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Venice , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven oil spill recovery workers who were hospitalized in New Orleans after complaining of feeling ill were properly trained and had protective gear on , according to the the federal on-scene coordinator for the oil spill response effort in the Gulf of Mexico . `` The heat and humidity in Louisiana can be challenging , '' Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry told reporters Thursday afternoon . She said the workers were treated for several symptoms , including headaches , nausea , vomiting and shortness of breath . Safety officials from the Coast Guard , BP and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration had responded to the incident , Landry . `` Basically , these folks all had the proper personal protective equipment on , and they all received the required training , '' she said . `` Fortunately , everyone is fine . '' An investigation is under way `` to make sure what we can do to ensure that these workers are all working in safe conditions , '' Landry said . `` We will continue to monitor this situation very carefully so that nobody is put in harm 's way as they respond to this spill , '' she added . A BP spokesman , John Curry , said the company takes `` worker safety seriously . '' The company also said it has provided spill recovery workers with protective equipment , such as suits , steel-toed boots , gloves , hard hats and safety glasses . In addition , BP said , workers are conducting about 250 air-quality tests a day . They also are testing workers for exposure to irritants and other substances that could be harmful , BP said . The company also noted that testing has shown that `` airborne contaminants are well within safe limits . '' The seven workers were at West Jefferson Medical Center in suburban New Orleans , said spokeswoman Taslin Alfonzo said . Five were discharged Thursday afternoon , she said . Based on their symptoms , the workers appeared to have come into contact with some type of irritant , Alfonzo said . However , the hospital does n't have a toxicology department , so it could n't identify the irritant . About 10 workers complained of feeling ill on Wednesday , prompting officials to recall more than 100 boats from an area adjacent to the Mississippi River delta . Lisa Faust with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said she believes as many as five were treated at the scene . Six of the seven were brought to the Marrero , Louisiana , hospital Wednesday night by ambulance , and the seventh was flown in . No additional patients have been admitted , Alfonzo said . The Unified Command -- a coalition of agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard , the Department of the Interior and the National Parks Service -- said Wednesday it recalled 125 vessels from Breton Sound , which lies about 50 miles southeast of New Orleans . The vessels were involved in cleaning up oil that has been gushing into the Gulf of Mexico since April , when an oil rig sank about 40 miles south of Louisiana , opening up a leak that has been gushing crude oil into the water . U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon , D-Louisiana , again called on the federal government to deploy temporary clinics to south Louisiana to screen workers and relatives possibly affected by the oil . `` As I first alerted the federal government over a week ago , our workers and residents in the oil-affected areas of south Louisiana are facing a looming health crisis , '' Melancon said in a written statement . `` People are being exposed to hazardous oil fumes and potentially dangerous dispersants every day , and there is no health care infrastructure in place to treat them and monitor the situation . '' Melancon said he will personally ask President Barack Obama to take action when Obama visits south Louisiana on Friday . | NEW : BP says it takes worker safety seriously . NEW : BP says it conducts safety tests and provides safety gear . 125 commercial vessels recalled from water near Louisiana . Congressman urges government to set up mobile clinics . | [[1170, 1184], [1200, 1251], [1255, 1266], [1272, 1418], [2116, 2132], [2174, 2278], [2595, 2614], [2740, 2796], [3081, 3107], [3124, 3241]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Gulf of Mexico undersea gusher is the largest oil spill in United States history -- possibly already more than twice as big as the Exxon Valdez spill , government estimates suggested Thursday . Scientists observed 130,000 to 270,000 barrels of oil on the water 's surface on May 17 , and think a similar amount had already been burned , skimmed , dispersed or evaporated . That would mean 260,000 to 540,000 barrels had leaked as of 10 days ago . The Exxon Valdez leaked about 250,000 barrels into Alaska 's Prince William Sound in 1989 . The busted well is spewing oil at a rate of at least 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day , U.S. Geological Survey chief Marcia McNutt told reporters Thursday . A barrel of oil has 42 gallons , so that 's 504,000 to 798,000 gallons a day . That 's more than twice as much as previous estimates , which put the rate at 5,000 barrels , or 210,000 gallons , per day . It 's also the more conservative estimate of two reached by two separate teams of government scientists who used two different methods , McNutt told reporters Thursday . One team looked at the oil on the surface and came up with the estimate of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels per day . A second team used a different method and came up with a range of 12,000 to 25,000 barrels per day , McNutt said . The official estimate uses the range where the estimates overlap . The lower end of the government estimate -- 12,000 barrels per day -- would mean that about 18.6 million gallons of oil has been spilled since the April 20 oil rig explosion that started the leak . The higher end -- 19,000 barrels per day -- would mean 29.5 million gallons has been spilled . The Exxon Valdez spilled about 11 million gallons of oil . Worldwide , there have been more than a dozen bigger oil spills than the Gulf spill . The worst was the destruction of Kuwaiti terminals and tankers by Saddam Hussein 's forces during the 1991 Gulf war , which spilled 240 million gallons , according to the Oil Spill Intelligence Report . The amount of oil spilled could have very specific financial ramifications for BP . If the government finds the company negligent or the leak avoidable , BP will owe royalties on the lost oil , Minerals Management Service spokesman Nicholas Pardi told CNN . `` Now we know the true scale of the monster we are fighting in the Gulf , '' said Jeremy Symons , senior vice president of the National Wildlife Federation . `` BP has unleashed an unstoppable force of appalling proportions . It 's as if two Exxon Valdez tankers have already run aground , and more are on the way if they do n't get this hole plugged . `` This independent government estimate shows what we expected all along -- BP can not be trusted , because every gallon of oil that is spilled means they will pay more in fines and liability , '' Symons said . The estimates are preliminary and based on new methodologies , McNutt said in a teleconference . The first team , which got the lower estimate , analyzed how much oil was on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico on a given date , using aerial imaging . They estimated that `` 130,000 to 270,000 barrels -LRB- were -RRB- on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico on May 17 , '' McNutt said . `` We estimate that , in addition , as of May 17 a similar volume of oil had already been burned , skimmed , dispersed or evaporated , '' she said . That led those scientists to the range of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels per day . The second group used video observations to arrive at the higher figure . The scientific teams were composed of federal scientists , independent experts and representatives from universities around the country , McNutt said . BP , which owns the well , was not involved except to provide raw data , she said . CNN 's Richard Allen Greene , David Mattingly and Courtney Yager , and CNN Radio 's Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report . | Gulf spill significantly larger than Exxon Valdez accident of 1989 , estimates indicate . Government scientists estimate oil gushing much faster than previously thought . Two teams used different methods to estimate flow . NEW : Amount of oil spilled could have ramifications if BP is found negligent . | [[966, 1024], [1003, 1024], [1029, 1055], [1201, 1238], [2024, 2107]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Last night Nicole Scherzinger was the 10th star to claim the mirrored ball on `` Dancing with the Stars . '' The lead Pussycat Doll went up against Olympic figure skater Evan Lysacek and ESPN anchor Erin Andrews and came out victorious . Many predicted that Scherzinger would win from the start based on her spectacular performances and stage presence , not to mention her extensive dance history as a member of the Pussycat Dolls . But Lysacek and Andrews gave her a good run for her money , bringing an enjoyable end to a season of controversy . Was it me , or was season 10 the most exciting ever ? Kate Gosselin 's diva behavior , Jake Pavelka 's cornball glances at Vienna Girardi , and Nicole 's spats with Pamela Anderson made it must-watch TV , not to mention Elisabeth Hasselbeck 's major snafu regarding Erin Andrews ' wardrobe . The show seriously picked the right contestants this time around . To help them out for season 11 , here are the 15 stars we 'd love to see do the rumba next . The Frisky : Kate Gosselin and 7 more celebs rejected by Playboy . Katie Holmes . So she might be a bit out of reach , especially since Katie Holmes is stuck in the Tom Cruise isolation bubble , but this could be a rebirth for her . Let 's face it : Holmes has a lost some of her flair and she lets her daughter do most of the fancy dressing . `` Dancing with the Stars '' would allow Holmes to separate herself from TomKat , and at least get her out of the house . Heidi Klum and Seal . The couple has said in interviews that they are interested in joining `` Dancing with the Stars . '' It would be good for everyone . Heidi Klum could get away from judging those sassy `` Project Runway '' stylists and rock some tacky , sparkly clothes . Seal could get back on the radar for something other than being Klum 's husband . And the show could get to play off the drama of having a competing couple . The Frisky : 10 top models without makeup . Oprah Winfrey . Oprah may be leaving her iconic television show behind , but that does n't mean she ca n't move on to something else . She needs to think of all the fans she has been shepherding for so many years ! Honestly , with the number of women who look to her for advice on what to eat , read , and wear -- I do n't think there 's any way she could lose . Josh `` Sawyer '' Holloway . Now that `` Lost '' is over , people are going to have to find their dose of shirtless Sawyer somewhere else . We can sit around and watch old `` Lost '' clips , but I think seeing him get sweaty and strip down in a samba would be a better alternative . Yes ? The Frisky : 8 things I wo n't miss now that `` Lost '' is off the TV map . Celine Dion . Back in 2007 , the Canadian songstress said that she was interested in doing the show . Why has n't `` DWTS '' snatched her up yet ? They have a pretty loose definition of `` star , '' and she would be one of their biggest grabs . I am picturing a `` Titanic '' - themed waltz to `` My Heart Would Go On . '' It would be cheesily epic . Betty White . This lady is 2010 's big thing , and rightfully so . Betty White is adorable , feisty , and totally held her own on `` Saturday Night Live '' this month . If White ends up in a set of dancing shoes , I am officially dubbing her the coolest grandma ever . The Frisky : 10 summer dresses under $ 50 . Johnny Weir . So Evan Lysacek gave it his shot and got to the final three , but I think Johnny Weir could take it all the way . Throughout the Olympics , he was known for bringing theatricality and flair to all his performances . The dance floor is the only other place that I can think of that could capture Weir 's signature brand of pizzazz . Plus , we 'd get the added perks of more self-designed outfits and seeing him get to beat Lysacek at something . Sarah Silverman . The comedian just had her show on Comedy Central canceled , so now it is time to dance the pain away . Sarah Silverman strikes us as sort of klutzy , but I am sure that can be smoothed out by the tender footsteps of Tony or Derek . Silverman is sure to make the sometimes exhaustive judging process a little more entertaining . Bob Saget . Between `` Full House '' and `` America 's Funniest Home Videos , '' Bob Saget seems like quite the family man . But I have heard rumors that in real life he has a dirty sense of humor . Maybe Saget could reroute that crudeness into sexy dance moves ? It would be a good mix of amusing and awkward , since a lot of viewers probably could n't see past Saget as anyone other than Daddy Tanner . Dr. Drew . It is time for Dr. Drew to add something else to his resume other than harassing addicted celebrities and pregnant teens . The Doc needs to come to the dance floor and switch from psychoanalysis to polka . The Frisky : See 10 stars who 've worn ankle alcohol monitors -LSB- SCRAMs -RSB- . Ryan Seacrest . `` American Idol '' is finally starting to see a decline , while `` Dancing with the Stars '' just had one of its most successful seasons . Now I have n't taken math since high school but it seems like it is time for Seacrest to think about switching teams . A little bit of fancy footwork could be just what he needs , though they would have to make it clear he could n't host the show . Sarah Ferguson . The Duchess herself has said she wants to be on the show because her kids love to watch her dance . Now that she is stuck in the middle of a bribery controversy , she could use `` DTWS '' for image revitalization . Though there is a chance not even `` Dancing with the Stars '' could save her from this royal mess . Kendra Wilkinson . Speaking of image revitalization , Kendra Wilkinson could use a little help right now . Her sex tape has just hit the market , and with a rumored second one on the way , Kendra needs to get people 's minds off these tapes and onto something else . And she already proved on her former reality show `` The Girls Next Door '' that she definitely can `` shake her booty . '' The Frisky : Pro tennis player 's breast reduction deflates her fan base . Mr. T . Mr. T had a brief fling as a rapper , and now it is time for him to reach triple threat territory . I pity the fool who do n't vote for him . With the movie remake of `` A-Team '' out soon , he needs to make sure viewers know who the real B.A. Baracus is . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | it seems like it is time for Seacrest to think about switching to `` DWTS '' Ferguson said she wants to do the show because her kids love to watch her dance . Mr. T had a fling as a rapper , and now it is time for him to reach triple threat territory . | [[5076, 5113], [5105, 5146], [2712, 2724], [2727, 2799], [5323, 5393], [6084, 6119], [6126, 6183]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Conservative videographer James O'Keefe and three co-defendants pleaded guilty Wednesday to entering federal property under false pretenses for a January incident in which they tried to tamper with the phone system in the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu . O'Keefe , 25 , and co-defendants Joseph Basel , 24 , Robert Flanagan , 24 , and Stan Dai , 25 , were each fined $ 1,500 , placed on probation and ordered to do community service , according to a Department of Justice statement . The four were arrested in January after Basel and Flanagan posed as telephone repair workers to get into Landrieu 's office . O'Keefe also was in the office and secretly videotaped the incident , while Dai was outside , according to the Justice Department statement . Landrieu , a Democrat , had voted in favor of the Democratic health care reform bill the previous month . Calling himself an `` investigative journalist , '' O'Keefe claimed he was trying to test the credibility of a claim by Landrieu that her office had been unable to field calls from constituents opposed to her stance on the Senate health care bill because her phone lines had been `` jammed for weeks . '' Basel and Flanagan told a staffer in Landrieu 's office that they were telephone repairmen and were granted access to the reception desk 's phone system . All four were arrested shortly after leaving the office . O'Keefe is the same conservative activist who dressed as a pimp last summer and visited the offices of ACORN , which bills itself as an advocacy group for low - and middle-income families , to solicit advice on setting up a brothel , among other scenarios , law enforcement officials confirmed . He secretly recorded the visits on videotapes that were posted on the Internet , leading to a media firestorm . ACORN announced in March it was shutting down due to a loss of funding . | O'Keefe , three others plead guilty to illegally entering senator 's office . Defendants fined , placed on probation , ordered to do community service . O'Keefe posed as a pimp to stage videos at ACORN offices in 2009 . | [[63, 97], [396, 403], [406, 425], [430, 461], [1405, 1513]] |
San Diego , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Do n't be surprised if , any day now , you read that the People 's Republic of Arizona is in the market for nuclear warheads to put an end , once and for all , to illegal immigration on its southern border . After all , it 's the next logical step for the rogue state . This week , to advance the narrative that Arizona has no choice but to do its own immigration enforcement because the federal government is asleep at the switch , Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer called for air support . Brewer requested helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles from the White House to patrol the border region with Mexico . In a letter to President Obama , Brewer asked that the National Guard reallocate reconnaissance helicopters and robotic surveillance craft to the `` border states '' to prevent illegal immigration . The governor also requested the deployment of unmanned drones , including possibly the Predator drones used in Iraq and Afghanistan . In fact , in her letter , Brewer even mentioned those foreign wars as examples of where the drones have been effective . What 's the matter with Arizona ? Is n't it a little early in the year for the folks in the desert to be suffering from sunstroke ? I guess this is par for the course . Brewer just signed SB 1070 , a disgraceful anti-immigration and pro-racial-profiling law , to give local and state cops throughout the state the chance to suit up and play border patrol agent . Why should n't she get the chance to suit up and play general ? After all , like the United States , Arizona is currently involved in two wars . There 's the hypocritical war against the very illegal immigrants that the state has spent the past 15 years providing with gainful employment by allowing them to do jobs that Arizonans would n't do . And then there 's the rhetorical war with the Obama administration , which Arizona wants to portray as negligent in stopping illegal immigration , which forced Arizonans to take matters into their own hands . The argument that the federal government is n't actively engaged in border enforcement is both dishonest and reckless . It is dishonest because it 's not true . I 've visited the U.S.-Mexico border a dozen times in the past 10 years : in Texas , Arizona and California . I 've interviewed countless border patrol agents and supervisors . I 've also been up in a Border Patrol helicopter flying above the border , which offers a unique perspective on border security . So I can tell you what the border patrol agents on the ground would tell you : The U.S.-Mexico border has never been more fortified . There are now more than 20,000 border patrol agents on the federal payroll . That 's more agents than any other federal enforcement agency , including the Federal Bureau of Investigation . Those agents apprehend people and deport them at a feverish clip . In fact , it was recently announced that the Obama administration deported more people last year than the Bush administration during its final year in office . It is reckless because -- when this law is hauled before a federal judge , as it will be -- opponents will argue that the measure violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution by usurping federal authority to enforce immigration law . And that 's the very thing that proponents seem to be admitting in their bravado . In fact , it might not be a bad idea for Arizona officials to pipe down and stop bragging about how they 're doing the job of the federal government in terms of immigration enforcement , since that 's a no-no under the Constitution . If the federal government does take border enforcement seriously , critics might ask : Why are there still people trying to enter the United States illegally ? Simple . We can dig a moat , deploy an army , build walls or call in an airstrike , but desperate people will always find a way to go around , under or over any impediment in their path to a better life . This is n't to condone illegal immigration . My views -- in support of deportations , workplace raids , giving more resources to the Border Patrol etc. -- are well known . I 'm just telling you what Border Patrol agents tell me : that it does n't make any sense to focus all our attention at the border while turning a blind eye to employers in the interior . That 's like trying to fill a bucket with teaspoons of water without first plugging the hole at the bottom . Now Obama has fallen into that same trap . He is reportedly ready to announce that he is sending 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to help control illegal immigration and quell some of the violence . That 's a far cry from the 6,000 troops that Arizona Sen. John McCain had requested , and congressional Republicans seem miffed that Obama stole their thunder . Still , as long as the troops follow the protocol laid out in 2006 when George W. Bush launched Operation Jumpstart -- that they 're unarmed and act only in a support capacity to the Border Patrol by fixing vehicles , monitoring surveillance equipment , repairing fences -- I think sending the National Guard is a fine idea . It 's just not the magic bullet that the most enthusiastic proponents of the idea would have us believe . There 's only one of those . It involves fining , arresting and prosecuting the employers of illegal immigrants , including people who are , this election year , streaming into fundraisers for McCain , Brewer and other tough-talking Republicans vowing to solve a problem that many of their backers helped create . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. . | Arizona has asked for military equipment , including drones , to beef up border security . President Obama has approved sending National Guard to the border . Navarrette says border has never been more protected , but it 's not the real issue . He says culprit in illegal immigration is employers who hire illegals to do jobs Americans wo n't do . | [[524, 644], [645, 675], [678, 810], [844, 856], [862, 946], [4508, 4611], [4468, 4470], [4491, 4575], [2564, 2618], [1762, 1807]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Homegrown terrorism will be part of the United States ' National Security Strategy for the first time , according to President Barack Obama 's chief counterterrorism adviser , who called it a new phase of the terrorist threat . When the Obama administration unveils its National Security Strategy on Thursday , it will be the first time any president `` explicitly recognizes the threat to the United States posed by individuals radicalized here at home , '' National Security Adviser John Brennan said Wednesday . The strategy acts as a blueprint for how a White House administration intends to protect Americans . In the past , it has focused mostly on international threats . But a spate of terror-related plots in the United States recently prompted the Obama administration to include homegrown terrorism in the document , Brennan said . Earlier this month , Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad was charged with trying to detonate a car bomb in New York 's bustling district of Times Square . U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan is suspected of fatally shooting 13 people at Fort Hood in November . Colorado resident Najibullah Zazi , an Afghan national , pleaded guilty in February for conspiring to detonate explosives in the New York subway system . And David Headley , an American citizen from Chicago , Illinois , is accused of providing surveillance in the Mumbai , India , terrorist attacks that killed 160 people . `` We 've seen an increasing number of individuals here in the United States become captivated by extremist ideology or causes , '' Brennan said . `` We have seen individuals , including U.S. citizens armed with their U.S. passports , travel easily to extremist safe havens , return to America , their deadly plans disrupted by coordinated intelligence and law enforcement . '' Brennan , who made his comments at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington , said that as the United States has strengthened its defenses against massive attacks like 9/11 , al Qaeda has shown itself to be a `` resilient , resourceful and determined enemy . '' Brennan said al Qaeda is recruiting individuals with little training , attempting relatively unsophisticated attacks and seeking people living in the United States to launch such attacks . `` They are seeking foot soldiers who might slip through our defense , '' Brennan said . `` As our enemy adapts and evolves their tactics , so must we constantly adapt and evolve ours . '' Brennan did not provide any specific details about the president 's strategy for combating al Qaeda and its affiliates , but said it `` will require a broad , sustained and integrated campaign that harnesses every tool of American power , military and civilian , kinetic and diplomatic . '' | National Security Strategy acts as blueprint for how White House plans to protect Americans . Inclusion of homegrown terrorism comes after a spate of terror-related plots in the U.S. National Security Adviser John Brennan calls al Qaeda a `` resilient , resourceful and determined enemy . Strategy will require a `` broad '' and `` sustained '' campaign against terrorist groups . | [[545, 645], [586, 645], [713, 839], [1832, 1839], [1934, 2114], [2496, 2503], [2621, 2688], [2621, 2783]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Minerals Management Service Director Elizabeth Birnbaum has been fired , according to two CNN sources . A senior administration official has told CNN that an official announcement will be made during President Barack Obama 's news conference scheduled for Thursday afternoon . The decision to fire Birnbaum comes in the wake of a recently released report highlighting what many observers have characterized as widespread corruption at the Minerals Management Service -LRB- MMS -RRB- , which is part of the Interior Department . The period covered by the report was prior to the April explosion in the Gulf of Mexico that sank the oil rig Deepwater Horizon , resulting in a massive oil spill that well owner BP and federal authorities are still trying to cap . Among other things , the report , issued by the Interior Department 's inspector general , revealed that federal inspectors overseeing oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico accepted meals and tickets to sporting events from companies they monitored . In one case , an inspector in the MMS office in Lake Charles , Louisiana , conducted inspections of four offshore platforms while negotiating a job with the company , the report stated . The Lake Charles investigation was launched shortly after another scandal emerged from within the MMS . A September 2008 inspector general 's report found regulators in the agency 's Colorado office received improper gifts from energy industry representatives and engaged in illegal drug use and inappropriate sexual relations with them . Interior Secretary Ken Salazar recently called the allegations of MMS corruption `` evidence of the cozy relationship between some elements of -LSB- the agency -RSB- and the oil and gas industry . '' He pledged to follow through with the Interior Department inspector general 's recommendations , `` including taking any and all appropriate personnel actions including termination , discipline and referrals of any wrongdoing for criminal prosecution . '' Salazar insisted Thursday in testimony before a House subcommittee , however , that Birnbaum had resigned `` on her own terms and own volition . '' She `` is a strong and very effective person who , among other things , helped us break through the very difficult things which we have a lot more work to do , '' Salazar said . `` She helped us with addressing a very broken system . And all I can really -LSB- say -RSB- is that she is a good public servant . '' MMS collected nearly $ 10 billion in royalties from the energy and mining industries in 2009 . Salazar recently announced that he was splitting up the agency to separate its energy development , enforcement and revenue collection divisions , saying they have `` conflicting missions '' that needed to be separated . The associate director for the agency 's Offshore Minerals Management Program is leaving at the end of May , a month earlier than planned , in the wake of the Gulf spill . That official , Chris Oynes , launched the investigation that resulted in former New Orleans , Louisiana , supervisor Donald Howard 's firing in 2007 . Howard later pleaded guilty after being accused of failing to report gifts valued at more than $ 6,600 from an offshore drilling contractor . As part of the growing push to crack down on the MMS , Sen. Bill Nelson , D-Florida , introduced legislation Wednesday requiring federal oil industry regulators to wait at least two years after leaving government service before going to work for companies they helped regulate . Among other things , the bill would bar regulators from accepting gifts from oil companies . It also would require regulators to divest themselves of any stock they may currently hold in oil companies , and prohibit regulators from part-time employment in the industry . | MMS Service Director Elizabeth Birnbaum has been fired , sources say . Interior Department report cited inappropriate relationship between inspectors , oil industry . Interior Secretary Ken Salazar insists Birnbaum resigned and has done a good job . Legislation has been introduced in part to help crack down on the MMS . | [[0, 26], [67, 100], [307, 384]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A flat-faced frogfish , bug-eating slug and carnivorous sea sponge are some of the top new species named by scientists . They appear on a `` top 10 '' list of new species released Saturday amid warnings from the United Nations that the world is not doing enough to protect vulnerable eco-systems . `` Biodiversity loss is moving ecological systems ever closer to tipping point beyond which they will no longer be able to fulfill their vital functions , '' said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the International Day for Biological Diversity , which is being marked in 11 countries . More coverage : Environment . A report released in late April by researchers from the United Nations Environment Program showed that world leaders had failed on a 2002 commitment to reduce the global rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 . It found that since 1970 animal populations had dropped 30 percent , the area covered by mangroves and sea grasses was down 20 percent and the coverage of living corals had fallen 40 percent . `` The deadline has arrived , yet the deterioration of our natural resources continues apace , '' the secretary-general said in a statement . He warned that communities everywhere would `` reap the negative consequences , '' but that the `` poorest people and most vulnerable communities will suffer most . '' A number of events were held around the world Saturday to mark the International Day of Biodiversity . A garden was created along Paris ' Champs-Elysees , children in Brazil were encouraged to dress up as animals , and the European Environment Agency unveiled a `` living wall '' at its headquarters in Copenhagen , Denmark . The release of a top 10 list species for 2009 continues an annual tradition that marks the anniversary of the birth of Carolus Linnaeus , who initiated the modern system of classifying plants and animals . The new list , issued by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University , was chosen from 18,225 species new to science in 2008 , the most recent year for which data has been compiled . They come from Africa , Indonesia , Madagascar , Myanmar , New Zealand , the Philippines , Thailand , the U.S. and Uruguay . The new discoveries include a golden orb spider able to spin webs of more than a meter in diameter . It is the first of its species named since 1879 . A minnow with fangs found in Myanmar is the first example of oral teeth-like structure found in the largest family of freshwater fishes . And , the sea slug that eats bugs was an unusual find in Pak Phanang Bay in the Gulf of Thailand as nearly all sacoglossans , or sea slugs , eat algae . `` Most people do not realize just how incomplete our knowledge of Earth 's species is or the steady rate at which taxonomists are exploring that diversity , '' said Quentin Wheeler , director of the International Institute of Species Exploration . | Top 10 new species list includes frogfish , golden orb spider , bug-eating slugs . Coincides with International Day of Biodiversity being marked in 11 countries . United Nations says not enough is being done to reduce rate of biodiversity loss . UNEP report found animal populations have dropped 30 percent since 1970 . | [[43, 46], [47, 85], [0, 15], [86, 117], [140, 189], [2512, 2539], [2647, 2658], [472, 559], [539, 561], [568, 601], [535, 559], [568, 601], [1377, 1443], [178, 245], [251, 316], [838, 1030], [852, 904], [907, 972]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A timeline of events leading to the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico , according to documents from congressional investigators and testimony from witnesses to the disaster : . ^ 12:35 a.m. Oilfield services contractor Halliburton completes cementing on BP 's Mississippi Canyon 252 well . In the hours leading up to midafternoon , crews conduct three positive pressure tests , in which fluid weight is placed on the seal . ^ 11 a.m. BP and Transocean executives argue over changes in the drill plan for the well at a meeting aboard the rig . ^ 5:05 p.m. . An unexpected loss of fluid is observed in the riser pipe , suggesting there are leaks in the blowout preventer , a critical piece of equipment designed to shut down the well in the event of an emergency . ^ 5-7 p.m. Negative pressure tests , in which crews reduce fluid pressure to test for leaks through the cement or well casing , show unexpected results . One draws 15 barrels of liquid out of the well instead of the expected five , raising more concerns about leaks . In a second , pressure on the rig 's `` kill line '' -- a high-pressure pipe used to cut off the flow of oil -- falls to zero , while rising to 1,400 pounds per square inch in the drill line , indicating a buildup of natural gas . ^ 8 p.m. BP ends testing and proceeds to replace remaining drill fluids with seawater . A BP investigator later suggests this is a `` fundamental mistake . '' ^ 9:00 p.m. . More fluid is reported flowing out of the well than is being pumped in . ^ 9:10 p.m. Well pump is shut down for a `` sheen '' test , but the well continues to flow . Drill pipe pressure unexpectedly increases . ^ 9:30 p.m. Abnormal pressures and more fluid returns are observed . The well pump is abruptly shut down . ^ 9:50 p.m. Gas surges from the well and up the riser . The supply ship Damon B. Bankston , which is tied up alongside Deepwater Horizon , reports drilling fluid spilling onto its deck and is told to move back 500 meters from the rig . Seconds later , the first explosion occurs . ^ 9:52 p.m. Deepwater Horizon issues distress call . The order is given to abandon the rig . Eleven of the 126 on board are lost at sea when the platform sinks two days later . | Documents from Congress , witness testimony detail events before leak . At one point , BP and Transocean executives argue over changes in the drill plan . Unexpected loss of fluid suggests leaks in the blowout preventer . | [[0, 15], [131, 231], [493, 601], [616, 673], [616, 643], [676, 727]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Memorial Day is a day set aside to remember the U.S. troops who have died . One way to honor the fallen troops is to volunteer at a veterans cemetery . And while there are opportunities on Memorial Day , there are other ways you can help all year long . There are more than 150 national cemeteries and monument sites maintained by such groups as the the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Park Service . Read more about them or find a volunteer opportunity at a cemetery near you . The Department of Veterans Affairs has these tips on ways you can help at a veterans cemetery that you might not have considered : . -- Volunteer to greet visitors , give tours or research and document cemetery history . -- Donate items such as golf carts , which are used to transport visitors who need assistance reaching a gravesite . -- Volunteer to raise and lower cemetery flags on national holidays . -- Help maintain the final resting place of fallen troops by volunteering to prune trees , mend cemetery flags , repair cemetery benches or sponsor a burial area or flower bed and maintain it all year long . -- If you 're a bugler , volunteer to play a live `` Taps '' at veterans ' funerals . About 1,800 veterans die each day , most of them from World War II , according to the VA. . Because the military can not provide enough buglers to play at such a large number of funerals , Congress passed a law in 2000 to allow a recorded version to be played . But many families of the fallen prefer a live version if possible . | Volunteering time at a nearby veterans cemetery can be a way to honor the fallen at Memorial Day . There are also volunteer opportunities all year long . Maintaining the grounds , helping repair or even greeting visitors are some ways to help . | [[95, 170], [95, 129], [133, 170], [436, 440], [460, 513], [567, 607], [223, 272], [567, 607], [650, 677], [680, 734], [922, 938], [925, 929], [980, 1097]] |
Jerusalem -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Israeli government said Thursday it will stop a convoy of cargo and passenger ships filled with supplies and headed to Gaza to break a blockade imposed by Israel in 2007 . Government officials said Wednesday they have given the Israeli Defense Forces instructions to reroute the flotilla to Ashdod port in Israel , where the supplies will be unloaded and transferred to Gaza . Mark Regev , an Israeli government spokesman , called the flotilla `` a cheap political stunt . '' `` If they were really interested in the well being of the people of Gaza , they would have accepted the offers of Egypt or Israel to transfer humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza , along with the other 15 thousand tons sent every week , '' he said . The convoy , which left various European ports , is organized by two major groups : the Free Gaza movement , a pro-Palestinian human rights organization , and the IHH movement , a Turkish humanitarian relief foundation affiliated with the Islamic Brotherhood . Organizers said the convoy is carrying 10,000 tons of construction material , medical equipment and school supplies , and about 750 activists of different nationalities . Israel 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs , said Yossi Gal , its director-general , has summoned the ambassadors of Turkey , Greece , Cyprus , Sweden and Ireland -- the countries from which the flotilla set sail -- and `` clarified the state of Israel 's official position , which declares the flotilla an absolute provocation : There is no shortage of humanitarian aid to Gaza , as food products , fuel and supplies are constantly transferred into the Gaza Strip by the international organizations . '' The flotilla is `` invited to dock at Ashdod port , to unload their cargo and transfer it to Gaza , after a security check , either via the Israeli authorities or via the humanitarian organizations , '' the ministry said . Hanin Zoabi , a member of Israel 's parliament , the Knesset , and a passenger on the flotilla , called it a `` humanitarian campaign for the 1.5 million Palestinian people who Israel put in jail for about the last four years without allowing building material , without educational material , without food into the Gaza strip . `` Israel destroyed 165 schools and more than 100 -LRB- factories -RRB- and destroyed tens of thousands of houses without enabling the Palestinians to rebuild their homes and their lives , '' Zoabi said . `` This is a very strong political message towards Israel and towards the Arab world that stood silent regarding what is happening in Gaza . '' Israel imposed the naval blockade on Gaza after the Hamas forcefully took control of Gaza in 2007 , ousting the Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas . Regev argued that the activists maintain a double standard when it comes to Hamas ' actions . `` They call themselves human rights activists , but they remain silent when it comes to Hamas ' deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians and the brutalities of the Hamas regime in Gaza , which has crushed political opposition , suppressed independent media and has locked up hundreds of political opponents . '' Sarah Weiss Maudi , an Israeli Foreign Ministry legal expert , said , `` The naval blockade has been imposed by Israel because Israel is currently in a state of armed conflict with the Hamas regime that controls Gaza . '' Under international maritime law , when a maritime blockade is in effect , no vessels can enter the blockaded area . Maritime blockades are a legitimate measure under international law , and may be implemented as part of an armed conflict at sea , Israeli officials have said . `` The objective of the boats is to break Israel 's siege on Gaza , to break Israel 's blockade on Gaza . The material that we have on board are all of the materials that Israel denied to the people of Gaza like cement , building supplies , educational supplies etc , '' said Greta Berlin , co-founder of Free Gaza movement . `` We do not accept the siege on Gaza , '' said Zoabi . '' ... Israel does not want a siege . It wants a silent siege . Israel does not want occupation , it wants a silent occupation . It wants its policies to go without criticisms of the world . That 's why it wants to stop the flotilla and also avoid coverage of the event , '' she said . '' ... This is an important aim of Israel , is to stop the cameras in order for the participants who are participating in this flotilla and the others who are following it not to see the aggression of the Israeli army , but I think this does not threaten us and it does not bring fear among us , '' she said . Noam Shalit , father of captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit , told CNN he offered through his lawyer to attempt to convince the Israeli government to let the flotilla arrive in Gaza if participants would pass aid , including letters and medicine , to his son . The organizers of the convoy , including Berlin , refused , he said , telling him their main purpose is to break the siege . Gilad Shalit has been held captive since June 2006 , when Palestinian militants from Gaza captured him . Noam Shalit says his son has been kept in total isolation for the past four years , a violation of international conventions and against international law . There have been eight naval convoys to Gaza until now , and Israel has allowed three to dock at the Gaza port . Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said that since January 2009 , more than a million tons of humanitarian supplies entered Gaza from Israel . The most efficient system to transfer goods to Gaza is through the land crossings , Palmor said . Asked if he was concerned about being arrested , Zoabi told CNN , `` I am not worried because I am not doing anything against the law . What I do is according to human rights , according to international values and according to universal values , so it is not against the law . `` I am -LRB- a -RRB- Knesset member , and this is part of my political responsibility , '' she said . `` It is part of my human responsibility . This is not against the law to aid people , to help and support -LRB- those -RRB- who are under siege ... I think the side that is breaking the law , international law , and breaking the human values is Israel and not anyone else . '' CNN 's Kareem Khadder contributed to this report . | NEW : Israeli official calls convoy of ships ` cheap political stunt ' Government says it will stop flotilla taking aid to Gaza . Knesset member among flotilla participants . Convoy aims to break 2007 Israeli blockade . | [[410, 420], [457, 487], [1435, 1462], [1471, 1516], [0, 25], [52, 116], [0, 19], [142, 176], [152, 204], [3688, 3755]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Vowing to continue to `` underwrite global security '' -- but not alone -- the Obama administration Thursday released its first National Security Strategy , a 52-page outline of the president 's strategic approach and priorities . The NSS , required by Congress of every administration to be prepared every four years , for the first time combines homeland security and national security , focusing not only on threats internationally but on the threat of home-grown radicals inspired and recruited by al Qaeda . `` We view this as an important and emerging challenge , '' Ben Rhodes , deputy national security adviser for strategic communication , told reporters . Al Qaeda , he said , is less capable of using safe havens for training abroad and is now `` trying to inspire Americans to carry out attacks on the U.S. '' Those Americans , he said , may have less direct contact with the terrorist organization but they carry American passports and know the strengths and weaknesses of the United States . `` Several recent incidents of violent extremists in the United States who are committed to fighting here and abroad have underscored the threat to the United States and our interests posed by individuals radicalized at home , '' the NSS states . `` Our best defenses against this threat are well informed and equipped families , local communities and institutions . '' Federal , state and local governments will use intelligence , expanded community engagement and development programs to help local communities address the radicalization of Americans before they join al Qaeda , Rhodes said . There already is an interagency process , he said , devoted to countering radicalization . This is a `` new point of emphasis , '' he said , because it is a new point of emphasis for America 's enemies . Laying out its strategy for more traditional areas of national security , the National Security Strategy stresses the importance of working with other nations to deal with challenges to `` renew American leadership . '' `` It 's a broader view of national security than before , '' Rhodes said . Echoing themes going back to the days of Obama 's campaign for president , it says the U.S. must use `` engagement '' with friends and foes . The United States must engage also with other `` 21st century centers of influence -- including China , India and Russia , '' the report says . In a switch from the Bush administration 's doctrine of pre-emptive war , the Obama NSS says the United States will `` draw on diplomacy , development , and international norms and institutions to resolve disagreements , prevent conflict , and maintain peace , mitigating wherever possible the need for the use of force . '' `` While the use of force is sometimes necessary , '' it says , `` we will exhaust other options before war whenever we can , and carefully weigh the costs and risks of action against the costs and risks of inaction . '' The NSS also highlights `` burden sharing , '' working with other countries to deal with international threats . `` The U.S. needs to foster burden-sharing so it 's not on our shoulders alone , '' Rhodes told reporters . The administration 's focus on domestic terrorism is drawing some criticism from opponents who claim it `` ignores reality ' by avoiding terms like `` radical Islam . '' The ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security , Republican U.S. Rep. Peter T. King , while saying he was `` heartened '' the strategy addresses the issue of home-grown terrorism , charged that `` the Obama Administration refuses to even identify head-on the threat our nation faces . Even though we have been at war against radical Islamic jihadists since they killed almost 3,000 Americans on 9/11 , the Obama administration fails to even mention such terms . '' | The Obama administration on Thursday released its first National Security Strategy . The 52-page outline of focuses on both international and home-grown threats . Strategy focuses on `` mitigating wherever possible the need for the use of force '' Key GOP critic : Administration `` refuses to even identify '' threat of `` radical Islamic jihadists '' | [[105, 184], [261, 268], [420, 505], [2678, 2738], [3265, 3274], [3279, 3350], [3354, 3442], [3545, 3640], [3766, 3825]] |
PHOENIX , Arizona -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thirty-year-old Lisa Locascio is walking through what she hopes will soon be her new living room . Lisa Locascio is trying to buy her first home with help from the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program . `` The carpet 's clearly trashed , but that 's going to get ripped out , '' she says . She 's excited to become a first-time homebuyer and has been shopping exclusively for foreclosed homes in the Phoenix , Arizona , area for several weeks now . `` It 's the American dream , '' Locascio says of home ownership , and she 's just zeroed in on the one she wants to be hers . She has a bid in and is waiting to hear on her offer . Financially strapped prospective buyers like Locascio have discovered hope in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program , a year-old federal program designed to help stabilize communities decimated by foreclosures and abandonment . Families and individuals who qualify can get a loan of up to $ 15,000 to cover down payment and closing costs of foreclosed homes . The amount varies by region , but can amount to tens of thousands of dollars . Congress approved the nationwide program in July 2008 , pumping a total of $ 3.92 billion into the hardest-hit communities . Almost $ 2 billion more was allocated in May . A total of $ 121 million in funding arrived in Arizona in April , and the Phoenix area received the largest cut , approximately $ 39.4 million . Program watch dogs are keeping their eyes on states like Arizona to see how the money will be spent and whether it will make a difference . Arizona had the fourth highest rate of new foreclosures in May , according to Realty Trac . With such a high foreclosure rate , the funds allocated to Arizona , and in particular the Phoenix area , were significant . However , not one home in Phoenix has been purchased using the NSP funds despite hundreds of applications . People are still trying to navigate an unfamiliar process , housing experts in Phoenix say . Locascio would be thrilled to be the first person to close on a home . She is single and works as a project manager at a Scottsdale asset management company . However , she currently has no savings . After recently providing financial assistance to a relative -- a move that depleted her bank account -- Locascio admits she never thought she 'd be able to afford a home of her own any time soon . She 's unable to meet the 3.5 percent down payment required for the most affordable government-backed home loans ; therefore , she had resigned herself to paying rent until she was able to recoup her savings . That 's when a friend , Lance Connolly , a Phoenix Realtor , told Locascio of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program . `` My Realtor filled me in on it , and then I did some research on it and decided that would probably be the best route to take , '' Locascio says . The program is limited to applicants with incomes between $ 55,350 and $ 104,400 , depending on family size , according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development . The income limits vary from region to region . Applicants must also complete eight hours of financial counseling and courses in budgeting and home ownership , and be able to invest $ 1,000 of their own money . Under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program , HUD requires the lender to give buyers a 15 % discount below the appraised value and the loan must be paid back in full when the homeowner sells the home or refinances . Lenders are not required , however , to accept a discounted offer . Once approved for the maximum loan , Locascio wasted little time in locating and bidding on a property she liked . Although Locascio 's bid was $ 30,000 less than the listing price , offers like hers are common in the Phoenix area . On any given day in 2009 , real estate listings can show more than 25,000 foreclosed single family homes available . Locascio said , `` I 'd be disappointed '' if the bank turned down her offer . Locascio has good credit , and so she qualified for a $ 275,000 fixed-rate mortgage using the approved federal funds . She believes taking the mandated classes taught her the importance of personal affordability . `` I liked the programs , the counseling and things like that that teach you not to live outside your means ... I do n't want to be house poor , '' Locascio said . Under the scenario of her bid , Locascio would only have to come up with about $ 1,500 on her own for earnest money and appraisal costs . If approved , her monthly mortgage payment would actually be $ 180 less than what she is paying to rent for a two-bedroom , 900-square foot apartment . Connolly has been in the Phoenix real estate market for about nine years and has seen the disastrous real estate downturn up close . He hopes to soon see more clients using NSP funding . `` It 's just kind of coming out now that people are understanding it 's there . I do n't think they have done a very big promotion ... put it on billboards or anything like that to say , ` Hey , this is available to you , ' '' Connolly said . Until now , Connolly said , Internet-savvy house hunters have had to discover the program on their own . Experts want to caution those who think the Neighborhood Stabilization Program will solve Phoenix 's devastated real estate market . John Smith , president of Mesa , Arizona-based Housing Our Communities , a nonprofit that helps people find affordable housing , says that wo n't happen . `` We have to identify those goals , those strategies and those resources that are going to make a difference , '' he says . `` This is not , in and of itself , going to do that . '' He compares the program to a Band-Aid , cautioning , `` It is only one tool ... we 're going to have to find some other solutions to stabilize these communities . '' Communities are visibly ailing all across the area , with some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods nearly abandoned by foreclosures . Homes are boarded up and weeds cover the `` For Sale '' and `` For Rent '' signs in thousands of yards . `` It 's overwhelming when you look at the numbers , '' Smith said , noting that Phoenix still records roughly 8,000 new foreclosure notices every month . Smith estimates the loan program will probably help only about 1,000 families acquire homes across the Phoenix metro area . Nonprofit housing assistance programs such as Smith 's are available in many cities across the country to educate and counsel prospective home buyers and inform them of available assistance . However , Smith cautions it 's not just about quick ownership . `` We just do n't want houses to be bought and sold . We want families to invest and develop affordable , sustainable home ownership throughout the community . '' Smith urges patience and warns it will take full cooperation for all sectors to turn the housing crisis around . `` We have to encourage the private sector , the banking industry , the mortgage industry to also get involved and provide product that makes it possible for families to buy houses . It all ca n't be federal money , '' Smith said . Less than 24 hours after submitting her bid , Locascio received a call from the bank . After watching the property sit foreclosed and idle on the market for almost two months , she was informed that someone else beat her bid by only a few hours . Despite the funding assistance , Locascio quickly learned there are no assurances or guarantees in the federally funded home buying process . She later found two more places she likes and placed bids on them . She hopes one of the banks will come through quickly and make her a new homeowner , the first to use funds from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program . | Arizona has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country . Federal program makes funds available to first-time homebuyers . Experts unsure if many applicants can be helped . No money has yet been used to help purchase homes . | [[136, 245], [1798, 1860]] |
CRYSTAL LAKE , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Karin Kubacki no longer buys clothing or toys for her 7-year-old son , Max . Karin and Chris Kubacki are cutting back to make her severance and unemployment pay last a year . She avoids driving her 8-year-old Honda Civic unless absolutely necessary and has no plans to repair a second vehicle , an 11-year-old Ford F-250 . Bubble baths and Hershey bars are now her few luxuries . These are among the cost-saving measures Kubacki is taking to make her 13 weeks of severance pay last a full year . Kubacki , the family breadwinner , was laid off July 1 from a job she loved -- software project manager at Accenture , where she had worked for 15 years . At first , she was stunned . `` I had this impression that someone had grabbed a big vacuum and sucked all the air out of the room . It was like I could n't get my breath , '' she said . Her husband , a former schoolteacher who is a stay-at-home dad and a woodworker , feared for the family 's financial future . `` At first there is the panic , ` Oh my gosh , we are going to lose the house tomorrow and live in a cardboard box , ' '' Chris Kubacki recalled . Watch the Kubackis discuss how they 've handled Karin 's job loss '' Yet his wife was determined to make her loss an opportunity to spend more time with the family while taking time to find another job she would love as much as the one she had just lost . So the Kubackis are trying to make Karin 's severance , unemployment checks and some extra cash Accenture provided to pay for an extension of her health insurance last a full year . They are determined to keep paying the mortgage on their home in Crystal Lake , Illinois , a Chicago suburb , and not dig into savings -- all on an expected pre-tax income of $ 54,000 , a little less than half of the family 's normal earnings . `` We have been frugal people , and we have tried to save as much as we can , and that is one of the reasons why I have been able to stay home with Max , '' said Chris , who builds wooden toys for his son . But never have the Kubackis been as frugal as they are now . For the first time , the family is living by a strict budget . They are saving by : . • Biking and walking rather than driving , whenever possible . • Rarely going out to restaurants . • Finding enriching community activities for their child that cost little or nothing . • Taking out books from the library . • Purchasing only absolute necessities and buying what 's on sale . `` There are no luxuries now . Before , we had a lot more where we could say , ` Let 's go do this . ' Now it 's a lot more careful , '' Karin said . `` When I had a job , when I shopped , I would make impulse purchases . Now , no way . '' Not only is diminished consumption not as painful as it might seem , the Kubackis say , but the change has also brought a fuller and more enjoyable lifestyle than at any time when Karin was earning a regular paycheck . `` We can have all kinds of fun doing things that do n't cost anything , '' Chris said . Chris concedes he has felt internal pressure to get a job , but the couple agrees that for now , they prefer to avoid that to be able to spend as much time together and have Chris available for Max . After adopting a frugal lifestyle , the Kubackis say they now really appreciate life 's little luxuries . `` If you pick just a couple of luxuries like Hershey bars , then you really enjoy 'em . And if you have a lot of luxuries , then they become necessities . But if you only have a couple , boy are they terrific , '' Karin said . Even though neither Karin nor Chris now hold jobs , they are still giving 10 percent of Karin 's unemployment check to their church . Living only a few doors from the neighborhood food pantry , they see frequent reminders of their blessings . `` So I do n't have a job right now , '' Karin said . `` We 've got a house . We 've got cars , we 've got food . We have nothing to complain about . '' Are you fighting the recession , using innovative techniques to stay ahead in this economy or overcoming financial adversity ? Share your story with us by sending an e-mail to [email protected] , and you could be profiled in an upcoming segment on CNN . | Chicago-area couple start cost-saving measures after breadwinner loses job . They hope to make 13 weeks ' severance last all year while still paying the mortgage . Among their tactics : avoid driving when possible , buy only necessities when on sale . | [[120, 217], [439, 538], [1593, 1727], [2416, 2483], [2416, 2428], [2459, 2483]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sugar lovers may have to face a bitter truth : The less sugar added to foods for typical people , the better are their blood-fat profiles and the lower are their cardiovascular risks , a study to be published Wednesday concludes . `` We found that the lower the amount of added sugar people ate , the better their good cholesterol and their blood triglyceride levels , '' said co-author Dr. Miriam B. Vos , assistant professor of pediatrics at Emory University in Atlanta , Georgia , and author of `` The No-Diet Obesity Solution for Kids . '' Unfortunately for dessert lovers , the converse is true . Increased sugars are associated with important cardiovascular disease risk factors , according to the report . The authors cited lower levels of HDL-C , which is sometimes referred to as the good cholesterol , and higher levels of triglycerides . The study , to be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association , highlights a trend some nutritionists consider disturbing : In recent years , the typical American 's diet has increasingly incorporated added sugars . The authors defined them as `` caloric sweeteners used by the food industry and consumers as ingredients in processed or prepared foods to increase the desirability of those foods . '' Data from the mid-1990s show that 15.8 percent of the typical American 's diet was composed of added sugar -- 21.4 teaspoons or 359 calories per day . That 's up from 10.6 percent in 1977-1978 . Added sugars have been linked to obesity , diabetes and tooth decay . The researchers studied 6,113 adults enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey . Interviewers called them and asked what they had eaten the previous day , then estimated the total added sugar in each person 's diet . Participants were then separated into groups : Those who got less than 5 percent of total calories from added sugar ; 5 percent to less than 10 percent ; 10 percent to less than 17.5 percent ; 17.5 percent to less than 25 percent ; and 25 percent or more . Those in the highest-consuming added sugar group eat about 46 teaspoons of added sugar per day , the study said . Those who consumed more added sugar tended to be younger , non-Latino blacks with low income , it said . The report says 18.5 percent of Americans get at least 25 percent of their calories from added sugar . The strongest relationship between added sugar and blood fats was found in values for HDL-C , which fell from 58.7 mg/dl for those who ate the least added sugar to 47.7 mg/dl for those who ate the most . A higher HDL-C level is associated with a lower cardiovascular risk . Among some blood fats linked to higher cardiovascular risk , the converse was true : Triglyceride levels went from 105 mg/dl in the group that ate the least sugar to 114 mg/dl in the group that ate the most . The so-called bad cholesterol , LDL-C , went from 116 mg/dl for women who ate the least sugar to 123 mg/dl for women who ate the most . There were no significant trends for LDL-C among men . The authors concluded that their data support dietary guidelines that aim to cut consumption of added sugar . But those guidelines are all over the map . The Institute of Medicine recommends no more than 25 percent of total energy from added sugars ; the World Health Organization recommends less than 10 percent ; and the American Heart Association has recently advised no more than 100 calories per day for women and 150 calories per day for men , which works out to about 5 percent . `` What it really means is we have to go back to things like whole grains and vegetables and fruit and eat things in moderation in order to be healthy , '' Vos said . `` Plus , a good healthy dose of activity . '' But the study compiled data based on a single day 's consumption , and it was not clear whether that day was representative of other days , she said . `` We do n't know that all of the people had their usual diet the day before , '' she said . `` There are always some weaknesses in that kind of data . '' Carbohydrates have been linked for decades to abnormal blood fat levels , `` but a big contemporary issue is added sugars , '' said Dr. Frank Sacks , professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston , Massachusetts . Vos ' study `` fills in a gap in the science base . '' The study will likely be discussed next month when the American Heart Association takes up the matter of added sugars at its meeting in Washington , he said . `` We just overeat too damn much , '' he said . `` What this study is saying is that , for some groups -- especially young people , black , poor -- sugar is just way too big a proportion of their intake . '' `` The real truth is that we 're supposed to eat a balanced diet , less processed food , '' said Carla Wolper , a nutritionist at the Obesity Research Center at St. Luke 's Hospital in New York and assistant professor at Columbia University 's Eating Disorders Center . Wolper praised the study for its size and careful construction . But Dr. Richard K. Bernstein , a diabetes specialist based in Mamaroneck , New York , was unimpressed . `` This is just one more study showing that carbohydrates create abnormal lipid profiles , '' he said . | Added sugar is associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors , study finds . Study : Lower added-sugar consumption linked to better levels of good cholesterol . Study to be published in the Journal of the American Medical Association . Those who ate more added sugar tended to be low-income , younger non-Latino blacks . | [[621, 703], [250, 385], [202, 249], [868, 946], [949, 1024], [2162, 2254], [4607, 4705]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As a concept , recycling has lived and died many times throughout its 4,000-year old history . But it always re-emerges as an idea when humans need it most , such as during the Great Depression , and later during World War II , when American companies recycled or reused around 25 percent of the waste stream . A sign in Cheshire , England signalling a recycling drop-off area . Today , the global recycling industry generates $ 160 billion a year , processing more than 500 million tons of materials . The industry is becoming one of the world 's biggest employers . While the official amount of people employed by the industry is 1.5 million worldwide , the real figure -- when you factor in illegal recycling operations in the developing world -- is likely to be much , much higher . The United Nations believes , for example , that as many as 10 million people in China alone are now in the recycling business . What 's not to like about recycling ? There are some fairly persuasive arguments for recycling , and for using recycled goods . Energy savings is just one of them . By reusing existing materials you are essentially removing the process involved in sourcing the `` virgin materials '' in the first place . Take soda cans , made from aluminum . According to Friends of the Earth , creating a ton of these from scratch takes five times the amount of energy as it would to produce a ton of recycled cans . According to the Bureau of International Recycling -LRB- BIR -RRB- , the companies that manufacture recycled aluminum are using 95 percent less energy than if they were using `` virgin materials . '' -LRB- For plastics the energy savings are almost as high -- 80 percent , BIR says , while making paper from recycled paper -LRB- as opposed to wood -RRB- can save 64 percent of energy . -RRB- . Looking at it another way , according to the National Recycling Coalition , the amount of energy saved in one year by Americans recycling their soda cans , plastic containers , newspapers and packaging represented the energy equivalent of : . Not surprisingly , recycling also impacts pollution levels . BIR says producing paper from recycled paper as opposed to wood can slash air pollution by as much as 74 percent and water pollution by 35 percent ; while manufacturing recycled steel results in 86 percent less air pollution . There are different types of pollution savings to be made , reducing the pollution generated by manufacturing the stuff in the first place . And then there is the pollution that results in dumping the waste in landfills , instead of recycling it . A recent report from the European Environment Agency -LRB- EEA -RRB- , for example , has predicted that greenhouse gas emissions from household waste will drop by more than 80 percent by 2020 -- largely because of increases in recycling levels which are diverting waste away from landfills . And the carbon savings can be huge , even when a relatively small amount of effort has been made . The UK has one of Europe 's lowest recycling rates when it comes to municipal waste -- 27 percent . Yet , the impact on its carbon emissions has already become worthwhile , according to Waste & Resources Action Programme , or WRAP . WRAP says that these relatively minor efforts already mean a 10 million - to 15 million-ton reduction in carbon dioxide -LRB- CO2 -RRB- emissions a year -- the equivalent of taking 3.5 million cars off the road . What about the costs ? One of the main objections to the recycling movement has been the cost factor . Throwing something away is obviously going to be a lot cheaper than going through the hassle of recycling it . And certain materials are going to be a lot tougher to recycle than others , driving up costs and energy spent . But , as a 2004 study by research group GPI Atlantic found out , there are many different ways to measure cost . GPI looked at the Canadian province of Nova Scotia , which back in the 1990s had decided that 50 percent of its trash was going to get recycled instead of landing up in incinerators or landfills . The annual cost to the province of doing this was $ 18 million more than it would have cost to chuck trash away . But , when different factors were considered , the number looked very different These factors included : . GPI concluded that Nova Scotia was in fact saving up to $ 125 million simply because it had embraced recycling . The developing world 's gain ? Arguably , recycling has seen the most economic success in the poorer parts of the world . According to the Earth Institute , the aluminum can recycling business in Brazil now employs more people than its car industry . Brazilians collecting used soda cans have boosted their earning power significantly , earning $ 200 a month against the standard minimum $ 81 monthly salary . Then there are the inhabitants of a single 174-hectare slum in India 's largest city , Mumbai , that have managed to create a $ 1.3 billion recycling industry between them , according to the Observer . Dharavi is home to one million slum dwellers , with a quarter of them fully employed -LRB- albeit often illegally -RRB- in a recycling business which processes 80 percent of Mumbai 's plastic waste alone . `` There is a lot to be learned from the developing world , '' the Observer quoted Friends of the Earth 's Claire Wilton as saying . `` Where a scavenger mentality , grassroots recycling and sheer necessity can lead to imaginative leaps in redeploying waste . '' That being said , the economic impact may be welcomed by those in poorer countries sifting through everyone 's trash -- but the health impact still leaves a lot to be desired . Around 70 percent of the world 's electronic waste ends up in southern China . A recent study by Hong Kong 's Baptist University found that the basic methods employed to recycle these items was having an unsettling effect on people living nearby , specifically women . Women in their mid-20s in one recycling site in Zheijiang Province were found to be carrying the highest levels of cancer-causing toxic chemicals like dioxins and furans than they had seen anywhere else in the world . It is still too early to say what the long-term effects of these chemicals will be on these women , but it is likely that it will become clear when they attempt to have children . Dioxins and furans have been linked to reproductive problems specifically . The researchers found that the women had twice the amount of dioxins in their breast milk and three times as much in their placentas as normal . They were also found to be at increasing risk of experiencing spontaneous abortions the longer they chose to live there . E-mail to a friend . -LRB- Source : The Observer ; Friends of the Earth ; The Independent ; California Environmental Protection Agency ; National Recycling Coalition ; New Scientist ; BIR ; The Economist ; Bureau of International Recycling ; UNEP ; Wired -RRB- . | Recycling as a movement 4,000 years old . More than 500 million tons of material recycled every year . Recycling a boom industry in developing world . Health risks arising from poor recycling operations in China . | [[406, 435], [469, 521], [4449, 4457], [4460, 4539]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that infants born as a result of assisted reproductive technology , or ART -- such as in vitro fertilization and the use of donor eggs -- are two to four times more likely to be born with certain types of birth defects than infants conceived naturally . But , the study 's lead author says , the overall risk is still relatively low . With any pregnancy , there is a 3 percent risk of having a baby with a birth defect . `` The most important findings were that for infants conceived using ART , we see an increased risk for certain birth defects , '' said Jennita Reefhuis , Ph.D. , an epidemiologist at the CDC 's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities . She says that children conceived using ART were found to have twice the risk of septal heart defects -LRB- a `` hole '' in the heart -RRB- , more than twice the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate , and four times the risk of two gastrointestinal defects . As part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study , which gathers information on birth defects from 10 states , Reefhuis and her colleagues compared 281 births using ART with more than 14,000 naturally conceived births . The researchers looked at approximately 18 categories of birth defects , but only those four were found to be `` statistically significantly associated with ART . '' The study findings pertain only to single births ; the researchers did not find a link between ART and birth defects among multiple births . ART increases the chances of having a multiple birth , and infants born as part of a multiple birth are more likely to have birth defects regardless of the method of conception . `` It is important for parents to realize that the individual risk for these birth defects remain low , '' Reefhuis said . `` It sounds like a lot to say ' a two - to fourfold increased risk , ' but you have to keep in mind that the starting risk for these individual defects is actually pretty low . '' Still , says Reefhuis , in the interest of full disclosure and because the use of ART is on the rise , it is important to make these higher risks known . `` I think it 's important for people to be aware that there may be an increased risk for birth defects with ART , '' she said . `` But it is also really important for couples to realize that with any pregnancy , there is a 3 percent risk of a birth defect regardless of any exposures during pregnancy . '' Elizabeth Ginsburg , M.D. , president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies and the medical director of in vitro fertilization at Brigham and Women 's hospital in Boston , Massachusetts , says the study adds to a growing body of evidence . Ginsburg is not connected to the CDC study . `` I think the take-home message is that if you have infertility and you are going to get help to try to conceive , there is some evidence that you might be at increased risk of having a baby with problems , '' Ginsburg said . `` The big question it raises is , is there something biologically different about people with infertility , '' Ginsburg said . `` It would n't be shocking to find out that there may be some biological difference that makes it more difficult for them to conceive as well as putting them at risk of a higher chance of having babies with some sort of adverse outcome . '' ART , which has been used in the United States since 1981 , is defined as any procedure that involves surgically removing eggs from a woman 's ovaries , combining them with sperm in the laboratory , and returning them to the woman 's body or donating them to another woman . It does not include intrauterine -- or artificial -- insemination or egg-stimulating drugs such as Clomid . It is estimated that more than 1 percent of babies born in the United States are conceived using ART , and that number has been steadily rising , with the rate doubling between 1996 and 2004 . In 2005 , 134,000 ART procedures were performed , resulting in approximately 52,000 births . Almost 12 percent of women ages 15 to 44 report having used some kind of infertility treatment , according to a 2002 national survey . | CDC : Babies born via fertility treatments are at higher risk of certain birth defects . Septal heart defects , cleft palate and two GI defects are two to four times more likely . Absolute risk of birth defects is still low . Assisted reproduction rising , with such birth rates doubling between 1996 and 2004 . | [[260, 270], [276, 342], [532, 657], [807, 885], [807, 835], [847, 893], [2262, 2343], [2955, 3044], [3234, 3432], [260, 270], [276, 342], [793, 1050], [807, 885], [807, 835], [847, 893], [1914, 1926], [1929, 1963], [371, 400], [403, 445], [1796, 1874], [3819, 4000], [3970, 4011]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anti-whaling protesters hurled containers of butyric acid at a Japanese whaling ship in Antarctic waters , injuring four crew members , a Japanese official said Monday . Activists from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society hurl objects on to the Japanese ship Nisshin Maru . The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society acknowledged the Sunday incident , saying it had lobbed more than two dozen bottles of rotten butter at the Nisshin Maru , `` sending a stench throughout the whale killing ship that will remain for days . '' Butyric acid is found in rotten butter . The Sea Shepherd boat had to move a half-mile away from the whaling ship because `` it stinks too bad to remain any closer , '' activist Todd Emko of New York said in a statement from the group . Watch protesters toss objects at the ship '' The conservation group said it also threw packets of a slippery chemical on to the deck of the ship , making it difficult to cut up whales . The unnamed substance becomes more slippery when mixed with water so it will be difficult to wash off the deck , a Sea Shepherd statement said . `` I guess we can call this nonviolent chemical warfare , '' said Capt. Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd boat , the Steve Irwin . `` We only use organic , nontoxic materials designed to harass and obstruct ... whaling operations . '' Itsunori Onodera , Japan 's senior vice minister for foreign affairs , described the incident at an international seminar for African and Asian delegates to the International Whaling Commission . He said the Sea Shepherd group threw bags of acid , rather than bottles of rancid butter . Onodera told the audience that the crew complained of injuries afterward , but he did n't elaborate . Sea Shepherd 's U.S. office said it did not know of any injuries . Sea Shepherd interferes with Japanese hunts in an attempt to reduce the number of whales taken . In January , two activists from the group were seized when they boarded another Japanese whaling ship . Japan is lobbying a dozen members of the International Whaling Commission in Tokyo to support its much-criticized Antarctic whaling program . The effort comes before all 78 members of the panel this week in London , England . The commission is meeting to discuss reaching an agreement on whale conservation rules . Japan 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Fisheries Agency are making their case to officials from Angola , Eritrea , the Republic of the Congo , Guinea , Ghana , Malawi , Tanzania , Palau , Micronesia , Cambodia , Laos and Vanuatu . Japan has said it is conducting the hunt as research , calling the practice environmentally and scientifically sound . Watch why Tokyo is furious over the stink between whalers , protesters '' The country 's annual hunt kills up to 1,000 whales a year ; the Fisheries Agency insists it wants `` sustainable whaling . '' However , many in the international community -- particularly Australia -- say such hunts amount to needless slaughter . Critics have said calling these hunts research is a pretext for retrieving whale meat to be sold in markets and restaurants . E-mail to a friend . | Captain of activist ship : `` We can call this nonviolent chemical warfare '' Japan : Anti-whaling group threw butyric acid on board whaling vessel . Japan : The crew complained of injuries after the butyric acid hit the ship . Butyric acid is found in rancid butter . | [[1125, 1177], [1180, 1230], [8, 13], [33, 137], [1642, 1714], [554, 594]] |
Beijing , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A court in eastern China sentenced a man to death Saturday for attacking 29 kindergarten students and three teachers with a knife , state-run media said . The Taixing Intermediate People 's Court found Xu Yuyuan , 47 , guilty of intentional homicide after a half-day trial , Xinhua news agency said . Xu told the court that his rage against society motivated him in the April 29 attacks , according to Xinhua . But he appealed the death sentence , arguing that the punishment was too severe since no one died in the attacks , Xinhua said . Chinese penal code says a person can be convicted of intentional homicide for acting on an intent to kill , the news agency reported . A police probe found Xu had been unemployed since 2001 , when he was fired by a local insurance company . He told police he carried out the attack because he was angry about a series of business and personal humiliations , Xinhua said . About 300 people attended Saturday 's open trial , according to Xinhua . Xu 's sentence was the second death penalty conviction after a recent spate of school attacks that have prompted public outrage across China . Zheng Minsheng , 42 , was sentenced to death and executed on April 28 for attacking students in front of an elementary school in Fujian province , killing eight and wounding several others . Zheng also used a knife in the attacks , Xinhua reported . Authorities said Zheng carried out the attack because he was frustrated at `` failures in his romantic life , '' the news agency said . At least four other such attacks on school children in China have been reported since March . Guns are strictly regulated in China , but until recently large knives were not . Chinese authorities have recently issued a regulation requiring people to register with their national ID cards when they buy knives longer that 15 centimeters . Other measures have been put in place . In April , the Ministry of Education ordered kindergartens , elementary and secondary schools to restrict strangers from entering the campuses . The ministry instructed schools across the country to hire security guards , install security facilities and ensure that pupils were escorted home . Schools were also urged to teach pupils to how to protect themselves . In some schools , security guards have been armed with `` forks , '' long poles with semi-circular prongs that can be used to fight assailants . | Xu Yuyuan , 47 , found guilty of intentional homicide over April attack . Xu attacked 29 kindergarten students and three teachers with a knife . Attack one in a spate of school attacks which have prompted outrage . | [[190, 253], [85, 151], [1163, 1177], [1212, 1307], [1354, 1359], [1365, 1392], [1020, 1113], [1099, 1113], [1119, 1162], [1549, 1642]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The children of a Los Angeles woman found dead at a Mexican resort last month will not be allowed to attend a memorial service for their mother Sunday , a judge ruled Friday . A therapist hired by their father , a former `` Survivor '' producer named a `` person of interest '' in the investigation of his wife 's death , said the service could be emotionally harmful to the young children . Mexican authorities detained the father , Bruce Beresford-Redman , as a suspect the day his wife 's body 's was found . He was released a day later . Sunday 's memorial service is planned by Monica Beresford-Redman 's sisters , who are also fighting for custody of the children . `` We respect the decision of the court , but we are very disappointed the fact that the children were denied to participate in the celebration of their mother 's life , '' Jeane Burgos said . Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff delayed any decision on changing the current custody arrangement . Beresford-Redman 's parents were given temporary custody last month after he was told by Mexican police to remain in the country while they investigated . He recently returned to Los Angeles and filed papers for custody to be returned to him . The maternal sisters have also petitioned for permanent custody of the children , ages 3 and 5 . Beresford-Redman was not in court Friday because of the swarm of reporters at the Los Angeles County courthouse , his criminal defense lawyer said . Defense Attorney Richard Hirsch used the gathering of journalists to ask that there not be `` a rush to judgment '' about Beresford-Redman . He said there have been other unsolved deaths and an attack at the Moon Palace resort , where Monica Beresford-Redman 's body was found in a sewer . Hirsch cited the death of an elderly Scottish woman , who was found in a swamp weeks after leaving a pool for a walk , and a Canadian man who allegedly fell from a hotel balcony . Jeff Toews , a Canadian , was found dead in May 2007 . Investigators decided he died from a drunken fall from a balcony , but his family did not accept that explanation . Julia Howard , a 77-year-old woman from Scotland , was found dead in a dense swamp six weeks after disappearing from a pool area last summer . Her family also rejected the police conclusion that her death was an accident . A woman reported an attempted rape in her hotel room `` several days after Mrs. Beresford-Redman 's body was discovered , '' Hirsch said . `` We have brought this to the attention of the authorities and , in particular , to the attorney general in Cancun and asked them to pursue all leads before making a decision whether of not to charge our client , '' Hirsch said . `` We feel that this case should not be a rush to judgment . '' `` There are strange things going on , I think , that need to be pursued , '' he said . A spokeswoman for the resort has not responded to a CNN request for comment . The initial investigation suggested Monica Beresford-Redman `` died of strangulation because of the bruising , '' Mexican regional police spokesman Adrian Cardena said . A source close to the wife has told CNN that she cleaned out the family bank account and took her two children to Hawaii because she was upset about her husband 's extramarital affair . The couple later traveled to Cancun in an effort to repair their marriage , the source said . Bruce Beresford-Redman built his career as a Hollywood reality television show producer . He worked for several seasons on the popular CBS show `` Survivor , '' in which contestants compete against each other in a variety of extreme outdoor scenarios . He was nominated for three Emmy Awards as a producer on the show and was last credited as a producer in 2004 . He also worked on NBC 's `` The Contender '' and `` The Restaurant , '' as well as MTV 's `` Pimp My Ride , '' according to entertainment media company IMG . Monica Beresford-Redman , a native of Brazil , owned a restaurant in Los Angeles . | Mother was found dead at a Mexican resort last month . Father named `` person of interest '' in investigation of his wife 's death . Therapist said emotional service could harm young children . Father 's lawyer says resort had other unsolved deaths . | [[14, 34], [66, 110], [256, 363], [220, 231], [366, 435], [1665, 1750]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran should release seven Baha'i prisoners accused of espionage because it does not have any evidence against them , their lawyer Shirin Ebadi told CNN on Saturday . Attorneys Abdolfattah Soltani , left , and Shirin Ebadi , shown in Tehran in 2004 . `` In the files , in the case basically , there is nothing , no reason that basically convicts them , '' said Ebadi , a Nobel Peace Prize laureate . The trial will begin Tuesday despite the fact that one of their lawyers is behind bars and Ebadi is outside the country . Other attorneys can be appointed , Hassan Haddad of the Prosecutor 's Office in Tehran told the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency . But the court must recognize the replacements , who are colleagues of Ebadi at her Tehran-based Defenders of Human Rights Center , not appoint other lawyers , Ebadi said . The imprisoned lawyer , Abdolfattah Soltani , is a well-known advocate with the human rights center . He was arrested in the aftermath of Iran 's disputed June 12 presidential election and is being held at Evin prison , the same place where his clients are detained , according to the International Campaign for Human Rights . He is being held on charges of taking `` measures against national security , '' Ebadi said . `` Mr. Soltani is completely innocent . '' Soltani had an opportunity to leave prison , but under conditions he chose not to accept , Ebadi said . Along with not giving any interviews after his release , Soltani would also have to end his work with the human rights center and no longer support Ebadi , she said . In another attack on the law firm , a lawyer was arrested after agents entered the center with guns , searched each room and then declared that they found opium on the premises , Ebadi said . That lawyer , whose family had been harassed by police , accused the agents of planting the opium , she said . Ebadi was on a speaking tour when Soltani was arrested and has not returned to Iran . The firm founded by Ebadi took up the case of the seven Baha'is last year . They are accused of spying for Israel , spreading propaganda against the Islamic republic and committing religious offenses . The Baha'i International Community , which has a delegation to the United Nations , denies the allegations . The evidence against the defendants includes communication from Israel , but that is because the Baha'i World Center has its headquarters in Israel , said Kit Bigelow , director of external affairs at the American Baha'i Community . Prosecutors are calling that communication espionage , she said . Human rights groups have demanded the release of the prisoners and accused the government of targeting them because of their religious beliefs . The Baha'i faith originated in 19th-century Persia , and while modern-day Iran does not recognize it , the government denies any mistreatment of the members of the largest non-Muslim religious minority . The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran has reported a rise in persecution of Baha'is in recent years , including cemetery desecration , arbitrary detention , home raids , property confiscation , work expulsion and denial of basic civil rights . The case of the seven Baha'is has drawn global attention . Roxana Saberi , the Iranian-American journalist freed from Evin prison earlier this year , spoke on their behalf , as have Human Rights Watch and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom , an independent bipartisan federal commission . The defendants face the death penalty if convicted . Six of the defendants were arrested in May 2008 at their Tehran homes , and one was arrested in the eastern city of Mashad in March 2008 , said Diane Ala'i , the Baha'i International Community 's representative to the United Nations . The defendants were held under solitary confinement for the first five months of their incarceration , she said . The investigation into the charges against the prisoners concluded months ago and the trial was initially scheduled to start in July . Iran has continued to hold them in Evin prison without access to their lawyers and with minimal contact with their families , Ala'i said . CNN 's Moni Basu contributed to this report . | Seven Baha'i prisoners accused of espionage to go on trial Tuesday in Iran . Baha'is are accused of spying for Israel , spreading propaganda against Iran . One of defendants ' attorneys is in jail ; another is outside the country . Case of the seven Baha'is has drawn global attention . | [[2049, 2086], [2049, 2053], [2089, 2174], [418, 539], [509, 539], [3190, 3248]] |
Miami , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Growing up , Jean-Manuel Beauchamp attended no ball games with his grandfather . No barbecues , either , or bedtime stories . Beauchamp , now 20 , was 4 months old when the United States invaded Panama and seized his grandfather . Noriega was later convicted on drug charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison , reduced to 17 for good behavior . Now , three years after the end of his prison term , Beauchamp 's grandad -- former Panamanian military dictator Manuel Noriega -- remains behind bars pending Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 's decision whether to sign extradition documents . That outcome will likely come sooner rather than later . The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday turned down Noriega 's request for a new hearing , setting the stage for his extradition to France , where he has been convicted in abstentia on money laundering charges and faces a new trial . `` It 's all up to Hillary now , '' Beauchamp said . `` There 's not much hope in the courts any longer . '' President Obama has a role to play as well , Beauchamp said , but he held out little hope that the president would intercede . `` I do n't think he 's being informed about this case , and it 's still being ignored , just like the Bush administration did , '' he said . `` I 'm trying not to let this affect me . I just got off the phone with my grandfather . He was adamant about making this injustice known , '' he said . Noriega 's Miami attorneys plan to send Clinton a letter Friday asking that the former Panamanian strongman be returned to his home country of Panama . Noriega 's trial judge declared him a prisoner of war after his drug and money laundering conviction in 1992 . Because of that status , he and his attorneys believe he should have been returned to Panama -- where he would face murder charges -- when his sentence ended in 2007 . But the federal courts have ruled against him , and he has remained in prison south of Miami . `` He was adamant about staying in Miami this whole time , '' said Beauchamp . `` His attitude now is ` whatever happens happens . ' '' Noriega is charged in France with depositing drug money in French banks and using drug money to buy apartments in Paris . He faces up to 10 years in prison there , but his attorneys believe France would not honor his status as a prisoner of war . He faces 20 years on murder and human rights abuse charges in Panama , but Panamanian law would allow him to serve his sentence under house arrest because of his age . The United States holds his fate and must decide whether to honor France 's extradition request or send Noriega home . `` They must also consider the seriousness of the charges , '' said Jon May , Noriega 's appellate attorney . `` Noriega is wanted for murder in Panama . We 're not asking for sympathy from Secretary Clinton , but to recognize there are larger issues , '' he said . Further , he said , `` Panama made the request first , and he is a citizen of Panama , not France . '' Beauchamp also believes that Panama 's case should come first , but he is willing to go with his grandfather wherever he 's sent . `` I told him I will follow him to be with him there , in France , but he said , no , I should stay and work on my studies , '' said Beauchamp . Beauchamp is a film student in New York . He says that he does n't know anything about his grandfather 's past or the drug charges that put him in prison . He was far too young to hear the stories about how Manuel Noriega was once on the CIA 's payroll . `` When I was a kid , I did n't grow up knowing he was in prison . I thought he was in school , '' said Beauchamp . The two have spent quite a bit of time talking both in person and on the phone . Beauchamp said they talk about the present , not the past , and his famous grandfather has motivated him , helping him learn from his own experiences . `` I 've spent quality time with him , but not private time , '' he said , alluding to prison security and the monitoring of conversations . `` He 's the smartest man I know . He 's so friendly , outgoing , knowledgable . He 's always looking to teach or give advice , '' he said . The U.S. government has portrayed Noriega as the ultimate crooked cop -- a man who was paid millions by the Medellin drug cartel to protect cocaine and money shipments . Panamanians remember him as a cruel dictator . But the former Panamanian leader has said his relationship with the United States soured when he refused to help the United States take part in acts of sabotage against the communist Nicaraguan government during the Cold War-era , anti-communist efforts spearheaded by the CIA in Central America during the 1980s . Noriega said that when he refused to help the United States , his country was invaded . Noriega was arrested and taken to Miami to stand trial on the drug charges . During the invasion , 23 U.S. troops were killed , as were about 200 Panamanian citizens . Beauchamp said he wants to learn more about his homeland of Panama . He grew up in Miami , but his sense is that Panama never really wanted his grandfather back there to stand trial and is still reeling from the 1989 U.S. invasion . `` Panama needs closure , and I feel Panama has not wanted him back . Panama is still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder , '' he said . In the meantime , Beauchamp said that his grandfather reads and prays a lot and still has a soldier 's mentality . `` He 's ready for anything . He 's probably developed strategies , in his own mind , to emotionally prepare . He 's been packed for 2 1/2 years waiting , '' he said . `` The U.S. should be escorting him back to Panama , from where they took him . '' | Ex-Panamanian military dictator in jail as he awaits extradition decision . Grandson pushing for Noriega to be returned to Panama . France wants Noriega to stand trial on drug charges . Panama wants him on murder charges , but he would be under house arrest . | [[382, 385], [388, 432], [435, 455], [513, 587], [1492, 1595], [1732, 1799], [1793, 1799], [1803, 1837], [2424, 2520], [2750, 2793]] |
CARACAS , Venezuela -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called Friday for Europe to remove from its list of terrorist organizations two Colombian groups -- including FARC , the group that freed two hostages Thursday in a mission Chavez organized . During his televised State of the Union speech , Chavez -- an outspoken enemy of the Bush administration -- insisted Europe includes the two groups on its terror list only because of `` pressure '' from the United States , which also names them on its list of foreign terrorist organizations . `` I request from the governments of the continent that they will remove the FARC and the ELN , '' Chavez said . FARC , the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , has been blamed for numerous attacks and holds about 750 hostages , according to Colombian government estimates . ELN , the National Liberation Army , the second-largest rebel group in Colombia , also is blamed for killings , kidnappings , and other attacks . This week the Colombian government announced the capture of Carlos Marin Guarin , known by the alias `` Pablito , '' alleged to have commanded roughly half the ELN force . Both FARC and ELN are on the European Union 's list of groups and individuals believed linked to terrorism . `` I will ask Europe to remove the ELN and the FARC from the list of terrorist groups in the world , because that only has one source : the pressure of the United States , '' Chavez said . He argued , `` I say this even though somebody might be bothered by it : the FARC and the ELN are not terrorist groups . They are armies , real armies ... that occupy a space in Colombia . '' He added that the two groups ' `` insurgent forces '' have a goal , `` a project , '' that is `` Bolivarian '' and that `` we respect . '' Chavez said his nation is committed to bringing about peace in Colombia , a task that means `` we must continue to work at the various levels '' with FARC and ELN . `` No one should be bothered by it . It is absolutely essential to do so . Who can think of the possibility of a peace accord when there is no contact with the parties involved , '' he asked . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Chavez urges EU to remove FARC and ELN from list of terror groups . FARC has been blamed for numerous attacks and may hold about 750 hostages . Venezuela 's president arranged release of mother , another hostage Thursday . | [[10, 35], [72, 147], [90, 161], [1275, 1370], [671, 675], [678, 689], [720, 767], [671, 675], [678, 681], [772, 796], [845, 848], [851, 879], [925, 990], [189, 198], [204, 244]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Australia 's iconic Tasmanian devil -- widely known as trouble in Looney Tunes cartoons -- has been put on the country 's endangered list , environmental officials announced Friday . The Tasmanian devil 's future is threatened by a contagious facial cancer that has killed large numbers . `` My decision to uplist the Tasmanian devil is based on advice from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee , which lists the devil facial tumor disease as the major threat to the devil , '' Environment Minister Peter Garrett said in a statement . `` This disease has led to the decline of about 70 percent of the Tasmanian devil population since the disease was first reported in 1996 . '' The disease has devastated the animals , native to the Australian state of Tasmania , an island off the southeastern coast . Devil facial tumor disease is one of only three cancers known to spread like a contagious disease , according to the Tasmanian government 's Web site . As the name implies , it causes tumors on the face and neck , and sometimes other parts of the body , and it 's passed by biting . The Australian government has committed $ 7.8 million over five years to the Save the Tasmanian Devil program , according to Garrett . `` This is to help with research into disease transmission and treatment , and will support captive and wild populations , '' he said . In 2005 , the program established a captive breeding insurance population . Disease-free animals were gathered from the wild population and are being bred on the mainland . `` As of February 2009 , the insurance population had grown to 145 disease-free Tasmanian devils '' at 10 zoos and wildlife parks , the Tasmanian government said . `` The animals in this breeding program could play an important role , if ever needed , in helping re-establish healthy wild populations in Tasmania . '' Although the image of the Tasmanian devil has been popularized around the world by the Looney Tunes cartoon character Taz , the real thing is a much different animal . The devil , the world 's only surviving marsupial carnivore , is about 25 pounds -LRB- 12 kg -RRB- of bad attitude , with a haunting cry that 's a combination of snorting and growling . | Australia 's iconic Tasmanian devil has been put on the endangered list . Devil facial tumor disease has led to 70 percent decline in population . It is one of only three cancers known to spread like a contagious disease . | [[202, 275], [246, 275], [281, 307], [561, 671], [829, 884], [866, 926]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Dutch entrepreneur is hoping to construct the biggest indoor golf center in the world in the Netherlands which he believes will revolutionize the sport 's leisure industry . The vast 18,000 square-meter bubble will house a plethora of golf practice facilities , including chipping greens , bunkers and water hazards . The latest golf simulators will offer the choice of the top golf courses in the world , plus a rooftop 34-bay driving range with the latest high-tech swing analysis . Add in a golf shop of over 1,000 square meters , a fitness and health center and a five-star hotel , restaurants and business conference facilities and the scale of the project becomes clear . The drawback is the $ 50 million -LRB- $ 66.59 million -RRB- price tag and a prominent site big enough to house a complex bigger than a major football stadium in a densely populated country . But Standing , who has patented the term Indoor Golf Arena and hopes to franchise the concept , is unabashed even during a global recession . `` Traditional real estate developments and housing offices are suffering and investors are looking for alternatives in leisure which are becoming an increasingly attractive proposition , '' he told CNN . Standing also believes that the Netherlands , which has 350,000 golfers and an annual growth rate of over 10 per cent , not to mention excellent transport links to other parts of continental Europe , is the ideal location . `` This is actually meant to put everything that makes golf a way of life under one roof , '' he said . He told CNN that two sites near The Hague and Rotterdam had been earmarked for the project and said he hoped to begin building in 2012 with `` huge interest '' among investors from the Middle East . The ambitious project also has the backing of the PGA of Europe and the Dutch golf federation . It is part of a trend which has seen the sport go inside with simulators enabling golfers of all standards to play the world 's classic courses without stepping outside and in all weathers . In South Korea , where courses are at a premium and memberships expensive , the numbers of golf cafes with simulators have grown exponentially while London-based operator Urban Golf told CNN it is expanding fast . Virtual screens replace greens . Marketing director David Richter says they have been successful because changes in lifestyle has put leisure time at a premium . `` If you just want to have a quick game with friends you do n't have to take a whole day out of your diary , you can do it in an hour , '' he said . Richter also believes that indoor operators have removed the barriers to playing at a traditional club . `` You do n't need to be a member or have a handicap certificate to play , there 's no stuffy dress code or clubhouse rules . '' But whatever the advantages of indoor golf , will it replace the real thing ? Andy Calton , the Editor in Chief of Today 's Golfer , says that simulators and state-of-the-art indoor centers may indeed replace the traditional driving range , but told CNN there was no substitute for the outdoor experience . `` These places may well but the future of golf practice but as for being the future of golf , I 'm not convinced , '' he said . `` I still think people want to play on a real course and find their ball in real trees ! '' he added . Standing hopes his venture will boost golf standards in his native Netherlands with top players having access to the latest practice facilities , but also believes the model of traditional golf club membership is eroding as more and more players turn to a green fee-pay-and-play game . In that context , he believes his venture will flourish and he wants to franchise the idea around the world . `` Indoor Golf Arena will be the place to be for every golfer , '' boasts the mission statement on the project 's Web site , only time will tell whether the bubble will float or burst . | Planned indoor golf center in the Netherlands would be the biggest of its kind . The center would boast state-of-the-art facilities but carries a price tag of $ 66 million . Trends point to growing demand for indoor golf faciliteis or `` virtual '' golf . Traditionalists say golf will remain a predominantly outdoor game . | [[0, 15], [19, 125], [699, 890], [1872, 1882], [1889, 1933]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sandy stretch in the tony Hamptons topped 2010 's best beaches list , compiled each year by a coastal scholar known as Dr. Beach . Coopers Beach , the main beach in the village of Southampton on the east end of Long Island , New York , took top honors this year on the 20th annual list released by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman , director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University . Coopers Beach 's sandy shoreline is dotted with historic mansions and the picturesque St. Andrews Dune Church . Sarasota , Florida 's , Siesta Beach took the second spot on the list , followed by Coronado Beach in San Diego , California . Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate the nation 's beaches , including water quality , sand quality , beach width and environmental management . The full list includes coastal recreation spots from Hawaii to Massachusetts : . 1 . Coopers Beach in Southampton , New York . 2 . Siesta Beach in Sarasota , Florida . 3 . Coronado Beach in San Diego , California . 4 . Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina . 5 . Main Beach in East Hampton , New York . 6 . Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki , Oahu , Hawaii . 7 . Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod , Massachusetts . 8 . Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island , South Carolina . 9 . Hamoa Beach in Maui , Hawaii . 10 . Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne , Florida . | Coopers Beach in Southampton , New York , tops the 2010 best beaches list . The list is compiled by a coastal researcher at Florida International University . Second and third spots go to beaches in Sarasota , Florida , and San Diego , California . | [[0, 15], [56, 88], [152, 165], [257, 306], [0, 15], [91, 130], [113, 151], [545, 553], [569, 614]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- May 27 , 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today 's show : . • Arizona • Seoul , South Korea • New York City . 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 : Hi , there ! My name is Carl Azuz . This is CNN Student News ! This school year may be fleeting , but we 've got 10 minutes to bring you today 's commercial-free headlines . First Up : Border Security . AZUZ : First up , President Obama is sending troops and money to the border between the U.S. and Mexico . The announcement came out late Tuesday . 1,200 additional National Guard troops and $ 500 million more , all aimed at increasing border security and cutting down on illegal activities . The plan is for these troops to help out with drug enforcement and intelligence efforts until the Customs and Border Protection agency recruits and trains new agents to serve at the border . According to a new CNN poll , nearly nine out of every 10 Americans think more troops are needed along the border . Arizona 's lawmakers agree . Their state is part of that border with Mexico , and some of them have been calling for more troops . One of those lawmakers , Senator John McCain , says the president 's plan is n't enough though . He thinks it 'll take 3,000 new troops , and that 's just to cover the Arizona-Mexico border . As for Mexico , it says the additional forces will help out , but Mexican officials say they hope these troops will be fighting against crime and not getting involved in immigration laws . Gulf Coast Oil . AZUZ : Well tomorrow , President Obama is scheduled to visit the Gulf Coast to see how things are going in the fight against that giant oil spill we 've been telling you about . Yesterday , the fight took a new turn . You 've heard us talk about the so-called `` top kill '' procedure they 're going to try . Around 2 p.m. , BP started it . They started pumping 50,000 pounds of a special mud-like fluid that has about twice the density of water and they were pumping that into the leak . They hope -- we all hope -- it stops the oil . Then , the whole thing will be sealed off with cement . The head of BP said there was about a 60 to 70 percent chance of success . President Obama said if it works , it should seriously reduce or even stop the flow of oil . If it fails , the president says they 'll move onto the next strategy . When we recorded this show yesterday , the process was still going on . We hope to have more details on it for you tomorrow . In the meantime , you can always get the latest details at CNN.com . Korean Tensions . AZUZ : Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is back in the U.S. after spending a week in Asia . Her last stop on that trip was South Korea . And as you 've heard , things have been tense between that country and North Korea . If you have n't heard , you can watch our archived shows from this week to find out why . You will find those show at CNNStudentNews.com . Getting back to Secretary Clinton , she says the North is provoking the South . She calls it unacceptable and she 's urging North Korea to stop making threats . She says the international community has a responsibility to respond to the situation , and she made it clear that the U.S. is standing behind South Korea . HILLARY CLINTON , U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE : Let me repeat publicly what I expressed privately to President Lee and Minister Yu . The United States offers our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the 46 sailors killed in the sinking of the Cheonan and to all the people of South Korea . We will stand with you in this difficult hour and we stand with you always . Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Today 's Shoutout goes out to Miss Poole 's civics and economics class at Hobbton High School in Newton Grove , North Carolina ! What is the term for a group of military ships ? You know what to do ! Is it : A -RRB- Battalion , B -RRB- Phalanx , C -RRB- Fleet or D -RRB- Conclave ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! A group of military ships is referred to as a fleet . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Fleet Week . AZUZ : And a celebration involving a group of military ships is called Fleet Week ! It 's taking place right now in New York City . Fleet Week is actually a celebration of all the military sea services : the Navy , the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard . They happen in different cities all over the country . New York has hosted a Fleet Week nearly every year since 1984 . Thousands of sailors , Marine and Coast Guard members are in New York for the event . It kicks off with the Parade of Ships , which you see right here . Once they dock at the pier , people can go on board and take tours of the Navy vessels . Plus , there are dozens of military demonstrations throughout the week . Home and Away . AZUZ : Fleet Week runs through Memorial Day this weekend . Of course , Memorial Day , the holiday , pays tribute to all American troops who have lost their lives while serving the country in battle . CNN has a new website that does the same kind of thing . It 's called `` Home and Away . '' You see it on your screen right here . It 's focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan . More than 6,000 U.S. and coalition troops have been killed in these conflicts . The `` Home and Away '' site connects where these men and women died with where they lived , and it gives family members and friends an opportunity to share memories about their loved ones . You 'll find a link to the site in the Spotlight section of our home page ; that 's CNNStudentNews.com . Is this Legit ? STAN CASE , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Is this legit ? The space shuttle Atlantis is named after the legendary lost city . Nope ! The shuttle is named after a sailing ship that was run by an oceanographic institute . Last Landing for Atlantis ? AZUZ : Atlantis came in for what could be its final landing yesterday . The space shuttle program is scheduled to end later on this year , and Atlantis is the first shuttle on the retirement list . It touched down at Kennedy Space Center after its 32nd mission . During that time , it helped with the international space station and launched spacecraft that explored Venus and Jupiter . Atlantis ' service in space is n't necessarily over though . It 's the back-up shuttle for a future mission if anything goes wrong , so NASA 's getting the shuttle ready just in case . Once the shuttles do retire , they 're not headed for the junk yard , and you ca n't really recycle them . John Zarrella thought looks at what could happen once the space shuttles are permanently grounded . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO -RRB- . JOHN ZARRELLA , CNN CORRESPONDENT : As they rocket to space , the astronauts watch the world fall away below them . UNIDENTIFIED MALE : Getting RPM . Three , two , one , mark . ZARRELLA : Discovery does a somersault as it approaches the space station . Nearly 30 years of these `` oh wow '' moments almost over . The end of this year or sometime next , the last shuttle will fly . So , what do you do with three old orbiters ? Heck , Atlantis has got 120 million miles on her . If you 're NASA , you ca n't get all teary-eyed and nostalgic . You 've got to unload those old clunkers and move on ; put a for-sale sign on Atlantis and Discovery and Endeavour . So , you 've got to build a building right here that would enclose the space shuttle for a bit . It 's got to be a temperature-controlled building , right ? BILL MOORE , KENNEDY SPACE CENTER , VISITOR COMPLEX : Has to be all up to artifact standards . But more than just the building for the shuttle , we have to tell the story . ZARRELLA : Bill Moore heads the privately-run Visitor Complex at the Kennedy Space Center . They are one of at least a dozen suitors ready , in fact eager , to fork over to NASA $ 28.8 million for an orbiter . ALLARD BEUTEL , NASA SPOKESMAN : We 're not selling them , remember . This is what it 's going to cost to get it cleaned up and make it safe to display and then to actually get it there . ZARRELLA : You 've got almost $ 30 million ready to hand that check to NASA . MOORE : Between our cash and the loan arrangements , we could take the shuttle tomorrow and get ready to go . ZARRELLA : There is no real rush , space agency officials say , to announce who gets which one because the orbiters are still flying . NASA has offered Discovery , the oldest in the fleet , to the Smithsonian . Museum officials there told us questions about cost `` have not been resolved , although the museum is exploring options . '' One orbiter option is the Big Apple . Folks at the Intrepid Sea , Air and Space Museum say more people would see it here than anywhere else . They estimate a 30 percent increase in attendance . SUSAN MARENOFF , INTREPID SEA , AIR & SPACE MUSEUM : We figure over 300,000 people additional to the Intrepid to New York City . Couple that with the $ 106 million in economic benefits , we think that 's a pretty good deal . ZARRELLA : Landing one of history 's first space planes would certainly qualify as a pretty good deal . John Zarrella , CNN , at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida . -LRB- END VIDEO -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , why did n't the duck cross the road ? 'Cause it was chicken ! You would be too if you were trying to make it across rush hour traffic . Luckily -- do n't be afraid -- someone spotted the junior jaywalkers and called the cops . The officers arrived , stopped traffic and escorted the fearful fowl across the highway . Youi see that taking place right here . It 's cute . But it does raise a question though . When police officers are called in to help ducks ... Goodbye . AZUZ : Who gets stuck with the bill ? If that one did n't get you to quack up , we 'll try again tomorrow . For CNN Student News , I 'm Carl Azuz . | Examine plans to increase the number of troops at the U.S.-Mexico border . Sail into New York City as Fleet Week honors U.S. military sea services . Consider some of the retirement possibilities for NASA 's space shuttles . Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today 's featured news stories . | [[505, 592], [4200, 4295], [4277, 4279], [4283, 4324], [8626, 8663], [6588, 6660], [6588, 6687]] |
PADUCAH , Kentucky -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Defense lawyers trying to save their client from the death penalty argued Tuesday that former U.S. soldier Steven Green exhibited clear symptoms of acute stress disorder in Iraq and that a military psychiatric nurse-practitioner failed to diagnose the troubled infantryman and pull him out of combat . Former U.S. soldier Steven Green has been convicted of raping and killing a 14-year-old Iraqi girl . Green was convicted last week in U.S. District Court in Kentucky of murder , rape , conspiracy and obstruction of justice . A jury found Green guilty of a raping a 14-year-old girl , then killing her and setting her body on fire to destroy evidence . Green also was found guilty of killing the girl 's parents and 6-year-old sister . Green might become the first former U.S. soldier to face the death penalty for war crimes before a civilian court , where he was tried because he had been discharged from the military before his crimes came to light . Four other former soldiers are in prison for their roles in the crimes and the cover-up that followed . His lawyers offered testimony Tuesday from a psychiatrist who testified that a mental health review `` did not meet acceptable mental health standards . '' Dr. Pablo Stewart testified that a military nurse-practitioner who examined Green some three months before the crimes `` had the answers in front of her that clearly marks all the symptoms of acute stress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder . '' Yet rather than pull Green out of combat or follow up with additional care , Stewart testified , the nurse-practitioner prescribed sleeping pills and sent Green back to his traffic checkpoint in an area known as the `` Triangle of Death , '' one of the bloodiest areas of the Sunni-led insurgency . Earlier , defense lawyers had identified the nurse practitioner as Lt. Col. Karen Marrs , and she was called by the defense to testify . She described Green 's company as having the worst morale she 'd ever seen , and she said the entire battalion was `` red , '' meaning it was `` mission incapable '' -- the troops were `` hostile , vengeful and needed increased control and command , '' without which there was a greater likelihood of misconduct . The psychiatric nurse said it was important for soldiers to return to duty , not only to keep up troop numbers , but also because `` soldiers evacuated prematurely have a hard time fitting in . '' Marrs said procedures were followed , but it was difficult to keep precise records partly because soldier interviews took place under difficult conditions , in one case in a concrete structure that had a hole in the ceiling from a mortar shell . She said troops often were counseled that `` having sad and angry feelings are common , '' and that `` you are n't a monster for having these thoughts in monstrous conditions . '' At the time of Green 's arrest , he told FBI agents , `` You probably think I 'm a monster . '' Throughout the testimony Tuesday , Green repeatedly glanced at the jury . He appeared pale , wearing a light-blue button-down shirt and pressed khakis . He smiled at times while talking to his lawyers . He seemed moved by the testimony of his uncle , Greg Simolke , who broke down several times while speaking about his nephew . '' -LRB- Steve -RRB- was one of these kids , everyone knows them , no matter what they do , nothing works out , like he had a black cloud hanging over him , '' Simolke said . Green lived with his uncle , an obstetrician , in North Carolina for a few months during his senior year in high school , according to testimony . He moved back to Midland , Texas , where he was originally from , after a school counselor told him he was so far behind that he would have to take sophomore-level courses . `` I do n't know if any of us realized how far behind he was , '' said Simolke , who went on to describe how proud he was when his nephew finished his military training . `` To me , that was a huge accomplishment for Steve , '' Simolke said before breaking down in tears . Testimony in the penalty phase of the case began Monday . | Former U.S. soldier Steven Green convicted in rape of Iraqi teen , murder of her family . Green 's defense lawyers trying to spare their client the death penalty . They argue nurse-practitioner failed to diagnose clear case of acute stress disorder . Nurse testifies soldier interviews took place under difficult conditions in Iraq . | [[340, 440], [340, 372], [392, 401], [340, 372], [406, 440], [565, 621], [692, 697], [703, 774], [38, 104], [225, 339], [1286, 1315], [1320, 1373], [2495, 2497], [2512, 2607]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Nevada man was found guilty Thursday of raping and strangling a 19-year-old student in a string of attacks that rattled the university community in Reno two years ago . A Washoe County , Nevada , jury convicted James Michael Biela , 28 , of first-degree murder and sexual assault in the death of Brianna Denison . He was also convicted of two counts of sexual assault for attacks on two other women . He was also convicted of one count of kidnapping related to one of those attacks . The father and former construction worker faces the death penalty . Denison , a sophomore at Santa Barbara City College in California , was last seen alive on her friend 's couch on January 20 , 2008 . Three weeks later , her body was found in a field near her friend 's home . She had been sexually assaulted and strangled . A pair of panties that did not belong to Denison were found near the body , in what police said was a `` calling card '' that helped them connect Biela not only to Denison , but also to the other assaults . From the witness stand in Biela 's capital murder trial , one of the women recounted how she was attacked on the University of Nevada-Reno campus . She said her assailant threatened her with a gun , raped her and took her panties as a souvenir . The defense challenged the identification because she earlier told a friend she could not describe her attacker to police . The second woman , a student at the university , testified she was abducted outside her apartment and driven to a dark area and raped in the attacker 's vehicle . The woman testified that her assailant asked for her panties and took them with him . The trial began with emotional testimony from Denison 's mother , her boyfriend , and a video showing her with friends at a diner just a few hours before she was abducted . Denison was visiting friends in her hometown of Reno . After they attended a concert , she slept on the living room couch in a friend 's off-campus apartment . While she slept , someone crept into the apartment and snatched her , police and prosecutors said . Her case triggered a flurry of national media coverage and thousands of tips , including the one that led to Biela 's arrest . Police released a photo of the panties near Denison 's body and a description of the pickup truck . A friend of Biela 's girlfriend saw the photo of the panties , and thought she recognized the truck police described . She told investigators a friend 's boyfriend had a truck similar to the description , and that her friend had seen women 's panties inside it . Detectives immediately followed up on the tip and , with permission from the girlfriend , took DNA samples from Biela 's 4-year-old son . Lab tests showed that the boy 's father -- Biela -- was almost certainly a match for the DNA found on the doorknob and at the crime scene , police said . DNA obtained from the other victim 's rape kit matched Biela 's , according to testimony . Biela 's defense attorneys challenged the DNA testing method , claiming it was not accurate . CNN 's Rupa Mikkilineni contributed to this report . | James Biela convicted in rape , murder of Brianna Denison , attacks on two women . Biela , 28 , faces the death penalty ; an anonymous tip led to his arrest . Biela took his victims ' underwear , left a pair of panties near Denison 's body . | [[0, 15], [19, 127], [335, 421], [505, 572], [2162, 2166], [2169, 2216], [831, 848], [872, 904]] |
Palm Beach , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For years , Army veteran Roy Foster 's motto has been `` No man left behind . '' This month , he 's broadened it to include women . In November , Foster was recognized at `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute '' as a Top 10 CNN Hero of 2009 for his efforts to help male veterans struggling with homelessness and addiction . His nonprofit , Faith * Hope * Love * Charity , has provided food , housing , counseling , employment and medical services to more than 1,100 veterans . `` I was somewhat overwhelmed at the tribute . To be a part of something that you love doing -- to be honored in doing it was , you know , strange , '' recalled Foster , 54 . `` But then to be showcased internationally was tremendous . And it 's still reaping benefits today . '' Among those benefits is Foster 's recent opening of the First Stop Resource Center and Housing Program in Palm Beach , Florida . The center and program widen the scope of support services his organization has been offering through its original Stand Down House . They also bring Foster 's long-held dream to fruition . `` Twenty years ago , the dream was to be able to provide assistance and services for homeless veterans and their entire family , '' he said . `` We did come up with Stand Down House 10 years ago , but there was never that support for the family or the female veterans . This year , we 've been fortunate enough to complete that vision . '' Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes . The First Stop Resource Center assists veterans and their families through various periods of crises , including homelessness and addiction . Before its addition , Foster and his team had to send veterans in need from one partner aid agency to another over multiple days , in multiple locations -- increasing the risk of losing clients back to the streets . At the new resource center , veterans in need are able to meet with any of First Stop 's 15 community aid partners under one roof in a single visit . They can receive assistance with housing , legal , medical care , employment , child care , education , pensions , food stamps and transportation needs . `` We were looking to establish a place where we will not lose them in that process of ` hurry up and wait , ' '' Foster said . `` We want to centralize it . We want to get their needs addressed and ... get these service members back out into the community . That 's what it 's about . '' First Stop 's housing program is geared toward female veterans and veterans with children . Set adjacent to the organization 's original Stand Down House for male veterans , the two new residence buildings can provide temporary housing for up to eight single female veterans and two small families . It is only the second transitional housing facility in the nation available to veterans with children , according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs . `` We 're trying to empower the family structure , because if the family struggles , the soldier struggles . When the soldier struggles , it puts everyone at risk , '' Foster said . Barbara Williams is First Stop 's first female resident . An Operation Desert Storm veteran , Williams fell on hard times after losing her job last year . Now , she and her daughters have a roof over their heads and the hope of better days to come . `` My pride is restored , '' said Williams , 40 . `` I 'm able to just go off to look for jobs and not worry about where am I going to go when I come home . It 's just so much relief . '' The seed money for the new housing facility arrived shortly after Foster was announced as a Top 10 CNN Hero . A local veteran and recovering addict who was touched by Foster 's story approached him with a donation that covered the first year 's housing budget , about $ 44,000 . The furnishings were donated by a local veterans ' motorcycle club . `` Believe it , there are people in America that do care , and we were blessed to come across these individuals , '' Foster said . `` And the thing that I appreciate the most is it is done for veterans by veterans . ... We are going to leave no man , or woman or family behind . '' Want to get involved ? Check out the Stand Down House website and see how to help . | Roy Foster was recognized as a Top 10 CNN Hero of 2009 for his work with veterans . Foster 's Stand Down House helps veterans struggling with homelessness and addiction . His organization recently expanded to help women veterans and veterans ' families . Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes . | [[3609, 3658], [283, 361], [121, 131], [134, 171], [2470, 2561], [1455, 1475], [1455, 1457], [1462, 1475], [1476, 1518]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In his West Virginia home , Peter Ruplenas , a three-time war veteran spends his days thumbing through his personal photography collection . His compilation is vast and includes countless photographs of B-24 bombers , soldiers in the field and the aftermath of war . He holds up a photograph of himself taken by fellow photographer Dick Durrance during the Vietnam War . In it , Ruplenas trudges through a rice paddy after returning from a sweep in Cu Chi , Vietnam . He struggles to carry all his gear , but his grip is firm on his 35-millimeter camera . The photograph captures Ruplenas at the peak of his 29-year photography career and brings him back to a time when he says he was fearless . `` The minute I took the first picture I was completely relaxed . '' `` I feel pretty proud of what I 've done , '' says Ruplenas , a 91-year-old retired combat cameraman of World War II , Korea and Vietnam . How you can honor fallen U.S. troops . He joined the Army in 1941 and within weeks of lacing up his boots , became a combat photographer . Combat photographers have long-served a tactical and strategic purpose -- their primary objective is to gather military intelligence . While some , like Matthew Brady and Robert Capa , have had storied careers , thousands of others worked in obscurity , their identity hidden behind the lens . Veteran Navy combat photographer Johnny Bivera says military photographers provide a valuable legacy . People like Ruplenas provide our society `` with documentation about a time and place in our history that has long changed and moved on . '' Ruplenas recalls the nervousness he felt on D-Day in World War II , one of his first assignments . `` I hitched up a ride and a pilot let me go with him , I photographed the dozens and dozens of landing craft going in shore . We did n't drop one bomb because our targets in France were covered by fog and rain . '' His company commanders soon realized his talent and encouraged him to take more photographs . Army Headquarters began reviewing his shots regularly to determine whether the United States had hit their hopeful targets . `` I love photography , '' says Ruplenas . `` Anytime they had accidents , disasters , bombings , I flew out and photographed it . '' How to help families of wounded U.S. troops . Despite his deep appreciation for the job , he says the Korean War was the most difficult to cover . In addition to frostbite and seven days behind enemy lines with an all Korean guerilla group , he says it was the weather that proved to be most trying . `` It went from 60 to 70 degrees when we first landed to 32 below . I worked day in and day out , hardly any days off because I loved my job . '' Throughout his photography career , Ruplenas mentored younger soldiers as they trained in his shadow . He did not like to get overly technical about photography . `` If anyone walked up to me and asked a technical question , I 'd say ask the next guy , '' he says , laughing . But , says Ruplenas , `` I could tell you the best angle and the best way to get those photographs . '' He says the best part of the job was photographing young American GIs and feels privileged to have had encounters with movie stars like Bob Hope , Tony Bennett and Patti Page during his military travels . Ruplenas has also encountered younger veterans in recent years who remember his work and credit him with helping them find a profession in photography . `` It makes you feel pretty good , '' he says . Ruplenas retired from the Army in 1970 and says he now enjoys spending time with his granddaughter and seven adopted alley cats . He also loves going through his collection of photographs . `` When you hit 91 years old and you 've gone through three wars , you ought to ... just relax . '' And while he does n't photograph as much as he used to , Ruplenas insists , `` without a camera , I 'm nothing . '' | Peter Ruplenas is a retired combat cameraman of WWII , Korea and Vietnam . Army Headquarters reviewed his shots regularly to see if the U.S. had hit their targets . Ruplenas says best part of the job was photographing young American GIs . | [[847, 923], [2010, 2106], [2044, 2134], [3097, 3243]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Several veterans and conservative bloggers are taking issue with President Barack Obama choosing not to attend the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery . Vice President Joe Biden is attending in his place . `` Arlington is a place of tremendous symbolism , '' said Paul Rieckhoff , founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America . `` On Monday , it 's where the eyes of our entire nation will be focused , '' said Rieckhoff , `` and unfortunately , the president and his family wo n't be there to stand with us . '' After his Friday trip to the Louisiana coast to check on the oil spill , the president will go to Chicago , Illinois , with his family to spend time with friends . Obama will mark the Monday holiday with remarks at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery , about an hour outside of Chicago . `` President Obama has a deep respect and appreciation for our service members and veterans , clearly seen in his administration 's policies , priorities and actions , '' said Nick Shapiro , White House assistant press secretary . A conservative blogger disagrees . On Redstate.com , Erick Erickson writes , `` going to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns has ... everything to do with a Commander in Chief who seems to not like the military showing some basic respect to the men and women , alive and dead , who have actually kept us free . '' Erickson is also an analyst for CNN . But some vets groups say it 's all right if the president misses this one , noting that he attended wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington last year . Jay Agg , communications director for AMVETS , a veterans service organization , said `` this really is a nonissue , '' calling a lot of the outrage `` politically motivated . '' `` It really does seem odd to me that such a big deal is being made out of this because he is going to a national cemetery to observe the holiday in Illinois . Bush sent Cheney to a Veterans Day event in DC , '' Agg said . Obama 's absence from Memorial Day services at Arlington will not be unprecedented , but in recent years , it has been a common practice to attend . President Bill Clinton went every year of his presidency , and President George W. Bush went each year except for the year he was in Europe to commemorate the D-Day anniversary . Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush did not attend regularly . `` AMVETS recognizes and appreciates the fact that the president has done a lot for veterans , '' Agg said . `` He 's behind the largest increase to the VA budget in history and has signed a number of critical pieces of legislation that benefit vets , including the post-9 / 11 GI bill , and more recently , caregiver legislation , '' he said . `` We 're in middle of two wars , '' argues Rieckhoff , of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America . `` There will be hundreds of children there who have lost parents . Every major veterans group will be there . He should be there with his family . '' `` We understand that President Obama is a very busy man . He has things like the oil spill and the economy to worry about , '' American Legion spokesman Marty Callaghan told CNN . `` Obviously , it is always a good thing for our commander in chief to be in the nation 's capital for Memorial Day , '' he said . `` But other presidents have not always been here , including the first President Bush and President Reagan . '' `` We feel like he is going to be here in spirit , '' Callaghan said . `` He is our commander in chief . '' | Obama to mark holiday at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery outside Chicago . Vice president to attend Arlington National ceremony in Obama 's place . Blogger says absence from Arlington shows lack of respect for veterans . But some veterans groups say absence is OK , citing that of other presidents . | [[735, 823], [1897, 1968], [200, 252], [0, 26], [30, 199], [1484, 1544]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alicia Keys has 12 Grammys under her belt and now she has something else under there , too . The 29-year-old R&B singer is pregnant with her first child , her representatives confirmed . They would not say when the child is due . Weeks of photos have shown Keys noticeably fuller in the mid-section and sporting a collection of loose-fitting black tops . The father is Keys ' fiance , producer/DJ/rapper Swizz Beatz . The couple is engaged to be married in a private ceremony later this year . Swizz Beatz , 31 , -- whose real name is Kasseem Dean -- has one son from his marriage to Mashonda Tifrere . He also has a second son from a previous relationship . Swizz Beatz and Keys have been friends for several years and worked together on one song for her current album , `` The Element of Freedom , '' the publicist said . `` They 're very happy , '' a source close to the couple said . | It will be the first child for Keys , 29 . Producer Swizz Beatz is the dad . Couple will marry this year . Due date not disclosed . | [[137, 196], [399, 461], [462, 537], [462, 472], [484, 537], [231, 273]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The failure of General Electric engines on four jet aircraft overseas during the past two years has prompted the National Transportation Safety Board to issue an `` urgent '' recommendation to increase inspections of the engines on U.S. aircraft . None of the incidents resulted in crashes , injuries or fatalities . But in all four cases , engine parts penetrated the engine housing . Such `` uncontained engine failures '' are particularly dangerous because flying engine parts could puncture fuel or hydraulic lines , damage flight surfaces or even penetrate the fuselage and injure passengers . At issue are General Electric CF6-45 / 50 series jet engines , older engines found on a small number of jets . FAA officials said 373 of the engines are in service in the United States , on a fewer , but unknown , number of planes . The engines are used on some Airbus A300s , Boeing 747s , DC-10s , MD-10s and U.S. Air Force KC-10s . A GE spokeswoman said most of the engines are used on cargo planes . On four occasions , the NTSB said , a rotor imbalance caused rotor disks to fail , leading to the uncontained engine failures . FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the FAA is aware of the problem and issued a rule in March requiring inspections of the engines within 50 flights , and repeat inspections every 175 flights thereafter . It also is working on a rule that would add testing of the rotor disks for cracks . But on Thursday , the NTSB issued its urgent recommendation , saying the FAA should require inspections every 15 flights until the disks can be replaced with improved parts . The FAA said the action `` will maintain the safety of the fleet , '' and that it will decide whether to alter the inspection schedule after completing examinations of the engines involved in the recent incidents . GE spokeswoman Deborah Case said GE issued a service bulletin last August advising operators to inspect and monitor the engines . The NTSB recommendation follows these four incidents : . -- July 4 , 2008 : A Saudi Arabian Airlines -LRB- Saudia -RRB- Boeing 747-300 experienced an engine failure after takeoff from Jeddah , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia . -- March 26 , 2009 : An Arrow Cargo McDonnell Douglas DC-10F , about 30 minutes after takeoff from Manaus , Brazil , experienced loss of oil pressure in one engine . The pilots shut down the engine and diverted to Medellin , Colombia . -- December 17 , 2009 : A Jett8 Airlines Cargo Boeing 747-200F was passing through 7,000 feet when the crew members heard a muffled explosion . With one engine losing oil pressure , the airplane returned to land at Changi , Singapore . -- April 10 , 2010 : An ACT Cargo Airbus A300B4 experienced an engine failure while accelerating for takeoff at Manama , Bahrain . The crew declared an emergency , aborted the takeoff , activated the fire-suppression system , and evacuated the airplane . The NTSB is participating in or leading investigations of the four incidents . | Engines on four jet aircraft overseas failed during the past two years . NTSB issues an `` urgent '' recommendation to increase inspections of the engines on U.S. aircraft . At issue are General Electric CF6-45 / 50 series jet engines , found on a small number of jets . A GE spokeswoman says most of the engines are used on cargo planes . | [[1791, 1837], [0, 26], [126, 219], [139, 277], [1466, 1507], [1517, 1524], [629, 689], [692, 739], [964, 1009], [986, 990], [994, 1032]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Gulf Coast official accused BP of shipping workers into Grand Isle , Louisiana , for President Barack Obama 's visit to the oil-stricken area Friday and sending them away once the president left the region . Early Friday morning , `` a number of buses brought in approximately 300 to 400 workers that had been recruited all week , '' Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts told CNN 's `` Situation Room . '' Roberts said the workers were offered $ 12 an hour to come out to the scene at Grand Isle and work in what he called a `` dog and pony show . '' But , when Obama departed , so did the workers , he said , adding that he 's never seen more than 20 workers at the Grand Isle cleanup site since the effort started . BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles downplayed the claim Friday evening , telling CNN it is not unusual to see people wrapping up work in the afternoon . `` These individuals are working out in the heat of the sun . These are long days . They start early in the morning and they stop early in the evening , '' he said . `` So the fact that they were leaving the location late in the afternoon was not unusual . It 's not associated with the president arriving . '' Suttles added that the workers would be back Saturday morning to continue working . The company hired to provide the cleanup workers told WWL , a New Orleans-based radio station , that it was told to beef up the cleaning work force five days ago . `` No , I did not put extra workers on the job because the president was coming , '' said Donald Nalty of Environmental Safety and Health , which was contracted by BP to help in the cleanup effort . An official at the oil cleanup command center told CNN that a temporary busing system had been established to shuttle the growing number of workers because of limited parking and housing accommodations in areas most impacted by the spilled oil . The official said trained responders were putting in 12 to 14-hour days . Roberts told CNN 's Anderson Cooper the hundreds of workers who showed up early Friday would n't speak to local emergency management officials . `` The sheriff 's office did manage to get one person to speak with them and that individual said they were hired yesterday and told to report to a staging area at 7:30 this morning , '' Roberts added . `` It just does n't add up . '' | NEW : Company hired to provide cleanup crews says it got order to beef up 5 days ago . NEW : `` No , I did not '' add workers for the president , boss tells radio station . BP beefed up cleanup workers just for Obama visit , local official says . Workers left when president left , parish councilman says . BP denies allegations : ` It 's not associated with the president arriving ' | [[1297, 1354], [1393, 1424], [1398, 1400], [1410, 1460], [1469, 1540], [1398, 1400], [1410, 1460], [0, 15], [174, 228], [583, 602], [605, 623], [583, 602], [626, 628], [636, 733], [744, 819], [1159, 1209]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The World Bank has canceled Haiti 's $ 36 million debt , the institution announced Friday . Haiti owed the money to the International Development Association , the World Bank 's fund for the poorest countries . The nation , wracked by a devastating earthquake on January 12 , now does not owe any more money to the World Bank . `` Relieving Haiti 's remaining debt is part of our effort to pursue every avenue to help Haiti 's reconstruction efforts , '' World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick said in a release . `` We will continue to work in close cooperation with the Haitian government and our international partners to support the country 's recovery and longer-term development . '' The debt cancellation was made possible by contributions from Belgium , Canada , Finland , France , Germany , Ireland , Italy , Japan , Netherlands , Norway , Spain , Sweden and Switzerland , the World Bank said . Since the earthquake , the World Bank has made $ 479 million available to Haiti to support recovery and development through June 2011 . In addition , a broad array of international donors pledged nearly $ 10 billion in long-term assistance to Haiti 's earthquake recovery efforts during a conference in March at United Nations headquarters . Last year , prior to the earthquake , Haiti obtained $ 1.2 billion in debt relief from the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund and other creditors . January 's 7.0-magnitude earthquake killed more than 200,000 people and leveled large parts of Port-au-Prince , Haiti 's capital . | World Bank cancels Haiti 's $ 36 million debt . Haiti now owes no money to World Bank . Contributions from 13 countries made debt cancellation possible . World Bank has previously made $ 479 million available to Haiti . | [[30, 84], [241, 303], [306, 357], [30, 84], [241, 303], [306, 357], [727, 916], [941, 961], [964, 1076]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- France has been chosen to host the 2016 European Football Championship . France beat off the challenge of Italy and Turkey to win the decision , which was made by the 13 members of the UEFA executive committee . UEFA president Michel Platini unveiled the name of France in a ceremony at its headquarters in Geneva , Switzerland on Friday . It will be the third time the country has hosted the tournament , having previously staged it in 1960 and 1984 . France won the competition in 1984 , captained by Platini , and again in 2000 . `` This is a beautiful day for us , '' French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes told the official UEFA Web site . France also hosted the World Cup in 1938 and 1998 . The bid was strongly supported by French president Nicolas Sarkozy , who spoke in the final round of bid presentations to the UEFA officials earlier in the day . Turkish president Abdullah Gul was in Geneva to back his country 's bid , while Italy were represented by sports minister Rocco Crimi . The final decision was tight , with UEFA revealing that France beaten Turkey seven votes to six in the second round of voting after Italy had been eliminated . France will follow Ukraine and Poland , the co-hosts of Euro 2012 , which is the last championship under the current format of 16 nations . The 2016 event will comprise 24 teams in the finals and will be extended by a further week to accommodate the extra matches . The French bid included 12 stadiums , four of which will be new , in 11 cities . The Stade de France where France beat Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final , Paris Saint Germain 's Parc des Princes , Lens , Lille , Bordeaux , Nice , Toulouse , Marseille , Lyon , Strasbourg , Saint Etienne and Nancy are the proposed venues . | France wins right to host the 2016 European Football Championship . France beats off the challenge of Italy and Turkey . Decision made by 13-strong UEFA executive committee . France previously hosted the 1960 and 1984 European Championships . | [[19, 91], [92, 161], [92, 98], [142, 230], [359, 471], [370, 422], [359, 361], [385, 396], [425, 442], [450, 471], [359, 361], [432, 471]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Security forces were burning the bodies of the dead this week in a Jamaican neighborhood ravaged by a failed attempt to arrest a suspected drug kingpin , according to residents , who said their entire neighborhood had been a war zone . Kingston 's deputy police commissioner , Glenmore Hinds , denied the reports . `` We have no evidence of any body been burned , '' Hinds said Thursday . `` There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that any of the bodies been burned . '' Jamaican authorities launched an all-out attempt to arrest Christopher `` Dudus '' Coke over the weekend , but they were met by barricades and gunfire that resulted in at least 67 deaths and the arrests of hundreds , mostly on weapons charges . `` Our best information is that he has not been arrested , '' Hinds said . `` His whereabouts , I can not tell you . '' Throughout the week , a discrepancy between the government 's body count and that of local media raised eyebrows . Some residents of Tivoli Gardens , where much of the violence was focused , told CNN they fear the authorities are trying to cover up its extent . None of the residents who spoke with CNN would agree to use their names , fearing reprisal from the authorities . One man told CNN on Wednesday he could see the burning from his window , which overlooks the front of the public works compound . `` I literally saw them wrap up men in sheets and put tires on them and burn them , '' one man told CNN . The men were already dead , he said . He said he was shocked by what he 'd seen . `` Never known Jamaica would become like this , '' he said , adding that he 'd seen soldiers searching houses to see who lives where and taking men and women outside to separate places . When the shooting started , he said he hid under his bed . `` We are decent people living here , and they are shooting everywhere , '' he said . Another resident called the violence a `` war '' and said she saw teenage boys picking up bodies . `` And they are not finished yet , '' she said . `` They say they have more bodies to collect . ... 70 maybe . '' `` Some of the bodies '' -- maybe 5 or 6 -- `` were burnt up '' by police , she said . By Wednesday , she said , `` War done . Nobody is here , just women , old people and little youths . '' Another man described police dragging people from their homes and beating them . `` Happened to me , too , '' said the Tivoli Gardens resident , who has since fled to another neighborhood . `` Kick me down in the gully and made dirty water enter my mouth . I am traumatized . '' `` Whole heap of people dead , '' he said . `` They are burning some bodies and sending the rest away , do n't know what they do with the rest . They are cleaning up . ... The police and military man . No war is going on in Tivoli , it 's just them alone . They are in there , in house on rooftops . They are cleaning up . They move all the sandbags and making it look like something else . The whole place mash up . '' He guessed he had seen 100 to 150 bodies , but could n't say for sure because of `` the way they were stacked up , nuff people dead . They are running them out in white vans , covering bodies in white sheets . '' All three residents said Tivoli Gardens is in ruins . Journalists reported being unable to get into the shattered neighborhood at the beginning of the week , but on Thursday , security forces whisked reporters through an area of Tivoli Gardens they said was under government control . There , the neighborhood was quiet but the buildings were pocked with bullet holes and the streets littered with the remains of barricades . The tour was fast , officials said , because the area remained volatile . Hinds said Thursday that 73 bodies had been recovered from the battle sites , but six , he said , may not have died from the violence . All , he said , were civilians . `` But civilians are sometimes gunmen and gunwomen , '' he said . CNN 's Christine Theodorou , Ben Brumfield , Rafael Romo and Nadine Drummond contributed to this report . | Officials deny any bodies have been burned . Witnesses say dozens of bodies lay in the streets . Official death count is at 67 . Reporters whisked through portion of Tivoli Gardens . | [[255, 293], [313, 333], [2988, 3028], [622, 644], [650, 738], [3363, 3374], [3377, 3410]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The serendipitous occurrence of this year 's Thanksgiving holiday on the same evening as the Muslim Eid-ul-Adha is a festive occasion to reflect on the place of Islam in American collective consciousness and on Muslims as Americans . On the same evening that millions of Americans gather around their Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate this most American of holidays , even more millions of Muslims around the globe , including the growing number of American Muslims , will do the same -- celebrating as well one of the most definitive moments of their faith -- Prophet Abraham 's willingness to sacrifice his son for his God . This holiday celebration comes soon after the tragic incident at Fort Hood , when the atrocious act of a mass murderer put Islam and Muslims under some pressure to either denounce or defend their faith . The psychotic act of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan , MD , a Muslim American military psychiatrist at Fort Hood who went on a rampage killing 13 U.S. soldiers and wounding 30 others , has prompted two diametrically opposed reactions . On one side are people who say that Islam -- and Islam alone -- is inherently violent and by extension Muslims are constitutionally driven to murder , while on the other are apologetic Muslims who argue their faith is peaceful and benevolent -- unrelated to criminal acts such as Hasan 's . The fact is that Maj. Hasan and Osama bin Laden have as much claim on Islam as do Muhammad Ali , Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Persian poet Mawlana Jalal al-Din Rumi , who is the best-selling poet in America . Islam is an abstraction and any Muslim , saintly or satanic , detested or beloved , can and does have a claim on it -- and Islam is not the only world religion with this proclivity for good and evil . The distinguished New York Times columnist David Brooks , one of the most consistently militant warriors in his take on American involvements in Afghanistan and Iraq , takes Islam -- and Islam alone -- to task for having a diabolic roughness on its fringes . But even if so , Islam is not alone in this failure to curtail murderous instincts . The same Hinduism that produced Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent theory of civil disobedience has also produced Hindu fundamentalists who sliced and skewered pregnant Muslim women alive in Gujarat . The same Christianity that produced Saint Francis of Assisi and Mother Theresa also produced children 's crusades and Spanish conquistadors who burned native Americans alive 13 at a time -LRB- according to the 16th-century Spanish Dominican priest , Bartolomé de las Casas -RRB- in honor of the Twelve Apostles and Jesus Christ . It also produced American Seung-Hui Cho who killed 32 students and himself at Virginia Tech and American John Wayne Gacy , Jr. , who raped and murdered 33 young men and boys in Chicago , Illinois , in the 1970s . The same Judaism that produced Martin Buber , Emanuel Levinas , or Primo Levi also produced the Stern Gang , Meir Kahane and Baruch Goldstein . But the knee jerk reaction of blaming Islam and Muslims , in general , or looking for delusional links to `` al Qaeda , '' for the horrific murders at Fort Hood points to something far more fundamental , overdue , and urgent -- namely something of a psychological barrier for Americans to accept the Islamic component of their own society , culture , and history . To avoid singling out Islam as diabolical , it is imperative for Americans to come to terms with the collectively repressed fact that by far the most important social uprising of their 20th century -- namely the civil rights movement of the 1960s -- is not as exclusively a Christian phenomenon as it is made out to be : The towering figure of a Muslim revolutionary named Malcolm X is of great importance in the history of that movement . It took a whole generation of Americans to accept the fact that Jewish civil rights activists were instrumental in many measures of the success that was achieved in the 1960s . It is long overdue for Americans also to recognize that Malcolm X was equally , if not more , important to the civil rights movement . The way the history of the civil rights movement is mostly remembered now , an overwhelming role is assigned to the Southern Baptist genealogy of Martin Luther King Jr. . Malcolm X is delegated to a radical fringe -- portrayed as more of a menace and a hindrance than a positive force in the civil rights movement . But without the simultaneous presence of Malcolm X as a Muslim revolutionary , the Southern Baptist pacifism of Martin Luther King Jr. would not have been as formidable a force . Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were the yin and yang of the civil rights movement -- ennobling anger and vision coming together in hopes of realizing the dream of equality . For more than three decades now , I have taught generations of American students who come to college having scarce read a word about Malcolm X , and yet everything about Martin Luther King Jr. . Until Americans come to terms with the fact that they are deeply indebted to a Muslim revolutionary for the fruits of the civil rights movement they enjoy today , Islam and Muslims will continue to be seen as archetypically alien and an everlasting danger to American lives and liberties . Americans are Christians , Jews , Hindus , agnostics , atheists , and anything else in between -- but Americans are also Muslims , millions of them , and Islam has now become integral to what the distinguished American sociologist Robert Bellah termed our `` civil religion . '' It is only apt that this particular Thanksgiving , Americans think about Eid-ul-Adha , as precious to Muslim-Americans as the occasion that has gathered us all `` at the table . '' Let 's make room for Muslims `` at the table '' because -- to quote Langston Hughes -- they `` too , sing America . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Hamid Dabashi . | U.S. Muslims celebrate Thanksgiving and an important religious occasion on same day . Hamid Dabashi says Fort Hood shootings were an atrocity . Dabashi : Malcolm X , a Muslim , played key role in civil rights movement . | [[3726, 3764]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- His was the first face of a missing child to appear on the back of a milk carton . Now , nearly 31 years to the day since Etan Patz vanished from a New York street , authorities are reopening his case . The communications director for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. confirmed that the office is taking another look at the decades-old mystery . `` It 's a case that the district attorney has been aware of since before running for office last year , '' said Erin Duggan . `` Last summer he said he would take a fresh look at the case if he became district attorney . Tuesday he confirmed that the case had been reopened . '' Duggan added , `` This was the disappearance of a child that gripped the residents of Manhattan and continues to leave many questions unanswered . '' Etan was 6 when he disappeared on the morning of May 25 , 1979 . `` It was the first day that he was to walk two blocks from his apartment to the school bus stop , '' said Lisa R. Cohen , author of `` After Etan : The Missing Child Case That Held America Captive . '' `` He had been wanting to do it by himself , and they gave him permission , literally two short blocks , '' Cohen said . `` And his mother could see the bus stop at the end of the street and she saw parents there , waiting with kids for the bus , and so she let him go . '' Etan was never seen alive again . Jose Antonio Ramos , a convicted child molester , has been identified as a suspect in the disappearance , but has never been charged in connection with the case . According to Cohen , Ramos initially told investigators that he was `` 90 percent sure '' that a boy he had taken home on that day in 1979 was Etan . Ramos has since denied making that statement , she said . Cohen said Etan 's father , Stan Patz , contacted her after the news was announced that the prosecutor was reopening the case . `` He said , ` Maybe we 'll finally get our day court , ' '' she said . From families and detectives to people in the missing children movement , this case changed everything , Cohen said . `` Before Etan , parents did not have an image in their mind that something could happen to their children , '' she said . `` And after Etan , they did . '' | Etan Patz was first missing child whose picture was put on a milk carton . He disappeared in May 1979 as he walked two blocks to school bus stop . District attorney had promised during his election campaign to reopen case . Top suspect had made , then denied , statement connecting him to Etan , author said . | [[54, 110], [150, 191], [815, 879], [831, 879], [909, 976], [527, 573], [1762, 1767], [1802, 1889], [1704, 1709], [1720, 1748]] |
Robert , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three attempts to pump mud and 16 tries to stuff solid material into a breached Gulf of Mexico oil well failed to stop the flow , top BP executives said Saturday , and engineers and executives with the oil giant have decided to `` move on to the next option . '' That option : Place a custom-built cap to fit over the `` lower marine riser package , '' BP chief operation officer Doug Suttles said . BP crews were already at work Saturday to ready the materials for that option , he said . Suttles said three separate pumping efforts and 30,000 barrels of mud -- along with what chief executive officer Tony Hayward described as `` 16 different bridging material shots '' -- just did n't do the trick . `` We have not been able to stop the flow , '' a somber Suttles told reporters . '' ... Repeated pumping , we do n't believe , will achieve success , so we will move on to the next option . '' Suttles and other officials said that the `` top kill '' attempt to stop the flow did so -- but only as long as they were pumping . When the pumping stopped , the oil resumed its escape . And Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry said that BP would resume using undersea dispersants for the new attempt to trap the oil . Suttles said the lower marine riser package cap `` should be able to capture most of the oil '' that has fed what is now the largest oil spill in U.S. history , but he cautioned that the new cap will not provide a `` tight mechanical seal . '' `` We 're confident the job will work , but obviously we can not guarantee success at this time , '' he said . Engineers should be ready in about four to seven days to make the fresh attempt , he said . Landry said officials were `` disappointed in today 's announcement , '' but noted that the immediate efforts to stop the flow were never intended to be permanent . `` The real solution , the end state , is a relief well , '' she said . BP currently is working on two relief wells , but they are not expected to be ready until August , Suttles said . Earlier , Suttles said that BP engineers would try to place a second blowout preventer -- the piece of equipment that failed when the Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20 -- should the lower marine riser package fail . The failed blowout preventer is a 48-foot-tall , 450-ton apparatus that sits atop the well 5,000 feet underwater . Suttles and Landry praised the clean-up efforts , however , in light of the failure of the `` top kill '' attempt to stop the flow . `` It 's a tribute to everybody that we only have 107 miles of shoreline oiled and only 32 acres of marsh , '' Landry said . Meanwhile , teams in Louisiana were working Saturday on a clean-up project aimed at protecting coastal marshes . Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser has said that machines would suck oil out of marshes Saturday after crews determined where to deploy them . But Nungesser told CNN that BP needed to `` step up to the plate tonight to save our wetlands '' by using its might to create sand barriers to prevent the oil from moving into the marshes . `` BP needs to say it will pay to move those dredges and pump that sand berm , '' he said . `` We are gon na die a slow death if we do n't get that berm . We 've got to have that barrier island . '' President Barack Obama , who toured the area Friday , said federal officials were prepared to authorize moving forward with `` a portion of '' an idea proposed by local officials , who want the Army Corps of Engineers to build a `` sand boom '' offshore to keep the water from getting into the fragile marshlands . But Nungesser said the marshes could n't wait and that the effort needed to start immediately to save the Louisiana wetlands . Government scientists on Thursday said as many as 19,000 barrels -LRB- 798,000 gallons -RRB- of oil were spewing into the ocean every day , making this disaster perhaps twice the size of the Exxon Valdez incident . Previously , BP officials and government scientists had said 5,000 barrels -LRB- 210,000 gallons -RRB- of crude were flowing out daily . `` This is clearly an environmental catastrophe , '' Hayward said Friday . `` There 's no two ways about it . '' In an e-mail message sent out after the announcement Saturday , Hayward said he was `` disappointed that this operation did n't work . '' `` The team executed the operation perfectly , and the technology worked without a single hitch , '' he said . `` We remain committed to doing everything we can to make this situation right . '' Obama 's visit to the region came under intense political pressure to take control of the situation . `` We want to stop the leak , we want to contain and clean up the oil and we want to help the people in this region return to their lives and livelihoods as soon as possible , '' the president told reporters . About 25 percent of the Gulf of Mexico exclusive economic zone has been put off limits , according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , and fishermen are worried the gushing oil will take a more serious toll than Hurricane Katrina did in 2005 . `` Katrina was nothing but rain , water and wind . This is poison . It 's gas , '' oysterman Arthur Etienne said . CNN 's Anderson Cooper contributed to this report . | NEW : BP will try lower marine riser package cap next . NEW : Lower marine riser package cap will capture most , but not all of oil flow . NEW : Officials : Only sure option is relief wells , still 2 months away . NEW : Parish president wants BP to build sand barrier islands now . Workers toil on beaches and in marshes to clean up . | [[1251, 1346], [1863, 1883], [1902, 1918], [3015, 3018], [3025, 3098], [2643, 2652], [2655, 2717], [2699, 2755]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Championship leader Mark Webber made it a hat-trick of pole positions as he dominated qualifying for the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul on Saturday . Webber lapped in one minute 26.295 seconds to occupy first place on the grid ahead of 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren . Webber 's Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel was third fastest , with reigning world champion Jenson Button fourth in the second McLaren . Australia 's Webber will be chasing a hat-trick of race victories , after wins in Spain and Monaco , in Sunday 's 58-lap race , hoping to pull clear of Vettel in the title race . The teammates are currently tied on 78 points , but Webber is ahead on race victories . He said that his team had finally got to grips with the Istanbul Park circuit in time for the crucial qualifying . `` It has n't been the smoothest of weekends for us in terms of getting the running in . Getting ready for ` quali ' things started to get a little bit better , '' he told the post-qualifying press conference . `` I was a little bit on the back foot going in to be honest , but I knew if I dug deep it could be OK . And it worked out for us . `` I 'm a little bit more confident for tomorrow to be honest . '' The Red Bull team have claimed all seven poles this season and will be looking to extend their lead in the constructors ' championship . Mercedes pair Michael Schumacher , in fifth , and Nico Rosberg will share the third row , but it was another disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari in their 800th grand prix . Felipe Massa of Brazil qualified eighth but two-time world champion Fernando Alonso did not make the top 10 for the final session . The Spaniard made a mistake in Q2 and ended up 12th , the second straight time he has made a hash in qualifying after being forced to start from the pit lane in Monaco . Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was not amused by their showing . `` For sure the performance in qualifying was not up to our standard . We do n't know why -- and we need to understand . For sure we were expecting much more performance , '' he told AFP . | Mark Webber on pole for Sunday 's Turkey Grand Prix in Istanbul . Webber will occupy the front row of the grid with McLaren 's Lewis Hamilton . Webber 's Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel claims third fastest . Aussie Webber leads Vettel on races won in title race . | [[307, 369], [307, 351], [372, 421], [677, 712]] |
This Mother 's Day , skip the flowers and forget the chocolate -LRB- unless it 's dark -RRB- ! Give your mom something she really needs -- the gift of good health . Do something good for mom this Mother 's Day by getting her healthy food and investing in her wellness . No , you do n't have to buy her a treadmill . There are many other things you can do to give your mom a boost in terms of her physical -LRB- or mental -RRB- well-being . Most moms will truly appreciate that your Mother 's Day gift is aimed at keeping her happy , healthy , and in your life for a long time . In case you are drawing a blank , we came up with a list of healthy -- and relatively inexpensive -- gift ideas for every mom . 1 . Give the gift of -LRB- your -RRB- time and support at the doctor 's office . `` Offer to be your mom 's health buddy , '' says Philadelphia-based women 's health expert Dr. Marie Savard , author of several books , including Ask Dr. Marie : Straight Talk and Reassuring Answers to Your Most Private Questions . `` Promise to be there for any and all doctor 's visits whether a mammogram or routine appointment , '' she said . `` Most moms always say ` do n't bother , ' but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor 's visit . '' The best part ? This one is free . Health.com : A mammogram may have saved my life . 2 . Give the gift of healthy eating . Rather than an expensive , artery-clogging brunch , you can spring for a visit with the nutritionist and follow it with a healthy meal . `` Mother 's Day is a great reason to get your mom to see a nutritionist , '' said Dana Greene , a nutritionist in private practice in Boston . `` Nutritionists can really tailor their advice to whatever issues mom is having with her diet , including losing weight or learning how to eat to reduce her risk of certain diseases such as breast cancer or osteoporosis , '' Greene says . `` An appointment lasts about an hour and is relatively inexpensive . Take mom out for a healthy brunch afterward and watch her put all she learned into practice . '' Health.com : How to eat out without getting fat . Greene also suggests subscribing to a healthy-cooking magazine to keep your mom in the healthy-eating mindset all year . Savard added : `` Make and freeze healthy foods in individual containers for your mom . '' She suggested making healthy versions of your mother 's fave foods . 3 . Give the gift of organization . Instead of making a photo album of family snapshots -LRB- although that 's nice too -RRB- , make your mom a folder containing all of her medical records , Savard said . `` Put a folder together of test results and vital information so it is all in one place , '' she said . Make sure to include a list of all of her medications and what times she takes them . `` Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mom 's life , '' Savard said . 4 . Give the gift of a good night 's sleep . Adequate sleep is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes , as well as other health conditions . `` Buy your mom satin sheets , a new mattress , a mattress cover , or a luxurious pillow to encourage better sleep , '' Savard said . `` We know that restorative sleep is critical to our immune system and heart health . '' For new mothers , offer to watch the baby while she takes a nap . This will also allow you to spend quality time with the kids , so `` it 's a win-win , '' she said . Health.com : 10 Risk factors for heart disease . 5 . Give the gift of healthful goodies . Instead of a gourmet gift basket filled with cheese and crackers or sweets , make your own healthy gift basket for your mom , suggests Savard . Not sure what to put in it ? Start with a multivitamin , calcium supplements , and vitamin D supplements . `` If you know your mom is trying to get more fiber , put some fiber supplements in the basket too , '' she says . `` A pedometer , some arm weights , and maybe a tape measure can also be part of this gift , '' Savard says . A tape measure can help mom measure her waist size , which is a known risk factor for heart disease and diabetes . Health.com : Fitness and spa products that support the fight against breast cancer . 6 . Give the gift that keeps on giving . Accessory and gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother 's Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the proceeds benefit a charity of your choice . `` This year we are all trying to conserve money , so why not have your funds go further with a gift that gives back , '' said company founder , Alayna Kassan . Gift givers can choose from bathrobes , cosmetics bags , scented candles , and a plethora of other items -- many of which are `` green '' -- and then choose a meaningful charity from a list . `` When your mom gets the gift , she will be notified that it will benefit the chosen charity , '' Kassan said . `` We have a few breast cancer charities on the site and they all do well on Mother 's Day . '' Health.com : 5 Secrets to get slim success . 7 . Give the gift of chocolate -- if you must . `` If you are a traditionalist and you must give chocolate , choose dark chocolate , '' Greene said . Dark chocolate contains antioxidants , which can mop up the damaging free radicals known to play a role in heart disease and other illnesses , as long as you choose types with less sugar and fewer calories . `` This way you can satisfy her sweet tooth and benefit her heart , '' she said . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | Forget conventional flowers and chocolate , try healthy gifts for Mother 's Day . Give the gift of -LRB- your -RRB- time and support at the doctor 's office . Rather than artery-clogging brunch , spring for a visit with nutritionist . | [[0, 18], [21, 37], [0, 18], [42, 68], [165, 269], [191, 269], [477, 577], [3485, 3521], [3522, 3554], [3599, 3645], [710, 786], [1433, 1483], [1520, 1592]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rust-colored oil washed ashore on barrier islands off Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday , while more patches of crude offshore appeared to be moving toward those states ' coasts , authorities reported . Researchers scrambled to clean up tar balls and puddles of oil from the beaches of Alabama 's Dauphin Island , while a strip of oil about two miles long and three feet wide stretched along Petit Bois Island , about five miles away off Mississippi , Gov. Haley Barbour 's office reported . It marked the first time oil has hit Mississippi 's shores since the largest oil spill in U.S. history erupted in late April . And while tar balls associated with the Gulf spill had hit Dauphin Island , about 35 miles south of Mobile , in early May , residents said that Tuesday was the first time they had seen oil hitting the beach . Only part of the island 's beaches have been lined with protective booms , with much of those barriers lined up near a protected wildlife area on the west end of the island . Annette Engel , a Louisiana State University researcher on Dauphin Island , said the oil is believed to be from BP 's ruptured well off Louisiana . She predicted much more would be hitting the coast in coming days -- but vacationers remained on the beach , and some were still swimming in the blue-green waters as the cleanup continued . And researchers from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab spotted large patches of the reddish-brown `` weathered '' oil during a water-sampling expedition offshore Tuesday , said John Dindo , the laboratory 's associate director . Dindo said the oil spots on the water ranged from the size of a half-dollar coin to 30 to 40 feet . A half-dozen boats could be seen skimming oil off the surface about 13 miles south of the island , he said . However , `` They were covering a very , very small spot in the ocean compared to what we saw , '' he said . The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration had warned earlier this week that the spreading slick from an undersea BP oil well was heading toward the Alabama and Mississippi coasts . Dindo said tides in the area are running east and winds have been out of the southwest , driving the oil toward beach towns on the eastern side of Mobile Bay . Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said earlier Tuesday that authorities were investigating reports that the outer sheen of oil was reaching coastal waters off Mississippi and Alabama , but said those reports had not been confirmed . `` We 've dispatched survey teams to see what the impact is out there , and to the extent that is required , we 'll move resources that direction , '' Allen , the federal government 's national incident commander , told reporters in New Orleans , Louisiana . CNN 's Patrick Oppmann and Matt Smith contributed to this report . | NEW : Large patches of oil offshore . NEW : Nearby Mississippi island also hit . Protective booms cover only part of the Alabama island . Feds checking out spill , Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen says . | [[116, 158], [116, 146], [156, 197], [848, 920]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mayor of Gary , Indiana , and Michael Jackson 's father , Joe , on Wednesday will announce `` a major move forward '' to bring a museum and performance arts center bearing the singer 's name to the city . Mayor Rudy Clay has said the project has the potential to bring 500,000 to 750,000 visitors to Gary and an annual income of $ 100 million to $ 150 million dollars to the community . In addition , the Jackson Family Museum and a Michael Jackson Performing Arts Center will generate hundreds of construction jobs and thousands of full-time jobs for the community when the project is completed , the mayor said in a press release . Joe and Katherine Jackson started their large family in a two-bedroom house in a working-class neighborhood in Gary . All 10 Jackson children were born in Gary between 1950 and 1966 , including one who was stillborn . The Jacksons moved from Gary to Los Angeles , California , in 1971 amid the success of the Jackson 5 group , which featured Michael Jackson and four older brothers . Their home at 2300 Jackson Street is still a shrine for the occasional tourist . Jackson died on June 25 , 2009 . | Joe Jackson and Gary , Indiana , mayor pushing for Jackson tourist site . Idea calls for museum and performing arts center . Michael Jackson and siblings were born in Gary , moved to Los Angeles . | [[138, 186], [875, 931], [934, 981]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sure David Copperfield can make the Statue of Liberty vanish in front of a live audience , but what can he do with an iPad ? In a YouTube video posted by `` salarymagician , '' Shinya -- who identifies himself as a magician at the beginning of the video -- incorporates the iPad in his sidewalk magic act , which just happens to take place in front of an Apple store . I 'm not sure what 's more impressive : How well he knows his way around an iPad , or how entertaining his magic tricks are . Different versions of the YouTube video have already been viewed more than 700,000 times . It does n't really matter that many of Shinya 's tricks probably would n't be possible without long sleeves and quick hands -- at one point he takes too long to pull a piece of cheese out of his sleeve . He redeems himself twice over when he makes a live dove appear in his hand moments after showing a video of it on the iPad screen . Another highpoint of Shinya 's act is when he pretends to pour a glass of milk onto his iPad . Despite the fact that the contents of the glass are clearly staying put , it appears as though the milk has filled the virtual glass on the screen . Is this really magic ? Probably not , but it looks pretty darn cool . Another cool , yet subtle , part of the video is when Shinya covers his face with the iPad . His moving face appears on the screen , but he 's wearing glasses . When he removes the iPad , the same glasses are on his face . We should have seen this coming . Apple CEO Steve Jobs deemed the iPad `` a truly magical and revolutionary product '' when he unveiled the tablet-style computer in January . What can you do with your iPad ? | The magician uses an iPad to do a series of magic tricks . He makes a live bird appear moments after showing a video of it on the screen . Jobs deemed the iPad `` a truly magical and revolutionary product '' in January . | [[809, 864], [844, 940], [1512, 1596]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- His life has never been easy . Born into poverty and war , his ears and tail were chopped off when he was just a few months old in preparation for dog-fighting . He escaped to find a better life , only to be trapped in lonely , sterile quarantine for six months . Bear plays for the first time out of quarantine after coming to Britain from Afghanistan . But all that changed Monday when Bear the dog stepped out of British quarantine and through the doors of a London animal shelter . `` He 's absolutely a loving dog , '' said former British Royal Marine Paul `` Penny '' Farthing , who helped bring Bear to England . `` He just loves people . It 's a good thing he was brought back to the U.K. when he was quite young , so he 's never gone through having to fend for himself in the street and be made to dogfight . '' An unknown soldier in Afghanistan first found Bear last year and brought him to a local Afghan animal shelter . The shelter was n't able to care for Bear , so it contacted Farthing , who now runs a charity for stray and abandoned animals , primarily dogs from Afghanistan . Farthing 's Nowzad Dogs is named for the Afghan town where he was based for a few months in 2006 . He asked Mayhew International , an arm of London 's Mayhew Animal Home , to help find Bear a new home . Mayhew International says Bear is one of the few dogs it has brought back to Britain . Usually it tries to find animals new homes within their own countries . `` Although Mayhew International does not encourage people to bring dogs to the U.K. from abroad as a general policy , we made an exception in this case as it was the perfect opportunity to highlight the plight of thousands of stray animals in Afghanistan , '' the organization said in a statement . Bear 's story may be unique , but he is certainly not alone . Mayhew International , which works around the world to educate people about animal welfare , says there are countless dogs in Afghanistan that are homeless or trapped in a life of dogfighting -- an increasingly popular pastime in Afghanistan . `` Animal welfare is not looked so highly upon in Afghanistan , '' said Christopher Sainsbury , Mayhew 's international projects officer . `` In war-torn areas , people tend to forget the animal welfare side of things . -LSB- We want to -RSB- make people aware that this is a key side of things that needs to be assessed , needs to be worked on . '' Bear is a Koochi dog , a large breed common in Afghanistan , according to Dr. Mohammadzai Abduljalil , a Mayhew veterinarian from Afghanistan . While no one knows Bear 's exact age , Abduljalil said they believe he is just about a year old . You would n't know it by Bear 's size . He 's already a large dog nearly 3 feet high with large paws to match . Stepping into the Mayhew play area Monday for the first time , Bear made sure to sniff every corner of the room and mark his territory a few times before settling in to play . He had a puppy 's curiosity and quickly started playing fetch and tug-of-war with Farthing , wagging enthusiastically the small part of his tail which is left . Bear is lucky . He escaped a violent and uncertain future in Afghanistan . Not so for many other dogs left behind . It is those dogs that Farthing hopes to help with his charity . `` They need someone to look after them , so why not me ? '' Farthing said . It began when the Royal Marines arrived in the war-torn town of Now Zad , in Afghanistan 's Helmand province , in October 2006 . They found stray dogs wandering the streets , scavenging for food , dodging bullets and seeking shelter from the hot days and cold nights . Many were also being used for dogfighting , with their ears and tails docked to make the fights last longer and give their opponents less to bite . Farthing and other Marines began to feed and care for a few dogs that wandered into their camp . At first they had three dogs , but other strays soon figured out the camp was a source of food and shelter , and before long the Marines found themselves caring for seven dogs and 14 puppies . Time was running out , however . The Marines were due to leave Now Zad in February 2007 and knew they could n't take the dogs with them . They looked for some way to make sure the dogs would be taken care of after they left . That 's when Farthing first contacted Mayhew International . They put him in touch with a small shelter in northern Afghanistan that Mayhew had assisted since its inception , providing advice and veterinary support . The shelter offered to take the dogs on one condition : The Marines had to arrange for the dogs ' transfer to Kabul , a difficult and dangerous three days ' drive away . Finding a taxi willing to accept dogs was the first hurdle ; the second was that the drivers refused to allow the dogs to be transported in Western-style cages , which would give away to the Taliban that the car was carrying foreigners . Instead , the dogs had to be tied with ropes , the Afghan way , and the puppies had to be stashed in small crates -- in this case , a bird cage . `` A lot was done on trust , '' Farthing told CNN . `` The Afghans did it as a favor to us . We paid for some of their fuel and their costs , but it was fantastic . It was them helping us out . They did n't have to do it . It shows that the people of Afghanistan and us , we can work together . '' In the end , most of the dogs made it to Kabul , but not without casualties . Two were left behind for lack of room in the taxi , and two more escaped along the way when a car door was accidentally left open . Three of the largest puppies were stolen , probably for dog fighting . Three dogs and eleven puppies finally made it to the shelter , but nine of the puppies later died due to an outbreak of disease and shortage of vaccines . Sainsbury , of Mayhew International , says the story of the Now Zad dogs and of Bear shows their efforts can help animals , even if it 's just one at a time . Mayhew International works with organizations already established in developing countries to plan mass sterilization drives that reduce the number of unwanted animals . They also train veterinary surgeons in modern neutering techniques that are quick and humane . `` The way that war makes looking after animal welfare harder is quite clear , '' Sainsbury said . `` Animal welfare gets forgotten and it becomes a back-burner because organizations ... that were working in those war-torn countries will probably be unable to operate any longer . They 'll be unable to aid the populations of stray and community animals which would rely on their help originally . '' Mayhew CEO Caroline Yates said staff have no idea how long it will take for Bear to find a new home . They hope the publicity surrounding his arrival in Britain will encourage people to think about adopting him . Yates said they hope to have him adopted within a month . Said Farthing , `` To be able to help just one -LSB- dog -RSB- is a reward in itself and a huge step to highlighting the undocumented suffering that animals in all war zones are subjected to . '' | Bear the dog was born into poverty , had ears and tail chopped off for dogfighting . Unknown soldier in Afghanistan first found Bear last year . Royal Marines made preparations with company and locals to transport dogs . Marine : `` It shows that the people of Afghanistan and us , we can work together '' | [[67, 92], [95, 197], [3666, 3670], [3692, 3707], [3710, 3735], [3715, 3813], [857, 917], [857, 890], [922, 968], [4603, 4662], [5324, 5395], [5373, 5395]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What does it feel like to kill a man ? James Lenihan of Brooklyn knew . He fought in Europe in World War II and he killed a German soldier during a battle in Holland . He described how it felt in a poem : . -- . I shot a man yesterday . And much to my surprise , . The strangest thing happened to me . I began to cry . -- . So begins `` Murder : Most Foul '' a work that echoes poetry about war in the tradition of William Shakespeare and borrows its title from the bard 's `` Hamlet . '' As powerful as the poem is , the story behind it is also fascinating . Sgt. James Lenihan returned home after the war , got married , had children and made a career as a salesman for the meatpacking industry . If he ever wrote any other poems , his son , Robert , and daughter , Joan , who still live in Brooklyn , do n't know of any . In fact , they did n't know about this poem until after their father died . They found it when they were going through his possessions . Robert and Joan Lenihan found two typewritten pages , each with a copy of the poem . It was unsigned , but Robert believes the poem was written by his father and later typed up by his mother for safekeeping . He says the poem talks of the killing happening in Holland . James Lenihan served in Holland with the 104th Infantry Division , which battled German units there . The poem portrays a soldier very upset about taking a life : . -- . I knelt beside him . And held his hand -- . I begged his forgiveness . Did he understand ? -- . But even while he describes the shooting as murder , he makes clear he had no choice : . -- . It was the War . And he was the enemy . If I had n't shot him . He would have shot me . -- . Robert Lenihan said the poem is a bit unlike the father he grew up with . A man who could be a `` tough customer '' if need be . Not someone tormented by a fleeting , albeit from an intense moment on a battlefield in Holland . `` I 'm just starting to appreciate how much he suffered only now in this part of my life . When I was a kid , like if he yelled at me or something , I 'd say , ` Well Dad 's being cranky , ' '' Lenihan said . He said that even though the incident in the poem took place nearly 60 years ago , it resonates today and should let young soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan that they are n't the first to face such emotional turmoil as this . `` That feeling they may have of regret and pain and shock of what they 've done . It shows they are not alone , '' Lenihan said . CNN sent James Lenihan 's poem to Georgetown University Professor David Gewanter , who has published several books of poetry , including `` War Bird , '' published last year . Gewanter called `` Murder : Most Foul '' `` accomplished . '' In an e-mail to CNN , he said the poem `` is good , and its truths are that of experience and some literary traditions . '' Robert Lenihan sounded surprised when he heard Gewanter 's analysis of his father 's amateur poem . `` I 'm very deeply touched , '' he said . `` For an expert to assess it that way and make such important comparisons -- I 'm amazed and quite touched . '' The poetry professor said Lenihan 's poem reminded him of a famous portion of Shakespeare 's play `` Henry V '' : . -- . From this day to the ending of the world , . But we in it shall be remembered -- . We few , we happy few , we band of brothers . -- . But Gewanter said it perhaps most closely resembles `` The Man He Killed , '' a work by Thomas Hardy written at the start of World War I . In that poem , Hardy writes that the soldier and the foe he killed might have shared a drink or loaned each other money had they met somewhere other than a battlefield . James Lenihan 's poem ends not with talk of loans or drinks , but a darker scene . -- . I shot a man yesterday . And much to surprise . A part of me died with Him . When Death came to close . His eyes . -- . To read the entire poem , go to www.dcoe.health.mil/blog/article.aspx?id=1&postid=102 . | Poem tells the anguish felt by one who killed a man in war . It was the only poem James Lenihan is known to have written , his children say . Poetry professor calls it `` accomplished , '' reminiscent of well-known works . | [[198, 232], [1364, 1422], [2726, 2738], [2740, 2756], [3140, 3237]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Watching the post parade at this weekend 's Kentucky Derby will surely fill some of our heads with dreams of horse ownership . How did the julep-sipping folks acquire their prized horses ? How much is buying a racehorse going to set you back ? Are they sound investments ? These are all tricky questions , but let 's take a look at a few stories of horse sales that turned out to be winning lottery tickets ... and a few that were more dud than stud . Mr. Prospector becomes a daddy again and again . In 1971 , Mr. Prospector was a yearling that fetched $ 200,000 at auction . When he took to the track , he was good but not great ; he won seven of 14 starts but only brought home $ 112,170 during his career . Still , in 1980 he sold for $ 20 million . What happened ? It turns out `` Mr. P. '' was a stud in every sense of the word . While his racing career might not have been the most distinguished , it 's tough to argue with his results as a stud . He sired a winner of each of the Triple Crown races , and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren have been similarly speedy . His sons , grandsons , and great-grandsons have combined to win over 30 Triple Crown races and pull in around $ 100 million in earnings . Mr. P. 's Derby-winning son Fusaichi Pegasus fetched $ 60 million in 2000 , and 18 years earlier , another son -- Belmont winner Conquistador Cielo -- sold for $ 36.4 million . Mental Floss : Did famous horses get their names ? John Henry drives steel , wins cash . When John Henry , a yearling foaled in 1975 , came up for bids at the Keeneland January Mixed Sale , he did n't generate much buzz . He had fairly mundane bloodlines , he was n't particularly big , and he had a nasty temper -- he got his name from a tendency of smashing steel feed buckets . John Calloway bought the unheralded gelding for a modest $ 1,100 investment and hoped he could make a little cash back on the horse . How did it work out ? By the time John Henry retired from racing , he was the top-earning gelding in history with over $ 6.5 million in career earnings . He won 25 graded stakes races and was racehorse of the decade for the 1980s . Not a shabby return on a $ 1,100 investment . The Green Monkey makes a monkey out of bidders . Unless you 're a huge fan of the band America , you might not envision shelling out eight figures for a horse with no name . That 's exactly what happened in a January 2006 auction at Calder Race Course , though . When the auctioneers brought a colt who was only known as `` number 153 '' to the auction block , a fierce bidding war broke out . Buyers were n't afraid to open their wallets for a colt that was described as `` perfect , '' and when the hammer dropped the horse went for a record $ 16 million . The winning bidders quickly christened the colt The Green Monkey , and excitement to see how the horse would do in races began to build . After all , the colt had run an eighth of a mile in a blazing 9.8 seconds in pre-auction workouts , so anything was possible once he started racing . The buyers thought they were getting a Triple Crown threat . Instead they got the thoroughbred version of Ryan Leaf . The Green Monkey could never translate his workout speed into actual races , and in his career , he only managed one third-place finish in a measly three starts . In 2008 , his owners retired him from racing to stand at stud . If his progeny enjoy the success that eluded the Green Monkey , he might make some of his substantial purchase price back . It will be tough , though ; right now he only pulls in $ 5,000 as a stud fee . Mental Floss : 7 things to know about the Kentucky Derby . ... But he 's in good company . The Green Monkey should n't feel too bad . The horses he took the `` most expensive colt '' record from did n't fare much better . Seattle Dancer set the yearling price record in 1985 when he went for a cool $ 13.1 million before going on to win $ 150,000 in his five career starts . Snaafi Dancer 's sale in 1983 was the worst investment this side of Pets.com stock ; the first yearling to break the $ 10 million price mark never raced -- and was infertile . Cigar comes up empty . Even casual sports fans may remember Cigar , the bay stallion who racked up an incredible 16 straight wins from 1994 to 1996 . If Cigar had picked up just $ 187 more during his career , he would have become the first horse ever to break $ 10 million in race earnings . When the former Breeders ' Cup Classic Champ came up for sale in 1998 , there were more than a few breeders who wanted to get their hands on him . Cigar sold for $ 25 million and promptly went out to stud to recoup some of that cash . That 's when breeders discovered a problem : the horse that some analysts called `` the second-best racehorse ever '' was infertile . Cigar 's new owners got a record $ 25 million payout on an insurance policy that covered infertility , and the champion stallion is spending the autumn of his years at the Kentucky Horse Park 's Hall of Champions . Mental Floss : 7 strange stories of lost cell phones . | Mr. Prospector only won $ 112,170 , but the race horse fathered a some big winners . The Green Monkey sold for $ 16M but his best was a third-place finish . Cigar won almost $ 10M , but turned out to be a big loser as a stud . | [[661, 663], [691, 738], [2717, 2778], [3266, 3279], [3282, 3347]] |
-LRB- Mashable -RRB- -- Sharing your credit card and online purchases with friends on the web sounds risky and it is . We 've just discovered that several credit card transactions shared on social networking site Blippy have been exposed -- with full credit card numbers included -- in Google search results . Tipster Trey Copeland wrote to us with a link to results for the search : site : blippy.com + `` from card '' . That search returns results showing detailed purchase information for transactions . Each result highlights that there was a `` debit card transaction '' or `` card transaction , '' the amount spent , the specific location -LRB- address included -RRB- and the full card number . Blippy users who share their credit card and bank account information do so with the assumption that this information will remain private . Blippy addresses security concerns with the following statement on its website : . `` Blippy is very concerned about safeguarding the confidentiality of your personally identifiable information . We employ administrative , physical and electronic measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access . We will make any legally-required disclosures of any breach of the security , confidentiality , or integrity of your unencrypted electronically stored personal data to you via email or conspicuous posting on the Services in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay , consistent with -LRB- i -RRB- the legitimate needs of law enforcement or -LRB- ii -RRB- any measures necessary to determine the scope of the breach and restore the reasonable integrity of the data system . '' Unfortunately it appears that there is a bug in the `` administrative , physical and electronic measures '' that ensure privacy , as Blippy 's security system has been breached in a very public and unfortunate way . Given the breach , we suggest that Blippy users who have authorized the site to access their debit or credit transactions take immediate action to revoke access . We 've e-mailed Blippy , notified of them of the situation and will update this post when we know more . © 2010 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved . | Blippy 's security system has been breached in a very public and unfortunate way . There 's a bug in the `` administrative , physical and electronic measures '' that ensure privacy . Mashable suggests that Blippy users take immediate action to revoke access . | [[1790, 1875], [1037, 1096], [1047, 1160], [1660, 1767], [1745, 1767], [1773, 1787], [1895, 2019], [1911, 1952], [1963, 2038]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The next generation of space robot is here . It looks like an astronaut in a spacesuit , with a head , a torso , two arms and two hands that can grasp and hold objects just like a human hand . Its name is R2 , short for Robonaut 2 . And it 's heading to the International Space Station aboard the space shuttle Discovery in September . For more than three years , a team of General Motors engineers and NASA scientists worked side by side at the Houston 's Johnson Space center -- designing , engineering and building the 300-pound , human-like machine . At first , the partnership between a space agency and an auto maker may seem unlikely but it made perfect sense for the R2 venture . GM has used both industrial and commercial robots in its auto assembly plants , mainly single-arm robots . `` We 've used robots for years and years , '' said Marty Linn , GM 's principal robotics engineer . `` We use robots in basically every single one of our manufacturing plants today around the world . '' Turns out that what the astronauts need on a space mission is not very different from what an operator in an assembly plant needs . `` We spent a lot of effort working on the technologies that will allow us to have robots work right next to human operators very safely , '' Linn said . `` For General Motors , it 's really about the the technologies and being able to make the robots safe to work around . '' NASA has the same goal . `` This project exemplifies the promise that a future generation of robots can have both in space and on Earth , not as replacements for humans but as companions that can carry out key supporting roles , '' said a statement from John Olson , director of NASA 's Exploration Systems Integration Office . `` The combined potential of humans and robots is a perfect example of the sum equaling more than the parts , '' he said . `` It will allow us to go further and achieve more than we can probably even imagine today . '' Linn said the R2 will be an astronaut 's helper . `` That 's really what it was designed to do , to help astronauts in performing their regular tasks , '' Linn said . And at GM , he said , the R2 was about developing technologies that will help build safer manufacturing plants and better-quality vehicles . It 's hoped that the robot will minimize danger to astronauts , relieve them of ergonomically challenging tasks as well as jobs that are dull and repetitive . R2 will be able to perform a variety of experiments in micro-gravity , basically working side-by-side with the astronauts , but will still be in a testing phase when it arrives at the International Space Station . It is n't built to withstand the extreme temperatures in space , so it will be confined to a lab inside the station . But in the years ahead , scientists hope the R2 will be enhanced enough to move freely around the complex . Is the R2 a precursor of things to come ? Are there robotic teachers and robotic drivers in the near future ? How about robotic babysitters or store clerks ? `` I 'm a big fan of imagination , '' Linn said . `` And certainly you could imagine all those things . Is it that far off ? I do n't think so . '' | The robot 's name is R2 , short for Robonaut 2 . R2 will travel to the International Space Station aboard the space shuttle Discovery . R2 is able to perform experiments in micro-gravity , working with astronauts . | [[212, 251], [256, 258], [262, 321], [2441, 2562]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rifts within the Anglican Communion could widen after the archbishop of Canterbury , who has condemned the consecration of openly gay bishops , urged a diminished role Friday for the Episcopal Church . Earlier this month , a Los Angeles , California , diocese ordained the Rev. Mary Glasspool , the first openly gay bishop ordained in the church since 2004 , when Gene Robinson took his post in New Hampshire . The U.S. church has been criticized by conservative factions for openly gay ordinations . Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams , the nominal head of Anglican Communion , shared his concern when Glasspool was consecrated , saying then that the move would further divide the 77 million-member worldwide denomination that includes the Episcopal Church in the United States . On Friday , he made an even stronger statement in a letter to the communion . `` Our Anglican fellowship continues to experience painful division , and the events of recent months have not brought us nearer to full reconciliation , '' Williams wrote . `` There are still things being done that the representative bodies of the Communion have repeatedly pleaded should not be done ; and this leads to recrimination , confusion and bitterness all round . `` It is clear that the official bodies of The Episcopal Church have felt in conscience that they can not go along with what has been asked of them by others , and the consecration of Canon Mary Glasspool on May 15 has been a clear sign of this . '' Williams does not have the power to issue edicts like the pope , but he issued a five-page statement suggesting that provinces -LRB- such as the Episcopal Church -RRB- or national and regional churches that have broken agreed-upon `` promises '' should step down from participating in interfaith dialogues . He said they should also relinquish decision-making powers in a committee that deals with questions of doctrine and authority . Following Robinson 's consecration , the communion leadership laid out three promises , or moratoria , according to the archbishop of Canterbury website : . -- No authorization of blessings services for same-sex unions . -- No consecrations of bishops living in same-sex relationships . -- No cross-border interventions -LRB- no bishop authorizing any ministry within the diocese of another bishop without explicit permission -RRB- . Glasspool has been in an open same-sex relationship for 19 years , a violation of the moratoria . Robinson also was in a same-sex relationship at the time of his consecration . Conservative Anglicans have long called for Williams to punish the Episcopal Church by not inviting the church to the Lambeth Conference , a global meeting of Anglican leaders held every decade . Williams did not go far enough in his rebuke , a spokesman for a conservative Anglican group said Friday . Robert Lundy of the American Anglican Council said the Episcopal Church should n't be involved in any decision-making bodies within the Anglican Communion so long as it continues to ordain openly gay bishops and violate biblical teachings . Williams ' statement only keeps the Episcopal Church off of certain committees within the communion , Lundy said . `` He -LSB- Williams -RSB- knows he has to do something because he 's under pressure from all sides , '' he said . `` But unfortunately , the step he 's taken in our view is not strong enough . '' Bishop Ian Douglas of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut called Williams ' statement `` significant '' but `` not as punitive as it might have been . '' He said it was an affirmation of the three moratoria , and he made clear that other churches , not just the U.S. Episcopal Church , will be affected for having broken promises as well . `` Many churches across the Anglican Communion because of conscience or their belief in what the holy spirit is up to in their local context have lived beyond the moratoria , '' Douglas said . `` While the moratoria are still before us , such actions do have some ramifications . ... If anything , I question the efficacy of the moratoria . '' He added , `` It 's another expression of how we 're trying to live with our differences with integrity and not alienate one another . I 'm still convinced there 's so much more that unites us . '' | The Episcopal Church in Los Angeles recently consecrated an openly gay bishop . The archbishop of Canterbury warned that divisions in the church would widen . He urged a diminished role for the Episcopal Church for violating `` promises '' Conservatives say he did n't go far enough . | [[0, 15], [19, 101], [520, 559], [603, 652], [627, 636], [655, 746], [0, 15], [163, 220], [2751, 2795], [3352, 3407]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If you 've booked travel online , you may have been there . Nancy Cutter , a travel agent in Charlotte , North Carolina , discusses vacation options with a client . Online travel sites flooded with overwhelming options , all claiming the best deals . Extra fees nestled into the fine print amid blaring advertisements . Pounding 16 digits into the telephone after you 've booked the wrong flight before finally getting a human voice . A few weeks ago , Darin Kaplan , a tech-savvy 27-year-old California restaurant manager , clicked his mouse hundreds of times , surfing the vast choices offered by online travel booking Web sites like Expedia.com and Orbitz.com to plan his 28th birthday cruise to Mexico before he gave up in frustration . `` It 's a cut-and-paste experience when you 're booking online . None of these sites are going to tell me what I can do with different options , '' said Kaplan , who uses the Internet for many purchases , including his basketball shorts and music tickets . `` Travel agents know what they are talking about . It 's more comforting to hand my money to someone who has the knowledge and experience . '' Some travelers like Kaplan are finding themselves defecting from travel booking sites like Travelocity.com or airline sites like Delta.com . They are going back the travel agent , an industry that many industry experts once thought to be passé with the advent of online booking . Fewer travelers are enjoying using the Web to plan and buy trips , according to a study last week by Forrester Research , a market research company . About 46 percent of U.S. leisure travelers enjoyed using the Internet to book travel this year , down from 53 percent in 2007 . Difficult site navigation and presentation on travel company sites and hotel and airline sites are causing a growing number of travelers to shift away from the Web and consider using alternative methods of booking travel . `` People are saying ' I do n't understand my options , and I would like to talk to someone who can do all the searching and tell me what 's available , ' '' said Henry Hartevelt , the analyst who wrote the Forrester study . `` Major travel agencies have absolutely failed in their responsibility to innovate and think of creative new ways to help their customers shop . '' In the brick-and-mortar travel agent model , a trained agent meets with the traveler in person or establishes a relationship over the phone . For a fee , they discuss the travel options they have researched . These travel agencies began losing their monopoly on the industry during the late 1990s , when airlines began to sell tickets online and travel giants like Expedia.com exploded onto the scene , quickly gobbling market share by introducing the quick , do-it - yourself model . In 1995 , there were 37,000 brick-and-mortar travel agencies , according to the American Society of Travel Agents . Now , only 18,000 exist after many merged or folded . `` What the Internet has done is given us a nation that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing , '' said Bill Maloney , CEO of the American Society of Travel Agents . `` How do you know if a hotel is actually a good value or if it 's overpriced ? You have these online generalists and these individual specialists . '' Travel agent Nancy Cutter of Court Travel Ltd. in Charlotte , North Carolina , and a half-dozen other agencies across the country say they have experienced a surge in returning clients , who said travel Web sites were confusing and unhelpful . In several instances , brick-and-mortar agents say they were able to offer deals at the same price as , and even undercut , the travel agent models , dispelling the belief that the cheapest rate is online . Travel agents have deals with suppliers that can sometimes enable them to offer lower prices than on the Web . They also have time to cancel tickets for free , compared with some non-refundable tickets sold on the Web . Expedia.com said it recently waived the fee for travelers changing certain flights . `` Just because you can go out and buy Turbo Tax does n't mean it 's the best answer for everyone , '' Cutter said . `` Some people will still go to an accountant . Booking travel can get complicated , and it 's just not as easy as it looks . '' Travel agents do n't discount the value of online travel agencies , which can be useful for booking simple , short trips , but they say complex itineraries require more expertise from a professional . Many online travel companies agree that an agent may be valuable in planning a detailed honeymoon that includes a tour of vineyards in France or a family excursion to top snorkeling and kangaroo-watching destinations in Australia . `` If you 're the type of traveler who needs hand-holding up front , then sure , a travel agent would be great , but you can usually find that same information on the Web , '' said Brian Ek , a spokesman for Priceline.com , a travel company famous for letting bidders set their own price . He said the agents available by phone at his company can help facilitate a sale and customize cruises for travelers . Online travel companies say they have made functionality improvements on their sites in recent years . For example , Expedia.com , the world 's largest online travel agency , offers a tool that can let customers compare seats on an airplane , with ratings on how comfortable a seat is and how much leg room is available . They also have hotel reviews and even Web tours of rooms to help travelers decide . And , research shows that online travel model is poised to grow . Even in a recession , when companies and individuals are scaling back on travel , Expedia.com saw a 22 percent air transaction growth rate in the last quarter . But Susan D. Tanzman of Martin 's Travel and Tours in California , who has worked as an agent for 35 years , points out that agents follow up with travelers before and after the trip . If the traveler needs help , the agency can offer assistance . They often work 24 hours a day . JoAnne Kochneff , owner of midsize agency Travel by Gagnon in Michigan , said agents can give the personal attention a site can not . Kochneff 's office provides a homey feel , with agents offering freshly baked cookies for clients who stop by to chat about their trips . `` They have personal experience traveling in the area , so they can give you a personal recommendation , '' said Frances Mosser , 67 , of Kentucky , on her reason why she switched to the travel agent model this summer . Mosser and her husband booked a trip to St. Melo in France with a travel agent . The agent helped them devise a way to reduce travel time by taking Ryan Air between countries . `` I do n't think we could have planned the trip without her , '' Mosser said . | Study finds 46 percent of travelers enjoyed using Web to book travel this year . Some Web-reliant travelers are shifting to brick-and-mortar travel agent model . Travel agents often specialize in certain countries or tours for complex itineraries . Despite recession , Expedia had a 22 percent air transaction growth last quarter . | [[1592, 1686], [4550, 4558], [4575, 4741], [5622, 5641], [5644, 5658], [5704, 5782]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Amazon plans to unveil a thinner Kindle with a sharper picture in August , according to a Bloomberg News report on Saturday citing anonymous sources . Two people familiar with the online retailer 's plans told Bloomberg the next-generation e-book reader will not have a touch screen or color , but the display will be sharper and more responsive . Earlier this week at Amazon 's annual shareholder meeting in Seattle , CEO Jeff Bezos said a Kindle with a color reflective screen is still a ways off . A story in The Wall Street Journal on the meeting quoted Bezos as saying he had `` seen several things in the laboratory , but they are not quite ready for production . '' The New York Times reported in February that Amazon had bought Touchco , a New York start-up developing flexible multitouch panels . That led to speculation that the e-tailer was planning an answer to the iPad , Apple 's tablet device . Bezos said Tuesday that Amazon intends to keep the Kindle focused on what it has always been -- a reading device . CNET e-mailed Amazon on Saturday afternoon seeking a comment on the Bloomberg report . Bloomberg said a call to an Amazon representative was not returned . On Thursday , Sony announced it is releasing its Reader -- which launched in the U.S. in 2006 -- in several new countries this year , including Japan , China , and Australia . Also on Thursday , Marvell said it 's teaming up with the One Laptop Per Child foundation to create an inexpensive tablet , which they plan to show off at CES next year . © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | Amazon plans to unveil a thinner Kindle with a sharper picture in August . Sources say e-book reader will not have a touch screen or color . CEO Jeff Bezos says a Kindle with a color reflective screen is still a ways of . | [[20, 92], [314, 367], [171, 311], [368, 436], [439, 498], [439, 442], [473, 520]] |
Fort Hood , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A judge on Tuesday granted a defense request to delay the Article 32 hearing of Maj. Nidal Hasan , the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people in a November shooting spree at Fort Hood , Texas , until October . Hasan made his first courtroom appearance in connection with the case Tuesday . The hearing was the first part of an Article 32 hearing , the military procedure similar to a civilian grand jury , for the case being built against him by the Army . Hasan uses a wheelchair after gunshot wounds he sustained in the November 5 incident . He wheeled himself into the courtroom , wearing his Army fatigues . He wrapped himself in a blanket during the hearing . Hasan offered short answers to questions posed by the judge , Investigating Officer Col. James Pohl . Asked whom he wanted to represent him , he named his three attorneys . Hasan appeared calm throughout the proceeding , at one point cracking a smile while speaking with his attorney . Security for the hearing was tight , with nearby streets blocked off and bomb-sniffing dogs present . Reporters went through two layers of security . The only people present at the hearing besides the media were legal assistants . Most of the hearing revolved around evidence Hasan 's attorneys have asked for in the discovery process , the routine practice that is part of every criminal case , be it civilian or military . Hasan 's lead civilian attorney , John Galligan , a retired colonel with three decades of experience as an Army lawyer , has asked for everything from DNA test results to crime scene video to copies of investigations of the shooting ordered by President Barack Obama . Last week , the Army delivered 2,000 pages of documents to Galligan , but many of the items he requested are still not available to the defense team , Galligan said . For example , dozens of shots were fired that day on the sprawling Army base in central Texas . Galligan asked for `` records of the measured angle of each trajectory , showing the trajectory from each bullet hole to the shooter 's position . '' The Army said in a court document filed in response , `` There are no documents of files of items responsive to the defense request at this time . '' Galligan also has asked for all e-mails between Hasan and Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki . Prosecutors agreed Tuesday to release them to the defense . Defense attorneys also are requesting some classified documents . Prosecutors said Tuesday they are in the process of attempting to de-classify them . Pohl granted defense attorneys ' request for the delay , although prosecutors said they would be ready to present evidence at the Article 32 hearing in July . Galligan 's request makes clear that his defense case will delve into what happened before November 5 . Hasan 's lawyer has asked for reports of inappropriate or substandard work by Hasan while he was training at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington . Unlike a civilian grand jury hearing , Article 32 hearings involve both the prosecution and the defense , and witnesses are questioned by both sides . Galligan earlier told CNN that since the entire defense legal team , which includes Galligan and two military lawyers , has only met with Hasan once , the team needs more time to help build a case for him . CNN 's Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report . | Judge delays Article 32 hearing for Maj. Nidal Hasan until October . Hasan makes first courtroom appearance Tuesday . He is accused of killing 13 people in shooting spree at Fort Hood , Texas , in November . Article 32 hearing is military equivalent to civilian grand jury . | [[0, 33], [56, 121], [255, 324], [136, 228]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Carrie Bradshaw is not only a Manhattan and fashion icon , but as a dating columnist , she 's considered a dating icon as well . Why ? She 's selfish , immature , manipulative , impulsive , and , let 's face it , kind of psycho . The Frisky : 10 spoiler-free reasons to see `` SATC 2 '' She gives women , even kooky women , a bad name . Ladies , feel free to emulate Carrie 's style and visit her favorite NYC haunts , but when it comes to dating , it 's best to do anything but what she does . Carrie makes several common mistakes throughout the `` Sex and the City '' series and by watching her missteps , women can learn a lot about what to do and , more importantly , what not to do , at all stages of a relationship . The Frisky : Cattiest reviews about `` Sex and the City 2 '' Do n't assume . When Carrie begins dating Mr. Big , she assumes that since she 's not seeing anyone else , he 's not either . Predictably , she 's shocked when she finds him at dinner with another woman . Although she and Big had shared a bed together , they had only gone on two dates by that point ; he certainly did n't owe her exclusivity , especially when they had n't discussed it . If you do n't want your new guy to date anyone else , make sure he knows it . While there 's no magic time to have the `` what do we call this relationship '' talk , it 's imperative that you have the talk at some point . Over-analyzing does n't solve anything . Carrie often falls into the trap of over and over and over-analyzing every aspect of her relationships , wondering what each and every little tiny thing means . She looks for hidden meanings in the most ordinary events . When Big takes her to the same restaurant twice in a row , she looks for a secret motive . She listens to answering machine messages from him repeatedly , straining to hear what he 's not saying . Sometimes , men are not up-front about why they do what they do , but most of the time , a restaurant is just a restaurant and a message is just a message . Stalking is n't sexy . `` Sex and the City '' existed in a time before cell phones were ubiquitous , Google was a verb , and posting on Facebook and Twitter became a national pastime . Yet Carrie still manages to stalk Big , following him to church to see what he does on Sundays and with whom , and concocting a scheme to meet his ex-wife . While there 's nothing wrong with looking up a new date online , cyberstalking or , worse , actually stalking someone likely wo n't end well . When he finds out that you 've been moonlighting as a private investigator , he wo n't be flattered . Instead , he 'll wonder what he 's getting himself into and will probably be ready to end what may have just started . Drama does n't equal passion . Carrie is scared when Aidan seems `` too perfect . '' She wants to know what 's wrong with him and insists he must be hiding a big secret from her . As she ponders her new relationship , she writes , `` Do we need drama to make a relationship work ? '' The answer is no . Unfortunately , many women equate drama with passion . A relationship filled with drama is usually exciting because you never know what could happen -- good or bad . That kind of excitement can be destructive and is ultimately unsustainable . A drama-free relationship is n't one that 's necessarily without love or passion ; it 's one that 's mature enough to not need the emotional roller coaster . The Frisky : I 'm a `` Miranda '' type -- not a `` Carrie '' -- and I love it . `` Perfect '' does n't exist . Even as Aidan is too perfect , Carrie insists on perfection when she goes out with Berger for the first time . She goes shopping for the perfect outfit and tries to think of what activity they can do to make it the perfect first date . However , she soon realizes that Berger is n't interested in her clothes or doing the best thing ever on a date ; he 's interested in her . When we strive for perfection , we 're bound to be disappointed because no date , guy or relationship will ever live up to that expectation . Be the better person . In one of the most memorable scenes of the series , Berger dumps Carrie on a Post-it note . Was he nasty and immature ? Absolutely ! But was she right to yell at his friends when she ran into them at the club opening ? No . Of course , she was hurt and angry , but she ranted at the wrong audience . Although he was a jerk , she made herself look ridiculous . Everyone is dumped at some point -- if you take the high road , he 'll look like the bad guy and it wo n't look like he had a reason to end things . The Frisky : When he is n't over his old girlfriend . If you 're not yourself around him , he 's not right for you . When she 's dating Aleksandr Petrovsky , Carrie subverts herself and her desires to please her new man . She feigns interest in his interests and eventually gives up her career , apartment and city for him . It 's great to explore new things in a relationship -- in fact , one of the best aspects of dating is that it opens you up to new people and ideas -- but when you stop acting like yourself and start taking on your boyfriend 's ideas and ideals , it 's time to disentangle from the relationship and find yourself again . Magical endings are for movies . The series ends when Carrie reunites with both Manhattan and Big . Sweeping camera angles , soaring music , and kissing under lampposts in the rain are great for fiction , but sometimes holding hands on the couch says more about a couple 's commitment to each other . Do n't forget to cherish the small moments while you wait for the big ones that might never come . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Columnist says women should not emulate Carrie Bradshaw 's dating styles . Do n't equate drama with passion -- roller coaster emotions are destructive . Give up over-analyzing every aspect of your relationships . Ladies , if you 're not yourself around him , he 's not right for you . | [[2743, 2773], [3212, 3254], [1462, 1564], [4665, 4696], [4699, 4724]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In his essay `` The Myth of Sisyphus , '' Albert Camus writes , `` Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy . '' It is not a question we like to think about . The default assumption is that life is always worth living , that it is sacred and should be treated as such . When that assumption is challenged , we find ourselves confused , afraid and -- in some cases -- angry . The new HBO film `` You Do n't Know Jack '' probably wo n't spur serious investigation of the fundamental question . This biopic of Jack Kevorkian , the infamous `` Dr. Death , '' may not add anything new to the physician-assisted suicide argument , but it does remind us of a time not too long ago when we were forced to consider where we stand on the matter . And for many of us , where we stand is anything but firm ground . We believe in choice . We believe in self-determination . In fact , we prize them ; we promote them ; we preach about them . There are n't a lot of situations in which we 're willing to take choice away from people , even if they would benefit from it . My research suggests that Americans hold on tighter to choice than just about anyone else . In one study , my collaborators Simona Botti and Kristina Orfali and I interviewed French and American parents who were coping with a tragic loss . Each couple had recently lost a severely ill baby after life support had been removed . In France , the doctors made the decision to remove life support ; in America , the parents had the final say . The outcome was the same for all the parents , so did they have similar reactions ? Even up to a year later , the American parents expressed a great deal more negative emotion than the French parents . The French made statements like this : `` Noah was here for so little time , but he gave us so much , a new perspective on life . '' American parents , by contrast , said things like , `` I keep thinking to myself , ` What if I had chosen differently ? ' I feel as though I 've played a role in an execution . '' Although the American parents were more miserable having made the choice themselves , they would not contemplate doing otherwise . When they were asked whether they would have preferred to have the doctor make the decision , they all said no . They felt trapped by choice , and yet they insisted on it . If we can choose to take others off life support , choose to forgo medical treatment for ourselves , choose not to be resuscitated , and if these are choices we passionately defend , why do we balk at the choice of assisted suicide ? There is legitimate concern about the potential for abuse , but we 're tripped up by more than just the practical problems . We ask , `` Does n't assisted suicide devalue life ? '' We express what we ca n't quite articulate by saying that it feels wrong . In an interview with Barbara Walters , as shown in the film , Kevorkian argues that medical practices often seem wrong before they become right . He says that ether was n't used as an anesthetic for hundreds of years , that patients remained awake during surgery , `` because of the foolish notion that there 's a God Almighty who wills us to suffer . '' Whether this is a fact or not , there is truth in it ; we want our suffering to have purpose . According to Camus , `` Living , naturally , is never easy . You continue making the gestures commanded by existence for many reasons , the first of which is habit . Dying voluntarily implies that you have recognized , even instinctively , the ridiculous character of that habit , the absence of any profound reason for living , the insane character of that daily agitation , and the uselessness of suffering . '' When we reject assisted suicide , we reject that `` recognition . '' We need the habit of life to have meaning , we need suffering to have meaning , and we certainly need death to have meaning . And we think of choice as a way of making meaning , not taking it away . Actively choosing to die -- leaving no part of it to chance or other forces -- strikes us as not only devaluing life but devaluing death and devaluing choice . In order to have a serious conversation about assisted suicide , we may need to accept that sometimes choice , death and the choice of death do n't lead to or reveal anything greater . I do n't know if we 're ready for that . I do n't know if we should be . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sheena Iyengar . | Sheena Iyengar : Most of us think life is always worth living ; assisted suicide challenges that . HBO film `` You Do n't Know Jack , '' about Jack Kevorkian , shows people choosing to die . Americans believe in choice and self-determination more than anyone else , Iyengar says . She writes that Americans see choosing to die as devaluing choice and life . | [[270, 279], [283, 302], [1142, 1233], [1168, 1233], [4023, 4040], [4102, 4182]] |
New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Staring down a smoking homemade bomb and dismantling it is dangerous enough . Doing it with news cameras rolling on a busy Saturday night in the middle of Times Square is something Det. Patrick LaScala of the New York Police Department swears never entered his mind . Until the following day . `` You 're home the next day , and you 're really thinking about it . Then , you start to put the pieces together and you think , ` Wow , ' '' LaScala said in an exclusive interview . LaScala was manipulating the police robot that laid the groundwork for one of his partners , Det. Raymond Clair . `` This was the first time that I went down on a vehicle , and I saw clocks and wires and gas and propane . I identified it as a bomb , and I had to look twice , '' Clair said . After 13 years as a bomb tech , that night was the one Clair says he 'll remember the most . Clair and LaScala are part of New York 's elite bomb squad , a unit whose size is a closely guarded secret . CNN was given special access to the unit in order to find out what a more typical day can be like . During one recent 16-hour shift , I watched the same five-man team who worked the bungled bomb plot in Times Square check their equipment , catch up on paperwork and make sure Dan-O , their explosives-sniffing dog , was raring to go . The K-9 is named for a member of the squad who died in the 9/11 attacks when one of the twin towers collapsed . On a busy side street outside their Manhattan offices , neighbors watched them go through their paces with the robot . `` We think they 're great , '' one man said . Another passerby snapped a picture of the robot with her cell phone . `` Is that the robot that checks out bombs ? '' she asked . It was . But robots , as sophisticated as they are , can only do so much . They 're capable of blowing out windows , blasting a suspicious package to bits , photographing an object from several angles and sending those images to investigators . The squad does n't want to publicize more specific details . Still , a human touch often ca n't be avoided . With help , bomb techs first crawl into an 85-pound protective suit that covers their bodies from head to toe . The feet nearly look like those of a platypus , the material is stiff and hot , and the chest plate is heavy . A helmet is cinched on around the neck , and an air hose keeps outside air flowing into the mask . Put on gloves , and it 's hard to imagine that anyone in such bulky gear could maneuver and dismantle possible bomb components . But that 's what they 're trained to do . `` The more you do , and the more you get involved , the better you 'll get when it 's the real thing , '' Clair said . Det. Greg Abbate also was there for the `` real thing '' in Times Square . He said his training kicked in . `` There 's a strong bond between us . We go to a job , there 's very little talk . Everyone knows what they have to do , '' he said . Despite the immense dangers associated with the work , whenever the unit checks out a suspicious package , bomb technicians jockey for the opportunity to suit up . `` We actually have arguments over who 's taking the job , '' added Abbate . When CNN traveled with them on a call , it was Abbate 's turn to wear the gear . The bomb squad was called to check out a backpack found in a park near a police headquarters checkpoint . The team sped to the scene with sirens screaming . Other units ringed the perimeter . X-rays were taken . Abbate moved in . This time , he determined that this time , there was nothing to it . Sgt. John Ryan said it 's necessary to assume the worst until the team moves in . `` Everything is a bomb until we say it 's not a bomb , '' said Ryan . The days are long , but the men say they feel `` blessed '' to be part of the bomb squad . They laugh when people suggest they must be a little crazy to do such a dangerous job . `` It 's an honor , '' LaScala said . And it never gets old . `` At the end of the day , it 's just one day down and a lot more to go , '' said Det. Mike Garcia . CNN producers Julian Cummings and Ross Levitt contributed to this report . | CNN visits the bomb squad that handled the recent Times Square incident . Det. Greg Abbate : `` There 's a very strong bond between us '' Despite the dangers , squad members eager to be the one to suit up when a call comes in . | [[1100, 1131], [1134, 1281], [2819, 2856]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A public memorial service for heavy metal rocker Ronnie James Dio is planned for Sunday , with members of the Westboro Baptist Church saying they will picket the ceremony . The church in Topeka , Kansas , is known for its intolerance of gays and its picketing of soldiers ' funerals . A picketing schedule on the church 's website said protesters will be at the Dio memorial at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles , accusing the 67-year-old rocker of worshipping Satan . Dio died on May 16 after a battle with stomach cancer . Charges of devil-worshipping have often been leveled against heavy metal music . Dio , in particular , was a favorite target . He popularized the `` devil 's horn '' gesture , where the index and the little fingers are upright and the thumb is clasped against the two middle fingers . He has said he was taught by the sign by his superstitious Italian grandmother as a way to ward off the `` evil eye . '' But many fundamentalist Christians have taken issue with the gesture , alleging that it is a tribute to the devil . `` Ronnie hates prejudice and violence . We need to turn the other cheek on these people that only know how to hate someone they did n't know , '' said Dio 's wife , Wendy , about the planned protest . Wendy Dio said the memorial will host a donation center for her husband 's `` Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund , '' named after one his songs . Dio most recently was touring with Heaven and Hell , a version of Black Sabbath renamed for legal reasons . All shows were canceled last March because of his illness . His last public appearance was in April at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards , when he accepted a vocalist of the year award for his work on last year 's Heaven and Hell album . Dio appeared frail , but he spoke while accepting his award . Born Ronald James Padavona in 1942 , Dio 's professional music career began as a high school student in the late 1950s . His 1960s rock group The Electric Elves evolved into Elf by the early 1970s , when the group played heavy blues rock . Dio 's rock became darker with his band Rainbow , which he left in 1979 to join Black Sabbath . Black Sabbath released three albums with Dio , including `` Heaven and Hell '' in 1980 , `` Mob Rules '' in 1981 and `` Live Evil '' in 1982 . Dio left that band in 1982 , but he had a brief reunion with the group a decade later . He formed the group Dio in 1982 and later Heaven and Hell . | Church says it will picket singer Dio 's memorial service . Public service will host donation center to raise money for cancer fund . Rocker died on May 16 after battle with stomach cancer . Dio fronted Rainbow and Black Sabbath . | [[139, 216], [329, 464], [1302, 1410], [522, 577]] |
San Salvador , El Salvador -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The remnants of Tropical Storm Agatha were headed into the Caribbean Sea late Sunday after leaving behind more than 80 dead in Guatemala and El Salvador , authorities in those countries reported . Most of the dead were in Guatemala , where heavy rains triggered mudslides that collapsed homes and forced thousands to evacuate . The country 's preliminary death toll was 73 on Sunday , with 49 of those reported in the province of Chimaltenango , said David de Leon , Spokesperson for the National Commission for the Reduction of National Disasters . That toll was expected to rise , he said . And El Salvador reported nine deaths from the storm . The government issued a red alert , the highest warning level , which shut down schools and opened up shelters for families in the affected areas , President Mauricio Funes said . Agatha , an Eastern Pacific storm , struck land Saturday and was downgraded from a tropical depression to a remnant storm on Sunday . It was last reported moving toward the western Caribbean on Sunday afternoon , but was expected to keep producing heavy rains through Monday , according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center . In Guatemala , the storm damaged more than 3,500 homes and forced the evacuation of more than 61,000 people , the nation 's emergency office said Sunday . And in Mexico , the government 's National Meteorological Service predicted torrential rain for Chiapas state , intense downpours in Tabasco and strong showers in Quintana Roo . Four other Mexican states were predicted to receive moderate rain . Strong winds also were forecast . Swollen rivers and mudslides were a concern . In Guatemala , four children were buried in a landslide outside Guatemala City , the nation 's capital . Four adults were killed in the capital , disaster officials said . Another two children and two adults were killed when a boulder , dislodged by heavy rains , crushed a house in the department of Quetzaltenango , 125 miles -LRB- 200 km -RRB- west of Guatemala City , officials said . Guatemala is already under a 15-day state of calamity because of Thursday 's eruption of the Pacaya volcano , which killed at least three people . At least 1,800 people had already been evacuated to shelters . The volcano also shut down the capital 's international airport . Ash from the volcano that covered city streets and other areas mixed with the heavy rain , forming a goo that caused many drainage systems to clog . Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom said damage from Agatha was probably worse than the destruction caused by Hurricanes Mitch in 1998 and Stan in 2005 , both of which devastated the Central American country . `` The country is suffering a great tragedy , this attack by nature , '' Colom said from the Guatemalan emergency agency center . Emergencies were reported in all of Guatemala 's 22 states , called departments . The worst , Colom said , was the Pacific Ocean port of Champerico , which is isolated . `` We have no way of getting there to help the public , which is in danger because of flooding , '' Colom said . The president said he has asked the international community for help . Agatha is the first named storm of the Pacific hurricane season . The Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 . CNN 's Esprit Smith and journalist Merlin Rodriguez contributed to this report . | Guatemala counts 73 dead in wake of Tropical Storm Agatha . Nine dead in El Salvador . Agatha struck on Saturday , by Sunday was a remnant storm . In Guatemala , more than 3,500 homes damaged , 61,000 people evacuated . | [[0, 12], [71, 198], [243, 277], [374, 428], [639, 692], [873, 879], [882, 884], [909, 929], [873, 879], [882, 906], [921, 1006], [268, 277], [286, 373], [1200, 1212], [1215, 1254], [1200, 1212], [1215, 1224], [1259, 1307]] |
Nashville , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tennessee is living up to its Volunteer State moniker as residents grapple with the aftermath of deadly flooding that left widespread damage and an untold number of displaced residents in its wake . Neighbors are rescuing neighbors . Strangers are chipping in to clean up devastated homes and businesses . Although many have lost everything tangible , their optimism remains intact . `` I 'm alive , '' Ronnie Coleman said . `` Everything else , the rest of my life , if I have to fight cancer or whatever -- hey , man , it 's going to be a piece of cake to what I went through . '' After two days of torrential rain , Coleman waded through chest-high water this weekend at his home in the Whites Creek suburb of Nashville -- a daunting task for a man who ca n't swim . His neighbor , Willie Mae Stricklandjordan , whose every belonging was ruined in the flooding , described what happened when Whites Creek overflowed : `` The water just gushed in -- and it had a force to it . '' Another neighbor , Evelyn Pearlbell , said she had to be rescued . `` They put this rope around me and pulled me through this water , '' she said . `` Scary . Phew , I was so scared . '' As of Friday morning , the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said that 21 people had died , one from natural causes . Davidson County was hit the hardest , with 10 fatalities . The federal government has declared 27 counties major disaster areas , the agency said . Aid and supplies were flowing in to Tennessee , including 167 truckloads of water . Country singers , who hold Music City USA dear , pledged monetary donations , and some converged on Nashville to help with the cleanup . Reports of rescues emerged from the Coast Guard , local rescue teams and average citizens as helicopters and boats canvassed the region for survivors . Nashville 's police and fire departments were going door-to-door , making sure homes were evacuated . They tied yellow caution tape to the doors of places that had been cleared . Ben Perkins said he and his son , Will , searched for survivors for about seven hours in Bellevue on Sunday , rescuing people from the River Plantation subdivision and from stranded cars on a nearby highway . They initially took their boat to Will 's great-grandmother 's house , but she had been rescued , so Perkins began looking for others in need . Will manned a cellular phone , acting as a `` control center '' during the 15 to 18 rescue trips , his father said . `` Tennessee 's come together . Nashville 's come together , '' Perkins said . `` There 's a lot of devastation . There 's going to be a lot of need for donations . '' Even with all the rescue operations , many residents had close calls . Betty Belle Nicks had to cling to a tree and then swim to the rooftop of her new home for refuge . Three small dogs made it to the roof and were saved , but Thursday night , she was looking for her yellow Labrador retriever , Ben , who swam away . `` If we could find Ben , it 'd be the best wedding gift in the world , '' said Nicks , who was married last week . Jamye Howell was driving his Jeep through Hendersonville on Sunday when he drove over a bridge and through what he thought was a puddle -- just `` water standing on the road , '' he told CNN affiliate WZTV . `` Immediately , water was flowing in the car , and there was water flowing up on the windshield instantly , '' said Andrea Silvia , who was in the car with Howell . `` We decided that we needed to get out on top of the car and hope for the best , '' Howell told WZTV . The two swam about a mile to safety , they told the station . As the water continued to recede and rescue tales emerged Friday , many were struck by the devastation the flooding had wrought . Others still searched for loved ones , holding out hope that they may still be alive after almost a week . In Pegram , cadaver dogs searched Thursday along the Harpeth River for Danny Tomlinson , a 39-year-old amateur fighter who works for a prosthetics company . Friends and family members joined the effort , which had been ongoing for five days and had covered an almost 15-mile stretch of river . His car , which was swept away Saturday , was found Tuesday . A friend who was also in the car was found alive . Tomlinson 's mother said , `` I 'm trying to stay strong because I 've got to have hope that they 're going to find my son . I want to find him alive . '' She pleaded to a higher power for help : `` Please , God , guide us . If he is in the water , which I do n't want to think that , guide us there . Guide us to him -- for closure . '' With more disaster declarations looming and residents and officials left to wonder the true toll of the weekend 's deluge , several Tennesseeans said they felt confident that the area would persevere . `` Nashville has a spirit that wo n't be put down , so yes , I have no doubt that Nashville will come back , '' said Brenda Griffiths , who wore plastic bags over her feet as she assisted with the cleanup effort in Bellevue . Back in Whites Creek , evacuated residents said they feared returning home to see the devastation , but Reba Perkins said , `` We prayed that whatever we found , it would be something we could learn from . '' Carolyn Phillips said the flooding left her worried about her future , but optimism had not escaped her . `` I 'm going to be OK , '' she said . `` We 're going to be OK . '' CNN 's Anderson Cooper , Martin Savidge , Gary Tuchman and Eliott C. McLaughlin contributed to this report . | Tennessee officials say more than 21 dead , 27 counties labeled disaster areas . Woman who was married only last week clings to tree , swims to rooftop for refuge . Couple in Hendersonville tells station they escaped car , swam a mile to safety . Mother pleads to God for help finding son , who was swept away in a car . | [[1210, 1230], [1233, 1331], [1391, 1459], [2741, 2781], [2741, 2758], [2786, 2839], [3061, 3104], [4176, 4185], [4192, 4215], [4444, 4482]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new flow of oil emerged from BP 's damaged undersea well in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday evening after a remote-controlled submarine successfully cut into the well 's riser pipe . BP used robots in its latest attempt to curtail the flow of crude from the largest spill in U.S. history , which spread to barrier islands off Alabama and Mississippi on Tuesday . When the robot submarines cut into the undersea well 's riser pipe , a fresh spew of oil temporarily obscured the view of the mechanical arm . The cut was a first step toward placing a cap over the well that has spewed hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico every day since late April . BP expects to make more cuts to the riser before bringing in a diamond saw to make a clean cut where the cap will be fitted . Doug Suttles , the company 's chief operating officer , told CNN 's `` John King USA '' that the procedure should collect the `` vast majority '' of the oil if it succeeds . `` We 'll be putting the cap assembly , loading that out and sending it to the sea bed later tonight , '' Suttles said . `` We should be able to install this tomorrow . And hopefully by late tomorrow or Thursday , we should have this thing operating . '' But the operation carries the risk that the flow of crude from the ruptured well could increase by up to 20 percent once the damaged riser is cut away . The job already has been complicated by pipework around the well that has had to be removed before massive metal shears could be brought to bear Tuesday evening , Suttles said . The gusher may not be shut down until August , when BP expects to complete relief wells that will take the pressure off the one now spewing into the Gulf . The 5,000-foot-deep well erupted after an explosion and fire aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig on April 20 . The rig sank two days later , taking 11 men with it and leaving up to 19,000 barrels -LRB- 798,000 gallons -RRB- of oil pouring into the Gulf , according to federal estimates . After fouling sections of Louisiana 's marshes over the past two weeks , the oil was spreading toward the northeast on Tuesday . Tar balls and patches of reddish-brown `` weathered '' oil came ashore on Dauphin Island , Alabama , south of Mobile , and on Mississippi 's Petit Bois Island , off Pascagoula , authorities reported . Oil hits Alabama , Mississippi barrier islands . More than a dozen miles offshore , researchers from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab reported seeing more rust-colored swaths of oil spattering the surface of the Gulf . They ranged from the size of half-dollar coins to 30 or 40 feet long , said John Dindo , the laboratory 's associate director . BP 's handling of the spill has been sharply criticized by members of Congress , officials in the Gulf states and the Obama administration , which announced Tuesday that a criminal investigation of the spill was under way . In addition , federal officials will no longer hold joint news briefings with the company , the administration announced . Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen , the government 's point man on the spill , will now become the face of the response effort . Allen told reporters in New Orleans , Louisiana , that his job is to speak `` very frankly with the American public . '' Rear Adm. Mary Landry , who has been the Coast Guard 's on-scene coordinator for five weeks , will be returning to her duties as chief of the service 's New Orleans district office . Allen praised Landry 's work leading `` an anomalous and unprecedented response '' to the spill , but said Landry now needs to focus `` on the larger array of threats '' to her district -- including this summer 's Atlantic hurricane season , which began Tuesday . In Louisiana , Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser warned that a hurricane in the area could drive more oil ashore . `` We do n't want to scare anybody , but we need to be realistic about it , '' Nungesser said . `` If a storm does top out levees , it will probably bring oil with it . '' He said residents who evacuate ahead of a hurricane might return `` not to a flooded home , but to a home that is completely contaminated with this oil . '' Oil spill darkens hurricane fears . Tuesday also marked the start of the recreational fishing season for red snapper , a big draw for sport anglers in the region . But the season opened with a new blow to the region 's fisheries industry as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration extended its restrictions on fishing to almost a third of the Gulf . The closures extend southward to a point about 240 miles west of the tip of Florida and eastward to federal waters off the Alabama-Florida state line . The state of Mississippi announced a closure of some of its inland waterways to fishing after oil was found in the area . The closed area includes areas east of 88 degrees , 40 minutes west longitude , and south of the CSX Railroad , but not including Graveline Bayou and its tributaries . After a meeting with state attorneys general and federal prosecutors from Louisiana , Alabama and Mississippi , U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters that the Justice Department was looking at possible criminal violations in connection with the spill . Justice Department launches investigation . `` If we find evidence of illegal behavior , we will be forceful in our response , '' Holder said . `` We have already instructed all relevant parties to preserve any documents that may shed light on the facts surrounding this disaster . '' In a statement issued in response to Holder 's announcement , BP said it would cooperate with any inquiry , `` just as we are doing in response to the other inquires that are already ongoing . '' Suttles told CNN that there have been `` very few differences '' between company and federal officials working to cut off the spill . `` This is a team that 's really all aligned on the same goals and has been since the beginning , '' he said . `` The government clearly presses us very hard to make sure we 're responding as quick as we can . We 're moving things forward , we 're applying all the resources that we need to apply . But I would stress at the working level , those differences are really quite small . '' BP , rig owner Transocean Ltd. and oilfield services company Halliburton have blamed each other for the disaster . But BP , as the well 's owner , is responsible for the costs of the cleanup under federal law , and Suttles said the company has now spent more than $ 1 billion to clean up the oil . BP stock has taken a beating on Wall Street , plunging on Tuesday after the failure of last week 's `` top kill '' attempt to close the well . The company 's stock value is down more than a third since the spill began . CNN 's David Mattingly , Tracy Sabo , Patrick Oppmann , Scott Bronstein and Aaron Cooper contributed to this report . | Oil spill spreads to Mississippi , Alabama . U.S. begins criminal investigation into oil spill . Spill makes a third of Gulf off-limits to fishing . BP puts cost of spill response at $ 1 billion . | [[294, 306], [315, 381], [2360, 2408], [2815, 2839], [2848, 2908], [2871, 2924], [5004, 5113], [5116, 5267], [5268, 5311], [4435, 4561], [6485, 6567]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities evacuated Union Station , the main train terminal in Washington , D.C. , for part of Sunday afternoon due to a chemical odor from an overheated battery system , according to a spokesman for the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department . The evacuation ended just over an hour after it began , after a hazardous materials team responded and all train service had been suspended , said fire department spokesman Peter Piringer . One person was taken to a hospital for evaluation after complaining of dizziness , Piringer said . The odor , described as smelling like sulfur or natural gas , was due to the battery that backs up the train platform 's lighting system getting overheated , the spokesman said . Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said all rail traffic in and out of the station was suspended for 75 minutes due to the evacuation . Delays from the temporary suspension would probably affect train service through the afternoon , Magliari said . Subway service continued to operate during the evacuation , but trains were not stopping at Union Station , according to the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority . Regular subway service was to resume shortly after the evacuation lifted . | Chemical odor causes hour-long evacuation at Washington , D.C. 's Union Station . Cause of odor was overheated battery system , official says . One person taken to hospital for evaluation after complaining of dizziness . Amtrak train service was suspended for 75 minutes , spokesman says . | [[290, 343], [579, 638], [641, 663], [480, 560], [737, 757], [818, 889]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death toll from Tropical Storm Agatha continued to grow Tuesday , with 152 reported killed in Guatemala , 16 in Honduras and nine in El Salvador . One-hundred people are missing in Guatemala and another 87 are injured , the nation 's emergency agency reported Tuesday . In addition , nearly 125,000 people have been evacuated and 74,000 are living in shelters , said emergency official David de Leon . The previously reported toll for Guatemala was 123 deaths , 90 people missing and 69 injured . Guatemala also is feeling the effect of the Pacaya volcano , which erupted Thursday night and continued to spew ash Tuesday . Three people were killed when they were crushed by rocks strewn by the volcano . La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City , the nation 's capital , has been closed since Friday because of falling ash but was expected to open later Tuesday . Pacaya is located about 18 miles -LRB- 30 kilometers -RRB- south of Guatemala City . Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a 15-day state of calamity after the volcano eruption . Damage from Tropical Storm Agatha added to the devastation . Destruction from the storm has been widespread throughout the nation , with mudslides destroying homes and buildings and burying some victims . At least nine rivers had dramatically higher levels and 13 bridges collapsed , the emergency services agency said . In the northern part of Guatemala City , the downpour created a sinkhole the size of a street intersection . Residents told CNN that a three-story building and a house fell into the hole . Classes have been canceled this week in schools throughout the nation . In Honduras , where 16 people have died , President Porfirio Lobo declared a state of emergency Sunday . Nearly 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and about 3,200 were living in shelters , the Honduran emergency agency said Tuesday . More than 140 homes have been destroyed and another 700 have been damaged , the Permanent Commission for Emergencies reported . The situation in El Salvador was improving , officials said Monday . The rain stopped Sunday afternoon and river levels were beginning to diminish , officials said . Classes nationwide remained canceled , however , until further notice . Agatha was demoted from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Saturday night and lost its status as a depression Sunday evening . It was the first named storm for the Pacific hurricane season . The Atlantic hurricane season started Tuesday . CNN 's Arthur Brice contributed to this report . | Death toll increases to 152 in Guatemala . Nearly 125,000 evacuated and 74,000 in shelters . Guatemala also plagued by volcano . Agatha first named storm of Pacific hurricane season . | [[89, 113], [94, 126], [307, 359], [353, 382], [307, 328], [353, 359], [385, 424], [520, 529], [535, 578], [2412, 2475], [2419, 2475]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Sometimes , I suppose , even celebrities need a few extra bucks . Maybe they want to buy a new Benz or a house in the south of France or add a bowling alley to the basement of their mansion ? Whatever their motive , many turn to advertising when singing , acting or modeling gigs start to dry up . Usually , they just stand around and talk about the product and the commercial is n't too much of a stretch . But some celebrity endorsements have left us scratching our heads . Take Dita von Teese who , this summer , is teaming up with Perrier for their new `` paparazzi '' line . We are n't really sure what burlesque and paparazzi have to do with sparkling water but , hey , it 'll probably work . Here are nine more star hucksters peddling strange wares . The Frisky : 10 hottest Hollywood moms over 40 . Carrie Bradshaw is so PC now . In `` Sex and the City , '' columnist Carrie Bradshaw does all of her writing on a Mac . She 's been shown typing away on it for many , many years -- through all the seasons and the first movie . But in `` Sex and the City 2 , '' Bradshaw will be using an HP because of a partnership with Hewlett-Packard . She 'll also be showing up in some of their television commercials , print ads , outdoor ads and online ads . Some of the other characters in the movie will be representing the product , too . And they think die-hard fans wo n't notice the switch ? The Frisky : I sabotaged my relationship to have drinks with my ex . King of Darkness ' soft spot for butter . Ozzy Osbourne did a spot for ... butter . Well , actually , it was for `` I Ca n't Believe It 's Not Butter , '' which is a combination of chemicals meant to resemble butter . Still , who 'd have guessed this old rock star would be doing food ads ? Perhaps they paid him in alcohol ? At least they did n't have him spread the stuff on a bat . Punk icon turned insurance salesman . Iggy Pop showed up in a commercial for Swift Cover , which is some kind of insurance for your insurance . That 's pretty strange in and of itself but the ad featured Iggy dancing , twitching and sweating while standing topless in front of a purple screen and saying weird things through a clenched , wrinkly jaw . This is a good way not to sell a product . The Frisky : 14 examples of the worst facial hair in Major League Baseball . Designer Coke . In April , Karl Lagerfeld teamed up with Coke , designing a new and very pretentious-looking Coca-Cola `` Light '' bottle , to be sold at $ 5 a pop . Not surprisingly , it is a chic combo of black , white and pink and has a picture of Lagerfeld on it . Die-hard fans can purchase the $ 80 boxed set at the exclusive Colette boutique in Paris , which comes with one bottle of Lagerfeld 's Coca Cola `` Light , '' a display box , and a bottle opener . Or , you Coke fans just buy a regular bottle of Coca-Cola for $ .99 ? Water does her hot body good . We all know hot models and celebs move products off shelves , but now even bottled water companies are using super hot stars to push their products . Recently , Jennifer Aniston teamed up with Smart Water and their new ad shows the 41-year-old actress posing with rock-hard abs and a big bottle of the pricey water . The ads call Smart Water Aniston 's `` workout partner , '' but , let 's face it : it 's just water , which is basically everyone 's workout partner . Twilight star 's titillating print ad . Ashley Greene , who played Alice in `` Twilight , '' also did a weird stint for advertising all in the name of `` healthy '' water . She wore a painted-on swimsuit -LRB- and nothing else but paint -RRB- that made her look like she was covered in scales for SoBe 's Lifewater , a calorie-free drink that 's sort of like water , but it 's not . Alice Cooper eats peas for cash . In one of the weirdest duos I 've seen in a long time , Alice Cooper paired up with British TV star Ronnie Corbett to do a spot for Britain 's Sky TV Channel . I was too busy watching Cooper and Corbett converse and stuff peas and potatoes in their faces to figure out what the commercial was actually for . It certainly does n't help that the dialogue in it is incredibly difficult to understand . The Frisky : How celebrities get in shape for summer . Fred Flintstone sold cigarettes . About 40 years ago , Fred Flintstone was pushing Winston Cigarettes . The commercial shows Fred going into a cave to buy some cigs . Then , he gets into a conversation with the shop owner about how awesome Winstons are . He proudly claims he 'll never smoke anything else . That is , until scientists found out cigarettes cause cancer and he switched to hawking kids ' vitamins and mac n ' cheese shapes . Gorbachev 's political pizza spot . Although former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is n't technically a celebrity , his commercial for Pizza Hut in 1997 was just too weird not to mention here . The ad , which is subtitled , features Gorbachev chowing down in a very rustic-looking pizza restaurant while people praise his political prowess . The whole thing was meant to promote Pizza Hut 's `` the edge '' pizza , which had toppings that went all the way to the edge of the crust . Huh ? TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Dita von Teese is teaming up with Perrier for their new `` paparazzi '' line this summer . Bradshaw -LRB- Parker -RRB- will be using an HP because of a partnership with Hewlett-Packard . Jennifer Aniston 's ad for Smart Water shows the acress posing with rock-hard abs . | [[502, 521], [542, 584], [1064, 1088], [1091, 1170], [3063, 3071], [3074, 3117], [3122, 3229]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- When Michael Jackson died last summer , it kick-started a year with a disturbing number of celebrity deaths . Which is why we are so extremely overjoyed when a celebrity survives a life-threatening incident . Of course , we are referring to rocker/reality TV star Bret Michaels . Over the past few months , Bret has had a series of extremely close calls . First , in mid-April , he was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy . Not two weeks later , he had a brain hemorrhage that left him in the ICU for more than a week . `` I 'm lucky to be alive , '' he told People at the time . But as soon as he was on the mend , he had a warning stroke . As doctors examined him to see what was up , they found that he also has a hole in his heart . The Frisky : 10 bizarre deaths of celebrity pets . But just days later , Bret was feeling better and managed to make it to the live taping of the season finale of `` Celebrity Apprentice . '' There , he triumphed over Holly Robinson Peete and walked away the show 's victor . Seriously , this guy is unbreakable . He 's scheduled for surgery for the fall to make sure his lover-boy heart keeps on beating . So what other stars have had near-death experiences ? Answer : a lot of them . Lance Armstrong . What 's better than having a brain hemorrhage , a warning stroke , a hole in your heart and still making it to the `` Celebrity Apprentice '' finale ? Defeating testicular cancer and going on to win seven Tour de France titles . When Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 , it had already spread to his lungs and brain . But with surgery to remove tumors and chemotherapy , he was able to beat the disease and return to cycling in 1999 . Live strong , indeed . The Frisky : Top 10 lies women tell men . Jason Priestley . Jason Priestley of `` Beverly Hills , 90210 '' has cheated death on repeat . In 1999 , while driving drunk , he crashed his Porsche . A few years later , he was involved in a serious boat accident . Then in 2002 , he was in a pre-race crash on a Kentucky speedway that left him with a fractured spine and several other injuries . Here 's hoping that 's the last crash for Brandon Walsh . Boy George . Boy George was almost killed by , of all things , a disco ball . In 1999 , Culture Club was rehearsing at a venue when a 62-pound ball snapped , falling and clipping George on the way down . He suffered minor injuries , but if he was standing a few feet over he could have been in big trouble . The Frisky : The 10 worst-dressed men in Hollywood . Kanye West . Kanye West was in a nasty car crash driving home from his recording studio in 2002 at 3 a.m. His rental car was totaled , but he walked away with just a fractured jaw . Eminem . In 2005 , Eminem came close to overdosing after taking an entire handful of methadone pills . His doctor said this was the equivalent of shooting up four bags of heroin . And this was on top of the 20 prescription pills he was taking a day . Last May , Eminem told Vibe he 'd been sober for a year . Let 's hope it stays that way . The Frisky : Kim Kardashian speaks about plastic surgery and her famous bod . Dustin Hoffman . Back in the 70s , Dustin Hoffman lived in New York City in an apartment next door to a member of the radical student anti-war group Weather Underground . The group was evidently making bombs in the apartment , and a stick of dynamite was accidentally set off . Luckily , Dustin had stepped out of his apartment at the time . 50 Cent . 50 Cent was famously shot nine times in 2000 in Queens , New York , and lived to tell the tale . Joaquin Phoenix . Joaquin Phoenix was driving in Los Angeles when the brakes of his car gave out . His car flipped and he collided with another vehicle . Phoenix was helped out of the car by a passerby -- strangely , director Werner Herzog -- and was uninjured , thanks to his seat belt . A good reminder to buckle up ! The Frisky : 8 celeb nerds landed real-life super hotties . Martin Lawrence . In 1999 , Martin Lawrence had a near-death experience . He was jogging in 100-plus degree heat to lose weight for a movie role and collapsed from heat exhaustion . He was in a coma for the next three days , but luckily managed to pull through . Jim Caviezel . While filming `` The Passion of the Christ , '' Jim Caviezel was struck by lightning . Even stranger , the assistant director who was struck with him got hit by lightning again during the making of the film . Both were OK . But creepy . The Frisky : 8 famous females rejected by Playboy . Hugh Hefner . Hugh Hefner revealed the moment he almost met his maker in the tell-all book `` Mr. Playboy . '' Apparently , in 1977 , while with Playmate Sondra Theodore , Hefner almost choked on a bedroom toy . He came close to passing out before Theodore allegedly dislodged the mysterious item . Bob Dylan . In 1966 , Bob Dylan was in a mysterious motorcycle crash near his house in Woodstock . He says he broke several vertebrae and that the near-death experience led him to lead a more reclusive life . But some have questioned the incident because , apparently , there is no record of an ambulance call to the crash . The Frisky : 8 things I wo n't miss after `` Lost '' is finally gone . TM & © 2010 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Several male celebs have had near-death experiences including actors , rappers and singers . Kanye West got in a car accident while driving home from his recording studio in 2002 . In 1966 , Dylan was in a mysterious motorcycle crash near his house in Woodstock . | [[2597, 2671], [4874, 4881], [4884, 4960]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- We do n't know where to look first . The massive pillars , looking like tree trunks , stone chameleons , tortoises and turtles , help support the columns . The sheer size of the place is amazing . Some of the towers soar more than 500 feet . Even jaded teens , like my 13-year-old niece , Erica Fieldman , ca n't help but be impressed . Antoni Gaudi 's Sagrada Familia is Barcelona 's most famous site and Spain 's most visited . Welcome to Antoni Gaudi 's unfinished masterpiece , the Sagrada Familia , Barcelona 's most famous site and Spain 's most visited . More than 40 years after the eccentric and revered architect 's death -- he was struck by a tram -- work still continues on the huge church first begun in 1882 . Some 2.5 million people visited last year . This is a great place to engage the kids in a scavenger hunt . -LRB- Find the fruit carved on top of the towers , the young stone musicians , the birds . -RRB- There are two completed facades -- one represents the birth of Jesus , the other the Passion of Christ . -LRB- If you look closely , you 'll see Gaudi 's face . -RRB- . It 's amazing that the project continued after anarchists burned Gaudi 's studio , along with the plans for the church , during the Spanish Civil War . Luckily , Gaudi had made plaster models of the church -LRB- we see them in the museum at the site -RRB- and though they were also smashed , his supporters were able to painstakingly put them back together so the work could continue . Gaudi , so obsessed at the end of his life with completing the church , slept on a bed in his workshop . He is buried in the church 's crypt . I want to go to the top -LRB- you take an elevator , but walk down the stairs -RRB- , but I think Erica has had enough . Sometimes , you have to know when to call it quits , even at incredible sites like this one . I tell myself Erica will come back some day and remember how she could n't decide whether she was bored or fascinated . Park Guell garden complex , designed to be a housing development , was Gaudi 's largest work in Barcelona . It 's a garden city with fantastically shaped roofs , a house that looks as if it 's made out of candy , and the famous serpentine bench made out of broken mosaic . Unfortunately , no one in Barcelona gravitated toward the idea . The only three houses built were for Gaudi , the developer and the developer 's lawyer . I 'd live there in a minute for the spectacular views of Barcelona . We all love the giant mosaic dragon . `` Cool , '' Erica says . Sometimes when trying to show kids new cities , you ca n't hope for more than that . Barcelona , home to the 1992 Summer Olympics , is a city that appeals to kids -LRB- especially teens -RRB- and parents . In recent years , it 's become a favorite of American families who board cruise ships here in summer -- as we did last year . If you plan to do a lot of touring , get the Barcelona card , which includes free public transportation , museum admissions , restaurant discounts and more . There are some 10,000 restaurants in Barcelona and 35,000 shops . -LRB- Did you know more than 20 percent of all spending in Spain takes place here ? And with such friendly locals , there 's no better place for the kids to practice their Spanish . -LRB- Starting this spring , American Airlines will fly nonstop from New York to Barcelona . Walk off your jet lag by taking in all the chic couples walking along the beach , the city 's famous art nouveau architecture , the art , -LRB- Picasso lived here as a teen -RRB- , the ancient Gothic Quarter and the street entertainers along the mile-long Las Ramblas . Ever see a human flower statue ? A bird market ? I never saw so many different kinds of gummies than at the famous Boqueria food market , said to be the largest in Europe . It 's been here for centuries . The kids will give a thumbs up to Montjuic , one of Barcelona 's largest recreation areas , which rises nearly 700 feet above the south side of the city . We 're holing up overnight at the Hotel Arts Barcelona , a Ritz Carlton , a famous icon of the Barcelona skyline and a short walk from the beach and many of the city sites . There 's nothing like a luxury hotel when you are jet lagged . The place is packed with families , even on the concierge level where parents and kids indulge in free breakfasts , snacks and drinks . Another highlight is the secluded pool area next to the distinctive shadow of the Frank Gehry fish sculpture . But before we hit the pool -- or fall asleep -- a little culture is in order . My pick : Museu Picasso . It 's housed in three spectacular stone mansions in the historic quarter of the city and showcases works from the artist 's early years , his Blue Period and early works from Barcelona . Picasso moved here in 1895 at the age of 14 and donated some 2,500 art pieces to the museums in 1970 . -LRB- Show your young artists what he did as a kid ! -RRB- . That night , after we hit the pool , we head to Bestial , which the hotel concierge told us is a `` hip '' gathering spot for locals . I did n't really see evidence of that , but , after all , we were there at 8:30 , early by Barcelona standards . Even Erica agreed the food was great , especially the wood-fired pizza . Donkey or Bull , our amiable guide Bernard Liso asks the next morning . The bull , of course , is the national symbol of Spain . The donkey is the symbol of the Catalans . We learn that people in Barcelona speak Catalan as well as Spanish and there 's a fierce matter of national pride . From its earliest days , Barcelona has been linked to France , thus the emphasis here on Catalan -- Catalonia lies midway between France and Spain . I 'm determined to have Paella for lunch . We are in Barcelona after all . Paella , of course , is the famous Spanish rice dish that 's usually topped with chicken , sausage and shellfish . We head to a small restaurant in the old historic quarter of the city , Los Caracoles . I 'm completely charmed by the mosaics and the open kitchen , the way the rooms of the restaurant wind up around an old staircase . Erica unfortunately is n't . `` I just wo n't eat , '' says Erica , after perusing the menu . There 's no pasta and she does n't want anything else . We dig into our paella . Erica agrees to taste it , as long as I take the shells off the shrimp . Not bad , she says , helping herself to more rice . I just sip my sangria and do n't say a word . A few months later , Erica tells me she 's already decided where she wants to go abroad when she 's in college -- Barcelona . E-mail to a friend . -LRB- For more Taking the Kids , visit www.takingthekids.com , where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments . -RRB- . Copyright 2009 EILEEN OGINTZ , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | Some 2.5 million people visited Antoni Gaudi 's Sagrada Familia last year . The architect 's fantastic Park Guell garden complex is fun to explore with kids . The Museu Picasso showcases the artist 's early work . | [[762, 805], [4609, 4614], [4698, 4744]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 12 people have been killed and 25 injured after a gunman -- believed to be a local taxi driver -- went on a shooting spree through three small towns in the English county of Cumbria on Wednesday . After a large scale search , Cumbria police found the body of the suspected gunman , 52-year-old Derrick Bird , in a wooded area of Boot , a village in the Lake District , a popular tourist area . Authorities seized a gun from the scene where the body was found . Cumbria Police Deputy Constable Stuart Hyde said investigators believe Bird committed suicide . `` I 've never known anything like this , where somebody would want to walk out and kill so many people in such a beautiful place in such a short space of time , '' Hyde said . Police were working 30 separate crime scenes and are still attempting to determine the motive , Hyde said . Investigators are looking at Bird 's history and his access to firearms , he said . Police named Bird as a suspect following reports of the first shooting mid-morning on Wednesday in the Irish Sea port town of Whitehaven . UK guns laws tightened after massacres . `` Our focus is now on the movements of Mr. Bird this morning , '' authorities said . `` Our thoughts are with the families in these tragic times . We are asking for any witnesses to come forward and help us with our investigation into the events of this morning . '' British Prime Minister , David Cameron said the government would do whatever it could to help the communities affected . `` When lives and communities are suddenly shattered in this way , our thoughts should be with all those caught up in these tragic events , especially the families and friends of those killed or injured , '' he said . Were you there ? Send us photos , images . Armed police patrols and dog squads were dispatched in the hunt for the gunman after the first shots were fired at 10:35 a.m. -LRB- 5:35 a.m. ET -RRB- in Whitehaven . Police issued a photo of the Bird and urged members of the public to stay indoors until further notice . More shots were fired in the small towns of Seascale and Egremont , with officers attempting to track the suspect on land and by air while ambulance crews attended the victims . Footage from one of the shooting scenes showed a covered body lying on a street . `` Police are working to identify the individuals and inform relatives , '' Cumbria police said . `` Ambulance crews are in attendance across the area . '' Peter Leder , who said he was a friend of Bird 's , told CNN he spoke to Bird last night and was told : `` You wo n't see me again . '' Bird was initially driving a dark gray or silver Citroen Picasso , but police later said he had abandoned his car in the area of Boot , in the Lake District , and was traveling on foot . Soon afterwards police said they had found a body in a wooded area . The Lake District is a scenic rural retreat in northern England which is popular with walkers , hikers and tourists . Leder said Bird has been an independent taxi driver in Whitehaven for more than 20 years and described him as `` an outgoing , well-known guy , who everyone liked . '' Bird was divorced several years ago and has two children , both boys , who have moved away from home , he said . Bird is very close to his mother , who is very ill in a local nursing home , Leder said . He said his friend enjoyed scuba diving , went on several diving trips abroad and practised regularly at the Whitehaven swimming baths . The vehicle police said Bird was driving at the time of the shootings was his regular taxi cab , Leder said . A police hotline was set up for concerned relatives of those involved . John Bevir , a reporter for CNN affiliate ITV , described nearby Whitehaven as a sleepy seaside town . `` Things like this just do n't happen here , '' he said . `` Well , they did n't , until this morning . '' CNN 's David Wilkinson contributed to this report . | Police confirm 12 people killed in shooting spree in northern England . Police have found body believed to be suspected gunman Derrick Bird . Friend says suspect told him , `` You wo n't see me again '' | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [39, 71], [79, 86], [242, 268], [271, 351], [469, 478], [485, 505], [2812, 2880], [2835, 2880], [2489, 2500], [2582, 2590], [2593, 2621]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiny diamonds found in the soil are `` strong evidence '' a comet exploded on or above North America nearly 13,000 years ago , leading to the extinction of dozens of mammal species , according to a study . Diamonds found in North American soil suggest a comet led to the extinction of dozens of mammal species . The scientific report also suggests the cataclysm also reduced the population of the earliest people to inhabit the region and triggered a 1,300-year-long cold spell that stretched around the world . The heat generated by the extraterrestrial impact likely melted much of a glacier that once covered the Great Lakes region , sending a massive flood down the Mississippi River , the study said . According to the report , the cold waves of glacial runoff into the Gulf of Mexico shifted Atlantic Ocean currents , changing climate patterns throughout the world in a cooling period known as the Younger Dryas . `` A rare swarm '' of comets rained over North America about 12,900 years ago , sparking fires that produced choking , leading `` to the extinction of a large range of animals , including mammoths , across North America , '' the report said . The study was conducted by a group of eight archaeologists and geologists from the universities of Oregon and California , Northern Arizona University , Oklahoma University and DePaul University . Their findings were published Friday in the journal Science . iReport.com : Have you ever seen a comet ? Show us . The prehistoric humans known to have inhabited the continent at the time of the event -- hunters and gatherers dubbed the Clovis culture -- suffered a major decline in population in the aftermath , the scientists said . The scientists studied layers of sediment dated to 12,900 years ago at six North American locations , including one directly on top of a Clovis site in Murray Springs , Arizona . Each layer was rich in nanodiamonds , which are produced under high-temperature , high-pressure conditions created by cosmic impacts , the report said . `` The nanodiamonds that we found at all six locations exist only in sediments associated with the Younger Dryas Boundary layers , not above it or below it , '' said University of Oregon archaeologist Douglas Kennett . `` These discoveries provide strong evidence for a cosmic impact event at approximately 12,900 years ago that would have had enormous environmental consequences for plants , animals and humans across North America . '' The other sites studied were in Bull Creek , Oklahoma ; Gainey , Michigan and Topper , South Carolina , as well as Lake Hind , Manitoba ; and Chobot , in the Canadian province of Alberta . | Study : Diamonds found in North America links comet to climate change , extinction . Prehistoric humans also suffered decline in population due to cosmic event . Heat from comet 's impact likely melted glacier that once covered Great Lakes region . | [[0, 15], [202, 224], [225, 330], [331, 352], [358, 431], [1494, 1525], [1583, 1604], [1634, 1689], [531, 612], [603, 612], [618, 653]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Southern California teenager has serious bragging rights : After docking back in his home state late Thursday morning , Zac Sunderland , 17 , can claim to be the youngest person to sail around the world alone . The hardest part of a solo voyage is always being tired , Zac Sunderland says . Sunderland was greeted with thunderous applause and congratulations as he arrived at Marina del Rey in his 36-foot sailboat . `` It 's kind of crazy to have it done now because , I mean , for the past year I 've been just fighting for the next ocean , fighting to get back . And now I 'm back so it 's amazing , '' he said . The teen acknowledged the 27,500-mile voyage was n't easy . He told CNN that pirates off the coast of Indonesia gave him quite a scare . '' -LSB- I -RSB- had a boat circle in and ended up calling in the coast watch and they chased them off but , yeah , -LSB- I -RSB- lucked out there ! About an hour and a half of hell . '' Severe storms also were a problem , he said . Sunderland 's Web site says he bought the boat with his own money . His parents had hoped he would find something that would spark a fire in him , a passion that would direct him away from all the negative and harmful influences that are so prevalent in society , but even they were stunned by the scope of his dreams and desires , it says . Watch Sunderland give advice to fellow teens '' He was 16 when he left Marina del Rey on June 14 , 2008 , aboard his boat , Intrepid . Solitude and exhaustion were just a couple of factors that faced him each day . `` The hardest constantly was the tiredness , '' he said . `` I mean , you get over the loneliness , but tiredness , it 's an ongoing thing . Half the time I have n't slept in 48 hours and it 's just hard to get enough rest . '' Sunderland said he made some good contacts along the way . `` It 's interesting just thinking back to the different places in the world because I have so many friends in different parts of the world that are like family , you know , and all these different experiences , '' he said . `` It 's an amazing year . It seems like yesterday that I was here but in other ways it seems like a hundred years . '' So what 's next ? `` Yeah , I do n't know , just go chill with my friends , '' he said . `` Go skate . Go do something normal for a change , you know . '' CNN 's Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report . | Zac Sunderland , 17 , is youngest person to sail around the world alone . California teen met pirates off the coast of Indonesia . Now , teen wants to `` just go chill with my friends '' | [[80, 138], [141, 155], [158, 160], [163, 198], [141, 155], [173, 231], [697, 773], [2225, 2238], [2241, 2270]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A national campaign to inoculate tens of millions of Americans against H1N1 influenza began Monday , with health care workers in Indiana and Tennessee targeted as the first recipients , federal health authorities said . Health care workers in Indiana and Tennessee are among the first to receive the H1N1 vaccine Monday . `` I think the world has watched history unfold , '' Dr. Judy Monroe , Indiana 's state health commissioner , told reporters at Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis . Earlier Monday , the hospital received a shipment of 52 boxes -- each containing 100 pre-filled sprayers . `` This first 5,200 doses that came to Marion County is really just the tip of the iceberg , '' Monroe said . Health Director Virginia Caine said the shipment will be split among the county 's hospitals . A similar scene unfolded at LeBonheur Children 's Medical Center in Memphis , Tennessee , where three children have died from H1N1 , sometimes referred to as swine flu . Jennilyn Utkov , a spokeswoman for LeBonheur , said the hospital received about 100 doses . By noon , the supply had been depleted . The vaccines shipped to both sites and to a few other places around the nation are the first of some 195 million doses the U.S. government has purchased from five vaccine manufacturers , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's Dr. Jay Butler told reporters at the Indianapolis event . That number includes both spray and injectable forms . Butler , who heads the agency 's 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Task Force , has promised there will be enough for anyone who wants it . Butler said vaccine makers will ship 10 million to 20 million doses per week over the next couple of months . `` Is that fast enough ? '' he asked . `` No , but it 's what 's feasible . It 's what can be done . '' Monroe predicted that an ample supply of the injectable form will be available by mid-October . Last week , the CDC said it had received reports of 60 deaths of children related to H1N1 flu since April ; 11 of those deaths were reported last week alone . From August 30 until September 26 , the agency tallied 16,174 hospitalizations nationwide and 1,379 deaths associated with influenza virus infection . iReport.com : How should H1N1 be handled ? The 27 states reporting widespread flu activity are Alabama , Alaska , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maryland , Minnesota , Mississippi , New Mexico , North Carolina , Ohio , Oklahoma , Pennsylvania , Texas , Tennessee , Virginia , Washington and Wyoming . Track the H1N1 virus '' Nearly all of the viruses identified so far are H1N1 , the agency said in a posting on its Web site . `` These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine '' and remain susceptible to antiviral drugs `` with rare exception , '' it added . Those who are at the highest risk of getting seriously ill -- pregnant women , children , young adults and people with chronic lung disease , heart disease or diabetes -- should be among the first to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus , health officials have said . Understanding the H1N1 virus '' According to a CNN/Opinion Corp. poll in late August , two-thirds of Americans said they plan to be vaccinated against H1N1 flu . Health care workers may not necessarily be foremost among them . In the past , about 40 percent of health care workers have opted to be vaccinated against the flu , according to the CDC . Health officials also have recommended people reduce their chances of getting sick by washing their hands frequently , sneezing into a tissue or sleeve rather than into one 's hand and staying home when sick . More than 340,000 laboratory-confirmed cases of H1N1 and more than 4,100 deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization . Many countries -- including the United States -- have stopped counting cases , particularly of milder illness , meaning that the true number is likely much higher . | NEW : Makers will ship 10 million to 20 million doses per week in next few months . Health care workers in Tennessee and Indiana are first recipients of H1N1 vaccine . U.S. government has purchased 195 million doses from manufacturers . Two-thirds of Americans plan to be vaccinated against H1N1 flu , survey says . | [[1593, 1702], [1605, 1702], [125, 202], [239, 303], [294, 340], [3087, 3141], [3260, 3334]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Citing security concerns , the U.S. State Department has revoked the visas it recently issued to three Gaza students who were awarded Fulbright scholarships to study in the United States . Sari Bashi , who advocates freedom of movement for Palestinians , says their access to education is restricted . It marks the second time in two months that the United States has gone back on its offer to the Palestinian students to take part in the American government-sponsored scholarship program . The three students who had their visas revoked were sent a letter from the American Consulate in Jerusalem , dated August 4 . `` The Department of State has revoked your nonimmigrant visa '' because `` information has come to light that you may be inadmissible to the United States and ineligible to receive a visa under Section 212 -LRB- A -RRB- -LRB- 3 -RRB- of the Immigration and Nationality Act , which prohibits issuance of a visa to aliens for security and related grounds , '' the letter said . The letter did not elaborate on what the security concerns were . A State Department official told CNN that the agency could not disclose any information about the reason for the visa revocation , but that the students would be allowed to reapply for a visa at some point in the future . The three students are among seven Gaza-based Fulbright scholars who made headlines when in May the State Department sent them e-mail notifications saying their scholarships could not be completed because the Israeli government would not issue them exit visas from Gaza . State Department spokesman Sean McCormack admitted that the U.S. authorities had not taken up the matter with Israel until after the matter became public . The scholarships were only reinstated after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed her unhappiness with the situation and the State Department spokesman admitted that a `` faulty decision-making process '' led to the communication . According to Sari Bashi , the executive-director of Gisha , an Israeli non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of movement for Palestinians and has been working closely with the students , four of the seven Fulbright students were cleared for travel out of Gaza by Israel , but the remaining three were prevented from leaving Gaza by the Israeli government , citing security concerns . In an unusual move , the American Consulate in Jerusalem processed the remaining three students ' visa applications with mobile fingerprinting equipment at the Israel - Gaza border and granted the visas three weeks later at the end of July . Bashi said on Tuesday that one of the three students , Fidaa Abed , had already left Gaza for the United States and upon arrival at the airport in Washington was informed that his visa had been revoked and was sent back to Amman , Jordan , with instructions to return to Gaza . The other two Fulbright students remain in Gaza . Bashi said that while the situation of the three students is one of `` tremendous concern , '' it only underscores what she says is the larger problem of lack of access to higher education for hundreds of Gaza students who have been accepted into universities outside of Gaza but are prevented from leaving due to Israeli restrictions . Bashi said that `` alongside the few students denied visas for procedural , technical , or undisclosed security reasons , there are hundreds of students with valid visas in danger of losing their places at foreign universities because Israel refuses to even consider their requests to leave Gaza . `` Denying talented young people their right to access education does not contribute to building a better future in the region , '' Bashi said . Israeli government officials have long maintained that its restrictions on allowing students to travel outside of Gaza are based only on security considerations . `` We do act to facilitate students wishing to study at Western universities where they are exposed to liberal and democratic values , '' an Israeli government official said on Tuesday . But , the official said , Israel distinguishes between students wanting to study in the West and those wanting to study in places like Pakistan , Saudi Arabia or Syria or the West Bank . In the case of the West Bank , the official said Hamas could use this as a way of strengthening its activist base in the West Bank , which would be detrimental to Israel 's security . `` There is no reason why we should do that , '' the Israeli official said . On the matter of the three students , the official said : `` The process of Israeli-American contacts on the matter did not cease , and more specific information was provided . '' | U.S. State Department cites security concerns as reason visas were withdrawn . Three Palestinian students were among seven who had earlier had visas pulled . Israel reportedly acts to prevent the students from leaving Gaza . Advocacy group says Palestinians need more access to higher education . | [[26, 53], [2270, 2289], [2351, 2377], [3783, 3890], [54, 145], [520, 566], [629, 645], [2266, 2348], [3228, 3284], [3520, 3582]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The former parents-in-law of a man accused of killing nine people at a Christmas Eve party were among the remains of six people identified Saturday by the Los Angeles County Coroner 's Office . Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a shooting rampage in a Los Angeles suburb Christmas Eve , police say . Three other people remain listed as `` missing '' and `` unidentified '' because their remains were too badly burned in the raging house fire that followed the shootings . Police said Bruce Jeffrey Pardo committed suicide after he went on a shooting rampage dressed as Santa Claus at the party in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina . He targeted his ex-wife , 43-year-old Sylvia Pardo , and her family , police said . He then started the fire , police said . Authorities said Pardo also may have planned to kill his wife 's divorce attorney as well as his own mother , who had planned to attend the party but did not because she was ill . Killed at the party , according to the coroner 's office , were : . The remaining three people known to be at the party -- Sylvia Pardo ; her brother James `` Junior '' Ortega , 52 ; and Michael Ortiz , 17 , Sylvia Pardo 's nephew and Alicia Ortiz 's son -- remain listed as `` unidentified '' in coroner 's files and `` missing '' in police files . `` We have three unidentified bodies that came out of that location , '' said Lt. Larry Dietz of the coroner 's office . Authorities previously said they were relying on dental records to identify the bodies . After the shootings , Bruce Pardo left a rental car and a gasoline canister outside the home of attorney Scott Nord , who represented Sylvia Pardo in her divorce , police said . Investigators suspect that Bruce Pardo planned a similar attack at Nord 's home . Authorities described the Pardos ' divorce , which was finalized December 18 , as `` contentious . '' Another rented car that Bruce Pardo used to flee the scene was found booby-trapped after the shootings . It burned as a Covina police bomb squad attempted to disconnect an explosive device in it . Police said Bruce Pardo had an uneasy relationship with his mother , who had sided with Sylvia Pardo in the divorce . The shootings and fire left 10 children orphaned . Three others lost one parent . An Ortega Family Fund has been set up at Nord 's law offices . CNN 's Irving Last contributed to this report . | Six of nine bodies found in house identified by coroner . Remains of three burned too badly to identify . Santa shooter Bruce Jeffrey Pardo 's wife still officially `` missing '' | [[161, 237], [338, 474], [419, 479], [1325, 1392]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man accused of taping ESPN sports reporter Erin Andrews in the nude through hotel peepholes and posting the videos online will plead guilty to a federal stalking charge , according to a court document filed Thursday . Michael David Barrett , 48 , will enter a plea on December 15 , said Thom Mrozek , spokesman for the U.S. attorney 's office in the Central District of California . A criminal complaint filed in October accused Barrett of taping Andrews then making seven videos that he posted on the Internet . Barrett 's lawyer , David Willingham , issued a statement saying his client apologized to Andrews . `` Mr. Barrett accepts full responsibility for his conduct . He apologizes to Ms. Andrews , and expresses his deep regret for his conduct that caused her so much pain . It is his sincere hope that these events can now become an opportunity to make positive changes in his life , '' the statement said . Barrett was arrested in Illinois but will appear in Los Angeles federal court , Mrozek said . Barrett is charged with interstate stalking , which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison . An Illinois judge released Barrett on bail in October . Andrews , 31 , is a sideline reporter for ESPN , traveling around the country covering college football games . According to the October criminal complaint , Andrews said that she became aware of the videos in July and that their posting has caused her distress , anxiety and trouble sleeping . Her lawyer , Marshall Grossman , told CNN that Andrews is still shaken . `` She is a very strong young woman . Time is a good healer , '' Grossman said . `` However , she continues to feel and experience the ramifications of what occurred every time she steps foot into a hotel room , and in her business , she lives in hotel rooms . '' Andrews is now accompanied by additional security , Grossman said . Grossman said he and Andrews are in the process of reviewing the evidence against Barrett and the plea agreement , and Andrews will speak before the court at the hearing next week . He said Andrews wants `` severe punishment '' for Barrett . The plea agreement filed Thursday alleges that Barrett recorded videos of Andrews while she stayed at hotels in Columbus , Ohio ; Milwaukee , Wisconsin ; and Nashville , Tennessee . The filing alleges Barrett made reservations at the hotels and altered the peepholes to shoot video of Andrews . Barrett allegedly attempted to sell the videos to celebrity gossip site TMZ in January 2009 . TMZ did not purchase the images , but employees of the Web site assisted in the investigation by providing information to Andrews ' attorneys , authorities said . Barrett posted the videos to other Web sites , Thursday 's filing said . CNN 's Khadijah Rentas and Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report . | Suspect 's lawyer : Client apologizes to Erin Andrews . Man accused of surreptitiously taping ESPN reporter nude , posting videos online . Michael David Barrett , 48 , expected to make plea on December 15 . Authorities say Andrews was filmed through peephole in hotel rooms . | [[559, 576], [598, 658], [720, 748], [44, 88], [429, 500], [429, 466], [501, 558], [2158, 2239], [2710, 2754], [264, 285], [288, 325]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal authorities plan to unseal charges Monday against several people arrested in a series of weekend raids in Michigan , Ohio and Indiana , prosecutors in Detroit said Sunday . At least seven people were arrested on charges that were under seal over the weekend , a law enforcement source said Sunday . Gina Balaya , spokeswoman for the U.S attorney 's office in Detroit , said those charges will be revealed during a federal court hearing Monday . Mike Lackomar , a county leader for the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia , said the target of the raid was a Christian militia group called the Hutaree . The group proclaims on a Web site that it is `` preparing for the end time battles to keep the testimony of Jesus Christ alive . '' The FBI would disclose no details of the raids . The law enforcement source told CNN the arrests were unrelated to any terrorist plot . The source would not confirm Hutaree members were among those arrested , but said the suspects were not planning attacks against government targets and the raids were unrelated to recent threats against members of Congress . At least two arrests were made in Huron and Sandusky , Ohio , but the case is being handled out of Detroit , said Scott Wilson , an FBI spokesman in Cleveland . Lackomar , who cited the FBI for his information , said several Hutaree members were arrested at a wake for one of the group . He said the Hutaree group trained with his organization `` on a couple of occasions in years past , '' but his group stopped about a year ago , after the Hutaree had an `` issue '' with federal firearms regulators . He did not elaborate . Lackomar called the Hutaree a `` religious militant group '' with about a dozen members , who scattered as news of the raids spread over the weekend . He told CNN his own group is aimed at `` aiding the community in times of emergency '' and had nothing to do with the raids . CNN 's Carol Cratty , Pat St. Claire and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Federal authorities plan to unseal charges Monday ; at least 7 arrest over weekend . Nongovernment source : Those arrested part of self-proclaimed Christian militia group . The Hutaree operate in Michigan , Indiana and Ohio , source in another militia says . | [[19, 68], [200, 246], [200, 221], [287, 325], [326, 337], [396, 471], [472, 485], [551, 608], [583, 629]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Just blocks from where U.N. diplomats debate their interpretations of tyranny and democracy , what may be the first document to articulate the difference is going up for sale . The version of the Magna Carta up for auction has been on display at the National Archives in Washington . Sotheby 's will auction off one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta later this year , the auction house announced Tuesday . This will be the first time any version of the Magna Carta has ever gone up for auction , according to David Redden , vice chairman of Sotheby 's . The Magna Carta is expected to fetch at least $ 20 million to $ 30 million , Redden said . Redden , who has also sold dinosaur bones , space race artifacts and a first printing of the Declaration of Independence , called the Magna Carta `` the most important document on earth . '' The charter mandated the English king to cede certain basic rights to his citizens , ensuring that no man is above the law . Many believe the Magna Carta was the first document to recognize the legal right to freedom from tyranny , an influential concept to American political philosophers -- from the founding fathers to the modern presidency . The version to be auctioned is one of fewer than 20 known copies of the Magna Carta , which means `` Great Charter '' in Latin . The document was first devised in 1215 , but not confirmed into English law until 1297 -- the year this version was issued and sealed by King Edward I . The document is one of only two copies of the charter that exist outside of England , according to Sotheby 's . This Magna Carta and another version in Australia are the only two ever to have been privately sold . The version up for auction rested for six centuries with the Brundell family in Deene Park , England , until being bought in 1984 by businessman Ross Perot . Since then , the Perot Foundation has kept the copy on display at the National Archives in Washington . The Perot Foundation plans to distribute the money from the auction to various causes such as medical research and helping wounded soldiers . The Magna Carta will be coming up for auction during the week of December 10 . E-mail to a friend . | Sotheby 's to auction one of the earliest versions of the Magna Carta . Document expected to go for at least $ 20 million to $ 30 million . Charter mandated king to cede certain basic rights to citizens . Ross Perot bought this version in 1984 . | [[312, 387], [592, 666], [874, 956], [895, 956], [968, 975], [1716, 1742], [1819, 1873]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jesse James ' Nazi hat was a gift from a Jewish mentor and does not make him a neo-Nazi , his lawyer said Wednesday . James is at a treatment facility `` to deal with personal issues '' in a bid to save his marriage to actress Sandra Bullock , a spokeswoman for James said . `` He realized that this time was crucial to help himself , help his family and help save his marriage , '' she said . A photo recently surfaced of James wearing the German Nazi hat as he raised his right arm in a salute . The hat may have been in poor taste , but it was given to James as a gag gift by his Jewish godfather , attorney Joe Yanny said . Possessing Nazi memorabilia does not make someone a neo-Nazi , he said . As evidence that James is no anti-Semite , Yanny said James lived for nearly a month in an Israeli kibbutz . His lawyer would not disclose what kind of treatment the famous motorcycle designer is seeking . `` I would request that his rights in regards to privacy and his medical matters be respected , '' said Yanny . James has been the target of controversy and publicity since his separation with Bullock soon after she won a best actress Oscar earlier this month . Yanny refused to talk about the condition of the James-Bullock marriage , which came under question when several women went public with claims they were involved with him . `` I understand people 's desire in newsworthy stories , but I would hope that by now this was n't such a newsworthy story such that his basic rights and privacy are n't continuously invaded in an improper manner , '' Yanny told CNN . He said `` 99 percent '' of what has published about James in recent weeks is untrue . CNN 's Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report . | Nazi hat was given to James as a gag gift by his Jewish godfather , lawyer says . Possessing Nazi memorabilia does not make someone a neo-Nazi , lawyer adds . Spokeswoman says James is at treatment facility `` to deal with personal issues '' James separated from Sandra Bullock soon after she won a best actress Oscar . | [[14, 98], [134, 161], [580, 643], [134, 161], [672, 732], [162, 196], [174, 196], [198, 238], [288, 318], [1163, 1212]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Gossip Girl '' actor Chace Crawford was arrested on a marijuana charge in his hometown Plano , Texas , early Friday morning , police said . The misdemeanor charge involves possession of less than two ounces of marijuana , according to the police report . Crawford , 24 , was riding in a 2003 Nissan 350Z when police stopped him , the arrest report said . The charge carries a maximum of 180 days in jail and a $ 2,000 fine , although a first offender can usually expect a year or less probation , according to Texas criminal lawyer George Reul . Jail time is rare in such cases , he said . Many defendants get `` deferred adjudication , '' under which they are not technically convicted and it is removed from their criminal record if they successfully complete probation , Reul said . Crawford has won two Teen Choice acting awards for his role as Nate Archibald in `` Gossip Girl , '' which is in its fourth season on the CW network . CNN 's Jack Hannah contributed to this report . | Crawford arrested early Friday in hometown . Marijuana charge is a misdemeanor . Texas lawyer says jail time is rare in such cases . | [[0, 15], [43, 108], [568, 599]] |
Tokyo , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced Wednesday he would resign after eight months in power . `` I 'm going to step down , '' Hatoyama declared in a live broadcast on Japanese television NHK , while addressing party members of both the upper and lower houses of the Diet , Japan 's parliament . `` I have had many shortcomings , I have been allowed to lead all of you for the past eight months to today . I am extremely grateful for having been given this opportunity , '' he said . Japanese Finance Minister Naoto Kan said he would run for the party leader election . With overwhelming majority at the lower house of the Diet , the ruling party 's leader will certainly become the next prime minister . Eight months ago , Hatoyama 's Democratic Party of Japan won a sweeping victory , an outcome hailed by many as a revolution in Japanese politics . With promises of a cleaner government , Hatoyama worked to shift the political dynamics in Japan by taking away power from the bureaucrats and granting more power to politicians and local governments . In his first speech as Japan 's 92nd prime minister , Hatoyama made promises that he would conduct a clean and transparent government , launching a task force to monitor government spending . But soon afterwards , allegations of illegal campaign financing tarnished his administration 's image . Some of his cabinet members were investigated for corruption . His approval rating took further hits over his failed promise to move a major U.S. Marine base off Okinawa to ease the burden of the island , which hosts the majority of the United States military presence in Japan . Earlier this month , calling his decision `` heartbreaking , '' he announced that the base would remain on Okinawa , although relocated to a different part of the island . Hatoyama 's critics claimed he gave in to U.S. pressure , and his government coalition broke up . Hatoyama said that while he did lose public trust , he hopes future generations will remember his legacy . `` Ladies and gentlemen , I have often been dubbed as an alien and how I understand this is that I see not current Japan but always try to see future Japan , '' he said . `` Local government , local communities should be the main actors , '' said Hatoyama . `` In five or ten years people of Japan will understand what I am talking about . '' Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place in July . The DPJ will now elect a new leader of the party -- most likely on Friday -- who will be in line to be the next prime minister of Japan . Some time early next week , Hatoyama will dissolve his cabinet in the morning and the new party leader will stand for election as new prime minister by both upper and lower houses of parliament . CNN 's Yoko Wakatsuki and Kyung Lah contributed to this report . | NEW : Finance Minister says he will run for open seat . Hatoyama told Japan 's parliament he would step down . Democratic Party expected to name a new leader on Friday to be Japan 's new prime minister . Handling of U.S. Marine base in Okinawa rocked his administration . | [[0, 5], [8, 137], [141, 164], [2455, 2528], [2522, 2528], [2552, 2592]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A candidate for the United Kingdom Independence Party -LRB- UKIP -RRB- was injured Thursday morning in a light plane crash , police said . Nigel Farage , 45 , suffered minor head injuries and was being treated at a hospital , his party said . Details of his injuries were not available . `` We 've had unconfirmed reports that either the banner got snagged up or there were cross-winds and it was an unfamiliar airfield to the pilot , '' a UKIP spokesman said . It happened just after 8 a.m. -LRB- 3 a.m. ET -RRB- at an airfield in southern Northamptonshire , near the Buckinghamshire constituency where Farage is running for election , Northamptonshire police said . The pilot , who was airlifted to a hospital , had to be cut out of the plane , the party said . Farage is currently a member of the European Parliament . He is running in Buckingham against 10 other candidates : Speaker of the House John Bercow -LRB- Conservative -RRB- ; Colin Dale -LRB- Monster Raving Loony Party -RRB- ; David Hews -LRB- Christian Party -RRB- ; Geoff Howard -LRB- Independent -RRB- ; Debbie Martin -LRB- Independent -RRB- ; Lynne Mozar -LRB- British National Party -RRB- ; Patrick Phillips -LRB- Independent -RRB- ; John Stevens -LRB- Buckinghamshire Campaign for Democracy -RRB- ; Simon Strutt -LRB- Cut The Deficit Party -RRB- ; Anthony Watts -LRB- Independent -RRB- . | Police : Crash happened at an airfield in southern Northamptonshire . Farage is currently a member of the European Parliament . | [[800, 857]] |
Hong Kong , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They are coming from cities across China , including Beijing and Shanghai : . Students are leaving mainland China for the opportunity to study in Hong Kong instead . `` We are a small elite who can afford freedom beyond China 's great firewall , '' says `` Li Cheng '' from Shanghai . Li , a student at the University of Hong Kong , did not want to disclose his real name or details about his study program , fearing consequences back home . `` I live in one country , but it feels like having two identities , '' Li said . `` In Shanghai , I use special software to access sites blacklisted by the government , like Twitter or the uncensored version of Google . `` In Hong Kong , I am taught to integrate these tools in my research . '' In the past , students such as Li would have to travel to far-away countries to get around Beijing 's control of information . Now , they are taking advantage of Hong Kong 's special administrative status that allows for a `` one country , two systems '' rule until 2047 . Hong Kong is nothing like mainland China in terms of its free flow of information , freedom of speech and multiparty political system . Those differences were recently emphasized by Google 's row with the Chinese government over censorship . In March , Google announced it was routing its users to an uncensored version of the internet search engine based in Hong Kong , amid speculation that Google would pull out of China entirely . China 's reaction to Google 's announcement . `` When Google redirected its site from China to Hong Kong , it meant a lot of publicity for our free harbor , '' said David Bandurski , a China analyst at the University of Hong Kong -LRB- HKU -RRB- . He studies censorship issues . '' -LSB- Google 's -RSB- move has emphasized Hong Kong 's significance in China , benefiting from the rule of law and its potential as a free information hub . '' Many young Chinese have explored that hub since 1997 when the the British colony was handed over to China , paving the way for Chinese from the mainland to apply to universities in Hong Kong . The influx of students applying from the mainland created fierce competition to enter Hong Kong 's top universities . The number of mainland Chinese applying for HKU 's undergraduate program has increased more than tenfold in the past decade . In 2008 , some 12,000 mainlanders applied for the 300 slots that HKU reserves for students from mainland China . Li Cheng said he considers himself very lucky to be studying in Hong Kong . `` Free access to information is a need and a privilege , '' he said . The influx of talent such as Li could signify a brain drain for mainland China , according to Bandurski . `` Without political reform , economic growth in China will decline , '' he said . `` Talents will leave China . Students and teachers who want to have more access to information are not dissidents anymore . They are becoming the mainstream . '' Asia 's top five universities are now located in Hong Kong , Singapore and Japan -- outstripping their rivals in mainland China -- according to a recent ranking of QS , a higher education information network company . The top mainland school was Peking University in Beijing in 12th place , down from its previous ranking of 10 . See Asian university rankings . The data show that `` the tide has turned , '' according to Paul Denlinger , an internet consultant based in Hong Kong and Beijing . `` During the dotcom era -LSB- of the 1990s -RSB- , head-hunters were looking for talent from universities in Shanghai and Beijing , '' Denlinger said . `` Now they are coming to Hong Kong . '' With new freedom at hand , only a few fresh HKU graduates have returned to the mainland . Last year , only 3 percent of HKU graduates from mainland China returned home to look for a job . That matches the trend of Chinese students studying overseas . More than 70 percent of the more than 1 million Chinese students abroad did not return home after graduation between 1978 and 2006 , according to a report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences . Aware of this brain drain , the Chinese government has recently introduced a plan to attract highly qualified students back to the mainland promising better living standards , including favorable access to medical care . But that has n't tempted Li Chang who , like many of his friends , wants to stay in Hong Kong . `` I love my country , but I do n't want to give up on my right to access information , '' he said . | More students are leaving mainland China to study in Hong Kong universities . Some say it 's because of the government 's restrictions to the internet . Many who leave mainland China to study elsewhere never return . China is trying to lure highly qualified students back by promising better living standards . | [[2065, 2117], [775, 786], [789, 851], [3877, 3913], [3914, 4044], [4141, 4333]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Mexican judge has issued an arrest warrant for reality TV producer Bruce Beresford-Redman in the death of his wife at a Cancun resort in April , his lawyer said Monday . `` We have been advised that Mexican authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of Bruce Beresford-Redman in connection with the murder of his wife , Monica , '' defense lawyer Richard Hirsch said Monday . `` This news , if true , is extremely disturbing since it appears that this case is being handled in a manner outside the normal procedures in Mexico . '' The prosecutor in Mexico had said earlier Monday he had developed a `` very concrete , very specific '' case that was sent to a judge Friday for consideration of charges . Quintana Roo Attorney General Francisco Alor said through a spokesman that the investigation file , with recommended charges , was sent to the judge on Friday . `` It is our understanding that the issuance of an arrest warrant normally entails a detailed judicial review that takes anywhere from several weeks to several months , '' Hirsch said . `` It appears that the way this matter is being handled constitutes a rush to judgment . '' Bruce Beresford-Redman was briefly detained after Monica Beresford-Redman 's body was found in a sewer at the Moon Palace Resort on April 8 . His passport was taken by investigators and he was told not to leave Mexico until the probe was concluded . The former producer on TV 's `` Survivor '' recently returned to his Los Angeles , California , home , to take care of family business and see his two young children , his lawyer said . His lawyer issued a statement from Beresford-Redman Monday after learning of the arrest warrant . `` I am devastated at her loss , '' Beresford-Redman said in the statement , `` and I am incensed at the suggestion that I could have had anything to do with her death . I am innocent . My children have had one parent taken from them by a senseless act of violence . I implore the Mexican authorities not to take their remaining parent by a miscarriage of justice and to do what is right , not just what is expedient . '' Hirsch said Friday that there should not be `` a rush to judgment , '' adding that there have been other unsolved deaths and an attack at the resort . He cited the death of an elderly Scottish woman , who was found in a swamp weeks after leaving a pool for a walk , and a Canadian man who allegedly fell from a hotel balcony . Jeff Toews , a Canadian , was found dead in May 2007 . Investigators decided he died from a drunken fall from a balcony , but his family did not accept that explanation . Julia Howard , a 77-year-old woman from Scotland , was found dead in a dense swamp six weeks after disappearing from a pool area last summer . Her family also rejected the police conclusion that her death was an accident . A woman reported an attempted rape in her hotel room `` several days after Mrs. Beresford-Redman 's body was discovered , '' Hirsch said . `` We have brought this to the attention of the authorities and , in particular , to the attorney general in Cancun and asked them to pursue all leads before making a decision whether of not to charge our client , '' Hirsch said . `` We feel that this case should not be a rush to judgment . '' `` There are strange things going on -- I think that need to be pursued , '' he said . A spokeswoman for the resort directed CNN to a Mexican news report that quoted the prosecutor saying there was no connection between other deaths and the Beresford-Redman case . The initial investigation suggested Monica Beresford-Redman `` died of strangulation , because of the bruising , '' Mexican regional police spokesman Adrian Cardena said . A source close to the wife has told CNN that she cleaned out the family bank account and took her two children to Hawaii because she was upset about her husband 's extramarital affair . The couple later traveled to Cancun in an effort to repair their marriage , the source said . A Los Angeles judge decided Friday that the children , ages 3 and 5 , could not attend a memorial service organized Sunday by Monica Beresford-Redman 's sisters because a therapist said it might be emotionally harmful to them . `` We respect the decision of the court , but we are very disappointed the fact that the children were denied to participate in the celebration of their mother 's life , '' Jeane Burgos said . The sisters are fighting Beresford-Redman for custody of the children . Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff delayed any decision on changing the current custody arrangement . Beresford-Redman 's parents were given temporary custody in April after he was told by Mexican police to remain in the country while they investigated . He filed papers for custody to be returned to him last week . Bruce Beresford-Redman built his career as a Hollywood reality television show producer . He worked for several seasons on the popular CBS show `` Survivor , '' in which contestants compete against each other in a variety of extreme outdoor scenarios . He was nominated for three Emmy Awards as a producer on the show and was last credited as a producer in 2004 . He also worked on NBC 's `` The Contender '' and `` The Restaurant , '' as well as MTV 's `` Pimp My Ride , '' according to entertainment media company IMG . Monica Beresford-Redman , a native of Brazil , owned a restaurant in Los Angeles . CNN 's Rosalina Nieves contributed to this report . | Mexican judge issues arrest warrant for TV producer in wife 's death . `` Very concrete '' case was sent to judge Friday , prosecutor says . Lawyer for Beresford-Redman complains case being handled `` outside normal procedures '' Reality TV producer says `` I am innocent '' | [[14, 40], [44, 160], [216, 369], [583, 691], [668, 691], [697, 754], [755, 915], [830, 915], [191, 215], [483, 579], [1898, 1913]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some of the first accounts emerged Tuesday from eyewitnesses who were aboard several boats stormed by Israeli forces as they approached Gaza the day before . Hanin Zoabi , a member of the Israeli parliament , was on board the Miva Marmara , the ship that was the scene of a confrontation between activists and Israeli soldiers . That clash left at least nine people dead . The Israeli Navy fired on the ships five minutes before commandos descended from ropes that dangled from helicopters , Zoabi said during a press conference in Nazareth , Israel . She said passengers on board the ship were unarmed . Were you there ? Send us your story , images , video . Israel has said its forces found several weapons among the passengers on the Miva Marmara . Israel also has said that its forces started shooting after passengers on the Miva Marmara assaulted them . Zoabi said the military operation lasted about an hour and that she saw five dead bodies in that time . She urged Israeli authorities to investigate and to let the news media interview passengers who have been detained . Zoabi said she believes Israel has video footage of how the ten passengers were killed , and she called on Israeli authorities to release that footage . Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said that of the six ships in the flotilla , the people prepared an ambush on one , a reference to the Turkish ship . But on the other five , `` the people got off without a scratch . '' Huwaida Arraf , one of the Free Gaza Movement organizers , told CNN Israeli troops roughed her up when they responded aggressively to her ship , a smaller one in the flotilla that was near the Turkish vessel where the casualties occurred . `` They started coming after our ship , '' she told CNN , `` so we took off and they charged us also . Eventually , they overtook our ship and they used concussion grenades , sound bombs and pellets . '' She said the people on her ship tried to keep them off . She said they were told the vessel was American and the people aboard were unarmed . But , she said `` they started beating people . My head was smashed against the ground and they stepped on my head . They later cuffed me and put a bag over my head . They did that to everybody . '' Her account could not be independently verified . | Passenger says shots were fired before Israeli commandos boarded ship . Israel says its forces started shooting after passengers assaulted them . Zoabi said she saw five dead bodies during the hour-long military operation . Another witness said a bag was placed over her head . | [[771, 777], [783, 878], [879, 982], [890, 933], [943, 982], [2190, 2194], [2215, 2239]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gordon Gekko-inspired suspenders may have faded from Wall Street and lunch is n't for wimps anymore , but if there 's one thing that has n't changed in the last two decades it 's this : greed is good . With his new film director Oliver Stone is back to exposing financial chicanery , this time showcasing how complex and unfettered the system has become since his 1987 hit film `` Wall Street . '' What did he find when he returned to the scene after more than two decades ? After years of bank deregulation , Wall Street `` got ridiculous , and I mean it 's insane . It became a financial casino , '' he told CNN . That outrageous environment serves as the backdrop for `` Wall Street 2 : Money Never Sleeps , '' a follow-up film which , amid massive bank bailouts , sweeping financial reform in Washington and investigations into the practices of Wall Street 's leading firms , could n't be more timely . In the movie , Michael Douglas reprises the role of corporate shark Gordon Gekko . Fresh out of prison , he finds himself in a new financial era dominated by complex products and securities . `` Money Never Sleeps , '' which is slated for release in September , is a `` bookend '' rather than a sequel , to the 1987 film , Stone says . Stone , whose father worked on Wall Street as a broker , set out to tell a morality tale about excess in the original film , with Gekko positioned as the bad guy . But judging by the recent financial crisis , not many Wall Streeters took Stone 's message to heart . Instead of being seen as a villain in the 1980s , Gekko became a paragon of success for a generation of traders and business school graduates . Douglas , who won a Best Actor Oscar for the first `` Wall Street , '' said he 's always surprised at the reaction MBA students have to Gekko , the suspender-sporting character out to win at all costs . `` They would come up to me and say , ` Hey Gordon , he 's the man , ' '' he told CNN at Cannes , where the film premiered earlier this month . `` And probably a lot of those guys ... are heading up investing banking companies now , '' he said . In the follow up film , Gekko is looking to get back into the Wall Street game and finds a way through his estranged daughter 's boyfriend , a young investment banker played by Shia LaBeouf . Joining the cast , which includes Susan Sarandon and Josh Brolin , was like `` stepping into a cage of lions , '' LaBeouf said . `` I felt like an underdog coming onto this set . I 'm the ` Transformers , ' kid . It 's just like , it 's daunting . '' LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan , who plays Gekko 's daughter , play a young couple with ideals . -LRB- The couple has also been linked together offscreen . -RRB- But their integrity is tested and `` everybody has double motives , '' Stone said . A director known for offering provocative viewpoints , particularly in political films like `` W , '' `` JFK '' and `` Nixon '' -- his next film , `` South of the Border , '' is about Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez -- Stone initially was n't interested in telling another story about Wall Street . When the producer of the original film and 20th Century Fox made a deal for a follow up film , Stone was n't on board . `` I did n't event want to do a sequel and I turned them down , '' he said . What changed ? The financial meltdown of 2008 , which unleashed the worst crisis since the Great Depression and caused the economy to suffer in Stone 's words , a `` triple bypass heart attack . '' The financial crisis `` was an event of monumental importance socially , economically , for the United States , '' he said . `` It was n't a perfect storm , it was a systematic breakdown that was due because it 's the way the system is run . '' While the director certainly harbors strong feelings about the financial system , he also had his fun with the film . He appears briefly , as does Charlie Sheen , who played Gekko 's protégé Bud Fox in the first film . `` I was having fun , you have to have fun , '' Stone said . Just like the original `` Wall Street , '' `` you have to take this with a grain of salt because it 's so depressing otherwise . '' Mulligan says the film is first and foremost an entertaining story . `` It 's really about people enjoying it as a movie , '' she told CNN . `` Because it 's not just a lesson in finance , it 's love stories and rivalries and a brilliant villain in the middle of it . '' | `` Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps '' is the follow up Oliver Stone 's 1987 hit film `` Wall Street '' Stone discovered a `` ridiculous '' and `` insane '' system in Wall Street when making the sequel . Michael Douglas reprises his role as corporate raider Gordon Gekko . Shia LaBeouf plays the role of a young , ideal investment banker . | [[926, 938], [941, 1008], [2262, 2312]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States was identified Wednesday as the world 's No. 1 user of targeted killings -- largely as a result of its dependence on unmanned drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan . A report released by the United Nations called the drone attacks part of a `` strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability '' and warned that they are contributing to an erosion of longstanding international rules governing warfare . It urged states to identify publicly the rules of international law believed to provide a basis for any attempted targeted killings as well as the rationale for deciding to kill instead of capture individuals . `` The rules being set today are going to govern the conduct of many states tomorrow , '' said New York University law professor Philip Alston , the report 's author . `` The international community needs to be more forceful in demanding accountability . '' Alston , who also works for the U.N. Human Rights Council , said roughly 40 countries possess drone technology , and many of them either already have or attempting to acquire the capability to launch missiles from drones . `` I 'm particularly concerned that the United States seems oblivious to this fact when it asserts an ever-expanding entitlement for itself to target individuals around the globe , '' he said . This `` ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without doing grave damage to the rules designed to protect the right to life and prevent extrajudicial executions . '' In the eight years of George W. Bush 's presidency , unmanned aircraft -- or drones -- attacked militant targets 45 times . Since President Barack Obama took office , the numbers have risen sharply : 53 last year and 39 so far this year in Pakistan alone , according to the New America Foundation , a Washington foreign policy think tank . While the United States is the only country in the region of Pakistan and Afghanistan known to have the ability to launch missiles from drones -- which are controlled remotely -- U.S. officials normally do not comment on suspected drone strikes . The report distinguishes between drone attacks conducted by the Pentagon and those launched by the CIA . The U.S. military has a `` relatively public accountability process , '' Alston said . But CIA attacks reponsible for the deaths of `` many hundreds of people ... remain shrouded in official secrecy . '' `` The international community does not know when or where the CIA is authorized to kill , the criteria for individuals who may be killed , how it ensures killings are legal , and what follow-up there is when civilians are illegally killed , '' he said . Alston , who backs an end to CIA drone attacks , argued that `` intelligence agencies , which by definition are determined to remain unaccountable except to their own paymasters , have no place in running programs that kill people in other countries . '' He also blasted U.S. officials for embracing what he characterized as an `` expansive and open-ended interpretation of the right of self-defence . '' The current U.S. stance `` goes a long way towards destroying the prohibition on the use of armed force contained in the U.N. Charter , '' he asserted . The report cited two key issues : `` excessively broad circumstances '' under which targeted killings are deemed to be legal , and the lack of accountability when they are used . Alston conceded the conflict with al Qaeda and other extremist organizations pose a unique challenge and noted that al Qaeda routinely kills innocent civilians . `` But the fact that such enemies do not play by the rules does not mean that a government can cast those rules aside or unilaterally re-interpret them , '' he said . `` The credibility of any government 's claim that it is fighting to uphold the rule of law depends of its willingness to disclose how it interprets and applies the law -- and the actions it takes when the law is broken . '' CIA spokesman George Little took issue with Alston 's claim of a lack of accountability . `` Without discussing or confirming any specific action or program , this agency 's operations unfold within a framework of law and close government oversight , '' he said . `` The accountability 's real , and it would be wrong for anyone to suggest otherwise . '' One U.S. official , who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity because U.S. operations are classified , insisted that the United States is not violating international law . `` The U.N. Charter clearly states that nothing ... shall impair the inherent right of individual or self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations , '' the official said . `` Militants based in Pakistan regularly attack American and coalition forces in Afghanistan . The United States and its allies have a right and responsibility to protect themselves against dangerous enemies . The United States has an ` inherent right ' to protect itself , and we will not refrain from doing so based on an exceptionally narrow -- and faulty -- definition of self-defense . '' The official said the United States has Pakistani cooperation in `` conducting precise actions to take dangerous figures off the battlefield . And we do so with an absolute commitment to minimize non-combatant casualties and property damage . '' `` The precision is unsurpassed in the history of human conflict , '' the official said . `` No one 's come up with a better alternative , assuming they see value in trying to stop killers like al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban . This is a policy of legitimate and lawful self-defense , driven by absolute necessity . '' CNN 's Alan Silverleib and Pam Benson contributed to this report . | NEW : A U.S. official insisted the United States is not violating international law . CIA contends that there is accountability for its drone strikes . U.S. drone strikes have increased sharply under Obama -- 39 this year in Pakistan . U.N. report says U.S. as world 's top user of targeted killings due reliance on drone attacks . | [[4413, 4430], [4521, 4589], [1740, 1813], [0, 20], [30, 92], [218, 295], [218, 249], [291, 313]] |
Los Angeles , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor Dennis Hopper died at his home in Venice , California , Saturday morning , his wife said . He was 74 . Hopper , who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2009 , was surrounded by his children when he died , Victoria Hopper told CNN . While funeral arrangements have not been decided , Hopper 's wish was to be buried in Taos , New Mexico , his wife said . She said Taos was `` his heart home . '' Hopper and his wife were involved in a highly public and bitter divorce fight in the last months of his life . The actor made his last public appearance on March 26 , when his star was dedicated on Hollywood 's Walk of Fame . `` I just want to thank you , '' Hopper said , as he smiled broadly . `` That 's all I can do . '' With his 6-year-old daughter , Galen , by his side , Hopper waved and bowed to hundreds of fans lining a barricade along Hollywood Boulevard . Hopper 's lawyer argued in the divorce case that his estranged wife 's presence was hampering his fight with cancer , but the judge allowed her to continue living in the family 's Venice compound with their 6-year-old daughter , Galen . His lawyer said Hopper was too ill to attend a divorce hearing , but his older children , an 18-year-old son and two adult daughters , sat in a back row of the courtroom . iReport : Hopper became honorary mayor in 2009 . Hopper 's acting career has spanned almost six decades . In the 1950s , he had roles in several TV shows and films , including `` Rebel Without a Cause '' -LRB- 1955 -RRB- and `` Giant '' -LRB- 1956 -RRB- . He became a Hollywood sensation for `` Easy Rider , '' the 1969 film he directed and co-wrote in which he played a dissolute , counter cultural biker . He was twice nominated for Oscars . | Hopper was surrounded by his children when he died , his wife said . Actor was diagnosed with prostate cancer last October . Hopper wished to be buried in Taos , New Mexico , his wife said . Hopper and wife Victoria were in the midst of a bitter divorce battle during his illness . | [[125, 140], [153, 159], [219, 262], [398, 413], [153, 161], [166, 216], [125, 140], [343, 382], [398, 413], [455, 565]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The laser surgery business is booming for treatments like hair , tattoo and wrinkle removal . Julie Pak gets laser treatment from a doctor , eight years after she says she was scarred by earlier treatment . In 2005 , the last year recorded , the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery said its members performed nearly 1 million such procedures , about 300,000 more than in 2003 . Board certified dermatologists , however , are not the only ones operating lasers on skin . Laser treatments are offered at local beauty salons , and are also a big part of the medical spa industry , which has grown by 160 percent in the last three years , according to the International Medical Spa Association . The association says a medical spa operates under the full-time , on-site supervision of a licensed health care professional . It offers traditional , complementary and alternative health practices and treatments in a spa-like setting . Some doctors are concerned that while these high-tech devices can produce amazing results , in the wrong hands , the outcome can be horrifying . Eight years ago , computer programmer Julie Pak went to her neighborhood salon in Illinois to have the rose tattoo on her back removed , a decision she said that left her not only with physical scars but emotional ones as well . Pak said a laser was used to peel back layers of the tattooed skin . She said she knew the procedure would hurt , but was not prepared for what she experienced -- pain that was excruciating `` beyond words . '' Watch more on the dangers of illegal laser surgery . `` I was in tears for I believe a week , but certainly while she was doing it I did n't have any anesthesia or anything . She literally had a laser pen and was zapping across my skin , '' she said . And she said the tattoo was only partially removed . The proliferation of medical spas and other clinics offering laser treatments worries the ASDS , which said botched laser skin procedures increased 41 percent from 2005 to 2006 . `` We see a definite increase in the number of people being damaged by untrained individuals using these lasers and we think that this is just going to be more of a problem , '' said Alastair Carruthers , president of ASDS . He and other doctors say the increased demand for laser surgery is outpacing the number of people properly trained to use it . `` If you use them inappropriately , you can damage tissue severely . You 're trying to damage very selectively , but you can do more than that , so that you can draw a hole in someone if you are being dumb about things , '' he said . `` Sadly , there are many people who are laser techs who have done very little , maybe a weekend course , maybe some other training . We believe that you require more information than that , '' Carruthers said . He thinks a physician should always be present during the procedures and that those performing it should have at least basic knowledge of the response of body tissue to lasers , like a registered nurse or physician 's assistant . The ASDS and organizations like the National Coalition of Estheticians , Manufacturers/Distributors & Associations , put the blame squarely on state regulatory boards for what they consider a lack of effective oversight in the industry . Regulation on who can use lasers and what defines `` medical supervision '' differs from state to state . Some states require a doctor on site , others do not . According to the ASDS , Kentucky is the only state that requires a doctor to be present in the room while the procedure is taking place . Only four other states require that a physician be on site and available for consultation during treatments . The rest require less stringent physician involvement -- like simply being available by phone or beeper , for example . `` If we could get a clear definition from the state medical boards as to what medical supervision is , it would make our lives a lot easier and it would keep consumers much safer , '' said Susanne Warfield , executive director of the NCEA . The salon that Pak said disfigured her back eight years ago has gone out of business . Since then , she has thought a lot about warning signs that should have stopped her from going there for laser surgery . For example , a woman at the salon gave her a price quote on the phone . `` I mean , without knowing anything about my medical history , that right there should have immediately been a red flag . '' Now , Pak again is enduring painful laser treatments to reduce the scarring and hopefully get rid of the rest of the tattoo . She also tailors her wardrobe to hide the scar . `` Summertime is probably my least favorite season because it 's the only time either it 's showing or I have to make special efforts to cover it up , '' Pak said . `` Even for my wedding I had a strapless gown , but I had to have a really long veil to cover it up and it was something I was self-conscious about every evening . It affects every day of my life . '' E-mail to a friend . | Woman says salon failed to remove her tattoo and caused painful scarring . Laser procedures can be performed by persons with limited training . Kentucky is the only state that requires a doctor be in the room during surgery . | [[187, 234], [1245, 1336], [1800, 1852], [2103, 2143], [3496, 3510], [3516, 3559]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A part-time actor has been accused of killing his neighbor and then luring the victim 's friend to her death in an attempt to cover up his crime , authorities in California said . The Costa Mesa Police Department last week charged Daniel Wozniak , 27 , with two counts of murder . Wozniak is being held without bail and will be arraigned June 25 , said Farrah Emami , spokesperson for the Orange County District Attorney 's Office . Wozniak has been accused in the shooting death of Samuel Herr , 26 , and Juri Kibuishi , 23 , of Irvine , police said . According to investigators , Wozniak and Herr , who lived in the same residential complex in Costa Mesa , drove to the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base on Friday , May 21 . It is at the base that Wozniak shot and killed Herr for financial gain , police said . The suspect cut off Herr 's head , left arm and right hand and discarded the body parts at a park in Long Beach , police said . After the slaying , Wozniak used Herr 's cell phone to text Kibuishi and arrange for her to come to Herr 's apartment , investigators alleged . Shortly after midnight on May 22 , Kibuishi arrived at the Herr 's home , where she was shot and killed by Wozniak , police said . `` Wozniak then staged the crime scene to appear as if a sexual assault had occurred by partially removing her clothing , '' police said in a statement . In addition , investigators said a 17-year-old individual was directed by Wozniak to make several ATM withdrawals using Herr 's bank card . Several law enforcement agencies , including the FBI , have been assisting the Costa Mesa Police . From April 23 to May 23 , Wozniak starred in a local theater 's production of the musical `` Nine . '' In a statement , the Hunger Artists Theatre Company said , `` We at Hunger Artists are horrified and saddened by the deaths of Juri Kibuishi and Samuel Eliezer Herr . Our hearts and deepest condolences go out to their friends and families in this tragic time . '' | Part-time actor Daniel Wozniak , 27 , is charged with two counts of murder . Police say he shot Samuel Herr at California training base for financial gain . Police say he then lured Herr 's friend , Juri Kibuishi , to her death with text message . Wozniak is being held without bail in Orange County ; he was recently in musical . | [[452, 543], [792, 822], [0, 15], [82, 141], [967, 984], [987, 1084], [300, 334]] |
Atlanta , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In an attempt to re-create the experience of a manned mission to Mars , an international team of researchers will lock themselves up in a windowless capsule for about a year and a half -- time required for a round trip to the Red Planet . Starting Thursday , an all-male `` crew '' of six -- three Russians , a Frenchman , an Italian-Colombian and a Chinese -- will spend 520 days in the cramped and claustrophobic conditions of a special facility in Moscow and will follow a strict regimen of exercise and diet . Organizers at the European Space Agency and Russia 's Institute of Biomedical Problems hope the project will shed light on the physical and psychological effects of the long isolation that future Mars astronauts will experience . `` This study is not useful only for Mars , but also for life on Earth , '' 27-year-old Diego Urbina , the Italian-Colombian participant , said in a news release . The researchers will communicate with mission control via the internet , with occasional disruptions and a 20-minute delay to imitate the effects of space travel . They will perform tasks similar to astronauts at the international space station , such as maintenance and scientific experiments , but for a longer period of time . They will follow a seven-day week with two days off , except when special and emergency situations are simulated . The latest isolation test is the last and longest part of the Mars500 experiment that began in 2007 . The first phase was a 14-day simulation that mainly tested the facilities and operational procedures . The second phase followed in 2009 , when four Russian and two European crew members were shut into the facility for 105 days . Missions to the Red Planet have thus far been unmanned . In January , NASA told CNN Radio that the agency was close to a deal to merge its Mars program with the European Space Agency 's , a big step toward manned missions . In the meantime , NASA is preparing for the launch of its newest robotic space exploration vehicle , the Mars Science Laboratory , late next year . It weighs roughly one metric ton and is about the size of a small automobile . | Mars500 team to be locked up in a windowless capsule for about a year and a half . Six men to be in cramped , claustrophobic conditions in a special facility in Moscow . They 'll talk to mission control via internet , do tasks similar to space station astronauts . Organizers hope project will shed light on psychological , physical effects of Mars mission . | [[107, 166], [170, 216], [276, 293], [387, 494], [1636, 1721], [276, 293], [387, 494], [1636, 1721], [945, 1015], [1109, 1238], [551, 734]] |
Peshawar , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 13-year-old Pakistani boy has taken his school to court , challenging his expulsion after he got married . Gherat Khan , a 7th grader at Peshawar Model School , filed a petition with the High Court in the northwest Pakistani city saying the school 's principal sent him packing after she found out about the wedding . Gherat said his wife is 16 , although CNN could not independently verify her age . Pakistan has no clear guidelines prohibiting underage marriage . Civil law says boys must be 18 ; girls 16 . But Islamic law says a couple can marry if both have reached puberty and if their parents approve . `` I am young but our family had problems , '' Gherat said , explaining why he tied the knot at such an early age . His father had passed away and his mother was sick , he said . The family had fallen on hard times . So his relatives , including his grandfather , decided to find him a bride who could help the family with housework . Gherat said he loves his wife and does not regret his family members ' decision . The school , however , felt differently . Principal Beatrice Jamil said the decision to expel Gherat was taken after consulting with the school 's directors . His file said the school removed Gherat because his parents removed him . But Jamil admitted that was n't the real reason . Gherat , she said , was told to leave because the school worried he 'd share intimate details of married life with classmates . `` It 's prohibited . It 's almost taboo , '' she said . Gherat said he was upset when he found out he could no longer attend classes . If the school deems something inappropriate , he wo n't talk about it with his friends , he said . All he wants is to finish his education so he can become a doctor , Gherat added . `` I want to go to this school , '' he said . For her part , Jamil wishes Gherat well -- but does n't want him back . `` Especially now that it 's publicized , '' she said . | Boy , 13 , says school expelled him after finding out he was married . Gherat Khan challenging decision with Peshawar High Court . Gherat says new wife can help ailing mother with housework . Principal says school worried Gherat would share intimate details with classmates . | [[11, 35], [99, 147], [148, 159], [271, 324], [278, 358], [148, 159], [202, 270], [931, 942], [947, 985], [1360, 1368], [1371, 1478], [1351, 1357], [1371, 1478], [1351, 1357], [1360, 1363], [1380, 1478]] |
Islamabad , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani officials have detained a 10th person in connection with the investigation into the failed May 1 car bombing of New York 's Times Square , a Pakistani intelligence source told CNN Tuesday . The intelligence source , who asked not to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media , identified the man as Shoaib Mughal . He is suspected of having served as an intermediary between the bombing suspect , Faisal Shahzad , and the Pakistani Taliban , the source said . Mughal 's uncle , who also asked not to be identified , told CNN that Mughal , who is married , owns and operates a computer parts store in Islamabad . The uncle said six men dressed in civilian clothing detained Mughal , who has never been outside Pakistan , at his shop on May 6 . In addition , a Pakistani intelligence source told CNN that detainee Muhammad Shahid Hussain was a friend of Faisal Shahzad when the bombing suspect was studying in the United States . The two men met frequently last year , when Shahzad returned to Pakistan , the source said . Hussain 's brother , Muhammad Khalid , told CNN that Hussain traveled to the United States in 2000 to participate in an MBA program and remained there until 2004 . Hussain 's brother and father , Muhammad Ramzan , have denied he has any links to terrorist groups or the attempted bombing in Times Square . The intelligence official added that another suspect , Major Adnan , resigned from the Pakistani Army last year . The official said Adnan contacted Shahzad by e-mail at least once but the official did not disclose when the e-mail was sent or what it contained . This month , a senior administration official said Shahzad , a Pakistani-American , was looking for help from the Pakistani Taliban in carrying out a bomb attack during his last visit to Pakistan . `` The question is : Did he go there looking for help or did he fall in their lap ? It seems the former . It appears he went seeking help for this attack , '' the official said . `` He had an attack in mind when he went there . '' The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because this person was n't allowed to speak publicly about the investigation . Top advisers to President Barack Obama said early this month that Shahzad worked with the Taliban movement in Pakistan . `` The evidence that we have now developed shows the Pakistani Taliban directed this plot , '' Attorney General Eric Holder told NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' on May 9 . John Brennan , assistant to the president for counterterrorism and homeland security , told CNN that the Pakistani Taliban -- also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban , or TTP -- is `` closely allied with al Qaeda . '' Shahzad was arrested while trying to fly out of New York on May 3 , two days after federal authorities say he left a vehicle filled with explosive materials in Manhattan 's Times Square . The makeshift bomb failed to detonate . Shahzad had traveled to Pakistan several times in recent years , Brennan said . CNN 's Reza Sayah and Nasir Habib contributed to this story . | Pakistani officials detain 10th person accused of link to bomb plot . Shoaib Mughal was intermediary for bombing suspect , official says . Mughal owns and operates a computer parts store in Islamabad , his uncle says . Uncle says Mughal has never been outside Pakistan . | [[12, 36], [40, 124], [388, 512], [533, 548], [589, 609], [603, 609], [638, 684], [533, 548], [589, 609], [719, 752], [759, 790]] |
Kabul , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven insurgents were killed when a group of more than a dozen men launched an early morning attack on Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan on Wednesday , officials said . Army spokesman Lt. Col. Clarence Counts said that five service members were wounded in the attack and a building suffered minor damage . He said the attack included rockets , small arms and grenades . Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told CNN that 20 armed men wearing suicide vests stormed the base around 4 a.m. -LRB- 7:30 p.m. Tuesday ET -RRB- , with four of them detonating explosives at the entrances to allow the other men to move in . Mujahid said that a `` major firefight '' took place inside the base . But Army Specialist Christina Dion , a spokeswoman who both lives an works on the base , told CNN that personnel were ordered to enter bunkers when the base came under attack and were allowed to return to their huts and tents about 90 minutes later . `` We 're always prepared to deal with attacks on our base , '' Counts said . `` The response this morning was immediate . '' The fighting eventually tapered off about 7:30 a.m. local time , said NATO spokesman Lt. Col Todd Breasseale . Another Bagram spokeswoman , Maj. Virginia McCabe , could not say if flights into and out of the air base had been stopped and said that authorities are investigating how the incident started . `` Established security procedures are in place , '' she said , adding that personnel with `` mission-essential '' responsibilities were continuing to work . Bagram is a heavily fortified base , its perimeter guarded by high fences and thick , concrete walls . Dion said she did n't believe anyone could have made their way into the main portion of the base . Taliban fighters have lobbed rockets into the base in previous attacks . CNN 's Adam Levine and Paula Hancocks contributed to this report . | Five service members hurt , building damaged in attack using rockets , small arms , grenades . Personnel ordered to bunkers for 90 minutes after airbase attacked , Army spokeswoman says . Taliban spokesman says 20 armed men in suicide vests stormed base in `` major firefight '' | [[229, 341], [342, 405], [350, 405], [1763, 1835], [725, 755], [810, 863], [824, 833], [847, 895], [0, 5], [8, 35], [39, 185], [406, 585], [650, 720], [668, 720]] |
Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The House of Representatives approved a plan Friday that would pave the way for an eventual repeal of the military 's controversial `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy , which bars openly gay and lesbian soldiers from military service . The measure passed in a largely party-line , 229-186 vote as part of a larger defense authorization bill despite a growing controversy over allegations of wasteful spending in the legislation . Most Democrats backed the bill while most Republicans opposed it . Attention now shifts to the Senate , where the Armed Services Committee approved a `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' repeal earlier in the week . As in the House , the committee was divided sharply along partisan lines . The plan is a compromise under which the repeal would occur only after a military review of the question and subsequent approval by Obama , the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . Opponents of the repeal language argue the military should first carry out the review ordered by Defense Secretary Robert Gates that is scheduled to be completed in December . Only then would military leaders have the necessary information from force members to develop a plan for carrying out the repeal , they claim . Under the compromise , the military would be given time to complete its review as sought by Gates and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , Adm. Mike Mullen . Gates and Mullen both said this week they could accept the compromise language . A recent CNN poll seemed to suggest that Americans are ready for the change . The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday indicated that 78 percent of the public supports allowing openly gay people to serve in the military , with one in five opposed . Threatening to derail the plan , however , is House members ' insistence on spending almost $ 500 million on a fighter engine that neither the White House nor the Pentagon wants . Funding for the engine was included in the House 's version of the legislation but not the Senate 's . A White House spokesman warned before the House vote on Friday that President Barack Obama would veto the bill if funding for the engine is n't removed . Gates has blasted the proposed funding for the extra F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine , calling it a `` waste of money '' that does n't meet the fighter 's performance needs . The chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee said Friday that he hopes Obama would n't veto the plan if Congress failed to remove the controversial funding . `` It 's difficult to believe the president would do anything other than look at the entire bill , not just one provision , '' said Sen. Carl Levin , D-Michigan . Levin would n't predict if the engine funding would still be in the bill by the time it reaches Obama 's desk . `` We are a long way from having a product , '' he said . `` Some of the things which I would think -LRB- Obama -RRB- may not like may be dropped along the way . '' Supporters of repealing the `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' policy have been pressuring congressional Democrats to act now , fearing the party will lose its House or Senate majority in November 's midterm election and be unable to pass the measure afterward . The compromise emerged late Monday from a meeting at the White House involving administration officials , gay rights groups and Pentagon officials , sources told CNN . There were also talks on Capitol Hill involving White House lawyers , Pentagon officials and staff from the offices of influential House and Senate Democrats , including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , the sources added . A senior U.S. military official with direct knowledge of the Pentagon review process told CNN it is well under way , with a survey going out shortly to about 70,000 troops and families to solicit their views . In addition , the official said , town hall meetings already have been held around the country and more are expected , while a website provides a place for troops to write in their views . The military needs until the end of 2010 to figure out how to implement the repeal in terms of housing , medical and marriage benefits , as well as issues involving the reinstatement of gay soldiers previously discharged under the policy , the official said . A major problem might be determining how to reconcile the repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' with federal law that defines marriage as between a man a woman , the official added . CNN 's Jamie Crawford , Laurie Ure , Alan Silverleib and Adam Levine contributed to this report . | NEW : The House of Representatives passed a repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' Obama has threatened to veto the bill due to a dispute over Pentagon spending . The Senate Armed Services Committee has also passed a repeal of `` do n't ask , do n't tell '' The compromise plan to repeal the policy emerged on Monday . | [[2070, 2180], [0, 26], [59, 175], [573, 601], [629, 672], [0, 26], [59, 175]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A North Korean official has questioned South Korea 's credibility for its rhetoric and actions over the sinking of a South Korean warship in March , state-run media in North Korea reported Saturday . Maj. Gen. Pak Rim Su lashed out against the South for saying the North Koreans sank the Cheonan warship , a claim fiercely denied by his communist government . He said the evidence produced by South Korea to make its claim has been fabricated . He said South Korea has aggravated what has become a grave situation , and he warned that any accidental confrontation between the countries would result in war , according to an article in the state-run Korean Central News Agency . He cited North Korea 's `` nuclear deterrent '' to deal with such situations . Pak spoke at a rare press conference from the country on Friday . He addressed Korean and foreign reporters and representatives of military attaches at foreign embassies and international organizations , the North Korean news agency reported . China , Japan and South Korea plan to discuss the warship 's sinking this weekend . Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has that his country will not defend whoever is responsible for sinking the South Korean warship . He also said that China is not ready to accept South Korea 's conclusion that the North is to blame . China meets with South Korea . South Korea says a North Korean mini-sub fired torpedoes at the Cheonan South Korean Navy ship , killing 46 people . Pak says South Korea cooked up the claim , and he called their investigations a farce . He said that the involvement of the United States shows that the probe could n't be objective . Why are the two Koreas so hostile ? Pak said people who disagreed with the investigators ' assertions were expelled from the investigation team . He said the changes in investigation results as the case moved forward cast suspicion on the review , according to the state-run news agency 's account . For example , the North Koreans say , the warship captain said at first there was n't outside provocation but later said there was . And they say the military said at first there were no grounds to say it was an attack by the North but later changed that viewpoint . The North Koreans say the South is attempting to undermine efforts to promote reconciliation and North Korea 's progress . They argue that the claim has served to rally conservative forces in South Korea and help them politically in upcoming elections . | North Korea denies claim it torpedoed warship . Pyongyang says South Korea fabricated evidence . China , Japan , South Korea address crisis at meeting . | [[325, 378], [379, 463], [432, 463], [1480, 1520], [1028, 1103], [1332, 1362]] |
Berlin , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- German President Horst Koehler resigned suddenly Monday over what he said was heavy criticism about comments he made on Germany 's military role in the world , which he said had been misinterpreted . It was the first time in German history that a president has resigned , the government-funded Deutsche Welle news agency reported . Koehler said May 22 upon his return from a trip to Afghanistan that `` in emergencies , military intervention is necessary to uphold our interests , like for example free trade routes , for example to prevent regional instabilities which could have a negative impact on our chances in terms of trade , jobs and income . '' He later said he meant the protection of shipping routes along the Gulf of Aden against piracy , for example , and not any reference to Germany 's role in Afghanistan . But his comments came in for widespread criticism . Crticis said he was framing Germany 's involvement in the Afghan war in economic terms having to do with self-interest , rather than as a duty in fulfilling a NATO mission in the fight against terrorism . Others said his comments indicated he would use the military unconstitutionally and for economic reasons . Germany has 4,500 troops in a NATO-led force fighting a Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan . Polls show that most Germans oppose the war in Afghanistan , but the government has not set a date for the withdrawal of troops . Koehler , 67 , made the surprise resignation announcement at a televised news conference with his wife standing next to him . He appeared visibly emotional , the Deutsche Welle news outlet reported . `` I am resigning my post as federal president with immediate effect , '' Koehler said . `` It was an honor for me to serve Germany as president , '' he said . `` I thank the many people in Germany who have put their trust in me and supported my work . I ask for you to understand my decision . '' The president 's office is largely ceremonial . Chancellor Angela Merkel heads the government and holds the real power . Merkel found out about the resignation a short while before Koehler 's announcement , Deutsche Welle said . She canceled a trip to northern Italy to visit the training camp of the German national soccer team as the squad prepares for next month 's World Cup , the government news agency said . Speaking at a news conference in Berlin , Merkel said she was stunned by Koehler 's decision . ' I deeply regret this resignation , '' Merkel said . `` I must add that I of course told him also I respect his decision to resign . '' Merkel also said she had `` unsuccessfully tried to get him to change his mind , '' Deutsche Welle said . The resignation comes at an inopportune time for Merkel , whose center-right coalition recently lost an important state election and suffered another resignation of a key ally last week , Deutsche Welle said . The German constitution mandates that the head of the Bundesrat , the upper house of parliament that represents Germany 's federal states , will temporarily take over the president 's duties . Jens Boehrnsen , the Social Democratic mayor of Bremen , holds the rotating position of Bundesrat leader this year and will assume the president 's duties . Boehrnsen will fill in for Koehler until an electoral college , the Federal Convention , elects a successor . The convention must convene within 30 days -- by June 30 in this case . The president in Germany is not elected by the people , but by the Federal Convention . The secret ballot vote is held without prior debate and requires an absolute majority to elect a president . If none of the candidates wins an absolute majority after two rounds of voting , the person with a simple majority in the third round is selected president . The Federal Convention is Germany 's largest parliamentary body . All of the members of the lower house of parliament , the Bundestag , can vote . A corresponding number of representatives from the federal states also are entitled to vote . The convention , which had 1,224 members at the time , last met in May 2009 to re-elect Koehler . Koehler , a former managing director of the International Monetary Fund , was first elected president in 2004 . | NEW : President 's resignation is first in country 's history . NEW : Koehler had been criticized for comments on military 's role . He said comments were misinterpreted . Resignation was sudden and unexpected . | [[236, 305], [0, 6], [9, 84], [92, 144], [136, 193], [864, 911], [181, 193], [210, 235]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Greek journalists walked off the job Thursday to protest tough government austerity measures . The reporters are specifically protesting reforms to the country 's social security system as called for in the austerity package the government has put together to pull Greece out of debt . Participating in the strike is the Athens News Agency , the national news outlet . During the strike -- which ends Friday morning -- television and radio stations will not broadcast programs , the news agency said . Friday morning papers will also go unprinted . The country has already experienced walkouts by workers ' unions in recent weeks . In May , a $ 110 billion -LRB- $ 145 billion -RRB- aid package for Greece was announced . Soon after , Greece 's Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou announced tough cost-cutting measures to meet European Union and International Monetary Fund conditions on the deal . The package includes a promise by Greece to cut its budget deficit to three percent of gross domestic product , as required by European Union rules , by 2014 , according to Papaconstantinou . The measures , he said , were needed for Greece to secure its financial lifeline . Greece had a choice between `` destruction '' and saving the country , and `` we have chosen of course to save the country , '' Papaconstantinou said . | Journalists in Greece are protesting against planned social security reforms . No programs will be aired on TV and radio , newspapers wo n't be printed on Friday . Greek government has proposed tough measures to pull the country out of debt . | [[19, 113], [114, 204], [388, 405], [438, 495], [521, 567], [741, 751], [754, 922]] |
London -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They can fly 300 yards through the air and have helped turn the likes of Tiger Woods into multi-millionaires , but it seems the powers of the golf ball do n't end there . For the last few days , BP have been using golf balls in an audacious attempt to plug the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico , which has been described by the Obama administration as probably `` the biggest environmental disaster '' the country has ever faced . BP press officer Sheila Williams told CNN that the balls had been used part of a `` junk shot '' including shredded tires and knotted rope that were pumped into the well at high pressure to plug the leak . Mud and cement was then injected into the well to keep the junk in place . Williams revealed that this process was carried out `` a number of times '' in conjunction with the U.S. coast guard before the oil giant admitted that the experiment had failed . Golf balls were selected as part of the ` junk shot ' because they are small enough to plug gaps between the rope and tires and strong enough to withstand the pressure of the oil which is gushing out with significant force . Whether Titleist , Callaway or any other make -LRB- BP were unable to confirm either the brand or numbers used -RRB- golf balls are designed to withstand 2,000 pounds of force from a club making them a good candidate to withstand the high pressure oil leak . Engineers first used the ` junk shot ' to quell the 1991 Kuwait oil fires but never at such depths . The fact that the Deepwater Horizon leak is 5,000 feet below the surface of the ocean is thought to be the reason the technique did not succeed . `` I do n't think we 'll be using golf balls again , '' commented Williams . US President Barack Obama said the failure of the earlier `` top kill '' plan was `` heartbreaking '' . The spill started over a month ago when the Deepwater Horizon rig caught fire and exploded , killing 11 workers . Over 40 days on and BP have still to stop the leak . BP has spent more than # 600m trying to stem the estimated 5,000 barrels of oil per day flowing out from the wellhead . Previous failed attempts have included a coffer dam , a tube to suck the oil up to the surface and top kill . BP will next try to cap the well using an underwater robot that will try to cut the leaking pipe and place a cap over it -- a process known as deploying the Lower Marine Riser Package Cap Containment System . BP said that the cost of tackling the spill had increased to $ 930 million . The final cost , including legal damages arising from the accident , is still uncertain . The US Government recently released data showing that the oil was leaking at up to 19,000 barrels per day , nearly four times higher than BP 's previous estimate of 5,000 barrels . The oil giant initially claimed after the Deepwater Horizon rig sank on April 22 that just 1,000 barrels per day were leaking from the well . The latest figures indicate that between 18.6 million gallons and 29.5 million gallons of crude oil have leaked into the sea , outstripping the 11 million gallons spilled in the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster . | ` Junk shot ' using golf balls , rope and tires to plug holes in oil well fails . Golf balls selected because of small size and ability to withstand pressure . BP 's next plan is to send in underwater robot to cut pipe and cap it . | [[485, 623], [890, 945], [946, 997], [1000, 1124], [2279, 2282], [2288, 2375], [2255, 2257], [2294, 2313], [2356, 2375]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five suspected pirates went on trial Tuesday in the Netherlands in what is thought to be the first trial in Europe of pirate suspects . The trial of the five Somali men opened in Rotterdam District Court and is expected to last five days , said Wim de Bruin , a spokesman for Netherlands National Prosecutor 's Office . The five were captured by the Dutch Navy in January 2009 in the Gulf of Aden , off Somalia , after a cargo ship with Dutch Antilles flag was attacked , de Bruin said . `` The ship of the pirates was destroyed by the Danish Navy , and the pirates were captured and handed to the Dutch authority . They 're being tried for sea robbery , and if convicted the maximum sentence will be 9 to 12 years , '' he said . The men are Ahmed Yusuf Farah , 25 , Jama Mohamed Samatar , 45 , Abdirisaq Abdulahi Hirsi , 33 , Sayid Ali Garaar , 39 , and Osman Musse Farah , 32 , he said . A different suspected Somali pirate is awaiting sentencing in the United States , where he pleaded guilty earlier this month to hijacking and kidnapping . Prosecutors say Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse led an attack on a U.S.-flagged vessel , the Maersk Alabama , off the coast of Africa last year . He pleaded guilty May 19 in a New York federal court to felony counts of hijacking maritime vessels , kidnapping and hostage taking , for his role in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama in the Indian Ocean on April 8 , 2009 . Muse faces a maximum sentence of almost 34 years behind bars when he is sentenced October 19 . The suspects being tried in the Netherlands spent four weeks aboard the Danish navy ship after their capture before being taken to the Netherlands , the spokesman said . They were held in pre-trial custody while the court interviewed witnesses from the Danish Navy and seamen on the Dutch Antilles cargo ship that was under attack , he said . Five Dutch defense lawyers are representing the suspects , he said . He did not know what plea , if any , the suspects had entered . Germany will soon try 10 suspected pirates who were captured in the Gulf of Aden earlier this year . They were arrested after their attempt to board a German cargo vessel , but the Danish Navy ended the hijacking and handed them over to the Dutch authorities , de Bruin said . They have since been held in the Netherlands , and Germany requested their extradition about two months ago . CNN 's Eileen Hsieh contributed to this report . | Trial of the five Somali men thought to be first of its kind in Europe . The five captured by Dutch Navy after attacking a cargo ship in Gulf of Aden . Official : If convicted the maximum sentence will be 9 to 12 years . | [[0, 15], [19, 154], [168, 222], [155, 187], [227, 256], [155, 187], [259, 276], [339, 415], [438, 488], [491, 493], [681, 733]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former President Clinton on Monday complained about attacks from Sen. Barack Obama on Sen. Hillary Clinton in the latest back-and-forth bickering between the two rival Democratic presidential campaigns . Obama accuses Clinton of rewriting history in her complaints about his voting record on Iraq . `` I 've got before me a list of 80 attacks on Hillary that are quite personal by Sen. Obama and his campaign going back six months that I 've had pulled , '' he said , speaking to CNN contributor Roland Martin on WVON-AM 's `` The Roland S. Martin Show '' based in Chicago , Illinois . At a campaign rally Monday in Reno , Nevada , Obama said he is `` concerned about the tenor the campaign has taken in the last couple days . '' `` I think that I may disagree with Sen. Clinton or Sen. Edwards on how to get things done , but we share the same goals . We 're all democrats , we all believe in civil rights , we all believe in equal rights , '' said Obama . `` I think they 're good people , they are patriots and they are running because they think they can lead this country to a better place and I do n't want the campaign in this stage to degenerate into so much tit-for-tat back-and-forth that we lose sight of why all of us are doing this . '' Obama also warned his supporters to play fair . `` If I hear my own supporters engaging in talk that I think is ungenerous or misleading or in some way is unfair then I will speak out forcefully against them and I hope the other campaigns take the same approach , '' he said . A recording of comments Sunday by Black Entertainment Television founder Bob Johnson that appeared to criticize Obama 's admitted past drug use were played on Martin 's show . Johnson later said he was referring to Obama 's community organizing efforts . `` 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 . `` As an African-American , I 'm frankly insulted that the Obama campaign would imply that we are so stupid that we would think Bill and Hillary Clinton , who have been deeply and emotionally involved in black issues when Barack Obama was doing something in the neighborhood that -- I wo n't say what he was doing , but he said it in his book , '' Johnson said while campaigning at the largely black Northminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia , South Carolina . In Obama 's recently reprinted 1995 book , `` Dreams from My Father , '' the future presidential candidate writes he was once headed in the direction of a `` junkie '' and a `` pothead . '' In December , Clinton personally apologized to Obama after her New Hampshire campaign co-chairman raised the issue . The adviser resigned amid the controversy that followed . Johnson later Sunday said his remarks referred `` to Barack Obama 's time spent as a community organizer , and nothing else . Any other suggestion is simply irresponsible and incorrect . '' The Clinton and Obama camps are locked in an increasingly heated battle for black voters in South Carolina . Watch what race has to do with the Democratic nomination '' Former South Carolina state Rep. `` I.S. '' Leevy Johnson , an Obama supporter , called on Hillary Clinton to disavow Johnson 's remarks . `` It 's offensive that Sen. Clinton literally stood by and said nothing as another one of her campaign 's top supporters launched a personal , divisive attack on Barack Obama , '' he said in a statement released by Obama 's campaign . `` For someone who decries the politics of personal destruction , she should 've immediately denounced these attacks on the spot . '' Sunday 's flare-up capped a weekend of sparring between the two camps that began with Clinton 's comments last week that while the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. led the civil rights movement , `` Dr. King 's dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 . It took a president to get it done . '' Watch what Clinton says about Obama , King and the civil rights movement '' Some African-American leaders criticized the remarks as dismissive of the civil rights movement and of King , who was assassinated in 1968 . On Sunday , Obama described Clinton 's comments as `` ill-advised '' but rejected any suggestion that his campaign has been behind the complaints . `` For them to somehow suggest that we 're interjecting race as a consequence of a statement she made , that we have n't commented on , is pretty hard to figure out , '' he said . And the third leading Democrat , former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina , said Clinton was suggesting `` that real change ... came not through the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King but through a Washington politician . '' Edwards won the South Carolina primary in 2004 . Speaking Sunday on NBC 's `` Meet the Press , '' Clinton said Obama 's backers were distorting her remarks and called King `` one of the people I admire most in the world . '' And Sunday , at the Presbyterian church , Clinton said it was `` historic '' that both a black man and a woman were serious contenders for the White House . `` I am so proud of my party . I am so proud of my country , and I am so proud of Sen. Barack Obama because together we have presented our cases to the people , '' she said . Obama also accused her of `` rewriting '' history in her complaints about his voting record on Iraq . Former President Clinton last week criticized Obama 's statements over the years about Iraq , arguing the senator has not been consistent . Obama has said his positions are consistent and that he has always staunchly opposed the war . `` She started her campaign saying she wanted to make history and has been spending a lot of time rewriting it , '' he said Sunday . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Josh Levs contributed to this report . | Ex-President Clinton speaks out in latest back-and-forth between campaigns . BET founder Bob Johnson seems to criticize past drug use by Barack Obama . Obama supporter calls on Hillary Clinton to disavow Johnson 's comments . Clinton accuses Obama camp of distorting her remarks on civil rights . | [[5208, 5277], [6973, 6997], [7067, 7112], [1580, 1630], [1636, 1689], [1546, 1630], [1681, 1721], [4780, 4837], [3212, 3227], [3233, 3314], [6409, 6506]] |
FORT WORTH , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bishop Kenneth Spears always thought gifts from God came from above . He never imagined that the gifts would be hiding under his church in Fort Worth , Texas . Bishop Kenneth Spears says natural gas has saved his church . `` What a God we serve , '' he says . `` The Bible says , ` Every place the sole of your foot should tread upon , I 'll give it to you , ' '' said Spears , of the First St. John Missionary Baptist Church . `` I walked and believed that if I prayed over that ground , if I walked over that ground , something good would come of it . '' In 2006 , he learned that all 15 acres of the church 's property are on one of the largest natural gas fields in the country , known as the Barnett Shale . `` What a God we serve , '' Spears said , followed by great laughter . Watch an oil drilling bonanza '' Spears ' church and thousands of residents around the Fort Worth area are cashing in on a unique urban drilling bonanza . With the development of horizontal drilling technology and with gas prices sky-high , energy companies are racing to tap into the Barnett Shale natural gas field . The Barnett Shale is the most-productive natural gas field in such a highly populated area spanning 5,000 square miles . The drilling here is being watched closely in Louisiana and Pennsylvania , which also have natural gas fields under urban areas . See where the Barnett Shale is located '' Energy companies in the Fort Worth area are going door-to-door , negotiating with people for access to mineral rights under their homes . That means residents are offered a bonus check and future monthly royalty checks . Spears ' church received a $ 32,000 bonus and receives between $ 3,000 and $ 10,000 a month in royalty checks . The money is helping pay for a multimillion-dollar expansion and a new sanctuary . `` We 're making a lot of millionaires up here in the Barnett Shale area , '' said Julie Wilson , vice president of Chesapeake Energy , one of the energy companies drilling wells in the Fort Worth area . The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce says the urban drilling craze has created more than 50,000 jobs and will pump nearly $ 1 billion in tax revenue into the city 's economy . But opponents of this urban drilling say that it should n't be done in populated areas and that the promises of many people getting rich are n't true . They say that for most people , the payouts are modest . How much money residents get depends on how much property they own and how much gas -- if any -- is found . The dollar figure also depends on each resident 's negotiating skills with energy companies , experts say . The money can range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands . `` It 's a divide and conquer strategy by going around and giving everybody enough money to keep them quiet . Hush money is what I call it , '' said Don Young , a community activist who operates a blog called FWCanDo.org . `` Gas drilling is very dirty ; it 's very dangerous . '' To 72-year-old Jerry Horton , the drilling is a threat to her cherished front yard . To move the natural gas through the city , Chesapeake Energy needs to bury a pipeline in her yard . She 's been offered almost $ 13,000 , up from the $ 3,000 she was initially offered . `` I would n't sell my front yard for a million dollars , '' said Horton , a retired artist who has lived in the same house for 53 years . Chesapeake Energy recently sued Horton for access to her front yard , claiming eminent domain . The company says pipelines are crucial to keep the natural gas flowing and allow people to cash in the profits under the ground . `` I understand we need to pump our own oil , our own gas , '' Horton said . `` But we do n't need to destroy our homes , all of our trees and blow ourselves up . Who 's going to be here to enjoy the gas then ? '' Energy companies say that drilling for natural gas is safe and done in an environmentally friendly way . But opponents say the drilling is dangerous and a threat to the environment . `` Gas drilling ... has no business in an urban area . So I do n't want to contribute to a company that 's doing that to my community , '' said Young , who refused to let his property be used . While energy companies maintain the drilling is not a threat to homes , some question the impact of drilling beneath neighborhoods . Young and other activists also are concerned about air and water pollution , soil contamination , health and safety issues and the loss of green space and wildlife . `` We 're guinea pigs , '' Young said . `` We 're the first large metropolitan area ever to have intense natural gas drilling going on in our neighborhood , right in the heart of the city . '' | Natural gas drilling has become widespread across the Fort Worth , Texas , area . Region sits on the Barnett Shale , where gas is abundant . Preacher says gas has helped his church : `` What a God we serve '' Opponent says `` gas drilling ... has no business in an urban area '' | [[708, 719], [722, 750], [198, 259], [220, 259], [268, 282], [759, 773], [776, 785], [2232, 2379], [4037, 4054], [4057, 4091]] |
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