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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. naval forces hunting pirates off Somalia detained six people this week who appeared to be pursuing a commercial shipping vessel , but soon released them because of a lack of evidence . A Yemeni Coast Guard boat patrols the Gulf of Aden for pirates who threaten shipping . The Navy said on Saturday the six matched the description of suspected pirates aboard a skiff in the area . The naval crew saw the men throwing objects overboard before they picked up the suspects . Investigators did n't say what was thrown overboard but said the evidence was not sufficient `` to hold the suspects for prosecution . '' The detentions reflect the aggressive U.S.-led fight against piracy . The United States is spearheading an international naval task force in the waters off Somalia that launched in February after a rash of attacks . Participating ships are patrolling more than a million square miles of water , an area about four times the size of Texas , Navy officials have said . The Navy said it arrested the six on Friday after responding to a distress call from the Philippines-flagged MV Bison Express in the Gulf of Aden , between Yemen and Somalia . The ship , a livestock carrier , reported a small skiff containing six heavily armed pirates was pursuing it . The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg arrived and found a skiff matching the description . A Seahawk helicopter flew from the Gettysburg over the skiff and reported seeing objects being thrown overboard , the Navy said . A team from the Gettysburg boarded the skiff , along with members of the U.S. Coast Guard Legal Detachment and detained the six suspected pirates . The U.S. officials transferred the suspects onto the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer , the flagship for the international anti-piracy task force , the Navy said , before releasing them . The attack on the Bison Express was the second one Friday on commercial shipping vessels in the Gulf of Aden , the Navy said . In the first incident , pirates attacked the MV Sea Green , which managed to fend them off by firing flares as the men approached , the Navy said . | U.S. military ship captures skiff off Somalia coast . Skiff matched description of commercial ship 's pursuer . Navy lets men go for lack of evidence ; saw suspects throwing stuff overboard . U.S.-led international naval effort patrols a million square miles in Gulf of Aden . | [[85, 94], [99, 151], [296, 403], [1287, 1328], [1341, 1381], [0, 15], [158, 208], [404, 457], [495, 508], [551, 629], [1382, 1402], [1447, 1493], [703, 796], [849, 925]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Global warming could destabilize `` struggling and poor '' countries around the world , prompting mass migrations and creating breeding grounds for terrorists , the chairman of the National Intelligence Council told Congress on Wednesday . Climate change could increase flooding in coastal areas , like the flooding that hit the Philippines . Climate change `` will aggravate existing problems such as poverty , social tensions , environmental degradation , ineffectual leadership and weak political institutions , '' Thomas Fingar said . `` All of this threatens the domestic stability of a number of African , Asian , Central American and Central Asian countries . '' People are likely to flee destabilized countries , and some may turn to terrorism , he said . `` The conditions exacerbated by the effects of climate change could increase the pool of potential recruits into terrorist activity , '' he said . `` Economic refugees will perceive additional reasons to flee their homes because of harsher climates , '' Fingar predicted . That will put pressure on countries receiving refugees , many of which `` will have neither the resources nor interest to host these climate migrants , '' he said in testimony to the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming . Reactions to the report broke down along partisan lines , with Democrats generally praising it and Republicans expressing doubts . Committee members had concerns about the report 's secrecy , reliability and use of intelligence resources . Global warming may have a slight positive effect on the United States , since it is likely to produce larger farming yields , Fingar said . But it is also likely to result in storm surges that could affect nuclear facilities and oil refineries near coasts , water shortages in the Southwest and longer summers with more wildfires , the study found . International migration may also help spread disease , Fingar added , and climate change could put stress on international trade in essential commodities . `` The United States depends on a smooth-functioning international system ensuring the flow of trade and market access to critical raw materials , such as oil and gas , and security for its allies and partners . Climate change and climate change policies could affect all of these , '' he warned , `` with significant geopolitical consequences . '' The report was the conclusion of the most comprehensive government analysis the U.S. intelligence community has ever conducted on climate change . Fingar emphasized that it could make no hard and fast predictions , saying that the operative word in his assessment was `` may . '' Wealthy countries will be able to handle the situation better than poorer ones , he said . `` We assess that no country will be immune to the effects of climate change , but some will be able to cope more effectively than others , '' he said . `` Most of the struggling and poor states that will suffer adverse impacts to their potential and economic security are in Sub-Saharan Africa , the Middle East , and Central and Southeast Asia . `` However , the spillover -- from potentially increased migration and water-related disputes -- could have a harmful global impact , '' he added . Fingar painted a mixed picture of the effects of climate change on the United States itself . `` Most studies suggest the United States as a whole will enjoy modest economic benefits over the next few decades , largely due to the increased crop yields , '' he said . `` Costs begin to mount thereafter , however , and some parts of the United States -- particularly built-up coastal areas -- will be at greater risk of extreme weather events and potentially high costs related to losses in complex infrastructure . '' The impact of fighting and preparing for climate change may be greater than the effect of global warming itself , Fingar said . `` Government , business and public efforts to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies to deal with climate change -- from policies to reduce greenhouse gases to plans to reduce exposure to climate change or capitalize on potential impacts -- may affect U.S. national security interests even more than the physical impacts of climate change itself , '' he said . The report , the `` National Intelligence Assessment on the National Security Implications of Global Climate Change to 2030 , '' relied on U.S. government , military , academic and United Nations studies of climate change . The report itself is classified , which some members of the House committee objected to . `` I am disappointed it is classified , '' said Rep. Anna Eshoo , D-California . Secrecy `` prevents this report from being released and discussed in public domain . '' Committee Chairman Ed Markey , a Massachusetts Democrat , said he would ask the administration to declassify it . Markey opened the hearing by saying `` human beings all over the planet face death or damage or injury if we do not act . '' He blasted the White House stance on climate change , saying , `` The Bush administration continues to limit what their experts know . The president does n't want America to know the real risk of global warming . '' Republicans on the committee criticized the report as wasteful , with Rep. Darrell Issa of California calling it a `` dangerous diversion of intelligence resources . '' Rep. Pete Hoekstra , R-Michigan , said that the report was unreliable and that its authors admitted as much . `` We have a lot of information where we are incapable of assessing it , '' Fingar conceded . Hoekstra also questioned the committee 's priorities . `` There are a lot more pressing issues out there for the intelligence community to be focused on right now that would help keep America safe , '' he said . The assessment `` was a waste of time , a waste of resources for the intelligence community to be focused on this issue versus other folks in the government that could have done this job and have a responsibility for doing it . '' Fingar said the intelligence community had relied on the science of others because it did not itself monitor climate change . He said the assessment was based on midrange predictions of global warming . | Climate change could destabilize `` weak '' states , intelligence chair says . Global warming could spark mass migrations , classified report finds . U.S. food production could increase with climate change , report suggests . But it says U.S. coasts could be threatened by larger storm surges . | [[30, 115], [569, 696], [2963, 2978], [2984, 3052], [0, 26], [118, 143], [700, 748], [942, 1043], [1702, 1745], [3598, 3629], [3652, 3748]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Africa 's embattled police commissioner resigned Sunday as president of Interpol , a day after he took an extended leave of absence from his police duties , the international crime-fighting agency said in a statement . South Africa police commissioner Jackie Selebi , facing charges of corruption , has stepped down as boss of Interpol . Interpol 's Secretary-General Ronald Noble received a resignation letter on Sunday from Jackie Selebi , who is facing charges of corruption related to his role as police commissioner , the agency said . The charges are not related to his leadership role in Interpol . In the letter , Selebi said he was resigning because he did not wish the allegations against him `` to bring the good work of this august body into disrepute . '' `` Based on my experience of working with Mr. Selebi in his capacity as delegate , vice president and ultimately president of the organization , he has always conducted himself and acted in a way to enhance global security and police co-operation worldwide , '' Noble said in a statement . As to the charges Selebi faces , Noble said : `` Any such allegations should be prosecuted thoroughly , and the proper manner is for charges to be brought promptly before a court of law and not through media leaks and speculation . '' On Saturday , South African President Thabo Mbeki told a news conference in Pretoria , South Africa , that Selebi had been given an `` extended leave of absence '' from his police duties , but that he was not being sacked . Mbeki said Selebi supported the decision -- taken midnight Friday and effective immediately -- to temporarily step down and that an acting commissioner had already been appointed to take his place . The National Prosecuting Authority said it will charge the police chief with `` corruption and defeating the administration of justice , '' Tladi Tladi , a spokesman for the agency told CNN . According to widespread media reports , the upcoming charges hinge on Selebi 's dealings with Glen Agliotti , a convicted drug smuggler . The suspended police chief is alleged to have accepted at least 1.2 million Rand -LRB- $ 177,000 -RRB- from Agliotti over a 5-year period , the South African daily Cape Argus reported . In return Selebi allegedly handed over confidential intelligence reports from the British authorities relating to Agliotti 's suspected drug-trafficking activities , according to the newspaper . Tladi said the corruption charges were linked to Agliotti `` to a certain extent . '' Agliotti recently received a 10-year suspended prison sentence in a drug case after entering into a plea bargain . He is also accused of involvement in the 2005 killing of mining magnate Brett Kebble , according to South African media reports . A court on Friday rejected an application to halt the prosecution by Selebi , who has been under investigation for around two years . Mbeki denied that he had been too slow in dealing with the fallout from the charges . `` I have said many times that if there was anyone who came to me with information indicating that the national commissioner had behaved improperly then I would act on such information . No one has come to me with such information , '' Mbeki said . E-mail to a friend . | Jackie Selebi , South African police chief , takes leave as faces corruption charges . Also steps down as head of Interpol , although charges are not related to that position . Charged with taking money from a convicted drug smuggler over a 5-year period . South African President Thabo Mbeki denies he has been slow in dealing with affair . | [[120, 179], [244, 263], [293, 321], [244, 290], [311, 362], [451, 464], [471, 502], [1421, 1505], [0, 15], [65, 105], [244, 290], [311, 362], [566, 630], [2028, 2041], [2046, 2071], [2072, 2209], [2918, 3003]] |
GREENVILLE , Ohio -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The parishioners heard the sirens during Sunday morning services in Greenville , Ohio . A few blocks from St. Paul 's Lutheran Church , a home was burning and five people were dead . Police tape wards off the curious from the duplex where a woman and four children died in a fire September 16 . Shock followed sadness with news that a 10-year-old boy was being charged with arson and murder , more heartbreak for a town in tough times -- but heartbreak that shook people into action . The St. Paul 's parishioners reacted quickly that morning , said Shirley DiRocco , a volunteer at the church . Just passing the collection plate once around the church , she said , `` We came up with $ 300 . '' The money went to buy clothes for the fire 's survivors and food for the emergency crew who responded , she said . Helping out is nothing new for the church -- but a boy being accused of killing his mother , half-sister and three other children in a fire has been unheard of till now . There 's a lot of introspection going on in Greenville , a small town of 13,000 where the good-paying jobs are getting scarce and the problems of big-city poverty are creeping in . Residents are divided on whether the boy is responsible , but they say his plight compels them to look at themselves and face their deepening problems . `` He 's a young kid . There 's something got to be wrong for him to come up with that , '' said Angie Hughes , manager of a downtown Greenville hair salon . `` It has brought to the surface the fact that in this area ... we do have a lot of folks who are the have-nots in the world ... the vast numbers of people in our community who are really deep in poverty , '' said Peter B. Menke , pastor of St. Paul 's . Watch Menke talk about how the tragedy has galvanized Greenville '' St. Paul 's sees firsthand the poverty that led to the boy having to sleep on the sofa , because he had no bed in the half of the duplex he shared with nine other people . Christy Winans managed to escape the fire with her boyfriend , but her three children -- Kayla Winans , 6 ; Je'Shawn Davis , 5 ; and Jasmine Davis , 3 -- died along with their playmate Kaysha Palmer , 8 , who was the boy 's half-sister . The boy 's mother , Chanan Palmer , was also killed . On Monday , as the 10-year-old appeared in court on murder charges , St. Paul 's expanded its lunchtime soup kitchen service to run two days a week . Twenty-two people turned up for the meal that first day . The church had fed 70 people , including parents and children , one day this summer . Menke said the tragedy of September 16 `` has galvanized ... particularly the religious community to action . We not just saying ` Yes , we have a problem , ' but we are looking at ways to genuinely address those issues and do something about it . '' Federal statistics show unemployment is hurting Greenville and surrounding Darke County . Employment in private businesses fell by 7 percent from 2000 to 2005 . Manufacturing companies left town and big employers downsized , like Fram oil filter maker , or closed down completely , like Corning 's fiber-optics plant . Alicia Sommer , who 's lived in Greenville for 37 years and taught in the local schools , says job losses have changed the town . `` On the surface it looks like the ideal hometown , '' she said . `` Everyone wants to raise their kids here , but they ca n't afford it . They have to go where the jobs are , '' she says , leaning on the counter of the downtown coffee shop where she works part time . Walking through the five blocks of downtown Greenville , you see why it looks ideal . Mom-and-pop coffee shops stand in for Starbucks , locals chat on a bench outside a music store , a small cinema offers `` Mr. Bean 's Holiday '' and an Asian monster flick about battling dragons . But St. Paul 's offers the soup kitchen only a block off the Broadway main drag , and the tumbledown housing on Montgomery Street , including the burned duplex , is just a two-minute walk away . Fixing Greenville may be a slow process , and it 's unclear if the continuing case against the 10-year-old will slow it further or provide impetus to the effort . The boy is staying with his maternal grandmother , Tammy Reed , whose daughter died in the fire . The child lost his stepfather to AIDS in July . `` He 's doing really good , '' Reed said of the boy Tuesday morning . No matter how the case turns out , the boy will bear scars forever , his attorney , David Rohrer , said last week . The boy will always know he was charged with killing his mother . `` He 'll never be able to escape that , '' Rohrer said . In downtown Greenville , salons offered $ 5 haircuts Tuesday to raise money for the fire victims . The community wanted to help in any way it could , salon manager Hughes said . Whether that community can also bring Greenville out of its slump may depend on people like Sondra Jackson . Jackson , a letter carrier , walked her new route Monday down Montgomery Street . It was only her second day of work , she said , and she had no idea of the tragedy that unfolded in the burned duplex two weeks before . Jackson said she had just moved to Greenville from Palm Springs , California , where she was born and raised . `` The school system is better in this area , and it 's just a better place to raise kids , '' she said . E-mail to a friend . | Fire killed five people , a 10-year-old boy faces murder and arson charges . Greenville , Ohio , facing realities of poverty as jobs leave . Residents divided whether boy did it ; but united in desire to help town . | [[173, 200], [196, 219], [259, 269], [276, 331], [370, 456], [2313, 2364], [1200, 1255], [4759, 4798]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The family history of poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath took another tragic turn Monday when it was revealed that their son had committed suicide after battling depression . Poets Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath had separated before their son 's first birthday . Nicholas Hughes , whose mother asphyxiated herself in 1963 by putting her head in a gas oven at her London home while her two children slept in the next room , hanged himself at his home in Alaska , his sister Frieda told The Times newspaper . Hughes , 47 , was unmarried with no children of his own and had until recently been a marine biologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks . The Times said that shortly before his death he had left his academic job to set up a pottery workshop at home . Frieda Hughes , a poet , author and artist , said in a statement to the newspaper : `` It is with profound sorrow that I must announce the death of my brother , Nicholas Hughes , who died by his own hand on Monday March 16 , 2009 at his home in Alaska . `` He had been battling depression for some time . '' She added : `` His lifelong fascination with fish and fishing was a strong and shared bond with our father -LRB- many of whose poems were about the natural world -RRB- . `` He was a loving brother , a loyal friend to those who knew him and , despite the vagaries that life threw at him , he maintained an almost childlike innocence and enthusiasm for the next project or plan . '' Hughes was only a baby when his mother killed herself , and his father tried to shield his children from the intense public interest in the family . Some feminist groups blamed the death on Ted Hughes , who had left Plath for Assia Wevill , the wife of another poet . Six years later , Wevill gassed herself and their daughter Shura in an apparent copycat suicide . Ted Hughes died in 1998 , the year he published Birthday Letters , a series of poems about his life with Plath and her death . Hughes appears in both of his parents ' poetry . In `` Nick and the Candlestick , '' published in Plath 's posthumous collection `` Ariel , '' she wrote : `` You are the one . Solid the spaces lean on , envious . You are the baby in the barn . '' Later his father wrote of how , after Plath 's death , their son 's eyes `` became wet jewels , the hardest substance of the purest pain . As I fed him in his high white chair . '' Frieda Hughes has written about her parents and her own battles with depression but a family friend dismissed the idea that Nicolas 's death fitted into a family trend . `` Nick was n't just the baby son of Plath and Hughes and it would be wrong to think of him as some kind of inevitably tragic figure , '' said the unnamed friend . `` He was a man who reached his mid-forties , an adventurous marine biologist with a distinguished academic career behind him and a host of friends and achievements in his own right . That is the man who is mourned by those who knew him . '' | Son of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath commits suicide , his sister says . Nicholas Hughes , whose mother gassed herself , hanged himself in Alaska . Hughes , 47 , was unmarried with no children of his own and was marine biologist . | [[9, 32], [92, 209], [494, 504], [512, 538], [295, 310], [455, 491], [943, 953], [978, 1017], [539, 545], [553, 594], [539, 545], [599, 681], [2742, 2922]] |
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Space shuttle Atlantis landed Sunday at Edwards Air Force Base after rainy weather in Florida precluded a landing at Kennedy Space Center . The space shuttle Atlantis touches down at Edwards AFB on Sunday . The shuttle touched down at 8:39 a.m. PT at Edwards , about 100 miles north of Los Angeles , California . Within seven to 10 days , the shuttle will be transported from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo jet , NASA said in a statement . Atlantis ' next flight is scheduled for November . Rainy weather postponed the shuttle landing both Friday and Saturday . NASA had said that Atlantis conceivably could have remained in space until Monday , but wanted to land the shuttle Sunday . Watch Atlantis land at Edwards Air Force Base '' Weather conditions in Florida were better Sunday than Saturday , NASA officials said , but atmospheric conditions were still too unstable for a landing at Kennedy . It was the 53rd time the shuttle has landed at Edwards , NASA officials said . In the early days of the space shuttle program , Edwards was its primary landing site . Shuttles have landed 70 times at Kennedy Space Center , NASA said , and once at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico . Atlantis launched May 11 for NASA 's final repair visit to the Hubble Space Telescope . Shuttle astronauts conducted five spacewalks during the mission to perform routine repairs and replace key instruments , in what has been called one of the most ambitious space repair efforts ever attempted . Hubble was released back into orbit Tuesday morning . The telescope was rejuvenated with instruments designed to improve its capabilities by as much as 70 times , while extending its lifetime through at least 2014 , according to the NASA statement . `` This is not the end of the story but the beginning of another chapter of discovery by Hubble , '' Ed Weiler , associate administrator for science at NASA headquarters , said in the statement . `` Hubble will be more powerful than ever , continue to surprise , enlighten and inspire us all , and pave the way for the next generation of observatories . '' Hubble , which has been in space for nearly two decades , can capture clear images that telescopes on Earth can not , partly because it does not have to gaze through murky atmospheres . CNN 's John Couwels and Alan Duke contributed to this report . | NEW : Repair mission means `` another chapter of discovery by Hubble , '' official says . Shuttle lands smoothly at 8:39 a.m. PT at Edwards AFB in California . Bad weather scuttled scheduled landing attempts in Florida on Friday and Saturday . Atlantis launched May 11 for NASA 's final repair visit to the Hubble Space Telescope . | [[1817, 1973], [55, 148], [0, 22], [124, 194], [195, 261], [262, 313], [0, 22], [124, 194], [573, 643], [1270, 1319]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mother and brother of a 31-year-old woman found strangled with her two young sons in the bedrooms of their home filed a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday against the alleged killer -- the husband and father of the victims . Christopher Coleman has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond . Christopher Coleman has pleaded not guilty in the triple homicide police say took place early in the morning on May 5 in the family home in the small southwestern Illinois city of Columbia . `` To strip the culpable party of all financial holdings -- all that he has now and all that he may ever have , '' is the aim of the suit , said a statement accompanying the suit filed in Monroe County circuit court by Angela DeCicco and Mario Weiss , the mother and brother of Sheri Coleman . `` To allow one penny of ill-gotten gain to be derived at the expense of Sheri , Garett and Gavin is not acceptable to those who dearly love them . '' The money would go to a memorial fund set up for Coleman and her sons , Garett , 11 , and Gavin , 9 and `` these funds will be used to erect a lasting tribute in the city of Columbia , '' according to the complaint . `` Our goal is to extract something positive from such a horrific and senseless tragedy and to honor the lives of my sister and her two young sons , '' Weiss said . The wrongful death suit also names Coleman 's father , Ronald , and the Joyce Meyer Ministries , where Coleman worked until shortly after his family was killed , as `` respondents in discovery , '' which means they may be forced to hand over financial documents and information such as Coleman 's personnel file , his work schedule and travel itineraries and the Ministries ' employment policies . In addition , the suit tries to establish a timeline of events before and after the killings , saying the Colemans took the deed to their home in 2005 , but six months ago , ownership was transferred to Christoper Coleman alone . `` Sheri did not voluntarily sign the deed transferring title to the residence to Christopher , '' the document says . Lawyers in the civil suit also allege that in the period between the killings and his arrest , Coleman removed personal property from the home . The suit asks that Coleman and anyone `` acting at his direction '' be forbidden from entering the home again and that he provide a list of items already removed . Coleman remains in jail after a judge denied bond . | Sheri Coleman , 2 sons killed in Columbia , Illinois , home . Christopher Coleman , husband and father , is accused in the deaths . Family says it hopes to prevent `` ill-gotten gain '' from the three deaths . | [[393, 510]] |
SAN FRANCISCO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- California 's highest court upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages Tuesday but allowed about 18,000 unions performed before the ban to remain valid . Protesters gather outside the California Supreme Court in San Francisco on Tuesday . Supporters of November ballot initiative Proposition 8 hailed the ruling , but about 1,000 advocates of same-sex marriages who gathered outside the court building in San Francisco met the 6-1 decision with chants of `` Shame on you . '' Following the ruling , supporters of same-sex marriage took to the streets to protest . CNN affiliate KGO reported that after the opinion was made public lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender officers were brought in specifically to help manage the crowd . During those protests 159 adults and three juveniles were arrested and cited for jaywalking , San Francisco Police Department Sgt. Lyn Tomioka told CNN . Similar rallies were held Tuesday evening in Los Angeles , where 3,500 to 5,000 protesters took part , according to police estimates . There were no arrests , said Julianne Sohn of the Los Angeles Police Department . There were also reports of demonstrations in San Diego and some other California cities , as well as in major cities nationwide . iReport.com : Rally in San Diego . Lisa Angelot and Karen Brandenberger were married when it was legal , but they said their own marriage is not enough , and told KGO they were prepared to be arrested to make the point . `` It will be my first time to be arrested , '' Angelot told KGO . Many supporters said it was most upsetting to have the right to marry yanked away from them after last year 's court ruling . `` It is impossible to square the elation that we felt just a year ago with the grief that we feel today , '' said Kate Kendell , head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights . `` And it is impossible to reconcile the court 's ruling from a year ago with its upholding of Proposition 8 today . '' The same court , dominated by Republican appointees , ruled in May 2008 that the state constitution guaranteed gay and lesbian couples the `` basic civil right '' to marry . Voters responded in November by approving the marriage ban by a margin of 52 to 48 percent . iReport.com : React to court decision and share photos , video . Opponents of the ban argued that it improperly altered California 's constitution to restrict a fundamental right guaranteed in the state charter . Its supporters argued that Californians long have had the right to change their state constitution through ballot initiatives . Tuesday 's ruling found that the proposition restricted the designation of marriage `` while not otherwise affecting the fundamental constitutional rights of same-sex couples , '' as Chief Justice Ronald George wrote . In a dissenting opinion , Justice Carlos Moreno -- the court 's only Democratic appointee -- wrote that the decision `` is not just a defeat for same-sex couples , but for any minority group that seeks the protection of the equal protection clause of the California Constitution . '' Watch what was at stake '' The decision sparked protests in San Francisco , Los Angeles and San Diego . `` It 's nice that my marriage is still intact , but that 's not the point , '' said Kathleen White , who was among those awaiting the ruling in San Francisco . `` The point is that everybody should have the same civil rights across the board . '' But Miles McPherson , pastor of the Rock Church in San Diego , said the court `` did the right thing . '' Voters in 28 other states have approved constitutional bans on same-sex marriages , and none has been rejected , he said . `` God did n't create the family that way , '' McPherson said . `` You ca n't have a family with a mother and a mother , because -LSB- children -RSB- need a mother and a father to nurture their personality and their character . '' Tony Perkins , president of the conservative Family Research Council , said the ruling `` should encourage pro-family activists not only in California but across the country . '' But he said that by preserving marriages performed before the ban , the justices could have opened a door to a possible appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court . It was unclear whether advocates had an avenue to appeal Tuesday 's ruling , however . And Dennis Herrera , San Francisco 's city attorney , said the fight for same-sex marriage rights would most likely go on `` in the electoral arena . '' `` Today we 're faced with a disappointing decision , '' Herrera said . `` But I think we also know it could have been worse . '' View reactions to the ruling '' A new effort , dubbed Yes on Equality , has begun working to place an initiative on the 2010 ballot that would repeal Proposition 8 . State justices left unaddressed whether same-sex marriages performed in other states before the ban was adopted would be recognized in California , and advocates would have to argue that the measure violated their rights under the U.S. Constitution for the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case . California took its first steps toward recognizing same-sex marriages in 2004 , when San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples . iReport.com : React to court decision and share photos , video . Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , who opposed the initiative , praised the court for leaving the previous marriages intact and urged opponents of the decision to respond `` peacefully and lawfully . '' `` While I believe that one day either the people or courts will recognize gay marriage , as governor of California , I will uphold the decision of the California Supreme Court , '' Schwarzenegger said in a written statement . Four states -- Connecticut , Maine , Massachusetts and Iowa -- currently allow same-sex marriages . A Vermont law making such marriages legal will take effect in September . And the District of Columbia voted May 5 to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere , though it does not itself give marriage licenses to same-sex couples . | NEW : Police : 162 same-sex marriage supporters arrested during protests . Dissenting opinion says decision `` fundamentally alters '' state constitution . Court 's 6-1 ruling met with chants of `` shame on you '' from crowd of about 1,000 . Voters approved ban on same-sex marriage in November . | [[789, 855], [2335, 2482], [2830, 2853], [2856, 2877], [2923, 3020], [207, 291], [371, 414], [472, 525], [2177, 2183], [2206, 2235]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sidney Frank made millions marketing Jagermeister and other alcohol brands . Three years after his death , he 's a big hit with students at the Ivy League college he briefly attended . Sidney Frank , shown accepting an honorary degree in 2005 , gave $ 100 million to Brown University . He 's a big hit not because of what he sold but because he 's given dozens of them what he could n't afford as a young man : an education at Rhode Island 's Brown University . On Sunday , 49 students from low-income families became the first four-year Sidney E. Frank Scholars to graduate from Brown , owing virtually nothing except gratitude to the late liquor magnate . `` The world of difference that he made for each and every one of us is unbelievable , incredible , '' one of the Frank Scholars , 22-year-old Shane Reil , said Sunday . Frank -- who left Brown after one year in the late 1930s because he could n't afford to stay -- gave the school a $ 100 million endowment in 2004 . He stipulated that the fund 's income go exclusively to covering all tuition and expenses for the neediest of Brown 's admitted applicants . Hear graduates say how their dreams came true '' For this year 's graduates , tuition and expenses came to a four-year total of about $ 180,000 each . The median annual income of the recipients ' families was $ 18,984 . The gift was the largest single one ever given to Brown and one of the largest ever given for undergraduate scholarships in the United States , according to the school . Reil , a history major who is preparing to co-chair a student conference on U.S.-South Korean relations and aspires to work in politics or foreign service , says the scholarship was the stuff of dreams . He was working up to 40 hours a week during high school so he could pay for clothes and even help with grocery bills . He and his mother were getting by , but the Massachusetts native thought community college or a big state school would be all he could afford . When his academic achievements put Brown in his sights , he thought he 'd have to go into too much debt to go there . But he applied anyway , and Brown invited him to campus to tell him about how much the school would award him . `` I sat in this guy 's office ... and he said , ' $ 37,000 for tuition , ' '' Reil recalled . `` I said , `` $ 37,000 , that 's going to be split over four years , so essentially I 'm getting a $ 10,000 scholarship per year . ' `` He said , ` No , no , that 's $ 37,000 for this year , and it will be covered -LSB- the rest of the years -RSB- too . ' '' Reil said he cried in the office and ran to his car , where his mother was waiting . `` She was crying so much , we had to sit in the car for so long because she could n't drive . It was a great moment , '' Reil said . `` Having the opportunity to go to a really good school ... I think it took my world from a very small area and physical space and just expanded it in multitudes , '' he said . Though other universities give full rides , Frank 's gift was a coup for Brown . Like many other schools , Brown used to factor a family 's ability to pay when deciding whether to accept students . Brown no longer does that , and Frank 's gift was `` integral '' in bringing the change , said Jim Miller , Brown 's dean of admissions . The school intends to give 30 to 35 Frank scholarships per year . Most recipients are the first in their families to go to college , Miller said . That was the case for Eliana Reyes Castro , who was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the United States when she was 6 . She said she attended a Massachusetts high school that had regained its accreditation only months before she graduated . Like Reil , she was one of the Frank Scholars who graduated Sunday . She received a degree in education with a concentration in human development and will pursue a master 's in secondary social studies and history at Brown . She might have attended Brown even if she had to take out loans . But that might have taken her away from what she wanted to do -- teach -- in favor of something that she had less interest in but paid more , she said . `` Just teaching right after college ... might not have been as appealing if I had loans to worry about , '' Reyes Castro said . Frank , though he went to Brown only one year , landed an engineering job at Pratt & Whitney in part because someone there had gone to the school , said his daughter , Cathy Halstead . The company sent him overseas and he worked on Allied airplane engines during World War II , she said . Eventually he got into the liquor business , started the Sidney Frank Importing Co. and marketed Jagermeister and Grey Goose vodka in the United States . He took up Jagermeister in the 1970s , sending attractive young women to bars to persuade patrons to try the drink and coming up with the Jagermeister tap machine . He created Grey Goose , had it distilled in France and brought it into the United States through importers . In 2004 , he sold Grey Goose for $ 2.2 billion , said Halstead , 61 , of Seattle , Washington . When Brown gave him an honorary degree in 2005 , not long after his gift and months before his January 2006 death , people gave him a hero 's welcome , she said . `` People on both sides -LSB- of a procession -RSB- were yelling his name and yelling , ` Jager ! ' and yelling , ` Goose ! ' '' she said . He gave millions of dollars to other institutions and projects . As for the Brown scholarship fund , he started it because he saw that Brown had changed the course of his life , Halstead said . `` He really wanted kids who were coming from very economically challenged backgrounds to have the chance to make it all the way through , '' said Halstead , who attended Sunday 's graduation ceremony . Reil and Reyes Castro said they could n't thank Frank enough if he were alive . `` What he did is a catalyst for a lot of great things , and I 'm indebted to him to do the best with the education that I 've gotten here to help people in any way that I can , '' Reyes Castro said . | Sidney Frank left $ 100 million to Brown University months before he died . Frank attended Brown for one year in 1930s , left because he could n't afford it . The gift covers tuition , other expenses for neediest accepted applicants . First students to receive Frank 's scholarship for four years graduated Sunday . | [[204, 216], [264, 304], [847, 852], [943, 994], [96, 123], [159, 203], [847, 852], [860, 939], [4296, 4326], [995, 1135], [1014, 1135], [481, 490], [493, 676], [3735, 3753], [3758, 3776]] |
CANNES , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After eleven days , hundreds of screenings and thousands of snaps from the paparazzi , there could only be one Palme d'Or winner . Austrian director Michael Haneke hugs the president of the Cannes jury , French actress Isabelle Huppert . `` The White Ribbon , '' by Austrian director Michael Haneke , was awarded the prize for its depiction of the cruel punishments meted out at a rural German school before the First World War . `` The Palme d'Or is the best prize a filmmaker can win , '' said Haneke at a press conference following his award . `` I am not proud , but I am very happy . In my opinion , it 's silly to be proud . '' It was a case of fifth time lucky for Haneke , who has previously been nominated for the award for `` Funny Games '' -LRB- 1997 -RRB- , `` Code Unknown '' -LRB- 2000 -RRB- , `` The Piano Teacher '' -LRB- 2001 -RRB- and `` Hidden '' -LRB- 2005 -RRB- . `` There are always rumors at the festival , and one must not take them seriously , '' the director said . `` When I presented `` Hidden '' -LSB- in 2005 -RSB- , everyone was telling me I was going to win the Palme . And I did n't get it . '' Jury president Isabelle Huppert , the French actress who won the best actress prize at the 2001 festival for `` The Piano Teacher , '' said she was delighted to have the chance to honor her former director . `` I think I always loved him as a director , and that 's why I 've worked with him before , '' she said at the post-awards press conference . `` To me , the movie is very philosophical . And his style , and his direction are totally ethical in my mind . That 's what I wanted to reward . '' The American actress Robin Wright Penn , who also sat on the festival jury , laughed off rumors that the decision was hotly disputed . `` There have been rumors circulating that we were fighting in the room , '' she told the press conference . `` The beauty about loving each other ... -LSB- is that -RSB- we could disagree , and we still love each other . I felt like we built a consensus among us , '' she said . `` It was like being on `` Big Brother , '' except you could go to the movies , '' added British screenwriter and fellow juror Hanif Kureishi . `` Some of the films are very long , '' he joked . Elsewhere , Charlotte Gainsbourg won the best actress prize for her shocking turn in Lars von Trier 's `` Antichrist , '' featuring scenes of genital mutilation that left audiences stunned . Christolph Waltz won best actor for his role in Quentin Tarantino 's `` Inglourious Basterds , '' while Brillante Mendoza secured the best director gong for `` Kinatay . '' The jury prize was shared by Korean auteur Park Chan-Wook 's vampire film `` Thirst , '' and Andrea Arnold 's `` Fish Tank , '' while the grand prix went to `` The Prophet , '' by director Jacques Audiard . | `` The White Ribbon , '' by Austrian director Michael Haneke , wins Cannes . Haneke : Palme d'Or is the best prize a filmmaker can win . Jury member , Robin Wright Penn , dismisses claims they were split over winner . | [[295, 318], [327, 400], [465, 520], [1663, 1701], [1713, 1737], [1663, 1689], [1740, 1797]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pirates attacked a Japanese cargo ship off the coast of Somalia on Sunday , a Japanese Transportation Ministry official said . A french navy helicopter watches over a cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden earlier this year . A pair of small pirate vessels fired on a ship operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines about 4 p.m. Somali time -LRB- 9 a.m. ET -RRB- , damaging the front of the ship , but not seriously , according to Masami Suekado . There were no injuries . The exact number and makeup of the crew were not immediately known , although none of the crew members is Japanese , Suekado said . Pirating off Somalia has increase over the past four or five years as fishermen from Somalia realize that pirating is more lucrative . The crime , which is hard to prevent , has raised concerns internationally . In 2008 , pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 off Somalia , according to the International Maritime Bureau . In response , a number of countries have deployed ships from their navies to the region , including the United States , China and Japan . Two Japanese destroyers set sail earlier this month on an anti-piracy mission off Somalia , the Japanese defense ministry said . | Pirates attack Japanese cargo ship off the coast of Somalia . A pair of small pirate vessels fire on ship operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines . Front of ship damaged but not seriously ; There are no injuries . In 2008 , pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 off Somalia . | [[19, 57], [249, 285], [279, 364], [239, 269], [367, 397], [239, 269], [367, 397], [450, 474], [819, 826], [829, 864], [819, 826], [829, 836], [869, 903]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former federal prosecutor was arrested Wednesday on charges related to the murder of a witness in a drug case , among many other counts , the U.S. Attorney 's Office in Newark , New Jersey , said . Former federal prosecutor Paul Bergrin is charged with leading a racketeering conspiracy that included a murder . Paul Bergrin and three others were taken into custody after a federal grand jury in New Jersey indicted them on 14 counts , including murder , racketeering , wire fraud and money laundering charges , a statement from Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra Jr. said . The indictment charges Bergrin with leading a racketeering conspiracy that included the murder of a witness in a drug case and an attempt to hire a hit man in another drug case , the statement said . Bergrin also is charged with wire fraud and money laundering , Marra said . Gerald Shargel , Bergrin 's attorney , said his client would plead not guilty to all charges . `` This is largely dredging up old issues , and we intend to vigorously fight the charges , '' Shargel said . The U.S. Attorney 's Office statement said Bergrin was involved in the murder of a confidential witness in one federal drug case and tried to hire a Chicago , Illinois , hit man to kill a witness in another drug case . The second killing never occurred , the statement said , because the proposed hit man was a cooperating witness in the case . Marra called Bergrin 's alleged conduct `` simply shocking . '' `` A licensed lawyer , a former prosecutor essentially became one of the criminals he represents , supporting , encouraging , indeed directing , a criminal enterprise that engaged in murder and murder conspiracies , drug trafficking and financial fraud , '' Marra said in the statement . `` Bergrin can now expect to feel the full weight of the very legal system he turned on its head with his conduct . '' Bergrin was an assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey before going into private practice . According to the New York Law Journal , Bergrin , 53 , pleaded guilty this month to two misdemeanor counts for his involvement with a prostitution ring . He later represented U.S. Army Sgt. Javal Davis , one of seven people charged in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal in Iraq . In that case , Davis entered a plea agreement on reduced charges before his court martial began . A recorded message at Bergrin 's Newark , New Jersey , office said it was closed today , and messages left with Bergrin 's cell phone and the cell phones of two associates went unanswered . | Paul Bergrin arrested after federal grand jury indicts him and 3 others on 14 counts . Bergrin was assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey before going into private practice . Indictment charges him with leading conspiracy that included murder of a witness . Bergrin 's attorney : Case is `` dredging up old issues , '' will plead not guilty . | [[333, 475], [1894, 1983], [1906, 1923], [1947, 1983], [73, 130], [219, 307], [219, 257], [269, 332], [333, 475], [597, 734], [1078, 1236], [873, 887], [912, 967], [968, 1009]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pele has denied saying that Manchester City striker Robinho had taken drugs . Pele 's alleged quotes about striker Robinho -LRB- above -RRB- have caused a sensation in Brazil . The Brazilian legend was quoted as saying that Robinho and former world footballer of the year Ronaldo used recreational drugs at a private party in Sao Paolo . The comments have caused a sensation in Brazil , where Ronaldo is still revered and Pele 's word is taken as gospel , and led to Robinho 's representatives demanding an official retraction . However , Pele insists he said no such thing . `` Robinho is our son and left Santos with our supervision , '' he told TV Globo . `` What happened was a misunderstanding because I never said anything like that , they gave him wrong information . `` I know what the people who need to sell newspapers are like . When there 's a story like this you need to ask for the recording to hear what was really said . '' Pele 's advisor went into further detail about the exact nature of the misunderstanding . `` There 's nothing to this , Pele never said that Robinho had problems with drugs , '' he told Terra.com . `` His answer was distorted . Pele was asked about problems in football , and said that the problems are few compared to other sports . `` He said that in football only Maradona , Ronaldo and Robinho had really had problems , but he never talked about drugs at any moment . '' | Pele has denied saying that Manchester City striker Robinho had taken drugs . Brazilian legend was quoted as saying Robinho used drugs at a private party . However Pele claims that his recent quotes were distorted and misrepresented . | [[19, 96], [558, 594], [1079, 1131], [196, 356], [196, 216], [228, 356]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has been handed his first call-up to the France squad for their two World Cup qualifiers against Lithuania . Gignac has been rewarded for his superb form this season with a first call-up to the France squad . The 23-year-old forward is the top scorer in French Ligue 1 with 17 goals this season -- and has been selected by coach Raymond Domenech ahead of Paris St-Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau . Defenders Patrice Evra and Ladil Rami return , but fellow-defenders Eric Abidal -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- , Jean-Alain Boumsong -LRB- Lyon -RRB- and Julien Escude -LRB- Sevilla -RRB- are all ruled out through injury . There is also no place in the squad for captain Patrick Vieira , who has struggled to find his best form for Inter Milan this season . France are currently third in European Group Seven with just one win to show from their first three matches . They trail Serbia and Lithuania by five points but have a game in hand on both nations . France initially face Lituania in Kaunas on March 28 , with the return match at the Stade de France in Paris on April 1 . France squad : . Goalkeepers : Hugo Lloris -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , Steve Mandanda -LRB- Marseille -RRB- , Cedric Carrasso -LRB- Toulouse -RRB- . Defenders : Gael Clichy -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , Rod Fanni -LRB- Rennes -RRB- , William Gallas -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , Philippe Mexes -LRB- Roma -RRB- , Bacary Sagna -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , Sebastien Squillaci -LRB- Sevilla -RRB- , Patrice Evra -LRB- Manchester United -RRB- , Adil Rami -LRB- Lille -RRB- . Midfielders : Alou Diarra -LRB- Bordeaux -RRB- , Lassana Diarra -LRB- Real Madrid -RRB- , Yoann Gourcuff -LRB- Bordeaux -RRB- , Samir Nasri -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , Jeremy Toulalan -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , Abou Diaby -LRB- Arsenal -RRB- , Franck Ribery -LRB- Bayern Munich -RRB- . Forwards : Nicolas Anelka -LRB- Chelsea -RRB- , Karim Benzema -LRB- Lyon -RRB- , Jimmy Briand -LRB- Rennes -RRB- , Thierry Henry -LRB- Barcelona -RRB- , Andre-Pierre Gignac -LRB- Toulouse -RRB- . | Toulouse striker Andre-Pierre Gignac handed his first call-up to France squad . Gignac named in 23-man squad after scoring 15 goals in Ligue 1 this season . But there is no place for captain Patrick Vieira in Raymond Domenech 's squad . | [[0, 15], [42, 164], [165, 264], [165, 264], [669, 731]] |
TRION , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Dodge Neon sped down Interstate 40 in eastern Oklahoma , its occupants heading to Phoenix , Arizona , to buy a load of dope . It was May 2005 . The couple brought along methamphetamine , cocaine and marijuana to help pass the time on the long journey . Paul Faulkner , 83 , and his son , Michael Smith , were convicted in a drug smuggling ring in north Georgia . At that moment , Detective Rob Rumble had no clue that the traffic stop he was about to make would launch a years-long drug investigation stretching more than 2,000 miles , from the remote mountains of northwest Georgia all the way down to Mexico . The investigation showed how an 83-year-old grandfather adapted to the times , morphing from old school bootlegging to dealing Mexican dope . His son acted as the ringleader of the operation . His grandson was tied in too , authorities say . `` I 've seen it all . Nothing surprises me , '' said Rumble , a drug investigator for the district attorney 's office in east-central Oklahoma . After making that traffic stop , Rumble persuaded the nervous , lanky driver from Georgia to work with authorities and tell everything he knew . Investigators were led to a sleepy pocket of Georgia with scenic mountain views where people wave to strangers from their cars and where some homes still fly the Confederate flag . Watch moonshine , marijuana and a family feud '' It 's the last place one might expect drugs from Mexico . But the demand for drugs is reaching even the most remote corners of America . Their story has all the intrigue of a classic Southern novel -- three generations of a family business on the wrong side of the law , complete with an old fashioned family feud . `` When they 're in that type of business , there 's a reckoning day -- and apparently this is it , '' said Benny Perry , the 78-year-old mayor of Trion , Georgia , one of the towns where the family was operating . Perry is a barrel-chested man and speaks in a welcoming Southern accent . `` I 'll say this , I was completely surprised , '' he said . `` I felt like we had a problem here , but I would n't have thought it was originating in Mexico and coming here . '' The drugs , mostly marijuana , were trucked from Mexico through California and Arizona and then distributed across five counties in Georgia and one in Tennessee , authorities say . They were hidden in just about anything -- furniture , roofs of big-rigs and tire wells . Once the shipments arrived , the dope was put in 50-caliber ammunition cans and buried in the woods , where buyers would pick up the stash and leave behind thousands in cash , authorities say . See where the family operated '' At the heart of the operation was 46-year-old Michael Leon Smith , who authorities say became one of the richest men in Chattooga County , population 25,000 , as he laundered his drug money by buying up dozens of pieces of property . One tract of land sits on Old Justice Road , an ironic name considering the law finally caught up with him . Smith 's 83-year-old father , Paul Leon Faulkner , was also busted . Eight others , including Faulkner 's grandson -LRB- Smith 's nephew -RRB- , pleaded guilty to an array of charges related to the drug ring . The drugs mostly involved marijuana , but methamphetamine and cocaine were also part of the smuggling operation , authorities say . `` We love it when somebody says they ca n't be caught , '' said Del Thomasson , a special agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation who worked the case . Faulkner , who is suffering from cancer , was handed a 20-year sentence last month and is to head to prison in August . `` Twenty years , that is a death sentence , '' said Giles Jones , Faulkner 's attorney , adding that he has appealed the sentence . He said Faulkner was a `` full-time mountain shiner '' who could talk moonshine until he was `` blue in the face , '' but knew little about the Mexican marijuana operation . Jones said the old man 's son `` threw his ass under the bus '' to save himself . `` It 's a situation where I guess you 're just looking out for yourself . It 's every day as every day , man , '' said Jones . Not so fast , said Cathy Alterman , the defense attorney for Smith , Faulkner 's son . `` Michael did n't throw his father under the bus . His father threw Michael down the drain when he was 16 years old , '' Alterman said . `` If the father got a longer sentence , it 's because he 's a lousy father . ... He was never there for his son , except to be a bad example . '' Smith is serving a nine-year sentence in federal prison in Montgomery , Alabama . Faulkner 's grandson is also serving a nine-year sentence . There is no parole in the federal system . Alterman said the sentences are excessive for people involved in dealing marijuana , a substance she says should be legalized . iReport.com : Time to legalize pot ? `` Michael 's a wonderful family man , a Christian -- which means a lot to him , a very religious man . And I point out that in the Bible , God gave us every seed-bearing plant , and I think Michael looked at it that way . And , unfortunately , our government since 1937 has not seen it as a God-given right . '' Alterman is a defense attorney in suburban Atlanta , Georgia . She says about 90 percent of her clients are accused drug dealers , `` most of them out of Mexico . '' Asked if Smith was dealing with people tied to Mexico 's ruthless cartels , Alterman said , `` Yes . '' Learn more about Mexican cartels '' `` When you 're selling in quantity -- all right , and Michael was selling in quantity -- you need someone who is able to give you a regular supply at a reasonable price , and so eventually Michael did end up buying from people who were from Mexico . '' The cartels are so organized , the money so great , that when an operation like this family 's is taken down , it does n't take long for others to move in . `` Within 24 hours , if someone 's arrested , someone else here already in the United States in the trade will take their place , '' Alterman said . `` America does not know that the fingers of the cartels are basically around the throat of America , '' she added , `` and it has spread out to rural America just as much as the inner city of Detroit . '' Authorities agree . Nearly every rural community is facing a similar battle , with drug dealers taking up shop in small towns where law enforcement has less of a presence and where the nation 's highways make for easy transport . `` I think people should care about what happens in a rural area , because let 's face it , there are more rural areas than there are cities . Our community is not the only one affected , '' said GBI agent Thomasson . A Justice Department study released last year showed Mexican cartels had a presence in 230 U.S. cities , stretching from the U.S.-Mexican border to the Southeast and as far north as Alaska . The nation 's rural communities are increasingly affected . See the cartels ' urban hubs . `` Historically , rural America uses more alcohol and less drugs . That is changing , '' said Dr. H. Westley Clark , the director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment . There have been few comprehensive studies over the last decade looking at the problem of drugs in rural America . According to a 2006 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration , the use of illicit drugs in America is nearly the same in cities and rural areas , 8.7 percent compared to 7.8 percent respectively . Another report , in 2000 by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University , found that eighth-graders living in rural America were 34 percent more likely to smoke marijuana than in urban centers and 83 percent more likely to use crack cocaine . In Trion , a town of about 2,000 people , a sign sits at the edge of the community in support of the local K-12 school . It reads , `` Trion Bulldogs deserve a drug free community to live and grow !! '' The words `` drug free '' are underlined . Many here are shocked to hear drugs from Mexico are coming through . Most do n't like to talk on the record about the case because the family was well-known , even well-liked . `` You got a guy who 's a drug dealer , but you have good people in a community . I mean , they do n't have a clue what 's going on , '' Thomasson said . The town 's mayor , Perry , said it 's difficult to reconcile a `` cordial '' local family with the serious drug convictions . `` You could talk to -LSB- them -RSB- ... and they would speak back , '' he said of Faulkner and Smith . `` That 's a big thing up here in a small town . If you speak to somebody and they do n't speak back , you think , ` Well , something 's wrong here . ' '' Perry said local authorities are trying `` to stamp out the local demand , '' adding , `` As long as we 've got a market for it , they 're gon na bring it up here . '' Alterman , the defense attorney , agrees . `` Americans are screaming for drugs '' and there 's millions to be made , she said . `` There 's too much money involved . '' | 10 people , including grandpa , son and grandson , convicted on serious drug charges . 83-year-old former moonshiner gets 20 years ; son who led operation gets 9 years . Attorney : `` If the father got a longer sentence , it 's because he 's a lousy father '' Authorities say case is a microcosm of what 's happening across rural America . | [[292, 324], [335, 401], [3109, 3154], [3185, 3222], [793, 843], [3040, 3067], [3091, 3108], [3542, 3550], [3584, 3624], [4633, 4692], [4410, 4442], [4459, 4481], [6925, 6984]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Texas woman tearfully recounted the death of her foster child at the hands of a schoolteacher during a congressional hearing Tuesday looking into the use of seclusion and restraints in U.S. schools . The House Committee on Education and Labor heard testimony Tuesday on a report looking at school abuse . The hearing came on the heels of a report issued by the investigating arm of Congress that documents widespread abuse of techniques use to restrain or discipline special-education students . The Government Accountability Office report was prepared for the House Committee on Education and Labor , which heard testimony from parents , investigators and experts who described traumatizing punishment of special-needs children . The violent acts -- from hours of isolation in locked rooms or closets to the use of handcuffs and pinning children on the floor -- often led to serious injuries and even death , witnesses said . Committee Chairman Rep. George Miller , D-California , called the testimony `` startling . '' `` This is just unacceptable , '' he said . `` This punishment is way out of bounds of what I believe are the social norms of this society . '' Toni Price of Killeen , Texas , told committee members that her 14-year-old foster child , Cedric , died in March 2002 when his eighth-grade teacher 's disciplinary actions went too far . His death was one of the cases investigated by the GAO -- and the teacher , who is now working in a Virginia high school , has been placed on leave as a result of the congressional investigation . Price said Cedric was experiencing behavioral problems in school and on that particular day he stopped working at 11 a.m. His teacher withheld his lunch . Around 2:30 , still without having eaten , Cedric tried to leave the classroom . Her voice shaking and tears welling in her eyes , Price said the teacher , whom she described as over 6 feet tall and weighing 230 pounds , forced the boy in a chair and restrained him . Price said Cedric , a small boy , struggled , so the teacher put him face down and sat on him . `` I ca n't breathe , '' he said . `` If you can speak , you can breathe , '' the teacher said , according to Price 's testimony . Shortly after that , Cedric stopped struggling , and then stopped moving altogether . The teacher continued to restrain him as an aide wiped drool off his face , Price said . They then sat him up in the chair but Cedric slumped over and slid off , Price said . He was dead before Price could get to the school . `` If I treated Cedric that way at home , I 'd be in jail , '' Price told lawmakers . Cedric 's death was ruled a homicide , Price said , but the teacher never faced trial . She was placed on a Texas registry of individuals found to have abused children but , despite the listing , she now teaches at a public high school in Virginia , Price told the committee . Tuesday morning , the American Association of School Administrators told the committee that the teacher involved in Price 's death had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation . The school system acted after the GAO referred its findings to the state school board , the organization reported . Price questioned why the crimes of pedophiles are public but teachers who torture children are free to continue working without disclosure of their past actions . Government auditors examined hundreds of allegations of abuse , the GAO report said . In 20 of those cases , it said , children died after being put in restraints . In four of those , the restraints were found to have resulted in the children suffocating . GAO investigator Greg Kutz told the House committee Tuesday that he lacked data to quantify the problem , but in the 2008 school year , investigators discovered 33,000 instances of seclusion , restraints or other punishments in Texas and California alone . Despite the problem , Kutz said , no federal regulations exist on the treatment of the more than 6 million children classified as having `` special needs , '' conditions including autism and Down syndrome . At the state level , the laws are widely divergent -- 19 states have no laws at all . Auditors found that eight states prohibit prone restraints or other techniques that hinder breathing , and 17 require teachers or staff to be trained in proper techniques before using them . Only six keep records of how frequently those techniques are used , and reports are required by law in only two of those states -- California and Connecticut . The GAO investigation found that teachers and school staff frequently lack training in correct restraint methods , and in some cases , where improper restraints led to injuries , teachers often kept their jobs . In 13 states , parents have to agree before teachers can restrain children in non-emergency situations , while 19 require teachers to notify parents after the fact . Parents contacted by CNN commonly said they were not told their children were being disciplined until after they began to behave badly at home , which to them indicated trouble at school . When confronted with complaints , school systems sometimes sought to minimize or deny the allegations , even after public investigations found the charges to be true , according to parents and the GAO report . Miller 's committee is considering new laws governing what actions teachers can take to rein in disruptive special-needs students . Abbie Boudreau and Steve Turnham of the CNN Special Investigations Unit contributed to this report . | New GAO report shows abuse of techniques used to restrain special-ed kids . House Education and Labor Committee hears testimony from parents , investigators . Chairman Miller , D-California , called the testimony `` startling '' Government auditors examined hundreds of allegations of abuse . | [[359, 457], [447, 516], [417, 457], [477, 516], [221, 325], [615, 620], [629, 685], [5132, 5146], [5266, 5307], [948, 985], [1003, 1038], [3373, 3434]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor knew she wanted to go into law from an early age . Sonia Sotomayor says the nomination is the `` most humbling honor '' of her life . As a child , she aspired to be like Nancy Drew , the detective in the popular children 's mystery series . But at the age of 8 , she was diagnosed with diabetes and told she would not be able to pursue that line of work . Sotomayor said it was another fictional character that inspired her next choice . `` I noticed that -LSB- defense attorney -RSB- Perry Mason was involved in a lot of the same kinds of investigative work that I had been fascinated with reading Nancy Drew , so I decided to become a lawyer , '' Sotomayor told the American Bar Association publication in 2000 . `` Once I focused on becoming a lawyer , I never deviated from that goal . '' See Sotomayor 's life in photos '' Sotomayor 's parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II . Her father worked in a factory and did n't speak English . She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project , not too far from the stadium of her favorite team -- the New York Yankees . Her father died when she was 9 , leaving her mother to raise her and her younger brother on her own . Related : Sotomayor well known in sports . Her mother , whom Sotomayor describes as her biggest inspiration , worked six days a week to care for her and her younger brother , and instilled in them the value of an education . Background on Sotomayor '' Sotomayor later graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and went on to attend Yale law school , where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal . In her three-decade career , she has worked at nearly every level of the judicial system , and on Tuesday she became President Obama 's pick to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court . Watch Sotomayor accept the nomination '' Sotomayor thanked Obama for `` the most humbling honor of my life . '' `` I hope that as the Senate and American people learn more about me , they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences . Today is one of those experiences , '' she said . The 54-year-old judge , if confirmed , would become the first Hispanic to serve on the high court . She would also be the third female named to the Supreme Court , and the second on the current court . See who 's already on the Supreme Court '' Sotomayor is touted by supporters as a justice with bipartisan favor and historic appeal . She currently serves as a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals . The liberal-leaning justice was named a district judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and was elevated to her current seat by President Clinton . Supporters say her appointment history , along with what they describe as her moderate-liberal views , will give her some bipartisan backing in the Senate . Sotomayor presided over about 450 cases while on the district court . Prior to her judicial appointments , Sotomayor was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes . Robin Kar , who clerked for Sotomayor from 1998 to 1999 , described her as a `` warm , extraordinarily kind and caring person . '' Watch Kar recall his work with Sotomayor '' `` She has an amazing story , but she 's also just an amazing person , '' he said , adding that she has a knack for getting to know those around her . `` She was the judge who , in the courthouse for example , knew all of the doormen , knew the cafeteria workers , who knew the janitors -- she did n't just know all of the other judges and the politicians . She really went out of her way to get to know everyone and was well loved by everyone . '' Conservatives argue Sotomayor has a `` hard-left record '' and believes that judges should consider experiences of women and minorities in their decision-making . They also described her as a `` bully '' who `` abuses lawyers . '' Asked about allegations that she tends to be prickly with her colleagues , Kar said , `` I would say no to that . What I would say is that she has a reputation for being prickly on the bench , which is a bit different . '' Kar said if attorneys have with a weak argument , `` she 's very quick ... and intellectually demanding . '' `` They 'll have a hard time if they show up in her court without really doing their homework , '' he said . Margarita Rosa , a Princeton classmate of Sotomayor , said she 's always known the high court nominee to be `` measured and methodical '' in her decision-making . `` She really looks at the facts and she is , I think , very evenhanded and fair -- but does bring to the table a very valuable understanding of the challenges and experiences , I think , of average people , '' she said . Obama has said he hopes confirmation hearings will be held in July , with the confirmation completed before Congress leaves for the summer . Sotomayor was confirmed to her current seat by the Senate in 1998 , a process that took more than a year . The final vote was 67-29 . Though a majority of Senate Republicans opposed her nomination , she did win several key Republican votes that year , which could prove critical in this year 's confirmation fight . In 1998 , the New York judge won the support of 25 Republicans , including eight senators who still serve . If Sotomayor is able to maintain the support of just a few of those GOP senators this year , Senate Republicans would face an almost impossible task in defeating her nomination , even by filibuster , which requires 40 votes . Currently , Republicans hold 39 senate seats . All 29 votes against her 1998 nomination were from Republicans , 11 of whom still serve . CNN 's Kristi Keck and Robert Yoon contributed to this report . | Sotomayor : `` I am an ordinary person ... blessed with extraordinary opportunities '' Sonia Sotomayor , 54 , was born in Bronx to parents from Puerto Rico . Supreme Court nominee grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx . Named district judge by George H.W. Bush ; elevated to current seat by Bill Clinton . | [[1978, 2088], [2065, 2160], [869, 945], [1005, 1030], [1005, 1030], [1005, 1008], [1035, 1070], [2622, 2714], [2622, 2649], [2710, 2714], [2719, 2774]] |
SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Tuesday urged urban leaders and policymakers they need to take the lead now in fighting climate change . Bill Clinton to urban leaders in Seoul : What will you do about climate change ? `` What are you going to do and how much are you going to spend ? '' Clinton asked leaders from the world 's biggest cities at a climate summit being held in South Korea 's capital , Seoul . Officials from the world 's 40 biggest cities plus 17 affiliate municipalities are attending the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit , which ends on Thursday . Waiting for nations to take the lead with a new climate protocol in Copenhagen in December is not an option , said David Miller , mayor of Toronto and chairman of the C40 Cities Leadership Group . `` If governments talk about reducing CO2 -LRB- carbon dioxide -RRB- , cities are the ones that show how it 's done , '' Miller said . `` The point is that cities act , and working together we have a scale and a size that we dramatically increase people 's ability to fight climate change . `` The challenge for national governments is that while they can sometimes reach agreement they do n't know how to act collectively , '' Miller continued . `` For cities , that 's easier . We all have climate strategies , but can make our actions work better and make the partnerships to do that . '' The Seoul summit is the third conference by cities held to discuss responses to climate change . The C40 group was established in London in 2005 . A second summit was held in New York in 2007 . Watch efforts to make New York 's Empire State Building more eco-friendly '' Much of the talk at this week 's conference was how major urban centers could work toward adhering to the Kyoto Protocol , the existing environmental treaty that sets targets for nations to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations . Adopted in December 1997 , the Kyoto Protocol entered into force in February 2005 . In countries that did not sign up to the Kyoto agreement , cities took it upon themselves to reduce their carbon footprint . While the United States did not sign Kyoto , 825 U.S. cities and towns signed up to a climate protection agreement that embraced that protocol 's goals . Some nations that signed Kyoto have set more ambitious environmental targets . Copenhagen , for example , aims to be the world 's first carbon neutral capital by 2025 . Toronto , like other cities , will be sending a city delegation to Copenhagen for the U.N. summit in December . There to lobby governments and for a parallel cities summit , Miller hopes that the actions that cities are taking now , and the partnership that he expects to be made while in Seoul this week , will serve as examples that the carbon reduction goals can be reached . `` Copenhagen is very important for all countries to agree , because we are losing the battle . Cities will be there and we 're going to be very active . We 'll have credibility because we are actually doing things . We 'll be able to say to governments that they need to engage , empower and resource cities so we can accomplish the goals . '' How to actually reduce CO2 emissions is the purpose of the Seoul summit , Clinton reminded delegates . Representing around 600 million people worldwide , mayors and policymakers in Seoul have the ability to make a difference with climate change policies , the former U.S. president added . If the methods of reducing a city 's carbon footprint are known there is still the question of the means , which vary wildly between the first world urban areas such as Seoul , London and Toronto , and other attendees from cities in the developing world , such as Ho Chi Minh City , Vietnam and Lagos , Nigeria . Miller believes that providing good examples of effective climate change policies and grasping the opportunity for cities to take the lead in planning for a low-carbon future should not be missed . He highlighted Toronto 's own `` tower renewal '' project , retrofitting buildings in a run-down area of town that he hopes will be an example of a carbon-neutral urban renewal project that can be applicable elsewhere . New building projects in two areas of London and the creation of a new city in central Florida -- Destiny -- were among 16 projects announced at the summit as climate-positive initiatives and supported by the Clinton Climate Initiative . Once built , these projects will absorb more CO2 than they use , supporters claimed . Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon introduced the South Korean capital 's ambitious environmental plans , including building a vast path of park land bisecting the capital . Delegates cited practical challenges they are facing . The spread of the H1N1 virus had crippled Mexico City 's economy by scaring off tourists , officials from that city said at the summit . Without money , they said , even the most promising environmental plans can struggle . Luis Castaneda Lossio , the mayor of Lima , Peru , highlighted the initiatives his city is trying to pursue . Compared to Seoul 's thousands of acres of parkland , he admitted they had struggled to plant 150 trees in the traffic-clogged city . `` Solidarity is essential ! '' Lossio said with verve as a final remark during his address on making Lima a low-carbon city . It was a sentiment echoed by Miller , who highlighted the opportunities for cities such as Toronto to take a lead during the global economic recession . `` I 've always believed in activist governments . The private sector is in retreat . The green agenda is a way to restart the economy by doing the right thing . If there are ways for the governments to create incentives , like grants for solar power , then you can kick-start the economy on the right path , but cities and government importantly have to do that now . We have a great opportunity . '' | Summit of world 's largest cities meeting in Seoul to discuss climate change . Ex-U.S. President Clinton says cities must take lead with green policies . Initiative by cities began in 2005 in London . U.N. to hold climate conference at end of year in Denmark . | [[332, 406], [387, 443], [454, 582], [547, 582], [591, 609], [1443, 1495]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Stories about Sly Stone usually start with the word `` reclusive . '' Sly Stone sometimes takes the stage at Los Angeles clubs with daughter Novena and her group , BabyStone . Do n't call him that anymore , because the superstar who blended funk , rock , soul and psychedelic sounds in the 1960s and '70s before disappearing from the scene in the '80s is not in hiding , his youngest daughter said . Stone 's media shyness in recent decades earned him a comparison to the late billionaire recluse Howard Hughes , but he 's just been living his life and making his music out of the glare of great expectations that superstars suffer . `` It 's not like he was n't making music , '' said Novena Carmel , his 27-year-old daughter . `` He was enjoying his life and riding motorcycles , one of his passions . '' Now 66 , Sly Stone is talking to interviewers again and sometimes taking the stage at Los Angeles clubs with Novena and her group , BabyStone . `` She is the force that keeps him straight , '' said Anthony Valadez , a disc jockey with Los Angeles public radio station KCRW . `` I think it 's her energy and their bond that is so sacred that keeps him in line . That 's what brings Sly out . '' The Sly and the Family Stone founder gave a rare interview to KCRW 's `` Morning Becomes Eclectic . '' Though it airs Monday , the interview was taped days ahead -- given Stone 's 40-year reputation for not showing up for concerts and interviews . Sly Stone -- who was Sylvester Stewart before changing his name as a radio DJ -- did n't reminisce in the interview about past troubles . Guest host Chris Douridas kept the conversation about the music . He said he was a child , performing in his family 's gospel group , The Stewart Four , when he first realized the power music has over people . It happened as he sang `` On the Battlefield '' during a Sam Cooke show at the Oakland Auditorium when he was 4 . `` Towards the end of the song , people starting running down the aisle and I did n't know what was going on , '' he said . `` I did n't know what was going on . I did n't know they were just happy . So , I turned around and ran , and I 've been running ever since . '' Stone now says he did n't know then where he was heading . `` Where I was is where I was , '' he said . Stone wrote his first hit song for someone else . Bobby Freeman made `` Come On and Swim '' a Top 10 pop hit in summer 1964 . When he formed Sly and the Family Stone in 1966 , the mix of race and gender was unusual for its time . `` It was on purpose -- that 's what I intended to do , '' Stone said . He recruited two white musicians -- drummer Greg Errico and saxophonist Jerry Martini . Though African-American women were mostly used as backup singers back then , Cynthia Robinson played the trumpet . Larry Graham 's revolutionary style of `` slapping '' his electric bass guitar strings added to the Family Stone 's groundbreaking sound . The songs appealed to white and blacks equally and regularly topped both the pop and R&B charts . Stone 's lyrics often carried dual meanings . `` Hot Fun in the Summertime '' -- released in summer 1969 -- might be a tribute to the fun of summer days to one listener , while another might see satire about the summertime race riots of the late '60s . Stone set the stage for other superstars to follow , but the band dissolved after one hot decade and success became as elusive as Stone . Novena may understand her dad better than anyone these days . She 's lured him back to the stage for several performances , which she avoids calling concerts . With those , `` people expect certain things , '' such as wanting performers to be what they were 30 years ago , she said . Instead , it 's the `` Sly Stone Variety Show , '' which allows her father `` to do whatever he wants to do in the moment . '' `` It 's very wild , in the sense that they have the Sly Stone trivia game onstage with diehard fans , '' said Anthony Valadez , who has been to several . The show format is designed `` for him to connect with people and people to connect with him , '' his daughter said . Novena also knows to not plan too far ahead with her dad , so he does n't have time to back out . `` If it 's done quickly , then it works , '' she said . `` But if he has a tour , then there 's a lot of expectations that you have to meet for everybody to be happy . '' `` My dad would be like , ' I wan na do a show as soon as possible , ' '' she said . That gives her just about a week to get the show together and promote it . P-funk architect George Clinton and actor-comedian Eddie Murphy showed up for the last one , which was a sold-out celebration of Stone 's 66th birthday . One indication that Stone has changed his no-show habit , which marred his reputation in younger days , is he actually arrives for shows early , Valadez said . `` Coming early to these gigs , you watch Sly and his affection for his daughter and it 's evidence he would do anything for her , '' he said . Stone 's complete interview can be heard at KCRW.com . | Stone is talking to interviewers again years after gaining a reputation as a recluse . Stone takes the stage with his daughter , Novena , and her group , BabyStone . Once known for being a no-show , Stone now shows up for performances early . | [[860, 974], [1372, 1385], [1410, 1492], [860, 974], [860, 869], [907, 980], [4750, 4831], [4730, 4785], [4834, 4872]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The election of 736 members from 27 member countries to the European Parliament in June will be the biggest transnational electoral contest there has ever been . Between them they will represent more than 500,000,000 people . About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are entitled to vote . But few understand how the low-profile Parliament affects the lives of EU citizens . Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about the contest . Who will be voting , when and where ? About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are entitled to vote in the election of the parliament members for a five-year term . The elections will be held on Thursday , June 4 in the UK and the Netherlands . There will be voting on Friday , June 5 in Ireland and the Czech Republic . And it will begin on Saturday , June 6 in Cyprus , France , Italy , Latvia , Malta and Slovakia . The other countries will conduct their voting on Sunday , June 7 . Elections will take place in all 27 member countries of the EU , with the citizens of Bulgaria and Romania included for the first time . How many MEPs are there and how many does each country elect ? There will be 736 Members of the European Parliament -LRB- MEPs -RRB- in the new assembly . The number each country has varies according to its population . Germany , with a population of 82 million , the biggest among EU states , will have 99 members . Malta , with a total population of just 410,000 , will have only 5 . Will that number stay the same if the Lisbon Treaty comes into effect ? No . The Lisbon Treaty , designed to give the EU a new streamlined constitution for the EU -LRB- and to increase the powers of the European Parliament , -RRB- has been put on ice following its rejection in a referendum in Ireland , the only country to give electors a direct voice . But the Irish are due to vote again in the autumn . If they then vote Yes and all remaining EU states ratify the treaty , then the Parliament will be increased from 736 to 751 members on a different distribution formula . That means that 15 ` ghost MEPs ' , will be elected on June 7 , entitled to attend the Parliament but not to vote in it until the Lisbon Treaty goes through . What election system is used ? That varies according to the individual states represented , but all will be using some variant of proportional representation . In some countries candidates will all be on a single national list , making the entire country a constituency . Others elect MEPs from regional constituencies . Many countries set a threshold , insisting that parties have to gain an overall proportion of the vote -- 5 per cent in France and Germany , 4 per cent in Sweden or Austria -- to qualify for any allocation of seats . Whom do the MEPs represent ? Most would-be MEPs contest the elections with the endorsement of national political parties . National parties such as the Christian Democrats in Germany or the Labour Party in Britain put up approved lists of candidates . But when they are in the European Parliament the MEPs mostly operate in wider groups of left or right such as the Socialist Group -LRB- PES -RRB- , the Liberal Group -LRB- ELDR -RRB- or the European Greens . The main conservative grouping is the European Peoples Party -LRB- EPP -RRB- . However , David Cameron , the national leader of Britain 's Conservatives , has withdrawn his members from the EPP , regarding it as too federalist in its approach . The groups work as a bloc when they can and have `` whips '' designed to make them as cohesive as possible . What powers do the MEPs have ? Much legislation in member states actually originates at a European level . National legislatures pass laws which have begun life as directives from the European Commission , the EU executive arm , which the MEPs have helped to shape . They are the only elected part of the European apparatus which is otherwise dominated by European Councils -LRB- meetings of the prime ministers or finance or trade or interior ministers from the 27 nations -RRB- or the European Commission . Do MEPs really make much difference to ordinary people 's lives ? It may not feel like it , day to day , but MEPs often have more influence over the shaping of European legislation which filters down to national parliaments than the members of those national parliaments do when the laws get to them . Recent EU laws which have affected citizens directly include the `` roaming directive '' which restricted the charges mobile phone companies can impose on customers for calls in countries other than their own . EU directives have helped initiate the era of cut-price air travel . It was the EU which determined that telephone and data companies had to keep records for at least two years to help counter terrorism . And the so-called `` REACH '' directive has forced businesses to disclose what chemicals they use in their products and to ensure that they are safe . Because driving legislation through the European Parliament requires the building of cross-party coalitions more than 50 percent of amendments proposed in the European Parliament end up as law . That is why company lobbyists spent much time in Brussels trying to make their case to MEPs . But does the Parliament have any muscle ? It has the rather drastic power to sack the European Commission . It also holds public hearings on newly-appointed Commissioners . The Parliament also has significant powers over how much of the European Union budget is spent . Although most legislation originates with the Commission , if more than 50 percent of MEPs back a resolution calling for new laws in a particular area the the Commission has to get down to work to propose some . The EU is one of the largest aid donors in the world , dispensing some $ 15 billion a year across five continents and MEPs have a significant say in that . Where is the European Parliament situated ? Most of its meetings are held in Brussels close to the officials whose draft legislation is examined by the Parliament 's subject committees . But , at a considerable cost , some plenary meetings are also held in Strasbourg , an arrangement which the French government has fought long and hard to maintain . | Election will be the biggest transnational electoral contest ever . About 375 million EU citizens aged 18 or over are entitled to vote . Elections will take place in all 27 member countries of the EU . Much legislation in member states actually originates at a European level . | [[9, 32], [119, 175], [9, 16], [132, 175], [182, 197], [262, 307], [262, 291], [300, 330], [530, 575], [530, 559], [568, 661], [983, 1045], [3625, 3700]] |
BUENOS AIRES , Argentina -- They line up early every Saturday morning at the decrepit gymnasium that houses the La Matanza Barter Club . Nelly Vasquez and her 6-month-old daughter , Antonella trades wool for food . Club members shuffle in carrying sacks stuffed with everything from homemade clothing to homegrown vegetables , set up their stands and begin a day of bartering . The La Matanza Barter Club in the working-class Buenos Aires neighborhood of Isidro Casanova is one of more than 100 that now function throughout Argentina . They provide a vital service for people who are short on cash by helping them make ends meet . Each item brought to the club is given a value by its owner , who then trades it with other members for whatever goods they are offering . `` What we do here is a fair and honest trading . I look at this like a job , and I work hard at it , and it helps me live better , '' says Deolindo Farias , 66 , who brings fresh bananas and mandarins every week and trades them for household items like flour and sugar . Barters Clubs boomed in Argentina following the country 's 2001 economic meltdown when jobs , security and cash were scarce . Club officials say during 2002 more than 2 million people participated in the clubs on a regular basis . In recent years , as Argentina 's economy bounced back , fewer people showed up , but ever since the global financial crisis hit last year , they say the barter clubs are more popular than ever . Watch how the clubs are helping poor Argentines '' `` It 's a reality now . In these past few months there has been a big increase . For example , we now have 400 people every Saturday . It used to only be 300 . People are traveling here from other neighborhoods so they can barter too , '' says Juan Maccarone , president of the La Matanza Barter Club . Nelly Vasquez , 29 , goes to the club because she has no other options . She lost her job at a clothing factory last year , and has been going to the barter club every week since January -- often with her six-month-old daughter , Antonella , in tow . `` I come here because I do n't have a job , and this is the only way for me to survive and get the things that I need , '' says Vasquez , who trades wool and women 's shoes for pasta and rice . For others , the barter clubs offer something that every consumer on a budget seeks : a bargain . `` If you go to the supermarket , they charge 10 or 15 pesos for a bottle of cooking oil . Here , I can get it with 50 or 80 club credits . That 's only 4 or 5 pesos -- that 's a big difference , '' says Maria Rosa Araya , 37 . By all accounts , Argentina was the first Latin American country to have the barter clubs . The idea has now spread to other countries , like Uruguay , Colombia and Venezuela . There 's even a burgeoning barter club circuit across the Atlantic Ocean in Spain . Organizers say barter clubs are evidence that in tough times , economies can thrive -- or survive -- on their own , when it 's the people calling the shots . `` The golden rule at barter clubs is to offer an honest product for an honest price , '' says Ruben Ravera , co-founder of Argentina 's Red Global de Trueque -LRB- Global Barter Network -RRB- . `` It 's a concept that could help solve the world 's economic problems . Think about it , '' he says . | Barter clubs opening around Argentina show extent of country 's economic crisis . Members -- often poor and unemployed -- trade food , clothes . The clubs first opened during Argentina 's 2001 economic meltdown . | [[1042, 1133], [1042, 1055], [1066, 1167], [215, 324], [351, 377], [1042, 1133], [1042, 1055], [1066, 1167]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two people were killed and about a dozen others were injured when a bomb exploded in a Catholic church in Kathmandu on Saturday morning , police said . The damage inside the church in Kathmandu following Saturday 's bomb blast . The explosion in the Nepalese capital killed a 15-year-old girl and a 30-year-old woman . `` The bomb exploded inside the church when the explosion happened , '' senior police officer Kedar Man Singh Bhandari told CNN over the phone . About 100 people were in the church when the bomb exploded , police said . Manish Amatya , who was injured , said the blast interrupted their prayers . `` There was a loud explosion while we were praying and all of us ran out screaming , '' he said . Investigations are under way to determine who planted the bomb , which damaged the church . CNN 's Manesh Shrestha contributed to this report . | Explosion in Nepalese capital killed 15-year-old girl , 30-year-old woman . 100 people were in the church when the bomb exploded . Investigations are under way to determine who planted the bomb . | [[266, 355], [359, 422], [501, 559], [752, 780], [752, 766], [781, 814]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick arrived at his home in Hampton , Virginia , on Thursday morning . Michael Vick , left , arrives at federal court with attorney Billy Martin in Richmond , Viriginia , in 2007 . `` He is happy to be reunited with his family , '' said Chris Garrett , a spokesman for Vick . Vick was released from a federal prison in Leavenworth , Kansas , on Wednesday . He will serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement in Virginia , his publicist Judy Smith said . Vick is a native of Newport News , Virginia . Watch a panel discuss his release '' Vick , 28 , pleaded guilty in August 2007 to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia . He could return to professional football as soon as September if reinstated by the NFL , according to the sports agent who negotiated Vick 's 10-year , $ 140 million contract with the Falcons . Meanwhile , Vick 's attorneys have said he will work at a Newport News construction firm after his release and he has also agreed to participate in a documentary for $ 600,000 . Last month , a federal bankruptcy judge denied a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan presented by Vick and urged him to offer another plan . The original plan called for Vick to come up with $ 750,000 to $ 1 million in cash to be paid to creditors , U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro said , but he said he saw no evidence Vick could come up with that much . Santoro suggested Vick 's next plan not call for him to keep two houses and three cars , as did the rejected proposal . In testimony , Vick acknowledged committing a `` heinous '' act and said he should have acted more maturely . He said he has been earning 12 cents an hour as an overnight janitor in prison . His Falcons salary , he said , was between $ 10 million and $ 12 million . He acknowledged failing to handle his money well . After his release , Vick will work with the Humane Society of the United States on anti-dogfighting campaigns , Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle told CNN Tuesday . Vick will work on programs aimed at preventing youths from getting involved in dogfighting , and on programs to assist young people who have already been involved in the blood sport . Watch more about Vick 's dogs '' Pacelle said the Humane Society was approached by Vick 's representatives . He said he has traveled to Kansas twice to meet with the former quarterback , and during the second visit , the two discussed how Vick could use his sway over youths to discourage them from involvement in dogfighting , as well as help those who were apprehended in connection with it . Details have not yet been hammered out , Pacelle said , but will be in the next couple of days . iReport.com : Does Vick deserve a second chance ? More attention has been paid to dogfighting as a result of Vick 's case , Pacelle said . The Humane Society , which offers rewards for tips involving dogfighting , has recently paid out $ 40,000 in five cases , he said . CNN 's Marylynn Ryan contributed to this report . | Ex-Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick released from prison on Wednesday . Vick will serve last two months of sentence in home confinement . Attorneys have said Vick will work at construction firm ; Vick has OK 'd documentary . Vick , 28 , pleaded guilty in 2007 to bankrolling a dogfighting operation in Virginia . | [[338, 418], [419, 509], [955, 964], [967, 1065], [1066, 1132], [627, 631], [639, 703], [627, 631], [639, 656], [672, 737]] |
While I am looking forward to being back on the air in June , there is something I want to share with people that can not wait . I want to tell you about Kai Anderson . Kai is a 5-year-old boy who lives in my neighborhood in New York City . Kai has a rare form of leukemia . Kai Anderson has a rare form of leukemia . This little boy 's best hope lies in a bone marrow transplant . His only hope is a bone marrow transplant and he desperately needs to find a match . As if Kai 's family were n't going through enough , his father was diagnosed with a very rare form of lymphoma -- that 's two cancers in this one family . Our community in downtown Manhattan has mobilized to try to find a bone marrow match for Kai . We are asking people to consider taking a very quick and test . I have done it . It just involves a q-tip swab in the cheek . If you are a match , donating bone marrow can be a simple outpatient procedure . I encourage you to visit www.hopeforkai.com to learn more . This is a heartbreaking story and a family that truly needs our help . -- Campbell Brown . | 5-year-old Kai Anderson has a rare form of leukemia . To cure it , he needs a bone marrow transplant . Click here for information on bone marrow drives in Kai 's honor . | [[241, 274], [275, 317], [318, 381], [382, 423]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death toll from a powerful cyclone that hit India and Bangladesh this week has climbed to at least 180 , officials said Wednesday . Cyclone Aila struck eastern India , causing an estimated $ 8 million damage in one district alone . In Bangladesh , some 111 people have died and more than 6,600 others have been injured in the storm , said Sultanul Islam Chowdhury from the country 's food and disaster management ministry . Cyclone Aila , which made landfall on Monday , has swept away nearly 180,000 homes and affected the lives of more than 3.3 million people , he said . In India , the number of storm-related deaths climbed to 69 Wednesday , according to an emergency official . About a quarter of the total , 20 people , died in landslides triggered by Aila on Tuesday in a hilly region of West Bengal , said Debabrata Pal , a joint-secretary with the state 's disaster management department . CNN 's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this story . | Powerful cyclone in India , Bangladesh kills nearly 200 people , officials say . Cyclone Aila has left thousands of people homeless in both countries . Aila packed winds up to 50 miles per hour -LRB- 80 kilometers -RRB- . | [[57, 75], [81, 105], [273, 286], [289, 314], [615, 623], [626, 660], [687, 723]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- London 's newest hotelier Mark Fuller is showing commendable bravado for someone about to open a luxury hotel during a global recession . Entrepreneur Mark Fuller in the Sanctum Soho hotel , a rock 'n' roll `` haven of hedonism '' in London . `` F *** the recession , let 's get on with it , '' he says , while sitting on the roof terrace of the Sanctum Soho , a 30-room establishment dubbed the rock 'n' roll hotel , as much for its `` anything goes '' service philosophy as the pedigree of its owners , which include the co-managers of heavy metal band Iron Maiden . `` We do not recognize there is a credit crunch because we believe you should battle through it , '' Fuller says , adding , `` If you get panicky and scary about things like this , you 're no man at all . '' Besides , he admits , three years ago when he started working on the concept of an ` alluring haven of hedonism ' -LRB- as the hotel is described on its Web site -RRB- , the credit crunch did n't exist . And by the time it hit , it was too late to pull out . `` We would n't do anyway , '' Fuller insists , adding `` fortune favors the brave , as they say . '' See images of the rock star hotel '' The former band manager turned entrepreneur , is looking quite the rock star tonight , decked head-to-toe in black while a shiny silver skull stares ominously from his belt buckle . Downstairs , staff are frantically preparing for a launch party that promises to be heavy on champagne , cocktails and celebrities . It 's almost like the crunch does n't exist . This is Fuller 's world and he 's hoping plenty of people will want to join it . `` In every downturn in the economic climate I think people look for some affordable glamour and escape , '' he says . Fuller also owns and runs the Embassy Hotel , an exclusive nightclub in the upmarket London suburb of Mayfair which he plans to franchise in Dubai , Istanbul and Abu Dhabi . The partners in his new hotel venture ooze rock credential : Iron Maiden co-managers Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor . While Taylor has experience running a restaurant and hotel , `` The Inn on the Green , '' Smallwood 's experience in the hotel industry is based on 30 years on the road with Iron Maiden . Last year he stayed in 80 hotels in 40 countries and one of his biggest gripes is returning to his hotel after a gig and finding the bar is closed . `` You want good service , and you want the bars open , and you want good food available , '' he says from the roof terrace equipped with a bar and Jacuzzi he 's taken to calling `` my lounge . '' Smallwood expects to stay in the hotel once a week and says it will become a London bolt-hole for the band . While non-music types and the tone-deaf are welcome to stay in the hotel , over-enthusiastic groupies are not . `` If you 're on the road for three months , you can never escape , '' Smallwood says . `` The fans , some of them , think they have a God-given right , just because they 're staying in the same hotel , to put a camera in your face over your cornflakes . '' `` The rule here is no autographs and no photographs , '' he says firmly . `` Say Paul Weller is sitting in the corner having a beer , and you go and ask for an autograph or photograph , you will not stay here again . '' Along with privacy and a beer at all hours , guests have access to an on-call guitar doctor , a necessity , apparently , if you break a string while strumming in your room . Guests who have inadvertently left their guitar at home can hire one from reception . The rock star concept extends to the room decor . The silver wallpaper and mirrored columns may appear garish in daylight , but at 3 a.m. one suspects they add a touch of glamour . Free standing baths are a bold leap from the bed and the mini bar is well-stocked with champagne . Rod Smallwood is confident the concept will work . `` Recession or no recession , we 're talking about 30 rooms in a huge major city . If we ca n't sell 30 rooms in the depths of recession it means we 're useless , and we know we 're not . '' Mark Fuller says he 's selling more than a hotel room . In times of economic crisis the Sanctum Soho offers the chance to forget the mortgage and live like a rock star , if only for a day . `` You can sit in the restaurant and have a hamburger for seven pounds -LRB- $ 10 -RRB- , '' he says . `` The drinks are cheaper than most hotels , and probably cheaper than most nightclubs . The room accommodation runs everywhere from # 125 -LRB- $ 255 -RRB- straight up to # 450 -LRB- $ 650 -RRB- . Take your pick . Cut your coat . '' I mishear him . `` Cut your coke ? '' I ask . `` No , you ca n't do that ! '' he exclaims . `` Musicians are not like that anymore , '' Fuller says . `` The music industry is such now that people release CDs to support tours , not the other way around , so this is a professional state . `` I just do n't want to be the hotel at the end of the tour , then I 'm in danger , '' he laughs . | Entrepreneur braves recession to open rock 'n' roll hotel in London 's Soho . Sanctum Soho offers roof terrace with 24 hour bar , Jacuzzi , guitar doctors . Rooms sparkle with silver wallpaper , free standing baths and champagne . Backers include Iron Maiden co-managers Rod Smallwood and Andy Taylor . | [[397, 451], [328, 338], [341, 394], [2507, 2555], [3342, 3388], [528, 538], [547, 590]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Charging chesty women more for their bras does n't win a lot of support , British retailer Marks & Spencer acknowledged Friday as it announced an end to the surcharge on its larger lingerie . Marks & Spencer have apologised for charging chesty women more for bras . `` We boobed , '' screamed a full-page Marks & Spencer ad , which appeared in British newspapers Friday . Marks & Spencer gave in to campaigners who argued that the higher prices of the bigger bras was unfair . The retailer charged as much as # 2 -LRB- $ 3 -RRB- more for all sizes DD and up . `` It 's true that our fantastic quality larger bras cost more money to make , and we felt it was right to reflect this in the prices we charged , '' the ad said . `` Well , we were wrong . '' It follows a nearly year-long campaign by members of the Facebook group Busts 4 Justice . The women behind the site argued other chain retailers did n't charge extra for bigger sizes , so Marks & Spencer should n't , either . And it pointed out that the store does n't charge extra for larger sizes of clothing , so it should n't charge more for larger undergarments . What 's your view ? `` We would like to thank everyone who has supported us on this issue ; especially the thousands of brilliant , busty women that have joined forces with us . We could n't have done this without you , '' the two administrators of the group , Becky Mount and Beckie Williams , posted Friday on Facebook . `` Busts 4 Justice remain committed to making things better for busty women on the high street , but for now we 're happy just to be able to encourage all ladies to reward themselves and their boobs with some properly fitted , fairly priced lingerie . '' Marks & Spencer is a stalwart British chain , known for classic wardrobe staples and low prices . Its underwear department is the first stop for many British shoppers and is especially famous for reliable basics . And to give customers an added lift , Marks & Spencer also announced it is cutting the prices of all of its bras by 25 percent for the rest of May . `` I think even though we all obviously held a bit of a grudge against buying our bras from M&S we should really be grateful they got rid of the surcharge and have given us the super generous 25 percent off , '' Mount wrote on the group 's site Friday . `` They may get cleared out by the time the weekend is over ! '' | Marks & Spencer is ending its surcharge on larger lingerie . Retailer takes out adverts admitting `` we boobed '' Campaigners argued that the higher prices of the bigger bras was unfair . | [[110, 227], [435, 446], [451, 512], [1105, 1157]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A southwest Illinois man accused of strangling his wife and two young sons appeared in court Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to murder charges , officials said . Christopher Coleman sits in the back of a police car after his arrest Tuesday in the slayings of his wife and two sons . Christopher Coleman , 32 , will remain jailed without bond pending a June 10 preliminary hearing , according to the Monroe County , Illinois , district court clerk 's office . He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Sheri Coleman , 31 , and sons Garett , 11 , and Gavin , 9 . Their bodies were found May 5 in the bedrooms of the Coleman 's two-story home in Columbia , Illinois , a suburb of St. Louis , Missouri . The three died of strangulation by ligature -- a string , cord or wire -- police said . Coleman was arrested Tuesday at his parents ' home in Chester , Illinois . As a police patrol car carrying Coleman arrived at the Monroe County courthouse for Wednesday 's hearing , a waiting crowd shouted `` murderer '' and `` baby killer , '' according to video posted on the Web site of CNN affiliate KSDK . Coleman told police he left the house at 5:43 a.m. the day of the deaths and drove to a gym to work out . Watch report of Coleman 's actions after deaths '' `` Shortly thereafter , he started calling his house , realized that nobody was answering and on his way back at around 6:50 a.m. is when he made the phone call to the Columbia Police Department , said Maj. Jeff Connor , commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis . Coleman said he was calling the house to make sure the boys were waking up for school , Connor said . Threatening messages were found on the walls inside the home , Connor said , but would not disclose the exact wording . In an article posted on the Major Case Squad 's Web site , the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper reported the message said something to the effect of , `` I told you this would happen . '' A glove with red spray paint on it was found along Interstate 255 , which would have been on Coleman 's route to the gym , the newspaper reported . The message in the Coleman home was written in paint of a similar color , the article said . Coleman previously worked in the security department for Joyce Meyer Ministries , an evangelical Christian organization based in suburban St. Louis , said spokesman Roby Walker . Walker told CNN Coleman resigned last week after the two met regarding `` a violation of moral conduct . '' He would not elaborate . The Post-Dispatch cited police sources as saying Coleman had more than one romantic rendezvous with a Florida woman , a friend of his wife , during out-of-town ministry trips . Neither Coleman nor his attorneys have commented on that report , the Post-Dispatch said . Police said Tuesday they did not have a motive for the killings . Joyce Meyer Ministries said in a statement Wednesday that it had learned of the charges against Coleman . `` This horrible tragedy has deeply saddened us all and although nothing can compensate for the loss of this beautiful family , our ministry remains fully behind the diligent efforts of the law enforcement community , '' the statement said . | NEW : Illinois man held without bond on three counts of first-degree murder . Chris Coleman pleads not guilty to slayings of wife , two children . Bodies were found in Southern Illinois home on May 5 . Coleman claimed he left home for gym before slayings , police say . | [[303, 322], [330, 399], [479, 610], [0, 15], [126, 162], [479, 610], [611, 701], [1149, 1221], [1149, 1156], [1169, 1171], [1226, 1254]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Craigslist 's managers have complied with the wishes of most of the state attorneys general who demanded they rid the site of prostitution ads . Craigslist says it has removed prostitution ads , but some issues remain . The Web 's dominate classifieds publication replaced its controversial `` erotic '' section with a new `` adult '' category . And where Craigslist once relied on readers to flag dodgy advertisements , the company 's employees now review every ad submitted to the adult area before they appear online . Yet , the site has been unable to block every solicitation for sex . Catherine , a self-described sex worker from San Francisco , confirmed for CNET that she successfully posted an ad for her services to the adult section late last week . She wished to remain anonymous , so neither the ad 's photo nor text can be included in this story . Regardless , it is n't hard to find questionable ads in Craigslist 's new adult section . The most noticeable difference between Craigslist 's erotic and adult categories is the photos . In the adult section , the photos are less provocative . Less skin is showing . When it comes to the text , however , the two sections are very similar . Both are packed with ads for massage services . Ads in both areas include descriptions of the masseuse 's breast size -LRB- `` I 'm a natural C cup '' -RRB- and they are often photographed dressed in their underwear . Even if most of these services are legitimate , and only a few are veiled offers of sex in the new adult area , plenty of others make little if any pretense about what they offer . These ads typically include words such as `` busty , '' or `` fantasy girl '' in their descriptions . Often , they feature photos of a woman or man dressed provocatively in their underwear or bathing suit . Some include hourly rates . Clearly , Craigslist faces a significant challenge as it tries to purge prostitution from its Web pages . While it can ban nude photos and overt offers of sex , how can anyone expect the site to outlaw ads featuring photos of bikini-clad women offering phone numbers ? One can find racier images in department store ads . The Internet has made it easier for merchants of all kinds to conduct commerce and reach wider audiences . Should anyone be surprised that the sex trade has benefited from this as well . If Craigslist were to disappear tomorrow , does anyone really expect that would curb prostitution ? A review of some competing online classifieds shows that while Craigslist has been a popular destination for sex workers , it is by no means the only one . For example , Backpages.com is an online classified publication and Craigslist competitor . The content it produces can also be found on the Web sites of some entertainment and alternative publications in major metropolitan areas , such as New York 's Village Voice or San Francisco 's SFWeekly . Craigslist is G-rated compared with the photos found in Backpages ' adult section . Ads included nude photos while others showed people engaged in sexual intercourse . A common ad would show a bare chested woman asking men to call her at a phone number . In the area of Backpages that services Charleston , S.C. , one ad found on Tuesday by CNET featured a photo of a bare-chested woman apparently engaged in masturbation . It must be noted that there was nothing as graphic on Craigslist . This is relevant because Henry McMaster , South Carolina 's attorney general , last week threatened Craigslist with a criminal investigation . McMaster has n't made any similar threats -- at least none that has been publicized -- against Backpages . Managers at Backpages did not respond to an interview request . In November , Craigslist and 40 state attorneys general , including McMaster , signed an agreement that called for the site to add more safeguards . The classifieds publication followed through and one of the new changes was a new requirement that anyone posting to the erotic section must provide a credit card . All the parties hoped that criminals would be unwilling to provide identification and this would be deterrent . `` Many of the classified and communication services on the Craigslist site provide the public with a valuable service , '' McMaster wrote to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster on May 5 . `` However , it appears that the management ... has knowingly allowed the site to be used for illegal and unlawful activity after warnings from law enforcement officials and after an agreement with forty state attorneys general . '' Since then , Craigslist did away with the erotic section and agreed to review every ad before it appeared , but McMaster was dissatisfied . He posted a note on his site that said the `` Craigslist South Carolina site continues to display advertisements for prostitution and graphic pornographic material . This content was not removed as we requested . We have no alternative but to move forward with criminal investigation and potential prosecution . '' This is at best an empty threat , says Matt Zimmerman , a senior staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation . The Communication Decency Act protects Web sites like Craigslist from being held criminally liable for the actions of its users , Zimmerman said , who added that Craigslist has no legal obligation to even review ads before they go online . Had Zimmerman had his way , Craigslist would have never agreed to do the monitoring . Craig Newmark , Craigslist 's founder , had earlier gone on national TV and said that Craigslist would not do away with the erotic section . The company 's reversal may have led McMaster to believe he could shame Craigslist managers into doing more than what the law required . `` It made life more difficult for Craigslist I think , '' Zimmerman said . `` But I was much more disappointed with -LRB- McMaster -RRB- than Craigslist , '' Zimmerman said . `` His threats were bogus to begin with and he was wrong to threaten -LRB- Craigslist 's managers -RRB- with jail when the law is very clearly on their side . '' © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | Craigslist has banned sex ads , but some still remain , author says . A San Francisco sex worker says she still sells sex through the site . On Tuesday , an ad on the site shows bare-chested woman . Source : law protects Craigslist from being held liable for users ' actions . | [[165, 212], [542, 545], [548, 610], [3105, 3130], [3110, 3173], [3233, 3264], [3174, 3198], [3233, 3239], [3265, 3305], [5142, 5269]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Supreme Court hopeful Sonia Sotomayor breaks ground for Hispanics , she is poised to add an exclamation point to another historic demographic shift : the move to a Catholic court . If confirmed , Sonia Sotomayor would be the sixth Catholic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court . Sotomayor was raised Catholic and if she is confirmed , six out of nine , or two-thirds of the justices on the court will be from the faith . Catholics make up about one-quarter of the U.S. population . `` It 's most unusual , '' said Barbara Perry , a government professor at Sweetbriar College who was already writing a book about Catholics on the Supreme Court when Sotomayor was named as the next nominee . `` Presidents used to reserve a Catholic seat and a Jewish seat on the Supreme Court , '' Perry told CNN Radio . `` Now we 've moved from a Catholic seat on the court to a Catholic court . '' Of the 110 people who have served on the Supreme Court , 11 have been Catholic . Five of those justices -- Samuel Alito , Anthony Kennedy , Antonin Scalia , Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts -- are currently on the court . `` It is more than a random selection process that yielded the current five Catholics on the bench , '' Perry said . The five current Catholic justices were appointed by Republican presidents , which Perry notes may be a key reason why so many Catholics have joined the high court in recent years . `` It 's their tie to conservative Catholicism which made them agreeable to -LRB- Republican -RRB- presidents ' ideology , '' she said . Perry sees Catholics as swing voters with a base of socially conservative principles , and therefore naturally attractive for Republican presidents . Catholic League President Bill Donohue goes further , hypothesizing that Catholics have conservative credentials on issues such as abortion , without the political baggage of terms such as the `` religious right '' or `` evangelicals . '' `` Is it safer to nominate a Catholic as opposed to an evangelical to get votes ? I think the answer is decidedly yes , '' Donohue said . Donohue also suggests the vigorous education in Catholic schools during the 20th century produced sharp legal minds . `` I think there might be a certain kind of Catholic edge , so to speak , as a residual property of a Catholic education , '' he said . Roberts , Scalia and Thomas attended Catholic school as children , as did Sotomayor . Watch more about Sotomayor 's personal history '' Underlying causes aside , Perry sees the fast shift as a sign that centuries of American concern about Catholics are over . In 1985 , a lone Catholic justice , William J. Brennan , Jr. , sat on the court . A generation later , that number is poised to become six . `` What that tells is that in our politics , religion does n't matter anymore , '' Perry said . Then she added : `` I do n't think our politics are ready for an Islamic justice at this point . '' The current court is composed of two Jewish members -- Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg . If Sotomayor joins the bench , Justice John Paul Stevens would be the solitary Protestant on a court once dominated by white Protestant men . Learn about the other Supreme Court justices '' Court observers wonder what , if anything , six Catholic justices would mean for Supreme Court decisions . The five Catholics currently on the bench concurred in a 2007 decision , Gonzales v. Carhart , which upheld a state ban on late-term abortions . Sotomayor has faced few abortion cases , and no tests on issues such gay rights or the death penalty . However , Donohue expects a Justice Sotomayor to lean more left than her fellow Catholics on the court . Read about Sotomayor 's record '' `` I think she 's more reliably liberal , '' Donohue said . Donohue said he still would like to see Sotomayor join the bench . `` Even though I 'm a conservative and she is not , there 's still a certain way that you do root for the home team , '' he said . | If confirmed , Judge Sonia Sotomayor would be Supreme Court 's sixth Catholic . Five current Catholic justices were appointed by Republican presidents . Catholic League president says Sotomayor would lean more left than other justices . | [[229, 308], [993, 1115], [1119, 1147], [1265, 1339], [3622, 3716]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An unopposed former Communist leader was elected Nepal 's new prime minister Saturday , ending nearly three weeks of political uncertainty . Madhav Kumar Nepal waves at his supporters at the country 's parliament in Kathmandu . Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Unified Marxist-Leninist -RRB- was the only person to serve as a candidate for the post after he received backing from more than 20 of the 25 parties in parliament . Nepal , 56 , is a former general secretary of the Communist Party , but had resigned after the party made a poor showing last year against another Communist movement . In that vote , the Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Maoist -RRB- became the largest party , with 38 percent of the seats in the 601-member constituent assembly which also functions as parliament . Nepal had been general secretary since 1993 and served as the country 's deputy prime minister for nine months in 1995 . Pushpa Kamal Dahal , the Maoist chairman , resigned as prime minister May 4 after the president overturned the Cabinet 's decision to sack the army chief . Nepal became a republic last year . The new government has two important tasks before it : the writing of a new constitution within a year , and integration of 19,600 Maoist combatants into the security forces . Without the support of the former Maoist rebels , these tasks can not be achieved . The Maoists fought a 10-year insurgency aimed at abolishing the monarchy . | Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal was only candidate . Nepal , 56 , is a former general secretary of the Communist Party . Pushpa Kamal Dahal , the Maoist chairman , resigned as prime minister May 4 . Followed president 's decision to overturn Cabinet 's sacking of army chief . | [[265, 409], [357, 487], [488, 493], [501, 553], [972, 990], [1015, 1102], [972, 990], [1015, 1102], [1079, 1127]] |
COLOMBO , Sri Lanka -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Angered by what he perceived as the systemic discrimination of the minority Tamils by successive Sri Lankan governments , 18-year-old Velupillai Prabhakaran , armed with just a revolver , set out in 1972 to right the perceived wrongs by forming a militant group . Sri Lanka 's defense ministry says this handout photo shows troops with a captured Tamil Tiger craft . That group eventually morphed into the Tamil Tigers , who have engaged in a brutal 25-year insurgency for an independent Tamil state that has left more than 70,000 dead . Along the way , the group has been declared a terrorist organization in 32 countries , pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks and , according to the FBI , invented the suicide belt . It was also behind the assassination of two world leaders -- the only terrorist organization to do so . Over the weekend , the militants offered to `` silence '' their guns after an intense military offensive decimated their ranks , usurping them from their stronghold in the north and east of the country , and cornered the remaining rebels on a small stretch of land . Watch more on the possible end to the conflict '' On Monday afternoon , the Sri Lankan government said it had killed Prabhakaran . If the rebels now follow through on their announcement , the action will potentially mark the end of the longest-running civil war in Asia . Who are the Tamils ? The Tamils are an ethnic group that makes up about 12 percent of Sri Lanka 's population of about 20 million . They mostly dominate the northern and eastern part of the country . Tamils are mostly Hindu and speak Tamil . That sets them apart from Sri Lanka 's majority group , the Sinhalese , who make up 74 percent of the population . They are Buddhists and speak Sinhala . The tension between the two ethnic groups date to the British colonization of the country -- an island in the Indian Ocean , south of India . At the time , the country was known as Ceylon . Many Sri Lankans regarded the Tamils as British collaborators and resented the preferential treatment they received . The tables turned when the country achieved independence in 1948 and the Sinhalese majority dominated government . It was the Tamils then who claimed they were being discriminated against in politics , employment and education . By the 1970s Tamil politicians were demanding a separate Tamil state . It would be called Tamil Eelam . In this climate Prabhakaran emerged with his militant group , formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam . Who is Prabhakaran ? Prabhakaran operated from a secret jungle base in the northeastern part of the country , granting few media interviews and remaining an elusive figure to even many Tigers . He was reputed to wear a cyanide capsule around his neck -- to swallow rather than risk capture . And he reportedly expected the same dedication from his troops . As a result , few Tigers have been captured alive . To Prabhakaran 's supporters he was a hero fighting for the rights of his people . The Sri Lankan government deemed him a war criminal with disregard for civilian casualties . He was wanted by Interpol on charges including terrorism and organized crime . In 1975 , three years after forming his group , Prabhakaran was accused of fatally shooting the mayor of Jaffna , his birthplace . Prabhakaran was also accused of masterminding the killing of then-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 in the Tamil-dominated Indian state of Tami Nadu . Sri Lankan authorities allege that Prabhakaran was avenging Gandhi 's decision to send Indian peacekeepers to Sri Lanka . Two years later , a Tigers ' suicide bomber , allegedly acting under Prabhakaran 's orders , detonated explosives that killed Sri Lanka 's then-president , Ranasinghe Premadasa , during a rally . Watch aid agencies fear for Sri Lanka '' Who are the Tamil Tigers ? The Tigers reportedly number about 10,000 , recruited from villagers in Tamil-dominated areas and unemployed Tamil youths who think they were passed over for jobs because of their ethnicity . Their armed struggle began in July 1983 when the Tigers killed 13 Sinhalese soldiers . It led to , what was until then , the largest outburst of violence in the island 's history . Hundreds of Tamils were killed , thousands left homeless and more than 100,000 fled to south India . Despite being vastly outnumbered , the Tigers have -- until now -- shown no signs of being overpowered by the Sri Lankan military . The Tigers are infamous for suicide bombings , with men and women strapping on suicide vests for more than 200 attacks against Sri Lankan citizens and dozens of high-profile political leaders . In addition to perpetrating the attacks that killed Gandhi and Premadasa , the rebels have carried out the assassinations of two lawmakers and four ministers . A suicide bomber targeted Sri Lankan then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga in December 1999 while she was campaigning for re-election . She was wounded but survived . The Tigers , however , have refrained from targeting Western tourists out of fear that foreign governments would crack down on Tamil expatriates who raise money for them abroad , the U.S. State Department said . Have there been peace talks ? Periodically fighting has briefly halted because of a handful of peace agreements . By February 2002 the Tigers had dropped their demands for a separate homeland in exchange for a power-sharing deal with the government . Norway and some other countries agreed to monitor the ceasefire . A year later the rebels dropped out of the negotiations , saying they were being marginalized . They launched a suicide bombing campaign soon after . What led to renewed fighting ? In January 2008 the Sri Lankan government announced it was annulling the nearly six-year-old truce with the rebels , declaring that it would crush the rebels . The fighting intensified with security forces driving the rebels from their strongholds in the east and north of the country . The government asked the rebels to lay down arms ; the rebels vowed to continue . Caught in the crossfire were civilians , thousands of whom were displaced and hundreds killed . International aid groups expressed concern that both the government and the rebels disregarded civilian safety even in no-fire zones and hospitals . Both sides blamed the other for civilian casualties and exaggerated accounts of their victories . With journalists not allowed into the battle zones , their claims could not be independently confirmed . On Sunday , the Tigers posted an `` urgent statement '' on a pro-rebel Web site , saying the battle had reached `` its bitter end . '' `` We have decided to silence our guns , '' the statement said . Euphoria gripped the war-wracked nation . And Sri Lanka 's President Mahinda Rajapaksa readied to announce to Tuesday that military operations had ended . But one last order of business awaited : The capture , dead or alive , of Prabhakaran . In the past , the Tigers have emerged from near-defeat . But if Prabhakaran 's death is confirmed , the government is optimistic that it can write off the Tigers . CNN 's Melissa Gray contributed to this report , which includes information from various sources . They include the U.S. State Department , the FBI , Interpol , Human Rights Watch , the Council on Foreign Relations , the CIA Factbook , and previous CNN reports . | 25-year long insurgency has killed more than 70,000 people . Tamil leader reportedly wore a cyanide capsule around his neck . FBI says group pioneered use of suicide belts for bomb attacks . | [[436, 459], [464, 538], [508, 538], [544, 576], [2760, 2819], [593, 602], [716, 736]] |
HONG KONG , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On the eve of what was to become the biggest sale ever of a Chinese contemporary painting , Trevor Simon wanted to get the word out about `` Execution , '' a painting he had hidden from everybody . The painting had been stored in a London warehouse for more than a decade after arriving from Hong Kong . `` Not a single person in the world had seen it other than me for more than a decade , '' said the 36-year-old investment banking strategist by phone from London on Thursday . That includes his mother and the woman he loves . Beijing artist Yue Minjun 's painting , inspired by the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square in 1989 , sold for 2.9 million pounds -LRB- $ 5.9 million -RRB- Friday night in London . The sale exceeded the 2.15 million pounds -LRB- $ 4.37 million -RRB- paid in June for the previous record , Yue 's `` The Pope . '' Simon remembers seeing the oil painting at Manfred Schoeni 's gallery in Hong Kong during the late 1990s and how it fascinated him at first sight . `` As soon as I saw it , my whole self changed , '' he said . `` I realized that this stood for everything that was going on at the time , so I was stunned into silence literally . I saw what was happening in China . I was rising in banking , and I saw an execution of people who were smiling . `` I saw that was what was going on in banking . '' Schoeni and Simon were already on friendly terms , and Schoeni had wanted to show him `` Execution , '' which had been covered up . But when Simon insisted he wanted the painting , he recalled Schoeni telling him it was n't going anywhere and was not for sale . But Simon said he would not leave and remembered saying : '' ` Fine , have a drink with me . ' And maybe I loosened his head a bit . After a couple hours , I struck a deal . '' A junior investment banker in his 20s at the time , Simon would spend $ 250,000 Hong Kong dollars -LRB- $ 32,200 -RRB- , or two-thirds of his annual salary , on `` Execution . '' The painting reflected what he felt was going on in the world in which he worked : a soulless place . `` While you can apply a good mind , the job eats your life . You spend 14 hours in the markets . A week in Paris , a week in London running around . No life . My girlfriend did n't want to be with me : ' I ca n't have you . ' '' She 'd leave him and has since become engaged to someone else , he said . `` It was not only an image of an execution of characters in front of the walls of Tiananmen , but an execution of me , '' he said , describing himself as `` committed to this painting . '' Under the terms of the deal he struck with Schoeni , the painting was to be `` out of sight for five years '' and shipped to London , Simon explained . He described the painting -- at 3 meters -LRB- 10 feet -RRB- wide and 1.5 meters -LRB- 5 feet -RRB- high -- as `` monumental , '' `` physical , '' and `` like a wall . '' He put `` Execution '' in a box , shipped it out of Hong Kong to London . `` And it has n't moved since that day . It 's in a crusty warehouse behind a main road . '' He finds a key distinction between `` Execution '' and Francisco de Goya 's `` The Third of May , 1808 : The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid '' and Edouard Manet 's `` The Execution of the Emperor Maximilien of Mexico . '' In those , he said , `` that 's murder , true assassination of a political figure . But here -LSB- with `` Execution '' -RSB- , it 's far more potent . Because they 're killed by culture . '' The laughing was a `` response to unimaginable persecution , '' he said . `` You do n't know what the hell else to do . You 're nervous . You 're not laughing , ` Ha ha hee hee . ' '' As for the underwear , Simon said , `` You 're stripped down , you 're defenseless . Even worse , you 're being shot with cultural forces , not bullets . '' And while the man on the far right of Manet 's painting cocks the gun and delivers the coup de grace , the figure in `` Execution '' has a similar role , said Simon . `` He 's wearing a generic T-shirt -- the guy who 's delivering the last shot to be delivered into the heartland of Chinese heritage . '' Yue 's painting was in keeping with `` cynical realism , '' the term coined by art critic Li Xianting to describe post-Tiananmen artists disillusioned by and critical of Chinese society , Simon said . When asked if he , as a young 20-something , ever harbored doubts or questioned his sanity about dishing out a large portion of his salary for this work , Simon replied : `` No , no , no , no . I knew . I stood there . You just know . You just absolutely know beyond all doubt that the theme is something special . `` This art was a representation of all the ambition and all the anxiety that had been held back behind the Chinese wall and was now allowed to live , allowed to go free . `` I knew without a millionth of a doubt that that was the story of China on canvas . '' Simon said he would probably cry if he and Yue met . `` He 's an immensely brave man , anyone who paints like this . None of his paintings are as politically dangerous as this . '' Simon left the painting in a box in the warehouse and never brought it out or hung it up , despite having other work elsewhere in his house . For one thing , Schoeni was murdered in 2004 in the Philippines . Simon felt that it was because Schoeni was involved in championing the works of people from `` repressive '' countries . The painting became a mental crutch for him . He determined that he would walk out on the most important job he could think of in investment banking , one that earned him more than a million dollars a year . `` The painting helped me leave the job because I could see a country being executed and surviving , and so maybe I could too , '' he said in a follow-up email . Simon had left Hong Kong for `` the lion 's den , '' as he put it , in London , where he felt further `` executed by the politics and chaos one step below the top rung of the bank . '' The very top was where the more rational and humanity prevailed , he said . `` All the rest is scratching and positioning and seldom is the best thing done . '' He 'd leave his job . That was five years ago , and while he is still involved in finance , he works on his own now , he said . Selling the painting brings Simon full circle to being `` un-Executed , '' he said . Yue 's got a new museum and is being recognized by the Chinese government . `` He 's no longer repressed by China . And I 'm no longer repressed by commercial ambition . It 's about doing it the right way , '' Simon said . `` The value of this piece is not the dollar value . It 's lovely to have that extra money . But the real value , should I die tomorrow morning , has already been placed in my heart , '' he said . `` I 'm not laughing at being shot at . What I 'm most proud of is the courage to live . `` God gave me talents . I 'm going to use them for good , not for money . Not for trading . '' But first , he plans to get the girl back . | Beijing artist Yue Minjun 's `` Execution '' sold for record 2.9 million pounds -LRB- $ 5.9 M -RRB- . In the painting , Simon saw metaphor for himself and his life in the bank world . Simon spent two-thirds of his annual salary on the painting in the 1990s . Under deal , Simon kept painting out of sight , shipped it out of HK to London . | [[567, 604], [670, 748], [4427, 4499], [193, 234], [2590, 2617], [2643, 2662], [2643, 2655], [2660, 2699], [2643, 2655], [2704, 2721], [2913, 2915], [2947, 2986], [5859, 5868], [5871, 5880]] |
Editor 's note : Michael A. Olivas is the William B. Bates Distinguished Chair in Law at the University of Houston Law Center and director of the university 's Institute for Higher Education Law and Governance . He is the editor of `` Colored Men And Hombres Aquí : Hernandez V. Texas and the Emergence of Mexican American Lawyering , '' and is a member of the board of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund . Michael Olivas says Sonia Sotomayor 's nomination affirms that Latinos matter in America . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I recently saw an old episode of `` West Wing , '' where Edward James Olmos , playing a fictional Puerto Rican federal judge , was nominated to become the first Latino on the U.S. Supreme Court . I cried , thinking how remote this possibility seemed , yet how close . Now that Judge Sonia Sotomayor has been nominated by President Barack Obama to the Court , that episode finally rings true . When I heard the news , I wept , for the long-overdue acknowledgement that Latinos matter . Judge Sotomayor 's life and legal career are arcs possible only in this country : a hardscrabble life in a south Bronx housing project , educational opportunities made possible by her own intelligence and hard work , and a legal career devoted to public service . When she assumes her position on the bench in October , no other justice will have had the depth of legal experience she holds , and none will have served as a trial judge . The sum of her life is exactly what we should look for on this court : excellent academic credentials , an accomplished legal career in private and government practice , and appointments to federal benches by Republican and Democrat presidents . Her decisions have been well-reasoned and well-written , and she will ably take her place on the Supreme Court bench . The search for a justice with `` empathy '' is no less coded than is the traditional search for `` judicial temperament '' and a person who will `` judge , not legislate . '' All nominees have the requisite merit badges , as does Judge Sotomayor . And to make their way to such a short list , all have the combination of personal and professional lives that warrant their consideration . What Sonia Sotomayor will have , as few other candidates , is the additional weight of historical expectations and the hopes of Latinos . In today 's culture , Latinos are marginalized and demonized and feared . In Judge Sotomayor 's New York , roving gangs of thugs go `` beaner hunting , '' looking to harm undocumented Mexicans . Such racial hatred knows no nuance , as one such mob killed a permanent resident Ecuadorian , thinking him to be Mexican . Vigilantes along the Mexican border have taken the law of enforcement into their own hands . In cultural programming , this community is described as either lazy and shiftless , or stealing jobs from real Americans . They are typecast as drogeros or maids , long characterized as banditos or greasers . The racial rhetoric against Latinos has been tolerated for too long on cable television news and in political and polite discourse . I will be carefully watching the confirmation hearings for the coded political messages , knowing that Justice-elect Sotomayor 's many merits will ultimately win her confirmation . But also watching will be little girls in a south Bronx housing project , in the valley of South Texas , and in rural New Mexico . Her service on our country 's highest court will be the evidence that they , too , have reason to hope and to achieve . All of this country 's citizens should realize that it is not just Latinos ' dreams being realized , but our collective accomplishment . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Olivas . | Michael Olivas : Judge Sonia Sotomayor 's nomination is a historic moment . He says she has the personal and professional qualificiations to be confirmed . Olivas : In American culture , Latinos are marginalized and feared . He says Sotomayor 's nomination sends an important message of hope . | [[810, 894], [2147, 2178], [2184, 2213], [3106, 3107], [3196, 3286], [2352, 2371], [2374, 2425], [428, 518], [810, 894]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of Americans learn a painful lesson in banking every day : Waiting for a check to clear and then getting access to the money from a bank does n't mean the check has really cleared . When Harry Smith , of New York , responded to an ad on Craigslist for an office assistant , a woman e-mailed him and said her British company was starting to sell its product in the United States , but was having trouble with dealing with checks from customers . Smith said the woman needed someone to collect the checks and then send the money to her company . It was a commission job -- deposit the checks , wait for the funds to become available at his bank , then send cash to her , minus 10 percent for Smith . After Smith checked out what seemed like a legitimate company on the Internet , he started receiving checks totaling several thousand dollars and deposited them in his account . When his bank released the funds , he sent cash to an address outside the country . But after a few weeks , Smith 's bank notified him the checks he had deposited had actually been returned , and that he owed the bank all the money he had withdrawn . Smith has not heard from his business partner since and does n't even know who she really is . He still owes his bank money , is unemployed and does n't know what action the bank might take against him . What happened to Smith is one example of a wide range of fake check scams carried out in the United States every year . A Consumer Federation of America survey estimates that 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a fake check scam , with an average loss of $ 3,000 to $ 4,000 per consumer . The most common scams are fake sweepstakes or lotteries , phony government sponsored grants and fraudulent work-at-home opportunities , the survey says . The scams follow the pattern of the so-called Nigerian Internet scams , which often involve accepting transfers of money that become obviously phony when it 's too late . On Wednesday , the Consumer Federation launched a campaign to combat check scams . Many consumers do n't know they are responsible if they deposit a bad check , said Susan Grant , the federation 's director of consumer protection . Grant said its survey shows an alarming level of misinformation among consumers , and the problem includes money orders and cashier 's checks . Fifty-nine percent of respondents in the survey incorrectly thought that , when you deposit a check or money order , your bank confirms it is good before allowing you to withdraw the money . That number goes up to 70 percent among adults age 18 to 24 . More than 40 percent of those surveyed also incorrectly think that the person who gave you the bad check must pay back the bank . American consumers are mostly unfamiliar with the time needed to process checks and money orders , say consumer watchdogs . Government banking rules mandate that money from deposits become available within one to five days . However , it can take weeks , especially with foreign checks or money orders , for the originating institutions to get the checks or money orders back and determine that they are counterfeit . When that happens , scam victims are in for a rude surprise . Publishers Clearing House , which runs legitimate sweepstakes , warns consumers that scammers might claim that you are being given an advance on a prize , but that some fee , tax or other payment needs to be sent before you get the jackpot . That 's the heart of the scam , and it 's something that a real sweepstakes will never ask for , say legitimate companies . Consumer protection groups , state attorney generals , the Federal Trade Commission and government bank regulators warn consumers that the number of fake checks , money orders and even cashier 's checks being used to scam victims is increasing . The bottom line : `` There 's no legitimate reason why anyone who wants to give you a check or money order for something would ever ask you to send money anywhere in return . It 's as simple as that , '' said Grant of the Consumer Federation of America . Smith said he suspected that his part-time job was not on the up-and-up , but did n't know about fake check scams . He 's not sure how he will pay back his bank , but hopes his story will help keep other people from becoming victims . The Consumer Federation of America 's tips against fake check scams : . -- Never agree to pay to claim a prize . -- Never agree to pay for grants from the government or foundations . -- Never agree to cash checks and send the money somewhere as part of a job working from home . -- Never agree to wire money to anyone you have not met in person and known for a long time . -- If it seems suspicious , consult your state or local consumer protection agency , the Federal Trade Commission , the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or another trusted source . -- Remember that there is no legitimate reason why anyone who wants to give you a check or money order would ask you to send money anywhere in return . | More than 1 million Americans have been victim of fake check scams , study finds . Experts warn not to accept checks from someone seeking money in return . Survey : Most American consumers unfamiliar with time needed to process checks . | [[1428, 1490], [1491, 1669], [1541, 1643], [3234, 3259], [3298, 3386], [4522, 4594], [2754, 2808]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's not every day the average Joe gets to take a peek at the personal possessions of a royal . Juan Carlos , the King of Spain , pictured on board his 52-foot racing yacht . But , this month CNN 's MainSail program has been lucky enough to go on board Juan Carlos I -- the King of Spain 's racing yacht . We get a unique insight into just what a royal 's boat looks like and the kinds of technological toys and state-of-the-art equipment a King likes to equip it with . Speaking with the one of the boat 's crew members , Ignacio Triay , CNN MainSail presenter Shirley Robertson finds that the King 's boat is , indeed , at the cutting edge of modern sailing . The 52ft vessel is raced by a crew of 15 people and has competed in some of the world 's most popular yacht racing series , racing alongside the very cream of the world 's sailing talent . Video : See on board the King of Spain 's yacht '' Triay , who has been sailing for the King of Spain for over 20 years , said the boat contains all of the best modern electronic and sailing equipment . For more sailing features -- including the 10 weirdest sailing terms you 'll ever hear -- visit the MainSail homepage . | CNN MainSail gets on board the King of Spain 's racing yacht . The boat is a 52-foot racing yacht that requires a crew of 15 . A crew member from the boat says it is full of state-of-the-art equipment . | [[133, 144], [167, 211], [218, 301], [133, 144], [167, 211], [699, 746], [699, 714], [740, 820], [699, 714], [823, 887], [382, 475], [508, 557], [939, 944], [1010, 1090]] |
YANGON , Myanmar -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi took the stand for the first time Tuesday and told a Myanmar court that she did not violate her house arrest when she offered temporary shelter to an American man who swam to her lakeside home . People of Myanmar living in Japan protest for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi on May 24 , 2009 in Tokyo , Japan . `` She was very confident , very firm , very clear , '' said Mark Canning , the British ambassador to Myanmar , who was among diplomats and journalists allowed to watch the proceedings . `` In a strange way , she commanded the courtroom , '' he said . Suu Kyi , who is being tried on subversion charges , said she did not learn immediately that John William Yettaw swam nearly two miles and snuck into her crumbling , colonial-era bungalow on May 3 . She was told about the visitor the next day by one of two housekeepers who are her sole companions in the heavily guarded residence , where she was under house arrest . Suu Kyi 's two helpers are also on trial , as is Yettaw . `` I did n't know , '' she said . `` I was upstairs . '' Under questioning by a judge for half an hour , Suu Kyi said she provided Yettaw food but allowed him only to `` stay temporarily . '' Yettaw left late May 5 , she said . `` He walked to the lakeside . But I do n't know which way he went , because it was very dark , '' Suu Kyi said . The Nobel Peace Prize laureate also acknowledged that Yettaw , a 53-year-old former military serviceman from Falcon , Missouri , had visited her once before last November . `` Did you report to the authority about his arrival ? '' the judge asked . `` No , '' she replied . Suu Kyi had earlier told supporters that she did not tell authorities about the latest intrusion because she did n't want Yettaw or anyone else to get in trouble . But it is this silence that the Myanmar 's military junta is trying her for . The government said Yettaw 's presence violated the conditions of Suu Kyi 's house arrest . The country 's regime rarely allows Suu Kyi any visitors , and foreigners are not allowed overnight stays in local households without government permission . Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years -- a confinement the military junta has regularly extended . Watch the U.N. secretary general explain what he is doing for Suu Kyi '' Her latest round of home detention -- after five years of confinement -- expires Wednesday , according to her supporters at home and abroad . Last week , the military began prosecuting Suu Kyi on allegations of subversion at a prison compound near Yangon . Her supporters say the move is meant to keep her confined even longer -- beyond the general elections that the junta has scheduled for next year . If convicted , Suu Kyi , 63 , could be sentenced to three to five years in prison . Before the proceedings got under way at the Insean Prison compound Tuesday , the junta said Suu Kyi 's house arrest did not expire for six more months . And though the government said it considered releasing her at the end of the term , it said it had no choice but to try her after she met with Yettaw . `` As Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Gen. Aung San , the leader of our country , we were deeply thinking whether to extend her detention or not , '' Police Brigadier General Myint Thein told reporters Tuesday . `` Unfortunately , a U.S. citizen entered her house for two days . She allowed and made conversation with him , gave him food . `` These kind of actions broke the law , '' he added . `` This is why we have no way but to open a case . And we are very sad about this case . '' Gen. Aung San played an instrumental role in bringing about the country 's independence from British colonial rule . He was assassinated in 1947 and is still revered in Myanmar . Suu Kyi 's lawyers rejected the junta 's explanation , saying the United Nations had already deemed the opposition leader 's continuing detention unlawful under Myanmar 's state protection laws . `` The U.N. has said her house arrest expired a year ago , '' said Jared Genser , her U.S.-based lawyer . `` They are out of time , and they can not detain her any longer under their own law . '' Thein told reporters that the pro-democracy advocate had actually been under house arrest for four-and-a-half years . The official said Suu Kyi 's house arrest officially went into effect on November 28 , 2004 . That gives the government six more months to restrict her movement , he said . Genser countered the government 's account , citing the conclusion of the U.N. Human Rights Council . The law is unclear whether detention begins from the time a person is arrested or when a detention order is issued , the council said . `` This would suggest an interpretation that you start counting from the day you begin to detain her , '' Genser said . In Suu Kyi 's case , she was put under house arrest in May 2003 . `` You ca n't issue an order months later and use that as your starting point . That creates an unfair period of detention , '' he said . After Suu Kyi 's testimony Tuesday , the court asked the diplomats and journalists to leave . It denied a defense request to consult with Suu Kyi privately . The court then questioned Yettaw . He is charged with violating immigration laws and trespassing . The charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison . A lawyer selected by the U.S. Embassy is representing him . According to Yettaw 's testimony in court Friday , he made the unauthorized trip because he had a vision that Suu Kyi would be assassinated and he wanted to warn her . He muttered to himself during the proceedings , including utterances that Suu Kyi is innocent , said Nyan Win , spokesman for Suu Kyi 's National League for Democracy . Suu Kyi 's prosecution has prompted international criticism , with nine Nobel laureates -- including Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa -- calling it a `` mockery . '' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the charges against Suu Kyi `` baseless '' and accused the junta of `` continuing resistance to a free and open electoral process . '' The Nobel laureate has been the face of Myanmar 's pro-democracy movement and the focus of a global campaign to free her . Her party won over 80 percent of the legislative seats in 1990 . But she was disqualified from serving because of her house arrest , and the military junta ignored the results . The government has said next year 's scheduled elections will reintroduce democracy in Myanmar . But its plan includes a clause that forbids citizens who bore children with foreigners from running for office . That makes Suu Kyi ineligible . She married a British man and has two sons with him . CNN 's Kocha Olarn in Bangkok , Thailand , and Saeed Ahmed contributed to this report . | Junta says Aung San Suu Kyi 's house arrest does not expire for six more months . Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial with American John Yettaw . Suu Kyi told Myanmar court that she is not guilty , has not broken any law . Yettaw is charged with violating the conditions of Suu Kyi 's house arrest . | [[2852, 2926], [2929, 3004], [4431, 4497], [9, 32], [117, 233], [1916, 2007], [1936, 2007]] |
KEY WEST , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg , a retired U.S. Navy warship , embarked on a sedentary new career Wednesday on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico . The USNS Vandenberg was intentionally sunk Wednesday to create an artificial reef for marine life . The decommissioned warship was scuttled in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary between 10:20 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET to become the world 's second-largest artificial coral reef . The 17,250-ton ship sank in less than two minutes , said Andy Newman , spokesman for the Florida Keys Tourism Council . It is resting about 140 feet below the surface , but much of its bulk is only 40 to 70 feet below the surface . `` It went down like a rock , '' he told CNN . `` Everything looked very , very smooth . '' About 300 boats positioned themselves as close as possible to the site , and cheers went up when the Vandenberg slipped beneath the water seven miles south of Key West , the spokesman said . Watch the Vandenberg sink '' Newman , who was circling in a helicopter above the 522-foot-long ship , said the Vandenberg appeared to rest in a level position on the Gulf floor . Divers were to assess its position Wednesday . Authorities said once final assessments of the ship are made , divers can begin exploring . The goal of the $ 8.6 million project is to divert fishing and diving pressure away from natural reefs , according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission . The commission `` estimates that the vessel 's life span of at least 100 years will contribute stable , long-term habitat for scores of marine fish species , and provide exceptional diving and fishing opportunities for Florida residents and visitors , '' its Web site says . To sink the Vandenberg , holes were made above the waterline in the side of the ship and throughout various decks , Newman said . Explosive charges were embedded in the bilge area below the water . The explosives detonated inside the hull , blowing outward . The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects that the Vandenberg artificial reef will result in an annual increase of about $ 7.5 million in expenditures in the economy of Monroe County , which includes Key West . Sinkthevandenberg.com -- a joint effort by Artificial Reefs of the Keys and Valeo Films -- had offered a live , online stream of the event , but the system apparently was overloaded , making the site inaccessible . The Vandenberg was built at the Kaiser shipyard in Richmond , California , in 1943 . It was commissioned as a World War II troop transport ship . After Japan surrendered , the Vandenberg was the first Navy ship to return to New York Harbor . During the 1950s the ship was used to transport refugees from Europe and Australia to America . In the 1960s the Air Force used the Vandenberg to track missiles . It also was used to track rockets and early space shuttle launches . The ship was decommissioned in 1986 and was anchored with more than 25 other mothballed ships in Norfolk , Virginia . The Vandenberg was towed to Key West last month . The Vandenberg was chosen from among 400 decommissioned military vessels mainly based on appearance : `` her topside structure , her smooth , interesting hull lines , big girth and her starring role in a motion picture , '' Newman said . The ship was featured in the 1999 movie `` Virus , '' starring Donald Sutherland and Jamie Lee Curtis . Four men who had served on the Vandenberg traveled to Key West to see the ship go to its final resting place . Patrick Utecht worked for more than 20 years as a civilian contractor on the Vandenberg when it was used for missile and radar tracking and data collection . When he heard about its future as part of an artificial reef , Utecht said , `` My feeling was one of elation . '' `` I can say that many of us -LSB- crew members -RSB- were thrilled that where she was going , she would keep her name and place in history . '' `` I think it 's a far better use of her than being cut up , '' he added . The largest ship ever scuttled to create an artificial reef was the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Oriskany , which sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast in 2006 , according to the U.S. Navy . The former warship slipped under the water about 24 miles south of Pensacola , Florida , the Navy says on its Web site . The Oriskany was 888 feet long , and weighed 32,000 tons . It sank in water about 212 feet deep . | A decommissioned U.S. Navy warship was intentionally sunk off the Florida Keys . The USNS Vandenberg will become the world 's second-largest artificial reef . The sunken ship will create a long-term habitat for scores of marine fish species . The ship was built in 1943 and commissioned as a WWII troop transport ship . | [[188, 287], [288, 410], [4111, 4159], [4168, 4238], [4270, 4346], [188, 207], [241, 287], [397, 407], [411, 472], [188, 287], [1480, 1729], [2459, 2518], [2534, 2543], [2544, 2604]] |
FORT CAMPBELL , Kentucky -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The 101st Airborne 's senior commander in effect ordered his soldiers Wednesday not to commit suicide , a plea that came after 11 suicides since January 1 , two of them in the past week . An Army honor guard stands ready to fire a salute at Fort Campbell . `` If you do n't remember anything else I say in the next five or 10 minutes , remember this -- suicidal behavior in the 101st on Fort Campbell is bad , '' Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend told his forces . `` It 's bad for soldiers , it 's bad for families , bad for your units , bad for this division and our army and our country and it 's got to stop now . Suicides on Fort Campbell have to stop now . '' Fort Campbell 's suicide rate , the highest in the Army , `` is not a good statistic , '' he said in remarks to one of four divisions he addressed during the day . After nearly one soldier per week committed suicide at the post between January and mid-March , the Army instituted a suicide prevention program that `` seemed to be having good effects '' until last week , when two more suicides occurred , he said . `` Suicide is a permanent solution to what is only a temporary problem , '' Townsend said . `` Screaming Eagles do n't quit . No matter how bad your problem seems today , trust me , it 's not the end of the world . It will be better tomorrow . Do n't take away your tomorrow . '' He urged anyone feeling hopeless or suicidal to `` tell somebody . '' `` You would n't hesitate to seek medical attention for a physical injury or wound ; do n't hesitate to seek medical attention for a psychological injury . '' Townsend exhorted any soldier who suspects that a fellow soldier may be feeling suicidal to act -- first by asking how the soldier feels , then by escorting him or her to help . `` Do not wait , '' he said . Soldiers can turn to their leaders , chaplains , medics , social workers , teammates , family and friends , he said . `` Do n't let yourself , your buddies or your families down , '' he said , ending his comments by repeating , `` This has got to stop , soldiers . It 's got to stop now . Have a great week . '' But Townsend 's message -- called a Second Suicide Stand-Down event -- is likely to be ineffective , said Dr. Mark Kaplan , a professor of community health at Portland State University in Oregon , who has researched veterans ' suicide and served last year on a Veterans Administration blue-ribbon panel on suicide risk . `` It sounds like an order , '' he told CNN in a telephone interview . `` I 'm not sure that a command like this is going to alter the course of somebody who is on a trajectory of self-harm . '' He suggested the Army might want to adopt the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs model . `` They 're dealing with a comparable problem with a similar population , '' Kaplan said . `` They have infused more sensitivity to their approach to suicide prevention as opposed to this . This is like any other order . '' The military culture attaches a stigma to mental illness that needs to be reduced , he said . Soldiers who acknowledge they are considering suicide can suffer severe repercussions , such as losing opportunities for promotion and access to firearms , he said . If the Army is serious about addressing the problem , it needs to address the stressors common to soldiers , including financial problems , marital problems , frequency of deployments , length of deployments , deployments to hostile environments , exposure to extreme stress and service-related injuries , he said . The role of alcohol too must be addressed if the rate of suicide is to be lowered , he said . `` More often than not , these are individuals who 'll get liquored up , so to speak , and have access to a gun and die from a self-inflicted gunshot wound , '' Kaplan said . Bill Lichtenstein , who serves on the board of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism , the advisory council of the Center for the Advancement of Children 's Mental Health at Columbia University , and on the advisory board of Families for Depression Awareness , was equally unimpressed with Townsend 's tack . `` It 's the equivalent of ` Just Say No ' to prevent drug abuse , ' '' he told CNN in a telephone interview . Screening techniques that involve a series of questions are available to identify people at risk for suicide , he said . `` Prominent among them , if not the most important question is : Have you made a plan for suicide ? Using a simple battery of questions , you can suss out people who might be at risk , which is far more important than telling somebody , ` Do n't take your life , ' '' Lichtenstein said . The problem is not limited to Fort Campbell . The Army has reported 64 potential active-duty suicides this year ; 35 have been confirmed as suicides , and 29 are pending determination of manner of death . CNN 's Tom Watkins contributed to this story . | Brig. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend spoke to troops about suicide problem . Do n't hesitate to seek medical attention for a psychological injury , he says . Suicide bad for soldiers , families , units , army , country , says general . Fort Campbell 's suicide rate , highest in Army , `` is not a good statistic , '' says general . | [[454, 505], [1472, 1478], [1557, 1627], [659, 684], [690, 703], [765, 791]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A history of childhood abuse and use of a provocative online identity increase the risk that girls will be victimized by someone they meet on the Internet , according to a study appearing in the June issue of Pediatrics . A study in Pediatrics sought to identify which risk factors are linked to Internet-initiated victimization of girls . While highlighting the dangers that exist for adolescent girls , the study 's authors also offer a word to parents : You can lessen the risks to your children by monitoring their Internet use . The authors sought to identify risk factors connected to increased rates of Internet-initiated victimization of girls . They also wanted to find out whether abuse victims showed increased vulnerability to online victimization . They found that girls are more likely to experience online sexual advances or have offline encounters if they have previously been abused or have a provocative avatar , which is a digital image meant to represent the user online . Those two factors pose a greater risk to adolescents than perhaps more traditionally considered risks , such as Internet naivete and sexual innocence , the study says . The authors say many Internet-initiated sex crimes originate on social networking sites , which require users to create online identities . Some sites , such as Second Life , require users to create a character to represent them in the virtual world . The program presents users with hundreds of possibilities spanning all shapes and sizes ; users can choose anything from a fully dressed persona to a scantily clad one . They also can select features such as hair color and figure . Other sites , such as MySpace and Facebook , allow self-descriptions and photographs . But even there , users can choose what to post , and those identities can shape behavior and interaction online , the study says . `` The extent to which provocative self-presentations ... translate into increased online advances or offline encounters is unknown , but it is plausible that these types of presentations constitute an initial invitation for exploitation and a familiar avenue by which sexual advances are initiated , '' the study says . The study 's lead author was Jennie G. Noll of the Cincinnati Children 's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio . The report appears in Pediatrics , the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics . Noll and her co-authors cite the Proteus effect , or the idea that the presentation of oneself can affect the behavior of the presenter and the receiver . `` Self-presentations can change the way Internet users interact in a manner that increases the risk for online sexual advances , '' they say . The study looked at 104 abused and 69 non-abused girls ages 14 to 17 . Abused adolescents -- who had suffered neglect , physical abuse or sexual abuse -- were recruited from child protective agencies , the authors said . Of the girls studied , 54 percent were white and 46 percent were minorities , of which 82 percent were black and 18 percent were mixed-race , the authors say . The authors held a laboratory session in which they asked the girls to create avatars on a program designed to mimic a popular social networking site , which the authors did not name in the study . Girls could choose bust and hip size , clothing type , visible navel piercings and skin , eye and hair colors . Girls were given a range of choices that allowed for a more provocative or conservative avatar . Participants were also asked to rate how many times they had had online sexual advances , which were described as `` explicit sexual chatting in virtual worlds , '' and how many times they had met someone in person after meeting first online . The authors say 40 percent of the girls reported experiencing sexual advances online , and 26 percent reported meeting someone offline after getting to know the person on the Internet . Abused girls were much more likely to have experienced both , the authors found . `` Results indicated that abuse status was significantly related to online sexual advances , which were , in turn , related to offline , in-person encounters , '' the study says . The authors say there was no direct link between abuse and offline encounters , but that a history of abuse puts girls at greater risk . Looking at the girls ' avatar choices , the authors found that girls who present themselves provocatively in body and clothing choices are more likely to have had online sexual advances . That risk is tied not just to an avatar , but to the overall image a girl projects online , they say . On sites that do n't use avatars , such as MySpace or Facebook , simply compiling suggestive photographs or narrative descriptions can increase girls ' vulnerability , they say . `` Those adolescents who may be unaware of how their appearance might be perceived may not , from a developmental perspective , possess the social sophistication necessary to field and ward off sexual advances in ways that protect them from sexually explicit suggestions , '' the study says . `` This may be a particularly important lesson to convey to female adolescents who are especially vulnerable to exploitation and victimization , such as those who have been victims of childhood abuse , '' it says . One significant factor that helped decrease the risk to girls was the presence and influence of caregivers , the authors found . They urge parents to be aware of how their adolescent girls present themselves on the Internet and be aware that provocative self-presentation might have implications for sexual solicitation . `` Caregiver presence was associated with significantly fewer reports by adolescents of online solicitations , '' the study says . `` As such , the importance of parental monitoring of adolescent Internet use can not be understated . '' | Study in June issue of Pediatrics identifies risk factors from Internet predators . Study finds childhood abuse , use of sexy images puts girls at increased risk . These factors more crucial than Internet naivete or sexual innocence , study indicates . Authors urge caregivers to carefully monitor how girls present themselves online . | [[0, 15], [89, 196], [189, 240], [241, 358], [288, 358], [553, 672], [584, 672], [2312, 2344], [0, 15], [89, 196], [241, 358], [288, 358], [359, 421], [553, 672], [584, 672], [781, 940], [1012, 1161], [4267, 4314], [4688, 4771], [5138, 5156], [5161, 5236], [1012, 1161], [359, 389], [424, 444], [450, 473], [5422, 5614], [5422, 5426], [5432, 5516], [5759, 5851]] |
HONG KONG , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As General Motors heads toward insolvency , the company that was once the biggest on the planet is still riding high in the world 's most populous country . China is one bright spot in GM 's dismal fortunes , but U.S. consumer activists have raised concerns . As the storied American company prepares to financially dismantle its operations between good and poor performing assets , GM China is becoming the crown jewel in the company 's operations . `` If there 's a good GM and a bad GM , China is definitely going to be in the good GM side , '' said Michael Dunne , an auto analyst and managing director of J.D. Power and Associates China . But the company 's build-up in China is raising concern for U.S. consumer advocates and members of the U.S. Congress . Of particular concern are plans to build cars for the U.S. market in China after thousands of GM workers were laid off at U.S. plants . `` Do we really want the United States of America to export its auto industry paid for by the taxpayer , and un-employ workers to a dictatorship to a country like China ? '' said consumer advocate Ralph Nader . `` Where 's our self-respect as a nation ? '' Adds U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown , a Democrat from Ohio : `` That can not be a part of their restructuring of this company . Their business plan can not include more outsourcing of jobs while taking taxpayer money . '' Industry analysts say the decision is a simple matter of dollars and cents : GM is now the third-biggest car manufacturer in China , which has recently overtaken the U.S. as the world 's largest car market . `` Our business is run as separate joint-ventures here in China in partnership with SAIC ... so we 're profitable , we fund our own investment and we would be largely independent of any action that took place in the US , '' said Kevin Wale , president and managing director of GM China . `` It seems as though they have enough going on out here that they will remain insulated from the bankruptcy back home , '' adds Dunne . `` I see GM weathering the storm in Asia and holding on to what they 've accomplished here and being able to ride it out here . '' CNN 's Andrew Stevens and Jim Acosta contributed to this report . | GM China is the third largest manufacturer in China . China became the world 's largest car market in recent months . Consumer activists and U.S. politicians deride plans to import GM cars . Nader : Do n't export U.S. auto industry to a `` dictatorship '' | [[1485, 1538], [1533, 1538], [1547, 1559], [1570, 1615], [1533, 1538], [1551, 1615], [250, 296], [685, 799]] |
Editor 's note : Ted Epperly , M.D. , a family physician in Boise , Idaho , is president of the American Academy of Family Physicians , which represents more than 93,000 physicians and medical students nationwide . He spent 21 years in the U.S. Army , including service as a family physician , chief of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital emergency room during Desert Storm and Desert Shield , and deputy commander of an Army medical center . Ted Epperly says recruiting more primary care doctors would improve access to quality health care . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Clayton Christensen , Jason Hwang and Vineeta Vijayaraghavan are right about one thing in their CNN commentary titled `` We do n't need more doctors . '' America 's health care system is broken . It requires significant reform if patients are to have access to convenient , affordable and -- most importantly -- high-quality care that results in good outcomes . But they have missed a central point . We need more primary care physicians now and we will need even more in the future as the baby boom generation ages . If Americans are to see meaningful health care reform , they must have a primary care doctor to whom they can turn for everyday problems : annual physicals and preventive care , diagnosis and treatment for common illness , and diagnosis and treatment of complex , chronic conditions , referral to subspecialists , and coordination of care provided by a team of professionals . Our current system has a serious and growing shortage of these primary care physicians . Today , only 30 percent of physicians provide primary care and 70 percent subspecialize in a single organ system or disease . We need a system in which patients get the right kind of care at the right time in the right place by the right type of provider . They need health services that provide not just convenient hours for minor health problems , but also medical expertise that ensures consistent , ongoing care ; accurate diagnoses of symptoms ; coordination with pharmacists , other specialists and allied health professionals such as physical therapists ; consistent follow-up ; and convenience . All at an affordable cost . Several health reform proposals set forth by President Obama and Congress would move federal policy in that direction . How ? They incorporate convenience , efficiency , continuity of care and access to a system that relies on the patient-centered medical home -- a concept in which physicians coordinate care with a team of health professionals , offer evening and weekend office hours , and use electronic communication with patients and members of the health care team . But this concept wo n't be fulfilled unless we have health reform that increases the number of primary care physicians . Right now , America has a current and worsening shortage of primary medical care . Christensen , Hwang and Vijayaraghavan contend that increasing the number of physicians also leads to `` greater intensity of care , but not better health outcomes . '' But their argument leaves out a major caveat . Although a greater number of subspecialists does increase the intensity , number and cost of services , research by Barbara Starfield at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health consistently demonstrates the opposite occurs in communities with more primary care physicians , particularly family physicians . Starfield concludes that an increase of one primary care physician per 10,000 population resulted in a reduction of 34.6 deaths per 100,000 population at the state level . Katherine Baicker , professor of health economics at Harvard School of Public Health , and Amitabh Chandra at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government confirm these findings . Their research shows that increasing the number of primary care physicians results in a significant increase in the quality of health care and a reduction of cost to patients . However , increasing the number of subspecialists was associated with higher costs and poorer quality . At issue , then , is not the total number of physicians , but the number of family physicians and their primary care colleagues . Demographics , an aging population and resulting increased demand for services will require a significant increase in the number of these physicians . Given the long-term process required to train primary care physicians , we will continue to struggle with a shortage of primary care physicians , and that shortage will affect patients ' access to care . Family physicians now are working to fill some of those gaps , according to a 2008 survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians . The survey found 42 percent of respondents offer extended office hours and 29 percent provide open access or same-day scheduling . Moreover , 36 percent offer Web-based health information , 32 percent -LRB- up from 10 percent two years ago -RRB- prescribe medications by e-mail , and 21 percent -LRB- up from 18 percent two years ago -RRB- offer e-mail interactions . In short , despite the financial disincentives and other barriers in the current system , family physicians are working to meet patients ' needs for convenience and access . They are improving this convenience and access with the help of nurses and nurse practitioners , who are excellent sources of care when patients have a known set of conditions and diagnoses that are amenable to treatment protocols . Likewise , walk-in clinics can fill the access gap when patients have an acute problem that requires a treatment that can be spelled out by an accepted protocol . However , even these clinics rely on an adequate number of primary care physicians . Most walk-in clinic staff realize that convenience should not trump quality or continuity , and most will refer patients to a primary care physician for follow-up and ongoing care . Again , without an adequate number of primary care physicians , these patients will have only partial access to the care they need . Family physicians and other primary care providers are part of the solution , not part of the problem . It is important at this critical time of restructuring the health care system to understand clearly what we are trying to accomplish . What we are building is a high-quality , accessible health care system that increases patient satisfaction and health care outcomes while we decrease cost and ethnic disparities . This is what a primary-care based health system will deliver . This is why President Obama and Congress aim to rebuild the U.S. health care system around primary care . This is why we need more primary care physicians . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dr. Ted Epperly . | Dr. Ted Epperly : America needs more primary care doctors to expand access . He says studies show primary care doctors improve health-care outcomes . Epperly : Doctors are seeking to make services more easily available . | [[439, 538], [456, 538], [959, 999], [6575, 6625], [6587, 6625], [3746, 3922], [5017, 5025], [5107, 5190]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British model and television personality Katie Price , also known as Jordan , and her singer husband , Peter Andre , are to separate , according to a statement released Monday . Peter Andre and Katie Price , who ran the London Marathon last month , are separating . The couple found romance on the reality show `` I 'm A Celebrity ... Get me Out of Here ! , '' which was filmed in the Australian jungle . The statement said : `` Peter Andre and Katie Price are separating after four-and-a-half years of marriage , '' the British Press Association reported . `` They have both requested that the media respect their families ' privacy at this difficult time . '' Only last month the couple , whose reality TV show of their life features on British television , said they were trying for another child . They have two children together , son Junior , 3 , and 1-year-old daughter Princess Tiáamii . Price has a 6-year-old son Harvey , by footballer Dwight Yorke , who is disabled . Price first made her name as a tabloid newspaper topless model , but has since gone on to become a television star , author and clothes designer . She also competes in show jumping events and has her own stable of horses . Andre , who was born in London but raised in Australia , came to prominence in 1996 with his international hit `` Mysterious Girl . '' | Katie Price and husband , Peter Andre , are to separate . British glamour model and singer married in 2005 after meeting on TV show . They have two children together -- Junior , 3 , and 1-year-old Princess Tiáamii . | [[197, 224], [268, 284], [424, 442], [446, 530], [821, 895]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italian giants Juventus have completed the signing of Brazil playmaker Diego from German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in a $ 34 million deal . Brazil playmaker Diego , right , has completed his $ 34 million move to Juventus from Werder Bremen . The 24-year-old , who missed the recent UEFA Cup final defeat against Shakhtar Donetsk because of suspension , has penned a five-year contract with the Serie A giants . `` I am enthusiastic and delighted to be a part of such a prestigious club , '' said Diego , whose contract at Werder Bremen was due to run until June 2011 . `` I have dreamed of this moment since I was a child . Diego joined three seasons ago from Porto and his Werder farewell will be in the German Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend . `` After an experience in Portugal and in the Bundesliga , I will be able to prove my worth at a high level but difficult competition , '' he added . `` It is the right time for me to take this important step and I am convinced that at Juventus I will be able to achieve great results . '' Last week , Juventus announced that Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro is rejoining them after three years at Real Madrid . News of Cannavaro 's return came less than 24 hours after the club sacked coach Claudio Ranieri and replaced him with former player and youth coach Ciro Ferrara . Ferrara 's appointment had an immediate impact and Juventus are now level on points with AC Milan in second position after a 3-0 weekend victory at Siena . It was their first win in eight matches and guaranteed them Champions League action next season . The 35-year-old Cannavaro was voted world player of the year after leading Italy to World Cup glory in 2006 and has helped Real to achieve two title triumphs during his stay in Spain . | Italian giants Juventus have completed the signing of Brazil playmaker Diego . The 24-year-old is leaving German club Werder Bremen in a $ 34million switch . Juve said last week Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro will rejoin from Real Madrid . | [[0, 15], [19, 137], [163, 185], [188, 264], [0, 15], [19, 137], [163, 185], [188, 264], [1077, 1086], [1089, 1195]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jose Mourinho has extended his contract at Serie A champions Inter Milan by 12 months until June 2012 , killing off speculation that he could be on his way to Real Madrid . Coach Mourinho has signed an extended deal ending fears he could wave goodbye to Inter Milan . Former Chelsea supremo Mourinho took charge at Italian giants Inter a year ago following the departure of Roberto Mancini and has just guided the club to their fourth straight scudetto . They also won the Italian Super Cup , but were eliminated by defending champions Manchester United in the first knockout round of the Champions League . A statement on the Inter Web site read : `` In response to the wish of the coach to continue the project started together a year ago , a wish welcomed with pleasure by the club as a sign of attachment and winning spirit , FC Internazionale announces the extension of Jose Mourinho 's contract until 30 June 2012 . '' Mourinho had promised the fans more titles would be on the after lifting his first Italian title , but the eal issue refused to go away until Monday 's statement . When asked about the chance he could leave Inter , Mourinho had earlier told the club Web site : `` There is still a 0.01 % -LRB- chance -RRB- . But for me this is not an important number , it just means that I am closer to Inter than to Real . `` I am satisfied with the relationship with the fans and with my players . I repeat , I am closer to staying at Inter than going elsewhere . '' Those comments failed to impress Inter president Massimo Moratti , but the extended contract has settled any differences . Mourinho made his mark at Porto in 2004 when he led the Portuguese team to the Champions League title , beating Monaco 3-0 in the final , before moving to Chelsea . At Stamford Bridge he claimed the Premier League title in each of his first two seasons and the FA Cup the following campaign , but left the club in September 2007 . Not all Inter fans have warmed to the Portuguese since his arrival in Milan last summer . He has been involved in several disagreements with the Italian media and his style of play has has not endeared him to parts of the Nerazzurri faithful . | Jose Mourinho has extended his contract with Serie A champions Inter Milan . The decision kills off speculation that he could be on his way to Real Madrid . Former Chelsea supremo now contracted with Italian club until 30 June 2012 . | [[0, 15], [19, 120], [192, 247], [218, 286], [849, 940], [0, 15], [123, 191], [0, 15], [19, 120], [192, 247], [849, 940]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A nude photograph of pop singer Madonna was sold for $ 37,500 Thursday afternoon at a Christie 's Art House auction . Christie 's auctioned this nude photo of Madonna -LRB- partially shown -RRB- taken by Lee Friedlander for $ 37,500 . The photo , originally expected to go for between $ 10,000 and $ 15,000 , was purchased for more than double its original estimated selling price , a Christie 's spokesperson confirmed . The 13-inch by 8 5/8 - inch framed photograph was purchased by an anonymous bidder over the phone . The full frontal photograph was one of several taken by American photographer Lee Friedlander in 1979 . Madonna , then a cash-strapped student , received $ 25 for the entire photo shoot . Most of the pictures from the shoot were ultimately featured in Playboy magazine in 1985 . | Nude photograph of Madonna taken when she was student in 1979 . Lee Friedlander pic sold by Christie 's for $ 37,500 . Anonymous bidder made purchase over the phone . | [[146, 262], [217, 262], [263, 285], [328, 408], [450, 534]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- Usually , when characters in a movie are one-dimensional , that 's not a good thing . But in `` Night at the Museum : Battle of the Smithsonian , '' the waxworks figures who come to life after sundown are n't crassly sketchy or dramatically lacking . They 're one-dimensional , all right , but knowingly , delightfully so . Ben Stiller and Amy Adams size up a bobble-head Albert Einstein in the `` Night at the Museum '' sequel . Even at their most pop-up brash , they 're true to the way that kids see history . They 're like characters out of a cool yet innocent mischief-at-midnight children 's book -- a `` Where the Wild Things Are '' of global story-time kitsch . And they give you a lift . The movie , make no mistake , is clownishly silly , a lark as light as balsa wood . If anything , though , it 's a faster , wittier spin on the formula of its predecessor . Released in 2006 , `` Night at the Museum '' was a family popcorn extravaganza that touched a chord even its producers may not have anticipated . In the sequel , Ben Stiller , as the former night guard Larry Daley -LRB- he 's now a successful entrepreneur ... of flashlights ! -RRB- , spends one long night infiltrating the galleries of the Smithsonian Institution , where he attempts to rescue the exhibits he first got to know at the American Museum of Natural History . -LRB- He 's trying to get his hands on the magical Egyptian tablet that brings them to life . -RRB- . The T.rex , the capuchin monkeys , Attila the Hun -- all have been shipped to the archives of the Smithsonian . And all are as feisty as ever . But `` Battle of the Smithsonian '' tilts away from the zoological . The film is a history-of-the-world burlesque in which such drolly self-centered icons as General Custer -LRB- Bill Hader -RRB- , Ivan the Terrible -LRB- Christopher Guest -RRB- , and Kahmunrah -LRB- Hank Azaria -RRB- -- a made-up pharoah who lisps with the enthusiasm of Boris Karloff on his own reality show -- collide happily with a living army of Albert Einstein bobblehead dolls , plus stone-carved angels who sing `` More Than a Woman '' and `` The Thinker '' come to life as a Brooklyn deadbeat . This is what you call a wholesome kiddie movie on drugs . It all works because Stiller , with his eager-to-please anxiety and his incredulous double takes , is the perfect addled straight man for a hellzapoppin history show . And it works because Amy Adams , as Amelia Earhart , has the breathless , daffy-sexy vivacity of a '30s screwball heroine , her eyes lit with fire , her delivery as sharp as cut glass as she rat-a-tats out lines like `` You have n't been able to take your cheaters off my chassis since we met ! '' `` Battle of the Smithsonian '' has plenty of life . But it 's Adams who gives it zing . EW Grade : B + . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | EW : `` Night at the Museum '' sequel lighthearted , enjoyable . Movie moves action to Smithsonian , where Ben Stiller character follows exhibits . Standout of film is Amy Adams as screwball Amelia Earhart . | [[1052, 1065], [1068, 1079], [1191, 1270], [2423, 2546]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Switzerland 's Massimo Busacca has been selected to referee Wednesday 's Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United in Rome on Wednesday -- UEFA have confirmed on their official Web site UEFA.com . Massimo Busacca refereed the 2007 UEFA Cup and one of the semifinals from Euro 2008 . Busacca , 40 , will be assisted by his compatriots Matthias Arnet and Francesco Buragina , while the fourth official will be Claudio Circhetta . Busacca has been an international referee since 1999 and has taken charge of 32 Champions League matches , including six this season . Among the top club matches he has overseen are this year 's Champions League quarterfinal second leg between Porto and Manchester United and the 2007 UEFA Cup final between Sevilla and Espanyol in Glasgow . On the international stage , Busacca was also in charge of the Euro 2008 semifinal between Germany and Turkey and the 2006 World Cup last 16 match between Argentina and Mexico . Meanwhile , authorities in Rome have enforced a blanket ban on the sale of alcohol as they attempt to stave off the threat of trouble between 67,000 Barcelona and Manchester United fans . In a bid to avoid incidents , local authorities have banned the sale of alcohol throughout the city and in airports and stations from 11pm on Tuesday until 6am on Thursday morning . `` It will not be a militarised city , '' Rome authority spokesman Giovanni Pecorari told Press Association Sport . `` All the necessary measures have been taken in order to give the best possible image of this city . '' | Massimo Busacca selected to referee Champions League final on Wednesday . 40-year-old Swiss will be accompanied by team of three compatriots in Rome . Busacca refereed the 2007 UEFA Cup final and one of Euro 2008 semifinals . Rome authorities enforce a blanket ban on the sale of alcohol before the final . | [[0, 15], [34, 162], [323, 330], [333, 335], [338, 411], [237, 322], [603, 787], [810, 836], [839, 942], [988, 997], [1000, 1070], [1176, 1184], [1206, 1304]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- I 've never been a fan of the cold . As a kid , my favorite part of skiing was the hot chocolate , and I relished blizzards for the snow days , not the snowball fights . So when I booked a trip to the Icehotel in northern Sweden , my family and friends were amused -- and a bit concerned , especially when I got sick days before my flight . `` You ca n't go to the Arctic with a cold ! '' my mother admonished . The hotel in northern Sweden opens every year in early December and closes at the end of April . But I had good reason for wanting to sleep in a glorified freezer : As an environmental reporter , I was curious to see a place where people have turned snow and ice into a moneymaker , one that 's spawned copycats in frigid spots from Canada to Romania . Conceived by Yngve Bergqvist , a river-rafting guide who wanted to lure visitors to the Arctic north during the winter , the Icehotel started out in 1990 as nothing more than a crude igloo . Now , it 's a fanciful ice castle that 's rebuilt every November with an unparalleled level of artistry -- which explains why each winter 16,000 guests pay hundreds of dollars a night to sleep on a slab of ice and thousands more make the trek just to tour the rooms for the day . The 30 most elaborate suites are the handiwork of a team of artists -- sculptors , painters , architects , even comic book illustrators -- many of whom have never worked with ice before . Wielding chain saws and chisels , they spend weeks crafting frozen furniture while electricians install lights to provide an ethereal glow . Surreal ? Exceedingly . This winter , German furniture maker Jens Paulus and American industrial designer Joshua Space created a space-station room straight out of `` Star Trek , '' with giant carvings of the sun and moon on opposing walls and twinkling lights in the ceiling . British decorator Ben Rousseau and graffiti artist Insa devised the Getting Cold Feet suite , with oversize high-heeled ice shoes beside the bed . Twenty-nine unadorned snow caves offer a somewhat less pricey and more purist experience . Since no hotel would be complete without a bar , the artists also sculpt a chic space where guests can warm their innards with an Icebar Jukkasjärvi , a mix of vodka , blueberry liqueur , blue curaçao syrup and elderflower juice , sipped from a cube-shaped ice glass . Then there 's the chapel , where designs etched into the ice walls resemble stained glass . About 150 couples tie the knot here each year , some brides bundled in snowsuits , others dressed in white wedding gowns , their teeth chattering as they recite their vows . When I arrive in Sweden , I 'm surprised to find that the guests actually spend a lot of time in a pair of heated chalets that look like life-size gingerbread houses . The shower and bathroom are located in the one nearest the hotel -- because , really , who wants to sit on a frozen throne ? And the other contains the restaurant , where chef Richard Näslin dreams up such intriguing dishes as arctic char ice cream , which has a slightly salty , smoky flavor and is much more delicious than it sounds . Budget Travel Dream Trip : Scale a volcano in Ecuador . After my dinner , wrapped in several layers of fleece and down , I waddle out to a tepee for a folk concert by native Laplander Yana Mangi . At the end of each song , the crowd responds with a uniquely Arctic ovation : muffled mitten clapping . My suite has a nautical theme , with walls curved into a frozen wave and an oval bed of bluish ice set beneath a clam-shaped headboard . Topped with a mattress and a reindeer skin , the setup looks snug . Almost . The temperature is a brisk 23 degrees Fahrenheit , and I 'm still petrified I 'll lose a finger to hypothermia , even in my head-to-toe winter wardrobe . I climb under the furry blanket , making sure not an inch of skin is exposed . Then I gaze through the slits in my microfleece face mask and marvel at the stillness . My breath comes in shallow white puffs . Soon , I 'm fast asleep . The next thing I know , a hotel attendant is standing beside me with a cup of steaming lingonberry juice -- my wake-up call . Amazingly , I slept through the night , giving new meaning to the expression `` out cold . '' I wiggle my fingers and toes -- they 're tingly , but all there . Then I do what any sane person would : sprint to the chalet to thaw out in the shower and sauna . Most guests stay only one night , but I opt for a second . It 's not to prove my mettle ; I feel as if I 've done that . Rather , I find my frosty alcove incredibly restful and therapeutic . Maybe the hotel should add an ice yoga studio next ? IF YOU GO ... GETTING THERE A round-trip flight between New York and Stockholm on SAS costs about $ 700 in midwinter -LRB- flysas.com -RRB- . From Stockholm , take a 16-hour train ride to Kiruna -LRB- from $ 44 round trip -RRB- . The Icehotel is a $ 13 bus ride away . WHEN TO GO The hotel opens every year in early December and closes at the end of April . You have a chance of spotting the northern lights in December and January , but those are the coldest months -- temperatures can dip to 45 below . WHAT TO PACK Think wool and fleece layers ; avoid cotton , which can trap moisture and make you colder . The hotel supplies boots and hats . For details , see icehotel.com/winter/adventure/dress . WHERE TO SPLURGE Do n't miss the guided hotel tour -LRB- $ 37 per person -RRB- . And how about an ice-sculpting lesson -LRB- $ 75 per person -RRB- ? Or a six-hour snowmobile safari to see moose at their winter feeding grounds -LRB- $ 400 per person -RRB- ? WHERE TO SAVE Tour the Icehotel by day , and then spend the night at Hotel Kebne in Kiruna -LRB- 011-46/980 -68 -180 , hotellkebne.com , from $ 100 -RRB- . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip . | The Icehotel started out in 1990 as nothing more than a crude igloo . Now guests can stay in elaborate suites handcrafted in ice by artists . Bathrooms are located in a heated chalet . | [[915, 984]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fifteen years after his death , and after his family fought a very long bureaucratic battle with the government , Enrique Valdez 's name was added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial . Rick Valdez looks at his father 's name on the Wall on Monday . Valdez was a Marine gunnery sergeant wounded by shrapnel in August 1969 , combat that left him a quadriplegic . Since his death in 1994 , his family has been waiting for the Defense Department to answer their requests that Valdez be included on `` The Wall . '' On Memorial Day , his family finally got their wish , as they watched his name officially added to `` The Wall . '' His name was added to the registry after the Department of Defense declared he was eligible because he died from his war injuries . Rick Valdez was 7 when his father was deployed to Vietnam . `` The night he had to go to the bus station for his second tour of duty , that was the last time I saw him walking , '' the son recalled . `` The next time we saw him was at the Veterans Administration hospital in Long Beach -LSB- California -RSB- , after they shipped him home , '' he said . The Marine was 32 . `` There are people that are worse off than I was , '' Tina Valdez recalled his father always saying . `` I enlisted , and I served . I knew what I was getting into . And if this is the worst that could happen to me , well then , so be it . '' When notification came weeks ago from the Defense Department that Valdez 's name would be added to the Wall , there was no explanation with it . Valdez 's family previously thought since he had n't been killed during war , Enrique Valdez could n't be on the wall . Comrades and others told the family that he could be added to `` The Wall `` as long as we could show that his death was a result of his -LSB- war -RSB- injuries , '' said daughter Tina Valdez . `` And when my father passed away , they put it on the death certificate , long before we even knew that this was a possibility . '' Now , they could n't be more thrilled that it 's not a possibility anymore -- it 's a reality -- though they do n't have an explanation for why the Defense Department finally notified them . `` What changed ? '' his daughter Tina Valdez asked . `` I 've been sending -LSB- the Defense Department -RSB- the same information for 14 years . Why all of a sudden is it different now ? '' But when she saw the fresh lettering earlier this month on Panel 17 , she felt that an explanation did n't matter as much anymore . `` It 's OK , because his name is here , '' she said . Watch Gunnery Sgt. Valdez 's family at the Memorial '' Enrique Valdez joins 58,260 other names listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial , and his is the only name added this year under 1969 , for combat deaths that year or later deaths resulting from injuries sustained in combat that year . | Marine Gunnery Sgt. Enrique Valdez 's name added to Vietnam Veterans Memorial . Valdez died from wounds suffered in August 1969 . His family worked for years to have his name added to the memorial . | [[66, 141], [144, 211], [276, 312], [595, 599], [608, 650], [287, 347], [730, 785], [66, 141], [144, 211]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When a woman dates a much older man , bystanders often speculate that she has only the most superficial of motives . French actress Ludivine Sagnier stars in veteran New Wave filmmaker Claude Chabrol 's `` The Girl Cut in Two . '' In `` The Girl Cut in Two , '' veteran French filmmaker Claude Chabrol tells the story of one young woman for whom just the opposite is true . It stars French starlet Ludivine Sagnier as a young woman who rejects the amorous advances of a flashy , wealthy man her age , in favor of a sleazy affair with a fickle , 60 year-old father figure . Sagnier 's desire to take on the role was also motivated by the allure of a much older man : Chabrol . `` The idea of working with Claude Chabrol was the main attraction at the beginning , '' she told CNN . `` He is a great French director , one of the pioneers of the French New Wave . '' `` The guy has so much experience . I felt like I was a journalist , always asking things , '' continues Sagnier . `` He 's very old ... he 's been through many , many things . This was his 66th movie , or something like that . '' Sagnier describes her character , Gabrielle de Neige , a charming , 20-something television weather girl , as `` very naive . '' `` She falls in a trap like a poor little lamb and she gets eaten by wolves . `` The thing is , she does n't have a dad , so she lacks affection , and sometimes that lack of affection can drive you to make mistakes . `` I 'd say I 'm stronger than that , '' says 29 year-old Sagnier , who is perhaps best-known for her provocative portrayal of a highly-sexualized teenager opposite Charlotte Rampling in Francois Ozon 's 2003 drama , `` Swimming Pool . '' Sagnier who is often compared with screen sirens like Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve , drew international acclaim for a series of films in 2002 and 2003 , but has recently has been taking smaller roles . Many of the qualities that attracted Sagnier to Chabrol are similar to those that draw her on-screen alter-ego Gabrielle to writer Charles Saint-Denis -LRB- Francois Berleand -RRB- -- Charles ' knowledge of life , literature and his ability to treat her like a little girl , not as an equal . Sagnier says of working with Chabrol : `` It was like opening a cinema book , because when you work with him he talks to you about Hitchcock , he talks to you about Kubrick . `` He met everyone , so he 's full of anecdotes , so you want to know more . '' Chabrol began his career in 1956 , earning his stripes alongside fellow New Wave directors Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut . He became famous in the late 1960s for suspense thrillers such as `` La Femme Infidele '' -LRB- 1969 -RRB- and `` Le Boucher '' -LRB- 1971 -RRB- . He has continued working prolifically in film and television ever since . Chabrol co-wrote the screenplay for the heartbreak drama , in which Sagnier character is consistently disappointed in love and let down by the men around her , with his step-daughter , Cecile Maistre , who also served as assistant director on the film . At the end of `` The Girl Cut In Two , '' Sagnier appears on stage as a magician 's assistant , smiling in the spotlight as she hears applause rise from the audience , the attention perhaps curing her depression over lovers lost . She lies in a box , appearing to be cut in half , the trick functioning as an almost literal embodiment of the film 's title -- but clearly there 's more to it than meets the eye . `` She cuts into two men first of all , and she 's also cut in two different sides of her personality , '' said Sagnier . `` She has a part of shade and a part of lightness . '' Sagnier 's fate since her collaboration with Chabrol has , thankfully , been a decidedly rosier affair : Since finishing `` The Girl Cut in Two , '' she has starred in Jean-Francois Richet 's , `` Public Enemy No. 1 , '' which received more nominations than any other film at the 2009 Cesar Awards , France 's equivalent of the Oscars . The indefatigable Chabrol has recently wrapped up yet another film : `` Bellamy '' starring Gerard Depardieu . `` The Girl Cut In Two '' is released in the UK on 22 May 2009 . | French starlet Ludivine Sagnier stars in `` The Girl Cut In Two '' It tells the story of a young woman who embarks on an affair with an older man . It was directed by prolific French New Wave veteran Claude Chabrol . Sagnier on Chabrol : `` He is a great French director , one of the pioneers '' | [[410, 467], [267, 292], [295, 372], [267, 292], [295, 372], [816, 848]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It has been nearly 20 years since Poland 's Solidarity movement defeated the Communist Party in an historic election that prompted the fall of communism across central and eastern Europe . Solidarity leader Lech Walesa takes the oath in front of Poland 's National Assembly on December 22 , 1990 . CNN International marks this significant anniversary with `` The New Poland , '' a week of programming examining the transformation of Poland from 1989 to where it sits today on the world stage . The combination of daily live programming and special reports from CNN correspondents in cities across Poland culminates June 4 with `` Autumn of Change , an in-depth documentary that takes a retrospective look at the events leading up to the election exactly 20 years ago . Reflecting the tumultuous year of 1989 , which changed Europe forever , `` Autumn of Change '' will mix live programming and documentary programming , unforgettable historical images with interviews past and present , and a huge online audience initiative through Poland , Hungary , Germany , the former Czechoslovakia , Bulgaria and Romania , in a comprehensive narrative of events that have helped to shape the Europe of today . `` CNN 's combination of historic footage , comprehensive reporting and access to Poland 's key figures puts us in an unparalleled position to set the scene for how Poland was the catalyst for the Europe of today , '' said Mike McCarthy , vice president of coverage and feature programming for CNN International . `` In step with the anniversaries of the events themselves , CNN will invite viewers to take part in our ambitious account of how Europe has changed over the last 20 years and what the future may hold . '' About the programming : . Just eight months after reporting from Poland for the week-long `` Eye on Poland '' special , Fionnuala Sweeney returns to the country to anchor the network 's live coverage for `` The New Poland . '' She will report on the various commemoration and celebration ceremonies throughout the week from cities across Poland including Warsaw , Krakow and Gdansk . In addition to Sweeney 's live reports , CNN correspondent Frederik Pleitgen will take viewers inside the Poland of today looking at the political , cultural , social and economic changes that have taken place in the past 20 years . The programs include : . -- Gdansk Today : CNN explores the city of Gdansk , the birthplace of the Solidarity movement . We visit the main shipyard and spend the day with a foreman who has been working there for more than 30 years . He talks about the transformation since Solidarity was born and the challenges the shipyards face three decades on . Finally , CNN heads out to sea with a polish yacht maker and finds out how they are dealing with the economic crisis . -- Catholicism in Poland : CNN looks at the Catholic Church in Poland and the challenges it faces . We visit Religia TV , a new project that aims to attract Catholics as well as viewers from other religions . -- Business in Poland : Solidarity transformed Poland from a communist state into a capitalist economy eventually capable of becoming a democratic member of the EU . During the last 20 years , its economy developed at a thriving pace , but even today there are remnants of the old system . CNN speaks to a family-run business on the local economy . We also visit Poland 's biggest copper mining and refining company . We find out how the global market place is impacting the global economy and Polish business . -- Polish Cuisine : CNN speaks to Krakow 's top celebrity chef and historian Robert Maklowicz about Polish cuisine and the recent trend to return to its roots . -- Poland 's Film School : CNN visits Poland 's largest film production Centrex , the National Film , Television and Theatre School in Lodz , and finds out what makes this school so unique . About the documentary : By combining narratives from key players within the Solidarity movement , the Communist leadership , CNN reporters who covered the events and Polish civilians who lived through it all , Autumn of Change charts the individuals , relationships and astonishing chain of events that shook eastern Europe to its foundations . About the online coverage : CNN 's television coverage will be complemented by a full interactive companion site . This special site will feature a number of pieces that reflect the cultural influence of this movement as well as narratives from some of the major figures involved in the process . Via iReport.com , CNN will also encourage viewers and users from Poland and elsewhere to submit content -- photos , videos and comments -- to illustrate personal experiences . Whether a part of this revolutionary period or not , CNN wants to know how these pivotal events affected them . | 20 years since Poland 's Solidarity movement defeated the Communist Party . The New Poland is a week of programming examining the transformation of Poland . Culminates in Autumn of Change , a look at the events that led to the election . Fionnuala Sweeney will anchor CNN 's live coverage from Poland . | [[16, 135], [317, 392], [408, 468], [668, 691], [697, 737], [727, 787], [1765, 1856], [1859, 1962]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Indian telecom services provider Bharti Airtel Limited and South Africa 's MTN Group Limited have renewed merger talks with the aim of creating an emerging market telecom giant , both companies announced Monday . Bharti Enterprises chairman and group chief executive officer Sunil Bharti Mittal in New Delhi in November . Such a merger would create an operator with combined revenues of over $ 20 billion and a combined customer base of over 200 million , according to both companies . In addition to savings , `` this opportunity also represents a first of its kind in developing an Indian-African initiative that would serve as a shining example of South-South cooperation , '' said Bharti chairman and managing director Sunil Bharti Mittal . MTN CEO Phuthuma Nhleko called the case for such a deal `` highly compelling , '' saying , a merged company would have `` leading positions in three of the fastest growing wireless markets globally -- India , Africa and the Middle East , with no overlapping footprint . '' Under the potential deal , Bharti would acquire a 49 percent stake in MTN , and MTN and its shareholders would take an approximate 36 percent interest in Bharti . Bharti would also be able to fully consolidate the accounts of MTN under the deal , MTN 's statement said . Bharti would serve as the primary vehicle for expansion in Asia and India in particular , while MTN would be the primary vehicle for the conjoined company to expand in Africa and the Middle East , Bharti 's statement said . The two sides have agreed to hold exclusive talks until July 31 . Singapore Telecommunications , a major existing shareholder in Bharti , will remain if the deal is implemented , according to Bharti . | Merger would create an operator with combined revenues of over $ 20 billion . Bharti would acquire a 49 percent stake in MTN . MTN CEO Phuthuma Nhleko : Case for such a deal `` highly compelling '' | [[341, 472], [1037, 1061], [1064, 1110], [764, 819]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- Here 's a snapshot of Portugal 's defining experiences : beaches , cities , and food and wine . Get a sense of which ones fit your travel style and your budget . Sandy beaches dot Portugal 's rugged coastline . Find a secluded beach . The Algarve , southern Portugal 's balmy riviera , sees nothing but blue sky 300 days of the year . Admire the ocean views from the roof terrace at Dianamar , in the whitewashed old center of Albufeira , just a block from the beach . Rooms are simple , but all have private terraces , and the price includes a generous breakfast buffet and afternoon cake -LRB- doubles from $ 65 -RRB- . The most dramatic coastline is along the drive to the medieval fortress town of Lagos . -LRB- Cars can be rented for around $ 30 a day in Albufeira ; book online with companies like Europcar . -RRB- Between Praia de Dona Ana and Porto do Mós , the cliffs have been broken by the wind and sea into jagged rock formations pierced by blowholes and grottoes . Secret half-moon bays of golden sand lie hidden from view from all but the ocean . An hour beyond Lagos is Europe 's southwesternmost point : Cabo São Vicente , a cape whose plunging cliffs are dotted with crumbling medieval churches and castles . More than 500 years ago , Portuguese sailing ships left to explore the world from these shores . There 's great hiking in the fragrant pine woods and peach orchards less than 20 miles inland , around the spa town of Monchique -- a cluster of tiny houses and 18th-century mansions tumbling down a steep , wooded valley . The trail up to the Picota peak has magnificent views out over the coast all the way to the cape . Families from Lisbon take weekends on the beaches of Cascais , less than 20 miles from the capital . There they jostle for space on three broad , short beaches and wander , ice cream in hand , along the ocean esplanade or the clusters of narrow streets crowded around the town 's imposing fort . For wilder , lonelier sand , head to Guincho , four miles west . This sweeping , gently curved shoreline is pounded by some of the best surf in the eastern Atlantic . An almost constant wind makes for superb windsurfing ; a world championship is hosted here most Augusts . But watch out for those rips and prepare for cold water . While the Algarve is good for swimming from spring to autumn , you 'll need a wet suit around Cascais for all but the summer months . The town is easily reached from Lisbon ; trains leave from Belém station every 15 minutes and take just over half an hour -LRB- $ 4.50 round trip -RRB- . But if you choose to stay , take a room at the Solar Dom Carlos , a 16th-century manor in a quiet Cascais backstreet -LRB- doubles from $ 30 -RRB- . There 's a pocket-size former Royal Chapel on the hotel grounds . Marvel at opulent chapels and palaces . Lisbon spreads in terra-cotta and cobblestone over seven hills , staring out over the Tagus River to the shimmering Atlantic . A rugged Moorish castle tops the skyline , and the streets are lined with baroque churches and Gaudíesque art nouveau buildings . Budget Travel Trip Coach : Friends explore Lisbon and beyond . Allow at least three days for a first visit , and make time for the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos . Extravagantly decorated doorways lead through long cloisters to a church supported by pillars adorned with stone ropes and coils of faux seaweed . These rise to a fan-vaulted ceiling whose thousands of tons of stone somehow look light and airy . Many Portuguese notables are buried at this monastery , including Luís de Camões , author of Portugal 's national epic , Os Lusíadas , and the explorer Vasco da Gama . The Gulbenkian is one of the world 's great small museums . Oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian acquired a huge collection of Egyptian , European and Oriental artifacts and Renaissance art , which was brought to Lisbon after his death . Highlights include intricate Roman jewelry , opulent Moorish carpets and tapestries , paintings by Rembrandt and Van Dyck , and an extensive collection of René Lalique 's art nouveau glassware . Finish your day with a late afternoon 's wander around the narrow , cobbled streets of the Bairro Alto neighborhood on a cliff overlooking the 18th-century city center . There 's a pretty medieval square or a magnificent church at every turn . The most beautiful is the Igreja de São Roque , whose simple exterior hides what was said at the time to be the most expensive chapel ever built -- a feast of rich gold work and beguilingly complex mosaics of lapus lazuli , ivory , agate , and precious metals . Built in Rome in 1742 , it was blessed by the Pope before being transported in its entirety to Lisbon . It 's an easy day trip from Lisbon to Sintra , a former royal retreat in cool forested hills near the coast . It looks like a Disney fantasy : pastel tiered castles crown the hilltops ; faux-Moorish domed palaces lie hidden in wooded gardens ; and extravagant , neo-Gothic mansions loom at the top of steep driveways . The grandest of all is the Palácio Nacional da Pena , rebuilt by Portugal 's half-mad Austrian king-consort in the late 18th century -LRB- park and palace admission $ 14 -RRB- . It 's a fascinating mishmash of Italian colonnades , Ottoman/Oriental turrets and windows painted in garish pinks and yellows . The interior of the building is preserved as it was when royalty fled during the 1910 revolt -- down to the tables set for dinner and the lamp-stand statues of turbaned Turks holding light bulbs . Sample robust wines and fresh fish . Every small Portuguese town has its own wine , traditional cakes and cheeses . In the Alentejo , cheeses are curdled with thistle flowers and washed down with rich , earthy red wines . Base yourself in Évora , a city founded by the Romans , expanded by the Moors and enriched by the Portuguese kings . Each group left its monuments ; the cork forests and vineyards around the city are strewn with Iberian dolmens , for example . About 150 miles north , in the mountainous Beira region , is the village of Pinhel , famous for its red wines and vanilla-flavored cavaca candies -- invented by nuns from the local convents in the Middle Ages . Pinhel is a delightful maze of winding streets and makes a great base for hiking in the nearby park land , Serra da Estrela , or for visiting the Côa Valley , where rock faces are inscribed with Paleolithic art . The Douro River flows out of Spain into a deep valley stepped with some of Europe 's oldest vine terraces . Port wine comes from here , together with some of Portugal 's heartiest reds . The Douro Valley is easily seen on a boat cruise from Porto , a destination in its own right . Here stands one of the largest collections of Renaissance buildings in the Iberian Peninsula . Every other corner leads to a little baroque church whose modest façade hides an interior encrusted with tons of gold . Winding streets in the city 's medieval center lead down the hillside to the river . Wander along the quays in Gaia across from Porto city and drop in on the various port wine warehouses for free samples . It 's a great way to decide what kind to bring home as a gift . Cap off your day with dinner on the banks of the Douro at D. Tonho . The house specialties are bacalhau -LRB- salted cod served steamed or in little deep fried crispy balls -RRB- , followed by pork fillets with clams or hake au gratin with seafood sauce . 7 insider tips . 1 . English is widely spoken , and it 's always more welcome than Spanish , which might even produce a scowl . Portugal and Spain have an age-old rivalry . Visitors trying to speak a few words of Portuguese will make many friends . 2 . In the Algarve , everyone sees the ocean from the beaches . But it 's just as much fun seeing the beaches from the ocean . Book an afternoon boat trip out of Albufeira Marina with one of the numerous agents on the Rua 5 de Outubro and be sure to take a camera to capture the golden afternoon light on the crumbling cliffs . 3 . Portugal can be a difficult country for vegetarians . Even vegetable soup is cooked with meat stock . Be sure to state clearly that you do n't eat any meat or fish -- even as seasoning . 4 . For the coolest night out in Lisbon , head to co-owner John Malkovich 's waterfront warehouse club , Lux Fragil , which is always packed with the most fashionable crowd on a Friday or Saturday night . 5 . Lisbon has some of the liveliest African music in Europe ; terrific Cape Verdean , Angolan and Mozambican singers make the city home . The hottest acts play at the Club B.Leza nights at Cabaret Maxime -LRB- from $ 20 -RRB- . For schedules of Luso-African concerts all over Lisbon , e-mail [email protected] . 6 . Portugal is a great country for driving . Small distances and an excellent and well-signposted road network mean that it 's never a long journey to the next place of interest . And the whole country can be driven from north to south in a little over a day . But beware of Portuguese drivers . Hugging the fender and flashing headlamps furiously on the highway is common practice -- as is reckless passing . 7 . Portugal is great for kids . Lisbon has a huge aquarium , and the dolphin and seal shows at the Zoomarine on the Algarve are some of the best in Europe . There are swimming pools and restaurants here , so you can stay for the whole day -LRB- adults $ 14 -RRB- . Timing . Portugal is sweltering in the summer -LRB- June through August -RRB- and very busy with European tourists . The spring -LRB- April through May -RRB- and autumn -LRB- September through October -RRB- are cooler , just as sunny and far less busy . The winter -LRB- November through March -RRB- is wet and cold . Price index . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip . | Portugal 's most dramatic coastline is along the drive to the medieval town of Lagos . A Moorish castle tops the Lisbon skyline and baroque churches line the streets . The Douro River valley is stepped with some of Europe 's oldest vine terraces . | [[651, 738], [1149, 1165], [1168, 1174], [1197, 1254], [2971, 3011], [3014, 3100], [4269, 4342], [6798, 6849], [6461, 6528]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A militant group operating in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria said Monday that it had destroyed several major oil pipelines in response to a military offensive . File image shows Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta fighters . The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta -LRB- MEND -RRB- said it had `` put out of operation '' a Chevron storage facility by destroying several pipelines that fed into it . `` This will henceforth become our standard mode of operation , '' the group said in a statement . The U.S.-based Chevron Corporation could not be immediately reached for an assessment of the damage . Nigeria 's military has been clearing the western Niger Delta region in a major operation against MEND . The armed militant group demands that more of Nigeria 's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those whom they consider corrupt politicians . The group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks . At that time , MEND destroyed several oil facilities , forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day , or 40 percent . The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria , Africa 's largest producer . `` We will continue our cat-and-mouse tactics with them -LRB- the military -RRB- until oil export ceases completely , '' the MEND statement said . | Militant group operating in oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria destroys oil pipelines . Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has declared `` all-out war '' Nigeria 's military has been trying to clear the western Niger Delta . | [[35, 107], [0, 5], [8, 31], [108, 207], [285, 452], [421, 471], [1044, 1056], [1059, 1096], [942, 1000], [673, 777]] |
MEXICO CITY -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A moderately strong earthquake rocked Mexico City on Friday afternoon , shaking the earth in the sprawling capital . People in Mexico City stream into the street as a magnitude 5.7 earthquake hits . The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 5.7 , and placed the epicenter near the city of Puebla , about 85 miles southeast of Mexico City . It hit at 2:24 p.m. local time . The Mexican seismological service measured the quake at 5.9 . People in the city reported the earth and buildings shaking . Thousands of panicked people streamed into the streets as stopped cars snarled traffic . Parts of the city were without electricity Friday afternoon but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage . Earthquakes are a frightening experience for the 20 million residents of Mexico City , where thousands of people perished in a massive quake in 1985 . The city , built on volcanic ash and clay , is particularly vulnerable to temblors . Aldo Pontecorvo of the humanitarian agency World Vision said the shaking lasted about 20 seconds . It came out of nowhere and `` without any warning , '' said Pontecorvo , who said he was in his office when the quake struck . Earlier this month , a moderate earthquake was measured off the coast of Mexico 's western Baja California peninsula . | U.S. Geological Survey measures quake at magnitude 5.7 . Thousands of panicked people stream into the streets . No immediate reports of injuries or damage . 1985 earthquake killed thousands in Mexico City . | [[230, 292], [545, 633], [545, 573], [600, 633], [698, 753], [51, 80], [847, 904]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This classic chant of `` Extra ! Extra ! Read all about it ! '' -- barked out by battalions of newsboys hawking newspapers -- died decades ago , a casualty of home delivery , mass distribution and the advent of coin-operated newspaper machines . Some coin-operated newspaper machines have lasted for 30 years , but lack of sales may force their retirement . But now as newspapers across the country wage a battle to survive in a market where readers are increasingly gravitating to the Internet for information , the fate of another industry fixture seems inevitable . Could those steel machines on street corners , distributing newspapers since the '50s , be headed for the scrap pile ? To begin to answer the question , all it takes is an early morning visit with a man who feeds those machines . It 's 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday , and a white delivery truck for the New Jersey Record has just pulled into the parking lot outside the Plaza Diner in Fort Lee , New Jersey . The driver -- Mike , who asked that his last name not be used -- is at one of his 130 stops on an eight-hour shift that began at midnight . Mike 's job , which takes less than a couple of minutes per stop , entails filling the coin-operated machine with the day 's papers , collecting unsold copies and emptying the machine of its coins . Even though Mike has a full schedule and lots of stops , it does n't equate to pushing as many papers as he once did . Mike loads 15 copies of the Record into one machine -- and that 's a good load , he says . Other locations receive only five to seven copies . He 's also tasked with filling machines for USA Today . Though he 's been on this job for only two years , Mike has been on the route long enough to know business is down . He says newspapers sell better at train stations than from the street machines he services . The demise of newspapers across the country is getting a lot of front-page headlines . The Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Washington was just one of the most recent victims , ceasing print publication in March as declining circulation and plummeting advertising sales forced it to retrench and become just an online provider of journalism . Even the legendary New York Times will force readers to dig deeper for more coins as it raises prices June 1 , with the price of a paper going from $ 1.50 to $ 2 . The publication that touts `` All The News That 's Fit to Print '' has been relying less on newspaper racks . In 1999 , the Times had 13,300 vending machines , but today that number has shrunk to 5,678 , according to Diane McNulty , spokeswoman for the Times . `` One of the factors is home delivery , '' McNulty said , adding , `` This was due to our national expansion -- where once many readers could only get copies from the newsstand or vending machine , they can now enjoy home delivery service . '' But all the gloom-and-doom predictions that newspapers will one day disappear is n't scaring workers at the Kaspar Sho-Rack Company , based in Shiner , Texas . The company lays claim to being the world 's largest manufacturer of coin-operated and no-charge newspaper vending machines . Don Kaspar is president and a fourth-generation member of a family business that began in 1898 manufacturing wire products . `` There 'll be printed newspapers for years and years '' said Kaspar , president of a company that is actually part of the larger Kaspar Wireworks . Still , he concedes , `` Business is down about 25 to 30 percent from about five years ago . '' It was n't until the late 1950s that the privately owned company was approached by the now defunct San Antonio Light newspaper to develop an early version of coin-operated newspaper machines . The early versions of newspaper machines were simple and made mostly of wire , but by the mid-1960s they were all made of metal . The machines typically consist of a thick metal housing , shelves , doors and hinges . But the heart of any machine is the coin mechanism , which can have 150 moving parts , according to the manufacturer . Some advanced models introduced in 1999 feature lithium batteries to run the coin-collecting mechanism . Often weighing around 100 pounds , these hand-assembled machines cost on average $ 450 each , with refurbished models selling for around $ 300 , the company says . The zenith of the company 's business may have been the 1980s , when the introduction of USA Today landed it a contract to build and deliver 100,000 coin-operated machines . Today only 65,000 machines populate the nation 's sidewalks , according to a USA Today spokesperson . In 1985 , Sho-Rack sold its 1 millionth newspaper machine and it has sold several hundred thousand since . Its biggest clients have been the giants of newspaper publishing , including Gannett , Tribune , Newhouse and the McClatchy newspaper groups . But the fate of those publishers directly affects the bottom line at Sho-Rack . `` Business now ? It 's certainly slowed down , '' said Kaspar . `` Free publication racks ... we 've stayed fairly busy with those . Coin - operated machines ? Newspapers are cutting costs and pulling a lot of the racks from outlying areas . As a result this causes a surplus number of racks and then ultimately less of a need for new racks from us . '' Though the coin-operated machine business makes up 25 percent of the parent company 's overall business , Sho-Rack has learned to diversify and adapt . `` We 're not dependent on any one industry , '' Kaspar said . The company , which employs nearly 500 workers and occupies more than 500,000 square feet in a small rural town , also manufactures thousands of wire , tubing and sheet metal products . The average life span of a coin-operated newspaper machine depends on several factors . Some machines , even with modest refurbishments every couple of years , have lasted for 30 years . For others it can be five minutes after an encounter with a snowplow . For the Kaspar Sho-Rack Company , as long as newspapers are printed and sold , its machines will gladly continue to accept coins . | Fewer customers buy from coin-operated newspaper machines . Delivery man says newspapers sell better from train stations than street machines . Texas company that makes the machines says business is down . `` There 'll be printed newspapers for years and years , '' firm 's president says . | [[239, 243], [244, 273], [1774, 1852], [1750, 1773], [3288, 3342], [3337, 3382]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama is expected to announce Friday the creation of the position of cyber czar , a person who will coordinate the nation 's efforts to protect government and private computer systems from hackers , criminal gangs , terrorists and spies , people familiar with the plan said Thursday . President Obama is expected to announce Friday the creation of the position of `` cyber czar . '' The czar will report to both the national security adviser and the head of the National Economic Council , the sources said . Obama will not name anyone Friday to the post because the selection process is ongoing , they said . In addition , the White House will release a 40-page report that sets broad goals for combating cyber intrusions , but does not spell out in detail how to do so , said the sources , who would not agree to be identified because the report has not been released . Shortly after taking office , Obama ordered a 60-day review intended to ensure the federal government 's cyber initiatives were `` appropriately integrated , resourced and coordinated with Congress and the private sector . '' Melissa Hathaway , a senior member of the National Security Council who led the review process , told a security conference late last year that a public-private partnership and international alliances would be key to solving cyber security problems . Another senior official said any solution would be a `` team sport '' requiring a `` holistic , comprehensive '' approach . Administration officials said that representatives of the private sector , government departments and agencies , academics , state and local officials and civil liberties and privacy experts were among those consulted during the review . The Department of Homeland Security reports the number of cyber attacks on government and private networks increased from 4,095 in 2005 to 72,065 in 2008 . This month , a Transportation Department audit -- carried out after hackers got into a support system containing personnel records -- indicated the nation 's air-traffic control system could be at risk . Hathaway expressed concern that critical infrastructures such as the nation 's power grid and financial networks could be vulnerable . `` God forbid if somebody were to take down and or manipulate our financial system , and what would we do , and would it make the current financial crisis look like a walk in the park ? '' she asked . Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair recently told reporters the biggest cyber threat facing the United States is from nation states , particularly Russia and China . `` I think China is winning the sweepstakes for the origin of most attacks on U.S. persons and organizations , '' he said . The Bush administration 's own review of the matter culminated in the mostly classified National Cybersecurity Initiative , which was enacted in January 2008 . National Security Agency executive Sandra Stenar-Johnson said that plan consisted of 12 initiatives with three goals : reduce the current vulnerabilities in the system , defend against the full spectrum of threats , and develop next-generation technologies to maintain an edge over adversaries . The Bush initiative tapped the Department of Homeland Security as the lead agency in the cyber battle . Senior officials in the Obama administration say the White House will anchor the latest effort , providing guidance and direction to ensure all agencies and departments are working well together . | Obama will announce post Friday , sources say . Cyber czar to lead effort to protect government and private computer systems . White House will also release report with goals for combating cyber intrusions . | [[30, 119], [325, 419], [325, 340], [353, 419], [325, 419], [325, 340], [353, 419], [3204, 3307], [664, 762]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three suspects were arrested after an explosives-packed van reduced a police building to rubble Wednesday in eastern Pakistan , killing 27 . The scene of an apparent suicide car bomb attack on a police building in Lahore on May 27 . The morning attack in Lahore -- Pakistan 's second-largest city -- also wounded more than 250 people , most of them police officers and staffers , authorities said . Fourteen of the dead included police officers . Three others were identified as bodies of `` terrorists , '' said City Commissioner Khusro Pervez . Immediately after the blast , police arrested two of the suspects , said City Commissioner Khusro Pervez . Local television showed the men being led away by officers . Sir Ganga Ram hospital , which was damaged by the explosion , was treating 128 victims . Authorities expected the death toll to rise as rescue workers picked through twisted metal and other debris from the building , looking for more bodies . Watch more on the attack '' The attack comes amid a Pakistani military offensive to rout militants from their haven in the northwestern part of the country . Baitullah Mehsud , the leader of the Pakistan Taliban , had threatened to target major Pakistani cities if the operations did not cease . `` The enemies of Pakistan are trying their very best to use every venue to destabilize the country , '' Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters Wednesday . The blast occurred on Mall Road near the city police headquarters and the high court . It is one of Lahore 's busiest areas . A passenger van , laden with explosives , broke through a security barrier and was headed toward the police building when guards opened fire to stop it , said Lahore 's district coordination officer , Sajjad Ahmed Bhutta . Watch rescue workers respond to the scene '' The two sides exchanged gunfire , with the attackers hurling grenades , said Faisal Gulzar , deputy police superintendent . The van exploded before it could reach the building . It was carrying an estimated 100 kilograms -LRB- 220 pounds -RRB- of explosives , Bhutta said . The impact was immense . The targeted building -- Building 15 -- collapsed . It housed the city 's rapid response team , which is dispatched during emergencies . At least 50 people were thought to have been inside the two-story building at the time , said police spokesman Ray Nazar Hayat . The police headquarters that sits adjacent to the building was also damaged . Motorcycles from a nearby dealership were strewed about , charred from the heat . The roof of four operating rooms caved at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital , with 40 medical staff members suffering minor wounds . Police waved away onlookers in vain . Many of them jumped over the collapsed walls of Building 15 to look for survivors . Semi-conscious officers in blood-stained uniforms were pulled from under wooden planks . No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack , with suspicion falling on the beleaguered Islamic militants in the northwest who had vowed revenge . `` We 're doing our best , '' Malik , the interior minister , said of the offensive in the northwest . `` Please do not forget we 're in a state of insurgency . It 's a fight for our survival . We had two choices : We surrender our country or we save it for our next generation . '' Lahore is Pakistan 's cultural capital , far removed from the fundamentalist interpretation of Islam that is embraced in the north of the country , which borders Afghanistan . Still , it has sporadically been swept into widening Islamist violence that grips the country . In March gunmen hurled grenades and opened fire on officers at a police training center , killing at least seven cadets . The same month gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying members of the Sri Lankan national cricket team on their way to a stadium for a match . The attack wounded at least eight members of the team and killed a driver and six Pakistani police officers . `` Everywhere in the city is insecurity , '' Haris Nadeem , a student in Lahore , said Wednesday . `` You never know when a blast is going to occur or where . A shopping center ? A government office ? '' Still , said Saleem Khan , residents forge ahead . `` We will avoid places when they are crowded , but we ca n't change everything , '' he said . `` We ca n't stop going out of our houses . Life has to go on . '' CNN 's Ingrid Formanek and Saeed Ahmed and journalists Zeeshan Ali Taher and Naser Habib contributed to this report . | NEW : Three attackers among the dead , city official says . At least 27 killed , more than 250 wounded , according to officials . Attack reduces police building in Lahore to rubble . Vehicle packed with explosives detonated by building with at least 50 people inside . | [[273, 301], [345, 373], [420, 438], [75, 165], [2150, 2201], [2150, 2171], [2190, 2201], [75, 165], [2287, 2373]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Somalia needs international help to fight Islamist extremists battling for power in the lawless Horn of Africa nation , the country 's moderate Islamist president said Monday . Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was recently appointed Somalia 's transitional president . `` I am calling on the international community to help Somalia defend against foreign militants who have invaded the country , '' President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said . Speaking at a news conference in Somalia 's capital city , Mogadishu , Ahmed called several times for international help in fighting foreign militants whom he claims are the same fighters who have fought the `` international community '' in Iraq and Afghanistan . `` Wherever they come , they fuel violence , '' the president said . `` The Somali people can not and should not accept that their countries should be a launching pad for these militants to attack . '' Ahmed told local journalists that he feared these foreign fighters would turn Somalia into another Iraq or Afghanistan , where U.S.-led forces are fighting Islamic extremist groups . He also praised local militias in the two regions of Hiiran and Middle Shabelle for struggling against the foreign militias . Last week , al-Shabab militants advanced to the presidential palace in Mogadishu , sparking sporadic fighting and shelling in the Somali capital . The recent fighting has killed more than 40 civilians and wounded about 150 others , according to sources at the scene . Al-Shabab -- once the armed wing of the Islamic Courts Union -- has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States , which says it is affiliated with the al Qaeda terrorist network . Ahmed participated in seizing control of Mogadishu in 2006 along with the Islamic Courts Union before it was ousted by Ethiopian forces later that year . He has since split from Somali jihad movements and was recently appointed Somalia 's transitional president through a process shepherded by the United Nations . Journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report . | President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed speaking at a conference in Mogadishu . Ahmed fears foreign fighters will turn Somalia into another Iraq or Afghanistan . Fighting in past two days kills more than 40 civilians . U.S. says Al-Shabab militants are affiliated with al Qaeda network . | [[456, 512], [922, 1040], [1378, 1431], [1607, 1624], [1633, 1692]] |
Editor 's note : CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com , which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com . If you 've rolled up your sleeves and gotten experience , tell potential employers when applying for a job . Talk to a dozen students on any college campus and you 're likely to hear a dozen different perspectives on what they hope to get out of college . Some want high GPAs ; some want to get into the work force and earn a lot of money . Ask their parents and you 'll get just as many different answers . Some parents hope that their children earn their degree and have an easy time finding a job . Others want them to be at the top of the class so they can get into the best graduate school possible . And some just want their children to stop partying long enough to attend class once in a while . Ask employers what they want from graduates and the answers are equally diverse . Depending on the job , you might need a degree and an internship , a degree and work experience , or the right connections to even land an interview . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , nearly 39 million Americans over the age of 18 have a bachelor 's degree . Considering that 281 million people live in the country , college graduates are still a small percentage of the population . Still , with a number in the millions , you are competing with a lot of job seekers who also have the same educational background as you . Relying only on your bachelor 's to land a job is not the safest route to employment . As with most things , it 's all in the presentation . Degree or not , presentation matters . Sue Chehrenegar studied biology as an undergraduate and biomedical research as a graduate student . During her job search , she found herself losing out on job opportunities because she lacked the proper experience , despite her education . Or so she thought . `` At the end of the 1980s , I spent more than one year looking for a job , '' she remembers . `` I kept getting this question : ` Have you done anything in the area of molecular biology ? ' '' She would tell employers that she did n't have the proper experience because she was n't specifically trained for that . `` I did not mention the fact that I once assisted a graduate student who was putting DNA and RNA into cultured cells . '' What does that mean in layman 's terms ? Because her specialization and the bulk of her experience was not in this particular field , she did n't consider the limited work with the graduate student worth mentioning . She later realized employers were n't looking for someone to be the ultimate authority on the subject ; they wanted someone who had a broad range of knowledge . `` I realized my mistake more than two years after I got a job , '' Chehrenegar remembers . `` My first year I worked in an infectious disease lab . Later , they put me in a molecular biology lab . When I helped with one of the projects in that lab , I realized that my old , unmentioned experience related to what I was doing at that time . '' A degree is n't useless . Sure , if you 're applying for a job with bio - as a prefix , you know a degree is a requirement . But for less research-intensive jobs , you might think a degree can always be supplanted by enough experience . Depending on your occupation , that could be true but is n't a hard and fast rule for all positions . For example , you might be able to find work at a museum , but you the odds of you transitioning into a curator can be extremely difficult without extensive education in art history and related courses . You could find that you hit a ceiling in an organization . Although this bodes well for graduates who come armed with one or more degrees , it also means that workers in this industry have the opportunity to earn an education while they ascend the corporate ladder . In some cases , the combination of their experience and a recently awarded degree could be more impressive if you 've relied on your degree and have n't diversified your experience . How to present yourself . Here are some tips to keep in mind when presenting yourself to employers : . • Even though you know education is n't the single factor in getting hired , it is often a prerequisite to land an interview . Do n't hide your degree just because you have a lot of experience -- you do n't want to lose out on an interview because your education was overlooked . • Use all of your education to your advantage . Connect the job requirements to any courses you took , whether as an elective or part of your minor . You might not have loved that statistics course , but if it 's relevant to the job , mention it . • Treat work experience and internships as proof that you 're a professional , not just a student . If you speak as if you see yourself as a student who does n't consider himself or herself as part of the working world , the employer might not either . Copyright CareerBuilder.com 2009 . All rights reserved . The information contained in this article may not be published , broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority . | Presentation of your experience can be just as important as your degree . Some 39 million Americans have a bachelor 's degree . Present any of your internships or work experience that employer may appreciate . | [[1580, 1611], [1132, 1206]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. soldier convicted of murdering an Iraqi family spoke out for the first time Thursday , issuing a public apology for his crimes . Former U.S. soldier Steven Green got life in prison after being convicted of murdering four Iraqis . Steven Green , who escaped the death penalty this month , told relatives of the victims that he is `` truly sorry for what I did in Iraq . '' `` I helped to destroy a family and end the lives of four of my fellow human beings , and I wish that I could take it back , but I can not , '' Green said , reading a statement at a victim impact hearing . `` And , as inadequate as this apology is , it is all I can give you . '' The family refused to accept the apology . Green was found guilty in U.S. District Court in Kentucky of raping a 14-year-old girl and murdering her , her parents and her 6-year-old sister in the town of Yusufiya , about 20 miles south of Baghdad , in 2006 . A jury could not reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty , which means the judge is required under law to impose a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole . Green will be sentenced September 4 , but the victim impact hearing was held Thursday so surviving members of the al-Janabi family could testify before they return to Iraq . They decried Green 's sentence and testified about how the heinous crime had shattered their lives and how it will haunt them always . Green said that he knows `` you wish I was dead , and I do not hold that against you . If I was in your place , I am convinced beyond any doubt that I would feel the same way . '' He added , `` I know that I have done evil , and I fear that the wrath of the Lord will come upon me on that day . But , I hope that you and your family at least can find some comfort in God 's justice . '' The wailing family matriarch , Hajia al-Janabi , lunged at Green as she left the witness stand , denouncing him as a coward , a criminal and a stigma on the United States , according to Louisville 's Courier-Journal newspaper . Security officers restrained the distressed woman , the newspaper said . Another family member , Mahdi al-Janabi , said Green had lost the ability to distinguish between terrorists and Iraqi civilians . Green was tried in a civilian court in Paducah , Kentucky , because he had been discharged from the Army by the time his crimes surfaced . He was the last of five soldiers who served in the 101st Airborne Division , based at Fort Campbell , Kentucky , to be convicted for the crimes and their subsequent cover-up . The others -- Spec . James Barker , Sgt. Paul Cortez , Pfc. Jesse Spielman and Pfc. Bryan Howard -- received sentences ranging from 27 months to 110 years , with the possibility of parole in 10 years in the most severe cases . Green said he now sees the Iraq war as `` intrinsically evil , because killing is intrinsically evil . '' He was sorry , he said , that he ever had anything to do with either . | `` I wish that I could take it back , '' says man convicted in 2006 attack . Steven Green must serve life in prison without parole . Surviving family members testify against Green at hearing . Matriarch lunges at Green while leaving witness stand . | [[488, 520], [155, 255], [0, 15], [57, 110], [1164, 1181], [1211, 1252], [1208, 1295], [1818, 1836], [1867, 1912]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The family of a woman who died ignored on an emergency room floor has reached a settlement with Health and Hospital Corp. , the family 's lawyer and the company 's top executive said Thursday . Surveillance video shows Esmin Green on the hospital floor for more than an hour before anyone helps her . The attorney , Sanford Rubenstein , said the settlement , reached Wednesday , is for $ 2 million . Alan Aviles , the president and CEO of Health and Hospital Corp. , said in a written statement that the company -- which operates Kings County Hospital , where Esmin Green , 49 , died last year -- takes full responsibility for her death and offers a `` full apology . '' He said the settlement `` is not meant to put a value on a life and the loss of a loved one . That remains priceless . '' Last July , Green 's relatives said they planned to file a $ 25 million lawsuit against the city and the hospital and called for criminal charges against hospital workers . A hospital security video showed that the mother of six waited in an emergency room chair for nearly 24 hours before she slid to the floor , where she convulsed for more than a half hour and then became still . An hour after she fell to the floor , the video showed , a hospital employee nudged Green with her foot and summoned help , but the 49-year-old woman was dead . The New York Civil Liberties Union alleges that hospital records were falsified to say that Green was `` sitting quietly in the waiting room '' at a time when , the video shows , she had been on the floor for 48 minutes and had not moved for more than 10 minutes . An autopsy revealed that Green died from pulmonary thromboembolism -- blood clots that formed in her legs and eventually made their way into her lungs , according to Ellen Borakove , the medical examiner 's spokeswoman . The clots came from deep vein thrombosis , which complicated Green 's chronic paranoid schizophrenia , she said . | Health and Hospital Corp. , operates hospital where Esmin Green died last year . CEO Alan Aviles , takes full responsibility for her death and offers a `` full apology '' Green died from pulmonary thromboembolism , says medical examiner . The video appears to show hospital workers ignoring her lying on the floor . | [[588, 599], [607, 621], [1631, 1712], [42, 49], [54, 93]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- OutKast 's Big Boi is a junkie , has been for years . Big Boi : `` You can really tell a lot about a person through the shoes , so I always like to keep me a fresh pair . '' The multiplatinum rap star got his first shoe fix back when he was better known as Antwan Patton , a busboy at Steak and Ale . He saved up his paychecks and rushed to a dealer to cop the only thing that could cure his jones -- a pair of British Knights tennis shoes . `` I 've actually been into sneakers since I was a little kid , '' Big Boi , 34 , said backstage before his concert this month at the Sneaker Pimps exhibition in Atlanta . `` You can really tell a lot about a person through the shoes , so I always like to keep me a fresh pair . '' Sneaker culture has thrived for decades , but shoe companies have increasingly capitalized on the demand for one-of-a-kind kicks . Collectors , known as sneakerheads , have lined up to pay hundreds , even thousands , of dollars to ensure few people are wearing the same shoes . See some of the rarest shoes '' `` Coming up , my mom got five kids so there was n't a whole lot of stylish tennis shoes around the house , so I used to want a lot of sneakers , '' Big Boi said , explaining that he started making up for lost time -- and shoes -- long before OutKast 's 1994 debut , `` Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik . '' Juan Castaneda , 27 , also grew up in a family of modest means and longed to don the fresh kicks he saw his peers wearing . `` When I got money to buy them , I started catching up , '' said Castaneda , who works at a nursing home in Hendersonville , North Carolina . He estimates he owns about 200 pairs of sneakers , including a pair of Nike Air Jordan XIs with patent-leather trim called `` Space Jams . '' They cost him $ 500 . It 's supply and demand at its simplest , said Elliott Curtis , a former Carnegie Mellon University basketball player who for two semesters taught Sneakerology 101 , billed as the first accredited class on sneaker culture . Shoe companies create a limited number -LRB- say , a few hundred pairs -RRB- of shoes -- even if it 's just an old model with new colors or materials -- and demand automatically spikes . `` It 's like a status symbol . If Nike is selling a shoe for $ 2,000 , they 're not expecting to sell that many , '' the recent graduate said , adding that sneakerheads are drawn to scarcity . `` If they 've got money , they can buy coolness , '' Curtis said . Curtis goes to garage sales and mom-and-pop stores seeking rare and retro sneakers for his 75-pair collection , but he concedes he 's waited in line for limited editions and paid as much as $ 250 for a pair . Sporting an ultra-rare set of blue-and-red `` Bugs Bunny '' Nike Air Jordan VIIIs , Big Boi said he today boasts at least 400 pairs of sneakers , but he rarely pays for them because shoe companies send him pairs . His most expensive , a pair of crocodile-skin Nike Air Force 1s , sell on various auction sites for up to $ 1,800 . Big Boi has never worn them , but he plans on taking them out of their Nike lockbox this summer so he can wear them in a video for his upcoming solo album . To Peter Fahey , the mastermind behind Sneaker Pimps shoe shows , Big Boi 's enthusiasm is typical . Sneaker culture got its start in New York in the 1970s , mostly among playground streetballers and practitioners of an emerging genre of music called hip-hop . Over the next three decades , rappers and basketball players -- most notably , Run DMC and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan -- would play integral roles in boosting the popularity of rare kicks . `` Run DMC were probably at the height of the whole movement . It was the first time music and sneakers crossed like this , '' Fahey said of the group 's 1986 hit , `` My Adidas . '' Today , Adidas , Nike and Puma compete with luxury brands such as Chanel , Prada and Gucci . The major sports shoe companies also allow customers to design their own shoes . Upstarts such as San Francisco 's JB Classics and Japan 's Madfoot and KKOK have snatched up market share as well . Shoe companies realize hip-hop 's influence and work hard to get `` a fresh pair of steps '' on a rapper 's feet . Earlier this year , Converse released a line of its iconic All-Stars in tandem with Chicago rhymesmith Lupe Fiasco . Nike has issued two versions of the Air Yeezy , inspired by rapper-producer Kanye West . Louis Vuitton also has teamed up with West . Some lines , such as the Yeezys , quickly become collectors ' items . Die-hard sneakerheads keep them in their original boxes like `` Star Wars '' action figures and ferret them away in closets , their soles never to be scuffed by a sidewalk . Bryan Lyle , 22 , of Stockbridge , Georgia , said he recently camped out three nights at an Atlanta boutique to get one of the shop 's eight pairs of Air Yeezys . Lyle paid $ 300 , a small fortune for shoes , but Castaneda said the price more than doubled within days . He got a pair of Yeezys from an eBay merchant in Hong Kong . The damage ? $ 700 . Melissa Bailey of Hendersonville , North Carolina , takes photos at the Sneaker Pimps show . Castaneda 's girlfriend , Melissa Bailey , 26 , said Castaneda actually bought three pairs . He found two online and paid someone to camp out for the others . Castaneda 's modus operandi is to buy three pairs of his favorite shoes -- one to wear , one to store for later and one to sell or trade , she said . `` He will not walk through grass . He will not walk through dirt , '' Bailey said . For the last six years , Fahey has had a front-row seat for the evolution of sneaker culture . He held the first Sneaker Pimps show in Sydney , Australia , in 2003 , but only 200 people showed up , belying the trend 's rising popularity . Soon , however , tens of thousands would attend shows in more than 60 cities . A 2006 show in Jakarta , Indonesia , drew about 13,000 sneakerheads . The shows now feature between 1,000 and 1,500 shoes . Some are rare . Others are signed by celebrities . Hip-hop acts are a staple , as is artwork -- on both kicks and canvas . At this month 's show , hundreds of sneaker enthusiasts filed through Atlanta 's Tabernacle with the decorum of museum patrons , stopping to admire the shoes displayed on swaths of chain-link fence . There were novice sneakerheads , such as Chris Shepherd , 20 , and Charnelle Cook , 20 , an Atlanta couple who marveled over the DC Comics and Transformers sneakers . Asked about her multicolored hightops , Cook said , `` I could n't tell you what these are called . All I know is they 're Reeboks , and they 're fly . '' There were seasoned collectors , such as Kyle Self , 35 , of Decatur , Georgia , who said he had about 25 pairs , some of them still in their boxes . Included in the group are three pairs of $ 400 low-top Pradas , which he called his `` everyday sneakers . '' There were even female collectors , such as artist Estasha Goodwin , 23 , who modeled a pair of shimmering gold , winged -- yes , winged -- hightops made by Adidas and designer Jeremy Scott . She complained that shoe companies too often focus on the male market and ignored female aficionados . `` When they do cater to us , it 's always bubblegum pink . They do n't even make them in our sizes , '' she said . `` I know women who know more about sneakers than any dude out here today . '' Incidentally , her favorite of the 15 pairs she owns were made for men -- the Nike `` Ace of Spades '' Dunks , inspired by the Detroit Tigers ' high-kicking pitcher , Dontrelle Willis , who is prominently featured on the black-and-aqua shoe 's hightop . Asked why she shelled out $ 250 for them , she gave a familiar response : `` It 's a feeling you get when you know you 're the only one that has something . Even if you 're not , it 's the way you walk it . '' | Big Boi says he has 400 pairs , including crocodile-skin Nikes he 's never worn . Shoe companies capitalizing on niche demand for rare , limited-edition sneakers . Sneakerology teacher : `` If they 've got money , they can buy coolness '' Woman says boyfriend `` will not walk through grass . He will not walk through dirt '' | [[1645, 1760], [2775, 2834], [3021, 3048], [807, 891], [2439, 2462], [5478, 5510], [5511, 5540]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Maria Sharapova stepped up her comeback after injury to claim the scalp of 11th seed Nadia Pedrova to reach the third round of the French Open in Paris on Wednesday . Sealed with a kiss . Sharapova celebrates her victory over Petrova . The former world number one had come into the second grand slam of the season with only two matches in a minor tournament in Poland under her belt , but surprised her fellow Russian with a 6-2 1-6 8-6 victory . Still playing with tape on her troublesome right shoulder , Sharapova showed no ill effects as she won five straight games to take the first set . Petrova hit back in style to force a decider and took the lead with an early break . But Sharapova hit back in the eighth game to level and held her own service under pressure in the next two games . Petrova finally wilted as she served at 6-7 , giving Sharapova match point with a double fault and then hitting wide on a forehand after two hours 12 minutes . Sharapova will now face qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan for a place in the last 16 . She had shoulder surgery in August last year and missed both the U.S. Open and Australian Open as fears for her future in the game grew . She made a brief comeback by playing doubles in Miami in March before a return to singles action at the Warsaw Open where she reached the quarterfinals before losing to Alona Bondarenko of Ukraine . Meanwhile , defending champion Ana Ivanovic showed a welcome return to form by sweeping into the last 32 with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Thailand 's Tamarine Tanasugarn . The 21-year-old Serbian has slipped down the world rankings since lifting the title at the Stade Roland Garros , but is making a strong defense on her favored clay . World number one Dinara Safina also impressed with a 6-1 6-1 win over fellow Russian Vitalia Diatchenko . She has dropped just two games in reaching the third round as she bids to back up her ranking with a first grand slam title . | Maria Sharapova beats 11th seed Nadia Petrova at French Open in Paris . Former world number one Sharapova is returning after a shoulder injury . Ana Ivanovic and Dinara Safina also go through in straight sets . | [[72, 185]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Norwegian violinist , Alexander Rybak , 23 , won the Eurovision Song Contest with an upbeat ballad that got the most votes in the history of one of the world 's most watched television shows . Alexander Rybak of Norway performs during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest Saturday in Moscow , Russia . On Saturday night Rybak beat out contestants from 42 countries , with singers from Iceland and Azerbaijan taking distant second and third places . The boyish Rybak -- who performed a self-composed tune , `` Fairytale , '' with some deft dance steps and a smile plastered on his face -- won with 387 points , the most in the contest 's 53-year history , organizers said . It was the third time Norway has won the competition . Although the classically-trained Rybak grew up outside the Norwegian capital , Oslo , he was born in Belarus . A television audience estimated at more than 100 million people watch the show . In years past , winners have parlayed their victory in varying degrees of success -- most notably the Swedish quartet ABBA , which won with `` Waterloo '' in 1974 and became one of the most successful pop groups of the 1970s . In the Eurovision Song Contest , which began in 1956 , each participating European nation submits one singer or group who then perform a specially-written song . Telephone votes as well as judges from each country decided the winner this year . This year the contest was televised from a packed stadium in Moscow , Russia . Earlier police arrested dozens of gay and lesbian rights activists who were planning a rally to coincide with the contest . The protesters wanted to draw attention to what they call widespread discrimination of gays in Russia . Watch what 's different about this year 's gay rights protests '' | Rybak wins with 387 points , the most in the contest 's 53-year history , organizers say . More than 100 million people are estimated to watch the show . Swedish quartet ABBA won with `` Waterloo '' in 1974 . Police arrest dozens of gay and lesbian rights activists planning rally during contest . | [[599, 607], [611, 630], [678, 695], [862, 925], [907, 942], [1041, 1065], [1074, 1105], [1494, 1560], [1532, 1560], [1565, 1617]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With their nation under high security alert , South Koreans mourned a former leader at a funeral ceremony Friday morning . The hearse carrying Roh Moo-Hyun 's coffin heads for Seoul at Roh 's hometown village of Bonghwa in Gimhae . Officials and dignitaries gathered in Seoul 's Kyungbok Palace to honor former President Roh Moo-Hyun , who committed suicide last week . South Koreans poured into the streets to catch a glimpse of the black Cadillac making a five-and-a-half hour journey from Roh 's home in the village of Bongha to the capital . Some bowed their heads or wept openly . Others , still stunned from the loss , stood quietly in black as the hearse drove by . Scores of Roh 's supporters handed out yellow balloons , the color associated with Roh 's political campaign . Other supporters had posters of Roh 's image that read , `` President in my heart '' and `` You are my president . '' A person who walked by Roh 's memorial site said , `` Roh understood the difficulties of normal people . We feel he acted like a shield for people with no power . He was the people 's president . '' One woman on her way to work in Seoul said : `` He was the first president South Koreans picked with their own hands . '' She was referring to the fact that Roh did n't have a big political machine behind him . He won the election in 2002 by razor thin margin and his appeal was that he related to the common person . This week has been marred by grief and tension for South Koreans as they grappled with Roh 's sudden death and renewed threats from North Korea . Following the official ceremony , Roh 's body will be taken to the plaza in front of Seoul 's city hall , where large crowds are expected to say goodbye to a beloved leader . He will be cremated later Friday and the remains carried back by hearse to Bongha . Roh , who served between 2003 and 2008 , jumped from a hill behind his house last Saturday , government officials said . His death came amid an investigation into a bribery scandal that had tarnished his reputation . However , tens of thousands of people have visited memorial shrines for Roh , laying white chrysanthemums in a traditional show of grief and leaving cigarettes on the altars to remember a man who was reported to have taken up smoking during the investigation . In a suicide note given to the media by his lawyer , Roh wrote : `` I am in debt to too many people . Too many people have suffered because of me . And I can not imagine the suffering they will go through in the future . '' Prosecutors were investigating the former president for allegedly receiving $ 6 million in bribes from a South Korean businessman while in office . Roh 's wife was scheduled to be questioned by prosecutors Saturday , and Roh was planning to answer a second round of questions next week . Why some South Koreans are angry about Roh 's death '' The investigation has now been suspended . The debate over Roh 's suicide has occupied as much column space in South Korea 's press as the recent aggressive behavior shown by the North . On Tuesday , the conservative Chosun Ilbo urged South Koreans to remember the words of the former president 's suicide note . `` Roh 's abrupt death brings home how vain the rise and fall of power is and how futile it is to nurse hatred and conflict in pursuit of them . Roh himself said in his will , ` Are n't life and death both part of nature ? Do n't blame anybody . ' He would not have wished his own death to cause more political confusion and social conflict , '' the newspaper wrote in an editorial . It also criticized prosecutors who `` seem to have worried about public consensus rather than focusing on principles . '' The left-leaning Hankoryeh called Roh 's death `` political murder , '' echoing the widespread feeling that the former president paid too high a price for his alleged crime . `` The case of late President Roh was the most unfortunate in South Korean history , brought about by the Lee Myung-bak administration , which despised the person more than the crime , '' the newspaper wrote in an editorial . The mood on South Korea 's influential blogs and message boards was somber and split between messages of comfort , dismay at Roh 's decision to end his life and angry accusations against prosecutors and the government . `` President Roh 's perseverance to provide Korea with a true democracy has come to a sudden end . We saw the grief of his demise in the eyes of millions of Koreans , '' read a message posted on the popular Daum Agora Web portal . `` Prosecutors and the police ! Are you the people of the Republic of Korea ? , '' asked another . Just before he left the presidency , Roh became the first South Korean leader to cross the demilitarized zone and meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il . He believed in the `` sunshine policy '' of his predecessor , Kim Dae-Jung , that sought to engage the north , and Roh also promised aid . CNN 's Pauline Chiou and freelance journalist Nicolai Hartvig contributed to this report . | NEW : Motorcade accompanying Roh 's body on way to the capital , Seoul . NEW : Grief-stricken S. Koreans pour out onto the streets to pay final respects . Roh Moo-Hyun took his own life amid an ongoing corruption investigation . Roh was in office between 2003 and 2008 . | [[142, 219], [4427, 4492], [330, 352], [359, 388], [1964, 2023], [1843, 1846], [1853, 1881]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexicans in the United States sent home 12.2 percent less money this past August than the same month last year , the Banco de Mexico said Wednesday . Mexicans in the U.S. are sending fewer dollars home and are suffering from a tough economy . That translates into remittances of $ 1.9 billion , versus $ 2.2 billion last year , said the bank , which blamed tough economic times in the United States for the decline . `` The prolonged deceleration of economic activity in the United States has adversely affected the opportunities for employment in that country and , consequently , those of the Mexican migrants , '' the bank said in a statement posted on its Web site . August 's tally quickens a trend -- during the first eight months of the year , remittances fell 4 percent to $ 15.6 billion , the statement said . The numbers translate easily into stories of hardship . Marilyn Pena lives outside Mexico City and depends on remittances to get by . Her father migrated to Chicago 12 years ago to find work and , in good months , sends his daughter about $ 200 per week . But last week he sent nothing . `` He told me he has no more work because of the situation there , '' Pena said . `` Temporary workers are always the first to lose their jobs in crises like this one , '' said Luis Pena , an economist . `` Since many Mexicans in the United States are there illegally , they are most vulnerable to unemployment . '' Some economists predict the drop will increase by year 's end to 20 percent . After oil exports , remittances are Mexico 's second-largest source of foreign currency . In Atlanta , Georgia , which has one of the greatest concentrations of Mexican residents in the southeastern United States , Yasmin Gutierrez runs a company that Mexican immigrants use to send dollars abroad . `` Before , they used to come every week and they used to send big amounts and lately , well , nothing , or almost nothing . Some clients are no longer coming , and those that are coming are sending small amounts . '' Rosina Gonzalez , who ran a Western Union office in Atlanta several years ago and recently returned to the job , said she has noticed a big change . Back then , `` everyone was sending money to Mexico , Mexico , Mexico -- a lot of money , '' she said . `` Now , I 'm returning to work after four or five years and the norm now is that the people who used to send money to Mexico are asking the people in Mexico to send money here . '' Some are abandoning their hope for a slice of the American dream by opting to return to their country . The woman running the foreign-currency exchange service Afex , also in Atlanta , said business is so bad she is afraid of losing her job . CNN 's Harris Whitbeck in Mexico City and Viviana Fernandez in Atlanta contributed to this story . | Bank : Mexicans in U.S. sent 12.2 percent less money back to Mexico than last August . Some economists predict the drop will increase by year 's end to 20 percent . After oil exports , remittances are Mexico 's second-largest source of foreign currency . Some migrant workers are opting to return to Mexico . | [[0, 97], [121, 150], [1463, 1540], [1479, 1540], [1541, 1558], [1561, 1630], [2494, 2498], [2559, 2597]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The longest-serving Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee told CNN Radio on Thursday that , barring any surprises , Sonia Sotomayor is headed for a Supreme Court confirmation . Judge Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic on the U.S. Supreme Court . `` If there are no otherwise disqualifying matters here , it appears to me she will probably be confirmed , '' Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said . Hatch was acknowledging the current Senate political landscape . Sotomayor was nominated by a Democrat president , and Democrats could have 60 votes in the 100-member chamber if Minnesota 's Al Franken is seated . They now hold 12 of the 19 seats on the Senate Judiciary Committee that will first consider Sotomayor 's nomination . Sen. Pat Roberts , R-Kansas , said Thursday he does not plan to vote to confirm Sotomayor , becoming the first Republican to explicitly state his opposition . `` She has made statements on the role of the appeals court I think is improper and incorrect , '' Roberts said . `` I think that we should be judging people not on race and gender , or background or ethnicity or a very compelling story . '' Hatch -- who unlike Roberts voted in favor of Sotomayor 's 1998 nomination to the federal appeals court -- also revealed one of the first Republican battle lines on the nomination : the schedule . See Sotomayor 's key rulings '' President Obama and other Sotomayor supporters say they want her confirmed before the Senate goes on its August recess , so that she can be well-situated for the start of the next Supreme Court session in October . Hatch and fellow Judiciary Committee Republicans Jon Kyl of Arizona and John Cornyn of Texas are pushing for a longer timeframe . They say it is almost impossible to review Sotomayor 's extensive record , debate her nomination and hold a Senate vote by August . `` If the Democrats do n't overplay their hand and do n't try to rush this too much , the process will go well , they 'll be better off , she 'll get confirmed , '' Hatch said , again adding that his prediction is based on no new concerns coming to light . The opposition party usually fights for extensive time to try to find hidden issues in a Supreme Court nominee 's record . Hatch said senators need three months to consider Sotomayor and that a vote should come in September , after the Senate 's August break . A September vote would crunch Sotomayor 's preparation time for setting up her office before the high court 's next term begins . It also would complicate Democratic fights on health care and energy that could reach a critical point at that time . See whom Sotomayor would sit alongside if she 's confirmed '' Hatch insisted a September Senate vote would get Sotomayor on the bench in time for the new Supreme Court session . `` If they do it the right way , '' he said of Senate Democrats , `` and there is no otherwise disqualifying feature to this , it is highly likely she is going to be confirmed as the ninth justice on the Supreme Court in time to sit on the court on the first Monday of October . '' Meetings on the timetable have begun . On Thursday , White House staffers met with aides to Democrats on the Judiciary Committee to go over this and their strategies for Sotomayor 's confirmation , according to a Senate Democratic aide involved in the confirmation process . Sotomayor will go to Capitol Hill as early as Tuesday to meet with senators who will vote on her confirmation . The Judiciary Committee has not announced when the confirmation hearings will begin . Democrats were relieved Wednesday when Sen. Jeff Sessions , R-Alabama , and the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee , said he did not think Republicans would block the nomination with a filibuster . But prominent conservatives still are trying to stir public opinion against Sotomayor . Radio host Rush Limbaugh and former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich have called her racist , pointing to an October 2001 speech at the University of California , Berkeley . During that speech , she said : `` I would hope that a wise Latina woman , with the richness of her experiences , would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who has n't lived that life . '' The Senate Democratic aide involved in the confirmation process said Democrats are pleased with the initial response from Republican senators to Sotomayor 's nomination , saying it was a `` good sign '' that GOP senators have not adopted some of the language coming from Limbaugh and Gingrich . `` If the fire-breathing rhetoric is contained to the far right element , it does n't jeopardize the nomination , '' the aide said . CNN 's Alexander Mooney contributed to this report . | Sen. Orrin Hatch : Sotomayor confirmation likely if `` disqualifying matters '' do n't appear . Sotomayor could meet with some senators Tuesday . Hatch , other Republicans want to wait until September for vote . Sen. Pat Roberts is first Republican to say publicly he wo n't vote for nominee . | [[400, 434], [3421, 3450], [1612, 1741], [2254, 2354], [2318, 2354], [2357, 2391], [767, 783], [797, 856], [767, 771], [859, 925]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Tiffany Wilson noticed a small growth on her left hip , she did n't think much of it . Tiffany Wilson , 41 , found a bump on her hip that she thought was a pimple . It turned out to be skin cancer . `` It was bizarre , '' recalled the 41-year-old salon owner from Minneapolis , Minnesota . `` I just thought it was a pimple . '' Wilson , who is African-American , ca n't say exactly what prompted her to point out the bump to her physician , but she said she remembered thinking the diagnosis would n't be anything serious . `` It never occurred to me that it was skin cancer , '' she said . But it was . She had basal cell carcinoma , the most common skin cancer . Wilson spent long hours as a child in the summer sun at Lake Nokomis in Minnesota and went to the tanning bed before visiting relatives in the Caribbean , she said . She also said she never wore sunscreen . `` Back then , I just do n't think people were aware of the effects -LSB- of the sun -RSB- , '' she said . Those may seem like obvious red flags to people who are sun-conscious , but they were foreign concepts to Wilson , which is why her diagnosis came as a shock . `` I just assumed , ` I 'm a person of color , I 'll be OK , ' '' she said . Dermatologists say they are concerned because skin cancer rates are increasing among minority groups in the United States . Like Wilson , many people of color often mistakenly believe skin cancer is not something they should be worried about . Pigmentation is no ` free pass ' The reasoning is not completely far-fetched : Darker-skinned people do benefit from the protective effects of skin pigmentation . In fact , some studies suggest that for the darkest skin tones , pigmentation cells provide a natural sun protection factor , or SPF , of about 13 . The problem is many dark-skinned people believe that means they are born with a natural immunity to skin cancer . `` Pigmentation does n't give you a free pass , '' said Dr. Charles E. Crutchfield III , a dermatologist specializing in ethnic skin and the doctor who treated Tiffany Wilson . `` It does n't matter what color your skin is , everyone can get skin cancer . '' Bob Marley , for example , died of malignant melanoma , the most lethal type of skin cancer , that spread to his lungs and brain . All types of skin cancer are increasing among blacks and Hispanics , and their melanomas are more often fatal because they are usually caught later , according to the American Academy of Dermatology . Crutchfield pointed out that pigmentation may have sun-protective qualities but even for the darkest skin it falls short of the AAD 's recommendation of a daily SPF of at least 15 for everyone . Crutchfield feels many ethnic groups are missing that key part of the message , if they are getting the message at all . Blog : How to pick the right sunscreen . Researchers acknowledge that many of the messages regarding skin cancer prevention have traditionally targeted fair-skinned people , a group 10 times more likely to develop melanoma . Now , dermatologists say , more needs to be done to encourage all groups to take precautions against sun damage . A Consumer Reports survey found only 27 percent of people with self-described darker skin applied sunscreen when they were in the sun for four hours or more , compared with 64 percent of people with self-described light skin . The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009 there will be more than 1 million unreported cases of basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer -- most of them curable -- and that more than 68,000 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed . For melanoma , the key to a cure is early detection . That 's why dermatologists caution everyone to be vigilant and learn the risks for their skin type . `` Race is very important because not all skin is the same , '' said Dr. Susan Taylor of The Skin of Color Center , a dermatology group focusing on the needs of patients of color . According to Taylor , people with darker skin often get diagnosed at later stages because the cancers often appear in atypical locations . Melanomas in African-Americans and darker-skinned Hispanics and Asians develop more commonly on the palms , soles of the feet , toenails , fingernails and in mucus membranes like around the mouth and genitals , she said . In Caucasian and lighter-skinned Hispanics , melanomas more frequently appear on the back in men and on the legs in women . Also , the signs of melanoma may vary depending on skin tone . `` Skin hue can affect the way lesions look , '' Crutchfield said . `` Things that appear red in white skin often look completely different in skin of color . '' Historically , research and teaching was done on fairer-skinned people , making it more challenging for physicians to recognize suspicious moles on darker skin . While these differences present challenges , they are certainly not barriers . Experts say , the best thing to do is keep it simple . `` If you have any lesion or mole change at all , or if you have a spot that bleeds and does n't heal in three weeks , see a physician or a dermatologist , '' Dr. Crutchfield recommended . `` That 's something everyone can do . '' Visit the American Academy of Dermatology Web site to find free screening locations in your state . Another piece of simple advice : `` All racial groups need to use sunscreens , '' Taylor stresses . The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both deep-penetrating UVA rays and burn-causing UVB rays . Not all sunscreens protect against both . Visit the Environmental Working Group 's Skin Deep cosmetic safety database . Tiffany Wilson is heeding that advice . She said she 's learned that when it comes to prevention , the worst thing you can possibly do is nothing . `` I use extreme caution in the sun and make certain that I use a sunscreen , even on a cloudy day , '' she said . `` You should n't underestimate the rays of the sun . '' | Dermatologists report increased incidence of skin cancer among people of color . Minorities often believe pigmentation makes them immune to skin cancer . More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer are estimated in 2009 . Every 62 minutes , one American dies of melanoma . | [[1241, 1364], [1287, 1364], [1379, 1458], [1797, 1910], [1812, 1910], [3384, 3620], [3427, 3529]] |
They 're bigger , brawnier , and faster than the typical male , but are National Football League players healthier than other men their age ? Justin Bannan , who plays for the Baltimore Ravens , participated in the study on NFL players . Yes and no , according to a new NFL-funded study that looks at the cardiovascular health of young athletes . The good news is that NFL players have cholesterol levels similar to other men in their 20s and 30s , and their blood sugar tends to be even healthier . However , they are much more likely to have high blood pressure or borderline hypertension when compared with men who are n't professional athletes . `` It 's a step in the right direction to have this study , '' says Justin Bannan , 30 , who plays defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens and took part in the research . `` I think the more information we can find out and the more studies we can do , the better . '' The study , published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association , is important , particularly as more and more players are weighing in at 300-plus pounds . The extra weight could potentially strain an athlete 's heart in youth or even after retirement , and many question whether it has played a role in a handful of high-profile deaths . Health.com : Eat right advice : Fiber , starch , fats , serving sizes . In particular , the death of Thomas Herrion at age 23 has raised concerns about the heart health of larger players . Herrion , who was 6 ' 3 '' and 330 pounds , had just finished an exhibition game with the San Francisco 49ers when he collapsed and died in 2005 . `` He 's sort of the prototype of the bigger , stronger linemen that populates the NFL now , as compared with 20 or 30 years ago , '' says lead study author Dr. Andrew M. Tucker , the team physician for the Baltimore Ravens . `` We have so many big , strong guys over 300 pounds . I think that case in particular was important in stimulating the whole study and the investigation . '' Other heavy players -- such as defensive end Reggie White -- have also died at an early age . White was 43 when he died from cardiac arrhythmia in 2004 . In the study , Tucker , who is the cochair of the NFL subcommittee on cardiovascular health , and his colleagues looked at 504 active players from 12 teams in 2007 . The researchers measured the players ' height , weight , percentage of body fat , and other factors , and then compared them to 1,959 men ages 23 to 35 who participated in a study called CARDIA -LRB- Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults -RRB- . Health.com : 20 little ways to lose drop the pounds and keep them off . They found that players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men -LRB- only 6.7 percent of players had impaired fasting glucose compared to 15.5 percent of other men -RRB- and their cholesterol levels were essentially the same . However , 13.8 percent of players had high blood pressure and 64.5 percent had prehypertension , or borderline high blood pressure , compared to 5.5 percent and 24.2 percent of other men , respectively . Tucker notes that the football players outweighed the men in the CARDIA study by an average of 70 pounds and that it 's natural to assume that larger people may have higher blood pressure . `` But what was fascinating to us was the category of prehypertension , '' says Tucker , who is also the medical director of sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore , Maryland . Health.com : How to eat out without getting fat . The study found that NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men -- regardless of the size of the player or his position . `` So our lean players who play defensive back and wide receiver , they have prevalence of prehypertension just as common as the really big guys playing offensive and defensive line , '' says Tucker . `` So there 's something that we 're trying to investigate now that accounts for elevated blood pressures in our active players that is not accounted for by size alone -- there 's got to be something else . '' Health.com : Cut up to 900 calories with simple substitutions . That `` something else '' could be strength or resistance training , the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , sleep apnea -LRB- which is characterized by heavy snoring and a hike in blood pressure -RRB- , or diet , including excessive sodium intake . Dr. Tucker does n't think anabolic steroids are to blame . Even though he and his colleagues did n't ask players if they used steroids , he says that the NFL 's year-round testing program should have ruled out any use . '' -LSB- However -RSB- I 'm concerned about the widespread use of performance-enhancing agents , which contain stimulants that can not only increase blood pressure but of course have stimulating effects on the heart , '' says Dr. Tucker . He adds that , in the last several years , such stimulants have been linked to sporadic deaths in college and even professional athletes . Although today 's players are much more likely to weigh in excess of 300 pounds than those in the past , it does n't necessarily mean they are fat , Dr. Tucker explains . Athletes are larger nowadays due to rule changes in the 1970s and 1980s that were aimed at protecting their lower bodies ; those guidelines also gave larger players a competitive advantage . If one goes by body mass index alone -- a measure of height and weight that does n't take into account muscle mass -- more than half of players are obese , according to a 2005 study . However , Tucker and his team found that the average percentage of body fat was 14 percent , ranging from 8 percent to 10 percent in the leaner positions -- such as wide receivers and linebackers -- to 20 percent in defensive linemen and 25 percent in offensive linemen . `` Even our offensive linemen are really on the upper limits of what 's considered healthy , '' says Tucker . `` There are plenty of my regular patients who would take that . '' Health.com : Olympic swimmer discusses life with exercise-induced asthma . Overall , Tucker says he is most worried about older , retired athletes . `` I 'm concerned about whether there is a constellation of things going on that puts them at risk when they 're 45 or 55 , '' he says . More attention is being paid to detraining athletes so that they can adopt healthier lifestyles and better nutrition after they retire , says William Kraemer , Ph.D. , a professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut . `` It really is tough because you 're trying to stay big in your playing days , '' says Kraemer . `` The big fear is , -LSB- after retirement -RSB- you stop exercising and you keep eating the way you used to when you were expending a lot of calories . A lot of times when kids get out of college or they get out of the pros , there is no system in place that helps them make the transition . '' The Ravens ' Bannan says the older generation is teaching younger players the importance of changing their lifestyle after retirement . `` If you 're a heavier player , a lineman that 's over 300 pounds , really what it comes down to is a lifestyle change and eating healthier , losing weight when you are done , and staying active and staying healthy , '' says Bannan , who is 6 ' 3 '' and 310 pounds . `` Make a few changes in your life ; I think that 's going to make things a lot better for you down the road . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | Death of Thomas Herrion has raised worries over the heart health of big players . Researchers looked at 504 active NFL players from 12 teams in 2007 . Players were less likely to smoke or have blood-sugar problems than other men . NFL athletes are more likely to have prehypertension than other men . | [[1366, 1466], [2251, 2318], [2648, 2848], [510, 613], [3544, 3690], [3565, 3690]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A North Korean rocket slated for launch sometime early next month can be clearly seen in a satellite photograph taken Sunday . Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptors are located at the Ministry of Defense on March 29 in Tokyo , Japan . The satellite imagery , obtained by the Institute for Science and International Security from DigitalGlobe , shows the rocket at the Musudan-ri launch site in northeastern North Korea , casting a shadow on the ground below . U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday there is little doubt that the planned launch is designed to bolster that country 's military capability . He also indicated that the U.S. military could be prepared to shoot down a North Korean missile if the rogue regime develops the capability to reach Hawaii or the western continental United States in a future launch . The North Korean government says it will launch a commercial satellite atop a rocket sometime between April 4 and April 8 . `` I do n't know anyone at a senior level in the American government who does not believe this technology is intended as a mask for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile , '' Gates said during an appearance on `` Fox News Sunday . '' Gates noted that while the United States believes it is North Korea 's `` long-term intent '' to add a nuclear warhead to any such missile , he `` personally would be skeptical that they have the ability right now to do that . '' Watch how the U.S. is responding to a planned launch '' Japan recently mobilized its missile defense system -- an unprecedented step -- in response to the planned North Korean launch , Japanese officials said . The move , noteworthy for a country with a pacifist constitution , is aimed at shooting down any debris from the launch that might fall into Japanese territory . See a satellite image of the launch site '' In a concurrent response , U.S. Navy ships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles are being moved to the Sea of Japan , a Navy spokesman said Thursday . Gates said that the U.S. military could shoot down `` an aberrant missile , one that was headed for Hawaii ... or something like that , we might consider it , but I do n't think we have any plans to -LRB- do -RRB- anything like that at this point . '' He does not believe North Korea currently has the technology to reach Alaska or Pacific coast . Gates said that an impending missile launch is a clear demonstration of the failure of the recent six-party talks to disarm the North Korean regime . `` It 's very troubling . The reality is that the six-party talks really have not made any headway any time recently , '' he said . `` If -LRB- the missile launch -RRB- is Kim Jong-Il 's welcoming present to a new president ... it says a lot about the imperviousness of this regime in North Korea to any kind of diplomatic overtures . '' Gates said that he believes economic sanctions are the best tool to getting countries like North Korea and Iran to the negotiating table . Both countries are believed by the United States and other Western nations to be trying to acquire nuclear capability . | North Korea says it will launch a commercial satellite atop a rocket between April 4-8 . Satellite imagery shows rocket at launch site in northeastern North Korea . U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says rocket aims to boost military capability . | [[19, 84], [857, 980], [890, 980], [0, 15], [85, 130], [108, 145], [259, 365], [368, 442], [1837, 1877], [484, 638], [525, 531], [538, 638]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japan 's GDP fell 4 percent last quarter , the fastest pace on record , the government said on Wednesday . A homeless man pulls his cart filled with possessions and goods for recycling on March 18 in Osaka , Japan . The January-March quarter for Japan was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year , according to figures released by the Cabinet Office . Exports fell 26 percent on quarter , while imports were down 15 percent . The GDP slide in the world 's second-largest economy is the greatest drop among the world 's leading economies . By comparison , GDP in the United States fell 6.1 percent on an annual basis . This was the fourth straight quarter the Japanese economy contracted . Analysts say the drop reflects cuts in domestic spending with job cuts , factory closings and less capital spending as a result of spiraling sales abroad . The news punctuates a month of poor economic news out of Japan in recent weeks . Panasonic , one of the world 's largest makers of electronic devices , announced it lost nearly $ 4 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31 . Hitachi lost $ 8 billion in the fiscal year , with consolidated revenues down 11 percent from last year , the largest loss ever recorded by a Japanese manufacturer . NEC Corporation lost $ 3 billion in the past fiscal year , down nearly 11.5 percent from last year . Meanwhile , Nissan lost $ 2.3 billion for the year.Sony Corp. announced net losses of $ 1 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31 , finishing a year in the red for the first time in 14 years . | Japan 's GDP fell 4 percent last quarter , the fastest pace on record . First quarter GDP was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year . This was the fourth straight quarter the Japanese economy contracted . | [[8, 29], [33, 73], [703, 736], [249, 343], [8, 29], [33, 73], [666, 736], [703, 736]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Utah man with chronic health problems died Wednesday from complications associated with swine flu , a local health official said . If confirmed , it would be the ninth U.S. fatality associated with the flu outbreak . Memorials appeared at the door of I.S. 238 in Queens , New York , this week after the death of an administrator . The man , who was from around Salt Lake City , was between 18 and 25 years old and `` had chronic medical conditions that may have contributed to severe complications from influenza , '' said Gary Edwards , executive director of the Salt Lake Valley Health Department . Also on Wednesday , health and education officials in New York announced that 21 of the city 's public schools had been closed after an increase of reports of students with flu-like symptoms . A school administrator in Queens died after being hospitalized with the H1N1 virus , commonly called swine flu . Nineteen of the schools closed at the recommendation of the Health Department are public and two are private , the city 's Education Department announced in a news release . In addition , two private schools in Manhattan -- St. Davis Academy and Horace Mann -- have decided on their own to close after a number of students exhibited flu-like symptoms , according the schools ' Web sites . In the city 's news release , city Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden repeated what has become a familiar refrain : `` We continue to see a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City . As the virus spreads , we will look to slow transmission within individual school communities by closing individual schools . '' Late last week the city closed 11 schools in Queens and one in Brooklyn after confirming cases of the virus at Intermediate School 238 in Queens and unusually high levels of flu-like symptoms in the others . Mitchell Wiener , an assistant principal at I.S. 238 who died Sunday after being hospitalized with the disease , had an underlying condition , according to Frieden . The death in Utah was the first associated with the swine flu , or H1N1 , virus . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked eight U.S. deaths to the flu outbreak , but had not confirmed a link to H1N1 in the Utah death as of Wednesday evening . The outbreak has sickened at least 10,176 people and caused at least 80 deaths -- mostly in Mexico , according to the World Health Organization . The actual number of people affected may be higher , as it takes time for national governments to confirm cases and report them to the global body . In the United States , at least 5,710 cases of swine flu have been reported , according to recent figures from the CDC . Utah officials echoed national agencies in saying that the swine flu has largely behaved like typical seasonal influenza , which usually is fatal only among the very old , the very young or people with other health problems . In New York , 19 of the schools closed at the recommendation of the Health Department are public and two are private , it and the city 's Education Department announced in a news release . In addition , two private schools in Manhattan -- St. Davis Academy and Horace Mann -- have decided on their own to close after a number of students exhibited flu-like symptoms , according the schools ' Web sites . In the city 's news release , city Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden repeated what has become a familiar refrain : `` We continue to see a rising tide of flu in many parts of New York City . As the virus spreads , we will look to slow transmission within individual school communities by closing individual schools . '' Late last week the city closed 11 schools in Queens and one in Brooklyn after confirming cases of the H1N1 virus , commonly called swine flu , at Intermediate School 238 in Queens and unusually high levels of flu-like symptoms in the others . An assistant principal of Intermediate School 238 died Sunday after being hospitalized with H1N1 . Frieden has said the administrator , Mitchell Wiener , had an underlying condition . CNN 's Deb Brunswick contributed to this report . | NEW : New York City has closed 21 schools since virus confirmed , health officials say . Utah reports first death associated with swine flu , or H1N1 , virus . If confirmed by the CDC , it would be the ninth U.S. death linked to the outbreak . WHO : At least 10,176 people have been sickened and 80 have died worldwide . | [[627, 814], [1641, 1748], [3646, 3747], [3661, 3664], [3718, 3758], [883, 897], [900, 927], [2015, 2096], [2037, 2096], [3744, 3758], [3761, 3786], [167, 237], [2097, 2192], [2097, 2192], [2276, 2324], [2276, 2288], [2329, 2354], [2339, 2354], [2377, 2421]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida man arrested with his wife on anabolic steroid possession charges claimed to have sold steroids to professional hockey and baseball players in the District of Columbia , but the National Hockey League and Washington Capitals said Wednesday they doubted the allegation . Richard Thomas and his wife , Sandra , were arrested Tuesday night at their home in Lakeland , Florida . Richard Thomas , 35 , told officers he sold the steroids to unidentified players on the NHL 's Capitals and the Washington Nationals of baseball 's National League , said Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County , Florida . `` Richard Thomas told us that he sold steroids to ballplayers on those teams , '' Judd said after the arrests late Tuesday night . `` Now , is that one ballplayer to two ballplayers ? We do n't know . '' NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the league would investigate the claim , but added that the Washington Capitals `` have no knowledge of any aspect of this allegation . '' `` Capitals players were subjected to no-notice testing five separate times over the past two seasons pursuant to the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and there was no indication of any improper conduct or wrongdoing , '' Daly said in a statement issued Wednesday . A separate statement by Capitals president Dick Patrick said the team had `` no reason to believe there is any merit to this story , '' but would fully cooperate with the NHL 's investigation . MLB.com , the Web site of Major League Baseball , reported Wednesday that the league would look into the allegation involving the Washington Nationals . The report posted on the Web site of the Washington Nationals quoted Nationals president Stan Kasten as saying the team knew nothing about the steroids claim , and that the league was handling it . Thomas and his wife , Sandra , 49 , were arrested Tuesday night at their home in Lakeland , Florida , on 21 counts of possession of anabolic steroids , importation of anabolic steroids and maintaining a residence for drug sales , Judd said . He said the couple has been charged with 10 counts of steroid possession with intent to distribute , 10 counts of importing the drugs and one count of maintaining a residence for drug sales . According to Judd , U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in Philadelphia received information that the Florida couple would be receiving a shipment of steroids . Judd 's office then obtained a search warrant for the Lakeland home , where officers found steroids from points outside the United States , including Iran , he said . The arrest report says Richard Thomas told officers he was `` the biggest steroids dealer in central Florida . '' Bond for Richard and Sandra Thomas was set at $ 215,000 each , said Carrie Eleazer , spokeswoman for the Polk County Sheriff 's Office , and Sandra Thomas was released on bail Wednesday afternoon . The two are scheduled to make an initial court appearance Thursday . CNN 's John Couwels contributed to this report . | Couple arrested in central Florida on anabolic steroid possession charges . Claim they sold steroids to professional athletes in District of Columbia , sheriff says . Richard Thomas says he sold steroids to pro baseball , hockey players , sheriff says . | [[19, 94], [0, 15], [95, 196], [621, 698], [0, 15], [95, 196], [404, 418], [426, 567], [404, 418], [570, 608], [621, 698]] |
SEOUL , South Korea -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Korean and U.S. forces have been placed on a higher surveillance alert level , after North Korea threatened military action following its nuclear test earlier this week , the joint forces announced on Thursday . South Korean soldiers use binoculars to look at North Korea on Wednesday in Paju , South Korea . The `` Watchcon '' alert was raised to its second-highest level on Thursday , a government spokeswoman told CNN . The last time the joint forces raised the surveillance alert was after North Korea 's last nuclear test in 2006 , according to South Korea 's Yonhap News Agency . The separate five-stage combat alert level , known as `` Defcon , '' has not changed and remains at stage 4 , South Korean defense spokesman Won Tae-jae said at Thursday 's briefing , according to Yonhap . `` Additional intelligence assets , including personnel , will be deployed while reconnaissance operations over North Korea will increase , '' Won said , according to Yonhap . He declined to give specific details , the news agency said . Watch Hillary Clinton 's warning about ` consequences ' '' North Korea conducted a nuclear test Monday and fired five short-range missiles Monday and Tuesday . On Wednesday , the country threatened military action after South Korea joined a U.S.-led effort to limit the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction . There has also been recent activity at North Korea 's Yongbyon nuclear facility , according to U.S. officials , who cited information from U.S. spy satellites . The officials would not speculate about the type of activity . North Korea agreed in 2008 to scrap its nuclear weapons program -- which it said had produced enough plutonium for about seven atomic bombs -- in exchange for economic aid . But the deal foundered over verification and disclosure issues , and the North expelled international inspectors and announced plans to restart its main nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon complex . CNN 's Barbara Starr in Washington contributed to this report . | Joint forces in S. Korea elevate surveillance alert in response to N. Korean threat . Combat alert level unchanged , S. Korean military spokesman says . North Korea tested nuclear device , missiles , threatened military action . | [[8, 121], [124, 213], [216, 256], [1134, 1177], [1235, 1247], [1250, 1331]] |
SAVANNAH , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What does it really take to dress someone as fashion-forward and in the spotlight as Michelle Obama ? Designer Yigal Azrouël talks with students at the Savannah College of Art and Design . `` Bravery , '' says Isabel Toledo , designer of the first lady 's attention-grabbing lemongrass yellow wool and lace ensemble that she wore for the inauguration of her husband President Obama . But along with bravery about their fashion sense , new graduates at the Savannah College of Art and Design -LRB- SCAD -RRB- will need courage in the face of the current recession . `` Fashion is being hit particularly hard in the new job market . Fashion as a whole is feeling a greater level of lost revenues and in turn has lost opportunities for sustaining volume and even more so for growth , '' said Marshal Cohen , chief analyst and expert fashion analyst for the NPD market research group . `` The ironic thing is that new ideas and creations are just what the industry needs but is too cautious to react to it , '' he added . Full of new ideas , student designers say they are aware of the challenges as they head out into the work force , but they 're optimistic they can make it in these tough times . `` After I graduate , I 'm going to New York , I have an internship lined up with a trend forecasting company , Promostyl , '' said Shelby Simon whose designs made it into SCAD 's annual fashion show . See the runway fashions '' `` Everyone needs an assistant so hopefully I 'll be able to find something pretty easily , '' said Caitlin Clarke . She would like to land an internship in New York and has interviewed with New York & Co. and applied for positions at Oscar de la Renta , Calvin Klein and Zac Posen . Toledo , a world-renown designer , knows it can be tough to make it in fashion . She and her fashion illustrator husband Ruben Toledo did n't have much money when they arrived from Cuba in the late 60s as political refugees . She says she found inspiration in the little things . Experts ' advice on getting to top of fashion business '' `` Go out there and look at things , look at things well . Study them ; the smallest things can inspire you . That will make you able to do what you want on any level . Many times kids think you have to have all this backing coming into a big industry . I did n't do that , I started from the bottom and as a matter of fact you can only go up , '' said Isabel Toledo . Toledo was at the school last weekend to accept the 2009 André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award . But for six months , two other top designers , Yigal Azrouël and Lars Nilsson , have been mentoring and critiquing 23 students to help them develop their designs for the runway . Azrouël , a self-taught designer , says it 's a tough industry and students have to pay their dues . `` It 's not what people think it is or what it looks like from the outside . If you want to be a fashion designer you have to carry fabric on your back , you need to learn how to cut and sew . The fame is going to come later . '' More known for his expert draping techniques , Yigal Azrouël taught students more than how to incorporate intricate folds and pleats in their designs . `` If you love something , go ahead and do it , but , be very consistent with it , '' advised Azrouël . SCAD senior Caitlin Clarke says working with Nilsson really helped her create new silhouettes and structured angles with interesting seams . `` Lars was so helpful . I remember this one time when he came in and said ` Ah , there 's something not right with this dress ' and then he helped me cut it up and fix it , '' said Clarke . Nilsson enjoyed the process . `` I really tried to spend a lot of time seeing what they -LSB- the students -RSB- had to say , giving them advice and push them forward to express themselves , '' said Nilsson . `` It 's been a great collaboration , and I must say that I 've learned a lot myself , too . '' The visiting designers give the students an edge in their job search , says SCAD president Paula Wallace . `` It 's very important to bring in the top professionals because they inspire the students and they provide contacts and networking for the students after they graduate . '' Students are also using social media sites such as Twitter , Facebook and MySpace to reach out to their peers and other industry professionals . In order to succeed you have to have innovative approaches to market , sell and sustain your product lines , said retail analyst Hitha Prabhakar . Right now retailers are in `` survival of the fittest '' mode and a handful of designers including Mui Mui , Allessandro Del Acqua , Allegra Hicks and Krizia have had to shut their store doors on Madison Avenue , she said . SCAD senior Shelby Simon feels some students went into fashion because they like to shop , but she warns there is so much more to learn about the craft . . `` The truth is hard work , nose to the grind stone and learning . All the people I know who became great designers did n't do it over night , '' said Vogue magazine 's editor-at-large André Leon Talley , who has been involved with SCAD students over the years . `` Jason Wu , a wonderful designer , a young designer , was making doll clothes for years . He was saving his money then opened his own company and look where he is today , dressing Michelle Obama . '' | Fashion industry job market is being hit very hard , analyst says . Students at Savannah College of Art and Design get advice from designers . Vogue 's André Leon Talley says Jason Wu made doll clothing for years . Designer Isabel Toledo says when you start at bottom , you can only go up . | [[603, 668], [140, 226], [5059, 5118], [5193, 5213], [5235, 5270], [2339, 2427]] |
SOMERSET COUNTY , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A chain link fence now stands between Tim Lambert 's land and the impact site of United Airlines Flight 93 , which crashed here on September 11 , 2001 . The property has been in Lambert 's family for almost 80 years . A temporary memorial has been set up to honor the victims of the United Airlines Flight 93 crash . `` My grandfather purchased about 200 acres in the 1930s , and he would cut timber and sell the timber off , and he would build cabins as well , '' Lambert says . `` That 's how he got the family through the Depression . '' Lambert says he had no plans for the land , he just knew he wanted to hold on to it . `` There 's a lot of natural resources in this area -- natural gas , coal , '' he says . That all changed the day 40 passengers and crew died trying to take control of a Boeing 757 that had been hijacked by four terrorists as it took off from Newark , New Jersey , bound for San Francisco , California . It is believed the hijackers had intended crash the plane into the White House or the U.S. Capitol . Plans for a permanent memorial have been in the works for years . Congress passed a law in 2002 instructing the National Park Service to establish a national memorial where the crash occurred . Part of it would be on Lambert 's land . In the seven years since , some of the most important land needed for the massive project has remained in limbo , producing an emotional debate among landowners , family members and the National Park Service . See plans for the proposed Flight 93 Memorial . At the center of the dispute is the government 's plan to take the remaining land needed by using its power of eminent domain . The government can seize privately owned property to convert it to public use after paying the owner fair market value . Lambert 's land is key to the project . He owns 6 acres that are just feet from the crash site . He has yet to reach an agreement with the government to buy his land . `` Eminent domain was sort of dropped on us at the last second here , '' he says , `` and it feels like we never even had a chance to talk about some of the issues that we needed to address during the negotiations . '' Lambert still finds debris from the plane on his land . `` Red and blue wire all over the place , '' he says as he bends over to pick up a piece . `` Here it is almost eight years later . '' The National Park Service says time is running out if the memorial is to be ready by September 11 , 2011 , the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks . It says it has to use eminent domain for 166 essential acres that it has been unable to purchase . `` We 've held off using it until we 've got here , really at the very last stage of this where we have no other choice , '' says National Park Service associate director Steve Whitesell . The amount of land needed for the memorial is just over 2,200 acres , about 1,400 of which is near the crash site , where there will be a visitor center . The other 800 acres would create a buffer around the site to protect the rural setting . That is where Randy and Linda Musser live -- on more than 100 acres of land , 62 of them within the memorial park boundaries . The Mussers enjoy hunting , fishing and horseback riding on their land , which is about three-quarters-of-a-mile from the crash site . `` This eminent domain cloud hangs over this whole piece of property now , '' Randy Musser says , standing by a pond where he likes to fish . He was a member of a committee formed with Flight 93 family members to establish the boundaries of the park . `` If I knew the National Park Service was going to be able to use eminent domain to acquire property within the park boundary , I would had fought that at the time the park boundary was established to keep as much property out of the park as possible , '' Musser says . The Mussers now fear that their land is n't safe from the government and say it 's not needed for the memorial . `` We have to play fair , we have to follow the rules and they just change the law to suit their own needs , '' says Linda Musser . For Patrick White , vice president of Families of Flight 93 , this project is a labor of love . White 's cousin , Louis Nacke , was killed on United Flight 93 . White is leading the effort to acquire all the land needed for the memorial . `` We 're creating a place where the 40 heroes of Flight 93 can be revered and remembered , '' White said from his law office in Naples , Florida . White says the negotiations with landowners has been challenging and supports the governments use of eminent domain . `` No one has ever questioned that there is a public purpose to these lands ' '' White says . `` Their purpose became public the minute that those private citizens ' lives and remains became part of those lands . '' Lambert says he feels the same way as he walks just a few feet from where the plane crashed . `` A lot of people lost their lives here and this is their final resting place . ... That 's one thing I always keep in mind when I come here and I am walking through these woods . '' This is n't just about money , Randy Musser says . It 's about doing what 's right , allowing landowners to continue to live on their land and use it the way they intended before that day . `` That loss of freedom is probably the thing that bothers people more than anything else , '' he says . Neither the government nor landowners will comment on how much money has been offered for the land yet to be acquired . Patrick White said he remains confident the memorial will be completed in time . `` Getting this done is a commitment that must be achieved . ... These are folks who as citizen soldiers stood up and we all need to recognize that at a place that 's appropriate . '' To make that happen , the National Park Service says it needs to start construction this November for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 11 , 2011 . The courts may have the final say . Government lawyers are expected to file a lawsuit in Pittsburgh next week to condemn the property for public use . | Hijacked United Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania during the 9/11 attacks . National Park Service says it needs to start construction soon . Emotional debate on eminent domain has thrown a wrench in the plans . | [[131, 156], [165, 202], [5801, 5953], [5823, 5953]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` American Idol '' viewers had a clear choice when it came down to the final decision : the low-key but sincere Kris Allen or the flamboyant and powerful Adam Lambert . `` American Idol '' winner Kris Allen , left , and runner-up Adam Lambert say they 're good friends . The vote went for Allen , and Lambert told Ryan Seacrest on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' that the outcome did n't surprise him . There are no hard feelings , though . Allen , Lambert , Danny Gokey and the other seven finalists spoke of their friendship and camaraderie on `` Larry King Live . '' Here is an edited transcript of the interview . Ryan Seacrest : I think the first thing you said -LSB- after being announced as the winner -RSB- was `` Adam 's great . '' Actually on the air , you were complimenting him at the moment you should be complimenting yourself . Kris Allen : I think that 's kind of how I am . Seriously , we 're really good friends and he 's amazing . He 's been probably the most consistent performer this year , and just overall probably one of the best performers that 's ever been on the `` Idol '' stage . Watch Kris Allen heap praise on Adam Lambert '' Seacrest : So aside from getting more votes , why do you think you won ? Allen : I do n't know . I think it was a combination of a lot of stuff . It was maybe , probably , a little bit of personality , a little bit of -- hopefully it was about the music , as well . I know that 's not always the case on `` American Idol . '' That 's what I care about the most : the music and how I portray it . Seacrest : It 's no secret that you 're a man of faith , that you referred to the `` Christian thing , '' as it were . You did n't rely on the Christian vote . Do you think that played a part in your win , though ? Allen : I hope it did n't . Because I guess me and Adam were doing an interview before the show : `` Kris , do you think you 're going to get the Christian vote now that Danny 's gone ? '' And that was rough , that was kind of upsetting , because the show 's not about religion . We 're not running for president . We are there to do music and there to sing , and hopefully people vote on that . Seacrest : I 've seen the show 300-plus episodes , and I know that you have to develop some sort of strategy . So what was yours ? Allen : I think my strategy throughout the whole thing was , ` do n't steer away from what you know how to do . ' And that 's just go out there and be yourself . I went out there and I played my type of music . And I really wanted to change stuff up a little bit and be kind of bold in my music choices , and just do what I believed in . Seacrest : You guys have been through it . The question everyone wants an answer to , finally I get to ask you . What kind of guy-liner do you wear ? Adam Lambert : I do n't know , whatever the make-up artist puts on me , you know . Seacrest : In that beat before I -LSB- announced the winner -RSB- , what were you thinking ? Lambert : I kind of figured , OK , it 's anyone 's game at this point . I knew it was going to be a close race . And actually in my head , believe it or not , I went , that 's so Kris , it 's so going to be Kris . I felt it . Seacrest : You 're human , so you had to be let down a little bit . Lambert : You know what ? I honestly mentally prepared myself for any possibility . And we kind of kept telling each other , you know , it 's such an honor to be here . We had so much fun last night . And tonight we got to sing with Queen . The point is not a title . The point is the opportunity . And I feel like we got that opportunity . Watch the shock over the `` Idol '' finale '' Seacrest : So what do you think happened with the voting ? The judges called you the darling throughout the course of the season . And then you did n't get the first-place votes . What happened ? Lambert : Well , I 'm sure that when Danny was out of the competition , I think his fans probably would be more apt to go for Kris ' style . Allen : I think a lot of people thought that too . Lambert : I was n't worried . I just assumed that would be the case . Seacrest : Why ? Lambert : Kris ' appeal is more like Danny 's appeal than mine . I just kind of figured . Seacrest : Does the fact that the judges pick you out early in the season hurt in the long run ? Lambert : I kind of think it helped me because I think that because I 'm something a little bit different , it allowed people at home to feel it was OK to root for me . Seacrest : Kris , how did you size up the rest of the competition ? Allen : Well , I think Adam and Danny were , I mean , very -- I think they were the front-runners for a long time . And they 're amazing . So kudos to them . I think they deserved it completely . But I never went out there to beat anyone . We talk about that a lot . Seacrest : I ca n't believe that totally . You never went out there to beat anyone ever ? Allen : No . How do you compare me or Adam or me or Danny or me or Matt or me or Allison ? Seacrest : I 've done the show for eight seasons and we 've never seen anyone quite like Adam . That 's great . That 's the beauty I think in the show . It can continue to reinvent itself with the contestants . Lambert : That 's why I felt it was n't a competition thing . I knew it was apples and oranges . The people are like , I like that guy , I like that guy , or I like that girl . To me , it was like , go out there and do your best . That was the goal for me every week . Do something new , do something new to get people talking . Watch the `` Idol '' finalists and Paula Abdul dish '' Seacrest : Kris , how did you feel about the love Adam was getting from the judges during the season ? Allen : I thought he deserved it . I think he 's amazing . I think he was probably one of the most original and one of the most -- seriously , one of the best singers that 's been on `` American Idol '' . Lambert : This is why we 're friends . It 's real . Seacrest : Let me ask you this : The speculation about your sexuality , do you think that had anything to do with coming in second place ? Lambert : No , I think if anything , I think it -- I think my lifestyle is just I 'm different . I 'm a little bit -- I 'm not your typical guy next door . The guy next door versus the guyliner . Sexuality aside , I think it more had to do with maybe my appearance and what songs I gravitated toward and my performance style . I think that had more to do with it . Seacrest : Kris , when I asked the question , you were nodding your head , why ? Allen : Because I agree with him . It 's not about who he is or who I am . It 's about -- what we want , we want it to be about the music , you know ? | Winner Kris Allen calls runner-up one of the best performers ever on show . Finalist Adam Lambert says he had a feeling Allen was going to win . Allen says he hopes fan support was because of his music , not his faith . Lambert says questions about his sexuality may have helped him stand out . | [[1376, 1427], [6649, 6681]] |
BERLIN , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Canadian auto parts supplier has come to the rescue of German carmaker Opel , negotiating a deal with the German government that will save the company from insolvency . German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck talks to reporters early Saturday morning following talks on Opel . Officials from all sides announced the agreement after talks lasting into the early hours of Saturday . German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called it a `` responsible solution '' that would preserve the highest number of jobs . Under the terms of the deal , supplier Magna will have a 20 percent stake in GM Europe , an arm of General Motors , which owns the Opel brand . Russia 's Sberbank will own a 35 percent share , Opel employees will have 10 percent , and General Motors will retain a 35-percent stake , according to GM spokesman Joerg Schrott . The German government will provide a bridge loan to keep GM Europe operating in the short term . The deal ensures that General Motors ' European assets -- which also include the Vauxhall car brand in Britain -- will be unaffected by GM 's expected bankruptcy filing . Magna warned during negotiations that it would have to cut about 10,000 jobs . General Motors has around 55,000 employees in Europe . About 2,000 of the job cuts would be in Germany , Magna has said , but a top company official tried to reassure the Germans that it would try to protect the company as much as possible . `` We will , and I want to stress that again , preserve all the German Opel locations , '' said Magna co-Chief Executive Siegfried Wolf . `` We 're keen to have talks with all the states where Opel has factories in the next few weeks and are confident to be able to find solutions to preserve jobs , because every job that is lost is one too many . We will work with Opel management to try to avoid those job losses . '' Steinmeier told reporters that such risks ca n't be avoided . `` But , '' he said . `` I think we have found a responsible solution with private investors and interim funding from the state . It is a solution which preserves Opel 's location in Germany and also preserves the highest possible number of jobs . '' German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck said early Saturday that the country has guaranteed transitional credit for Opel of 1.5 billion euros -LRB- $ 2.1 billion -RRB- . In addition , a trust will be created where Opel 's stock will be parked prior to the division of shares . Along with Sberbank , Russia 's biggest bank , Russian automaker GAZ Group will provide some financing , said Andrzej Kasperek , director of corporate business development with GAZ . `` I think the whole arrangement with Magna and the Russian partners made this a very attractive deal for GM , '' Kasperek said . `` Opel is very well regarded as a brand . But we think we can increase sales in the next five years . '' Financially strapped General Motors is expected to announce as soon as Monday that it is filing for bankruptcy . `` Opel has received a perspective for the future , '' said German Chancellor Angela Merkel after the agreement was reached . `` That is a chance for the employees , who have earned it , as I find , because they are not to blame for the situation but instead big mismanagement in the United States of America at GM . '' Merkel said the German government did `` what it had to do '' in rescuing Opel . `` I had an open exchange in a phone call with the American president , and we agreed that we do everything to bring this complex task to a good conclusion . And this clearly set the tone for the negotiations , '' Merkel said . | Germany picks Magna to buy majority stake in Opel , news reports say . German government agrees to fund bridging loan to keep Opel in business . Magna also seeking to bring Russian partners into Opel deal . Opel 's parent company General Motors set to declare bankruptcy as soon as Monday . | [[135, 161], [167, 206], [881, 977], [916, 947], [2204, 2374], [2265, 2374], [2901, 2978], [2984, 3013]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Mexican navy said Wednesday that it rescued five Ecuadorians who had been adrift without supplies in a fishing boat for more than two weeks off the coast of the southern state of Chiapas . Mexican medical personel examine two of five Ecuadorians rescued at sea . Mexican authorities initiated the rescue , which occurred Tuesday , after the U.S. Coast Guard alerted them that sailors aboard a fishing boat located 45 nautical miles -LRB- 83 km -RRB- southeast of Port Chiapas had signaled to a passing plane that they needed help . The Mexican navy dispatched a helicopter , which located the 15-meter-long -LRB- 49-foot-long -RRB- vessel and carried out the rescue by air , the navy said in a news release . The five aboard identified themselves as Jaime Arturo Alaba Chavez , the 35-year-old captain ; Víctor Hugo Alaba Chavez , the 32-year-old cook ; Edison Prado Alaba , a 27-year-old sailor ; Carlos Cheme Vazquez , a 37-year-old sailor ; and Raul Contreras Vera , a 64-year-old machinist . The sailors were taken to the Naval Sanatorium of Puerto Chiapas , where doctors determined they were dehydrated . They said they had departed Costa Rica 's on May 6 but , five days later , their motor stopped working and , unable to repair it , they had been adrift and without food since . A naval patrol boat towed the boat to Puerto Chiapas , arriving there Wednesday morning . It will be inspected to rule out the possibility that it may have been used for illicit activities , the navy said . | The Mexican navy said Wednesday that it rescued five Ecuadorians adrift at sea . Men apparently without supplies in a fishing boat for more than two weeks . Men found off the coast of the southern state of Chiapas , Mexico . | [[0, 11], [57, 104], [77, 232], [273, 306], [77, 232], [77, 232]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This classic chant of `` Extra ! Extra ! Read all about it ! '' -- barked out by battalions of newsboys hawking newspapers -- died decades ago , a casualty of home delivery , mass distribution and the advent of coin-operated newspaper machines . Some coin-operated newspaper machines have lasted for 30 years , but lack of sales may force their retirement . But now as newspapers across the country wage a battle to survive in a market where readers are increasingly gravitating to the Internet for information , the fate of another industry fixture seems inevitable . Could those steel machines on street corners , distributing newspapers since the '50s , be headed for the scrap pile ? To begin to answer the question , all it takes is an early morning visit with a man who feeds those machines . It 's 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday , and a white delivery truck for the New Jersey Record has just pulled into the parking lot outside the Plaza Diner in Fort Lee , New Jersey . The driver -- Mike , who asked that his last name not be used -- is at one of his 130 stops on an eight-hour shift that began at midnight . Mike 's job , which takes less than a couple of minutes per stop , entails filling the coin-operated machine with the day 's papers , collecting unsold copies and emptying the machine of its coins . Even though Mike has a full schedule and lots of stops , it does n't equate to pushing as many papers as he once did . Mike loads 15 copies of the Record into one machine -- and that 's a good load , he says . Other locations receive only five to seven copies . He 's also tasked with filling machines for USA Today . Though he 's been on this job for only two years , Mike has been on the route long enough to know business is down . He says newspapers sell better at train stations than from the street machines he services . The demise of newspapers across the country is getting a lot of front-page headlines . The Seattle Post-Intelligencer in Washington was just one of the most recent victims , ceasing print publication in March as declining circulation and plummeting advertising sales forced it to retrench and become just an online provider of journalism . Even the legendary New York Times will force readers to dig deeper for more coins as it raises prices June 1 , with the price of a paper going from $ 1.50 to $ 2 . The publication that touts `` All The News That 's Fit to Print '' has been relying less on newspaper racks . In 1999 , the Times had 13,300 vending machines , but today that number has shrunk to 5,678 , according to Diane McNulty , spokeswoman for the Times . `` One of the factors is home delivery , '' McNulty said , adding , `` This was due to our national expansion -- where once many readers could only get copies from the newsstand or vending machine , they can now enjoy home delivery service . '' But all the gloom-and-doom predictions that newspapers will one day disappear is n't scaring workers at the Kaspar Sho-Rack Company , based in Shiner , Texas . The company lays claim to being the world 's largest manufacturer of coin-operated and no-charge newspaper vending machines . Don Kaspar is president and a fourth-generation member of a family business that began in 1898 manufacturing wire products . `` There 'll be printed newspapers for years and years '' said Kaspar , president of a company that is actually part of the larger Kaspar Wireworks . Still , he concedes , `` Business is down about 25 to 30 percent from about five years ago . '' It was n't until the late 1950s that the privately owned company was approached by the now defunct San Antonio Light newspaper to develop an early version of coin-operated newspaper machines . The early versions of newspaper machines were simple and made mostly of wire , but by the mid-1960s they were all made of metal . The machines typically consist of a thick metal housing , shelves , doors and hinges . But the heart of any machine is the coin mechanism , which can have 150 moving parts , according to the manufacturer . Some advanced models introduced in 1999 feature lithium batteries to run the coin-collecting mechanism . Often weighing around 100 pounds , these hand-assembled machines cost on average $ 450 each , with refurbished models selling for around $ 300 , the company says . The zenith of the company 's business may have been the 1980s , when the introduction of USA Today landed it a contract to build and deliver 100,000 coin-operated machines . Today only 65,000 machines populate the nation 's sidewalks , according to a USA Today spokesperson . In 1985 , Sho-Rack sold its 1 millionth newspaper machine and it has sold several hundred thousand since . Its biggest clients have been the giants of newspaper publishing , including Gannett , Tribune , Newhouse and the McClatchy newspaper groups . But the fate of those publishers directly affects the bottom line at Sho-Rack . `` Business now ? It 's certainly slowed down , '' said Kaspar . `` Free publication racks ... we 've stayed fairly busy with those . Coin - operated machines ? Newspapers are cutting costs and pulling a lot of the racks from outlying areas . As a result this causes a surplus number of racks and then ultimately less of a need for new racks from us . '' Though the coin-operated machine business makes up 25 percent of the parent company 's overall business , Sho-Rack has learned to diversify and adapt . `` We 're not dependent on any one industry , '' Kaspar said . The company , which employs nearly 500 workers and occupies more than 500,000 square feet in a small rural town , also manufactures thousands of wire , tubing and sheet metal products . The average life span of a coin-operated newspaper machine depends on several factors . Some machines , even with modest refurbishments every couple of years , have lasted for 30 years . For others it can be five minutes after an encounter with a snowplow . For the Kaspar Sho-Rack Company , as long as newspapers are printed and sold , its machines will gladly continue to accept coins . | Fewer customers buy from coin-operated newspaper machines . Delivery man says newspapers sell better from train stations than street machines . Texas company that makes the machines says business is down . `` There 'll be printed newspapers for years and years , '' firm 's president says . | [[239, 243], [244, 273], [1774, 1852], [1750, 1773], [3288, 3342], [3337, 3382]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- IBM 's reported plans to lay off thousands of U.S. workers and outsource many of those jobs to India , even as the company angles for billions in stimulus money , does n't sit well with employee rights advocates . Business Week reports that IBM 's workforce increased from 386,558 in 2007 to 398,000 at the end of 2008 . IBM employees are being dealt a double blow , said Lee Conrad , national coordinator for Alliance@IBM, a pro-union group that has been fighting IBM 's outsourcing for years . `` We 're outraged that jobs cuts are happening in the U.S. and the work is being shifted offshore , '' Conrad said . `` This comes at the same time IBM has its hand out for stimulus money . This to us is totally unacceptable . '' IBM wants a share of the money in President Obama 's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for projects updating power grids , creating electronic health care records and furthering the use of broadband . `` In the research we 've done working with the transition team , we know that $ 30 billion could create 1 million jobs in the next 12 months , '' IBM CEO Sam Palmisano said in January . Watch how IBM hopes to benefit from the stimulus '' The problem is where those jobs would be , said Ron Hira , a professor of public policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology . `` This is really a question of policy , '' Hira said . `` IBM is doing what 's in its best interest , and in this case it 's not in the best interest of America . And that 's why you need policymakers to step in to ensure that this money gets spent to create American jobs . '' Watch the outcry generated by IBM '' IBM has not responded to multiple requests for comment from CNN after the Wall Street Journal 's report that the IT giant would be shipping 5,000 U.S. jobs overseas . `` We have no problem with job creation in other countries , '' Conrad said . `` We have no problem with global expansion . We realize IBM is a global company and has been for many years . But this is different . This is cutting jobs in the U.S. and shifting the work offshore . This is n't job creation . It 's job shifting . '' According to Business Week , IBM has indeed been shifting jobs . The magazine reported that the company 's workforce went up from 386,558 at the end of 2007 to 398,000 at the end of 2008 . But U.S. employment fell from 121,000 to 115,000 during the same time . Hira , author of the book `` Outsourcing America , '' said it 's not just IBM moving jobs out of the United States . `` The problem here , though , is that these companies have an inordinate influence over the political process , '' he said . `` They have a huge , disproportionate amount of power , political power , and can influence the process . '' For that reason , he said , `` you really do need the American public to sort of stand up and say , ` Wait a second . This is just not right . ' ... I certainly hope that there 's a backlash , because there should be . This is bad for America . '' CNN 's Mary Snow , Jennifer Rizzo and Vivienne Foley contributed to this report . | IBM criticized for plans to shift U.S. jobs to India while seeking stimulus money . IBM CEO has said $ 30 billion could create 1 million jobs in next 12 months . Plan shows conflicting interests between IBM and U.S. , analyst says . American public needs to stand up and say , ` This is just not right , ' analyst says . | [[0, 15], [82, 119], [650, 705], [1018, 1093], [706, 742], [2767, 2774], [2777, 2866], [2867, 2891]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cyclist Lance Armstrong said Thursday the surgery to repair his broken collarbone proved to be more complex than doctors originally anticipated and that he will take his recovery `` day by day . '' Cyclist Lance Armstrong needed 12 screws to repair his broken collarbone . `` I thought everything went very smooth , '' he said in a video to his supporters about Wednesday 's three-hour operation . Doctors in Spain , where Armstrong injured himself Monday when he fell during a race , initially thought he had suffered a simple fracture . However , additional X-rays and CT scans in Austin , Texas , where he lives , proved otherwise . `` They realized that the collarbone is actually in quite a few pieces , '' said the 37-year-old cyclist , who pointed to an X-ray of a 4 - to 5-inch steel plate held in place by a dozen 1-inch screws , intended to stabilize it . `` That should keep things together , '' he said . `` Ultimately , that will have to come out , but for now , it 's necessary . '' Watch how Armstrong `` tweets '' from hospital '' Armstrong said he felt `` very lucky , very blessed '' that , in almost 20 years of professional cycling , he has rarely crashed . `` We do n't know how my recovery will go , we 'll just take it day by day and ultimately get back on the bike and try to sort things out . '' Armstrong 's remarks came a day after his surgeon , Dr. Douglas Elenz , told reporters that the cyclist will require two to three months of healing . The four breaks `` made treatment more challenging , but we 're confident that the treatment performed today is going to be successful , '' Elenz said . During the next week , Armstrong `` will need to take it easy '' to ensure the wound does not become infected , the doctor said . After his wound has healed , Armstrong will begin using an exercise bike to train his lower body , `` but we wo n't let him do a whole lot with his upper extremities , '' Elenz said . `` After several weeks , we can take his training to the street , but we will need to take that day by day and week by week . '' He said that , over the longer term , he will be looking for evidence that Armstrong is laying down new bone , that the plate is stable , that the athlete 's arm is strong and that his motion is fluid . Armstrong , riding for Team Astana , crashed about 10 miles -LRB- 16 kilometers -RRB- from the end of the first stage of the five-day Vuelta Ciclista a Castilla y Leon race . Watch Armstrong 's crash '' Armstrong announced last year that he was returning to competitive biking and would use the Spanish race as a warm-up for the Tour de France , which he won seven times before retiring in 2005 . He also had planned to race May 9-31 in the Giro d'Italia , one of Europe 's most prestigious and grueling stage races . This would have been the second comeback of his career . His first came in 1998 , two years after he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain . Doctors gave him a less than 50 percent chance of survival . | Lance Armstrong 's broken collarbone was worse than doctors expected . Armstrong was injured Monday in crash at Spain bike race . Armstrong announced last year he was returning to competitive racing . | [[79, 126], [79, 100], [108, 171], [217, 291], [442, 501], [2492, 2632]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gunmen on motorcycles fired Friday on a campaign office for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , wounding two adults and a child , according to a report by Iran 's state-run news agency . President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was not present at the time of the attack . The shooting happened about 5 p.m. in front of the entrance to the campaign office , campaign representative Mohammed Reza Zahed Shaikhi told IRNA . Ahmadinejad , who is running for a second term in office , was not present . Iran 's presidential election will take place on June 12 . The attack happened in Sistan-Balochistan province in southeastern Iran , the same province where a Shia mosque was bombed Thursday . Several suspects have been arrested in connection with Thursday 's attack in the town of Zahedan , which killed between 15 and 20 people , according to Iranian media reports . No group publicly accepted responsibility for the mosque attack , but the provincial governor , Ali-Mohammad Azad , blamed a terrorist group that he said would be unveiled to the public once the suspects have been interrogated , IRNA reported . Zahedan is about 1,100 km -LRB- 700 miles -RRB- southeast of Tehran , near Iran 's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan . Sistan-Balochistan province -- which shares a border with Pakistan -- is the site of frequent clashes involving Iranian police , drug dealers and armed groups . The province is located on a major narcotics-smuggling route between Afghanistan and Pakistan . Azad said information on the arrested terrorist group would be unveiled to the public once interrogations were complete . `` The terrorists and notorious gang planned to stir order and security in the province on the eve of -LRB- the June 12 presidential -RRB- elections , using ongoing insecurity in our eastern neighbors , '' he said Thursday . Several days of mourning were reported to be under way for victims of the explosion . Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami , a hard-line cleric who led Friday prayers in Tehran , said there were signs that the United States and Israel were involved in the mosque bombing , IRNA reported . The cleric , who put the death toll at 25 , condemned the bombing before a congregation on the Tehran University campus . CNN 's Shirzad Bozorghmehr contributed to this report . | Gunmen fire on campaign office for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , . Two adults and child wounded in attack ; Ahmadinejad not present . Attack happened near where Shia mosque bombed Thursday , killing up to 20 . No group has accepted responsibility , but local governor blamed terrorist group . | [[9, 29], [55, 122], [9, 29], [125, 156], [216, 289], [439, 450], [498, 515], [649, 666], [673, 708], [798, 805], [814, 845], [885, 948], [955, 978], [1001, 1070]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It was a typical November day in 1971 when an eighth-grader left her house in a sleepy New Hampshire town with her pet dog , Tasha , in tow . Kathy Gloddy was found murdered a mile from where she was last seen . The German shepherd returned home that day without its 13-year-old master , Kathy Gloddy . To her family 's horror , the little girl 's body was found the next day , three miles from her home . She had been beaten , raped , strangled and run over by a car repeatedly until she was dead . Her body was found clothed only in her kneesocks . At the time , police had several possible suspects , but not enough evidence for an arrest , said Sgt. Scott Gilbert of the New Hampshire State Police . In 2006 , Gilbert said , Kathy 's body was exhumed in search of further clues , but authorities were unable to obtain forensics from the remains . Kathy 's family asked private investigator Tom Shamshak to aid in the investigation and he agreed to volunteer his services . So far , investigators have only been able to piece together a timeline of the day Kathy went missing . Watch an update on the case '' It is believed that she left her family 's home at 5 p.m. to go to a convenience store , where she bought ice cream and potato sticks . Soon after leaving the store , she was spotted at Franklin High School , where one of her older sisters was attending a banquet . It is unclear where Kathy went next , but what is known is that later that evening her dog returned home acting frantic and anxious , family members said . `` When Tasha came home without Kathy , we were worried , '' said Kathy 's sister , Janet Young . `` And then the dog was running around in circles , acting crazy and pawing at the door as if looking for Kathy . We always came home when we said we would and never stayed out late worrying our parents . '' Private investigator Shamshak said he believes the killer may not have been a stranger . `` This kind of brutality and rage-driven crime can only come from someone that knew her or her family , '' he said . Jim Conrad , a former New Hampshire State Police trooper who worked on the case , said Kathy was found in the woods not far from a small gravel road near a popular swimming hole in Franklin , New Hampshire . Investigators believe the area -- which is only one mile from where she was last seen at the high school -- was merely a dumping site for the body and not the actual crime scene . `` One of the things my team is working on is trying to get the post-mortem DNA evidence collected by the forensic pathologist who examined her , '' Shamshak said . While there is not a lot of evidence left , it is the one piece of evidence the family hopes could link potential suspects to Kathy 's murder . `` We have waited so long for justice and closure , '' said Karen Beaudin , another of Kathy 's sisters . Gilbert said there are at least two persons of interest authorities have focused on and both were acquainted with Kathy Gloddy and her family . Gilbert said police thought they 'd caught a break in 2004 when convicted sex offender Edward Dukette , who served time in a Florida prison for raping and nearly killing a young girl , unexpectedly came forward to police claiming he had key information about Kathy Gloddy 's murder . Dukette was a former neighbor of the Gloddys and had been evicted from the multiple-family dwelling eight months before Kathy 's murder . Gilbert was one of several investigators who traveled to Florida to question Dukette , but the potential suspect recanted his earlier statements and refused to speak further with officials . The Gloddy family and Tom Shamshak have said they believe there is more than one person responsible for Kathy Gloddy 's murder . The family is organizing a reward fund in conjunction with the Carole Sund Foundation . Anyone who has information that could lead to the arrest of the individuals responsible for Kathy Lynn Gloddy 's murder is asked to call the New Hampshire State Police Crime Unit tip line at 603-271-3636 . | Teen girl found wearing only socks after being raped , murdered . Kathy Gloddy left home with her pet dog , who returned without her hours later . Police have few clues and at least two persons of interest . A former neighbor came forward claiming information , but later recanted . | [[528, 578], [528, 536], [547, 578], [71, 150], [1448, 1554], [2878, 2970], [3535, 3588]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Internet sensation Susan Boyle came up short , coming in second during `` Britain 's Got Talent '' finale on Saturday . Fans cheering on Susan Boyle react after she comes in second during `` Britain 's Got Talent . '' Boyle was upset by winner Diversity , a 10-person dance group from Essex and East London , England , ranging in age from 12 to 25 years old . The group won 100,000 British pounds -LRB- $ 161,000 -RRB- and will perform for Queen Elizabeth II in the Royal Variety Show . `` The best people won , '' Boyle said . The dancers appeared shocked Saturday when it was announced that they had won . The group was formed in 2007 , and in the same year won the United Kingdom Dance Championships . The group 's choreographer `` tries to create a dance style that is eye-catching and entertaining '' and uses films such as 2007 's `` Transformers '' for inspiration , the show 's site said . Boyle wowed the crowd Saturday night with an encore performance of the song that first made her so famous around the world -- `` I Dreamed a Dream , '' from the musical `` Les Miserables . '' After her performance Saturday , the crowd and judges gave Boyle , who wore a floor-length gown , a standing ovation . Boyle finishes second '' `` You had the nerve to come back here tonight , face your critics and beat them , '' judge Simon Cowell told her . `` You did it . '' Boyle had vowed to leave the television show before the finale , after a hectic week , but recanted and performed at the finale Saturday . The 48-year-old Scottish singer wowed audiences and judges during her audition in April when she belted out `` I Dreamed a Dream . '' Her performance earned her a string of global television appearances . During the semifinals Sunday , she started off by missing the first note of her performance of `` Memory '' from the musical , `` Cats . '' Watch Boyle 's semifinal performance '' She redeemed herself to earn a standing ovation and a spot in Saturday 's finale . The global fame and the `` odd bit of negative press '' in the past week have been too overwhelming for her , judge Piers Morgan told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on Friday . `` She 's just had a pretty rough week because I think the full enormity of what has happened to her is beginning to hit home , '' Morgan said . `` Earlier this week , she had a lot of tears . ... At one stage , she was going to leave the show . So , fortunately , we 've calmed everything down . '' Watch how Boyle may be feeling the pressure '' Boyle said that that she has put the tumultuous week behind her and is getting ready for the finale . `` It 's all I 've been thinking about , '' she said on the show 's Web site . `` I 'm not going to throw away my big chance now . '' `` Britain 's Got Talent '' defended Boyle on its Web site , saying that media reports of an emotional outburst `` have been taken out of context . '' The unemployed charity worker has inspired millions in the face of pop music 's penchant for pre-processed princesses . Before she sang during her audition , the unassuming single woman with a loose mop of curly hair drew snickers from the audience , including notoriously hard-to-please judge Simon Cowell . The scowls and eye-rolling were replaced by wild cheers as soon as she sang the first line . Cowell later apologized for poking fun at her during the auditions stage . `` You are one special lady , '' he said last week . `` You really are . '' Reporters made their way to her quiet home in Blackburn , West Lothian , Scotland , much to Boyle 's great surprise . `` I keep my feet firmly planted on the ground , because you have to , '' Boyle told CNN last month . Asked what has been the most surprising change since her audition , she responded simply -- `` The way everyone seems to have embraced me . The way they seem to have apparently fallen in love with me . '' | NEW : 10-person dance group Diversity seemed shocked to win `` Britain 's Got Talent '' 48-year-old Internet sensation Susan Boyle came in second . Show judge Piers Morgan says Boyle thought about leaving show after rough week . Singer catapulted into media spotlight after her audition wowed audiences worldwide . | [[547, 626], [0, 15], [66, 138], [180, 233], [1228, 1252], [2367, 2379], [2382, 2415], [1527, 1614]] |
Editor 's note : CNN affiliates report on where job seekers are finding work across the country and how those looking for employment are coping with the situation . Tennessee 's Williamson County Public Library in Franklin is trying to improve computer skills of older job seekers . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Ohio company transforming its business model will build its headquarters in the town of Greenville . LAH Development will become a wind turbine manufacturer and installer after years of constructing commercial buildings . The company 's new building is expected to cost $ 1 million , CNN affiliate WHIO-TV in Dayton reported . The state of Ohio has granted the company a tax credit of almost $ 400,000 to help create jobs . The company expects to hire 100 new employees . iReport.com : Share your job hunt story . Under an agreement with the state , the company is required to operate at the new site for 12 years . Read the full report on WHIO . Northeast : Grant money used to train veterans . Pennsylvania is providing $ 311,000 to train 80 unemployed veterans in the field of welding . The state 's Department of Labor and Industry grant will be used to train the former military members for 96 hours in beginner welding over an eight-week period . `` As more troops return home after tours of duty , it 's important that we provide tools and resources to help them reintegrate into civilian life , '' Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato told WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh . Read the full report on WPXI . South : Library to teach computer skills to job seekers . In Franklin , Tennessee , the county library is trying to help older job seekers by expanding its computer course offerings . Teachers will instruct students on how to use social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn to search for jobs as well as make sure they have basic skills . `` If you do n't know those skills and you ca n't use them readily , it makes everything else so much harder , '' said Janice Keck , director of the Williamson County Public Library , told WSMV-TV in Nashville , Tennessee . Read the full report on WSMV . Midwest : Indiana business to add 125 positions . An Indianapolis , Indiana , life science firm is more than doubling the size of its staff . Biostorage provides biomaterials storage and distribution for companies around the world , according to WTHR-TV in Indianapolis . `` Ninety percent of our clients are actually outside Indiana , '' John Mills of Biostorage Technologies told the station . `` So we are earning Indiana dollars from companies outside Indiana . '' The current staff has 70 people ; Biostorage plans to add 125 more employees . Read the full report on WTHR . Around the nation . Quintiles Transnational Corp. is moving its world headquarters to the Research Triangle Park near Raleigh , North Carolina , News 14 Carolina reports . A new Wal-Mart in Owasso , Oklahoma , is expected to hire 100 people , Tulsa 's KOTV-TV reports . | Ohio company gets $ 400,000 tax credit to hire workers . Pennsylvania program will train veterans in welding skills . Indiana bioscience company looks to hire 125 people . | [[632, 706], [1001, 1094], [1095, 1257], [1095, 1146], [1160, 1229], [2124, 2163], [2164, 2255], [2164, 2209], [2218, 2255], [2617, 2661]] |
JOHANNESBURG , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police armed with rubber bullets were patrolling neighborhoods in Johannesburg on Tuesday in an effort to quell a recent spree of violence aimed at foreigners that police say has killed 22 people and displaced an estimated 13,000 . A crowd armed with clubs , machetes and axes rioted on the outskirts of Johannesburg on Tuesday . Many of the victims are Zimbabweans who have fled repression and dire economic circumstances in their homeland . Evidence of the violence was seen in smoke rising from burned homes in one Johannesburg neighborhood . Locals angry about the rising number of foreigners arriving in South Africa had set homes ablaze . Firefighters said they had fought more than 100 such blazes since Thursday . Standing outside a row of charred homes , Diamond Minnaar said there is a solution for foreigners . `` Most of them just have to go back to their country and leave us in peace , '' Minnaar said . `` That is the only solution . Or they are just going to get killed . Look at how many shacks have burnt down . '' The attacks and looting have drawn condemnation from South African officials and other African leaders . iReport.com : Are you there ? Send photos , video . The violence began a week ago in Johannesburg 's Alexandra Township , police say , and has been concentrated in the city 's poorest areas . `` People are angry because they are unemployed , poverty-affected people struggling for basic needs every day , '' said Dean Christopher Barends , a local Lutheran minister . `` This will explode into something . '' One person victimized was Pascoal Sendela Gulane , a Mozambican man , who said gangs broke into his home and stole his belongings . He fled to a church with his family and is now living with his children in his car on the church 's property . For him and many others , churches and police stations have become safe havens . Watch footage of the attacks '' On Monday , South African President Thabo Mbeki called for an end to the violence . `` We dehumanize ourselves the moment we start thinking of another person as less human than we are simply because they come from another country '' he said in a statement . `` As South Africans , we must recognize and fully appreciate that we are bound together with other Africans by history , culture , economics and , above all , by destiny . I call upon those behind these shameful and criminal acts to stop ! Nothing can justify it . '' He has called for an investigation into the violence . Also Monday , the Nelson Mandela Foundation issued a statement condemning the `` senseless violence . '' South African police have arrested more than 200 people in connection with the violence for offenses including rape , murder , robbery and theft . Police director Govindsamy Mariemuthoo said that at least one foreigner was burned alive over the weekend , while others saw their houses torched , their shops looted and their possessions stolen . Tuesday there was a large police presence in the neighborhoods were the violence had occurred , according to a CNN producer on the scene . Despite the police presence , sporadic looting still took place in several townships east of Johannesburg . Mbuso Mthembu , provincial manager at the Red Cross office in Johannesburg , said that the number of people fleeing is continuing to grow and that violent attacks seem to be spreading into other areas . His organization has made an emergency appeal for people to donate 1 million rand -LRB- about $ 135,000 -RRB- to help support the estimated 13,000 who have fled their homes . Many had to flee quickly , leaving all their belongings behind , Mthembu said . `` We have delivered blankets , kids clothing , baby formula , '' he said . `` But we need more . '' | An estimated 13,000 people fled homes after violence targeting foreigners . Attacks have been concentrated in Johannesburg 's poorest areas . Police arrest more than 200 people after at least 22 are killed . Zimbabweans who have fled their own country are driven from squatter camps . | [[177, 205], [211, 217], [247, 278], [3526, 3606], [1237, 1249], [1307, 1313], [1324, 1376], [206, 242], [2637, 2783]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Music producer Phil Spector was sentenced Friday to the maximum sentence of 19 years to life for the murder six years ago of actress Lana Clarkson . Phil Spector 's first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors said they could n't reach a verdict . That means Spector , 69 , would be 88 before he would be eligible for parole . Slumped , stone-faced and wearing a dark suit and bright red tie , he sat silently throughout his sentencing by Judge Larry Paul Fidler . Spector 's lawyer gave a $ 17,000 check to Donna Clarkson , the victim 's mother , to pay for her funeral expenses -- part of the court-ordered sentence . `` All of our plans together are destroyed , '' the mother said , reading a statement on behalf of her family . `` Now , I can only visit her at the cemetery . '' Fidler denied a motion for a new trial by defense attorney Doron Weinberg , who said he would file an appeal . `` The evidence did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty for the simple reason -LSB- that -RSB- he did not kill Lana Clarkson , '' Weinberg said . Watch Spector receive his sentence '' `` Obviously , he 's not very happy , '' Spector 's wife , Rachelle , told reporters about her husband . `` I 'm going to stand by him and get him out of that awful place so he can come home where he belongs . '' Clarkson , 40 , was found dead -- slumped in a chair in the foyer of Spector 's Alhambra , California , mansion with a gunshot wound through the roof of her mouth -- in February 2003 . View a timeline of the case '' Spector 's trial , which began in October , ended last month when jurors deliberated for 30 hours and then announced a guilty verdict on the second-degree murder charge . Fidler had ruled jurors also could consider the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter . Spector 's first murder trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial as jurors said they could n't reach a verdict after 15 days of deliberations . Jurors then were deadlocked 10-2 in favor of conviction . Fidler declined to allow Spector to remain free on bail pending sentencing , citing Spector 's years-long `` pattern of violence '' involving firearms . `` This was not an isolated incident , '' Fidler said , noting Spector 's two firearms-related convictions from the 1970s . `` The taking of an innocent human life , it does n't get any more serious than that . '' In closing arguments at the retrial , prosecutor Truc Do called Spector `` a very dangerous man '' who `` has a history of playing Russian roulette with women -- six women . Lana just happened to be the sixth . '' Weinberg argued that the prosecution 's case hinged on circumstantial evidence . He said the possibility that Clarkson committed suicide could not be ruled out . Do pointed out to jurors , however , that Clarkson had bought new shoes on the day of her death -- something he said a suicidal woman would not have done . A female juror who declined to be identified told reporters the jurors considered all the evidence and testimony to reach their verdict . `` This entire jury took this so seriously , '' she said with tears in her eyes , before adding that `` it 's tough to be in a jury , '' because another person 's life is in the jury 's hands . Clarkson starred in the 1985 B-movie `` Barbarian Queen '' and appeared in many other films , including `` Deathstalker , '' `` Blind Date , '' `` Scarface , '' `` Fast Times at Ridgemont High '' and the spoof `` Amazon Women on the Moon . '' She was working as a VIP hostess at Hollywood 's House of Blues at the time of her death . In the 2007 trial , Spector 's attorneys argued that Clarkson was depressed over a recent breakup and grabbed a .38 - caliber pistol to kill herself while at Spector 's home . But prosecution witnesses painted Spector as a gun-toting menace . Five women took the stand and testified that he had threatened them with firearms . His driver testified that he heard a loud noise and saw the producer leave the home , pistol in hand , saying , `` I think I killed somebody . '' Spector 's professional trademark was the `` Wall of Sound , '' the layering of instrumental tracks and percussion that underpinned a string of hits on his Philles label -- named for Spector and his business partner , Lester Sill -- in the early 1960s . The roaring arrangements were the heart of what he called `` little symphonies for the kids '' -- among them No. 1 hits like the Ronettes ' `` Be My Baby '' and the Righteous Brothers ' `` You 've Lost That Lovin ' Feelin ' . '' Spector co-produced the Beatles ' final album , `` Let It Be , '' and worked with ex-Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon on solo projects after the group broke up . His recording of Harrison 's 1971 benefit concert for war relief in Bangladesh won the 1972 Grammy award for album of the year . That was one of two Grammy Awards won by Spector , who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 . He stayed out of the public eye for two decades before his 2003 arrest in Clarkson 's death . | NEW : Music producer sentenced for 2003 slaying of Lana Clarkson . Actress was found shot dead in foyer of Spector 's California mansion . Defense argued it was a suicide ; first trial ended in a mistrial . Grammy-winning Spector , 69 , was inducted in 1989 to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . | [[1365, 1373], [1376, 1378], [1381, 1455], [193, 303], [1844, 1980], [304, 327], [4896, 4908], [4913, 4971]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is a boarding pass unlike any other . It 's a memory of a day that nearly was his last on earth . US Airways passenger Barry Leonard now has the other half of his boarding pass from the fateful flight . When a FedEx package arrived at Barry Leonard 's home recently , he had no idea it contained items from his flight that ended up in the Hudson River . Leonard was seated at the front of US Airways Flight 1549 , and when pilot Chesley `` Sully '' Sullenberger amazingly landed the plane in the river , Leonard left everything he had behind and dove into the frigid water . He thought all he had left from that January day were the clothes he had on , including a pair of jeans he still wears . But recently the package with most of his left-behind belongings showed up at his Charlotte , North Carolina , home . `` Everything from the Wall Street Journal of that day to my W-2 form that I did n't even realize was in this package , '' he says . `` You know my briefcase that I 'd had for decades , it was all of those things . '' Watch as Leonard brings out the items recovered from the water '' As he showed CNN the contents he discovered another item -- a memorable slip of paper . `` This is actually the other part of my boarding pass from January 15 . As you can see here January 15 , flight 1549 and my seat number 1C , '' he says . To help return personal items to its passengers , US Airways hired Global-BMS , a Texas-based company that recovers and restores items from large disasters . Global-BMS sorted through nearly 30,000 items from the flight , cleaning them in a slow , tedious process that often involved freeze-drying items to preserve them while they waited to be processed . `` Passengers ' emotional ties to their possessions because of a traumatic incident like this , it 's highly emotional . So we just want to make it available , '' Mark Rocco , a senior vice president of Global-BMS , tells CNN . Some of the items that were returned to the 150 travelers were unusable after being submerged , especially electronic items like headphones and music players . But for a lot of folks , personal effects show a little damage but are still good . Vicki Barnhardt tried on her running shoes , and though they were a little tight at first , she wears them now when she goes jogging in Huntersville , North Carolina . She tells CNN that she evacuated the plane only with her cellphone , leaving behind her purse , her wallet , driver 's license , some flash drives and other items . She got most of her possessions from the plane back -- a coat , a pair of gloves and her cash are still missing -- and the items in the boxes seem in pretty good shape . The flash drives still work , though you can see some `` corrosion '' on them . She also got back a three-ring binder , and all her notes are still readable . Maryann Bruce found her diamonds in the parcel that was returned to her in Cornelius , North Carolina . It brought back memories of the landing in the river and made her thankful to be alive . `` I just focused on wow , you know , I got all this stuff back , '' she says . `` I ca n't believe I got all this stuff back , and I 'm here to get the stuff back , versus the alternative where they would 've been giving it to my loved ones . I did n't relive the anguish ; I relived the ` Wow , I 'm here to get it . ' '' | US Airways Flight 1549 landed in the Hudson River on January 15 . Passengers scrambled to save their lives , leaving behind personal belongings . Texas company has recovered , restored and returned most of the 30,000 items . Some items , like one woman 's four flash drives , are still in good shape . | [[329, 339], [345, 375], [2360, 2363], [2429, 2524], [1445, 1450], [1451, 1520], [1443, 1464], [1483, 1520], [1521, 1582]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A police officer chasing a theft suspect was fatally shot Thursday night by another officer after he failed to drop his weapon when ordered to , authorities said . Officer Omar Edwards , 25 , was not wearing a bulletproof vest and did not fire a shot , authorities say . Authorities said Officer Omar Edwards , 25 , was shot three times . The incident is under investigation . Edwards was in plainclothes and carrying a handgun as he chased the suspect past a police car . Authorities said the officer who shot him said he did n't realize Edwards was a police officer . Edwards had just left the Housing Bureau Station House on East 124th Street , said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly at a news conference Friday . As Edwards approached his vehicle , he saw a man rummaging through it . Edwards took out his gun -- a Smith and Wesson 9 mm -- and chased the alleged thief , 43-year-old Miguel Santiago , said NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne . Meanwhile , a police cruiser with a sergeant and two officers , including Officer Andrew Dunton , had just turned onto 125th Street from 1st Avenue . Santiago ran in front of the unmarked vehicle as it approached halfway up the block and the vehicle stopped . The officer in the front passenger seat got out of the vehicle and shouted for Edwards to stop running and drop his weapon . According to Kelly , the officers reported that , after the command was given , Edwards turned toward Dunton with his gun in his hand . Watch Commissioner Kelly describe the shooting '' Dunton fired his Glock 9 mm six times , hitting Edwards three of those times -- once in the left arm , once in the left side and once in the back , according to police . Emergency crews responding to the scene found Edwards wearing a police academy T-shirt under his clothes and found his police shield and ID in his front left pants pocket , according to Browne . Edwards , who lived in Brooklyn , was recently married and had two small children , according to CNN affiliate WABC-TV in New York . On Friday , his relatives remembered him as a good person who achieved what he set out to do . `` He was a wonderful , wonderful child from when he was small , '' his father , Ricardo Edwards , told WABC . `` His desire was always to be a policeman and to play football , '' his uncle , Jerome Harding told the New York TV station . `` And he did accomplish both , because he plays for the Police Department . '' Edwards was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital at 11:21 p.m. Thursday , according to Kelly . `` Tragic accidents like this are another reminder of the dangers our police officers often face as they keep our city the safest big city in the nation , '' Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Friday . `` Rest assured we will find out exactly what happened here , see what we can learn from it so it may never happen again . All the city 's prayers are with Omar Edwards and his family . '' Five eyewitnesses , along with 20 people who reported hearing gunshots , were interviewed by police . The officer who fired the shots has 4 1/2 years ' experience , authorities said . The officers involved have been placed on administrative duties while the shooting is investigated . Police later arrested the alleged thief on suspicion of breaking into Edwards ' car . | Authorities : Omar Edwards , chasing a suspect , was fatally shot by another officer . Edwards , in plainclothes , witnessed suspect trying to break into his car . Another saw his pursuit , jumped out of unmarked vehicle and fired six shots . Officers placed on administrative duties while shooting is investigated . | [[0, 24], [69, 80], [101, 119], [0, 24], [81, 154], [299, 310], [316, 336], [344, 366], [817, 824], [876, 900], [745, 747], [781, 816], [0, 24], [81, 154], [518, 529], [534, 542], [1548, 1585], [367, 404], [3121, 3221], [3191, 3221]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thomas the Tank Engine , whose television adventures on the fictional island of Sodor have delighted children around the world for years , is now on a real-life mission to help kids with autism . Thomas the Tank Engine is part of a new online game to help autistic children recognize different emotions . The steam locomotive and his friends are the stars of a new game in Australia , designed to help autistic children recognize emotions . Autism Spectrum Australia -LRB- Aspect -RRB- , a nonprofit that provides services to people diagnosed with the developmental disorder , unveiled the game on its Web site Tuesday . The game asks players to recognize which engine has a sad face , or which is happy or angry . Children with autism often have a difficult time distinguishing different facial expressions . Each time a child plays the game , he/she is presented with a different sequence of emotions . In doing so , the game takes advantage of the single-mindedness of autistic children to assist in their development . `` It 's a great way to help develop social and communication skills , '' said Anthony Warren of Aspect . A study conducted in the United Kingdom found that autistic children were far more fascinated by the television series , `` Thomas and Friends , '' than they were with other fictional characters . The study , by the National Autistic Society , summarized that the show held such appeal because of the clear facial expressions of the characters , the pacing of the program and the easy-to-follow story lines . `` We got those results down here , and we thought , how could we leverage that strength and give a little back to the community ? '' said Tom Punch with Haven Licensing , the company that handles licensing for the characters in Australia . Warren said one of the reasons Thomas is particularly stimulating and motivating for children with autism is that it 's very predictable . `` Children can understand the clear visual messages -- the big smile on the front of the engine , '' he said . `` The messages it communicates are very concrete , not abstract . And the emotions are primary emotions . It 's uncomplicated . '' Autism is a developmental disorder that affects physical , social and language skills . It usually appears before age 3 , though the earliest signs are subtle . More doctors and researchers are referring to `` autism '' as `` autisms , '' because each child 's case is different , as are the causes , helpful therapies and potential treatments . The Australian nonprofit unveiled the game this month to coincide with Autism Awareness Month in that country . After all , as the show 's theme song attests : `` Red and green and brown and blue ; They 're the really useful crew . '' | Online game uses Thomas the Tank Engine to help autistic children . Children try to recognize which engine has happy , sad , angry face . Autistic children often have trouble distinguishing different facial expressions . UK study : More autistic kids fascinated with `` Thomas '' than other fictional characters . | [[215, 266], [249, 323], [640, 702], [734, 828], [766, 777], [783, 828], [1148, 1187], [1148, 1344]] |
NEW YORK -- Talking excitedly and pacing the front of her classroom , Molly Greer engages her students . `` What are different paces you can go when you 're reading aloud ? Christina ? '' Molly Greer , in her New York classroom , says she now wants to make teaching her career . `` Low . '' `` Okay , low or soft , yes . '' On the first day of school , most of the kids in Greer 's eighth-grade class could not read at a sixth-grade level . With summer almost here , it 's a totally different story for these kids , who according to their school are expected to read at or near grade level . `` It is an incredible thing for these students . '' Greer graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin . She arrived at PS 212 , the multicultural magnet school in the Bronx , New York , two years ago with a degree in political science and a desire to change the world . `` When I found out about Teach For America , '' she said , `` I realized that teaching would be such an incredible way to make an impact . '' Teach For America is like a local Peace Corps serving some of the country 's poorest public schools in inner cities and in rural areas . It has grown every year since its inception in 1990 , sending 20,000 college graduates into the nation 's neediest classrooms for a two-year commitment . This year , amid a tight job market , it is more popular than ever . According to the organization 's Web site , their teachers get paid the same salary and benefits as beginning teachers in their area and are paid by the local school district . About 35,000 college seniors applied for the 2009 school year , a 42 percent jump from last year . `` We had less competition from Wall Street firms , banks and places like that . It just led a lot of students to really think about what they wanted to do and how they could make an impact , '' said Kevin Huffman , executive director of Teach For America . `` Eleven percent of the entire Ivy League senior class applied to join , 20 percent of African-American seniors at Ivy League schools , 8 percent of the University of Michigan and University of North Carolina , '' Huffman said , `` just an incredible outpouring of interest by people competing to teach in low-income communities . '' David Stanley went through the program and now recruits for Teach For America . He sees education as this generation 's civil rights issue and says there is a direct correlation between the program 's popularity and President Obama 's call to service . `` With Obama talking about the need for people with talent to go into public education , and the fact that people are still really frustrated that we live in a country where 90 percent of kids in low-income communities do n't go to college , and that the best way we can predict the number of prisons we 're going to have to build in 25 years is by looking at third-grade reading skills , and so at this particular moment in time , I think it 's really about getting our very best and asking them to go to the root of the problem , and the root of the problem is education . '' This year , Teach For America will place its largest corps ever . About 4,100 high achievers from the nation 's top colleges will head to classrooms in 34 regions across the country , teaching in places like Boston , Massachusetts ; Dallas , Texas ; Milwaukee , Wisconsin ; Nashville , Tennessee ; and in more rural areas such as South Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta . But schools in Appalachia and elsewhere desperately need help . Huffman said , `` Districts across the country are facing the same economic pinch that many businesses are facing . And there are just fewer positions across the country available for teachers . '' Which is why a teachers union says those positions should go to career teachers , not inexperienced recruits who may stay only the required two years . `` It 's very hard to justify laying off teachers who have given service to a school system and then turn around and bring in new teachers , '' argued John Wilson of the National Education Association , the nation 's largest professional employee organization for the advancement of public education . Besides the matter of taking away potential jobs from career teachers , unions question whether these young recruits have the right credentials and experience to handle tough classrooms . `` When you 're assigning these teachers to the highest poverty schools , the most challenging schools , these children need the most experienced , the most prepared teachers , and they 're not getting them , '' Wilson said , `` and that 's quite a disadvantage . '' Teach For America maintains that its members go through a rigorous five-week training camp and that while on the job , many pursue a teaching certificate or master 's degree in education . New York will be taking 330 corps members into its schools this year . Vicki Bernstein , who is in charge of teacher recruitment and quality for the city 's Department of Education , says teachers coming in through alternative programs , like Teach For America , perform as well as teachers from traditional routes . `` They serve some of our highest-need children , both in terms of neighborhoods that we have difficulty attracting traditionally prepared teachers and in subject areas where we have difficulty , that teacher colleges are not preparing teachers in those areas . '' The organization says two-thirds of its recruits stay in academics , like Greer , who now plans on teaching as a career . She says her experience in the classroom has been incredibly rewarding . `` When the kid makes the two years of reading growth and they have the biggest smile on their face because they achieved their goal through their own hard work , '' she said , `` that feeling that I contributed to that student is the best compliment I can get , because I know that kid is in a better place to succeed in their future . '' | Teach For America places college grads as teachers in low-income schools . Some question whether graduates are qualified to teach in tough classrooms . Group will place more than 4,000 teachers across United States this year . | [[4240, 4355], [3078, 3087], [3090, 3143]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Smoking in youth-rated movies has not declined despite a pledge two years ago by Hollywood studios to encourage producers to show less `` gratuitous smoking , '' according to an anti-smoking group . The American Medical Association Alliance has been trying to get movie studios to make smoking-free films . The American Medical Association Alliance , pointing to research that big-screen smoking leads teens to pick up the tobacco habit , called for an R rating for any movie with smoking scenes . The head of the group that gives U.S. movies their ratings , however , said the smoke has been clearing from youth-rated movies , a result of the film industry 's sensitivity to the issue . The alliance , the medical association 's advocacy arm , launched a summer campaign this week aimed at publicly shaming studios into making smoke-free films . `` Research has shown that one-third to one-half of all young smokers in the United States can be attributed to smoking these youth see in movies , '' said Dr. Jonathan Fielding , head of the Los Angeles County Public Health Department . Fielding cited another study that he said `` found that adolescents whose favorite movie stars smoked on screen are significantly more likely to be smokers themselves and to have a more accepting attitude toward smoking . '' The Motion Picture Association of America , the industry group that issues ratings and parental guidance for U.S. films , added smoking scenes as a factor in ratings two years ago , but Fielding said it has not made a difference . `` In all , 56 percent of the top box office movies with smoking released between May 2007 and May 2009 were youth-rated films -- G , PG or PG-13 , '' he said . Joan Graves , who chairs the Motion Picture Association 's movie rating committee , offered her own statistics , based on all of the 900 films rated each year , not just the top movies included in Fielding 's numbers . The association has given no G ratings in the past two years to a movie with smoking , Graves said . Overall , 55 percent of the movies rated in the past two years showed some smoking , but 75 percent of those with smoking scenes were given R ratings , Graves said . Twenty-one percent were rated PG-13 and the remaining 5 percent were PG , she said . A G movie is deemed suitable for all audiences , while a PG rating is a signal to parents that a film may include some material they might consider inappropriate for children . PG-13 indicates a stronger warning that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13 . No one under 17 can be admitted to see an R movie without a parent or guardian . American Medical Association Alliance President Sandi Frost used as her chief example of a movie with `` gratuitous smoking '' this month 's blockbuster `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine , '' which was rated PG-13 `` for intense sequences of action and violence , and some partial nudity . '' `` Millions of children have been exposed to the main star of the film , Hugh Jackman , with a cigar in his mouth in various scenes , '' Frost said . `` I 'm willing to bet that not one child would have enjoyed that movie or Mr. Jackman 's performance any less if he had n't been smoking . '' A spokesman for Twentieth Century Fox , the studio responsible for the Wolverine movie series , said Jackman 's cigar was never lit and it was limited to just two scenes . In one scene , the cigar is shot out of his mouth , prompting Jackman 's Wolverine character to suggest its loss would lead to clean living -- an anti-smoking statement -- the studio spokesman said . He said that while the Wolverine character has a cigar in his mouth in almost every panel of the comic book series , producers made `` a conscious decision '' to limit the cigar in the movie . The American Medical Association Alliance , hoping to draw studio executives ' attention , hired a mobile billboard to drive around the major studios this week . `` The billboard shows a teenage girl asking the question , ` Which movie studios will cause me to smoke this summer ? ' '' Frost said . The alliance will keep an online scorecard throughout the summer to count `` how many tobacco impressions each studio delivers to G , PG and PG-13 audiences , '' she said . `` At the end of the summer , whichever studio has delivered the most tobacco impressions to youth audiences will be named in a billboard that will run outside of their headquarters , '' she said . Motion Picture Association of America spokeswoman Angela Martinez said the group `` is very sensitive to the concerns of parents about the purpose of the rating systems . '' `` It 's reflective of society , '' Martinez said . `` It 's really a tool for parents to help determine what their kids see . '' They began factoring smoking scenes into the ratings two years ago as `` a reflection of changes in society and health concerns , '' she said . `` Smoking is rated like all the other factors , including violence and sex , '' she said . Fielding said it should be absolute -- and not just a factor . `` Any movie with smoking should be rated R , '' he said . `` And if they worry about an R rating hurting their profits , then they should work with studios to remove smoking from films that hurt youth . '' Graves , whose committee makes the decisions , indicated such a zero-tolerance policy would not be accepted . | American Medical Association Alliance wants films with smoking to be rated R . AMAA says that kids who watch smoking often turn to habit . Hollywood rating organization says smoking in movies has declined . | [[463, 480], [483, 541], [5093, 5136], [203, 242], [351, 392], [395, 480]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man `` angered '' by Manchester United 's defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Champions League killed four people when he drove a minibus into a crowd celebrating the Spanish side 's victory , police in Nigeria have told CNN . Barcelona fans celebrate in the city 's Las Ramblas thoroughfare early Thursday morning . Ten people were also injured in the incident in the town of Ogbo , where the driver was subsequently arrested , a Port Harcourt Police spokesperson said . `` He was displaying his anger at his team losing the match . The driver had passed the crowd then made a U-turn and ran into them , '' spokesperson Rita Inomey-Abbey said . Both Manchester United and Barcelona have a large fan base across the African continent , with millions tuning in to watch European football on a weekly basis . Meanwhile , more than 100 people were arrested in Barcelona city center in the early hours of Thursday morning following the Catalan team 's 2-0 victory in Rome in the final of Europe 's top club competition . Police arrested 119 young people after violence flared at a special celebration party in Place de Catalunya near the Las Ramblas thoroughfare , while 238 people suffered minor injuries . City officials estimated the damage at up to 100,000 euros -LRB- $ 140,000 -RRB- as the youths attacked police with bottles and damaged shops , parks and public utilities such as lamp-posts . The trouble took some of the gloss off the achievement of Barcelona , who became the first team to win the Champions League , Spanish League and Spanish Cup titles in one season . Manager Josep Guardiola led the club to glory in his first season in charge , ending a period of three years without a trophy . | Man drives minibus into a crowd celebrating Barcelona 's Champions League win . The Manchester United supporter was angry after his team 's defeat in final . Nigerian police confirm that 10 people were also injured in the attack . Man was arrested after incident that took place in the town of Ogbo . | [[8, 31], [136, 231], [8, 25], [44, 85], [516, 562], [232, 267], [358, 422], [418, 422], [431, 441], [446, 467]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It probably would have been just another ho-hum city council budget meeting . Except that the leader of Atlanta 's police union , and second-highest ranking member of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers , said he wanted to beat Atlanta 's mayor with a bat . `` I want to beat her -LSB- Mayor Shirley Franklin -RSB- in the head with a baseball bat sometimes when I think about it , '' Sgt. Scott Kreher said into a microphone earlier this month in an apparent off-hand remark during a presentation he was giving to the council . Within days , the 17-year department veteran was suspended . Kreher said the `` it '' that made him want to club the mayor was that , despite repeated complaints , the police union contends the city is not honoring workers ' compensation claims for cops whose careers ended when they were seriously injured on the job . Franklin , one of the nation 's high-profile mayors , told CNN on Tuesday that the officers ' complaints are a `` separate issue '' from Kreher 's comments . `` Some people think I 'll just shake it off , '' she said of the sergeant 's threat . `` I ca n't shake off an officer at City Hall -- not in his shower or in his front yard , but in official capacity -- threatening to hit me in the head with a bat . That is a severe act of violence . When you hit someone with a bat , you intend to kill them . '' The police officers union called a news conference Thursday , in part , to defend Kreher , who 's their second-highest ranking member . Three officers in wheelchairs were there , at times crying , their voices raised , as they told their stories of being shot on duty and paralyzed for life . They say they 've made repeated calls for months to city officials to get help with their medical claims and have been ignored . They are part of a group of officers alleging that NovaPro , a San Diego-based private insurance company , has refused or made it difficult for them to get the medication they need to alleviate pain and repair or replace medical equipment . `` I 've been calling the mayor 's office for more than a year , and no one has called me back or I 've been told to talk to another department . Kreher called me back the same day , '' said Ryan Phinney , a 43-year-old paraplegic whose squad car was T-boned in 1989 . He said he suffered with kidney stones , made more painful due to his paralysis , because NovaPro either ignored or rejected his claims for months . `` Kreher was defending us against people who refused to listen , and that is so offensive . It 's no wonder he got upset , '' Phinney said . The city used to provide its own services , but `` there were concerns about internal management , '' Franklin 's office explained to CNN , so it began contracting in 2004 with NovaPro . The police union complained for months about the company . Atlanta officials this month renewed the city 's agreement with NovaPro for $ 3.7 million over three years , saying no other company they 're aware of was in position to do a better job . Russ Whitmarsh , chief operating officer of NovaPro , referred all questions about the officers ' allegations to city officials . Mayor Franklin 's spokesperson issued this statement to CNN : . `` We are aware of the complaints of the five injured former Atlanta police officers . We greatly respect the service of these officers on behalf of Atlanta and the sacrifice they have made . The City of Atlanta has worked and will continue working with the employees ' attorneys to address their current complaints . We take that responsibility and obligation seriously and intend to address every complaint within the framework of the Workers ' Compensation Act . '' A few days after the bat comment , Kreher apologized to Franklin in a letter , which was published on the union Web site . He called his remark `` inexcusable , '' explaining that it sprung from `` frustration and anger . '' | Atlanta police union head says he got frustrated at city meeting . Other cops quick to defend him , saying mayor is ignoring larger issue . Police : Company refusing to help cops injured in the line of duty . Mayor Franklin 's spokesperson says mayor will work to address complaints . | [[3193, 3252]] |
Leslie Sanchez is a Republican political strategist and co-chair of the Hispanic Alliance for Prosperity Institute -LRB- www.hapinstitute.net -RRB- , a pro-business advocacy organization . She was director of the Bush administration 's White House Initiative on Hispanic Education from 2001 to 2003 and is CEO of the Impacto Group , which specializes in market research about women and Hispanics . Leslie Sanchez says it remains to be seen if Sotomayor agrees with the broader Hispanic community 's values . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration has no intention of pushing comprehensive immigration reform any time soon , but with his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court , the president may have found a suitable consolation prize for the Hispanic community . A prize is due . Hispanics gave 67 percent of their votes to President Obama , delivering key states like Colorado , Nevada and New Mexico to his electoral column , and sending him two new Democratic senators and three new House Democrats from those states alone . But the problem with identity politics is that not just any Hispanic will do . Obama made clear he wanted to pick a justice who would have empathy for those whose cases come before the court . As impressive as Sotomayor 's life story is , it remains to be seen whether she truly has the much-talked-about `` empathy '' for Hispanic values and dreams . If Sotomayor is truly representative of our values , she will understand that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Hispanic community and is our best hope for moving Hispanic households solidly into the ranks of the American middle class . In a study earlier this year , HispanTelligence , the research arm of Hispanic Business magazine , confirmed that there are at least 2.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S. , generating about $ 388 billion in combined revenue . Empathy with the lives of millions of Hispanics today means that she must appreciate the impact of federal , state and municipal tax and regulatory schemes on individuals and small businesses alike . Her writings should reflect the view that access to the marketplace is a constitutional guarantee no less important than freedoms of speech , religion or assembly . If she understands the hopes and aspirations of the Hispanic community , she should have a record of interpreting the Commerce Clause of the Constitution in ways that encourage individual risk-taking , free enterprise and job creation , not in ways that discourage it . Likewise , Sotomayor should show evidence of being suspicious of government 's power . Many Hispanics are fresh from regimes where the rule of law has been crushed or never existed ; we know that with centralized power comes arrogance , and that bureaucracies inevitably become cold , callous , unyielding and corrupt . She should be imbued with a core appreciation that our Constitution establishes a government of limited , enumerated powers , and should have a record of writings and decisions that support the conclusion that she will err on the side of limiting , not expanding , the powers and influence of government . Like all other immigrants , Hispanics came here with the hope of acquiring property for themselves and their children . We treasure as sacred our own homes , farms and land , and we know there is often little practical difference between broad government restrictions on the use and enjoyment of that property and its being taken outright . As a Supreme Court justice , Sotomayor should believe , as we Hispanics do , that the Constitution affords us due process and just compensation in either case -- and that no property should be taken unless there is a legitimate public use . As everyone knows , at the core of the Hispanic experience are our families and the opportunity to freely exercise our religion . The next justice , if she is empathetic to our lives and values , will protect the sanctity of the family and of life itself . Obama 's nomination of the first Latina to the Supreme Court is a historic moment that has moved each of us , but our pride will be fleeting if she does n't really share Hispanic values . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Leslie Sanchez . | Leslie Sanchez : Obama sought a high-court nominee who would show empathy . But , Sanchez asks , as a justice , who would Sotomayor empathize with ? Hispanic community places high value on entrepreneurship and family , she says . Sanchez : Will Sotomayor share those values if confirmed to the court ? | [[1160, 1220], [398, 498], [1160, 1220], [398, 498]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Millions of people around the world have taken part in ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the Scouting movement . Scouts renewed their promise to build a tolerant and peaceful society . Dawn celebrations involving 28 million young people took place across the globe , from Ecuador to Bhutan . In southern England , 40,000 young people from around the globe gathered to take part in the largest ever 12-day world Scout Jamboree . The island where the movement was born , Brownsea Island off the coast of England , has been the focus of celebrations , with 300 scouts from more than 160 countries attending a commemorative camp . It was on that site that Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell held an experimental camp for 20 boys , following his experiences in the Army during the Boer War . The movement requests its members , boys and girls from the age of six , to uphold values such as trustworthiness , loyalty and to `` do their best '' . Scouts from countries including the UK , Lebanon , Nepal , Rwanda , Serbia , Libya and Argentina , displayed their flags on the island , before taking part in a sunrise ceremony . In Romania , scouts formed a human chain around the Parliament building in the capital Bucharest to express how young people will play a role in the country 's future . In Namibia , Africa , around 1,000 scouts cooked breakfast over a camp fire , and groups from Malawi camped at the top of Mulanje mountain . The Taj Mahal in India , the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Sydney Opera House in Australia also witnessed sunrise ceremonies . The small gathering at Brownsea Island led the rest of the globe in renewing their Scouting promise to build a tolerant and peaceful society . A speech written by Baden-Powell during the first scout camp was also read out to the group . It includes a call for peace , comradeship and cooperation over rivalry between `` classes , creeds and countries which have done so much in the past to produce wars and unrest '' . Alistair , 16 , from Manchester , at the Brownsea Island ceremony , said : `` It has made me think how one man has changed the world . `` It is one world , one promise . We are all here as peace ambassadors . We are the next generation . We are the ones bringing peace forward into the world , '' he told the Press Association . Ana Mejia , 14 , from Honduras , added : `` It does n't matter what our nationality , our religion , our color , we are a family and we have to support each other . Baden-Powell 's book `` Scouting for Boys '' is the fourth biggest selling book in the world after the Bible , the Koran and Mao 's Little Red Book . E-mail to a friend . | At least 28 million scouts across the world took part in sunrise ceremonies . Scouts renewed their promise to build a tolerant and peaceful society . Started by Robert Baden-Powell it upholds values such as trust and loyalty . | [[214, 293], [971, 1067], [1070, 1105], [1108, 1150], [142, 213], [157, 213], [1665, 1730], [818, 888], [891, 941]] |
BENTON HARBOR , Michigan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former President Bush said that if Laura Bush had n't been his wife , he is n't sure he could have counted on her vote . Laura Bush 's `` patience and her enthusiasm ... made our marriage a really good marriage , '' President Bush said . `` I can promise you that her life dream when she was growing up was not to be first lady of the United States , '' he told a Michigan audience in one of his first major domestic speeches since leaving the White House . `` Frankly , I am not so sure that if we had n't married , she 'd have voted for me , '' he joked of his wife , who was raised in a Democratic family . The high-tension atmosphere of the presidency strengthened his marriage , Bush said . `` There 's a lot of pressure in the White House , as I 'm sure you can imagine . Pressure sometimes can make a marriage stronger or weaker . In my case because of her patience and her enthusiasm , it made our marriage a really good marriage , '' Bush said . The pressure of the presidency , he said , weighs most on family members . `` It 's much harder to be the son of the president than to be the president . And it 's much harder to be the father of the president than to be the president , '' he said in a reference to his dad , former President George H.W. Bush . `` And I used to have to admonish him not pay attention to what they were writing on the editorial pages about his son . I had gone through the same agony myself . And so I am confident that the end of the presidency is a great relief because of our strong love . '' Something else Bush called a great relief : having a vice president , Dick Cheney , who had no plans to run for the top spot . `` I was pleased to have someone serve as my vice president who was not running for president , because someone who is running for president , at times , will try to distance themselves , '' Bush said . `` If things got tough , -LSB- he -RSB- could be one of the first persons off the ship , and that would be really unpleasant in the White House . '' Bush said he was n't surprised to lose public support for some of the main elements of his national security agenda . `` I was frustrated because the stakes were so high in some of the decisions that I had to make . I was n't surprised that people would forget the feeling of how they felt after September 11 . I was grateful that people were moving beyond September 11 . As a president , you do n't want your nation to be so worried about an attack that people do n't go about their lives . ... The psychology of the nation concerned me . Which then made it harder to get people to listen to you , to some of the decisions I made . '' The fact that Americans tuned out media coverage of the risk of terrorism was n't surprising to him either , he said ; he ignored most news coverage himself . `` The truth of the matter is , I never watched the nightly news , because it was predictable , I thought . Nor did I ever pay attention to the editorial pages , good editorials or bad , '' he said . `` I knew what was in the news . When you 're president , you can get so obsessed with this stuff that I felt it would cloud your vision . `` The truth of the matter is , there is so much attention paid to you , I thought it was important even in the toughest moments to be upbeat and not to be so worried about myself that I could n't convey a sense of confidence . '' He mused on the transition to a far calmer existence after the presidency . `` People ask , what is it like ? Well , I have never stopped at a traffic light for eight years , '' he said . `` The neighborhood we live in is nice . You know , Laura bought this house sight unseen . At least she saw . I did n't . It was like a faith-based initiative . '' Bush will take the stage Friday night with former President Clinton in Toronto , Ontario , for what 's being termed a `` conversation . '' | Ex-President Bush gives one of first major domestic speeches after White House . Bush discusses his marriage and life after presidency . `` I am not so sure that if we had n't married , she 'd have voted for me , '' Bush says . Bush also says he was n't surprised to lose public support on security issues . | [[395, 501], [0, 164], [114, 164], [515, 585], [728, 739], [1893, 1907], [2057, 2174], [2067, 2174]] |
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