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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Barack Obama is planning to issue three executive orders Thursday , including one demanding the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed within a year , according to a senior administration official and a congressional aide . A guard keeps watch from a tower at the military facility at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . A second executive order will formally ban torture by requiring the Army field manual be used as the guide for terror interrogations , essentially ending the Bush administration 's CIA program of enhanced interrogation methods . A third executive order , according to the officials , will order a systematic review of detention policies and procedures and a review of all individual cases . The officials said new White House Counsel Greg Craig was briefing congressional Republicans Wednesday afternoon about the three executive orders . `` We 've always said the process would include consultation , '' the senior administration official said of the closed-door meeting informing Republicans of the moves . The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay became a lightning rod for critics who charged that the Bush administration had used torture on terror detainees . President George W. Bush and other senior officials repeatedly denied that the U.S. government had used torture to extract intelligence from terror suspects . Obama 's move will set off a fierce legal struggle over where the prison 's detainees will go next . Watch experts debate the Gitmo dilemma '' `` The key question is where do you put these terrorists , '' House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio , said in a statement issued Wednesday . `` Do you bring them inside our borders ? Do you release them back into the battlefield ? '' The meeting with Craig did not address how the administration plans to handle Guantanamo detainees , said Rep. Bill Young of Florida , the top Republican on the Defense Appropriations Committee . The executive orders `` will leave some wiggle room for the administration , '' he said . Young said he has `` quite a bit of anxiety '' about transferring detainees to United States facilities . `` Number one , they 're dangerous , '' he said . `` Secondly , once they become present in the United States , what is their legal status ? What is their constitutional status ? I worry about that , because I do n't want them to have the same constitutional rights that you and I have . They 're our enemy . '' Watch what may happen to Gitmo 's inmates '' He said he asked Craig what the government plans to do with two recently built facilities at Guantanamo , which he said cost $ 500 million . He said Craig had no answer , but pledged to discuss the issue further . Young said he suggested reopening Alcatraz , the closed federal prison on an island outside San Francisco , California -- in Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's district . `` Put them in Alcatraz , where supposedly they ca n't escape from , '' Young said , but added the suggestion `` did n't go over well . '' The revelation coincided with a judge 's decision on Wednesday to halt the September 11 terrorism cases at the behest of President Obama . On Tuesday , he directed Defense Secretary Robert Gates to ask prosecutors to seek stays for 120 days so terrorism cases at the facility can be reviewed , according to a military official close to the proceedings . CNN 's Susan Candiotti and Laurie Ure contributed to this report . | NEW : Obama to issue 3 orders Thursday that break from Bush administration . NEW : Order 2 will ban torture by requiring use of Army field manual for interrogations . NEW : 3rd order will mandate review of detention policies and procedures . Military judge grants Obama 's request to stay cases for 120 days . | [[30, 131], [371, 421], [371, 395], [422, 456], [425, 503], [600, 761], [3110, 3195]] |
COLOMBO , Sri Lanka -LRB- CNN -- Military officials in Sri Lanka said they shot down a Tamil Tiger aircraft near the Colombo International Airport on Friday , in an air engagement with rebels that killed two people and left about 50 wounded . An injured survivor of a suicide attack in northeast Sri Lanka on February 9 . Sri Lankan officials claimed both planes were shot down by the Sri Lankan Air Force , SLAF , refuting the Tiger 's claim they were conducting suicide missions in the country 's capital . A spokesperson for the Sri Lankan Military said the body of a Tamil Tiger guerrilla was found by the plane 's wreckage after it was shot down near the Colombo International Airport . The other plane , which entered the capital of Colombo , dropped a bomb but crashed into the offices of the Department of Inland Revenue , two blocks away from Air Force Headquarters , a military spokesman said . According to the Sri Lanka 's Lankapuvath news agency , the country 's air defense was activated at 9:30 p.m. -LRB- 11 a.m. ET -RRB- Friday after receiving information that two of the rebels light aircrafts were circulating over Colombo . `` Both aircrafts were brought down by air force firing , '' Lankapuvath reported . `` The dead body of the LTTE pilot was also found strewn about . '' The news agency said 50 people were admitted to Colombo General Hospital due to injuries from the crash . Two died from their wounds . According to the pro-Tamil Tiger Web site Tamil.net.com , two Black Air Tiger Pilots -- the group 's elite squadron -- died after carrying out diving missions into Sri Lanka 's air force headquarters in Colombo and an air force base in Katunayaka . CNN could not independently verify the claims made by the rebels or the government . In a report released on Thursday , Human Rights Watch criticized the Sri Lankan government for its `` indiscriminate '' killings of civilian as it attempts to fight the rebel movement . As the rebel stronghold continues to shrink , civilians are trapped in the cross-fire , HRW said . `` Sri Lankan forces are shelling hospitals and so-called safe zones and slaughtering the civilians there , '' James Ross , legal and policy director at Human Rights Watch , said in a statement . HRW also condemned the Tamil Tigers for its treatment of civilians . The organization 's 45-page study said 2,000 civilians have been killed and another 5,000 have been wounded . The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -LRB- LTTE -RRB- -- commonly known as the Tamil Tigers -- have fought for an independent homeland for the country 's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983 . The civil war has left more than 70,000 people dead . | NEW : Officials claim air force shot down rebel planes . Two dead , 50 wounded in capital , Colombo . Both sides to blame for rise in civilian casualties , Human Rights Watch says . Up to 250,000 civilians trapped in Sri Lanka conflict zone , aid groups say . | [[0, 7], [10, 29], [65, 191], [322, 405], [1144, 1199], [185, 191], [219, 242], [1296, 1401], [1317, 1401], [2039, 2049]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN 's Larry King talked with former President Bill Clinton on Tuesday night at the William Jefferson Clinton Center in Little Rock , Arkansas . Bill Clinton talked politics and more with CNN 's Larry King on Tuesday night . In a wide-ranging interview , King talked with Clinton about the stimulus bill , the auto bailout , President Barack Obama 's BlackBerry , Chelsea Clinton 's future , Sarah Palin and more . The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity : . Larry King : The stimulus bill passed today -LSB- Tuesday -RSB- . The president signed it in Denver . Is it going to work ? Bill Clinton : I think it will do what it 's designed to do . And I think it 's important that the American people understand what it 's designed to do . It 's supposed to do three things . Number one , put money in people 's pockets who are in trouble now -- extended unemployment benefits , the modest tax cuts , increase in food stamps . That will help grocery stores and other businesses and keep Americans who are good , honest , hardworking people afloat . Watch Larry King 's interview with Bill Clinton '' The second thing it 's supposed to do is give a chunk of money to state and local governments , primarily for education and health . That is designed to make sure that they do n't have to either have big tax increases or lay a million people off . Either one , in this economy , would be bad . The third thing it will do is to create jobs through existing road and bridge contracts , through rail improvements , through modernization and especially through clean energy and energy efficiency . So I think that given how fast it had to be done and the compromises that had to be made , it 's quite a good bill . And I think it will do what it 's designed to do . King : John McCain and others on the other side of the ledger are saying that he did n't come forward enough to the Republicans , he did n't make them part of this Easter basket . Clinton : Well , I disagree with that . I think the only way he could have gotten a lot of them to vote for him would be to accept their economic theory . Their economic theory is why we 're in this mess in the first place . King : Do you resent it when the Bush people say that this problem started with you , it started in your administration ? Clinton : Well , they do n't have much evidence for that . I always answer , does anyone seriously believe if the team I had in place had been in place for the last eight years that this would have happened ? And the answer to that is no . We had a much more vigorous regulatory environment with the Securities and Exchange Commission . We were watching these derivatives . I do think we should have done more on derivatives . King : Before we move on to other things , should taxpayers be bailing out the automakers ? Clinton : We do n't owe it to them . We should only do it if it 's in our interests . I believe it 's in our interests ... King : We keep hearing about Obama 's BlackBerry -- he 's got a special BlackBerry now that does n't have to be recorded into the White House . Do you have the number ? Clinton : No . No . King : Would you like the number ? Clinton : I know that in the world that exists today , if you 're hyper-busy , you need them . Hillary lives on hers . King : Do you have one ? Clinton : I do n't . I like being able to concentrate on what I 'm doing one thing at a time , you know . And I think if I had one , I 'm so hyper and always trying to do three things at once , I 'd be worse than he is or worse than she is . So I do n't have one . King : What 's Chelsea going to be ? Is she interested in government ? Clinton : Yes , she 's interested in government . She cares about public health . She thinks that America has still got a ways to go to develop an affordable , high quality health care system . And I think she wants to be a part of it . King : Sarah Palin , net plus , net gain ? Clinton : I think she was a net plus before the failure of Lehman Brothers and the collapse of the stock market , because she gave -LRB- McCain -RRB- credibility on the Republican right . Through no fault of her own , she became a negative on September 15th , because nobody on their team had any economic experience , and the burden against the Republicans was overwhelming . King : What do you make of President Obama ? I mean , for a while I know that you were down and dirty tough when Hillary was running . And that was a pretty rough campaign , a very close campaign . What do you make of him now ? Clinton : Well , I always had a great respect for his abilities . Those have been confirmed by the way he 's conducted himself in the transition and in these early weeks . I think he is very smart . And I think he wants right things for America . And I think he 's made good people decisions and good policy decisions . King : Can he try to live like a normal person -- going home to Chicago , kids go to school , he helps take them to school , plays basketball , goes out to public restaurants ? Can you keep that up ? Clinton : I think so . I did quite a bit of it and I wish I had done even more . King : What would you recommend or say or advise George W. Bush about being a former president ? There are n't many of you . Clinton : Well , first I would advise him to make his own decisions with Laura about how they want to spend both the next five years and then the rest of his life . You have to assume he 'll live 20 to 25 more years , and he seems to be in very good health . And I think he should just look at this as a whole new phase of his life . King : You opened the second Clinton Global Initiative University conference this past weekend and also a thousand students attended . How do you see the younger generation responding the global challenges , especially in these economic times ? Clinton : There is a very large number of them who are doing astonishing things . For example , one young woman decided that she 's going to go around and collect all the kitchen grease from all the dining halls and then nearby eateries and then use it to make biodiesels , to run cars and lawn mowers and generators . King : For all the years we 've known each other , it never gets dull . Clinton : Thank you . | Bill Clinton talks in wide-ranging interview with CNN 's Larry King . Republican economic theories created current economic crisis , Clinton says . Clinton on Obama : ' I always had a great respect for his abilities ' No , Clinton does n't have access to Obama 's BlackBerry . | [[164, 243], [244, 271], [274, 322], [2138, 2207], [4578, 4626]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Identifying the world 's finest airports is easy . Hong Kong International Airport , Singapore 's Changi and Seoul 's Incheon have topped the ranks of airport awards for the last decade . Sitting comfortably ? Not at Delhi 's Indira Gandhi International Airport , ranked by some as one of the worst . These 21st-century airports boast the best shopping , classiest restaurants , as well as features such as indoor pools , orchid gardens , and free wireless Internet . See world 's best airports . The world 's worst airports , however , are harder to pin down . It 's a crowded field to choose from and the choice depends on what you class as bad . See our pick of the world 's worst airports '' If it 's for danger , then Baghdad International Airport , in the middle of a war zone , should rank pretty high . Lukla airstrip -- gateway to the Mount Everest region in Nepal -- is also a strong contender . Landing involves a hair-raising plummet onto an uphill airstrip cut into the side of a mountain . On takeoff , the airstrip comes to an abrupt end at the edge of a mountain cliff . What do you think is the world 's worst airport ? Sound off below . Watch CNN 's Ayesha Durgahee examine what it takes to become Airport of the year in Hong Kong . '' In 2007 , TripAdvisor asked travelers to rank airports according to how easy they are to navigate , the cleanliness of the lavatories and parking facilities . Based on these factors , the 2,500 respondents classed London Heathrow and Chicago O'Hare as the world 's most hated . Yet neither of these major hubs appeared in Foreign Policy magazine 's review of the five worst airports , published in 2007 . The list here included the likes of Mineralnye Vody airport in Russia for its feral cats and daggers on sale in the departure lounge . Charles de Gaulle also gains little affection from those that pass through its interminable terminals . As Foreign Policy says , `` visitors to Paris should expect more than the grimy terminals , rude staff , confusing layout , and overpriced food . '' Where was your worst airport experience in 2008 ? Which airport do you think is the most dangerous , uncomfortable or aggravating ? Sound Off below . We 're also looking for photos and video of your worst airport experiences . Send them to the Business Traveller page on CNN iReport . Here 's your chance to grumble . | Travelers rank Hong Kong , Singapore and Seoul airports as the world 's best . Which airports are the worst ? Send your photos , videos to iReport . Crowded terminals ? Terrifying airstrips ? Rude staff ? Sound off below . | [[121, 223], [1123, 1172], [2083, 2132], [2233, 2239], [2245, 2309], [598, 619], [639, 684], [1173, 1190], [2133, 2214], [2215, 2232], [2233, 2239], [2245, 2309], [2368, 2400]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Staffers at a federal prison in central Florida fired shots to break up a large-scale fight that sent eight inmates to hospital emergency rooms Sunday afternoon , officials said . Eight inmates were injured Sunday in a fight at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Florida , officials said . Authorities did not say what led to the fight at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County . A statement from the prison said one inmate suffered a gunshot wound , but did not say whether the person was struck by a prison staff member 's bullet . The other seven were `` stabbing/shooting victims , '' said a spokesman for Orlando Regional Medical Center , where the inmates were taken . The hospital did not elaborate . No prison staffers were seriously hurt in the incident , which the FBI is investigating , said Charles Ratledge , spokesman for the prison . The fight broke out in the recreation yard of the United States Penitentiary No. 2 , a high-security facility , about 2:20 p.m. . The Coleman complex consists of four institutions . The other three facilities -- another U.S. penitentiary , a medium-security and a low-security facility -- were not affected , said Bureau of Prison spokeswoman Traci Billingsley . `` The inmates ignored staff orders to stop their assaultive behavior , and shots were fired by institution staff to prevent possible loss of life , '' Ratledge said . Five medical evacuation helicopters -- three from the hospital -- landed at the prison and transported the injured inmates on the 15 - to 20-minute flight to Orlando Regional , hospital spokesman Joe Brown said . The prison complex is in near Coleman in Sumter County , about 50 miles northwest of Orlando , Florida . The community was never endangered by the fight , U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney said . CNN 's Nick Valencia , Susan Candiotti and Terry Frieden contributed to this report . | NEW : Staffers had to fire shots to break up large-scale fight , officials say . Eight inmates wounded , one by gunshot , at prison complex in Florida , officials say . Officials : Fight happened at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex 's recreation yard . No staff members were hurt during the brawl , spokeswoman says . | [[0, 15], [67, 110], [73, 179], [1327, 1401], [199, 294], [423, 491], [892, 974]] |
SAN MIGUEL DEL MONTE , Argentina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a small farming town 105 kilometers -LRB- 65 miles -RRB- southwest of Buenos Aires , farmers are struggling to nourish their crops and feed their animals . The worst drought in half a century has turned Argentina 's once-fertile soil to dust and pushed the country into a state of emergency . Argentine farmers profited in years past from selling beef to the world , but some now struggle to feed their cattle . Cow carcasses litter the prairie fields and sun-scorched soy plants wither under the South American summer sun . Farmers are concerned about their livelihoods . `` I 'm losing money . I ca n't afford to lose money all the time , '' said Juan Cahen D'Anvers , whose family has been farming in Argentina since the late 1700s . He owns 700 hectares -LRB- 1,730 acres -RRB- in San Miguel del Monte , where he grows sunflowers and barley . He says this year is one of the hardest he 's ever had . Watch farmer explain how hard he 's been hit '' `` Production is going to go down a minimum of 50 percent , maybe more . I do n't know yet , '' he said . Argentina is one of the world 's breadbaskets , providing commodities such as soy , wheat , corn and beef to countries around the globe . In recent years , record-high prices for these products reaped millions of dollars for Argentine farmers , but since the global economic crisis hit , demand and profits have dropped . Now the drought is making matters even worse . Cesar Gioia , another San Miguel del Monte farmer , said time is growing short . `` If it does n't rain in the next 10 days , I will have to wipe out my entire corn crop , 90 hectares -LRB- 220 acres -RRB- , '' he said . `` The best I can do with it is feed it to my cows . '' Facing pressure from farmers , Argentina President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announced emergency measures this week that will exempt the worst-hit farmers from paying most taxes for one year . `` This is a big boost of patriotism , and a sign of support from all Argentines , '' Kirchner said on January 26 . `` All other sectors of the economy will continue to contribute , so we can help the farmers who have been affected by this drought . '' Kirchner has had a contentious relationship with farmers , who staged noisy protests and strikes last year over an increase in export taxes . Those taxes eventually were reduced , but farming leaders still contend that the government is out of touch with their needs . They say the measures announced this week fall short , and are demanding a cohesive , long-term plan for dealing with emergencies such as the current drought . If not , they say , they may strike again . Watch how farmers reacted to Kirchner 's move '' `` Sure , this plan is approved now , and it helps , but we need money to feed cows , to go back to planting crops , because this drought is impacting life in every sector of society , '' said Eduardo Buzzi of the Argentine Agrarian Federation . As she yanks dead soy plant vines from a dusty field in San Miguel del Monte , Lorena del Rios of the Argentina Rural Society says she expects the drought to affect both Argentine and overseas consumers , especially when it comes to Argentina 's world-famous beef . `` We will see less meat available , which means rising prices , '' she said . `` There is even the possibility that in a few years Argentina will have to import beef , which is almost unthinkable for people here . '' | Worst drought in 50 years is hitting Argentina . Farmers say they are losing 50 percent or more of crops . Cow carcasses litter the landscape while plants wither in the summer sun . | [[211, 296], [211, 246], [301, 347], [1010, 1079], [467, 534], [511, 579]] |
BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Scores of boat people who fled Myanmar and are now in Thailand are to be sent back despite human rights groups ' concerns they could be tortured or killed upon return . A photograph released by the Thai navy shows a group of men captured on December 12 . `` They will have to be sent back , according to our law , '' Thailand 's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told CNN . `` They are entering the country illegally . We do what they would do . '' The 12 boys and 66 men who arrived are among thousands of members of the Rohingya minority who have fled Myanmar , formerly known as Burma , because of persecution and in search of a better life . Many of them make it across a dangerous sea crossing in crowded boats to Thailand where they are housed in camps . But the Thai navy has been accused of forcing the boats back out to sea . The 78 people targeted for deportation are being held in Ranong , in southern Thailand . Two remain in hospital and no date has been set for the forced repatriation , an immigration official said . But human rights groups are concerned about what will happen to the men and boys when they return . Watch how crowded boats were towed out to sea and abandoned '' `` We know as a point of fact that there are Rohingya who 've been returned to Myanmar who have ended up in prison , '' Benjamin Zawacki , from Amnesty International , said . `` The Myanmar government has interviewed these 78 . Our fear is that if these people are sent back , the government has a record of who they are , where their families are , '' Zawacki said . `` They may be tortured and or they could even be killed . That would n't be out of the question -- that is the real fear . '' Sunai Phasuk , Thailand-Burma researcher for Human Rights Watch , said that the Rohingya had the `` unenviable distinction of being the most blighted '' people in Myanmar . `` Denied citizenship , subject to tight restrictions on movement , employment and religious freedoms , this Muslim minority have been the target of abuses by the Burmese military for decades , '' he said . `` Today they face serious risks of state violence and coercion , in part arising from preparations to build a pipeline through their region that will deliver offshore gas to China . Already reports are emerging of forced relocations and other abuses tied to gas exploitation . '' The Myanmar government has not responded to CNN 's request for an interview , but the plight of the Rohingya will be discussed at this weekend 's ASEAN summit of South-East Asian nations , which the Myanmar prime minister and foreign minister are expected to attend . However , the man that effectively runs the country , Senior General Than Shwe , will not attend . Thai Prime Minister Vejjajiva has stressed the need for regional cooperation to help solve the problem of the thousands of Rohingya fleeing Myanmar . His government views them as economic migrants rather than political refugees and said it can not accommodate them in Thailand . A recent CNN investigation found evidence that the Thai army was towing boatloads of Rohingya out to sea and cutting them adrift . Hundreds are thought to have died as a result . Vejjajiva said the practice has stopped and insisted the Rohingya were given supplies of food and water . `` We regret some of the incidents that have happened in the past . They are now being corrected , '' he said . | Thailand to deport nearly 80 men and boys . They are among thousands of a minority to flee Myanmar amid reports of persecution . Human rights groups fear the Rohingya will face murder , torture if sent back . | [[486, 508], [521, 576], [555, 576], [581, 598], [0, 7], [10, 34], [92, 159], [151, 182], [1074, 1093], [1108, 1169], [1601, 1624], [1632, 1659], [2117, 2171]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man in northern Idaho says he has seen a massive hand of God in his life , and he is willing to share it with the highest bidder . Paul Grayhek says the `` Hand of God '' appeared in his backyard in March . Paul Grayhek , 52 , listed the rock formation he dubbed the `` Hand of God Rock Wall '' on the online auction Web site eBay . The highest bid was $ 250 early Sunday , with three days left to go in the auction . The hand-like formation , approximately 9 feet tall and 4 feet wide , appeared in Grayhek 's backyard after a rockfall during Lent on March 8 , he said . The Coeur d'Alene resident said he faced tough times after losing his job , and believed the rock was a sign . `` I prayed between licking my wounds and looking for a job , '' he said . `` We rarely get rockfalls and this formation is 20 feet from my house . It 's definitely a symbol of the hand of God in my life . '' However , the winning bidder on eBay should not start clearing out his backyard . Grayhek is not planning to part with the formation . The buyer will `` basically be buying the rights , complete and exclusive rights '' to the rock , including literary and movie rights , according to Grayhek . Grayhek said he plans to use the money from the sale to pursue an unpaid internship in counseling when he graduates with a master 's degree in social work in two years . `` People think I 'm some holier-than-thou person trying to get rich . I 'm not , '' Grayhek said . `` The purpose is to spread the story of God and eBay is just a vehicle . '' | Idaho man places `` Hand of God '' rock for sale on eBay . Paul Grayhek says hand-like formation appeared in his backyard during Lent . Winning bidder on eBay would get `` exclusive rights '' to rock . | [[228, 240], [248, 346], [152, 227], [170, 227], [439, 462], [509, 580], [1048, 1064], [1079, 1131], [1048, 1057], [1064, 1181]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Multiple Oscar winning film `` Slumdog Millionaire '' has brought the plight of India 's slum dwellers to the rest of the world . But up to a million slum dwellers in the economic capital Mumbai are set for upheaval as the city is poised for a radical makeover . Dharavi , where parts of `` Slumdog Millionaire '' were filmed , is one of the largest slums in the world . Five years after the regional government announced its intention to redevelop Dharavi , the vast Mumbai slum where parts of `` Slumdog Millionaire '' were filmed , developers are finally submitting their blueprints for the project . Nineteen consortiums from around the world are vying to redevelop the 500-plus acres of land occupied by Dharavi and the bulldozers could move in within six months . The scheme is the brainchild of Mukesh Mehta , an Indian architect who made his name in the U.S. His vision is to use private money to redevelop the slum and turn Mumbai into an international business destination . `` If effectively designed and well planned Dharavi could be not very different from London 's Canary Wharf . If we plan creatively and bring in the best architects in the world we could create a new language of architecture and buildings for Mumbai , '' he told CNN . What 's novel about Mehta 's plan is that rather than seeing a need to entice developers into slum regeneration , he views the land as a resource that developers will pay handsomely to get their hands on . The plan is for developers to demolish the slum and build apartments on the site , which will be given free of charge to 57,000 families currently living in Dharavi . The incentive ? For every 100 sq ft of apartment space the developers give away , they will get to build 133 sq ft of commercial space , which they can sell at market rates . Back in 1997 , it was Mehta who realized that Dharavi 's location made it an asset . In the heart of Mumbai , Dharavi is connected by all three of the city 's railway lines . The two highways that link Mumbai to the rest of India both start nearby and just half a kilometer away is the Bandra Kurla complex , Mumbai 's emerging financial hub , where land prices are astronomical . Mehta estimates that the government could end up making $ 2 to $ 3 billion , the developers stand to make huge profits and Dharavi 's residents will get real homes with running water . So why has the scheme taken 12 years to get off the ground ? Part of the problem is the word ` slum . ' Dharavi is terribly overcrowded , with a chronic lack of clean water and a dearth of toilets . Sewage runs freely and the stench of feces is ever present . But there is a real sense of community , the streets are buzzing with activity and thriving cottage industries , such as pottery and recycling workshops , operate from the ground floor of people 's homes . `` The Dharavi redevelopment should not be thought of as just a housing project . Almost every house is involved with some kind of economic activity , '' says Sundar Burra , an advisor to the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Entrees , which has been campaigning for years to ensure Dharavi 's residents do n't lose out in the redevelopment . Burra says it is essential that residents can continue to work from their homes in the new Dharavi , or they wo n't be able to afford the maintenance costs of their new apartments . `` If this is not considered , people will sell and the area will become gentrified . Even though new housing stock will be added to the city , the people for whom it is meant will not be able to benefit , '' he told CNN . In June 2007 , some 15,000 Dharavi residents marched against the proposals , which they felt benefited developers at their expense . Mehta says planners have been listening to people 's concerns . The new apartment buildings will incorporate communal spaces where residents can carry on their trades and thousands of businesses currently operating illegally in Dharavi will be legalized . Following objections from residents , the floor space allocated to each family has been increased from 225 sq ft to 300 sq ft. But not everyone in Dharavi stands to benefit . Many residents lease the upper floor of their homes and their tenants are not eligible for the free apartments . Neither is anyone who moved to Dharavi after 1999 , nor the laborers who sleep in Dharavi 's workshops . There is only one place for these people to go -- other slums . Burra concedes that no one knows how many people will be forced out , but it could be tens of thousands . Although some are still fighting the plan , Mehta considers it a fait accompli . He predicts that work will begin after the summer monsoon and will take five to seven years to complete . With over a billion people living in slums globally , Mehta sees this involvement of private money as essential for slum regeneration around the world . `` Every major university and design and planning institute in the world is studying this model , '' he says . `` Developing countries in Asia and Africa have invited me to have similar projects in their country . This is the future . '' | Dharavi , in the heart of Mumbai , is one of the biggest slums in the world . The massive redevelopment of Dharavi could begin within six months . 57,000 families will be rehoused on site , but many others will have to move on . Scheme is `` a model that can be used to rehabilitate slums around the world '' | [[282, 289], [347, 389]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The three mothers hail from the same province in China , but they 'd never met until a reckless driver in central Ohio killed their only children . From left , Sun `` Zoe '' Yan , Bian `` Jack '' Jin and Xue `` Jo '' Bing were students at Urbana University in Ohio . Two years later , the women wade through a cultural morass , struggling with American laws and language as they work to recoup the tens of thousands of dollars they borrowed to educate , and bury , their children . They 've also lost their pride and possibly their future . In China , a family 's future often rides on the education of its youngest member , and parents routinely mortgage the present for a brighter retirement . The three mothers have no good news for friends and relatives who stop by their homes in northeast China , sometimes for hours , asking for their money . The mothers face the cultural shame of not being able to repay them , and many of their creditors do n't believe them when they explain they 've received little compensation for their losses . `` Even after I die , I could not close my eyes , '' Cai Tie Juan said , describing her stress and exhaustion through a translator . On March 8 , 2007 , Cai 's son , Bian Jin , 27 , better known to his American counterparts as Jack , was returning from a spring break shopping trip with Sun Yan and Xue Bing , both 24 . Learn more about students '' According to the Dayton Daily News , Bian was driving . Sun , aka Zoe , and Bian 's girlfriend , Xue -- whose friends called her Jo -- were in the backseat of Bian 's Ford Taurus . They were trying to get back in time for Sun 's 6:30 p.m. shift at a local Chinese restaurant in Urbana , Ohio , where the three attended graduate school . Witnesses told the newspaper that several cars were waiting at a traffic light when Jason Skaggs , then 34 , approached the intersection of Urbana and Moorefield roads . Skaggs crashed his blue Chevy Tahoe into a Buick Skylark at 98 mph -LRB- about 158 kph -RRB- , went airborne and sandwiched Bian 's Taurus between the Tahoe and a gold Chrysler , witnesses and police told the paper . The Taurus was reduced to a ball of crumpled metal with tires . Bian , Sun and Xue were killed instantly . Four others , including Skaggs , were injured . See photos of wreck , trial from Dayton Daily News . Skaggs said he had had a seizure before barreling into the intersection , but the jury did n't buy the defense and found him guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide . During the trial , the media uncovered a litany of driving violations committed by Skaggs , including a speeding ticket he received for driving 91 mph in a 65-mph zone just weeks before the wreck . Skaggs also had been jailed for aggravated vehicular homicide in the past , after he had passed a car in a blind curve in 1994 , killing a 79-year-old mother and her son , the Daily News reported . A judge in August sentenced Skaggs to the maximum 34 years in prison . The students ' parents wonder how Skaggs had a license to begin with . He 'd already killed two people and had no insurance . And if epilepsy played a role in the wreck , it only bolsters their belief he should n't have been driving in the first place . `` Why could somebody let this happen ? '' Xue 's mother , Sun Chun Zhi , asked through a translator . `` Obviously , he had a history of driving recklessly and had violated many traffic laws . '' Chinese laws would 've never let someone like Skaggs drive , and more frustratingly , they say , the Chinese government would 've stepped in with financial help if this had happened in their homeland . Conversely , it is a Chinese law that has been most devastating . Because the world 's most populous nation has for 30 years enforced a one-child-per-couple policy , Bian , Xue and Sun Yan had no siblings , so the families ' prospects for the future were crushed in a Ford Taurus at the intersection of Urbana and Moorefield roads . `` When you raise a child in China , you are basically insuring your old age , '' Sun Yan 's mother , Yu Ming , said , weeping as she spoke through a translator . Because Bian , Xue and Sun Yan had promising futures , their parents were confident asking friends , relatives , colleagues and even their kids ' classmates for money to send them to graduate school at the 1,500-student Urbana University . In China , personal loans from banks are n't as common as they are in the U.S. . More commonly , people borrow from friends and family , and you are honor bound to pay them back . There is no poor-mouthing or filing for bankruptcy . The university unveiled a memorial last year among three Lacebark Pines , a native Chinese tree . `` You return what you owe . It is the bible of heaven and the ground rule of Earth , '' Yu said , using a Chinese saying to explain the importance of honoring your debts . Each family borrowed in the neighborhood of 300,000 yuan , almost $ 44,000 , to send their kids 6,500 miles to Urbana University . They each borrowed tens of thousands of dollars more for their children 's funerals and several trips to the United States , some to attend Skaggs ' trial . They 've collectively received about $ 19,000 from a state victim 's fund and $ 22,000 from a charitable fund established by Urbana University . Another fund set up by the university collected about $ 36,000 , but much of the money went toward the families ' funeral and travel bills . The mothers say they appreciate the donations because their pensions and pay are a pittance of what they owe . Xue 's father is back home in Dalian City , a trading hub of about 6 million people on the Liaodong Peninsula near North Korea . The retired office manager earns a pension of about 1,600 yuan , or $ 234 , a month . Bian 's father and Sun Yan 's father live in Shenyang , an industrial base of more than 7 million people , also near North Korea . Bian 's father has been working all the overtime shifts he can muster and brings home about 3,500 yuan -LRB- $ 512 -RRB- a month . Sun Yan 's father is a farmer and receives no pension . Meanwhile , the mothers have been in Springfield , Ohio , living in a home donated by a sympathizer since November . They keep their living expenses as low as possible , subsisting off one meal a day to save money . Cai and Yu still collect their respective pensions of about 1,300 yuan -LRB- $ 190 -RRB- and 700 yuan -LRB- $ 102 -RRB- a month . Sun Chun Zhi has lost her job as an accountant because of all the trips she has made to the states in the last two years . The women say they are pleading with anyone they think can help -- university officials , the consulate , even a senator . Yu said she and her husband recently sold their cozy apartment in Shenyang and moved in with a niece in China to help pay off their debts , which included about 50,000 yuan -LRB- $ 7,312 -RRB- that Yu and her four siblings scraped together to pay their father 's medical bills from a recent surgery . `` It did n't amount to a lot of money , '' Yu said of the apartment sale . The mothers have considered suing Skaggs , who was represented at trial by a public defender , but lawyers have told them it 's not worth it . Friends and family members regularly stop by their homes in China , asking , `` How could there possibly be no money ? We really need money , too . Can you return it ? '' Sun Chun Zhi said . `` They really do n't understand why we did n't get any money . They did n't believe that ... they 're not forcing you . They sit there and keep asking for money . '' Added Yu , `` They 're not rich , either . They save all this money , and they do n't spend like Americans , they save . And then they lend it to me , and now they 've lost it , too . '' The mothers are coping with emotional problems as well . Sun said the death of her daughter has left the family feeling helpless and `` emotionally destroyed . '' Yu , who did not eat for two days after the wreck , said she 's lost her `` source of energy . '' And Cai has taken up a regimen of sleeping pills to get some rest at night . `` It 's not getting better . It also feels like my heart is almost failing me , and I feel my body is almost failing me , '' Cai said . Sun Chun Zhi said she , Cai and Yu sometimes struggle to grasp `` the meaning of why we need to survive '' after losing their only children . `` But we can not fall apart now because we are trying to return the money to the people we borrowed it from , '' said Sun Chun Zhi . `` We 're trying every possible way to return their money . '' | Jason Skaggs had vehicular homicide conviction before he killed students . Mothers plead for help paying off thousands they borrowed to send kids to U.S. Mother : `` When you raise a child in China , you are basically insuring your old age '' Families earn between $ 102 and $ 702 a month in pay , pensions in China . | [[2708, 2781], [3966, 3997], [4000, 4039], [6304, 6433]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Judging by the hysterical reaction in some quarters , to President Obama 's handshake with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez , or his bow to Saudi Arabia 's King Abdullah , you would think that America 's national security rested solely on body language not sound policy . The presidential handshake between Barack Obama and Hugo Chavez spurred many comments . But just for the record , let 's not forget that President George W. Bush kissed and held hands with the same Abdullah after 9/11 , while also looking deep into the soul of Vladimir Putin . And a generation earlier , egged on by British Prime Minister `` Iron Lady '' Margaret Thatcher , President `` Tear Down That Wall '' Ronald Reagan , decided that indeed Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev was a man he could do business with : the business of ending the Cold War . While Obama has not managed in 100 days to defeat Islamic militants , usher in a Middle East peace treaty or disarm North Korea , on these and other issues he has laid down some important groundwork . Most importantly , the global polls following his first overseas trip show he has begun restoring America 's name and reputation , key ingredients to successful policy making . Even before stepping onto foreign soil , Obama began by ordering the infamous Guantanamo Bay detention center closed , thus returning the United States to upholding the very same rule of law it preaches to other nations . He also has stated over and over again that `` America does not torture , '' thus returning the United States to leading on human rights , not cherry-picking them . To those such as former Vice President Dick Cheney who claims this will make America more vulnerable , even some former Bush administration officials now concede that rigorous but patient above-board interrogation has proven to yield better , more reliable intelligence than a rush to the waterboard . Obama has kept a campaign pledge and given a fixed date for ending the unpopular U.S. war in Iraq . `` Let me say this as plainly as I can : By August 31 , 2010 , our combat mission in Iraq will end , '' he announced . Yet the perils are clear . Hundreds of Iraqi civilians have been killed in Baghdad and other cities in a surge of sectarian violence since January . The Obama administration and U.S. military leaders are playing it down , blaming the suicide bombings on a few militant cells . That brings back memories of Cheney and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld blaming a `` handful of dead-enders '' as the original insurgency was getting into full swing . Much work still needs to be done to stabilize Iraq militarily and politically . Drawing down in Iraq means surging in Afghanistan , which along with Pakistan is still viewed as the central front on terror . `` If the Afghanistan government falls to the Taliban or allows al-Qaeda to go unchallenged , '' Obama said in March , `` that country will again be a base for terrorists . '' So he has ordered 21,000 new U.S. troops there by summer . But for all the talk of more boots on the ground , negotiating with moderate Taliban and beefing up Afghan security forces , danger will persist unless the Afghan people see more of a peace dividend . As Obama himself recognizes , `` There will be no lasting peace unless we expand spheres of opportunity for the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan . '' Watch highlights from Obama 's first 100 days '' Dire poverty still stalks the land and people desperate to feed their families will lay an IED for cash if they can not farm or find a decent paying job . Although the Taliban had less than 8 percent support in Afghanistan at the end of 2007 , according to an ABC poll , Afghan public opinion is turning against the U.S.-led coalition partly because of the rising number of civilian casualties as the U.S. military hunts down terrorists with airstrikes . The same is happening in Pakistan . When unmanned drones and other airstrikes target militants but cost many civilian lives , it turns people against the United States . One month ago , President Obama unveiled an Afghan-Pakistan strategy for stabilizing the region , and yet things have gotten so much worse in the weeks since that now he , British officials and other world leaders openly fear the Talibanization of nuclear-armed Pakistan . A furious Pakistan government accuses the United States of sowing panic among the people and insists it 's in full control of its country and its nuclear arsenal . But it is hard to overdramatize the danger as this U.S. ally concedes land and appeases the Taliban , then watches as it reneges on a so-called `` peace deal '' and rolls ever closer to the capital , Islamabad . On May 6 and 7 , Obama will be meeting in Washington with the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan . In the fight to deny the militants a tipping point momentum , the military tells me 2009 will be crucial . As for Iran , which even two years ago candidate Obama said would be directly engaged by his administration , there is nothing formal yet between the two sides . After 30 years of enmity , President Obama offered Iran `` the promise of a new beginning '' in a Persian New Year video message , and since then has clearly signaled the United States was over regime-change . The Iranian government and leadership have responded in kind , saying they are ready to engage with America if the administration is really committed to changing its Iran policy . However , much of this good will has been over the airwaves and direct or back-channel talks have yet to start . Into this vacuum are stepping all the sundry pro- and anti-Iran interest groups , experts , analysts and nations , with their often-conflicting advice and sometimes confused understanding . Yet it is widely acknowledged that a strategic realignment with Iran would benefit U.S. and regional security and stability . The new Israeli government wants to see no such thing , and wants people to believe it will bomb Iran 's nuclear facilities , a belief it fosters with background briefings to journalists in the United States and presumably elsewhere . In an ironic twist , Israel 's Arab neighbors are bringing their dire warnings about Iran to the White House . Meantime , Obama has named a new Middle East Peace envoy , former Sen. George Mitchell , signaling he wants to take negotiations out of the deep freeze and committing to the two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians . Trouble is new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not signed on to the two-state solution and is trying to fend off this pressure , even suggesting Israel wo n't engage with the Palestinians until the United States takes care of Iran . Last week , Obama told Jordan 's King Hussein at the White House , `` My hope would be that over the next several months you start seeing gestures of good faith on all sides . '' He added , `` We ca n't talk forever ; at some point , steps have to be taken so that people can see progress on the ground . '' The president has invited the leaders of Israel , Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to the White House in coming weeks . iReport.com : Grade Obama 's first 100 days . The second hundred days in foreign policy will be filled with mini-summits at the White House and major summits abroad -- Russia in July and China sometime later . With all this activity , Obama is clearly shifting the United States away from the `` isolate and punish '' policy of his predecessor . He is signaling that clearheaded meetings to discuss issues of mutual concern are better than hiding your head in the sand and hoping they 'll go away . So amid the frothing and fulminating over Fidel , Hugo and Mahmoud , remember Nixon went to China . | Obama has laid important groundwork in key areas , Amanpour says . President has acted on some campaign promises , but outcome still uncertain . Next 100 days will see key meetings at White House , summits abroad . Body language has caused chatter , but Nixon went to China , reminds Amanpour . | [[999, 1050], [1917, 1949], [7025, 7147], [7114, 7147], [7194, 7312], [7697, 7705], [7716, 7746]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pontiac lovers are feeling nostalgic and mournful Monday amid General Motors announcement that it will end production of the car . Pontiac models , such as the 1969 GTO , helped usher in the era of the muscle cars , enthusiasts say . Jean Lindsay of western New York fondly recalls the muscle cars in her family 's driveway : Two 1967 GTOs . `` I had two brothers , and they each had one of these cars , '' she said . `` The GTO represented the suburban culture of its time , heavily laden with root beer and plain beer . '' `` Those were the days of Bob 's Big Boy -LSB- hamburger restaurant -RSB- , when girls wore skates . Back then we pleasantly wasted gas looking for fun . It was a social thing . '' Debuting in 1964 , the Pontiac GTO is widely regarded as the original muscle car . It was a risky model in that it featured a big-block engine in an intermediate-size frame . The GTO 's success not only buoyed GM but helped jumpstart the high-performance market for Detroit 's Big Three automakers -- and ushered in the era of the vehicle as status symbol . Watch GM 's CEO explain why the company is cutting Pontiac '' `` It was a chick magnet , for God 's sake . Even from a girl 's standpoint , '' Lindsay said . Pontiac 's other emblematic performance car , the Firebird Trans Am , featured the outline of a firebird on the hood -- the whole hood . It enjoyed a rise in popularity and brisk sales after being featured in the `` Smokey and the Bandit '' movie franchise beginning in the late 1970s . But like even the most sturdy odometer , the numbers , years ago , had begun to work against Detroit . After years of watching their market share erode to foreign automakers , GM , Ford and Chrysler were beset by a perfect storm of declining sales , slow innovation and a dogged recession . While all three shed jobs , GM and Chrysler took bailouts to survive ; Ford chose to rely on its cash reserves to ride out the storm . In February , GM announced the end of the Saturn and Hummer lines while casting a ray of hope for Pontiac enthusiasts by saying that the brand would survive but be scaled back to a niche product . GM could file bankruptcy as a June 1 deadline looms . In the midst of pressure from the Obama administration to present a restructuring plan that shows the company 's long-term viability , the automaker recently released a statement to downplay fears that brands Americans have patronized for generations are on the chopping block . `` General Motors has not announced any changes to its long-term viability plan or to the future status of any of its brands , '' the automaker said Friday in a statement on its Web site . Pontiac fans said on Friday that contemplating the closure of Pontiac feels like a longtime friend pulling out of the driveway for the last time . `` I think it 's crazy -LSB- to end the brand -RSB- , '' Max Thompson of Huntsville , Alabama , said . `` I think they ought to streamline versions of Pontiac . Just take it to a few models . Make it special , but not get rid of it because it 's too iconic . '' ireport.com : See Thompson describe his wheels . Thompson , 46 , said his 1973 Firebird Formula had him sold when he saw the stylistic front end . `` The hood of it looked cool , '' Thompson said . `` Just the front of it , it was a sexy-looking vehicle . It had a very sleek look for the time . '' Thompson said he does n't drive his Firebird anymore , preserving it as a memento with 65,000 miles on it . The Pontiac brand did n't just appeal to baby boomers . The younger generation seems to have bonded with the brand during their time behind the wheel , too . Brian Hemgesberg of Flint , Michigan , said one of the reasons why he purchased his 2008 Pontiac G6 last year was because of what 's under the hood . `` I like the engine , I only got the V6 . ... I want to get the G8 , '' Hemgesberg said . When asked if he pushed the engine , Hemgesberg , 22 , let out a telling laugh . `` Yeah , '' he said . Like other Pontiac owners , Hemgesberg does n't want to see the brand die . `` I think it 'd be a pretty big mistake . I wo n't stop buying GM , I 'd just buy Chevy . I think -LSB- Pontiac -RSB- is just a very good brand of car . '' | Pontiac owners say bye to glory days of muscular iconic car . The GTO , which debuted in 1964 , is widely considered the original muscle car . GM may face bankruptcy if restructuring plan is not approved by feds . | [[19, 95], [150, 187], [190, 232], [725, 741], [744, 807], [2151, 2204]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was an odd collection of vehicles on display on Capitol Hill , ranging from a bucket truck used for repairing power lines to something resembling an enclosed golf cart to a pair of hot-looking , two-seater sports cars . Lawmakers eyeball one of several alternative-energy vehicles parked this week on Capitol Hill . What they had in common was alternative energy : The cars run on electricity and biofuels as well as gasoline . Tuesday 's display attracted some U.S. senators who could n't resist taking the vehicles for a spin . `` I 'm about to have claustrophobia ! '' laughed Sen. Thomas Carper , D-Delaware , as he folded himself into a yellow , low-slung vehicle known by the initials ENVI , developed by the Chrysler Corporation . `` Evan Bayh -LSB- Democratic senator from Indiana -RSB- and I were talking about taking a road trip in the van down there , '' said Carper , pointing to a nearby offering from General Motors . `` That 's probably better for a road trip than this ! '' Carper then spotted Democratic colleague Tom Harkin , and joked that the sports car might draw too much attention in the Iowa senator 's corn country . Undeterred , Harkin climbed in next and asked to take a test drive . But instead of starting with a growling engine and a roar of exhaust , the little yellow coupe simply rolled quietly out of its parking space . It is an electric vehicle . The display , titled `` The Energy and Environmental Showcase , '' was intended to demonstrate for lawmakers actual production models of vehicles that may cut the nation 's reliance on petroleum-based fuels . An unusual aspect of the show was that traditional Detroit nameplates such as General Motors sat next to competitors from other countries . The event was organized by Bright Automotive , a small carmaker from Anderson , Indiana , to showcase its IDEA , a new , 100-mpg plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that it hopes to market for government and commercial fleets . In a statement , the company said it has applied for funding through the federal Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program . Other manufacturers took advantage of the opportunity to bring their own vehicles to the public display , in a parking lot near the Russell Senate Office Building . During the Bush administration , Japanese automakers complained they were n't invited to a similar demonstration near the Treasury Department , despite having brought their alternative-energy cars more swiftly to the U.S. market than the Detroit automakers . But neither the competition nor the threat of bankruptcy held back the enthusiasm of a General Motors product spokesman at Tuesday 's display . `` If anything , it 's just a little bit of noise in the background , '' said Tony Posawatz , a GM vehicle line director . He told CNN the automaker places high on its recovery agenda the line of Volt electric cars expected to come to market by November 2010 . A silver GM sedan on display nearby uses electric batteries and a self-contained recharging engine powered by a variety of fuels . `` I would like people to stop talking mpg , '' Posawatz said , leading a reporter toward a van powered by a hydrogen fuel cell . The Chevy Equinox on display is one of 100 now in private hands . Instead of miles per gallon , the energy plant supplies electricity and a calculation of cruising range while driving . For now , however , drivers might still be impressed by the ZENN , a little car claiming 280 miles per gallon . The car 's cruising range of about 40 miles translates to about 280 miles per gallon , according to the Canadian automaker . `` ZENN '' stands for Zero Emission No Noise , said a worker who was buffing away some tree pollen that had settled on the car during the breezy afternoon . The car 's top speed is about that of a strong gust of wind -- 35 mph . `` It 's supposed to be your third car in the driveway , '' explained ZENN spokesman Daniel Stiller . `` Most people drive less than 20 miles from home on streets with speed limits of 35 miles per hour or less . '' He acknowledged that the car may qualify as street-legal only on local , low-speed roads . But Stiller said the ZENN is a dramatic improvement in both safety and driveability , compared with the golf carts often seen around retirement communities . Among the other alternative energy vehicles on display were cars from Mercedes-Benz , Toyota , Honda and the Smart car company . Another brand shown to lawmakers is named after Nikola Tesla , an inventor who helped develop the practical use of electricity a century ago . Tesla 's system of alternating current eventually displaced Thomas Edison 's use of direct current in the nation 's early power grid . The red , two-seater electric sports car on display might have been a good fit for Tesla , a lifelong bachelor . Carper , the Delaware senator , suggested the two sports cars were classic `` chick magnets . '' Tesla spokesman Joe Powers told CNN his company now has about 400 of the sleek , aerodynamic cars in private hands . `` We 've created a viable car , and we came out with this model first to help draw attention to the Tesla brand , '' he said . The California-based company also is developing a a sedan that will use the same advanced battery technology as the sports car , which costs about $ 109,000 . `` It will be the kind of car you can take on a trip , and carry four passengers and their luggage , '' Powers said . It uses 7,000 lithium-ion cells of the same chemistry now powering cell phones and laptop computers . `` We are working on a battery exchange program that will cut the cost of these vehicles by about $ 35,000 , '' Powers said , describing a leasing program where owners can swap a used-up battery back for a new one . Most of the vehicles on display qualify for a new $ 7,500 federal rebate intended to encourage car buyers to consider alternative-energy vehicles . Perhaps the vehicle that caused the most double-takes Tuesday was a bucket truck from the local electric utility company serving the Washington , D.C. , area . The Pepco vehicle , the kind seen repairing downed power lines , runs on biofuels that range from discarded cooking grease to soybean oil . The truck was apparently not for sale , and there were no representatives nearby to answer questions . | An eclectic assortment of alternative-energy vehicles hit Capitol Hill this week . The display attracted U.S. senators who could n't resist taking the cars for a spin . The event was organized by a carmaker from Indiana to showcase its plug-in hybrid . Display included cars from GM , ZENN , Bright Automotive and Smart , among others . | [[30, 93], [278, 348], [461, 508], [490, 508], [513, 562], [1188, 1194], [1215, 1243], [1765, 1809], [1664, 1764]] |
Editor 's note : CNN Contributor Bob Greene is a bestselling author whose current book is `` When We Get to Surf City : A Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll , Friendship , and Dreams . '' Bob Greene says John Madden has had a great perk : seeing America on his own bus . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You 've undoubtedly heard that John Madden has left the football broadcast booth . What you may not have heard is that he 's not leaving his bus . `` It 's been such a great ride , '' Madden said as he announced his retirement . But the truly great ride -- the one he will not relinquish -- was n't his long career as a National Football League broadcaster . The best ride was the literal one . Madden 's aversion to flying in airplanes led him to perhaps the grandest business perk in all of American life : He was given his own bus , with his own professional drivers . He crisscrossed the country , on his way from one big game to another , on what came to be known as the Maddencruiser , the cost of which eventually was underwritten by corporate sponsorship . Now ... you may think that being stuck in a bus for days and nights on end must be a lousy way to lead a life . Not when you 're the only passenger -- you , or whatever buddies and colleagues you choose to invite along . Not when there 's food and drink onboard , and television sets with DVD players at the ready , and plenty of room to stretch out and observe the country as it passes by . And those amenities leave out the most beautiful lure of all . Let President Obama explain it . He did , inadvertently , the other week . He was n't talking about Madden -- he was talking about plans for a new high-speed rail system . These were the president 's words : . `` No racing to an airport and across a terminal , no delays , no sitting on the tarmac , no lost luggage , no taking off your shoes -LSB- at the metal detector -RSB- ... '' That 's the gift Madden gave himself , by working out the bus deal -- the gift of avoiding the endless headaches of travel the rest of the world has to endure . Departure time ? Whenever he wants . Flight cancellations ? No such thing . Cramped seats ? Nope . Security lines ? There are none . It can make for a pretty peaceful life . A football game to see every week , the country winding gloriously out ahead of you between stadiums , your main decision boiling down to how to chop up the miles , where to eat and where to sleep and where to stop for a few hours just to talk to people ... . There is a hotel on the west coast of Florida where I have stayed quite often , and during football season Madden would sometimes stay there too . If there had been a game in , say , Miami , and the next one was in Dallas , he might ask his bus driver to stop for the night at this place , which features outlying cottages on the Gulf of Mexico . Talk about a guy who seemed tranquil -- I know his on-air image was always sort of loud and animated , but I 'd see Madden having a serenely silent and unhurried meal by himself in the restaurant , leisurely flipping through the sports pages ; I 'd see him in the little sandwich shop/deli in the morning , a quiet and amiable fellow standing in line with everyone else , waiting to pay for his breakfast pastries ; I 'd see him , on departure day , strolling blissfully toward his bus , an overnight bag in his hand , having decided that this was the time that he 'd like to roll out ... . Who would ever have thought that a fantasy life could revolve around something as seemingly mundane as a bus ? But in a chaotic and confused world , full of noise and anger and deadlines , the allure of cruising in splendid solitude through the country , seeing America mile by mile , the journey itself being the ultimate victory ... . Madden is the grand champion of bus riders , the winner of the lifetime achievement award . And for those who thought that Madden must have felt trapped on that bus for all these years , the truth -- I can promise you this -- is that rolling through the country that way is the opposite of being trapped . The highway begins to feel like a best friend ; as well as you may have thought you knew America before , you begin to understand it in ways you never even considered . Block by block , town by town , state by state , you appreciate anew : There are still so many things to see . So I was n't surprised when Madden , after declaring that the football life he is leaving had been a great ride , said that , by the way , he 's keeping the bus . When he travels , that 's how he will do it , with or without a corporate sponsor , even now that there will be no game waiting on the other end . And of course , after all these years there is a certain remarkable aura that has formed around the man and that bus of his . At the place in Florida where he would sometimes stay , I was coming back from dinner one night and saw two local police squad cars on the property . This was highly unusual ; the town was a quiet dot on the map . I asked the police officers if there had been a crime committed . They appeared a little sheepish . They exchanged glances , as if deciding whether to tell me their real reason for being there . Finally one of them laughed , and said : . `` We just wanted to look at John Madden . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene . | Bob Greene : John Madden 's retiring as a broadcaster but keeping his bus . He says football expert had the ultimate perk for traveling the country . Greene : Highway becomes your best friend as you discover America block by block . | [[288, 303], [307, 389], [390, 453], [426, 453], [814, 840], [4481, 4529], [205, 253], [3593, 3597], [3699, 3726], [4087, 4132]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir of the center-left Social Democratic Alliance has claimed victory in general elections triggered by the collapse of the Nordic nation 's economy . Sigurdardottir celebrates victory on Saturday night . Sigurdardottir 's party , which has headed an interim government since February 1 , was on course to win around 30 percent of the vote or 20 parliamentary seats , according to state broadcaster RUV . The Left-Green Movement , the Social Democratic Alliance 's coalition ally , was expected to win 14 seats , giving the coalition a controlling 34-seat block in the 63-member Icelandic parliament , the Althing . `` I believe this will be our big victory , '' Sigurdardottir told supporters , according to Reuters.com . `` I am touched , proud and humble at this moment when we are experiencing this great , historic victory of the social democratic movement . '' Sigurdardottir 's electoral success marks a change of direction for Iceland , a nation 300,000 people , which has traditionally leaned to the right on political matters . Sigurdardottir , the world 's first openly gay leader and Iceland 's first female premier , has pledged to take the Atlantic island into the European Union and to join the euro common currency as a viable way to rescue Iceland 's suffering economy . But that ambition could bring Sigurdardottir into conflict with the Left-Green Movement which favors a currency union with Norway as an alternative to EU membership . Iceland has been in political turmoil since October , when its currency , stock market and leading banks crashed amid the global financial crisis . The country 's Nordic neighbors sent billions of dollars to prop up the economy , as did the International Monetary Fund in its first intervention to support a Western European democracy in decades . But weekly demonstrations -- some verging on riots -- finally forced Prime Minister Geir Haarde and his Independence Party-led center-right coalition to resign en masse on January 26 . The Independence Party was projected to win 16 seats in Saturday 's vote , according to RUV . | Center-left secures re-election in Icelandic vote triggered by financial crisis . Johanna Sigurdardottir , world 's first openly gay premier , set to continue as PM . Iceland in turmoil since currency , stock market , leading banks crashed last year . | [[136, 213], [1577, 1665]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former University of Georgia professor , wanted in the fatal shootings of his wife and two other people over the weekend , purchased a plane ticket to the Netherlands for May 2 , authorities said Monday . An alert on the UGA Web site says professor George Zinkhan is a suspect in an off-campus shooting . A nationwide manhunt for George Zinkhan , 57 , extended into a third day with no sign of him , authorities said . Zinkhan was a marketing professor at the university 's Terry College of Business , but was terminated on Sunday , the day after the shootings , university officials said . Zinkhan had previously purchased the plane ticket to the Netherlands , said Gregory Jones , special agent in charge for the FBI 's Atlanta , Georgia , office . Authorities say Zinkhan owns a home in Amsterdam , Netherlands . The FBI is working with its agents overseas and police in the Netherlands , Jones said . A nationwide alert for Zinkhan has been issued by Athens-Clarke County police . The shootings took place at a community theater group 's reunion Saturday in Athens , Georgia , just off campus . Police Capt. Clarence Holeman identified the victims as Marie Bruce , 47 , Zinkhan 's wife and a prominent Athens attorney ; Tom Tanner , 40 ; and Ben Teague , 63 . The university terminated Zinkhan on Sunday , President Michael Adams told reporters on Monday . Police said Zinkhan has relatives in Texas and owns a home in Amsterdam , Netherlands . He was last seen driving a red , 2005 Jeep Liberty after the shootings Saturday . Authorities do not believe Zinkhan is still on campus or in the city of Athens , University Police Chief Jimmy Williams said Monday . As a precaution , he added , security has been beefed up on campus , including officers on foot patrols carrying semiautomatic weapons . The victims were all associated with the Town and Gown Players , a theater group that was holding a reunion picnic at the time of the shootings . `` The three people we lost -LRB- Saturday -RRB- were a part of the rich 50-year history of this theater and , more than that , were vital members of the Town and Gown family , '' the organization said Sunday on its Web site . The site described Bruce as `` the binding force that held the Town and Gown community together . '' `` Having worked with Town and Gown for over 20 years , at one time or another she served in every capacity at the theater , artistically and administratively , from leading lady to president of the board to chief cook and bottle washer . '' Holeman said Saturday , `` It appeared -LRB- Zinkhan -RRB- and his wife -LRB- Bruce -RRB- were having problems . '' Meanwhile , the university said that classes would be held Monday , as the school term enters its final week . In a letter `` to the members of the University of Georgia community '' posted on the school 's Web site , Adams said operations would continue uninterrupted . But , `` I urge everyone to continue to exercise caution until the suspect is apprehended , '' Adams said . Adams ' letter said counseling would be available to any member of the faculty or staff and to students . The university 's annual end-of-year campus memorial service , in which those lost over the past year are remembered , is scheduled for Tuesday night , Adams said . Victims of Saturday 's shooting will be honored at that service . Police said Zinkhan was not at the Town and Gown event originally but arrived and , according to Holeman of the Athens police , got into `` a disagreement '' with his wife . He left the scene , and police believe he went to his car , where the couple 's children apparently were waiting , and returned with two handguns . The shootings `` only took a few minutes , '' Holeman said . Police found eight shell casings . After the shooting , Zinkhan left the scene with his children -- ages 8 and 10 -- still in the vehicle , police said . He drove to a neighbor 's home in nearby Bogart , Georgia , where he lived and left the children there . The neighbor , Bob Covington , told CNN that Zinkhan arrived at his home shortly after noon with the two children . `` He rang the doorbell , asked me if I could keep his kids for about an hour , '' Covington said . `` I said sure , and he said there 'd been some type of emergency , and he took off . '' Zinkhan seemed hurried and agitated but that seemed consistent with an emergency , Covington said . He did n't question Zinkhan about the emergency , Covington said , adding that it was n't unusual for someone in his family to watch the children . An hour or so later , he said , police arrived and took the children . Police searched Zinkhan 's home on Saturday , but there was no indication of what evidence they might have gathered there . University police were assisting Athens-Clarke County police in their investigation , officials said Monday . The university activated its alert system following the shooting with a description of the suspect , said spokesman Tom Jackson . Statistics show the university was able to reach 82 percent of the 64,000 people it attempted to contact , he said , adding that some of the calls went to university offices unstaffed on weekends . An alert was also posted on the school 's Web site , and an all-campus e-mail was sent Saturday night . Adams said the university 's provost and deans would determine how to handle the remainder of classes and exams for the classes -- one graduate and one undergraduate -- taught by Zinkhan . | NEW : Plane ticket to Netherlands dated May 2 , FBI says . Nationwide alert issued for UGA marketing professor George Zinkhan . Zinkhan suspected in shooting deaths of wife , two others , at theater reunion . Suspect apparently dropped children off at a neighbor 's house before fleeing . | [[0, 15], [144, 197], [612, 634], [645, 680], [612, 619], [624, 680], [226, 325], [326, 365], [373, 418], [926, 1005], [0, 15], [62, 141], [3789, 3807], [3810, 3850], [3908, 3955], [4013, 4025], [4044, 4128]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Agatha Christie was a painfully shy girl , so her mom homeschooled her even though her two older siblings attended private school . President Woodrow Wilson did n't learn to read until age 12 . Pearl S. Buck was born in West Virginia , but her family moved to China when she was just three months old . She was homeschooled by a Confucian scholar and learned English as a second language from her mom . Alexander Graham Bell was homeschooled by his mother until he was about 10 . It was at this point that she started to go deaf and did n't feel she could properly educate him any more . Her deafness inspired Bell to study acoustics and sound later in life . If Thomas Edison were around today , he would probably be diagnosed with ADD -- he left public school after only three months because his mind would n't stop wandering . His mom homeschooled him after that , and he credited her with the success of his education : `` My mother was the making of me . She was so true , so sure of me ; and I felt I had something to live for , someone I must not disappoint . '' Mental Floss : Jefferson vs. Adams and the birth of negative campaigning . Ansel Adams was homeschooled at the age of 12 after his `` wild laughter and undisguised contempt for the inept ramblings of his teachers '' disrupted the classroom . His father took on his education from that point forward . Robert Frost hated school so much he would get physically ill at the thought of going . He was homeschooled until his high school years . Woodrow Wilson studied under his dad , one of the founders of the Southern Presbyterian Church in the United States -LRB- PCUS -RRB- . He did n't learn to read until he was about 12 . He took a few classes at a school in Augusta , Georgia , to supplement his father 's teachings , and ended up spending a year at Davidson College before transferring to Princeton . Mental Floss : 8 tuition-free colleges . Mozart was educated by his dad as the Mozart family toured Europe from 1763-1766 . Laura Ingalls Wilder was homeschooled until her parents finally settled in De Smet in what was then Dakota Territory . She started teaching school herself when she was only 15 years old . Louisa May Alcott studied mostly with her dad , but had a few lessons from family friends Henry David Thoreau , Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne . Can you imagine ? For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Inventor of the telephone was homeschooled until his mother went deaf . Poet Robert Frost got physically ill at the thought of going to school . President Woodrow Wilson did n't learn to read until age 12 . Photographer Ansel Adams exhibited `` undisguised contempt '' for teachers . | [[1487, 1536], [2026, 2144], [1399, 1486], [1428, 1486], [160, 221], [1672, 1720], [1173, 1310]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized Friday for a department assessment that suggested returning combat veterans could be recruited by right-wing extremist groups . Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says she offered her `` sincere apologies for any offense . '' She met with American Legion National Commander David Rehbein at Homeland Security headquarters . `` The secretary started the meeting with an apology to me personally , to the American Legion and to the entire veterans community , '' Rehbein told reporters after the meeting . In a statement issued by the department , Napolitano said , `` We connected meaningfully about the important issues that have emerged over recent days , and I offered him my sincere apologies for any offense to our veterans caused by this report . ... I pledge that the department has fixed the internal process that allowed this document to be released before it was ready . '' The report was an unclassified assessment sent to law enforcement agencies . It was titled `` Rightwing Extremism : Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment . '' The mention of combat veterans surfaced on a conservative radio program earlier this month , and it drew the scorn of commentators and conservative members of Congress . Rep. John Carter , R - Texas , called on Napolitano to resign . Rehbein said Friday it is time to move forward . `` In the mind of the American Legion , I think her apology was sufficient , '' he said . `` The way the Vietnam veterans were treated once they came home , that 's what drives the sensitivity to this , because those things start small and then grow from there , and we need to make sure anytime something like that happens we need to step on that and make sure it goes away very quickly . '' | Homeland Security report says veterans could be recruited by right-wing extremists . Homeland Security chief apologizes for `` any offense caused by this report ' Napolitano says document was released before it was ready . American Legion commander accepts apology , says it 's time to move on . | [[111, 134], [140, 227], [228, 332], [278, 332], [434, 486], [771, 821], [905, 925], [931, 989], [1440, 1488], [1453, 1488]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Capt. Chesley `` Sully '' Sullenberger 's run-in with a flock of Canada geese may be the most famous man-versus-nature story in recent months . But a federal database opened to the public Friday reveals just how commonplace airplanes ' encounters with wildlife are . A feather found inside one of the engines of the plane that ditched in the Hudson River . At New York 's LaGuardia Airport , where Sullenberger 's US Airways flight originated , planes hit birds nearly once a week on average , according to the records . But the number has grown from 16 hits in 1990 to 86 in 2008 , according to the database . Nationwide , there were 98,328 reports of aircraft striking birds or other wildlife since January of 1990 , although the actual numbers probably are far higher . The Federal Aviation Administration said only 20 percent of incidents are reported under the voluntary system of data collection . The database shows strikes resulted in `` substantial damage '' to aircraft on about 3,000 occasions . Eleven people died in incidents relating to bird strikes . The FAA initially fought to keep its database closed , saying publication of the details might discourage the industry from reporting information . After it was made public , an airline industry organization was quick to say the data could wrongly lead some people to believe flying is unsafe . `` While bird strikes have attracted a lot of attention , they are , of course , rare events . The vast majority of cases result in little or no aircraft damage , '' said the Air Transport Association of America . A top pilots union -- the Air Line Pilots Association -- also had argued to keep the database closed . But the National Transportation Safety Board recommended opening up the data to the public . It also says reporting wildlife strikes should be mandatory . `` If you strike a bird you really do n't have to report this to the FAA , which means we 're really not getting the full picture , '' said Mark Rosenker , acting chairman of the safety board . The database includes information on more than 2,000 airports and 500 airlines and aircraft companies . When possible , it identifies the types of wildlife involved , chronicling the misadventures of 460 species . While bird strikes account for the majority of the mishaps , the database contains numerous aircraft encounters with deer , moose , caribou and even fish . According to the records , a fish hit a US Airways aircraft landing in Warwick , Rhode Island , in May of 2000 . The fish had been dropped by an osprey . The FAA opted to make the database public after being pelted with criticism from passengers , media organizations and the National Transportation Safety Board , which investigates crashes . Interest in aviation bird strikes has been heightened by several recent incidents in addition to Sullenberger 's flight -- the January 15 ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 in New York 's Hudson River . All on board survived . The transportation safety board says a bird strike may have preceded the crash of a Sikorsky helicopter near Morgan City , Louisiana , just 11 days earlier . The crash killed eight of the nine people aboard . | Planes hit birds nearly once a week on average at LaGuardia Airport . Number has grown from 16 hits in 1990 to 86 in 2008 , the database shows . Strikes resulted in `` substantial damage '' to aircraft on about 3,000 occasions . Officials say database likely only includes 20 percent of actual strikes . | [[387, 419], [428, 472], [387, 419], [422, 454], [475, 521], [387, 419], [475, 481], [524, 550], [551, 610], [555, 565], [613, 640], [934, 997], [803, 933], [844, 933]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British military investigators interviewed a woman who claimed to have met a man from another planet while she was walking her dog , newly released Ministry of Defence files have revealed . The woman said she had been approached by a man with a `` Scandinavian-type accent '' dressed in a flying suit-style outfit while out walking on a sports field near Norwich , eastern England , in 1989 . She claimed to have been `` completely terrified '' during the 10-minute encounter . Running home , she said she had then seen a large glowing object rising vertically from behind some nearby trees . The woman called a local military base to report the encounter the following day . A cover note on the file of the incident describes it as `` one of our more unusual UFO reports . '' The incident is just one of around 1,200 sightings recorded by investigators between 1987 and 1993 , according to the files released by the National Archives on Sunday . On another occasion , military officials took the unusual step of briefing ministers about an unidentified flying object photographed in the sky over Scotland alongside an RAF fighter jet . Witnesses claimed to have seen the large diamond-shaped object hanging in the air for about 10 minutes before it ascended vertically at high speed . Fearing intense media interest , investigators also commissioned detailed drawings of the object . The files also reveal that the Ministry of Defence abandoned plans to build a computer database of sightings out of fears of a public relations disaster should details of its existence ever be revealed . `` I personally doubt that the the MoD would lose much if we filed UFO reports in ` WPD ' -LRB- the waste paper basket -RRB- , '' one unnamed official wrote of the project . | National Archives releases details of recorded UFO sightings from 1987 to 1993 . One woman claimed to have met a man from another planet while walking dog . Officials briefed ministers about 1990 UFO sighting over Scotland . Ministry of Defence abandoned plans for UFO database fearing PR disaster . | [[841, 911], [927, 982], [0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 136], [137, 166], [983, 1002], [1005, 1103], [1074, 1172], [1421, 1430], [1436, 1624]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Several hundred Sri Lankan Tamil protesters shouted slogans at the British Parliament for a second day Tuesday , urging it to act to end the `` genocide '' against their people in Sri Lanka . Police clash with Tamil protesters outside the Houses of Parliament . `` Stop the genocide ! '' they shouted . `` Stop the war ! '' They waved the red flag of Tamil Eelam , the Tamils ' traditional homeland in northern and eastern Sri Lanka . The flag is emblazoned with a yellow roaring tiger . Most of the protesters slept overnight on the streets around Parliament Square after beginning their unauthorized protest Monday afternoon . At one point , the protesters blocked the street leading to Westminster Bridge over the River Thames , police said . That led to road closures around Parliament . By Tuesday morning , a solid ring of police had hemmed the protesters in Parliament Square across the street from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben . Roads were open again , but the protest and police presence caused traffic congestion in the area . Hariram Shan , 24 , is a Sri Lankan Tamil who said he has lived in Britain for six years . He said the protesters hope the British government will intervene to stop Sri Lanka 's crackdown on Tamil Tiger rebels , which he said harms civilians . `` They can force economic sanctions , '' Shan told CNN . Dushyanthy Sukumar , 47 , said the Sri Lankan government is retaliating against innocent civilians . `` The Sri Lankan government has now cornered the rebels , the LTTE -LRB- Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -RRB- , and what they are doing is killing the people , '' she said . Sukumar , who said she has lived in Britain since leaving her homeland in 1987 , said she is angry at the British government for supporting Sri Lanka . `` The Sri Lankan government is doing their dirty work through this government , '' she said . The Sri Lankan military said Sunday that it had captured the last rebel stronghold and killed five rebel leaders after three days of gunbattles . It said more rebels could still be hiding in a 20-square-kilometer `` safety zone , '' but that it would not enter the area because it is home to some 50,000 people . The Tamil Tigers have fought since 1983 for an independent homeland for the country 's ethnic Tamil minority . The civil war has left more than 70,000 people dead . | Several hundred Tamil protesters demonstrate outside UK parliament . Protesters urge UK lawmakers to `` act to end the genocide in Sri Lanka '' Tamil Tiger separatists have fought since 1983 for an independent homeland . Sri Lankan military said Sunday it had captured last rebel stronghold . | [[9, 32], [149, 227], [1180, 1290], [2221, 2331], [1908, 2053], [1944, 1990]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States is keeping a close eye on Pakistan after this week 's Taliban surge into the Buner district brought them just 60 miles from the capital , Islamabad . A Taliban fighter in the district of Buner , which is only 96 kilometers from Islamabad . A Pakistani government official said Friday that the insurgents had completely withdrawn from the district by the end of the week , but a human rights group said people in Buner were reporting that local Taliban remained in the district . And senior U.S. officials cautioned that any withdrawal by the Taliban was likely meaningless and that the fundamentalist group now holds large areas of the country with the government seemingly unable to stop them . `` We 're certainly moving closer to the tipping point , '' Adm. Mike Mullen , chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said on NBC 's `` Today '' show Friday . In the interview from Afghanistan , Mullen said he was `` extremely concerned '' about indications the Taliban is moving closer to Pakistan 's capital of Islamabad . Syed Mohammed Javed , commissioner of the Malakand Division that includes Buner , said the Taliban withdrew on Friday without any conditions . Earlier in the day , Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan told CNN that the militants would pull back from the district . Pakistani Express TV showed live footage of armed and masked Taliban militants in Buner , loading pickup trucks and driving away . Sufi Muhammed , an Islamist fundamentalist leader who has been negotiating on behalf of the Taliban , was on scene overseeing the withdrawal , police said . U.S. military commander Gen. David Petraeus credited about 300 Pakistan 's Frontier Corps with driving Taliban militants out of Buner . The U.S. Central Command chief spoke to CNN on Friday after testifying before a Congressional panel about the need for the United States to boost its support for Pakistani counterinsurgency troops such as the Frontier Corps . But Amnesty International 's regional chief said people in Buner are reporting a different situation . `` What we 're hearing from people in Buner ... is that the Taliban that have moved out are the non-local ones , '' Sam Zarifi , Amnesty 's Asia Pacific director , told CNN . `` So the local branch of the Taliban are still in place in Buner . '' Amnesty International is concerned that those local Taliban will continue to enforce the Taliban 's `` abusive and repressive '' control of Buner . Girls over the age of 7 are forced to wear a burka , a head-to-toe covering that the Taliban say is required of Muslims under its radical interpretation of Islamic law , or sharia . `` I think we 're going to see those harsh edicts stay , '' Zarifi said . The Taliban installed strict Islamic law when it took over Afghanistan after a two-year fight with warlords , many of whom surrendered without a fight . They fought with a coalition of some of those warlords known as the Northern Alliance from 1996 until U.S. forces , seeking the leadership of al Qaeda after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks , added bombing raids to Northern Alliance ground operations and successfully drove the Taliban out of most of Afghanistan . iReport : Should the U.S. intercede in Pakistan ? But the Taliban regrouped in 2004 , launching a guerrilla war against the Afghan government while operating from the tribal areas of that country and Pakistan . Meanwhile , senior U.S. officials said that the `` retreat '' was likely meaningless . Control was the impetus behind the Taliban move into Buner , and the fundamentalist group now controls large areas of Pakistan , they said . The officials said , however , that they did not believe the Taliban 's goal was to take over the government of Pakistan but rather to create instability by taking advantage of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari 's apparent inability to cope with the situation . Zardari , they said , does not understand the gravity of the situation , remains distracted by domestic politics and appears unable to make critical decisions to deploy the army to stabilize the country . State Department envoy Richard Holbrooke has been on the phone `` nonstop '' with officials in Islamabad and Washington , the officials said , providing frequent information to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama . Holbrooke 's read on the situation , officials familiar with the conversation said , is that the Pakistani government does not know how to handle the situation and is looking to the United States for direction . A senior military official , however , presented a more dire case . Pakistan is `` rapidly deteriorating , '' he said . He said that he could not rule out the possibility of a military takeover in Islamabad , although he added that such a prospect was not in the immediate future . As for Pakistan 's nuclear arsenal , he said the weapons `` are safe for now '' but that the United States is monitoring the safety systems in place . Administration officials said that the Pakistani military had assured the United States it would not act without an express order from the civilian leadership . Earlier this week , Clinton warned that nuclear-armed Pakistan was in danger of falling into terrorist hands . Before the Taliban 's apparent withdrawal Friday , a local Pakistani official expressed doubt about whether the militants would leave , as they pledged to local elders on Thursday . `` Nobody can trust them , '' Sardar Hussain Babik , the provincial education minister , said by phone from Buner . The Taliban have broken promises before and probably would do so again , he said . Militants who swarmed into Buner subsequently locked up courthouses , seized court documents and battled Pakistani troops who were sent to protect residents . The militants said they took control of the district to ensure that Islamic law was properly imposed . The Pakistani government called the land grab a breach of a recent peace agreement . CNN 's Barbara Starr , Elise Labott , Ivan Watson , Tricia Escobedo and Samson Desta contributed to this report . | NEW : Pakistan situation `` rapidly deteriorating , '' says senior U.S. military official . NEW : U.S. officials : Any Taliban withdrawal from Pakistani territory likely meaningless . NEW : Fundamentalists hold large areas of the country , military officials say . Pakistan had reported Taliban withdrawal from captured district 60 miles from capital . | [[4567, 4593], [4606, 4634], [4635, 4671], [4648, 4671], [4674, 4676], [527, 743], [568, 620], [3424, 3433], [3436, 3510], [527, 743], [630, 711], [3576, 3637], [0, 20], [121, 183], [337, 417]] |
CNN -- Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world , particularly in developing countries . Tobacco use is one of the largest causes of cancer in the world . In 2008 a report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer revealed that , until recently , cancer was considered a disease of westernized , industrialized countries . Today the situation has changed dramatically , with the majority of the global cancer cases now found in the developing world . However , myths and misconceptions about cancer still abound . Below CNN 's Vital Signs has compiled facts from the World Health Organization about this killer disease . -- There are more than 100 types of cancers ; any part of the body can be affected . -- Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide : In 2007 , it accounted for 7.9 million deaths -LRB- around 13 per cent of all deaths -RRB- in 2007 . -- The five most common types of cancer that kill men worldwide are -LRB- in order of frequency -RRB- : lung , stomach , liver , colorectal and esophagus . -- While for women worldwide the five most common types of cancer are : breast , lung , stomach , colorectal and cervical . -- About 72 per cent of all cancer deaths in 2007 occurred in low - and middle-income countries . -- Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue rising , with an estimated 12 million deaths in 2030 . -- The WHO estimates that 30 per cent of cancers can be prevented , mainly by not using tobacco , having a healthy diet and being physically active . -- Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world . -- A third of cancers could be cured if detected early and treated adequately . -- A fifth of all cancers in the world are caused by a chronic infection , for example human papillomavirus -LRB- HPV -RRB- causes cervical cancer and hepatitis B virus -LRB- HBV -RRB- causes liver cancer . Source : The World Health Organization . | The majority of cancer cases are now found in developing countries . 72 per cent of all cancer deaths in 2007 occurred in poorer countries . By 2030 , WHO estimates there will be 12 million cancer related deaths worldwide . A third of cancers can be cured if detected early and treated adequately . | [[7, 105], [417, 476], [1166, 1260], [7, 105], [1166, 1260], [1264, 1325], [1264, 1292], [1307, 1325], [1328, 1356], [1333, 1373], [1607, 1640], [1607, 1625], [1644, 1658], [1607, 1625], [1663, 1683]] |
LIMA , Peru -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Doctors in Peru started a 48-hour strike Tuesday over pay and other benefits they say the government agreed to last year but has not delivered . The Medical Federation of Peru 's Julio Vargas says , `` The stoppage ... will require the cooperation of all doctors . '' The doctors ' union , the Medical Federation of Peru , called the strike after meeting Monday with Prime Minister Yehude Simon , news sources reported . `` The stoppage that we will implement ... will require the cooperation of all doctors and that they suspend their external consults , although we will reinforce intensive and emergency care , '' union President Julio Vargas was quoted as saying in El Comercio newspaper . Health Minister Oscar Ugarte said the government has complied with all the agreements reached last year and the doctors have no reason to strike , RPP radio reported . Ugarte also warned doctors they will not be paid while on strike , the Andina news agency and El Comercio said . `` You ca n't stop working and later come and say , ` Pay me , ' '' Ugarte said in El Comercio . `` That is immoral and does not conform with professional ethics . '' At issue are pay for special work and more equal pay among state doctors , the news reports said . Salaries for doctors in Peru have decreased to one-fourth of 1976 levels , The Lancet professional medical journal reported in May 2008 . As a result , physicians often hold two or more jobs to make ends meet . An average doctor 's salary in Lima , the capital , is the equivalent of $ 670 a year , The Lancet said . A 2007 survey of 202 interns in Lima showed that 38 percent were thinking about migrating to a developed country to practice medicine , the publication said . Salary was one of the main reasons given . | Doctors ' union calls for 48-hour strike after meeting with Peru 's prime minister . Doctors say government has failed to deliver on agreements last year . Health minister says doctors have no reason to go on strike . Medical journal : Salaries for doctors have decreased to one-fourth of 1976 levels . | [[0, 4], [7, 27], [47, 79], [299, 318], [354, 425], [108, 151], [833, 869], [1272, 1344]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Luciano Pavarotti died Thursday at the age of 71 after suffering from pancreatic cancer . I-Report contributors shared their memories of the famed opera tenor . Here is a selection of those stories : . Annamaria Capicchioni shared this snapshot from the 1993 Pavarotti San Marino Grand Prix in Modena , Italy . Leslie Oakley of Davenport , Florida I grew up in a small town in Kentucky where opera did n't exactly fit in the scheme of things . My family was n't at all musical either but seeing as though I took an interest in it , my parents indulged me with opera recordings . One of the first ones I received was The Three Tenors . Luciano Pavarotti was to me what Michael Jordan was to other children . He was my hero . I even did a report on him one year in high school . I can remember sitting in my room listening to his voice , closing my eyes and seeing the operas unfold in my mind . He inspired me to teach myself to sing , and I went on to win awards in high school and to sing for three professional groups out of college . Singing has enriched my life immeasurably , and I owe it all to that beautiful voice that so entranced me as a child . I have many fond memories of Pavarotti . His voice always moves me to tears . It is the feeling of being given a glimpse of the divine that I will most remember about him . My prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends . There will never be another Pavarotti . Edmund Chua of Singapore Maestro 's voice was truly a blessing . That exciting , that fascinating quality , that , sigh ... too many adjectives . Of course , there was that unforgettable personality . Personally , -LRB- do n't know if this is a right thing to say but -RRB- I saw Italy in him , so to speak , always loving life . Knew he was fighting cancer but always thought he 'd recover . I was hoping I 'd be able to watch him live but I guess it 'll only be in the footage . He 's indeed a legend lost , a legacy remembered . ... We 'll miss him . Tina Minges of Woodland , California I never cared for opera ... then I heard Pavarotti ... and from that point I loved it . Sandra Miser of Dallas , Texas I consider him the greatest singer ever . His voice had a quality like no others . I cried going to work this morning when I heard he was gone . When I listen to his music I can disappear into the beauty of it and be a peace . He will be greatly missed . Thank goodness for CDs so that we will never be without his voice . George Wendy of Eatons Neck , New York We had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Pavarotti sing a few times . His recital with James Levine at the Metropolitan Opera House was remarkable . I could not imagine feeling more emotion from listening to someone sing . Ciao , Luciano ! Shannon Broussard of Springfield , Missouri Heaven now has a tenor for its choir . Chris Nissen of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania I heard Pavarotti perform twice in Philadelphia during the years he sponsored an operatic competition for young performers . I still have goose bumps thinking about the brilliance of those two evenings . Not only was his performance breathtaking , but his genuine joy in sharing the stage with the winners of the competition was obvious and written all over his face with a grand smile . Whenever I need to feel inspired with my own work I go and dig out my Pavarotti CDs . Bravo to the great one ! Reynaldo O. Arcilla , Philippines Even Mt. Etna wept when Luciano Pavarotti , one of the greatest opera singers of all time , died . Marelize , South Africa In the mid - '90s , Luciano Pavarotti came to South Africa and performed in the town of Stellenboch . It was a very exclusive open-air concert . The tickets were very expensive and all the rich and famous in South Africa were there . Next to the stadium is a river that runs through the town . On the night , crowds of people gathered along the banks of the river . Like me , they could not afford the concert . From where we stood we could see the beautiful mountains , see the lights of the stadium and we could not see him , but we could hear his amazing voice . I looked at the people around me , they all had an expression of sheer wonder on their faces . He gave us all a wonderful gift that night . I will never forget it ! He made us fall in love with opera ! Edgardo J. Tria Tirona , Philippines This great tenor 's death is like the dimming of a star at the break of dawn . But , as in the final strains of Nessun Dorma `` All ` alba vincero ! '' - at daybreak , he -LSB- again -RSB- conquers ! The world 's loss is now heaven 's gain . Barry , New York City As a former employee of the New York Metropolitan Opera , it was my pleasure and `` thrill of a lifetime '' to watch and listen to `` the Maestro '' sing from the wings of the stage . I still get goose bumps thinking about that glorious voice , golden tenor . Ozonato , Kuala Lumpur Luciano Pavarotti 's death was a shock , I attended his concerts in Hong Kong -LRB- SAR -RRB- 2005 . Wife Nicoletta Mantovani -LSB- and his -RSB- daughters should have courage to bear the loss . I like the power of his strength of music . He was famous during his lifetime , may he rest in the Lord . Mario Rizzotti of Lincolnwood , Illinois ARRIVEDERCI GRANDE LUCIANO !!!!!! In your honor all the opera houses in USA should have the Half-Staff Flag . Sei stato grande . Your Italian Friends that fell in love with your singing and used your singing to make ladies fall in love , will always remember you . Now you rest in peace you can say : '' VINCEROOOOOOOOO . '' E-mail to a friend . | Opera singer Luciano Pavarotti died Thursday at his home in Modena , Italy . CNN.com readers recall the tenor 's `` amazing voice '' and `` strength '' of music . `` The world 's loss is now heaven 's gain , '' one user writes . | [[19, 108], [3435, 3452], [3503, 3509], [4799, 4862], [5081, 5124], [4539, 4580]] |
COLOMBO , Sri Lanka -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Colombo has been hit by a second bomb blast in only 24 hours following the fall of the Tamil Tigers ' capital to government troops . Police and army officials at the site of a suicide bombing in Sri Lanka 's capital Colombo Friday . Two people were wounded and a store damaged in the Petard commercial district Saturday . A day earlier a suicide bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up outside an air force headquarters in Colombo , killing two air force police officers and a member of the bomb-disposal unit . Another 30 people were injured . The attacks come after President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the Tigers to lay down their arms and end a quarter-century of civil war . He made his call after government troops retook the separatists ' capital , Kilinochchi . In a televised statement Friday evening , Rajapaksa called the recapture of Kilinochchi `` a victory against separatism . '' `` The time is not far off when people of the north can breathe freedom again , '' Rajapaksa said . He invited the Tigers -- who have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka 's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983 -- to surrender as government troops closed in on their last remaining strongholds . Rajapaksa 's announcement was met with fireworks in Colombo , and Friday 's news prompted celebrations in other cities as well . The Tamil Tigers ran a parallel administration from Kilinochchi with their own police force , courts , prisons and taxes , and they had declared government plans to retake the city a `` daydream . '' But after Sri Lanka launched a new offensive against the rebels in the fall , the insurgents moved their nerve center and logistics bases to Mullaitivu , on the northeastern coast . Sri Lankan troops have been on the outskirts of Kilinochchi , about 580 km -LRB- 360 miles -RRB- north of Colombo , for more than a month . They took a key highway junction and a town outside the city Thursday . The civil war has left more than 65,000 people dead . The U.S. State Department has designated the Tamil Tigers a terrorist organization . | Suicide bomber strikes in Colombo , injuring two and damaging store . Second blast in the capital in 24 hours following capture of rebel capital . President Mahinda Rajapaksa calls on rebels to lay down arms . | [[39, 99], [272, 307], [300, 360], [361, 420], [424, 468], [39, 99], [86, 171], [715, 788], [583, 650], [606, 714]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Same-sex couples in California may be able to obtain marriage licenses on June 17 , state officials said Wednesday . Marriage licenses for same-sex couples may be available in June , officials said . The California Supreme Court struck down the state 's ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional in a May 15 ruling , clearing the way for the state to become the second to legalize such marriages . The state Department of Public Health -- which serves as State Registrar and oversees vital records -- said in an announcement that June 16 is the last day the state Supreme Court can rule on any requests for re-hearing . It released new marriage license forms for counties to use beginning the following day . The new forms , which were also released , have lines for `` Party A '' and `` Party B. '' However , the `` general information '' page for California marriage licenses still stated as of Wednesday that `` only an unmarried male and an unmarried female may marry in California . '' The California Supreme Court issued the ruling in a consolidated case involving several gay and lesbian couples , along with the city of San Francisco and gay rights groups . A lower court had ruled San Francisco acted illegally in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004 . In its 4-3 ruling , the state Supreme Court called marriage a `` basic civil right . '' Opponents of same-sex marriage have said a constitutional marriage amendment should be placed on the November ballot , and that national efforts should be made to generate a federal marriage amendment . A constitutional amendment initiative that would specify marriage is only between a man and a woman is awaiting verification by the California Secretary of State 's office after its sponsors said they had gathered enough signatures to place it on a statewide ballot . Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriages in 2004 , and gay couples need not be state residents there to wed. . However , then-Gov . Mitt Romney resurrected a 1913 law barring non-resident marriages in the state if the marriage would be prohibited in the partners ' home state . Subsequent court and agency decisions have determined that only residents of Massachusetts , Rhode Island and New Mexico may marry in Massachusetts , unless the parties say they plan to relocate there after the marriage . New Hampshire , Vermont , New Jersey and Connecticut permit civil unions , while California has a domestic-partner registration law . More than a dozen other states give same-sex couples some legal rights , as do some other countries . | Court officials said licenses could be given out next month . California Supreme Court struck down the state 's ban on same-sex marriage . That ruling earlier this month found the ban unconstitutional . June 16 is the last day the state Supreme Court can rule on a re-hearing . | [[0, 100], [136, 199], [219, 336], [219, 336], [552, 641]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan launched an offensive against the Taliban on Saturday , the biggest military push against militants in Pakistan 's northwestern tribal region since a civilian government took power in March . A Pakistan army vehicle patrols a troubled district of South Waziristan , in the northwest of Pakistan . Army spokesman Gen. Athar Abbas said the operation occurred in the Khyber section of the tribal region , west of Peshawar , the capital of the North-West Frontier Province . And it comes as the new administration announced that it would get tough with radicals in the region . There had been reports that Peshawar was being threatened by militants . Although Abbas said the reports were exaggerated , the military determined that the conditions in the area necessitated action . Troops cleared three militant outposts and pushed the insurgents west , Abbas said . There were no immediate reports of militant resistance or any casualties . The area is not far from the Afghan-Pakistan border . The Taliban militant movement has a strong presence in the tribal region and in neighboring Afghanistan , and there also have been numerous attacks on that restive border in recent weeks . U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said this week that he hopes a newly announced Pakistani effort to clamp down on Islamic militants in its northwestern tribal districts will improve the situation in Afghanistan . `` What has happened is that as various agreements have been negotiated or were in the process of negotiation with various groups by the Pakistani government ... the pressure was taken off of these people and these groups , and they 've therefore been more free to be able to cross the border and create problems for us , '' he said at the Pentagon . Meanwhile , the the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan reported that 32 militants had been killed two days ago during Afghan and coalition operations in southern Afghanistan . The fighting occurred in Uruzgan province and the report comes amid Pentagon warnings of a `` resilient insurgency '' by the Taliban . Afghan and coalition forces were ambushed Thursday during a patrol . They returned fire and called in airstrikes that killed three militants . Soon after , the militants again attacked the patrol . The forces then killed 29 insurgents . `` During this engagement , insurgents attempted to disguise themselves in women 's clothing in order to escape , '' the coalition said . A child and two police officers were wounded . This is the latest report of fighting across Afghanistan , where there has been an uptick in Taliban militant activities in the south , the east , and the Afghan-Pakistan border region . On Friday , a coalition service member was killed in Farah province . The death toll of U.S. and allied troops killed in Afghanistan in June has reached 40 , the highest monthly toll of the war . Also , NATO 's International Security Assistance Force were attacked in Paktika and Kunar provinces . Strikes in Kunar killed two civilians and wounded 11 others . Insurgents in both Pakistan and Afghanistan fired rockets at the Paktika base , but there were no casualties reported . A Pentagon report on security in Afghanistan underscored the tenacity of the Taliban . It said that although there has been some progress in battling the Taliban , setbacks are expected . Although NATO and Afghan force operations kept the insurgency down in 2007 by killing or capturing key leaders and clearing out Taliban safe havens , the report predicted that the Taliban would be back in 2008 . | Pakistani forces launch major offensive against Taliban fighters in Khyber region . Military action is first taken by new government amid concern over threat to Peshawar . 32 militants killed in clashes with coalition forces in Afghanistan , coalition says . | [[40, 102], [346, 467], [623, 695], [646, 695], [1798, 1807], [1810, 1972]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nursing school seemed like a good idea to Tracy Kidd , but not just because she was interested in medicine . Tracy Kidd , 37 , just started nursing school . Nurses are high in demand , despite the souring economy . Kidd , 37 , and her husband recently took a massive pay cut -- the painting business they own in Mesa , Arizona , once brought in about $ 70,000 a month . Now they 're lucky to get $ 800 a month . They have moved in with Tracy 's father because their house was foreclosed on . `` I knew that nurses are always needed , and I did n't want what just happened to us to ever happen again , '' said Kidd , who started a licensed practical nurse -LRB- LPN -RRB- program two weeks ago that will allow her to work while finishing her registered nurse -LRB- RN -RRB- degree . Kidd 's logic squares with the numbers : While industries such as manufacturing have had decreasing job openings , there continues to be a deep need for health care positions such as nurses , physician assistants , pharmacists and primary-care physicians . See how health job openings compare with other industries '' With the unemployment rate at 8.1 percent and thousands of Americans getting laid off every day , the employment landscape looks bleak . But some experts say there are many job opportunities in the health care sector . Nursing . The number of nurses usually goes up when the economy goes down , said Beverly Malone , CEO of the National League for Nursing . Irrespective of this recession , the number of nurses has been growing anyway because of high demand . Nearly 182,000 new students in 2006-2007 entered prelicensure RN programs , which prepare students to sit for the RN licensing exam , according to the National League for Nursing . This represents a 9 percent increase over the previous year . There are about 2.9 million nurses eligible to practice , with 2.6 million in the workforce , she said . As of May 2007 , a registered nurse in the United States earned on average $ 62,480 per year , according to the U.S. Department of Labor 's Bureau of Labor Statistics . View a map of jobs and unemployment in the U.S. . At the associates level , a student usually takes at least two years to earn a degree , while a Bachelor of Science in Nursing takes at least four years . Nurse educators are in huge demand , in part because they earn less than practicing nurses , Malone said . A master 's degree is required for these positions , and sometimes a doctorate . Physician assistants . Jobs for physician assistants have also stayed steady , as these medical practitioners help offset the national physician shortage , said Cindy Lord , president of the American Academy of Physician Assistants . Like doctors , physician assistants see patients individually , diagnose conditions , and in some cases even write prescriptions . They must at least have telecommunication with a physician , because they are technically working in a team . Employment for physician assistants is projected to grow much faster than average because health care institutions increasingly use these practitioners to contain costs , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Rural and inner-city clinics are especially good for job opportunities , the bureau said . The average salary for a new graduate from a physician assistant program -- which takes an average of 27 months to complete -- is $ 75,000 to $ 80,000 per year , she said . Those who have been practicing longer or specialize in specific fields earn around $ 90,000 , she said . To get into a program , many schools require at least two years of college and some health care experience , and college-level biology , chemistry and math courses are sometimes necessary before matriculation . Visit CNNhealth.com , your connection to better living . Satisfaction with the profession is high -- one survey found that 88 percent of physician assistants would choose that career again , Lord said . `` I would do this over a hundred times , '' she said . `` The privilege and honor of practicing medicine is very rewarding . '' The hospital scene . Hospitals say they are still hiring , although there are fewer openings now than normally . Massachusetts General Hospital has fewer vacancies now than at any point in the last 10 years , as well as the lowest turnover , said Jeff Davis , senior vice president of human resources . That 's because people who have jobs do n't want to leave them , he said . Still , there are about 400 openings available at the hospital , which has about 20,000 workers including physicians . Nursing jobs are available , and the more skill a job requires , the more it 's in demand at Mass General , he said . People looking to change careers can take accreditation courses to become X-ray technologists or professionals involved in patient care , but the more skills you can get , the better , Davis said . With the population of Massachusetts aging , more people are likely to utilize the health care system . Davis said he would encourage people to become registered nurses or physical therapists in response to that demand . The UCLA Health System in Los Angeles , California , has fewer openings than last year or the year before , but is still hiring , said Robin Ludewig , director of recruitment . Some of these positions do not require much formalized training . Positions in demand include clinical lab scientists , which requires a four-year degree and an internship . Sterile processing technicians , who prepare surgical equipment , are also needed , and can get training in community colleges . `` It does n't really matter how the economy is . People still get ill , '' she said . For anyone interested in changing careers to health care , experts recommend exploring courses at local community colleges and vocational schools . Some schools offer short courses in medical terminology to get things started . With talk of reforming the health care system , it is uncertain how those changes would affect the health care job market . Still , there will always be a need for skilled individuals to practice medicine , experts said . A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll showed that 9 percent of Americans think health care is the most important issue facing the country . The telephone poll of 1,019 adults had a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points . As for nursing student Kidd , she says she 's optimistic about her future , and recognizes that life has its ebbs and flows . `` We just happen to have caught ourselves in a bad situation , '' she said . `` My husband and I , we 're not stupid people . We just really were victims of the economy . '' | Despite recession , there continues to be a deep need for health care workers . The number of nurses in the United States continues to grow . Some positions in demand do not require much course work . Massachusetts General Hospital has about 400 jobs open . | [[916, 1057], [1477, 1507], [1510, 1579], [5305, 5370], [4480, 4534]] |
FORT LAUDERDALE , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Richard Barboza sits behind the steering wheel , patiently working a crossword puzzle . There 's no rush . Time is one thing Barboza has plenty of . Richard Barboza , left , and John Nilsen are among those struggling in the current economic recession . It 's just after sun-up . The streaks of light shimmer off the car windows . In the back of the Ford Explorer John Nilsen stirs . This is home . Clothes are kept in a suitcase . Food is wherever they can find it . `` It 's definitely not something that you ever see yourself being , homeless , '' Nilsen says . But homeless they have been for the past six weeks , ever since the money ran out and they were evicted from the Fort Lauderdale , Florida , apartment they shared . Nilsen had lost his job , and Barboza is waiting for disability checks to start arriving . The line of homeless men and women has already started to form at the food bank when the two men walk up . The faces are always the same , with a few more added every day . Michael is a regular . He makes grasshoppers out of palm fronds , then sells them when he can for whatever he can get . James says he once played professional football for the Miami Dolphins . No one believes him . Nilsen and Barboza wait quietly for their turn to get in the front door . `` There 's a lot of emotional and mental turmoil when you 're in a situation like this , '' Nilsen says . Breakfast at the Cooperative Feeding Program is rushed . There are so many to feed . Seats at the tables are a premium . Nilsen and Barboza eat quickly their meal of sausage patties , an orange wedge , some cake and coffee . They want to get moving . It 's back in the car and off to the County Library . They can charge their cell phone there and use the public computers for an hour . Nilsen checks Facebook to see how his friends are doing That 's how he stays in touch . The two men then begin searching for places to rent on Florida 's West Coast . `` Big old double-wide trailer , '' Nilsen snickers . A two-bedroom catches their eyes . `` I like the location , '' whispers Nilsen , `` It 's just north of Tarpon Springs . '' If they can get enough money together , Barboza says they 'd like to get out of Fort Lauderdale . `` After having spent 20 years here I 'm due for a change anyway . '' Nilsen agrees . `` We 've agreed that we 're going to go together , that we 're going to stick together . We 've been through enough as it is . It 's easier to have someone you trust with you when you 're in a situation like this . '' In the afternoons , the two men try making a few bucks . Nilsen got $ 25 for participating in a food tasting . Barboza has an opportunity to be in a focus group that will pay him $ 75 . Nilsen had been donating plasma twice a week , but now that he 's homeless they ca n't use him anymore . Barboza made about $ 20 by panhandling on an Interstate 95 exit ramp for about an hour . He stopped after some other homeless men threatened to kill him for working their turf , he says . It 's not easy finding work when your address is a license plate number . For Nilsen and Barboza , it 's doubly difficult . Both men have disabilities . Barboza was injured in a car wreck . Nilsen had a blood clot in his right leg when he was 16 . He walks with a limp and uses a cane . `` When we pull ourselves out of this , '' Nilsen says , `` it 's gon na be something you can look back on and draw from and say , ` You know what , if I was able to get through that ... ' '' The long days together living in a car do n't allow for much space and not much alone time . `` We 're at the point now when I know when not to say anything and he knows not to say anything . And he knows when I 'm in a bad mood , '' Nilsen says with a laugh . `` He 's got his strengths and weaknesses , '' adds Barboza , `` and I 've got mine . We balance each other out . '' By the time five o'clock rolls around , the two are getting hungry . There was no lunch today . A nearby church is serving dinner . It 's time to stand in another line . They know most of the people here from breakfast at the Cooperative . Many are longtime homeless . `` If they know better than I do how to survive , then let me ask and let me get the knowledge I need to survive for however long it 's gon na be , '' Nilsen says . Outside the church a van pulls up The homeless are handed bags of toiletries . You take what you can get because you do n't know how long it 's gon na be before you get more , Nilsen says . A sliver of a moon shines now . `` The toughest part of the day for us , '' Barboza says , `` is once it gets dark until we go to the place where we sleep at night . '' For the next few hours the two men drive the neon sign-lit Fort Lauderdale streets . There are very few places , they say , where they can stop and park without police chasing them off . Once in a while they pull into a local park for a couple hours until the lights on the fields are turned off and the gates closed . At least here , they 're not wasting gas . Every night is a challenge making it until 11 p.m. , they say , when they can finally drive to their secret spot and bed down in the back of the old SUV . | Two men evicted from their apartment when their money ran out . Home for the disabled pair is now an old Ford Explorer . Men wait in line with other homeless people for free meals . They say police often chase them off when they park their vehicle . | [[691, 759], [865, 911], [920, 961], [865, 944]] |
SAN JUAN , Puerto Rico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Search operations resumed Monday for six U.S. citizens missing since their small plane crashed Sunday evening off the north coast of Puerto Rico . The U.S. Coast Guard found debris late Sunday night in the area where the single-engine Cessna 206 went down , half a nautical mile from the shoreline of the city of Quebradillas . But despite five searches Sunday and two others throughout the night , rescue crews were not able to find the pilot or the five passengers from the plane , the Coast Guard said Monday . Three searches are planned for Monday , said Coast Guard spokesman Ricardo Castrodad . The private plane , chartered by Tropical Aviation Corp. , took off from the Dominican Republic and was on its way to an airport in Puerto Rico when it went down Sunday evening , officials said . Three male and two female passengers were returning to Puerto Rico after spending the weekend in the Dominican Republic , said Noemi Corporan , service manager for Tropical Aviation Corp. . The passengers were San Juan residents and had flown to the Dominican Republic on Friday , she said . Four HH-65 Dolphin helicopters from Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen and the Coast Guard Cutter Matinicus are taking part in the search , said spokesman Castrodad . The airplane took off from Casa de Campo International Airport in the Dominican Republic and was supposed to land at the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in Carolina to clear U.S. Customs before going on to the Isla Grande Airport in San Juan , the Coast Guard said . A 911 emergency operator notified the Coast Guard at 6:51 p.m. Sunday that an aircraft had crashed into the waters off Quebradillas . The debris field was found around 10:30 p.m. | NEW : Three searches are planned for Monday , according to Coast Guard . Coast Guard found debris that might come from downed Cessna . Rescue crews have yet to find Americans despite seven searches . The pilot and five passengers took off from the Dominican Republic . | [[526, 555], [556, 593], [556, 570], [596, 642], [189, 252], [643, 699], [702, 738], [1297, 1385]] |
CNN -- When Maria Rubeo closed her arm , she felt something `` very big -- like a lemon . '' Although Hispanic women have a lower incidence rate for breast cancer , they often get the diagnosis at later stages . Her doctor said the lump in her breast was nothing , so Rubeo , who did n't have health insurance , did n't seek a second opinion . With two jobs and two kids , she was busy and did n't go to the doctor 's office for another year . During her next visit , with a different doctor , Rubeo learned she had breast cancer -- and the tumor had been there for a while . Her story may not be particularly rare . Research suggests that breast cancer may be harder to treat in Hispanic women because they wait longer to receive care . Women in the fastest-growing minority group in the United States face issues such as language and cultural barriers , lifestyle choices and lack of insurance that could affect their health and medical care , according to research released Wednesday at the Science of Cancer Health Disparities Conference . Like Rubeo , about half of women in a study of 230 Mexican-American breast cancer patients in Arizona and Texas noticed changes in their breasts , but waited more than a month to seek medical attention , according to research presented at the conference hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research . `` We asked what the reasons were , '' said Rachel Zenuk , a graduate student at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health , who spoke about the study . `` A third cited they did n't have insurance or were unable to afford medical care . Or they thought it was not important to report the medical finding to a professional . '' Other factors included fear of the results and difficulty scheduling an appointment , she said . More than a decade after her mastectomy , Rubeo urges Hispanic women in the San Francisco , California , Bay area not to wait after seeing changes in their breasts . `` I explain : Take time for you to see the doctor , '' she said . '' -LSB- Some women -RSB- do n't have insurance , do n't speak English , it 's very difficult . '' Hispanics are the largest U.S. minority group , constituting 14 percent of the nation 's total population . While Hispanic women have a lower incidence rate for breast cancer than whites , blacks and Asians , they have a less favorable prognosis because of delayed treatment . `` They 're not getting more breast cancer than other women , but they 're less likely to survive as long , '' said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez , a member of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation 's National Health Advisory Council and chairwoman of the Komen Foundation National Hispanic/Latino Advisory Council . `` The reason is they 're diagnosed at a later stage of the cancer . '' `` We 're seeing them at later stages , so the cancer is more advanced . Their five-year survival rates are lower than non-Hispanic whites , '' Ramirez said . Data also showed that about two-thirds of breast cancer cases in the 230 Mexican-American women were found through self-detection , which suggests that the women were not receiving routine mammogram or exams . Rubeo said that when she first noticed the lump , she `` had no time for me to take care of myself . Only work , work , running , no time to eat . Sometimes you forget yourself , so there 's time for everybody and not enough for yourself . '' At the Latina Breast Cancer Agency in San Francisco , she tells other women how she did n't take care of herself while working two jobs , 16 hours a day . `` I explain to the ladies my experience . Sometimes they cry and say it 's true , '' Rubeo said . She now runs support groups for breast cancer patients , talking about health screenings , accompanying women to the hospital and helping them with paperwork . Aside from the pressures of being a busy , working mother , there are language and cultural barriers for Latina women . `` For women we work with , our focus is breast health , '' said Olivia Fé , founder and executive director of the Latina Breast Cancer Agency . `` Within Latino culture , within family , the husband does n't want the wife to see a male doctor . ... That is a big deal . '' The group partnered with public hospitals in San Francisco and San Mateo counties and made sure the medical staff who work with Hispanic breast cancer patients are female and speak Spanish . Hispanic women do n't take advantage of the free breast health screenings , because there 's a lack of awareness , Fé said . Many women speak only Spanish , so prevention messages in English do n't get through . Research showed that the women with more education and exposure to English-language media , such as television and radio , were more likely to have had a mammogram . Ramirez said there are now public service announcements in Spanish that target Hispanic women of all ages , so the younger ones will know the importance of family history and the older ones will become informed about the importance of mammograms . The Komen Foundation funds local efforts to increase enrollment of Hispanic women in clinical trials , provide medical interpretive and transportation services , and have Spanish peer support for 24-hour breast cancer hotlines . Lifestyle choices have an important role in breast cancer development , said Esther John , a research scientist and epidemiologist at the Northern California Cancer Center . One study that examined 2,533 Hispanic women found that the women born in foreign countries had 50 percent less risk of developing breast cancer than women born in the United States . This San Francisco Bay Area Breast Cancer Study compared the known breast cancer risks such as obesity , use of hormones , alcohol consumption , fat intake and lack of physical activity between the two groups and found women born in the United States had greater risk . `` The pattern suggests that when Hispanic women move to the U.S. , there are important changes from the traditional lifestyle to the Americanized lifestyle , '' John said . `` There are lifestyle factors that increase risks of breast cancer . '' | Hispanic women learn of breast cancer at later stages , research shows . Language , cultural barriers and lack of insurance may impede medical care . Other factors include fear of results and difficulty scheduling an appointment . | [[165, 211], [1248, 1269], [2736, 2804], [2753, 2804], [883, 895], [901, 943], [738, 895], [946, 1030], [1543, 1624], [3894, 3953], [1715, 1798]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For actress Kyra Sedgwick , it 's the public 's approval that makes it worth being away from her family for six months to tape her critically acclaimed series `` The Closer . '' Kyra Sedgwick and her husband , Kevin Bacon , at the 66th annual Golden Globe Awards this month . But she may be getting more approval from her peers , too . Sedgwick will walk the red carpet again Sunday night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards , where she is nominated for a fourth consecutive year for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series for her role as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson . She 's also won a Golden Globe for her performance , in 2007 . The TNT series resumes Monday night where it left off in September with what Sedgwick called `` a fantastic five episodes . '' -LRB- TNT is a unit of Time Warner , as is CNN . -RRB- . `` I said to the writers , ' I really want a lot of personal stuff for Brenda , ' '' Sedgwick said . `` I feel like there 's some of those personal quiet moments with her alone , is something that I 've been missing as an actor , and I feel like the audience has been missing , too . `` She is such a complicated , fascinating character , and watching her growth and lack of growth is something that is really interesting , '' she said . When CNN asked whether the new episodes might include a wedding for her character , Sedgwick laughed . `` That might very well happen , '' she said . `` That 's pretty insightful of you . I 'm just going to just say that . '' A marriage for Brenda Johnson would be `` a complicated , difficult situation , '' she said , because `` she 's basically married to her work . '' Sedgwick 's job also complicates her real-life marriage to Bacon , since the show is produced in Los Angeles and the couple lives in Connecticut with their two children . That 's where the approval -- whether on the street from fans or at award shows -- has `` been a wonderful phenomenon for me , '' she said . `` On a personal level , that 's really good for me , because I really miss my family when I 'm working on the show six months in L.A. , '' she said . `` As much as I try to get my kids to move to L.A. and my husband , they just would n't have it . `` It 's challenging , and I 'm glad that people are watching , because otherwise it would be kind of hard to go to work , '' Sedgwick said . Sedgwick has moved into an executive producer 's role on the show , which she said she expects to continue for at least two more years . `` I love being with a group where there 's not a power struggle , '' she said . `` I have a lot of say , and I always have . And that feels really good . '' CNN Radio 's Jackie Howard contributed to this report . | TNT resumes Sedgwick 's series `` Closer '' where it left off in September . Sedgwick is also up for two SAG awards Sunday . Sedgwick expects to be in the executive producer 's role for at least two more years . | [[670, 711], [712, 793], [2368, 2433], [2425, 2433], [2446, 2504]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Picture this : The European champions and current highest-ranked soccer team in the world , Spain , are beaten 3-0 ... by a team of robots . On the way : Robots are developing steadily towards the goal of beating humans at football . It may sound ridiculous , but robot developers in Asia , the U.S. and Europe are dreaming of that very goal . Working under the umbrella organizations FIRA -LRB- Federation of Robot-Soccer Association -RRB- and the RoboCup Federation , researchers and developers are aiming to advance robot technology to the point that a team of humanoids can beat the best humans in the sport by 2050 . Since robot soccer competitions began in the mid-1990s , researchers have already made significant developments towards their goal . Phil Culverhouse of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Plymouth told CNN that the first robots in competition were controlled by humans and many were on wheels or four-legged , but that is changing . `` Since 2007 the team have progressed to bipedal robots that have cameras on board , '' he said . `` Our robots are autonomous -- they have no control from outside sources . The cameras try to work out where the goal is , where the ball is and where the other players are . '' Further robotic developments appear to be close . Researchers at Carlos III University of Madrid released a study in the March 2009 online edition of ` Expert Systems with Applications , ' showing they had refined a technique known as machine-learning . Basically , the scientists were able to teach a virtual player simple reactions to visual stimuli -- based upon how real humans react in the same situation . Do you think robots will one day be able to beat humans at football ? Sound Off box below . This year robots will go head-to-head at both the RoboCup event in Austria in June/July and the FIRA RoboWorld Cup in Korea in August . The most advanced classes at present are the bipedal classes for ` humanoid ' robots . Co-chair of RoboCup 2009 , Gerald Steinbauer , told CNN this year 's event was the 13th edition of the cup , and he was impressed by progress by advances since the competitions began . `` At the last RoboCup in China 2008 we had games of teams of three humanoid playing attractive soccer . They walk on two feet , fight for the ball and of course score ... so we are approaching the goal , '' he said . Culverhouse said interest in both events had steadily grown , especially since the two-legged robots had been introduced . This year up to 3,000 competitors from 40 countries are expected at RoboCup . `` This has been extremely effective in gaining interest . These are much more exciting to watch . We have seen a steep level of change in interest from not just young people but everybody . '' Despite the increasing profile , Culverhouse said there are still plenty of major challenges before the humanoids can seriously compete with humans . `` This is still a long way from competing against humans . The next big challenge to be met is to get robots walking like humans and then running like humans . `` One of the most challenging things is getting a robot to walk on uneven terrain without falling over , '' he said , explaining that some fall over after kicking at goal . -LRB- Although , it 's not hard to think of professional footballers who have suffered the same problem . -RRB- . The University of Plymouth team is currently researching how robot 's feet can be improved , and hope to release a concept later this year that could usher in a new era of in foot design . For Steinbauer , the critical issues are that of perception and cognitive abilities . `` Perception is one of our major problems . It is important that a robot is able to understand a scene like a human does . If you enter a complete unknown room you are able to recognize the important things like furniture and also relations and functions of objects very fast , '' he said . `` Despite huge progress in this area we are far behind the capabilities of animals or humans . `` And of course there 's cognitive capabilities . To reason about new , uncertain or even inconsistent facts is easy for a human but very hard for a robot , '' Steinbauer said . Size and cost are other limiting issues . `` In order to make this affordable we are developing robots 50 to 60 centimeters high . At that size each robot costs about 10,000 pounds to make . At full human size each would cost about 50,000 pounds , '' Culverhouse said . Soccer is an ideal testing ground for robotics as it encompasses many different elements including movement , vision and strategy , Steinbauer said . But the applications developed in these robots could serve a greater purpose . Steinbauer said robot technologies could be used for entertainment or performing simple tasks around the home and office . They also could be used in rescue scenarios -- where robots could be sent into dangerous situations in place of humans , he said . | FIRA and RoboCup organizations promoting development of robots . Robots have been competing in regular soccer contests since the mid - '90s . Scientists hope to be able to beat world 's top team of humans by 2050 . Robotics developments tested in robo-soccer have uses in other fields . | [[664, 712], [506, 657], [4693, 4767]] |
BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new boatload of Rohingya refugees washed up on the shores of Thailand early Tuesday , raising questions about the type of treatment they would receive . Male refugees show scars they say were caused by beatings at the hands of the Myanmar navy . The boat was carrying about 78 people , Thai police said , and many had severe burns from a fire that broke out on board . Most were members of neighboring Myanmar 's Rohingya minority , which has been fleeing persecution by the country 's hard-line government for years . Other members of the Rohingya have allegedly been abandoned at sea after being rounded up by Thai authorities . A recent CNN investigation found evidence that the Thai military towed hundreds of refugees into open waters only to abandon them . CNN obtained several photos of this activity including one photo that shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees far out to sea . CNN also interviewed a refugee who said he was one of the few that survived after his group of six rickety boats were towed back to sea and abandoned by Thai authorities in January . Watch Dan Rivers ' BackStory on the investigation '' The Thai army has denied this allegation , while the Thai government has launched an inquiry . But one source in the Thai military , after extensive questioning , did confirm to CNN that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy . The source defended it , insisting that each boatload of refugees was given sufficient supplies of food and water . That source claimed local villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month , accusing the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them . 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 . The Rohingya , a minority in Myanmar , have been fleeing their country in make-shift boats for years in search of a better life , and maintain that they are fleeing persecution by the regime in Myanmar , formerly Burma . The Thai government maintains that `` there are no reasonable grounds to believe '' that the Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar out of fear of persecution . `` Their profile and their seasonal travel further support the picture that they are illegal migrants , and not those requiring international protection , '' it said in a statement released Tuesday by the foreign ministry . In that statement , the Thai government maintained that its policies in dealing with all illegal migrants are in accordance with its laws and international guidelines . It said `` basic humanitarian needs '' are given to the migrants before they are returned home . `` We have upheld our humanitarian tradition and ensured that new arrivals are adequately provided with food , water and medicines , with necessary repairs to their boats , '' the ministry 's statement said . The government noted that Thailand has already been inundated with as many as 20,000 illegal migrants -- most of them Rohingyas -- and `` accepting those arriving in an irregular manner would simply encourage new arrivals . '' The government `` categorically denied '' media reports blaming Thai authorities for mistreating the illegal migrants , and intentionally damaging their boats . It said it would seriously investigate such cases if any `` concrete evidence '' is presented . -- CNN 's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report . | The latest boat was carrying about 78 people , Thai police say . Thai army denies setting refugees adrift ; government has launched an inquiry . Thailand : No grounds to believe Rohingya fleeing Myanmar out of fear of persecution . Statement added that `` basic humanitarian needs '' are given to the migrants . | [[286, 323], [1185, 1225], [1228, 1279], [1910, 1922], [2044, 2111], [2131, 2214], [2201, 2281], [1423, 1433], [1448, 1538], [2437, 2462], [2675, 2746], [2772, 2777], [2821, 2942]] |
Iceland 's new prime minister wants her country to join the European Union and adopt the euro as its official currency to help lift the Nordic nation from financial ruin , a spokesman said Tuesday . Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir took office earlier this week . The announcement by Johanna Sigurdardottir , 66 , came just two days after she was sworn in as prime minister and a week after the Cabinet resigned in the fallout from Iceland 's financial collapse . She is Iceland 's first female prime minister and the world 's first openly gay leader . Iceland has been in political turmoil since October , when its currency , stock market and leading banks crashed amid the global financial crisis . The island nation 's Nordic neighbors sent billions of dollars to prop up the economy , as did the International Monetary Fund in its first intervention to support a Western European democracy in decades . Sigurdardottir touted EU membership at a joint news conference Tuesday with Finance Minister Steingrimur Sigfusson , whose Left-Green Movement teamed up with the prime minister 's Social Democratic Alliance to form the new two-party minority government . The Alliance party was until recently the only movement in Iceland 's five-party parliament to push EU membership as a viable way to rescue Iceland 's suffering economy . However , Sigfusson and his party are n't convinced that the country should join the EU 's 27 other members . Instead , he said he is considering a monetary union with Norway , meaning Iceland would adopt the Norwegian krone as its currency . Iceland 's newly instated minority government will only be in power for 80 days and elections are scheduled for April 25 . Until then , no decisions about the country possibly joining the European Union will be made -- though the question could be important during the elections , Sigurdardottir 's spokesman , Kristjan Kristjansson , said . CNN 's Per Nyberg contributed to this report . | No decision on joining EU will be made before April elections . Prime minister wants nation to adopt euro as official currency . Iceland 's stock market , banks crashed last autumn during financial crisis . | [[1704, 1714], [1717, 1796], [0, 118], [0, 29], [79, 169], [617, 705]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole has apologized to London police for a foul-mouthed tirade that led to him being arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct in the early hours of Thursday morning . Ashley Cole , pictured signing an autograph at a charity event in London Wednesday . In a statement released by the left-back , Cole said he swore out of his frustration with the paparazzi and insisted he would never disrespect the police . However , Cole admits he did not heed their warnings to calm down and regrets not taking their advice . He also made it clear that he had not consumed a vast amount of alcohol . Cole declared : `` I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the police officers on duty last night for my language . `` I felt I was being harassed by paparazzi and while complaining to the police about this at the scene they did warn me to calm down , a warning that I regrettably did not heed . `` I fully appreciate that whatever frustrations I may have had with others that it was completely inappropriate to vent those in conversations with the police . `` However , I do want to make clear that I swore in frustration at the paparazzi 's behavior . I would never disrespect police officers in anyway . `` I take very seriously my responsibilities as a professional footballer , this includes keeping my body in the best condition . Although I had consumed some alcohol earlier in the evening on a night out with friends it had not been excessive . `` But I accept that the language I used on this occasion was wrong . I regret my actions and how it reflects on myself and Chelsea Football Club . '' The 28-year-old was arrested in Brompton Road in the upmarket west London area of South Kensington , close to Chelsea 's Stamford Bridge ground , at about 2.15 am on Thursday morning after emerging from the Collection nightclub . Police sources said the officers were already on patrol in the street and were not called to any disorder . One source denied reports they were following up a complaint from a photographer over an alleged bust-up with Cole . Cole was taken to a central London police station and issued with an # 80 fixed penalty notice for being drunk and disorderly before being released shortly after 5.30 am . Cole is likely to be fined by Chelsea . Before his arrest , Cole had joined Chelsea 's first-team squad and more than 300 charity workers , celebrities and supporters for the second annual Chelsea FC and Armani charity fundraiser . Cole , who previously played for Arsenal before joining Chelsea in 2006 , is married to the Girls Aloud singer and reality TV judge Cheryl Cole , who is currently on a charity climb on Tanzania 's Mount Kilimanjaro . | Chelsea defender Ashley Cole apologizes after his arrest on Thursday morning . 28-year-old England left-back was charged with drunk and disorderly conduct . Cole blames his frustration at paparazzi for swearing at London police officers . Cole is married to the Girls Aloud singer and reality TV judge Cheryl Cole . | [[9, 134], [147, 239], [147, 239], [2132, 2136], [2186, 2257], [9, 134], [113, 134], [140, 150], [325, 339], [368, 480], [792, 892], [1144, 1226], [2651, 2679], [2686, 2752]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amber Easton has gone from $ 80,000 a year in salary to scrambling for work . At a time in her life when she should be scaling the corporate ladder , she has instead spiraled into a deep depression . She recently lost her car and now faces eviction from her apartment . Job fairs have been on the rise amid the nation 's hard economic times . Just last week , the 35-year-old longtime working professional attended two job fairs with friends in the Detroit area . They stood in line for over three hours with hundreds of professionals of all types . `` It was a real eye-opener to see the caliber of people we were in line with -- very educated with vast skill sets , '' Easton said in an e-mail . `` Afterwards , we went to the restaurant located in the same hotel and it was filled with unemployed professionals sharing their story , from engineers to graphic designers to marketing professionals . '' Easton 's saga began in July 2007 when she traded in her job as a corporate compliance officer to attend law school , what she thought would help advance her career . But after a year of law school , she decided it was n't for her . By then , her old job was gone and the job market had shrunk . `` It 's hard not to be depressed during a time like this , '' she wrote iReport.com . `` I never imagined in a million years that I would be in such a situation at my age and at this point in my career . I am humiliated . I am praying for everyone else out there is who are facing the same problems . '' She has applied to 70 different companies but gotten few leads . She recently went through a rigorous interview process for one job in another state , but to no avail . Share your economic survivor story . Every day , she searches for new job possibilities and every day results in more desperation . She estimates she 's making $ 20,000 -- `` if that '' -- as a contract employee working from her home . `` I just have n't made enough to keep up . '' Her Detroit neighborhood a couple years ago was booming , she said , but now `` it 's like a ghost town around here . '' `` It 's bad everywhere , but it 's so , so bad here , '' she said . Across the nation , people like Easton are feeling the pinch . Good jobs have evaporated . Former full-time employees are now working part-time contract positions just to get by . Nearly 2.6 million jobs were lost during 2008 , the highest yearly total since the end of World War II in 1945 . This week alone , major corporations have announced more than 80,000 job cuts , bringing this year 's total to well over 200,000 . Dr. Rosalind Dorlen is a clinical psychologist in Summit , New Jersey , an area she calls a `` Wall Street ghetto '' where formerly high-flying executives are out of work . `` Here , the people earn millions of dollars with bonuses that are astronomical , '' said Dorlen , who is also the public education coordinator in New Jersey for the American Psychological Association . `` There is a demoralizing aspect to having a huge salary and a huge bonus and then having to look for a job that is going to pay much , much less . '' She added , `` What I 'm hearing is a terrible sense of betrayal , anxiety and people experiencing lots of stress . '' That , in turn , can lead to an increase in unhealthy coping behaviors , such as an uptick in alcohol consumption , unhealthy eating and worse sleeping habits . Dorlen has several tips for people out of work : . • Do n't panic ; . • Find a support group , even if it 's just an informal group of friends ; . • Seek employment counseling when available ; . • Be professional in your job hunt ; . • Network with other professionals ; . • Take time to exercise during hard times ; . • Spend valuable time with your family . On a practical note , she said people should contact their creditors to let them know the situation . She also advises people to do volunteer work and to cultivate a `` spirit of optimism . '' `` Bad times pass , and it 's sometimes hard to see that when you 're in the throes of a terrible place , '' she said . `` I think we do need to hold onto a spirit of optimism and a sense of confidence . '' See Top companies : They 're hiring ! `` I think we 're getting mired in the gloom and doom , and we need to hold on to the fact that lots of people are working . '' CNN 's user-generated site , iReport.com , has been flooded with messages from people out of work . One woman held up her husband 's résumé and said , `` Please , please , please take him off my hands . '' Watch woman plead case for hubby . `` My husband can knock out a honey-do list like nobody 's business , and he meets my great , high standards every day . Do n't let my husband slip through your hands . He would be a great addition to your team , '' the woman said under the headline `` Wife Seeking Job for Husband . '' In Delaware , Manoj Philip , 24 , said he had a full-time job in 2007 with Agilent Technologies making about $ 55,000 a year , including all the perks and benefits that came with it . But in July 2007 , he quit that job to pursue a career in real estate . `` I knew it was n't going to be easy , but I did n't think it would be this tough , '' he said . By September 2008 , Philip needed a second income because of the withering housing market . He picked up a full-time contracting job and continues to do real estate about 20-30 hours per week . It was a shock , he said , to return to full-time work while putting his real estate dreams on hold . `` It took a lot for me to change that mental outlook . Because before I would 've thought of it as something holding me back , '' Philip said . `` But I do n't look at it like that anymore . '' He 's since learned the value of living within his means , budgeting and making every dollar he spends count for something . `` These are really important lessons to learn . I 'm glad I learned it at such a young age . '' In Detroit , Easton said she knows America will bounce back at some point , but `` in the meantime , people are losing everything . '' `` That 's what scares me , '' she said . | Detroit woman goes to job fair ; stunned by the hundreds of professionals in line . `` I never imagined in a million years that I would be in such a situation '' Clinical psychologist advises people not to panic , to try to remain optimistic . `` Bad times pass , and it 's sometimes hard to see that , '' Dr. Rosalind Dorlen said . | [[483, 568], [1309, 1344], [3450, 3464], [3861, 3864], [3870, 3948], [4075, 4155], [3976, 4040]] |
HONG KONG , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Watching the news out of Mexico is causing a case of déjà vu for Dr. Lo Wing-Luk . The sight of people wearing masks became common in Hong Kong after the SARS outbreak of 2003 . `` Seeing the people in masks today reminds me of Hong Kong during SARS , '' said Lo , an epidemiology expert who was among those on the frontline during the outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong in 2003 , which within three months infected 8,000 and killed nearly 800 in Hong Kong , China , Taiwan and Toronto . Historically , Hong Kong has been center stage for recent infections that threatened to spiral across the world , such as SARS and Avian Influenza , which first struck and killed people here in 1997 . Southern China -- with the close proximity of its rural agriculture to population centers and globally connected transportation -- has been an ideal conduit for past animal diseases that spread to humans and then to the rest of the world . But with the outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and the United States , Hong Kong suddenly finds the world looking to it for lessons on how to stop the spread of disease . `` Managing a -LRB- potential -RRB- pandemic ca n't be from the top down , it must be from the ground up , '' said Lo , a former Hong Kong legislator representing the medical community . In the early days of SARS , cooperation was lax between Hong Kong health officials and public officials across the border in mainland China , where the live animal wet markets in Guangdong province is suspected in the virus ' jump to humans . `` One of the most important lesson of SARS was the importance of good communication , '' says Dr. KY Yuen , head of the microbiology department of Hong Kong University , which found the first human cases of Avian Influenza in 1997 and first identified SARS in 2003 . `` There were outbreaks in the middle to late November in Guangdong Province , but the first cases were reported in Hong Kong three months later , '' he said . `` We could have reduced the impact -LRB- of SARS -RRB- if there had been better communication '' between Hong Kong and mainland China health authorities . The communication channels have improved between China and Hong Kong , health officials said , as well as better surveillance of the disease . Every visitor who comes through Hong Kong International Airport now is scanned by infrared monitors and immediately isolated if suffering from a fever or respiratory illness . `` Quarantine and isolation of people -LRB- suspected to be ill -RRB- is crucial now , '' Yuen said . As the disease spreads , there is a conflict between the need for a quick response and the time required for appropriate scientific study -- which can result in some bad decisions , Yuen said . For example , in the case of SARS health experts wore full-body protection suits because of initial hunches the disease was being spread by airborne causes . More people were exposed to the disease because of the harried medical staff 's improper use of the cumbersome equipment . `` It turned out globes , masks and hand washing were far more effective '' than a breathing apparatus , Yuen said . `` Presumptions are dangerous , '' he added . If Hong Kong is any example , governments who fail to meet the challenges of an outbreak will face rising public heat . In July 2003 , half a million Hong Kong residents took to the streets to protest the government , in part because of frustrations over the response to the SARS outbreak , says Cecilia Chan , director of the Center of Behavioral Health at Hong Kong University -- adding to the woes of the already beleaguered administration of former Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Wah , who later stepped down in the middle of his second five-year appointment . | Hong Kong at center of recent infections that threatened to spiral across world . First human cases of Avian Influenza reported in 1997 , SARS identified in 2003 . Disease expert : Managing a -LRB- potential -RRB- pandemic ca n't be from the top down . Lack of good communication during SARS outbreak was a key failing . | [[520, 532], [535, 588], [571, 588], [594, 666], [642, 666], [692, 720], [1708, 1728], [1737, 1791], [1647, 1649], [1796, 1827], [1131, 1174], [1142, 1202], [1317, 1342], [1345, 1456]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sri Lanka ordered an end to combat operations against Tamil Tiger rebels in the country 's north , the president 's office said Monday . But the rebels accused the military of continuing to bomb civilians . Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard next to a tank captured from the Tamil Tigers . `` Our security forces have been instructed to end the use of heavy-caliber guns , combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties , '' according a statement from the Presidential Secretariat . A rebel Web site , Tamilnet.com , immediately accused the government of violating its own order and `` deceiving the international community . '' `` Two Sri Lanka air force fighter bombers continued to bomb civilian targets in Mu ` l'li-vaaykkaal after the announcement by the Sri Lankan forces that it would not deploy heavy weapons or carry out air attacks , '' Tamilnet said , citing S. Puleedevan , director of the Tamil Peace Secretariat . `` Obviously we need to see what that means in practice , '' John Holmes , the head of U.N. humanitarian operations , said about the government announcement to end combat operations . `` But , on the face of it , I think it 's good news . '' The military will now concentrate on `` saving '' and `` rescuing civilians , '' who have been caught in the fighting between government forces and rebel fighters , the presidential statement said . The government 's decision followed an unscheduled meeting of the National Security Council called by President Mahinda Rajapaksa . The session included the commanders of the army , navy and air force . The developments came a day after Sri Lankan officials rejected a proposed cease-fire from the Tamil rebels , warning instead that government troops would continue a new offensive until the group surrendered , a senior government official told CNN . `` The government is firm that -LRB- the rebels -RRB- lay down their arms and surrender . We do not recognize this so-called offer , '' said Lakshman Hulugalle , director of Sri Lanka 's Media Center for National Security . The Tiger leadership had asked the international community to `` pressure the Sri Lankan government to reciprocate '' on the cease-fire offer . The United States , the United Nations , the European Union and India have called for a cease-fire . The foreign ministers of three nations are due in Sri Lanka on Wednesday -- David Miliband of the United Kingdom , Bernard Kouchner of France and Carl Bildt of Sweden . The rebels ' proposed cease-fire came six days after the Sri Lankan army launched a new offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam -LRB- LTTE -RRB- . Government troops made significant advances into rebel-held territory on Friday and Saturday , according to Sri Lankan army sources . A government-imposed deadline for the Tigers to surrender passed last Tuesday . Tens of thousands of displaced civilians currently remain wedged in a dwindling swath of territory controlled by the Tigers along the country 's northeastern coast . Government troops say they have rescued 39,000 civilians trapped in the area , but a U.N. refugee agency said Friday that a wave of `` fresh displacement '' now exceeds 100,000 people . Watch civilians describe what they are experiencing '' Fifty metric tons of relief supplies -- which landed in Colombo on Monday -- will be sent by UNICEF to the north to help displaced residents . UNICEF , which called the situation in the north a `` catastrophe for children , '' said the displaced lack food , water and basic medical supplies . The rebels estimate the number of civilians still located in the territory at more than 160,000 . The Sri Lankan military said it `` freed 3,254 civilians from LTTE clutches '' in operations Sunday . The Tigers have been fighting for an independent state in Sri Lanka 's northeast since 1983 . As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began , and the group has been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries , including the United States and the European Union . | Tamil rebels say Sri Lankan forces ignoring orders to end military operations Sri Lanka : Forces ordered to cease use of heavy-caliber guns , combat aircraft Rebels say fighter bombers continued to bomb civilian targets after announcement . Developments come after Sri Lankan officials reject rebels ' cease-fire offer . | [[160, 225], [306, 423], [688, 794], [1614, 1721]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Friday he appreciated U.S. President Barack Obama 's friendly gestures at last weekend 's Summit of the Americas , but said they do n't change his view of the United States as an imperialist nation . Hugo Chavez had handshakes and smiles for President Obama at the Summit of the Americas last weekend . Chavez 's fiery diatribes against the United States have included referring to former President George W. Bush as the devil . He was photographed with Obama at least twice at the summit -- once when Obama shook hands with him and other leaders , and again when he approached Obama to give him a book . `` The hand -LSB- shake -RSB- , yes . And the smile , yes -- one time and a second time and a third time and a fourth time , '' Chavez said during a televised address . `` But nobody should be mistaken . The empire is there , alive and kicking . '' The book Chavez presented to Obama as cameras rolled is titled `` Open Veins of Latin America : Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent . '' The book chronicles Europe 's and the United States ' role in `` the effects and causes of capitalist underdevelopment in Latin America , '' according to one reviewer . As he has in the past , Chavez noted Obama 's historic role as the first black U.S. president . `` I hope Obama , for the dignity of his race , may be the last president of an imperialist United States , '' he said . | Venezuelan president in TV interview : -LSB- U.S. -RSB- `` empire is there , alive and kicking '' Friendly exchanges with Obama did n't change his view of U.S. , Chavez says . Chavez : `` I hope Obama ... may be the last president of an imperialist United States '' | [[866, 907], [866, 876], [898, 907], [908, 910], [1322, 1324], [1363, 1427]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Meeting planner Gail Murphy heard about the travel warning to Mexico too late in the day on Monday to do anything about her plans to head to Cancun the following day . Alberto Morales wore a mask on his flight from Mexico City to Denver , Colorado , on Monday . `` I 'm in good health , '' said Murphy , who is heading to the Eighth Annual Mexico Showcase and Travel Expo from her home in Shelburne , Vermont . `` I 'm a risk taker , so I 'll go anyway . '' In light of the swine flu , the U.S. State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning against any non-essential travel to Mexico . The move could potentially devastate an already struggling tourism industry in the country . The World Health Organization urged countries not to restrict international travel or close borders , as such measures would not in themselves stem the outbreak . Efforts to contain the outbreak by restricting travel would be unlikely to work without `` draconian measures , '' said Dr. Keiji Fukuda , the agency 's assistant director-general . But he said people who are ill should put off trips abroad , and people who fall ill after a trip should see a doctor . Mexico is the epicenter for the swine influenza virus outbreak . More than 100 deaths in Mexico are being investigated as possibly tied to the outbreak . The WHO confirmed 73 cases of swine flu Monday , but health officials in Scotland , California and Texas confirmed nine more , bringing the worldwide total to 82 . Reports of the illness in Mexico could n't have come at a worse time for the country 's tourism industry , which is already grappling with negative publicity about drug-cartel fueled violence . `` They were having a terrible time anyway with all of the problems on the border and now to be hit with this , too , '' said Barbara Nassau , owner of New York-based In House Travel Solutions . She added that the outbreak has the potential to hamper travel similar to the way it was affected when bird flu hit China . iReporter Dyana Pari Nafissi works in international business development in Mexico City and said tourism in the country had already been dealt a blow by fears of violence . iReport.com : Watch Dyana discuss what 's happening in Mexico . `` We 've been on a steady decline since the first U.S. travel warning about the drug cartels , '' she said . `` When you look at the kids that braved -LSB- that travel warning -RSB- , and now they are back -LSB- in the U.S. -RSB- and they are sick . It 's devastating to the economy here . '' Some of the confirmed cases in the United States were high school students who recently returned from a trip to Mexico . News of the outbreak did n't seem to overly concern travelers arriving Monday at Denver International Airport on a Mexicana flight from Mexico City . Two Mexicana crew members who did n't want to be named said about 60 percent of the passengers wore masks during the flight . Ernesto Vargas , a Mexican businessman , did n't wear a mask . `` I thought about carrying one with me , but the crew was n't wearing a mask . So we asked them , and it seemed quite safe . '' Alberto Morales , another businessman , said he wore a mask in the Mexico City airport and on the plane . `` Yes . I have a mask , and we are using the mask . '' Is he concerned ? `` Do n't worry , I am OK , '' he said with a laugh . `` People are afraid about the flu , but we have many precautions and the government has a good sense for this trouble , '' Morales said . Ian Jeffries , a spokesman for Expedia.com , said the company had no data as of Monday on cancellations or changes caused by fear of swine flu , but added that it was prepared to aid any of its customers that had concerns . `` Expedia is currently offering to waive Expedia-imposed change and cancel fees for hotel and air reservations originally booked to Mexico , '' he said . `` We will continue to monitor the situation and modify our policy accordingly . '' Several major U.S. airlines also are waiving fees for those who want to change their travel plans to Mexico . Jeffery Brown arrived at the airport in Atlanta , Georgia , on Monday after spending five days in Cancun with his wife . They saw people in surgical masks but did n't notice any widespread concern . `` My wife and I were a little concerned , but you know we have n't seen anybody sick in our resort , and we have n't seen anybody sick at the airport , '' he said . `` Nobody said a word about it -LSB- at the resort -RSB- . '' Mexico is n't the only country that potentially has a tourism headache on its hands . Cases of swine flu have also popped up in Canada and Spain as well as the United States and Scotland . Watch how businesses might be affected by swine flu '' Steve Weakland , border security coordinator for the United States Customs and Border Protection Atlanta field office , said all of his personnel have received illness recognition training . If a traveler exhibits symptoms of the disease , CBP employees have been trained to inform the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to further investigate . `` Our guys are more the recognition aspect of it , '' Weakland said . `` We would n't make any diagnosis or anything along those lines . '' Teresa Roberts planned to take her mom to Akumal , Mexico , for Mother 's Day and said she was more worried about traveling to New York for business than she is about contracting swine flu south of the border . `` Just because of the number of different travelers that go through the airports in New York from all around the world , '' said Roberts who flies about two or three weeks a month from her home in Atlanta , Georgia . `` I 'm not nervous about going to Mexico at all . '' Many in the tourism industry appeared to be taking a wait-and-see approach . Disney Cruise Lines , which does not sail into Mexico , said it is closely monitoring the situation , as did officials for theme parks including Universal and Sea World in Orlando , Florida . Meg Barton travels several times a year to Mexico from her home in Round Rock , Texas , and also is n't overly worried . Because of her father 's recent heart surgery , she is already an avid hand washer and is always cautious about germs when abroad . `` I do n't drink a lot of water in Mexico ever , and I am really more concerned about the drug issues in Mexico than I am the swine flue , '' Barton said . `` We take antibiotics and Pepto with us when we travel . '' Eric Meyer of Lafayette , Colorado , flew in to Minneapolis-St . Paul with his wife and baby to visit family in Minnesota and lamented that `` It 's out there , but what can you do ? '' `` Wash your hands maybe and call it good , '' he added . `` Put a mask on ? -LSB- I 'm -RSB- not gon na go that far and be that guy yet . '' Rochelle Yates said a client of her New York City-based Yates Travel is planning to take plenty of antiseptic products on an upcoming trip to Cancun . Most seasoned travelers know to guard against infectious disease ordinarily , Yates said . `` My clients are people who travel all over the world , and they know that you have to take precautions regardless , '' Yates said . `` You have to wash your hands no matter where you are , if you are on a cruise ship , in a hotel or even in your own house . '' CNN 's Chris Welch , Jim Spellman and Amy Zerba contributed to this story . | U.S. issues an advisory against non-essential travel to Mexico . Tourism industry waiting to see effects of swine flu . Mexico tourism already dealing with reports of violence . Theme parks , cruise lines and others monitoring situation . | [[477, 502], [505, 643], [4715, 4769], [5748, 5824], [5748, 5776], [5786, 5824], [644, 736], [681, 736], [1608, 1624], [1633, 1643], [1654, 1713], [1593, 1624], [1636, 1713], [2033, 2061], [2125, 2205], [5748, 5824], [5748, 5776], [5786, 5824], [5825, 5844], [5881, 5924]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Carl Edwards , one of NASCAR 's elite , makes a living traveling at speeds upwards of 200 mph and is on the road more than 200 days a year . So when he wants to slow down , he heads to his hometown of Columbia , Missouri . NASCAR driver Carl Edwards grew up in Columbia , Missouri . He grew up in Columbia and could n't wait to get out of town , but after living in North Carolina for three years , he was ready to come back . `` I realized after being away , there just are n't many places cooler than this , '' Edwards said . `` So I moved back , and now I live here and I 'm really proud to live here . '' He competes in both the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series for NASCAR . He won a Busch Series Cup in 2007 , finished last year 's Sprint Cup Series in second , and is fiercely fighting for Sprint Cup honors this year . Edwards has recovered from a frightening crash-ending to his last race in Talladega , Alabama , and is looking forward to racing in Richmond , Virginia , this week , hoping for his first trip of the season to victory lane . His fans are eagerly awaiting that trademark victory back flip . But through all of the excitement and acclaim , Edwards remains grounded and true to his Missouri roots . He took CNN home with him to Columbia -- which is between Kansas City and St. Louis -- to share some of his favorite spots . The day started at Rock Bridge State Park , 2,273 acres of natural beauty and serenity that is hard to believe is only 10 minutes from the bustling center of this college town . `` This park is one of Columbia 's best secrets . It 's a beautiful place to come mountain biking , hiking . There 's a cave that runs under this ground that goes for over 50 miles . '' The park boasts 15 miles of trails and endless possibilities for adventure , from hiking and biking to canoeing and even cave exploration . When Edwards gets the need for speed at home , he opts for two wheels instead of four . He grabs his bicycle and heads to the Katy Trail , just up the road from Rock Bridge Park . `` This used to be an old railroad , and now it 's a state park . It 's 10 feet wide , it 's over 200 miles long , and all of this is open to the public . '' Edwards also showed us one of his favorite trail features : a beautiful giant bur oak tree simply referred to by Missouri natives as `` the big bur oak . '' Edwards says it 's one of the oldest in the state and thinks that it is one of the coolest spots along the trail . All that exercise and fresh air can certainly rev up an appetite , and Edwards has two favorite places to cure that . For what he calls the best burger in the world , he heads to Booches Billiard Hall , one of his high school hangouts . `` We used to come here in high school when we probably should have been in school . We 'd shoot pool , eat booch burgers and just have a good time , '' he said . We were greeted by one of the owners , Charlie Kurry , who poked a little fun at Edwards ' trademark backflip celebration . `` The only thing flipping in here is the burgers , '' Kurry said . Booches has been in operation in Columbia since 1884 . Next up is Shakespeare 's Pizza , which has been serving slices in Columbia for more than 35 years . `` They can make you anything you want . They 've got whole wheat crust if you 're into the health stuff like I am . And it 's so good , they even catered my wedding . '' These are just some of the hidden gems of Carl Edwards ' Columbia , but this town has much more to offer . There are museums , festivals and parades , and the University of Missouri has provided a lot of athletic excitement with its football and basketball teams over the past few years . It 's a perfect weekend getaway from its larger surrounding cities . And if you live farther away than that , it 's worth the trip ! | NASCAR driver Carl Edwards shares his favorite spots in Columbia , Missouri . He 's a fan of Rock Bridge State Park , only 10 minutes from the center of town . Edwards also frequents Booches Billiard Hall for the `` best burger in the world '' | [[192, 228], [242, 288], [1338, 1375], [1420, 1462], [1487, 1553], [2617, 2654], [2657, 2690]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Over-the-counter painkillers and fever reducers will now carry new labels warning consumers of the potential risks of liver damage and internal bleeding associated with the drugs , according to a final ruling Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration . The new warning labels will affect over-the-counter pain relievers including Tylenol , aspirin and ibuprofen . The new rule covers acetaminophen , the popular pain medicine also known as Tylenol , and a class of drugs known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs . The most commonly used NSAIDs include aspirin , ibuprofen -LRB- the main ingredient in Motrin and Advil -RRB- , naproxen and ketoprofen . The modified labeling also applies to all products that contain these ingredients , such as cough and cold medicines . Under the new rule , package labels and bottles must prominently state in highlighted text the drug 's ingredients . For acetaminophen , the label must include bold lettering warning patients about severe liver damage . The new labeling also instructs patients using the blood thinner warfarin to consult their doctor before using acetaminophen . Bold lettering on NSAIDs labels must warn of severe stomach bleeding . `` Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are commonly used drugs for both children and adults because they are effective in reducing fevers and relieving minor aches and pain , such as headaches and muscle aches , '' said Dr. Charles Ganley , director of nonprescription drugs in the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research . `` However , the risks associated with their use need to be clearly identified on the label so that consumers taking these drugs are fully aware of the potential harm they can cause . It is important that they know how to take these medications safely to reduce their risk . '' The new labeling for acetaminophen also warns against taking multiple drugs that contain acetaminophen at the same time and exceeding the recommended dosage of the drug . And , it warns that drinking alcohol -- three or more drinks a day -- while using the painkiller can increase the risk of liver damage . For NSAIDs , the new labels will also caution users that alcohol use and taking the drugs for longer than directed can increase the risk of stomach bleeding . The agency says the use of blood thinning drugs or steroids while taking NSAIDs can also increase the risk of internal bleeding . The American Pain Foundation is pleased with the new rule . `` This ruling will not only help protect consumers using OTC pain medication on a periodic basis , '' APF said , `` But will be especially meaningful for people suffering from chronic pain who may face co-morbid conditions and are taking OTC pain medication along with their prescribed pain medication . '' According to the FDA , some manufacturers have already voluntarily started listing some of these risks on their product labels . The new rule gives manufacturers one year from today 's date to re-label their products . | FDA requires OTC painkillers to carry new warnings on liver damage , bleeding risks . New rule covers acetaminophen -LRB- Tylenol -RRB- and NSAIDs -LRB- aspirin and ibuprofen -RRB- . Ibuprofen is the main ingredient in Motrin and Advil , naproxen and ketoprofen . Manufacturers have one year from today 's date to re-label their products . | [[0, 26], [63, 86], [93, 182], [0, 26], [87, 182], [165, 208], [935, 952], [955, 1037], [1165, 1235], [1562, 1597], [1603, 1715], [1998, 2001], [2004, 2134], [2367, 2423], [285, 395], [329, 369], [372, 379], [396, 457], [497, 560], [561, 698], [561, 590], [609, 698], [2921, 2981], [2968, 2987], [2994, 3010], [2985, 2987], [2988, 3010]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In radio broadcasts and sermons , Taliban militants have been promoting themselves as Islamic Robin Hoods , defending Pakistan 's rural poor from a ruling elite that they describe as corrupt and oppressive . Mohammed Daoud , with his son Faisal , is among those who have embraced the Taliban 's message . That message has been resonating throughout the Pakistani countryside , where the culture is deeply conservative and the people are desperately poor . In farmlands just 15 miles -LRB- 24 kilometers -RRB- from the center of Islamabad , Mohammed Daoud and his 15-year-old son Faisal eke out a living by cutting grass for their four water buffalo . They feed their family of seven , earning the equivalent of around $ 50 a month by selling buffalo milk . Two months ago , Daoud said , the government bulldozed his family 's house , probably because they were illegally squatting on property they did not own . `` Justice -LSB- in Pakistan -RSB- is only for people who have money , '' Daoud said , while slicing through handfuls of grass with a small scythe . `` We are illiterate , '' he added , `` but we are hoping that with Islamic sharia law , our lives will get better . '' Across this overwhelmingly Muslim country , there is widespread hope that adopting a strict code of law based on the Koran will transform a society where corruption is rampant and where at least a quarter of the population lives under the poverty line . Watch why the Taliban 's message would resonate . Enforcement of sharia law is the platform the Taliban have been using to justify recent land-grabs , such as last week 's armed occupation of the district of Buner , some 60 miles from the Pakistani capital . In an interview with CNN , Muslim Khan , the Taliban spokesman in the militant stronghold of Swat Valley , denounced the Pakistani government , calling the prime minister and lawmakers `` un-Islamic . '' `` They 're making money like in a supermarket , '' Khan said , adding that under sharia law both the rich and the poor would be treated equally . Militants have slowly taken over territory in northwestern Pakistan by first targeting unpopular landlords and bureaucrats , according to Amnesty International , the human rights watchdog . `` Its systematic . The Taliban move into an area , they use local existing resentments . They often go in with the guise of being Robin Hoods , '' said Amnesty International representative Sam Zarifi . `` They scare away some local thieves , they impose very , very quick justice , very harsh justice , and initially in some places they are even welcomed . '' The Taliban 's promise of Islamic justice would be welcomed in farm fields on the outskirts of Islamabad . Rows of wheat -- along with the posh villas of Pakistan 's ruling elite -- are within sight of Islamabad 's iconic white Faisal Mosque . `` In the present judicial system , even the innocent people are punished , '' said Sajeet Hussein , as he and a group of farmers shared lunch under the shade of a tree . The group explained that they were losing a court battle to stop the government from seizing their land , because they claimed they could n't afford to bribe policemen and judges . `` Every part of the country should have sharia law , like in Saudi Arabia , '' said Hussein 's brother Babar , who sported a long bushy beard . `` Then poor and rich people will be equal . '' `` We love the Taliban , '' announced one Pashtun farmer who asked not to be named . He called the militants heroes . Sports star-turned-politician Imran Khan summed up his response to the Taliban in Pakistan by saying , `` The poorer section of society is joining them ... this is now developing into a battle between the ` haves ' and the ` have-nots . ' `` What the Taliban are giving them is cheap -- in fact , free -- accessible justice at the village level , '' he added . `` This is what Pakistan should be doing for its own people . '' But if farmer Babar Hussein has his way , Taliban justice would mean taking away freedoms from Pakistani women , like the right to have a driver 's license . `` Women should not even come out of their houses . That 's against Islam '' he said , while complaining about the un-Islamic fashions he saw women wearing in Islamabad . When Taliban militants overran Buner last week , they told women to stay indoors , warned men to stop shaving their beards , and threatened shopkeepers who sold movies and music . In Pakistan 's rural society , male strangers are not even supposed look at local women . And yet , some farmers enjoy blaring Bollywood music and even dancing on trailers full of hay , while driving their gaudily-decorated tractors . If the Taliban 's rural revolt succeeds , it could bring silence to the Pakistani countryside . | Amnesty International : Taliban first targets unpopular landlords , bureaucrats . Taliban spokesman in Swat Valley calls Pakistani government as `` un-Islamic '' Islamabad 's Faisal Mosque surrounded by posh villas of Pakistan 's ruling elite . Imran Khan : Battle shaping up as one `` between the ` haves ' and the ` have-nots ' '' | [[2085, 2094], [2156, 2207], [1734, 1758], [1761, 1772], [1841, 1875], [2743, 2814], [2818, 2879], [3543, 3583], [3634, 3643], [3647, 3779]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On Monday night , CNN 's Larry King had an exclusive interview with actor George Clooney , who returned from the strife-torn Darfur region of Sudan and just finished meeting with Vice President Joe Biden . George Clooney , left , talks with Vice President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday . King spoke with the activist actor live from the White House on the humanitarian crisis Clooney says we must confront , along with getting a couple of tidbits about what 's next for Clooney 's acting career . The following is a partial transcript , edited for brevity and clarity : . Larry King : We begin with George Clooney , the Oscar-winning actor and activist . He 's traveled to Darfur at the refugee camps near the Sudan/Chad border last week and met with Vice President -LSB- Joe -RSB- Biden today . He 's standing , as you see , in front of the White House , where it 's 12 degrees . And we thank him for doing this , because he 's freezing to death . George Clooney : I should have worn an overcoat tonight . King : You have no coat on ? Clooney : No -- and no pants either ... King : Well , you 've always been a little strange , George . Anyway , you met with the vice president today about Darfur . What did you tell him ? Clooney : Basically , we were just talking about coming back from Chad , right on the border of Darfur . And we were talking about there 's a moment coming up relatively soon , probably by the middle of next week , where the International Criminal Court is going to indict the president of Sudan for war crimes , which has never happened before -- a sitting president . And we talked about this being an opportunity , perhaps , not just for the United States , but all of us together to work with the international community in a real diplomatic effort to try and bring some sort of peace to this region . King : What scale of interest did Biden show ? Clooney : Vice President Biden has been incredibly vocal on the issue . We had a long talk about the idea of , first and foremost , appointing a high level , full-time envoy that reports directly to the White House so that it 's not just temporary . We need somebody working on this , you know , every day -- getting up every morning with their sole job to find peace in the area . King : What did you see last week ? Clooney : It was rough . You know , it 's always rough over there . You feel terrible for them . They 're hanging on by a thread . We saw an awful lot of fear . There was -LSB- also -RSB- a tremendous amount of hope . You know , there was a lot of hope that these indictments and this new administration are going to be able to help move the international community toward toward a real peace . King : How do you handle just meeting with these people and seeing this tragedy ? Personally , how do you handle it ? Clooney : I could tell you a million stories about how it actually affects you personally . But I do n't think people should be going there and coming back and saying how it affected them . I think somehow we should all know that these people are hanging on by the skin of their teeth . King : Was your safety in jeopardy ? Clooney : Oh , you 're talking about the U.N. story . King : Yes . What , they pulled your security , right ? Clooney : I was never in jeopardy . I was with journalists who wanted to go into some areas that were n't particularly safe . And we decided that we would go . And that was n't necessarily part of what the U.N. was looking to do . And so we just went on our own . It was fine . I wanted to say something , also , Larry , which I forgot to say about what I just did today . I delivered 250,000 postcards signed by people all across the country who wanted to help give some political capital to and remind this administration of how important this issue is . It was from the Save Darfur people . But it 's from all across the country . And we 're probably going to have another 700,000 by the end of the week . King : What specifically , George , do you want Secretary of State Clinton and the administration to do ? Clooney : It does n't appear that the United States is going to send troops in or that the U.N. Is going to send in an army to do this . What it really means is that we 're going to need diplomacy . And diplomacy has to start and it has to be aggressive and it has to start soon . We have an opportunity here . King : One other quick thing . Are you going to be in the final presentation of `` E.R. ? '' Clooney : Actually , I 'm doing a remake of `` Friends , '' which -- I did n't want to break the news . King : Oh , my gosh . Clooney : I 'm going be playing the Jennifer Aniston role . King : I 'm thrilled for you , George . Clooney : Thank you . It 's a career move . It 's a choice . King : Are you going to be in `` E.R. ? '' Clooney : I am . I 'm in the last episode with Susan Sarandon and Julianna Margulies . So it should be fun . King : Thanks , George . Get out of the cold . Clooney : Thank you . It 's good to talk to you . | CNN 's Larry King talks with George Clooney about his trip to see Darfur refugees . Clooney meets with Vice President Joe Biden , urges aggressive U.S. diplomacy . Actor on Darfur refugees : `` They 're hanging on by a thread '' Clooney says he 'll be back on `` E.R. '' for final episode of long-running series . | [[0, 5], [19, 34], [37, 107], [683, 765], [171, 224], [683, 688], [770, 823], [1175, 1227], [2420, 2453], [3026, 3122], [3026, 3027], [3042, 3051], [3056, 3122]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World number one Rafael Nadal continues to prove unbeatable on his favorite clay-court surface , as he won his fifth Barcelona Open title in a row with a straight sets victory over fellow-Spaniard David Ferrer on Sunday . Rafael Nadal lifts the massive Barcelona Open trophy for the fifth year in a row after his win over David Ferrer . The 22-year-old Nadal , who last week secured his fifth Monte Carlo title in succession , repeated that feat on home soil by winning 6-2 7-5 in a repeat of the 2008 final . The victory gave Nadal his 35th career title -LRB- 24 of them coming on clay -RRB- and meant the Barcelona tournament was won by a home player for a seventh straight year . `` I could have never have imagined that I would win here for a fifth time , '' a beaming Nadal said after the match . `` Congratulations to David also . Even if it was impossible for him to win today , he had a great tournament . For me , this is much more than a dream , '' he added . Nadal will have no time to celebrate as he heads directly for the Rome Masters which begins on Monday . Last year , an obviously exhausted Nadal lost in his opening match to compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero . | Rafael Nadal defeats David Ferrer in straight sets to lift Barcelona Open title . World number one wins 6-2 7-5 to take the trophy for a fifth year in succession . The title was Nadal 's 35th of his career with 24 of those coming on clay-courts . | [[119, 240], [241, 355], [119, 240], [241, 355], [356, 377], [394, 443], [356, 377], [446, 528], [0, 15], [19, 113], [529, 582]] |
-LRB- Parenting.com -RRB- -- Bed has always been a place I ca n't get enough of : the sex ; the sleep ; cozy afternoons reading ; lazy Saturday mornings listening to hyper neighbors mow their lawns . `` I learned that Dad really can be interchangeable with Mom , if only I 'll let him . '' After my husband and I had kids , bed also became the object of my dearest fantasies -- the oasis I dreamed about in my late-afternoon stupor , when I knew that many hours still lay between me and the sheets . My covetous view of bed changed , however , midway through my third pregnancy , when some suspicious bleeding led my obstetrician to prescribe bed rest for several days , possibly longer . `` But I have two small kids ! '' I protested . For those of you more gestationally fortunate , `` bed rest '' means lying there for hour upon idle hour -- or in the worst cases , week upon idle week -- afraid that even taking a quick shower or reaching for the TV remote might make you lose your baby . Parenting.com : 71 new-mom truths . What would my 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter do without Mama to attend to them every second of their exhausting days ? Who could I get to fill my maternal shoes ? Our relatives live far away . Hiring a nanny was financially out of the question . The answer , of course , was that the children 's father would have to be their mother -LRB- he runs his own company from home -RRB- , although I must confess I had my doubts . George is a wonderful , involved dad ; he changes diapers , does `` this little piggy , '' and pitches baseballs equally well -- and equally willingly . But George has always slept straight through 3 a.m. feedings and bad dreams . I 'm the chief of childhood minutiae around here ; the one who pours the juice , monitors the wee-wees , and knows what `` do the coyote '' means -LRB- a dry-eye technique for shampooing hair -RRB- . On top of being both Mama and Daddy , George would have to play nurse to me too . But -- the biggest , overriding but -- the unborn baby 's health was paramount . `` Get in bed , stay in bed , and do n't worry about a thing , '' George ordered . Parenting.com : How men change , from lover to husband to father . The first few hours went quickly enough . There was the novelty of gliding between fresh sheets in the middle of the day and the welcome release from snack doling and bottom wiping . `` Mommy 's sick , '' my husband explained to the kids , closing my door . I read straight through one of those books that ordinarily serve as dust catchers . I napped . With the door closed and the fan whirring , you could n't even tell there were two tots downstairs . It was so quiet . Quiet usually means trouble 's afoot . Did George realize this ? `` Mommy ! Mommy ! '' I heard them cry . Or did I ? My maternal engines idling nervously , I pictured the kids stoned on Cheetos and Popsicles ; my daughter 's unchanged Pull-Ups sagging to her knees ; six straight hours of the Cartoon Network turning their little eyeballs into black-and-white checkerboards . Darn it , why was it so quiet downstairs ? `` Mommy ! Mommy ! '' It was the kids , bursting through my bedroom doorway with excited squeals . George had taken them out to dinner and bought each child a toy doctor 's kit . They were palpably relieved at being able to take an active part in my scary convalescence . Solemnly , they listened to my heartbeat , `` tested '' my blood pressure , and administered innumerable shots . `` You must stay in bed ! '' admonished the 2-year-old , wagging a pudgy finger . I had to admit that , had the circumstances been reversed , with me filling in for a bedridden George , I 'd never have thought of something so clever . Then the object of my admiration appeared . `` Okay , you can get up now , '' he said , handing me my robe . Already ? I wondered . Was he throwing in the towel after just a few hours ? Then two young muscle-bound guys materialized in the bedroom and began to remove the saggy , full-size , 10-year-old mattress on which I had just been lying . A few minutes later , they marched back up the stairs brandishing a brand-new , ultra-firm king-size model . George put down new sheets and sent me back to bed . Wow ! That was n't all . My dinner that evening arrived on a tray -- stuffed salmon , baked potato , and broccoli on good china , with a chocolate bar on the side . The kids sat with me quietly , impressed and awaiting the chocolate . Now , I do n't know what the kitchen looked like or exactly how often my daughter 's Pull-Ups were changed , but for the next several days George knocked himself out keeping everyone happy . He rented six movies for me -LRB- half based on Jane Austen novels , half starring Harrison Ford -RRB- . He monitored the kids ' frequent visits to give me more `` shots '' and let them deliver my mail -LRB- from which he 'd removed all the bills , leaving only the juicy catalogs -RRB- . They went to the park and the zoo . Blessedly , my bout with bed rest lasted less than a week . The bleeding stopped as mysteriously as it had begun , and four and a half months later my baby daughter was born beautiful and perfect . But the lessons of the episode linger on today . I learned that Dad really can be interchangeable with Mom , if only I 'll let him . And that it takes more than one person to keep a family running -- it 's a minuet among all its members . When one of us falls back , the others fill in . Parenting.com : How to slow down , relax , and enjoy motherhood . Sometimes now , on particularly long days , when all three kids are crying at once and I begin to unspool , shrieking back at them like the Anti-June Cleaver , my husband will say to me , in an oh-stop-being-a-martyr tone of voice , `` Why do n't you just go to bed ? '' And you know what ? I do . Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Parenting Magazine - CLICK HERE ! Copyright 2009 The Parenting Group . All rights reserved . Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited . | Pregnant mother of two is ordered to mandatory bed rest . She worries kids are eating candy and Pull-Ups never changed . Dad buys kids toy doctor kits to calm their fears over sick mom . He delivers great meals , new bed and takes kids out to play . | [[3480, 3503], [2886, 2940], [3194, 3200], [3234, 3273]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Maybe you had one as a kid , or knew someone who did . It 's the iconic little red wagon with the Radio Flyer logo . Radio Flyer is developing a prototype of a wagon with digital controls and an MP3 player dock . If so , you might not recognize the newest product dreamed up by the brain trust at Radio Flyer 's Chicago , Illinois , headquarters . This wagon , called the Cloud 9 , is equipped with enough high-tech bells and whistles to make the family minivan jealous . `` We approached this product much like an automotive company might with a concept car , '' said Mark Johnson , Radio Flyer 's product development manager . Outfitted with 5-point safety harnesses , padded seats , cup holders , foot brakes and fold-out storage containers , the sleek , curved Cloud 9 has every family covered for a ride through the park . But that 's just for starters . There 's a digital handle that tracks temperature , time , distance and speed -- just in case energetic parents want to track their split times around the playground . And there 's a slot for an MP3 player , complete with speakers , for some cruising tunes . That 's right : The little red wagon has gone 2.0 . `` Music is such an important part of kids ' and families ' lives , we thought it would be great to have a speaker system built in the wagon , '' said Tom Schlegel , vice president of product development . The Cloud 9 is still a prototype , but it was n't developed on a whim . The company did extensive market research beforehand , then tested it out on the real experts at home . `` We sit down -LSB- and -RSB- observe how moms and kids are using our products , '' said Schlegel . `` That 's where our new ideas come from . '' To develop those ideas , Radio Flyer 's designers are using state-of-the art technology . They use Wacom Cintiq graphic tablets , allowing them to draw directly onto digital renderings of new products . And Radio Flyer also has its own in-house computer numerical control , or CNC , machines that create prototypes right on site . Radio Flyer 's blend of cutting-edge design and old-fashioned products appears to be a successful recipe . In an economy where businesses and families alike are tightening their belts , the company is still going strong . `` Radio Flyer survived the Great Depression , and this year has been a difficult year for a lot of companies , '' Schlegel says , `` But Radio Flyer is actually growing this year . We 're actually looking for engineers and designers in our product development group to keep up with the growth of the company . '' That 's quite a testament for a company nearly 90 years old . Theirs is an American success story that started when Italian immigrant Antonio Pasin started building wooden toy wagons in 1917 . He had limited success but was encouraged enough to start the Liberty Coaster Company in 1923 . The company changed names seven years later , becoming Radio Steel & Manufacturing . The world was introduced that same year to the first steel wagon , called the Radio Flyer . Since then , Radio Flyer has become perhaps the world 's most famous maker of wagons , tricycles and other toys . The company 's best-known product even inspired a 1992 movie , `` Radio Flyer , '' about a boy who imagines converting his red wagon into a flying machine to help his little brother flee an abusive stepdad . Whether you grew up on Rock - 'em Sock - 'em Robots or Xbox , the little red wagon has remained a mainstay of child 's play . It 's certainly evolved over the years , though -- the rusty metal has been replaced with plastic . But the spirit of Radio Flyer , which conjures memories of a simpler time , remains intact . `` One of the most important things about Radio Flyer products is that they really help -LSB- keep kids active outdoors -RSB- , '' Schlegel said . `` So when we 're designing our products , we 're really looking at how can we get kids outside and playing , away from the video games and TV screens and computer screens . '' CNN.com 's Brandon Griggs contributed to this story . | Radio Flyer , maker of the classic red toy wagon , is creating a high-tech new product . The Cloud 9 wagon has digital controls , speakers and a dock for an MP3 player . The wagon is still a prototype , developed after extensive market research . Radio Flyer 's founder began building wooden toy wagons in 1917 . | [[74, 135], [136, 231], [1047, 1109], [1396, 1428], [1468, 1520], [2702, 2778]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A one-of-a-kind bicycle belonging to U.S. cycling legend Lance Armstrong was stolen from a team truck in California just hours after he rode it Saturday on the first day of a nine-day race . Lance Armstrong is racing in the California Amgen Tour as he attempts a comeback after retiring in 2005 . Cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France champion Armstrong is racing in the Amgen Tour of California this week as he continues his latest comeback after retiring from the sport in 2005 . Armstrong 's first comeback came in 1998 , two years after he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain . Doctors gave him a less than 50 percent chance of survival . Armstrong announced the bike theft on his Twitter account Sunday morning and posted a photograph . `` There is only one like it in the world therefore hard to pawn it off . Reward being offered , '' the Texan wrote before going out and finishing fifth in Sunday 's testing first stage won by Spain 's Francisco Mancebo . Swiss Olympic champion Fabian Cancellara , who started the day in the yellow jersey after winning Saturday 's time-trial prologue , pulled out midway through the stage feeling unwell . Armstrong improved from 10th to fifth overall , one minute five seconds adrift , with Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer , the two-time defending champion , in second place behind Mancebo . `` Holy hell . That was terrible , '' commented Armstrong who had a puncture . `` Maybe one of the toughest days I 've had on a bike , purely based on the conditions . I 'm still freezing . '' The bicycle that was stolen is not the one that Armstrong rides every day during the race . The stolen bike is used only for time trials , a race in which cyclists ride individually at staggered intervals over a set distance and try to get the best time . The thieves took four bikes from a truck Armstrong 's Astana team had parked behind a hotel in Sacramento . The other three bicycles belonged to team members Janez Brajkovic , Steve Morabito and Yaroslav Popovych , Astana said . Armstrong , 37 , won the Tour de France , considered the premiere bicycle race in the world , a record seven times from 1999-2005 . The 750-mile Amgen Tour of California ends Sunday . It is the second major race in which Armstrong has participated since announcing his comeback in September . He raced last month in the Tour Down Under in Australia , finishing 29th . Armstrong said he is aiming for another Tour de France victory this summer and was not expected to contend in the Australian race , which he used to gauge his fitness level after more than three years out of the saddle . | Lance Armstrong 's one-of-a-kind bicycle stolen from team truck in California . Four bicycles stolen from truck Armstrong 's Astana team parked behind hotel . Cancer survivor Armstrong is currently fifth overall in Amgen Tour of California . Armstrong won the Tour de France a record seven times from 1999-2005 . | [[0, 15], [76, 188], [1861, 1926], [1894, 1968], [210, 315], [316, 508], [316, 508], [2090, 2099], [2107, 2129]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Regrowing a fingertip cut off in an accident sounds like something from a futuristic movie . But with innovative technology developed by the U.S. Army , such regrowth is possible today . This remotely controlled robot , called BEAR , could help remove injured soldiers from battlefields . This research project and a hundred others were on display this month at the 26th Army Science Convention . Some the greatest minds in science from around the world gathered at the four-day conference to exchange ideas and showcase collaborative projects between the Army 's research laboratories , universities and partner industries . The main goal is to develop technology to make soldiers safer and more effective , said Thomas H. Killion , the Army 's chief scientist . The Army 's regenerative medicine study combined properties from the intestinal lining and the urinary bladder to create a regenerative substance called Extracellular Matrix . The cream-colored crystallized powder , called `` magic dust , '' boosts the body 's natural tendency to repair itself , said U.S. Army Biological Scientist Sgt. Glen Rossman . When the matrix is applied to a missing digit or limb , `` the body thinks it 's back in the womb , '' Rossman said . One civilian participated in the regenerative-medicine study after cutting off the tip of his finger in a model plane 's propeller . Researchers continually applied the matrix to the wound , and after four weeks , the body grew skin and tissue to replenish the damaged area . The U.S. military branches have begun a consortium with private institutions to develop treatments for severely injured troops . With the help of grants , the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine is studying nerve and vein transplantation , treating burns without scarring and regeneration of tissue , skin and even bone . Through both animal studies and civilian clinical trials , the institute is developing therapies for the large number of soldiers injured by improvised explosive devices and other explosives in Afghanistan and Iraq . `` We are working on trying to regenerate limbs , to repair limbs and to keep them from being amputated , '' institute Project Director Col. Bob Vandre said . Army scientists also have developed an engineered skin substitute made in a laboratory from patients ' own cells . A postage stamp-sized patch of skin could grow several times larger than the original sample . The engineered skin could then be placed over a wound or burn , protecting it from infection , and eventually cover large portions of the body that have been damaged . `` Our goal is to restore the function to our wounded warriors who have given so much in battle , '' Vandre said . Armed Forces Institute scientists also say they also have developed a process to rebuild missing or damaged bone . A web-like tube of calcium-phosphate ceramic , called hydroxyapatite , acts as a biodegradable scaffold that is set in place of the missing bone , giving the body a platform on which to rebuild . Scientists say the scaffold allows the body to regrow its own natural tissue , bone and veins so it can support itself . Because of the complexity of the process , researchers so far have regrown only 3 centimeters of bone in clinical trials on rats , but they hope to reach 5 centimeters in two years . With the regrown bone , scientists could avoid placing titanium or other medical devices in the body . Of course , to apply this technology , the Army needs a way to safely remove injured soldiers from combat zones . Enter the Battlefield Extraction Assist Robot , or BEAR , a human-shaped machine with eyes , ears and arms for lifting heavy objects . Built by Vecna Technologies in association with the Army , BEAR is still a prototype . But its potential is promising . BEAR is outfitted with lights , two cameras and infrared abilities , and it can travel up to 10 mph . The device also can lift 250 pounds while balancing on its toes . Vecna robotic engineer Andrew Allen says BEAR can be remotely operated , reducing the chance of injuries to soldiers ' human rescuers . `` BEAR can easily be replaced ; it costs money and not lives , '' Allen said . Robot technology has exploded in the past six years , said Army scientist John Parmentola . Robot prototypes of all kinds were on display at the conference , and about 10,000 military robots are expected to be deployed in the field in 2009 . Robots can be outfitted to accomplish various tasks . One can detect 38 different chemical or biological explosives from a distance of 3 to 5 meters . The robot could be used to scan car doors or truck lids for explosives or chemical residue . Another , called Packbot , is deployed in Iraq for surveillance , reconnaissance and explosives removal . Packbot has been outfitted to react to voice commands , given remotely through an earpiece . Loud background noises do not distort the commands , because the system monitors the vibrations of the operator 's jawbone . Finally , some robots come with a retractable apparatus called a Zipper Mast or Situational Awareness Mast , which can be equipped with a camera or antenna and raised to peer over walls or send radio communications . The smallest Zipper Mast is not much bigger than a coffee pot and can extend to a height of 8 feet . Designed by the U.S. Army 's Tank Automotive Research , Development and Engineering Center , the larger mast is affixed to tanks and can reach heights over 30 feet . | Cutting-edge technology on display at U.S. Army Science Convention . Some of greatest minds in science gathered at four-day conference in Florida . Regenerative-medicine research could help injured soldiers regrow tissue and bone . Remotely controlled robots could help remove wounded from combat zones . | [[434, 662], [1703, 1754], [1800, 1881], [224, 254], [271, 325]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday federal regulators have the authority to clamp down on the broadcast TV networks that air isolated cases of profanity , known as `` fleeting expletives . '' The Supreme Court ruled federal regulators can stop TV networks from airing profanity . The 5-4 vote was a victory for Bush-era officials who pushed fines and sanctions when racy images and language reached the airwaves . Controversial words have been aired in scripted and unscripted instances on all the major over-the-air networks in the past six years -- dating back to when the Federal Communications Commission began considering a stronger , no-tolerance policy . `` It suffices the new policy is permissible under the statute , there are good reasons for it , and the agency believes it to be better , '' said Justice Antonin Scalia , writing for the conservative majority . The high court , however , refused to decide whether the commission 's policy violates the First Amendment guarantee of free speech , only the agency 's enforcement power . The justices ordered the free-speech aspect to be reviewed again by a federal appeals court . ABC , CBS , NBC and Fox were parties in the case . A federal appeals court in New York had ruled in their favor , calling the commission 's policy `` arbitrary and capricious . '' The commission then appealed to the Supreme Court , seeking restoration of its power to penalize the networks airing `` indecent '' speech , even if it is broadcast only one time , and even if it does not describe a specific sex act . The high court agreed to some extent . `` Even when used as an expletive , the F-word 's power to insult and offend derives from its sexual meaning , '' wrote Scalia . Such language is heard with greater , albeit varying frequency on cable television , the Internet , and satellite radio , which do not use public airwaves . But the federal government is charged with responding to viewer complaints when `` indecent '' language reaches broadcast television and radio , which is subject to greater regulation . That is especially relevant during daytime and early evening hours , when larger numbers of families and younger viewers may be watching . The FCC 's acting chairman , Michael Copps , called Tuesday 's ruling a `` a big win for America 's families . '' The commission formally reversed its policy in March 2004 to declare even a single use of an expletive could be illegal . The changes became known as the `` Golden Globes Rule , '' for singer Bono 's 2003 acceptance speech at the awards show on NBC , where he uttered the phrase `` really , really , f -- ing brilliant . '' The commission specifically cited celebrities Cher and Nicole Richie for potty-mouth language in the 2002 and 2003 Billboard Music Awards , which aired on Fox . Richie , in an apparent scripted moment said , `` Have you ever tried to get cow s -- t out of a Prada purse ? It 's not so f -- ing simple . '' The complaint against ABC involved `` NYPD Blue , '' a now-canceled scripted police drama , and the CBS ' complaint involved `` The Early Show , '' a news and interview program . Enforcement of the law had been put on hold while the case was being argued . In dissent , Justice John Paul Stevens said `` customs of speech '' and context made the Federal Communications Commission 's position unworkable . `` As any golfer who has watched his partner shank a short approach knows , it would be absurd to accept the suggestion that the resultant four-letter word uttered on the golf course describes sex or excrement and is therefore indecent , '' he wrote . `` But that is the absurdity the FCC has embraced in its new approach to indecency . '' And Stevens wondered why the agency was going after words that he said had a `` tenuous relationship '' to sex and bodily functions , while at the same time prime-time commercials `` frequently ask viewers whether they , too , are battling erectile dysfunction or are having trouble going to the bathroom . '' Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made clear how she viewed the broader free speech questions the high court may be forced to confront in coming years . `` There is no way to hide the long shadow the First Amendment casts over what the commission has done , '' she wrote . The Supreme Court first ventured into the broadcast speech debate in 1978 , when it ruled as indecent a monologue by comedian George Carlin on society 's taboo surrounding `` seven dirty words . '' The bit had received some radio airplay . Stevens , 89 , was the author of that opinion . Justice Clarence Thomas sided with his fellow conservatives on the narrow question presented to the court , but noted the changing landscape of television since Stevens ' 31-year-old ruling . He said that and other high court precedents `` were unconvincing when they were issued , and the passage of time has only increased doubt regarding their continued validity . '' He questioned the communication commission 's underlying authority as a `` deep intrusion into the First Amendment rights of broadcasters . '' And he noted the four networks no longer have a virtual monopoly on television content . `` For most consumers , traditional broadcast media programming is now bundled with cable or satellite services , '' he said , but the Federal Communications Commission 's authority extends only to over-the-air television and radio content . Conservative and family groups called Tuesday 's ruling an `` incredible victory . '' `` We implore the broadcast networks to abide by today 's court 's ruling rather than to pursue a path of attempted obstruction with countless legal maneuverings , '' said Tim Winter , president of the Parents Television Council , which monitors content on the airwaves . `` And we encourage the FCC to use today 's opinion to break the indecency complaint logjam , and rule on the merits of the tens of thousands of indecency complaints currently awaiting review at the commission . '' There was no immediate reaction from the broadcast networks , but groups representing the artistic and creative community expressed displeasure . iReport.com : Share your thoughts on indecency on television . `` Today 's decision is extremely disappointing , '' said Andrew Jay Schwartzman , head of the Media Access Project . `` We remain hopeful that the FCC 's restrictive policies will ultimately be declared unconstitutional , but there will be several more years of uncertainty , and impaired artistic expression , while the lower courts address the First Amendment issues which the court chose not to confront today . '' Time Warner -- the parent company of CNN -- filed a friend of the court brief supporting the networks fined by the communications commission . The company is part owner of the CW broadcast network , and operates several cable networks . The case is FCC v. Fox Television Stations -LRB- 07-582 -RRB- . | NEW : FCC 's acting chairman calls ruling `` a big win for America 's families '' NEW : Thomas sides with majority , but questions FCC 's `` underlying authority '' NEW : Media Access Project head warns of `` impaired artistic expression '' Supreme Court ruled 5-4 federal regulators can clamp down on `` fleeting expletives '' | [[2236, 2262], [2281, 2346], [5435, 5465], [5484, 5517], [4590, 4672], [4590, 4619], [4702, 4781], [4961, 5100], [4975, 5027], [6444, 6449], [6498, 6526], [30, 83], [222, 264], [246, 309]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A day after publishing a cartoon that drew fire from critics who said it evoked historically racist images , the New York Post apologized in a statement on its Web site -- even as it defended its action and blasted some detractors . A New York Post cartoon has sparked a debate over race and cartooning this week . Many of those critical of the cartoon said it appeared to compare President Obama to a chimpanzee in a commentary on his recently approved economic stimulus package . `` Wednesday 's Page Six cartoon -- caricaturing Monday 's police shooting of a chimpanzee in Connecticut -- has created considerable controversy , '' the paper said about the drawing , which shows two police officers standing over the body of a chimpanzee they just shot . The drawing is a reference to the mauling of a woman by a pet chimpanzee , which was then killed by police . In the cartoon , one of the officers tells the other , `` They 'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill . '' The Post said the cartoon was meant to mock what it called an `` ineptly written '' stimulus bill . `` But it has been taken as something else -- as a depiction of President Obama , as a thinly veiled expression of racism , '' reads the statement . `` This most certainly was not its intent ; to those who were offended by the image , we apologize . '' Watch reaction to Post 's apology '' But the statement immediately swerves to fire back at some of the image 's critics . `` However , there are some in the media and in public life who have had differences with The Post in the past -- and they see the incident as an opportunity for payback , '' the statement says . `` To them , no apology is due . Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon -- even as the opportunists seek to make it something else . '' Several African-American leaders , including the Rev. Al Sharpton , attacked the image , which was drawn by artist Sean Delonas . Sharpton said Thursday he and the leaders of `` various groups '' would respond at 5 p.m. Friday outside The Post 's offices in midtown Manhattan . `` Though we think it is the right thing for them to apologize to those they offended , '' the statement appeared to blame those who raised the issue `` rather than take responsibility for what they did , '' Sharpton said . He accused the newspaper of having `` belatedly come with a conditional statement after people began mobilizing and preparing to challenge the waiver of News Corp in the city where they own several television stations and newspapers . '' Delonas has made Sharpton the butt of previous cartoons in The Post . In a brief phone interview with CNN , Delonas called the controversy `` absolutely friggin ' ridiculous . '' `` Do you really think I 'm saying Obama should be shot ? I did n't see that in the cartoon , '' Delonas told CNN . `` It 's about the economic stimulus bill , '' he added . Col Allan , the Post 's editor-in-chief , said Wednesday that the cartoon `` is a clear parody of a current news event . '' `` It broadly mocks Washington 's efforts to revive the economy . Again , Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist , '' Allan said in a written statement . But Sharpton was not alone in his criticism . Barbara Ciara , president of the National Association of Black Journalists , said The Post showed a `` serious lapse in judgment '' by running the cartoon . `` To think that the cartoonist and the responsible editors at the paper did not see the racist overtones of the finished product should insult their intelligence , '' Ciara said in a written statement . `` Instead , they celebrate their own lack of perspective and criticize those who call it what it is : tone deaf at best , overtly racist at worst . '' iReport.com : Share your reaction to the N.Y. Post cartoon . `` Comparing President Obama and his effort to revive the economy in a manner that depicts violence and racist inferences is unacceptable , '' said National Urban League President Marc Morial in a statement issued Wednesday . The nearly $ 800 billion stimulus package was the top priority for Obama , the first black U.S. president , who signed it Tuesday . In an open letter to The Post , musician John Legend criticized the newspaper and called on New Yorkers not to buy it , or talk to its reporters or buy its advertising space . Addressing the newspaper 's editors , Legend wrote , `` Did it occur to you that our president has been receiving death threats since early in his candidacy ? Did it occur to you that blacks have historically been compared to various apes as a way of racist insult and mockery ? Did you intend to invoke these painful themes when you printed the cartoon ? `` If that 's not what you intended , then it was stupid and willfully ignorant of you not to connect these easily connectable dots . If it is what you intended , then you obviously wanted to be grossly provocative , racist and offensive . '' Either way , Legend said , the fact that the cartoon was printed `` is truly reprehensible . '' | Sharpton : `` Various groups '' would respond at 5 p.m. at Post headquarters . New York Post apologizes on Web site ; blasts some `` opportunist '' detractors . Paper said cartoon was meant to mock what an `` ineptly written '' stimulus bill . Paper also said `` no apology is due '' to those who want payback for the past . | [[1959, 2014], [1982, 2106], [137, 196], [208, 210], [235, 260], [1417, 1497], [1023, 1095], [1072, 1122], [1707, 1726]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos began their `` supervised release '' Friday after President Bush commuted their sentences in January for convictions related to the shooting of a Mexican drug smuggler . Ignacio Ramos has been out of prison since Febrary after serving time in the shooting of an illegal immigrant . Ramos and Compean were able to remove their electronic monitoring devices and leave their homes in El Paso , Texas , on Friday for the first time since they left prison in February . After spending two `` hard , long , lonely '' years in prison , the two said they were looking forward to spending time with their families and putting this chapter of their lives behind them . `` There are more important things than the people that have done this to us or what we have gone through and I am not going to sit here and dwell on that , '' Ramos said in an interview with CNN 's `` Lou Dobbs Tonight . '' `` We are looking ahead . We 're optimistic for a very good future and that 's what 's more important , '' Ramos said . Their release in February marked a significant turning point in a case that served as a flash point in the debate over immigration and border security . The two were sentenced in 2006 to 11 - and 12-year sentences stemming from the February 2005 shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila near the U.S.-Mexico border south of El Paso , Texas . Critics of U.S. immigration policy rushed to the agents ' defense , saying they were merely doing their jobs . Civil liberties advocates argued that Compean and Ramos used excessive force . Ramos credited the outside support with helping him win clemency and keeping his spirits up during his imprisonment . `` Members from Congress were speaking about us , people writing us constantly , it felt so good to know that people did n't give up on us and that people constantly believed in us , '' he said . `` How can you give up when people are n't giving up on you ? '' Compean echoed his sentiments , saying he was shocked to this day over the support he received . `` I did n't expect it . I expected people to really forget all about us once we turned ourselves in , '' he said . Like Ramos , Compean said the most difficult part of going to prison was leaving behind his wife and children . `` I think that 's been the hardest . When I turned myself in , my son was 4 months old , '' he said . `` There 's really nothing special I want to do . The only thing I 'm really looking forward to is getting out of the house and going out to dinner with my wife and going to the park with my sons , '' Compean said . Their legal cases are far from over . The convictions still stand and the two remain felons while appeals are pending , which means they can not contact one another or reapply for their jobs , something Ramos said he would like to do . Ramos shot Aldrete-Davila in the buttocks after he ditched a vehicle carrying more than 700 pounds of marijuana and fled on foot toward Mexico . The agents said during trial that Aldrete-Davila had brandished a gun while resisting arrest , but Aldrete-Davila said he was unarmed and trying to surrender when Compean attempted to beat him with a shotgun . `` In exchange for immunity , Aldrete-Davila agreed to cooperate with the investigation of the shooting , and he returned to the United States so that the bullet could be removed from his body , '' according to court documents . Ramos and Compean were convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon , lying about the incident and violating Aldrete-Davila 's Fourth Amendment right against illegal search and seizure . Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , a vocal critic of the decision to grant Aldrete-Davila immunity , said several key pieces of evidence were withheld from the jury that convicted Ramos and Compean . The jury , for instance , never learned that Aldrete-Davila was running drugs at the time of the shooting . Nor did jurors learn that Aldrete-Davila breached his immunity agreement by continuing to smuggle drugs into the United States , Cornyn has said . `` Several jurors have since come forward to state that if they had been told about the excluded evidence , they would have changed their verdict , '' Cornyn wrote in a January plea to Bush , requesting clemency for the agents . Despite Ramos ' and Compean 's appeals for clemency , a senior Bush administration official said the men were `` convicted felons who violated their oaths to uphold the law . '' Leading Democrats and Republicans , however , supported Bush 's commutation , the official said . `` The president has reviewed the circumstances of this case as a whole and the conditions of confinement and believes the sentences they received are too harsh and that they and their families have suffered enough for their crimes , '' the official said . | Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean begin their supervised release Friday . Men say they look forward to being with family , putting incident behind them . `` There are more important things than the people that have done this , '' Ramos says . President Bush in January commuted their sentences for shooting drug smuggler . | [[0, 93], [515, 548], [579, 708], [709, 759], [1038, 1053], [100, 166], [155, 219], [220, 331], [220, 227], [271, 331]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A gaggle of reporters pushed their microphones and cameras toward the North Korean official shortly after he arrived at a college campus here . North Korean diplomat Kim Myong-gil gathered with other officials to discuss North Korea 's energy needs . But Kim Myong-gil 's comments were off the record -- a sign of the sensitive nature of openly discussing concerns about North Korea 's nuclear program . The U.S. State Department 's director of Korean affairs , Kurt Tong , also agreed to participate in Thursday 's conference as long as his statements were not published . Tong and Kim , a North Korea representative at the United Nations , gathered with others including former diplomats and academics at the Georgia Institute of Technology to discuss North Korea 's energy needs and the status of the six-party talks on its nuclear program . Although the two top-level diplomats kept their remarks private , other participants in the conference at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs aired their opinions openly . Much of the Korea conference focused on the scientific details of North Korea 's infrastructure and how it could be improved to handle sources of energy other than nuclear , such as an oil pipeline or utilizing its significant mineral resources . But all those ideas will never be realized without a change in relations between North Korea , its neighbors and the United States , and that is why diplomacy was also part of the discussion . Thursday 's conference coincided with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 's announcement that her new envoy to North Korea , Stephen Bosworth , will travel to Russia , China , South Korea and Japan next week `` to consult on the next steps to move the six-party process forward . '' Senior administration officials said Bosworth is considering heading to Pyongyang on that visit , but only if the leaders of the other parties involved in the talks are comfortable with that overture . Speaking at a joint news conference with Clinton , Bosworth said there is no doubt the United States plans `` to engage with North Korea . '' `` The question as to whether we 're going to engage with them on this particular trip remains to be decided , '' he said . `` That will depend upon our consultations in the region , and it will depend upon what we hear back from the North Koreans . '' Thursday 's conference also coincided with reports that North Korea is apparently preparing to test-fire its long-range missile , the Taepodong-2 , under the guise of launching a satellite into space . Leon Sigal , a specialist on North Korea who used to work for the State Department , stressed that President Obama is at a `` starting point '' with North Korea . Mindful that the new U.S. leader is preoccupied with his country 's economic recession , Sigal said Obama must act swiftly and decisively with regards to North Korea to avoid the mistakes of the previous administration . `` The only way to fix this problem is to negotiate , '' said Sigal , who is currently director of the Northeast Asia Cooperative Security Project at the Social Science Research Council in New York . Part of Sigal 's proposal includes helping North Korea construct conventional power plants as it moves toward denuclearization . He outlined two `` troubling questions '' facing the Obama administration : how to avoid having to constantly react under pressure to North Korea 's provocations , and how the scenario could change , possibly for the worse , if there is a change in leadership , `` now that Kim Jong-Il 's health is at issue . '' `` It seems to me the answer to both is for Washington to put a bigger deal on the negotiating table now , '' Sigal proposed . That drew a couple of comments and questions from the audience . One graduate student asked why the United States should `` put more oil in a leaky bucket , '' referring to the idea of sending more fuel oil shipments to North Korea when the previous shipments -- part of an agreement to get Pyongyang to shut down its nuclear facility -- have done little to deter the country from abandoning its nuclear program . North Korea maintains that it is due the oil shipments because it fulfilled its obligation to disable its Yongbyon nuclear complex . The United States has demanded Pyongyang verify that by allowing U.N. inspectors to inspect the facility , which it has refused . At Thursday 's conference , former U.S. ambassador to South Korea James Laney cautioned against resorting to the same rhetoric about which side had violated previous agreements . `` I can understand how we want to score points ... but there are times when prudence or better wisdom or real strategy dictates that we have to -LRB- have -RRB- some sort of engagement , '' he said . Laney , who was instrumental in defusing the North Korean nuclear crisis in 1994 , suggested that the United States propose a peace treaty to replace the 1953 armistice which effectively ended the Korean War . `` A peace treaty would mean there are two nations on the Korean peninsula , '' said Laney . `` There are two nations now , but a treaty would recognize -LRB- this -RRB- . '' Victor Cha , who was the White House 's director of Asian affairs under the Bush administration , cautioned against moving forward on securing a peace treaty before North Korea takes further steps toward denuclearization . `` Even if there are some -LRB- in North Korea -RRB- who would want to give up nuclear weapons in exchange for a peace treaty , there may be others that say , ` Once we have a peace treaty ... we can be recognized as a nuclear state , ' '' according to Cha . Cha , who said he routinely has to apologize for being a member of the Bush administration , praised Obama 's government , which he said has `` none of the hang-ups '' in dealing with North Korea 's leadership that the previous administration had . Laney urged the new administration to `` move beyond sticks and carrots , '' which was the stated approach of the Bush administration . While there is no guarantee that a peace treaty or any other overture to North Korea would work , Laney and Sigal said the administration has to try a new approach . `` You see , I 'm 81 and I want to see something -LRB- happen -RRB- before I die , '' said Laney , who worked in U.S. Army counterintelligence before serving in the Korean War . `` Fifty-five years is a long time . '' Sigal concurred , saying that `` diplomatic give-and-take is the only policy '' for North Korea . `` But sustaining diplomacy ... will be difficult , '' he added . . `` Kim Jong-Il wants to force America to be his friend , '' he said , referring to the North Korean leader . `` He seems unwilling to unclench his fist and shake Obama 's hand . We may have to settle for a fist bump . '' | Officials , academics gather to discuss North Korea 's energy needs . Diplomacy was part of the discussion at Georgia Tech conference . Conference coincided with reports North Korea is going to test-fire missle . | [[181, 287], [231, 287], [611, 623], [679, 779], [1447, 1502], [2383, 2405], [2411, 2584]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barely a year after the country celebrated its return to democracy , Pakistan is ensnared in a new political crisis . Riot police block a street on Thursday leading to a court building in Karachi , Pakistan . Thousands of lawyers planned a four-day march to the country 's capital , Islamabad , on Thursday , demanding that the government immediately reinstate judges whom the previous president ousted . The protesters plan a sit-in at the parliament building on Monday , and say they will continue their demonstrations indefinitely until their demands are met . At the same time , the country 's main opposition leader and his supporters have joined in the nationwide protests , but for reasons of their own . The government responded by banning political demonstrations in two of the country 's biggest provinces -- Punjab and Sindh . It also detained several hundred activists Wednesday . The political chaos has forced the government 's attention away from a deadly fundamentalist insurgency in its tribal areas and an economy that 's on the verge of collapse . To understand the reasons behind Pakistan 's latest political chaos , one needs to keep three central characters in mind : . What do the lawyers want ? The lawyers want President Zardari to live up to a promise to reinstate judges sacked by former President Musharraf . Musharraf fired about 60 judges when he declared a state of emergency in November 2007 . The fired judges include 14 of 18 judges who sat on the Supreme Court , including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry . Critics say Musharraf sacked the judges because they were preparing to rule against the legitimacy of his third term in office . He had been re-elected president by a parliament stacked with his supporters , they said . After sweeping into power in parliamentary elections last year , the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party promised to reinstate the judges within 30 days of taking office . The deadline came and went . Why have the judges not been reinstated ? One reason behind the delay , some experts have surmised , may be that the Supreme Court was expected to look into the controversial amnesty granted to former PPP leader Benazir Bhutto and her husband and current party head , Zardari , for corruption charges . When Bhutto was prime minister , Zardari was accused many times of corruption , stealing from government coffers and accepting kickbacks . Pakistanis derisively labeled him `` Mr. 10 percent . '' Zardari said the cases were politically motivated . He spent several years in jail on the charges but was never convicted . Bhutto herself faced corruption charges in at least five cases , but was not convicted . In October 2007 , with his popularity plummeting and under pressure from the West to hold elections , Musharraf allowed Bhutto to return from exile and participate by granting her and her husband amnesty . Bhutto was assassinated during a campaign rally . Her husband became head of the party and the new president of Pakistan . Why is the opposition protesting ? The country 's second-biggest party , the Pakistan Muslim League -- N -LRB- PML-N -RRB- , is led by opposition leader and former Prime Minister Sharif . Last month , the Supreme Court ruled that Sharif can not hold public office , citing a criminal record that dates to the late 1990s . The court also stripped Sharif 's brother , Shahbaz , from his post as chief minister of Punjab -- the Sharif party 's power center . The Sharifs condemned the court 's decision as politically motivated . They accuse the court of acting at the behest of Zardari . Adding to their outrage , Zardari suspended Punjab 's parliament and imposed executive rule there for two months . The Zardari administration said the executive rule was needed to maintain stability in the province . Supporters of PML-N have rallied in large numbers opposing the ruling . Why did the court bar Nawaz Sharif from elected office ? The case against Sharif dates to the late 1990s , when he was prime minister . At the time , Musharraf was military chief . And Sharif feared Musharraf was plotting his ouster . When Musharraf was returning home from an overseas trip , Sharif refused the airliner to land . That order eventually led to Sharif 's conviction for hijacking and treason when Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup . Separately , Sharif also was convicted of corruption . He went into exile instead of prison , but returned to Pakistan to challenge Musharraf 's rule in late 2007 . However , the election commission barred Sharif from the parliamentary race . His brother , Shahbaz , was shut out because of financial irregularities , the commission said . The Supreme Court upheld the commission 's decisions . What does the turmoil mean for Pakistan ? The renewed tensions threaten to take the focus away from the government 's attempts to quash an escalating pro-Taliban insurgency in the country . At the same time , Pakistan 's economy is in shambles . The worsening security situation is part of the reason . Rising food and oil prices have also contributed to the crisis . In November , the International Monetary Fund approved a $ 7.6 billion loan to Pakistan to help the South Asian country of 170 million people avoid an economic collapse . Many in Pakistan worry that the latest turmoil could once again force the army on to the streets if it worsens . In its 61-year history , Pakistan has been under army rule more than half the time . For now , Gen. Ashfaq Kayani has said he will not interfere in political matters . | Pakistan 's main opposition will join protests demanding reinstatement of judges . Political protests may divert attention from efforts against pro-Taliban insurgency . Nation has been under military rule for more than half of its 61-year history . | [[604, 620], [623, 718], [109, 157], [933, 1071], [4805, 4952], [4863, 4866], [4890, 4952], [5415, 5499]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japan 's defense minister has ordered two destroyers to help fight piracy in the waters off Somalia , officials with the defense ministry told CNN . Pirates are caught on camera off the Somalian coast . The Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyers will be dispatched Saturday , the defense ministry said . The order , which the Cabinet approved earlier Friday , marks the first policing action for the MSDF , whose major missions overseas have focused on background support such as transport and refueling , Japan 's Kyodo news agency said . A bill approved on the same day allows the MSDF to be deployed in piracy-infested waters as needed . The move comes after Somali pirates released a Panamanian-flagged , Japanese-owned vessel that was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden in November , according to a non-governmental group that monitors piracy . The ship was released last month . The 18 Filipino and five South Korean crew members were reportedly unharmed . It was unclear whether the pirates were paid a ransom to release the ship . Japan Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the provision would be used on an interim basis , the news agency reported . Two destroyers with about 400 personnel and eight coast guard officers will be aboard the ships , whose escort mission will start in early April after about three weeks of sailing toward Somalia , according to the news agency . | The order marks the first policing action for the MSDF . Mission will start in early April after about three weeks of sailing . Move comes after Somali pirates hijacked Japan-owned vessel in November . | [[323, 334], [379, 423], [1252, 1268], [1277, 1367], [728, 736], [737, 799], [726, 749], [755, 799]] |
London , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- European officials expressed frustration at Russia and Ukraine 's inability to enforce an agreement to resume delivery of natural gas , amid heat and cooking gas shortages and sub-zero temperatures endured by millions of people . A woman passes in front of a manometer set on a gas pipe in the Ukrainian city of Boyarka , near Kiev . German Chancellor Angela Merkel was expected to meet Friday with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Timoshenko in an emergency meeting in Berlin . Merkel said she was likely to reinforce the EU 's position as a natural gas customer . `` There is a risk that the confidence in Russia may be lost due to the ongoing disruption , '' said Merkel . On Thursday European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso urged Ukraine and Russia to quickly implement a compromise that would return natural gas deliveries from Russia 's Gazprom 's pipelines through the Ukraine as soon as possible . `` If the agreement is not honored , it means that Russia and Ukraine are no longer to be considered reliable partners for the EU in matters of energy supply , '' said Barroso . Ukraine is a major entry point for Russian gas into Europe . Russia and Ukraine 's dispute over pricing and contractual terms began nearly a year ago , escalating into the present crisis that has prompted Russia to turn off its taps . Both nations help deliver about 25 percent of Europe 's natural gas . In the long term , the EU eyed plans to build a pipeline to purchase natural gas from Central Asia and eventually Iraq and Iran . It was also building up infrastructure to import liquefied gas from North Africa and the Middle East and exploring nuclear energy . During Wednesday 's open session , European Parliament members and commissioners lashed out , with EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs saying , `` We are living through one of the most serious energy crises yet-comparable with the 1970s oil crisis . '' `` Despite promises and the protocol signed on Monday , gas is not yet flowing from Russia through Ukraine . '' Piebalgs said Russia had resumed gas deliveries on Tuesday , at one-third of normal flow , but Ukraine had stopped it claiming that Russia had chosen a difficult entry point . Eastern Europe was experiencing a historic low in temperatures and Siberian weather conditions . When Russia 's natural gas delivery was halted , it relied on its stockpile , which is quickly running out . Croatia 's government has declared pre-alert measures and announced gas shutdowns for everyone except for households , hospitals , schools and kindergartens . In the capital city of Zagreb , businesses are losing money due to the shortage , an estimated 10,000 Euros a day . Five hundred companies have been cut-off so far . Danijel Zadijeloviae , owner of Lipik Glass , said the shortages have lost his business millions of Euros . `` If we had lost gas for only a second , it would caused us damages of up to 3 and a half million euros , '' he said . CNN 's Jim Boulden and Matthew Chance contributed to this report . | NEW : Merkel says Russia risks the loss of confidence due to disruption . EU is building up infrastructure to import liquefied gas from North Africa , Mideast . Ukraine government says it has agreed to hold talks with Russia over gas row . Dispute leaves countries across Europe with gas shortages . | [[643, 733], [1495, 1605], [1606, 1737], [1645, 1706]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sculpture of a giant white horse taller than the Statue of Liberty is set to tower over the countryside as part of an unusual scheme to help revive the fortunes of a depressed region of England . The 50-meter high horse will dominate the landscape around Ebbsfleet . The 50-meter equine artwork was Tuesday announced as the winner of a competition to design a landmark to dominate the skyline of the Ebbsfleet Valley , set to be a new stop on the Eurostar London-to-Paris rail link . Designed by artist Mark Wallinger -- whose previous work has included dressing in a bear suit and wandering around a gallery in Berlin -- the # 2 million -LRB- $ 3 million -RRB- horse will be one of the largest artworks in the UK . Wallinger 's horse -- which echoes ancient white horse symbols carved into hillsides around Britain -- beat a shortlist of designs that included a tower of stacked cubes and giant steel nest . Victoria Pomery , head of the panel that selected the design , described the 33-times normal size horse as `` outstanding . '' `` Mark is a superb artist of world renown and his sculpture will become a real landmark for Ebbsfleet Valley and the whole region , '' she said . It drew a less favorable response from readers of local Web site Kentnews.com , who described it as a `` waste of money , '' an `` abomination '' and `` depressing . '' One correspondent , Andy Smith , added : `` This horse looks extremely silly . '' | Giant horse announced as winner of competition to design new landmark . Equine artwork is brainchild of conceptual artist Mark Wallinger . Design 's selectors describe sculpture as `` outstanding , '' critics say it 's `` silly '' | [[305, 385], [522, 555], [1390, 1407], [1423, 1428], [1432, 1468]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A German supermarket employee got a surprise this week when she opened two boxes of bananas to find them filled with more than 60 pounds of cocaine worth $ 2 million , police said . Government-released photos show bananas and packages of what is identified as cocaine . `` This is obviously a matter of a logistical mistake , '' a spokesman for the Bavarian State Bureau of Investigation , based in Munich , told CNN Friday . A 26-year-old employee with the discount chain Lidl in the sleepy town of Illertissen was randomly checking the boxes on Wednesday morning , police said . The fresh bananas had just been taken off a food truck , an hour after the store was open , they said . The employee was suspicious of the boxes because they felt lighter than normal , police said . As she unpacked the bananas to take them into the store 's produce section , police said , she found 26 small yellow parcels hidden underneath the fruit . She immediately called police . The investigators established that the substance is cocaine and confiscated the goods , police said . The cocaine totaled 28 kilos , or 61.7 pounds , police said . The German shipper who delivered the bananas also made stops at other stores in southern Germany , but police said no other box with cocaine had been found at those stores yet . The freight had come from Antwerp , Belgium , but originated from Colombia , police said . `` The drug courier obviously screwed up . He simply was not quick enough , '' the Bavarian State Bureau of Investigation spokesman said . He dubbed the finding a `` discovery by accident . '' Police said they did not know why the shipment of illegal drugs was delivered to the particular store in Illertissen , halfway between Munich and Stuttgart . The town is right next to a major highway , a North-South route between Scandinavia in the north and Italy in the south . The freight might have been delivered to the wrong address , the spokesman said . Police were not releasing any further details because of their ongoing inquiries . They said they did not know if a drug cartel or a drug courier was using Illertissen as a hub . | Supermarket employee uncovers 28 kilograms worth of cocaine , police say . Packages were discovered in supermarket in southern Germany . Freight came from Belgium , originated in Colombia , authorities say . Town of market is along route between Scandinavia and Italy . | [[1088, 1116], [1328, 1371], [1328, 1339], [1378, 1402]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A lawyer for Howard K. Stern says the longtime partner of late sex symbol Anna Nicole Smith will fight conspiracy charges announced Thursday . Krista Barth , an attorney for Howard K. Stern , says it 's not appropriate to talk publicly about details of the case . Stern was Smith 's `` chief enabler , '' obtaining a variety of prescription drugs to keep the former Playboy model sedated and compliant , California Attorney General Jerry Brown said in announcing the charges against Stern and two doctors . Lisa Bloom of In Session and guest host Joy Behar questioned Stern 's attorney Krista Barth Friday night on CNN 's `` Larry King Live . '' BEHAR : Did Howard see this all coming ? BARTH : No , we did not see this coming . We knew that there was obviously the raid earlier on Dr. -LSB- Sandeep -RSB- Kapoor 's office . But this was something that we honestly never expected . Watch part of the discussion '' BEHAR : Well , they are very serious charges . There are so many counts here , eight felonies . Will he plead not guilty ? What 's he going to do ? BARTH : Well , he will plead not guilty because he is not guilty . BEHAR : Now , the attorney general , Jerry Brown , called Stern `` the principal enabler '' in what he says was a conspiracy among three individuals . Do you have a reaction to that ? BARTH : I think it 's reminiscent of what happened at Duke . I do n't think that this was something that should have been stated in a public forum . I think it 's contrary to the rules of professional conduct regarding trial publicity . And you have to wonder why such a statement was made . But to say that something like that would not bias my client is beyond me . I ca n't even be -- I ca n't even venture a guess . BLOOM : Krista , the difference , though , between the Duke case and this case is that we know that she had at least 11 different medications in her system , the very same medications that are in this criminal complaint . We know that she was taking these drugs for years . We saw her zoned out of her mind with the slurred speech on her reality show and every awards show . So it was pretty common knowledge that Anna Nicole was an addict . And I think your client has even admitted that . There 's a substantial amount of evidence here . It does n't mean your client is guilty . But I think it 's enough to raise eyebrows so that ever since she 's died , people have wondered : How did she get all of those medications ? How was it possible that doctors were giving her all that stuff ? BARTH : The most basic tenet of our judicial system is that Mr. Stern is presumed innocent . ... And the concern that I have is that the public nature of the statements by the attorney general in the state of California is a bit troubling . And when I make the analogy to the Duke case , I think you 're missing the point , in that that was done during an election campaign . There are sometimes political motivations for things that are done . You have to ask why is this case important to so many when what Attorney General Brown is talking about is a pervasive , over-prescription of prescription drugs . BEHAR : How much responsibility do the tabloids have in this case ? I mean , it really was all over the place . BLOOM : I think that 's going to be part of the defense , that they got prescriptions under false names because the tabloids were after her and they wanted every detail and she wanted some privacy . And as a celebrity , she may be entitled to that . I think that may be a valid defense as to why they were under false names . But there 's no defense that I can see why thousands of pills . BEHAR : Krista , where did she get thousands of pills ? BARTH : Well , you know what ? Discussing the details of this is not appropriate . I think that the most important thing to focus on here is the way that our judicial system is supposed to work . I mean how often does that happen , that we 're talking about a situation , you are not supposed to say , and I 'm quoting here , something that you know reasonably should , or reasonably should know will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in this matter ? | California attorney general 's comments are prejudicial , lawyer says . Brown saying too much about Anna Nicole Smith case , Krista Barth says . Barth is attorney for Smith 's ex-partner , Howard K. Stern . Stern , two others charged with conspiring to supply Smith with drugs . | [[2674, 2781], [4013, 4030], [4033, 4056], [4077, 4207], [162, 174], [211, 282], [526, 642]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Singer-actress Mandy Moore and rocker Ryan Adams were married this week in Savannah , Georgia , Moore 's publicist told CNN on Wednesday . Mandy Moore first found recording success in 1999 with her single `` Candy '' and is now a well-known actress . The wedding took place Tuesday , said Jillian Fowkes , who gave no further details about the nuptials . Rumors first surfaced almost a year ago that Moore , 24 , and Adams , 34 , were dating , as paparazzi photos surfaced of the couple out together in Los Angeles , California . Moore 's first success as a recording artist came in 1999 with her debut album , `` So Real , '' which went platinum with the help of her top-10 single `` Candy . '' Adams is known for producing rock music with a country influence . He is best known for his song `` New York , New York '' , which appeared on his 2001 release `` Gold . '' Adams is also an author and has produced music for Jesse Malin and Willie Nelson . He recently announced that he was leaving his band , The Cardinals , because of inner ear troubles affecting his balance and hearing . Adams has fronted The Cardinals since 2004 . | Mandy Moore and Ryan Adams married quietly in Savannah , Georgia . Couple was first spotted together by paparazzi almost a year ago . He recently announced he is leaving The Cardinals . | [[0, 102], [971, 1039]] |
-LRB- Coastal Living -RRB- -- Leave behind the mainland and sneak away to these heavenly hideaways . At Petit St. Vincent , 22 understatedly elegant stone cottages overlook the water . Petit St. Vincent , Grenadines . The fantasy : Your own sun-blessed , beach-fringed island in the Caribbean , with sailing , snorkeling and other pastimes available at your whim , and a staff to provide anything from meals to massages . The reality : At Petit St. Vincent , it 's the same as the fantasy . Twenty-two understatedly elegant stone cottages , overlooking the water and open to the breezes , scatter across this 113-acre island . With rates starting at $ 675 a night , Petit St. Vincent qualifies as a splurge , but the price covers all activities and meals . Open November through August ; 800/654 -9326 or psvresort.com . The Inn on Peaks Island , Maine . Rocky , rustic , small-town New England floats languidly in Casco Bay , two miles from downtown Portland . Summer brings visitors seeking art galleries , nature and relaxation . In winter , you can snuggle up at the inn and enjoy the muted clang of buoys in the bay and the sharp scent of a wood fire . Six pleasantly furnished suites feature fireplaces , private decks and spa tubs . The Pub restaurant serves seafood and locally brewed beers year-round . A 20-minute ferry ride connects Peaks with the shopping , dining and nightlife of Portland . Prices range from $ 175 to $ 300 ; 207/766 -5100 or innonpeaks.com . The Inn at Mama 's Fish House , Maui , Hawaii . The handful of cottages that make up this hideaway rest under coconut palms on Maui 's North Shore , just off the scenic Hana Highway . `` Old Polynesia '' decor and a low-key atmosphere mark it as a throwback to an era when Hawaii meant tropical exoticism , not real-estate opportunities . Coastal Living : More on Maui . A short drive west takes you to the town of Paia . A short drive east reveals the bright sails of windsurfers swooping just off Hookipa Beach . And simply staying put ensures the pleasures of lounging on the sand in front of your cottage or savoring the seafood at Mama 's Fish House Restaurant next door . Rooms from $ 175 ; 800/860 -4852 or mamasfishhouse.com . The Collier Inn , Useppa Island , Florida . In the early 20th century , northern tycoons made Useppa their winter playground . Today , anyone can share its still-genteel lifestyle at the posh Collier Inn . Seven antiques-filled suites recall the pre-Depression boom years when ad exec and developer Barron Collier held sway over most of Southwest Florida , and gentlemen in white suits competed civilly at croquet . The 80-acre island , accessible only by water and explored mostly by golf cart , contains neither cars nor roads . The Pink Promenade , a pathway of shells and pink sand , winds past banyan trees and tropical flowers . Prices range from $ 125 to $ 395 ; 239/283 -1061 or useppa.com . Hotel del Coronado and Glorietta Bay Inn , Coronado Island , California . Technically Coronado is a peninsula , but it has been an island -- at least at high tide . And , true to island character , it feels like a place apart . The red-roof turrets and dormers of the 1888-vintage , beachfront Hotel del Coronado confirm it . Across the street , so does the Glorietta Bay Inn , which incorporates a 1908 Italian Renaissance mansion . Coastal Living : Southern California eateries . Rooms in The Del 's rambling original building have more character , but the newer structures -LRB- especially the Beach Village cottages and villas -RRB- tend to offer nicer accommodations ; 800/468 -3533 or hoteldel.com . Rooms in the main resort range from $ 255 to $ 1,650 ; Beach Village accommodations range from $ 450 to $ 5,400 . At the Glorietta , choose the mansion . Rooms start at $ 185 ; 800/283 -9383 or gloriettabayinn.com . English Country Garden B&B , Cape Breton Island , Nova Scotia . Only the most spectacular scenery could draw tourists all the way to this remote Atlantic island on the eastern end of Nova Scotia . Cape Breton delivers ; ask anyone who has ever driven the Cabot Trail along the coast of the ruggedly glorious Highlands . Accommodations tend to be comfortable but rustic -- except at English Country Garden Bed & Breakfast -LRB- at Indian Brook -RRB- , which opts for comfortable and luxurious . The four rooms include a tiny , secluded log cottage with a porch overlooking a small lake . The breakfasts and the optional , reservation-only dinners are equally sumptuous . Rooms from $ 120 Canadian -LRB- about $ 98 US -RRB- ; 866/929 -2721 or capebretongarden.com . Casita de Maya , Cozumel , Mexico . Do n't confuse it with Cancún , the party-hearty spring break destination a few miles north . The laid-back Caribbean island of Cozumel attracts scuba divers and snorkelers , beach bums and honeymooners who prefer quiet togetherness . Coastal Living : Mexico travel tips . Tucked away next to the airport , of all places -LRB- but away from the flight paths , so jet noise does not intrude -RRB- , Casita de Maya provides the perfect headquarters for a getaway . The four rooms , beautifully appointed in earthy colors , open onto a pretty little courtyard with a pool . Owner Dan Komorowsky and his staff can answer any question about the island and arrange expeditions . They also know when to disappear and give guests time for themselves . Rates from $ 59 ; 281/214 -1122 or casitademaya.com . MacKaye Harbor Inn , Lopez Island , Washington . Like most out-of-the-way places , Lopez -LRB- north of Seattle in the San Juan Islands -RRB- attracts residents who want to do something different . As you meander the mostly flat roads , you 'll encounter organic farmers and winemakers , cattle ranchers , artists and such establishments as the Love Dog Café and Vortex Juice Bar & Good Food . MacKaye Harbor Inn , in a huge restored farmhouse near the south end of the island , lends guests mountain bikes to explore . Of course , you 'll want to be back at the inn in time for evening chocolates and spectacular sunsets . Rooms from $ 135 ; 888/314 -6140 or mackayeharborinn.com . A Water 's Edge Retreat , Kelleys Island , Ohio . A 19th-century limestone industry left this Lake Erie island -LRB- off Sandusky -RRB- with a 21st century legacy of grand Victorian houses . You ca n't miss this bed-and-breakfast , with its bright coral-and-aqua exterior . Despite the punchy paint job , the rooms are traditional and refined . Guest perks include onsite spa services and sailing trips on Lake Erie . Alas , the inn operates only April through October . But that does cover the summer tourist season , as well as the spring and fall , allowing a chance to catch sight of migrating raptors , waterfowl and songbirds . Rooms from $ 199 ; 800/884 -5143 or watersedgeretreat.com . Jekyll Island Club Hotel , Jekyll Island , Georgia . You probably do n't vacation with an entourage that requires a 25-room mansion , but a century ago you might have -- if you were a Rockefeller . In the late 1800s , America 's business elite began gathering at Jekyll Island each year for winter vacation . Some stayed in the extravagant clubhouse ; others built grand holiday homes nearby . Coastal Living : What to pack for coastal Georgia . The Jekyll Island Club Hotel now occupies the clubhouse and several other historic buildings , including a couple of the cottages , keeping up the standards splendidly . You can wander the 240-acre Millionaire 's Village and envision yourself in the Gilded Age . And you can play golf and tennis , cruise around the island by bicycle , inhale the fresh salt air on the beach , and ride in a horse-drawn carriage . Rooms from $ 149 ; 800/535 -9547 or jekyllclub.com . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright © Coastal Living , 2009 . | Suites at The Inn on Peaks Island in Maine feature fireplaces and spa tubs . A restored farmhouse houses MacKaye Harbor Inn on Washington 's Lopez Island . Jekyll Island Club Hotel in Georgia was a retreat for the business elite in the 1800s . | [[1158, 1239], [7004, 7021], [7024, 7114]] |
TALLAHASSEE , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Softball , drunken orgies and a prison system run like the mafia . That 's what Florida 's former prison secretary says he inherited when he took over one of the nation 's largest prison systems two years ago . This house , on prison grounds in Florida , is described as a party house where prison officials held orgies . In fact , on his first day on the job , James McDonough says he walked into his office -- the same one his predecessor used -- and there was crime scene tape preventing anyone from entering . `` That was an indication we had a problem in the department , '' McDonough told CNN in an exclusive interview before he stepped down last Thursday . McDonough revealed a startling list of alleged abuses and crimes going on inside Florida 's prisons : . • Top prison officials admitting to kickbacks ; . • Guards importing and selling steroids in an effort to give them an edge on the softball field ; . • Taxpayer funds to pay for booze and women ; . • Guards who punished other guards who threatened to report them . `` Corruption had gone to an extreme , '' McDonough said , saying it all began at the top . `` They seemed to be drunk half the time and had orgies the other half , when they were n't taking money and beating each other up . '' Watch a corrupted prison system '' He added , `` Women were treated like chattel in this department . '' McDonough described a bizarre prison culture among those that ran the system -- one that he says seemed obsessed with inter-department softball games and the orgies after games . `` I can not explain how big an obsession softball had become , '' he said . `` People were promoted on the spot after a softball game at the drunken party to high positions in the department because they were able to hit a softball out of the park a couple times . '' `` The connection between the softball and the parties and the corruption and the beatings was greatly intertwined . '' The parties and orgies were often carried out at a waterfront ranch house built on prison grounds for a former warden with taxpayer dollars , McDonough said . The house was complete with a bar , pool table and hot tub . See photos of the `` party house '' '' McDonough is a former Army colonel who commanded troops in Vietnam and Africa . He served as Florida 's drug czar before taking on the job as the head of Florida 's prison system , which oversees 90,000 inmates . He left his post last Thursday as secretary of Florida 's Department of Corrections because , he says , he feels he has cleaned up the corruption . It 's time , he said , `` to turn this over to law and order people that have made this their life 's goal . '' A Brooklyn , New York , native , McDonough says he witnessed the way the mafia worked in his youth and it provided him a keen insight into how his prison predecessor , James Crosby , operated . `` It reminded me of the petty mafia I saw on the streets of Brooklyn when I was growing up in the late 1950s , early 1960s -- petty , small-minded , thugish , violent , dangerous , outside the law , and completely intolerable for a society such as ours in the United States of America , '' he said . Crosby would later plead guilty to bribery charges in relation to kickbacks from a prison vendor . He 's now locked up in a federal prison . He refused CNN 's request for an interview for this report . `` He 's serving time in a federal prison . I hope he reforms and gets out and prospers , '' McDonough said . He added , `` When you have a rotten guy at the top , or gal at the top , it can be very invasive , and it 's a cancer that needs to be excised . '' And getting rid of this `` cancer '' is exactly what McDonough says he did . McDonough fired 90 top prison officials -- wardens , supervisors , colonels and majors -- claiming they were corrupt or , at the very least , not to be trusted . He demoted 280 others . Criminal charges were filed against more than 40 others , and most were convicted . In addition to the orgies and other misconduct outside the cell blocks , there were other allegations of prisoners being harmed , McDonough said . `` In some of the pockets of corruption that we found , they -LSB- prisoners -RSB- were being abused , '' he said . Among those arrested were seven officers accused of beating inmates , including five accused of forcing a prisoner to drink toilet water . All have pleaded not guilty . Tina Hayes , the director of the prison 's department initiatives who has worked in the prison system for 28 years , said the atmosphere before McDonough arrived was `` a little tense '' with workers `` always on edge . '' She said employees who did n't attend softball games or play on the teams were `` isolated '' and `` pushed aside . '' `` I used to tell staff day in and day out : Keep your head high ; do what 's right ; you know what morally is right ; you 've got some ethics ; do n't bow down to it , '' Hayes told CNN . McDonough , she said , brought `` standards back into the department . '' `` People can speak out now without being afraid to say what they need to say . '' McDonough says the majority of the prison system 's 28,000 employees were honest , hard-working people who were n't corrupt at all . But he says many of the top prison officials were n't and he believes he has weeded out `` an organized vein of corruption . '' `` They were like frat boys out of control . '' E-mail to a friend . | Former head of Florida 's prisons says orgies were common before he arrived . James McDonough also says the system was run like the mafia . `` They were like frat boys out of control , '' McDonough tells CNN . His predecessor is currently in prison after pleading guilty to bribery charges . | [[108, 115], [121, 155], [108, 251], [2314, 2412], [71, 107], [2117, 2133], [3494, 3513], [4140, 4156], [5394, 5435], [3202, 3208], [3215, 3300], [3301, 3342]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Kellogg 's dumped its endorsement of Michael Phelps after a photograph surfaced of the Olympic gold medalist using a bong , the company was stuck with thousands of boxes of cereal featuring the swimmer 's image . Kellogg 's ended its Michael Phelps endorsement , so it sent two tons of cereal with his face on it to a food bank . No problem . The company , based in Battle Creek , Michigan , made short order of the already-printed and filled boxes , donating two tons of cereal to the San Francisco Food Bank late last month . With food banks across the country reporting shortages of food , the donation was a welcome one , said the food bank 's director of development , Christopher Wiley . It took only two weeks for about 3,000 boxes to move through warehouse . `` Thousands of families benefited from the donation '' Wiley said . `` It was a surprise to us . We were lacking a lot of cereal . It is a great product many low-income families really need . '' `` The real story for us was not the box but what 's inside the box . The food is so valuable for the community . It 's making good from bad , '' Wiley said . The food bank has seen a 6 percent increase in its customer base since the beginning of the year , he said . Phelps , 23 , won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing , China . He admitted `` regrettable behavior '' after a British newspaper published the controversial photograph in early February . The tabloid News of the World showed Phelps using the bong during what it said was a November party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia . A bong is a device commonly used to smoke marijuana . The Phelps box attracted considerable attention to the food bank . Administrators received several calls from people wanting to get the box as a novelty item . But , said Wiley , all the cereal went to food bank customers . Kellogg 's was the only one of Phelps sponsors to drop the athlete , although U.S.A. Swimming , the nation 's governing body for competitive swimming , suspended him for three months , withdrew financial support and barred him from competition during the period of his `` reprimand . '' CNN 's Jackie Castillo and Mayra Cuevas contributed to this report . | Kellogg 's donated two tons of cereal to the San Francisco Food Bank . Company dumped the cereal boxes with Michael Phelps ' face after bong incident . Food bank director : Helpful donation is `` making good from bad '' More than 3,000 boxes of cereal went to help those who were hungry . | [[290, 353], [367, 402], [475, 551], [24, 31], [35, 132], [197, 236], [290, 353]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Six U.S. soldiers were killed Wednesday in Iraq when a bomb exploded in a booby-trapped house while they were on patrol north of Baghdad , the military announced . U.S. soldiers conduct a house-to-house assessment mission in Baghdad on Wednesday . Four soldiers were also wounded in the attack and evacuated to a coalition forces hospital , Multi-National Corps-Iraq said . The troops were taking part in Operation Iron Harvest -- a new drive against Islamic militants in northern Iraq after a spate of attacks on local anti-insurgent groups . The operation is part of a nationwide push against jihadists loyal to al Qaeda in the provinces of Diyala , Salaheddin , Nineveh , and Tameem . `` It will be a difficult fight , but we will continue to execute simultaneous operations in each one of our four provinces , '' said Maj. Gen. Michael Hertling , commander of U.S. troops in northern Iraq . But resistance in the `` breadbasket '' region in eastern Diyala so far is `` less than anticipated , '' he said . The offensive -- which has been centered near Muqdadiya -- has left 20 to 30 suspected insurgents dead in the area around that city , Hertling said . About 24,000 U.S. troops , 50,000 Iraqi soldiers and 80,000 local police are based in the region . In addition , about 15,000 Iraqis are taking part in anti-insurgent groups known as Concerned Local Citizens or Awakening Councils . The groups will perform defensive security tasks during the operation , the U.S. military said . The new push comes just short of a year since President Bush ordered almost 30,000 additional troops to Iraq to secure Baghdad and its surrounding provinces . Al Qaeda in Iraq has been deeply rooted in Muqdadiya , about 62 miles north of Baghdad , since about 2004 . Wednesday 's deaths occurred in an agricultural area on the north side of the Diyala River from the city . The U.S. military has conducted operations there in the past and has frequently come under fire . One recent operation ended with several insurgents killed and a large amount of weapons and explosives seized , a military source told CNN . The bombing Wednesday was the first incident involving multiple deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since September 10 , when seven Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldiers died and 11 were injured in a vehicle accident in western Baghdad . The last attack in which so many U.S. troops died from hostile action happened May 28 , when six Task Force Lightning soldiers were killed by explosions near their vehicles during operations in Diyala province . Awakening Councils . Iraq 's concerned-citizens groups began forming in the country 's predominantly Sunni Arab regions in late 2006 , and their cooperation with U.S. forces against the jihadists has been credited with much of the decline in violence in Iraq since summer . But that cooperation has made them an increasing target for al Qaeda in Iraq , which Hertling said has launched a campaign of intimidation against the locals . Monday , five severed heads were left on a road leading to Baquba `` with Arabic writing in blood on the forehead which said , ` Join the Concerned Citizens and you will end up like this , ' '' Hertling said . And he played video from an aerial surveillance drone that showed three people in Diyala assassinating another person -- pulling the victim from a vehicle , shooting him and leaving him in a ditch . They were eventually captured , and information was found linking them to al Qaeda in Iraq , he said . Hertling said that even though there has been a reduction in attacks across the country , there has been an increase in `` high-profile , spectacular '' events in his region , citing a suicide vest attack and a bridge bombing that sparked media attention and made the region look as if it were `` reeling . '' But he said attacks like those will prove to be the jihadists ' `` Achilles ' heel , '' turning the population against them and driving them toward the concerned citizens ' groups . `` It 's sort of a reverse counterintuitive logic , '' Hertling said . `` They are trying to intimidate people that join them by killing them , and it 's causing more people to go against them . '' And Hertling said Nineveh -- home of the country 's third-largest city , Mosul -- is an important geographic region because it borders Syria . Sunni militants long have crossed the border from Syria into Iraq to stage attacks , and Mosul 's diverse , cosmopolitan population has made it an easy place for jihadist operatives to hide , he said . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Troops were taking part in new offensive , dubbed Operation Iron Harvest . Six soldiers die when bomb explodes in booby-trapped house . Blast also leaves 4 U.S. soldiers wounded . It 's the first incident involving multiple deaths of U.S. soldiers in Iraq since September . | [[408, 461], [0, 7], [10, 30], [34, 107], [87, 127], [282, 327], [2136, 2250]] |
Editor 's note : CNN writer Alan Duke has had two small voice-only roles in Tyler Perry 's TV series , `` House of Payne , '' which airs on CNN 's sister network TBS . He has had no relationship with Perry beyond observing him on set . Tyler Perry stars in `` Madea Goes to Jail , '' which is due out Friday . Perry is trying to expand his reach to Europe . ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tyler Perry wants to take his character Madea to Europe , but he 's been told that audiences there wo n't relate to his stories about African-American lives . The films have made nearly $ 300 million at U.S. box offices . The challenge to conquer Europe has `` sat in my spirit , '' Perry wrote in a newsletter to his fans . Perry , who just a few years ago was homeless and broke , has made a fortune proving naysayers and critics wrong with a successful string of low-budget movies based on his Christian-themed stage plays . `` I was once told -LSB- by -RSB- someone that my movies only appeal to black people and no one else , '' Perry wrote . `` Now , I know that 's not true . '' When his first movie -- `` Diary of a Mad Black Woman '' -- debuted in 2005 , people who had seen his stage plays in person or on DVD flocked to theaters , making it the week 's top movie with almost $ 22 million in ticket sales . Critics , who consistently pan Perry 's productions , were confounded . `` They think I do n't know what I am doing , '' he said in a CNN interview . `` They think that this is all haphazard , that I am some sort of idiot or something . '' Watch Perry sound off on `` Madea '' and other topics '' Perry said he does not write to please the critics , but for a broad audience of all ages . With six films already out and a seventh -- `` Madea Goes To Jail '' -- coming soon , Perry has never made a box office flop . His movies average nearly $ 22 million on opening weekends and almost $ 47 million in total domestic sales . `` Tyler Perry has a definite and growing fan base in this country and it 's simply a matter of , can he create and grow a fan base in other countries , '' said independent producer Alex Franklin . Franklin -- a former development executive at Lionsgate , the film company that distributes Perry 's films in the United States -- was the first person at that studio to read his script for `` Diary of a Mad Black Woman . '' He agrees that Perry 's movies should sell in Europe , but he said there is a tendency by distributors there to avoid films about African-Americans and films without major American stars who are well-known in Europe . While Perry 's casts have included Angela Bassett , Janet Jackson and Kathy Bates , many of his characters , including Madea , come from his stage plays , which are known only to a mostly black American audience . But David Mann -- who is `` Mr. Brown '' in Perry 's productions -- said he has seen the audience broaden since the early years of the stage plays . `` I can recall when we first started , I would say 90 to 95 percent of the audience would be African-American , '' Mann said . `` But now , you look out there and it 's like , ` Wow ! It 's just a rainbow . ' '' Perry , in his message to fans , said he sees his stories as universal . `` I know that even though I write from an African-American experience and most of the time I have an all-African-American cast , that does n't mean that other people from other walks of life ca n't relate , '' he said . `` I think that any human being who goes through what we all go through can relate to my films . `` I know and remember that when I 'm writing , '' he continued . `` But when this person said that to me , they also said Europeans would never relate , and that sat in my spirit . '' Perry said he flew to Europe in January -- `` to find out for myself '' -- with visits to Rome , Madrid and London . It was there that he wrote his letter to his American fans . `` So far , all of us seem to be pretty much the same , '' he said . `` We love to laugh , we all have problems , we all want love , and we all have a church in every country . And since these are the things I usually write about , I do n't see how that statement can be true . Do you ? '' Perry could get his answer soon . Lionsgate has not said if `` Madea Goes To Jail , '' which debuts Friday , will be marketed to European audiences . But the company signed a joint venture deal last year with Eros International , an Indian film company , to distribute its films in India -- the second largest English-speaking market in the world . If that arrangement does not take Madea around the world , then perhaps Perry will try it on his own , Franklin said . `` He has the money to back up his intentions , '' he said . `` He proved his naysayers wrong in America , with his will and perseverance . There 's no reason he ca n't do the same overseas . '' CNN 's Kara Yates and KJ Matthews contributed to this report . | Tyler Perry hoping to find market for his films in Europe . Perry has already overcome obstacles to get his films seen in America . Latest Perry film , `` Madea Goes to Jail , '' is out Friday . | [[310, 357], [4282, 4284], [4298, 4347], [281, 283], [290, 309], [4282, 4284], [4291, 4304]] |
CHINHOYI , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was celebrating his 85th birthday with a lavish all-day party Saturday despite the fact that the country is gripped by an economic and health crisis . President Robert Mugabe and his wife , Grace , attend a cake-cutting ceremony for his birthday Saturday . Mugabe 's ZANU-PF party said it raised at least $ 250,000 to hold the party in Mugabe 's hometown of Chinhoyi , about 120 kilometers -LRB- 75 miles -RRB- outside of the capital , Harare . Critics of the president say the country is desperate for that amount of money to be spent instead on its citizens , who are suffering from a cholera outbreak , food shortages , and spiraling hyperinflation . On Friday , Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai visited a hospital 's closed intensive care unit that he said needed $ 30,000 to resume operating . During the celebrations , Mugabe announced that his controversial land reform would not be reversed . The program is designed to have white-owned farms given to blacks , and there have been violent seizures of such farms since the program began in 2000 . Watch Mugabe 's birthday bash '' He emphasized that the country 's `` indigenization program '' -- which forces all major foreign companies operating in Zimbabwe to have at least 51 percent black ownership -- will be carried out . It began last year and has n't been implemented yet . Mugabe 's birthday falls on February 21 but his party loyalists postponed the celebrations as they were raising money for the event . `` I think it is going to be a great day for the legend and icon whose birthday we are celebrating today here , '' said Mugabe 's nephew Patrick Zhuwawo , one of the fund-raisers for the birthday . `` The country might be having problems , but we need to have a day to honor the sacrifices the president has made for this country . '' What do you think about the celebrations ? Zhuwawo said about 100 beasts would be slaughtered for the birthday bash . iReport.com : What do you think about Mugabe 's lavish party ? Mugabe also invited schoolchildren from around the country to attend the party , being held at Chinhoyi University . The farming town of Chinhoyi is usually quiet , but Saturday 's event has changed everything . Cars with Mugabe 's supporters could be seen hooting and some ZANU-PF supporters sang Mugabe 's praises . A banner in Chinhoyi read , `` Age ai n't nothing but a number . '' Mugabe invited Tsvangirai , his new partner in a power-sharing government , but a Tsvangirai spokesman said the opposition party leader turned it down . He said it is political party function , with most of the attendees being ZANU-PF elite . As the prime minister , Tsvangirai is not obligated to attend , the spokesman said . The spokesman would not acknowledge whether Tsvangirai had initially agreed to attend , but it was widely reported in Zimbabwean media that he had agreed to do so . `` Mr. Tsvangirai has other commitments , as far as I know , '' said Nelson Chamisa , a spokesman for Tsvangirai 's Movement for Democratic Change . Tsvangirai last year said Mugabe 's birthday party was `` a gathering of the satisfied few . '' But at that point , he and the president were preparing to face off in a hotly contested presidential election . As Saturday 's celebrations began in a carnival atmosphere , just less than a kilometer -LRB- 0.62 miles -RRB- away stood a deserted Chinhoyi government hospital -- a reflection of the country 's dire health situation . A few nurses are attending to patients . `` There are no medicines . These patients have no option but to come here , but there is nothing we can do , '' said one nurse at the hospital . On Friday Tsvangirai visited Harare Hospital , one of the country 's biggest , and said its intensive care unit will need $ 30,000 in order to start operating again after a funding shortage . Once a darling of Zimbabwe , Mugabe is blamed for driving the country into a meltdown . A cholera epidemic that broke out in August has since hit every corner of the country , killing 3,731 people and infecting nearly 80,000 , according to the World Health Organization , which quoted Zimbabwe 's Ministry of Health . The preventable disease has spread through Zimbabwe 's 10 provinces through lack of access to clean water , faulty sewage systems , and uncollected refuse , according to Medecins Sans Frontieres -LRB- Doctors Without Borders -RRB- , which released a report this month on the outbreak . The problems , MSF said , are `` clear symptoms of the breakdown in infrastructure resulting from Zimbabwe 's political and economic meltdown . '' On Sunday , Tsvangirai appealed to the international community to help Zimbabwe 's crippled economy , saying it would take $ 5 billion to stabilize the country . The cholera outbreak has worsened Zimbabwe 's economic crisis . Failed government policies and an acute food shortage because of years of poor agricultural production and widespread corruption have ravaged the currency of Zimbabwe , which has the world 's highest inflation rate . CNN 's Nkepile Mabuse contributed to this report . | Mugabe 's ZANU-PF raised $ 250,000 in order to hold the party . NEW : At party Mugabe said controversial land reform would not be reversed . Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai turned down invitation to party , official said . Zimbabwe is struggling to cope with a cholera epidemic due to funding shortages . | [[329, 438], [871, 894], [897, 972], [2527, 2599], [3845, 3896]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- If you do n't eat , sleep and breathe cars , or devour car magazines in minute detail , there 's a good chance you do n't know all the technological terms that pop up in the media , new car advertising and literature . With new models being released all the time , the acronyms can be overwhelming . With every new model year , it seems , there are new technology and acronyms . Here 's a concise list of the terms you 're most likely to see and read about in the 2008 literature . ABS : The most common passive safety system found on cars today is ABS or anti-lock brake system . ABS continuously counts wheel revolutions electronically and when one or more wheels stops moving during a skid , the system quickly applies and releases the brakes on the skidding wheels . This is done so that the tires continue to rotate and the car can be steered around an object or an impending accident situation . Tires that are skidding ca n't do much steering . ALS : This is a relatively new term that stands for active lighting system or automatic lighting system . On some luxury vehicles , you can opt for headlamps that turn left or right -LRB- up to about 15 degrees -RRB- as the front tires turn to light the road as you make your turns . AWD -LRB- also FWD , RWD , 2WD , 4WD -RRB- : These terms refer to how many and which wheels on your car deliver power from the engine to the road surface . AWD means all-wheel drive and generally means there are no buttons , levers or lower gear ranges . These systems can be full-time , driving all four wheels all the time , or part-time , controlled by computers when conditions dictate the need for more traction . The 4WD label means four-wheel drive and these part-time systems usually have a selector switch or lever to select two-wheel drive , four-wheel drive or even four-wheel drive in a lower gear or locked position for very difficult driving situations . In 2WD , only the two front or rear tires have power . Traditional RWD or rear-wheel drive is almost always found on luxury cars , sports cars , or racing cars . FWD or front-wheel drive is more compact and is more often found on small cars , minivans and crossover vehicles . DOHC : Engineering shorthand for double-overhead camshaft . A DOHC engine has one camshaft that opens the intake valves and one camshaft that opens the exhaust valves , a design derived from racing engines . DOHC engines are more complex than single-overhead-cam engines -LRB- SOHC -RRB- and overhead-valve engines -LRB- OHV -RRB- but generally make more power and torque at higher rpm levels because they let the engine breathe better . EBD : An acronym given to the ABS subsystem called electronic brake force distribution . EBD is rapidly becoming standard equipment on cars that already have ABS brakes . In a panic braking situation , EBD distributes the most braking force to the tires that have the most traction . This helps to keep the car from spinning and reduces stopping distances on slippery surfaces . ESC/ESP : Electronic stability control or electronic stability program are interchangeable terms for the same software and hardware . An extension of ABS , ESC uses sensors and computers to determine whether a vehicle is oversteering -LRB- rear wheels out -RRB- or understeering -LRB- front wheels not turning in the desired direction -RRB- . ESC/ESP reduces engine power and/or applies one of the front or rear brakes to get the vehicle back into its intended path of travel . As a means of protecting against rollover accidents , ESC will be required on all new light vehicles sold in America by September 2011 . GPS : All automotive navigation systems communicate with Global Positioning System or GPS satellites . GPS satellites were launched into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense but are now used by motorists , hikers and explorers all over the world . GPS systems are accurate anywhere in the world from 10 to 50 feet . Combined with a CD or DVD map in the vehicle 's navigation system , the satellites can track latitude , longitude , altitude and direction of travel in all weather conditions . I6 -LRB- also V6 , V8 , V10 , W12 , H4 -RRB- : These terms refer to the number and physical arrangement of cylinders in the engine . The I stands for inline , and means that the cylinders are lined up in a single row , -LRB- I4 , I5 , and I6 , usually -RRB- . V engines have two rows or banks of cylinders in a V pattern , with three , four , five or even six cylinders per bank , hence V-6 , V-8 , V-10 , and V-12 . The W engine used by Audi and VW has three rows of cylinders , in this case four cylinders , making it a W-12 . Other engine designs include H-4 and H-6 engines , horizontally opposed or flat engines with either two or three cylinders on each side , a design used by Porsche -LRB- engine in the rear -RRB- and Subaru -LRB- engine in the front -RRB- . The oddball engine on the U.S. market is the Wankel , a rotary engine used only in the Mazda RX-8 . It has no cylinders , no banks and no reciprocating parts . L -LRB- as in 1.8 L or 3.5 L -RRB- : L is for liters a metric measurement of engine size , also called displacement or swept volume , which has replaced cubic inches in the U.S. industry . It 's the total volume of all the engine 's cylinders . Smaller engines generally generate less power and use less fuel , larger engines make more and use more , so do n't buy more engine than you need . RSC : One of the newest government regulations proposed for vehicles in the near future is protection against rollover accidents . The system that the industry has created to combat those is generally called roll stability control . RSC uses computers and sensors to analyze vehicle speed , steering wheel angle and body angle . If it senses that the vehicle is about to roll over , it cuts engine power and applies the brakes on one side or the other to bring the vehicle back to a stable position . TCS : Like ABS brakes , traction control systems are becoming more widely available , even on low-priced cars , because they add so much safety . A traction control system takes data from the ABS about tire rotation and compares the information in the computer . If one or two of the tires are spinning faster than they should be , indicating a loss of traction , the TCS system can cut engine power or engine torque going to the tires and apply brakes individually until the tires are all rotating at the same speed again . TPMS : This is a relatively new acronym that stands for tire-pressure monitoring system . The federal government has mandated that all vehicles in the future should have these systems to protect vehicles and occupants from rollovers and other accidents caused by low or deflating tires . Some currently available systems work by sending radio messages from each tire to the warning on the instrument panel . Others infer from the ABS system that one or more tires has a different rolling diameter , because it is going flat , than the other three tires and sends a warning to the instrument panel . VVT : Engineering term that stands for variable valve timing . Until a few years ago , timing the opening and closing of the engine 's valves was a purely mechanical function and could not be varied . VVT systems use a combination of computers , engine oil pressure and mechanical linkages to change valve timing so that the engine idles smoothly , produces lots of power and torque when needed and burns fuel cleanly and economically . | Most common car safety system is ABS or anti-lock brake system . EBD : subsystem of anti-lock brakes called electronic brake force distribution . GPS is system that drives new navigation systems : Global positions system . RSC : roll stability control , new government regulation to prevent rollovers . | [[513, 605], [2671, 2733], [5462, 5502], [5544, 5586]] |
NHA TRANG , Vietnam -- Editor 's note : Football fans Daniel and Clinton Rowling were in Vietnam late December when the country won a major tournament for the first time . The event sparked wild celebrations in the South East Asian nation but joy soon turned to carnage as five people died and dozens were injured in the celebrations . They share their story . Celebration time : Five people were killed on Vietnamese roads as football joy got out of control . After spending a month in Vietnam we can safely say that the Vietnamese are passionate about three things : Ho Chi Minh , or Uncle Ho as the locals call him ; football ; and the tourist dollar . Everywhere you look you see football . The locals proudly sport imitation merchandise of their favorite European team anywhere and everywhere they can . Other than on your person , the next best place to show your allegiance is on your motorbike through stickers . Some local football teams even play in the strips of their favorite club . While we were in Vietnam the ASEAN cup was contested . It is the premier football contest in South East Asia . Every second year the countries of the region do battle for the crown . Up until 2008 , the only winners of the cup had been Singapore and Thailand with three titles each -LRB- Indonesia has been the bridesmaid three times -RRB- . After pool play , the best of two finals series was played out between Thailand and Vietnam . Thanks to the close proximity , and some historical conflict , there is a strong rivalry between these two countries . The Thais played host to the Vietnamese in the first leg , where the visiting underdogs were winners , stunning the home crowd by winning the match 2-1 . The reverse leg was played in Hanoi , the capital city of Vietnam . After unexpectedly winning the first final , local interest was even higher than normal . We watched the game in the coastal city of Nha Trang . The locals flocked to their TV sets and the beer flowed freely . Each TV was like a magnet for thirsty football fans . Do you have a great football tale to tell ? Send us your story and you could be featured on Football Fanzone ! We quickly realized there was a pecking order and that the most hardcore fans had the best seats , whilst the `` fair weather supporters '' were relegated to the back benches . As foreigners we were at the very bottom of the pecking order . We were resigned to watching the match from the street kerb on small plastic seats half in the rain which refused to dampen the crowds ' spirits . Predictably Thailand took the lead and were up 1-0 -LRB- making it 2-2 on aggregate -RRB- and time was ticking away . Vietnam 's tactic of playing breakaway `` Kung fu '' style football was looking largely ineffective against the more structured , controlled and dominant Thai approach . Still , the Vietnamese were doing enough to create the odd opportunity to gives the locals hope . Still tied up on aggregate , and with the end of regular time looming , the Vietnamese were awarded a free kick . The unexpected happened . The kick came in and a Vietnamese player managed to find it with the crown of his head sending the ball to the back of the net and the locals through the roof . Everyone jumped to their feet , there were hugs , high fives and toasts . As outsiders we sat stunned and could only watch the spectacle unfolding . With the game effectively over , the victors were overcome with emotion whilst the fans were overcome with energy . The locals were eager to include us in celebrations , with the nominated English speaker communicating with us in his limited vocabulary . We replied with our full Vietnamese vocabulary of smiles , nods and numerous thumbs up . The older men who had been doing the majority of the drinking were content sitting and enjoying each other 's company , while the younger and more boisterous sections of the crowd had their own form of celebration and they swiftly brought the streets alive with a massive motorcycle posse . Led by the rider with the biggest Vietnamese flag , they proceeded to lap the town honking their horns and generally getting excited . With the roads slick from a weeks worth of rain and the drivers impaired from a cocktail of excitement and alcohol , we wisely watched from the sidelines . After finding out that dozens of people were injured and there were even a few deaths -- it seems we made a good choice to keep out of it . But while we did watch on , we were left wondering : How do the passengers stay on the bikes when they jump up and down ? How can anyone see where they are going with all the flags ? And , where were the traffic police ? We 're offering a reward to anyone that can tell us what the Vietnamese supported before cable television brought top flight football to the masses . Whatever it was , we suspect it died a very quick death . | Daniel and Clinton Rowling in Vietnam when the country wins ASEAN Cup . Vietnam defeated Thailand in Hanoi to claim the trophy for the first time . In the post-match celebrations five people were killed and dozens injured . | [[0, 19], [40, 171], [0, 19], [40, 171], [243, 335], [361, 439], [4298, 4383], [4387, 4417]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An English football club is being forced to close a stand at its 25,000-seat stadium to cut costs , in what could be the first of many similar moves at other clubs , a sports business expert predicts . Darlington Arena , home of English club side Darlington F.C. , where a stand will be closed to cut costs . The affected club , Darlington F.C. , is currently in seventh place in League Two , however , it slumped into administration last week following problems attracting crowds to the home matches . The average home crowd at the stadium is currently below 3000 people . Ticket prices are # 16 -LRB- $ 22 -RRB- per adult . The move to close the west stand at its ground , Darlington Arena , is an attempt to improve the atmosphere and cut costs at the club , the side 's commercial director , Christine Balford , said on the club 's Web site . Balford said the move was forced by administrators . `` This is an attempt to improve the atmosphere at home games , whilst saving costs . `` All season ticket holders will be temporarily relocated and will be able to use the facilities of the south stand , '' Balford said . Darlington F.C. has also increased the cover price of match day programs and has cut the number of complimentary tickets given away for home matches . Professor Simon Chadwick , director of the Center for the International Business of Sport -LRB- CIBS -RRB- at Coventry University , UK , told CNN that many football clubs may soon find themselves in the position of having to make a similar move . `` This is the economic reality of having to strip costs . `` Generally , League One and League Two and even some Premier League clubs may be affected . What you will start to see is other clubs having to follow suit . '' Chadwick said Darlington 's case was a particularly bad one as they had a stadium which was far too big for the club 's size . However , the issue of crowds not filling stadiums was a wider concern for many clubs . `` This is their life-blood . A lot of their revenue comes from selling tickets ... if they 're not filling stadiums then it is a big issue for them , '' he said . Chadwick said closing stands could help cut match-day costs and was often a more palatable option for fans , rather than selling players . | English club Darlington F.C. closes stand to cut costs and improve atmosphere . The club has struggled to attract good-sized crowds to its home matches . Sport business expert Professor Simon Chadwick says this could start trend . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [47, 133], [301, 344], [662, 708], [730, 795], [936, 997], [439, 441], [480, 538], [539, 609], [1310, 1334], [1447, 1556]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two crew members were taken to a hospital after a FedEx cargo plane crashed on landing Tuesday morning at the Lubbock , Texas , airport , officials said . A damaged FedEx ATR-42 lies beside a runway early Tuesday at the Lubbock , Texas , airport . The injuries appeared to be minor , said James Loomis , director of Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport . There was a small fire on the plane , the Federal Aviation Administration and FedEx spokeswoman Sandra Munoz said . Munoz said she was not sure about the extent of the damage . The plane is an ATR-42 twin-turboprop aircraft and landed short of the touchdown zone at 4:37 a.m. CT -LRB- 5:47 ET -RRB- , Loomis said . Munoz said the plane had been traveling from Fort Worth Alliance Airport and skidded off the runway amid light freezing rain . iReport.com : Are you there ? Send photos , video . Neither official could immediately say what caused the accident , and Munoz did n't know why parts of the plane caught fire . The plane was operated by Empire Airways , which is under contract with FedEx Corp. , based in Memphis , Tennessee . | Fire reported as plane goes off runway in freezing rain at Lubbock , Texas , airport . Two crew members hospitalized with apparently minor injuries , official says . ATR-42 twin-turboprop operated by Empire Airways under lease to FedEx . | [[174, 266], [381, 416], [696, 822], [696, 701], [769, 822], [0, 15], [19, 86], [267, 300], [558, 604], [1001, 1041], [1027, 1041], [1050, 1084]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Militants in Nigeria 's oil-rich southern delta region said they killed six government soldiers after the military attacked one of its camps on Thursday . Heavily armed Nigerian rebels pose a constant threat to oil pipelines in the country . The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , in an e-mail , said three military gunboats attacked one of its camps around the Ke River in the country 's Rivers state . The group said the gunboats were repelled , with six soldiers dying and three militant fighters wounded in the skirmish . There was no immediate reaction from the government . Nigeria is Africa 's largest crude oil producer and the fourth-largest supplier of oil to the United States . MEND has demanded that more of the country 's oil wealth be pumped into the region instead of enriching foreign investors , and the militants have been attacking oil pipelines in retaliation against government forces , limiting the amount of crude oil that can leave the country . MEND -- the largest rebel group -- has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006 . It has bombed pipelines and kidnapped hundreds of foreign oil workers , typically releasing them unharmed , sometimes after receiving a ransom payment . MEND hopes to secure a greater share of oil wealth for people in the delta , where more than 70 percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day . Its attacks on oil facilities have taken a toll . `` Anytime a pipeline is affected , anytime any production gets shut down , you see oil prices jump up one or two dollars a barrel just because there is no slack in the system , '' said Jim LeCamp , a senior vice president with RBC Wealth Management , which manages assets for wealthy clients worldwide . Exxon and Shell are two of several companies that have been extracting 2 million barrels of oil a day in Nigeria . Recent rebel attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta have cut overall production by roughly 10 percent -- meaning 200,000 fewer barrels of oil on some days . That decrease in production comes at a time of increased demand from oil-hungry regions such as China , Russia and Latin America . `` Anytime there 's a disruption there , it really affects the system , '' LeCamp said in a recent interview with CNN . | Militants in Nigeria 's oil-rich southern delta region say they killed 6 soldiers . Deaths came after military attacked one of militants ' camps . Largest rebel group has targeted foreign oil companies since 2006 . | [[0, 5], [8, 31], [90, 189], [0, 5], [8, 31], [90, 189], [1022, 1026], [1048, 1104]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As `` The Dark Knight 's '' crusading District Attorney Harvey Dent vigorously tries to combat Gotham City 's crime spree , he quotes the old saying : `` The night is always darkest before the dawn . '' The late Heath Ledger plays the Joker in `` The Dark Knight , '' a performance already garnering raves . But the dawn may have been the brightest time for `` The Dark Knight , '' which was scheduled to have about 3,000 late-night showings , including almost 100 showings at 3 and 6 a.m. Friday , according to Fandango.com spokesman Harry Medved . Medved said he could n't remember the last time there were more than two or three such showings in the middle of the night -- usually in New York or Los Angeles . `` Is n't that when people are just thinking about waking up and going to Starbucks ? '' Medved asked . `` I predict coffee sales will increase tomorrow . '' With the film 's running time of two and a half hours , Medved is declaring `` The Dark Knight 's '' opening day Dark Friday , predicting that attendance at work could be dramatically down . During a survey given to people who buy tickets through Fandango.com , 38 percent of those who are working said they would be taking either some time or the day off to see the movie . According to MovieTickets.com , `` Dark Knight '' sold out more than 150 performances in Los Angeles and New York alone . The midnight show times were not just for major movie centers , either . Medved said cities such as Fresno , California ; Orlando , Florida ; and towns in Minnesota are hosting early-morning showings . Enthusiasts showed up in groups , some dressed head to toe in costume to celebrate the movie 's release . The midnight showing at the 428-seat Henry Ford IMAX theater in Detroit sold out in less than a week , according to the Detroit Free Press . One group attending the showing , which was preceded by a costume party , showed up with a homemade version of the Batmobile and outfits representing nearly every major Batman character . The film also opened Thursday in Australia and Wednesday in Taiwan . It will be released in Japan on August 9 . See when the film is opening around the world . `` The Dark Knight '' has risen to second place on Fandango.com 's all-time list of advance tickets sales , second only to `` Star Wars Episode III : Revenge of the Sith . '' `` The Dark Knight '' tickets represent 94 percent of Fandango 's sales , Medved said . Interest is high at IMAX theaters , too , especially because six film sequences were shot with IMAX cameras . And it 's not just the movie business that were looking to cash in on the blockbuster . Corporate America hopes to capitalize on the hype , too , with Dominos offering a Gotham City pizza and Comcast showing behind-the-scenes movie footage and interviews with the cast and filmmakers via its On Demand service . As fans left the midnight screenings , the hype surrounding the movie has only continued to build . The film is even earning Oscar buzz , thanks to the late Heath Ledger 's performance as the Joker . Moviegoers purchasing tickets on Fandango echoed those sentiments , with 53 percent saying his performance was their main motivation for seeing the film . Ledger 's performance has been hailed as `` indelible '' -LRB- Los Angeles Times ' Kenneth Turan -RRB- , `` powerful '' -LRB- The Washington Post 's Stephen Hunter , in an overall mixed review -RRB- and `` mesmerizing '' -LRB- CNN.com 's Tom Charity -RRB- ; clips of his character have dominated the movie 's marketing campaign . See how Ledger made the joker his own '' His absence was conspicuous Monday at the New York premiere , his co-stars noted . `` He should be here , should n't he ? Because this is his big moment ; because he is the most amazing thing in the picture , '' said Michael Caine , who plays Bruce Wayne 's butler , Alfred . `` And it 's not because he 's dead or something and everyone 's concentrating on him . He would have been the most amazing thing in the picture anyway . '' Caine also praised the late actor 's commitment to immersing himself in a character , something he says is evident from Ledger 's opening monologue . `` It 's one of the finest close-ups I 've ever seen , '' Caine said . Other members of the cast praised Ledger for redefining the character brought to life in the past by Mark Hamill -LRB- `` Batman Beyond : Return of the Joker '' -RRB- and Jack Nicholson -LRB- `` Batman '' -RRB- . See members of the cast praise Ledger '' Aaron Eckhart , who plays District Attorney Harvey Dent , said it was tragic that Ledger was n't around to celebrate his achievement . `` It 's hard to talk about ; this is his . He created the Joker , '' Eckhart said . `` He did it in his own way , and it 's sad , but on the other hand , I am proud to be able to honor him tonight . '' Director Christopher Nolan also praised the rest of the cast , including Christian Bale as Batman , Gary Oldman as police Lt. Jim Gordon , Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes and Morgan Freeman as tech wizard Lucius Fox . Nolan , who directed `` Batman Begins '' three years ago , said he was glad he was able to take a step back and opt for a different approach . See the cast on the `` black carpet '' '' `` I think we 've tried to expand the scope of the story , to tell a grander , more epic tale , '' he told CNN . `` We 've tried to really take the character and take it to darker territory by introducing it to the Joker . '' Nolan seems to have made believers even out of those who were not die-hard fans of the Batman series , including Gyllenhaal , who said she was `` never a superhero movie kind of girl . '' `` I watched a Batman here , a Batman there , but this is different , '' she said . `` Chris -LSB- Nolan -RSB- wanted us to play everything for truth . It 's about real people in the midst of this wild crazy Batman world . And I became a Batman fan shooting it . I mean , have Batman sweep you up and save you from certain death . It converts a girl , you know ? '' The movie was expected to be shown on a record-breaking 9,200 screens in its opening , according to its studio , Warner Bros. -LRB- Like CNN , Warner Bros. is a division of Time Warner . -RRB- . Hollywood columnist Nikki Finke said that insiders at the studio are being conservative , predicting a weekend opening of between $ 90 million and $ 100 million -- strong but not record-breaking . But box office experts , according to Finke , are saying the movie could make as much as $ 130 million , which would make it a narrow third for best opening weekend , behind `` Spider-Man 3 '' -LRB- $ 151 million -RRB- and `` Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man 's Chest '' -LRB- $ 136 million -RRB- . Regardless of how much money the movie grosses , by far the biggest anticipation may be whether the Academy Awards agree with those -- including Oldman -- who say Ledger should earn an Oscar . `` I just wish that he was here to talk about his performance , '' he said . `` I really feel that there is at least an Oscar nomination , if not a win for him . He really is that good . '' CNN entertainment producer Doug Ganley contributed to this report . | `` The Dark Knight '' will open with about 3,000 late-night shows . Fandango.com : Movie will have almost 100 shows at 3 and 6 a.m. Friday . Cast praises Heath Ledger 's performance as the Joker . | [[398, 400], [407, 460], [398, 400], [421, 515], [398, 400], [421, 515], [3224, 3326], [4462, 4492]] |
Editor 's note : Tara Wall is deputy editor for The Washington Times . Before joining the newspaper , she was a senior adviser for the Republican National Committee and was named a public affairs director in the Department of Health and Human Services by President Bush . Read her columns here . Tara Wall says President Bush will be remembered for keeping America safe . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In his final radio address as president-elect on the Sunday ahead of his inauguration , Barack Obama said President Bush `` extended the hand of cooperation '' to him throughout this period of transition . It was a final act of civility , on Mr. Bush 's part . It is a trait that is not surprising to those who know Bush -LRB- or those paying some attention at least half of the time -RRB- . At least one Democrat has given him credit for it . Unfortunately , that tone of civility has been lost on the Democratic leadership over the past eight years . Civility aside , how others -- more importantly , history -- will judge the 43rd president of the United States , is the question that has followed Bush out the door . Lucky for him , it wo n't just be up to Democrats to determine . `` I believe President Bush will be vindicated , '' said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in an interview a couple of weeks ago . She may be an ardent defender of Bush , but I believe she 's right . She , like I , have a different vantage point than what has been routinely portrayed . While sitting in the Oval Office with the 43rd president , for what was his last official week in office last Thursday , I got the sense that he feels he will be vindicated , too . He wo n't say as much , directly , but indirectly points to what matters most in his eyes -- protecting the homeland . `` History will eventually see ... that not only was it necessary to take the steps I took , but -LSB- they -RSB- led to a better world , '' the president told me . On a personal level -LRB- and for the sake of full disclosure -RRB- , I must say that I have had the pleasure of working for and knowing Bush from his first campaign for president and throughout his presidency . I started as a volunteer in 1999 , then worked as a spokeswoman during his second campaign and then as an appointee in his administration . Not only have I counted it an honor and a privilege to serve the 43rd president , but I have always had a deep respect for him as a person of faith , his strident conviction in doing what was right for the country and his commitment to closing the disparities that exist between black and white Americans -- no matter the mistakes made and lessons learned . Above all , it is his dignity and civility that stand out to me most . Yet , for many conservatives -LRB- not just liberals -RRB- , Bush has failed on many fronts . From the miscalculation of the insurgency in Iraq , to failed intelligence gathering and the issues of maintaining fiscal conservatism and delivering real immigration reform -- I ca n't tell you how many Republicans and conservatives I 've spoken to over this past year who have told me how `` disappointed '' they 've been with Bush . A few among them voted for `` change '' as a result . The legacy Bush leaves behind wo n't be everything he wanted -LRB- particularly as it relates to popularity -RRB- , but on many fronts , it will be better than that of his predecessor . Bill Clinton may have been popular , but his moral failings brought shame on the office of the presidency and tainted the people 's house . That will forever be a stain on Clinton 's legacy . Not to mention , there was no such `` civility '' or `` cooperation '' when Clinton turned the keys over to Bush . I prefer principle over popularity any day . On the moral front , President Bush delivered . On the social front , he delivered . On the fiscal front he failed considerably . Yet , on the national security front and on many domestic policies , he succeeded . Depending on your vantage point , success may mean something wholly different . The details will be debated for decades to come . Among the many uncertainties , one thing is certain -- you ca n't judge history in the midst of it . Declaring one `` the worst '' president while he 's still in office is an effort in rhetorical futility . Historians know this all too well . The best prediction one can make was summed up by presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin on `` Meet the Press '' last year : `` If Iraq became the model democracy or even just a democracy , and in doing so changed the whole complexion of the Middle East , then obviously that would be the legacy that would justify what Bush did and what our troops did . '' And that 's exactly what Mr. Bush is banking on . During my Oval Office interview with the president , I asked him to complete the sentence `` President Bush was ... -LSB- fill in the blank -RSB- . '' He responded -LRB- uncharacteristically in third person -RRB- : `` President Bush was the president at a time when our nation was attacked , he clearly saw the dangers , he pursued the enemy , he put tools in place so the professionals could better protect the people , and the homeland was not attacked . '' That is the legacy he wants . Popular or not , he kept America safe . And if nothing else , for that , he will be vindicated . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tara Wall . | Tara Wall : Barack Obama praised President Bush for cooperative nature of transition . Wall : It was a final act of civility by Bush ; she says he was n't given same by Clinton . She says Bush delivered on national security and many domestic issues . Bush will be remembered for keeping America safe , Wall says . | [[402, 487], [490, 607], [608, 662], [296, 371], [306, 371], [3881, 3932], [3944, 3958], [296, 371], [306, 371], [5252, 5274]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A police officer was killed Monday in a suicide bombing at the gate of a police station in Islamabad , authorities said . The bombing took place at a police station in Pakistan 's capital , Islamabad . The explosion occurred on Pakistan Day , a national holiday . The bomber apparently walked up to the police station and blew himself up at its gate . The station houses a special intelligence-gathering branch of Islamabad police . Two people -- the suicide bomber and a police officer -- were killed , police told CNN . Pakistan 's GEO-TV reported three people were dead and 10 wounded in the blast . The blast blew the doors off the police branch and damaged a mosque adjacent to the building , according the network . `` Parts of the bodies , the human bodies , are spread around the area , '' GEO-TV 's Hamid Mir told CNN . The explosion was heard at CNN 's offices , 2 or 3 miles away . Members of the police branch housed in the building help protect government officials such as the prime minister , CNN 's Reza Sayah said , and with the explosion , someone is `` trying to send another message to the federal government here in Islamabad . '' Watch more on the bombing '' '' -LRB- The blast -RRB- underscores the acute security situation this government is facing , '' he said . If the blast was a suicide bombing , it would be the second in the area within a week , Mir said . On March 16 , a suicide attack targeted a bus station near Islamabad . The office targeted Monday is in a crowded area , said Mir , who added : `` This intelligence office is not secret . It 's a very well-known intelligence office . '' However , the area was not in a high-security zone , he said . Asked about the Pakistanis ' attitude toward these repeated attacks , Mir said public opinion in Pakistan was divided . `` Everybody 's against the terrorism , but they think the Americans also need to change their policies . They are in trouble after 9/11 . America is secure , but the people in Pakistan are not secure . '' CNN 's Ram Ramgopal contributed to this report . | A loud explosion has been heard in Islamabad , Pakistan 's capital . Suicide bomber apparently targeted special police branch . Blast came as Pakistanis celebrated their national day . | [[242, 280]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Over the next week CNN has special coverage of one of the world 's biggest gatherings of the luxury industry from Basel , Switzerland , bringing you the views of the people behind some of the biggest brands . Companies suggest the top tier of luxury goods is less affected by the downturn . In this time of economic upheaval , these brands are being put to the test . People are spending their hard-earned money much more carefully . If they 're going to shell out thousands of dollars for a timepiece or a trinket they want to know it 's worth it . A luxury brand 's name , history and quality are cornerstones of its marketing and advertising . But is that enough ? That is the question we will ask the CEOs of brands like Chopard , Bulgari , Patek Phillippe and Tag Heuer , to name a few . There are conflicting reports over whether luxury brands are immune to the effects of a recession . Some suggest that people are not spending as much as they used to . Renowned British department store Harvey Nichols , which houses high-end luxury goods , posted a 40 percent drop in profits and a 5 percent drop in sales in the year ending March 31 , 2009 . Other reports however suggest that consumers are still spending , just more carefully . The CEOs of the high-end brands like Boucheron and Patek Phillippe tell us there are three tiers in the luxury industry : the lower level where the brand 's name is licensed and goods are mass marketed , the mid range where products are expensive but still widely available , and then there 's the top tier where the goods are only available to a select few . These products are very expensive and only a few pieces are produced . Companies suggest this top tier is n't really affected by the downturn as consumers at this level still can afford to spend . Can luxury brands survive ? Send us your views . The CEOs also suggest this downturn means a return to the notion of true luxury that is defined by its aspirational , not affordable quality of a product or a lifestyle . Geography plays a big part in a brand and company 's sales and profitability . Before the credit crunch , the United States was the top market for luxury goods . Today some reports indicate that China has surpassed the U.S. for its hunger for designer brands . According to chinadaily.com , China consumed $ 8.6 billion worth of luxury goods in the two years ending January 2009 . The Middle East and emerging markets like India are also major hubs of luxury consumption as importers of luxury brands . Here companies have set up shop in cities from Dubai to Delhi . These markets have been seen almost as the life rafts in this turbulent economy because there , the thinking is , people will still spend , spend , spend on known brands . Last year at Baselworld , the then-CEO of the luxury watch brand Ebel , Thomas van der Kellen , told us that consumers in the emerging markets `` are growing opportunities for the luxury watch business ... the money is there , it 's very much a branded culture . . so we see a lot of opportunity to make up for potential loss on the western hemisphere . '' The bottom line for all brands in the luxury industry is no one is exempt from feeling the constrictions of the market . Every aspect of the business is and will be affected in some way , whether it 's at the production end -LRB- rising costs of raw materials and manufacturing -RRB- to the retail end -LRB- flow of traffic into their stores -RRB- . What separates those who will survive and even flourish in this industry are the ones that define themselves as true and aspirational luxury where the product is seen as an investment and worth it . | Next week CNN focuses on some of the biggest names in luxury goods . We ask CEOs of top brands how they plan to battle economic downturn . Conflicting reports over whether luxury brands are immune to effects of recession . | [[0, 15], [155, 227], [687, 795], [228, 309]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Air Force nurse has been charged with murdering three terminally ill patients by giving them fatal overdoses , the Air Force said Tuesday . Capt. Michael Fontana is continuing to work at Wildford Hall Medical Center . Capt. Michael Fontana , a nurse at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio , Texas , also was charged Monday with conduct unbecoming an officer for changing a medical document . `` The charges are the result of an Air Force investigation that occurred after irregularities were discovered in Capt. Fontana 's administration of medications which may have resulted in the death of an end-of-life patient , '' hospital spokesman David Smith told reporters . The nurse was charged with three counts of violating Article 118 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice . `` It is considered murder , '' Smith said . After an Article 32 hearing , akin to a civilian grand jury proceeding , the commander will decide whether the case goes to court-martial . The three deaths occurred in July , Smith said . He cited the privacy act in refusing to divulge the suspect 's age and hometown . He said he did not know the motive but was confident no other patients were victimized . `` We know that there are no other patients involved in this case , '' he said . Fontana , an intensive-care unit nurse who has been working at the hospital since 2006 , the year he joined the Air Force , has been released on his own recognizance and is continuing to work at the hospital , though he is no longer involved in patient care , Smith said . `` As far as we can tell , he has been an exemplary nurse , '' Smith said . Fontana also served as a nurse at the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad , Iraq , Smith said . His work there was investigated , `` and there was nothing found , '' he said . A call to a San Antonio phone number listed as belonging to Michael Fontana got a message that said , `` Thank you for calling . Due to the ongoing investigation , I have no comment for you right now , but I do appreciate your call and will talk to you soon . '' Relatives of the dead patients have requested privacy , the Air Force said . Wilford Hall Medical Center is the Air Force 's largest medical facility . | Man is accused of giving terminally ill patients fatal overdoses . He worked at a hospital at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas . He is also charged with conduct unbecoming an officer . | [[594, 671], [240, 245], [246, 261], [353, 447]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An eruption may not be imminent after all for Alaska 's Mount Redoubt , authorities said Thursday . Fears that Alaska 's Mount Redoubt would erupt have diminished . `` For the past two weeks or so , the seismic activity at Redoubt volcano has significantly decreased , '' said Michelle Coombs , a geologist for the Alaska Volcano Observatory and the U.S. Geological Survey . The status is now at a `` yellow '' level , meaning the volcano is `` exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption , timeframe uncertain , or eruption is underway with no or minor volcanic-ash emissions . '' In late January , experts began paying close attention to the volcano and raised the alert to `` orange , '' indicating that it could erupt at any time . `` We believe based on what we 're seeing now , that if it were to erupt , that we would see enough increase in seismic activity to give us sufficient warning to go back up to orange , '' Coombs said . Two other volcanoes in Alaska are also at the `` yellow '' status currently , and Mount Redoubt could remain at that level for months , Coombs said . `` There 's a certain level of unpredictability , '' she said . The 10,197-foot peak is located in southern Alaska , about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage , the state 's most populous city . Mount Redoubt last erupted nearly 20 years ago , in December 1989 . That eruption lasted until April 1990 . CNN 's Robyn Sidersky contributed to this story . | Scientists say it is now less likely that Alaska 's Mount Redoubt will erupt . An eruption at the volcano previously was thought to be eminent . The 10,197-foot peak is located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage . Scientists say an eruption is still possible , but is not certain . | [[19, 88], [119, 183], [1207, 1257], [394, 404], [438, 579]] |
PHOENIX , Arizona -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Basketball great Charles Barkley began serving a three-day sentence in Arizona 's infamous Tent City on Saturday , jailed by the same sheriff whose autobiography he endorsed 12 years ago . Charles Barkley bristled at the implication he should be wearing stripes instead of a red-and-bue sweatsuit . `` You come here when you screw up , '' Barkley said at a news conference hours after he reported at the Maricopa County jail . `` I do n't blame anybody for this situation but myself . '' Barkley , 45 , pleaded guilty last month to misdemeanor drunken-driving charges stemming from a New Year 's Eve arrest after he left a Scottsdale , Arizona , nightclub . A judge sentenced him to 10 days in jail , but his sentence was reduced in exchange for Barkley 's attending an alcohol-awareness course . At the news conference , Barkley sat next to Sheriff Joe Arpaio , the self-proclaimed `` Toughest Sheriff in America . '' Arpaio is known for giving inmates old-fashioned , black-and-white-striped uniforms , making some of them live in tents and reinstituting chain gangs , even for women . `` I 'm an equal incarcerator , '' Arpaio said of Barkley , who will be sleeping in one of the tents . `` We do n't discriminate . '' He said Barkley has been `` a gentleman , cordial . '' `` He 's taking his medicine , '' Arpaio said . `` I hope that something comes out of this . '' In a free-wheeling news conference , Barkley spoke out against drunken driving , made some observations about President Obama -LRB- `` Rush Limbaugh and a lot of jackasses are giving him a hard time right now '' -RRB- and commented on felony charges singer Chris Brown faces for allegedly beating his girlfriend , singer Rhianna . Watch Barkley speak at news conference '' `` I wish both of them the best , but it 's never acceptable to hit a woman . Period , '' Barkley said . Barkley wore a red-and-blue sweatsuit , not the black-and-white stripes that other inmates -- who watched the news conference through a chain-link fence -- were wearing . Barkley said it 's because he 's on the jail 's work-release program , and bristled at questions about it . `` None of the work-release people do that , '' he said . `` But if y' all really , really want to put me as low as I can go , I can do that and make you feel better . `` I know when -LSB- someone is -RSB- famous , you like to see people humiliated . '' Arpaio , who joked with Barkley over the pink underwear he routinely issues inmates , held up a copy of his 1996 book , `` America 's Toughest Sheriff . '' On its back cover , alongside endorsements by Limbaugh , Arizona Sen. John McCain and others , is one from Barkley . `` This man , Sheriff Joe Arpaio , is a role model for all Americans , '' Barkley wrote in the blurb . Barkley is a basketball commentator for TNT , which like CNN is a Time Warner company . A star for the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns , Barkley was named the NBA 's Most Valuable Player in 1993 and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2006 . | Charles Barkley begins serving 3-day jail sentence in Maricopa County , Arizona . The jailer is the sheriff whose autobiography Barkley endorsed 12 years ago . Barkley speaks out against drunken driving during topically diverse news conference . `` He 's taking his medicine , '' Sheriff Joe Arpaio says of his famous inmate . | [[0, 7], [10, 33], [37, 149], [10, 27], [152, 178], [162, 178], [202, 225], [373, 463], [1410, 1444], [1447, 1488], [1317, 1342], [1345, 1361]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama , President Bush and all of the surviving past presidents got together Wednesday for a historic meeting at the White House . Barack Obama meets with President Bush and past presidents in the Oval Office on Wednesday . `` One message that I have , and I think we all share , is that we want you to succeed . Whether we 're Democrat or Republican , we care deeply about this country , '' Bush told Obama before lunch with the former presidents . Bush and Obama were joined by Jimmy Carter , George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton . Obama thanked the president for hosting them and said he was grateful for the opportunity to get `` advice , good counsel and fellowship '' from the group . Watch what Obama says about the meeting '' Obama 's press secretary said the presidents had a `` very constructive conversation '' and Obama appreciated `` the spirit of bipartisanship they showed '' in wishing him success . `` The president and the former presidents had helpful advice on managing the office , as well as thoughts on the critical issues facing the country right now . The president-elect is anxious to stay in touch with all of them in the coming years , '' Robert Gibbs said . Presidential historian Doug Brinkley said it 's `` very smart politics for Obama to keep a channel open '' with the former presidents . `` If he has a policy initiative that he wants to lead the country behind ... if he could get the signatures , the green light from all of the ex-presidents to say , ` Not only am I for this , but I have all of the ex-presidents backing me ' -- that 's powerful , '' he said . White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the last time all of the living presidents got together at the White House was in 1981 , and she called Wednesday 's meeting a `` historic moment . '' She said the president was `` delighted '' to host the luncheon . `` Each of them expressed their desire for President-elect Obama to have a very successful presidency . During the lunch , they had a wide-ranging discussion on many different issues facing the United States , and they all look forward to remaining in contact in the future , '' Perino said . The meeting marked the second time Bush has hosted Obama since the election . Obama suggested the meeting with all of the former presidents when he and Bush first met in November . Perino said earlier she did n't know what they would talk about , but she said she 'd love to be able to hear it . `` I 'm sure all of us would love to be flies on the wall and listening to that conversation , '' Perino said during Tuesday 's daily news briefing . Perino speculated that they would discuss what it 's like to raise children in the White House and how to protect them . Brinkley predicted that first and foremost , the presidents would recall what it was like to be president . `` All of them will have little anecdotes . They 'll see something in the White House that will bring back a memory . They 'll try to bring some levity to this -- make it a very special and engaging and actually a fun afternoon for Barack Obama , '' he said . Secondly , Brinkley said , the conversation would probably turn to what 's going on in the Middle East . Brinkley said that all of the men will be on their `` best behavior , '' but , given the personalities at the luncheon , there could be some tension . `` The friction , if there is any , is between Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter , who are known to not like each other at all , '' he said , pointing out that the Clinton team did not like Carter `` parachuting for peace into Bosnia , North Korea and Haiti '' during Clinton 's administration . `` That 's the relationship that is not warm , it 's not good , and if you are a body language expert , you might home in on that , '' he said . President Bush may find himself the odd man out at the meeting , at least in terms of popularity . Bush registered only a 27 percent approval rating in a December CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey . In contrast , Obama had an 82 percent approval rating . A new poll out Wednesday indicates that 69 percent of adult Americans approved of how Clinton handled his job as president , while 64 percent of adult Americans gave a thumbs up to Carter and 60 percent approved of George H.W. Bush . CNN 's Lauren Kornreich contributed to this report . | Historian calls meeting `` smart politics , '' says it 'll be light , but could be tense . Obama and Bush meet with Bill Clinton , George H.W. Bush , Jimmy Carter . Obama says he 's grateful for chance to get `` advice , good counsel and fellowship '' Last time all the living presidents met at White House was in 1981 , Perino says . | [[1226, 1361], [3351, 3380], [0, 172], [173, 265], [492, 572], [573, 578], [622, 662], [647, 650], [663, 729], [1639, 1766]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British reality TV celebrity Jade Goody died early Sunday morning following a public battle with cervical cancer , her publicist has announced . Jade Goody married her fiance Jack Tweed weeks before her death . Goody , 27 , died in her sleep at home in Essex , east of London , just before 4 a.m. -LRB- midnight Eastern Daylight Time -RRB- , a spokeswoman for Max Clifford Associates said . Goody 's husband , Jack Tweed , who she married last month in a lavish wedding ceremony , was at her bedside when she died , Clifford said . Her mother , Jackiey Budden , who was also at the house , said : `` My beautiful daughter is at peace . '' Goody leaves behind two sons , Bobby , 5 , and Freddie , 4 , by former boyfriend and TV host Jeff Brazier . `` She died knowing that she had touched a lot of hearts and minds across the world , '' Clifford told CNN by phone from Portugal . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was `` deeply saddened '' by Goody 's death . `` Her family can be extremely proud of the work she has done to raise awareness of cervical cancer which will benefit thousands of women across the U.K. Every death from cancer is a tragedy and my thoughts go out to her two sons , husband and family at this time , '' Brown said in a statement . The British media has reported a rise in the number of screenings for cervical cancer since Goody announced she had the disease , a phenomenon some have dubbed the `` Jade Goody effect . '' Goody 's death marks the tragic end to a very modern tale . Images of her shrinking frame and bald head have dominated the pages of British media since she announced she had just weeks to live . However , she has openly courted the attention since bursting into the spotlight courtesy of the British version of `` Big Brother '' in 2002 . At first the former dental nurse was a hate figure for Britain 's vociferous tabloid newspapers , who attacked her for being ignorant and stupid . The public , however , warmed to her loud , honest streak . She did not win the series , but was able to parlay her popularity into a series of reality television and business deals . Her face was soon regularly boldly looking out from the cover of gossip magazines and you could buy the fragrance Shh ... Jade Goody , fitness DVDs or pick up a copy of her autobiography . In 2007 , with her fame starting to dip , she agreed to return for the celebrity edition of `` Big Brother , '' with her mother and then boyfriend , Jack Tweed , joining her in the house . It was to prove an ill-fated decision . Goody was soon accused of making racist comments and bullying her housemate -- the Indian actress Shilpa Shetty . More than 50,000 complaints were received . When she was voted out of the house the show 's producers took the unusual step of banning the public from attending her eviction . Goody was tearful and apologetic but British PR guru Clifford summed up the general opinion at the time by saying : `` It looks like she has ruined a very lucrative career . '' Ever resilient , Goody had a Christmas cookbook out at the end of 2007 and in 2008 signed up for India 's version of `` Big Brother . '' Two days into the show her cancer diagnosis was revealed on air . She flew home immediately to begin treatment . Last month Goody revealed her cancer was terminal and that she only had weeks to live . With typical bravado she , with Clifford 's help , organized her wedding to Tweed , who had only just been released from prison after serving a sentence for assault , selling the exclusive rights to OK! magazine for a reported $ 970,000 . It was also filmed for her reality TV show . Read blog about how media covered wedding . The British government even stepped in to extend Tweed 's 7 p.m. curfew , a condition of his release from jail , so the couple could spend their wedding night together . Watch Jade Goody 's wedding preparations '' Despite her weakening state Goody continued to open her door to the media , saying she needed to keep selling her story to help secure the future of her sons . In the days leading up to her death there were newspaper stories on a hammer-wielding woman getting into her room , the baptism of her sons , her last view of `` sun-kissed '' fields and final farewells with family . There was also controversy when OK ! published a memorial issue nearly a week before she died . The issue , with a coverline announcing `` Jady Goody , 1981-2009 , '' went on sale Tuesday . Clifford said Goody had loved her time in the spotlight . `` I think they 've -LRB- she and the media -RRB- exploited each other . Both have benefited . In Jade 's own words , she 's loved the last 7 years . They 've been wonderful . All the people 's she 's met , all the things she 's done . '' CNN 's Glen Scanlon and Per Nyberg contributed to this report . | Jade Goody dies aged 27 after losing her battle with cervical cancer . British PM Gordon Brown says he is `` deeply saddened '' by Goody 's death . British `` Big Brother '' star fast-tracked plans to get married after cancer spread . Goody said she needed to keep selling her story to raise money for her boys . | [[915, 1004], [956, 1004], [3955, 3960], [4003, 4046], [4010, 4086]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A grand jury has indicted four people in the shooting death of a woman during what police say was a Ku Klux Klan initiation rite in the Louisiana woods , St. Tammany Parish prosecutors said . Raymond `` Chuck '' Foster is reputed to be the leader of the Klan Group . He was among the four indicted . Raymond `` Chuck '' Foster , 44 , was indicted on second-degree murder charges Wednesday in the November death of Cynthia Lynch , 43 , of Tulsa , Oklahoma . If convicted , he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison , said Rick Wood , spokesman for the St. Tammany Parish district attorney 's office . `` That 's what he was charged with , '' Wood told reporters on Wednesday . `` The grand jury agreed with that charge . '' Two other men , including Foster 's son , Shane Foster , were indicted on a count of obstruction of justice , and a woman , Danielle Jones , was indicted on one count of being an accessory after the fact . Wood said Thursday Foster 's case was assigned to one judge and the others ' cases were assigned to another . Foster is scheduled to be arraigned March 3 , he said , and the others are set for arraignment next week . Eight people initially were arrested in the case . The remaining four were not indicted . `` Have n't seen one like this , '' Wood said Wednesday . `` We 've had a lot of high-profile cases , but not one like this . ... As -LRB- district attorney -RRB- Walter Reed said , it will be to the max . They will be prosecuted to the max . '' Authorities said Lynch was recruited over the Internet and took a bus to Slidell , Louisiana , where she was met by two Klan members . They then went to a campsite in the woods near Sun , Louisiana , about 60 miles north of New Orleans , where they met other members of the group , police said . During the initiation rite , members of the Klan group , which calls itself the Sons of Dixie , shaved Lynch 's head , according to Capt. George Bonnett of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff 's Department and Sheriff Jack Strain , who spoke to CNN in November . After 24 hours of drills , including chanting and running with torches , she asked to be taken to town . An argument began , authorities said , and the group 's leader , Raymond Foster , pushed Lynch to the ground and shot her without warning . Lynch apparently wanted to leave because she was homesick , investigators found after talking to her family members . After the shooting , `` Foster , we believe , removed a knife from his pocket and rolled over the victim and began a process of trying to remove the bullet from her body ... because he was trying to destroy evidence where law enforcement would not be able to piece these things together , '' Strain said . Police believe other members of the Sons of Dixie helped cover up the slaying on Foster 's behalf , Strain said at the time , including burning some of Lynch 's personal items . `` We 're up to the challenge , '' Wood told reporters after the indictments were handed up Wednesday . `` This office is ready to proceed and take care of business . '' Authorities received the initial tip about the slaying from a convenience store clerk , after two group members went into the store and asked him if he knew how to get bloodstains out of their clothes . The clerk told them he did not , then called police after they left . Officials tracked down those two members and arrested them , then arrested others at the campsite and Foster . All the members surrendered without incident , police said . Investigators found Confederate battle flags , Ku Klux Klan banners , five Klan robes and an Imperial Wizard robe at the campsite , authorities said . Lynch 's body was found under loose brush along a road several miles from the campsite . Raymond Foster has a history of Ku Klux Klan activity dating back seven years , according to the Southern Poverty Law Center , a Montgomery , Alabama-based organization that tracks hate groups . | Police say Cynthia Lynch of Tulsa shot as she tried to leave KKK rite . Raymond `` Chuck '' Foster is reputed leader of Klan group . Foster , his son , two others accused in indictment of second-degree murder . `` They will be prosecuted to the max , '' spokesman for prosecutor said . | [[235, 309], [235, 261], [273, 309], [0, 11], [43, 113], [310, 342], [323, 342], [343, 369], [377, 486], [770, 773], [780, 783], [786, 809], [812, 824], [770, 809], [818, 877], [1413, 1462], [1465, 1488], [1463, 1488], [1489, 1525]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The White House insists that it was entirely former Sen. Tom Daschle 's decision to withdraw his nomination , but some observers say he did n't have a choice . Tom Daschle said Tuesday that he 's stepping aside as the nominee for secretary of health and human services . Despite the controversy over his tax records and his work in a field that some consider lobbying , Daschle was expected to be confirmed . His withdrawal shocked Capitol Hill , and Democratic colleagues expressed regret over his decision . `` I think one of the major factors had to be that the political climate has changed radically just in the last couple of weeks , '' CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry said . President Obama ripped Wall Street executives last week for their `` shameful '' decision to hand out $ 18 billion in bonuses in 2008 while accepting federal bailout money . The next day , news broke that Daschle had n't paid his taxes in full . Daschle said Monday that he was `` deeply embarrassed '' for a series of errors that included failing to report $ 15,000 in charitable donations , unreported car service and more than $ 80,000 in unreported income from consulting . Daschle recently filed amended tax returns and paid more than $ 140,000 in back taxes and interest for 2005-07 . `` That , in this political climate , really tripped up Tom Daschle because it looked awful politically for this White House , '' Henry said . In an interview with CNN 's Anderson Cooper on Tuesday , Obama said he made a mistake in handling the nomination of Daschle . `` I think I screwed up . And , I take responsibility for it and we 're going to make sure we fix it so it does n't happen again . `` Ultimately , I campaigned on changing Washington and bottom-up politics , '' Obama said . `` And I do n't want to send a message to the American people that there are two sets of standards -- one for powerful people and one for ordinary folks who are working every day and paying their taxes . '' At a news conference Tuesday afternoon , press secretary Robert Gibbs insisted that the White House did not pressure Daschle to step down . Watch Gibbs answer questions about Daschle 's move '' Pressed on whether Daschle was given any sort of signal to resign , Gibbs said , `` I do n't know how much more clear I could be . The decision was Sen. Daschle 's . '' A Daschle ally familiar with his thinking said Tuesday that he was not aware of any White House pressure on the former Senate majority leader to withdraw his nomination . Asked whether Daschle was pushed , the source said , `` things do n't work that cleanly . '' The issue was not whether Daschle could `` survive '' ; it was what that process `` would do to Obama '' and his health care reform and economic agenda . It 's a question of the `` price of that confirmation , '' he said . The source said Daschle read the Tuesday New York Times editorial urging him to withdraw from consideration but would not say whether that might have played a part in his decision . `` Tom has been a politician for a very long time , '' the source said . `` He understands this town . He made a mistake ; he apologized , but timing matters . There was a critical mass building . '' Obama senior adviser David Axelrod said he thought Daschle made the decision Tuesday morning . `` I have to believe that Sen. Daschle having spent as many years as he has up here had a clear picture that there was going to be a delay , and I think he did n't want to contribute to that . In announcing his withdrawal , Daschle said it was an honor to be chosen to lead the reform of America 's health care system . `` But if 30 years of exposure to the challenges inherent in our system has taught me anything , it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people , and without distraction , '' he said in a statement . `` Right now , I am not that leader and will not be a distraction . '' Mark Preston , CNN 's political editor , pointed out that Daschle has a `` history of making 11th-hour decisions . '' Six years ago , Daschle made a last-minute decision not to run for president after he had been all set to go . `` I think that the Tom Daschle we saw yesterday was all set to go , and then the pressure started mounting ... and then he decided to pull out , '' Preston said . Although he was expected to be confirmed , it was also expected that he 'd have to undergo a bruising confirmation hearing that could have led to negative headlines for Obama . As news broke of the withdrawal , some senators said they were sad to see Daschle step aside , but others said it was the right thing to do . `` I 'm in shock . I did n't know that . I do n't know what happened , '' said Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-California . `` I talked to him ... the night before last , and he showed no signs of withdrawing . '' Feinstein praised Daschle as rare person who could get something like health care through the Senate and said she wishes he had not withdrawn . `` I have great faith in him . '' Sen. John Cornyn , R-Texas , said Daschle `` did a service to President Obama '' by stepping aside . `` I think it really would have looked bad for the Senate to close ranks around a fellow member and sort of reinforce the idea that they were going to protect a member as part of the good ol' boys club , '' he said . Daschle has a lengthy history with members of Congress . He represented South Dakota in the House of Representatives for four terms , and he served in the Senate for three terms . He was the Senate majority leader from June 2001 to January 2003 and served as the minority leader before losing his re-election bid in 2005 . Sen. John Ensign , R-Nevada , said Daschle `` saved the president from being embarrassed '' by withdrawing . Watch Republicans weigh in on the move '' Sen. Max Baucus , chairman of the Senate Finance Committee , said he was `` a little stunned '' by Daschle 's decision . `` I thought he was going to get confirmed . I thought -- he 's a good man , and I thought he 'd be confirmed . I 'm surprised , '' said Baucus , D-Montana . Sen. John Kerry , D-Massachusetts , insisted that Daschle had owned up to his mistakes . `` He 's made his decision , I respect his decision , and we go on from there , '' Kerry said . Daschle 's resignation came hours after Nancy Killefer 's withdrawal as Obama 's chief performance officer , a new post in the administration . Officials said privately the reason for Killefer 's withdrawal was unspecified tax issues . The much-touted post was designed to scrub the federal budget . CNN 's Lisa Desjardins , Candy Crowley and Kristi Keck contributed to this report . | NEW : Political climate tripped up Daschle , says CNN 's Ed Henry . Source says Daschle was worried about what his confirmation would do to Obama . Senators say they did not see the withdrawal coming . Daschle 's nomination questioned due to tax problems , work in recent years . | [[1306, 1313], [1344, 1430], [1306, 1313], [1344, 1430], [4465, 4467], [4476, 4572]] |
BRADDOCK , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What happens when business and government turn their collective back on a town and just walk away ? Braddock , Pennsylvania , is what happens . Braddock , Pennsylvania , has suffered since the steel mills went out of business in the 1970s and 1980s . When steel was king , the population of Braddock surged to more than 20,000 people . With its proximity to Pittsburgh and its location on the Monongahela River , it was an ideal location for a steel town . When steel mills began closing in the 1970s and 1980s , Braddock was not immune . In 1982 , Braddock 's main mill , the Carrie Furnace , closed its doors , putting thousands of people out of work . Throughout the 1980s and 1990s , residents left the town seeking work in other parts of Pennsylvania . The 2000 census put the population of Braddock at 2,900 , but it has dropped further , according to residents . Home prices have plummeted and real estate is as inexpensive as $ 6,000 for a single-family house . Historic pictures show a polished downtown and a bustling community . Now , most businesses have closed their doors , leaving only a handful to serve the community . A drive down Braddock Avenue , the main street , indicates the town has seen the bottom . The avenue is lined with crumbling offices and stores , boarded windows and empty lots where buildings once stood . But there is hope in the town . In 2005 , Braddock elected John Fetterman by one vote as its mayor . He is originally from York , Pennsylvania , and has lived in the area of Braddock for eight years . He has an MBA from Harvard and started a program that helped dislocated youth from the area receive their high school equivalency degrees . At 6 feet 8 inches and 325 pounds , he is an imposing figure . He chooses to dress in Dr Martens boots , baggy jeans and Dickies short-sleeved shirts because he feels he is able to connect with the people better dressed that way . He shaves his head and has a goatee . Possibly the most intimidating aspects of Fetterman 's appearance are his tattoos , clearly visible on his forearms , including the numbers 15104 , the town 's ZIP code . Watch as the mayor talks about his revitalization plan '' When asked if he thinks the town is at rock bottom , Fetterman replies , `` I do n't believe that it 's the bottom in the sense that this is a bad place . This is what can happen when you turn your back on a community . '' Since he was elected , Fetterman has made it his mission to give Braddock a prosperous future . He has given incentives to businesses to relocate to his town . The main incentive is large manufacturing space at a fraction of the cost in a normal market . A company that converts diesel engines into vegetable-oil burning engines , Fossil Free Fuel , relocated to Braddock from Allen , Pennsylvania . `` The initial building was about 14,000 square feet and supposedly the asking price was $ 25,000 . And we were like how do you get so much space for so little money ? '' said David Rosenstraus , one of the owners of Fossil Free Fuel . `` I think for a very small business like us , not having very much capital to work with building a shop , and investments going into tools and things inside the shop , -LSB- we -RSB- would be spread thin if we had to pay a lot for the actual building . '' On the site where the Carrie Furnace steel mill building still stands , the county plans to convert the contaminated land into commercial and residential space . Allegheny County executive Dan Onorato is driving this plan , `` We do n't look at this like a liability . We see some potential here . We can take back 147 acres , take back the riverfront and make this a viable spot again . But you have to invest public money into the infrastructure to make that happen . It wo n't happen on its own . For example , this place closed 25 years ago , it 's still here . The public sector has to come in and invest . '' Braddock still has many obstacles to overcome , but Fetterman believes that it 's possible to grow , `` I 'd like to see Braddock move towards -- continue to move towards -- a safer place that is moving towards better outcomes for everybody . '' | Braddock , Pennsylvania , thrived as a steel town . Thousands of people left after mills shut down . Mayor trying to use incentives to bring business back to area . Real estate prices are incredibly low , enticing some to move to town . | [[294, 313], [316, 378], [582, 589], [592, 613], [656, 683], [2543, 2606]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three people were arrested Saturday after chaos broke out at an `` America 's Next Top Model '' audition at a New York hotel , police said . A large crowd at the Park Central New York hotel got unruly Saturday during a `` Top Model '' audition . Six people were injured , and two of them sought treatment at a hospital , authorities said . Police said they did n't know what provoked the bedlam . Three people were charged with disorderly conduct and inciting a riot in connection with the incident at the Park Central New York hotel in Manhattan . The audition was shut down after the incident , authorities said . Calls to Park Central management were not immediately returned on Saturday . The `` Top Model '' competition , hosted and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks and aired by the CW network , is in its 12th cycle . | Police : 3 people were arrested Saturday after chaos broke out at a TV show audition . `` America 's Next Top Model '' audition was being held at a New York hotel , police said . Two people sought treatment at a hospital , authorities said . `` Top Model '' competition is hosted by Tyra Banks and airs on CW network . | [[28, 152], [169, 273], [425, 576], [425, 437], [479, 576], [28, 152], [169, 273], [304, 346], [349, 367], [625, 643], [721, 726], [804, 827]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- France is sending four state police units to its overseas department of Guadeloupe after a month of sometimes violent demonstrations , Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said Thursday . French gendarmes face-off against Guadeloupe protesters . `` The pillaging ... the violence against people , are not tolerable and will not be tolerated , '' Alliot-Marie told the French radio station RTL . `` It 's no longer simply a question of containing the protests . ... This mission of honor will continue to be undertaken , but we also have to fight against the violence . '' French President Nicolas Sarkozy planned to meet with elected officials from overseas departments , including Guadeloupe , Thursday afternoon , his office announced . A general strike over low wages and living conditions in the Caribbean island has included demonstrations and clashes with police . At least one civilian has been killed in the riots , officials said . Hospitals and emergency services continue to function and the main international airport is open , but petrol stations , schools , and most businesses -- including supermarkets and car rental offices -- are closed , the British Foreign Office said in a travel advisory . Hotels are open , but the strike is causing daily cuts to electricity and water supplies , the Foreign Office said . French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Thursday he is ready to approve a compromise that would give nearly a $ 200 -LRB- $ 254 -RRB- monthly supplement to workers in Guadeloupe with low-paying jobs . `` This crisis is serious , and profound , but it 's not new , '' Fillon said , adding that it 's linked to `` the lifelessness of the economy in the Antilles , aggravated by the global economic crisis . '' Sending supplementary police forces is justified , Fillon said , because `` we can not accept what has happened '' in the department . He was referring to the attacks on businesses , the roadblocks in the streets and above all , the death of the civilian , who he said was a union leader . Agence France-Presse identified the victim as union representative Jacques Bino . He was shot dead Tuesday night when he drove past a roadblock manned by armed youths in the city of Pointe-a-Pitre . His car was hit three times by shotgun fire , prosecutors told AFP . Three police who accompanied emergency services trying to help the dying man were lightly wounded , officials said , according to AFP . Speaking with RTL on Wednesday , one demonstrator denied he was fanning the flames of unrest . `` We have always called for calm , '' Elie Domota , leader of the Coalition against Exploitation , said . `` We have told the young people to go to their homes and continue to protest peacefully , but the police yesterday beat protesters and called them racist names , so the situation escalated . '' CNN 's Alanne Orjoux in Atlanta , Georgia , contributed to this report . | French police reinforcements being posted to Guadeloupe . Island wracked by a month of sometimes violent protests over living conditions . Protest leader denies encouraging violence . Guadeloupe is French overseas territory . | [[34, 166], [34, 166], [775, 906], [2503, 2564], [34, 166]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The clicking of dozens of news cameras drowned out the sobs of the 13-year-old girl , but her face explained what was happening in the departure hall of Japan 's Narita International Airport . Arlan and Sarah Calderon hug their daughter Noriko farewell . Noriko Calderon , wearing her school uniform , was being forced to make one of the most wrenching choices of her young life : To stay in the country of her birth rather than join her parents being deported to the Philippines . The scene was the emotional climax to a story a decade and a half in the making -- one that has tugged at heartstrings in Japan , but ultimately failed to sway to an unyielding bureaucracy that activists say violates human rights . Sound off : Do you think Japanese authorities are doing the right thing ? Filipinos Arlan and Sarah Calderon illegally entered Japan in the early 1990s on fake passports . They married and had a daughter , Noriko . Arlan found a stable job working for a construction company . Noriko grew up Japanese , attending school and never learning her parents ' native language . Noriko , like many Tokyo girls her age , loves hip-hop and hopes to be a dancer or a teacher at a dance school someday . But her future in the only country she 's ever known went into limbo when Japanese immigration authorities arrested her mother in 2006 . Her parents decided to fight Japan 's notoriously rigid immigration laws and for three years under a harsh media spotlight , they argued their case all the way to the country 's High Court , saying Arlan is gainfully employed and their daughter only speaks Japanese . The family lost their case in the High Court , and Japan ordered Arlan and Sarah Calderon be deported back to the Philippines . Watch CNN interview with family '' Activists claim Japan 's notoriously rigid immigration laws violate human rights . An estimated 500 families are in the same situation according to lawyers , who accuse Japan of not respecting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child . Japan 's Immigration Bureau in a statement to CNN said the couple 's illegal presence in the country as an `` extremely malicious '' violation that `` shakes the foundation of Japan 's immigration control . '' But when it came to 13 year old Noriko , the government gave the girl a choice : Her country or her parents . `` Japan is my homeland , '' says Noriko , when asked why she is choosing to stay behind . She will move in with an aunt , allowed to stay in Japan under a visa that the government will reassess yearly . Her life , say her parents , will be better in Japan . She 'll have schooling and the dreams a big city like Tokyo can offer her , versus the impoverished farm community her parents will move back to in the Philippines . But as the Calderons packed up their small apartment in the days leading up to the deportation , the reality of what would soon happen to the family became more and more harsh . `` Until I 'm an adult , I need my parents , '' Noriko said , her pink cheeks stained with tears . `` We wo n't be there when she needs us the most , '' said Arlan Calderon . `` She has to protect herself on her own . I 'm so sorry about that . '' Shogo Watanabe , the Calderons ' attorney , collected more than 20,000 signatures in Japan to try and keep the family together in the country . `` Children should be protected when their parents are punished . It 's the child 's right . But there 's no consideration for that at all . I do not think the government is being flexible , '' said Watanabe . Under Japanese immigration laws , the Calderons wo n't be allowed back into Japan for five years . They 've asked for a special waiver to visit their daughter after a year , but it has n't been granted yet . So their last , public hug could be the last time they see their daughter until she 's 18 . | Noriko Calderon born and raised in Japan by Filipino parents . Parents deported after years of living in country . Schoolgirl says she will stay , meaning she may not see parents until she 's 18 . | [[1024, 1047], [414, 478], [2973, 2992], [3780, 3793], [3796, 3871]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ricin , a poison thought to have been found in a Las Vegas , Nevada , hotel room Thursday , can be made from the waste left after processing castor beans , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Ricin is made from castor beans . The toxin comes in the form of a mist or pellet and can be dissolved in water or weak acid , according to the CDC . It works by getting inside the cells of the body and preventing them from making the proteins they need . As little as 500 micrograms -- an amount the size of the head of a pin -- can kill an adult . Here are some ricin cases : . • September 1978 , London , England : Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov is killed by a ricin-filled poison dart fired from an umbrella . Markov , a communist defector working for the BBC World Service , was waiting at a bus stop when he was killed . • 2002 , Iraq : A primitive testing facility run by members of Ansar al Islam , a Kurdish Sunni Islamist group , is discovered . Authorities say ricin had been tested on barnyard animals there . • January 2003 , United Kingdom : Scotland Yard arrests seven terror suspects from Algeria after traces of ricin are discovered at their homes . A U.S. official later connects the men to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi , who led al Qaeda in Iraq until his death in 2006 . Four of the men were charged with terrorism offenses under Britain 's Terrorist Act 2000 and with `` being concerned in the development or production of chemical weapons '' under the Chemical Weapons Act of 1996 . • March 2003 , France : Small bottles containing traces of ricin are found in a Paris train station , according to French police . • October 2003 , United States : Ricin is found in a sealed envelope in a postal handling facility in Greenville , South Carolina . Watch CNN 's Dr. Sanjay Gupta explain the potency of ricin '' • November 2003 , United States : The Secret Service intercepts a letter addressed to the White House that contains a vial of ricin . The letter , signed by `` Fallen Angel , '' complained about trucking regulations , and was nearly identical to one discovered October 15 in South Carolina . • February 2004 , United States : Ricin is found in the mailroom of the Dirksen Senate Office building in Washington D.C. . The mailroom handled correspondence addressed to then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and others . Frist said no one became sick . • January 2005 , United States : An Ocala , Florida , man with no known ties to terrorists or extremists is arrested by the FBI after agents found ricin in the home he shares with his mother . Steven Michael Ekberg pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a biological weapon . E-mail to a friend . | Ricin found in four U.S. cases since 2003 . Bulgarian dissident killed by dart containing ricin in 1978 . 500 micrograms of ricin , size of a pinhead , can kill an adult . | [[617, 633], [655, 728], [702, 753], [524, 526], [560, 586]] |
Editor 's note : Paul Begala , a Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor , was a political consultant for Bill Clinton 's presidential campaign in 1992 and was counselor to Clinton in the White House . Paul Begala says Republicans are failing to respond to the real economic pain felt throughout the U.S. -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the fight over President Obama 's economic recovery package heats up , the two sides are beginning to define themselves with admirable clarity . The president says we have a crisis that is heading toward a catastrophe . In announcing his new Economic Recovery Advisory Board , President Obama declared , `` The situation could not be more serious . These -LSB- new unemployment -RSB- numbers demand action . It is inexcusable and irresponsible for any of us to get bogged down in distraction , delay , or politics as usual , while millions of Americans are being put out of work . '' The Republicans , on the other hand , have honed their economic message : Denial , Delay , Do Nothing . Denial . It begins with denial . Former Bush adviser Karl Rove and Fox News host Bill O'Reilly opined in December that it 's the media 's fault . The said the press is overhyping bad news ; the economy , they suggested , is not really all that bad . `` So you are agreeing with me , '' O'Reilly said , `` that there is a conscious effort on the part of The New York Times and other liberal media to basically paint as drastic a picture as possible , so that when Barack Obama takes office , that anything is better than what we have now ? '' `` Yes , '' said Mr. Rove . OK . I guess if you 're wealthy like Mr. Rove and Mr. O'Reilly you can afford to pretend the recession is a vast media conspiracy . But for the 3.7 million Americans who have lost their jobs in the Bush-Republican recession , Messrs. Rove and O'Reilly seem dangerously out of touch . Delay . `` Let 's slow down . Let 's take our time , '' said Sen. Mike Johanns -LRB- R-Nebraska -RRB- . `` Few things are going to be as important as this . '' Generally that 's good advice . But with the economy losing 19,000 jobs a day , is delay really a wise strategy ? Sen. Richard Shelby -LRB- R-Alabama -RRB- seems to think so . He told CNN 's John King , `` We could shelf this bill and start again . That 's what we really need to do . '' Do Nothing . South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is widely considered a rising star in the GOP . He was even mentioned as a potential running mate for 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain . His strategy , again articulated to John King on `` State of the Union , '' is to do nothing -- let companies , communities and families fail . `` We 're going to go through a process of deleveraging , '' Sanford said . `` And it will be painful . The question is , do we apply a bunch of different Band-Aids that lengthen and prolong this pain or do we take the Band-Aid off ? I believe very strongly : Let 's get this thing over with , let 's not drag it on . '' Set aside the callousness of Sanford 's metaphor -- that joblessness at the highest level since the Great Depression is somehow like a scratch that does n't even need a Band-Aid . Focus instead on Sanford 's substantive message : You 're on your own . Write if you get work . This befits a party which has high-ranking members who deny the effectiveness of the New Deal . What 's next , denying that the federal government put a man on the moon ? What Bipartisanship ? Given the GOP 's combination of flat-earth economics and scorched-earth politics , it should come as no surprise that it looks like 98.6 percent of Washington Republicans oppose President Obama 's economic recovery package . They either do not understand the depth of the recession or they do not realize the results of the recent election . I do n't know what more President Obama can do . He has named three prominent Republicans to his Cabinet -LRB- Robert Gates at Defense , Ray LaHood at Transportation and Judd Gregg at Commerce -RRB- . He has helped persuade New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch to replace Sen. Gregg with a Republican . He has met behind closed doors with the entire House and Senate Republican conferences . He has hosted bipartisan cocktail parties , a Super Bowl party and -- what 's left , a slumber party ? He has agreed to ditch progressive provisions from the stimulus bill , like support for family planning -LRB- earning him a rebuke from Planned Parenthood -RRB- and accepted more tax cuts than many Democrats would like . iReport.com : Share your thoughts on the stimulus package . Still , there 's bipartisanship and there 's bipartisanship . Real-world Republicans support President Obama 's recovery plan . Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is a supporter , and as the ubiquitous John King has reported , the very Republican mayor of the very Republican town of Carmel , Indiana , supports Obama 's plan as well . `` Government should be investing in infrastructure , '' Mayor James Brainard told King . `` That is what government is meant to do . It creates long-term value . I think the stimulus plan is a good one . '' So take heart , Mr. President . In the real world of layoffs , foreclosures and plant closings , you have the support of both Republicans and Democrats . They agree with you that Denial , Delay and Doing Nothing is not an economic strategy . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul Begala . | Paul Begala : Republicans are adopting strategy of blocking action on economy . He says they have denied the extent of the problem and delayed action . Begala : Some in GOP adopt a callous attitude that we should do nothing . Still , he says , some Republicans outside Washington see the need to act . | [[214, 291], [214, 291]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tim Masters squarely blames Fort Collins , Colorado , police and prosecutors for his inability to land gainful employment and for his not having a wife and kids at this stage in his life . Tim Masters , left , stands with attorney David Wymore , right , before Masters ' release from prison last year . In 1987 , Masters became the prime suspect in the slaying of Peggy Hettrick , a 37-year-old found in a field near his house . Among the reasons police said they focused on Masters was that he failed to report the body after he found it and his childhood drawings and stories suggested he was fixated on death . Masters was convicted of murder in 1999 , but a judge last year threw out the conviction and released him from prison , citing new evidence that did not implicate Masters . Masters now has a lawsuit pending against several police officers , ex-prosecutors and the city . The city of Fort Collins has asked a federal judge to dismiss the case . Now 37 , Masters sat down for a phone interview with a CNN reporter who covered his case and subsequent release . He said he still holds a grudge against the police and prosecutors who put him behind bars . Watch Masters the day after his 2008 release '' He 's living in Greeley , Colorado , and does n't get back to Fort Collins much , but he does love traveling . Most notably , he 's traveled to Amsterdam , Netherlands , to appear on a talk show with Richard and Selma Eikelenboom , the Dutch forensic scientists who discovered the DNA evidence that ultimately freed Masters . Things can be tough sometimes , but anything is better than prison , Masters said of his first year as a free man since being imprisoned . CNN : How have things been in the year since your release ? Masters : It 's a struggle to earn enough money to pay my bills and everything , make a living . Other than that , life is good . CNN : Do you have a job ? Masters : I buy stuff at auction and I sell it on eBay . CNN : Do you have trouble finding a job because of your time in jail ? Masters : Yeah , I think that has a lot to do with it . The first thing that comes up on a background check is `` charges dismissed -- first-degree murder . '' Watch Masters thank those last year who worked to free him '' CNN : How else have you been keeping yourself busy ? Masters : Pretty much work . That 's it . CNN : Describe a typical day . Masters : The big challenge is , first of all , you 've got to find out where the auctions are . Once you get that down , then you go to the auctions . Another disadvantage I have is I 'm a little outdated on the prices of things , so I 'm thinking things are worth a lot less than what they 're going for . So I have to learn what things are worth now . I go to the auction , and I bid on stuff . I try and buy it cheap enough that I can make a profit on it , load it into the truck , bring it back to the house . I have shelves all in my basement full of just odds and ends . I put it all on the shelves . I do research on the computer and find out which ones I can actually make a profit on , and I list those . You list the item on eBay and let it run its course through the auction for usually seven days . If it sells , you pack it and ship it off . If it does n't sell , you can either re-list it as an auction item , re-list it as a store item or throw it in the trash . CNN : What kind of money do you make in a typical week ? Masters : Not enough . CNN : What do you enjoy doing most that you were n't able to do in prison ? Masters : Travel . I 've been to see my sister about four times since I 've been out . She 's in California . I have an uncle in Arizona . This goes along with the eBay business . I go down there every once in a while . He has a warehouse full of used restaurant equipment , and I go down there every so often . I go through his warehouse , take pictures of all the new stuff he 's got in and I list it on eBay for him . Sometimes it sells , sometimes it does n't . In April , a TV station over in Amsterdam paid to fly me over there to be on a talk show with Richard and Selma -LSB- Eikelenboom -RSB- from the DNA lab . That was cool . Watch a prosecutor explain why Masters ' conviction was reversed '' CNN : What did you have the hardest time getting used to after being in prison so long ? Masters : Maybe cell phones ? Cell phones are everywhere now . They did n't used to be so common . I had a cell phone before I was arrested , but the last year before I was arrested , I did n't even keep service on it . Now , I do n't know what I 'd do if I did n't have a cell phone . It has my calendar , my address book , everything on it . CNN : You spent some prime years of your life -- late 20s , early 30s -- in jail for a crime you did n't commit . What do you think you missed most by not being a free man in those years ? Masters : There 's so much . Right off the top , I 'd say having a family . I think they 're very much responsible for me not having a family right now , a wife and kids . But it goes back further than just them arresting me . It goes all the way back to my high school days when they labeled me a murder suspect among all my peers and my teachers and everything . It goes back a long time . Watch police interrogate a 15-year-old Masters '' CNN : They did the same thing when you were in the military , too , right ? Masters : Yeah , in ' 92 . CNN : You said last year that you were staying away from alcohol because you were uncertain what emotions it might stir up . Are you still staying away from booze ? Masters : Yeah , that went to hell when I went to Europe . I had a couple beers over in Europe . I did n't get drunk , but we 'd have a few beers . CNN : Are you still cautious with your use of alcohol ? Masters : Yeah , I think I am . CNN : Why ? Masters : No. 1 , I do n't want a hangover -LSB- laughing -RSB- . I have a lot of repressed anger from all those years , but I do n't think it 's going to snap on anybody when I have a couple of beers though . CNN : Any hard feelings toward the Fort Collins Police Department or the prosecutors in the case ? Masters : Oh , absolutely . They locked me up for a decade for something I did n't do . Read how DNA pointed to a new killer . CNN : If you could talk to the prosecutors or police who handled your case , what would you say to them ? Masters : I do n't want to talk to them at all . CNN : Talk about your lawsuit against the prosecutors and police . Who does it target ? Masters : Mainly , -LSB- former prosecutors , now Judges -RSB- Jolene Blair and Terri Gilmore and -LSB- Fort Collins police Lt. -RSB- Jim Broderick , but there are a few other defendants involved and the city , but in my mind those are the big three . Key players in the case '' CNN : Tell me about the suit , what it alleges . Masters : You 'd probably be better to talk to the lawyers about that . CNN : What would you say to the Hettrick family , which is now left to wonder what happened to their daughter ? Masters : I do n't know what I 'd say to them . It 's a damned shame that -LSB- the police -RSB- did this to them , too , telling them they got the guy when they did n't have the right person . I do n't know what I 'd say to them . That 's a tough question . CNN : Do you get back to Fort Collins much ? Masters : I try to stay away from Fort Collins . I still have family over there though , so I 'm over there every once in a while . CNN : Does going there bring back bad memories ? Masters : Yeah , and every time I go over there I feel like I 'm on the defensive , every time I see a police car with someone pulled over or something -- well , let me give you an example . One day , my aunt and I were coming back from having lunch , and we were about to make a left and the road kept going straight . On the other side of the street , they had the yellow police tape up , and this is only two blocks from my aunt 's house . I 'm thinking , `` Oh great , I wonder when they 're going to come interrogate me for something that happened over here . '' It turns out the yellow tape was up because there was a telephone pole that was leaning over , but it looked like crime scene tape . I did n't know . But I ca n't live like that , wondering when they are going to harass me for something that I did n't have anything to do with . They did it to me before . CNN : So you 're keeping a low profile ? Masters : Yeah , pretty much . | Tim Masters relies on eBay for income because record still mentions murder charge . Masters says he 's still getting used to cell phones , the current prices of things . City of Fort Collins asking federal judge to dismiss Masters ' lawsuit . Wrongful conviction leaves Masters anxious when he sees police , he says . | [[2541, 2618], [904, 976], [939, 976]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A person 's risk of stroke is associated with the number of fast-food restaurants near their residence , according to a study presented Thursday at a stroke conference in San Diego , California . Fast-food restaurants may be associated with stroke risk , a new study says . Some say there 's not enough evidence . Researchers led by Dr. Lewis B. Morgenstern at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor counted 1,247 strokes caused by blood clots in 64 census tracts in Nueces County , Texas , which includes Corpus Christi , from January 2000 through June 2003 . They also mapped the county 's 262 fast-food restaurants and then adjusted for socioeconomic status and demographics and found a statistically significant association . `` The association suggested that the risk of stroke in a neighborhood increased by 1 percent for every fast-food restaurant , '' the authors wrote in a poster presented at the American Stroke Association 's International Stroke Conference . Residents of neighborhoods in the 75th percentile of fast-food restaurants had a 6 percent increased risk of stroke compared with residents of the 25th percentile of such eateries , according to the study , which was paid for by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke . Morgenstern , director of the University of Michigan 's stroke program and professor of neurology and epidemiology , warned that the finding does not prove that proximity to fast-food restaurants caused the increase in strokes of people living nearby . Watch more on the link between fast food restaurants and stroke '' `` What we do n't know is whether fast food actually increased the risk because of its contents or whether fast-food restaurants are a marker of unhealthy neighborhoods , '' he said . Still , he added , `` If this association is causal , the findings have large public health importance due to the high prevalence of fast-food restaurants . '' A spokeswoman for the National Restaurant Association lambasted that concern as unsupported by the data . `` This article is seriously flawed and by its own admission shows no correlation whatsoever between dining at chain restaurants and incidence of stroke , '' Beth Johnson said . `` Further , it tells us nothing about the eating and exercise habits of the individuals involved . The restaurant industry continues to offer a growing number of healthier offerings , move away from the use of trans fats and provide more nutrition information . `` In fact , the National Restaurant Association strongly supports a national , uniform approach to providing detailed nutrition information in chain restaurants . Constructive and responsive measures like these , and not misleading studies , will help consumers make healthy choices for themselves and their families , '' she added . | Study looked at 1,247 strokes in Nueces County , Texas . Risk of stroke in a neighborhood increased by 1 percent for every fast-food restaurant . Spokeswoman for National Restaurant Association says study is flawed . | [[428, 483], [750, 909], [1947, 2052]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A missing 5-year-old Florida girl was most likely abducted from her home in rural Florida , police said Wednesday . Haleigh Cummings , 5 , went missing Monday night from her home near Orlando , police said . Haleigh Cummings has been missing since 3 a.m. Tuesday , when her father 's girlfriend called 911 to say the child had vanished from her Putnam County home . `` There 's no longer any reason to believe that the child simply wandered outside , '' said Putnam County Sheriff 's Office Maj. Gary Bowling . The police must `` assume abduction , '' he said . `` All the answers to why you 'd want to take a 5-year-old are ugly , '' Bowling said . Police have no official suspects , but are treating everyone they interview as one . `` All the world 's a suspect '' now , Bowling said . Hear the frantic 911 call '' A nationwide Amber Alert says the girl was last seen wearing a pink shirt and underwear . Police plan to use infrared aviation technology after dark Wednesday in their search . `` She 's a 5-year-old child , and she 's afraid of the dark , '' Bowling said . On Monday night , Ronald Cummings ' girlfriend , 17-year-old Misty Croslin , was watching Haleigh and her 4-year-old brother , police said . Croslin put Haleigh to bed at 8 p.m. and then went to bed herself at 10 p.m. , they said . Croslin told police she woke up at 3 a.m. and discovered Haleigh missing . Croslin then called 911 and told a dispatcher that she found a brick on the floor of the family 's double-wide trailer , according to CNN affiliate WJXT-TV . The station 's Web site printed the text of the 911 call , which included this exchange : . Dispatch : OK . All right , you said your back door was wide open ? Caller : Yes , with a brick . Like , there was a brick on the floor . Like , when I went to sleep the door was not like that . The brick was actually holding open the door to the trailer , Putnam County Sheriff 's Office Lt. Johnny Greenwood told CNN . Croslin is staying with relatives as the investigation continues , said Bowling , describing the girlfriend as a `` child herself . '' Earlier Wednesday , Cummings pleaded for his daughter 's safe return . `` All I want is my child ... please ... all I want is my child , '' he said , his voice breaking . On Wednesday , Haleigh 's maternal grandmother , Marie Griffis , told reporters that she feared the worst . `` She 's out there somewhere , I can feel her . I can feel her presence , '' Griffis told CNN affiliate WFTV-TV . `` She 's screaming . '' Watch grandparents plead for girl 's return '' Haleigh 's mother , Crystal Sheffield , wept as she stood in front of reporters . `` I just want whoever 's got her to bring her home , '' the girl 's mother said . `` That 's all I want , is my baby home . '' Watch mother 's tearful plea '' Griffis said that her daughter and Ronald Cummings had a `` rocky relationship '' and that the two took turns spending weekends with their daughter . Sheffield lives near the Florida-Georgia line and has been interviewed by law enforcement , according to police . Investigators are looking into various angles of the case , including finding out the location of 44 registered sexual offenders who live within a five-mile radius of the Cummings home , Greenwood said . Though that number may sound high , it includes both Putnam and Palatka counties , which are separated by the St. Johns River , the law enforcement spokesman told CNN . Police are offering but not requiring all those interviewed in the case to take polygraph tests . Anyone with any information is encouraged to call the Putnam County Sheriff 's Office at 386-329-0800 or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement 's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 888-FL-MISSING . | NEW : `` All the world 's a suspect '' now , police say . Haleigh Cummings was reported missing at 3 a.m. Tuesday , police say . Father 's 17-year-old girlfriend was caring for Haleigh on Monday night , police say . The girl 's father says he believes someone snatched the child from her bed . | [[213, 226], [755, 790], [793, 807], [1222, 1235], [227, 281], [1327, 1401], [1095, 1110], [1113, 1141], [1172, 1219]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A warning of more attacks on UK bankers was made on Wednesday after the home of former Royal Bank of Scotland boss Fred Goodwin was vandalized . A recovery vehicle removes a Mercedes from the Edinburgh home of Fred Goodwin . Windows were smashed in Goodwin 's house in the Scottish capital Edinburgh and those of a Mercedes-Benz limousine parked outside . It is not known if anyone was at home at the time . Goodwin -- dubbed `` Fred the Shred '' by the media for his ruthless cost-cutting -- and his family have not been living in the house since it was revealed that the 50-year-old Goodwin was receiving an annual pension of $ 1 million -LRB- # 700,000 -RRB- for life . A statement issued to media organizations including the Press Association after the attack said : `` We are angry that rich people , like him , are paying themselves a huge amount of money and living in luxury , while ordinary people are made unemployed , destitute and homeless . `` Bank bosses should be jailed . This is just the beginning . '' No group was named in the message and it did not explicitly claim responsibility for the attack . Goodwin took early retirement after RBS nearly collapsed amid the economic crisis and was later part-nationalized . Watch more on the attack '' On the same day as the size of his pension was revealed RBS announced a UK record loss of $ 34.6 billion -LRB- # 24.1 billion -RRB- for 2008 . Politicians and commentators have expressed fury about the deal and excessive bonuses being given by bailed-out banks . Britain 's Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling , head of the Treasury , urged Goodwin to give up his pension . He refused , saying he had already given up a number of contractual rights which had cost him a lot of money . Watch consternation at Goodwin 's # 16 million pension fund '' The statement warning of more attacks on bankers came days after AIG sent a memo to employees giving them security advice as fury grows in the U.S. over millions paid out in bonuses by the bailed-out U.S. insurance giant . Employees were warned not to wear the company logo , to travel in pairs and park in well-lit places , and to phone security if they notice anyone `` spending an inordinate amount of time near an AIG facility . '' AIG employees have received death threats since the company handed out $ 165 million -LRB- # 115 million -RRB- in bonuses and security at AIG offices has been increased . And last month British police warned that officers were preparing for a `` summer of rage '' as protests mount across Europe against the economic crisis . David Hartshorn , who heads the Metropolitan Police 's public order branch , said growing unemployment , failing companies and the recession could spark a `` mass protest . '' Hartshorn said the G-20 economic summit starting next week could lead to unrest as leaders of the world 's richest nations head to London . | Scottish home of former Royal Bank of Scotland boss Fred Goodwin vandalized . Statement issued to media oorganizations warns of more attacks on bankers . Embattled U.S. insurance giant AIG last week gave employees security advice . Last month British police said officers were preparing for `` summer of rage '' | [[9, 32], [68, 150], [1855, 1976], [1855, 1976], [2462, 2616], [2499, 2616]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Los Angeles police have launched an internal investigation to determine who leaked a picture that appears to show a bruised and battered Rihanna . Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend , singer Chris Brown , before the Grammys on February 8 . The close-up photo -- showing a woman with contusions on her forehead and below her eyes , and cuts on her lip -- was published on the entertainment Web site TMZ Thursday . TMZ said it was a photo of Rihanna . Twenty-one-year-old Rihanna was allegedly attacked by her boyfriend , singer Chris Brown , on a Los Angeles street before the two were to perform at the Grammys on February 8 . `` The unauthorized release of a domestic violence photograph immediately generated an internal investigation , '' an L.A. police spokesman said in a statement . `` The Los Angeles Police Department takes seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence . A violation of this type is considered serious misconduct , with penalties up to and including termination . '' A spokeswoman for Rihanna declined to comment . The chief investigator in the case had told CNN earlier that authorities had tried to guard against leaks . Detective Deshon Andrews said he had kept the case file closely guarded and that no copies had been made of the original photos and documents . Brown was arrested on February 8 in connection with the case and and booked on suspicion of making criminal threats . Authorities are trying to determine whether Brown should face domestic violence-related charges . Brown apologized for the incident this week . `` Words can not begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired , '' the 19-year-old said in a statement released by his spokesman . `` I am seeking the counseling of my pastor , my mother and other loved ones and I am committed , with God 's help , to emerging a better person . '' CNN 's Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report . | Los Angeles police investigating leak of photo of a battered woman . TMZ Web site says photo is of R&B singer Rihanna . Rihanna allegedly attacked by her boyfriend , singer Chris Brown , on February 8 . The two were scheduled to perform at the Grammys . | [[0, 15], [19, 111], [659, 768], [445, 481], [454, 481], [166, 213], [237, 271], [482, 549], [604, 658]] |
HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe said Monday that he does not believe foul play was involved in a car wreck that killed his wife . The vehicle the couple were traveling in was left overturned off the highway . `` When something like that happens there is speculation , but I want to assure you if it was foul play , it is one in a thousand , '' he said Monday . `` It was an accident that took her life . '' Tsvangirai 's comments came amid widespread speculation that the wreck was caused by his political opponents aligned with President Robert Mugabe . Tsvangirai 's political party , the Movement for Democratic Change , has said the crash was an assassination attempt . It has called for an independent inquiry . Zimbabwe 's new prime minister was hurt in the wreck and returned home Monday from neighboring Botswana . `` Life has to go on and I 'm certain that if she was here she would liked life to go on , '' he said . `` It will be difficult to fill the gap left by her . '' Tsvangirai has long been a leading opposition figure in Zimbabwe , but he joined a coalition government with Mugabe last month . That seemed to resolve an impasse created by a disputed presidential election between Mugabe and Tsvangirai last year . Tsvangirai received the most votes in the March 2008 election , but he fell short of the 50 percent required to avoid a runoff . He withdrew as a candidate in the runoff , citing political violence and intimidation targeting his supporters . Negotiations between the two sides culminated in the power-sharing agreement that was implemented just weeks ago . Questions about the wreck surfaced shortly after it happened Friday on a busy two-lane highway between Tsvangirai 's hometown of Buhera and the capital city of Harare . On Saturday , members of Tsvangirai 's political party , the Movement for Democratic Change , told CNN that Tsvangirai believed that the driver of the truck that struck his car deliberately drove toward him in an effort to take his life . The party 's secretary-general , Tendai Biti , said police should have provided better security for Tsvangirai . The wreck might not have happened , he said , if a police escort been on hand . A former U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe , Tom McDonald , said the wreck raised suspicion . `` I 'm skeptical about any motor vehicle accident in Zimbabwe involving an opposition figure , '' said McDonald , who was ambassador to Zimbabwe from 1997 to 2001 . `` President Mugabe has a history of strange car accidents when someone , lo and behold , dies -- it 's sort of his M.O. of how they get rid of people they do n't like . '' McDonald , however , was quick to add that traffic accidents are common in Zimbabwe . The highway on which Tsvangirai was traveling is a two-lane road on which tractor-trailers are common , he said . Vehicles in the country are often in bad shape and many drivers are inexperienced , he said . `` It 's certainly plausible that this was just one of those tragic things , '' he said . -- CNN 's Nkepile Mabuse contributed to this report . | Tsvangirai : `` It was an accident that took her life '' PM returned home from Botswana and addressed mourners at his residence . Much speculation the wreck was caused by his political opponents . Former U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe said the wreck raised suspicion . | [[145, 156], [162, 179], [411, 453], [421, 432], [438, 453], [767, 797], [824, 872], [457, 565], [2241, 2277], [2295, 2328]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man accused in the brutal killing of Arkansas television anchor Anne Pressly will appear next Thursday in Pulaski County Circuit Court , where he will enter a plea in the high-profile case . Anne Pressly , 26 , was a news anchor at KATV in Little Rock , Arkansas . Curtis Lavell Vance , 28 , was formally charged Thursday with capital murder , rape , residential burglary and theft , Prosecutor Larry Jegley said Friday . Neither he nor police would discuss details of the case because of a gag order imposed by the judge . Jegley has n't said whether he will seek the death penalty . Jegley said Vance , who denies he was in Little Rock , Arkansas , when Pressly was killed , was being held at the Pulaski County Regional Detention Facility . Vance was linked to the killing through DNA testing . Lt. Terry Hastings , spokesman for Little Rock police , told CNN in December that investigators are `` 110 percent '' certain Vance killed Pressly , 26 , who was the morning news anchor for KATV , a CNN affiliate . Pressly was found unconscious in her home October 20 and died five days later at a hospital . `` She fought for her life . She fought her attacker . Her left hand was broken from trying to fight this man off , '' Pressly 's mother , Patti Cannady , told NBC . `` Six weeks ago this morning , I found my daughter beyond recognition with every bone in her face broken , her nose broken , her jaw pulverized so badly that the bone had come out of it ; I actually thought that her throat had possibly been cut . Her entire skull had numerous fractures from which she suffered a massive stroke . '' Hastings told CNN that DNA evidence also ties Vance to a rape in April in Marianna , Arkansas , about 90 miles east of Little Rock . The affidavit related to the Pressly case , from Little Rock detective Tommy Hudson , said police made contact with Vance at his home in Marianna . Hastings said investigators have found no link between Pressly and Vance , and they do not believe Pressly 's being on TV had anything to do with the killing . `` I think he saw her someplace , probably followed her home with intention of robbing her . And then went from there . '' The killer also took Pressly 's purse , Hastings said . | Curtis Lavell Vance , 28 , has been charged with capital murder , rape , burglary , theft . Anne Pressly was found unconscious in her home in October and died five days later . Vance was linked to the killing through DNA testing . DNA evidence also ties Vance to a rape in April in Marianna , Arkansas , police say . | [[288, 307], [315, 404], [1036, 1088], [1036, 1043], [1093, 1129], [767, 820], [767, 820], [1630, 1762], [1653, 1665], [1671, 1762]] |
Harold Holzer , co-chairman of the U. S. Lincoln Bicentennial Commission , is the author of the new book , `` Lincoln President-Elect : Abraham Lincoln and the Great Secession Winter 1860-1861 '' and author , co-author or editor of 32 other books . Harold Holzer says Obama represents validation of Lincoln 's hope of equal opportunity for all . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They are big shoes to fill by any standard , political or historical . Pointing to his oversize , specially made boots , Abraham Lincoln once confided that he may have been slow to put his foot down , but once he did , he never went back . That 's a lesson worth learning for any president-elect . And few incoming chief executives have been as conscious of the 16th president as the 44th : Barack Obama . The new president-elect wrote about Lincoln in his acclaimed books . He not only chose to announce his candidacy for the presidency on Lincoln 's birthday , in 2006 , but did so outside the Old State Capitol in Springfield , Illinois , where Lincoln delivered his famous `` House Divided '' speech in 1858 and where he had his headquarters as president-elect . The myriad comparisons between the two skinny , big-eared Illinoisans -- Obama 's own fond description -- are already entering the realm of modern legend . Both were believed too inexperienced to be president . See iReporters don stovepipe hats to pay tribute to Lincoln . Both were long-shot underdogs for their party 's nomination . Yet each went on not only to win , but to nominate the defeated party favorite -LRB- who happened to be a senator from New York -RRB- as secretary of state . William H. Seward was Lincoln 's choice , Hillary Clinton is Obama 's . But of course there are substantial differences : Lincoln got his education `` by littles , '' he once embarrassingly admitted , spending less than a year all told in primitive one-room schoolhouses . Obama was superbly educated at Columbia University and Harvard Law . One man was a Republican , the other is a Democrat . And while Barack Obama scored an impressive victory , the nation divided bitterly over Lincoln 's 39 percent plurality in a four-person race , to the degree that the Electoral College validation remained in question -- much more like Bush vs. Gore -- as late as February 1861 , while seven Southern states seceded rather than accept a Lincoln presidency . Yet fascinating similarities predominate . Both men wrote best-selling books -LRB- yes , Lincoln , too : he brought out a hugely popular edition of his Lincoln-Douglas debates -RRB- . Both won fame through their transcendent oratory . Both got into political trouble over their church affiliations -- Lincoln for leaving his church too soon , Obama for not leaving soon enough . Both refused to take pets along to the White House , but promised to shower their small children with pets once they arrived -LRB- the Lincolns left their mangy dog Fido behind and President-elect Obama has vowed to get a dog for his girls once settled in Washington -RRB- . He might have to do better . Willie and Tad Lincoln eventually obtained kittens , turkeys and ponies . And here is another fascinating side story . Both men felt the need to make one final visit -- before their life-altering presidencies -- for reunions with the women , neither one a natural mother , who helped raise them . Obama , of course , went back to Honolulu to see his gravely ill grandmother right before Election Day ; Lincoln , right before Inauguration Day , visited rural Charleston , Illinois , to say goodbye to his aged stepmother -- who wound up outliving him . But most extraordinary of all , surely , is the fact that Barack Obama 's victory serves to help complete the `` unfinished work '' Abraham Lincoln spoke about in his Gettysburg Address : that America fulfill its dream of equal opportunity regardless of race . Lincoln , of course , advanced black freedom and black voting rights ; Obama represents the validation of those elusive aspirations . It is not difficult to understand why so many Americans see Barack Obama as the second coming -- of Abraham Lincoln , if not more . Lincoln once declared , `` We can not escape history , '' and after years of national indifference to , or defiance of , the lessons of the past , our next president seems to love , comprehend , and use the past to illuminate the future . iReport.com : Can you speak like Lincoln ? Comparisons can invite problems , too . On his triumphant election night , Obama properly noted that Lincoln faced a crisis far graver than our own , then quoted Lincoln 's hope that `` while passion may have strained , it must not break our bonds of affection . '' Those words came right out of Lincoln 's first inaugural address . But in fact they were written not by Lincoln himself -- rare for America 's greatest writer-president -- but by his incoming Secretary of State Seward . Lincoln later performed an editing miracle to transform the draft into near-poetry . Using this lesson , Obama should be asking Hillary Clinton for a draft . But that probably wo n't happen . Sometimes reality trumps even history . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Harold Holzer . | Harold Holzer : Obama has much in common with Lincoln , the 16th president . He says the two were underdog candidates , authors , famed orators . Yet Holzer says there are many differences in their stories . Holzer : Obama represents validation of Lincoln 's hope of equal opportunity . | [[249, 345], [268, 345], [3952, 4014]] |
Editor 's note : Ed Rollins , who was political director for President Reagan , is a Republican strategist who was national chairman of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee 's 2008 presidential campaign . Ron Silver , seen in a 2006 photo , was an actor with a strong interest in justice and peace , Ed Rollins says . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The lights on Broadway were dimmed Wednesday night to honor Ron Silver , the Tony-award winning actor who was buried Wednesday after a courageous battle against cancer of the esophagus . Ron was a lifelong social liberal and a Democratic activist , but you could n't narrowly define him . And to those of us privileged to be his friend , he was an extraordinary pal . In the 25 years we were friends , he and I faced off most of that time on opposite sides of the political spectrum . In this era when people want bipartisanship , Ron was the role model . Our earliest encounters began when I was managing Ronald Reagan 's campaign and he was a Dukakis supporter . He was passionate and a true intellectual . I have spent much of my life around smart people -LRB- fortunately a lot smarter than I -RRB- and Ron was one of the smartest . Whatever the topic , he had an opinion on it and probably had just read a book or two on the subject . Ron was a Chinese and international relations scholar and had no casual thoughts , only deep convictions . He backed up his opinions with empirical evidence and could rattle off facts like a baseball statistician . `` Eddie , why do you think that way ? '' -LRB- Only my mother and wife have called me Eddie . -RRB- `` Why would a smart man like you ever come to that conclusion ? '' And then we would proceed to discuss the topic for hours . I do n't think we ever changed each other 's opinions , but after a bottle or two of wine or a bottle of Scotch had been emptied , we still respected each other . We never had a cross word and no discussion ever ended in anger . After a while I learned it was n't personal and it was n't because I was Republican . Ron argued with everyone -- even those on his side in an issue -- because he had great curiosity and always wanted to know more . The closest we ever came to harsh words was when I teased him on his Emmy nomination for a recurring role as a slick campaign strategist on the TV show `` The West Wing . '' `` You would have won if you asked me how to play the part , '' I declared . `` After all you 're just an actor . I am the real thing . I worked in the real West Wing and I managed a real campaign that won 49 states , '' He quickly replied with a big grin : `` Why the hell would I want the input of a guy who lost Minnesota -LSB- the only state Reagan lost -RSB- ? And remember , you only won because you had an actor named Ron making you look good ! '' Our discussions often ended in laughter . Because for Ron , politics was serious but it was also fun . I do n't think he enjoyed anything more than a great political debate . To Ron , debate was an educational experience . To those of us on the opposite side it was like a combat sport . Several years ago , I was approached by one of the planners for the 2004 Republican Convention in New York . He wanted to know if I could recommend any movie or entertainment stars who would be willing to participate in the convention . Since the passing of the Reagan era , Republicans have n't had a long list of entertainers to choose from . From our discussions , I knew that Ron supported President Bush 's battle against Islamic terrorism and the war in Iraq and he had been profoundly affected by 9/11 . I asked him would he be willing to participate if asked . He said yes , but emphatically stated he was remaining a Democrat . But he also knew that when he publicly supported Bush on the war , it would affect his long relationships in Hollywood and could cost him future work . Ron 's Monday night convention speech was short , less than five minutes and only 429 words in length . It was n't covered by any of the major networks , but it was still one of the best of the night . When he stated : . `` I am grateful for the chance to speak tonight to express my support for our commander-in-chief , for our brave troops and for the vital cause which they have undertaken , '' his career as a major Hollywood player was over . Even though he had been a president of both the Actor 's Equity Guild and the Creative Coalition that he co-founded , he challenged the entertainment industry with these spoken words : . `` Even though I am a well-recognized liberal on many issues confronting our society today , I find it ironic that many human rights advocates and outspoken members of my own entertainment community are often on the front lines to protest repression , for which I applaud them , but they are usually the first ones to oppose any use of force to take care of these horrors that they catalog repeatedly . '' Ron was disappointed when he did lose future work and even a few `` so-called Hollywood friends , '' but not surprised . But he said what he believed and never regretted doing it . Ron was always determined to give back something to his country and New York , the city where he , his parents , grandparents and great grandparents were born and loved . Whether he was fighting for the cause of Israel or social justice for the poor or for more funding for the National Endowment for the Arts or AIDS research , he was passionate about his causes . Even though he was close to death , he attended President Obama 's inauguration because he thought it was a great day for the country and he did n't want to miss it . And just a few weeks ago while still undergoing chemotherapy , Ron attended the latest board of directors meeting in Washington of The United States Institute of Peace . The Peace Institute is an independent , nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress whose 12 members are appointed by the president . The organizational goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts . Ron was appointed in 2007 and was confirmed by the Senate for a four-year term . He told me it was his most important role and a part he was never prouder to play . As the dimming of the lights on Broadway signaled Wednesday night , Ron 's voice is now quiet -- and missed . His life 's work not only lit up Broadway and filled the big screen , it also inspired others to action . The many roles he played on the stage , in movies and on television pale in comparisons to the real roles he lived in his life . Ron was a great friend , a great father and a great American . We will miss you , my friend . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ed Rollins . | Ed Rollins : Ron Silver was a liberal Democrat , but impossible to narrowly define . He says Silver was passionate and knowledgeable about current events . He says Silver faced a backlash in Hollywood because he supported Bush on war . Silver 's work lit up Broadway , television and films , Rollins says . | [[298, 315], [597, 632], [1009, 1052], [3730, 3732], [3738, 3877], [6318, 6359], [6318, 6334], [6364, 6385]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While all eyes seem to be on `` Slumdog Millionaire '' for the Oscars , one very courageous little girl will be focused on another India-based film at the ceremony . Pinki , like millions in developing countries , had to live with her deformity and suffer the social consequences . It 's called `` Smile Pinki , '' and it 's up for an Oscar , too -- nominated for best short documentary , which it won on Sunday . The little girl watching it from inside the Oscar ceremony has traveled all the way to Los Angeles , California , from her small Indian village with her dad -- and it has been an incredible journey for Pinki Sonkar . `` Smile Pinki '' tells the story of her transformation from a sad outcast to a vibrant 8-year-old with plenty of spunk . Pinki was born with a cleft lip , and her impoverished family did not have the money for corrective surgery . Like millions of other children born with the lip deformity in developing countries , Pinki simply had to live with it and suffer the social consequences . Her father Rajendra Sonkar says : `` She used to go to school and the kids would not befriend her . She would say , ' I do n't want to go to school . ' '' Watch how Pinki was transformed by the operation '' `` Pinki was a depressed , sad , lonely , shy , young little girl , growing up on the periphery of the society in a little village , '' said Satish Kalra , director of Smile Train 's South Asian region , after meeting with Pinki . The little girl 's own family was ashamed of her , Kalra says . But all of that has changed . Pinki is now a real pistol , full of energy and confidence , and she has a fantastic smile too -- thanks to the Smile Train charity . Smile Train teaches doctors in their own countries to operate on cleft lips , a deformity afflicting up to four million children across the world . iReport : Share your Oscar predictions . Pinki just happened to be one of the chosen candidates for surgery and was also chosen to be the subject of the documentary . The film chronicles her transformation , following her from her village to the hospital and home again . `` She has absolutely and totally changed , '' said Pinki 's surgeon , Dr. Subodh Kumar . The film 's director is Megan Mylan . She has won several awards but not an Oscar -- until now . For Pinki and her dad , being able to see the film 's director win an Oscar would be a thrill . But they know they already have the greatest prize : Pinki 's new smile . `` I am so happy that my daughter 's lips have been repaired , '' her dad Rajendra said with a smile , expressing hope that the movie will inspire people to help children whose families ca n't afford the surgery . | NEW : `` Smile Pinki '' wins best short documentary Oscar . Pinki Sonkar was born with cleft lip ; her family in India could n't afford surgery . Smile Train charity provided operation ; 4 million children worldwide have cleft lips . Pinki , once an outcast because of the deformity , will attend the Oscar ceremony . | [[383, 405], [417, 432], [772, 803], [810, 881], [1782, 1851]] |
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