of a village of isolated people on the border between brazil and peru . they say mapping sites could hold the key to remotely keeping an eye on the tribes without contacting them . members of an uncontacted tribe in the brazilian state of acre , as seen from satellite images . photo courtesy of government of brazil . the researchers were able to find the area on google maps and estimate the population . lowland south america , including the amazon basin , harbors most of the last indigenous societies that have limited contact with the outside world . studying these tribes , located deep within amazonian rainforests , gives scientists a glimpse at what tribal cultures may have been like before the arrival of europeans . researchers at the university of missouri used satellite images to assess the demographic health of one particular village of isolated people on the border between brazil and peru . remote surveillance is the only method to safely track uncontacted indigenous societies and may offer information that can improve their chances for long-term survival , the team claim . they used google earth satellite imagery to estimate the area of the fields and the size of the village belonging to the tribe .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an isolated indian tribe in brazil seemingly has vanished like a morning mist in the amazon jungle . concerns are rising that the tribe , filmed this past year for the first time , may have been run off by drug traffickers . aid group survival international first reported this week that suspected traffickers had destroyed a brazilian guard post built near the tribe 's location to protect them from outsiders . the organization said it was feared that a nearby river has become a transit point for cocaine from peru . an overflight of huts where the tribe lives showed no one in the area , bruno perez , a spokesman for brazil 's national indian foundation -lrb- funai -rrb- , told cnn thursday . the fact that none of the indians could be spotted by the air is worrisome , perez said . however , the huts were still standing and the crops appeared untouched , which indicates that contact was not made , at least not there . video of the previously uncontacted tribe , released in february , made headlines around the world , as did 2008 photos of a settlement . in the videos , residents in bright body paint stand near thatch-covered structures . | <t> the photos are published on the national indian foundation 's web site . </t> <t> government : men appear strong and healthy , live in communal shelters . </t> <t> `` uncontacted tribes '' are thought to have had no contact with outsiders . </t> | ` uncontacted tribe ' sighted in amazon<T> |
miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tropical storm arthur , the first named storm of the 2008 atlantic season , formed saturday near the coast of belize , the u.s. national hurricane center said . tropical storm arthur could make its way across the yucatan and re-emerge in the gulf of mexico . the storm made its way over land and was expected to weaken , but the center said the storm could re-emerge in the gulf of mexico and regain intensity sunday . at 11 p.m. , the center of arthur was over the southern yucatan peninsula , about 80 miles -lrb- 125 km -rrb- west of chetumal , mexico , and about 120 miles -lrb- 195 km -rrb- south-southeast of campeche , mexico . it was moving west at about 7 miles -lrb- 11 km -rrb- per hour . the storm 's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph -lrb- 65 km/hr -rrb- , with higher gusts , mainly over water east of its center . tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 260 miles -lrb- 415 km -rrb- from the center of the storm , forecasters said .<doc-sep>the government of belize issued a tropical storm warning for the nation 's coast , and the government of mexico issued a tropical storm warning from cabo catoche south to the border with belize . a tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area -- in this case , within the next six to 12 hours . the storm was forecast to dump up to 10 inches of rain over belize , up to 15 inches in isolated areas , the hurricane center said . the 2008 atlantic hurricane season begins sunday . on thursday , tropical storm alma , the first one of the year in the eastern pacific , formed near the west coast of central america , according to the national weather service . the storm was downgraded to a tropical depression and dissipated over the high terrain of central america . the federal government 's national oceanic and atmospheric administration predicted this month that the atlantic season would be more active than normal , with up to 16 named storms and up to five major hurricanes of category 3 or above .<doc-sep>the noted colorado state university hurricane forecasting team predicted this year that there would be 15 named storms , eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes . the team calculated a 69 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the u.s. coast . a survey released this week found that 50 percent of 1,100 adults surveyed in atlantic and u.s. gulf coast states did not have disaster plans or survival kits . `` nearly one in three said they would not prepare their home until a storm is within 24 hours of landfall , '' bill read , director of the national hurricane center , said thursday . `` now is the time to buy all that stuff , '' he said upon the release of the survey by polling firm mason-dixon .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a tropical depression formed in the western caribbean sea on sunday , and is likely to become tropical storm rina as it skirts the honduran coastline , the national hurricane center said . the depression -- the 18th of the 2011 atlantic hurricane season -- was located off the nicaragua/honduras border late sunday afternoon , forecasters said . the government of honduras issued a tropical storm watch from punta castilla eastward to the nicaraguan border . a tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions , including sustained winds of at least 39 mph , are possible within 48 hours . the depression was moving northwest at near 12 mph , and was expected to turn west-northwest monday . `` on the forecast track , the center of the depression is expected to pass north of the northeastern coast of honduras during the next couple of days , '' the center said . the depression 's maximum sustained winds were at 35 mph , just shy of tropical storm strength , forecasters said . `` gradual strengthening is expected during the next day or two and the depression is forecast to become a tropical storm tonight or monday , '' the center said . the depression is expected to dump 2 to 4 inches of rain over eastern honduras , with isolated maximum amounts of 7 inches possible in some spots , according to the center . the forecast track shows the system brushing belize as a tropical storm and making landfall near chetumal , mexico , on friday . however , such long-range forecasts are subject to change .<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>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>sandy was the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclone of the 2012 atlantic hurricane season . name to be retired from its list of tropical storm names and replaced with ` sara ' the most names ever retired in one year was five in 2005 , including katrina and rita . sandy is the only name to be retired from 2012 . 2013 hurricane season begins on 1st june . by . james daniel . published : . 18:06 est , 12 april 2013 . | . updated : . 18:11 est , 12 april 2013 . it 's a name the residents of new york and new jersey will never forget , but rest assured there will never again will there be a hurricane called ` sandy ' . the hurricane which struck the northeastern united states with devastating impact last october was the second-costliest hurricane in united states history . at least 285 people were killed along the path of the storm in seven countries . hurricane sandy : although the damage has not been fully calculated , estimates put it well in excess of $ 50 billion . the damage was particularly severe in new jersey and new york . the storm surge hit new york city on 29th october 2012 flooding streets , tunnels , subway lines and cutting power in and around the city . preliminary estimates suggest the damage in the us alone is likely to be well over $ 50 billion . the final figures will be released later this year . sandy has been retired from the official list of atlantic basin tropical cyclone names by the world meteorological organization 's hurricane committee . enormous : sandy was a cat . 3 storm when it made landfall in cuba and a cat . 2 storm off the coast of the us . the storm became the largest atlantic hurricane on record spanning 1,100 miles . damage : winds were only part of sandy 's devastating impact - the floodwater was also extremely damaging as the hurricane made landfall along the new jersey shore . parts of the state were flooded and without power for days . it now joins a so-called ` hall of fame ' for retired hurricane names - a move that usually only occurs when the damage is particularly extreme . storm names are reused every six years for both the atlantic and eastern north pacific basins . meteorologists use six alphabetical lists of names that alternate between male and female names . one set is used per year and the sets are recycled in the same order . however , if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of the name would be insensitive or confusing , the wmo hurricane committee may retire the name . clean-up : months on the clean-up continues where large section of the iconic boardwalk was washed away in the heavily damaged rockaway neighborhood of the queens borough of new york city . battered : coastal communities like this one in queens were torn apart by sandy 's devastatingly strong winds and storm surge . thousands were left without heat and power for weeks . sandy was a classic late-season hurricane in the southwestern caribbean sea . the cyclone made landfall as a category 1 hurricane in jamaica , and as a 115 mph category 3 hurricane in eastern cuba . hurricane sandy merged with a second winter storm hours before making landfall near brigantine , new jersey . its size and strength caused catastrophic damage all along the mid-atlantic shoreline . sandy was the second costliest hurricane to hit the united states since katrina in 2005 . switched off then struck off : sandy saw half of manhattan without power for days . it 's destruction was so severe , the name ` sandy ' is being removed from the list of approved hurricane names . sandy is the 77th name to be retired . from the atlantic list since 1954 and was the only name retired for . 2012 . the name will be replaced with ` sara ' beginning in 2018 . in 2011 , irene was the only name taken off the list . the . 2013 atlantic hurricane season , which runs 1 june -- 30 november , will . use a set last used in 2007 . it begins with ` andrea ' and ends with . ` wendy ' . the sets are only 21 names long without names for names beginning with q , u , x , y and z . if there are more than 21 storms in a season , storms are named after the letters of the greek alphabet . the atlantic hurricane season begins on 1st june and lasts until 30th november . | <t> new : storm could re-emerge into gulf of mexico and regain intensity . </t> <t> storm 's maximum sustained winds near 40 mph . </t> <t> storm forecast to dump up to 10 to 15 inches of rain over belize . </t> <t> 2008 hurricane season begins sunday . </t> | atlantic season 's 1st tropical storm forms near belize<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- imams delivering their friday sermons in iraq are denouncing the shooting of a quran , the holy book of islam , by a u.s. soldier . col. ted martin kisses a copy of the quran before presenting it to tribal leaders saturday . `` if we were strongly united from the beginning , that silly-minded american soldier would n't have used the quran as a target , '' said sheikh ahmed abdul-ghafour al-samarie , delivering a sermon at um al-qura sunni mosque in baghdad . the u.s. military and president bush have apologized , but it did not stem the violent protests in afghanistan and calls from both sunni and shiite iraqis for the soldier to be severely punished .<doc-sep>muslims around the world were angered when it came to light last week that an american staff sergeant -- a sniper section leader -- had used a quran for target practice in iraq . imams at mosques in the largely sunni cities of falluja and mosul , and in baghdad , condemned the act . the baghdad mosque prayer was broadcast live on state tv . `` this soldier put the head of his state in embarrassment that he had to apologize to the prime minister . we call upon this soldier to be punished . this act , we reject and we stand against it , '' al-samarie said .<doc-sep>he said if a similar incident happened again , `` the world will turn upside down and things will not go back to how they were . '' watch residents of baghdad protest '' sayyed muhanned al-mossawi , a shiite imam at al-hakma mosque , said : `` we condemn and denounce the criminal act by the american soldier in radhwaniya in tearing the holy quran and using it as a shooting target . '' friday 's prayer service is the most important muslim event of the week . the u.s. commander in baghdad issued a formal apology saturday and read a letter of apology from the shooter . watch the u.s. military formally apologize ''<doc-sep>the sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader , officially reprimanded by his commanding general , dismissed from his regiment and reassigned to the united states , the u.s. military said . iraq 's most powerful sunni arab party , the iraqi islamic party , has demanded the `` severest of punishments '' for the american soldier . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq and saad abedine contributed to this report .<doc-sep>srinagar , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- indian-administered kashmir witnessed widespread violence monday that killed 18 people and left 80 wounded , some of them critically . pro-independence mobs defied a round-the-clock curfew to stage protests against india and against a florida pastor 's now-canceled plans to burn the quran , leading to fierce clashes with indian security forces . two christian missionary schools , several government buildings and two police vehicles were set on fire by angry mobs , mostly young people , police said . the demonstrations to denounce the potential desecration of the quran added a dimension to the three-month-long anti-india unrest .<doc-sep>just as our founding fathers established `` life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness '' as basic rights for all americans , so too does islam establish the protection and preservation of life , religion , family , intellect , property and dignity for all . we must look for ways in which such rights can be realized , and ways in which we can work with afghans to address these injustices . in 2006 , daisy founded the women 's islamic initiative on spirituality and equality -lrb- wise -rrb- , a social justice movement that works to reclaim women 's rights in islam . its global muslim women 's shura council of scholars and activists were so compelled by the level of violence against women that they published `` jihad against violence , '' -lrb- pdf -rrb- a report that condemns both violent extremism and domestic violence . the response to this report , along with wise 's imam training program to end violence against women in afghanistan , was overwhelming . many afghan imams confided in us that the scriptural evidence that we provided helped them to realize that they were propagating distorted and incorrect interpretations of the quran , unintentionally . egypt 's islamists : much to prove on women 's rights . the value of these religious literacy trainings were so transformative that we were told , `` the u.s. government should not have spent billions -lrb- on the war -rrb- ; they should have spent millions and involved the imams -lrb- with regards to women 's rights -rrb- , and everything would have been different today . '' similarly , an afghan woman told us , `` imams are our only shield against the taliban . ''<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a soldier used the quran -- islam 's holy book -- for target practice , forcing the chief u.s. commander in baghdad to issue a formal apology on saturday . maj. gen. jeffery hammond apologizes after a soldier admitted using the quran for target practice . maj. gen. jeffrey hammond , commander of u.s. forces in baghdad , flanked by leaders from radhwaniya in the western outskirts of baghdad , apologized for the staff sergeant who was a sniper section leader assigned to the headquarters of the 64th armored regiment . he also read a letter of apology by the shooter . it was the first time the incident -- which tested the relationship between u.s.-backed sunni militiamen and the military -- was made public since it was discovered may 11 . `` i come before you here seeking your forgiveness , '' hammond said to tribal leaders and others at the apology ceremony . `` in the most humble manner i look in your eyes today and i say please forgive me and my soldiers . '' watch villagers protest the quran incident '' another military official kissed a quran and presented it as `` a humble gift '' to the tribal leaders . the soldier , whose name was not released , shot at a quran on may 9 , villagers said . the quran used in the incident was discovered two days later , according to the military . hammond also read from the shooter 's letter : `` i sincerely hope that my actions have not diminished the partnership that our two nations have developed together . ... my actions were shortsighted , very reckless and irresponsible , but in my heart -lsb- the actions -rsb- were not malicious . '' watch hammond issue apology '' a tribal leader said `` the criminal act by u.s. forces '' took place at a shooting range at the radhwaniya police station . after the shooters left , an iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled quran . copies of the pictures of the quran obtained by cnn show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages . a military investigation found the shooter guilty and relieved him of duty ; he will be redeployed to the united states for reassignment away from the 1st brigade of the 4th infantry division , a u.s. official said . `` the actions of one soldier were nothing more than criminal behavior , '' hammond said . `` i 've come to this land to protect you , to support you -- not to harm you -- and the behavior of this soldier was nothing short of wrong and unacceptable . '' officials said the soldier claimed he was n't aware the book was the quran . u.s. officials rejected the claim . tribal leaders , dignitaries and local security officials attended the ceremony , while residents carried banners and chanted slogans , including `` yes , yes to the quran '' and `` america out , out . '' sheikh hamadi al-qirtani , in a speech on behalf of all tribal sheiks of radhwaniya , called the incident `` aggression against the entire islamic world . '' the association of muslim scholars in iraq also condemned the shooter 's actions and the u.s. military 's belated acknowledgment of the incident . `` as the association of muslim scholars condemns this heinous crime against god 's holy book , the constitution of this nation , a source of pride and dignity , '' the groups statement said , `` they condemned the silence by all those who are part of the occupation 's agenda and holds the occupation and the current government fully responsible for this violation and reminds everyone that god preserves his book and he -lsb- god -rsb- is a great avenger . ''<doc-sep>news of abu a'ntaar had joined isis comes as at least nine imams were revealed to be among 15 people arrested in kosovo today in the second major operation in weeks to try to stem the flow of young ethnic albanians joining islamist fighters in iraq and syria . a police source , who spoke on condition of anonymity , said the 15 faced charges including ` terrorism , threatening the constitutional order , incitement and religious hate speech ' . scale : isis , which is led by abu bakr al-baghdadi -lrb- pictured -rrb- , was this week revealed to be the wealthiest terror group in history - raking in # 3 million a day through oil smuggling , extortion , theft and human trafficking . spread : nine imams were among 15 people arrested by masked police -lrb- pictured -rrb- in kosovo today . the arrests were allegedly to stop the flow of young muslims leaving the country to join isis . armed : a kosovan police officer stands guard outside the apartment of fuad ramiqi - the vice-president of the radical islamic political party lisba - during a police raid this morning . in the last such operation on august 11 , 40 people were arrested on suspicion of fighting in iraq and syria or recruiting insurgents . police said that among the imams arrested was an influential muslim cleric from the grand mosque in the capital pristina . another was the the leader of an islamic-rooted political party . ` the majority of those arrested are imams of different mosques belonging to the islamic community of kosovo , ' police spokesperson baki kelani said . most of kosovo 's 1.8 million people are ethnic albanian muslims and lead largely secular lives . | <t> `` we condemn and denounce the criminal act , '' shiite imam says in friday sermon . </t> <t> sunni imam calls soldier `` silly-minded american '' who embarrassed leader . </t> <t> american staff sergeant had used a quran for target practice in iraq . </t> <t> friday prayers most significant event of the week for muslims . </t> | imams in iraq denounce quran shooting<T> |
san diego , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- on the question of whether recent immigrants assimilate as quickly as previous waves , many americans exhibit short fuses -- and even shorter memories . ruben navarrette jr. notes that immigrants have been criticized throughout history for not assimilating . they have convinced themselves that , instead of adapting to the customs of this country , new arrivals -- most of whom come from asia or latin america -- expect the rest of us to accommodate them . they go ballistic over little things -- mexican flags , taco trucks , libraries that offer bilingual story time , or having to `` press one for english . '' yet , even as they look down on new immigrants , many americans look back fondly upon their immigrant ancestors . legend has it that when grandpa arrived from ireland , germany , italy or poland , he jumped off the boat , immediately draped himself in the american flag , ripped out his native tongue , and abandoned his culture -- all while singing `` yankee doodle dandy . '' germans did not move to milwaukee and make beer and cheese . the irish did not settle in boston and join organizations like the hibernian society to preserve their heritage and culture . and even while americans complain about how the current crop of immigrants are n't like their predecessors , they miss the irony : at the time , there were people who said the same thing about their ancestors ; the germans were thought to not be like the english , the irish were n't like the germans , the italians were n't like the irish etc. . and the chinese were n't like anyone who had come before them , and so they were labeled `` unassimilable '' by the tom tancredos of that era . some things never change . when i was growing up in central california , which is home to a large population of immigrants from southeast asia , thousands would gather to celebrate hmong new year . the local newspaper would do a feature . and , in the days that followed , someone would write an angry letter to the editor complaining that these people were n't melting into the pot . yet , there is more melting going on than one might think , according to a new report from the manhattan institute . billed as the first annual index of immigrant assimilation , the study was written by duke university professor jacob vigdor . it measured three kinds of assimilation : economic -lrb- employment , education , homeownership , etc. -rrb- ; cultural -lrb- intermarriage , english proficiency , family size , etc. -rrb- ; and civic -lrb- citizenship , military service , political participation , etc. -rrb- . far from discovering that recent immigrants are ducking the assimilation process , the study found that `` immigrants of the past quarter-century have assimilated more rapidly than their counterparts of a century ago , even though they are more distinct from the native population upon arrival . '' of course , individual groups still fall behind in some categories . chinese and indian immigrants have low levels of cultural assimilation . mexican immigrants have low levels of economic assimilation . and canadian and indian immigrants have low levels of civic assimilation , since few of them become citizens . but , overall , the news is good . after more than 200 years , america still does an excellent job of assimilating immigrants . even if a particular group tried to resist the process , they would n't stand a chance . assimilation happens , whether the immigrants are ready or not . those are the facts . of course , fear does n't listen to facts . that is something else that has n't changed . ruben navarrette jr. is a member of the editorial board of the san diego union-tribune and a nationally syndicated columnist . read his column here . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>• the simple solutions . `` build a wall . '' `` deport all illegals . '' a quick rule of thumb : if it fits on a bumper sticker , it 's not a workable policy . • the naiveté . people ask why mexico wo n't help stop illegal immigration . hint : last year , mexicans in the united states sent home $ 25 billion . • the profiling . dark skin and spanish surnames should n't be proxies for undocumented status . been to arizona lately ? • the meanness . nazi-produced internet video games let players shoot illegal immigrants crossing the border . fun stuff . • the amnesia . americans think grandpa was welcomed with open arms and that he plunged into the melting pot . whatever . • the buck-passing . americans love to blame mexico for their choices , yelling across the border : `` stop us before we hire again . '' • the double standard . the same folks who have zero tolerance for illegal immigrants easily tolerate those who hire them . some of this is painfully familiar , recalling earlier versions of this debate as it played out a hundred or two hundred years ago . hispanics are the new germans , the new irish , the new italians . but it 's also ugly . it was then . it is now . ruben navarrette jr. is a member of the editorial board of the san diego union-tribune and a nationally syndicated columnist . read his column here . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>i never imagined that one day i would think nothing of ordering gumbo or eating burritos , much less have a career in politics as the u.s. congressman representing the 2nd district of louisiana . like most immigrants , my siblings and i learned to assimilate into this big melting pot called the united states of america . we worked hard on our studies and in our businesses . along with other vietnamese immigrants and refugees of the time , stories of successes and heartbreaks quickly spread around the community . although the academic achievements of vietnamese students in schools were touted in the media , we also agonized over the horrific news about the plights of the vietnamese boat people .<doc-sep>why would house republicans refuse to enact a law that is good policy and good politics ? there are many reasons . one is that many house republicans represent grotesquely gerrymandered conservative districts that give them little incentive to compromise . two , they are being bullied by loudmouths on the right such as rush limbaugh , u.s. sen. ted cruz of texas and others . former vice-presidential candidate sarah palin even got into the action urging people via her facebook post to : `` join the mama grizzlies who are rearing up tirelessly to swat away false claims that amnesty is a good thing . '' -lrb- whenever i 'm on the fence about an issue , i will see where palin stands and then take the opposite view because i know that 's the correct one . -rrb- . perhaps these words of bush can inspire house republicans to do the right thing : `` rarely is the question asked : is our children learning ? '' ok , that 's not relevant but it makes me laugh every time . actually , what bush said this week sums it up : `` we can uphold our traditions of assimilating immigrants and honoring our heritage of a nation built on the rule of law . '' let 's hope house republicans have the courage to stand up to those on the far right of their party and not focus solely on building walls at the border but also on helping america remain the great melting pot that it is . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of dean obeidallah .<doc-sep>freed africans and european immigrants , all of whom were mainly farmers . ` everyone was an immigrant and somehow , everyone co-existed ' , states james wyckoff , a distant descendant of the family who first owned it , on a vimeo film about the building 's history . he goes on to point out that new york remains a melting pot of cultures to this day . the house was built by an illiterate teenage farm laborer called pieter claesen wyckoff , who had just arrived from europe . educational : the house has been altered and restored many times over the course of its lengthy history , and now stands as a museum of what life was like in colonial times . as it was : the house was built by an illiterate dutch farm laborer called pieter claeson wyckoff , who had just arrived from europe to make a new life for himself and his wife grietie . mr wyckoff and his wife grietie van nes settled . in the area , then known as new amsterdam and now brooklyn 's east . flatbush , around half an hour 's drive from the center of manhattan . | <t> navarrette : americans perceive new immigrants as not assimilating . </t> <t> americans think ancestors got off the boat waving the stars and stripes , he says . </t> <t> that leads to resentment of current wave of immigrants , he says . </t> <t> but a recent study says new immigrants are joining the mainstream . </t> | commentary : immigrants melting into the pot as usual<T> |
miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a woman who died after she was hit by a spotted eagle ray leaping from the water off the florida keys suffered `` multiple skull fractures and direct brain injury , '' a medical examiner said friday . the dead spotted eagle ray lies on the deck of a boat in florida . judy kay zagorski , 55 , of pigeon , michigan , died thursday of `` blunt force craniocerebral trauma '' after the ray hit her when she was in a boat , monroe county medical examiner michael hunter determined . he gave no indication in the preliminary report whether the blow from the ray itself or her head hitting the deck , or both , killed her . `` it 's just as freakish of an accident as i have heard , '' said jorge pino of the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission . `` the chances of this occurring are so remote that most of us are completely astonished that this happened . ''<doc-sep>zagorski was on the boat with her father and other family members and friends . she was seated or standing in the front of the vessel as it was traveling about 25 mph out of a channel , pino said . `` the ray just actually popped up in front of the vessel , '' he said . `` the father had not even a second to react . it was too late . it happened instantly and the woman fell backwards and , unfortunately , died as a result of the collision . '' the accident happened off the coast of marathon key , about 2 1/2 hours ' drive south of miami . zagorski was taken to the fishermen 's hospital in marathon , where she was pronounced dead . watch marine officers work around dead ray on boat '' pino said he had seen rays leap into the air , but added , `` it 's very rare for them to collide with objects . '' watch experts explain why eagle rays leap '' the spotted-eagle ray weighed about 75 to 80 pounds and had a 6-foot wingspan , pino said . watch officials investigate eagle ray collision ''<doc-sep>florida fish and wildlife said eagle rays `` are not an aggressive species , but they do tend to leap from the water . '' spotted eagle rays can have a wingspan of up to 10 feet and can weigh 500 pounds , it said . learn more about eagle rays '' television personality steve irwin was killed when a ray 's barb pierced his heart in september 2006 . a month later , an 81-year-old florida man , james bertakis , survived after a ray leaped from the water and stung him in the heart , according to the orlando sentinel . he spent five weeks on a ventilator and his recovery took several months , his sons told the detroit free press in his former home state of michigan . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a woman who died after she was hit by a spotted eagle ray leaping from the water off the florida keys suffered `` multiple skull fractures and direct brain injury , '' a medical examiner said friday . the dead spotted eagle ray lies on the deck of a boat in florida . judy kay zagorski , 55 , of pigeon , michigan , died thursday of `` blunt force craniocerebral trauma '' after the ray hit her when she was in a boat , monroe county medical examiner michael hunter determined . he gave no indication in the preliminary report whether the blow from the ray itself or her head hitting the deck , or both , killed her . `` it 's just as freakish of an accident as i have heard , '' said jorge pino of the florida fish and wildlife conservation commission . `` the chances of this occurring are so remote that most of us are completely astonished that this happened . '' zagorski was on the boat with her father and other family members and friends . she was seated or standing in the front of the vessel as it was traveling about 25 mph out of a channel , pino said . `` the ray just actually popped up in front of the vessel , '' he said . `` the father had not even a second to react . it was too late . it happened instantly and the woman fell backwards and , unfortunately , died as a result of the collision . ''<doc-sep>baltimore county police said parente killed his wife , betty , 58 , on sunday , april 19 , using `` blunt force trauma '' and asphyxiation . police said he killed his daughter catherine , 11 , around the same time , using the same method . later that day , his daughter stephanie , 19 , a loyola college sophomore , was killed also by blunt force trauma and asphyxiation , according to police . citing hotel records , police said the room was accessed by its electronic key at around 4 p.m. on sunday , making it plausible that stephanie entered the room . later that evening , police said , stephanie 's college roommate , worried that she had an exam the next morning and had n't come home , called the room and spoke to william parente . parente told the roommate stephanie would be spending the night . police believe she was dead at the time . parente died some time later by cutting himself , police said , but would not elaborate further on his death .<doc-sep>a woman had been charged with the murder of her own daughter after hitting her so hard the girl 's stomach burst . 11-year-old raasania j. coley died as a result of blunt force trauma shortly after 9pm friday , after officers found the girl unresponsive at home in waukegan , illinois . nicholette r. lawrence , 32 , was charged with first degree murder after telling investigators she had struck the child earlier in the week . nicholette r lawrence , 32 , from waukegan , illinois , told police she had struck her daughter in the stomach . the young girl was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead . lake county coroner 's office said that an autopsy determined the cause of death to be a torn stomach as a result of blunt force trauma , fox 32 news reports . according to police , lawrence has two other children , who also lived in the home , but there have been no allegations of abuse towards them . these children have been placed with relatives . lawrence was charged with first-degree murder and is held at the lake county jail on $ 5 million bond . she is next due to appear in court on september 30 . according to abc news , neighbors said raasania rarely came outside the home . ` we 've been staying here for three years , we were here half of a year before i knew they had an oldest daughter , ' next door neighbor simone allen told the news channel . ms allen said the few times she did see raasania , she had a feeling something was wrong with the child . ` every time i looked at her i just saw the hurt and pain , it was like something she wanted to say but could n't say it , ' she added . sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article .<doc-sep>state police said the victims were passengers in a van , operated by 49-year-old connie lally , that turned into the path of a concrete truck driven by john ehrhart , 60 . the truck then struck a third vehicle , a sedan . the coroner 's office said emmanuel and melvin esh are related to elizabeth esh by marriage . officials said after autopsies on tuesday that the three adults died from multiple blunt-force trauma . | <t> new : woman suffered brain injury , multiple skull fractures , medical examiner rules . </t> <t> spotted eagle ray leaps from water , strikes woman on boat , officials say . </t> <t> victim was 55-year-old woman from michigan . </t> <t> spotted eagle ray weighed 75 to 80 pounds , official says . </t> | blunt force trauma killed woman struck by ray<T> |
jakarta , indonesia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an indonesian businessman known for publicity stunts dropped 100 million rupiah , or about $ 10,700 , from an aircraft sunday to promote his new book . bank notes are dropped from a small airplane sunday to promote tung desem waringin 's new book . tung desem waringin circled eight times over a soccer field in the city of serang , about 40 miles west of jakarta , emptying bag after black bag of cash .<doc-sep>below , men snatched bills from the hands of young ones . giddy schoolchildren jumped up and down in excitement , holding up notes they picked up . one man held a blue cap that he had stuffed with money . another sat in a corner of the field , massaging his feet after a madcap dash for cash . watch waringin make it rain '' the stunt was to promote tung 's book `` marketing revolution , '' said fajar ramdani , the media coordinator for the event .<doc-sep>tung initially wanted to pull the stunt over the capital of jakarta , but police , fearing large crowds and potential chaos , did not grant him permission , local media reported . three years ago , the 42-year-old motivational speaker rode a horse along jakarta 's main streets dressed as one of the country 's most celebrated war heroes to launch his first book . the book went on to become a best-seller .<doc-sep>millions of people in indonesia live on fewer than $ 2 a day . the publicity stunt was expected to generate a tremendous response because the country is grappling with rising food and fuel prices . cnn 's kathy quiano contributed to this report .<doc-sep>jakarta , indonesia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an indonesian businessman known for publicity stunts dropped 100 million rupiah , or about $ 10,700 , from an aircraft sunday to promote his new book . bank notes are dropped from a small airplane sunday to promote tung desem waringin 's new book . tung desem waringin circled eight times over a soccer field in the city of serang , about 40 miles west of jakarta , emptying bag after black bag of cash . below , men snatched bills from the hands of young ones . giddy schoolchildren jumped up and down in excitement , holding up notes they picked up . one man held a blue cap that he had stuffed with money . another sat in a corner of the field , massaging his feet after a madcap dash for cash . watch waringin make it rain '' the stunt was to promote tung 's book `` marketing revolution , '' said fajar ramdani , the media coordinator for the event . tung initially wanted to pull the stunt over the capital of jakarta , but police , fearing large crowds and potential chaos , did not grant him permission , local media reported . three years ago , the 42-year-old motivational speaker rode a horse along jakarta 's main streets dressed as one of the country 's most celebrated war heroes to launch his first book . the book went on to become a best-seller . millions of people in indonesia live on fewer than $ 2 a day . the publicity stunt was expected to generate a tremendous response because the country is grappling with rising food and fuel prices . cnn 's kathy quiano contributed to this report .<doc-sep>mary ann evans -lrb- george eliot -rrb- . famed for her novels exploring psychological realism , mary ann evans -- better known to the literary world as george eliot -- was not short of opinions on fellow female writers . publishing an essay in 1856 entitled `` silly novels by lady novelists , '' evans lambasted the glut of unremarkable work produced by women in the era , which she believed diminished the credibility of female writers as a whole . it was this that spurred the `` middlemarch '' writer on to use a male pseudonym , musing : `` by a peculiar thermometric adjustment , when a woman 's talent is at zero , journalistic approbation is at the boiling pitch ; when it attains mediocrity it is already no more than summer heat ; and if she ever reaches excellence , critical enthusiasm drops to the freezing point . '' christina lynch and meg howrey -lrb- magnus flyte -rrb- . `` city of dark magic '' came across as a rather intriguing debut novel from novice author magnus flyte when it was published in 2012 . but it was soon revealed that the brains behind the book were meg howrey , an actress and author , and christina lynch , a journalist and tv producer .<doc-sep>tohme suggested halperin 's motive was to get attention for his book about jackson . `` concerning this author 's allegations , we would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorized ` biography , ' '' tohme said . the sun 's report attempted to bolster its source 's credibility by calling halperin `` an award-winning investigative journalist '' who has `` written for respected rolling stone magazine . '' halperin 's biography on his publisher 's web site claimed he was the winner of the `` rolling stone magazine award for investigative journalism . ''<doc-sep>york times best-selling author and instructor at the citadel in south . carolina . santorum was at the event to promote his new book , blue collar conservatives , which was released that day . in the book santorum lays out problems facing ` working americans , ' an issue he expounded on monday night . during the q and a portion of santorum 's remarks , the 2012 presidential candidate was asked whether or not he supports the earned income tax credit , a wage supplement for low-income americans . the irs says it refunded more than $ 63 million to 27 million people in 2013 under this provision . republicans often prefer an expansion of the eitc to a minimum wage increase because it takes the burden off of employers to pay their workers more and places it on the government to give poor people more of their hard-earned money back . | <t> indonesian businessman circles soccer field eight times , dumping bags of cash . </t> <t> men snatch bills from youngsters ; one man stuffs blue cap with money . </t> <t> businessman wanted to pull stunt over jakarta , but police feared chaos . </t> <t> author once rode on horseback through jakarta , dressed as war hero . </t> | author drops cash from airplane to promote book<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- australia leg-spinner stuart macgill has announced he will quit international cricket at the end of the ongoing second test against west indies . macgill will retire after 10 years of test cricket , in which he has taken 207 wickets . the 37-year-old made his test debut against south africa 10 years ago and has since gone on to take 207 wickets at an average of 28.28 over 43 test matches . `` unfortunately now my time is up , '' macgill said . `` i am incredibly lucky that as well as providing me with amazing opportunities off the field , my job allows me to test myself in one of australia 's most highly scrutinised sporting environments . `` bowling with some of crickets all time greats such as glenn mcgrath , shane warne , jason gillespie and brett lee has made my job a lot easier . i want to be sure that exciting young bowlers like mitchell johnson enjoy the same privilege , '' he added .<doc-sep>macgill took the only wicket to fall on a rain-interrupted third day of the test in antigua . he had ramnaresh sarwan brilliantly caught at slip by michael clarke for a well-constructed 65 , but otherwise drew blank on a frustrating day for the tourists . the ever dependable shivnarine chanderpaul -lrb- 55 not out -rrb- and dwayne bravo -lrb- 29 not out -rrb- took the west indies to the close on 255 for four wickets . they were replying to australia 's 479 for seven declared and with only two days remaining a draw looks the likely outcome in macgill 's farewell appearance . australia won the first test in jamaica by 95 runs .<doc-sep>a woman who developed anorexia after obsessing over stick-thin celebrities has beaten the illness - by being crowned miss toned figure in a bodybuilding tournament . charlotte macgill , 26 , from bolton , greater manchester , would pore over pictures of painfully thin models and celebrities such as victoria beckham . she would then starve herself and exercise to excess in a bid for an elusive ` thigh-gap ' . but as her weight dropped below eight stone , her health deteriorated . she became depressed and suffered skin problems , thinning hair and bad breath . it was only when she started a job as a physiotherapist and took up weight training that she managed to turn her life around . scroll down for video . charlotte macgill , now 26 , says taking up bodybuilding saved her from anorexia . she is pictured above at her lowest weight , when she would starve herself and exercise to excess in a bid for an elusive ` thigh-gap ' she has now been crowned miss toned figure after swapping starvation for healthy food and weight training . now ms macgill has become a muscly transformation of her former self , winning regional , national and global bodybuilding competitions . she said : ' i became really body conscious when i was 16 and started going to aerobics with my mum . ` suddenly i was desperate to look like celebrities like britney spears who had washboard stomachs and victoria beckham with her slim thighs . ` but bodybuilding changed my life - i know how to exercise properly now and ca n't believe how unhealthy i was before . ' as a teenager , ms macgill became influenced by airbrushed models and slim celebrities in magazines and strived to look exactly like them .<doc-sep>but muralitharan produced a final salvo to snare ojha , jayawardene pulling off a diving catch -- the 77th time he has taken a catch off murali 's bowling . the spinner has had a controversial career , with his action the subject of much debate . he was accused of illegally throwing the ball when bowling in 1995 , but was cleared by the international cricket council after biomechanical tests at the university of western australia . despite further episodes of controversy muralitharan kept picking up wickets . he now stands 92 wickets ahead of shane warne , who is in second place in the all-time list . the australian leg spinner retired in 2007 .<doc-sep>in october 2014 , she entered three competitions in the ` toned figure ' category and was crowned champion in all three - including the global title . but she warns the success does n't come easy - it requires months of strict dieting and training . she said : ' i eat lots of white fish and green vegetables , oats and rice cakes . i 'm very strict with myself and do n't have any treats at all . msmacgill says she has the full support of her boyfriend , who is also a bodybuilder . both plan to compete next year to add to the regional , national and globlal titles ms macgill has already won . in october 2014 she entered three competitions run by the national amateur bodybuilders ' association -lrb- nabba -rrb- - and won all of them . ` but , when i 'm not getting ready to compete , i pig out and eat whatever i like . i love pick 'n' mix and chocolate and have such a sweet tooth . ' ` knowing you have a goal in mind makes it all worth it , though . you get a thrill from it - it feels amazing to build your own physique . i get lots of compliments on my figure and lots of requests for arm wrestles ! ' ms macgill has the full support of her boyfriend , fellow physiotherapist john ramsay , 28 , who is also a bodybuilder . ` we 're like a normal couple and go out for meals together when we 're not preparing for a competition , but when we are , we have to be careful about what we 're eating . ` we cook each other meals and say , ` how many grams of protein would you like ? ' both plan to compete again next year and ms macgill believes her transformation is n't over yet . she said : ` my family and friends are really supportive and follow what i do . they 're so proud that i 'm healthy now and i 've changed my body image . ` obsessing over unrealistic celebrity images was really damaging to me as a teenager so i hope that my new body shape will inspire teenage girls to concentrate on being toned and healthy rather than skinny . ' for more information and support on anorexia , visit the charity beat 's website .<doc-sep>she added : ' i would just repeat the diet every day and i started to suffer side effects like thinning hair , bad breath , spots and i sometimes became depressed about life . ` looking back , it 's clear that i did have an eating disorder but i did n't see it then . ' after graduating , ms macgill got a job as a physiotherapist in her hometown of bolton and her obsession with exercise did n't go unnoticed by her boss . worried that she had a warped body image and was in no position to help rehabilitate their clients , he asked her to write down her daily diet . she said : ` he said my diet was shocking and told me i should stop running . he gave me an eating plan to increase my calories and got me doing weight training four times a week . ` he introduced a lot more healthy carbohydrates into my diet and tripled the amount i was eating . ' i was really worried i was going to get fat but i knew he knew what he was talking about . i put all my trust in him . ' i had porridge or muesli for breakfast , lots of rice and chicken , sweet potatoes , low fat rice pudding and bananas . ' she warns success in bodybuilding competitions does n't come easy - it requires months of strict dieting and training . now , she hopes to inspire women to aim to be toned and healthy , not skinny . ms macgill began bodybuilding , as well as eating a lot more healthy carbohydrates tripled the amount she was eating . a year later she entered her first bodybuilding competition and won it . she is pictured holding outfits to wear in competitions . within just two months , ms macgill was so pleased with the transformation in her body shape , she decided she wanted to try out for a competition run by the national amateur bodybuilders ' association -lrb- nabba -rrb- . she said : ` my boss was amazed when i got serious about bodybuilding so quickly , but i wanted something to focus on . ' i was building muscle as well as fat and i felt so much better in myself , so i entered my first competition eight weeks later . she won her first regional competition in may 2012 , but after the losing the next one , took some time out from competing to train properly . | <t> australian leg-spinner stuart macgill has announced he will quit test cricket . </t> <t> the 37-year-old made his test debut 10 years ago and has taken 207 wickets . </t> <t> macgill took only wicket to fall in rain-interrupted third day of second test . </t> <t> shivnarine chanderpaul and dwayne bravo compile unbroken stand of 73 . </t> | australian spinner macgill calls it quits<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ecological and conservation groups are praising a move by the environmental protection agency to impose new restrictions on rat poisons to help reduce the threat of accidental exposure to children and wildlife . the rules say only farmers , livestock owners and certified rodent control employees can buy rat poison in bulk . `` we are very happy that the epa has done all it can to get these products off of the consumer market , '' said michael fry , director of conservation advocacy for the american bird conservancy . `` by putting these restrictions in place , they are allowing a compromise to be made between themselves and organizations who have been working on this problem for a long time . '' the epa 's new measures , which were handed down thursday , require that rat poisons be kept in bait stations above ground and in containers that meet agency standards . loose bait , such as pellets , and the four most hazardous types of pesticides , known as `` second-generation anticoagulants , '' will no longer be sold for personal use . under the new restrictions , only farmers , livestock owners and certified rodent control employees will be allowed to purchase rat poison in bulk . bags larger than 8 pounds will no longer be sold at hardware and home-improvement stores .<doc-sep>children who come into contact with highly toxic pellets can experience terrible symptoms from digesting them . they include internal bleeding , nosebleeds , hair loss and extensive bruising . between 2001 and 2003 , rat poison was responsible for nearly 60,000 poisonings , according to a study done by the american association of poison control centers . about 250 of these yearly exposures result in serious injuries or death . the epa said it believes the restrictions will not only keep the products out of children 's hands , but also reduce the ecological and wildlife risks associated with exposure to rat poison . bait blocks that are typically placed on the ground use fish and other flavors that attract endangered species , including mountain lions . `` in california , almost every animal tested by the national wildlife service had residues of rodenticides , '' said fry . `` the rat baits are also very lethal to scavengers , because the toxins remain in the rodent 's body long after they initially die . '' although the epa is receiving considerable praise for the initiative , this is n't the first time the agency has worked to combat the threat of rat poison .<doc-sep>in 1998 , the epa established two standards for rat poison . the agency required manufacturers to include an ingredient that made the poison taste bitter and use an indicator dye that would make the ingestion of pesticides more recognizable . but regulations were revoked in 2001 after the agency came to a mutual agreement with manufacturers to rescind the requirements . `` we determined that the dye was n't effective in keeping children from being accidentally exposed and the bittering agent actually resulted in a loss of efficiency in controlling rodents , '' said steven bradbury , director of the agency 's division of special review and re-registration . `` in our decision thursday , we felt that we needed an approach that would stop children coming in contact with the pesticides in the first place . that ultimately led to the implementation of bait stations , '' bradbury said . the decision to revoke the requirements led the west harlem environmental action , inc. and the natural resource defense council to file a lawsuit three years later . both organizations saw the retraction as a way to make it easy for consumers to purchase unsafe rodenticides over the counter . according to the west harlem group , inner-city housing and park departments such as the new york city housing authority could continue laying rat baits in public areas that were easily accessible to children .<doc-sep>`` studies show that the number of poisonings in minority children is much higher than others , '' said aaron colangelo , a staff attorney at the natural resource defense council . `` not only do we have an environmental health issue , but an environmental justice issue as well . '' new york state health department studies showed that 57 percent of children hospitalized for rat poisoning were black and 26 percent were latino . the epa said it is working to reduce those numbers in upcoming years with regulations like the ones it introduced this week . `` we were frustrated that the epa dragged their feet for three years before finally taking some productive steps , '' said colangelo . `` but , from our perspective , they are finally starting to do what needs to be done in order to protect children . '' after june 4 , rat poison manufacturers will have 90 days to comply with the epa 's guidelines . they will then have the opportunity to design new bait stations and formulas for their poisons . all new products should be registered and certified by june 2011 .<doc-sep>veterinarians in the kansas capital are now warning pet owners to keep an eye out after 15 dogs allegedly died from ingesting rat poison . a veterinary clinic in topeka put up a sign urging customers to be vigilant and another confirmed at least three cases of rat poisoning . warned : veterinarians in topeka , kansas are urging pet owners to keep an eye out after 15 dogs allegedly died from ingesting rat poison -lrb- stock image -rrb- . a sign taped to a counter at potwin pet clinic in topeka read : ` fyi : it has been brought to our attention that there have been several cases on the se side of town of dogs ingesting rat poison that has been thrown into the yard . ` a white van has been seen throwing white bags into the yards and so far 15 dogs have died from ingesting the poison . ` inspect your yards carefully and do not leave your dogs outside at night . ' staff at potwin said other clinics had seen incidents involving possibly poisoned animals .<doc-sep>`` these changes are essential to reduce the thousands of accidental exposures of children that occur every year from rat and mouse control products and also to protect household pets , '' said steve owens , assistant administrator for epa 's office of chemical safety and pollution prevention . `` today 's action will help keep our children and pets safe from these poisons . '' the epa said that as many as 15,000 children under the age of 6 are exposed to rat and mouse poisons each year .<doc-sep>03:25 est , 16 july 2013 . hundreds of meatballs laced with rat poison have been scattered around san francisco in an apparent attempt to sicken or even kill local dogs . at least two animals have already been struck down after eating the tainted meat , including a seven-year-old dachshund called oskar who remains in critical but stable condition . police are warning residents about the nasty prank they called a ` truly unusual ' crime after the meatballs were discovered in the twin peaks , diamond heights , lower haight , cole valley , hayes valley and bernal heights neighborhoods . scroll down for video . poison : hundreds of meatballs laced with rat poison , like those pictured , have been scattered around san francisco in an apparent attempt to sicken or even kill local dogs .<doc-sep>` the heavy feet of big grazers trample everything underfoot , ' said oxford university 's meredith root-bernstein , writing in the conversation . a giant , 2ft long rat caught in liverpool . a swarm of ` super rats ' spotted across the country is expected to outnumber humans two to one by next year . it is feared that some of these larger rats are becoming increasingly resistant to poison and are far more difficult to kill . ` their grazing also keeps the grass short . when these animals are around , rodents and other small mammals try not to get stepped on and hide from predators in the patches of long grass . ` without the big grazers , the trampling is gone and the grass grows tall , and rodents thrive . ' in the uk , a swarm of ` super rats ' was recently spotted across the country . figures have revealed that in some regions the number of vermin has already surged by 50 per cent since april last year . and experts believe the rat population could soar from 80 million to 160 million by the end of the year . it is feared some of these larger rats are becoming increasingly resistant to poison and are far more difficult to kill . | <t> epa says new regulations will reduce rat poison exposure to children , wildlife . </t> <t> environmental groups laud efforts to keep rat poison off consumer market . </t> <t> new restrictions prohibit sale of loose pellets , bulk bags for personal use . </t> <t> bait blocks for rats that are used in the wild can attract endangered species . </t> | epa aims to keep rat poison from children , animals<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- suspected islamic insurgents fired mortar rounds at a plane carrying somalia 's transitional president , but no one -- including abdullahi yusuf ahmed -- was harmed , a presidential spokesman said . somali president abdullahi yusuf ahmed , pictured late last month during a visit to france . the attack happened while the plane was about to take off from mogadishu 's airport sunday around 11 a.m. local time , spokesman hussien mohammed huubsireb said . `` al-shaabab has actually tried to harm to president , but thank god nobody was hurt , '' huubsireb said .<doc-sep>al-shaabab is an islamic militia that is trying to seize control of somalia . it is a splinter group of the islamic courts union , which ousted somalia 's transitional government in 2006 . the icu was deposed in december of that year following ethiopia 's military invasion . bloody battles between al-shaabab and the ethiopian-backed government forces in mogadishu have forced residents to flee the capital . more than 40,000 displaced civilians have taken shelter in dozens of makeshift settlements west of mogadishu , described by the united nations as `` precarious conditions . '' sunday 's mortar attack is the second assassination attempt on ahmed . the president survived a car bombing in september 2006 outside somalia 's parliament in baidoa that killed at least eight others .<doc-sep>somalia 's prime minister ali mohamed gedi has been more frequently targeted by the islamic insurgents seeking to destabilize the government . somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991 , when warlords overthrew dictator mohamed siad barre and sparked brutal clan infighting . somalia 's current transitional government is trying to maintain control of the capital , with the help of the better-equipped ethiopian forces . but the presence of the ethiopians has united various islamic militant groups in somalia , including al-shaabab , who are trying to oust the ethiopian forces and gain control of mogadishu . the united states classified al-shaabab as a terrorist organization in march , partly because of what washington says is the group 's close ties to osama bin laden 's al qaeda militant group .<doc-sep>a u.s. military drone strike in southern somalia in late october killed two suspected al-shabaab members , u.s. officials said . and a recent joint raid by kenyan and somali forces killed at least 30 people believed to be part of that group . in september 2012 , somalia 's new president , hassan sheikh mohamud , escaped an apparent assassination attempt at the jazeera palace hotel , just two days after being selected as the troubled country 's new leader . according to a presidential media officer and several journalists at the scene , early indications are that the attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who set off explosives at the gates of the hotel , where the president was having high-level meetings . at least four somali government soldiers and one african union soldier were killed in that attack , according to journalists at the scene . the jazeera palace hotel is near mogadishu airport and it is frequented by government officials and diplomats . journalist omar nor reported from mogadishu , and cnn 's ray sanchez wrote this story from new york . journalist mohamed nor contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- somalia 's new president , hassan sheikh mohamud , escaped an apparent assassination attempt in the capital , mogadishu , on wednesday , just two days after being selected as the troubled country 's new leader . according to a presidential press officer and several journalists at the scene , early indications are that the attack was carried out by two suicide bombers who set off explosives at the gates of the jazeera palace hotel , where the president was having high-level meetings . at least four somali government soldiers and one african union soldier were killed in the attack , according to journalists at the scene . cnn affiliate ktn reported that kenyan foreign affairs minister sam ongeri was in the hotel at the time of the blast . mohamud , a political newcomer who has worked for the united nations and several other international organizations , was voted in by somali lawmakers monday . somalia picks political newcomer as president in landmark vote . his election marked a milestone for the nation , which plunged into chaos after dictator mohamed siad barre was overthrown 21 years ago . following his ouster , clan warlords and militants battled for control , sparking a civil war and mayhem nationwide . somalia has not had an effective central government since then and has mostly remained under a shaky transitional federal government . on tuesday , the islamic militant group al-shabaab , which has been fighting to overthrow the authorities , released a statement dismissing the elections and calling them a western plot . it vowed to oppose the newly named government . al-shabaab `` does not regard the so called elections as being in the interests of the somali people . they represent western interests , and interests of their agents in the region , '' the statement said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. troops lent `` limited technical support '' in france 's bloody and unsuccessful bid in somalia to rescue an intelligence agent who 'd been held hostage for years , president barack obama said sunday . obama detailed the u.s. military involvement in the friday night mission in a letter sent to the leaders of the nation 's two legislative chambers . the letter was released publicly as well . are you there ? send your photo , videos , but please stay safe . while u.s. forces `` provided limited technical support , '' they `` took no direct part in the assault on the compound where it was believed the french citizen was being held hostage , '' the president explained . in addition , u.s. military aircraft were available but were not used . `` united states combat aircraft briefly entered somali airspace to support the rescue operation , if needed , '' the president wrote . `` these aircraft did not employ weapons during the operation . '' obama said he directed the u.s. troops ' involvement in the operation `` in furtherance of u.s. national security interests , and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct u.s. foreign relations and as commander in chief and chief executive . '' by 8 p.m. , all u.s. forces were out of somalia . the moves came after french forces engaged in a fierce gunbattle with militants in their attempt to rescue hostage denis allex , who was a member of the dgse , france 's equivalent of the cia and a part of its defense ministry . the skirmish in bulo marer , about 75 miles northwest of the capital mogadishu , ended with a french soldier and 17 islamist fighters dead , according to the french defense ministry . another french soldier is missing . french bid to rescue hostage fails . french defense minister jean-yves le drian told reporters in paris on saturday that `` everything leads us to believe that denis allex was gunned down by his captors . '' french president francois hollande , meanwhile , lamented the `` sacrifice '' of the two french soldiers and `` maybe the assassination '' of the hostage . but the al-shabaab militia , which is affiliated with al qaeda , claimed allex is unharmed and being held in a new location . the group said in a statement that they 'll decide the hostage 's fate in the next two days . allex was abducted on july 14 , 2009 , while on a mission in mogadishu in support of the transitional somali government , the french defense ministry said . french media reports suggest that denis allex is a pseudonym for the military serviceman . french officials said they launched the rescue attempt after the terror group failed to negotiate for the hostage 's release for years while holding him in inhumane conditions . the u.s. military has been involved in somalia before , notably in the ill-fated 1993 battle of mogadishu that ended with 18 american soldiers killed . u.s. forces were in somalia to try to capture powerful somali warlord mohammed aidid from his stronghold in the war-torn capital and take him to a ship anchored off the nearby coast . but by the end of the 16-hour battle in which commandos tried to seize several of aidid 's top lieutenants , 18 elite army rangers and hundreds of somalis lay dead in the streets of mogadishu . the movie inspired the best-selling book `` black hawk down '' by mark bowden and an eponymous , oscar award-winning movie directed by ridley scott . fourteen years later , the u.s. military re-emerged in somalia by conducting airstrikes targeting al qaeda-linked operatives in southern somalia . other strikes followed , including one in 2008 that killed an al-shabaab leader and several other senior leaders of his group , according to local officials . cnn 's greg botelho and pierre meilhan contributed to this report .<doc-sep>in a statement posted to the internet , the islamist rebel group al-shabaab claimed responsibility for mursal 's assassination and said its fighters have vowed to kill somali officials and target foreign governments that support somalia 's government . somali prime minister abdiwali sheikh ahmed condemned the violence . `` these acts of terror only serve to inflict indiscriminate violence , distress and grief on innocent people . taking a human life is abhorrent , and these terrorists have destroyed an innocent family and stricken them with grief , '' he said in a statement issued tuesday . on monday , another somali lawmaker was killed and another injured when a bomb hidden in their car exploded while they were headed to a security conference , officials said . | <t> suspected islamic rebels fire at a plane carrying somalia 's transitional president . </t> <t> plane attacked as about to take off from mogadishu , no injuries reported . </t> <t> attack is the second assassination attempt on ahmed after car bomb in 2006 . </t> <t> somalia in chaos since 1991 , when warlords deposed dictator mohamed siad barre . </t> | somali president escapes assassination bid<T> |
chicago , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at a debate in front of thousands of labor union activists tuesday , sen. barack obama 's democratic presidential rivals blasted him for his remarks about pakistan . last wednesday , the illinois senator said that if it were necessary to root out terrorists , he would send u.s. forces into pakistan without the country 's approval . `` you can think big , but remember , you should n't always say everything you think if you 're running for president , because it has consequences around the world , '' sen. hillary clinton said during a 90-minute democratic presidential forum in chicago sponsored by the afl-cio . chicago is obama 's hometown , and clinton 's statement drew boos . the new york senator responded , `` we do n't need that right now . ''<doc-sep>despite the frosty reception , connecticut sen. chris dodd joined clinton in criticizing obama . he said obama 's stance could undermine pakistani president pervez musharraf , the country 's military ruler , who has been a u.s. ally in the fight against al qaeda . `` while general musharraf is no thomas jefferson , he may be the only thing that stands between us and having an islamic fundamentalist state in that country , '' dodd said . `` so while i would like to see him change , the reality is , if we lose him , then what we face is an alternative that could be a lot worse for our country . '' obama jumped into the fray .<doc-sep>`` i find it amusing that those who helped to authorize and engineer the biggest foreign policy disaster in our generation are now criticizing me for making sure that we are on the right battlefield and not the wrong battlefield in the war against terrorism , '' he said . `` if we have actionable intelligence on al qaeda operatives , including -lsb- osama -rsb- bin laden , and president musharraf can not act , then we should , '' obama said . `` that 's just common sense . '' he also said americans had the right to participate in the debate over such a key aspect of american foreign policy . but clinton countered by saying that while u.s. forces might have to pursue action inside pakistan `` on the basis of actionable intelligence , '' it was `` a very big mistake to telegraph that and to destabilize the musharraf regime , which is fighting for its life against the islamist extremists who are in bed with al qaeda and the taliban . ''<doc-sep>`` remember , pakistan has nuclear weapons . the last thing we want is to have al qaeda-like followers in charge of pakistan and having access to nuclear weapons . '' sen. joe biden of delaware responded later in the debate , noting that the strategy obama outlined was already u.s. policy . `` everyone 's entitled to their own opinion , but not their own facts , '' biden said . `` it 's already the policy of the united states -- has been for four years -- that there 's actionable intelligence , we would go into pakistan . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>he was also asked about online piracy . congress recently delayed action on legislation cracking down on online piracy after opposition from internet companies including google . contenders : the exchanges came a day ahead of the key republican primary in florida today , as gop presidential hopefuls - especially mitt romney , left and newt gingrich , right - attack president obama daily . president obama said he thought it was possible to protect intellectual property that creates jobs in the u.s. , while still respecting the integrity of the internet as an open system . the exchanges came a day ahead of the key republican primary in florida today , as gop presidential hopefuls - especially mitt romney and newt gingrich - attack president obama daily . ` the most important thing i can do for folks who are out of work right now is grow the economy ' president barack obama on jobs . but none of the questions put to him were about the presidential race . they were about the state of the union and people 's lives now . there were also light moments , as mrs wedel asked president obama if he would show off his dance moves . he refused and said his wife , first lady michelle obama , mocks his dancing . another questioner asked how they plan to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in autumn . but as it 's shortly before the election , president obama said he was n't sure how romantic it would be . more than 133,000 questions were submitted and voted on by youtube users . google officials selected the questions to ask based in part on those results . some 1,630,870 votes were cast . although many of the questions that . appeared online were about obama 's stance on legalising marijuana - . something he has said he opposes when asked in the past - that did not . come up .<doc-sep>he added , `` we do n't say those things . we keep our options quiet . we do not go out and say to a nation which is working with us , where we have collaborated and they are our friend and we 're trying to support musharraf and strengthen him and his nation , that instead that we intend to go in there and potentially bring out a unilateral attack . '' romney already had been pressed by his republican rivals to clarify remarks he 'd made about bin laden that april , when he told the associated press that `` it 's not worth moving heaven and earth and spending billions of dollars just trying to catch one person . '' but he also said that he would target the entire al qaeda terror network , not just its leader . he defended the comments at another gop presidential debate , saying the movement was `` more than osama bin laden . but he is going to pay , and he is going to die . '' this may , a year after the raid , romney complained that the obama administration was politicizing the raid when it cited those comments . in defending his position again , romney said it was n't the idea of striking at bin laden on the territory of an ally that bothered him -- it was that obama said publicly that he would do so . `` there are many people who believed as i did that it was naive on the part of the president , at the time as a candidate , to say he would go into pakistan , '' romney said . `` it was a very -- if you will -- a fragile and flammable time in pakistan , and i thought it was a mistake of him as a candidate for the presidency of the united states to announce that he would go in . '' fact check : clinton arithmetic holds up on jobs . during the 2008 campaign , romney was n't the only one critical of obama , who had been elected to the senate only four years earlier . among those who called his position `` naive '' were obama 's eventual gop opponent , sen. john mccain ; and biden , then one of his democratic rivals . both used the term `` naive '' to describe obama 's counterterrorism speech . when obama did order the raid , he did it against the advice of some of his top aides . then-defense secretary bill gates has said he wanted to hit the compound where bin laden was holed up from the air rather than dispatch a u.s. navy seal team , while biden said in january that he advised obama that more details needed to be checked before sending in troops . conclusion : . romney was critical of obama 's position in the days following the future president 's august 2007 speech . biden 's speech thursday night left out some context about romney 's remarks , and kerry mischaracterized romney 's comments -- romney did n't say attacking targets in pakistan was naive but talking about it publicly was . also , biden himself once characterized obama 's comments as naive . fact check : would romney bankrupt medicare by 2016 ? cnn 's matt smith contributed to this report .<doc-sep>holbrooke missed a group photo attended by iranian foreign minister manouchehr mottaki , one aide said , due to a problem of miscommunication . and holbrooke said that , due to a bilateral meeting with another delegation , he was not in the conference room when the iranian diplomat delivered remarks . he insisted he was not deliberately avoiding his iranian counterpart . `` i saw them , they were in the room , '' holbrooke said . `` the iranian made generally positive statements ... about supporting a democratic pakistan . '' diplomats said much of tuesday 's meeting focused on rebuilding parts of northwestern pakistan damaged when another round of fighting broke out between taliban insurgents and the pakistani military last spring . the conflict forced more than a million pakistanis to flee their homes . holbrooke said one of the top priorities of the obama administration in the region has been to help afghanistan hold presidential elections , which took place on august 20 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- democratic presidential candidate sen. hillary clinton on friday accused the camp of rival sen. barack obama of politicizing the death of former pakistani prime minister benazir bhutto . sen. hillary clinton says she regrets that sen. barack obama 's camp `` would be politicizing this tragedy . '' obama called that assertion `` silly '' and said the clinton campaign thought that the unrest in pakistan would work to its benefit . `` what happened is that the clinton campaign started pushing this notion that somehow , immediately after this happened , that somehow this was going to advantage their campaign . and one of my campaign aides responded , '' obama told cnn 's jessica yellin on friday . the latest battle between the two democratic front-runners began thursday when obama 's chief strategist , david axelrod , seemed to link clinton 's vote on the iraq war and bhutto 's death . `` barack obama had the judgment to oppose the war in iraq . and he warned at the time that it would divert us from afghanistan and al qaeda , and now we see the effect of that , '' axelrod said . `` sen. clinton made a different judgment . '' on friday , clinton replied in an interview with cnn 's wolf blitzer by saying , `` i just regret that -lsb- obama and his chief strategist -rsb- would be politicizing this tragedy , and especially at a time when we do need to figure out a way forward . '' `` i do n't think politics should be playing a role in how our country responds ... to the tragedy , '' she said . watch what clinton says about obama '' clinton also called for an independent , international investigation into bhutto 's death , `` perhaps along the lines of what the united nations have been doing with respect to the assassination of prime minister hariri in lebanon . '' obama said he does n't share that view . `` it is important to us to not give the idea that pakistan is unable to handle its own affairs , '' he said . bhutto died thursday after a political rally in rawarlpindi , pakistan . obama 's campaign has impled that some of clinton 's foreign policy decisions raise questions about whether she should be president . axelrod was responding to reporters ' questions about the pakistan situation and whether it enhanced assertions that clinton 's foreign policy experience may make her more fit to serve as commander in chief . see what candidates say about bhutto 's death '' axelrod later seemed to back away from his earlier remarks . `` i believe our policies in iraq have had a direct impact on events in pakistan and afghanistan , but i would not suggest there is a straight line relationship between the events of today in pakistan and anyone 's particular vote , '' he said thursday . `` what i was pointing out was the difference in judgment at the time . obama thought that the war would have a negative impact in afghanistan and pakistan , and that seems relevant right now . '' he also said he `` certainly was n't suggesting sen. clinton was complicit . she made a bad judgment on this war , and the war helped exacerbate problems in afghanistan and pakistan . and that 's certainly something i would stand by . '' obama defended his strategist late thursday when asked about axelrod 's comments . `` this is one of those situations where washington is putting a spin on it , '' obama said . `` he in no way was suggesting hillary clinton was somehow directly to blame for this situation . '' the senator from illinois added , `` it 's important for us to not look at this in terms of short-term political points scoring . '' clinton said the world deserves answers about the attack on bhutto . `` i do n't think the pakistani government at this time under president musharraf has any credibility at all . they have disbanded an independent judiciary . they have oppressed a free press , '' she said . obama on friday said that as president , he would pressure musharraf to crack down on terrorists by suspending u.s. aid to pakistan and to make sure that pakistan 's nuclear arsenal is not in the wrong hands . the exchange between the obama and clinton camps is less than a week before iowa 's january 3 caucuses . most polls put clinton and obama in a three-way tie with former sen. john edwards of north carolina . e-mail to a friend . | <t> sen. hillary clinton booed when she criticizes sen. barack obama at debate . </t> <t> clinton , sen. chris dodd slam obama 's stance on pakistan . </t> <t> obama : u.s. should go into pakistan if intelligence warrants it . </t> <t> debate sponsored by afl-cio drew thousands of labor activists . </t> | presidential hopefuls attack obama 's remarks about pakistan<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- meals ready to eat , or mres are used by the military to provide nutritious and compact meals for the troops . the meals spark memories good and bad , for those who ate them in the military and even for some civilians who used them during disasters , when food was not readily available . harald schweizer was 19 when this photo was taken in the summer of 1968 in vietnam . he is holding a c ration . cnn.com readers shared their stories and memories of mres and c rations . some of the responses have been edited for clarity and length . here is a selection : . michael reimers of gresham , oregon mres are the fancy ones . we had c rations . probably left over from wwii ! for my 21st birthday in 1982 i was on border patrol at the czech border and my friends snuck in two beers and made a cake for me out of what was available . they took a fruitcake that was in something like a tuna can tin and they mixed hot chocolate mix with grape jelly to make the frosting and added a candle and two german beers and we were in business out in the woods . it was very cool being with all my buddies and them doing that for me .<doc-sep>ronald mervyn of burton , michigan i served in the army from april 1985 to february 1988 . mres were not all that bad . i liked the chicken ala king , the dehydrated potatoes patty and the chocolate chip cookies the best . they were all edible . i wish i could have brought some home to share with family and friends . steven carrigan of salina , kansas i served in the u.s. marine corps . did i eat mres ? you bet and a lot of them . they get the job done but always needed a bit of spicing up , tabasco sauce that someone would bring to the field , usually . cold weather affected them more than anything . nothing worse than getting the beans and franks in cold weather . the beans would be semi-hard and the franks rock solid . the preservative that they are in gels up and looks like petroleum jelly . had to carry them next to your body to get them warm . to me the worst one was the chicken ala king , disgusting . the desserts were always good . some guys had recipes that you could mix together two or three mres and have a pretty good meal if you had heat and the time to cook it . even though i thought i left them behind when i left the military , i still have them in the car during the winter and when i do ice fishing . they are great in a pinch . annette sweet of leavenworth , kansas this is a different side of life all together ; i believe the best memories were how to heat your mre before they came out with the heating pouch . spaghetti , wow that was a good one , the best way to serve it was to take your mre cheese , a mini bottle of the tabasco that came in the pack and mix it all together and place on the hood of your humvee on a hot day or by the heater on a cold day . umm good . now , the worst ever that i believe they came out with was the loaf , i ca n't even say whether it was meat or vegetables but it really left a very heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach . you can never forget the ham slices ; unfortunately they forgot to slice it , it was about 1/2 inch thick filled with gristle and very salty , very hard to digest . the different assortments of all the mres were , as i call them , charms candy , hard as a rock and stuck to your teeth ; tootsie roll , huge and did n't taste like chocolate ; chicklet gum , send you straight to the throne ; the peanut butter and crackers , well , a bit oily but i considered a keeper . oh , by the way , they did have real coffee . i believe it was tasters choice , not sure though . and fruit loaf , what can you say about a loaf ? once a loaf , always a loaf , and staying with tradition of blended items , you mixed a pack of the powered cream they gave you for the coffee in with just a smidgen of water and you had peaches ala mode . i never went hungry , but sometimes i never was full . i have retired now and have come to appreciate what is good food . it 's being a civilian , sitting at a real table , with silverware , plate and glass , looking back on where i came from and knowing that i ca n't go back in body but in spirit . from a retired soldier , just keeping it real . to all my comrades that came before me , with me and after me , god bless you and thank you for all that you do .<doc-sep>suzanne yeltnuh of ahwatukee , arizona i was a victim of hurricanes jeanne , frances and wilma . we had no power for 21 days and the stores were out of food . i stood in lines for hours for ice and mres and was very thankful . i actually think they are very good ! now that i moved to arizona , at least i do n't have to worry about hurricanes!watch as civilians taste mres . clarence ragland of tucson , arizona i not only had mres , but i also had their predecessor , the c ration ! c-rats , as they were called , came with a can opener called a p-38 , and were ok . the mre has come a long way since its inception , and the chicken ala king was one of the best . still have some at home , although i retired from the air force in 2000 . megan sterrett of apo , new york while i was in the middle east in support of operation enduring freedom , i sent an mre to my children so they could see what they were like . my daughter , who was in the second grade , took it in to school for show and tell . one of the girls in the class declared that she would rather eat sand , to which my daughter replied , `` well you can chose to eat this or choose to die . '' it 's always interesting to get a child 's perspective on things . you never know what they will come up with.explore the history of u.s. combat rations .<doc-sep>gary burton of clarksville , tennessee my father served in vietnam and related this story to me about the old c rations they were served to eat . he said the canned sponge cake was an `` acquired taste , '' so instead of eating it , they opened a petcock valve on the nearby helicopters and filled the cake and tin with aircraft fuel . when lit , the sponge cake would burn for hours and allow the men to heat the rest of their meal with it . david hollingsworth of baltimore , maryland i was a member of the 18th airborne corps f.a. b 5/8th artillery in august 1990 ; among the first troops from fort bragg to deploy in that area . mres were considered pretty ok meals to eat until my unit was linked in a special mission with the french troops . their rations were of something that came off of our dinner tables . -lrb- real food ! -rrb- we would trade them every night for food until they realized what the big fuss was all about . i know real sardines and things of that nature might not sound as appetizing as other foods . however , compared to the mres we were eating , the french troops ' food was a delicacy to most . mark grocki of birmingham , michigan i have not served in the military , but i have eaten mres on backpacking trips through michigan provided to me by a friend 's cousin who serves in the marines . i 've always looked forward to them , and have found the entrees like mexican rice , beef stew , and ham and cheese omelets rather tasty . the crackers and various snack items are good on the go , too , but do n't drink the water from the heating element ! when asked by other people , `` what do they taste like ? '' i have only one word for them . `` freedom . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- loathed by most , loved by virtually none , battlefield cuisine has left an indelible mark on the taste buds of american troops -- and it 's not a good one . marines eat their mres in a burned-out hotel in haqlaniyah , iraq , in 2006 . `` meals rejected by everyone '' is a popular nickname for mres , which stands for meals ready to eat , those brownish polymer pouches filled with precooked food and snacks . while mres provide food when there 's no way to make it to the mess hall , they are no substitutes for what troops crave . `` they really want pizza and beer , '' says judith aylward , senior food technologist at the u.s. army soldier systems center in natick , massachusetts . she and a team of food technicians are working hard to improve the quality and the taste of combat food . and while they have n't been able to give servicemen and women everything they desire , troops are eating a variety of foods far more appetizing than the canned c-rations of world war ii , korea and vietnam . explore the history of u.s. combat rations '' soldiers now dine on penne pasta with vegetarian sausage in spicy tomato sauce , chicken breast fillet and boneless pork rib .<doc-sep>troops enjoy mixing and matching mre items , creating their own culinary recipes . `` peanut butter + crackers + coffee + sugar + creamer + coco base powder -lrb- crush it all up and mix in a little water -rrb- = instant joy , '' according to 1st . sgt. donel hagelin , from fayetteville , north carolina . hagelin is also based at fort benning and served in iraq and afghanistan . the flexible pouch-based meals have been around for more than 20 years . in the early 1980s , the military replaced the c-ration with the mre , a 1,200 - to 1,300-calorie entree meal with snacks , spreads and a dessert . and it 's a hot meal -- just place the entree in the flameless ration heater bag , add water , and a chemical reaction warms the food in 10 minutes . troops can enjoy a hot cup of coffee with the included plastic-zippered hot beverage bag . `` all items in the mre are useful , from the matches to the toilet paper , '' hagelin says . mres are considered restricted rations -- food eaten when regular meal services can not be provided . they are meant to be eaten for up to 21 days and have a three-year shelf life . `` there are a lot of great commercial items where if we only needed six months -lsb- of shelf life -rsb- , we could just go down to the kroger or the safeway and grab what 's popular , but there are n't a whole lot of things on the shelf that last for three years at 80 degrees fahrenheit , '' moody says . the military uses the three-year shelf life to maintain its `` war reserves . '' there are millions of cases of mres positioned around the world at any given time for contingencies , he explains .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 16:28 est , 18 november 2012 . | . updated : . 05:26 est , 19 november 2012 . new york city mayor michael bloomberg has campaigned to ban food and drinks loaded with salt , fat and sugar in the city but he has no problems feeding it to sandy victims . according to reports , the mres - meals ready to eat - are loaded with more salt and fat than a mcdonalds big mac and a 21-ounce coke . ' i was told that folks should n't eat these for more than two days straight , ' said one person handing out the meals . mr no : new york city mayor michael bloomberg has campaigned to ban food and drinks loaded with salt , fat and sugar in the city but he has no problems feeding it to superstorm sandy victims . the $ 7 mres were handed out last week at the city-run restoration center in coney island , according to the new york post , where many residents still lack power and heat . made by the indiana-based ameriqual group and distributed via the city 's office of emergency management , the post reports the superstorm sandy mres include such entrees as home-style chicken with noodles and vegetables in sauce : 1,180 calories , 45 grams of fat -lrb- 17 grams saturated -rrb- , 1,330 milligrams of sodium and 64 grams of sugar . -lrb- a big mac packs 550 calories , 29 grams of fat and 970 milligrams of sodium . -rrb- . dietitian bonnie taub-dix told the post the situation is a ` perfect storm for not feeling well ' and said she 's already seeing patients with ` the sandy five ' -- five extra pounds put on since the superstorm . bloomberg spokeswoman samantha levine .<doc-sep>published : . 05:16 est , 19 august 2013 . | . updated : . 06:32 est , 19 august 2013 . after a year and a half behind barbed wire as a prisoner in world war ii , 2nd lt. david c. cox had just about reached his breaking point . deliveries of red cross parcels to stalag vii-a had all but ceased , and the u.s. army bomber co-pilot and his fellow pows were subsisting on scant rations of bug-infested soup and bread . outside the wire , adolf hitler 's forces showed no signs of giving up . cold and hungry , the north carolina-born soldier made a difficult decision . he slipped the gold aviator 's ring - a gift from his parents engraved with his name - off his finger and passed it through a fence to an italian pow , who handed back a couple of chocolate bars . desperation : 2nd lt david c. cox , seen centre with fellow soldiers , traded his precious ring for two chocolate bars while being held at a pow camp . the pilot would never see his treasured ring again - but almost 70 years later it has found its way back to his family . the gold ring had ended up in the hands of a russian soldier on his way home from the war , who is thought to have traded it for a night 's room and board at a small pub in present day serbia - owned by the grandparents of martin kiss , 64 . | <t> cnn readers recall good and bad memories of mres . </t> <t> `` they get the job done but always needed a bit of spicing up '' </t> <t> meat-vegetable-loaf `` left a very heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach '' </t> <t> canned sponge cake an `` acquired taste '' </t> | memories of mres and c rations<T> |
picher , oklahoma -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- powerful storms killed 22 people in three states over the weekend , including an oklahoma mother who died while huddling over her child , authorities said . her son survived with facial injuries . teresa bland , left , comforts betty bayliss among the debris in picher , oklahoma , on sunday . emergency management agencies in two states reported deaths in four counties . there were six people killed in ottawa county , oklahoma ; 13 in newton county , missouri ; one in a small community just east of carthage in jasper county , missouri ; and one in purdy in barry county , missouri . the severe weather moved into the southeast , killing at least one person in laurens county , georgia . watch how the storm hit one georgia town hard '' the deadly midwest tornado -- at times , a mile wide -- blew winds estimated at up to 175 miles per hour , tracking a total of 63 miles from oklahoma to southwest missouri , according to the national weather service . the storms spawned five twisters in oklahoma and two in neighboring arkansas . possible tornadoes also were reported sunday evening in the coastal carolinas , according to the weather service . no injuries or fatalities were immediately reported . an official surveying the damage in the midwest said it looked like a `` war zone . '' `` it 's just horrific . it 's devastating to all of us , '' said oklahoma gov. brad henry , who declared a state of emergency in ottawa county . `` it appears the search and rescue part of the mission is over and now we 're in the cleanup phase . '' sherri mills was in the small oklahoma town of picher -- northeast of tulsa -- trying to find family pictures inside the wreckage that had been a friend 's home . mills said her friend was not home when the tornado struck . see scenes from the devastation '' `` thank god she was n't here , '' said mills , standing in front of the piles of brick and wood . '' -lsb- she -rsb- lost everything . this was a two-story big brick home . ''<doc-sep>another man in picher said he was home with his family when the storm hit . he said he was blown around inside the home and was lucky to be alive . `` we got down on the floor and huddled up together , and we were n't in there thirty seconds when it hit the house , '' the man said . `` we ended up right there under that door . at least i was under the door . my wife , two granddaughters , and my daughter was all there , just bunched up against each other . '' watch a longtime pilot say he 's never seen such destruction '' president bush pledged federal support . `` mother 's day is a sad day for those who lost their lives in oklahoma , missouri and georgia because of the tornadoes , '' bush told reporters in waco , texas . `` we send our prayers for those who lost their lives . the federal government will be moving hard to help . '' aboard air force one , bush contacted georgia gov. sonny perdue and missouri gov. matt blunt and spoke with henry after arriving at the white house . bush did not specify what support the federal government would provide . homeland security secretary michael chertoff and federal emergency management agency chief david paulison also were in touch with the governors and planned to tour the disaster areas tuesday . `` we will partner with our state counterparts to ensure that we bring the full complement of federal resources to their aid as needed , '' paulison said . lisa janak , spokeswoman for the georgia emergency management agency , said one person was killed in dublin , just south of macon . and the nearby town of kite , with about 200 residents , was `` significantly damaged , '' she said . earlier , janak said there were reports that the town was `` gone , '' but added later that those claims were exaggerated .<doc-sep>perdue declared a state of emergency sunday in six counties in georgia . watch how a severe storm took georgia by surprise '' authorities fear there may be additional casualties in missouri , said susie stonner , spokeswoman with the state emergency management agency in jefferson city , missouri . a twister touched down in the northeastern corner of oklahoma shortly before 6 p.m. saturday and killed six people in ottawa county , according to emergency officials . another 150 were injured and an unknown number of people were missing . no other information was available about the oklahoma mother who died while huddling over her child . michelann ooten , spokeswoman for the oklahoma department of emergency management , said the town enlisted firefighters from surrounding areas who went house-to-house in a 20-block area , sifting through rubble and searching for survivors . `` it looks like a war zone , '' she said . `` some homes have fallen in , some homes have lost roofs and some are now just slabs . '' freelance journalist mike priest went to a heavy-hit neighborhood in picher on sunday , surveying an area where almost all the houses were leveled . all the residents had evacuated leaving behind , cars , clothes and even their pets , priest said . `` as you can see some people 's pets have been left behind and they are fighting over some food , '' he said , shooting footage of the scene . `` just total devastation . houses wiped all the way down to the foundation . you can see what used to be a house in the driveway . the storm was incredibly , incredibly strong right through here . '' cnn 's lee garen , susan candiotti and janet digiacomo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the two most expensive disasters were sandy , which caused about $ 65 billion in losses , and the yearlong drought , which cost about $ 30 billion , the center said . the drought , which affected more than half the country for most of 2012 , also led to several wildfires and a fatal heatwave , the center said . among the other major disasters of 2012 were tornadoes in the southeast , ohio valley , texas and the midwest , along with hurricane isaac and severe storms across the country .<doc-sep>cnn meteorologist dave hennen said the interstate 35 corridor -- from oklahoma city to wichita -- was among the most threatened areas . an elevated severe thunderstorm `` moderate '' threat extended from northern nebraska , southward into the tip of northern texas . this includes tulsa , oklahoma , and kansas city , missouri . a `` slight '' risk area extended all the way from texas to southwestern wisconsin . a severe thunderstorm is defined by the national weather service as a thunderstorm that produces at least one or more of the following : winds of at least 58 mph , hail 1 inch in diameter and tornadoes . the predicted severe storms come as five national weather service offices in missouri and kansas are conducting an experiment on how to better convey risks from tornadoes and severe storms . the `` impact based '' warning test , which began earlier this month , comes on the heels of the may 22-27 midwest/southeast tornado outbreak , including a tornado that killed 158 people in joplin , missouri . the national weather service is ratcheting up its efforts to combat complacency , with the help of graphic terms to ensure people find safe shelter . a tornado is confirmed , on average , only once for every four formal warnings . forecasters in the test area will continue issuing traditional tornado warnings , but for `` significant '' and `` catastrophic '' scenarios , they can add information at the bottom of the warnings issued to media outlets . when a storm has the potential to cause `` significant '' damage , meteorologists may include terms such as `` major house and building damage likely , '' `` complete destruction possible '' or `` major power outages in path of tornado highly likely . '' in a `` catastrophic '' outlook , descriptions may include `` this is a life-threatening situation , '' `` you could be killed if not underground or in a tornado shelter , '' or `` complete destruction of entire neighborhoods likely . '' cnn 's rob marciano reported from oklahoma and kansas . cnn 's jacqui jeras , nick valencia and greg morrison reported from atlanta .<doc-sep>severe storms tore through the midwest and south on friday , killing at least 32 people . tornadoes were reported from alabama to ohio . this comes only days after another deadly line of storms spawned multiple tornadoes , damaging hundreds of homes and businesses across seven states . disaster relief organizations are mobilizing across the region to provide aid to survivors and begin cleanup efforts . red cross . the red cross has opened 22 shelters in 11 states for displaced residents and continues to assess damage in the region . local red cross chapters have dispatched emergency response vehicles to provide meals for hundreds of residents and first responders . go online to make a donation to the red cross disaster relief fund or text redcross to 90999 to donate $ 10 from your mobile device . salvation army .<doc-sep>the mideast , meanwhile , was braced for a cold start to the week , with rain and snow on the way . the seattle storm is moving east with two-to-five inches of snow in parts of idaho and montana . in the midwest rain was developing across missouri , the ohio valley and the southern great lakes - but parts of south dakota and nebraska could expect up to three inches of snow , weather.com reported . lows will range from near 0 degrees in northern north dakota to 40 degrees in southeast kansas and southwest missouri . snow blankets the roof of the famous pike place market in seattle in the region 's first major storm of this winter . snowman time : a man makes the most of the conditions in the grounds below the space needle in seattle and , right , some friends hold a snowman contest . not all fun and games : ken cunningham shovels his sidewalk clear of snow . storms have clogged up roadways and caused traffic problems . several inches of light snow is expected to fall from iowa and southeast minnesota to michigan today as the rain or rain changing to snow continues in the ohio valley . tom niziol , winter weather expert for the weather channel , said : ` we 're beginning to see the pattern across the northern united states become a bit more active now . ` there 's a combination of more storm tracks going across the northern u.s. and great lakes and cold air being pulled down from canada . that combination spells the return of winter . ' light rain and drizzle will spread northward from the lower mississippi valley into the ohio valley on monday . temperatures take a big tumble in the midwest as winter takes hold . the sun starts to shine on wednesday but the temperatures continue to bite . by afternoon and evening , light rain or snow will spread into the interior northeast . forecasters predict accumulating snow in the upper midwest and great lakes into northern new england and upstate new york . up to six inches of snow is expected to fall tonight in the lake ontario snowbelt to northern vermont. , northern new hampshire and northwest maine . the lake erie snowbelt , mohawk valley of new york and central maine can expect two to inches of snow . the western great lakes will get one to inches of the white stuff . visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy . | <t> 15 dead in missouri , 1 killed in georgia , six in oklahoma , officials say . </t> <t> states of emergency declared in oklahoma , georgia counties . </t> <t> storm system struck midwest , then continued into the south . </t> <t> president bush has pledged federal support , has talked to states ' governors . </t> | storms kill 22 in midwest , southeast<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- some 220 square miles of ice has collapsed in antarctica and an ice shelf about seven times the size of manhattan is `` hanging by a thread , '' the british antarctic survey said tuesday , blaming global warming . scientists say the size of the threatened shelf is about 5,282 square miles . `` we are in for a lot more events like this , '' said professor ted scambos , a glaciologist at the national snow and ice data center at the university of colorado at boulder . scambos alerted the british antarctic survey after he noticed part of the wilkins ice shelf disintegrating on february 28 , when he was looking at nasa satellite images . late february marks the end of summer at the south pole and is the time when such events are most likely , he said . watch aerial footage of the area '' `` the amazing thing was , we saw it within hours of it beginning , in between the morning and the afternoon pictures of that day , '' scambos said of the large chunk that broke away on february 28 . the wilkins ice shelf lost about 6 percent of its surface a decade ago , the british antarctic survey said in a statement on its web site . another 220 square miles -- including the chunk that scambos spotted -- had splintered from the ice shelf as of march 8 , the group said . `` as of mid-march , only a narrow strip of shelf ice was protecting several thousand kilometers of potential further breakup , '' the group said . scambos ' center put the size of the threatened shelf at about 5,282 square miles , comparable to the state of connecticut , or about half the area of scotland . see a map and photos as the collapse progressed '' once scambos called the british antarctic survey , the group sent an aircraft on a reconnaissance mission to examine the extent of the breakout . `` we flew along the main crack and observed the sheer scale of movement from the breakage , '' said jim elliott , according to the group 's web site . `` big hefty chunks of ice , the size of small houses , look as though they 've been thrown around like rubble -- it 's like an explosion , '' he said . `` wilkins is the largest ice shelf on the antarctic peninsula yet to be threatened , '' david vaughan of the british antarctic survey said , according to the web site .<doc-sep>`` i did n't expect to see things happen this quickly . the ice shelf is hanging by a thread -- we 'll know in the next few days or weeks what its fate will be . '' but with antarctica 's summer ending , scambos said the `` unusual show is over for this season . '' ice shelves are floating ice sheets attached to the coast . because they are already floating , their collapse does not have any effect on sea levels , according to the cambridge-based british antarctic survey . scambos said the ice shelf is not currently on the path of the increasingly popular tourist ships that travel from south america to antarctica . but some plants and animals may have to adapt to the collapse . `` wildlife will be impacted , but they are pretty adept at dealing with a topsy-turvy world , '' he said . `` the ecosystem is pretty resilient . '' several ice shelves -- prince gustav channel , larsen inlet , larsen a , larsen b , wordie , muller and jones -- have collapsed in the past three decades , the british antarctic survey said . larsen b , a 1,254-square-mile ice shelf , comparable in size to the u.s. state of rhode island , collapsed in 2002 , the group said . scientists say the western antarctic peninsula -- the piece of the continent that stretches toward south america -- has warmed more than any other place on earth over the past 50 years , rising by 0.9 degrees fahrenheit each decade . scambos said the poles will be the leading edge of what 's happening in the rest of the world as global warming continues . `` even though they seem far away , changes in the polar regions could have an impact on both hemispheres , with sea level rise and changes in climate patterns , '' he said . news of the wilkins ice shelf 's impending breakup came less than two weeks after the united nations environment program reported that the world 's glaciers are melting away and that they show `` record '' losses . `` data from close to 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges indicate that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled , '' the unep said march 16 . the most severe glacial shrinking occurred in europe , with norway 's breidalblikkbrea glacier , unep said . that glacier thinned by about 10 feet in 2006 , compared with less than a foot the year before , it said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's marsha walton contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a large ice shelf is `` imminently '' close to breaking away from part of the antarctic peninsula , scientists said friday . scientists are investigating whether the ice breakup is caused by global climate change . satellite images released by the european space agency on friday show new cracks in the wilkins ice shelf where it connects to charcot island , a piece of land considered part of the peninsula . the cracks are quickly expanding , the esa said . scientists are investigating the causes for the breakups and whether it is linked to global climate change . the wilkins ice shelf -- a large mass of floating ice -- would still be connected to latady island , which is also part of the peninsula , and alexander island , which is not , said professor david vaughan , a glaciologist at the british antarctic survey .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- some 220 square miles of ice has collapsed in antarctica and an ice shelf about seven times the size of manhattan is `` hanging by a thread , '' the british antarctic survey said tuesday , blaming global warming . scientists say the size of the threatened shelf is about 5,282 square miles . `` we are in for a lot more events like this , '' said professor ted scambos , a glaciologist at the national snow and ice data center at the university of colorado at boulder . scambos alerted the british antarctic survey after he noticed part of the wilkins ice shelf disintegrating on february 28 , when he was looking at nasa satellite images . late february marks the end of summer at the south pole and is the time when such events are most likely , he said . watch aerial footage of the area '' `` the amazing thing was , we saw it within hours of it beginning , in between the morning and the afternoon pictures of that day , '' scambos said of the large chunk that broke away on february 28 . the wilkins ice shelf lost about 6 percent of its surface a decade ago , the british antarctic survey said in a statement on its web site . another 220 square miles -- including the chunk that scambos spotted -- had splintered from the ice shelf as of march 8 , the group said . `` as of mid-march , only a narrow strip of shelf ice was protecting several thousand kilometers of potential further breakup , '' the group said . scambos ' center put the size of the threatened shelf at about 5,282 square miles , comparable to the state of connecticut , or about half the area of scotland . see a map and photos as the collapse progressed '' once scambos called the british antarctic survey , the group sent an aircraft on a reconnaissance mission to examine the extent of the breakout . `` we flew along the main crack and observed the sheer scale of movement from the breakage , '' said jim elliott , according to the group 's web site . `` big hefty chunks of ice , the size of small houses , look as though they 've been thrown around like rubble -- it 's like an explosion , '' he said . `` wilkins is the largest ice shelf on the antarctic peninsula yet to be threatened , '' david vaughan of the british antarctic survey said , according to the web site . `` i did n't expect to see things happen this quickly . the ice shelf is hanging by a thread -- we 'll know in the next few days or weeks what its fate will be . '' but with antarctica 's summer ending , scambos said the `` unusual show is over for this season . '' ice shelves are floating ice sheets attached to the coast . because they are already floating , their collapse does not have any effect on sea levels , according to the cambridge-based british antarctic survey . scambos said the ice shelf is not currently on the path of the increasingly popular tourist ships that travel from south america to antarctica . but some plants and animals may have to adapt to the collapse . `` wildlife will be impacted , but they are pretty adept at dealing with a topsy-turvy world , '' he said . `` the ecosystem is pretty resilient . '' several ice shelves -- prince gustav channel , larsen inlet , larsen a , larsen b , wordie , muller and jones -- have collapsed in the past three decades , the british antarctic survey said . larsen b , a 1,254-square-mile ice shelf , comparable in size to the u.s. state of rhode island , collapsed in 2002 , the group said . scientists say the western antarctic peninsula -- the piece of the continent that stretches toward south america -- has warmed more than any other place on earth over the past 50 years , rising by 0.9 degrees fahrenheit each decade . scambos said the poles will be the leading edge of what 's happening in the rest of the world as global warming continues . `` even though they seem far away , changes in the polar regions could have an impact on both hemispheres , with sea level rise and changes in climate patterns , '' he said . news of the wilkins ice shelf 's impending breakup came less than two weeks after the united nations environment program reported that the world 's glaciers are melting away and that they show `` record '' losses . `` data from close to 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges indicate that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled , '' the unep said march 16 . the most severe glacial shrinking occurred in europe , with norway 's breidalblikkbrea glacier , unep said . that glacier thinned by about 10 feet in 2006 , compared with less than a foot the year before , it said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's marsha walton contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the ice shelf experienced a great amount of changes last year , the esa said . in february 2008 , the shelf dropped 164 square miles -lrb- 425 square kilometers -rrb- of ice . in may it lost a 62-square-mile chunk . that meant the `` bridge '' of ice connecting wilkins to the islands was just 984 yards wide at its narrowest location , the esa said . further rifts developed in october and november , said angelika humbert of the institute of geophysics at germany 's muenster university . `` during the last year the ice shelf has lost about 1800 square kilometers -lrb- 694 square miles -rrb- , or about 14 percent of its size , '' humbert said . antarctica 's ice sheet was formed over thousands of years by accumulated and compacted snow . along the coast , the ice gradually floats on the sea , forming massive ledges known as ice shelves , the esa says .<doc-sep>melting contribute to the breakup of the antarctic 's larsen b ice shelf , . where glaciers at the edge discharged massive sections of ice into the . ocean that contributed to sea level rise , ' dr monaghan said . ` the stakes would be much higher if a similar event occurred to an ice shelf restraining one of the enormous wais glaciers . ' we could refreeze the arctic , and it would n't even cost that much , a scientist claims . two recently published studies explore the possibility that a technological solution could be found to the problem of global warming melting the ice caps on the north pole . the scientist who is lead author on both claims that ` any significant nation ' could find the resources to carry out the operation . the only significant question , he says , is whether we should . the amount of ice in the arctic ocean shrank to an all time low in september -lrb- see graphic above -rrb- , with the total area covered now half what it was in the eighties . david keith , professor of applied physics at harvard university , is lead author on papers published in nature climate change and environmental research letters which speculate as to how we could restore the polar ice . he used climate models to suggest injecting reflective particles into the atmosphere could reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the earth , engineering a regional effect that could bring ice back to the arctic . his paper claims that by reducing the penetration of sunlight by just 0.5 per cent is could be possible to restore the sea-ice around the north pole back to pre-industrial era levels . his second paper suggests the whole operation could be accomplished with just a few modified gulfstream jets , costing somewhere in the region of $ 8billion a year . however , while he believes action must be taken to tackle the amount of pollution spewed into the earth 's atmosphere , he does n't yet advocate the kind of action his papers suggest . researchers consider the west . antarctic ice sheet especially sensitive to climate change , explained . ohio state university doctoral student julien nicolas . since the base of the ice sheet rests below sea level , it is vulnerable to direct contact with warm ocean water . its . melting currently contributes 0.3 mm to sea level rise each year â $ '' second to greenland , whose contribution to sea level rise has been . estimated as high as 0.7 mm per year . due to its location some 700 miles . from the south pole and near the center of the wais , byrd station is an . important indicator of climate change throughout the region . in the past , researchers have n't been able to make much use of the byrd station measurements . data was often incomplete because nearly one third of the temperature observations were missing for the time period of the study . since its establishment in 1957 , the station has n't always been occupied . a year-round automated station was installed in 1980 , but it has experienced frequent power cuts , especially during the long polar night , when its solar panels ca n't recharge . professor bromwich and two of his graduate students , along with colleagues from ncar and the university of wisconsin-madison , corrected the past byrd temperature measurements and used corrected data from a computer atmospheric model and a numerical analysis method to fill in the missing observations . aside from offering a more complete picture of warming in west antarctica , the study suggests that if this warming trend continues , melting will become more extensive in the region in the future , professor bromwich said . while the researchers work to fully understand the cause of the summer warming at byrd station , the next step is clear , he added . ` west antarctica is one of the most rapidly changing regions on earth , but it is also one of the least known , ' he said . ` our study underscores the need for a reliable network of meteorological observations throughout west antarctica , so that we can know what is happeningâ $ '' and whyâ $ '' with more certainty . ' | <t> a large chunk of the wilkins ice shelf in antarctica broke away last month . </t> <t> only a narrow strip of ice is protecting the shelf from further breakup . </t> <t> `` i did n't expect to see things happen this quickly , '' scientist says . </t> <t> ice shelves are floating ice sheets attached to the coast . </t> | massive ice shelf on verge of breakup<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. military is promising action to address conditions in a barracks at fort bragg , north carolina , after a soldier 's father posted images on youtube showing a building that he said `` should be condemned . '' a soldier battles overflowing sewage in the fort bragg barracks shortly after coming home from afghanistan . `` this is embarrassing . it 's disgusting . it makes me mad as hell , '' ed frawley said of the building where his son , sgt. jeff frawley , had to live upon his return this month from a 15-month deployment to afghanistan . frawley said monday that army vice chief of staff gen. dick cody called him to say he shares frawley 's anger and that `` there 's no excuse . '' cody said he would not want his own sons or any troops to return to such conditions , frawley said . frawley 's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building , which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust . paint -- which frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping . ceiling tiles are missing . a broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building , while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in . photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images . in one , a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed . watch the run-down conditions that soldiers have been living in ''<doc-sep>at times , `` sewage water backs up into the sinks in the lower floors of these barracks , '' frawley said in his narration . `` the soldiers have to tell one another who 's taking a shower when they turn the sinks on , or the person taking the shower gets scalded with hot water . '' frawley said the army promised to have new barracks ready when his son 's unit , part of the 82nd airborne division , returned . `` the conditions depicted in mr. frawley 's video are appalling and unacceptable , and we are addressing the concerns he expressed , '' said maj. tom earnhardt , spokesman for the 82nd airborne , in a written statement . `` our paratroopers are our most valuable resource , and our commitment is to their well-being . our actions now must represent the best we can do for our soldiers . '' `` fundamentally , we acknowledge these conditions are not adequate by today 's standards , '' he added . `` the images in mr. frawley 's video are alarming , and our soldiers deserve the best conditions we can provide as an institution . '' watch an interview with frawley '' officials at the base invited the media into the barracks and acknowledged that there are serious problems . earnhardt said the building had been mostly unused during the 15 months frawley and his unit were away . fort bragg has a massive construction project under way to create housing , but it is behind schedule , earnhardt said .<doc-sep>the buildings used by the 82nd airborne are about 50 years old , he said . earnhardt said the incident with the overflowing toilet took place the first day after the unit 's return and has been addressed . sen. elizabeth dole is among government officials who have responded to the video . in a written statement , she called living conditions in the barracks `` unacceptable '' and said the situation `` must be immediately corrected . '' ed frawley said he is `` hoping no one gets fired . i just want to see it get fixed . '' `` they have the slowest contractors in the world , '' he said , adding that people in jail live `` in better conditions . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mike phelan , sarah carden and mary lynn ryan contributed to this report .<doc-sep>transferring manning to a prison with a woman 's unit . ` likewise , . the u.s. disciplinary barracks is a male-only facility and prisoners . there are referred to by the title `` inmate '' , ' army spokesman george . wright said . manning , who grew up in oklahoma , filed the court petition as the first step toward getting her army records changed . manning has been diagnosed by at least two army behavioral health specialists with gender dysphoria , or gender identity disorder . manning was sentenced in august for six espionage act violations and 14 other offenses for leaking more than 700,000 secret military and u.s. state department documents , along with battlefield video , while working as an intelligence analyst in iraq in 2009 and 2010 . past : manning -lrb- pictured in august -rrb- has filed a grievance over the lack of a response to her request for comprehensive treatment for her gender identity disorder , including specialized gender counseling and hormone replacement therapy . an army general upheld the convictions last week , clearing the way for appeals with the army court of criminal appeals . there was no opposition filed to the petition , though manning included several newspaper reports indicating the desire to live publicly as a woman last august , as well as copy of an oklahoma birth certificate . manning has filed a grievance with the u.s. disciplinary barracks commander at fort leavenworth over the lack of a response to her request for comprehensive treatment for her gender identity disorder , including specialized gender counseling and hormone replacement therapy . the military has said it does n't provide hormone replacement therapy . gender dysphoria generally disqualifies one for military service , but manning ca n't be discharged while serving the prison sentence .<doc-sep>australian intelligence agencies fear a repeat incident here - and issued a warning in a notice marked ` security intelligence report ' . ` the defence security authority assesses that this incident of anti-defence sentiment is related to defence 's current and possible future operations in the middle east , ' it wrote in the email , seen by the sunday telegraph . ' a further escalation of anti-defence sentiment in australia can not be discounted . ' the email said that since australia 's deployment in the middle east , the defence security authority has received ` an increase in reported threats of verbal abuse ' . ` on 22 may 2013 drummer lee rigby , a serving british soldier was run down by a vehicle and then hacked to death outside woolwich army barracks in london . ` the attackers remained at the scene encouraging onlookers to film the aftermath -- one claiming the attack was in response to british soldiers killing muslims overseas and stating the british public would not be safe as long as it supported military deployments on muslim lands . ' australian defence officials ' concern is based on the accessibility to weapons such as knives and cars .<doc-sep>the women criticised the military 's response to abuse claims - the defence abuse response taskforce - as inadequate . they have also been joined by former australian defence force magistrate ken northwood , palmer united party senator jacqui lambie and lawyer gary rumble - who led a review into adfa abuse allegations - in calling for a royal commission to fully uncover the extent of abuse and hold the perpetrators to account . the defence abuse response taskforce is still responding to claims . the gratwick club is next to the campbell barracks , located in swanbourne in wa .<doc-sep>• fort lewis , washington , $ 7.4 million . • fort stewart , georgia , $ 6.2 million . • fort bragg , north carolina , $ 2.9 million -lrb- in addition to the $ 2.6 million spent in response to the initial reports -rrb- . • tripler army medical center , hawaii , $ 1.7 million . • aberdeen proving ground , maryland , $ 1.2 million . army officials admitted that they are not happy about the conditions of many of the old barracks , and soldiers are not happy either . new barracks at many posts are under construction or have been completed and will eventually replace all of the old units , the officials said . `` in the interim , the army must continue to use and maintain aging barracks in our inventory , '' a written statement said . `` thirty percent of our existing barracks are world war ii and korean war-era and require large investments to extend their life until replacement facilities are constructed . '' the inspection , which took place between april 26 and 30 , was prompted by a video posted online by a soldier 's father showing sewage backing up , rusty staircases , peeling paint and other substandard living conditions in a korean war-era barracks at fort bragg . paratroopers from the 508th parachute infantry regiment moved into the barracks after returning from fighting in afghanistan this year . the video was posted in april . the army said that it was quick to fix the problems and that the video was posted after the barracks had been repaired . | <t> video shows moldy , rusty building with paint chipping ; broken drain pipe . </t> <t> picture : soldier in a sink to prevent 3 inches of sewage water from overflowing . </t> <t> `` this is embarrassing . it 's disgusting , '' soldier 's father says . </t> <t> army vice chief of staff gen. dick cody : `` there 's no excuse '' for conditions . </t> | dad 's video of run-down barracks sparks military response<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tom cruise expounds on his beliefs in scientology in a 2004 video that made its way onto the internet this week . tom cruise appears with his wife , katie holmes , at a movie premiere earlier this month . `` i think it 's a privilege to call yourself a scientologist , and it 's something you have to earn , '' cruise says at the beginning of the video . cruise says he 's `` driven ... by the opportunity to really help , for the first time , change people 's lives . i 'm absolutely , uncompromisingly dedicated to that . '' the video was shown at a 2004 scientology ceremony honoring cruise for his humanitarian work . church of scientology officials said it can be viewed at any of its churches , but it created a stir this week when what the church calls a pirated and edited version appeared on youtube . the video has since been taken off youtube , but an interview portion remained available on the celebrity web site gawker.com on thursday . watch snippets of cruise video '' `` the cruise indoctrination video scientology tried to suppress '' is the title of gawker.com 's presentation . `` you have to watch this video , '' the site says . `` it shows tom cruise , with all the wide-eyed fervor that he brings to the promotion of a movie , making the argument for scientology , '' which it calls `` the bizarre 20th-century religion . watch `` showbiz tonight '' discussion of cruise video '' cruise talks over a repetitive guitar-riff soundtrack , and appears to be answering questions , though an interviewer is not seen or heard . a second part of the video , made available to cnn by the publisher of a new unauthorized biography of cruise , shows cruise accepting scientology 's freedom medal of valor award and exchanging military-like salutes with scientology chairman david miscavige to audience applause . the publisher denies leaking other parts of the video to the web . in the video by the publisher , cruise also salutes a portrait of l. ron hubbard , cited on the church 's web site as the founder of `` the only major religion founded in the 20th century . '' hubbard 's biography cites his accomplishments as everything from mariner and horticulturalist to author and humanitarian .<doc-sep>in the video , cruise puts emphasis on the latter role . a scientologist `` has the ability to create new realities and improve conditions , '' cruise says . on its web site , the church of scientology highlights its humanitarian work , from anti-drug campaigns in places from minnesota to taiwan to teacher training in india . the web site defines scientology as `` the study of truth . '' cruise embraces that in the video . `` if you 're a scientologist , ... you see things the way they are , '' cruise says . he also says he finds peace in the religion . `` the more you know as a scientologist , you do n't become overwhelmed by it , '' according to cruise . the unauthorized biography of cruise is by author andrew morton . a cruise spokesperson and the church of scientology have disputed the book , saying morton did not seek their comment . `` accuracy and truth were not on morton 's agenda , '' according to a church statement . morton denies that and says cruise , who he calls `` a towering figure on the international scene , '' and his faith are worthy of scrutiny . `` tom cruise has done remarkable work for his faith over the past few years , '' morton said . `` if it was n't for him the church of scientology would be a shadow of what it is today . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's brad lendon , david mattingly and don lemon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tom cruise expounds on his beliefs in scientology in a 2004 video that made its way onto the internet this week . tom cruise appears with his wife , katie holmes , at a movie premiere earlier this month . `` i think it 's a privilege to call yourself a scientologist , and it 's something you have to earn , '' cruise says at the beginning of the video . cruise says he 's `` driven ... by the opportunity to really help , for the first time , change people 's lives . i 'm absolutely , uncompromisingly dedicated to that . '' the video was shown at a 2004 scientology ceremony honoring cruise for his humanitarian work . church of scientology officials said it can be viewed at any of its churches , but it created a stir this week when what the church calls a pirated and edited version appeared on youtube . the video has since been taken off youtube , but an interview portion remained available on the celebrity web site gawker.com on thursday . watch snippets of cruise video ''<doc-sep>a former scientology chief has sensationally claimed the church brainwashed tom cruise 's children and turned them against the star 's ex-wife nicole kidman . marty rathbun , who worked at the secretive church for 27 years before leaving in 2004 , said he believed officials used scientology doctrine to turn the oscar winner 's adopted children against her after she divorced cruise in 2001 . his comments could shed more light on scientology - and just why katie holmes was so keen to win sole custody of her young daughter as she filed for divorce from cruise recently . claims : a former scientology chief said the church brainwashed tom cruise 's adopted children isabella and connor -lrb- right -rrb- to turn them against his ex-wife nicole kidman -lrb- pictured left -rrb- . mr rathbun claimed that he had counselled a list star cruise , 50 , in countless sessions that the church refers to as ` auditing ' at the scientology celebrity center in california . mission impossible star cruise has two children that he adopted with miss kidman , daughter isabella , now 19 , and son connor , now 17 . and when the children were with the father they were left in the grip of scientology staff , according to mr rathbun . insider : marty rathbun worked at the secretive church for 27 years before leaving in 2004 . mr rathbun told nbc 's rock center with brian williams : ` ... they were being indoctrinated , and they were reporting to tom on how that was going in my presence . he claimed that church officials told isabella , then nine , and connor , then six , that their mother was a ` suppressive person ' , which the church 's website , , defines as ` a person who seeks to suppress other people in their vicinity . ' he said : ` it was more than implied ... -lsb- kidman -rsb- was somebody that they should n't open up with , they should n't communicate with , and they should n't spend much time with , ' the scientology website reads : ` a suppressive person will goof up or vilify any effort to help anybody and particularly knife with violence anything calculated to make human beings more powerful or more intelligent .<doc-sep>before going clear 's first screening , hbo hired 160 lawyers to look through the film . it is expected to air on the channel march 16 . the church also took out an advert in the new york times claiming the film was a a rolling stone/uva redux , even though they had not seen it . despite the furor surrounding the production , gibney hopes it will lead to more investigations and reports into scientology . he told variety magazine : ` we hope that this film and larry 's book will start the process where more media will say well we do n't care anymore . we 're going to pursue this no matter what . according to the credits at the end of the film , cruise and kidman refused to be interviewed . the pair divorced in 2001 and following the split , cruise became more active in the church of scientology , receiving the church 's freedom medal of valor in 2004 . friends : cruise , left , embraces david miscavige , the scienology church 's president of the rulling council during the official opening of a new scientology church in central madrid in 2004 .<doc-sep>`` the cruise indoctrination video scientology tried to suppress '' is the title of gawker.com 's presentation . `` you have to watch this video , '' the site says . `` it shows tom cruise , with all the wide-eyed fervor that he brings to the promotion of a movie , making the argument for scientology , '' which it calls `` the bizarre 20th-century religion . watch `` showbiz tonight '' discussion of cruise video '' cruise talks over a repetitive guitar-riff soundtrack , and appears to be answering questions , though an interviewer is not seen or heard . a second part of the video , made available to cnn by the publisher of a new unauthorized biography of cruise , shows cruise accepting scientology 's freedom medal of valor award and exchanging military-like salutes with scientology chairman david miscavige to audience applause . the publisher denies leaking other parts of the video to the web . in the video by the publisher , cruise also salutes a portrait of l. ron hubbard , cited on the church 's web site as the founder of `` the only major religion founded in the 20th century . '' hubbard 's biography cites his accomplishments as everything from mariner and horticulturalist to author and humanitarian . | <t> scientology membership a privilege that 's earned , cruise says . </t> <t> 2004 video part of ceremony honoring cruise for humanitarian work . </t> <t> scientology defined as `` study of the truth '' </t> | cruise extols scientology in 2004 video<T> |
paris , france -- top-seeded maria sharapova was a shock casualty at the french open on monday when she crashed 6-7 7-6 6-2 against fellow russian dinara safina in paris . ecstasy : safina releases her emotions after her comeback win over maria sharapova in the french open last 16 . bidding for the only grand slam title she has yet to win , new world no. 1 sharapova twice blew big leads in the second set . sharapova 's customary screeches reached maximum volume as the match slipped away , and the noise seemed to annoy fans . they whistled and booed sharapova as she left court suzanne lenglen after the match , and she did n't acknowledge the crowd .<doc-sep>`` i ca n't please everyone . it 's not in my job description , '' she said . `` i 'm an athlete , and i go out there and fight my heart out . they paid the ticket to watch me , so they must appreciate me on some level , right ? '' sharapova won five consecutive games in the second set to go ahead 5-2 , and held a match point serving in the next game . she also led 5-2 in the second tiebreaker before losing five consecutive points , then unraveled down the stretch , losing the final four games and 10 of the last 12 points . it was the latest setback for sharapova on clay , her least-favorite surface . `` on this stuff , things happen in a hurry , '' she said . `` it was all in her hands , '' safina said . `` then suddenly it changed . '' safina , the younger sister of two-time grand slam champion marat safin , duplicated her upset of sharapova in the fourth round at roland garros in 2006 .<doc-sep>she received a congratulatory text from her brother and said she hopes to join him as the winner of a major title . `` a dream of all our family , '' she said . `` once we do this , we can put the racket on the wall and say we did everything we could . but to get to his level , i still have to work a little bit harder . '' the no. 13-seeded safina 's next opponent will be no. 7 elena dementieva , who won another all-russian matchup against no. 11 vera zvonareva , 6-4 1-6 6-2 . trailing sharapova 5-3 in the second set , safina saved match point with a backhand winner , then broke two points later when sharapova pushed a forehand wide . in the second tiebreaker , sharapova double-faulted for 5-4 and then hit three errant backhands . that evened the match , but the momentum favored safina . sharapova 's customary squeals during rallies became more intense during the sixth game of the final set , and she screamed at herself after points .<doc-sep>`` just trying to pump myself up , '' she said . `` i was trying to get angry about something . i just started playing tentatively . '' she erased three break points before conceding the game with a forehand into the net . that gave safina a 4-2 lead , and she closed out the victory , falling to her knees with glee when sharapova socked a wild forehand on match point . it was latest in a series of memorable victories over the past month for safina . she was the last player to beat recently retired justine henin , a four-time french open champion . that upset came on clay in early may at berlin , where safina went on to win the biggest title of her career . `` she 's a really tough opponent on this surface , '' sharapova said . `` i came very close , but it did n't go my way for some reason . '' in other fourth round ties , russian fourth seed svetlana kuznetsova was leading belarussian 16th seed victoria azarenka 6-2 2-2 while petra kvitova of the czech republic and estonia 's kaia kanepi were 3-6 6-3 when play was halted .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- maria sharapova landed the toray pan pacific open title in tokyo on saturday as her final opponent jelena jankovic was forced to retire injured in the first set . sharapova was winning her first title of 2009 after returning from injury . unseeded russian sharapova was leading 5-2 when jankovic pulled out with a right wrist injury . it is sharapova 's first title since returning to the wta after being sidelined for 10 months after shoulder surgery . serbian jankovic claimed the opening two games , but sharapova stormed back to claim the next five before the seventh seed signaled she could not continue . `` it was a tough start today . jelena started off so strong , '' admitted tennis icon sharapova . `` it was my second final of the year and i was a bit nervous . `` but i played well enough this week to know i could give her a good match . i just wanted to keep fighting out there and unfortunately jelena had to stop , '' the 22-year-old added . sharapova has taken advantage of a series of shocks in the $ 2 million tournament which saw world number one dinara safina and venus williams exit in the first round . venus williams was back in action in her opening round match at the china open in beijing on saturday , but was made to fight hard by russia 's vera dushevina before coming through 6-2 7-6 . the seven-time grand slam winner trailed 4-0 in the second set before claiming the next five games . dushevina hit back to force a tiebreak which williams claimed comfortably to reach the second round . the tournament is being held in conjunction with an atp men 's event with rafael nadal , novak djokovic and andy roddick in action when it gets underway on monday . sunday will see top seed safina and second-ranked serena williams in action in the women 's tournament with sharapova granted a first round bye after her tokyo heroics .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- top seed dinara safina battled from a set down to defeat belarusian teenager victoria azarenka at the french open , but there was no escape for scheduled semifinal opponent maria sharapova who suffered a humiliating exit . sharapova bowed out of the french open after suffering one of her worst career defeats . sharapova was thrashed 6-0 6-2 by slovakia 's dominika cibulkova in her last-eight match on tuesday while fellow russian safina overcame 19-year-old azarenka 1-6 6-4 6-2 . it could have worse for former world number one sharapova as cibulkova had a match point to mark her first grand slam quarterfinal by dishing out the dreaded double bagel . sharapova survived and she saved three more match points in the 12th game of the second set before her resistance crumbled completely with a netted forehand .<doc-sep>dushevina hit back to force a tiebreak which williams claimed comfortably to reach the second round . the tournament is being held in conjunction with an atp men 's event with rafael nadal , novak djokovic and andy roddick in action when it gets underway on monday . sunday will see top seed safina and second-ranked serena williams in action in the women 's tournament with sharapova granted a first round bye after her tokyo heroics .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former champion maria sharapova has been seeded for next week 's wimbledon championships . sharapova powers a forehand during the wta tournament in birmingham last week . the russian has only recently returned to action after a serious shoulder injury , but despite performing solidly in the french open and reaching the semifinals of the wta grasscourt event in birmingham last week , she remained 59th in the rankings . but wimbledon , who are alone among the grand slams in not sticking entirely with the official rankings of the atp and wta in deciding the seedings , have given sharapova the 24th berth . world number one dinara safina of russia is top seed , followed by serena williams and defending champion venus williams , who is elevated to third because of her prowess on grass . | <t> top-seeded maria sharapova was a shock casualty at the french open . </t> <t> world no. 1 crashed 6-7 7-6 6-2 against fellow russian dinara safina . </t> <t> safina , the 13th seed , faces another russian elena dementieva in last 8 . </t> | safina shocks paris top seed sharapova<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the nation 's largest publicly owned utility company may be vulnerable to cyber attacks , according to a new report . in 2007 president bush visited the browns ferry nuclear plant , operated by the tennessee valley authority . the tennessee valley authority , which supplies power to almost 9 million americans , `` has not fully implemented appropriate security practices to protect the control systems used to operate its critical infrastructures , '' leaving them `` vulnerable to disruption , '' the government accountability office found . simply put , that means a skilled hacker could disrupt the system and cause a blackout . rep. james langevin , a rhode island democrat , fears the problem is much larger than just the tva . `` if they are not secure , i do n't have a great deal of confidence that the rest of our critical infrastructure on the electric grid is secure , '' he said . the tva operates 52 nuclear , hydroelectric and fossil-fuel facilities in the southeastern united states . among the government watchdog agency findings : . • the tva 's firewalls have been bypassed or are inadequately configured . • passwords are not effective . • servers and work stations lack key patches and effective virus protection . • intrusion-detection systems are not adequate . • some locations lack enough physical security around control systems . the gao recommends 73 steps to correct the problems in its report to congress . in september , cnn first aired dramatic footage of a government experiment demonstrating that a cyber attack could destroy electrical equipment . the experiment , dubbed `` aurora , '' caused a generator to fall apart and grind to a halt after a computer attack on its control system . the test was conducted by scientists at the idaho national laboratory . in october , the north american electric reliability corp. told congress that 75 percent of utilities had taken steps to mitigate the aurora vulnerability , but langevin said it now appears that congress was misled . a congressional audit of the electric reliability corporation 's claim cast doubt on the assertion that most utilities were taking steps to fix the problem . `` it appears that they just made those numbers up , '' langevin said . `` it is not acceptable . it is outrageous . '' he said the result is there is now no clear picture of how vulnerable utilities are to cyber attacks . the electric reliability corporation -- a nongovernmental group that oversees the power system and comprises members of the industry and some consumers -- told cnn it regrets the confusion . experts told cnn that cooper industries is the only manufacturer of hardware that can close the aurora vulnerability . the company estimated it would need to sell about 10,000 devices to fix the problem nationwide . it has sold just over 100 , it told cnn . langevin said the federal government may need new powers to require utilities to take corrective actions to close cyber security gaps , and he will press to give those powers to the federal energy regulatory commission . the congressman is chairing an emerging threats , cybersecurity , and science and technology subcommittee hearing wednesday afternoon . representatives of the tva , the gao , the federal commission and the electric reliability corporation are to appear before the subcommittee .<doc-sep>`` i do n't think tva can move fast enough to possibly satisfy these people , '' said brockovich , noting that she has n't spoken with anyone from the tva . tva , the nation 's largest public utility , promised to do whatever it takes to clean the spill in central tennessee . tennessee gov. phil bredesen promised state government will keep a close watch on tva 's cleanup .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a wall holding back 80 acres of sludge from a coal plant in central tennessee broke this week , spilling more than 500 million gallons of waste into the surrounding area . environmental protection agency officials are on the scene and expect the cleanup to to take four to six weeks . the sludge , a byproduct of ash from coal combustion , was contained at a retention site at the tennessee valley authority 's power plant in kingston , about 40 miles east of knoxville , agency officials said . the retention wall breached early monday , sending the sludge downhill and damaging 15 homes . all the residents were evacuated , and three homes were deemed uninhabitable , a tva spokesman told cnn . the plant sits on a tributary of the tennessee river called the clinch river . `` we deeply regret that a retention wall for ash containment at our kingston fossil plant failed , resulting in an ash slide and damage to nearby homes , '' tva said in a statement released tuesday . tva spokesman gil francis told cnn that up to 400 acres of land had been coated by the sludge , a bigger area than the 1989 exxon valdez oil spill . video footage showed sludge as high as 6 feet , burying porches and garage doors . the slide also downed nearby power lines , though the tva said power had been restored to the area .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a federal judge ruled thursday that the tennessee valley authority is liable for a coal ash spill in eastern tennessee in which a massive mixture of toxic ash and water blanketed approximately 300 acres . '' ... had tva followed its own mandatory policies , procedures , and practices , the subsurface issues underlying the failure of north dike would have been investigated , addressed , and potentially remedied before the catastrophic failure of december 22 , 2008 , '' u.s. district judge thomas a. varlan wrote in his 130-page decision . plaintiffs have three weeks to file briefs recommending how the court should proceed in the next phase -- in which they must show they are entitled to relief . from the archives : months after ash spill , tennessee town still choking . in a statement , tva said its `` commitment has not wavered -- to clean up the spill , protect the public health and safety , restore the area , and , where justified , fairly compensate people who were directly impacted . '' it added , `` tva remains committed to the full restoration of the community directly impacted by the spill , while being mindful of our responsibility to manage ratepayer dollars . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- estimates for the amount of thick sludge that gushed from a tennessee coal plant last week have tripled to more than a billion gallons , as cleanup crews try to remove the goop from homes and railroads and halt its oozing into an adjacent river . tva officials originally said the cleanup would take four to six weeks . now they say they are n't sure . the sludge , a byproduct of the ash from coal combustion , was contained at a retention site at the tennessee valley authority 's power plant in kingston , about 40 miles west of knoxville . the retention wall breached early monday , sending the sludge downhill and damaging 15 homes . all the residents were evacuated , and three homes were deemed uninhabitable , according to the tva . tva 's initial estimate for the spill was 1.8 million cubic yards or more than 360 million gallons of sludge . by friday , the estimate reached 5.4 million cubic yards or more than 1 billion gallons -- enough to fill 1,660 olympic-size swimming pools . environmental advocates say the ash contains concentrated levels of mercury and arsenic . the plant sits on a tributary of the tennessee river called the clinch river . at least 300 acres of land has been coated by the sludge , a bigger area than the 1989 exxon valdez oil spill . a spokesman for tva , a federal corporation and the nation 's largest public power company , said the agency has never experienced a spill of this magnitude . `` there 's a lot of ash there , '' spokesman john moulton said friday . `` we are taking this very seriously . it is a big cleanup project , and we 're focused on it 24 hours a day . '' | <t> a hacker could disrupt tennessee valley authority system , causing blackouts . </t> <t> tva supplies power to almost 9 million americans . </t> <t> congress was told 75 percent of utilities fixed problems to combat attacks . </t> <t> representative : no clear picture of how vulnerable utilities are to cyber attacks . </t> | study finds tva vulnerable to hacking<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- brendon pelser said he saw pure terror in the faces of his fellow passengers after an engine fell from a wing as it took off from cape town , south africa , wednesday . men were sweating profusely , women were crying . `` there was fear on their faces , '' pelser said . `` everyone started panicking . '' but the pilot of nationwide airlines ' boeing 737 flight ce723 was able to fly long enough to dump fuel and make an emergency landing at cape town international airport . including crew , 100 hundred people were on the plane that departed at 3:50 p.m. on an hourlong flight to johannesburg , south africa . no one was injured . the jet had only been in the air about 10 minutes before the engine fell . `` we heard something crash and bang , the plane veering left and right . a person on the right side said the engine was missing -- had broken clean off , '' said pelser . watch pelser describe how the flight crew told passengers to `` prepare for the worst '' '' `` they flew us in very slowly . we were all prepared for the worst . we went into the fetal position , head between the legs , '' he said . `` then we hit the runway . '' `` i did kind of pray . i did n't want to die . i 'm not really ready to die , '' the 33-year-old said . an object had been sucked into the engine as the nose wheel lifted from the ground and officials are trying to identify it . the engine-to-wing supporting structure is designed to release an engine `` when extreme forces are applied , '' to prevent structural damage to the wing , nationwide said on its web site . the airline described the incident as a `` catastrophic engine failure . '' as the nose wheel lifted from the ground , `` the captain heard a loud noise immediately followed by a yaw of the aircraft -lrb- sideways slippage -rrb- to the right , '' the airline said in a news release . the flight instruments showed the no. 2 engine on the right side had failed , it said . pelser said he spent the night in cape town , then flew back to johannesburg where he lives , on the same airline . nationwide said the engine had undergone a major overhaul in march 2005 at `` an approved federal aviation authority facility in the u.s.a. '' and had flown only 3,806 hours since then . `` these engines typically achieve 10,000 hours between major overhauls , '' nationwide airlines ' press release stated . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the mcminnville police department said the plane hit the garage and ended up inside the dwelling at on 22nd street northwest , in mcminville . a photograph of the property shows a large hole in the roof and the garage door is buckled . the crash is being investigated by the national transportation safety board and the federal aviation administration . it 's not clear whether yochelson was an experienced pilot or whether the plane malfunctioned , resulting in it falling from the sky . plane : the single-engine plane was a lancair 0-235 , similar to that pictured , and was registered to yochelson . the single-engine plane was a lancair 0-235 , and was registered to yochelson . the aircraft is classified as experimental , according to the yamhill county news-register . the newspaper reported the unnamed woman and her pets were uninjured . she told the paper she was sitting about three feet away from the impact site . streets in the area were closed off after the incident . mcminnville is located in oregon 's wine country , about 40 miles from portland .<doc-sep>all aboard were shaken but safe . aircraft makes emergency landing in rome . `` everybody was just sort of hugging each other and hugging the pilots and stuff , '' the passenger said . `` i think the pilots did an exceptional job . i think they were in shock . '' national transportation safety board investigators inspected the plane , which was moved to an empty lot near wailea , as they try to determine why its engine failed . hawaii news now contacted mokulele airlines for a comment but did not receive a response . passenger lands plane after pilot falls ill .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an american airlines plane made an emergency landing tuesday night in orlando after the crew noticed a crack in the cockpit windshield . american airlines flight 160 , with 150 passengers and six crew members , took off from miami and was headed to boston , said airline spokeswoman andrea huguely . the boeing 757 had reached cruising altitude when the crew noticed a crack on the exterior window of the double-paned cockpit windshield , huguely said . the size of the crack , or the cause , was not immediately known . the pilot declared an emergency , and the plane landed in orlando . emergency landing after part of plane flies off . southwest plane returns to nashville after striking birds . plane blows engine , loses power . cnn 's chuck johnston contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . michael zennie . last updated at 6:37 am on 18th january 2012 . the pilot of the plane that severely injured lauren scruggs said he tried to warn her before she walked into the propeller , costing the model her left hand and her left eye . curt richmond revealed to air safety officials that he put his arm up and yelled at the 23-year-old as she tried to walk in front of the plane december 3 at aero county airport in mckinney , texas . mr richmond , who has not spoken publicly about the accident , said the plane 's engine was still running and he told the young woman to walk behind the plane and out of harm 's way . warning : curt richmond , the pilot right , , said he tried to warn lauren , left . debut : lauren scruggs made her first debut outside her texas hospital this week after mistakenly walking into a spinning propeller early last december . mr richmond put down his arm and turned away from lauren when he thought she had turned to walk away from the spinning propeller , according to a report from the national transportation safety board . but it 's unclear whether lauren heard his warning over the roar of the engine . moments later , someone on the ground screamed ` stop ! stop ! ' and mr richmond saw lauren laying on the tarmac . he immediately cut the engine . investigators say she walked into the whirling propeller blades on the front of the plane after a 30-minute plane ride to look at christmas lights from the sky . statement : mr richmond has not spoken publicly about the accident but revealed the story to investigators . lauren had been riding in an aviat a1-b husky -lrb- like the one pictured -rrb- when the accident occurred . mr richmond had left the engine running while new passengers filed into the small plane as he prepared another trip to the skies . the ntsb did not find fault with the pilot for the accident but at least one aviation expert said mr richmond is ultimately responsible . ` the bottom line is , he should have shut the engine down , ' air safety investigator denny kelly told msnbc.com . ` the bottom line is , he made a mistake . ' website : lauren is thought to have written a heart-felt message of gratitude on her lolo website . lauren , who has been recovering in . hospital since the accident , wrote on the lolo magazine website for the . first time earlier this month . she said : ' i do n't know how to thank each one of . you , properly , for so much love during this difficult incident in my . | <t> nationwide airlines pilot dumped fuel until he landed plane wednesday . </t> <t> an object was sucked into the engine as the nose wheel lifted from the ground . </t> <t> 100 , including crew , were on the plane ; no one was injured . </t> <t> plane passenger : `` everyone started panicking '' </t> | terror in the sky : engine falls off plane , pilot flies to safety<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- in what he called a `` defining moment for our nation , '' sen. barack obama on tuesday became the first african-american to head the ticket of a major political party . sen. barack obama on tuesday told supporters he will be the democratic nominee . obama 's steady stream of superdelegate endorsements , combined with the delegates he received from tuesday 's primaries , put him past the 2,118 threshold , cnn projects . `` tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another -- a journey that will bring a new and better day to america , '' he said . `` tonight , i can stand before you and say that i will be the democratic nominee for president of the united states . '' watch obama say he 'll be the nominee '' obama 's rally was at the xcel energy center in st. paul , minnesota -- the same arena which will house the 2008 republican national convention in september . speaking in new york , sen. hillary clinton , congratulated obama for his campaign , but she did not concede the race nor discuss the possibility of running as vice president . `` this has been a long campaign , and i will be making no decisions tonight , '' she said . watch clinton congratulate obama '' there were reports earlier in the day that she would concede , but her campaign said she was `` absolutely not '' prepared to do so . two new york lawmakers also told cnn on tuesday that during a conference call clinton expressed willingness to serve as obama 's running mate in november . watch the latest on a possible joint ticket '' ' one source told cnn that clinton told those on the call that if asked by obama , she would be interested in serving as his running mate . one of the lawmakers said clinton 's husband , former president bill clinton , has been pushing the idea privately for several weeks . the clinton campaign maintains the new york senator merely said she would do whatever is in the party 's best interest , and that her comments tuesday are no different than what she has been saying for weeks . clinton said she would meet with supporters and party leaders in the coming days to determine her next steps . she also asked people to go to her web site to `` share your thoughts with me and help in any way that you can . '' watch what could be in store in clinton 's future '' cnn has projected that clinton will win the primary in south dakota and obama will take montana . those states marked the final contests in the primary season . obama praised clinton 's campaign . he has been speaking favorably of the new york senator as his focus has turned toward the general election and his battle against john mccain , the presumptive gop presidential nominee . `` sen. hillary clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she 's a woman who has done what no woman has done before , but because she 's a leader who inspires millions of americans with her strength , her courage , and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight , '' he said . diving into general election mode , obama turned his attacks to mccain , saying it 's `` time to turn the page on the policies of the past . '' `` while john mccain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past , such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign , '' he said . `` it 's not change when john mccain decided to stand with george bush 95 percent of the time , as he did in the senate last year . '' earlier tuesday night , mccain portrayed himself as the candidate of `` right change . '' `` no matter who wins this election , the direction of this country is going to change dramatically . but the choice is between the right change and the wrong change , between going forward and going backward , '' he said in kenner , louisiana . cnn 's candy crowley , jim acosta , suzanne malveaux , paul steinhauser and robert yoon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- as thousands of democrats converge on denver for the party 's 45th convention , history will be made by officially nominating sen. barack obama , the first african-american presidential nominee of a major u.s. political party . a worker prepares the stage for the democratic convention in denver , which also hosted the democrats in 1908 . but what about all the other history and trivia at the democratic convention ? check out these tidbits of convention history and political trivia . the convention . the 2008 democratic national convention is being held later in the year than any previous convention for either party not already holding the white house . obama 's acceptance speech on thursday at this year 's convention falls on the 45th anniversary of martin luther king jr. 's `` i have a dream '' speech . the first democratic convention was held in baltimore , maryland , in 1832 at which president andrew jackson was nominated for a second term . since 1996 , the democrats have scheduled the vice president nominee 's acceptance speech on wednesday night instead of thursday , when the presidential nominee speaks . this wednesday , the convention will conduct a roll call vote to officially select obama as the presidential nominee . democrats have held a state-by-state roll call vote at every convention since 1964 when lyndon johnson was approved by acclamation . the last time a democratic presidential roll call went more than one ballot was in 1952 . adlai stevenson was selected on the third ballot . this year , hillary clinton 's name will be placed in nomination wednesday in a nod to her historic campaign . she is the first woman ever to win more than one presidential primary . she won 23 contests . the democratic convention in new york in 1924 was the longest in history -- 17 days . watch the best and worst of conventions '' the democratic convention in baltimore in 1872 was the shortest in history -- six hours . the location . the first three days of the convention will be held at the pepsi center which is home to the nba 's denver nuggets and seats about 20,000 people . obama will give his acceptance speech on thursday at invesco field which is home to the denver broncos and seats about 76,000 people . john f. kennedy was the last presidential nominee to give an acceptance speech outdoors when he spoke at the los angeles coliseum in 1960 .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- party unity my a -- ! not all of sen. hillary clinton 's supporters have fallen in line behind sen. barack obama . not exactly the slogan you want heading into your presidential nominating convention , but one that is being repeated online and in neighborhood bars by a group of disenchanted democrats , who have dubbed themselves pumas . why are they angry ? it all depends on whom you ask . some of the pumas accuse democratic leaders of rigging the primaries to favor sen. barack obama , while others feel that he is not qualified to be the party nominee , let alone competent enough to lead the country . kim mann said she thinks that obama is too liberal . webster tarpley said the senator from illinois is too conservative . but mann , a 52-year-old project manager from manassas , virginia , and tarpley , a self-described 62-year-old `` controversial author , '' agree on one thing : neither wants obama to be the democratic nominee . watch why some democrats oppose obama 's nomination '' even though sen. hillary clinton conceded the democratic presidential nomination to obama in early june and urged all of her supporters to vote for him , not all of her backers heeded the call . hence , the beginning of the puma movement . `` what we are really organizing about is to reinitiate hillary back into the presidential race , '' mann said during a recent interview at a washington bar , where she met with fellow pumas for kinship and to strategize about how to make clinton the democratic nominee . will bower , the 36-year-old head of the puma pack , and his like-minded democrats are angry because they charge that the democratic national committee unfairly imposed sanctions on michigan and florida after both states violated party rules by holding primary contests before february 5 . clinton won both primaries -- obama 's name was not even on the michigan ballot -- and had those states counted at the beginning , well , who knows what would have happened . `` i have never voted for anything but a democrat , and i feel that there has been an internal coup , and they are putting forward a candidate that does not represent the will of the democratic party , '' bower said . to be fair , the dnc did go through a lengthy review process of the primary calendar and warned every state that only four -- iowa , new hampshire , nevada and south carolina -- would be allowed to hold primaries before super tuesday . and if you ask the obama campaign , it 's confident that the senator is up to the job . watch more from the campaign trail '' but that has n't stopped bower , a washington resident who recently quit his job to oversee the puma pack , and others from trying to subvert obama 's likely nomination to make room for clinton . `` we have got a convention coming up and although everyone calls him the nominee , he is the presumed nominee , '' bower said . `` so we need to make sure hillary gets her name in nomination and those delegates get a chance to vote , because i think there are a lot of delegates who will change their mind by the end of august and realize that hillary clinton is the truer democrat . '' clinton , for her part , is not supporting this effort , and is committed to helping obama defeat sen. john mccain in november , a spokesman said . `` she has been very crystal clear that she supports sen. obama and wants every democrat and every one of her supporters to get behind him , '' said mo elleithee , clinton 's spokesman . `` she has said repeatedly the stakes are so high and anyone that has voted for her has more in common with sen. obama than sen. mccain . '' bower just shrugs off clinton 's support of obama . `` hillary clinton is a voter , and we are voters and we love her and we will do most of what she asks us to do , '' bower said . `` but at the end of the day we make our own decisions when we go into the polling booth . '' he estimates that there are 250 puma-related web sites and 2.5 million pumas online . i am not sure there is metric to measure their enthusiasm , but a preliminary test will come next month when the group holds a conference in washington to plan for denver -- the site of the 2008 democratic national convention . how many pumas will show up ? what will be the group 's rallying cry ? then the real test will be at the end of august when democrats convene in the colorado capital to make obama the party 's official presidential nominee . but will that be too late ? pumas do n't think so . should the obama campaign be worried about the pumas ? a recent cnn/opinion research corp. poll showed that more than four in 10 democrats still preferred clinton as the nominee . but obama is leading mccain in early general election polls . and as clinton continues to vocalize her support for obama , it is probably safe to say that more clinton backers will likely fall in line behind him . from donors to volunteers , the obama campaign said that clinton 's supporters have already expressed support for the senator from illinois . `` democrats across the country understand how urgently we need change , not four more years of failed bush policies -- and we 've been very pleased that so many who supported sen. clinton in the primary have taken active roles in the obama campaign , organizing , raising money and most importantly , talking to their friends and neighbors about the clear choice in this election , '' obama spokesman nick shapiro said . if clinton thinks obama is the best candidate and the democratic establishment is backing him , then why else would these pumas dislike him so much ? `` i have a big concern that we do n't actually know what his policies are because you know throughout the primary he had his policies that he would speak about , and since he clinched the nomination on june 3 , he 's really backtracked , '' said nili navot , 28 , an education worker from new york who came to washington for the puma happy hour at the bar . `` and you know he has really gone back on a lot of things from public financing to supporting the fisa bill . '' if pumas are unsuccessful in preventing obama from getting the nomination , what will they do ? bower and mann said they would cross party lines and vote for mccain ; navot noted she might write in clinton 's name or not vote at all . tarpley said he would turn his gaze towards green party nominee cynthia mckinney , libertarian party nominee bob barr or independent candidate ralph nader . tarpley said a mccain victory might be the best result if obama is the democratic nominee . it would allow the party an opportunity to reflect and perhaps `` radicalize it in a new deal direction . '' `` i would say mccain is on track to be a tired old lame duck as soon as he gets into office , and he will face a very hostile congress , '' said tarpley , noting that democrats are projected to maintain majorities in the house of representatives and senate . `` i think what you will have is gridlock , and i would say at this point gridlock is about the best you can do . ''<doc-sep>barack obama says voters in the united states are going to want ` that new car smell ' when the 2016 presidential campaign comes along to choose his successor . he is pledging to do everything possible to help that nominee succeed . . obama 's former secretary of state hillary clinton is strongly fancied to run on the democratic ticket for the white house , although she has repeatedly refused to confirm she wants to do so . ' i think the american people , you know , they 're gon na want , you know , that new car smell , ' obama said in an interview broadcast sunday on abc news . scroll down for video . ready to leave ? ` when you 've been president for six years , you know , you 've got some dings , ' obama said in an abc interview . ` you know ... they wan na drive somethin' off the lot that ... that does n't have as much mileage as me . ' obama , whose 40 percent job approval rating was a drag on democrats in the november 4th midterms elections , said he doubted he will be asked to campaign much for the eventual democratic nominee in 2016 .<doc-sep>in addition to smoothing things over at the white house meeting , democratic officials told cnn the clinton and obama teams mapped out an ambitious schedule to get clinton on the campaign trail as often as possible in between his foreign travels to such hot spots as haiti . `` we want whatever we can get from him , '' said one of the senior democratic officials involved in the conversations . democratic officials told cnn the white house specifically wants to use clinton in key swing states where obama is not particularly popular , such as arkansas and kentucky . in his home state of arkansas , clinton already helped democratic sen. blanche lincoln survive an intense primary challenge earlier this year and will now be used to help save the incumbent in an even tougher general election match-up with republican john boozman . clinton also will be used in kentucky , where the white house has high hopes of picking up a seat with democratic nominee jack conway facing republican rand paul , who has been engulfed in a series of controversies . `` i think he and president obama will be a good one-two punch , '' added a second senior democratic official . | <t> new : clinton says she 's not making any decisions tonight . </t> <t> new : cnn projects clinton wins south dakota ; obama takes montana . </t> <t> obama passes delegate threshold . </t> <t> clinton tells new york lawmakers she would be obama 's no. 2 . </t> | obama : i will be the democratic nominee<T> |
gudda , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- in gudda , a village with very little , residents are literally beaming . just two years ago , villagers had never seen light after dark , unless it came from the moon . then , solar light arrived and changed everything . children in gudda stand on rooftops near a solar panel . solar power first arrived two years ago . `` when the lanterns first arrived , the villagers asked , ` what is this ? ' '' says hanuman ram , the local solar engineer . `` i explained to them how it worked . then slowly , as people saw it , they said , ` wow , what a thing this is ! ' '' there are no real roads that lead to the tiny village in the state of rajasthan in northwestern india , home to about 100 families . there are only thin strips of tar dotted with massive potholes that force vehicles into thick brush . other times , cars have to maneuver over just dirt . there is no electricity -- power lines do n't extend out here . water is scarce , too . at the village well , women balance jugs of water on their heads , deftly evading the livestock that saunters along . visit the sites of gudda with cnn 's arwa damon '' it 's a simple lifestyle of farming , tending to goats , caring for children and carrying out household chores -- a daily routine that has n't changed much over the centuries . that 's why light transformed gudda . villagers could play music at night . children could study well past sundown . watch villagers smile as they light their solar lamps '' as yamouna groomis kneads dough for her family 's evening meal , she blows through a pipe every once in a while to keep a flame burning in an outdoor clay pit . her days used to end when the sun went down . she smiles as she proudly flicks on a solar lamp . `` when i saw this light coming on for the first time , i was very happy , '' she says . the light is powered by a solar panel on her roof that charges a battery . panels can be seen on almost every rooftop in gudda . see where gudda is located '' ram , the man credited with the transformation , does n't have a high school degree . but he did attend an institution about an hour away called barefoot college , established 35 years ago with an emphasis on helping india 's rural population find solutions for their problems among themselves .<doc-sep>the college , in part funded by the indian government , trains villagers all over india who have little or no education , giving them a range of skills to change their lives . the entire campus , which has amenities such as a library , meeting halls , open-air theater and labs , uses solar power . on a recent visit to the main college campus , a group of village women were hard at work making solar cookers , which can boil a liter of water in eight minutes . they are part of the `` women barefoot solar cooker engineers society '' -- six women who came together and started their own business . barefoot college serves an outlying community of 125,000 people . in a nearby village , women flock to a water desalinization and purification plant set up by the college and maintained by barefoot graduates . the station , powered by solar panels , provides the area with a rare commodity : clean drinking water . at the local store in gudda , owner ram swarup puts his solar panels to maximum use . he says the solar lights have allowed him to increase his business by a third . the panels also have powered up the only dvd player and television in the village . partly paralyzed by polio , swarup never dreamed that he would have so much in life . he says it took courage -- and light . the villagers say that they now feel empowered -- less reliant on a far-off government . even the village 's engineer is amazed . at ram 's house , the solar lamps flicker to life . he smiles as he says that before , he did n't even know what artificial light was , and now , he 's a solar power expert . `` i never saw light before , '' he says . `` how could i think that i could bring light here ? '' like most of the barefoot graduates , he was selected to attend the college by his village elders . now , every night when the lights flicker on , he says , he feels great . with the extra earnings he 's made as a solar engineer , he 's made another of his childhood dreams come true . he purchased his favorite instrument , a harmonium , and now the family can gather around every night and listen to his music . he says he hopes his daughter , now 14 years old , will follow in his footsteps and become a solar engineer . ram 's 80-year-old mother , meanwhile , beams with pride about her son 's accomplishments : `` i just wanted him to do something good for the village . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- jyoti is the hindi word for light . it 's something pranav mehta has never had to live without . and he is lucky . near where he lives in gujarat , one of the most prosperous states in india , thousands of rural villages lack electricity or struggle with an intermittent supply at best . massive solar satellites would beam power back to ground-based receivers on earth . `` we need to empower these villages , and for empowerment , energy is a must , '' mehta said . `` rural india is suffering a lot because of a lack of energy . '' by 2030 , india 's planning commission estimates that the country will have to generate at least 700,000 megawatts of additional power to meet the demands of its expanding economy and growing population . much of that electricity will come from coal-fired power plants , like the $ 4 billion so-called ultra mega complex scheduled to be built south of tunda wand , a tiny village near the gulf of kutch , an inlet of the arabian sea on india 's west coast . dozens of other such projects are already or soon will be under way . yet mehta has another solution for india 's chronic electricity shortage , one that does not involve power plants on the ground but instead massive sun-gathering satellites in geosynchronous orbits 22,000 miles in the sky . the satellites would electromagnetically beam gigawatts of solar energy back to ground-based receivers , where it would then be converted to electricity and transferred to power grids . and because in high earth orbit , satellites are unaffected by the earth 's shadow virtually 365 days a year , the floating power plants could provide round-the-clock clean , renewable electricity . `` this will be kind of a leap frog action instead of just crawling , '' said mehta , who is the director of india operations for space island group , a california-based company working to develop solar satellites . `` it is a win-win situation . '' american scientist peter glaser introduced the idea of space solar power in 1968 .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- jyoti is the hindi word for light . it 's something pranav mehta has never had to live without . and he is lucky . near where he lives in gujarat , one of the most prosperous states in india , thousands of rural villages lack electricity or struggle with an intermittent supply at best . massive solar satellites would beam power back to ground-based receivers on earth . `` we need to empower these villages , and for empowerment , energy is a must , '' mehta said . `` rural india is suffering a lot because of a lack of energy . '' by 2030 , india 's planning commission estimates that the country will have to generate at least 700,000 megawatts of additional power to meet the demands of its expanding economy and growing population . much of that electricity will come from coal-fired power plants , like the $ 4 billion so-called ultra mega complex scheduled to be built south of tunda wand , a tiny village near the gulf of kutch , an inlet of the arabian sea on india 's west coast . dozens of other such projects are already or soon will be under way . yet mehta has another solution for india 's chronic electricity shortage , one that does not involve power plants on the ground but instead massive sun-gathering satellites in geosynchronous orbits 22,000 miles in the sky . the satellites would electromagnetically beam gigawatts of solar energy back to ground-based receivers , where it would then be converted to electricity and transferred to power grids . and because in high earth orbit , satellites are unaffected by the earth 's shadow virtually 365 days a year , the floating power plants could provide round-the-clock clean , renewable electricity .<doc-sep>by . ellie zolfagharifard . solar power has had a difficult start on earth thanks to inefficient panels and high costs . but in space , scientists believe it could transform the way we generate energy . now , the space-based solar power -- once merely the stuff of science-fiction -- could be available sooner than expected if japan has its way . within 25 years , the country plans to make space-based solar power a reality , according to a proposal from the japan aerospace exploration agency -lrb- jaxa -rrb- . solar power has had a difficult start on earth . but in space , scientists believe it could transform the way we generate energy . by the end of this year , japan expects to perform a ground experiment in which a beam of hundreds of watts will be transmitted over about 164ft -lrb- 50 metres -rrb- . the agency has outlined its plans to create a 1-gigawatt commercial system for space-based solar power , which would provide about the same output as a nuclear power plant . in a recent ieee article by susumu sasaki , a professor emeritus at jaxa , he outlined the agency 's plans create a 1.8 mile long -lrb- 3 km -rrb- man-made island in the harbour of tokyo bay . the island would be studded with 5 billion antennas working together to convert microwave energy into electricity . the microwaves would be beamed down from a number of giant solar collectors in orbit 22,400 miles -lrb- 36,000 km -rrb- above the earth . to collect the solar energy , two large mirrors would be positioned to direct light onto photovoltaic panels . the microwaves would be beamed down from a number of giant solar collectors in orbit 22,400 miles -lrb- 36,000 km -rrb- above the earth . pictured are artist 's impressions of what the system may look like . to collect the solar energy , two large mirrors would be positioned to direct light onto photovoltaic panels 24 hours a day . in a . separate porject , a japanese firm last year revealed plans to cover the . moon in a huge swathe of solar panels and use them to power homes here . on earth . shimizu . corporation 's luna ring project would stretch almost 6,790 miles . -lrb- 11,000 km -rrb- around the moon 's equator and a field of solar panels would . form a belt . energy . captured by these panels would then be sent to earth using microwaves . and laser lights could be beamed directly to countries where it is . needed . according to the plans , the project would produce around 13,000 terawatts of continuous solar energy . the . company claims the plans would not only provide an ` almost . inexhaustible ' energy supply , it would stop the rise of global warming . caused by carbon dioxide from current energy sources . a separate substation on the island would send electricity coursing through a submarine cable to tokyo , to help keep the neon lights of shibuya shining . ` a combination of technical and social factors is giving it currency , especially in japan , ' said professor sasaki . ` on the technical front , recent advances in wireless power transmission allow moving antennas to coordinate in order to send a precise beam across vast distances . ` at the same time , heightened public concerns about the climatic effects of greenhouse gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels are prompting a look at alternatives . ' japan has a particular interest in finding a practical clean energy source : the accident at the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant prompted an exhaustive search for alternatives . however japan lacks both fossil fuel resources and empty land suitable for renewable power installations . by the end of this year , researchers expect to perform a ground experiment in which a beam of hundreds of watts will be transmitted over about 164ft -lrb- 50 metres -rrb- . each panel will transmit 400w , so that the total beam will carry 1.6 kw . in this early-stage experiment , jaxa hopes to achieve a power output of 350 w. shimizu corporation plans to install a 250-mile-wide field of solar panels on the moon 's equator -lrb- concept image pictured -rrb- . energy from these panels would be sent to earth using microwaves and laser lights and the company claims the system would be an ` almost inexhaustible ' source of power . ` some people have a grisly mental image of roasted seagulls dropping from the sky . in fact , the beam would n't even be intense enough to heat your coffee , ' said professor sasaki . in a separate project , a japanese firm last year revealed plans to cover the moon in a huge swathe of solar panels and use them to power homes here on earth . shimizu corporation 's luna ring project would stretch almost 6,790 miles -lrb- 11,000 km -rrb- around the moon 's equator and a field of solar panels would form a belt . energy captured by these panels would then be sent to earth using microwaves and laser lights could be beamed directly to countries where it is needed . according to the plans , the project would produce around 13,000 terrawatts of continuous solar energy . at present , the world 's population consumes about 15 terawatts of power each year . the company claims the plans would not only provide an ` almost inexhaustible ' energy supply , it would stop the rise of global warming caused by carbon dioxide from current energy sources . this graphic explains shimizu corporation 's master plan for its luna ring scheme . according to the plans , the project would produce around 13,000 terawatts of continuous solar energy which could be sent directly to countries when needed .<doc-sep>dr massimiliano vasile , of the university of strathclyde 's department of mechanical and aerospace engineering , who is leading the space based solar power research , said : ` space provides a fantastic source for collecting solar power and we have the advantage of being able to gather it regardless of the time of the day or indeed the weather conditions . ` in areas like the sahara desert where quality solar power can be captured , it becomes very difficult to transport this energy to areas where it can be used . ` however , our research is focusing on how we can remove this obstacle and use space based solar power to target difficult to reach areas . ` this would provide a reliable , quality source of energy and would remove the need for storing energy coming from renewable sources on ground as it would provide a constant delivery of solar energy . ` initially , smaller satellites will be able to generate enough energy for a small village but we have the aim , and indeed the technology available , to one day put a large enough structure in space that could gather energy that would be capable of powering a large city . ' last month , a team of science and engineering students at strathclyde developed an innovative ` space web ' experiment which was carried on a rocket from the arctic circle to the edge of space . the researchers already deployed a network of satellites which could be used to ` beam ' power back to earth . the experiment , known as suaineadh -- or ` twisting ' in scots gaelic , was an important step forward in space construction design and demonstrated that larger structures could be built on top of a light-weight spinning web , paving the way for the next stage in the solar power project.dr vasile added : ` the success of suaineadh allows us to move forward with the next stage of our project which involves looking at the reflectors needed to collect the solar power . ` the current project , called sam -lrb- self-inflating adaptable membrane -rrb- will test the deployment of an ultra light cellular structure that can change shape once deployed . the structure is made of cells that are self-inflating in vacuum and can change their volume independently through nanopumps . ` the structure replicates the natural cellular structure that exists in all living things . the independent control of the cells would allow us to morph the structure into a solar concentrator to collect the sunlight and project it on solar arrays . the same structure can be used to build large space systems by assembling thousands of small individual units . ' the project is part of a nasa institute for advanced concepts -lrb- niac -rrb- study led by dr john mankins of artemis innovation . the university of strathclyde represents the european section of an international consortium involving american researchers , and a japanese team , led by professor nobuyuki kaya of the university of kobe , a world leader in wireless power transmission.the niac study is demonstrating a new conceptual design for large scale solar power satellites . the role of the team at the university of strathclyde is to develop innovative solutions for the structural elements and new solutions for orbit and orbit control . | <t> residents had never had light after dark until two years ago . </t> <t> when villagers saw solar lights in action , their reaction was `` wow '' </t> <t> nearby college helps india 's poorest of the poor solve problems . </t> <t> villager describes seeing light for first time : `` i was very happy '' </t> | solar power makes tiny village beam<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- on video , joran van der sloot says he `` did n't lose a minute of sleep '' over knowing natalee holloway 's motionless body had been taken out to sea and dumped . joran van der sloot awaits transfer from the netherlands to aruba in november . he later was released . in the video that aired sunday on dutch television , van der sloot , a suspect in the 2005 disappearance of holloway , told a man he was with the alabama teen on an aruban beach when she apparently died and that a friend of his with a boat disposed of holloway 's body . `` he went out to sea and then he threw her out , like an old rag , '' van der sloot told aruban businessman patrick van der eem january 16 . van der eem recorded their conversations on hidden cameras installed in the range rover he was driving , according to the dutch tv report . watch van der sloot on hidden camera '' on the tapes , van der sloot also says that he was n't certain holloway was dead before his friend dumped her body in the ocean . `` no , but it did n't look good , '' he said , when van der eem asked him if he checked her pulse or other vital signs . `` i was n't -lsb- expletive -rsb- sure , but from the time it happened to the time he came , she was n't doing anything any more . '' aruba 's chief prosecutor , hans mos , called the account that aired `` very impressive '' and announced he was reopening the investigation . van der sloot later said the statements were lies , and on monday his attorney said the video contains `` no admission of a crime . '' in the video , van der sloot says holloway and her friends begged him to go out with them the night of may 29 , 2005 . the dutch student said he and two friends -- brothers deepak and satish kalpoe -- met the women at a bar in oranjestad . when they arrived , he said , the women appeared to have been drinking heavily and some were using cocaine . holloway was in aruba with about 100 classmates celebrating their graduation from mountain brook high school in suburban birmingham , alabama . after declining an invitation from holloway to dance on stage with her , he agreed to drink a shot of liquor from her navel as she lay on the bar , he said . about 1 a.m. may 30 , he said , she left the bar with him and the kalpoes , telling her friends she would meet them at their hotel before their planned return flight the next day to the united states , he said . the three men previously told authorities they then drove to the beach with holloway , leaving her there when she told them she wanted to stay .<doc-sep>but van der sloot gave a different account in the hidden-camera footage . he said he wanted to have sex with holloway , but she told him she did not want to go to her hotel . instead , she said , she wanted to see sharks , he told the informant . the two brothers then used their car to drive van der sloot and holloway to the beach by the hotel and left them , van der sloot said . he and holloway then had sex , he said . but as they were caressing each other , she started shaking , then said nothing , he said . `` all of a sudden , what she did was like in a movie , '' he said . `` she was shaking , it was awful . ... i prodded her , there was nothing . '' he said he panicked and , when she did not appear to be alive , shook her but was unable to resuscitate her . he said he carried her body to a stand of trees , walked to a pay phone near the pool of the hotel and , instead of using his cell phone , called a friend who owned a boat that was tied up at a nearby dock . upon the friend 's arrival , the two men carried holloway 's body to the boat , and the friend told van der sloot to go home , he said . the student then walked back to his house , where his father was asleep when he arrived about 15 minutes later , he recounted . he estimated the time at 2:30 or 3 a.m. van der sloot said the boat owner showed up at his house later in the morning and told him he had taken the body out less than a mile from land and dumped it overboard . he added that the incident with the woman has not bothered him . `` i did n't lose a minute of sleep over it , '' he said . the video footage shows van der sloot is `` not innocent , '' holloway 's mother said monday . `` once people see the video , there are no more questions ; there is no one that could walk away from this believing that he is innocent , '' beth twitty told abc . twitty described the video as a source of `` comfort , '' saying `` it means everything . '' `` i felt that it put an end to my nightmare , '' she said . `` the nightmare is not knowing , and i feel as if now , i can begin the mourning and the healing process for losing a child . '' she added , `` not knowing is the absolute cruelest thing that a person can endure . '' van der sloot 's attorney , joe tacopina , told abc monday that `` there 's no confession , there 's no admission of a crime by joran on any of these tapes . '' he said much of what was in the video is `` easily disprovable based on corroborative evidence . ... the fact of the matter is he still is not responsible . the evidence , not joran , the evidence , says he 's not responsible for natalee 's death . ''<doc-sep>tacopina added , `` i 'm certainly not asking at this point for anyone to believe joran . ... clearly his credibility is zero . '' last week , van der sloot called the dutch television program `` pauw & witteman '' and acknowledged having made the comments but said they were lies . `` that is what he wanted to hear , so i told him what he wanted to hear , '' van der sloot said . a judge denied a prosecution request that van der sloot , the son of a lawyer , be detained in the netherlands , where he is a student . the judge did determine that sufficient reason exists to reopen the inquiry against van der sloot . watch cnn 's frederik pleitgen report on the new video '' mos said that on tuesday he will appeal the judge 's decision barring van der sloot 's arrest and said that a three-judge panel will have eight days to rule on it . in a statement , the office of the public prosecutor on sunday cautioned the report does not necessarily solve the case . `` there is a big difference between the reality of a courtroom and the reality of a television screen , '' it said . watch a cnn legal analyst discuss the holloway case '' on monday , tacopina said at least two points of his client 's story could be disproved . he said the aruban coast guard had checked the pay phone where van der sloot said he had called his friend , and the records show that `` there 's no such call . '' also , tacopina said , the friend whom his client names in the video met van der sloot two months ago , and the friend was n't in aruba in may 2005 . he also has never owned a boat , the attorney said . van der eem told abc he befriended van der sloot by pretending to be a gangster after meeting him in a casino . `` why did i want this ? it 's obvious . everybody was looking for the truth . for her mother , '' he said . in the interview with abc , van der eem became emotional himself while saying that van der sloot talked about holloway 's death `` without any emotions . '' van der eem , who abc reported once spent a year in prison on drug charges , said he and van der sloot smoked marijuana on long car rides over the course of several months . van der eem told the network he pretended to invite van der sloot into a drug operation to gain his trust . he approached reporter peter r. de vries ' television show , telling them he had gained van der sloot 's trust , and the program outfitted an suv with hidden video cameras . van der eem has been paid about $ 35,000 by the show -- which has a format similar to the u.s. show `` america 's most wanted . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>in the years since holloway vanished , van der sloot has consistently denied any involvement in her disappearance , police said . `` he 's just totally , totally dragged us all through hell , '' holloway 's anguished mother , beth , has said . in 2008 , a videotape surfaced on dutch television . in it , van der sloot tells a man he thought was a friend he had sex with holloway on the beach after leaving the nightclub , then she `` started shaking '' and lost consciousness . he said he panicked when he could not resuscitate her and called a friend who had a boat . the two put holloway in the boat , van der sloot said , and he went home . the friend told him the next day that he had carried the body out and dumped it into the ocean . `` i do n't lose a minute of sleep over it , '' van der sloot said . he later claimed the account was a lie , saying he told the man what he wanted to hear . a court ruled there was not enough evidence to re-arrest him . aruba chief prosecutor peter blanken said the story was `` unbelievable and not true . '' but it 's been van der sloot 's cavalier attitude toward the case that has fueled criticism , as well as conflicting statements he 's made . he told fox news in a 2008 interview he sold holloway to human traffickers for $ 10,000 , then in a taped interview denied it . at the time his name first surfaced in the holloway investigation , suspicion swirled around his parents , particularly his father , an aruban lawyer training to be a judge . paul van der sloot was briefly taken into custody in 2005 on suspicion of involvement in the holloway case . authorities said he told his son that police had no case without a body . he was released after three days of questioning .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a dutch man once considered a suspect in the 2005 disappearance of alabama teenager natalee holloway has told a television station he dumped her body in a swamp , aruba 's chief prosecutor told cnn . however , joran van der sloot 's claims to dutch station rtl-5 are `` unbelievable , '' prosecutor peter blanken said . rtl-5 said tuesday it had `` acquired exclusive material containing a statement by joran van der sloot '' regarding holloway 's disappearance . `` this material was first offered to us in 2009 , '' remko van westerloo , the station 's director of programming , said in a statement . `` obviously , our initial response was skeptical , '' van westerloo said . `` however , we did feel that this interview required thorough research . we 've spoken to a variety of experts and several critics . these findings resulted in a tv special which will air this sunday . it 's up to the viewers to form their own opinions on the matter . '' the statement did not divulge the contents of van der sloot 's interview . however , blanken told cnn on tuesday that van der sloot says in the interview that he dumped holloway 's body `` in a swamp on the north end of the island . '' `` he was very unspecific , '' blanken said . blanken said rtl contacted him about the interview last summer , and the station showed the interview to him to get his reaction . he said his office and aruban police investigated . `` we tried to verify it , '' blanken said . `` it could n't be true . we talked with several witnesses and reviewed several facts . the story is unbelievable and not true , in my opinion . '' he said his office told van der sloot `` we 'd like him to come in and speak with us about it . he failed to respond . '' asked why van der sloot gave the interview , blanken said , `` you should ask him . maybe he wanted to be on camera or make some money . '' holloway was 18 when last seen in the early hours of may 30 , 2005 , leaving an oranjestad , aruba , nightclub with van der sloot and two other men , brothers deepak and satish kalpoe . she was visiting aruba with about 100 classmates celebrating their graduation from mountain brook high school in suburban birmingham , alabama . holloway failed to show up for her flight home the following day , and her packed bags were found in her hotel room . van der sloot and the kalpoes were arrested and released in 2005 in connection with the case . in 2007 , they were arrested a second time after aruba 's then-chief prosecutor , hans mos , said he had received new evidence in the case . van der sloot , who was attending college in the netherlands , was brought back to aruba . but judges ruled the new evidence -- which included an internet chat the same day holloway disappeared with one of the three youths saying she was dead -- was not enough to keep them jailed . in 2008 , prosecutors sought unsuccessfully to arrest van der sloot a third time after a videotape surfaced on dutch television . in it , van der sloot tells a man he considered to be his friend that he had sex with holloway on the beach after leaving the nightclub , then she `` started shaking '' and lost consciousness . he said he panicked when he could not resuscitate her and called a friend who had a boat . the two put holloway 's body in the boat , he said , and then he went home . the friend told him the next day that he had carried the body out and dumped it in the ocean . `` i did n't lose a minute of sleep over it , '' van der sloot said on the tape . holloway 's mother , beth twitty , told abc at the time that the video showed van der sloot was `` not innocent . '' but an aruba court ruled there was not enough evidence to re-arrest him . aruban prosecutors said authorities had met with van der sloot in the netherlands , but in a two-hour interview he denied any role in holloway 's disappearance . van der sloot acknowledged to a dutch television program he made the comments , but said he was lying . `` that is what he wanted to hear , so i told him what he wanted to hear , '' he said . `` when -lsb- van der sloot -rsb- really wants to tell the truth , -lsb- we hope -rsb- he will , '' said blanken , who took over as chief prosecutor in september . `` he did n't tell the truth -lsb- this time -rsb- . '' cnn 's susan candiotti contributed to this report .<doc-sep>in addition , mos said , two other witnesses have come forward . he declined to discuss those witnesses , other than to say he is hopeful the case can be solved . `` we are hoping to make a decision by the end of this year or early next year as to whether we will re-arrest -lsb- the younger -rsb- van der sloot or not , '' mos told cnn . also key to the investigation , mos added , is a dutch journalist peter de vries ' videotaped interview with van der sloot . in the interview , van der sloot acknowledges a friend helped him get rid of her body . read how van der sloot `` lost no sleep '' over holloway . mos said he is confident that the tape , which he characterizes as a confession , is admissible in court . with the new tips and new witnesses whose testimony impeaches earlier statements by van der sloot and his father , mos said he might have enough evidence to solve the mystery of what happened to holloway . the elder van der sloot has told police he was at home , asleep in bed until 7 a.m. on the night in question . and , joran van der sloot has never been able to explain what happened to his tennis shoes , mos said . holloway 's father , dave , said the new developments caught him by surprise . `` well , i really hope it 's true , because they even have joran on tape confessing , and i do n't know what could be better than that , '' he said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it was supposed to be a celebration -- sun , fun and relaxation on a tropical island for recent graduates savoring the heady taste of approaching adulthood . but instead , the trip to aruba by a group of birmingham , alabama , high school seniors ended in tragedy , as one of their members , 18-year-old natalee holloway , never returned home . questions surrounding her fate are unanswered five years later . now , joran van der sloot , the youth twice arrested and released in holloway 's disappearance -- seen by many as a privileged playboy who has displayed no remorse or concern over her whereabouts -- has been named a suspect in the stabbing death of a woman in peru , allegations that hint at a chilling pattern . holloway was last seen in the early hours of may 30 , 2005 , leaving an oranjestad , aruba , nightclub with van der sloot and two other men , brothers deepak and satish kalpoe . she was visiting the island with about 100 classmates to celebrate their graduation from mountain brook high school in suburban birmingham . holloway failed to show up for her flight home the following day , and her packed bags were found in her hotel room . van der sloot and the kalpoes were arrested and released in 2005 in connection with the case , then arrested a second time in 2007 after aruba 's then-chief prosecutor hans mos said he had received new evidence in the case . van der sloot , then attending college in the netherlands , was brought back to aruba . but judges ruled the new evidence -- which included an internet chat the same day holloway disappeared with one of the three youths writing that she was dead -- was not enough to keep them in custody . in the years since holloway vanished , van der sloot has consistently denied any involvement in her disappearance , police said . `` he 's just totally , totally dragged us all through hell , '' holloway 's anguished mother , beth twitty , has said . in 2008 , a videotape surfaced on dutch television . in it , van der sloot tells a man he thought was a friend he had sex with holloway on the beach after leaving the nightclub , then she `` started shaking '' and lose consciousness . he said he panicked when he could not rescuscitate her and called a friend who had a boat . the two put holloway in the boat , van der sloot said , and he went home . the friend told him the next day that he had carried the body out and dumped it into the ocean . `` i do n't lose a minute of sleep over it , '' van der sloot said . he later claimed the account was a lie , saying he told the man what he wanted to hear . a court ruled there was not enough evidence to re-arrest him . aruba chief prosecutor peter blanken said the story was `` unbelievable and not true . '' but it 's been van der sloot 's cavalier attitude toward the case that has fueled criticism , as well as conflicting statements he 's made . he told fox news in a 2008 interview he sold holloway to human traffickers for $ 10,000 , then in a taped interview denied it . at the time his name first surfaced in the holloway investigation , suspicion swirled around his parents , particularly his father , an aruban lawyer training to be a judge . paul van der sloot was briefly taken into custody in 2005 on suspicion of involvement in the holloway case . authorities said he told his son that police had no case without a body . he was released after three days of questioning . holloway 's parents , however , have said they met with paul van der sloot and continue to believe he had the answers to questions regarding their daughter . `` i remember the day i met with paul at the prison , '' dave holloway has said . `` and the thing that stuck out in my mind was i asked him all the questions , why he hid from the news media . and the last question that i had was , was he involved , and he said no . he said , ` dave , i can understand your position , but you 've got to understand mine . joran 's my son and i 'll do everything i can to protect him . ' and i believe it . '' van der sloot 's mother , anita , has said her son told her he was on the beach with holloway but left her there because she wanted to stay . she has maintained her son 's innocence . -lrb- more -rrb- . | <t> suspect says on hidden camera holloway appeared to have died on beach . </t> <t> lawyer : facts disprove client 's videotaped story of natalee holloway 's death . </t> <t> holloway 's mom says video leaves no doubt about daughter 's death . </t> <t> report : hidden camera captures suspect saying holloway 's body was dumped . </t> | van der sloot on video : no sleep lost over holloway 's dumped body<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the national transportation safety board said thursday that it is investigating an incident in which a panel separated from the wing of a boeing 757 while it was in flight last week . ireporter and flight 1250 passenger paul shepherd took this photo of the damage through the aircraft 's window . the incident occurred saturday on us airways flight 1250 from orlando , florida , to philadelphia , pennsylvania , the ntsb said in a statement . the separation occurred over maryland .<doc-sep>the aircraft landed in philadelphia about 30 minutes later , and none of the 174 passengers or six crew members aboard was injured . the panel , on the trailing edge of the upper side of the left wing , broke loose and struck several windows toward the rear of the aircraft , causing the outer pane of one window to crack , the agency said . pressurization of the cabin was not compromised .<doc-sep>the wing panel has not been located . ntsb investigators are using a computer program to pinpoint the area where it might be and will notify local authorities that an aircraft part may be there , the statement said . the plane 's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have arrived at the ntsb laboratory in washington , the agency said , and are being evaluated . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . matt blake . a delta airlines plane had a lucky escape after part of its wing broke off during a flight from florida to georgia , it emerged today . passengers on board flight 2412 , from orlando to atlanta , were shocked when they looked out of the window to see a large panel missing from the wing , exposing a tangle of wires and hydraulic machinery to the elements . within minutes of a passenger spotting the damage , the pilot of the boeing 757 decided to make an emergency landing . exposed : passengers on board flight 2412 , from orlando to atlanta , were shocked when they looked out of the window to see a large panel missing from the wing , exposing a tangle of wires and hydraulic machinery to the elements . concern : one passenger tweeted a picture of the plane 's winge alongside the comment , ` could you imagine looking out the airplane and seeing this ! ' one passenger tweeted a picture of the plane 's wing alongside the comment : ` could you imagine looking out the airplane and seeing this ! ' the detached panel , however , did not impact the aircraft 's ability to fly or land , delta spokesman anthony black said . safe landing : the incident occurred on a delta airways 757 , like this one , as it flew from orlando , florida , to atlanta , georgia -lrb- stock image -rrb- . he added : ` the crew , knowing that , followed procedure by declaring an emergency to air traffic control as they were landing , which gave them priority clearance to land and alerted ground crews . ' crew members declared an emergency , but the plane landed safely and no one was hurt , according to abc news . ` all the passengers were remarkably calm , ' passenger david watterson told abc news . the aircraft landed at 7:30 pm on sunday at atlanta international airport and taxied to the gate . none of the 179 passengers and six crew members aboard the flight was injured . the airline is inspecting the plane to determine why the panel came off .<doc-sep>a day later , he had surgery on his left hand to repair a fracture . `` he will require intensive and progressive therapy . however , a full recovery is expected , '' the doctor said . bono 's mishaps this month could have been much worse . the rear hatch of his aircraft dropped off midflight on his way from dublin to berlin on november 13 . the ground crew discovered the hatch was missing shortly after the plane landed . two suitcases flew out , but all six people aboard were fine .<doc-sep>by . emily allen . updated : . 14:18 est , 8 february 2012 . all of the world 's biggest passenger aircraft are to have their wings checked after dozens of hairline cracks were discovered in a qantas airways plane . the australian airline said it temporarily grounded one of its a380 superjumbos - made by airbus - after discovering 36 tiny cracks inside its wings during a maintenance inspection . this morning the european aviation safety agency . -lrb- easa -rrb- is believed to have ordered all 68 airbus a380s currently in operation to have their wings checked . airbus said the cracks in the uk-built wings pose no threat to safety . a qantas a380 departing from adelaide , australia , in the sunset . this morning it was revealed all a380s currently in service will have their wings checked . the 36 small ` type one ' cracks were found during routine checks on the a380 at sydney 's main airport on monday . the aircraft , which can carry up to 800 passengers , is expected to be back up and running in a week . this particular plane was checked for cracks at the request of airbus after it flew through severe turbulence on a flight between london and singapore . last month cracks were found in the wings of a singapore airlines a380 , pictured , and one from qantas . first class travel : inside the a380 's first class cabins . each plane cost # 156m to build and the wings are made in wales . stretching out : there are just fourteen berths in the first class section of each a380 . the plane can seat up to 853 passengers . * if all seats are in economy class configuration . the minor cracks - no more than two . centimetres long - were discovered on some of the wing rib brackets and were caused by a manufacturing issue and not the turbulence , qantas . said . the australian flag carrier said in a statement : . ` this cracking is not related to the turbulence , or specific to qantas , . but is traced back to a manufacturing issue , ' adding that airbus had . confirmed the cracks had no effect on flight safety . the cracks are similar to those manufacturing defects which were found on the wing ribs of a qantas plane damaged following the . disintegration of an engine in midflight in 2010 .<doc-sep>fireball : the stunned skydiver is still clutching the wing of the damaged plane as an explosion erupts . disorientated : the new video shows one of the skydivers being flung around as he tries waits to clear debris before releasing . shock : a skydiver is flung head over heels as he holds on to the wing of the plane which is plummeting out of the air . relief : finally , the skydiver who was trapped at the back of the plane is able to leap from the open door and to safety . matt fandler was at the controls of one of two single-engine planes that were flying over superior , wisconsin , with a group of experienced skydivers who were making their last jump of the day , during an interview last month . but what was supposed to be a moment of perfectly-timed . air acrobatics and exhilarating free-falls turned into a terrifying . jump-for-your-life situation when fandler 's cessna suddenly sandwiched on top . of the other . explosion : skydivers watched on powerlessly as one of the two planes disintegrated after impact . impact : this is the moment the two planes hit , sending divers who were preparing to jump flying out of the aircraft and causing the wing of the other to come off . incredible : five of the skydivers involved in the wisconsin plane crash can be seen freefalling and the plane matt fandler was flying on flames and hurtling to the ground . split apart : both wings of the lead plane became detached and robinson said he watched it crash to the ground in three pieces . falling pieces : several people in the superior area reported seeing the plane falling to the ground but no one was injured by the debris . quick thinking : the pilot of the tracking plane was able to land it safely , but the lead plane was not so lucky . it crashed to the ground in several piece . the pilot of that airplane escaped by parachute as well . speaking about the moment he said : ` and all of a sudden i hear this loud bang . i did n't see . anything ... i just heard a bang and the windshield immediately . shattered . ' the crash tore off the wing of the . plane and the gas tank blew up underneath and caught fire , causing the . plane to go into an ` uncontrolled descent ' . ' i was staring straight ahead . and the first thing i remember thinking . is that i need to regain control of this airplane , ' the 23-year-old told matt lauer . in an exclusive dateline interview airing tonight at 8pm . ` and i . immediately pulled the yoke back to my chest and pulled it back as far . as i possibly could . and there was no reaction from the airplane . ' i began to pick up more and more airspeed . and i realize that i have no . control of this aircraft . and probably thought it was in my best . | <t> the national transportation safety board is investigating us airways flight . </t> <t> plane was en route from orlando , florida , to philadelphia , pennsylvania . </t> <t> wing panel struck several windows , cracking the outer pane of one . </t> <t> plane landed in philadelphia about 30 minutes after the incident with no injuries . </t> | panel falls off plane wing in midflight<T> |
derby , england -- substitute emmanuel adebayor struck his second hat-trick against derby this season as arsenal ran riot with a 6-2 premier league victory at pride park . arsenal players celebrate robin van persie 's goal in their comfortable 6-2 victory over derby . the gunners , 5-0 winners at the emirates earlier in the season , made sure of third place in the table with a rousing second-half display against relegated derby , who move closer to being the premier league 's worst-ever side . arsene wenger 's side led 2-1 at the break after goals from nicklas bendtner and robin van persie either side of a jay mceveley effort . theo walcott was on target too , but the second half belonged to togo international striker adebayor , who struck three times to take his season 's tally to 30 in all competitions , with rob earnshaw grabbing a consolation for the hosts in this eight-goal thriller . bottom side derby , now 30 league games without a victory , began the more purposefully and emanuel villa only just failed to connect tyrone mears ' inviting low cross . then mile sterjovski 's drive took a major deflection off alex song to wrong-foot goalkeeper lukasz fabianski , making his first league start for arsenal , only for the ball to creep past the right-hand post . the gunners struggled to find their rhythm early on and were fortunate not to go behind when villa 's bullet header flew just over . derby were made to pay for those early misses when darren moore 's 25th minute mistake presented the ball to niklas bendtner , who played a one-two with robin van persie before coolly slotting the ball into the left corner . however , derby soon scored the equalizer they deserved . robbie savage 's inswinging free-kick landed on the six-yard line and jay mceveley reacted first to hook the ball home . the home side 's joy was short-lived though , when derby 's defensive frailties were exposed again as van persie as given all the time in the world to chest down kolo toure 's floated pass and volley home in style . adebayor replaced van persie for the second-half and arsenal immediately looked intent on adding to their goals tally . twice kolo toure , playing at right-back , fired over , the second opportunity created by cesc fabregas ' brilliant backheel . there was nothing goalkeeper roy carroll could do to deny adebayor arsenal 's third goal . walcott took advantage of alan stubbs ' slip to cut the ball back to emmanuel eboue , who gave adebayor an easy finish . walcott should have made it four when he was put through by bendtner but the teenager fired wide with the goal at his mercy . by now it was looking all too easy for the gunners as they toyed with home side , creating chances at will -- but against the run of play derby reduced the deficit to just a single goal when substitute robert earnshaw stroked the ball home . yet within a minute the two-goal cushion was restored , gael clichy pinging a pinpoint pass to walcott wide on the left before the youngster cut inside and curled into the top-right corner . adebayor grabbed another poacher 's goal , sliding to convert another clichy assist with 10 minutes remaining before he wrapped up his hat-trick from an acute angle in added time . with two games remaining , arsenal are four points behind manchester united and chelsea , still with an outside chance of lifting the premier league title . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>ahead of this weekend 's premier league action , sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture , with team news , provisional squads , betting odds and opta stats . here is all the information you need for arsenal 's home clash with tottenham ... arsenal vs tottenham hotspur -lrb- emirates stadium -rrb- . kick-off : saturday 5.30 pm - sky sports 1 . odds -lrb- subject to change -rrb- : . arsenal 8/11 . draw 14/5 . tottenham 7/2 . referee : michael oliver . managers : arsene wenger -lrb- arsenal -rrb- , mauricio pochettino -lrb- tottenham -rrb- . head-to-head league record : arsenal wins 64 , draws 41 , tottenham wins 49 . team news . arsenal . arsenal expect to have midfielder mathieu flamini back from a dead leg for saturday ' barclays premier league north london derby against tottenham at emirates stadium . defenders kieran gibbs and per mertesacker should also be available after being kept on the bench for what was a much-changed squad in the midweek capital one cup defeat to southampton . arsenal expect to have mathieu flamini -lrb- left -rrb- back from a dead leg for their derby clash against tottenham . spain defender nacho monreal -lrb- back -rrb- remains out , as does striker yaya sanogo -lrb- hamstring -rrb- . winger theo walcott -lrb- knee -rrb- continues his recovery along with midfielder serge gnabry -lrb- knee -rrb- , but full-back mathieu debuchy -lrb- ankle -rrb- and france forward olivier giroud -lrb- fractured foot -rrb- are long-term absentees . provisional squad : szczesny , gibbs , koscielny , mertesacker , chambers , arteta , ramsey , cazorla , sanchez , ozil , welbeck , ospina , wilshere , podolski , oxlade-chamberlain , rosicky , coquelin , diaby , flamini . tottenham . mauricio pochettino has no fresh injury concerns ahead of his first north london derby against arsenal on saturday . the tottenham head coach made 11 changes for wednesday 's capital one cup win over nottingham forest and is expected to make wholesale alterations for the trip to the emirates stadium . emmanuel adebayor -lrb- left -rrb- is expected to start for tottenham against his former club . ex-arsenal man emmanuel adebayor , christian eriksen , erik lamela and nacer chadli are all likely to be recalled to the spurs attacking line , with kyle walker the only noticeable absentee from pochettino 's squad following abdominal surgery . provisional squad : lloris , vorm , naughton , rose , davies , vertonghen , chiriches , dier , kaboul , fazio , capoue , stambouli , paulinho , dembele , mason , bentaleb , eriksen , lennon , townsend , chadli , lamela , soldado , adebayor , kane . key match stats -lrb- supplied by opta -rrb- . arsenal have won four of their last five premier league games against tottenham -lrb- two 1-0 wins and two 5-2 wins -rrb- . tottenham have won just one of their last 21 premier league games away at arsenal . arsenal last failed to score at home to spurs in the premier league in november 1998 . since then the gunners have scored 38 times in 15 games . tottenham have conceded six penalties in the premier league in 2014 , only manchester united have conceded as many . tottenham have won just once in their last 21 league games at arsenal , with rafael van der vaart netting for spurs in their 3-2 victory at the emirates stadium in november 2010 . arsenal took 25 points from their 10 london derbies in the premier league last season -lrb- w8 d1 l1 -rrb- and defeated crystal palace on the opening weekend this season . six of tottenham 's seven league points this season have come in london derbies . if there are four goals in this game then it will become the outright highest scoring fixture in premier league history -lrb- currently 126 goals -rrb- . seven points from five games is tottenham 's slowest start since gaining just two under juande ramos in 2008-09 . arsenal -lrb- 154 -rrb- and tottenham -lrb- 125 -rrb- are first and third respectively for dribbles attempted this season . emmanuel adebayor has scored more goals than any other player in north london derby history -lrb- 8 for arsenal and 2 for spurs -rrb- .<doc-sep>forget robin van persie , this reunion will hurt the most for gunners fans . if he scores , do you expect him to celebrate , or show respect like frank lampard did to chelsea supporters at manchester city ? i think you 've got more chance of seeing wojciech szczesny score the perfect hat-trick than fabregas celebrating a goal against the club who made him what he is today . he 's admitted he is still a gooner at heart and would rather have donned the red of arsenal this season than the blue of chelsea after quitting barcelona ; that 's probably why the chelsea fans do n't like him very much . let 's just say that if he does do the unthinkable and score against his former employers , i 'm confident he wo n't do an ` adebayor ' and sprint the length of the pitch before sliding on his knees to antagonise the away fans . he 's better than that . most people are . frank lampard was respectful after scoring against chelsea ... expect the same from cesc . fabregas is a gooner at heart and would have rejoined the club were he to have the chance . there will be no chance of fabregas replicating emmanuel adebayor and running the length of the pitch ... what are your favourite memories of cesc in an arsenal shirt ? giving the juventus trio of emerson , mauro camoranesi and his mentor patrick vieira the runaround at highbury before scoring and then teeing up thierry henry in arsenal 's 2-0 win in the champions league last eight will be somewhere near the top of the list .<doc-sep>tottenham are not looking to offload emmanuel adebayor despite reports but there is interest in the former arsenal and manchester city striker . they are more inclined to listen to offers for roberto soldado , although mauricio pochettino is open minded at this stage . the argentine does need another striker however , and bony represents an alternative to lukaku . he is powerful , physical , has good technique and has shown an ability to score goals in the premier league .<doc-sep>but , having netted 10 goals in the fixture - eight of which have come in the premier league - the statistics suggest that pochettino should at least consider a recall for the out-of-favour forward . adebayor , who played for arsenal between 2006 and 2009 , scored six top-flight goals against his current employers and another two in cup competitions before leaving for big-spending manchester city in a # 25million deal . he joined the gunners ' arch rivals tottenham on loan two years later and made the move permanent in 2012 , scoring twice against arsene wenger 's men during that time . his last goal in the north london derby came at the emirates in november 2012 when he opened the scoring before being sent off in the 18th minute for a wild tackle on santi cazorla . arsenal went on to win the game 5-2 . adebayor 's form in the fixture means that he is also the top scorer when it comes to premier league games only , beating former gunners midfielder robert pires by a single strike . ex-manchester city man adebayor celebrates his first goal for spurs against rivals arsenal in february 2012 . robert pires , pictured scoring against tottenham in april 2004 , scored seven goals in north london derbies . gareth bale scores one of his five goals against arsenal by beating goalkeeper wojciech szczesny in 2013 . | <t> emmanuel adebayor hits hat-trick as arsenal thrash derby 6-2 at pride park . </t> <t> the result follows arsenal 's 5-0 win against bottom side earlier this season . </t> <t> arsenal are four points behind man united and chelsea with two matches left . </t> | adebayor treble as arsenal score six<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- workers using blowtorches accidentally started a weekend fire at universal studios , los angeles county spokeswoman judy hammond told cnn monday . the fire burns buildings and movie sets at universal studios on sunday . the fast-moving , early morning blaze destroyed several movie sets and the king kong exhibit . it also damaged a video vault but copies of reels and videos are kept at another location , said ron meyer , chief operating officer of universal studios . `` fortunately , nothing irreplaceable was lost , '' he said . `` the video library was affected and damaged , but our main vault of our motion picture negatives was not . ''<doc-sep>while firefighters were battling the blaze sunday , a pressurized cylinder exploded at universal studios on sunday , injuring two firefighters , officials said . eight other firefighters were injured during much of sunday as they fought back enormous flames . universal studios officials resumed normal business hours monday , including the studio tour . the fire destroyed an area called new york street , which includes movie set-style buildings designed to look like the cityscape of new york city . hours after the blaze was reported , the roughly two-block area appeared charred and resembled a `` disaster movie , '' said los angeles councilman tom labonge .<doc-sep>labonge said he could see the smoke from his silver lake home sunday morning . `` it looked like a bomb had exploded , '' he said . the fire began around 4:45 a.m. and was contained initially by 9 a.m. throughout the morning , large plumes of black smoke rose as the fire burned the vault containing hundreds of videos , said meyer . the set of `` the changeling , '' a film recently directed by clint eastwood and starring angelina jolie , was `` completely destroyed , '' meyer said . another area called `` courthouse square '' also was destroyed , he said . numerous movies have been shot in that area , including several scenes of the 1985 hit `` back to the future . ''<doc-sep>los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a pressurized cylinder exploded at universal studios on sunday , injuring two firefighters as they tried to fight a blaze that began earlier in the day , los angeles authorities said . the fire destroyed buildings and movie sets at universal studios on sunday . eight other firefighters were injured in the fire , which was expected to be contained by 4:15 p.m. -lrb- 7:15 p.m. et -rrb- , said ron haralson , an inspector with the los angeles county fire department . the explosion occurred about 2:30 p.m. -lrb- 5:30 p.m. et -rrb- near the video vault of the universal studios back lot . the vault was damaged . the fast-moving , early morning blaze destroyed several movie sets and the king kong exhibit . even so , officials still planned to go ahead with the 2008 mtv movie awards show at the site -- just north of downtown los angeles , adjacent to the universal studios theme park . `` the areas we are utilizing for our production were unaffected and the 2008 mtv movie awards will go on as planned . we 're working closely with authorities to make sure everything operates smoothly , '' an mtv spokesman said in a statement . the awards show will bring a parade of a-list stars to the park 's citywalk area . according to mtv 's web site , celebrities such as tom cruise , will smith , sarah jessica parker , justin timberlake and robert downey jr. likely will attend . universal studios officials planned to resume normal business hours monday , including the studio tour . the fire destroyed an area called new york street , which includes movie set-style buildings designed to look like the cityscape of new york city . hours after the blaze was reported , the roughly two-block area appeared charred and resembled a `` disaster movie , '' said los angeles councilman tom labonge . labonge said he could see the smoke from his silver lake home sunday morning . `` it looked like a bomb had exploded , '' he said . watch choppers try to douse the fire '' the blaze began around 4:45 a.m. -lrb- 7:45 a.m. et -rrb- and was contained initially by 9 a.m. throughout the morning , large plumes of black smoke rose as the fire burned the vault containing hundreds of videos , said ron meyer , chief operating officer of universal studios . `` fortunately , nothing irreplaceable was lost , '' meyer said . `` the video library was affected and damaged , but our main vault of our motion picture negatives was not . '' the set of `` the changeling , '' a film recently directed by clint eastwood and starring angelina jolie , was `` completely destroyed , '' meyer said . another area called `` courthouse square '' also was destroyed , meyer said . numerous movies have been shot in that area , including several scenes of the 1985 hit `` back to the future , '' meyer said . and two of the eight locations used by the cbs series `` ghost whisperer '' were affected , he said . fire inspectors had not determined what caused the blaze , said los angles county fire chief p. michael freeman . there were no reports of filming at the time of the fire .<doc-sep>trying to compete with disney ? the wizarding world of harry potter cost universal studios japan â ¥ 45 billion -lrb- $ 442.2 million -rrb- to construct . universal says it 's hoping to earn the park â ¥ 5.6 trillion -lrb- $ 55 billion -rrb- over 10 years . according to an earlier report in japan 's asahi shimbun , the park 's main competitor is tokyo disney resort , which attracted 31.3 million visitors in fiscal 2013 . universal studios japan only saw 10.5 million visitors during the same period , though it was the first time the number of visitors exceeded 10 million since fiscal 2001 , its first year of operation says the report . universal studios japan is located in the city of osaka and can be accessed by train . the nearest station is jr universal city . park hours vary according to day/season , visit the official website for more info . tickets from 6,980 yen per adult , 4,880 yen per child -lrb- ages 4-11 -rrb- .<doc-sep>universal studios has a sealed an agreement to open a # 2bn theme park in beijing , the culmination of a 13-year effort to enter china 's fast-growing entertainment market . us theme park operators are rushing to build in china , where there are few high-quality parks and park revenues are growing rapidly as city dwellers spend more on entertainment and travel . the beijing universal theme park , to be developed with the state firm beijing tourism group co , will have china-themed attractions in addition to well-known ones based on western brands like the harry potter series when it opens . theme park : chairman of universal parks and resorts tom williams , alongside minion from the despicable me . plans for the future : the projected # 2bn development of universal 's beijing theme park . tom williams , chairman and chief executive of universal parks and resorts , told a news conference in beijing that the park would also aim to draw visitors from outside china , while hollywood director steven spielberg said on video that he would be participating in its design . ` there is disneyland in hong kong , but there is n't really anything of equivalent quality of a tourist attraction on the mainland yet , ' said james roy , associate principle of china market research group . ` it has a chance to be very successful . ' universal 's beijing development will rival walt disney 's shanghai plan -lrb- pictured -rrb- . it will compete against rival walt disney co , which is constructing a # 2.8 bn theme park set to be completed next year , as well as a # 2bn entertainment complex that dreamworks animation skg inc and chinese partners are working to finish by 2016 . both of those parks will be located in shanghai . universal declined to comment on an opening date but a local newspaper said the opening was slated for 2019 . the beijing theme park will feature western themes such as harry potter , alongside chinese developments . universal studios is set to add another theme park alongside its singapore attraction . universal studios is part of nbcuniversal , a media and entertainment unit of comcast corp , the largest cable company in the us . it operates theme parks in los angeles , orlando , osaka and singapore . comcast reported # 620m in total theme park income in 2013 . universal and beijing tourism group -lrb- btg -rrb- will create two joint-venture companies to build and manage the project . btg will hold 70 per cent of the construction firm , while universal will hold 70 per cent of the operating company . the park will be developed on about 300 acres in eastern beijing . the wizarding world of harry potter -lrb- left -rrb- , at the orlando universal park , could be reborn in beijing , as rivals disneyland have been a success in hong kong -lrb- right -rrb- . in good spirits : duan qiang -lrb- left -rrb- , chairman of the beijing tourism group , points to movie stills . they said the beijing park will include attractions from other universal parks as well as new ones reflecting china 's cultural heritage . the complex will eventually cover about 1,000 acres and feature a universal citywalk entertainment zone and a universal-themed resort hotel . it will be the third universal park in asia , with the others in singapore and osaka , japan .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- proving there are still millions to be made off that magical little boy with the lighting bolt scar on his forehead , universal studios japan on tuesday unveiled its long-awaited wizarding world of harry potter to thousands of delighted muggles . -lrb- muggles being non-magic folk , for those of you who have n't seen the films or read the books . -rrb- . based on the phenomenally popular book series by british author j.k. rowling and subsequent films produced by warner bros , the new osaka attraction is universal studios ' second wizarding world of harry potter theme park . the original opened at universal studios florida in 2010 -- which just last week launched diagon alley , a second area of the wizarding world of harry potter -- while universal studios hollywood is said to be getting its own version in 2016 . two stars from the films , tom felton -lrb- draco malfoy -rrb- and evanna lynch -lrb- luna lovegood -rrb- were on hand for the universal studios japan opening ceremony on july 15 , wearing their obligatory slytherin and ravenclaw scarves . early tuesday morning , lynch and felton performed a mock `` revelio '' spell -- a charm used to reveal concealed objects -- after which the archway entrance filled with smoke . | <t> workers using heating tools started sunday 's fire , an official told cnn . </t> <t> the blaze destroyed movie sets and a king kong exhibit . </t> <t> 10 firefighters were injured . </t> | official : workers accidentally set universal studios blaze<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- retired adm. william fallon resigned in march as leader of the u.s. military 's central command after reportedly clashing with president bush . retired adm. william fallon told cnn he resigned to maintain confidence in the military chain of command . during an interview tuesday on cnn 's american morning , '' fallon denied a magazine article 's assertion that he had been forced to resign over his opposition to a possible war with iran . cnn 's kyra phillips asked fallon about his resignation and about u.s. policy regarding iraq and iran . kyra phillips : how were you informed that this was it ? who called you ? fallon : the story is -- the facts are that the situation was one that was very uncomfortable for me and , i 'm sure , for the president . one of the most important things in the military is confidence in the chain of command . and the situation that developed was one of uncertainty and a feeling that maybe that i was disloyal to the president and that i might be trying to countermand his orders , the policies of the country . ... the fact that people might be concerned that i was not appropriately doing what i was supposed to do and following orders bothered me , and my sense was that the right thing to do was to offer my resignation . watch fallon break his silence '' phillips : do you feel you were pushed out ? fallon : what was important was not me . it was n't some discussion about where i was with issues . it was the fact that we have a war in progress . we had a couple of hundred thousand people whose lives were at stake out in iraq and afghanistan and we needed to be focused on that and not a discussion on me or what i might have said or thought or someone perceived i said . that 's the motivation . phillips : -lsb- esquire magazine writer -rsb- tom barnett made it appear that you were the only man standing between the president and a war with iran . is that true ?<doc-sep>fallon : i do n't believe for a second president bush wants a war with iran . the situation with iran is very complex . people sometimes portray it or try to portray it in very simplistic terms -- we 're against iran , we want to go to war with iran , we want to be close to them . ... the reality is in international politics that -lsb- there are -rsb- many aspects to many of these situations , and i believe in our relationship with iran we need to be strong and firm and convey the principles on which this country stands and upon which our policies are based . at the same time demonstrate a willingness and openness to engage in dialogue because there are certainly things we can find in common . phillips : would have you negotiated with iran ? fallon : it 's not my position to negotiate with iran . i was the military commander in the middle east . i had responsibility for our people and their safety and well-being . it 's the role of the diplomats to do the negotiation . phillips : so when talk of the third war came out , a war with iran , the president did n't say to you , `` this is what i want to do , '' and did you stand up and say , `` no , sir . bad move '' ? fallon : it 's probably not appropriate to try to characterize it in that way . again , do n't believe for a second that the president really wants to go to war with iran . we have a lot of things going on , and there are many other ways to solve problems . i was very open and candid in my advice . i 'm not shy . i will tell people , the leaders , what i think and offer my opinions on iran and other things , and continue to do that . phillips : do you think that cost you your job ? fallon : no , i do n't believe so at all . it 's a confidence issue of do people really believe the chain of command is working for them or do we have doubts , and if the doubts focus attention away from what the priority issues ought to be , then we 've got to make a change . phillips : we talk about your no-nonsense talk and the fact that you had no problems standing up to the president . your critics say that admiral fallon is a difficult man to get along with . are you ? fallon : you probably could ask my wife about that . she would have a few things to say .<doc-sep>i think that what 's really important here is that when i was asked to take this job about a year and a half ago , i believe it was because we were facing some very difficult days in iraq and afghanistan and in the region . i had some experience in dealing with international problems . i certainly had a lot of combat experience , and i was brought in in an attempt to make things better . that 's what i went about doing . again , there are things that are important and other things in life that are less so . a lot of the issues that became points of discussion to me were not really important items . the important items were the people , what they 're doing , how to get this job done , how to get the war ended and get our people home . phillips : hillary clinton -lsb- and -rsb- barack obama talk about pulling troops out by next year . john mccain says , no , we 've got to stay the course . what is the best course for iraq right now ? watch what the candidates say about war policy '' fallon : i believe the best course is to retain the high confidence we have in general dave petraeus and his team out there . dave has done a magnificent job in leading our people in that country . again , this situation is quite complex -- many angles . there 's a very , very important military role here in providing stability and security in this country , but that 's not going to be successful , as we know , without lots of other people playing a hand . the political side of things in iraq has got to move forward . that appears to be improving . people have to have confidence in their futures . they want to have stability . they would like to be able to raise their families in peace . they would like to have a job . they would like to look to tomorrow as better than today . it takes more than the military , but the military is essential to provide stability and security . the idea we would walk away from iraq strikes me as not appropriate . we all want to bring our troops home . we want to have the majority of our people back and we want the war ended . given where we are today , the progress that they 've made particularly in the last couple months , i think it 's very , very heartening to see what 's really happened here . the right course of action is to continue to work with the iraqis and let them take over the majority of the tasks for ensuring security for the country and have our people come out on a timetable that 's appropriate to conditions on the ground .<doc-sep>but , he added , `` i think it 's the right decision . '' watch why some believe fallon was forced to resign '' `` admiral fallon reached this difficult decision entirely on his own . i believe it was the right thing to do , even though i do not believe there are in fact significant differences between his views and administration policy , '' gates said . in a written statement , president bush praised fallon for helping `` ensure that america 's military forces are ready to meet the threats of an often troubled region of the world . `` he deserves considerable credit for progress that has been made there , especially in iraq and afghanistan . '' fallon , a 41-year veteran of the navy , took over as chief of central command in early 2007 . gates said he will be replaced by lt. gen. martin dempsey , his deputy , who commanded an army division in iraq in the early days of the war and led efforts to train the iraqi military . the perception that fallon has opposed a drive toward military action against iran from within the bush administration dates to his confirmation hearings in january 2007 , when he told the senate that the united states needed to exhaust all diplomatic options in its disputes with the islamic republic .<doc-sep>biden and other democrats now hoping to replace bush after 2008 used the report to call for new talks with iran over the nuclear issue , offering the prospect of renewed economic and diplomatic ties in exchange for a halt to uranium enrichment . `` i think we do know that pressure on iran does have an effect , '' sen. hillary rodham clinton , d-new york , said during a democratic debate tuesday held by national public radio . `` i think that is an important lesson . but we 're not going to reach the kind of resolution that we should seek unless we put that into the context of a diplomatic process . '' and sen. barack obama , d-illinois , told the same forum that bush `` continues to not let facts get in the way of his ideology . '' `` they should have stopped the saber rattling ; should have never started it . and they need , now , to aggressively move on the diplomatic front , '' he said . but national security adviser stephen hadley said monday that bush was not told to tone down his rhetoric about iran 's nuclear ambitions when advised that a change in the u.s. estimate was coming -- and would have made his remarks about `` world war iii '' either way . `` it was making a point that the president and we have been making for two or three years -- that the international community has to exert more pressure , because iran needs to suspend -lsb- its -rsb- enrichment program , '' hadley said . `` that continues to be our policy after this latest national intelligence estimate . '' and bush said the new estimate `` does n't do anything to change my opinion about the danger iran poses to the world -- quite the contrary . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. john mccain monday faulted sen. barack obama for downplaying the threat from iran and again called the democratic front-runner 's judgment `` reckless , '' the latest jabs in a foreign policy fight that could continue to the general election . sen. john mccain called sen. barack obama 's foreign policy toward iran `` reckless . '' obama 's willingness to sit down with the iranian president demonstrates obama 's lack of understanding of international relations , mccain said during a speech in chicago , illinois . `` such a statement betrays the depth of senator obama 's inexperience and reckless judgment , '' mccain said . `` those are very serious deficiencies for an american president to possess . '' obama quickly responded during a speech in billings , montana , asking why the presumptive republican presidential nominee was afraid to talk to iran and that it was the `` bush-mccain '' war policy in iraq , not diplomacy , that would make iran stronger . `` make no mistake , iran is the single biggest beneficiary of a war in iraq that should have never been authorized and should have never been waged , '' the front-runner for the democratic presidential nomination said . watch obama decry the `` bush-mccain '' policy '' `` thanks to george bush 's policy , iran is the greatest threat to the united states and israel and the middle east for a generation . john mccain wants to double down on that failed policy . '' mccain said obama did not have an appropriate grasp of the danger iran poses to the u.s. `` senator obama claimed that the threat iran poses to our security is ` tiny ' compared to the threat once posed by the former soviet union , '' mccain said during a speech in chicago . `` obviously , iran is n't a superpower and does n't possess the military power the soviet union had , but that does not mean that the threat posed by iran is insignificant . `` should iran acquire nuclear weapons , that danger would become very dire , indeed , '' mccain said . mccain was reacting to a statement obama made in pendleton , oregon , sunday night while he was defending his view that he would step up diplomatic engagements with iran -- potentially up to the presidential level -- if he became president . watch mccain call obama 's judgment `` reckless '' '' `` iran , cuba , venezuela , these countries are tiny compared to the soviet union , '' obama said . `` they do n't pose a serious threat to us the way the soviet union posed a threat to us , and yet we were willing to talk to the soviet union at the time when they were saying we 're going to wipe you off the planet . `` we should use that position of strength that we have to be bold enough to go ahead and listen . we might not compromise on any issue , but at least we should find out are there areas of potential common interest , and we can reduce some of the tensions that have caused us so many problems around the world , '' obama said . obama said he was aware of the `` grave '' threat iran poses to the united states , but that it was `` common sense '' that iran is less of a threat today to the u.s. than the soviet union was during the cold war . obama said just as presidents john f. kennedy and ronald reagan did during the cold war , the u.s. should engage diplomatically with its enemies . `` why should n't we have the same courage and confidence to talk to our enemies ? that 's what strong countries do . that 's what strong presidents do , '' the senator from illinois said . `` one of the things you have to ask yourself : what are george bush and john mccain afraid of -lsb- in -rsb- demanding a country meets all of your conditions before you meet with them ? '' obama said . mccain 's attacks on obama are a continuation of a bitter fight over foreign policy that erupted between the two candidates last week . in a previous exchange , mccain blasted obama for what he described as the democrat 's willingness to engage in unconditional talks with hamas , an islamic fundamentalist group the u.s. has labeled as a terrorist organization . obama denied mccain 's claim , saying he would only talk to hamas if the group renounced its call for israel 's destruction .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the situation in syria would break the heart of anyone who has one . that is why progressives desperately want peace in syria , an end to the chemical weapons attacks and aid for the millions of refugees . additionally , most of us support president barack obama and want him to have a successful presidency . but we must be consistent . we have a worldview that requires the right thing to be done -- in the right way . that is why those of us who opposed president george w. bush 's war in iraq have no choice but to oppose obama 's proposed attack on the syrian regime . there are three reasons , at least . 1 . in 2003 , we condemned bush and secretary of state colin powell for relying on dodgy evidence of weapons of mass destruction while making the case for war before the united nations . but at least bush took his case to the united nations . obama has not formally presented any evidence to the united nations -- at all . 2 . we attacked bush for conjuring up his own , personal `` coalition of the willing '' to launch a war . bush 's alliance was cobbled together largely out of a bunch of countries that many people in the united states had never heard of -- some of which were sending only a handful of troops . and yet obama has virtually no coalition at all . even the united kingdom wo n't strike with us on this one . so obama would be attacking with a smaller coalition than bush had . 3 . we condemned bush 's team because , even though our forces won the war , bush had no plan to win the peace . unfortunately , obama seems to have no plan to win the war -- or the peace . he is just proposing `` limited , proportional strikes '' -- without explaining what happens next after syria inevitably strikes back somehow . it is hard to get into a `` limited , proportional '' fistfight . there is no way to keep this war limited . the region is a powder keg with lebanon 's hezbollah and iran poised to retaliate for any strike against their ally bashar al-assad . assad could drag israel into the conflict if he struck that nation . | <t> former central command chief william fallon denies president sought third war . </t> <t> fallon : concern for confidence in chain of command led to resignation . </t> <t> `` there are many other ways to solve problems '' besides war , he says . </t> <t> fallon : best course in iraq is to maintain confidence in gen. david petraeus . </t> | admiral : bush does n't want war with iran<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. president george bush railed against the government of zimbabwean president robert mugabe monday , calling intimidation of opposition figures `` deplorable . '' leading opposition figure artur mutambara was arrested following his criticism of president robert mugabe . `` the continued use of government-sponsored violence in zimbabwe , including unwarranted arrests and intimidation of opposition figures , to prevent the movement for democratic change from campaigning freely ahead of the june 27 presidential runoff election is deplorable , '' bush said in a statement released by the u.s. embassy in neighboring south africa . zimbabwean authorities sunday arrested an opposition leader on charges stemming from his criticism of the government and its handling of the recent presidential election , an official with the opposition movement for democratic change told cnn . police in harare surrounded the house of student activist-turned-opposition politician arthur mutambara and arrested him on charges of contempt of court and publishing falsehoods , mdc official romualdo mavedzenge said . while zimbabwe authorities have arrested dozens of mdc supporters and activists over the past two months , mavedzenge said `` this is the highest profile mdc official -lrb- arrested -rrb- since the march 29 election . '' mutambara is president of an mdc faction that split from the main party headed by morgan tsvangirai . after tsvangirai 's party won the majority of seats in parliament , the two leaders agreed to join forces in parliament under mutambara 's leadership . both charges stem from an opinion piece written by mutambara in which he criticized president robert mugabe for the way the march 29 elections were handled . raphael khumalo , chief executive of the sunday standard , which published the article , was arrested last month on charges of publishing falsehoods . bush said mugabe 's government is failing on multiple levels . `` we call on the regime to immediately halt all attacks and to permit freedom of assembly , freedom of speech , and access to the media , '' bush said . `` we urge the southern african development community , the african union , the united nations , and other international organizations to blanket the country with election and human rights monitors immediately . '' zimbabwe 's election commission said tsvangirai won the march presidential election , but did n't win a majority of the vote , forcing this month 's vote . the mdc contested the results , saying tsvangirai won outright , but decided to take part in the runoff and not cede the election to mugabe .<doc-sep>`` the somali government strongly condemns such acts which show continued brutality and terrorist tactics of intimidation by trying to ban somalis from using the internet , '' minister abdikarim hussein guled said in a statement . `` our constitution guarantees freedom of expression and every citizen has the right to access information without fear . '' main telecommunication companies hormund and telsom were not immediately available for comment . `` al-shabaab has lost control of the major cities of somalia and are now trying to terrorize people and stop them using the internet , '' the minister said . `` we will not allow our citizens to be deprived of internet access and smartphones . ''<doc-sep>the u.s. has been pushing for sanctions against zimbabwe since mugabe ignored a u.n. security council appeal to postpone a presidential runoff election june 27 . the vote initially was intended to be a runoff between mugabe and opposition candidate morgan tsvangirai , who did not win the presidency outright in the general election , according to government tallies . but tsvangirai , of the movement for democratic change , withdrew just before the vote , saying mugabe 's supporters had orchestrated a campaign of beatings , intimidation and murders against tsvangirai supporters . earlier this month , russia and china vetoed a security council resolution pushed by the united states , britain and france that would have imposed international sanctions on mugabe and senior members of his government . bush said last week he was `` displeased '' at the vetoes , but the treasury and state departments were working on potential u.s. action . assistant secretary of state for african affairs jendayi frazer told members of congress last week that more than 100 people have been murdered , more than 3,000 have been injured by beatings or torture and more than 30,000 have been driven from their homes because of violence that broke out after the general election . entities designated by the treasury department include minerals marketing corp. of zimbabwe , the company that serves as the sole marketing and export agent for all minerals mined in zimbabwe except gold and silver ; zimbabwe mining development corp. ; and zimbabwe iron and steel co. , among others .<doc-sep>in the march 29 election , mdc officials said their polling showed tsvangirai clearly defeating mugabe , who at 84 is the only president zimbabwe has had since it gained independence from britain in 1980 . but after delaying the release of results for more than a week , the country 's electoral commission -- which is made up of mugabe appointees -- said that although tsvangirai got more votes , he did n't top the 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff . mdc supporters had already reported violence against them by police , military members and other supporters of mugabe 's zanu-pf party . but in the weeks leading up to the runoff , the reports increased in frequency and intensity . more than 70 people were killed in attacks since the election , according to the mdc . mugabe 's supporters have claimed that those attacks were against his party members , a claim international observers , including the united nations , have disputed . watch victims say they were taken to torture camps '' tsvangirai and other party leaders were repeatedly arrested by police or detained on their way to political rallies . and reports of beatings and other intimidation tactics were common in areas where the mdc had made strong showings in the election .<doc-sep>once considered the breadbasket of africa , zimbabwe has been in the throes of an economic meltdown ever since the country embarked on a chaotic land reform program that has decimated commercial agriculture . analysts say the crisis has worsened following president robert mugabe 's disputed reelection in the june 27 presidential run-off . his challenger morgan tsvangirai boycotted the race over widespread allegations of violence and voter intimidation . the economic crisis has destroyed zimbabwe 's currency and made it difficult for zimbabweans to buy basic commodities , electricity , fuel , and medicines . many zimbabweans have left the country amid rising unemployment and deepening poverty . last week a summit in south africa of regional african leaders failed to persuade zimbabwe 's political parties to agree to form a government of national unity , which observers view as the best way to end zimbabwe 's record recession . | <t> bush : continued use of government-sponsored violence deplorable . </t> <t> opposition unable to campaign freely ahead of june 27 presidential runoff election . </t> <t> police arrest student activist-turned-opposition politician arthur mutambara . </t> <t> bush : mugabe 's government is failing on multiple levels . </t> | bush condemns intimidation tactics in zimbabwe<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. has restored fulbright scholarships to seven gaza-based students , saying it erred last week when it rescinded the awards because of travel restrictions that israel imposes on the palestinian territory . student hadeel abukwaik , 23 , says she hopes to have an exit visa to leave gaza for the u.s. by august . in e-mails to the students on sunday , the u.s. consulate in jerusalem said the united states was working with israeli authorities to let them leave the hamas-ruled zone to study at american universities . the scholarships were reinstated after secretary of state condoleezza rice expressed outrage about the initial decision , state department spokesman sean mccormack said monday . mccormack said the initial decision was partly the result of a `` faulty decision-making process '' by the state department . `` the secretary saw it when it got to her level . she said , ` fix it , ' '' mccormack said . `` we hope that it has been fixed and that we are working with the israelis to get these exit permits so that these individuals , again , can have a visa interview . '' watch how the students learned about the scholarship loss '' u.s. officials had said the scholarships were rescinded because israel had denied them exit visas . but mccormack said monday that u.s. authorities did not take up the matter with israel until after the matter became public . israel , which has been criticized for banning hundreds of students from leaving gaza to study abroad , said it considers each application individually . israeli government spokesman mark regev indicated sunday that his country would be willing to grant the students visas . `` this can happen , '' regev said . `` no one has to pressure israel on this issue . we have an interest . a real interest . '' citing security concerns , israel imposed an embargo on the movement of people and goods from gaza after islamic militant group hamas took over the territory last year . palestinians can leave gaza only with israeli permission . hamas has refused to recognize israel 's right to exist , and israel , the united states and the european union have designated it a terrorist organization .<doc-sep>mccormack said the seven gaza fulbright students must be interviewed by israeli authorities before they can get visas to the united states . `` should they have a successful visa interview -- and by law i ca n't prejudge an outcome of a visa interview -- then they would be able to come to the united states and pursue their program , '' he said . if the seven are allowed to leave , it would be the first time israel has let students do so from gaza since january , according to palestinian advocacy group gisha . one of the gaza fulbright scholars , hadeel abukwaik , 23 , said she `` laughed like crazy '' from sheer joy when she received sunday 's e-mail . `` i was really hoping for this , but i did n't want to want it too much , '' the software engineering student said by phone monday . `` i did n't want to be disappointed again . `` this is really good news . '' fulbright scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and leadership potential under the u.s. government-funded fulbright program , which was started in 1946 . the scholarships allow u.s. citizens and foreign nationals to study and teach abroad to promote the `` mutual understanding between the people of the united states and the people of other countries of the world . '' more than 279,000 participants have been chosen for fulbright scholarships . abukwaik said the e-mail she received sunday gave no indication about when the students might be able to travel . she is waiting to hear back from several universities , including ones in california and florida . she said academic programs start in august and she hopes to have a visa to leave gaza by then . cnn 's atika shubert in gaza city and elise labott in washington contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the letter did not elaborate on what the security concerns were . a state department official told cnn that the agency could not disclose any information about the reason for the visa revocation , but that the students would be allowed to reapply for a visa at some point in the future . the three students are among seven gaza-based fulbright scholars who made headlines when in may the state department sent them e-mail notifications saying their scholarships could not be completed because the israeli government would not issue them exit visas from gaza . state department spokesman sean mccormack admitted that the u.s. authorities had not taken up the matter with israel until after the matter became public . the scholarships were only reinstated after secretary of state condoleezza rice expressed her unhappiness with the situation and the state department spokesman admitted that a `` faulty decision-making process '' led to the communication . according to sari bashi , the executive-director of gisha , an israeli non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of movement for palestinians and has been working closely with the students , four of the seven fulbright students were cleared for travel out of gaza by israel , but the remaining three were prevented from leaving gaza by the israeli government , citing security concerns . in an unusual move , the american consulate in jerusalem processed the remaining three students ' visa applications with mobile fingerprinting equipment at the israel - gaza border and granted the visas three weeks later at the end of july .<doc-sep>jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- citing security concerns , the u.s. state department has revoked the visas it recently issued to three gaza students who were awarded fulbright scholarships to study in the united states . sari bashi , who advocates freedom of movement for palestinians , says their access to education is restricted . it marks the second time in two months that the united states has gone back on its offer to the palestinian students to take part in the american government-sponsored scholarship program . the three students who had their visas revoked were sent a letter from the american consulate in jerusalem , dated august 4 . `` the department of state has revoked your nonimmigrant visa '' because `` information has come to light that you may be inadmissible to the united states and ineligible to receive a visa under section 212 -lrb- a -rrb- -lrb- 3 -rrb- of the immigration and nationality act , which prohibits issuance of a visa to aliens for security and related grounds , '' the letter said . the letter did not elaborate on what the security concerns were . a state department official told cnn that the agency could not disclose any information about the reason for the visa revocation , but that the students would be allowed to reapply for a visa at some point in the future . the three students are among seven gaza-based fulbright scholars who made headlines when in may the state department sent them e-mail notifications saying their scholarships could not be completed because the israeli government would not issue them exit visas from gaza . state department spokesman sean mccormack admitted that the u.s. authorities had not taken up the matter with israel until after the matter became public . the scholarships were only reinstated after secretary of state condoleezza rice expressed her unhappiness with the situation and the state department spokesman admitted that a `` faulty decision-making process '' led to the communication . according to sari bashi , the executive-director of gisha , an israeli non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of movement for palestinians and has been working closely with the students , four of the seven fulbright students were cleared for travel out of gaza by israel , but the remaining three were prevented from leaving gaza by the israeli government , citing security concerns . in an unusual move , the american consulate in jerusalem processed the remaining three students ' visa applications with mobile fingerprinting equipment at the israel - gaza border and granted the visas three weeks later at the end of july . bashi said on tuesday that one of the three students , fidaa abed , had already left gaza for the united states and upon arrival at the airport in washington was informed that his visa had been revoked and was sent back to amman , jordan , with instructions to return to gaza . the other two fulbright students remain in gaza . bashi said that while the situation of the three students is one of `` tremendous concern , '' it only underscores what she says is the larger problem of lack of access to higher education for hundreds of gaza students who have been accepted into universities outside of gaza but are prevented from leaving due to israeli restrictions . bashi said that `` alongside the few students denied visas for procedural , technical , or undisclosed security reasons , there are hundreds of students with valid visas in danger of losing their places at foreign universities because israel refuses to even consider their requests to leave gaza . `` denying talented young people their right to access education does not contribute to building a better future in the region , '' bashi said . israeli government officials have long maintained that its restrictions on allowing students to travel outside of gaza are based only on security considerations . `` we do act to facilitate students wishing to study at western universities where they are exposed to liberal and democratic values , '' an israeli government official said on tuesday . but , the official said , israel distinguishes between students wanting to study in the west and those wanting to study in places like pakistan , saudi arabia or syria or the west bank . in the case of the west bank , the official said hamas could use this as a way of strengthening its activist base in the west bank , which would be detrimental to israel 's security . `` there is no reason why we should do that , '' the israeli official said . on the matter of the three students , the official said : `` the process of israeli-american contacts on the matter did not cease , and more specific information was provided . ''<doc-sep>jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- citing security concerns , the u.s. state department has revoked the visas it recently issued to three gaza students who were awarded fulbright scholarships to study in the united states . sari bashi , who advocates freedom of movement for palestinians , says their access to education is restricted . it marks the second time in two months that the united states has gone back on its offer to the palestinian students to take part in the american government-sponsored scholarship program . the three students who had their visas revoked were sent a letter from the american consulate in jerusalem , dated august 4 . `` the department of state has revoked your nonimmigrant visa '' because `` information has come to light that you may be inadmissible to the united states and ineligible to receive a visa under section 212 -lrb- a -rrb- -lrb- 3 -rrb- of the immigration and nationality act , which prohibits issuance of a visa to aliens for security and related grounds , '' the letter said .<doc-sep>bashi said on tuesday that one of the three students , fidaa abed , had already left gaza for the united states and upon arrival at the airport in washington was informed that his visa had been revoked and was sent back to amman , jordan , with instructions to return to gaza . the other two fulbright students remain in gaza . bashi said that while the situation of the three students is one of `` tremendous concern , '' it only underscores what she says is the larger problem of lack of access to higher education for hundreds of gaza students who have been accepted into universities outside of gaza but are prevented from leaving due to israeli restrictions . bashi said that `` alongside the few students denied visas for procedural , technical , or undisclosed security reasons , there are hundreds of students with valid visas in danger of losing their places at foreign universities because israel refuses to even consider their requests to leave gaza . `` denying talented young people their right to access education does not contribute to building a better future in the region , '' bashi said . israeli government officials have long maintained that its restrictions on allowing students to travel outside of gaza are based only on security considerations . | <t> new : state department says u.s. erred when it rescinded scholarships . </t> <t> u.s. tells students it is trying to persuade israel to let them leave gaza . </t> <t> u.s. cited israeli travel restrictions on territory when it rescinded awards last week . </t> <t> israeli spokesman indicates his country would be willing to grant visas . </t> | u.s. restores fulbright scholarships to gaza students<T> |
islamabad , pakistan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a massive blast targeting the danish embassy in pakistan monday killed at least six people and wounded as many as 18 , authorities said . the scene of devastation in islamabad monday after a suicide car bomb attack near the danish embassy . the blast left a four-foot deep crater in the road . confusion lingered about the attack in the capital city of islamabad and the number of casualties . police at the scene said a suicide car bomber pulled up next to the embassy at about 1 p.m. and detonated explosives . but senior superintendent of police ahmad latif told cnn that authorities could not immediately label it a suicide attack . likewise , a medical worker told cnn the explosion killed eight people , including a young child and at least one foreign national . but latif put the number of fatalities at six and said none of the dead were foreigners . among the wounded , he said , was a brazilian citizen of pakistani descent . watch pakistan 's foreign minister respond '' authorities differed on the number of wounded as well , with figures ranging from five to 18 . no embassy official was seriously hurt , latif said . it is not uncommon for preliminary casualty figures to vary : police cautioned that the numbers could rise . danish foreign minister per stig moeller condemned the act . `` my immediate reaction is that you can only condemn this , '' said stig moeller . `` it is terrible that terrorists do this . the embassy is there to have a cooperation between the pakistani population and denmark , and that means they are destroying that . they 're destroying the pakistanis ' ability to connect with denmark . it is completely unacceptable . '' watch the aftermath of the deadly attack '' the blast , heard more than two miles away , sheared off the embassy 's front wall and kicked in its metal front gate . the impact blew out the building 's windows and also damaged the offices of a non-profit organization . the danish and the eu flag , knocked off their staff , hung limply from a spot on the embassy balcony . pakistan foreign secretary salman bashir told reporters at the scene that police are beefing up security at embassies and foreign missions throughout the city . `` i just want to assure everybody that the government will do everything to protect the diplomatic missions and also the security and safety of the citizens of pakistan , '' he said . the explosion was the first deadly attack in islamabad since a bomb was hurled over a wall surrounding an italian restaurant on march 15 . that explosion killed a turkish woman and wounded 12 people , including four u.s. fbi agents . after monday 's attack , dozens of cars -- blanketed with dirt kicked up by the blast -- littered the street , their windows knocked out . rescue workers carried away a bloodied person , covering his body with a blanket . pieces of shoes and tattered clothing lay amid the rubble . police said the attack targeted the embassy . danish embassies in predominantly muslim countries , such as pakistan , have been the scene of protests since danish newspapers reprinted cartoons that muslims say insult their prophet . in february , several newspapers in denmark reprinted the controversial cartoons of islam 's prophet , muhammad , after danish authorities arrested several people who allegedly were plotting a `` terror-related assassination '' of the cartoonist , kurt westergaard . westergaard 's cartoon depicted the prophet wearing a bomb as a turban with a lit fuse . he said he wanted his drawing to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror . however , many in the muslim world interpreted the drawing as depicting their prophet as a terrorist . islam generally forbids any depiction of the prophet -- even favorable ones -- fearing that it may lead to idolatry . two years ago , demonstrations erupted across the world after some newspapers printed the same cartoons . some protests turned deadly . the protests prompted danish officials to temporarily close the embassy in islamabad . there were no immediate claims of responsibility for monday 's blast . in the past , authorities have blamed islamic militants for carrying out attacks inside pakistani cities . the country experienced a month-long lull in attacks after a new government took office in march and set on a course to negotiate with militants . but since then , attacks have picked up again . cnn 's reza sayah contributed to this report .<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 bomber detonated his explosives near one of the gates to the shrine , killing 55 , including two women and four children.more than 160 people were wounded . it was the deadliest attack since a suicide bomber killed 60 people near the indian embassy in the city in 2008 . at roughly the same time , 185 miles away in the northern city of mazar-i-sharif , four people were killed when a bomb strapped to a bicycle exploded as a convoy of shiites drove down a road . grief : men weep after a suicide bomber detonated their device inside a . packed abulfazel shrine in kabul yesterday , killing 59 . people . deadly : afghan men shout as they help to move the bodies of victims . women and children were among those killed in the blast . no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks , which have been condemned by the taliban . suspicion centered on militant groups based in pakistan where sunni attacks on minority shiites are common .<doc-sep>a kabul police official blamed pakistan-based taliban for the attack and said an empty school bus had been destroyed in one blast . in western kabul , a few miles away , a suicide bomber detonated explosives at the entrance to a building belonging to the city 's civil order police , killing a policeman and wounding two . a second suicide bomber killed a civilian at the regional police centre , near the habibia high school , and wounded four , while at a road near the airport , a suicide bomber was killed by police and 15.5 lb of explosives seized . a man shows a piece of armament that he says was from the rocket-propelled attack in kabul . a school bus , luckily empty at the time , that was damaged by a rocket-propelled attack . the taliban claimed responsibility . spokesman zabihullah mujahid said the fighters were armed with rocket-propelled grenades , suicide bomb vests and ak-47 rifles , and were targeting government buildings , the u.s. embassy and the headquarters of nato-led forces . nato secretary-general anders fogh rasmussen said the assaults were aimed at thwarting plans to hand over security to afghan forces but they would not succeed . ` we are following the events closely ; we have confidence in the afghan authorities ' ability to deal with this situation , ' he added . taliban spokesman zabiullah mujahid said a number of suicide bombers attacked afghan and foreign soldiers at abdul haq square in central kabul . he claimed in a text message sent to reporters that suicide bombers using assault rifles also attacked the offices of the afghan intelligence service .<doc-sep>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 . | <t> suicide car bomber targeted danish embassy in capital , islamabad . </t> <t> differing accounts put death toll at between eight and six people . </t> <t> medical worker says a child and at least one foreign national died in blast . </t> <t> danish embassy scene of protests last year over muhammed cartoons row . </t> | suicide bomber targets danish embassy in pakistan<T> |
beijing , china -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police in tibet have arrested 16 buddhist monks and are seeking three more for their alleged involvement in one bombing and two attempted bombings , authorities in tibet told state-run media . chinese people 's liberation army soldiers are shown in the streets of lhasa , tibet , on march 14 . all three cases occurred in tibet 's mangkam county during the first half of april , according to the tibet autonomous regional department of public security . the suspects confessed , police said , saying they had listened to foreign radio and were following separatist propaganda from the dalai lama , china 's xinhua news agency reported . cnn could not confirm whether the suspects confessed .<doc-sep>the dalai lama has said he does not advocate violence or a separate and independent tibet . he has said he wants a genuine autonomy that preserves the cultural heritage of tibet . beijing blames the dalai lama and his followers for violence that erupted march 14 amid anti-chinese demonstrations in tibet . some protesters advocated independence from china while others demonstrated against the growing influence of ethnic han chinese in tibet and other regions of china with ethnic tibetan populations . the chinese authorities cracked down on the protests , which began peacefully on the 49th anniversary of a failed tibetan uprising . widespread violence broke out across china 's tibetan region , especially in the tibetan capital of lhasa , following a week of protests by hundreds of buddhist monks . `` real buddhists should learn buddhist scriptures by heart , love their country and their religion , abide by the law , and bring happiness to people , '' said dainzin chilai , vice-chairman of the china buddhist association and vice-chairman of the people 's political consultative conference of tibet autonomous region . `` they should not involve themselves in cruel killing and sabotage . ''<doc-sep>both groups chilai represents are affiliated with the chinese government . the unrest resulted in the deaths of at least 18 civilians and one police officer , according to government figures . it also injured 382 civilians and 241 police officers and led to the looting of businesses and home and the burning of shops and vehicles . tibet 's self-proclaimed government-in-exile put the death toll from the protests at 140 . at the time of the unrest , roughly 1,000 people hurled rocks and concrete at security forces , demolishing military trucks and pushing back riot police , a witness told cnn , and tibetans seemed to be targeting shops and vehicles owned by han chinese , the predominant ethnic group in china .<doc-sep>gendarmerie . colonel pierre bouquin said : ` the man appears to have poured petrol . over his head and clothes and set himself on fire . ` he was discovered a few minutes later by other monks in a garden at the monastery . ` we . believe he may have been making a political gesture related to tibet . but an investigation will be carried out to establish the full facts . ' protest : images on the nalanda monastery website show monks supporting tibetan monks in their struggle against china - this self-immolation is suspected to be in support of tibet . discovery : monks from the monastery stumbled across the brit ablaze in the garden . head monk the venerable lobsang tendar said the victim had been at the monastery for five years but had no comment to make on the tragedy . the nalanda monastery was set up in 1981 and has around 50 monks from 20 countries . self-immolation by buddhist monks occurs has occurred around 60 times since march 2011 in tibet , as gestures of defiance against the chinese occupation of their country and oppression of tibetan culture and religion .<doc-sep>also on tuesday , china 's official xinhua news agency reported that the country 's foreign ministry urged the dalai lama to `` stop all separatist and sabotage activities if he really wants to contact and consult with the central government . '' foreign ministry spokeswoman jiang yu spoke in response to a march 28 statement from dalai lama . in that statement , the spiritual leader of tibetan buddhists said he does not seek the separation of tibet and has no desire to `` sabotage '' the olympic games . `` chinese brothers and sisters , i assure you i have no desire to seek tibet 's separation . nor do i have any wish to drive a wedge between the tibetan and chinese peoples , '' he wrote . instead , he said , the protesters seek `` meaningful self-rule '' while remaining a part of china . `` despite my repeated support for the beijing olympics , the chinese authorities , with the intention of creating a rift between the chinese people and myself , the chinese authorities assert that i am trying to sabotage the games . '' he called on china to called `` to exercise wisdom and to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the tibetan people . '' china offered some media organizations -- not including cnn -- a carefully managed tour of tibet 's capital , but ran into a public-relations roadblock when a group of buddhist monks began screaming protests at a holy shrine . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>he noted repeatedly that he is not a `` separatist . '' `` chinese brothers and sisters , i assure you i have no desire to seek tibet 's separation . nor do i have any wish to drive a wedge between the tibetan and chinese peoples , '' he wrote . instead , protesters seek `` meaningful self-rule '' while remaining a part of china , he added . and , he said , `` despite my repeated support for the beijing olympics , the chinese authorities , with the intention of creating a rift between the chinese people and myself , the chinese authorities assert that i am trying to sabotage the games . '' the protests -- which began on the 49th anniversary of a failed tibetan uprising -- have threatened to overshadow beijing 's role as host of the summer olympic games in august . in his statement , the dalai lama complained the chinese state-run media 's coverage `` of the recent events in tibet , using deceit and distorted images , could sow the seeds of racial tension with unpredictable long-term consequences . this is of grave concern to me . '' china 's state-run media , however , have accused some western news agencies -- including cnn -- of distorting coverage of the riots to make china look bad and the protesters look like innocent victims . a headline friday on the english web site of china 's official xinhua news agency read '' ` anti-cnn ' web site reflects chinese people 's condemnation . '' the article offered a link to a site in which chinese bloggers criticize cnn 's coverage . in a statement , cnn said , `` we have provided comprehensive coverage of all sides of this story , '' adding that the network 's `` reputation is based on reporting global news accurately and impartially . '' read the full statement . earlier this week , china offered some media organizations -- not including cnn -- a carefully managed tour of tibet 's capital , but ran into a public-relations roadblock when a group of buddhist monks began screaming protests at a holy shrine . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>hong kong -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a buddhist nun in southwest china has died after setting herself on fire , the 11th tibetan -- and second nun -- to self-immolate since march . the death of the nun , identified as qiu xiang , was reported by state-run xinhua and confirmed by exile groups . the 35-year old set herself on fire at a road crossing in dawu county , in the ganzi region of sichuan province , the south china morning post said , citing xinhua . it was unclear why she killed herself , though tibetan campaign groups say it was in protest against chinese rule . but china 's ministry of foreign affairs claimed the incident related to `` pro-tibetan independence forces '' overseas . `` everyone knows that nowadays , except for the very few evil cults and extremist forces , all religions advocate respect for human life and oppose violence , '' said spokesperson hong lei . `` it is a challenge to the moral bottom line of all human beings if , instead of condemning the extreme act of self-immolation , some people are hyping or instigating it . '' according to the international campaign for tibet -lrb- ict -rrb- , which advocates tibetan independence , palden choetso -- qiu 's tibetan name -- called for freedom and the return from exile of the dalai lama , the tibetan spiritual leader , as she was burning . london-based free tibet also confirmed the incident . her body was then taken by fellow nuns into the ganden choeling nunnery in tawu , the ict said . six of the 11tibetans -- all monks or former monks -- who have set themselves ablaze died from their injuries . most of the suicide attempts occurred in aba prefecture and the kirti monastery , also in sichuan , which has become a focal point for ethnic tibetans angry at the erosion of their culture . last month , a nun in ngaba county , sichuan province , became the first tibetan woman known to have killed herself . free tibet said tenzin wangmo , 20 , died outside the dechen chokorling nunnery . the state administration for religious affairs in beijing told cnn they were not aware of the incident . activists and exiled tibetans say the disturbing acts reflect an increasingly repressive environment under beijing 's control . `` the incidents are a clear indication of the genuine grievances of the tibetans and their sense of deep resentment and despair over the prevailing conditions in tibet , '' said new tibetan leader in exile , lobsang sangay , in quotes carried by free tibet . `` it is therefore of the utmost urgency that every possible effort be made to address the underlying root causes of tibetan grievances and resentment . '' a statement from the tibetan government in exile in dharamsala , india read : `` the kashag -lrb- cabinet -rrb- would like to make it clear that it stands in solidarity with the tibetan people in tibet who endure continued suppression under the chinese authorities , whose short-sighted policies have driven till now eleven tibetans to set themselves on fire . `` instead of addressing the real problems that drive tibetans to commit self-immolation , xinhua , the official news organ of the chinese government , blames the tibetans-in-exile for instigating such desperate and despairing acts . `` the kashag strongly urges the chinese government to stop hurling baseless allegations and to start solving the real problems . -lrb- the -rrb- people 's republic of china can do this by stopping its repressive policy on tibet and allowing more freedom of religion and speech . '' prominent tibetan writer and activist tsering woeser told cnn this kind of protest will continue as long as the chinese government 's tibet policy remains the same . `` if there is no improvement tibetans will feel it 's better to die than be alive . they commit suicide to protest , '' she said . `` the international community should impose pressure and condemn the chinese government , '' she added . `` but so far , the pressure is not enough , the international community only appeals to chinese government but there are no real actions such as economic boycott . '' in an interview with cnn last month , woeser said tibetan buddhists ca n't use violence against others to protest , so they harm themselves to people pay attention to their plight . `` this is not suicide . this is sacrifice in order to draw the world 's attention , '' she said . china rejects accusations of oppression of tibetans , saying its rule has greatly improved living standards for the tibetan people . the dalai lama 's representative signed an agreement with beijing in 1951 to affirm china 's sovereignty over tibet but also grant autonomy to the area . a failed uprising against beijing 's rule in 1959 forced the dalai lama into exile . the dalai lama denies seeking independence for tibet , saying he wants genuine autonomy , under which tibetans can make their own policies on key issues , such as religious practices . in a 2008 uprising , violent unrest in tibet and the subsequent military crackdown left at least 18 dead , and activists say tensions have remained high in many areas since then . cnn 's haolan hong and xiaoni chen contributed to this report . | <t> arrests tied to three bombings in april , police tell xinhua . </t> <t> china says suspects confessed ; cnn could not confirm . </t> <t> lhasa , tibet was site of deadly unrest in march . </t> | xinhua : buddhist monks arrested in tibet<T> |
dorchester , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- englishman john webber thought nothing of the small , shiny cup , passed down from his junk dealer grandfather and stashed under a bed for years , until appraisers said it was an ancient persian artifact . the ancient persian gold cup , thought to date from the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at auction . the 5 1/2 - inch gold cup , which experts have dated to the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at an auction in dorchester , southern england , thursday . the identity of the winning bidder was n't immediately known . the relic features the double faced ancient roman god janus , the god of gates and doors who always looked to both the future and past and is often associated with beginnings and endings . the cup has two faces with braided hair and entwined snake ornaments at the forehead . webber 's grandfather , william sparks , was a rag and bone man , the british term for a junk dealer , duke 's said , who established the iron merchants sparks and son in taunton , somerset , in southwestern england , in the 1930s . sparks acquired the cup along with two other pieces , also up for auction , in the 1930s or 1940s , the spokeswoman said . watch cnn report on the auction '' before he died , sparks gave the items to webber , who did n't realize their value , the spokeswoman said . `` because he mainly dealt in brass and bronze , i thought that was what it was made from , '' webber told the bournemouth news and picture service . `` i put it in a box and forgot about it . then last year i moved house and took it out to have a look , and i realized it was n't bronze or brass . `` i sent it to the british museum , and the experts there had n't seen anything like it before and recommended i had it tested at a laboratory . so i paid quite a bit of money for it to be examined by a lab the museum recommended . and they found the gold dated from the third of fourth century b.c. '' webber , who is in his 70s , said he remembers the cup from when he was a small boy . `` it 's been quite exciting finding out what it was , '' he told the agency . webber brought the items to duke 's at the start of the year for potential sale , because he wanted to `` realize some money , '' the auction house spokeswoman said . a spokeswoman for duke 's auction house , which is selling the cup , said the cup is believed to be from the archaemenid empire in ancient persia . the other two items are a second century b.c. round gold mount with a figure , probably of ancient greek hero ajax , who besieged troy , and a decorated gold spoon with an image of a roman emperor . `` he had a good eye for quality over the years , '' said the spokeswoman , who asked not to be named , `` and anything interesting he 'd put aside . '' scientists analyzed trace elements of a gold sample taken from the cup to determine its age , and analysts from oxford university concluded that they are consistent with archaemenid gold and goldsmithing , duke 's said .<doc-sep>dorchester , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- englishman john webber thought nothing of the small , shiny cup , passed down from his junk dealer grandfather and stashed under a bed for years , until appraisers said it was an ancient persian artifact . the ancient persian gold cup , thought to date from the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at auction . the 5 1/2 - inch gold cup , which experts have dated to the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at an auction in dorchester , southern england , thursday . the identity of the winning bidder was n't immediately known .<doc-sep>a man who says he found a piece of ` space junk ' from a russian rocket that re-entered the atmosphere over australia last week has tried to sell it online for $ 100,000 . an advertisement for the globe-shaped object found on sunday near walgett in north-west nsw was posted on gumtree by a man only known as peter . the 13.4 kg object was believed to be a fuel cell from a russian rocket and was 40cm in diameter and made of titanium , according to the seller . scroll down for video . peter posted a photo of himself holding the globe-shaped object found on sunday near walgett in northern nsw on gumtree for $ 100,000 . in the advertisement , which has since been removed from gumtree , peter said the space junk was found on the castlereagh highway , under the pagan creek bridge . a fireball spotted travelling over australia last thursday at 9.45 pm was the third stage of the soyuz rocket , which was launched from kazakhstan on july 8 . it plummeted to earth at speeds of 29,000 km/h .<doc-sep>started that this was something quite special . grim : the tower block where the pensioner lived in a squalid two-bedroom property which was covered in rubbish , and , right , a fine quality tiffany & co. sterling silver flask , of oval form . ` the items were either stuffed in . boxes , left in sideboards and cupboards , lying on the floor or under the . bed and in almost every nook and cranny . ' other pieces that were sold . at auction last month included a chinese jade ornament in the shape of a . fish worth # 12,000 . a pair of 19th century pistols sold for # 3,400 and an 18-carat white gold diamond ring went for # 2,600 . the pensioner who lived in the flat is . thought to have inherited the collection from his parents who were . well-known antique dealers in london at the time of the second world . war . discarded : an early tribal carving in the form of a figure together with an early tribal pillow , fetched # 13,500 . mr lawrence said : ` you could just tell . the collection had been in the same place for many years . a neighbour . said he was a nice man but they had no idea of what his flat was like . ' the star item , which attracted bids . from collectors in canada , new york and australia , was the native . american bowl , carved into the shape of a seal . it would have been used . by the haida tribe to serve rich foods at feasts in the early to . mid-19th century . mr lawrence said : ` it was kept in the back of a kitchen cupboard and luckily had n't been used for many years . ' valuable ` junk ' : an 18 carat gold white diamond ring worth # 2,600 which was found in the two bedroom property in southsea . antique : george iii irish mahogany serving table which made # 6,800 when it went under the hammer after being found in a squalid flat .<doc-sep>the relic features the double faced ancient roman god janus , the god of gates and doors who always looked to both the future and past and is often associated with beginnings and endings . the cup has two faces with braided hair and entwined snake ornaments at the forehead . webber 's grandfather , william sparks , was a rag and bone man , the british term for a junk dealer , duke 's said , who established the iron merchants sparks and son in taunton , somerset , in southwestern england , in the 1930s . sparks acquired the cup along with two other pieces , also up for auction , in the 1930s or 1940s , the spokeswoman said . watch cnn report on the auction '' before he died , sparks gave the items to webber , who did n't realize their value , the spokeswoman said . | <t> gold cup stashed under bed for years is $ 100,000 ancient persian artifact . </t> <t> small urn went under the hammer at auction in southern england thursday . </t> <t> artifact acquired by junk dealer , grandfather of current owner , in the 1930s or 1940s . </t> <t> experts say it is believed to date from the third or fourth century b.c. </t> | junk dealer 's $ 100,000 gold cup found under bed<T> |
durham , north carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an operation to remove a malignant tumor from sen. edward kennedy 's brain was successful , and the democrat should suffer no permanent damage from the procedure , his surgeon reported monday . sen. edward kennedy , right , leaves a boston hospital with his son patrick on may 21 . the patient himself expressed satisfaction . `` i feel like a million bucks , '' kennedy said after the surgery , according to a family spokesperson . `` i think i 'll do that again tomorrow . '' kennedy 's doctor 's statement focused on the 3 1/2 - hour operation , which was performed at duke university medical center in durham , north carolina . `` i am pleased to report that sen. kennedy 's surgery was successful and accomplished our goals , '' dr. allan friedman said in a written statement issued after the procedure . `` sen. kennedy was awake during the resection , and should therefore experience no permanent neurological effects from the surgery . '' friedman called the resection `` just the first step '' in kennedy 's treatment plan , which is to include radiation and chemotherapy , to be carried out at massachusetts general hospital in boston . paging dr. gupta blog : mapping ted kennedy 's brain . the 76-year-old massachusetts senator , patriarch of one of the leading families of american politics , said in a written statement earlier that he expected to remain in the hospital for about a week after surgery . he is also expected to undergo radiation and chemotherapy . during such surgery , doctors locate the areas of the brain responsible for key attributes such as movement and speech , and map them to ensure they avoid cutting in those areas . they then attempt to resect as much of the tumor as they believe they can safely remove . watch dr. sanjay gupta explain possible treatment '' during such operations -- which friedman and the duke hospital are known for -- surgeons typically ask a patient to identify objects in pictures or make a certain movement , such as squeezing a hand to make sure areas of the brain involving speech and movement are not being impaired . kennedy , a senator since 1962 , suffered a seizure may 17 while walking his dogs at his home in hyannisport , massachusetts . three days later , kennedy 's doctors at massachusetts general said preliminary results from a brain biopsy showed a tumor in the left parietal lobe was responsible for the seizure . friedman is chief of the division of neurosurgery and co-director of duke 's neuro-oncology program , according to the hospital 's web site . he is responsible for more than 90 percent of all tumor removals and biopsies conducted at duke , the web site says . a tumor in the left parietal lobe could affect the senator 's ability to speak and understand speech as well as the strength on the right side of his body , said cnn chief medical correspondent dr. sanjay gupta . hear ireporter describes what gave him strength through brain cancer battle . gupta said such tumors do n't usually metastasize or spread to other parts of the body .<doc-sep>`` what they do do -- and i think that 's a concern to people -- is that they grow , and sometimes they invade other normal parts of the brain . that is the big concern here , '' he said . malignant glioma is the most common primary brain tumor , accounting for more than half of the 18,000 primary malignant brain tumors diagnosed each year in the united states , according to the national cancer institute . an expert explains potential complications '' kennedy is the brother of president john f. kennedy , who was assassinated in dallas in 1963 , and new york sen. robert kennedy , who was assassinated while seeking the white house in 1968 . though his own attempt to seek the presidency failed , edward kennedy has built a reputation as one of the most effective lawmakers in the senate . kennedy 's monday statement focused on the current presidential race as well his surgery . `` after completing treatment , i look forward to returning to the united states senate and to doing everything i can to help elect barack obama as our next president , '' he said . obama , the front-runner for the democratic presidential nomination , described kennedy as a `` giant '' of the senate when the tumor was diagnosed . `` i think you can argue that i would not be sitting here as a presidential candidate had it not been for some of the battles that ted kennedy has fought , '' obama said . `` he is somebody who battled for voting rights and civil rights when i was a child . i stand on his shoulders . '' obama 's rival , sen. hillary clinton , said kennedy 's courage and resolve made him one of the greatest legislators in senate history . `` he 's a fighter . there is n't anybody like him who gets up and goes out and does battle on behalf of all of us every single day , '' clinton said . `` i know he 's a fighter when it comes to the challenges he 's facing right now . '' sen. john mccain , the presumed gop presidential nominee , also offered his thoughts and prayers for kennedy 's family . `` i have described ted kennedy as the last lion in the senate . and i have held that view because he remains the single most effective member of the senate , '' mccain said . president bush said in a statement he would keep the senator in his prayers . `` laura and i are concerned to learn of our friend sen. kennedy 's diagnosis . ted kennedy is a man of tremendous courage , remarkable strength and powerful spirit . our thoughts are with sen. kennedy and his family during this difficult period , '' he said . kennedy had surgery in october to clear his carotid artery in hopes of preventing a stroke . until the seizure , the powerful democrat appeared in fine health . he suffers chronic back pain from injuries suffered in a 1964 plane crash . cnn chief medical correspondent dr. sanjay gupta and correspondent dan lothian contributed to this report .<doc-sep>denver , colorado -- massachusetts democrat edward kennedy , recuperating from recent brain surgery , made a dramatic appearance at his party 's national convention in denver , colorado on monday . edward kennedy 's speech in denver , colorado , marked his second public appearance since brain surgery . the senator pledged to see barack obama to the white house and his own return to the senate floor . caroline kennedy , daughter of slain president john f. kennedy , introduced her ailing uncle . the following is a transcript of his speech : watch kennedy electrify the convention '' edward kennedy : thank you . thank you . thank you , caroline .<doc-sep>sen. edward kennedy announced in 2008 that he had a brain tumor in his left parietal lobe . sen. edward kennedy announced in may 2008 that he was suffering from a brain tumor , a malignant glioma , in his left parietal lobe . he had surgery at duke university in june 2008 . is surgery the usual course of treatment to take ? dr. sanjay gupta , cnn chief medical correspondent : yes , surgery to remove the tumor is common , provided surgeons are able to remove a large part of the tumor and as long as they can avoid causing unacceptable neurologic injury . the goal with surgery to remove a brain tumor is to get as much of the tumor as possible without damaging the key areas of the brain that control speech and motor skills . this was something kennedy 's doctors would have determined prior to surgery by taking mris to see how close his tumor is to these key areas . many people will choose not to operate in fear of losing ability to speak , walk , etc. .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- when cancer invades the brain , the prognosis is usually grim . despite his treatment at highly regarded medical centers , edward `` ted '' kennedy , who served as a democratic senator from massachusetts for nearly 47 years , died just over a year after his surgery . kennedy suffered a seizure may 17 , 2008 , while walking his dogs at his home in hyannis port . three days later , doctors at massachusetts general hospital in boston said a brain biopsy revealed a tumor , known as a malignant glioma , in the left parietal lobe . malignant gliomas are the second-most common cause of death from cancer for people 15 to 44 years old , according to a 2005 study in the journal of the american medical association . the causes of glioma tumors are mysterious . many patients do not have genetic risk factors , and any connections with lifestyle are not clear , said dr. larry junck , head of the neuro-oncology program at the university of michigan comprehensive cancer center . junck was not involved in the senator 's treatment . gliomas do not often spread to other parts of the body , but grow into the brain at their site of origin , junck said . kennedy 's doctors did not specify what type of malignant glioma he had . but the majority are glioblastomas , especially in older patients , said dr. tara morrison , a neuro-oncologist at the fox chase cancer center in philadelphia , pennsylvania . glioblastoma multiforme , which is the most common primary brain tumor , is aggressive and deadly . typically diagnosed at age 55 , it is not unusual for a glioblastoma to recur after treatment , according to the mayo clinic . kennedy 's treatment -- surgery , followed by radiation and chemotherapy -- would be familiar to many people who have faced cancer . the senator 's treatment was `` the standard of care for anyone with a malignant glioma , '' morrison said . -lrb- morrison also was not involved in kennedy 's treatment . -rrb- . the senator underwent surgery at duke university medical center in durham , north carolina , in june 2008 . the goal of this kind of surgery is to remove as much tumor as possible , morrison said . see a timeline of kennedy 's life '' surgery is usually followed by six weeks of radiation . kennedy wrote in a newsweek magazine article that he underwent proton-beam therapy , a type of radiation therapy , at massachusetts general hospital . the hospital is one of only six centers in the united states that offers proton radiotherapy , according to the nonprofit national association for proton therapy .<doc-sep>`` i welcome the prosecution against ashya king 's parents being dropped , '' he said tuesday on twitter . `` it 's important this little boy gets treatment and the love of his family . '' in the united states , only a handful of hospitals offer proton-beam therapy after surgery , including massachusetts general hospital , where the late u.s. sen. ted kennedy was treated for brain cancer in 2008 . he died just a year after his surgery for malignant glioma . that surgery was followed by six weeks of radiation . kennedy wrote about his experience in a newsweek magazine article at the time that he underwent proton-beam therapy . the theory behind proton therapy is that its high-energy particles home in on the tumor and so do not harm the surrounding healthy tissue as much as the x-ray photons in conventional therapy , said dr. donald o'rourke , associate professor of neurosurgery at the university of pennsylvania school of medicine . | <t> new : kennedy should not have any `` permanent neurological effects '' from surgery . </t> <t> new : `` i feel like a million bucks , '' senator reportedly says after surgery . </t> <t> chemotherapy and radiation will follow surgery in north carolina , statement says . </t> <t> kennedy expected to stay at duke hospital for about a week . </t> | kennedy brain surgery ` successful '<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. hillary clinton on saturday will officially suspend her campaign for the presidency and `` express her support for senator obama and party unity , '' her campaign said wednesday . sen. hillary clinton said tuesday that she will let her supporters and party leaders decide her course . the clinton campaign said she will make the announcement at `` an event in washington , d.c. , '' where she will also thank her supporters . sen. barack obama and clinton were in washington on wednesday to each address the influential american israel public affairs committee . the candidates ran into each other at the aipac conference and had a brief chat , obama spokeswoman linda douglass said . `` she 's an extraordinary leader of the democratic party and has made history alongside me over the last 16 months . i 'm very proud to have competed against her , '' obama told the israel lobbying group . obama became his party 's presumptive nominee tuesday and will be looking to unite democrats divided by the long and contentious primary season . `` i am very confident how unified the democratic party is going to be to win in november , '' he said in a senate hallway wednesday . ireport.com : obama/clinton -- dream team or nightmare ? some say that putting clinton on the ticket might fit the bill for uniting democrats . clinton lavished her opponent with praise tuesday , saying he ran an `` extraordinary race '' and made politics more palatable for many . watch how the primary played out '' prominent clinton backer rep. charles rangel , d-new york , thinks the new york senator could have been `` far more generous '' during her speech tuesday night after it was clear that obama had clinched the democratic nomination . rangel , the senior member of the new york congressional delegation and an early supporter of clinton 's presidential campaign , said wednesday that clinton should have been more clear about what her plans are . `` i would agree that after the math was in before her speech , that she could have been far more generous in terms of being more specific and saying that she wants a democratic victory , '' rangel said on msnbc . `` i do n't see what they 're talking about in prolonging this , '' rangel added . `` there 's nothing to prolong if you 're not going to take the fight to the convention floor . ... i do n't know why she could not have been more open in terms of doing up front what she intends to do later . '' but with some democrats clamoring for her to join obama on the ticket , and with the democratic national convention -- and thus , the official anointment -- still more than two months out , the senator from new york gave no hint as to her plans . see vp prospects ' pros , cons '' she again invoked the popular vote , saying she snared `` more votes than any primary candidate in history , '' but primaries come down to delegates , and according to cnn calculations , obama has her beaten , 2,156 to 1,923 . even the white house seemed convinced of obama 's victory . white house press secretary dana perino said wednesday that president bush congratulated obama on becoming the first black nominee from a major party . she said his win shows that the united states `` has come a long way . '' clinton vowed to keep fighting for an end to the war in iraq , for universal health care , for a stronger economy and better energy policy , but she did n't indicate in what capacity she would wage these battles . that , she said , would be up to her supporters and the party brass . see what lies in store this fall '' the party 's best interests were high on the minds of party leaders wednesday , as sen. harry reid , house speaker nancy pelosi , west virginia gov. joe manchin and dnc chairman howard dean called on democrats to focus on the general election . `` to that end , we are urging all remaining uncommitted superdelegates to make their decisions known by friday of this week so that our party can stand united and begin our march toward reversing the eight years of failed bush/mccain policies that have weakened our country , '' said a statement from the four . billionaire businessman bob johnson , a close clinton adviser and friend , said on cnn 's `` american morning '' on wednesday that obama could best forge party unity by offering clinton the vice presidential slot . a day after the final two primaries in south dakota and montana , johnson sent a letter to house majority whip james clyburn to lobby the congressional black caucus to endorse clinton as obama 's running mate . saying clinton would `` entertain the idea if it 's offered , '' johnson said , `` this is sen. obama 's decision . if the congress members can come together and agree as i do that it would be in the best interest of the party to have sen. clinton on the ticket , they carry that petition to sen. obama . '' watch how the world reacted to obama 's win '' `` this is not a pressure . this is elected officials giving their best judgment , '' said johnson , the founder of black entertainment television . johnson 's letter to clyburn says , `` you know as well as i the deep affection that millions of african-americans hold for both senator clinton and president clinton . '' it continues , `` but most important , we need to have the certainty of winning ; and , i believe , without question , that barack obama as president and hillary clinton as vice president bring that certainty to the ticket . '' watch johnson urge obama to pick clinton '' johnson is one of many influential clinton supporters who have raised the prospect of her joining obama on the ticket . they say she has solid credentials and wide appeal , exemplified by her popular support in states such as pennsylvania and ohio , which will be crucial to a democratic victory in the fall . obama and clinton spoke by phone for a few minutes wednesday . he told her he wants to `` sit down when it makes sense '' for her , said obama spokesman robert gibbs . clinton said that would happen soon , gibbs said , but he also said obama did not raise the issue of the vice presidency . clinton campaign chairman terry mcauliffe confirmed that there had been `` absolutely zero discussions '' on the matter . the clinton campaign issued a statement saying she was open to becoming vice president . `` she would do whatever she could to ensure that democrats take the white house back and defeat john mccain , '' the statement said . cnn 's alexander mooney and ed hornick contributed to this report .<doc-sep>when asked whether his close ties to clinton would land him the vp spot , mcauliffe said he 's `` just happy to support her . '' the former chairman of clinton 's failed 2008 campaign is n't the only one anticipating her announcement . john podesta , bill clinton 's former chief of staff and current obama adviser , told pbs ' al hunt on friday that he will join hillary 's campaign if she asks . `` she has n't made a decision , so she has structured no campaign , '' he said . `` if she runs , as i hope she will , i 'll do whatever she 'd ask me to do . ''<doc-sep>plouffe denied the white house or the campaign ever contemplated the swap . `` never any consideration of -lrb- biden-for-clinton -rrb- switch , '' plouffe wrote in a tweet . the move was `` not ever entertained by the only person who mattered . or most of us . back to halloween , '' he added . axelrod tweeted : `` vp swap never in play . biden 's taken on many tough assignments . he 's been loyal friend and wise counselor . potus lucky to have him , '' axelrod wrote friday . and messina said : `` let me be clear : vp-hrc switch never considered by potus or anyone who mattered in the campaign . #sillyseason '' a significant investment . but martin pointed out that it was , in fact , considered . martin told cnn 's anderson cooper the re-election campaign made a significant investment in finding out whether the move would pay dividends at the polls . `` campaigns do n't spend the kind of money on polling and focus groups unless they 're seriously considering something , '' he said on cnn 's `` ac360 . '' he said on the program that he asked daley whether his then-boss knew about the potential shuffle . while daley said he does n't think the president `` was aware '' of the potential change , the former chief of staff admitted that it 's `` possible '' obama knew . martin added that `` double down '' does not definitively answer whether the political probing reached obama 's desk . as to whether clinton knew , daley said on cbs that if she did know , she `` did n't find out from me . ''<doc-sep>editor 's note : paul begala , a democratic strategist and cnn political contributor , was a political consultant for bill clinton 's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to clinton in the white house . begala is not a paid political consultant for any politicians or candidates . click here for a rival view . paul begala says mccain 's vp choice , alaska gov. sarah palin , is completely unqualified to be president . -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- john mccain needs what kinky friedman calls `` a checkup from the neck up . '' in choosing alaska gov. sarah palin to be his running mate , he is not thinking `` outside the box , '' as some have said . more like out of his mind .<doc-sep>by . david martosko , u.s. political editor . the wife of former vice president dick cheney took a swipe at former secretary of state hillary clinton on monday , mocking her claims last month that she and then-president bill clinton descended into poverty as they left the white house . during a lunch event in washington , d.c. hosted by politico , lynne cheney recalled her husband 's decision to accept the vice presidential nomination . ` when dick was asked to be vice president , he thought that was a great idea , ' she said . ' i was not so sure . you know , give up your job , give up your house and move . we were n't `` dead broke , '' excuse me . ' scroll down for videos . former second lady lynne cheney -lrb- r -rrb- took a shot at hillary clinton , saying she and former vp dick cheney were not ` dead broke ' when they transitioned to a white house campaign . members of @codepink crashed a monday afternoon lunch event and interrupted the cheneys with calls for war crimes prosecutions . former secretary of state hillary rodham clinton was roundly criticized in june for claiming she and bill clinton were ` dead broke ' when they left the white house in 2001 . hillary clinton drew ridicule after an interview with abc 's diane sawyer in which she said her own family was ` dead broke ' in 2001 because or multiple home mortgages . the clintons have reportedly collected in excess of $ 100 million for heir public speeches since leaving the white house . | <t> new : clinton will suspend presidential campaign saturday , sources say . </t> <t> obama , clinton spoke by phone wednesday , but vp slot was not discussed . </t> <t> rangel says clinton could 've been `` far more generous '' on tuesday night . </t> <t> obama says he 's `` very confident '' he can unite democrats by november . </t> | clinton to suspend campaign , bucking for vp bid ?<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- from a country which brought the world brands like sony and toyota , there 's another name that 's crept quietly to global prominence . hello kitty , the moon-faced cat with a bow in her hair and no mouth . shintaro tsuji , ceo of sanrio , famous for its hello kitty brand , speaks in the boardroom . she 's one of 450 characters developed by japan 's sanrio group , but she 's by far most popular -- the embodiment of what 's known in japan as kawaii , or the culture of cute . her image adorns some 50,000 objects , from cute , of course , to downright crazy . but there 's nothing cute about the numbers . hello kitty is responsible for more than half of sanrio 's billion dollar annual turnover . her creator and founder of sanrio is the effervescent 79-year-old shintaro tsuji . he told the boardroom 's andrew stevens what he thinks is the marketing secret behind a cultural icon .<doc-sep>tsuji : selling something which people want to buy is one of the ways of doing business . but i thought , goods that i want are also something other people want . so we wanted to make goods which people want to send to somebody else as a gift . the idea is that goods are for social communication purposes and that has been accepted worldwide . in addition , to give hello kitty goods as a present is very thoughtful . our three concepts of friendship , cuteness and thoughtfulness have been reaching out to people . it conveys the importance of being friendly . such gestures are necessary for the japanese nation . you care about other people by sending some gifts . those concepts have been accepted worldwide . stevens : my first question to you is sanrio has developed something like 450 characters . why it is hello kitty has stood out so much more than the others ? what is the secret of its success ? tsuji : at first we were using characters which were created by outsiders , such as cartoonists or artists , but in this case we had to pay the royalty . so we decided to create our own characters . we hired many artists and asked them to create various characters . according to our own research , the most popular animal character was a dog then a white cat and the third one was a bear . snoopy already existed as a dog character -- that 's why we went for the second most popular character . we asked the artists to design a character based on a white cat . stevens : let me just ask you a question about your life , growing up . reading your autobiography , you lost your mother when you were 13 years old . you went to live with your auntie . and you describe your life ; your childhood , has been a quite lonely . how do you think that has shaped you in your business life ?<doc-sep>tsuji : i felt that the most important thing in your life is to have someone whom you can open up your heart to and talk about anything ; to have many friends whom you can talk with your heart is the most blessed thing in your life . then i asked myself how can you make friends -- in what way people can make a friend with those people . that is not just to avoid behaving , which makes people uncomfortable . but do something , which makes people happy . in this way people can make friends . for example , when people are ill , you can say something to them , or when people did something for you , you say thank you to them . for those kinds of occasions , you send a small present rather than an expensive gift . it is important to show your appreciation since you are able to make good friends in this way . this idea has formed as a business . as a result , hello kitty was created . hello kitty has become known among everybody and it means that people are becoming friends . i am pleased with this phenomenon . stevens : what , in your business career , is the most important lesson you think you 've learnt ? tsuji : a good company means that , first of all , its sale increases each year and secondly it makes profits each year . this is what people call a quality company . but this is not my main concern . obviously , a company should n't lose money . a company can not contribute to a society easily . but for me , it is important to establish a company , which has a good reputation . stevens : much easier said than done , how do you remain true to your original ideas , though , because there are so many pressures from shareholders among other people to make those profits ?<doc-sep>tsuji : the company shareholders actually say `` make more profits or dividends . '' but what i always say to them at the general assembly is that the shareholder should be someone who truly values my company and is proud of having my company 's share . according to newspapers , there are companies which make a profit by polluting the environment or breaking laws . but this is not acceptable by our standard . i bet the company staffs want to have an increase in the wages . but i want my staffs to be proud of themselves , in particular , when their children ask them where they are working . in my view , that is very important . stevens : what advice would you give to someone starting out their own company in 21st century ? tsuji : it is not only about making profits or establishing a huge corporation . a bigger country does n't mean a better country . having a larger military capacity does n't mean a better thing . it will be ideal to establish a company which is a value to the world . it 's not just about the money . so i would say `` how about creating companies which people appreciate ? '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- from a country which brought the world brands like sony and toyota , there 's another name that 's crept quietly to global prominence . hello kitty , the moon-faced cat with a bow in her hair and no mouth . shintaro tsuji , ceo of sanrio , famous for its hello kitty brand , speaks in the boardroom . she 's one of 450 characters developed by japan 's sanrio group , but she 's by far most popular -- the embodiment of what 's known in japan as kawaii , or the culture of cute . her image adorns some 50,000 objects , from cute , of course , to downright crazy . but there 's nothing cute about the numbers . hello kitty is responsible for more than half of sanrio 's billion dollar annual turnover . her creator and founder of sanrio is the effervescent 79-year-old shintaro tsuji . he told the boardroom 's andrew stevens what he thinks is the marketing secret behind a cultural icon .<doc-sep>tsuji : selling something which people want to buy is one of the ways of doing business . but i thought , goods that i want are also something other people want . so we wanted to make goods which people want to send to somebody else as a gift . the idea is that goods are for social communication purposes and that has been accepted worldwide . in addition , to give hello kitty goods as a present is very thoughtful . our three concepts of friendship , cuteness and thoughtfulness have been reaching out to people . it conveys the importance of being friendly . such gestures are necessary for the japanese nation . you care about other people by sending some gifts . those concepts have been accepted worldwide . stevens : my first question to you is sanrio has developed something like 450 characters . why it is hello kitty has stood out so much more than the others ? what is the secret of its success ? tsuji : at first we were using characters which were created by outsiders , such as cartoonists or artists , but in this case we had to pay the royalty . so we decided to create our own characters . we hired many artists and asked them to create various characters . according to our own research , the most popular animal character was a dog then a white cat and the third one was a bear . snoopy already existed as a dog character -- that 's why we went for the second most popular character . we asked the artists to design a character based on a white cat . stevens : let me just ask you a question about your life , growing up . reading your autobiography , you lost your mother when you were 13 years old . you went to live with your auntie . and you describe your life ; your childhood , has been a quite lonely . how do you think that has shaped you in your business life ?<doc-sep>shintaro hayashi helps ex-yakuza disguise their past to help them find a job , or current members to hide their allegiance at family occasions or official outings . one single finger prosthetic costs # 1,925 and is custom made to fit the ` yubitsume ' victim 's hand . most yakuza customers visit shintaro hayashi 's workshop several times a year as the silicone is worn out or needs repainting . shintaro hayashi estimates that around five per cent of his clients are former yakuza members and has produced more than 300 prosthetic fingers . drawing board : a custom made little finger costs on average over # 1,900 to make . helping hand : fingers are lined up to be fitted and re-touched at shintaro hayashi 's clinic . new beginning : one of shintaro hayashi 's ex-yakuza clients shows off his . prosthetic little finger , which he got when he left the organisation . and needed to disguise his past to get a job . he says his yakuza clients come in three categories : former members who are looking for a career outside the mafia , members who need to cover up for a child 's wedding or a family event or men pushed by their partners who are worried about their reputation . ` many people keep a fist , to prevent detection , ' he told abc news .<doc-sep>a hollywood special effects artist has created stunningly realistic sculptures of iconic figures , including abraham lincoln and artist salvador dali . kazuhiro tsuji , 45 , from kyoto city , japan , worked for five months crafting the look-alike busts out of silicon , polyester , bronze and chrome plating . and if they were n't life enough , the sculptures are made using real hair . mr tsuji says that he chose to recreate lincoln , who was assassinated by john wilkes booth in 1865 , after seeing make-up artist legend dick smith 's version when he started out in the industry at the age of 17 . scroll down for video . kazuhiro tsuji , from kyoto city , japan , spent months crafting the busts of abraham lincoln and andy warhol . the 45-year-old was inspired by dick smith 's version of lincoln when he started out in the industry aged 17 . he said : ' i choose my subject based on what is going on in my life at the moment . ` lincoln was a great human being and a hero to many people . i respect him very much . ` and i simply love his face too . i did lincoln make up on my own face several times to improve my skill . | <t> shintaro tsuji , ceo of sanrio speaks to andrew stevens in the boardroom . </t> <t> sanrio 's most famous character is hello kitty , a moon-faced cat . </t> <t> hello kitty is responsible for more than half of sanrio 's billion dollar turnover . </t> | shintaro tsuji , ceo , sanrio<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. navy ships loaded with supplies for victims of myanmar 's cyclone will sail away from the country 's coast on thursday , after the ruling junta refused for three weeks to allow them to deliver aid . u.s. ships steam in formation off the coast of myanmar on may 23 . adm. timothy keating said the uss essex group would leave the shores of myanmar , also known as burma , on thursday , but that he would leave several heavy lift aircraft in thailand to assist international relief efforts . `` we have made at least 15 attempts to convince the burmese government to allow our ships , helicopters and landing craft to provide additional disaster relief for the people of burma , but they have refused us each and every time , '' keating said in a statement wednesday . cyclone nargis made landfall early last month , killing more than 77,000 people in the southeastern asian country , according to a united nations estimate .<doc-sep>some 55,000 others are missing , the united nations said , and as many as 500,000 to 600,000 people , mainly in the irrawaddy delta region , have had to be relocated . the white house issued a statement wednesday saying more than a million victims have yet to receive assistance . watch a discussion of myanmar 's handling of the crisis '' `` i am both saddened and frustrated to know that we have been in a position to help ease the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people and help mitigate further loss of life , but have been unable to do so because of the unrelenting position of the burma military junta , '' keating said . myanmar leaders did grant permission for u.s. planes to deliver aid , a total of 106 plane-loads of supplies worth more than $ 26 million . transportation cost about $ 6.8 million , it said . but the junta never gave permission for the united states to distribute the aid directly to the storm victims , prompting questions about whether some of the assistance went astray .<doc-sep>last weekend , u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon guided a conference of 52 donor nations in myanmar , where countries pledged in excess of $ 100 million to help myanmar recover -- and said they are willing to open up their wallets further once aid groups are granted access to the worst-affected areas . the country 's government had asked for $ 11 billion in assistance , saying that the relief phase of the disaster was already over and that it needed the money for reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts . more than a month after the cyclone struck , more than 1 million people affected have received help , elisabeth byrs of the u.n. office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs said on tuesday . she added that aid has reached nearly half of the people in the irrawaddy delta . however , she said , `` there remains a serious lack of sufficient and sustained humanitarian assistance . ''<doc-sep>on tuesday , state department spokesman sean mccormack said that the united states would continue to push to get emergency supplies to the country 's victims . `` we are not going to abandon those ... people , '' mccormack said . of the navy ships leaving the area , he said , they `` are needed elsewhere and there is no rational expectation at this point we will be effectively able to use those assets in an humanitarian relief operation . '' `` our folks will do the forensics on that to see if there are any lessons learned , '' mccormack said . `` we think that to the extent that there has been significant loss of life that we as well as others could have reduced that number had we been allowed to act more quickly with a large-scale intervention . '' cnn 's charley keyes and barbara starr contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the merchant vessel was sailing from dar es salaam , tanzania , to beira , mozambique , when the pirates attacked , it said . there was not immediate word of the condition of the 23 crew members , who are all from myanmar , it said . the european union naval force somalia is a multinational task force with the mission to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the world food program and vessels of the african union mission in somalia . the mission is `` to protect vulnerable ships in the gulf of aden and indian ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy , '' it said . despite a crackdown by an international naval flotilla in the region , pirates managed to seize 35 ships in the region between january and september , according to the international maritime bureau , which monitors attacks .<doc-sep>the government and international communities have provided very little to the crisis , belliveau added . the government of myanmar allocated just $ 200,000 for hiv/aids in 2008 , which is one of the lowest amount spent worldwide , according to doctors without borders . drugs that are not provided by aid organizations or the government cost a patient $ 29 per month . with most people in myanmar living on an average of $ 1.20 per day , the cost of drugs is unaffordable for most . the charity also appealed for intervention by the international community to avert the crisis . myanmar currently receives around $ 3 per person in aid -- one of the lowest rates worldwide . one reason for this may be that international donor groups are reluctant to send aid to myanmar , a country run by a strict military junta widely criticized for its atrocious human rights record . the report states aid agencies may be put off by challenges myanmar imposes such as strict constraints and difficult bureaucratic procedures . earlier this year when a deadly cyclone hit myanmar that killed almost 100,000 people and left millions homeless , the government turned away international aid to the frustration of many organizations . doctors without borders has been providing essential healthcare services in myanmar since 1993 and began an integrated program in 2003 to support people living with hiv/aids .<doc-sep>the government and international communities have provided very little to the crisis , belliveau added . the government of myanmar allocated just $ 200,000 for hiv/aids in 2008 , which is one of the lowest amount spent worldwide , according to doctors without borders . drugs that are not provided by aid organizations or the government cost a patient $ 29 per month . with most people in myanmar living on an average of $ 1.20 per day , the cost of drugs is unaffordable for most . the charity also appealed for intervention by the international community to avert the crisis . myanmar currently receives around $ 3 per person in aid -- one of the lowest rates worldwide . one reason for this may be that international donor groups are reluctant to send aid to myanmar , a country run by a strict military junta widely criticized for its atrocious human rights record . the report states aid agencies may be put off by challenges myanmar imposes such as strict constraints and difficult bureaucratic procedures . earlier this year when a deadly cyclone hit myanmar that killed almost 100,000 people and left millions homeless , the government turned away international aid to the frustration of many organizations . doctors without borders has been providing essential healthcare services in myanmar since 1993 and began an integrated program in 2003 to support people living with hiv/aids .<doc-sep>next month , u.s. president barack obama will become the first sitting american president to visit myanmar , the strongest endorsement yet of the country 's efforts to tread a path to democracy . much has changed in a year since u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton made a historic visit to the country in december 2011 . cnn was also invited to enter myanmar , also known as burma , for the first time in years . with an official journalist visa stamped in our passport , we and other media invited for clinton 's visit , knew this was a big change for a country that has repelled any kind of scrutiny for half a century . q&a : what 's behind sectarian violence in myanmar ? obama 's visit will come at a time when myanmar is in the news again but not for the right reasons . violence between rohingya muslims and local buddhists continues in rakhine state in the west of the country . the united nations says at least 89 people have been killed in the past two weeks and 110,000 are displaced . some aid organizations are questioning whether now is the right time for obama to add legitimacy to the government of president thein sein . | <t> new : u.s. ships to leave area thursday , admiral says ; some planes will stay . </t> <t> new : adm. timothy keating says he 's frustrated that aid was refused . </t> <t> myanmar junta leaders did not grant permission for u.s. navy ships to deliver aid . </t> <t> u.s. will keep pushing efforts to get emergency supplies to victims , despite rebuff . </t> | u.s. ships set to leave myanmar ⁇ aid undelivered<T> |
dorchester , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- englishman john webber thought nothing of the small , shiny cup , passed down from his junk dealer grandfather and stashed under a bed for years , until appraisers said it was an ancient persian artifact . the ancient persian gold cup , thought to date from the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at auction . the 5 1/2 - inch gold cup , which experts have dated to the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at an auction in dorchester , southern england , thursday . the identity of the winning bidder was n't immediately known .<doc-sep>the relic features the double faced ancient roman god janus , the god of gates and doors who always looked to both the future and past and is often associated with beginnings and endings . the cup has two faces with braided hair and entwined snake ornaments at the forehead . webber 's grandfather , william sparks , was a rag and bone man , the british term for a junk dealer , duke 's said , who established the iron merchants sparks and son in taunton , somerset , in southwestern england , in the 1930s . sparks acquired the cup along with two other pieces , also up for auction , in the 1930s or 1940s , the spokeswoman said . watch cnn report on the auction '' before he died , sparks gave the items to webber , who did n't realize their value , the spokeswoman said .<doc-sep>`` because he mainly dealt in brass and bronze , i thought that was what it was made from , '' webber told the bournemouth news and picture service . `` i put it in a box and forgot about it . then last year i moved house and took it out to have a look , and i realized it was n't bronze or brass . `` i sent it to the british museum , and the experts there had n't seen anything like it before and recommended i had it tested at a laboratory . so i paid quite a bit of money for it to be examined by a lab the museum recommended . and they found the gold dated from the third of fourth century b.c. '' webber , who is in his 70s , said he remembers the cup from when he was a small boy . `` it 's been quite exciting finding out what it was , '' he told the agency . webber brought the items to duke 's at the start of the year for potential sale , because he wanted to `` realize some money , '' the auction house spokeswoman said .<doc-sep>a spokeswoman for duke 's auction house , which is selling the cup , said the cup is believed to be from the archaemenid empire in ancient persia . the other two items are a second century b.c. round gold mount with a figure , probably of ancient greek hero ajax , who besieged troy , and a decorated gold spoon with an image of a roman emperor . `` he had a good eye for quality over the years , '' said the spokeswoman , who asked not to be named , `` and anything interesting he 'd put aside . '' scientists analyzed trace elements of a gold sample taken from the cup to determine its age , and analysts from oxford university concluded that they are consistent with archaemenid gold and goldsmithing , duke 's said .<doc-sep>dorchester , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- englishman john webber thought nothing of the small , shiny cup , passed down from his junk dealer grandfather and stashed under a bed for years , until appraisers said it was an ancient persian artifact . the ancient persian gold cup , thought to date from the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at auction . the 5 1/2 - inch gold cup , which experts have dated to the third or fourth century b.c. , fetched $ 100,000 at an auction in dorchester , southern england , thursday . the identity of the winning bidder was n't immediately known . the relic features the double faced ancient roman god janus , the god of gates and doors who always looked to both the future and past and is often associated with beginnings and endings . the cup has two faces with braided hair and entwined snake ornaments at the forehead . webber 's grandfather , william sparks , was a rag and bone man , the british term for a junk dealer , duke 's said , who established the iron merchants sparks and son in taunton , somerset , in southwestern england , in the 1930s . sparks acquired the cup along with two other pieces , also up for auction , in the 1930s or 1940s , the spokeswoman said . watch cnn report on the auction '' before he died , sparks gave the items to webber , who did n't realize their value , the spokeswoman said . `` because he mainly dealt in brass and bronze , i thought that was what it was made from , '' webber told the bournemouth news and picture service . `` i put it in a box and forgot about it . then last year i moved house and took it out to have a look , and i realized it was n't bronze or brass . `` i sent it to the british museum , and the experts there had n't seen anything like it before and recommended i had it tested at a laboratory . so i paid quite a bit of money for it to be examined by a lab the museum recommended . and they found the gold dated from the third of fourth century b.c. '' webber , who is in his 70s , said he remembers the cup from when he was a small boy . `` it 's been quite exciting finding out what it was , '' he told the agency . webber brought the items to duke 's at the start of the year for potential sale , because he wanted to `` realize some money , '' the auction house spokeswoman said . a spokeswoman for duke 's auction house , which is selling the cup , said the cup is believed to be from the archaemenid empire in ancient persia . the other two items are a second century b.c. round gold mount with a figure , probably of ancient greek hero ajax , who besieged troy , and a decorated gold spoon with an image of a roman emperor . `` he had a good eye for quality over the years , '' said the spokeswoman , who asked not to be named , `` and anything interesting he 'd put aside . '' scientists analyzed trace elements of a gold sample taken from the cup to determine its age , and analysts from oxford university concluded that they are consistent with archaemenid gold and goldsmithing , duke 's said .<doc-sep>a man who says he found a piece of ` space junk ' from a russian rocket that re-entered the atmosphere over australia last week has tried to sell it online for $ 100,000 . an advertisement for the globe-shaped object found on sunday near walgett in north-west nsw was posted on gumtree by a man only known as peter . the 13.4 kg object was believed to be a fuel cell from a russian rocket and was 40cm in diameter and made of titanium , according to the seller . scroll down for video . peter posted a photo of himself holding the globe-shaped object found on sunday near walgett in northern nsw on gumtree for $ 100,000 . in the advertisement , which has since been removed from gumtree , peter said the space junk was found on the castlereagh highway , under the pagan creek bridge . a fireball spotted travelling over australia last thursday at 9.45 pm was the third stage of the soyuz rocket , which was launched from kazakhstan on july 8 . it plummeted to earth at speeds of 29,000 km/h .<doc-sep>started that this was something quite special . grim : the tower block where the pensioner lived in a squalid two-bedroom property which was covered in rubbish , and , right , a fine quality tiffany & co. sterling silver flask , of oval form . ` the items were either stuffed in . boxes , left in sideboards and cupboards , lying on the floor or under the . bed and in almost every nook and cranny . ' other pieces that were sold . at auction last month included a chinese jade ornament in the shape of a . fish worth # 12,000 . a pair of 19th century pistols sold for # 3,400 and an 18-carat white gold diamond ring went for # 2,600 . the pensioner who lived in the flat is . thought to have inherited the collection from his parents who were . well-known antique dealers in london at the time of the second world . war . discarded : an early tribal carving in the form of a figure together with an early tribal pillow , fetched # 13,500 . mr lawrence said : ` you could just tell . the collection had been in the same place for many years . a neighbour . said he was a nice man but they had no idea of what his flat was like . ' the star item , which attracted bids . from collectors in canada , new york and australia , was the native . american bowl , carved into the shape of a seal . it would have been used . by the haida tribe to serve rich foods at feasts in the early to . mid-19th century . mr lawrence said : ` it was kept in the back of a kitchen cupboard and luckily had n't been used for many years . ' valuable ` junk ' : an 18 carat gold white diamond ring worth # 2,600 which was found in the two bedroom property in southsea . antique : george iii irish mahogany serving table which made # 6,800 when it went under the hammer after being found in a squalid flat .<doc-sep>a grandfather who previously spent every day eating junk food on the couch has shed three stone by becoming a bodybuilder . roland burton began exercising after piling on weight following his retirement so that he would be able to play with his 14 grandchildren . the 65-year-old from wisbech , cambridgeshire joined a gym in an effort to get fit , and within three years was crowned the best in his age category at a bodybuilding competition . roland burton shed three stone and 18 inches through training to become a bodybuilder after setting a goal to get fit so he could play with his grandchildren . before losing weight , mr burton snacked on chocolate , crisps and biscuits while drinking endless of cups of sugary tea every day . ' i retired from my job as a car dealer and my days were spent on the sofa eating out of boredom , ' he said . ' i could rest a cup of tea on my stomach as it stuck out so much . ' i did n't do any exercise but i wanted to be able to play with my grandchildren properly and see them grow up . ' on a holiday in great yarmouth , norfolk , the former car dealer became ` transfixed ' with weightlifting after watching a bodybuilding competition . | <t> gold cup stashed under bed for years is $ 100,000 ancient persian artifact . </t> <t> small urn went under the hammer at auction in southern england thursday . </t> <t> artifact acquired by junk dealer , grandfather of current owner , in the 1930s or 1940s . </t> <t> experts say it is believed to date from the third or fourth century b.c. </t> | junk dealer 's $ 100,000 gold cup found under bed<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the remains of two u.s. contractors who were kidnapped in iraq have been found , fbi officials said monday . the bureau identified the two as ronald withrow of roaring springs , texas , abducted on january 5 , 2007 , and john roy young of kansas city , missouri , who was captured on november 16 , 2006 . withrow worked for las vegas , nevada-based jpi worldwide inc. , and young worked for crescent security group . the fbi said it had notified the families of the contractors . meanwhile , four u.s. soldiers died sunday night in a roadside bombing in iraq , military officials reported , bringing the american toll in the 5-year-old war to 4,000 deaths . the four were killed when a homemade bomb hit their vehicle as they patrolled in a southern baghdad neighborhood , the u.s. military headquarters in iraq said . a fifth soldier was wounded . the grim milestone comes less than a week after the fifth anniversary of the start of the war . `` no casualty is more or less significant than another ; each soldier , marine , airman and sailor is equally precious and their loss equally tragic , '' said rear adm. gregory smith , the u.s. military 's chief spokesman in iraq . `` every single loss of a soldier , sailor , airman or marine is keenly felt by military commanders , families and friends both in theater and at home . ''<doc-sep>of the 4,000 u.s. military personnel killed in the war , 3,263 have died in attacks and fighting and 737 in nonhostile incidents , such as traffic accidents and suicides . eight of those killed were civilians working for the pentagon . the numbers are based on pentagon data counted by cnn . check out a company that makes headstones for fallen u.s. troops '' president bush made remarks about lives lost in iraq at the state department on monday . `` one day , people will look back at this moment in history and say , ` thank god there were courageous people willing to serve , because they laid the foundations for peace for generations to come , ' '' he said . `` i have vowed in the past and i will vow so long as i 'm president to make sure that those lives were not lost in vain ; that , in fact , there 's an outcome that will merit the sacrifice that civilian and military alike have made . '' also sunday , at least 35 iraqis died as the result of suicide bombings , mortar fire and the work of gunmen in cars who opened fire on a crowded outdoor market . nearly 100 were wounded in the violence . estimates of the iraqi death toll since the war began range from about 80,000 to the hundreds of thousands . watch an iraqi family talk about faith in a war zone '' another 2 million iraqis have been forced to leave the country , and 2.5 million have been displaced from their homes within iraq , according to the u.n. high commissioner for refugees . many of the iraqis and u.s. troops killed over the years , like the four soldiers slain sunday in baghdad , have been targeted by improvised explosive devices -- the roadside bombs that have come to symbolize iraq 's tenacious insurgency . watch how the bombs have become a deadly staple '' the pentagon 's joint improvised explosive device defeat organization has been developed to counter the threat of roadside bombs in iraq as well as afghanistan . the group calls such bombs the `` weapon of choice for adaptive and resilient networks of insurgents and terrorists . '' nearly 160,000 u.s. troops remain in iraq , and the war has cost u.s. taxpayers about $ 600 billion , according to the house budget committee .<doc-sep>senior u.s. military officials are preparing to recommend to bush a four - to six-week pause in additional troop withdrawals from iraq after the last of the so-called surge brigades leaves in july , cnn learned last week from u.s. military officials familiar with the recommendations but not authorized to talk about them . the return of all five brigades added to the iraq contingent last year could reduce troop levels by up to 30,000 but still leave about 130,000 or more troops in iraq . also monday , the u.s. military said six people killed in a weekend attack were `` terrorists '' and not members of an american-backed militia , as initially reported . those first reports suggested the area of saturday 's helicopter strike may have been a sons of iraq checkpoint . such groups are generically referred to as awakening councils -- largely sunni security forces that the u.s. military have recruited . a police official in the north-central city of samarra said the helicopter mistakenly hit a sons of iraq checkpoint , killing the six . but the u.s. military said that it believes those killed were not part of the sons of iraq . `` i can tell you that two of these individuals were fiddling with something on the side of the road and trying to hide themselves under a blanket when they heard the helicopter , '' said maj. bradford leighton . `` the location of the checkpoint was not at or near any known sons of iraq checkpoint . '' a joint iraqi-u.s.-led coalition force is investigating the deaths . other developments . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq and kelli arena contributed to this report .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. and iraqi officials met sunday to kick off a review stemming from a deadly september firefight -- involving a blackwater usa security detail -- that reportedly left 17 people dead . lawyer hassan jabbar lies in a hospital last month after he was allegedly injured by blackwater contractors . while iraqi officials say the victims were innocent bystanders -- most of them civilians -- blackwater says its contractors were part of a u.s. state department security entourage that came under fire in a baghdad square . meanwhile , a three-person panel 's official iraqi probe into the incident -- ordered by prime minister nuri al-maliki -- raised the number of iraqis killed to 17 and determined blackwater 's gunfire was unwarranted and that its guards should face trial , the government told the associated press . however , an order from the u.s.-led coalition provisional authority appears to shield security contractors from iraqi laws . the first meeting of the joint commission on protective security detail operations was chaired sunday by iraqi defense minister abdulqadir mohammed jassim and patricia butenis , deputy chief of mission at the u.s. embassy , according to a joint statement . the pair `` expressed the mutual commitment of the iraqi government and the u.s. government to work together to evaluate issues of safety and security related to personal security detail operations in iraq , '' the statement said . watch how supervision has been tightened on contractors '' the objective is to recommend ways to ensure that private security details do not endanger public safety , the statement said , adding that jassim and butenis `` agreed to continue their coordination and to complete the process of inquiry in order to prevent the recurrence of any incidents in the future . '' the september 16 shootout has sparked intense iraqi and u.s. criticism of private military contractors . it also has prompted initiatives to reexamine contractors ' roles in iraq . iraqi and blackwater officials have starkly different accounts of what happened during the firefight . iraqi officials said blackwater bodyguards indiscriminately opened fire in nusoor square , killing civilians and a traffic police officer . according to a senior iraqi investigator on sunday , 17 people were killed and 24 more were wounded . the state department has said only that `` innocent life was lost . '' blackwater , however , said its contractors `` acted lawfully and appropriately in response to a hostile attack . '' `` the ` civilians ' reportedly fired upon by blackwater professionals were in fact armed enemies , and blackwater personnel returned defensive fire , '' the company has said . the fbi has assumed the lead from the state department on the u.s. investigation . triple bombing kills 11 . three separate bombs killed at least 11 civilians and wounded 12 others sunday around baghdad , an iraqi interior ministry official said . one bomb exploded in the baladiat area of eastern baghdad , killing five civilians and wounding five others . in southern baghdad 's dora district , another bomb killed three civilians and wounded three others . a third bomb went off near the iranian embassy in baghdad , killing three civilians and wounding four others . also on sunday , six unidentified bodies were found in baghdad , an interior ministry official told cnn . that brings the total number of bodies found this month to 50 . in september , 301 bodies were found in baghdad -- the lowest number this year . in august there were 428 . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's saad abedine contributed to this report .<doc-sep>an iraqi official familiar with the investigation said that an fbi team and two u.s. prosecutors working on the case will meet in baghdad on saturday with more than 60 iraqis involved in the incident . the meeting is intended to brief the iraqis on the status of the case . blackwater said its guards were protecting a u.s. diplomatic convoy when they came under attack from armed insurgents . the guards returned fire , blackwater said . but an iraqi investigation called the killings `` premeditated murder '' and accused the guards of firing on civilians indiscriminately . the first u.s. soldiers to arrive on the scene told military investigators they found no evidence the contractors were fired upon , a source familiar with a preliminary u.s. military report told cnn . the indictments are `` a step in the right direction , '' said mohammad abdul razzaq , whose 9-year-old son , ali , was killed at nusoor square in baghdad . `` it was heinous crime and a painful incident , -lsb- but -rsb- we can overcome that if a just verdict is handed down . '' hassan salman , an iraqi lawyer wounded in the shootings , said that the `` american judicial system , known for its integrity , should hand down -lsb- to -rsb- the perpetrators of this heinous crime against the iraqi people nothing less than death sentences . '' the complex legal case has been dogged by difficulties and may present a major challenge to federal prosecutors . among the potential problems is that the law under which the charges are expected to be brought covers contractors working for the u.s. military , but the blackwater guards were contracted by the state department . some independent legal experts question whether u.s. courts have jurisdiction in this case . also muddying the waters are alleged assurances of immunity given to the guards by state department diplomatic security agents investigating the incident before the fbi got involved . the state department said its agents did not offer blanket immunity from criminal prosecution but only promised that statements the guards made on the scene could not be used against them in any prosecution . but when the investigation was turned over to the justice department to examine possible criminal activity , fbi agents discovered some guards believed they were immune from prosecution and therefore refused to be interviewed again , complicating the fbi probe . the shooting heightened tensions between u.s. and iraqi government officials and contributed to a protracted debate over the extent of immunity that u.s. military personnel and civilian contractors have from iraqi laws . security contractors had immunity from iraqi law under a provision put in place in the early days of the u.s.-led occupation of iraq . but starting next year , under a u.s.-iraq security agreement that baghdad approved last week , iraq will have the `` primary right to exercise jurisdiction '' over u.s. contractors and their employees . the state department , which employed blackwater to protect u.s. diplomats and other employees , renewed blackwater 's contract this year over strong objections from the iraqi government . cnn 's kevin bohn , terry frieden , jomana karadsheh , elise labott , justine redman , alan silverleib and kara finnstrom contributed to this report .<doc-sep>hassan salman , an iraqi lawyer wounded in the shootings , said that the `` american judicial system , known for its integrity , should hand down -lsb- to -rsb- the perpetrators of this heinous crime against the iraqi people nothing less than death sentences . '' the complex legal case has been dogged by difficulties and may present a major challenge to federal prosecutors . among the potential problems is that the law under which the charges are expected to be brought covers contractors working for the u.s. military , but the blackwater guards were contracted by the state department . some independent legal experts question whether u.s. courts have jurisdiction in this case . also muddying the waters are alleged assurances of immunity given to the guards by state department diplomatic security agents investigating the incident before the fbi got involved . the state department said its agents did not offer blanket immunity from criminal prosecution but only promised that statements the guards made on the scene could not be used against them in any prosecution . but when the investigation was turned over to the justice department to examine possible criminal activity , fbi agents discovered some guards believed they were immune from prosecution and therefore refused to be interviewed again , complicating the fbi probe . the shooting heightened tensions between u.s. and iraqi government officials and contributed to a protracted debate over the extent of immunity that u.s. military personnel and civilian contractors have from iraqi laws . security contractors had immunity from iraqi law under a provision put in place in the early days of the u.s.-led occupation of iraq . but starting next year , under a u.s.-iraq security agreement that baghdad approved last week , iraq will have the `` primary right to exercise jurisdiction '' over u.s. contractors and their employees . the state department , which employed blackwater to protect u.s. diplomats and other employees , renewed blackwater 's contract this year over strong objections from the iraqi government . cnn 's kevin bohn , terry frieden , jomana karadsheh , elise labott , justine redman , alan silverleib and kara finnstrom contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- one of three female undocumented immigrants who were allegedly kidnapped and assaulted was rescued at the south texas residence of a u.s. border patrol agent who was found dead inside , authorities said thursday . u.s. customs and border protection said it and other federal and local agencies began a search wednesday after finding an injured woman who told agents that she and two other women had been assaulted by a man . investigators found the second woman and continued searching for the third alleged victim . early thursday , mission , texas , police and members of the hidalgo county sheriff 's office , along with federal agents , went to the home of the agent and found him dead , the cbp and fbi said in statements . they entered the home after receiving `` further information . '' officers freed the third woman believed to have been kidnapped . mission is in extreme southern texas , near the mexican border . the agencies did n't identify the agent or cite a possible manner of death . it was not clear where the alleged abductions took place . the fbi said it is investigating the incident as a kidnapping and assault . the three women were being provided medical care , the cbp said . `` cbp takes this incident extremely seriously and we are fully cooperating with the investigation , '' the agency said . `` cbp holds its employees to the highest ethical standards . we stand ready to take any additional action necessary , pending the investigation . '' the fbi 's office in mcallen , texas , said of the border agent , `` the circumstances of his alleged involvement and subsequent death are under investigation . '' | <t> new : remains found of two u.s. contractors who were abducted in iraq , fbi says . </t> <t> u.s. death toll at 4,000 after four soldiers die when roadside bomb hits vehicle . </t> <t> at least 35 iraqis killed in attacks sunday . </t> <t> people killed in u.s. weekend strike were `` terrorists , '' not allies , u.s. says . </t> | fbi : bodies of kidnapped u.s. contractors found<T> |
seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hyundai chairman chung mong-koo escaped a prison sentence for embezzlement after a south korean court ruled thursday to instead impose a suspended five year sentence , according to a company spokesman . hyundai motor chairman chung mong-koo , center , leaves the high court after his trial in seoul in june . in february , the 68-year-old executive was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of embezzling money from the south korean conglomerate . he appealed that verdict and on thursday the company said chung will now only be required to undertake community service . chung was accused of funneling $ 106 million in company money into a slush fund to seek favors from the government and with breach of trust for incurring more than $ 300 million in damages to the company . hyundai is the world 's sixth-largest automaker and a pillar of south korea 's economy . chung spent two months in jail after his arrest last april before being released on $ 1 million bail . he admitted using affiliated companies to set up slush funds , but said he knew no details of the arrangements . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's eunice yoon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>kim dotcom 's new-found friends were recruited from twitter and a bar in auckland 's britomart precinct . meanwhile , dotcom tweeted two hours later about the ` great news ' that his four filipina nannies to his five children , including twin girls , had received a 12 month extension on their works visas , in the same week dotcom announced the end of his five-year marriage to mona . this is just yet another colourful chapter in the life of dotcom who received a suspended prison sentence in germany in 1994 for computer fraud and data espionage , and another suspended prison sentence in 2003 for insider trading and embezzlement . new zealand police placed him in custody in january 2012 in response to us charges of criminal copyright infringement in relation to his megaupload website . dotcom was accused of costing the entertainment industry $ 500 million through pirated content uploaded to his file-sharing site . he has vigorously denied the charges , and is fighting the attempt to extradite him to the united states . the-father-of-five , with his twin baby girls in 2012 , has four filipina nannies who were just given a 12-month extension on their new zealand work visas .<doc-sep>but peter chapman , chairman of the magistrates ' association 's sentencing committee , explained : ` if the curfew clashes with work , a pre-booked holiday , a relative 's wedding or a job interview , magistrates can adjust the curfew as they see fit . ' a ministry of justice spokesman added : ` only courts can vary the requirements imposed under suspended sentence - this is solely a matter for them . ' mcintosh pleaded guilty to using threatening , abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent against three people and was given a 12-week prison sentence , suspended for a year . last month he was also fined and banned from the road for drink-driving after he was found three times over the limit . paradise : nathanial mcintosh is off on a month long holiday to thailand despite being subject to a curfew . in action : the non-league footballer plays for wendron united but was convicted for abusive behaviour on january 22 .<doc-sep>six luxury cars , including an electric yellow 1969 corvette , an $ 80,000 tesla and a 2002 jaguar x have also been impounded . both father and son have pleaded not guilty to the insurance fraud charges . they face up to 25 years in prison if convicted . the pair are now under investigation for embezzlement of medicaid funds . ` the people 's investigation has only just started , ' assistant ag kristen anne conklin wrote in seeking bail for the brands . the father was freed on $ 225,000 bail and the son was freed on $ 178,000 bail on wednesday . other luxury cars belonging to the brands which have been seized include this buick , left , and hyundai , right . as well as founding his luxury lifestyle , alan brand had donated to numerous political campaigns , including $ 10,000 into gov. cuomo 's re-election , $ 2,300 to hillary rodham clinton 's 2008 presidential run , nearly $ 30,000 to bronx pols . he also gave $ 8,000 to schneiderman ' office , which will now be given to charity . an ag official , who explained that returning them any earlier would have tipped the brands to the probe . narco freedom operates methodone clinics and so-called ` sober houses ' across the bronx and receives about $ 38 million from medicaid annually , plus has $ 6.3 million in state contracts .<doc-sep>he was sentenced to life in prison on the bribery charges , 15 years for embezzlement and seven years for abuse of power . the senior politician 's downfall began when a senior aide , wang lijun , defected to a us embassy and revealed details of a murder committed by bo 's wife , gu kailai . in august 2012 a chinese court convicted gu of the murder of neil heywood , whom she was said to have killed with poison in a hotel after a business dispute . bo was then dismissed from his political office and investigated for corruption . in a marked departure from other recent politically charged trials , which are typically understood to be closely choreographed proceedings , bo launched an unusually vigorous defence during his trial last month . he denied all charges and blamed the corruption on others in his inner circle , thus forgoing the opportunity to earn leniency as is customarily given in chinese courts when a defendant expresses contrition . bo also became the highest-level politician convicted for corruption under china 's leader xi jinping , who has staked his reputation on combating graft within the communist party . downfall : bo xilai -lrb- right -rrb- was investigated for corruption charges after his wife gu kailai -lrb- left -rrb- was convicted of murdering a british businessman . investigation : mrs gu was given a suspended death sentence for murder in august 2012 . ' i think the point is that xi wanted to punish bo xilai for daring to go against the party 's arrangements , ' said willy lam , an expert on party politics at chinese university in hong kong . ` he was punished for his disobedience and defiance . ' | <t> hyundai chairman chung mong-koo has escaped prison for embezzling . </t> <t> south korean court ruled instead to impose a suspended five year sentence . </t> <t> in february , the 68-year-old executive was sentenced to three years in prison . </t> <t> chung was accused of placing firm 's money in fund to earn government favors . </t> | hyundai chairman given suspended sentence for embezzlement<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a former member of the radical 1970s group symbionese liberation army is back in custody after a clerical error miscalculated her prison release date , a california department of corrections spokesman said saturday . sara jane olson wipes away a tear at a los angeles courthouse in 1999 . sara jane olson was freed monday . but her earliest release date is now march 17 , 2009 , chief deputy secretary scott kernan said , calling the error `` an aberration . '' `` our department immediately rearrested her , and she will serve her full sentence , '' kernan said . he described olson as cooperative and said the arrest took place `` without incident . '' she will serve the year at the central california women 's facility in chowchilla , california .<doc-sep>`` the department is sensitive to the impact such an error has had on all involved in this case and sincerely regrets the mistake , '' kernan said . watch explanation for mistaken release '' an investigation is under way to find out how the error happened , he added . olson had served about six years behind bars for her role in incidents in 1975 : the attempted bombing of two police cars and the shooting death of a customer during a bank robbery . prosecutors said she was part of an sla plot to murder los angeles police officers by planting bombs under their squad cars . one of the cars was parked outside a crowded hollywood restaurant . the bombs did not go off , and no one was hurt . the sla is best known for its 1974 kidnapping of newspaper heiress patty hearst . a parole board hearing in 2004 reduced the sentence related to the attempted bombing charge , but `` an administrative error failed to take into account '' the second-degree murder charge for the shooting death , kernan said .<doc-sep>david nickerson , one of olson 's attorneys , said he and co-counsel shawn chapman holley intend to file a petition with los angeles superior court on monday . olson can not be treated as `` yo-yo '' in regard to the law , he said . chapman holley called her return to custody `` ridiculous . '' `` it 's like they make up all new rules when it comes to her , '' chapman holley told the associated press . `` it 's like we are in some kind of fascist state . '' the administrative error was verified late saturday morning , kernan said , after a thorough review of olson 's case . he said `` concerns '' about her release date prompted the review . olson was taken into custody at los angeles international airport on friday night , kernan said . olson had been granted interstate parole and was on her way to minnesota , where she lived for more than two decades as a fugitive before she was arrested in 1999 , nickerson had said . from the los angeles airport , authorities took olson to her home in palmdale , california , where she remained until she was arrested midday saturday , when the review was completed , kernan said .<doc-sep>originally named kathleen soliah , olson fled california after authorities began looking for her and then changed her name and lived for more than two decades as a fugitive before she was arrested in 1999 in minnesota . she had married and was raising three daughters . many residents rallied to olson 's cause and helped post bail for her . but one group in california , the los angeles police protective league , denounced her release . `` she needs to serve her full time in prison for these crimes and does not deserve time off for working in prison , '' the group said . `` after participating in one killing and attempting two more , she managed to elude authorities and live a guilt-free middle class life for decades . criminals who attempt to murder police officers should not be able to escape justice simply because they have good lawyers . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's irving last contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- jon opsahl said he does n't think domestic terrorist-turned-housewife sara jane olson served nearly enough time for his mother 's murder , but he 's relieved the saga ended with olson 's tuesday release from prison . sara jane olson was released from a california prison tuesday after serving seven years . olson , a member of the self-styled revolutionary symbionese liberation army -- perhaps best known for kidnapping patricia hearst -- was released from a california prison after serving seven years , the california department of corrections and rehabilitation said . she was released to her husband just after midnight and is expected to serve her yearlong parole term in minnesota -- over the the objections of police unions and minnesota gov. tim pawlenty . her sentence stems from her involvement in the 1975 attempted bombings of two police cars and the slaying of myrna opsahl during a bank robbery that same year . back then , olson went by her birth name , kathleen anne soliah . after her 1976 indictment in the attempted bombings , she changed her name and started a new life in st. paul , minnesota . she was not apprehended until 1999 . `` i 've really got nothing to say . she did her time , as minimal as that may have been , '' said jon opsahl , who was 15 when his mother was killed . `` one of those years -- just one -- was for the murder of my mom and the bank robbery up in carmichael . '' myrna opsahl , a mother of four , was depositing money at the crocker national bank for her church when she was shot by olson 's co-defendant emily montague harris , according to court documents . harris was sentenced to eight years ; she served four and was released on parole in february 2007 . jon opsahl , now 49 , said he never understood why it took so long to bring his mother 's killers to justice . while charges were filed in the bombings within months , no charges were brought in his mother 's murder until 2002 . `` you expect thugs to do what thugs do , but you do n't expect the district attorney to turn a blind eye to the murder of an upstanding citizen , '' jon opsahl said monday . olson 's release tuesday will cap an oft-strange storyline that spans more than three decades and which saw olson wear the hats of college student , 1970s radical , housewife and philanthropist . attorney andy dawkins met olson , now 62 , shortly after she moved to st. paul through friends in the reggae band , pressure drop . fred peterson , olson 's husband , played trumpet in the band , dawkins said . `` she did good deeds everywhere . she raised three wonderful daughters . it was always a shock to all of us that the sara we know had that past , '' dawkins said .<doc-sep>in the david o. russell dramedy , lawrence plays rosalyn rosenfeld , a '70s housewife with a penchant for belting out the era 's hits while scrubbing down her home . in the movie , lawrence sings along to wings ' `` live and let die '' with such fervor it left us wishing she had a second career as a cover band frontwoman .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- jon opsahl said he does n't think domestic terrorist-turned-housewife sara jane olson served nearly enough time for his mother 's murder , but he 's relieved the saga ended with olson 's tuesday release from prison . sara jane olson was released from a california prison tuesday after serving seven years . olson , a member of the self-styled revolutionary symbionese liberation army -- perhaps best known for kidnapping patricia hearst -- was released from a california prison after serving seven years , the california department of corrections and rehabilitation said . she was released to her husband just after midnight and is expected to serve her yearlong parole term in minnesota -- over the the objections of police unions and minnesota gov. tim pawlenty . her sentence stems from her involvement in the 1975 attempted bombings of two police cars and the slaying of myrna opsahl during a bank robbery that same year . back then , olson went by her birth name , kathleen anne soliah . after her 1976 indictment in the attempted bombings , she changed her name and started a new life in st. paul , minnesota . she was not apprehended until 1999 . `` i 've really got nothing to say . she did her time , as minimal as that may have been , '' said jon opsahl , who was 15 when his mother was killed . `` one of those years -- just one -- was for the murder of my mom and the bank robbery up in carmichael . '' myrna opsahl , a mother of four , was depositing money at the crocker national bank for her church when she was shot by olson 's co-defendant emily montague harris , according to court documents . harris was sentenced to eight years ; she served four and was released on parole in february 2007 . jon opsahl , now 49 , said he never understood why it took so long to bring his mother 's killers to justice . while charges were filed in the bombings within months , no charges were brought in his mother 's murder until 2002 . `` you expect thugs to do what thugs do , but you do n't expect the district attorney to turn a blind eye to the murder of an upstanding citizen , '' jon opsahl said monday . olson 's release tuesday will cap an oft-strange storyline that spans more than three decades and which saw olson wear the hats of college student , 1970s radical , housewife and philanthropist . attorney andy dawkins met olson , now 62 , shortly after she moved to st. paul through friends in the reggae band , pressure drop . fred peterson , olson 's husband , played trumpet in the band , dawkins said . `` she did good deeds everywhere . she raised three wonderful daughters . it was always a shock to all of us that the sara we know had that past , '' dawkins said . after attending the university of california , santa barbara , olson moved to berkeley in the early 1970s . there , she met angela atwood in 1972 , and the two became best friends and roommates , olson told l.a. weekly in a 2002 interview shortly before she was imprisoned . after atwood and five other sla members were killed in a 1974 gunfight with the los angeles police department , olson appeared at a memorial in berkeley 's ho chi minh park to eulogize her friend . `` sla soldiers , although i know it 's not necessary to say , keep fighting . i 'm with you , and we are with you , '' olson told the crowd . almost a year later , olson took part in two bank robberies to help fund the sla , according to court documents . during the carmichael robbery , olson `` entered the bank with a firearm and kicked a nonresisting pregnant teller in the stomach . the teller miscarried after the robbery , '' the documents said . in august 1975 , los angeles police found homemade bombs under two squad cars . they were designed to explode when the car moved , but neither device detonated . authorities cast the attempted bombings as payback for the bloody shootout that left atwood and other sla members dead .<doc-sep>he worked as a bakery manager before moving onto being a general manager of mr kipling 's cakes in stoke-on-trent in the 1960s . he added : ` it was great to see the pictures again of everyone , old relatives , it brought a tear to my eye . ` it was great to see my wife looking so lovely on her big day and i am so glad we have managed to get it back . ` the family ca n't believe it , they 're . amazed and excited , they have n't seen this sort of thing before so it . is brilliant it has come back into our lives . ' housewife rose said : ' i am very very happy , it is nice to see all the old memories . looking back : the couple are pictured on their wedding day with relatives . celebration : this image shows many other friends and family members who attended the wedding . ` the pictures are clear and it is only the cover that is slightly tattered . ` how we managed to lose it is a mystery , i really do n't know how it ended up in that skip . ` we . just could n't believe it when we got it back , we have n't been back to . birmingham since the 70s , i just have no idea how it got there . ` we are full of nostalgia . ' emotional : mr roach said it was great to see the wedding pictures , which brought a tear to his eye . this shows the cover of the album . confirmation : this shows the page in the album confirming the couple 's wedding details . | <t> new : sara jane olson 's attorney says she can not be treated as `` yo-yo '' </t> <t> ex-symbionese liberation army member freed monday after serving about six years . </t> <t> california department of corrections says clerical error led to release . </t> <t> her earliest release date is now march 17 , 2009 . </t> | '70s radical-turned-housewife back in prison<T> |
atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- artist robert west is proud of his connection to the pullman company . his grandfather , allen parrish , was a pullman porter and helped inspire some of his train paintings . robert west paints his latest project in his atlanta , georgia , studio . `` when i was growing up , we would often take grandfather to work at the train station . i became impressed and mesmerized with trains through this experience . this passion ultimately led me to become a full-time railroad illustrator , '' west said . the pullman company was one of the largest employers of african-americans in the 1920s and '30s . it hired them as porters in railroad sleeping cars to assist railroad passengers and make up beds . these jobs were once highly regarded in the black community because they offered the opportunity to travel and better pay and security than most jobs open to blacks at the time .<doc-sep>west says trains have an important place in african-american history -- from symbolism in negro spirituals to a real conveyance for the mass migration of blacks moving to the north in the 1930s , '40s and '50s . `` trains have so long symbolized hope , freedom and power -- what better metaphor could there be to represent our struggle and our assimilation into mainstream american life , '' west said . many of west 's paintings depict historical scenes with the now defunct atlantic coast line railroad , because that 's where his grandfather worked for many years . watch award-winning artist on trains and history '' west paints other trains , including the steam , gas turbine , electric , as well as first through sixth generation diesel electric locomotives . he wears a conductor 's hat as he works . `` i think it 's important that all the cultures in the united states look back at our history by way of the railroads , '' west said . `` it was through our contributions to the railroads , that also pushed us forward as a nation and as a human race . ''<doc-sep>west has been drawing and painting trains since the age of 2 . in 1973 , he decided to make railroad illustrating a profession . through the years his work has won several awards in shows of national and regional scope . `` i 'm probably more of a visual historian more than anything else , because i conduct weeks , months , sometimes years of research prior to doing a painting , '' he said . west has painted more than 500 original works , which have sold across the united states and around the world . train enthusiasts are his largest market . `` when one looks at my paintings , i like for them to not only feel a sense of joy , but to feel good about times when times were happier , kinder , and gentler , '' he said . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>while looking around the internet for dolls for his wife emma , he noticed some of the dolls available had extremely lifelike faces . in 2001 he decided to paint his first doll - a made-up female - before becoming confident enough to take on some of the planet 's biggest celebrities . noel buys barbies and other dolls from normal toy stores , then spends days transforming them into stars , using paint , mini wigs and doll-sized clothes . noel , who lives in tustin in california , usa became interested in painting dolls by accident - his wife has been a collector of dolls for years . pictured is sheldon cooper from the big bang theory . in the future , noel , whose background is as a portrait artist , hopes to work on characters from hits like breaking bad and game of thrones . the artist , 53 , usually paints popular celebrities and characters from films like lord of the rings , harry potter and , more recently , hunger games . the artist , 53 , usually paints popular celebrities and characters from films like lord of the rings , harry potter and , more recently , hunger games . in the future , noel , whose background is as a portrait artist , hopes to work on characters from hits like breaking bad and game of thrones . but his favourite characters to create are classic hollywood stars such as marilyn monroe and bette davis . he added : ' i gravitate towards celebrities because there are so many pictures of them available it 's more of a challenge . ' his favourite characters to create are classic hollywood stars such as marilyn monroe and bette davis . noel gravitates towards celebrities because there are so many pictures of them available , so it 's more of a challenge . everyone from lady gaga -lrb- pictured -rrb- to marilyn monroe has been turned into a doll . noel has made several versions of michael jackson throughout the years .<doc-sep>by . john naish . like many artists , arthur ellis paints the things he sees around him . this is why his paintings are inspired by dizzyingly high precipices , towering piles of sofas , cartoon animals and even victorian dolls that have come to life . but in fact , arthur is completely blind . the 66-year-old from southborough , kent , lost his sight after a near-fatal bout of meningitis that damaged his optic nerve seven years ago . but instead of experiencing only darkness , he lives amid a vivid world of hallucinatory visions . his illness has left him with a strange , but surprisingly common , condition called charles bonnet syndrome . painting in the dark : artist arthur ellis , 66 , from southborough , kent , lives amid a vivid world of hallucinatory visions , despite being completely blind . an estimated two million people in britain experience often bizarre visual hallucinations , according to the institute of psychiatry . often these are caused by charles bonnet syndrome , which is named after an 18th-century swiss scientist and philosopher who identified the condition in his grandfather , who was nearly blind from cataracts . such visual hallucinations are most commonly are associated with medical conditions affecting the brain or vision , such as parkinson 's , dementia and the relatively common eye condition , macular degeneration . the latter develops when the macula , the part of the eye responsible for central vision , starts to fail . it is most commonly age-related , and some 460,000 britons suffer from it -- with around one in five of those thought to develop charles bonnet syndrome . another world : one of mr ellis 's paintings , drawn from his hallucinations after his blindness . when a person suddenly loses his or her sight , the brain can start to overcompensate for blindness by filling blank spots with stored images .<doc-sep>` but also two notebooks of drawings , work tools that he would never have given away . the issue is not whether picasso was generous or not . picasso was n't someone who was careless about his works -- he did n't give away just for the sake of it . ' charles-etienne gudin , lawyer for the couple , said the works came from the artist 's ` grands-augustins ' studio on paris 's left bank . he said that mr le guennec would never have stolen the picasso 's villa , describing it as a ` fortress ' watched over night and day by security guards . the trial , which is due to last three weeks , comes after marina picasso , the artist 's granddaughter , said she was selling off the famous villa , along with a selection of his work , for up to # 190m . ms picasso wrote a memoir ` picasso : my grandfather ' in 2001 , in which she accused him of destroying her childhood . picasso 's works are the most stolen of any artist in history . he has more than 1,000 paintings registered as taken unlawfully , missing or disputed . another picasso drawing , this time of a horse , from pierre le guennec 's collection that he kept in his garage . two of the newly discovered picasso drawings , one in a notebook -lrb- above left -rrb- , and the other called ` nature morte verre ' -lrb- still life glass -rrb- .<doc-sep>ramesh kumar , who has been a street tattoo artist for four years , says most of his clients are young people and students who want to get the names of their girlfriend or boyfriend inked on their body . others want images of gods or will pick a design from the tattooist 's own creations . he says he never gets any complaints from customers regarding infections . some of the so-called ` artists ' are actually just amateurs who draw wonky designs or misspell names . some use acrylic paints which can harm the skin , rather than the specialist ink utilised by professionals . the tattoo artists line the streets of delhi 's old quarter day after day enticing customers with their cheap prices . but the practice is illegal and they make sure their equipment is easily portable for when the police arrive and give chase . however , it is never that long before they are back up and running again - and looking for new clients . many hard-up youngsters are willing to run the risk of contracting a life-threatening illness to save going to a professional tattoo parlour , where designs can cost hundreds of pounds . ramesh kumar , who has been a street tattoo artist for four years , says most of his clients are young people and students who want to get the names of their girlfriend or boyfriend inked on their body . some of the so-called ` artists ' are actually just amateurs who draw wonky designs or misspell names . some use acrylic paints which can harm the skin , rather than the specialist ink utilised by professionals . while many opt for the name of their loved one , other people ask for designs of hindu gods or a design of the artist 's own creation . | <t> robert west was inspired by family history to paint trains . </t> <t> artist 's grandfather was a pullman train porter . </t> <t> `` visual historian '' does a lot of research before painting . </t> | artist paints his grandfather 's history<T> |
kiev , ukraine -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a planned missile defense system in eastern europe poses no threat to russia , president george bush said tuesday , responding to concerns that the u.s. might use interceptor missiles for offensive purposes . president bush , with president viktor yushchenko , praised ukraine 's democratic and military reforms . `` the missile defense system is not aimed at russia , '' bush said at a news conference in kiev following talks with the ukrainian president . `` it 's viewed as an anti-russian device . well , it 's not . '' his comments came before he left kiev for a nato summit in bucharest , romania , that is expected to highlight divisions over the plan . the summit begins wednesday . russia and some european countries have expressed concerns about the missile defense system . while poland and the czech republic have agreed to host parts of the system , others in europe share russian concerns that the defensive shield could be used for offensive aims . outside the u.s. embassy in kiev on monday , protesters gathered to denounce bush 's visit . they chanted , thrust signs into the air -- one reading , `` yankee go home '' -- and burned an effigy of bush in the street . watch the demonstration '' the u.s. has tried to dissuade opposition over the plan . washington offered to allow russian monitors at the missile sites and to negotiate limits to the system over time . the united states also told russia the system would not be operational until iran test-fires a missile that could threaten europe .<doc-sep>many european countries do n't believe the u.s. assertion that the system is needed to guard against imminent threats from iran or north korea . europe is dependent on russia for at least 40 percent of its oil and is reluctant to upset the kremlin . the issue will likely be divisive at this week 's three-day nato summit , where russian president vladimir putin plans to make a rare appearance . putin normally declines invitations to attend . bush is slated to meet sunday with putin in the russian resort city of sochi on the black sea , according to ria novosti . it will be the last meeting between the two men before the outgoing russian president steps down , the russian news agency reported . russia also is unhappy with nato 's eastward march . the alliance has already welcomed former soviet republics such as latvia , lithuania and estonia . bush is pushing hard for georgia and ukraine to join nato as well . before leaving tuesday for bucharest , bush said that russia will not be able to veto georgia 's or ukraine 's inclusion into nato . bush said that both countries should be able to take part in nato 's membership action plan , or map , which is designed to help aspiring countries meet the requirements of joining the alliance . `` i strongly believe that ukraine and georgia should be given map , '' bush said . `` and there 's no tradeoffs , period . ''<doc-sep>the u.s. president further said he was working `` as hard as i can '' to ensure the two countries are accepted into the map and that russia will have no power to block their inclusion . in remarks last month , former u.s. ambassador to ukraine steven pifer told the u.s. commission on security and cooperation in europe that nato `` has long made clear that any decision regarding membership is between nato and the country concerned , and not subject to veto by any third party . '' russia is not a nato member but works with the alliance via the nato-russia council . russia 's concerns also align with those of some nato members who oppose welcoming georgia and ukraine into the fold . pifer said last month that nato should strive to maintain good relations with russia , but `` should not allow moscow a veto , either explicit or tacit , over relations between the alliance and third countries . '' allowing russia a say , pifer said , `` would encourage those in russia who wish to reassert a russian-led post-soviet bloc rather than develop a relationship of cooperation and full partnership with europe and the west . '' bush said he phoned putin recently to reassure him on both issues . `` nato is an organization that 's peaceful . nato is an organization that helps democracies flourish . and democracies are good things to have on your border , '' bush said he told putin .<doc-sep>ukrainian president viktor yushchenko said his country should be able to start the nato membership process . `` we are not speaking about joining nato ; we are only speaking about map , '' he said at the news conference . `` why should ukraine be deprived of that sovereign right , since the principle of open doors is the basic principle for nato ? '' bush added that ukraine already contributes to nato missions , specifically in iraq , afghanistan and kosovo . ukraine also has demonstrated a commitment to democracy , he said . responding to a reporter 's question , bush denied that the united states might ease off on membership plans for ukraine and georgia if russia acquiesces on the missile shield . both issues threaten to destabilize nato , said jane sharp of the center for war studies at king 's college london , but she has heard particularly sharp criticism of the missile defense plan . `` somebody in the uk ministry of defense said to me , ` we are being dragged along on this missile defense thing to the american trough like pigs with rings in our noses , ' '' sharp said . `` it 's a nuisance for europeans , and i think they are irritated with the czechs and the poles for trying to do deals with the americans . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>`` the whole purpose of this exercise we are undertaking is to diminish the prospect of the iranians destabilizing that region in the world . i am less concerned -- much less concerned -- about the iranian potential . they have no potential at this moment , they have no capacity to launch a missile at the united states of america , '' he said . biden said he is `` deeply '' involved in the review of the missile defense program . see how the system would work '' | see a map of the proposed sites '' the bush administration had cited the perceived nuclear threat from iran as one of the key reasons it wanted to install the missile shield in eastern europe . the u.s. reversal is likely to please russia , which had fiercely opposed the plans . is the u.s. right to scrap plans for a missile defense shield in europe ? sound off below . a u.s. delegation held high-level meetings thursday in both poland and the czech republic to discuss the missile defense system . while the outcome of the meetings was n't clear , officials in both countries confirmed the system would be scrapped .<doc-sep>with talks deadlocked between the united states and russia over plans to deploy a missile defense shield in europe , a top russian general raised the possibility of a possible pre-emptive strike against launch sites if a deal could not be reached . the warning by gen. nikolai makarov followed the conclusion of the international missile defense conference in russia , where russian officials lobbied against the missile shield . `` taking into account the destabilizing nature of the missile defense system and , in particular , creating an illusion of an unpunishable strike , the decision about a pre-emptive use of force will be made in a period of heightened tension , '' makarov said . the obama administration and its european allies have been trying to ease russia 's fears over the project by insisting that the system is directed toward countering the missile threat from the middle east from which russia also needs protection . since nato approved the u.s.-designed system at last year 's summit , poland , romania , spain and turkey have agreed to deploy parts of it . nato asked russia to participate in the system but negotiations have been deadlocked over russia 's demand for a legally binding treaty guaranteeing the shield would not be used as a deterrent to moscow 's own systems .<doc-sep>by contrast , russia may view the move as a diplomatic victory after complaining about the program consistently for years . there was no comment thursday morning from russian officials . but the issue has been a sore point in relations between washington and moscow , with russia believing the shield would ultimately erode its own strategic nuclear deterrent . with the program scrapped , it opens the way for russia to join with the united states in taking a harder line on iran , cnn correspondent matthew chance reported from moscow . the united states proposed the plans under then-president george w. bush , but since taking over this year , the obama administration has been reviewing whether to move ahead with them . the missile shield issue came up in july during a meeting between obama and russian president dmitry medvedev in moscow . obama maintained that russia had nothing to fear from such a system , which would be designed to intercept a solitary missile from iran or north korea , as opposed to `` a mighty russian arsenal . '' cnn 's suzanne malveaux in washington and per nyberg in london , england , contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iran 's supreme leader on sunday blasted u.s. plans to overhaul the setup for a missile defense shield in europe , calling the obama administration 's intentions `` anti-iranian , '' state-run media reported . ayatollah ali khamenei says the u.s. president is following `` anti-islamic and anti-iranian '' policies . ayatollah ali khamenei also called western concerns about iran 's nuclear ambitions -- which tehran says are only for energy purposes -- `` purely a fabrication by the united states , '' according to the islamic republic news agency . `` this is something that is in the doctrine of anti-iranianism , since the policy and the 30-year-old history of the islamic republic has proven that iran wants to live in peace and under the spirit of equality and fraternity , with its muslim neighbors and the rest of the world , '' ayatollah ali khamenei said . on thursday , president obama said the united states is significantly overhauling bush-era plans for a missile defense shield in europe , based partly on the latest analysis of iran 's offensive capabilities . the `` new missile defense architecture in europe '' will be ready faster , work with existing technology and provide better missile defense than the program proposed by former president george w. bush , obama said . obama said the change of gears was based on an `` updated intelligence assessment '' about iran 's ability to hit europe with missiles . the islamic republic 's `` short - and medium-range '' missiles pose the most current threat , he said , and `` this new ballistic missile defense will best address '' that threat . khamenei , speaking on the first day of eid al-fitr , a festive end to the muslim holy month of ramadan , countered by comparing obama to his predecessor . `` america , under its former president , spared no efforts against the muslim world as well as against iran , '' khamenei said . `` even the current administration -- with the apparently friendly words and messages -- follows that same anti-islamic and anti-iranian policy of the past . '' the bush-era proposal called for the united states to set up a radar site in the czech republic and 10 missile interceptors in poland to counter the threat of iran launching long-range missiles at america 's allies in europe . the new system will have `` hundreds '' of missile interceptors instead , a pentagon official said last week . it also will have mobile radars , including some in space , `` that can move to wherever the threat actually emanates and wherever we feel we need to defend ourselves , '' said gen. james cartwright , vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff . | <t> new : bush : russia ca n't veto georgia 's , ukraine 's inclusion in nato 's map program . </t> <t> european countries share doubts that system is designed to deter iran , north korea . </t> <t> u.s. president says he will push for ukraine , georgia to join nato . </t> <t> analyst says both issues threaten to destabilize nato . </t> | bush : missile shield no threat to russia<T> |
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