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ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan 's military continued its assault Thursday on militants in Taliban-held areas , its chief spokesman told reporters . Pakistani army trucks move military equipment into the troubled Buner district Thursday . So far , 14 militants have been killed in the past 24 hours , Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said . The operation is still ongoing in the districts of Dir and Buner , which was recently seized by the Taliban in violation of an agreement with Pakistan 's government . Pakistani forces have completely secured Daggar , the main town in Buner and the scene of heavy fighting on Wednesday , Abbas said . The Daggar operation resulted in the deaths of 50 militants , but freed 18 Frontier Corps personnel who had been abducted by militants , he said . Fifty-two of their colleagues are still believed to be held by their suspected Taliban kidnappers . This week 's military operation has resulted in more than 180 militant casualties since Sunday , while the military has suffered one death and one injury , according to Abbas . He said he hopes the operation will be completed by the end of the week . Pakistan has asked the United States to supply its forces with helicopters , communication equipment and night vision technology , Abbas said Thursday . Most of this week 's casualties happened on Tuesday , when Pakistani fighter jets launched airstrikes , killing at least 70 militants in the Dir district , according to the Pakistani military . The operation is part of the Pakistani army 's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions . The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan . As a result , the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan , which have rankled relations between the two countries . The military campaign has apparently not stopped Washington from carrying out unmanned drone attacks on Pakistan 's soil . A suspected unmanned aerial vehicle killed six people Wednesday night in the village of Kaniguran in the tribal district of South Waziristan near the border with Afghanistan , Pakistani intelligence sources said . Pakistan has complained repeatedly about what it says are American airstrikes on its territory . The U.S. military in Afghanistan has not commented on the strikes , which typically target Taliban fighters in the border region . But the United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the capability to launch missiles from remote-controlled drones . U.S. President Barack Obama is `` gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan , '' he told reporters Wednesday night . Speaking at a news conference capping his 100th day in office , Obama said the United States has `` huge national security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable '' and does n't end up a `` nuclear-armed militant state . '' But he stressed he was more concerned about the ability of Pakistan 's civilian government to `` deliver basic services , '' and not `` that they 're immediately going to be overrun '' by the Taliban . Pakistan 's recent military crackdown has led to an exodus of civilians from the region . At least 33,000 residents have left their homes in the midst of the recent fighting , according to Amnesty International . Civilians fleeing from Lower Dir in Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province join more than 500,000 people already displaced by the fighting , the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said . The Pakistani military completed its operation to eliminate and expel militants in Dir Tuesday , and is now focusing on the Buner district , Abbas said . About 300 militants entered Buner a few days ago , in violation of the Taliban 's recent agreement to leave the district , he said . Buner is about 60 miles from Islamabad , but Abbas said the militants pose no threat of entering the capital . The fighter jets pounded targets in Buner and the Swat Valley in an effort to block the militants ' entry and exit points , according to Abbas . CNN 's Samson Desta , Ivan Watson , and Nasir Habib contributed to this report . | Pakistani military intensifies drive against Taliban in restive tribal regions . Recent military operation has resulted in more than 180 militant casualties . Has not stopped U.S. unmanned drone attacks on Pakistan 's soil . Barack Obama `` gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan '' | [[12, 36], [40, 91], [1492, 1608], [1517, 1608], [894, 988], [1357, 1379], [1402, 1451], [1880, 2002], [1929, 2002], [2217, 2313], [2591, 2674]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police are examining grainy hotel surveillance video and following up on new leads , including a reported sighting , in the case of a 17-year-old girl who traveled to Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , for spring break last week and then disappeared . Brittanee Marie Drexel 's mother says she thought her daughter was at a beach in New York , not South Carolina . The possible sighting of Brittanee Drexel was on a bus Wednesday morning in the Myrtle Beach area , according to police , who later showed photos of her to passengers . As investigators try to build a timeline of the events leading to Brittanee 's disappearance Saturday night , they are also scrutinizing hotel security video for signs of a young woman in distress , or other clues . Brittanee 's mother , Dawn Drexel , told HLN 's Nancy Grace that she had forbidden the Rochester , New York , high school junior from going to Myrtle Beach , a popular destination for high school and college students on spring break . Although they stayed in touch by phone and spoke on Saturday , Drexel said she believed the girl was in Rochester when she actually was in Myrtle Beach . `` I did n't have any idea that she was going to do this , '' Drexel said . `` I do trust my daughter , and she needed to cool down a little bit because she was upset that I was n't going to let her go . '' Drexel said her daughter rode there in a car with several friends . She thinks Brittanee used money she had earned and borrowed to finance her trip . | Police show girl 's photo to bus passengers after reported sighting . Brittanee Drexel , 17 , went to Myrtle Beach , S.C. , without mother 's permission . Rochester , N.Y. , high school junior last seen on Saturday night . | [[0, 15], [19, 25], [76, 133], [381, 422], [481, 500], [494, 500], [507, 549], [151, 169], [174, 198]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lectures , slide shows and notes are often boring , but people are using technology to find entertainment in these unlikely places . Spoof notes of `` Star Wars '' are scribbled into a fun online `` pencast . '' Some use high-tech pens to track presentations . Others share PowerPoints in slide show form online . These technologically spiced-up presentations seem to be getting more attention these days . They 're also creating buzz about what the future of presentations might hold . Consider `` pencasts , '' which are made using the Pulse SmartPen and specially gridded paper , both sold by the California startup Livescribe . The pen writes like an ordinary pen but also has a voice recorder , and it `` notes '' -LRB- so to speak -RRB- which notes were taken at which point in the recording . Some quirky SmartPen presentations come off as comedy sketches . One popular presentation muses about how George Lucas might have come up with the idea for Star Wars . Some university students love the technology because they can record and play back what their professor was saying at an exact point in their notes -- which is especially useful when you ca n't read your own writing . And many professors are all for it , too . `` I feel like this is one of those ` Rear View Mirror ' moments in which a new technology comes into our lives with enormous potential and we just do n't know what to do with it yet , '' blogs Michael Wesch , a cultural anthropology and digital ethnography professor at Kansas State University . `` We think of it in terms of what we know -LRB- pen and paper -RRB- and fail to recognize the potential . '' That potential -- for entertainment and serious uses alike -- can be gleaned from pencasts posted on the Livescribe Web site 's community section , which is about a year old . The pencasts posted there have collectively received more than 1.5 million views . Soon , it will be easier to embed pencasts on other sites , like personal blogs , the company says . Slide shows are further along in popularity . A startup called SlideShare launched in late 2006 with the idea of allowing people to easily share their PowerPoint presentations . Its site had more than 15 million visitors last month , and its 2008 contest for the best presentations showed off the form 's potential . The best are far removed from the dull bullet-point presentations you might have fallen asleep to . Many use dramatic images , striking design and memorable phrases . Former Vice President Al Gore developed his presentation on the planet 's environmental challenges into the Academy Award-winning documentary and best-selling book `` An Inconvenient Truth . '' Last year 's top SlideShare presentation , called `` Thirst , '' highlights the looming water crisis and has nearly 200,000 views . Others are more light-hearted . The No. 2 spot -LRB- with more than 60,000 views -RRB- went to a presentation called `` Foot Notes . '' It shows pictures of the narrator 's feet in various places she 's been -LRB- like on cobblestone corridors in Prague and a dance floor in Chicago -RRB- , interspersed with inspiring quotes related to feet and walking . Finally , for many people , the most dreaded , boring form of communication of all is the lecture . But then , how to explain the popularity of the TED videos ? TED stands for Technology , Entertainment , Design . The conference started in the mid - '80s and has become a networking event of sorts for the world 's best and brightest . Dozens of speakers give presentations of about 20 minutes each -- the perfect duration for a juicy `` media snack . '' TED.com started introducing TEDTalks to the public for free in July 2006 , and by the following year , there were more than a hundred talks dating back to 2002 . Broken down into dozens of themes , today they 're popular fodder for video iPods . In one , the amputee athlete and model Aimee Mullins talks about how her many pairs of artificial legs often beat having a single pair of regular ones -- some make her taller , others are works of art . In another , Jill Tarter , an astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research , discusses how insanely large the universe is and what a `` waste of space '' it would be if life on Earth were indeed all there is . It 's hard to watch a handful of TED videos and not feel your perspective broadening . That helps explain how , despite the lecture format , TEDTalks has become hugely popular . A few months ago , the videos surpassed the 100 million views mark -- not bad for a bunch of lectures . | Technology injects new life into a dull medium : presentations . SmartPens bring audio and written notes together . Growth in online applications makes slide shows and lectures more interesting . Success of TED lectures means educational content can be popular . | [[333, 386], [333, 378], [384, 425], [333, 378], [384, 425]] |
The swine flu , also known as the H1N1 virus , is all over the news . A string of cases have been reported across the United States , as well as across the globe , with Mexico the hardest hit country , so far . Older kids , who may be scared but hide it , should be reassured that parents and health officials are on top of it . It 's easy to freak out amid these disturbing reports , but the truth is you 're probably doing everything you need to do to protect your family . `` Parents should be aware of what public health officials are saying , and then just be extra vigilant about the precautions they 'd normally take to prevent the spread of germs , '' says Joseph Bocchini , M.D. , chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics committee on infectious diseases and pediatrics chair of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport . No. 1 on the list : washing hands more frequently . So take a deep breath , put down the surgical mask , and read on for all information you need to know . Parenting.com : Cold and flu old wives ' tales . Signs and symptoms . Indicators of swine flu are not unlike those for regular old run-of-the-mill flu . What makes this virus different from typical flu is that more serious complications , such as pneumonia , might occur more often . Also , says Bocchini , this is a new strain of flu , and no one in the population would be expected to be immune . One of the biggest concerns for officials is simply that a lot of people could get sick at the same time . Take heart in knowing that our government health officials are doing everything they can to make sure the country 's prepared . In the mean time , your job is to know how to spot the signs . If you or your child are experiencing any of the following , call your doctor . He or she may want you to come in and be tested . Parenting.com : Interactive symptom checker . • fever -LRB- above 100.4 for babies 3 months and younger , and 101.1 for everyone else -RRB- , plus . • cough . • sore throat . • intense body aches . • headache . • chills . • fatigue . Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting , too . Pregnant women are at extra risk for complications even with regular flu , according to Bocchini , and small children have a higher rate of hospitalization . Both expectant women and moms of kids under 2 should be extra careful about taking action quickly . Parenting.com : How to keep nosy , germy strangers away from your baby . When to head to the ER . If your child demonstrates any of the following symptoms , it 's time to seek emergency care : . • Fast or troubled breathing . • Bluish skin color . • Refusal to drink fluids . • Difficulty waking up and/or interacting . • Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held . * Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough . • Fever with a rash , especially one that does not blanch . In adults , the following symptoms deserve an ER trip as well : . • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath . • Pain or pressure in the chest . • Abdominal pain . • Sudden dizziness . • Confusion . • Severe or persistent vomiting . How to talk to your kids about It . As always , you 'll want to explain to kids that germs can make us sick , and that 's why it 's important to wash your hands . You can say , `` Soap and water rinse away the little buggers so they ca n't make us feel bad . '' If they 've caught wind of swine flu in particular , it 's important to project an image of calm -LRB- even if you 're internally flipping out -RRB- and make them feel safe . Small kids should be soothed with a simple explanation that there are different kinds of flu , and we should just keep up with washing up . Older kids , who may be scared but hide it , can be given a few more details but should still be reassured that their parents and our health officials are on top of it . Easing symptoms and treatment . If you come down with the flu , swine or otherwise , there are a few things you can do to keep yourself comfortable . • If you or your child feel at all flu-ish , skip work and school . Stay home until you feel completely well . • Try to stay in a separate area of the house to limit the risk of passing the virus . • Rest up -- consider it your free pass to catch up on your DVR list . • Push clear fluids , such as water and soup . • Ease body aches with acetaminophen , ibuprofen , or naproxen . If your child is under 2 , check with your doctor before giving them medication . • Using a humidifier can ease a stuffy nose . Saline drops followed by suctioning with a nasal syringe can bring additional relief to small children . • There is treatment for swine flu . Antiviral medications like Tamiflu and Relenza can lessen your symptoms make you feel better faster and prevent swine flu-related complications if taken early on . Consult your doctor about a prescription . Is there a cure ? There 's not a cure , but a vaccine is being developed , according to the FDA . If you already got a flu shot , it probably wo n't protect you from this strain , but it 's a good idea to still get one annually . Prevention 101 . You probably already know all about how to prevent the spread of germs , but in an outbreak like this , it ca n't hurt to be a little more vigilant . Here 's a rundown of easy things you can do , starting today . Parenting.com : Ask Dr. Sears : Immune system boosters . At home : . • This one 's a no-brainer but bears repeating : wash your hands frequently , and make sure your kids do the same . It 's a good idea to get into the habit of doing it as soon as you walk in the door , before meals and food prep , post-potty and after touching pets . • Take a moment to clean germ hot spots , like tables , doorknobs , desks and kitchen counters , with a disinfectant . Look for products that contain bleach or alcohol . • Keep your family 's immune system strong with regular sleep , and lots of fruits and veggies . If you know anyone who 's been sick , stay away for now . Out and about : . • Try to keep up the frequent hand-washing , especially after trips to the playground . • If you do n't have a sink handy , use an alcohol-based sanitizer gel or wipe . Look for ones that contain at least 60 % alcohol . • Try to avoid crowded areas . • Wash your hands or use sanitizer after handling money . • Use your own pen when signing credit card slips . Everywhere : . • Cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze , and remind your kiddos to do the same . • Throw your used tissue in the trash instead of stuffing it in your pocket . • Try to avoid touching your eyes , nose and mouth , which give germs a fast track to infection . • Remind kids not to share cups , utensils and plates with friends . Getting kids to wash their hands . Yes , you know they should wash those dirty mitts often , but what you really need to know is how to get them to do it sans whining . We 've got some tips and tricks for making washing up fun : . • To get them to soap up for the required 20 seconds -LRB- or more -RRB- , belt out `` Happy Birthday '' twice . Everyone sounds better in the bathroom anyway , right ? • Fill the sink with water , and let them go to town with foam soaps and bath toys . -LRB- Ignore the water on the floor . -RRB- Parenting.com : Germ-fighting tips for parents . • Lather up , Mom ! Be a good example for your kids , and encourage them to `` teach '' their dolls to wash up , too . • Make sure they can reach the sink easily . If you do n't have one already , get a colorful stool to give them a boost . • Keep their fingernails clipped -- less real estate for germs ! 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 . | What parents should tell children about swine flu , also known as the H1N1 virus . Explain to kids that germs can make us sick , so it 's important to wash hands . Project an image of calm to make them feel safe . Tailor explanation to age . Take common flu-season precautions . | [[0, 13], [21, 44], [3144, 3179], [3180, 3189], [3192, 3251], [3270, 3306], [5459, 5474], [5477, 5486], [5428, 5434], [5477, 5503], [6290, 6307], [6762, 6796], [3459, 3508], [3517, 3520], [3559, 3580], [3721, 3731], [3766, 3797]] |
On CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' host and chief national correspondent John King goes outside the Beltway to report on the issues affecting communities across the country . This week , King traveled to New Hampshire , where diner patrons shared their thoughts on President Obama and the economy . The Tilt 'n Diner hosted all the major presidential candidates during the primaries in 2008 . TILTON , New Hampshire -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kate O'Leary voted for Barack Obama and began the year full of energy . But her hope is giving way these days to a sense that some things never change . `` I trust his motives , '' she said of President Obama . `` I feel like he is an honorable guy , I am not sure if he can do it . That 's the problem . '' Too much too soon is one of her worries . Too much politics as usual is another . Add in too much bailout money and Kate O'Leary is more sober now than she was when Obama took the oath of office . Across from O'Leary sat Debbie Lurvey , who took a job at the Tilt 'n Diner after losing her job in the mortgage business . `` It was a forced unemployment because of the economy , '' Lurvey said . `` So , you know , I decided that it was best to move on to something a little more stable . '' O'Leary and Lurvey are among those who think the economy is going to get worse before it gets better . But our third guest for our weekly diner conversation , Jim Wells , is n't so sure . `` I think most of it is psychological , '' said Wells , a Republican who believes consumers need to be more confident . `` The secret out of a recession like this is to spend money . And you have got to spend your own , you ca n't expect somebody else to spend it for you . '' He makes the distinction between consumer spending and what he sees as too much government spending . `` We are going to have to pay the bill in another two or three years and it is going to be scary when it happens , '' Wells said . All three agreed one thing missing from Washington is a spirit of cooperation and compromise . Lurvey said the pain of losing her job and dealing with foreclosure have taught her there are some things the government ca n't do . `` It is a good time to get back to what this country was made on -- it 's the family , '' she said . `` And you know I think for awhile we were all going crazy and overspending and living beyond our means and this has kind of been a reality check for most people . '' | Diner patron Kate O'Leary likes Obama , but doubts how much change he can bring . Republican Jim Wells believes consumers need to be more confident . Three diners says Washington is missing a spirit of cooperation , compromise . Living beyond means has been a `` reality check '' for the country , Debbie Lurvey says . | [[688, 719], [1481, 1493], [1498, 1544], [1936, 1986], [1936, 2030], [2374, 2429]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dan Godshall and 21 other students at Slippery Rock University will not be allowed to graduate at their school 's main ceremony because they recently visited Mexico . Dan Godshall was worried at first about telling his mother he was n't able to be at the main graduation . The students , who returned this week after student teaching in Mexico , came back to the United States early because they were worried the border would be closed and they 'd miss out on walking at their graduation . But now , they 'll be walking in their own graduation , without any of their classmates , because the college feared they made have been exposed to the H1N1 flu outbreak in Mexico . `` At first I was like , no way , no way , '' Godshall told CNN . `` I had the irrational , 15-minute oh my God , oh my God , I ca n't go to my graduation . '' The students got the news from the school and received an e-mail from the university 's vice president explaining the change . `` The university has received hundreds of calls from students and parents who were worried about being exposed at the commencement ceremonies , '' the e-mail said . `` We have an obligation to protect others from what they perceive is possible exposure to this virus . '' When he heard the news , Godshall was worried about how he would tell his mother that she would n't get to see him walk across the stage with the pomp and circumstance that everyone else will have . `` I thought my mom was going to freak , '' he said . iReport.com : How should we handle swine flu . Senior Ryan Brisini said at first when he found out that he could n't walk , he was `` a little irked . '' `` But we are a liability , and if you are going to try and do the best thing for the school and the entire graduation ceremony , we probably should n't be there , '' he said . So Brisini and Godshall took the news in stride . The 22 students will get a ceremony unlike anyone else in the school -- and the main graduation will see a video of their ceremony . `` It makes us a little distinguished from the group , '' Godshall said . `` We were already the Mexican group , the swine flu zombies , now it gives us something positive and everyone has to watch our ceremony . '' And with a small ceremony , only attended by the 22 students , their family and friends and university officials , senior Ryan Brisini thinks it will be more memorable . He wo n't have to sit next to a bunch of people he wo n't know , and he wo n't have to endure the lingering theatrics of a regular ceremony . `` I think its kind of cool because when you are with people for an entire month you bond with them , and I can say I 'm genuinely excited for everyone graduating , whereas at the main graduation I 'd be with a bunch of kids I do n't know , '' he said . `` With this I can clap and cheer for everyone and genuinely be happy for them . '' Still , some students are upset they will miss out on the grandiose day . John Powell , who also went on the trip , told CNN affiliate WTAE-TV that the whole reason the group left early was so they could attend . `` It hits me a little bit . It 's a necessary evil , separating us . I do n't agree with it totally , but I 'm not in too big of a position to overturn it , '' Powell said . Watch Slippery Rock students tell their story '' WTAE reported the university , in Slippery Rock , Pennsylvania , says it has received hundreds of calls from concerned people . `` There are concerns from the public perspective that they will be exposed , '' university spokeswoman Rita Abent told WTAE . `` They may boo them . They may get up and walk out . And graduation should be a very respectful and a very celebratory time . '' Slippery Rock University is n't the only school making changes to graduation ceremonies because of swine flu fears . Cisco Junior College in West Central Texas is canceling Friday graduation ceremonies . Students will get their diplomas by mail , the college said . `` We understand that many will be disappointed by our decision , '' college President Colleen Smith said in a statement . `` However , we believe that it is more important to protect our students , employees and families than to proceed with graduation ceremonies at this time . '' Graduates at Northeastern University in Boston , Massachusetts , will get diplomas at commencement ceremonies Saturday but will have to live without part of the day 's tradition . `` Since direct contact is one of the ways flu viruses spread , we have decided to forgo the traditional congratulatory handshake as you come forward to receive your diploma and have your photo taken with your dean , '' the school told students in a letter posted on its Web site . Across the country thousands of elementary , middle and high school students are feeling the impact too . At least four high schools have canceled their proms this weekend , including Park City High School in Park City , Utah , according to CNN affiliate KSL-TV . Senior Kelly McGuire , who was getting ready for the prom on Saturday , is making last-minute changes because of the rescheduling . `` That 's a bummer , because it means we have to try to cancel our limo , '' McGuire told KSL-TV . `` All cancellations have to be a week in advance . I have to cancel my tux , my corsage . It 's going to be hectic . '' The Department of Education said that as of noon on Friday 433 schools , with a total of 245,449 students , in 17 states have been closed . Fort Worth schools will be closed at least until May 12 , authorities said , announcing that one student was confirmed to have swine flu . The closure affects about 80,000 students . Texas school officials have postponed all interscholastic sports until at least May 11 . Alabama has taken a similar step , stopping competitions until at least Tuesday . In Montgomery County , Maryland , 1,250-student Rockville High School joined the closed list Friday when state health authorities closed it until further notice because of a suspected swine flu case . There , too , athletics were taking a big hit , Assistant Principal Dyan Gomez said . Rockville 's teams were even banned from traveling to other schools to compete this weekend , she said . CNN 's Brad Lendon contributed to this report . | Slippery Rock University students who visited Mexico will have own graduation . Student : `` We are a liability ... we probably should n't be there '' Some students thrilled to get unique ceremony where they will know all graduates . Schools postponing proms , canceling graduations over swine flu fears . | [[0, 81], [102, 185], [509, 516], [519, 562], [1786, 1819], [3706, 3822], [3738, 3822], [3823, 3909], [4823, 4888], [5828, 5848], [5851, 6028]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Iraqi soldier fatally shot two American soldiers and wounded three others on Saturday , the U.S. military said . A man lies in a hospital after a roadside bombing near Kirkurk on Saturday . Three Iraqis were killed . The shooter was killed when U.S. soldiers returned fire , Maj. Derrick Cheng told CNN . The incident took place at a combat outpost just south of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul , where there has been a strong presence of anti-U.S. militants , and it underscored the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in that city . A second gunman also fired on other U.S. soldiers at the outpost and fled , said Cheng , a spokesman for the U.S.-led Multi National Division-North . Iraq 's Interior Ministry said the gunman was a soldier in training who was standing close to U.S. soldiers when he aimed his firearm at them and began shooting . There have been similar incidents of men in Iraqi security force uniforms in the Mosul area opening fire on U.S. troops . In February , insurgents dressed as Iraqi police officers killed a U.S. soldier and an interpreter in the city . Asked whether there seems to be a rise in such attacks , Cheng replied , `` We still view these as isolated incidents either by individuals posing as Iraqi Security Forces or members acting out on their own . '' `` These events do not represent the overall relationship or partnership U.S. forces have with our Iraqi counterparts . '' Overall , violence and attacks are down in Iraq , but despite improvements in the big picture , the U.S. military is concerned with hot spots such as Mosul . Maj. Gen. David Perkins , MNF-Iraq spokesman , told reporters on Friday that the city remains a danger . He said the U.S. military is studying whether American combat troops scheduled to withdraw from urban centers in Iraq by June 30 should actually remain in the diverse metropolis -- populated by Sunni Arabs , Kurds , Christians and others . Perkins said al Qaeda in Iraq -LRB- AQI -RRB- militants `` are transitioning and becoming more and more concentrated ... mainly in Mosul and in Baghdad . '' `` What we have always said with regards to al Qaeda is that strategically for AQI to win they have to win Baghdad and for them to survive they have to hold on to Mosul and you can see that by how they are conducting their attacks . '' In the last couple of weeks , he said , militants have focused their activity on Baghdad , and attacks in Mosul have dropped somewhat . `` But there is still a lot activity . This is probably the main area we are looking at that could possibly result in U.S. forces being there , '' he said of Mosul . `` Probably more so than any other place . '' `` Of all the places in Iraq , it is the area that you would most likely possibly see a very similar U.S. presence to what you see now . But only if Iraqis want that . '' U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq last month reached 18 , the highest of the year . However , the number of monthly Iraqi troop deaths have plummeted since earlier in the war . Also on Saturday , Iranian forces targeting Kurdish rebels shelled a village in Iraq , an official from Iraq 's Kurdish region said . Forces used helicopters to attack the village and shelled it with artillery . The village is just over the Iranian border in Iraq 's Sulaimaniya province -- a Kurdish region . No casualties were reported . Iran and Turkey long have targeted Kurdish separatist rebels operating in northern Iraq . Meanwhile in Kirkuk , in northern Iraq , three civilians were killed and three others were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle on Saturday , police said . It is not known who the bomb might have been targeting , but the incident reflects the hostilities in the oil-rich and ethnically diverse city . | NEW : U.S. military : Gunman who killed 2 U.S. troops , wounded 3 was Iraqi soldier . Iraqi officials say shooter was soldier-in-training who opened fire at a training facility . Shootings underscore the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in Mosul . Iranian forces attacked Kurdish village in Iraq ; 3 civilians killed in Kirkuk . | [[0, 7], [10, 30], [59, 85], [737, 804], [503, 586], [3063, 3074], [3077, 3116], [3077, 3142]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Anthony Williams , being black in America means being a suspect . Anthony Williams says he feels like he 's always a suspect to police . The 39-year-old former Marine said he 's never had any trouble with the law , other than a few traffic violations , and leads a middle-class life in the Atlanta , Georgia , area . But the AT&T customer care representative said he still gets nervous when he hears that police are looking for a 6-foot-tall black man , `` because I know I fit that description . '' `` I worry I will get pulled over and some police officer decides to shoot first and ask questions later , '' Williams wrote . Police recently questioned him in his own driveway after getting complaints that a man was walking in neighbors ' yards , Williams said . iReport.com : Tell us what you thought of `` Black in America . '' `` You never know what to expect when you get pulled over by police , and that 's how it is when you 're black , '' he said . Vince Priester of Lithonia , Georgia , said the documentary was `` intriguing and moving '' and showed that `` with all the change we 've made as a society , things really have n't changed '' for black people . `` You have to tone yourself down when you 're around white people , '' he said . `` There 's nervousness from white women when I share an elevator with them ; they put their hand on their pocketbook . '' `` You have to almost change yourself , dilute yourself , to live in a white society , '' he said . iReport.com : Vince Priester describes being black in America . We asked iReport.com writers and readers to share their reaction to part one of the four-hour documentary `` Black in America . '' Dozens of people have responded in the hours since the show ended . Ayana Gooden , a 34-year-old artist , musician and Web designer in New York , said that she enjoyed the show but that it missed one question : Why ? `` To look at how things are in the present , you really have to look at the past , '' she said . Slavery and segregation have left deep scars that take generations to heal . She said her own parents could n't vote without harassment for a third of their lives . Sonya Freeman of Brooklyn , New York , said the black community is still struggling under white oppression . `` The whole single mom thing and people not being married ... back in the day , especially during slavery time , black people were n't allowed to be married , '' she said . She said her grandfather was n't allowed to go to school past the sixth grade . `` It 's not just bad decision-making . It was a whole set of values that were not learned , so they ca n't be passed down , '' she said . Nicole Adams of the Bronx , New York , said that she enjoyed the show but that there were too many issues to cover in just four hours . `` How do you speak about black women and not talk about depression , which is a battle that many women , including myself , face every day ? '' she asked . Adams also questioned the emphasis on two-parent families , saying that `` the character of the people in the household and not the number was the real determining factor . '' The 37-year-old grew up with a mom and a dad but said their relationship was dysfunctional . `` I did n't have a model of a healthy relationship , so I did n't know how to participate productively in a relationship , '' she said . `` I fought so hard not to be like my mom . . that I sabotaged my own relationship . '' | `` Black in America '' provokes strong reaction from iReporters . Anthony Williams says he knows he `` fits the description '' Ayana Gooden says she wished special focused more on past . Share your thoughts on Part 2 on iReport.com . | [[488, 519]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sportsmen and women being caught taking drugs is not a new phenomenon -- but it 's still a shock when the news breaks . Romania 's Adrian Mutu was sacked by Chelsea and banned from the game for testing positive for cocaine . Only recently Michael Phelps , who shattered Olympic records by claiming eight golds in the pool in Beijing last year , was caught on camera with a marijuana pipe to his mouth . The American is far from alone . The history of sport is peppered with drug use , usually of the performance-enhancing kind : athletics has been blighted by it , cycling has lost much of its credibility because of it and baseball has proven to be far from immune . But football , the world 's most popular game in terms of fan following and participation , does not seem to have had its share of drugs scandals , not least in the world 's most high profile division , the English Premier League . No top-flight player in English football has ever tested positive for using performance-enhancing drugs in a league match . The closest anyone has come is Middlesbrough FC defender Abel Xavier , who was banned from football by UEFA for 18 months in 2005 when he tested positive for the steroid dianabol after a UEFA Cup match . The English Football Association -LRB- FA -RRB- takes its lead on doping from UK Sport , the body which regulates drug testing in the UK based on the code set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency -LRB- WADA -RRB- . Let us know your views of drugs and drug testing in football . UK Sport 's Russell Langley does not believe more tests would necessarily return more positive results . `` It 's a difficult question to answer , '' he said . `` The stats show what they show . But it 's fair to say if doping was going on at that level we would have unearthed it . `` Our focus at UK Sport is not on more and more testing -- we do n't think that 's going to answer the question about whether there 's more doping out there . `` What we want to do is make every test we do as effective as possible . If there are people out there doping we 've got to have the right level of intelligence and information to target them . `` Testing at no notice and out of competition is where we think we 've got the best chance of being able to catch any sportsmen taking drugs , '' he added . English footballers can be tested after matches -LRB- in competition -RRB- and at training sessions -LRB- out of competition -RRB- . Until a few years ago , a tester was forbidden from turning up at a footballer 's house unannounced -LRB- no notice -RRB- . But the FA has altered its stance as part of its claim that it `` maintains the largest and most comprehensive out-of-competition testing program in international football . '' They conduct 1,600 random , no-notice drug tests per season , which the World Anti-Doping Code and the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping on Sport state is the most effective method of combating the use of drugs in sport . But those 1,600 tests are conducted on professional players , non-league football , women 's football and youth team football . It means the chances are small of catching any Premier League star who may be using drugs . Down the years , Italy 's Serie A has seen the most cases of players getting caught with either performance-enhancing or recreational drugs in their system . One reason for this is the Italian authorities ' no-nonsense stance : two players from each squad are drawn at random to be tested after every match . And it has worked . Household names such as Jaap Stam , Edgar Davids , Pep Guardiola , Fernando Couto , Francesco Flachi , Mohamed Kallon and Diego Maradona have all been caught in the last two decades . By way of comparison , Billy Turley , a goalkeeper in one of England 's lower leagues , was let off with warning after being found to have taken the steroid nandrolone in the 2002-03 season . It took a further positive test for cocaine for him to get a six-month ban . But on the issue of combating social drugs -- something not demanded by WADA 's code -- Langley believes the FA 's stance is to be applauded . He said : `` They invest heavily in their testing program . They recognize that a particular problem for their sport is social drugs so this separate testing goes on . They do n't have to do it . `` This carries a different set of sanctions which are controlled by the FA and the aim of that program is about rehabilitation rather than punishment . '' Langley said the sanctions send out a strong message that the FA is prepared to do something about it . `` They recognize their responsibility -- football is a huge role model for youngsters , '' he added . Chris Armstrong , then of Crystal Palace , became the first Premier League player to fail a drug test when he tested positive for cannabis in 1995 . He was back playing within a month following a brief spell in rehab . Chelsea 's Mark Bosnich and Adrian Mutu have both been caught with cocaine in their systems and both were banned and sacked by the club in the 2000s . The FA also wants to make sure that players understand that not taking a test is not an option either , making an example of Manchester United 's Rio Ferdinand . The center-back missed a scheduled drugs test in 2003 and was belatedly suspended for eight months and fined # 50,000 . Ferdinand could have got a bigger punishment . The FA 's guidelines state that for a first offence a minimum suspension of three months up to a maximum of two years will apply , but a lack of consistency has always dogged punishments for drug offences . No other footballer has been reported as missing a test since . The FA is far from blind to the issue of drugs in English football and since the Ferdinand incident their policies and punishments have been tightened . But as long as a player 's chances of getting caught remain comparatively small , drugs in football appears to be an issue the FA is keeping a lid on rather than eradicating . | Football has seen a number of high-profile players fail drugs tests . English FA tests for both performance-enhancing and social drugs . Different punishments are given depending on the offence . | [[3287, 3383], [4347, 4391]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A killer bug is spreading like wildfire . Armed guards stand outside the Mexico City Respiratory Hospital to control the flow of people . Streets of one of the world 's biggest cities are eerily empty . Bars and restaurants have been shuttered for days . The president goes on TV to tell workers to stay at home for their own safety . Those who venture outside are clad in surgical masks . Once healthy people are suddenly falling sick and dying from a new disease , H1N1 swine flu . The government swears the situation is under control . But down at the hospital , medics scurry around behind the glass door of an isolation ward . They 're clad from head to toe in biohazard suits , goggles and two pairs of gloves . At the airport , officials set up a barrage of thermal imaging machines . If the picture flashes up red or orange , would-be passengers are whisked off to medical facilities . See where the virus has been confirmed '' It may sound like a sci-fi movie . It 's not . Welcome to Mexico City . It 's a nightmare scenario and despite twice-a-day news conferences featuring Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova , people on the streets fear the virus may be out of control and that the real death toll may be greater than anyone is letting on . Watch how the city has been shut down '' `` The measures we 're taking are working and are helping us to slow the spread of the virus . But the situation continues to be serious , '' Cordova said at a news conference this week . Government orders to its citizens are clear : wash frequently , do n't shake hands or kiss , and stay away from crowded places . That 's easier said than done . The doors on the subway car snap open at Hidalgo station . Dozens more passengers clad in surgical masks stream on . It 's rush hour deep below the streets of downtown Mexico City . The subway system is the veins of the capital , ferrying millions of people from all social classes to and from work . It 's hot and humid down there and there 's little fresh air . It 's just the kind of crowded place that Mexican authorities say could be a prime breeding ground for swine flu . `` I 'm pretty nervous of this whole virus thing , '' welder Frontino Valdez mumbled through one of the masks . Watch passengers packed onto trains trying to protect themselves '' Sitting one carriage down , Berta Hernandez , a product demonstrator , tries not to show her panic and applies eyeliner like any other morning . But today she has a problem , she has no intention of lifting her mask to paint on lip gloss . `` I 'm nervous of those people who are n't wearing masks . Maybe they will suddenly sneeze or cough , '' she said . In these days of swine flu paranoia , just coughing , or worse sneezing , in the subway , or `` metro '' as they call it here , brings black looks from fellow passengers . This has been a strange epidemic since the outset . So far , the Mexican government has been unable to pinpoint where or when this outbreak started . Authorities admit there was an outbreak of influenza in a village in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz in early April . But only one patient -- 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez -- was diagnosed as having swine flu . Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta ask the boy about his symptoms '' The international media have taken to calling him `` Patient Zero . '' He made a full recovery . So far there 's no evidence a pig farm near his home reported any problems with its livestock . The family has n't explained how little Edgar could have infected a capital city let alone the world . The authorities have n't drawn up a genetic map of Edgar 's illness nor compared it to the lethal strain that swept through Mexico City and other parts of the country . Lethal it is . But getting to the truth of who has really died from the virus is tough . Since midweek , the government abandoned its initial reporting and began to speak only of confirmed swine flu cases and confirmed deaths due to the H1N1 virus . Previously it had also tallied suspected cases and others under observation . In practice , it is taking days for the government to get test results from autopsies and tests . By the time a case is confirmed the patient may be long buried . One afternoon this week , at a cinder block home perched on a hillside in a poor northern neighborhood of Mexico City , a coffin was mounted on the living room table . A steady stream of neighbors filed in to pay their final tribute to a dead 24-year-old . Biting back tears , a young man said his brother had died of `` respiratory problems . '' When asked what kind of a person his brother was , he said simply : `` He was an honest man . He never got in any trouble . '' The man seemed to be feeling an underlying sense of shame . Suddenly there was a huge stigma attached to swine flu -- like in the early days of AIDS-related deaths -- and Mexican families were keen to dispel notions their loved ones had died of the mutant virus . They did n't want the prying eyes of the media near their home . We wanted to tell their story , observe the wake and follow the funeral . But death is a rite of passage . They had a right to mourn in private . The following day came a tip-off that a 5-year-old girl , Maria Fernanda Garcia , had died . The modest side street outside her home in eastern Mexico City was swarming with police , health workers and civil protection officials . Watch how armed guards were part of Maria Fernanda 's funeral '' Little Maria Fernanda 's father appeared briefly and told us we were n't welcome . He was curt when he told us his daughter had died from pneumonia . A medic confirmed the specific cause of death was indeed pneumonia . But he added the hospital was still waiting for test results to confirm whether the underlying cause was swine flu . He conceded that process could take days . But judging by the heavy security , local authorities certainly feared this was another case of the virus . `` These are the prevention measures we must take . This case is still not confirmed but we must take these steps to protect citizens , '' said Victor Luna , a member of the public security detail for this district of Mexico City . A few minutes later , the hearse with Maria Fernanda 's body pulled out of the housing complex where she lived . Her dad was clutching a Winnie Pooh cuddly toy as he rode up front . Police and health officials shadowed the funeral cortege to the graveyard . Police guards only permitted immediate family and close friends through the iron gates . Through the bars silent , tearful mourners could be seen weaving through a labyrinth of headstones . Later that afternoon , the family had left Maria Fernanda 's grave -- a tiny patch of newly dug dry earth , not much more than 3 feet long . It was covered with sweet-scented white flowers . The plaque on the grave was a simple hand-painted affair : . `` Maria Fernanda . 2004 to 2009 . We love you . '' | Every aspect of life has been hit by the spread of H1N1 in Mexico City . Citizens told not to shake hands or kiss . Even a tragic death of a child brings suspicion , paranoia . | [[1531, 1564], [1595, 1621]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus has jumped nearly 30 percent with 331 people being infected so far , the World Health Organization said Friday . A young couple in Mexico City wear surgical masks in an attempt to avoid contamination from the virus . The WHO added that the virus had spread to 11 countries , but the hardest hit areas were in the western hemisphere . `` We have not seen sustained human to human transmission anywhere outside the Americas region , '' said WHO spokesman Thomas Abraham . Two more countries , Denmark and China , reported cases of the 2009 H1N1 `` swine flu '' virus on Friday , but they were still to be confirmed by the WHO . The largest outbreak was in Mexico which had 156 confirmed cases , while there were 141 cases confirmed and one death in the United States , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -LRB- CDC -RRB- . The WHO said Mexico had 9 deaths attributed to the virus . But Mexican officials said the death toll had risen to 12 . However , more than 150 deaths in Mexico are suspected to have been caused by the virus and are being investigated , officials there said . The higher totals do not necessarily mean that incidence of the disease is increasing , but rather that health investigators are going through their backlog of specimens , said Dr. Keiji Fukuda , assistant director-general of WHO . In addition to Mexico and the United States , the following countries have so far confirmed non-lethal cases : . Austria : 1 Canada : 34 China : 1 Denmark : 1 Germany : 3 Israel : 2 Netherlands : 1 New Zealand : 3 Spain : 13 Switzerland : 1 United Kingdom : 9 . An additional 642 cases are being investigated in the United Kingdom , and Spain has 84 suspected cases . Australia , which has had no confirmed cases , was investigating 114 . | Largest outbreak was in Mexico which had 156 confirmed cases . The virus had spread to 11 countries , with western hemisphere hardest hit . Mexico suspects 150 deaths have been caused by H1N1 virus . U.S. and Mexico the only countries showing human-to-human spread so far . | [[693, 727], [721, 727], [734, 757], [284, 339], [346, 400], [1041, 1071], [1123, 1145], [1041, 1071], [1086, 1118]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wedding of a Boston , Massachusetts , medical student accused of killing a woman he met through Craigslist has been called off , his fiancee 's lawyer said . The wedding of accused `` Craigslist killer '' Phillip Markoff and his fiancee , Megan McAllister , has been called off . Megan McAllister , who was accompanied by her mother , met Phillip Markoff for about 25 minutes in a Boston jail earlier this week , her lawyer Robert Honecker told CNN affiliate WCVB . `` It was an emotional conversation on both sides , '' Honecker said , adding that McAllister is planning to move back to her home state of New Jersey . `` There is still a love and commitment to that person , and I think that obviously realizing what has now happened , that she has to take steps to do what she has to do on her life , '' Honecker told WCVB . She plans to move on , he said . `` There are things that she has to do , and I think the process begins today , '' Honecker told WCVB . Honecker told ABC on Thursday that the wedding `` will not occur . '' Watch lawyer tell reporters that Megan McAllister is ready to move on '' McAllister maintained her fiance 's innocence in an e-mail sent to ABC News in early April . In the e-mail , McAllister said police have the wrong man and Markoff `` was set up . '' McAllister 's visit was her first since Markoff was arraigned last week on murder charges in the killing of a woman whom authorities say he met through Craigslist , a popular online classifieds service . Markoff , 23 , a second-year student at Boston University 's School of Medicine , is charged with killing Julissa Brisman on April 14 at a Boston hotel . Police said Brisman , a model from New York , advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist . Prosecutors say Brisman was shot three times at close range and suffered blunt head trauma . Markoff is also charged in connection with an April 10 robbery of Trisha Leffler , 29 , at another hotel in Boston . Leffler also met Brisman on Craigslist . Leffler was robbed of $ 800 in cash and $ 250 in American Express gift cards , according to police reports . Markoff has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail . | Phillip Markoff , fiancee call off wedding , according to fiancee 's lawyer . Lawyer : Fiancee Megan McAllister planning to move to New Jersey . Markoff accused of killing Julissa Brisman after police say she met her on Craigslist . Markoff also charged in connection with an April 10 robbery . | [[152, 180], [181, 259], [268, 278], [281, 302], [152, 180], [541, 557], [560, 641], [0, 9], [61, 149], [1352, 1427], [1420, 1427], [1445, 1474], [1516, 1528], [1587, 1669], [1967, 1974], [1980, 2007], [1850, 1935]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saudi Arabia 's crown prince was convalescing Saturday in Morocco where he arrived this week after surgery for an undisclosed illness in New York City , the state-run Saudi Press Agency said . Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud , right , seen in a 2007 file photo . Crown Prince Sultan , who is also the nation 's deputy prime minister , completed `` all medical tests and treatments in the aftermath of the medical surgery he has previously undergone , '' the news agency said , quoting a statement from the Royal Court . Sultan arrived in the Moroccan city of Agadir on Wednesday , the press agency said . Speculation about his health has been mounting since he arrived in New York in February . While Saudi officials maintain publicly that Sultan 's health has improved , the appointment in late March of a second deputy prime minister has raised more questions about the extent of his illness . Last month , Saudi Arabia 's King Abdullah issued a royal decree naming the interior minister , Prince Nayef -- the powerful brother of the crown prince and half-brother to the king -- to the post of second deputy prime minster . The appointment appears to mean Nayef is now the country 's crown prince in waiting and second in line to be king . In recent weeks , local media have quoted Nayef as downplaying rumors that the crown prince may be seriously ill . `` I would like to assure you that the crown prince 's health is very good , '' he told reporters in March , according to the English-language daily newspaper Arab News . `` God willing , after the medical vacation he will return to the kingdom in full health . '' | Saudi Arabia 's crown prince convalesces in Morocco after surgery in New York . Illness of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was not revealed . Appointment of second deputy prime minister raises questions about illness . | [[0, 15], [48, 84], [91, 169], [730, 804], [807, 930]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Terror attacks have spiked dramatically in Afghanistan and Pakistan as extremists in both countries strengthen their power and expand operations , according to a State Department report released Thursday . The number of terrorist attacks in Pakistan , like this bombing in April , has more than quadrupled from 2006 to 2008 . But the State Department annual terrorism report notes an overall decline in attacks worldwide and fewer attacks in Iraq . The attacks worldwide have decreased by 20 percent , with 30 percent fewer fatalities , said Russell Travers of the National Counterterrorism Center . The report says al Qaeda and its extremist supporters have moved across the Afghan border `` to the remote areas of the Pakistani frontier , where they have used this terrain as a safe haven to hide , train terrorists , communicate with the followers , plot attacks and send fighters to support the insurgency in Afghanistan . '' In Pakistan alone , the report says , attacks more than quadrupled between 2006 and 2008 , with a sharp increase in their `` coordination , sophistication and frequency . '' Last year there were 1,839 terrorist `` incidents , '' compared with 890 in 2007 , Travers said . The rise in violence has complicated the Obama administration 's effort to implement its strategy of boosting military and civilian programs in both countries . The report says the largest number of attacks occurred in Pakistani provinces near the Afghan border , including Balochistan , the North West Frontier and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas , where extremists have sought to challenge the government and extend Islamic law . It also notes the government 's inability to get a handle on the extremists . Despite having 80,000 to 100,000 troops in those provinces , it says , `` the government of Pakistan 's authority in the area continued to be challenged . '' Ronald Schlicher , the State Department 's acting coordinator of counterterrorism , told reporters the Obama administration has `` real concerns '' that al Qaeda 's senior leadership may be operating from those areas and could be plotting attacks against the United States . `` We have a real sense that it 's happening , but we have imperfect knowledge of what they 're doing , '' he said . Pakistan 's military in the past week launched an assault on militants in Taliban-held areas after they seized territory in violation of an agreement signed this year by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari . The deal , criticized by the United States , allowed the Taliban to implement Islamic law , or sharia , in the region in exchange for an end to fighting . The recent operations are part of the Pakistani army 's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions . The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan . As a result , the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan . The strikes have rankled relations between the two countries . Pakistan has asked the United States to supply its forces with helicopters , communication equipment and night-vision technology as part of a U.S. plan to beef up the country 's counterterrorism efforts . President Obama told reporters Wednesday night that he is `` gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan . '' Speaking at a news conference capping his 100th day in office , Obama said the United States has `` huge national security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable '' and does n't end up a `` nuclear-armed militant state . '' After making two visits to Pakistan in less than three weeks , Adm. Michael Mullen , chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff , is `` very alarmed by the growing extremist threat in Pakistan and remains frustrated particularly by the political leaderships ' inability to confront that threat , '' according to his chief spokesman . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have called Taliban gains in Pakistan an `` existential threat '' to the country . The State Department report notes the terrorist attacks in Mumbai , India , in November , attributing them to the Pakistan-based Kashmir terrorist group Laskhar-e-Tayyiba and to its fundraising subsidiary , amaat ud-Dawa . Although Pakistan has cracked down on some of the groups ' camps and made several arrests , the report warned of continuing tension between India and Pakistan . The report says Afghanistan is plagued by `` an insurgency that more and more relied on vicious and increasingly sophisticated terrorist attacks , '' despite the efforts of NATO forces and the Afghan government . `` The anti-government insurgency remained a capable , determined and resilient threat to stability and to the expansion of government authority , '' the report warns . Although the Taliban continued to suffer heavy combat loses , the report says its ability to leverage support from al Qaeda and recruit soldiers `` remained undiminished . '' `` Taliban information operations were increasingly aggressive and sophisticated , '' it says . `` Streams of Taliban financing from across the border in Pakistan , along with funds gained from narcotics trafficking , have allowed the insurgency to strengthen its military and technical capabilities . '' Iran is also a source of training to the Taliban `` on small-unit tactics , small arms , explosives and indirect-fire weapons , '' the report says . `` Since at least 2006 , Iran has arranged arms shipments including small arms and associated ammunition , rocket-propelled grenades , mortar rounds , 107 mm rockets and plastic explosives to select Taliban members , '' it says . While terrorists in Iraq still launched attacks last year , `` there was a notable reduction in the number of security incidents throughout much of the country , including a decrease in civilian casualties , enemy attacks , and improvised explosive device attacks in the last quarter of the year , '' the report says . There were 3,258 terrorist incidents in 2008 , down almost half from the 6,210 attacks in 2007 , Travers said . He added there was a decrease during the first quarter of 2009 , although there has a been a spike in terrorist attacks in April . Although the threat from al Qaeda in Iraq `` continued to diminish '' due to significant defections and a loss of both territory and funding , al Qaeda continued to benefit from safe haven in Somalia and has strengthened its North African operations , the report says . It notes a sharp increase in attacks by al Qaeda affiliates in North Africa . In Algeria , many of the attacks were blamed on al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb , whose tactics `` appeared to be influenced by -LSB- al Qaeda 's -RSB- experience in Iraq . '' The report also warns `` the security situation in Yemen continued to deteriorate during 2008 and was marked by a series of attacks against both Western and Yemeni interests , '' culminating in the September 17 suicide bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa that killed 18 . `` Recruitment for al Qaeda in Yemen -LRB- AQY -RRB- remained strong , and the use of vehicle borne improvised explosive devices -LRB- VBIEDs -RRB- and suicide vests indicated a high level of training , coordination , and sophistication by Yemen 's terrorist leadership , '' the report says . The report calls the government 's response to the terrorist threat `` intermittent and its ability to pursue and prosecute suspected terrorists remained weak due to a number of shortcomings , including stalled draft counterterrorism legislation . '' Although a raid in August on an al Qaeda in Yemen cell in the country uncovered large number of weapons , the report warns the action `` did little to deter or disrupt other AQY cells . '' It was a month later that at least seven assailants dressed in Yemeni security-service uniforms attacked the U.S. Embassy with explosives and suicide vests , launching what the report calls a `` sophisticated and well-coordinated '' attack . The report says Iran `` remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism , '' including supporting terrorist groups such as Hamas , Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad , all of which opposed the Middle East peace process , as well as Iraq-based militants and the Taliban fighters in Afghanistan . It cites the Qods Force , an elite branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps , as the regime 's `` primary mechanism for cultivating and supporting terrorists abroad . '' `` Iran 's involvement in the planning and financial support of terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East , Europe and Central Asia had a direct impact on international efforts to promote peace , threatened economic stability in the Gulf , and undermined the growth of democracy , '' the report says . Schlicher also said that the United States is `` troubled by indications that the Iranians may be seeking to extend their influence into other parts of the world and expand its military ties into Latin America . '' The Obama administration has adopted a policy of engagement with Iran in an effort to curb its nuclear ambitions . | Attacks in Pakistan have more than quadrupled between 2006 and 2008 , report says . Report : Al Qaeda , extremist supporters moving across Afghan border into Pakistan . Report notes an overall decline in attacks worldwide and fewer attacks in Iraq . Iran `` remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism , '' report says . | [[236, 308], [311, 355], [960, 977], [980, 995], [998, 1083], [630, 768], [360, 478], [479, 529], [5483, 5503], [6032, 6052], [7365, 7385], [8068, 8354], [8833, 8853]] |
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]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a bustling room full of computers , giant wall-mounted monitors and constantly ringing telephones , a newly gathered army is fighting a war . The swine flu outbreak has kept workers busy at the Emergency Operations Center at the CDC . . The control room is staffed 24/7 , and the leader recently had to tell his fighters to make sure to take a day off per week . This is the Emergency Operations Center at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , which has ramped up its resources to tackle swine flu , a new disease that experts say may evolve into a global pandemic . `` The last time when we were really at this level was Hurricane Katrina , '' said Toby Crafton , operations manager . The CDC has 400 people tasked to work on the virus , also called the 2009 H1N1 flu , Crafton said . The agency had deployed 50 people to various U.S. states and Mexico by Friday . The Mexican government asked the CDC to help facilitate laboratory testing of the virus during a conference call with Canada and the United States , he said . Watch as Dr. Sanjay Gupta tours the Emergency Operations Center '' `` We do n't go anywhere unilaterally . We do n't go into any state unless asked , '' Crafton said . `` So if the state health department or the state health director or the government feels like their capacity is exceeded or they need us for our scientific expertise , they will ask us to come . '' Explainer : What you should know about 2009 H1N1 flu '' The U.S. has also committed to giving Mexico 400,000 doses of the antiviral drug Tamiflu , a shipment believed to have arrived Friday morning , said Dr. Anne Schuchat , interim deputy director for science and public health at the CDC . In front of each computer in the Emergency Operations Center is a placard : Ethics , Immunization , Mental Health , Security , and dozens more . The people -- some in jeans , some in skirts , some in uniforms with military stripes -- are fielding phones calls to their respective departments . Elsewhere in laboratories , samples of the virus arrive in FedEx and World Courier packages for analysis , triple packaged to avoid leaking . Scientists are working on the genetic sequencing of the virus , as well as growing a strain that functions as a vaccine . Although the CDC is not in the business of mass-producing vaccines , researchers there are working on developing one . A vaccine strain is being grown and characterized , Schuchat said . Once a suitable candidate virus is developed -- it takes about three weeks -- the CDC theoretically would send it to a manufacturer , which would need another eight to 10 weeks to determine production possibilities as well as the dosage , said Dr. Nancy Cox , director of the CDC 's Influenza Division , at a press conference Friday . But it would not interfere with the seasonal influenza vaccine . `` If a vaccine for this new virus is prepared , it would be prepared either in parallel with or after the seasonal vaccine is already produced , '' Cox said . Still , there has not been a recommendation to mass produce a vaccine for swine flu . The U.S. part of that decision would come from the Department of Health and Human Services . Map : Where the flu is '' Researchers are still struggling to understand the origin of the virus . `` What is n't making sense right now is why there were n't reports of illness in pigs , '' said Michael Shaw , leader of the laboratory team force for the 2009 H1N1 virus . `` Usually , if you find a human who has been infected by a swine influenza virus , you look around , you start seeing sick pigs , and we have n't seen that . '' Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta talk with Michael Shaw about what CDC is doing to combat virus '' It is possible that the virus did not originate in pigs . Swine viruses have been found in turkeys , for example , Shaw said . The 2009 H1N1 virus has a `` level 2 '' containment distinction at the CDC , although extra precautions from `` level 3 '' are being applied , Shaw said . That means swine flu is one containment level below avian flu , which was at 3 . One key handling difference is that lab workers had to shower after being exposed to the avian virus , he said . Back in the Emergency Operations Center , computer screens glow with e-mails , maps , databases , slides and articles related to the new flu strain . `` We 're going to continue to be vigilant and continue to work as hard as we can until it 's over , '' Crafton said . | CDC has 400 people tasked to track and fight the 2009 H1N1 flu virus . Emergency Operations Center in Atlanta , Georgia , operates 24/7 . Researchers still struggling to understand the origin of the virus . | [[737, 787], [277, 309], [3245, 3266], [3278, 3317], [3245, 3317]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mother of a 17-year-old girl who disappeared while on spring break in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , has identified her daughter on grainy hotel surveillance video . Brittanee Marie Drexel 's mother on Friday confirmed it was her daughter seen in a hotel surveillance video . `` When I saw her profile it was confirmed , '' Dawn Drexel said Friday on `` Nancy Grace . '' Drexel 's daughter , Brittanee , was last seen on Saturday , several days after she traveled to Myrtle Beach against her mother 's wishes . In the video , a girl wearing shorts and flip-flops walks in and later out of the doors of a hotel on Saturday evening . Brittanee Drexel supposedly was on her way to meet friends at another hotel nearby . Watch her mom talk about spotting her '' Meanwhile , Myrtle Beach Police reportedly have shifted some search efforts about 40 miles to Georgetown County , based on tips . But there is still no sign of the high school junior from Rochester , New York . Dawn Drexel said she had forbidden her daughter to go to Myrtle Beach , a popular destination for high school and college spring break . But Brittanee and her friends apparently drove the 850 miles to the coastal city anyway . Drexel said her daughter had about $ 100 with her . Although they stayed in touch by phone and spoke on Saturday , Drexel said she believed the girl was calling from Rochester when she was actually in Myrtle Beach . Drexel has now gone to the city where her daughter was last seen , helping in the search for Brittanee . `` We 're going to all of the businesses and restaurants on Ocean Boulevard , '' Drexel said , but she admitted that she is concerned something may have happened to her daughter . `` I just have a gut feeling that because the stories do n't match , things are n't making sense to me , '' Drexel said , referring to reported contradictions in the information Brittanee 's friends have given police . Authorities have not named any suspects or persons of interest in the case . | Mom confirms that her daughter is the girl seen in a hotel surveillance video . Brittanee Drexel , 17 , was last seen Saturday in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina . Dawn Drexel tells CNN she forbade daughter to go to resort city during spring break . Mom has arrived in Myrtle Beach to assist police in search for her daughter . | [[0, 24], [123, 198], [199, 308], [252, 308], [42, 60], [65, 114], [404, 422], [437, 445], [451, 462], [404, 422], [446, 462], [1002, 1071]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New York 's iconic Plaza Hotel will lose a figure nearly as synonymous with it as Eloise when its longest-serving doorman retires Thursday after 46 years on the job . Ed Trinka , whose retirement coincides with his 65th birthday , joined the hotel 1963 . Ed Trinka , whose retirement coincides with his 65th birthday , joined the hotel 's staff in 1963 as a teenager . He spent 40 years at the fabled lodging 's Fifth Avenue entrance , relocating to its doorway facing Central Park South during the property 's renovation and partial conversion to condominiums several years ago . Now as much a Central Park South fixture as the horse-drawn carriages that line the park 's southern perimeter , the gregarious Trinka is known as the `` mayor of 59th Street . '' On a recent afternoon , he seemed to know every other passerby , exchanging a constant stream of hellos with chauffeurs and doormen from adjacent tony apartment buildings and , of course , the Plaza 's residents . Over his more than four decades manning the Plaza 's entrance , Trinka has met countless celebrities -- or `` all of them , '' as he puts it . After his first celebrity encounter at the hotel with the Beatles , he 's catered to a long procession of big names , including Joe DiMaggio , Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Liza Minnelli . Marla Maples , ex-wife of one-time Plaza owner Donald Trump , would regularly peck Trinka on the cheek when she saw him . Trinka says he has an autographed photo of Richard Nixon -- a token of gratitude from the former president -- hanging on proud display at his home . Trinka says he has thoroughly enjoyed his lengthy stay at the portal to history and glamour . `` I never had a bad day in all the years . '' Nonetheless , with all those years at the hotel under his belt , Trinka felt it was time to `` bow out gracefully . '' As he transitions to retirement , Trinka says he 'll miss the front-row view of Central Park and the hotel 's clientele -- the `` greatest people in the world . '' He also concedes he 'll miss `` the women . '' The building 's inhabitants are not eager for his departure . `` He 's a gentleman , refined -- you do n't find these people anymore , '' lamented resident Joan Spain . Trinka 's replacement , Jimmy O'Connell , is keenly aware of the large shoes he 'll have to fill , saying he 'd be satisfied if he `` could be half the doorman '' Trinka is . The hotel will bid farewell to Trinka in characteristically grand fashion on Thursday afternoon . After a champagne send-off in the hotel 's landmarked Oak Room , its management will present him with an opportunity to view the Plaza from the vantage point of the countless guests he 's greeted over the years : He 'll be given a free stay at the hotel . In addition to a trove of anecdotes about celebrities , Trinka acquired something else during his tenure at the Plaza : a new name . Years ago , the hotel gave him a nametag that mistakenly read Edward , even though his full name is Edwin . He came to embrace the errant nametag , neglecting to correct people when they called him Edward and even naming his own son Edward . | Ed Trinka , who joined the hotel in 1963 , turns 65 and retires after 46 years on the job . The gregarious Trinka is known as the `` mayor of 59th Street '' Doorman gets a free stay at the hotel as part of his retirement gift . | [[126, 133], [134, 194], [122, 166], [195, 204], [224, 256], [195, 204], [259, 282], [283, 292], [312, 344], [397, 461], [720, 785], [2731, 2775]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Pakistani man using `` colonel '' as a title is one of about three dozen people wanted over November 's terrorist attacks in Mumbai , but his connections with the Pakistani army have not been established , Indian prosecutors say . Police patrol in New Delhi last year following warnings of possible attacks using hijacked aircraft , officials said . `` This is all a matter of investigation , '' special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told CNN Thursday when asked if India thought he had links to the Pakistani army . Neither is it clear whether the `` colonel '' belonged to the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , which is blamed for the Mumbai siege , Nikam said . But India , the public prosecutor added , had `` ample evidence '' of his involvement in the November attacks . Authorities say Mohammed Ajmal Kasab , the only surviving suspect accused of taking part in the Mumbai siege , faces a multitude of charges , including murder and attempted murder . Speaking outside Qila Court in Mumbai , Nikam said Kasab did n't attend the hearing for security reasons . The next hearing is set for March 9 . A 21-year-old Pakistani , Kasab was one of 10 men accused of participating in the coordinated sieges on buildings such as the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and Oberoi-Trident hotels , Mumbai 's historic Victoria Terminus train station and the Jewish cultural center , Chabad House . Indian forces killed nine suspects . More than 160 people , including many foreigners , died during the three days of attacks that began November 26 . Authorities said Kasab was trained by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , which was banned in Pakistan in 2002 after a terrorist attack on India 's parliament . The group denied responsibility . Nikam said on Wednesday that the 50-page document describing the charges against Kasab also contains the names of 35 other suspects being sought in the crimes , many of whom are thought to be members of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba . The prosecutor said his office hopes to finish the trial for Kasab in three to six months . He has been in police custody since November 28 . Also charged Wednesday were two men accused of helping to plan the violence , Fahim Ansari and Sabahuddin Ahmed , according to the prosecutor . | Pakistani man using `` colonel '' as a title is wanted over Mumbai attacks . Indian prosecutors say man 's connections with Pakistani army not established . Authorities say only surviving suspect faces charges , including murder . Indian forces killed 9 suspects ; over 160 people died in November attacks . | [[37, 83], [177, 242], [245, 269], [432, 556], [871, 899], [873, 942], [945, 1015], [1441, 1477], [1478, 1526], [1529, 1566]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Deep underground on the border between France and Switzerland , the world 's largest particle accelerator complex will explore the world on smaller scales than any human invention has explored before . The collider 's ALICE experiment will look at how the universe formed by analyzing particle collisions . The Large Hadron Collider will look at how the universe formed by analyzing particle collisions . Some have expressed fears that the project could lead to the Earth 's demise -- something scientists say will not happen . Still , skeptics have filed suit to try to stop the project . It even has a rap dedicated to it on YouTube . Scientists say the collider is finally ready for an attempt to circulate a beam of protons the whole way around the 17-mile tunnel . The test , which takes place Wednesday , is a major step toward seeing if the the immense experiment will provide new information about the way the universe works . `` It 's really a generation that we 've been looking forward to this moment , and the moments that will come after it in particular , '' said Bob Cousins , deputy to the scientific leader of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment , one of six experiments inside the collider complex . `` September 10 is a demarcation between finishing the construction and starting to turn it on , but the excitement will only continue to grow . '' The collider consists of a particle accelerator buried more than 300 feet near Geneva , Switzerland . About $ 10 billion have gone into the accelerator 's construction , the particle detectors and the computers , said Katie Yurkewicz , spokewoman for CERN , the European Organization for Nuclear Research , which is host to the collider . In the coming months , the collider is expected to begin smashing particles into each other by sending two beams of protons around the tunnel in opposite directions . It will operate at higher energies and intensities in the next year , and the experiments could generate enough data to make a discovery by 2009 , experts say . Check out the collider complex 's six detectors '' Testing the unknown . Experts say the collider has the potential to confirm theories about questions that physicists have been working on for decades including the possible existence of extra dimensions . They also hope to find a theoretical particle called the Higgs boson , which has never been detected , but would help explain why matter has mass . The collider will recreate the conditions of less than a millionth of a second after the Big Bang , when there was a hot `` soup '' of tiny particles called quarks and gluons , to look at how the universe evolved , said John Harris , U.S. coordinator for ALICE , a detector specialized to analyze that question . Since this is exploratory science , the collider may uncover surprises that contradict prevailing theories , but which are just as interesting , said Joseph Lykken , theoretical physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory . `` When Columbus sails west , he thought he was going to find something . He did n't find what he thought he was going to find , but he did find something interesting , '' said Lykken , who works on the Compact Muon Solenoid , one of six experiments inside the collider complex . Why should the layperson care about this particular exploration ? Years ago , when electrons were first identified , no one knew what they were good for , but they have since transformed our entire economy , said Howard Gordon , deputy research program manager for the collider 's ATLAS experiment . `` The transformative effect of this research will be to understand the world we live in much better , '' said Gordon , at Brookhaven National Laboratory . `` It 's important for just who we are , what we are . '' Black hole fears are `` baloney '' Fears have emerged that the collider could produce black holes that could suck up anything around them -- including the whole Earth . Such fears prompted legal actions in the U.S. and Europe to halt the operation of the Large Hadron Collider , alleging safety concerns regarding black holes and other phenomena that could theoretically emerge . Although physicists acknowledge that the collider could , in theory , create small black holes , they say they do not pose any risk . A study released Friday by CERN scientists explains that any black hole created would be tiny , and would not have enough energy to stick around very long before dissolving . Five collider collaborators who did not pen the report independently told CNN there would be no danger from potential black holes . John Huth , who works on the collider 's ATLAS experiment , called such fears `` baloney '' in a recent interview , and noted that in normal physics , even if the black hole were stable , it could just pass through the Earth without being detected or without interacting at all . `` The gravitational force is so weak that you 'd have to wait many , many , many , many , many lifetimes of the universe before one of these things could -LSB- get -RSB- big enough to even get close to being a problem , '' said Huth , professor of physics at Harvard University . At the scene . When visiting the general-purpose detectors CMS and ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider , Lykken said he was awed that 30,000 tons of electronics would have to work without anyone fiddling with them all the time . `` It just blows you away to look at these things and realize they 're not only incredibly complex and huge , but they have to actually work , '' he said . `` They have to work without people banging on them all day because they 're sitting underground all by themselves . '' With twice as much iron as the Eiffel Tower , CMS will run at full power for the first time in conjunction with the first beam test Wednesday , Lykken said . The magnet serves to bend particles , whizzing by at almost the speed of light , to figure out what kind of particles they are . Although the detector 's parts weigh thousands of tons , in previous trials of CMS at lower power , the magnet actually yanked certain parts around because of its power , Lykken said . `` You 're talking about such incredible power inside both the accelerator and detectors that you never really know until you turn it all on what 's going to happen , '' he said . Scientists around the world are pumped for the first beam . Fermilab , the high energy physics lab in Batavia , Illinois , and major collaborator on the Large Hadron Collider , will be host of a `` pajama party '' at 1:30 a.m. CT that includes a live connection to CERN to follow the action . Cousins believes that because the collider pushes the frontiers of science and technology , it would be `` amazingly impressive if it works the first try , '' he said in a phone interview from CERN . Any little disturbance of the magnetic field anywhere in the tunnel could stop the beam from making it all the way around . Still , after a 25-year wait , he 's not complaining . `` I personally will be fine if there 's some problem that has to be overcome in the next few days , '' he said . | Large Hadron Collider will have first attempt at circulating a beam September 10 . It 's the largest particle accelerator in the world and costs about $ 10 billion . Lawsuits allege it could generate black holes that could eat the Earth . Scientists say these allegations have no merit . | [[705, 788], [81, 173], [1488, 1596], [424, 500], [3834, 3896], [3853, 3967]] |
Swine flu may be inspiring fear worldwide , but for Stephan Zielinski of San Francisco , California , it inspired a song . The genes underlying swine flu inspired one amateur musician to compose music based on it . The virus has the classification H1N1 because it includes two key viral proteins , hemagglutinin -LRB- H -RRB- and neuraminidase -LRB- N -RRB- . Zielinski took the genetic sequence of a variant of hemagglutinin and created a computer algorithm to turn it into music . Zielinski , 41 , is not a biochemist or a professional musician -- he 's a writer , photographer , computer programmer , and blogger who creates music in his spare time . But he 's fascinated that , even though biologists can map the genome of the virus and predict what the hemagglutinin protein looks like , the human body still can not distinguish it as the `` bad guy '' -- at least , not until there 's a vaccine . Listen to the song . `` Although the map is there and you can even make a song out of it , we ca n't explain it to these itty bitty little cells in body , '' he said . Using computer programs he created himself , as well as a commercial product , Zielinski composed his song by assigning instruments and musical notes to various properties of the protein . Zielinski took the various categories of amino acids , the building blocks of the protein , and assigned each a different instrument -- piano , organ , low synthesizer , percussion . The melody was created by assigning notes to specific amino acids . Each beat of the song also corresponds to one of numerous amino acids . The work was done entirely with a computer and took about six hours Tuesday , he said . Learn more about swine flu '' He first learned of the sequence through an immunologist friend at the Mayo Clinic , he said . Zielinski saw it as a form of highly organized information that a human did not design . `` The only way I could look at that and make sense of it , since I 'm not a biochemist , was , well , I could try translating it into another very organized form of information that people do , and then see if I could hear anything . And the answer , of course , turned out to be no . '' But even if the mystery of the virus did not reveal itself in musical form , the result is a curiously melodic , innovative , somewhat soothing work . Dr. Jay Steinberg , infectious disease specialist at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta , Georgia , called it `` nice ambient music '' that 's reminiscent of Brian Eno . Less methodical swine flu songs are also emerging on YouTube . User `` CelicaAaron '' parodies the Jonas Brothers ' song `` Lovebug , '' crooning , `` I ca n't get your snout out of my mouth / I 'm sick to my stomach all the time . '' A short spoken-word effort by user `` Micfri '' warns , `` You know who has swine flu ? Pigs ! '' | Stephan Zielinski composed a song based on a swine flu gene . He created an algorithm that assigns instruments and notes to amino acids . YouTube users are also posting swine flu songs . | [[48, 86], [102, 122], [123, 200], [163, 214], [360, 369], [430, 482], [1150, 1159], [1178, 1259], [1443, 1510], [1443, 1453], [1466, 1510], [1511, 1532], [1538, 1582], [2505, 2567]] |
SPRUCE PINE , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Like most parents , Vickie and Keith Murdock worry about providing for their family . With three teenage daughters , that can be a big challenge , but these days it 's more difficult than ever . Keith and Vickie Murdock retrained for new jobs after suffering layoffs . But they remain unemployed . Vickie and Keith are both out of work . They live in Spruce Pine , North Carolina , a tiny mountain town about an hour 's drive northeast of Asheville that has lost more than 2,000 jobs since 2003 . That 's a devastating number , given that Mitchell County 's 2000 Census population was only 15,687 . Keith was laid off in 2001 , when a textile mill closed . He had worked there for 13 years . He did what all the experts say to do : He went back to school , got his GED and retrained to be an auto body mechanic . After graduation , he found a job at nearby Altec Industries . But again , he was laid off in January . Today , he spends his time looking for work . Keith said `` everybody you talk to '' tells him , '' ` well , we 're not hiring . We ai n't got nothing open right now . ' '' Vickie has suffered her own layoff . She lost her job in 2006 when furniture maker Ethan Allen closed its plant in the area . She decided to retrain and will graduate from the local community college in May as a certified medical assistant . Vickie hopes to get a job at a local clinic , but jobs are hard to come by in this area . Major industries , including textile manufacturing , furniture making and mining , have downsized or left the area completely . The Rev. Bill Sweetser works with Shepherd 's Staff , a local food pantry . He says workers there are seeing three times as many clients as they did just last year . Watch how the Murdocks have struggled against the bad economy '' The food bank is in an old textile mill that just a few years ago was one of the largest employers in Mitchell County . Now , former workers come there for assistance . `` Right now , I would say we 're barely keeping up , '' Sweetser said . `` Our policy is that everybody who comes in will get something . Sometimes we 're out of certain staples . ... It may not be the food you want to give them , it may not be the food they necessarily prefer , but we give them something . '' Community leaders are hoping a focus on promoting mountain crafts and tourism and a growing second home market will spur an economic revitalization . Keith Holtsclaw runs Blue Ridge Regional Hospital , one of the area 's largest employers , and heads the county 's economic development commission . `` I just do n't see manufacturing coming back into the community , '' he said . `` We have to work with what we 've got . We have lots of artists here . We are great , we 're on the Blue Ridge Parkway , we 're on the Appalachian Trail ... so we need to play to our strengths . '' Until that economic revitalization happens , Vickie and Keith Murdock are living off unemployment benefits and hoping to find work soon . Vickie tries to calm her anxiety about the everyday costs of life . `` We think that when we get to worrying how we are gon na pay for this , '' she said , `` it 's like the Lord makes a way . '' For the Murdock family and this community , a new way to stimulate the local economy is desperately needed . | Spruce Pine , N.C. , has lost 2,000 jobs in a county of about 15,600 residents . Some laid-off workers have retrained , only to lose their jobs again . Closed factory that employed thousands has become a food bank . Community leaders hope to revitalize economy by attracting tourists . | [[545, 573], [576, 646], [2311, 2421], [2393, 2460]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New Hampshire 's Senate has approved a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry , but critics and supporters of the legislation say their work is n't over . New Hampshire could become the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage if a bill becomes law . `` We were obviously disappointed , '' Kevin Smith , executive director of the conservative Cornerstone Policy Research Action group , said Thursday . `` We do n't think the voters are going to forget about it . '' On the other side , members of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition , a group that has worked since 2001 for same-sex marriage , were `` absolutely thrilled , '' said Mo Baxley , its executive director . But noting that the bill is returning to the House of Representatives for consideration of changes made by the Senate , Baxley added , `` I think the work continues . '' Her organization will encourage supporters to contact their representatives ahead of the House vote , she said . On Wednesday , the Senate voted 13-11 in favor of the bill , which differs from the House-approved version in that it distinguishes between civil and religious marriage . It allows each religion to decide whether to acknowledge same-sex marriage but extends the option of civil marriage to any two individuals , said state Senate spokeswoman Anne Saunders . The House , which passed the earlier version last month by a margin of seven votes , 186-179 , must approve the changed version before it can be sent to Gov. John Lynch , a Democrat who has questioned the need for the bill . After the Senate vote , Lynch released a statement saying he believes that `` the fundamental issue is about providing the same rights and protections to same-sex couples as are available to heterosexual couples . This was accomplished through the passage of the civil unions law two years ago . '' Lynch signed the state 's civil unions law in May 2007 . `` To achieve further real progress , '' he added , `` the federal government would need to take action to recognize New Hampshire civil unions . '' Earlier this month , the governor said he believes the word `` marriage '' should be used only to describe a marriage between a man and a woman , the New Hampshire Union Leader in Manchester reported . `` I think the word ` marriage ' is reserved for a marriage between a man and a woman , and I think the real issues really are rights and protections for gay and lesbian couples , '' he told reporters on April 15 , according to the newspaper . Smith said his organization , which was established in 2000 , would `` lobby hard '' to get the governor to veto the bill . He said he expected it to pass the House . `` Look , this is a matter of holding the governor accountable , '' he said . `` He 's been very public with his views on same-sex marriage in the state . ... We 'll see if he was misleading the voters of New Hampshire or if he 'll stand by his word and actually veto it . '' Were the bill to become law , New Hampshire would become the fifth state allowing same-sex marriage , joining Connecticut , Vermont , Massachusetts and Iowa . Only Vermont has established the practice legislatively . CNN 's Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report . | Same-sex marriage bill returns to New Hampshire House after Senate approval . Critic of the bill : `` We do n't think the voters are going to forget about it '' If bill passes the House , it will be sent to the governor for approval or veto . Gov. John Lynch , a Democrat , has questioned the need for the bill . | [[0, 15], [19, 97], [420, 480], [1506, 1518], [1523, 1561]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sheila Wash greets her son and daughter , 13-year-old Cecil and 9-year-old Sheliah , every day when their school buses arrive `` home . '' Sheila Wash says being homeless has been an `` eye-opening experience '' for her . They talk about the school day , their homework and even joke that Sheliah ca n't remember what she ate for lunch . The fourth-grader wonders aloud , `` What did we have ? We had something good . '' But it 's hardly a homecoming for any of them . The Wash family has been homeless since 2007 , after Sheila lost her government job . She says unemployment benefits quickly ran out and , as she searched for a job , the family was forced to move six times in the last two years . They 're now living in the Family Forward Shelter in Washington . `` I just thank God we have a roof over our head right now . You have to accept the things that come to you . You do n't like them but , you know , until you can get your foot forward , you do what you have to do . We just keep going , '' Wash said . Wash 's situation was only made worse as the economic recession set in . Jobs became harder and harder to find with more competition for each position . She says she 's still searching . The Washes are part of the changing face of homelessness in America today . For years , homelessness has been depicted as that of an individual man or woman living on the street and begging for money . But with the perfect storm of the foreclosure crisis and the faltering economy , more and more families are becoming homeless . According to a recent count by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments , the number of homeless families in the Washington region alone has jumped 15 percent since last year . There are several national estimates of homelessness , but many are dated or based on dated information . TheU.S . Department of Housing and Urban Development points to a study done in 2007 -- before the brunt of the foreclosure crisis hit -- which stated that about 3.5 million people , 1.35 million of them children , are likely to experience homelessness in a given year . That study was conducted by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty . `` People lose their jobs . Their monthly household expenses spiral out of control because maybe their car broke down that month , and when you have such a tight budget with high rental costs , there is no room for error . And so that is what really leads families to the shelter door , '' said Mary Cunningham , author of `` Preventing and Ending Homelessness - Next Steps . '' Reflecting on their struggles over the last few years , Sheila calls it `` eye-opening . '' `` It 's like they say you never know -LSB- someone -RSB- until you walk in their shoes , so truly I know now and if I ever get out -LSB- of -RSB- this situation , I will always give back to people less fortunate than I am because I know their struggles , '' Wash said . School officials in Prince George 's County , Maryland , where the two Wash children go to school , say a day does n't go by without the need to enroll another child as homeless . Denise Ross , supervisor for the school district 's Homeless Education Office , said they 've been inundated with requests . `` Some of them are embarrassed , some of them are scared , some of them are sad . They 're just not sure what 's going to happen next , '' Ross said . `` Students who are displaced or homeless students feel that school is a safe haven . They really want to come to school . They really want to attend school . '' For homeless students , Prince George 's County Schools offers free transportation to and from school , free breakfast and lunch , help with school supplies and also clothing . `` Either in the shuffle of being evicted or moving from shelter to shelter or place to place , their clothes may not have followed them . Or may have been set out and somebody may have taken them . So they may only have -LSB- the -RSB- clothes that are on their back . Our intent is always to provide them with at least three complete sets , '' Ross said . Sheila Wash says school is not only important because of her children 's education , but it has also been an important source of stability in their lives . '' -LSB- A -RSB- very big help , '' she says . And help they still need with the obstacles ahead . Watch Kate Bolduan 's report on the Washes ' plight '' The Family Forward Shelter is a hypothermia shelter , only open through the winter , which means the Wash family needs to find another temporary home , and they have n't had much luck . But with a smile that seems to never fade , 9-year-old Sheliah describes the one wish that keeps her family going . `` I wish we had a house with a car , '' she says . `` I pray that my mom , that we wake up in the morning and that -LSB- we -RSB- get a house and everything we wanted . '' | Sheila Wash and her two kids have been homeless since 2007 , after she lost her job . School officials in the Washes ' district say more of their students are homeless . Author : Having `` no room for error '' on finances often sends families to shelter door . By one count , homelessness in the D.C. area has jumped by 15 % over last year . | [[499, 543], [1648, 1750]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former congressman and Republican vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp died Saturday at age 73 after a battle with cancer , his family announced . Jack Kemp , a former congressman from New York , was the GOP 's vice presidential candidate in 1996 . A onetime professional football player , Kemp served nine terms in Congress as a representative from New York and was former Sen. Bob Dole 's running mate in 1996 . He was a leading advocate of `` supply-side '' tax cuts , advancing the argument that cutting taxes would boost economic growth and yield more revenue for the federal government . `` The only way to oppose a bad idea is to replace it with a good idea , and I like to think that I have spent my life trying to promote good ideas , '' he told CNN in a 1996 interview . Kemp `` passed peacefully into the presence of the Lord '' Sunday evening , a family statement said . He disclosed his illness in January . Watch . `` During the treatment of his cancer , Jack expressed his gratitude for the thoughts and prayers of so many friends , a gratitude which the Kemp family shares , '' the family said . Watch how Jack Kemp made transition from football to politics '' Kemp quarterbacked the Buffalo Bills to back-to-back American Football League championships in 1964 and 1965 , before the merger that created the modern NFL . When he retired in 1970 after 13 seasons , the California native ran for Congress and represented the Buffalo area for 18 years in the House of Representatives . View photos of Jack Kemp 's life '' `` He championed free-market principles that improved the lives of millions of Americans and helped unleash an entrepreneurial spirit that all of us still benefit from today , '' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , said in a statement issued late Saturday . The 1981 tax cuts signed into law by Ronald Reagan , which cut marginal tax rates from 70 percent to 50 percent , bore Kemp 's name as a co-sponsor . Critics mocked the policy as `` trickle-down '' economics and pointed to the decade 's growing budget deficits as evidence that supply-side theories did n't work , but it has been GOP orthodoxy ever since . Kemp mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988 , losing the Republican primaries to George H.W. Bush . But once in office , Bush made Kemp his secretary of housing and urban development -- a post Kemp used to promote what he called an `` empowerment '' agenda of tax breaks for urban businesses and expanded home ownership . iReport.com : Share your memories of Kemp . Unlike many of the other conservatives of his era , Kemp actively courted African-American support . In 1992 , he told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' that the GOP `` could be a Lincoln party in terms of attracting black and brown and men and women of color and low-income status and immigrant status who want a shot at the American dream for their children . '' CNN Political Director Sam Feist contributed to this report . | Jack Kemp , former congressman and vice presidential candidate , dies at 73 . Kemp announced in January he was battling cancer . Before politics , Kemp was a professional football quarterback . Kemp also served as secretary of housing and urban development -LRB- 1989-1993 -RRB- . | [[0, 152], [178, 187], [227, 279], [0, 152], [914, 951], [2308, 2326], [2329, 2390]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least four people died when a tour bus crashed Tuesday on the Pacific Coast Highway , California Highway Patrol spokesman Brian Wiest said . The crashed bus is on its side across the southbound lanes . `` There were people ejected , '' Wiest said . Highway 101 near Soledad , California , was closed in both directions for about 2 1/2 hours after the crash , which injured 38 people , authorities said . The highway patrol later opened the northbound lanes , using one for northbound traffic and the other for southbound traffic . The crashed bus was on its side across the southbound lanes . The bus belongs to Orion Pacific , a charter service that provides trips `` across the USA and around the world , '' according to its Web site . No one answered CNN 's call to Orion Pacific . At least some of the passengers on the bus were French , said Jacques de Noray , spokesman for the French consulate in San Francisco . The Soledad Fire Department said 12 ambulances and seven helicopters were dispatched to the scene . The California Highway Patrol said the crash took place at about 3:23 p.m. while the bus was en route from San Francisco to Santa Maria , about 230 miles down the coast . Soledad is about halfway between the two cities . The cause of the crash had not been determined . | Highway 101 near Soledad , California , closed in both directions . 12 ambulances , 7 helicopters dispatched to the scene . The cause of the crash has not been determined . | [[271, 295], [311, 378], [942, 1041], [975, 1041], [1263, 1311]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hamburg have put one foot in the UEFA Cup final after a header from Germany winger Piotr Trochowski proved enough to give them a 1-0 win at Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen in the first leg of their semifinal . Piotr Trochowski celebrates the only goal as Hamburg took a major step towards the UEFA Cup final . Martin Jol 's side scored the only goal of a pulsating match in the 38th minute when Trochowski , the smallest player on the pitch , rose superbly at the back post to head Guy Demel 's right-wing cross past goalkeeper Tim Wiese . Both side had countless half-chances to score but Hamburg wasted the best of them on the hour mark when Bayern Munich-bound striker Ivica Olic broke through in acres of space , but fired his shot straight at Wiese . Hamburg 's victory puts them on line for their first European final since 1983 , when they beat Juventus 1-0 to win the European Cup . This was the second of four matches in quick succession between the north Germany neighbors -- who met each other in the German Cup last week and will play the return leg of the semifinal next Thursday before a Bundesliga clash on Sunday May 10 . And the result was sweet revenge for Hamburg , who saw Wiese save three penalties in last week 's shoot-out as Werder knocked their rivals out of the German Cup , also at the semifinal stage . The eventual winners will play either Shakhtar Donetsk or Dynamo Kiev in May 's Istanbul final . | Hamburg in line for first European final since 1983 after defeating Werder 1-0 . Winger Piotr Trochowski heads in the only goal of their UEFA Cup semifinal . Eventual winners will face Shakhtar Donetsk or Dynamo Kiev in Istanbul final . | [[0, 15], [102, 228], [229, 328], [274, 328], [775, 853], [19, 118], [0, 15], [102, 228], [229, 328], [329, 408], [1350, 1446]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Humane Society has accused a federally funded primate center of mistreating chimpanzees and other primates , saying that some animals showed signs of psychosis and self-mutilation . New Iberia Research Center cages about 325 chimps on its 100 acres . It also has about 6,000 monkeys . The allegations against the New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana , which houses more than 6,500 primates , came after a nine-month undercover investigation . The center denies the allegations . `` We found animals living in isolation , exhibiting self-mutilating behavior , psychosis , all sorts of emotional and physical problems at this laboratory , '' Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle told CNN on Wednesday . The Humane Society 's undercover investigator , who worked as a laboratory technician with a hidden camera , revealed 338 violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act , which sets standards for the treatment of animals in labs , Pacelle said . The Humane Society posted some of its secret footage on its Web site . The footage includes an animal with what the group said was a self-inflicted wound , another animal jumping in circles in its cage , and chimpanzees screaming as lab technicians approached with a dart gun . The violations were filed in a 108-page complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture , which is required by law to enforce the Animal Welfare Act , the organization said . Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he will order a thorough investigation of animal welfare practices at the facility . `` If the allegations prove to be true , the American public can expect the perpetrators to be held fully accountable . I take the protection of animals very seriously , and will do my utmost to fully enforce the Animal Welfare Act , '' he said in a written statement . The New Iberia Research Center , part of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette , issued a statement saying that the videos `` distort acceptable standard procedures and incorrectly imply mistreatment of nonhuman primates at the New Iberia Research Center . '' It added : `` We take very seriously our responsibility to care for the animals housed at the center and to carry out biomedical research according to federal rules and regulations . '' The center further said it properly housed and cared for the animals . It also said it complies with regulations of the USDA , the Food and Drug Administration , and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The Humane Society accused workers at New Iberia of hitting primates on the mouth , using `` painful '' dart guns and removing infant monkeys from their mothers . The Humane Society also said it had documented evidence of `` rampant '' breeding of government-owned chimpanzees . In 2007 , the National Institutes of Health 's National Center for Research Resources , following a 12-year moratorium , said it would no longer breed chimpanzees for research , citing financial reasons . The New Iberia Research Center has received more than $ 37 million in grants from the NIH , according to the center 's Web site . The NIH said it has opened an investigation regarding the allegations and said it is working closely with the USDA . However , it said it could not comment on the allegations while its investigation is under way . `` The results will be available when the investigation is complete , '' the NIH said in a written statement . `` We are committed to the safety and welfare of all animals in research . All animals used in federally funded research are protected by laws , regulations , and policies to ensure they are used in the smallest numbers possible and with the greatest commitment to their comfort . '' Pacelle said the most serious issue was the self-mutilation and `` nonstop pacing and circling , psychosis and other abnormal behaviors . '' `` These are highly intelligent animals . They have a sense of self , they have a sense of past and future , they have the wide range of emotions that we have , '' he said . `` They should not be subjected to this long-term , decade-long isolation , and all these painful and physical procedures and the psychological torment in these laboratories . '' The New Iberia Research Center says it offers a `` broad range of diagnostic , laboratory , and human resources for the development and characterization of nonhuman primate models for applied and basic research aimed at promoting human quality of life . '' In its statement e-mailed to CNN , the center said it has made numerous contributions to public health improvements for the prevention and treatment of three forms of hepatitis , mumps , measles , chicken pox and mad cow disease . CNN 's Bill Caiaccio and Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report . | Society says undercover investigation found animal psychosis , self-mutilation . Center denies allegations , says it properly housed and cared for the animals . Agriculture secretary says he 'll order investigation of facility 's animal welfare practices . New Iberia Research Center in Louisiana houses more than 6,500 primates . | [[0, 15], [132, 204], [308, 375], [418, 468], [547, 660], [1044, 1202], [3707, 3844], [3720, 3844], [469, 504], [2269, 2339], [2269, 2279], [2293, 2295], [2316, 2339], [1426, 1549], [1465, 1549], [274, 276], [282, 307], [366, 375], [384, 415]] |
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]] |
AMSTERDAM , Netherlands -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators are trying to determine what caused the crash of an airplane with a good safety record , flown by a well-respected airline , at one of the world 's most modern airports . One of the casualties is taken from the crash site . At least nine people were killed and 55 injured when the Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 crashed Wednesday in a field near Amsterdam 's main airport , splitting into three parts , officials said . It is too early to determine the cause of the crash but the flight data and voice recorders have been recovered , said Michel Bezuijen , acting mayor of Haarlemmermeer municipality , which is home to Amsterdam 's Schiphol Airport . He said investigators still need to determine what , if anything , the pilots said in the moments before the crash . The injured included both crew and passengers , he said . The names of the dead and injured will not be released before Thursday , Bezuijen said . `` It will take more time . Probably tomorrow afternoon we can tell you about the identity of the victims , including the fatalities , '' he said . Another official said earlier that both pilots and an apprentice pilot are among the dead . `` There are still three crew members in the cabin , '' said Bob Steensma of the Dutch Justice Department . `` I 'm sorry to say they are dead . We leave them there because we have to investigate the cockpit before we take the cockpit apart . '' Turkish Airlines said earlier the plane was carrying 134 people -- 127 passengers and seven crew members . Six people were critically injured , Ineke Van Der Zande of Amsterdam Emergency Services told reporters at a briefing . Watch aerials from the crash site '' Twenty-five passengers were severely injured , she said , and 24 were lightly injured . Some 60 ambulances transported 84 people to 11 hospitals throughout the region , she said . There was no word on injuries to the others who were transported . Witnesses said they saw the nose of the plane pitch up suddenly before the crash , according to RTL journalist Greg Crouch . The plane broken into three pieces . One break was in front of the wing , splitting the `` Turkish '' logo in two , and a larger break was farther back along the fuselage . Most of the injured were seated toward the back of the plane , which sustained the most damage , a passenger on the plane told Turkish station NTV . Many of the passengers simply walked off the plane through the cracks in the fuselage , witnesses said . A passenger on the plane who spoke to Turkish network DHA said he saw injured people trapped and squeezed between the seats when he walked out . iReport : Send your videos , stories . Flight 1951 was arriving at Schiphol from Istanbul , Turkey , when it went down around 10:40 a.m. -LRB- 4:40 a.m. ET -RRB- . It came to rest in a farmer 's field about 500 yards short of the runway , near the major A9 highway . Crouch said the weather at the time was partly sunny with no wind or rain . No fire broke out after the crash , Bezuijen said . Watch how Twitter was first to report the crash '' A bank manager who was a passenger on the plane told NTV that there were no emergency announcements . The crew 's last word to the cabin was an announcement to fasten their seat belts and prepare for landing , the bank manager said . He said he felt the pilot giving more power to the engines before feeling `` turbulence , '' then a sudden drop . He described the crash as similar to a sudden impact that was over in a matter of seconds . The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team of investigators to Amsterdam to assist in the crash investigation . The Boeing 737-800 is a reliable aircraft that has been successful and safe in service , said aviation expert Kieran Daly of Air Transport Intelligence . `` They really are pretty much state-of-the-art airlines with every imaginable technical benefit the industry has come up with over the years , '' Daly told CNN . `` You would be optimistic that they would be quite survivable in an accident . '' Daly said Turkish Airlines , a national carrier , has a `` very good record . '' Turkish Airlines said it has 52 Boeing 737-800s in its fleet . They can carry as many as 165 passengers each , it said . Before Wednesday , the airline 's last accident was of a small commuter jet in 2003 , Daly said . It was a fatal crash that happened at a remote airfield in southeastern Turkey , he said . `` Their mainline operation is safe , '' Daly said . `` Their pilots are well thought of . '' Worldwide , there have been two fatal commercial airline crashes this year . The last previous fatal incident at the Amsterdam airport happened in April 1994 when a KLM aircraft crashed as it tried to return to Schiphol shortly after takeoff . Three of the 24 passengers and crew members on board were killed . CNN 's Ivan Watson in Istanbul , Turkey , contributed to this report . | Mayor says too early to determine cause of Wednesday 's plane crash . Investigators find data and voice recorders from Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 . At least nine of the 134 people on board died ; 55 wounded ; six critical . Accident involved respected airline and modern airport in good weather . | [[534, 589], [534, 569], [592, 612], [281, 317], [318, 458], [1567, 1601], [1604, 1613]] |
Editor 's note : Mark Gendreau , MD , is senior staff physician and vice chairman of emergency medicine at Lahey Clinic , Burlington , Massachusetts , and assistant professor of emergency medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston . His interests include health issues associated with commercial air travel , including transmission of infectious diseases . Dr. Mark Gendreau says swine flu is focusing attention on how to avoid getting a disease while traveling by air . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The novel swine flu is showing the world just how interconnected we are and how commercial aircraft can serve as vehicles of rapid disease spread . I am frequently asked : What is the risk of catching an illness while flying ? In a nutshell , the risk of getting an infection while you 're in an enclosed space such as an airplane depends upon three factors : The infectiousness of the contagious person spreading the illness ; the degree of your exposure -LRB- how close you are to the contagious person and for how long -RRB- ; and the ventilation of the space or passenger cabin . We really have no control over the infectiousness of our fellow passengers , and usually , you really do n't have much of a choice about your seating partners . So the exposure is pure chance . But this does n't mean that you are doomed . Most respiratory viral infectious diseases -- like influenza and the common cold -- transmit via droplets contaminated with the offending microorganism when the infectious person coughs or sneezes . These droplets are propelled no farther than 3 feet and can land on an inanimate object -- such as a seat , overhead bin or seat tray -- or on your body . This is why hand hygiene is so critical and is the single most significant thing you can do to protect yourself and your family when you are traveling or out in public . Study after study shows marked reductions in transmission in public spaces when hand hygiene is practiced , and a recent study found nearly undetectable influenza particle levels after hands contaminated with influenza were washed with either soap and water or an over-the-counter gel containing at least 50 percent alcohol . Sanitize your hands before eating , drinking and after retrieving something from the overhead bin or returning from the restroom , and you have just cut your chances of getting infected by at least 40 percent . One of my disappointments with the airline industry is its lack of providing alcohol-based hand sanitizers to passengers . Such a service would go a long way in eliminating infection spread within aircraft . iReport.com : Have swine flu fears altered your travel plans ? Ventilation is the final crucial element to consider in minimizing infection spread . Ventilation dilutes the concentration of infectious particles within any confined space , thereby reducing the probability of infection . Experience shows us that transmission becomes widespread within the passenger cabin involving all sections when the ventilation system is not working -- as evidenced by an influenza outbreak in 1979 involving passengers being kept aboard grounded aircraft with an inoperative ventilation system . Air circulation patterns aboard standard commercial aircraft are side-to-side -LRB- laminar -RRB- , with air entering the cabin from overhead , circulating across the aircraft and exiting the cabin near the floor . Little to no front-to - back -LRB- longitudinal -RRB- airflow takes place . This air circulation pattern `` compartmentalizes '' the air flow into sections , thereby limiting the spread of airborne particles throughout the passenger cabin . Ventilation can involve either 100 percent fresh air in which outside air enters and leaves the cabin in a single pass or a system in which various fractions of air are recirculated from the aircraft cabin and mixed with fresh air . Most commercial aircraft in service recirculate 50 percent of the air delivered to the passenger cabin for improved control of cabin circulation , humidity and fuel efficiency . The recirculated air usually passes through high-efficiency particulate -LRB- HEPA -RRB- filters before delivery into the cabin . HEPA filtering of recirculated cabin air to minimize exposure to infectious particles is established within scientific literature , practiced daily in health care facilities and is strongly endorsed by the medical community and cabin health experts . However , oddly enough , the Federal Aviation Administration , its British counterpart , the Civil Aviation Authority , and Europe 's Joint Aviation Authorities do not require the use of these filters on commercial airlines . Efforts to improve international regulations regarding the certification , inspection and maintenance of aircraft environmental control systems are needed . To minimize the risk of disease spread by aircraft , regulations requiring HEPA filters for any aircraft that uses recirculated air should be seriously considered . In the meantime , you can improve the ventilation at your seat by turning on the overhead air vent to low and positioning the airflow to be slightly in front of your face . This may create enough air turbulence to push a viral particle from landing on your face and mucous membranes . Finally , face masks are effective . In 2003 , during the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic , 76 percent of Hong Kong residents wore simple masks , and in this case , mask use was associated with a lower incidence of SARS , as well as upper respiratory tract infections and influenza . A recent analysis of public health interventions used during the SARS epidemic suggests that the use of masks by the public was 68 percent effective in decreasing rates of infection , with simple face masks , and 91 percent effective for more sophisticated N95 face masks . The take-home message is this : Use a surgical mask when you are traveling to areas that have reported cases of swine flu and bring an additional one to give to anyone near you who forgot one or appears to be sick and is coughing or sneezing . Prevention of a disease outbreak is the most important means of control and requires a proactive approach . The aviation industry and medical community should better educate the general public about health issues related to air travel and infection control . The only way to eliminate any risk of cross-infection in the aircraft cabin -- or the rapid worldwide spread of an infectious agent -- is to prevent would-be passengers who are either substantially exposed to or carrying transmissible infections from flying . This needs to come from education and promoting individual responsibility , since the systematic screening of passengers for contagious diseases is impractical . Although thermal scanners used in airports may detect travelers with symptoms , they are not effective since people exposed to an infectious disease could travel without any signs or symptoms and yet still be infectious . The late Nobel Laureate Joshua Lederberg once said `` The microbe that felled one child in a distant continent yesterday can reach yours today , and seed a global pandemic tomorrow . '' True words . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mark Gendreau . | Mark Gendreau : Swine flu is focusing attention on illness and air travel . He says three things affect the likelihood of your getting sick from a plane trip . Gendreau : Sick passengers , your exposure and ventilation are key factors . He says using hand sanitizers on planes would help prevent spread . | [[248, 371], [270, 371], [372, 460], [6274, 6333], [732, 745], [824, 862], [248, 371], [270, 371], [427, 485], [2660, 2745], [6274, 6333], [427, 485], [2512, 2596]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From ancient Phoenician galleys to 21st century super yachts , a lot has changed about the way people travel the high seas over the centuries . The Mirabella V , built in 2003 , is the world 's biggest single-masted sailing yacht , with a mast that is nearly 300 ft tall . Whether it 's one intrepid `` micro-yachtsman '' navigating the Atlantic in a boat the size of a bathtub , or an elite racing team shattering world records in a state-of-the-art catamaran , these voyages all have one thing in common : they have altered the way mankind looks at the world . MainSail takes a look at the ships , and the revolutionaries they carried on their way . Voyage of the Beagle . When : 1831 Who : Naturalist Charles Darwin Where : Galapagos Islands The boat : The HMS Beagle was a 90 ft , 10-gun former British Navy warship built in 1820 . The ship was repurposed and commissioned for civilian exploration voyages in 1825 . How long : Five years Legacy : Aboard the HMS Beagle , Darwin collected specimens and began to develop his theories of evolution , which would later crystallize in `` The Origin of Species . '' Columbus discovers the New World . When : 1492 Who : Italian explorer Christopher Columbus Where : From Spain to the Caribbean The boats : The Santa Maria was a 70 ft , three-masted ship built from pine and oak , that could carry 40 men . The Nina and the Pinta were both smaller , nimbler boats with triangle-shaped masts better for navigating tricky waterways . The square-sail Santa Maria ran aground in modern-day Haiti on Christmas Day 1492 . Legacy : Searching for a new way into the East Indies spice route , it was aboard these three ships that Columbus unintentionally discovered the Caribbean . ` Micro-yachtsman ' crosses the Atlantic in miniature boat . When : 1993 Who : American Hugo Vihlen Where : Across the North Atlantic , from Newfoundland to Cornwall , England The boat : The Father 's Day , the world 's tiniest sailboat at a length of 5 ft 4 in , was so small that Vihlen had to roll up into a ball to sleep , and could n't stand up without opening the hatch and risk taking on water . Likened to a space shuttle , the boat is made from fiberglass-enclosed Airex foam and was fitted with GPS , a water maker , VHF radio and SSB/Ham radio . Legacy : Aboard the Father 's Day , Vihlen became the world 's first `` micro-yachtsman , '' but it was n't all smooth sailing -- the boat was surrounded by whales , nearly capsized , and caught the tail end of a hurricane during its 105-day voyage . What world-changing voyages would you add to our list ? Sound Off below . Magellan navigates Cape Horn . When : 1519 Who : Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan Where : Around the world bypassing Cape Horn , South America via a narrow strait The boat : Given to Magellan by King Charles I of Spain , The Victoria was the only one of five ships to complete the trip successfully . Only 18 of its original 237 crew members survived and the ship was so badly damaged it was only kept afloat by the crew continuously pumping water out of the hull . How long : Three years Legacy : During the first ever circumnavigation of the world Magellan discovered a shortcut through a waterway in the southern tip of Chile , which helped sailors to avoid the almost continuous ocean storms off Cape Horn . The voyage also established the need for an international date line -- as the explorers found upon return that their calendars were one day off . Pilgrims sail to Plymouth Rock . When : 1620 Who : The Pilgrims Where : From England to Plymouth Rock The boat : Primarily used as a cargo ship , in this instance the Mayflower , which was estimated to be between 90 and 110 ft , was used to transport 102 English separatists . How long : Two months Legacy : Half the Pilgrims died during the first winter on the Mayflower , but , in America , the ship continues to be a symbol of the bold English separatists who would encounter great hardships while they explored , and established colonies the modern-day U.S. east coast . Cook charts the Pacific . When : 1772-1775 , 1778-1780 Who : English cartographer and explorer Captain James Cook Where : Pacific Ocean , Antarctic Circle The boat : Called `` the fittest ship for service I have ever seen '' by Cook , the HMS Resolution was fitted with the most advanced technology of the day , including an `` Azimuth compass , '' an ice anchor , a fresh water distiller , and 24 guns and small cannons . How long : Five years Legacy : Cook charted maps of the Pacific so accurate that many were still used up until 50 years ago , and proved the nonexistence of the mythical `` Terra Australis '' continent believed to exist in the south Pacific . In the process , the HMS Resolution became the first ship to cross the Antarctic Circle . First solo circumnavigation of the globe . When : 1895 Who : Canadian sailor Joshua Slocum Where : From Boston to Rhode Island The boat : Given as a gift to Slocum in 1892 , the rotting 36 ft vessel , The Spray , the sailor restored it for `` $ 553.62 , and 13 months of my own labor . '' How long : Three years Legacy : Slocum became the first person in history to successfully circumnavigate the world solo upon his return to Rhode Island in June 1898 , inspiring generations of sailors to come . Yacht with tallest mast ever sets sail . When : Built in 2003 Who : Owned by American Joe Vittoria , former CEO of Avis Where : From Portsmouth , England to the Mediterranean Sea The boat : With an overall length of 247 ft , the Mirabella V is the largest single-masted boat in the world . The super-yacht 's unprecedented mast extends up nearly 300 ft into the sky , and its main sail is over 16,000 sq ft -- the biggest in the world . Legacy : No expense was spared in the construction of Vittoria 's luxurious yacht , which cost over $ 50 million to build . The Mirabella V spends her winters in the Carribean , her summers in the Mediterranean , and can be rented for around $ 400,000 per week -- but one tip : there is n't a single bridge in the world that the yacht can sail underneath . Phoenicians build empire on the seas When : 1200-600 B.C. Who : Expert sailors of Phoenicia 's maritime empire Where : Mediterranean Sea The boats : The Phoenicians improved upon the galley -- the ancient ship powered by rows of human oarsmen -- by inventing the `` bireme , '' a galley propelled by a second row of oars . Legacy : Through their skillful use ships to trade valuable Tyrian purple dyes , the seafaring Phoenicians -- who could be considered the world 's first `` global capitalists '' -- built a maritime empire from Spain to the Middle East that dominated commercial trade in the Mediterranean for the better part of a millennium . Fastest circumnavigation of the globe . When : 2005 Who : French yachtsman Bruno Peyron Where : Around the world The boat : The Orange II , a 121 ft `` maxicat , '' a catamaran designed for ocean racing , with super heavy-duty sails that can withstand prolonged exposure to heavy winds . How long : 50 days , 16 hours , 20 minutes and four seconds Legacy : The Orange II shattered the previous world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe by nearly eight days -- and Peyron and his 12-man crew currently hold the Jules Verne Trophy , the prize given to the world 's fastest circumnavigators . | The Pilgrims ' voyage on the Mayflower to Plymouth Rock in 1620 . Charles Darwin 's evolutionary discoveries on the HMS Beagle in 1831 . Hugo Vihlen 's `` micro-yacht '' crossing of the Atlantic in 1993 . | [[3501, 3533], [339, 413], [1757, 1772], [1775, 1815]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China has refused nine U.S. Navy ships and one Air Force jet entry to Hong Kong in the past month , U.S. military officials said Friday . China has refused the USS Reuben James , seen in a 1989 photo , a Christmas port call in Hong Kong . Senior Navy officials said that Beijing denied permission for the USS Reuben James , a Navy frigate , to make a holiday port call for sailors at the end of December . The rejection occurred last week , at the same time China refused to allow the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier battle group into Hong Kong for a Thanksgiving holiday port call . A U.S. Air Force C-17 flight that had been scheduled for a routine resupply of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong also was denied permission to enter , Navy officials said . The Kitty Hawk battle group was eventually granted permission to enter , but by then the ships were well on their way to port in Japan . Days earlier , China refused to give two U.S. Navy minesweepers safe harbor in Hong Kong during a storm on the high seas . The United States has filed a formal protest with China over the decisions . U.S. officials are baffled about the reason or reasons for the port call refusals . China recently has expressed concerns about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and President Bush 's October presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama , the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader . Watch China put the blame on the U.S. '' There is speculation that the Chinese may have been conducting military exercises that they did n't want the U.S. Navy to see . Others think the refusals may have been the result of a misunderstanding . Officials could not explain why the rejection of the Reuben James had not been disclosed before , even though reporters had repeatedly asked if there were any other pending port calls . One senior Navy official expressed dismay that the information had not been made public by the Pentagon . White House deputy spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters the White House is `` aware '' of the latest refusals and referred reporters to the Pentagon . Stanzel said a `` clarification '' on the matter was being sought from Beijing . White House and other Bush administration officials have sought to defuse tensions with China , saying the United States wants to move ahead on broader issues of military cooperation . Navy officials , meanwhile , say Japan is tightening approvals for Chinese navy visits into its ports . Crew members from a Chinese ship making a port call in Japan may not be allowed to tour a Japanese Aegis warship . The U.S.-designed Aegis weapons system enables coordinated operations against threats from aircraft and missiles , surface ships and submarines . It is not clear if the Japanese decision was made at the request of the United States . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : China would n't let U.S. Air Force jet land to resupply Hong Kong consulate . Frigate USS Reuben James not allowed to enter Hong Kong for port call . China last week refused port call for USS Kitty Hawk battle group . Two U.S. minesweepers denied safe harbor during storm . | [[27, 109], [614, 724], [614, 642], [730, 760], [168, 206], [269, 435], [301, 351], [436, 468], [474, 613], [922, 934], [937, 1044], [922, 934], [937, 1044]] |
BETHLEHEM , West Bank -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of Christians packed the Church of the Nativity on Thursday for a midnight Mass in what is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ . A worshipper touches a star at the point where tradition says Jesus Christ was born in the Church of Nativity . The standing-room-only service included singing and organ music . There were also large crowds outside the church , one of the most sacred places in Christianity . So many people had flocked to the area this Christmas season that there were no rooms left at the inns and hotels in Bethlehem . Some took this as a sign that tourism in Bethlehem was on the upswing . Christmas is the one time of year when the West Bank 's small , shrinking Christian communities show everyone else that they are still there . Before the midnight Mass , Palestinian scout groups representing Christians throughout the West Bank did as they always do on this day -- they marched , banging their drums loudly and , in a way , trying to make a point . Watch Bethlehem 's Christmas celebrations '' The drumbeat has been heard by more and more people , locals say , as tourism has skyrocketed this year . `` This year , tourism is much better than last year -- we reached 1,250,000 , '' said Victor Batarseh , the mayor of Bethlehem . `` All our hotels are full around Christmastime . We have 30,000 tourists coming in . '' Tourists in record numbers were on hand this year , braving an unusually cold , gray and windy day to watch the parade of drums and holiday songs . `` It 's kind of neat to see it in the Middle East , and they 're playing Christmas carols and the songs we know , '' said one American tourist . `` I 'm loving it , it 's just been an incredible atmosphere and just a wonderful learning experience , '' said another . The Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem also came to the birthplace of Jesus , as he does every Christmas Eve , allowed through normally tightly shut gates by Israeli troops . The heavy security is a testament to ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians . `` My Christmas wish is that we will have real peace , based on justice and freedom , '' said Mustafa Barghouti , a Palestinian parliament member . `` My Christmas wish is that the justice that Jesus Christ gave his life for will happen sometime in his birthplace in Palestine . '' CNN 's Ben Wedeman contributed to this report . | Hundreds of Christians pack Church of the Nativity Thursday for midnight Mass . The church is thought to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ . Large crowds gathered outside the church -- one of Christianity 's most sacred places . | [[12, 37], [64, 129], [12, 37], [133, 187], [219, 228], [235, 299], [366, 413]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The first person ever convicted in Idaho of knowingly spreading the HIV virus is facing new charges for the same offense , authorities said Thursday . An Ada County , Idaho , grand jury on Tuesday returned an indictment charging Kerry Thomas , 45 , with seven counts of knowingly transferring the HIV virus , Jean Fisher , Ada County deputy prosecutor , told CNN . In 1990 , Thomas was charged with four counts of HIV transmission and two counts of statutory rape , Fisher said . As part of a plea agreement , he pleaded guilty only to the rape charges . According to Fisher , Thomas received a 12-year sentence and had to serve three years before being eligible for parole . He was later granted early release . In 1996 , however , Thomas was again charged with one count of HIV transmission , and a jury convicted him , Fisher said . He received a 15-year sentence with a seven-year minimum . Now out on parole , Thomas faces possible life in prison on the new charges because prosecutors are seeking his designation as a `` persistent violator . '' It was not immediately known whether Thomas was in custody Thursday . He was not listed online among the inmates in the Ada County Jail . Asked why Thomas would continue to spread the virus , which causes AIDS , Fisher said , `` That 's the $ 64,000 question , for a person who has been to prison twice . '' | Kerry Thomas was indicted for second time for knowingly transferring HIV virus . In 1990 , Thomas was charged with four counts of HIV transmission . If convicted , Thomas could face life in prison . | [[170, 265], [273, 285], [289, 325], [732, 739], [752, 768], [777, 811], [732, 739], [752, 758], [763, 811], [384, 391], [394, 482], [934, 1067]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An overcompetitive parent gets into an argument with a stubborn coach because he thinks his child is n't getting enough playing time -- it 's a familiar scene on youth sports fields across America . One critic of the Rhode Island plan said giving parents a outlet for petty complaints `` opens up a can of worms . '' Now , a Rhode Island senator wants the state to step in and create a formal outlet for the `` concerns and objections '' some parents have . Democratic Sen. John Tassoni Jr. introduced a bill that would create a youth sports oversight council on the state level . The council would act as mediator in disputes between parents of youth athletes and sports officials . In answer to critics , Tassoni said Friday that the notion the bill would mean `` big brother '' could begin to oversee youth sports is a misconception . The bill cites the need for a third party to step in at times , stating that `` parents lack a proper outlet to share concerns and objections about youth sports . '' But the parents are the biggest problem , said Matt Rodrigues , general manager and owner of Teamworks youth sports program in Warwick , Rhode Island . `` They are crazy , especially in Rhode Island . The kids on the court are scared because the parents are yelling and screaming , '' Rodrigues said . But the answer , he said , is not to create a council that `` makes decisions we can deal with ourselves . '' A similar council exists in Waterford , Connecticut -- run by the town , not the state . `` It kind of surprises me that -LSB- Rhode Island would -RSB- do it on such a large level like that , '' said Bruce Miller , president of the Waterford Youth Sports Council . Waterford 's council is made up of representatives from the town 's 11 sports leagues . Tassoni 's bill states that at least four of the members of the state council would be regional youth sports representatives . He said the council is needed because right now there is no place to go to resolve disputes . `` There 's no place right now to bring a case forward and have a third party take a look at it , '' he said . Under the bill , Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri would appoint seven volunteers -- approved by the state Senate and House -- to sit on a panel called the Rhode Island Youth Sports Oversight Council . Tassoni said the seven-member council would n't be made up of politicians , but ex-coaches , ex-officials and ex-athletic directors . Some adults involved in youth sports are n't happy about it . One blogger posted concerns on the Web site of a Rhode Island newspaper , the Providence Journal . `` Hey Tassoni : What do you do , -LSB- lie -RSB- in bed and think to yourself -- ` what have n't me and my cronies either screwed up , bankrupted or embarrassed yet ? Hmmmm ... have n't touched Little League yet . ' Do me a favor -- and I ask this as a coach and a parent -- stay the hell away from my field !!!! '' wrote the blogger . Others think the government should `` concentrate on the state . '' Rodrigues of the Teamworks program said giving parents a place to do petty complaining only `` opens up a can of worms . '' He said the council just `` sounds like another way to take power away from our programs -- they have enough -LSB- power -RSB- . '' The governor has not taken a position on the legislation and will not until he reviews the bill , press secretary Amy Kempe said Friday . She added , however , that `` there appears to be some vague language and constitutional issues . '' The bill states that the volunteers on the council would be expected to `` provide oversight and mediation '' to youth sports programs in the state , as well as develop and adopt a process to review and address complaints . In addition , the council would have the authority to establish and collect fines . But the bill does not go into detail about how to implement the reviewing and fining processes . The bill , with some revisions , is scheduled to be heard by the state Senate on Wednesday . Tassoni hopes to have the council in place by June or July . | Conflicts between parents , coaches and officials all too common in youth sports . Rhode Island state senator wants state to create formal outlet for parents ' concerns . Similar council exists in Waterford , Connecticut -- run by the town , not the state . Critic says giving parents a place for complaints opens `` can of worms '' | [[600, 702], [336, 339], [342, 456], [1435, 1472], [1475, 1486], [1490, 1505], [218, 332], [287, 332], [3020, 3120], [3107, 3140]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From land , water and air , tens of thousands of police officers , federal agents and National Guardsmen are being deployed in an unprecedented effort to make sure the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama is safe . A law enforcement agent looks toward Capitol Hill ahead of the inauguration on Tuesday . `` Right now , we have no credible threat that there is any direction of interest on the inauguration , '' Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told CNN . FBI agents and intelligence officials have been checking with sources around the United States and the world to make sure no leads are overlooked , and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said intelligence will be scrubbed and rescrubbed right through the inauguration . `` We are literally going to be watching this every minute between now and the conclusion of events on the 20th , '' Chertoff said . Federal officials acknowledge the inauguration of the first African-American U.S. president could be an attractive target . Since Obama 's election , the number of threats against him has increased , according to a recent federal intelligence assessment . FBI officials say the number of tips coming in has increased , as is common before an inauguration . Investigations , however , have not uncovered a real threat . The FBI has been especially aggressive in examining white supremacy groups , which have ramped up their anti-Obama comments . `` We have not seen any activity by the groups , '' said FBI Assistant Director Joseph Persichini . `` We have seen a lot of chatter , we have seen a lot of discussions , we have seen some information via the Internet . Again , but those are discussions . We look at the vulnerabilities and whether or not the groups are capable of taking on action . '' Persichini said he believes the bureau has `` a good operational plan '' for dealing with the groups , but says that right now , there is no evidence they are trying to launch anything . Watch more on inauguration security '' The Secret Service is coordinating security for the inauguration , which will involve 58 federal , state and local agencies . All of them are represented at the Secret Service command center , where they can communicate and work together to respond to any report of a possible problem . Airspace restrictions around the Capitol are being tightened . The U.S. Coast Guard is closing portions of the Potomac River . Miles of roads will be closed , along with most of the bridges into the District of Columbia . Checkpoints are going up , and undercover teams are being deployed to look for suspicious people or vehicles . Explosives-sniffing dogs will be on hand to nose out bombs , and horses trained in crowd control are on duty . Thousands of security cameras are being used to monitor activities , sharpshooters are being stationed , and sensors will be used to detect chemical , biological , radiological and nuclear threats . In addition to Secret Service agents , the security effort will involve 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions , 10,000 National Guardsmen , about 1,000 FBI personnel , and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security , the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police . Another 20,000 members of the National Guard are ready to respond if there is an emergency , according to Chertoff . Security planners have drawn up procedures to deal with improvised explosive devices , suicide bombers and the use of a weapon of mass destruction . A recent intelligence assessment , however , said a lone wolf would pose the greatest potential threat . Chertoff said an individual or small group planning to do harm is difficult to detect . `` Whether the motivation is racism or some psychological disorder ... in an open society , it is impossible to keep a single individual from doing some damage , '' he said . A major unknown is how large the crowd will be for Tuesday 's activities . Estimates have ranged from 1 million to 2 million . The FBI 's Persichini said only that `` we know it is going to draw a lot of people here to the nation 's capital . '' Those attending the swearing-in ceremony or entering the parade route will undergo tight screening , including passing through magnetometers . Spectators who are unable to get into those events will be routed to the National Mall , which , for the first time , will be open from end to end for an inauguration . Security there will be less stringent . There has been extensive planning to ensure the crowds can be moved in an orderly and safe way , and to prevent a stampede if there is any kind of security incident . Local and federal agencies have even consulted with a crowd expert . Authorities say the massive security operation is not intended to deter people from coming to Washington . `` Our efforts are to make sure people are safe , '' Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said . `` We 'd like for as many people to come as want to come . And again , during our planning , we have made sure we could accommodate however many people decide to come . '' That inaugural events are spread over a four-day period has made security even more challenging . Organizers say they started their security planning the day after the last inauguration and ramped up their efforts in July . Officials involved say this is the biggest event they have been involved in , but believe they are prepared . `` There are a lot of things we all think about , and I 'll admit that at 3 in the morning , I might wake up thinking about something , but I have to tell you , I am so confident in this plan , '' the Secret Service 's Sullivan said . `` I just do n't see any benefit to worry , and I think we just have to go along the way we 're going right now and do everything that we can do to make sure that this event is going to be a safe event , that this historical event will be an enjoyable event for everybody and that , quite frankly , that the day is n't about security , but the day is about our president and the day is about our country . '' | Officials say Obama 's historic inauguration poses high security risk . FBI has been especially aggressive in examining white supremacy groups . A major unknown is how large the crowd will be for Tuesday 's activities . Security planners have drawn up procedures to deal with bombs , weapons . | [[1330, 1404], [1330, 1337], [1369, 1455], [3924, 3998], [3943, 3998], [3407, 3555], [3407, 3424], [3450, 3555]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Swiss super-combined world skiing champion Daniel Albrecht was airlifted to hospital after a sickening crash on Kitzbuehel 's Streif course on Thursday . Albrecht nose-dives down Kitzbuehel 's Streif course after crashing during training for a World Cup downhill . Albrecht , who was said to have suffered concussion and bruising to a lung , was in training for the weekend 's World Cup downhill at the Austrian venue when he lost control approaching the bottom of the run . The 25-year-old received lengthy treatment on the slopes before being flown to hospital at St. Johann , where he regained consciouness before being put in an induced coma . An induced coma puts the brain in hibernation so it can recuperate and allows swelling in the brain to ease . Helmuth Obermoser , the official race doctor , said in a brief statement that Albrecht had bleeding on the brain and a lung contusion . Albrecht took the season 's opening giant slalom at Solden in October and scored a second victory and fourth of his career two months later in Alta Badia , Italy , where he became the first Swiss winner in 10 years . Thursday 's fall came on a similar section at Kitzbuehel that saw American Scott Macartney suffer head injuries in a crash last season -- an episode that led officials to make changes to the course . | Daniel Albrecht is airlifted to hospital after a sickening accident at Kitzbuehel . Super-combined world skiing champion was training for a World Cup downhill . Swiss Albrecht was airlifted to hospital after lengthy treatment on the slopes . | [[0, 15], [62, 172], [173, 218], [226, 283], [284, 292], [361, 436], [0, 15], [62, 172], [494, 595]] |
CNN -- The number of cholera deaths in Zimbabwe is now approaching 3,000 , the World Health Organization says . Two men rest in a cholera rehydration tent on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border in December . Latest , WHO statistics show 2,971 deaths since the outbreak began in August , with 56,123 cases reported . The epidemic has swept through a country wracked with political and economic crises . Cholera is an intestinal disease caused by bacteria in contaminated water . The epidemic has been aggravated by erratic water supplies , shortages of water purification chemicals , broken water and sewer pipes and uncollected garbage . On top of that , the waste-disposing system has collapsed . Children can be seen playing on heaps of uncollected garbage in the suburbs of most urban areas in Zimbabwe . Last month , the government led by President Robert Mugabe declared the cholera epidemic a national emergency . The country already was wracked by an enormous economic crisis , with a hyperinflationary economy and shortages of all essentials including food , fuel , cash , foreign currency and electricity . Zimbabwe 's rainy season peaks in January or February and ends in late March , and Zimbabwean Health Minister David Parirenyatwa warned the epidemic could get worse during the rainy season . | WHO figures show 56,123 reported cholera cases in Zimbabwe . Zimbabwe 's waste-disposing system has collapsed . Health Minster David Parirenyatwa warns epidemic could get worse in rainy season . | [[289, 312], [635, 649], [652, 694], [1196, 1303]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- India on Wednesday urged Sri Lanka 's Tamil rebels to `` release '' civilians , who it said numbered about 70,000 in Sri Lanka 's war zone . A Sri Lankan soldier poses in front of a Tamil Tigers emblem in the rebel group 's former military headquarters . India is ready to help evacuate them , External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Indian parliament . `` Estimates on the number of civilians trapped vary , but 70,000 or so are estimated to be there now . The LTTE were reportedly using them as human shields , '' he said , referring to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , also known as the Tamil Tigers . `` As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations , the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms , '' Mukherjee added . He noted that some civilians had either been caught in cross-fire or `` stopped and even killed '' by Tamil rebels as they tried to escape . Government troops and the Tamil Tigers are locked in a battle over the rebels ' remaining territory in northern Sri Lanka 's Vanni region . The rebels have been fighting for an independent homeland for the country 's ethnic Tamil minority since 1983 . Tens of thousands of people have fled the region as government forces have advanced and rebels have been pushed into a smaller and smaller patch of land . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report . | India urges Tamil Tiger rebels to allow civilians to leave Sri Lankan war zone . Sri Lankan troops , Tamil fighters locked in battle for control of rebels ' territory . India estimates up to 70,000 are trapped in the region by the conflict . Tamil Tigers have been fighting for independent homeland since 1983 . | [[0, 33], [56, 114], [1016, 1155], [124, 177], [102, 114], [129, 177], [403, 450], [462, 491], [1156, 1267]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Eight cadets and staff members were killed in Pakistan during an an eight-hour standoff Monday with gunmen who stormed a police training center in Lahore , said Gen. Athar Abbas , a military spokesman . Police fire into the air after retaking the police training center in Lahore attacked by militants . The militants had been holed up on the top floor of a three-story building , said Rehman Malik , the head of the country 's Interior Ministry . Security forces gained control of the first two floors and eventually made their way to the top , finally taking control of it and arresting the gunmen Monday afternoon . Television pictures showed security forces firing into the air from the roof of the building after the firefight . `` The operation is over . Four terrorists were killed and three arrested , '' Interior Ministry Secretary Kamal Shah told Reuters . Malik and Abbas confirmed the figures . Abbas added some of the dead militants blew themselves up . The gang of seven gunmen stormed the academy in the Manawan area of the eastern Pakistani city , said Malik . Abbas had previously said 30 people were killed . He cited the error on wrong information by his sources at the scene . Watch more about the attack '' At a news conference Monday night , Malik named the leader of the Pakistani Taliban , Baitullah Mehsud , and his followers as the prime suspect in organizing the attack . Mehsud is also accused of plotting the assassination of former PM Benazir Bhutto . At least 78 people were wounded in the attack , authorities said . Lahore is the same city where gunmen opened fire March 10 on a bus carrying members of the Sri Lankan national cricket team on their way to a stadium for a match . The well-coordinated attack wounded at least eight members of the team and killed a driver and six Pakistani police officers . In Monday 's incident , the attackers hurled grenades , then stormed the compound and opened fire while officers were taking part in their morning drill . About 800 officers train at the facility , but authorities could not say exactly how many were inside at the time . The attackers , some in police uniforms , took dozens of officers hostage , said Asim Rizwan , spokesman for governor of Punjab -- the province where Lahore is located . Paramilitary forces and the army descended on the scene . Every few minutes , the gunmen detonated explosives or fired on reporters and police personnel outside , sending them scurrying for cover . Angry onlookers pumped their fists in the air and cheered as police led away a suspect they had captured . He had on him a grenade and a knife , officials told CNN . CNN 's Reza Sayah contributed to this report . | Eight cadets are killed during attack in Lahore , top military official says . Leader of Pakistan 's Taliban named as prime suspect . Four militants dead , three captured , authorities say . Lahore was site of attack on Sri Lankan cricket team earlier in March . | [[12, 146], [1268, 1301], [1304, 1438], [801, 838], [833, 847], [850, 870], [1589, 1752]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of two doctors charged with conspiring to furnish drugs to Anna Nicole Smith before her fatal overdose in 2007 surrendered to authorities and was jailed Monday , authorities said . Anna Nicole Smith 's boyfriend Howard K. Stern was among those charged last week . Dr. Khristine Eroshevich surrendered at the Van Nuys , California , jail , said police and jail officials . Bail was set at $ 20,000 , but Eroshevich had not posted bail as of Monday afternoon . Eroshevich was charged last week along with Howard K. Stern , Smith 's longtime partner and attorney ; and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor . Stern and Kapoor were arrested and released from a Los Angeles County jail Thursday night after each posted a $ 20,000 bond . All three are charged with eight felonies , including conspiring to furnish controlled substances , unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and obtaining fraudulent prescriptions from June 2004 through January 2007 , only weeks before Smith 's death . Kapoor and Eroshevich were also charged with obtaining a prescription for opiates by `` fraud , deceit or misrepresentation . '' And each was charged with one count of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address , prosecutors said . `` Anna was the center of a cruel tabloid feeding frenzy , '' Eroshevich 's attorney , Adam Braun , told CNN in a statement Monday . `` In the face of this , Dr. Eroshevich did her best to help the patient while protecting what little privacy Anna had left . Any actions were done with the patient 's well-being in mind and were certainly not criminal . '' California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so Smith could be prescribed `` thousands of pills . '' The former Playboy playmate and reality TV star was drugged `` almost to the point of stupefaction , '' Brown said . `` The quantity of the drugs , the variety of the drugs , the combination at any given point , and her continuing to use that -- that , to a professional , is clear evidence of addiction , '' Brown said Friday . `` These cocktails of methadone and antidepressants and sleeping pills and Xanax , you put all that into a cocktail , it explodes and can cause death , injury and permanent morbidity and disability . '' Brown said Stern was the `` principal enabler '' in a conspiracy with two doctors for giving the `` known addict '' thousands of prescription pills . Stern 's attorney Krista Barth said on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on Friday night that she thought Brown 's comments were prejudicial . `` I do n't think that this was something that should have been stated in a public forum , '' Barth said . `` 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 . '' Smith , 39 , was pronounced dead February 8 , 2007 , after being found unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood , Florida . A coroner said she died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs . Officials said that both prescription and over-the-counter drugs were found in Smith 's system , including three antidepressant or anti-anxiety drugs . Human growth hormone and chloral hydrate , a sleep medication , were also found in toxicology tests , officials said . CNN 's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report . | NEW : Lawyer : Doctor had `` patient 's well-being in mind , '' actions `` not criminal '' Khristine Eroshevich surrendered Monday and was jailed . Howard K. Stern , Sandeep Kapoor , Eroshevich charged with felonies . Three are accused of conspiring to furnish drugs before Smith 's death . | [[1538, 1549], [1603, 1632], [0, 40], [190, 207], [507, 566], [51, 124], [51, 62], [71, 158], [761, 858]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- It 's the story that has brought dating violence into the national spotlight . Police responded to a 911 call alleging domestic violence between singers Chris Brown and Rihanna last month . Tyra Banks tells Oprah Winfrey about how abuse affected her . Later that day , both pulled out of planned appearances at the Grammy Awards , and Brown turned himself into police . He was arrested on the suspicion of making criminal threats and was released on bail . Weeks later , rumors of their reconciliation were reported . On March 5 , 2009 , Brown appeared in court , charged with two counts of felony assault . His arraignment has been postponed until April 2009 while he remains free on bail . Statistics say about one in three high school students have been -- or will be -- involved in an abusive relationship . `` The message this story sends to teen girls and boys everywhere is disturbing , and it is also dangerous , '' Oprah Winfrey says . `` We need to try to evolve from this moment ... use this as a moment to allow our society to begin to grow . '' Oprah believes this story can be a teaching moment for every teen and parent . `` Love does n't hurt , '' she says . `` And if a man hits you once , he will hit you again . '' Oprah.com : 10 questions to ask your teens . Over the past few years , talk show host Tyra Banks has interviewed both Brown and Rihanna . `` Rihanna told me her parents used to argue so intensely , she used to get these headaches , these migraines that were almost not even treatable with medicine , '' Banks says . `` The moment her parents separated , her migraines went away . '' In his appearance on The Tyra Banks Show , Brown said he watched his mother suffer abuse from the time he was 7 years old until he was 13 . The abuser was not his biological father . `` I treat -LSB- women -RSB- differently because I know I never want to go through the same thing or put a woman through the same thing that the person put my mom through , '' Brown told Banks . When Banks first heard about the alleged incident , she says she did n't believe it -- until the police report was released . `` I went back to that interview and I said , ` Oh my God , he 's repeating -LSB- the cycle of abuse -RSB- . ' '' Tyra cautions against judging Rihanna for going back to Brown . `` Sometimes we hold these celebrities up to a higher standard , but we have to look at her as a human being and understand that she is no better or no different than any other girl , '' Banks says . `` She is just as easily pulled into the cycle of abuse of going back . '' `` I think we need to send love to both of them , '' Oprah says . `` For him to be healed , and for her to be healed also . '' Oprah.com : 4 ways to heal after a tragedy . Banks says she knows the cycle of abuse all too well . While in her 20s , Banks says she was emotionally abused . `` He never hit me , but I would say there were blows to my spirit , blows to my emotional well-being every day , '' she says . On the outside , Banks says no one could see the signs . But behind closed doors , she says he was jealous and blamed her for his bad moods . `` He was a master at being able to be happy and nice to everybody else but whispering these negative things to me , '' she says . `` I 'd start complaining to my friends , and they 're like : ` Well , he 's fine , girl . He 's fine with us . Everything 's fine . ' '' Although she was one of the top 10 models in the world at the time , she says her self-esteem sunk lower and lower . `` I stayed because I felt like if I left and he did n't change and did n't treat me how I felt I deserved to be treated , I was a failure , '' she says . One day , Banks says she finally confronted herself . `` I walked to the mirror in his bathroom . He was n't there , '' she says . `` Out loud I looked in that mirror and I said : ` Tyra , who are you ? What the hell are you doing ? Get out of here . ' '' Although Banks says she tried to leave her boyfriend many times , she managed to get sucked back into the relationship . At one point , she says she turned to her mother for help . `` I said : ` Mama , please , just take me . Pull me out of this relationship . Tell me to leave him . Hole me up in your house . Unplug the phones . Protect me from him . ' '' Her mother refused . '' -LSB- She said :] ` You have to do this on your own . I will be here as somebody to support you in this . But I will not tell you to leave , and I will not cut you off from him , because you 'll just run out in the middle of the night and go straight back . ' '' Oprah.com : How to make an exit plan . Dating violence does n't just happen in Hollywood . It can take place in any neighborhood -- including yours . Friends say high school senior and cheerleader Charney Watt was one-of-a-kind . `` She was very intelligent . She made good grades . She had a spunky attitude and was very energetic , '' says Charli , a friend . `` She was also a leader in her community , and being a cheerleader , you have to influence other people . She influenced people at school and also in her neighborhood . You know , if she -LSB- had -RSB- seen you looking sad , she would come ask you what 's wrong and make sure you 're okay . '' On March 1 , 2009 , police say the 18-year-old from Charlotte , North Carolina , was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend . Charney 's ex-boyfriend Gary Daniel has been charged with her murder and has not yet entered a plea . Her friends say they saw no signs that she was in an abusive relationship . `` When she came to -LSB- cheerleading -RSB- practice , her personality overcame all of that , '' Charli says . `` She was just herself . '' Keisha , Watt '' s friend since the eighth grade , says Watt 's boyfriend used to come to all of her games . `` He used to come and see her cheer and come with her mom , '' she says . `` We always thought he was a supporter , and he was a sweet person to her . '' Now that they 've had to bury their close friend , Keisha and her friends hope others will learn from Charney 's experience . `` We 're hoping that Charney , what happened to her , people will look at it and realize that this type of situation is n't for you , '' Keisha says.Oprah.com : Meet more women who are struggling with dating violence . From The Oprah Winfrey Show . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Oprah Winfrey : Rihanna abuse allegations can be used to help other teens . Tyra Banks : Chris Brown says he watched his mother suffer years of abuse . Banks : Do n't judge Rihanna harshly for going back to Brown . Banks says she was emotionally abused , begged mother to make her break up . | [[946, 969], [1083, 1161], [2649, 2664], [1642, 1682], [1685, 1744], [2260, 2323], [2290, 2323], [215, 276], [2826, 2842], [2845, 2884], [4073, 4085], [4088, 4132]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chris Rock is best known for two things : being funny and being crass . `` If you 're the president you only have two jobs : peace and money , '' Chris Rock said . `` This is what people come to see . I 'm just doing my show , '' the comedian said with a laugh . He 's also known for his political commentary , but there 's one person he 's having a lot of trouble making fun of -- president-elect Barack Obama . This is apparent in his new DVD `` Kill the Messenger , '' which combines three shows from his international tour : New York ; London , England ; and Johannesburg , South Africa . `` It was a tour nobody wanted to do ... because the general perception is that comedy does n't translate , '' Rock said . But thanks to the Internet , the world is a lot smaller than it was even 10 years ago . And people are digging the same jokes , he said , including ones about John McCain and Sarah Palin . As the DVD readies for release on January 20 , CNN talked with Rock about his lack of Obama jokes , Inauguration Day and why racism will never die . The following is an edited version of that interview : . CNN : I watched the special last night , and I noticed that you did a lot of jokes about John McCain -- his age , his war hero story -- but not so many about Barack Obama . Is it harder to make fun of Obama ? Chris Rock : He 's just one of those guys , you know , like Will Smith . There 's no Will Smith jokes . There 's no Brad Pitt jokes . You know , what are you going to say ? `` Ooh , you used to have sex with Jennifer Anniston . Now you have sex with Angelina Jolie . You 're such a loser . '' What do you say ? `` Ooh , your movies are big . You make $ 20 million . '' There 's nothing to say about Brad Pitt . CNN : Why is Obama like that ? Rock : It 's like `` Ooh , you 're young and virile and you 've got a beautiful wife and kids . You 're the first African-American president . '' You know , what do you say ? CNN : As time goes on do you think it will get easier ? Rock : Of course , as time goes on . At some point he 's going to -- there 's always slip-ups . No one can survive that level of scrutiny without occasionally making it easy for a comedian . CNN : Let 's talk about the inauguration . Are you going ? Rock : No , I have to go to Sundance -LSB- Film Festival -RSB- . I 've got a movie premiering at Sundance . So I have to go to the whitest place in America -- Utah . CNN : What 's it going to be like for you on Inauguration Day ? Rock : It 'll be a cool day . It 's weird . I 've never watched an inauguration . I 've never watched anyone get sworn in . You know , it 's like Election Day and then you look up and somebody else is the president two months later . It was never like , `` I ca n't wait till tomorrow . Oh my god ! They 're going to swear in Jimmy Carter ! '' CNN : Are you going to watch this one , though ? Rock : I 'll put it this way -- like any business is going to be getting done while this guy is getting sworn in . Like I 'm going to be in a meeting . Everything is going to stop for however long it takes . Hope they get to it -- hope it 's not like I got ta listen to three different versions of `` The Star-Spangled Banner '' or something . I hope it 's not like Rosa Parks ' funeral , where everybody f *** ing speaks . CNN : What are you hoping Barack Obama does for this country ? What do you think is his most important task ? Rock : You know , if you 're the president you only have two jobs : peace and money . That 's it . I mean , it 's like , what did Clinton do ? We were at peace and we had a budget surplus . That 's it . That 's the gig . The closer you get us to those two goals , you know , that 's pretty much the gig . Is that too much to ask for ? CNN : At one point in your act , you said , `` Racism will never die . It will only multiply . '' Why do you believe that ? Rock : Well , it 's never going to die . Maybe it wo n't multiply . Is racism going to end ? No . It 's not even race . People are always going to , you know , find something wrong with people who are not the exact same as them . That 's just what it is . Black , white , short , tall , religions , whatever . People are bad , man . CNN : How was it different playing for an audience in Africa ? Rock : You know it 's weird -- it really was n't that different . I mean , that 's why I love this special . People are the same wherever you go . And if they were n't , they would n't laugh at the same s ** t . If they were so different they would n't know what I was talking about . CNN : Stand-up comics I 've talked to in the past say they like their shows to appear spontaneous . But your new DVD stitches together three shows , illustrating to the audience how scripted comedy can be . Why did you decide on that format ? Rock : You know , I do n't believe in that `` come up with stuff on the spot . '' I mean , honestly , that 's why I think comedy , stand-up comedy , always plays such a back seat to music . Like , would you go see a singer if you thought he just came up with the songs ? They would n't give out Grammys for songs that they just came up with . You 're going to go see someone at Radio City or Madison Square Garden , I think you 'd like to know that they have an act before you spend $ 75 . So yeah , when you say `` came up with it right there , '' that 's really cute when you paid $ 8 to get in and two-drink minimum . When the ticket 's $ 75 , that 's a whole other mindset . | Comedian Chris Rock to release `` Kill the Messenger '' DVD January 20 . There are no Barack Obama jokes , Rock says , just like there are no Brad Pitt jokes . Rock : Playing for international crowds not that different than playing in U.S. `` Stand-up comedy always plays such a back seat to music , '' Rock says . | [[452, 485], [927, 968], [971, 1021], [1443, 1472], [162, 182], [720, 734], [4884, 4890], [4904, 4991]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Iraqi soldier fatally shot two American soldiers and wounded three others on Saturday , the U.S. military said . A man lies in a hospital after a roadside bombing near Kirkurk on Saturday . Three Iraqis were killed . The shooter was killed when U.S. soldiers returned fire , Maj. Derrick Cheng told CNN . The incident took place at a combat outpost just south of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul , where there has been a strong presence of anti-U.S. militants , and it underscored the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in that city . A second gunman also fired on other U.S. soldiers at the outpost and fled , said Cheng , a spokesman for the U.S.-led Multi National Division-North . Iraq 's Interior Ministry said the gunman was a soldier in training who was standing close to U.S. soldiers when he aimed his firearm at them and began shooting . There have been similar incidents of men in Iraqi security force uniforms in the Mosul area opening fire on U.S. troops . In February , insurgents dressed as Iraqi police officers killed a U.S. soldier and an interpreter in the city . Asked whether there seems to be a rise in such attacks , Cheng replied , `` We still view these as isolated incidents either by individuals posing as Iraqi Security Forces or members acting out on their own . '' `` These events do not represent the overall relationship or partnership U.S. forces have with our Iraqi counterparts . '' Overall , violence and attacks are down in Iraq , but despite improvements in the big picture , the U.S. military is concerned with hot spots such as Mosul . Maj. Gen. David Perkins , MNF-Iraq spokesman , told reporters on Friday that the city remains a danger . He said the U.S. military is studying whether American combat troops scheduled to withdraw from urban centers in Iraq by June 30 should actually remain in the diverse metropolis -- populated by Sunni Arabs , Kurds , Christians and others . Perkins said al Qaeda in Iraq -LRB- AQI -RRB- militants `` are transitioning and becoming more and more concentrated ... mainly in Mosul and in Baghdad . '' `` What we have always said with regards to al Qaeda is that strategically for AQI to win they have to win Baghdad and for them to survive they have to hold on to Mosul and you can see that by how they are conducting their attacks . '' In the last couple of weeks , he said , militants have focused their activity on Baghdad , and attacks in Mosul have dropped somewhat . `` But there is still a lot activity . This is probably the main area we are looking at that could possibly result in U.S. forces being there , '' he said of Mosul . `` Probably more so than any other place . '' `` Of all the places in Iraq , it is the area that you would most likely possibly see a very similar U.S. presence to what you see now . But only if Iraqis want that . '' U.S. troop fatalities in Iraq last month reached 18 , the highest of the year . However , the number of monthly Iraqi troop deaths have plummeted since earlier in the war . Also on Saturday , Iranian forces targeting Kurdish rebels shelled a village in Iraq , an official from Iraq 's Kurdish region said . Forces used helicopters to attack the village and shelled it with artillery . The village is just over the Iranian border in Iraq 's Sulaimaniya province -- a Kurdish region . No casualties were reported . Iran and Turkey long have targeted Kurdish separatist rebels operating in northern Iraq . Meanwhile in Kirkuk , in northern Iraq , three civilians were killed and three others were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle on Saturday , police said . It is not known who the bomb might have been targeting , but the incident reflects the hostilities in the oil-rich and ethnically diverse city . | NEW : U.S. military : Gunman who killed 2 U.S. troops , wounded 3 was Iraqi soldier . Iraqi officials say shooter was soldier-in-training who opened fire at a training facility . Shootings underscore the dangers for U.S. troops and Iraqi security forces in Mosul . Iranian forces attacked Kurdish village in Iraq ; 3 civilians killed in Kirkuk . | [[0, 7], [10, 30], [59, 85], [737, 804], [503, 586], [3063, 3074], [3077, 3116], [3077, 3142]] |
LONDON , England -- Two kisses on the cheek or three ? The age-old dilemma may become moot as worries of infectious disease hang in the air . A couple kisses at a swine flu virus prevention and detection medical mobile unit in Mexico City . Common forms of greeting , such as handshakes and kisses on the cheek , are coming under scrutiny as the H1N1 virus , commonly known as swine flu , steadily spreads around the world . In Mexico , which has had the largest outbreak of the virus , the Ministry of Health is advising people to avoid shaking hands and kissing people as a greeting . Some couples are donning surgical masks when they kiss to avoid contagion . Dr. Sanjay Gupta , CNN 's chief medical correspondent who has been covering the epidemic from Mexico , is advocating the `` el-bump , '' or bumping of elbows , as a greeting . `` It 's not as cool as the fist bump , but safer , '' he wrote on micro-blog site Twitter . Follow Dr. Gupta 's ` tweets ' Dr. Richard Dawood , medical director of the Fleet Street Travel Clinic in London , refers to the shift in etiquette as `` social distancing . '' `` People do n't want to get too close . There is going to be a move towards less handshaking , less greeting people with a kiss . There may well end up being fewer meetings , '' he told CNN . The World Health Organization is advising people to practice preventive measures like avoiding close contact with people who appear unwell and those who are coughing and have a fever . The global health agency is also directing people who live in areas where flu cases have surfaced to follow additional precautions set out by their national and local health authorities . Even countries where the virus has n't been confirmed are taking precautionary measures . At a news conference earlier this week , Lebanon 's health minister recommended that people stop using the conventional greeting of three kisses to the cheek . See where cases have been confirmed '' `` We 're heading toward a world where everyone is going to be suddenly much more conscious of those who are coughing and sneezing , '' Dawood said . People will have to be much more conscious of hygiene and stay out of close proximity with others when they are n't feeling well , he said . Are you changing your etiquette because of the swine flu epidemic ? Tell us in the SoundOff below . The H1N1 virus is a hybrid of swine , avian and human flu strains . It is a respiratory disease that is contagious , and believed to be spread through coughing , sneezing and close contact . Learn more about the virus '' Since the outbreak surfaced in Mexico , it has spread to at least 11 countries . The number of confirmed cases has reached 331 , with the hardest hit areas in the western hemisphere , the WHO said Friday . People tend to be scared of what they do n't understand , especially when it comes to disease , Dawood said . Watch Dr. Gupta report on a new scientific discovery about the virus '' He worries about how people will react as tensions rise . People historically have resorted to socially ostracizing those who have suffered from diseases like typhoid and leprosy , he noted . The flu outbreak will pose another test . `` Hopefully we do n't see that again . We will have to control our urges in our relations to other people , '' Dawood said . | Move towards ` social distancing ' as people worry about swine flu epidemic . Mexico 's Health Ministry directing people to avoid handshakes and kissing . WHO advises avoiding close contact with people who appear unwell . Follow CNN 's Dr. Sanjay Gupta on Twitter . | [[1302, 1422], [2255, 2322], [241, 310], [313, 356], [425, 434], [487, 586], [1150, 1239], [1150, 1155], [1165, 1239], [1302, 1422], [2114, 2120], [2131, 2199], [2114, 2120], [2172, 2242], [932, 948]] |
On CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' host and chief national correspondent John King goes outside the Beltway to report on the issues affecting communities across the country . This week , King traveled to New Orleans , Louisiana , to look at recovery from Hurricane Katrina in the Lower Ninth Ward compared to the rest of the city . The Lower Ninth Ward Health Clinic was clinic director Patricia Berryhill 's home before Hurricane Katrina . NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Patricia Berryhill sits behind a desk in what not too long ago was her living room , cheerfully greeting those who walk in and reaching for the phone as it rings yet again . `` Lower Ninth Ward Health Clinic , Patricia Berryhill , may I help you ? '' Sometimes the questions are routine -- this time more anxious . `` As for the HIV testing , if you come in on Tuesdays from 11 to 1 , there is no charge , '' Berryhill tells the caller . `` As for the Herpes virus , you are going to have to see a physician and make an appointment for that . '' The patient files in the cabinets behind her now number more than 1,300 , and 95 percent of those who walk through the door have no health insurance . The clinic asks for a $ 25 `` co-payment '' but no one is turned away if they can not afford it . A half dozen patients are waiting as executive director Alice Craft-Kerney takes a visitor on a tour . In the reception area , there are health awareness brochures , hurricane preparedness brochures , and a bookshelf about half-filled with children 's books . Craft-Kerney tries every day to give some away . Watch John King preview this Sunday 's show '' `` Because we have such a low literacy rate here in Louisiana , '' she says . `` So they come by , browse , and take whatever books they want free of charge . '' The staff is cheery ; the clinic neat and clean . A sign in the window making clear there are no narcotic drugs inside is a sign of the clinic 's rough surroundings . And within a few steps of the door is a reminder that 43 months after Katrina changed everything , the Lower Ninth Ward is still a mess . During a helicopter pass over the neighborhood , we saw concrete slabs and weedy spaces where houses once stood . Yes , there is a fair amount of new home construction , and renovations under way at some homes gutted by Katrina . But while the debris is mostly gone , much of the neighborhood remains an abandoned wasteland . Overall , Tulane University geographer Richard Campanella says , the population of New Orleans stands at about 330,000 -- roughly 75 percent of its pre-Katrina level . Before the storm , it was about 70 percent African-American ; now it 's about 60 percent . And it is a more affluent city . Campanella says median household income is up to $ 40,000 from $ 27,000 before Katrina , `` and it is not because the city is doing better economically . '' Significantly , Campanella says the `` curves '' suggesting major changes during the post-Katrina period are `` flattening . '' `` My sense is the post-Katrina city we all wondered about 3 1/2 years ago what would it look like -- that we are there now , '' Campanella said in an interview on the Tulane campus . `` The patterns are stabilizing and we are in a ` new normal ' period . '' A new normal in which the Lower Ninth Ward trails significantly behind . Only about 19 percent of its pre-Katrina population has returned ; roughly 3,600 people live there today , compared to some 19,000 when Katrina hit . There are new twists on the resentments and suspicions that dominated community discussions in the horrible days just after Katrina and Rita . In the place of resident complaints that their neighborhood was slow to get help in the hours and days after the storm are accusations their rebuilding hopes are being deliberately ignored or set on the back burner . Craft-Kerney says a commitment to add a second school in the Lower Ninth , or enticements to bring in a supermarket or a major pharmacy , would help bring more people back , or attract new residents . `` Much of it has been the lack of political will on the part of our government entities , '' she said . City officials say there are myriad reasons the rebuilding is slow . One part of this divisive debate is the threshold question of whether it makes sense at all to have people living so close to where the levee breach was most destructive . But Craft-Kerney and many other community activists see this debate in black and white , or rich and poor . `` As my teacher used to say , ` Them that got , gets , ' '' she said . The Bush administration 's response to Katrina was one of the turning points in American public opinion toward that administration . But Craft-Kerney says the clinic would not be in operation had it not been for the help of Mike Leavitt , the Bush secretary of health and human services . It sits in what was Berryhill 's home . After Katrina , she decided to move elsewhere in the city , but agreed to donate her former home as a clinic . It was gutted , rebuilt , and Berryhill now serves as its clinical director . It survives mostly because of a Bush administration grant that runs through 2010 . Whether the clinic gets additional federal funding will be one of the tests of the area 's priority for the federal government . Craft-Kerney will soon face the new administration . While she speaks highly of President Obama , she says she worries New Orleans and the Lower Ninth will be forgotten in the long list of major challenges facing his administration . `` I do n't know exactly what his game plan is , '' Craft-Kerney told us during the clinic interview . `` But I do believe in my heart that he is going to eventually do some things to help New Orleans . I do n't expect it overnight -- but he did say he would make good on President Bush 's promise to make New Orleans whole again . '' | 95 percent of Lower Ninth Ward clinic 's patients have no health insurance . While most of the debris from Katrina is gone , area still abandoned wasteland . City 's demographics changing as it enters its ` new normal ' after storm . Clinic director hopes Lower Ninth wo n't be forgotten in ambitious Obama agenda . | [[1032, 1072], [1110, 1129], [1156, 1182], [2338, 2369], [2372, 2429], [3227, 3262]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He is the international superstar responsible for breathing life into the iconic comic book hero Wolverine . Her movies have earned more than $ 2 billion worldwide , including the entire `` X-Men '' franchise . Hugh Jackman emerges as Wolverine in `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine , '' which opened Friday . Actor Hugh Jackman and film producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently sat down for a candid conversation about their new film , `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine . '' Specifically , the pair talked about the scene in which Jackman 's character is transformed from a simple mutant with bony claws that periodically protrude from the back of his hands to an invincible mutant filled with an indestructible metal called adamantium . This scene represents the ultimate birth of a comic legend as the character is transformed from Logan to Wolverine . Watch the scene in which Wolverine is unleashed '' Hugh Jackman : I knew this was the birth of the character ; this is where we see him in full flight . It 's called in the comic book `` berserker rage . '' It 's not really in the English language , but it may be now ! But , this idea that this complete animal -LSB- has been -RSB- unleashed , which is obviously the entire story -- this battle between the animal and human is something we all relate to . Lauren Shuler Donner : There were many things he had to do in the tank , you know . One of them was he had to be lowered , and then the needles had to come towards him . Now , most of those were CGI , so he had to look in certain places where the needles were . But , he could n't hear -LSB- director -RSB- Gavin -LSB- Hood -RSB- . So they ... tried all kinds of sounds , speakers , everything . ... They finally devised this toe method where , if Gavin pulled on Hugh 's big toe , it meant the things are coming , the second toe is this , the last toe is rise up , very sophisticated . -LRB- laughter -RRB- . Jackman : I had in my head that I 've got to be in much better shape -- not better shape , different shape , kind of ridiculous shape because I wanted it to be uncomfortable . I wanted it to feel like I felt when I saw Robert De Niro in `` Cape Fear , '' that -- whoa , this guy is dangerous , he 's powerful , he 's dangerous , and he can snap at any point . Donner : There 's an iconic drawing of Wolverine coming out of the tank in the comics with the things popping out of him and his hair all over him in a rage , and we wanted to be that image . That 's the image we wanted for the fans . Jackman : I was a little frightened when I watched it , like , `` Is that me ? '' -LSB- My wife -RSB- Deb was like , `` Hugh , this is ridiculous . I do n't even know who that is . '' | Hugh Jackman plays Wolverine in `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine '' To create the character , Jackman wanted to be in `` ridiculous shape '' How to contact Jackman underwater ? Director used a `` toe method '' | [[255, 308], [1964, 2087]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The fiberglass head weighed 600 pounds and resembled Clarabell the Clown from the 1950s `` Howdy Doody Show . '' Bill Ziegler , owner of the Wild Bill 's nostalgia store , stumbled across it on an artist 's Web site and wondered if it would work for a project he had in mind . Salem Sue stands watch in New Salem , North Dakota . She measures 38 feet tall and 50 feet long . Ziegler recruited the artist to help him attach the giant head to his 33-foot farm silo . By October 2008 , the pair had built the world 's largest jack-in-the-box . The jack-in-the-box extends 50 feet in the air , moving up and down approximately once a minute . `` They love it , '' Ziegler said of the tourists who come to his store . He 's had visitors from as far away as England -- one couple who saw the story of the jack-in-the-box in a British newspaper decided to stop by . All across the country , roadside attractions like this one bring surprise and delight to travelers who just have to get a closer look . `` In many parts of the country , you can plan an entire road trip where you visit nothing but ` world 's largest ' attractions , '' said Doug Kirby , the publisher of RoadsideAmerica.com . Kirby 's Web site pays homage to odd attractions -- from Ziegler 's jack-in-the-box in Middletown , Connecticut , to the world 's largest ketchup bottle in Collinsville , Illinois , to the world 's largest sundial in Carefree , Arizona . `` Travelers enjoy the noncorporate , somewhat ragged nature of these eclectic attractions , '' Kirby said . `` They 're often free , and you can take a great ` wish you were here ' photo . '' See photos of some `` world 's largest '' attractions '' Kirby picked five world 's largest attractions from his Web site . In addition to Ziegler 's jack-in-the-box , here are his top recommendations for adventurous road trippers : . Ball of twine . Visitors do more than snap a picture at the world 's largest ball of twine in Cawker City , Kansas . Linda Clover , self-described keeper of the ball , gives tourists twine to add it to the attraction . `` People like to be a part of it , '' Clover said . `` It shows that with lots of patience and a lot of people helping out , you can end up with something very big . '' Clover ended up in charge of the ball in a roundabout way . Farmer Frank Stoeber started the ball of twine in 1953 . When he died , his cousin took over . And when his cousin died , Clover stepped up . `` I know that people like to come and see it . And someone had to take care of it , '' she said . `` My husband used to say that people asked me to do something and I could n't say no . '' Clover keeps twine with her in case an interested tourist gives her a call . The ball measures more than 40 feet across . It contains 7.9 million feet of twine and weighs approximately 19,000 pounds . And every year in August , Cawker City hosts a twine-a-thon event to hold on to the world 's largest ball of twine record . Salem Sue . Salem Sue , dubbed the world 's largest cow , is in New Salem , North Dakota . She measures 38 feet tall , 50 feet long and is made up of 12,000 pounds of fiberglass . Scott Schauer , producer of The Real North Dakota project , features Salem Sue on his Web site , which is dedicated to showing tourists the best of North Dakota . As a kid , Schauer used to drive by the cow with his family . He thinks many people pass similar road trip traditions on to their kids , hence their appeal . `` I remember being mesmerized by their monstrous size . No matter how many times I saw them , I always looked forward to seeing them again and again , '' Schauer said . `` As an adult , I still look forward to seeing them . I guess some things do n't change with time . '' Horseshoe crab . The world 's largest horseshoe crab resides in a parking lot at the Freedom Worship Baptist Church in Blanchester , Ohio . Last year , the church 's pastor , Jim Rankin , hired Evel Knievel 's former bodyguard to jump over the crab on his motorcycle . The publicity stunt attracted nearly 8,000 visitors to the church . The crab is 68 feet long from its head to its long , spiky tail . `` It can have up to 65 people inside , '' Rankin said . Peanut . In the 1970s , Ashburn , Georgia , built a monument to the state 's No. 1 cash crop . Standing atop a brick tower along Interstate 75 , the world 's largest peanut can be seen for miles . The peanut is 33 feet tall with a 10-foot circumference . The peanut was featured on a Go-Gurt portable yogurt packet as a trivia question , said Shelley Zorn , Ashburn 's chamber of commerce president . It also showed up on a Food Network show . `` Hilarious , is n't it ? '' Zorn said of the public 's love affair with the peanut . `` I can meet people on a cruise ... and I ask them if they 've seen it . Nine out of 10 people have seen that peanut , no matter where they 're from . '' A legacy . Recognition is the main reason people build the world 's largest attractions , Kirby said . His site rates places higher if they surprise his staff or make them laugh . iReport.com : See the `` world 's largest rocking chair '' `` Towns build giant statues to promote themselves and take pride in local heroes , historic figures or industries , '' Kirby said . `` Businesses commission creation of giants so they stand out from their competition . For individuals , a ` world 's largest ' something may be a hobby gone out of control . ... Creators fret about their legacy . This ` world 's largest ' may be how the world remembers them . '' That is , until someone builds a bigger one . | World 's largest roadside attractions offer surprise and delight to travelers . Largest ball of twine in Cawker City , Kansas , began in 1953 . Freedom Worship Baptist Church is home to world 's largest horseshoe crab . Expert : Recognition is main reason people build world 's largest attractions . | [[1887, 1976], [2320, 2376], [3769, 3882], [4909, 4985]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Have you ever heard of someone having their car `` totaled '' ? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident , replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life , the reality is sometimes far removed . Ford 's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck . In fact , there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle 's frame is bent , even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable . Typically these cars are `` totaled , '' which might give buyers the peace of mind knowing they will get a replacement vehicle . But , overall this produces much higher insurance rates for all drivers . Car companies and insurers are working hard to try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers and some of the development is breathtaking in its innovation . This effort has already led to many new developments in the design of various auto parts and components -- which have indeed led to a reduction in repair costs for various auto parts , components and structures . And more advances are on the way : some carmakers have recently ramped up their operations in this area , which should result in greater cost savings in coming years . One recent development in this area is the Ford Motor Company 's new $ 650,000 Paint and Body Technology Center in Inkster , Michigan , about 20 minutes from the company 's Dearborn world headquarters . The new center was created by merging operations with the company 's Safety Crash Test Analysis department . Other car companies have their own versions of this kind of operation , including Ford 's crosstown rivals , General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC . The new Ford center represents an advancement over its previous paint and body tech operation in that it 's larger , closer to the company 's HQ , and now works more closely with design engineers and auto insurers -- and gets insurers involved earlier in the design process . AOL Autos : Cut your insurance in half . The goal is to identify potential repair issues and then use that info to refine designs -- which in turn helps cut the cost of repairs at dealerships and independent repair shops . Plus , this effort allows repair techs to more effectively restore the vehicles to their pre-accident condition . To that end , engineers gather data earlier in the vehicle development process so it can be then analyzed during crash and durability testing . AOL Autos : How to choose a repair shop . For Ford , the closer integration of these functions began when the carmaker 's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck . During the vehicle 's early development period , these engineers realized that new materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel and boron -- helped make the new truck safer , but also could make it more expensive to repair after a collision . AOL Autos : Minor damages , major repair costs . `` The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new , specific procedures and repair recommendations , '' said Gerry Bonanni , Ford 's collision repair senior engineer . So , Ford engineers designed and developed new front and rear-frame-section kits -- which means one single section of the frame can now be repaired / replaced after a crash , instead of having to replace the entire frame . `` Partial-frame repairs cost at least $ 2,000 less than full-frame replacements , '' says Bonanni -- and will prevent some vehicles from being `` totaled , '' which would have previously been the case under repair laws in some states . The success of the collaboration on the F-150 prompted the decision to open the new paint and body tech center . A more recent example was the work done on the 2010 Mustang . `` Previously , we had no real procedure for sectioning off the rear-frame rails , '' says Bonanni . `` But , by collaborating with repair technicians and the insurance companies , we developed a procedure , which we then documented for the repair techs in our dealers . `` That allows them to repair just a short section of the rear-frame rails , instead of replacing the entire frame-rail system -- which also translates into lower repair costs , and lower insurance rates , for the owner . '' General Motors ' Collision Repair Test Center has had also had recent success on this front , says Jim Doherty , GM 's manager of the service-engineering team for aftersales body structures . `` We coordinate with the product engineers , so as soon as a new vehicle starts development , about four years before it 's introduced , we engage with their team , '' says Doherty . `` Some of our people work on the structure , and some on the exterior , and we collaborate with the design engineers to work out whatever improvements might need to be made over the previous version of a component or assembly . '' AOL Autos : Best & worst auto designs . As with Ford , `` the goal is to make sure that the vehicle has the most cost-effective repair strategy , '' adds Dave Bakos , GM 's director of global after-sales mechanical engineering . `` Our liaisons with people in the insurance industries are definitely useful -- they call us if they have concerns , and when we develop a new technology , we contact them to make sure they understand it . '' The development of lighter-weight steel for auto frames also presents challenges to GM 's center . `` They 're very high-strength , but their repairability is more difficult when compared with the old cold-rolled steels -- so , that has forced us to come up with new welding , sectioning and attachment strategies as the vehicle is being designed and developed , '' says Doherty . AOL Autos : Take the guesswork out of buying a used car . Doherty and Bakos cite a couple of examples of how the Collision Repair Test Center -- and the collaboration between design and repair engineers and insurance companies -- have been parlayed into cost savings for car owners . Prior to the current model year , the cost of repairing the frame-rail assembly on a Pontiac Solstice included $ 936 for the part itself , plus 13 1/2 hours worth of labor costs to install , says Doherty . But by working with design engineers and insurers , the Collision Repair Test Center was able to develop and create a `` service-only '' partial assembly . That means that , on the '09 Solstice , a collision technician can replace the damaged section of the front rail only , rather than the entire front rail section . The parts for the partial assembly cost far less and require just three and a half hours of labor to install , '' says Doherty . `` Because of these changes , the total cost savings for this repair could be as high as $ 1,500 . '' The current Saturn Aura presented a challenge / opportunity along the same lines . For the '09 Aura , GM engineers at the Collision Repair Test Center created `` zone-specific '' replacement parts . `` Rather than replacing the entire body-side assembly as a single piece , engineers developed sectioning procedures for the front , center and rear quarter sections of the vehicle , '' explains Doherty . `` This allows the technician multiple repair options when repairing the side of a damaged vehicle . Even though the cost of parts remained similar , labor cost savings created were substantial , ranging from about $ 600 to as high as $ 1,200 . '' One current focus for these operations at Ford , GM and other carmakers relates to side-impact crashes . `` We do n't want every vehicle to have to end up in the salvage yard just because a side pillar is damaged , '' says Bakos . `` So we 're working on some combination of welding or welding and adhesives , or maybe mechanical fasteners , in order make those sections more repairable , so that the vehicle is n't totaled . '' New challenges continue to present themselves , says Ford 's Bonanni . `` New technologies are developing pretty rapidly , '' he says . `` And each time a new one comes along , it 's our job to develop new ways of repairing the various structures , components and parts that incorporate those new technologies -- and do it in a way that maintains the vehicle 's after-crash structural integrity , and keeps costs down for the vehicle owner . '' | Companies and insurers sections cars to be crash -LRB- and repair -RRB- friendly . Many new developments exist in the design of auto parts and components . New materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel -- help make vehicles safer . New challenges continue to present themselves , says Ford expert . | [[898, 921], [926, 1001], [7907, 7952], [7907, 7921], [7955, 7977]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 16 year-old Australian schoolgirl is hoping to achieve a sailing feat that is so tough it has brought many experienced men and women to the brink of death . Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson of Australia plans to sail solo around the world . Jessica Watson , of Mooloolaba , Queensland , plans to set out on a solo round-the-world sailing mission in November -- and hopes to become the youngest person to ever sail non-stop around the world alone . But with the impending weeks of solitary confinement , freeze-dried foods , changing conditions and threat of injury , illness or death -- why would she want to do it ? Watson told CNN her inspiration had come from fellow Australian Kay Cottee , who became the first woman to sail the globe alone , without stopping ; and German-born Australian Jesse Martin , who still holds the record as the youngest person to do it . Martin achieved his feat in 1999 aged 18 -LRB- at the finish -RRB- , and subsequently wrote a book titled `` Lionheart : A Journey of the Human Spirit . '' `` I read Jesse 's book and that was inspiring . If you had to put it down to one thing that encouraged me to do this that would be a good one , '' Watson said . Since deciding she wanted to take on what she describes as the `` Everest of the ocean '' about four years ago , Watson has been doing all she can to gain the best preparation for the adventure . She has already sailed `` mock solo '' across the Tasman Sea , which flows between Australia and New Zealand , at 15 and has been sailing since she was 8 years-old . `` I 've been talking to people -LSB- who have done it -RSB- about it all , and I 'll get in some good solo miles before I go , '' she said . Despite the experience she has gained , Watson admits there are some aspects of the journey that remain unknown . `` There are definitely things I 'm nervous about -- like the big waves and gear failure . But , it 's amazing the detail of preparation we can get and what you can do with technology . `` Though , there 's no telling how you 'll handle yourself when you 're out there for eight months until you 're actually out there . '' Watson 's journey around the globe is part of what seems to be an increasingly popular trend among young sailors . Seventeen year-old Briton , Mike Perham is currently part-way through his attempt to sail the world solo for charity . Perham is at present stuck in Tasmania , Australia , with gear problems and faces the daunting task of sailing around Cape Horn during the winter season . Still , he has come a long way when many people had raised concerns about the voyage before he departed . On his daily blog , Perham writes about the challenges of being at sea alone , `` The first few days at sea are always the worst -- the lack of sleep leaves me feeling drained all the time but I know I just need to keep pushing on , knowing that I 'll soon acclimatize and that things are going to get better and better . '' Another teenager -- 16 year-old Zac Sunderland , who is from California -- is also on a mission to become the youngest sailor to achieve the feat . Sunderland has also progressed from his departure point in California , through the Panama Canal , and into the Atlantic Ocean . For Perham , Sunderland and Watson it was the high level of communications technology at the teenagers disposal as they sail that has convinced their parents to allow them to attempt their journeys . Would you allow your teenage daughter or son to sail solo around the world ? Tell us below in the SoundOff box . On Sunderland 's Web site his father , Laurence , said , `` Although Zac is alone as he sails , he really has so much help . There will always be people who will disagree with our decision to let Zac go on this trip . It was his idea and it is his desire to continue . '' Watson said her parents had also been supportive from the outset . For the young sailor , the next big challenge is preparing the boat for departure and securing a final sponsor to help fund the journey . She said her life is primarily geared towards the challenge this year . `` It might take a little bit longer to finish school ... this puts everything else on hold . '' | Sixteen-year-old Jessica Watson plans to sail solo around the world . Watson is inspired by Jesse Martin who is the youngest person to have done it . Briton Mike Perham , and Zac Sunderland of the U.S. are currently at sea . | [[195, 277], [278, 308], [324, 394], [278, 292], [408, 484], [2351, 2354], [2363, 2399], [807, 842], [849, 894], [875, 905]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Opposition leader and supermarket mogul Ricardo Martinelli has won Panama 's presidential election , the head of the country 's electoral tribunal said Sunday . Ricardo Martinelli delivers a victory speech after Panama 's presidential election Sunday . Martinelli , of the conservative Democratic Change party , edged out former Housing Minister Balbina Herrera of Panama 's governing Democratic Revolutionary Party , said Erasmo Pinilla of the electoral tribunal . A final vote count was n't immediately available Sunday evening . `` This is a victory for all the people of Panama , '' Martinelli said . `` And I make a call to all our opposition -- to all the parties that opposed us -- that you all are all Panamanians . ... Tomorrow we have to start a new day . '' Martinelli also ran for president in 2004 , when he came in fourth with about 5 percent of the vote . President Martin Torrijos won that election with about 47 percent of the vote . | Supermarket mogul Ricardo Martinelli is winner , election official says . Martinelli is leader of the conservative Democratic Change party . `` This is a victory for all the people of Panama , '' Martinelli says . He came in fourth place during 2004 presidential election . | [[0, 117], [180, 271], [551, 600], [603, 623], [788, 798], [804, 829]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nepal 's Maoist government took the president to task Monday for ordering the country 's army chief of staff to stay in office after they had fired him , calling the decision `` unconstitutional . '' General Rookmangud Katawal gestures after inspecting a guard of honor in New Delhi on December 12 , 2007 . `` Neither the constitution nor the Military Act gives the President the right to do anything besides supporting the government 's decision , '' said Krishna Bahadur Mahara , the minister for information and communication . Late Sunday night , President Ram Baran Yadav ordered Gen. Rookmangud Katawal , who was sacked by the government Sunday morning , to continue in office . Nepal 's interim constitution gives the president powers as supreme commander of the army and guardian of the constitution . `` The president took the step after 18 parties in parliament requested the President to intervene , '' presidential spokesman Rajendra Dahal told CNN Sunday night . The decision to fire Katawal touched off protests . Supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets for demonstrations Sunday . Despite sporadic clashes between the two factions , there were no serious injuries reported . The coalition government led by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Maoist -RRB- -- better known as Maoist -- leads a minority government for which its largest coalition partner , the Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Unified Marxist Leninist -RRB- , has withdrawn support . It is unclear if the government will fall , since Madhesi Janadhikar -LRB- People 's Rights -RRB- Forum , another coalition partner and the fourth largest party in parliament , is undecided about staying in the government . Nepal 's Cabinet voted to dismiss Katawal after the military refused the government 's order to stop recruiting about 3,000 new soldiers to fill vacant positions when it has yet to take in former Maoist rebels , as a 2006 peace deal required . The Maoists laid down their arms and won power in 2008 elections after an agreement that ended a decade-long insurgency . Under the deal , more than 19,000 former insurgents were to be integrated into the country 's security forces . | Government calls president 's order to keep army chief in office `` unconstitutional '' Maoist government ordered army chief of staff to be fired after recruitment issue . Military refused to stop recruiting soldiers while it has n't accepted ex-Maoist rebels . Dismissal touches off street protests and a split in Maoist-dominated ruling coalition . | [[91, 163], [111, 188], [12, 23], [191, 233], [588, 597], [622, 645], [698, 721], [1750, 1842], [1868, 1982], [1013, 1064], [1065, 1152]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Global declines in press freedom '' persisted last year , with setbacks highlighted in Israel , Italy , Taiwan , Hong Kong and elsewhere across the world , an annual survey said Friday . Media freedom campaigners don gags during a news conference in Hong Kong in April 2008 . Freedom House , a nongovernmental organization that supports democracy and freedom of the media , said in its annual press freedom survey that `` negative trends '' outweighed `` positive movements in every region , particularly in the former Soviet Union , the Middle East and North Africa . '' `` This marked the seventh straight year of overall deterioration . Improvements in a small number of countries -- including bright spots in parts of South Asia and Africa -- were overshadowed by a continued , relentless assault on independent news media by a wide range of actions , in both authoritarian states and countries with very open media environments . '' Israel -- once the only country to be consistently rated free by the group in the Middle East and North Africa -- was ranked as `` partly free '' because of the Gaza conflict . The report cited `` increased travel restrictions on both Israeli and foreign reporters ; official attempts to influence media coverage of the conflict within Israel ; and greater self-censorship and biased reporting , particularly during the outbreak of open war in late December . '' Elsewhere in the Middle East , there are concerns about harassment of journalists and bloggers in Libya , Iran , Syria , Tunisia and Saudi Arabia . The drop in violence in war-torn Iraq helped journalists move around the country , and a new law in the Kurdish region gave journalists `` unprecedented freedoms . '' Hong Kong , which is part of China , also dropped in rankings from free to partly free , a reflection of `` the growing influence of Beijing over media and free expression in the territory . '' `` Of particular concern were the appointment of 10 owners of Hong Kong media outlets to a mainland Chinese political advisory body , increased restrictions on film releases in the period surrounding the Olympics , and reports that critics of Beijing encountered growing difficulty in gaining access to Hong Kong media platforms . '' The report cited deterioration of of freedoms in Taiwan , which has been characterized as East Asia 's freest media environment . That 's because of `` legal pressures and attempts to control broadcast media outlets . '' Italy dropped from free to partly free because of the `` increased use of courts and libel laws to limit free speech , heightened physical and extralegal intimidation by both organized crime and far-right groups , and concerns over media ownership and influence , '' the report said . It cited fears about media magnate Silvio Berlusconi becoming prime minister again . There are concerns about `` the concentration of state-owned and private outlets under a single leader . '' In the former Soviet Union , `` legal pressure and attempts to control broadcast media outlets '' were cited in Russia , Armenia and Kyrgyzstan . The report noted other problems in Russia , saying `` reporters suffer from a high level of personal insecurity , and impunity for past murders or physical attacks against journalists is the norm . '' Across Africa , there were `` some improvements , '' citing developments in Comoros , Sierra Leone , Angola , and Liberia . But there were continued problems in places like Zimbabwe and Eritrea . `` Senegal took a significant step backward due to a dramatic increase in both legal and extralegal action against journalists and media houses , accompanied by overtly hostile rhetoric from the president and other officials , '' the report said . The report cited strides in South Asian nations , ranking the once `` not free '' Maldives to `` partly free . '' It mentioned a `` new constitution protecting freedom of expression , the opening of additional private radio and television stations , the release of a prominent journalist from life imprisonment , and a general loosening of restrictions after the country 's first democratic presidential election in October . '' It said Bangladesh and Pakistan reversed declines in freedom of the media . But there were setbacks in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka , two countries racked by warfare . In some countries in the Americas , such as Mexico , Bolivia and Ecuador , `` attacks and official rhetoric against the media escalated . '' Venezuela and Cuba were ranked as not free , and there were `` high levels of intimidation and self-censorship '' in Colombia and Guatemala . Positive developments were noted in Guyana , Haiti and Uruguay . The worst-rated countries in the world are Myanmar , Cuba , Eritrea , Libya , North Korea and Turkmenistan . `` Given the current economic climate , which is certain to place a further strain on media sustainability and diversity in rich and poor countries alike , pressures on media freedom are now looming from all angles and are increasingly threatening the considerable gains of the past quarter-century , '' the report said . | Annual survey says `` negative trends '' outweighed `` positive movements '' in 2008 . Report singles out former Soviet Union , Middle East , North Africa . Bright spots seen in parts of South Asia , Africa . Worst-rated countries : Myanmar , Cuba , Eritrea , Libya , North Korea , Turkmenistan . | [[178, 208], [444, 511], [662, 875], [4702, 4707], [4708, 4736], [4698, 4806]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of people converged on New York 's Union Square Friday for the May Day Immigration Rally , calling for workers ' rights and a path to citizenship for the country 's nearly 12 million undocumented immigrants . New Yorker 's support the rights of undocumented workers on Friday at a May Day rally . The annual event , which began in 2006 , was organized by the May 1st Coalition for Workers and Immigrants Rights . Similar rallies were scheduled across the nation in Boston , Massachusetts ; Detroit , Michigan ; Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania ; San Diego , Los Angeles and San Francisco in California , and San Antonio , Texas , according to the group 's Web site . Following rally cries from speakers in both English and Spanish , demonstrators braved a rainstorm and marched approximately two miles to New York 's Federal Plaza . Among the participants was Saul Linares , who emigrated from El Salvador six years ago and works at a Long Island factory making equipment for the U.S. Army . Linares is particularly concerned about children who are American citizens , yet whose illegal immigrant parents have been deported . `` The children are living alone , sometimes with relatives , at churches or with neighbors , '' he said . Teresa Gutierrez , a co-coordinator of the event , blames current government policy for the United States ' immigration woes . She said she believes the Clinton administration 's landmark 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement , or NAFTA -- which was meant to promote cross-border growth between the United States and Mexico -- actually had exploitive effects on the Mexican population . `` Immigrants came because of NAFTA . They do n't risk their lives crossing the border because they want to , but because they have to , '' she said . A smaller anti-illegal immigration rally assembled across the street , organized by the New Yorkers for Immigration Control and Enforcement . Charles Maron , a New York firefighter and husband of a first generation Pakistani , believes illegal immigrants who commit crimes should be deported . `` Someone who comes , teaches their kids the American way , I support that . '' Participants in the May Day rally included people from Latin America , Africa and the Middle East . According to Gregory Jesus Luc , who is producing a documentary about the plight of Haitian immigrants , `` It 's about awareness , letting media and America know that we are immigrants and we are the backbone of this country . '' | May Day rally seeks path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants . Similar rallies take place in cities across United States . Anti-illegal immigration rally in New York draws a smaller crowd . | [[161, 245], [450, 508], [1804, 1872]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police are examining grainy hotel surveillance video and following up on new leads , including a reported sighting , in the case of a 17-year-old girl who traveled to Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , for spring break last week and then disappeared . Brittanee Marie Drexel 's mother says she thought her daughter was at a beach in New York , not South Carolina . The possible sighting of Brittanee Drexel was on a bus Wednesday morning in the Myrtle Beach area , according to police , who later showed photos of her to passengers . As investigators try to build a timeline of the events leading to Brittanee 's disappearance Saturday night , they are also scrutinizing hotel security video for signs of a young woman in distress , or other clues . Brittanee 's mother , Dawn Drexel , told HLN 's Nancy Grace that she had forbidden the Rochester , New York , high school junior from going to Myrtle Beach , a popular destination for high school and college students on spring break . Although they stayed in touch by phone and spoke on Saturday , Drexel said she believed the girl was in Rochester when she actually was in Myrtle Beach . `` I did n't have any idea that she was going to do this , '' Drexel said . `` I do trust my daughter , and she needed to cool down a little bit because she was upset that I was n't going to let her go . '' Drexel said her daughter rode there in a car with several friends . She thinks Brittanee used money she had earned and borrowed to finance her trip . | Police show girl 's photo to bus passengers after reported sighting . Brittanee Drexel , 17 , went to Myrtle Beach , S.C. , without mother 's permission . Rochester , N.Y. , high school junior last seen on Saturday night . | [[0, 15], [19, 25], [76, 133], [381, 422], [481, 500], [494, 500], [507, 549], [151, 169], [174, 198]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The swine flu virus that has sparked fear and precautions worldwide appears to be no more dangerous than the regular flu virus that makes its rounds each year , U.S. officials said Monday . Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said swine flu is no more danerous than the regular flu virus . `` What the epidemiologists are seeing now with this particular strain of U.N. is that the severity of the disease , the severity of the flu -- how sick you get -- is not stronger than regular seasonal flu , '' Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Monday as the worldwide number of confirmed cases of swine flu -- technically known as 2009 H1N1 virus -- topped 1,080 . The flu has been blamed for 26 deaths : 25 in Mexico and one in the United States , according to the World Health Organization . Still , Napolitano noted , the seasonal flu results in `` hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations '' and roughly 35,000 fatalities each year in the United States . There are still concerns that the virus could return in the fall , in the typical flu season , as a stronger strain . `` We are cautiously optimistic that this particular strain will not be more severe than a normal seasonal flu outbreak , '' Napolitano said . Watch Napolitano assess the swine flu risk '' Napolitano acknowledged claims by health officials in Mexico , the epicenter of the H1N1 outbreak , who believe their cases have peaked and said , `` I have no reason to think that is inaccurate . '' The WHO said there were no immediate plans to raise its alert to the highest level , Phase 6 . That designation would mean `` that we are seeing continued spread of the virus to countries outside of one region , '' Assistant Director-General Keiji Fukuda said . `` If you are seeing community outbreaks occur in multiple regions of the world , it really tells us if the virus has established itself and that we can expect to see disease in most countries in the world . '' In the United States , the CDC on Monday reported confirmed 279 cases across 36 states -- 60 more than were confirmed the day before . Several states , including New York and Massachusetts , confirmed dozens more cases Monday that were not immediately added to the CDC tally . See where the H1N1 virus has spread across the world '' Earlier , Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the CDC `` erroneously '' doubled the cases in his state . Jindal confirmed his state 's total is seven , and the CDC dropped its nationwide count from 286 to 279 . Many of the cases are among children ; the median age is 16 , said Dr. Richard Besser , acting director of the CDC . The youngest confirmed case is a 3-month-old , he said . There are also more than 700 probable cases across 44 states , Besser said . `` This likely represents an underestimation of the total number of cases across the country , '' he said , because not everyone with flu-like symptoms goes to the doctor and gets tested . The numbers are expected to increase . Dr. Anne Schuchat , the CDC 's interim deputy director for public health , said Sunday , `` We believe we 're just on the upswing here . '' But in Mexico , where the first cases were reported , illnesses may have peaked for now . Mexico City will reopen government offices and restaurants Wednesday , and museums , libraries and churches Thursday as officials cited improvements in the battle against swine flu . Officials said university and secondary students can return to class Thursday while younger students will wait until May 11 . In another sign of improving conditions with the H1N1 virus , federal officials lowered the nation 's health alert level Monday from red , or `` high , '' to orange , or `` elevated . '' `` The measures we have taken , and above all the public 's reaction , have led to an improvement , '' Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard said at a news conference . `` But I insist that the virus is still present , that we need to remain on alert , and the resumption of activities will be little by little , not all at once . '' The Mexican and Chinese government sent chartered flights to each other 's countries Tuesday to pick up their respective nationals stranded or quarantined because of the global swine flu outbreak . An Aeromexico flight was making several stops throughout China to collect nearly 70 citizens who were being held in quarantine across the communist nation as part of its strict swine flu-control measures . The flight will make stops in Beijing , Shanghai and the southern city of Guangzhou . Meanwhile , a U.S. Embassy official said four Americans are or were quarantined in China : two in Beijing ; two in the southern Guangdong province . The official could not say whether the two in Guangdong had been released , nor did she provide additional details . In the U.S. , residents gripped by concerns about the swine flu , also had a hopeful sign Monday . The St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens , New York -- which had the first confirmed U.S. cases of swine flu -- reopened Monday . More than 100 St. Francis students had come down with flu symptoms two weeks ago . Some were tested and found to have the H1N1 virus . Learn more about the H1N1 influenza virus '' New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on hand to welcome them back to a school that had undergone an intense scrub-down . `` The school has been completely sanitized , '' St. Francis Principal Leonard Conway said in a letter to students and their parents . The U.S. Department of Education said that 533 schools were shut Monday , about 100 more than Friday and about half of 1 percent of all schools in the United States . The closures affect about 330,000 students in 24 states . New cases of swine flu were leaving soldiers isolated in California . A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine Base at Twentynine Palms , north of Palm Springs , California , said two new cases of the flu were confirmed by the CDC . The two Marines show no symptoms but are being kept in isolation , spokeswoman Jennie Haskamp said . Previously , one other case was confirmed at the base . The U.S. Defense Department also reported that a crew member stationed aboard the USS Dubuque in San Diego , California , was confirmed to have swine flu and is currently ashore . The department said there were 13 other `` probable '' cases among Dubuque personnel . And California officials were looking into a suspected case at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County . Authorities suspended visitation and other `` non-essential activities '' at the prison pending confirmation . Even as health officials worldwide worked to battle the outbreak , intense efforts were under way to develop a vaccine -- with lessons from history in mind . `` In 1918 , the Spanish flu showed a surge in the spring and then disappeared in the summer months , only to return in the autumn of 1918 with a vengeance , '' WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said Sunday . `` And we know that that eventually killed 40 million to 50 million people . '' Health officials are not making such dire predictions in this case . And they ca n't know for certain whether the swine flu will make a big return later in the year . Still , they 're taking no chances . In that effort , health officials have a tool unlike anything they 've had before . `` This is the best surveillance we 've ever had , '' Fukuda said Monday . `` You know , we 're really monitoring and able to see a situation unfold in a way we have never been able to do in history before . '' In Hong Kong , about 200 hotel guests and 100 staff members at the Metropark Hotel remain under quarantine until Friday after health officials determined that a guest there had contracted the H1N1 virus . Watch how a British citizen has been quarantined in Hong Kong '' `` We go down to the lobby for food and then back to the room to eat your food , '' said Leslie Carr , a British man who is one of the 300 stuck at the hotel . `` Not many people are downstairs hanging around to talk or discuss anything . '' Hong Kong , in particular , is extra careful after a SARS outbreak in 2003 killed almost 300 people . `` In view of the lack of data ... we have to be very cautious , '' said Yuen Kwok-Yung of Hong Kong University . `` I believe that as time goes by , we can change our strategy . '' CNN 's Karl Penhaul in Mexico City , John Vause in Beijing , Diana Magnay in Geneva and Pauline Choo in Hong Kong contributed to this report . | Janet Napolitano : Epidemiologists note severity of swine flu same as regular flu . Mexico City will reopen government offices and restaurants Wednesday . WHO has no plans to raise alert level to 6 . Centers for Disease Control : 286 confirmed cases across 36 states in U.S. | [[220, 328], [3236, 3304], [1513, 1555], [1526, 1595], [1986, 2006], [2009, 2072]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. government panel listed 13 countries Friday as `` egregious '' violators of religious freedom . Homeless Pakistani Christians protest last month in Islamabad for protection of Christian minorities . The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 's annual report named Myanmar , North Korea , Eritrea , Iran , Iraq , Nigeria , Pakistan , China , Saudi Arabia , Sudan , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , and Vietnam . It recommended that the Obama administration designate them as `` countries of particular concern '' or CPC . The group has issued a watch list that includes Afghanistan , Belarus , Cuba , Egypt , Indonesia , Laos , Russia , Somalia , Tajikistan , Turkey , and Venezuela , countries that do n't rise to the level of a CPC but need to be monitored . `` Unfolding events in Pakistan make clear the relevance of this theme to the 2009 Annual Report . At the time of writing , emboldened Taliban-associated extremists had advanced to within 60 miles of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad , '' the report said . `` In the areas they already control , these groups are imposing draconian restrictions on human rights and religious freedom and engaging in brutal acts against individuals , particularly women and local police , who refused to accede to their repressive policies . '' The federal commission is bipartisan , and its commissioners are appointed by the president and members of Congress . A CPC designation gives Secretary of State Hillary Clinton `` a range of specific policy options to address serious violations of religious freedom . '' It requires the secretary `` to enter into direct consultations with a government to find ways to bring about improvements in the respect for religious freedom . '' The report covers the period May 2008 through April . The commission was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 . `` While sanctions are a possible policy option , the secretary may decide to develop a binding agreement with the CPC government on specific actions that it will take to end the violations that gave rise to the designation or take a commensurate action , '' the commission said . `` The secretary may determine that pre-existing sanctions are adequate or waive the requirement of taking action in furtherance of the Act . '' | U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom names 13 nations . Panel recommends administration designate 13 as `` countries of particular concern '' Designation gives secretary of state policy options to address serious violations . | [[30, 132], [259, 455], [566, 738], [30, 132], [456, 565], [476, 565], [566, 738]] |
STUART , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The most expensive item on Florida 's list of economic stimulus projects is drawing fire from some residents and at least one public official , all questioning whether it 's needed at all . Some residents say it 's wasteful to spend money on a new bridge when there 's one less than three miles away . The proposed $ 128 million Indian Street Bridge across the St. Lucie River has been debated in Martin County , Florida , for more than 20 years . But now that it has been cleared to receive money from the federal government 's nearly $ 800 billion economic stimulus effort , the debate may be over . Critics say the span , which will connect the communities of Palm City and Stuart , is wasteful because there is already a bridge that connects the two communities less than three miles away . `` The president should know that this is a boondoggle , and he is getting swindled , '' said Odias Smith , who has been fighting the bridge for decades and is suing the state Department of Transportation to try to stop it . Mike Mortell , chairman of the Martin Metropolitan Planning Organization , said the existing Palm City bridge `` is in fine shape , '' but a bigger bridge is needed . `` It just simply does n't have the capacity to move more cars over it , '' Mortell told CNN . `` It is at capacity . Every day , as many cars that can go over it during the rush hour times go over it . '' Supporters say the new bridge will ease traffic congestion , aid hurricane evacuations and create about 3,500 jobs . `` Those of us in favor of the bridge ca n't believe that we became so fortuitous that in a time of a recession when jobs are down that we actually found the money and have the opportunity to build this bridge that we 've been planning now for literally over 20 years and now it 's a reality , '' Mortell said . Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard , one of the few county officials who oppose the bridge , said traffic does back up at the existing bridge . But she said the congestion can be resolved without spending money on a new bridge . `` There are some impediments at either end of the bridge , '' Heard said . `` There are stoplights there that are timed so that travelers get stuck at the lights . They do n't get stuck on the bridge . '' And Smith said he uses the Palm City Bridge regularly and never has a problem with traffic . `` My house faces that bridge . You can see the cars go over it . I go over at 50 , 55 , all the time , '' he said . Another source of contention between Martin County residents is whether the proposed project is `` shovel-ready '' -- a major test for stimulus projects , which are aimed at getting people back to work quickly . But Heard said the state has yet to buy all the property it needs for the right-of-way leading to the bridge , and that challenges from the current owners of those parcels could delay construction . `` I 'm flabbergasted , to tell you the truth , because my understanding of the stimulus money was it was supposed to be for shovel-ready projects that could be completed in three years . This is not shovel-ready , '' she said . `` We have n't acquired the land necessary for right of way . We do n't have plans for it . '' The Florida DOT says it has purchased 33 of the 63 pieces of property it will need to complete the bridge , and it expects to have all of them acquired by February 2011 . But Smith said some people might refuse to sell . `` There 's people there who want to stay . It 's either their dream house and they 're going to retire there or they 're of modest means and they know they can afford it , but if they go someplace else , they ca n't afford it , '' he said . One homeowner whose land will be affected by the project , who did not want to be identified , said she had hoped her home `` would be a final investment for me . '' `` I think about starting over when I had n't planned on it , '' she said . If homeowners refuse to sell , the parcels may go into eminent domain disputes that can take years to resolve . But Mortell said the state can acquire the remaining properties quickly using a fast-track settlement , purchasing the properties at their appraised value and negotiating with the homeowner about a buyout price at a later date . Heard `` probably misinterpreted what shovel-ready means , '' Mortell said . He said the bridge has already been designed and all federally required studies have been completed , so work on some parts of the project can begin right away . `` Shovel-ready means that the project can move forward within 120 days , and that was a primary criteria in the stimulus plan , '' he said . Florida lawmakers approved the project for stimulus funding in April . Once the check arrives , construction will begin . But Heard said local communities should have had more of a say in the decision . `` I do n't think that 's fair , '' Heard said . `` I think we could actually have gotten federal stimulus dollars for projects that we all support and are necessary here . '' | Proposed $ 128 million Indian Street Bridge has been debated for 20 years . Critics say it 's wasteful because another bridge connects same two communities . Suing resident : `` The president should know ... he is getting swindled '' Others say spending should n't be used because project is n't shovel-ready . | [[338, 446], [459, 483], [1719, 1722], [1735, 1813], [226, 290], [638, 719], [832, 885], [3106, 3130]] |
DHAKA , Bangladesh -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Army convoys are combing areas around the Bangladeshi border guard headquarters , vowing to punish participants in this week 's bloody mutiny , which killed nearly 100 army officers and civilians , according to The New Nation newspaper . Bangladeshi firefighters continued to uncover bodies Friday of Bangladesh Rifles officers from a mass grave . More than 160 army officers were inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles -LRB- BDR -RRB- when the mutiny broke out on Wednesday morning , local reports said . So far , 88 bodies have been recovered from mass graves in the outskirts of Dhaka , the newspaper reported . At least 22 bodies have also been recovered from the Buriganga River after the rebelling troops dumped them down a sewer during the standoff , authorities said . The 88 found dead were among those 169 officers , the newspaper reported . Another 27 emerged from their captivity in the headquarters of the BDR , a 65,000-strong paramilitary outfit primarily responsible for guarding the country 's borders . About 200 BDR soldiers have been arrested . The mutiny began Wednesday when BDR members took dozens of their superiors hostage . It was the second day of BDR Week , when army officers and troop members from various BDR outposts along the border were in the capital for celebrations . The New Nation reported that the mutinous border guards surrendered their weapons on Thursday after the government declared an amnesty . The rebellion was spurred by years of discontent among the ranks of the BDR troops . Recruits complained their army superiors dismissed their appeals for more pay , subsidized food and opportunities to participate in U.N. peacekeeping operations . Bangladesh and its South Asian neighbors contribute the most troops to U.N. operations and the pay is far greater than the meager salary the jawans -- as the BDR troops are called -- make . | Bangladeshi army vows to punish participants in this week 's bloody mutiny . So far , 88 bodies reportedly recovered from mass graves in outskirts of Dhaka . At least 22 bodies found in river after rebelling troops dumped them down sewer . More than 160 were inside Bangladesh Rifles headquarters when mutiny erupted . | [[8, 34], [120, 179], [276, 385], [563, 635], [825, 872], [663, 803], [663, 681], [806, 824], [386, 530]] |
BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A pregnant British woman facing possible execution in Laos will go on trial this week , the country 's foreign affairs ministry said Monday . Samantha Orobator became pregnant in prison , according to a spokeswoman for rights group Reprieve . Samantha Orobator `` is facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking , '' said Clare Algar , executive director of Reprieve , a London-based human rights group . Orobator , 20 , was arrested on August 5 , said Khenthong Nuanthasing , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman . She was alleged to have been carrying just over half a kilogram -LRB- 1.1 pounds -RRB- of heroin , Reprieve lawyer Anna Morris told CNN by phone from Vientiane , the Laotian capital . `` For that amount of heroin the sentence is normally the death penalty , '' she said . Orobator 's mother Jane found out in January her daughter was pregnant -- more than four months after she was arrested , her mother said . Jane Orobator heard the news from the British Foreign Office , which has been monitoring the case , the mother told CNN by phone from Dublin , where she lives . She can not believe her daughter was involved in drug trafficking , and was surprised to learn she was in Laos , she said . `` I do n't know '' what she was doing there , she said . `` The last time she spoke with me , she said she was on holiday in London and she would come to see us in Dublin before returning to the U.K. in July . `` She is not the type of person who would be involved in drugs , '' she added . Reprieve is worried about her health , especially given her pregnancy , Anna Morris said . `` She became pregnant in prison . We are concerned that it may not have been consensual and we are concerned that someone who finds herself in prison at 20 is subject to exploitation , '' she said . She is due to give birth in September , the lawyer added . Reprieve sent Morris from London to Laos to try to help Orobator , Algar said . The lawyer arrived there on Sunday and is hoping to visit Orobator on Tuesday , her boss at Reprieve said . A British consul has also arrived in the country . `` Reprieve heard about her case two weeks ago . We had thought yesterday the trial was going to start today , '' Algar said Monday . `` We have now heard from Anna that it is not going to . '' `` I am the first British lawyer who has asked for access to her , '' Morris said . `` She needs to have a local lawyer appointed to her . We are pressing very hard for the local authorities to appoint one . '' She said it was normal in the Laotian justice system for a defendant to get a lawyer only days before a trial . The last execution in Laos was in 1990 , the foreign affairs spokesman said . British Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell issued a statement about Orobator on Saturday . `` The British Government is opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances . We have made the Laos authorities aware of this at the highest levels in Samantha 's case , '' he said . `` We are paying close attention to her welfare and are in regular contact with the Laotian authorities about her case . British Embassy officials , including the Ambassador , have visited her six times since her arrest , '' he said . `` In addition , Britain 's consular representatives in Laos , the Australian Embassy , including the Australian Embassy doctor , have visited Samantha 10 times on our behalf , '' he said . There is no British Embassy in Laos . A British vice-consul arrived in the country this weekend , the Foreign Office said Monday . Rammell plans to raise the Orobator case with the Laotian deputy prime minister this week , he said . Samantha Orobator was born in Nigeria and moved to London with her family when she was 8 , her mother said . CNN 's Kocha Olarn contributed to this report . | Samantha Orobator facing death by firing squad for drug trafficking . Official : Orabator was arrested on August 5 . She became pregnant while in prison , rights group spokeswoman says . The last execution in Laos was in 1990 . | [[49, 96], [281, 354], [448, 456], [459, 461], [464, 488], [180, 223], [180, 197], [226, 280], [1643, 1677], [2658, 2696]] |
JIANGYOU , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Chinese police officer is being hailed as a hero after taking it upon herself to breast-feed several infants who were separated from their mothers or orphaned by China 's devastating earthquake . Police officer Jiang Xiaojuan , 29 , was feeding nine babies at one point . Officer Jiang Xiaojuan , 29 , the mother of a 6-month-old boy , responded to the call of duty and the instincts of motherhood when the magnitude-7 .9 quake struck on May 12 . `` I am breast-feeding , so I can feed babies . I did n't think of it much , '' she said . `` It is a mother 's reaction and a basic duty as a police officer to help . '' The death toll in the earthquake jumped Thursday to more than 51,000 , and more than 29,000 are missing , according to government figures . Thousands of children have been orphaned ; many others have mothers who simply ca n't feed them . At one point , Jiang was feeding nine babies . `` Some of the moms were injured ; their fathers were dead ... five of them were orphans . They 've gone away to an orphanage now , '' she said . Watch the officer care for babies '' She still feeds two babies , including Zhao Lyuyang , son of a woman who survived the quake but whose breast milk stopped flowing because of the traumatic conditions . `` We walked out of the mountains for a long time . I had n't eaten in days when I got here , and my milk was not enough , '' said that mother , Zhao Zong Jun. `` She saved my baby . I thank her so much . I ca n't express how I feel . '' Liu Rong , another mother whose breast milk stopped in the trauma , was awed by Jiang 's kindness . `` I am so touched because she has her own baby , but she fed the disaster babies first , '' Liu said . `` If she had n't fed my son , he would n't have had enough to eat . '' Jiang has became a celebrity , followed by local media and proclaimed on a newspaper front page as `` China 's Mother No. 1 . '' She 's embarrassed by the fuss . `` I think what I did was normal , '' she said . `` In a quake zone , many people do things for others . This was a small thing , not worth mentioning . '' See the quake zone '' There has been a huge outpouring of support from families who want to adopt babies orphaned by the quake . But that process takes time , and there are mouths to feed . Jiang misses her own son , who 's being cared for through the emergency by in-laws in another town , but she is aware of the new connections she 's made . `` I feel about these kids I fed just like my own . I have a special feeling for them . They are babies in a disaster . '' | New mother feeds babies separated from parents by disaster . She 's proclaimed as hero , but says it 's `` not worth mentioning '' Newspaper headline hails her as `` China 's Mother No. 1 '' | [[126, 146], [151, 184], [0, 8], [11, 32], [53, 146], [2073, 2120], [1806, 1811], [1865, 1931]] |
CLARENCE CENTER , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Recovering all the bodies from Thursday 's deadly passenger plane crash may take four days as investigators work through freezing temperatures and piles of wreckage , a federal transportation official said Saturday . Only a few pieces of the Continental Connection Dash 8 turboprop were recognizable after the crash . `` The medical examiner believes that three to four days are going to be required to recover the victims of this crash , and they 're in the process of doing that , '' Steve Chealander of the National Transportation Safety Board said . `` They 've already pulled some of the folks out of there , but they 've got a long way to go . '' All 49 passengers aboard Continental Connection Flight 3407 died when the 74-seat Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop crashed into a home in Clarence Center , New York , on Thursday night . A 61-year-old man in the house died also , but his wife and daughter survived . Fifteen bodies have been recovered , and efforts to identify the victims and conduct autopsies are under way , Erie County Health Commission Anthony Billittier said Saturday evening . A federal disaster mortuary team was called to assist local forensic officials . Despite reports from local authorities who said the plane hurtled toward the house from a sharp nosedive , Chealander said the current orientation of the plane indicates that it fell flat on its belly . The Continental flight from Newark , New Jersey , operated by Colgan Air , crashed about 10:17 p.m. Thursday northeast of Buffalo Niagara International Airport . Follow the plane 's path '' Chealander said the recovery effort and the investigation have been hampered by freezing temperatures as authorities try to sift through the wreckage of the flight and the home it struck . Some parts of the plane have fallen as deep as the basement , he said . `` Keep in mind , there 's an airplane that fell on top of a house , '' he told reporters . `` The house and the airplane are together . '' Authorities said it would probably take weeks to identify remains of the victims , with DNA testing required in many cases because of the intensity of the crash and subsequent fire . A 2-square-mile area around the crash site , about 6 miles from the Buffalo airport where the plane was headed , remained sealed off Saturday as investigators sought to determine the cause of the crash . But the extent of the restricted area belied the concentrated force of the impact into the one house . Watch what investigators are saying '' Karen Wielinski was watching television inside the house when she heard a plane making an unusually loud noise . `` I thought to myself , ` If that 's a plane , it 's going to hit something , ' '' she told Buffalo radio station WBEN . `` And next thing I knew , the ceiling was on me , '' she said . Wielinski and her daughter Jill , 22 , were in the front of the home , and they escaped the house with minor injuries . Wielinski 's husband , Doug , who was in the dining room , was killed . On Friday , federal investigators released information from the plane 's cockpit voice and flight data recorders , indicating that icing may have been a major factor in the crash . The plane 's pilot and co-pilot discussed `` significant ice buildup '' on the plane 's windshield and wings as it descended toward the Buffalo airport . The plane underwent `` severe '' pitching and rolling motions after the landing gear was lowered and wing flaps were set for the approach , Chealander said . There was a mix of sleet and snow in the area , but other planes landed safely at the airport about the time the flight went down . Chealander said the flight crew reported that visibility was about 3 miles and there was snow and mist as they descended . The voice and data recorders indicated that the plane 's internal de-icing was on during the landing approach , he said . `` A significant ice buildup is an aerodynamic impediment , '' he added . Find out why '' Keith Burtis was driving about a mile from the crash site when he heard the impact . `` It was a high-pitched sound , '' Burtis said . `` It felt like a mini-earthquake . '' A ball of fire filled the night sky as the jet fuel erupted , Burtis said , and he saw a steady stream of fire trucks rush past as smoke billowed . At least nine volunteer fire departments responded . Watch iReporters ' close-up accounts '' Among the passengers killed was Beverly Eckert , widow of a September 11 attack victim . Also aboard was Alison Des Forges , senior Africa adviser for Human Rights Watch , one of her colleagues said . Des Forges spent four years in Rwanda documenting the 1994 genocide and had testified about the atrocity and the situation in central Africa to Congress and the United Nations , according to the organization . Read more about the victims . Also on the flight was Susan Wehle , a cantor at Temple Beth Am in Williamsville , outside Buffalo , a synagogue official said . Colgan Air identified the crew as Capt. Marvin Renslow , the pilot ; First Officer Rebecca Shaw , who was co-pilot ; and flight attendants Matilda Quintero and Donna Prisco . In addition , an off-duty crew member , Capt. Joseph Zuffoletto , was onboard . `` This is easily the saddest day in the history of our airline , '' said Philip Trenary , the company 's CEO . | NEW : 15 bodies recovered ; identification could take weeks . NEW : Cold weather , extent of wreckage could prolong recovery as much as four days . NEW : Orientation of plane indicates that it fell flat on its belly , NTSB says . De-icing equipment was turned on at time of crash , investigator says . | [[966, 1000], [966, 980], [1007, 1060], [2025, 2124], [0, 42], [106, 210], [364, 521], [1660, 1800], [1338, 1400], [1354, 1433], [3794, 3903]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New Yorkers feasted on the stories when the news broke in 2006 : Brooke Astor , a socialite and megaphilanthropist with Alzheimer 's , had allegedly been swindled of millions and mistreated by her own son . Brooke Astor and grandson Philip Marshall outside her New York country estate , Holly Hill , in 2001 or 2002 . Anthony `` Tony '' Marshall , her only child , was indicted on criminal charges including grand larceny , possession of stolen property , forgery and conspiracy . Jury selection for the criminal trial was scheduled to begin Monday . But co-defendant Francis Morrissey 's attorney filed an 11th-hour motion to sever his client 's trial from Marshall 's . The motion was denied late Friday , and a new trial date has been set for March 2 . Morrissey , Marshall 's former lawyer , faces charges including forgery and scheming to defraud . A lawyer representing Marshall , Fred Hafetz , would say only that there would be `` no plea '' and that he hopes his client will `` be vindicated . '' Watch author Meryl Gordon discuss the case '' The trial is likely to resuscitate the tabloid feeding frenzy , which has fostered headlines such as `` Bad heir day , '' `` Mrs. Astor 's disaster '' and `` DA 's kick in the Astor . '' It 's not the way those closest to Astor want to remember her . And the disclosures expected to spill forth from the witness stand are n't the type that Astor , who died in August 2007 at 105 , would want shared in public . `` She would have been mortified , '' said Vartan Gregorian , a longtime friend and president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York . `` She was very private . '' Through her late husband 's Vincent Astor Foundation , Astor was credited with giving New York , where the Astors made their fortune , about $ 200 million . And although she felt it was expected of her to be proper and elegant , Gregorian said , her wealth did n't define her . Talk of money , real estate and other people 's misfortunes were off-limits at her dinner parties , he said . `` She was not ostentatious . ... She was very funny , very witty and very caring . '' When a would-be robber accosted her , she foiled the holdup attempt with this response : '' ` Excuse me . My name is Mrs. Astor . I do n't think we 've been properly introduced , ' '' Gregorian remembered with a laugh . For 23 years , Linda Gillies directed the Astor Foundation and witnessed her hands-on approach to doing good -- not just for her `` crown jewels , '' which included the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library , but also for lower-profile programs . Astor was often quoted as saying , `` Money is like manure ; it 's not worth a thing unless it 's spread around . '' But for her , again , it was n't just about the money . Betty Cooper Wallerstein , a community organizer who benefited from Astor 's help in saving 2,500 low-income apartments on Manhattan 's Upper East Side , described Astor as being equally comfortable mingling with tenants as she was in high society . She remembered attending Astor 's 90th birthday party and being struck by the diversity of the crowd waiting to get inside . Around her were elected officials , the social elite , big names such as Henry Kissinger as well as Astor 's staff members and activists such as herself . `` She was as lovely to me as she was to the dignitaries who were there , '' Wallerstein said . `` It was such a beautiful and democratic line . '' Many close friends and staff members would not speak to CNN , as they will be testifying in the trial or will be involved in a later suit to contest Astor 's will , which her son is said to have changed . But those who did speak were quick to share memories they 'll always hold dear . The tears came quickly when Carmine Fasciani , 73 , remembered Astor . The one-time police detective sergeant , whom Astor always called Sergeant , said he handled security and later served as the full-time head of staff at Holly Hill , Astor 's New York country estate . He was employed by her for three decades , up until he had a stroke eight years ago . But his status as employee hardly described their relationship . `` She was my friend . She was a good lady , '' he said , his voice cracking and his words slightly slurred because of the stroke . `` She said , ' I love you ' ... and I loved her . '' He built the gazebo where Astor watched sunsets and brought her the pink roses she loved . She took him to see a house that she knew he 'd fall for and helped secure a good price . When Astor lost part of a finger breaking up a dog fight , she called on Fasciani to fly in to be by her side . And two years after his stroke , he sought Astor 's approval , which she gave with a wink and a nod , before marrying his wife , Marilyn , who helped speak for Fasciani by phone from Florida . But working for Astor had its distractions , said Alicia Johnson , who was head of staff at her Maine estate , Cove End , for about 12 years . `` We had the Irish maid fighting with the French maid , the English butler fighting with the cook from Jamaica , '' Johnson said , laughing at the memories . `` Mrs. Astor was a peach . The problem was everyone else . '' In Johnson 's Maine closet , there are still items Astor insisted she take , including a dress Astor `` hauled out '' for her to wear when she announced that she was getting married in 2000 . `` It was a size two , and I was a size 12 , '' she said . Employees stayed with Astor for years , until her son reportedly fired most all of them . But the loyalty of Steve Hamor and his two sons stands out . Hamor , 65 , was her groundskeeper in Maine for 42 years . Hamor 's son Scott , who with his brother also would grow up to work on the grounds , spent his childhood running around the estate as if it was his own playground . As a teen , he remembered `` Mrs. A '' beckoning him from mowing a lawn to say hello and introduce him to Barbara Walters . Astor wanted to send him and his brother to university . They refused . But when Scott found himself in his mid-20s , going through a divorce and with custody of two boys , he accepted her assistance -- and insistence -- in helping him settle into a new apartment . `` She was always wanting to know how you were doing and what she could do for you , '' said Scott , 42 , who now works on Maine property owned by David Rockefeller . Concern that not enough was being done for her is what drove Philip Marshall , defendant Tony Marshall 's son , to file a petition for guardianship for his grandmother in 2006 , alleging , in the words of his lawyer , `` elder abuse '' by his father . The intention was nothing more than to ensure that she was cared for , removing control by his father and transferring care to Astor 's dear friend Annette de la Renta . Though he would n't discuss the details that prompted his actions -- `` I wo n't survive this conversation if I do , '' he said -- the successful petition mentioned her sleeping in torn nightgowns on a urine-stained couch and eating bland leftovers . `` To the rest of the world , she was Brooke Astor . To us , she was our grandmother , '' said Marshall , 55 , who grew up in Vermont with his twin brother , Alec , and was not `` of the New York world . '' The practicing Tibetan Buddhist , who is a professor of historic preservation at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island , never anticipated the findings that led to his father 's indictment and said he merely wanted to `` provide my grandmother with the care , comfort and dignity she deserved . '' | Criminal trial of late socialite Brooke Astor 's son begins soon . Tony Marshall is accused of swindling millions while mom had Alzheimer 's . Former staff members , friends and grandson remember who she was to them . Astor , New York legend whose foundation gave $ 200 million to city , died at 105 . | [[500, 569], [500, 537], [552, 569], [84, 96], [154, 193], [1397, 1405], [1411, 1416], [1423, 1449]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Maryland woman involved with a group described as a religious cult pleaded guilty in the starvation death of her son , but insisted that the charges be dropped when he is resurrected . Under terms of her plea agreement , Ria Ramkissoon 's charges will be dropped if her son rises from the dead . The condition was made a part of Ria Ramkissoon 's plea agreement , officials said . She entered the plea Monday in Baltimore , Maryland , to a first-degree felony count of child abuse resulting in death , her attorney , Steven Silverman , said Tuesday . Ramkissoon , a member of a group called One Mind Ministries , believes Javon Thompson , her year-old son , will rise again , and as part of her plea agreement , authorities agreed to the clause . `` She certainly recognizes that her omissions caused the death of her son , '' Silverman said . `` To this day , she believes it was God 's will and he will be resurrected and this will all take care of itself . She realizes if she 's wrong , then everyone has to take responsibility ... and if she 's wrong , then she 's a failure as a mother and the worst thing imaginable has happened . I do n't think that , mentally , she 's ready to accept that . '' Under the plea agreement , Ramkissoon , 22 , must testify against four other One Mind Ministries members who are also facing charges , including first-degree murder , in Javon 's death . At her sentencing , set for August , she will receive a 20-year sentence , which will be suspended except for the time she has already served behind bars , Silverman said . She must also undergo deprogramming and psychiatric counseling . In court Monday , it was clarified that the `` resurrection clause '' would apply only in the case of Javon 's actual resurrection -- not a perceived reincarnation , Silverman said . `` This has never come up in the history of American law , as far as I 've seen , '' Silverman said , adding that the clause was `` very important to her . '' `` On one level , she certainly is competent to stand trial , because she does recognize that as far as her legal entanglements are concerned , this is a grand-slam resolution for her , '' Silverman said . `` On the other hand , she 's still brainwashed , she 's still delusional as far as the teachings and influence of this cult , and she certainly is going to benefit with professional help and deprogramming . '' Ramkissoon and the others are accused of denying Javon food after the group 's leader , a 40-year-old woman who goes by the name Queen Antoinette , decreed the boy was a demon since he refused to say `` amen '' after meals , Silverman said . `` Ria would cling to him every day and try to get him to say ` amen , ' '' Silverman said . Eventually , Queen Antoinette ordered that Ramkissoon be separated from the child , he said . Javon is believed to have died in December 2006 , court documents allege . Following his death , the group members put the boy 's body in a back room , and `` everyone was directed to come in and pray , '' according to the documents . `` The Queen told everyone that ` God was going to raise Javon from the dead . ' Javon remained in the room for an extended period of time -LRB- in excess of one week -RRB- . The resurrection never took place . '' Authorities believe the boy 's body was then placed into a wheeled suitcase along with mothballs and fabric-softener sheets , documents said . Prosecutors allege Antoinette opened the suitcase periodically and sprayed its interior with Lysol to mask the decomposition odor . The group then moved to Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , and befriended a man who agreed to take care of their luggage before they left , documents said . The body was found in April 2008 , still inside the suitcase , in the man 's storage shed . All five One Mind Ministries members were set to stand trial Monday . The case against the others has been postponed , Silverman said , as Antoinette and another woman lack attorneys and must either obtain one or waive their right to counsel . Silverman added that Antoinette has suggested , though not said outright , that God is representing her . Court documents say Ramkissoon joined One Mind Ministries after Javon 's birth in 2005 . Silverman described her as a petite , soft-spoken woman who rejected her family 's Hindu religion , became a devout Christian and wanted to raise her son in that religion . `` She did n't want to have to work or go to school . She just wanted to take care of her son , and they offered her all this , '' he said . The group insisted she wear a uniform the colors of royalty : white , tan and blue ; give up her cell phone ; stop referring to her family members by name ; and not leave her home on her own , among other things , he said . `` They really isolated her , brainwashed her , and you see what happened . '' Ramkissoon 's mother , Seeta Khadan Newton , notified various agencies that her grandson was missing after she traveled to New York City in February 2008 to find her daughter , court documents said . Newton told authorities that when she spoke to Ramkissoon and asked about Javon , her daughter replied , `` He 's gone . He 's lost , '' but gave no further information . Silverman said he realized right away after consulting with Ramkissoon that he needed to communicate her story to the public and to prosecutors . `` Once you get to understanding the story , understanding what Ria went through , and her intentions ... it becomes quite clear that Ria , although many may not think her hands are clean , a reasonable , rational person would have some sympathy . '' | Javon Thompson is believed to have died in December 2006 . One Mind Ministries members prayed for his resurrection . When he did n't rise , his body was put in a suitcase with mothballs . Under terms of plea deal , charges will be dropped if he rises from dead . | [[2838, 2855], [2869, 2885], [2838, 2843], [2856, 2903], [597, 631], [2913, 2932], [2935, 2987], [3287, 3410], [317, 382]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Carolina State University women 's basketball coach Kay Yow , who won more than 700 games in nearly four decades of coaching , died Saturday after a long struggle with breast cancer , the university said . North Carolina State University 's Kay Yow , in 1996 , was one of only six coaches to amass 700 wins . She was 66 . Yow , who was in her 38th season as a coach , had amassed numerous awards , including inductions into the Women 's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame . In her 34 years on the sidelines for the Wolfpack , her teams won four Atlantic Coast Conference titles , averaged 20 wins a season , appeared in 20 of 27 NCAA tournaments and reached the Final Four in 1998 . She was one of only six coaches in the women 's game to win at least 700 games , the university said . She also coached the 1988 women 's Olympic basketball team to a gold medal in Seoul , South Korea . Yow was beloved by her players , colleagues and fans , and in 2007 , N.C. State christened the court in Raleigh 's Reynolds Coliseum in her name . Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 , Yow had been active in efforts to raise awareness and money to battle the disease , which forced her to miss two games during the 2004-05 season and another 16 in the 2006-07 season , the university said . She helped establish the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund , which raised money for the cause . About three weeks ago , Yow announced that she was stepping away from coaching duties for the remainder of the 2008-09 season , after missing four straight games because of an extremely low energy level . `` Stepping away from coaching is one of the hardest decisions I have had to make , '' Yow said January 6 , according to N.C. State . `` Even though I do n't feel well enough to coach , I 'm hopeful to feel well enough to attend some ACC games and show my support for the team as well as N.C. State University , '' she added . Yow was born in 1942 in Gibsonville , North Carolina , about 16 miles outside Greensboro . She began coaching at local high schools in 1964 before Elon University hired her . N.C. State hired her in 1975 . `` It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Coach Yow for the last 15 seasons . I suddenly find myself grasping to retain everything she has ever said and ever taught me , '' interim head coach Stephanie Glance said , according to the university . The team 's game against Wake Forest University , which was scheduled for Monday , has been postponed until February 10 in Winston-Salem , the university said . | Women 's basketball coach dies at 66 after struggle with breast cancer . Yow 's North Carolina State teams won 4 ACC titles , reached Final Four . Yow coached the 1988 women 's Olympic basketball team to a gold medal in Seoul . Yow helped establish the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund . | [[0, 15], [152, 206], [334, 346], [529, 578], [581, 632], [581, 590], [705, 737], [841, 844], [850, 924], [1345, 1394]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Violence flared in southern Afghanistan , with a NATO-led service member killed Saturday and 20 suspected insurgents slain in Helmand province Friday , authorities said . U.S. Marines fire a 120mm mortar on a suspected Taliban position Friday in Helmand Province , Afghanistan . The violence comes as NATO members meet in Europe to discuss the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan . NATO 's International Security Assistance Force said the service member died after being wounded by a roadside bomb . It did not specify the province where it happened or the victim 's nationality . `` On behalf of ISAF , I offer our condolences to the loved ones of this brave service member , '' said Brig. Gen. Richard Blanchette , ISAF spokesman . `` We can not lessen their pain , but we can , and do commit ourselves to honoring this sacrifice as we strive to bring security to the Afghan people . '' The U.S. military said the 20 suspected insurgents were killed in clashes with Afghan soldiers and coalition forces on Friday in the Kajaki district of Helmand province . `` The combined forces were conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in a known Taliban stronghold in order to deny insurgents ' freedom of movement when they were ambushed by numerous armed insurgents with mortar and small-arms fire , '' the military said . The fighting in Helmand 's Kajaki district happened during operations targeting suspected Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan , suspected of bomb-making , weapons smuggling , drug activity and attacks on Afghan and coalition soldiers , the U.S. military said in a statement . | Twenty insurgents died Friday in clashes with Afghan soldiers , coalition forces . NATO-led service member killed Saturday in Helmand province , south Afghanistan . Afghan , coalition soldiers in region targeting bombmakers , weapons smugglers . Clashes come as NATO members discuss operations against Taliban , al Qaeda . | [[132, 188], [959, 1129], [977, 1129], [86, 134], [1390, 1432], [1518, 1623], [318, 424], [340, 451], [1449, 1515]] |
LONDON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran offered to stop attacking coalition troops in Iraq nearly four years ago in an attempt to get the West to accept Tehran 's nuclear program , a British diplomat told the BBC in an interview aired Saturday . John Sawers , British ambassador to the U.N. , told BBC of Iran approaching Western nations with offer . `` The Iranians wanted to be able to strike a deal whereby they stopped killing our forces in Iraq in return for them being allowed to carry on with their nuclear program -- ` We stop killing you in Iraq , stop undermining the political process there , you allow us to carry on with our nuclear program without let or hindrance , '' said John Sawers , now the British ambassador to the United Nations , in the documentary , `` Iran and the West : Nuclear Confrontation . '' The United States and other Western nations believe Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program , but Iran says it is developing nuclear capability to produce energy . Iran also has been accused of sponsoring terrorists and supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents . The latter prompted a warning from the United States that such behavior by Tehran `` would be regarded by us as enemy action , '' Philip Zelikow , a State Department counselor , told the BBC . Then , Iran began shopping its offer around Europe , Sawers said . Sawers , Britain 's political director at the time , reveals the behind-the-scene talks from 2005 -- when roadside bombing against British and American soldiers in Iraq peaked -- were held with British , French and German diplomats at hotels in London , Paris and Berlin . `` And then we 'd compare notes among the three of us , '' Sawers told the BBC . The British government dismissed the offer and Iran 's nuclear enrichment program restarted once again , the BBC reports . Iran has denied offering any such deal and reiterated its position Saturday . `` Iran 's high officials have repeatedly stated that Iran has not had any part in attacks against American and British forces , and there is no evidence to support these baseless accusations , '' Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said , according to the semi-official Mehr News Agency . Interviews with top brass from former President Bush 's administration and British envoys indicate that Iran and the West had neared agreements several times in the past few years , but never reached success . Nick Burns , who was in charge of the Bush administration 's State Department policy with Iran , said taking a tough approach with Iran did n't seem effective . `` We had advocated regime change , '' Burns told the BBC . `` We had a very threatening posture towards Iran for a number of years . It did n't produce any movement whatsoever . '' The documentary aired a day after the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security released a report stating that Iranian scientists have reached `` nuclear weapons breakout capability . '' The report analyzed the finding of the U.N. 's nuclear watchdog agency , the International Atomic Energy Agency -LRB- IAEA -RRB- . However , an IAEA official who asked not to be named cautioned against drawing such dramatic conclusions from the data , saying Iran 's stock of low-enriched uranium would have to be turned into highly enriched uranium -LRB- HEU -RRB- in order to be weapons-grade material . That has n't been done , the official said . Meanwhile , Iran 's relationship with the West continues to be strained , though both sides have indicated interest in holding direct talks . President Obama , in his first prime-time news conference held earlier this month , said the United States is looking for opportunities for `` face-to-face '' talks with Iran after an absence of diplomatic ties for nearly three decades . `` There 's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years , so it 's not going to happen overnight , '' he said . And Iran 's powerful parliament speaker and former nuclear negotiator , Ali Larijani , has called the Obama administration `` an exceptional opportunity for Americans . '' | Iran approached diplomats with offer nearly four years ago , BBC told . Diplomat : Iran offered to stand down in Iraq if West would accept its nuke program . Iran denies involvement in fighting in Iraq , says allegations are `` baseless '' Despite strained relations , Obama administration has hinted at direct talks . | [[26, 117], [237, 248], [284, 328], [1798, 1815], [107, 109], [118, 169], [1816, 1820], [1859, 1893], [1894, 2047], [3414, 3423], [3426, 3485], [3556, 3571], [3640, 3783]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Automaker Peugeot has fired its chief executive , replacing Christian Streiff with Philippe Varin , currently the CEO at Corus , an Anglo-Dutch steelmaker . Peugeot is Europe 's second biggest carmaker . `` Given the extraordinary difficulties currently faced by the automotive industry , the Supervisory Board decided unanimously that a change in the senior leadership position was necessary , '' said Thierry Peugeot , chairman of the PSA Peugeot Citroen supervisory board Sunday . `` I am confident that under the leadership of Philippe Varin , the Group will be able , with all the teams , to unlock its potential . '' Varin will officially take over Peugeot 's top post on June 1 , but will begin `` familiarizing himself '' with operations starting next month . Roland Vardanega , a member of the managing board , will act as interim chairman until Varin assumes his new job . Peugeot , Europe 's second biggest automaker , posted a loss of $ 343 million , or $ 456 million , in 2008 and also expects to lose money in 2009 . | Christian Streiff replaced with Philippe Varin , currently CEO at Corus . Peugeot posted a loss of $ 343 million , or $ 456 million , in 2008 . Peugeot board : `` Change in the senior leadership position was necessary '' | [[0, 15], [69, 116], [902, 909], [949, 998], [355, 411]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Have you ever heard of someone having their car `` totaled '' ? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident , replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life , the reality is sometimes far removed . Ford 's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck . In fact , there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle 's frame is bent , even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable . Typically these cars are `` totaled , '' which might give buyers the peace of mind knowing they will get a replacement vehicle . But , overall this produces much higher insurance rates for all drivers . Car companies and insurers are working hard to try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers and some of the development is breathtaking in its innovation . This effort has already led to many new developments in the design of various auto parts and components -- which have indeed led to a reduction in repair costs for various auto parts , components and structures . And more advances are on the way : some carmakers have recently ramped up their operations in this area , which should result in greater cost savings in coming years . One recent development in this area is the Ford Motor Company 's new $ 650,000 Paint and Body Technology Center in Inkster , Michigan , about 20 minutes from the company 's Dearborn world headquarters . The new center was created by merging operations with the company 's Safety Crash Test Analysis department . Other car companies have their own versions of this kind of operation , including Ford 's crosstown rivals , General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC . The new Ford center represents an advancement over its previous paint and body tech operation in that it 's larger , closer to the company 's HQ , and now works more closely with design engineers and auto insurers -- and gets insurers involved earlier in the design process . AOL Autos : Cut your insurance in half . The goal is to identify potential repair issues and then use that info to refine designs -- which in turn helps cut the cost of repairs at dealerships and independent repair shops . Plus , this effort allows repair techs to more effectively restore the vehicles to their pre-accident condition . To that end , engineers gather data earlier in the vehicle development process so it can be then analyzed during crash and durability testing . AOL Autos : How to choose a repair shop . For Ford , the closer integration of these functions began when the carmaker 's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck . During the vehicle 's early development period , these engineers realized that new materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel and boron -- helped make the new truck safer , but also could make it more expensive to repair after a collision . AOL Autos : Minor damages , major repair costs . `` The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new , specific procedures and repair recommendations , '' said Gerry Bonanni , Ford 's collision repair senior engineer . So , Ford engineers designed and developed new front and rear-frame-section kits -- which means one single section of the frame can now be repaired / replaced after a crash , instead of having to replace the entire frame . `` Partial-frame repairs cost at least $ 2,000 less than full-frame replacements , '' says Bonanni -- and will prevent some vehicles from being `` totaled , '' which would have previously been the case under repair laws in some states . The success of the collaboration on the F-150 prompted the decision to open the new paint and body tech center . A more recent example was the work done on the 2010 Mustang . `` Previously , we had no real procedure for sectioning off the rear-frame rails , '' says Bonanni . `` But , by collaborating with repair technicians and the insurance companies , we developed a procedure , which we then documented for the repair techs in our dealers . `` That allows them to repair just a short section of the rear-frame rails , instead of replacing the entire frame-rail system -- which also translates into lower repair costs , and lower insurance rates , for the owner . '' General Motors ' Collision Repair Test Center has had also had recent success on this front , says Jim Doherty , GM 's manager of the service-engineering team for aftersales body structures . `` We coordinate with the product engineers , so as soon as a new vehicle starts development , about four years before it 's introduced , we engage with their team , '' says Doherty . `` Some of our people work on the structure , and some on the exterior , and we collaborate with the design engineers to work out whatever improvements might need to be made over the previous version of a component or assembly . '' AOL Autos : Best & worst auto designs . As with Ford , `` the goal is to make sure that the vehicle has the most cost-effective repair strategy , '' adds Dave Bakos , GM 's director of global after-sales mechanical engineering . `` Our liaisons with people in the insurance industries are definitely useful -- they call us if they have concerns , and when we develop a new technology , we contact them to make sure they understand it . '' The development of lighter-weight steel for auto frames also presents challenges to GM 's center . `` They 're very high-strength , but their repairability is more difficult when compared with the old cold-rolled steels -- so , that has forced us to come up with new welding , sectioning and attachment strategies as the vehicle is being designed and developed , '' says Doherty . AOL Autos : Take the guesswork out of buying a used car . Doherty and Bakos cite a couple of examples of how the Collision Repair Test Center -- and the collaboration between design and repair engineers and insurance companies -- have been parlayed into cost savings for car owners . Prior to the current model year , the cost of repairing the frame-rail assembly on a Pontiac Solstice included $ 936 for the part itself , plus 13 1/2 hours worth of labor costs to install , says Doherty . But by working with design engineers and insurers , the Collision Repair Test Center was able to develop and create a `` service-only '' partial assembly . That means that , on the '09 Solstice , a collision technician can replace the damaged section of the front rail only , rather than the entire front rail section . The parts for the partial assembly cost far less and require just three and a half hours of labor to install , '' says Doherty . `` Because of these changes , the total cost savings for this repair could be as high as $ 1,500 . '' The current Saturn Aura presented a challenge / opportunity along the same lines . For the '09 Aura , GM engineers at the Collision Repair Test Center created `` zone-specific '' replacement parts . `` Rather than replacing the entire body-side assembly as a single piece , engineers developed sectioning procedures for the front , center and rear quarter sections of the vehicle , '' explains Doherty . `` This allows the technician multiple repair options when repairing the side of a damaged vehicle . Even though the cost of parts remained similar , labor cost savings created were substantial , ranging from about $ 600 to as high as $ 1,200 . '' One current focus for these operations at Ford , GM and other carmakers relates to side-impact crashes . `` We do n't want every vehicle to have to end up in the salvage yard just because a side pillar is damaged , '' says Bakos . `` So we 're working on some combination of welding or welding and adhesives , or maybe mechanical fasteners , in order make those sections more repairable , so that the vehicle is n't totaled . '' New challenges continue to present themselves , says Ford 's Bonanni . `` New technologies are developing pretty rapidly , '' he says . `` And each time a new one comes along , it 's our job to develop new ways of repairing the various structures , components and parts that incorporate those new technologies -- and do it in a way that maintains the vehicle 's after-crash structural integrity , and keeps costs down for the vehicle owner . '' | Companies and insurers sections cars to be crash -LRB- and repair -RRB- friendly . Many new developments exist in the design of auto parts and components . New materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel -- help make vehicles safer . New challenges continue to present themselves , says Ford expert . | [[898, 921], [926, 1001], [7907, 7952], [7907, 7921], [7955, 7977]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He is the international superstar responsible for breathing life into the iconic comic book hero Wolverine . Her movies have earned more than $ 2 billion worldwide , including the entire `` X-Men '' franchise . Hugh Jackman emerges as Wolverine in `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine , '' which opened Friday . Actor Hugh Jackman and film producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently sat down for a candid conversation about their new film , `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine . '' Specifically , the pair talked about the scene in which Jackman 's character is transformed from a simple mutant with bony claws that periodically protrude from the back of his hands to an invincible mutant filled with an indestructible metal called adamantium . This scene represents the ultimate birth of a comic legend as the character is transformed from Logan to Wolverine . Watch the scene in which Wolverine is unleashed '' Hugh Jackman : I knew this was the birth of the character ; this is where we see him in full flight . It 's called in the comic book `` berserker rage . '' It 's not really in the English language , but it may be now ! But , this idea that this complete animal -LSB- has been -RSB- unleashed , which is obviously the entire story -- this battle between the animal and human is something we all relate to . Lauren Shuler Donner : There were many things he had to do in the tank , you know . One of them was he had to be lowered , and then the needles had to come towards him . Now , most of those were CGI , so he had to look in certain places where the needles were . But , he could n't hear -LSB- director -RSB- Gavin -LSB- Hood -RSB- . So they ... tried all kinds of sounds , speakers , everything . ... They finally devised this toe method where , if Gavin pulled on Hugh 's big toe , it meant the things are coming , the second toe is this , the last toe is rise up , very sophisticated . -LRB- laughter -RRB- . Jackman : I had in my head that I 've got to be in much better shape -- not better shape , different shape , kind of ridiculous shape because I wanted it to be uncomfortable . I wanted it to feel like I felt when I saw Robert De Niro in `` Cape Fear , '' that -- whoa , this guy is dangerous , he 's powerful , he 's dangerous , and he can snap at any point . Donner : There 's an iconic drawing of Wolverine coming out of the tank in the comics with the things popping out of him and his hair all over him in a rage , and we wanted to be that image . That 's the image we wanted for the fans . Jackman : I was a little frightened when I watched it , like , `` Is that me ? '' -LSB- My wife -RSB- Deb was like , `` Hugh , this is ridiculous . I do n't even know who that is . '' | Hugh Jackman plays Wolverine in `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine '' To create the character , Jackman wanted to be in `` ridiculous shape '' How to contact Jackman underwater ? Director used a `` toe method '' | [[255, 308], [1964, 2087]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Manny Pacquiao has told CNN even he was surprised at how quickly his fight against Great Britain 's Ricky Hatton came to an end . Manny Pacquiao throws a left hand on his way to a devastating victory over Ricky Hatton . Pacquiao , often considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world , cemented his reputation Saturday night when he knocked out Hatton in the second round . `` That was two of the most exciting rounds I have seen in my career , '' said Chris Mannix , a writer for Sports Illustrated . `` You saw , from the opening bell , Pacquiao was really dominant . '' In an interview with CNN 's Kristie LuStout after the fight , Pacquiao acknowledged the fight ended sooner than he expected . Watch Pacquiao talk about his post-fight plans '' With the win at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas , Nevada , Pacquiao added the light-welterweight crown to his past world titles : lightweight , super-featherweight , light-featherweight , featherweight and flyweight . The Filipino 's career record now stands at 49-3-2 with 37 knockouts . The fight , for which Pacquiao reportedly earned $ 12 million , was brief . Pacquiao knocked Hatton down in the first round from a series of lightning-fast right hooks . The British boxer managed to get to his feet and finish the round , but the outcome was evident once the second round began . Hatton , the International Boxing Organization 's light-welterweight champion , tried the classic brawling style that has fueled his career . But Pacquiao 's technique and speed quickly outclassed Hatton . The Filipino 's right hooks set up a devastating left hook that flattened Hatton with a second remaining in the second round . The referee quickly ended the match . `` It turned out he -LRB- Hatton -RRB- just was n't very good at boxing , '' Mannix said . `` You saw the difference between a great fighter and very good fighter . '' The 30-year-old Pacquiao is a national hero in the Philippines , where his bouts bring the country to a standstill . He came into the fight on Saturday as a narrow favorite after sending one of the biggest names in the sport , Oscar de la Hoya , into retirement with a stoppage victory in December . Nicknamed `` Pacman , '' he grew up poor in General Santos City in the southern Philippines . He found boxing as a way to lift himself to fame and riches , yet he remains self-deprecating outside of the ring . It is this combination of a fierce fighter in the ring and a smiling deferential one outside that has helped turn him into an idol . Outside a bar in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong , China , a woman who would only identify herself as Amy and her friends erupted in joy . The second-biggest ethnic group behind Chinese are Filipinos . Amy and her friends -- all from the Philippines and working here in this world financial center -- were part of the crowd that had just witnessed the match live . `` This is great , this is wonderful , '' Amy screamed . CNN 's Kevin Drew contributed to this report . | Manny Pacquiao knocks out Ricky Hatton in second round at the MGM Grand . Victory cements Pacquiao 's reputation as best pound-for-pound boxer in world . The Filipino adds the light-welterweight title to his collection of championships . | [[155, 238], [239, 247], [313, 400], [239, 247], [250, 310], [239, 247], [313, 400], [837, 905]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When the highly anticipated movie `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine '' opened Friday in theaters , many fans had already seen it . The pirating and distribution of `` Wolverine , '' starring Hugh Jackman , is being investigated by the FBI . The online leak of a pirated , unfinished version of the 20th Century Fox film a month ago sent federal authorities springing into action and stoked a heated conversation within the entertainment industry about digital piracy . Piracy of upcoming films is not new , but the theft of `` Wolverine '' is especially troubling for an industry concerned with a stalled economy and the financial bottom line . It 's rare for high-quality copies of a big-budget blockbuster to appear on the Internet more than a month before the film 's release , experts say . Within a week of `` Wolverine 's '' March 31 leak , more than a million people had downloaded the movie , according to TorrentFreak , a blog devoted to the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol . Watch intrepid reporter look for answers '' `` Unfortunately , the recent leak of the Fox film ` Wolverine ' provided a stark backdrop to the impact that digital piracy has on the large investments that producers make in creating state-of-the-art films , '' said Rep. Howard Berman , chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs , who oversaw a congressional hearing on piracy after the leak . `` During our hearing in Los Angeles , director Steven Soderbergh said that in 2007 , the entertainment industry generated a trade surplus of $ 13.6 billion , '' Berman added . `` Imagine what those numbers would be if we could rein in piracy . '' Bootleg , or illegally copied , movies have long been a thorn to the film industry . In 2003 , a version of Universal 's `` The Hulk '' appeared on the Internet two weeks before the film opened . A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to the theft . And in 2005 , a pirated print of `` Star Wars : Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith '' was uploaded to the Web within hours of the movie 's release . But where Hollywood 's biggest headache used to be murky , muffled copies of films taken by someone who snuck a camcorder into a theater , today 's pirates are getting more sophisticated and gaining access to better-quality goods . Greg Sandoval , who covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News , said that in the digital age , thieves can gain access to near-perfect advance copies of films on DVD that have greater potential to undermine a movie 's box-office prospects . And even studios ' attempts at safeguarding their products against piracy , such as by encoding DVDs with digital watermarks that allow authorities to trace individual copies , are n't enough , Sandoval said . He said tech-savvy thieves have figured out how to strip such watermarks from DVDs . `` When you 're talking about digital content ... it 's impossible to lock it down completely '' from theft , Sandoval said . `` These hackers are very creative . Sometimes , they 're one step ahead of the security experts . '' 20th Century Fox issued a statement vowing to prosecute the `` Wolverine '' thief `` to the fullest extent of the law . '' The FBI is investigating , but as of Thursday , no arrests had been made . Darcy Antonellis , president of technical operations for Warner Bros. -LRB- which is owned by the parent company of CNN -RRB- , said the growth of technology has aided the pirates . `` Digital piracy has continued to increase with greater access to -LSB- files -RSB- and improved broadband services , '' said Antonellis , who helps oversee Warner Bros. ' anti-piracy efforts . `` As broadband services increase their capacity to support legitimate services , they also enable increased illegal file-sharing . Technologies have evolved to encumber such distribution but must compete with the strength of viral or super distribution of content . '' The bad guys are n't the only ones keeping up with the technology . Keith Bolcar , special agent in charge of the FBI 's cyber division in Los Angeles , said agents and their partners as `` doing everything we can to keep up with the learning curve of technology , hopefully just as fast as our criminal subjects . '' The FBI meets routinely with studio representatives to share intelligence , to discuss strategy and to detect and fix vulnerabilities in security measures , he said . `` While I ca n't discuss investigative techniques , we employ a myriad of sophisticated methods to solve these crimes , '' said Bolcar , whose office is investigating the `` Wolverine '' leak . `` Our investigators receive extensive training and are technologically savvy . '' Hollywood also faces the challenge of protecting digital files that pass through so many hands while in production and post-production . Antonellis said Warner Bros. works diligently to safeguard its properties . `` Each project , for us , is unique , with its own unique set of challenges , '' she said . `` Whether there are 50 or 500 people involved in the process , we try to focus on ownership/responsibility of our assets throughout the entire production through to distribution process . '' John Malcolm , director of worldwide anti-piracy operations for the Motion Picture Association of America , said digital piracy can take many forms , including peer-to-peer file sharing and streaming . Malcolm said the association is conducting a lot of outreach to universities and Internet service providers to help them address piracy that occurs over their systems . The issue is global , Malcolm said , as evidenced by pending litigation in France that would shut down Internet accounts of illegal downloaders . The association is in litigation against an Australian service provider , iiNet , to try to establish the legal parameters of its responsibility in policing its system , Malcolm said . `` In some cases , we are making great progress with ISP , and in some cases , it 's a little bit tougher going , '' Malcolm said . `` After all , it 's their broadband that 's being eaten up , and it slows down their systems . '' Berman , D-California , said advances in technologies that enable filtering and other anti-theft tools will help curb piracy . So will creating more sites where viewers can legitimately access movies , shows and music , such as Hulu and the recently announced Vevo , a partnership between Universal Music and YouTube . `` Given how pirated materials often damage computers with viruses , spyware and other problems , consumers will continue to embrace the innovative , legitimate sites that are becoming more and more available , '' Berman said . Malcolm agrees . He said there are more than 350 sites that legitimately distribute digital content . If a person is a true movie lover , they will want to respect the art , the artists and the countless people behind the scenes who make the magic happen , Malcolm said . `` I hear periodically , ` Well , Tom Cruise has enough money ' or ` Tom Hanks has enough money , ' '' Malcolm said . `` I would say to movie lovers , stick around and watch all of the credits . When you see hundreds of names scrolling across the screen , those are the people whose talents contributed to making that movie , and they need to make a living . '' CNN.com 's Brandon Griggs contributed to this story . | Pirated version of `` Wolverine '' distributed online weeks before movie 's debut . Industry employs technology like digital watermarks to hinder thieves . Pending French legislation would shut down Internet accounts of downloaders . MPAA exec says fans should consider the livelihood of those who make films . | [[255, 328], [346, 403], [697, 765], [809, 858], [861, 912], [1905, 1926], [1891, 1902], [1905, 1920], [1954, 2039], [2528, 2648], [2701, 2715], [5596, 5605], [5611, 5669]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A head-banging parrot who became a YouTube sensation has demonstrated that an ability to appreciate music and keep a rhythm is not unique to humans , scientists say . Alex , an African grey parrot , was one of 14 birds which displayed an ability to keep time with a tune . Snowball the cockatoo , who appears to bop his head , tap his claws and squawk enthusiastically to the Back Street Boys ' `` Everybody '' is one of several birds apparently capable of dancing to a beat , according to two studies published in the latest edition of the journal Current Biology . In a study lead by Adena Schachner of Harvard University , researchers examined more than 1,000 YouTube videos of dancing animals and found 14 types of parrot species and one elephant genuinely capable of keeping time . The video of Snowball has been viewed more than two million times since it was posted in 2007 . Another video of Snowball shows him dancing to Queen 's `` Another One Bites the Dust . '' Watch Snowball the dancing parrot '' Schachner analyzed the videos frame-by-frame , comparing the animals ' movements with the speed of the music and the alignment of individual beats . The group also studied another bird , Alex , an African grey parrot , which had exhibited similar abilities to Snowball , nodding its head appreciatively to a series of drum tracks . `` Our analyses showed that these birds ' movements were more lined up with the musical beat than we 'd expect by chance , '' says Schachner . `` We found strong evidence that they were synchronizing with the beat , something that has not been seen before in other species . '' Aniruddh Patel of The Neurosciences Institute in San Diego , who led another study of Snowball 's performance , said that the bird had demonstrated an ability to adjust the tempo of his dancing to stay synchronized to the beat . Scientists had previously thought that `` moving to a musical beat might be a uniquely human ability because animals are not commonly seen moving rhythmically in the wild , '' Patel said . Schachner said there was no evidence to suggest that animals such as apes , dogs or cats could recognize music , despite their extensive experience of humans . That leads researchers to believe that an ability to process musical sounds may be linked to an ability to mimic sounds -- something that each of the parrots studied by researchers was able to do excellently , she said . Other `` vocal-learning species '' include dolphins , elephants , seals and walruses . `` A natural question about these results is whether they generalize to other parrots , or more broadly , to other vocal-learning species , '' Schachner said . Researchers believe a possible link between vocal mimicry and an ability to hear music may explain the development of music in human societies . `` The question of why music is found in every known human culture is a longstanding puzzle . Many argue that it is an adaptive behaviour that helped our species to evolve . But equally plausible is the possibility that it emerged as a by-product of other abilities -- such as vocal learning , '' music psychologist Lauren Stewart of Goldsmiths , University of London told CNN . `` Parrots and humans both have the ability to imitate sounds that they hear , unlike our closer simian relatives . Once a species has the neural machinery in place for coupling the perception and production of vocal sounds , it may be only a small step to use the same circuits for synchronizing movements to a beat . '' | Scientists : Dancing parrots prove ability to recognize music not unique to humans . YouTube hit Snowball the cockatoo dances to Back Street Boys , Queen . Ability to keep time apparently linked to vocal mimicry , scientists believe . Other animals capable of mimicry include dolphins , elephants , seals , walruses . | [[0, 15], [54, 166], [1640, 1698], [1752, 1798], [2311, 2337], [2686, 2758], [2439, 2525]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani security forces say they have killed at least 16 militants overnight in the country 's volatile tribal region . Pakistani security personnel patrol the Buner district . This appears to be separate from the hostilities in the military 's week-long crackdown in northwestern Pakistan against a Taliban militant advance in the country 's North West Frontier Province . However , this reflects the tensions in the region and could signal a spread of fighting resulting from the crackdown . The Pakistani offensive started in the province on Sunday and it came after Taliban militants moved into Buner district last week , a move that alarmed U.S. and Pakistani officials . In this latest incident , about 100 militants attacked a Frontier Corps checkpost in the Mohmand Agency , an area where militants hold great sway . Troops returned fire and killed the 16 militants , the military said . Mohmand is in the country 's Federally Administered Tribal Areas that borders a volatile region in war-torn Afghanistan and Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province . The military on Saturday released details about other incidents in the province that occurred over the last 24 hours . Troops conducted a successful operation against militants in the district , in the Ambela-Daggar area in the Buner district . They secured a key road and cleared roadside bombs , the military said . In the province 's Upper Dir district , militants abducted and then released 10 troops and seized their weaponry and ammunition . And two civilians were wounded when militants lobbed hand grenades . In the province 's Swat district , militants attacked a security forces checkpost on Khawazakhela Bridge and Sambat Ridge . In Langer , security forces and militants exchanged fire and forces found military uniforms that militants were using for terrorist activity . Three Afghan nationals were among five militants arrested while planting a roadside bomb . Earlier this year , Pakistan entered into an agreement with militants , allowing them to enforce Islamic , or sharia , in parts of Swat Valley in exchange for ceasing violence . The Swat Valley is a broader area that includes several provincial districts , including Chitral , Swat , Shangla , Malakand , Upper Dir , and Lower Dir . But Pakistani officials say the armed militants ' advance into Buner district violated the agreement and briefly halted peace talks between both sides in North West Frontier Province . Representatives from Pakistan 's government and the Taliban restarted their negotiations on Friday and were planning to have another session soon , a provincial spokesman said . The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan . As a result , the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan , which have rankled relations between the two countries . | Pakistani security forces kill at least 16 militants in country 's tribal region . Pakistani army has been waging a week-long crackdown on Taliban . 100 militants attacked a checkpost and Pakistani troops returned fire . | [[0, 9], [12, 161], [867, 873], [892, 915], [219, 395], [219, 223], [232, 415], [719, 742], [745, 822], [867, 887], [1622, 1654], [1657, 1745], [1746, 1755], [1758, 1813]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani armed forces have killed 80 militants since launching an assault on a region recently held by the Taliban , the military announced Sunday . Displaced people from Buner district flee the fighting . Three soldiers have been killed and eight wounded in the crackdown in the Buner district in the northwest of the country , the military statement said . The Pakistani offensive started in the province last Sunday , after Taliban militants moved into Buner , a move that alarmed U.S. and Pakistani officials . Pakistani security forces also killed at least 16 militants late Friday and early Saturday in the Mohmand district , in the country 's volatile tribal region , the country 's military said on Saturday . The incident appears to be separate from the hostilities in Buner . However , it reflects the tensions in the region and could signal a spread of fighting resulting from the crackdown . In the incident , about 100 militants attacked a Frontier Corps post in the Mohmand Agency , or district , an area where militants hold great sway . Troops returned fire and killed the 16 militants , the military said . Mohmand is in the country 's Federally Administered Tribal Areas that border a volatile region in war-torn Afghanistan and Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province . Earlier this year , Pakistan had entered into an agreement with militants , allowing them to enforce Islamic law , or sharia , in parts of Swat Valley in exchange for ceasing violence . The Swat Valley is a broader area that includes several provincial districts , including Chitral , Swat , Shangla , Malakand , Upper Dir , and Lower Dir . But Pakistani officials say the armed militants ' advance into Buner district violated the agreement and briefly halted peace talks between the two sides in North West Frontier Province . Representatives from Pakistan 's government and the Taliban restarted their negotiations on Friday and were planning to have another session soon , a provincial spokesman said . The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan . As a result , the U.S. military has carried out airstrikes against militant targets in Pakistan , which have rankled relations between the two countries . | Pakistani security forces kill at least 80 militants in country 's tribal region . Pakistani army has been waging a week-long crackdown on Taliban . Three soldiers killed , eight wounded in crackdown in northwest of country . | [[12, 126], [247, 278], [283, 367]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than a week after the swine flu outbreak rattled the world , with cases of infected people popping up from Mexico to South Korea , the new virus strain has shown up in a herd of swine . Masked workers push food to a sealed-off hotel in Beijing where Mexican nationals are being quarantined . The catch , Canadian officials say , is that the animals may have caught the flu from a human . Canadian officials are quarantining pigs that tested positive for the virus -- scientifically known as 2009 H1N1 -- at an Alberta farm in what could be the first identified case of pigs infected during the recent outbreak . They said the pigs may have been infected by a Canadian farmer who recently returned from a trip to Mexico , the epicenter of the outbreak that has sickened more than 680 people . The farmer `` may have exposed swine on the farm to an influenza virus , '' said Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency . `` We have determined that the virus H1N1 , found in these pigs , is the virus which is being tracked in the human population , '' he added . Learn about the virus '' Evans and other officials said it is not uncommon for flu viruses to jump from humans to animals and that it does not pose a risk for consuming pork . The number of pigs infected was not disclosed . The infected farmer had flu-like symptoms and is recovering , Evans said . Meanwhile , as the number of confirmed swine flu cases reached 787 worldwide , the World Health Organization said Sunday it had started distributing 2.4 million doses of a common anti-viral drug to 72 nations . So far , 17 countries have confirmed cases of swine flu , the WHO said . Watch latest developments as swine flu sweeps world '' Dr. Michael J. Ryan , the WHO director of its global alert and response team , said the doses of the drug Tamiflu came from a stockpile that was donated by Swiss health-care giant Roche in 2005 and 2006 . Roche said it was working with the WHO to prepare for the virus . The drug should be taken within 48 hours of experiencing symptoms , according to the drug 's Web site . Mexico has the most confirmed swine flu cases , with 506 infected people and 16 deaths , the WHO said . Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos reported that the country has confirmed 421 cases and 19 deaths . Several other countries , including Canada and Italy , had confirmed additional cases that had not yet been added to the WHO 's total . The United States has the second-highest number of confirmed cases , with 160 sickened and one death , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the WHO . President Barack Obama spoke with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Saturday afternoon to discuss both countries ' `` efforts to limit the spread of the 2009 H1N1 flu strain and the importance of close U.S.-Mexican cooperation , '' the White House said in a statement . Other than Mexico and the United States , the WHO confirmed cases in 14 other countries : Canada , with 70 ; the United Kingdom with 15 ; Spain with 13 ; Germany with six ; New Zealand with four ; Israel with three ; France , with two ; and Austria , China , South Korea , Denmark , the Netherlands , Switzerland and Costa Rica , each have one . See where cases have been confirmed '' Ryan said the WHO was still preparing for a pandemic . `` At this point we have to expect that phase six will be reached , '' he said , referring to the organization 's highest pandemic threat level . `` We have to hope that it is not reached . '' And he noted that a pandemic describes `` the geographic spread of the disease , not its severity . '' The latest developments come as parts of Asia discovered they were not immune to the spread of the virus . Hundreds of guests and staff were under quarantine in China after health officials determined that a hotel guest had contracted the H1N1 virus . Nearly 200 hotel guests and 100 staff members were ordered to stay in Metro Park Hotel in Hong Kong for seven days to stop the spread of the H1N1 virus , a government spokesman said . The quarantine was ordered after a 25-year-old Mexican man stayed in the hotel and became sick , according to the spokesman . It is the first confirmed case of the virus in Hong Kong , local medical officials said . South Korean officials on Saturday confirmed their first case -- a 51-year-old nun who recently traveled to Mexico for volunteer work . | Pigs in Canada may be first in recent outbreak to test positive for virus . One-third of 160 sick Americans visited Mexico or had contact with visitor . WHO reports 787 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus in 17 countries . | [[1410, 1471], [1615, 1661]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barcelona produced a dazzling display of attacking football to rout arch-rivals Real Madrid 6-2 in the Bernabeu and all but secure the Primera Liga title . Messi celebrates his second and Barcelona 's fifth in the 6-2 rout at the Bernabeu . Two goals apiece from Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry , with defenders Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique also on target , signaled a humiliating defeat for Real who went into ` El Clasico ' with renewed hope of retaining the Spanish title . But a mixture of inspired play and comical defending undermined Juande Ramos ' men who had taken the lead as Gonzalo Higuain headed home after 14 minutes . Henry quickly equalized with a clinical finish after Messi 's through ball beat the offside trap before an unmarked Puyol headed Barcelona ahead in the 20th minute from a Xavi free-kick . Messi then waltzed through the Real defense after Xavi had cleverly won the ball to put his side 3-1 ahead before the half-time . Sergio Ramos gave Madrid hope in the 56th minute as he headed home an Arjen Robben free-kick , but any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed . Henry raced onto a through ball from the brilliant Xavi for the fourth before Messi made it five with an impudent finish to fox Iker Casillas in the Real goal for his 23rd goal in the league this season . The final humiliation saw Samuel Eto'o charge down the right to cross for Pique who twisted cleverly to beat Casillas for the sixth and his first-ever La Liga goal . It was Barcelona 's 100th league goal of the season which has brought them 27 wins from 34 matches . Real fans headed rapidly for the exits as they tried to come to terms with the most goals ever scored by Barcelona in the Santiago Bernabeu stadium . Their side trail by seven points with only four games remaining with a super-confident Barcelona now heading to the second leg of their Champions League semifinal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge . The first leg was goalless . Meanwhile , Sevilla took a giant stride towards the Champions League with a 2-0 win at rivals Villarreal in Saturday 's late match . Luis Fabiano and Freddy Kanoute were on target as third-placed Sevilla moved four points clear of Valencia and five of Villarreal . In other matches , Numancia gave themselves a chance of staying up with a 2-0 win over Malaga to move off bottom spot , three points from safety . | Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry score two goals each in 6-2 Bernabeu victory . Success leaves Barcelona seven points clear at the top of the Spanish league . Sevilla consolidate third position after a 2-0 win at rivals Villarreal on Saturday . | [[19, 174], [175, 259], [260, 359], [377, 415], [2149, 2230]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A snowstorm that could last up to 18 hours was on its way to southern New England , and Boston , Massachusetts , could be snowed under with up to 15 inches , the National Weather Service said Sunday afternoon . A snowstorm is threatening parts of the Northeast with as much as 15 inches of snowfall . Monday 's commuters in the region could face a nightmare with blowing and drifting snow , freezing temperatures , gusty winds and periods of sleet . Flight delays and cancellations were likely , the weather service said . Boston Mayor Thomas Menino declared a snow emergency starting 10 p.m. Sunday in anticipation of the storm , CNN affiliate WCVB reported . Boston public schools will be canceled on Monday . At 2:15 a.m. Monday , light snow was starting to fall , WCVB reported . Winter storm warnings straddled Interstate 95 from Maine to the Carolinas , and they also were issued in parts of Georgia and Alabama . Delta Air Lines canceled 300 flights , most of them to or from Atlanta , because of snowy weather , spokesman Brian Kruse said Sunday . It was snowing in Atlanta , where Delta is based , and 2 to 4 inches was expected . David Spear , a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Transportation , expected traffic chaos . `` People tend to get a little animated out here at the sight of snow , '' he told CNN . `` Our concern is going to be -- as we move into the evening hours and the temperature drops -- that that slush becomes ice and then we have a real situation for our morning commute tomorrow . '' He said about 200 DOT trucks were deployed to help make roads safe for motorists . In northern Connecticut , southern New Hampshire and most of Rhode Island and Massachusetts , a winter storm warning was to be in effect from 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 p.m. Monday , the weather service said . Such a warning is issued when winter weather conditions are expected to make travel dangerous . As the storm continued its northward trek late Sunday , Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in South Carolina was closed at 9 p.m. for snow removal from runways , according to the Federal Aviation Administration . Farther north , Richmond International Airport in Virginia was closed at 10:45 p.m. for the same reason , the FAA said . Both airports were expected to reopen before midnight . The heaviest snow , up to 15 inches , was forecast for the heavily populated I-95 corridor between Boston , Massachusetts , and Providence , Rhode Island , northeast Connecticut and north into the Merrimack Valley in northeast Massachusetts , the weather service said . As much as 3 inches per hour could fall between 10 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. Monday . In Washington , Mayor Adrian Fenty declared a snow emergency Sunday afternoon , meaning any street designated as `` snow emergency route '' by signs would be cleared of any parked vehicles , towed if necessary , so snow plows could work unimpeded . Watch report on the storm system '' `` It is important that our crews have access to the roads from curb-to-curb in order to plow the snow , '' said Fenty , whose city was expected to get up to 8 inches of accumulation Sunday night and early Monday with accumulations up to 10 inches by Monday night . `` This is one of the first plow events we have had this season , and we want to ensure we are able to maintain clear and safe roadways as we move into Monday morning , '' Fenty said . Forecasters said as many as 14 inches of snow could pile up in Philadelphia and New York City , starting Sunday night . Lesser amounts of snow were reported as far south as Alabama , although Charlotte , North Carolina , could see up to 8 inches . Watch snowfall in Georgia '' In Memphis , Tennessee , CNN iReporter George Brown said Sunday that forecasters had predicted `` Teflon snow , '' which would n't stick to the ground . But the snow that fell was much heavier , he said . iReport.com : Share photos of icy , snowy weather in your town . `` We were getting an inch or more an hour , '' he said . `` Some roads are impassable because the folks here are n't use to dealing with slick streets . Many cars are off the interstate , and hotels are packed , '' Brown said . Watch winter storm cause accidents '' Snow in Germantown , Tennessee , was more than 5 inches deep by Sunday afternoon , forecasters said . `` I talked with our maintenance director , Bill Hazlerig , who tells me he has n't seen snow like this in West Tennessee in many years , '' Julie Oaks from the Tennessee Department of Transportation told CNN . Watch the situation in Tennessee '' Tennessee called in 260 employees in the western portion of the state alone to salt and plow roadways through the night , she said . By Sunday afternoon , about 45 cars and semi-trailers had pulled over on the shoulder of Interstate 40 , Oaks said . Watch the snow come down in Memphis '' Rebecca Horsley , an iReporter from Pelham , Alabama , near Birmingham , said snow began falling there Sunday at 6 a.m. , interfering with her planned birthday celebration . `` It looks like we may have to reschedule , '' she said . CNN 's Sean Morris , Lee Garen and Chuck Johnston contributed to this report . | Winter storm warnings issued from New England south to Georgia , Alabama . Washington declares snow emergency , could get 10 inches by Monday night . Heavy snow could make for nightmarish Monday commute in parts of New England . Snow falls in South ; Georgia-based Delta Airlines cancels 300 flights . | [[803, 876], [879, 887], [893, 938], [1625, 1648], [1719, 1748], [1719, 1741], [1746, 1780], [578, 647], [2677, 2690], [2693, 2754], [3067, 3227], [230, 319], [320, 468], [320, 353], [394, 468], [1159, 1170], [1232, 1256], [1857, 1922], [939, 975], [1012, 1036]] |
Editor 's note : Dr. John Boyce , chief of the Infectious Diseases Section at the Hospital of Saint Raphael in New Haven , Connecticut , was lead author of the Centers for Disease Control 's national hand hygiene guidelines for health-care workers and heads the Hand Hygiene Resource Center . Dr. John Boyce says hands contaminated with virus are often a pathway for people to develop flu . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rapid spread of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus -LRB- also known as swine flu -RRB- from Mexico to at least 19 other countries in less than 10 days is a cause of major concern . It emphasizes the need for the public to become familiar with how influenza is spread and which preventive measures they can use to reduce their chances of becoming infected . Although little information is available at this time , it appears that this influenza virus spreads from one person to another in the same way as other influenza viruses -- by `` droplet spread . '' Respiratory droplets are generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes and expels droplets of fluid . Those droplets travel short distances -LRB- usually less than three feet -RRB- through the air and can be deposited on the mouth or in the nose of people or on surfaces . Those who develop influenza often shed large amounts of virus in their respiratory secretions for several days after they become ill . Experience with other viruses suggests that individuals with influenza can contaminate their hands when coughing , sneezing or blowing their noses . The virus can survive on the hands for at least one hour . If a person whose hands are heavily contaminated touches a surface such as a doorknob , table or computer keyboard , they can deposit the virus onto that surface , where it can survive for minutes to several hours . One study conducted with a regular seasonal strain of influenza virus found that the virus could survive on facial tissues for several minutes and for two to eight hours on stainless steel or plastic surfaces . If another person touches a contaminated surface with his hands when the virus is still alive and then touches his own mouth or nose , he may become infected . Infection might also occur when a person with influenza shakes hands with another person who subsequently touches their own mouth or nose with their fingers . Several studies have found that many people touch their noses or mouths several times an hour during the course of daily activities . So there are plenty of opportunities for people to inadvertently introduce a flu virus into their bodies if their hands become contaminated . As a result , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -LRB- CDC -RRB- recommends that individuals perform hand hygiene -- also known as hand washing or decontamination -- frequently during influenza outbreaks . In addition to reducing the risk of developing influenza , hand hygiene can help protect people from becoming ill with several other respiratory viruses by eliminating these organisms from the hands . A recent study found that hand washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer were both highly effective in reducing a seasonal strain of influenza virus on the hands . This should also be true for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus . Either plain soap or antimicrobial soap will reduce the amount of virus on the hands . To ensure decontamination , be sure to wash your hands vigorously and keep both soap and water on your hands for at least 15 seconds . When sinks are not readily available , alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a convenient and effective way of eliminate the virus from hands . Use an amount of sanitizer at least the size of quarter or enough to keep your hands wet for at least 15 to 20 seconds while you 're rubbing them together . The CDC also recommends that people should avoid touching their mouths , noses and eyes , since surfaces they touch may be contaminated when flu virus is present . People who develop influenza or other respiratory viral infections should also clean their hands after blowing their nose or after covering a cough with their hands . Since droplet spread is the most common way influenza is transmitted from person to person , the CDC also recommends avoiding close contact with individuals who are sick . If you do become ill with influenza , the CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others . Hand hygiene is an important tool in preventing infection from influenza viruses such as this recent strain and is an easy and effective way to prevent contracting infectious diseases in general . Take the time to educate yourself about proper hand hygiene to protect both yourself and your family . Note : Further information about the 2009 H1N1 influenza -LRB- swine flu -RRB- outbreak can be obtained by going to CDC 's Web site . For general information about hand hygiene in health-care settings , go to this CDC site or this Hand Hygiene Resource Center site . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of John Boyce . | John Boyce : Hands contaminated with virus often spread the flu . He says viruses can survive for hours on various surfaces . Boyce : People need to wash hands with soap and water for at least 15 seconds . He says alcohol-based sanitizers can work in the absence of a sink . | [[293, 342], [313, 373], [3964, 4030], [4089, 4130], [1529, 1587], [1752, 1803], [1804, 2014], [1880, 2014], [3368, 3370], [3396, 3502], [3643, 3761], [3055, 3219], [3503, 3539], [3542, 3642]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nepal 's government ordered the country 's army chief of staff fired Sunday , touching off street protests and a split in Nepal 's Maoist-dominated ruling coalition . General Rookmangud Katawal gestures after inspecting the guard of honour in New Delhi on December 12 , 2007 . But Gen. Rookmangud Katawal has refused to accept his dismissal , and Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav -- the constitutional commander-in-chief of the country 's armed forces -- has told Katawal to remain in office , a presidential spokesman said . Nepal 's Cabinet voted to dismiss Katawal after the military refused the government 's order to stop recruiting about 3,000 new soldiers to fill vacant positions when it has yet to take in former Maoist rebels , as a 2006 peace deal required . The move prompted the Maoists ' largest coalition partner to quit the government , the party 's leader said . `` Without consensus , the ongoing peace process will not reach its logical conclusion and the drafting of the new constitution will not be possible , '' said Ishwor Pokharel , general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Unified Marxist-Leninist -RRB- . `` The consensus that existed so far has come to standstill . '' Supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets for demonstrations Sunday . Despite sporadic clashes between the two factions , there were no serious injuries reported . The Maoists laid down their arms and won power in 2008 elections after an agreement that ended a decade-long insurgency . Under the deal , more than 19,000 former insurgents were to be integrated into the country 's security forces . But two weeks ago , the government asked Katawal to explain why he went to the Supreme Court to challenge the government 's refusal to extend the tenure of eight brigadier generals in March . Government spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Sunday that the government was not satisfied with Katawal 's explanation and fired him -- three months before his scheduled retirement -- in a meeting that the Maoists ' coalition partners boycotted . Pokharel said his party urged the Maoists not to fire Katawal without a consensus in the country 's parliament . He said the Maoists , led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal , ignored that advice . `` We do not like the way the Maoists ' way of functioning , '' Pokharel said . The Maoists hold 238 of the 601 seats in parliament , while Pokharel 's party has 109 . The Maoists could continue to hold power with the support of smaller parties , but Pokharel said his party is working to form a new ruling coalition . The Cabinet named an interim army chief , but presidential spokesman Rajendra Dahal told CNN that 18 parties in Nepal 's parliament asked Yadav to keep Katawal on the job . There was no immediate reaction from the government on the president 's decision . | Nepal 's government orders army chief of staff fired after recruitment issue . Military refused to stop recruiting soldiers while it has n't accepted ex-Maoist rebels . Dismissal touches off street protests and a split in Maoist-dominated ruling coalition . Gen. Rookmangud Katawal has refused to accept his dismissal . | [[0, 9], [12, 33], [37, 99], [65, 112], [565, 657], [683, 797], [12, 33], [115, 203], [809, 889], [1250, 1337], [318, 377]] |
HONG KONG , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In Hong Kong , where the alert level has been raised to `` emergency '' after reporting its first case of swine flu , authorities are trying to keep the H1N1 virus from spreading through the metropolis of 7 million people through quarantine , stepped-up border measures and surveillance . Quarantined guests and hotel employees wave through the glass of the main entrance of Hong Kong 's Metro Park Hotel . The quarantine has extended beyond the single confirmed case , a 25-year-old Mexican man , to include more than 340 people . They include : two taxi drivers , two fellow taxi passengers , a local friend , 36 passengers within a three-row vicinity of the patient aboard a China Eastern flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong , and 300 guests and staff at the Metropark Hotel he checked into . All have been put on the antiviral drug , Tamiflu . Among the two cab drivers , one was suspected of taking the patient from the airport to the hotel , and another was believed to have taken him from the hotel to the hospital . Authorities are seeing another 40 to 50 guests whose names are on the hotel 's guest list . Some of them left their luggage behind . `` They are gambling with their health , jeopardizing public health safety , '' said Dr. York Chow , secretary for Food and Health , appealing to the guests to come forward . In addition to the Metropark Hotel in Wanchai district , the Lady Maclehose Holiday Village is being used as an isolation center during the one-week quarantines . The government has assured that people under quarantine will have their visas automatically extended , their hotel lodging fees waived and their onward journeys prepared . The Wanchai hotel is providing guests $ 200 worth of free overseas telephone calls daily . The isolation order , which went into effect Friday night , is to expire Friday at 8:30 p.m. -LRB- 8:30 a.m. ET -RRB- -- the length of an incubation period for swine flu . The isolation order did not extend to the air crew or remaining passengers aboard the China Eastern flight . An airplane 's air exchange rate is high compared to that in an office or hotel , explained Yuen Kwok-yung , chair of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong . `` Risk is very low on a plane , '' he said . So far , there have been no further confirmed cases of swine flu , and no Hong Kong pigs have tested positive for the virus , Yuen said . | More than 340 people quarantined in Hong Kong following single case of H1N1 . Those isolated due to remain in quarantine until Friday . Confined persons include 36 travelers in three-row vicinity of sick man aboard flight . | [[535, 568], [569, 581], [584, 789]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fiat Group , fresh from an agreement to buy a piece of troubled automaker Chrysler , has plans to purchase GM Europe and spin off the recombined carmakers into a new company . Fiat 's update of the Cinquecento . The company says its small car expertise can help GM Europe get back on track . If successful , the new company would become one of the largest car manufacturers in the world behind Toyota . The combined company would generate about $ 100 billion annually with sales of between 6 and 7 million cars a year . `` Clearly they 're trying to take advantage of the opportunity when a lot of stakeholders may be willing to accommodate them , '' said John Bonnell , an auto industry analyst with JD Power and Associates . `` It may be their only opportunity to get to the kind of scale necessary to succeed in this market . '' In an interview with the Financial Times , Sergio Marchionne , chief executive officer of Fiat , detailed a plan to separate Fiat Auto core car divisions and join with Opel/Vauxhall , Saab and GM 's other European operations . Last week , Fiat agreed to take an initial 20 percent of Chrysler as the U.S. manufacturer filed for bankruptcy protection . `` It 's an incredibly simple solution to a very thorny problem , '' Marchionne told the Financial Times . Marchionne hopes to have the deal finished by the end of this month , and list shares for the new company -- which may be called Fiat/Opel -- by the end of August . Fiat has only recently gotten itself back on track . In his five years at the helm of Fiat , Marchionne has helped turn around the troubled Italian automaker . Analysts say its small-car technology can help Chrysler , known for its minivans . In the past five years , Fiat has been able to regain market share in Europe with its economy fuel-saving cars as well as its luxury line , Alfa Romeo . Marchionne is scheduled to meet with German government officials Monday to discuss the plan . Opel is GM Europe 's German unit . To secure the deal , Fiat is hoping to secure loans from the German government , raising concerns in Germany about helping to fund the Chrysler deal . The company plans to keep its plants operating in Germany , but will reduce workforce , which is likely to raise political concerns . | Fiat hopes to purchase GM Europe . The move comes a week after Fiat agreed to buy a stake in Chrysler . Fiat plans would create one of the world 's largest car companies . The new company , Fiat/Opel , would generate $ 100 billion a year . | [[0, 55], [104, 144], [43, 101], [1078, 1087], [1090, 1168], [422, 538]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- It could n't top its predecessors , but `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine '' still brought in quite a haul , grossing an estimated $ 87 million for the opening weekend of the summer movie season . Hugh Jackman stars as the title character in `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine . '' The Hugh Jackman pic brought in a strong $ 21,225 per-theater average in 4,099 movie houses , despite generating mixed reviews . The film fell $ 15 million short of 2006 's `` X-Men : The Last Stand '' but it is still an enormous success for Jackman and director Gavin Hood . Matthew McConaughey 's `` Ghosts of Girlfriends Past '' generated an estimated $ 15.3 million for a second place bow . It 's not a shabby opening but it is far less than McConaughey 's previous romantic outings including last year 's `` Fool 's Gold '' -LRB- $ 21.6 million -RRB- or 2006 's `` Failure to Launch '' -LRB- $ 24.2 million -RRB- . -LRB- Perhaps women were too busy checking out all those hunky mutants this weekend ? -RRB- The two new openers did help the industry maintain its year-over-year increase of 16 percent . Also aiding that statistic was Beyonce Knowles ' `` Obsessed . '' Dropping a not-surprising 57 percent for its second weekend in theaters , the thriller earned another $ 12.2 million to put its ten-day gross at a shockingly strong $ 47 million . And Zac Efron 's `` 17 Again '' showed surprising stamina , too , grossing an additional $ 6.3 million its third weekend for a total take of $ 48.4 million . The other new wide release for the weekend was the anemic 3-D animated sci-fi film `` Battle for Terra . '' Opening on 1162 theaters , the Justin Long , Evan Rachel Wood-voiced feature proved to be little competition for the other 3-D movie in the marketplace . Dreamworks Animation 's juggernaut `` Monsters vs. Aliens '' grossed another $ 5.8 million its sixth weekend for the fifth slot in the rankings , while newcomer `` Terra '' could n't muster more than $ 1 million for a twelfth place in the box office derby . Summer has officially begun -- at least in Hollywood -- so expect a giant event film every weekend . Wolverine may have bowed mightily but with `` Star Trek '' hot on its heels next weekend , the Marvel superhero is going to need more than adamantium to maintain its box office lead . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | `` Wolverine '' takes the top slot at the box office , earning an estimated $ 87 million . `` Ghosts of Girlfriends Past '' took in an estimated $ 15.3 million for second place . Dreamworks Animation 's `` Monsters vs. Aliens '' grossed another $ 5.8 million . Check out the rest of the top 10 movies at the box office this weekend . | [[76, 92], [140, 227], [583, 701], [649, 695], [1780, 1923]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Didier Deschamps has been named to succeed Eric Gerets as coach at current French league leaders Marseille at the end of the season , the club announced on Tuesday . World Cup winning captain Didier Deschamps is returning to Marseille as coach at the end of the season . Gerets said last week that he would not be renewing his contract and Marseille decided that France 's 1998 World Cup winning captain , Deschamps , was the outstanding candidate to replace him . Former Marseille captain Deschamps , who has signed a two-year contract , has been commentating on French television since leaving Italian giants Juventus where he was coach until the summer of 2007 . The 40-year-old previously had a spell in charge at Monaco having ended his playing career in 2001 . `` Didier Deschamps will be OM coach next season , '' confirmed a statement on the Marseille Web site . Officials added : `` Last Friday 's meeting between the club president -LRB- Pape Diouf -RRB- and its principal shareholder -LRB- Robert Louis-Dreyfus -RRB- was able to confirm definitively this choice . `` After Eric Gerets , the club could only fix their choice on a coach of the highest standard to continue the great work already accomplished and the club 's development on the playing front . `` Based on our criteria , the choice of Didier Deschamps , whose career as a player and a coach works largely in his favor , naturally won over . '' Deschamps led Marseille to a Champions League triumph in 1993 and had two spells at the club as a player , between 1989-1990 and 1991-1994 . He also played for Nantes , Bordeaux , Juventus , Chelsea and Valencia in a top career and was also France captain when they won Euro 2000 . | Didier Deschamps becomes new manager of Marseille at end of the season . French 1998 World Cup winning captain succeeds Eric Gerets on 2-year deal . Gerets said last week he would not be renewing contract with league leaders . | [[19, 150], [185, 289], [19, 150], [185, 289], [359, 466], [382, 422], [437, 483], [290, 354]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Look at a Bratz doll . What do you see ? Ask that of random shoppers and you might hear it 's an empowering role model , a degrading caricature or a harmless piece of plastic . Many parents see Bratz dolls , left , as too racy for their children , and Barbie dolls as representing false ideals . Nine-year-old Ashley Gibbs of Cumming , Georgia , is a fan of the edgy dolls , so it came as an unpleasant surprise that they would soon leave store shelves . `` Ever , ever , ever ? '' she asked her mother , Kathryn Adams , after Adams said stores were n't going to sell Bratz after the end of this year . But after a moment of reflection , Ashley seemed relieved . `` Good -LSB- thing -RSB- I have lots . '' Ashley did n't know it , but Bratz are the target of allegations that their creator came up with the concept when he was working for Mattel , the maker of Bratz rival Barbie . Mattel sued Bratz manufacturer MGA Entertainment Inc. , and last week a federal judge ordered MGA to cease making the dolls immediately and to stop selling them after the holiday shopping season ends . MGA said it intends to appeal the judge 's order and Mattel said it remains open to `` all viable options '' as the matter moves through the courts . The judge 's ruling came as a relief to some parents who see the popular dolls ' clothes and makeup as too racy for their young daughters . It also eliminates heavy competition against Barbie -- a doll often seen as less provocative , but whose slender body also raises parents ' eyebrows . `` I 'm happy to not see -LSB- Bratz -RSB- , '' said Kristi Cassell of Sandy Springs , Georgia . Her 5-year-old daughter , Emily , has amassed a collection of Barbies . Watch mothers and daughters weigh in on the Barbie-Bratz debate '' `` Barbies come across more wholesome , '' Cassell said . Barbie has some `` questionable '' clothes , `` but it seemed like all the Bratz dolls were on a darker side of Barbie , '' she said . Six-year-old Sierra Curry-Corcoran of Newport News , Virginia , also has a Barbie collection and no Bratz dolls . But not by choice . `` I like Bratz better . They have more fancy clothes , and they look more cool , '' Sierra said . Her mother , Tasha Curry-Corcoran , strongly disagrees . `` Bratz are trashy : They wear too much makeup . Their clothing is too short ; their boots are too high . They look like prostitutes . That 's why we do n't have them in our house . '' Parents are n't the only ones who have taken aim at Bratz . A 2007 report by the American Psychological Association Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls called Bratz dolls ' miniskirts , fishnet stockings and feather boas `` sexualized '' and argued that the dolls ' `` objectified sexuality ... is limiting for adolescent girls , and even more so for the very young girls who represent the market for these dolls . '' Researchers have criticized Barbie , too . The Mattel dolls represent a `` distortedly thin body ideal , '' and girls experienced `` heightened body dissatisfaction after exposure to Barbie doll images but not after exposure to ... neutral control images , '' according to a 2006 study out of the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom . Cassell acknowledged that Barbie bodies `` are a little unrealistic . '' `` But they 've been around for generations . I grew up playing with Barbies , and I do n't have any physical issues because I had Barbies . I think the adults make a bigger deal out of it than the kids , '' she said . Theresa Hawkesworth of South Africa believes Bratz dolls rather than Barbies are a more positive influence for her 12-year-old daughter , Emma . `` Because their faces and their makeup are so extreme it 's almost impossible that a young girl could look like that , '' Hawkesworth said . `` Whereas -LSB- with -RSB- Barbie dolls , the young girls think that they need that beautiful hair and that beautiful body , and when they do n't look like a Barbie they have that poor self-image . '' Over the years Emma has accumulated a dozen Bratz dolls , in addition to Bratz shirts , pajamas , posters , computer games and a rolling backpack . `` It 's too bad for other girls '' that they 're leaving the marketplace , Emma said . As a preteen , Emma feels too old for Barbies , although she still appreciates the style of Bratz . But she does n't want to emulate that style . `` It looks nice on the dolls , but I would prefer to just wear my own makeup , '' she said . Emma 's mother said her daughter 's interest in Bratz actually helps the girl maintain her innocence . The branded clothing is `` more innocent , feminine and girly than a see-through or immodest top , '' Hawkesworth said . Ashley 's mother had been hesitant to let Ashley or her other daughter , 6-year-old Kate Gibbs , play with Bratz , but she relented when they received them as gifts . Adams had been `` definitely a little bit more of a Barbie fan , '' but , `` I do n't want them to buy into the mentality that they 've got to look like a Bratz doll or a Barbie doll , '' she said . Ashley seems to be resisting the influence of the Bratz style . `` They have lots of makeup and I do n't want that much makeup , '' she said . `` I like casual things , not the big pretty things . '' To which Adams later beamed , `` Yes ! Proud mom ! '' CNN 's Sean O'Key contributed to this report . | Bratz dolls will leave the market at the end of the year , to tweens ' dismay . Mattel sued Bratz , claiming Bratz dolls ' creator came up with concept while at Mattel . Some parents prefer Barbies to Bratz because of Barbies ' more wholesome image . Others feel Barbies present an unhealthy , unrealistic image . | [[519, 539], [558, 639], [979, 1120], [772, 851], [813, 882], [1801, 1835], [289, 332], [2933, 3007]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Tampa judge denied bail Wednesday for a Florida man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 3-month-old child , who authorities say was thrown out of a moving car . Police say infant Emanuel Murray died after his mother 's ex-boyfriend threw him from a car on a Florida interstate . Richard Anthony McTear Jr. , 21 , was arrested Tuesday , hours after a confrontation at his former girlfriend 's apartment in which he snatched the infant , Emanuel Wesley Murray , the Hillsborough County sheriff 's office said . The child 's body was found about 4 . am . Tuesday on the side of Interstate 275 in Tampa , Florida , by a local television photographer on his way to work . The photographer , WTVT 's Jason Bird , said he stopped when he spotted something by the roadside . `` It had to be a baby doll but it was too big to be a doll , '' Bird told CNN affiliate WFTS in Tampa . `` I almost passed out , I started shaking , '' said Bird . A preliminary autopsy determined the child died of blunt trauma to the head , the county medical examiner 's office said . Police were called to the apartment of McTear 's former girlfriend about 3:15 a.m. Tuesday . The mother , Jasmine Bedwell , 17 , told investigators that McTear had hit her several times and threatened `` to kill the both of y' all , '' the sheriff 's department said in a statement announcing the charges . McTear threw a car seat containing the child across the room during the fight , causing the boy to fall onto the apartment 's concrete floor , investigators said . He then picked up the boy and drove off in his blue Chevrolet Impala , throwing the child out while on the interstate , the sheriff 's department said . Video on CNN affiliate WFLA TV showed McTear being led out of a Tampa police squad car after his arrest . He ducked his head as TV cameras surrounded him on his walk into a police building . When asked by reporters if he had thrown the child out of the car window , McTear answered , `` It 's a dirty game . A dirty game . '' McTear is not related to the child , said sheriff 's spokeswoman Debbie Carter . McTear is facing additional charges of burglary with battery , felony battery , aggravated child abuse and kidnapping , the sheriff 's department said . | Richard Anthony McTear Jr. threatened `` to kill the both of y' all , '' baby 's mother says . McTear , 21 , threw child across room , then out of car , authorities say . A motorist found the baby boy on Interstate 275 in Tampa , Florida , around 4:30 a.m. McTear , who was not related to boy , faces charges of first-degree murder , kidnapping . | [[1184, 1194], [1220, 1321], [119, 141], [148, 196], [197, 314], [241, 314], [1398, 1458], [1411, 1475], [1562, 1564], [1633, 1679], [1753, 1820], [59, 141], [2041, 2075]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama said Tuesday that the country already is `` seeing shovels hit the ground '' on the first infrastructure repair project funded through the Transportation Department 's share of the $ 787 billion stimulus bill . Workers mark where repairs are needed on Maryland Route 650 . Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said , `` The work begins today in Montgomery County , Maryland , where a work crew is starting on a project to resurface Maryland State Highway 650 -- a very busy road that has not been fully repaired in 17 years . '' The resurfacing contract is going to a Pennsylvania-based family-owned company , American Infrastructure , LaHood said . He said the project will support 60 jobs . `` And that 's how we 're going to get the country back on its feet , '' LaHood added . Mark Compton , director of government affairs for American Infrastructure , said his company received $ 2.1 million in federal funds , by way of the Maryland State Highway Administration . The money will be used to repave and add safety features to a stretch of the highway . Compton said the cash infusion is the `` catalyst '' to create 60 jobs , including bringing back some laid-off employees . He said he hopes the workers can be retained beyond this six-month project . `` We 'll continue to bid , so the goal is to get more projects to keep those guys working , so they can roll off that project onto another , '' Compton said . CNNMoney : Stimulus funds hit the street . Obama and LaHood on Tuesday announced the release of $ 27 billion in funds from the stimulus package `` to help states create a 21st-century infrastructure . '' The president said it is part of the `` largest new investment in America 's infrastructure since President Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System . '' Obama said another 200 construction projects would be launched over the next few weeks , `` fueling growth in an industry that 's been hard hit by our economic crisis . '' Two weeks ago , Obama signed into law his stimulus plan , known as the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act . The president has said the plan will create or save up to 3.5 million jobs over the next two years . Four-hundred thousand of those will be infrastructure jobs that include rebuilding roads , bridges and schools . LaHood has asked the nation 's governors to certify projects and provide assurances that funds from the act will be spent for appropriate infrastructure projects . Obama said transportation projects would be stamped with a special emblem so people can see where their tax dollars are going . Obama said the investments in highways would create or save 150,000 jobs by the end of 2010 . The number of jobs being created or saved in one year is more than the number of jobs the Big Three automakers have lost in manufacturing over the past three years , Obama said . By investing in roads `` that should have been rebuilt long ago , '' Obama said , `` we can save some 14,000 men and women who lose their lives each year due to bad roads and driving conditions . '' `` Poor roads are a public hazard , and we have a responsibility to fix them , '' he said . Watch Obama explain how the roads will save lives '' Obama also announced Tuesday that the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve were launching the Consumer and Business Lending Initiative . When fully implemented , Obama said , the initiative `` will generate up to a trillion dollars in new lending for the American people , and this will help unlock our frozen credit markets , which is absolutely essential for economic recovery . '' CNNMoney 's Aaron Smith contributed to this report . | New highway resurfacing project in Maryland is expected to support 60 jobs . President Obama : Highway spending will create or save 150,000 jobs by end of 2010 . Another 200 construction projects to be launched in next few weeks . Investing in roads will save lives , Obama says . | [[443, 492], [684, 726], [692, 726], [2605, 2698], [2616, 2656], [2665, 2677], [2605, 2610], [2616, 2643], [2660, 2698], [1815, 1936], [2865, 2877], [2878, 2902], [3169, 3221], [3189, 3221]] |
HAVANA , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a major shake-up the likes of which Cubans have not seen for decades , President Raul Castro on Monday reorganized his Cabinet , replacing longtime aides to his brother Fidel , who resigned from office a year ago , citing poor health . Cuban President Raul Castro is moving his own people into power , analysts say . Some analysts said the changes appear to be an attempt by Raul Castro to put his own supporters into positions of power . Among the changes : . Felipe Perez Roque , the 43-year-old foreign minister , was replaced by his deputy , Bruno Rodriguez Aprilla . Carlos Lage Davila , an economist , lost his job as Cabinet secretary , but no mention was made of removing him from his other post as vice president of the Council of State . Lage , who helped guide the nation through its `` special period '' of dire economic times in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the loss of billions in subsidies , was replaced by Brig. Gen. Jose Amado Ricardo Guerra ; Raul Castro is also commander in chief of the armed forces . `` It looks like Raul putting some of his own people in , '' said Wayne Smith , director of the Cuba program at the Center for International Policy in Washington , who led the U.S. Interests Section in Havana during the Carter administration . Smith noted that Cuba 's government underwent `` quite a few shake-ups after the revolution first came in '' in 1959 , but said Monday 's move `` is the biggest shake-up that I 've seen in a very long time ... for the last 30 or 40 years . '' `` This is obviously a major move , '' concurred Vicki Huddleston , who led the Interests Section during the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush , and is a visiting scholar at the Brookings Institution in Washington . '' -LSB- There is -RSB- nothing like this that I can recall since the late 1960s . '' She noted that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met with both Castro brothers during a visit late in February to Havana , on what Granma described as a `` work visit , '' and speculated that Raul Castro may have asked him then to buy in on the changes . `` They really need Chavez to be on board , because without the subsidized oil from Venezuela , they 're dead , '' Huddleston said . With the Cuban economy hamstrung by the world economy , Raul Castro may have decided it is time for him to make reforms of his own without worrying about second-guessing by his brother or his brother 's allies , she said . Huddleston speculated that the changes could portend the government once again allowing private enterprise to flourish in Cuba . Communist leader Fidel Castro experimented with that during the 1990s , but pulled back . `` It represents a significant step by Raul Castro to gain autonomy and , essentially , distance himself from Fidel 's old gang , '' said Larry Birns , director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs . `` In other words , he feels confident enough that he has an independent base of power . '' He said Raul Castro 's moves to date have proven popular not only with his party members , but also with the general population . Still , Raul Castro should not take that support for granted , Birns said . `` It may be that , if he makes too many moves , the party will feel that their privileges are being taken away , and that will make them unhappy . '' Otto Reich , who served as assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs during the George W. Bush administration , said he was withholding judgment . `` It 's a little early to tell what this really means , '' he said . `` Some people are saying the Fidelistas are being replaced by the Raulistas . But the other side is : Are we talking about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic ? '' The state-run newspaper Granma published an official notice from the State Council that said the changes were intended to form a structure that is `` more compact and functional , with fewer organisms of the central administration of the state and a better distribution of the functions that they carry out . '' CNN 's Morgan Neill and Shasta Darlington in Havana , Tom Watkins and Arthur Brice contributed to this story . | Several longtime aides to Fidel Castro are replaced . Foreign minister and Cabinet secretary move aside . Analyst says it 's the biggest shake-up in 30 or 40 years . | [[107, 138], [165, 204], [1331, 1336], [1454, 1505], [1459, 1570], [1860, 1900]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson may soon return to the stage , at least for a `` special announcement . '' Pop star Michael Jackson has been the subject of recent rumors about his health and about a comeback . The pop star has scheduled a news conference Thursday at London 's O2 arena , the same venue where Prince sold out 21 nights in 2007 , according to London 's Outside Organisation . Although the short statement announcing Jackson 's news conference did not reveal any details , Britain 's Sky News reported Wednesday that the 50-year-old King of Pop has agreed to a series of summer concerts at the O2 . Rumors have circulated for years about a possible Jackson concert comeback , just as speculation has abounded about his physical and financial health . Jackson 's reclusive lifestyle -- and a photo last year of him being pushed in a wheelchair -- created fertile ground for health rumors . When a London tabloid reported in December that Jackson was battling a potentially fatal disease that required a life-saving lung transplant , his publicist responded that he was `` in fine health '' and that the story was `` a total fabrication . '' Jackson 's financial troubles in the past year have included the near-foreclosure of his Neverland Ranch in California , which he later sold . Jackson has not lived at Neverland since June 2005 , after a Santa Barbara County jury found him not guilty of child molestation charges . | Musician schedules news conference for Thursday at O2 arena . One news outlet says he will hold series of summer concerts . Jackson 's physical and financial health have been subject of rumors . | [[230, 305], [507, 632], [127, 229], [718, 784]] |
LAHORE , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's hot and sweaty in a rat-infested room in Lahore 's historic red light district , a neighborhood of narrow alleyways lined with brothels . A dancer does the `` mujra , '' a traditional dance banned by a judge for being `` vulgar , '' in Lahore , Pakistan . A barefoot , long-haired woman is gyrating and twirling on the carpet , to the beat of a four-man band whose drummer sweats profusely as he pounds out a furious rhythm . The dancer , who only gives her first name , Beenish , is performing a kind of Pakistani belly-dance called the mujra . Her harmonium player , a skinny bald man who squints through coke-bottle glasses , has been performing like this for the past 50 years . But he says the art form is dying out . `` That spark , the way it was in the past , is no more , '' said Ghulam Sarwar . Last fall , a judge in Lahore 's high court declared the mujra dance `` vulgar '' and banned it from being performed on stage . Some here say the government is cracking down on easy , `` immoral '' targets in an attempt to appease religious hard-liners like the Taliban . Islamist militants are believed to be responsible for a recent wave of bomb attacks in Lahore , targeting cinemas , theaters and cafes where young men and women fraternize together . `` It is a gesture of good will to pacify the mullahs and the Taliban , '' said Samia Amjad , a lawmaker in the provincial assembly . Though she is a member of an opposition political party , she said she supported the crackdown on vulgarity . `` I see it as an essential part of Islam . '' Dancers are n't the only targets of the court censors . In late March , the Lahore high court banned two female singers from recording new albums after ruling that they sang sexually explicit lyrics . `` If the current circumstances persist in Pakistan , '' said Noora Lal , one of the banned singers , `` then singing will die out in this country . '' Pakistan is a deeply conservative Muslim nation , where the punishment for blasphemy is the death sentence . But there is one person in Lahore who openly mocks the conservative establishment : painter and restaurant owner Iqbal Hussain . Though he said he has received multiple death threats from Islamist fundamentalists , Hussain continues to be Pakistan 's most vocal defender of prostitutes . All of the models portrayed in his paintings are sex workers . `` I portray them on canvas , portray them as human beings , '' Hussain said , `` They feel pain . They want their children to be educated . '' Hussain knows the industry intimately . He was born to a family of sex workers . His mother , a former prostitute , passed away last month at the age of 98 . The small , soft-spoken painter has turned the house he grew up in , an old four-story building with ornate wooden balconies , into a popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis . On one side of the house there is a brothel , on the other side , the 17th century Badshahi Mosque , one of the largest mosques in the world . In his subversive paintings , which Hussain said sell for more than $ 10,000 each , he highlights the overlap between Lahore 's sex industry and its religious community . In one canvas , hundreds of worshippers are depicted prostrating themselves around the mosque , while in the foreground , two women apply lipstick and makeup on a balcony . Hussain explained that the prostitutes in the painting were preparing to receive new customers as soon as the prayers in the mosque were over . Watch the dance being called `` immoral '' in Pakistan '' The painter claimed that on religious festivals , the brothels and dance halls in his neighborhood overflow with customers . `` They come from the northern areas with their turbans , '' Iqbal said , laughing . `` All coming to this area . They 're not going to the mosque ... but to the brothels ! '' Nevertheless , the rising tide of the Taliban in northwestern Pakistan has some residents of Lahore 's red light district worried . `` May Allah keep us safe from them , '' said Beenish , the mujra dancer . `` We are poor , humble people . They should not target this place . '' Photography by CNN 's Farhad Shadravan . | In Lahore 's red light district , Iqbal Hussain mocks Pakistan 's religious establishment . `` I portray -LSB- sex workers -RSB- on canvas , portray them as human beings , '' Hussain said . Painter has turned home into popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis . Rising tide of Taliban and threat of violence has some residents worried . | [[2083, 2089], [2094, 2137], [2437, 2465], [3905, 4011]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tim Russert 's personal physician says medics tried to save the NBC anchor shortly after he collapsed at work . Dr. Michael Newman said medics tried to revive Tim Russert several times before he died . Dr. Michael Newman told CNN 's Larry King that a defibrillator , a heart-shocking device , was used to try to save Russert . `` A resuscitation was begun almost immediately , '' he said . Russert , a mainstay of television journalism 's political talk as the host of `` Meet the Press , '' died of a heart attack after collapsing at NBC 's Washington bureau Friday . He was 58 . Newman appeared on `` Larry King Live '' on Monday , along with Dr. Mehmet Oz , a cardiac thoracic surgeon , and Dr. P.K. Shah , King 's heart doctor . Watch Russert 's son greet guests at wake '' Newman described Russert as a model patient : `` He complied with almost everything that was asked of him . '' The following is an edited version of the show 's transcript : . Newman : Tim had a cardiac arrest . It was related to an acute -- presumably acute dissection , rupturing plaque that 's causing a blockage of a coronary artery . He had a heart attack -- a fatal arrhythmia . Watch panel discuss if Russert 's death was preventable '' King : Did we know he had heart disease ? Newman : Tim was known to have coronary artery disease , and it was being treated with respect to management of his risk factors . King : Was he on medication ? Did he exercise ? Did he watch what he ate ? Newman : Tim was on medication . I 'd like to say , I 'm glad you mentioned exercise and watching what we eat . The foundation of management of heart disease and every medical condition , really , starts with lifestyle modification . You know , a healthy lifestyle , and you 'll have good health , and you 'll certainly have a healthy heart . ... Tim appreciated that . Yes , he exercised . He was on his Aerodyne bicycle . See a timeline of Russert 's career '' King : Dr. Oz , from what Dr. Newman said , could it have been prevented ? Oz : You can never tell for sure . And the reality is a big wake-up call . And it 's the question that Tim Russert would be asking right now : What are the odds that I could have done something different myself ? Let 's examine it for a second . Of the 450,000 people a year who die of heart attacks in this country , probably half of them never knew they were at risk of a heart attack . It 's because the heart does n't really have pain fibers . In fact , the only reason you ever feel any pain when you 're having a heart attack is because the nerves in the heart cross other nerves -- from your chin , your arm or from the chest and the spinal column . And they short-circuit each other out . And that creates this referred pain that in cardiology and cardiosurgery we recognize to be angina . The other reality -- and this is a big wake-up call for a lot of Americans , as well -- is that a lot of the plaques that we have are not flow limiting . And by that I mean they do n't cause a limitation on the amount of blood that courses through the veins that go to our heart . ... King : Dr. Shah has brought along a defibrillator . Right ? Dr. Newman , it was not used , is that correct ? Newman : That 's not correct . King : OK , it was used . Newman : NBC had a defibrillator . A resuscitation was begun almost immediately . NBC had an EAD -LSB- external automated defibrillator -RSB- on site , and they were preparing to use it . At the same moment , the DC EMS , emergency medical squad , arrived , and they immediately defibrillated Tim . He had no heart rhythm . They defibrillated him . His heart was beating then in a ventricular -- fine ventricular fib , and then it deteriorated . They shocked him again . Actually , he was defibrillated three times before his arrival at Sibley Memorial Hospital . Remembering Tim Russert '' King : Why do you think it did n't work in the Russert case ? Shah : There are several possibilities . The longer the delay between the time collapse occurs and you begin defibrillation , the less the success of defibrillation . That 's number one . Number two , if you 're a very big-sized individual and have a large heart , the larger the heart , the harder it is to get a successful defibrillation . The bigger the heart , the more likely you are to go back into fibrillation . King : Dr. Newman , was Tim Russert a good patient ? Newman : Tim was a great patient . Tim Russert as a patient was the Tim Russert that we all know . He complied with almost everything that was asked of him . He was well-informed , asked good questions . Tim was a good patient . Are there things all of us as patients could be better at ? Sure . But Tim was a good patient . King : Do you ever think , Dr. Newman , in retrospect , I could have done more ? Should have done more ? Newman : You know , as physicians , we always hope that we can change people 's lives , that we can make them feel better , live longer , that we can intervene , and that 's what our role is . Unfortunately , in many instances , our hopes are not fulfilled . Absolutely , I wish Tim was alive and with us today . ... And ... patients die of heart disease or cancer ; we all struggle with the fact there are limits to what we can do . | Tim Russert 's doctor says he was a model patient . Doctor : Russert was on heart medication and exercised . Doctor says medics used a defibrillator three times before Russert got to hospital . | [[822, 865], [4436, 4461], [4631, 4655], [4727, 4751], [1884, 1887], [1890, 1904], [156, 235], [180, 245], [246, 370], [293, 308], [328, 370], [3625, 3649], [3772, 3780], [3783, 3864]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal agency is examining what caused the Dallas Cowboys ' practice facility to collapse on Saturday , paralyzing a scout and injuring 11 others . An aerial view of the scene shows the Dallas Cowboys logo amid the ruins of the indoor practice facility . `` We 're trying to determine if there were any violations , or determine the cause , '' said Elizabeth Todd , spokeswoman for Region 6 of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration . OSHA investigators will be interviewing witnesses and looking for identifiable hazards , she said . The procedure is routine and implies no wrongdoing , Todd said . OSHA has six months to finish its investigation . Meanwhile , the CEO of a company that makes similar buildings says he believes fewer people would have been injured if the Cowboys ' facility had been supported by air rather than a metal frame . About 70 people -- including players , coaches , staff and media -- were inside the metal-framed structure for a rookie mini-camp practice when a line of heavy thunderstorms hit the dome . Video from the incident shows the lights swinging violently from the dome 's ceiling seconds before the ceiling crashes to the ground . Players and coaches rushed to help those trapped . `` It was as if someone took a stick pin and hit a balloon , '' said photographer Arnold Payne , who was shooting the practice for CNN affiliate WFAA-TV . Watch Payne describe being inside when structure collapsed '' Scouting assistant Rich Behm , 33 , suffered a severed spinal cord and is paralyzed from the waist down , the team said . He underwent surgery Saturday . `` Rich is a courageous member of our family and someone for whom we care deeply . We ask for all friends and fans of the Dallas Cowboys to join us in embracing him and his family with their thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time , '' team owner Jerry Jones said . Watch the roof collapse on players , coaches '' Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis fractured a cervical vertebra , and assistant trainer Greg Gaither had two broken bones in his leg , the team said . Gaither had successful surgery Saturday , and DeCamillis was scheduled to undergo surgery Monday , the team said . According to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth , `` a microburst impacted the Valley Ranch area , '' where the Cowboys practice . A microburst is a `` small , intense downdraft which results in a localized area of strong thunderstorm winds , '' the weather service said . Though winds near the ground were estimated near 70 mph , winds are generally more fierce farther from the ground , and microbursts can have winds in excess of 100 mph , the weather service said . `` Therefore , it is quite possible that winds greater than 70 mph affected the upper portions of the damaged structures , '' the service said . The Cowboys ' attorney , Levi McCathern II , was in meetings at Valley Ranch on Monday morning and could not be immediately reached . Elizabeth Criswell , a paralegal with his firm , said OSHA 's involvement was standard procedure and that the Cowboys would issue a press release at a later time . Summit Structures of Allentown , Pennsylvania , and Cover-All Building Systems of Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , which built the dome , referred all questions to a Boston , Massachusetts , public relations firm . The firm released a statement from Nathan Stobbe , Summit 's president , who said he was in Texas working with officials to `` assess this severe weather event . '' The statement quoted the National Weather Service description of a microburst . It further said the facility was constructed in 2003 . A new roof was installed on the building during a 2008 upgrade , the statement said . `` We understand there is a great deal of concern and curiosity about what happened on Saturday , but rather than speculate , we are focused on being part of the effort to find answers and assist the team , '' Stobbe 's statement concluded . Mariellen Burns of Regan Communications in Boston did not immediately respond to a follow-up e-mail inquiring what wind speeds the building was engineered to sustain . At least three of Summit 's competitors say their buildings can withstand winds of 140 mph or higher . Donato Fraioli , the CEO of Air Structures American Technologies Inc. , said the air-supported structure his company built for the Miami Dolphins can withstand winds up to 140 mph . However , Fraioli said , several media outlets , including CNN , have been erroneously reporting that the Cowboys ' structure was supported by air . The Cowboys ' facility was supported by a metal frame , which is why so many people were hurt , he said . Fraioli , who has 47 years of experience in air - and metal-supported structures , said his company has built air-supported structures in some of the most troublesome climates in the nation , including facilities for the New York Giants , New York Jets , Denver Broncos , Minnesota Vikings , Seattle Seahawks , Chicago Bears , Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles . His company also has constructed metal-frame buildings -- generally for industrial applications and to accommodate aircraft -- and he has found that many football teams , both college and pro , are opting for air-supported structures because they are cheaper and safer . `` The worst that could happen if it had a failure of any sort ... the fabric would fall over the interior players , '' he said , adding that repairing an air-supported structure generally entails patching and re-inflating it , as opposed to reconstructing a metal frame . Not only are the air-supported buildings safer in the event of a collapse , he said , but they 're safer during practice as well . `` There are no steel beams to run into or any aluminum frames to run into , '' he said . Metal frames also leave more room for construction and engineering error . `` I just think you have that many more nuts and bolts and components that could easily be erected with error , '' he said . `` Why have it , just for the reason of what happened in Dallas ? Why take the risk ? '' CNN 's Matt Smith contributed to this report . | NEW : Cowboys ' attorney 's office says OSHA involvement standard procedure . Facility 's manufacturers point to weather reports of a `` microburst '' in statement . Competitor says there might have been fewer injuries in an air-supported dome . Special teams coach scheduled to undergo surgery for fractured spine Monday . | [[2973, 2991], [3022, 3136], [3511, 3590], [683, 692], [695, 715], [745, 798], [750, 828], [753, 878], [1949, 2013], [2147, 2197]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Tampa judge denied bail Wednesday for a Florida man charged with first-degree murder in the death of a 3-month-old child , who authorities say was thrown out of a moving car . Police say infant Emanuel Murray died after his mother 's ex-boyfriend threw him from a car on a Florida interstate . Richard Anthony McTear Jr. , 21 , was arrested Tuesday , hours after a confrontation at his former girlfriend 's apartment in which he snatched the infant , Emanuel Wesley Murray , the Hillsborough County sheriff 's office said . The child 's body was found about 4 . am . Tuesday on the side of Interstate 275 in Tampa , Florida , by a local television photographer on his way to work . The photographer , WTVT 's Jason Bird , said he stopped when he spotted something by the roadside . `` It had to be a baby doll but it was too big to be a doll , '' Bird told CNN affiliate WFTS in Tampa . `` I almost passed out , I started shaking , '' said Bird . A preliminary autopsy determined the child died of blunt trauma to the head , the county medical examiner 's office said . Police were called to the apartment of McTear 's former girlfriend about 3:15 a.m. Tuesday . The mother , Jasmine Bedwell , 17 , told investigators that McTear had hit her several times and threatened `` to kill the both of y' all , '' the sheriff 's department said in a statement announcing the charges . McTear threw a car seat containing the child across the room during the fight , causing the boy to fall onto the apartment 's concrete floor , investigators said . He then picked up the boy and drove off in his blue Chevrolet Impala , throwing the child out while on the interstate , the sheriff 's department said . Video on CNN affiliate WFLA TV showed McTear being led out of a Tampa police squad car after his arrest . He ducked his head as TV cameras surrounded him on his walk into a police building . When asked by reporters if he had thrown the child out of the car window , McTear answered , `` It 's a dirty game . A dirty game . '' McTear is not related to the child , said sheriff 's spokeswoman Debbie Carter . McTear is facing additional charges of burglary with battery , felony battery , aggravated child abuse and kidnapping , the sheriff 's department said . | Richard Anthony McTear Jr. threatened `` to kill the both of y' all , '' baby 's mother says . McTear , 21 , threw child across room , then out of car , authorities say . A motorist found the baby boy on Interstate 275 in Tampa , Florida , around 4:30 a.m. McTear , who was not related to boy , faces charges of first-degree murder , kidnapping . | [[1184, 1194], [1220, 1321], [119, 141], [148, 196], [197, 314], [241, 314], [1398, 1458], [1411, 1475], [1562, 1564], [1633, 1679], [1753, 1820], [59, 141], [2041, 2075]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The intrusive voices popped into William `` Bill '' Garrett 's head . `` They 're coming for you , '' the voices told the 18-year-old . `` Find somewhere to hide ; they 're going to get you . '' In the left shows William `` Bill '' Garrett in high school , and the right is a 2007 photo of the Maryland teenager . They told the Johns Hopkins University freshman that his father had poisoned the family dog , his sister had injected crystal methamphetamine into his pet lizard and his grandmother had put human body parts into his food . As schizophrenia took hold , the Maryland teenager became lost within his own mind and had to leave college after winning a full , four-year scholarship . Garrett 's experience echoes the teenage years of Nathaniel Ayers , a promising string bass player whose musical training at the Juilliard School was cut short by schizophrenia , a brain disorder that blurs a person 's ability to distinguish between reality and delusions . Ayers became homeless and played Beethoven pieces on a broken violin in the streets of Los Angeles , California . His struggles with schizophrenia and his friendship with a Los Angeles Times columnist inspired the movie `` The Soloist , '' which releases Friday . His sister , Jennifer Ayers-Moore , hopes the movie will raise awareness about schizophrenia and has established the Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation for the artistically gifted mentally ill . `` I know there are thousands of Nathaniels , and they deserve a chance , too , '' said Ayers-Moore , an Atlanta-based social worker . Teen interrupted . Schizophrenia is the result of disrupted brain development . Males typically get symptoms during their teens or early 20s , as Ayers and Garrett did . `` It 's a critical time for the brain , '' said Dr. Jon McClellan , the medical director of the Child Study and Treatment Center at Seattle Children 's Hospital . `` It 's the CEO part of the brain that pays attention , makes decisions and filters . The prefrontal cortex , that 's the last area of the brain to develop . As that area comes online , that 's when the illness presents . '' In high school , Garrett won elected offices in student government and headed the lacrosse and cross country teams . A gifted student , he wanted to study political science and biology at Hopkins . At home , he cooked family dinners , helped his little sister with homework , and surprised his mother with pancakes on her birthday . `` People likened him to the perfect child before he got sick , '' said his mother , Kristan Kanyuch . In 2007 , the unusual behaviors started . He slept a lot . He emptied an entire can of bug spray in his bedroom . When he came home for a weekend from college , he pointed to a blister on his hand that had formed from playing lacrosse . `` Look , I have gangrene , '' he said . `` My hand is going to rot . '' Then he tried to cut off his hand with a paring knife . His family stopped him and took him to an emergency room for a psych evaluation , but Garrett refused to wait and left . A week later , Kanyuch got a call from the university . Her son was failing every class . When confronted , Garrett looked at the F 's and calmly replied , `` I 'm not failing anything . '' In the 1970s , Ayers-Moore saw the symptoms when her family picked her brother up from Juilliard to head home to Cleveland , Ohio , for summer . `` The look in his eye was so different , '' she said . `` It was like you could see into his soul , he could look into yours . It sort of startled me a little bit . I did n't know what to say to him . On the way from New York , I pretended I was asleep . I did n't know what to say . '' Paranoid schizophrenia . About three decades later , Nickole Kanyuch , 15 , watched a similar scenario unfold as her brother , Garrett , struggled with paranoid schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder . `` I watched the big brother who I had looked up to all my life fall apart and become someone entirely new , '' she said . `` The boy who was destined for greatness , who worked long and hard for 12 years to lead a successful life , was destroyed in a mere six months . '' Garrett , who had once organized his 600 books by the Dewey Decimal system , could hardly read two sentences . The voices in his head drowned out the words on the page , he told his mother . Garrett , who color coordinated the clothes inside his closet , could no longer groom himself or shower . The voices told him the shampoo and soap were poisoned . Kristan Kanyuch quit her financial planning job to take care of him . Despite taking medicine , Garrett 's health fluctuated . One day he was fine ; the next , he threatened to kill the neighbors . Frustrated and facing mounting debt , Kanyuch sought help . She joined a mental health support group . At one session , she was told to follow simple instructions from a counselor . Meanwhile , 10 people who stood around her talked at once . While the chorus of voices drowned out the instructions , she realized this was how her son lived every day . That night , Kanyuch hugged her son . `` You have to be the most courageous person . You wake up every day , '' she told him . `` That 's when he explained to me the reason he sleeps , '' Kanyuch said . `` He does n't hear the voices . He does n't hear them telling him he 's fat , stupid , there 's a conspiracy . It 's a break for him to sleep . '' Although no one knows where these voices originated , they could be triggered by wiring problems in the brain , said McClellan , who researches adolescent psychiatry . One theory is schizophrenia causes difficulty distinguishing thoughts from their outside experiences , `` so they experience internal thoughts and perceptions as voices , '' he said . Recovery . Garrett has been a subject in two research programs searching for better schizophrenia treatments . His condition fluctuated , and , for months , he was on suicide watch . Schizophrenia is a difficult disorder to treat , because one medication that soothes one patient can make another psychotic . `` Medication or dosages ca n't be matched absolutely with the individual , so there is some of that trial and error , '' said Dr. Thomas Bornemann , director of the Carter Center 's Mental Health Program . Garrett tried many drugs . Some made him drowsy , others volatile and one drug made him gain 75 pounds . Severe side effects often cause patients to stop taking medication . For now , doctors seem to have found one that helps Garrett . Since March , Garrett has been at a Maryland research center that looks into the relationship between metabolism , tobacco and schizophrenia . After a violent visit in August , Garrett , 21 , had not been home until Easter . During the recent visit , he played basketball , Yahtzee and Wii bowling with his family . `` He was able to carry on a conversation and play card games , '' Kanyuch said . `` He was interacting . '' At home , surrounded by reminders all his past achievements , Garrett said : `` Mom , I was on the top of the world . Now I 'm in the gutter . '' His mother disagreed : `` Look at it as an opportunity . '' `` What ? '' he said . `` It 's not an opportunity everyone would jump at , '' she told Garrett . `` But as you rehabilitate , as you grow an insight into your illness , there may be things you deal with forever . But you 've had significant experiences that you may be able to use to help other people . There 's no place where insight and advocacy -LSB- for mental health -RSB- is needed more than in politics , which is what you wanted to do . '' A life with schizophrenia wo n't be easy , but some with the disorder have graduated from college , earned doctorates and lead enriched lives , she told Garrett . `` He does n't understand the courage he has . '' | Schizophrenia disrupts Maryland teenager 's life , forces him to leave college . Teen 's story echoes experience of Nathaniel Ayers , subject of film , `` The Soloist '' Family struggles to learn how to best help teenager deal with mental illness . | [[585, 606], [643, 710], [779, 887], [711, 776]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dr. Sanjay Gupta , CNN 's chief medical correspondent , withdrew his name from consideration as surgeon general of the United States on Thursday . He spoke to CNN 's Larry King about the decision and President Obama 's health care plans . Here is an edited transcript : . Dr. Sanjay Gupta says he just returned from India , where he looked into medical tourism . Larry King : But , first , breaking news about CNN 's own Dr. Sanjay Gupta , long rumored to be the main candidate for U.S. surgeon general . He 's taken himself out of the running . Joins us now here in Los Angeles to talk about it . Why ? Dr. Sanjay Gupta : Well , first of all , it was a really tough decision , and a long decision and a long process for sure . And I was incredibly flattered , humbled by the consideration even for the position . I think for me it really came down to a sense of timing more than anything else . You know , I have two daughters . Our third daughter is now imminent . In fact , I have my phone on right here , I might get called off the set . King : As we talk . Gupta : As we talk , my wife is imminent with our third child . You know , this job that we have collectively takes us away from our children for so many years at once , and I sort of came to grips with the fact that I 'd probably be away at least the first several years , four or five years -- there 's my existing two daughters , one more on the way -- but several years of their lives . And I just did n't feel like I should do that now . And the other thing , let me just add , you know , you know me and a lot of people know me , obviously , as a journalist for CNN , but you know , I continue to practice neurosurgery , Larry . You and I have talked about that , and I. . . King : You do brain surgery all the time . Gupta : Yes . And it 's an important part of my life . And I work at a county hospital . That 's the hospital I 've chosen to work at in Atlanta -LSB- Georgia -RSB- . And I really enjoy that . I came to grips with , ironically , that being surgeon general , I probably would not be able to continue to practice surgery . King : How about the cut in pay ? Gupta : Well , you know , that 's a sacrifice we were willing to make . I think , you know , either you 're a public servant or you 're not a public servant . I 've always been drawn to public service . So that really was n't a consideration for me . King : Was it an offer or a `` would you consider if '' ? Gupta : It 's a little bit of a funny thing -- and I 've never been through this process before . I guess the formal part of it is when you are nominated . I was not nominated , but I had conversations with the senior-most people that would make an offer , and they told me they wanted me to do this job . So ... King : Was it the thought of -LSB- Democratic former -RSB- Sen. Tom Daschle , who was going to be secretary of health , that you be his surgeon general ? Gupta : Well , I did have conversations with him , but you know , the fact that he withdrew did not play as big a role in my mind in terms of not considering the job . Again , I think either you do public service or you do n't . You want your job to be as precisely defined as possible , for sure , but that was n't a major factor . King : The way it was presented , then , you feel that you would have been offered it even if Daschle had not left or had left , no matter what ? Gupta : I think so . You know , I mean , you know , I 've had a lot of conversations with the White House folks . I think there was a big interest on their part , and obviously they know of my dedication to public service . I think there was a real melding there . King : Do you have anyone you would recommend for that job ? Gupta : You know , no one off the top of my head . I mean , I think whoever takes that job really does have to make it a higher-profile job . I mean , this is an important job . I have a great deal of respect for the office and for the commissioned corps . You 've seen the work they do . They do life-saving ... King : A lot of clout . Gupta : Yes , a lot of clout , life-saving , life-preventing work -- or life-preserving work -- all over the country every single day . And I think that it has to have a little bit of a higher profile . Whoever takes this job has to be out there really advocating the issues of public health . At no time is it probably more important than right now , as we 're dealing with health care reform . These issues really go hand in hand . King : Well , their loss is a continuing our gain . Gupta : I appreciate that . King : If I may speak to it . Gupta : I would miss this witty banter for sure , back and forth . King : May I speak for CNN . But you had to be flattered . Gupta : I was flattered . And you know , I have a great deal of respect for that office . And I in no way want people to think that I do n't . This is really more about my family and my surgical career . King : Couple other notes . I know you 're just back from India . I want to ask about that . Gupta : Yes . King : President Obama held a health care summit -LSB- Thursday -RSB- at the White House . More than 100 experts , policy makers took part , including some who opposed the Clinton administration 's health care reform back in the '90s . Do you support his aims ? Gupta : He is drawing an inextricable relationship between the economy and health care . As people talk -- the economy is issue No. 1 , as we talk about all the time . But he 's making the point , I think , and he has been for some time , even while he was campaigning , that you can not talk about the economy without talking about health care . The businesses have to provide health care insurance for their employees . It is often very difficult for them to do that , in addition to trying to reach some sort of profit from their product . So I -- that message , I think , has been pretty loud and clear , and I think it is resonating . He 's also talking about the fact that you ca n't fix the health care system without bringing down costs of health care overall . And since you brought it up , I was just in India , and one of the stories that I was doing was about medical tourism . Here is a good example -- 750,000 Americans leave the United States every year to go abroad for life-saving operations . Why ? Mainly because of cost . It can be up to a tenth of the cost in some of these countries such as India , such as Singapore . King : Open-heart surgery in India might be one-tenth of what it costs here ? Gupta : One-tenth . Hip surgery , neurosurgery . All -- a lot of these various operations . And the real question , and I think it 's a question worth exploring , is why ? How can they do it so much cheaper ? How can they offer good-quality care ? I saw it . It is good-quality care . I saw that with my own eyes . What do we have to learn ? And how can we use this to help reform our health care system ? King : Is there an assumption that we have the best doctors , that we do it better than anybody else , that 's an American assumption ? Gupta : Yes . And I think , you know , we do provide very good health care for people who have access to it . King : Ah . Gupta : And I think that 's part of the problem . King : That 's the rub , though , right ? Gupta : That is the rub . And I think there are really two schools of thought , which we are going to hopefully distill down , as we talk about this issue more and more . One is , do you revamp the entire health care system ? Do you say , look , this health care system is broken , toss it all out , let 's start all over again ? Or do you say , look , it works pretty well for a fraction of the population . Let 's see who it does n't work for and fix those things only . So do n't throw the baby out with the bath water . Let 's target what 's broken and focus on that . King : What role in all of this will the new surgeon general play ? Gupta : I really do n't know . I 'm not sure . At one point ... King : He would have to be a proponent for it , you would think . Gupta : You know , the surgeon general has an interesting position , and this is something that I learned . It is truly one of the more apolitical positions at that senior level . So they are really the nation 's doctor . I think that they really have to focus on making sure that best health practices are constantly known . It 's amazing how high the health illiteracy rate remains in this country . To remind people how to best take care of themselves . King : One other thing . Do you think it 's going to -- do you think we 're going to get a new health care program ? Gupta : I think so . It 's going to take a long time . I think that it may not even happen within this first term , if there is a second term for him . So I think it 's not going to be something that happens certainly overnight . The fact that they had a health care summit this early on I think is probably a good sign of at least his commitment to this issue . | Gupta : `` It really came down to a sense of timing '' Gupta says job would have taken him away too long from family . Gupta talks about challenges Obama faces in reforming health care . | [[858, 939], [873, 939], [191, 274], [4458, 4498]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nepal 's prime minister said Monday he will resign to save what he called the country 's `` infant democracy . '' Pushpa Kamal Dahal cited a serious political crisis caused by the president 's `` unconstitutional '' order . It is the latest fallout over the status of Nepal 's army chief , Gen. Rookmangud Katawal . The Maoist government sacked Katawal on Sunday . Hours later , President Ram Baran Yadav reinstated him . Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal , commonly known as Prachanda , resigned on Monday , citing a serious political crisis caused by the president 's `` unconstitutional '' order . `` The dual powers that have been unconstitutionally established in the country must end under any circumstance , '' Prachanda said in a televised address announcing he would resign from the country 's Cabinet . Prachanda is the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Maoist -RRB- , which had been the largest party in Nepal 's coalition government until it recently withdrew . The former guerilla leader headed a decade-long bloody Maoist insurgency to abolish the country 's monarchy before being sworn in as prime minister in August . In his address on Monday , Prachanda blamed certain political parties and `` power centers '' for `` striking at our democracy , constitution and the peace process by putting the president in the forefront of the controversy over the chief of army staff . '' `` This has raised concerns over our infant democracy and the peace process , '' he said . `` I appeal to the people , civil society and political powers to be committed to the struggle for establishing a democratic Nepal . '' Nepal 's interim constitution gives the president powers as supreme commander of the army and guardian of the constitution . Yadav 's spokesman said the president had the support of 18 parties in parliament when he reinstated the army chief . The decision to fire Katawal touched off protests . Supporters of both sides in the dispute took to the streets on Sunday . Despite sporadic clashes between the two factions , there were no serious injuries reported . The Cabinet voted to dismiss Katawal after the military refused the government 's order to stop recruiting about 3,000 new soldiers to fill vacant positions when it has yet to take in former Maoist rebels , as a 2006 peace deal required . The Maoists laid down their arms and won power in 2008 elections after an agreement that ended a decade-long insurgency . Under the deal , more than 19,000 former insurgents were to be integrated into the country 's security forces . Journalist Manesh Shrestha contributed to this report . | Government calls president 's order to keep army chief in office `` unconstitutional '' Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal resigns over order . Maoist government ordered army chief of staff to be fired after recruitment issue . Military refused to stop recruiting soldiers while it has n't accepted ex-Maoist rebels . | [[176, 260], [459, 492], [546, 637], [459, 492], [525, 543], [459, 492], [546, 637], [353, 401], [2129, 2216], [2242, 2356]] |
HOUSTON , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On the tape , Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan appears to burn with rage . Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan , pictured here , allegedly tortured a business associate on videotape . Believing he was cheated in a business deal , the member of the United Arab Emirates ruling family was trying to extract a confession from an Afghan grain dealer . With a private security officer assisting , Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan is seen stuffing sand in the Afghan 's mouth . As the grain dealer pleads and whimpers , he is beaten with a nailed board , burned in the genitals with a cigarette lighter , shocked with a cattle prod , and led to believe he would be shot . Salt is poured on his wounds . In the end , the victim can muster up only weak moans as an SUV is repeatedly driven over him . The 45 minutes of torture appears on a nearly three-hour-long videotape shot in late 2004 in the desert outside Abu Dhabi , one of the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf region . It was made at the direction of the sheikh himself . The tape has been viewed by CNN . Now the tape has surfaced as a piece of evidence in a federal civil suit filed in Houston , Texas , against the sheikh by his former business partner , Bassam Nabulsi . As media , U.S. governmental and human rights questions and concerns emerged , Abu Dhabi 's government on Tuesday issued a statement saying it deplored the contents of the video and plans an immediate and comprehensive review of it . Nabulsi , a Lebanese-born U.S. citizen living in Houston , says he met Sheikh Issa when the royal came to Houston for medical care in 1994 . Watch portions of the tape and Nabulsi tell his story '' According to Nabulsi , the men became friends and business partners , and Sheikh Issa eventually recruited Nabulsi to move to Abu Dhabi to work for him . `` We were buddies , '' said Nabulsi , who met with CNN journalists in Houston . `` He gave me his personal vow . He swore to look after my family in case something happened to me . '' The sheikh , who holds no official government position , is the half-brother of the country 's ruler . In the lawsuit , Nabulsi says was disturbed by the sheikh 's `` increasingly bizarre behavior '' after the November 2004 death of his father , UAE ruler Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan . Nabulsi 's lawsuit says that Sheikh Issa 's father `` kept tight control over Sheikh Issa '' but after the father 's death , he `` apparently no longer felt constrained . '' Nabulsi claims he confronted his business partner about the Afghan 's treatment , telling him that to do such a thing he `` must not be a God-fearing person . '' Nabulsi says his boldness prompted the sheikh to turn on him . Later , Nabulsi was arrested on drug charges . Security officers working for the sheikh ransacked his home and demanded the torture video , Nabulsi claimed . By this point , the tape -- shot by Nabulsi 's brother at the order of the sheikh -- had been smuggled out of the country . According to an affidavit , Nabulsi 's brother worked for Sheikh Issa as a personal assistant . In 2005 , Nabulsi was arrested , jailed and ultimately convicted on drug charges . And , he said , he was tortured and humiliated by UAE police , who demanded he return the tape . `` It was a lot of humiliation , '' Nabulsi told CNN . `` And I really do n't like to talk about it . '' Nabulsi was fined and deported . Darryl Bristow , the sheikh 's Houston attorney , argued in court papers that American courts have no jurisdiction over his client . In a statement to CNN , Bristow said Nabulsi is using the videotape of a third party , Nabulsi 's brother , to influence the court over a business dispute . `` The public should know that the man behind the camera was Bassam Nabulsi 's brother and that Bassam Nabulsi kept the video from the media while his lawyer was asking for money . What do you call that where you come from ? '' Bristow asked . Nabulsi 's attorney denied wrongdoing . The Houston case languished in the U.S. court system after it was filed in 2006 but it eventually moved forward when the sheikh 's personal assistant was served with court papers last year . Nabulsi 's attorney , Anthony Buzbee , said he has deposed the sheikh , but the deposition is under seal . The case was filed in Houston because the Sheikh Issa-Nabulsi business partnership was formed and focused in Texas and `` claims at issue in this case arose out of contacts within Texas . '' Nabulsi claims breaches of contract and fiduciary duty . He wants $ 80 million he says is owed to him from their business relationship . He also wants to be awarded punitive damages for torture , intentional infliction of emotional distress , and malicious prosecution . Initially , the UAE Interior Ministry said Sheikh Issa `` does not hold any official position '' in the government and that Nabulsi 's lawsuit is `` a private dispute . '' Asked about the torture allegations , the UAE said it investigated and found '' ... all rules , policies and procedures were followed correctly by the police department . The review also concluded that the incidents depicted in the videotapes were not part of a pattern of behavior . '' The shocking case has made waves recently as news organizations asked about the tape . U.S. senior officials familiar with the case say the administration is holding off sending a nuclear deal with the United Arab Emirates to Congress for ratification because they fear a fallout from the torture story . Congress has to ratify the civil nuclear agreement signed in January between the Bush administration and the UAE . Those senior U.S. officials said the agreement was supposed to be sent to the Senate , but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held off doing so because of the story 's sensitivity . One American lawmaker , Rep. James McGovern , D-Massachusetts , asked Clinton to investigate and that all `` expenditures of funds , training , sales or transfers of equipment or technology , including nuclear '' to the UAE be put on hold until the matter is reviewed . He also wants the United States to deny any visas for travel by Sheikh Issa or his immediate family . `` I think we have an obligation to say we want to step back a bit and look at this a little more closely , '' said McGovern , co-chairman of the congressional human rights commission . He promised hearings on the issue , probing the case and how the U.S. Embassy in the UAE handled it . `` I am not going to let it go away , '' McGovern said . Human Rights Watch , the humanitarian watchdog group , is calling for the United Arab Emirates to `` investigate and prosecute '' the grain dealer 's torture . With media questions about the tape mounting , Abu Dhabi said on Wednesday it decided to renew its inquiries -- more than four years after the incident . As for the grain dealer , UAE officials say he survived the ordeal , and said the sheikh and the grain dealer settled the matter privately by agreeing not to bring formal charges against the other . How much money was the grain dealer accused of stealing from the sheikh ? `` It 's nothing , '' Nabulsi said . `` No more than about $ 5,000 . '' CNN 's Scott Bronstein , Drew Griffin , Stan Grant , Elise Labott , Octavia Nasr , and Joe Sterling contributed to this report . | Former business partner of Sheikh Issa of Abu Dhabi suing royal . Bassam Nabulsi 's tape shows sheikh severely torturing grain merchant . Nabulsi , of Houston , says he himself was tortured in jail , sheikh owes him $ 80M . U.S. senior officials say case is holding up a U.S. nuclear deal with the UAE . | [[109, 140], [159, 213], [1507, 1553], [3186, 3189], [3192, 3199], [3202, 3246], [4541, 4620], [4550, 4620], [5301, 5465]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pig farmers threw rocks at police officers in Cairo , Egypt , on Sunday as health workers gathered the farmers ' herds for slaughter in what the government says is a precaution against the spread of swine flu , an interior ministry official told CNN . The Egyptian government required all pigs in the country be killed , citing a need to prevent the spread of swine flu . Brig. Gen. Hani Abdel-Latif said 50 to 60 protesters gathered in Cairo 's Manshiyet Naser slum because they were upset with the health ministry 's decision to slaughter all pigs in the country . But local media reported the number of farmers clashing with police on Sunday was in the hundreds . Experts have criticized the Egyptian government 's move , announced last week , to slaughter all pigs regardless of whether they are infected . There have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Egypt . And according to the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , humans can not get the swine flu virus , known to scientists as the H1N1 virus , by eating pork . The CDC says human infection from pigs most likely occurs when people are in close proximity to sick animals , such as in pig barns . But Egyptian officials cite how avian flu still exists in the country because , they say , the government did not take sufficient protective measures when that disease was first discovered there in 2006 . Most Egyptian pig farmers are Coptic Christians , a group that makes up about 10 percent of the 80 million people in the mostly Muslim nation . Coptic Christians do not observe the Muslim ban on eating pork , and historically they have coexisted peacefully with the Muslim majority in Egypt . The farmers also work in the garbage industry and use their daily collections to feed their herds , which number about 300,000 animals in the country . With the government-mandated slaughter under way , Egypt 's Health Ministry declared Saturday that `` Egypt is free of the swine flu . '' Dr. Hamid Samaha , head of the country 's Public Institute for Veterinary Services , said that starting Sunday the government will compensate pig farmers by paying as much as $ 45 for a disease-free pig and about $ 5 for diseased ones . The health ministry told CNN its workers are freezing all the disease-free meat and plan to give it back to its owners once the ban on pigs is lifted . But according to Egypt 's state-run al-Akhbar newspaper , ministry sources said the country does not have enough facilities to store the frozen meat . Ministry spokesman Dr. Abdel-Rahman Shaheen said the government will open two new slaughterhouses in two provinces near Cairo , al-Alioubiya and al-Giza . Shaheen also announced Saturday that the ministry has enlisted 100 additional doctors and nurses to help in health quarantines at Cairo Airport , where travelers are being questioned if they have been to Mexico recently . And more are expected to be hired to help at Alexandra 's main seaport , where the government declared a state of emergency last week . CNN 's Housam Ahmed in Cairo contributed to this report . | Farmers in Cairo clash with police as health officials take pigs to slaughter . Egypt mandated slaughter of pigs in country over news of swine flu . There have been no confirmed cases of swine flu in Egypt . | [[19, 70], [94, 151], [625, 663], [271, 327], [515, 585], [1857, 1867], [1868, 1886], [830, 888]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A magnitude-7 .9 earthquake that struck southwestern China last year left 5,335 students dead or missing and disabled an additional 546 children , state media reported . A girl fastens wish cards at a middle school at Qushan township earlier this year in memory of students . The first official tally of students killed in the Sichuan province quake was released Thursday by Tu Wentao , the head of the province 's education department , the Xinhua news agency said . As of September , official figures put the death toll at 69,227 , with more than 17,923 people missing . The tremor struck May 12 about 2:30 p.m. , when many children were in school . The official tally of student deaths and injuries was released a few days after an Amnesty International report accused the government of China of intimidating and unlawfully detaining relatives of children who had died in the earthquake . The 52-page report , published Sunday , documented instances in which relatives said they had been detained for up to 21 days for trying to get answers from officials . `` By unlawfully locking up parents of children who died , the government is creating more misery for people who have said in some cases they lost everything in the Sichuan earthquake , '' said Roseann Rife , deputy program director of Amnesty International Asia-Pacific . The report also accused authorities of preventing relatives from complaining to higher officials about the quality of construction in the buildings that had collapsed . The human-rights organization called on Chinese authorities `` to take immediate action to address the grievances of survivors and relatives of those who were killed or injured . '' CNN was not immediately able to get a response to the report from China 's Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministry of Justice . | In September , officials put death toll at 69,227 , with more than 17,923 missing . The tremor struck May 12 at about 2:30 p.m. , when many children were in school . Amnesty accused China intimidating relatives of children who died in quake . | [[521, 566], [574, 607], [608, 648], [656, 686], [767, 846], [882, 893], [898, 926]] |
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