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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Somali suspect in the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama has been charged with piracy , a count that carries a minimum life sentence . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse arrives in the United States on Monday . He was charged with piracy Tuesday . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse also has been charged with conspiracy to seize a ship by force , conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and two firearm charges , according to a criminal complaint released by the U.S. attorney 's office in the southern district of New York . Muse `` conducted himself as the leader '' of the pirates who allegedly took over the Maersk Alabama , according to the criminal complaint . A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Muse could be tried as an adult . U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck had ordered the media and public out of the courtroom earlier while he evaluated Muse 's age . Muse 's father in Somalia told defense attorneys the young man was born on November 20 , 1993 -- making him 15 , the defense attorneys said . However , the prosecution argued otherwise , saying Muse made statements that suggest he is older . Before Peck closed the courtroom , Muse wiped his hand over his face at one point , and it appeared he was crying . He had worn a broad smile late Monday when he arrived in New York escorted by a phalanx of law enforcement officers . See timeline of events that led to piracy case '' Muse was arrested in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama , a cargo ship that pirates attacked on April 8 about 350 miles off the Somali coast . See an interactive map of 2009 pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa '' Peck read the young man his rights and said attorneys had been appointed to represent him because the suspect did not have the resources to hire representation himself . Muse said through an interpreter that he understood and said , `` I do n't have any money . '' Pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama , a cargo ship , on April 8 about 350 miles off the Somali coast . According to the criminal complaint , two of the 20 crew members -- all Americans -- saw lights heading toward the Maersk Alabama around 4:30 a.m. on April 8 , while the ship was in the Indian Ocean . After a `` brief time , '' the lights disappeared , the complaint said , but about two hours later , the same crew members saw a small boat approaching and later heard `` what sounded like '' gunshots , the complaint said . Crew Member 1 then heard the ship 's captain -- later identified as Capt. Richard Phillips -- on the radio saying that two pirates were on the ship 's bridge . A third crew member , Crew Member 3 , also heard the radio message and began shutting down the ship 's power , the complaint said . The complaint said Muse , who was carrying a gun , was the first alleged pirate on the ship , and said the attackers used a portable ladder to climb on board . According to the complaint , Muse had fired his gun at Phillips , the captain said , and then took $ 30,000 from the ship 's safe after he forced Phillips to open it . Watch Muse being hauled into court '' Muse demanded that the Maersk Alabama be stopped and that the crew give him the number of the ship 's owner , the complaint said . The captain then ordered the crew to the bridge after Muse ordered him to do so , the complaint said , citing Crew Member 2 . Muse then began canvassing the dark ship with Crew Member 2 as a guide , the complaint said . While they were going through the ship , Crew Member 3 , who had not come to the bridge , tackled Muse to the ground , the complaint said . Crew Member 2 helped subdue Muse , and the two tied the young man 's hands with wire and took him to the ship 's safe room , where several crew members were hiding . After several hours , the remaining pirates said they would leave the ship if Muse was returned to them , and if a lifeboat was given to them . Phillips boarded the lifeboat with them and the ship 's crew freed Muse , who then boarded the lifeboat , according to the criminal complaint . The boat floated a short distance from the Maersk , even as the Navy 's USS Bainbridge arrived the next day . Over the next three days , officers on the Bainbridge communicated with the pirates by radio . `` In those communications , the pirates threatened to kill the captain if they were not provided with safe passage away from the scene , '' the complaint said . At one point , Phillips tried to escape and the pirates shot at him , the complaint said . On April 12 , Muse boarded the USS Bainbridge and demanded safe passage for himself and the other pirates in exchange for Phillips ' release . Muse also received medical treatment while he was on the warship , the complaint said . While Muse was away from the lifeboat , Navy SEALs shot and killed the three remaining pirates . The U.S. Navy recovered two loaded AK-47 assault rifles ; two gunstraps , each containing three AK-47 magazines ; one handgun magazine ; and multiple cell phones and handheld radios from the lifeboat , according to the complaint . CNN 's Deb Feyerick contributed to this report . | NEW : Criminal complaint says pirate suspect `` conducted himself as the leader '' Judge rules piracy suspect will be tried as an adult . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse also faces conspiracy charges . Suspect 's father says he 's 15 ; prosecution says boy indicated he 's older . | [[278, 286], [430, 463], [543, 600], [543, 550], [646, 683], [1992, 2027], [3982, 4019], [684, 752], [714, 752], [278, 340], [1034, 1049], [1069, 1123]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pirate suspect arrested in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama was all smiles on arriving in New York City late Monday , escorted by a phalanx of law enforcement officers . The unidentified pirate suspect arrested in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama arrived in the U.S. late Monday . None of the officers would confirm his identity , but his arrival for trial in the United States had been widely expected . The suspect arrived at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building in Manhattan , which is linked to a federal detention facility where he was expected to be held pending an appearance in federal court . The timing of that appearance was not immediately available . He was walked through the rain , surrounded by media , as well as officers from federal and New York City law enforcement agencies . The suspect wore a dark jumpsuit and handcuffs , and what appeared to be a bandage on his left hand . Members of the media urged him to comment , but it was not clear whether he understood . He smiled broadly and laughed . He had been handed over to federal authorities by the U.S. military in Djibouti , defense officials said . The suspect , known in official documents as `` Pirate Defendant , '' was brought to Djibouti aboard the USNS Walter S. Diehl , a refueling ship that was with the warship USS Bainbridge at the scene of the failed hijacking on April 8 that turned into a hostage ordeal 350 miles off Somalia . Three pirates who were holding the Maersk Alabama 's captain in the ship 's lifeboat were killed by Navy SEALs four days later . The survivor had surrendered and was aboard the Bainbridge when the captain , Richard Phillips , was rescued , officials have said . From the Bainbridge , he was transferred to the USS Boxer for medical treatment . See an interactive map of 2009 pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa '' The surviving pirate was wounded when crew members of the Maersk Alabama took him hostage in the early hours of the pirate attack on the cargo ship , according to the military . The crew members had hoped to exchange him for their captain , but the pirates did not release Phillips when the crew returned their captive . `` I 'm mad because , you know , I could have been dead right now , '' Ken Quinn , the Maersk Alabama 's navigation officer , told CNN Radio on Monday . `` But at the same time he 's just a little skinny guy , you know , from Somalia where they 're all starving and stuff . '' Quinn said he was n't angry at the single alleged pirate , noting that piracy in the region is fueled by the urge to survive hardship and poverty . He said the suspect told him that he wanted to go the United States , and asked whether Quinn could help him get there . `` I said , ` Yeah , you 'll probably going to go anyway . I do n't think you 're going to need my help , ' '' Quinn said . `` If he goes to jail here , it will be a whole lot better than living in Somalia . '' CNN 's Mike Mount , Emily Anderson , Jennifer Rizzo and Steve Kastenbaum contributed to this report . | Alleged pirate known in official documents as `` Pirate Defendant '' Alleged pirate brought to Djibouti aboard the USNS Walter S. Diehl , a refueling ship . Handed over to federal authorities by the U.S. military in Djibouti , officials said . Diehl was with the warship USS Bainbridge at the scene of a failed hijacking . | [[1174, 1185], [1188, 1238], [1239, 1299], [1067, 1146], [1302, 1318], [1324, 1396]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- India 's child-rights watchdog has sought a report from police investigating allegations by a tabloid that the father of a `` Slumdog Millionaire '' child star tried to sell her to an undercover reporter , the watchdog 's leader told CNN . Rubina Ali has backed her father over newspaper allegations he offered her to an undercover reporter . `` We have sought a report from them and will take a decision after seeing it , '' said Shantha Sinha , who heads the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights . Meanwhile , authorities in Mumbai have recorded the statements of Rafiq Qureshi ; his `` Slumdog '' daughter , Rubina Ali ; and his former wife , Khurshida Begum , senior police inspector Prakash Salunke told CNN . Qureshi has denied allegations made in Britain 's News of the World that he tried to sell 9-year-old Rubina for # 200,000 -LRB- $ 290,000 -RRB- , Salunke said . In her statement , the child-actor favored her father , according to the police . Qureshi 's former wife , whom he divorced several years ago , endorsed the allegations leveled against him by the British newspaper . Police are investigating , Salunke said . `` Slumdog Millionaire '' won eight Oscars this year , including best picture . Director Danny Boyle 's rags-to-riches movie tells the story of a tea-boy at a Mumbai call center who earns a spot in the Indian version of the quiz show `` Who Wants To Be a Millionaire ? '' He raises the suspicion of the show 's host when , despite the lack of a formal education , he begins to answer the increasingly difficult questions with ease . The movie is set largely among the poverty-stricken districts of Mumbai , which is home to Rubina and other `` Slumdog '' child stars in real life . | Indian child-rights watchdog requests police report on alleged offer to sell child star . Father of `` Slumdog 's '' Rubina Ali , 9 , alleged to have offered her to undercover reporter . Father has denied allegations in UK newspaper ; Indian police are investigating . `` Slumdog Millionaire '' used real children from poor neighborhoods of Mumbai . | [[0, 33], [52, 138], [158, 240], [380, 416], [158, 240], [337, 379], [0, 33], [52, 138], [766, 833]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pirate suspect arrested in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama was all smiles on arriving in New York City late Monday , escorted by a phalanx of law enforcement officers . The unidentified pirate suspect arrested in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama arrived in the U.S. late Monday . None of the officers would confirm his identity , but his arrival for trial in the United States had been widely expected . The suspect arrived at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building in Manhattan , which is linked to a federal detention facility where he was expected to be held pending an appearance in federal court . The timing of that appearance was not immediately available . He was walked through the rain , surrounded by media , as well as officers from federal and New York City law enforcement agencies . The suspect wore a dark jumpsuit and handcuffs , and what appeared to be a bandage on his left hand . Members of the media urged him to comment , but it was not clear whether he understood . He smiled broadly and laughed . He had been handed over to federal authorities by the U.S. military in Djibouti , defense officials said . The suspect , known in official documents as `` Pirate Defendant , '' was brought to Djibouti aboard the USNS Walter S. Diehl , a refueling ship that was with the warship USS Bainbridge at the scene of the failed hijacking on April 8 that turned into a hostage ordeal 350 miles off Somalia . Three pirates who were holding the Maersk Alabama 's captain in the ship 's lifeboat were killed by Navy SEALs four days later . The survivor had surrendered and was aboard the Bainbridge when the captain , Richard Phillips , was rescued , officials have said . From the Bainbridge , he was transferred to the USS Boxer for medical treatment . See an interactive map of 2009 pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa '' The surviving pirate was wounded when crew members of the Maersk Alabama took him hostage in the early hours of the pirate attack on the cargo ship , according to the military . The crew members had hoped to exchange him for their captain , but the pirates did not release Phillips when the crew returned their captive . `` I 'm mad because , you know , I could have been dead right now , '' Ken Quinn , the Maersk Alabama 's navigation officer , told CNN Radio on Monday . `` But at the same time he 's just a little skinny guy , you know , from Somalia where they 're all starving and stuff . '' Quinn said he was n't angry at the single alleged pirate , noting that piracy in the region is fueled by the urge to survive hardship and poverty . He said the suspect told him that he wanted to go the United States , and asked whether Quinn could help him get there . `` I said , ` Yeah , you 'll probably going to go anyway . I do n't think you 're going to need my help , ' '' Quinn said . `` If he goes to jail here , it will be a whole lot better than living in Somalia . '' CNN 's Mike Mount , Emily Anderson , Jennifer Rizzo and Steve Kastenbaum contributed to this report . | Alleged pirate known in official documents as `` Pirate Defendant '' Alleged pirate brought to Djibouti aboard the USNS Walter S. Diehl , a refueling ship . Handed over to federal authorities by the U.S. military in Djibouti , officials said . Diehl was with the warship USS Bainbridge at the scene of a failed hijacking . | [[1174, 1185], [1188, 1238], [1239, 1299], [1067, 1146], [1302, 1318], [1324, 1396]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran said Saturday that Morocco 's decision to cut diplomatic ties between the two countries harms Muslim unity , state media reported . Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says soldiarity in Islamic world needed to support Palestinians . `` The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that at the present juncture when the unity and solidarity of Islamic countries is necessary for supporting the Palestinian people , this act of Morocco harms unity of the Muslim world , '' Iran 's Foreign Ministry said in a written statement , the semi-official Fars News Agency reported . Morocco decided to cut diplomatic ties with Iran Friday , blaming Tehran 's `` inadmissible attitude '' against the African country as a reason for the decision for the move , Moroccan Press Agency said . The move ratchets up a feud between Sunni Morocco and Shiite Iran . On February 25 , Morocco recalled its interim charge d'affaires from Tehran for a week of consultations , the statement said . Morocco has demanded that Iran explain `` unacceptable '' language in a statement it issued after Morocco expressed its solidarity with Bahrain , the statement said . Bahrain , a tiny Persian Gulf archipelago , embodies the Sunni-Shiite divide . With a majority Shiite population and a Sunni ruler , Bahrain has become a point of contention between Morocco and Iran , said Sandra Mackey , a Middle East analyst and author of `` The Iranians . '' Mackey said Bahrain 's government has not allowed its Shiite majority into the political and economic power structure , `` so Iran has an interest in egging on this Shia foment in Bahrain -- in order to raise Iran 's stature in the Persian Gulf . '' Morocco has ambitions to raise its stature among Arab states , and `` it would make some sense that they would jump on this , '' she said . `` They 're far enough away where it 's not going to impact on them directly , '' Mackey added . Mackey said other emirates would likely be more cautious about confronting Iran , she said , `` but the Moroccans can do it without posing any serious threat on their doorstep . '' There is potential for conflict within Bahrain , she said . `` The Shia are really pushing against this Sunni government and the Sunni government , I think , is in a fairly significant amount of trouble , '' she said . CNN 's Tom Watkins contributed to this report . | Morocco cut diplomatic ties with Iran on Friday because of `` inadmissible attitude '' The move ratchets up feud between Sunni Morocco and Shiite Iran . Rift related to Iran 's reaction to Morocco 's statement of solidarity with Bahrain . Sunni-ruled Bahrain has become point of contention between Morocco and Iran . | [[33, 125], [612, 667], [612, 619], [670, 743], [817, 884], [1310, 1377], [1082, 1093], [1097, 1155], [817, 884], [1310, 1377]] |
BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United Nations Sunday launched a special tribunal to prosecute the assassins of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri . A statue of slain former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri stands in Beirut . The tribunal convened at The Hague more than four years after Hariri was killed in a massive car bombing in Beirut on February 14 , 2005 . The bomb , detonated as Hariri 's armored motorcade passed through Beirut 's fashionable seaside Corniche district , contained hundreds of pounds of explosives . It left buildings shattered and streets littered with the mangled wreckage of vehicles . The blast also killed 22 other people . The Lebanese army was out in force on the streets of Beirut Sunday as people turned out to pay their respects to Hariri , who is buried downtown in the Lebanese capital . The U.N. tribunal will have 11 judges , whose identities are being kept secret for their safety . Four will be Lebanese . The prosecution could take as long as 10 years , sources close to the tribunal said . Four senior Lebanese generals are being held over the bombing , which also killed 22 other people . But many Lebanese -- as well as the United States and U.N. investigators -- believe Syria ordered the assassination . Syria denies it . The tribunal 's prosecutor , Daniel Bellemare , refused to commit when asked at a news conference Sunday if Syrians would be charged . He said the public would have to wait and see . The U.S. State Department pledged its continued support of Lebanese judicial authorities and the tribunal 's operations . The United States has promised to contribute $ 14 million ; a request for an additional $ 6 million is pending approval from Congress . In a statement issued Sunday , acting State Department spokesman Robert A. Wood said Hariri 's death `` was an unsuccessful attempt to undermine Lebanon 's sovereignty . '' He added : `` The Lebanese people answered his assassination with the Cedar Revolution , leading to the withdrawal of Syrian troops and the most democratic Lebanese elections in decades . '' At the time of Hariri 's death , neighboring Syria had immense political influence in the country , and had maintained troops in its smaller neighbor since the 1980s , after the fighting between Israel and the PLO in Lebanon . Hariri was admired for spearheading the rebuilding of Beirut after the country 's civil war , from 1975 to 1990 , and many Lebanese blamed Syria for the killing , citing Hariri 's patriotism and strong sense of Lebanese independence . The killing sparked widespread protests that led to the eventual withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the election of an anti-Syrian bloc in parliament . The anti-Syrian movement is known as the March 14 Alliance , named after the day millions of supporters of Hariri took to the streets , and its actions have been dubbed the Cedar Revolution , for the nation 's iconic cedar trees . Huge counter-protests also were staged by Lebanese supporters of Syria . Along the way , U.N. investigators tasked to probe the attack found links between Syria 's government and Hariri 's assassination . The Lebanese hope the tribunal will settle the case , but there are also fears it could further divide the nation and open up older wounds in the country . The special tribunal takes over from the Beirut-based International Independent Investigation Commission , which looked into 20 other attacks and found elements linking some of them to a criminal network behind the Hariri killing , the United Nations said . The trial will take place in a converted gymnasium in a suburb of The Hague . The U.N. says the case is expected to be ready for trial by 2010 . -- CNN 's Cal Perry contributed to this report . | U.N. tribunal for killing of former Lebanon prime minister to convenes . Tribunal has 11 judges , whose identities are being kept secret for their safety . Rafik Hariri killed in car bomb in Beirut in February 2005 . Death led to protests and reduction of Syrian influence in Lebanon . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 165], [848, 945], [876, 885], [905, 945], [247, 376], [303, 385], [1906, 1914], [1918, 2093], [2559, 2720], [2579, 2598], [2604, 2720]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five people were killed in a boating accident near Jacksonville , Florida , on Sunday evening , a rescue official said . CNN affiliate WJXT shows the scene of the deadly boating accident near Jacksonville , Florida , on Sunday . Twelve people were aboard the boat that crashed into 25-foot tugboat and barge at a dock and boat launch under construction on the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Valley , said Jeremy Robshaw , a spokesman for St. Johns County Fire and Rescue . The remaining seven were hospitalized for serious injuries , he said . The accident happened about 7 p.m. about 20 miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville . Robshaw said rescuers could n't initially reach the end of the unfinished dock , but laid plywood sheets on the structure to get to crash victims . | Rescue official : 12 people were aboard the boat near Jacksonville , Florida . Boat crashed into tugboat , barge and dock under construction . Five people killed ; remaining seven take to hospital with serious injuries . Rescuers had to use plywood panels to reach the passengers . | [[95, 112], [115, 139], [248, 282], [274, 282], [288, 345], [0, 15], [19, 82], [491, 549], [649, 656], [734, 770]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mac computers are known for their near-immunity to malicious computer programs that plague PCs . Some security experts say viruses are moving toward Mac as those computers become more popular . But that may be changing somewhat , according to computer security researchers . It seems that as sleek Mac computers become more popular , they 're also more sought-after targets for the authors of harmful programs . `` The bad guys generally go toward the biggest target , what will get them the biggest bang for their buck , '' said Kevin Haley , a director of security response at Symantec . Until recently , the big target always was Microsoft Windows , and Apple computers were protected by `` relative obscurity , '' he said . But blogs are buzzing this week about what two Symantec researchers have called the first harmful computer program to strike specifically at Mac . This Trojan horse program , dubbed the `` iBotnet , '' has infected only a few thousand Mac machines , but it represents a step in the evolution of malicious computer software , Haley said . The iBotnet is a sign that harmful programs are moving toward Mac , said Paul Henry , a forensics and security analyst at Lumension Security in Arizona . `` We all knew it was going to happen , '' he said . `` It was just a matter of time , and , personally , I think we 're going to see a lot more of it . '' The malicious software was first reported in January . It did n't gain widespread attention until recently , when Mario Ballano Barcena and Alfredo Pesoli of Symantec , maker of the popular Norton antivirus products , detailed the software in a publication called `` Virus Bulletin . '' Mac users at large , however , should not be alarmed by the incident , experts said . The program infects only computers whose users downloaded pirated versions of the Mac software iWork . The harmful software is a Trojan horse , meaning it tries to sneak into the computer with some sort of permission from the user . Computer worms travel differently . They wiggle their way into computers and replicate without the owner 's approval or knowledge . The Mac program is called a botnet because infected computers become part of a network that is controlled by the program 's author . The Mac botnet is significantly less threatening than computer worms like the much-publicized Conficker.c , said Jose Nazario , a senior security researcher with Arbor Networks . Conficker was thought to have infected up to 10 million computers , compared with thousands for the iBotnet , researchers said . There 's also some question as to whether it is the first botnet to target Mac . Others have targeted both PCs and Apple computers . `` This is n't the first botnet that 's been built using Mac computers , '' Nazario said . `` This is an interesting one in that it 's a little more flexible and includes some new features . ... It 's getting a lot of press mostly because it 's Mac and people are talking about how Macs are immune to malware -- and , sure enough , they 're not . '' The potential damage that could be caused by the Mac botnet is also less severe than other attacks , said Darrell Etherington , a contributor to theAppleBlog , which is not affiliated with the computer company . `` It 's a very low-level attack , '' he said . `` Some people wo n't even notice the effect of it . '' It is in the interest of software companies like Symantec , who spread the news , and McAfee , which has downplayed the presence of the Trojan , to raise concerns so they can promote their antivirus software packages , he said . `` Yes , it is going to become a bigger problem and , yes , people have to become more aware , but I think that what McAfee and Symantec would like is for the panic to start and for people to start rushing to antivirus software , '' which is n't necessary yet , Etherington said . In a statement , Apple said it is working to prevent security problems . `` Apple takes security very seriously and has a great track record of addressing potential vulnerabilities before they can affect users , '' the statement says . Only about 7.4 percent of computer users work on Macs , according to Gartner , a technology research firm . That user base is proportionally more affluent than PC users , Etherington said , which may make Mac a bigger target . But overall , Macs are still far less vulnerable to attack than PCs , he said . Haley said news of the Apple botnet is significant in part because it 's something other authors of malicious code can build from . `` I do n't think it 's a tipping point ; I think it 's an evolutionary step . We see virus authors often use what somebody else has done , '' he said . `` There 's a model . There 's something out there to follow . '' | Researchers find computer malware aimed at Mac computers . The `` iBotnet '' infects a small number of Mac users through pirated software . Still , researchers say it is a step in the evolution of harmful computer programs . As Macs become more popular , they 're more likely to be targets , experts say . | [[142, 212], [785, 893], [894, 919], [922, 943], [944, 994], [1768, 1870], [1001, 1069], [116, 180], [142, 212], [294, 430], [308, 350], [353, 430], [1753, 1767], [4290, 4306], [4309, 4345], [4290, 4301], [4307, 4345]] |
Editor 's note : In our Behind the Scenes series , CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events . Here , CNN 's Jaime FlorCruz writes about press freedoms covering the Olympics . Journalists surf the Internet at the main Olympics press center in Beijing . BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For many overseas reporters now in Beijing , covering the Summer Games has turned into an Olympian task . We go through tedious security checkpoints to cover events and conduct interviews even as we deal with bureaucratic and linguistic barriers . But we face one particularly irritating issue : China 's limits on Internet access . Despite Beijing 's earlier promise to allow open reporting and unfettered access to information , Internet access remains erratic and unpredictable . `` It 's so counter-intuitive to find the Internet restricted , even if only selectively , '' one western journalist told me in Beijing . Last week , colleagues working in the Media Press Center faced a blank computer screen whenever they clicked on sites deemed sensitive to the Chinese authorities -- like Amnesty International and Falun Gong . That is attributed to China 's sophisticated filter system , also known as the `` Great Firewall . '' Why the paranoia ? Pro-democracy activists , as well as advocates for Tibet independence and the spiritual group Falun Gong , have Web sites carrying information and views that the Chinese authorities deem `` subversive . '' These sites reinforce Beijing 's worst fears about cyberspace . China has groomed `` Internet police '' to patrol its networks and is constantly upgrading software to filter sites . Under Chinese law , using the Internet to `` harm national interests , '' `` spread rumors '' or `` leak state secrets '' is punishable by stiff prison terms . Journalists and politicians alike cried `` foul '' but other critics turned their criticism on the International Olympic Committee -LRB- IOC . -RRB- . When Beijing submitted its Olympic bid seven years ago , the Chinese promised : `` There will be no restrictions on journalists in reporting on the Olympic Games . '' The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China , which monitors human rights and rule of law issues in China , has compiled documents that show that International Olympic Committee agreements with the Chinese government , from the start , were based on abiding by China 's domestic laws . Those laws , the commission says , give authorities a lot of `` wiggle room '' to define actions that might `` endanger state security '' or `` disrupt social order . '' Chinese regulations , for example , include a `` service guide '' for the foreign media . That guide notes the regulations apply to `` the coverage of the Beijing Olympic Games and the preparation as well as political , economic , social and cultural matters of China by foreign journalists , in conformity with Chinese laws and regulations . '' China 's `` Provisions on the Technical Measures for the Protection of the Security of the Internet , '' which went into effect in 2006 , note the regulations are aimed at `` promoting the sound and orderly development of the Internet and safeguarding the state security , social order and public interests . '' Learn more how China monitors the Internet '' Last week , foreign journalists discovered Internet access to Web sites such as Amnesty International or sites with Tibet in the address were still restricted . After a media uproar , China seems to have relented . Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said : `` If there are some needs to adjust on the Chinese side , we will do that . '' Amnesty International 's site , for example , has been accessible since August 1 . However , the site of Falun Gong remains taboo . Andrew Lih , a new media expert based in Beijing , says that `` unblocked sites are still subject to the sophisticated keyword blocking system of the GFW -LRB- the Great Firewall of China . -RRB- '' China has also tightened its grip on other media sources . The English version of Time Out , the monthly listings and entertainment guide , has been told to close . Freelance journalists are finding it hard to renew Chinese visas and accreditation for smaller , niche publications have become virtually impossible . Even a writer from Saveur , a food magazine , was denied a visa . Last Tuesday , relations between journalists and Chinese authorities soured again after police in the frontier region of Xinjiang roughed up and detained two Japanese reporters who were sent to cover a suspected terrorist attack . They suffered minor injuries and their equipment damaged during the scuffle . `` This is utterly unacceptable any time , '' says Jonathan Watts , president of the Foreign Correspondents ' Club of China . `` It 's particularly reprehensible just days before the Olympics at a time when China has promised complete media freedom . '' The incident has prompted a rare apology from the local police , who also offered to pay for the damage and medical bills . | Internet access remains erratic for journalists in Beijing covering the Olympics . Many sites about Tibet and spiritual group Falon Gong are deemed `` subversive '' China promised no restrictions on journalists when it bid for the Games . Documents show IOC agreements were based on China 's domestic laws . | [[779, 830], [1299, 1392], [1406, 1501], [1998, 2052], [2055, 2075], [2079, 2161], [1998, 2002], [2078, 2161], [4900, 4948], [2165, 2217], [2274, 2407], [2295, 2304], [2310, 2459]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The sagging economy is taking a bite out of federal school-meal subsidies as more students take advantage of free or low-price breakfasts and lunches , nutritionists say in a report released Thursday . About 425,000 more students are participating in the National School Lunch Program , a group reports . The School Nutrition Association surveyed more than 130 school nutrition directors from 38 states to produce its report , `` Saved by the Lunch Bell : As Economy Sinks , School Nutrition Program Participation Rises . '' The nonprofit organization said that about 425,000 more students are participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program in 2008-09 than in the previous school year . That represents an average increase of 2.5 percent from 2007-08 , the report says . These numbers hold true despite a slight decline in the number of students enrolled in public schools this school year , according to the study . More than three-quarters of the districts surveyed reported a rise in the number of students eating free meals under the U.S. Department of Agriculture program , the report says . Many of the school district employees who monitor the food programs complain that the federal subsidies fall far short of the rising costs . According to the association , the estimated average cost to prepare a school meal is $ 2.90 , but the federal reimbursement is $ 2.57 . School lunch programs are experiencing a potential loss of at least $ 4.5 million per school day , based on 30 million school lunches provided , the group says . The good news , according to association President Katie Wilson , is that `` this year , when hunger is more common , more students are able to eat a balanced , nutritious meal at school . '' Meals served under the USDA programs must meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans . For lunches , that means no more than 30 percent of calories can come from fat and fewer than 10 percent from saturated fat . | Number of students eating subsidized meals rises 2.5 percent , nonprofit says . Use of USDA programs rises even as enrollment falls , report notes . Schools complain that USDA does n't cover full cost of meals . School Nutrition Association surveyed 130 school food directors in 38 states . | [[743, 806], [827, 901], [1153, 1190], [1221, 1293], [324, 443]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rep. Julia Carson , a former secretary who rose to become Indianapolis ' first African-American congresswoman , has announced she has terminal lung cancer , a newspaper reports . Health problems have troubled Rep. Julia Carson , D-Indiana , for years . The 69-year-old former City-County Council member and state senator told the Indianapolis Star on Saturday that she had been on a leave of absence since September to seek treatment and rehabilitation for a leg infection . `` Then the second shoe fell -- heavily , '' Carson told the paper in a brief written statement . `` My doctor discovered lung cancer . It had gone into remission years before , but it was back with a terminal vengeance . '' Representing the Hoosier State 's 7th District since 1997 , Carson opposed the Iraq war resolution in 2002 and worked to honor historic civil rights figure Rosa Parks . Fellow Democrats praised her as a bright personality who successfully fought against abuse of the welfare system . Rozelle Boyd , a longtime Democratic member of Indianapolis ' City-County Council told the Star he was surprised by Carson 's announcement . `` She was able to walk with giants without losing the common touch , '' he told the paper . `` That is what I think was so very important to her and to the people of the district . '' Before entering the House , Carson served six years as a trustee for the city 's Center Township , creating a $ 6-million surplus from the office 's $ 20-million debt , the Star reported . Her mentor , former Democratic Indiana Rep. Andy Jacobs , has said Carson `` not only took cheats off the welfare rolls , she sued them to get the money , '' according to the Star . Early in her career , Carson worked as a secretary and then aide to Jacobs . After her work on the City-County Council , she won her first of two terms to the Indiana House , according to Congressional Quarterly . Later she won election to the state Senate , where she served until 1991 . When Jacobs retired after serving 15 terms in the U.S. House , he endorsed Carson as his successor , and helped her win a difficult election in 1996 against GOP attempts to capture her seat , Congressional Quarterly reported . Carson was the first woman and first African-American Indianapolis had ever sent to Congress , according to her Web site . Among her other achievements , Carson led Congress to pass a House measure awarding Parks the Congressional Gold Medal , Carson 's Web site said . The Star named her Woman of the Year in 1991 and 1974 . `` Julia to me is one of the most beautiful people with a great personality , '' said State Sen. Glenn Howard , an Indianapolis Democrat . `` She cares about everyone , regardless of race or color . '' Carson has been beset by health problems . In January 1997 , she took her House oath of office at Indianapolis ' Methodist Hospital as she recovered from double-bypass surgery , according to the Star . She also has suffered from high blood pressure , asthma and diabetes , according to Congressional Quarterly . In 2004 , Carson missed almost a third of House roll call votes , Congressional Quarterly reported , prompting tough questions about her health during that year 's re-election campaign . Voters returned her to Congress by an 11 percent margin . She 's the sponsor of the House National Defense Rail Act , legislation before Congress which would provide more than $ 40 billion to develop high-speed rail connections and short-distance corridors between larger cities , her Web site said . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Indianapolis ' first black congresswoman reveals lung cancer diagnosis . NEW : Julia Carson worked to honor Rosa Parks ; fund national railroad links . Beset by other health troubles , cancer had been in remission , she said . It `` was back with a terminal vengeance , '' she told Indianapolis Star . | [[50, 68], [73, 139], [0, 26], [126, 184], [2227, 2319], [790, 796], [841, 898], [2755, 2797], [687, 726], [1684, 1710]] |
ATHENS , Greece -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Protesters clashed with riot police and 10,000 people marched on parliament in Greece as a 15-year-old boy killed by police was buried Tuesday . Tear gas fills the air near where the teen 's funeral service was held . Thousands paid their respects to Alexandros Grigoropoulos at his funeral , but a small number of the protesters there grew violent at the end of the ceremony . Riot police lined up as night fell and a reasonably peaceful candlelight vigil was held in central Athens . Some 10,000 people marched on the country 's parliament Tuesday to express their anger at the teenager 's death , and also other issues like the economy , jobs , and allegations that the government is corrupt . Groups clashed with riot police at the parliament and across central Athens . Street riots started over the weekend after Athens police killed 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos on Saturday . Police said six young protesters pelted a police patrol car with stones , and the teen was shot as he tried to throw a fuel-filled bomb at the officers . The shooting occurred in a neighborhood where there have been regular clashes with police , but it immediately sparked clashes and riots in Athens and Thessaloniki , the country 's second-largest city . The violence then spread to other municipalities . Watch iReporter John Kountouris ' videos of the violence '' The events have exacerbated the unpopularity of the ruling party and left Greek Prime Minister Konstandinos Karamanlis scrambling to shore up support . Watch crowds gathered for funeral '' On Tuesday , he met with President Karolos Papoulias and cabinet members before briefing political leaders on the country 's security situation . Opposition leader George Papandreou of the left-wing PASOK party said : `` The country does not have a government that can protect its citizens , their rights , or their safety . `` I told Mr. Karamanlis that our society , our citizens are experiencing a multiple crisis : an economic crisis , a social crisis , an institutional crisis , and a crisis of values . And the government is unable to address these crises ; they have lost the confidence of the Greek people . '' See images of anarchy on Greek streets '' Karamanlis ruled out early elections and called for all political parties to stand together against violence . `` It 's our responsibility to maintain a united stance against illegal acts , '' he said in statement . `` We must condemn in the strongest terms , with pure reason and not minced words - the violence , pillaging , and vandalism , that hampers social peace . '' The government called on union leaders to cancel a national strike planned for Wednesday , fearing it could lead to further violence . But the labor movement refused , saying the action was planned before the shooting of the boy and was unrelated to it . Cleaning crews worked for hours early Tuesday to clear the mess left by the riots , but evidence of the violence remained . In some places , entire rows of shops still have broken windows . iReport.com : Are you there ? Share photos , video of rioting . The mayor of Athens asked residents not to dispose of garbage for a day because many of the city 's trash bins were destroyed in the violence . Karamanlis vowed again Tuesday that those responsible for the violence would be punished . `` I assured the president that no leniency will be tolerated in holding people accountable , '' he told reporters . `` No one has the right to use this tragic incident as an alibi for actions of raw violence . '' Athens police said 12 policemen were injured in Monday 's violence and 87 people were arrested . There were 10 flashpoints across Athens where police confronted rioters , police said . Watch protesters clash with police '' Many of the young people who rioted holed up at universities , taking advantage of a decades-old rule that bars police from entering university grounds . The rule came into force after tanks crushed a 1973 student uprising protesting the ruling military junta . The dean of Athens University resigned Tuesday as a result of the students ' violent behavior . Public and private schools and universities across the country were shut again Tuesday . Watch as iReporter witnesses the clashes . Demonstrators torched government buildings and the offices of the ruling conservative party in central Athens . They also set cars and trash containers ablaze . Monday , young demonstrators barricaded streets in Athens and Thessaloniki and hurled gasoline bombs as they battled police . Clouds of tear gas hung over the capital as police tried to disperse the crowds . The police officer who fired the fatal shot at the teenage boy has been charged with `` manslaughter with intent '' and suspended from duty , police said , adding that a second police officer was arrested Saturday on criminal accessory charges . Government officials , including the interior minister , have condemned the shooting . Authorities conducted an autopsy on the boy Monday in an effort to clarify the circumstances of the shooting , but the boy 's family has called in their own investigators to verify state findings , the Athens coroner told CNN . CNN 's Eileen Hsieh and Phil Black , and Journalist Anthee Carassava , contributed to this report . | Funeral held for 15-year-old shot dead by police in Greece . Anti-government violence flares at funeral and outside parliament . Protesters are angry at government policies as well as the teen 's death . Alexandros Grigoropoulos ' death sparked riots across Greece . | [[124, 158], [124, 141], [159, 179], [195, 207], [214, 252], [854, 925], [332, 412], [521, 632], [810, 925], [1176, 1243]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's Sunday night during TNT 's coverage of the NBA playoffs , and announcer Kenny Smith , aka `` The Jet , '' is doing push-ups . TNT 's Kenny Smith tries to connect personally with NBA fans through his Twitter feed . Not on camera , but on Twitter . `` Hawks look hot ! CWebb , my boy Fabian and I doing 30 - pushups P90X style every commercial . . getting summeer -LSB- sic -RSB- ready , '' writes Smith to his followers on Twitter , the microblogging site where you can `` tweet '' brief messages of up to 140 characters . Five hours later , Smith -LRB- @TheJetOnTNT -RRB- tweets a follow-up : `` Man , i think im gon na be sore . '' By Monday morning , though , he seems raring to go again : `` Im not sore today ! the workout didnt kill me ... Im back !! '' Welcome to today 's intersection of sports and social networking , where college athletes , professional players and even broadcasters use tools like Facebook and Twitter to share their thoughts and experiences with fans . `` Sports personalities are tweeting now . They are giving fans a reason to tune in to see their comments , '' says Adam Ostrow , managing editor of Mashable , a blog devoted to online social media . Ostrow believes social networking sites like Twitter allow athletes to connect directly with fans without the filter of the traditional media . And while many athletes and teams have blogs and Facebook profiles , Twitter allows for a more personal connection between fan and sports , he says . NBA All-Star Shaquille O'Neal -LRB- @THE_REAL_SHAQ -RRB- is both a prolific scorer and a prolific twitterer . His more than 700,000 followers get his tweets about everything from his diet to his recent trip to Graceland . Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong -LRB- @lancearmstrong -RRB- has more than 650,000 Twitter followers for such updates as `` Eating pizza at home w / the family . Good test today , kids go home tomorrow -LRB- sad -RRB- , and a hellacious week of training coming up . '' Hockey players also are getting into the act . Washington Capitals ace Alex Ovechkin -LRB- @ovi8 -RRB- was on Twitter during the NHL All-Star game in January , tweeting about the festivities and responding to fan questions and comments . One athlete , Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva -LRB- @CV31 -RRB- , even got into hot water after tweeting during halftime of a game last month . Villanueva 's entry read : `` In da locker room , snuck to post my twitt . We 're playing the Celtics , tie ball game at da half . Coach wants more toughness . I got ta step up . '' He did . Villanueva finished with a team-high 19 points , and the Bucks won . Now sports announcers are using Twitter to talk to fans about everything from game action to what they do when the cameras are off . Fox Sports -LRB- @MLBonFox -RRB- baseball commentators and reporters are using Twitter to share tidbits from players and behind-the-scenes moments that the normal fan may not even think about . Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Buck , one of the network 's wittier twitterers , shared this recent tender moment from the broadcast booth : `` Joe Buck : Cold in the booth in STL . Tim -LSB- McCarver -RSB- and I are bundled up . And snuggling . Hard to type . I think hypothermia is starting to set in ! '' TNT is using the same approach to connect with basketball fans during the current NBA playoffs . Eleven members of the network 's broadcast team have joined Twitter to provide insight into games , offer nuggets from players and solicit fan opinions . `` TNT is an interesting experiment if they add analysis they do n't give on TV , '' said Ostrow of Mashable . `` More interesting if they give more non-basketball info . '' And they are . When Kenny Smith started on Twitter , he was n't really sure what it was or how it would work . So he just answered the default question on his page : What are you doing ? `` I want to have some fun with it , '' Smith told CNN . `` I love scavenger hunts . I might leave tickets to the conference finals somewhere and leave clues on my Twitter . '' Twitter gives announcers another way to connect with sports fans , Smith said . `` You can give an attitude -LSB- on Twitter -RSB- , '' he said . `` They can hear you on the air , but -LSB- on Twitter , they -RSB- get to hear your voice . '' Smith hopes to continue revealing `` behind-the-scenes '' details in his tweets , because he wants his more than 1,000 followers to feel like they are there . And he plans to continue twittering beyond the NBA playoffs . Increasingly , sports fans use social networking to talk back . For the Stanley Cup playoffs , the NHL recently organized `` tweetups '' where Twitter users met face-to-face to talk about whatever brought them together . Events were organized in 21 cities in the United States and Canada . Laura Astorian , a self-described hockey blogger who follows the St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers , helped organize an NHL tweetup in Atlanta , Georgia . She said even though the city 's hockey-fan base is relatively small , the fans rely on each other and use social networking sites like Twitter to communicate . `` The people who did come enjoyed the chance to sit down and talk hockey with like-minded people , '' Astorian said . `` We did have fun , and there was mention of using the tweetup strategy for our draft party in July . '' | More pro athletes are using Twitter to share their thoughts and experiences with fans . Popular and prolific twitterers include Shaquille O'Neal and Lance Armstrong . Sports announcers use Twitter to share behind-the-scenes details with fans . TNT has 11 broadcasters tweeting during the current NBA playoffs . | [[151, 238], [857, 1006], [2693, 2750], [2794, 2940], [3393, 3546], [5068, 5076], [5100, 5157], [1501, 1610], [151, 238], [857, 1006], [1007, 1049], [2794, 2940], [3393, 3546], [3453, 3490], [4085, 4149], [4327, 4406], [4409, 4455], [3393, 3546], [3393, 3440], [3493, 3519]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Justice John Paul Stevens is approaching his 40th year on the federal bench -- the last 34 on the Supreme Court , deciding thousands of cases . But he said his love of the law was nurtured decades earlier by a professor 's dedication and the enduring power of a political dispute that blossomed into a landmark decision known as Marbury v. Madison . Justice John Paul Stevens swears in Vice President Joe Biden . Stevens has been on the court for 34 years . `` It was the beginning , well , of my whole legal career , '' Stevens told CNN in a recent exclusive interview . `` You read it today and you will find some current value in it . For me , that case inspired a lasting appreciation and respect for the rule of law . '' The 88-year-old justice , who sources said has no plans to step down anytime soon , is not alone in citing the 1803 high court ruling as a cornerstone of federal court authority . The landmark decision for the first time established the power of the Supreme Court to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional . It also helped codify the idea of separation of powers as a lasting hallmark of the American system of government . The case is the subject of a new book , `` The Great Decision : Jefferson , Adams , Marshall and the Battle for the Supreme Court '' -LRB- PublicAffairs Books -RRB- , which includes Stevens ' analysis of the opinion 's impact over the years . Written by Clifford Sloan -- a former Stevens law clerk -- and David McKean , it offers an inside look at how the federal judiciary , led by Chief Justice John Marshall , muscled itself into equal footing with the other two branches of government . It is a struggle , Sloan noted , that continues to affect issues today , such as the president 's authority in the war on terror , federal bans on late-term abortion and church-state disputes . `` There is a view of an enduring role for our courts that rises above the political pressures and cross-currents of the moment , '' said Sloan . `` There are imperfections , there are problems , but it 's been the most protective regime for rights and liberties of any country in the world . And it 's really attributable to the special role of the -LSB- Supreme -RSB- Court in safeguarding our rights and liberties that Marbury established . '' Immersed from the start in Marbury v. Madison . Stevens still has his law school notes from Northwestern University , which he entered in 1945 . It was just months after leaving the Navy , where he served as an intelligence officer during World War II . At the time , he was thinking of becoming an English teacher , but Stevens said his brother Richard asked him to think about a law career . `` At the time I was trying to decide what to do , and it seemed like a sensible move , '' Stevens said , with his characteristic Midwestern modesty . It was as a freshman that he met his early mentor , Nathaniel Nathanson , who immersed his students in Marbury v. Madison from the start . `` I knew nothing about it before I went to law school , but it was a major part of our constitutional law course , '' Stevens recalled . `` We began with the case and we were still on it six or eight weeks later . We spent most of the first semester studying that one case , and the different issues that come out of it . '' Something must have stuck , because when he graduated two years later , Stevens had the highest GPA in the history of the law school . The justice gives credit for much of his budding success to Nathanson , a former Northwestern dean and faculty member for 47 years . `` He was very brilliant , he could ask good questions and get people to think about issues , '' said Stevens . `` He was a very decent and inspiring teacher . '' From political pot-boiler to legal treatise . One thing Stevens admires about Marbury v. Madison is `` there are a whole bunch of issues that are discussed in it . When is executive privilege something that the president can rely on ; when should there be a remedy for a wrong ? '' It was a big case that had humble beginnings . The behind-the-scenes intrigue reads more like a political pot-boiler than a legal treatise . The fight began in early 1801 , in the closing days of the Federalist administration of President John Adams -- who had just lost the election to Thomas Jefferson , who was poised to take over the White House . Sloan noted , `` Adams was packing the federal government , the District of Columbia government , and the federal courts with midnight appointees . One of these was William Marbury . '' The Maryland financier was set to be justice of the peace of Washington , but somehow his commission was not delivered in time , in person by the State Department , as the law required . So when Jefferson -- a Democratic-Republican -- took over , he canceled all pending appointments , leaving Marbury and other Federalists in the outs , and enraged . Marbury sued the Jeffersonians to get his job back . The `` Madison '' in this case was none other than James Madison -- principal author of the U.S. Constitution , and then Jefferson 's secretary of state . Marshall played two roles . As a backdrop , `` The Great Decision '' details fascinating tales of the capital at the turn of the 19th century , including `` the dust and grime of Washington '' -- not much different from our own , except perhaps for the grime . Among the tales : A senator 's `` romantic interest '' -- as Stevens put it -- in Dolley Madison , wife of the future president ; and Marshall 's own physical prowess -- he reportedly could jump 6 feet and had a taste for fine whiskey . It was that man 's failure as a bureaucrat and genius as a judge that led to the 4-0 decision . In February 1801 , native Virginian Marshall -- an Adams ally -- was serving as both secretary of state and the newly named chief justice of the United States . `` He was the one who bungled the delivery of the commissions , '' said Sloan , `` so he was deeply involved in the underlying facts of the case . The genius of Marshall was that he got out of a very difficult jam by finding Marbury 's appeal to have merit , but his direct appeal to the Supreme Court to be unconstitutional . '' Such direct appeals were allowed under federal law , but the high court ruled the law went too far by attempting to give one branch of government a power specifically denied it by the Constitution . The decision thus set precedents for both separation of powers and constitutional interpretation -- the court 's right to declare a law unconstitutional . In Marshall 's famous words , `` It is emphatically the province and duty of the Judicial Department '' -- the courts , he means -- `` to say what the law is . '' It put the case on sacred constitutional ground in the eyes of many subsequent justices . It was cited in Brown v. Board of Education , and the 1974 order for President Nixon to turn over secret White House tapes during the Watergate scandal . Stevens emphasizes separation of power . Sloan said his old boss in particular has a fondness for the stirring words of Marbury . `` It 's not surprising that when justices like Justice Stevens are grappling with the very difficult questions that come before them and the deeply contested constitutional issues that they turn to that guiding star of the first principle of Marbury v. Madison , and get inspiration and strength from it . '' It was separation of powers Stevens chose to emphasize as a principal hallmark of Marbury . During a panel discussion a few weeks ago , he noted the wall between the courts and the executive can be breached . As an example , he cited public swear-ins of justices that have lately been held at the White House . Stevens said it is far preferable they be conducted at the Supreme Court itself -- such as his 1975 ceremony -- to underscore the `` very separate status '' of the justices . He later said the power he and his fellow benchmates enjoy today is embedded in that principle : . `` Marbury v. Madison established that idea of separation , something no other branch of government -- no political majority -- can take away from the judiciary . '' | Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens says case inspired his career . 88-year-old justice 's analysis of case is part of a new book . Marbury v. Madison is 1803 high court case dealing with separation of powers . | [[1183, 1244]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal 's Andrey Arshavin became the first player to score four goals in a league game at Liverpool for 64 years but it was not enough to stop the Reds returning to the top of the Premier League after another 4-4 draw . Russian Arshavin hit four goals for the first time in his career in a dramatic eight-goal Anfield thriller . A week after crashing out of the Champions League 7-5 on aggregate after sharing eight goals in their quarterfinal second leg at Chelsea , Liverpool took their fans on another rollercoaster ride . A draw was going to be enough to take the Merseysiders above Manchester United -- they have two games in hand -- but it needed 90 minutes of drama before they edged ahead on goal difference . Russian striker Arshavin opened the scoring after 36 minutes and struck again after 67 , 70 and 90 as Arsenal bounced back following their weekend FA Cup semifinal defeat . Fernando Torres , with a header after 49 minutes , and Yossi Benayoun -LRB- 56 -RRB- hit back after halftime before Arshavin sent Arsenal 3-2 ahead with 20 minutes left . Torres 's second of the night after 72 hauled Rafael Benitez 's side level two minutes later -- but it took Benayoun to salvage a draw for Liverpool in the third minute of time added on after that man Arshavin had hit number four after 90 minutes . It was the first time in his career that Arshavin had scored four in a match and he told Sky : `` I liked the game but of course it 's not good for the team ... almost basketball . '' Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said of his Russian star : `` His performance was outstanding . He had a quiet first half but when he comes into the game he is always very dangerous . He has personality and is a winner . '' Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez saw his team concede a quartet of sloppy goals but he could not fault their commitment to the cause . `` You never know , '' he said of the Reds ' dwindling hopes of overhauling United . `` Today we made too many mistakes , but it 's also very positive because the team showed character until the last minute . '' Benitez added : `` They -LRB- United -RRB- had it -LRB- the advantage in the title race -RRB- before and they continue in the driving seat . We have to keep pushing and showed today we will fight until the last game . '' | Andrey Arshavin hits four goals as Arsenal draw 4-4 at Liverpool who go top . Arshavin opened scoring after 36 minutes and added more on 67 , 70 and 90 . Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun replied with two goals apiece for Reds . | [[0, 15], [19, 132], [137, 232], [1259, 1320], [1268, 1330], [738, 798], [738, 762], [803, 836], [1259, 1320], [1268, 1330], [966, 1074]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police think it started with a dispute over an ex-girlfriend . Threats were made on social networking sites and via text messages . The suspects , clockwise from top left are : Lernio Colin , Angel Cruz , Peter MacDonald and Christopher Harter . A murder plot was hatched and , police say , in the early hours of last Saturday morning , a Florida man was gunned down in his car . But the suspects apparently killed the wrong man . Now four men are in custody , and will face charges of first degree premeditated murder and two counts of attempted murder . The four are Angel Cruz , 23 ; his brother from Oregon , Christopher Harter , 29 ; Peter MacDonald , 18 ; and Lernio Colin , 20 . They have all appeared before a judge in Fort Lauderdale , Florida . They have not entered pleas and are being held without bond , according to state prosecutors . Detectives are executing search warrants today , and much about the case is still not known . `` The victim was with two other males , in the vehicle , '' said Mike Jachles of the Broward Sheriff 's Office . `` One of those men was the intended target , '' Jachles told CNN . Witnesses said multiple shots were fired , according to police . Henry Mancilla , 24 was sitting in the driver 's seat of a gold Mitsubishi Galant at an intersection in Lauderdale Lakes , Florida , near Fort Lauderdale . `` They were exiting the vehicle when shots were fired , striking Mancilla , '' said Jachles . He was pronounced dead at the scene . Mancilla was with two other men in their early 20s , Tony Santana and Nick Pappas . One of them was the intended victim , but police are not saying who . `` The four men acted in unison in planning and executing this murder . Mancilla was in the wrong place at the wrong time , and he ended up the victim , '' said Mike Jachles . The three victims said they had been `` jumped '' earlier in the evening by the same four men and fled the scene in a red Chevy Impala , according to a sheriff 's detective affidavit released Monday afternoon . Later , a blue Chevy Silverado pickup truck belonging to the defendant Cruz drove up to the three men , according to the affidavit . The victims say they armed themselves with a baseball bat and a walking cane , when the truck turned around and drove towards them . That 's when the shots were fired . Christopher Harter told police he was in the vehicle at the scene , but said he left the vehicle and then heard four or five gunshots , according to the affidavit . Harter also told police he saw his brother , Angel Cruz , in possession of a semi-automatic pistol three weeks prior to the incident . `` It could have been a case of mistaken identity , but our investigation will determine that , '' Jachles told CNN . Threats were posted on social networking sites and sent via cellular text messages by the suspects to the intended victim , said police . Police said they have not subpoenaed those records and are not releasing the names of those Internet sites . The Broward County State Attorney 's office could seek the death penalty . | Henry Mancilla , 24 , shot to death as he sat in his car with two others . One of the other men was the target , police say . Threats exchanged over the Internet , and murder plot was hatched , police say . Four men in custody ; police executing search warrants . | [[326, 414], [982, 1017], [1420, 1436], [1439, 1456], [1515, 1598], [1093, 1136], [1599, 1634], [98, 166], [281, 306], [2776, 2822], [2776, 2783], [2900, 2913], [466, 493], [885, 931]] |
INDIO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Parents danced with their young children to the infectious hip-hop beat of Lupe Fiasco on the main stage . The Yeah Yeah Yeahs ' Karen O is immersed in the music at Coachella . Twentysomethings wearing feathers in their hair jumped up and down to Somali emcee K'naan in the Gobi tent . In the portable toilets , an impromptu discussion broke out about the `` awesomeness '' of Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O . The mercury may have hovered close to 100 degrees , and somewhere outside the desert oasis of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival there was a global recession , but you 'd never know it from the carefree crowd on Day 3 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio , California . Although exact figures have yet to be released , about 50,000 revelers turned out for the final day of the 2009 festival for an eclectic lineup that included former Jam front man Paul Weller , rap pioneers Public Enemy , a reunion of Irish indie darlings My Bloody Valentine and a nearly three-hour set from The Cure . Promoters say the turnout exceeded expectations , and this year 's attendance figure might be the third largest in the festival 's 10-year history . The three-day ticket price may have been steep -- roughly $ 300 , including service charges -- but when divided among the 131 acts on the bill , that breaks down to less than $ 2.50 per act . This was also the first year concert promoter Goldenvoice offered layaway , which is how 18 percent chose to pay . The strong showing is good news for Bonnaroo , All Points West , Lollapalooza and other festivals taking place this spring and summer . Coachella was also moved up one weekend , which allowed for more kids on spring break to attend . Although Coachella is one of several music festivals in the United States , it still carries a certain cachet that 's hard to match . Perhaps it 's the scenery -- listening to music on a grassy polo field surrounded by swaying palm trees and craggy desert mountains . Or maybe it 's the thrill of discovering new artists and rediscovering old ones standing shoulder-to-shoulder with friends , strangers and the random Hollywood celebrity . Or maybe it 's the wacky moments that seem to happen only under the blistering desert sun . Where else could you get Morrissey -- a well-known vegetarian -- complaining in the middle of his Friday set that the smell of burning animals was making him sick , and that he only hoped it was human ? The Moz was referring to meat grilling in a food booth across the polo field . And when troubled British neo-soul singer Amy Winehouse dropped out of her Saturday performance because she could n't get a visa , M.I.A. stepped into her slot on the main stage -- but she apparently was n't happy about the upgrade . Despite a massive , adoring crowd and a highly charged set , the new mom exclaimed , `` This is the main stage ? Next time , I 'm back in a tent ! I prefer the sweat ! '' This was after her tongue-in-cheek nod to Winehouse , where she sang , `` They tried to make me do the Oscars , I said , ` No , no , no . ' '' Then , there were the memorable music moments . Friday headliner Sir Paul McCartney did n't end his playful , hit-filled set until about 54 minutes past the midnight curfew -- for a potential fine of $ 54,000 . -LRB- According to Benjamin Guitron , media relations officer for the Indio Police Department , the promoter agrees to pay $ 1,000 for every minute past 12 a.m. -RRB- . On Saturday , Seattle , Washington , indie pop band Fleet Foxes drew an overflowing crowd to the Outdoor Theatre , charming the audience with its delicate , baroque harmonies . Sunday headliners The Cure played 31 songs from the group 's vast catalog -- concentrating heavily on early material , and for the most part , staying away from the biggest radio hits . They , too , played well past curfew -- continuing with their third encore even after the sound from the main PA system was cut off . My Bloody Valentine -- whose four members reunited last year after a decade apart -- was also a crowd pleaser , although an interlude where they played a single chord at maximum decibels for a mind-numbing 15 minutes left fans scratching their heads . Perry Farrell is the only artist who 's performed at all 10 Coachella festivals -- in Jane 's Addiction , Porno for Pyros , Satellite Party , as his alter ego DJ Peretz and in other incarnations . This year , he dueted with Thievery Corporation on the main stage , then headed over to the dance tent , where he joined his wife , Etty , for an electronic set . `` I would probably silently be very depressed if they would n't invite me , to tell you the truth . My mental health depends on them , '' he said with a laugh . Despite a time of belt-tightening , festivalgoers are finding a way to let it all hang out . According to The Desert Sun , the local newspaper , even two former first daughters could n't resist the draw of the desert . It said Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager dropped into Coachella on Saturday -- complete with Secret Service . Guitron could n't confirm the report , but he did say , `` I would n't be surprised if they did show up . Dignitaries just kind of show up like everybody else . '' | Coachella music festival wraps up Sunday . Intriguing moments include vegetarian Morrissey complaining about grilling . Both Paul McCartney and The Cure run past curfew ; Cure is cut off . | [[3838, 3842], [3851, 3874], [3863, 3947]] |
ASUNCION , Paraguay -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A second woman stepped forward Monday to say that Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo fathered a child out of wedlock when he was a Roman Catholic bishop . Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo says Monday he will comply with justice on the latest paternity allegation . Benigna Leguizamon said Lugo fathered her son in 2002 in the city of San Pedro . She served notice that Lugo has 24 hours to acknowledge paternity or she will take legal action . `` I am waiting in good will , '' she said in an interview on CNN affiliate Telefuturo TV . `` But if they do n't do something , oh , my God . '' Lugo , 57 , acknowledged last week that he is the father of a 2-year-old child conceived in the months before he stepped down as bishop . He said last week he was making the admission `` with the most absolute honesty , transparency and feeling of obligation . '' Without acknowledging paternity , he expressed similar sentiments Monday about the latest allegation . `` We 're going to act always in pursuit of the truth ... in this private matter , '' he said in a nationally televised announcement on Telefuturo . Last week 's announcement came after a woman filed suit in a southern Paraguay city seeking a paternity test . `` It 's true that there was a relationship with Viviana Carrillo , '' Lugo told reporters , naming the mother . `` I assume all the responsibilities that could derive from such an act , recognizing the paternity of the child . '' Leguizamon , 27 , said Monday that last week 's announcement had encouraged her to come forth . `` When I saw the case with Viviana , I was strengthened to make my accusation , '' Leguizamon said . She said she made the accusation to help her 6-year-old son , who is starting school . She will ask for a DNA test , she said . In last week 's case , Judge Evelyn Peralta said she was treating it routinely . `` It is a case like any other , which involves the president and nothing more , '' she said . `` It will be processed at it should be . '' Some Cabinet members interpreted Lugo 's acknowledgment of paternity as an indication of the change he has promised to bring about to achieve greater transparency in the public sector . `` This is the Paraguay that we want , '' said Liz Torres , minister of children 's issues . `` This is the Paraguay of serious change in which there is no double standard or secrets . It seems to be an example , a very big lesson . '' But some opposition party members said it appeared that Lugo practically had been forced to acknowledge what happened and that he had not done so willingly . Sen. Julio Cesar Velasquez of the opposition Colorado Party called on the Vatican to excommunicate Lugo . Lugo was made a lay Catholic last year , around the time he assumed the presidency . | Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo fathered son , woman says . Lugo admitted to fathering another child out of wedlock last week . On latest allegation , Lugo says he 'll `` act always in pursuit of the truth '' Opposition lawmaker urges Vatican to excommunicate Lugo , an ex-Catholic bishop . | [[39, 160], [89, 193], [306, 386], [330, 386], [89, 193], [631, 635], [643, 709], [194, 305], [229, 305], [1001, 1053], [2616, 2721], [2698, 2721]] |
MARANA , Arizona -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I 've been privileged in the past to witness Tiger Woods out on a golf course . And I can tell you , it 's a painful , frustrating process . Golf fans flocked to Arizona to see Tiger make his long-awaited return to the tee . Not because the golf he produces is n't spectacular and at times utterly dazzling but it 's the sheer volume of people he attracts that help convince me each and every time golf has to be one of the worst `` out on the course '' spectator sports going . That 's just my opinion though . Try telling that to the legions who got themselves to Arizona this week once they heard the world 's top player was making his return to the game after more than eight months . Woods ' first competitive slice of action in the best part of a year was n't due to get under way until around lunchtime here though judging by the fans already out on the course you 'd have thought his tee-time was more like 7am . Even those jostling for position to catch a glimpse of him on the range or putting green were taking no chances and ensuring they arrived in plenty of time . Remember all of this was before he even teed off ! The scene on that first hole was as expected bustling to say the least . The small gantries were packed anyway due to the whole array of talent on show through this week , but it got even more frenzied when the Woods-Jones match - up was announced . Mayhem to say the least ! Those seated in the stands were the lucky ones , it was the unfortunate spectators trying to stand and strain every sinew to catch a glance of that first shot from the world number one I felt for . Even us media suffered ! With seconds to go before the American struck his drive , one television camera crew , which really should have known better , blatantly blocked us from getting that prized shot . Only quick last-gasp thinking from our cameraman John saved the day . In case you were wondering that Woods drive was just majestic and he would go on to win the first two holes in fine style . When he strode off down the first fairway , there was a stampede with those looking to brave the soaring temperatures here in Arizona and follow him every step of the way . The Woods ` wow factor ' is still very much alive and kicking . The question is will the so-called bionic knee hold up in the weeks and months to come ? | Fans jostle for a view of their hero on Tiger 's return to competitive golf . Woods has been out of the game for eight months after a knee injury . Snell : `` The Woods ` wow factor ' is still very much alive and kicking '' | [[177, 260], [177, 186], [206, 260], [957, 1081], [1491, 1589], [2212, 2234], [2237, 2275]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Debbie Phelps , the mother of swimming star Michael Phelps , who won a record eight gold medals in Beijing , is the author of a new memoir , `` A Mother For All Seasons . '' Debbie Phelps , mother of Olympian Michael Phelps , tells Larry King her son has strong values . Phelps spoke with CNN 's Larry King about her new book , a recent tabloid report detailing her son 's partying ways and the infamous bong photo . The following is an edited version of the transcript . Larry King : You have this terrific new book coming . If I do say so myself , it 's inspiring . Yet -LRB- Thursday 's -RRB- lead story in the `` New York Daily News '' gate crasher column -- I do n't know who writes that -- `` tsk , tsk , '' it says , `` Michael Phelps , partying your face off in public is not the way to reclaim your good guy image . The Olympian was been laying relatively low since his bong smoking scandal in January was out in full force Tuesday night at New York City hot spot Marquis '' -- I think is the name -- `` Michael was definitely having a good time , an eyewitness tells us , drinking straight from a bottle of Grey Goose . When the DJ started playing MIA 's ` Paper Planes , ' he got up started dancing like a loon and kept on yelling ` shots . ' Phelps definitely had enough alcohol on hand for several four round . He ordered four bottles of Vodka . '' Is this tough for a mother ? How do you react ? Debbie Phelps : It 's one thing that I learn at a very early age is I do n't get caught up in gossip columns . I know my son . He has great values , lots of integrity . That 's what I think about that . King : Did you talk to him about this ? Phelps : I always talk to Michael . I talk to Michael every day . We talked about training today and things of that nature . King : But it would be normal to say , what happened , would n't it ? I would say that to my son . Phelps : We give support . We give guidance . We give an ear to listen . And , again , I do n't get caught up in gossip . King : Therefore , you do n't believe it ? I just want to establish what your feelings are . Phelps : I do n't get caught up in gossip , Mr. King . King : What about something that was n't gossip , the picture with the bong thing . It was a picture . Phelps : It 's a picture , that 's true . But , you know , a picture can say many things . It has many words . It has many meanings . It has many visualizations that you want to think . It depends on the person who is looking at that picture . You know , as a mom , I support all three of my children . I believe that no matter who you are in this country , in this world , there are obstacles that get into your life . I call them speed bumps in school sometimes . I heard someone say lightning bolts . That 's another term for that . But , you know , how do we grow ? How do we learn ? You raise a child through 18 . You send them off to college . You give them the roots . You give them the foundation to be a strong , young man , a strong lady . Life throws curve balls to you sometimes . How do you handle that curve ball ? King : Michael is 23 . That 's an adult . He 's an adult . Phelps : A young adult . King : Young adult . So one could say it 's his life . He chooses to lead it . As our parent , we do our best to guide them , but 23 is 23 . Do you view him still as a kid ? Phelps : I view my 31-year-old daughter as a kid sometimes . You know , I look at each of my children independently and individually of themselves . They have many strong values , strong points , professionalism . I 'm just very proud of all three of them and everything they 've done . King : Do you think these kind of stories -- and you do n't pay attention to them -- hurt your book ? Phelps : I was asked many times and told many times , `` Debbie , you need to write a book some day . '' As an educator , I 'm thinking , I would really like to do that . It became a personal goal of mine to be able to publish a book , not knowing exactly what it was going to be . Was it going to be my life ? Was it going to be parenting ? Was it going to be swimming ? Was it just going to be motivational and inspirational ? When I take a look at the book I was able to write , I have great pride in that book because it shows other people , every woman , but not even women -- men can read this book also -- the inspiration and motivation of life . King : The question is , `` Do you think these kind of stories might hurt the chance of people buying the book , which is what you want ? '' Phelps : People are going to have to make that decision . King : Do you think it might ? Phelps : Life is life . I do want to say , though , in reference to the Beijing Olympics , we , as a family , I think , made a great impression on the world , on the United States . My son has great love for me . It 's a great bonding relationship . Families are very important . King : Is he still a role model , do you think ? Phelps : You know , when I think of the word role model , I 'll go back to me being a little girl . It was my mom and my dad . They were my role models when I was growing up . When I hear that role model in a sentence with my son , what I think about with Michael is what he does with and for children . It might be things people do n't even know of -- his association with the Boys and Girls Club . For years , he has done that -LRB- and -RRB- his association with Make A Wish . He touches kids ' lives . So if an individual , wherever they may be , may select my son as a role model , I say that my son has strong values . I say he 's a human being . And I say that from obstacles that get in people 's ways -- we all have them , Mr. King , and you know that -- what do you learn from them and how do you rise above the occasion ? | Debbie Phelps says she does n't get caught up in gossip involving son , Michael . Michael Phelps reportedly seen partying at NY bar . Phelps apologized in January after photo shows him smoking from bong . | [[19, 32], [39, 45], [49, 77], [1429, 1442], [1494, 1539], [1969, 1972], [1983, 2017], [2120, 2152]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Somali suspect in the hijacking of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama has been charged with piracy , a count that carries a minimum life sentence . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse arrives in the United States on Monday . He was charged with piracy Tuesday . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse also has been charged with conspiracy to seize a ship by force , conspiracy to commit hostage-taking and two firearm charges , according to a criminal complaint released by the U.S. attorney 's office in the southern district of New York . Muse `` conducted himself as the leader '' of the pirates who allegedly took over the Maersk Alabama , according to the criminal complaint . A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Muse could be tried as an adult . U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck had ordered the media and public out of the courtroom earlier while he evaluated Muse 's age . Muse 's father in Somalia told defense attorneys the young man was born on November 20 , 1993 -- making him 15 , the defense attorneys said . However , the prosecution argued otherwise , saying Muse made statements that suggest he is older . Before Peck closed the courtroom , Muse wiped his hand over his face at one point , and it appeared he was crying . He had worn a broad smile late Monday when he arrived in New York escorted by a phalanx of law enforcement officers . See timeline of events that led to piracy case '' Muse was arrested in the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama , a cargo ship that pirates attacked on April 8 about 350 miles off the Somali coast . See an interactive map of 2009 pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa '' Peck read the young man his rights and said attorneys had been appointed to represent him because the suspect did not have the resources to hire representation himself . Muse said through an interpreter that he understood and said , `` I do n't have any money . '' Pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama , a cargo ship , on April 8 about 350 miles off the Somali coast . According to the criminal complaint , two of the 20 crew members -- all Americans -- saw lights heading toward the Maersk Alabama around 4:30 a.m. on April 8 , while the ship was in the Indian Ocean . After a `` brief time , '' the lights disappeared , the complaint said , but about two hours later , the same crew members saw a small boat approaching and later heard `` what sounded like '' gunshots , the complaint said . Crew Member 1 then heard the ship 's captain -- later identified as Capt. Richard Phillips -- on the radio saying that two pirates were on the ship 's bridge . A third crew member , Crew Member 3 , also heard the radio message and began shutting down the ship 's power , the complaint said . The complaint said Muse , who was carrying a gun , was the first alleged pirate on the ship , and said the attackers used a portable ladder to climb on board . According to the complaint , Muse had fired his gun at Phillips , the captain said , and then took $ 30,000 from the ship 's safe after he forced Phillips to open it . Watch Muse being hauled into court '' Muse demanded that the Maersk Alabama be stopped and that the crew give him the number of the ship 's owner , the complaint said . The captain then ordered the crew to the bridge after Muse ordered him to do so , the complaint said , citing Crew Member 2 . Muse then began canvassing the dark ship with Crew Member 2 as a guide , the complaint said . While they were going through the ship , Crew Member 3 , who had not come to the bridge , tackled Muse to the ground , the complaint said . Crew Member 2 helped subdue Muse , and the two tied the young man 's hands with wire and took him to the ship 's safe room , where several crew members were hiding . After several hours , the remaining pirates said they would leave the ship if Muse was returned to them , and if a lifeboat was given to them . Phillips boarded the lifeboat with them and the ship 's crew freed Muse , who then boarded the lifeboat , according to the criminal complaint . The boat floated a short distance from the Maersk , even as the Navy 's USS Bainbridge arrived the next day . Over the next three days , officers on the Bainbridge communicated with the pirates by radio . `` In those communications , the pirates threatened to kill the captain if they were not provided with safe passage away from the scene , '' the complaint said . At one point , Phillips tried to escape and the pirates shot at him , the complaint said . On April 12 , Muse boarded the USS Bainbridge and demanded safe passage for himself and the other pirates in exchange for Phillips ' release . Muse also received medical treatment while he was on the warship , the complaint said . While Muse was away from the lifeboat , Navy SEALs shot and killed the three remaining pirates . The U.S. Navy recovered two loaded AK-47 assault rifles ; two gunstraps , each containing three AK-47 magazines ; one handgun magazine ; and multiple cell phones and handheld radios from the lifeboat , according to the complaint . CNN 's Deb Feyerick contributed to this report . | NEW : Criminal complaint says pirate suspect `` conducted himself as the leader '' Judge rules piracy suspect will be tried as an adult . Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse also faces conspiracy charges . Suspect 's father says he 's 15 ; prosecution says boy indicated he 's older . | [[278, 286], [430, 463], [543, 600], [543, 550], [646, 683], [1992, 2027], [3982, 4019], [684, 752], [714, 752], [278, 340], [1034, 1049], [1069, 1123]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A group of student protesters were arrested Sunday after they called on President Bush to end the humanitarian crisis in Darfur , Sudan , and refused to leave the front gates of the White House . The protesters shouted , `` Hey Bush , you ca n't hide ! Help us end this genocide ! '' and `` President Bush ! No more excuses ! '' Federal police arrested 18 of them after they marched to the White House . Sunday 's protest was one of many scheduled around the world for `` Global Day for Darfur '' to mark five years of ethnic cleansing in Sudan . The conflict has killed more than 200,000 people , and it has made refugees of more than 2 million others . In London 3,000 protesters gathered at the Sudanese Embassy . Also , British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for Darfur peace talks . Watch a report from the protest in London '' In the U.S. , Scott Warren , national student director of the Student Anti-Genocide Coalition , said the students were bringing specific demands to the president , including bolstering the United Nations peacekeeping force in Sudan and stepping up pressure on China , Sudan 's trading partner . `` In your last seven months , you can make peace in Sudan , and this is how you can do it , '' he said . Warren said the students knew the president was n't home , but still hoped their message was heard . Bush was on his way back to Washington from his ranch in Crawford , Texas . `` It 's not something we take lightly , and we do understand the implications of it . But we also understand that genocide is not just a casual issue , '' said student activist Ashley Kroetsch , who was among the 18 arrested . `` It is one of the worst crimes against humanity , and it requires a very severe response to end it . '' The Bush administration supports economic sanctions and implementation of existing agreements for peace and security in Darfur . Bush traveled recently to Africa , and spoke about genocide on several stops . `` We 're trying to help them , but the truth of the matter is there are obstacles to peace in Darfur , '' he said at a stop in Tanzania . `` And that is one of the reasons we 've imposed tough sanctions -- real , meaningful sanctions against those who are stopping progress toward alleviating the human suffering in Darfur . '' E-mail to a friend . | Protesters shouted , `` Hey Bush , you ca n't hide ! Help us end this genocide ! '' Saturday was `` Global Day for Darfur '' marking five years of ethnic cleansing in Sudan . Conflict has killed more than 200,000 people , and created two million refugees . In London 3,000 protesters gathered at the Sudanese Embassy . | [[0, 26], [41, 116], [87, 165], [226, 248], [252, 262], [265, 280], [283, 308], [281, 290], [517, 576], [577, 625], [628, 684], [685, 746]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Piracy off the coast of Somalia has more than doubled this year , threatening to make international trade more expensive and offering terrorists a new source of income , says a report released Wednesday . A photo from the destroyer USS Howard shows Somali pirates in small boats hijacking the MV Faina last week . As of late September , 60 ships had been attacked in 2008 , said the report by Chatham House , a London-based institute that analyzes international issues . The report comes amid a standoff between officials and pirates demanding a $ 20 million ransom for the release of a Ukrainian ship captured off the coast of Somalia last week . Money from the $ 18 million to $ 30 million in ransoms paid this year is helping finance the war in Somalia , the report says . One of the groups reportedly receiving ransom money is Al-Shabaab , which the United States listed as a terrorist organization this year . Asked to rank the problem on a scale of one to 10 , report author Roger Middleton said it 's middle range but could quickly deteriorate . `` At the moment , it 's a five-six problem with the potential to be seven or eight , '' Middleton said . `` You 're looking at a nine , 10 if it starts to be co-opted by international terror organizations . '' About 16,000 ships a year navigate the Gulf of Aden , which , as the southern gateway to the Suez Canal , is one of the most important trade routes in the world . The ships mostly transport oil from the Middle East and goods from Asia to Europe and North America . Having to change routes would add weeks of travel time and increase fuel consumption , driving up the cost of shipping . Insurance premiums for the Gulf of Aden have already increased tenfold , says the report , `` Piracy in Somalia : Threatening global trade , feeding local wars . '' Additionally , pirates are hampering relief efforts in Somalia . `` As a result of piracy , '' the report says , `` the World Food Programme has been forced to temporarily suspend food deliveries to drought-stricken Somalia . Canada is now escorting WFP deliveries but there are no plans in place to replace their escort when it ends later this year . '' Somalia 's ambassador to Russia made the same point Wednesday . `` This has been a great problem for the Somalian government , '' Ambassador Mohamed Handule said . `` This hinders humanitarian aid a lot . The Somalian people are not getting it . '' Middleton noted that French officials are talking about offering a U.N. Security Council resolution to increase international presence in the area . `` This new move by the European Union to put more ships into the Gulf of Aden could be quite positive , '' he said . `` Some form of U.N.-sponsored coast guard might start to chip away at this . ... If America , Europe and Russia cooperate , it can be made much safer . '' He noted that France , Denmark , Netherlands and Canada offered escorts for World Food Programme ships that had been unable to enter Somali ports this year . `` A more general approach has focused on Combined Task Force 150 -LRB- CTF 150 -RRB- , a coalition naval task force covering the Gulf of Aden , Gulf of Oman , Arabian Sea , Red Sea and the Indian Ocean , '' the report states . `` CTF 150 's primary responsibility is to assist in the ` war on terror , ' so piracy is lower on its list of priorities . However , some of the roughly 15 ships making up CTF150 have been involved in deterring pirate attacks . '' In addition , the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 1816 on June 2 , giving foreign warships the right to enter Somali waters `` for the purposes of repressing acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea '' by `` all necessary means . '' But none of these measures has stemmed the problem . `` Piracy has been a problem in Somali waters for at least 10 years . However , the number of attempted and successful attacks has risen over the last three years , '' Middleton 's report says . `` With little functioning government , long , isolated , sandy beaches and a population that is both desperate and used to war , Somalia is a perfect environment for piracy to thrive . '' Handule stressed that the problem has gotten worse since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed 225,000 people in more than 10 nations , including Somalia . The problem is compounded , he said , because Somalia does not have a coast guard . `` Pirates are mostly young unemployed men , many of them fishermen who lost their boats , tackle and their jobs following the tsunami , '' Handule said . `` They started hunting on boats , and this process went our of control . They operate in groups of up to 12-15 people , however they all have associates ashore seeking information , negotiating about ransom , etc. '' Handule said officials estimate that there 25 groups with no central command . `` We believe their total number stands at about 1,000 people , counting those who help them on the ground , '' he said . Middleton 's report also notes that Somalia 's fishing industry has collapsed in the past 15 years , particularly as European , Asian and African ships increase their fishing in the area . Middleton offers five possible solutions to the piracy plague , including organizing shipping into a safe lane , providing a coast guard for Somalia , having a large international naval presence and refusing to pay ransoms . But he noted that none of these solutions can be easily implemented . `` It 's not going to stop until Somalia has a stable government , '' he said . The CIA World Factbook notes that Somalia , a country about the size of Texas , does not have a permanent national government . `` Although an interim government was created in 2004 , other regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various regions of the country , including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia and the semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia , '' the Factbook says . | Sixty ships had been attacked by pirates in 2008 , according to institute report . Pirates want $ 20 million to release Ukrainian ship captured off Somalia . Institute says piracy has halted flow of much-needed food into Somalia . | [[356, 390], [356, 364], [393, 425], [531, 620], [604, 666], [1834, 1846], [1849, 1898], [1926, 1944], [1948, 2059], [1947, 2059]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sri Lankan cricketers have described for the first time how they feared some of their teammates had been killed during a deadly attack on the team bus by gunmen in Pakistan -- and paid tribute to the driver of the bus for saving their lives . Thilan Samaraweera is due to undergo surgery to have a bullet removed from his leg . Six police officers and a driver were killed in the ambush by around a dozen attackers armed with automatic weapons as the players made their way to Lahore 's cricket stadium early Tuesday . Two players , Tharanga Paranavitana and Thilan Samaraweera , suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and leg respectively while six others suffered shrapnel wounds . But vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara told CNN he believed Paranavitana had been killed when he collapsed after being shot . `` I was lying on the ground . I heard Thilan -LRB- Samaraweera -RRB- groan and I heard Tharanga Paranavitana say something . I turned around and a bullet whizzed past my head and hit the seat in front of me . And then I got hit in the shoulder by shrapnel , '' Sangakkara said . `` Then I saw Tharanga Paranavitana get up and say ` I 've been shot ' and then he collapsed on the seat . I really thought he was seriously hurt or even dead . '' Read profiles of the wounded players '' Describing the initial moments of the ambush , Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss said there had been an explosion `` which someone said later was a rocket launcher that missed the bus and went over the top and hit somewhere in front of us . '' Watch footage of the gunmen staging their attack '' He said two cars then pulled up in front of the convoy , blocking its path . Gunmen jumped out of the cars and started firing , sending bullets ripping through the bus . `` By that stage everyone was on the ground , '' Baylis told CNN . `` Surprisingly it was very calm . There was not a lot we could do except keep low as possible and hope for the best . Every now and then someone would just yell out and say ` I 'm hit . ' '' Watch Bayliss talk about his experience '' Sangakkara said someone at the front of the bus had shouted to the players to take cover . `` Some of the guys looked up to see what was going on because the bus just swerved a bit and almost came to a stop , '' he said . `` Suddenly we heard a couple of explosions getting closer . And then someone from the front of the bus shouted ` They 're shooting at the bus -- get down ! ' That 's when we just hit the deck and suddenly we heard bullets thudding into the bus . It kept going for about a minute . '' Watch Sangakkara describe how players ducked for cover '' A Pakistani security official on the bus then shouted to the driver in Urdu to `` go , go go ! '' Sangakkara said . `` I think we owe our lives to him -- he just put the bus in gear and drove straight through the carnage straight to the ground , '' he said . `` They tried to shoot the bus driver first and missed and the guy had the presence of mind to do what was needed to save all our lives . '' Baylis also praised the driver of the bus for his bravery . `` He jumped back in his seat with all the bullets coming through the bus and he got us into the stadium . It was n't until we got into the stadium that we could see how hurt some of the players were , '' Baylis said . Once inside the stadium the players received medical attention . `` Everyone still seemed confused and shocked but the mood was quite upbeat , '' said Sangakkara . `` A few jokes were being cracked , people were talking to each other , making sure everyone was ok , everyone made a great effort to keep the mood lighter than it could have been in that situation and that 's helped a lot of the guys to get through it . '' Sangakkara said he 'd had some of the shrapnel removed from his shoulder inside the stadium . He also underwent surgery to remove some more after arriving home in Colombo earlier Wednesday . Paranavitana and Samaraweera are also expected to undergo surgery . Samaraweera still had a bullet in his leg , Sangakkara said . Meanwhile match referee Chris Broad criticized Pakistan 's security forces for their conduct during the attack , claiming they had abandoned match officials traveling in the convoys as `` sitting ducks . '' The Englishman and other officials had been traveling in a minibus behind the Sri Lankan team bus when bullets ripped through the vehicle , killing the driver and critically wounding fourth umpire Ahsan Reza . Broad has been hailed as a hero for reportedly shielded Reza but he played down his bravery . `` I 'm not a hero . Ahsan Raza took a bullet to the stomach or chest -- somewhere in the spleen and lung region . I was lying behind him on the floor of the van and there were bullets flying all around us , '' Broad said . `` I only noticed he was injured when I saw a large pool of blood had spilled on to the floor and out of the partially opened van door . '' Broad said police vans detailed to protect the vehicles in the convoy had apparently disappeared during the attack . `` I am extremely angry that we were promised high-level security and in our hour of need that security vanished and they left us to be sitting ducks . I am extremely fortunate to be here today . '' | Sri Lankan vice-captain feared teammate had been fatally wounded . Driver praised for getting bus to stadium as bullets ripped through vehicle . Attack in Lahore killed driver , 6 Pakistani police , injured 8 Sri Lankan cricket players . Match referee : Security forces left players , match officials to be `` sitting ducks '' | [[705, 821], [1209, 1262], [0, 15], [199, 261], [1676, 1682], [1710, 1724], [1735, 1768], [1676, 1682], [1727, 1768], [2499, 2539], [3036, 3042], [3048, 3095], [3174, 3202], [4368, 4402], [91, 191], [347, 439], [4368, 4375], [4405, 4423], [4058, 4168], [4058, 4093], [4171, 4239], [5167, 5201]] |
ST. GEORGE , Utah -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A young man whose arranged marriage to a young cousin led to the conviction of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs was charged Wednesday with her rape . Prosecutors filed the rape charge against Allen Steed , 26 , a day after a jury found Jeffs guilty of two rape-accomplice counts in connection with Steed 's ill-fated 2001 marriage to Elissa Wall . Jurors found that Jeffs used his authority as leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , or FLDS , to push the girl into a marriage she did not want . Steed was 19 and his bride , who also was his first cousin , was 14 when Jeffs `` sealed '' them in spiritual marriage at a motel in Caliente , Nevada , where many FLDS weddings were performed . Three other couples also were married that day in separate ceremonies , according to testimony . Steed is accused of having sex with the girl against her will several weeks into the marriage . Steed testified for the defense at Jeffs ' trial . He said his new wife was affectionate to him in private , but cold in public . He denied that he or Jeffs had forced sex on her . Wall agreed to be identified publicly as the trial ended in hopes of encouraging other women who feel trapped by polygamy to come forward . Watch Wall urge other girls to be brave '' She testified that she told Steed she was not ready and that her first sexual encounter made her feel dirty , used and trapped . Her pleas to church leaders to end the marriage were ignored , and Jeffs told her to submit `` mind , body and soul '' to her new husband , Wall told the jury . Her sisters testified that most of the women in the family also opposed the marriage but were powerless to stop it . According to the criminal complaint , the trial established that the pair had sex and that the young woman had convinced jurors she did not consent . Wall left the marriage and the FLDS in 2004 . She is now remarried . An attorney for Steed could not be reached . Jeffs , 51 , leads the 10,000-member FLDS , which is based in the twin border towns of Hildale , Utah , and Colorado City , Arizona . Followers believe him to be God 's prophet , who can lead them to eternal salvation . Listen to an example of Jeffs ' preaching '' Jeffs could be sent to prison for the rest of his life when he is sentenced November 20 . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Man whose arranged marriage led to conviction charged with rape . Allen Steed is accused of having sex with the girl , 14 , against her will . Steed testified at sect leader 's trial that he did n't force sex on new wife . FLDS leader Warren Jeffs convicted Tuesday of rape by accomplice . | [[0, 33], [139, 189], [190, 245], [863, 919], [1089, 1139], [263, 387]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A total of seven cases of a previously undetected strain of swine flu have been confirmed in humans in the United States , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said . None of the patients has had direct contact with pigs . Swine flu is usually diagnosed only in pigs or people in regular contact with them . Five of the cases have been found in California , and two have been found in Texas , near San Antonio , said Dr. Anne Schuchat , the CDC 's Interim Deputy Director for Science and Public Health Program . The CDC reported Tuesday that two children in the San Diego , California , area , infected with a virus called swine influenza A H1N1 , whose combination of genes has not been seen in flu viruses in either human or pigs before . The patients range from age 9 to 54 , Schuchat said . They include two 16-year-old boys who attend the same Texas school , and a father and daughter in California . `` The good news is that all seven of these patients have recovered , '' Schuchat said . The first two cases were picked up through a special influenza monitoring program , with stations in San Diego and El Paso , Texas . The program aims to get a better sense of what strains exist and to detect new strains before they become widespread , the CDC said . Other cases emerged through routine and expanded surveillance . At this point , the ability for the human influenza vaccine to protect against this new swine flu strain is unknown , and studies are ongoing , she said . There is no danger from contracting the virus from eating pork products , Schuchat said . The new virus has genes from North American swine and avian influenza , human influenza and swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe , said Nancy Cox , chief of the CDC 's Influenza Division . Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza , according to the CDC . It does not normally inflect humans , but cases have occurred among people , especially those who have had direct exposure to pigs . There have also been cases in the past of one person spreading swine flu to other people , the CDC said . In 1988 , in an apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin , there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had contact with the patient , the CDC said . Person-to-person transmission is believed to occur in a manner similar to the spread of the influenza virus : through infected people coughing and sneezing , the CDC said . People may contract swine flu by touching something with viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose . From December 2005 to February 2009 , 12 cases of human infection with swine flu were documented . Symptoms of swine flu in humans are expected to resemble regular human seasonal influenza symptoms , including fever , lethargy , lack of appetite , and coughing , the CDC said . Other reported symptoms include runny nose , sore throat , nausea , vomiting and diarrhea . The new strain of swine flu has been resistant to the antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine , but has responded to the other licensed options : oseltamivir and zanamivir . The CDC is working closely with health officials in California and Texas to learn more about the virus . The agency expects to find more cases , Schuchat said . If swine flu can mutate to spread between humans , what does this mean for avian flu ? Because of the virus subtype , it is less likely that avian flu would become transmissible from person to person , but still possible , said Dr. William Short at the division of infectious diseases at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . The news is not cause for widespread panic , but people at risk -- those who live in or have traveled to the areas where patients live , or have been in contact with pigs -- should watch out for symptoms and get tested if they occur , Short said . The three criteria for a pandemic are a new virus to which everybody is susceptible , the ability to spread from person to person readily , and wide geographic spread , said Dr. Jay Steinberg , infectious disease specialist at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta , Georgia . The new strain of swine flu only meets one of these criteria : its novelty . On the other hand , bird flu meets two of the criteria : novelty and geographic spread . If history is any indication , flu pandemics tend to occur once every 20 years or so , meaning we 're actually due for one , he said . However , it is not likely to be the swine flu , he said . `` I can say with 100 percent confidence that a pandemic of a new flu strain will spread in humans , '' Steinberg said . `` What I ca n't say is when it will occur . '' | CDC : Five cases found in California , two found in Texas . All seven patients have recovered . Symptoms of swine flu in humans are expected to resemble human influenza . Vaccine against human flu is not expected to work against swine flu . | [[387, 419], [935, 1002], [2344, 2451], [2727, 2888], [1355, 1368], [1371, 1470]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Editor 's note : Watch Tarantino talking about the making of `` Pulp Fiction '' on The Screening Room podcast . To receive regular movie podcasts subscribe here . Quentin Tarantino 's first trip to Sundance was n't exactly a success . Tarantino 's hyper-violent , super cool debut feature `` Reservoir Dogs '' scorched audiences and critics alike when it came out in 1992 . `` If you do this in real life , they 're going to fire your ass , '' scolded cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt , veteran of films like `` Lethal Weapon '' and `` Charlie Wilson 's War . '' The novice filmmaker was participating in a directors ' workshop at the Sundance Institute -- the film trust founded by Robert Redford which also runs the Sundance Film Festival . Unfortunately , Tarantino 's mentors were just not feeling his experimental approach . The following week , a new group of mentors arrived , including ex-Monty Python member and filmmaker Terry Gilliam . Tarantino and his editor steeled themselves for the inevitable disapproval : `` Then Terry Gilliam comes in and goes ` Oh , your scene . Just great ! ' '' recalls the director . He is talking at the Cannes Film Festival Cinema Masterclass , following in the illustrious footsteps of directors like Wong Kar Wai , Sydney Pollack and Martin Scorsese . `` It was just like , you know what , that 's gon na be my career . People are gon na either really like me or they 're really not and just get f *** ing used to it 'cause this is the deal , '' Tarantino says . A second visit to Sundance in 1992 proved more fruitful . His debut feature , `` Reservoir Dogs , '' a sassy , hyper-violent gangster movie , was the hit of the year . French film critic and regular on the European film festival circuit , Michel Ciment still remembers the effect it had on him when it showed at Cannes later that year : `` It was a big shock . I remember it was the most striking new American film since ` Mean Streets ' 30 years before . '' Despite the impact of his droll , assured debut , Tarantino recalls being convinced he was going to get fired in the first two weeks of production . `` I just thought it was too good to be true . I could n't help but think something like ` they do n't let people like me make movies , ' '' he says , laughing . Follow-up movie `` Pulp Fiction '' was awarded the coveted Palm D'Or at Cannes two years later , cementing his reputation as a movie-maker to be reckoned with . It was filled with the dark humor and bloody violence that would become known as Tarantino trademarks . The B-movie-obsessed director admits to getting a kick out of creating humor in inappropriate situations . `` I 'm trying to get you to laugh at things you 've never laughed at before , '' he explains . He cites his `` bigtime '' influences as movie brats like Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma , as well as Sergio Leone and Howard Hawks . In person , he is a great raconteur and his expletive-littered speech is not a million miles away from the dialogue that 's so central to his movies . `` I tend to think of myself as more of a novelist who makes movies than a director per se , '' he declares . But he dismisses his apparent love of language as a product of writing for acting classes : `` I started writing as an actor and it was all about dialogue and writing scenes to do . '' Before moving into directing , Tarantino studied acting for six years and says learning to act for the camera gave him an insight into how directors put a movie together -- frame by frame . That was what really taught him how to write for the movies . `` All of a sudden I started seeing -LSB- film -RSB- in a whole different way . When you start doing that , then it 's only a few short steps until you start composing shots of your own , '' he explains . Tarantino has shown himself to be one of the most music-savvy directors of this generation with his use of songs like `` Little Green Bag '' by the George Baker Selection in the opening sequence of `` Reservoir Dogs '' and Nancy Sinatra 's `` Bang Bang -LRB- My Baby Shot Me Down -RRB- '' in `` Kill Bill Vol . 1 . '' He , not immodestly , puts that skill down to his great music collection . `` The thing is , I have one of the best soundtrack collections in America , '' he boasts . That probably accounts for his scathing determination never to use film composers : `` I do n't trust any composers to do it . I would just never give anybody that kind of responsibility , '' he says , `` Who the f *** is this guy coming in here , throwing their s *** all over my movie ? '' And he admits that his inner film buff enjoys the cornerstones of action cinema that some of his later movies have explored . `` I love action scenes , but they are hard , and in a way that 's what 's fun about them . These cool little puzzles . To me , action scenes are some of the most cinematic moments that you can do in film , '' he says . `` Kill Bill Vol . One '' and `` Kill Bill Vol . Two , '' starring Tarantino muse and Hollywood A-lister Uma Thurman , are his movie-geek nod to the kung fu genre . When he started filming `` Vol . One , '' Tarantino had n't made a film for six years and with typical chutzpah challenged himself to choreograph astonishingly intricate fight scenes . `` If I throw my hat in the ring with the greatest action directors who ever lived ... I wan na be as good as them , '' he asserts . He continues to work his way through his action movie checklist . In his latest movie , `` Death Proof , '' a homage to sleazy 70s B-movies that stars Kurt Russell as a murderous stuntman , he puts his own spin on another of action film 's fundamentals -- the car chase . Tarantino is critical of CGI being used so much in film today . All the seat-grippingly tense stunts in `` Death Proof '' are real and he specifically cast a stuntwoman , Zoe Bell , in one of the leading roles to achieve this . It may have been ambitious , but `` Death Proof , '' which is one half of `` Grindhouse , '' a B-movie-referencing double bill he made with fellow director Robert Rodriguez , got a critical mauling and did n't fare much better at the box office . But then Tarantino has long been resigned to people either loving or hating his movies . | `` Reservoir Dogs '' and `` Kill Bill '' director Quentin Tarantino talks about his films . Tarantino realised early in his career audiences would either love or hate his films . The movie geek 's second film `` Pulp Fiction '' won the Palm D'Or at Cannes . On his style : `` I 'm trying to get you to laugh at things you 've never laughed at before '' | [[1402, 1482], [6181, 6265], [2315, 2321], [2322, 2349], [2315, 2332], [2339, 2409], [2690, 2731]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Hey , Hey It 's Esther Blueburger '' is the latest comic creation to emerge from the Australian film market . Guy Pearce , Hugo Weaving and Terence Stamp star in the camp classic `` The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert . '' An unabashed celebration of girlishness , the coming-of-age movie tells the story of Esther , a bespectacled and awkward teen . Looked down on as nerd at her posh private school , Esther -LRB- played by newcomer Danielle Catanzariti -RRB- reinvents herself after befriending Sunni , an older girl who goes to the local public school . Bearing a passing resemblance to the runaway U.S. indie hit `` Juno '' , `` Esther Blueburger '' could well go on to imitate some of the worldwide success of its hipper American cousin . If the film is to do well , its kitschness can surely only work to its advantage . After all , many of the Australian comedies that have found success with an international audience have relied on more than just a smattering of camp . Oddly , from a country that brought the world `` Mad Max '' and Russell Crowe , many of the biggest comic hits fly in the face of the conventional stereotypes of Australian culture as straight-talking and macho . For every `` Crocodile Dundee '' , in other words , there is a `` Priscilla , Queen of the Desert '' , riding triumphantly over the horizon ready to unsettle the manhood and steal the laughs into the bargain . It was Paul Hogan 's comic creation Mick `` Crocodile '' Dundee , the laidback survivalist from the outback that first put Australian comic films on the map over 20 years ago . The first `` Crocodile Dundee '' film was released in 1986 to huge commercial success worldwide -- it was the highest grossing film internationally that year -- spawned two sequels and was credited with boosting the Australian tourist industry . A lot of the laughs in the film come from the depiction of Mick Dundee -LRB- played by Hogan -RRB- as an unreconstructed , Aussie bloke struggling to come to terms with modern metropolitan life when he leaves small town Australia to visit New York . In one scene , for example , Dundee 's reaction to meeting a cross-dresser on the streets of the Big Apple is to grab the man 's crotch to verify his gender . Crocodile Dundee 's comic book version of Australian identity may have worked well in the movie theaters , but it was viewed by many critics as hackneyed and out of touch with the reality of modern Australia . The arrival of the writer and director Baz Luhrmann in the early '90s seemed to breath fresh life into Australian film . The stunning critical and financial success of his debut feature , `` Strictly Ballroom '' in 1992 heralded a string of breakout hits that were n't afraid to show their feminine side . The story of a young ballroom dancer who flouts convention and risks the ire of the judges by dancing his own moves , `` Strictly Ballroom '' provoked a bidding war at the Cannes Film Festival after it won the Prix de Jeunesse award . Alongside a realistic portrayal of Australian small town life , there is a warm-hearted send up of the peculiar world of ballroom dancing . From the sequined costumes to the Cyndi Lauper soundtrack , the movie is also saturated in campness and kitsch . The benchmark set by Luhrmann , whose 2001 stellar musical feature `` Moulin Rouge ! '' was also defiantly camp , was matched by `` The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert '' in 1994 and by `` Muriel 's Wedding '' to a lesser extent the same year . `` Priscilla '' in particular created a huge stir when it was first released . Starring the venerable British actor Terence Stamp , Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving , it is the story of three drag queens driving across the outback from Sydney to Alice Springs in a large bus they have named Priscilla . It has gone on to be regarded as a camp classic -- though perhaps not in South Korea , where it was reportedly banned for fear it might encourage homosexuality . Less overtly camp than `` Priscilla '' , `` Muriel 's Wedding '' celebrates the lighter side of femininity . The story of a socially awkward ` ugly duckling ' whose daydreams of a glamorous white wedding are soundtracked by Abba music , the film was a surprise hit globally and launched the Hollywood career of Toni Collette -- who has a role in `` Esther Blueburger '' . Muriel -LRB- played by Collette -RRB- tramps around in leopard skin inviting bitchy comments from her crass friends until she eventually plucks up the courage to head to the city . Like `` Strictly Ballroom '' , it exposes the mean-spiritedness that can blight small town life -- in this case the small town in question is the kitschy fictional coastal setting of Porpoise Spit . As well as their camp credentials , one thing these films share in common is a reluctance to slip into stereotyped depictions of Australians . Questions of national identity are explored with more subtlety through a range of characters , and the image of the Aussie bloke immortalised in the character of Mick Dundee is made to look a dated simplification . Still , this onslaught of camp sometimes proves too much , even for some of the films ' characters . As Bernadette -LRB- played by Stamp -RRB- tells her fellow drag queens at one point in `` Priscilla '' : `` I 'll join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people , talking about wigs , dresses , bust sizes , penises , drugs , night clubs , and bloody Abba ! '' To which Weaving 's character Tick snaps back : `` Does n't give us much to talk about then , does it ? '' | `` Hey , Hey It 's Esther Blueburger '' is the latest comedy film to come out of Australia . Like many successful Australian comedies it relies on a high dose of kitsch . Films like `` Strictly Ballroom '' have subverted the macho Aussie stereotype . `` The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert '' caused a storm on its release . | [[0, 6], [45, 148], [0, 6], [45, 148], [3179, 3236], [3239, 3291], [3551, 3629]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nneka and Chimezie Ononaku unwittingly poisoned their own four-month-old son Chinonso . A television image of Chinonso Ononaku , who died after being given the medicine `` My Pikin . '' Giving him what they thought was a baby teething medicine , they were in fact dosing him with anti-freeze . The bottle had been contaminated with a toxic chemical called diethylene glycol . More than 30 Nigerian children are thought to have died recently after taking the medicine . Nneka is angry . `` It 's not easy carrying a pregnancy for nine months , -LSB- and -RSB- after that getting a drug from a pharmacy to kill your own child , '' she says . When Nigeria 's Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control -LRB- NAFDAC -RRB- tested the medicine , `` My Pikin , '' the results were terrifying . It found the medicine contained almost 90ml of diethylene glycol per 100ml . `` It 's a bottle of poison , '' the NAFDAC laboratory said . The `` My Pikin '' factory 's managing director and eight others have been charged with negligence . The company could not be reached for comment . Nigeria is on the frontline in the global fight against counterfeit drugs . Undercover NAFDAC officers have taken to the streets in order to combat unregistered and often harmful drugs . Hawkers are charged with selling counterfeit drugs and forced to pay a fine . Watch more on the poisonings '' NAFDAC claims most of the counterfeit drugs come from India and China . And it 's big business -- America 's Centre for Medicines in the Public Interest predicts counterfeit drug sales will reach $ 75 billion in 2010 . NAFDAC 's director-general Dora Akunyili warns counterfeiting is not just a Nigerian problem . `` These criminals are cooperating , so we too need to cooperate if we can face them . Not only in Nigeria but internationally , because drug counterfeiting involves a trans-national criminal network and can only be dismantled through international co-operation . '' | More than 30 Nigerian children have died after being given poisoned medicine . Nigeria is on the frontline in the global fight against counterfeit drugs . Counterfeit drug sales predicted to reach $ 75 billion in 2010 . | [[411, 503], [411, 441], [476, 503], [1118, 1193], [1487, 1490], [1513, 1599], [1568, 1633]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of the most destructive moments in Chinese history is bringing together -- at least temporarily -- this vast nation of more than a billion people , made up of disparate ethnic groups stretching across five time zones . Thousands chant `` China , keep moving '' during a rally in Chengdu 's Tianfu Square . When millions of Chinese paused for three minutes of silence Monday , they personified the surge in patriotism and charity that has swept this country since a massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake leveled large sections of Sichuan province in southwestern China . Moments after the observance ended , chants of `` Go , China , Go ! '' broke out in Tiananmen Square , where a Chinese military crackdown in 1989 left hundreds dead . Sentiments have changed since the days of the anti-government protests . `` As Chinese we must be united , '' said a student . `` We Chinese can do it ! '' Some of Monday 's demonstrators waved Chinese flags while others hoisted banners with slogans like `` Rebuild Sichuan ! '' iReport.com : Thousands rally in Chengdu . Horrific scenes of death and devastation -- covered heavily by the local media -- have triggered a surge of patriotism and charity . `` When one is in trouble , '' the Chinese say , `` help comes from all directions . '' In Beijing , Chinese officials , entertainers , athletes and artists attended a marathon concert , giving donations and calling on the public to give more . The benefit concert raised more than 1.51 billion yuan , or $ 216 million . More donations are pouring in through other channels . Watch report on how quake has united Chinese '' As of Sunday , Chinese nationals had donated more than 4.9 billion yuan -LRB- $ 700 million -RRB- in cash and goods for earthquake relief , according to China 's Ministry of Civil Affairs . Live on Chinese TV , local businesses pledged to give money and build free housing for victims -- an unusual display of civic charity . As of last Saturday , Chinese enterprises had donated more than 3.5 billion yuan -LRB- $ 501 million -RRB- in cash and relief goods . `` Traditionally the Chinese people do n't share as much with strangers . They share a great deal among friends and family , but not with strangers , '' according to China analyst Zhang Daxing . At The Bookworm , a Beijing bookstore , residents drop off relief goods that are promptly shipped to disaster areas . `` My guess would be about 350 boxes , which include kid 's clothes , adult clothes , a lot of sleeping bags , tents , dried food , shoes , that type of stuff , '' said store owner Alex Pearson . Students in the Chinese capital have even taken to the street to collect donations . `` Although we can not go to Sichuan to save them , we can still help them with donated money , '' one student said . Analysts say this unprecedented display of charity is partly in response to the quick action already taken by Chinese officials to the emergency . The Chinese media have repeatedly shown Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao comforting survivors . Many believe this has inspired Chinese residents to do what they can to help . Meantime , a new image of China is emerging around the world . `` The earthquake changed China 's international image from an oppressor or an authoritarian government to a victim of natural disaster and human tragedy , '' said Wenfang Tang , professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh . The Chinese , at least for now , are more united as a people and more charitable , as citizens pull together in the wake of a massive earthquake . CNN 's Sherisse Pham contributed to this report . | Destructive moment in Chinese history has helped bring people together . Chants of `` Go , China , Go ! '' broke out after silence tribute to dead on Monday Sentiments have changed since the days of the anti-government protests . | [[1622, 1649], [3531, 3591], [258, 273], [285, 344], [604, 638], [641, 704], [771, 843]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pulitzer Prize winners for 2009 were announced Monday , with The New York Times capturing five of the awards . Writer Jon Meacham won a Pulitzer Prize in biography for `` American Lion : Andrew Jackson in the White House . '' The Times garnered wins in the categories of breaking news reporting , investigative reporting , international reporting , criticism and feature photography . In the international reporting category , The Times won for its reporting on the battles in Afghanistan and Pakistan . In the arts , `` Olive Kitteridge '' by Elizabeth Strout won for fiction , `` Slavery by Another Name : The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II '' by Douglas A. Blackmon won in the general nonfiction category , and `` American Lion : Andrew Jackson in the White House '' by Jon Meacham won for the category of biography . Among the winners in journalism categories were the Las Vegas -LRB- Nevada -RRB- Sun for public service , the San Diego -LRB- California -RRB- Union-Tribune 's Steve Breen for editorial cartooning and columnist Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post for commentary . For the first time , all 14 Pulitzer journalism categories were open for competition from news organizations that publish only on the Internet . Entirely online entries were previously permitted in only two categories : breaking news coverage and breaking news photography . Since 2006 , online content from newspaper Web sites had been permitted in all Pulitzer journalism categories , but online-only newspapers were not allowed to submit entries . Despite the opportunity , there were no winners from online only news sites . Web sites for print magazines and broadcast outlets are not eligible to enter , said Sig Gissler , administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes . Amy Mitchell , deputy director for the Pew Research Center 's Project for Excellence in Journalism , said that allowing online-only publications to apply for the prestigious award is recognition of the growing importance of online media . `` Much of -LSB- media -RSB- comes from traditional press , but a lot is coming from non-traditional press as well , and that needs to be recognized along with what 's being produced in traditional media , '' she said . `` We 've clearly hit a point now where we 've seen the audience migration to the Web accelerate . '' Mitchell said a survey of online journalists conducted by the Project for Excellence in Journalism found some concerns about the possibility of online reporting changing the fundamental values of journalism . Those surveyed cited issues like a focus on speed and loss of accuracy as possible issues that could arise with journalism on the Web . But with those concerns , Mitchell said , comes the opportunity to tell stories in a multidimensional way . `` We see some tremendous reporting that could not exist in former modes of communication , '' she said , observing that media platforms such as text , photo galleries and video can not only be connected but be used to connect journalists to Internet users and Internet users to each other . `` Those are tremendous changes , '' she said . Robert M. Steele , the Eugene S. Pulliam Distinguished Visiting Professor of Journalism at DePauw University in Indiana , said the core values of accuracy and fairness have to be honored , no matter the method of reporting . Still , Steele said , further opening the Pulitzer Prizes to online publications `` gives further weight to the role that digital journalism plays in this era . '' `` In some ways , it 's increased legitimacy for new forms of delivering journalism , '' Steele said . `` It also heightens the discussion about the distinction between basic information and substantive journalism . Just because somebody throws something online does n't mean it is journalism . '' David Plotz , editor of Slate , said his site did not apply for the Pulitzers despite what he believes was his publication 's exceptional political , technology and business coverage . `` We are not a hard-news site , and we do n't do the kinds of stories and projects that have traditionally been awarded , '' Plotz said . Plotz said the recognition for online journalism is more than warranted . `` It 's an overdue acknowledgement that some of the best journalism in the world and in America is being created not for print publication but for places that live entirely on the Web , '' he said . `` There 's so much of it that does n't ever get into a print publication and yet is as important to shaping the debate and to changing how people think about things as to anything you might read in one of our great newspapers or magazines . '' Pulitzer Prizes for journalism were also awarded to the following : Bettina Boxall and Julie Cart of the Los Angeles -LRB- California -RRB- Times for explanatory reporting ; the Detroit -LRB- Michigan -RRB- Free Press Staff , and notably Jim Schaefer and M.L. Elrick and Ryan Gabrielson and Paul Giblin of the East Valley -LRB- Arizona -RRB- Tribune for local reporting ; and the staff of the St. Petersburg -LRB- Florida -RRB- Times for national reporting . Also receiving awards were Lane DeGregory of the St. Petersburg Times for feature writing ; Mark Mahoney of The Glens Falls -LRB- New York -RRB- Post-Star for editorial writing ; and Patrick Farrell of The Miami -LRB- Florida -RRB- Herald for breaking news photography . In the arts , `` Ruined '' by Lynn Nottage won for drama ; `` The Hemingses of Monticello : An American Family '' by Annette Gordon-Reed won for history ; `` The Shadow of Sirius '' by W.S. Merwin won the poetry category ; `` Double Sextet '' by Steve Reich won for music . | Prizes were awarded Monday for excellence in journalism and the arts . For first time , online-only news sites could compete . Slate editor : overdue acknowledgement of quality Web-based journalism . | [[4700, 4765], [4181, 4254], [4192, 4254], [4256, 4409]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The 2002 World Cup tournament was the first one held in Asia and was instrumental in bringing the world 's attention to the continent 's footballing talents . Michael Chopra was the first player of Indian parentage to play and score in the English Premier League . It was seen as Asia 's chance to show the rest of the world what it had to offer on the pitch and with South Korea reaching the last four of the tournament , the rest of the world was impressed . However , since then few footballers of Asian origin have made an impact outside of the Asian Federation Cup -LRB- AFC -RRB- -- the largest league in terms of area and population . A new initiative , spearheaded by Chelsea FC , has been launched in the UK to search for talented youngsters from backgrounds not commonly found among today 's top footballers such as India and Pakistan . See a gallery of the best Asian players . Chelsea have teamed up with the Football Association -LRB- FA -RRB- , anti-racism campaigners Kick It Out and the Asian Media Group for the The Search for an Asian Star event to be held in May at Chelsea 's training ground in Stamford Bridge , London . The search is aimed at players in the under 12 , 13 and 14 age groups and is open to players based in London and the south-east of England who hail from Indian , Pakistani , Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi backgrounds . `` We realize there is a lack of representation of players from Asian backgrounds within the game and we hope that the competition will help inspire Asian youngsters , '' former Chelsea and England full-back Graeme Le Saux told thefa.com . `` We want to show that race is no barrier to joining our club and that opportunities for Asian players do exist . It is important all clubs share our ambition that players should only be judged on their talent and their potential . '' | A new initiative is launched to find the Asian football stars of the future . Players aged 12 to 14 will be put through their paces by Chelsea FC staff . English football currently boasts very few players of Asian descent . | [[1393, 1490]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Scientist and author Stephen Hawking is `` very ill '' and has been hospitalized , according to Cambridge University , where he is a professor . Stephen Hawking in Pasadena , California , in March . Cambridge University said the 67-year-old is `` comfortable '' and will stay overnight at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge . Hawking , one of the world 's most famous physicists , is also a cosmologist , astronomer , and mathematician . Wheelchair-bound Hawking is perhaps most famous for `` A Brief History of Time , '' which explored the origins of the universe in layman 's terms . The book is considered a modern classic . Hawking has Lou Gehrig 's Disease -LRB- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis , or ALS -RRB- , which is usually fatal after three years . Hawking has survived for more than 40 years since his diagnosis . On his Web site , Hawking has written about living with ALS . `` I try to lead as normal a life as possible , and not think about my condition , or regret the things it prevents me from doing , which are not that many , '' he wrote . He added : `` I have been lucky , that my condition has progressed more slowly than is often the case . But it shows that one need not lose hope . '' The disease has left him paralyzed -- he is able to move only a few fingers on one hand . Hawking is completely dependent on others or technology for virtually everything -- bathing , dressing , eating , even speech . He uses a speech synthesizer with an American accent . Hawking has been married and divorced twice . In 2004 , police completed an investigation into accusations by Hawking 's daughter that his second wife was abusing him . Authorities said they found no proof . His Web site says he has three children and one grandchild . Hawking was born in Oxford , England , on what turned out to be an auspicious date : January 8 , 1942 -- the 300th anniversary of the death of astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei . A Cambridge University spokesman told CNN : `` Professor Hawking is very ill and has been taken by ambulance to Addenbrookes Hospital , Cambridge . '' Professor Peter Haynes , head of the university 's department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics , said : `` Professor Hawking is a remarkable colleague , we all hope he will be amongst us again soon . '' At Cambridge , he holds the position of Lucasian Professor Mathematics -- the prestigious post held from 1669 to 1702 by Sir Isaac Newton . Hawking has guest-starred , as himself , on Star Trek : The Next Generation and The Simpsons . He also said if he had the choice of meeting Newton or Marilyn Monroe , his choice would be Marilyn . In October , CNN 's Becky Anderson interviewed Hawking . The following are some quotes from that interview : . `` Over the last twenty years , observations have to a large extent confirmed the picture I painted in ' A Brief History of Time . ' The one major development that was not anticipated was the discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating now , rather than slowing down ... We live in the most probable of all possible worlds . '' CNN 's Jennifer Pifer contributed to this report . | Physicist Stephen Hawking hospitalized Monday in `` very ill '' condition . 67-year-old suffers from degenerative condition known as Lou Gehrig 's Disease . Hawking is considered by many to be world 's greatest living scientist . | [[2019, 2048]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fifteen first ladies from African nations will attend a two-day summit in Los Angeles on health , women 's issues and HIV/AIDS , organizers said Friday . Actors Billy Zane and Sharon Stone , with Ted Alemayhu and Jean Stephane Biatcha , help announce the summit . The conference , which begins Monday , is organized by U.S. Doctors for Africa -LRB- USDFA -RRB- and African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering , a nonprofit organization formed by 22 first ladies from Africa . Sponsors include the RAND Corporation , General Electric , the World Health Organization and others . `` Empowering Africa 's first ladies is an innovative approach to bettering the lives of millions of Africans , '' USDFA Chairman Ted Alemayhu said in a written statement . `` The summit will pair these leaders with U.S. experts , key political figures and important organizations to create ongoing partnerships . '' The event will include a summit , a gala and a private party . Expected attendees include the first ladies of Angola , Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Cape Verde , Central African Republic , Kenya , Lesotho , Mozambique , Namibia , Niger , Nigeria , Sierra Leone , Tanzania , Swaziland and Zambia . Maria Shriver , the wife of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , will give opening remarks , according to a USDFA statement . Other celebrities expected to attend include Maria Bello , Diane Lane , Jessica Alba , Sharon Stone , Blair Underwood , Joely Fisher , Kristin Davis and Camryn Manheim , USDFA told CNN . Grammy award-winning singer Natalie Cole will perform at the gala , the organization said . | Two-day meeting begins Monday in Los Angeles ; will include gala , private party . U.S. Doctors for Africa , African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering set up event . USDFA chairman : Summit will pair first ladies with experts , key groups , politicians . Maria Shriver , Jessica Alba , Blair Underwood , Natalie Cole , other celebrities to attend . | [[0, 11], [14, 40], [70, 139], [308, 322], [331, 344], [938, 1000], [308, 324], [338, 451], [795, 849], [852, 934], [1360, 1527]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday amid tensions between the two countries about U.S. military incursions into Pakistan 's tribal areas . Adm. Michael Mullen will meet with Pakistan 's new prime minister and its military chief . Adm. Michael Mullen will meet with Pakistan 's newly elected prime minister , Yousaf Raza Gilani , and Pakistan 's military chief , Gen. Parvez Kayani , Mullen 's office said . Relations between the United States and Pakistan have been tense since the U.S. military sent ground forces into Pakistan 's tribal regions earlier this month without Islamabad 's permission . The incident prompted the Pakistani government to summon the U.S. ambassador to voice its disapproval , as well as deliver a `` demarche '' -LRB- a diplomatic petition or protest -RRB- through its ambassador in Washington . Last week , Kayani announced no foreign forces will be allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan in light of the `` reckless '' U.S. military ground operation . Kayani said Pakistan 's `` territorial integrity ... will be defended at all cost and no external force is allowed to conduct operations ... inside Pakistan . '' His announcement came amid media reports that several months ago , President Bush authorized U.S. special forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without first seeking Islamabad 's permission . Meanwhile , a suicide attack late Tuesday evening in the restive area of Swat killed three soldiers and wounded six others , the Pakistani military told CNN . Pakistan army spokesman Major Murad Khan said the driver of the suicide car bomb tried to ram the gate of a military checkpoint at a school in the Swat District . Troops shot from the check-post before the attacker reached his target , Khan said . The car exploded , and militants shot back as they ran away . The incident happened at a time when Muslims break their fasts in the month of Ramadhan . Swat militants loyal to banned religious leader Maulana Fazlullah have claimed responsibility for the attack , according to the military . The suicide attacker in the car was killed . A few others were also believed to have been killed or injured , but Khan said there were no confirmed numbers because it was dark and the militants removed the bodies of their dead and wounded . The explosion occurred at the Tutano Bandai school of Tehsil Kabal in Swat District in the North West Frontier Province . A military spokesman offer no additional details . CNN 's Jamie McIntyre and Zein Basravi contributed to this report . | Adm. Michael Mullen to meet with Pakistan 's new prime minister and military chief . Relations between U.S. and Pakistan tense since U.S. raid in Pakistani tribal region . Suicide attack kills 3 soldiers , wounds 6 others in Pakistan region of Swat . | [[221, 311], [312, 441], [12, 36], [87, 220], [489, 681], [1439, 1448], [1451, 1538], [1451, 1516], [1543, 1561], [2182, 2194], [2237, 2244]] |
Editor 's note : Dan Buettner is the best-selling author of `` The Blue Zones : Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who 've Lived the Longest . '' Watch Buettner 's reports from Greece all week on `` AC360 ° '' Greek-American Yiannis Karimalis , 73 , lives in Ikaria nearly 40 years after a diagnosis of stomach cancer . Ikaria , GREECE -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1970 , when doctors diagnosed Greek-American Yiannis Karimalis with stomach cancer and only gave him a few months to live , he decided to move back to Ikaria , his birth island . There , he reasoned , he could be buried more inexpensively among his fellow Greeks . But when he moved back to the island he did n't die . He has lived nearly 40 years more . And when he returned to America on a recent visit , he discovered that his doctors were all dead . The people on this 99-square-mile Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea smugly tell this story as yet another example of what they 've always known and scientists are now discovering : People in Ikaria live longer than in just about any other place in the world . A recent study of 90-year-old siblings , conducted by the National Hellenic Research Foundation , discovered 10 times more 90-year-old brothers and sisters here than the European average . Why is this important ? Most scientists agree that the average human should live to age 90 . -LRB- You have to have won the genetic lottery to live to 100 . -RRB- But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says life expectancy in America is 78 . Somewhere along the line , we 're losing about a dozen years -- most of them to costly and potentially preventable chronic diseases such as heart attacks , diabetes and cancer . These diseases are dragging down our health care system and account for much of the reason why the National Institute on Aging says the average American suffers about three disabled end-of-life years during which they incur 90 percent of our lifelong health care costs . Ikarians are avoiding these diseases and reaching age 90 at a rate of about four times the rate that Americans do . They are getting the good years we 're missing , dying quickly and less expensively . For the next two weeks , I 'm leading `` The Blue Zones '' expedition , an AARP and National Geographic sponsored team of the world 's best demographers , physicians , medical researchers and media specialists , to explore Ikarian longevity . We already have a few clues . Since at least the sixth century B.C. , Icaria was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans as a health destination -- largely for its hot springs believed to relieve pain , joint problems and skin ailments . Our team has reviewed reports of high levels of radon in these baths and will be exploring a theory that chronic exposure to low-level radiation may help protect DNA against the ravages of aging . For much of the ensuing two millenniums , people here lived in relative isolation . The people here evolved a unique diet that we believe is a more heart-protective version of the Mediterranean diet . We 're doing pharmacological analyses of dozens of herbal teas and unique honey produced by bees that draw pollen of thyme , fir and erica . We think we 'll find anti-cancer , anti-oxidant and probiotic properties in these locally produced products . We also know that people here have a vastly different character than the rest of the Mediterranean . They have volcanic tempers that quickly subside . Despite living on harsh , steep terrain , they 're known for relentless optimism and three-day parties . They do n't get stressed by deadlines . They go to bed well after midnight , sleep late and take naps . Anecdotally , we know that most people over 90 are sexually active . Do these people possess the true secret to longevity ? We 're not sure yet , but we 'll certainly distill a few clues about living longer , better . Ikarian wisdom may not help you live to 100 . But at least they may help you outlive your doctor . Follow and vote to direct Dan 's expedition at aarp.org/bluezones . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dan Buettner . | Yiannis Karimalis moved back to Greece in 1970 after learning he had months to live . Karimalis returned recently to the U.S. to find all his doctors had died . Karimalis ' home -- Greek island Ikaria -- boasts among longest life expectancies . Team of experts are exploring Ikarian longevity . | [[336, 342], [452, 486], [720, 769], [772, 818], [1005, 1083], [2390, 2420]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Sri Lankan army launched an operation against Tamil rebels in the country 's north early Monday , the military said , claiming to have rescued thousands of civilians trapped in a government safe zone . The Sri Lankan army has relaunched its attacks on Tamil rebels in the country 's north . A rebel Web site , TamilNet , said government forces were engaged in a fresh ground offensive . A TamilNet correspondent in Vanni reported heavy shelling , rocket fire and gunfire . Thirty civilians died in shelling Sunday , rebels said . The government of Sri Lanka has been battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam -LRB- LTTE -RRB- rebels in a civil conflict that has lasted nearly 25 years . `` Thousands of civilians who had been forcibly held by the LTTE terrorists in the government declared No Fire Zone -LRB- NFZ -RRB- were rescued early hours this morning , 20 April , as the troops engaged in a massive scale rescue mission , were able to open a safe passage for the civilians , '' the Ministry of Defense Web site said . More than 10,000 civilians are trying to seek refuge with soldiers , the military said . The upsurge in hostilities follows a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year . The U.S. State Department on Thursday called for a cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to allow civilians to escape the fighting . `` We call upon the government and military of Sri Lanka , and the Tamil Tigers , to immediately stop hostilities until the more than 140,000 civilians in the conflict area are safely out , '' acting spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement . `` Both sides must immediately return to a humanitarian pause and both must respect the right of free movement of those civilian men , women and children trapped by the fighting . '' Watch the heavy toll of fighting on civilians '' A brief cessation of hostilities announced by the Sri Lankan government on April 12 allowed the United Nations and its partners to bring in aid , but a renewed government offensive has left civilians trapped in a war zone . U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his humanitarian chief John Holmes called the brief halt in fighting inadequate and have pushed for a longer humanitarian pause in fighting . The most pressing concern now , according to Holmes , is the fact that more than 100,000 people are crowded in a `` very small pocket of land '' that is about five square miles , or about twice the size of New York 's Central Park . `` It is a very small area indeed for what we believe is a very large number of people , '' Holmes told reporters Wednesday . Overcrowding is also a problem in camps housing displaced people , according to the United Nations Children 's Fund -LRB- UNICEF -RRB- . As of Monday , some 65,000 displaced people were crammed into camps in Vavuniya , Jaffna and Mannar , with 35,000 more expected to arrive within 48 hours , the organization said in a statement . ' UNICEF said it feared for children trapped in the escalating fighting and is worried that the worst is yet to come . The group appealed for donations to help cover `` the most immediate needs of the affected population in health and nutrition , water and sanitation , protection and education . '' The crowded population , primarily comprised of Tamil civilians , is subject to the continuing Sri Lankan government assaults . The British and French foreign ministers released a joint statement as well on Wednesday , saying that the Tamil Tigers are using Tamil civilians as human shields . The Tigers have been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries , including the United States and the European Union . As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the conflict officially began in 1983 . The International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday that it has helped evacuate more than 10,000 sick and injured patients , and their caregivers , from Putumattalan in rebel-held territory since February . `` These evacuations have saved many lives , '' said Morven Murchinson , the Red Cross medical coordinator in Sri Lanka . `` It is vital that they continue , because more sick and wounded people are arriving every day at the makeshift medical facilities in Putumattalan . '' The Red Cross says there 's an acute shortage of medical supplies in the region , which it is trying to rectify . | NEW : Fears voiced by UNICEF for children trapped in the escalating fighting . Upsurge in hostilities follows cessation for New Year . U.N. humanitarian chief : Large number of people crowded in very small area . Tamil Tigers , Sri Lanka government locked in conflict lasting nearly 25 years . | [[2972, 3078], [1139, 1240], [2350, 2423], [553, 678], [659, 678], [684, 712]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal immigration board rejected an emergency appeal Friday for a stay of deportation filed by the lawyer for Nazi war crimes suspect John Demjanjuk . John Demjanjuk , shown at his 1993 Israel acquittal , is sought by Germany for alleged killings at a Nazi camp . The decision by the Department of Justice 's Board of Immigration Appeals in Falls Church , Virginia , clears the way for Demjanjuk 's deportation to Germany , where he is being sought for his alleged involvement during World War II in killings at Sobibor , a Nazi death camp in Poland . The deportation of Demjanjuk would close a chapter in one of the longest-running pursuits of an alleged Holocaust perpetrator in history , while also paving the way for an extraordinary German war crimes trial . Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement are now free to pick up Demjanjuk at any point and take him into custody for transport to Germany , a board official said . The appeals board rejected Demjanjuk 's emergency stay request because it concluded `` there is little likelihood of success that his pending motion to re-open the case will be granted , '' according to board officials . The pending motion argues that a deportation of Demjanjuk , 89 , to Germany would constitute torture . `` In the four years since his deportation was -LSB- initially -RSB- ordered , his health has seriously deteriorated , '' Demjanjuk 's attorney , John Broadley , told CNN in a recent telephone interview . Broadley said Demjanjuk suffers from pre-leukemia , kidney problems , spinal problems and `` a couple of types of gout . '' The board , however , has already signaled that argument will be rejected . Demjanjuk may make an additional expedited appeal for an emergency stay to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals , though his chances of getting the board 's ruling overturned are believed to be slim , according to Justice Department officials . Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center found irony in Broadley 's argument for his client . `` He wants to plead the sense of fairness that he regularly denied all of the victims at Sobibor , '' Hier said . Hier called Demjanjuk 's comparison of his planned deportation to torture `` preposterous coming from a person that served the -LSB- Nazi organization -RSB- S.S. in a death camp . It is a preposterous argument and insulting to the survivors of the Holocaust . '' Hier said that 250,000 Jews were killed at the camp , and that none of the guards who worked there was blameless . `` You were there for one job : kill the Jews , '' he said . `` And that 's what they did full-time . '' He called the evidence against Demjanjuk `` overwhelming . '' German authorities issued an arrest warrant for Demjanjuk on March 10 , accusing him of being an accessory to 29,000 counts of murder as a guard at the death camp from March to September 1943 . They studied an identification card provided by the U.S. Office of Special Investigations , and concluded it was genuine , before issuing the warrant . Demjanjuk , a retired autoworker living in Cleveland , Ohio , has been fighting charges of Nazi war crimes for more than two decades . He was previously extradited from the United States to Israel , where he was convicted in 1986 of being `` Ivan the Terrible , '' a guard at the notorious Treblinka extermination camp . The conviction was overturned by Israeli courts on appeal , and he returned to the United States . The United States filed new charges against him in 1999 , again alleging that he had been a concentration camp guard . He was stripped of U.S. citizenship and has been awaiting deportation since 2005 , despite fighting his case all the way to the Supreme Court . Demjanjuk , a Ukrainian , says he fought in the Soviet army and later was a prisoner of war held by the Germans . CNN 's Terry Frieden contributed to this report . | Ukrainian-born John Demjanjuk loses an appeal to avoid deportation . German authorities seek him for alleged involvement in Nazi camp killings . The retired autoworker denies all allegations . Demjanjuk , 89 , lives with his wife in Cleveland , Ohio . | [[0, 15], [47, 108], [174, 188], [228, 286], [447, 542], [2693, 2711], [2765, 2886]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea is to blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Friday . Hyun Hak-Bong -LRB- right -RRB- , North Korea 's deputy negotiator to six-party talks , crosses the border into South Korea on June 5 . The destruction of the plant 's cooling tower is part of an agreement with the United States aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula in exchange for loosening some restrictions on the highly secretive Communist country . The North Korean government has invited news organizations , including CNN , to witness the event . Earlier this year , Pyongyang agreed to disable its nuclear reactor and provide a full accounting of its plutonium stockpile , `` acknowledge '' concerns about its proliferation activities and its uranium enrichment activity , and agree to continue cooperation with a verification process to ensure no further activities are taking place . North Korea has been taking Yongbyon 's main reactor apart , but imploding the cooling tower is an exceptionally important psychological step given that the highly recognizable shape of the structure is synonymous with nuclear power plants . The United Nations ' nuclear watchdog , the International Atomic Energy Agency , says it would take a year to rebuild if North Korea decided to go back on its agreement , and that the construction could not be done in secret . Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended U.S. diplomacy toward North Korea last week , saying the deal with Pyongyang made Asia and the U.S. safer . Speaking at the Heritage Foundation , a conservative Washington think tank , Rice said that `` North Korea will soon give its declaration of nuclear programs to China . '' China is the host of the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea 's nuclear program , along with Russia , South Korea , Japan and the United States . Rice spoke in advance of her upcoming trip to Asia where she will be attending a meeting of G8 foreign ministers and meeting with her Asian counterparts . Rice said once North Korea submits its declaration , President Bush will notify Congress he intends to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and scrap some sanctions levied against North Korea because of nuclear concerns . But she noted that there would be no practical effect to loosening the restrictions because North Korea still was under the same sanctions because of other areas of U.S. law . Rice said a 45-day review would then begin to see if North Korea is telling the truth and living up to its end of the deal struck in the six-party talks . `` Before those actions go into effect , we would continue to assess the level of North Korean cooperation in helping to verify the accuracy and completeness of its declaration , '' she said . `` And if that cooperation is insufficient , we will respond accordingly . '' The United States softened its demand that North Korea publicly admit to having a highly enriched uranium program and to providing Syria with nuclear technology , key unanswered questions that have left negotiations stalled for months . North Korea has already handed over about 18,000 documents on its nuclear past to the U.S. , which the U.S. says are critical to verify North Korea 's claims . Rice said that the deal with North Korea was n't perfect but offered the U.S. the best chance to learn about North Korea 's nuclear history . `` We must keep the broader goal in mind : the elimination of North Korea 's nuclear weapons and programs , all of them , '' she said . `` North Korea has said that it is committed to this goal . We 'll see . '' Rice said that `` no final agreement can be concluded '' unless the U.S. verifies North Korea 's claims . CNN State Department Correspondent Elise Labott contributed to this report . | North Korea plans to destroy nuclear plant 's cooling tower . Implosion is part of an agreement with the United States . U.N. says the cooling tower would take a year to rebuild . Long-term aim is to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons . | [[30, 124], [261, 353], [1169, 1206], [1250, 1337], [336, 398]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Al Qaeda 's branch in Yemen has claimed responsibility for Friday 's suicide bombing attack on a building housing Yemeni security forces . Al Qaeda in Yemen have claimed that Ahmed bin Said bin Omar al-Mashjari , right , carried out Friday 's attack . `` This attack was carried out in revenge for our brothers whose blood is on the hands of the infidel Yemeni forces , '' according to an e-mailed statement that included a photo of the alleged suicide attacker . The photo identifies the attacker as Ahmed bin Said bin Omar al-Mashjari -- also known as Abu Dajjana al-Hadarmi -- from Yemen 's Hadramout governate where the attack took place . He is standing next to another man whose face is covered in front of a black-and-white banner . Both men have weapons slung across their shoulders ; guns and ammunition belts are also pictured beneath the banner in the background . Al-Mashjari is wearing a black and white head covering , but his face is visible . The e-mailed statement was dated July 25 , the day of the attack , but it was distributed and posted online on Sunday . According to Yemen 's state-run news agency SABA , a suicide car bomber crashed the white 2003 KIA into the gates of the security camp in the southern city of Sayoun on Friday , prompting guards to open fire on the attacker . The SABA report gave no details on casualties . Yemen 's Interior Ministry said four people were killed and 12 were injured , but the Yemen Post , an English-language newspaper that covers events in Yemen , put the number at 10 dead and about a dozen wounded . Hadramout 's governor Saleh al-Khanbashi described the bombing as a criminal terrorist act , and threatened to track down and bring to justice those responsible , SABA reported . CNN Senior Arab Affairs Editor Octavia Nasr contributed to this report . | NEW : Web site shows photo of alleged suicide attacker along with statement . Al Qaeda 's Yemen branch claims responsibility for suicide bombing attack . Car bomb exploded at a building housing security forces Friday in southern city . Sources in the country put the death toll from blast between 4 and 10 . | [[402, 409], [410, 463], [405, 426], [432, 482], [0, 15], [41, 157], [158, 270], [0, 15], [41, 157], [1149, 1273], [1372, 1447], [1454, 1468], [1531, 1584]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- Spike Lee 's last film , the gratifyingly tense and tricky `` Inside Man , '' was celebrated -- rightly -- for the way that Lee finally jumped , feet first , into the studio-genre-movie game . Director Spike Lee poses for a shot during the filming of `` Miracle at St. Anna '' in Rome , Italy . He cooked up a gourmet-popcorn heist thriller and stamped every moment with his personality . Lee , until now , has never made a movie -- good or bad -- that was n't unmistakably his . His latest , `` Miracle at St. Anna , '' is the first Hollywood feature to tell the story of the African-American soldiers who fought in the U.S. armed forces during World War II , and as such it 's a movie with a monumental mission . Unfortunately , that 's more or less the only monumental thing about it . `` Miracle '' is n't powerful , it 's muddled and diffuse , and the disappointment of the film begins with what a hard time I had finding Spike Lee in it . Based on a 2002 novel by James McBride , who also wrote the screenplay , the movie has a drifting , scattershot structure and no real organizing tone or style -LRB- if you wondered what Lee 's frozen-figure-on-receding-background shots might look like in a wartime setting , then keep wondering -RRB- . The bizarrely contrived framing device is set in the 1980s , when a postal worker named Hector Negron -LRB- Laz Alonso -RRB- mutters in anger at an old John Wayne war flick on TV , then shoots and kills a man who shows up to buy stamps . -LRB- He surely has his reasons , but does he really get away with stashing a loaded Luger under his post-office window each day ? -RRB- Watch Spike Lee talk about the film '' After his arrest , Hector wo n't talk , but a reporter finds a clue in the form of a priceless artifact hidden in his apartment : the head of a statue that once adorned a bridge in Florence that was wrecked by bombs during World War II . From this labored and gimmicky setup , the film flashes back to the itch and fear of battle , as Hector , along with other members of the all-black 92nd Infantry Division and its '' Buffalo Soldiers , '' stalks the Tuscan countryside . It 's September 1944 , and as they try to cross the Serchio River , the men are ambushed . The sequence has thunderous explosions , jittery editing , blown-up bodies -- everything but the virtuosity of staging that might have made the chaos and carnage revelatory instead of just a Saving Private Ryan rehash . Four members of the division end up stranded behind enemy lines , all but abandoned by a racist commander . In addition to Negron , there 's Staff Sgt. Aubrey Stamps -LRB- Derek Luke -RRB- , a college-educated stoic devoted to his service ; Sgt. Bishop Cummings -LRB- Michael Ealy -RRB- , furious at the world and a loose cannon , with no loyalty to the country he 's fighting for ; and Pvt. Sam Train -LRB- Omar Benson Miller -RRB- , a starry-eyed oversize simpleton who rescues , and befriends , an Italian urchin -LRB- Matteo Sciabordi -RRB- . The dramatic focal point , if you can call it that , is the war of wills between Stamps and Cummings . These two play out a version of the assimilate-versus-agitate debate that has echoed through many decades of African - American life , though this one would be more convincing if Ealy , a dynamic actor , had been asked to project his anger more in period , with a little less proto-gangsta recklessness . The men arrive at a picturesque village , where they mingle with the locals and Stamps and Cummings stoke their rivalry over Renata -LRB- Valentina Cervi -RRB- , a married woman who is lovely in a saintly way . The film then veers into an endless , murky subplot about the Italian resistance from which it never recovers . `` Miracle at St. Anna '' wants to do too many things at once to do any of them with much verve . It aspires to be a war epic , but it 's dominated less by combat than by flat , meandering talk . It wants to salute the flesh-and-blood valor of the Buffalo Soldiers , but these unsung heroes are treated as such impersonally symbolic and stiff-jointed types that their heroism shines only faintly . The movie tries to be raw and real , yet it is n't above trotting out a tyke who might have stepped out of Cinema Paradiso II to tag along with the soldiers as a mascot of sentiment . There are vile Nazis on hand -- and also a nice Nazi who does a really good deed . `` Miracle at St. Anna '' winds up as a pastiche of racial-historical correction , showboat atrocity , murder mystery , love story , and windy meditation . Is it any wonder that it 's less than the sum of its ambitious parts ? As odd as it may sound to say about a war film , though , the real trouble with `` Miracle '' is that Lee 's filmmaking is joyless . EW Grade : C - . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Spike Lee 's film tells story of African-American soldiers during World War II . `` Miracle '' is n't powerful but muddled and diffuse , reviewer writes . Movie based on a 2002 novel by James McBride who also wrote screenplay . Reviewer : `` Real trouble with ` Miracle ' is that Lee 's filmmaking is joyless '' | [[609, 638], [643, 694], [825, 854], [857, 882], [1054, 1145], [981, 1019], [1006, 1019], [1031, 1051], [4755, 4785]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The women hockey players gathered at the center of the rink and prayed . Tears wet their cheeks and most held hands . Then they lit 10 candles , the number on the jersey of the missing teammate , the one with the huge smile and even bigger heart , who died in last week 's plane crash . Madeline Loftus , 24 , was killed aboard Flight 3407 . She was returning to Buffalo for a reunion hockey game . Madeline Loftus , known as Maddy , was one of 49 people to die aboard Continental Connection Flight 3407 last Thursday . She was returning to Buffalo State College to play in a reunion hockey game on Saturday , to meet up with her old classmates to play the game she loved so dearly . `` She popped into my head every time I got back to the bench , '' said former teammate Emma Wadsworth . Breaking down in tears , she said the game was filled with sadness because `` Maddy was n't here . '' She described Loftus as an `` awesome teammate , a beautiful person always smiling , and always upbeat , and ready to cheer you up if you were having a bad day . '' Watch a promising life cut short '' `` She was just amazing , '' Wadsworth said . Her teammates said they decided to play the game out , because Loftus would 've wanted them to play on . Loftus ' No. 10 jersey hung from the bench near her friends and former players . `` It 's a really hard time for her teammates , for her friends , for her family , '' said teammate Janelle Junior . Loftus , 24 , of Parsippany , New Jersey , played two seasons at Buffalo State from 2002 to 2004 before transferring to St. Mary 's University in Minnesota after her sophomore year . At St. Mary 's , she was a marketing major who starred on the hockey team from 2004 to 2006 . While there , Loftus helped form the Cardinal Athletic Council , a student-athlete outreach program to help with community service projects . `` Madeline was an important part of the university and athletic communities . Our thoughts and prayers now turn to Madeline 's family , friends and teammates as they cope with this sudden loss , '' St. Mary 's athletic director Nikki Fennern said in a statement . `` Maddy was the first senior to graduate from my program . She will always hold a special place in my heart , '' said Terry Mannor , St. Mary 's women 's hockey coach . `` Everyone who knew her will remember someone full of life and compassion . She was loved by everyone and will be greatly missed . '' Officials in Buffalo have said that it may take several days before all the bodies are recovered from the crash site , as investigators work through freezing temperatures and piles of wreckage . See photos of the crash site '' About 1,000 people gathered at a church in western New York Monday to remember the crash victims . The community memorialized the 50 victims , with religious leaders from Christian , Jewish , Muslim and Hindu communities offering words of sympathy to the community . `` We 've gathered today because western New York has entered a season of grieving , '' said Pastor Karl Eastlack of the Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church . Each speaker emphasized that everyone in the community is connected by the tragedy . One leader said we `` gather in our common desire to console one another . '' All 49 passengers and crew members aboard the 74-seat turboprop were killed when the plane crashed into a home in Clarence Center , New York , on Thursday night . A 61-year-old man in the house was also killed . While investigators try to piece together the cause of the crash , portraits of those who died aboard the flight have emerged : . • Alison Des Forges spent four years in Rwanda documenting the 1994 genocide and had testified about that atrocity and the current situation in central Africa before U.N. and congressional panels . • Beverly Eckert was the widow of Sean Rooney , who died in the World Trade Center in the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 . After Sean 's death , Eckert co-founded Voices of September 11 , an advocacy group for survivors of the attacks and families of those killed . • Gerry Niewood was traveling with jazz guitarist Coleman Mellett for a show with musician Chuck Mangione and the Buffalo Philharmonic at Kleinhans Music Hall . • Co-pilot Rebecca Shaw 's father said she loved to fly and `` could n't believe she 'd get paid '' when she took the job . Learn more about the victims . On the ice rink in Buffalo Saturday , Loftus ' friends played with a heavy heart . This would have been her first time on the ice with her former Buffalo State teammates since her playing days . Jessica Aykroyd said she had spoken with Loftus right before she left for the airport . `` The last thing I have is : Ca n't wait to see you , '' Aykroyd said . Lindsay Welch said simply , `` Her friends and hockey is what she was all about . '' So passionate about hockey , Loftus was the first female to play on the boys ' team in high school . In college , when she was n't playing , she worked as a student assistant for the ice rink . `` She was a great student , she was a great hockey player and just a great person . Everybody loved being around her , '' said rink manager Jim Fowler . Those who knew her in Minnesota agreed . `` Her classmates were always eager to work with her on projects , '' said Thomas Marpe , dean of St. Mary 's School of Business . `` Maddy was enthusiastic about life and especially about women 's hockey . '' CNN 's Ines Ferre contributed to this report . | Madeline Loftus was a beloved student , hockey player who died aboard Flight 3407 . The 24-year-old was returning to Buffalo to play in a collegiate reunion game . Her former teammates played the game Saturday with a heavy heart . `` She popped into my head every time I got back to the bench , '' former teammate says . | [[306, 321], [324, 326], [329, 360], [361, 417], [539, 626], [539, 542], [629, 680], [1344, 1388], [4391, 4426], [4429, 4473], [706, 764], [767, 807]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California Sunday-school teacher accused of killing a young girl may have abducted another child , police said . Melissa Huckaby is charged with killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu , who was a friend of her own daughter . Melissa Huckaby , 28 , was arrested earlier this month and charged with killing and raping 8-year-old Sandra Cantu , who was taken from a mobile home park in Tracy , California . Police said Huckaby was named in a January police report about the four-hour disappearance of a 7-year-old girl from the same mobile home park , CNN affiliate KOVR reported . After Huckaby returned the girl , the girl had to be taken to a hospital because she was under the influence of a strong muscle relaxant . Watch Nancy Grace for details '' Police were called to the mobile home park after the girl 's mother reported her missing , according to KOVR . Police discovered that the girl was at a park with Huckaby . Huckaby said she had permission to take the girl , but the girl 's family disputed that claim . About five hours after the girl was returned to her family , they discovered that she was under the influence of the drug . `` Her speech was slurred . She could barely walk . She could barely stand , '' the girl 's older sister told KOVR . Police could not prove that Huckaby had drugged the girl and no arrest was made then . On April 11 , Huckaby was arrested and charged with killing and raping Sandra Cantu . Huckaby -- a Sunday-school teacher who lives in the same mobile home park as Sandra 's family -- has been charged with murder , kidnapping , the performance of a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 14 , and rape by instrument . If convicted , she would face the death penalty or life in prison without parole , authorities said . | NEW : Melissa Huckaby named in police report on January missing girl case . Huckaby charged in slaying of 8-year-old neighbor . She faces special circumstances including kidnap , rape by instrument . Decision on whether to seek the death penalty will come later . | [[418, 560], [19, 85], [134, 197], [239, 254], [298, 353]] |
BOSTON , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friends and acquaintances of Philip Markoff , a medical student accused of killing a woman he may have met through a Craigslist online ad , described the 23-year-old as a model student . Medical student Philip Markoff , 23 , appears in court Tuesday in Boston , Massachusetts . `` My girlfriend actually rode the elevator with him a lot alone ; it 's kind of freaking her out now , '' said Patrick Sullivan , who lived in the same apartment building as Markoff in Quincy , Massachusetts , a Boston suburb . `` She thought he was kind of the all-American , good-looking guy , '' Sullivan said . `` When she saw him on TV yesterday , she even remarked , ' I ca n't believe it 's him . I always thought he had such a great smile , and he was so nice to me . ' '' James Kehoe , a friend of Markoff 's from the State University of New York at Albany , where both attended college , said Markoff was `` one of the best students I 've probably ever encountered . '' `` He would never put anything in front of his work , '' he said . `` He had great aspirations to be a doctor . '' Markoff , a second-year student at Boston University 's School of Medicine , is charged with killing 26-year-old Julissa Brisman of New York on April 14 at Boston 's Copley Marriott Hotel . Watch acquaintances describe a smart , good-looking guy '' Markoff was arraigned Tuesday and is being held without bail . His attorney , John Salsberg , told reporters after the hearing that Markoff is `` not guilty of the charges . He has his family 's support . I have not received any document or report or piece of evidence other than what I heard in the courtroom . All I have at the moment are words -- no proof of anything . '' A Boston University spokeswoman said the school suspended Markoff , who has no criminal record , when it learned of the charges on Monday . `` This was a brutal , vicious crime . Savage , '' Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley told reporters . `` And it shows that Philip Markoff is a man who 's willing to take advantage of women -- to hurt them , to beat them , to rob them . '' A procedural not-guilty plea was entered on Markoff 's behalf , Conley said . Evidence from the scene suggests that Brisman `` put up a fight , '' prosecutor Jennifer Hickman said during the hearing Tuesday . Police have said that Brisman , a model , advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist , a popular online classifieds service . She suffered blunt head trauma , Hickman said , and was shot three times at close range . One of the bullets passed through her heart , killing her , she said . Markoff is also charged in connection with the April 10 robbery of a woman at a Westin Hotel in Boston . In that case , the woman made arrangements to meet a man through Craigslist for a massage at the hotel , but was held at gunpoint and bound , Hickman said . She was robbed of $ 800 and personal items and left tied to a door handle with duct tape over her mouth , the prosecutor said in court Tuesday . The victim was not identified . Megan McAllister , who identified herself as Markoff 's fiancee , maintained his innocence in an e-mail sent to ABC News . McAllister said Markoff `` is the wrong man '' and `` was set up . '' `` Unfortunately , you were given wrong information as was the public , '' she wrote . `` All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly ! '' She accused Boston police of `` trying to make big bucks by selling this false story to the TV stations . What else is new ?? '' Authorities believe the motive in Brisman 's death was robbery , Conley told reporters . In executing a search warrant at Markoff 's home , police found a firearm , along with restraints and duct tape , he said . Surveillance videos from the hotel where Brisman was killed showed a tall , clean-cut young blond man in a black windbreaker leaving the property , according to Boston police , who had sought public assistance in identifying the man . Police traced the Internet communications with Brisman to an e-mail account that had been opened the day before her death , Conley said . Using Internet provider information , they found the computer was at Markoff 's residence in Quincy . Authorities put the home under surveillance , Conley said , and `` the case just begins to build from there . '' Markoff , meanwhile , is `` bearing up , '' Salsberg said . `` It 's obviously a difficult time for anybody in these circumstances with the charges that have been brought against him . ... He 's pleaded not guilty . He is not guilty . '' Authorities in Boston are working with police in Warwick , Rhode Island , on what could be a related case . On April 16 at a Holiday Inn Express in Warwick , a man tied up and demanded money from a 26-year-old dancer who had posted a Craigslist advertisement , Warwick Police Chief Col. Stephen McCartney said . The robbery was interrupted when the woman 's husband entered the room . After pointing his gun at the husband , the suspect fled , McCartney said . He said the incident `` may be related to similar crimes occurring in the Boston area , '' but that had not been determined . Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster told CNN the company is `` horrified and deeply saddened that our community services have been associated in any way whatsoever with a crime of violence . '' He promised that Craigslist will evaluate the incident to see whether additional measures could be introduced to protect users . CNN 's Mary Snow and Randi Kaye contributed to this report . | Procedural not-guilty plea entered in Craigslist slaying case . Suspect Philip Markoff has been suspended from Boston University med school . Evidence suggests that victim Julissa Brisman `` put up a fight , '' prosecutor says . Markoff also charged in connection with an April 10 robbery . | [[2133, 2194], [4568, 4594], [1741, 1806], [1778, 1806], [1813, 1835], [2211, 2274], [2625, 2729]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police officers responsible for protecting the British royal family handled firearms when drunk , traded pornography and steroids and sat on Queen Elizabeth II 's throne in comical poses , it has been alleged in a London court . The former royal protection officer was responsible for security at Buckingham Palace . The allegations were made Tuesday by John Cooper , the lawyer for former royal protection officer Paul Page , who is accused of defrauding colleagues and friends to fund a life of luxury , The British Press Association reported . According to PA , the claims were made during a lengthy cross-examination of Adam McGregor , a colleague of Page who left service at London 's Buckingham Palace in 2005 , who has accused the former officer of `` conning '' him out of thousands of dollars . At one point Cooper `` suggested '' there had been a procedure among armed officers at the palace whereby one officer on duty would sleep while the others kept watch for their superior . McGregor denied any knowledge of this and all other allegations of wrongdoing among his colleagues at the iconic Royal residence . However , when pressed further he did admit to sitting on one of the thrones , but did not recall doing any `` comical poses . '' The court also heard that officers protecting the royals lost more than # 250,000 -LRB- $ 365,800 -RRB- to a spread betting venture called `` The Currency Club , '' one of a number of apparently successful sidelines Page allegedly set up to clear spiraling debts , PA said . According to the BBC , Page extracted around # 3 million -LRB- $ 4.4 million -RRB- from some 57 lenders or investors . Cooper suggested that McGregor had been `` one of those police officers '' using mobile patrols to deliver cash to other police officers based in Royal Protection who were involved in financial matters . The accusation was again denied by McGregor . He instead claimed he had been `` totally sucked in '' by Page . `` I was totally sucked in by Paul he is a very charismatic person , '' he said , before adding that he had acted `` very naively and very stupidly '' in some of his dealings with his former colleague . The prosecution claimed much of the money was promptly laundered by Page 's wife before being gambled away , as Page himself hid his dishonesty behind a '' veneer of credibility '' fueled by a fleet of expensive cars and claims he was a highly `` adept '' property developer and market speculator , PA said . Father of five Page , 37 , from Essex in south-east England , has denied five charges -- two of fraudulent trading , one of intimidation , threatening to take revenge and making a threat to kill between January 1 , 2003 and March 30 , 2007 . His wife Laura , 42 , denied `` being concerned in an arrangement facilitating dealings with criminal property , '' intimidation and threatening to kill . | Paul and Laura Page accused of defrauding colleagues to fund a life of luxury . Page 's lawyer suggested other royal officers were involved in wrongdoing . Prosecution : Page 's colleagues lost $ 365,800 to a spread betting scam . Royal Protection service responsible for security of Britain 's Royal family . | [[419, 462], [467, 514], [515, 539], [1288, 1297], [1303, 1419], [36, 42], [52, 103]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Italian international star Filippo Inzaghi scored a hat-trick as AC Milan went second in Serie A with a 5-1 win over Torino in the San Siro on Sunday . Beckham and Mathieu Flamini take part in an unusual goal celebration in the San Siro . The legendary goalscorer has now put away nine in the last six matches but it was his combination with England international David Beckham which electrified the Milan fans . Beckham , who had sat out the last two games because of a shoulder injury , set up Inzaghi for his opening two goals in the 13th and 37th minutes from a corner and a clever chip , both headed home . After the interval , Inzaghi completed his hat-trick on the hour mark before Kaka added a penalty for the fourth . Ivan Franceschini pulled one back for Torino in the 80th minute , but Massimo Ambrosini rounded off the Milan scoring in the final minute . The win sees Milan level on points with Juventus but with a better goal difference . They trail leaders Inter by 10 points . In the battle for the fourth and final Champions League qualifying spot , AS Roma beat Lecce 3-2 with captain Francesco Totti scoring twice . Fifth-placed Fiorentina hardly helped their cause with a 3-1 defeat to Udinese , missing the chance to move a place higher after Genoa lost 1-0 at home to Lazio on Saturday . Improving Roma are now three points behind Fiorentina and five adrift of fourth-placed Genoa . Kwadwo Asamoah put Udinese ahead in the 10th minute lead and Gaetano D'Agostino doubled the lead from the penalty spot early in the second half . Dario Dainelli pulled one back for La Viola after 67 minutes but D'Agostino 's second sealed three points . | Inzaghi continues impressive scoring streak with another hat-trick . Returning Beckham supplies assists for opening two goals in San Siro . Francesco Totti scores twice as AS Roma beat Lecce 3-2 . | [[0, 15], [69, 177], [439, 446], [515, 616], [1018, 1089], [1092, 1159]] |
MARATHON , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Juan Lopez reads meters with one eye and looks for snakes with the other . Lopez is a member of the `` Python Patrol , '' a team of utility workers , wildlife officials , park rangers and police trying to keep Burmese pythons from gaining a foothold in the Florida Keys . Members of the Python Patrol show off a giant snake that stretched more than 20 feet . Officials say the pythons -- which can grow to 20 feet long and eat large animals whole -- are being ditched by pet owners in the Florida Everglades , threatening the region 's endangered species and its ecosystem . `` Right now , we have our fingers crossed that they have n't come this far yet , but if they do , we are prepared , '' Lopez said . Burmese Pythons are rarely seen in the middle Florida Keys , where Lopez works . The Nature Conservancy wants to keep it that way . Watch huge python wrap around a CNN reporter '' The Python Patrol program was started by Alison Higgins , the Nature Conservancy 's Florida Keys conservation manager . She describes it as an `` early detection , rapid response '' program made up of professionals who work outside . Eight Burmese pythons have been found in the Keys . `` If we can keep them from spreading and breeding , then we 're that much more ahead of the problem , '' Higgins said . Utility workers , wildlife officials and police officers recently attended a three-hour class about capturing the enormously large snakes . Lt. Jeffrey L. Fobb of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Venom Response Unit taught the participants how to capture pythons . `` There 's no immutable laws of snake catching . It 's what works , '' Fobb said as he demonstrated catching a snake with hooks , bags , blankets and his hands . `` We 're doing it in the Florida Keys because we have a lot to protect , '' Higgins said . `` The Burmese pythons that are coming out of the Everglades are eating a lot of our endangered species and other creatures , and we want to make sure they do n't breed here . '' Where the snakes are breeding is just north of the Keys in Everglades National Park . An estimated 30,000 Burmese pythons live in the park . The Everglades , known as the `` River of Grass , '' is a vast area with a climate perfect for these pythons to hide and breed . And breed they do : The largest clutches of eggs found in the Everglades have numbered up to 83 . The snakes grow like they 're on steroids . With a life span of 30 years , these pythons can weigh as much as 200 pounds . And the larger the snake , the bigger the prey . Biologists have found endangered wood rats , birds , bobcats and other animals in their stomachs . Two 5-foot-long alligators were found in the stomachs of Burmese pythons that were caught and necropsied , officials say . Officials also say Burmese pythons can travel 1.6 miles a day by land , and they can swim to reach areas outside the Everglades . This nonvenomous species was brought into the United States from Southeast Asia . Everglades National Park spokeswoman Linda Friar says biologists believe that well-intended pet owners are to blame for their introduction into the Everglades . `` These pets were released by owners that do not understand the threat to the ecosystem , '' she said . Higgins says 99,000 of the popular pets were brought into the United States from 1996 to 2006 , the most recent data available . She says they are an easy species to breed , and you can buy a hatchling for as little as $ 20 . The problem with these pets , Friar says , is that they get too big for their owners to handle . Making the owner aware of what to expect when the animal becomes full-grown is a priority . `` The pet trade is pretty supportive in educating people , '' Friar said . She hopes a `` Do n't let it loose '' message campaign makes an impact on pet owners . Florida Sen. Bill Nelson , a supporter of restoring the Everglades , has introduced a bill that would ban importing the python species into the United States . The senator saw the need after learning about the effect these snakes were having on the park . `` Finding out many endangered species are being found in the stomach of the python , '' Nelson spokeswoman Susie Quinn said , `` we need to do a better job at protecting the resources . '' In the meantime , Lopez and the Python Patrol will continue to protect the Florida Keys by capturing the snakes and turning them over to biologists to perform necropsies . The Nature Conservancy plans to expand the program to all the areas that surround the Everglades , making these predators their prey . `` I would like to find them and get rid of them , '' Lopez said . | `` Python Patrol '' aims to keep giant Burmese pythons from reaching Florida Keys . Pet owners have been dumping the snakes in the Everglades . Burmese pythons can grow more than 20 feet long and eat animals whole . The snakes `` are eating a lot of our endangered species , '' conservationist says . | [[214, 309], [465, 545], [3000, 3160], [3054, 3160], [3161, 3198], [310, 396], [348, 361], [367, 396], [397, 484], [397, 406], [411, 422], [461, 487], [1847, 1869], [1908, 1970], [1847, 1869], [1908, 1970], [4100, 4183]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The sagging economy is taking a bite out of federal school-meal subsidies as more students take advantage of free or low-price breakfasts and lunches , nutritionists say in a report released Thursday . About 425,000 more students are participating in the National School Lunch Program , a group reports . The School Nutrition Association surveyed more than 130 school nutrition directors from 38 states to produce its report , `` Saved by the Lunch Bell : As Economy Sinks , School Nutrition Program Participation Rises . '' The nonprofit organization said that about 425,000 more students are participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program in 2008-09 than in the previous school year . That represents an average increase of 2.5 percent from 2007-08 , the report says . These numbers hold true despite a slight decline in the number of students enrolled in public schools this school year , according to the study . More than three-quarters of the districts surveyed reported a rise in the number of students eating free meals under the U.S. Department of Agriculture program , the report says . Many of the school district employees who monitor the food programs complain that the federal subsidies fall far short of the rising costs . According to the association , the estimated average cost to prepare a school meal is $ 2.90 , but the federal reimbursement is $ 2.57 . School lunch programs are experiencing a potential loss of at least $ 4.5 million per school day , based on 30 million school lunches provided , the group says . The good news , according to association President Katie Wilson , is that `` this year , when hunger is more common , more students are able to eat a balanced , nutritious meal at school . '' Meals served under the USDA programs must meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans . For lunches , that means no more than 30 percent of calories can come from fat and fewer than 10 percent from saturated fat . | Number of students eating subsidized meals rises 2.5 percent , nonprofit says . Use of USDA programs rises even as enrollment falls , report notes . Schools complain that USDA does n't cover full cost of meals . School Nutrition Association surveyed 130 school food directors in 38 states . | [[743, 806], [827, 901], [1153, 1190], [1221, 1293], [324, 443]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mysterious deaths of 21 prized polo horses Sunday at a club in Florida provides a peek inside the private world of a sport that generally is off limits to all but the very wealthy . The Lechuza Caracas polo team may not recover from the loss of 21 ponies for years , a polo executive says . The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville and the state-run Kissimmee Diagnostic Laboratories near Orlando are conducting necropsies on the animals . Initial tests failed to reveal a cause , said Liz Compton , a representative of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services . Tissues , organ samples and blood are now being screened for toxic agents , she said . Scientists have ruled out any contagious disease because the animals died so quickly , said state Agriculture Department spokesman Mark Fagan . Authorities initially requested necropsies for only the eight horses that were insured , according to Sarah Carey , a representative of the veterinary school , which got the bodies of 15 horses . Later , the order was expanded to all 15 horses , she said . The U.S. Polo Association is among the parties cooperating in the investigation . `` In the meantime , we all mourn the loss of these horses , '' U.S. Polo Association Executive Director Peter Rizzo said in a news release . `` There are no words to describe the grief and sadness shared by everyone -- particularly the devastated owners of those magnificent horses . '' Watch what investigators are studying '' Players form strong emotional bonds with the horses they ride , said John Wash , operations president of the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington , Florida , where the horses fell ill . `` I 've heard a couple of polo players who were affected with this loss the other day , a couple of them I do n't think have left their house since Sunday night , '' Wash said . `` There were a lot of tears there -- these big , tough guys just on their hands and knees , crying over what happened . '' The U.S. Open Polo Championship that was interrupted by the tragedy will resume Wednesday with semifinal matches , Wash said . Lechuza Caracas , the team whose horses died , was offered spare mounts from other competitors so they could remain in the competition , but the devastated team chose to withdraw , Wash said . The Wellington tournament is one of the sport 's three major championships , on a par with the U.S. Open in tennis or golf . Authorities say they believe that the competition facility is safe for the other horses and that whatever killed the 21 horses entered their bodies away from the site . Fifteen of the animals fell ill shortly before they were to compete Sunday ; some died immediately and others lingered for almost an hour . Six others died overnight Sunday to Monday as they were kept in the same trailer in Wellington . Animals are not kept overnight at the competition site , so no special precautions are in place regarding food , water or bedding , Wash said . Organizers are planning a short memorial and laying of wreaths in honor of the horses , he said . Grief counselors are on hand at the facility to help employees deal with the trauma , Wash said . `` The scene can be described as almost like an airplane crash that involved not human life , but horses , '' he said . `` It was horrific . '' Polo ponies in the United States are not drug-tested , but the U.S. Polo Association has been considering taking up the practice for several years , Wash said . `` People are calling for reform , and maybe that needs to happen , but until toxicology reports come back , and autopsy reports , we do n't even know if -LSB- Sunday 's incident is -RSB- anything related to that . '' The Humane Society of the United States has no record of abuse of polo ponies , but that may be a function of the sport 's exclusive nature , society spokeswoman Holly Hazard said . `` We are learning about this , as is everyone else , '' she said . `` It may be that perhaps because it 's not televised or not as popular as other sports , it 's not something that either our constituents or our program is particularly focused on . `` But if there are either performance-enhancing drugs or some problem that is associated with this , we will investigate and we will offer a reward to bring whoever is responsible to justice . '' Keith Dane , director of the Humane Society 's equine protection program , was en route to Florida on Tuesday to interview people involved in the incident and keep an eye on the investigation , Hazard said . No evidence has been brought forth suggesting someone deliberately poisoned the animals . `` I guess everything 's possible , '' Wash said . `` I 've heard all different rumors . I do n't know if I even want to go there and think about that . '' Compton , the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services representative , said authorities have seen no evidence of criminal activity in the case . `` Clearly , law enforcement has gotten involved , given the complexity and the scope of the deaths , and they are fact-finding and gathering information , and once we have a specific cause of death , then they can determine where their investigation will go , '' she said . The devastated team , Lechuza Caracas , is one of the top teams in the world . The loss could set it back for years , Wash said . `` It 's just like baseball or basketball or football , '' he said . `` You 're taking years of grooming , training , nurturing to create , really , a first string of horses . And for four polo players , it takes anywhere from six to eight horses per polo player to play a game of polo . So if you 're taking 21 horses , they 're probably 21 of your first-string horses ... and you 've just lost every one of your best players . `` It 's not like you could just go out and buy 21 new horses and start at that point . '' Polo ponies are thoroughbreds , many of them former racehorses retrained for the game , but they cover a wide range of ages , Wash said . When they get too old to play , they are retired to pasture or stud , he said . `` A polo horse is treated quite well , '' Wash said . `` In fact , when you 're a polo horse , you might play three months here in Palm Beach , you might take three months off , you might play another three months , say , in Argentina or England , you take three months off . They 're not pushed 12 months out of the year . '' CNN 's Kim Segal and John Couwels contributed to this report . | Investigators try to determine what killed 21 polo ponies in Florida . Contagious disease ruled out ; tissue samples sent for further study . Players form close bonds with horses , club executive says . Humane Society of the United States sends official to watch investigation . | [[290, 313], [1535, 1586]] |
ROOSEVELT , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lisa Brown was caught off-guard by the offers of help that came from strangers . Lisa Brown has to move out of her rental house because it fell into foreclosure and was sold at auction . `` I 'm overwhelmed , '' she said . `` People helping people in these tough times . I never meant to solicit any help . This is incredible , really . '' Brown and her three daughters ca n't escape eviction . The family is being kicked out of a rental house because her landlord defaulted on the mortgage and the home fell into foreclosure . The house was sold at auction , and they have to move out by May 1 . She did n't seek financial help , but it came anyway . An executive from Texas named Kelvin who saw Brown 's story on CNN.com was moved by her `` unfortunate situation '' and wanted to help . He sent a check for $ 400 . A New York man named Dave offered financial help as well as aid planning for the future . When Brown moved into the Long Island , New York , home last summer , she loved the spaciousness she never had in an apartment . `` It was bigger than what I had lived in , '' she said . Brown was also won over by the neighborhood , with its tidy homes and good schools . `` I wanted to come here , and I wanted to see my kids graduate from this school district . '' The bad news came just seven months after she moved in . A real estate broker came to the door and handed her an eviction notice , telling her she had to vacate . `` I was hysterical . I was like , ` What do you mean ? ' '' Watch Lisa Brown talk about why she has to move '' The broker explained that the landlord no longer owned the property and the lease was no longer valid . Brown had no idea the house was in foreclosure . As a tenant , she always paid her rent on time , and she assumed the mortgage was being paid . `` I did n't see there was a problem , '' she said . `` You know , I 'm paying rent , and she 's putting it toward her mortgage . '' Brown was astonished to learn that her landlord , who lives upstairs , rented the house when she knew that she was losing it . `` She knew that this house was foreclosing on her . She did nothing about it , '' Brown said . `` Nothing except take my money . '' Brown had been paying $ 1,900 a month in rent . She had also paid $ 5,700 for a security deposit and broker fees to secure the house . That money , she said , is gone . `` She will not give me my deposit back . Nothing . '' CNN tried to reach the owner for comment about the security fee , but no one answered the door , and the phone is disconnected . The broker who rented Brown the house and who was paid $ 1,900 said he did n't know that the house was in foreclosure . He also said the brokerage fee will not be returned . Dave , who lives on Long Island and who also read Brown 's story on CNN.com , was perplexed that none of the fees were being refunded . To help recoup her losses , Dave offered help and sent a check for $ 5,000 . Helping with Brown 's immediate needs was not enough for Dave , a financial adviser who wanted to do something for her future . `` He offered me a retirement plan , '' Brown said . `` He came to my job , gave me his business card and said , ' I want you to get into this plan ; I will help you with this . ' '' Dave met Brown over coffee and set her up with a retirement account , something the 42-year-old said she has never had . He will make monthly contributions of $ 500 for 10 consecutive months to get her started . But Brown still has one problem : She has to move out . She has no legal right to stay . The bank that foreclosed on the house and owns it has offered her $ 1,000 to vacate . Brown 's problem is not unique . Nearly 20 percent of all foreclosures are on rental properties , and tenants ' rights in such situations are minimal , according to the Center for Housing Policy , a nonprofit organization that researches housing issues . In most states , when a bank forecloses on a landlord , the tenant has no guarantee of being allowed to stay in the property , and neither the bank nor the landlord has a legal obligation to tell the tenant about the foreclosure . So while the owners know what is going on , renters are usually kept in the dark . New York state Sen. Jeff Klein is aware that renters can run into problems . `` In many instances , they 're actually paying their rent on time , and the owner of the property who is in foreclosure is pocketing the money , '' he said . Klein said that 50 percent of all foreclosures in New York involve rental properties , and he is working on a law to warn tenants of foreclosure proceedings ahead of time , to keep them from losing their security deposits and being evicted with nowhere to go . Similar laws are in place in California , Illinois , Maryland , Michigan , Minnesota , Ohio and Rhode Island . `` What we 're facing here , '' Klein said , `` it 's sort of the new homeless population unless we do something about it . '' His legislation is scheduled for a vote next week . Responding to the outpouring of help Brown has received , Klein said , `` It 's great support for the Brown family , but that 's why we need legislation for innocent , hardworking people like Lisa to protect them from reaching the point of desperation . People who play by the rules should not be penalized for the misdeeds and malice of others . '' Brown hopes to relocate in the same area so her daughters can stay in the schools they love and be near their friends . A caseworker for the Children 's Aid Society , which administers the New York Times Neediest Cases Fund for the victims of the subprime mortgage crisis , saw Brown 's story on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' They are now in contact so the fund can help cover moving and transitional expenses . Brown may have to adjust some of her dreams , but she is optimistic . She said the one thing she has seen through this experience is `` the goodness of the human spirit is alive , and that 's encouraging . '' | Lisa Brown is being evicted because landlord defaulted on mortgage . A CNN viewer from Texas sent Brown $ 400 . Another man gave her $ 5,000 and set up her retirement account . The Children 's Aid Society offered to cover Brown 's moving expenses . | [[121, 200], [435, 567], [492, 543], [3527, 3548], [829, 856], [857, 871], [883, 946], [2921, 2969], [3281, 3285], [3312, 3319], [3323, 3348]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 47-year-old woman who became paralyzed after breaking her neck and back on a turbulent flight is developing some motion in her toes and regaining some sensation after two operations , her doctor said Wednesday . Dr. Trey Fulp , an orthopedic spine surgeon who performed the surgeries at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen , Texas , told CNN that the woman initially was paralyzed from the chest down . She underwent six hours of surgery Saturday and a more than five-hour operation late Tuesday , the surgeon said . `` She is very brave and is talking , '' Fulp said . `` If she walks again , I get the first dance . '' The woman was on Continental Flight 511 en route from Houston , Texas , to McAllen early Saturday , a one-hour trip that had been delayed more than three hours because of severe storms that barreled through the Houston area on Friday night . The woman 's attorney , Ramon Garcia , said Tuesday that his client struck her head on the bathroom ceiling when the plane suddenly dropped during turbulence . `` We have a lady who got out of her seat and went to the bathroom , '' Garcia said . `` And while either in the bathroom or coming out of the bathroom is when this situation occurred . '' The woman was stretched out on the plane 's floor for the remainder of the flight until paramedics could start treating her , the attorney said . Fulp said another physician was on the flight . When that doctor realized the woman could n't get up , he held her until the flight landed 20 minutes later . Garcia said his client , a mother of three , did not want to be identified . Continental spokeswoman Mary Clark on Tuesday confirmed that the flight -- carrying 104 passengers and five crew members -- experienced turbulence and that two passengers and a crew member were transported to a hospital in McAllen . Clark said one passenger and the crew member were released , but the other passenger remains hospitalized . `` Our focus is assisting the customer who is still in hospital and her family , '' Clark said . Seat belt lights were illuminated during the turbulence , the spokeswoman said . However , it 's not clear whether the passenger was already out of her seat when the light came on or whether she ignored the light and got up to go to the bathroom . Federal aviation authorities are investigating . The Federal Aviation Administration said it 's providing crucial flight information to the National Transportation Safety Board . CNN 's Melanie Whitley and Ekin Middleton contributed to this report . | NEW : Woman has two operations after injuries led to paralysis , surgeon says . NEW : `` She is very brave and is talking , '' surgeon says . Woman struck head on bathroom ceiling during turbulence on plane , lawyer says . Federal aviation authorities investigating flight from Houston to McAllen , Texas . | [[517, 535], [536, 542], [561, 571], [574, 581], [882, 903], [921, 989], [939, 998], [1357, 1376], [640, 709], [2298, 2346]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The home life Diana Krall shares with husband -LRB- and fellow musical brain -RRB- Elvis Costello and their 2-year-old twin boys is a little nutty . Diana Krall 's new album , `` Quiet Nights , '' was inspired by a trip she made to Brazil . `` It 's zany in the most wonderful way , '' says the 44-year-old jazz singer-pianist . `` You have two little boys leaping off the furniture who think they 're Buzz Lightyear while we 're practicing and playing . It 's just a happy house . '' Krall 's domestic bliss -- `` domestic '' being a new concept for the ever-touring artist -- is suggested in the warm , intimate vibe of her latest album `` Quiet Nights . '' `` It 's a very natural process for me , making a record . It ends up being a reflection of where I am at that time . My life is just tremendous right now . It could n't be better , '' she says . No kidding . `` Quiet Nights '' debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album charts last week , a career high for Krall . A memorable trip to Brazil in 2007 inspired the Canadian chanteuse to take her 12th album in a bossa nova direction : The title track is the English version of the bossa nova classic `` Corcovado . '' She also covers `` The Girl from Ipanema '' -- though naturally in her whispery rendition she flips `` girl '' to `` boy '' -- and gives a fresh spin on Frank Sinatra 's `` Where or When . '' Watch Krall find bliss in Brazil '' `` There was something about turning ` Where or When ' into a bossa nova that changes the feeling for me of the song , '' Krall said . `` It 's much more emotional than if I sang it in a swing feeling . I 've always experimented with that . '' Krall brought arranger and conductor Claus Ogerman on board . He was a natural , having worked with Sinatra and Brazilian singer-songwriter Antonio Carlos Jobim who wrote both `` Ipanema '' and `` Corcovado . '' And Krall co-produced the album with frequent collaborator Tommy LiPuma . `` One of the best parts of making a record is the dinner after where you all you go to the restaurant , you decompress , have some great wine and just tell stories and listen to Claus and Tommy and -LSB- engineer -RSB- Al Schmidt and all these people telling amazing stories , '' says Krall . Diana Krall recently sat down with CNN to share some stories of her own about a teenaged letter to Oscar Peterson , idolizing Harry Connick Jr. and Mickey Mouse pancakes . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : This is the first album you 've made since becoming a mother . Does it feel different somehow ? Diana Krall : I think -LSB- this album reflects my present -RSB- state of mind . It 's not about loss , it 's not preparing for loss . I 'm not peeling grapes . Life has changed a lot and it 's not just about performing and touring . It 's motherhood and having a home for the first time , because I 've always been on the road . So it 's an incredible thing to be making Mickey Mouse pancakes in the morning while you 're doing your interviews . CNN : You 've been producing Barbara Streisand 's new album . What has that been like ? Krall : Incredible . I just am so thrilled with her performance on this album . -LSB- She gives -RSB- one of the most incredible performances I think of her career on a song called `` You Must Believe in Spring '' with a great pianist from New York named Phil Charlap . It 's just piano and voice and it 's so incredibly stunning . She said to me , `` Maybe it needs some strings or something . '' I said `` Do n't touch it ! Just leave it ! It 's gorgeous ! '' It 's been great working artist to artist and we had a lot of fun . We played cards . So when there were moments in the studio where there was something technical that had to be fixed , we 'd deal the cards and we 'd play gin rummy , which I 'm lousy at . Thank goodness . CNN : This is the first album you 've produced for another artist . Way to choose somebody really small to start off with . Krall : She chose me ! I had a few phone calls and it was a little daunting , but it was a great experience and really , really intense , as you would expect it to be . CNN : Some people were a little put out by your record `` The Girl in the Other Room '' because you strayed from jazz . How did you process that reaction ? Krall : Somebody 's always put out with anything I do -LRB- laughs -RRB- . `` Why 'd you do ` The Look of Love ? ' '' `` Why do n't you do ` The Look of Love ' again ? '' I do n't know ! I 'm too busy trying to put the Lego back in the box , and making sure nobody 's eating all the Play-Doh . That record did very well and a lot of people say to me , `` That 's my favorite record . '' And I wrote -LSB- it -RSB- with my husband , so I do n't really look back . I look forward . And I 've got a pretty loyal audience . CNN : What would you say to your sons if they tell you they want to be musicians when they grow up ? Krall : They should do whatever makes them happy . This is what they know so if that 's what they choose to do -- who knows . They could be like my mom and my dad and be a teacher-librarian and a chartered accountant . That 's fine too . A month ago I found this letter I wrote to Oscar Peterson when I was 16 years old and my mom had saved it for me and put it in a box in the attic . It was a five-page letter I wrote to Oscar Peterson saying , `` Dear Oscar , I 'm 16 years old and I hear a professional musician 's life is a very difficult one but I know this is the only life I want to have . '' And it was really enlightening for me to see the focus of a 16-year-old . It reminded me of how much I love the music and always wanted to do what I 'm doing , so how lucky am I ? CNN : But it 's not all luck . Krall : I think it 's a lot of luck . I think I started in a very good time . When I went to see that film `` When Harry Met Sally , '' and I heard Harry Connick playing the piano , I though there 's somebody who 's my age and he 's playing the music that I love . And I felt like there was a kindred spirit and it inspired me to go , `` I want to do exactly what he 's doing . '' And I still owe a lot of thanks to Harry . I 've only met him like a couple of times , but he 's still a favorite artist of mine . | Diana Krall 's new album , `` Quiet Nights , '' features bossa nova interpretations . Singer-pianist is producing Barbara Streisand 's new album . She 's doing what she loves ; `` How lucky am I ? '' she says . | [[3039, 3094], [5674, 5684], [5687, 5706]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The cause of a South Carolina wildfire that has charred about 19,600 acres appears to be a yard debris fire , the head of the state 's Forestry Commission said Friday . Derek Boos sifts through the wreckage of his in-laws ' house Friday after a fire in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina . The blaze seems to have been caused by a yard debris fire in the Woodlawn subdivision , an unincorporated part of Horry County , halfway between Conway and North Myrtle Beach , South Carolina Forestry Commission Forest Protection Chief Darryl Jones said . The fire began Saturday and rekindled itself Wednesday evening , according to the Forestry Commission . Officials said about 70 homes had been destroyed in the county , which contains a stretch of popular tourist spots , including Myrtle Beach . About 100 other homes were damaged , Horry County officials said . The blaze left only charred rubble and the smoldering , skeletal remains of some houses , even as adjacent homes went untouched . The fire swallowed up pines and dry brush , sending a smoky gray smudge into the sky that could be seen for hours from miles away Thursday . `` It 's better now , but the smoke was pretty much everywhere , '' said Chavdar Pavlov , a CNN iReport contributor who lives 20 miles from where the fires raged . `` At nighttime , it was like snow in the air , but it was n't snow ; it was ashes . '' The Horry County Council 's Brent Schultz said , `` The only way to describe this is tragic . '' At a Friday morning news conference , frustrated residents who had evacuated demanded to know when they could return home , yelling at Bob Grabowski of the Horry County Council . `` I just want to go home , '' one man cried out , prompting Grabowski to pause . `` Come on , '' others said . `` That will be addressed , '' he said . `` We 'll get with you on that . '' About 2,500 people were evacuated Thursday , authorities said , and more than 400 people were in shelters . No fatalities or injuries have been reported from the blaze . Horry County said the fire was about 40 percent contained by early Friday . Watch as residents face uncertainty about their houses '' `` It 's on everybody 's mind and in everyone 's conversation , '' said the Rev. Marion Brazell , whose Conway church was serving as a shelter . `` It 's pretty flat area , so you can see the smoke from a distance . '' Brazell had not yet arrived at the church Friday , but he said he believed only Red Cross and other emergency workers were staying there . The evacuations occurred north of Conway , he said . He added good-naturedly , `` Shelters are often the last place people will go . They 'll go to hotels and motels '' that may offer rooms for free . `` I 'd rather go to a motel than sleep in my church . ... It 's much more comfortable than sleeping in a cot , '' he said . The fire has mostly kept its distance from tourist areas , and as the South Carolina officials provided updates and warnings to residents , they urged visitors to stay . `` For tourists coming here for vacation , we should have no problems taking care of our guests and visitors that are going to come to Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach , '' Grabowski said . And North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley , answering a question about tourism , said Thursday : `` People who have reservations can certainly come onto the Grand Strand area and enjoy themselves . It is not affecting the majority of golf courses ; there should be no reason that anyone is canceling their vacation . '' Hatley said she could not say if any golf courses had been damaged . `` The golf course property itself was not our first priority , '' she said . CNN 's Mike Phelan , Lisa France and Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report . | NEW : Yard debris fire may be cause of blaze in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , area . Fire about 40 percent contained early Friday in Horry County . `` I just want to go home , '' one resident yells ; nearly 2,500 evacuated . Fire has consumed about 20,000 acres , destroyed about 70 homes . | [[0, 15], [94, 121], [0, 15], [102, 126], [304, 389], [2031, 2078], [2049, 2106], [1493, 1504], [1531, 1551], [1556, 1586], [1675, 1697], [1700, 1720], [32, 57], [63, 93], [664, 726]] |
UNITED NATIONS -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than one million people in Darfur are at risk of losing food , water and shelter in coming months , following the expulsion of international aid groups by Sudan 's government , the United Nations ' chief humanitarian coordinator said Tuesday . A Doctors without Borders medic helps a sick child in a Darfur refugee camp . The statement by coordinator John Holmes comes after a joint U.N.-Sudanese assessment of the situation . The information was gathered from March 11-18 in hopes of stemming further troubles in Darfur after Sudan 's government expelled 13 international relief organizations from the wartorn region . The announcement came on the same day that President Omar al-Bashir , now an indicted war criminal , ignored the threat of arrest by traveling abroad to Eritrea . Also Tuesday , a Sudanese staffer working for a Canadian relief group was shot dead in Darfur . A full report of the assessment will be released soon , according to the U.N. , but an executive summary and recommendations were made available on Tuesday . `` While a significant effort is being made by the government , by the U.N. , by the NGOs -LSB- nongovernmental organizations -RSB- which are left , to plug some of the immediate gaps in these areas , these are at the same time , ` Band-Aid ' solutions , not long term solutions , '' Holmes said . The U.N. estimates that 1.5 million people in Darfur are dependent on healthcare support , 1.1 million need regular food aid , and another 1 million are in need of clean drinking water . The summary released Tuesday said the World Food Programme , which is still allowed to operate in Sudan , is carrying out a one-time-only distribution program in March and April , but that new partners will be needed to continue delivering food after April . After the International Criminal Court charged Bashir with war crimes and crimes against humanity on March 4 , Khartoum expelled 13 international aid agencies and revoked the permits of three organizations in the country . Bashir -- the first sitting head of state to be charged with war crimes by the court -- has continued to say that humanitarian efforts in the country should be `` Sudanized . '' `` Within a year , we do n't want to see any foreign aid group dealing with a Sudanese citizen , '' he said at a rally a week after his arrest warrant was issued . Holmes said that 13,000 to 14,000 aid workers in the region already were Sudanese nationals . Holmes said the cooperation and technical help from the Sudanese government on the assessment was a good step forward . But he called it `` only the first of many steps if the people in Darfur are not going to suffer major consequences from these expulsions . '' Sudan 's U.N. Ambassador , Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad , has repeatedly said he has information implicating the ousted organizations in activities contrary to their humanitarian missions . He has yet to make any of that information public . One claim is that some organizations acted as spies for the International Criminal Court . Holmes denied those allegations , saying they remain unfounded . `` Despite claims that there are dossiers of evidence , we have not been given any of that evidence , '' he said . `` In the absence of that , no meaningful investigation can be done . '' The British aid organization , Oxfam , one of the agencies expelled from Sudan , released a statement in response to Tuesday 's findings . `` Current stop-gap measures will only be effective for a short time , '' the statement said . `` As the rainy season arrives within the next two months , people living in weak temporary shelters , in flood-prone locations where latrines can fill and overflow , will become at extreme risk of disease and death . `` With the humanitarian capacity reduced by nearly 50 percent , responding to such emergency scenarios will be an enormous challenge for others to tackle , '' Oxfam said . | Assessment of humanitarian needs in Darfur conducted by UN and Sudan . Info collected in bid to stem further troubles after Sudan expelled 13 aid groups . Aid groups kicked out after President Omar al-Bashir indicted on war crimes by ICC . The U.N. estimates 1.1 million need regular food aid ; 1 million need drinking water . | [[361, 465], [0, 30], [139, 213], [466, 559], [466, 481], [521, 585], [566, 658], [1820, 1928], [1931, 1978], [0, 30], [139, 213], [566, 658], [1820, 1928], [1931, 1978], [1820, 1928], [1931, 1939], [1983, 2042], [1374, 1560], [1505, 1560], [1465, 1498]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.N. report says hunger is on the rise globally and blames higher food prices . Populations within conflict zones such as the Democratic Republic of Congo are particularly vulnerable . The Food and Agriculture Organization has issued preliminary estimates classifying 963 million people as undernourished -- an increase of 40 million people over the past year . `` One out of seven people -- about 15 percent -- suffer chronically of not having enough to eat , '' said Mark Smulders , an FAO economist . The hunger report -- titled `` The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2008 '' -- said the world 's financial and economic problems could throw more people into poverty . The number of hungry had been increasing over the years before the rise in food prices , with warfare and political instability continuing to be among the factors causing poverty . The preliminary estimates lack a firm country breakdown , but last year 's figures are an accurate measure of where the problems are . About 907 out of 923 million undernourished people in 2007 , or 65 percent of the hungry , live in India , China , the war-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo , Bangladesh , Indonesia , Pakistan and Ethiopia . Smulders said about 27 percent of the world 's hungry live in India and 15 percent in China . The other countries each represent 4 to 5 percent of the world 's total . There has been progress in fighting hunger in the Asian nations of Thailand and Vietnam , and in the sub-Saharan African nations of Ghana , Republic of Congo , Nigeria , Mozambique and Malawi , the report said . Food prices have declined from their peak earlier in the year , but they are staying high compared to other years , the agency said . The Food and Agriculture Organization 's food price index was 28 percent higher in October than it was two years before . `` Prices of major cereals have fallen by over 50 percent from their peaks earlier in 2008 but they remain high compared to previous years , '' the FAO said . The agency said the `` rural and urban poor , landless farmers and female-headed households are the worst hit by high food prices . '' -- CNN 's Joe Sterling contributed to this report . | U.N. agency says food prices are to blame for an increase in hunger . Food and Agriculture Organization issues estimates 963 million undernourished . It is an increase of 40 million people over the past year . | [[0, 4], [7, 28], [32, 113], [219, 320], [268, 338]] |
BOGOTA , Colombia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Colombian emergency officials have begun evacuating 800 families from an area at high risk from the expected eruption of a volcano that killed at least six people in November . Colombians make their way across a landslide in November after the Nevado del Huila volcano erupted . The Nevado del Huila volcano is on orange alert , meaning an eruption is probable within days or weeks , the Colombian Institute of Geology and Mining said last week . An eruption would cause an avalanche down the Paez and Simbola rivers , officials said . The town under evacuation , Belalcazar , sits on the bank of the Paez River about a half-mile -LRB- less than a kilometer -RRB- from the junction with the Simbola River . It was the worst-hit area in November 's eruption . The volcano 's crater holds 52 million cubic meters -LRB- 1.8 billion cubic feet -RRB- of lava , said Colombia 's Caracol Radio . That 's the equivalent of 13.8 billion gallons . The Colombian national emergency agency said Monday it is ready to evacuate thousands of residents if the volcano 's condition turns to red , which means an eruption is imminent or ongoing . The snow-capped Huila , the highest active volcano in Colombia , last erupted on November 20 . At least six people , including four children , died then . Gas and hot ash caused snow on the mountain peak to melt , sending mud , rocks and floodwater rushing down the Paez and destroying at least 20 homes and washing out five bridges , the presidential office said at the time . Much of the sparsely populated region about 155 miles -LRB- 250 kilometers -RRB- southwest of Bogota is a reservation for Nasa indigenous communities . All six fatalities were native Indians , the government said . The youngest victim was a year old . The Huila volcano , which has a summit of 17,598 feet -LRB- 5,364 meters -RRB- , has erupted four times . The first documented eruption occurred in the 1500s , then it stood silent for more than 400 years , according to the Web site volcanolive.com . Colombian emergency officials said Monday they are asking the 800 families where they want to be moved to , Caracol Radio said . Scientists with the Colombian Institute of Geology and Mining , commonly known as Ingeominas , said they did not detect any major action inside the volcano Monday , Caracol reported . Ingeominas and the National System for Emergencies are monitoring the volcano around the clock and have acquired new equipment , including additional telecommunication gear and an infrared camera to monitor Huila 's temperature . Officials also plan to install a microphone on Huila to detect any new rumblings from inside the volcano , Caracol said . Officials already are monitoring the volcano with four stations that detect seismological activity , a video camera , a communications network and a system that measures mudflow , Caracol said . | Eruption likely within days or weeks at Nevado del Huila volcano , agency warns . Colombian volcano 's eruption killed at least six people in November . Some 800 families under evacuation from high-risk area . Eruption would cause avalanche down Paez and Simbola rivers , officials say . | [[0, 6], [9, 33], [37, 167], [316, 344], [366, 418], [158, 167], [173, 213], [277, 315], [744, 795], [755, 760], [761, 795], [1261, 1306], [1309, 1320], [0, 6], [9, 33], [37, 167], [556, 572]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cell phone images are providing evidence that a large number of civilians may have been mistakenly killed by U.S. troops operating in Afghanistan last month , two NATO officials said Sunday . The grainy cell phone video shows blankets and quilts covering bodies inside a building . The Afghan government , a United Nations review and other reports from the region state that as many as 90 civilians were killed in an August 22 airstrike , but the Pentagon has adamantly disputed the death toll . Another U.S. military official , who has seen the cell phone imagery but asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media , said Monday there were about 30 bodies , some covered and some in blankets . There were `` several children who appear to be pulled from the rubble , '' he said . The grainy cell phone video , viewed by CNN , shows rows of blankets and quilts inside a building . In the video , someone lifts the blankets to show the heads of those slain . People who appear to be mourners sit by their loved ones and wail . Watch : Video prompts Pentagon probe '' Though CNN has confirmed the military is reviewing the video , CNN has not independently verified the authenticity of the imagery . The U.S. military source , who has direct knowledge of the investigation , said the initial U.S. assessment was based largely on comparisons of satellite imagery of a 10-square-kilometer area from before the attack , taken August 14 , and imagery captured after the attack , on August 24 . Officials viewing the satellite imagery looked for fresh graves after the attack and found only 18 new plots , just in the village area , he said . A U.S. patrol then went to the area August 26 . The patrol confirmed those graves but found no others , the source said . The cell phone images were recently shown to Gen. David McKiernan , the top NATO commander , who over the weekend asked for a high-level review of the previous military investigation . That probe concluded the United States was only responsible for a handful of civilian deaths . One of the NATO officials said it appears there were a number of villagers buried in the rubble that the U.S. troops did not see when they were searching the compound targeted in the airstrike . It is believed that after the U.S. troops left the compound , villagers pulled the bodies from the rubble and buried them . Locals apparently took cell phone images and showed them to U.N. investigators , who recently showed them to McKiernan , leading him to request a review . McKiernan learned of the cell phone imagery only after it was shown to him at the U.N. headquarters in Kabul a few days ago . `` In light of emerging evidence pertaining to civilian casualties in the August 22 counter-insurgency operation in the Shindand District , Herat province , I feel it is prudent to request that U.S. Central Command send a general officer to review the U.S. investigation and its findings with respect to this new evidence , '' McKiernan said Sunday in statement . `` The people of Afghanistan have our commitment to get to the truth , '' he said . Afghanistan 's government and the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan concluded that 90 civilians were killed in the August 22 airstrike in the western Afghan province of Herat . UNAMA said it found `` convincing '' evidence that 60 children , 15 women and 15 men were killed in the strike . But the initial investigation by the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan found that 30 to 35 Taliban militants and five to seven civilians were killed . The findings have been handed over to McKiernan . After the Afghan government concluded its investigation , ministers demanded a review of international troops within its borders . On August 25 , Afghanistan 's Council of Ministers called on the Defense and Foreign Affairs ministries to start negotiating a `` status of forces '' agreement with international forces -- which include U.S. and NATO troops . The council also asked that the ministries demand the international forces halt airstrikes on civilian targets , as well as house searches not coordinated with Afghan authorities and the illegal detention of civilians . That same day , Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced that he had fired two military commanders , including Gen. Jalandar Shah , the Afghan army corps ' commander for western Afghanistan . The humanitarian watchdog group Human Rights Watch released a report Monday saying that U.S. and NATO airstrikes in Afghanistan almost tripled from 2006 to 2007 , `` fueling a public backlash . '' The report added that this year , there has been a `` massive and unprecedented surge in the use of airpower '' there . Karzai has blamed U.S.-led coalition forces for failing to coordinate their attack with the Afghan army . However , coalition officials said Afghan and coalition troops called in the airstrike as they embarked on a raid to arrest a Taliban commander in Shindand . The coalition investigation found that U.S. and Afghan forces began taking fire from Taliban militants as the forces approached the target in the early hours of August 22 . `` The intensity of the enemy fire justified use of well-aimed small-arms fire and close-air support to defend the combined force , '' the coalition said in a statement released shortly after the strike . `` The type and application of fires were used in accordance with existing rules of engagement . '' Mullah Sadiq , a known Taliban commander , was among the militants killed , the coalition said . A U.S. military official , who declined to be named because the investigation is ongoing , cast doubt on reports that the strike killed civilians gathered in a room , reciting Quranic verses at 1 a.m. Regarding reports that most of the 90 deaths were children , the official said there were not 50 children in the entire village . The airstrike was on a legitimate target , he said , noting that coalition forces found a weapons cache -- including AK-47s , 4,000 rounds of ammunition and bomb-making materials -- as well as thousands of dollars in U.S. currency . Investigators also discovered `` firm evidence '' that militants had planned to attack a nearby coalition base , the coalition statement said . The airstrike disrupted the militants ' plan , the statement said . The investigating officer interviewed more than 30 people , both Afghan and American , the statement said . He also viewed video taken during the engagement , topographic photos of the area before and after , reports from ground and air personnel involved , reports from local medical clinics and hospitals , intelligence reports , and physical data and photographs collected on the site . Last week , Karzai spoke to President Bush `` in general terms '' about the incident , the White House said in a statement . It gave no further details . | NEW : Video shows rows of blankets , apparent mourners wailing by loved ones . Locals apparently pulled bodies from rubble after U.S. troops left compound . Reports say as many as 90 civilians killed in strike ; Pentagon disputes death toll . U.S. says it killed at least 30 militants , uncovered cache of weapons in strike . | [[1014, 1020], [1025, 1046], [1014, 1020], [1032, 1081], [1014, 1081], [2289, 2412], [2309, 2348], [2351, 2394], [30, 186], [405, 466], [473, 525], [2700, 2831], [3142, 3323], [3225, 3323], [5562, 5586], [5593, 5679], [5562, 5586], [5653, 5726], [526, 556], [599, 712], [526, 556], [674, 750], [3441, 3587], [5936, 5943], [5953, 6125], [5893, 5906], [5946, 6125]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somalia is facing life-threatening food and water shortages leaving millions at risk for starvation , the International Committee of the Red Cross said Wednesday . A growing percentage of Somalia 's population has become dependent on humanitarian aid . `` The Somali people are going through unbearable hardship , '' said Pascal Hundt , head of the ICRC 's delegation for Somalia , in a written statement . `` We are witnessing the worst tragedy of the past decade in Somalia . '' Somalia 's last severe famine , from 1991 to 1993 , devastated crops , killed between 240,000 and 280,000 people and displaced up to 2 million , according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . Humanitarian workers view Somalia 's food crisis as one of the worst in the world . With winds ripping though the country , hundreds of thousands of Somalis are finding their crops as dry as the surrounding landscape , preventing harvests , killing livestock and leading to a mass risk of starvation . The continual armed conflicts in central and south Somalia have aggravated the situation , hindering people from accessing shelter and medical attention . A growing percentage of the population has become dependent on humanitarian aid . The ICRC , World Food Program and CARE plan to deliver four months worth of food to 435,000 Somalis within the next few weeks . International donors are being asked by the ICRC to provide some of the emergency money . Aid includes giving blankets , kitchen sets and other shelter supplies to 150,000 people . The WFP will be increasing the amount it spends in Somalia to $ 163 million in food assistance , the group said at a U.N. conference in Rome Wednesday . In addition to drought and armed conflict , high inflation on food and fuel have also exacerbated the situation . Similar factors have affected other developing nations in Africa and other parts of the world . Ethiopia 's food crisis has affected 4.5 million people , said the United Nations Children 's Fund . As a result of widespread food shortages and little rainfall , an estimated 126,000 children are in need of medical assistance to combat severe malnutrition , while the WFP projects $ 193 million will be needed for urgent food distributions . | ICRC : Somalia facing life-threatening food , water shortages leaving millions at risk . Winds are leaving crops as dry as the landscape , preventing harvests . Continual armed conflicts in central and south Somalia have aggravated the situation . High inflation on food and fuel have also exacerbated the situation . | [[19, 78], [63, 118], [973, 1011], [834, 926], [1012, 1100], [1012, 1070], [1103, 1166], [1755, 1824]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Explorer Dennis Schmitt found an island nearly two years ago near Greenland . Fishermen pass by Greenland 's Ilulissat fjord in this September 2004 picture . Such a discovery would usually elicit curiosity , even wonder perhaps , but it evoked mixed feelings for the explorer . The island was once thought to be a peninsula attached to Greenland by an ice shelf or a glacier . But such a large amount of ice melted , it revealed the distinct island . `` I very quickly realized two things , '' he told CNN 's Anderson Cooper during a visit to the island earlier this year . `` One -LSB- was -RSB- that this was going to be significant because it was going to be an example of climate change . '' `` The other thing was that it meant it was really happening . It was n't a joke . It was n't just statistics . It was really happening . '' He calls his discovery Warming Island . Many climatologists and scientists say arctic ice melt and other changes in the Earth 's climate are the result of an increase in the world 's temperature , a trend widely called global warming . Many global warming experts say the phenomenon , if unchecked , is capable of altering the world 's climate and geography . In the worst-case scenario , experts say oceans could rise to overwhelming and catastrophic levels , flooding cities and altering seashores . Other scientists and observers , a minority compared to those who believe the warming trend is something ominous , say it is simply the latest shift in the cyclical patterns of a planet 's life . Most of the scientific community believes that some warming is occurring across the globe and through some layers of the atmosphere . But why it is occurring and what that means for the future is scientifically and politically contentious . The Earth 's temperature averages about 60 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- about 16 degrees Celsius -RRB- . The average surface temperature has warmed one degree Fahrenheit -LRB- 0.6 degrees Celsius -RRB- during the last century , according to the National Research Council . The temperatures were relatively unchanged from 1880 to 1910 , according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . They rose till about 1945 , cooled until about 1975 and have risen steadily to present day . There are several possible reasons for the warming , scientists say . A change in the Earth 's orbit or the intensity of the sun 's radiation could change , triggering warming or cooling . The reason most cited -- by scientists and scientific organizations -- for the current warming trend is an increase in the concentrations of greenhouse gases , which are in the atmosphere naturally and help keep the planet 's temperature at a comfortable level . The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere , for instance , has increased by 35 percent since the dawn of the industrial age , according to the United Nations ' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , commonly referred to as the IPCC . The presence of methane is now 151 percent above pre-industrial levels , but the rate of increase has slowed in recent decades , according to the EPA . Meanwhile , nitrous oxide increased by about 18 percent during the past 200 years . Many scientists and experts who have studied global warming believe the increase is primarily the result of human activities , like the burning of fossil fuels , emissions from vehicles and the clearing of forests . `` For the last 30 years , there 's no way there 's anything natural that can explain it , '' Stephen Schneider , a professor of environmental studies at Stanford University in California , said . `` A vast bulk of the knowledgeable and honest community ... will say the science is settled and humans are at least a majority of the reason behind the warming , '' he added . Many scientific organizations share Schneider 's view , ranging from the national academies of the countries that comprise the G8 to the National Research Council , the American Meteorological Society and the American Geophysical Union . But there are those who do not share his view , and among the skeptics is Richard Lindzen , a professor of atmospheric sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . `` We 've suddenly taken to reading tea leaves , '' he said . `` When we saw cooling from 1940 to 1970 , we were proclaiming global cooling . Since then , there 's been a few tenths of global warming , so we 're proclaiming global warming . '' He believes the current warming trend is the result of natural variability , where a planet goes through phases of warming and cooling and the human contribution to it is minimal . `` The Earth is always getting colder and warmer , '' he said . `` It 's always changing . In fact , this is true of any fluid-covered planet . '' Asked about glacial melt , which many observers point to as evidence of global warming , Lindzen said the way glaciers change and move are phenomena largely unexplained . `` We do n't know why , but it 's perfectly clear that glaciers change even though the temperature is cooling at the place that they 've occurred , '' he said . `` What we 're doing is cherry picking any event that occurs and then saying that 's occurring due to global warming . '' Yet , for Schneider , it is a cause for concern and alarm . `` We 're already in serious melt , nobody can explain it . The models do n't predict it , '' he said . `` We do n't know what 's going on up there . All we know is that we could be triggering something really nasty . '' The greatest point of contention is the possible implications for future political and economic policies for the world 's nations . The IPCC in February 2007 projected that if carbon dioxide levels doubled relative to pre-industrial levels , temperatures could rise between 3.6 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- 2 to 4.5 degrees Celsius -RRB- by 2100 . The lower end of the range could cause more intense hurricanes , droughts , wildfires and flooding , Schneider said . The higher end could lead to the catastrophes commonly associated with the visions of Hollywood filmmakers . Uncertainties , however , plague such forecasts , which are based on computer simulations and models . The models contemplate factors associated with how the atmosphere , oceans and continents interact , all natural elements that have unpredictability intrinsic to them . `` Exactly how much it 's going to warm up , we do n't know , '' Schneider said . `` That it 's going to warm up ? I 'd bet anything on that . '' E-mail to a friend . | Earth has warmed one degree in past 100 years . Majority of scientists say greenhouse gases are causing temperatures to rise . Some critics say planets often in periods of warming or cooling . | [[1896, 2016], [1092, 1138], [1554, 1687], [2465, 2532], [2566, 2622], [4510, 4529], [4538, 4616]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Security forces aboard a U.S. naval vessel fired warning shots toward two approaching small boats off the Somali coast Tuesday , the U.S. military said Wednesday . The USNS John Lenthall is one of 14 fleet refueling ships operated by Military Sealift Command . The rounds landed in the water , prompting the boats to turn around , and no casualties were reported , the military news release said . It is unclear whether the boats were trying to attack the 41,000-ton USNS John Lenthall , the military said . `` It is clear they were not following the international rules of the road observed by mariners around the globe , '' it said . The release noted that the location of the incident , the types of boats involved and the maneuvering were all `` consistent with reports from previous attacks on merchant vessels in the region . '' The USNS John Lenthall is one of 14 `` fleet replenishment oilers '' in the Military Sealift Fleet Support Command , according to a U.S. Navy Web site . Oilers refuel Navy ships at sea and any aircraft they may be carrying . Attacks by pirates have increased dramatically off the northern coast of Somalia in the past year , prompting the United States and other nations to step up patrols in the region . In May , the U.S. Navy warned merchant ships to stay at least 200 miles off the Somali coast . But the U.S. Maritime Administration warns that pirates sometimes issue false distress calls to lure ships closer to shore . The pirates are often armed with automatic rifles and shoulder-fired rockets , according to warnings from the agency . | Warning shots fired after two boats raise suspicions of piracy . Boats were approaching a U.S. Navy refueling ship . Warning shots land in water and boats turn away , military says . Pirates known to prowl waters off African nation of Somalia . | [[0, 15], [42, 145], [280, 310], [280, 290], [313, 347], [507, 526], [1079, 1176]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To this day , Linda Haywood recalls the shame she once felt for her great-uncle . Jack Johnson was convicted of transporting a white woman across state lines for `` immoral purposes . '' `` I could see from the expression on my mother 's face that it pained her to tell me about him , '' she recalled , `` but it was n't just her . The shame was there for all the members of my family . '' Haywood 's great-uncle , Jack Johnson , shocked the nation in 1908 by becoming the first African-American world heavyweight champion . Yet the boxer was arrested not long afterward for taking a white woman across state lines for `` immoral '' purposes . That case fell apart and the woman later became his wife , but then investigators charged him with a similar offense involving a woman he had dated years earlier . An all-white jury 's decision to convict him in that case has come to be widely viewed as a symbol of racial injustice . Now Haywood is working with Sen. John McCain and others to try to clear her great-uncle 's name . McCain wants the Senate to pass a resolution urging President Obama to grant Johnson a presidential pardon . It would represent a final vindication for Haywood , a 53-year-old seamstress in Chicago who now views her great-uncle with pride . Her parents did n't tell her until she was 12 that she was related to Johnson , even though she saw his photo at school during lessons on black history . `` I remember seeing his picture on the wall of my sixth-grade classroom in Chicago in 1966 , '' Haywood said in a voice tinged with sadness . `` It was up there next to pictures of Sojourner Truth and George Washington Carver as part of a black history week my teacher put together . I did n't have the first clue who the man was . My parents did n't want me to know . '' Her parents , she said , were trying to protect her from a legacy of racial injustice at a time when the country had yet to emerge from the long shadow of segregation . Haywood was stunned when she learned her great-uncle 's story . Less than five years after winning the heavyweight title , Johnson was convicted for violating the Mann Act , which outlawed the transportation of women across state lines for `` immoral '' purposes . Johnson was black and the woman was white -- enough to get even a champion imprisoned in early 20th century America . Justice Department lawyers decried it as a `` crime against nature '' for him to have a sexual relationship with a white woman . Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis , later to become the first commissioner of Major League Baseball , set Johnson 's bail at $ 30,000 -- the equivalent of more than $ 660,000 today . When a bail bondsman showed up , Landis jailed him , too , according to an account that filmmaker Ken Burns relays in his documentary , `` Unforgivable Blackness : The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson . '' An all-white jury convicted Johnson in less than two hours . `` Mr. Johnson was perhaps persecuted as an individual , but ... it was his misfortune to be the foremost example of the evil in permitting the intermarriage of whites and blacks , '' one of the prosecutors later said . Johnson 's real crime , in the eyes of many , was committed three years earlier , when he successfully defended his boxing title against Jim Jeffries , a white boxer who came to be called the `` Great White Hope '' because many white fans saw him as the best chance to wrest back a boxing title from the African-American champ . Jeffries , a former heavyweight champion , had come out of retirement intending to reclaim a title that many Americans believed Johnson had no right to in the first place . Johnson beat Jeffries on July 4 , 1910 , before a stunned , almost entirely white crowd in Reno , Nevada . Race riots followed . More than 20 people were killed and hundreds were injured . Most victims were black . So when they `` could n't beat him in the ring , the white power establishment decided to beat him in the courts , '' Burns said in his documentary . Johnson fled to Europe in 1913 while free on appeal . But after years of fights overseas -- including the eventual loss of his title in Havana , Cuba , in 1915 -- Johnson came home . He turned himself over to U.S. authorities at the Mexican border in 1920 and served ten months in prison . He died in a car wreck in 1946 . `` Back then , if you were black and you were told that you did something wrong , you really had no recourse , '' said Haywood . `` You just accepted what was done because black people were basically powerless and voiceless . Jack may have been a rich boxer , but he could n't fight the system . '' Today , in a very different America , Haywood 's family is seeking justice . They 've teamed up with Burns , McCain and Rep. Peter King , a New York Republican , to urge the nation 's first African-American president to grant Johnson a rare posthumous pardon . McCain and King introduced resolutions calling for a presidential pardon in 2005 and last year . The House passed it , but the Senate did not . The White House declined to comment when asked Obama 's views on a possible pardon for Johnson . McCain , who says he made a mistake by once voting against a federal holiday for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. , sees the pardon as a way to right an old wrong . `` The Jack Johnson case is an ignominious stain on our nation 's history , '' he said on the Senate floor this month , while introducing a new version of the resolution . `` Rectifying this injustice is long overdue . -LSB- The resolution recognizes -RSB- the unjustness of what transpired , and sheds light on the achievements of an athlete who was forced into the shadows of bigotry and prejudice . Johnson ... deserved much better than a racially motivated conviction . '' King , himself a former boxer , said in a written statement that Johnson was a trailblazer who became `` a victim of the times . '' For Haywood , the proposed pardon is also personal . It 's about wiping the slate clean for future generations of her family . `` My mother used to say Jack was defiant , '' she remembered . `` No disrespect , momma , but he was being his own man . And I 'm so proud of him . To think -- of all the families in the world , God gave him to us . '' Haywood has made sure her four children know the story of the country 's first black heavyweight champion . `` They love him , '' she said . `` Especially my oldest son . He was a bit of a pugilist in high school . He got into his fair share of scraps . I think we know where he got that trait . '' Haywood says she 'll go to Washington if Obama issues a pardon . With a bit of laughter , she promises to give a gracious , eloquent speech thanking him . With or without a pardon , she emphasizes , the stigma and the shame are gone . Today , Johnson 's family feels only pride . | Heavyweight champ Jack Johnson was arrested around 1908 . His offense : Transporting a white woman across state lines for `` immoral purposes '' Relatives working with Washington powers to get Johnson a posthumous pardon . | [[112, 213], [112, 124], [139, 213], [555, 673], [559, 568], [601, 673], [959, 1056], [4821, 4919]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A blast of Arctic air Tuesday morning has much of the nation -- from the Great Lakes to Oregon and down to Texas -- in its cold , icy grip . Snow covers a golf course in Summerlin , Nevada , near Las Vegas , on Monday . The temperature at International Falls , Minnesota , was 26 below zero at 8 a.m. Tuesday , the National Weather Service said . To the south in Minneapolis , below-zero temperatures were leaving roadways covered in black ice , sending drivers spinning into numerous accidents , CNN affiliate KARE-TV reported Tuesday . Black ice , nearly invisible on roads , can form when car exhaust freezes on snow-covered pavement in sub-zero conditions , KARE said . Twin Cities drivers could find a little hope in the day 's forecast high -- 4 degrees above zero by the afternoon . Temperatures hovering as low as 23 below zero have parts of Montana frozen in their tracks , according to CNN affiliate KFBB-TV . The forecast high Tuesday for Great Falls : 5 degrees . But regions of the nation far from Montana , and not as well equipped to deal with wintry weather , are also caught in the cold blast . Watch the mess in Portland , Oregon '' WFAA-TV in Dallas , Texas , predicts the temperature will barely get above freezing , to 36 degrees , on Tuesday . A winter weather advisory is in effect for northern Texas . In Las Vegas , Nevada , residents saw a rare snow accumulation . Snow-covered grounds were a treat for iReporter Rena Moretti , who 's lived in Las Vegas on and off for about 10 years . `` It 's unbelievable . If it snows it never sticks . I 've never seen it like that , '' she said . Watch snow delight skiers but frustrate motorists in Nevada '' In Denver , Colorado , where the temperature was minus 4 , KMGH warned residents to expect more snow , with 2 to 3 feet expected in some parts of the Rocky Mountains . Watch ice cause havoc on Colorado roads '' While the snow is forecast to end Tuesday , the cold air mass should stick around all week . The station also warned commuters that driving would be a mess Tuesday morning . In Omaha , Nebraska , the frigid weather had shelters sending out crews looking for the homeless , according to KMTV . Watch blizzards shut down North Dakota '' `` We 've had people that have been trying to make it here ... either have been too intoxicated or just too cold and just fallen down and have n't been able to make it , '' says Siena Francis House worker and guest Jerry Rayburn . According to the National Weather Service , the entire state of Iowa could be in for heavy snowfall Tuesday . Chicago , Illinois , no stranger to cold weather , is expecting a high of 22 degrees with snow , according to WGN . Meanwhile , on a frontal boundary , West Virginia and western Tennessee are on the alert for possible freezing rain , the weather service reports . And KATV in Little Rock , Arkansas , said freezing rain and sleet were moving across the state . In New England , socked by a powerful ice storm last week , temperatures were warming back up into in the 40s and 50s , WCVB in Boston , Massachusetts , reported . But electricity may not be restored to some customers until the weekend , the station reported . One town , Lunenberg , Massachusetts , said school students would be getting an extended Christmas break , with classes not resuming until the new year , WCVB reported . Debris-clogged roads were blamed . `` They 're passable for vehicles and emergency vehicles , but they 're not passable for buses . That represents a danger , so , we ca n't get the kids safely to school , even if we were able to open school , '' School Superintendent Loxi Joe Calmes said , accoding to WCVB . Meanwhile , a cold , wet storm blew into Southern California . Twenty-four-hour rainfall totals were 1.44 inches at Los Angeles International Airport , almost 1 inch in Palm Springs , and an inch in San Diego , the weather service reported Tuesday morning . iReporters share their weather observations . Where is it not so cold ? It was 69 degrees in Miami , Florida , early Tuesday morning , according to WFOR . The price for the warm weather -- possible thunderstorms , says the National Weather Service . | NEW : Black ice plagues Minneapolis in sub-zero temperatures . NEW : Storm-struck Massachusetts city closes schools until new year . Large swath of the United States beset by very low temperatures . Even places such as Las Vegas , Nevada , and Dallas , Texas , in wintry grip . | [[396, 462], [2942, 2956], [2959, 2999], [3315, 3354], [1345, 1357], [1369, 1409]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has charged businessman Robert Allen Stanford with orchestrating an $ 8 billion fraudulent investment program . Stanford presents a trophy to the winners of his Twenty20 cricket tournament in November 2008 . Stanford is the tycoon who bankrolled the Twenty20 Super Series cricket competition in the West Indies last year . The Texan has also contributed millions of dollars to the West Indies Cricket Board in an attempt to boost their flagging fortunes . Rose Romero , Regional Director of the SEC 's Fort Worth Regional Office in Texas , said , `` We are alleging a fraud of shocking magnitude that has spread its tentacles throughout the world . '' Stanford allegedly fabricated historical return data to prey on investors . The SEC says the investigation is on-going . Reuters.com reports three of Stanford 's companies are involved in the SEC probe including Texas-based Stanford Group Co , Antigua-based Stanford International Bank and investment adviser Stanford Capital Management . The SEC Web site said Stanford International Bank CFO James Davis and Stanford Financial Group chief investment officer Laura Pendergest-Holt also face charges . It added that U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor granted a temporary restraining order freezing the defendants ' assets and appointed a receiver to marshal those assets , as part of a request for emergency relief for the benefit of defrauded investors . The SEC 's complaint alleges that the fraud centered on a program in which Stanford International Bank promised `` improbable and unsubstantiated high interest rates . '' SIB allegedly acted through a network of Stanford Group Company financial advisers to sell approximately $ 8 billion of `` certificates of deposit '' to investors . The bank boasted a unique investment strategy that it said allowed it to receive double-digit returns on its investments for the past 15 years , the SEC said . Early Tuesday , CNBC reported federal marshals were seen entering the offices of Stanford Financial Group in Houston . Reuters reported an eyewitness saw a sign taped to the window stating the company is now `` under the management of a receiver . '' Stanford Financial Group could not immediately be reached for comment . According to the SEC 's complaint , a close circle of Stanford 's family and friends operates SIB . Its investment committee , responsible for managing the bank 's multi-billion dollar portfolio of assets , includes Stanford ; Stanford 's father , who lives in Mexia , Texas ; another Mexia resident with business experience in cattle ranching and car sales ; Pendergest-Holt , who had no financial or securities experience prior to joining SFG ; and Davis , Stanford 's college roommate . The SEC alleges an additional scheme relating to $ 1.2 billion in sales . Stanford Group Company advisers are accused of using materially false historical performance data to create a mutual fund program called Stanford Allocation Strategy , the release said . According to the complaint , the false data helped grow the program from less than $ 10 million in 2004 to more than $ 1 billion , generating SGC - and ultimately , Stanford - about $ 25 million in 2007 and 2008 . In the UK , the Press Association news agency reported that the England and Wales Cricket Board has ceased negotiations with Stanford , who was expected to become a major backer of a proposed tournament in England from 2010 . | Robert Allen Stanford charged in alleged multi-billion dollar fraud . Securities and Exchange commission says probe is continuing . SEC alleges fraud of ` shocking magnitude that spread tentacles throughout world ' Stanford is the tycoon who bankrolled the cricket Twenty20 Super Series . | [[791, 835], [804, 835], [519, 530], [603, 607], [610, 658], [637, 658], [664, 711], [271, 385], [283, 293], [298, 385]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Workers at a Texas state school for mentally handicapped adults are believed to have been staging a `` fight club '' among residents , encouraging them to physically battle one another , police told CNN Tuesday . A cell phone containing videos of the alleged abuse at the Corpus Christi State School in Corpus Christi , Texas , was turned over to police last week , and authorities are expecting to file arrest warrants this week , Corpus Christi police Capt. Tim Wilson told CNN . The incidents are believed to have taken place in a school dormitory , Wilson said . `` This has been going on for some time , '' Wilson said . `` That is what makes this an exceptional case . It is not the workers abusing the clients , so to speak . The workers are not hitting them , but they are allowing these clients to fight with each other , thereby endangering their well-being . '' `` These people are charged with the care and custody of these clients , and they are exploiting -LRB- them -RRB- , '' he said . Those involved will likely face charges of injury of a disabled person , Wilson said . The charge 's severity can range up to a third-class felony , depending on the extent of a person 's involvement , he said . The actual charges , however are left up to the Nueces County District Attorney , which is participating in the investigation along with the Texas Inspector General 's Office , he said . Seven school employees have been placed on paid emergency leave by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services , according to spokeswoman Cecilia Fedorov . Some former workers also will be interviewed , authorities said . Fedorov said the agency received a phone call Friday from the state Department of Family and Protective Services , saying they had been alerted to the situation by police and were opening an investigation into possible abuse or neglect . The employees on leave can not come on to campus , but must sign in at the gate every day they are on leave , Fedorov said . State officials are awaiting the outcome of the investigation to determine whether they should take further action , she said . Wilson said Corpus Christi police received the cell phone a week ago , when a citizen found it and gave it to an officer working security at a hospital . The officer looked at several of the videos , then gave the phone to the police 's forensic unit for analysis . More videos were found in the phone 's memory . `` It appears it was some sort of a fight club , '' Wilson said . Twenty videos were found on the phone , with dates going back about a year . All the videos featured the school 's `` clients , '' who are severely mentally handicapped , he said . On the videos , `` they -LRB- the clients -RRB- are not upset like they are being forced , '' Wilson said . `` They are being more goaded into it . There 's a lot of voices on there from workers ... saying , ` Look at that , ha ha ' ... laughing , stuff like that . '' No clients are seen crying , upset or injured on the videos , he said , but no workers are seen stopping the fighting . `` The fighting entails pushing , wrestling and some shoving , '' Wilson said . Police do not believe anyone was seriously injured , he said , but the investigation is ongoing . `` Four or five clients have been identified and at least five workers , possibly as many as 10 , '' he said . `` Some are more active in staging the fights , and some others passively stand around not doing anything . '' The clients are all adult males , ranging in age from their late teens into their 30s , he said . As part of the investigation , the Inspector General 's office has interviewed some of the clients , Wilson said . Asked whether the school had previously been investigated for abuse , he said , `` This is the exception . Over the years , we have had isolated instances of abuse we have investigated . Every once in a while , the school itself would report a case , but this appears to be organized . '' Police believe , based on the videos , the `` fight club '' was confined to one dormitory , he said . CNN 's John Murgatroyd contributed to this report . | Cell phone videos of alleged abuse at Corpus Christi State School given to police . The Texas school serves adults who are severely mentally handicapped . Seven school employees placed on leave ; arrest warrants are pending . No clients are seen crying , upset or injured on the videos , police say . | [[232, 336], [339, 382], [0, 98], [1420, 1540], [1420, 1442], [1543, 1585], [2973, 3032]] |
This story is part of an ongoing series of profiles by CNN about economic survival in this time of financial crisis . Jean Lindsay records a video telling people to get out of their nightgowns and look for work . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jean Lindsay , a spunky 67-year-old with two masters ' degrees , panicked after she failed to land a job in the garden center of a Lowe 's home-improvement store . She started to wonder whether a woman of her age ever would be able to find work . She worried about her debt , and weeks of unemployment were turning into months . After the job interview , she stayed up most of the night in the fits of an anxiety attack -- vomiting and huddling under the bedcovers with her two dogs . `` God , I felt like I was falling off the ends of the earth , '' she said . A few days later , though , she tossed on a red sweater , plopped down in front of her computer , flipped on her Web camera -- and , suddenly , while streaming her story onto the Internet , things seemed OK . `` I know I can count on you to send me great letters of support and cheer , '' Lindsay told viewers on CNN 's iReport.com . `` And remember , if you 're going through this , I 'm going through it too . There are lots of us going through this . '' Watch Lindsay 's post . For Lindsay , like many people these days , the Internet has become both a tool for economic recovery and a cure for isolation . iReport.com : Share your survivor story . At a time when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that 1.07 million people 55 and older are unemployed and looking for work , the Internet is an increasingly useful tool for older people looking for jobs and a sense of community , said Deborah Russell the AARP 's director of workforce issues . `` It 's a great way of being able to network with people who are either in a similar situation or who may have some resources to help you , '' she said . The number of people who need this help is on the rise . Some older people are delaying retirement because of the economic recession ; and , according to an analysis by the AARP Public Policy Institute , those who are looking for work typically search for about a third longer than people younger than 55 . Watch how one senior goes back to school for a living '' Lindsay had been out of work for about three months before her brother gave her a Web camera for Christmas last year . Almost immediately , she was hooked . Her brother intended her to use the Web cam mostly to communicate with family members who are spread out across the country , she said . But Lindsay did n't stop there . She got a creative jolt from filming quirky videos of her own . So , she started posting video monologues for the Internet world to see . In the past three weeks , she 's posted nearly 40 videos on iReport . Her most popular video -- in which she talks about depression while wearing a plaid nightgown -- has been viewed by more than 140,000 people . `` I was in my nightgown at noon , and I was n't getting at the job search very fast , and I thought , ` this is instructive , ' '' she said , laughing . She signs off from the video simply : `` Get up , and get out ! '' Watch Lindsay 's tips for getting out of the house . Her own advice compelled her to do the same . Lindsay says sharing her failures as well as successes online is cathartic , but she also hopes it 's helpful for people in similar circumstances . She 's not shy about saying that she suffers from mild bipolar disorder . This economy can push people into depression and mental illness , she said , and she wants people to know they 're not alone . The same goes for her job search . `` This has really invigorated me , '' she said of her forays with a virtual persona . `` It 's something where I 've had success . And the job search is not always successful -- it 's dealing with a lot of rejection , especially when you 're older . '' On iReport , Lindsay posts under the name `` infoaddict , '' which seems fitting for a former librarian and information technology expert with masters ' degrees in literature and library information sciences . Like a good book , Lindsay says the Internet also opens new worlds for her . While she 's not sure exactly how , she has a sense that all of her online storytelling will help her in the job search . If nothing else , the online videos market her computer skills , she said . Dan Beach , Lindsay 's second cousin , who lives in Florida , said Skype , social media sites and online video have been `` a salvation '' for Lindsay . `` Frankly , I think she was very , very depressed . And I think this has brought her out enormously , '' he said . The 72-year-old added : `` It helps an older person feel younger because there is so much youth -LSB- online -RSB- . I 've done the Facebook thing in the past couple of months myself . '' At first , Lindsay 's online presence surprised him . `` She 's gotten so much response to it , and I 'm wondering whether she might try to make something out of that , '' he said . `` She 's just the dotty aunt enough to be able to do that kind of thing . She 's a charming person . '' iReport.com : Send us your job hunt stories . Lindsay , who said she needs a job because she has home-improvement debt and ca n't sell her house in this slumped market , said she is able to keep hunting for jobs partly because of her creative outlet online . She grew up loving to help her grandfather on his farm . Together , they would build manure loaders and chicken pluckers -- machines Lindsay found fascinating . Those experiences translated into her love for hardware stores , gardening and gadgetry . `` I love hardware stores , so Lowe 's would have been perfect . I 'm just a crazy old lady , I 've just got catholic taste , '' she said . But she believes that something better than Lowe 's is out there . She plans to apply to an office-supply store , an electronics store and for a telecommunications job she could do from her home in western New York . `` There is a real Catch-22 for people my age who are still hale and hearty and still have some talent left . We 're probably fooling ourselves that we can go on and do anything , '' she said , `` but we ca n't live that way . '' Her online life helps ensure she wo n't have to . | Jean Lindsay , 67 , uploads videos about her struggles finding a job . Lindsay says support from her online viewers keeps her moving . Her advice to depressed older people who are out of work : `` Get up , and get out ! '' Web skills are increasingly important in today 's job market , AARP says . | [[3136, 3145], [3098, 3126], [3152, 3159], [3162, 3217]] |
Editor 's note : Randall Balmer , an Episcopal priest , is professor of American religious history at Barnard College , Columbia University , and a visiting professor at Emory University . His most recent book is `` God in the White House : How Faith Shaped the Presidency from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush . '' Randall Balmer supports Obama 's unusual broadening of a president 's words to include nonbelievers . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama 's mention of `` nonbelievers '' in his inaugural address represents an important broadening of the circle of acceptability in American life , an acknowledgement of our growing diversity and a fuller embrace of the principles articulated in our nation 's charter documents . One of the hallmarks of American life , dating to the 17th century , is its religious pluralism . The Atlantic seaboard during the colonial period was home to everyone from Puritans , Roman Catholics and Dutch Reformed to Quakers , Baptists , Presbyterians , Swedish Lutherans , Anglicans , Huguenots , Mennonites and Schwenckfelders . Jews arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654 , refugees from South America after the Portuguese takeover of Recifé . Somehow it all worked , especially in the crucible of religious pluralism in the Middle Colonies : New York , New Jersey and Pennsylvania , where William Penn launched his `` Holy Experiment '' of religious toleration . In the context of the New World , these religious groups learned to coexist with remarkably little conflict , and when it came time to configure the new nation , the founders in their wisdom elected not to designate any group as the state religion . `` Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof , '' the First Amendment to the United States Constitution reads . This provision set up a kind of free market for religion in America , allowing religious groups to compete in a marketplace unfettered by government interference . Indeed , American history is littered with religious entrepreneurs -LRB- to extend the economic metaphor -RRB- who have peddled their wares in this marketplace and thereby contributed to the vigor and vitality of American religious life . The story of religion in America life has been one of expansion and ever-increasing diversity . Although Roman Catholics were present in the colonial period -- Maryland , named for the wife of Charles I , was founded by Catholics from England -- Catholics arrived in great numbers from Ireland , Germany and Italy over the course of the 19th century . Many Protestants , their hegemony threatened , resisted , sometimes with violence . Jews from Germany and Eastern Europe came as well . Most of the resistance was episodic . With notable -- albeit unfortunate -- exceptions , we Americans eventually rise to our better selves and embrace the principles of equality and toleration enshrined in our charter documents . And we can trace these changes in our rhetoric . The term `` Judeo-Christian , '' although coined late in the 19th century , became popular in the 1930s as the clouds of war were gathering in Europe . In 1955 , after World War II , when so many sons of Jewish and Catholic immigrants fought the Axis powers , sociologist Will Herberg published a book entitled `` Protestant-Catholic-Jew , '' arguing that any of these religious expressions was legitimately `` American . '' The following decade saw still more changes . The civil rights struggle brought the vibrancy of African-American religious life to national attention , and Lyndon Johnson 's signature on the Hart-Cellar Immigration Act in 1965 removed immigration quotas . In the decades since , the arrival of people from around the world , especially from South Asia and Southeast Asia , has literally recast the religious landscape of the United States . Muslim mosques , Hindu temples , Sikh Gurdwäräs and Buddhist stupas have sprouted across the nation , from cities to the countryside . And our rhetoric has evolved as well . Whereas America might once have been described as a `` Protestant '' nation and then a `` Christian '' nation -LRB- to reflect the inclusion of Roman Catholics -RRB- , we moved to `` Judeo-Christian '' and then `` Protestant-Catholic-Jew . '' More recently , we have talked about the `` Abrahamic Traditions , '' Jews , Christians and Muslims , thereby broadening the circle to include Islam , one of the three major monotheistic religions . Even with this broadening landscape , however , presidents have generally acknowledged only believers and failed to mention atheists or agnostics . Our rhetoric , in fact , has always lagged behind our reality . When President Obama declared , `` We are a nation of Christians and Muslims , Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers , '' he sent a signal that it 's time , once again , to enlarge the circle of inclusiveness , consistent with the great American tradition of equality and toleration . Although I 'm sure that Buddhists and Jains and Sikhs and countless other religious adherents would like to have been included in the president 's roll call , the message was clear : We are a diverse nation , and the `` free exercise '' of religion guaranteed in the First Amendment also protects the exercise of no religion at all . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Randall Balmer . | Randall Balmer : It 's unusual for a president to include nonbelievers in his words . He says America has widened its circle of religion for hundreds of years . Balmer says rhetoric has grown to include Jews , Muslims , Hindus . The First Amendment makes it appropriate to recognize nonbelievers , he says . | [[372, 418], [4533, 4543], [4591, 4632], [419, 443], [521, 603], [738, 775], [807, 835], [2236, 2331], [4302, 4304], [4388, 4434], [4286, 4385], [4302, 4304], [4388, 4434], [4407, 4484]] |
Editor 's note : CNN affiliates report on where job seekers are finding work across the country and how those looking for employment are coping with the situation . Job fairs are becoming more popular and are seeing record attendance . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A record number of senior citizens attended a job fair this week in Loveland , Colorado . The fair , which targeted people 50 and older , drew the biggest crowd -- about 900 people -- for the annual event . Nan Cooper , a job seeker , said applicants have to do more these days than just walk into a prospective employer 's office with a resume . '' -LSB- Times -RSB- have changed radically , '' she told KMGH in Denver . `` I 've spent countless , countless hours on the Internet and filling out applications . '' iReport.com : Share your job hunt story . She said she had even applied for jobs through the online auction site eBay . Read the full report on KMGH . Northeast : Job week seeks to solve ` disconnect ' between employers , job hunters . Employers in the Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , area say they are having a difficult time filling 22,000 available positions . Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said this week the city would increase its participation in a job placement program , both monetarily and through city organizations . The mayor made his remarks as part of a kickoff event for Imagine Career Week , which links high school students and employers . A spokesman for one of the groups sponsoring the week 's events said there should n't be so many employers with open spots . `` At the same time , we have young people walking around famously saying that they ca n't find a job . There 's a big disconnect there someplace , '' Paul Leger of the Allegheny Conference told WTAE . During the career week , students will visit businesses and prospective employers will visit classrooms . Read the full report on WTAE . Southeast : Wal-Mart to increase its N.C. workforce by nearly 6 percent . Wal-Mart said Wednesday it plans to add 3,000 jobs in North Carolina . The retail chain currently employs 51,000 people at 155 locations in the state . `` In a time when many are suffering , we want North Carolinians to know that we are here to stay , '' David Cameron , general manager for the Carolinas , told WRAL of Raleigh . He did not say where the jobs would be located . North Carolina is one of eight states with unemployment above 10 percent . Read the report on WRAL . Southeast : Military recruiter sees more potential airmen . Technical Sgt. Greg O'Conner is staying very busy these days . He is an Air Force recruiter in Bradenton , Florida . `` With the way the economy is , recruitment is up , '' he told Bay News 9 . `` I get dozens of calls every day and walk-ins from young men and women interested in joining the Air Force . '' One of his recruits was 20-year-old Dakota Slentz , who can not afford to go to law enforcement training school . He said the Air Force offers a chance for great experiences as well as a great salary . In statistics provided by the Department of Defense , the Air Force has reported meeting its recruiting goals each month of the fiscal year , which began in October . Read the full report on Bay News 9 . West : Sacramento project to bring thousands of jobs . A building developer in Sacramento , California , says plans to turn rail yards into a residential and commercial district will require thousands of workers over the next 20 years . Suheil Totah of Thomas Enterprises told KCRA that initial projects like building roads will mean jobs for 3,000 people . The company said more than 56,000 people will be needed for the project in the next two decades . The 244 acres will be converted into a mix of homes , businesses , entertainment venues and government offices . Read the report on KCRA . Around the nation . Tennessee will use federal stimulus money to hire 12,000 people ages 24 and younger , WSMV reports . A food company is converting a North Carolina textile plant and bringing 172 jobs , WXII reports . | Job fair aimed at people 50 and older draws big crowd . Pittsburgh area business executives meeting with high school students . Wal-Mart adding 3,000 jobs in North Carolina . Air Force recruiter in Florida has seen increase in interest . | [[345, 353], [362, 390], [1892, 1953], [1954, 2024], [1968, 2024], [2446, 2493]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pulitzer Prize-winning author , radio host and activist Studs Terkel died in his Chicago , Illinois , home Friday at the age of 96 . Pulitzer Prize-winning author Studs Terkel died at his home Friday at the age of 96 . Terkel had grown frail since the publication last year of his memoir , `` Touch and Go , '' said Gordon Mayer , vice president of the Community Media Workshop , which Terkel had supported . `` I 'm still in touch , but I 'm ready to go , '' he said last year at his last public appearance with the workshop , a nonprofit that recognizes Chicago reporters who take risks in covering the city . `` My dad led a long , full , eventful -- sometimes tempestuous -- satisfying life , '' his son Dan said in a statement . `` The last time I saw him , he was up , about , and mad as hell about the Cubs , '' workshop President Thom Clark said in the statement . Terkel , known for his portrayal of ordinary people young and old , rich and poor , won a Pulitzer Prize in 1985 for his remembrances of World War II , `` The Good War . '' iReport.com : Remebering the legacy of Studs Terkel . Terkel was born in New York but moved to Chicago , where his parents ran a small hotel . Terkel would sit in the hotel lobby watching droves of people arguing , fighting , ranting and telling stories . `` That hotel was far more of an education to me than the University of Chicago was , '' Studs told CNN in 2000 . It seems that beginning would pave the way for Terkel 's love of passing on people 's oral histories . He could often be found behind a tape recorder talking to the people who would eventually become the basis for his books . Terkel became famous , if not synonymous with oral histories , for his ability to cast a light on the working class . `` Oral history preceded the written word , '' Terkel told CNN in 2000 . `` Oral history is having people tell their own stories and bringing it forth . `` That 's what history 's about : the oral history of the unknowns that make the wheel go ` round . And that 's what I 'm interested in . '' In an interview with Lou Waters on CNN in 1995 , Terkel spoke about his book `` Coming of Age , '' which explored the lives of people who have been `` scrappers '' all of their lives . Inside the book are the stories of people between the ages of 70 and 95 , a group he called `` the truth tellers . '' `` Who are the best historians ? Who are the storytellers ? '' Terkel asked . `` Who lived through the Great Depression of the '30s , World War II that changed the whole psyche and map of the world , a Cold War , Joe McCarthy , Vietnam , the '60s , that 's so often put down today and I think was an exhilarating and hopeful period , and , of course , the computer and technology . Who are the best ones to tell the story ? Those who 've borne witness to it . And they 're our storytellers . '' After Terkel 's wife died in 1999 , he began working on a book about death , eventually called `` Will the Circle Be Unbroken ? Reflections on Death , Rebirth , and Hunger for a Faith . '' `` It 's about life , '' Terkel said in 2000 when asked about the project . `` How can one talk about life without saying sometime it 's going to end ? It makes the value of life all the more precious . '' | Terkel won Pulitzer Prize in 1985 for book about World War II , `` The Good War '' Son : `` My dad led a long , full , eventful -- sometimes tempestuous -- satisfying life '' Terkel once said death `` makes the value of life all the more precious '' Author believed elderly , those `` who 've borne witness '' to life are best storytellers . | [[892, 898], [976, 1041], [631, 713], [3213, 3263]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the fifth time this year , a U.S. Air Force nuclear weapons unit failed an inspection , this time because of failure to document its handling of nuclear missiles and other critical issues , Air Force officials said . In an Air Force file photo , an airman inspects a missile part at a training site . A `` nuclear surety inspection '' and `` unit compliance inspection '' was conducted this month on the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming by an Air Force inspector general . There was no risk to the unit 's Minuteman III nuclear missiles , Air Force officials said . The unit has 90 days to correct the problems and pass another inspection . In the wake of recent problems , Defense Secretary Robert Gates and top Air Force officials have indicated a zero tolerance for failing inspections , but no punishments are expected in this case , officials said . The inspection report found the maintenance unit failed to document tests conducted on missiles correctly , including tests on safety devices . The inspector general told the unit the failures indicated either a `` lack of competence '' or `` disregard for procedures , '' according to a source who has seen the report . Additionally , failures included having some personnel on duty without proper medical clearance and failure to inspect radiation detectors . Other units that failed inspections this year included two bomb wings and two missile units . | Unit at Wyoming base fails to document missile handling , Air Force officials say . The 90th Missile Wing has 90 days to make corrections . No risk to Minuteman III nuclear missiles , officials say . | [[224, 250], [599, 625], [915, 1058], [626, 700], [533, 596], [898, 914]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From Capitol Hill to Springfield , Illinois , President Obama and Congress paid tribute Thursday to Abraham Lincoln on the bicentennial of his birth . Visitors greet an Abraham Lincoln impersonator in Washington on Thursday . `` It is an honor to be here : a place where Lincoln served , was inaugurated , and where the nation he saved bid him a last farewell , '' Obama said at the Capitol on Thursday . `` As we mark the bicentennial of our 16th president 's birth , I can not claim to know as much about his life and works as many who are also speaking today , but I can say that I feel a special gratitude to this singular figure who in so many ways made my own story possible -- and who in so many ways made America 's story possible . '' White House officials say Obama 's speechwriter had several conversations with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin in crafting the speech . `` At a moment when we are far less divided than in Lincoln 's day but when we are once again debating the critical issues of our time -- and debating them sometimes fiercely -- let us remember that we are doing so as servants of the same flag , as representatives of the same people and as stakeholders in a common future . That is the most fitting tribute we can pay and the most lasting monument we can build to that most remarkable of men , Abraham Lincoln , '' Obama said . Watch more on the Lincoln celebration taking place '' Obama will also speak later Thursday at an event in Springfield . Throughout the 2008 presidential campaign , Obama -- a Democrat who hails from the Land of Lincoln -- reminded audiences from coast to coast about the similarities between himself and the beloved political leader . At his presidential acceptance speech in Chicago , Illinois , on November 4 , Obama used Lincoln as a guide for his ideology . `` As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours , ` We are not enemies but friends . ... Though passion may have strained , it must not break our bonds of affection , ' '' Obama said . Watch a young student read one of Lincoln 's speeches '' In Washington , a congressional tribute took place at the Capitol rotunda . Illinois senior Sen. Dick Durbin , a Democrat , gave the keynote address . At the end , a wreath was placed at the Capitol . The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield also opened its doors Thursday for a special celebration , featuring original documents including the Gettysburg Address . Watch CNN 's Kyra Phillips take a tour '' Meanwhile , the Library of Congress marks the bicentennial Thursday by opening a special exhibit featuring Lincoln 's handwritten speeches and artifacts , including the Bible used last month by Obama during his swearing-in . `` This exhibit , in a little more than 200 items , presents Lincoln , the man and the politician , '' said John Sellers , curator of the exhibit , which runs through May 9 . Lincoln successfully fought a proposal for legalized slavery as development spread to the Western United States , and he eventually brought an end to slavery throughout the country . Among the manuscripts on display is a letter he wrote in impassioned defense of his Emancipation Proclamation . Watch actor Sam Waterson 's reading of Lincoln speeches '' The librarian of Congress , James Billington , acknowledges that the materials are available on the Internet in `` digitized '' form , but he said `` there is something about seeing the original because , after all , Lincoln was a man of words , of rare eloquences . '' `` His words changed history , '' Billington said . The exhibit at the Library of Congress -- on Capitol Hill next to the U.S. Supreme Court -- was in the works for Lincoln 's bicentennial long before the presidential campaign in which voters elected Obama . Billington said the exhibition is all the more profound as visitors explore the links between the anti-slavery Lincoln and the African-American Obama . There are also grim reminders of Lincoln 's assassination . An original `` wanted '' poster with large black letters reads : `` $ 100,000 Reward . The murderer is still at large . '' The poster includes a photograph of John Wilkes Booth , who was on the run after being accused of firing the fatal shots at Ford 's Theatre in Washington , where Lincoln was attending a play . `` This is the autopsy report , '' Sellers noted during the preview . `` Those are actual blood stains -- Lincoln 's blood . '' Other , more lighthearted artifacts are also on display , including an 1860 letter from a girl urging presidential candidate Lincoln to grow a beard to help his prospects with voters . CNN 's Paul Courson , Ed Hornick and Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report . | Obama says Lincoln `` in so many ways made my own story possible '' President Obama , Congress salute the bicentennial of Lincoln 's birth . Library of Congress also opens an exhibit showcasing original items . | [[728, 770], [0, 26], [65, 180], [441, 496], [2547, 2550], [2577, 2580], [2603, 2709]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The world has certainly changed since Michael Jackson last staged a concert tour in 1997 to promote the `` HIStory '' album . Fans clamor in London as Michael Jackson announces his return to performing . Since then , other performers have gained prominence -- some who have even been tagged as heir-apparents to Jackson , such as Usher and the currently legally troubled Chris Brown . Now the original is back . Jackson announced Thursday that he 'll perform 10 concerts in London in July . But is the world ready to receive Jackson , who has had his share of financial and legal woes , with open arms ? Watch Jackson make his announcement '' Publicist and writer Howard Bragman said it 's up to the public . `` He 's playing off the fact that people have the wonderful ability to have short memories , '' Bragman said . It was only a few years ago that Jackson was acquitted of several charges , including child molestation , in a California trial . The case , coupled with the singer 's eccentric behavior , had seriously damaged his reputation . See a timeline of Jackson 's life '' Bragman said Jackson , who is slated to play the 20,000-capacity O2 Arena , is better off playing smaller venues rather than booking huge stadiums that may not sell out , an embarrassment a returning veteran ca n't afford to risk . `` It 's sort of like the political thing , how you always want to get a small room and make it look full , '' Bragman said . `` Have reasonably priced tickets and do some of your classics . I certainly think that at one point there were tens of millions of Michael Jackson fans worldwide and I think there have to be still some Michael Jackson fans . '' Culture critic , filmmaker and former Billboard music editor Nelson George said British fans are much more forgiving of Jackson 's troubles than are Americans , who expect celebrities to be `` saints and heroes , '' George said . `` The love for Michael Jackson in the UK is undiluted by any of the stuff that 's been talked about here in the states , '' said George , whose soon-to-be-released book `` City Kid : A Writer 's Memoir of Ghetto Life and Post-Soul Success '' offers some insight into the era in which Jackson 's popularity exploded . `` He 's a huge star there still and he will sell out all of those shows , '' George added . George recently returned from London , where he witnessed firsthand the adoration that European fans have for the singer . While there , he said he attended `` Thriller , '' a sold-out tribute to Jackson in London 's West End . George points out that Jackson is pursing a similar path to the one the musical artist Prince took in 2007 when he played 21 nights at the O2 Arena . Given its London location , George observed the venue has the potential to attract fans from across Europe . Moreover , George said , the British have long been admirers of black music and culture . `` It 's the perfect place for -LSB- Jackson -RSB- to play , '' George said . `` There will be fans there from all over the world , including the United States . '' | Jackson set to play O2 Arena in the United Kingdom . Renowned publicist says Jackson smart to tackle smaller venue . Former Billboard music critic : `` He 's a huge star there still '' | [[1105, 1172], [1113, 1127], [1132, 1178], [1105, 1112], [1118, 1125], [1181, 1251], [2243, 2272]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The two youngest stars in `` Slumdog Millionaire '' will get `` a substantial sum of money '' that would `` change their lives for the better '' when they turn 18 , but only if they stay in school , director Danny Boyle told CNN . Director Danny Boyle says the youngest actors in his film will get `` substantial '' money if they stay in school . Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail , both 8 , have been temporarily forced to stay away from school by the crush of journalists who have converged on the campus in Mumbai , Boyle said . `` The press attention that 's been focused on them is really sad at the moment and they 've had to leave school temporarily because the press outside the school is disrupting the school , '' Boyle said . `` So , we 've withdrawn them from the school for a short while . '' Boyle , in a CNN interview Thursday , said the boys were paid `` way over and above what you could pay , '' despite media reports to the contrary . The success of the moderately budgeted film , about an orphan seeking fame and love through the `` Millionaire '' game show , drew a spotlight to the slums of Mumbai , India , where it was filmed . A controversy erupted this week when the children 's parents told reporters they felt they were exploited and underpaid for their work . The Telegraph newspaper of London reported the children and their families still live in the same `` tangle of makeshift shacks '' in Mumbai where they lived when the casting director found them . Azharuddin 's situation has gotten worse , the paper said , because `` his family 's illegal hut was demolished by the local authorities and he now sleeps under a sheet of plastic tarpaulin with his father , who suffers from tuberculosis . '' This public relations challenge began just as Oscar ballots were mailed to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . `` Slumdog Millionaire '' is nominated for 10 Oscars , including best picture and best director for Boyle . Boyle defended how his production company has treated the boys . `` We thought long and hard about how best can we benefit them and we decided to put in place an education plan for them , '' Boyle said . `` We put them in school , a very good school , which they 're paid for to stay in until they 're 18 . '' `` If they stay in school until they 're 18 , a substantial sum of money is released to them then , which will effectively change their lives for the better , '' Boyle said . The Telegraph quoted their parents saying Azharuddin was paid less than $ 2,500 , and that Rubina got about $ 700 . `` The children were paid well , '' Boyle said . `` The families were paid well for their work , over and above what you could pay , way over and above what you could pay . '' `` Some of the figures that have been quoted have been very inaccurate , '' Boyle said . He said he would not quote the real numbers `` because to do so makes them vulnerable within their own community . There are people who would take advantage of them immediately . '' Even the trust fund is a target of `` gangsters , '' he said . `` The money that would be released to them when they are older , that is the kind of thing that can be mortgaged off by gangsters , '' he said . Boyle said the film 's financial backers have agreed that charitable groups that help children of the slums will also see `` a slice of the profits . '' `` We 've all agreed that we will sit down and dedicate a slice of the profits of the film to be distributed amongst people like those who run the school and other organizations who make a big difference to children 's lives there , '' he said . `` We gained from the city , both from these two children and from the city , in general , and we 'll make sure the film gives back some of the enormous success it 's had , '' he said . -- CNN 's Kareen Wynter contributed to this report . | The children 's parents say they felt they were exploited and underpaid for their work . The kids reportedly still live in the same `` tangle of makeshift shacks '' in Mumbai . Director says the boys were paid `` way over and above what you could pay '' | [[1195, 1331], [1232, 1331], [2501, 2580], [1392, 1472], [275, 365], [849, 854], [857, 875], [887, 951], [2620, 2647]] |
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A bat that apparently had trouble flying instead tried to hitch a ride on the space shuttle Discovery , NASA officials said . The free tail bat was last seen clinging to the space shuttle Discovery 's external fuel tank just before launch . The animal was last seen clinging on the foam of the external tank of the space shuttle moments before the Discovery launched , officials said . NASA officials had hoped the bat would fly away on its own , but admitted the bat probably died quickly during Discovery 's climb into orbit . Discovery 's seven-member crew , which lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Sunday , is on a 14-day mission to deliver supplies needed to expand the International Space Station . NASA officials noticed the bat before shuttle 's liftoff and brought in a wildlife expert to look at video images of it . The expert said it appeared to be a free-tailed bat that probably had a broken left wing and an injured right shoulder or wrist . The launch pads at the space center are near the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge , so NASA has sirens to scare away animals that get near the shuttles . The bat is n't the first to try hitching a ride into space . NASA officials said they noticed one of the creatures on a tank of a shuttle in 1998 . That bat flew away as the shuttle 's massive engines ignited . The crew of the Discovery safely docked at the International Space Station on Tuesday . It was unclear whether its stowaway was still clinging to the shuttle . | NASA : Bat was last seen clinging on space shuttle Discovery before launch . Wildlife expert says bat appeared to have broken wing or injured shoulder . Discovery is on 14-day mission to deliver supplies to International Space Station . | [[176, 202], [208, 269], [176, 193], [203, 290], [291, 310], [316, 386], [291, 301], [311, 416], [899, 901], [911, 1012], [579, 609], [667, 689], [673, 760]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday that both engines of the US Airways flight that ditched last month into the Hudson River contained bird remains . The feather found inside one of the engines of the plane that crashed into the Hudson River . The engines from US Airways Flight 1549 were sent to the manufacturer in Cincinnati , Ohio , where the NTSB directed the analysis , it said in a news release . The plane 's flight data recorder `` revealed no anomalies or malfunctions in either engine up to the point where the captain reported a bird strike , after which there was an uncommanded loss of thrust in both engines , '' the NTSB said . The NTSB also said that an `` engine surge event '' in the right engine on January 13 , two days before the accident , was caused by a faulty temperature sensor , which had been replaced . Investigators said last month they found a single feather and evidence of `` soft-body impact damage '' on the aircraft . The find reinforces the pilot 's report that the plane was brought down by a flock of birds . Pilot Chesley B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger , 58 , told investigators his aircraft struck birds , disabling both engines , about 90 seconds after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport in New York . The feather , found on a flap track on the wing , was also sent to identification experts at the Smithsonian Institution last month . The pilot ditched the Airbus A320 in the Hudson River and passengers tried to flee the aircraft almost immediately after it settled in the water and began to float along the river current . All 155 crew members and passengers on the plane survived the incident , which New York Gov. David Paterson dubbed a `` miracle on the Hudson . '' | Engines sent to manufacturer in Ohio after crash . Last month single feather , evidence of `` soft-body impact damage '' found on aircraft . Pilot ditched plane in Hudson after he said aircraft hit flock of birds . All 155 crew and passengers survived what was called `` miracle on the Hudson '' | [[283, 366], [872, 993], [902, 993], [123, 188], [541, 550], [557, 591], [994, 1087], [1034, 1087], [1088, 1106], [1137, 1181], [1411, 1464], [1601, 1744], [1659, 1671], [1709, 1744]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Internet auction to sell off the plaster cast that New Zealand Prime Minister John Key wore when he broke his right arm has raised close to NZ$ 20,000 for charity . John Key wears the cast during a TV interview on Friday . The online auction ended Sunday with a winning bid of NZ$ 18,500 -LRB- US$ 9,362 -RRB- , according to the New Zealand shopping Web site TradeMe , which conducted the bidding . The prime minister broke his arm in two places on January 17 when he tripped on some stairs at a Chinese New Year event in Auckland . Later , during a trip to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands for a Pacific Islands Forum meeting , several dignitaries -- including Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd -- signed Kay 's blue cast . The money will benefit the Fred Hollows Foundation in blindness prevention programs in the Pacific . The TradeMe listing said the foundation estimates there are about 5,000 blind people in the Islands , mainly needing cataract surgery . Another 15,000 suffer from poor vision and need eyeglasses . `` I am very surprised it got to that ... but I am delighted , '' New Zealand 's national news agency quoted Key as saying about the winning bid . The cast , which was removed this weekend , is in `` excellent condition , '' Key said . `` Though I do n't know whether is is $ 20,000 worth of condition . '' Bidders and curious clickers posed more than 180 questions during the auction period . `` Does it come with the arm ? '' asked one . Another wanted to know if there was a chance of the the winner and Key `` exchanging numbers and hanging out in the future if we hit it off ? '' A third asked : `` If I was successful with this auction do I also have ownership and rights to any genetic material that may -LRB- have been -RRB- left inside the cast and the right to clone it if I choose to ? '' That person was told he or she would have to `` negotiate with John 's lawyers for that particular right . '' The winning bidder was a headstone maker from Wellington , according to NZPA , the news agency . | Auction to sell cast New Zealand 's PM wore when he broke arm sold for charity . Online auction ended Sunday with winning bid of NZ$ 18,500 -LRB- US$ 9,362 -RRB- . John Key broke his arm in two places when he tripped on stairs in Auckland . | [[51, 113], [73, 186], [245, 276], [282, 331], [421, 554], [487, 554]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Court hearings began Friday for 11 people , including two Spanish professional football players and a Serb-French football agent , who were arrested this week on charges of cocaine smuggling , a police source told CNN . Spanish police allege the group smuggled the drugs in from Argentina . The 11 are accused of taking advantage of their football contacts in Latin America , and their trips to the region , to organize the drug trafficking . Spanish police made the arrests on Thursday , mainly in Madrid , and seized 600 kilos -LRB- 1,320 pounds -RRB- of cocaine they alleged had been shipped from Argentina to Spain earlier this month . The suspected leader of the group was identified as Zoran Matijevic , a Serb-born football agent , the international football federation , who now holds French citizenship , according to a police statement and the police source . His aides in the alleged scheme included Pedrag Stankovic , a former player on the second-division Hercules team from Alicante in southeast Spain ; Carlos de la Vega Diaz , a current player for the second-division Rayo Vallecano team in Madrid , and Pablo Acosta , a football agent , according to the statement and the police source . The investigation began in the middle of 2008 after police began to notice a group running drugs from South America to Spain . A container with 45 packages of cocaine -- linked to the suspects -- was hidden in wind farm machinery . It left an Argentine port in February , stopped in Tangiers , Morocco and then crossed the Strait of Gibraltar , docking in the southern Spanish port of Algeciras . The cocaine container was finally driven by truck to Madrid , but before the suspects could get the cocaine and distribute it , the police moved in , arresting seven suspects in Madrid , three in the southeast port of Valencia and another in Alicante . The suspects include a Peruvian national , the police statement said . Authorities say Spain -- with its extensive coastline on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean -- is a major point of entry for drugs , for use in Spain or to be shipped elsewhere in the European Union . | Two professional footballers and agent among 11 accused of drug smuggling . Spanish police accuse group of bringing in cocaine from Argentina . Suspected leader of group was identified as Zoran Matijevic , a football agent . | [[0, 6], [9, 30], [34, 162], [130, 164], [169, 224], [130, 164], [169, 224], [254, 324], [276, 324], [591, 673], [674, 741]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The only surviving suspect in last month 's attacks in Mumbai has written a letter to the Pakistan High Commission , or embassy , seeking legal aid , CNN 's sister network in India reported Saturday , quoting a Mumbai police official . Flames and smoke gush from the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai , India , on November 27 . Investigators said that Mohammad Ajmal Kasab is from Faridkot village in the Okara district of Pakistan 's Punjab province and that the other nine attackers also are from Pakistan . Pakistani officials have denied that assertion , blaming instead `` stateless actors . '' Rakesh Maria , Mumbai 's joint police commissioner of crime , said Saturday that Kasab 's three-page letter was written in Urdu . In the letter , Kasab confesses his role in the attacks , CNN-IBN said . The letter is to be delivered to the commission 's New Delhi , India , office , possibly Monday , the network reported . Maria paraphrased parts of the letter at a news conference but did not release a copy to the media , CNN-IBN said . More than 160 people were killed in the three-day Mumbai siege that started November 26 and targeted 10 sites , including two luxury hotels , a train station and other landmarks . Of the 10 suspects , only 21-year-old Kasab survived , according to police . This week , Pakistani authorities banned a charity linked to the attacks and placed its leader under house arrest , Pakistan 's information minister told CNN . The move came after the U.N. Security Council designated the charity , Jamaat-ud-Dawa , as a terrorist organization because of its links to Lashkar-e-Tayyiba -LRB- known by the acronym LeT -RRB- and placed sanctions on the group . India has blamed LeT for training the attackers who carried out the Mumbai attacks . | Mohammad Ajmal Kasab is only surviving suspect in last month 's attacks . He is from Pakistan 's Punjab province , investigators say . Mumbai official says Kasab wrote to Pakistani embassy seeking legal aid . His letter also includes a confession , police official says . | [[41, 63], [1249, 1267], [1270, 1301], [1249, 1267], [1270, 1292], [1304, 1325], [357, 538], [0, 33], [92, 151], [187, 217], [238, 272], [187, 217], [238, 272], [759, 772], [775, 814]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has signed a deployment order to move an additional 3,000 troops to Afghanistan next year , according to U.S. military officials . Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan , with its high mountain terrain . The troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade , the latest approved by Gates for the expected build-up of U.S. troops in Afghanistan throughout next year . Earlier this year , the U.S. commander in Afghanistan , Gen. David McKiernan , requested at least 20,000 additional troops be sent there to fight the increasing violence by the resurgent Taliban forces in the southern and eastern parts of the country . The officials could not say what units are being tapped to go because those units are now being told of their deployment and the announcement has not yet been made public . The aviation brigade will send a number of much-needed helicopters to the region . Helicopters are the main transportation of the U.S. military in Afghanistan , where high mountain roads and passes make it difficult for large transport vehicles to move troops and supplies around the country . There are more than 30,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan . Meanwhile , a Dutch soldier was killed Friday in southern Afghanistan , the NATO command confirmed . The soldier died in an improvised explosive device strike , according to a news release from NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . `` Our sincere condolences and sympathies are with the family and friends of this brave soldier , especially during this holiday season , '' said ISAF spokesman Capt. Mark Windsor Royal Navy . `` This soldier 's death is an irreplaceable loss to all of us who fight for the peace and stability of Afghanistan . ISAF will continue to fight for the cause for which this brave soldier gave his life . '' Eighteen Dutch troops have died in the Afghan conflict , according to a CNN count of casualty figures . | Troops will be part of a combat aviation brigade ; transport helicopters to be sent . They are latest to be approved for expected build-up of U.S. troops next year . Dutch soldier has been killed in southern Afghanistan , NATO confirms . Soldier died in an improved explosive device strike . | [[308, 360], [897, 979], [0, 26], [30, 155], [363, 470], [1247, 1256], [1259, 1316], [1348, 1405]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Troubled U.S. insurer AIG will end its shirt sponsorship deal with Premier League and European champions Manchester United next year . End of era : AIG will not renew its four-year sponsorship deal with Manchester United . It was widely believed that AIG would not renew their # 19 million -LRB- $ 27 million -RRB- per year shirt deal when the four-year contract expired in 2010 , due to the financial troubles the company has suffered . And , on Wednesday , the company confirmed this . `` AIG 's shirt sponsorship with Manchester United runs through May 2010 . We have no plans to renew the deal , '' said a company statement . AIG is still restructuring after receiving a bail-out of $ 150 billion from the U.S. Government . They also have a # 5 million -LRB- $ 6.8 million -RRB- per year deal to run MU Finance , but it is not clear what will happen with that contract . Despite the loss of AIG , a Manchester United spokesman told the UK Press Association that the Premier League giants hoped to better the current deal it had with the U.S. insurer . Have your say : Can football 's giant salaries survive the financial crisis ? `` In line with industry practice , Manchester United is exploring the possibility of a shirt sponsor for the new 2010/11 season . `` The club is in dialogue with a select number of top companies worldwide and has so far received sufficient interest to be confident it can improve on its current # 19 million annual partnership with AIG . '' Michael Stirling , managing director of Global Sponsors , predicts United will be able to find a new sponsor who will match those figures . `` I think they will do extremely well regardless of the crisis because they have done superbly in being the world club champions . There will be a lot of interest from major brands that want to be associated with the club , no matter the price , '' he told CNN . Massive Indian corporation Sahara are reported in the Indian media to be investigating the Red Devils ' proposals , while Saudi Telecom is another company believed to be a potential new sponsor . World Club champions United also have strong links in both Malaysia and South Korea . Meanwhile , AIG have insisted they will honor their four-year agreement , leaving the Old Trafford club in a better position than when Vodafone gave just six months ' notice before terminating their deal in 2006 . | AIG confirm they will not renew its four-year contract with Manchester United . The Old Trafford club believes they can improve on the deal they had with AIG . India 's Sahara and Saudi Telecom have been tipped as potential sponsors . | [[0, 15], [19, 153], [167, 241], [359, 397], [457, 460], [463, 475], [478, 506], [582, 616], [920, 1043], [1027, 1043], [1047, 1074], [1409, 1491], [1899, 2012], [2021, 2094]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number one golfer Tiger Woods has become a dad for the second time after wife Elin gave birth to a boy , Charlie Axel , on Sunday . Elin hands daughter Sam to Tiger after his victory at last year 's U.S. Open . The couple already have a daughter Sam Alexis , who was born in June 2007 , and proud dad Tiger announced news of the latest family addition on his official Web site on Monday . `` Elin and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son , Charlie Axel Woods , '' said Woods who has been sidelined since knee surgery following his 14th major triumph at the U.S. Open last June . `` Both Charlie and Elin are doing great and we want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts . `` Sam is very excited to be a big sister and we feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family . I also want to thank our doctors , nurses and the hospital staff for their personal and professional care . `` We look forward to introducing Charlie to you at the appropriate time , and again thanks from all of us for your kindness and support . '' The arrival of Charlie Axel comes as Woods prepares to return to the Tour with his earliest realistic comeback in three weeks at the Accenture World Match Play in Tucson where he would be the defending champion . However , reports suggest he may wait until the Tour comes to Florida , where he lives , next month . `` I have no restrictions -- it 's just a matter of getting my golf endurance up . I do n't have my golf stamina back yet , '' he said on his Web site . `` I am excited about returning to competition . Early on I did n't miss golf because I enjoyed staying home with Elin and Sam and I knew I was n't physically able to play . `` The truth is , I would have embarrassed myself . Now I 'm getting my feel and practice back . It 's just a matter of playing more on the course . `` I 'm working hard to get myself back into tournament shape and will return as soon as I 'm ready . '' Woods position at the top of the world rankings -- he was 11 points clear at the time of surgery -- is currently under threat from Spanish star Sergio Garcia who has closed the gap to less than three points . | World number one golfer Tiger Woods has become a dad for the second time . Wife Elin gave birth to boy , Charlie Axel , on Sunday Woods says on Web site . Arrival of Charlie Axel comes as Woods prepares for Tour return after surgery . | [[0, 15], [19, 102], [103, 137], [1527, 1555], [1088, 1257]] |
BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bedraggled , hungry and dazed , the refugees arrived on the shores of Thailand after fleeing one of the most repressive governments in the world -- the hard-line military regime in Myanmar , also known as Burma . This picture provided to CNN is said to show refugees being towed out to sea by the Thai army . But a CNN investigation has uncovered evidence that for hundreds of Rohingya refugees -- members of a Muslim minority group -- abuse and abandonment at sea were what awaited them in Thailand , at the hands of Thai authorities . Extraordinary photos obtained by CNN from someone directly involved in the Thai operation show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea , cut loose and abandoned . One photo shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea . Watch the backstory on the investigation '' For days , accusations have been carried in several regional papers that the Thai army has been systematically towing boat-loads of Rohingya refugees far out to sea and setting them adrift . The army denied it , and the Thai government has launched an inquiry . CNN 's investigation -- based on accounts from tourists , sources in Thailand and a Rohingya refugee who said he was on a boat towed back out to sea -- helps to piece together a picture of survival thwarted by an organized effort not just to repel arriving refugees , but to hold them prisoner on shore , drag them in flimsy boats far out to sea and then abandon them . Watch CNN 's investigation into reports of refugees being set adrift '' Three tourists recently voiced concern to CNN over what they had seen -- and in some cases photographed -- near Thailand 's tourist areas . One tourist provided CNN with photos last week of refugees detained by Thai authorities on a beach near a tourist site , with the refugees prone on the sun-bleached sand while guards stood nearby . `` Whenever someone raised their head or moved , they -LSB- guards -RSB- would strike them with a whip , '' said Australian tourist Andrew Catton . A CNN crew traveled to a remote stretch of the Thai coast four hours north of the tourist island of Phuket to investigate the growing reports that the Thai military was secretly detaining Rohingya refugees before towing them out to sea and setting them adrift . In an isolated beach area , debris including sandals and campfire remnants indicated that large numbers of people had been there but were nowhere to be seen . The crew then traveled to a nearby island , where residents reported that refugees who had escaped were living in the jungle . In one hamlet , villagers had captured a Rohingya man they believed had been living in the jungle for days . The refugee , who identified himself as Iqbal Hussain , told CNN he was on one of six boats in a makeshift refugee fleet that arrived in Thailand in December . He said all six boats with their refugee cargo were towed back out to sea in January , and five of the six boats sank . His boat made it back to shore , and he hid in the jungle for days until nearby villagers captured him . In broken English and using sign language and drawings , he described what happened to the other men on the boats : . `` All men dead , '' he said , putting the number of dead at several hundred . The Rohingya , a persecuted minority in Myanmar , have been fleeing their country in rickety boats for years , in search of a better life . In Thailand , many instead have found deprivation and the possibility of desertion far off shore , according to the CNN investigation . The source who provided CNN with photos of refugees in a boat being towed out to sea stressed that the Thai army had given the refugees food and water , but he also confirmed that the boats had been pulled for more than two days into international waters before they were set adrift . His account directly contradicts briefings by senior Thai army sources who denied any such operation was undertaken . A source in the Thai military , after extensive questioning , did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy . But the source defended it , insisting that each boatload of refugees was always given sufficient supplies of food and water . That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month , and that they were accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them . CNN asked the government for comment and was told that an investigation was being launched and that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has plans to call an emergency meeting once the country 's foreign minister returns from Cambodia . Panitan Wattanayagorn , a government spokesman , gave no timeline for the foreign minister 's return or the emergency meeting . He did say the government is taking the matter very seriously . | CNN finds evidence hundreds of Rohingya refugees abandoned at sea by Thai army . Photos show refugees on their rickety boats being towed out to sea , cut loose . The army denies setting refugees adrift ; Thai government has launched an inquiry . Rohingya have been fleeing persecution of the hard-line military regime in Myanmar . | [[251, 346], [251, 279], [288, 346], [351, 560], [399, 432], [436, 574], [753, 838], [883, 1064], [1515, 1586], [2073, 2078], [2180, 2325], [2335, 2360], [2363, 2493], [3466, 3470], [3551, 3587], [251, 346], [251, 279], [288, 346], [575, 701], [682, 724], [753, 838], [883, 1064], [1265, 1293], [1145, 1165], [1450, 1475], [2890, 2974], [3312, 3324], [3352, 3420], [3643, 3672], [1074, 1092], [1095, 1144], [4505, 4540]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A massive winter storm has left at least 17 people dead and more than a million homes across the Midwest without power , according to reports from several state emergency management agencies . A tree pulls on utility lines Wednesday in Louisville , Kentucky , in a photo from iReporter Jacek Jasinski . Almost half those households are in Kentucky , where 45 shelters have been set up to help residents battling icy conditions , a spokesman for the governor 's office said . `` One of our biggest concerns is -LSB- providing -RSB- power generators , especially for nursing homes out in the western part of the state that are without power , '' Jay Blanton , spokesman for Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear , said Wednesday . The storm dumped ice and snow on a region that extends from Texas to Kentucky and left `` absolutely everything in northwest Arkansas ... at a standstill , '' an Arkansas police officer said . Watch ice damage trees in Arkansas '' `` It 's hard to walk , let alone drive , '' Fayetteville , Arkansas , police officer Dan Baker said . `` It looks like tornado damage . '' He added , `` Our officers are wearing metal cleats just so they can walk the streets . '' iReport.com : Send your wintry weather photos , videos . Northwest Arkansas has been hit hard , and schools and universities were closed throughout the state . See the impact of the storms '' `` It 's like a ghost town , '' Barbara Rademacher of Rogers , Arkansas , said Wednesday morning . `` It 's just white and ice , '' Rademacher said while looking out her kitchen window at a street devoid of traffic and littered with the ice-weighted branches of oak trees . `` The roads are impassable , and there are shelters set up in every community because there are so many people with power out , '' she said . The storms were extending their reach into the New England states Wednesday . The National Weather Service issued freezing rain , ice and winter storm warnings from Texas up through the Ohio Valley and into New England . Watch how to have fun in the snow '' As of Wednesday , the Oklahoma Corporation Commission reported at least 27,621 homes and businesses affected by power outages across the state . The commission office was closed Wednesday because of the icy conditions . Heavy snow fell in many areas Tuesday into early Wednesday . Parts of Pennsylvania and Maryland were hit with 4 inches ; parts of Missouri , Illinois and Indiana were struck with 6 inches ; and areas of Ohio were covered with 12 inches of snow , forecasters said . Ice storms blast the heartland . Weather-related flight delays were reported at New York 's LaGuardia and Washington Dulles International airports as well as in Dallas , Texas ; Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ; and Newark , New Jersey , a Federal Aviation Administration Web site indicated . Check on your airport . For Dorenda Coks , assistant manager at City Bites in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , the winter blast was a completely new experience . Watch the terrible driving conditions in Oklahoma and Arkansas '' The Jamaica native is experiencing her first winter in Oklahoma and was n't prepared for the cold . `` You just try to stay warm , '' Coks said . Oklahomans were due for some relief Wednesday as temperatures were expected to rise above freezing , according to meteorologist Andy Wallace of CNN affiliate KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City . CNN 's David Ariosto contributed to this report . | At least 17 deaths blamed on icy winter storm . Kentucky opens 45 shelters for thousands without power . `` Everything in northwest Arkansas is at a standstill , '' police officer says . Storms drop ice , sleet and snow from Texas to Ohio Valley to New England . | [[0, 15], [29, 137], [358, 366], [369, 445], [894, 930], [738, 779], [1809, 1886], [1887, 1979], [2287, 2347], [2552, 2584]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barack Obama 's two daughters had another reason to high-five their dad 's election to the presidency Tuesday night : they 're getting a puppy . President Bush 's dog Barney walks in the White House Rose Garden in 2007 . `` Sasha and Malia , '' Obama said in his victory speech at Chicago 's Grant Park , `` I love you both so much , and you have earned the new puppy that 's coming with us to the White House . '' The new White House pet will follow in the paw-steps of a menagerie of animals that have had the run of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue over the years . The Bush family shared their eight years at the White House with a cat , a feisty English springer spaniel and two Scottish terriers -- all of whom have their own pages on the president 's Web site . The Clintons ' Washington stay included a cat , Socks , who did not get along with their chocolate Labrador retriever , Buddy . And Millie the springer spaniel 's canine view of life in the White House -- as `` told to '' then-first lady Barbara Bush -- became a best-seller that outsold the memoirs of President George H.W. Bush . While many presidents took to heart President Harry Truman 's admonishment -- `` If you want a friend in Washington , get a dog '' -- first pets have come in all shapes , sizes and species . Thomas Jefferson kept two grizzly bears in a cage on the White House lawn , while John Quincy Adams is said to have let his alligator use a bathtub inside . Calvin Coolidge walked his raccoons on a leash . Theodore Roosevelt 's sons escorted their pet pony onto the White House elevator to cheer up a sick sibling . And perhaps the strangest of all : Martin Van Buren briefly owned two tiger cubs , a gift from the Sultan of Oman . Pets have sometimes been a boon to a president 's image . But some have also taken a bite out of their popularity . Animal lovers howled in protest when Lyndon B. Johnson picked up his beagles , Him and Her , by the ears to provide photographers a better view . On the other hand , Richard Nixon -- running for vice president and accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions -- successfully defended himself in his famous `` Checkers Speech . '' The only gift he ever accepted was `` a little cocker spaniel dog '' that his daughter named Checkers , Nixon said . `` And I just want to say this , right now , that regardless of what they say about it , we are going to keep it , '' he added . Come January , the Obamas will make history by becoming the first African-American family to move into the White House . But if Malia , 10 , and Sasha , 7 , get what they 've been promised , the new tenants will keep one long-standing tradition alive ... and wagging . | President-elect Obama promises his daughters a puppy . White House has a history of president pets -- from dogs to tiger cubs . President Bush had three dogs and cat , President Clinton a dog and cat . | [[137, 163], [434, 512], [502, 512], [518, 579], [1243, 1302]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Swedish car manufacturer Saab , a fully owned subsidiary of General Motors , announced Friday that it will `` file for reorganization ... to create a fully independent business entity . '' The Swedish car maker says a formal reorganization is the best way to create an `` entity that 's ready for investment . '' Under the Swedish court system , an independent administrator will be appointed to work closely with the Saab management team to formulate a reorganization proposal , which will be presented to creditors within three weeks of the filing . Saab said it will continue to operate as usual and in accordance with the formal reorganization process , with the government providing some support during this period . `` We explored and will continue to explore all available options for funding and/or selling Saab and it was determined a formal reorganization would be the best way to create a truly independent entity that is ready for investment , '' said Jan Ake Jonsson , managing director for Saab Automobile . `` Saab has an excellent foundation for strong growth , assuming we can get the funding to complete engineering , tooling and manage launch costs . Reorganization will give us the time and means that help get these products to market , while minimizing the liquidity impact of Saab on GM . '' General Motors said this week that it plans shed tens of thousands of employees , close factories , cut product lines and wants billions of dollars in government funding to stave off bankruptcy . When all is said and done , GM said that by 2011 it could need a total of $ 30 billion , which includes the $ 13.4 billion in Treasury loans it has already received . In the near term , GM will most certainly need $ 9.1 billion in additional loans and could require an additional $ 7.5 billion in the next two years if auto sales do n't improve . | Independent adminstrator appointed to form Saab reorganization plan . Auto maker says plan considered to be the best way to attract future funding . Saab is a fully owned subsidiary of ailing U.S. auto maker General Motors . GM is fighting to stave off bankruptcy with job cuts , U.S. Treasury loans . | [[332, 457], [365, 393], [412, 496], [0, 15], [51, 93], [1334, 1503], [1485, 1529]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British reality TV star Jade Goody married Sunday after being told by doctors last week that her cancer is terminal . Jade Goody , pictured with fiance Jack Tweed Saturday , before Sunday 's wedding . Goody , 27 tied the knot with boyfriend Jack Tweed , 21 , in Hatfield Heath , Essex , east of London , UK media reported . After the ceremony Max Clifford , the couple 's publicist , told waiting reporters that there had been `` lots of tears and smiles and laughter '' and that the congregation gave the newlyweds a standing ovation after the signing of the register . Goody sprung to fame in `` Big Brother '' in 2002 , going on to launch a range of her own products and host TV shows . But her return to the celebrity edition of the show in 2007 ended in international ignominy , after her taunting of Indian Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty . Goody 's behavior resulted in more than 40,000 complaints and sparked protests in India . Shetty said last week that she was unable to attend the wedding due to filming commitments but was praying for Goody . Read blog about how media covered wedding . In August 2008 Goody appeared on the Indian version of `` Big Brother , '' only to fly home after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer . News of Goody 's condition has sparked massive interest in the UK , both from the media -- which bid for rights to her story -- and among the public , who have contacted charities for information about cervical cancer . Critics have attacked Goody 's decision to sell rights to what may be her final weeks , although the star has told British media that she wants to leave her children by a previous relationship -- sons , Bobby , five , and Freddie , four -- financially secure . Watch Jade Goody 's wedding preparations '' But Clifford told ITN : `` Ironically , a big part of what she 's doing now is to fund her children 's education . To give them the education she never had . '' Charity Cancer Research UK said in a statement earlier this month that daily visits to its Web site had increased two - to three-fold since news of Goody 's illness was announced . `` The publicity around Jade 's diagnosis has led many more people to ask questions and seek information about cervical cancer , '' spokeswoman Emma Gilgunn-Jones said . Shetty , writing on her blog earlier this week , said that Goody had invited her to the wedding but had been unable to attend due to filming commitments in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . `` Read an article on Jade Goody 's deteriorating condition , '' wrote Shetty . `` It disturbed me 'cause the last time I spoke to her , she seemed very positive and we were all expecting that the doctors would be able to curb the cancer from spreading . This piece of news came as a shock - so I called her hoping it was only a rumor but she confirmed it . Shetty added that she was praying for Goody and that she hoped God `` gives her the strength to cope with this pain . '' `` She wants the best for her kids , '' Shetty wrote . `` I hope Jack makes a good father to them . I also hope for a miracle to happen for her children 's sake . '' On Friday the UK 's Ministry of Justice said it would allow Tweed , who was jailed in September 2008 for assault , to spend his wedding night with his bride , the Press Association reported . `` We are absolutely thrilled , '' the agency reported Clifford as saying . `` It will be the dream finish to her dream day , and it makes so much difference . Tweed , who was released early from jail in January , has to wear a tag and is subject to a 1900 GMT curfew . `` We 'll get married if I have to drag her wheelchair down the aisle , '' he told ITN last week . The wedding dress , which media reports say included a pouch to hold Goody 's medication , was donated by Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed . Goody 's bridesmaids were seen with the TV star Saturday , wearing plastic bald caps in a show of solidarity at the impact of her chemotherapy treatment . | Publicist : Couple receive standing ovation , lots of tears , laughter , smiles . British ` Big Brother ' star fast-tracked plans to get married after cancer spread . Shetty says she was invited to ceremony but unable due to film commitments . Charities report marked increase in public seeking details about condition . | [[360, 391], [394, 397], [420, 551], [516, 606], [970, 1060], [2309, 2315], [2358, 2477], [1404, 1422], [1427, 1491], [2139, 2265]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rapper Kanye West and his business manager face vandalism , battery and grand theft charges in connection with a scuffle with photographers at Los Angeles International Airport last September . Rapper Kanye West has been charged after an incident last year involving two photographers . The Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file felony charges , but L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo decided to charge West , 31 , and Don Crawley , 33 , with misdemeanors Wednesday . Police arrested West on September 11 , 2008 , after an altercation with two paparazzi , airport police said . The incident , which took place near the airport 's Terminal 4 , occurred between the rap star and Crawley -- his road manager and bodyguard -- and a photographer and a cameraman who were taking their photos , airport police said . The cameras of the paparazzi were damaged in the altercation , police said . West was charged with one count of vandalism , one count of grand theft and one count of battery , according to Frank Mateljan , the spokesman for the city attorney . Crawley was charged with two counts of vandalism , two counts of grand theft and two counts of battery , Mateljan said . If convicted of all charges , West could face up to two years and six months in jail , while Crawley could face up to five years , he said . Their arraignment hearing is set for April 14 at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse , he said . West , a 10-time Grammy winner , and Crawley were in the airport to catch a flight to Honolulu , Hawaii , police said . The pair were outside of passenger security screening when the incident occurred . CNN could not immediately reach the star 's publicist for comment . The celebrity Web site TMZ posted a video of the incident shot by one of its reporters , who was also in the terminal when the altercation occurred . The video was short and chaotic , and the man whom TMZ identifies as West never shows his face , which is shrouded in the hood of a gray sweatshirt . According to the Web site , after West grabbed the camera from the photographer , Crawley took it from him , leaving the rap star with the lighting component . The video shows the man in the gray sweatshirt and another man in a red sweatshirt -- whom TMZ identifies as Crawley -- each smashing parts of a camera on the ground . Then the man in red approaches the camera as it is filming . He reaches out for the camera , and it appears a struggle ensues . As airport officials arrive , the man walks off . TMZ reported that after the incident with the first photographer , Crawley grabbed the TMZ reporter 's camera and allegedly broke it . Police stopped West and Crawley as they tried to leave to go through security to board the plane , the Web site said . TMZ is partly owned by AOL , part of CNN 's parent company , Time Warner . West quickly became a hip-hop star after his first album , `` College Dropout , '' debuted in 2004 , earning him a best rap album Grammy that year . He twice matched that feat with 2005 's `` Late Registration '' and 2007 's `` Graduation . '' West also has won three best rap song Grammys for his hits `` Jesus Walks , '' `` Diamonds from Sierra Leone '' and `` Good Life . '' His other four Grammys include two best rap solo performance awards , one for best rap performance by a duo or group , and one for best R&B song for his role in helping write `` You Do n't Know My Name , '' a song performed by Alicia Keys . The platinum rapper is also known for controversial outbursts , most notably in 2005 , when he went off script during an NBC telethon for victims of Hurricane Katrina , saying , `` George Bush does n't care about black people . '' | Kanye West and his manager charged with vandalism , theft and battery . Pair alleged to have been in scuffle that damaged photography equipment . If convicted , the Grammy-winning rapper faces more than two years in jail . TMZ has video that it says is of the incident . | [[238, 310], [948, 1036], [1115, 1217], [279, 330], [575, 614], [617, 638], [871, 931], [1266, 1320], [1744, 1801]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- One of the original Kings of Comedy , Steve Harvey is the host of one of the most popular radio shows in the country , `` The Steve Harvey Morning Show . '' His first book , `` Act Like a Lady , Think Like a Man , '' is shooting to the top of the best-seller lists , and Oprah Winfrey says she loves everything it has to say ! Harvey says this book has a special meaning for him . `` This is the first project that I did n't do for money , '' he says . `` Other than my foundation -- mentoring programs -- everything I do is for money . I tell jokes for a check ; I 'm on TV for a check . ... But this -LSB- book -RSB- right here I did purely to empower women . '' In his book , Harvey says the way a man introduces you gives good insight into the status of your relationship . If a man introduces you as a friend or says your name with no title at all , Harvey says you have nothing . `` We 're very protective . We mark our territory . If a man loves you ... he 's willing to profess it . He 'll give you a title after a while . You 're going to be his lady , his woman , his fiancée , his wife , his baby 's mama , something , '' he says . `` If he 's introducing you after six months , ` This is ... Oprah , ' you should be standing there going , ` This is going nowhere . ' '' Oprah.com : Read an excerpt from this best-selling book ! Man with a plan . Another thing women need to understand , according to Harvey , is that every man has a plan . `` Men do n't come up to you to just talk . We come up to you with a plan , '' he says . `` We 're looking across the room at you , and we do n't care about your hopes and dreams . We do n't care about what your future holds . We saw something we wanted . '' When a man approaches a woman , Harvey says , he already knows what we wants from her , but he does n't know what it will cost . `` How much time do you want from me ? What your standards ? What are your requirements ? Because we 'll rise to the occasion no matter how high you set the bar if we want to , '' he says . `` The problem is , women have stopped setting the bar high . '' Oprah.com : What 's your love type ? The cookie . Though a woman might want many things from a man , Harvey says men only need three things : support , loyalty and sex . Or as Harvey calls it , `` the cookie . '' `` We 've got to have your support . Whatever adventure we 're out on , whatever pursuit in life , we need your support . Then we need your loyalty . That 's your love . We 've got to know that you belong to us , '' he says . `` And we 've got to have a cookie . Everybody likes cookies . That 's the thing about a cookie . I like oatmeal raisin ... but if you 've got vanilla cream , I 'll eat that too . '' Kickin ' it . In his book , Harvey tells the story of his father-in-law 's first introduction to one of Harvey 's daughter 's boyfriends . '' -LSB- My 26-year-old daughter -RSB- was dating this guy who was about 30 . He had been over to the house about four , five times . And my father-in-law was visiting from Memphis , '' Harvey says . `` He 's in the kitchen and he 's eating and -LSB- my daughter 's -RSB- boyfriend is in there , and -LSB- my father-in-law -RSB- goes : ` So , son , sit down . Tell me , what 's your plan for my granddaughter ? ' '' After plenty of hemming and hawing , Harvey says the boyfriend finally said that the two were just `` kickin ' it . '' Harvey was pretty confident his daughter did n't have the same interpretation of the relationship , he says . `` I said : ` Cool . Let 's bring my daughter in there . Let 's inform her that she 's just being kicked ... let 's see if that 's what she wants to do , '' he says . `` They broke up the next day . '' Gone fishin ' Harvey says men are like fishermen -- but women are actually the ones looking for a good catch . You wo n't be able to find one , though , until you up your standards . `` You 've got sports fishermen , and you 've got guys out there fishing to eat . You 've got guys that are fishing to keep the fish , and you 've got guys that are fishing to catch them , unhook them and throw them back , '' Harvey says . `` You 've got to determine along the way which one of the fish you 're going to be . '' Without ironclad standards , Harvey says you 'll always end up back in the dating pool . `` You 've got to quit lowering your standards , '' he says . `` Set your requirements up front so when a guy hooks you , he has to know this is business . '' And do n't let the man set the pace of the relationship -- Harvey says it 's always the woman who has total control . `` With all that power , why do you suddenly relinquish this power just because you want a guy to accept you ? That 's stupid , '' he says . `` Say : ` Look , if you want to be with me , this is what you got to do . This is what it takes to get to me . ' '' When should you sleep with your new boyfriend ? As an auto plant worker , Harvey says he had to wait 90 days to receive benefits -- and says the same probation period should apply to dating . `` In 90 days they checked me out . They determined if I was easy to work with , if I got along well with others , if I showed up when I said I was going to show up , if I was worthy . '' Women , Harvey says , hold the greatest benefit of all -- the cookie -- so there 's no reason to give it away until you know your man deserves it . `` Slow down , ladies , '' Harvey says . `` Look , you can not run us off . '' So what if you do n't want to wait 90 days ? Harvey says if you change the probation period , you do so at your own risk . `` You all keep changing the rules . And men are aware of the fact that you are changing the rules . We 're aware of the fact that you act desperate . We 're aware of the fact that you think there 's a good shortage of good men out there , '' he says . `` We play on all of that . ... We created the term ` gold digger ' so you wo n't ask us for nothing . We created the term ` nagging ' so you can quit badgering us . These are terms that we created so you can require less of us . '' Mr. fix-it . Harvey says four little words can strike fear and dread into any man : We need to talk . `` You just drove a nail in his forehead , '' Harvey says . Men are fixers , not talkers , Harvey says , so it 's better to get to the point . `` When you say , ` We need to talk , ' we put up the barriers , '' he says . `` I tell ladies , just sit down and strike up a conversation . '' Oprah.com : How to talk to a brick wall . Turn off the text . Social networking Web sites and text messages can be a great way to keep in touch with friends , but Harvey says it 's not the best way to date . `` You have nothing if you 're texting a guy in a relationship , '' he says . `` We can text six women a minute . We can text it and push ` reply all . ' I mean , since we 're lying , we might as well lie to everybody . '' If you want the relationship to be more , take it face-to-face . `` Women talk about -LSB- how -RSB- chivalry 's dead . Chivalry 's not dead -- it 's just not required anymore , '' he says . `` You 've got to get a guy in your face . Look in his eyes . ... God has given you all this incredible thing called intuition . You 've got to use that . '' Safety first . You know you 've got a keeper when your man wants to make sure you 're always safe , Harvey says . Every man wants to protect his woman , and Harvey says this instinct kicks in when his wife , Marjorie , scuba dives . `` I ca n't go home without her . We 've got seven kids between us , '' Harvey says . `` They need their mother . I 'm not a good mother at all . '' Although Marjorie is a certified diver , Harvey is n't a swimmer . `` I have a security guy who can swim , '' he says . `` So -LSB- he puts -RSB- on the snorkeling gear and when she goes down , I tell him , ` You swim over and just keep an eye on my wife . ' '' Harvey also has instructions for everyone else on the boat . `` I told all the dive masters on the boat : ` If she does not come out of that water in 30 minutes , everybody in the water . Everybody . We 're doing a dive search right here , ' '' he says . `` I do n't care if nobody -LSB- else -RSB- on the boat goes home . She goes home . '' Oprah.com : How to read his body language . From The Oprah Winfrey Show . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Comedian Steve Harvey says women set the bar too low when dating . Harvey : Workers wait 90 days for benefits ; women should date 90 days before sex . Texting is not dating , says Harvey , just easier way for men to tell more lies . Men use terms like `` gold digger '' and `` nagging '' as weapons against women . | [[4938, 4944], [5000, 5055], [4950, 4992], [6633, 6677]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven French soldiers were killed when their military helicopter crashed off the coast of Gabon , the country 's official news agency said Sunday . A French ship with investigators on board look for clues near the crash site area . Two French soldiers survived the Saturday night crash , the agency said . French Defense Minister Herve Morin arrived in Gabon 's capital of Libreville on Sunday and met with President Omar Bongo to coordinate recovery efforts for the body of one of the seven soldiers whose remains had not been found . According to the French minister , `` the cause of this tragedy remains unknown . It may be natural or human , or a combination of both . '' Divers were inspecting the helicopter , which was in water 35 meters -LRB- about 115 feet -RRB- deep , Morin said . French forces were in the former French colony for maritime security exercises with Gabonese soldiers when the incident happened . | Seven killed , but two French soldiers survive the Saturday night crash . Recovery efforts underway for body of one of the seven soldiers still missing . Divers inspecting helicopter , which was in water 35 meters -LRB- about 115 feet -RRB- deep . | [[0, 15], [19, 114], [251, 304], [325, 360], [417, 519], [498, 519], [534, 554], [696, 796]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two former presidents reflected on their greatest regrets in office Monday , each looking back to issues that continue to plague the nation years later . Former presidents and political rivals Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush now share philanthropic efforts . Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared together at a question-and-answer forum before the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans , Louisiana . Asked his biggest regret after leaving office , Bush said he now wonders whether he should have tried to get Saddam Hussein to leave office at the end of the first Gulf War in 1991 . He told the gathering , `` I 've thought a lot about it , but at the end of Desert Storm , the question was should we have kind of kept going on that road to death and all this slaughter until Saddam Hussein showed up and laid his sword on the table , surrendered . And the common wisdom was he would n't do that . '' But he said a conversation with an FBI agent who interrogated Saddam after he was captured has made him reconsider . Bush recalled their talk , `` I said , ` What if we just say he has to come to surrender , would he have done it ? ' And this guy said , ` I 'm absolutely convinced he would have . ' My experts tell me he would n't have . '' Bush said , `` We ended it the way we said we would '' as a military success , but noted a cleaner ending `` would have been perfect . '' He added , `` If we had tried to get Saddam Hussein to come and literally surrender and put his sword on the table , I think it might have been avoided some of the problems that we did have in the future from him . '' On a day that President Barack Obama dispatched George Mitchell to the Middle East as the latest U.S. envoy , Clinton discussed the failure to achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians . `` My No. 1 regret is that I was not able to persuade Yasser Arafat to accept the peace plan I offered at the end of my presidency that the Israelis accepted . `` If he had done that ... we had had seven years of progress toward peace . We had one year in 1998 , the only year in the history of Israel where not a single soul was killed in a terrorist act . The Palestinians had more control over West Bank then than they do today , '' Clinton said . `` And if he had taken that deal , we would have a Palestinian state and we would have had , I think now , normal peaceful relations with Israel and all of its Arab neighbors . '' Clinton said a deal would have helped the U.S. handle other issues in the region , saying , `` We 'd be much better positioned to deal with the problem of Iran , and we would have taken away about half the arguments of terrorists around the world by giving the Palestinians their state and creating a cooperative , positive interdependence in the Middle East , not a negative one . And so , I think that would have done more good to save more lives and help more people , and I wish I had been able to do that . '' Clinton also said he regretted not doing more to `` stop the Rwandan genocide , '' and succeeding on a new health care plan . He said `` presidents should share freely ... the mistakes they made '' with historians , because it teaches lessons . He said he shared problems during the lunch with Obama and the four living presidents , saying , `` You want each new president to make new mistakes , not the same ones . '' Clinton added , `` all of us know if you make enough decisions , you 're going to make a few of them are n't right . '' | Middle East leaves George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton with some regrets . Bush wonders whether he should have pressed harder for Saddam 's surrender . Clinton looks back at Palestinian-Israeli peace process with some remorse . Presidents should share their mistakes as a learning tool , Clinton says . | [[509, 643], [1660, 1668], [1770, 1852], [3125, 3183]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manchester City have confirmed that absent Brazilian striker Robinho will be back in time for the Premier League side 's return to training next week . Robinho had a reputation for partying prior to his British-record transfer to Manchester City last August . City manager Mark Hughes told the club 's official Web site that Robinho , who cost mega-rich City a British record fee of # 32.5 million -LRB- $ 45m -RRB- when he signed from Real Madrid in August , will be spoken to after not joining the rest of the squad in a Tenerife training camp this week -- choosing instead to fly to Brazil to attend to a family matter . Hughes told mcfc.co.uk : `` Robbie left without permission , he felt that he had personal things that he needed to attend to . `` He made the decision to leave the camp , and go back to Brazil . That was not with my permission , and the situation at the moment is not really practical to get him back here with time differences and length of flights , so he will be back at the weekend ready to train when we are back in Manchester at the first available opportunity . `` Once he is back , I will sit down with him and explain my feelings , and decisions will be made after that . He has rung me , and he understands that we need to address this -- and we will . Then we will move on . Robinho 's decision to fly to Brazil came on the same day that City announced they were pulling out of a world record transfer move for AC Milan star Kaka , a Brazilian team-mate of Robinho . However . Hughes has insisted that that two matters are completely unrelated . Robinho is no stranger to controversy and had a reputation as a party-goer prior to his move to Manchester last year . He was dropped by his former Madrid coach , and now England national coach , Fabio Capello , who questioned his attitude and Robinho 's eventual departure from the Spanish club was acrimonious . In fact , in October 2007 , Robinho failed to return to Madrid after appearing for Brazil in an international match , claiming he had missed his flight . Local newspapers later revealed that he had been seen partying in a popular Rio de Janeiro nightclub and he was subsequently fined and dropped by the club . | Robinho will return to Manchester City in time for return to training next week . City manager Mark Hughes reveals Robinho flew to Brazil without permission . However , Hughes says their failure to sign Kaka was not linked to his decision . | [[0, 15], [19, 170], [279, 351], [671, 701], [838, 869], [1531, 1599]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are investigating not only what went wrong , but also what went right Thursday when a US Airways flight ended in the Hudson River without any deaths or major injuries . The aircraft remains in the Hudson River on Friday . Workers hope to lift it out Saturday morning . `` Having a successful ditching is a very rare event , '' Kitty Higgins of the NTSB said Friday . `` We 'll not only celebrate what worked here , but also learn what worked . So many times you 're only focused on what went wrong . A lot of things went right yesterday . '' Divers struggled against strong currents and frigid water temperatures to retrieve critical pieces of the puzzle from the Hudson River , where US Airways flight 1549 ended up less than three minutes after it took off from New York 's LaGuardia Airport Thursday afternoon . The flight data and cockpit voice recorders -- both critical to determining exactly what happened -- remained attached to the tail section of the aircraft , which was still partially submerged but secured to moorings . Watch a former pilot tell how to water-land a plane '' Workers will be at the site until midnight , rigging the aircraft so it can be lifted out Saturday morning , attached to a barge and moved to a secure location for investigation , Higgins said . Both engines from the Airbus A320 double-engine jet were on the river bottom , after the water landing 's impact apparently detached them from the plane . Authorities are using side-scan sonar to locate the engines , Higgins said . iReport.com : Were you there ? Send images . The engines also will be brought in as part of the investigation into what happened , including the possibility of bird strikes . `` I do n't want to characterize anything at this point about this particular accident because we are just at the beginning stages , '' Higgins said , adding that this accident would be the first `` in a very long time '' where possible bird strikes may have been a factor . Watch water wash over the plane '' Meanwhile , passengers , city officials and aviation experts heaped praise on pilot Chesley B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger and his crew , as well as first responders who acted quickly to minimize passengers ' injuries in below-freezing temperatures and frigid water . The White House said President Bush called Sullenberger to praise him for `` his heroic efforts to ensure the safety of his passengers and the people in the area . '' New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sullenberger executed an `` incredibly skillful emergency landing . '' The pilot and crew of the flight will receive the key to the city , he told reporters Friday . `` We typically like you to land at our airports , '' he joked , but said the water landing worked out with the best possible outcome . Watch Bloomberg honor heroism '' `` We saw a lot of heroism in the Hudson yesterday , '' Bloomberg said . The mayor also gave certificates of appreciation to first responders who scrambled to help passengers to safety . Shortly after the flight , bound for Charlotte , North Carolina , took off at 3:26 p.m. Thursday , passengers noticed quickly that something was awry . See a map of the plane 's flight path '' A source familiar with the situation told CNN that Sullenberger reported a double bird strike , which was taken to mean that birds were sucked into both the jet 's engines . The FAA said witnesses reported seeing the plane hit a flock of birds . Sullenberger was given clearance to return to LaGuardia for an emergency landing , a source said , but instead , he was forced to find someplace else to ditch the plane . In crowded New York City , the Hudson River provided the best option . Watch how the landing and rescue happened '' After the plane came to a stop , passengers quickly got out , standing on the partially submerged wings or on the emergency exit chutes , which also serve as life rafts . New York Waterway Capt. Vince Lombardi , operating a ferry in the Hudson , said he noticed something in the water as the boat pulled out of Pier 70 . `` I said to my deck hand , ` That 's an odd-looking boat , ' '' he told reporters Friday . `` He said , ' I think that 's an airplane . ' '' The ferry headed straight for the plane , he said . `` I was a little overwhelmed and scared for the people . The water is about 32 degrees . The outside air temp was in the 20s . We were worried if we did n't get them out right away , there would be casualties . '' As he arrived , he said , most passengers were calm , but some were cheering and crying . Some said , `` Get me out of the water , please , I 'm cold . '' Watch a Coast Guard lieutenant talk about rescuing passengers '' Detective Michael Delaney , an NYPD diver , recalled seeing a woman in the water clinging to the side of a ferry `` in obvious distress '' when he arrived . `` We pretty much saw the distress that was in her face , '' he said . He and other divers pulled her off the side of the boat and swam her over to another boat and to safety , he said . The New York Waterway ferry reached the scene in less than four minutes , city officials said at a news conference on Friday . The first ambulance reached the shore in a minute and 12 seconds . Other boats arrived at the plane within seven minutes . About 25 people were treated at hospitals after the incident , but Bloomberg said Thursday there were no serious injures . Only a few people remained hospitalized Friday , according to the hospitals . They included a flight attendant with a deep laceration to her leg and a Coast Guard rescuer with a minor hematoma -- a localized swelling filled with blood . The flight attendant was in stable condition and the rescuer was in good condition . Most patients were treated and released , the hospitals said . With the air and water temperatures at the time of the incident , people could remain in the water only two to three minutes before the onset of hypothermia , said John Peruggia , chief of emergency medical services for FDNY . NTSB investigators planned to speak with Sullenberger and his co-pilot on Saturday , Higgins said . The agency wants to speak with Sullenberger before the media , so he has not been made available to reporters . NTSB investigators were interviewing other members of the flight crew Friday , Higgins said . CNN 's Mike Brooks , Jeanne Meserve , Richard Davis and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report . | NEW : Agencies hope to learn from plane in Hudson , spokeswoman says . NEW : Currents , cold temperatures hamper efforts to retrieve engines , flight data . First responders receive certificates of appreciation from mayor . Mayor says he 'll give key to the city to pilot and crew . | [[630, 764], [2967, 2976], [2982, 3035], [2630, 2695]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After deliberating for only 45 minutes , a jury convicted an Alabama man Thursday of throwing his four children off a Gulf Coast bridge in January 2008 , according to prosecutors . Lam Luong , 38 , admitted throwing the children , who ranged in age from 3 years to 4 months , off the Dauphin Island bridge south of Mobile , according to CNN affiliate WKRG . Charged with five counts of capital murder , he changed his plea to guilty last week . However , Alabama law requires that all capital cases go before a judge and jury , WKRG said . The sentencing phase of Luong 's trial will begin Friday , the Mobile County District Attorney 's office told CNN . Jurors will decide whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole . A judge is not bound by the jury 's decision , however , and Alabama law requires an automatic appeal in capital cases . Luong and his wife were having marital difficulties , prosecutors said . WKRG reported that during opening arguments in the trial , prosecutors told jurors Luong threw the kids off the bridge so he could see the look on his wife 's face . Luong was on crack at the time , and he told investigators they could charge him if they found the children 's bodies before breaking into laughter , jurors were told . The defense called no witnesses , but told jurors Luong was intoxicated at the time and was incapable of forming the necessary intent to be convicted of a capital offense , asking them to convict him of manslaughter , WKRG said . During the trial , jurors heard about the search for the children 's bodies and saw graphic video of the bodies floating in the water , the station reported . A commercial fisherman recording rough weather off the coast of Venice , Louisiana , found one body , while two duck hunters and a Mississippi marine officer found the other three , according to WKRG . Luong looked down , away from the overhead screens , when the photographs of the children 's bodies were shown . CNN 's Divina Mims contributed to this report . | Lam Luong , 38 , admitted throwing the children off the Dauphin Island bridge . Prosecutors said Luong threw the kids so he could see the look on wife 's face . The four children ranged in age from 3 years to 4 months . The sentencing phase of Luong 's trial will begin Friday . | [[60, 154], [200, 209], [217, 292], [986, 1023], [1026, 1085], [1043, 1105], [948, 966], [967, 1132], [986, 1023], [1026, 1085], [1043, 1105], [1086, 1132], [200, 209], [217, 292], [559, 615]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Abdul Qadeer Khan , the Pakistani scientist who admitted leaking nuclear secrets to North Korea , Iran and Libya and then recanted his confession , has been released from house arrest after it was declared illegal by the Islamabad High Court , his attorney told CNN Friday . Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan meets the media outside his residence Friday . `` What the court declared is that he is a free citizen which means effectively ... the basic human rights are available to him like any other citizen , '' said attorney Syed Ali Zafar . The Pakistani government was slow to acknowledge the high court 's ruling . A spokesman said the Interior Ministry has n't received the official court ruling , but will comply with whatever decision was made . Government attorneys said they expected an official announcement to be made by Saturday . But evidence of the end of Khan 's house arrest seemed clear outside his home in an upscale part of Islamabad . Where a government security detail previously stood guard with machine guns , cars were parked and reporters roamed the area scratching for details . Khan made a brief appearance , saying he was outside because of the court 's ruling , but gave few other details . In Washington , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she is `` very much concerned '' about Khan 's release . Separately , acting deputy State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said : `` This man remains a serious proliferation risk. , '' he said . `` The proliferation support that Khan and his associates provided to Iran and North Korea has had a harmful impact ... on international security and will for years to come . '' Khan is widely regarded as a hero in Pakistan for his part in helping the country to develop nuclear weapons . In 2004 , Khan was placed under house arrest following his admission on Pakistan television that he had been involved in a clandestine international network selling nuclear weapons technology from Pakistan to a host of nations including Iran and North Korea . Pakistan has so far refused to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. access to Khan to quiz him on the extent of the nuclear secrets he sold . `` Even if they had asked me I would n't have answered , '' he said last year . In May 2008 , Khan denied his involvement with the spread of nuclear arms outside Pakistan . He explained in an interview with ABC News that the Pakistani government and then-President Pervez Musharraf forced him to be a `` scapegoat '' for the `` national interest . '' He also denies ever traveling to Iran or Libya and said that North Korea 's nuclear program was well advanced before his visit . | NEW : U.S. concerned at Abdul Qadeer Khan 's release from house arrest . Pakistani nuclear scientist Khan was placed under house arrest in 2004 . Admitted selling nuclear weapons technology to Iran , N. Korea , Libya , then recanted . Khan is regarded as a hero in Pakistan for helping develop nuclear weapons . | [[1264, 1277], [1280, 1376], [1806, 1813], [1816, 1897], [60, 83], [88, 152], [12, 36], [157, 185], [1927, 2065], [1695, 1776], [1695, 1699], [1754, 1805]] |
BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The tribunal established to prosecute people allegedly responsible for the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and 22 others will officially convene at The Hague in Netherlands on Sunday . White wreaths with photos of Rafik Hariri at his tomb . The car bomb in Beirut in February 2005 transformed the turbulent nation 's politics and sent shock waves across the Middle East and the world . `` All the necessary measures have been taken for the Special Tribunal for Lebanon to commence functioning , '' U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote in his latest report to the U.N. Security Council . Daniel Bellemare , a Canadian , will be the U.N. tribunal 's prosecutor . The trial judges and appeals chambers will take on their responsibilities on a date determined by Ban and the tribunal 's president . The United Nations says the case is expected to be ready for trial by 2010 . At the time of Hariri 's death , neighboring Syria had immense political influence Lebanon , where it had had a troop presence from the 1980s , after the fighting between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in Lebanon . Hariri was admired for spearheading the rebuilding of Beirut after the country 's civil war , from 1975 to 1990 , and many Lebanese blamed Syria for the killing , citing Hariri 's patriotism and strong sense of Lebanese independence . The killing sparked widespread protests that led to the eventual withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the election of an anti-Syrian bloc in parliament . The anti-Syrian movement is known as the March 14 Alliance , named after the day millions of supporters of Hariri took to the streets , and its actions have been dubbed the Cedar Revolution , for the nation 's iconic cedar trees . Huge counterprotests also were staged by Lebanese supporters of Syria . Watch how Lebanon changed after Hariri 's death '' Along the way , U.N. investigators tasked to probe the attack found links between Syria 's government and Hariri 's assassination . Three people detained for three years in connection with the case were released Wednesday by a Lebanese judge . Four Lebanese generals who have been held for nearly four years in connection with the attack remain in custody . The Lebanese hope the tribunal will settle the case , but there are also fears it could further divide the nation and open up older wounds in the country . Rami Khoury , a political analyst and a professor at the American University of Beirut , said the tribunal could serve as a political flashpoint , but he said the existence of the tribunal is important . `` It 's an extraordinary symbol of the whole world coming in here , to the Arab world , and saying this has to stop , we 're going to find who did it and hold them accountable , '' he said . `` So it 's tremendously important , I think , in what it represents . '' The special tribunal takes over from the Beirut-based International Independent Investigation Commission , which looked into 20 other attacks and found elements linking some of them to a criminal network behind the Hariri killing , the United Nations said . | U.N. tribunal for killing of former Lebanon prime minister to convene Sunday . Rafik Hariri killed in car bomb in Beirut in February 2005 . U.N. says the case is expected to be ready for trial by 2010 . Death led to protests and reduction of Syrian influence in Lebanon . | [[9, 26], [170, 243], [300, 384], [300, 339], [389, 444], [858, 934], [882, 890], [903, 934], [1403, 1564], [1423, 1442], [1448, 1564]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pharmaceuticals giants Merck and Schering-Plough are planning to merge their operations under the name Merck in a deal worth $ 41.1 billion . Merck chairman and CEO Richard T. Clark will head the combined company . Under the terms of the agreement , Schering-Plough shareholders will receive just over half a Merck share and $ 10.50 in cash for each Schering-Plough share they own . Each Merck share will automatically become a share of the combined company . Merck shareholders are expected to own approximately 68 percent of the combined company , and Schering-Plough shareholders are expected to own approximately 32 percent . Merck Chairman , President and Chief Executive Officer Richard T. Clark will lead the combined company . `` We are creating a strong , global healthcare leader built for sustainable growth and success , '' Clark said in a media statement Monday . `` The combined company will benefit from a formidable research and development pipeline , a significantly broader portfolio of medicines and an expanded presence in key international markets , particularly in high-growth emerging markets . `` We look forward to joining forces with an outstanding partner we know well and that shares our commitment to patients , employees and the communities where we work and live . '' Merck added that its 2009 outlook has not changed , and it is committed to keeping its annual dividend at its current level of $ 1.52 per share . Both drug-makers reported better-than-expected quarterly results in early February , but announced steep job cuts . On a conference call with investors on February 3 , Clark said the drug-maker was open to a takeover of a large pharmaceutical company . | SP shareholders to get over half a Merck share and $ 10.50 in cash per share . Merck shareholders expected to own around 68 percent of combined company . Both drug-makers reported better-than-expected quarterly results in February . | [[234, 266], [269, 384], [479, 566], [1464, 1546]] |
DUBAI , United Arab Emirates -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United Arab Emirates has refused to grant a visa to a female Israeli tennis player , preventing her from competing in the Sony Ericsson World Tennis Association Tour in Dubai , the WTA said in a statement Sunday . The UAE has refused to grant a visa allowing Shahar Peer to compete in Dubai . Shahar Peer would have been the first Israeli athlete to participate in a professional sporting event in the UAE , CNN Sports correspondent Pedro Pinto said . The UAE has no diplomatic ties with Israel . Peer told CNN on Sunday evening she was `` very , very disappointed '' to be denied access to the tournament . `` Any player that qualifies should attend , and I was prevented , '' she said from Israel . `` I 'm glad the WTA support me . A red line was crossed for every athlete in the world -- politics should be kept separate from sports . '' The governing body of women 's tennis said it was `` deeply disappointed '' that Peer was being denied entry to the country hosting the tournament , but it did not cancel the competition , which began Sunday . The move runs counter to WTA policy , which says no player should be barred from competing in a tournament for which she has qualified . Dubai could lose its membership in the WTA tour next year over the ban on Peer , according to WTA rules . That would mean professional players could compete only in exhibition matches in Dubai , the results of which would not count in pro rankings . Government officials in Dubai have not responded to CNN 's request to comment over their refusal to allow Peer to compete in the event . `` Ms. Peer has earned the right to play in the tournament , and it is regrettable that the UAE is denying her this right , '' said Larry Scott , chairman and chief executive of the tour . Watch Scott express disappointment '' `` Following various consultations , the tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week , pending further review by the tour 's board of directors . '' The patron of the Dubai Tennis Championships is Dubai 's ruler , Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Makhtoum . Two million dollars in prize money is on the line . Al-Makhtoum told CNN in 2004 that Dubai would accept Israeli students to a school dedicated to students from the Middle East who are talented at sports . In 2003 , Dubai hosted World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings , which Israeli government officials attended . The Israeli flag -- among other member states ' flags -- is still part of a globe monument in Dubai . Peer , 21 , is ranked 48th in the world among female tennis players . She was allowed to compete at the Doha tournament in Qatar last year , where she received a warm welcome , according to Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz . Qatar , another Gulf Arab state , froze diplomatic ties with Israel after Israel 's military offensive in Gaza last month . Peer downplayed the political undertones of her participation in last year 's Doha tournament , telling Haaretz that she did n't come to Qatar `` to help the politics of course . '' But she added that if her playing in the tournament `` can help for peace or anything , I 'd be really happy . '' Scott said the tour will `` review appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer '' as well as `` appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament . '' Peer was advised Saturday by tournament and WTA officials of the denial of her visa while she was participating in a tournament in Pattaya , Thailand , according to a WTA statement . The Dubai Tennis Championships runs through February 28 . | NEW : Shahar Peer , female Israeli tennis player , says she 's `` very , very disappointed '' United Arab Emirates refuses to grant a visa to Peer . Peer needed the visa to play in the Dubai Tennis Championships . World Tennis Association unhappy , says move runs counter to its policy . | [[8, 44], [48, 134], [266, 344], [1716, 1749], [295, 344], [894, 1040], [1104, 1139], [3475, 3478], [3537, 3567]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran is to send a female skier to the Winter Olympics for the first time at next year 's Games in Vancouver , Canada , the head of the Islamic Republic 's ski federation told state media Monday . Fatemeh Kiadarbandsari , competing at last month 's World Ski Championships , in France . The chosen competitor will ski in `` full Islamic dress , '' Iran 's National News Agency reported . Three women Fatemeh Kiadarbandsari , Mitra Kalhor and Marjan Kalhor are vying for the place on the national team alongside three male skiers , said Iranian Ski Federation head Isa Saveh-Shemshaki . Trials for the team will be held in December , two months ahead of the event . Iran has sent male athletes to every Winter Games since 1956 . Skiing is hugely popular in Iran with some of the region 's best slopes in the Zagros Mountains just a two-hour drive from the country 's capital Tehran . At weekends during the seven-month ski season it is common to see long queues of traffic on routes to resorts . With a growing ski tourism industry , the price of the sport has steadily increased . But with fewer social restrictions on the pistes than in other areas of Iranian life , the sport remains a popular pursuit for the country 's youth . Until recently , many slopes were strictly segregated with men and women skiing on different sides of the mountain . But while it is still illegal to travel in the same chair lift or gondola , the country 's strict religious laws are visibly more lax at 3,000 meters . Iran took just three women among 53 athletes to last year 's Beijing Olympics but the choice of 19-year-old female rower Homa Hosseini to carry the flag during the opening ceremony infuriated strict Islamists . Current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , who faces an election this year , was forced to back down from an initiative ealry in his current term to encourage female participation in sport because of criticism from the country 's religious leaders . One mullah reportedly said that women should not ski because the movement of their knees looked `` more like dancing than sport . '' | Iran set to send female athlete to next year 's Winter Olympics for the first time . One female skier , three male skiers will be selected for Iranian Olympic team . Skiing is hugely popular in Iran with resorts just a two-hour drive from Tehran . Male , female skiers allowed to share slopes though not chair lifts , gondolas . | [[19, 126], [19, 126], [406, 546], [746, 778], [1376, 1439]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Liberia 's president has declared a state of emergency after hordes of ravenous caterpillars infested the country . The African armyworm caterpillar is chewing its way through Liberia 's food crops . Tens of millions of the worm-like larvae have appeared in the northern part of the country , where they are destroying green crops like cabbage and collard greens and contaminating the water supply , Liberian Information Minister Laurance Bropleh told CNN Wednesday from the capital of Monrovia . `` I am not aware that they have been here before , ever , and certainly not in this great number , '' Bropleh told CNN . `` That is why it was so overwhelming initially when we first discovered it . '' The state of emergency covers the three northern Liberian counties of Bong , Lofa , and Gbarpolu , Liberian officials said . President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told legislators Monday that 350,000 people in 62 communities in those three counties may have been affected . There are also indications the bugs have spread to neighboring Guinea , Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast , Bropleh said . `` This is indeed a crisis , '' the president said Monday . Johnson Sirleaf said she appointed a task force , including members of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization -LRB- FAO -RRB- , to identify the species and commence spraying . Investigators suspect the caterpillars are African armyworms , the FAO said . The infestation is `` quite alarming , '' said Winfred Hammond , the FAO representative in Liberia . Hammond said the caterpillars started showing up sometime during the week of January 12 but spread quickly . In just a week , he said , the caterpillars had spread to 50 villages . The pests multiply rapidly and adult moths are able to fly long distances at night , the FAO said . Worsening the situation , the area 's water supply has been contaminated by the huge volume of feces dropped by the caterpillars , the FAO said . `` The plague is being described as Liberia 's worst in 30 years , '' the FAO said . `` The last African armyworm outbreak in the sub-region occurred in Ghana in 2006 . '' | Liberia declares emergency after hordes of ravenous caterpillars infest country . Tens of millions of the worm-like larvae have appeared in northern areas . Up to 350,000 people in 62 communities may have been affected . | [[0, 15], [19, 111], [80, 134], [135, 218], [219, 309], [844, 986], [905, 986]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California jury Wednesday recommended the death penalty after convicting a man on murder and arson charges in the deaths of five U.S. Forest Service firefighters who died in a 2006 blaze outside Los Angeles . Smoke rises over a flag flying at half-staff for fallen firefighters October 27 , 2006 , in Banning , California . Raymond Lee Oyler of Beaumont , California , was convicted on five counts of first-degree murder , including two special circumstances -- that the murders were committed during an arson and that multiple murders were committed -- making him eligible for the death penalty . Oyler was also convicted of 11 counts of arson and 10 counts of use of an incendiary device in those arsons . Sentencing is set for June 5 . Firefighters Mark Loutzenhiser , 44 ; Jess McLean , 27 ; Jason McKay , 27 ; and Daniel Hoover-Najera , 20 , died October 26 , 2006 , during a blaze called the Esperanza fire when the wildfire , fueled by Santa Ana winds , enveloped their engine . The fifth firefighter , Pablo Cerda , 23 , died October 31 , 2006 , at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center , where he had been taken after sustaining burns over 90 percent of his body . Days before being charged in Esperanza Fire , Oyler had been arrested and charged with two counts of arson in a June 2006 fire in the Banning Pass area . The 41,173-acre Esperanza fire outside Los Angeles destroyed 34 homes and 20 outbuildings , mainly in the Twin Pines and Poppet Flats areas , which had been under mandatory evacuations . The firefighters died trying to protect a partially built house in Twin Pines , a rural mountain community . | Jury convicts man on five counts of first-degree murder , 11 counts of arson . 2006 fire outside Los Angeles , California , killed five firefighters . Jury recommends death ; sentencing set for June 5 . | [[0, 15], [19, 182], [345, 374], [377, 479], [619, 728], [145, 182], [187, 229], [0, 15], [19, 182], [729, 759]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- The Disney family film update , `` Race to Witch Mountain , '' won the weekend box office in fine fashion , grossing $ 25 million according to Sunday 's estimates from Media by Numbers . `` Race to Witch Mountain '' won the weekend box office in fine fashion , grossing $ 25 million . That 's the second best opening ever for a movie fronted by Dwayne Johnson alone , trailing only the first feature that starred the artist formerly known as The Rock , `` The Scorpion King , '' which banked $ 36.1 million in its 2002 debut . `` Race to Witch Mountain 's '' take was in line with expectations and garnered an okay CinemaScore grade of B + from an audience that was 60 percent female . It should stay strong at the box office at least until `` Monsters vs. Aliens '' opens in two weeks . Also in `` Race to Witch Mountain 's '' favor : weak competition from reigning champ `` Watchmen '' -LRB- No. 2 -RRB- , which dropped a hefty 67 percent from its big opening last weekend to gross $ 18.1 million . Zack Snyder 's adaptation of Alan Moore 's landmark superhero saga is clearly slowing down , although it has grossed $ 86 million in 10 days . Freshman fright flick `` The Last House on the Left '' was next at No. 3 , with an anticipated $ 14.7 million . That 's a decent sum for a horror movie that had the added benefit of opening on `` Friday the 13th ; '' indeed , it 's in line with what most scary remakes tend to bring in on their first weekends . Thus , you can expect this film -LRB- which got a so-so B CinemaScore review -RRB- to fall off the map after this frame , since that 's also what most horror movies do . `` Taken '' -LRB- No. 4 with $ 6.7 million -RRB- remained in the top five well into its second month at the multiplex . Tyler Perry 's `` Madea Goes to Jail '' came in at No. 5 with $ 5.1 million . And the weekend 's other new wide release , the Playboy-centric comedy `` Miss March , '' grossed an unsexy $ 2.3 million way down at No. 10 . Meanwhile , the limited indie release `` Sunshine Cleaning , '' starring Emily Blunt and Amy Adams , scored the highest opening-weekend per-theater average thus far in 2009 , dusting up a stellar average of $ 53,500 in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles . Overall , the box office was a little on the sluggish side , dropping nearly 17 percent from the same frame a year ago , when `` Dr. Seuss ' Horton Hears a Who ! '' was the big winner . Still , this is just the first `` down '' weekend in more than a month , which is comforting . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | This is the second best opening ever for a movie fronted by Dwayne Johnson . `` Watchmen '' dropped a hefty 67 percent from its big opening last weekend . `` The Last House on the Left '' came in at No. 3 with an anticipated $ 14.7 million . See what other movies made the box office top 10 . | [[321, 369], [404, 459], [934, 941], [950, 1036], [1180, 1201], [1223, 1252], [1260, 1291]] |
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