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nairobi , kenya -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ethnic fighting once again engulfed kenya 's western rift valley on sunday as witnesses and red cross officials reported brutal attacks by members of president mwai kibaki 's kikuyu tribe on other ethnic groups . police attempt to secure a street in naivasha , where violence flared on sunday . the violence spread to the rift valley town of naivasha on sunday , where the red cross said there were reports of people being burned alive in their homes . kenya 's main opposition party and the red cross said as many as 30 people were killed . ethnic killings continued in the nearby rift valley town of nakuru , where another 47 people have died since the latest wave of violence began on thursday , according to the opposition orange democratic movement . the opposition death toll is much higher than police figures , which do not include sunday 's violence in naivasha . police say 31 people have died in the rift valley region since last thursday . watch cnn 's zain verjee report on the violence '' in a statement released sunday , odm leader raila odinga condemned reports of 30 people being burned alive in their naivasha homes and blamed the kibaki government for fomenting the violence in the region . `` i condemn this murderous and evil act in the strongest terms possible , '' he said . `` what is now emerging is that criminal gangs , in a killing spree , working under police protection , are part of a well-orchestrated plan of terror . '' it is a dramatic turn of events , considering odinga was shaking kibaki 's hand three days ago after the two met under the auspices of former united nations secretary-general kofi annan . many had hoped thursday 's meeting , arranged by annan who is mediating peace efforts , would bring an end to the outbreak of bloody ethnic battles that followed last month 's contested presidential vote . but it seems to have had the opposite effect . odinga blamed kibaki 's government for orchestrating the rift valley violence `` to try to influence mediation efforts '' and `` to divert -lrb- attention -rrb- from election malpractice to security and violence . '' `` after stealing the elections from kenyans , kibaki now wishes to deny them justice and peace , '' odinga said . a red cross official said the agency had received reports of a non-kikuyu family burned to death in their house in naivasha . television footage showed a man in the back of a police vehicle covered in blood with a large machete wound on the side of his head . kenyan police dispersed large gangs and cleared rocks littering the streets of the lakeside town , which is dominated by kikuyu . tree branches , heavy boulders and oil drums littered the streets of naivasha 's town center as the kikuyu gangs erected temporary road blocks , cnn correspondent zain verjee reported . she said the atmosphere was tense as the gangs checked cars to identify rival tribes . verjee said there was a heavy police presence on the outskirts of the town . some shops remained open but the town center was almost deserted except for the roaming gangs . it was a similar situation in nakuru on sunday , where odm member the rev. mike brawan said members of the kikuyu tribe `` are flushing out the non-kikuyus from their houses . '' he said kikuyus are going house-to-house , attacking civilians who are not members of the tribe , as well as looting and burning their property . police , he said , `` are not doing much . '' brawan said he saw homes burned and people hacked to death in the violence . `` they just die with a lot of pain , '' he said . it is estimated -- depending on the source -- that between 500 and 1,000 people have been killed in the violence that followed the december 27 election in which kibaki kept his post . odinga , the omd candidate for president , and his supporters claim the election was rigged . international observers noted some irregularities in the voting . fighting , centered in western kenya and nairobi 's slums , broke out between tribes loyal to kibaki and odinga after kibaki was declared the winner of recent elections . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's zain verjee and stephanie halasz contributed to this report .<doc-sep>nairobi , kenya -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ethnic fighting once again engulfed kenya 's western rift valley on sunday as witnesses and red cross officials reported brutal attacks by members of president mwai kibaki 's kikuyu tribe on other ethnic groups . the violence spread to the rift valley town of naivasha on sunday , where the red cross said there were reports of people being burned alive in their homes . kenya 's main opposition party and the red cross said as many as 30 people were killed . ethnic killings continued in the nearby rift valley town of nakuru , where another 47 people have died since the latest wave of violence began on thursday , according to the opposition orange democratic movement . the opposition death toll is much higher than police figures , which do not include sunday 's violence in naivasha . police say 31 people have died in the rift valley region since last thursday . watch cnn 's zain verjee report on the violence '' in a statement released sunday , odm leader raila odinga condemned reports of 30 people being burned alive in their naivasha homes and blamed the kibaki government for fomenting the violence in the region . `` i condemn this murderous and evil act in the strongest terms possible , '' he said .<doc-sep>nairobi , kenya -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an american diplomat has described the violence in kenya 's rift valley as `` clear ethnic cleansing '' aimed at chasing out members of the kikuyu tribe who are loyal to president mwai kibaki . however , u.s. envoy jendayi frazer said she did not believe the ethnic clashes that have brought kenya to its knees following disputed elections last month could be classed as genocide . the violence she saw this month while visiting the rift valley , where luos people are fighting kikuyus , `` was clear ethnic cleansing , '' she told reporters at an african union summit in addis ababa on wednesday . `` the aim originally was not to kill , it was to cleanse , it was to push them out of the region , '' she said , according to the associated press . former u.n. secretary-general kofi annan on tuesday pleaded with kenya 's government to take `` extraordinary measures '' to protect civilians hours after an opposition lawmaker was killed outside his home . hundreds have died in fighting sparked by last month 's presidential election , which opponents insist was rigged to ensure kibaki 's re-election . `` kenya , which has long been a stable and peaceful country , today is in turmoil with innocent men , women and children being hounded and killed , '' annan told kenya 's national assembly before heading into talks with kibaki and opposition leader raila odinga .<doc-sep>nairobi , kenya -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- kenya will hold a general election on march 4 next year , the country 's independent electoral and boundaries commission chairman issak hassan announced saturday . the vote will be the first since ethnic violence followed disputed elections four years ago and left more than 1,000 people dead and 350,000 displaced , according to the kenya red cross . in that election , both mwai kibaki , the incumbent , and challenger raila odinga claimed to have won . the post-election chaos escalated into ethnic violence with members of the president 's tribe , the kikuyu , fighting members of odinga 's luo tribe and other groups . the two later entered into a power-sharing agreement , with odinga named prime minister and kibaki named president . setting the date for new elections has been a contentious process . under the old constitution , the president had the power to dissolve parliament after which the electoral body would announce the election date . but under the new constitution , agreed in 2010 , the election date is already set -- it 's in august , every five years . however , because kenya is in a unique situation -- it has a coalition government following the 2007 disputed elections -- the president and prime minister have to agree on when to dissolve the coalition parliament to pave way for the electoral body to set an election date . this scenario generated ambiguity as to when the next general election would be held , which led a group of kenyans to move to the high court . the court ruling gave two options . one was that the president and prime minister agree on a date to dissolve the coalition , allowing the election to be called .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- on december 30 2007 , incumbent president mwai kibaki was announced the winner of kenya 's highly contested presidential elections . against a backdrop of decades of economic frustration and simmering ethnic tensions , the violence that ensued , largely along ethnic lines , shocked both the nation and the world , threatening to set progress of the development community 's golden child back by decades . the violence shook kenya 's national identity to the core . more than 1,000 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in the chaotic bloodbath that followed . gangs took to the street armed with clubs , machetes , bows and arrows , hacking people to death , burning homes and destroying the country 's infrastructure , so critical to the region 's stability . on march 4 , kenyans will once again cast their votes for president . and despite tremendous efforts to prevent a repeat of the previous catastrophe , pre-election tensions are mounting . in august 2012 , at least 50 people were killed in a land dispute between the pokomo and orma people in the tana delta region , and in september , deadly riots were triggered by the killing of a muslim cleric in mombasa , sparking fears that a bloody election could be repeated . yet kenya 's tech-savvy activists are determined to prevent their nation slipping into chaos and with up to 93 % of kenyans using mobile phones , they 're harnessing the power of technology to monitor elections , report incidents of violence and encourage a peaceful process . read also : kenyan djs go without food for peaceful elections . following the 2007/8 election violence , an ad-hoc group of bloggers and technologists developed ushahidi -lrb- meaning `` witness '' in swahili -rrb- in just two days . the ushahidi crowdmap enabled citizens across the nation to report incidents of violence by sms or email . reports were compiled into an online map , providing the most comprehensive picture of the true situation in an environment where official sources were understating its true extent . | <t> red cross reports people being burned alive . </t> <t> ethnic fighting kills 47 people since thursday in western kenya , opposition says . </t> <t> violence follows meeting between president kibaki and opposition leader . </t> <t> more than 500 people have been killed in violence that followed the election . </t> | ethnic hatred fuels more kenya violence<T> |
in our behind the scenes series , cnn correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events . keith oppenheim is covering the controversy in irving , texas over authorities ' efforts to find illegal immigrants . irving , texas -- i certainly do n't think i look like a cop . with a blue blazer , and scruffy khakis i take into the field , i have that look of a reporter who 's trying to dress up just enough to be professional , but no more . protesters in irving , texas , demonstrate against a program that checks the immigration status of anyone arrested . so , it came as a surprise to me when i learned some latino men , day laborers who were standing around and hoping to get some work , thought i was a federal immigration officer . `` you thought i was from immigration ? '' i asked one . `` si '' , the man replied . my producer , patricia pedraza , translated the rest . `` the fear is with both immigration and the police . now you can not trust absolutely anybody . '' in irving , texas , a dallas suburb of about 200,000 people , right next to the big airport , an estimated 40 percent of the city is latino , and anecdotally , we 're told there are a lot of undocumented workers here , people who are in the u.s. illegally , but clearly do n't view themselves as criminals .<doc-sep>`` they take innocent people , they think we 're all the same , '' another undocumented worker told me . the fear is a reaction to what 's called the criminal alien program . since september of last year , irving police started to refer anyone arrested in their community to federal authorities , who check their immigration status . `` it 's only for people who have violated texas laws , and are arrested and brought into the irving jail , '' said larry boyd , irving 's police chief . as a result , referrals for deportations have shot up to 1,600 , more than 40 times the number from the year before . statistics from police show that while some of those referrals were for people who committed serious crimes , the majority were a result of misdemeanors and traffic warrants . many sources told me that a growing number of latinos here are afraid to drive . the risk is being caught with a suspended license , going to jail and getting deported . see the effect the program has had on irving '' but if some in the latino community are lying low , advocates for immigrants are speaking out -- accusing the city and police of targeting latinos without cause . `` we believe the criminal alien program is fundamentally wrong , '' says carlos quintanilla , an activist . `` that there is racial profiling going on . '' the city 's mayor , herbert gears , disagrees . he says police are not taking on the role of immigration officers .<doc-sep>`` we will make sure people are being treated fairly , '' he said . `` that people are n't being pulled over because of the color of their skin . '' as i spent more time in irving , i came to realize that outside the large latino community , there is broad support for the program . `` you have to start somewhere , '' said sheik shah , an irving resident who emigrated to the u.s. from india and is now an american citizen . `` because right now , we have so many loopholes for people to come in here and work illegally . '' some were more direct . i read from two tall stacks of printed e-mail addressed to the city council , which were overwhelmingly supported the criminal alien program . one read : `` please help deport all illegals . what part of illegal do they not understand ? '' another : `` thank god some people are doing something about this invasion . '' in the end , irving is in the middle of a profound disagreement , between those who feel it 's wrong to refer people to immigration authorities for nonviolent crimes and misdemeanors , and those who believe illegal immigration has gone too far -- that something has to be done . as irving city council member beth van duyne told me : `` we need to know who is in our city . if you 're committing a crime , we need to know who you are . i do n't think that 's too much to ask . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>cuellar said the law `` needs to be changed at this time . '' obama has asked congress to change the law but congress ' path forward is unclear . perry , however , refused to indicate a law signed by republican president george w. bush was part of the problem . he focused his demands on border security , which is the standard republican talking point on immigration reform . he said he 's only worried about one law : `` the constitution requires the united states to secure the border . and we 're not doing that . '' in response to customs and border enforcement commissioner , gil kerlikowske , saying he `` is confident '' the border patrol has the resources after the deployment of more than 250 additional agents recently , perry said maintained his insistence that lax border security is the problem . he is `` absolutely and totally wrong , '' perry said , noting that texas has seven agents per mile compared with 15 per mile along other parts of the border . showdown over immigration : `` this is an invasion ' cnn 's ashley killough and greg clary contributed to this report .<doc-sep>much of the 90-minute debate featured the two candidates staking out similar positions on issues like iraq , the economy and immigration . watch the candidates weigh in on the economy '' `` it was a very odd debate -- the questioners had to beg them to differ with each other , '' said cnn senior political analyst bill schneider . see what cnn 's political team thought of the showdown '' the debate was the first the two have participated in since they met in los angeles january 31 . five days later , the two effectively split the victories on super tuesday . but since then , obama has rolled to 11 straight wins , a streak that leaves clinton needing wins in delegate-rich texas and ohio on march 4 . vermont and rhode island also hold primaries that day . texas is the biggest prize , with 193 democratic delegates . going into those primaries , obama leads clinton by 140 pledged delegates . responding to a question from the panel , clinton 's sharpest attack on obama came when she went after him for borrowing lines from a speech by massachusetts gov. deval patrick , his campaign co-chairman , in his own campaign speeches . the clinton campaign has called that plagiarism .<doc-sep>less than a year later , cruz would throw his hat in the ring to succeed kay bailey hutchison in the senate and continue his fight from washington rather than texas . after only seven months in town , cruz 's political talents are obvious . his drive to push the republican party into a budget showdown over obamacare reflects his passionate opposition to the aca and a shrewd assessment of the temperature of the grassroots base . he 's also a staunch opponent of the gang of eight immigration reform bill , a position based first on his principles but clearly consonant with many rank-and-file republicans . the immigration bill pitted him against another talented republican newcomer , sen. marco rubio of florida , one of its authors and vocal proponents , although both are allied on the strategy to overturn obamacare . cruz 's rapid ascent has rallied conservative activists and has many speculating over his potential impact on the 2016 presidential race . in fact , enough people are speculating on it that donald trump and ann coulter have been moved to cast doubts on his eligibility to run . -lrb- cruz was born in canada , but his mother is a native of delaware and a u.s. citizen , which would qualify cruz as native-born under the broadly accepted definition of the term . -rrb- . opinion : ted cruz can be president , probably .<doc-sep>judge conley questioned that contention , saying , `` the current system already handles efficiently the very low percentage of women seeking abortions with serious complications . '' cnn reached out to walker 's office for response and is awaiting a response . texas abortion showdown continues . cnn 's cristy lenz contributed to this report . | <t> illegal immigrants say they fear new crackdown . </t> <t> authorities running immigration checks on all people arrested in irving . </t> <t> deportations up sharply since crackdown began . </t> | oppenheim : immigration showdown in texas<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an ohio distributor is recalling about 6 million chinese-made tire valve stems after concluding that some of them were improperly made and could increase the risk of accidents . an ohio distributor is recalling 6 million chinese-made car tire valve stems . tech international , the part 's johnstown , ohio-based distributor , estimates that just 8,600 of roughly 6 million of those valves are defective . the valve is a replacement snap-in tire valve -- model no . tr413 -- manufactured between july and november 2006 .<doc-sep>it was imported by tech international from manufacturer shanghai baolong industries co. in shanghai , china , according to the national highway traffic safety administration . according to the recall , the rubber part of the valve may crack after being in use for about six months , causing a gradual loss of tire pressure . continuing to drive on underinflated tires can cause them to burst , possibly leading to crashes . tech international told the nhtsa that the company does n't have records of the final purchasers of the valve stems .<doc-sep>according to the company , the defect was identified after `` a small number '' of the valves were reported by customers and one distributor to have failed . the samples were shipped to china , and , in march , baolong concluded that some valves could be defective . `` the cause of the defect is likely improper mixing of the rubber compound in the manufacturer 's facility , '' tech international wrote in a letter to the transportation safety authority .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an ohio distributor is recalling about 6 million chinese-made tire valve stems after concluding that some of them were improperly made and could increase the risk of accidents . an ohio distributor is recalling 6 million chinese-made car tire valve stems . tech international , the part 's johnstown , ohio-based distributor , estimates that just 8,600 of roughly 6 million of those valves are defective . the valve is a replacement snap-in tire valve -- model no . tr413 -- manufactured between july and november 2006 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a man died after his car plunged 600 feet off the edge of the grand canyon 's south rim , authorities said tuesday . about 5 million people visit the grand canyon in arizona each year . the arizona park 's regional communications center received several reports of a car driving off the edge about 6 a.m. monday , according to a written statement . `` upon arriving at the scene , investigators found tire tracks leading to the edge behind the thunderbird lodge and received reports of a single occupant in a blue passenger car driving over the edge , '' the statement said .<doc-sep>it was imported by tech international from manufacturer shanghai baolong industries co. in shanghai , china , according to the national highway traffic safety administration . according to the recall , the rubber part of the valve may crack after being in use for about six months , causing a gradual loss of tire pressure . continuing to drive on underinflated tires can cause them to burst , possibly leading to crashes . tech international told the nhtsa that the company does n't have records of the final purchasers of the valve stems .<doc-sep>amille harris , an eyewitness , told abc that a ups worker got atwater 's phone and was able to call her family . harris added that it was distressing to watch her last words to her family . ` she was just mumbling and whining . there was nothing she could do it was sad , ' harris said . distressing : atwater was pinned against a wall by the out-of-control truck . the sad incident happened on atlantic avenue and clinton street in brooklyn heights . ` she was pinned under the car . there was no blood , nothing she could do . her leg was caught under the tire . it was gory , ' harris recalled . atwater bought five horseshoe-shaped cookies from the bagel cafe before being struck by the truck . the cafe manager alauddin shipun told the new york post : ` she just came in to buy cookies . she looked happy , she was smiling . ' | <t> ohio-based distributor says valves are n't working properly , could cause accidents . </t> <t> tech international estimates that just 8,600 of 6 million are defective . </t> <t> snap-in tire valve , model tr413 , was made between july and november 2006 . </t> <t> continuing to drive on underinflated tires can cause them to burst . </t> | 6 million car tire stems recalled<T> |
new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- flight attendant sheela joshi is 5 feet , 4 inches and 148 pounds . air india has strict weight parameters that all attendants must meet . when they do n't , the airline grounds them . her employer , air india , says she is too fat to fly . joshi , 50 , has been an air hostess -- as they are still called in india -- for the national airline for 26 years . but she 's been grounded because the airline has done away with its wiggle room on weight . until two years ago , air india allowed an attendant 's weight to vary within 6.6 pounds -lrb- 3 kilograms -rrb- of a specified limit . it has since put in place strict weight parameters that all attendants must meet . when they do n't , the airline grounds them without pay until they shed the excess pounds . the airline says that someone who is sheila 's age , height and weight should weigh 143 pounds -lrb- 65 kilograms -rrb- . she misses the mark by 5 pounds . `` it 's very demoralizing , '' joshi told cnn . `` and ... it 's quite humiliating . ''<doc-sep>`` weight is always on my mind , '' she added . `` they can tell you , ` you look overweight . please go . ' '' joshi and 12 other grounded attendants sued the airline for weight discrimination . air india fought back , saying the employees knew the job requirements when they signed up and did n't express concern . watch airline defend its position '' furthermore , it said , appearance and physical fitness are vital parts of an attendant 's job . '' -lrb- a -rrb- safety concern is also there , '' said air india 's lawyer , rupinder singh suri . `` because it 's a high action job . and in case of emergencies , the person has to accelerate and move at a very , very fast pace . '' weight used to be a consideration for airlines in the united states , as well . then , a series of weight-discrimination lawsuits forced carriers to do away with it . now `` most airlines want candidates with weight proportionate to height , '' according to the u.s. labor department 's occupational outlook handbook .<doc-sep>in the india case , the airline has n't deemed any of the attendants medically unfit -- just over the weight limit . their attorney contends the move is actually about getting rid of older , well-compensated women in favor of younger ones who will do the job for less money . `` they have spent their entire life working for indian airlines , '' said lawyer arvind sharma . `` they were small girls when they came in now . they are 45-plus and they feel bad . '' the delhi high court recently sided with air india in the case . joshi 's attorney has vowed to appeal to the supreme court . in the meantime , joshi and some of her colleagues say they are n't taking any chances . they are going on diets to get airborne again .<doc-sep>mr rai added : ' i found out that the air india people had come and said they would take 15 people to fly from heathrow . the air india plane was found to have a technical fault on landing at birmingham airport which then led to the flight out to india being cancelled . ` they served us lunch and when i came back air india said there were now 50 seats available to fly from heathrow and they had enough people . ' mr rai went back to birmingham airport via taxi and was surprised to learn that some of the passengers had got onto a flight due to leave that evening despite being told there was no space . he claimed that when they went back to the holiday inn they were told that air india had not paid for a room so they returned to the airport where they were taken to the novotel hotel instead . mr rai said : ` it was chaos . there is no way we are going to make it . ' kam singh , aged 32 , from coventry , said his parents had also been travelling to a wedding and had been left stranded . the singhs were travelling to india to attend a week-long wedding that begins today , but the family feared if they did not get a flight by last night they would miss the start . some passengers were stranded at birmingham airport for 48 hours , meaning many missed appointments . ` they were meant to fly out on friday and they were told that a stone had hit the plane - there had been some sort of technical fault - so the plane could not depart , ' their son claimed . he said the service they had received from air india had been inadequate , despite spending # 1,200 on the flights .<doc-sep>an air india flight from london was delayed for nearly 12 hours because there were no pilots to fly the boeing 787 dreamliner back to new delhi , according to reports . the twin-engine airliner landed at heathrow airport on tuesday evening after a nine-hour journey and was scheduled to return to the indian capital the same night . but the departure did not take place because the airline ` had not positioned any pilots in london ' to operate the aircraft 's return leg , the times of india reported , quoting an unnamed source . the return leg was delayed because air india ` had not positioned any pilots in london ' , reports suggest .<doc-sep>by . associated press . the military 's new-generation of f-35 fighter jets are being allowed to fly again after a engine fire scare last month , but they wo n't be showcased at this farnborough international airshow in england as originally planned . navy . rear adm. john kirby says that while limited flights have been approved . for the aircraft , there are a number of restrictions that would make it . difficult for the fighter jets to fly across the atlantic to the . airshow . one restriction requires an engine inspection after every three hours of flight . the . entire fleet of nearly 100 planes was grounded after a fire at eglin . air force base in florida . kirby says inspections so far have not . revealed a systemic problem and defense officials feel ` increasingly . comfortable ' that the aircraft will be able to return to full flight . good to go : the pentagon is allowing f-35 fighter jets to fly again after an engine fire that happened last month in florida . one of the planes pictured above in this military handout from 2009 . the pentagon . announced on tuesday that navy and air force officials approved the .<doc-sep>however its high cost , lack of clear air-to-air combat missions because of delays in the russian and chinese fifth-generation fighter programs resulted in calls to end production . the final f-22 of 187 came off the assembly line on 13 december 2011 during a ceremony at dobbins air reserve base . he would not provide exact figures on the number of pilots who have asked not to fly the jets and said each pilot 's request would be handled individually . air force officials insist the airplane is safe to fly - hostage noted that he 'll fly soon because he wo n't ask a pilot to do something that he will not . ` i 'm going to check out and fly the airplane so i can understand exactly what it is they 're dealing with . ` the day we figure out what the problem is i will stop flying -lrb- the plane -rrb- because we do n't have enough sorties for all of our combat aviators to get as much training as they need , ' he said . the nation 's f-22 fighter jets were grounded for four months last year after pilots complained of experiencing a lack of oxygen that can cause dizziness and blackouts . air force officials said they have taken steps against the problem , but still have n't pinpointed what 's causing the hypoxia - when the body does n't receive enough oxygen . stealth : iran has complained about the fighters being stationed in the middle east . an air force panel is meeting weekly to investigate the problem and has enlisted the help of nasa and the navy to learn more about what happens to the body under extreme conditions . hostage spoke during a media day event at the base , highlighting the nation 's most advanced fighter plane . after being introduced in 2005 , the last of nearly 190 jets are scheduled to be delivered to the air force this week . at a price tag of $ 143 million each , the raptor has come under some criticism for not being used in place of older and less-sophisticated jets in iraq or afghanistan . hostage said the plane is critical to maintaining the nation 's air superiority in the future and that he wishes he had more of the jets at his disposal . on monday , iran 's defense minister said that reports of the stealth fighter jet being deployed to the united arab emirates would damage regional security , the semiofficial isna news agency reported . without saying which country in the region the f-22s were deployed to - or which base or bases they were deployed from - hostage said there 's a reason other nations take note of the plane 's movements . ` people pay attention to where this airplane goes and what it does because , regardless of the furore in our press and public about the suitability or the safety of the airplane , they 're very worried about its capability . ' he said . the planes are stationed at five other bases besides virginia : joint base elmendorf-richardson , alaska ; joint base pearl harbor-hickam , hawaii ; nellis air force base , nevada ; holloman air force base , new mexico ; and tyndall air force base , florida . | <t> until two years ago , air india allowed an attendant 's weight to vary within 6.6 pounds . </t> <t> weight-discrimination lawsuits forced u.s. carriers to do away with weight limits . </t> <t> in india , the attendants are not deemed medically unfit -- just over the weight limit . </t> | being overweight wo n't fly -- not on air india<T> |
-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- it takes a truly adventurous actress to pull off a razored mohawk , a platinum pixie and a louise brooks bob , but we 'd expect nothing less from the ever provocative selma blair , who experimented with all three looks in under a year . selma blair says she works with hairstylists and makeup artists who `` have a vision . '' `` i have no fears when it comes to my hair or clothes , '' proclaims the 36-year-old star of nbc 's upcoming mom-and-daughter sitcom `` kath and kim '' and july 's action flick `` hellboy ii : the golden army . '' makeup , however , is an entirely different matter for the self-declared `` poor applier , '' who sticks with basics like nude lipstick and pink blush , and ducks whenever she sees a liquid liner . `` i avoid anything difficult , '' she says . blair 's signature look : `` a rosy cheek , a smudgy eye , a lot of mascara -- i look like a doll that has too much makeup on , and i love it ! '' have you always been a beauty chameleon ? in high school i would mess with my hair and makeup all the time . i used to wear a shirt that said `` ms. clairol '' because i changed my hair color so much . i was blond for a long time , then what my mom called `` barnyard red . ''<doc-sep>do you still dye it yourself ? only when i have to cover up stray grays . and i 'll just use whatever color i find in the grocery store that looks good on the box , like preference by l'oréal -- because i 'm worth it -lsb- laughs -rsb- . but for my platinum hair , i went to sheri at román salon in l.a. . she was a saint . i had just dyed my hair dark brown , so she had to very slowly strip out all the color so that my hair would n't burn off . and the cut -- are you keeping it short ? i tend to like my hair whatever way it 's not , so now i miss it being long . i think i 'm more approachable with long hair . when it 's short , i come across as being artsy and weird . what 's your typical makeup look ? i used to wear a lot of red lipstick , and when i got a pimple , i 'd cover it up with eyeliner to turn it into a beauty mark . but everything has changed since i hit 35 . i 'm at an age where any makeup that 's meant to look `` slept in '' really looks like i slept in it . that 's for youngsters ! now less is more . i do n't like to wear concealer or anything . i 'd rather have uneven skin than feel like my face is cracking from too much foundation .<doc-sep>then you must be serious about your skin care . i go to a spa in l.a. called kinara for its skin care bootcamp . you go once a week for 12 sessions and they 'll look at your skin and tell you how to get it in better condition . they really helped me a lot . i also stay out of the sun . any thoughts on botox or plastic surgery ? i wanted to get botox once to make me feel younger . but i do n't really have -lsb- enough wrinkles -rsb- to justify it yet . as for going under the knife , i ca n't say i would n't , but i have n't thought too much about it . best beauty product ? egyptian magic cream is my saving grace for everything . it works for my friend 's baby 's bottom , and i can also use it instead of chapstick .<doc-sep>so what 's next ? i 'm really excited about having a perma-tan and wearing long highlighted hair extensions for my role on `` kath and kim . '' and i 've been gaining weight for the part by eating a little bit more of what i want and not moving around as much . i 've already put on 15 pounds , and i 'll probably gain another 10 . it 'll be a whole new me ! will this be your most drastic transformation ? actually i wore huge prosthetic boobs for a john waters movie . they were glued on every day by a really handsome guy , but ripping them off every night was definitely outside my realm of comfort . after those bosoms , i did n't mind being flat-chested anymore ! get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2008 time inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>-lrb- instyle.com -rrb- -- it takes a truly adventurous actress to pull off a razored mohawk , a platinum pixie and a louise brooks bob , but we 'd expect nothing less from the ever provocative selma blair , who experimented with all three looks in under a year . selma blair says she works with hairstylists and makeup artists who `` have a vision . '' `` i have no fears when it comes to my hair or clothes , '' proclaims the 36-year-old star of nbc 's upcoming mom-and-daughter sitcom `` kath and kim '' and july 's action flick `` hellboy ii : the golden army . '' makeup , however , is an entirely different matter for the self-declared `` poor applier , '' who sticks with basics like nude lipstick and pink blush , and ducks whenever she sees a liquid liner . `` i avoid anything difficult , '' she says . blair 's signature look : `` a rosy cheek , a smudgy eye , a lot of mascara -- i look like a doll that has too much makeup on , and i love it ! '' have you always been a beauty chameleon ? in high school i would mess with my hair and makeup all the time . i used to wear a shirt that said `` ms. clairol '' because i changed my hair color so much . i was blond for a long time , then what my mom called `` barnyard red . '' do you still dye it yourself ? only when i have to cover up stray grays . and i 'll just use whatever color i find in the grocery store that looks good on the box , like preference by l'oréal -- because i 'm worth it -lsb- laughs -rsb- . but for my platinum hair , i went to sheri at román salon in l.a. . she was a saint . i had just dyed my hair dark brown , so she had to very slowly strip out all the color so that my hair would n't burn off . and the cut -- are you keeping it short ? i tend to like my hair whatever way it 's not , so now i miss it being long . i think i 'm more approachable with long hair . when it 's short , i come across as being artsy and weird . what 's your typical makeup look ? i used to wear a lot of red lipstick , and when i got a pimple , i 'd cover it up with eyeliner to turn it into a beauty mark . but everything has changed since i hit 35 . i 'm at an age where any makeup that 's meant to look `` slept in '' really looks like i slept in it . that 's for youngsters ! now less is more . i do n't like to wear concealer or anything . i 'd rather have uneven skin than feel like my face is cracking from too much foundation . then you must be serious about your skin care . i go to a spa in l.a. called kinara for its skin care bootcamp . you go once a week for 12 sessions and they 'll look at your skin and tell you how to get it in better condition . they really helped me a lot . i also stay out of the sun . any thoughts on botox or plastic surgery ? i wanted to get botox once to make me feel younger . but i do n't really have -lsb- enough wrinkles -rsb- to justify it yet . as for going under the knife , i ca n't say i would n't , but i have n't thought too much about it . best beauty product ? egyptian magic cream is my saving grace for everything . it works for my friend 's baby 's bottom , and i can also use it instead of chapstick . so what 's next ? i 'm really excited about having a perma-tan and wearing long highlighted hair extensions for my role on `` kath and kim . '' and i 've been gaining weight for the part by eating a little bit more of what i want and not moving around as much . i 've already put on 15 pounds , and i 'll probably gain another 10 . it 'll be a whole new me ! will this be your most drastic transformation ? actually i wore huge prosthetic boobs for a john waters movie . they were glued on every day by a really handsome guy , but ripping them off every night was definitely outside my realm of comfort . after those bosoms , i did n't mind being flat-chested anymore ! get a free trial issue of instyle - click here ! copyright © 2008 time inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- charlie sheen 's fx comedy `` anger management '' has lost a leading lady . cnn has confirmed that actress selma blair has parted ways with the series , which stars sheen as a therapist named charlie with complicated problems of his own . blair portrayed kate , his fellow therapist and `` best friend with benefits . '' recent reports have hinted at tension between blair and sheen , with tmz suggesting that sheen wanted the actress off the show because of alleged negative comments about his work ethic . on tuesday , studio lionsgate only acknowledged blair 's departure . `` we are confirming that selma blair will not be returning to ` anger management ' and we wish her the very best , '' a statement said .<doc-sep>wants to replace her with mila kunis for $ 1m per episode . by . amelia proud . published : . 09:07 est , 17 june 2013 . | . updated : . 10:05 est , 17 june 2013 . he 's no stranger to backstage bust-ups and now charlie sheen is said to be at loggerheads with his beautiful anger management co-star selma blair . sheen is refusing to shoot the fx show if blair is present on the set after the pair had a huge falling out , it is being reported . sheen , 47 , is even said to have fired the 40-year-old actress after allegedly hearing reports that she 'd badmouthed him to executives at the network . scroll down for video ... ` at war ' : selma blair has reportedly angered charlie sheen so much that he wo n't set foot on the set of his show unless she is removed . chemistry : the pair worked well on screen , but apparently things were n't so rosy behind the cameras . according to tmz , selma told bosses that she does n't rate charlie 's work ethic and complained that he 's often late . when he found out , sheen allegedly complained that as the star of the show he has '40 pages of lines per episode compared to her two . ' he then fired the actress , though it 's not clear he 's actually in a position to do this , and told bosses he would n't show up to work on monday if blair was still attached to the project . another frisky moment : at another moment in the episode , selma was stripping off again as things got steamy with charlie . complicated relationship : charlie and selma 's character kate are best friends in the show , but regularly end up in bed together . all over each other : the couple seem to always be stripping off around each other , even though they 're ` just friends ' what 's more , tmz also contend that . charlie wants to hire mila kunis - the girlfriend of his two and a half . men replacement ashton kutcher - at $ 1 million dollars per episode . replacement ? charlie is reportedly lining up mila for a role . mail online have yet to hear back from blair 's spokesperson . blair . has been a hit as sheen 's best friend kate , a fellow therapist with . whom sheen 's character has an ongoing sexual relationship . the pair 's on-screen chemistry has been praised copiously by tv critics . charlie 's character is a therapist . specialising in anger management , and took on the musician cee lo green . in one hilarious episode - only to have him interrupt his love-making . with selma . trying to curb his anger issues , cee . lo 's character gets charlie to do all his dirty work for him , including . firing members of his staff and breaking up with his girlfriend . but . the final straw is when he interrupts the romantic session between him . and kate , which started earlier in the episode when the pair romped on . the couch .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 19:54 est , 10 october 2012 . | . updated : . 02:23 est , 11 october 2012 . a woman has told how she thought her head was going to explode after she used a hair dye home colouring kit . selma jesus , 32 , grabbed the phone to dial 999 for an ambulance when she had an allergic reaction that caused her face and head to swell dramatically . she feared she was going to die after she used the # 5.99 clairol nice n ' easy black dye and her eyes started to close over while her forehead began to expand . selma jesus , 32 , from bournemouth , dorset , was rushed to hospital after she tried to dye her hair and suffered an allergic reaction and her head swelled . ` it was horrible and i 'm still in shock . i could feel my forehead coming out . ' she admitted she did not carry out the recommended sample test of the dye on herself before putting it on her hair , because she had used different colours by the same brand in the past with no reaction . miss jesus , of bournemouth , said she was given an injection by paramedics who rushed to her home , and her gp gave her a prescription for tablets to relieve the swelling . but she took herself to hospital a few hours later when the swelling got worse . selma soon noticed her face had started to balloon and called for an . ambulance after using clairol nice n ' easy black dye . the reaction was still showing five days after using the black dye . ' i called an ambulance because i was desperate - now i have to take six tablets a day ' she said . a . clairol spokeswoman said ` we are sorry to hear about this situation . our consumers ' safety and well-being is our absolute priority and we are . keen to help however we can . ` reactions to hair colourants can occur for a very small number of people , in the same way that some individuals can react to a variety of foods and natural substances . ` it is clearly stated on the pack that consumers should carry out a patch test each and every time the product is used . ` millions of people all over the world use hair colourants without experiencing any adverse effects . in the uk around 100 million hair colourant applications are carried out every year in homes and salons . ` hair colourants are one of the most thoroughly studied consumer products on the market and their safety is supported by a wealth of scientific research . ' | <t> actress selma blair wore huge prosthetic boobs for a john waters movie . </t> <t> she 's gained at least 15 pounds for her role on `` kath and kim '' </t> <t> she considered botox but says she does n't have enough wrinkles for it yet . </t> <t> blair experimented with three completely different looks in less than a year . </t> | selma blair : no hair or clothing fears<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- turkey snatched a last-gasp winner to eliminate euro 2008 co-hosts switzerland and keep their own quarterfinal hopes alive with a 2-1 victory in rain-drenched basel on wednesday night . patrick mueller , left , and swiss goalkeeper diego benaglio battle for the ball with arda turan of turkey . arda turan scored with a deflected effort in the third minute of time added on to set up a group a finale against the czech republic on sunday to determine who takes the second quarterfinal place behind portugal . the turks came from behind after hakan yakin gave the swiss a 32nd-minute lead , with substitute striker semih senturk heading a 57th-minute equalizer through the hands of goalkeeper diego benaglio . the st jakob park stadium had been flooded by a deluge early in the match , with the downpour continuing until just before half-time . the treacherous conditions made defending a nightmare for both teams , and arda almost put turkey ahead in the 29th minute with a farcical effort . with minimal visibility in the heavy rain , benaglio punched a vicious free-kick by stand-in captain nihat kahveci onto the head of the 21-year-old winger -- but the ball bounced to safety off the outside of the post .<doc-sep>however , it was the swiss who adapted the better and they took the lead through the veteran yakin . he was on hand to awkwardly steer home from close range with his weaker right foot after eren derdiyok -- who like yakin is of turkish origin -- beat the offside trap to collect a long pass from defender philippe senderos . derdiyok calmly check inside the defense in the penalty area and sent a low cross towards yakin -- who had to wait anxiously at the far post as the ball was held up in a huge puddle of water . yakin had earlier been denied by turkey goalkeeper volkan demirel , who also did well to tip a swerving free-kick by tranquillo barnetta around the post . yakin also missed an even easier chance than the goal he scored in the 34th minute when he stabbed the ball wide of the post following a superb right-wing cross by valon behrami which cut out the defense and goal custodian . turkey , sensing a lucky escape , came out after the break with renewed purpose and posed a greater threat as the pitch slowly drained of the excess water . semih justified his second-half introduction when he rose highest to meet nihat 's superb inswinging cross from the left flank , and benaglio could only palm the powerful header into the back of the net .<doc-sep>tempers flared as both sides went in search of the victory , but there was no repeat of the violent scenes that followed switzerland 's world cup playoff victory against the turks in november 2005 . volkan made another superb save from yakin , and turkey held off the swiss onslaught before arda cut in from the right and fired a shot from just outside the penalty area which clipped the heels of patrick mueller and looped over the helpless benaglio . `` i did wish for rain to stop . i did pray to god for that , '' turkey coach fatih terim told reporters . `` we could n't predict mud in the middle of the summer . `` it 's not easy to come back from a goal down at the european championship , considering we hit the woodwork once . but we fought a lot in the second half and we created many opportunities . '' he added : `` tonight we reminded everyone a little bit about turkey . against the czech republic , we will be unforgettable . '' defeat was a bitter blow for switzerland , whose fellow co-hosts austria will also be eliminated on thursday if they lose to poland in vienna . `` of course the disappointment is huge , '' switzerland coach koebi kuhn said . `` but i ca n't blame it on any player or anyone else . we lost twice unluckily . ''<doc-sep>forecast : this map shows how meteorologists expect hurricane cristobal to track over the coming days as it moves north up the atlantic coast . aerial : the storm front started around the turks and caicos islands on friday and strengthened as it moved north . hurricane force winds extended outward up to 60 miles -lrb- 95 kilometers -rrb- from the center . cristobal was expected to dump up to 4 inches -lrb- 10 centimeters -rrb- of rain over bermuda and lesser amounts over the already sodden bahamas and the turks and caicos . hotel owners and tourist operators in bermuda were dismayed at the forecast , noting that august already has been one of the rainiest months in recent history for the british island territory . ` it 's been a ridiculous , endless amount of rain , ' said marlie powell , owner of the kingston house bed & breakfast . ` it 's the height of our tourist season , so it 's not a happy thing . ' turks and caicos officials said flights resumed tuesday at the islands ' international airport , which closed as the hurricane dumped some 12 inches -lrb- 30 centimeters of rain -rrb- on the islands .<doc-sep>a surprise decision to remove a cap on the swiss franc sent markets into fresh turmoil today but helped the pound climb to a near-seven year high against the euro . the strength of sterling will help uk holidaymakers visiting the likes of spain , greece and france this year , but is not good for skiers heading to the swiss alps . it could also spell trouble for british firms whose goods have become more expensive for potential export customers on the continent . there were fears it could also leave a nasty taste in the mouth for chocolate lovers ahead of easter as it could mean a price hike for the country 's confectionery products . scroll down for video . currency shock : the swiss central bank 's move has seen the swiss franc soar against all major currencies . michael hewson , chief market analyst at cmc markets , said : ` switzerland suddenly got a whole lot more expensive and for chocolate lovers nestle and/or lindt chocolate just got a whole lot more expensive . ' the decision by switzerland 's central bank to drop the policy capping the franc 's value at no more than 1.20 euros comes a day after stocks were buffeted by a slump in the copper price , adding to ongoing anxiety about the plunge in oil . it helped sterling rise sharply against the single currency , topping the 1.30 euros mark to a level not seen since march 2008 - an increase of ten cents in the last year . the euro initially plunged by 30 % against the swiss currency before paring the loss to 13 % later in the morning . sterling was also down sharply against the franc , falling by as much as 26 % in value before partially recovering to be 14 % off later .<doc-sep>swiss tourism bosses fear a huge drop in holiday-makers visiting the country , after a shock economic move sent prices rocketing . the swiss franc rose nearly 30 per cent against the euro after the swiss national bank 's announcement that it would remove a three-year-old cap of 1.20 francs per euro . ski resorts are expected to be hit particularly hard over the winter period , with some businesses already reporting cancellations as visitors rushed to rearrange their plans for the busy winter season . swiss tourism bosses fear a huge drop in holiday-makers visiting the country , after a shock economic move sent prices rocketing . the price of a six-day ski pass in verbier , a resort popular with europeans , rose to 347 euros on thursday , up from 296 euros before the franc 's surge . a cordon bleu schnitzel in zurich 's zeughauskeller , a popular tourist resort , costs an extra 4 euros at 27.9 euros and a beer is now 6.3 euros . officials now say that a country already struggling with a reputation for being expensive will find it harder to attract visitors . tourists from europe accounted for 37 percent of overnight stays in 2013 , according to latest data from the swiss statistics office , but the country will be out of reach for many after ` snb day ' . the franc 's abrupt surge comes weeks before european school half-term breaks which mark the height of the ski season . the swiss franc rose nearly 30 percent against the euro after the swiss national bank 's announcement that it would remove a three-year-old cap of 1.20 francs per euro . swiss hoteliers vented their fury on social media and politicians urged the swiss to support the country 's tourism industry , while resorts across the french border cheered a ` godsend ' as they looked forward to new swiss clients . ` swiss people ! take your holidays in switzerland ! ' said swiss tourist office chief juerg schmid on a twitter account . in gstaad , hotelier thomas frei tweeted : ` great , first rejections , wanting to know the euro rate and whether we can do a better rate . while i 'm at it , does anyone want to buy my hotel ? '<doc-sep>miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the storm called hanna weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm tuesday morning as maximum sustained winds eased down to 70 mph , the national hurricane center said . this satellite image from monday shows hanna over the southern bahamas and the turks and caicos islands . despite the downgrade , hanna dropped torrential rain on the eastern bahamas , the turks and caicos islands , and haiti . hurricane warnings remained in effect . hanna 's path and strength remain uncertain , but the latest forecast map from the national hurricane center predicts it still could make landfall as a major hurricane on the southeastern u.s. coast by friday evening . hanna 's path early tuesday appeared to be a `` meandering '' loop across turks and caicos , but atmospheric changes over the western atlantic are expected to steer the storm northwestward over the next two or three days , according to forecasters . as of 5 a.m. et , hanna was a category 1 storm on the saffir-simpson hurricane scale with sustained winds of 80 mph -lrb- 129 kph -rrb- and gusts of up to 100 mph . ireport.com : watch hanna lash turks and caicos islands . | <t> turkey eliminate euro 2008 co-hosts switzerland with 2-1 win in rain-hit basel . </t> <t> match marred by torrential downpour which left the ground waterlogged . </t> <t> arda turan scores deflected winner in the third minute of time added on . </t> <t> turks must now beat czech republic in final group a match to qualify . </t> | turks rain on swiss euro 2008 parade<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it 's been five years since carrie bradshaw journeyed to paris in search of true love on the series finale of `` sex and the city . '' she appeared to have found it in the arms of mr. big , and she returned to new york -- and her now-settled friends -- ready for a new start . sarah jessica parker was a driving force in creating the `` sex and the city '' movie . then came the inevitable cry : that 's it ? what happens next ? sarah jessica parker , who played carrie , wanted to find out as well . but the situation had to be right , she said , which prompted a cascade of rumors as plans for a movie came together , fell apart and came together again . now that the movie is out , parker -- who 's a producer of the film as well as one of its stars -- talked about the journey to making a big-screen `` sex and the city '' with `` showbiz tonight '' anchor a.j. hammer . the following is an edited version of that interview . cnn : i think a lot of fans , maybe a lot of people , and those of you among the cast , did n't think this day would actually ever come ... but here we are . so how are you feeling deep inside , sarah ? sarah jessica parker : i feel extraordinarily privileged . i 've spent the last two years cobbling this movie together . ... it 's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of professional experience and one really should n't be greedy enough to ask for it twice . watch the cast talk about the thrill of `` sex '' '' i have to say that , this last six , eight months , was better than those seven years -lsb- the show aired -rsb- and i think it 's because we all recognize how lucky and unique those seven years were and that this is a story that you do n't get to tell twice . it has been , i must say , worth every obstacle and dead end , and fit and start , and every moment that was seemingly impossible . it has been a dream . cnn : and i imagine sitting down for the first time in that room together for the table read , which was , from my understanding , the first time you all actually were in the same room -lsb- together -rsb- regardless of how much you kept in touch . tell me a little bit about that moment .<doc-sep>parker : i started putting -lsb- the -rsb- script back together in april of 2006 ... and that -lsb- table read -rsb- was a really extraordinary day , because just the perfunctory details of getting people to a table read were complicated . kim -lsb- cattrall -rsb- had been away and kristin -lsb- davis -rsb- had been away and chris -lsb- noth -rsb- had been -lsb- doing -rsb- his other job , and this magnificent script had arrived and had been everything we hoped for and more . it was basically like being in an alternate universe for about three hours . ... it was a kind of reunion that is very , very special , because you really want to be there . it 's not the reunion where you 're forced by your parents to meet your aunts and uncles that you see rarely . it 's the reunion that you want . i think even more so was that first day on -lsb- the -rsb- set . when we thought , good god , -lsb- writer/director -rsb- michael patrick -lsb- king -rsb- and i are actually making this movie , like we got it done , we 're here , we 're doing it -- what a privilege . cnn : i think we as fans and viewers actually got a sense of what that feeling was like when we saw you all together on `` oprah , '' because the energy was ... palpable . ... but we 're talking about the perceived drama around this whole project . -lrb- rumors have abounded about friction between the stars . -rrb- one of my producers said while we were watching the tv , `` are they going to sit near each other ? '' `` why are they putting chris in the middle of all of them ? '' hearing that , does it make you mad ? parker : i find it slightly -- it 's not that i 'm mad . i expect better from people . i think it 's really beneath me , to keep defending myself . i have a 35-year career . i have an impeccable character , i really pride myself in my work ethic and the way i treat people . and i think kim would say the same and cynthia would say the same . and i love kim , and i wanted her to be in this movie . we could n't have done it without her , we could n't have done it without kristin , we could n't have done it without cynthia -lsb- nixon -rsb- , nor could we have done it without chris . watch cattrall address the rumors '' you know , this is a story that people like to tell about women . why ? i do n't know . is it that interesting ? probably not .<doc-sep>so once again i just have to say it does n't define the experience . nobody can take the experience away . it 's far more interesting for me to talk about my affection for this cast than to start to deny a sad old beaten tale . cnn : you seem to have what goes on in the media in perspective -- and you have to , being at the game as long as you 've been . to that end , one of the things that i 've always admired about you and -lsb- husband -rsb- matthew -lsb- broderick -rsb- and i think a lot of people do , is how you 've managed your public or your private life while being in the glare of the spotlight . ... now i know one of the main reasons you guys are able to make it work is because you do n't talk about your private lives , which is great and i applaud that . that said , is there something that you can tell me about what it is about your relationship that enables you to make it work separate from that ? parker : i would n't make any proclamations about why i have a marriage that , to me , is successful . i would just say that we 've chosen to live in a city where we are not the most interesting people . this is a city that is about industry and finance and publishing and architecture and the arts and education and academia , and the movie industry fits into it in some small way , but there are a lot of people of important interest and i think that it 's a conscious choice to live in a place where we 're bumping up against humanity . we run to the market on our own , we take the subway , and we integrate into our city , and we become a part of the fabric and i think it 's really been to our benefit and certainly to our son . does it mean that we are not scrutinized and that we do n't have paparazzi every single day at our house ? no , but it is a city where you ca n't live behind a gate , you ca n't drive up in a car and be protected . you walk out the door and it is what it is . so you reconcile those things and you make the best choices you can . cnn : is it the end of `` sex and the city '' ? what does your gut tell you ? parker : my gut tells me it 's up to you and your colleagues and the critics and the people who show up . the future is dictated not by us at this point , and i think michael patrick and i have been so focused at getting this movie up on the big screen , that we have n't thought about the future . doing this was more than we could have asked for . so anything beyond that is really kind of out of our hands in a perfectly wonderful way .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it 's been five years since carrie bradshaw journeyed to paris in search of true love on the series finale of `` sex and the city . '' she appeared to have found it in the arms of mr. big , and she returned to new york -- and her now-settled friends -- ready for a new start . sarah jessica parker was a driving force in creating the `` sex and the city '' movie . then came the inevitable cry : that 's it ? what happens next ? sarah jessica parker , who played carrie , wanted to find out as well . but the situation had to be right , she said , which prompted a cascade of rumors as plans for a movie came together , fell apart and came together again . now that the movie is out , parker -- who 's a producer of the film as well as one of its stars -- talked about the journey to making a big-screen `` sex and the city '' with `` showbiz tonight '' anchor a.j. hammer . the following is an edited version of that interview . cnn : i think a lot of fans , maybe a lot of people , and those of you among the cast , did n't think this day would actually ever come ... but here we are . so how are you feeling deep inside , sarah ? sarah jessica parker : i feel extraordinarily privileged . i 've spent the last two years cobbling this movie together . ... it 's a once-in-a-lifetime kind of professional experience and one really should n't be greedy enough to ask for it twice . watch the cast talk about the thrill of `` sex '' '' i have to say that , this last six , eight months , was better than those seven years -lsb- the show aired -rsb- and i think it 's because we all recognize how lucky and unique those seven years were and that this is a story that you do n't get to tell twice . it has been , i must say , worth every obstacle and dead end , and fit and start , and every moment that was seemingly impossible . it has been a dream . cnn : and i imagine sitting down for the first time in that room together for the table read , which was , from my understanding , the first time you all actually were in the same room -lsb- together -rsb- regardless of how much you kept in touch . tell me a little bit about that moment . parker : i started putting -lsb- the -rsb- script back together in april of 2006 ... and that -lsb- table read -rsb- was a really extraordinary day , because just the perfunctory details of getting people to a table read were complicated . kim -lsb- cattrall -rsb- had been away and kristin -lsb- davis -rsb- had been away and chris -lsb- noth -rsb- had been -lsb- doing -rsb- his other job , and this magnificent script had arrived and had been everything we hoped for and more . it was basically like being in an alternate universe for about three hours . ... it was a kind of reunion that is very , very special , because you really want to be there . it 's not the reunion where you 're forced by your parents to meet your aunts and uncles that you see rarely . it 's the reunion that you want . i think even more so was that first day on -lsb- the -rsb- set . when we thought , good god , -lsb- writer/director -rsb- michael patrick -lsb- king -rsb- and i are actually making this movie , like we got it done , we 're here , we 're doing it -- what a privilege . cnn : i think we as fans and viewers actually got a sense of what that feeling was like when we saw you all together on `` oprah , '' because the energy was ... palpable . ... but we 're talking about the perceived drama around this whole project . -lrb- rumors have abounded about friction between the stars . -rrb- one of my producers said while we were watching the tv , `` are they going to sit near each other ? '' `` why are they putting chris in the middle of all of them ? '' hearing that , does it make you mad ? parker : i find it slightly -- it 's not that i 'm mad . i expect better from people . i think it 's really beneath me , to keep defending myself . i have a 35-year career . i have an impeccable character , i really pride myself in my work ethic and the way i treat people . and i think kim would say the same and cynthia would say the same . and i love kim , and i wanted her to be in this movie . we could n't have done it without her , we could n't have done it without kristin , we could n't have done it without cynthia -lsb- nixon -rsb- , nor could we have done it without chris . watch cattrall address the rumors '' you know , this is a story that people like to tell about women . why ? i do n't know . is it that interesting ? probably not . so once again i just have to say it does n't define the experience . nobody can take the experience away . it 's far more interesting for me to talk about my affection for this cast than to start to deny a sad old beaten tale . cnn : you seem to have what goes on in the media in perspective -- and you have to , being at the game as long as you 've been . to that end , one of the things that i 've always admired about you and -lsb- husband -rsb- matthew -lsb- broderick -rsb- and i think a lot of people do , is how you 've managed your public or your private life while being in the glare of the spotlight . ... now i know one of the main reasons you guys are able to make it work is because you do n't talk about your private lives , which is great and i applaud that . that said , is there something that you can tell me about what it is about your relationship that enables you to make it work separate from that ? parker : i would n't make any proclamations about why i have a marriage that , to me , is successful . i would just say that we 've chosen to live in a city where we are not the most interesting people . this is a city that is about industry and finance and publishing and architecture and the arts and education and academia , and the movie industry fits into it in some small way , but there are a lot of people of important interest and i think that it 's a conscious choice to live in a place where we 're bumping up against humanity . we run to the market on our own , we take the subway , and we integrate into our city , and we become a part of the fabric and i think it 's really been to our benefit and certainly to our son . does it mean that we are not scrutinized and that we do n't have paparazzi every single day at our house ? no , but it is a city where you ca n't live behind a gate , you ca n't drive up in a car and be protected . you walk out the door and it is what it is . so you reconcile those things and you make the best choices you can . cnn : is it the end of `` sex and the city '' ? what does your gut tell you ? parker : my gut tells me it 's up to you and your colleagues and the critics and the people who show up . the future is dictated not by us at this point , and i think michael patrick and i have been so focused at getting this movie up on the big screen , that we have n't thought about the future . doing this was more than we could have asked for . so anything beyond that is really kind of out of our hands in a perfectly wonderful way .<doc-sep>for a generation of women , carrie bradshaw was synonymous with sex , shopping and , above all else , shoes . her walk-in wardrobe may have been crammed with designer clothes and handbags , but her skyscraper manolos , louboutins and jimmy choos were the real stars of sex and the city . so it 's no surprise that sarah jessica parker has designed her own shoe range inspired by her character 's collection . but are they anywhere near as stylish -- and are they as agonising to walk in as carrie 's towering shoes looked ? ruby warrington puts them to the test ... will ruby warrington 's -lrb- right -rrb- feet survive the shoes of carrie bradshaw -lrb- left -rrb- ? floral and feminine : sarah jessica parker teaming a floral dress with monochrome shoes on the set of sex and the city . the maud , # 225the look : dainty and a very sensible three-and-a-quarter inch heel height . the toe has a classy criss-cross effect and the delicate strap fastens with a gold buckle . best for : everyday wear . so comfortable and lightweight , i barely feel like i 'm wearing anything -- it 's like floating on air.worst for : rainy days -- but apart from that , a winner all round . sjp shows it can be done!comfort rating : 5 . a wardrobe must-have -- though the price is a little steep for me . high and mighty : sarah jessica parker looks gorgeous with short hair and these fun wedge heels . the inez , # 146the look : red suede espadrilles that make me feel like i 'm wearing fancy dress . stylish , chic , sexy . . . these shoes are none of those things . best for : nothing . even for wedges , these are painfully uncomfortable.worst for : comfort and style . they 're very narrow on the toe . comfort rating : 2 . not as painful as some , but for such relatively low heels at only three inches , they are awful . classic carrie : carrie , the character played by sarah jessica parker in sex and the city had a ridiculous amount of shoes - so many she needed a whole wardrobe to house them ! the diana , # 217the look : very sexy black patent shoes , with a chic tapered heel.best for : making short legs look lengthy . the slanted angle of the strap elongates the leg . worst for : all-day wear . the super-shiny leather is a little bit stiff , and they 're easy enough to walk in at three-and-a-half inches -- but i would n't travel for miles in them . comfort rating : 3 . great height , but that leather gives me blisters just by looking at it .<doc-sep>houston mayor annise parker says her youngest daughter was barred from taking a driving test ` because she has two moms . ' parker , who is the first openly-gay mayor of a major american city , said thursday that the department of public safety would n't accept the documents that her daughter marquitta took to sign up for the test . ` daughter needs drivers test . has all docs , some in moma -lsb- annise -rsb- name , some momk -lsb- kathy hubbard -rsb- , but w / birth cert showing both , ' she said via twitter . ` dps says can only be from 1 mom ! ' houston mayor annise parker says her daughter marquitta -lrb- right -rrb- faced extra hurdles while getting a driver 's license because she has two mothers . moms kathy hubbard and annise parker on their california wedding day in january 2014 . the mayor says it took her three trips and an ` unnecessary paper chase ' to get her youngest daughter a driver 's license . ` thank you to the dps clerk & supervisor in the rosenberg office who took the time to read my daughters documentation & realize it was ok , ' she said friday afternoon . parker has three children with hubbard : daniela parker , marquitta parker and jovon tyler . a spokesman for the department denied the claims . ` all individuals applying for their first texas driver license must provide a variety of documents to prove their identity , social security number , us citizenship or lawful presence status , and texas residency , ' press secretary tom vinger told lone star q. ` in this case , the adult applicant did not initially present sufficient documentation to prove residency . once she provided the required documentation , she was able to complete the transaction . ` there is no indication that any delay in the process was related to same-sex marriage . ' parker and hubbard were married earlier this year in a sunset ceremony in california on the 23rd anniversary of the beginning of their relationship . ` this is a very happy day for us , ' parker said then . ` we have had to wait a very long time to formalize our commitment to each other . ` kathy has been by my side for more than two decades , helping to raise a family , nurture my political career and all of the other ups and downs and life events that come with a committed relationship . ` she is the love of my life , and i ca n't wait to spend the rest of my life married to her . ' parker 's election in 2009 made houston the largest u.s. city with an openly gay mayor . texas does not recognize same-sex marriages . parker has previously stated that she wanted to get married in houston , but acknowledged that being able to do so may be a long time in coming . parker -lrb- left -rrb- is the first openly-gay mayor of a major american city . together hubbard and parker raised daniela -lrb- left -rrb- and marquitta parker . not pictured is son jovon tyler .<doc-sep>by . chris pleasance . published : . 10:55 est , 17 january 2014 . | . updated : . 12:02 est , 17 january 2014 . annise parker , the mayor of houston , has married her longtime partner kathy hubbard in a sunset ceremony at a private residence in palm springs , california . a small group of family and friends , including parker 's mother and hubbard 's sister , attended the service on thursday . the ceremony was performed by the rev. paul fromberg , rector of st. gregory of nyssa episcopal church in san francisco . house mayor annise parker -lrb- right -rrb- and her long-time partner , kathy hubbard , celebrate at their wedding on thursday in palm springs , california . the couple chose thursday as their wedding date because it was the 23rd anniversary of the beginning of their relationship . when she was elected in 2009 parker became the first openly gay mayor of any major us city . ` this is a very happy day for us , ' ms parker said in her statement . ` we have had to wait a very long time to formalize our commitment to each other . ` kathy has been by my side for more than two decades , helping to raise a family , nurture my political career and all of the other ups and downs and life events that come with a committed relationship . ` she is the love of my life , and i ca n't wait to spend the rest of my life married to her . ' rev fromberg is a gay priest who had been rector of st. andrew 's episcopal church in houston before leaving for san francisco . ms parker 's election in 2009 made houston the largest u.s. city with an openly gay mayor . while california allows gay people to marry , texas does not recognize same-sex marriages . according to the mayor 's statement , ms hubbard will avail herself of other insurance options ` and will , therefore , not participate in the new policy granting city health insurance benefits to spouses of legally married city employees . ' ms parker has previously stated that she wanted to get married in houston , but acknowledged that being able to do so may be a long time in coming . it has proved one wait too long , however she will still benefit from laws she passed which give employee benefits to same sex spouses married in states that recognize them . parker had previously said that she wanted to be married in texas , but acknowledged that change may be some time in coming . this move has angered some of her detractors , including harris county gop chair jared woodfill , who told abd eyewitness news : ` this is about a bigger political agenda for her . ` the fact she is going to another state and then will come back and live and enjoy the benefits of her unilateral , executive , unlawful order represents , that really the worst in a politician . ' | <t> sarah jessica parker : `` sex and the city '' `` has been a dream '' </t> <t> rumors of friction ? `` beneath me to keep defending myself '' </t> <t> marriage to matthew broderick works because pair lives normal n.y. life . </t> | ` sex 's ' parker : reunion was ` very , very special '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- croatia sent out a message of intent to the other euro 2008 finalists as they stunned highly-fancied germany 2-1 in klagenfurt to secure a place in the quarterfinals . ivicia olic celebrates croatia 's second goal in their superb 2-1 victory over germany . darijo srna and ivica olic struck the goals as croatia , who had only ever beaten germany once before , produced arguably the first major upset of the tournament . lukas podolski pulled a goal back late on for germany with his third strike in two games to set up a nail-biting finale , but there was to be no way back for joachim loew 's team , who finished with 10 men following the 90th-minute dismissal of substitute bastian schweinsteiger . both sides came into the game having won their opening matches , although germany had looked far more impressive in seeing off poland than croatia had in defeating austria . however , it was slaven bilic 's side who turned on the style at the worthersee stadion as they took control of group b with two wins out of two . a frantic start to the match promised much but for all their huffing and puffing , neither side were able to create anything resembling a chance in the opening 20 minutes as defences held firm . the ball did find its way into the back of the net in the 22nd minute when germany striker mario gomez slotted home past stipe pletikosa but the offside flag had already gone up against the stuttgart man . the deadlock was broken for real just two minutes after that incident though , when croatia went ahead through srna . danijel pranjic sent over a superb cross from the left and srna nipped in front of marker marcell jansen to slide the ball in at the far post , giving veteran germany goalkeeper jens lehmann no chance . croatia had a gilt-edged chance to make it 2-0 in the 30th minute , but niko kranjcar wasted it . ivan rakitic chipped a pass into the area which was flicked back towards the penalty spot by olic , but the in-rushing kranjcar was unable to cap a well-worked move as he blazed over . germany knew they needed to step up through the gears and they finally made pletikosa earn his keep with two efforts in rapid succession . the first saw pletikosa push away a thunderous michael ballack free-kick , before the spartak moscow custodian awkwardly deflected away a christoph metzelder effort with his knee . metzelder then headed a torsten frings corner just over from close range as the germans stepped up their efforts for an equalizer before the break . however , loew 's side very nearly found themselves two goals behind in the 43rd minute , and they needed a fine reaction stop from lehmann to deny kranjcar , who chested down olic 's pass and smashed in a first-time volley . having seen his side let off the hook , loew opted for a more adventurous approach in the second half as he sacrificed full-back jansen for jet-heeled winger david odonkor during the interval . aside from a ballack shot over the crossbar though , croatia looked fairly comfortable at the start of the period and also had a decent effort of their own with luka modric firing in a shot that lehmann gathered , although not before seeing it squirm through his hands first . however , lehmann 's next task was to pick the ball out of the back of his net as croatia stunned the germans with a second goal in the 62nd minute . a rakitic cross from the right took a deflection off podolski before arrowing goalwards and although lehmann , who had begun to come out for the initial cross , managed to dive backwards and get a hand on it , the ball struck his near post before rebounding back out to olic , who had the easy task of slotting home . germany looked for an immediate response but aside from a schweinsteiger shot that fizzed across the face of goal , they were still finding it difficult to create chances against a well-organised croatia backline . loew 's side earned themselves a lifeline with 12 minutes to go though when podolski lashed home a shot on the half-volley after the ball had fallen kindly to him in the box . germany could not build on that goal , though , and their final hopes of getting anything out of the match all but disappeared when schweinsteiger was given a straight red card for shoving jerko leko in the final minute of an absorbing encounter . `` i want to especially congratulate my players , not only for the fight they showed but for playing an excellent match , '' said a delighted bilic . `` there is no other way to beat the germans than to play well . they 're still a great team , though , and still one of the favorites for the title . '' ballack said the germans had to recognize they must improve . `` our movement was not fluid enough throughout the match and as a consequence we eked out few chances . `` we played below our level in all departments . now we absolutely have to win our last match against austria , '' said the chelsea midfielder .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- croatia sent out a message of intent to the other euro 2008 finalists as they stunned highly-fancied germany 2-1 in klagenfurt to secure a place in the quarterfinals . ivicia olic celebrates croatia 's second goal in their superb 2-1 victory over germany . darijo srna and ivica olic struck the goals as croatia , who had only ever beaten germany once before , produced arguably the first major upset of the tournament . lukas podolski pulled a goal back late on for germany with his third strike in two games to set up a nail-biting finale , but there was to be no way back for joachim loew 's team , who finished with 10 men following the 90th-minute dismissal of substitute bastian schweinsteiger . both sides came into the game having won their opening matches , although germany had looked far more impressive in seeing off poland than croatia had in defeating austria . however , it was slaven bilic 's side who turned on the style at the worthersee stadion as they took control of group b with two wins out of two . a frantic start to the match promised much but for all their huffing and puffing , neither side were able to create anything resembling a chance in the opening 20 minutes as defences held firm . the ball did find its way into the back of the net in the 22nd minute when germany striker mario gomez slotted home past stipe pletikosa but the offside flag had already gone up against the stuttgart man . the deadlock was broken for real just two minutes after that incident though , when croatia went ahead through srna .<doc-sep>danijel pranjic sent over a superb cross from the left and srna nipped in front of marker marcell jansen to slide the ball in at the far post , giving veteran germany goalkeeper jens lehmann no chance . croatia had a gilt-edged chance to make it 2-0 in the 30th minute , but niko kranjcar wasted it . ivan rakitic chipped a pass into the area which was flicked back towards the penalty spot by olic , but the in-rushing kranjcar was unable to cap a well-worked move as he blazed over . germany knew they needed to step up through the gears and they finally made pletikosa earn his keep with two efforts in rapid succession . the first saw pletikosa push away a thunderous michael ballack free-kick , before the spartak moscow custodian awkwardly deflected away a christoph metzelder effort with his knee . metzelder then headed a torsten frings corner just over from close range as the germans stepped up their efforts for an equalizer before the break . however , loew 's side very nearly found themselves two goals behind in the 43rd minute , and they needed a fine reaction stop from lehmann to deny kranjcar , who chested down olic 's pass and smashed in a first-time volley . having seen his side let off the hook , loew opted for a more adventurous approach in the second half as he sacrificed full-back jansen for jet-heeled winger david odonkor during the interval . aside from a ballack shot over the crossbar though , croatia looked fairly comfortable at the start of the period and also had a decent effort of their own with luka modric firing in a shot that lehmann gathered , although not before seeing it squirm through his hands first . however , lehmann 's next task was to pick the ball out of the back of his net as croatia stunned the germans with a second goal in the 62nd minute .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- mario balotelli 's first-half double saw italy through to the final of euro 2012 as they stunned germany in warsaw . germany were hot favorites going into this semifinal but balotelli struck twice before halftime and germany were unable to claw their way back . mesut ozil pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in injury time , but italy deservedly held on to set up a final against spain on sunday . the win continues italy 's remarkable record in major tournaments against germany , who have failed to beat the italians in eight attempts . this emerging young german side were tipped by many to go all the way at this tournament , but their burgeoning progress was checked by a clinical italy team . germany started the match as expected and the italians were lucky to survive a couple of early wobbles by their goalkeeper gianluigi buffon . the italy captain was caught in no-man 's land early on , allowing mats hummels to poke goalwards only to see andrea pirlo scramble the ball off the line . minutes later , buffon pushed out a jerome boateng cross and was relieved to see the loose ball bounce off his own defender , andrea barzagli , and behind for a corner . but midway through the first half it was italy who made the breakthrough with a quite brilliantly worked goal . germany stood off pirlo , allowing the italy playmaker to sweep a pass out to giorgio chiellini who fed antonio cassano . cassano superbly spun away from two defenders and swept in an inviting cross that allowed balotelli to drift away from bastuber and head home from close range .<doc-sep>landing goetze marks the third time in three years the bavarian club -- that hoeness played an instrumental role in building on and off the pitch -- has lured a top transfer target from a fellow bundesliga club . germany goalkeeper manuel neuer left schalke in 2011 and striker mario mandzukic parted with wolfsburg last year following his impressive performances for croatia at euro 2012 . there might be another arrival from dortmund , too . goetze 's teammate , polish striker robert lewandowski , is reportedly being chased by bayern -- as well as manchester united . dortmund supporters lost one of their favorites last year , midfielder shinji kagawa , to the red devils in a deal worth # 14 million -lrb- $ 21 million -rrb- . goetze , born in bavaria , could face his soon-to-be teammates in the champions league final at wembley in may since dortmund and bayern are both in the semifinals . while bayern face barca on tuesday , dortmund play real madrid -- the record nine-time winner in the competition -- on wednesday . on its website dortmund billed the first leg of its semifinal wednesday as the `` most spectacular home game '' in its history and claimed the match would be the `` biggest television event '' in germany since the 2006 world cup semifinal between germany and italy . `` coach jurgen klopp and sporting director michael zorc asks all fans of borussia dortmund to support mario goetze unconditionally as they would any other player in the final games of the season , but especially in the important champions league semifinal against real madrid , '' dortmund said . powerful bayern . bayern won this season 's bundesliga with a record six games to spare and was last week named by forbes as the fifth most valuable soccer team in the world at $ 1.3 billion . bayern was the lone german representative in a top 10 dominated by england 's premier league , which has more lax ownership regulations and a lucrative television rights deal but also more teams in financial distress . | <t> croatia stun favorites germany 2-1 in their group b encounter in klagenfurt . </t> <t> darijo srna and ivica olic both on target as croatia make it two wins from two . </t> <t> lukas podolski pulls goal back for germany with his third strike in two games . </t> | favorites germany stunned by croatia<T> |
-lrb- mental floss -rrb- -- starting a legitimate business is hard , boring work . there 's paperwork to fill out , employees to hire , and all sorts of other drudgery , not to mention the biggest hurdle of all : providing a product or service for which customers are willing to pay . president ulysses s. grant foiled a gold scam . in all likelihood , it would be much easier to just stumble upon some clever scam to line your pockets . or so it would seem . as many aspiring scam artists quickly learn , when a business scam fails , it tends to fail in rather grand fashion . just ask any of these four teams of not-so-smooth operators . a corny sea story . xenothemis and hegestratos may not have been the world 's first white-collar criminals , but they were certainly noteworthy for their incompetence . in 360 b.c. , the pair stumbled upon what seemed like a killer plan to make some quick cash . shipping was extremely risky at the time , and boats went down at sea with alarming frequency . to exploit this uncertainty , xenothemis and hegestratos devised a plan in which they would receive a cash advance to ship a load of corn from syracuse to athens . due to the dangers associated with shipping , the buyer would take on full risk if the shipment did n't make it to athens , so if the boat sank xenothemis and hegestratos could keep their cash . instead of loading the ship with expensive corn , the conniving pair made a plan to sail an empty ship out to sea for a few days , then sink it and escape in lifeboats . since the boat itself was insured , this plot seemed airtight , and the potential profit was great .<doc-sep>unfortunately , though , the boat 's other passengers allegedly caught wind of the scheme during the attempting scuttling of the ship . these passengers were understandably a bit peeved at hegestratos ' attempts to drown them for his own financial gain . hegestratos panicked and jumped overboard , at which point he drowned . unable to sink the ship by himself , xenothemis had to sail on to the port , at which point the buyer , protos , wanted to know why his shipload of corn was empty . a legal battle followed , and although the verdict has been lost by history , it 's safe to say that the late hegestratos regretted the scam . when friday went black . despite his prowess as a general , ulysses s. grant 's presidency did n't go so smoothly . ones of its most notable scandals occurred in 1869 , when a group of speculators upended the u.s gold market . the plan started when financier james fisk and robber baron jay gould formed a group of speculators with the goal of cornering the gold market , which would give the group the ability to manipulate the price . of course , one can only corner the market if there 's a fixed quantity of gold available . otherwise , the government could just sell large quantities of gold , and the cornering effort would be an expensive failure . in an effort to avoid this fate , gould and fisk brought president grant 's brother-in-law abel corbin into their fold . using corbin 's influence to get an audience with the president , the pair would argue to grant that selling gold was a terrible idea that the government should avoid at all costs . the wily pair also used their influence at the white house to secure a position as assistant treasurer of the united states for daniel butterfield , who would warn them if the government started to sell gold . with their connections in place , fisk and gould started buying up gold in september 1869 , quickly driving the price of gold up by around 30 percent .<doc-sep>once grant and his advisors got wise to the situation , though , the government quickly sold off $ 4 million in gold to break the corner , effectively killing the inflated prices on september 24 . as investors scrambled to get rid of their overpriced gold , the price plummeted sharply , and many involved in the scam lost huge amounts of money . fisk and gould managed to avoid big losses due to their connections in the treasury , but what would be known as black friday did n't earn them a huge windfall -- and significantly harmed the american economy . bad moves . if you 've ever hired movers , you know it can be pretty pricey . erik deri , the founder of woodinville , washington-based nationwide moving systems , understood that most movers were expensive , so he drummed up business by offering super-cheap quotes to frugal clients . the customers were ecstatic to find a mover who could get their belongings to a new home so cheaply . that is , until the price went up . deri 's movers would load the company 's vans with all of a customer 's worldly belongings , then a foreman would inform the client that they 'd have to pay an inflated price to actually get their stuff to their new digs . the price hikes were n't small , either ; one man 's estimate stated he could move for $ 3,000 but was later revised to $ 16,000 after loading . according to authorities , if customers balked at these demands , the movers would threaten to unload their boxes and furniture into the street ... and then charge them an unloading fee . if things got really sticky , nationwide 's trucks could just take off with all of the clients ' possessions . deri supposedly paid cash bonuses to employees who successfully strong-armed customers into forking over the premiums . in the end , though , deri learned that you ca n't scam that many customers and hope to get away with it . in 2005 he was found guilty of 27 counts of extortion and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and extortion . three of his accomplices were also convicted in connection with the moving racket . deri was sentenced to seven years in prison , after which he 'll face deportation to his native israel .<doc-sep>fools for gold . bre-x minerals ltd. was a small canadian mining company that made a big announcement in 1995 . geologists had discovered gold on a site bre-x owned near busang , indonesia . not just a little gold , either -- at least 30 million ounces , possibly as much as 200 million ounces . given the high prices of gold , such a deposit would have been worth tens of billions of dollars . bre-x 's stock price shot through the roof ; shares went from being valued at a few cents to over $ 280 canadian . in fact , the deposit seemed so rich and so large that a small company like bre-x could not possibly handle it all without some help . in 1997 , the indonesian government convinced bre-x to take on an american firm as a partner to help extract the gold . when this firm , freeport-mcmoran , started sampling the soil at the deposit site as part of its due diligence , it reached a confusing conclusion : there was n't any gold in the soil . subsequent examinations by independent auditors reached the same conclusion . the `` natural '' gold that in the original samples bre-x had taken was mostly river gold from other regions or shavings off of gold jewelry . although the company 's market cap had climbed to $ 4.4 billion , this report quickly destroyed bre-x 's value . share prices dropped 97 percent in a day following the announcement , the company was soon removed from the toronto stock exchange and nasdaq , and bre-x quickly went bankrupt . amazingly , no one ended up in jail from this scam , but you should still probably be wary if anyone offers to sell you an enormous gold mine on borneo . for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>then came the snow . known as the `` winter of death , '' the following season saw one of the worst cold spells in recorded history . more than half the cattle in the west froze to death , unable to move in the thick snow . ghoulish firsthand accounts describe the bodies of dead cows stretching for miles across the horizon . when the spring thaw and floods came , thousands of bloated corpses floated into the streams and rivers . some ranchers quit the business entirely and did n't even bother to round up their surviving cattle . mental floss : bold business scams that failed miserably . by the end of 1887 , the disaster had wiped out more than half of the united states ' western cattle and debilitated the national economy . most cattle investors went bankrupt , and thousands of cowboys were left unemployed . but more than anything , the winter of 1886 put an end to all those turn-of-the-century , idyllic fantasies of open-range ranching in the wild west . 3 . the panic of 1907 : captains of industry to the rescue ! the panic of 1907 started the way many panics do , with a greedy capitalist . multimillionaire augustus heinze , who had made his fortune mining in montana , believed he had enough control over the copper industry to corner the market . with the help of several major banks , he concocted a scheme to buy up all the shares of united copper . but heinze had overestimated his prowess , and the scheme failed , bringing down heinze , united copper , the banks , and many , many stockholders . mental floss : who is ponzi and what was his scheme ? the debacle sent ripples of anxiety throughout the market , and investors started pulling their money out of banks altogether . after one of new york city 's biggest trusts went under , panic ensued , and the stock market collapsed . at the time , there were no central banks in place , so the federal government had no means of bailing out businesses or injecting cash into the economy . it just stood by , idly waiting for a hero to save the day . amazingly , one did . james pierpont morgan , banker extraordinaire , rescued the american economy . he propped up many of the failing banks in new york by twisting the arms of other financiers , and he assuaged investors ' fears by backing up the market with his own vast cash reserves . before long , wall street was on the mend .<doc-sep>parents : claire 's mother linda and father cliff , who died before a suspect was ever charged . police pictured in 1993 searching for clues in a nearby forest during their investigation into her death . police cordon off the murder scene of claire tiltman in greenhithe , kent , in 1993 . asked why he carried out the attack , he told the court : ' i ca n't remember exactly , but the way i used to be , i would probably say there is no-one to stop me . ' i had a very limited moral compass . ' describing how he feels looking back at that attack , he told jurors : ' i always thought i would protect women , would protect people , would n't harm people , but i failed miserably , to be honest . the one chance i got to show restraint and would n't do anything and walk away , and i failed miserably . ` before that i thought i was a reasonably good person . but , to be honest , i was an animal . ' ash-smith denies murder and the trial continues . sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article .<doc-sep>weston 's special needs were not being met without her , she said . `` my son right now has been under the care of nicolas , '' she said . `` that did n't work . it 's very obvious it did n't work . it failed miserably , failed miserably . '' cage 's lawyer , martin singer , said fulton 's lawsuit against cage is her motivation for attacking her son 's father . `` ms. fulton comments about mr. cage are absurd and it 's very unfortunate that she would lash out like this because her son does not want to have anything to do with her , '' singer said . `` this is clearly all about money for ms. fulton . '' fulton 's lawyer told cnn she would file for conservatorship of her son next week so she could ensure he will get the care he needs when he is eventually released from the psychiatric hold . `` i 'd like my son to be with his mom , where it worked , '' fulton said . `` i 'd like my son to be in an environment where it worked . you know , 18 years of being successful , 18 years of watching my son respond to all the medical intervention that i have given him and all the support . why would you mess with that ? why would you interfere with that ? my son needs to be home . ''<doc-sep>` men and women are equally vulnerable to these scams . three people lost a total of more than # 15,000 to these scams this year alone . ' the man has refused to come forward and name the company he bought the enlarger from . lawyers say he is unlikely to get his money back due to the dubious nature the business . online tricksters , he said , lure their victims by selling their products at a low price and very often the items never get to their customers . | <t> when a business scam fails , it tends to fail in rather grand fashion . </t> <t> 360 b.c. scam : sink ship and collect insurance on goods . </t> <t> president grant foiled a gold speculation scam . </t> <t> moving company founder goes to prison for bait-and-switch pricing . </t> | business scams that failed miserably<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nothing says true love like releasing a caged butterfly , do n't you think ? wayne rooney and coleen mcloughlin are to be paid $ 5 million for the picture rights to their wedding . the butterflies are reported to be the piece-de-resistance of england 's most anticipated celebrity wedding of the year . wayne rooney , the best english footballer of his generation , and coleen mcloughlin , his high school sweetheart , were to marry in an estimated $ 10 million ceremony in italy thursday . as they kiss , guests are apparently meant to open boxes and release the butterflies . the moment has been pilloried widely in the british media , tacky and over the top they all think , but is it just sour grapes ?<doc-sep>it has been a long and , at times , bumpy road for the couple to the altar . one littered with fierce criticism from the british press , which has enjoyed nothing more than lampooning rooney and mcloughlin for being ` common . ' the daily mail once even asked : `` is this britain 's ghastliest couple ? '' rooney has been dubbed `` shrek '' and `` mr potato head '' due to his looks and his background as the son of a school dinner lady who grew up on a council estate is often referred to in a disparaging way . mcloughlin , meanwhile , has been subjected to page upon page of bitter stories about her weight , shopping sprees and her lack of closeness to victoria beckham . there has also been fierce criticism over the fact she has managed to become a millionaire in her own right . it 's all down to rooney apparently , and nothing to do with her appearing to be quite a decent person , who did well at school and has cleverly managed to parlay some of her fame into various media and advertising projects . anyone who has seen her television show -- coleen 's real women -- can see she is a decent , bubbly person , who is very good at putting people at ease .<doc-sep>much to the media 's fury , the couple have sold the rights to cover the wedding to ok magazine for a record $ 5 million . however they 're not pocketing all the cash themselves , with an undisclosed sum from the fee to be donated to the claire house children 's hospice in cheshire -- where mcloughlin 's disabled foster sister rosie is cared for . the queen 's grandson , peter phillips and his bride autumn kelly , recently received $ 1m from hello magazine to cover their wedding but they did n't receive an eighth of the opprobrium now directed at the more generous , but lower class , rooney and mcloughlin . moreover , in lieu of presents , rooney and mcloughlin have also asked guests to donate money to the alder hey children 's hospital in liverpool . the wedding might be over the top , with a private yacht and luxury jet for guests -lrb- they are covering the guests ' costs -rrb- , expensive plonk and a $ 200,000 wedding dress , but at least the couple have worked hard for what they have . their success despite a working-class background appears to be the greatest source of frustration for critics . it 's just not on that someone who was n't born into privilege and did n't go to a posh school can enjoy their wealth . that would be ugly .<doc-sep>if anything , the couple 's relationship and success is a triumph over adversity . they have known each other since mcloughlin was 12 , but she spent two years fending off rooney 's entreaties to go out on a date . he finally got his chance when he saw her struggling to fix a broken bicycle chain . he rode over to help , popped the question again and got a yes . surely they should be congratulated for creating their own modern fairytale complete with butterflies ? the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>lavish party : actor matt damon used the alias ` mr naff ' to book out an entire caribbean resort for a part to celebrate the renewal of his wedding vows with wife luciana barroso , left . hollywood star matt damon has grown accustomed to using aliases playing jason bourne -- the renegade agent travels the world using a series of false names . but damon appears to have had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he chose his own alias to book a lavish party for a renewal of his wedding vows . the 42-year-old star has rented out the entire sugar beach resort on the caribbean island of st lucia under the name ` mr naff ' . damon and his wife luciana barroso , 37 , have spent # 300,000 on the party -- a week-long celebration with guests expected to include george clooney , brad pitt and his fiancee angelina jolie , and his latest co-star , michael douglas and his oscar-winning wife catherine zeta-jones . a staff member at sugar beach said : ` the hotel was booked under a different name to damon . ` we were told that it was a mr and mrs naff getting married . ` we then heard that it was matt damon and they had been using a false name to stop their secret being found out . ` he was here two months ago to have a look around . a big yacht moored by the beach and he came into the resort . ' according to sources , all 78 rooms at the five-star hotel , which was opened 21 years ago by the late princess margaret 's close friend lord glenconner , and has more recently played host to guests including actress gwyneth paltrow and her husband , coldplay singer chris martin , have been booked for a week from april 8 for the event . damon and barroso , who have three children together and a fourth from miss barroso 's previous relationship , married in a low-key ceremony at new york 's city hall in 2005 but were unable to celebrate with a honeymoon due to filming commitments . a spokesman for sugar beach said : ` we never comment on our guests . ' mystery booking : damon has spent # 300,000 on the lavish week-long party at the luxury sugar beach resort in st lucia .<doc-sep>by . mark duell . updated : . 04:33 est , 20 july 2011 . it was finally something for the miami heat to celebrate after a difficult year and provided everyone with a brief respite from the nba lockout . basketball star chris bosh , 27 , held a lavish three-day wedding party costing an estimated $ 300,000 with his petite princess adrienne williams . the couple celebrated with 300 guests in miami beach , florida , including heat players lebron james , juwan howard and dwyane wade - despite the lockout . celebration time : basketball star chris bosh held a lavish three-day wedding party costing an estimated $ 300,000 with his petite princess adrienne williams .<doc-sep>by . eleanor gower . and jade watkins . updated : . 17:18 est , 16 november 2011 . real housewives of atlanta 's kim zolciak has opened up her wedding album after marrying toyboy kroy biermann in a lavish ceremony last week . the 33-year-old wore not one but three dramatic - and rather expensive - ensembles throughout her nuptials . and she was happy to show them off in pictures for this week 's issue of life & style magazine . one is not enough : real housewives of atlanta star kim zolciak wore not one but three wedding outfits for her $ 1 million nuptials to kroy biermann , here she is seen in her first wedding gown worth $ 58,000 . fellow reality tv star kim kardashian also had three costume changes during her ill-fated wedding to kris humphries back in august , but the new mother is no doubt hoping for a more happier ending to her fairytale . the most extravagant ensemble of the three was kim 's low cut 32 pound and $ 58,000 opulent creation . the southern belle-style gown was the centrepiece for when kim and kroy exchanged nuptials . kim bought the hand-made baracci beverly hills creation from website preownedweddingdresses.com after falling in love with the used frock online . second frock : at her reception the reality star . switched dresses , putting another pearl and swarovski crystals creation , . this time a $ 18,000 mermaid style gown designed by pnina tornai of say . yes to the dress fame . the over-the-top number was covered in swarovski crystals , pearls , beads and embroidered lace , while the fabric was 100 percent duchess satin . she also wore a matching veil which had the same , hand-stitched detailing and a glittering tiara . ' i just remember thinking , this is the day i 've waited my whole life for , ' kim tells life & style . ' i really do feel like i 'm dreaming . ' at her reception the reality star switched dresses , putting on another pearl and swarovski crystals creation , this time a $ 18,000 mermaid style gown designed by pnina tornai of say yes to the dress fame . third time lucky : kim kept with the frou-frou theme for her third ensemble , opting for a $ 16,000 backless jumpsuit by the same designer . and kim kept with the frou-frou theme for her third ensemble , opting for a $ 16,000 backless jumpsuit by the same designer . the design , which showed off quite a bit of kim 's flesh , was also adorned with pearl and swarovski crystal flowers . while her wedding outfits added up to a hefty $ 92,000 , kim also spared no expense when it came to her two daughters brielle , 14 , and . ariana , nine , from her first marriage . for more : exclusive details and photos . inside kim and kroy 's wedding can be found in this week 's issue of life & . style on newsstands wednesday . the girls were dressed in custom-made anais collezioni frocks . the reality star also splashed out a considerable amount of cash on bling . the bride rocked a gigantic 11-carat emerald-cut knuckle duster band for herself , while kroy slipped on a serious sparkler featuring 77 black diamonds and 26 white diamonds . other extravagant items included $ 14,000 11-layer cake from highland bakery , and napkins embroidered with the couple 's monogram . kim said she had no problems shelling out for the whopping $ 1 million bill . ` we spared no expense , you only do this once , ' she told life & style magazine . ` this is it for me . it was very expensive , but we were in a position to do it , and i 'm thankful for that . ' but she reiterated that the best part of it all was getting married to the love of her life . ' i ca n't believe i 'm married . i 'm so excited . when you find the right person , you 're 1,000 percent sure , ' she told life & style . ` now we 're a family , and it 's such a blessing . ' walking on a cloud : kim tweeted her joy during her wedding day which took place in atlanta on november 11 last week . meanwhile kroy , an american football player for the atlanta falcons , sported a white suit jacket and black bow tie for the nuptials and later slipped on a more casual black shirt for the reception . the couple 's baby son kroy . jagger , who was born in june , was also there . kim clearly loved every aspect of her special day which took place on ` lucky date ' november 11 , 2011 . ` beautiful weather ! beautiful day !! i 'm walking on a cloud and i 'm so grateful , ' she wrote on her twitter account . used dress : the reality show star found her over-the-top gown on website www.preownedweddingdresses.com . it has also been revealed that kim 's lavish wedding will be aired in her new reality spin-off series titled , do n't be tardy for the wedding . a representative for bravo confirmed to life & style that kim 's show will air in 2012 . ' i am so excited to share my life with everyone , ' kim told life & style . ' i ca n't wait for everybody to see my personal life on an intimate level . ' kim met her much-younger husband at an atlanta fundraiser in 2010 and thinks he fits in perfectly with her family . reality show stars : kim 's meeting with kroy was featured on the hit real housewives of atlanta . ` he 's really fantastic with my . girls , ' she told people magazine during her pregnancy . ' i could n't have . asked for a better partner ever . ' kim , . 33 , and kroy , 26 , got engaged in early october this year . log on to life & style 's website for more information on kroy and kim . and for all the exclusive details and photos . inside kim and kroy 's wedding , pick up this week 's issue of life & . style on newsstands wednesday .<doc-sep>paris -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- monaco newlyweds prince albert and princess charlene are suing the french magazine l'express for spreading what they say were false rumours about them in the lead-up to their july 2 wedding . the news magazine reported on its website june 28 that princess charlene , née wittstock , tried to flee for her home country south africa days before the lavish wedding . it alleged that she wanted to leave after she discovered that prince albert had fathered a third illegitimate child while still engaged to her . the prince has previously admitted fathering two children out of wedlock with two different women . the press service for the royal palace confirmed tuesday that a lawsuit had been filed . in a statement july 22 , michel roger , the principality 's head of government , said the couple are suing the weekly magazine for `` invasion of private life and printing fallacious information on its website following unfounded allegations . '' the royal couple 's paris-based lawyer , thierry lacoste , could not be reached for comment . the article purported that charlene was stopped from leaving the nice airport after the palace tipped off police . l'express told cnn it could not comment on the issue since it has not yet received an official complaint from the royal couple . but in an article july 22 , the magazine said it stands by its original reporting , which it said came from sources close to the wedding process . french privacy laws are very strict , and prohibit publications from intruding on the private lives of public figures . celebrities commonly file lawsuits against tabloid and gossip magazines and win damages from the publications . | <t> english football star wayne rooney and sweetheart marry in lavish ceremony . </t> <t> glen scanlon says media have launched bitter attacks on the couple . </t> <t> working-class background appears to be critics ' greatest annoyance , he says . </t> | comment : football star 's lavish wedding a class issue<T> |
kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's former king said wednesday he is not going to leave his country even though the monarchy has been abolished . gyanendra came to power in 2001 following the assassination of king birendra and his family . ex-king gyanendra , 60 , made remarks to reporters before departing the narayanhiti royal palace in kathmandu . he will live as a civilian in the former himalayan kingdom that was made a republic last month , and he will reside in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . a few hundred journalists crammed into the opulent palace 's lobby entrance to hear gyanendra 's remarks . it was a chaotic and undeferential scene replete with pushing , shoving and scuffling -- even while the former monarch was speaking . while the former king spoke , reporters looked around at the lavish furnishings , including a huge crystal chandelier , stuffed tigers , stuffed rhino heads mounted on the walls and paintings of previous monarchs . gyanendra , who expressed his `` love '' for `` independent nepal , '' said all of his property will remain in the country and that he has no property outside the nation . `` i have no intention or thoughts to leave the country , '' he said . `` i will stay in the country to help establish peace . '' the monarchy 's end after 239 years of rule was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which maoist insurgents in nepal gave up their armed struggle , joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in april 's election for the constituent assembly . the assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding the country 's future political system and governing the nation . gyanendra , who noted that the country is going through a `` serious '' stage now , said he accepts the new reality of a republic and reflected on the actions of the monarchy . `` i have done all i can to cooperate with -lrb- the government 's -rrb- directives , '' he said , and added that `` the monarchy in nepal has always been with the people of nepal in good times and bad times . '' gyanendra came to power in 2001 when his brother , king birendra , and his family were massacred in the palace by the crown prince , who later shot himself . gyanendra on wednesday denied rumors that he had played a role in that event . the ex-monarch also discussed events of 2005 , when he he took over the civilian government to take on the maoist insurgency , an unpopular move that sparked protests . he said he hopes people `` understand '' he did n't intend to infringe on any of the rights of the people . he left the palace by a side entrance with pro-royalists and pro-republicans gathered outside to see his departure . his car had to stop momentarily as journalists took pictures of him . gyanendra 's royal scepter and a crown of peacock feathers , yak hair and jewels remain in the palace and have been handed over to the government . -- from cnn 's dan rivers and manesh shrestha .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's new government has converted its deposed king 's opulent palace into a museum and unfurled the national flag on sunday as a symbolic move to signify the end of monarchy . the narayanthi royal palace has been converted into a museum . `` the national flag is fluttering in the hands of the people in the royal palace now , '' said prime minister girija prasad koirala at a ceremony at the former palace sunday . ex-king gyanendra , 60 , left narayanhiti royal palace on wednesday . he will live as a civilian in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . gyanendra 's departure came following the declaration of the former himalayan kingdom as a republic last month . the monarchy 's end after 239 years of rule was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which maoist insurgents in nepal gave up their armed struggle , joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in april 's election for the constituent assembly . the assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding the country 's future political system and governing the nation . gyanendra came to power in 2001 when his brother , king birendra , and his family were massacred in the palace by the crown prince , who later shot himself . gyanendra last week denied rumors that he had played a role in that event .<doc-sep>while the former king spoke , reporters looked around at the lavish furnishings , including a huge crystal chandelier , stuffed tigers , stuffed rhino heads mounted on the walls and paintings of previous monarchs . gyanendra , who expressed his `` love '' for `` independent nepal , '' said all of his property will remain in the country and that he has no property outside the nation . `` i have no intention or thoughts to leave the country , '' he said . `` i will stay in the country to help establish peace . '' the monarchy 's end after 239 years of rule was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which maoist insurgents in nepal gave up their armed struggle , joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in april 's election for the constituent assembly .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's former king said wednesday he is not going to leave his country even though the monarchy has been abolished . gyanendra came to power in 2001 following the assassination of king birendra and his family . ex-king gyanendra , 60 , made remarks to reporters before departing the narayanhiti royal palace in kathmandu . he will live as a civilian in the former himalayan kingdom that was made a republic last month , and he will reside in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . a few hundred journalists crammed into the opulent palace 's lobby entrance to hear gyanendra 's remarks . it was a chaotic and undeferential scene replete with pushing , shoving and scuffling -- even while the former monarch was speaking .<doc-sep>king celebrates winning gold in the women 's team pursuit track cycling at london 2012 . king , with teammates laura trott , and joanna rowsell , vows to be back on the track for the 2016 games . | <t> former king will live as a civilian in a summer palace outside capital . </t> <t> gyanendra : will stay in the country to help establish peace . </t> <t> left palace by side entrance while officials gathered outside to see his departure . </t> <t> assembly tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding future political system . </t> | deposed king vows to stay in nepal<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nothing says true love like releasing a caged butterfly , do n't you think ? wayne rooney and coleen mcloughlin are to be paid $ 5 million for the picture rights to their wedding . the butterflies are reported to be the piece-de-resistance of england 's most anticipated celebrity wedding of the year . wayne rooney , the best english footballer of his generation , and coleen mcloughlin , his high school sweetheart , were to marry in an estimated $ 10 million ceremony in italy thursday . as they kiss , guests are apparently meant to open boxes and release the butterflies . the moment has been pilloried widely in the british media , tacky and over the top they all think , but is it just sour grapes ? it has been a long and , at times , bumpy road for the couple to the altar . one littered with fierce criticism from the british press , which has enjoyed nothing more than lampooning rooney and mcloughlin for being ` common . ' the daily mail once even asked : `` is this britain 's ghastliest couple ? '' rooney has been dubbed `` shrek '' and `` mr potato head '' due to his looks and his background as the son of a school dinner lady who grew up on a council estate is often referred to in a disparaging way .<doc-sep>mcloughlin , meanwhile , has been subjected to page upon page of bitter stories about her weight , shopping sprees and her lack of closeness to victoria beckham . there has also been fierce criticism over the fact she has managed to become a millionaire in her own right . it 's all down to rooney apparently , and nothing to do with her appearing to be quite a decent person , who did well at school and has cleverly managed to parlay some of her fame into various media and advertising projects . anyone who has seen her television show -- coleen 's real women -- can see she is a decent , bubbly person , who is very good at putting people at ease . much to the media 's fury , the couple have sold the rights to cover the wedding to ok magazine for a record $ 5 million . however they 're not pocketing all the cash themselves , with an undisclosed sum from the fee to be donated to the claire house children 's hospice in cheshire -- where mcloughlin 's disabled foster sister rosie is cared for . the queen 's grandson , peter phillips and his bride autumn kelly , recently received $ 1m from hello magazine to cover their wedding but they did n't receive an eighth of the opprobrium now directed at the more generous , but lower class , rooney and mcloughlin . moreover , in lieu of presents , rooney and mcloughlin have also asked guests to donate money to the alder hey children 's hospital in liverpool . the wedding might be over the top , with a private yacht and luxury jet for guests -lrb- they are covering the guests ' costs -rrb- , expensive plonk and a $ 200,000 wedding dress , but at least the couple have worked hard for what they have .<doc-sep>their success despite a working-class background appears to be the greatest source of frustration for critics . it 's just not on that someone who was n't born into privilege and did n't go to a posh school can enjoy their wealth . that would be ugly . if anything , the couple 's relationship and success is a triumph over adversity . they have known each other since mcloughlin was 12 , but she spent two years fending off rooney 's entreaties to go out on a date . he finally got his chance when he saw her struggling to fix a broken bicycle chain . he rode over to help , popped the question again and got a yes . surely they should be congratulated for creating their own modern fairytale complete with butterflies ? the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>lavish party : actor matt damon used the alias ` mr naff ' to book out an entire caribbean resort for a part to celebrate the renewal of his wedding vows with wife luciana barroso , left . hollywood star matt damon has grown accustomed to using aliases playing jason bourne -- the renegade agent travels the world using a series of false names . but damon appears to have had his tongue firmly in his cheek when he chose his own alias to book a lavish party for a renewal of his wedding vows . the 42-year-old star has rented out the entire sugar beach resort on the caribbean island of st lucia under the name ` mr naff ' . damon and his wife luciana barroso , 37 , have spent # 300,000 on the party -- a week-long celebration with guests expected to include george clooney , brad pitt and his fiancee angelina jolie , and his latest co-star , michael douglas and his oscar-winning wife catherine zeta-jones . a staff member at sugar beach said : ` the hotel was booked under a different name to damon . ` we were told that it was a mr and mrs naff getting married . ` we then heard that it was matt damon and they had been using a false name to stop their secret being found out . ` he was here two months ago to have a look around . a big yacht moored by the beach and he came into the resort . ' according to sources , all 78 rooms at the five-star hotel , which was opened 21 years ago by the late princess margaret 's close friend lord glenconner , and has more recently played host to guests including actress gwyneth paltrow and her husband , coldplay singer chris martin , have been booked for a week from april 8 for the event . damon and barroso , who have three children together and a fourth from miss barroso 's previous relationship , married in a low-key ceremony at new york 's city hall in 2005 but were unable to celebrate with a honeymoon due to filming commitments . a spokesman for sugar beach said : ` we never comment on our guests . ' mystery booking : damon has spent # 300,000 on the lavish week-long party at the luxury sugar beach resort in st lucia .<doc-sep>by . mark duell . updated : . 04:33 est , 20 july 2011 . it was finally something for the miami heat to celebrate after a difficult year and provided everyone with a brief respite from the nba lockout . basketball star chris bosh , 27 , held a lavish three-day wedding party costing an estimated $ 300,000 with his petite princess adrienne williams . the couple celebrated with 300 guests in miami beach , florida , including heat players lebron james , juwan howard and dwyane wade - despite the lockout . celebration time : basketball star chris bosh held a lavish three-day wedding party costing an estimated $ 300,000 with his petite princess adrienne williams .<doc-sep>by . eleanor gower . and jade watkins . updated : . 17:18 est , 16 november 2011 . real housewives of atlanta 's kim zolciak has opened up her wedding album after marrying toyboy kroy biermann in a lavish ceremony last week . the 33-year-old wore not one but three dramatic - and rather expensive - ensembles throughout her nuptials . and she was happy to show them off in pictures for this week 's issue of life & style magazine . one is not enough : real housewives of atlanta star kim zolciak wore not one but three wedding outfits for her $ 1 million nuptials to kroy biermann , here she is seen in her first wedding gown worth $ 58,000 . fellow reality tv star kim kardashian also had three costume changes during her ill-fated wedding to kris humphries back in august , but the new mother is no doubt hoping for a more happier ending to her fairytale . the most extravagant ensemble of the three was kim 's low cut 32 pound and $ 58,000 opulent creation . the southern belle-style gown was the centrepiece for when kim and kroy exchanged nuptials . kim bought the hand-made baracci beverly hills creation from website preownedweddingdresses.com after falling in love with the used frock online . second frock : at her reception the reality star . switched dresses , putting another pearl and swarovski crystals creation , . this time a $ 18,000 mermaid style gown designed by pnina tornai of say . yes to the dress fame . the over-the-top number was covered in swarovski crystals , pearls , beads and embroidered lace , while the fabric was 100 percent duchess satin . she also wore a matching veil which had the same , hand-stitched detailing and a glittering tiara . ' i just remember thinking , this is the day i 've waited my whole life for , ' kim tells life & style . ' i really do feel like i 'm dreaming . ' at her reception the reality star switched dresses , putting on another pearl and swarovski crystals creation , this time a $ 18,000 mermaid style gown designed by pnina tornai of say yes to the dress fame . third time lucky : kim kept with the frou-frou theme for her third ensemble , opting for a $ 16,000 backless jumpsuit by the same designer . and kim kept with the frou-frou theme for her third ensemble , opting for a $ 16,000 backless jumpsuit by the same designer . the design , which showed off quite a bit of kim 's flesh , was also adorned with pearl and swarovski crystal flowers . while her wedding outfits added up to a hefty $ 92,000 , kim also spared no expense when it came to her two daughters brielle , 14 , and . ariana , nine , from her first marriage . for more : exclusive details and photos . inside kim and kroy 's wedding can be found in this week 's issue of life & . style on newsstands wednesday . the girls were dressed in custom-made anais collezioni frocks . the reality star also splashed out a considerable amount of cash on bling . the bride rocked a gigantic 11-carat emerald-cut knuckle duster band for herself , while kroy slipped on a serious sparkler featuring 77 black diamonds and 26 white diamonds . other extravagant items included $ 14,000 11-layer cake from highland bakery , and napkins embroidered with the couple 's monogram . kim said she had no problems shelling out for the whopping $ 1 million bill . ` we spared no expense , you only do this once , ' she told life & style magazine . ` this is it for me . it was very expensive , but we were in a position to do it , and i 'm thankful for that . ' but she reiterated that the best part of it all was getting married to the love of her life . ' i ca n't believe i 'm married . i 'm so excited . when you find the right person , you 're 1,000 percent sure , ' she told life & style . ` now we 're a family , and it 's such a blessing . ' walking on a cloud : kim tweeted her joy during her wedding day which took place in atlanta on november 11 last week . meanwhile kroy , an american football player for the atlanta falcons , sported a white suit jacket and black bow tie for the nuptials and later slipped on a more casual black shirt for the reception . the couple 's baby son kroy . jagger , who was born in june , was also there . kim clearly loved every aspect of her special day which took place on ` lucky date ' november 11 , 2011 . ` beautiful weather ! beautiful day !! i 'm walking on a cloud and i 'm so grateful , ' she wrote on her twitter account . used dress : the reality show star found her over-the-top gown on website www.preownedweddingdresses.com . it has also been revealed that kim 's lavish wedding will be aired in her new reality spin-off series titled , do n't be tardy for the wedding . a representative for bravo confirmed to life & style that kim 's show will air in 2012 . ' i am so excited to share my life with everyone , ' kim told life & style . ' i ca n't wait for everybody to see my personal life on an intimate level . ' kim met her much-younger husband at an atlanta fundraiser in 2010 and thinks he fits in perfectly with her family . reality show stars : kim 's meeting with kroy was featured on the hit real housewives of atlanta . ` he 's really fantastic with my . girls , ' she told people magazine during her pregnancy . ' i could n't have . asked for a better partner ever . ' kim , . 33 , and kroy , 26 , got engaged in early october this year . log on to life & style 's website for more information on kroy and kim . and for all the exclusive details and photos . inside kim and kroy 's wedding , pick up this week 's issue of life & . style on newsstands wednesday .<doc-sep>paris -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- monaco newlyweds prince albert and princess charlene are suing the french magazine l'express for spreading what they say were false rumours about them in the lead-up to their july 2 wedding . the news magazine reported on its website june 28 that princess charlene , née wittstock , tried to flee for her home country south africa days before the lavish wedding . it alleged that she wanted to leave after she discovered that prince albert had fathered a third illegitimate child while still engaged to her . the prince has previously admitted fathering two children out of wedlock with two different women . the press service for the royal palace confirmed tuesday that a lawsuit had been filed . in a statement july 22 , michel roger , the principality 's head of government , said the couple are suing the weekly magazine for `` invasion of private life and printing fallacious information on its website following unfounded allegations . '' the royal couple 's paris-based lawyer , thierry lacoste , could not be reached for comment . the article purported that charlene was stopped from leaving the nice airport after the palace tipped off police . l'express told cnn it could not comment on the issue since it has not yet received an official complaint from the royal couple . but in an article july 22 , the magazine said it stands by its original reporting , which it said came from sources close to the wedding process . french privacy laws are very strict , and prohibit publications from intruding on the private lives of public figures . celebrities commonly file lawsuits against tabloid and gossip magazines and win damages from the publications . | <t> english football star wayne rooney and sweetheart marry in lavish ceremony . </t> <t> glen scanlon says media have launched bitter attacks on the couple . </t> <t> working-class background appears to be critics ' greatest annoyance , he says . </t> | comment : football star 's lavish wedding a class issue<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a big part of being president is making decisions , and one of the key decisions a would-be president can make is who he or she marries . cindy mccain has a master 's degree in special education . she is part owner of her father 's business . it 's not like deciding whether to press the nuclear button , but first ladies in the united states can wield enormous influence in politics and in society . they 're not elected . they 're not paid . there 's no precise job description . but whether it 's an elegantly dressed jacqueline kennedy giving americans a tour of the white house , eleanor roosevelt speaking on civil rights or hillary clinton saying `` i suppose i could have stayed home and baked cookies , '' first ladies are praised , criticized , adored and scorned -- but never ignored . the two women poised for the job , 54-year-old cindy mccain , wife of republican sen. john mccain , and 44-year-old michelle obama , wife of democratic sen. barack obama , come from strikingly different backgrounds . watch the different styles of potential first ladies '' mccain is the only child of a wealthy arizona businessman , james hensley , founder of hensley & co. , a major distributor of budweiser beer . her stake in the business is estimated to be at least $ 100 million . she refused to release her full tax returns , saying `` i am not the candidate , '' but later provided summary pages of her 2006 taxes without details . cindy mccain has a master 's degree in special education . she met john mccain in 1979 when he was the u.s. navy 's liaison to the senate . he was 18 years older than she . he divorced his wife and married cindy in 1980 .<doc-sep>the mccains have four children , including a daughter adopted from an orphanage in bangladesh . a tall , striking blonde with blue eyes , cindy mccain has had health issues including a near-fatal stroke in 2004 and a battle with prescription drugs that she says is behind her . in an interview with cnn , mccain said her priority in life is charity . `` i 've been internationally involved in many , many things , '' she said . `` land mine removal , children 's health care , poverty around the world -- and i will continue that . '' on the campaign trail , always dressed impeccably , she stays `` on message '' but did take a swipe at michelle obama after her statement , `` for the first time in my adult lifetime , i 'm really proud of my country . '' `` i do n't know about you , '' mccain said in february , '' ... i 'm very proud of my country . '' michelle obama has a blunt style and a wry , quirky sense of humor that goes over well with supporters .<doc-sep>she does n't mince words . in an interview with cnn , she said , `` i think race is always -- still , in this country , it 's always on the table . '' michelle obama was raised in a working-class family in chicago , illinois , but educated at some of america 's elite universities : princeton and harvard law school . she was hired by a top-flight law firm in chicago and met barack obama when she was assigned to mentor him . they married in 1992 and have two young daughters . michelle obama cuts an impressive figure -- tall , slim and dressed in jackie-kennedy-like sheath dresses . if her husband is elected , she will make history as the first african-american first lady . she has given insights into her husband 's domestic behavior : he does n't pick up his socks . cindy mccain praises her husband as a fighter who wo n't give up . will we learn more of substance ? their husbands offer starkly different views of what they would do in office and americans often look to their first ladies as a window into the thinking of the president . we 're all ears .<doc-sep>inputting 70 likes allowed it to obtain a truer picture of someone 's character than a friend or room-mate , while 150 likes outperformed a parent or sibling . it took 300 likes before the programme was able to judge character better than a spouse , though . the results of the questionnaire were then compared with judgements of friends and family members made using a shorter version of the personality test . given enough likes , the software was able to match people 's self-reported personality traits more closely than siblings , parents or friends . in particular , the researchers found their software could predict a participant 's personality more accurately than a work colleague from analysing just 10 likes . inputting 70 likes allowed it to obtain a truer picture of someone 's character than a friend , while 150 likes outperformed a parent or sibling . it took 300 likes before the software was able to judge character better than a spouse , though . given that an average facebook user has about 227 likes , the researchers said this kind of artificial intelligence -lrb- ai -rrb- has the potential to know us better than our closest companions . ` in the future , computers could be able to infer our psychological traits and react accordingly , leading to the emergence of emotionally-intelligent and socially skilled machines , ' said ms youyou . ` in this context , the human-computer interactions depicted in science fiction films such as her seem to be within our reach . ' in her , starring joaquin phoenix , a man develops a close relationship with an intelligent computer operating system called samantha , personified by a female voice . but the scientists admit there may be concerns about privacy as such technology develops , and say they support policies giving users full control over their digital footprint . analysis of the data revealed which likes equated with higher levels of particular traits . for instance , liking salvador dali -lrb- picutred -rrb- , ted talks , or pages about meditation revealed a high degree of openness . the results of the computerised assessment were compared with judgements of friends and family members . the software predicted a participant 's personality more accurately than a colleague using just 10 likes . inputting 70 likes allowed it to obtain a truer picture of character than a friend , while 150 likes outperformed a parent or sibling . it took 300 likes before the software could judge character better than a spouse , though . the work , reported in the journal proceedings of the national academy of sciences , builds on a previous study by cambridge university scientists which showed that a variety of psychological and demographic characteristics can be predicted through facebook likes . co-author dr david stillwell , also from cambridge university , added : ` the ability to judge personality is an essential component of social living - from day-to-day decisions to long-term plans such as whom to marry , trust , hire , or elect as president . ` the results of such data analysis can be very useful in aiding people when making decisions . ' people with higher levels of extraversion commonly liked reality tv star snooki -lrb- pictured -rrb- , and pages about dancing , according to the research . given that an average facebook user has about 227 likes , the researchers said this kind of software has the potential to know people better than their closest companions . lead researcher wu youyou said : ` in this context , the human-computer interactions depicted in science fiction films such as her seem to be within our reach . ' in her , starring joaquin phoenix , -lrb- pictured -rrb- a man develops a close relationship with an operating system personified by a female voice , called samantha . phd student ms youyou continued : ` recruiters could better match candidates with jobs based on their personality ; products and services could adjust their behaviour to best match their users ' characters and changing moods . ` people may choose to augment their own intuitions and judgments with this kind of data analysis when making important life decisions such as choosing activities , career paths , or even romantic partners . ` such data-driven decisions may well improve people 's lives . '<doc-sep>a ` strong connection ' exists between mass shootings and domestic or family violence , a study has found -lrb- file picture -rrb- . an analysis of gun murders in the u.s. has found ' a strong connection ' between mass shootings and domestic or family violence . gun-control advocacy group everytown for gun safety analysed fbi data and media reports to identify a total of 110 mass shootings between january 2009 and july 2014 . the group found 57 per cent of mass shootings , defined by the fbi as incidents in which at least four people were murdered with a gun , were related to domestic or family violence . the analysis also found the victims of mass shootings were disproportionately female . while just 13 per cent of the total number of victims of gun homicide in the u.s. were female , the figure of female victims in mass shootings was 51 per cent . the report says in at least 63 of the 110 cases the shooter killed a current or former spouse , partner or other family member . the everytown analysis also discovered gunmen who carried out mass shootings were on average older than those who committed gun murders in the u.s. as a whole . while the median age of all known gun murderers is 26 , those who had carried out mass shootings had the average median age of 34 . under federal law , certain people , including felons , certain domestic abusers and those with a severe mental illness , are not allowed to possess guns . the analysis found of the 110 mass shootings , it was possible to judge whether the shooter was prohibited from carrying guns in 78 per cent of cases . of these 86 incidents , a total of 42 per cent were prohibited , the report claims . the group found 57 per cent of mass shootings , defined by the fbi as incidents in which at least four people were murdered with a gun , were related to domestic or family violence . the everytown analysis also discovered gunmen who carried out mass shootings were on average older than those who committed gun murders in the u.s. as a whole . the report also notes mass shootings represent only a small part of the total number of gun murders in the u.s. , with less than one per cent of victims recorded by the fbi in 2012 killed in such incidents . kim gandy , president of the national network to end domestic violence , told the huffington post gun laws needed to be tightened . she said : ` it 's clear that many of these murders were committed by people already barred from gun ownership by federal law - but that law is full of loopholes , like background checks not being required for private sales , like craigslist or at gun shows . '<doc-sep>`` corporal punishment is of limited effectiveness and has potentially deleterious side effects , '' the american academy of pediatrics has said in a policy statement . a 2002 analysis of studies , published in the psychological bulletin , concluded that although corporal punishment can make a child obey in the short run , it also is linked with a number of long-term problems , including mental disorders and behavioral difficulties . spanking in childhood also has been related to criminality . too much corporal punishment can also damage the parent-child relationship , as the parent becomes a source of both nurturing and danger . disconcertingly , spanking in childhood also is associated with approval of hitting a spouse and increased marital conflict . all the evidence and warnings , however , do n't always stop parents from hitting their kids . personal experiences and emotion continue to dictate whether or not parents choose physical punishment . the video of the judge beating his daughter is disturbing not only because of the physical violence , but also because of the emotional abuse that is clearly present . rather than learning not to download computer files , this girl may be learning to hide her behavior from her parents , to avoid bringing them her questions and concerns . she may become more likely to resolve conflict with violence , to become involved with people who are abusive , and eventually to hit her own children . all parents surely want to raise well-adjusted children . discipline and structure are key components of doing so . it would be naã ¯ ve to think that even the most dedicated parents do not sometimes become frustrated with defiant children . there are many ways of disciplining children that are effective and nonviolent . we need to show parents what they are , and to make alternative approaches more widely accessible if we are to avoid tragic outcomes . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of sheree l. toth .<doc-sep>he said analysis of other countries which had already legalised same sex marriage had shown erosion of traditional words in statute , such as ` mother ' , ` father ' , ` wife ' and ` husband ' . writing in the telegraph , lord brennan - who is also the president of the catholic union of great britain - used spain as a recent example , where the socialist government introduced gay marriage in 2005 . he wrote : ` the following year it was announced that spanish birth certificates would read `` progenitor a '' and `` progenitor b '' instead of `` mother '' and `` father '' . ` this kind of language is orwellian . can we really expect the same kind of thing here if marriage is redefined ? ' lord brennan 's warning was dismissed as scaremongering by supporters of same sex marriage , who said the adjustment of legislative language was common practice when new laws are introduced . a draft bill drawn up by the gay rights group stonewall proposed amending the matrimonial causes act of 1973 using the term ` parties to the marriage ' to replace the words ` husband ' and ` wife ' . in current law , the word ` husband ' appears 1,003 times , ` wife ' 888 times and ` spouse ' 2,740 . controversy : lord brennan qc -lrb- left -rrb- claimed same sex marriage would have ` orwellian ' consequences , while david cameron -lrb- right -rrb- is keen to press ahead . however the qc - who is a member of . matrix chambers and has also represented the families of the omagh bomb . victims - argued it would take up too much of the government 's time and . energy making the amendments . | <t> first ladies can wield enormous influence . </t> <t> michelle obama , cindy mccain have sharply different backgrounds . </t> <t> but both are well-educated and successful in their own careers . </t> | analysis : many judge the president by the spouse<T> |
harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's president robert mugabe has warned that veterans he commanded in his country 's liberation war will take up arms again to prevent the opposition party from taking power . zimbabwe 's president robert mugabe says war veterans do not want the opposition in power . mugabe -- zimbabwe 's only leader since that struggle ended in 1980 -- faces a june 27 runoff with morgan tsvangirai of the opposition movement for democratic change -lrb- mdc -rrb- . mugabe told supporters that tsvangirai would turn the country back over to white control if he won the runoff . the veterans he led in a successful effort against a government dominated by the white minority were not prepared to recognize a tsvangirai victory , mugabe said .<doc-sep>`` they said they got this country through the barrel of gun , so they can not let it go by a ballot , '' mugabe said thursday at a campaign rally in murehwa . tsvangirai was arrested twice thursday . he was released friday , but police impounded his two campaign buses . in the general election on march 29 , the opposition won a plurality in parliament . weeks after the election , the zimbabwe electoral commission announced that tsvangirai won a plurality against mugabe but that he failed to get the needed majority , making a runoff necessary . human rights watch issued a report this week declaring the presidential election to be dead on arrival because of violence and intimidation by mugabe 's followers -- including war veterans - against opposition supporters . mugabe , at a rally in chikomba district -- about 120 miles -lrb- 200 km -rrb- south of harare -- seemed to support that conclusion . learn more about zimbabwe ''<doc-sep>`` these areas , where the party lost on march 29 , need to be cleansed and i am confident this would be done on june 27 when we go to the polls . '' mugabe said the mdc was a party `` for whites and not blacks . '' he also said the party was created and funded by the british . `` you saw the whites after the march elections running around thinking that they would repossess the farms , '' mugabe said . `` they thought they had won . '' he said the opposition would not be allowed to `` give it back to whites . '' `` guard your country jealously , '' mugabe told supporters .<doc-sep>meanwhile , zimbabwean authorities put more pressure on opposition figures thursday , seizing a top leader and accusing him of treason . police and the mdc confirmed tendai biti 's arrest and the charges he will face . biti , secretary general of the mdc , was arrested when he arrived in harare , zimbabwe , from south africa . zimbabwe 's national police spokesperson wayne bvudzijena told cnn that biti would be charged with treason and the communication of false information . the treason charge relates to a document published by the mdc before the march 29 vote which , the state alleges , contains subversive statements authored by biti .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- after more than three decades , zimbabwean president robert mugabe is not ready to give up power . referred to by locals as `` old man , '' the 89-year-old leader trudges on , holding on to his presidency by suppressing the media and intimidating his opponents , rights groups say . but his supporters have dismissed the claims , saying the bespectacled leader wins hearts based on his popularity and policies . zimbabwe election praised by african union , sidesteps rigging claims . last week , zimbabwe 's election commission handed him another five years in power when it said he won 61 % of the votes in the country 's presidential elections . his rival , prime minister morgan tsvangirai , cried foul and threatened to mount a legal challenge . the united states , the united kingdom and australia all questioned the results . mugabe has never been shy about his grip on power . `` this is my territory , and that which is mine i cling -lrb- to -rrb- unto death , '' he once said . war hero . once hailed as a liberation hero , mugabe became a household name during a guerrilla war against white colonial rulers in zimbabwe , then known as rhodesia . the white regime threw him into prison for 10 years . after his release in 1974 , he launched a fight for freedom from mozambique . he coordinated a guerrilla war against then-prime minister ian smith 's white minority rule in rhodesia and returned home a hero in 1979 . `` he was very clear of what they were looking for , which was really one person , one vote , democracy for his country , '' said moeletsi mbeki , brother of former south african president thabo mbeki . `` he was leading this party which had an army , which was credible , which was doing a good job against the white settlers in then-rhodesia . '' he went on to lead the newly independent zimbabwe -- first as prime minister in 1980 , then as president seven years later . different paths . mugabe and south africa 's anti-apartheid icon , nelson mandela , both battled to free their nations from white minority rule . but mandela , who became president in 1994 after he was freed from prison , kept a promise to retire after only one term . though both were hailed as liberation heroes , mandela is considered an iconic statesman . mugabe , on the other hard , is vilified by some world leaders .<doc-sep>zimbabwean president robert mugabe gestures as he greets the crowd . zimbabwe 's vice president was a rebel commander known as ` spill blood ' during the war against white rulers and , at the age of 25 , became the youngest cabinet minister after independence . zimbabwe 's vice president is a political pariah , accused of plotting the downfall of president robert mugabe with the help of nocturnal sorcery . the party congress re-elected the 90-year-old mugabe to another five-year term as party president and authorized him to personally choose his vice president and other top party posts . ' i am open to competition , but not when it involves taking me out the kabila way , ' said mugabe , referring to the former leader of the democratic republic of congo , laurent kabila , who was assassinated by one of his bodyguards in 2001 . mujuru , once a freedom fighter in mugabe 's guerrilla army known by the nom de guerre ` spill blood ' in the local shona language , is now a political outcast accused of conspiring with witches and foreign agents to remove the president . ' i met joice when she was a young kid in the war , ' he said . ' i strengthened her and even pushed her to get an education until she got a doctorate . '<doc-sep>celebration : zimbabwe 's vice president joice mujuru dances upon the arrival of mugabe and his wife at the official opening of the convention . mugabe claimed that tsvangirai , now the country 's prime minister , has taken ' a free ride ' and labelled the power sharing deal a ` monster ' that should be ` buried . ' ` let us now start preparing for elections and as we do that we are digging the grave of this monster ' , he said . ` are you ready to dig this grave ? have you got your picks and shovels ready ? ' he asked his followers . robert mugabe , 87 , has ruled zimbabwe ever since it independence from britain in 1980 .<doc-sep>mugabe 's cronies visited the adjacent mount carmel farm about two weeks later , just days after mugabe won a majority of votes in a runoff denounced as a `` sham '' by the international community . watch how violence persists after the election '' like the etheredges , mike and angela campbell were warned that mugabe loyalists , members of his zimbabwe african national union-patriotic front , were planning to invade their farm . the government had given the 1,200-hectare -lrb- 2,965-acre -rrb- tract to a zanu-pf spokesman who also served as mugabe 's biographer , according to the campbells ' son-in-law , ben freeth . two nuns went to mount carmel on june 26 , the day before the runoff , wanting to buy sweet potatoes , freeth said . but their quest for tubers was a ruse ; they actually wanted to tell freeth that zanu-pf members were planning to raid the campbell land , where the campbells and freeth and his wife , laura , live . on june 29 , freeth received a phone call : `` war veterans , '' as the clans of pro-mugabe thugs call themselves , were heading to his in-laws ' house . laura and her brother , bruce , gathered their children . laura fled with the children through a fence on the northern boundary of mount carmel farm , freeth said . freeth jumped in his car and sped 1 1/2 kilometers to the campbell house . `` these guys had already arrived , and they started shooting at me as soon as i drove through the gate , '' he said . the bullets missed , but one of the war veterans hurled a rock through the driver 's side window , smashing freeth 's right eye shut . `` they dragged me out of the vehicle and began beating me over the head with rifle butts , '' freeth said . the men tied up freeth , he said , and took him to where his in-laws were lying bound on the gravel outside their home . angela campbell was still conscious . the men had caught her on her way to feed a calf . they had beaten her and broken her upper arm in two places , freeth said . mike campbell was in bad shape , `` just groaning on the ground ; in fact , he remembers nothing . '' the heavily armed men threw the three in the back of mike campbell 's toyota prado truck , and `` the next nine hours were quite a nightmare , '' freeth said . freeth and the campbells were driven about 50 kilometers -lrb- 31 miles -rrb- to pickstone mine . their captors stopped at a dairy farm on the way and killed a white farmer 's dogs , freeth said . night had fallen by the time they arrived at the mine to find about 60 men in zanu-pf regalia waiting for them . `` they were pointing guns at us the whole time , telling us they were going to kill us , '' freeth said . | <t> president robert mugabe says war veterans will fight to prevent change . </t> <t> opposition party 's no. 2 facing treason charge after return to country . </t> <t> mdc leader morgan tsvangirai was detained twice thursday . </t> | mugabe : war vets ready to fight for me<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- graeme le saux played more than 400 matches for blackburn , chelsea and southampton , winning a premier league title and 36 international caps . cnn 's don riddell talks to the former england star about homophobia and racism in the game . graeme le saux , pictured here playing for chelsea , endured homophobic abuse throughout his career due to false rumors he was gay . don riddell : graeme , you 're happily married with two children but during your football career everyone thought you were gay and the experience was pretty miserable . graeme le saux : the culture of football back in the 80s was very different , something i found very hard to relate to and subsequently i found myself a little bit isolated and ostracized from certain people . that eventually led to rumors being spread that i was gay . in the context of modern life that 's not defamatory but in terms of the dressing room culture that existed then -- and to an extent now -- it was very difficult for me to deal with and had the potential to damage my career . i think that the joke very quickly got out of hand . and i think where i was at fault was that i was probably a little sensitive about it , because i could actually see the potential of this sort of thing to get out of control . and it did . we played in a game at west ham and the terraces started singing something particularly defamatory about me and i remember being , you know , really , really shocked that it got to that level so quickly . dr : and that carried on as well and the most notable incident is the one involving robbie fowler . tell me about that ? gs : it all culminated in a game that we played at stamford bridge against liverpool and robbie fowler , he stood in front of 40,000 people and he bent over and invited me to perform a homosexual act upon him ... that 's the politest way i can put it ! that really was the point at which it could n't get any worse . it was n't just people singing on the terrace , it was a colleague -- an international colleague -- humiliating you in front of all those people , an international audience . he will maintain to this day that it was just a laugh but that is exactly the point . if you look at anything like this , whether it is racism or homophobia or whatever , as if it is just a laugh that can be a very serious issue . i 'm all for a good laugh but when you offend someone and you are damaging relationships then it goes way beyond being a laugh and you ca n't hide behind that as an excuse . dr : it 's thought that only one professional soccer player in the world has ever declared himself to be gay . that was the englishman justin fashanu and he committed suicide a decade ago . john amaechi became the first gay player to be associated with the nba last year , but such declarations are extremely rare . in many cases homosexuality remains pro sport 's last taboo . gs : it 's such a terrible reflection on a sport that has so much positive impact across the globe that there is still this issue about gay people within the sport . if you look at so many other professions in terms of business and politics , across the board the gay community is represented but in football it still is n't and i find that disappointing . there may not be many gay players in the game but the sport should be grown up enough to be able to support those people in the football environment . dr : football 's obviously made great strides , certainly in britain , in the last 10 years with regards to racism , but how much prejudice is there generally in the game ? do you think we 'll ever be free of it ? gs : i think there 's always going to be an undercurrent of prejudice . but ultimately i think it 's important for any business really to be responsible , inclusive and representative of its employees . and football is in a very privileged position and can lead by example . and so i hope that , you know , the people in authority really make some serious attempts , i suppose to create parity between all walks of life . dr : we 've come across a couple of black footballers who say that fans who shout racist abuse are n't really racist , they are just trying to put us off our game . how much do you buy into that approach ? gs : well , i ca n't speak for individual black players ! but sometimes i think the perception of people it is not happening to is different to the individual . it used to baffle me when i first started playing that you 'd have chelsea fans being racist to black players from the opposition but there would be three or four black players on the chelsea 's team . and if you spoke to them or confronted them about it , they would be like , `` oh yeah , but we know them ... they are , you know , they are fine . '' and it 's like , well how do you pick the bones out of that ? because there is just no logic . but then you know prejudice is built on ignorance . you know it really is . i think that sometimes you know individuals have to take responsibility for themselves and actually take a step back and look at what they are doing and not use ignorance as an excuse and say , `` well , would i like to be on the receiving end of this sort of abuse ? ''<doc-sep>by . mark duell . published : . 07:00 est , 8 january 2014 . | . updated : . 12:00 est , 8 january 2014 . announcement : former west ham united midfielder thomas hitzlsperger has announced he is gay . thomas hitzlsperger today became the first premier league footballer to come out as gay after recently realising he ` preferred ' men . the 31-year-old german international midfielder , who ended his playing career in september due to persistent injuries , said he came out in a bid to break the taboo . of homosexuality in sport . in what as a landmark moment for football , he told germany 's die zeit newspaper that now was ` a good time ' for him to reveal his sexuality . hitzlsperger said : ` i 'm coming out about my homosexuality because i want to move the discussion about homosexuality among professional sportspeople forwards . the retired footballer said he has only realised ` in the past few years ' that he would ` prefer to live together with another man ' , saying the issue is otherwise taboo inside the dressing room . ` i 've never been ashamed of the way i am , ' he added , although he conceded it has not always been easy to live with some of the comments dished out on the subject . ` just picture 20 men sat around a table together drinking - you 've just got to let the majority be , just as long as the jokes are halfway funny and the talk about homosexuality does n't get too insulting , ' he said . ` in england , germany or italy , homosexuality is not taken seriously as an issue , at least not in the dressing room . ' the 31-year-old is the first high-profile german player to publicly reveal that he is homosexual . justin fashanu was the first professional footballer in britain to come out in 1990 before he took his own life eight years later , aged 37 . but he never played in the premier league , which began in 1992 . hitzlsperger played 52 times for germany between 2004 and 2010 and spent his club career at aston villa , vfb stuttgart , lazio , west ham united , vfl wolfsburg and everton . he used to live with fiancée inga totzauer in sutton coldfield , west midlands , but split up with her in june 2007 only one month before they were due to wed. . scroll down for video . teams : hitzlsperger spent his club career at aston villa -lrb- left -rrb- , stuttgart , lazio , wolfsburg and everton -lrb- right -rrb- . big moment : the 31-year-old footballer ended his playing career in september due to persistent injuries . former england footballer gary . lineker said on twitter : ` congratulations to thomas hitzlsperger on . bravely being the first player to have played in the premier league to .<doc-sep>dr : and that carried on as well and the most notable incident is the one involving robbie fowler . tell me about that ? gs : it all culminated in a game that we played at stamford bridge against liverpool and robbie fowler , he stood in front of 40,000 people and he bent over and invited me to perform a homosexual act upon him ... that 's the politest way i can put it ! that really was the point at which it could n't get any worse . it was n't just people singing on the terrace , it was a colleague -- an international colleague -- humiliating you in front of all those people , an international audience . he will maintain to this day that it was just a laugh but that is exactly the point . if you look at anything like this , whether it is racism or homophobia or whatever , as if it is just a laugh that can be a very serious issue . i 'm all for a good laugh but when you offend someone and you are damaging relationships then it goes way beyond being a laugh and you ca n't hide behind that as an excuse . does homophobia in soccer exist ? have your say . dr : it 's thought that only one professional soccer player in the world has ever declared himself to be gay . that was the englishman justin fashanu and he committed suicide a decade ago . john amaechi became the first gay player to be associated with the nba last year , but such declarations are extremely rare . in many cases homosexuality remains pro sport 's last taboo . gs : it 's such a terrible reflection on a sport that has so much positive impact across the globe that there is still this issue about gay people within the sport . if you look at so many other professions in terms of business and politics , across the board the gay community is represented but in football it still is n't and i find that disappointing . there may not be many gay players in the game but the sport should be grown up enough to be able to support those people in the football environment . dr : football 's obviously made great strides , certainly in britain , in the last 10 years with regards to racism , but how much prejudice is there generally in the game ? do you think we 'll ever be free of it ?<doc-sep>the former international , who played . in the 2006 world cup and the 2008 european championship , has been inundated with messages of support and praise since yesterday 's announcement made via germany 's die zeit newspaper that he was gay . former england footballer gary . lineker said on twitter : ` congratulations to thomas hitzlsperger on . bravely being the first player to have played in the premier league to . `` come out '' . ' lineker later tweeted that he was looking forward to interviewing hitzlsperger for the bbc one show football focus this week . ' a man , hopefully , paving the way for others to follow , ' he added . love life : hitzlsperger pictured with his former partner inga totzauer at home in sutton coldfield in march 2002 . arsenal 's german forward lukas podolski wrote on the microblogging site : ` respect to thomas hitzlsperger ! that was a courageous and correct . decision and an important step . ' david cameron tweeted : ` as an #avfc fan , i 've always admired . what thomas hitzlsperger did on the pitch -- but i admire him even more . today . a brave & important move . ' however , hitzlsperger , who also played for vfb stuttgart and lazio , said that the description of his as courageous , though nice to hear , was part of the problem facing the taboo around homosexuality in sport . he said : ` that 's something that should change . i sincerely hope that we 'll see the day when nobody mentions courage in these circumstances anymore , because it will be seen as totally normal that a sports person will speak about his homosexuality , the way others talk about their wives and girlfriends . '<doc-sep>it was later amended to remove the death penalty , but includes jail terms for anyone convicted , including life imprisonment for what it defines as ` aggravated ' homosexual acts . scroll down for video . uganda has passed a law making ` aggravated homosexuality ' punishable by life in prison but human rights organisations are calling on president museveni -lrb- pictured -rrb- to reject the legislation . countries including the united states previously criticised the bill when it came before parliament . germany cut off aid to uganda late last year citing the bill as one of its concerns . widespread criticism of the law , and resistance from the executive which is wary of antagonising western donors , stalled its passage . but parliament has also been under pressure to push it through , especially from mainstream and evangelical churches . homosexuality was already illegal in uganda , but the new law prohibits the `` promotion '' of gay rights and punishes anyone who `` funds '' , `` sponsors '' or `` abets '' homosexuality . homosexuality is taboo in many african countries . it is illegal in 37 nations on the continent , and activists say few africans are openly gay , fearing imprisonment , violence and losing their jobs . frank mugisha , executive director of sexual minorities uganda -lrb- smug -rrb- , said he would try to rally rights activists to have the law blocked in the courts . ` we in the gay community are in a panic , ' he told reuters . ` people are afraid of walking in the streets , because they know how ugandans like to take the law into their own hands . ' | <t> graeme le saux says an `` undercurrent of prejudice '' exists in football . </t> <t> ex-england star endured homophobic abuse amid false rumors he was gay . </t> <t> le saux says football needs to do more to tackle prejudice , homophobia . </t> | homosexuality is ` sport 's last taboo '<T> |
hannover , germany -- germany maintained the pressure on the czech republic in the race for top spot in group d with a comfortable 4-0 win against cyprus in hannover . lukas podolski celebrates his goal as germany cruised to a 4-0 victory over cyprus . both sides have already qualified for euro 2008 but germany showed no sign of letting up as bayern munich pair miroslav klose and lukas podolski struck either side of half-time to build on clemens fritz 's second-minute opener . thomas hitzlsperger added the fourth in the 82nd minute as germany claimed their eighth win in the group to move level with the czech republic on 26 points . germany were quick out of the blocks and celebrated their first goal after less than 120 seconds . podolski 's determination paid off and he pulled the ball back from the goalline for fritz to score with a far-post header .<doc-sep>klose added the second on 20 minutes , accepting a pass from the selfless fritz in a central position and firing in from eight meters out . podolski was germany 's main threat , and he finally got the goal an excellent performance warranted when he turned in klose 's low cross from the right eight minutes into the second half . the impressive podolski turned provider for the final goal eight minutes from time , making a determined run to the goalline before squaring for hitzlsperger , whose simple tap-in completed the scoring . meanwhile , arsenal midfielder tomas rosicky was among the goals for the czech republic as they beat neighbors slovakia 3-1 in prague to remain top of the group by virtue of their head-to-head with germany . germany conclude their qualifying campaign at home to wales on wednesday while the czech republic travel to cyprus .<doc-sep>meanwhile , the netherlands secured their place in the finals with a narrow 1-0 win over luxembourg in group g. danny koevermans scored the only goal for the dutch two minutes before half time to seal their place in the finals alongside romania -- who remain top of the group having already qualified , despite losing 1-0 to bulgaria in sofia . spain beat sweden 3-0 with goals by joan capdevila , andres iniesta and sergio ramos , while northern ireland maintained their slim chance of catching sweden by beating denmark 2-1 . david healy scored the winning goal to set a european championship qualifying record of 13 goals , overtaking davor suker 's 12-goal mark . northern ireland must now beat already-qualified spain in las palmas on wednesday and hope that latvia can win in sweden on the same night , if they are to reach the finals . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>woolwich , south east london . a friend told the sunday mirror : ` aimee and lee met through the army and it was always at the centre of their life together . ` serving their country was so important for them . they shared their experiences and helped each other . ` but without lee she finds it too difficult trying to focus on a career in which he played such a big part . ' fusilier rigby , who served in cyprus , jordan , germany and afghanistan , had proposed to ms west just a few months before his death . his funeral at bury parish church was attended by both his fiancee and his widow , with whom he had been on good terms .<doc-sep>it found that the kebabs , tsatziki and chips of cyprus prove too much for many britons . mediterranean beaches attract holidaymakers from all over the world . but there 's a hidden catch to a sunkissed vacation in greece , cyprus or turkey . on a typical ten-day break an adult would add 3.3 lb to their waists , whether in the greek or turkish parts of the mediterranean island . turkey came a close second -- with holidaymakers putting on 3lb during their stay there -- while portugal was third with 2.9 lb . an unhealthy diet of kebabs and chips means tourists typically pile on the pounds . the survey placed much of the blame . on the all you can eat hotel buffet , which britons cited as the chief . reason for filling out . the united states , which is known for huge portions of fast food and a growing obesity crisis , was in fourth place .<doc-sep>jens lehmann is confident germany will win a fourth world cup in their history when they face argentina in sunday 's final . the former german international goalkeeper believes joachim low 's side have far too much for their south american counterparts even if they do boast the talents of four-time ballon d'or winner lionel messi . too good : jens lehmann believes germany will win a fourth world cup at the expense of argentina . safe hands : former international goalkeeper lehmann won 61 caps for germany . fear factor ? lehmann believes lionel messi 's talents will be overshadowed by germany 's attacking threat . ` yes , i 'm sure of it , ' lehmann told fifa.com . ` at the moment i 'm frantically searching for a flight to brazil because i 'd love to be there . ` messi is outstanding but germany have got a more complete attack and they 'll break down the argentinian defence , although they might have to be patient . ' the 44-year-old , who won 61 caps for germany , has been impressed with his nation 's strength in depth and believes that many of the squad 's experience of playing in the champions league will prove telling on the night in the pressure moments of the final . ` we 've got the best team at this world cup : we 're organised , compact and fantastic on the ball , ' he added . ` you can tell that a lot of our boys , including some of the ones on the bench , are used to playing in the latter stages of the champions league . ` you only need to look at the kind of big international games the bayern players have been involved in over the last few years . ` that makes a huge difference because you gain a lot of experience from those sorts of encounters . ' big game mentality : lehmann believes germany 's experience in pressure moments will prove telling in the final .<doc-sep>` i 've always been a bit adventurous , but it 's a wonderful thing to do and i 'd recommend it to anyone . ' ms coleman , who previously served in the royal military police , is one of seven women living at the royal hospital chelsea as a chelsea pensioner . joyful : she hurtles towards the ground at 120mph with the instructor from the army 's freefall display team . the iconic building , founded by king charles ii and designed by sir christopher wren , is also a place of refuge for former british soldiers ` broken by age or war ' . to qualify for a place as a chelsea pensioner , you have to prove a . certain amount of service in the army , and that you are ` unencumbered by . spouse ' . during her time in the army , ms coleman was posted to northern ireland and cyprus , before travelling to germany to undertake a freefall course . soaring through the air : speaking today , the 81-year-old described her skydive on june 20 as ` really exciting ' | <t> germany beat cyprus 4-0 in hannover as they keep pressure on the czechs . </t> <t> lukas podolski scores and produces a superb performance for the germans . </t> <t> the czech republic remain top of the group after defeating slovakia 3-1 . </t> | germany prove too good for cyprus<T> |
tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three people were killed and at least 84 were injured saturday morning when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck northeastern japan , japanese officials said . the quake struck at about 8:43 a.m. north of sendai , japan . another five people were missing , national police said . officials said the earthquake led to the buckling of highways and caused some bridges to collapse . bullet trains were also stopped in the affected areas . two nuclear power plants in the region were not affected , officials said . cabinet secretary nobutaka machimura said one man was killed when he was buried in a landslide in fukushima prefecture and the other was struck by a truck as he rushed out of his house in iwate prefecture . officials have not yet released details of the third death . prime minister yasuo fukuda sent priority orders for rescue operations , machimura said . the quake , which struck at about 8:43 a.m. -lrb- 11:43 p.m. gmt friday -rrb- , was centered 100 km -lrb- 60 miles -rrb- north of sendai in southern iwate prefecture . the japanese meteorological agency said several strong aftershocks followed the initial quake .<doc-sep>the iwate government office said it had received reports that eight children and a teacher were injured by breaking windows at a preschool and that the earthquake produced landslides in some areas . the miyagi fire department said there had been some injuries caused by falling furniture , and some bus passengers were injured when the vehicle bounced on a bridge . two houses collapsed , the fire department said . east japan railway suspended shinkansen bullet trains in the tohoku region , and many other train lines in the region suspended operation as well . expressways in miyagi were also closed . tokyo electric power co. said that operations at nuclear power plants in fukushima prefecture were not affected , kyodo said . there were no tsunami warnings issued after the quake . local governments , fire departments and police were working to gather damage reports . cnn 's junko ogura and yoko wakatsuki contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a strong earthquake struck a ski resort that hosted the 1998 winter olympics , flattening homes and injuring more than 22 people . the magnitude-6 .8 earthquake rocked a mountainous area of central japan near nagano city shortly after 10pm on saturday , leaving three people with serious injuries . it struck at a depth of six miles and destroyed at least 10 homes at the hakuba ski resort , according to the japan meteorological agency . at least 21 people were trapped underneath collapsed houses , but they all were rescued by police , with two of them suffering injuries . scroll down for video . a strong earthquake struck hakuba ski resort near nagano city in central japan on saturday night . the magnitude-6 .8 earthquake destroyed at least 10 homes in the resort and caused travel disruption . this came just hours after a deadly earthquake rocked southwestern china late saturday afternoon , killing at least one woman .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a strong earthquake struck off the south coast of japan on sunday night local time , `` jolting tokyo and wide areas of eastern japan , '' the country 's kyodo news agency reported . the 7.1 earthquake hit 200 miles -lrb- 320 kilometers -rrb- south-southwest of tokyo at 7:55 p.m. -lrb- 6:55 a.m. et -rrb- , the united states geological survey reported .<doc-sep>by . jill reilly . published : . 03:52 est , 7 december 2012 . | . updated : . 09:32 est , 7 december 2012 . a strong earthquake struck friday off the coast of northeastern japan in the same region that was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami last year . a city in the region reported that a small tsunami had hit , but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage . the japan meteorological agency said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 and struck in the pacific ocean off the coast of miyagi prefecture at 5:18 p.m local time . scroll down for video . calls : firefighters call for residents to evacuate from coastal areas in rikuzentakata in iwate prefecture . announcement : japan meteorological agency officer makoto saito shows a map of northern japan and speaks about an earthquake at the agency . warning : people watch a television showing live camera footage from ishinomaki , miyagi prefecture and an alert sign that reads , `` tsunami ! evacuate ! '' at nagano train station . the epicenter was 10 kilometers -lrb- 6.2 miles -rrb- beneath the seabed . after the quake , which caused . buildings in tokyo to sway violently for at least several minutes , . authorities issued a warning that a tsunami potentially as high as 2 . meters -lrb- 6 feet -rrb- could hit . ishinomaki , a city in miyagi , reported that a tsunami of 1 meter -lrb- 3 feet -rrb- hit at 6:02 p.m local time . the pacific tsunami warning center said there was no risk of a widespread tsunami , but evacuations have been ordered from some of the affected areas . miyagi prefectural police said there . were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake or . tsunami , although traffic was being stopped in some places to check on . roads . shortly before the earthquake struck , nhk television broke off regular programming to warn that a strong quake was due to hit . afterward , the announcer repeatedly urged all near the coast to flee to higher ground . prime minister yoshihiko noda cancelled campaigning for the 16 december election to return to his office . suspended : a station employee looks at a sign showing a suspension in bullet train services in northeastern japan due to an earthquake , displayed at nagano train station , central japan . stranded : passengers gather after train services were suspended following an earthquake at sendai station in sendai . tremors : the japan meteorological agency said the earthquake , with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 , struck in the pacific ocean off the coast of miyagi prefecture at 8.18 am uk time . the warning was issued for the coast . of miyagi prefecture in northeastern japan , which was hit by a . devastating earthquake and tsunami in march 2011 . the magnitude-9 .0 earthquake and . ensuing tsunami that slammed into northeastern japan on march 11 , 2011 , . killed or left missing some 19,000 people , devastating much of the . coast . that quake . triggered fuel-rod meltdowns at the fukushima nuclear plant , causing . radiation leakage , contamination of food and water and mass evacuations . in the world 's worst nuclear crisis since chernobyl in 1986 . the government declared in december that the disaster was under control , but much of the area is still free of population . tokyo . electric power co , the operator of the fukushima nuclear plant , . reported no irregularities at its nuclear plants after the latest quake . devastated : the warning was issued for the coast of miyagi prefecture in northeastern japan , which was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami in march 2011 as seen here in this file photo . panic : the 2011 quake triggered fuel-rod meltdowns at the fukushima nuclear plant , causing radiation leakage , contamination of food and water and mass evacuations . video : tsunami warning after strong quake hits off coast of northeastern japan .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a strong earthquake struck off the south coast of japan on sunday night local time , `` jolting tokyo and wide areas of eastern japan , '' the country 's kyodo news agency reported . the 7.1 earthquake hit 200 miles -lrb- 320 kilometers -rrb- south-southwest of tokyo at 7:55 p.m. -lrb- 6:55 a.m. et -rrb- , the united states geological survey reported . its epicenter was 188 miles -lrb- 303 kilometers -rrb- deep , the usgs said . | <t> three people dead , at least 84 injured after earthquake hits japan . </t> <t> u.s. geological survey reports 7.0 magnitude quake on japanese island of honshu . </t> <t> quake struck at around 8:43 a.m. saturday . </t> | strong earthquake rattles japan<T> |
london , england -- britain 's princess eugenie has been reprimanded by her school after being caught frolicking naked on college grounds , it was reported saturday . princess eugenie is sixth in line to the british throne . the 18-year-old daughter of prince andrew , duke of york , and sarah ferguson , was apprehended for her involvement in end of term `` high jinks '' at the exclusive marlborough college , west of london , the uk press association said .<doc-sep>a royal source told the press association , `` it was nothing more than high jinks at the end of term in may . a group of them were reprimanded and that 's the end of the matter . '' the tabloid sun newspaper reported that a college staff member woke to playful shrieks and found several young women dancing around without clothes .<doc-sep>it said there was no suggestion boys were present or that drugs were involved but claimed a pupil said the students had been drinking . princess eugenie , the sixth in line to the british throne , is studying art , history of art and english at the $ 46,000-a-year college , pa said .<doc-sep>it said the princess was expected to be among guests celebrating the official birthday of queen elizabeth ii on saturday . a spokesman for the princess made no comment about the claims , pa reported .<doc-sep>london , england -- britain 's princess eugenie has been reprimanded by her school after being caught frolicking naked on college grounds , it was reported saturday . princess eugenie is sixth in line to the british throne . the 18-year-old daughter of prince andrew , duke of york , and sarah ferguson , was apprehended for her involvement in end of term `` high jinks '' at the exclusive marlborough college , west of london , the uk press association said .<doc-sep>posing provocatively on a sofa while wearing a tight glittering dress , it 's easy to see how this curvaceous blonde caught prince harry 's attention during his now-infamous night in las vegas . carrie reichert claims she kissed the young royal in a naked ` drunken fumble ' and that she was alone with prince harry in his hotel room for up to 20 minutes during a party in nevada 's sin city last month . since the scandal broke prince harry has been inundated by media attention , but newly-released photos of carrie reveal that the 32-year-old is not averse to playing up for an audience . scroll down for video . tell-all : blonde carrie reichert claimed she was alone with prince harry in his hotel room for up to 20 minutes during a party in nevada 's sin city last month . strike a pose : the royal was completely naked during their tryst , she claims , while she stripped down to a string bikini . the series show carrie in a variety of poses including a snap of her in a cut-out black . swimming costume wearing sunglasses , which looks as if the beautician has . taken the photo herself in a mirror . in another photo seemingly taken on the same night as one of her posing on a sofa , carrie is shown leaning against a balcony window with one leg against the glass while holding a large wineglass in her hand . she is the first woman to speak out about harry 's wild night in . vegas , where he was pictured frolicking naked with a young woman during . a game of ` strip billiards ' . asked about the latest account to come out about the prince 's antics in las vegas , a st james 's palace spokesman flatly denied the girl 's claims . ` the story is untrue , ' they said . and a source close to the prince also questioned the woman 's account , saying : ` this lady was not present with prince harry on the night in question or on any occasion . ' invitation : the british-born beauty said she was approached by one of the prince 's entourage who invited her to party with them in his penthouse . speaking out : the 32-year-old is the first woman to speak out about harry 's wild night in vegas , where he was pictured frolicking naked with a young woman during a game of ` strip billiards ' while she stripped down to a string bikini , she claims that harry was completely naked during their tryst . however , despite the intimate nature . of their rendezvous , carrie insisted their kiss was ` fun ' and ` not . romantic ' .<doc-sep>by . toni jones . a male university rowing club is raising cash for an anti-homophobia charity - by posing naked in a camp tongue-in-cheek calendar . the . buff students from warwick university rowing society ditched their . life jackets to strip nude for the artistic photo shoot . featuring . 14 members of the upmarket university 's rowing club , the men - aged between 18 and . 21 - can be seen frolicking by the river avon and at in their boat . house in barford , warks . january : a male university rowing club have bared all by posing completely nude in their raunchiest ever charity calendar . instead of the usual strategically placed oars , this year 's calendar aims to create a relaxed atmosphere by showing the group larking around on the riverside . in one action shot , a muscular rower rugby tackles his blonde team-mate off the wooden jetty into the river avon . other snaps show the lads squirting water bottles in each other 's faces while another shows a rower playfully tipping a bucket of water over his naked pals . march -lrb- l -rrb- and april -lrb- r -rrb- : the ` models ' - aged between 18 and 21 - can be seen frolicking by the river avon . june -lrb- l -rrb- and july -lrb- r -rrb- : instead of the usual strategically placed oars , this year 's calendar aims to create a more relaxed atmosphere . there is also a . light-hearted nude tug-of-war where the flag attached to the middle of . the rope just covers one rower 's modesty . one . of the rowers and the calendar 's organiser , politics student laurie . hulse , 21 , said : ` it took us four days to shoot the calendar , all of . which took place at our boat house on the avon in june . ` this . year we have gone for a more natural feel , with fewer well placed oars . and more natural scenes , basically what we do every day at the boat . house but just naked . ` getting . naked was n't a problem really , were all good friends and after about . five minutes it turned into four of the most hilarious days i 've had at . university . ` it did n't take . long for the water fight to become a ruck , with guys getting pushed in , . which by chance made for a great calendar shot . ` we 're . thrilled with the calendar , we think the photos look great and with all . of the extra bonus photos and the film we look forward to raising lots . of money for charity . ' august : calendar organiser laurie hulse said : ` getting naked was n't a problem really , we 're all good friends , ' the . team are hoping to repeat on last year 's naked calendar which saw it . sold out in days with orders coming from over 40 countries . the .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- most new yorkers and visitors to times square know of the naked cowboy . the naked cowboy is part of the scenery at new york city 's times square . for the past 10 years , he 's the guy you 've seen on the sidewalk , with the great body , strumming his guitar and singing , dressed in a cowboy hat , cowboy boots and underwear -- and nothing else , even in the dead of winter . as a native new yorker , i will admit that at times , it has been my guilty pleasure to walk or drive by the cowboy to see if he can bear the elements . to my amazement , he 's always there and pretty naked -- in rain , sleet , snow , heat or bitter cold . i 've even taken pictures . watch the naked cowboy in his natural habitat '' well , it seems that mars inc. , the makers of m&m s , also knows about robert burck -lrb- the cowboy 's real name -rrb- . burck sued mars this week for $ 6 million in federal court in new york . the allegations : trademark infringement under the lanham act and violation of his right of publicity under new york civil rights law § 51 , arising from a video billboard for m&m s . the video ad depicts an m&m frolicking around new york , in what kind of looks like times square , in what kind of looks like the naked cowboy 's outfit -- briefs and nothing more than a smile . there have been plenty of jokes about the lawsuit , and i 'm especially fond of the ones found on the wall street journal law blog on thursday , such as : . all jokes aside , i think he may have a case . in order for him to show trademark infringement , the naked cowboy has to be trademarked ; has to prove that mars , without his consent , infringed upon the trademark ; and has to show there 's a `` likelihood of confusion '' between his trademark and the allegedly infringing mark -- in this case the naked m&m . | <t> britain 's princess eugenie reprimanded for naked school frolic , reports say . </t> <t> sixth in line to british throne involved in end of term `` high jinks , '' insiders say . </t> <t> princess due to attend queen 's official birthday celebrations . </t> | princess ` caught frolicking naked '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the 19-year-old woman whose hospitalization exposed a shocking austrian incest case is recovering well and wants to see the ocean and a pop concert , her doctors and a family lawyer said wednesday . dr. albert reiter , who treated kerstin , is confident kerstin will make a full recovery in time . she and other children who were held captive for years are slowly adapting to modern life , they said . kerstin fritzl , whom doctors placed in an artificial coma after she was admitted to a hospital in april for multiple organ failure , is now well enough to speak , stand and walk with assistance , her doctors said . doctors said that `` little novelties '' such as seeing a cloud go by are now big events for the former captives . kerstin has said she wants to see the ocean and go to a concert by british singer robbie williams , said dr. berhold kepplinger , director of the clinic where the family is living . he described how excited kerstin was to hear robbie williams songs in her hospital room and said she was moving around to the music so much that doctors had to quiet her down . it was then , kepplinger said , that doctors became confident kerstin can become fully healthy and develop normally . her immune system has improved , and she is continuing to have physiotherapy , including strengthening exercises , he said . watch doctors describe what happened when the teen opened her eyes '' the two parts of her family -- those who were locked in a basement , like kerstin , and those who lived above ground , apparently unaware of the abuse of their mother and siblings -- are getting to know each other again , the doctors and the family 's lawyer said . `` we are so glad that things have turned out so positively so far , '' said lawyer christoph herbst , who appeared at a news conference at a hotel near amstetten , west of vienna , where kerstin and her family are recovering . kerstin is the oldest daughter of an incestuous relationship between elisabeth , 43 , and elisabeth 's father , josef fritzl , 73 , according to police . he is awaiting trial . police say he confessed to holding elisabeth captive since 1984 and raping her repeatedly , fathering seven children with her . six of the children survived . kerstin fell unconscious in april , and elisabeth convinced her father that she needed urgent medical attention . kerstin was admitted to a hospital in amstetten , where staff grew suspicious and called police , who opened an investigation and uncovered the abuse .<doc-sep>kerstin was suffering from kidney , lung , and liver failure when she arrived at the hospital , said dr. albert reiter , director of the hospital . doctors were able to turn her health around , but they kept her in a coma with artificial respiration for weeks , he said . doctors started reducing kerstin 's medication may 12 , allowing her to emerge from the coma , he said . three days later , she opened her eyes and smiled at her carers , he said , and doctors were soon able to take the breathing tube from her throat . her mother was at kerstin 's bedside regularly , and doctors credited that with helping kerstin 's health improve . on sunday , kerstin finally met with other family members and was able to say hello to them , he said . kerstin and the rest of the family were also able to move into an apartment at a regional clinic nearby . `` it was a special moment where , walking , we were able to support her and cross the threshold into a new house and into a new life , '' reiter said . kerstin and two of her brothers , ages 18 and 5 , had spent their entire lives trapped in the cellar with their mother , never seeing daylight . a television was their only contact with the outside world . the other three children josef fritzl fathered with elisabeth were taken as infants to live above ground with fritzl and his wife , who says she had no idea her daughter was being held captive . in recent weeks , the wife and the three children have had several meetings with kerstin and the others formerly held in the basement . the doctors said that all are receiving therapy and are getting to know each other . `` it is clear that -lsb- the two sides -rsb- have a different temper of life , '' kepplinger said . `` these different ways of living , the two parts of the family , still have to come to some agreement . '' still , the entire family is `` very happy '' to be reunited , herbst said . `` this is an incredible drawing-near to each other . there is incredible joy among them , '' he said . `` it is wonderful to see the way they are living together . '' he appealed to the public and the media to give the family privacy . there continues to be `` big ambivalence '' about the `` grandfather issue , '' as kepplinger called it , and therapists are helping the family members cope with the complicated relationship they have with each other and with fritzl , who is now behind bars .<doc-sep>• murder : the infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care , the state prosecutor said . the charge carries a sentence of life in prison . • involvement in slave trade : from 1984 until 2008 , prosecutors allege , fritzl held his daughter , elisabeth , captive in a dungeon , abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery . if he is convicted , the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison . • rape : between august 30 , 1984 , and june 30 , 1989 , fritzl `` regularly sexually abused elisabeth , '' according to the prosecutor . the sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison . • incest : parallel to the rape charge . it carries a sentence of up to one year . • withdrawal of liberty : three of the children fritzl had with elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air , according to prosecutors . that charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years . • assault : between august 28 , 1984 , and april 26 , 2006 , fritzl repeatedly threatened elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape , authorities allege . the sentence would range from six months to five years . cnn 's diana magnay and frederik pleitgen in st. poelten and melissa gray in london contributed to this report .<doc-sep>under austrian law , if fritzl is convicted on several offenses , he will be given the sentence linked to the worst crime . the charges he faces are : . • murder : the infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care , the state prosecutor said . the charge carries a sentence of life in prison . • involvement in slave trade : from 1984 until 2008 , prosecutors allege , fritzl held his daughter , elisabeth , captive in a dungeon , abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery . if he is convicted , the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison . • rape : between august 30 , 1984 , and june 30 , 1989 , fritzl `` regularly sexually abused elisabeth , '' according to the prosecutor . the sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison . • incest : parallel to the rape charge . it carries a sentence of up to one year . • withdrawal of liberty : three of the children fritzl had with elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air , according to prosecutors . that charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years . • assault : between august 28 , 1984 , and april 26 , 2006 , fritzl repeatedly threatened elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape , authorities allege . the sentence would range from six months to five years . cnn 's frederik pleitgen and melissa gray contributed to this report .<doc-sep>` we plan to move to new jersey where we can be safe under the law , since adult incest is n't illegal there , and once i 'm there i 'll tell everyone , ' she says . ` i 'll call my mom and let her know that we are in love and we are having children . if she wants to see her grandkids we 'll send her money and she can drive to see us . ' and while many people , and science , may argue that having a child with a family member can lead to genetic problems , she scoffs at this notion . ` everybody thinks that kids born in incestuous relationships will definitely have genetic problems , but that 's not true , ' she explains . ` that happens when there 's years of inbreeding , like with the royal family . incest has been around as long as humans have . ' that being said , she says her chidlren will never learn how mommy and daddy first met . ' i do n't want to give them any problems , ' she says .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- josef fritzl , the austrian accused of keeping his daughter in a cellar for decades and fathering her seven children , will plead guilty to rape and incest when his trial opens monday , fritzl 's lawyer told cnn . josef fritzl is expected to plead guilty to rape and incest on monday , his lawyer tells cnn . however , fritzl will deny other charge he faces : murder , enslavement and assault , attorney rudolph mayer said sunday . the 73-year-old expects to spend the rest of his life in prison , mayer added . fritzl faces six charges in a closed-door trial . the trial is scheduled to last five days , but mayer said it could be shorter . fritzl was charged in november with incest and the repeated rape of his daughter , elisabeth , over a 24-year period . but he was also charged with the murder of one of the children he fathered with her , an infant who died soon after birth . state prosecutor gerhard sedlacek said michael fritzl died from lack of medical care . in all , fritzl is charged with : murder , involvement in slave trade -lrb- slavery -rrb- , rape , incest , assault and deprivation of liberty , sedlacek 's office said . if convicted , he could face life in prison . austria does not have the death penalty . `` this man obviously led a double life for 24 years . he had a wife and had seven kids with her . and then he had another family with his daughter , fathered another seven children with her , '' said franz polzer , a police officer in amstetten , the town where fritzl lived , at the time of his arrest . the case first came to light in april 2008 when elisabeth 's daughter , kerstin , became seriously ill with convulsions . elisabeth persuaded her father to allow kerstin , then 19 , to be taken to a hospital for treatment . hospital staff became suspicious of the case and alerted police , who discovered the family members in the cellar . fritzl confessed to police that he raped his daughter , kept her and their children in captivity and burned the body of the dead infant in an oven in the house . elisabeth told police the infant was one of twins who died a few days after birth . when elisabeth gained her freedom , she told police her father began sexually abusing her at age 11 . on august 8 , 1984 , she told police , her father enticed her into the basement , where he drugged her , put her in handcuffs and locked her in a room . fritzl explained elisabeth 's disappearance in 1984 by saying the girl , who was then 18 , had run away from home . he backed up the story with letters he forced elisabeth to write . elisabeth fritzl and all but three of her children lived in the specially designed cellar beneath her father 's home in amstetten , austria , west of vienna . the other three children lived upstairs with fritzl and his wife ; fritzl had left them on his own doorstep , pretending the missing elisabeth had dropped them off . under austrian law , if fritzl is convicted on several offenses , he will be given the sentence linked to the worst crime . the charges he faces are : . • murder : the infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care , the state prosecutor said . the charge carries a sentence of life in prison . • involvement in slave trade : from 1984 until 2008 , prosecutors allege , fritzl held his daughter , elisabeth , captive in a dungeon , abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery . if he is convicted , the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison . • rape : between august 30 , 1984 , and june 30 , 1989 , fritzl `` regularly sexually abused elisabeth , '' according to the prosecutor . the sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison . • incest : parallel to the rape charge . it carries a sentence of up to one year . • withdrawal of liberty : three of the children fritzl had with elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air , according to prosecutors . that charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years . • assault : between august 28 , 1984 , and april 26 , 2006 , fritzl repeatedly threatened elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape , authorities allege . the sentence would range from six months to five years . cnn 's frederik pleitgen and melissa gray contributed to this report . | <t> daughter of austrian incest victim reunited with family , expected to make full recovery . </t> <t> kerstin fritzl , 19 , has spent her entire life in cellar . </t> <t> the dungeon was uncovered after she was taken to hospital with illness . </t> <t> josef fritzl , 73 , has allegedly confessed to incestuous relationship with teen 's mom . </t> | incest dungeon teen wants to see ocean<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the iowa army national guard 's 1st battalion , 133rd infantry received an emotional welcome home july 25 -- more than a year and a half after leaving for iraq . more than 600 soldiers marched on the field at riverfront stadium in waterloo , iowa , in front of thousands of friends and family members . i-reporter myke goings captures iowa national guard soldiers celebrating their return from iraq .<doc-sep>the unit served 17 months in iraq , as part of operation iraqi freedom , said master sgt. duff mcfadden of the iowa national guard . two soldiers were killed in action , both by a roadside bomb , radio iowa reported .<doc-sep>i-reporter myke goings captured the emotion of family members and soldiers on camera as well as the tributes to the soldiers around town . his wife works with sara barnard , who reunited with her husband tim at the ceremony .<doc-sep>`` you could see the excitement of the look on her face as she finally found him in the group , '' goings said . `` to do that with everyone in camouflage was amazing . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- increased fighting in afghanistan has caused a drop in morale among u.s. soldiers while the reduction in combat in iraq has bolstered morale , according to a new u.s. army report released friday . the report summarizes two surveys of u.s. soldiers in iraq and afghanistan taken earlier this year . new statistics from the army also show suicides are up in the entire service . produced every two years by the army 's mental health advisory team , this latest report comes just over a week after a u.s. soldier went on a shooting rampage at a u.s. army base in texas and possibly just days or weeks from an announcement from the obama administration to send more troops to afghanistan , where fighting has gotten more intense in recent months . authorities have not determined a motive for the shooting . the suspect , maj. nidal malik hasan , was scheduled to deploy to afghanistan but had told his family that he wanted to get out of the military . `` soldiers in iraq and afghanistan continue to face stress from multiple deployments into combat but report being more prepared for the stresses of deployments , '' lt. gen. eric schoomaker , the army surgeon general told reporters friday . not surprisingly , the report showed that soldiers with multiple deployments , three or four tours of duty to iraq or afghanistan , had much lower morale and more mental health problems than those soldiers who have one or two combat deployments . increased time at home , however , resulted in improved morale among troops sent back to the field .<doc-sep>davenport , iowa -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bob konrardy carried the guilt with him for more than 40 years . a platoon commander in vietnam , konrardy was wounded when shrapnel tore through his body . four comrades carried him to safety in a poncho for more than an hour while the firefight raged . bob konrardy says the fallen soldier monument outside his home honors soldiers killed in iraq like dave behrle . `` these four guys went back to help the platoon because they were still fighting , and all four of those guys got killed , '' konrardy says . `` i felt guilty for 40-something years . '' two years ago , konrardy got to thinking : he 'd be a santa of sorts for soldiers in iraq as a way to help him deal with his conscience . he would collect autographed college and pro footballs , letters from local kids and other mementoes from home to help inspire the troops in iraq . then , he would have the goods delivered to his old platoon serving in iraq , the first cavalry division . he initially thought he 'd have the material shipped . but his plan changed when the military signed off for konrardy to deliver the goods in person and work as an embedded journalist for a local paper . the 65-year-old grandpa was about to head to one of the world 's most dangerous places . watch `` i could have been killed '' '' `` i wanted to maybe bury some vietnam demons and just make a difference with this platoon and maybe make up for what i did n't do with my old platoon , '' he says . `` i thought it was going to go one way . it went the other . it made me worse . '' he adds , `` i could n't sleep before , but now it 's worse . i hate to see it get dark . i get extremely nervous . i get uptight . i just do n't like to see it get dark . and once it is dark , i 'm on edge until it gets dawn . '' konrardy 's story is one of patriotism , heroism and torment -- a war veteran unable to escape what happened in 1965 , when he was just 23 . `` here 's a guy who is a true american hero in his own right . he was wounded in action in the iadrang valley , and he comes into a combat zone 40 years later , '' says maj. chris rogers , the operations officer of the 1st battalion , 5th cavalry , when konrardy embedded with them . `` in my opinion , he 's a guy who has done it all -- bled for his own country -- and he 's more interested in telling the story of today 's generation of young heroes than trumpeting his own horn . '' konrardy was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder shortly after he retired from john deere in 2002 , when he says his disorder really kicked in . he once sleep-drove to a wal-mart about 20 minutes from his home at 3 a.m. . he does n't recall how he got there or how he got home . he only remembers a guy mopping the floor asking if he could be helped . other times , he 'd patrol the neighborhood in the wee hours of the night with his loaded 9-mm pistol on his hip . his counselor with the department of veterans affairs once asked what he would do if the police ever stopped him . `` i said , ` i 'll just shoot out his windows and escape and evade back to the house . i think it 'd be fun . ' she did n't like that answer , '' he says with a laugh . `` so i 'm lucky because that 's probably what i would 've tried to do . '' konrardy checked himself into a va facility in des moines , iowa , to get help for his ptsd . he chuckles more when he recounts trying to escape from the place and police approached him . `` i rolled down a hill and started running so they could n't catch me . they said that was the wrong thing to do . '' learn about ptsd and how to get help '' he says he was then put in an isolation ward for 11 days and nights , and eventually released . it was august 2005 . fast forward to the fall of 2006 . that 's when konrardy spoke to his grandson 's eighth-grade class about his war experience . they thanked him for serving his country . `` nobody had ever done that before , for serving in vietnam , '' he says . he started e-mailing members of the army 's first cavalry division as part of his grandson 's `` adopt a platoon '' project . he got autographed footballs from the green bay packers and indianapolis colts , as well as from the university of tennessee and university of georgia . even the players at local st. ambrose university chipped in with a football of their own : the game ball from their championship game . `` i just wanted to do something and make up for what i did n't do for my guys , '' konrardy says . his family gathered for christmas that year and he told of his plans to travel to iraq . `` everybody cried , '' he says . `` i said , ` hey , this is a chance of a lifetime . i have to go . ' '' quizzed about why a man who was held in a va facility a couple years earlier was cleared to travel to iraq , konrardy laughs . he says cnn is the first to ask that question . but he adds the original plan was for him to not go into combat . `` on the way over , i did n't think i 'd be going out . '' by march 2007 , the old warrior 's boots were on the ground in baghdad . his plan was to hand out the 95 pounds of goods and kick back with the soldiers at base camp , collecting their stories and gathering video to give to their families back home . konrardy handed the st. ambrose football to a soldier named david w. behrle , a 20-year-old from tipton , iowa . he scooped it up and cherished it . konrardy was officially in iraq as an embedded journalist to file blog posts for `` the quad-city times . '' he had not intended to go into combat , but that quickly changed . he says the commander said if he wanted to get to know the troops `` you 've got ta be proactive . '' konrardy says he hopped into a humvee and began patrolling the tight streets of baghdad with the unit . he was assigned the back right seat for four days . his humvee once struck a dud of a roadside bomb that blew the tire out underneath where he was sitting . gunfire erupted . `` looking back , i 'm thinking , ` wow , i could have been killed , ' '' he says . he 's still haunted by another time in iraq -- not because of what happened , but because of what he did n't do . `` i 'm going to the bathroom and i hear somebody crying . my first instinct was to be a grandpa : i 'm going to go in and i 'm going to hold this young kid whoever it is and just say , ' i know where you 're coming from . i 've been there . let 's just talk . ' '' he adds , `` but i chickened out . i did n't do that . now , i wish i would have . '' a few weeks after he left iraq , soldiers he befriended were riding in a bradley fighting vehicle on patrol around baghdad . he says the soldiers had recently saved a young iraqi girl who had been shot in the head from insurgent crossfire . but on this day , may 19 , 2007 , a roadside bomb went off , killing all six soldiers inside . one of those killed was spc. david behrle , the soldier who loved the football hand-delivered by konrardy . `` i took that hard . it still bothers me , '' konrardy says . outside his iowa home , a flagpole stands on konrardy 's lawn . a fallen soldier monument sits at its base with a pair of boots , rifle facing down and helmet with the name `` behrle '' on it . behrle 's family was so moved by konrardy they had it built for him . kneeling next to the monument , konrardy says , `` it reminds me of dave . but it also reminds me of the behrle family and how close we 've gotten with them and how great they 've been in my grieving for dave and helping me ... try to readjust to the things i went through in iraq . '' `` they say i helped them ; i say they helped me . '' the lifelong republican recently did something he thought he 'd never do : he says he voted for a democrat for the president of the united states . thousands of american troops will soon be returning home in need of help just like him . konrardy , who is still getting ptsd treatment , wishes the rest of the nation could better understand what that 's like . `` i just want them to realize the life of a soldier is not what you think , '' he says . `` it changes you for the rest of your life . ''<doc-sep>the report also showed soldiers are seeing more difficulty at home with an increasing number reporting they are getting or considering getting divorced , according to the report . the overall report was based on almost 4,000 soldiers who filled out anonymous surveys in iraq and afghanistan between december 2008 and june 2009 . in iraq , 2,400 soldiers were randomly selected and the results were studied by a mental health assessment team in the combat zone . about 1,500 troops in afghanistan took the survey , army officials said . the survey was different from previous years when all types of soldiers were surveyed together . the 2009 survey questioned combat troops and support troops separately , though army officials said there were few differences in the results . on friday , the army also released its latest suicide statistics . they show an increase in the number over this time last year .<doc-sep>by . mark duell . updated : . 11:02 est , 4 january 2012 . the soldier who helped propel ron paul into third place in iowa allegedly violated military rules by wearing his uniform on the candidate 's podium . army corporal jesse thorsen , 28 , of west des moines , iowa , has been a visible presence with the texas representative throughout his campaign . u.s. military rules allow active-duty soldiers to support political candidates but they are banned from doing so as an armed forces representative . scroll down for videos . support : u.s. army corporal jesse thorsen , right , cheers on gop presidential candidate texas rep. ron paul , left , in ankeny , iowa , on tuesday . ` i 'm really excited about a lot of his ideas , especially when it comes to bringing the soldiers home , ' corporal thorsen told cnn in an interview . ` i 've been serving for ten years now and all ten years of those have been during wartime . i would like to see a little peace time army . ' the 10-year iraq and afghanistan veteran has already served abroad twice and has a 9/11 tattoo with ` remember ' and a twin towers picture . cnn reporter dana bash then told him that some republicans think mr paul 's ideas are dangerous because he wants to bring u.s. troops home . big fan : mr paul shakes hands with u.s. army corporal thorsen as he greets various supporters at his iowa caucus night rally in ankeny on tuesday . ` i think it would be even more dangerous to start nit-picking wars with other countries , ' corporal thorson replied to ms bash . ` i 'm really excited about a lot of his ideas , especially when it comes to bringing the soldiers home ' jesse thorsen . he then went on to say ` someone like iran , israel is more than capable of ... ' before the video feed cut out and returned to host wolf blitzer . conspiracy theorists have claimed the soldier was cut off because producers thought he ` was too smart for his own good ' , reported mediaite . the soldier was in fact breaking military rules by wearing his uniform while endorsing mr paul on camera and on stage , reported the huffington post . the defense department directive 1344.10 -lrb- 4.1.1.9 -rrb- says an active-duty serviceman can only attend political activities ` when not in uniform ' . television appearance : cnn reporter dana bash , right , interviewed corporal jesse thorsen , left , but the feed cut out while he was giving his second answer . it adds they can only do this ` when no inference or appearance of official sponsorship , approval , or endorsement can reasonably be drawn ' . ` his foreign policy is by far hands down better than any candidates out there . we do n't need to be picking fights overseas ' jesse thorsen . corporal thorsen was clearly endorsing mr paul on camera and on stage when he was invited by the candidate to speak at his rally . ` how about ron paul , ' corporal thorsen told the crowd on cnn . ` if there 's any man out there who 's had a vision for this country it is definitely him . ` his foreign policy is by far hands down better than any candidates out there , ' he added . ` we do n't need to be picking fights overseas . ' ` i 'm flabbergasted , ' he said on cnn . ` this is an incredible moment for me , i ca n't believe it - it 's like meeting a rock-star . ' see videos here . | <t> more than 600 soldiers returned to iowa from service in iraq on july 25 . </t> <t> thousands of friends and relatives welcomed them back at ceremony . </t> <t> i-reporter myke goings documented the event . </t> | i-report : iowa soldiers come home from iraq<T> |
london , england -lrb- reuters -rrb- -- police closed streets near london 's canary wharf financial district on saturday after an unexploded german flying bomb from world war ii was found on a construction site . wwii bombs are unearthed across europe , often during building excavations , such as this one in france . bomb disposal experts were called in to make the v1 missile safe after it was unearthed close to the east london complex that houses 80,000 office workers during the working week , police said . at weekends the area is busy with shoppers and visitors . police closed several roads around the site in millharbour , a road in the former docklands .<doc-sep>`` ambulance , fire and police are there and the building site has been evacuated , '' a london police spokesman said . the area was cordoned off , he said . thousands of v1s , nicknamed `` doodlebugs '' , were fired at the capital during the war , with the docks a prime target . hundreds of unexploded bombs from the war are buried across the country , according to government figures . they are unearthed from time to time , often during building excavations . canary wharf 's tenants include bank of america , barclays , citigroup , hsbc , the independent newspaper group and reuters . e-mail to a friend . copyright 2007 reuters . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a world war ii-era bomb was discovered in london 's olympic park on monday , hours after the closing concert of a sporting competition for wounded and ill veterans sponsored by members of britain 's royal family . although the bomb turned out to be inert and alerts were later dropped , police say it did require evacuations of residents and schools near the park , which was converted to public use after the 2012 london olympics . the park was also the scene sunday of the closing concert of the invictus games . britain 's prince harry founded the games . the bomb was found at the international broadcast center in the park . it was n't immediately known how it was discovered . unexploded ordnance is not uncommon in great britain , which was not only the scene of german air raids during world war ii , but essentially also an enormous armed encampment , training ground and ammunition depot during world war ii . experts defuse unexploded wwii bomb in central berlin . suspected wwii bomb prompts evacuations on hong kong island . cnn 's lindsay isaac and brooke bowman contributed to this report .<doc-sep>shocking discovery : the potentially lethal device was found during excavation works at the airport . the terminal , from which flights regularly leave for a number of british airports including london city , was immediately closed , with flights cancelled . ` this has had a big impact , ' said an airport spokesman . ` delays and cancellations are inevitable , and many people will be caught up in the problems . a major evacuation has already taken place . ' the spokesman said an army bomb disposal team had arrived at the scene after the discovery of the bomb soon after dawn today . because of the age of the device , it is likely to be many hours , if not days , before the bomb is declared safe and can be removed . the find comes after thousands of people were evacuated from . their homes in munich , germany , as experts tried to defuse a 550lb wwii bomb found beneath . ground at the site of the former schwabinger 7 nightclub - a hangout of the . rolling stones in the 1970s . the awesome power of the explosion gave . an insight into the devastating impact of wartime bombing raids when . thousands of tonnes of explosives were dropped by allied aircraft .<doc-sep>albion police were contacted by joe roberts and photographed the grenade , then called in the sheriff 's office bomb squad in neighboring monroe county , the newspaper said . scene : joe roberts and his wife linda roberts were cleaning out this albion home when joe found the live grenade . the squad found the grade was from world war ii . the bomb squad took the explosive out of the home and planned to detonate it elsewhere , orleans hub reported . a relative of donovan 's told the newspaper the grenade could have been in the house because one of her realtives served in the military in wwii and could have kept it as a souvenir . at a different residence , the roberts discovered a war of 1812 cannon ball , the paper said .<doc-sep>thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in munich as experts today tried to defuse a 550lb allied bomb dropped on the city during ww2 . the undetonated explosive was found beneath ground at the site of the former schwabinger 7 nightclub , a hangout of the rolling stones in the 1970s . bomb disposal teams fear its complex chemical fuse could trigger a repeat of the 2010 tragedy when three experts were killed in a blast in another german city . scroll down for video . deadly : bomb disposal expert diethard posorski next to the 550lb bomb discovered in munich . close up : the bomb , which was dropped by either american and british planes in either 1944 or 1945 . team leader diethard posorski said : ` that is a chemical delayed-action detonator . i am not defusing that - i 'm not suicidal . ' so , rather than defusing the bomb , experts plan to surround it with sand and carry out a controlled explosion as the site . 2.8 million tons weight of all u.s. and british bombs dropped on germany -lrb- 54 % usaaf -rrb- . 75,000 tons weight of luftwaffe bombs dropped on britain . 543,000 germans lost their lives in wwii air raids . 60,000 britons killed by german bombs . 390,000 sorties flown by raf bombers . | <t> unexploded german wwii v1 bomb unearthed on london construction site . </t> <t> police closed streets near london 's canary wharf financial district . </t> <t> bomb disposal experts were called in to make the v1 missile safe . </t> <t> hundreds of unexploded bombs from the war are buried across the country . </t> | wwii flying bomb found in london<T> |
cedar rapids , iowa -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- floodwaters inundated iowa city and the university of iowa arts campus on sunday despite what one official called a `` herculean effort '' to hold back the water with sandbags . residents surround lt. tobey harrison at a cedar rapids checkpoint as they wait to see their homes sunday . `` we 've had the -lsb- national guard -rsb- working next to prisoner inmates , sandbagging , '' said david jackson , the university 's facilities manager . `` students , faculty and staff , leaders of the university , the president of the university -- out sandbagging . '' some 500 to 600 homes were ordered to evacuate and others faced a voluntary evacuation order through the morning , said iowa city mayor regenia bailey . the iowa river in iowa city crested at 31.5 feet and was expected to remain at that level until monday , city and state officials said sunday . classes at the university have been suspended until next sunday , according to its web site . `` all of our theaters , our music building , clapp recital hall , our fine arts building -lsb- the -rsb- new art building west designed by stephen holl , has taken on significant water as well , '' said sally mason , president of the university . `` fortunately we were able to save all the art , '' she said . the art was placed in crates shipped out of state last week . `` we anticipated the worst a week ago . '' at least 8 feet of water rushed through the campus , officials said . among the school 's 30,000 students , ann barber told cnn she has been sandbagging for nearly seven days .<doc-sep>`` it 's very hard to watch the devastation of our university , '' she said . this month 's severe weather has trampled towns from north dakota to indiana . the federal emergency management agency says more than 11 million midwesterners will be affected by flooding and tornadoes . meanwhile , in cedar rapids , iowa , some of nearly 20,000 displaced residents began to return home sunday as water there receded . people lined up for about a block in one part of the city waiting for a special wristband to allow them access to their homes . the flooding there caught many people by surprise . `` we did n't think it would get this high , '' said tina fleischacker , whose cedar rapids home was soaked . `` we moved everything upstairs and it 's gone . it 's gone . we left with the clothes on our backs . '' about 36,000 iowans , most in cedar rapids , evacuated their homes due to the state-wide flooding . at least 472 people spent saturday night in 18 shelters set up across the state , according to dave miller , the administrator of iowa homeland security and emergency management . in iowa city , the water is expected to drop no more than 3 feet by saturday , said john benson , spokesman for iowa homeland security and emergency management . `` there 's that moment of ` phew , ' but then there 's that realization that the water will be going down very slowly , '' bailey told reporters .<doc-sep>she urged residents to be careful when returning to their homes and businesses , and asked them to abide by a 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew . `` water flows are still dangerous , '' she said . `` we need people to be patient . we will get them into those homes and businesses as soon as possible . '' iowa has been inundated with heavy rains in recent weeks that have caused several major rivers that feed into the mississippi -- including the cedar , des moines and iowa rivers -- to flood their banks . the flooding in the midwest is `` some of the worst '' to hit the united states since hurricane katrina inundated the gulf coast nearly three years ago , fema administrator david paulison said sunday on cnn . the scenarios are much different , but `` the aftermath is similar , '' he said . `` the fact -lsb- is -rsb- that we have a lot of people whose homes have been destroyed . '' the agency has received more than 12,000 disaster assistance applications from the hardest-hit states -- iowa , indiana and wisconsin . starting tuesday , the american red cross will set up kitchens in iowa to serve up about 100,000 meals to residents each day . the agency , which is housing 720 flood victims in 30 shelters , plans to spend about $ 15 million on midwest relief efforts . iowans are very concerned about how they will afford to rebuild .<doc-sep>`` most of the people here ... do not have flood insurance , '' said steve doser , director of a shelter in cedar rapids . `` a couple people told us ... that they were told they did n't need flood insurance , ` do n't worry about it , you 're in a 500-year -lsb- plain -rsb- , ' '' he said . `` now they do n't have anything . '' iowa gov. chet culver estimates agricultural damage could reach $ 1 billion , exceeding the costs of the big flood in 1993 . he praised the strength and resilience of the people of iowa and vowed to rebuild the state , noting that `` will take a long time . '' there have been 16 storm-related deaths since may 25 in iowa , 12 of them from recent tornadoes , culver said sunday . four boy scouts were killed last week when a twister touched down at a camp in iowa . culver has declared 83 of the state 's 99 counties disaster areas . more than 3,300 iowa national guard troops have been deployed to help primarily with sandbagging and staging resources , maj. gen. ron dardis of the iowa national guard said sunday . that number is expected to rise to 4,000 by monday , he said . of those troops , 750 are stationed in des moines helping to shore up levees with sandbags along the des moines river amid fears that the historic flooding that has hit other parts of the state could soon take its toll on the iowa capital . early saturday , rising waters breached a levee on the des moines river , prompting emergency officials to evacuate 270 homes in des moines ' birdland park neighborhood , a state emergency official said . a high school in the neighborhood was also flooded . cnn 's jim acosta and julian cummings contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- two missouri river levees broke monday along the swollen missouri river near the iowa-missouri border , a local official and the u.s. army corps of engineers said . the first breach , which was some 300 feet wide and growing , was a `` full breach , '' the army corps of engineers said in a statement . the break was in atchison county , missouri , just south of hamburg , iowa , it said . the national weather service warned that flooding could affect interstate 29 and the town of hamburg . `` the concern is that anybody ... near the river would see some floodwaters that could impact either their road or homes , '' said david pearson with the national weather service in omaha , nebraska . the second breach was located just south of atchison , in holt county , missouri , said holt county clerk kathy kunkel .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at least 200 structures have been destroyed and 1,100 damaged after a dam on an eastern iowa lake failed , unleashing a torrent of floodwaters , a spokesman for the governor said sunday . the lake delhi dam , about 45 miles north of cedar rapids , failed saturday as a result of `` massive rain -- a very unusually high amount this season , '' according to jim flansburg , communications director for gov. chet culver . it was unclear how many of the structures impacted by the ensuing floodwaters were residential homes , flansburg said . culver planned to tour the affected areas sunday afternoon , helping set sandbags out to stave off the rising maquoketa river .<doc-sep>the breach of the barrier , which holds the river back close to its confluence with the missouri river , saw two miles of land deluged by flood waters . scroll down for video . submerged : an aerial photo shows the riverfront park amphitheater complex in alton , illinois , surrounded by mississippi river floodwaters on three sides as the river continued to swell following heavy rain . defiant : flood waters from the mississippi river are held back by sandbags at the dresser island public fishing area in west alton , missouri . no go zone : highway signs and cones block access to us highway 67 between alton , illinois , and west alton , missouri , after the mississippi river exceeded its banks and flooded the area . under water : mckinzee fisher and her 4-year-old sister mckayla fisher pose for photographs in front of a flooded grain mill along broadway in alton . officials said that the flooding threatened more than 40 homes in the small town of west alton - a town that was mostly swept away by devastating floods in 1993 . hundreds of residents were already evacuated after a levee set up to protect homes was breached by the river water . more than 300 people had been asked to leave their homes on monday night after another temporary flood barrier failed on the peninsula formed by the connection of the two swollen rivers .<doc-sep>by . lizzie parry . published : . 14:59 est , 13 february 2014 . | . updated : . 02:59 est , 14 february 2014 . these photographs show the moment a smartly-dressed man was caught in the act stealing sandbags from a 60 metre wall protecting homes from rising floodwaters . the barrier , constructed by the navy in datchet , berkshire , has been targeted four times in recent days , prompting residents to take action . the thieving has been so rife that entire sections of the wall have had to be rebuilt . scroll down for videos . caught in the act : residents in datchet captured the moment a smartly dressed man apparently stole a number of sandbags from a 60 metre wall erected by the navy to protect homes from the rising floodwaters . repeat thefts : people living in the submerged berkshire town said the sandbag barrier has been targeted four times in recent days , forcing people to rebuild large sections of the wall . residents have formed a home guard vigilante group to monitor the barrier , with a rota round the clock of two hour shifts , to curb the stealing . the sandbags were put up by the navy because of fears that a nearby wall holding back powerful flood waters could soon give way . speaking on tuesday at a national press conference , mr cameron said : ` clearly the most serious developing situation is in the thames valley . ` military deployment began with the building of a sixty metre wall at datchet . ' a resident has managed to take photographs of suspected thieves , including a man in a suit loading sandbags into the back of his grey van . two other men , also pictured , arrived at the same time in a van before making off with sandbags . an eye-witness said : ` people have just been coming here and helping themselves , its outrageous . ` this is a wall put up by the navy for a reason and was even mentioned by the prime minister , but little does he know parts of it have had to be rebuilt . ` the residents are saying enough is enough and have started a 24-hour watch . hopefully it will be enough to deter these people . ' retired hr worker sue blumsom , 65 , who has lived in the town for 36 years , is among those taking turns to keep guard . ms blumsom , whose garden and garage have been flooded , said : ` we are not happy about it . ` people have been coming along and taking what they want without thinking of anyone else . it is not very pleasant . ' rumours are circulating in the town that a number of local businesses are among those to have taken sandbags from the southlea road wall . meanwhile beleaguered flood victims have hit out at so-called ` grief capitalists ' who have been selling stolen sandbags at huge profits to vulnerable people . in some cases , the makeshift flood defence measure has been sold for four or five times the normal price . one elderly woman is said to have paid # 80 for a couple of bags , such was the desperation to protect her home . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . | <t> about 500-600 homes evacuated in iowa city on sunday . </t> <t> some 36,000 iowans , most in cedar rapids , have been evacuated . </t> <t> agricultural damage estimated at $ 1 billion or more . </t> | floodwaters breach sandbags in iowa college town<T> |
kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's new government has converted its deposed king 's opulent palace into a museum and unfurled the national flag on sunday as a symbolic move to signify the end of monarchy . the narayanthi royal palace has been converted into a museum . `` the national flag is fluttering in the hands of the people in the royal palace now , '' said prime minister girija prasad koirala at a ceremony at the former palace sunday . ex-king gyanendra , 60 , left narayanhiti royal palace on wednesday . he will live as a civilian in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . gyanendra 's departure came following the declaration of the former himalayan kingdom as a republic last month . the monarchy 's end after 239 years of rule was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which maoist insurgents in nepal gave up their armed struggle , joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in april 's election for the constituent assembly . the assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding the country 's future political system and governing the nation . gyanendra came to power in 2001 when his brother , king birendra , and his family were massacred in the palace by the crown prince , who later shot himself . gyanendra last week denied rumors that he had played a role in that event .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's former king said wednesday he is not going to leave his country even though the monarchy has been abolished . gyanendra came to power in 2001 following the assassination of king birendra and his family . ex-king gyanendra , 60 , made remarks to reporters before departing the narayanhiti royal palace in kathmandu . he will live as a civilian in the former himalayan kingdom that was made a republic last month , and he will reside in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . a few hundred journalists crammed into the opulent palace 's lobby entrance to hear gyanendra 's remarks . it was a chaotic and undeferential scene replete with pushing , shoving and scuffling -- even while the former monarch was speaking .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's former king said wednesday he is not going to leave his country even though the monarchy has been abolished . gyanendra came to power in 2001 following the assassination of king birendra and his family . ex-king gyanendra , 60 , made remarks to reporters before departing the narayanhiti royal palace in kathmandu . he will live as a civilian in the former himalayan kingdom that was made a republic last month , and he will reside in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . a few hundred journalists crammed into the opulent palace 's lobby entrance to hear gyanendra 's remarks . it was a chaotic and undeferential scene replete with pushing , shoving and scuffling -- even while the former monarch was speaking . while the former king spoke , reporters looked around at the lavish furnishings , including a huge crystal chandelier , stuffed tigers , stuffed rhino heads mounted on the walls and paintings of previous monarchs . gyanendra , who expressed his `` love '' for `` independent nepal , '' said all of his property will remain in the country and that he has no property outside the nation . `` i have no intention or thoughts to leave the country , '' he said . `` i will stay in the country to help establish peace . '' the monarchy 's end after 239 years of rule was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which maoist insurgents in nepal gave up their armed struggle , joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in april 's election for the constituent assembly . the assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding the country 's future political system and governing the nation . gyanendra , who noted that the country is going through a `` serious '' stage now , said he accepts the new reality of a republic and reflected on the actions of the monarchy . `` i have done all i can to cooperate with -lrb- the government 's -rrb- directives , '' he said , and added that `` the monarchy in nepal has always been with the people of nepal in good times and bad times . '' gyanendra came to power in 2001 when his brother , king birendra , and his family were massacred in the palace by the crown prince , who later shot himself . gyanendra on wednesday denied rumors that he had played a role in that event . the ex-monarch also discussed events of 2005 , when he he took over the civilian government to take on the maoist insurgency , an unpopular move that sparked protests . he said he hopes people `` understand '' he did n't intend to infringe on any of the rights of the people . he left the palace by a side entrance with pro-royalists and pro-republicans gathered outside to see his departure . his car had to stop momentarily as journalists took pictures of him . gyanendra 's royal scepter and a crown of peacock feathers , yak hair and jewels remain in the palace and have been handed over to the government . -- from cnn 's dan rivers and manesh shrestha .<doc-sep>the assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding the country 's future political system and governing the nation . gyanendra , who noted that the country is going through a `` serious '' stage now , said he accepts the new reality of a republic and reflected on the actions of the monarchy . `` i have done all i can to cooperate with -lrb- the government 's -rrb- directives , '' he said , and added that `` the monarchy in nepal has always been with the people of nepal in good times and bad times . '' gyanendra came to power in 2001 when his brother , king birendra , and his family were massacred in the palace by the crown prince , who later shot himself . gyanendra on wednesday denied rumors that he had played a role in that event .<doc-sep>falling into state hands -lrb- and some neglect -rrb- after ringling 's death in 1936 , the huge waterfront mansion overlooking sarasota bay entered its second heyday with a recent $ 15 million restoration effort . specs : the 36,000-square-foot , five-story -lrb- plus full basement -rrb- property totals 56 rooms , including 15 bathrooms . it 's adorned with gothic arches , mexican onyx columns , priceless 17th-century tapestries and a custom-made 1892 steinway piano in the two-story great court , dolloped with an 81-foot belvedere tower . stopping by : docent-led tours of the mansion 's main living space and a special private places tour through less frequented areas run daily . after the house tour , you can see the estate 's famous art museum , which houses one of the nation 's finest collections of 17-century baroque works . ca ' d'zan , 5401 bay shore road , sarasota , florida ; +1 941 359 5700 ; admission $ 25 . royal relic : ` iolani palace -lrb- honolulu -rrb- . story : the only former official residence of a reigning monarch on u.s. soil , ` iolani palace was hawaii 's grandest symbol when it was completed in 1882 . occupied by hawaii 's last two monarchs before american annexation , the palace would subsequently be used as a red cross dressing station and the state 's first capitol building . today , the national historic landmark is a museum open to the public . specs : filled with imported furnishings , royal gifts and art from around the world , the 34,104-square-foot royal abode featured late-19th-century technological luxuries like electric lighting -lrb- installed in 1887 , four years before the white house -rrb- and telephones . highlights include the grand hall , lined with portraits of hawaiian monarchs , the crimson-gold throne rome where king kalakaua hosted grand balls and state dinners , and the blue room , which features a giant portrait of king louis philippe of france received in 1848 . stopping by : docent-led and guided audio tours let guests explore ` iolani palace 's first and second floors . guests can peruse hawaiian regalia exhibits in the basement gallery and explore the spacious grounds , which include the old royal barracks and coronation pavilion where kalakaua was crowned king in 1883 . ` iolani palace , 364 s. king st. , honolulu ; +1 808 522 0822 ; guided tours $ 21.75 , self-led tours $ 14.75 . | <t> nepal 's new government converts deposed king 's palace into museum . </t> <t> national flag unfurled over building in symbolic end to monarchy . </t> <t> himalayan kingdom was declared a republic last month . </t> | nepal king 's palace becomes museum<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a suspected arms dealer accused of conspiring to sell weapons to colombian guerrillas was extradited friday from spain to the united states , the u.s. justice department said . kassar is accused of conspiring to sell weapons to farc rebels . monzer al kassar had been wanted for decades before he was arrested in an undercover operation in spain last year . justice department officials say he has been a source of weapons and military equipment for armed combatants since the 1970s . he left spain aboard a private plane accompanied by u.s. drug enforcement agents and arrived in new york at 11:30 a.m. local time friday -lrb- 1530 gmt -rrb- , a dea spokesman said . he is expected to appear before a federal magistrate in manhattan before the end of the day . kasser was arrested in madrid a year ago by spanish police working with undercover dea officers posing as members of the farc .<doc-sep>the u.s. accuses kassar and two other men of conspiring to sell millions of dollars ' worth of weapons to farc , which the united states has designated a terrorist organization . the weapons included surface-to-air missile systems , rocket-propelled grenade launchers , thousands of machine guns , and millions of rounds of ammunition , according to a federal indictment . a spanish court last week approved his extradition on four counts , including conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals . the two co-defendants , tareq mousa al ghazi and luis felipe moreno godoy , were both previously extradited to new york from romania to face the same terrorism charges . all three could face life in prison . kassar had told journalists before he was arrested that he had retired from arms dealing , but the u.s. says he had been involved since the 1970s , providing weapons and military equipment to armed factions in nicaragua , cyprus , bosnia , croatia , iran , iraq , somalia , and elsewhere . cnn justice producer terry frieden contributed to this report .<doc-sep>both men were convicted in november of five charges , including conspiracy to murder u.s. nationals , conspiracy to acquire and export anti-aircraft missiles , conspiracy to provide support for farc guerrillas in colombia , and money laundering . the federal indictment paints al-kassar as an international arms dealer with a hand in conflicts in nearly every part of the world , with a web of bank accounts and front companies across europe and the middle east . al-kassar was arrested in spain in 2007 on a u.s. warrant and his associate moreno godoy was arrested in romania . both were extradited to the united states .<doc-sep>bangkok , thailand -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a thai appeals court ruled friday that suspected international arms dealer viktor bout can be extradited to the united states . the court ruled that the extradition process must be completed within three months , otherwise bout will be released . bout , a former soviet military officer , was shackled in chains during the hearing . his wife and daughter were also in the courtroom . after the ruling , they stood up and cried . friday 's ruling came after heavy lobbying from u.s. officials . `` we are extremely pleased that the appeals court in thailand has granted the extradition of viktor bout to the united states on charges of conspiring to sell weapons to a terrorist organization for use in killing americans , '' said a statement by acting u.s. deputy attorney general gary grindler . `` we have always felt that the facts of the case , the relevant thai law and the terms of our bilateral extradition treaty clearly supported the extradition of mr. bout on these charges . '' russian foreign minister sergei lavrov described the thai appeals court 's ruling as an `` unlawful , political decision '' that was `` taken under a very strong pressure from the outside , '' russian state-run news agency ria novosti reported . `` i can assure you that we 'll do everything necessary for his return to his home country , '' lavrov told reporters , according to ria novosti . bout had been indicted by u.s. federal authorities on a series of charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . thai courts had previously balked at extraditing bout to the united states on the basis of the original charges against him , which centered on his alleged efforts to send millions of dollars worth of weapons to arm guerrilla fighters in colombia . last year , a thai court rejected the u.s. government 's request for extradition . bout was arrested in bangkok in march 2008 after a sting operation led by agents of the u.s. drug enforcement agency , posing as members of the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- . bout , widely regarded as a prolific arms dealer , has been in thai custody since . bout has repeatedly said he has not broken any laws and the allegations against him are lies . he is accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world -- from sierra leone to afghanistan . in february , a federal indictment charged bout and an alleged co-conspirator with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 , money laundering and wire fraud . the united states charged bout in 2008 with agreeing to sell surface-to-air missiles , armor-piercing rocket launchers , `` ultralight '' airplanes , unmanned aerial vehicles , and other weapons to farc . justice department officials have sought his extradition since then . federal authorities accused bout of four terrorism offenses : conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals , conspiracy to kill u.s. officers or employees , conspiracy to acquire and use an anti-aircraft missile , and conspiracy to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization , the designation given to farc by the u.s. state department . a former soviet air force officer who speaks six languages , bout allegedly began building his arms business as the soviet union disintegrated in the early 1990s . he acquired surplus soviet planes and , according to the u.s. treasury department , started shipping arms and ammunition to various conflict zones . it is widely believed that he inspired the character of yuri orlov , the arms dealer played by nicolas cage in the 2005 film `` lord of war . '' journalist james hookway contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- international arms dealer viktor bout has been indicted by federal authorities on a series of new charges , including counts of illegally purchasing u.s. cargo planes to ferry weapons to warring parties and regimes in africa and the middle east . the new indictment , announced in new york and washington wednesday , comes as the united states steps up efforts to extradite bout to new york from thailand , where he has been jailed since 2008 . the indictment charges bout , a russian native , and his alleged american co-conspirator , richard chichakli , with the illegal purchase of a boeing 727 and a boeing 737 and with money laundering and wire fraud . chichakli remains at large , authorities said .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a syrian arms dealer was sentenced to 30 years in a u.s. federal prison for conspiring to sell weapons as part of a plot to kill americans in colombia , according to prosecutors . syrian-born arms dealer monzer al-kassar , seen in a file photo , tried to sell weapons to undercover u.s. agents . monzer al-kassar was also ordered tuesday to forfeit all of his assets , according to a news release from the u.s. attorney 's office for the southern district of new york . al-kassar 's co-defendant luis felipe moreno godoy received a 25-year prison sentence for his role in the conspiracy . | <t> u.s. justice department says accused arms dealer extradited to the u.s. </t> <t> monzer al kassar was arrested in spain last year . </t> <t> u.s. accuses him of trying to sell millions of dollars of weapons to guerrillas . </t> <t> he is also accused of conspiracy to kill u.s. nationals . </t> | spain extradites alleged arms dealer to u.s.<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's queen elizabeth celebrates her 82nd birthday saturday with a parade and military ceremony known as `` trooping the color . '' britain 's queen elizabeth attends the derby festival at epson downs horse race course on june 7 .<doc-sep>the queen 's birthday is actually april 21 , but she officially celebrates it every year on a saturday in june when good weather is more likely , according to buckingham palace . during the ceremony , which is open to the public , the queen inspects the troops . they then march past the queen , who rides in a carriage back to the palace .<doc-sep>the royal air force then conducts a colorful fly-past over buckingham palace while the queen and her family watch from the balcony . the queen has attended trooping the color every year of her reign except for one -- 1955 , when a national rail strike canceled the event , the palace says .<doc-sep>the ceremony gets its name from a tradition where colors of the battalion were carried , or `` trooped , '' down the ranks so they could be seen and recognized by the soldiers , buckingham palace says .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's queen elizabeth celebrates her 82nd birthday saturday with a parade and military ceremony known as `` trooping the color . '' britain 's queen elizabeth attends the derby festival at epson downs horse race course on june 7 . the queen 's birthday is actually april 21 , but she officially celebrates it every year on a saturday in june when good weather is more likely , according to buckingham palace .<doc-sep>queen elizabeth continues to fulfill a jam-packed royal schedule and will travel to france later this week to mark the d-day commemorations alongside her `` strength and stay '' prince philip who will celebrate his 93rd birthday next week . the queen is for all intents and purposes the royal equivalent of the energizer bunny and the only way she will ever step aside is if she becomes incapacitated . come september 2015 , queen elizabeth ii will surpass queen victoria 's record as britain 's longest reigning monarch , and if one was to think optimistically , should she live to the ripe old age of 108 , she would break former king sobhuza ii of swaziland 's reign as the world 's longest serving monarch . while that is a record that stands to remain unbroken , you can rest assured that as long as she remains healthy , the queen is not going anywhere , and for that we should be immensely proud and grateful .<doc-sep>the one room guests can not stay in - her late majesty 's bedroom in the castle of mey , the most northerly castle in britain . this was hrh princess margaret 's room when she stayed at the castle of mey . the desk of her majesty queen elizabeth with her writing paper , envelopes , reading glasses , letter opener and photographs of her husband , the late king . the castle of mey was first seen by queen elizabeth in 1952 when she was mourning the death of her husband hm king george vi . it was the only residence she privately owned . guests can eat at the same dining table used by queen elizabeth , and sit in her favourite chair . on the dining room walls are landscapes painted by prince philip . the drawing room has a carpet that was given to queen elizabeth in 1990 by her daughter the queen as a 90th birthday present . the grounds of the castle of mey which is about six miles west of john o ' groats . the kitchen in the castle of mey which having catered for royal guests for sixty years will now be preparing meals for those who can afford # 50,000 for a weekend . castle managing director shirley farquhar said : ` as soon as you walk in , you can feel the queen mother 's presence , as it was her home . '<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- she reputedly never carries any bank notes , but britain 's queen elizabeth ii this week marked half a century since she became the first ever monarch to be depicted on one . sketched by artist robert austin , the young queen first appeared in a # 1 note in 1960 wearing a crown , earrings and a necklace , her likeness replacing images of britannia -- a female symbol of britain used on the country 's currency for centuries . while her firm gaze and faint smile remain unchanged , the image of the queen has aged visibly over the decades , albeit very gracefully . a new image appeared in 1963 , the year she marked her 37th birthday , and again in 1970 and 1971 , the last of which survived unchanged for nearly two decades . the current image in circulation , showing an older queen , again wearing crown , necklace and earrings , dates from 1990 . with the queen still officially head of state in many commonwealth countries , elizabeth ii also features on many bank notes worldwide -- making her image one of the most widely reproduced of all time . to mark the anniversary , the bank of england 's museum this week opens an exhibition of past and present banknotes featuring the queen in addition to the original pencil sketches and printing blocks used to create them . | <t> queen 's april birthday is celebrated in june to enjoy good weather . </t> <t> parade , military ceremony will mark royal birthday . </t> <t> troop inspection , flyover by royal air force , part of ceremonies . </t> | britain 's queen elizabeth marks 82nd birthday<T> |
gaza city , gaza -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a truce between israel and gaza 's hamas leaders will take effect thursday and last for six months , hamas officials said tuesday . palestinian hamas security men stand to attention at a training academy in gaza city last week . israeli officials , however , stopped short of confirming that a cease-fire agreement has been reached . `` it 's still early to announce an agreement of calm , '' israeli defense minister ehud barak said in a statement . `` when it starts , if it starts , it 's hard to say how long it will last . the test will be how it 's implemented . '' hamas senior official mahmoud zahar and hamas negotiator khalil al-hayya announced the egyptian-brokered agreement at a news conference in gaza . they said it will begin at 6 a.m. thursday -lrb- 11 p.m. wednesday et -rrb- . on sunday , israel gradually will start to open its border crossing terminals , the hamas officials said . asked about initial reports of a cease-fire , one israeli official would not confirm whether an agreement had been finalized but said any truce would involve a sequential process . watch what truce may mean in gaza '' the official said israel would reopen some of its terminals along the gaza border after calm had been established . he said israel is still calling for the release of cpl. gilad shalit as part of a broader cease-fire . gaza militants kidnapped shalit in june 2006 . egypt has been trying to broker a truce between hamas and israel for months . militants in hamas-controlled gaza have pummeled israel with thousands of rocket and mortar attacks , prompting israeli military operations in the palestinian territory . referring to the egyptian mediation efforts , barak said , `` it 's important to exhaust the possibility . `` the idf -lsb- israel defense forces -rsb- is prepared for any developments , but it is important to attempt to achieve a period of calm to bring back the peace and quiet for the -lsb- israeli -rsb- people who live around gaza in sderot and ashkelon and to try and renew negotiations for the release of gilad shalit . ''<doc-sep>militants in gaza have launched more than 2,300 mortars and rockets since the start of 2008 , more than the 2,000 launched in all of last year , according to israeli military figures . while most of the attacks do not result in casualties , three israelis have been killed in rocket and mortar strikes in recent weeks . the israeli military responds to the attacks by carrying out airstrikes and ground operations in gaza that target militants , but many times lead to civilian casualties -- further inflaming the palestinian leadership . israel also has restricted supplies of gasoline , diesel and electricity to gaza , limited the amount of food and other goods entering the strip and made it virtually impossible for manufacturers and farmers in gaza to export anything to the outside world . hamas seized control of gaza last year after routing palestinian security agencies under the control of palestinian president mahmoud abbas and his fatah movement . the ouster forced abbas to dissolve the fatah-hamas unity government , but fatah still controls the west bank . representatives from the rival factions met recently in senegal for talks aimed at restoring the political and territorial split . earlier this month , abbas called for `` national unity '' talks with hamas with the goal of producing new elections for the palestinians , who elected a hamas-led palestinian authority government in a u.s.-backed vote in 2006 . meanwhile , abbas ' western-backed government is working toward a peace agreement with israel . the bush administration has said it wants the two sides to reach an agreement by the end of the year . cnn 's shira medding contributed to this report .<doc-sep>cairo , egypt -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- israeli foreign minister tzipi livni and egyptian president hosni mubarak met thursday in cairo amid escalating cross-border violence between israel and hamas . israeli foreign minister tzipi livni meets thursday with egyptian president hosni mubarak in cairo . the session follows the end of a tenuous 6-month-long cease-fire between the israeli military and hamas militants in gaza . egypt mediated the first truce and is trying to negotiate an extension despite what israel says are dozens of rockets fired by hamas into the jewish state this week . livni criticized hamas after her meeting with mubarak . `` hamas needs to understand that israel 's basic desire to live in a tranquil region does n't mean that israel is willing to accept ongoing shooting at its population , '' she said , according to the israeli foreign ministry . `` enough is enough . we can not accept this situation , and the situation will change . '' egypt expressed concern about a deteriorating humanitarian situation in gaza , an israeli foreign ministry statement said .<doc-sep>after more than seven weeks of heavy fighting , israel and hamas have agreed to an open-ended ceasefire . the truce announced tuesday puts off dealing with core long-term issues on both sides of a bitter conflict that killed around 2,200 people . but israel agreed to ease the blockade on gaza , open border crossings for more aid to pass through and extend the fishing limit off the coast to 6 miles , according to a senior egyptian government official . both sides agreed to return to cairo for further egyptian-mediated talks , the official said . hamas -- as it has after every battle with israel -- declared the outcome a victory . but israel said that hamas , which holds power inside gaza , finally accepted an offer that it had repeatedly rejected earlier in the war . `` we hope that this time , the ceasefire will stick , '' israeli government spokesman mark regev said . `` and i think now , as the dust will begin to clear , many people will be asking : why is it that today hamas accepted the very same egyptian framework that it rejected a month ago ? `` ultimately , so much bloodshed could have been avoided , '' he added .<doc-sep>israel has published a ` hamas manual ' which it claims boasts about the propaganda value of gaza civilian deaths and the advantages of operating in populated area . the publication of the manual came as rare footage emerged today of gaza militants firing a rocket at israel from a densely populated area of the palestinian territory just minutes before monday 's ceasefire began . israel has long claimed that hamas fires from residential areas and uses its civilians as human shields to garner international sympathy . scroll down for videos . rare footage emerged today of gaza militants quietly preparing to fire a rocket at israel from a densely populated area of the palestinian territory just minutes before monday 's ceasefire began . the footage was captured by an indian television crew from the balcony of their gaza hotel and appears to show three men preparing a rocket launch site secretly under a blue tent at 6:30 am according to the timecode . the footage was captured by an indian television crew from the balcony of their gaza hotel and appears to show three men preparing a rocket launch site quietly under a blue tent at 6:30 am according to the timecode . another clip shows smoke from the rocket launched from that spot . the video report , narrated by the ndtv correspondent sreenivasan jain was not broadcast until hours after he and his crew had left the gaza strip for safety reasons . glimpses of gaza militants have been scare over the month-long war . israel claims it has found a hamas combat manual which it claims proves the group uses its people as human shields . the idf published a photo of a book it says is a hamas manual on ` urban warfare , ' which belonged to the shuja'iya brigade of hamas ' military wing , the al-qassam brigades . it coincides with the idf 's announcement on monday that it has discovered a manual called ` urban warfare , ' which belongs to the shuja'iya brigade of hamas ' military wing , the al-qassam brigades . it stated the writings proves that hamas is aware that israel tries to minimise civilian casualties and that the terror group ` exploits these efforts by using civilians as human shields against advancing idf forces . ' but a translation of the two pages posted by the idf did not find specific statements that hamas uses its own civilian population as human shields , reported cnn . video courtesy of ndtv . one section does discuss the benefits for hamas when civilian homes are destroyed . today a 72-hour humanitarian truce is holding in gaza , halting a month of war that has claimed more than 1,900 lives . israel and the palestinians have sent delegations to cairo to discuss the possibility of a longer-term truce and a broader deal for the war-ravaged gaza strip . in the coming days , egyptian mediators are to shuttle between delegations from both sides to try to work out a deal .<doc-sep>it was one of scores of attacks on targets in gaza , the idf said . sirens blared much of the day in israel as at least 80 rockets were fired from gaza , according to the israeli military . israel 's netanyahu vowed saturday to `` continue to act in full scale '' against hamas until all militant tunnels from gaza to israel are destroyed . hamas leader khaled meshaal told cnn 's nic robertson that israel thwarted the temporary peace by staying in gaza and destroying tunnels there . `` a truce is a truce , but the presence of the israeli forces inside gaza and destroying the tunnels means it 's an aggression , '' he said in an exclusive interview from doha , qatar . `` the palestinian resistance has the right to self-defense and the right to deal with the invading israeli forces who are inside our gaza territories . '' peace efforts out of cairo . as the conflict continued , egyptian president abdel fattah el-sisi touted a cease-fire initiative as a `` real chance '' to stop the bloodshed and the best way to get help into gaza and launch talks . an egyptian proposal put forward last month was accepted by israel but rejected by hamas . members of a palestinian delegation arrived in the egyptian capital , cairo , on saturday to attend the negotiations , the egyptian state-run news agency mena reported . the delegation included a representative of fatah and palestinian intelligence , with hamas and islamic jihad representatives set to arrive later , the report said . israel will not send a delegation to cairo , said paul hirschson , a spokesman for israel 's foreign ministry . cnn 's matthew chance reported from jerusalem ; samira said , steve almasy and holly yan reported from atlanta . cnn 's jake tapper , amir tal , anas hamdan , ali younes and tal heinrich contributed to the report . | <t> new : hard to say how long any cease-fire will last , israeli defense minister says . </t> <t> israel has not confirmed cease-fire pact . </t> <t> israel will begin to open gaza border crossings sunday , hamas says . </t> <t> hamas took control of gaza a year ago . </t> | hamas announces 6-month truce with israel<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former terrorist suspects detained by the united states were tortured , according to medical examinations detailed in a report released wednesday by a human rights group . a u.s. serviceman with his dog watches a detainee at abu ghraib prison in iraq in 2003 . the massachusetts-based physicians for human rights reached that conclusion after two-day clinical evaluations of 11 former detainees , who had been held at the abu ghraib prison in iraq , at guantanamo bay , cuba , and in afghanistan . the detainees were never charged with crimes . `` we found clear physical and psychological evidence of torture and abuse , often causing lasting suffering , '' said dr. allen keller , a medical evaluator for the study . in a 121-page report , the doctors ' group said that it uncovered medical evidence of torture , including beatings , electric shock , sleep deprivation , sexual humiliation , sodomy and scores of other abuses . the report is prefaced by retired u.s. major gen. antonio taguba , who led the army 's investigation into the abu ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in 2003 . watch why a rights group says there 's evidence of torture '' `` there is no longer any doubt that the current administration committed war crimes , '' taguba says . `` the only question is whether those who ordered torture will be held to account . '' over the years , reports of abuses at abu ghraib and allegations of torture at guantanamo prompted the bush administration to deny that the u.s. military tortures detainees . since only 11 detainees were examined `` the findings of this assessment can not be generalized to the treatment of all detainees in u.s. custody , '' the report says . however , the incidents documented are consistent with findings of other investigations into government treatment , `` making it reasonable to conclude that these detainees were not the only ones abused , but are representative of a much larger number of detainees subjected to torture and ill treatment while in u.s. custody . '' four of the men evaluated were arrested in or taken to afghanistan between late 2001 and early 2003 and later were sent to guantanamo bay , where they were held for an average of three years before being released without charge , the report says . the other seven were detained in iraq in 2003 and released within a year , the report says . all the subjects told examiners that they were subjected to multiple forms of torture or ill treatment that `` often occurred in combination over a long period of time , '' the report says . while the report presents synopses of the detainees ' backgrounds based on interviews with them , the authors did not have access to the detainees ' medical histories . therefore , there 's no way to know whether any of the inmates may have had medical or mental problems before being detained .<doc-sep>among the ex-detainees was an iraqi in his mid-40s , identified only as laith , whom u.s. soldiers took into custody in october 2003 and who was released from abu ghraib in june 2004 . according to the report , laith was subjected to sleep deprivation , electric shocks and threats of sexual abuse to himself and his family . `` they took off even my underwear . they asked me to do some movements that make me look in a very bad way so they can take photographs . ... they were trying to make me look like an animal , '' laith told examiners , according to the report . according to the report , laith said the most `` painful '' experiences involved threats to his family : `` and they asked me , ` have you ever heard voices of women in this prison ? ' i answered , ` yes . ' they were saying , ` then you will hear your mothers and sisters when we are raping them . ' '' the examiners concluded in the report that `` laith appears to have suffered severe and lasting physical and psychological injuries as a result of his arrest and incarceration at abu ghraib prison . '' another detainee , youssef , was detained by u.s. soldiers nearly seven years ago when he tried to enter afghanistan from neighboring pakistan without a passport , the report says . he initially was held in an afghan prison , where he describes `` being stripped naked , being intimidated by dogs , being hooded and being thrown against the wall on repeated occasions , '' the report says . a few months later , he was taken to the guantanamo bay facility , where he was subjected to interrogators who would enter his cell and force him to lie on the floor with his hands tied behind his back to his feet , the report says . youssef said the interrogators wanted him to confess of involvement with the taliban , the report says . based on its investigation , the report calls on the u.s. government to issue a formal apology to detainees subject to torture and ill treatment by the military since fall 2001 in afghanistan , iraq , guantanamo bay and elsewhere . the rights group also demands that the bush administration : . • `` repudiate all forms of torture and cruel , inhuman or degrading treatment '' ; . • establish an independent commission to investigate and report publicly the circumstances of detention and interrogation at u.s.-run prisons in afghanistan , iraq and guantanamo bay ; . • hold individuals involved in torturing detainees accountable through criminal and civil processes ; and . • monitor thoroughly the conditions at u.s.-run prisons all over the world . cnn radio contributed to this report .<doc-sep>sunday 's report found that the 147 detainees arrested july 9 suffered `` harsh corporal punishment , humiliating and insulting techniques , '' and other mistreatment , mehr said . `` the deaths of some detainees were a result of beatings and neglect of the physical condition of the injured by the detention center 's officials , '' an excerpt of the report said on the mehr web site . the investigation did not reveal evidence of rape or sexual abuse , as alleged by reformist mehdi karrubi , mehr and state-run press tv reported . karrubi , a former parliamentary speaker , and fellow reformist moussavi , had publicly accused the government of allowing rape , torture , wrongful deaths and secret burials of several detainees . karrubi had been especially vocal about the claims of detainee rape -- even publishing a first-hand account of one alleged victim on his web site in october . the parliamentary committee met with karrubi about the claims , but he `` did not present any convincing evidence or reliable documentation of the alleged abuse , '' mehr said the report found .<doc-sep>he then added : ' -lsb- w -rsb- hat i infer is that you get a tube up as far as you can , then open the iv wide . no need to squeeze the bag - let gravity do the work . ' cia leaders were aware of the excessive force used during two rectal exams on detainees at the detention site named , for the purpose of the report , as cobalt , - but the reports did not appear to be investigated . one of the detainees , mustafa al-hawsawi , was later diagnosed with chronic hemorrhoids , an anal fissure and symptomaticrectal prolapse . along with the horrifying details of the rectal probes , the cia tortured al-qaeda suspects with waterboarding , threats to harm their children and sexually abuse their mothers , according to the senate report . one suspect died of hypothermia while naked and chained to a floor at secret locations known as a ` black sites ' or the guantanamo military base in cuba . one interrogator told another detainee that he would never go to court , ` because we can never let the world know what i have done to you ' . senator dianne feinstein , democrat chair of the intelligence committee which prepared the report , said on capitol hill today that the torture was ' a stain on our values and on our history ' . taliban prisoners in orange jumpsuits sitting in the holding area under the watchful eyes of military police at camp x-ray at naval base guantanamo bay , cuba .<doc-sep>the senate intelligence committee spent five years reading and analyzing more than 6.3 million pages of cia documents to assess the cia 's use of `` enhanced interrogation techniques '' in the post-9 / 11 era . that review produced a more than 6,000 page review that was condensed into a 525-page summary the committee released tuesday that delivered a brutal assessment of the cia 's practices . here are the report 's biggest conclusions and revelations : . 1 . `` enhanced interrogation '' includes torture . sen. dianne feinstein writes in the report that the committee 's findings reveal that `` cia detainees were tortured . '' `` i also believe that the conditions of confinement and the use of authorized and unauthorized interrogation and conditioning techniques were cruel , inhuman , and degrading . i believe the evidence of this is overwhelming and incontrovertible , '' she writes . feinstein is n't alone . president obama said over the summer that , in the past , `` we tortured some folks . '' and sen. john mccain , who was himself tortured as a pow during vietnam , said on the senate floor tuesday that the harsh interrogations described in the report amount to torture . the cia has claimed throughout its defense of the program that these coercive interrogations `` saved lives '' -- the most significant point the senate committee refutes in its report . senate report : cia misled public on torture . 2 . torture does n't work very well . `` the use of the cia 's enhanced interrogation techniques was not an effective means of obtaining accurate information , '' according to the senate intelligence committee report . the report debunks the top 20 examples cia has used to defend the now-shuttered enhanced interrogation program , claiming that each of the examples `` was found to be wrong in fundamental respects . '' additionally , false confessions obtained by enhanced interrogation techniques from detainees led the cia to pursue dead leads that did not help in the fight against al-qaeda . information the cia obtained through these harsh interrogations , which in some cases amounted to torture , was either false or had been previously obtained through alternative intelligence gathering , according to the report . `` while being subjected to the cia 's enhanced interrogation techniques and afterwards , multiple cia detainees fabricated information , resulting in faulty intelligence , '' the report reads . the cia and other advocates of these enhanced interrogation techniques , including former vice president dick cheney have continued to defend the practices as critical to intelligence gathering efforts in the fight against terrorism . hagel on torture report release : ` we want to be prepared ' the cia pushed back against the report in its own assessment on tuesday , saying information obtained `` substantially advance the agency 's strategic and tactical understanding of the enemy in ways that continue to inform counterterrorism efforts to this day . '' 3 . torture did not help the cia find osama bin laden . the cia continues to claim that coercive interrogations were crucial to capturing osama bin-laden , but the senate report concludes that the most `` accurate ' cia information that led to bin laden 's capture came from a detainee before the detainee was tortured . the cia claims that information obtained through coercion `` fundamentally '' changed the agency 's calculations . the senate report insists that bin laden could have been captured without the torture of any detainees . the `` most accurate '' cia intelligence that led to bin laden 's capture came from hassan ghul , who was captured in iraq in 2004 . while ghul was later subjected to enhanced interrogations , the senate report contends that ghul provided information that led to bin laden 's courier through traditional interrogation -- before he faced anything resembling torture . 4 . one detainee died , apparently from hypothermia , after being chained , nearly naked , to a concrete floor . a glimpse of these techniques details how the cia employed sleep deprivation to wear down victims : it `` involved keeping detainees awake for up to 180 hours , usually standing or in stress positions , at times with their hands shackled above their heads . '' other techniques included `` rectal rehydration , '' `` ice water ` baths , ' '' and threatening detainees with threats to harm detainees ' families , including threats to `` sexually abuse the mother of a detainee , '' according to the summary of the report . related : ` this is not america ' other psychological tactics involved keeping detainees in pitch-black rooms `` with loud noise or music and only a bucket to use for human waste . '' and the rooms were cold -- freezing . one detainee , `` who had been held partially nude and chained to a concrete floor '' died in nov. 2002 from suspected hypothermia . cia detainees who underwent these interrogation tactics were later found to experience `` hallucinations , paranoia , insomnia and attempts at self-harm and self-mutilation . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- authorities in some afghan prisons are torturing detainees into confessions , using methods that meet the international definition of torture , according to a new u.n. report . the practices documented `` are among the most serious human rights violations under international law , are crimes under afghan law and are strictly prohibited under both afghan and international law , '' the united nations assistance mission in afghanistan -lrb- unama -rrb- says in the report . `` detainees described experiencing torture in the form of suspension -lrb- being hung by the wrists from chains or other devices attached to the wall , ceiling , iron bars or other fixtures for lengthy periods -rrb- and beatings , especially with rubber hoses , electric cables or wires or wooden sticks and most frequently on the soles of the feet . electric shock , twisting and wrenching of detainees ' genitals , stress positions including forced standing , removal of toenails and threatened sexual abuse were among other forms of torture that detainees reported . `` routine blindfolding and hooding and denial of access to medical care in some facilities were also reported . unama documented one death in government custody due to torture in april 2011 , the report says . the report contains quotes from various prisoners , not identified by name , describing their experiences in detail . the report comes from interviews with 379 pre-trial detainees and convicted prisoners at facilities operated by different branches of the afghan government between october 2010 and august 2011 . the afghanistan government responded that the report `` is to some extent not close to reality '' and `` not entirely in compliance with the facts . '' | <t> report reveals medical evidence of torture , including beatings and electric shock . </t> <t> study calls on u.s. government to issue a formal apology to tortured detainees . </t> <t> rights group gives list of demands to bush administration . </t> | report : exams reveal abuse , torture of detainees<T> |
mexico city , mexico -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- helicopters were bringing 2,000 mexican troops into the u.s.-mexican border city of juarez on friday to quell a wave of drug-related violence blamed for 200 deaths since january , the city 's mayor said . mexico has ordered troops to move near juarez , shown here with el paso , texas , in the distance . `` two rival drug cartels tried to push each other out of the city , '' jose reyes ferriz told cnn .<doc-sep>among those killed were about 20 police officers representing the state , the military and the federal and city governments , he said . `` many -lsb- people -rsb- say the drug cartels targeted specifically the heads of the police departments , '' he said . `` the violence got extremely bad in the city . ''<doc-sep>he said no uninvolved civilians have been injured . `` the two rival drug cartels in mexico , one 's from the gulf , one 's from the pacific -- and juarez being right down the middle , they tried to push the other one out of the area , '' he said . watch police clash with suspected drug smugglers '' juarez sits across the rio grande from el paso , texas . the majority of the troops will be based in the city .<doc-sep>defense secretary guillermo galvan said thursday 2,026 soldiers , 180 military tactical vehicles , three airplanes and more than a dozen drug detection devices would be used in the military operation . mexican attorney general medina mora stressed that the violence that goes along with drug trafficking is `` not in any way a sign of strength , but a sign of weakness , deterioration and decomposition . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's ariel crespo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>one factor cited by officials is the end of the practice of releasing non-mexican immigrants , pending court hearings . the border patrol captured 50,349 non-mexican illegal immigrants nationwide in the nine-month period ending june 30 , down from 89,952 during the same period of fiscal 2006 . that 's a 44 percent decrease . the decrease was 48 percent for non-mexican illegal immigrants along the u.s.-mexico border . other factors include the 6,000 national guard troops patrolling along the southwest border , more detention space and enhanced enforcement in the interior , friel said . outside economic , political and social factors also are `` always involved '' in fluctuating levels of immigrants seeking entry into the united states , he said .<doc-sep>but the problems are not limited to juarez , the state department says . `` mexican drug cartels are engaged in violent conflict -- both among themselves and with mexican security services -- for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the u.s.-mexico border , '' the report says . `` in order to combat violence , the government of mexico has deployed military troops throughout the country . u.s. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on mexican highways . `` some recent mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades . large firefights have taken place in towns and cities across mexico , but occur mostly in northern mexico , including ciudad juarez , tijuana , chihuahua city , nogales , matamoros , reynosa and monterrey . during some of these incidents , u.s. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . ''<doc-sep>u.s. agents told the mexican troops they were inside the united states and `` peaceably '' took them into custody , the statement said . `` at no time were any hostilities exchanged between the agents and military officials . '' watch how mexican troops found their way in the united states '' the hummer was equipped with a turret-mounted machine gun , the border patrol said . according to customs and border patrol , the soldiers were assigned to the 23rd regiment motorized cavalry of the mexican army . the soldiers said they believed that they were still in mexico because they remained on the south side of a newly constructed border fence .<doc-sep>two u.s. citizens were abducted and killed in chihuahua , the state department said . `` mexican authorities report that more than 2,600 people were killed in ciudad juarez in 2009 , '' the report states . `` additionally , this city of 1.3 million people experienced more than 16,000 car thefts and 1,900 carjackings in 2009 . u.s. citizens should pay close attention to their surroundings while traveling in ciudad juarez , avoid isolated locations during late night and early morning hours , and remain alert to news reports . '' but the problems are not limited to juarez , the state department says . `` mexican drug cartels are engaged in violent conflict -- both among themselves and with mexican security services -- for control of narcotics trafficking routes along the u.s.-mexico border , '' the report says . `` in order to combat violence , the government of mexico has deployed military troops throughout the country . u.s. citizens should cooperate fully with official checkpoints when traveling on mexican highways . `` some recent mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat , with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades . large firefights have taken place in towns and cities across mexico , but occur mostly in northern mexico , including ciudad juarez , tijuana , chihuahua city , nogales , matamoros , reynosa and monterrey . during some of these incidents , u.s. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area . '' a number of areas along the border continue to experience a rapid growth in crime , with robberies , homicides , petty thefts and carjackings increasing during the past year nationwide , the alert says . the state department reports notable spikes in chihuahua , sinaloa , and northern baja california . `` ciudad juarez , tijuana and nogales are among the cities which have experienced public shootouts during daylight hours in shopping centers and other public venues , '' the alert says . cnn 's arthur brice contributed to this report . | <t> the majority of the troops will be based in juarez , mexico . </t> <t> juarez sits across the rio grande from el paso , texas . </t> <t> drug-related violence has claimed some 200 lives since the beginning of the year . </t> <t> mayor : two rival drug cartels tried to push each other out of the city . </t> | mexican troops arrive along u.s. border<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- al qaeda leader osama bin laden will address the west in a new message , according to a banner ad from the group 's production wing posted on islamist web sites known to carry messages from al qaeda and bin laden . this image accompanied a message from osama bin laden in november . `` to the western nations , soon , god willing , a new speech by the lion of islam sheikh osama bin laden , the reasons of the struggle in the 60th anniversary of the israeli occupation , '' the banner reads .<doc-sep>it was not known whether the message would be audio or video or when it might be posted . in the past , messages were available from an hour to two days after the initial posting . bin laden 's last message came march 20 , when in an audiotape he called iraq `` the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate palestine . '' in an audiotape released the previous day , bin laden condemned european countries for siding with the united states in afghanistan and for allowing the publication of cartoons considered insulting to islam 's prophet , mohammed .<doc-sep>the speaker said muslims have not responded by mocking jesus , whom they consider a prophet as well . `` the laws of men which clash with the legislation of allah the most high are null and void , are n't sacred and do n't matter to us , '' he said . the speaker dismissed claims of free speech in his statement , citing european countries ' laws against denying the existence of the holocaust . bin laden also said in his earlier message that `` the crownless king in riyadh '' -- saudi arabia 's king abdullah -- could have prevented the publication of the cartoons `` if it mattered to him . '' `` if there is no check on the freedom of your words , then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions , '' he said . though the voice sounds like bin laden , cnn has not been able to confirm that it is him . however , a radical islamist web site reported earlier wednesday that a statement from bin laden was coming soon . the notice appeared on al-ekhlaas , known for carrying statements and videos from al qaeda and its allies .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- al qaeda leader osama bin laden has apparently released a new audio message calling for a jihad , or holy war , against israel for its gaza campaign . osama bin laden , in an undated photo , apparently taped a message calling for jihad against israel . the 22-minute message contains `` an invitation '' from bin laden to take part in `` jihad to stop the aggression against gaza . '' the audio message was posted on a radical islamist web site that has posted other statements from bin laden in the past . cnn could not independently confirm the authenticity of the message , but the speaker 's voice was similar to other recordings that bin laden has made . while not naming president-elect barack obama , bin laden refers to the future of the united states in the face of the current global economic crisis . watch as experts discuss osama message '' '' -lsb- america is -rsb- now drowning in a global financial crisis , '' he said . `` they 're even begging all nations , small and large , for help . america is no longer feared by its enemies nor respected by its allies .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- al-jazeera broadcast on thursday an audiotape on which a voice identified as osama bin laden declares `` iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate palestine . '' terrorist leader osama bin laden spoke on a video released by al qaeda in september . the voice calls on `` muslims in neighboring countries '' to `` do their best in supporting their mujahedeen brothers in iraq . '' `` my speech to you is about the siege of gaza and the way to liberate it , '' he said . `` the gaza siege is a direct result of annapolis , '' he adds , apparently referring to the site of november 's summit in annapolis , maryland , where israeli and palestinian leadership agreed to work toward a two-state plan . he accused arabs who supported the plan of having become `` partners in this horrendous crime . '' and he predicted , `` palestine will be restored to us , with god 's permission , when we wake up from our slumber and adhere to our faith and sacrifice our souls and belongings for it . '' the speaker called for armed revolt in the middle east . `` palestine and its people have been suffering from too much bitterness for almost a century now on the hands of the christians and the jews . and both parties did n't take palestine from us by negotiations and dialogue , but with arms and fire , and this is the only way to take it back , '' he said . though the voice sounds like bin laden , cnn has not been able to confirm that it is him . however , a radical islamist web site reported earlier wednesday that a statement from bin laden was coming soon . the notice appeared on al-ekhlaas , known for carrying statements and videos from al qaeda and its allies . analysis of previous statements has indicated that bin laden was the speaker , and a u.s. intelligence official said there was no reason to think the recorded voice was not bin laden 's . the broadcast comes a day after another statement attributed to the al qaeda leader condemned european countries for siding with the united states in afghanistan and for allowing the publication of cartoons considered insulting to islam 's prophet , mohammed . `` this is the greater and more serious tragedy , and the reckoning for it will be more severe , '' the speaker in the five-minute audio recording says . the speaker said muslims have not responded by mocking jesus , whom they consider a prophet as well . `` the laws of men which clash with the legislation of allah the most high are null and void , are n't sacred and do n't matter to us , '' he said . the speaker dismissed claims of free speech in his statement , citing european countries ' laws against denying the existence of the holocaust . bin laden also said in his earlier message that `` the crownless king in riyadh '' -- saudi arabia 's king abdullah -- could have prevented the publication of the cartoons `` if it mattered to him . '' `` if there is no check on the freedom of your words , then let your hearts be open to the freedom of our actions , '' he said . bin laden , who was behind the terrorist network 's september 11 attacks , has been in hiding since the u.s. assault on afghanistan that followed those strikes . his last public statement was an audio message issued in december , when he urged his followers in iraq to continue battling u.s. troops there . wednesday marked the fifth anniversary of the u.s.-led invasion of iraq . the latest statement included no date reference beyond the cartoon controversy , which began in late 2005 when a danish newspaper published a dozen cartoons about islam , including one that depicted mohammed wearing a turban resembling a bomb . violent protests erupted in early 2006 after other european newspapers reprinted the images as a matter of free speech . some muslims believe it is forbidden by the quran to show an image of the prophet at all , and others were offended that the cartoon by artist kurt westergaard appeared to depict mohammed as a terrorist . westergaard said he wanted his cartoon to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror . several newspapers in denmark reprinted the controversial cartoons in february after danish authorities arrested several people who were said to be plotting a `` terror-related assassination '' of the cartoonist . that sparked violent protests in three afghan cities this month , with muslim students burning flags and chanting anti-western statements . the message said the publication of the drawings in question `` came in the framework of a new crusade in which the pope of the vatican has played a large , lengthy role . '' pope benedict is scheduled to visit the united states next month , with scheduled stops at the white house , the united nations and ground zero , where the twin towers stood until al qaeda 's attack . deputy commissioner paul j. browne of the new york city police department said the department `` has been working closely with the united states secret service to provide the highest level of protection possible '' during the pope 's visit to new york . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's octavia nasr and pam benson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the version issued by the pentagon , after it was found in bin laden 's abbottabad compound , was silent . the site intelligence group cites bin laden 's message as warning americans against `` falling as slaves '' to the control of major corporations and `` jewish money capital . '' in his message , bin laden also recommends that americans read the book `` obama 's wars '' by bob woodward , saying that they should realize that obama 's government has not lived up to his campaign slogan , `` yes we can . '' at the time they released it , u.s. officials said they believed the video , which was entitled `` a message to the american people '' and had not been broadcast by al qaeda , was recorded in october or november last year . cnn 's yousuf basil contributed to this report . | <t> banner ad on islamist web sites says al qaeda leader will release message soon . </t> <t> it is not known exactly when the message will come . </t> <t> bin laden 's last communication was an audiotape released march 20 . </t> | site : new bin laden message coming soon<T> |
gladstone , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- residents of this small town in illinois , like many others who live along the banks of the surging mississippi river , raced against the clock tuesday to erect a makeshift levee as rising floodwaters threatened . residents of gladstone , illinois , work with the national guard to create a makeshift levee . `` i 'm not moving , not moving my business , '' said byron sebastian , a longtime resident of gladstone , illinois , who also serves on the city council . `` we 've got a lot of good people here helping to try to save this part of town . '' gladstone is one of many towns under threat tuesday after rising waters breached a 300-foot area of a levee near gulf port , illinois , before 5 a.m. levees all along the mid-mississippi were being topped with sandbags tuesday as the river , fed by its flooded tributaries , continued to rise . illinois gov. rod blagojevich called up 1,100 national guard members to assist in sandbagging efforts , said patti thompson of the illinois emergency management agency . she also said inmates are helping on the levees and others are bagging sand in correctional institutions . `` we were very , very disappointed that this levee broke today , '' said thompson . `` it 's a very powerful river , and it can be hard to harness . '' with the help of the national guard , sebastian and his fellow residents hustled tuesday to build a barrier between gladstone and the encroaching floodwaters . even though gladstone is about four miles from the banks of the mississippi , the rising floodwaters have submerged homes and created rivers where crop fields once stood . the muddy townspeople worked with anxious resolve , cracking the occasional joke , as they filled bags with sand and dirt and loaded them onto atvs . on the receiving end were members of the illinois national guard , who piled up the sandbags as the tops of cornstalks rose above the waters behind them . `` threats can happen in all shapes and forms , so we are trying to help out , '' said national guardsman capt. lanny finn , whose unit previously served in iraq . `` we 'll be here for as long as we 're needed . '' sebastian , who lived through floods in 1993 , said he never thought he 'd have to experience them again . `` we thought that was bad , but this is a lot worse than it was in ' 93 , '' said sebastian . `` now we got some lakefront property . '' elsewhere in illinois , authorities closed the great river bridge on u.s. 34 , which connects illinois to iowa over the swollen mississippi , as authorities evacuated about 400 people in henderson county . the sheriff of henderson county , where the mississippi river borders the entire western edge of the county , said authorities are still concerned about the communities of gulf port , carman , lomax and dallas city . watch aerial views of the rising mississippi '' `` it 's been an uphill battle from the start , and the levee just broke loose , '' he said . sheriff john jefferson of hancock county , illinois , said water was `` very , very close '' to the top of some areas of the county 's two levees . `` we 've had to evacuate some areas already , but the areas that have not been evacuated yet , we 're just keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that the levee will hold , '' he said . in two of the county 's communities , rio vista and pontoosuc , power has been shut off in all but 20 residences , a spokeswoman for the sheriff 's office said . missouri also began to feel the force of the surging mississippi tuesday , as water began to top multiple levees east of highway 79 , forcing authorities to suspend sandbagging efforts at a levee near foley , officials said tuesday . in northwest missouri , towns and cities along the mississippi river were bracing for flooding later this week as swollen waters head downriver . communities at high risk of record flooding include quincy , illinois , and hannibal , missouri , according to national weather service modeling . moderate flooding is possible later in the week in alton , illinois , and st. louis , missouri . the floods began heading downriver monday to illinois and missouri , relieving iowa somewhat after two weeks of natural disasters that killed 17 people , displaced 38,000 and caused more than $ 1 billion in crop damages . `` the good news is the floodwater is receding in much of the state , '' said david miller , administrator for the iowa homeland security and emergency management division . `` the bad news is we 're still in a flood fight . '' president bush said he and a team will travel to iowa this week . state and federal officials also plan to meet there this week to decide the best way to house displaced residents , said bill vogel , a federal coordinator with the federal emergency management agency . in washington , sen. tom harkin of iowa said the flooding has devastated his state 's corn crop . floods prompted farm-equipment manufacturer john deere to idle two plants in waterloo , iowa , he said . watch a farmer boat through his fields '' `` across eastern iowa , the flooding rivers have washed out railroad lines ; mississippi barge traffic has come to a halt and -lsb- flooding has -rsb- closed major roadways , '' said harkin , the democratic chairman of the senate agriculture committee . `` thousands of iowa businesses , large and small , have been impacted . '' harkin said iowans `` are a resilient and resourceful people , '' but will need `` generous federal assistance '' to recover . fema has set up six disaster recovery centers in iowa and has provided nearly $ 4 million in assistance , state and federal officials reported . so far , 24 counties are under federal disaster declarations , making residents eligible for individual aid , lt. gov. patty judge reported . by tuesday afternoon , residents of cedar rapids , iowa , where the cedar river inundated more than 400 city blocks , were beginning to return home as the rivers lessened , said lu barron , a linn county supervisor . `` we 're doing pretty good , '' she said . `` people are getting into their businesses , and getting into their homes . '' she said . she estimated that thousands of people had returned to their homes after authorities inspected them to make sure they were safe . the death of one woman whose body was found in her car monday was determined unrelated to the floods , said courtney greene , a spokeswoman for the governor 's office and the state emergency operations center . amtrak service from chicago , illinois , to st. paul , minnesota , and to kansas city , missouri , was disrupted by the flooding . cnn 's paul vercammen contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- karen schlieve and her fiancã © were supposed to be married in july on a pavilion in st. paul , minnesota , against the backdrop of the mississippi river . but mother nature had other plans . today , that same pavilion is under several feet of water , in a surge of flooding that has swept through several minnesota towns . at the height of wedding season , schlieve must now find a different venue . `` i never would have thought , never would have imagined this would happen , '' shlieve told cnn affiliate wcco . in several cities across the state , communities are moving fast to protect their neighborhoods from rising floodwaters . in st. paul , residents are using pumps to remove water from their properties , said meteorologist chris franks at the national weather service . and along the minnesota river -- a tributary of the mississippi river -- the community of henderson has only one road to get around town , franks said . residents of prior lake are continuing to pile sandbags up to 5 feet high to protect their homes and businesses . people , wading through the high floodwaters , are building dikes to prepare for the rain forecasted for saturday and sunday .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn student news -rrb- -- may 10 , 2011 . download pdf maps related to today 's show : . • mississippi river • japan • normal , illinois . transcript . this is a rush transcript . this copy may not be in its final form and may be updated . carl azuz , cnn student news anchor : hello , everyone ! this tuesday on cnn student news , we 're taking you under the big top . first , though , we 're headed down the mighty mississippi . first up : flood waters rising . azuz : that would be the mississippi river , which is causing floods up and down its path through the united states . want to take you down the river now to check out some of what 's been going on . we 're gon na start in southern illinois , in the city of cairo . you see it right there on your screen . flooding was threatening to wipe out the entire town . the u.s. army corps of engineers came up with this plan to help cairo and some other communities nearby . and that brings us down into missouri . what the corps did was intentionally blow up a levee , a barrier that 's designed to actually prevent flooding . that helped the towns up in illinois , but it purposely flooded some parts of missouri , some farms . and a lot of people , especially farmers , angry with this plan . one farmer said she felt like she was suffering for somebody else . the flooding has followed the mississippi 's path through arkansas and down into louisiana , as you see here . yesterday , engineers opened a spillway north of the city of new orleans . the goal here is to help ease the pressure on the river , hopefully lower the flood levels , keep the water away from new orleans . but just to get an idea of how much water we 're talking about , a commander with the army corps of engineers offered an analogy . he said the water that 's rushing through the mississippi right now , in one second , could fill up an area the size of a football field 44 feet deep . we 're also seeing flooding in states that the mississippi branches off to , like tennessee . holly firfer has more on the situation there . -lrb- begin video -rrb- . holly firfer , cnn national correspondent : tennessee 's largest city is in the cross hairs . memphis now has the `` most high-risk population '' for flooding , according to the army corps of engineers . on tuesday , authorities expect the mississippi to crest at 48 feet outside the city , less than a foot shy of the record level set in 1937 . with the mississippi swollen by a month of abnormally high rainfall , its tributaries are overflowing , with nowhere for their water to flow .<doc-sep>krotz springs , louisiana -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the nolan family spent the last few days packing up their belongings , moving out furniture , helping relatives and praying for a miracle in the face of the rising , menacing waters of the mississippi and atchafalaya rivers . by sunday , they had a few things they still had to do : clear out their trailer home in the halphen hollow subdivision of krotz springs , louisiana , in order to head to higher ground ahead of the 5 p.m. mandatory evacuation deadline , and find a way to celebrate their daughter mayah 's fourth birthday . louisiana residents rush to get out of flood 's path . so , after all the frantic last-minute preparations were complete , jake nolan finally made it to a nearby grocery store to get a cake . it was in hopes of giving mayah a little bit of sunshine during what her father has described as a terrifying experience . `` she ca n't swim , and she hears all the stories about the water rising , '' jake nolan said . `` she is scared she wo n't be able to make it out . '' the nolans are n't alone . they are among 750 people in low-lying areas around krotz springs who were ordered to leave after the u.s. army corps of engineers authorized the opening of floodgates on the morganza spillway . the aim is to minimize greater devastation further downriver , in cities like baton rouge and new orleans . but the consequence is that as many as 4,000 people , according to louisiana gov. bobby jindal , could have their homes submerged as waters are funneled into the atchafalaya river basin , between that river and the mississippi . that includes the town of krotz springs , about 20 miles southwest of morganza . this area is the first with a significant population seeing the rising water after this past weekend 's opening of four floodgates at the morganza spillway .<doc-sep>hopeful : crowds gathered on the river bank as the rescue crews bring survivors out of the water . viewing the scene : crowds gathered on the top of the bridge as they tried to assess the damage . location : the bridge itself is in a rather remote area between the towns of burlington and mount vernon but the interstate itself is a major thoroughfare that connects seattle to canada . a federal highway administration database lists the bridge that . collapsed as ` functionally obsolete ' - a category meaning that the . design is outdated , such as having narrow shoulders and low clearance . underneath . but it was not classified as structurally deficient . the 1,112-foot-long bridge , with two lanes in each direction , has four . spans , or sections , over the water supported by piers . it 's a steel . truss bridge , meaning it has a boxy steel frame . the northernmost span is the one that collapsed . the mishap was reminiscent of the august 2007 collapse of an i-35w . bridge in minneapolis that killed 13 people and injured another 145 when . it buckled and fell into the mississippi river during rush-hour . the national transportation safety board determined that the minneapolis . bridge failed because steel gusset plates that connected the . structure 's beams and girders were too thin . | <t> new : towns rush to build makeshift barriers to hold back rising floodwaters . </t> <t> new : record flooding anticipated for towns in illinois , missouri . </t> <t> high water forces officials to close u.s. 34 span between iowa , illinois . </t> <t> fema sets up 6 centers in iowa ; 24 counties declared disasters . </t> | mississippi river towns rush against rising water<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the director of federal emergency management agency on sunday defended giving away an estimated $ 85 million in hurricane relief supplies , blaming louisiana officials for turning down the stockpiles . a new orleans charity keeps goods in trash bags in an empty church . fema never told it about the free items . `` we still have quite a few left if louisiana needs those , '' david paulison said . `` but we did find out , we did ask louisiana , ` do you want these ? ' they said , ` no , we do n't need them . ' so we offered them to the other states . '' a cnn investigation revealed last week that fema gave away 121 truckloads of material the agency amassed after 2005 's hurricane katrina . the material was declared surplus property and offered to federal and state agencies -- including louisiana , where groups working to resettle hurricane victims say the supplies are still needed . paulison told cnn 's `` late edition with wolf blitzer '' his agency distributed more than 90,000 `` living kits '' to people in louisiana whose homes were destroyed or damaged by katrina . the kits included cleaning supplies , mops , brooms , pots and pans . after cnn reported on the giveaway , louisiana officials asked that the supplies be redirected to the state , which originally passed on them . john medica , director of the louisiana 's federal property assistance agency , told cnn he was unaware katrina victims still needed the items because no agency had contacted his office . sen. mary landrieu of louisiana , an outspoken critic of fema 's response to the hurricane , told cnn the supply giveaway was `` just a shame . '' `` it 's just another example of the failings of the federal bureaucracy , '' said landrieu , who wrote homeland security secretary michael chertoff last week to request an explanation . `` we 're still trying to fix it . it 's going to take a lot more work . '' paulison said much of the stockpile included `` things we do n't normally store -- refrigerators , stoves , coolers , diapers , things like that . '' states , meanwhile , were requesting those items , he said . `` it did n't make any sense for fema to sit on this much stuff and supplies we normally do n't even keep . we have plenty of supplies in place if we have another disaster . we can duplicate that type of commodities and get them for people in need , '' he said . the agency 's chief spokesman , james mcintyre , had declined a request for an on-camera interview and told cnn the giveaway was `` not news . '' paulison said the story `` just really missed the mark '' -- that the supplies given away were not exclusively for katrina victims , but were `` donated from disasters all around the entire country . '' but e-mails from mcintyre and from the general services administration , which manages federal property , contradict paulison 's account . in an e-mail sent in april , mcintyre told cnn `` in many cases , items were purchased in the field by fema . '' and in a phone interview with cnn , mcintyre said , `` that is property that was purchased in response to katrina . we purchased most of that equipment because of the catastrophic nature of that disaster . '' general services administration spokeswoman viki reath wrote the supplies given away were `` surplus from the katrina and -lsb- hurricane -rsb- rita disasters ... some purchased by fema , some donated by foreign countries and federal government agencies . '' mcintyre said fema 's storage costs were running more than $ 1 million a year , and that gsa officials wanted to tear down the fort worth , texas , warehouses in which the stockpiles were being kept . cnn 's abbie boudreau and scott zamost contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a democratic congressman from mississippi plans to hold a hearing into how millions of dollars worth of supplies meant for gulf coast hurricane survivors ended up being given away as surplus property . rep. bennie thompson says he 'll hold a hearing into how supplies for katrina victims were diverted . rep. bennie thompson , chairman of the house committee on homeland security , called the situation `` a debacle . '' in june , cnn revealed that the federal emergency management agency had warehoused $ 85 million worth of household goods for two years before giving them away to federal agencies and 16 states . but thompson said there is still a great need for basic supplies in mississippi . `` we just think that fema needs to come and tell the committee how such a debacle could occur , and in the process , what are they going to do to assure congress and the taxpaying public that it will never happen again , '' thompson said . the household goods were meant to help gulf coast households rebuild . but they sat in fema warehouses for two years before the agency declared them surplus property and gave them away in february . the state of louisiana had not asked for any of the supplies , prompting outrage there after the original cnn report . since then , the state has taken steps to claim some of the stockpiles and distribute them to groups working to resettle victims of hurricane katrina , the 2005 storm that flooded new orleans and ravaged the mississippi gulf coast .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- some of the $ 85 million in hurricane relief supplies given away as federal surplus will be sent back to louisiana and given to nonprofit agencies for distribution , the state 's hurricane recovery office said tuesday . hand towels sit unused in fort worth , texas . goods ranged from cots to camp stoves to coffee makers . `` today we can report that we have been notified that some of the surplus property has been located in texas and will be coming to the state of louisiana for distribution by unity new orleans , '' said paul rainwater , the executive director of the louisiana recovery authority . a cnn investigation revealed last week that fema gave away the supplies as government surplus , even though agencies like unity -- which works to resettle hurricane victims -- were still seeking the kind of supplies given away . after the disclosure , rainwater 's organization asked the federal emergency management agency to return some of the extensive stockpiles of household goods that had been purchased as `` starter kits '' for people living in trailers after hurricane katrina . after cnn reported on the giveaway , other louisiana officials also asked that the supplies be redirected to the state , which originally passed on them . john medica , director of louisiana 's federal property assistance agency , told cnn he was unaware katrina victims still needed the items because no agency had contacted his office .<doc-sep>martha kegel , the head of a new orleans nonprofit agency that helps find homes for those still displaced by the storm , said she was shocked to learn about the existence of the goods and the government giveaway . `` these are exactly the items that we are desperately seeking donations of right now : basic kitchen household supplies , '' said kegel , executive director of unity of greater new orleans . `` these are the very things that we are seeking right now . fema , in fact , refers homeless clients to us to house them . how can we house them if we do n't have basic supplies ? '' watch the great fema giveaway '' kegel 's group works with fema and other local organizations to rehouse victims of katrina , the 2005 hurricane that flooded new orleans and killed more than 1,800 people along the gulf coast . community groups say thousands of people are still living in abandoned buildings in the city , though fewer than 100 people remain housed in tents . kegel said fema was told in regular meetings that unity was desperate for household supplies and that the group has been forced to beg for donations . but she said fema never told unity and other community groups that it had tens of millions of dollars worth of brand-new items meant for storm victims . she said she learned of it from cnn , which found that those items never made it to people such as debra reed . `` an honest person like me did n't get nothing , '' said reed , 54 , who recently moved from a tent beneath a new orleans bridge to a home with the help of kegel 's group . `` i 'm gon na turn , 'cause i 'm gon na cry . i did n't get nothing . i fought to get my money , but they would n't give it to me . so i ended up going under the bridge . '' fema confirmed that it had kept the merchandise in storage for the past two years and then gave it away to cities , schools , fire departments and nonprofit agencies such as food banks . in all , general services administration records show , fema gave away 121 truckloads of material .<doc-sep>new orleans , louisiana -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- fema gave away about $ 85 million in household goods meant for hurricane katrina victims , a cnn investigation has found . these items , stored by fema , were meant for katrina victims but were given to state and federal agencies . the material , from basic kitchen goods to sleeping necessities , sat in warehouses for two years before the federal emergency management agency 's giveaway to federal and state agencies this year . james mcintyre , fema 's acting press secretary , said that fema was spending more than $ 1 million a year to store the material and that another agency wanted the warehouses torn down , so `` we needed to vacate them . '' `` upon review of our assets and our need to continue to store them , we determined that they were excess to fema 's needs ; therefore , they are being excessed from fema 's inventory , '' mcintyre wrote in an e-mail . he declined a request for an on-camera interview , telling cnn the giveaway was `` not news . '' photos from one of the facilities in fort worth , texas , show pallet after pallet of cots , cleansers , first-aid kits , coffee makers , camp stoves and other items stacked to the ceiling . watch dismay over `` out of touch '' fema '' fema said some of the items were donations from companies after katrina , but most were purchased in the field as `` starter kits '' for people living in trailers provided by the agency . and even though the stocks were offered to state agencies after fema decided to get rid of them , one of the states that passed was louisiana . martha kegel , the head of a new orleans nonprofit agency that helps find homes for those still displaced by the storm , said she was shocked to learn about the existence of the goods and the government giveaway . `` these are exactly the items that we are desperately seeking donations of right now : basic kitchen household supplies , '' said kegel , executive director of unity of greater new orleans . `` these are the very things that we are seeking right now . fema , in fact , refers homeless clients to us to house them . how can we house them if we do n't have basic supplies ? '' watch the great fema giveaway '' | <t> new : fema chief : louisiana said it did n't want the supplies . </t> <t> cnn story revealed last week that fema gave away 121 truckloads of supplies . </t> <t> katrina supplies were declared surplus property , offered to federal , state agencies . </t> | fema director defends giving away hurricane supplies<T> |
flint , michigan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama monday proposed spending billions to revitalize the nation 's economy , a plan the campaign of his likely republican opponent said would slow economic growth with higher taxes . sen. barack obama wants to spend $ 60 billion on america 's infrastructure . during an economic speech in flint , michigan , obama promised to spend billions to improve america 's education , infrastructure , energy and health care systems . to improve america 's competitiveness , the senator from illinois said he wants to spend $ 10 billion on childhood education , $ 150 billion over 10 years on developing alternative energy and $ 60 billion over 10 years to build `` 21st century infrastructure . '' obama said he would pay for these programs by ending the war in iraq , reducing government waste , charging polluters for greenhouse gas emissions and ending the bush tax cuts for wealthy individuals . during his speech in michigan , a state hard hit by the decline of the american automobile industry , obama also rejected protectionist trade polices that many unions say would help protect american jobs , saying `` it is impossible to turn back the tide of globalization . '' watch obama call for america to compete in the global economy '' obama said he disagreed with those who want to `` build a fortress around america ; to stop trading with other countries , shut down immigration , and rely on old industries . '' `` not only is it impossible to turn back the tide of globalization , but efforts to do so can make us worse off , '' obama said . `` rather than fear the future , we must embrace it . i have no doubt that america can compete -- and succeed -- in the 21st century . '' a mccain spokesman attacked obama 's plan , saying the democrat 's `` agenda to raise taxes and isolate america from foreign markets will not get our economy back on track or create new jobs . '' `` to help create jobs in america , we need to lower taxes and open up foreign markets to american goods , '' said mccain spokesman tucker bounds . `` americans can not afford barack obama 's ` change ' that takes us back to the failed policies of the past . '' but obama said now was the time to commit to long-term investments in america 's future and blasted mccain for wanting to continue president bush 's economic policies , saying `` there is a clear choice in this election . instead of reaching for new horizons , george bush has put us in a hole , and john mccain 's policies will keep us there . i want to take us in a new and better direction . `` i reject the belief that we should either shrink from the challenge of globalization or fall back on the same tired and failed approaches of the last eight years , '' he said . `` it 's time for new policies that create the jobs and opportunities of the future -- a competitiveness agenda built upon education and energy , innovation and infrastructure , fair trade and reform . '' the two campaigns have been sparring over who would be a better steward of america 's ailing economy , and both candidates have been reaching out to blue-collar voters , many of whom backed republican president ronald reagan over the democrats , in part , because of cultural issues . `` i believe that there are stark differences between myself and sen. obama . ... and i believe that the same appeals that president reagan made to the so-called reagan democrats will succeed there , '' mccain said during a campaign stop in arlington , virginia . watch mccain vow to win reagan democrats '' a cnn/opinion research corp. poll released thursday suggested voters favor obama over mccain to handle the economy 50 percent to 44 percent . the poll , conducted june 4-5 , had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points .<doc-sep>during a capitol hill hearing wednesday , house science committee chair rep. lamar smith , a texas republican , quizzed white house ` science czar ' john holdren over the national science foundation 's failure to explain the scientific value of a series of ` questionable ' grants . in addition to the new york theater project , smith pointed to a $ 340,000 grant ` to study the ecological consequences of early human-set fires in new zealand , ' a $ 50,000 survey of ` archived lawsuits in peru from 1600-1700 ' and a $ 20,000 expenditure of taxpayer money to study the ' -lsb- c -rsb- auses of stress in bolivia . ' in a written opening statement , holdren said that ' -lsb- a -rsb- s past budgets from this administration did , the president 's 2015 budget proposes to invest intelligently in research , innovation , education , and infrastructure to lay the foundations for the industries , jobs , workforce , and environmental and national-security benefits of tomorrow . ' ` but , of course , we need the continued support of the congress to get it done . ' holdren declined to comment during the hearing on any of the specific grants smith mentioned . smith said thursday that the obama administration ` has not been as open and honest with the american people as it should ' in its quest to reverse what it says is an earth-changing period of global warming . ` when the -lsb- science -rsb- committee asked the epa for the scientific data being used to justify some of the costliest regulations in history , their response was that they did n't have it even though they were using it . ' former u.s. vice president al gore put climate change on the federal government 's radar , back when it was called ` global warming ' -- and won the 2007 nobel peace prize for it .<doc-sep>editor 's note : james carville , a democratic strategist who serves as a political contributor for cnn , was the clinton-gore campaign manager in 1992 and political adviser to president clinton . he is active in democratic politics and a party fundraiser . james carville says rush limbaugh 's new bipartisan strategy could have served the country well in 2000 . washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- on thursday , rush limbaugh , the moral and intellectual leader and most influential person in the republican party in the united states , wrote in the august op-ed pages of the wall street journal , the acknowledged epicenter of right-wing thought , that president obama should adopt a bipartisan solution to address the president 's economic stimulus plan -- or as limbaugh refers to it , `` porkulus . '' limbaugh proposes that because the democrats got roughly 54 percent of the votes to the republicans ' 46 percent , the stimulus package should be allocated along his definition of ideological lines , i.e. 54 percent towards infrastructure improvement and 46 percent toward tax breaks for limbaugh and his friends . he writes , `` fifty-three percent of american voters voted for barack obama ; 46 % voted for john mccain , and 1 % voted for wackos . give that 1 % to president obama . let 's say the vote was 54 % to 46 % . `` as a way to bring the country together and at the same time determine the most effective way to deal with recessions , under the obama-limbaugh stimulus plan of 2009 : 54 % of the $ 900 billion -- $ 486 billion -- will be spent on infrastructure and pork as defined by mr. obama and the democrats ; 46 % -- $ 414 billion -- will be directed toward tax cuts , as determined by me . '' and he is serious . however much one may disagree with the current `` daddy '' of all republicans -lrb- beg to differ ? see rep. phil gingrey , who apologized last week for doubting rush -rrb- , you have to admire el rushbo 's principled stance and his well-known consistent ideology .<doc-sep>obama said he has found over 6 years that , `` when i tell the american people very clearly what direction i think the country should go in , occasionally republicans start agreeing with me . '' he added , just not as quickly as he would like . obama said he wants to make sure everyone benefits as the economy grows . `` i want to make sure that we have not only recovered , '' but that the administration has built a strong foundation that will prevent the country from ever getting mired in another economic meltdown , he said . now that the economy is recovering , he said `` we have to build on it . '' the white house argues the budget focuses on making the u.s. more competitive by training future professionals and helping those already with jobs achieve more . the rollout of these programs started in early january , with obama announcing a range of policy initiatives ahead of his state of the union speech . programs include tuition-free community college , early education programs , affordable child care and housing and skill training to increase job mobility . there is increased funding for special education , teacher training and support , and investment in science , technology , engineering and math -lrb- stem -rrb- education . the white house proposes tax credits and initiatives designed to help working parents and caregivers , as well as students struggling with debt . and it looks to incentivize programs providing training , counseling and apprenticeships to americans and specifically veterans .<doc-sep>davis said that she would take a job to help rebuild the country 's infrastructure if one became available . cnn.com commenter `` leftcoastrocky , '' agreed . `` our infrastructure has been neglected for a full generation and is making our economy less efficient and more expensive . '' a tale of two terms : unfinished business and battles ahead . 2 . improve education in the united states . education ranked fourth on our list of top issues during the election as voted by cnn.com readers and ireporters , so it was less of a surprise to see obama voter and rising east carolina university student tyler stocks mention this topic . stocks said he relies on financial aid for his education , as increasing college tuition and textbook prices have been a strain . costs have risen as much as 8.3 % at public universities , according to a 2011 u.s department of education study . `` i plan to transfer to a university in the summer but am worried about how to pay for it , '' he said . `` even with financial aid , education has become a matter of affordability and the whole idea of following your dreams is difficult when you ca n't afford to . i am hoping that the president can work to ensure that students such as i are afforded with the opportunity to receive a good education . '' as david evan karasek put it in cnn.com 's comments , `` educating our young to compete is not an option but a requirement for america 's future . '' obama 's second-term priorities . 3 . take charge of breaking partisan gridlock . | <t> sen. obama offers plan to spend $ 10b on schools , $ 60b on infrastructure . </t> <t> democratic presidential candidate would spend $ 150b on renewable energy . </t> <t> obama rejects protectionist trade polices , says u.s. workers can compete . </t> <t> sen. mccain 's campaign says higher taxes to pay for programs would hurt economy . </t> | obama proposes billions for infrastructure , education<T> |
-lrb- oprah.com -rrb- -- if you heard there was a weapon proven to prevent most crimes before they happen , would you run out and buy it ? world-renowned security expert gavin de becker says this weapon exists , but you already have it . he calls it `` the gift of fear . '' one chapter in gavin 's book `` the gift of fear '' has stuck with oprah since she first read it . the story of a woman named kelly begins with a simple warning sign . a man offers to help carry her groceries into her apartment -- and instantly , kelly does n't like the sound of his voice . kelly goes against her gut and lets him help her -- and in doing so , she lets a rapist into her home . `` we get a signal prior to violence , '' gavin says . `` there are preincident indicators . things that happen before violence occurs . '' gavin says that unlike any other living creature , humans will sense danger yet still walk right into it . `` you 're in a hallway waiting for an elevator late at night . elevator door opens , and there 's a guy inside , and he makes you afraid . you do n't know why , you do n't know what it is . some memory of this building -- whatever it may be . and many women will stand there and look at that guy and say , ` oh , i do n't want to think like that . i do n't want to be the kind of person who lets the door close in his face . i 've got to be nice . i do n't want him to think i 'm not nice . ' and so human beings will get into a steel soundproof chamber with someone they 're afraid of , and there 's not another animal in nature that would even consider it . '' for weeks , nicole had a funny feeling that something odd was going on in her apartment . `` my gut started feeling like something just was n't right , '' she says . `` i would come home , and there would be just weird lights on in my house -- lights that i did n't even remember turning on in the first place . '' then one day , nicole noticed a ups delivery box where it should n't be . `` i 'm like , ` how did this brand of box get on my back balcony ? ' '' nicole began to feel uneasy -- but continued to brush it off . `` i would just come home , you know , and almost feel nauseous , '' she says . `` i kept trying to justify it saying , ` okay , it is in my head . ' '' nicole 's funny feeling eventually escalated into full-fledged panic attacks , which gavin says were her intuition 's way of telling her that something was wrong . `` and intuition records everything . so when she started getting panics attacks , her intuition is saying , basically , ` you 're not going to listen ? okay , i 'll ramp it up . i 'll give you panic attacks . you want sleepless nights ? i 'll give you sleepless nights . ' '' nicole eventually did listen to her intuition , starting with a simple test . `` i dropped a tank top behind the door as i was leaving for work , thinking that when i come home that night , i 'm going to peek my head around the corner . if -lsb- the tank top -rsb- had been pushed to the side , it would have been obvious that the door was opened . '' when nicole got home , she says the tank top had moved . caught on camera . the next day , nicole says she set up a hidden camera to try and find out what was going on in her apartment . once she came home , nicole says she plugged the camcorder into her laptop . `` and the first thing i see is this man 's head peeking around the corner into my house , '' she says . `` what i felt at that point was just complete terror . i 'm sitting there watching this video -- this story unfold -- and this person comes in my house , is looking around , going through my things , looking through my laundry , holding up my lingerie . '' as nicole continues to watch in horror , the intruder undresses himself and puts her lingerie on . `` so this person is in my clothes , proceeds to start pleasuring himself -- just very , very graphic things happening right there in my house with my belongings . and he finishes up , takes off my clothes -- and puts them exactly back as i had left them -- puts his clothes back on , checks to make sure nobody 's outside the door and leaves . '' after watching the tape , nicole says she ran around her apartment , screaming hysterically . she says she had never seen the man in the tape before . `` initially , i took my cell phone , called my boyfriend at the time , screaming hysterically . all i could say was , ` he 's in my house . he 's in my house . ' even picking up the phone , dialing , was difficult . '' two weeks later , police found the man -- 39-year-old shawn rogers , a computer consultant with a young son and a wife at the time . police were unable to charge rogers with anything more than trespassing ... until he came back to nicole 's apartment to steal her camera . police were able to charge rogers with burglary , and he was sentenced to eight years in prison . dangerous behavior . when nicole found the ups box on her balcony , gavin says this was a warning sign . gavin applauds nicole for listening to her intuition and says that quieting her fear could have caused the situation to escalate . `` he 's already into behavior of wanting to get caught , '' he says . `` you do n't come back again and again and again and not want to get caught . '' gavin says like nicole , the intruder 's intuition was probably trying to tell him something too . `` offenders as well can see what 's happening in their lives . and talk about not listening to it -- he 's in someone 's apartment doing something sexual with their clothes on -- that 's something to listen to . '' because the intruder had a job and a family , gavin says his behavior was not only reckless , but dangerous as well . `` when people do listen , they can stop what 's almost fate , '' gavin says . `` there 's a great line that carl jung said . he said , ` what we do not make conscious emerges later as fate . ' if he made it conscious , if he could talk to someone about it , if he could tell someone , he could get better also . but he did n't , and it does mean escalation . if she discovered him , that 's dangerous . if he came in when she was there , that 's dangerous . '' your feelings are warnings . doris , who says she endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of her husband , appeared on `` the oprah show '' after leaving her husband . unfortunately , her battle did n't end there -- two months after she left him , doris 's ex-husband abducted her at gunpoint and raped her . after the show , oprah spoke with doris again to ask if her she had sensed any warning signs the night she was abducted . `` as i was coming home from work , it was just a very eerie , strange feeling as i drove up , '' doris says . `` it was darker than normal in my driveway , and there was a trash can sitting where i normally park right in the middle . `` i thought , ` hmm , this is strange . ' because my mother lives with me , and she 'll turn on the lights when it gets dark . it did give me a little eerie feeling -- the hairs on the back of your neck kind of stand up . but still , i did n't listen to my instincts . '' gavin says that `` eerie feeling '' is exactly what he wants women to pay attention to . `` we 're trying to analyze the warning signs , '' he says . `` and what i really want to teach today and forever is the feeling is the warning sign . all the other stuff is our explanation for the feeling . why it was this , why it was that . the feeling itself is the warning sign . '' from `` the oprah winfrey show '' subscribe to o , the oprah magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . that 's like getting 18 issues free . subscribe now ! tm & © 2008 harpo productions , inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>-lrb- oprah.com -rrb- -- lasting wealth is not found in the numbers flickering from the atm screen . it 's built on the foundation of who you are , how you act , and what you believe in . follow these steps over the next 10 years to ensure financial security : . 1 . take an oath of financial honesty . a crushing credit card balance caused by your need to impress others is a costly lie . living within your means is living honestly . find ways to save $ 25 a week and you 'll free up $ 100 a month . invest it and in 25 years you could have $ 80,000 . 2 . stop settling for what the world offers . you need to be your own best advocate . if there 's no raise this year because of the economy , meet with your boss to determine grounds for a raise next year . if you 're self-employed and have n't increased your rates in years , i have to ask , why are you putting yourself on sale ? i say it 's fear . recognize that this fear is keeping you from having more in your life . oprah.com : 9 small financial steps that will pay off big . 3 . avoid debt bondage . yes , debt is necessary ; it 's how you own a home or get a college degree , but the trick is to respect it . take on only what you can afford . have a credit card balance ? use the $ 100 from step one to increase your minimum payment on a $ 10,000 balance that charges 18 percent interest and you could save almost $ 24,000 in interest fees .<doc-sep>please do n't be overwhelmed by these statistics -- within your heart just imagine one child and one mother . it is very difficult for any parent in a developed country to comprehend that $ 20 can save the life of a child . put yourself in another mother 's shoes . if someone were to say to you , `` i can save the life of your child for $ 20 , '' what would your response be ? shot@life aims to save the lives of 1,000 children by mother 's day , and i think we can achieve this goal . if just 1,000 people gave $ 20 each in celebration of mother 's day , we could save the lives of 1,000 children . how hard can it be ? a thousand children saved , and the pain of a thousand mothers eased . collectively , our babies are a compelling and persuasive symbol of hope and the transforming power of unconditional love . let 's make sure that all of our children live to realize their potential . together we can all make a difference . to help reach our mother 's day goal , click here . follow anne geddes on her blog , facebook and twitter . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of anne geddes .<doc-sep>stress-free christmas : justine pattinson recommends making the most of your freezer . if you 're feeling stressed about the thought of cooking christmas dinner for the family on wednesday than fear not . food writer justine pattison can help you get a head start with her time-saving tips . justine , author of recipe book freeze , told mailonline that with a little bit of forward planning , you can freeze your way to christmas - so you can then relax and enjoy the day . from roast potatoes to stuffing and desserts , here she explains how you can prepare then freeze food for minimal fuss on christmas day ... cranberry sauce and bread sauce freeze beautifully for at least three months and can be thawed in the fridge overnight or reheated very gently from frozen , adding a little milk to the bread sauce if needed . flat-freeze them both in zip-seal bags and you 'll save heaps of space in the freezer .<doc-sep>cnn : does any villain come in second to the joker in your mind ? snyder : each one represents a different weakness or fear batman has for himself . the riddler -- who i 'm about to use in a big way in 2013 -- is a manifestation of batman 's fear that he 's not smart enough , he 's not able to solve the puzzle in time to save the city . riddler keeps him as sharp as he can be . all of these villains figure in `` batman '' # 16 and # 17 too . joker sees them representing some facet of batman 's psychology . two-face is kind of the nightmare of batman 's life . will you become this horrifying version of yourself , like two-face ? each represents some deep fear in the rich and complicated personality that is bruce wayne . riddler , two-face , ivy -- all of these characters will figure into batman in the coming year . cnn : so how big and dramatic is this finale ? how much of an impact will it have on batman and dc comics ' current universe ? snyder : it has a big impact on the whole mythology of batman , and certainly with the stories coming afterward , it will have a big effect on many of the books -- emotional and lasting effects i do n't want to give away . cnn : it feels like the stakes are being raised in superhero comics more and more in recent years , with more dramatic changes . why do you think this is ? snyder : it 's not so much to make the books as dramatic as possible or to be shocking , but to try to tell the best story you can that feels organic . it 's not been a marching order . -lrb- my editors -rrb- say , write this character as if you had just one chance to write him ; proceed that way . what if i had these six issues , what would i do to tell this story ? it 's exciting to have that opportunity . | <t> security expert gavin de becker says fear can be a gift . </t> <t> says humans only animal who senses danger and walks into it . </t> <t> two victims recall feeling uneasy before crime happened . </t> | how fear can save your life<T> |
moscow , russia -- uefa have confirmed that slovakian referee lubos michel will take charge of wednesday 's champions league final between manchester united and chelsea in moscow . michel refereed the 2003 uefa cup final when jose mourinho 's porto beat celtic . michel , 40 last week , is remembered by chelsea fans for controversially awarding a goal to liverpool against the londoners in the semifinals of the 2005 competition . chelsea 's manager at the time jose mourinho always insisted that luis garcia 's shot did not cross the line . michel is regarded as one of the top referees in the world and officiated at euro 2004 and the 2006 world cup , including the tense germany v argentina game in the first knock-out round . he also refereed the 2003 uefa cup final when mourinho 's porto triumphed over celtic .<doc-sep>michel speaks english , russian , german and polish as well as his native language . michel will be supported at the luzhniki stadium by the assistant referees who have partnered him at major tournaments - roman slysko -lrb- 34 -rrb- and martin balko -lrb- 36 -rrb- . the fourth official will be vladimir hrinak -lrb- 44 -rrb- , also from slovakia . meanwhile , senior police officers from manchester traveled to moscow on monday to help prevent fan violence from marring the final . manchester police will serve in an advisory role as russian authorities prepare for wednesday 's match . `` a number of my officers and i have flown out to moscow to meet local police and help draw up arrangements to police the fixture , '' said chief superintendent janette mccormick .<doc-sep>`` although gmp officers have no powers of arrest abroad and ultimate responsibility for policing the game lies with the russian authorities , we have been gathering intelligence on potential and known troublemakers and gmp officers will be in moscow in an advisory role , '' mccormick added . as manchester united flew out on monday , plain-clothed intelligence officers were stationed at manchester airport to target known or potential troublemakers from heading to the russian capital . ban orders imposed on fans with soccer-related convictions will be rigorously enforced in the next two days to prevent them from flying to moscow . `` as with all operations like this , we are sending out a clear message to people intending to travel to commit violence to think again , '' said police chief inspector robert tinsley , who is based at the airport .<doc-sep>the airport is expecting 20,000 more passengers than usual to be flying to moscow . the british embassy in moscow have announced that their consular section will stay open on may 21 and 22 to help english fans arriving for the final . `` the consular department will extend their working hours on wednesday and thursday to support english citizens coming here to watch the champions ' league final , '' the embassy press service said . the press service report added that a 24-hour telephone `` hot line '' would be organized by the embassy .<doc-sep>uefa is prepared to move the champions league semi-finals and final to june in 2022 to accommodate a winter world cup in qatar , the european body 's president michel platini has revealed . platini said a solution to deciding the dates of the tournament was now ` not so far ' and that it would not be a problem to move the champions league - something that could prove to be an important compromise . a fifa task force to decide on the dates met on monday and afterwards fifa secretary general jerome valcke said it had identified november/december 2022 and january/february 2022 as the most likely options in order to avoid the fierce heat of june and july . a final decision is expected in march . uefa president michel platini -lrb- left -rrb- says the 2022 champions league semi-finals and final could be moved . platini -lrb- centre -rrb- said the tournament 's latter stages could be in june because of the qatar winter world cup . qatar was awarded the 2022 world cup in 2010 , despite fears of the country 's hot climate affecting players . the al-khor stadium , pictured here in its artistic form , is one of 12 proposed stadia for the 2022 world cup . the 45,330 capacity stadium could have games staged in novemeber/december 2022 if fifa get their way . germany won this summer 's world cup thanks to mario gotze 's -lrb- second left -rrb- strike after extra time . platini , speaking on his first visit to st george 's park , england 's national football centre in burton-on-trent , said : ` as the president of the confederation i have no problem ... because it is not a problem for the competition of the champions league , we can move the dates in 2022 and have two semi-finals and the final in june , so that is not a problem . '<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- switzerland 's massimo busacca has been selected to referee wednesday 's champions league final between barcelona and manchester united in rome on wednesday -- uefa have confirmed on their official web site uefa.com . massimo busacca refereed the 2007 uefa cup and one of the semifinals from euro 2008 . busacca , 40 , will be assisted by his compatriots matthias arnet and francesco buragina , while the fourth official will be claudio circhetta . busacca has been an international referee since 1999 and has taken charge of 32 champions league matches , including six this season . among the top club matches he has overseen are this year 's champions league quarterfinal second leg between porto and manchester united and the 2007 uefa cup final between sevilla and espanyol in glasgow .<doc-sep>former arsenal striker , and world cup golden boot winner , davor suker was on the scoresheet . french world cup winner , and former bolton wanderers midfielder , youri djorkaeff takes on a shot . all the legends have had glittering careers , many including world cup wins and champions league titles . salgado , hidetoshi nakata , yorke , fabio cannavaro , marco materazzi and patrick berger celebrate a goal . english world cup final referee howard webb took charge of the game , which was watched by 20,000 fans . 1-0 patrick berger hits a great strike from the edge of the box , in off the post . 1-1 davor suker just about controls and finishes after a jerzy dudek error . 1-2 clarence seedorf converts an acrobatic volley after lovely team move including figo backheel . 1-3 cafu gets in down the right -lrb- though well offside -rrb- and crosses for vladimir smicer to tap in . 2-3 paul scholes beats jens lehmann with a delightful chip . 3-3 scholes smashes home from just inside the box . 4-3 dwight yorke taps in after a patrick kluivert shot is saved . 4-4 andriy shevchenko slots through dudek 's legs after beating offside trap . 4-5 robbie fowler scores brilliantly from the edge of the box . 5-5 therdsak chaiman shows quick feet in the box before finding the far corner . 6-5 michel salgado bicycle kick . 7-5 kluivert calmly finishes a one on one with a lovely chip . 8-5 therdsak chaiman scores his second after clever one-two with rai oliveira . players involved had to have won the world cup , european championships or champions league , or have at least 50 caps for their country - although the rules appear to have been relaxed to allow former liverpool striker robbie fowler to take part . the list featured michael owen , steve mcmanaman and clarence seedorf , while english referee howard webb officiated . there are further games scheduled for malaysia , china and japan . head here to like our manchester united facebook page .<doc-sep>howard webb tipped nicola rizzoli to be appointed as the final referee two weeks ago . the camp has been affected by politics all tournament and being connected to the right people helps . so does being a good referee and rizzoli ticks that box . he has experience with both teams , having refereed argentina twice in these finals and bayern munich 's champions league knockout win over arsenal last season . in charge : italian referee nicola rizzoli will referee sunday 's world cup final between argentina and germany . | <t> lubos michel will referee wednesday 's champions league final in moscow . </t> <t> fellow-slovakians roman slysko and martin balko will be his two assistants . </t> <t> vladimir hrinak will be fourth official at the manchester utd v chelsea clash . </t> | michel to referee champions league final<T> |
dubai , united arab emirates -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the british foreign office has warned its nationals -- traveling to or living in the united arab emirates -- about the increased threat of a terrorist attack . in 2006 over one million britons visited the united arab emirates , according to the uk foreign office . the alert , posted on its web site , urged britons in the oil-rich gulf kingdom to be vigilant -- especially in public places -- because of a `` high threat of terrorism . '' the uae is among the most moderate gulf states and is home to thousands of expatriates . `` we believe terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the uae , '' the foreign office statement read . `` attacks could be indiscriminate and could happen at any time , including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travelers such as residential compounds , military , oil , transport and aviation interests . ''<doc-sep>by monday , the u.s. state department had not issued any warnings about the uae . the uae , slightly smaller than the u.s. state of maine , is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world 's premier tourist destinations . it is already home to the world 's largest mall , the world 's largest tower , and -- despite being in the middle east -- boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world . according to the british foreign office , more than a million british visitors traveled to the uae in 2006 , while over 100,000 british nationals live there . the country is an ally in the united states ' `` war on terror , '' and its ports host more u.s. navy ships than any port outside the u.s. , according to the u.s. state department . two of the attackers who took part in the september 11 , 2001 attacks on new york and washington came from the uae . and it was among a handful of countries that recognized the fundamentalist taliban regime before the september 11 attacks .<doc-sep>by . matt chorley , mailonline political editor . a dirty bomb attack is a ` real threat ' faced by britain , the foreign office warned today . the government claims nuclear terrorism is still one of the biggest threats to global peace . foreign office minister alistair burt used a speech in london to warn of the dangers posed by a rise nuclear weapons being smuggled around the world . alistair burt will say countries around the world face a ` real and global threat ' of a nuclear terror attack . south korean radiologists are pictured taking part in an exercise in dealing with a possible radioactive terror attack at the kimpo airport . he warned that information freely available on the internet combined with nuclear material become more widely available means an attack , once ` unthinkable ' is not a ` real and global threat ' . mr burt , who has responsibility for our counter-terrorism policy , said the uk 's national security strategy identified nuclear terrorism as a primary danger to britain . he said : ` nuclear terrorism is a real and global threat . a successful attack , no matter where in the world it came , would be catastrophic . ` catastrophic for the immediate devastation and terrible loss of life , and for the far-reaching consequences -- psychological , economic , political , and environmental . ` such an attack was unthinkable just a generation ago . but it is now a possibility we need to confront with the utmost vigilance . ' mr burt said nuclear material is becoming ` more available ' as more countries develop nuclear energy . mr burt warns there is more information about nuclear weapons on the internet than ever before .<doc-sep>athletes and spectators from britain will be the target of ` russia 's osama bin laden ' at next month 's winter olympics , a secret intelligence report warns . the document , drawn up by canadian counterterrorism agencies and shared with british intelligence , says doku umarov poses the greatest terror threat for the games at sochi in southern russia . umarov , 49 , is the chechen jihadist leader blamed for the two suicide bombings in volgograd in russia over christmas . a document , drawn up by canadian counterterrorism agencies and shared with british intelligence , says doku umarov poses the greatest terror threat for the games at sochi in southern russia .<doc-sep>an islamic state terror attack on soldiers in their barracks in britain is believed to be so likely , ` it 's not a question of if , but when ' , a security specialist warned today . threat expert will geddes said that reports of up to three isis terror cells planning attacks on troops were ` highly likely ' , adding : ' i think three is probably a conservative figure ' . and he said that a second threat was the high likelihood of a ` lone wolf ' terror attack here , similar to those that killed two soldiers in canada this week . ` unlike the al qaeda-style `` big spectaculars '' such as 9/11 , 7/7 , and the madrid bombings , the threat from isis is a much more low-level , under the radar , visceral type of terrorism , often involving just one or two lone wolves operating alone , ' he told mailonline . an attack on soldiers in britain is so likely , ` it 's not a question of if but when ' , a terror expert said today , in the wake of the murder of corporal nathan cirillo , 24 , left , by muslim convert michael zehaf-bibeau , 26 , in canada . mr geddes said the spontaneity of ` lone wolf ' terrorists , who could buy a knife and attack people in a landmark location such as oxford street , pictured , made them difficult for counter-terror agencies to detect in advance . threat expert will geddes , right spoke out as david cameron ordered a review of security at british landmarks . mr geddes , of security and counter terrorism firm international corporate protection , spoke after whitehall sources reportedly said they had discovered isis terror cells carrying out surveillance on four barracks across the country .<doc-sep>the uk 's most senior police officer has said a terror attack in britain is unlikely despite reports that the country is on the brink of raising the threat level to its highest in seven years . metropolitan police commissioner sir bernard hogan-howe said an attack was possible but called for the public to remain calm in the wake of the paris terror attacks . he told sky news : ' i do n't think it 's likely but i think we all know it 's a possibility - the threat level is severe and so therefore that means a terrorist attack is possible . scroll down for video . claim : metropolitan police commissioner sir bernard hogan-howe said an attack was possible but unlikely . ` we do our best together with the security services to make sure the terrorists do n't succeed and that we keep people safe . to date , that 's broadly what we 've been able to achieve . ' britain 's threat level was raised from ` substantial ' to ` severe ' in august last year following the gains made by islamic state in syria and iraq . | <t> uk foreign office : terrorists may be planning to carry out attacks in the uae . </t> <t> it added that attacks could be `` indiscriminate and could happen at any time '' </t> <t> u.s. state department has not issued any warnings about the uae . </t> <t> uae is a key ally in the united states ' `` war on terror '' </t> | britain warns of uae terror attack threat<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- kimi raikkonen has lambasted mclaren 's lewis hamilton for the pit-lane accident that ended both of their races at the canadian grand prix . ferrari 's kimi raikkonen is far from happy after lewis hamilton pushed him out of the canadian grand prix . hamilton 's mclaren rammed into the back of world champion raikkonen 's ferrari as the finn and robert kubica , the race 's eventual winner , were waiting at a red light after the safety car was forced into action on lap 17 . raikkonen , while claiming not to be angry , was clearly far from impressed .<doc-sep>`` there 's not much i can say . my race was ruined by hamilton 's mistake . `` obviously , anyone can make mistakes , as i did two weeks ago in monaco , but it 's one thing to make a mistake at 200 hundred -lsb- miles -rsb- per hour but another to hit a car stopped at a red light . `` i 'm not angry because that does n't achieve anything and does not change my result . i am unhappy because i had a great chance of winning . '' raikkonen , who has failed to score points in the previous two races , said he had to start winning again .<doc-sep>`` there is still a long way to go in the championship and it is still very close and we have everything we need to regain the ground we have lost . '' ferrari team sporting director stefano domenicali said hamilton had made a `` serious mistake . '' `` i think the penalty imposed by the fia -lsb- hamilton was given a 10-place grid penalty for the french grand prix at magny-cours -rsb- is in line with it , even if it does not restore what was a lost opportunity for us . `` kimi was in an excellent position to fight for the win ''<doc-sep>hamilton , for his part , was apologetic . `` i do n't know what happened to be honest , '' hamilton said . `` i was comfortably in the lead , it was looking like an easy win . then i went in for the pit stop . it was not a good stop and i saw the two guys in front of me battling in the pit lane . `` i saw the red light but by that time it was a bit late . it was not exactly a racing incident as such , it was unfortunate . it was one of those things . it is different to if you crash into the wall and you are angry . it is not like that . i apologize to kimi for ruining his race . ''<doc-sep>but a puncture on lap 31 ended his title hopes . an ice-cool hakkinen was not headed throughout and could coast to his first drivers ' world championship . 2007 -lrb- brazilian grand prix , interlagos -rrb- . kimi raikkonen v lewis hamilton v fernando alonso . it had been a remarkable debut season for mclaren 's hamilton , with him often outpacing double world champion team-mate alonso . but after a slow start , ferrari 's raikkonen had begun to look menacing as the season progressed . f1 's first three-way title decider since 1986 saw hamilton start the last race in brazil with a four-point advantage over alonso and seven over raikkonen . felipe massa 's ferrari took pole with hamilton alongside , but the englishman was slow away and by turn three he was behind raikkonen and alonso . rashly , hamilton attempted to re-pass alonso , ran wide and dropped down the order . soon after , he suffered gearbox problems that cost him 30 seconds -- effectively scuppering his chances of becoming f1 's first rookie champion . out front , massa slowed to allow raikkonen past for the win he needed to become champion by one point from seventh-placed hamilton and alonso , who trailed home a distant third .<doc-sep>rosberg in the standings , with nine of the 19 races completed . he said , with relief : ` i 've been on the back foot since the first race -lrb- when he retired with technical trouble -rrb- . ` reliability . is going to be a key part . you just never know when you are going to . have a problem . who would have known that nico would have had one at . silverstone ? ' both hamilton and rosberg will test at silverstone this . week but kimi raikkonen , of ferrari , will be absent after suffering . ankle and knee injuries in his 47g crash on sunday . he hopes to return . for rosberg 's ` home ' race on sunday week . young f1 fans were treated to exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the silverstone paddock , where they met drivers including lewis hamilton , sebastian . vettel and max chilton . the trip was organised for great ormond street hospital children 's charity as part of its ongoing relationship with f1 . last week the f1 party at london 's victoria & albert museum raised more than # 900,000 towards a much needed new surgery centre at the hospital . over the past decade , the charity 's partnership with the f1 community has raised more than # 4 million .<doc-sep>marussia sporting director graeme lowdon has revealed the confusion and mayhem that followed kimi raikkonen 's accident on the opening lap of sunday 's british grand prix helped wreck max chilton 's race . chilton admitted he was `` very lucky '' as a stray tyre from the 150mph , 47g impact of raikkonen 's ferrari into a metal guardrail flew over his head after hitting the front-left wing of his car . believing his race to be over as he was unsure of the damage , chilton returned to the pits when he instead should have lined up on the grid as the race had been red flagged . video scroll down to watch incredible new angles of raikkonen british f1 grand prix crash . crash : raikkonen 's car is lifted away from the track after his 150mph smash at silverstone . once the race resumed behind the safety car after an hour 's delay to carry out repairs to the barrier , chilton was immediately a lap down . the 23-year-old had to wait at the end of the pit lane whilst the field toured behind the safety car for a lap , only being released once they had filed past . as further punishment for entering the pit lane under a red flag , chilton was handed a stop-go penalty , eventually finishing the race in 16th and two laps down on race winner lewis hamilton . explaining chilton 's difficulties , lowdon said : ` max unfortunately got caught up in that accident where kimi went off . blunder : chilton went in to the pits while the red car was out , incurring a stop-go penalty .<doc-sep>teammate mark webber of australia was second quickest with alonso third ahead of the mclaren pair of lewis hamilton and jenson button . kimi raikkonen , who won the last round of the f1 season in abu dhabi , was only 11th fastest in his lotus . earlier , vettel was quickest in the first competitive f1 action on the 5.516 km track with a time of one minute 38.125 seconds . | <t> kimi raikkonen lambasts mclaren 's lewis hamilton for pit-lane accident . </t> <t> finn says his race was ` ruined ' after hamilton did n't see red light . </t> <t> hamilton was given a 10-place grid penalty for the french grand prix . </t> | raikkonen lambasts hamilton over f1 crash<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a woman who gave birth to a stillborn boy was left distraught after she discovered his body was kept in a jar for four years by the hospital . jo-ann burrows believed for years that her son had been cremated before making the grim discovery about his fate . the mother-of-five is now taking legal action against the hospital authorities in hampshire , southern england , the uk 's press association reported thursday . pa reported that ms burrows had daughter ellie in april 2004 at the hythe birthing centre , in hampshire , but gave birth to the stillborn twin two days later at home . she said that an ultrasound scan taken the previous december had not revealed that she was carrying a twin , according to pa. . after the stillbirth , ms burrows , 44 , was taken to the princess anne maternity hospital in southampton , also in southern england , where she gave her consent for the body to be cremated . pa reported that she has spent the past four years asking for the funeral papers and ashes .<doc-sep>the 44-year-old is now organizing a naming ceremony and funeral for the stillborn , whose twin sister survived . ms burrows was quoted in her local newspaper , the southern daily echo , as saying : `` this experience has made me suicidal , if it was n't for my friends and family i would n't be here . `` i kept asking for my baby 's funeral papers because i was always worried that he might be in a jar somewhere . i still could n't believe it when i found out . '' she was informed through her solicitor in february that the hospital still had the baby and has now filed a medical negligence claim against southampton university hospitals nhs trust . it claims the trust failed to `` exercise reasonable care and skill when performing the ultrasound and also focuses on ms burrows ' repeated requests for confirmation of the cremation , '' pa reported . a trust spokeswoman told the news agency : `` southampton university hospitals nhs trust confirms that legal proceedings have been brought against it by ms jo-ann burrows . `` the chief executive has already written to ms burrows apologizing for shortcomings in the treatment provided to her and , in particular , for the circumstances which led to ms burrows ' second twin not being cremated in 2004 as they had previously advised and for the distress this discovery may have caused . ''<doc-sep>by . claire bates . last updated at 1:17 pm on 13th january 2012 . a mother has spoken of her hurt and outrage after she found out the brain of her six-week-old baby had been kept in a jar at southampton general hospital for 13 years . julie middleton , 40 , buried her son regan in 1999 but has now been told that doctors removed his brain during a post-mortem at the medical centre . she said although she knew tissues had been removed to ascertain the cause of death - which was found to be cot death - she had no idea the entire organ had been removed . baby regan 's brain was found in a jar at southampton general hospital .<doc-sep>by . james rush . published : . 10:44 est , 2 january 2013 . | . updated : . 12:09 est , 2 january 2013 . furious : sorina howarth is calling for the baby food to be taken off the shelves after adam nearly choked on an orange pip she believes came from the jar . a mother feared her baby son would die after he turned blue as he choked on an orange pip she claims was in his baby food . sorina howarth , 23 , of fulham , west london , has called for the food to be taken off the shelves , after doctors told her six-month-old adam could have died if he was two months younger . she had to rush her son to hospital after he almost choked to death on the pip just four days before christmas . sorina , who is four and a half months pregnant , is now concerned because little adam is too scared to eat solid food and has gone back to drinking milk . the incident happened at her mother-in-law 's home when she was feeding adam the hipp organic jar of mango and banana . the mother-of-two said : ' i was feeding adam and the rest of the family were in the other room . ` he was eating quite a lot and at the end of the second jar he started to gag , which sometimes means he has had enough .<doc-sep>` he coughed and then really started to choke and i was crying because he was turning blue . ` we rushed him to hospital and i was trying to make him swallow . he was n't crying , which really scared me . ` the hospital found an orange pip lodged in his throat - it was a really large one . ` when it was removed i was absolutely furious . ` the baby food is from four months plus and the hospital said if adam had been that age , he would have choked to death . ' i thought he was going to die - i just could n't believe it . ' mrs howarth called the company the day after and told them she wanted the product , which she bought in a boots store in fulham broadway , taken off the shelves . but she said when a courier showed up at her flat to pick up the jar , he left after she asked him for identification . demands : mrs howarth called the company the day after the incident and told them she wanted the product taken off the shelves . she said : ` when i spoke to the company , they said it was n't necessary to take it off the shelves because it is a freak incident . ' i wanted the pip sent recorded delivery so the company could determine if it came from them , and was told they would send a courier to pick it up for me . ' i was in the shower when he showed up and had to answer the door in my towel . i was absolutely fuming because he joked i should n't have got dressed up for him . terrified : mrs howarth said she thought her son was going to die after he turned blue while choking on a pip , which she believes came from the jar of baby food . mrs howarth sought legal advice and was told she does have a case , but has to prove the pip came from a hipp jar of baby food , and stump up the money for hefty legal fees .<doc-sep>a woman who buried her husband 14 years ago was devastated to discover that the hospital that treated him had kept his heart . betty faulkner said she is still searching for answers about why her husband david 's heart was left in a jar in a morgue . mr faulkner died aged 54 in 1999 after a heart attack , leaving behind his wife and their three children darren , david and lisa . mrs faulkner , 63 , from worcestershire , said she would never have buried her husband if she had known his heart was missing . she said : ' i just could n't believe it when they told . me . my husband 's heart had been sat in a jar in the morgue for 12 years . and i did n't even know . ' police told her about the error in march 2010 following an audit at worcestershire acute hospitals nhs trust . | <t> woman 's stillborn baby kept in jar for four years by hospital . </t> <t> jo-ann burrows believed for years that her son had been cremated . </t> <t> the mother-of-five is now taking legal action against the hospital authorities . </t> | dead baby kept in jar for four years<T> |
brazilian coach zico is leaving turkish club fenerbahce , after failing to reach an agreement over a new contract . zico guided fenerbahce to a league and super cup double intheir centenary year . fenerbahce recently suspended negotiations over a fresh deal with zico because of reportedly high demands by the brazilian .<doc-sep>the anatolia press agency published a club statement which said : `` the contract of arthur antunes coimbra -lrb- zico -rrb- has now come to an end . '' we would like to thank him for the successful work he has done with the club , and wish him all the best for the future . '' last season zico led fenerbahce to the quarterfinals of the champions league where they were defeated by chelsea .<doc-sep>reports claimed that after that achievement zico sought a new annual salary of $ 4.9 million . he has been earning $ 2.9 million . . zico , 55 , joined the club in july 2006 on a two-year deal and he guided them to a league and turkish super cup double in 2007 , their centenary year .<doc-sep>spanish media reports have said that fenerbahce have lined up current spain coach luis aragones as a replacement . aragones has led spain to the semifinals of the euro 2008 finals .<doc-sep>by . luke norman . brazil football great zico says coach luiz felipe scolari must be replaced if his country is to move past its disappointing world cup performance . ` we should thank him -lrb- scolari -rrb- and thank -lrb- assistant coach carlos alberto -rrb- parriera too . but we need to choose new people with new thoughts about how to play the brazilian way , ' the three-time world cup veteran said thursday , just two days after brazil 's humiliating 7-1 semifinal loss to germany . zico said sao paulo coach muricy ramalho would be an ideal candidate to lead brazil . legend : retired brazilian footballer zico says luiz felipe scolari must be replaced if the team is to move on . ` he is one the greatest champions of the brazilian league , which is one of the hardest in the world to win , ' zico said . ramalho was reportedly offered the national job in 2010 , but amid some confusion with his then club fluminense , he turned the position down . he is known as a progressive coach , defined by tactical flexibility . ` we had no alternatives , ' zico said of brazil 's tactical approach to this world cup . ` they stayed focused entirely on the success of the 2013 confederations cup . they kept the same formation and the same team . everyone had a year to work out exactly how to play against brazil . ' often referred to as the `` white pele '' , zico represented brazil at the 1978 , 1982 and 1986 world cups . he scored 52 goals in his 10-year international career . while his 1982 world cup squad is considered by many brazilians to be the nation 's finest ever , zico acknowledged that scolari was not blessed with the same caliber of talent . much to ponder : brazil coach luiz felipe scolari -lrb- left -rrb- speaks with cbf president jose maria marin on thursday . ` if you look at the starting players in the last year , none of them were key players at their clubs , ' he said . ` look at neymar , the best player in brazil , but how many times was he on the bench for barcelona last season ? fred , marcelo , hulk all played inconsistently . even david luiz and oscar , you ca n't say they were first choices at chelsea . ' zico said brazil 's problems run deeper than just a current dearth of talent , blaming poor administration , a lack of structure and a vacuum of leadership for the loss of the traditional ` brazilian style ' . former barcelona and current bayern munich coach pep ` guardiola has always said his style , his approach was inspired by the brazilian national team , but now we do n't have that style , ' he said . candidate : zico suggests sao paulo head coach muricy ramalho as a potential replacement for scolari . ' -lrb- johan -rrb- cruyff has said we are not playing true brazilian football . -lrb- jose -rrb- mourinho has said it does n't seem like we know how to use our talent to play true football . i do n't know why we do n't listen to these great minds of football . ' keeping the country 's brightest talent playing in the brazilian league is a critical first step to recovery of brazilian football , zico said . ` the cbf -lrb- brazilian football federation -rrb- needs to invite the heads of all the clubs in brazil to a private meeting and ask them what they need to make sure the big names , the best players , play every sunday in brazil instead of in europe . ' emotional : neymar wipes a tear as the injured brazil forward speaks during a press conference on thursday .<doc-sep>fc goa midfielder robert pires has been suspended for two games in the inaugural indian super league after allegedly being involved in a half-time altercation with atletico de kolkata coach antonio lopez habas . after thursday 's game , which featured seven yellow cards , goa coach zico claimed the former arsenal man had been punched by habas , with both clubs submitting written reports to the isl governing body on friday . a disciplinary committee of the all india football federation -lrb- aiff -rrb- on saturday stated pires had been suspended for two matches , with habas banned for four . video scroll down to watch robert pires allegedly punched during this heated isl match . robert pires poses with fc goa coach zico during his unveiling in mumbai in september .<doc-sep>by . simeon gholam for mailonline . follow @@ simgholam . philippe coutinho 's brazil call-up is fully deserved following his performances for liverpool last season , according to national icon zico . the 22-year-old has just one cap for his national side so far , coming nearly four years ago , but he has been recalled to the side after their re-appointed coach dunga swung the axe following their world cup disaster . just ten players from luiz felipe scolari 's tournament squad have been included , with a host of names such as julio cesar , dani alves , paulinho and hulk having been left out . video scroll down to see coutinho showing silky skills in liverpool friendly . no surprise : philippe coutinho has been recalled to the brazil national team by new coach dunga . well-deserved : and brazil legend zico believes that coutinho fully deserves the recall .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- brazilian soccer icon zico has hailed the south american country 's world cup-winning team of 1958 as the best in the sport 's history , ahead of the reigning world and european champions spain . after a thumping 4-0 victory over italy in the final of euro 2012 last weekend , spain became the first team to win three consecutive major tournaments -- following on from triumphs at the 2010 world cup and the european championship of 2008 . the recent success enjoyed by vicente del bosque 's team has led some to label them as the finest ever , leading to comparisons with other legendary teams -- such as the brazil squad which became world champions in 1970 . but former `` selecao '' star zico , currently coach of the iraq national team , selected the brazil team which lifted the jules rimet trophy in sweden 54 years ago as the finest in football history . the greatest football team : spain 2012 vs. brazil 1970 ? `` for me the best national team of all time is the brazilian team from 1958 , '' zico , who was part of the much-heralded brazil team which reached the second group stage of the 1982 world cup , exclusively told cnn . is victorious spain the best team ever ? | <t> coach zico is leaving turkish club fenerbahce . </t> <t> he has been unable to reach agreement over a new contract . </t> <t> media reports suggest that spain coach luis aragones will replace him . </t> | coach zico is leaving fenerbahce<T> |
omaha , nebraska -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- dozens of calls flooded the omaha police department 's 911 emergency line after a gunman opened fire inside the city 's westroads mall , with witnesses calling in tones that ranged from almost matter-of-fact to near terror . police make their presence known at the westroads mall in omaha , nebraska , thursday . `` i have n't seen anything . i 'm hiding in a clothes rack , '' a woman said after a dispatcher asked her for a description of the shooter . `` i mean , there 's been like 50 gunshots . '' in one of the recordings , provided to cnn by the police department , a rapid burst of three gunshots can be heard , followed by two more a moment later before the line goes dead .<doc-sep>a dispatcher asked one caller to move away from a woman shouting in the background . `` oh lord god help us , '' the woman can be heard screaming . hear some of the 911 calls '' `` she said there is a bunch of people shot , '' the caller says . robert hawkins , 19 , killed six employees and two customers of von maur department store on wednesday before turning his ak-47 rifle on himself .<doc-sep>two employees remained hospitalized thursday , one with critical injuries and one in serious condition . a woman who called 911 before ducking into a security office in the store said she heard the gunman demand that a vault be opened near the store 's customer service area . police have not described the shooting as a robbery attempt , saying thursday they do n't know why hawkins chose the store as a target . the caller described the shooter as having `` a very large gun '' and said he came out of an elevator on the store 's third floor and began firing shots into the air .<doc-sep>`` i heard the gunshots and i got down as soon as possible because i 've got kids , '' she said . later , she told the dispatcher she 'd moved into the security office -- where she appears to have seen hawkins ' dead body on a surveillance camera . `` oh my gosh ! it looks like the gun is laying over by customer service -- it looks like he might have killed himself , '' she said , breaking into tears . `` i see him laying by the gun ! '' police said thursday that hawkins had had `` some mental health problems , '' including thoughts of suicide . he had lost his job and recently broken up with his girlfriend , according to a family friend . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- when a gunman opened fire at a sprawling new jersey mall , sheer panic erupted . shoppers begged police officers to rescue them while others whispered into phones , terrified the gunman was nearby . 911 tapes released wednesday tell of fast-spreading fear among shoppers as a gunman fired monday night . shortly after , he fatally shot himself . `` there 's somebody shooting ! '' a voice screeches in the 911 tapes released by the bergen county police department . the tapes were obtained by cnn affiliate , wabc . `` i 'm scared and i want to get out the mall , '' another caller told dispatchers . `` the cops , i can see the cops from the door ... is there any way you could reach one of the them and they could come in and get me ? ''<doc-sep>by . mail foreign service . shopping trolleys abandoned , bags dropped on the floor and beer bottles left where they stand , these haunting images show the shops which were deserted in the aftermath of the nairobi mall massacre which left 67 people dead and dozens more missing . carts full of goods were left standing in westgate mall as shoppers fled for their lives when jihadi terrorists rushed the building and started gunning down customers . the photographs show how people apparently dropped bags on the ground as they made their escape , forming a disturbing portrait of the moment chaos broke out . scroll down for video . dormans coffee shop on the ground floor of the mall : abandoned trolleys , dropped shopping bags and coffee cups left on the tables show the chaos as people fled for their lives before the gunfire . attack : bags , beers and personal belongings were left behind in the artcaffe . as the gunmen walked through the mall , shooting anyone in sight , shoppers ran , hid or died . one . popular restaurant , artcaffe , still has purses and handbags on the . tables , as well as empty bottles of beer , making it look as if customers . had only left for a minute . but in other shops the floors are covered in broken glass , hinting at the violence which broke out at the mall on september 21 . in fonexpress , which sells mobile phones and other hi-tech goods , the shelves appear to have been looted , with products smashed on the floor along with their glass cases . other images show how the mall 's car park was destroyed by explosives during the attack , while police are currently examining the remains of burnt-out vehicles in the area in a bid to gather clues on the origins of the atrocity . empty : the artcaffe restaurant and coffee shop is situated on the ground floor of westgate . little damage can be seen here compared to the devastation in other areas of the mall . chaos : the fonexpress computer store is littered with debris , and its cabinets are bare , showing signs of looting reported by businesses throughout the mall . forensics : investigators work in the mall passageways scouring the building for clues which may lead to other terrorists involved in the attack . another . 39 people remain unaccounted for almost a week after the end of the . attack , the red cross .<doc-sep>the 911 calls show ` the remarkable calm and resourcefulness of students , faculty , and other witnesses , ' police say . by . associated press . a day after a lone gunman armed with a . shotgun opened fire at seattle pacific university , seattle police . released three 911 calls recorded shortly after the shooting . the calls . reflect a mix of shock , calmness and swift action by students , witnesses . and faculty . one student talks to 911 operators while a classmate attempts to tend to his bleeding neck and chest . two other callers after witnessing the shooting at a small seattle university calmly describe their location , the shooter and the chilling scene . ` he walked up behind this guy , ' the caller said , adding moments later : ` there were two people standing there . and this guy walked up behind one of them , lifted his rifle and shot directly . ' campus tragedy : 911 calls describing the actions of seattle pacific university shooting suspect aaron rey ybarra have been released . the 911 calls show ` the remarkable calm and resourcefulness of students , faculty , and other witnesses , ' police wrote . police said the shooter , who killed a 19-year-old freshman student and wounded two other young people , had 50 additional shotgun shells and a hunting knife . he said after his arrest that he wanted to kill as many people as possible before taking his own life , seattle police wrote in a statement filed in court friday .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a day after a gunman opened fire at an arizona supermarket , authorities released the emergency calls . the recordings , which were made public by the pima county sheriff 's office on sunday , paint a patchy picture of the scene just moments after the shooting that killed six people and wounded 14 , including u.s. rep. gabrielle giffords . callers spoke with remarkable clarity given the chaos around them . screams can be heard in the background as one male caller calmly tells another man , `` we got help coming . '' the following information has been edited for brevity and to protect the names of the callers . not all calls are included . 911 : 911 , where is your emergency ? caller 1 : mrs. giffords ! 911 : hello ? hello ? caller 1 : oh , 911 . there was a shooting at safeway ... where gabrielle giffords was . and i do believe gabrielle giffords was hit . 911 : at safeway , sir ? caller 1 : yeah , safeway . 911 : was somebody shot then sir ? caller 1 : yes , it looked like the guy had a semiautomatic pistol and he went in . he just started firing . and then he ran . 911 : which way did he run ? caller 1 : he ran north past the walgreens that 's right next to the safeway . 911 : can you describe him ? caller 1 : he was wearing a hoodie . 911 : what color was the hoodie ? caller 1 : it was black . 911 : what color were his pants ? caller 1 : it looked like he was wearing blue jeans . and he was wearing a black sweater . 911 : is anybody injured ? did you say gabrielle giffords was hit ? caller 1 : she 's hit . i do believe she 's breathing . she was breathing . she still has a pulse ... and we got one dead . | <t> `` i 'm hiding in a clothes rack , '' a caller says . </t> <t> a rapid burst of gunshots can be heard in another call before the line goes dead . </t> <t> robert hawkins killed six employees and two customers before taking his own life . </t> <t> `` i see him laying by the gun , '' a woman tells the dispatcher . </t> | 911 calls show fear , chaos during mall shooting<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- andre berto claimed the vacant world boxing council welterweight title when he halted miguel rodriguez in the seventh round in memphis . berto took the wbc belt vacated when floyd mayweather retired . berto -lrb- 22-0 , 19 kos -rrb- picked up the wbc belt that became vacant when floyd mayweather retired . rodriguez 's record dropped to 29-3 with 23 kos . berto floored rodriguez with an uppercut in the seventh round and when rodriquez went down a second time referee lawrance cole intervened at 2:13 .<doc-sep>dane mikkel kessler knocked out dimitri sartison in the 12th round in copenhagen , to become world boxing association supermiddle champion . kessler -lrb- 40-1 -rrb- dominated throughout in front of an enthusiastic home crowd at the brondby hall . sartison , who was born in kazhakstan but grew up in germany , suffered his first loss after a 22-0 start in his pro career . kessler won the wba title in november 2004 by stopping manny siaca of puerto rico . he also lifted the the wbc super middleweight crown two years later when he knocked out markus beyer of germany in the third round .<doc-sep>but he surrendered both belts when joe calzaghe of wales ended his unbeaten run in cardiff last november . britain 's amir khan was floored before successfully defending his commonwealth lightweight title with a fifth round stoppage of michael gomez in birmingham . khan , who has won all 18 of his fights since turning professional after winning a silver medal at the 2004 athens olympics , knocked gomez down in the first round but found himself on the canvas in the second in a brief but rugged contest . khan said : `` this was one of my toughest fights but i learned from my mistakes . i will watch the video and work on them and continue my journey to the world title . '' khan was on target with a powerful right uppercut in the first round and a combination of punches floored gomez , who retaliated in the second round .<doc-sep>a left hook over the top of a jab put khan down and he had to take a standing count and looked unsteady on his legs for several seconds afterwards . gomez landed a damaging hook to the ribs in the fourth but early in the fifth khan put his opponent down again with a powerful body shot . gomez began to take a lot of punishment and referee john keane stopped the contest . gomez looked disappointed but appeared to be all but out on his feet .<doc-sep>mosley had been due for a unification bout on january 30 with andre berto , who claimed the wbc title that mayweather vacated when he retired in 2008 , but the fight was scrapped when his opponent lost family members in the haiti earthquake . `` i have always wanted to fight floyd , and now it is finally coming true , '' mosley said . `` i am already in great shape and ready to show everyone on may 1 that i am stronger , faster and better than he is . i will have no problem beating him . '' mosley 's promoter golden boy took the chance to have a dig at filipino star pacquiao over his refusal to undergo blood testing in the lead-up to the planned fight with mayweather . `` shane mosley is one of the greatest fighters of this era and i commend him for not only agreeing to the fight against mayweather , but also agreeing to participate in a testing process that can only help the integrity of the sport , '' golden boy chief executive richard schaefer said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- manny pacquiao 's career will be defined by floyd mayweather , even if the filipino ca n't give boxing the fight it has long been clamoring to see . that 's the view of sports illustrated 's boxing correspondent , bryan armen graham . he says he is optimistic that pacquiao and mayweather can finally reach a deal to settle who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport . pacquiao 's next fight is in may next year while mayweather is due in court next month to answer charges of domestic violence . should he retain his liberty , graham thinks a showdown in december 2011 is a possibility . and according to graham , the danger for eight-division world champion pacquiao is that his legacy will be affected just as much by a failure to meet mayweather in the ring than if the fight goes ahead . he told cnn : `` if manny gets through his next fight scheduled for may 7 and if floyd resolves his problems i think there is actually a good chance . i 'm as optimistic as i have been in long time for that fight to come off late in the year , maybe december . `` but the truth is there are a lot of theories about floyd maybe waiting for pacquiao to be past his prime , like sugar ray leonard did with marvin hagler in the eighties . `` manny pacquiao , i think he is a once in a generation type talent . i know there are people calling him greatest of all time and you always kind of rush to judge these things when you see someone so spectacular in their prime . `` its really unprecedented what he is doing but i think we are probably going to have to wait until all is said and done until we really make judgments on his career . `` one thing for sure though is if the floyd mayweather fight does n't happen he -lsb- pacquiao -rsb- might be defined just as much for not having that fight . '' pacquiao , who is a congressman in the philippines , is due to announce who his next opponent will be at his 32nd birthday celebrations on friday with shane mosley , juan manuel marquez and andre berto in the frame . graham explained : `` there is shane mosley , the former wba welterweight champion , juan manuel marquez , the current wbo lightweight champion , and a dark horse candidate is andre berto , the former olympian , who is undefeated but has not really fought anybody of note and has the lightest resume of the three . '' -lsb- mosley -rsb- is the best known but at the same time he is also coming off two really bad performances . he lost 11 of 12 rounds against floyd mayweather in may and he had a very , very listless controversial draw -lsb- with sergio mora -rsb- in september . `` he is 39-years-old and he probably does n't deserve a shot against the pound-for-pound champion , but deserves seldom has anything to do with it in boxing . '' pacquiao made history by becoming the first fighter to claim titles in eight weight divisions after his victory over antonio margarito secured the vacant wbc super-welterweight belt . according to reports in the philippines , pacquiao is currently ironing out a query over his taxes arising from fights in 2009 . he recently moved his next fight from april to may due to his political responsibilities in the country .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- brothers wladimir and vitali klitschko have sent britain 's wba world heavyweight champion david haye a new year message , saying they are both ready to fight him in 2011 . wladimir holds three of the current world heavyweight belts , vitali has the prestigious wbc title , and haye the other . match-ups between haye and the ukrainian pair would help unify the heavyweight crown as well as being a money-spinner . haye , who has made two successful defenses of his title , was due to fight wladimir in 2009 , but pulled out with a back injury . meanwhile , wladimir 's bout with another briton , dereck chisora , was called off earlier this month , with the triple champion citing injury , paving the way for an early clash with haye . `` we promise that in 2011 the fight against haye will come , '' read the statement , released through bild.de . `` we want this fight at all costs . he may choose against which of us he wants us to step into the ring to lose his world title . '' haye 's manager adam booth told the press association . `` we are now perfectly positioned to get together and make this fight with wladimir klitschko . `` despite the fact we know we bring more uk television money to the table , david and i are happy to split the entire pot 50-50 and grant wladimir the deal he has wanted since day one . '' vitali klitschko said on tuesday that his brother would be the first to take on the 30-year-old haye , with him waiting in the wings . chisora , upset when his fight with wladimir klitschko was pulled , has been promised another opportunity , but they may now have to wait . in world title action sunday , japan 's koki kameda won the vacant world boxing association -lrb- wba -rrb- bantamweight title by beating alexander munoz of venezuela by a unanimous decision . the three judges scored it 115-111 , 116-109 and 117-109 , all in favor of kameda . kameda is the first japanese boxer to win three world titles , following the wba light flyweight title and the world boxing council -lrb- wbc -rrb- flyweight crown .<doc-sep>fury and chisora are heading for a domestic collision this summer in a final eliminator for one of the younger klitschko 's collection of belts . meanwhile deontay wilder , the american knock-out artist who has yet to be taken beyond the fourth round , has already become the challenger-in-waiting for the wbc crown , which has been left vacant by vitali klitschko as he fights the far greater battle for the future of ukraine . wilder stepped yet more heavily on the gas on saturday with a first-round flattening of malik scott , to take his professional record to 31 straight kos . that positions the bronze bomber from alabama to take on the winner of the up-coming wbc title fight between bermane stiverne and chris arreola , of whom he says : ` i could knock both those two out on the same night . ' it 's on : tyson fury -lrb- right -rrb- will take on dereck chisora -lrb- left -rrb- for a shot at world champion wladimir klitschko . rematch : fury will be looking for a repeat of his points victory over chisora in london three years ago . warren , who had been contemplating one more warm-up fight each for fury and chisora next month , is now fast-tracking them to their wbo eliminator . big wlad , who has a routine defence of all his titles in april , might then be pinned down to fight the winning brit before the end of the year . should either chisora or fury prove capable of ending klitschko 's seemingly ever-lasting run as multiple champion that should set up , in turn , a unification mega-bout with wilder next spring . wilder appears open to that proposition . remembering his quick stoppage of audley harrison in sheffield last year , he says : ` i would be happy to cross the atlantic again . not only do i know i would beat either of them but i love going to england . ' he spices the prospect further by adding : ` as for fury , he 's a joke of a heavyweight . ' careful , deontay . | <t> andre berto wins the vacant wbc welterweight title . </t> <t> he halts miguel rodriguez in seven rounds . </t> <t> mikkel kessler becomes wba super-middleweight champion . </t> <t> amir khan successfully defends the commonwealth lightweight title . </t> | berto claims vacant wbc welter crown<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- michelle obama , wife of sen. barack obama , is honing her message for the fall , aides say . sen. barack obama and wife , michelle , have been thrust into the public eye . `` michelle wrote her own stump -lrb- speech -rrb- . and you know , she 's refining it now i think as we 're going into the general election , '' said senior obama adviser valerie jarrett . `` we have an opportunity for her to kind of step back and think about the message she wants to deliver . so she 's really working on it as we speak . '' her new speeches will include more details about her family and humble upbringing on chicago 's south side , aides said . michelle obama graduated from harvard law school , was a vice president at the university of chicago and landed a job as a health care executive making $ 275,000 a year . but along with her success has come criticism -- that 's she 's too angry , too negative and too sarcastic . now , the woman who would become the first black first lady is trying to connect with voters on a more personal level . watch experts weigh in on how michelle obama is perceived '' on wednesday , she made an appearance as a guest co-host on abc 's `` the view , '' and later this week , she and her husband will grace the cover of us weekly . the magazine is headlined `` michelle obama : why barack loves her , '' and includes details about her love for target , `` sex and the city '' and her daughters ' recitals . asked wednesday while on `` the view '' if she 's going through a makeover , she said she realizes `` i wear my heart on my sleeve '' and that `` it 's a risk you have to take . '' she said she thinks people will change their perception of her as they see her family more . michelle obama 's spokeswoman , katie mccormick lelyveld , said earlier there is no `` image makeover '' in the works . watch what michelle obama would be like as first lady '' `` she has staff engaged in simply part of the process of growing to a general election campaign and putting a strategy together to help people get to know her , '' lelyveld said . `` it 's what you do as you move from primary voters to general election voters . ''<doc-sep>carl sferrazza anthony , a first ladies historian , said it 's important for michelle obama to define herself before others define her . `` one comment made off-hand ... might be easily misinterpreted by the opposition , '' he said . michelle obama saw that in february when a republican ad used a snippet from a campaign event in which , referring to record voter turnout in the democratic primaries , she said , `` for the first time in my adult lifetime , i am really proud of my country . '' obama 's campaign says she was just excited about the grassroots support , but her words still provided fodder for her husband 's opponents . the day after the comments , cindy mccain , wife of presumptive republican nominee john mccain , introduced her husband saying , `` i do n't know about you , if you heard those words earlier -- i am very proud of my country . '' michelle obama has been a vocal advocate for her husband while on the campaign trail , delivering sometimes impassioned speeches on his behalf . robin givhan , fashion editor with the washington post , said people see michelle obama in different ways . `` some people will see confidence , and others might see cockiness . i think some people will see strength . others might see arrogance , '' she said . `` she comes across as someone who is extraordinarily independent and very much a force to be reckoned with . '' behind the scenes , she maintains that independence . according to the campaign , michelle obama picks out her own clothes . she received a lot of attention for the sleeveless purple dress and pearls she wore the night her husband became the presumptive democratic nominee . beyond her style , though , a sense of dignity may be what most defines a first lady . it 's a job that requires the ability to strike a balance between queen and commoner . exactly how michelle obama refines her approach on the stump remains to be seen , staffers said . `` we 'll see , '' jarrett said . `` she 's learned a lot of stories along the way from the american people , i think she may incorporate some more of the stories that she 's heard that resonate with what she 's seeing in terms of the direction that people want the country to take . but the rest is up to her . we 'll see what she comes up with . '' cnn 's randi kaye contributed to this report .<doc-sep>oprah does n't like first lady michelle obama because she 's a show off edward klein 's new book , blood feud , alleges . the legendary talk show host was once a close friend and adviser of the president 's , but she had a falling out with the first family during the president 's first term in office . ` it appeared to oprah that michelle was . jealous of her , furious that barack was seeking her advice instead of . michelle 's , ' a source close to winfrey told klein . the other woman : oprah , pictured here in may , thinks michelle obama does n't like her because the president takes oprah 's advice over his wife 's , a source close to oprah told blood feud author edward klein . ` for her part , oprah did n't like being with michelle , because . the first lady was constantly one-upping the president and anybody else . around her . ' at another point in the book oprah is quoted as saying that the obamas make her ` jumpy . ' oprah reportedly told a friend that ' `` even when the obamas think they are being . charming , they hold you at arm 's length . '' ' obama had no stronger ally than oprah throughout his first campaign for president , including the time he was competing against hillary clinton for the democratic party nomination . winfrey , who is oft labeled as the most influential woman in the world , is credited with securing both the party nomination and the presidency for obama , attracting a million votes or more for her candidate in the general election , according to two economists . oprah lent not only her credibility to barack obama 's campaign , endorsing the illinois senator 's candidacy before he officially announced his intentions to seek higher office , she barnstormed the country headlining rallies and fundraisers for barack . the night obama accepted the democratic nomination in 2008 , oprah gushed to reporters , ` i 've never experienced anything like that . ' ' i cried my eyelashes off , ' she said . ` and what i saw with barack obama was something that was . transcendent and i felt transformational for me as a human being and . for this country . ' i often wondered what it would be like to sit and . listen to lincoln speak or roosevelt speak or what it would have been . like to have been old enough to understand what martin luther king was . saying 45 years ago today , ' oprah said . ` and what he did brought that home in a way . that i could never have imagined , ' she added . ' i did n't not endorse him . ' scroll down for video .<doc-sep>first lady michelle obama will hit the campaign trail again next month , this time for iowa senate candidate bruce braley . the des moines register confirmed obama 's plans with both the white house and the braley campaign on wednesday . braley currently represents iowa in the house of representatives and is competing against iowa state senator joni ernst for the open u.s. senate seat in november 's general election . the democratic rep. is currently leading his opponent by a razor-thin margin , and an endorsement from the first lady could give him the bump he needs to claim victory in november 's election . unlike her husband , whose approval ratings have reached new lows this summer , michelle obama continues to be well-liked by most americans , making her an asset to democrats chasing seats in the senate . first lady michelle obama , left , is greeted by democratic u.s. senate candidate michelle nun , right , at a voter registration rally on monday in atlanta , georgia . nunn is competing for georgia 's open u.s. senate seat against republican david perdue . ` the first lady is not only popular with democrats , but with independents and republicans as well , ' democratic senatorial campaign committee executive director guy cecil told the hill . ` she has been incredibly supportive of our campaigns and our work to hold the majority . '<doc-sep>first lady michelle obama had made it clear she has no interest in following in her husband 's footsteps and running for office , yet an illinois senator is implying otherwise as a means to rustle up cash for reelection bid . republican sen. mark kirk sent out a fundraising email last week invoking obama and claimed that ` press and rumor mills ' say she 's eyeing a bid for his senate seat in 2016 . ` i 'm not one to believe rumors or engage in political gossip , ' kirk said , according to a news report published on thursday in the chicago sun-times , ` but when it comes to defending the illinois senate seat that i 'm honored to hold , i take all potential threats seriously . ' michelle obama is pictured here taking a service project at the inspired teaching school on thursday to commemorate the september 11th national day of service and remembrance . obama has said that after she leaves the white house in 2017 she 'll take on a ` mission-based ' or ` service-based ' role . illinois sen. mark kirk , pictured here at a rally in chicago in july , suggested in a fundraising email that michelle obama may change her mind and run against him in 2016 . the gossip columns were indeed abuzz earlier this summer with rumors that michelle could make a play for her husband 's former senate seat next election cycle as their time in the white house comes to a close . but the president , first lady and a senior adviser to the white house have all denied that michelle is interested in a political career of her own . ` no . i 'm absolutely 100 percent positive that will never happen , ' white house adviser and obama confidant valerie jarrett said in june on nbc 's ` meet the press . ' ` one thing i can promise you is that michelle will not run for office , ' president obama told abc news in may . michelle obama herself told abc in june that her next role ` will not be political . ' ` it will be mission-based , it will be service-focused , ' she said . the obamas have also made a point of telling anyone who will listen how much michelle dislikes her husband being on the road and how glad she is that november is his ` last election . ' the first lady 's aversion to campaigning has been well-documented throughout the obamas time in the white house and national democrats have complained in recent weeks about her unwillingness to hit the campaign trail for the party 's senate candidates this fall . if obama really is planning to run for office in 2016 , she 's running the stealthiest campaign in modern politics . even so , kirk is contending that michelle obama may pull a hillary clinton and run for office anyway . ` the circumstances -lrb- and denials -rrb- are reminiscent of 1999 when first lady hillary clinton was the subject of whirlwind speculation about a run for the united states senate , ' he states . ` whether or not you choose to believe this most recent rumor , there is no doubt the illinois senate race will be one of the most closely watched and hotly contested races in the country in 2016 , ' he said before asking supporters to donate as much as $ 1,000 to help him keep his seat . the sun-times points out that as of june 30 , kirk had $ 1,419,695 in cash-on-hand more than two years out from his next election , which is a quite a large sum , even in the chicago media market .<doc-sep>david axelrod -lrb- left -rrb- was barack obama 's chief campaign strategist before his election in 2008 . barack and michelle obama are close to david axelrod and his wife susan . labour believe mr axelrod 's appointment could catapult ed miliband into downing street . the shadow cabinet were told the . squeeze on wages amid rising costs of food and housing is a ` challenge . for all western societies ' and affects people ` right the way up the . income scale ' . a labour . source said : ` david axelrod thinks victory for ed miliband would send a . signal all around the world . he could make money elsewhere -- he 's here . because he thinks it 's an important message . ' | <t> michelle obama refining her speeches to emphasize family , upbringing . </t> <t> she has been criticized for coming across as angry , unpatriotic . </t> <t> she is co-hosting on `` the view ; '' also on cover of us weekly . </t> <t> her spokeswoman says this is not an `` image makeover '' </t> | michelle obama preps for general election close-up<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the son of a man who died from intestinal problems says he now wonders whether his father 's wife might have poisoned him . betty johnson neumar is shown at her booking . she is charged with hiring a hit man to kill her husband . betty neumar , 76 , was charged by north carolina authorities last month with one count of solicitation of murder in the july 1986 death of harold gentry , one of her five dead spouses since the 1950s . since the arrest , authorities have launched an investigation into the deaths of her previous husbands , including john neumar sr. , her fifth husband . neumar 's son appeared on `` nancy grace '' on wednesday along with jay almond , a news editor with the stanly news and press in north carolina . `` it was n't long after my father married her that he started being sick , '' neumar said . he said he learned of his father 's death when he read it in a local newspaper . betty neumar has not been charged in connection with that death or her other three husbands . `` she has only been charged in one state , '' her attorney charles parnell said . `` i want to remind everybody she has only been charged in north carolina , and obviously , she is presumed to be innocent . there is nothing with the other states because there are no charges at this particular time . '' here is an edited transcript of the show : . neumar : you know , actually , murder almost never crossed my mind until the gentry case came up . in fact , we did not know she was married all this time . we just thought that she was married one time and she was a widow lady who married my father . well , it was n't long after my father married her that he started being sick and everything . and he was never sick a day in his life -lsb- before then -rsb- . and i figured something was wrong because he put -- such a wedge became between our families that should n't have existed . we were so close . and the longer she was married to him , the less we had to do with him and the more time it seemed like he was sick but she would n't let us know about it . in fact , when he did die , i read about it in the newspaper and did n't even know he was dead . and when i went to the funeral home , she already had him cremated . grace : had him cremated ? neumar : correct .<doc-sep>grace : mr. neumar , what was the cause of death of your father ? neumar : well , it 's a complicated thing , and i 'm not very good with these technical terms and all . but from what the doctors say , it was some type of stomach and bowel and , you know , intestine problem and everything , which i 've been told later by some people that the symptoms that he had could be caused by arsenic poisoning . grace : john , when you first met her , did n't you tell me you believed at that time she was a widow , a one-time widow that married your father ? neumar : right . that was correct . we were told that her husband just passed away , and my mother had passed away a couple years before that . and we -- you know , we just figured it was a widow and a widower getting married . grace : how did she meet your father ? neumar : a friend of his went up there to where she had a salon to get haircutting . my father , he went to go up there and get his haircut because i think his barber had retired . so he went up there to get his haircut , and that 's where he met her . grace : and how long after they met did they marry ? neumar : you know , i 'm bad with time frame , but i 'd say , i think within a year or something like that -lsb- 1989 -rsb- . grace : quick courtship . neumar : right . ... jay almond , news editor : the information i have is based on an investigation that the stanly county sheriff 's office is running , and information there is that the d.a. 's office and the stanly county sheriff have gathered evidence from witnesses saying that betty neumar solicited to commit murder to her husband , harold . thomas harold gentry was shot to death in norwood home near the back door inside the home . he was found by friends or family members -- i believe friendly members sent there by his employers . he did n't report to work . ... and -lsb- they -rsb- discover him there dead , and then the investigation there ensues but did not lead to anything enough to press charges against anyone . grace : . . jay , what can you tell me about this woman ? what is her background ? almond : she 's a 76-year-old widow ... and she 's been married four other times . she initially was inviting to family members , but then sort of became more of a wedge in the family and has gone from there , got colder and -- with previous family members .<doc-sep>` but every day , on her way to work , mum would go into the church she passed and pray that dad would come home . she lived without him for four years , but she never believed he was dead . ' clifford had been mercilessly tortured , starved , and worked to the brink of death by the japanese . he was forced to trek for miles each day through leech-filled swamps . mother-of-two christine said her father had once been caught smoking banana leaves in one of the 15 prison camps he had been sent to . the japanese officer who discovered him pushed a poisoned bamboo shoot through his leg , leaving a lifelong scar . last year , clifford said : ` the worst thing was when we had to dig our own graves . we were due to be shot on the day the war ended . christine - a mother of two - related how her father had once been caught smoking banana leaves in one of the 15 prison camps he had been sent to . the japanese officer who discovered him pushed a poisoned bamboo shoot through his leg , leaving a lifelong scar . last year , clifford said : ` the worst thing was when we had to dig our own graves . we were due to be shot on the day the war ended . mother-of-two christine pearson said her mother had died of a ` broken heart ' after hearing that her husband of 76 years had passed away . letters that his wife marjorie sent husband during the war . the couple died just hours apart , on their 76th wedding anniversary . ` then the ` all-clear ' sounded . you can guess how i felt . ' clifford came home to a street party in cardiff , and even a letter of thanks from the king . but his wife 's welcome was the most treasured of all . the war hero was discharged from the army in 1945 , and christine - the couple 's only child - was born a year later . the family moved to hipswell highway in wyken , coventry in 1947 , and clifford worked for morris engines as a factory foreman until he retired . christine said : ` dad was in hospital for a while after he came back from burma , but neither of them cared . they were just so happy to be together again . the devoted couple are shown here enjoying their ruby wedding anniversary in 1978 . ` they had an incredible marriage . they never , ever argued . dad idolised mum and she adored him . ` when they 'd go to a restaurant , dad would eat the same thing that mum ordered . ` they loved dancing together , and they loved singing , too . dad had been a choirboy at gloucester cathedral . ' cost of living in 1938 : cost of living in 2014 . pint of milk : 1d per pint -lrb- 1p -rrb- pint of milk : 58p . loaf of bread : 4d a loaf -lrb- 2p -rrb- loaf of bread : 75p . packet of cigarettes : 10 for 5d -lrb- 2p -rrb- packet of cigarettes : 10 for # 4 or # 5 . pair of leather shoes : 13/9 -lrb- 68p -rrb- pair of leather shoes : # 30 . petrol : 1/6 a gallon -lrb- 7.5 p -rrb- petrol : # 5.90 per gallon -lrb- unleaded -rrb- . average house price : # 545 average house price : # 186,322 .<doc-sep>tisha shaw , bierdneau 's wife and bode 's mom , said emergency crews told her what her son did was incredible . ' i was so upset , but then i thought he is such a calm kid , he is so grounded , he is such a hero , he saved his dad 's life , does he know he saved his dad 's life , ' shaw said . when asked if he knew he was a hero , bode responded , ` um , yeah . ' loving family : tisha shaw -lrb- left -rrb- , j.t. bierdneau 's wife and bode 's mom , said she was proud of her son for saving his dad 's life . she is surrounded by her three children , including bode -lrb- second from right -rrb- .<doc-sep>and emergency workers said . originally from the dominican . republic , rojas had moved to the u.s. about four years ago with his wife , . maria lopez , 41 , their son , saury , 12 , and daughter , april , 8 . in between his two jobs , rojas would take the bus home in between . shifts to hug his children and get something to eat , according to his . family . ` that was very bad . of him , ' son saury said of his father 's killer . ` he 's too small to be . with a gun . if he did n't have that gun , my dad would be alive now . ' the . family that once relied on rojas ' hard work is now left without a . provider , which has caused worry on top of the heartache for his . grieving wife .<doc-sep>by . harriet arkell . published : . 11:17 est , 13 may 2013 . | . updated : . 07:13 est , 14 may 2013 . andrew parsons , 38 , is accused of stabbing his wife janee , 31 , to death at their bicester home as she packed for a weekend away with her boyfriend . a jealous husband stabbed his wife to death as their five-year-old son screamed at him to stop , a court heard yesterday . the boy pleaded with andrew parsons to call an ambulance for his mother janee , who had been punched to the ground before being knifed 17 times , it was alleged . beautician mrs parsons , 31 , had told her husband she planned to spend the weekend with her new boyfriend . what happened next was captured on a voice recorder parsons , 38 , had hidden under her bed to eavesdrop on her affair , oxford crown court was told . ` while janee is stabbed you can hear her as she pleads for her life and the five-year-old screams for his daddy to stop , ' said prosecutor miranda moore . ` she begs for an ambulance , as does her son , but the defendant refuses . -lsb- the boy -rsb- asked if janee was all right , the defendant said she was fine -- while janee was struggling for her life . ' miss moore said mrs parsons , who was born in texas before moving to yukon , oklahoma , had pleaded with her husband saying : ` your son is watching me die . ' the boy yelled ` dad , dad , dad ' and told his father , ` call the hospital , i do n't like it . ' mrs parsons , whose mother , mary brady , adoptive father phil brady , and biological father john jacks still live in the u.s. , tried to comfort her son , telling him ` it 's all right ' before asking her husband to take him away and call an ambulance . parsons punched his wife to the floor upstairs in their home then fetched a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her , the court heard . but parsons responded : ` you **** ing deserved it . ' the couple 's other son , aged eight , . had earlier been picked up from the house in bicester , oxfordshire , for a . day out with his grandparents . mrs parsons , a us citizen who sold her health spa business in oklahoma when it ran into financial difficulty , worked as a skin specialist at bicester clinic and as a make-up artist for photographic shoots and at weddings . | <t> son says his dad got sick shortly after he married wife two decades ago . </t> <t> authorities launch probe into deaths of five husbands of betty neumar . </t> <t> son says he learned of his dad 's death in newspaper , body was cremated . </t> | son wonders if dad 's wife poisoned him<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- investigators looking for the source of a salmonella outbreak linked to tomatoes will focus on farms in mexico and florida , federal health authorities said friday . since april , more than 500 people have contracted the same strain of salmonella , linked to raw tomatoes . the tracebacks `` have taken us from point of consumption all the way back to certain farms in mexico and florida , '' said dr. david acheson , associate commissioner for foods at the food and drug administration . the agency will send teams of investigators to farms in both locations this weekend as well as to the pathways from those farms in an attempt to determine where the contamination occurred , he said . the tomatoes may not have been contaminated on a farm , he stressed ; the contamination could have occurred in a packing shed , warehouse , supplier chain or distribution center . `` we are going to all of those places to see if there are any problems that could indicate how or why these tomatoes got contaminated , '' he said . the reported advance in the investigation came as the toll mounted , with 552 people identified as having contracted the strain of salmonella saintpaul since april in 32 states and the district of columbia . it is one of the biggest outbreaks of tomato-caused illness in history , officials said . see where the cases have been reported '' though the number of reported victims has risen dramatically in recent days , that does not signify a large number of new infections , acheson said . instead , he credited improved surveillance and laboratory identification of previously submitted strains for the increased number . the bulk of the new reports were in texas , which tallied 265 cases , according to ian williams , chief of the outbreaknet team at the centers for disease control and prevention . at least 53 of the victims , whose ages range from 1 to 88 years , have been hospitalized . the victims are almost evenly split between males and females . though no deaths have been officially attributed to the outbreak , a man in his 60s in texas who had cancer also had the infection , which may have contributed to his death , williams said . the outbreak began april 10 , and the latest case was reported june 10 .<doc-sep>the other 37 states are each reporting from one to 19 cases . the seven states that have reported no cases connected to the outbreak are montana , new mexico , louisiana , mississippi , south carolina , florida and alaska . strains of salmonella linked to outbreaks in the past have been traced to contaminated eggs , meat , poultry , vegetables , pet food and peanut butter . contaminated tomatoes were blamed for an outbreak in the fall of 2006 caused by salmonella typhimurium , which sickened at least 183 people in 21 states . most people suffered from diarrhea and fever for about a week . no one is known to have died in that outbreak . salmonella infections can be treated with antibiotics , though some strains are resistant to these drugs , according to the cdc . most people infected develop diarrhea , fever and abdominal cramps within a few days of infection and the illness can last up to a week . most recover without treatment , but some may suffer dehydration and , in severe cases , require hospitalization . children , senior citizens , people with chronic illnesses and those with weak immune systems tend to be at highest risk for complications , according to the national institutes of health . cnn 's louise schiavone and miriam falco contributed to this story .<doc-sep>at least 224 people have been hospitalized . two elderly men with pre-existing conditions died while infected with salmonella saintpaul , and the fda said the infection could have contributed to their deaths . investigators initially thought that certain types of tomatoes were the source of the outbreak , and further investigation also cast suspicions on raw jalapeño and serrano peppers . samonella sleuths still on the trail . many of the infected people were thought to have eaten tomatoes from farms in south florida and parts of mexico , but inspectors have n't found the outbreak strain on those farms , acheson said , according to the ap .<doc-sep>the scare prompted grocery chains nationwide to pull tomatoes from their shelves and some restaurants to stop offering them as ingredients . tommy thompson , former secretary of the department of health and human services , said earlier this month the scare had cut $ 450 million from tomato growers ' income . federal health investigators have visited farms in florida , texas and mexico to try to determine the source of the outbreak , according to the cdc . the fda has said that because raw jalapeño and serrano peppers may be linked to the outbreak , people at risk for developing severe infections -- infants , elderly people and people with compromised immune systems -- should avoid eating them .<doc-sep>initial results from a cdc and food and drug administration investigation found that jalapeño peppers appeared to be a major carrier of the bacteria , as were serrano peppers , tauxe said . tomatoes -- identified early in the outbreak as the culprit -- were still possibly a source , he said . the fda said the contaminated jalapeño and serrano peppers , grown in mexico , were no longer in circulation and said thursday that it was lifting its advice to avoid eating raw jalapeño and serrano peppers grown , harvested or packed in mexico . the agency had lifted its advice to consumers last month to avoid several types of tomatoes . at least 286 people were hospitalized from the salmonella saintpaul strain , which began in april , and it may have contributed to two deaths , tauxe said . | <t> fda : tomatoes suspected in salmonella outbreak traced to farms in mexico , florida . </t> <t> tomatoes may have been contaminated after leaving the farm . </t> <t> outbreak stands at 552 cases since april in 32 states , district of columbia . </t> | suspect tomatoes traced to florida or mexico<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- congress passed a $ 300 billion farm bill over president bush 's veto for a second time wednesday , a step made necessary by a clerical error when the original bill passed . congress overrode president bush 's second veto of a $ 300 billion farm bill . the senate voted 80-14 to approve the measure over bush 's objections , following a 317-109 vote in the house of representatives . both votes were well above the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto , which bush delivered wednesday morning . congress overrode an earlier veto of the farm bill last month , even though lawmakers had discovered that 34 pages were missing in the version originally sent to the white house . in spiking the latest version , bush said he objected to its continued subsidies for the wealthy and its use of budget gimmicks to hide a $ 20 billion increase in spending . but sen. kent conrad , the chairman of the senate budget committee , said the measure actually saves the government $ 110 million . `` this bill does not add to the deficit or debt , because this bill is paid for , '' he said . `` that is not my claim . that is the finding of the congressional budget office . '' the discovery of the missing section , title iii , prompted concerns from house republicans that the override vote was improper . house speaker nancy pelosi said the sections of the bill that were originally sent to the president had become law after congress voted to override bush 's first veto . but to put title iii into effect , congress re-passed the entire legislation , including the missing pages , and resent it to bush . the house voted 306-110 at the end of may . the senate voted 77-15 for the bill at the beginning of june . two-thirds of the $ 300 billion in spending for the farm bill will go for nutrition programs such as food stamps . another $ 40 billion will go toward farm subsidies , and $ 30 billion is allocated for payments to farms to keep land idle and other environmental programs . after vetoing the latest version of the farm bill , bush scolded congress on wednesday for not `` modifying certain objectionable , onerous and fiscally imprudent provisions . ... i am returning this bill for the same reasons as stated in my veto message . '' when he vetoed the first version of the farm bill , bush said it `` continues subsidies for the wealthy and increases farm bill spending by more than $ 20 billion , while using budget gimmicks to hide much of the increase . '' the president said it would hurt efforts to improve american farmers ' access to overseas markets . congress has passed one other bill over bush 's objections : legislation for a $ 23 billion water project that the president vetoed in 2007 . cnn capitol hill producer deirdre walsh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- congress enacted a $ 300 billion farm bill thursday over president bush 's objections , but questions remain about whether a clerical error will keep the bill from going into effect . congress voted to override president bush 's veto of a $ 300 billion farm bill . the senate voted 82-13 to override the president 's veto of the bill thursday , a day after the house voted 316-108 to override the veto . both override votes exceeded the two-thirds majority required by the constitution . a portion of the bill , however , remains in legal limbo . before the house override vote wednesday night , lawmakers discovered that the version sent to the white house last week was missing a part . the discovery raises questions about whether that section of the bill , which dealt with authorized trade and food aid , would become law . the discovery of the missing section , `` title iii , '' prompted concerns from house republicans that the override vote was improper . democrats said the matter stemmed from a clerical error . but republicans pounced on the `` fiasco , '' which they said would require a temporary extension of the current farm bill . `` what 's happened here raises serious constitutional questions -- very serious , '' said minority leader john boehner , r-ohio . `` i do n't see how we can proceed with the override as it occurred . '' however , house speaker nancy pelosi said thursday that the override votes in both chambers of congress would allow the sections of the bill that were sent to the president to become law . `` so , the farm bill minus title iii would be enacted '' after the override votes , pelosi said . `` but i 'm optimistic that we will be able to get title iii as well , either on its own or by sending the full bill again . '' `` obviously , we want the complete bill . but ... we have obviously consulted with those who are expert on the constitution and congressional action and presidential signatures , vetoes and overrides . '' in order to start the process of title iii to become law , the house passed the entire farm bill again thursday by a vote of 306-110 . it is unclear what the senate will do . it could pass the entire bill again , as the house did , or it could pass the portion not sent to the president as a free-standing bill . two-thirds of the $ 300 billion in spending for the farm bill would go for nutrition programs such as food stamps . another $ 40 billion would go toward farm subsidies , and $ 30 billion is allocated for payments to farms to keep land idle and other environmental programs . after vetoing the farm bill , bush said it `` continues subsidies for the wealthy and increases farm-bill spending by more than $ 20 billion , while using budget gimmicks to hide much of the increase . '' the president said it would hurt efforts to improve american farmers ' access to overseas markets . congress has passed one bill over bush 's objections : a $ 23 billion water-project legislation that the president vetoed in 2007 . cnn 's deirdre walsh and ted barrett contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- congress voted to halt planned cuts in medicare payments to doctors tuesday , overriding president bush 's veto in a battle that pitted health insurers against physicians . president bush says he objects to the bill because it takes choices `` away from seniors to pay physicians . '' the new law stops a 10.6 percent cut in medicare payments to doctors , part of a scheduled cost-saving formula that went into effect july 1 . the money for the doctors will be taken from the government-subsidized medicare advantage program , which the bush administration strongly supports . bush spiked the bill tuesday , telling lawmakers they would be `` taking choices away from seniors to pay physicians . '' `` i urge the congress to send me a bill that reduces the growth in medicare spending , increases competition and efficiency , implements principles of value-driven health care and appropriately offsets increases in physician spending , '' he said in his veto message . the senate voted 70-26 to enact the law over bush 's objections , the third time in his presidency that congress has overridden his veto . the margin in the house of representatives was a lopsided 383-41 , well beyond the two-thirds majority needed .<doc-sep>new albany , indiana -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush vetoed a $ 600 billion spending bill tuesday , accusing democratic leaders of wasting money and plotting tax increases , then took his budget fight with congress on the road . congress should cut spending `` and send me a responsible measure that i can sign into law , '' president bush said . `` the majority was elected on a pledge of fiscal responsibility , but so far , it 's acting like a teenager with a new credit card , '' he said in a speech in new albany , indiana . the bill -- which bush said was laden with $ 10 billion in `` pork '' -- would have funded the departments of labor , education , and health and human services . it also would have funded projects such as a prison museum , a sailing school and a program to teach portuguese . `` congress needs to cut out that pork , reduce the spending and send me a responsible measure that i can sign into law , '' the president said . watch a report on the veto '' while polls show bush 's popularity remains at near-record lows , congress ranks even lower as a whole . the president has taken numerous opportunities to mock the spending habits of the democratic leadership and force confrontations over the appropriations bills needed to fund the government for the 2008 budget year , which began october 1 . the bill bush vetoed tuesday includes about $ 150 billion to run those departments and more than $ 450 billion in mandatory spending on medicare and medicaid , the federal health care programs for the elderly and poor , according to the house appropriations committee . the committee 's chairman , rep. david obey , called bush 's veto `` not responsible and not credible . '' `` this is a bipartisan bill supported by over 50 republicans , '' obey , d-wisconsin , said in a statement issued after the veto . `` there has been virtually no criticism of its contents . it is clear the only reason the president vetoed this bill is pure politics . '' bush said democrats are supporting $ 22 billion in additional spending beyond his budget proposals this year and $ 205 billion over five years -- money he said would ultimately be raised by tax increases . `` when the bill for all that spending comes due , congress is going to turn to the working people , to the small-business owners and the entrepreneurs , '' he said .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush vetoed an expansion of the federally funded , state-run health insurance program for poor children for a second time wednesday , telling congress the bill `` moves our country 's health care system in the wrong direction . '' in his veto message , president bush calls on congress to extend funding for the current program . in his veto message , bush said the bill is almost a duplicate of the proposal he spiked in october . `` because the congress has chosen to send me an essentially identical bill that has the same problems as the flawed bill i previously vetoed , i must veto this legislation , too , '' he said in a statement released by the white house . the bill would have expanded the state children 's health insurance program by nearly $ 35 billion over five years , the same as the measure bush vetoed october 3 . track recent and historical presidential vetoes '' the president had proposed adding $ 5 billion to the program and said the version he vetoed would have encouraged families to leave the private insurance market for the federally funded , state-run program . democratic leaders said the new version addressed republican objections by tightening restrictions on illegal immigrants receiving schip benefits , capping the income levels of families that qualify for the program and preventing adults from receiving benefits . though the measure had strong bipartisan support , it fell short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a presidential veto in the house and senate . house minority leader john boehner , r-ohio , said democrats were more interested in scoring political points with the veto than in reaching a compromise with republicans . `` we could have resolved the differences in his program in 10 minutes , if the majority had wanted to resolve the differences , '' boehner said . `` this has become a partisan political game . '' the program currently covers about 6 million children whose parents earn too much to qualify for medicaid -- the federal health insurance program for the poor -- but who ca n't afford private insurance . democrats wanted to extend the program to another 4 million , paying for it with a 61-cent-per-pack increase in the federal tax on cigarettes . `` what a sad day that the president would say that rather than insuring -lsb- millions of -rsb- children , ' i do n't want to raise the cigarette tax , ' '' said house speaker nancy pelosi . she called for a january 23 vote on whether to override the veto . meanwhile , bush called on congress to extend funding for the current program to keep the 6 million now covered on the rolls . e-mail to a friend . | <t> new : senate votes 80-14 to approve measure over bush 's objections . </t> <t> president bush vetoed $ 300 billion farm bill for second time . </t> <t> bush says bill is too generous to wealthy farmers . </t> <t> version originally sent to white house had 34 pages missing . </t> | congress passes farm bill over bush veto<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an alabama man whose wife died during a honeymoon scuba diving trip off the coast of australia almost five years ago has been charged in her death . tina watson , background right , lies motionless after she drowned in 2003 while diving in the great barrier reef . an australian coroner ruled friday that there was enough evidence to put gabe watson on trial for the death of tina watson , who was 26 when she drowned in october 2003 while diving around a historic shipwreck in australia 's great barrier reef . watson , 31 , told police that his new bride appeared to panic 45 feet underwater and that he `` looked into her eyes and saw her eyes were wide open , but there was no response , '' townsville coroner david glascow said in his inquest findings . glascow , however , cited what he said were inconsistencies in watson 's statements to investigators . the coroner said he was `` unable to conclude that tina 's death was an accidental drowning . '' watch tina watson 's family demand justice '' the couple married just 11 days earlier in birmingham , alabama . they left their home in hoover , alabama , for their australian honeymoon two days later , the coroner said . as possible evidence for the husband 's motive , glascow pointed to a statement by the woman 's father that watson asked her to maximize her life insurance and make him the beneficiary shortly before the wedding . the insurance company confirmed that gabe watson inquired about her life insurance policy after her death , the coroner said . the coroner noted that watson , through his lawyers , contended that police had made a judgment that he killed his wife before they began their investigation and that they tailored their investigation to fit their theory . glascow said he saw no evidence of police rushing to judgment . `` it appears certain that at some point in time , investigators considered some of gabe 's explanations lacked credibility , and it further appears to me that investigators gave gabe the opportunity to clarify matters which may have caused concern , '' the coroner said . the husband was an experienced diver , and his new wife was considered a novice , the coroner said . they were diving on the yongala shipwreck about 42 miles off the coast of townsville in the state of queensland , australia .<doc-sep>scuba expert derek youd has the ultimate dive buddy perched on his shoulder . he is yoyo , the macaroni penguin , and whenever there 's a diver about , he is more than happy to coach them in advanced underwater skills . yoyo is one of 70 penguins at the living coasts zoo and aquarium in torquay , devon , where qualified scuba divers can enjoy a ` diving with penguins ' experience .<doc-sep>braving sub-zero conditions and eerie light , two scuba divers explore a mysterious but extraordinary underwater world beneath layers of ice . these fascinating pictures taken by photographer franco banfi reveal what lies beneath the iced surface of the white sea on russia 's north-west coast . temperatures in these waters can be as low as -2 c , but that did n't faze mr banfi , who went underwater to shoot his scuba diving colleague alexander . eerie : temperatures in these waters can be as low as -2 c , but this did n't faze franco banfi , who went underwater to shoot his scuba diving colleague alexander . green : they dived 32ft and witnessed the amazing colours beneath the ice , which are created from humus - a major component in the organic matter of soil . extraordinary : the huge boulder-like blocks of ice that were photographed are the result of divers smashing the ice 's surface so they can enter the sea . method : mr banfi said that ice holes have to be cut into the surface ` but , due to the low temperatures , they must be dug again before every dive ' they dived 32ft and witnessed the amazing colours beneath the ice , which are created from humus - a major component in the organic matter of soil . the huge boulder-like blocks of ice are the result of divers smashing the ice 's surface so they can enter the sea . while the diver and mr banfi were underwater they were attached by a rope to another colleague who waited on land , ready to assist if needed . mr banfi , 54 , who lives in southern switzerland , said : ` reaching the underwater side is an experience itself . ` ice holes have to be cut into the surface but , due to the low temperatures , they must be dug again before every dive . precautions : while the diver and mr banfi were underwater they were attached by a rope to another colleague who waited on land , ready to assist if needed . impressive scenes : mr banfi , 54 , who lives in southern switzerland , said that ` reaching the underwater side is an experience itself ' underwater : these fascinating pictures taken by photographer mr banfi reveal what lies beneath the iced surface of the white sea , on russia 's north-west coast . ` the ice holes , also known as mainas , are the portals between the white frozen land and the mysterious , dark marine environment . ` with the right equipment it was ok in the freezing water , but after about 30 minutes i started to feel the cold in my hands . ` the colour underwater depends on the amount of humus in the water . walking underwater is an exercise of buoyancy . ` for safety reasons , a rope connects each diver with someone who stays by the mouth of the hole , withstanding the adverse weather conditions . ' mr banfi , who is also a travel guide , added : ` i 've been to the white sea many times , but every time i go back it provides a new and incredible experience . '<doc-sep>a british diver has set a new world record for the longest warm water scuba dive by spending more than two days underwater . sean mcgahern , 38 , managed to eat , drink and sleep during his 49 hours and 56 minutes at the bottom of the mediterranean in malta . he remained submerged despite enduring strong winds , currents , surge and one metre waves to complete his impressive feat . sean , originally from brighton , east sussex , kept himself busy by cleaning up the debris that had accumulated on the bottom of the seabed at st george 's bay . record breaker : british diver sean mcgahern , 38 , has broken the world record for the longest warm water scuba dive , staying below the surface of the sea off malta for 50 hours . support : sean gets a kiss from his fiance mikaela papagiorcopulo during his record breaking dive .<doc-sep>the best friend of a newlywed who drowned on her honeymoon said the woman 's husband used her funeral to show pictures of his late wife standing next to a ` caution : drowning ' sign . gabe watson , 34 , is suspected of killing his wife tina during a scuba diving trip nine years ago in australia after he turned off her air supply , the prosecution claimed . he is facing a life sentence without parole . amanda phillips , who was tina 's maid-of-honour at the wedding , told the court in alabama today that she had initially been convinced that her friend 's death , 11 days after she married , was a tragic accident . scroll down for video . happiness : gabe and tina watson on their wedding day in 2003 - 11 days before mrs watson drowned during a honeymoon diving trip . ms phillips struggled to contain her emotions as she spoke of first hearing of her friend 's death . according to abc , she told the court that she had initially believed gabe watson 's version of events . she said : ` he -lsb- gabe watson -rsb- says he made a split decision to leave her . he thought it was better to get help . ' following the funeral , ms phillips said her suspicions were raised by watson 's actions . at his home after the service , he showed pictures of his late wife next to a sign which read ` caution : drowning ' . ms phillips added that she may have seen other photographs of the holiday but that these were what she remembered . loss of a friend : amanda phillips cries on the stand today as she describes being told that her best friend tina watson had drowned . the defence claims mrs watson panicked during the dive and knocked off . her husband 's mask and air supply , forcing him to surface for help . because the current had carried her away from him . evidence showed watson was certified as a rescue diver in 1999 , about . four years before his wife drowned in october 2003 . she was a novice . diver , the court heard . the newlyweds were . in australia on their honeymoon and were on the first day of a week . long diving trip off the coast of queensland when she died . watson . told police ` five to seven minutes ' into their dive over the ss yongala . shipwreck they struggled against a strong current . he said tina watson got into difficulty and at one point banged his mask and air regulator . he said he thought he kicked his wife with his fin to get some space from her and she floated away from him . last week a doctor told the court he was convinced watson was trying to save his wife when she became distressed . underwater . according to dr stanley stutz , an . emergency room physician from chicago , illinois , watson had wrapped his arms around his wife tina moments . before she sank to the ocean 's bottom . but prosecutors contend dr stutz witnessed the woman 's murder on the . great barrier reef . waiting game : gabe watson , right , along with his new wife kim , left , sit in the courtroom of the mel bailey criminal justice center during a break in his capital murder trial in birmingham , alabama last week . the words of ms phillips came at the beginning of day five of the murder trial . the . prosecution alleges that watson plotted his wife 's death to collect . $ 130,000 in an insurance payout . watson served 18 months in prison in australia after pleading guilty to a . manslaughter charge in his wife 's death . the charge involved . negligence , not premeditated murder like the alabama charge . watson said he swam down to get his new wife but decided against chasing her to the seabed and instead headed for the surface . ' i remember shouting through my regulator '' tina , tina , tina '' , ' watson told police at the time . beautiful bride : tina watson drowned in 2003 after becoming distressed during a scuba diving trip . gabe watson is standing trial for her murder at an alabama court . the jury of eight women and six men also looked at a haunting underwater photo taken by another diver of the death scene . it showed tina sprawled in deep water as watson swam to the surface . prosecutors appeared to attempt to cast doubt on watson 's version of what happened . they believe watson turned off his wife 's air supply while both were underwater and held her in a bear-hug until she lost consciousness - before turning the air back on and letting her sink . horrific death : tina watson is seen lying on the bottom of the sea in this chilling photo as a rescuer rushes to save her in october 2003 - this photo was shown in court . support : gabe watson , centre , and his new wife kim , second left , pictured last week at his trial in alabama where he is accused of murdering his first wife tina . | <t> gabe watson has been charged with 2003 death of his wife during honeymoon . </t> <t> tina watson died while scuba diving in australia 's great barrier reef . </t> <t> coroner unable to conclude that watson 's death was accidental . </t> | scuba diver charged in wife 's underwater death<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the supreme court ruled wednesday morning that child rapists can not be given the death penalty , effectively reserving the punishment only for murderers . cnn 's jeffrey toobin said the court 's ruling falls in line with other decisions on the death penalty . the 5-4 decision stems from a louisiana case in which patrick kennedy , 43 , was sentenced to die in 2003 for the sexual assault of his 8-year-old stepdaughter . proponents of louisiana 's law , which allowed child rapists to be eligible for the death penalty , say that besides murder , no crime is more deserving of the death penalty than child rape . kennedy would have been the first rapist in 44 years to be executed for a crime in which the victim was not killed . in the majority opinion , justice anthony kennedy said `` evolving standards of decency '' forbid capital punishment for any crime other than murder . cnn 's senior legal analyst , jeffrey toobin , spoke with cnn 's heidi collins outside the supreme court about the impact of the ruling . collins : this is a huge decision here . what do you make of it ? toobin : it was just high drama in the court today . it 's always dramatic at the end of the supreme court term . here it was literally life and death , one of the big open questions in constitutional law about the death penalty : can you execute someone for a crime other than murder ? anthony kennedy , the swing vote on so many cases , decided this case , it was 5-4 . ... he did n't diminish the seriousness of the crime , but he said the risks of expanding the death penalty are simply too great . he pointed out that there are more than 5,000 child rapes every year in the united states . all of them would raise the possibility of the death penalty . there are only a handful of states -- i think it was six -- that allow the death penalty for child rape . forty-four states and the federal government say no . he said there is a national consensus that this is not an appropriate punishment . so , this really rules out not just the death penalty for child rape , but any crime other than murder . so it 's a major , major decision . see more about the reach of the decision ''<doc-sep>collins : a national consensus except those six states . it 's interesting when you look at the court of public opinion . how do you think this decision is going to go down in public ? toobin : well , i think it 's a tough call because support for the death penalty nationwide in the past 10 years has actually been going down . but child rape is such a horrendous crime and all of us have such a natural revulsion towards it that you 're never going to get a lot of support for any sort of reduction in sentence . but i think , given the fact that this is a supreme court that said no death penalty for murderers under 18 , no death penalty for the mentally retarded , this decision is consistent with a certain restriction on the death penalty , which is reflected in the court but also in a kind of national change that 's going on . collins : and in sean callebs ' piece that we had , i do n't know if you heard it . toobin : i saw it , yeah . collins : one woman , who actually brought up a very interesting point , when you think about all of this and when you think about the child , the victim , she said , you know , if they know they 're going to die for this crime , why would they leave a living witness ? toobin : justice kennedy made precisely that point in the opinion . he said , allowing the death penalty here would create a perverse incentive for child rapists to murder their victims . he also pointed out what a difficult moral choice it would put child victims in testifying , giving children literally the power of life and death in their testimony over their attackers . that is something that he wanted to relieve children of -- that burden . collins : will they always have to testify ? toobin : yeah , pretty much . there have been rare examples ... if a child , for example , is simply too young to testify . there are horrible cases of rapes of babies and things like that . but by and large there has to be some sort of testimony from a child . it can be in a noncourtroom setting . it can be sort of in a deposition , not in front of the jury . but you do have to have the child testify . collins : it 's just such a tough decision all around . 5-4 on that one , very interesting .<doc-sep>`` the nature of the conduct at issue and the resultant harm compel this decision , '' u.s. attorney general eric holder said in a statement released by the justice department thursday announcing that prosecutors would pursue the death penalty in the case . death penalty in the united states gradually declining . after holder made his decision , prosecutors filed a notice listing factors that they argue justify a death sentence in the case . among them : the attack killed multiple people , involved substantial planning and premeditation and involved betrayal of the united states , prosecutors said . dzhokhar tsarnaev is charged with 30 federal counts stemming from the attack . he has pleaded not guilty to all charges . the decision announced thursday is no surprise , cnn senior legal analyst jeffrey toobin said . `` this is a case , that , if you believe in the death penalty , seems to cry out for the death penalty , even though the defendant is only 19 years old , and potentially the junior partner to his late brother , '' toobin said . but that does n't mean it 's an open-and-shut case . `` one of the most interesting , difficult , strategic decisions the defense faces , '' toobin said , is whether to push for a change of venue for the trial . `` boston was obviously deeply traumatized by this incident . and the jury pool is boston , if the case remains where it is . but boston is also probably the most liberal city in the country . death penalty opposition there is higher than anywhere else , '' toobin said . `` so does the defense go somewhere else , where people do n't have the immediate association with the crime ? or do they go somewhere that might not oppose the death penalty in the same numbers ? '' massachusetts abolished the death penalty three decades ago , but prosecutors can seek the death penalty against tsarnaev because federal law allows for the penalty in certain circumstances .<doc-sep>3 . gun control returns to the agenda . the congress -lrb- and probably some states -rrb- will wrestle with the question of gun control , an issue that had largely fallen off the national agenda before the massacre in newtown . expect many invocations -lrb- some accurate , some not -rrb- of the second amendment . 4 . the continued decline of the death penalty . death sentences and executions continue to decline , and this trend will continue . fear of mistaken executions -lrb- largely caused by dna exonerations -rrb- and the huge cost of the death penalty process will both accelerate the shift . 5 . celebrity sex scandal . there will be one . there will be outrage , shock and amusement . -lrb- celebrity to be identified later . -rrb- . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of jeffrey toobin .<doc-sep>marc fucarile , who lost a leg in the bombing , told wcvb he has no doubt about where he stands . `` i prefer the death penalty , because i prefer that people know that if you terrorize our country , you 're going to be put to death , '' he said last year . `` and i strongly believe that 's how it should be . '' 10 . tsarnaev 's lawyer tried to get the case moved out of boston . the judge said no . so did a federal appeals court . clarke argued that tsarnaev could n't get a fair trial there . federal prosecutors argued that changing the location of the trial would deny victims a chance to see justice carried out . experts are split on how the location could influence whether tsarnaev is sentenced to death . on the one hand , boston is a liberal city where opposition to the death penalty is widespread , cnn senior legal analyst jeffrey toobin said . on the other hand , because it 's a federal case , the jury will be drawn from a broader pool that could include more conservative suburban or rural residents who are more inclined to support executions , new york lawyer ronald tabak , a leading expert on capital cases , told cnn last year . in a 2013 boston globe poll , 57 % of boston respondents supported a life sentence for tsarnaev . thirty-three percent favored the death penalty . 11 . it 's unknown whether tsarnaev will testify . at a hearing last month , he appeared in court , telling a judge that he was satisfied with his defense lawyers . 12 . bombing survivors might . they told the boston globe that they 're prepared to take the stand . 13 . even if tsarnaev is found guilty , that 's not the end of the trial . since tsarnaev 's trial is a capital case , there will be a separate court proceeding on whether he should get the death penalty if the federal jury finds him guilty . that phase , toobin says , would be like a `` small , separate mini trial . '' cnn 's michael martinez , deborah feyerick , sunlen serfaty , ann o'neill , kristina sgueglia , ronni berke and evan perez contributed to this report .<doc-sep>in a perfect world of course , there would be no serious predatory crime , and thus no need nor call to respond to it . we would n't have murder , attempted mass murder , or the sexual abuse of children . but alas , that world seems all too remote today . assuming we continue to have murder and other serious crime which kills or maims innocents , what should we do about it ? most of us believe that rarely , but sometimes , callous , depraved , vicious predators do deserve to die . opinion : death penalty is unchristian . and we feel certain that justice requires they get what they deserve . related : blecker joins cnn 's google hangout to answer your death penalty questions . but not all convicted murderers deserve to die . we must fundamentally commit ourselves to ensure that those who do n't deserve to die -- either because they did not really commit murder , or because they are not the worst of the worst of the worst -- will not be executed . we should construct our punishments more nearly to fit their crimes -- neither much more nor much less than what they deserve . 1 . let 's have better definitions for who should die . i 've spent decades visiting prisons and interviewing convicted killers and corrections officers . i 'm convinced that states with the death penalty can and should morally refine their statutes . my crime and punishment memoir , `` the death of punishment , '' details many changes and suggests a model death penalty statute , reserved for especially heinous , atrocious and cruel killers . this includes not only sadistic serial murderers -- those who relish torturing their vulnerable victims , especially condemned for their cowardice -- but also cold , cruel , callous killers who may not intend to kill , but simply do n't give a damn . in short , mass murderers , terrorists , sadistic serial killers , contract killers or other paid assassins deserve to die . once we more consistently condemn the attitude of those who act with a depraved indifference , we will also punish more severely `` red collar killers '' -- callous corporate executives who calculatedly cause the deaths of unsuspecting employees or consumers -- for the serious crimes they commit , albeit from the best of motives : the profit motive . in a more perfect world , we 'd shed double standards and embrace more nearly a uniform metric of justice . at the same time that we punish more , we should punish less . remove many other standard -- aggravating circumstances which make a person eligible for execution in states that allow the death penalty . robbery , burglary other than home invasion and drugs should not elevate murder into capital felony murder . if we drop economic crimes such as robbery and drugs as aggravating circumstances , racial disparity will drop significantly . rape still qualifies as torture , however , and all other things equal , rapist murderers do deserve to die . in short , we can -- and should -- define the worst of our worst more clearly and punish them more nearly as they deserve . 2 . let 's be more certain that they are guilty . western culture has essentially committed us to a presumption of life , of innocence and we have long required special proof of guilt before we punish with death . `` super due process '' requires vigorous defense counsel challenging the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to a unanimous jury . death -lrb- or life without parole -rrb- as society 's ultimate punishment demands even more , however . a jury should not only be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the condemned did it , but also that they deserve their punishment . in the separate penalty phase of a trial , where the question is not guilt or innocence , but life or death as punishment , a jury should be left with no lingering doubt -- no real doubt , however irrational -- about the convicted killer 's guilt . even this should not be enough to condemn a vicious predator to die . a nearly unanimous jury should be convinced with no `` lingering or residual doubt '' that the convicted murderer did it , and to `` a moral certainty '' that he or she deserves to die for it . no state has adopted this higher , special burden of persuasion , but they should . 3 . let 's choose a better execution method . lethal injection -- which grabs headlines these days -- never was and never will be a good execution method . the execution scene i witnessed resembled final goodbyes at a hospital or hospice for the terminally ill . the dying person lies on a gurney , wrapped in white sheets , an iv attached , surrounded by medical technicians with loved ones in attendance . we should oppose lethal injection , not because it might cause pain , but because it certainly causes confusion , wantonly merging punishment and treatment . the firing squad seems to me the best of traditional methods , but a state might give a member of the victim 's family a choice among available constitutional options . in any case , when we do punish we should be clear and make it clear that we are punishing . we should reconnect the punishment to the crime . before -lrb- or after -rrb- the condemned makes a final statement , the victim 's family or friends may display a brief audiovisual memorial of the victim 's life . we should make punishment honest and overt . 4 . let 's take a hard look at inmates ' prison lifestyle . most vicious killers a jury condemns to die will never be executed . and even those we do kill , will live out much of their lives on death row . for the worst of the worst whom we have condemned , daily life on death row should be their punishment . their conditions should be no better than what corrections reserve for lesser criminals who commit additional offenses inside prison and are additionally punished with punitive or administrative segregation . it 's obscene today that sometimes our condemned killers inside prison live better than our working innocent poor in society . specifically , within constitutional bounds , those we condemned to die or live a life in prison with no chance of parole -- the worst of the worst -- should be allowed only the minimum constitutionally mandated exercise , phone calls , or physical contact . they should not be permitted any communal form of recreation or play . for the rest of their lives , their food should be nutraloaf , nutritionally complete and tasteless . photographs of their victims should be posted in their cells , out of reach , in visibly conspicuous places . prison administration should make every effort to connect punishment to crime . departments of corrections should administer prisons to protect the public , protect staff , and provide humane supervision of prisoners with opportunities and programs that meaningfully support successful community reintegration for the vast majority of offenders sentenced to a term of years or life with a possibility of parole . we must recognize that economic circumstances drive people to commit crimes . in a more perfect world we would stop punishing drug dealers as if they were murderers . we should allow and encourage lesser criminals to pay for the crimes and give them real opportunities to start fresh . but for those prisoners sentenced to death or life without parole , corrections should administer punishment : an unpleasant , restrictive daily regimen designed to continually convey society 's intense disapproval of the crime and the criminal . 5 . and when mistakes are made ? during the penalty phase of a capital trial , skilled defense attorneys should attempt effectively to humanize even guilty defendants . anyone , including friends or family , may recount the convicted murderer 's good deeds or emphasize the killer 's own traumatic suffering or abuse as a child . but recognizing that even murderers remain human beings , defense attorneys should not discourage their clients from taking responsibility , nor use the defendants to promote their own abolitionist agenda . prosecuting attorneys , in their turn , may call surviving friends or family to humanize the victim and testify to their own sense of loss . the u.s. supreme court has ruled that survivors must express no opinion on the killer 's proper sentence . regardless of how survivors feel , however , the victim 's opinion of the killer 's fate should count . thus , a reliable living will or declaration of life should be admissible in the penalty phase . as long as evidence clearly supports it as authentic , the jury should hear that the victim would have opposed -- or supported -- the death penalty -lrb- or life without parole -rrb- for the killer and give that fact such weight as they think it deserves . in the unusual but real case where we later discover an innocent person has been condemned to die or imprisoned for life without parole , the state shall not only release that victim , but also pay substantial reparations to the wrongly condemned or surviving family , regardless of whether any public official intentionally or recklessly miscarried justice . and should an investigation clearly establish that prosecutors or police ever intentionally and unlawfully suppressed evidence of innocence while capitally prosecuting , they should themselves be prosecuted for attempted murder . if they recklessly caused the death or loss of liberty of the innocent , they should be prosecuted and punished for depraved indifference reckless endangerment . again , there would be no vicious predators in a more perfect world , nor would innocents ever be convicted . however , in this world , we can -- and must -- do more to ensure that the punishments more nearly and reliably fit the crimes . | <t> toobin : ruling falls in line with recent court decisions on death penalty . </t> <t> justice kennedy , in decision , said it would not be fair to place burden on child victim . </t> <t> public support for executions down in recent years , toobin said . </t> | toobin : death penalty will be reserved for murderers<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- australia 's cricketers will pay tribute to jane mcgrath at their one-day international against west indies in st vincent on tuesday . jane mcgrath died on sunday at the age of 42 . the english-born wife of former australia fast bowler glenn mcgrath , died on sunday , aged 42 , after a long battle with cancer . the mcgraths had two children , james , who is eight , and holly six . the australian players will wear pink ribbons and batsmen will use pink grips on their bats .<doc-sep>the color pink represents the mcgrath foundation , an organization set up by the mcgraths to raise money for the fight against breast cancer . the mcgraths were recognized for their charity work this year when they were appointed as members of the order of australia . australia captain ricky ponting said : `` jane was a wonderful person who fought and maintained grace and dignity during her long-term illness . '' australian prime minister kevin rudd said : `` jane was an inspiration , whose legacy will continue to benefit so many others . '' former australia captain steve waugh , best man at the mcgrath 's 1999 wedding , said : `` courage is often associated with feats on a sport field but the true meaning of it lies elsewhere and someone like jane best exemplifies that . ''<doc-sep>australia and india players alike embraced the ` pink test ' on thursday - an annual event when cricketers celebrate the life of glenn mcgrath 's late wife . jane mcgrath died of breast cancer in 2008 and her husband , an australian cricket legend , has celebrated her life on an annual basis since by wearing pink and encouraging his fellow professionals to sport the bright colour as well . spectators at the sydney cricket ground also wore pink during the third day of the fourth test between australia and india , with mcgrath wearing a pink jacket . video scroll down to watch scg transformed in pink for glenn mcgrath foundation ` pink test ' glenn mcgrath -lrb- left -rrb- , dressed in pink , shakes hands with australia captain steve smith during ` pink test ' day at the scg . brett lee -lrb- left -rrb- , injured australia captain michael clarke -lrb- centre -rrb- and shane warne also embraced the mcgrath foundation 's day . warne -lrb- right -rrb- wore a pink akubra hat and lee carried an umbrella across the field as the players commemorated jane mcgrath . tourists india also embraced ` pink test ' day , with mcgrath -lrb- right -rrb- shaking the hands of each of the players before the third day 's play . a huge flag showing a picture of jane mcgrath , who died of breast cancer in 2008 , was displayed in the stands at the scg . india 's virat kohli -lrb- left -rrb- shakes hands with mcgrath before the beginning of the third day of the fourth test in sydney . mcgrath , wearing a pink suit jacket and stetson , drove across the field on a segway before the day 's play . shane warne and brett lee also wore pink suits - with the former even donning a pink akubra - a traditional felt outback hat - as the pair walked across the pitch . injured aussie skipper michael clarke was also present , wearing a pink tie . former aussie fast bowler lee even tweeted : ` watch the cricket today @wwos9 . very special day for all aussies @glennmcgrath11 @mcgrathfdn . wait to you see what i 'm wearing #pinktest . ' a huge flag was also displayed in the crowd - and a banner commemorating the life of jane mcgrath was on show . in a poignant moment , the ladies ' stand at the scg was renamed the jane mcgrath stand on wednesday . the mcgrath foundation , which was set up a decade ago , has already raised more than 6.5 million australian dollars -lrb- # 3.5 m -rrb- - and the country 's government have also announced they will donate another 2.5 million australia dollars -lrb- # 1.35 m -rrb- to the cause . the charity funds breast-care nurses so that they can offer their services to patients around australia . -lrb- from left -rrb- clarke , mark nicholas , michael slater , warne , mcgrath and lee pose on the pitch in their pink suits and ties . lee tweeted before the day 's play encouraging australians to tune in and celebrate the ` pink test ' with them . australia players walk out on to the field and are welcomed by worked and volunteers of the mcgrath foundation . the ladies ' stand at the scg was renamed the jane mcgrath stand during the third day 's play at the scg . warne -lrb- left -rrb- , mcgrath -lrb- centre -rrb- and clarke pose for a photograph at the scg on thursday . mcgrath -lrb- left -rrb- shakes hands with nathan lyon as the rest of the australian players follow the spinner on to the field . more than 100 nurses have already been funded through the foundation . india resumed day three at the scg on 71 for one in their first innings , still some 501 runs short of australia . centuries from steve smith and david warner helped to give the hosts a commanding first-innings score of 572 for seven declared . furthermore , australia already hold an unassailable 2-0 series lead after winning the first two tests and a draw in melbourne . mcgrath -lrb- left -rrb- shakes hands with chris rogers -lrb- centre -rrb- as the other australia players take to the field at the scg . a female spectator at the scg wears a pink hat and unusual sunglasses to commemorate ` pink test ' day at the scg .<doc-sep>the wife of australian cricket legend michael bevan has told of the moment jane mcgrath found her breast cancer lump . tracy bevan - who was ms mcgrath 's best friend - said the late wife of former cricketer glenn mcgrath came to her hotel room one night , saying she had a found a lump in her breast . ms bevan and ms mcgrath were in england while their husbands were playing in the ashes series . jane mcgrath -lrb- pictured left in 2008 -rrb- - the late wife of glenn mcgrath -lrb- right -rrb- - died of cancer in 2008 . ` jane knocked on my door and she had a towel wrapped around her and said glenn asked to get your opinion on this lump . does it look a funny shape to you ? ' ms bevan told 9 stories . ` then she took my hand and placed it over her breast and i felt it straight away . '' the lump was a cause for alarm because at the age of 31 , the mother-of-two underwent a mastectomy and an aggressive round of chemotherapy . but even with this treatment , the cancer made a return in 2003 . tracy bevan -lrb- left -rrb- - the wife of cricketing legend michael bevan -lrb- right -rrb- - said ms mcgrath came to her hotel room in england looking for advice after finding a breast lump . the mcgrath foundation in 2002 after ms mcgrath found the support of breast nurses a real help to her during her illness . ms mcgrath had to go through treatment again but this time she had the help of her ` guardian angel ' - a breast cancer care nurse . ms bevan said ms mcgrath did not want to burden her husband or her friend with her concerns about cancer . instead she offloaded her fears , concerns and fears on the nurse . ` jane said to me : `` i ca n't tell you the difference it has made to my life and i want this for every australian family going through breast cancer '' , ' ms bevan said . to give other people who had breast cancer the same relief she had experienced , ms mcgrath established the mcgrath foundation in 2002 with her husband . it aimed to bring the comfort and support of a breast care nurse to those who battled the disease , regardless of where they were located or their socio-economic background . ms bevan said ms mcgrath sympathised with breast cancer patients in regional areas who had to leave their homes and families to get the treatment they needed away from their support networks . the mother-of-two 's -lrb- pictured here with glenn and their children holly and james in 2007 -rrb- cancer returned a second time in 2003 after her breast cancer spread . despite the cancer making its way to her bones and then her brain , ms mcgrath pushed on with campaigning for more funds from supporters and levels of government . leading up to her death , ms bevan and ms mcgrath said they looked back on their times as cricketers ' wives and what they had achieved through the foundation . ms bevan is an ambassador and director of the mcgrath foundation . ` she was extremely proud . she never spoke about dying . she would just say : `` promise me that we will always be at the mcgrath foundation together and keep making a difference '' , ' she said . ms mcgrath died in 2008 when funding could send out six breast care nurses . but now the foundation provides help and support to more than 25,000 families with 100 nurses . ms bevan said her friend would have been ` extremely proud ' of their achievements . ' i miss her every single day . but i feel privileged to be able to continue what we started doing in the very beginning , ' she said .<doc-sep>australians are forking out hundreds of dollars on unnecessary credit card interest with the big four banks when they could be getting a better deal by using any of 20 other cards on the market . anz , cba , nab and westpac still charge around 20 per cent interest on credit cards but consumers can reduce their purchase interest rate by more than 10 per cent by ditching their products , a review of credit cards by consumer advocacy group choice claims . people sign up for credit cards with the big four because they ` automatically think they will get the best deal ' , choice spokesman tom godfrey told daily mail australia . according to the rba , in august 2014 the average high rate credit card charges 19.75 per cent , while the best rate on offer is 8.99 per cent through community first mcgrath pink visa and low rate visa . scroll down for video . consumers can reduce their purchase interest rate by more than 10 per cent by ditching credit cards supplied by the big four banks anz , cba , nab and westpac . victoria teachers mutual bank visa platinum , maritime , mining and power credit union visa and bank mecu then come in at 9.99 per cent , 10.12 and 10.14 respectively . for someone with a $ 2000 debt , paying off $ 50 a month with the average high rate credit card with a 19.75 per cent interest rate , it will take five years and six months and they will pay $ 1,289 in interest . however , they could save $ 903 on the same debt by switching to a credit card with an interest rate of 8.99 per cent - offered by credit union community first mcgrath pink visa and low rate visa . with this card - the number one in australia for low purchase interest - it will only take four years to pay off the same amount and they will only pay $ 386 in interest . the credit cards with the lowest purchase rates in australia are offered by credit unions . community first , mcgrath pink visa : 8.99 % . victoria teachers mutual bank : 9.99 % . maritime , mining & power credit union : 10.12 % .<doc-sep>` if we are going to get into a merit system based on longevity then we are in trouble . ' he told tmz . adding : ` the memoriam is not only to honour those who completed a full marathon . ' ` could save lives ' : emmy winner peter macnicol says that honouring the deceased glee star could dissuade youth from abusing drugs , pictured in west hollywood in 2009 . but fellow glee star jane lynch was a bit more fair and balanced in her estimation of the situation . the actress told tmz : ` obviously i 'm a big fan of jack klugman . i do n't choose these things . ` he was there in the beginning of television and he had a terrific career . and if i were his son , maybe i 'd be upset too . ' adding . of her scheduled appearance on the emmy 's to honour monteith : ` i 'm . really proud to be up there tonight and proud to tell people about him . ' sympathetic : fellow glee star jane lynch says she can empathise with adam klugman , pictured in los angeles earlier this month . close friends of the late actors will remember them during the tribute segment . edie falco will talk about gandolfini who played her mobster husband on the sopranos and jane lynch will pay tribute to her glee co-star monteith . rob reiner will honour stapleton , who played his mother-in-law edith bunker on all in the family , while mork and mindy star robin williams will pay homage to his mentor winters . family ties star michael j. fox will honour the show 's creator goldberg . the 65th primetime emmy awards will air on sunday on cbs . | <t> australia 's cricketers are to pay tribute to jane mcgrath . </t> <t> the 42-year-old wife of fast bowler glenn mcgrath , die on sunday . </t> <t> she had had a long battle with cancer . </t> <t> the players will wear pink ribbons , the color of the mcgrath foundation . </t> | australians pay tribute to jane mcgrath<T> |
kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepalese authorities thursday detained at least 650 tibetan exiles protesting against china 's policies in the province ahead of this weekend 's olympic torch relay in tibet , security officials in kathmandu said . a protester is grabbed by nepalese police during a demonstration in kathmandu . police also arrested and charged three local tibetan community leaders with organizing the protest , after seizing them from their homes thursday morning . it is the largest single-day round-up of tibetan protesters in nepal since the demonstrations broke out in march following china 's bloody crackdown on protesters in tibet . it is also the first time that nepalese authorities have charged any tibetan exiles in connection with the protests . nepalese police forcefully dragged some of the protesters to awaiting vans and drove them to police stations across the capital . tibetan exile groups said 900 protesters were detained thursday . authorities said the three arrested leaders -- two women and a man -- were responsible for the near-daily protests since march and will be held for 90 days under nepal 's public security act .<doc-sep>`` they have been arrested for damaging the diplomatic relations between nepal and china , '' said civilian security officer jaya mukunda khanal . the two women arrested and charged for organizing the protests were ngwang sangmo , president of tibetan women 's association , and tashi dolma , vice president of the association . also charged was kelsang chung , director of the tibetan reception center , which helps tibetan refugees in nepal emigrate to india , where the tibetan spiritual leader , the dalai lama , lives in exile . while they are the first tibetan exiles formally arrested , protesters have previously been detained and released hours later . the crackdown comes days before the olympic torch relay in tibet . the torch relay wrapped up in china 's xinjiang uygur autonomous region on wednesday , and will continue in tibet 's capital of lhasa on saturday , according to china 's olympic web site .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tibet 's exile government said the death toll from protests in the himalayan region over the past two weeks has reached about 140 , but chinese government restrictions have made it difficult confirm the number killed . people walk past burnt-out buildings in lhasa on 16 march , 2008 , after violent protests broke out . chinese authorities have issued a much lower death toll and said most of those killed were `` innocent '' ethnic han chinese targeted by rampaging tibetans . the tibetan exiles published a list of 40 tibetans they said are confirmed dead . meanwhile , tibetan exiles and monks protested for a second day outside of china 's embassy visa office in kathmandu , nepal on tuesday , resulting in 73 protesters arrested , nepalese police said . although police said they did not use force , protest organizers said as many as 12 people were hurt when police charged them with bamboo sticks . watch demonstrator in tears as monks arrested '' .<doc-sep>tibetan exiles say 99 of the protesters set themselves alight in ethnic tibetan areas inside china . another man died after setting himself on fire last march in the indian capital of new delhi . police official keshav adhikari said police and residents were able to put out the flames and rush the man to a hospital . dozens of police in riot gear surrounded the hospital where the man lay in critical condition . adhikari said the man had yet to be identified , but appeared to be about 21 years old . wednesday . marked the third and one of the most important days of the losar . festival , which is celebrated by the tibetan community . many tibetans in . nepal visit boudhanath for the event . prasant . tamang , a waiter at the golden eye cafe , said he found a gasoline . bottle , a jacket and a bag in the cafe 's bathroom . tamang said the man . appeared normal and calm . ` he looked like the hundreds of . tibetans who came to boudhanath today and i did not suspect he was going . to set himself on fire , ' tamang said . penpa . tsering , speaker of the tibetan exile parliament in india , said that . with china cracking down on self-immolations inside tibet , tibetans were . beginning to move their protests to other countries . ` it 's unfortunate , and each life is . precious , but regular modes of protest are taken away from tibetans , and . they are expressing their discontent in this extreme way , ' he said . horror scene : nepalese bystanders look at the area where a tibetan monk sets himself on fire . presence : dozens of police in riot gear surrounded the hospital where the man lay in critical condition . thousands of tibetan exiles live in nepal and occasionally protest against china . the . nepalese government has banned such demonstrations , saying it can not . allow any activities against friendly nations to take place in nepal . nepal also allows tibetans to pass . through nepal , traveling from their homeland to dharmasala , india , where . the dalai lama lives and the government in exile is based . communist troops occupied the himalayan region of tibet in 1951 . beijing says it has been part of china for centuries , but tibetans say it was independent for much of that time . the dalai lama fled the region in 1959 as chinese troops crushed protests against communist rule . emotion : a tibetan woman wipes her tears during a function organized at the tibetan monastery in boudhanath stupa to mark the third day of new year or losar celebration in kathmandu . reflection : exiled tibetan monks offer a prayer at the tibetan monastery . gathering : tibetans participate in a function organized at the tibetan monastery today .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepalese authorities in kathmandu seized ballot boxes sunday , disrupting elections for tibetans who were voting to elect a new prime minister and government in exile , officials said monday . `` the administration intervened in the so-called election because nepal 's foreign policy does not allow any activities against any friendly neighboring countries , '' nepal 's home ministry spokesman jaya mukunda khanal told cnn . tibet is officially an autonomous part of china . many tibetan leaders advocate what they describe as a more genuine autonomy , while others seek independence . china rejects tibetan claims of independence or greater autonomy and claims sovereignty over the area . an estimated 20,000 tibetan exiles live in nepal . nepal maintains that tibet is part of china , and does not allow any anti-chinese activities on its soil . khanal denied that there had been any instructions from the chinese government to foil the election .<doc-sep>human rights watch report published in april says nepal faces intense chinese pressure to limit the flow of tibetans crossing the border and restrictions have helped stem the number of those fleeing tibet . fewer than 200 tibetans arrived in 2013 , down from an annual average of 2,000 before 2008 . hundreds of refugees from tibet trek for days across treacherous himalayan mountain passes to reach nepal every year , and then cross into india where they are given political asylum . those captured by nepali police are usually promptly handed to the u.n. 's refugee agency unhcr . earlier this year , the u.n. human rights agency urged nepal to register tibetans , saying the lack of documentation put refugees at risk . dressed to impress : a tibetan girl gets help from her mother as she gets ready for a celebratory event - the national dress of tibet is the chuba , a long-sleeved loose coat worn by both men and women . ongoing battle : a tibetan child wearing a hat that reads free tibet - nepal ceased issuing refugee papers to tibetans in 1989 and now recognizes tibet to be a part of china . spiritual healing : smoke rises from a traditional incense box used while offering prayers . changing times : two-way ties between nepal and china have strengthened in recent years . shared resources : china has become a major donor of aid to , and trading partner of , its tiny neighbor , besides bringing major investments in infrastructure development , such as hospitals . | <t> nepalese authorities arrest at least 650 tibetan exiles over china protest . </t> <t> police forcefully dragged some of the protesters to awaiting vans . </t> <t> protestors voice opposition to china 's policies in tibet . </t> | hundreds of tibetan exiles arrested in nepal<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- luke russert , son of journalist tim russert , was part of a panel wednesday that discussed youth voting on cnn 's `` larry king live . '' luke russert says dinner table political discussions were part of his upbringing . besides the youth vote , russert discussed his father 's death , his upbringing and his own future in journalism and political commentary . tim russert , 58 , was the host of nbc 's `` meet the press '' and one of america 's leading political journalists . he died of a heart attack after collapsing at the network 's washington bureau on june 13 . the following is an edited version of the show 's transcript . watch video of the discussion '' larry king : how did you learn of your dad 's passing ? luke russert : i was in florence , and i was at an italian sports bar watching the italy versus romania game , and i got a call from my dad 's secretary that said he had fainted , and could i get in touch with my mother . luckily , i was right across the street from the hotel where my mom was . i ran up to her room and said , `` dad has fainted . '' and we kind of learned in increments of what exactly happened . so it was basically about a half-hour after first hearing that he fainted that we actually knew he collapsed and had a heart attack . and at first , i was upset that i was so far away and removed . and i really wanted to be there . but in reality , it was really a blessing to be an ocean away , because it allowed my mother and me to have some real private time to collect our thoughts , to grieve in private , and not be inundated with all the media coverage and all the phone calls .<doc-sep>so , you know , it was something that -- it was difficult , but to have that little cocoon , i think my mother and i really used it to our benefit . king : must have been a long flight back . russert : it was . it was a long nine-hour flight . but my mother has been so strong through this . and my family has been there for me every step of the way . my girlfriend has been wonderful . so i ca n't thank everybody enough . and obviously this happened , but it has made it a lot easier to have such good friends at nbc and all through washington and my family personally . king : were you brought up talking politics ? russert : i was . it was always something that was always talked around the dinner table with my father and my mother from a very young age . one of my earliest memories is being a young toddler and remembering ronald reagan 's face on television . my dad was watching a press conference , most likely at that time on cnn . and it was just something that i always grew up around . and we also talked a lot of sports . we talked a lot of culture . but politics was something that i guess has been engrained in me at a very , very young age . king : did he pick the brains of you and your friends ? russert : he did . we would actually have some fun discussions where i would assume the role of who his guest would be on sunday and try to answer the questions that he threw at me . and sometimes , if i could answer a question pretty well , he 'd say , `` that question 's too easy , i 've got to get rid of it . '' so sometimes , i was a guinea pig for politicians . but it was a lot of fun . i enjoyed doing it . and he would also pick the brains of some of my friends . some did pretty well , and some did n't . but he was always kind to all of us . king : when did you first vote ?<doc-sep>russert : i first voted when i was 18 , which would have been 2004 . and i registered at the same time i registered for the selective service , which i think they do here in the district of columbia . so i 've been a registered voter since 2004 , and that 's the first time i cast an official ballot . king : how did it feel to vote ? russert : it felt great . it kind of felt like you became a man or at least an adult in some capacity . that your decision -- your decision -- became part of the country and its leadership . and i 'll never forget the way i voted was i was in college my freshman year , 2004 , so i had to go by absentee ballot . and i was going to meet my father in south bend , indiana , for the notre dame/boston college game . and i said , `` dad , i 'd rather you bring the ballot personally so it does n't have to go through the mail , send it up to me in boston . '' so he brought the ballot , and i filled out my absentee ballot in a south bend , indiana , hotel room , and he brought it back and put it right in the fedex for me . king : we have an e-mail question for you from david in cary , north carolina . `` luke , my condolences , '' it said . `` you 've shown great strength and character in recent days . any chance we 'll see you reporting or doing commentary about the 2008 election ? '' russert : oh yes , you just might . it 's something that i 'm definitely interested in . i think that i will probably be part of the peacock network . but you never know . i still have the sports show on xm radio and carville , and i kind of go into politics . but i would n't mind . king : what if cnn made a bid for you ? russert : i 'd be your assistant , larry ? king : you got it . you could come to work for us . i think i can speak for management . in fact , they 'll probably talk to you tomorrow based on just how well you 're handling yourself tonight . russert : well , i appreciate it . everyone has been so kind . i 'd love to have the opportunity to come out here and talk about something that is important to me . and it was important to my father , which was young people getting involved . that really is the important issue tonight . not me . that 's important .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- timothy joseph russert sr. , the father of the late tim russert of nbc 's `` meet the press , '' died from natural causes thursday , according to his family . he was 85 . the elder russert was the subject of his son 's 2004 book `` big russ and me . '' the new york times bestseller captured the lessons passed down from father to son .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tim russert , who became one of america 's leading political journalists as the host of nbc 's `` meet the press , '' died friday , the network said . he was 58 . tim russert established himself as the face of nbc 's political journalism as host of `` meet the press . '' the network said the award-winning journalist collapsed at work friday . he was taken to washington 's sibley memorial hospital , where he died , the hospital confirmed . colleague and former nbc anchor tom brokaw broke the news on the network friday shortly after 3:40 p.m. russert had just returned from a family vacation in italy with his wife , journalist maureen orth , and son , luke , to celebrate his graduation from boston college , brokaw said . `` i think i can invoke personal privilege and say this news division will not be the same without his strong , clear voice , '' brokaw said friday . `` he will be missed as he was loved -- greatly . '' watch brokaw break the news '' friends and colleagues remembered russert on friday not only as one of the country 's most respected and influential political journalists , but also as a friend , a devout catholic and an avid sports fan , especially when it came to his home team , the buffalo bills . watch politicians , journalists pay homage to russert '' `` i just loved the guy . he had this enthusiasm about all of the things that life brings to you , '' said james carville , who often attended washington national games with russert . `` my wife and i are in a complete state of utter shock . '' watch as carville describes his friendship with russert '' russert was born may 7 , 1950 , in buffalo , new york . his parents were timothy john russert sr. , or `` big russ , '' a newspaper truck driver and sanitation worker , and elizabeth russert . buffalo mayor byron w. brown ordered that all flags on city property be lowered immediately to half-staff in russert 's honor . he was a graduate of canisius high school , john carroll university and the cleveland-marshall college of law . he was a member of the bar in new york and the district of columbia , according to a biography on cnbc.com . before joining nbc , russert served as press secretary for former new york gov. mario cuomo and as chief of staff to sen. daniel patrick moynihan . russert joined the network in 1984 and quickly established himself as the face of the network 's political coverage , eventually becoming senior vice president and washington bureau chief of nbc news . his career at nbc was marked by a number of milestones . in 1985 , russert supervised live broadcasts of the `` today '' show from rome , italy , negotiating an appearance by pope john paul ii -- a first for american television . he was also the recipient of numerous awards for his work , including an emmy in 2005 for his coverage of the funeral of president ronald reagan . his rise to prominence coincided with his success as the best-selling author of two books , 2004 's `` big russ and me '' and 2006 's `` wisdom of our fathers , '' which documented his journey from blue-collar beginnings to law school to washington powerhouse . watch russert talk about lessons he learned from his father on cnn 's larry king live '' the memoirs , both of which were new york times best sellers , transformed the award-winning journalist into the son of big russ , a buffalo bills fanatic , and finally , a husband and father . watch russert talk about his son 's first tattoo '' `` tim was a true child of buffalo and the blue-collar roots from which he was raised , '' brokaw said friday . `` for all his success , he was always in touch with the ethos of that community . '' russert credited his upbringing with helping him keep his ego in check as he became the man who interviewed presidents and important politicians of the day . ireport.com : send your memories of russert . `` if you come from buffalo , everything else is easy . walking backwards to school , for a mile in the snow , grounds you for life , '' russert told the washington post 's howard kurtz in 2004 . `` plus , if you have a family the way i do , it 's a daily reality check . '' russert , who also served as a political analyst for cable network msnbc , took the helm of `` meet the press '' in 1991 , turning the long-running sunday-morning interview program into the most-watched show of its kind in the united states . during his 17-year run as the host of `` meet the press , '' the longest of any host in the show 's 60-year history , russert earned the respect and admiration of many journalists and politicians . `` he was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades . tim was a tough and hardworking newsman . he was always well-informed and thorough in his interviews . and he was as gregarious off the set as he was prepared on it , '' president bush said friday . his professionalism earned him many accolades . the washingtonian magazine once dubbed russert the best and most influential journalist in washington , describing `` meet the press '' as `` the most interesting and important hour on television . '' in 2008 , time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world . brokaw described russert as a political junkie who threw himself into his work during this year 's presidential contest . `` this was one of the most important years of tim 's life for many reasons , '' brokaw said . `` he loved this political campaign . he worked himself to the point of exhaustion many weeks . ''<doc-sep>los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tim russert 's personal physician says medics tried to save the nbc anchor shortly after he collapsed at work . dr. michael newman said medics tried to revive tim russert several times before he died . dr. michael newman told cnn 's larry king that a defibrillator , a heart-shocking device , was used to try to save russert . `` a resuscitation was begun almost immediately , '' he said . russert , a mainstay of television journalism 's political talk as the host of `` meet the press , '' died of a heart attack after collapsing at nbc 's washington bureau friday . he was 58 . newman appeared on `` larry king live '' on monday , along with dr. mehmet oz , a cardiac thoracic surgeon , and dr. p.k. shah , king 's heart doctor . watch russert 's son greet guests at wake '' newman described russert as a model patient : `` he complied with almost everything that was asked of him . '' the following is an edited version of the show 's transcript : .<doc-sep>newman : tim had a cardiac arrest . it was related to an acute -- presumably acute dissection , rupturing plaque that 's causing a blockage of a coronary artery . he had a heart attack -- a fatal arrhythmia . watch panel discuss if russert 's death was preventable '' king : did we know he had heart disease ? newman : tim was known to have coronary artery disease , and it was being treated with respect to management of his risk factors . king : was he on medication ? did he exercise ? did he watch what he ate ? newman : tim was on medication . i 'd like to say , i 'm glad you mentioned exercise and watching what we eat . the foundation of management of heart disease and every medical condition , really , starts with lifestyle modification . you know , a healthy lifestyle , and you 'll have good health , and you 'll certainly have a healthy heart . ... tim appreciated that . yes , he exercised . he was on his aerodyne bicycle . see a timeline of russert 's career '' king : dr. oz , from what dr. newman said , could it have been prevented ? | <t> luke russert says he learned of his father 's death while he was in italy . </t> <t> he thanks family , friends for helping him get through trying times . </t> <t> politics `` was just something that i always grew up around , '' he says . </t> <t> he says it `` felt great '' to vote for the first time , urges young people to get involved . </t> | tim russert 's son : sometimes he 'd interview me<T> |
harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's opposition party said four of its activists and the wife of harare 's mayor -- an opposition member -- have been killed by supporters of president robert mugabe , just days ahead of next week 's presidential runoff . president robert mugabe says war veterans will take up arms again if tsvangirai wins . thursday 's report came as u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice accused mugabe of sponsoring efforts to starve , beat and kill supporters of his opponent morgan tzvangirai so he can win the election . rice was speaking on the same day that tendai biti , the opposition movement for democratic change 's secretary-general , was charged with treason after being held in jail without charges for a week . if convicted , he could face the death penalty . his arrest and treason charges have been criticized by african and international leaders who characterize it as a ploy by mugabe supporters to intimidate the opposition party before his june 27 runoff against tsvangirai . a spokesman for the mdc blamed mugabe 's zanu-pf party for the five most recent deaths , saying they brought to 70 the number of mdc party members killed since a bitterly contested election three months ago . the body of the mayor 's wife , 27-year-old abigail chiroto , was found in a mortuary close to the couple 's house north of harare . she had been beaten so severely with rocks and iron bars that her face was almost unrecognizable , mdc spokesman nelson chamisa said . watch cnn 's nkepile mabuse report on the violience '' chiroto was kidnapped , along with her 4-year-old son , on tuesday . some of her kidnappers wore military uniforms , chamisa said . chiroto 's son was released unharmed . her husband , emmanuel chiroto , is an mdc member who was recently elected mayor of harare . he was not home at the time of the kidnapping . also thursday , the mdc said that four other activists were found dead in chitungwiza . the victims ' bodies showed evidence that `` they were heavily tortured until they died , '' an mdc statement said . `` it 's unbelievable the way people are being killed or murdered , '' chiroto said . `` it 's almost mass butchering . '' police confirmed the deaths of the activists but did not link the victims to any political party . mugabe 's party denied any part in the deaths , saying mdc officials made such accusations frequently . `` they are claiming anyone who dies . they phone cnn , '' said bright matonga , a zanu-pf spokesman . `` whenever someone dies in the hospital , they rush to claim them . '' matonga said harare was run by a commission . `` there is no mdc mayor in zimbabwe , '' he said . `` there is no newly elected mayor in harare . '' learn more about zimbabwe '' in new york , rice convened a meeting about the situation in zimbabwe at the united nations on thursday . `` mugabe is increasing violence against -lsb- the -rsb- opposition . ... president mugabe has squandered the promise of the very nation that was hailed as the jewel of africa , '' rice said at a roundtable discussion attended by representatives from many international governments . `` clearly we have reached a point where broader , stronger , international effort is needed , '' she added . on friday , a magistrate judge will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to proceed with a trial against biti . the judge also will determine whether biti will be granted bail or will continue to be jailed until the trial .<doc-sep>biti was charged thursday with treason , communicating false information prejudicial to the state , bringing the office of the president into disrepute and causing disaffection among armed forces , according to a journalist who was in the harare courtroom . he denies all the charges . watch biti arrive for his court hearing '' biti , wearing a red jacket and looking exhausted , held his head in his hands as the proceedings took place in the packed courtroom . `` i think that one must express very serious objection to the manner in which this whole case is being handled , '' said tsvangirai , who was in court . `` the accusations are frivolous . '' three of the charges stem from a document titled `` the transitional strategy , '' which biti is said to have written ahead of the march 29 election . biti is denying that he wrote the document , and his lawyers described it as `` doctored . '' the fourth charge of communicating falsehoods alleges that biti announced that tsvangirai had won the march presidential election by an outright majority , meaning no runoff vote would be needed . in recent weeks , opposition groups and churches have reported numerous cases of kidnappings , torture and other violence in the country targeting opponents of mugabe . zanu-pf members have been suspected of being behind the acts . zanu-pf claims that the mdc is behind the violence . it said mdc members attacked the mayor of kadoma , a city 140 km -lrb- 87 miles -rrb- southwest of harare . it also accused mdc activists of causing millions of dollars damage to private business . last week , mugabe warned that veterans he commanded in his country 's liberation war nearly three decades ago would take up arms again if tsvangirai won . watch an ad vilifying tsvangirai '' the mdc is using word of mouth and file-sharing sites such as youtube to disseminate its campaign advertisements , claiming that they are banned by state media . the group sent advertisements to supporters via e-mail , asking them to forward them to their friends and relatives . `` since the regime has denied the mdc access to state media , please send the adverts to as many people as you can , '' the e-mail says . `` a new zimbabwe is near . the dictator is finished . let 's finish it ! '' mugabe has been zimbabwe 's only leader since the war ended in 1980 but is blamed for the economic collapse of a country once considered a regional breadbasket . zimbabweans increasingly are unable to afford food and other essentials , with agriculture paralyzed by land reform and the world 's highest rate of inflation . police have arrested tsvangirai several times in the weeks leading up to the runoff , most recently on saturday , with 11 other officials and supporters from his party . south african president thabo mbeki met mugabe and tsvangirai on wednesday in the hope of quelling tensions . mbeki was visiting in his capacity as mediator with the 14-nation southern african development community , the south african government said wednesday . he is under domestic and international pressure for his perceived conciliatory stance toward mugabe , but the south african leader recently said he would continue his quiet diplomacy despite recent events . cnn 's nkepile mabuse contributed to this report .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe prime minister morgan tsvangirai was in stable condition and recovering from head injuries friday night after a car wreck that killed his wife , susan , medical sources told cnn . tsvangirai and his wife , susan , were en route to the prime minister 's hometown of buhera . the crash , on a busy two-lane highway between tsvangirai 's hometown of buhera and the capital city of harare , comes just weeks after the start of a power-sharing agreement between tsvangirai and his political rival , president robert mugabe . analysts say the crash is bound to raise suspicion of foul play , with one former u.s. diplomat calling for an outside investigation , saying it is not the first time that a political foe of mugabe has been killed or injured in a car crash . members of tsvangirai 's political party , the movement for democratic change , said friday that it was too early to tell whether the crash is anything other than an accident . tsvangirai 's aide and driver also were injured in the head-on collision with a large truck , according to his spokesman , james maridadi . movement for democratic change spokesman nelson chamisa said he spoke to tsvangirai at the hospital , and the party leader was in `` relatively stable '' condition . an mdc spokesman describes ` critical ' accident '' sources at the avenues clinic in harare said that tsvangirai was in stable condition with minor head injuries and that the prime minister was alert and talking . one source said the attending doctor had told him of his wife 's death . another said that doctors were planning to keep tsvangirai overnight for observation and that specialists were checking his condition . tsvangirai , zimbabwe 's main opposition leader , took office last month under a power-sharing deal with mugabe after a contentious election . tsvangirai 's mdc reached the power-sharing agreement with mugabe in september after months of angry dispute that included violence . more than 200 deaths , mainly those of opposition supporters , were reported leading up to and in the aftermath of 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 2001 death of defense minister moven mahachi , employment minister border gezi 's death in 1999 and the death last year of elliot manyika , a government minister and former regional governor . all three died in car crashes . `` this is several , '' mcdonald said . `` so , when i hear that tsvangirai was in an accident , it gives me pause . ''<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's prime minister believes the driver of the truck that struck his car , killing his wife , deliberately drove toward them , his party told cnn . morgan tsvangirai leaves the hospital saturday after being treated for injuries from a car crash . members of his political party , the movement for democratic change , and former u.s. diplomat also say the crash raises suspicions of foul play . the prime minister left a hospital saturday , a day after his wife , susan , was killed in the collision , officials said . a ball cap covered tsvangirai 's bandaged head . tsvangirai was taken to a hospital in gaborone , botswana , on saturday for medical treatment , a botswanan government source and a source with the prime minister 's party . `` he 's badly bruised and is receiving treatment , '' the botswanan government source said . the source with the prime minister 's party said tsvangirai will return to zimbabwe on wednesday to attend the funeral of his wife . the couple , who were married in 1978 , have six children . the crash happened on a two-lane highway between tsvangirai 's hometown , buhera , and the capital , harare . it comes only weeks after the start of a power-sharing agreement between tsvangirai and his political rival , president robert mugabe . tsvangirai 's political party said friday that it was too early to tell whether the crash was anything other than an accident . but on saturday , mdc members told cnn that tsvangirai thought the crash was deliberate . tendai biti , the mdc secretary-general , speaking during a tearful press conference , said tsvangirai should have had better security . watch how the accident threatens to derail the unity government '' `` 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 .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's president robert mugabe has warned that veterans he commanded in his country 's liberation war will take up arms again to prevent the opposition party from taking power . zimbabwe 's president robert mugabe says war veterans do not want the opposition in power . mugabe -- zimbabwe 's only leader since that struggle ended in 1980 -- faces a june 27 runoff with morgan tsvangirai of the opposition movement for democratic change -lrb- mdc -rrb- . mugabe told supporters that tsvangirai would turn the country back over to white control if he won the runoff . the veterans he led in a successful effort against a government dominated by the white minority were not prepared to recognize a tsvangirai victory , mugabe said .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a power-sharing deal has been reached between zimbabwean president robert mugabe and the opposition movement for democratic change , south african president thabo mbeki said . zimbabwe president robert mugabe , left , and opposition leader morgan tsvangirai . mbeki , who mediated the talks in harare for the southern african development community , said the deal would be signed monday but did not give details of the agreement . zimbabwe has had no cabinet since the march presidential election that started the impasse . opposition lawmakers booed and heckled mugabe when he spoke at the opening of the country 's parliament august 26 . | <t> harare mayor 's wife found bludgeoned to death , opposition says . </t> <t> mayoress one of five people found murdered thursday , according to mdc . </t> <t> government strongly denies any involvement in latest deaths . </t> <t> u.s. says president mugabe sponsors efforts to kill opposition supporters . </t> | zimbabwe opposition : mayor 's wife killed<T> |
yusufiya , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- female suicide bombers , who often slip through security checkpoints untouched because of cultural norms , are taking a more deadly toll than ever across iraq . a female suicide bomber struck northeast of baghdad on sunday , killing 16 . but the u.s. army has created a solution with `` daughters of iraq , '' a program that trains iraqi women to find female suicide bombers . women carried out eight bombings in all of 2007 , according to the u.s. military . halfway through 2008 , the number of female suicide bombers is 20 . a suicide attack carried out by a woman on sunday in baquba killed at least 16 people and wounded another 40 .<doc-sep>`` daughters of iraq '' is a spinoff of `` sons of iraq , '' which employs iraqi men to run checkpoints and is credited with taking much of the steam out of the insurgency . the goal of the women 's program is twofold : to protect against female suicide bombers , and to provide much-needed income to iraqi women with few chances for employment . in the town of yusufiya , southwest of baghdad , some 30 women are being trained to search other females at security checkpoints -- something men are forbidden to do under iraqi cultural norms . in mid-may , a female suicide bomber killed an iraqi army officer in this town .<doc-sep>`` when he came out to meet her to help her with a problem she was having , she detonated the vest and killed him and injured some of his soldiers , '' said michael starz , a u.s. army captain . the women will work two or three days a month , making up to $ 300 , an iraqi military officer explained to applicants . in a community , where families struggle to survive , that 's good money . watch how `` daughters of iraq '' works '' the women come from small farming communities . many of them are widows with numerous children and almost no income . such is the story of fawzia , who has six children to support . her husband was shot to death when his car broke down .<doc-sep>`` i am ready -lrb- to work -rrb- as long as it helps me financially , '' she said . `` i have five children in school . '' having women work in this tradition-bound society is a social revolution , according to fatima , a volunteer leader , told cnn 's jill dougherty . `` many women would like to do it but their parents would not agree because it 's a rural society and it 's shameful for girls to go outside the home . ''<doc-sep>the iraqi islamic party , one of the main sunni parties , condemned the kirkuk attack , blaming it on `` sides that do not want stability in the city and are working to escalate the situation . '' it said the attack comes at a `` critical and sensitive time where there has been an increase in talks about the fate of kirkuk and provincial council elections . '' the use of female bombers is an increasingly common method for staging suicide attacks in iraq because male security forces will not search women and few women have been trained to conduct searches . nearly two dozen suicide attacks have been carried out by female bombers in 2008 -- up from eight in 2007 -- according to u.s. military figures . before the bombings , security officials said they had deployed more than 200 women to conduct searches in kadhimiya , in northwestern baghdad , because of the rise in female suicide bombers . the sunday attack on shiite pilgrims happened in the predominantly sunni area of salman pak , also referred to as al-madaen . the shiite pilgrims were walking to a shrine in kadhimiya that commemorates the 8th century death of imam moussa al-kadhim . the pilgrims -- all males -- were carrying black flags and chanting religious songs before the attack . they were attacked in a region that al qaeda in iraq controlled before iraqi security forces gained control . al qaeda in iraq cells reportedly remain in villages around the town . in recent days , hundreds of thousands of shiite pilgrims have begun walking to kadhimiya for the annual commemoration of al-kadhim 's death . many have traveled from across the country , especially from iraq 's southern shiite provinces . iraqi security forces have established checkpoints and are conducting foot patrols to protect pilgrims . people entering kadhimiya are not allowed to carry weapons , bags , cell phones , radios or any type of communication devices , authorities said . pilgrims have been warned against accepting food and drinks from strangers . they 've also been told to discount rumors of suicide bombers . such a rumor triggered a stampede that killed about 1,000 people during the pilgrimage in 2005 . cnn 's mohammed tawfeeq contributed to this report .<doc-sep>kanan is east of baquba , situated in the volatile diyala province , which has been a major front for the `` surge '' of u.s.-led troops targeting militants near baghdad . according to one of the sheik 's cousins , the teen bomber went to the sheik 's house sunday to ask him for help finding her husband -- thought to be kidnapped or detained . the 18-year-old was told to return monday , the cousin said . she returned monday and staged the attack , killing the sheik , his 5-year-old niece and one of his security guards , police said . the attack reflects both the growing use of females as suicide bombers in iraq and the targeting of awakening councils , which are also known as concerned citizens groups or sons of iraq . the grass-roots groups , which are sometimes led by former insurgents , have drawn more than 90,000 volunteers to their ranks , military spokesman rear adm. gregory said sunday . since november , there have been at least five attacks carried out by female suicide bombers , including a twin bombing at baghdad pet markets last month that killed almost 100 people . insurgent groups , particularly al qaeda in iraq , are increasingly using women as suicide bombers because they are less likely to be searched , the u.s. military has said . about an hour after the attack at the sheik 's home , another suicide bomber approached iraqi security forces in muqdadiya and blew himself up as the forces began shooting at him .<doc-sep>twenty females have carried out suicide bombings in iraq this year , many more than in previous years . according to the u.s. military , women carried out eight bombings in all of 2007 . authorities said that al qaeda in iraq is recruiting women and that more women are offering themselves up for missions . the officials said the women are desperate and hopeless , most have pre-existing ties to the insurgency , and their main motive is revenge for a male family member killed by u.s. or iraqi forces in the war . `` we do see certain members of cells attempting to persuade women , specifically in many cases wives of those who have been killed as terrorists , to conduct suicide operations , '' u.s. maj. gen. mark hertling said recently . his area of operations includes diyala province . hertling 's troops have targeted families of suspected female bombers in a bid to break up the rings that are recruiting the women and girls . intelligence gathered from detainees indicates that al qaeda in iraq is looking for women who are illiterate , who are deeply religious or who have financial struggles , often because they 've lost the male head of the household . women and girls always have played a role in the insurgency in iraq , helping feed militants , hiding them in their homes and helping to sneak weapons around the country . they have proved to be highly effective in their operations , because women are not searched by men for cultural and religious reasons . the u.s. military has created a program called the daughters of iraq , analogous to the sons of iraq , across the sunni regions of the country . the daughters of iraq are being trained to conduct searches of women . cnn 's jomana karadsheh and arwa damon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- she 's been called the `` mother of the believers , '' a middle-aged woman possibly responsible for recruiting more than 80 female suicide bombers in iraq and involvement in at least 28 terrorist operations . television picture reportedly showing samira ahmed jassim during her alleged confession . now she 's in jail , arrested on january 21 in what an iraqi commander called `` heroic '' security force operations that unfolded without `` any losses . '' maj. gen. qassim atta , spokesman for the baghdad command , identified the suspect as samira ahmed jassim , also known as umm-al-moumineen , or `` the mother of the believers . '' the arrest is considered a major stride in confronting the challenge of female suicide bombers , more than 30 of whom detonated themselves last year . atta could n't say where she was detained for intelligence reasons . that 's because the authorities are after more targets . the bombers were recruited in baghdad and diyala province for the ansar al-sunna militant group , said atta , who added police were aware of the identities of the women , including their fake names on fake ids , and were on the hunt for them . they said they were also trying to verify jassim 's confessions . atta played a dvd for reporters with excerpts of the confessions of jassim , who is in her 40s or 50s . wearing a black robe and veil , she said she was asked by a man named `` shaker '' to recruit women for an ansar al-sunna operative named hareth , also known as abu rami . she spoke about a number of the women she recruited , spending days talking to prospective operatives and persuading them to carry out attacks . jassim said she would deliver a recruit to shaker . | <t> halfway through 2008 , the number of female suicide bombers is 20 . </t> <t> `` daughters of iraq '' trains iraqi women to find female suicide bombers . </t> <t> women will work two or three days a month , making up to $ 300 . </t> | u.s. trains iraqi women to find female suicide bombers<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the first pictures from nasa 's mars phoenix lander , which successfully touched down near mars ' north pole sunday , showed a pattern of brown polygons as far as the camera could see . the mars phoenix lander took this image of the planet 's surface at its landing site sunday . `` it 's surprisingly close to what we expected and that 's what surprises me most , '' said peter smith , the mission 's principal investigator . `` i expected a bigger surprise . '' the landing on the red planet 's arctic plains -- which ended a 296-day journey -- was right on target , a feat nasa 's ed weiler compared to landing a hole-in-one with a golf ball from 10,000 miles . the landing -- dubbed the `` seven minutes of terror '' -- was a nerve-wracking experience for mission managers , who have witnessed the failure of similar missions . in mission control at nasa 's jet propulsion laboratory in pasadena , california , they celebrated the lander 's much-anticipated entry . `` it was better than we could have imagined , '' barry goldstein , project manager for the phoenix mission , told cnn . watch the celebration at mission control '' the phoenix 's 90-day mission is to analyze the soils and permafrost of mars ' arctic tundra for signs of past or present life . the lander is equipped with a robotic arm capable of scooping up ice and dirt to look for organic evidence that life once existed there , or even exists now . `` we are not going to be able to answer the final question of is there life on mars , '' said principal investigator peter smith , an optical scientist with the university of arizona . `` we will take the next important step . we 'll find out if there 's organic material associated with this ice in the polar regions . ice is a preserver , and if there ever were organics on mars and they got into that ice , they will still be there today . '' the twin to the mars polar lander spacecraft , phoenix was supposed to travel to mars in 2001 as the mars surveyor spacecraft . they were originally part of the `` better , faster , cheaper '' program , formulated by then-nasa administrator dan goldin to beef up planetary exploration on a lean budget . but polar malfunctioned during its descent into mars ' atmosphere in 1999 and crashed . an investigation concluded that as many as a dozen design flaws or malfunctions doomed the spacecraft . the failure of that mission , as well as another spacecraft called the mars climate orbiter the same year , led to nasa to put future missions on hold and rethink the `` better , faster , cheaper '' approach . mars surveyor went to the warehouse . watch the challenges the mission faced '' but all was not lost . in 2003 , smith proposed a plan to re-engineer the mars surveyor and fly it on a mission to look for signatures of life in the ice and dirt of mars far north . mars phoenix , literally and figuratively , rose from the ashes of surveyor . engineers set to work , testing and retesting the onboard system to ferret out and fix all the flaws they could find . ireport.com : send your photos , video of space . `` we always have to be scared to death , '' goldstein said . `` the minute we lose fear is the minute that we stop looking for the next problem . '' the team was concerned about the phoenix landing system . nasa had not successfully landed a probe on mars using landing legs and stabilizing thrusters since the viking missions in the late 1970s . the other three successful mars landings -- pathfinder in 1997 and the spirit and opportunity rovers in 2004 -- used massive airbags that inflated around the landing craft just before landing to cushion the impact . learn about nasa 's past missions to mars '' the phoenix does n't have airbags because the lander is too big and heavy for them to work properly . its landing site was targeted for the far northern plains of mars , near the northern polar ice cap . data from the mars odyssey spacecraft indicate large quantities of ice there , likely in the form of permafrost , either on the surface or just barely underground . `` follow the water '' has become the unifying theme of nasa 's mars exploration strategy . in 2004 , the rover opportunity found evidence that a salty sea once lapped the shores of an area near mars ' equator called meridiani planum . astrobiologists generally agree that it 's best to look for life in wet places . cnn 's kate tobin contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- you may have heard it before : billions of years ago mars probably looked more like earth does now , with clouds and oceans and a much thicker atmosphere . it may even have had some type of microbes . but now it 's a barren , frozen desert . so what happened ? where did the air and water go ? nasa is launching a new spacecraft to try to find out . it 's called maven , which stands for mars atmosphere and volatile evolution . it 's the first mission dedicated to studying the red planet 's upper atmosphere . `` we expect to learn how the modern mars works , really in detail . to see its climate state , to understand how the atmosphere is lost to space -- how mars may have lost a magnetic field -- to take that information and map it back in time , '' said nasa 's james garvin . the earliest liftoff time for maven is monday , november 18 , at 1:28 p.m. et from cape canaveral air force station in florida . a united launch alliance atlas v rocket will launch the probe into space on a 10-month trip to mars . it 's scheduled to arrive september 22 , 2014 . the solar-powered probe is about the length of school bus -- 37.5 feet -lrb- 11.43 meters -rrb- long -- and will weigh about 5,410 pounds -lrb- 2,454 kg -rrb- at launch . what killed mars ? new spacecraft will find out . `` maven will fill in a very big gap in our understanding of the planet by exploring the upper atmosphere and its influence on the martian environment , '' principal investigator bruce jakosky , from the university of colorado , says on his nasa webpage .<doc-sep>scientists have long wondered if life really does exist on mars . and a new set of pictures released by nasa could appear to confirm conspiracy theorists ' claims that we are not alone in the universe . the images taken by a nasa navigation camera have been released and appear to show a human-like figure working on the mars curiosity rover , which is scanning the red planet . scroll down for video . one of the new pictures released by nasa of the mars curiosity rover , which conspiracy theorists claim shows a human-like figure repairing the probe . the pictures seem to feature a human-shaped shadow looming over the probe as if they are repairing it . the shadow formed shows what looks like a male figure , who is n't wearing a helmet as his short spiky hair is visible .<doc-sep>you may have heard it before : billions of years ago , mars probably looked more like earth does now , with clouds and oceans and a much thicker atmosphere . it may even have had some type of microbes . but now it 's a barren , frozen desert . so what happened ? where did the air and water go ? that 's what the spacecraft nasa launched monday is being dispatched to find out . it 's called maven -- short for mars atmosphere and volatile evolution -- and it 's the first mission dedicated to studying the red planet 's upper atmosphere . `` we expect to learn how the modern mars works , really in detail . to see its climate state , to understand how the atmosphere is lost to space -- how mars may have lost a magnetic field -- to take that information and map it back in time , '' said nasa 's james garvin . maven lifted off shortly before 1:30 p.m. et from cape canaveral air force station in florida , starting a 10-month trip . by late afternoon , it was more than 14,000 miles from earth en route to a september 22 , 2014 rendezvous with mars . the solar-powered probe is about the length of school bus -- 37.5 feet -lrb- 11.43 meters -rrb- -- and will weigh about 5,410 pounds -lrb- 2,454 kilograms -rrb- at launch . what killed mars ? new spacecraft will find out . `` maven will fill in a very big gap in our understanding of the planet by exploring the upper atmosphere and its influence on the martian environment , '' principal investigator bruce jakosky , from the university of colorado , says on his nasa webpage . he says he 's `` excited that we 're providing one step along the path of answering questions about whether life ever existed on mars . '' jakosky 's team will use the spacecraft 's three instrument suites in hopes of determining three things about mars : . • the composition of its upper atmosphere . • how fast it 's losing what 's left of its atmosphere . • the history of the atmosphere . maven wo n't make a cool , daring landing like the mars curiosity rover , which has been roaming mars for more than a year now . instead , it will orbit between a low of about 93 miles -lrb- 150 kilometers -rrb- above the surface to a high of about 3,728 miles -lrb- 6,000 kilometers -rrb- . it also will make five dives , flying as low as 77 miles -lrb- 125 kilometers -rrb- in altitude . nasa says the mission will cost $ 671 million . interactive : mars exploration from viking to maven .<doc-sep>by . mark prigg . published : . 05:30 est , 21 august 2012 . | . updated : . 08:14 est , 21 august 2012 . after driving all around mars with four rovers , nasa wants to look deep into the guts of the red planet . the space agency has decided to launch a relatively low-cost robotic lander in 2016 to find out what makes the martian core so different from earth . the insight project was chosen by nasa 's discovery programme over missions to a saturn moon and comet , drawing complaints from scientists that it is too focused on mars . scroll down for video . opening mars : nasa has revealed plans to send a probe to drill 16 feet into the planet 's surface in 2016 . the nasa science chief , john . grunsfeld , said while all three proposed missions , which cost no more . than $ 425m -lrb- # 270m -rrb- were good , the mars project showed the best chance of . keeping within budget and on schedule . the . insight mission includes two instruments , one french and one german , . | <t> the mars phoenix lander landed on mars on sunday . </t> <t> phoenix mission is to analyze planet 's soils to find signs of life . </t> <t> experts were n't optimistic about a smooth landing . </t> <t> getting lander on mars was dubbed the `` 7 minutes of terror '' </t> | probe lands on mars , nasa says<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- authorities in fayetteville , north carolina , are investigating the death of a pregnant soldier whose body was found saturday morning in a motel , police said . spc. megan lynn touma , 23 , was a dental specialist from cold springs , kentucky , according to a statement from fort bragg , where touma was assigned to the 19th replacement company . fayetteville police found her body late saturday morning when they responded to a call about a strong odor coming from one of the rooms . the body was sent to the state medical examiner 's office in chapel hill , north carolina , to determine the cause of death .<doc-sep>touma , who was seven months pregnant , arrived at fort bragg on june 12 . in five years with the army , she had served with the u.s. army dental activity clinic in bamberg , germany , and in fort drum , new york , before her assignment to fort bragg . touma is the second pregnant service member to die in north carolina in recent months . the remains of lance cpl. maria lauterbach and her fetus were found beneath in a fire pit january 11 in marine cpl. cesar laurean 's backyard . watch how police found body ''<doc-sep>authorities said laurean killed lauterbach on december 14 , 2007 , and used her atm card 10 days later before fleeing to mexico . he was taken into custody after he walked up to a roadblock set up by a local anti-kidnapping task force investigating another case . laurean is awaiting extradition to north carolina .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a north carolina man has been charged with murdering a pregnant fort bragg soldier , police said tuesday . fayetteville detectives arrested edgar patino , a fellow soldier , at his home in hope mills , north carolina , about 15 miles south of fort bragg , north carolina . he is accused of killing spc. megan lynn touma , 23 , found dead on june 21 in a hotel near fort bragg .<doc-sep>authorities began searching for the missing soldier after her fayetteville , north carolina , apartment was torched july 10 . on sunday , a witness found a charred body in a wooded area , but fayetteville police detective jeff locklear said police were still awaiting a positive identification from the medical examiner . watch nancy grace report on the missing soldier '' however , the lieutenant 's father released a statement monday saying his daughter , a mother of two and nurse at a military hospital , was dead . wimunc is the second female soldier from fort bragg to die under suspicious circumstances in recent weeks .<doc-sep>spc. megan lynn touma , 23 , was seven months pregnant when she was found dead in a bathtub at a hotel in june , authorities said . investigators say they are treating that death as a homicide . camp lejeune also had a homicide case involving a female service member this year . the charred body of marine lance cpl. maria lauterbach , 20 , was found in january in the backyard of another marine stationed at the base . she was eight months pregnant when she died . marine cpl. cesar laurean has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the case . he was arrested in mexico in april , but because he holds citizenship in the united states and mexico , he can not be immediately deported and must go through the extradition process . if he chooses to fight extradition , it could take two years to return him to north carolina , authorities said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a north carolina man charged with killing a pregnant fort bragg soldier was the father of her unborn child , authorities said wednesday . sgt. edgar patino faces first-degree murder charges in the slaying of megan touma . army sgt. edgar patino is linked to two anonymous `` confession '' letters sent in what police believe was an attempt to derail the investigation into megan touma 's death , police said . patino , 27 , was arrested at his hope mills , north carolina , home tuesday night without incident . patino , who is stationed at fort bragg 's jfk special warfare training center , faces first-degree murder charges in the slaying of touma , 23 , who was seven months pregnant . touma 's decomposing body was found in the bathtub of a hotel room near fort bragg on june 21 . authorities said wednesday that they believe she died late june 13 or early june 14 . although her death has been ruled a homicide , authorities said wednesday that the state medical examiner has not made a final determination of how she died . watch officials discuss the case '' patino has admitted being in touma 's hotel room june 13 , and investigators found that the room 's electronic key card was last used on that day , police said wednesday . however , patino has not admitted killing touma . patino wore red jail coveralls in his initial court appearance wednesday afternoon . he spoke only to answer the judge 's questions , acknowledging that he understood he was charged with first-degree murder and that the charge carries a maximum penalty of death or life in prison without parole . he also requested that an attorney be appointed for him . fayetteville , north carolina , police chief tom bergamine said wednesday that patino , who is married , was the father of touma 's fetus . police also said evidence links patino to a letter received june 25 by the fayetteville observer newspaper . in it , the writer claimed to have killed touma and said more killings were planned . the letter was signed with a circular symbol similar to one used by the zodiac killer in california in the late 1960s . at the request of police , the newspaper withheld information regarding the letters and delayed publishing a story for several days to allow police to conduct an investigation , bergamine said . police also received a similar letter . fayetteville police sgt. chris corcione said both letters were postmarked june 24 and sent from fayetteville . patino purchased a typewriter the day before the letters were sent , corcione said . that typewriter is now in police custody . police , however , stopped short of saying patino wrote the letters , saying only that evidence links him to them . two of touma 's friends , who are also female soldiers and asked not to be named because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the case , said touma and patino had been stationed together in germany and had dated . they said patino had proposed to touma in germany , but when the two returned to north carolina , she discovered that he was married . | <t> authorities in north carolina are investigating death of pregnant servicemember . </t> <t> spc. megan lynn touma was found dead saturday in motel room . </t> <t> touma is second n.c.-based pregnant solider found dead in recent months . </t> | pregnant soldier found dead in north carolina<T> |
harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- with polls closed for a zimbabwe runoff that opposition politicians and international observers call a sham , alleged torture victims who support former candidate morgan tsvangirai said friday that they back his decision to pull out of the race . many of the injured being treated at a private hospital in harare , zimbabwe , asked not to be identified . `` it 's a good move by my president , morgan tsvangirai , '' said a 26-year-old movement for democratic change activist who said he was forced to stand on hot coals and had boiling water poured on him about a week ago . `` there 's no use going for an election . '' the man , who displayed a large , pale , blistered patch on his back , asked not to be identified -- as did others being treated at a private hospital in harare -- for fear of further attacks by gangs supportive of president robert mugabe . all of the victims said they were taken to `` torture bases '' by the gangs , made up of young men and soldiers .<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>`` mostly for the rural people -- the police would come in for the zanu-pf , so the area was very tense , '' said a municipal worker at the hospital , who said he was kicked and had burning plastic poured on his skin about three or four days ago . `` everyone was beaten . whether zanu-pf or mdc . there was chaos in the country . '' george charamba , a spokesman for mugabe , insisted that the vote was `` free and fair . '' charamba denied that any pressure was being used . asked about images from zimbabwe showing what is reported to be violence against members of the opposition , he responded , `` i thought we are long past the age where we could consider pictures as not lying . it 's very , very easy for anyone to stage-manage a demonstration , and a violent one at that . '' last weekend , tsvangirai withdrew from the runoff , saying there was no way the result would be legitimate . he has spent much of the time since living in the dutch embassy in harare in fear for his safety .<doc-sep>early friday , the municipal worker said he was considering whether to heed tsvangirai 's call for his supporters to not vote in the election , but the question may be moot . the gangs took his identification card and threw it into a fire , he said . another man and a woman treated for broken hands at the hospital said they were tortured and had boiling water poured on their genitals for being mdc supporters . the man said he was forced to drink sewage . meanwhile , mugabe laughed and mugged for reporters from zimbabwe 's state-run media as he cast his ballot at a high school . `` very optimistic , upbeat ... and hungry , '' he said when asked how he was feeling .<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>`` come the 27th of june we will finish this regime of thugs and warlords and usher -lsb- in -rsb- a new era of jobs , health care , education and general prosperity . '' african and international leaders have criticized biti 's arrest and the treason charge , characterizing it as a ploy by supporters of mugabe to intimidate the opposition party before the runoff . the mdc has claimed that mugabe supporters have beat , kidnapped , arrested and killed supporters of their party . u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice accused mugabe on thursday of sponsoring efforts to starve , beat and kill supporters of his opponent so he can win next week . learn more about zimbabwe '' `` mugabe is increasing violence against -lsb- the -rsb- opposition , '' rice said at the un . `` president mugabe has squandered the promise of the very nation that was hailed as the jewel of africa . '' the mdc has accused supporters of mugabe and his zanu-pf party of beatings , torture , and killings , saying more than 70 mdc party members have been killed since the beginning of the three-month-long election process . mugabe 's party denied any part in the deaths , saying mdc officials hurl such accusations frequently .<doc-sep>-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>tsvangirai and the southern africa development community have urged mugabe to delay the ballot . there are fears that this election could descend into violence like the last election in 2008 , which resulted in a runoff . tsvangirai pulled out of the runoff , citing intimidation , torture , mutilation and murder of his supporters . regional leaders dismissed zimbabwe 's 2008 election as a sham , and the sadc pressured mugabe to form a power-sharing agreement with tsvangirai and his opposition movement for democratic change . as a result , the two bitter rivals entered into an uneasy governing coalition in 2009 . some 6.4 million voters in zimbabwe -- about half of the country 's population -- will be eligible to cast their ballots on wednesday , according to the zimbabwe electoral commission . the elections will be held under a new constitution endorsed in a referendum in march that limits the president to two five-year terms . mugabe is allowed to seek another term because the new charter does not apply retroactively . last week , mugabe had a few words for critics of the upcoming election . in response to criticisms from the united states on his push for elections without key reforms , mugabe said at a rally , `` keep your pink nose out of our affairs , please . '' opinion : africa 's rocky road to democracy . | <t> morgan tsvangirai 's supporters back his withdrawal from runoff . </t> <t> some say they were taken to `` torture bases '' by supporters of mugabe . </t> <t> a man and a woman being treated for broken hands said they were tortured . </t> <t> mugabe laughed and mugged for reporters as he cast his ballot at a high school . </t> | opposition supporters claim torture in zimbabwe<T> |
editor 's note : saturday marks one year since hamas ' defeat of fatah in the fierce struggle for control of gaza . cnn correspondent ben wedeman has been covering the region for over 15 years . he reports from gaza on daily life and reality over the past year in this fractious land . cnn 's ben wedeman reports on the past year in gaza , where people are safer but out of food , gas , and patience . gaza city , gaza -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- `` if you take pictures , i 'll kill you ! i 'll kill you ! '' screamed a masked fatah gunman , pointing his ak-47 assault rifle at my cameraman , joe duran . `` calm down ! calm down ! '' i shouted back at him , turning to joe to tell him to put the camera down . joe and i had ducked into a fruit and vegetable shop in gaza city . we had been covering the funeral of a fatah gunman killed in a clash with hamas rivals when our third gunbattle of the day had broken out . the gunman left , much to everyone 's relief , and i put my small video camera on the floor and pressed the button to record the constant roar of machine gun fire , which went on for more than half an hour . earlier in the day , joe and i were on a street corner videotaping hamas militiamen when a jeep full of fatah irregulars opened fire , just down the street from an elementary school . as guns blazed , schoolchildren ran for cover . i watched as shopkeeper khadar aliyan slammed shut the doors of his grocery store , the expression on his face one of fear and utter exasperation . `` i 'm going home , '' he told me . `` i 'm afraid . we 're done for . it 's never been this bad . '' it was violence like this , which we witnessed on december 2006 , that reached a climax in the second week of june 2007 . when it ended on june 14 , 2007 , with hamas roundly defeating fatah , gaza went quiet .<doc-sep>and quiet -- relative quiet , that is -- has been hamas ' biggest accomplishment since . no longer do you worry about being kidnapped . gunbattles , though they can happen , are much less common . after last june 's takeover -lrb- or coup d'etat , as fatah supporters call it -rrb- , hamas quickly imposed law and order , tried to reacquaint gaza 's drivers with long-forgotten traffic regulations , launched a municipal cleanup campaign , and forced the release of kidnapped bbc journalist alan johnston , who had been held in captivity for almost six months . chaos-weary gazans applauded all of these initiatives . but the honeymoon ended quickly as reality sank in . since hamas won parliamentary elections in january 2006 , and even more so since last year 's takeover , israel has tightened its siege of gaza . israel has restricted supplies of gasoline , diesel and electricity to gaza , limited the amount of food and other goods entering the strip , and made it virtually impossible for manufacturers and farmers in gaza to export anything to the outside world . israeli officials say these measures are intended to pressure hamas , which is on the u.s. government list of terrorist groups , to stop its members and other factions from firing mortars and rockets into israel . israel defense forces reports that 1,500 qassam rockets were fired into israel from gaza in 2007 , and 2,383 in the past six years . as a result , almost all of gaza 's factories have shut down and thousands of workers have lost their jobs . between 70 and 80 percent of the population is dependent on food supplied by the united nations refugee works agency , set up after more than 700,000 palestinians became refugees after the war that resulted in israel 's creation in 1948 . life in gaza , never easy , in the last year has become a grinding daily struggle to make ends meet . for the vast majority of gazans , it means they must spend much of their time trying to secure basic commodities . such as cooking gas , which comes from israel . in the past , when supplies were plentiful , it was sold from the back of trucks and donkey carts . not anymore .<doc-sep>when there are supplies , people flock to a few distribution centers . one is a hot , crowded compound north of gaza city , where the stench of gas is so strong you shudder with fear that someone will light a cigarette and the whole place will go up in flames . people have to wait for their cooking gas for hours some claim days , in the hot sun . there i met a woman who identified herself as um wadi'a -lrb- the mother of wadi'a -rrb- , who at 2 p.m. told me she had been waiting since 5 a.m. . she said she had run out of cooking gas three days before . typical of so many people here , she blamed both main palestinian factions for her woes . `` hamas has n't done anything for us , nor has fatah , '' she said . `` all those people want is to sit comfortably on their thrones . '' in gaza city , long lines of immobile cars and trucks wind around the block from gas stations , their owners waiting , surprisingly patiently , for supplies to arrive . the only other option is to go in search of black market gasoline , much of it smuggled through tunnels from egypt . it goes for more than $ 10 a liter , which comes close to almost $ 50 a gallon . it is now common for families to divide up responsibilities for the day . one family member will go in search of cooking gas , another will join the line for gasoline or diesel , another for whatever else is in short supply . to get around the shortages , some motorists mix their fuel with cooking oil , a practice that is n't particularly good for the motor . many people complain that it 's unhealthy -- but it works . others , like electrical engineer wasim khazandar , are thinking completely outside the box . wasim has invented an electric car , which he is more than happy to show off . he 's already received dozens of orders from motorists weary of the search for fuel . beyond material concerns , there are worries here that hamas has a barely concealed hardline islamist agenda , and one often hears complaints that the group is intolerant of any form of dissent or criticism .<doc-sep>one man who can testify to that is ibrahim abu al-naja , the most senior fatah leader to remain in gaza after most fled to safety in ramallah . abu al-naja is from the fatah old school , a grizzled veteran of the group 's wars in lebanon . he told me earlier this year hamas security officials showed up at his home late at night , bound his hands , put a blindfold on him and dragged him to their headquarters , where they shaved his head and cut off his moustache , then released him without apology or explanation . he makes no excuses for fatah 's dismal track record of corruption and mismanagement when it ran gaza , but says the crisis that began with hamas ' rise to power is nothing short of a catastrophe . `` our people has been transformed , '' he said , `` into a desperate people , who must search for food , for the minimum of survival . it 's as if we returned to 1948 , dependent on gifts and assistance and relief . '' despite all the difficulties of life under hamas , despite all the grumbling , the men who run gaza are as confident today as they were a year ago that they will weather the crisis and emerge stronger . last wednesday i went to see ahmed yusif , a senior adviser to hamas prime minister ismail haniya . `` whatever the israelis think , '' said the u.s.-educated yusif , `` whatever pressure they put on us , it 's not going to make us buckle or give concessions . `` this is part of the palestinian struggle for more than 60 years living in the refugee camps , '' he said . `` we do n't always enjoy a good life . it 's the toughness and the suffering -lsb- that -rsb- are part of the struggle . '' others here do n't quite see it that way , like a man i met in gaza 's old market who would only identify himself as abu khalid . i asked him if he was better off today than a year ago . he laughed , cursed israel , hamas , fatah , the united states , the european union and the rest of the world , then made the following suggestion : `` let them open a market in gaza so we can sell some of our children -lsb- in order to -rsb- feed the rest . ''<doc-sep>` this unity government was the result of a reconciliation agreement that hamas worked hard for , ' said izzat al-rishq , a senior hamas official in doha , qatar 's capital . ` therefore , we have a real and serious interest in enabling it -lrb- the new government -rrb- to work successfully in gaza . ' after the meeting , the ministers visited the top hamas official , ismail haniyeh , in a show of good will . his house in the shati refugee camp was destroyed in an israeli airstrike during the war , and he met with the ministers in a reception area next to the debris of his home . residents gather on a hill to see prime minister rami hamdallah , who visited the gaza strip with his cabinet today . haniyeh had served as prime minister for both the west bank and gaza after hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006 . he was fired by abbas a year later , after hamas seized gaza by force . the takeover triggered a border blockade of gaza by neighboring israel and egypt , and over the years , repeated reconciliation attempts failed . hamas became increasingly unable to govern after new egyptian border restrictions last year drove its worst financial crisis since its founding in 1987 . earlier this year , a desperate hamas agreed to hand over some authority in gaza to an abbas-led unity government . the new government was formed four months ago to replace rival administrations - one led by hamas in gaza and the other headed by abbas in autonomous areas of the west bank . however , it had n't been operating in gaza until now because of unresolved disputes between the long-time rivals and because of the war . palestinian unity is a consensus issue , with polls consistently showing a majority in favor of ending the political split . in gaza , many hope the new government will be able to ease border restrictions and revive the crippled economy . a hamas security officer stands guard during the prime minister 's visit . hamas has said it will allow the ministers to operate freely in gaza , however it has refused to disband its security forces , creating a potentially volatile situation . israel initially refused to deal with the unity government because it is backed by hamas . since the gaza war , israel has signaled readiness to work with the palestinian cabinet , particularly on gaza reconstruction . in a show of goodwill , israel opened its erez crossing into gaza for the west bank-based ministers on thursday even though the crossing was meant to be closed for a jewish holiday . as part of the restrictions on gaza , israel has prevented the import of construction materials , with the exception of shipments intended for projects supervised by international agencies , including the united nations . israel fears hamas will divert cement and steel for military use , including attack tunnels . israel spotted and destroyed more than 30 such tunnels during the recent gaza war . under a u.n.-brokered reconstruction deal , israel is to ease the import of building materials , while u.n. inspectors and forces loyal to abbas are to monitor the shipments until their final destination . a family pictured in what remains of their family home in the shejaiya neighborhood of gaza city after it was destroyed during the 50-day war with israel . prime minister rami hamdallah and the palestinian unity cabinet visited some of the worst damaged areas today . pictured is a local family in the rubble of their home .<doc-sep>john ging , head of the united nations relief and work agency in gaza , called the exodus `` the desperate acts of a desperate people . '' `` everything that is needed for the sustainment of life here is in short supply or has run out , '' ging said . border access between gaza and egypt has been greatly restricted since june 2007 , when hamas took over the territory . israel 's military reported wednesday that no rockets have been fired from gaza into israel as of 6 p.m. -lrb- 11 a.m. et -rrb- , marking a sharp reduction in what has been the daily launching of rockets . in cairo , egyptian police wednesday arrested as many as 500 people on their way to demonstrations to show support for the palestinians in gaza , according to george ishaq , a spokesman for kifaya , an anti-government movement in egypt . student organizers at cairo university said several thousand protesters turned out for a similar demonstration on the school 's campus . in switzerland , where she is attending a conference , u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice has blamed gaza 's hamas leadership for its defiance of the international community . hamas is a palestinian islamic fundamentalist organization which israel and the united states consider a terrorist organization . rice said on tuesday that the mideast quartet -- composed of the united nations , the european union , the united states and russia -- is examining a plan by palestinian prime minister salam fayyad for the palestinian authority to take a greater role in monitoring border crossings between gaza and israel . gaza receives about 70 percent of its electricity from israel , and the bulk of the remaining power comes from a generation plant in gaza . that plant relies on fuel supplied by an israeli company . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's elise labott , aneesh raman , shira medding , kevin flower , talal abu-rahmi and ben wedeman contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the palestinians have asked for israel to lift its blockade on gaza and to re-open the air and seaports , a palestinian negotiation who spoke on condition of anonymity said . israeli authorities fear hamas could import weapons by sea and maintains a ship blockade off gaza 's shores . palestinians also wanted israel to extend gaza 's fishing zone in the mediterranean from three miles off the coast to 20 . fishing is a keystone of gazan livelihoods . but israel was willing to extend fishing rights to only six miles off the coast , said hamas spokesman sami abu zuhri . yet israel is resisting in-depth talks as long as rockets continue to head toward its territory . after gazan rocket fire on friday , israel 's foreign ministry said the country `` will not conduct negotiations while under fire . '' cnn exclusive : inside the mind of hamas ' political leader . nobel laureate wiesel : hamas must stop using children as human shields . gaza conflict : can economic isolation ever be reversed ? life in gaza : misery heightened by war . cnn 's john vause reported from gaza , matthew chance reported from jerusalem ; ben brumfield and greg botelho wrote and reported from atlanta . cnn 's jethro mullen , ali younes , tal heinrich , jake tapper and samira said also contributed to this report .<doc-sep>jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- prime minister ehud olmert vowed wednesday that israel 's air assault on gaza would not end until hamas militants quit firing rockets into israeli territory . a man plants a palestinian flag wednesday in the rubble of a mosque in gaza city . `` we did not enter this operation in order to end it with the firing still continuing , '' olmert said in a security cabinet meeting , according to a senior government official . `` hamas broke this cease-fire , '' olmert said . `` if the conditions ripen '' and if there is a solution `` that promises a better security ... we will consider it , but we are not there yet , '' he said , according to the official . despite a french proposal for a humanitarian truce , israel earlier wednesday decided to continue the operation , saying israelis must have a `` real and sustainable solution , '' olmert spokesman mark regev said . israeli airstrikes have pounded the territory since saturday in an effort to halt the firing of rockets into southern israel . more than 390 palestinians have been killed , according to palestinian medical sources , and some 1,900 people have been wounded , including 400 women and children . hamas prime minister ismail haniya , whose office in gaza was struck overnight , said israel needed to `` stop attacking and killing our children , women and men . '' `` the aggression must stop , the crossings must open and the blockade must be lifted and then we can talk about all other issues , '' he said in televised comments wednesday . `` then we can start a national dialogue without any preset conditions . '' israeli sources say four israelis have been killed by palestinian rocket fire . the israeli air force carried out about 40 airstrikes wednesday , and palestinian militants fired about 70 rockets into israel , the idf said . more than 30 rockets landed in southern israel on wednesday , including at least four in beer sheva , israeli police spokesman mickey rosenfeld said . beer sheva , about 25 miles away from gaza , is the farthest that rockets from gaza have ever landed inside israel . `` israel will not accept a ` strip of terror ' alongside us , and accordingly hamas operatives have tasted the flavor of israel 's response in the last few days , '' israeli president shimon peres said . watch what may be influencing israeli decision-making '' the situation in gaza remains desperate , despite the admission of more than 150 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into the territory on tuesday , said karen abuzayd , the commissioner-general of the u.n. relief and works agency . watch aid trucks cross the border from egypt '' `` there 's no fuel , there 's no power plant , there 's no electricity working now , '' she said . `` hundreds of families in the gaza strip are suffering , not only -lsb- from -rsb- the fear of airstrikes , but also the lack of electricity , lack of water , lack of food supplies , '' saud abu ramadan , a freelance journalist who lives in gaza city , told cnn 's `` american morning . '' exiled hamas leader khaled mashaal is ready to stop the fighting in exchange for an end to israel 's blockade of gaza , the russian foreign ministry announced . mashaal spoke with russian foreign minister sergei lavrov on wednesday and outlined hamas ' position on the resumption of the palestinian reconciliation process , the foreign ministry said . `` mashaal said in response to -lsb- lavrov -rsb- that they are ready to end the armed confrontation , but only if these measures are linked to steps intended to remove the gaza strip 's blockade , '' the ministry said . while living in self-imposed exile in damascus , syria , mashaal remains the head of hamas , which controls gaza . learn more about gaza 's political history '' earlier wednesday , the israeli military warned neighbors of hamas co-founder mahmoud al-zahar to leave because it may bomb the area , the neighbors told cnn . al-zahar was the palestinian foreign minister under the hamas-led government before it was dissolved by president mahmoud abbas after hamas seized control of gaza in 2007 . al-zahar 's son was killed in an israeli airstrike in january 2008 . israel has moved tanks to the outskirts of gaza and called up at least 2,000 army reservists , sparking fears of a ground incursion into the palestinian territory . watch how israel is sitting on gaza 's border '' the israeli military says it is targeting only hamas militants . but the u.n. 's abuzayd said 20 to 25 percent of the casualties arriving in gaza hospitals appear to be civilians , and she said the bombardment is not turning the people of the territory against hamas . `` hamas is not the one being blamed . it 's still israel , america , '' she said . | <t> wedeman describes violence , gunbattles , fear before hamas . </t> <t> reports on encounters with assault rifles , children running from gunfire last year . </t> <t> now , it 's safer but gazans desperate for gas , cooking fuel , jobs . </t> <t> one woman : `` hamas has n't done anything for us , nor has fatah '' </t> | a year under hamas : gaza safer , but life is desperate<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the last of six texas a&m university mariners who went missing in the gulf of mexico was found dead sunday afternoon , the coast guard said . the other five crewmates were rescued earlier in the day . members of the texas a&m offshore sailing team are shown in this photo from the team 's web site . the deceased mariner was identified by the university as roger stone , the vessel 's second safety officer . the survivors -- four university students and a safety officer -- told the coast guard they were forced off their sailboat after it took on water and capsized . `` the flooding was so fast that the thing flipped over , '' coast guard capt. william diehl told cnn . the sailboat , named cynthia woods , was one of about two dozen boats heading from galveston , texas , to veracruz , mexico , for the annual veracruz regatta race , which began on friday . diehl said the boat was well-stocked with safety equipment -- including emergency radio beacons , life rafts and ring buoys -- but the crew could only manage to find four life jackets after the boat tipped over . `` the survivors told us that -lsb- when -rsb- they went into the water , they had four life jackets among the five , and they huddled together and they exchanged the life jackets among them so that they could stay afloat , '' diehl said . communication with the boat was lost about midnight friday , and the boat missed its 8 a.m. radio check the next morning , the coast guard reported .<doc-sep>a sailboat matching the description of the missing 38-foot boat was found overturned about 5:15 p.m. saturday , authorities said . the five survivors were found several hours later about 23 miles south of freeport , texas , according to the coast guard 's press release . they were lifted to safety by a u.s. coast guard helicopter around 2 a.m. local time and taken to university of texas medical branch in galveston for treatment . the search for the missing crew member involved two coast guard helicopters , a falcon jet , a marine corps c-130 -- which has night-vision capabilities -- and the coast guard cutter manowar . all of those on board the capsized sailboat were experienced sailors , diehl said . `` they were very well trained , '' diehl said . `` obviously -lsb- they were -rsb- the more senior cadets at the university here , and they had very experienced safety people on board . '' when rescuers retrieved the capsized boat 's hull , diehl said the keel was missing . `` that 's the part that keeps the sailboat balanced in the water , '' he said . `` and from talking to the survivors this morning , that 's where the flooding started for them . '' the 725-mile veracruz regatta began on friday and boats are expected to arrive in veracruz on wednesday and thursday .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. coast guard sunday continues its search for a missing sailor whose five texas a&m university crew mates were hoisted out of the gulf of mexico earlier in the day after their sailboat capsized . members of the texas a&m offshore sailing team are shown in this photo from the team 's web site . the survivors -- four university students and a safety officer -- told the coast guard they were forced off their sailboat after it took on water and capsized . `` the flooding was so fast that the thing flipped over , '' usgs capt. william diehl told cnn . the missing sailor has been identified by the university as roger stone , the vessel 's second safety officer . the sailboat , named cynthia woods , was one of about two dozen boats heading from galveston , texas , to veracruz , mexico , for the annual veracruz regatta race , which began on friday . diehl said the boat was well-stocked with safety equipment -- including emergency radio beacons , life rafts and ring buoys -- but the crew could only manage to find four life jackets after the boat tipped over . `` the survivors told us that -lsb- when -rsb- they went into the water , they had four life jackets among the five , and they huddled together and they exchanged the life jacket among them so that they could stay afloat , '' diehl said . communication with the boat was lost about midnight friday , and the boat missed its 8 a.m. radio check the next morning , the coast guard reported .<doc-sep>a pirates of the caribbean captain who vanished along with his british wife on saturday was found safe and well last night . sailor arthur alleyne , 63 , who skippered a ship used in the first of the films , had been missing in the huge area of ocean between st lucia and barbados . the yacht he was sailing with wife sharon had been ` drifting ' in the caribbean sea for almost five days after hitting a storm . arthur alleyne , 63 , an experienced sailor of 40 years , and his wife sharon went-alleyne , 59 , were last seen on sunday sailing from st lucia to barbados , a trip the couple had done ` possibly hundreds of times ' but they were rescued following a massive search operation organised by their children , who live in the uk . daughter tao alleyne said : ` they 've been found - apart from being hungry and a bit dehydrated they are safe and well . ' mr alleyne , also known as captain sam , headed celebrity ship the brig unicorn , which was used in the filming of all three pirates of the caribbean movies , as well as in the television series roots . the 148ft ship was built in finland in 1948 and played the henrietta in the curse of the black pearl , and the terrasaw in dead man 's chest and at world 's end , before it went down off the coast of st vincent and the grenadines in may this year .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a second u.s. sailor who went missing in afghanistan last week is dead , a pentagon official said thursday . petty officer 3rd class jarod newlove , 25 , of renton , washington , was one of two sailors involved in a firefight on friday in eastern afghanistan . they were traveling in logar province when they were attacked , the military said . deen mohammad darwish , a logar province official , said newlove 's body was found in the baraki barak district of the province early on wednesday . newlove 's family was notified the same day , the pentagon official said . the sailor died of wounds he sustained from the firefight when the two sailors were captured , darwish said . newlove had five gunshot wounds , including one to the head , darwish said . the government asked the local elders of the province to form a committee and talk to the taliban in order to retrieve the missing sailor . because of the negotiations with the elders , the taliban gave the body back without submitting any demands , darwish said . afghan and coalition forces first recovered the remains of petty officer 2nd class justin mcneley , 30 , of wheatridge , colorado , on sunday . petty had been listed as duty status whereabouts unknown . on monday , taliban spokesman zabiullah mujahid said one american died in a firefight and the other was being held by the group . mujahid said the two americans were driving in a civilian vehicle in the village of dasht , in charkh district . the taliban wanted to take both men alive , but the firefight broke out , killing one of the americans , mujahid said . the other was alive and being held in a safe location , he said at the time . newlove 's family released a statement through the navy asking that the media release no details of the incident or information about the family . darwish said he learned from locals that mcneley was killed . he said the body was found in the patanak mountains of charkh district . he also said the vehicle the men were driving was located sunday . there had been no immediate demands by the taliban for the return of the americans because the group was still deliberating what its demands would be , mujahid said . cnn 's barbara starr and atia abawi contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a college student who survived a boat sinking with four others said monday that a safety officer who died on their boat was a hero for staying behind and pushing him out . texas a&m student steven guy , left , and instructor steve conway talk about their boat capsizing . steven guy , a texas a&m university sailor , said roger stone saved him and another sailor by helping them to safety . `` he is my hero , '' guy said . `` he saved me . if it was n't for him , i would not be here . '' the group never saw stone after he pushed the two men out of a hatch in the boat , the mariners said . stone , the boat 's second safety officer , was found dead by the coast guard on sunday afternoon . the two men said they spent a day in open water after their vessel sank in the gulf of mexico . the survivors -- four university students and a safety officer -- told the coast guard they were forced off their sailboat after it took on water and capsized early saturday . the five survivors were found and airlifted to land around 2 a.m. sunday , the coast guard said . the group had to get out of the rapidly sinking sailboat so quickly , they could get only four safety vests for five people , safety officer steve conway said monday . they had to huddle in the water to keep each other afloat , he said . watch the rescue and see conway describe the ordeal '' `` with five people and four life jackets , we had to watch the person without the life jacket closely , '' he said . `` these young men did a tremendous job . they pulled themselves through . they had a fierce will to live . '' r. bowen loftin , ceo and vice president of texas a&m at galveston , expressed condolences to the stone family in a letter posted along with status updates on the school 's web site . `` we hope they can take some comfort in knowing all five survivors of this tragic accident credit mr. stone with heroic efforts that were instrumental in making possible their survival , '' loftin said on the site . `` we now know that roger stone died a hero in the classic sense of the word . '' conway said that as the group huddled in the water , they saw rescue jets go by three times before they were spotted . `` it is really discouraging when a plane comes out and flies over and leaves , '' he said . coast guard lt. justo rivera , who was flying the aircraft that rescued the men , told cnn affiliate khou that a flashlight helped save them . while conducting search patterns , coast guard members spotted the light through their night vision goggles , rivera said . it was being held by one of the men . he said that because the coast guard was searching such a vast area , the flashlight was `` instrumental '' in the rescue . `` it 's your proverbial needle in a haystack , '' rivera told khou . during the 26-hour wait , the group was nibbled by curious reed fish and circled by a fish with triangular fin that extended from the water like a shark 's fin . `` they bumped up against us and kind of nibbled on our clothes , '' conway said . `` you do n't know how big the thing is and how hungry it is . i was always aware of the risk of sharks . '' the group 's sailboat , named the cynthia woods , was one of about two dozen boats heading from galveston , texas , to veracruz , mexico , for the annual veracruz regatta race , which began friday . | <t> deceased mariner identified by the university as roger stone . </t> <t> coast guard rescues five sailors reported missing . </t> <t> texas a&m sailboat was taking part in regatta from galveston to veracruz , mexico . </t> <t> boat 's six-person crew missed 8 a.m. radio check saturday . </t> | last missing texas a ⁇ m sailor found dead<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama decisively defeated sen. hillary clinton in north carolina tuesday , but clinton 's narrow victory in indiana will likely send the race for the democratic presidential nomination on to the next round of primaries . sen. barack obama and his wife , michelle , greet supporters in raleigh , north carolina . as polls closed in indiana , clinton had a double-digit lead over obama , but by the end of the evening , clinton 's lead had shrunk , dragging the race out until early wednesday . a clear winner did not emerge until 1:15 a.m. wednesday -- seven hours after the polls closed -- because results were slow to come in from lake county , a chicago suburb in northwestern indiana with several precincts that went strongly for obama . by wednesday morning , all absentee ballots had been counted in lake county and the final results showed obama had taken the county by 12 percentage points . there were 115 delegates at stake in north carolina and 72 in indiana . because democratic delegates are awarded proportionally , obama added four delegates to his lead , according to cnn estimates . obama earlier claimed a decisive victory in north carolina . with 99 percent of precincts reporting , obama held a 14-point lead over clinton . watch analysis of nc , in primaries '' `` some were saying that north carolina would be a game-changer in this election . but today , what north carolina decided is that the only game that needs changing is the one in washington , '' obama told supporters in raleigh , north carolina . watch obama thank his supporters '' obama took an overwhelming 91 percent of the black vote in north carolina , according to exit polls , while clinton claimed only 6 percent .<doc-sep>clinton took 59 percent of the white vote compared to 36 percent for obama , according to the polls . clinton told her supporters in indianapolis , `` it 's full-speed on to the white house . '' watch clinton greet her supporters '' clinton made a strong pitch to blue-collar workers in indiana . she pulled a majority of the votes in rural and suburban indiana during tuesday 's primary . in cnn exit polling , clinton took 53 percent of the vote in suburban areas , compared with 47 percent for obama of illinois . she took 68 percent of the rural vote compared with obama 's 32 percent . in all , 1,738 voters were polled . clinton had pitched herself as the candidate best-suited to turn around a flailing economy and consciously courted working-class voters in the state -- even driving a pickup truck up to a gas pump once to help promote her proposed temporary rollback of federal tax on gasoline . `` i believe that americans need a champion in their corners , '' she said at a rally in indianapolis . `` for too long we 've had a president who has stood up and spoken out for the wealthy and the well-connected , but i do n't think that 's what americans need . `` standing up for working people is about the american dream and about the democratic party ; standing up for the middle class is who we are and what we can be if we stick together . '' eighty-nine percent of indiana voters said they have been affected by what they called a recession . clinton had a slight edge when voters were asked who is most likely to improve the economy -- taking 49 percent to obama 's 47 percent . the candidates now turn their attention to the upcoming contests in west virginia , kentucky and oregon . according to early exit polls , half of clinton 's supporters in indiana would not vote for obama in a general election matchup with sen. john mccain , the presumptive republican presidential nominee . watch what the exit polls show ''<doc-sep>a third of clinton voters said they would pick mccain over obama , while 17 percent said they would not vote at all . forty-eight percent of clinton supporters said they would back obama in november . obama got even less support from clinton backers in north carolina , where 45 percent of clinton supporters said they would vote for him over mccain . thirty-eight percent of clinton supporters said they would vote for mccain while 12 percent said they would not vote . obama voters appear to be more willing to support clinton in november . in indiana , 59 percent of obama backers said they 'd vote for clinton , and 70 percent of obama backers in north carolina said vote for her against mccain . obama on tuesday said he did n't agree with those who said his party would not be able to unite . `` tonight , many of the pundits have suggested that this party is inalterably divided -- that sen. clinton 's supporters will not support me , and that my supporters will not support her , '' he said . `` i 'm here tonight to tell you that i do n't believe it . yes , there have been bruised feelings on both sides . yes , each side desperately wants their candidate to win . but ultimately , this race is not about hillary clinton or barack obama or john mccain . `` this election is about you -- the american people -- and whether we will have a president and a party that can lead us toward a brighter future . '' obama currently leads in pledged delegates and in states won , and he is ahead in the popular vote , if florida and michigan are not factored into the equation . those states are being penalized for moving their primaries up in violation of party rules . with neither candidate expected to win the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the democratic nomination by june 3 , the end of the primary season , the final decision will most likely fall to the 796 superdelegates : democratic governors , members of congress and party officials . watch how superdelegates could come into play '' both candidates have spent the past two weeks shuttling between indiana and north carolina , each arguing to crucial working-class voters that their rival is out of touch when it comes to the pocketbook issues that are dominating the campaign . cnn 's susan candiotti , dan lothian and paul steinhauser contributed to this report .<doc-sep>cnn analyst and clinton supporter paul begala said clinton still scored `` an extraordinary victory '' in pennsylvania . obama congratulated clinton on her win and looked ahead to the may 6 contests in north carolina and indiana . watch obama congratulate clinton '' `` there were a lot of folks who did n't think we could make this a race when it started , '' he said in evansville , indiana . `` but we worked hard ... and now , six weeks later , we closed the gap . we rallied people of every age and race and background to the cause . and whether they were inspired for the first time or for the first time in a long time , we registered a record number of voters , and it is those new voters who will lead our party to victory in november . '' obama drew more than 90 percent of the vote among pennsylvania 's black voters , who are heavily concentrated around philadelphia . african-americans made up about 14 percent of tuesday 's vote . but whites made up about 80 percent -- and voted 60-40 for clinton . her supporters turned out heavily in pittsburgh and the counties of western pennsylvania , and she was racking up similarly lopsided margins in the state 's industrial northeast , the exit polls found . see the exit polls . obama also scored big with new democrats in pennsylvania . one out of every seven democratic party voters was not registered as a democrat at the beginning of the year , and 60 percent of them cast their ballot for obama , according to the exit polls . clinton fared better with voters who made up their mind in the last week , the exit polls showed . fifty-eight percent of those voters said they chose the new york senator . that includes voters who made up their mind in the aftermath of last week 's heated democratic debate . clinton also got the support of older voters , with 61 percent of those age 65 or older backing her , according to the polls . in recent weeks , clinton fended off calls to drop out of the race as the increasingly bruising primary fight raised worries from within the party that the daily cycle of charge-and-countercharge could hurt the democrats ' chances in the general election . neither candidate is expected to win the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination by the end of the primary season in june . call races for yourself and see how delegates add up '' the superdelegates -- party leaders and officials -- then could decide the nomination . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's paul steinhauser and chris welch contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. hillary clinton received the most votes in two pivotal democratic primary contests tuesday , scoring wins in texas and ohio that were considered critical to keeping alive her white house hopes . sen. hillary clinton is the winner in ohio and texas primaries , but trails in the texas caucuses . with 99 percent of precincts reporting in ohio , clinton had 54 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for sen. barack obama . the race was closer in texas where , with 99 percent of precincts in , clinton had 51 percent to obama 's 48 percent . a complicated formula in texas that weighs delegates more heavily in highly populated areas and includes a caucus that was still being tallied wednesday afternoon meant the delegate count there remained unclear . obama was leading clinton in the caucus vote 56 percent to 44 percent with 38 percent of the state counted , party officials said . the party will split 67 delegates between the candidates in proportion to the final caucus results . watch an i-report video from a democratic caucus '' a final tally was not expected until thursday afternoon , officials said . regardless , the two wins were crucial for clinton , who would have found it difficult to continue the race if obama won big tuesday . `` for everyone across america who has 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 to a cheering crowd in columbus , ohio . watch clinton thank backers '' after a month of losses to obama , clinton had been expected to do well in ohio -- where the blue-collar workers who have consistently supported her throughout the campaign make up a large chunk of the democratic base . but with polls showing the ohio contest neck-and-neck in the days leading up to the primary , clinton got a boost from female voters and those who only recently made up their minds . according to cnn exit polling , 59 percent of the voters in the state 's democratic primary were women . those female voters favored clinton over obama , 58 percent to 40 percent . in the past week , clinton sharpened her attacks on obama -- questioning whether he has enough experience to lead the nation and attempting to cast doubt on his opposition to international trade agreements that many in ohio feel have led to job losses . poll results suggest it may have worked . among those polled , 64 percent of those who decided their vote in the last three days chose clinton . clinton was believed to need strong performances in tuesday 's contests in ohio and texas to halt obama 's momentum in the race and stay alive in the hunt for the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination . as early returns were counted tuesday , obama ran a string of consecutive victories to 12 with a lopsided win in vermont . with 99 percent of precincts reporting , he led clinton 59 percent to 39 percent . but clinton snapped that streak in rhode island . with 98 percent of precincts reporting , clinton had taken 58 percent of the vote to obama 's 40 percent . speaking in san antonio , texas , obama told supporters he expected to hold a similar delegate lead over clinton after tuesday 's races to the one he held before .<doc-sep>according to cnn 's latest estimate , obama now has a total of 1,736 delegates -lrb- 1,493 pledged delegates , 243 superdelegates -rrb- . clinton has a total of 1,599 delegates -lrb- 1,334 pledged delegates , 265 superdelegates -rrb- . the democratic contest moves to north carolina and indiana , which hold their primaries tuesday . also on the ballot saturday was the race for chairman and vice chairman of the u.s. territory 's democratic party . the winners of that race will serve as superdelegates . according to the election official , the slate of pilar lujan and jaime paulino leads the slate of joseph artero cameron and arlen bordallo . lujan remains uncommitted in the race for president , but running mate paulino has endorsed obama . both cameron and bordallo have endorsed clinton . incumbent chairman tony charfauros and running mate mary ann cabrera are in third place . neither has endorsed a presidential candidate .<doc-sep>the staffing search for a hillary clinton campaign manager is heating up , and a clinton spokesman acknowledged thursday that the former secretary of state is `` casting a wide net '' when talking to different people about about a would-be presidential bid . clinton met with guy cecil , the outgoing head of the democratic senatorial campaign committee , on wednesday in washington , according to politico , and has talked with robby mook , a former clinton aide , about 2016 . â $ ` both are seen as frontrunner for the top job in a clinton campaign . although clinton 's spokesman said he would n't confirm or deny the meeting and conversations occurred , nick merrill acknowledged that clinton is talking with a wide array of people about 2016 . `` as she decides , she 's casting a wide net and wants to hear from a variety of people on a range of specific topics , from policy ideas to what a successful campaign would look like , '' merrill said in an email . democrats have repeatedly said that clinton has yet to make up her mind , but according to people close to clinton , there have long been four names in the campaign manager race : cecil , mook , stephanie schriock and ace smith . here is what you need to know about each . cecil : . although cecil , as executive director of the democratic senatorial campaign committee , was at the helm when democrats lost the senate in 2014 , he is close with the clintons -- particularly bill clinton -- and worked as hillary clinton 's national political and field director in 2008 . cecil is an unpretentious figure and has won the trust of many on capitol hill . earlier in his career he led the standard journeyman campaign life , working for campaigns in arkansas , north carolina and colorado -lrb- where he led sen. michael bennet 's dark-horse win in 2010 -rrb- . cecil has been hesitant to talk about clinton publicly as she considers a 2016 run and did not respond to an email for this story . mook : . the then 33-year-old political operative was seen as a man on the rise when he steered gov. terry mcauliffe to victory in virginia in 2013 and is regularly mentioned by people close to clinton as a smart choice for campaign manager . before working for mcauliffe , mook was the head of the democratic congressional campaign committee and in 2008 steered the clinton presidential campaign to wins in nevada , ohio and indiana . mook , who has a loyal following in his own democratic circle , started his political career working for then gov. howard dean in vermont . | <t> new : final votes counted in indiana 's lake county ; obama dominates . </t> <t> clinton wins squeaker in indiana ; obama cruises in north carolina . </t> <t> obama says he does not believe his party is `` inalterably divided '' </t> <t> 187 delegates were at stake in tuesday 's primaries . </t> | clinton 's indiana win keeps democratic race alive<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the bush administration hailed north korea 's declaration of its nuclear program as a success for the multilateral diplomacy it engaged in through the six party talks with south korea , china , japan and russia . workers remove fuel rods on the reactor floor at north korea 's yongbyon nuclear facility this year . in fact , north korea 's confessions of many of its nuclear sins -- and its shutdown of its nuclear reactor at yongbyon -- are the closest the international community has come to curbing north korea 's nuclear program . as a result of pyongyang 's handover of the 60-page declaration document -- and friday 's expected destruction of the cooling tower at yongbyon -- president bush ordered some sanctions against north korea lifted and instructed the state department to remove the reclusive communist nation from u.s. lists of enemies and nations that support terrorism . but as important as what the document says is what it does n't say . there is no mention of how many weapons north korea has or where they are hidden . nor did north korea admit to a suspected uranium enrichment program or what nuclear secrets it may have shared with syria . both issues are reduced in the declaration to `` concerns '' pyongyang promises to address down the road . bush and secretary of state condoleezza rice have pledged a robust verification process to double-check north korea 's claims . and north korea has promised to allow u.s. inspectors access to the yongbyon facility and to interview its nuclear experts . but it is far from clear whether pyongyang will allow the kind of intrusive inspections of its entire nuclear arsenal that the united states will need to get a complete picture of north korea 's program . congressional republicans not so sure about pyongyang . the stiffest opposition to the deal is coming from conservative republicans . once considered president bush 's strongest allies in confronting north korea 's nuclear ambition , they feel that the bush administration has let north korea off the hook , especially when it comes to its enriched uranium program and suspected proliferation to syria . rep. ileana ros-lehtinen , r-florida , the top republican on the foreign affairs committee , expressed `` profound disappointment '' over bush 's announcement that north korea would be coming off the lists of enemies and state sponsors of terrorism . and rep. pete hoekstra , r-michigan , the top republican on the permanent select committee on intelligence , accused president bush of sacrificing its principles for a foreign policy success . `` a decision seemingly has been made that it is more important for the white house to reach a legacy agreement than to get to the bottom of north korea 's nuclear efforts , '' hoekstra said . `` lifting sanctions and removing north korea from the list of state sponsors of terrorism flies in the face of history and rewards its brutal dictator for shallow gestures . '' rep. ed royce , r-california , called north korea 's declaration late and incomplete , alleging that north korea built a nuclear facility for syria , considered a terrorist state by the united states , while the nuclear negotiations were ongoing . that , he said , was proof that pyongyang ca n't be trusted . `` how do you have a meaningful declaration of your nuclear program without saying how many bombs you have ? '' royce asked . `` this is a signal to other proliferating regimes that nuclear weapons will be rewarded without ever having to give them up . '' democrats , who once criticized bush for not talking directly to north korea about its nuclear program , are cautiously supportive of the deal . howard berman , the democratic chairman of the house foreign affairs committee , called the north 's submission of a declaration `` encouraging . '' even former presidential candidate sen. john kerry , d-massachusetts , praised the bush administration , saying `` engaging our enemies can pay dividends . ''<doc-sep>but kerry added , `` historians will long wonder why this administration did not directly engage north korea before pyongyang gathered enough material for several nuclear weapons , tested a nuclear device and the missiles to deliver them . '' are we headed down the same road with iran ? in his 2002 state of the union address , bush termed iraq , north korea and iran the `` axis of evil , '' saying they were `` arming to threaten the peace of the world . '' fourteen months after delivering that speech -- and after dictator saddam hussein released a 12,000-page declaration that it had no weapons of mass destruction -- u.s. forces invaded iraq . but no such program was found , nor were stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons of mass destruction . more than five years into the war , the united states is still battling al qaeda and iraqi insurgents there . six-party talks with north korea began in 2003 , after north korea withdrew from the nuclear non-proliferation treaty . progress was limited until 2007 , when north korea agreed to shut down yongbyon and allow international monitors back into the country for monitoring and verification . progress has been even more limited for the third member of the `` axis of evil , '' iran . the bush administration has joined the other members of the u.n. security council -- britain , france , china and russia , along with germany -- in offering iran a set of political and economic incentives similar to the ones north korea was given in exchange for suspending its uranium enrichment program . but the united states has refused to sit down with iran until that suspension takes place . the u.n. security council has passed three resolutions imposing sanctions against iran , and the united states has worked with some success to isolate iran from the international financial community . but unlike north korea , which is isolated and desperately in need of international aid , iran is rich in oil and a powerful force in the middle east . and it 's only getting richer and more immune to sanctions as oil prices skyrocket . and iran seems to be running out the clock and waiting to try its luck with a new u.s. president . sen. barack obama , the presumptive democratic nominee , has pledged to engage iran in direct talks to try to curb its nuclear ambitions . sen. john mccain , the presumptive gop nominee , has taken a much tougher line , refusing to rule out military action to prevent a nuclear-armed iran . with the coming change in the u.s. administration , u.s. officials , diplomats and other iran experts believe that it would be at least eight months to a year before the united states and iran could seriously think about talking . meanwhile , by its own admission , iran continues to perfect its nuclear technology . if the north korean experience can serve as a lesson for the next u.s. president , that lesson may well be that the longer the united states waits to talk to iran , the higher the cost will be to get tehran out of the nuclear business .<doc-sep>u.s. and south korean officials have said that north korea appears to be preparing to test-fire its long-range missile , the taepodong-2 , under the guise of launching a satellite into space . the missile is thought to have an intended range of about 6,700 kilometers -lrb- 4,200 miles -rrb- , which -- if true -- could give it the capability of striking alaska or hawaii . north korea 's bellicose announcement came on the first day of annual joint military drills between south korea and the united states . `` we have said several times that the u.s.-south korean military exercises are annual defensive exercises , '' kim said . `` we again urge north korea to maintain the agreed stance of mutual respect and to stop its verbal attacks and actions that are raising tensions on the korean peninsula , '' he said . the north said it has shut its borders to `` any enemies '' and has cut off `` the north-south military communications in order to guarantee the security . '' north korea said the military phone lines with the south , the last remaining communications channel , will remain closed until the 12-day military exercises end on march 20 , according to yonhap . kim said his government is urging north korea `` to immediately retract this measure and to allow the smooth flow of personnel and communication . '' on saturday , u.s. envoy stephen bosworth said he wants dialogue with north korea , but he also spoke against north korea 's move to go forward with a launch , saying it would be `` ill-advised . ''<doc-sep>4 . a tour guide asked me sincerely , `` is south korea better than north or not ? '' but he refused to look at the photos i took while i was in south korea . 5 . here are some recaps of the conversation between me and the tour guide : the guide could n't believe seoul has more than 12 subway lines , has never heard of kim jong-un 's `` study abroad in switzerland '' experience and was surprised when hearing that the daughter of xi jinping was studying in the states . he knew way too -lsb- little -rsb- about kim 's wife , had heard about china 's corruption but not the sewol ferry accident . he visited china once and found out china had serious pollution issues . 6 . apple or sony ? another guide asked us . read : touring north korea : what 's real , what 's fake ? 7 . the visitors/tourists from the chinese government dropped significantly after the chinese government called for its officials to curb public consumption and avoid extravagance , according to the tour guide . 8 . there was no button for 5/f at the yanggakdo hotel . 9 . automobiles i saw in north korea are mostly chinese -lrb- approximately 60 % -rrb- -- chery , jac motors , dongfeng and king long . about 20 % are japanese cars like nissan and toyota , 5 % dprk brand pyeonghwa , 5 % south korea 's hyundai and 10 % other cars like benz etc. . more : how to travel to north korea . 10 . it only costs chinese about rmb3 ,000 -lrb- $ 500 -rrb- to visit north korea but the very same trip might cost a u.s. passport holder about $ 3,000 .<doc-sep>`` we again urge north korea to maintain the agreed stance of mutual respect and to stop its verbal attacks and actions that are raising tensions on the korean peninsula , '' he said . the north said it has shut its borders to `` any enemies '' and has cut off `` the north-south military communications in order to guarantee the security . '' north korea said the military phone lines with the south , the last remaining communications channel , will remain closed until the 12-day military exercises end on march 20 , according to yonhap . kim said his government is urging north korea `` to immediately retract this measure and to allow the smooth flow of personnel and communication . '' on saturday , u.s. envoy stephen bosworth said he wants dialogue with north korea , but he also spoke against north korea 's move to go forward with a launch , saying it would be `` ill-advised . ''<doc-sep>the north 's comments on friday reiterated statements it had made earlier this week promising to abolish the armistice agreement that stopped the korean war in 1953 and threatening strikes on the united states and south korea . claiming its enemies are `` hell bent on confrontation and war fever , '' pyongyang said it was now revoking `` all agreements on nonaggression reached between the north and the south , '' a declaration it has made in previous years . it also said it was nullifying the joint declaration on the denuclearization of the korean peninsula . the north , which conducted its third underground nuclear test last month , had said recently that denuclearization of the region was impossible because of what it described as the united states ' hostile policy toward it . it also stated that it was immediately cutting off the `` north-south hot line , '' three days after it had already said it planned to terminate its military telephone line with the united states . the phone line is meant to serve as a tool to defuse potential flash points along the heavily militarized border between the two koreas . but andre kok , deputy public affairs officer for u.s. forces in korea , said that reports of the north 's korean people 's army , known as the kpa , cutting off communication often arise when military training exercises are taking place , as they are at the moment . `` when we place a call on the direct phone line and the kpa does not answer , we have no way of knowing if the kpa has actually disconnected the phone lines or are just not answering the phone , '' he said . on saturday , north korea 's foreign ministry said sanctions against the north over the last eight years have only caused it to bolster its nuclear deterrent program `` qualitatively and quantitatively , '' according to the north 's official news agency , kcna . on friday afternoon , pentagon spokesman george little said north korea `` will achieve nothing through threats of provocations , which will only further isolate north korea and undermine international efforts to ensure peace and stability in northeast asia . '' little said the united sates `` calls on -lrb- north korea -rrb- to refrain from further threats and provocative actions , '' and said the united states is fully capable of defending itself and its allies , including south korea and japan . new u.n. measures . tensions are particularly high at the moment because of the new measures against the north adopted unanimously on thursday by the u.n. security council . `` these sanctions will bite , and bite hard , '' u.s. ambassador to the united nations susan rice said after the vote . china , north korea 's key ally , could have used its veto power to block the sanctions . instead , after weeks of negotiating , it signed on to the final draft . `` china is a country of principle , '' china 's u.n. ambassador li baodong said . `` we are firmly committed to safeguarding peace and stability on the korean peninsula . '' | <t> just as important as what the nuclear declaration says is what it does n't say . </t> <t> north korea did n't admit to uranium enrichment or sharing secrets with syria . </t> <t> many republicans say bush administration has let pyongyang off the hook . </t> <t> u.s. may be headed down the same road with iran . </t> | between the lines on north korea<T> |
jakarta , indonesia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- five europeans rescued saturday after an indonesia diving trip went wrong had to fight off a komodo dragon while they were waiting to be found , according to reports . rescued diver kath mitchinso embraces fellow diver ernest lewandowsky as they arrive on flores island . the group was found at mantaolan , on the island of rinca off the komodo national park , after going missing thursday . the divers -- three britons , a frenchman and a swede -- spent two nights on the deserted island , which is home to the large komodo dragon , before rangers found them saturday . frenchman laurent pinel , 31 , said the group had to fight off one dragon with rocks and scavenged for shellfish as they waited to be rescued , britain 's daily telegraph newspaper reported . `` on the beach a komodo dragon came amongst us -lsb- friday -rsb- afternoon , '' pinel said , describing how the group had to pelt the dangerous reptile with rocks to scare it away . `` we had nothing to eat . we ate some kind of mussels scraped from the rocks , '' pinel told the newspaper . the husband of one of the other divers said he was told they were in good condition , although dehydrated .<doc-sep>`` i 'm just so relieved , '' said mats kohler , husband of helena neva lainen . they are both from sweden . an official said they were being taken to a hospital for examination . searchers using boats located the missing divers at 11 a.m. saturday -lrb- 11 p.m. et friday -rrb- , the official said . they arrived at a hospital in labuan bajo , on the western tip of the island of flores , about two hours later , an official said . watch a report on the discovery of the missing group '' they were one of two groups of divers who entered the water off komodo national park on thursday and were supposed to be gone for an hour , said an employee of the dive company , reef seekers . the second group came back after the hour passed , but the first group failed to resurface , she said . earlier , an official with the komodo divers association said the group that returned comprised six snorkelers . among those who went missing was one of the owners of the dive company , kathleen mitchinson , the employee said . the seas that the divers were in are known to be dangerous because of their strong tides , and that 's one theory being investigated in the divers ' disappearance , the employee said .<doc-sep>komodo dragons , the world 's heaviest lizards , can grow up to 3 meters -lrb- 10 feet -rrb- in length and have a toxic bite that they use to kill prey such as buffalo , returning to feast when the animal succumbs to the poison . despite their ungainly appearance , the carnivorous reptiles can run as fast as a dog in short bursts , jump up on their hind legs , and kill animals with a blow of their powerful tails . attacks on humans are rare , but monday 's incident is the latest in a series in which the monster lizards -- which have forked tongues and fearsome claws -- have killed or injured people . last month a park ranger survived after a komodo dragon climbed the ladder into his hut and savaged his hand and foot . in 2007 an eight-year-old boy died after being mauled . in june last year , a group of divers who were stranded on an island in the national park -- the dragons ' only natural habitat -- had to fend off several attacks from the reptiles before they were rescued .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 12:10 est , 19 november 2013 . | . updated : . 12:51 est , 19 november 2013 . it is an adept killing machine , bigger than a man with a deadly bite . but one brave woman tied a slab of meat to her and outran a komodo dragon as part of a daring television sketch . ayako imoto , an adventurer and japanese celebrity took part in the stunt in japan . scroll down for video . run for her life : a woman with a slab of meat outran as a komodo dragon in bizarre japanese tv show . the prankster performed the challenge wearing a traditional japanese kimono . in the video she is seen limbering up before having a piece of rope tied to her with raw meat at the end . as the komodo dragon lumbers towards her she crouches and then gets ready to run . brave : the prankster performed the challenge wearing a traditional japanese kimono . viral : in the video which has gone viral she is seen warming up before having a piece of rope tied to her with meat at the end . time for tea : as the komodo dragon lumbers towards her she crouches and gets ready to run .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an indonesian fisherman has been killed by komodo dragons after he was attacked while trespassing on a remote island in search of fruit , officials said tuesday . komodo dragons kill their prey with an extremely toxic bite . muhamad anwar , 32 , bled to death on his way to hospital after being mauled by the reptiles at loh sriaya , in eastern indonesia 's komodo national park , the park 's general manager fransiskus harum told cnn . `` the fisherman was inside the park when he went looking for sugar-apples . the area was forbidden for people to enter as there are a lot of wild dragons , '' harum said . other fisherman took anwar to a clinic on nearby flores island , east of bali , but he was declared dead on arrival , he added . komodo dragons , the world 's heaviest lizards , can grow up to 3 meters -lrb- 10 feet -rrb- in length and have a toxic bite that they use to kill prey such as buffalo , returning to feast when the animal succumbs to the poison . despite their ungainly appearance , the carnivorous reptiles can run as fast as a dog in short bursts , jump up on their hind legs , and kill animals with a blow of their powerful tails . attacks on humans are rare , but monday 's incident is the latest in a series in which the monster lizards -- which have forked tongues and fearsome claws -- have killed or injured people . last month a park ranger survived after a komodo dragon climbed the ladder into his hut and savaged his hand and foot . in 2007 an eight-year-old boy died after being mauled . in june last year , a group of divers who were stranded on an island in the national park -- the dragons ' only natural habitat -- had to fend off several attacks from the reptiles before they were rescued . park rangers also tell the cautionary tale of a swiss tourist who vanished leaving nothing but a pair of spectacles and a camera after an encounter with the dragons several years ago . an endangered species , komodo are believed to number less than 4,000 in the wild . access to their habitat is restricted , but tourists can get permits to see them in the wild within the national park . all visitors are accompanied by rangers , about 70 of whom are deployed across the park 's 60,000 hectares of vegetation and 120,000 hectares of ocean . despite a threat of poachers , komodo dragon numbers are believed to have stabilized in recent years , bolstered by successful breeding campaigns in captivity . on monday , a zoo in surabaya on the indonesian island of java reported the arrival of 32 newborn komodos after the babies all hatched in the past two weeks , the jakarta post reported .<doc-sep>the proud parents are reportedly hollywood jeff , a 15-year-old komodo dragon who resided at the memphis zoo since 2005 and norberta , a nine-year-old dragon who 's been there for approximately the last five years . scroll down for video . hello world : thirteen of the endangered lizards were hatched in captivity at the zoo since the new year , and another trio are said to be on the way shortly . the zoo lays claim to a third adult dragon , a 12-year-old male named voltron , who has lived at facility since 2006 . ` we 've already got a list of other zoos that want komodo dragons , ' chris baker , assistant curator of reptiles for the memphis zoo told the commercial appeal . ` at this point , it 's just a matter of making sure everyone 's healthy , which they are . it 'll depend on the duration of time before we ship . if they 're going to hang out for two or three months , we may well get some on display . ' the komodo dragon is indigenous to several indonesian islands , and can grow to as much as 150 pounds in weight and 10 feet long . big fella : kimodo dragons are said to be the largest lizard in the world , growing to about 10 feet long and 150 pounds in size . rare feat : while most zoos have never bred a komodo in captivity , the memphis zoo -lrb- pictured -rrb- has accomplished the feat three times in little more than a year . predator : indigenous to indonesia , the komodo dragon is said to primarily feed on carrion , although it will prey upon live birds , deer , and even attack a human , if provoked . the komodo dragon is reportedly the largest-living species of lizard on the globe , and feasts on mammals , like deer , as well as birds and invertebrates . the lizard has been known to attack human beings in rare cases . the newborns reportedly have a tough time ahead of them , as their very own mother might try to devour them if they are n't ready for action . `` they 'll bite , first day out of the egg , '' baker told the commercial appeal . ` she 'll eat them if she can catch them . ... when they hatch out of the egg , they have to be ready to go right then . ' watch video here . | <t> five european divers battled komodo dragon before rescue . </t> <t> group found at mantaolan , on the island of rinca off komodo national park . </t> <t> missing divers included three britons , one frenchwoman and a swede . </t> | divers battled komodo dragon before rescue<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the bush administration has launched a `` significant escalation '' of covert operations in iran , sending u.s. commandos to spy on the country 's nuclear facilities and undermine the islamic republic 's government , journalist seymour hersh said sunday . an iranian flag flies outside the building containing the reactor of bushehr nuclear power plant , south of tehran . white house , cia and state department officials declined comment on hersh 's report , which appears in this week 's issue of the new yorker . hersh told cnn 's `` late edition with wolf blitzer '' that congress has authorized up to $ 400 million to fund the secret campaign , which involves u.s. special operations troops and iranian dissidents . president bush and vice president dick cheney have rejected findings from u.s. intelligence agencies that iran has halted a clandestine effort to build a nuclear bomb and `` do not want to leave iran in place with a nuclear program , '' hersh said . `` they believe that their mission is to make sure that before they get out of office next year , either iran is attacked or it stops its weapons program , '' hersh said . the new article , `` preparing the battlefield , '' is the latest in a series of articles accusing the bush administration of preparing for war with iran . he based the report on accounts from current and former military , intelligence , and congressional sources . watch hersh discuss what he says are the administration 's plans for iran '' `` as usual with his quarterly pieces , we 'll decline to comment , '' white house spokesman gordon johndroe told cnn . `` the cia , as a rule , does not comment on allegations regarding covert operations , '' cia spokesman paul gimigliano said . ryan crocker , the u.s. ambassador in baghdad , denied u.s. raids were being launched from iraq , where american commanders believe iran is stoking sectarian warfare and fomenting attacks on u.s. troops . `` i can tell you flatly that u.s. forces are not operating across the iraqi border into iran , in the south or anywhere else , '' crocker said . hersh said u.s. efforts were staged from afghanistan , which also shares a border with iran . he said the program resulted in `` a dramatic increase in kinetic events and chaos '' inside iran , including attacks by kurdish separatists in the country 's north and a may attack on a mosque in shiraz that killed 13 people . the united states has said it is trying to isolate iran diplomatically in order to get it to come clean about its nuclear ambitions . but bush has said `` all options '' are open in dealing with the issue . iran insists its nuclear program is aimed at providing civilian electric power , and refuses to comply with u.n. security council demands that it halt uranium enrichment work . u.n. nuclear inspectors say tehran held back critical information that could determine whether it is trying to make nuclear weapons . israel , which is believed to have its own nuclear arsenal , conducted a military exercise in the eastern mediterranean in early june involving dozens of warplanes and aerial tankers . the distance involved in the exercise was roughly the same as would be involved in a possible strike on the iranian nuclear fuel plant at natanz , iran , a u.s. military official said . in 1981 , israeli warplanes destroyed an iraqi nuclear reactor . iran 's parliament speaker , ali larijani , warned other countries against moves that would `` cost them heavily . '' in comments that appeared in the semi-official mehr news agency sunday , an iranian general said his troops were digging more than 320,000 graves to bury troops from any invading force with `` the respect they deserve . '' `` under the law of war and armed conflict , necessary preparations must be made for the burial of soldiers of aggressor nations , '' said maj. gen. mirfaisal baqerzadeh , an iranian officer in charge of identifying soldiers missing in action . journalist shirzad bozorghmehr in tehran , iran , contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` we have the most advanced sea mines which can not be imagined by the americans , '' he is quoted as saying in the fars report . brig. gen. hossein salami , lieutenant commander of the revolutionary guard , said iran was n't showing off all its capabilities during the games , according to a fars report . `` we have capabilities which will remain covert and hidden before being used in action and we will merely use them in the battlefield , '' salami said in the report .<doc-sep>by . associated press and daily mail reporter . published : . 00:39 est , 8 april 2013 . | . updated : . 02:27 est , 8 april 2013 . north korea is continuing to stoke tensions with a fourth nuclear missile test , which comes as the regime may be looking to carry out war on a different battlefield - the internet . south korea 's point man on north korea , unification minister ryoo kihl-jae , . told a parliamentary committee today that ` there is such an . indication ' that the country is preparing to launch another test missile , according to two ministry officials who spoke on condition . of anonymity . ryoo was answering a lawmaker 's question about increased personnel and vehicle activities at the north 's nuclear test site . scroll down for video . provocative act : north korea is said to be preparing a fourth nuclear missile test , a new incendiary action amid tensions with south korea and the u.s. ministry officials cite ryoo as . telling the lawmakers he would n't provide further details because they . involve confidential intelligence affairs .<doc-sep>between . 80 and 100 rebels have been trained by the u.s , france and jordan in . the past month , he said , with rebels then returning to the battlefield . the recent decision to supply arms and ammunition to the rebels this month raised hope that washington will send heavier weaponry later . rebel groups have said that they lack the weapons needed to resolve the bloody conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people . president obama has resisted calls to . get drawn into the civil war , and washington fears islamic militants . could gain control of u.s. weapons . the obama administration may supply . anti-tank weapons but it is unlikely that they will provide portable . anti-aircraft missiles , which rebels say they need . in qatar , mr kerry said assistance would help change the balance on the battlefield . training : american troops join jordan and iraq for an exercise as it is revealed syrian rebels are being helped . it was his first meeting with his counterparts about aid to the syrian rebels since it was announced that the u.s. would send lethal aid to the opposition , despite fears that weapons could fall into the hands of islamic extremists in syria . that decision was based partly on a u.s. intelligence assessment that assad had used chemical weapons , but mr kerry expressed deeper concerns about iran and hezbollah fighters , according to yahoo . the secretary of state blamed president assad for the deteriorating situation in syria , adding that as the international community tried to hold a conference to create a transitional government , assad invited iranian and hezbollah fighters to bolster his troops .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the international atomic energy agency issued a critical report tuesday saying that it has `` serious concerns '' about iran 's nuclear program and has obtained `` credible '' information that the islamic republic may be developing nuclear weapons . the iaea report , the most detailed to date on the iranian program 's military scope , found no evidence that iran has made a strategic decision to actually build a bomb . but its nuclear program is more ambitious and structured , and more progress has been made than previously known . `` the agency has serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to iran 's nuclear program , '' the report said . `` after assessing carefully and critically the extensive information available to it , the agency finds the information to be , overall , credible . the information indicates that iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device . '' u.s. state department spokeswoman victoria nuland said the report had just arrived and refrained from commenting on details at an afternoon briefing . but a senior u.s. official called the report `` a big deal . '' `` the report is very comprehensive , credible , quite damning , and alarming , '' the official said . read the iaea report here . iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad slammed the report as a fabrication of facts aimed at satisfying u.s. allegations about iran 's nuclear program . ahmadinejad essentially called yukiya amano , the director general of the iaea , a u.s. puppet and said the united nations agency has no jurisdiction in iran . `` the americans have fabricated a stack of papers and he keeps speaking about them , '' he said on state-run press tv . `` why do n't you do a report on the u.s. nuclear program and its allies ? present a report on the thousands of u.s. military bases where washington has nuclear arms that threaten global security . '' the iaea had released another report on iran in september but this one was highly anticipated because of the military aspect . since 2002 , the iaea has regularly received new information pertaining to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile , the report said . it said iran has made `` efforts , some successful , to procure nuclear related and dual use equipment and materials by military related individuals and entities '' and has acquired nuclear weapons information from `` a clandestine nuclear supply network . '' it has also worked on mastering the design of a nuclear weapon and tested components , the report said . the iaea said the some of the activities have both civilian and military applications , but others are specific to nuclear weapons . iran has repeatedly insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful , civilian energy purposes only . according to the iaea report , iran is believed to have continued weapons research and technology development after 2003 , when the intelligence community thought iran had stopped . instead of halting , it seems iran took a temporary hiatus at the time , although the program progressed at a more modest pace since then , the report said . after the report 's release , top republicans in congress called on president barack obama 's administration to ratchet up economic sanctions against iran . rep. mike rogers , the chairman of the house intelligence committee , raised the fear that israel would attack iranian nuclear facilities without further steps by the united states and its allies . | <t> new yorker article says congress authorized up to $ 400 million for covert ops in iran . </t> <t> journalist seymour hersh says program is being staged from afghanistan . </t> <t> u.s. officials decline comment , deny the u.s. is launching raids from iraq . </t> <t> iranian general says troops are building graves for invaders in the event of war . </t> | report : u.s. ` preparing the battlefield ' in iran<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- after wrapping up the longest presidential primary campaign in modern history , sen. hillary clinton said tuesday that she is ready to turn her attention back to being the junior senator from new york . sen. hillary clinton is greeted with cheers as she returns to the senate after a two-week vacation . `` i look forward to being back with this great team , '' she said as she returned to the senate at the end of a two-week vacation , taken after she conceded the 17-month-long primary contest to sen. barack obama . the second-term new york democrat pledged to `` immerse myself in there , '' pointing to the chamber . she had just emerged from the party 's weekly luncheon , which senate majority leader harry reid called `` one of the most emotional caucuses '' he 's ever attended on capitol hill . he said the new york senator entered the event to a sea of high fives , cheers and a standing ovation from her democratic colleagues . clinton said the opportunity to run for the oval office allowed her to `` immerse myself in the extraordinary resilience and resourcefulness that is the american people . '' watch clinton being greeted with cheers '' `` i come back with an even greater depth of awareness about what we have to do here in washington , '' she said . `` so many of the concerns that people have expressed to me over the course of this campaign are ones that they ca n't individually solve . they ca n't even really take it on just at the state or local level . '' clinton said that in addition to working `` very hard to elect sen. obama our president , '' she plans to campaign on behalf of democratic senate candidates . `` we have been unfortunately stymied by the stalling tactics '' of republicans , she said , noting the need for 60 votes to get any legislation passed in the senate . `` it 's going to be up to the democratic party , and particularly the democratic senate , to make progress on everything from health care and the economy to ending the war in iraq , '' she said . `` i look forward to being back with this great team that we have here and doing everything i can to make that happen . '' clinton said she is not spending time on the possibility that she may be asked to fill the no. 2 spot on sen. barack obama 's presidential ticket . `` you know , it is not something that i think about , '' she said . `` this is totally sen. obama 's decision , and that 's the way it should be . '' but she made clear , as she tried to do in her ultimate concession speech june 7 , that her supporters should not stray toward john mccain , no matter any hard feelings left over from a bruising primary . `` anyone who voted for me has very little in common with the republican party , '' she said . thursday night , obama and clinton are set to meet with key donors in washington . the next day , the two will appear jointly in unity , new hampshire , a small town on that state 's western border where the two candidates tied in the january primary . `` this is going to be a symbolic event that i hope will rally the democratic party behind the nominee , '' she said . obama said he looked forward to working with clinton and her husband , former president clinton , on his campaign for the white house . `` bill clinton is one of the most intelligent , charismatic political leaders that we have seen in a generation , and he has got a lot of wisdom to impart , '' obama said tuesday . `` we are going to be working very closely with him and sen. clinton to make sure that we not only win in november , but we actually govern in a way that delivers on the promise of universal health care , good jobs and good wages , clean energy , lower gas prices , the things that are really going to make an impact on people 's lives , '' he said . watch obama discuss clintons ' role '' obama said the senator 's presidential campaign had `` enhanced '' her stature in a way that would bolster her efficacy in the senate . `` she garnered not just votes but passion and support of so many millions of people , '' obama said . `` she 's going to be a force to be reckoned with not only in the senate , but hopefully , if i 'm successful in the white house , she 's going to be one of my key partners in making sure that were moving forward on issues like healthcare that she cares so deeply about . '' at an event in riverside , california , sen. john mccain , the presumptive republican presidential nominee , said clinton is probably returning to the senate with greater political clout . `` i think , if i had to guess , that the fact that the she ran an honorable and incredibly long and dedicated campaign for the nomination of her party would indicate to me that she would probably return to the united states senate with enhanced prestige and enhanced influence , '' mccain said . he also praised clinton for her work on military matters since joining the legislative body in 2001 . `` i think that sen. clinton has already attained a position of leadership in the united states senate , '' he said . `` she works hard at her job . she is a very important member of the armed services committee , and i have worked together with her on a variety of national security issues . '' mccain is working hard to persuade clinton supporters to back his campaign . cnn 's bob costantini , lisa desjardins , alex mooney and peter hamby contributed .<doc-sep>the remarks marked clinton 's first on the subject since the release of a senate report last week investigating the cia 's interrogation techniques after 9/11 . the report has sparked questions about the appropriate use of force in the war against terrorism . clinton said that recent world events , including the mass murder of children in pakistan and the siege in sydney , australia , ` should steal our resolve and underscore that our values are what set us apart from our adversaries . ' gang 's all here : clinton poses with her award next to kathleen kennedy , center , and ethel kennedy , right . scions : michael kennedy cuomo , left , and riley kennedy , right , also took turns to speech . excited to be here : clinton reacts as she is introduced to singer tony bennett , left , at the event . clansmen : rory kennedy , joseph kennedy iii and lauren anne birchfield were also snapped at the event . actresses melanie griffith and debra winger attends the robert f. kennedy ripple of hope award ceremony . hollywood glam : actor chad lowe and producer kim painter wore navy to the event .<doc-sep>americans can watch and listen to former president bill clinton defend and applaud the president 's economic record . clinton , perhaps more than anyone , understands the severity of the mess inherited by obama . after all , clinton handed then president george w. bush a budget surplus in 2001 and saw it grow into the largest deficit in our nation 's history . clinton understands what is like to make the tough decisions from the oval office and he says obama is the right man for the job . first lady will set the tone for the convention with tuesday speech . americans should pay close attention to sen. john kerry , chairman of the senate foreign relations committee , as he details obama 's foreign policy record .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- caroline kennedy , who spent most of her life looking to steer clear of the spotlight , is capping off a year of unusually public -- and political -- activity with interest in the senate seat that would be vacated by secretary of state-designate hillary clinton . caroline kennedy could join her uncle edward in the u.s. senate . and her interest in that seat could mean the continuation of a kennedy legacy in the senate that began 56 years ago with the election of her father , john f. kennedy , as the junior senator from massachusetts . her uncle edward has represented massachusetts in the senate for more than four decades . her uncle robert served as junior senator from new york from 1965 until he was assassinated in 1968 . `` remember , -lsb- clinton 's -rsb- seat in the senate was once held by robert kennedy , '' cnn senior political analyst bill schneider said saturday . `` her other uncle , ted kennedy , is ill right now . if -lsb- new york gov. david -rsb- paterson appoints caroline kennedy to the senate , it means there could be a kennedy staying in the senate for quite a long time . '' paterson confirmed to cnn saturday that caroline kennedy called and `` asked a few questions '' but did not express interest in the seat . `` i am sure if she 's interested , she 'll call back , but i 'm not going to rate any of the candidates or talk about prospective candidates . it just adds speculation to the speculation , '' paterson said . but one democratic source close to the kennedy family said caroline kennedy `` is interested to say the least '' about discussing the senate vacancy . the source said kennedy has asked a tight circle of family friends and political advisers for advice . a second source , who has knowledge of kennedy 's conversation with paterson , tells cnn that kennedy reached out to inquire about the responsibilities and impact such a move would have if she were selected by the governor to fill the position . a senate appointment for caroline kennedy would mark a change for the woman who has rarely run into the glare of political attention . `` apparently , she has acquired a taste for politics , having endorsed barack obama early this year , '' schneider said . `` she wants to be part of this new regime in america , clearly playing a key role in the senate if she gets that appointment . '' watch cnn 's bill schneider discuss caroline kennedy 's prospects ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a lot of people do n't pay close attention to midterm elections . they are not as exciting as the presidential campaigns , and most americans are just not interested in the ups and downs of individual members of congress . but the last midterm that a president faces matter very much . president obama knows more than anyone that he has much at stake in the midterm elections . if republicans are able to regain control of the senate while retaining their majority in the house in november , they will have two years to inflict significant damage on the administration 's agenda and set the terms of debate for the 2016 election . republicans have already been remarkably successful at using their standing in congress to cause problems for president obama . even though democrats have controlled the senate , house republicans have stood as an impenetrable barrier against almost any substantial legislation and used the lower chamber as a platform to keep public attention focused on deficit reduction . if they can grab hold of the senate as well , their power will vastly increase . lame-duck presidents have repeatedly seen the ways in which an opposition congress can be used as a battering ram against the white house . during the late 1950s , the enormously popular dwight eisenhower learned this the hard way . in the 1958 midterm elections , democrats , who already controlled congress , vastly increased the size of their majorities in both chambers . most importantly , the number of northern liberals grew to counteract the power of southern conservative democrats . liberals used the next two years to put forward a huge array of proposals -- ranging from medical care for the elderly to civil rights -- that liberalized the political conversation . president eisenhower , who was focused on balancing the budget and cutting federal spending , had little success holding back this idealistic bunch . although they did n't have much legislative success before john f. kennedy and lyndon johnson arrived in the white house , congressional democrats were able to set the agenda for the next decade , with many of their ideas culminating in the great society . one of the most influential presidents of the 20th century , ronald reagan , learned about his diminishing clout after the 1986 midterm elections , when democrats retook control of the senate -lrb- which they had lost in the 1980 election -rrb- and retained control of the house . between 1987 and 1989 , democrats used their power in congress to finally hit back against the conservative revolution . with powerful speaker james wright at the helm in the house , democrats obtained a budget deal that increased taxes and preserved most key domestic spending . they also expanded medicare and built pressure for clean air initiatives . on foreign policy , they launched a devastating investigation into the iran-contra scandal that severely damaged president reagan 's reputation , while working on a peace plan for nicaragua , a country that had been a focus of reagan 's anti-communist efforts . if anyone survived the lame-duck blues it was president bill clinton . in the 1998 midterm elections , republicans defied historical trends and suffered losses in the house . undeterred , they managed to impeach clinton on december 19 , 1998 . in the months that followed , clinton was able to avoid conviction because the senate refused to move forward with the decision of their counterparts . over the next couple of years , republicans suffered as much as clinton , as there was a backlash against what they had done . clinton watched his approval ratings soar while the booming economy continued to lift the president 's spirits . nonetheless , republicans still had considerable clout through their congressional base . they continued to keep the public agenda focused on deficit reduction and spending cuts and offered almost no space for clinton to pursue any major domestic initiatives . clinton 's presidency -- even with his popularity and a booming economy -- sputtered in its final moments with republicans making sure that no policy-making opportunities emerged at the end for him to build his legacy . nobody understood how that lame duck period could really hurt like president george w. bush . at the height of power after his 2004 defeat of john kerry , bush struggled after democrats regained control of congress in 2006 . democrats used the next two years to get their bills through congress , including an economic stimulus package , ethics reform , a higher minimum wage and energy legislation that raised fuel efficiency standards . they also mounted enormous pressure on the administration to change course in iraq -- which the president did with the announcement of the surge in 2007 -- and blocked any hope that existed for him to pursue spending cuts . the midterms this november will matter a great deal . if republicans win control of the senate , president obama will be in for some tough times . some democrats have complained that the white house has not been doing enough to provide assistance in the midterms . if that accusation is true , the white house might want to rethink its strategy given the important two years that lay ahead . | <t> new : obama says he 's looking forward to working with clintons . </t> <t> junior senator from new york returns after a two-week vacation . </t> <t> clinton promises to `` immerse myself '' in the senate chambers . </t> <t> clinton , obama to campaign together in unity , new hampshire , on friday . </t> | clinton turns attention back to senate<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's prince william has helped the u.s. coast guard bust a drug smuggling boat carrying cocaine worth a minimum of $ 80 million . prince william has helped bust a speed boat smuggling $ 80 million worth of cocaine . william , who is serving in the royal navy , helped make the bust last weekend when he spotted a speedboat found to be carrying nearly a ton of cocaine in the atlantic ocean , britain 's ministry of defense said wednesday . william , 26 , was one of the crew members aboard a helicopter attached to the frigate hms iron duke who spotted the ocean-going speedboat hundreds of miles northeast of barbados , the defense ministry said . the 50-foot-long power boat raised suspicions because it was a small vessel far out to sea and resembled a `` go-fast '' boat commonly used for drug smuggling , the ministry said . the boat 's location suggested it was en route to europe or north africa , it said .<doc-sep>the chopper 's crew informed the ship 's captain about the boat , and u.s. coast guard personnel who were on the frigate then boarded the boat . they found 45 bales of cocaine weighing a total of 900 kilograms -lrb- just under a ton -rrb- , the defense ministry said . the cocaine has a minimum street value of $ 80 million , the ministry said . the bust went smoothly with no violence , defense officials said . navy crew detained the five men on the boat , which was in poor condition and later sank . william is in the middle of a two-month attachment with the royal navy as part of his continued experience with various branches of the military . the prince , who is called sub lieutenant wales in the navy , is also expected to spend time aboard a mine hunter and submarine during his attachment , which ends august 1 .<doc-sep>william 's vessel , the iron duke , is a patrol boat which supports overseas british territories in the event of a hurricane and carries out counter-narcotic operations . william completed a four-month attachment with the royal air force earlier this year and received his pilot 's wings on graduation in april . he learned to fly three different aircraft during the attachment and is known as flying officer wales within the raf . william is already a second lieutenant in the british army , where he serves in the blues and royals regiment of the household cavalry . the attachments are designed to give the prince , who as king will be the head of the armed forces , experience with the military .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's prince william has helped the u.s. coast guard bust a drug smuggling boat carrying cocaine worth a minimum of $ 80 million . prince william has helped bust a speed boat smuggling $ 80 million worth of cocaine . william , who is serving in the royal navy , helped make the bust last weekend when he spotted a speedboat found to be carrying nearly a ton of cocaine in the atlantic ocean , britain 's ministry of defense said wednesday . william , 26 , was one of the crew members aboard a helicopter attached to the frigate hms iron duke who spotted the ocean-going speedboat hundreds of miles northeast of barbados , the defense ministry said . the 50-foot-long power boat raised suspicions because it was a small vessel far out to sea and resembled a `` go-fast '' boat commonly used for drug smuggling , the ministry said . the boat 's location suggested it was en route to europe or north africa , it said . the chopper 's crew informed the ship 's captain about the boat , and u.s. coast guard personnel who were on the frigate then boarded the boat . they found 45 bales of cocaine weighing a total of 900 kilograms -lrb- just under a ton -rrb- , the defense ministry said . the cocaine has a minimum street value of $ 80 million , the ministry said .<doc-sep>the bust went smoothly with no violence , defense officials said . navy crew detained the five men on the boat , which was in poor condition and later sank . william is in the middle of a two-month attachment with the royal navy as part of his continued experience with various branches of the military . the prince , who is called sub lieutenant wales in the navy , is also expected to spend time aboard a mine hunter and submarine during his attachment , which ends august 1 . william 's vessel , the iron duke , is a patrol boat which supports overseas british territories in the event of a hurricane and carries out counter-narcotic operations . william completed a four-month attachment with the royal air force earlier this year and received his pilot 's wings on graduation in april . he learned to fly three different aircraft during the attachment and is known as flying officer wales within the raf . william is already a second lieutenant in the british army , where he serves in the blues and royals regiment of the household cavalry . the attachments are designed to give the prince , who as king will be the head of the armed forces , experience with the military .<doc-sep>by . becky evans . and pa reporter . cocaine worth # 100million has been seized by royal navy sailors off the coast of puerto rico . sailors from hms lancaster seized 680kg of pure cocaine , made of 22 bales , after boarding a speedboat near the caribbean island . the ministry of defence said the 30ft speedboat , which was hidden by a tarpaulin , had been spotted by a u.s. customs and border agency aircraft , prompting the bust . a royal navy gunner on board hms lancaster using a machine gun to destroy a speed boat where sailors seized cocaine worth # 100million off the coast of puerto rico . the boat , which was carrying three people , was destroyed so it can not be used in further drug smuggling . a lynx helicopter and high-speed pursuit boat were launched from the portsmouth-based hms lancaster to intercept the vessel . three suspected smugglers threw the drugs overboard , but they were recovered by divers . a total of 22 bales of pure cocaine were . seized along with the three men . they , and the drugs , were handed over . to the coast guard cutter sapelo and then authorities in puerto rico . the empty drugs boat was then sunk . by royal navy gunfire - in line with standard procedure - to prevent . its use in future smuggling operations . the type 23 frigate 's commanding . officer , commander steve moorhouse , said it was the third success in as . many weeks for the ship , which is working with us authorities as part of . a joint effort to fight drug smuggling in the caribbean . armed royal navy personnel can be seen pointing guns at the three men after they intercepted the speedboat . a sailor carries two of 22 cocaine bales recovered from the ocean after being thrown overboard by the suspects . ` this . is a great result , not only for lancaster but also everyone involved in . the multinational effort to stem the flow of drugs in the region , ' he . said . ` my ship 's company can . be incredibly proud of what they have achieved , their professionalism . and teamwork continue to shine , and our close relationship with our . partner nations and law enforcement agencies is proving to be hugely . successful . ' he said in the past three weeks his crew have seized marijuana worth # 700,000 and large quantities of heroin and cocaine . defence secretary philip hammond praised the crew 's work today , saying : ` this extraordinary quantity of drugs has been stopped from reaching the streets by the swift actions of the royal navy , working closely with the u.s. coastguard . sailors look on as the speedboat burns in the ocean off the coast of puerto rico . a lynx helicopter -lrb- pictured -rrb- was launched from the lancaster after the coast guard spotted the boat . the hms lancaster is part of operation martillo , a 15-nation effort to fight smuggling in the caribbean . ` this is hms lancaster 's second . counter narcotics patrol in the caribbean to tackle the drugs trade and . the entire ship 's company should be proud of this remarkable . achievement . ` this is . another example of the skills and capability that mean our armed forces . are held in high regard by our partners around the world . ' hms . lancaster is currently on patrol with a team from the us coast guard . law enforcement detachment who provide intelligence in catching drug . runners . she is on her second counter-narcotics patrol of the caribbean region and will continue to fight drug smuggling until the end of the year . the patrols are part of operation martillo , a 15-nation effort to fight drug smuggling and to stop the movement of drugs from south america into the caribbean and onwards to the uk . over the past year the u.s. coast guard has seized 45,195 lb of cocaine and 8,500 lb of marijuana during 22 law enforcement interceptions . as well as counter-narcotic operations with the u.s. , hms lancaster is carrying out other tasks across the caribbean to support british interests , including providing reassurance and security for british overseas territories and the provision of humanitarian aid and disaster relief during the core hurricane season .<doc-sep>the loose . women star spoke in admiration of the young royal at london 's brasserie . blanc at the after party of her new play , chicken . ` she is very savvy and very smart , ' she said . sleeping rough : in the winter of 2009 , prince william and seyi obakin , ceo of homeless charity centrepoint , spent a night on the streets in freezing temperatures to experience being homeless . helping hand : prince william and catherine , pictured with centrepoint 's seyi obakin , are devoted to supporting the charity at a time when homeless figures are on the rise . three years ago , william was joined on his night sleeping rough by centrepoint chief executive , seyi obakin , and his private secretary , jamie lowther-pinkerton . it was n't a peaceful night under the stars for the three musketeers , who nearly got run over by a roadsweeper . writing on the centrepoint website , seyi revealed : ` william was determined to do it as patron to raise awareness of the problem and to be able to understand a little better what rough sleepers go through . ' charitable work : princess diana was the patron of the centrepoint charity for the homeless and introduced her son to the good cause . at the time , a st james ' palace spokesman said : ` prince william took away from the experience the importance of tackling all the issues that cause people to be homeless and stay homeless , from drug dependency to mental health problems . ' centrepoint helps the homeless in london and the north east and was one of six organisations diana remained patron of when she scaled back her charitable interests . kate and william visited the charity last year and joined in on a healthy eating cookery programme . the work of william and kate is fundamental to the charity as the latest figures reveal that there has been a 20 per cent increase in those sleeping rough in a year . | <t> prince william has helped the u.s. coast guard bust a drug smuggling boat . </t> <t> boat carrying cocaine with a street value of at least $ 80m , officials say . </t> <t> prince william helped spot the boat hundreds of miles northeast of barbados . </t> | prince william helps bust $ 80m drug smuggling boat<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- senate republicans on tuesday blocked a democratic initiative that would have taxed the windfall profits oil companies have enjoyed due to rising energy prices , with the minority leader calling the proposal a `` gimmick . '' record energy prices have led to record profits for oil companies . the measure failed to achieve the 60 votes required by senate rules to proceed . the vote was 51-43 . six republicans , including three seeking re-election in november , broke ranks to support the bill . two democrats -- sen. mary landrieu of oil-producing state louisiana and majority leader harry reid , who voted no to be able to bring the measure back to the floor under senate rules -- voted against the measure . along with placing a special tax of 25 percent on oil companies , the bill would have permitted lawsuits against the organization of petroleum exporting countries , the oil-producing cartel , and suspended deposits into the strategic petroleum reserve . profits from renewable energy sources would be excluded from the tax . `` we 're not afraid , on this side , to go after big oil when they are not doing the right thing , '' said sen. charles schumer , d-new york . `` and we are not afraid to go after opec because they are a cartel that squeezes us . `` we 're not afraid to do some strong tough things that will -- some in the short run , some in the longer run -- that will bring down the price , the all too high price , of gasoline . '' sen. byron dorgan , d-north dakota , said the measure was needed to `` wring out '' speculators he blamed for driving the price of crude oil to more than $ 130 a barrel in recent weeks . but senate republicans insisted the new taxes ultimately would hurt consumers and cut american oil supply , saying democrats simply were playing election-year politics . the bill is `` pure and simple a pathetic attempt to even call itself an energy plan , '' said sen. kay bailey hutchison , r-texas . senate minority leader mitch mcconnell said , `` hitting the gas companies might make for good campaign literature or evening news clips , but it wo n't address the problem . this bill is n't a serious response to gas prices . it is just a gimmick . '' the kentucky republican added , `` they are hoping the idea of going after energy companies will create the illusion of action after a week in which they themselves fought for a bill that would make the problem worse . what a political charade . '' as the average cost of gas edged above $ 4 a gallon , high prices are definitely on the minds of voters . a cnn/opinion research corp. poll released tuesday shows 40 percent of respondents are more concerned about the cost of gasoline than long lines at the pump , which occurred during the energy crisis of the 1970s . but 55 percent of those surveyed are more worried about the long lines and rationing . the poll results reflect telephone interviews with 1,035 adults on wednesday and thursday . the margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points . cnn 's ted barrett , lisa desjardins , matt smith , virginia nicolaidis and scott j. anderson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>blitzer : because you have had record profits , right ? o'reilly : we 're investing those record profits . blitzer : but billions and billions of dollars in profits , more than ever before . o'reilly : yes , but it 's a big business . and on a return-on-sales business , we 're right in there with the average of american business today . what we 're doing is investing that money . for example , last year , we did make a lot of money , $ 18.7 billion . this year , our capital investment in new supplies is $ 22.9 billion , almost $ 23 billion . blitzer : you know that barack obama says if he 's president , he wants a windfall profits tax . he wants to take a chunk of your profits right now and give it back to the american people . john mccain opposes that , as you know . so i assume you would like to see john mccain elected president ? watch mccain explain his stance '' o'reilly : well , i would like to see no windfall profit tax . and i will tell you why . first of all , we are already heavily taxed as an industry . our tax rates last year were at 45 percent , compared with in the 30s for the average of all industry . secondly , as i mentioned earlier , we 're investing the money . if you take the money away , it will reduce investment , reduce supply and have exactly the opposite effect of helping the problem that you have referred to . and , thirdly , we have done it before . we have had windfall profit taxes . congress has studied them about 30 years ago . and what happened under those circumstances is supplies dropped domestically , and we became even more dependent on imported oil . you do n't want to do that today . blitzer : here 's how sen. obama put it . listen to this . obama -lrb- in a video clip -rrb- : sen. mccain wants to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to big oil and opposes a windfall profits tax on oil companies like exxon to help families struggling with high energy costs . i think that is exactly why we need to change washington . blitzer : so , i guess , given the stark difference when it comes to big oil between obama and mccain -- let me rephrase the question -- do you want mccain to be elected ?<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- chevron corp. . ceo david o'reilly says big oil is not to blame for skyrocketing gas prices . chevron corp. . ceo david o'reilly says world demand for crude oil has been growing , which is affecting gas prices . in an interview tuesday with wolf blitzer on cnn 's `` the situation room , '' o'reilly said high demand and a short supply of crude oil were key factors causing gas prices to spike . despite reports of record profits among major oil companies , o'reilly downplayed a recent poll in which americans said corporate avarice played a role . o'reilly also discussed president bush 's and gop presumptive presidential nominee sen. john mccain 's proposal to lift the ban on new offshore drilling as well as presumptive democratic nominee sen. barack obama 's call for taxing companies ' windfall profits . the following is an edited version of the show 's transcript : . blitzer : you know you have -- you and exxonmobil , the big oil companies -- have a huge public relations problem . in all the recent polls , when the american public is asked , who do you blame for these huge gas prices at the pump , they -- more than any other single source -- they blame big oil . they blame you . what 's going on ? watch blitzer grill o'reilly '' o'reilly : well , i do n't think they blame us as much as you think . it looks to me like there 's a lot of blame to go around . blitzer : there 's other blame , but more than any other single source , they blame big oil . o'reilly : it depends on the poll you look at . blitzer : the recent gallup poll . o'reilly : let me point out what we 're trying to do about this because i think the issue here is one of supply . and prices are high today , but it 's fundamentally a concern about oil supplies -- 75 percent of the price of gasoline is related to crude oil . we 're very dependent on crude oil imports . the total world demand for crude oil has been growing steadily over the last decade . and that is affecting everybody 's price . so it is a concern , but we need to work on the supply side , as well as the demand side , to bring change .<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>instead , obama would use a windfall profits tax on oil companies to help low-income families pay their energy bills . he also insists he would put forth more effort than others to limit oil companies ' influence in washington . analysts and obama said the proposal to suspend the tax temporarily would do little to stimulate the economy or lower gas prices and could leave roads in disrepair . `` it 's a quick fix for people who believe cheap gas is their birthright , '' said tom kloza , chief oil analyst at the research firm oil price information service . `` it 's not a prudent thing to do . '' kloza said the amount of money motorists would save would do little to stimulate economic growth . the revenue from the gas tax is much needed for road repairs , he added . `` look , somewhere down the road you have to use less , '' kloza said . `` as painful as it might be , higher prices do sway behavior toward a more energy disciplined america . '' obama is using the issue to liken clinton to mccain , while she is trying to paint obama as out of touch with working-class voters -- a group that will play a big role in the upcoming indiana primary . indiana and north carolina both hold their primaries next tuesday . obama leads clinton in the overall delegate count , 1,725 to 1,588 . clinton has a slight edge in superdelegates , leading obama 256 to 234 . | <t> measure fails to get 60 votes needed to proceed . </t> <t> bill would have added 25 percent supplemental tax on windfall profits . </t> <t> democrats say legislation shows they are willing to take on big oil . </t> <t> minority leader calls the bill `` a gimmick '' and `` political charade '' </t> | gop senators spike windfall profits tax on big oil<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush on monday signed a bill that will pay for the wars in iraq and afghanistan through the remainder of his presidency and into spring 2009 . president bush on monday said the men and women of the armed forces deserve `` our unflinching support . '' the supplemental spending bill provides nearly $ 162 billion in war funding without the restrictions congressional democrats vowed to put into place since they took control of congress nearly two years ago . after signing the bill , bush said the men and woman of the armed services are owed `` our unflinching support , and the best way to demonstrate that support is to give them the resources they need to do their jobs and to prevail . '' bush also said he appreciated that `` republicans and democrats in congress agreed to provide these vital funds without tying the hands of our commanders and without an artificial timetable of withdrawal from iraq . '' watch as bush thanks congress '' `` this bill shows the american people that even in an election year , republicans and democrats can come together to stand behind our troops and their families , '' bush said . he also touted the success of the `` surge '' strategy he implemented last year . `` our troops have driven the terrorists and extremists from many strongholds in iraq . today , violence is at the lowest level since march of 2004 , '' he said . `` as a result of this progress , some of our troops are coming home , as a result of our policy called ` return on success . ' we welcome them home . '' white houses spokeswoman dana perino called the bill a victory for the president . `` because we have seen success in the surge , perhaps congress decided that it was ok to allow the commander in chief to be able to move forward as he saw fit , '' said perino , noting the $ 162 billion was the same amount that the president had requested . the supplemental spending bill also contains a new gi bill that expands education benefits for veterans who have served since the 9/11 attacks , provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits and more than $ 2 billion in disaster assistance for parts of the midwest that have been hit by record floods . the signing comes two weeks before the deadline that defense secretary robert gates had established for the funds . gates said he would consider laying off defense department employees to balance the pentagon 's books if legislation was not signed by july 15 . watch a progress report from the u.s. ambassador to iraq '' house democrats had tried to include restrictions on war funding when they drafted the bill , but they were unable to overcome procedural hurdles that republicans put up . a compromise version of the supplemental bill was later negotiated between democratic and republican leaders that included the war funding along with the gi bill , unemployment benefits and disaster relief -- three top legislative priorities for the democrats that bush and congressional republicans originally resisted . `` at a time when 2 million men and women have fought in iraq and afghanistan and when our troops have had to endure multiple deployments , stop-loss policies , insufficient equipment and an unclear strategy , giving them the opportunity to fuel our future economy is the least we can do , '' senate majority leader harry reid , d-nevada , said of the gi bill after the senate sent it to the president 's desk thursday night . congressional democrats regained control of the house of representatives and senate after the 2006 midterm elections in large part to due to displeasure over the iraq war . but democrats -- lacking the 60 votes to overcome gop filibusters in the senate , let alone the two-thirds majorities in both the house and senate to override a presidential veto -- have been unable to pass significant restrictions on war funding because republicans , for the most part , have stuck with bush on the war .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- military operations in iraq and afghanistan would be funded into early 2009 under a compromise plan approved thursday by the u.s. house . the bill includes $ 165 billion to fund the wars in afghanistan , above , and iraq . the $ 165 billion measure puts no restrictions on money the bush administration had requested to continue bankrolling the wars but includes money for key domestic priorities for house democrats , namely more unemployment assistance for people who lose their jobs and an expansion of the g.i. bill . the plan also includes more than $ 2 billion for disaster assistance for areas in the midwest dealing with massive flooding . a first vote , on the war funding , was approved 268-155 . a second vote on the domestic money passed 416-12 .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- military operations in iraq and afghanistan would be funded into early 2009 under a compromise plan approved thursday by the u.s. house . the bill includes $ 165 billion to fund the wars in afghanistan , above , and iraq . the $ 165 billion measure puts no restrictions on money the bush administration had requested to continue bankrolling the wars but includes money for key domestic priorities for house democrats , namely more unemployment assistance for people who lose their jobs and an expansion of the g.i. bill . the plan also includes more than $ 2 billion for disaster assistance for areas in the midwest dealing with massive flooding .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush on thursday called on congress to approve billions of dollars in additional funding for the wars in iraq and afghanistan before lawmakers leave for their christmas break . president bush wants congress to approve his request for war spending before the holidays . he said the army will have to shut down bases and start furloughing between 100,000 and 200,000 civilian workers by mid-february if congress does not clear the funds . `` pentagon officials have warned congress that the continued delay in funding our troops will soon begin to have a damaging impact on the operations of this department , '' bush said thursday . `` the warning has been laid out for the united states congress to hear . '' defense secretary robert gates already has ordered the army and marine corps to plan for cutbacks , including civilian layoffs , termination of contracts and reduced operations at bases , the associated press reported . a $ 50 billion war spending bill , which would have required u.s. troops to begin leaving iraq within 30 days , passed the house but stalled last week in the senate -- with republicans balking at the withdrawal provision . speaking at the pentagon , bush called on congress to approve the funds `` without strings and without delay . '' watch bush issue his stern warning '' in may , bush vetoed another spending bill that included a non-binding goal of having combat troops out of iraq by early next year . majority democrats in congress eventually approved funds without that provision . the $ 50 billion for iraq and afghanistan that was approved by the house is about a quarter of what the administration requested . congressional democrats have disputed that , saying the pentagon could shift existing funds to continue the efforts .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- senators have left town for the thanksgiving holiday , but the senate will technically stay in session -- a move that keeps president bush from making appointments while lawmakers are in recess . the senate will hold `` pro forma sessions '' while lawmakers are gone for the thanksgiving holiday . senate majority leader harry reid , d-nevada , said he would schedule `` pro forma '' sessions during the two-week break , even though lawmakers will be absent and no business will be conducted . the sessions are expected to last less than 30 seconds -- the clerk will announce who the presiding officer is , and then that senator will gavel the session closed . the constitution gives a president the power to fill vacancies without the senate 's confirmation when the legislative body is in recess . such appointees can serve without confirmation through the rest of the current session of congress , which ends in january 2009 . bush has used the power before to install nominees whose confirmation senate democrats had blocked . the most notable instance came in august 2005 when he angered democrats by naming john bolton as u.n. ambassador . `` my hope is that this will prompt the president to see that it is in our mutual interests for the nominations process to get back on track , '' reid said in a statement . reid said the bush administration had informed him that several recess appointments would be made during the thanksgiving break . at the same time , reid said the white house has been unwilling to confirm nominations democratic leaders have made to agencies such as the federal communications commission , the federal energy regulatory commission and the nuclear regulatory commission . `` i indicated i would be willing to confirm various appointments if the administration would agree to move on democratic appointments , '' he said . `` they would not make that commitment . as a result , i am keeping the senate in pro forma -lsb- session -rsb- to prevent recess appointments until we get this process on track . '' asked friday if bush planned on making any recess appointments , white house spokesman tony fratto said , `` i have nothing for you on that . '' fratto added , `` we do n't talk about or speculate on personnel appointments until we 're ready to announce them . '' the lawmakers left for their break friday without passing any major bills that they were trying to get done before the break . an effort to pass a temporary funding bill for the wars in iraq and afghanistan stalled on procedural votes . democratic leaders in the house and senate -- who want to make the money conditional on setting dates for bringing troops home -- indicated they do n't expect to return to the issue until early next year . the white house and congressional republicans -- who want the money without strings attached -- are pushing for votes in december . the long-sought $ 286 billion farm bill , which sets the nation 's agriculture policies and provides for subsidies to farmers , also stalled on a procedural vote friday after senators spent two weeks of floor time unable to agree on a set of amendments to the otherwise popular bill . competing proposals to stave off the effect of the alternative minimum tax from millions of middle-class voters this tax season is stuck in negotiations between democrats and republicans , who agree the tax should be abolished but ca n't agree on how , or whether , to pay for it . the children 's health insurance bill known as the state children 's health insurance program , or schip , which bush vetoed once , is bogged down in the house . house democrats have been unable to persuade wavering republicans to agree to a proposal that would expand the program and win enough support to override bush 's veto . there are enough votes to override it in the senate . most of the spending legislation congress was supposed to pass before october will be wrapped into one `` omnibus '' bill to be voted on sometime in december . the democratic-authored spending bills have been stalled . they are $ 22 billion more than what bush said he would agree to spend this year . the white house quickly rejected a proposal from reid to halve the extra funding to $ 11 billion . sen. jon kyl , r-arizona , floated a counter offer , suggesting republicans might go along with the extra funding of domestic programs if democrats agree to pass the war money free of conditions . there has been no official response yet from democratic leaders , but one democratic aide said he did n't think his bosses would accept kyl 's proposal . e-mail to a friend . | <t> new : white house spokeswoman calls bill a victory for president bush . </t> <t> bush signs supplemental spending bill with $ 162 billion for wars . </t> <t> legislation funds iraq and afghanistan wars through spring 2009 without restrictions . </t> <t> bill also contains veteran education and unemployment benefits and disaster relief . </t> | bush signs bill funding wars into 2009<T> |
-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>in his speech monday , obama did not directly address clark 's comments , but after calling attention to mccain 's service , he said `` no one should ever devalue that service , especially for the sake of a political campaign , and that goes for supporters of both sides . '' `` we must always express our profound gratitude for the service of our men and women in uniform . period , '' he said . just as obama was finishing his speech , his campaign released a statement about clark 's remarks . `` as he 's said many times before , sen. obama honors and respects sen. mccain 's service , and of course he rejects yesterday 's statement by gen. clark , '' obama campaign spokesman bill burton said . meanwhile , mccain 's campaign announced monday it was launching a new truth squad to defend the arizona senator 's military record . leaders of the latest group include mccain 's fellow vietnam prisoners of war air force col. bud day and marine lt. col. orson swindle , along with former navy pilot carl smith , who served with him . mccain said monday he was proud of his record of service . watch mccain 's response to clark 's comments '' `` the important thing is that if that 's the kind of campaign that sen. obama and his surrogates and his supporters want to engage in , i understand that , '' he said . `` but it does n't reduce the price of a gallon of gas by one penny . it does n't achieve our energy independence or make it come any closer ... and it certainly does n't do anything to address the challenges that americans have in keeping their jobs , their homes and supporting their families . '' obama was to follow up monday 's speech on patriotism with an address tuesday about faith and remarks later in the week on service . he will spend his fourth of july in butte , montana , campaigning with his family . mccain on monday was campaigning in pennsylvania , a battleground state in the general election . he was scheduled to speak with reporters in harrisburg before holding a town hall meeting in pipersville . mccain leaves for colombia on tuesday and will travel to mexico later in the week . his campaign on monday unveiled his new campaign airplane , a boeing 737-400 . the aircraft shares its name -- the `` straight talk express '' with mccain 's campaign bus , which has been a staple of the candidate 's 2000 and 2008 campaigns . the 95-seat plane -- with seats for the candidate , his staffers and the press -- has the `` straight talk express '' logo emblazoned on its fuselage . cnn 's tasha diakides and chris welch contributed to this report .<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- -- 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 . `` 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 . `` 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>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- first lady michelle obama is a popular american political figure , even more so than her husband . her name , face and stories of her influence behind the scenes are a constant in the media , and sometimes in not so flattering words and images . in books , she is portrayed as battling with white house insiders . in magazines , she has been satirized as a militant activist . on tv , she responds to those who see her as an `` angry black woman . '' but still , she stays centered , focusing on her issues -- health and young children , military families and raising her family inside the white house bubble . `` the administration is doing everything they can to keep her out in the public eye and remind everyone why they liked this family in the first place , '' said garrett graff , editor of the washingtonian magazine . cnn ireport exclusive : michelle obama . but that warm embrace is n't universal , and the first lady made note of it in a recent interview with cbs . `` there will always be people who do n't like me , '' obama told gayle king on `` cbs this morning . '' ever since her husband announced his candidacy for the 2008 presidential race , she said some have viewed her as `` some kind of angry black woman . '' first ladies are always placed under the microscope and often become the targets of harsh critics . paul begala , a former adviser in the clinton administration , said the public is an equal opportunity offender . `` some liberals attacked nancy reagan unfairly . a whole lot of conservatives attacked hillary clinton when i was working for her husband in the white house , '' said begala , who is also a cnn contributor . for michelle obama the first punch came shortly after then-sen . barack obama decided to run for president . beaming with pride , she told an audience that `` for the first time in my adult lifetime i 'm really proud of my country . '' that comment drew fire from conservatives who questioned her patriotism . she was forced to clarify her remarks . then there was the portrayal of her on the cover of the new yorker . a sketch showed her with a machine gun slung across her back , sporting an afro and wearing combat boots like 1960s activist angela davis . opinion : working together for the health of america 's children .<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 . | <t> new : obama vows to never question the patriotism of others in the campaign . </t> <t> new : obama camp : `` of course -lsb- obama -rsb- rejects yesterday 's statement '' by clark . </t> <t> new : mccain 's campaign launches a truth squad to defend his military record . </t> <t> mccain unveils new campaign airplane . </t> | obama responds to attacks on his patriotism<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bangladesh police have detained or arrested more than 18,000 people in the last 11 days in a crackdown on crime they say is aimed at improving security ahead of december elections . people arrested by bangladesh police in their latest round-up arrive at a jail in dhaka . human rights groups decry the actions as politically motivated . the round-ups began may 28 , days after the two main political parties said they would not cooperate with the military-backed caretaker government on organizing the elections . police told cnn that by saturday 16,916 arrests had been made , while local media reported another 1,548 were arrested sunday . the awami league and the bangladesh nationalist party -lrb- bnp -rrb- said hundreds of their party members had been taken into custody . `` the timing and targets of the arrests are a dead giveaway they are politically motivated , '' brad adams of the new york-based human rights watch said in a statement . `` it 's obvious that they are paying the price for the political parties ' refusal to accept the government 's conditions to participate in the elections . '' the government rejects the allegations . the detentions , it said , are part of a planned sweep to rid the country of criminals . `` our igp -lsb- inspector general of police , or chief of police -rsb- categorically said this special drive was being conducted to create a congenial atmosphere before the general election , '' said kamrul ahsan , a spokesman for bangladesh police .<doc-sep>`` it is not politically motivated , '' he said . `` the intention is not to harass anybody politically . '' the crackdown began after the awami league and the bnp said they would not cooperate with the government to develop a roadmap toward democracy unless it first releases the parties ' leaders . the two women who head the parties -- sheikh hasina of the awami league and khaleda zia of the bnp -- are in police custody on corruption-related charges . hasina is charged with bribe-taking . zia is being held on charges of graft for improperly awarding a multi-million dollar government contract . the current political crisis in the muslim-majority south asian country of 150 million can be traced , in large part , to the lingering animosity between the two women , political observers say . their rivalry runs so deep that the women are known in the country as the `` battling begums . '' begum is an honorific given to women of rank in the country . since the country 's independence in 1972 , the awami league or the bnp has ruled bangladesh for all but eight years . both women have served as prime minister at one point or another . after its last stint in power ended in 2006 , the bnp handed over rule to a caretaker government to conduct elections , as mandated by the country 's constitution . but the awami league refused to recognize the neutrality of the interim government . hasina accused zia of stocking it with bnp backers .<doc-sep>supporters and party members took to the streets in months of deadly clashes . to stem the tide of violence , a military-backed government took control in january 2007 and imposed an indefinite state of emergency . it also postponed elections until it said it could clean up the country 's graft-ridden politics . the caretaker government adopted the emergency powers rules . the rules allowed authorities to arrest people without a warrant as long as there was reasonable suspicion that he or she was connected to a crime , human rights watch said . a wave of detentions followed . by some estimates more than 90,000 people were detained before some were released and others charged with crimes . among those arrested were more than 150 top politicians , including hasina and zia -- leading to the current political stalemate . the government wants to hold elections in the third week of december , and said the crusade on crime is part of its plan to ensure trouble-free balloting . the political parties allege the arrests are intended to pave the way for the election of pro-government candidates . they want their leaders set free before they sit down and talk with the government about a roadmap toward a successful election . they also threatened to organize mass movements to secure their leaders ' release .<doc-sep>`` it 's kind of an impasse , '' said taleya rehman , founder and executive director of the bangladesh-based non-profit democracy watch . `` the government is conducting political dialogue with small parties . but they are of no significance . they need the two major parties . '' on monday , the government announced it was releasing hasina from custody on medical grounds so she can go abroad for treatment . a similar release for zia was also expected . party members say the government 's move is a ploy to sideline the pair from the elections by sending them out of the country . hasina has a damaged ear resulting from a bombing attack that targeted her four years ago . zia is believed to have arthritis . meanwhile , the detentions continue -- almost 1,800 a day . in addition to political party members , the crackdown has also swept up several journalists . `` that actually makes the arrests suspicious in some people 's minds , '' said sultana kamal , executive director of the legal aid group , ain o salish kendro -lrb- law and adjudication center -rrb- . `` if you just arrest any tom , dick and harry saying this person may have arms , then people will legitimately raise questions about the mode of the whole operation . ''-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bangladesh police have detained or arrested more than 18,000 people in the last 11 days in a crackdown on crime they say is aimed at improving security ahead of december elections . people arrested by bangladesh police in their latest round-up arrive at a jail in dhaka . human rights groups decry the actions as politically motivated . the round-ups began may 28 , days after the two main political parties said they would not cooperate with the military-backed caretaker government on organizing the elections . police told cnn that by saturday 16,916 arrests had been made , while local media reported another 1,548 were arrested sunday . the awami league and the bangladesh nationalist party -lrb- bnp -rrb- said hundreds of their party members had been taken into custody . `` the timing and targets of the arrests are a dead giveaway they are politically motivated , '' brad adams of the new york-based human rights watch said in a statement . `` it 's obvious that they are paying the price for the political parties ' refusal to accept the government 's conditions to participate in the elections . '' the government rejects the allegations . the detentions , it said , are part of a planned sweep to rid the country of criminals . `` our igp -lsb- inspector general of police , or chief of police -rsb- categorically said this special drive was being conducted to create a congenial atmosphere before the general election , '' said kamrul ahsan , a spokesman for bangladesh police .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bangladesh lifted a two-year-old state of emergency on wednesday , less than two weeks ahead of parliamentary elections . a girl with the national flag painted on her cheek marks victory day in dhaka , bangladesh , tuesday . the order was issued tuesday by president iajuddin ahmed , according to shahenur miah , a government spokesman . the announcement came on the 37th anniversary of the establishment of bangladesh as a nation , known as victory day . parliamentary elections are scheduled for december 29 . to stem a tide of political violence , a military-backed government took control in january 2007 and imposed an indefinite state of emergency . it also postponed elections until it said it could clean up the country 's graft-ridden politics . the caretaker government adopted emergency powers that allowed authorities to arrest a person without a court warrant as long as there was reasonable suspicion that he or she was connected to a crime , human rights watch said . a wave of detentions followed . by some estimates , more than 90,000 people were detained before some were released and others charged with crimes . among those arrested were more than 150 top politicians , including the leaders of two prominent political parties , sheikh hasina of the awami league and khaleda zia of the bnp . since the country 's independence in 1971 , the awami league or the bnp has ruled bangladesh for all but eight years . both women have served as prime ministers at one point or another . the most recent crackdown took place in june when police detained or arrested more than 18,000 people in 11 days and came after the two main political parties said they would not cooperate with the military-backed caretaker government on organizing the elections . cnn 's harmeet shah singh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` it is not politically motivated , '' he said . `` the intention is not to harass anybody politically . '' the crackdown began after the awami league and the bnp said they would not cooperate with the government to develop a roadmap toward democracy unless it first releases the parties ' leaders . the two women who head the parties -- sheikh hasina of the awami league and khaleda zia of the bnp -- are in police custody on corruption-related charges . hasina is charged with bribe-taking . zia is being held on charges of graft for improperly awarding a multi-million dollar government contract . the current political crisis in the muslim-majority south asian country of 150 million can be traced , in large part , to the lingering animosity between the two women , political observers say . their rivalry runs so deep that the women are known in the country as the `` battling begums . '' begum is an honorific given to women of rank in the country . since the country 's independence in 1972 , the awami league or the bnp has ruled bangladesh for all but eight years . both women have served as prime minister at one point or another . after its last stint in power ended in 2006 , the bnp handed over rule to a caretaker government to conduct elections , as mandated by the country 's constitution . but the awami league refused to recognize the neutrality of the interim government . hasina accused zia of stocking it with bnp backers .<doc-sep>`` it 's kind of an impasse , '' said taleya rehman , founder and executive director of the bangladesh-based non-profit democracy watch . `` the government is conducting political dialogue with small parties . but they are of no significance . they need the two major parties . '' on monday , the government announced it was releasing hasina from custody on medical grounds so she can go abroad for treatment . a similar release for zia was also expected . party members say the government 's move is a ploy to sideline the pair from the elections by sending them out of the country . hasina has a damaged ear resulting from a bombing attack that targeted her four years ago . zia is believed to have arthritis . meanwhile , the detentions continue -- almost 1,800 a day . in addition to political party members , the crackdown has also swept up several journalists . `` that actually makes the arrests suspicious in some people 's minds , '' said sultana kamal , executive director of the legal aid group , ain o salish kendro -lrb- law and adjudication center -rrb- . `` if you just arrest any tom , dick and harry saying this person may have arms , then people will legitimately raise questions about the mode of the whole operation . '' | <t> bangladesh police have detained or arrested 18,000 people in 11 days . </t> <t> human rights groups decry the actions as politically motivated . </t> <t> round-ups began after parties refused to cooperate with military government . </t> | 18,000 held in bangladesh ` political crackdown '<T> |
buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president cristina fernandez on tuesday defended an increase in export taxes on grains that has riled many farmers , and she called on them to respect the law in protesting her policies . president cristina fernandez : calls on rally wednesday to support her policies . `` all my life i have soldiered in this party , which always believed in social justice , in the redistribution of income , which caused us to win and lose elections , '' she said in a nationally televised address from the presidential palace . `` but we were always respectful of the popular will . '' fernandez , of the center-left peronist movement , made her plea for comity a day after massive demonstrations in various cities blocked traffic and paralyzed much of the country . in a concession to her critics , fernandez said the increase in taxes on exports of grains that she instituted in march by decree will be debated by congress . but there is little likelihood that the congress will order major changes , since her party controls both houses . but hilda duhalde , an opponent of fernandez , was not persuaded . `` it 's true that they have a majority in both houses , but we have to put white on black and watch out for the small - and medium-sized producers , who are the ones suffering , '' she said . argentina raised export taxes in march by more than 10 percent . fernandez has said growers have benefited from rising world prices and the profits should be spread to help the poor . farmers have countered that they need to reinvest the profits and that the higher taxes make it difficult for them to make a living . fernandez said she was open to dialogue , but a dialogue that does not countenance the blocking of roads or other disruptions to the lives of argentines . `` democracy for the people , not the corporations , '' she said . she called on argentines to take to the plaza de mayo wednesday in a show of support for her policies . `` it does n't matter what party , place or sector you 're from , '' she said . `` what is important is not where you 're from , but where you are going -- what kind of country do we want ? '' to those who do not agree with her policies , she had other advice . `` if they want to change the economic model , what they should do is organize a political party , participate in elections and win them , '' she said . cnn 's carolina cayazzo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- argentine farmers are planning their next move after the country 's president announced plans to fund a public works program with revenues from a controversial agrarian export tax . argentine president cristina fernandez de kirchner has rejected demands for the repeal of an export tax . eduardo buzzi , president of the argentine agrarian federation , said the organization 's directory board will meet friday to discuss what steps it plans to take in response to president cristina fernandez de kirchner 's announcement . `` we call on farmers across the country to stay calm but to stay on the alert , '' the organization said on its web site tuesday . the 44 percent export tax , which applies to soybeans , wheat , corn and sunflower seeds , has caused a three-month-old standoff between the government and farmers . argentina is the world 's second-largest corn exporter and third-largest soybean exporter . on monday , farmers suspended roadblocks that had snarled traffic across the country , though reports indicated that groups in some rural areas were still blocking roads tuesday .<doc-sep>buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- argentine farmers are planning their next move after the country 's president announced plans to fund a public works program with revenues from a controversial agrarian export tax . argentine president cristina fernandez de kirchner has rejected demands for the repeal of an export tax . eduardo buzzi , president of the argentine agrarian federation , said the organization 's directory board will meet friday to discuss what steps it plans to take in response to president cristina fernandez de kirchner 's announcement . `` we call on farmers across the country to stay calm but to stay on the alert , '' the organization said on its web site tuesday . the 44 percent export tax , which applies to soybeans , wheat , corn and sunflower seeds , has caused a three-month-old standoff between the government and farmers . argentina is the world 's second-largest corn exporter and third-largest soybean exporter . on monday , farmers suspended roadblocks that had snarled traffic across the country , though reports indicated that groups in some rural areas were still blocking roads tuesday . kirchner has argued that the tax , which was implemented march 11 , pays for increases in seniors ' pensions and financial assistance for the poor . she has rejected the farmers ' demands for a repeal of the export tax as `` extortion . '' monday marked the first time kirchner revealed details of how the government plans to use profits from the tax , which has generated about u.s. $ 1.5 billion , to lift people out of poverty . `` it is impossible to attack the problem of the poor without distribution of revenue and without touching extraordinary profits , '' she said in a televised address . kirchner said the social redistribution program will include the construction of 30 hospitals and more than 300 health-care centers , as well as investments in the country 's rural roads and in housing . in an apparent criticism of the farmers , she lamented `` the reaction of some who refuse to contribute in the redistribution '' to `` those who have least . '' she apologized , however , at the close of her speech for offending anyone . analysts suggested that the tax was a `` strong attack '' on on the farmers and their arguments against it . claudio loser , a visiting senior fellow at the inter-american dialogue policy analysis center , said it could result in argentine society being `` less sympathetic to the farmers , '' noting that it was `` surprising '' that the government did n't come up with the plan until the tax was three months old . loser , who is from argentina , also predicted that a continuation of the tax would provoke farmers into not investing . externally , the standoff has had a two-pronged effect on argentina , he said . `` the conflict has resulted in a loss of market for argentina , '' he said , as other countries have gone elsewhere for products . loser also said foreign investors may be more reluctant to invest in argentina now . cnn 's carolina cayazzo and taylor gandossy contributed to this report .<doc-sep>buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- farmers in argentina blocked highways and rural routes throughout the country to protest anew the lack in progress in negotiations with the government over export taxes on farm goods . farmers stage a `` tractorazo '' in esperanza , argentina , on march 12 in protest against taxes on exports of soybeans . argentine television news channel todo noticias showed images of trucks and cars stopped along rural routes in the provinces of santa fe and entre rios on thursday . in the town of armstrong , 250 miles northwest of the capital of buenos aires , protesters stopped traffic on route 9 , burned car tires and waved argentine flags . the roadblocks were the latest in a year-long conflict between the government of president cristina fernandez de kirchner and argentina 's large farming sector over export taxes on soybeans . argentina is the world 's third-largest soybean exporter . the country has been hard hit by recent drops in global commodities prices , as well as a severe drought . last year , demonstrations by farmers caused food shortages and blocked farm products from leaving the country . on thursday farmers once again mounted roadblocks after lawmakers failed to reach quorum in congress to debate a bill that would reduce the 35 percent soybean export tax . as farmers gathered thursday afternoon on the nation 's highways , fernandez was announcing new money-sharing measures .<doc-sep>buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- smoke blanketed the argentine capital friday as brush fires apparently set deliberately consumed thousands of acres in the provinces of buenos aires and entre ríos . a haze surrounds the palermo neighborhood of the argentine capital early thursday . the smoke , from about 300 fires , is blamed for at least two fatal traffic accidents this week that left eight people dead . sections of major highways and the buenos aires port , among the busiest in the world , have been closed . incoming flights to the city 's domestic airport , jorge newbery airpark , have been diverted . the argentine government has blamed farmers looking to clear their land for crops and grazing for the fires , which are estimated to cover 173,000 acres -lrb- 70,000 hectares -rrb- . `` this is the largest fire of this kind that we 've ever seen , '' argentine interior minister florencio randazzo said thursday . randazzo called the situation a `` disaster . '' as of friday morning , little progress had been made extinguishing the blazes . no rain is predicted for the next few days , but the national meteorological service predicts that the winds will change direction soon , dispersing the smoke . on friday morning , the national roads administration closed sections of the heavily traveled panamericana highway , which leads in and out of buenos aires . spokesman ernesto arriaga said `` visibility is 5 meters '' -lrb- about 16 feet -rrb- in some sections of the highway . `` covering highways with smoke just to clear a field of weeds is unforgivable , '' cabinet chief alberto fernandez told radio diez . `` it 's incredibly irresponsible . '' hospitals have reported an increase in visitors complaining of breathing problems , sore throats and burning eyes in the past three days . citing a high level of carbon monoxide in the air , officials have encouraged people not to exercise outside . schools in pilar , a city in the province of buenos aires , were closed friday because of the gray , thick air . the smoke has obscured views of some of the capital 's landmarks , such the obelisco monument and the government house , casa rosada , and people were seen walking on the city streets covering their faces with clothes . this month , argentina 's farmers suspended a three-week strike over a new government export tax on commodities . the bitter lockout left grocery shelves empty and caused major friction between president cristina fernandez de kirchner 's government and argentina 's large agricultural sector . e-mail to a friend . journalist brian byrnes contributed to this report . | <t> president cristina fernandez appeals for dialogue , respect in national address . </t> <t> fernandez says profits from higher food prices should be spread among poor . </t> <t> farmers say higher taxes make it difficult for them to make a living . </t> | fernandez defends argentine grain export tax<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a paris court has ordered ebay to pay $ 63 million damages to luxury goods company lvmh for allowing copies of its goods to be sold on the web auction site . louis vuitton took ebay to court for selling a range of fake luxury goods online . the fashion company -- home to brands including louis vuitton , givenchy , fendi , emilio pucci and marc jacobs -- complained it had been hurt by the sale of fake products on ebay . pierre godet , an adviser to lvmh chairman and ceo bernard arnault , said the court 's decision was `` an answer to a particularly serious question , on whether the internet is a free-for-all for the most hateful , parasitic practices . '' ebay said lvmh was trying to crack down on internet auctions because it was uncomfortable with its business model , which puts sellers rather than brands in control . `` if counterfeits appear on our site , we take them down swiftly , '' ebay spokeswoman sravanthi agrawal said . `` but today 's ruling is not about counterfeits . today 's ruling is about an attempt by lvmh to protect uncompetitive commercial practices at the expense of consumer choice and the livelihood of law-abiding sellers that ebay empowers every day . '' she said ebay intended to appeal the ruling . the case pit two pillars of their industries -- one old , one new -- in a country whose courts often challenge internet companies on matters protected elsewhere by freedom of speech . the ruling faulted ebay for `` guilty negligence '' for not doing enough to prevent fake goods from being sold on its site . the court also ruled that ebay was responsible for the `` illicit sale '' of perfumes from the lvmh empire , which can be sold only through the brands ' `` selective distribution networks . '' the court barred ebay from running ads for the perfume and cosmetic brands or face a fine of $ 79,000 per day . heather mcdonald , partner at law firm baker hostetler , said : `` ebay has policies and procedures in place where they will intervene in an action between a buyer and seller if there 's a problem , and they profit directly on the basis of every item that is sold on their web site . `` this gives them an affirmative obligation to take steps to make sure that illegal goods are n't sold , and they certainly have the ability to do that . `` they have been able to make sure that you ca n't buy a handgun and they have been able to make sure that you can not buy pornography or prescription narcotics or other medicines on ebay . `` they have the ability to do this , they have just chosen not do and to rest the entire burden of policing ebay on the shoulders of the trademark and copyright holders whose rights are being infringed here . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a paris court has ordered ebay to pay $ 63 million damages to luxury goods company lvmh for allowing copies of its goods to be sold on the web auction site . louis vuitton took ebay to court for selling a range of fake luxury goods online . the fashion company -- home to brands including louis vuitton , givenchy , fendi , emilio pucci and marc jacobs -- complained it had been hurt by the sale of fake products on ebay . pierre godet , an adviser to lvmh chairman and ceo bernard arnault , said the court 's decision was `` an answer to a particularly serious question , on whether the internet is a free-for-all for the most hateful , parasitic practices . ''<doc-sep>a couple who made fake one direction and race for life merchandise in their garden shed have been ordered to pay # 75,000 . jason and natalie robertson sold counterfeit hoodies , baseball caps , wristbands and other clothing on ebay from their home in sutton , surrey . the couple , who traded under the name fonfella ltd , also made justin bieber and ed sheeran products without the official trademarks . ruth dombey , leader of sutton council , with some of the fake merchandise , including one direction and justin bieber hoodies , that were seized from jason and natalie robertson 's home in sutton , surrey . the couple were making the fake products in their garden shed -lrb- pictured -rrb- , which was raided by the council . they were also deemed to have deprived cancer research uk of donations by producing fake race for life merchandise . the pair took images from the internet and produced the goods in a shed in their back garden before posting them on the auction site and their own website . council trading standards officers raided the couple 's house after a tip-off and seized a haul with a street value of # 10,000 . the robertson 's were sentenced at croydon crown court in september after pleading guilty to 12 charges contrary to the trade marks act 1994 . mr robertson , 43 , and mrs robertson , 32 , were fined # 165 for each charge . they were also forced to pay prosecution costs of # 11,845 , and a confiscation order of # 75,000 . the robertson 's were deemed to have deprived cancer research uk of donations by making fake race for life merchandise -lrb- pictured are their hoodies and ` charity ' wristbands -rrb- .<doc-sep>a couple who made a staggering # 350,000 selling stolen make-up and perfume on ebay have been jailed . dariusz suski and joanna lazarska from southsea , hampshire , listed designer perfume and skincare on the online auctioneers , taking bids from all over the world on the stolen luxury goods . the couple , aged 32 and 33 respectively , have been jailed for four years after a trial heard how they operated the illegal business round the clock . dariusz suski and joanna lazarska have been jailed after making # 350,000 by selling stolen goods online . police found 11,000 individual products at their home in southsea , hampshire , including expensive clinique and crem de la mer face creams . portsmouth crown court heard how the couple sourced stolen goods including tom ford perfume , clinique moisturiser and creme de la mer face creams , from people they met on ebay . they then listed the products on their own auction pages and invited bidders to buy them at discounted prices . when searching the couple 's home , police found 11,000 individual products shelved in packaging . the pair denied conspiring to handle stolen goods , but were found guilty of a jury . sentencing judge sarah munro qc said they had become ` obsessed ' with the illegal trade . ` you were both obsessed with this business and operated , at times , 24 hours a day . ` the sum of money flowing through your ebay , paypal and bank accounts was huge .<doc-sep>the case pit two pillars of their industries -- one old , one new -- in a country whose courts often challenge internet companies on matters protected elsewhere by freedom of speech . the ruling faulted ebay for `` guilty negligence '' for not doing enough to prevent fake goods from being sold on its site . the court also ruled that ebay was responsible for the `` illicit sale '' of perfumes from the lvmh empire , which can be sold only through the brands ' `` selective distribution networks . '' the court barred ebay from running ads for the perfume and cosmetic brands or face a fine of $ 79,000 per day . | <t> paris court orders ebay to pay $ 63 million in damages to luxury group lvmh . </t> <t> the group sued ebay over sale of fake luxury goods online . </t> <t> brands affected include louis vuitton , christian dior , fendi and givenchy . </t> <t> ebay said lvmh was trying to protect uncompetitive commercial practices . </t> | ebay fined $ 63m over fake luxury goods<T> |
san antonio , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the three americans rescued wednesday after more than five years in captivity in the jungles of colombia appear to be in good health , doctors said thursday . keith stansell , left , marc gonsalves , center , and thomas howes sit in an aircraft after being rescued wednesday . `` they 're very resilient , they 're very stress-hardy and they 're doing very well , and so i think that certainly is a good-news story , '' said col. carl dickens , a psychologist at brooke army medical center in san antonio , texas . marc gonsalves , thomas howes and keith stansell arrived there late wednesday on an air force c-17 to undergo a battery of medical tests and debriefings . all three are u.s. government contractors who were captured by the revolutionary armed forces of colombia , or farc , in february 2003 when their plane crashed in a remote region of the country . they will begin reuniting with their families thursday . `` they are very grateful , very excited to be home , '' said air force staff sgt. daryl bradley , who accompanied the three men on the flight wednesday from colombia to lackland air force base in san antonio . watch cnn 's brian todd report on the hostages ' return '' `` they ca n't wait to see their families , ca n't wait to see the differences in the united states , and they 're just absolutely pleased to be home . '' learn about the freed hostages ''<doc-sep>a plane the men were on crashed in february 2003 in a remote region of colombia . they were among 15 hostages , including ex-colombian presidential candidate ingrid betancourt , rescued wednesday in a colombian military operation . read how the military faked out the rebels . the farc still holds more than 700 hostages in camps scattered throughout the jungle . bradley , who is a paramedic , earlier said all three americans appeared to be in good medical condition . marc gonsalves ' father said he would see his son thursday . `` we have a lot to talk about , '' george gonsalves told cnn 's `` american morning . '' `` there 's been a lot of things that have happened , and i 'm sure there 's a lot of things that have happened with him that we 'd certainly like to exchange a little conversation for about two or three hours anyway . '' keith stansell said he was on the beach when his stepfather called with the news of his father 's release .<doc-sep>`` i did n't even know what to do , '' he said . `` i just started freaking out -- screaming , yelling . i ran as fast as i could off the beach . '' watch the stansell family eagerly await the former captive 's return '' his sister , lauren , said she was at home when the phone rang with the news . `` i knew when i heard the other voice that she had good news . i knew it was good news about dad , '' she said . amanda howes said she learned about her uncle thomas howes ' release from a bulletin on her computer at a tv station , where she works in boston , massachusetts . `` a news alert crossed on the bottom of the screen , i click on it and it 's this wonderful news , '' she said . `` i literally screamed with enjoyment . i started shaking . of course , everyone was like ... ` what 's the hot news tip ? ' '' adm. james stavridis , head of the u.s. military 's southern command , has kept a picture of the hostages on his desk since taking his post in 2006 and said their release has been one of his top priorities . `` you could hear the cheers throughout the building when we announced the success of the rescue , '' he said . watch the hostages land on u.s. soil '' the u.s. government considers the farc a terrorist group and has refused to negotiate with it while publicly urging the rebels to release the americans .<doc-sep>the farc , which has fought a long-standing and complicated conflict with colombia 's government and right-wing paramilitary groups , defends the taking of captives as a legitimate act of war . background on farc '' before news of the rescue broke wednesday , u.s. sen. john mccain , the presumptive gop presidential nominee , said he had mentioned the three americans in talks with government officials during his visit to colombia -- part of a three-day trip to latin america -- and that colombian president alvaro uribe had briefed him on the planned raid tuesday night . `` it is great news , '' mccain said . `` now we must renew our efforts to free all of the other innocent people held hostage . '' months after the men 's capture , a colombian journalist filmed the three at a rebel camp , where farc commanders branded them cia spies and prisoners of war . a few months ago , family members saw footage of their loved ones from a captured rebel video . `` it 's been a long haul here , '' george gonsalves said at the time . `` it has been a very trying experience , to say the least , not knowing how he is doing , what he is doing . '' the video showed marc gonsalves brushing bugs away from his face and stansell staring silently into the camera . only howes spoke , giving details about his will and telling his wife that he was proud of her . `` you think every year is going to be the year , '' george gonsalves said . `` that is what i thought last year and certainly i 'll hope for that this year . ''<doc-sep>rspca . national flood rescue co-ordinator jason finch said : ` from gas . explosions to oil spills and floods to strange and unusual rescues like a . dog in plughole - our officers are trained to be able to deal with any . situation . ` bringing . animals to safety and reuniting pets and farm animals with their . grateful owners , as well as seeing wildlife re-released into their . natural habitat , is one of the best parts of the job . ' this mouse had a lucky escape - after being rescued from the bottom of a toaster by the rspca .<doc-sep>the protective mother only allowed zoo staff close enough to examine the first healthy cub this morning . brandie smith , the zoo 's curator of mammals compared the . planned exam to a race car pit stop , a fast and highly choreographed . checkup before reuniting mom and cub . the cub 's first neonatal exam showed vets it is ` robust , fully formed , . and is a bright , healthy shade of pink , ' tweeted the zoo . the zoo 's account notes that it weighs 137 grams , which is . about 4.8 ounces and that its heart rate is steady . vets were able to hear . breathing sounds from both lungs and its belly was full , indicating it is nursing . ` all signs are that we have a very healthy , active , vibrant . cub , ' the zoo 's account tweeted . the . check-up will enable vets to determine who exactly is the father of the .<doc-sep>san antonio , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the three americans rescued after more than five years in captivity in colombia say they are doing well but are `` overwhelmed with emotion , '' according to a statement released on their behalf . `` words alone can never possibly express the thrill and excitement we feel to be back home in the united states of america with our families at our side , '' the friday statement from marc gonsalves , thomas howes and keith stansell said . the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- had held the three u.s. government contractors since february 2003 , after their plane crashed in a remote region of the south american country . they were among 15 hostages rescued wednesday in a colombian military operation . watch colombians celebrate success '' also among the rescued hostages was french-colombian politician ingrid betancourt , who returned to france on friday . she is undergoing medical tests at a paris military hospital , the associated press reported . watch betancourt 's joyous return to france '' shortly after the plane crashed , farc members killed contractor tom janis , according to employer northrop grumman , and colombian army sgt. luis cruz , according to the u.s. state department .<doc-sep>by . graham smith . last updated at 6:40 pm on 1st february 2012 . the family of a minnesota couple missing in the costa concordia cruise ship disaster have said they accept the decision to end the search . in a blog posting , the children of jerry and barbara heil of white bear lake said they are ` certainly disheartened to hear the news ' but understand . italian emergency officials decided to end the search due to the danger posed to rescue workers . whereabouts unknown : the family of minnesota couple jerry and barbara heil , who are missing in the costa concordia cruise ship disaster , have said they accept the decision by italian authorities to end the search . the heil family said in a statement : . ` we can not express enough our sincere gratitude to all those involved in . the search and rescue effort . time and time again , the rescuers faced . many perils in the hopes of reuniting the missing with their families . ` we . will be forever grateful for all those who worked so hard for people . they did not even know , yet understood how important their job was for . those that remained waiting for news . ` as . we struggle to come to grips with this tragedy , we find comfort knowing . mom and dad are now in a better place free from any worries . ' the heils are the only americans missing following the january 13 disaster . some 4,200 passengers and crew were on board the costa concordia when it capsized . | <t> new : three americans had medical tests ; doctors say they are healthy . </t> <t> ex-hostages and relatives express joy at rescue operation . </t> <t> marc gonsalves , thomas howes and keith stansell u.s. government contractors . </t> <t> colombian rebels captured three men in 2003 when their plane crashed . </t> | rescued americans are healthy , reuniting with families<T> |
harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- about 220 zimbabweans congregated outside the u.s. embassy in harare on thursday , seeking refuge from election-related violence , embassy spokesman mark weinberg said . people seeking refuge sit on a curb and sidewalk outside the u.s. embassy in harare on thursday . by evening , embassy officials were moving `` most of the women and children into safe houses , '' and were trying to get water and blankets for the growing crowd , weinberg said . some of the refuge-seekers , identifying themselves as supporters of the opposition party movement for democratic change , said militia members supporting president robert mugabe 's party destroyed their homes or were hunting them because of their affiliation , according to a journalist at the scene . cnn is not identifying the reporter for security reasons . the journalist said the refuge-seekers , some holding their possessions , sat outside the building thursday afternoon , waiting to be addressed by a u.s. embassy official . a few of the people had bandaged wounds , according to the reporter . `` the people i can see right now look very miserable , dejected , confused , '' the reporter said . watch the refuge-seekers wait outside the embassy '' the mdc has said its members were targeted by supporters of mugabe during the weeks surrounding march 's presidential election and last week 's runoff . mdc leader morgan tsvangirai withdrew from the june 27 runoff , citing violence , intimidation and allegations of vote-rigging . that left mugabe as the only runoff candidate , allowing him to claim re-election . tsvangirai himself fled to south africa for a short time in march during the campaign season , saying he feared for his safety . he also sought refuge in the dutch embassy in harare on june 22 , shortly after announcing he was withdrawing from the runoff . he returned to his harare home this week , a dutch foreign ministry spokesman said . several western nations denounced the violence and declared mugabe 's runoff victory illegitimate . reports of violence have continued after the runoff . on monday , the mdc claimed that a politician from the party was abducted at gunpoint outside a courthouse in the city of mutare . the assailants , who the mdc said wore military outfits , took naison nemadziva , a lawmaker who recently won a seat in parliament against a member of mugabe 's party , the zimbabwe african national union-patriotic front . the mdc claimed in a press release that the kidnapping was by supporters of zanu-pf and that police had not been able to find the lawmaker . this week , a resolution from the african union in egypt called for negotiations between tsvangirai and mugabe , and some european union officials have called for a coalition government in zimbabwe with tsvangirai as its leader . but tsvangirai this week said the `` conditions prevailing in zimbabwe ... are not conducive '' to negotiations with mugabe . british prime minister gordon brown on wednesday said mugabe `` has blood on his hands '' after the violence leading to the runoff and should step down . mugabe has been zimbabwe 's only leader since its independence from britain in 1980 , when it was called rhodesia .<doc-sep>london -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- wikileaks founder julian assange urged the world saturday to `` stand with '' edward snowden , the man who admitted leaking top-secret details about u.s. surveillance programs , according to the text of a speech posted on twitter . as he appealed for a `` brave country '' to step forward and offer snowden asylum , assange also accused u.s. president barack obama of betraying a generation of `` young , technically minded people . '' assange was scheduled to speak from the balcony of the ecuadorian embassy in london on saturday , but the appearance was postponed at short notice `` due to a security situation , '' wikileaks said on twitter . wednesday marked a year since assange sought refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to sweden , where he is wanted for questioning over allegations that he raped one woman and sexually molested another . assange has repeatedly said the allegations in sweden are politically motivated and tied to the work of his website . ecuador 's government granted him asylum in august , but british authorities have said they will arrest him if he leaves the premises . as a result of his decision to seek refuge in the embassy , `` i have been able to work in relative safety from a u.s. espionage investigation , '' said assange , according to the text of the speech .<doc-sep>manuel noriega . vatican embassy in panama city , 1989 . u.s. forces invaded panama to topple and arrest noriega , prompting the dictator to seek refuge in the holy see 's mission . american troops set up large speakers around the compound , blaring music at all hours , a psychological ploy to rattle the general . he surrendered after 10 days and was taken to the united states for trial . he was found guilty of drug trafficking and other crimes . wang lijun . u.s. consulate in chengdu , china , 2012 . one of china 's best-known police chiefs sought refuge at a u.s. consulate amid a mystery over the death of british businessman neil heywood , a family friend of wang 's boss , top communist party official bo xilai . the case was reopened after wang 's intervention , which appeared to implicate bo -- but wang was taken into chinese custody when he left the diplomatic mission and has not been seen since . why assange needs ecuador and ecuador needs assange .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. and british diplomats are safe after zimbabwe police , soldiers and `` war veterans '' stopped their convoy thursday and threatened to burn them alive , u.s. officials said . u.s. ambassador james mcgee visits a reported victim of political violence at a harare clinic this month . state department spokesman sean mccormack said five american embassy employees and two local staff members had been detained . `` while this immediate incident has been resolved , it will not be forgotten , '' mccormack said . just hours after the incident , zimbabwe social welfare minister nicholas goche said that all aid organizations were ordered to cease operations in the country until the presidential runoff is concluded , a journalist in the country said . despite goche 's announcement , boniface chidyausiku , the zimbabwean ambassador to the united nations , said care international was the only aid group told to suspend work . the government had accused some of the 300 care employees in zimbabwe -- mostly zimbabweans -- of passing out brochures in favor of an opposition political party , care spokesman kenneth walker said . the organization denies the charge . chidyausiku said the zimbabwean minister of social services is reviewing the activity of all non-governmental organizations in light of accusations that some have been politicizing their operations and campaigning for the opposition . `` what we find is that there have been complaints about ngos operating as trojan horses for the oppositions , but the opposition has denied it , '' he said . henrietta fore , administrator of the u.s. agency for international development , urged the government of zimbabwe to `` lift the suspension on all international aid agencies involved in humanitarian work in the country . '' fore told cnn that the `` suspension is a direct threat to the lives and well-being of tens of thousands of innocent people in zimbabwe . '' the u.n. security council convened thursday to discuss the diplomats ' detention . u.s. secretary of state condoleezza rice said , `` this demonstrates this is a regime that is very much out of step with international norms . '' british foreign secretary david miliband said the detained britons had been engaged in `` the normal business of diplomacy . '' the british diplomat and three visitors were released unharmed and allowed to go about their business , he said . `` obviously , this is a window into the lives of zimbabweans , '' miliband said . `` diplomats are protected by papers and international contacts in a way too many zimbabweans are not protected . '' watch u.s. official call the detentions outrageous '' zimbabwean deputy information minister bright matonga denied u.s. ambassador james mcgee 's claims of intimidation and said the diplomats were detained after trying to flee police at a roadblock . two u.s. embassy cars and a british embassy vehicle were going to check on reports of recent violence when they were stopped , mcgee said . `` the police put up a roadblock , stopped the vehicles , slashed the tires , reached in and grabbed the telephones from my personnel , '' said mcgee , who was not in the convoy . `` the war veterans threatened to burn the vehicles with my people inside unless they got out of the vehicles and accompanied the police to a station nearby , '' he added . matonga said the embassy officials were traveling in an area they did n't have authorization to enter .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the death toll from violence in south sudan is `` heavy , '' the united nations said tuesday , and thousands of people have sought refuge in the organization 's compounds in juba . gunfire rang out again in the capital of in africa 's newest nation just hours after the country 's president said his forces had halted a coup attempt . clashes , which began on sunday evening , have left hundreds in urgent need of medical care , the international committee of the red cross -lrb- icrc -rrb- said . gerard araud , the french representative to the united nations and the current president of the security council , said precise figures on the death toll were n't available . `` but it 's heavy , '' he said . `` it 's dozens and dozens , scores of casualties , it 's really not a minor incident . '' officials at the united nations are `` extremely concerned '' about the violence , araud said , due to the high number of casualties and because the fighting appears to be between different ethnic groups in south sudan . on tuesday , sporadic gunshots were heard in the area of tonping , the u.s. embassy said on its twitter feed , quoting u.n. radio . it recommended that u.s. citizens currently in the country depart immediately . women and children carrying bags , kettles , pots and basic belongings arriving at a u.n compound to seek shelter could be seen in pictures posted on the u.n. mission in south sudan -lrb- unmiss -rrb- facebook page . araud said tuesday evening that around 15,000 to 20,000 civilians were taking refuge in the two unmiss compounds in juba , putting a strain on supplies of medicine , food , water and security resources . in a televised address monday , south sudan president salva kiir blamed soldiers loyal to his sacked deputy riek machar for starting the fighting sunday evening . | <t> embassy spokesman : officials exploring housing options for refuge-seekers . </t> <t> u.s. embassy in harare : 220 zimbabweans seeking refuge from violence . </t> <t> people in crowd say they 've been driven from homes by supporters of ruling party . </t> <t> country in political crisis since disputed vote in march , presidential runoff last month . </t> | zimbabweans seek refuge at u.s. embassy<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hollywood star will smith led a crowd of 46,664 in a chorus of `` happy birthday '' to nelson mandela on friday at a party for the south african prisoner , president and nobel peace prize winner . nelson mandela had a smile and a message . smith introduced mandela to the london crowd celebrating mandela 's life with the words `` the one , the only , the birthday boy , nelson mandela , nelson mandelaaaaaaaaaa . '' london was the scene of a concert 20 years ago to celebrate mandela 's 70th and to raise awareness of his imprisonment . mandela told cheering fans , `` your voices carried across the water to inspire us in our prison cells far away . tonight , we can stand before you free . `` we are honored to be back in london for this wonderful occasion . `` but even as we celebrate , let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete . `` where there is poverty and sickness , including aids , where human beings are being oppressed , there is more work to be done . our work is for freedom for all . '' watch mandela at the party '' as mandela walked on stage , smith led the crowd in a chorus of `` happy birthday . '' proceeds from the concert in london 's hyde park will go toward the 46664 campaign , which mandela founded in 2003 to raise awareness about the impact of aids , especially in africa , and to promote hiv-prevention measures around the world . the name of the charity represents mandela 's prison number when he was incarcerated at robben island . organizers put 46,664 tickets up for sale . the finale of the concert was scheduled as queen , amy winehouse and jerry dammers performing `` free nelson mandela , '' a 1980s hit from the specials that quickly became an anti-apartheid anthem , but pretty much every act joined them on stage . dammers was also one of the driving forces behind the london concert in 1988 to awareness of mandela 's long imprisonment by the south african authorities . the former south african president turns 90 on july 18 . watch the crowd celebrate '' speculation surrounded whether winehouse would perform after being hospitalized with lung problems last week . more than a dozen african artists , including johnny clegg and the soweto gospel choir , performed . smith , music legend quincy jones and formula one driver lewis hamilton were among the stars introducing acts . other guests at the concert included british prime minister gordon brown , former u.s. president clinton , talk show host oprah winfrey and actor robert de niro . mandela served as his country 's first democratically elected president from 1994 to 1999 . in recent years , he has campaigned on behalf of hiv and aids awareness and has long called the battle against aids a basic human right . in 1964 , a court sentenced mandela to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the government by violence . he spent the first 18 years at robben island prison , off cape town , south africa , and later spent time at pollsmoor prison and victor verster prison , closer to the mainland . while in prison , mandela became recognized as the most significant black leader in south africa , and he became a potent symbol of resistance in the anti-apartheid movement . mandela consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom . south african president f.w. de klerk released mandela in february 1990 after 27 years in prison . mandela was elected president of the african national congress the following year , and in 1994 , he was elected president of his country .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hollywood star will smith led a london crowd of 46,664 in a chorus of `` happy birthday '' to nelson mandela on friday at a party for the south african prisoner , president and nobel peace prize winner . nelson mandela had a smile and a message . smith introduced mandela to the london crowd celebrating mandela 's life with the words `` the one , the only , the birthday boy , nelson mandela , nelson mandelaaaaaaaaaa . '' london was the scene of a concert 20 years ago to celebrate mandela 's 70th and to raise awareness of his imprisonment . mandela told cheering fans , `` your voices carried across the water to inspire us in our prison cells far away . tonight , we can stand before you free . `` we are honored to be back in london for this wonderful occasion .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hollywood star will smith led a crowd of 46,664 in a chorus of `` happy birthday '' to nelson mandela on friday at a party for the south african prisoner , president and nobel peace prize winner . nelson mandela had a smile and a message . smith introduced mandela to the london crowd celebrating mandela 's life with the words `` the one , the only , the birthday boy , nelson mandela , nelson mandelaaaaaaaaaa . '' london was the scene of a concert 20 years ago to celebrate mandela 's 70th and to raise awareness of his imprisonment . mandela told cheering fans , `` your voices carried across the water to inspire us in our prison cells far away . tonight , we can stand before you free . `` we are honored to be back in london for this wonderful occasion . `` but even as we celebrate , let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete . `` where there is poverty and sickness , including aids , where human beings are being oppressed , there is more work to be done . our work is for freedom for all . '' watch mandela at the party '' as mandela walked on stage , smith led the crowd in a chorus of `` happy birthday . '' proceeds from the concert in london 's hyde park will go toward the 46664 campaign , which mandela founded in 2003 to raise awareness about the impact of aids , especially in africa , and to promote hiv-prevention measures around the world . the name of the charity represents mandela 's prison number when he was incarcerated at robben island . organizers put 46,664 tickets up for sale . the finale of the concert was scheduled as queen , amy winehouse and jerry dammers performing `` free nelson mandela , '' a 1980s hit from the specials that quickly became an anti-apartheid anthem , but pretty much every act joined them on stage . dammers was also one of the driving forces behind the london concert in 1988 to awareness of mandela 's long imprisonment by the south african authorities . the former south african president turns 90 on july 18 . watch the crowd celebrate '' speculation surrounded whether winehouse would perform after being hospitalized with lung problems last week . more than a dozen african artists , including johnny clegg and the soweto gospel choir , performed . smith , music legend quincy jones and formula one driver lewis hamilton were among the stars introducing acts . other guests at the concert included british prime minister gordon brown , former u.s. president clinton , talk show host oprah winfrey and actor robert de niro . mandela served as his country 's first democratically elected president from 1994 to 1999 . in recent years , he has campaigned on behalf of hiv and aids awareness and has long called the battle against aids a basic human right . in 1964 , a court sentenced mandela to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the government by violence . he spent the first 18 years at robben island prison , off cape town , south africa , and later spent time at pollsmoor prison and victor verster prison , closer to the mainland . while in prison , mandela became recognized as the most significant black leader in south africa , and he became a potent symbol of resistance in the anti-apartheid movement . mandela consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom . south african president f.w. de klerk released mandela in february 1990 after 27 years in prison . mandela was elected president of the african national congress the following year , and in 1994 , he was elected president of his country .<doc-sep>`` but even as we celebrate , let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete . `` where there is poverty and sickness , including aids , where human beings are being oppressed , there is more work to be done . our work is for freedom for all . '' watch mandela at the party '' as mandela walked on stage , smith led the crowd in a chorus of `` happy birthday . '' proceeds from the concert in london 's hyde park will go toward the 46664 campaign , which mandela founded in 2003 to raise awareness about the impact of aids , especially in africa , and to promote hiv-prevention measures around the world . the name of the charity represents mandela 's prison number when he was incarcerated at robben island . organizers put 46,664 tickets up for sale . the finale of the concert saw queen , amy winehouse and jerry dammers performing `` free nelson mandela , '' a 1980s hit from the specials that quickly became an anti-apartheid anthem , with pretty much every act joining them on stage . watch stars perform for mandela ''<doc-sep>during the concert a frail mandela told cheering fans , `` your voices carried across the water to inspire us in our prison cells far away . tonight , we can stand before you free . `` we are honored to be back in london for this wonderful occasion . `` but even as we celebrate , let us remind ourselves that our work is far from complete . `` where there is poverty and sickness , including aids , where human beings are being oppressed , there is more work to be done . our work is for freedom for all . '' proceeds from the london concert went toward the 46664 campaign , which mandela founded in 2003 to raise awareness about the impact of aids , especially in africa , and to promote hiv-prevention measures around the world . the name of the charity represents mandela 's prison number when he was incarcerated at robben island . organizers put 46,664 tickets up for sale . | <t> celebrities , statesmen gather in london to celebrate mandela 's 90th birthday . </t> <t> mandela at outdoor concert in his honor in london 's hyde park . </t> <t> crowd of 46,664 sing `` happy birthday '' led by will smith . </t> <t> performers include amy winehouse , queen , annie lennox , simple minds . </t> | mandela celebrates with will smith , 46,664 others<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iraq 's most powerful sunni arab political party on monday said a u.s. soldier 's desecration of the quran , the muslim holy book , requires the `` severest of punishments , '' not just an apology and a military reassignment . maj. gen. jeffery hammond apologizes after a u.s. soldier admitted using the quran for target practice . the iraqi islamic party , the movement of iraqi vice president tariq al-hashimi , condemned what it said was a `` blatant assault on the sanctities of muslims all over the world . '' an american staff sergeant who was a sniper section leader used a quran for target practice on may 9 . the u.s. commander in baghdad on saturday issued a formal apology and read a letter of apology from the shooter . the sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader `` with prejudice , '' officially reprimanded by his commanding general , dismissed from his regiment and redeployed -- reassigned to the united states . but the iraqi islamic party -- which said it reacted to the news `` with deep resentment and indignation '' -- wants the `` severest of punishments '' for the action .<doc-sep>`` what truly concerns us is the repetition of these crimes that have happened in the past when mosques were destroyed and pages of the holy quran were torn and used for disgraceful acts by u.s. soldiers , '' al-hashimi said . `` i have asked that first this apology be officially documented ; second a guarantee from the u.s. military to inflict the maximum possible punishment on this soldier so it would be a deterrent for the rest of the soldiers in the future . '' a tribal leader said `` the criminal act by u.s. forces '' took place at a shooting range at the radhwaniya police station on baghdad 's western outskirts . after the shooters left , an iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled quran . read how the soldier could have provoked a crisis . copies of the pictures of the quran obtained by cnn show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages . on saturday , maj. gen. jeffery hammond , commander of u.s. forces in baghdad , appeared at an apology ceremony flanked by leaders from radhwaniya . watch as the u.s. formally apologizes '' `` i come before you here seeking your forgiveness , '' hammond said to tribal leaders and others gathered . `` in the most humble manner , i look in your eyes today , and i say please forgive me and my soldiers . '' another military official kissed a quran and presented it as `` a humble gift '' to the tribal leaders .<doc-sep>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 . '' hammond said , `` the actions of one soldier were nothing more than criminal behavior . 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 . '' the soldier reportedly claimed he was n't aware the book was the quran , but u.s. officials rejected his assertion . 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 . '' watch as villagers protest the quran incident '' sheikh hamadi al-qirtani , in a speech on behalf of all tribal sheikhs of radhwaniya , called the shooting `` 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 what happened . `` 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 group 's 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>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>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>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush has expressed his `` deep concern '' and regret to iraq 's prime minister over the desecration of a quran by an american soldier , the white house said tuesday . president bush called nuri al-maliki over the incident , al-maliki 's office says . the leaders are seen in september . national security council spokesman gordon johndroe said bush spoke to iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki on monday in one of their regularly scheduled secure video teleconferences . `` president bush expressed his deep concern over the incident and told prime minister maliki that the soldier has been reprimanded by his commanders and removed from iraq , '' johndroe said . al-maliki 's office on tuesday said bush issued an apology for the action on behalf of the united states and `` promised to present the soldier to the courts . '' the office said bush made the apology in a call to al-maliki on tuesday morning . an american staff sergeant -- a sniper section leader -- used a quran for target practice in iraq earlier this month . the u.s. commander in baghdad issued a formal apology saturday and read a letter of apology by the shooter . watch the u.s. military formally apologize '' the sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader `` with prejudice , '' officially reprimanded by his commanding general , dismissed from his regiment and redeployed -- reassigned to the united states , the u.s. military said . reports of the quran desecration have enraged muslims in iraq and elsewhere around the world .<doc-sep>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 . a tribal leader said `` the criminal act by u.s. forces '' took place at a shooting range at the radhwaniya police station on baghdad 's western outskirts . after the shooters left , an iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled quran . pictures of the quran show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages . officials said the soldier asserted he was n't aware the book was the quran , but u.s. officials rejected the claim . on saturday , maj. gen. jeffery hammond , commander of u.s. forces in baghdad , appeared with leaders from radhwaniya and apologized . `` i come before you here seeking your forgiveness , '' hammond said to tribal leaders and others at the ceremony . `` in the most humble manner i look in your eyes today and i say please forgive me and my soldiers . '' hammond also read a letter from the shooter , who called his actions `` shortsighted , very reckless and irresponsible , '' but he insisted he was not being malicious . `` i sincerely hope that my actions have not diminished the partnership that our two nations have developed together , '' the letter said . hammond said the soldier 's actions were tantamount to `` criminal behavior . '' | <t> iraqi islamic party calls quran incident `` blatant assault '' on muslim holy book . </t> <t> u.s. soldier used quran for target practice , military investigation found . </t> <t> u.s. commander in baghdad has issued formal apology . </t> <t> soldier relieved of duty , will be reassigned after sending letter of apology . </t> | iraq party : punish u.s. soldier who shot at quran<T> |
edwardsville , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a man suspected of bludgeoning eight people to death is a methamphetamine addict with a history of fighting with police , an investigator said as the suspected spree killer made his first court appearance . suspected spree killer nicholas troy sheley , 28 , did not enter a plea during his first court appearance . nicholas t. sheley , 28 , is being held on $ 1 million bail in one slaying as police and prosecutors prepare additional charges in connection with a week-long killing spree in two states . sheley , 28 , appeared in an illinois courtroom on wednesday via closed-circuit television , but did not enter a plea . he was charged with first-degree murder in the death of ronald randall , 65 , whose body was found behind a grocery story in galesburg . other charges include aggravated battery , vehicle hijacking and vehicle theft . watch sheley 's perp walk '' sheley , who wore a green-and-white striped jail jumpsuit , said little except to answer `` yes , sir , '' to a series of questions from judge edward ferguson . authorities say sheley 's alleged burst of violence spanned 300 miles until he gave up without a fight when police confronted him as he smoked outside a bar in granite city , illinois , on tuesday night . map : see where the bodies were found ''<doc-sep>additional charges are being filed in a second illinois county which encompasses two other towns where police believe sheley killed five people , authorities said . authorities also suspect sheley in connection with the slayings of an arkansas couple in festus , missouri . all eight victims , which include a child , died from blunt-force trauma to the head , officials said . sheley 's capture ended an intensive manhunt , which included a $ 25,000 reward offer . sheley had stopped at bindy 's bar , a popular cop bar in a granite city shopping center . two patrons who recognized him from news reports called police . bar owner bill watson told cnn sheley came in , drank a glass of water and went to the restroom . when he returned from the restroom , sheley asked for a lighter but was told he had to go outside to smoke . he was outside smoking when authorities arrived and arrested him . as bar patrons celebrated sheley 's arrest , a family member of one of the victims called and thanked them for their assistance , watson said .<doc-sep>`` it really hit home and made us realize really what this guy was all about , '' watson said . new of sheley 's capture calmed nerves in small towns from the chicago to st. louis areas . police conducting a welfare check sunday at an apartment in rock falls , illinois , found four people dead , including the child . sheley was a `` known associate '' to at least one of the rock falls victims , state police said . rock falls is across the rock river from sterling ; both are in whiteside county . the following day , monday , authorities found randall 's body in galesburg , about 80 miles south of rock falls , and obtained an arrest warrant naming sheley . the couple found dead in festus , missouri , a st. louis suburb , was in town for a graduation , authorities said , and were last seen at a comfort inn there . sheley is not believed to have had a prior relationship with the couple , police said . during the hunt for sheley , the st. louis county police department issued a bulletin describing him as an `` extremely dangerous '' methamphetamine addict .<doc-sep>`` he has stated to his ex-wife that he has more killing to do , '' the bulletin said . according to a tuesday affidavit by fbi special agent susan hanson , sheley invaded a home in sterling , illinois -- just a mile from rock falls -- on june 14 . a woman inside the home told police the man was sheley , it says . sheley then took off to iowa where he made a phone call in sterling on saturday and then went to missouri , according to the affidavit . a gas station attendant in galesburg , less than 60 miles from where the call was placed near davenport , iowa , told police that he saw sheley , who appeared to have blood on him , at the gas station , the affidavit stated . a stolen truck belonging to randall , the victim in galesburg , was recovered sunday in festus , near an anheuser-busch distribution plant , authorities said . cnn 's ismael estrada , susan roesgen and lee garen contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` there 's an innocent man sitting behind bars and somebody else is running around out there knowing that he got away with it . it 's not fair , '' jill aggen , a friend of dorian , told wls . `` no doubt in my mind . he 's not capable of it . '' dorian , an officer with the lynwood police department , was arrested friday in the killing of one person and the wounding of three others in the spree , which occurred south of chicago , illinois . he was held on a probable cause warrant , and bail was set at $ 2.5 million . dorian , who according to wls has been on medical leave for an injured shoulder the past year , was taken into custody friday at his residence , said authorities .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a florida judge on thursday set a $ 1 million bond with new restrictions on george zimmerman , saying he believes the suspect may have been planning to flee the country to avoid prosecution in the killing of trayvon martin . judge kenneth r. lester jr. found that zimmerman 's deceit over cash holdings at his first bond hearing in april was not enough to hold him without bail . `` this court has , thus far , declined to exercise its contempt powers and the state failed to prove that the defendant may be held without bond , '' the order said . zimmerman will have to post 10 % of the $ 1 million -- or $ 100,000 -- to meet the requirement for bail . timeline of events in trayvon martin case . but an even bigger challenge is finding a bail bond company that will work with the family on the requirement of $ 1 million in collateral , defense attorney mark o'mara said later thursday . the family does `` not have anywhere near '' the collateral amount , according to the attorney . `` we are encouraged we can work this out , '' o'mara said in a statement . donations to zimmerman 's legal defense fund have dropped significantly while zimmerman has been jailed , o'mara said . `` supporters have told us they were concerned that the court would set such a high bond that getting george out of jail could risk wiping out the entire defense account . it appears that they were right . however , george needs an aggressive defense and to help with that he also needs to be out of jail with his wife and family assisting his legal team . '' the fund has a $ 211,000 balance , but has $ 40,000 in payables for defense expenses . `` paying bond and scheduled expenses would effectively wipe out the existing balance , '' o'mara said . o'mara argued that zimmerman should not be jailed because the state 's case is weak and his claim of self-defense is strong .<doc-sep>a coroner concluded that medellin had died as a result of asphyxiation and ruled the death a homicide , grace said . investigators have not revealed a motive for the gruesome killing , which police believe occurred around december 27 , 2011 . a murder charge was filed on monday against campos-martinez , who was arrested in san antonio , texas , sunday . he is being held on $ 1 million bail and awaiting an extradition hearing .<doc-sep>a man accused of killing a woman and her four children in brooklyn pleaded not guilty to murder charges monday , a spokeswoman for the kings county district attorney 's office said . mingdong chen , 25 , is being held without bail in the saturday stabbing spree , spokeswoman mia goldberg said . chen made statements to police about his role in the deaths , new york police chief phillip banks said . chen , through an interpreter , also said he used a butcher 's knife , which was retrieved from the apartment where the crime took place , banks said . | <t> new : suspected spree killer described as meth addict . </t> <t> nicholas t. sheley , 28 , did not enter a plea at first court appearance . </t> <t> police say ex-con tied to eight killings over past week in illinois , missouri . </t> <t> all eight victims died of blunt-force trauma to head , authorities say . </t> | spree killing suspect held on $ 1 million bail<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a mining company has found what may be the largest gold deposit ever found in the british isles , the company 's chairman said tuesday . the price of gold is at historic highs , making new prospects very valuable . drill samples indicate more than 1 million ounces of gold may lie below what is now rolling irish countryside , said richard conroy , the chairman of dublin , ireland-based conroy diamonds and gold . with the price of gold near historic highs , the find could be worth as much as $ 300 million on the market , conroy told cnn . the company has been working for 10 years to find gold in a 1,500-square kilometer -lrb- 600-square-mile -rrb- area spanning the border between northern ireland and the republic of ireland , he said . the site where the company found the gold is near clontibret , a village in the northern part of ireland , he said . `` i think it 's a major development in ireland that we now have a significant gold resource , '' conroy said . `` it 's the largest amount of gold , the largest number of ounces , that 's ever been reported in ireland , or indeed in either britain or ireland . '' the price of gold is currently around $ 900 an ounce on global commodities markets . factoring in costs for mine construction and operation , conroy said , the gold near clontibret could fetch roughly $ 300 million . the company now plans to do more drilling at the site and conduct feasibility studies before moving ahead , he said . an analyst cautioned , however , that the reported amount of gold is still only an estimate . `` until you 've actually mined the stuff , there 's always a moderate level of uncertainty , '' said william tankard , a senior analyst at metals consultancy gfms in london . one million ounces , if confirmed , would be significant for both conroy and ireland , tankard said . ireland has small precious metal deposits but nothing as large as conroy 's reported find , tankard said . conroy said only one gold mine is currently active in ireland . `` by no means is it world-leading , but a million ounces is certainly worth thinking about , '' tankard said . tankard added that the quality of the gold -- including grade and how concentrated it is -- will also affect its value .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a mining company has found what may be the largest gold deposit ever found in the british isles , the company 's chairman said tuesday . the price of gold is at historic highs , making new prospects very valuable . drill samples indicate more than 1 million ounces of gold may lie below what is now rolling irish countryside , said richard conroy , the chairman of dublin , ireland-based conroy diamonds and gold . with the price of gold near historic highs , the find could be worth as much as $ 300 million on the market , conroy told cnn . the company has been working for 10 years to find gold in a 1,500-square kilometer -lrb- 600-square-mile -rrb- area spanning the border between northern ireland and the republic of ireland , he said . the site where the company found the gold is near clontibret , a village in the northern part of ireland , he said .<doc-sep>by . mark duell . published : . 07:44 est , 5 november 2012 . | . updated : . 12:31 est , 5 november 2012 . an irish company has created huge excitement among investors after speculation that it could have discovered what could be the biggest oil find of its type in us history . u.s. oil and gas , of dublin , has been using ` groundbreaking ' technologies for its first major drilling project in hot creek valley , nevada , with local media suggesting it is sitting on an enormous oil lake . one well could generate a breathtaking 187million barrels of oil , reports suggested - although the company has insisted testing is not yet complete and the size of the oil field is not yet certain . excitement : u.s. oil and gas , of dublin , has been using ` groundbreaking ' technologies for its first major drilling project in hot creek valley , nevada , with local media suggesting it is sitting on an enormous oil lake . testing : research has been carried out in an area named eblana 1 , or ` nelly ' , which is adjacent to oil-rich railroad valley , which was the most productive oil well in the us for a decade .<doc-sep>tuesday 's clashes continued a wave of wildcat strikes and violent confrontations that has wracked the country 's mining sector for more than two months , the worst labor unrest since the end of apartheid . anglo-american platinum fired about 12,000 striking workers who refused to attend disciplinary hearings earlier this month after a three-week walkout . another company , gold fields limited , fired 8,100 striking workers last week after they did not return to work . some 15,000 workers at the company 's kdc east mine , near johannesburg , had gone on strike to seek higher pay , as have workers at several other south africa mines .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- not long ago , attending international oil and gas conferences , east africa was the graveyard session . all the smart money was on the gulf of guinea and i and a few other analysts would sit through almost empty sessions more out of courtesy than curiosity . no longer , east africa is the new oil and gas frontier , and the meetings are packed . three statements released in march by international oil and gas companies prospecting in eastern africa demonstrate this - a fourth impressive gas find in tanzania by bg group and london-listed ophir energy saw their shares soar . italian energy company eni also announced new gas reserves in mozambique , and anglo-irish tullow oil , announced an oil discovery in kenya , that `` is beyond our expectations and bodes well for the material programme ahead of us . '' how times have changed . kenya 's president mwai kibaki , could n't contain his excitement on 26 march and interrupted a scheduled speech to announce the find by tullow in the country 's north-western turkana region . you could feel his relief as he called it a `` major breakthrough '' . ever since independence kenyans officials have been wondering why their geology has been less generous than others , and in recent years the pressure has been on , gold , tanzanite and now significant gas finds in tanzania and oil in uganda . read more : oil discovered in kenya . kenya has a strong agribusiness base , exporting tea , coffee , flowers and vegetables . it also enjoys a major tourism industry and nairobi is a regional hub , providing financial and other services and is a continent leader on telephone banking . if significant oil reserves are found , this could be transformative for its economy . it will also embolden kenya , that has ambitions to become a leading regional power , but as a columnist in kenya 's business daily wrote , ` kenya 's economic and diplomatic clout had largely suffered from a lack of known natural resources that are of strategic importance to the rest of the world ' . kenya 's politicians will need to keep a close eye on this , as regional co-operation within the east african community rather than head-on competition makes better economic sense . kenya has already been positioning itself to develop regional oil facilities for exports of oil from uganda and south sudan . work started in march on building a huge deep-water port in lamu , to service a pipeline across northern kenya to connect to the port . | <t> company finds what may be largest gold deposit found in britain or ireland . </t> <t> more than one million ounces of gold may lie below rolling irish countryside . </t> <t> with price of gold near historic highs , find could be worth as much as $ 300m . </t> | irish company strikes gold with huge find<T> |
seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tens of thousands of south koreans were demonstrating saturday on the streets of the capital to protest the government 's decision to import what they say is unsafe u.s. beef . south korean protesters protest against government 's policy on u.s. beef imports on saturday . south korean police estimate that the crowd in seoul is about 50,000 . no clashes were reported between the protesters and riot police , although ongoing protests have at times turned violent . south koreans have protested regularly since april when the government announced it would resume importing beef from the united states after a five-year ban . that ban was instituted over a case of mad cow disease in the united states in 2003 . the widespread public protests essentially paralyzed the government of president lee myung-bak , who replaced seven top aides this month and plans to reshuffle his cabinet .<doc-sep>tens of thousands of auto workers in south korea went on strike wednesday to oppose the government 's lifting of the ban . after a series of negotiations , seoul and washington came up with a revised agreement on june 21 -- one that limits imports to cattle younger than 30 months old . animals older than 30 months old are considered at a greater risk for mad cow disease , which can be transmitted to humans . the revised agreement also excludes the import of certain parts believed more susceptible to mad cow disease . the initial deal would have allowed the import of all u.s. beef imports . scientists believe mad cow disease spreads when farmers feed cattle recycled meat and bones from infected animals . the u.s. banned recycled feeds in 1997 .<doc-sep>eating meat products contaminated with the illness has been linked to variant creutzfeldt-jakob disease , a rare and fatal malady in humans . until the 2003 ban , south korea was the third-largest market for u.s. beef exporters . south korea 's new pro-u.s. president agreed to lift the import ban in april before a summit with u.s. president george w. bush . but the move provoked a backlash over health concerns spurred in part by false media reports about risks , along with a sense that south korea had backed down too easily to american pressure .<doc-sep>the government has vowed to get tough with the rallies . in washington , the white house announced that bush would visit south korea on august 5-6 before heading to the beijing olympics . bush had originally been expected to go to seoul next week when he visits japan for the g-8 summit , but the trip did not materialize amid the protests . cnn 's sohn jie-ae contributed to this report .<doc-sep>seoul , south korea -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tens of thousands of south koreans were demonstrating saturday on the streets of the capital to protest the government 's decision to import what they say is unsafe u.s. beef . south korean protesters protest against government 's policy on u.s. beef imports on saturday . south korean police estimate that the crowd in seoul is about 50,000 . no clashes were reported between the protesters and riot police , although ongoing protests have at times turned violent . south koreans have protested regularly since april when the government announced it would resume importing beef from the united states after a five-year ban . that ban was instituted over a case of mad cow disease in the united states in 2003 . the widespread public protests essentially paralyzed the government of president lee myung-bak , who replaced seven top aides this month and plans to reshuffle his cabinet . tens of thousands of auto workers in south korea went on strike wednesday to oppose the government 's lifting of the ban . after a series of negotiations , seoul and washington came up with a revised agreement on june 21 -- one that limits imports to cattle younger than 30 months old . animals older than 30 months old are considered at a greater risk for mad cow disease , which can be transmitted to humans . the revised agreement also excludes the import of certain parts believed more susceptible to mad cow disease . the initial deal would have allowed the import of all u.s. beef imports .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the first u.s. case of mad cow disease in six years sparked fears of illness that prompted two south korean retailers to suspend the sale of american beef . however , public health officials said the risk of americans contracting the disease is low , given that the affected dairy cow in central california never entered the human food chain and did not contract bovine spongiform encephalopathy through contaminated animal feed . `` it was never presented for slaughter for human consumption , so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health , '' said john clifford , the agriculture department 's chief veterinarian . what you need to know about mad cow disease . in south korea , one of the world 's largest importers of u.s. beef , the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy led retailer lottemart to remove american beef from store shelves . `` currently , the sale of u.s. beef is temporarily suspended to ease our customers from anxiety , '' lottemart said . the south korean government said it will step up checks on u.s. beef imports but not halt them for now . in 2010 , south korea imported 125,000 tons of u.s. beef , a 97 % increase from the year before , the u.s. department of agriculture said . sarah klein , food safety attorney for the center for science in the public interest , said there is no need for consumers to take precautions based on this case . `` a case of a single cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy is not a reason for significant concern on the part of consumers , and there is no reason to believe the beef or milk supply is unsafe , '' she said . `` if the cow were exposed to the typical strain of bse via animal feed -- and the government says that 's not the case here -- that would have represented a significant failure , '' she said . she said the government would have had a difficult time tracking down other cattle that may have been eating the same feed because the nation lacks an effective animal identification program .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a kansas company is recalling about 50,000 pounds of ground beef products over fears of e. coli contamination . the national beef packing co. products , which were shipped nationwide , may be contaminated with e. coli o157 : h7 , the u.s. department of agriculture said wednesday . there have been no reported cases of illness . in an online statement wednesday , national beef packing co. reported `` a voluntary recall for naturesource natural beef , naturewell natural beef and national beef commodity ground beef . '' it said the meat was produced on july 18 and has a use by/freeze by date of august 7 . `` we are working closely with authorities to investigate this matter and are contacting our customers who have purchased this product , '' the company said . the meat was `` shipped in 40 to 60 pound cases to retailers , wholesalers and food service distributors nationwide , '' the usda said in a news release . salad mix blamed for cyclospora outbreak in nebraska , iowa .<doc-sep>suspending activity . earlier this month , during a frenzy of fiery rhetoric directed at south korea and the united states , the north began blocking south koreans from entering the complex across the heavily fortified border . it then pulled out the more than 50,000 north koreans who work in the zone 's factories , saying it was temporarily suspending activity there . the move surprised some observers since kaesong was considered to be a key source of hard currency for the regime of kim jong un . the situation on the korean peninsula deteriorated after the north carried out its latest underground nuclear test in february , prompting the u.n. security council to tighten sanctions on the regime in pyongyang . the tougher sanctions , together with joint u.s.-south korean military training exercises in south korea , intensified north korea 's threats against washington and seoul . the north 's ominous language , which unnerved the united states enough for it to move missile-defense systems into the region , had appeared to calm somewhat recently . and the u.s.-south korean military exercises are due to end in the coming days . remarks against ` u.s. imperialists ' | <t> tens of thousands of south koreans protest imports of u.s. beef . </t> <t> beef imports largely banned since 2003 when mad cow disease found in u.s. </t> <t> protests essentially paralyzed the government of president lee myung-bak . </t> | 50,000 s. koreans protest ` unsafe ' u.s. beef<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an ohio distributor is recalling about 6 million chinese-made tire valve stems after concluding that some of them were improperly made and could increase the risk of accidents . an ohio distributor is recalling 6 million chinese-made car tire valve stems . tech international , the part 's johnstown , ohio-based distributor , estimates that just 8,600 of roughly 6 million of those valves are defective . the valve is a replacement snap-in tire valve -- model no . tr413 -- manufactured between july and november 2006 .<doc-sep>it was imported by tech international from manufacturer shanghai baolong industries co. in shanghai , china , according to the national highway traffic safety administration . according to the recall , the rubber part of the valve may crack after being in use for about six months , causing a gradual loss of tire pressure . continuing to drive on underinflated tires can cause them to burst , possibly leading to crashes . tech international told the nhtsa that the company does n't have records of the final purchasers of the valve stems .<doc-sep>according to the company , the defect was identified after `` a small number '' of the valves were reported by customers and one distributor to have failed . the samples were shipped to china , and , in march , baolong concluded that some valves could be defective . `` the cause of the defect is likely improper mixing of the rubber compound in the manufacturer 's facility , '' tech international wrote in a letter to the transportation safety authority .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an ohio distributor is recalling about 6 million chinese-made tire valve stems after concluding that some of them were improperly made and could increase the risk of accidents . an ohio distributor is recalling 6 million chinese-made car tire valve stems . tech international , the part 's johnstown , ohio-based distributor , estimates that just 8,600 of roughly 6 million of those valves are defective . the valve is a replacement snap-in tire valve -- model no . tr413 -- manufactured between july and november 2006 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a man died after his car plunged 600 feet off the edge of the grand canyon 's south rim , authorities said tuesday . about 5 million people visit the grand canyon in arizona each year . the arizona park 's regional communications center received several reports of a car driving off the edge about 6 a.m. monday , according to a written statement . `` upon arriving at the scene , investigators found tire tracks leading to the edge behind the thunderbird lodge and received reports of a single occupant in a blue passenger car driving over the edge , '' the statement said .<doc-sep>it was imported by tech international from manufacturer shanghai baolong industries co. in shanghai , china , according to the national highway traffic safety administration . according to the recall , the rubber part of the valve may crack after being in use for about six months , causing a gradual loss of tire pressure . continuing to drive on underinflated tires can cause them to burst , possibly leading to crashes . tech international told the nhtsa that the company does n't have records of the final purchasers of the valve stems .<doc-sep>amille harris , an eyewitness , told abc that a ups worker got atwater 's phone and was able to call her family . harris added that it was distressing to watch her last words to her family . ` she was just mumbling and whining . there was nothing she could do it was sad , ' harris said . distressing : atwater was pinned against a wall by the out-of-control truck . the sad incident happened on atlantic avenue and clinton street in brooklyn heights . ` she was pinned under the car . there was no blood , nothing she could do . her leg was caught under the tire . it was gory , ' harris recalled . atwater bought five horseshoe-shaped cookies from the bagel cafe before being struck by the truck . the cafe manager alauddin shipun told the new york post : ` she just came in to buy cookies . she looked happy , she was smiling . ' | <t> ohio-based distributor says valves are n't working properly , could cause accidents . </t> <t> tech international estimates that just 8,600 of 6 million are defective . </t> <t> snap-in tire valve , model tr413 , was made between july and november 2006 . </t> <t> continuing to drive on underinflated tires can cause them to burst . </t> | 6 million car tire stems recalled<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- british mercenary simon mann has been jailed for 34 years for his part in plotting a coup in equatorial guinea . simon mann was arrested after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in zimbabwe . the former british military officer confessed to trying to topple long-time ruler teodoro obiang nguema mbasogo - but denied being the plot 's leader . the goal of the plot was to install exiled opposition leader severo moto who is currently in spain awaiting trial on charges of arms trafficking , and to gain access to the former spanish colony 's oil wealth . during the trial , mann testified he was a `` junior '' in the organization which plotted to overthrow the tiny west african country 's president in 2004 , and that lebanese businessman eli calil was the man in charge . `` eli calil was known as the cardinal -- the cardinal -- which i think says it all , '' mann told the court . watch mann 's reaction to his sentences '' footage of the proceedings was broadcast by britain 's channel 4 news , which says it has the only camera in the courtroom . as mann 's trial progressed last month , south africa rejected mann 's allegation that it had given its tacit support for the coup plot . `` south africa will never , tacitly or expressly , support the use of mercenaries to bring about fundamental political changes in any country in our continent or elsewhere in the world including equatorial guinea , '' the government said in a statement . mann testified that several governments , including spain and the united states , welcomed the idea of a coup . mann is a former british army commando who was arrested four years ago after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in zimbabwe . the government of equatorial guinea said the group was on its way to overthrow its president . mann said at the time they were going to guard a diamond mine in the democratic republic of congo .<doc-sep>a zimbabwe court convicted mann of trying to buy weapons illegally . he served four years in jail there before being extradited to equatorial guinea 's capital of malabo earlier this year to face charges of leading an abortive coup . mann testified that his former friend mark thatcher -- the son of former british prime minister margaret thatcher -- was a main partner in the plot . thatcher was arrested along with mann in 2004 , and he pleaded guilty in south africa the following year to unwittingly bankrolling the plot . he escaped jail time by paying a fine . thatcher admitted giving $ 275,000 toward the charter of a helicopter , saying he thought was for commercial purposes and discovered only later it was to be used by mercenaries . but mann said thatcher paid $ 350,000 for a helicopter and a plane which he knew would be used in the plot , and that he attended meetings about the plan with calil in london . calil , mann said , initially asked him to assassinate president obiang and talked about the possibility of staging a guerrilla war . mann testified he refused both requests , considering them unethical , but he did agree to help stage a coup . though he said thatcher was a top figure in the plot , mann testified that even thatcher was under calil in the group 's hierarchy . mann , appearing in a gray prison outfit , emphasized that he was not the man in charge . mann 's defense lawyer took 45 minutes to question mann , channel 4 reported , in contrast to the four hours of prosecution questioning mann faced . mann smiled often in the footage shown by channel 4 and even stuck his tongue out playfully at the camera . after his stint in the british army , mann was affiliated with the south africa-based mercenary firm executive outcomes . the firm described itself on its now-defunct web site as a `` military advisory service '' that had played a `` crucial '' role in ending two african civil wars .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the trial of british mercenary simon mann continued thursday , a day after mann implicated former friend mark thatcher in the alleged plot to overthrow the president of equatorial guinea . simon mann was arrested after a plane carrying him and about 60 mercenaries landed in zimbabwe . mann , a former british army commando , was arrested four years ago in zimbabwe and extradited to equatorial guinea 's capital of malabo earlier this year to face trial for the alleged coup . the trial began tuesday and a verdict was expected within days . thatcher , the son of former british prime minister margaret thatcher , was arrested along with mann in 2004 . he pleaded guilty in south africa the following year to unwittingly bankrolling the alleged coup plot ; he escaped jail time by paying a fine . thatcher said he had given $ 275,000 toward the charter of a helicopter , which he originally thought was to be used for commercial purposes , but later suspected was to be used by mercenaries . but mann said thatcher knew much more than he claimed , and even helped plan the operation . `` he was not just an investor , '' mann testified wednesday . `` i mean , he came on board completely and he became part of the management team . '' excerpts of mann 's testimony were broadcast by britain 's channel 4 news , which says it has the only camera in the courtroom .<doc-sep>`` coup allegations , including assertions that the military was planning to bomb istanbul 's historic mosques to precipitate a political crisis , have hurt the turkish army 's standing . the military 's status as the most trusted institution in the country is plummeting : in 2002 , around 90 percent of the turks said they trusted their military , while now most polls show that barely 60 percent say they do . '' he mentions another court case , known as ergenekon , which also accuses the military of involvement in a coup plot : `` for the first time in its life , the turkish military is like a deer in headlights , facing the political high beams of the ergenekon case . '' `` and now the military has snapped . the straw that broke the camel 's back came earlier this week , when pro-akp media suggested that 14 active-duty generals and admirals who had been arrested in relationship to the ergenekon case , though not yet indicted , would not only be bypassed in their promotions , but also forced to resign . furthermore , only yesterday , the police arrested 22 additional top brass officers , blocking their likely promotion . '' he said the `` officer corps is demoralized , '' with generals and hundreds of other officers jailed with no indictments in sight . `` this is the turkish military leadership 's way of telling the government : ` we are done playing with you . set up your own team -- if you can , '' he said . yesim comert reported from istanbul . joe sterling reported from atlanta .<doc-sep>be per capita , one of the wealthiest nations on earth thanks to its wealth of oil , gas and timber . it is ranked 20th in the world in terms of gdp per capita - ahead of the uk - but its population live on megre wages . the president 's critics have accused accuse him of systematic . corruption and repression but he says he is a champion of african development . members of the president 's family have been accused of corruption and siphoning off huge sums of money . legal . action was recently launched against his playboy son teodorin and last . year embarrasing pictures of his 11 supercars being seized in paris were . released . it is alleged his alleged millions of dollars of state money was diverted into his personal account . the president told bbc news : ` the process in paris is a farce , a political set-up . ' stephen sackur 's two-part report from equatorial guinea for bbc 's . hardtalk will be broadcast on the bbc news channel and bbc world news . channel tonight and tomorrow . the new capital city is being built 65km west of mongomo . coup : mark thatcher , left , allegedly partly funded the attempted 2004 coup which was led by mercenary simon mann , pictured right at equatorial guinea 's black beach prison in malabo . poverty : despite the country 's vast natural timber and oil wealth most of the population live in poverty on just # 1.50 a day .<doc-sep>the muslim brotherhood 's leader mohamed morsi was elected president of egypt during the arab spring but was then deposed and jailed last year in an army-led coup . its leader mohammed morsi was elected president of egypt during the arab spring but was then deposed and jailed last year in an army-led coup following weeks of protests . in march , 529 brotherhood members were sentenced to death by a court in cairo , as part of a violent crackdown on the group . the group was blamed for attacks including the murder of three tourists in sinai in february . following the coup some brotherhood leaders are reported to have fled to london , leading to concerns that they may be coordinating their next move from here . | <t> new : british mercenary simon mann jailed for plotting a equatorial guinea coup . </t> <t> mann testified he was `` junior '' in organization that plotted attempted coup . </t> <t> mann implicated former friend mark thatcher in 2004 plot during testimony . </t> | mercenary jailed for coup plot<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the university of north carolina at chapel hill student body president who was killed this year was shot several times , including in her head , according to her autopsy report released monday . unsealed warrants show eve carson was abducted and then shot by both men . eve carson , 22 , was found slain on march 5 . carson 's autopsy report lists six gunshot wounds , but says two were probably from the same bullet , according to north carolina 's office of the chief medical examiner . carson 's death shocked the community and drew national attention . an estimated 10,000 people turned out for a service remembering her . her autopsy -- released after a north carolina newspaper filed a court motion to have it unsealed -- describes wounds to various parts of carson 's body . it says shotgun wounds to her head and hand `` most likely represent a single shot with the hand acting as an intermediate target . '' one of the other four wounds was also a gunshot to her head . a separate , handwritten summary of the medical examiner 's report says carson was `` shot multiple times '' and found lying on her back , with one arm bent behind her head . the autopsy says sexual assault testing was done . it does not say whether any sign of sexual assault was found . two suspects , demario james atwater , 22 , and lawrence alvin lovette , 17 , have been charged with first-degree murder . lovette 's attorney said the warrants against the suspects rely on hearsay . atwater 's attorney cautioned against `` any rush to judgment . '' court documents released friday say carson was kidnapped from her apartment and forced to provide her abductors with atm access to her bank account before she was shot to death in the early hours of march 5 . the documents -- applications for search warrants -- say a confidential informant told police in the days after the death that atwater had told her he and lovette had entered carson 's home through an open door and forced carson to accompany them in her car . the informant said she had talked with atwater after a picture was displayed on television showing someone attempting to use carson 's atm card at a convenience store two days after carson 's body was found . the informant said the two men drove carson to an atm , obtaining her pin number from her . `` the cw -lsb- informant -rsb- learned that carson was forced into the back seat with atwater , and lovette drove carson 's vehicle , '' the court documents said . `` that information is consistent with video footage taken from an atm camera on that date . '' the witness told police atwater said the two got about $ 1,400 from carson 's account . bank records show that was approximately the amount taken from the account over a two-day period , the documents said . and the informant said that both suspects shot carson , according to one of the affidavits . `` this information was corroborated by crime scene search information that two separate weapons were used in the homicide , '' the documents said . the documents said police believe carson was subjected to a sexual assault `` of an unknown nature '' and asked for a search warrant to collect dna swabs from the suspects . but orange county , north carolina , district attorney jim woodall told cnn friday the collection and testing done on carson 's body was routine , and authorities do not believe she was sexually assaulted . prosecutors had fought to keep her autopsy sealed . following a motion by the raleigh news & observer newspaper , prosecutors agreed to allow the report 's release . carson , a native of athens , georgia , 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 , unc has said .<doc-sep>a black man who was shot by utah police while armed with a samurai-style sword as part of a japanese anime costume died of multiple gunshot wounds , including several in the back of his body , an autopsy has revealed . darrien hunt suffered six gunshots wounds , and at least four entered the 22-year-old 's body from behind when he was shot in september 10 . the state autopsy results back-up an independent findings released by hunt 's family who claimed he was treated differently because he was black . darrien hunt , left , pictured with his mother susan , middle , was shot six times by police , including four times in the back , a state autopsy has revealed . hunt was shot after walking around a strip mall in the utah city of saratoga springs wearing a red shirt and blue pants - similar to that worn by an anime character - and carrying 2.5 ft steel sword . before being shot dead , hunt , seen in red , was seen smiling and talking to two police officers at the scene .<doc-sep>carson , 22 , was found shot to death about 5 a.m. march 5 . the medical examiner told police that her body showed no signs of sexual assault or other injury , curran said . carson 's killing `` feels like a random crime , '' curran said saturday . 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 unc-chapel hill board of trustees had 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 and student body president . the young woman was a pre-medicine student who was double majoring in political science and biology . she received the university 's prestigious morehead scholarship and was a member of the phi beta kappa honor society , according to unc . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>chapel hill , north carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- what happens to the 3,100 students who enrolled in fake classes and now have a degree stamped with the seal of the university of north carolina , chapel hill -- an institution consistently ranked among the nation 's top public schools ? likely nothing . the southern association of colleges and schools is currently reviewing a scathing report , prepared by former federal prosecutor ken wainstein , which showed thousands of unc students took fraudulent classes , some of them multiple times . but belle wheelan , the president of the association -- which is charged with accrediting degree-granting higher education institutions in the south , from virginia to texas -- told cnn that her group ca n't take away degrees . `` unc has to verify every degree they give all the time . we ask them to make sure all courses really are legitimate , '' wheelan said . `` all we can do ... is put them on sanction for lack of integrity . `` as far as taking those degrees back , there 's nothing we can do . '' unc officials told cnn say they are still deciding how to try to remedy the fact that so many students graduated with credits from the so-called `` paper classes '' on their transcripts . some students earned many credits taking multiple `` gpa booster '' classes . one student was enrolled in 19 different paper classes , wainstein said . `` we 're considering options on these matters and are working closely with sacs to evaluate possible courses of action , '' said spokesman rick white . unc report : 18 years of academic fraud . expert : ` nearly impossible ' to take away degrees . gerald gurney , president of the drake group for academic integrity in collegiate sport and the former president of the national association of academic advisers for athletics , called the unc fraud the largest and most nefarious academic scandal in the history of the ncaa . `` the depth and breadth of the scheme -- involving counselors , coaches , academic administrators , faculty , athletic administrators , etc. -- eclipses any previous case , '' gurney said . but , while gurney believes the ncaa should punish the university , he does not think that the students could lose the legitimacy of their degrees . `` lifting diplomas from students who were advised to take these classes is nearly impossible , '' he said . the last time sacs investigated the paper classes -- when unc insisted they existed on a much smaller scale -- the association made unc offer new classes to students who had been enrolled in the fake ones . but the enrollment in the remedy class was optional , wheelan said . unc told cnn that 11 students opted to retake a class . the suspect classes were started by a professor 's assistant in the african-american studies program -lrb- afam -rrb- who had sympathy for those at the school who were `` not the best and the brightest . '' that assistant , debbie crowder , and professor julius nyang ` oro then worked with several advisers in athletics to help student-athletes on the brink of eligibility keep their gpas up , according to the report . one former football player , mike mcadoo , told cnn earlier this year that his adviser told him to major in afam , and then put him in several paper classes , even though he had interest in majoring in something else . from emails that were attached to wainstein 's report , it 's clear that some athletes were placed in these classes because they were struggling . one email , written by former women 's basketball academics adviser jan boxill , suggests an athlete is only enrolled in `` two real courses . '' other emails show how counselors were calculated in adding , then dropping , and shifting athletes from class to class trying to keep them eligible to play . unc fake class scandal and ncaa 's response wind their way to washington . report : nearly half of 3,100 students were athletes . this all comes as no surprise to whistleblower mary willingham . she sounded the alarm on paper classes and was a lone voice against the university when it insisted that the whole scheme fell to the shoulders of nyang ` oro and crowder alone . willingham told cnn that many people were involved and that the paper classes were used as a crutch for underprepared athletes . she said that in january -- a month before the wainstein and his firm , cadwalader , wickersham & taft , was hired by unc to do another investigation into what happened over the last two decades . whistleblower in unc paper class case files lawsuit . what wainstein found was significantly bigger than what unc had admitted to for the last five years . nearly half of the 3,100 students were athletes . `` a good number of these student-athletes were `` steered '' to the afam paper classes by certain academic counselors in aspsa , '' wainstein 's report says . his report says paper classes served as `` gpa boosters '' for athletes who were on the brink of eligibility . why ? willingham says it 's because they were admitted to unc just to play -- and they could n't keep up in the classroom the way they could keep up on the field , she says . willingham has been attacked for saying that . one unc official even publicly said she was lying . now , the 131-page report and hundreds of supplemental documents appear to back her up . willingham sat at her kitchen table this week , watching the university of north carolina admit to nearly two decades of academic fraud . all she could think about were the athletes she tutored who she says were terribly unprepared for real classes at unc . many , she says , could barely read . `` i think about where they are , you know , what are they doing , '' she said , sitting at that same table the next day . `` it 's hard to find a lot of those guys . and so i was wondering if they were paying any attention to this and if it had any meaning for them . '' federal education privacy rules forbid the university from publicly identifying the students involved in the paper classes . unc in january : we failed students ` for years ' roy williams : ` we tried to do the right thing ' unc said the wainstein report came to a different conclusion than previous investigations because he had the cooperation of nyang ` oro and crowder , who previously were n't talking . nyang ` oro was charged with fraud -- a charge later dropped when he began cooperating with wainstein . but it 's unclear why previous investigations did not uncover the damning emails , or whether the statements of the athletic advisers were different in the past . the latest one , though , did find that some coaches knew what was happening . former head football coach john bunting , for instance , told investigators he knew of the paper classes . his successor , butch davis , who was fired a few years back for his role , also admitted some knowledge . the investigators made no findings about dean smith , the legendary basketball coach and sports icon who coached 36 years at unc . and the current basketball coach , roy williams , has adamantly denied knowing anything . reacting saturday to the report , williams told reporters `` it 's a very sad time for me '' as not only unc 's head basketball coach , but also a former assistant coach and student there . as to what happens next , williams said he does n't see anything in wainstein 's report pertaining to `` men 's basketball that somebody can immediately look at and say this is going to happen or this is not going to happen . '' `` the thing about it is that we tried to do the right thing , '' the coach said . `` i ca n't determine what the ncaa is going to do . '' cnn analysis : some college athletes play like adults , read like fifth-graders . cnn 's devon sayers and greg botelho contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a texas student killed by a campus cop during a traffic stop last year was nearly twice the legal limit when the officer shot him five times , an autopsy has revealed . cameron redus , 23 , had a blood alcohol level of .155 when he was stopped for driving erratically and killed by corporal christopher carter outside his san antonio apartment on december 6 . redus ' family have said that despite their son 's mistakes that night , the severity of these mistakes did not warrant the treatment he suffered at the hands of carter . the autopsy , released thursday , revealed all of the five shots fired by carter were at close range . killed : cameron redus , who was described by friends as not being aggressive , was shot five times at close range by a campus cop who had pulled him over for driving erratically last december . details of the medical examiner 's report , released to kens5 , showed the university of the incarnate wood student had gun shot wounds to his left eye , upper chest , back , left elbow and right hip . confrontation : corporal chris carter fired several times at the student . the shot to the back became lodged in cameron 's heart and was ` the most immediately lethal , ' the medical examiner reported . a shot to the eye could also have been lethal , the report added . the student 's family say he was never aggressive or confrontational but , according to corporal carter , cameron tried to beat him with his own baton after he was pulled over for driving erratically . his parents , mickey and valerie redus , and their other sons , released a statement saying they were ` devastated ' by the autopsy findings . ` we are stunned to learn that cameron was . shot in the back from very close range . the report also shows that the . shot to his eye was delivered at a downward angle , again from very close . range , ' they wrote . ` that knowledge , coupled with information from the earlier police . report indicating that cameron died on his back with his legs underneath . him , has left us heartbroken and shaken to the core . ' the family added that they did not . condone his decision to drive while under the influence , but said they . were ` thankful ' he arrived home safely without harming anyone else on . the night in question . they added : ` cameron 's mistakes do not negate the . amazing and productive life he lived nor the loving , encouraging and . | <t> autopsy : there were shotgun wounds to carson 's head and hand . </t> <t> report lists six gunshot wounds , but it says two were probably from same bullet . </t> <t> warrant shows she was kidnapped from her home and robbed . </t> | autopsy : unc student shot multiple times<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. food and drug administration tuesday ordered the makers of certain antibiotics to add a `` black box '' label warning -- the fda 's strongest -- to alert patients of possible tendon ruptures and tendonitis . cipro is one of the drugs for which the fda will require a `` black box '' label warning about tendon problems . `` the new language will strengthen the existing warnings , '' said dr. edward cox , director of the fda 's office of antimicrobial products . the fda is requiring the label warnings and a medication guide for fluoroquinolone drugs , which include cipro , levaquin , avelox , noroxin and floxin . the consumer group public citizen asked the fda in august 2006 to put the `` black box '' warning on cipro and other fluoroquinolones , and also to warn doctors . earlier this year , public citizen filed a lawsuit to force the fda to take those actions . public citizen said tuesday it was `` pleased '' with the fda 's order but added `` there is still more that the fda must do . '' `` the fda is silent on our request that it also send a warning letter to physicians clearly describing possible adverse reactions , such as tendon pain , so that patients can be switched to alternative treatments before tendons rupture , '' the group said . `` we are troubled that the fda is not doing everything within its power to prevent more people from needlessly suffering disabling tendon ruptures . '' when asked about the lawsuit and why it did n't order the `` black box '' label warning until now , cox stressed that the fda included warning information with the drugs from 2001 until 2004 , and updated the information last year . dr. gupta explains more on antibiotic risks '' `` there has been ongoing work to update the labeling of the fluoroquinolone drug products , '' cox said . `` we have been working on this issue and making progress over time . ''<doc-sep>the companies that make the fluoroquinolone drugs will be required to submit label safety changes and the medication guide within 30 days of receiving the notification from the fda or provide a reason why they do not believe such labeling changes are necessary , cox said . bayer healthcare pharmaceuticals inc. , which holds licenses for cipro and avelox , said it would make the changes requested by the fda but defended the drugs as `` well-tolerated and effective in all approved indications . '' schering-plough markets cipro and avelox in the united states under agreement with bayer . ortho-mcneil-janssen pharmaceuticals , which markets levaquin in the united states , also said it would abide by the fda 's request . merck & co. , the maker of noroxin , said it , too , would update the drug 's label . but merck noted it has stopped promotion of noroxin because of the widespread availability of its generic form . oscient pharmaceuticals -lrb- factive -rrb- , daiichi sankyo -lrb- floxin -rrb- and dipomed -lrb- proquin -rrb- did not immediately respond to cnn 's requests for comment . the fluoroquinolones drugs can increase the risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture -- which is about 1 in 100,000 -- by three to four times , according to the fda 's dr. renata albrecht . `` this risk is further increased in those over age 60 , in kidney , heart , and lung transplant recipients , and with use of concomitant steroid therapy , '' the fda said in a statement . albrecht said that sometimes patients have no symptoms before they experience a rupture in their tendon -- commonly their achilles tendon .<doc-sep>`` sometimes it 's been reported on the first day of taking a fluoroquinolone ... a sudden snap or popping sound that is tendon rupture with no preceding warning , '' she said . normally , she added , that patients experience some pain or inflammation `` a week or two before the patient will rupture . '' public citizen , founded in 1971 by consumer activist ralph nader , said more than 400 cases of tendon rupture and more than 300 cases of tendonitis in patients using fluoroquinolones were reported between november 1997 and december 2007 . `` because only a small fraction of cases are typically reported to the fda , the actual number of ruptures and other tendon injuries attributable to the antibiotic is much higher , '' the group said . the fda would only say that it has received `` hundreds '' of reports of tendon problems linked to fluoroquinolones , without being more specific , citing the ongoing lawsuit . but cox said `` the fda continues to receive a considerable number of reports on tendon adverse effects . '' patients should stop taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics at the first sign of tendon pain , avoid exercise and contact their doctor , the fda said . cox said the fda would not require companies to send letters to doctors alerting them about the connection between tendon problems and the antibiotics . `` it is possible under rems -lsb- risk evaluation and mitigation strategy -rsb- to ask for a letter -lsb- to doctors -rsb- , '' cox said . `` certainly for sponsors that would choose to go forward with a letter , we 'll be happy to work with them . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- health.com -rrb- -- the million-plus u.s. adults who take medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -lrb- adhd -rrb- do not appear to be increasing their risk of heart attack or stroke , as some experts have feared , according to a new study published today on the website of the journal of the american medical association . stimulant medications -- a class that includes ritalin , adderall , concerta , and their generic versions -- and the non-stimulant drug strattera have all been shown to slightly raise blood pressure and heart rate , which can contribute to heart problems . researchers have n't conclusively linked these side effects to heart attacks , strokes , or sudden death from heart-related causes , but the food and drug administration -lrb- fda -rrb- has received numerous reports of these and other heart problems in people taking stimulants for adhd . in 2006 , the fda ordered stimulant manufacturers to add warnings about potential heart risks to their product labels , although the agency stopped short of requiring the so-called black box warning an advisory panel had recommended . health.com : 15 signs you may have adult adhd . the new study , which was funded and partly overseen by the fda and other federal health agencies , is the largest of its kind to date and seems to bear out the fda 's decision to opt for a milder label warning . researchers at several large health insurers across the nation analyzed the medical and pharmacy records of 443,198 people between the ages of 25 and 64 , roughly one-third of whom had filled prescriptions for stimulants or strattera .<doc-sep>farmers ' frequent use of antibiotics to help their livestock grow is contributing to the rise of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria , according to the food and drug administration . on wednesday , the government agency announced a new plan to phase out the use of certain antibiotics in the food production industry . `` it is important to use these drugs only when medically necessary , '' the fda said on its website . `` governments around the world consider antimicrobial-resistant bacteria a major threat to public health . '' many of the antibiotics used in animals are also used to treat humans when they get sick . illnesses caused by bacteria are more likely to be fatal if overuse has made the germs resistant to medication , the fda says . an fda report released in april showed that 81 % of all the raw ground turkey the agency tested was contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria . and turkey was n't the only problem -- antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in about 69 % of pork chops , 55 % of ground beef and 39 % of chicken . antibiotics are used in livestock to prevent disease , but they are also used as a protectant and to aid growth . about 29.9 million pounds of antibiotics were sold in 2011 for meat and poultry production , compared with the 7.7 million pounds sold for human use , according to the pew charitable trusts . `` antibiotic use in animals is out of hand , '' said dr. gail hansen , a veterinarian and senior officer for the pew campaign on human health and industrial farming , a project aimed at phasing out overuse of antibiotics in food production . `` we feed antibiotics to sick animals , which is completely appropriate , but we also put antibiotics in their feed and in their water to help them grow faster and to compensate for unhygienic conditions . if you have to keep the animals healthy with drugs , i would argue you need to re-examine the system . you do n't take antibiotics preventively when you go out into the world . '' what government tests found in your meat . the fda will now begin working to address how farmers are using these drugs to enhance animals ' growth or reduce the amount of feed they have to use . its plan also explains how animal pharmaceutical companies can voluntarily revise their drug labels to remove animal production as an approved use , effectively making it illegal to use the drugs for growth enhancement . under the plan , therapeutic uses of animal antibiotics would require veterinary oversight , meaning antibiotics could be used in food-producing animals only under a veterinarian 's orders to treat , prevent or control disease . `` with these changes , there will be fewer approved uses , and the remaining uses will be under tighter control , '' said michael taylor , deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at the fda . companies have 90 days to let the fda know if they intend to participate and three years to make the changes . in a statement , the animal health institute said it and its member companies support the policy and will continue to work with the fda to implement it . `` we are in favor of maintaining the important therapeutic uses of disease treatment , disease control and disease prevention , and believe that phasing out sub-therapeutic uses will increase consumer confidence that antibiotics are being used wisely to protect animal health and thereby human health , '' the organization said . the american meat institute also said it welcomed the move . what 's in your holiday poultry ? `` ami strongly supports the prudent and judicious use of antibiotics in food animal production under the care of a veterinarian , as defined by the american veterinary medical association , which is consistent with protecting both animal and public health , ensuring the ability to medically treat animals , and maintaining the highest standard of animal welfare practices , '' the group said , adding the fda proposal `` adheres to these principles . '' but the natural resources defense council , a non-profit environmental advocacy group , bashed the fda 's plan , saying it fails to require any change in the use of antibiotics . `` fda 's policy is an early holiday gift to industry , '' nrdc health attorney avinash kar said in a statement . `` it is a hollow gesture that does little to tackle a widely recognized threat to human health . fda has essentially followed a voluntary approach for more than 35 years , but use of these drugs to raise animals has increased . '' the center for science in the public interest noted in a statement the proposal `` requires the drug companies who profit from sales of their drugs to initiate the process . the good news is the agency has pledged to evaluate levels of compliance and inform the public after 90 days if the drug industry is cooperating with the relabeling effort . '' `` no one is advocating that sick animals should not be treated , '' the cspi said . `` but just as our kids see a doctor to get antibiotics , farmers should call a veterinarian , who can assess whether and when treatment with an antibiotic is appropriate . this simple step could save antibiotics as treatment options for future generations of consumers and farmers . '' currently , federal law tracks only how many antibiotics are sold ; it does not mandate data collection on how many animals are given the drugs or how much . without that information , it is hard to know where antibiotics are used . taylor said the fda still has the ability to take regulatory action against specific products if it 's needed to protect the public 's health . this plan is the fda 's latest move targeting food production and quality . last month , the agency took a step toward potentially eliminating most trans fats from the food supply . what 's in your holiday poultry ?<doc-sep>thursday 's ruling can be traced back to decisions the fda made more than 30 years ago . in 1977 , the fda announced plans to withdraw approval of some antibiotics used in livestock feed . the drugs have been used by livestock producers to help promote growth and feed efficiency . at the time , the fda found the practice of using antibiotics for non-medical reasons unsafe . drug manufacturers requested hearings , but the fda never scheduled meetings and nothing else was done . the approval remained in place . in subsequent years , new medical evidence suggested that treating livestock with antibiotics increased risks to human health . but according to the judge 's ruling , the fda never changed its position . in may , two petitions circulated urging the fda to finish what it started in 1977 . when the fda did n't respond , the nrdc filed suit . in december , the fda withdrew the original 1977 notices saying they were outdated .<doc-sep>` this reflects our continued commitment to antibiotic stewardship and represents the many ways that zoetis promotes the responsible use of antimicrobial drugs in animals , ' the company 's statement said . animal agriculture groups will not have much of a choice in the matter if drug companies sign on and make the drugs ' use illegal . but many antibiotics will still be available for those producers to use , just not those that the fda has classified as most important for treating human infections . some of the antibiotics that could not be used in animals are penicillins and tetracyclines , the fda said . many animal groups signaled support for the fda guidance after it was announced wednesday , including the national pork producers council . still , dr. liz wagstrom of the pork producers ' group said the fda action will mean ` real change ' in the way antibiotics are used on the farm , as some animals may not grow as quickly and producers may see more disease . she said she does not know how much it will cost the industry . some advocates pushing to rid the animal food supply of antibiotics said the fda did not go far enough . democratic rep. louise slaughter of new york , a microbiologist , said the fda should have made the action mandatory . the guidance ` falls woefully short of what is needed to address a public health crisis , ' she said . others hailed the agency move as progress . ` we commend fda for taking the first steps since 1977 to broadly reduce antibiotic overuse in livestock , ' said laura rogers of the pew charitable trusts ' human health and industrial farming campaign . ` there is more work to do , but this is a promising start , especially after decades of inaction . ' | <t> new : consumer group pleased with order but says fda must do more . </t> <t> the fda ordered its strongest warning to be put on certain antibiotics . </t> <t> the `` black box '' label will alert patients of possible tendon problems . </t> <t> relevant drugs include cipro , levaquin , avelox , noroxin and floxin . </t> | fda orders ` black box ' label on some antibiotics<T> |
unity , new hampshire -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the day began with a kiss . sen. hillary clinton and sen. barack obama leave washington on friday for a rally in new hampshire . sen. barack obama , on the tarmac at reagan washington national airport , reached out to shake sen. hillary clinton 's hand and leaned down to kiss her cheek . it went on from there . wearing a tie that matched her suit , he put his hand on her back , guiding the way up the plane steps . they sat side-by-side for the flight up to manchester , new hampshire , chatting amiably . one overheard conversation was about the plane . clinton had used it during the primary season . they hopped on a souped-up bus for the 1 1/2 - hour ride to unity , new hampshire . the honorary mayor of unity introduced the pair , admitting that he was a republican who voted for john mccain in the primary . he did n't seem so sure about the general election . they walked onstage to the tune of `` beautiful day . '' arms around each other 's waists , they smiled and waved at the crowd . every camera angle had unity signs , big and little , in the backdrop . she said she wants to help elect him president . he gave an ode to hillary : `` she rocks . '' watch more from unity '' one woman stood at the back , periodically yelling , `` hillary for vp ! '' a few others , older women , stubbornly held up tattered hillary for president placards . but the vast majority cheered her , `` thank you , hillary ! '' and him , `` yes , we can ! '' they held new signs for the new times : `` unity for change . '' as the dynamic duo glowed onstage , a clinton staffer circulated through the press corps with word that hillary and bill clinton had gone online to give the maximum contribution allowed by law to the obama for president campaign . it was the picture-perfect day of togetherness that barack obama had wanted . it was not entirely believable , but politics is the art of pragmatism .<doc-sep>arsenal wonderkid dan crowley has put pen to paper on his first professional contract at the emirates , a day after turning 17 . the highly-rated midfielder , whose style has been compared to current gunners star jack wilshere , joined the club from aston villa in 2013 and has since impressed for both arsenal and england at youth level . crowley confirmed the contract news on his twitter account , posting a picture of him signing the deal alongside his family and agent . video scroll down to watch england youngster dan crowley in action . signed , sealed , delivered : crowley has signed professional terms with arsenal after joining from villa last year . young star : the 17-year-old has impressed the coaching staff at arsenal in his 12 months with the club .<doc-sep>in an operation that started monday , more than 1,900 u.s. citizens and their family members have been evacuated from egypt , crowley said , adding that further evacuations would take place thursday . the attacks came the day after mubarak announced he would not seek re-election as part of a series of political reforms . opposition activists and protesters , however , said mubarak must step down immediately with a caretaker unity government running the country until elections for president and a new parliament can take place . it was unclear whether such confrontations were being repeated elsewhere . other cairo neighborhoods were calm , and contesting rallies in egypt 's second largest city , alexandria , were largely peaceful . gibbs said the time for a political transition in egypt `` is now '' because the egyptian people `` need to see change , '' and a `` meaningful transition must include opposition voices and parties being involved in this process as we move toward free and fair elections . '' at the same time , gibbs noted that events in egypt `` have moved enormously quickly in a very volatile region of the world , '' adding : `` what we 're watching is history being made . '' high-level contacts between the u.s. and egyptian governments continued wednesday , with secretary of state hillary clinton talking to newly appointed egyptian vice president omar suleiman , crowley said . and pentagon spokesman geoff morrell said defense secretary robert gates spoke by phone with egypt 's defense minister on wednesday , their third conversation in recent days .<doc-sep>crowley 's . followers , however , say he was a highly influential thinker and writer . in the field of western esotericism and counter-culture , and in 2002 the . bbc ranked him 73rd in their list of the greatest britons of all time . ` his work within the oto was nothing short -lsb- of -rsb- miraculous and he was a beautiful writer and thinker too , as well as magical practitioner ' peaches geldof on british oto founder , aleister crowley . on 16 march , peaches posted a picture of crowley 's magick book alongside the slogan ` do what thou wilt ' , a central tenet of the philosophical law of thelema , upon which the thinkings of the oto were based . when one follower asked her if crowley , who died in 1947 , was a satanist , peaches replied saying : ` no , it has nothing to do with christian ideas like satan or jesus at all . ' and when others made references to his less appealing traits , she leapt to his defence , saying : ` all the stuff about him being a nazi sympathiser and a racist was lies made up by the press who hated him . ` he would also just say controversial stuff purely to subvert people 's perceptions of him in the media . if you read any of his work , he makes this abundantly clear .<doc-sep>hammer will replace crowley as the assistant secretary for public affairs , clinton said in a statement sunday . she said she accepted crowley 's resignation `` with regret . '' `` p.j. has served our nation with distinction for more than three decades , in uniform and as a civilian , '' she said . `` his service to country is motivated by a deep devotion to public policy and public diplomacy , and i wish him the very best . '' a little-known factor in crowley 's comments about manning was revealed saturday by april ryan , a white house correspondent for american urban radio who covered crowley in the clinton white house . ryan wrote on twitter that crowley `` dislikes treatment of prisoners as his father was a prisoner of war . '' while it 's true that crowley 's father was imprisoned during world war ii , people close to him downplay that as a major factor in his comments about manning , saying the biggest factor is simply that crowley believes what he said . in his statement , crowley said he leaves with `` great admiration and affection '' for his colleagues and `` deep respect for the journalists who report on foreign policy and global developments every day , in many cases under dangerous conditions and subject to serious threats . their efforts help make governments more responsible , accountable and transparent . '' | <t> sens. clinton and obama hold a unity rally in unity , new hampshire . </t> <t> crowley : a `` day of togetherness that barack obama had wanted '' </t> <t> `` it was not entirely believable , but politics is the art of pragmatism , '' crowley adds . </t> | crowley : a picture-perfect day in unity<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim came out of hiding monday , and says he has damaging evidence that proves senior members of the government faked evidence for sodomy charges against him . malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim says he has proof sodomy charges against him were fabricated . `` i have new evidence about the fabrication of evidence against me in 1998 , '' anwar told cnn monday . `` i totally reject these malicious attacks . '' anwar was the heir apparent to former premier mahathir mohamad until 1998 , when he was sacked and charged for corruption and sodomy . the sodomy conviction was overturned , but the corruption verdict was never lifted , barring him from running for political post until this year . in the cnn interview , anwar rejected the sodomy charges and also said he had evidence of threats on his life that caused him to go into hiding at the turkish embassy in kuala lumpur . listen to anwar ibrahim defend himself ''<doc-sep>cnn could not immediately reach members of malaysia 's ruling party . the ruling party , national front coalition , has led malaysia since the country declared independence in 1957 . anwar 's opposition party has gradually chipped away at the national front 's power . recently malaysian police have said they are investigating a new sodomy charge against him , anwar said . the new charges were also false and were fabricated to usurp his political gains , anwar said . `` i will challenge these attacks on every ground , '' anwar said .<doc-sep>anwar was the heir apparent to former prime minister mahathir mohamad until 1998 , when he was sacked and charged for corruption and sodomy . anwar spent six years in prison after being convicted on corruption charges in 1999 and on sodomy charges involving his wife 's former driver in 2000 . malaysia 's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction and ordered him released from prison in 2004 . however , the corruption verdict was never lifted , barring him from running for political posts until 2008 . a loose coalition of opposition parties -- with anwar at the helm -- won 82 of 222 parliamentary seats in elections in march of that year . it was the second time in the country 's history that the ruling party failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution . anwar has said the investigators trying to build a case against him are the same ones who hid evidence that could have cleared him in his sodomy-related conviction in 1999 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the judge in the sodomy trial of malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim handed him a key victory tuesday when he ruled that dna taken from items anwar used in his police jail cell is inadmissible . authorities had hoped to swipe dna taken from a toothbrush , water bottle and hand towel in anwar 's cell -- and compare it with the dna recovered from semen left in his accuser 's body . `` none of their witnesses gave evidence that anwar drank from the bottle of water or used the towel or toothbrush , '' said defense lawyer sankara nair . `` the items were taken from the police cell and anybody could have used them . so the evidence was lacking from the start . '' `` if the prosecutors ca n't link anwar 's dna to the boy 's body semen , which is the main crux of the case , then they do n't have a case , '' she added . `` so that 's why we feel a big chunk of the case is gone . '' sodomy , even if consensual , is punishable by 20 years in prison in the majority-muslim country . anwar has pleaded not guilty to the charge .<doc-sep>that case was widely viewed as tainted by politics , and the sodomy conviction was eventually thrown out . wan azizah -- the wife of malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim -- leaves after her husband 's appeal on a sodomy conviction was rejected by the federal court in putrajaya , outside kuala lumpur , on february 10 , 2015 . supporters of malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim shout slogans outside the federal court in putrajaya , outside kuala lumpur , on february 10 , 2015 . later joining the opposition , anwar led a three-party alliance to the brink of ousting umno , one of the world 's longest-ruling parties . but the alliance risks falling apart over deep policy and personality differences . sidelining anwar raises troubling new questions , especially with no clear successor in the wings . analysts , however , say jailing anwar also bears risks for najib 's regime , which lost the popular vote in 2013 elections , but clung to power through gerrymandering . ` jail time will make anwar a martyr for a new generation , rally his supporters at home and abroad and signal the weakness of -lrb- najib 's -rrb- government in its need to remove an opponent , ' bridget welsh , a southeast asia politics analyst with national taiwan university , wrote in a recent essay . malaysia 's federal court ruled that mohamad saiful bukhari azlan -- a former aide to anwar ibrahim -- gave ` credible ' evidence during a 2008 sodomy trial in kuala lumpur . umno has a history of using police and judicial organs to pressure opponents . the current charges were filed in 2008 shortly after the first of two historic anwar-led opposition election showings . many legal experts had expected anwar 's acquittal , but chief justice arifin zakaria said in reading out the court 's judgement that it found saiful 's accusations ` credible ' . ` we have overwhelming evidence that -lrb- saiful -rrb- was sodomised , ' he said , adding that anwar 's conspiracy allegations ` remain unsubstantiated ' . umno has dominated multi-ethnic malaysia since independence in 1957 , but has rapidly lost ground to the opposition pakatan rakyat -lrb- people 's pact -rrb- alliance , which vows to dismantle umno 's authoritarian rule and crony capitalism , and to reform discriminatory policies favouring the ethnic malay majority .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the judge in the sodomy case of malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim on monday postponed the trial until august 9 because of allegations a female prosecutor had an affair with his accuser . as a result of the allegations , the defense has asked that charges against anwar be dropped . a blogger reported last week that the female member of the prosecutor 's office allegedly had an affair with the male aide who accused anwar , 62 , of sodomizing him at a luxury apartment in june 2008 . sodomy , even if consensual , is punishable by 20 years in prison in the majority-muslim country . anwar has pleaded not guilty to the charge . the prosecution said the woman has been removed from the team even though the allegations involving her have n't been verified . the prosecution must respond over the next week to defense charges that the case has be compromised . anwar has filed a police report against the woman and the 25-year-old male aide , accusing them of violating the country 's official secrets act . the defense team believes the aide may have had access to confidential trial information . investigators arrested anwar in july 2008 -- four months after a loose coalition of opposition parties he led made gains on the ruling party in parliamentary elections . `` i do n't believe that i 'm going to get a fair trial , '' anwar told cnn in february . `` a fair trial would require a competent , independent judge to immediately strike out the charge because any sexual assault must have a case to support the charge . '' anwar has called his arrest a `` dirty trick and conspiracy '' orchestrated by authorities who are trying to discredit him . `` they think that by doing this they can frustrate the opposition because they think the coalition will be more fragile without me , '' said anwar , who oversees a multiethnic opposition alliance and his own justice party . `` clearly they have underestimated the commitment of the -lrb- parties -rrb- . '' the u.s. state department has said that anwar 's arrest `` raises serious questions and concerns . '' anwar was the heir apparent to former prime minister mahathir mohamad until 1998 , when he was sacked and charged for corruption and sodomy . anwar spent six years in prison after being convicted on corruption charges in 1999 and on sodomy charges involving his wife 's former driver in 2000 . malaysia 's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction and ordered him released from prison in 2004 . however , the corruption verdict was never lifted , barring him from running for political posts until 2008 . a loose coalition of opposition parties -- with anwar at the helm -- won 82 of 222 parliamentary seats in elections in march of that year . it was the second time in the country 's history that the ruling party failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution . anwar has said the investigators trying to build a case against him are the same ones who hid evidence that could have cleared him in his sodomy-related conviction in 1999 . journalist liz gooch contributed to this report . | <t> malaysian opposition leader anwar ibrahim came out of hiding monday . </t> <t> says he can prove government members faked evidence for sodomy charges . </t> <t> anwar also says he has evidence of threats against his life . </t> | anwar : officials faked sodomy evidence<T> |
miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hurricane bertha -- the first hurricane of the 2008 atlantic season -- increased in strength monday evening , according to the national hurricane center . a satellite picture from 5:45 a.m. et monday shows hurricane bertha over the atlantic . while bertha 's power may fluctuate over the next day , it is expected to begin gradually weakening by wednesday , the center 's 11 p.m. et advisory said . bertha 's became a major -- or category 3 -- hurricane monday afternoon . a category 3 has wind speeds of 111 to 130 mph . as of 11 p.m. et , bertha was 695 miles -lrb- 1,115 km -rrb- east-northeast of the northern leeward islands and about 1,085 miles -lrb- 1,745 km -rrb- southeast of bermuda . the eye was moving toward the west-northwest at about 12 mph . its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 120 mph -lrb- 195 km/hr -rrb- , up from the 115 mph mentioned in a 5 p.m. advisory .<doc-sep>the hurricane is expected to turn to the northwest and decrease its forward speed in the next 24 to 48 hours , the center said . there is a very small chance bertha will make landfall in the united states . bermuda could be affected by the hurricane this weekend . see bertha 's projected path '' `` it is still way too soon to determine whether or not bertha will affect bermuda , '' the center said . the storm formed thursday in the far eastern atlantic , off the coast of africa , near the southern cape verde islands . it strengthened into a hurricane early monday . learn more about hurricanes '' the first tropical storm of the season , arthur , formed may 31 near the coast of belize and dumped heavy rain on central america and southern mexico .<doc-sep>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>rough : the national weather service in san juan said the region could be hit with up to 6 inches -lrb- 15 centimeters -rrb- of rain and wind gusts of 35 mph . communication was severed with at least 10 communities by flooded roads and damaged bridges . flash flood and mudslide warnings were in place in 17 of the country 's 31 provinces . federal forecasters in august downgraded their outlook for the 2014 atlantic hurricane season , predicting below-normal activity with seven to 12 named storms , and no more than two expected to reach major hurricane status . a major hurricane is considered to be category 3 or above with winds hitting at least 111 mph -lrb- 178 kph -rrb- . water rushes through an open bay at the carraizo dam to release water left by a passing storm in trujillo alto , puerto rico , on saturday august 23 , 2014 . a tropical depression formed over the turks and caicos islands on saturday . so far this year two hurricanes -- arthur and bertha -- have developed in the atlantic . only arthur , a category 2 storm , made landfall , on north carolina 's outer banks in early july . a typical season has 12 named storms , with six hurricanes , and three becoming category 3 storms . in its august outlook , the agency said cooler-than-average temperatures in the tropical atlantic ocean would make it difficult for larger storms to develop .<doc-sep>the storm was heading over the eastern dominican republic , which was subject to a tropical storm warning , according the national hurricane center 's 8 p.m. advisory . the miami-based center noted that bertha was centered about 60 miles east-northeast of santo domingo , dominican republic , and 200 miles southeast of grand turk island . as of 8 p.m. tropical storm warnings also remained in effect for the southeastern bahamas , and the turks and caicos islands . bertha could end up dumping 1 to 3 inches of rain `` with isolated amounts up to 5 inches '' throughout the caribbean by the time it 's passed through .<doc-sep>he famously told the nation there was no hurricane in the offing and we could sleep soundly in our beds - just hours before the great storm of 1987 . but now , as a fierce storm heads across the atlantic , michael fish has warned there will be ` some really nasty weather ' over the weekend . the 70-year-old veteran weatherman today said that charts show the pressure at the centre . of hurricane bertha has dropped to 974 millibars . this is close to the 967mb measured . during last year 's devastating st jude 's day storm , which saw gusts of . 99mph tear down trees and spark flash floods . scroll down for videos . a satellite image of the storm shows it travelling across the atlantic ocean off the coast of the united states on august 6 . wet manchester : a woman who left the house expecting the sun gets caught out when the rains came yesterday . she uses her leather jacket to try to keep her head dry . stormy : weather charts show pressure at the centre of the hurricane has dropped to 974 millibars . above , storm clouds over a wheat field in cambridgeshire yesterday . risk : forecasters say there is a 60 per cent chance the tail-end of the storm will batter the southern coast of england on sunday morning . above , more storm clouds . ` there is some really nasty weather possibly over the weekend , ' said the former bbc broadcaster , who was employed by the met office . ` if . the models are right we are in for a really lively weekend , almost . autumnal weather and the message would be to batten down the hatches . ` the remnants of hurricane bertha -lsb- are -rsb- continuing to run east and will start to deepen again . it is going to head off straight across the middle of the country with unseasonably strong winds and heavy rain . ' hurricane bertha formed in the warm waters of the caribbean last weekend , lashing the . dominican republic , the bahamas and the turks and caicos islands with . winds of up to 90mph . it then travelled north , veering safely away from the us and canadian . coast before heading across the atlantic . it has now been downgraded to . an ` atlantic storm ' , losing power as it travels . looming menace : hurricane bertha is losing power but could still bring heavy rain and strong winds to the uk . thunderstorms : a satellite image of hurricane bertha close to the east coast of america taken yesterday . it shows a cold front stretching from maine to the mid-west . rainy : a lorry is pictured passing through a flash flood in maidstone , kent , yesterday . the warm weather has given way to downpours as bertha approaches britain . taking shelter : mr fish said we should prepare for ` some really nasty weekend over the weekend ' . above , tourists are pictured sheltering under umbrellas in cambridge . wet : he added : ` if the models are right we are in for a really lively weekend , almost autumnal weather . ' above , more tourists are pictured in cambridge this afternoon . turn for the worse : a tourist dons a blue rain suit as she walks down a street in cambridge -lrb- left -rrb- , while another girl shelters under an umbrella as she sits on a wall -lrb- right -rrb- . | <t> new : bertha 's winds increase from 115 mph to 120 mph . </t> <t> bermuda could be affected by the hurricane this weekend . </t> <t> likelihood of storm making landfall in u.s. is very small . </t> <t> bertha is the first hurricane of the 2008 atlantic hurricane season . </t> | hurricane bertha now category 3 storm<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- north korea 's apparent cooperation with nations seeking to end its nuclear weapons ambitions -- six years after a deal collapsed and two years after testing a bomb -- may lead to questions about why it would play ball now . some signs show north korean leader kim jong il does intend to drop his nuclear weapon program , experts say . one school of thought : the communist nation , in desperate economic straits , has long been willing to drop its program for better relations with the united states . but mistakes on both sides interfered , according to jim walsh , a national security analyst . north korea could be trying to achieve survival through deceit , intending to keep its nuclear weapons as blackmail for better treatment , analysts suggest . but those making a case for north korea 's sincerity , walsh said , would say it must `` do the things economically that -lsb- it needs -rsb- to do to avoid collapse . '' `` having nuclear weapons when the regime is collapsing wo n't do them much good , '' said walsh , a research associate at the massachusetts institute of technology . north korea , following a 2007 agreement with five nations including the u.s. , handed over a declaration of its nuclear program on thursday . the nation also took steps to disable a reactor that officials acknowledge helped extract plutonium to build nuclear weapons . on friday , it destroyed the reactor 's cooling tower -- significant because the tower would take a year or longer to rebuild . watch the tower being demolished . ''<doc-sep>after north korea 's declaration , president bush said thursday that he intends to move north korea from the u.s. list of states that sponsor terrorism . down the line , north korea would receive economic and energy assistance if the u.s. and other nations agree it is complying with other efforts to dismantle its nuclear program . north korea has been heavily sanctioned in the past because of its nuclear program . stephen hadley , the u.s. national security adviser , told reporters thursday that the terror list was one incentive for north korea to drop its nuclear ambitions . `` i think it is important to them not to be on a list that says ` enemies ' and not to be on a list that says ` supporters of terror , ' '' hadley said . walsh said north korea has been weakened by sanctions and its lack of arable land , leading to a population unable to feed itself . `` it ca n't grow enough food , '' walsh said . `` and they 've got to attract foreign investors . '' he said north korea was better off in the days of the soviet union , when it had an ample amount of communist nations with which to trade . but the soviet union collapsed , and many other nations turned away from communism , leaving north korea increasingly isolated . `` geostrategically , north korea was growing weaker , and everyone around them was growing stronger , '' walsh said .<doc-sep>in 1994 , north korea pledged to the u.s. that it would freeze and eventually dismantle its nuclear program in exchange for international aid , including help building two power-producing nuclear reactors . by 2000 , however , north korea was complaining that not all the aid was coming as promised . in 2002 , the u.s. accused north korea of working on a secret nuclear weapons program , and the u.s. said north korea admitted doing so . countries including the u.s. halted oil supplies , and north korea withdrew from the nuclear nonproliferation treaty . it conducted an underground test of a nuclear weapon in 2006 . walsh said both sides have n't fully lived up to previous agreements . the u.s. , he said , promised normalized trade at one point but did n't follow through . jon wolfsthal , senior fellow of the center for strategic and international studies ' international security program , said north korea has been `` remarkably consistent '' regarding its reactions to u.s. positions . `` when we 've engaged them directly , they have responded . and when we have reduced our commitment , to our engagement ... they have responded negatively , '' wolfsthal said . wolfsthal said china -- which provides oil and food aid to north korea -- has been instrumental in getting north korea to cooperate . `` china has gone from being an uninvested ... mediator to being a true participant in this process -- from a country that originally wanted to help the u.s. and north korea work out their differences to a state that has worked to convince north korea to meet its obligations , '' wolfsthal said .<doc-sep>wolfsthal said he believes china was embarrassed by north korea 's nuclear test , and shifted course . `` i think that over time , the united states has helped china see that north korea 's unpredictable behavior destabilizes their own backyard , '' he said . walsh and wolfsthal said another theory has it that north korea is only playing with negotiators and intends to keep its nuclear program and weapons as a security blanket . expanding on that possibility , wolfsthal said north korea leader kim jong il could keep the country 's nuclear arsenal but agree not to produce any more nuclear weapons . `` everybody 's speculating . none of us has met kim jong il , '' wolfsthal said . walsh said the west does n't have hard evidence to determine north korea 's intentions . `` but so far , the evidence is pretty strongly on the side of north korea wanting a real bargain , '' walsh said .<doc-sep>korea has already begun construction at the reactor and it could be . back in operation sooner than expected , according to a u.s. research . institute that analyzed recent commercial satellite imagery of . nyongbyon . rebuilding the cooling tower would . take six months , but a march 27 photo shows building work may have . started for an alternative cooling system that could take just weeks , . the u.s.-korea institute at johns hopkins school of advanced . international studies said wednesday . north korea today announced that it would kick-start its nuclear programme once again by re-opening a complex which was closed as part of disarmament talks six years ago . a file handout satellite image shows the yongbyon complex nuclear facility . but . even if the reactor is now up and running , cossa estimates it would be . two to three years before scientists could obtain more plutonium for . bombs . there are other challenges to restarting the reactor . north . korean scientists need to clean , check for any leaks , test components . and replace ones that no longer work , according to no hee-cheon , a . nuclear expert at the korea advanced institute of science and technology . in daejeon , south korea . a map showing north korea missile ranges . the pentagon has announced it is deploying missile defense systems to the u.s. base in guam and missile defense ships to sea between japan and the rogue nation . is north korea 's missile system a threat ? today south korea 's defence minister said that north korea has moved a missile with ` considerable range ' to its east coast . officials said there were no signs the north koreans planned to test fire their new longer-range kn-08 road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile . the range he described could refer to a mobile north korean missile known as the musudan . what is the musudan ? the musudan , also known as the nodong-b or the taepodong-x , is an intermediate-range ballistic missile . it has a range of 3,000 kilometres -lrb- 1,800 miles -rrb- - that would make japan and south korea potential targets , but little is known about the missile 's accuracy . what is the kn-08 ? adm. james winnefeld , vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff , noted this missile could probably hit the u.s - it is thought he means alaska . defence secretary chuck hagel cited the kn-08 as a justification for the administrationâ $ ™ s decision to deploy 14 additional missile interceptors in alaska . the north korean military claims it has a range of 10,000 kilometres , but military experts believe that the 18-metre-long kn-08 has a range of 6,000 kilometres . it is a concern as it is road-mobile and easy to hide . is the u.s. strong enough ? north korea is n't thought to have nuclear-armed missiles that can hit the united states and is extremely unlikely to launch a direct attack on seoul or its u.s. ally , knowing that military retaliation would threaten the leadership 's survival . this week the pentagon deployed two aegis-equipped missile defense ships to operate off the korean peninsula . it is readying long-range ground-based interceptors in alaska and california . it is also deploying one of its newest ground-based missile defences to the pacific.what about the nuclear power station ? north korea 's vow to restart its mothballed nuclear facilities raises fears about assembly lines churning out fuel for a fearsome arsenal of nuclear missiles . but it may actually be a sign that pyongyang needs a lot more bomb fuel to back up its nuclear threats . despite the bluster , it could be years before north korea completes the laborious process of creating more weaponized fuel . its announcement , experts say , is also likely an effort to boost fears meant to keep its leadership safe while trying to extract concessions from the u.s. and its allies . ` nuclear . material can be very corrosive . cleaning the chemical equipment for . reprocessing plutonium can be an overwhelming task , ' no said . north . korea is n't thought to have nuclear-armed missiles that can hit the . united states and is extremely unlikely to launch a direct attack on . seoul or its u.s. ally , knowing that military retaliation would threaten . the leadership 's survival . experts estimate it has enough . plutonium for between four to eight crude plutonium-based weapons . but . north korea has yet to show that it has mastered the technology needed . to shrink down warheads so they can be placed on missiles , although . pyongyang has bragged - as recently as thursday - that it has ` smaller , . lighter ' nuclear weapons ready to strike the u.s. to . back up that boast , however , pyongyang needs more tests , which would . deplete its limited supply of nuclear fuel . this motivation may . partially explain the vow to restart nyongbyon . two . other larger plutonium reactors had construction halted because of a . past nuclear disarmament deal ; hecker said the north koreans claim both . are unsalvageable . north korea is also thought to be making progress on building a small experimental light-water reactor . the north also suggested this week that it was boosting uranium enrichment efforts . north korea 's uranium program worries washington because the centrifuges that enrich the fuel into bomb-grade material are much easier to conceal than bulky plutonium reactors , which produce large amounts of heat that can easily be seen by satellites . a crude uranium bomb is also easier to produce than one made with plutonium , and north korea has large natural uranium deposits . hecker was shown 2,000 uranium centrifuges at nyongbyon in 2010 , but it 's not clear whether the centrifuges have been reconfigured to make highly enriched uranium . it 's also unknown what fuel north korea used in its feb. 12 test , its third since 2006 ; a confirmed uranium-based nuclear test would show that north korea has centrifuges producing highly enriched uranium . north korea built its secret uranium program at its main nuclear facility without the knowledge of the u.s. intelligence community , bruce klingner , a former u.s. intelligence officer and now an analyst at the heritage foundation think tank in washington , said in an email . ` as such , we do not know how many covert uranium enrichment sites north korea has nor how many uranium weapons they can produce per year . ' still , scientists ca n't make a uranium bomb overnight . even if the north 's 2,000 centrifuges were configured properly and spinning 24 hours a day , every day for a year , they could only make one or two uranium bombs , said kune y. suh , a nuclear expert at seoul national university . the north 's plan to restart the plutonium reactor looked to some like an admission that pyongyang has n't made much progress in its uranium enrichment program . ` why else would it go to the trouble of a time-consuming and expensive restart to plutonium production at a known and vulnerable facility ? ' thielmann asked .<doc-sep>south korea will work closely with the international community , including fellow members of the so-called six-party talks on north korea -- the united states , japan , china and russia -- to stop pyongyang 's `` provocative act , '' it added . uk foreign secretary william hague also condemned the planned launch and urged the north korean authorities to abandon the project . `` failure to do so must lead to a further response by the international community , and will damage the prospects for peace and stability on the korean peninsula , '' he said in a statement . the botched launch in april drew stern criticism from the u.n. security council , which repeated demands for pyongyang not to carry out similar tests in the future . it followed attempts in 2006 and 2009 that were also judged by international experts as having failed . news of the latest planned launch does not come as a complete surprise to north korea watchers . a u.s. academic website , 38 north , published an analysis of commercial satellite images thursday that it said revealed trailers carrying the first two stages of one of the north 's unha rockets near the main missile assembly building at the sohae satellite launch station on the country 's west coast . the analysis by 38 north , which is run by the school of advanced international studies at johns hopkins university , followed the release of an image this week by the satellite imagery company digitalglobe that showed increased activity at the launch station . 38 north suggested the possible motivation for the activity at the sohae site was the planned launch of a satellite-bearing rocket this week by its archrival and neighbor , south korea . seoul postponed that launch minutes before takeoff after the discovery of an electronic signal problem . top satellite image analyst joe bermudez , of digitalglobe , told cnn earlier this week that a launch on this scale for a second time within a year would be unprecedented for north korea . the north koreans are looking for `` maximum political impact '' domestically , regionally and internationally with a test launch such as this , he said , calling it a `` very politically motivated event . '' the timing of a launch at the end of this year would coincide with many consequential events , said bermudez , including south korea 's planned launch . north korea and japan will also be holding another set of bilateral talks early in december and the south korean presidential election will take place in less than a month . north korea-watchers say new leader kim jung un may be responding to internal political pressure from hard-liners to send a message . cnn 's kj kwon , jethro mullen , jennifer rizzo and joseph netto contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the suggested motivation for a hack from north korea , commentators said , had been the country 's anger at an upcoming sony film , the interview . in the film , set for release at christmas , seth rogen and james franco play two reporters who have been granted an audience with north korean leader kim jong-un . the cia then enlists the pair to assassinate him . north korea said the film was ` the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as a war action ' . the country 's un envoy ja song-nam said there would be a ` merciless response ' if the film was not cancelled . however , the diplomat quoted by voice of america - who asked to remain anonymous - dismissed reports his country had been involved in the attack on sony . ` linking -lsb- north korea -rsb- to the sony hacking is another fabrication targeting the country , ' he told the broadcaster . ` my country publicly declared that it would follow international norms banning hacking and piracy . ' earlier this week , a separate north korean official gave a more ambiguous response , saying : ` wait and see , ' in response to a question about the attack . sony has yet to officially name north korea as the source of the cyber attack , but sources close to the internal investigation spoke out yesterday to say they believe a group known as darkseoul is to blame .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- as the united states gets ready to blame the sony hack on north korea , a troublesome question is emerging : just what is north korea capable of ? experts say the nation has spent scarce resources on building up a unit called `` bureau 121 '' to carry out cyberattacks . north korea has been blamed in the past for attacks in south korea , but the sony hack -- if indeed north korea is behind it -- would seem to represent an escalation of tactics . `` i think we underestimated north korea 's cybercapabilities , '' said victor cha , director of asian studies at georgetown university . `` they certainly did n't evidence this sort of capability in the previous attacks . '' | <t> north korea 's negotiations driven by economic need , desire for survival , experts say . </t> <t> china , embarrassed by nuclear test , has prodded north korea , expert says . </t> <t> deceit possible , experts say , but nation 's best interest is to be on west 's good side . </t> | north korea 's motivation ? survival , experts say<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- actress gina gershon is demanding a retraction from vanity fair after the magazine reported `` high-end hollywood dinner-party gossip '' that former president clinton `` has been seen visiting '' her in california . actress gina gershon `` is extremely offended '' by the vanity fair article , her lawyers say . the lengthy article by the magazine 's national editor , todd purdum , mentioned the actress along with several other women rumored to be associated with clinton , all anonymously sourced . `` todd purdum 's insinuation is a lie , and it is irresponsible journalism , '' said gershon 's publicist , mara buxbaum . `` we are demanding a retraction . '' a letter sent by gershon 's attorneys to vanity fair editor-in-chief graydon carter , obtained by cnn , demanded a published correction and retraction and threatened possible litigation for defamation . the actress appeared in 1995 's `` showgirls '' and the more recent `` p.s. i love you . '' gershon `` is extremely offended by the false and defamatory inference that she engaged in an adulterous relationship with the president , '' the letter says , adding that the actress has been in the same room with clinton three times , always in the presence of at least a dozen people . `` it is apparent that vanity fair was intent upon publishing unsubstantiated rumors , and that it avoided learning the true facts so that the truth would not get in the way , '' the letter says . `` such conduct is reckless and malicious , giving rise to substantial liability for defamation . '' in a statement , vanity fair denied that the article indicates any `` improper relationship '' between clinton and gershon . `` the story merely examines the concerns of some of clinton 's aides about reports of his behavior , '' the magazine said . `` we do n't believe that any correction is warranted . '' purdum 's article , `` the comeback id , '' quoted multiple anonymous sources questioning the former president 's behavior since leaving the white house . the article suggested that clinton 's personality had changed since his 2004 heart bypass surgery and said there were reports of clinton `` seeing a lot of women on the road . '' clinton issued a tirade against purdum on monday when asked by huffington post writer mayhill fowler what he thought of `` the hatchet job somebody did on you in vanity fair , '' according to a recording of the exchange posted on the huffington post 's web site . '' -lsb- he 's -rsb- sleazy , '' clinton responded . `` he 's a really dishonest reporter . '' clinton said that he had not read the article but that he was told that `` there 's five or six just blatant lies in there . but he 's a real slimy guy . '' calling purdum a `` scumbag , '' clinton said `` he 's one of the guys that propagated all those lies about whitewater for kenneth starr . he 's just a dishonest guy -- ca n't help it . '' purdum `` did n't use a single name , he did n't cite a single source in all those things he said , '' the former president said , adding that the article was `` part of the national media 's attempt to nail hillary for obama . `` anytime you read a story that slimes a public figure with anonymous quotes , it ought to make the bells go off in your head , '' he said . jay carson , a spokesman for hillary clinton 's campaign , said late monday that `` president clinton was understandably upset about an outrageously unfair article , but the language today was inappropriate , and he wishes he had not used it . '' purdum , a former new york times reporter who covered the clinton white house and is married to former clinton press secretary dee dee myers , defended his article on cnn 's `` the situation room '' on monday afternoon , saying he was `` very careful to say there is no clear-cut evidence that president clinton has done anything improper . '' `` i reject the notion that i 'm making an insinuation , '' purdum said . `` but i 'm very comfortable quoting the people i quote because i know who they are , and i know that they are very senior people who have known president clinton for a very long time and work for him at very high levels . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- actress gina gershon is demanding a retraction from vanity fair after the magazine reported `` high-end hollywood dinner-party gossip '' that former president clinton `` has been seen visiting '' her in california . actress gina gershon `` is extremely offended '' by the vanity fair article , her lawyers say . the lengthy article by the magazine 's national editor , todd purdum , mentioned the actress along with several other women rumored to be associated with clinton , all anonymously sourced . `` todd purdum 's insinuation is a lie , and it is irresponsible journalism , '' said gershon 's publicist , mara buxbaum . `` we are demanding a retraction . '' a letter sent by gershon 's attorneys to vanity fair editor-in-chief graydon carter , obtained by cnn , demanded a published correction and retraction and threatened possible litigation for defamation . the actress appeared in 1995 's `` showgirls '' and the more recent `` p.s. i love you . ''<doc-sep>gershon `` is extremely offended by the false and defamatory inference that she engaged in an adulterous relationship with the president , '' the letter says , adding that the actress has been in the same room with clinton three times , always in the presence of at least a dozen people . `` it is apparent that vanity fair was intent upon publishing unsubstantiated rumors , and that it avoided learning the true facts so that the truth would not get in the way , '' the letter says . `` such conduct is reckless and malicious , giving rise to substantial liability for defamation . '' in a statement , vanity fair denied that the article indicates any `` improper relationship '' between clinton and gershon . `` the story merely examines the concerns of some of clinton 's aides about reports of his behavior , '' the magazine said . `` we do n't believe that any correction is warranted . '' purdum 's article , `` the comeback id , '' quoted multiple anonymous sources questioning the former president 's behavior since leaving the white house .<doc-sep>by . alex ward . published : . 04:59 est , 16 august 2012 . | . updated : . 06:30 est , 16 august 2012 . named after former u.s. president bill clinton , a ugandan boy who was held by the politician as a baby has met him again , 14 years on . while he was president , clinton visited a village in uganda in 1998 to meet the baby boy named after him because he was born in the same month that the president first arrived in uganda . now a teenager , the ugandan boy , whose full name is master bill clinton kaligani , was delighted to meet the former president again last friday . bill and bill : the former u.s. president bill clinton was reunited on friday with ugandan teenager bill clinton named after him after him . the boy was flown to entebbe , uganda to have lunch with clinton and according to allafrica.com , bill had to miss an exam to keep his lunch date with the man he said has had such an impact on his life . according to ugandan newspaper daily . monitor he said : ` i feel good . he told me he also wanted me to be a . doctor , that i should work hard and pass in my studies . ' the two bill clintons meet : while on a trip to africa in 1998 , the former president met his namesake in a ugandan village . the baby was named after the then president because he was born in the same month that the president first arrived in uganda . supporting uganda : since his visit in 1998 where he visited the kisowera school , clinton has supported various initiatives to better african children 's education and health . his mother betty namugosa said : ` -lrb- clinton -rrb- was very happy to see the boy . he asked him what he wants and the boy informed him he wants to become a doctor . ` he promised to look after his `` son '' in every way . ' through his foundation , clinton has supported and set up various initiatives to support education , the provision of hearing aids and averting childhood deaths due to diarrhoea . in april , his wife hillary clinton visited south africa in her capacity as secretary of state . she met with foreign minister maite . nkoana-mashabane and the pair hosted a joint press conference where mrs . clinton said that through the various american-sponsored relief . programs , they have been able to save ` hundreds of thousands of lives ' in the country . they also attended a business summit where economic incentives were analysed for possible ways to expand growth in the region . in keeping with the friendly nature of the visit , mrs clinton paid a visit to former south african president nelson mandela . hillary 's african visit : in april , clinton 's wife visited south africa in her capacity as secretary of state where she met foreign minister maite nkoana-mashabane .<doc-sep>sustain a rip-roaring pace of growth . chief . executive tim cook flew to china this week for at least the second time . in 12 months , meeting partners and government officials . on thursday , he called on the . chairman of the country 's largest wireless carrier , china mobile , . raising hopes that a long-awaited deal between the two can proceed . in an interview with the official . xinhua news agency , cook said he was confident china will someday become . the company 's single largest market . this morning global news wire reuters retracted a report based on the comments made in the chinese newspaper . their copy was based on the shanghai evening news article , but that original . story was later updated with ` substantial changes to its content , ' which prompted the significant retraction . the reason is still unclear . strike a pose : mr cook poses for a picture with a customer at an apple store in beijing during his visit in china . today two leading analysts claimed apple will launch five new products in the next 12 months , including its highly anticipated tv set . analysts . gene munster and douglas clinton of piper jaffray say the firm will . launch a plethora of new products in a bid to keep its position as the . world 's biggest company . however , the analysts say the new gadgets could be just the beginning of a major change in apple 's products in 2014 . the pair told fortune magazine 2013 ` will set the stage for bigger changes in the product lineup in 2014 and beyond . ' apple . is believed to develop products several years in advance , with its . design team , led by british-born sir jonathan ive , producing hundreds of . prototype products each year . | <t> gina gershon accuses vanity fair reporter of `` irresponsible journalism , '' lying . </t> <t> magazine stands by article and refuses to run a correction . </t> <t> former president called reporter `` a scumbag '' but later apologized . </t> | actress named in clinton article wants retraction<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- with sen. hillary clinton beside him , sen. barack obama emphasized the challenges women in his family had overcome as he reached out to female voters at a fundraiser thursday . sens. barack obama and hillary clinton appears together during a fundraiser in new york thursday . the new york event was the third in which the former rivals for the democratic presidential nomination have appeared together this week . in an attempt to close any remaining rifts with clinton 's backers , obama has asked his supporters to help clinton retire her roughly $ 22 million of campaign debt . obama and clinton have appeared together five times since obama secured the democratic presidential nomination in june . during the `` women for obama '' event , the illinois senator recounted how his mother , a single mom who put herself through school , once had to `` swallow her pride '' and accept food stamps to feed her family . he also recalled how his grandmother worked her way from secretary to the vice president of a bank . `` but i also saw how she ultimately hit a glass ceiling -- how men no more qualified than she was kept moving up the corporate ladder ahead of her , '' he said . obama highlighted the struggles of his wife to balance the responsibilities of her job and parenting -- and admitted that he was somewhat complicit in the situation in which most of the parenting duties fall to his wife . watch obama talk about the women who shaped him ''<doc-sep>`` as the son , grandson and husband of hard-working mothers , i do n't accept an america that makes women choose between their kids and their careers , '' obama said . `` we take it for granted that women are the backbone of our families , but we too often ignore the fact that women are also the backbone of our middle class . `` and we wo n't truly have an economy that puts the needs of the middle class first until we ensure that when it comes to pay and benefits at work , women are treated like equal partners , '' he said , urging a commitment to equal pay for women . he urged `` standing up for paid leave , and paid sick leave , because no one should be punished for getting sick or dealing with a family crisis . '' later on thursday , obama traveled to fairfax , virginia , to unveil a plan meant to increase women 's economic security . the plan includes a tax credit of up to $ 1,000 for families , an increase in the minimum wage and tax cuts to help working women pay for child care , among other provisions . clinton , who introduced obama , urged her supporters to back the illinois senator , saying , `` it is critical that we join forces . the democratic party is a family -- sometimes dysfunctional . '' watch clinton make her case for obama '' `` we shared this remarkable journey , and i could not be prouder to have this opportunity in front of so many of my friends and supporters to express my confidence in his candidacy and my commitment to ensuring that he will take the oath of office come next january 2009 , '' she said . obama , in turn , praised clinton for her historic presidential run , saying , `` while this campaign has shown us how far we have to go , we also know that because of what hillary accomplished , my daughters and yours look at america and themselves a little differently today . '' watch why obama and clinton are appearing together ''<doc-sep>despite the public calls for unity , some of clinton 's supporters have been hesitant to fall in behind obama . with clinton 's debt yet to be paid off , some of her supporters are balking at the idea of donating to obama -- especially if he does not choose her to be his running mate . `` i certainly know there are lots of people who are withholding their money , '' said lynn forester de rothschild , one of clinton 's `` hill-raisers '' who raised over $ 100,000 for the former first lady . watch why some clinton backers are balking '' `` this is a hard decision for me personally because frankly i do n't like him . i feel like he is an elitist . i feel like he has not given me reason to trust him , '' rothschild said . that sentiment may be sending some clinton fans into sen. john mccain 's court . according to a cnn/opinion research corp. poll released last week , the number of clinton supporters who say they plan to defect to the republican presidential nominee 's camp is down from a month ago -- but numbers of those who say they plan to vote for obama are also down . rep. debbie wasserman schultz , d-florida , spent two days in new york this week with disaffected clinton supporters . `` it 's not unexpected that they would n't just automatically shift over to obama , because they 're not the typical democratic supporters that just automatically shift over , '' she said . `` they need to be wooed . they need to be won over . ''<doc-sep>lerner : is paid family leave bad for business ? priority two : workplace flexibility . the president said he 's pushing for workplace flexibility to give parents the opportunity to become more involved in their children 's lives and education . `` we always say that we want parents involved in our kids ' education , '' he said . `` there are millions of families out there who ca n't even imagine taking time off to go to a parent-teacher conference . '' this type of workplace flexibility is a practice that he and the first lady believe will improve employee morale and motivation . `` when we knew that employers had our backs and were willing to give us flexibility to look after family , that made us want to work harder for that employer , '' he said . `` even if it meant taking work home with us , if it meant coming in on saturday to replace the time we had taken off on tuesday . and that , i think , has been the experience of a lot of employers . '' priority three : child care . obama administration officials say they are focusing on the issue of child care at monday 's summit . white house senior adviser valerie jarrett cited a survey that found that over a three-month stretch , 29 % of working parents had a child care emergency . `` what happens if you 've got to leave in the middle of the day ? if you are a low-wage worker and you leave , you could lose your job , '' jarrett said in an interview on msnbc 's `` morning joe . '' `` we do n't do a very good job providing high-quality , affordable child care , and there are a lot of countries , a lot of our competitors do it , '' obama told bolduan . `` that means that it 's a lot easier for women to be in the workforce and not have to make choices that ultimately mean they 're , in some cases , getting paid less or having less opportunities . and it also means , by the way , that our kids are more likely to thrive . '' 3 . add to that list : . equal pay for equal work . women now make up more than half of the country 's primary or co-breadwinners . but the obama administration says those women are still earning less than their male counterparts . a 2013 pew research center study said women earned 84 % of what men earned , according to an analysis of hourly wages of all workers . `` we 've done some things administratively on that front . i always say that should n't be a women 's issue because i always wanted michelle to make sure that she was getting paid fairly because when she brought her paycheck home , that went into the overall pot to help us pay our bills , '' the president said . 4 . what the president is going to do about it : . obama says he has full faith that these best practices of offering paid family leave and workplace flexibility will garner a more productive and competitive economic landscape .<doc-sep>on a day when president barack obama trumpeted support of strengthening equal pay laws , a question about pay disparity between male and female staffers within the white house seemed to catch the administration a bit off guard . special coverage : 2014 midterm elections . an analysis by the conservative american enterprise institute found that women staffers made about 88 cents on the dollar , compared with male staffers . female federal workers in the early years of the obama administration had a median salary of nearly 93 % of what their male colleagues earn , according to 2011 figures from the u.s. merit systems protection board , an agency that works to protect the rights of federal employees . and while that figure for female federal worker earnings was up from just over 83 percent in 1991 , it does n't exactly match the type of pay parity the white house was touting . `` what i can tell you is that we have , as an institution here , have aggressively addressed this challenge , and obviously , though , at the 88 cents that you cite , that is not a hundred , but it is better than the national average , '' white house spokesman jay carney told reporters monday . `` and when it comes to the bottom line that women who do the same work as men have to be paid the same , there is no question that that is happening here at the white house at every level . '' obama strengthens equal pay protections . two deputy chiefs of staff in the white house - one male and one female - carney said , make the same salary . carney 's correct , women 's studies scholars say . the white house and federal government 's rates of pay parity are better than the national average of `` 77 cents for every dollar a man earns , '' figure the president noted in his state of the union address . equal pay : 5 things you need to know . however , the fact that even an administration that prides itself on having made its first priority signing the lilly ledbetter fair pay act into law , has n't achieved equal pay for equal work demonstrates the complexity in reaching complete parity , said jennifer lawless , director of women & politics institute at american university . `` there 's also a lot of misinformation out there , '' lawless said . `` i do n't think most people understand the dynamics of it and the complications involved . most people believe there should be pay parity but they separate the process from the outcome . '' democrats highlight equal pay in political push . those dynamics include child rearing roles , age , education , race , ethnicity and even where someone lives . for instance , a woman might find her earnings decreased if she temporarily left the workforce to raise a young child and an african-american or hispanic woman is more likely to earn less than her white female counterpart . for example , `` among women , median weekly earnings for mothers of children under age 18 were $ 680 , slightly below the earnings for women without children under 18 -lrb- $ 697 -rrb- , '' according to the bureau of labor statistics ' highlights of women 's earnings in 2012 report . `` among men , earnings for fathers with children under 18 were $ 946 , compared with $ 799 for men without children under 18 . '' the gap has closed somewhat for millennial workers . `` among younger workers , the earnings differences between women and men were not as great , '' the bls notes . `` among workers who were 25 to 34 years old , women earned 90 percent of what men earned ; among 16 - to 24-year-olds , women earned 89 percent as much as men . '' the lilly ledbetter fair pay act the president signed in 2009 gave women more time to sue for pay discrimination . on monday , obama signed executive orders that encourage federal contractors to make pay information more transparent , so women and minorities will know if they are being treated equally . as for getting to pay parity within the white house and across the federal government -- well , that might take a while . `` it 's not parity , '' lawless said . `` but it 's closer than what we see elsewhere which suggests a move in the right direction . '' opinion : equal pay or opportunity for outrage ? opinion : in the real world , women still make less than men . democrats seize on equal pay as a midterm issue . obama , romney equal on gender pay inequality .<doc-sep>this pay discrepancy affects the economic well-being of american households . women comprise two-thirds of american family breadwinners and co-breadwinners . inequality in pay means families have less money for quality child care , less education , fewer doctor visits and more scrambling to make ends meet , year in and year out . it 's not just households and family life that suffer . so does the economy . studies confirm that stretched workers mean lower productivity . but pay alone wo n't make the difference . all workers have family responsibilities . when women ask about fair pay , they are also asking about how to get jobs that make it possible to take a sick child to the doctor . they are asking about how to make sure fathers can get away from work early enough to make dinner , too . flexibility is a universal concern for american workers , not simply a women 's issue . as president obama 's council of economic advisers reported in 2009 , workplace flexibility increases productivity and reduces turnover and absenteeism . it 's good for the economy , and good for families . a reuters poll this month showed that women make up 54 % of the undecided voters and their no. 1 concern is family well-being . contraception and reproductive rights , of course , matter a great deal to female voters . but if that 's the only issue the candidates talk about , they ignore the worries that women wake up to every morning as they hustle children through bowls of cereal and pile out the door to work . here is what the candidates can do : . first , fight for the paycheck fairness act , which would expand 1963 's equal pay act and make it easier for women to compare their pay with that of fellow workers . paycheck fairness was blocked this year in congress ; it needs to be reintroduced . in our service economy , women still dominate in the lowest-paid jobs . because women 's pay has become more and more essential to their families , those historic inequities matter more and more .<doc-sep>perdue was the subject of a gop ad that pictured obama with his arms around her as his former pastor jeremiah wright 's incendiary sermons play in the background . in the closing days of the campaign , dole ran an ad that insinuated hagan was `` godless . '' `` women generally do n't react favorably to campaign smears and mudslinging , '' said kim gandy , the president of the national organization for women . `` we elected the women who talked about issues that we care about -- child care , minimum wage , health care , equal pay . '' both hagan and perdue were overwhelmingly favored by women voters , according to exit polls . perdue headed up a commission that spent money from a settlement with tobacco companies on health care . in the days before the election , lilly ledbetter appeared at a hagan event . a jury awarded ledbetter $ 3 million in damages when it found that goodyear had discriminated against her by giving her smaller raises than male managers . by a 5-4 vote , the supreme court threw out that award and said the complaint had been filed too late . obama supported the lilly ledbetter fair pay act ; mccain said it was n't necessary . democrats passed it in the house but republicans blocked it in the senate . `` lilly ledbetter has come to symbolize so much to women , '' now 's gandy said . `` that issue alone will change votes . '' among the women expected to play a key role in the obama administration is karen kornbluh , who served as a policy adviser and was the principal author of the democrats ' party platform . kornbluh used to direct the work and family program at the new america foundation , served in the clinton administration and was an adviser to sen. john kerry on the senate commerce committee . she 's well-known in d.c. for her essays `` the mommy tax '' and `` the joy of flex , '' which addressed the needs of the `` juggler family , '' or the household where two parents are working and no one is at home full-time . she argues for federal support for child care and after-school care , and control over flex-time for employees whose long hours usually come at the expense , emotionally and financially , of their families . `` in washington , she is really considered obama 's brain on so many policies , '' said steven clemons , director of the american strategy program at the new america foundation and writer of the washington note blog . read exclusive interview with kornbluh . `` her ideas are fresh and applicable to real life , real americans . '' clemons said . `` she 's been quoted all over washington from joseph lieberman to john edwards since the -lsb- presidential -rsb- race in ' 04 . '' also , susan rice is believed to be under consideration for national security adviser . she is obama 's chief foreign policy adviser , a former assistant secretary of state for african affairs and protégé of former secretary of state madeleine albright . valerie jarrett has also been mentioned for white house postings and as a possible appointee to fill the senate seat that obama will vacate . she is the obamas ' closest friend and has served as a political adviser . `` the consultants will drag you through the mud so obama was brilliant in putting valerie in that role , '' sanchez said . `` her counsel was very grounding for him and she protected him as a candidate . '' | <t> democratic nominee pledges to make it easier to balance work and family . </t> <t> obama urges equal pay , help with child and health care , paid sick leave . </t> <t> sen. clinton joins sen. obama at `` women for obama '' fundraiser . </t> <t> many clinton supporters still are not ready to back obama . </t> | obama talks about glass ceilings , child care , equal pay<T> |
big sur , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- thousands of people living in paradise are fleeing their small northern california town wednesday as wildfires charge into the area , officials said . a fire captain looks at the fire burning in southern santa barbara , california , on tuesday . more than half the town 's 26,000 residents have been evacuated as firefighters struggled to battle growing wildfires in the area , authorities said . residents of the nearby town of concow had already been told to leave their homes . as of 10 a.m. about 14,000 people had been evacuated from paradise , said chuck rough , director of the emergency operations center in the town . `` we do n't have much containment , '' said rough , who said thick smoke in the area had made it impossible to fight the fire by air tuesday . `` today we are holding our breath literally and figuratively . '' the blaze -- one of several in butte county -- has already torched 40 homes . it 's just one of the 1,780 wildfires that have scorched more than 614,000 acres in the state in the last few weeks . most of the fires have been caused by lightning strikes . there were still 323 active fires wednesday that were being battled by about 20,000 federal , state and local firefighters , authorities said . the fires near paradise , which is about 90 miles north of sacramento , california , threatened thousands of homes , according to the california department of forestry and fire protection , known as cal fire . residents streamed to shelters in the area , some not knowing if their homes had been destroyed , said jeannine olson , a volunteer nurse at neighborhood church in the nearby city of chico .<doc-sep>olson said the church shelter was filled to capacity with about 150 people , and 20 more were living in their cars in the church parking lot . `` people are a little scared and are wondering what is going on , '' she said . `` but people here are trying to handle this the best they can . '' wind gusts of more than 40 mph pushed the fire dangerously close to many residential communities in the area , said cal fire spokesman daniel berlant . watch tv crew driven into fire '' `` we were lucky that the winds did not pick up last night as it was predicted , '' he said . `` but there are still some immediate threats . '' watch what 's left of burned home in big sur '' conditions seemed to be getting a little bit better in the fight against a wildfire near the central california coastal community of big sur . ireport.com : share your photos , videos of the fires . the mandatory evacuations in that area had been downgraded to an advisory tuesday , according to local and federal fire officials . but the basin complex fire was only 27 percent contained wednesday , according to federal fire authorities . it has torched more than 86,700 acres , and containment is not expected until the end of the month . watch why fires could be related to global warming '' the nearby indians fire , in the ventana wilderness , was 97 percent contained after burning more than 81,000 acres , the u.s. forest service said . further south , in coastal santa barbara county , the gap fire , which has burned 9,710 acres , was 55 percent contained , the forest service said .<doc-sep>thousands of california residents have been forced to flee their homes as dozens of wildfires tear across forests , neighborhoods and a lakeside resort - charring at least 9,000 acres of land . this year 's wildfire season - which usually stretches from may to october - is set to be the most destructive on record , with hundreds of structures and vehicles already destroyed and thousands of acres burned , authorities have said . one blaze , dubbed the king fire , is roaring through the el dorado national forest , which is about 60 miles east of sacramento . it alone has burned more than 8,600 acres in el dorado county , threatening 600 structures and forcing 400 people to flee . it is just five per cent contained , authorities said . a separate , smaller inferno about 250 miles north has forced authorities to evacuate residents from more than 1,500 homes . by monday night , flames from this blaze , the boles fire , had charred 350 acres and destroyed 100 homes - and was just 15 per cent contained . the fires come after three years of droughts have left the land covered with bone-dry brush . as temperatures soar to 100 f -lrb- 38 c -rrb- , this arid land duels the flames . scroll down for video . devastation : embers burn near a destroyed vehicle in oakhurst , california . thousands of residents have been forced out of their homes by wildfires . battle : firefighters work to put out fires and protect structures along center street in weed , california on monday as fires reach into oregon . fight : a helicopter makes a water drop while a second picks up water to fight a wildfire at bass lake , california , where around 30 homes have been destroyed . devastating : a fire approaches the shore of bass lake , which has left the area looking ` like a war zone , ' one life-long resident said . with no sign of the fires stopping , governor jerry brown has secured a grant from the federal emergency management agency to cover 75 per cent of the cost of fighting the flames , state officials said .<doc-sep>by . michael zennie . three wildfires have scorched tens of thousands of acres and forced thousands to flee their homes as they burn unchecked near los angeles and santa fe , new mexico . by sunday night , the powerhouse fire around the angeles national forest in southern california engulfed about 22,400 acres , endangering some 1,000 homes in the lake elizabeth and lake hughes area . nearly 2,100 firefighters struggled to contain the fire , which more than tripled in size from saturday to sunday . nearly 3,000 people have been evacuated and the blaze has already destroyed at least six homes by sunday night . at the same , the tres lagunas fire in the pecos wilderness in the sanata fe national forest near santa fe , new mexico , has consumed roughly 7,000 acres and forced residents of 150 homes - as well as several campgrounds - to flee the area . another 1,200 acres was set ablaze by the thompson ridge fire in the nearby valles caldera national preserve . scroll down for video . inferno : the powerhouse wildfire at the angeles national forest engulfs as home on saturday night . at least five houses have been destroyed by the massive blaze . working in vain : nearly 1,000 firefighters struggled the bring the massive powerhouse wildfire under control . by sunday morning , just 20percent of it had been contained . dangerous work : three firefighters have been injured while trying to contain the blaze . the inferno has burned 31 square miles . inferno : the massive blaze more than tripled in size in the early hours of sunday morning - despite the heroic attempts of firefighters . the western wildfires are hundreds of . mile apart , but spread for all the same reasons . record heat and low . humidity turns ground brush into a tinderbox - ready for ignition . it . is unclear what caused the powerhouse and thompson ridge fires , though . the tres lobos blaze in pecos canyon appears to have been sparked by a . downed power line , the santa fe new mexican reports .<doc-sep>san diego , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- firefighters in southern california are facing wind-whipped walls of flame from 15 wildfires that have scorched more than 400,000 acres and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes . firefighters battle the witch fire tuesday in the del dios area of escondido , california . the blazes have killed one person and injured at least 70 more . firefighters were aided by resources from mexico , the state and federal governments and even inmates from california 's prisons . san diego fire department battalion chief bruce cartelli described scenes of `` utter devastation '' with hundreds of homes lost and `` many hundreds '' of others damaged . `` it 's probably the worst significant event in my career of 36 years , '' he said . `` it will not end ... until it reaches the ocean or the winds turn around , '' cartelli said . meteorologists suggested that santa ana winds , which have fueled the wildfires with some gusts approaching 100 mph , could die down wednesday afternoon . `` we are still facing some very serious fires , '' homeland security secretary michael chertoff said after an aerial tour of the affected area . `` the weather has made it very difficult for the air assets to get up and fight the fires . ... if the weather cooperates , maybe we can turn the tide tomorrow . '' officials have evacuated nearly 350,000 homes in san diego county alone , where the worst of the fires are blazing . using u.s. census bureau numbers from the 2000 census , that could mean as many as 950,000 were affected by the fires . watch evacuees shaken , firefighters battling '' in san diego county , at least half a million residents had been ordered to find refuge in shelters , schools and stadiums as fires pushed into new areas . among the evacuees as more than 4,000 military personnel from several bases in the area . with the winds pushing them across the area , the fires spread quickly , forcing some residents to flee in the middle of the night . `` my wife woke me up like 12 o'clock , screaming and yelling that the flames were coming down , '' said johnny villanueva of spring valley , who fled with his wife and daughter to san diego 's qualcomm stadium , which is serving as a shelter to more than 12,000 evacuees . `` we just loaded up the car really quick and came down here ... slept in our vehicles . '' his wife , elizabeth , added , `` i saw on the mountain on fire , and said , ` oh my god , my family . ... let 's go . '' with qualcomm stadium being used by the evacuees , the san diego chargers planned to practice at the arizona cardinals ' stadium in glendale for next weekend 's game .<doc-sep>the dry ground cover and strong , erratic winds whipped the wildfires into furious infernos . the powerhouse fire , which started four days ago , spread rapidly on early sunday as firefighters tried in vain to bring it until control . as the sun set on saturday , the fire had burned about 5,500 acres . it was only 3,600 acres saturday afternoon . but sunrise , it had spread to 19,500 acres - more than 30 square miles . daytime temperatures topped 105 degrees - making it difficult for fire crews to work to isolate the blaze . residents in lake hughes and lake elizabeth were forced to pack what they could and flee the fire late saturday . haze : the thompson ridge blaze turned the sky in pecos , new mexico , orange . two wildfires in the pecos wilderness have consumed a total of 7,400 acres . the tres lagunas fire - another new mexico wildfire - threatens campgrounds and about 150 homes in the pecos canyon . a resident of jemenez springs , new mexico , watches the thompson ridge fire engulf hundreds of acres in the pecos wilderness . one fire : the three wildfires were hundreds of miles apart , though they all had the same cause - record high temperatures , low humidity and strong , erratic winds . ` it 's going to be very hot and dry with not a . whole lot of wind , ' national weather service meteorologist scott sukup told the los angeles times . patty robitaille , 61 , recalls . throwing together family pictures and documents and hastily loading . them , and her dog into her car . the fire , she said , kept coming closer . and closer before she fled . ` driving away , you could see the town burning up . i do n't think there 's going to be much left , ' she told the times . firefighters risked their lives in an attempt to drive back the flames . several people had to be rescued from their houses as the inferno crept closer to civilization . at one point on saturday night , a fire station was entirely surrounded by the forest fire and crews were forced to fire their way out of danger . | <t> new : half of paradise 's 26,000 residents have been forced to evacuate . </t> <t> new : the blaze has torched 40 homes in the area , officials say . </t> <t> wind gusts , high temperatures make task harder for firefighters . </t> <t> more than 614,000 acres have burned in california in past few weeks . </t> | wildfires force residents to flee paradise<T> |
chicago , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an illinois man was charged with possession of a potentially deadly neurotoxin commonly found in puffer fish after the fbi led a raid at his home monday . edward f. bachner , 35 , of lake in the hills , was charged with one count of illegal possession of a toxin , according to a federal complaint filed in u.s. district court . bachner is listed as the corporate secretary of rosetta wireless corp. in naperville , in suburban chicago . bachner was arrested after accepting a small amount of tetrodotoxin delivered by an undercover federal official at his home , the fbi said . tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin that in large doses can cause paralysis and death . it 's often linked to consumption of puffer fish , a delicacy from the indian and pacific oceans that can prove fatal if not prepared properly , according to the u.s. food and drug administration . bachner , using the alias edmond backer , attempted to purchase 98 milligrams of tetrodotoxin through the web site of a new jersey chemical company , according to the fbi . bachner claimed he was a doctor working for illinois-based eb strategic research , which does not exist .<doc-sep>the quantity of the toxin requested alarmed an employee at the chemical company , who alerted authorities , the fbi said . bachner appeared before a magistrate judge at the federal court in rockford and is being held without bond until his next court appearance . if convicted , he faces up to 10 years in prison . calls late monday to bachner 's home and business went unanswered .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a san francisco man accused of possessing bomb-making materials in his apartment also bought lethal toxins online , the fbi said in documents unsealed friday . ryan kelly chamberlain ii was charged this week with possession of an illegal destructive device . bomb technicians found a series of items in his house , leading to a manhunt that ended with his arrest monday . items included a powdery , green explosive substance , a model rocket motor , ball bearings and an igniter for home-made bombs , according to a different affidavit unsealed earlier this week . it did not list deadly toxins at the time . but the latest documents detail lethal poisons bought anonymously in dark , encrypted corners of the web . `` the investigation has revealed that chamberlain has utilized an anonymous , internet-based market place known as black market reloaded to facility the unlawful acquisition and possession of biological agents and lethal toxins in california and florida , '' fbi agent michael eldridge wrote in the latest documents . chamberlain bought abrin from a seller in sacramento in december , the documents allege . he said he planned to use the poison to `` ease the suffering '' of cancer patients , according to the documents . abrin is a natural poison found in the rosary pea plant . it 's similar to ricin , but has never been used in terrorist attacks , according to the centers for disease control and prevention . in addition , he allegedly bought ground rosary peas and pure nicotine in december and june of last year , respectively . nicotine can be used to poison food and water , according to the cdc . chamberlain , 42 , was arrested near the golden gate bridge after a three-day manhunt . it 's unclear if he 's entered a plea . authorities had been looking for him after searching his neighborhood on a tip that he had `` items of great concern '' at his home , fbi special agent in charge david johnson said . he declined to say what chamberlain planned to do , if anything , or what motivated him . if convicted of the illegal destructive device possession charge , he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $ 10,000 fine .<doc-sep>dolphins are said to share the human traits of bravery , jealousy and even a sense of humour . but it seems they share some worrying vices as well . scientists were amazed at footage of the mammals apparently getting ` high ' with the help of a toxic puffer fish . seaworld sillies : dolphins have been filmed eating toxic puffer fish , which when digested in small doses can have a ` narcotic-like effect ' in . an extraordinary scene filmed for a new tv series , the dolphins are . shown gently passing the fish between them . experts believe the . creatures are using the toxins , which emerge from the puffer fish as . part of its defence mechanism , for their own enjoyment . they nudge the fish with their snouts and as the toxin is released into the water , they seem to lapse into a trance-like state . at one point the dolphins are seen floating just underneath the water 's surface , apparently mesmerised by their own reflections . the . dolphins were filmed gently playing with the puffer , passing it between . each other for 20 to 30 minutes at a time , unlike the fish they had .<doc-sep>it 's 3:15 a.m. under the bright lights of the waterfront haedomari warehouse in shimonoseki , japan , tails twitch and bodies writhe in defiance of the onset of death . the floor is awash with seawater as yoshi yanagawa moves down a line of 20 boxes , each containing about 15 puffer fish of varying values , lengths and states of coveted plumpness . `` eeka ! eeka ! '' he chants , as 20 or so interested parties put their hands up to bid . the puffer fish , or `` fugu '' in japanese , gulp in more air , ballooning out their white belly sacs . shimonoseki is japan 's fugu capital . its haedomari market is said to be the only one in the country that specializes in the infamous japanese delicacy , famed both for its high price tag and lethal insides . throughout the fishing season from early september to april 29 , the market is open six mornings a week in the ancient port , 1,126 kilometers west of tokyo in honshu 's most southwesterly part of yamaguchi prefecture . for 15 years , 55-year-old yanagawa has been the chief auctioneer -lrb- `` seri '' or `` sekagi '' -rrb- here . `` my job is unusual , '' says yanagawa . `` grown men squeeze my hand and fingers . they touch me every morning ! it 's the traditional way of fugu bidding . `` i hold my slipover sleeve or ` fukuro zeri ' out to them and they put their hands inside and tell me how much they want to pay . it 's all done by finger pressure . '' ancient egyptian bowling fish ? when the auction is over , the sold fugu is packed into polystyrene boxes and taken away to the city 's 10 processing factories . all are specially licensed to prepare and detoxify the fish in accordance with japanese law . it 's an important step , given fugu is hundreds of times more poisonous than cyanide , containing enough toxin in its liver alone to kill five men . western australia 's department of fisheries says puffer fish are the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world after the golden poison frog . the ovaries , roe and kidneys are just as deadly as the liver -- all of which are incinerated after processing . one milligram of the fugu 's tetrodotoxin is enough to bring on an agonizing death within an hour of being consumed . yet `` takifugu rubripes '' -lrb- the official species name -rrb- is still the epitome of gourmet dining in japan . tokyo restaurant-goers are prepared to pay 22,000 yen -lrb- $ 210 -rrb- for a near-death experience at high-end restaurants like three michelin-starred usukifugu yamadaya , or the more moderately priced torafugu tei . in recent years , fish breeders have reportedly developed a non-toxic variety by restricting the fugu 's diet , though the poison-filled version is as popular as ever . the threat of death is perhaps part of its allure . `` paintings of fugu have been found in the tombs of ancient egypt , '' says toshiharu hata , who runs one of the largest fugu wholesale businesses in shimonoseki . `` the egyptians used the fish to play a primitive version of bowling . '' hata 's fugu history lesson does n't end there . `` captain cook bought a fugu from the natives of new caledonia and it killed a pig on board ` the resolution , ' '' he adds . `` the most famous human fatality happened in 1975 when mitsugoro bando viii , a kabuki actor , died after eating four portions ! '' `` every dish is a work of science '' hata , whose father founded his family 's fish company 40 years ago , explains that fugu is traditionally served in transparent paper-thin strips on painted porcelain plates . `` master chefs cut them into the shapes of chrysanthemum petals , mount fuji or into animals like peacocks , turtles and butterflies , '' he says . `` every plate is a work of art . every dish is a work of science . '' we walk around the factory floor , watching his staff wash and process the precious fish . `` the best is tiger fugu , '' says hata . `` it sells at 40,000 yen a kilogram ; one kilogram will feed 30 people . we ship them to new york . it was n't until 1988 that we were allowed to export to the united states . `` but shimonoseki is the best place to eat it as you get more when you order in a restaurant . maybe 20 pieces compared to eight in osaka and tokyo . tokuyama city is good too . '' we stop in front of a man wearing a white coat and a hairnet , expertly filleting a fish with his `` hochi '' knife . he bows . `` he 's in charge of our fish testicle and genitalia department , '' says hata , reverently . a day in shimonoseki . it 's 6:30 a.m. as we drive into shimonoseki 's city center to hit up the karato-ichiba fish market -lrb- 5-50 karato-machi -rrb- . stalls are already set up , selling crabs , squid , sea urchins , clams and numerous types of multi-colored seaweed . hata leads us to a little curtained-off booth in a corner of the market , one of many eating options here . `` the tanabe shokudu restaurant here is the best in town , '' he says , kissing his fingers and ordering two hot sakes . on the breakfast menu : raw slices of fresh tuna sashimi and fugu served with black ponzu sauce , followed by deep-fried tempura fugu , and a fugu `` chirinabe '' casserole with the local `` uiro '' rice cakes . there 's also a fugu broth with sliced scallions , tofu and grated daikon radishes . all delicious , though slightly unnerving . deadly dining aside , there 's more to shimonoseki and its surrounds than seafood markets . a 13-kilometer ride away from the city center lies the chofu castle town of jokamachi , home to samurai street , with its yellow walled houses and 14th-century lean-tos . amid the shrine grounds , hata explains the tenets of japan 's bushido warrior class . `` the meiji revolution of 1867 began here , '' says hata . `` this is the heart of the anti-shogunate movement . here , takasugi shinsaku raised his army . `` shimonoseki is the birthplace of modern japan . our country opened up to the west from here after a foreign flotilla bombarded the town and the disillusioned samurai persuaded the shogunate to accept foreigners . '' other attractions in and around the city worth checking out include : the shimonoseki marine science museum ; kozanji temple , a designated national treasure of japan ; akama shrine ; the 1,780-meter-long tsunoshima bridge , which connects the island of tsunoshima -lrb- part of shimonoseki city -rrb- with honshu ; and ganryujima , a tiny island famed for being the site of an epic duel between sword legends miyamoto musashi and sasaki kojirō . for more on shimonoseki , visit the official tourism website . getting there . by air : domestic airlines operate 90-minute flights from tokyo 's haneda airport to yamaguchi ube airport . from there , it 's a one-hour bus ride to shimonoseki station . by rail : shimonoseki is a 5 hour , 30 minute train ride from tokyo via shin-yamaguchi on the jr tokaido-sanyo shinkansen line . from osaka , it 's two-hour , 40-minute ride on the shinkansen line .<doc-sep>a puffer fish that developed cataracts has undergone surgery to have its eye removed , in what is thought to be one of the first operations of its kind in britain . vets at bristol zoo operated on mini the puffer fish when its right eye became painfully swollen . the fish had to be kept out of the water for the duration of the painstaking hour-long operation , so the team constantly passed medicated water over mini 's gills to keep its skin wet . before : the operation on mini the puffer fish 's painfully swollen eye had to be carried out out of the water . after : staff at bristol zoo removed mini 's right eye after the puffer fish developed cataracts . the operation was a success and vets in bristol said mini was now back ` swimming happily in her tank ' - albeit minus one eye . jonny . rudd , assistant curator at bristol zoo , said : ` we had to move quickly to help . the eye . was very swollen so it became apparent she was going to need an . operation . ` the intricacy of the area meant it was also apparent it would need to be done out of the water . ` maintaining . anaesthesia in a fish out of water can be challenging , as it involves . constantly passing medicated water over the gills of the fish and . keeping the skin wet . ` the vet . team managed to remove the eye in an operation that lasted one hour . once the anaesthetic had worn off mini was returned to a tank behind the . scenes where she was given antibiotics and lots of treats , including . mussels in shells or her favourite , shore crabs , over the course of a . | <t> fbi : edward bachner tried to buy 98 milligrams of tetrodotoxin through the web . </t> <t> neurotoxin , commonly found in puffer fish species , can cause paralysis and death . </t> <t> bachner was arrested after accepting a small amount from an undercover official . </t> <t> if convicted , the 35-year-old faces 10 years in prison . </t> | fbi : puffer fish poison possession leads to man 's arrest<T> |
buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- argentine farmers are planning their next move after the country 's president announced plans to fund a public works program with revenues from a controversial agrarian export tax . argentine president cristina fernandez de kirchner has rejected demands for the repeal of an export tax . eduardo buzzi , president of the argentine agrarian federation , said the organization 's directory board will meet friday to discuss what steps it plans to take in response to president cristina fernandez de kirchner 's announcement . `` we call on farmers across the country to stay calm but to stay on the alert , '' the organization said on its web site tuesday . the 44 percent export tax , which applies to soybeans , wheat , corn and sunflower seeds , has caused a three-month-old standoff between the government and farmers . argentina is the world 's second-largest corn exporter and third-largest soybean exporter . on monday , farmers suspended roadblocks that had snarled traffic across the country , though reports indicated that groups in some rural areas were still blocking roads tuesday . kirchner has argued that the tax , which was implemented march 11 , pays for increases in seniors ' pensions and financial assistance for the poor . she has rejected the farmers ' demands for a repeal of the export tax as `` extortion . '' monday marked the first time kirchner revealed details of how the government plans to use profits from the tax , which has generated about u.s. $ 1.5 billion , to lift people out of poverty . `` it is impossible to attack the problem of the poor without distribution of revenue and without touching extraordinary profits , '' she said in a televised address . kirchner said the social redistribution program will include the construction of 30 hospitals and more than 300 health-care centers , as well as investments in the country 's rural roads and in housing . in an apparent criticism of the farmers , she lamented `` the reaction of some who refuse to contribute in the redistribution '' to `` those who have least . '' she apologized , however , at the close of her speech for offending anyone . analysts suggested that the tax was a `` strong attack '' on on the farmers and their arguments against it . claudio loser , a visiting senior fellow at the inter-american dialogue policy analysis center , said it could result in argentine society being `` less sympathetic to the farmers , '' noting that it was `` surprising '' that the government did n't come up with the plan until the tax was three months old . loser , who is from argentina , also predicted that a continuation of the tax would provoke farmers into not investing . externally , the standoff has had a two-pronged effect on argentina , he said . `` the conflict has resulted in a loss of market for argentina , '' he said , as other countries have gone elsewhere for products . loser also said foreign investors may be more reluctant to invest in argentina now . cnn 's carolina cayazzo and taylor gandossy contributed to this report .<doc-sep>buenos aires , argentina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- argentine farmers are planning their next move after the country 's president announced plans to fund a public works program with revenues from a controversial agrarian export tax . argentine president cristina fernandez de kirchner has rejected demands for the repeal of an export tax . eduardo buzzi , president of the argentine agrarian federation , said the organization 's directory board will meet friday to discuss what steps it plans to take in response to president cristina fernandez de kirchner 's announcement . `` we call on farmers across the country to stay calm but to stay on the alert , '' the organization said on its web site tuesday . the 44 percent export tax , which applies to soybeans , wheat , corn and sunflower seeds , has caused a three-month-old standoff between the government and farmers . argentina is the world 's second-largest corn exporter and third-largest soybean exporter . on monday , farmers suspended roadblocks that had snarled traffic across the country , though reports indicated that groups in some rural areas were still blocking roads tuesday .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the developer behind the controversial islamic community center and mosque planned for lower manhattan has requested federal funding through the lower manhattan development corporation to support the project known as park51 . the funding would come from money the department of housing and urban development allocated to help rebuild the neighborhood after the 9/11 attacks . `` park51 has applied for a lower manhattan development corporation grant , '' said sharif el-gamal , ceo of soho properties , the developer behind the islamic center . in a statement , el-gamal said the money would `` in part fund social service programs such as domestic violence programs , arabic and other foreign language classes , programs and services for homeless veterans , two multi-cultural art exhibits and immigration services . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- this week , americans were confronted -- yet again -- with more of the same refusal by president barack obama to take on the greatest long-term threat to our economic and health care security . consistent with his track record , the president 's annual budget proposal offers no credible reforms for our entitlement programs that will ensure their solvency in the years to come . instead , his budget reflects the same disregard he demonstrated last month , in his 7,000-word state of the union address , in which only 40 words were used to talk about social security and medicare . the fact is social security and medicare , vital to the welfare of tens of millions of americans , account for nearly half of all federal spending . that percentage will continue to increase in the coming years . left on its current trajectory , overall entitlement spending is projected to more than double by 2049 , thus consuming 100 % of all tax revenue . it should be no surprise that the payroll tax-supported trust funds that pay out social security and medicare benefits are speeding toward a financial collapse . the congressional budget office projects that medicare in its current form will be bankrupt by 2022 . social security 's chief actuary calculates that a 23 % cut in benefits in 2036 will be required in order to maintain solvency of the social security trust fund . of the two programs , social security can be shored up for nearly a generation with simple modest reforms . medicare reform is far more complicated . however , if congress passes a bipartisan social security reform , then the momentum of that accomplishment can prompt leaders of both parties to tackle medicare reform .<doc-sep>plans to impose a compulsory ` death tax ' levy of up to 15 per cent to pay for elderly care have been revived by the labour party . the idea was floated before the last election by labour but was dropped after intense criticism from the conservatives . but labour 's health spokesman andy burnham has restated his desire to introduce the scheme that would see estates of the deceased taxed at 15 per cent . scroll down for video . labour has revived plans to impose a compulsory ` death tax ' levy of up to 15 per cent to pay for elderly care . the tory party has again derided the idea after it emerged that labour was holding ` internal party discussions ' on the issue . health secretary jeremy hunt described the levy as a ` secret tax bombshell ' and said ` pensioners deserve better ' . the plans will prompt criticism that labour is targeting the wealthy , who are likely to be charged on top of the 40 per cent inheritance tax rate . the plan would also cost the average briton # 46,000 on a 15 per cent tax , the conservatives claimed . labour health spokesman andy burnham said that the death tax was ` the best way ' to fund elderly social care - but admitted the plan was controversial . the social care green paper was first unveiled by mr burnham in 2009 , which included a favoured compulsory insurance scheme . a later incarnation , which suggested pensioners should pay 10 per cent of their estates rather than a flat rate of # 20,000 , was lambasted by the conservatives . the coalition has pledged to tackle england 's care crisis scandal by stating that no one will have to pay their care costs if they spend more than # 72,000 . the rising cost of care can see the elderly facing unlimited expense , leading to tens of thousands having to sell their homes every year . mr burnham said the death tax was ` the best way ' to fund social care -- but admitted the plan was controversial . he added : ` it 's only where you create a system where everyone is in and everyone is then covered , that i think you 'll be able to help people protect their own homes . ` if you have that system , people would pay , let 's say , ten , 15 whatever it might be per cent , well then they would be able to pay that as an insurance payment to protect the other 85 per cent that they would otherwise stand to lose . ' mr hunt said : ` people who save all their lives deserve better than a secret tax bombshell if labour were ever to get in . ' | <t> argentine president says export tax will fund massive public works program . </t> <t> farm leaders urge calm as they plan response to president 's announcement . </t> <t> the 44 percent tax has caused a 3-month standoff between farmers , government . </t> <t> analyst suggests president 's plan could turn public tide against farmers . </t> | controversial tax to fund argentina 's social programs<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. hillary clinton said sunday some people are using her controversial reference to robert f. kennedy 's assassination to suggest that she meant something `` completely unthinkable . '' sen. hillary clinton says her supporters urge her to stay in the race until it is over . her campaign also accused the rival obama campaign of `` inflaming '' the situation and purposely taking her words out of context . but the obama campaign said it was not trying to `` stir the issue up . '' in an editorial in the new york daily news , the democratic presidential hopeful also acknowledged her dwindling chances of winning the nomination , saying she is aware of `` the odds '' against her . headlined `` hillary : why i continue to run , '' the editorial began with an explanation of her reference to the assassination when she was speaking to the argus leader newspaper in south dakota . she said she was pointing out that presidential primary campaigns have continued into june . `` almost immediately , some took my comments entirely out of context and interpreted them to mean something completely different -- and completely unthinkable , '' she wrote . watch hillary 's camp insist the remark had nothing to do with obama '' clinton said the newspaper 's editor and bobby kennedy jr. issued statements arguing that was the meaning of her remark . no other member of the kennedy family has issued a public statement on the matter . `` i realize that any reference to that traumatic moment for our nation can be deeply painful -- particularly for members of the kennedy family , who have been in my heart and prayers over this past week , '' she said , in a reference to sen. edward kennedy 's diagnosis with brain cancer . `` and i expressed regret right away for any pain i caused . `` but i was deeply dismayed and disturbed that my comment would be construed in a way that flies in the face of everything i stand for -- and everything i am fighting for in this election . '' some people -- particularly a number of bloggers -- have suggested she was imagining the possibility that sen. barack obama , the likely nominee , could be assassinated . after clinton 's initial remarks to the newspaper were reported , the obama campaign issued a statement saying the comment `` was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign . ''<doc-sep>but obama himself later said , `` i do n't think that senator clinton intended anything by it , '' and that `` we should put it behind us . '' clinton campaign chairman terry mcauliffe , in an interview sunday , criticized the obama campaign 's first move . `` it 's unfortunate -- a hyped-up press over memorial day weekend , the obama campaign inflaming it , tried to take these words out of context , '' he told `` fox news sunday . '' asked about the remark by obama himself , mcauliffe responded , `` that 's great , but friday they were all part of this process . the press secretary came out and attacked senator clinton and got it going so the story would be around for three days . '' howard wolfson , a clinton adviser , told cbs ' `` face the nation '' that the obama campaign 's first statement critical of clinton was `` unfortunate . '' but obama 's chief strategist david axelrod told abc 's `` this week '' that `` we take her at her word , '' and he added , `` we 're beyond that issue now , so certainly we 're not trying to stir the issue up . '' the program 's host , george stephanopoulos , noted that a member of obama 's staff sent to the media saturday a `` searing commentary '' by msnbc 's keith olbermann slamming clinton for her remark . `` mr. olbermann did his commentary and he had his opinion , '' axelrod responded , adding , `` as far as we 're concerned , this issue is done . '' on another front , axelrod slammed clinton for suggesting she leads obama in the popular vote . clinton has been making that argument , based on figures that include florida and michigan , even though obama took his name off the ballot in michigan and neither candidate campaigned in florida . the democratic party discounted both states ' primaries before they took place . `` it would take some very tortured math and tortured logic to say that she 's ahead in the popular vote , '' axelrod told abc .<doc-sep>he added , `` this is n't ` american idol , ' ok ? this is a nominating process . we have rules . we elect delegates state by state . '' in her column , clinton said she believes she can still `` win on the merits . '' `` i am not unaware of the challenges or the odds of my securing the nomination -- but this race remains extraordinarily close , and hundreds of thousands of people in upcoming primaries are still waiting to vote , '' she wrote . she added that her parents `` did not raise me to be a quitter -- and too many people still come up to me at my events , grip my arm and urge me not to walk away before this contest is over . '' she also said she is running `` because i believe staying in this race will help unite the democratic party . i believe that if senator obama and i both make our case -- and all democrats have the chance to make their voices heard -- in the end , everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee . '' she repeated her vow to campaign for obama if he gets the nomination , and wrote , `` no matter what happens in this primary , i am committed to unifying this party . '' obama was in middleton , connecticut , where he was standing in for the ailing edward kennedy who was scheduled to deliver the commencement at wesleyan university . watch obama tell graduates they have an obligation '' the theme of obama 's speech was service , and the senator asked graduates to volunteer their time at home and abroad to fight poverty , preserve peace and protect the environment . `` but i hope you 'll remember , during those times of doubt and frustration , that there is nothing naive about your impulse to change this world , '' he said . `` because all it takes is one act of service -- one blow against injustice -- to send forth that tiny ripple of hope that robert kennedy spoke of . ''<doc-sep>los angeles -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- most americans know of the zapruder film of the jfk assassination -- the one and only visual recording of the killing of an american president . less known is another controversial recording -- this one an audio tape -- of the other kennedy assassination , that of the president 's younger brother . it is the one and only sound tape of the rfk murder in 1968 . sen. robert f. kennedy was fatally shot in a los angeles hotel while making his own bid for the white house five years after president john f. kennedy 's murder . that long-forgotten sound recording -- uncovered by a cnn international senior writer and highlighted on cnn backstory in 2009 -- is now at the heart of an ongoing court effort by convicted rfk assassin sirhan sirhan to win a new trial or freedom . in their first in-depth court filing , prosecutors this month addressed the existence of the tape and a controversial analysis of it by an audio expert : the sounds of 13 shots can be counted on the tape , even though there were only eight bullets in sirhan 's sole gun , which he had no opportunity to reload . so , was there a second gunman involved in rfk 's assassination ? just as the zapruder film raised questions in some theorists ' minds about whether a second gunman was involved in jfk 's death , the audio tape is being used as evidence in sirhan 's new legal effort to assert a second assassin was involved in rfk 's murder . in documents filed this month in federal court , california attorney general kamala harris acknowledged the existence of the recording of the rfk shooting made by freelance reporter stanislaw pruszynski , who was covering kennedy 's presidential campaign and was about 40 feet away from the hotel kitchen pantry shooting . acoustic expert philip van praag , featured in the cnn backstory program , said his analysis of the tape concluded that at least 13 shots were fired . that meant a second gun had to be involved , according to his analysis . in her overall legal argument , harris dismissed the second-gun assertion , citing `` debunking '' evidence . but california 's top prosecutor was finally forced to engage the second-gun analysis , and that legal development marked a new chapter in one of america 's great political tragedies -- rfk 's death -- and the case of the man convicted of his assassination , according to sirhan 's attorneys . rfk assassin faces parole board . prosecutors ' engagement of the second-gun argument was stated clearly in court papers , when the california attorney general said about sirhan 's petition : `` petitioner at most has shown that , according to van praag , two guns could be heard firing 13 shots in an audiotape of the shooting . '' at another point , harris stated : `` the mere possibility that more than one firearm was discharged during the assassination does not dismantle the prosecution 's case . '' convicted rfk assassin denied parole . william f. pepper , a new york attorney now representing sirhan , said this month 's court filing raised public `` recognition '' of a second gunman now being advanced by sirhan and his attorneys . mindful of a nation 's pain surrounding the kennedy assassinations , pepper is careful to note he was a political supporter of rfk in the 1960s . he adds that in 1999 , he represented rev. martin luther king 's family in a wrongful death lawsuit concerning king 's april 4 , 1968 , murder and successfully persuaded a memphis , tennessee , jury to find lloyd jowers responsible as an accomplice in the king assassination . pepper believes sirhan was hypno-programmed to be a diversion gunman for the real assassin in rfk 's murder . `` what is of interest is that there now seems to be more recognition of the fact that there was a second shooter , well positioned to put three bullets into the senator from close powder burn range behind him , whilst sirhan was always some distance in front of him , '' pepper said in an e-mail to cnn . sirhan 's insistence on the presence of a second gunman is highly controversial -- and it is questioned by some , such as legal expert robert shapiro , the defense attorney who gained prominence for successfully defending o.j. simpson in the 1990s . sirhan seeks prison release . in fact , when shapiro was in his last year of loyola law school in los angeles in 1968 , he was at the ambassador hotel where rfk was shot . shapiro had just heard kennedy 's speech after winning the california primary for the democratic presidential nomination , but shapiro said he was in a room next to the pantry where kennedy was fatally wounded and shapiro only heard , not saw , the gunfire , he said . `` so let 's say that there was a second gun . does that relieve him of any responsibility ? '' shapiro said of sirhan . `` even if there is a second , third or fourth gun , it 's irrelevant to his claim that he 's not responsible . '' shapiro remembers the night of rfk 's assassination as `` horrifying and one that you 'll never forget . '' `` that 's like 44 years ago . unbelievable . i remember it vividly , '' shapiro said . `` i think about it now when i go by there and see a school being built there , '' on the site of the old ambassador hotel . `` it 's interesting , but conspiracy theories will come out on every single case imaginable , '' he added . shapiro is n't a party in the latest court action . in rebutting sirhan 's contentions , harris criticizes the method of analysis used by the acoustic expert . `` as reflected in van praag 's declaration , his conclusions depend on numerous assumptions he made in recreating the shooting , such as the location of pruszynski 's recorder , the make and model of the ` second ' gun , the location of this second gun during the shooting , and the number of shots fired by petitioner before he was grabbed by others , '' harris wrote in court papers . prosecutors rebut jailed rfk assassin 's claims in freedom quest . `` moreover , van praag 's tests necessarily involved his own personal interpretation of whether impulse sounds in the recording were actually gunshots . in turn , there is no dispute herein that van praag 's interpretation or opinion about the number of shots and firearms is not universally accepted by acoustics experts and that the opinions of qualified experts are available to rebut or challenge van praag 's controversial opinions , '' harris said . harris further stated that even if it could be proven `` that a second gunman successfully shot senator kennedy , -lrb- sirhan -rrb- would still be guilty of the charged crimes '' under california law . countering that , sirhan 's defense argues he was hypno-programmed to be the diversion , and that is based on a psychological examination by daniel brown , an associate clinical professor in psychology at harvard medical school who has interviewed sirhan for 60 hours over three years , pepper said . `` the inescapable conclusion was that sirhan was subject to hypno-programming which involved the use of drugs and hypnosis , '' pepper said in an e-mail . `` consequently , he was not in control of his actions on that night and can not be legally responsible for them . `` i mention , as well , that dan brown 's conclusion was precisely the same as that of dr. -lrb- edward -rrb- simson-kallas , who extensively examined and worked with sirhan when he was in prison right after the trial , '' pepper said . simson-kallas was a prison psychologist , according to court papers . `` that these techniques were developed and used by the cia over a 50-year period was also well documented , in our brief , by professor alan scheflin , the leading expert on these practices , '' pepper wrote to cnn . scheflin , of the santa clara university school of law , is an expert in the field of mind and behavior control . because sirhan was under the mind control of conspirators , he was n't legally responsible for his actions , and he should be freed or given a new trial , his attorneys contend . the attorney general , however , said the psychological evaluation of sirhan is undermined by a failure to provide `` any concrete evidence ... about when , where and how -lrb- sirhan -rrb- was programmed , about the identity of the ` malevolent hypnotist , ' or about how the hypnotist happened to find -lrb- sirhan -rrb- as his or her ideal subject for mind control . `` without any independent evidence that -lrb- sirhan -rrb- was actually hypno-programmed against his will to write about his intention to kill senator kennedy , to plan the murder , and to shoot senator kennedy on june 5 , 1968 , brown 's opinions about the possibility of mind control are insufficient evidence of actual innocence , '' harris wrote . sirhan and his legal team have until february 22 to file in u.s. district court in los angeles their response to the attorney general , pepper said . was there a second rfk shooter ?<doc-sep>` my dear , dear bobby , ' white , responding to an invitation from the family to pen a definitive biography , begins a december 27 , 1963 , letter in which he confides to being still in such 'em otional shock ' over the assassination that he ` ca n't yet think clearly about anything . ' his vision : the new letters reveal that bobby wanted jfk 's grave at arlington national cemetery to be ` simple and conservative ' -lrb- members of the irish defense forces gathered there on the 50th anniversary of his assassination -rrb- . white asks if he would be given exclusive access to some of the late president 's papers , and also relates his desire to avoid any perception that he was seeking to profit off the tragedy . the files also include notes , apparently given to rfk , that describe a secret visit made to moscow by william walton , a journalist and painter who was a close friend of president kennedy , one week after the assassination . walton , who met with top soviet officials , wrote of sadness and uncertainty jfk 's death had brought in moscow . family men : bobby took it upon himself to thank newspaper editors for favorable stories and coverage of his brother 's death . ` it is difficult to describe the depth of the russian reaction to the president 's death - on all levels , from top bureaucrats who brushed aside tears as they spoke of him , to chairwomen who sobbed and gave me paper flowers to put on jfk 's grave , ' walton wrote . walton , whose visit would not be revealed until decades later , also wrote that soviet officials were unsure of the new u.s. president lyndon johnson , and wanted a meeting between johnson and soviet leader nikita khrushchev arranged as quickly as possible . it was the third and final release of papers from kennedy 's years as attorney general that had long been in the possession of the library but controlled by the kennedy family under federal rules in effect at the time of rfk 's murder in 1968 .<doc-sep>`` when you listen to that tone and the inflection , he was not talking about community organizing . it seemed to be very clear what he was implying , '' martin said . the former president said johnson needs to be `` taken at his word , '' adding that `` nobody knew '' what he would say and `` it was n't part of any planned strategy . '' watch martin 's take on the interview '' `` this , to me , is another example of -lsb- the obama campaign -rsb- wanting a double standard , '' he said . watch the latest on the war of words '' clinton went on to say comments from obama 's campaign in the aftermath of former pakistan prime minister benazir bhutto 's assassination were `` a lot worse '' than what johnson said . obama 's campaign implied that some of hillary clinton 's foreign policy decisions helped exacerbate problems in pakistan . the ex-president called the attack `` appalling '' and said his wife did not try to turn it into a larger issue , but instead `` said ' i disagree ' and moved on . '' hillary clinton did respond then , saying she regretted that obama 's campaign `` would be politicizing this tragedy , and especially at a time when we do need to figure out a way forward . '' johnson , a hillary clinton supporter , made his remarks sunday at columbia college in south carolina , a state with a large share of african-american voters that holds its democratic primary on january 26 . hillary clinton also has accused obama 's campaign of distorting recent remarks by her and her husband that have touched off concerns among some african-american voters . johnson said he has held fund-raisers for obama but was unhappy with criticisms of the former first lady by obama 's campaign .<doc-sep>by . meghan keneally . president obama has paid tribute to president kennedy at the medal of freedom ceremony today as he presented awards to former president clinton , oprah winfrey , country singer loretta lynn and newspaper editor ben bradlee . in his opening remarks , obama highlighted the slain president 's sister-in-law ethel kennedy , calling her ` one of my favorite people ' in a room full of dignitaries . he went on to also give president kennedy 's grandson jack a shout out by praising his basketball skills . aside from the fact that the 50th anniversary of president kennedy 's assassination comes this friday , the democrat was mentioned because he was the one to establish the medal of freedom initiative which is the highest civilian honor in the country . presidential pals : even though president clinton criticized president obama 's health care roll out just a few days ago , the two seemed very comfortable with one another at wednesday 's ceremony . quite the crowd : six fellow honorees and president obama clap for clinton as his son-in-law , daughter and wife -lrb- bottom left -rrb- look on from the front row . happy to be there : former secretary of state hillary clinton was one excited attendee and she and daughter chelsea were in the front row to watch bill receive the medal . his death on november 22 , 1963 came two weeks before the first group of winners were due to receive their medals . president bill clinton is far from the . first former commander in chief to receive the award - in fact all but . four republicans : presidents nixon , ford and both bushes - have been . | <t> barack obama denounces remark , then says to `` put it behind us '' </t> <t> hillary clinton 's camp says obama intentionally stoking controversy . </t> <t> clinton says in editorial she knows the odds are against her getting nomination . </t> <t> obama mentions robert kennedy in imploring wesleyan graduates to volunteer . </t> | clinton : rfk assassination reference unrelated to obama<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- california 's director of adult prisons is recommending against `` compassionate release '' for a terminally ill former manson family member , a spokeswoman said . susan atkins is led from a los angeles grand jury room after her indictment in the 1969 `` manson murders . '' suzan hubbard , director of the division of adult institutions , decided that susan atkins ' request should not be sent to the sentencing court for consideration , said terry thornton , spokeswoman for the california department of corrections and rehabilitation . hubbard 's recommendation is advisory and will not necessarily prevent atkins ' release . the court -- not the department or the state board of parole hearings -- has the final say on whether atkins should be released , thornton said . `` they 're the only ones legally who can recall the sentence , '' she added . atkins , 60 , was convicted in the 1969 slayings of actress sharon tate and four others . she had been incarcerated at the california institution for women in corona , california , but has been hospitalized since mid-march . her request is now before the board of parole hearings , which is conducting an independent investigation and will hear the case during its monthly public meeting , thornton said . the next meeting is scheduled july 15 . atkins had been held for years at the corona prison , which earlier determined that she met the criteria for compassionate release under the law , and sent her request to the corrections department . the board of parole hearings will receive public comment , discuss the request in closed session and then announce its recommendation . the board also can decide whether to refer the request to the sentencing court . the court , based in los angeles , can either grant or deny atkins ' request . it also can recall her life sentence and resentence atkins to a lesser term , allowing for her to be paroled . in 2007 , the department received 60 compassionate release requests , thornton said . ten were approved . citing privacy rules , prison officials would not disclose the nature of atkins ' illness . her husband and attorney , james whitehouse , has been quoted as saying she has terminal brain cancer , according to a blog called manson family today . she also has had a leg amputated , the los angeles times has reported . atkins , known within the manson family as `` sadie mae glutz , '' has been in prison since 1971 and has been denied parole 11 times . she is california 's longest-serving female inmate . tate and three houseguests were slain in august 1969 by killers who burst into her benedict canyon home . a teenager who was visiting the home 's caretaker in his cottage on the property also was killed . according to historical accounts of the murders , atkins stabbed tate , who was 8 1/2 months pregnant , and wrote the word `` pig '' in blood on the door of the home the actress shared with her husband , director roman polanski . the following night , leno and rosemary labianca were slain in their home in the los feliz neighborhood of los angeles . the two-day crime spree sent shock waves throughout los angeles . all of the killers remain behind bars . atkins also was convicted in the earlier murder of music teacher gary hinman . atkins , like family leader charles manson , received a death sentence . her punishment was changed to life in prison when the california supreme court ruled the state 's death penalty unconstitutional in 1972 . atkins is a born-again christian , according to a web site maintained by her husband . during her incarceration , the site says , atkins has worked to help at-risk youth , victims of violent crimes and homeless children . last month , authorities dug for buried bodies at the inyo county , california , ranch where manson and his followers once lived , after police became aware that testing had indicated humans might be buried there . nothing was found , police said .<doc-sep>by . associated press and daily mail reporter . published : . 18:57 est , 1 march 2013 . | . updated : . 18:58 est , 1 march 2013 . decision : bruce davis , a former charles manson follower who has spent more than 40 years in prison . one of cult leader charles manson 's follower was denied parole and will continue to serve his jail sentence after the california governor stepped in and stopped him from being released . the state 's parole board had recently approved the release of 70-year-old bruce davis , who was convicted in two manson-related murders , since he has served more than four decades in prison . governor jerry brown reversed that decision and ordered davis to remain in jail after having a meeting with the los angeles district attorney . ' i find the evidence ... shows why he currently poses a danger to society if released from prison . therefore , i reverse the decision to parole mr. davis , ' the written decision said . davis would have been only the second manson-related murder defendant to be granted parole since the killing spree began in 1969 . davis was not involved in the notorious sharon tate-labianca killings but was convicted with manson and others in the murders of a musician and a stuntman . brown 's six-page decision focused on davis ' role in the murderous manson family in the late 1960s . ` the record indicates that davis fully embraced and championed the family 's distorted values and goals , and was willing to protect the family 's interests at all costs , ' the decision said . brown said that davis ' refusal to fully acknowledge his responsibility for two killings was central to his decision . behind bars : charles manson orchestrated the murders of eight people and is serving life at corcoran state prison in california .<doc-sep>by . jill reilly . published : . 05:47 est , 30 january 2013 . | . updated : . 08:12 est , 30 january 2013 . decision : bruce davis , a former charles manson follower who has spent more than 40 years in prison . the los angeles district attorney . says she is opposing the impending release of charles manson 's right hand man who has spent more than 40 years behind bars . now 70-years-old , bruce davis was 30 when he was . sentenced to life in prison in 1972 in a case that was a postscript to . manson 's notorious reign as leader of the murderous cult known as the . manson family . last year a recommendation to parole davis came after the double-murderer 's 27th appearance before the board . but district attorney jackie lacey sent a letter to gov. jerry brown last week urging him to reverse a parole panel 's decision to grant davis freedom , reported fox news . lacey says davis still lacks insight and genuine remorse for his crimes . davis was not involved in the infamous . sharon tate murders in 1969 , but he was convicted with manson and . another man in the killings of a musician and a stuntman . davis long maintained he was a . bystander in the killings of the two men but in recent years he . acknowledged his shared responsibility because he was present . when the news of his possible release surfaced manson family prosecutor stephen kay said he was alarmed at the prospect of davis being allowed back on the streets . captured : steve grogan -lrb- left -rrb- and bruce davis -lrb- right -rrb- enter court to be tried for murder in 1970 . behind bars : charles manson orchestrated the murders of eight people and is serving life at corcoran state prison in california . insisting davis should die in prison , mr kay added : ` would you want to wake up and find bruce davis next door ? i think not . ' three years ago , then governor arnold . schwarzenegger blocked davis 's release , saying he ` would pose an . unreasonable risk of danger to society . ' the parole bid was opposed by a former manson family member , barbara hoyt , as well as sharon tate 's sister , debra tate . killed : sharon tate was murdered by charles manson and his cult followers in 1969 . she was almost nine months pregnant . davis has been in prison since being . convicted with manson and another follower steve grogan in the murders . of musician gary hinman and stuntman donald ` shorty ' shea , who worked at . the ranch where manson and his followers lived . davis became a born-again christian . in prison and ministered to other inmates , married and divorced a woman . he met through the prison ministry , and has a grown daughter . davis also earned a master 's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion . few followers of the infamous manson . cult have been released from prison . grogan was freed in 1985 after he . led police to shea 's buried body . infamous : charles manson is escorted by a deputy sheriff and his lawyer from a santa monica courthouse following a hearing in the gary hinman murder case . terrorizing : manson family murderers susan atkins , patricia krenwinkle and leslie van houton . lynette ` squeaky ' fromme was released . from prison in 2009 after serving time for the attempted assassination . of president gerald ford . manson and two of his followers , leslie van houten and patricia krenwinkel , remain in prison for life in the tate killings . their . co-defendant , susan atkins , died of cancer behind bars in 2009 . another . of the tate killers , charles ` tex ' watson , is still in prison . monday will be the end of a 120-day review period by the entire parole board . if they uphold davis ' parole recommendation , brown then has 30 days to review the decision and either approve or reject it .<doc-sep>los angeles -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the los angeles police department can have access to personal tape recordings between charles manson follower charles d. `` tex '' watson and his late attorney that investigators believe might hold clues to unsolved killings , a federal judge in texas ruled tuesday . u.s. district court judge richard schell ruled that watson waived his right to attorney-client privilege in 1976 by allowing his attorney to sell the tapes for $ 49,000 to the man who co-authored watson 's memoir . lapd investigators want the decades-old recordings between watson and his attorneys because they believe the tapes could shed light on unsolved killings involving the `` family , '' as manson 's followers were called , according to court documents . `` we are continuing to monitor the case , and are prepared to send our detectives out to texas to pick up the tapes as soon as they are available , '' lapd cmdr. andrew smith told cnn . `` it is our understanding that there is a 30-day window for appeal , and we will wait for that to time to transpire before we send our detectives to texas . '' the news of the judge 's ruling came the same day that california department of corrections authorities said they arrested a mason follower , accusing him of attempting to smuggle a cell phone to manson at corcoran state prison . for more than four decades , authorities have speculated the manson family was responsible for the rampage that left pregnant actress sharon tate and six others dead , including leno and rosemary labianca . manson has claimed more people were killed , though he has repeatedly made fantastic claims that later turn out to be false . gov. brown nixes release of former manson follower .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- california gov. jerry brown is considering whether to grant parole to a convicted murderer who followed notorious killer charles manson , a spokeswoman for the governor said . brown 's office received a formal recommendation from the state board parole friday to release bruce davis , 70 , who would be the first manson `` family '' member to secure freedom solely for good behavior . brown has 30 days -- or until march 3 -- to either modify , affirm or reverse the parole board 's recommendation , a corrections spokeswoman said . in 2010 , davis secured his first formal recommendation for parole by the state board , but then-gov . arnold schwarzenegger reversed the board 's decision . davis was sent to prison on april 21 , 1972 , for the 1969 first-degree murders of musician gary hinman and stuntman donald `` shorty '' shea . davis is serving a life sentence . judge declines to reverse order giving manson follower tapes to police . michael beckman , davis ' attorney , urged brown to grant parole . if the case were not connected to charles manson , davis would have already been released by now , beckman said . he called it `` not fair . '' `` he earned it , '' beckman said . | <t> decision puts case in parole board 's hands , spokeswoman says . </t> <t> susan atkins is serving life sentence for role in manson family murders of late 1960s . </t> <t> web site quotes atkins ' husband as saying she has terminal brain cancer . </t> | prison boss opposes release of ailing ex-manson follower<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a corpus christi , texas , hospital is investigating how up to 17 babies in a neonatal intensive care unit received overdoses of the blood thinner heparin . one of the babies died . officials at christus spohn hospital south say corrective action was taken after the discovery of the overdoses . the infant was one of 17 who may have received a more concentrated form of heparin than was prescribed , christus spohn hospital south said in a statement . heparin is an anticoagulant often used to clean the ivs of patients and prevent blood clots from forming in the lines .<doc-sep>it came into the public spotlight last year when newborn twins of actor dennis quaid nearly died after receiving an overdose at a los angeles hospital . nursing staff at the corpus christi hospital discovered the problem sunday -- two days after the medication is believed to have been first administered , according to bruce holstien , president and ceo of christus spohn health system . the hospital said it took corrective measures after the discovery . a preliminary investigation concluded that `` the medication error occurred during the mixing process within the hospital pharmacy , '' holstein said in a statement .<doc-sep>the baby who died `` was seriously ill , and we do not know at this time what role , if any , the higher than expected concentration of heparin played in this baby 's death , '' dr. richard davis , chief medical officer for the health system , said tuesday . `` our deepest sympathy goes out to this family , '' he said . twelve of the 16 other babies remain in stable condition in the neonatal intensive care unit , which cares for ill newborns . three have been discharged , and one is critical and unstable as that baby has been since admission to the unit , davis said . in november , quaid 's 12-day-old twins , thomas boone and zoe grace , were undergoing intravenous antibiotic treatment for a staph infection at cedars-sinai medical center in los angeles .<doc-sep>according to standard procedure , nurses were supposed to clean the infants ' iv lines with hep-lock , a drug containing a small dose of heparin , to allow the lines to flow freely . however , instead of the 10 units of heparin they were supposed to receive , the twins received 10,000 units -- 1,000 times the prescribed amount . the babies survived , apparently with no permanent injury , quaid later told members of a house committee on government oversight , although there is no way to know whether they will show any long-term effects .<doc-sep>pregnant women could be given the anti-impotence drug viagra to boost the growth of underweight babies . a trial is underway to see if the little blue pill can boost survival in babies that are not growing properly in the womb . more than 120 women carrying extremely low-growth babies will be given regular doses of sildenafil citrate , a generic version of viagra , during their pregnancy . a previous study found that the sex drug viagra boosted blood flow to the placenta , which in turn promoted baby growth . the results will then be compared with those from a similar group of women given an identical looking dummy tablet . the trial has been set up after laboratory studies suggested viagra , which was launched in the uk in 1998 as the world 's first pill for erectile dysfunction , could help babies thrive in the womb by boosting the blood supply to the placenta . around 600 babies a year in the uk are stillborn because of a pregnancy disorder called pre-eclampsia .<doc-sep>calpol is used to treat common childhood conditions including fever , earache and teething trouble . official guidelines state babies aged between three and six months should be given no more than 240mg of paracetamol a day . that 's the equivalent of just two 5ml teaspoons of calpol infant suspension formula . infants aged six to 24 months can be given 5ml up to four times a day . dr pemberton has urged johnson and johnson , calpol 's manufacturers , to rethink the formula -- and its packaging . nearly five children a day are admitted to hospital with accidental overdoses of over-the-counter painkillers , such as paracetamol . ` paracetamol is an everyday painkiller but it has potential to cause serious harm , particularly to a child as their organs are less developed and more fragile , ' he says . dr sally gibbs , an a&e consultant at sheffield children 's hospital , says worried parents with children who have drunk over-the-counter medicines are a familiar sight in emergency departments . she adds : ` sometimes the child has climbed up to get it from the medicine cabinet , or the parents may not have put it properly out of reach or failed to make sure the top is on securely . older siblings may give it to their little brother or sister .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- new tests suggest how a contaminant in heparin -- a blood thinner -- may be connected to dozens of deaths , fda officials said monday . jin shaohong , a chinese health official , says he doubts china is to blame for the heparin problem . the food and drug administration has `` now established a mechanism by which we think this contaminant could cause these adverse events , '' said dr. janet woodcock , director of the fda 's center for drug evaluation and research . she said contaminated shipments of the blood thinner have been traced from china to 10 countries , including the united states . `` contamination of the heparin supply is a worldwide problem , '' she said . heparin containing oversulfated chondroitin sulfate -- a compound made from animal cartilage -- has been associated with hundreds of serious adverse symptoms , including allergic reactions that cause nausea , vomiting , shortness of breath and a severe drop in blood pressure . in addition , the fda has tallied 81 deaths related to those symptoms in the united states , though no causal link has been determined . the severe reactions seem to be related to patients who were given high doses of the drug , woodcock said .<doc-sep>but hours before he was due to be discharged , charlie had a cardiac arrest in his mother 's arms and was rushed to intensive care . ms bushby , said : ` the doctors did n't think charlie would wake up after the cardiac arrest and he was moved to the high dependency unit for three weeks before we were allowed to bring him home . ` he will always have half a heart , but he is just doing so well now . he 's 17 months now and he 's walking , talking , running around - and of course swimming . ' hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a condition where the left side of the heart has not developed properly . the condition usually causes the left ventricle , which should pump oxygenated blood to the body , to be very small . it also often results in a blockage between the ventricle and the aorta - the artery which carries blood to the body - and in the aorta being much too small . many babies with the condition are diagnosed before birth . the condition is very hard to treat and the heart defect can not be corrected . surgery is sometimes carried out to allow the right side of the heart to take over the work of the left . however , this procedure is risky and requires three operations . occasionally , babies with the condition will be given a heart transplant . children with the syndrome sometimes experience breathlessness and often tire easily even after treatment . | <t> one baby dies in texas hospital 's neonatal intensive care unit . </t> <t> hospital says medication mix-up apparently occurred in hospital pharmacy . </t> <t> up to 17 babies receive too-concentrated form of blood thinner heparin . </t> <t> last year , dennis quaid 's twins given overdose of heparin at los angeles hospital . </t> | up to 17 babies given overdoses of blood thinner<T> |
kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- lawmakers in nepal will vote saturday to pick the country 's first president since it became a republic . nepal became a republic after the deposal of king gyanendra shah earlier this year . the country 's newly elected constituent assembly abolished a 239-year monarchy following elections in april . but with no one party winning a majority of the seats , it is unclear who may become president . the position is largely ceremonial . but a president will swear in whoever is picked as the new prime minister . the three main political parties continued to negotiate over whom to name president . the nepali congress wants outgoing prime minister and party president girija prasad koirala for the position . the communist party of nepal -lrb- united marxist-leninist -rrb- wants its leader . but the maoists -- which won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority -- do not favor either of the two men . they want a non-political figure as president . journalist manesh shrestha contributed to this report .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- lawmakers in nepal will vote saturday to pick the country 's first president since it became a republic . nepal became a republic after the deposal of king gyanendra shah earlier this year . the country 's newly elected constituent assembly abolished a 239-year monarchy following elections in april . but with no one party winning a majority of the seats , it is unclear who may become president . the position is largely ceremonial . but a president will swear in whoever is picked as the new prime minister . the three main political parties continued to negotiate over whom to name president . the nepali congress wants outgoing prime minister and party president girija prasad koirala for the position . the communist party of nepal -lrb- united marxist-leninist -rrb- wants its leader . but the maoists -- which won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority -- do not favor either of the two men . they want a non-political figure as president . journalist manesh shrestha contributed to this report .<doc-sep>nepal became a republic last month ending a 239-year-old monarchy but is still to get its first president . koirala 's resignation thursday follows a 22-point agreement wednesday among nepal 's ruling seven-party coalition to elect a president and prime minister through a simple majority of the constituent assembly . april 's elections , the declaration of a republic and the drafting of a new constitution , the main task of the constituent assembly , are parts of a peace process following 10 years of fighting between the maoists and the state which ended in november 2006 with a peace deal .<doc-sep>nepal 's interim constitution gives the president powers as supreme commander of the army and guardian of the constitution . `` the president took the step after 18 parties in parliament requested the president to intervene , '' presidential spokesman rajendra dahal told cnn sunday night . the decision to fire katawal touched off protests . supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets for demonstrations sunday . despite sporadic clashes between the two factions , there were no serious injuries reported . the coalition government led by the unified communist party of nepal -lrb- maoist -rrb- -- better known as maoist -- leads a minority government for which its largest coalition partner , the communist party of nepal -lrb- unified marxist leninist -rrb- , has withdrawn support .<doc-sep>kathmandu , nepal -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- nepal 's first-ever president ram baran yadav took the oath of office wednesday , two days after his election . yadav , a physician in his 60s , was elected president on monday by nepal 's constituent assembly , almost two months after the country was declared a republic , putting an end to the 239-year-old monarchy . people lined the streets , which were emptied of vehicles , as the presidential motorcade drove about five miles -lrb- 8 km -rrb- from yadav 's home to the presidential offices . he was driven in the bulletproof vehicle previously used by nepal 's kings . yadav was administered the oath of office by chief justice kedar prasad giri . `` i represent all nepali people in this august office and in all my efforts and endeavors i will be committed to the benefit of the nepali people , '' yadav said after the swearing-in . | <t> lawmakers in nepal to to pick the country 's first president since it became a republic . </t> <t> unclear who may become president as no party had a majority in recent elections . </t> <t> maoists , who won most seats , want a non-political figure as president . </t> | nepal to select its first president<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- susan atkins , a terminally ill former charles manson follower convicted in the murder of actress sharon tate , on tuesday was denied a compassionate release from prison . susan atkins , califorina 's longest-serving female inmate , is shown in her most recent mug shot . atkins , 60 , has been diagnosed with brain cancer and has had a leg amputated , her attorney said . in june , she requested the release , available to terminally ill inmates with less than six months to live . the california board of parole hearings ' decision -- posted tuesday on its web site -- came after a public hearing on atkins ' request . it means the request will not be forwarded to the los angeles superior court that sentenced atkins . the court would have had the final say on atkins ' release . her attorney , eric p. lampel , called the parole board 's decision `` unfortunate . '' '' -lsb- the board -rsb- ignored the vast majority of evidence presented , '' lampel said . `` there was a huge amount of pro-compassionate release testimony from many witnesses . it apparently fell on deaf ears . '' known within the manson family as sadie mae glutz , atkins and four others were convicted in connection with the deaths of five people , including tate , in august 1969 . according to historical accounts of the murder , atkins stabbed tate , who was eight months pregnant , and scrawled the word `` pig '' in blood on the door of the home the actress shared with director roman polanski . by her own admission , atkins held tate down and rejected her pleas for mercy , stabbing the pregnant woman 16 times . atkins ' request roused long-dormant memories of the two-day killing spree that terrorized los angeles and left seven people dead . it polarized those who were involved in the case -- and even those who were n't -- over whether she should die behind bars . atkins told a 1993 parole board that tate pleaded for her unborn child 's life as she held her down . `` she asked me to let her baby live , '' atkins said . '' ... i told her i did n't have any mercy on her . '' three of tate 's houseguests were also slain by the killers , as was a teenager visiting the home 's caretaker in his cottage out back . atkins was also convicted in the earlier murder of music teacher gary hinman . one of the first people atkins confessed to was virginia graham , who shared a cell with her before investigators determined the manson family was responsible for the murders . graham said last month she believed atkins should die in prison .<doc-sep>`` she showed that poor woman absolutely no mercy , none , '' graham said . `` so why should anybody show her mercy at this time ? '' sharon tate 's sister , debra , has staunchly opposed atkins ' release . `` she will be set free when judged by god , '' debra tate has said . `` it 's important that she die in incarceration . '' los angeles county district attorney steve cooley said monday he was strongly opposed to the release , saying in a letter to the board it would be `` an affront to people of this state , the california criminal justice system and the next of kin of many murder victims . '' cooley noted in his letter that atkins was initially sentenced to death , like others in the manson family , including its leader , charles manson . their sentences were commuted to life in prison in 1972 , when the u.s. supreme court struck down the death penalty laws as they were written at the time . california gov. arnold schwarzenegger said tuesday he was also opposed to releasing atkins . `` i do n't believe in -lsb- compassionate release -rsb- , '' the governor told reporters . `` i think that they have to stay in , they have to serve their time . '' even if atkins is dying , schwarzenegger said , `` those kinds of crimes are just so unbelievable that i 'm not for the compassionate release . '' earlier , suzan hubbard , director of adult prisons in california , also recommended against granting atkins ' request . vincent bugliosi , who prosecuted atkins and other members of the manson family , said he supported her release , if only to save the state money . through monday , the cost for atkins ' medical care since she was hospitalized march 18 totaled more than $ 1.15 million , and the costs for guarding her hospital room are more than $ 308,000 , said california department of corrections and rehabilitation spokeswoman terry thornton . terminally ill inmates rarely are allowed compassionate release , records show . in 2007 , 60 such requests were made to the department , thornton has said . ten were approved . atkins , who has been incarcerated since 1971 , is california 's longest-serving female inmate . according to a web site maintained by her husband and attorney , james whitehouse , she is now a born-again christian . during her incarceration , the site says , atkins worked to help at-risk youth , violent crime victims and homeless children , among others . the web site does not mention atkins ' illness . lampel said last month atkins is paralyzed on one side . `` she can talk a little bit , '' lampel said . `` she ca n't sit up in bed without assistance , and obviously she ca n't walk around because she 's an amputee . '' atkins has expressed remorse for her crimes . `` i know the pain i caused mrs. tate , '' she said at a parole board hearing in 1985 . ln may , authorities dug for buried bodies at the inyo county , california , ranch where manson and his followers once lived , after police became aware that testing had indicated human remains might be buried there . nothing was found , authorities said . cnn 's ted rowlands contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . associated press and daily mail reporter . published : . 18:57 est , 1 march 2013 . | . updated : . 18:58 est , 1 march 2013 . decision : bruce davis , a former charles manson follower who has spent more than 40 years in prison . one of cult leader charles manson 's follower was denied parole and will continue to serve his jail sentence after the california governor stepped in and stopped him from being released . the state 's parole board had recently approved the release of 70-year-old bruce davis , who was convicted in two manson-related murders , since he has served more than four decades in prison . governor jerry brown reversed that decision and ordered davis to remain in jail after having a meeting with the los angeles district attorney . ' i find the evidence ... shows why he currently poses a danger to society if released from prison . therefore , i reverse the decision to parole mr. davis , ' the written decision said . davis would have been only the second manson-related murder defendant to be granted parole since the killing spree began in 1969 . davis was not involved in the notorious sharon tate-labianca killings but was convicted with manson and others in the murders of a musician and a stuntman . brown 's six-page decision focused on davis ' role in the murderous manson family in the late 1960s . ` the record indicates that davis fully embraced and championed the family 's distorted values and goals , and was willing to protect the family 's interests at all costs , ' the decision said . brown said that davis ' refusal to fully acknowledge his responsibility for two killings was central to his decision . behind bars : charles manson orchestrated the murders of eight people and is serving life at corcoran state prison in california .<doc-sep>denied : leslie van houten was denied parole for the 20th time 44 years after going to prison for the labianca murders . a parole panel refused an emotional bid by former charles manson follower leslie van houten to release her from prison 44 years after she participated in a notorious set of murders . the denial came at the 63-year-old 's 20th parole hearing on wednesday , where the panel heard from relatives of the victims who were opposed to her release . board of parole hearings commissioner jeffrey ferguson told van houten she had failed to explain how someone as intelligent and well-bred as she was could have committed the ` cruel and atrocious ' murders of leno and rosemary la bianca . she wo n't be eligible to ask for parole again for five years , but ferguson said she could request another hearing sooner if circumstances change . ` the crimes will always be a factor , ' he said . ` the question is whether the good will ever outweigh the bad . it certainly did n't today . ' van houten was convicted of murder and conspiracy for her role in the slayings of wealthy los angeles grocers leno and rosemary la bianca . they were stabbed to death in august 1969 , one night after manson 's followers killed actress sharon tate and four others . van houten was 19 at the time . van houten did not participate in the tate killings but went along the next night when the la biancas were slain in their home . during the penalty phase of her trial she confessed to joining in stabbing mrs. la bianca after she was dead . ' i know i did something that is unforgiveable , but i can create a world where i make amends , ' van houten said before the decision . fresh-faced : van houten , right , enters court in 1969 with susan atkins and patricia krenwinkel . with survivors of the labiancas sitting behind her at the california institution for women , van houten acknowledged participating in the killings ordered by manson . ` he could never have done what he did without people like me , ' said van houten , who has been in custody for 44 years . ` she is living a life of amends for her crime on a daily basis , ' van houten 's attorney michael satris said before the hearing . ` everything she does now is to be of service and benefit to the world . ' satris added van houten 's value system is the complete opposite of 1969 when ` she was following the teachings of a false prophet . ' ringleader : charles manson led the three young women in a spate of vicious murders in 1969 . van houten has been commended for her work helping elderly women inmates at the prison where she and other followers of manson women have been incarcerated . she earned two college degrees while in custody . other members of manson 's murderous ` family ' have lost multiple bids for parole . one former manson follower , bruce davis , was approved for parole last year only to have california 's governor jerry brown veto the plan in march . she was portrayed by her defense lawyers as the youngest and least culpable of those convicted with manson , a young woman from a good family who had been a homecoming princess and showed promise until she became involved with drugs and was recruited into manson 's murderous cult . van houten was convicted along with manson , susan atkins and patricia krenwinkle - they were all sentenced to death , but their sentences were reduced to life in prison when the death penalty was briefly outlawed in the 1970s . smiling : van houten at a previous parole hearing in may 2002 ; this is her 20th parole denial . atkins died of cancer in prison . krenwinkle has been denied parole repeatedly and manson , now 78 , has stopped coming to parole hearings , saying that prison is his home and he wants to stay there . manson 's lieutenant , charles ` tex ' watson , was convicted separately and has been denied parole many times . decades ago , one of the original prosecutors in the case , stephen kay , said there would come a time when van houten would be ready for parole . but parole officials , while giving her high marks for her accomplishments in prison , have now refused her bids for freedom 20 times . her last hearing was in 2010 at which she said , ' i apologize for the pain i caused . '<doc-sep>by . jill reilly . published : . 05:47 est , 30 january 2013 . | . updated : . 08:12 est , 30 january 2013 . decision : bruce davis , a former charles manson follower who has spent more than 40 years in prison . the los angeles district attorney . says she is opposing the impending release of charles manson 's right hand man who has spent more than 40 years behind bars . now 70-years-old , bruce davis was 30 when he was . sentenced to life in prison in 1972 in a case that was a postscript to . manson 's notorious reign as leader of the murderous cult known as the . manson family . last year a recommendation to parole davis came after the double-murderer 's 27th appearance before the board . but district attorney jackie lacey sent a letter to gov. jerry brown last week urging him to reverse a parole panel 's decision to grant davis freedom , reported fox news . lacey says davis still lacks insight and genuine remorse for his crimes . davis was not involved in the infamous . sharon tate murders in 1969 , but he was convicted with manson and . another man in the killings of a musician and a stuntman . davis long maintained he was a . bystander in the killings of the two men but in recent years he . acknowledged his shared responsibility because he was present . when the news of his possible release surfaced manson family prosecutor stephen kay said he was alarmed at the prospect of davis being allowed back on the streets . captured : steve grogan -lrb- left -rrb- and bruce davis -lrb- right -rrb- enter court to be tried for murder in 1970 . behind bars : charles manson orchestrated the murders of eight people and is serving life at corcoran state prison in california . insisting davis should die in prison , mr kay added : ` would you want to wake up and find bruce davis next door ? i think not . ' three years ago , then governor arnold . schwarzenegger blocked davis 's release , saying he ` would pose an . unreasonable risk of danger to society . ' the parole bid was opposed by a former manson family member , barbara hoyt , as well as sharon tate 's sister , debra tate . killed : sharon tate was murdered by charles manson and his cult followers in 1969 . she was almost nine months pregnant . davis has been in prison since being . convicted with manson and another follower steve grogan in the murders . of musician gary hinman and stuntman donald ` shorty ' shea , who worked at . the ranch where manson and his followers lived . davis became a born-again christian . in prison and ministered to other inmates , married and divorced a woman . he met through the prison ministry , and has a grown daughter . davis also earned a master 's degree and a doctorate in philosophy of religion . few followers of the infamous manson . cult have been released from prison . grogan was freed in 1985 after he . led police to shea 's buried body . infamous : charles manson is escorted by a deputy sheriff and his lawyer from a santa monica courthouse following a hearing in the gary hinman murder case . terrorizing : manson family murderers susan atkins , patricia krenwinkle and leslie van houton . lynette ` squeaky ' fromme was released . from prison in 2009 after serving time for the attempted assassination . of president gerald ford . manson and two of his followers , leslie van houten and patricia krenwinkel , remain in prison for life in the tate killings . their . co-defendant , susan atkins , died of cancer behind bars in 2009 . another . of the tate killers , charles ` tex ' watson , is still in prison . monday will be the end of a 120-day review period by the entire parole board . if they uphold davis ' parole recommendation , brown then has 30 days to review the decision and either approve or reject it .<doc-sep>both times , the sitting governors -- first arnold schwarzenegger and later brown -- reversed that decision . `` when considered as a whole , i find the evidence ... shows why he currently poses a danger to society if released from prison , '' brown wrote in 2013 to explain his reversal . no manson `` family '' member has been freed solely for good behavior . the group 's gruesome killings inspired the best-selling book `` helter skelter '' and made their undisputed ringleader manson a cult figure . the 1969 spree ensnared several victims , including 8-months-pregnant actress sharon tate . manson is serving a life sentence for his role in nine murders . he was denied parole for the 12th time in 2012 ; his next such hearing is set for 2027 , at which time he 'd be age 92 . why people still pay attention to charles manson . lapd hopes decades-old tapes hold clues to manson murder mystery . manson follower accused of trying to smuggle phone to cult leader . | <t> manson follower , 60 , terminally ill , expected to die within six months . </t> <t> susan atkins is bedridden , can barely speak . </t> <t> atkins stabbed pregnant victim sharon tate 16 times . </t> <t> atkins , who was convicted of five 1969 murders , has brain cancer . </t> | ailing manson follower denied release from prison<T> |
harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's troubled central bank introduced $ 100 billion banknotes saturday in a desperate bid to ease the recurrent cash shortages plaguing the inflation-ravaged economy . a shopper displays a $ 500 million zimbabwean bank note . the bills officially come into circulation monday , although they were on the foreign currency dealers market saturday . as high as they are , though , the bills still are n't enough to buy a loaf of bread . they can buy only four oranges .<doc-sep>the new note is equal to just one u.s. dollar . once-prosperous zimbabwe has seen an unprecedented economic meltdown since it gained independence in 1980 , with the official inflation rate now at 2.2 million percent . gideon gono , governor of the reserve bank of zimbabwe , said the new notes are for `` the convenience of the banking public and corporate sector '' in light of price hikes . `` the rbz has noted with concern the unjustifiable and incessant general increases in prices of goods and services . it is therefore appealing to the business community to follow ethical business practices as well as take an interest in the plight of the general public , '' gono said in a statement dated friday .<doc-sep>zimbabwe started issuing large bank notes in december , starting with denominations of $ 250,000 . in january , the government issued bills in denominations of $ 1 million , $ 5 million , and $ 10 million -- and in may , it issued bills from $ 25 million and $ 50 million up to $ 25 billion and $ 50 billion . the new bills are actually bearer checks and have an expiration date of december 31 . zimbabwe has not had formal currency since the introduction of bearer checks as a temporary measure in 2003 . `` the rbz is fighting a losing battle , '' economist john robertson said in harare . `` as long as the inflation remains high , cash shortages will persist . there is need to address the inflation by increasing production so that too goods do not -lsb- cost -rsb- a lot of money . ''<doc-sep>columbia , south carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the united states faces a zimbabwe-style economic collapse if it keeps `` spending a bunch of money we do n't have , '' south carolina gov. mark sanford said wednesday . south carolina gov. mark sanford says he does not want to spend money that his state does n't have . sanford , a republican , has been an outspoken critic of the obama administration 's $ 800 billion stimulus plan . he said he 'll turn down about a quarter of his state 's $ 2.8 billion share unless washington lets him use that money to pay down debt . `` what you 're doing is buying into the notion that if we just print some more money that we do n't have and send it to different states , we 'll create jobs , '' he said . `` if that 's the case , why is n't zimbabwe a rich place ? '' zimbabwe has been in the throes of an economic meltdown ever since the southern african nation embarked on a chaotic land reform program . its official inflation rate topped 11 million percent in 2008 , with its treasury printing banknotes in the trillion-dollar range to keep up with the plummeting value of its currency . but with south carolina 's unemployment rate now the second-highest in the country , state lawmakers will attempt to override sanford and take the $ 700 million if he turns it down , lt. gov. andre bauer said . `` they will use the total economic stimulus to stimulate the economy , jump-start it , so we can get out of the ditch we are in as a state and as a nation , '' bauer , a fellow republican , said in a written statement wednesday . labor department figures released wednesday showed south carolina 's january unemployment rate hit 10.4 percent , second only to michigan 's 11.6 percent .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's central bank says it will soon introduce a 100 trillion dollar note as the once prosperous country battles to keep pace with hyperinflation that has caused many to abandon the country 's currency . a boy examines the new $ 50 billion dollar note issued by zimbabwe 's central bank on january 13 , 2009 . the reserve bank of zimbabwe said the new notes that includes 50 trillion , 20 trillion and 10 trillion would be released for the `` convenience of the public , '' according to statement released thursday . `` in a move meant to ensure that the public has access to their money from banks , the reserve bank of zimbabwe has introduced a new family of bank notes which will gradually come into circulation , starting with the 10 trillion zimbabwe dollar , '' the bank said in its announcement . the new 100 trillion dollar bill would be worth about $ 300 in u.s. currency . a loaf of bread in zimbabwe now costs about 300 billion zimbabwean dollars -- and like most commodities , the price increases every day . earlier this month , zimbabwe introduced a 50 billion dollar bill as the country battles to fight cash shortages stemming from the world 's highest inflation rate . the official rate was 231 million percent as of july . the currency is in free fall , forcing traders to peg their prices to international currency to hedge against losses . the zimbabwean dollar is facing extinction , with most traders now accepting other countries ' notes , claiming that they import their products . even vegetable vendors prefer the u.s. dollar , south african rand or botswanan pula , and most workers now demand their salaries in foreign currency . doctors and nurses have been on strike since last september , demanding salaries in u.s. dollars . the strike coincided with a cholera epidemic that now has claimed more than 2,000 lives . last week , the state media reported that most teachers had left their jobs . as a result , the end-of-year examinations taken in november are yet to be graded after the markers demanded their wages in foreign currency . schools are yet to re-open this year awaiting the examination results .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe will introduce a $ 1 million note this week as the country tries to ease the effects of hyperinflation , the country 's central bank said monday . a money-changer in mozambique holds zimbabwean $ 10 million and $ 50 million bills in may . in august , the highest note in the once prosperous southern african country was z$ 100 billion . the country chopped off 10 zeroes , meaning the highest note was temporarily -- and briefly -- z$ 10 , until zimbabwe started issuing bigger notes again .<doc-sep>once a regional economic model , zimbabwe is in the throes of an economic crisis , with unemployment running at more than 80 percent and many families unable to afford a square meal . president robert mugabe 's critics blame his policies for the economic meltdown , but he says the west is sabotaging his efforts . in order to attract foreign currency , zimbabwe 's central bank has , since september , licensed at least 1,000 shops to sell goods in foreign currency . all mobile phone service providers are now licensed to accept foreign exchange for airtime and other services . john robertson , an economist in zimbabwe , said he 's puzzled by the introduction of the $ 50 billion and $ 20 billion notes . `` i am not really sure what these notes would be for , '' he said . `` no one now accepts the local currency . it is a waste of resources to print zimbabwe dollar notes now . who accepts a currency that loses value by almost 100 percent daily ? '' in august , the rbz slashed ten zeros from the currency . but the zeroes have bounced back with more vigor . a power-sharing deal between mugabe and opposition leader morgan tsvangirai signed in september , and brokered by former south african leader thabo mbeki , raised hopes of halting zimbabwe 's plunge into economic destruction . but the pact has stalled over the allocation of key cabinet ministries , with tsvangirai accusing mugabe of grabbing all key posts such as defense , home affairs , local government , foreign affairs and finance . | <t> new bills officially come into circulation monday . </t> <t> bills are n't enough to buy a loaf of bread . they can only buy four oranges . </t> <t> gideon gono : notes for `` convenience of the banking public and corporate sector '' </t> <t> the new note is equal to just one u.s. dollar . </t> | zimbabwe introduces $ 100 billion banknotes<T> |
los angeles -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a group of anonymous software developers said they will soon start selling a program that will allow iphone owners to use the hugely popular device on cell phone systems around the world and not just with at&t . apple 's iphone is yet to go on sale outside the u.s. apple 's iphone , released in the united states two months ago , was engineered to operate for the first two years only on the at&t system through an exclusive arrangement between apple and at&t . it has not yet been sold outside of the u.s. los angeles software consultant brett schulte , who is not affiliated with the developers , demonstrated the software for cnn friday evening . an iphone that had the new software appeared to work on the t-mobile system just seconds after schulte replaced the at&t sim card with a t-mobile sim card . `` it 's completely software hacked , '' schulte said . `` there 's no case opening required . it 's not required to do any kind of disassembly . '' it took schulte about two minutes to unlock the iphone . the developers would not give cnn their last names , saying `` we do n't want to be hounded . ''<doc-sep>the said they would start selling the software , which they have n't yet priced , as soon as their online payment and customer service systems are ready . they 're also waiting for more information from their lawyers . apple spokeswoman jennifer bowcock told cnn her company has no comment . at&t spokesman mark siegel said he could n't speculate on the legality of unlocking the phone , but he added , `` when you sign up , you 're signing a two-year contract . you 're obligated to pay the bill . '' `` when people buy the iphone it 's clear from our materials it 's designed to operate exclusively on at&t , '' siegel said . schulte , however , said it is possible to buy an iphone without being contractually obligated to at&t . the developers recently created a web site -- iphonesimfree.com -- but there is very little information on it and no direct way for anyone to purchase the software . internet records showed they bought the domain name less than two weeks ago .<doc-sep>two members of the group , who identified themselves only as `` john '' and `` liu , '' told cnn in a phone interview that a core group of six people on three continents worked to unlock the iphone as a hobby . they said they are fans of apple products who thought the iphone should be made accessible to people who can not use at&t . `` i 'm not in america and i ca n't use it , '' said liu , who would not reveal the country in which he lives . `` it 's not fair . '' asked if he thought modifying the iphone was legal , he said `` that 's a very good question . i truly believe it is . '' john and liu said they have not been contacted by either apple or at&t , but said that could change the moment their software goes on sale . earlier this month , a teenager figured out a way to unlock the iphone , but his method required disassembly of the unit . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>it 's already possible to use your smartphone in place of a wallet , and now it seems apple wants your iphone to replace your car keys . a patent granted this week hints that apple is working on technology that would allow a driver to use their iphone or possibly an apple watch to access their car . it would use a bluetooth connection and an access code to unlock a vehicle . a patent granted this week hints that apple is working on technology that would allow a driver to use their iphone or possibly apple watch to access their car -lrb- shown in this illustration -rrb- . the us patent relates to ` a primary portable device -lsb- that -rsb- can access a vehicle by transmitting an activation message including a vehicle access credential to the vehicle . ' this means that drivers could use their iphone to unlock their car , as well as starting the engine .<doc-sep>the strongest indication yet that apple 's new iphone 5s will have a fingerprint scanner has been discovered by an app developer . a string of code discovered in the latest beta release of apple 's ios 7 software implies that either the iphone 5s or iphone 6 could come with a fingerprint scanner . the code describes a user touching the home button with their thumb . a fingerprint then appears on the screen , that changes colour - presumably to signify a match - and the ` recognition is complete ' . a folder called biometric kit was also found . a string of developer code discovered in the fourth beta release of apple 's ios 7 software , pictured , gives the strongest indication to date that either the iphone 5s or the iphone 6 could have a fingerprint scanner . a folder called biometric kit , pictured , was also found and the feature could be for security reasons to unlock the phone , or to authorise payments in the app store and prevent people from stealing your phone , reading your messages or obtaining personal data . rumours about a fingerprint scanner emerged before the . iphone 5 was released in september last year . apple had purchased security company . authentec , which analysts claimed was because it wanted the firm 's . expertise in biometric technologies . the iphone 5 did not include the . technology , though , and this lead people to speculate that the next . model - dubbed iphone 5s - or later versions , such as iphone 6 , would . include the feature . in april this year , rumours surfaced that the next iphone model could be delayed because of this technology .<doc-sep>scroll down for video . under lock and key : users ' personal information can be blocked not only on the new iphone 6 -lrb- pictured -rrb- , but on any device dating back to 2011 . it has also recommended the adoption of a security feature known as two-step verification that requires a special code sent to mobile phones to be entered along with a password to log into accounts . apple 's inability to unlock password-protected smartphones and tablets could frustrate law enforcement officials who sometimes obtain court orders to vacuum personal data off the phones for potential evidence in criminal investigations . the personal information will be blocked on more than just apple 's newest mobile devices , the iphone 6 and iphone 6 plus , that hit the shelves today . that is because apple is giving away ios 8 to anyone with devices dating back to 2011 . the software can be downloaded to devices as old as the iphone 4s and the ipad 2 . that covers hundreds of millions of devices already in use . brand new : the back of an apple iphone 6 plus gold is shown here at a verizon store on september 18 in orem , utah . early adopters : hundreds of people lined up friday outside the apple store in soho waiting to snap up apple 's newest offerings , the iphone 6 and iphone 6 plus .<doc-sep>fingerprint verification could also add an extra layer of security when making mobile payments , for example . a biometric sensor has been a rumored feature on the next iphone for months . but the rumors got a boost when a beta version of ios 7 was released monday night to apple developers . at least one developer found a folder called `` biometrickitui '' containing lines of code that made numerous references to `` fingerprint , '' according to reports by 9to5mac , extreme tech and other blogs . `` you can then unlock your phone by putting your thumb on the home button . no longer will friends and family be able to pick up and peruse your phone -- no longer will you have to key in your passcode every time you want to do something , '' wrote sebastian anthony for extreme tech . | <t> software developed enabling apple 's iphone to be used on any phone network . </t> <t> device can currently only be used on at&t network in the u.s. </t> <t> anonymous developers plan to start selling program soon . </t> | code to unlock iphone cracked<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- misha di bono zips around town in her infiniti sport-utility vehicle , breezy and unconcerned about the price of gas . misha di bono says people used to make fun of her rolling billboard . she gets $ 500 a month and free gas . that 's because she gets $ 500 a month -- plus free gas -- for turning her car into a rolling billboard for jobing.com , the online recruiting company she works for . `` people used to tease me about the ` jobing ' mobile , and now they 're like , ` oh , we 'll get misha to drive , ' '' she said , standing next to her decal-covered car . jobing.com might be the most extreme example of how companies are helping employees during the current gas crunch . but with gas averaging more than $ 4 a gallon , more and more companies are trying to figure out incentives to help ease the pain at the pump for their employees . watch a rolling billboard for your company '' `` there 's no question companies are feeling the pinch , '' said john challenger , the chief executive officer of global outplacement company challenger , gray and christmas . `` it 's an important issue because no company wants to lose its people . '' his firm recently surveyed about 100 human resources executives at white-collar and blue-collar companies . the survey found that 57 percent of the companies offer programs to help ease commutes . the most popular option was reducing the work week from five eight-hour days to four 10-hour days . twenty-three percent of the companies polled have such an option , challenger said . calculator : how much do you need to work to pay your gas ? '' `` we 're at a watershed time of how people go to work , '' he said . `` maybe the gas crisis will be the real trigger . '' other incentives : twenty percent of the companies offer carpools , and 18 percent pay for the cost of public transportation . only 14 percent of the companies offer telecommuting options , the poll found . the survey reports that companies had seen a recent jump in carpooling of 43 percent and a 23 percent increase in the use of public transportation . still , 31 percent of the companies saw no increase in their employees ' commuting behaviors . see gas prices around the country '' some of the companies have had the incentives for years , but it 's taken the soaring gas prices for employees to look more closely at the programs . `` it 's something that is much more important than two years ago , '' challenger said . `` it 's hard to get away from , because you 're constantly going back to the gas station . '' he added , `` it 's hitting people 's radar screens now . '' one company offering generous commuting benefits is online giant yahoo , which rewards employees who organize carpools , ride bikes to work and take company shuttles to and from offices . yahoo rewards these green-conscious commuters with free movie tickets , lunches , massages and other benefits . ireport : how is your company helping you . the company recently hired an `` employee transportation coordinator '' to help devise even more incentives .<doc-sep>`` we 've really been listening to our employees to make sure we help them find ways to make the cost of the commute a little less excessive , '' said barbary brunner , a yahoo vice president . but it is the jobing.com vehicle that is most eye-popping . company spokesman joe cockrell says the company started the rolling billboard cars in 2001 , but only three executives took part in it . but now , 60 percent of its 270 employees nationwide drive the cars . watch a shift from marketing ploy to employee benefit '' `` this year , for the first time , we 've had a long waiting list for our wrap , '' cockrell says . `` it 's basically a huge sticker that goes on your car and should last in theory about three to four years . '' it costs the company about $ 3,000 to $ 4,000 to turn the cars into rolling billboards . they do have rules : the car ca n't be older than three years , and employees must take a driving safety course and have clean driving records . once the cars are wrapped , employees should n't flip the bird at other drivers . the company did have to `` unwrap '' one employee 's car because he got too many speeding tickets . cockrell says the program has proved to be a huge win-win . `` these are mobile billboards , and wherever our employees go , so does that billboard . '' di bono , who works in community relations , says she loves it , too . she says the cost of filling her tank has doubled in recent years . now , her company pays her to drive her car . `` they pay for everything , '' she said . `` they pay for me to go to all my appointments and anything i want to do on my own time . '' she added , `` you 'd be a fool not to take advantage of it . '' although many people across the nation are seeking help from their offices , an ireporter in west virginia recently stopped using his company car and began using his old clunker again . maurice alouf 's company paid for his v-8 chrysler sedan , but he says it guzzled gas on his 80-mile round-trip commute . the company did n't offer a gas allowance , and it was costing him more than $ 60 a week to fill up . so he dusted off his 50-mile-per-gallon geo metro . `` it 's not fun , '' he said . `` i 'd like to keep driving -lsb- the chrysler -rsb- , but i ca n't . ''<doc-sep>los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- misha di bono zips around town in her infiniti sport-utility vehicle , breezy and unconcerned about the price of gas . misha di bono says people used to make fun of her rolling billboard . she gets $ 500 a month and free gas . that 's because she gets $ 500 a month -- plus free gas -- for turning her car into a rolling billboard for jobing.com , the online recruiting company she works for . `` people used to tease me about the ` jobing ' mobile , and now they 're like , ` oh , we 'll get misha to drive , ' '' she said , standing next to her decal-covered car . jobing.com might be the most extreme example of how companies are helping employees during the current gas crunch . but with gas averaging more than $ 4 a gallon , more and more companies are trying to figure out incentives to help ease the pain at the pump for their employees . watch a rolling billboard for your company '' `` there 's no question companies are feeling the pinch , '' said john challenger , the chief executive officer of global outplacement company challenger , gray and christmas . `` it 's an important issue because no company wants to lose its people . '' his firm recently surveyed about 100 human resources executives at white-collar and blue-collar companies . the survey found that 57 percent of the companies offer programs to help ease commutes . the most popular option was reducing the work week from five eight-hour days to four 10-hour days . twenty-three percent of the companies polled have such an option , challenger said . calculator : how much do you need to work to pay your gas ? '' `` we 're at a watershed time of how people go to work , '' he said . `` maybe the gas crisis will be the real trigger . '' other incentives : twenty percent of the companies offer carpools , and 18 percent pay for the cost of public transportation . only 14 percent of the companies offer telecommuting options , the poll found . the survey reports that companies had seen a recent jump in carpooling of 43 percent and a 23 percent increase in the use of public transportation . still , 31 percent of the companies saw no increase in their employees ' commuting behaviors . see gas prices around the country ''<doc-sep>some of the companies have had the incentives for years , but it 's taken the soaring gas prices for employees to look more closely at the programs . `` it 's something that is much more important than two years ago , '' challenger said . `` it 's hard to get away from , because you 're constantly going back to the gas station . '' he added , `` it 's hitting people 's radar screens now . '' one company offering generous commuting benefits is online giant yahoo , which rewards employees who organize carpools , ride bikes to work and take company shuttles to and from offices . yahoo rewards these green-conscious commuters with free movie tickets , lunches , massages and other benefits . ireport : how is your company helping you . the company recently hired an `` employee transportation coordinator '' to help devise even more incentives . `` we 've really been listening to our employees to make sure we help them find ways to make the cost of the commute a little less excessive , '' said barbary brunner , a yahoo vice president . but it is the jobing.com vehicle that is most eye-popping . company spokesman joe cockrell says the company started the rolling billboard cars in 2001 , but only three executives took part in it . but now , 60 percent of its 270 employees nationwide drive the cars . watch a shift from marketing ploy to employee benefit '' `` this year , for the first time , we 've had a long waiting list for our wrap , '' cockrell says . `` it 's basically a huge sticker that goes on your car and should last in theory about three to four years . '' it costs the company about $ 3,000 to $ 4,000 to turn the cars into rolling billboards .<doc-sep>by . suzannah hills . published : . 11:36 est , 15 february 2013 . | . updated : . 12:00 est , 15 february 2013 . he made headlines around the world after using his last # 500 on a huge billboard advert begging employers to give him a job . and it appears the ploy paid off after 24-year-old adam pacitti landed a position with a top media firm . delighted with his new employed status , mr pacitti has now used his first pay packet to fund another huge billboard in shoreditch , london , reading : ' i spent my first wage packet on this billboard . thank you for helping me . ' giving something back : adam pacitti has spent his first paycheck putting a thank you note on a billboard a month after using the advertising stands to beg for a job . mr pacitti came up with the idea of the billboard advert after months and months of searching for work . the billboard in shoreditch , london , featured a picture of mr pacitti with the message : ' i spent my last # 500 on this billboard , please give me a job . ' the billboard included the address of a specially created website , where potential employers could watch a video cv and find out more about mr pacitti , from ryde , isle of wight . the site was swamped by more than 1.5 million hits from around the globe and mr pacitti found himself at the centre of a social media storm . he said : ` the original tweet i sent out , telling people what i was doing with a photo of me and the billboard had 1,600 retweets and endorsements from people like jeremy vine , al murray and frank skinner . ' i had thousands of e-mails and an unbelievable amount of interest . ' what a difference a month makes : unemployed graduate adam pacitti initially paid # 500 to use a billboard to beg for a job . mr pacitti admitted he has been overwhelmed by the response to the employ adam campaign . he said : ` of course i was hoping it would go viral , but i ended up receiving coverage from newspapers across the country and websites around the world . ' i could n't be more grateful for the response i 've had and i 'm just so grateful to all the people who shared my website . without them , i 'd still be looking for work . ' almost immediately after launching the website employadam.com , the job offers started to roll in . ' i actually had people offering me jobs . before the billboard went up . they liked the video cv and the website , . but i knew the billboard would be the real selling point . sell yourself : adam pacitti received more than 100 job offers after his unique advertisement . ' a potential employer e-mailed me within an hour of the website going live . ' instead of sorting through rejection letters , mr pacitti - who had been out of work for months , despite a first-class degree in media production from winchester university - then found himself sifting through dozens of job offers and hundreds of e-mails from well-wishers . he said : 'em ployers ended up e-mailing me contracts before we had even spoken , it was that successful . i 'd say i must have had more than 100 job offers to date . ' mr pacitti has now landed a job with award-winning production company keo . the company , which is behind tv projects such as hugh 's fish fight , has hired him as a viral video producer , where he will specialise in creating films for the internet . as well as promoting keo projects , bosses have given mr pacitti the green light to pitch his own ideas and one of the first will give him the chance to help others in his position . work has started on a series in which mr pacitti will work with jobseekers to find innovative ways to help them find work . he said : ` i 'm really looking forward to it . i 'm working on so many projects , but this is the one that is most personal to me . ' i know how difficult finding a job is , so to be given the opportunity to help other people find employment is incredibly exciting . ' rob love , director of keo digital , said : ` it was difficult not to hear about adam . ` he managed to do a brilliant job of making lots of noise about himself in a really innovative way - both on and offline . ` adam did something that really made him stand out as potential talent and showed a great initiative in his campaign . ` we 're delighted to welcome him to keo digital . '<doc-sep>she did not specify what the demands were , but she said workers have not made any threats to go on strike . both companies operate mines near the lonmin facility , where clashes between police and mine workers left 34 people dead august 16 . lonmin is the world 's third-largest platinum producer . in the lonmin protests , thousands of rock drillers , who earn up to $ 500 a month , demanded an increase to $ 1,500 a month . lonmin rejected the demand and called the strike illegal . negotiations between strikers and the company broke down after a week of rising tensions , leading to a standoff as police fenced in machete-armed protesters with barbed wire , according to authorities . protesters moved toward police , forcing authorities to drive them back with tear gas and rubber bullets , officials said . officers used live ammunition when protesters defied their orders to stop attacking , said police commissioner riah phiyega . | <t> woman gets paid $ 500 extra a month , plus free gas , for turning car into billboard . </t> <t> `` people used to tease me , '' says misha di bono . </t> <t> survey finds companies are looking at ways to help ease commuting costs . </t> <t> ceo : `` we 're at a watershed time of how people go to work '' </t> | $ 500 a month , free gas to drive a billboard<T> |
-lrb- aol autos -rrb- -- old cars do n't die , they just get resold . check out a vehicle history report to make sure your new used car wo n't blow smoke down the highway . if you 're buying a used car , whether from a dealer or someone who put an ad in the paper , you 'll want to know as much about it as you can . even without anyone trying to deceive you , the vehicle may have problems you ca n't see from a simple visual inspection or even a short test drive . a vehicle history report prepared by a third party is one way to know what you 're getting . combining information from state dmvs -lrb- departments of motor vehicles -rrb- and rmvs -lrb- registry of motor vehicles -rrb- as well as police reports and other sources , a vehicle history report can give you a comprehensive overview of where the car 's been .<doc-sep>here are some things to look for -- or look out for -- when you get a report on a vehicle . none of these things is necessarily a reason not to buy a car , but you should n't make a decision without asking about anything you see on a vehicle history : . many owners . the more garages a car 's been in , the less likely it 's been lovingly cared for all its life . not everyone is as responsible about car care as you are . rental cars and former taxis , for example , will often have undergone a lot of abuse , although they tend to be quite inexpensive . location , location , location . some parts of the country are more car-friendly than others . winter storms -lrb- with their accompanying salted roads -rrb- can be rough on cars , as obviously can floods , excessive heat or even sea air . cars that have been where these are common may have hidden damage . name and description .<doc-sep>be sure the car in the report is the same as the car you 're looking at . carefully reviewing the vehicle description is one way to avoid various types of vehicle fraud , like vin cloning . a cloned vehicle involves using a vehicle identification number -lrb- vin -rrb- from a legally owned , non-stolen vehicle to mask the identity of a similar make/model stolen vehicle . reports , should include detailed descriptions of the vehicle , so you can make sure the car you 're reading about is the same as the one you 're looking at . suspicious markings . keep an eye out for records of body work that might indicate a prior unreported incident . vehicle history reports , like those from carfax , can be very comprehensive . in the case of carfax , the company 's database contains more than five billion records from thousands of public and private sources , including all dmvs in the united states and canada and thousands of vehicle inspection stations , auto auctions , fleet management and rental agencies , automobile manufacturers , and fire and police departments .<doc-sep>if you see a $ 100 bill on your windshield , it might not be an early christmas present , authorities have warned . in fact , it could be a scam encouraging you to get out of your car to grab the bill - before lurking thieves jump into your running vehicle and speed off . although the maryland assistant attorney general said she has not seen such a scam in a police report , a resident informed her of one incident during a public information safety session , she said . ` but because it 's something of a frightening nature , if this happens to someone , we hope they will take the proper precautions , ' karen straughn told abc news . scroll down for video .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- for a pop star with millions of frenzied fans , taylor swift does a pretty good job keeping tabs on them . she has a history of stalking -- er , `` tay-lurking '' -- fans on social media , figuring out their likes , dislikes and what 's going on in their lives . and she loves to shower super loyal ones with some enormous gifts . but the package that rebekah bortniker received may be one of the most complicated presents yet . the giant box , labeled `` swiftex '' instead of `` fedex , '' contained so many meticulously wrapped gifts that it took bortniker several minutes to open them all .<doc-sep>building and told me to find my own ride home , since my car is broke and . she was my transport . i then had to walk for 5 miles in rain and cold . with just a thin undershirt -lrb- she had taken my work shirt since i was . fired -rrb- . ` am i wrong in how i behaved ? was i . responsible for what the other staff had done ? someone please help me on . this cause i 'm about to break down . ' naratto has responded to the row and admitted that his confession was not entirely serious but would not elaborate . lightening the mood : trying to lighten the mood , he posted a follow up meme , pictured , suggesting the confession was a joke . ` first and only comment to be made by me , ' he wrote . ' i posted this wondering what would . happen , there is some truth behind it , but i 'm not saying what was true . and what was n't . if i had a dollar for every time someone took me . seriously on the internet , i would be able to retire from today alone . i 'm sorry to anyone that i 've offended to the point of ruining their . lives . ` if you want to catch a murder , get . out of your house , put on some tight and go fight crime . i 'm quite done . with reddit tonight . back to the shadows of lurking , the world is n't . quite ready for me . when his personal information was posted on reddit , naratto put another post up . he wrote : ` edit : the reason for this . post and the admittance it was a joke because people started posting my . own personal information on there . not s *** that was in my post history . ` sure you can find information about . me but link me to something that happened is completely different . i . made a meme about something , and it turned into people revealing my . personal information . it was quite rude and very uncalled for . ' he also posted a second meme stating : . ` if you joke about murder on reddit without a throw away account you 're . gon na have a bad time . ' fueling speculation that the . confession could be true , he then deleted his reddit account , as well as . his facebook and other social media pages . mailonline is reaching out to police in san diego and british columbia .<doc-sep>next time you reach into your mulberry tote to grab your purse , you could be putting yourself in danger of catching a serious - and potentially deadly - disease . according to new research , e.coli , poisonous bacteria and even traces of faeces have been found lurking at the bottom of women 's handbags , as well as on the average laptop and gym bag . the study - which took swabs from inside a selection of women 's handbags - found evidence of deadly food poisoning-inducing bacteria e.coli and faecal streptococcus , which can cause pneumonia and bacterial meningitis . beware ! according to the latest research , e.coli , poisonous bacteria and even traces of faeces have been found lurking at the bottom of women 's handbags . more worrying still , researchers found traces of coliforms , from the faeces of man and warm-blooded animals , which can lead to bloody stools , stomach cramps and diarrhea . as well as pseudomonas , which is found in soil , plant water , plants and animals and is the second most common form of infection in hospitalised patients . | <t> if a car has a lot of previous owners , it 's more likely to be not-well cared for . </t> <t> a car from the north would be more affected by damaging winter storms . </t> <t> vin cloning is a type of fraud where stolen cars use fake legitimate numbers . </t> <t> body work could indicate an unreported accident . </t> | what 's lurking in your car 's history ?<T> |
toyako , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush on sunday defended his decision to attend next month 's olympics opening ceremony in beijing , saying that to boycott `` would be an affront to the chinese people . '' president bush speaks with prime minister yasuo fukuda at a sunday news conference in toyako , japan . speaking to reporters ahead of this week 's summit of the group of eight industrialized nations in japan , bush said he did not need to skip the ceremony to show his position on religious freedom and human rights in china . he said if he failed to attend the games it would `` make it more difficult to be able to speak more frankly with the chinese leadership . '' bush said he would raise concerns when he meets chinese president hu jintao at the olympics , but he was also `` looking forward to cheering the u.s. athletes . '' he said it was good for them `` to see their president waving that flag . '' japan 's prime minister yasuo fukuda also said he would attend the opening ceremony despite concerns about human rights in china that prompted some other european leaders to boycott the event . bush and fukuda took questions from reporters at the picturesque lakeside resort of toyako on the northern island of hokkaido , where the g-8 summit will begin monday . watch bush , first lady arrive in japan '' bush said he and fukuda discussed the united states ' recent decision to lift some sanctions against north korea and remove the communist nation from the state department 's list of state sponsors of terror . bush assured japan that the issue of north korea 's past kidnappings of japanese citizens will not be ignored by the united states . he told fukuda that he was `` fully aware of the sensitivity of the issue in your country '' and that `` the united states will not abandon you on this issue . ''<doc-sep>north korea has admitted to abducting 11 japanese citizens -- to teach its spies japanese language and culture -- but had insisted the abduction issue was resolved . holding a book about a young japanese girl abducted by north korea , bush said as the father of two girls he `` ca n't imagine what it would be like to have a daughter disappear . '' bush said north korea 's recent destruction of a water-cooling tower at its now-defunct nuclear facility and its declaration outlining its plutonium program are positive steps , but there are `` more to be taken . '' lifting sanctions would not weaken the pressure on north korea to be forthcoming on the abduction issue or in nuclear negotiations , the u.s. president said . bush said north korea remains the most sanctioned nation in the world and that `` delisting did not get rid of their sanctions . '' fukuda , who is chairing the g-8 meetings , said global warming would be high on the agenda but that he could not predict what might result from this week 's talks . fukuda said he believes the united states `` has not lost its sense of direction '' on the issue . `` our views are gradually converging , '' he said . bush said the united states `` will be constructive '' in the global warming talks `` but if china and india do not share that same aspiration , we 're not going to solve the problem . ''<doc-sep>bush said the united states and japan leads the world in research on clean technologies . he said japan 's advances in battery technology will some day mean that americans `` will use batteries in cars that look like cars , not golf carts . '' as world leaders began arriving for the summit , more than 1,000 people protested in northern japan against the event . demonstrators urged leaders to take urgent measures to stop global warming , grant indigenous people greater rights , combat world poverty and battle discrimination . watch police tangle with protesters '' soaring oil and food prices and possible steps against zimbabwe were also likely to be high on the agenda at the summit . with fewer than 200 days left in his term , bush says he will press other g-8 leaders to follow through on their commitments from earlier summits , but has warned there is nothing he or anyone else can do in the short term about oil prices . bush 's main economic goal at the summit may be defensive , said david gergen , former adviser to presidents richard nixon , gerald ford , ronald reagan and bill clinton . `` what 's essential in this summit for george w. bush is to make sure the world economy does not spin downward , '' he said . bush has downplayed what he and other g-8 leaders can accomplish on the economic front . `` one thing we need to make clear when i 'm with our partners is that we 're not going to become protectionists , that we believe in free trade and open markets , '' bush said wednesday . a former administration official who served on the national security council under bush says the g-8 's purpose is not to come up with quick solutions . `` this is not a meeting of heads of state that leads to a treaty . it 's really kind of public opinion shaping and trying to get people to agree that issues are important , '' said michael green , now with the center for strategic and international studies .<doc-sep>fireworks shot off across the chinese capital as thousands of drummers , acrobats , martial artists and dancers performed under a light display at the national stadium . children representing each of the 56 ethnic groups in china marched out into the stadium , called the `` bird 's nest '' because of its notable appearance . dancers merged with objects that depicted china 's ancient silk road , its great wall and ancient imperial past . acrobats swirled around a giant sphere , depicting china 's ambitions in space . watch why the olympics mean so much for the chinese '' delegations from afghanistan , taiwan , north korea and the united states were welcomed by huge cheers . but the loudest roars were saved for the chinese participants . waves of emotion greeted china 's delegation as it entered national stadium , led by flag bearer and basketball superstar yao ming . u.s. president bush was joined by russian prime minister vladimir putin and more than 100 heads of state , heads of government and sovereigns expected to attend , the international olympic committee said . the joy in beijing was countered by grave news in europe . as the opening ceremony was under way , georgia 's president said that his country was under attack by russian tanks and warplanes . while in beijing , bush and putin met to discuss the conflict . earlier friday , the anticipation over the beijing olympics was unmistakable in china 's capital city . thousands were on hand early at beijing 's tiananmen square to witness the traditional flag-raising ceremony by soldiers of the chinese people 's liberation army . blog : anticipation was at fever pitch . this version of the olympics brings with it controversy , discord that began in 2001 when the 2008 games were awarded to beijing . criticism over china 's policies on human rights for its citizens , its policies in tibet and the persistent pollution across the country have been the focus of much international scrutiny and media attention . watch protests in germany over china 's tibet policies '' for some world leaders , the decision to attend was a tough call . french president nicolas sarkozy threatened to boycott the games because of human rights abuses in tibet but later changed his mind .<doc-sep>beijing , china -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- china opened the 29th olympic games on friday with stunning fireworks as the asian nation kicked off one of the most heavily scrutinized games in history . drummers perform at the opening ceremony of the summer olympic games in beijing , china . fireworks shot off across the chinese capital as hundreds of drummers and dancers performed under a light display at the national stadium , drawing applause from the estimated 90,000 in attendance . it was a stunning beginning from the nation of 1.3 billion people . media observers said they believe the opening ceremony will be the single most watched television event in history . billions of dollars in the making , the summer olympics carry with them the ambitions of a nation seeking its place as a global superpower . the anticipation over the olympics was unmistakable in china 's capital city . the olympic torch relay , the focus of protests during parts of its international leg earlier this year , will conclude at 11:30 p.m. local time -lrb- 11:30 a.m. et -rrb- when it enters national stadium to light the olympic cauldron . `` this one , i think , is going to be bigger and more spectacular ... not necessarily more surprising , but more impressive , i think , than any previous ceremony , '' said ric birch , who oversaw olympic productions in 1984 , 1992 and 2000 . watch birch assess beijing 's preparations '' in short , it 's just what china wanted -- an opening ceremony with an impressive guest list . president bush is among more than 100 heads of state , heads of government and sovereigns expected to attend , the international olympic committee said . the leaders represent countries including japan , russia , australia , south korea and brazil . but this version of the olympics brings with it controversy , discord that began in 2001 when beijing won the games . criticism over china 's human rights record , its policies in tibet and the persistent pollution across the country have been the focus of much international criticism and media attention . the head of the australian olympic committee complained friday about pollution as well as internet access and uncomfortable transportation for his country 's athletes to venues , according to news reports . for some world leaders , the decision to attend was a tough call . french president nicholas sarkozy threatened to boycott the games because of human rights abuses in tibet but later changed his mind . watch protests in germany over china 's tibet policies ''<doc-sep>beijing , china -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- fireworks , athletes and pageantry on a scale never before seen in the olympics opened the summer games in beijing on friday as the asian nation kicked off the biggest and most scrutinized games in history . fans celebrate the opening ceremony of the 2008 olympic games in beijing , china , on friday . chinese president hu jintao declared the olympics officially open , retired chinese gymnastics champion li ning was carried through the air to light the olympic cauldron , and pyrotechnics exploded throughout beijing as the crowd of 91,000 at national stadium cheered wildly . it was a stunning display from the nation of 1.3 billion people . some media observers believe that the opening ceremony may be the most-watched television event in history . ioc president jacques rogge spoke of china 's long-held ambition to host the olympics . `` tonight , that dream comes true , '' he said . rogge mentioned the sichuan earthquake , saying the world was moved `` by the great courage and solidarity of the chinese people . '' emotion was high , as friday 's opening ceremony not only officially started the summer games but was a symbolic expression of a nation seeking its place as a global superpower . watch the excitement in beijing as the ceremony begins '' the ceremony began at 8 p.m. local time -lrb- 8 a.m. et -rrb- on the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008 -- in a country where eight is the luckiest number . the opening was an artistic mix of performance and light depicting china 's 5,000 years of history . fireworks shot off across the chinese capital as thousands of drummers , acrobats , martial artists and dancers performed under a light display at the national stadium . children representing each of the 56 ethnic groups in china marched out into the stadium , called the `` bird 's nest '' because of its notable appearance . dancers merged with objects that depicted china 's ancient silk road , its great wall and ancient imperial past . acrobats swirled around a giant sphere , depicting china 's ambitions in space . watch why the olympics mean so much for the chinese '' delegations from afghanistan , taiwan , north korea and the united states were welcomed by huge cheers . but the loudest roars were saved for the chinese participants . waves of emotion greeted china 's delegation as it entered national stadium , led by flag bearer and basketball superstar yao ming . u.s. president bush was joined by russian prime minister vladimir putin and more than 100 heads of state , heads of government and sovereigns expected to attend , the international olympic committee said . the joy in beijing was countered by grave news in europe . as the opening ceremony was under way , georgia 's president said that his country was under attack by russian tanks and warplanes . while in beijing , bush and putin met to discuss the conflict . earlier friday , the anticipation over the beijing olympics was unmistakable in china 's capital city . thousands were on hand early at beijing 's tiananmen square to witness the traditional flag-raising ceremony by soldiers of the chinese people 's liberation army . blog : anticipation was at fever pitch . this version of the olympics brings with it controversy , discord that began in 2001 when the 2008 games were awarded to beijing . criticism over china 's policies on human rights for its citizens , its policies in tibet and the persistent pollution across the country have been the focus of much international scrutiny and media attention . watch protests in germany over china 's tibet policies '' for some world leaders , the decision to attend was a tough call . french president nicolas sarkozy threatened to boycott the games because of human rights abuses in tibet but later changed his mind . `` it 's inevitable that people from different countries may not see eye to eye , '' hu said recently , `` so we should try to expand our common ground on the basis of mutual respect . '' political leaders do not attend olympic opening ceremonies as a matter of protocol -- bush is the first american president to attend them outside the united states -- but china seemed determined to have as many there as possible . `` they want those leaders to confirm the fact that china has returned to great power , prominence in the world , '' said david zweig , a political analyst at hong kong university of science and technology . `` they really want to say to the people of china that we , the communist party of china , have done a great job . '' watch why china has invested so much in the olympics '' as for the games , an estimated 10,000 athletes from 205 countries will compete in 28 events for about 300 gold medals . the first medals will be awarded saturday , and china hoped to claim the first gold of the games . see a timeline of moments to watch for '' the olympics will offer plenty of drama . china has put a priority on finishing first in the overall medal standings . government officials have said they expect nothing less than a repeat gold medal from 110-meter hurdler liu xiang . watch how pressure is building for the athletes '' on sunday , swimming competition begins , along with u.s. swimmer michael phelps ' quest to win eight gold medals , more than any individual in a single games . even if he fails , phelps could become the all-time leader in gold medals . also sunday , an early showdown in basketball as the u.s. basketball team led by stars kobe bryant and lebron james faces host china and yao ming . watch an exclusive cnn interview with yao '' cnn 's kevin drew and emily chang contributed to this story .<doc-sep>and while he has steadfastly said he would attend the olympics opening , bush as recently as friday stressed china 's need to respect human rights . `` it 's inevitable that people from different countries may not see eye to eye , '' chinese president hu jintao said recently , `` so we should try to expand our common ground on the basis of mutual respect . '' political leaders do not attend olympic opening ceremonies as a matter of protocol -- bush is the first american president to attend them outside the united states -- but china seemed determined to have as many there as possible , taking it as a sign the world recognizes the legitimacy of the chinese government . `` they want those leaders to confirm the fact that china has returned to great power , prominence in the world , '' said david zweig , a political analyst at hong kong university of science and technology . `` they really want to say to the people of china that we , the communist party of china , have done a great job . '' watch why china has invested so much in the olympics '' air china suspended some flights from japan to china on friday after receiving a bomb threat via e-mail , japan 's transport ministry said . the e-mail said the threat was intended to disrupt the olympics , according to fumio yasukawa , a ministry representative . many mysteries about the opening ceremony remain , like which athletes will run the final legs of the torch relay and the tightly kept secret of who will light the olympic cauldron at the stadium . blog : anticipation builds . early favorites such as national sports stars yao ming and liu xiang were widely discounted because they already had carried the torch during the relay . many observers speculated that the person lighting the olympic cauldron would be connected to the devastating may earthquake in china that claimed nearly 70,000 lives . as for the games , an estimated 10,000 athletes from 205 countries will compete in 28 events for about 300 gold medals . the first medals will be awarded saturday . see a timeline of moments to watch for at the games '' china has put a priority on finishing first in the overall medal standings . on sunday , swimming competition begins , along with u.s. swimmer michael phelps ' quest to win eight gold medals -- more than any individual in a single games . even if he fails , phelps could become the all-time leader in gold medals . watch how pressure is building for the athletes '' the competition -- 17 days in length -- will be a relative blip compared to the years of preparation that went into bringing the games to beijing . china means it to be a coming-out party . like many parties , chinese leaders wo n't know how it went until it 's time to clean up . cnn 's emily chang and kevin drew contributed to this report . | <t> bush defends decision to attend next month 's olympics opening ceremony . </t> <t> bush spoke as g-8 leaders arrived in japan ahead of summit starting monday . </t> <t> climate change expected to be focus of three-day summit . </t> <t> g-8 leaders also expected to discuss global economy , zimbabwe . </t> | bush : olympic boycott would insult chinese<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- radovan karadzic 's arrest after a decade-long hunt is the equivalent of catching europe 's osama bin laden , the u.s. diplomat who brokered peace in bosnia says . radovan karadzic , seen here in 1995 , has been arrested after a decade-long hunt . richard holbrooke , who negotiated the 1995 dayton peace agreement , led the chorus of congratulations from around the globe telling reporters it was `` a historic day . '' `` one of the worst men in the world , the osama bin laden of europe , has finally been captured . a major , major thug has been removed from the public scene . '' `` he was at large because the yugoslav army was protecting him . but this guy in my view was worse than milosevic -lsb- yugoslav president slobodan milosevic -rsb- ... he was the intellectual leader , '' holbrooke told cnn . watch holdbrooke talk about the arrest '' david miliband , britain 's foreign secretary , said it would `` pave the way for a brighter , european future for serbia and the region . '' the white house released a statement congratulating the government of serbia , and thanked the people who arrested karadzic on a bus in belgrade for their `` professionalism and courage . '' paddy ashdown , the former international administrator in bosnia , told the bbc that it was a `` longed hoped for day . '' `` the four years that i was working with nato to try and catch him were peppered by rumors of where he was -- in this cafe , on that mountain , in this valley . '' watch karadzic 's lawyer slam arrest ''<doc-sep>ashdown also told britain 's daily telegraph newspaper that it was a `` major breakthrough for the balkans region . '' `` karadzic was accused of being the architect of the worst war crimes that have been perpetrated in europe since the nazis . `` it is a major credit to serbia and at last brings the prospect of justice for bosnia , '' ashdown said . the arrest brought serbia 's hopes of joining the eu one step closer to realization , eu foreign affairs chief javier solana lauding the news . `` this ... gives us immense satisfaction . the new government in belgrade stands for a new serbia , for a new quality of relations with the eu . '' vuk jeremic , serbia 's foreign minister , said the arrest was proof serbia was `` serious when it comes to her european fate . '' however , serb radical party secretary general aleksandar vucic said it was `` horrible '' news and that the country was `` on its way to disappear . '' karadzic , 63 , is accused of leading the worst acts of brutality europe has seen since the nazi campaigns of world war ii . he is wanted over he deadly siege of sarajevo , which left an estimated 10,000 people dead , and the 1995 massacre of 8,000 muslims in srebrenica .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president-elect barack obama wants to renew the u.s. commitment to finding al qaeda leader osama bin laden , according to his national security advisers . osama bin laden remains on the run despite a $ 25 million reward for his capture . the obama team believes the bush administration has downplayed the importance of catching the fbi 's most-wanted terrorist because it has not been able to find him . `` we will kill bin laden . we will crush al qaeda . that has to be our biggest national security priority , '' obama said during the presidential debate on october 7 . but tracking down bin laden wo n't be easy . in may , al qaeda released an audiotape featuring bin laden . but u.s. intelligence officials say they have n't had a solid lead on the terrorist mastermind 's whereabouts since late 2001 , when he was nearly captured in a battle with u.s. forces near tora bora , afghanistan .<doc-sep>wives - khairiah sabar and siham sabar are saudi nationals , while the . third - amal ahmed abdul fateh is from yemeni . according to their lawyer aamir khalil , . the relatives of the dead terrorist leader will be deported as soon as their 45 day house arrest was served . all three , along with bin laden 's 17 and 21 year old daughters , were placed under house arrest earlier this month having pleaded guilty to living illegally in pakistan . leaving pakistan : amal ahmed abdul fateh , from yemeni -lrb- pictured -rrb- , is one of osama bin laden 's three widows who is now due to be deported from the south east asian country . just a few days ago the al arabiya television network released footage from inside the ` guest house ' in islamabad , where bin laden 's family members have been holed up . toddlers and children are seen . playing with teddy bears and cricket bats , while the three widows of bin .<doc-sep>bin laden even met with 9/11 mastermind khalid sheikh mohammed at some point before the latter 's arrest in february 2003 . additionally , bin laden and his deputy ayman al-zawahiri were frequently in the same area and regularly in communication . during this time , western intelligence agencies were able to draw up a detailed map tracing bin laden 's movements , according to the former intelligence official . in 2003-2004 , bin laden spent time in several areas -- amid the rugged mountains of pakistan 's federally administered tribal areas and in pakistan 's north west frontier province , a more heavily populated area where pakistan 's security forces had a greater presence . but according to the former official , bin laden shunned big cities , preferring to stay in rural areas . the intelligence stream indicated that al qaeda 's leader also made several trips across into afghanistan during this period , despite the presence of tens of thousands of u.s. troops .<doc-sep>bin laden 's death : how the story unfolded . an obsession with security . bin laden went to great lengths to avoid detection , according to the report 's description . when he left his three-story residence to tour his abbottabad compound , he wore a cowboy hat that prevented prying eyes or satellites from recognizing him . bin laden 's two bodyguards also practiced careful operational security , making phone calls from public call booths in cities at least an hour 's drive from the abbottabad compound , where they lived with al qaeda 's leader . when one of the bodyguard 's young daughters saw a picture of bin laden on a television program and recognized him to be the tall arab man who was living on the abbottabad compound , the report says , the bodyguard banned any further tv watching and any subsequent contact between his family and the bin laden family . after the arrest of 9/11 operational commander khalid sheik mohammed in pakistan in march 2003 , bin laden decided to stop meeting with any al qaeda members in person , with the exception of his two bodyguards . during bin laden 's nine years on the run , his wife amal gave birth to four children in pakistan . to avoid any troublesome questions , when amal gave birth in a hospital the nurses and doctors were informed that she was `` deaf and dumb . '' the bin laden bodyguards installed four separate gas and electricity meters at the abbottabad compound to ensure that there was n't ever a suspiciously large gas or electricity bill betraying the presence of the 16 members of the bin laden family . despite bin laden complaints of pains in his heart or kidney he never saw a doctor , preferring to treat these ailments with `` traditional arab medicine , '' the report says . when bin laden traveled around pakistan , which he did relatively frequently in the early years of his life on the run , he shaved off his distinctive beard . opinion : from bin laden to boston . the family man . the report shows bin laden to be an involved father and grandfather to the dozen or so of his children and grandchildren who were living at the abbottabad compound . he supervised their playtime , which included cultivating vegetable plots and he handed out `` prizes for best performance . '' | <t> `` karadzic 's arrest is the equivalent of catching europe 's osama bin laden '' </t> <t> former u.s. peace broker in bosnia says arrest is an `` historic day '' </t> <t> `` major breakthrough for the balkans , '' former international administrator says . </t> | karadzic arrest ` like catching bin laden '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- marius kloppers was born in south africa on august 26 , 1962 . marius kloppers , ceo of bhp billiton . he obtained a degree in chemical engineering from the university of pretoria in south africa and a phd in materials science from the massachusetts institute of technology in the u.s. . he began his career in south africa , working in petrochemicals with sasol and in materials research with mintek . after receiving an mba from insead in france , he worked as a management consultant with mckinsey & co in the netherlands . kloppers joined billiton group in 1993 as a core member of the team that created the group 's aluminum business , assuming a variety of operating and functional positions including general manager , hillside aluminum , and chief operating officer , aluminum .<doc-sep>prior to the formation of bhp billiton , he also acted as chief executive samancor manganese and group executive of billiton plc , responsible for its coal and manganese businesses . he played a central role in the merger of bhp and billiton , as chief marketing officer and then chief commercial officer before being appointed group president , non-ferrous materials and an executive director of bhp billiton limited and bhp billiton plc in january 2006 . kloppers was appointed group executive and chief executive non-ferrous in july 2007 and has been chief executive officer of bhp billiton since october 2007 . he now lives in melbourne , australia , with his wife carin and their three children , noni , reuben and gabrielle .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- marius kloppers was born in south africa on august 26 , 1962 . marius kloppers , ceo of bhp billiton . he obtained a degree in chemical engineering from the university of pretoria in south africa and a phd in materials science from the massachusetts institute of technology in the u.s. .<doc-sep>by . becky barrow . published : . 03:10 est , 12 june 2012 . | . updated : . 19:20 est , 12 june 2012 . britain 's biggest bosses scooped an average pay package of # 4.8 million last year while the rest of the country struggled to make ends meet , a report revealed yesterday . the average chief executive in the ftse 100 index of the country 's largest private sector firms got an inflation-busting pay package increase of 12 per cent . by comparison their employees got a paltry 1 per cent , which is far below the rate at which their household bills are rising . high earner : sir martin sorrell was the second-highest paid ftse 100 boss , the survey found . bumper deal : barclays chief executive bob diamond was the highest-paid boss , taking home # 20.97 million . the eye-watering payouts -- equal to just over # 13,000 per day -- triggered outrage among mps on the treasury select committee . witness daniel stilitz , a qc and trustee of the high pay centre , told mps pay excess has reached absurd levels . he compared modern boardroom culture . to ` the football manager who takes the credit when he wins and blames . the referee when he loses ' . rising trend : average pay deals for ftse bosses have risen from about # 1million to almost # 5million since 1998 . the report , from shareholder advisory . service manifest and pay consultants mm&k , said the average ftse 100 . chief executive earns 139 times more than their average employee . while their pay packages have jumped . from an average of # 1million in 1998 to # 4.8 million today , staff average . pay has risen far more modestly from # 21,540 to # 34,407 . manifest warns that , ` more . disturbingly ' , about one in four ftse 100 bosses got a pay package . increase of ` 41 per cent or more ' last year . bob diamond , barclays # 20.9 m . sir martin sorrell , wpp # 11.6 m . david brennan , astrazeneca # 11.3 m . sir andrew witty , glaxo # 10.7 m . marius kloppers , bhp billiton # 9.8 m . peter voser , shell # 9.7 m . sir frank chapman , bg # 9.6 m . michael spencer , icap # 9.3 m * . samir brikho , amec # 8.9 m . dame marjorie scardino , pearson # 8.9 mfigures include salaries , bonuses and share options . * previous year . source : manifest/mm & k . when measured in terms of total . realisable remuneration -- including salary , bonuses , pensions and share . options -- the biggest winner over the past year was barclays chief . executive bob diamond . his # 20.97 million potential pay . package dwarfs that of the second placed executive on the list , wpp . chief executive sir martin sorrell . his # 11.62 million maximum package at . the advertising group represented a 60 per cent increase on the . previous year . he is expected to face a shareholder rebellion today . next is david brennan , on a potential . # 11.32 million , who announced his retirement from pharmaceutical company . astrazeneca earlier this year . he is followed by sir andrew witty , on up to # 10.75 million as chief executive at fellow pharma group glaxosmithkline . fifth on the list is marius kloppers . on a maximum # 9.82 million at the world 's biggest mining company , bhp . billiton . meanwhile , business lobby group the cbi has warned pay freezes . or paltry pay rises far below the rate of inflation are ` the new . normal ' for workers . retiring : astrazeneca boss david brennan was the third-highest earner on the list . during yesterday 's treasury select . committee hearing one tory mp jesse norman questioned why senior . executives are paid so much compared to other professions . he said : ` these people are being paid an enormous amount of money ... for no skill at all . ' last night shadow business secretary chuka umunna said excess pay and rewards are ` bad for our economy and bad for business . ' he said : ` we need to strengthen and empower shareholders so that they can clamp down in cases where there are excessive awards . ' wealthy : glaxosmithkline boss sir andrew witty took home # 10.7 m last year , the survey found .<doc-sep>` the post-mortem should reveal what happened and we are investigating the incident . ' south africa 's daily news newspaper today reported that mr vaughn had signed up for yesterday 's parachute after harbouring a long-term dream to complete a skydive . the novice jumper completed a full day 's training on saturday before the static-line jump yesterday morning . skydive instructor vernon kloppers told the newspaper everything had seemed normal ahead of the routine leap at the durban skydive centre in the village of eston in south africa 's kwazulu-natal province . but he told how mr vaughn became unresponsive after he leaped from the plane at 3,500 feet . mr kloppers said : ` he jumped at 3,500 feet and his parachute automatically opened through the static line . ` he was seen controlling the parachute until about 1,500 feet . ` at this point , he became unresponsive under the canopy . ` we do not know what happened . ' paramedics confirmed mr vaughn was examined at the scene of the accident and declared dead before being taken to hospital . the family man 's friend paul raglan-smith told the daily news doctors said they believed he had suffered a heart attack in mid air .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the killing of a young giraffe named marius at copenhagen zoo sparked international outrage this weekend . on sunday , he was shot with a bolt gun then publicly dissected before being fed to the lions . in its defense , the zoo has argued that marius ' death was necessary to protect the genetic diversity of his species . it was claimed that to allow marius to take up space that could be used to house another animal with more desirable genetic make-up may hinder conservation breeding programs . contraception which required sedation is dangerous and giraffes might die during the procedure . as such , marius ' birth could not have been safely prevented . marius could not be rehomed because sending him somewhere other than a zoo which was a member of the european association for zoos and aquaria -lrb- eaza -rrb- could result in him being sold into a circus , which would be against eaza rules . in effect , the zoo 's hands were tied , it was implied . none of these arguments appear to stand up to scrutiny . as the head of the european endangered species program for giraffes stated in press , marius was not from a rare sub-species . given that zoos claim that animals are kept in order to support the conservation of threatened species , it is therefore unclear why any member of marius ' subspecies should be held captive at all . zoo staff get death threats . it was further confirmed that a contraceptive for giraffes has been developed in the last few years which allows females to be safely injected at a distance thus suggesting that marius ' birth was not inevitable . the director of eaza supported the stance that marius had to die and encouraged people to consider the `` bigger picture . '' but eaza itself is less than consistent in its approach to inbreeding and , indeed , in its concern for the ultimate fate of animals in its member zoos . | <t> he began career in petrochemicals and materials research in south africa . </t> <t> was core member of team that created billiton 's aaluminumbusiness . </t> <t> he has been chief executive officer of bhp billiton since october 2007 . </t> | marius kloppers profile<T> |
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