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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five leaders of what was once the nation 's largest Muslim charity were given long prison sentences Wednesday by a federal judge , months after they were found guilty of aiding a militant Palestinian organization . Ghassan Elashi , seen here at 2001 news conference , was sentenced to 65 years in prison . `` These sentences should serve as a strong warning to anyone who knowingly provides financial support to terrorists under the guise of humanitarian relief , '' said David Kris , assistant attorney general for national security . Five leaders of the now-defunct Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development were convicted in November by a federal jury for providing money and resources to the Palestinian group Hamas , designated by the United States as a terrorist organization . The trial resulted from a 15-year Justice Department investigation . Two of the men -- Shukri Abu Baker , 50 , of Garland , Texas , and Ghassan Elashi , 55 , of Richardson , Texas -- were also convicted on tax fraud charges . At a federal court in Dallas , Texas , U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis sentenced Abu Baker and Elashi to 65 years in prison . The other three received lesser sentences : Mohammad El-Mezain , 55 , of San Diego , California , and Abdulrahman Odeh , 49 , of Patterson , New Jersey each received 15 years in prison . Mufid Abdulqader , 49 , of Richardson , Texas , received 20 years . Federal authorities said the Holy Land Foundation was incorporated by Abu Baker , El-Mezain and Elashi . The other two worked as fundraisers . The Bush administration shut down the Holy Land Organization in 2001 and froze its assets , charging that it was raising millions of dollars for Hamas . Before it was shut down , the group , based in the Dallas suburb of Richardson , was hailed as the largest Muslim charity in America . The Justice Department accused it of funneling $ 12.4 million to Hamas in the guise of humanitarian donations . A first trial in 2007 ended in mistrial , prompting the Justice Department to refile charges . The jury in the second trial , which lasted two months , deliberated for eight days . Wednesday 's sentencing , said Kris , culminated `` many years of painstaking investigative and prosecutorial work at the federal , state and local levels . '' | Holy Land Foundation has been called the biggest Muslim charity in U.S. 5 charity leaders got prison sentences ranging from 65 years to 15 years . Charity accused of sending $ 12.4 million to Hamas under humanitarian cloak . Assistant AG : `` These sentences should serve as a strong warning '' | [[1715, 1738], [1741, 1752], [1783, 1849], [0, 15], [49, 147], [234, 248], [287, 324], [1035, 1063], [1074, 1163], [1316, 1350], [380, 386], [391, 480], [1850, 1961], [1881, 1920], [325, 386]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- She may have finished second , but Susan Boyle continued to make newspaper headlines in the UK Sunday following her shock defeat in the final of `` Britain 's Got Talent . '' Susan Boyle fans watch her perform for the final time on `` Britain 's Got Talent . '' `` Boyle Backlash '' said the headline in the tabloid News of the World , suggesting that the Scottish 48-year-old 's alleged `` four-letter tantrum '' earlier this week had influenced millions of viewers to switch their votes to dance act Diversity . The buildup to Saturday night 's live final had been dominated by reports that Boyle lost her temper in a London hotel and had even considered pulling out of the talent show finale . The Mail on Sunday said she had been been `` comforted by psychiatrists '' ahead of Saturday 's final . `` They have a whole army of doctors , psychiatrists and experts all available to any contestant at any time . They have all been taking great care of Susan , '' the paper quoted `` Britain 's Got Talent '' judge Piers Morgan as saying . Watch how Boyle 's rise to fame has been an emotional ride '' In Scotland , where crowds had gathered in Boyle 's hometown of Blackburn in anticipation of victory , celebration parties were stopped in their tracks as the unexpected result was announced . `` Boyle foiled in final : Susan 's dream is over , '' said the headline in the Sunday Mail . Earlier , the paper said , Blackburn 's community center had been `` a sea of hands '' as Boyle performed her signature tune , `` I Dreamed a Dream '' from the musical `` Les Miserables . '' `` They stood with tears in their eyes as Susan hit every note . Stamping and chanting her name , her fellow villagers could not have been more proud . '' Watch the dramatic end to Susan Boyle 's dream '' But `` the cheers were caught in the collective gullet ... as dance troupe Diversity gatecrashed this most expectant of parties , '' the Sunday Herald reported . `` Jaws were left agape . Tears were shed . And then the supportive chanting of ` SuBo ' began again . '' Boyle could still be the real winner from the series , which became a global hit after clips of her audition of `` I Dreamed a Dream '' racked up millions of hits on YouTube . Did Susan deserve to win ? Sound Off below . '' # 6M superstar '' said the Sunday Mirror , claiming that `` Britain 's Got Talent '' impresario Simon Cowell plans to take Boyle across the Atlantic to `` conquer the U.S. '' The News of the World upped Boyle 's likely earnings on the back of `` Britain 's Got Talent '' to # 8 million -LRB- $ 13 million -RRB- . On top of a multi-million dollar record deal and share of album sales , Boyle is also set to earn from a Hollywood movie of her rags-to-riches life , a book deal , and millions more from image rights , endorsements and television appearances , the paper said . In an interview with the News of the World , Cowell said Boyle could be the biggest star he had ever discovered . `` They do n't care in America whether she wins a British TV show -- they care about the woman they saw singing on YouTube , '' a Cowell insider also told the paper . `` If anything , # 8 million in her first year might be an underestimate . '' Meanwhile , competition winners Diversity are also set to cash in on their success with a film deal and a possible slot supporting Michael Jackson when the superstar plays a series of shows in London next month , the Sunday Mirror said . The group collected # 100,000 -LRB- $ 162,000 -RRB- for winning the final and will perform in front of Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show later this year . `` We feel electric . Words ca n't describe it . I 'm genuinely shocked . We thought Susan was unstoppable -- she 's an unbelievable talent , '' the paper quoted the group 's choreographer , Ashley Banjo , as saying . | Susan Boyle suffers from backlash in talent show final , UK papers suggest . 48-year-old Scottish singing sensation beaten by dance act Diversity . Boyle expected to earn millions of dollars after becoming global celebrity . Simon Cowell plans to take Boyle across Atlantic to `` conquer the U.S. '' | [[71, 207], [2309, 2329], [2355, 2460], [2387, 2486]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the first splinters of sunlight spread their warmth on the south bank of the River Thames on Thursday , it became clear that after more than a century , the vision of Victorian engineer Alexander Stanhope St. George had finally been realized . The Telectroscope lets Londoners and New Yorkers see each other in real time . In all its optical brilliance and brass and wood , there stood the Telectroscope : an 11.2-meter - -LRB- 37 feet -RRB- long by 3.3-meter - -LRB- 11 feet -RRB- tall dream of a device allowing people on one side of the Atlantic to look into its person-size lens and , in real time , see those on the other side via a recently completed tunnel running under the ocean . -LRB- Think 19th-century Webcam . Or maybe Victorian-age video phone . -RRB- . And all the credit goes to British artist Paul St. George . If he had not been rummaging through great-grandpa Alexander 's personal effects a few years ago , the Telectroscope might still exist only on paper , hidden away deep inside some old box . But fortunately , St. George could not bear that thought and thus decided he should be the one to finish what his great-grandfather had started . It was quite simply the right thing to do . Plus , it would make a pretty cool public art exhibit . Send us your videos , images or stories . During the twilight hours Tuesday , massive dirt-covered metal drill bits miraculously emerged -- one by the Thames near the Tower Bridge and the other on Fulton Ferry Landing by the Brooklyn Bridge in New York -- completing the final sections of great-grandfather Alexander 's transatlantic tunnel . The drills were removed Wednesday night and replaced with identical Telectroscopes at both ends , allowing Londoners and New Yorkers to wake up Thursday , look over to the far and distant shore and stare at each other for a while -LRB- the telescope-like contraption permits visual but not vocal communication -RRB- . Of course , only part of this story is true . St. George is an artist in Britain who does have a grandfather -- minus the great prefix -- named Alexander . And the trans-Atlantic tunnel is really a trans-Atlantic broadband network rounded off on each end with HD cameras , according to Tiscali , an Italian Internet provider handling the technical side of the project . As for the Telectroscope , well , it was a fanciful idea that , according to St. George , came about from a typo made by a 19th-century reporter who misspelled Electroscope , a device used to measure electrostatic charges - as Telectroscope . `` The journalist also misunderstood what it was about and wrote in the article that it was a device for the suppression of absence , '' St. George said . `` The accidental hope captured their imagination , and lots of people at the end of the 19th century thought it was a great idea . '' The Telectroscope captured St. George 's imagination five years ago , when he began pondering how to do a project on the childhood fantasy of digging a hole to the opposite side of the Earth . And because the artist also happens to have an expertise in Victorian chronophotography -- a precursor to cinematography -- he had a slight idea of where to look for the proper equipment . `` We all have that idea in our head if we could make a tunnel to the other side of the Earth , '' St. George said . `` But we are not all crazy enough to actually try and do it . '' St. George was crazy enough to actually try and do it , but he realized he could not do the digging alone . So about two years ago , he pitched the idea to Artichoke , the British arts group responsible for taking the Sultan 's Elephant -- a 42-ton mechanical creature -- for a stroll through central London in 2006 . The company was immediately taken by St. George 's idea . `` The whole thing is about seeing what is real and what is n't real and how the world is , '' said Nicki Webb , a co-founder of Artichoke . `` Is it nighttime when we are in daytime , and does it look familiar to us or not ? '' When the sun illuminated the lens of the Telectroscope next to the Thames , it was , of course , still nighttime in New York . So the screen inside the scope broadcast back only an empty sidewalk silently framed by the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline . But then something miraculous occurred . A police officer and a street cleaner walked into the frame . Stopped . And waved . The Telectroscope will be on display and open to the public 24 hours a day in London and New York until June 15 . Artichoke is arranging requests to synchronize special reunions between friends and family or , the company hopes , maybe even a marriage proposal . | Telectroscope allows Londoners , New Yorkers to see each other in real time . Giant scope was Victorian age idea , came about when reporter made typo . Artist St. George inspired by childhood notion of digging to other side of Earth . | [[283, 331], [306, 315], [320, 361], [2369, 2447], [2441, 2479], [2456, 2479], [2484, 2507], [2943, 3060], [3250, 3255], [3260, 3343]] |
Fourth seed Elena Dementieva avoided an embarrassing early exit when comeback queen Jelena Dokic 's French Open hopes were ended by a back injury on Thursday . Jelena Dokic was left in tears after being forced to retire hurt against Elena Dementieva at the French Open . Dokic , taking part in her first French Open since 2004 following well-documented family problems , won the first set 6-2 and -- after her first break for treatment -- broke the 2004 finalist to lead 3-2 in their second round clash . But the Russian won the next two games as the tearful former world No. 4 was reduced to walking pace before calling it quits . `` I went for a return and I just went down and could n't get back up , '' she said . `` It 's very painful and very disappointing because I felt as if I had the match in my hands . '' Dokic , now ranked 80th after reviving her career with a run to the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January , had won her opening match on Tuesday when she came back from a set down to beat Slovenia 's Karolina Sprem 3-6 6-1 6-2 . The 26-year-old 's career had nosedived following her highly-publicized split from controversial mentor and father Damir . Dementieva will next play Australian 30th seed Samantha Stosur , who won her second-round match in straight sets against Belgium 's Yanina Wickmayer . Earlier on Thursday , the Williams sisters also progressed through to the third round with contrasting victories . Second seed Serena crushed Virginia Ruano Pascual 6-2 6-0 to set up a clash with another unseeded Spaniard , Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez . Third seed Venus survived a scare against unseeded Czech Lucie Safarova before completing a match that was halted on Wednesday night due to bad light . The American saved a match point at 5-4 down in the third set before managing to hold , break her opponent and then serve out to love for a 6-7 -LRB- 5-7 -RRB- 6-2 7-5 success . Venus , who lost the 2002 final to Serena , will next play Hungarian 29th seed Agnes Szavay . Fifth seed Jelena Jankovic had no such troubles in beating Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia 6-1 6-2 , setting up a third-round clash with unseeded Austrian Jarmila Groth . Seventh-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova also advanced along with Danish 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki , but 13th seed Marion Bartoli of France made a surprise exit . The 2007 Wimbledon finalist lost 6-3 7-5 to Tathiana Garbin of Italy , who will next take on unseeded Virginie Razzano of France . | Jelena Dokic 's emotional French Open comeback ended by a back injury . Former world No. 4 was in tears before walking off the court at Roland Garros . She had led Elena Dementieva 6-2 3-2 in her first Paris outing since 2004 . But she called it quits after Russian fourth seed won the next two games . | [[0, 159], [69, 159], [160, 270], [160, 172], [191, 270], [160, 270], [509, 575], [271, 276], [279, 368], [400, 435], [439, 504], [509, 575]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Described as the largest single gathering of displaced residents in the world today , tens of thousands of civilians are seeking shelter along the Afgooye corridor outside Mogadishu , according to the United Nations . Members of the U.S. Navy take a young Somali boy to safety after rescuing him and 51 others adrift in a skiff . Fighting between government forces and Islamist militias has triggered the flight of more than 67,000 Somalis in and around Mogadishu since May 8 , the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday . Most of them are heading to the Afgooye corridor , a 30-kilometer -LRB- 19-mile -RRB- stretch of ramshackle housing described by the United Nations ' World Food Program as `` a nightmare . '' The corridor between Mogadishu and the town of Afgooye is already home to 400,000 displaced Somalis , some of them living in huts made of twigs and branches . The clinics are already overwhelmed with malnourished and sick children . This week , Somalia 's transitional president , Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed , asked the international community `` to help Somalia defend against foreign militants who have invaded the country . '' Ahmed told local journalists Monday that he feared these foreign fighters would turn Somalia into another Iraq or Afghanistan , where U.S.-led forces are fighting Islamic extremist groups . The fighting has cut supplies of `` desperately needed humanitarian aid '' to the displaced Somalis near the capital city , according to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees . `` We are starting today the distribution of aid for some 50,000 people in Afgooye corridor through our local partners in Somalia , '' the refugee office said Tuesday . `` Today 's distribution will include cooking sets , plastic sheeting , blankets and mats . '' The number of Somali refugees fleeing to nearby countries also continues to rise , with some 500,000 already in Kenya , Ethiopia , Uganda , Djibouti , Eritrea and Tanzania . Many Somalis have also made the dangerous journey across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen . On Saturday , a U.S. guided missile destroyer rescued a group of 52 Somali men women and children -- including a woman who was eight months pregnant -- who had been stranded aboard a small skiff for nearly a week off Somalia 's coast , the U.S. Navy said . See photos of the rescue '' A helicopter based on the USS Lake Champlain happened to spot the stranded mariners , according to the vessel 's commanding officer . `` It 's fortunate that our helicopter was flying over the right place at the right time , '' Capt. Kevin P. Campbell said in a U.S. Navy news release . `` I 'm glad we were able to be of assistance and rescue these men , women and children . Our chief hospital corpsman stated that had we not found them at the time we did , the pregnant woman may not have survived . '' USS Lake Champlain has been deployed as part of the U.S. 5th Fleet 's mission to patrol the Gulf of Aden region , which has been plagued by pirate attacks off Somalia 's coast . `` We were very fortunate to have come across these people in the state they were in , '' said the ship 's chaplain , Lt. j.g. Jarrod Johnson . `` Seeing their condition really makes your heart go out to them . You can see the relief and hope in their eyes , and hear it in their conversation . '' | Fighting has triggered flight of more than 67,000 Somalis since May 8 . Most heading to Afgooye corridor , a 30-kilometer stretch of ramshackle housing . President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed speaking at a conference in Mogadishu . Ahmed fears foreign fighters will turn Somalia into another Iraq or Afghanistan . | [[349, 494], [105, 200], [536, 584], [1158, 1186], [1194, 1283]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher on Saturday denied that he is the man shown pointing at the Google Street View camera as it drove past his local pub in London last summer . Liam Gallagher says the figure captured on Google Earth outside a pub in London is not him . `` Just saw google earth apparently that 's meant to be me , who ... wears legwarmers with reeboks ?? Not this kid !! LG , '' he wrote on Twitter . Though available for a while in the United States , Google Street View only launched in Britain last week . As in America , the launch in Britain prompted people all over the country to try to find themselves or spot funny images and famous faces on the service . Gallagher was apparently spotted outside The Queens pub in Camden , in north London , a place he 's known to frequent . The picture shows a man dressed in a dark T-shirt and long shorts sitting at an outdoor table . He points at the camera , obviously having seen the Google car and its Street View camera drive by . The service blurs people 's faces so it is hard to confirm whether it is Gallagher . Though the man is n't wearing legwarmers , Gallagher is apparently talking about the man 's ankle-high shoes and thick black socks . | Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher denies Google Earth appearance . Fans said man captured on camera drinking outside London pub was singer . Gallagher said the man was too embarrassingly dressed to be him . | [[0, 6], [9, 151], [207, 299], [227, 286], [207, 299]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An American human rights group documenting widespread sexual violence against Darfuri women in Sudan and Chad has called for `` vigorous prosecution of rape as a war crime . '' Sudanese women in a refugee camp in southern Chad in March . Physicians for Human Rights , based in Cambridge , Massachusetts , issued a report Sunday `` documenting the scope and long-term impact of rape and other sexual violence '' experienced by women who fled the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur and now live as refugees in neighboring Chad . The report -- titled `` Nowhere To Turn : Failure To Protect , Support and Assure Justice for Darfuri Women '' -- is based on interviews with 88 female refugees living in Chad 's Farchana refugee camp . The study was done with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative . `` Many Darfuri women refugees live in a nightmare of memories of past trauma compounded by the constant threat of sexual violence around the camps now , '' said Susannah Sirkin , the physician group 's deputy director . `` Women who report being raped are stigmatized , and remain trapped in places of perpetual insecurity . There 's no one to stop the rapes , no one to turn to for justice for past or ongoing crimes , and little psycho-social support to address their prolonged and unimaginable traumas . '' Dr. Sondra Crosby , a Physicians for Human Rights consultant and expert in refugee trauma , said `` the atmosphere of intimidation was palpable as we listened to women describing their profound suffering and fear , and their yearning to return safely and with dignity to their former lives . '' Of those refugees interviewed , `` 32 reported instances of confirmed or highly probable rape '' -- 17 in Darfur and 15 in Chad , the group said . `` Among the instances of rape reported in Chad , the vast majority -LRB- 10 of 11 confirmed reports -RRB- occurred when women left the camps to gather firewood . '' And just over half of the 88 women interviewed -- 46 of them -- live in fear of sexual assaults around the refugee camp . The group supports the issuing of International Criminal Court warrants against the Sudanese perpetrators . The group also called for `` legal reforms in Chad to end impunity for sexual violence , '' and for `` effective psychosocial support to survivors . '' And it said increased protections are needed by police and peacekeepers , including `` effective firewood patrols . '' The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 after rebels in the western region of Sudan began attacking government positions . Sudan 's government responded with a fierce military campaign that has led to some 200,000 deaths and forced 2 million people to flee their homes , according to the United Nations . | 88 Darfuri women interviewed in Chad described `` profound '' suffering and fear . Expert in refugee trauma says `` the atmosphere of intimidation was palpable '' 200,000 people have died , 2 million have fled the region since fighting began in 2003 . | [[546, 706], [688, 748], [1422, 1534], [1322, 1339], [1414, 1489], [1422, 1534], [2581, 2612], [2618, 2648], [2551, 2570], [2653, 2696]] |
-LRB- ESSENCE -RRB- -- Two weeks ago , 3-year-old Jaquan Reed was fatally shot on Chicago , Illinois ' , West Side . Men participate in the Million Father March to support children going to school . While the case shook the city , such shootings involving children are no longer rare in the Windy City . Within the current academic year , 36 Chicago-area students were killed . Essence.com spoke to Phillip Jackson , a well-known political activist in the city and also founder of Black Star Project , a Chicago-based community outreach group , about what is being done to end the senseless shootings involving children . The following is an edited version of that interview : . ESSENCE : There have been so many shootings and deaths . Please tell us what 's happening in Chicago ? ESSENCE : Xerox names Ursula Burns CEO . Phillip Jackson : This is a national catastrophe that is happening while we as a country do nothing . We 're asking for national attention . This is a pandemic . We will not be able to solve this problem in Chicago unless they can solve this same problem in Houston -LSB- Texas -RSB- and other cities . Watch our panelists talk about the growing violence in Chicago '' ESSENCE : The nation 's first black president is from Chicago . And you still do not feel like there is enough attention placed on this problem ? Jackson : Newspapers from all over the world have come to our offices this past week to say , `` What is happening in President Barack Obama 's backyard ? '' And 75 percent of the children murdered here in Chicago happened within eight miles of President Obama 's former house . So if he does n't respond as president , and we are hoping he does , he needs to respond as a resident . ESSENCE : What has been the police response ? Jackson : They 've put together a 400-unit gang SWAT team . They 're trying to match guns with the gangs . But with all of that they ca n't stop one murder because they 're approaching it from the wrong way . ESSENCE : Obama 's time in office . ESSENCE : What is the right way to approach it ? Jackson : Instill strong families and strong communities . Build strong parenting groups . Do you know what has been the best mentoring organization in the United States of America ? Street gangs . ESSENCE : In other cities , where there is a lot of gang violence , like Baltimore -LSB- Maryland -RSB- , there are regular people in the community coming together and trying to fix it . What are regular people doing about this in Chicago ? Jackson : First of all , they 're raising their voices . Number two , they 're rallying , they 're marching , and they 're organizing . That 's what this effort is going to take . Number three , they 're engaging in recreational programs . ESSENCE : Toledo cops say teen provoked them . So there is more happening at the grassroots level than at the federal level . But those people can not succeed without support . And that 's why we 're asking President Obama to bring his resources . ESSENCE : What is the mind-set of Chicago youth with all of these horrendous acts of violence occurring ? Jackson : Hopelessness , desperation , anger . They live in America . They see how America takes care of the whole world but wo n't take care of them in the communities in which they live . | Essence speaks to political activist in Chicago about children 's deaths . 36 Chicago-area students killed in current academic school year . 75 percent of children killed within 8 miles of President Obama 's former house . Children see how America takes care of the world but not them , activist says . | [[304, 336], [339, 377], [1496, 1526], [1552, 1616], [3165, 3263]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- If you want to consider a difficult computational problem , try thinking of the algorithms required to animate more than 10,000 helium balloons , each with its own string , but each also interdependent on the rest , which are collectively hoisting aloft a small house . The production team at Pixar faced many new technological challenges on `` Up , '' its tenth feature film . That was the challenge the production team at Pixar faced when it set out to begin work on `` Up , '' its tenth feature film , five years in the works , which hits theaters on Friday . There was absolutely no way the team was going to hand-animate the balloons . Not with their numbers in five-figures , and especially not when you consider that within the cluster , every interaction between two balloons has a ripple effect : If one bumped another , the second would move , likely bumping a third , and so on . And every bit of this would need to be seen on screen . In `` Up , '' the story revolves around the main character , 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen , who , frustrated with his mundane life , ties the thousands of balloons to his house and sets off for adventures in South America . A small boy ends up marooned on board , and hilarity ensues . The cluster of balloons is so central to the film 's branding -- it 's called `` Up , '' after all -- that to promote the film , Pixar teamed up with two of the world 's cluster ballooning experts for a nationwide tour involving a real-life flying armchair and dozens of huge , colorful balloons . `` You have a movie that 's about a house that flies , which is a pretty far-fetched idea , '' said Steve May , the supervising technical director on `` Up . '' `` We all know , from kids ' parties , how a bunch of balloons behave , so if we could animate balloons in a realistic way , the believability that the house could fly would sell . '' For May , `` Up '' producer Jonas Rivera , director Pete Docter , and the many others involved in making the film , believability was key , even within the context of a story about a flying house . And while a major part of instilling that believability must come from a well-conceived and executed story and script , the animation is no less responsible for winning over potentially skeptical audiences . Balloons , the mother of animation invention May said that the animation department at Pixar never even considered hand-animating the balloons . But even standard computer animation would n't be up to the task , because of the N-squared complexity involved in the thousands of interdependent balloons . Instead , the studio 's computer whizzes figured out a way to turn the problem over to a programmed physical simulator , which , employing Newtonian physics , was able to address the animation problem . `` These are relatively simple physical equations , so you program them into the computer and therefore kind of let the computer animate things for you , using those physics , '' said May . `` So in every frame of the animation , -LRB- the computer can -RRB- literally compute the forces acting on those balloons , -LRB- so -RRB- that they 're buoyant , that their strings are attached , that wind is blowing through them . And based on those forces , we can compute how the balloon should move . '' This process is known as procedural animation , and is described by an algorithm or set of equations , and is in stark contrast to what is known as key frame animation , in which the animators explicitly define the movement of an object or objects in every frame . Procedural animation has been around for some time , but May suggested that even the most difficult uses of it in the past do n't come close to what Pixar had to achieve in `` Up . '' Pixar fans may remember the scenes in `` Cars '' of a stadium full of 300,000 car `` fans '' cheering on a high-speed race below , each of which was independently animated . That , too , was done with procedural animation , May said , since creating so many cars individually would have been a non-starter . But even that complex computation problem did n't approach the balloon cluster issue in `` Up '' : the `` Cars '' scene involved no interdependent physics . Getting the simulator humming properly is no easy task , as one might imagine . May said it involves setting rules for how individual objects should behave , giving the computer these initial conditions , and then `` let it run . '' Oddly , because the simulator does indeed run with those conditions and rules and the peculiarities of physics , the animators found themselves without precise control of what would happen with the balloons -- or other objects in the film animated using these techniques . `` If the -LRB- balloon cluster -RRB- is moving too slow , we increase the amount of wind , and then run the simulator again , '' May said . `` Then maybe we turn the wind down . It 's a little fun science experiment where sometimes , hopefully by the end , we 're getting what we want . '' Losing control of balloons Sometimes , given the vagaries of physics and chaos theory , unexpected things happen . The computer team inputs the rules and because some of the initial conditions are random , `` you get semi-random results . '' One of May 's favorite examples is that early in the film , when the house first is hoisted aloft by the balloons , a small group of the balloons actually broke off of the main cluster . May said that this breakaway group of balloons is actually visible -- albeit very briefly -- in `` Up . '' Eagle-eyed moviegoers can see the escaped balloons in the upper right-hand side of the screen , he said . `` We did n't mean for that to happen , '' he said , `` but -LRB- we said -RRB- ` It 's cool , let 's keep it . ' '' Even being able to make such choices was n't possible at the beginning of the film 's production , however . May said Pixar 's physical simulator , an open-source program called ODE , could n't initially handle the complexity of modeling the behavior of more than 10,000 balloons . `` We could handle about 500 -LRB- balloons -RRB- , and we knew we needed tens of thousands , '' he said . `` We knew we needed to develop a new simulator software pipeline ... to handle an order of magnitude more complex simulation . '' Of course , at Pixar , adjusting to evolving computer needs on the fly is nothing new . In fact , May said the studio has done so in one form or another on many of its films . For example , he said that when the studio made `` Monsters , Inc. , '' it had to figure out how to animate the movie 's monsters ' fur . Similarly , when Pixar made `` Finding Nemo , '' the animators had to figure out how to simulate underwater scenes . `` We had to learn about -LRB- how light refracts under water -RRB- , and murk and how particulates float under water , '' May said . And in `` Up , '' too , there were additional animation challenges . Among them were figuring out how to animate and render the feathers on Kevin , a bird that is a major character in the film , and how to make the cloth on -LRB- main character -RRB- Carl 's clothes seem believable . Carl 's threads were `` the hardest clothing we 've ever had to animate here , '' said May , `` in part because Carl 's a -LRB- small -RRB- man in an oversized suit . That was another case of -LRB- using -RRB- the physical simulation , and of setting up rules for how cloth should behave . And the looser the clothing , the more it can behave badly . '' Even Carl himself presented some animation difficulties , May said , because the character 's head is shaped like a cube . Like many other elements in `` Up , '' the cube-shape of Carl 's face was n't a random whim of the director . Rather , it is a story element : May explained that Carl 's character is based on someone who , as a young man , was vivacious and adventurous . But as he grew older , his small house became more and more surrounded by buildings , and `` it 's like his world has compressed him into a square . '' Thus , a cube-like face . But May said animating his facial expressions , which must fit into this cube shape , was complicated . Smiles , for example , had to come up and wrap around his cheek . Still , for the award-winning filmmakers at Pixar , the goal is to make even the hardest animation problems look simple on the silver screen . As producer Jonas Rivera put it , `` The audience looks at -LRB- the balloon cluster -RRB- and says , ` Oh , that 's pretty . ' But they have no idea how much work went into it . We worked on that for over a year . -LRB- Then -RRB- the kid takes off his hat and runs his fingers through his hair . My mother will never know that took 15 people six weeks . '' © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | Pixar faced many new technological challenges on its film `` Up , '' opening Friday . The movie is about an old man who flies away on a house lifted by balloons . Pixar used a programmed physical simulator to animate thousands of balloons . Studio 's goal is to make even the hardest animation problems look simple on screen . | [[290, 367], [539, 548], [557, 582], [2615, 2723], [2692, 2772], [2692, 2723], [2764, 2807], [8228, 8233], [8280, 8370]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The winner of the 82nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee said Friday she is `` pretty excited '' but a little tired . Kavya Shivashankar of Olathe , Kansas , reacts to winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night . `` This has been my dream for so long ; I 've always wanted to win the bee , '' Kavya Shivashankar , 13 , of Olathe , Kansas , told CNN . `` I was just really excited when I was able to go up and spell the last word . '' The eighth-grader won $ 40,000 in cash and prizes for nailing the final word , `` Laodicean , '' which means lukewarm or indifferent , particularly in matters of politics or religion . This year 's bee -- an event that has skyrocketed in popularity thanks to exposure on television and in movies -- started Tuesday in Washington with a record 293 spellers . Kavya endured 15 rounds . In an event that has seen contestants crack under the strain of the national spotlight , Kavya -- competing in her fourth national finals -- appeared composed throughout . Watch the poised winner describe the thrill '' As she spelled words such as `` phoresy , '' `` hydrargyrum '' and `` huisache , '' she calmly went through the routine of asking each word 's pronunciation , origin and roots before ticking their spellings off for the judges . `` I focus so much on my word ; I do n't really pay attention to all the cameras and photographers and all the media in front of me , '' she said Friday . Kavya 's father , who is her spelling coach , would tap his foot in time as she spelled the words , and at one point he appeared so confident that he waved to someone while his daughter was in the middle of spelling a word . Second-place finisher Tim Ruiter of Reston , Virginia , bowed out after misspelling `` Maecenas , '' meaning a generous patron of the arts . Kavya said she would miss competing in the spelling bee , as the rules do not permit her to enter next year . `` It was such a big part of my life , and I love doing it , '' she said . However , she may someday have a new role in the competition . `` If my -LSB- little -RSB- sister gets to D.C. sometime soon , I 'd really love to help and coach her , '' she said . Kavya attends California Trail Junior High School in the Kansas City suburb . Her hobbies include swimming , cycling and traditional Indian dance , according to the contest 's Web site . She plans on becoming a neurosurgeon . The first National Spelling Bee took place in 1925 , with five contestants . CNN 's Devon Sayers contributed to this report . | Kavya Shivashankar of Olathe , Kansas , wins in fourth trip to national finals . The 13-year-old eighth-grader will receive $ 40,000 in cash and prizes . Focus on task keeps cameras and media from distracting her , Kavya says . Girl may return to scene if younger sister does well in future competitions . | [[473, 522]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- River waters spread over highways and farms , towns and parks in Washington on Thursday , shutting down traffic on a 20-mile stretch of heavily traveled Interstate 5 between Seattle and Oregon and threatening the federal roadway north of Seattle . Rescue boats are sent out Wednesday in Pierce County , south of Seattle , Washington . `` If you 're trying to do commerce between Portland -LRB- Oregon -RRB- and Seattle , there is no way right now , '' said Bob Calkins , a spokesman for the Washington State Emergency Operations Center in Camp Murray , near Tacoma . `` That 's the major way into Washington state from Oregon . '' Flooding south of Seattle near Chehalis covered parts of I-5 with 30 inches of water , prompting its closure until at least Monday , state transportation officials said . And state and local roads were also victims of the water . `` The problem is , the one real good detour is just as flooded , '' Calkins said . North of Seattle , a levee failure in Arlington brought the Stillaguamish River up to the edges of I-5 , which remained open although some access ramps were closed , transportation officials said . The rain also caused Amtrak to suspend service between Seattle and Portland until Saturday , `` with no alternative transportation , '' the rail line said Thursday on its Web site . iReport.com : Are you there ? Share pics , video . Across the state , a number of rivers had crested , but flooded roads remained hazardous . The risk of landslides was high , leading to the closure of all passes across the Cascades , officials said . A meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Seattle said 15 inches of rain that began Monday had ended . The rainfall swept across virtually all of the state , but its biggest effects occurred along the western half of Puget Sound , Calkins said . The swollen Puyallup River threatened the city by the same name , but Loretta Cutter , sprang into action . Watch how Washington copes with wicked weather '' The administrator of a group home and a longtime resident there helped evacuate 47 residents from the Valley Community Inn , a home for the mentally challenged and developmentally disabled , to a shelter at a nearby church . And she made sure her husband and a grandson left their one-story rambler house and got safely situated . `` It 's a situation you do n't realize you are going to be in ; it 's always someone else , '' she said from the shelter at the Sunrise Baptist Church in Puyallup , a few miles east of Tacoma . `` It was pretty traumatizing to all of us . '' Cutter is one of 40,000 western Washington state residents in at least 19 communities whom authorities asked to leave their homes Thursday amid heavy flooding along the region 's rivers and streams . Only 260 of them sought shelter Wednesday night at the 39 shelters for people , Calkins said . In addition , seven livestock shelters and two pet shelters were set up , he said . Meanwhile , the torrential downpours of the past few days transformed Thursday into drizzle , common in western Washington , which typically gets less rainfall in any given year than does Miami . `` It just drizzles every day , or so it seems , whereas in Miami , when it rains , it 's a bellywasher , '' Calkins said . This week 's flooding was worsened by a warm spell that melted up to 7 feet of snow that had fallen around Puget Sound , he said . Health authorities have issued occasional boil-water orders , but that 's not what worries Calkins . `` The larger issue is , as people go to their homes , they may be walking through floodwater that is contaminated by sewage , '' he said . | NEW : A 20-mile stretch of Interstate 5 between Seattle area and Oregon closed . Amtrak suspends service between Seattle and Portland until Saturday . More than 40 evacuated from care home in Puyallup , Washington . Up to 15 inches of rain reported in some areas of Washington state . | [[0, 15], [109, 211], [1162, 1170], [1176, 1254], [1596, 1678]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arizona reported its fourth death from the H1N1 virus , commonly known as swine flu , health officials said Wednesday . The H1N1 strain is relatively mild , but it 's being closely watched for mutations that might become severe . The victim was the second child in the Pima County area to die of flu complications , health officials said . The age of child who died Wednesday was not released , but the patient 's health was `` medically compromised . '' Earlier , officials in Cook County , Illinois , recorded their second death from H1N1 . The latest victim , from suburban Chicago , died within the past couple of days and had `` significant underlying medical conditions , '' said spokeswoman Kelly Jakubek . The first fatality occurred in a Chicago resident over the weekend . That victim also had underlying medical conditions , Jakubek said . Citing family privacy , she would not reveal the victims ' ages or genders . By late Wednesday , the most-recent deaths in Arizona and Illinois had not been included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's official tally of 11 U.S. deaths from the disease . They are in Arizona -LRB- three -RRB- , Missouri -LRB- one -RRB- , New York -LRB- two -RRB- , Texas -LRB- three -RRB- , Utah -LRB- one -RRB- and Washington -LRB- one -RRB- . Nor did the CDC 's count include two more deaths reported by the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene . The World Health Organization has counted 14,557 cases of H1N1 -- 96 of them fatal -- in 48 countries . Seasonal flu typically kills 36,000 Americans in any given year , though such cases usually have tapered off by this time of year , according to the CDC . Though the H1N1 strain is considered relatively mild , public health officials have been scrutinizing its spread since it was first identified in April in Mexico because they are concerned it could mutate and become more severe . | Arizona reports its fourth death linked to H1N1 virus , also known as swine flu . Officials in Cook County , Illinois , report their second flu death . Latest two deaths not in CDC 's official tally of 11 swine-flu deaths in U.S. World Health Organization has counted 14,557 cases of H1N1 -- 96 of them fatal . | [[19, 72], [58, 72], [75, 102], [474, 481], [484, 508], [522, 561], [947, 964], [967, 1140], [1429, 1491]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nadya Suleman , who gave birth to octuplets in January , will star in a reality television series about her family , a TV executive said . Nadya Suleman will star in a `` quasi-reality TV series , '' says a TV executive . The Eyeworks executive , who asked not to be named , confirmed a Us magazine report that quoted Suleman 's lawyer , Jeff Czech , saying a deal has been reached after months of negotiations . The `` quasi-reality TV series '' would be `` an arrangement whereby several events in the children 's lives would be filmed in a documentary series , '' Czech told Us . Eyeworks ' British division will produce the show , the Eyeworks executive said . `` There is a story to be told '' about the family , he said . `` They might be several shows aired during a year . There are all kinds of possibilities . It really depends on what the networks want , '' Czech was quoted as saying . Though he said the show has not been named , Suleman has sought to trademark her media nickname -- Octomom -- for a TV show and a line of diapers . Suleman has six other children . All 14 were conceived through in-vitro fertilization . | Nadya Suleman gave birth to octuplets in January and had 6 children already . Suleman will star in a TV show , produced by Eyeworks ' British division . The `` quasi-reality TV series '' would film the lives of her children in documentary style . | [[44, 57], [64, 98], [1090, 1122], [183, 238], [627, 676], [0, 11], [101, 158], [183, 238], [518, 605]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One was the archetypal military strongman , intent on maintaining the social order and saving his country from `` catastrophe . '' The other was a charismatic shipyard electrician and trade union leader who was just as determined to lead his countrymen to freedom . Wojciech Jaruzelski and Lech Walesa attend the first multi-party session of the Polish parliament in 1989 . Yet nowadays Wojciech Jaruzelski , the last leader of communist Poland , and Lech Walesa both claim , in their different ways , to have played their part in setting Poland on the path to democracy . The rise of Solidarity , the union and social movement which Walesa founded among the dockers of Gdansk in 1980 , was crucial to the ultimate collapse of communism in Poland and across the Soviet bloc . Feted in the West , Walesa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 after spending nearly a year locked up as Jaruzelski clamped down on dissent , becoming a symbol of a rising tide of resentment behind the Iron Curtain . By 1989 , Solidarity had become an unstoppable social movement , sweeping to victory as the communist authorities relinquished their grip on power by allowing free elections . Walesa describes the union as a screw turning in the opposite direction to the communist regime , ultimately `` destroying the engine . '' `` The system was 10 times less efficient than the western system , '' Walesa told CNN , recalling his decade-long struggle . `` It paid less , life was worse . Each country enslaved by the Soviets was different and in Poland we had TV and people could travel so we knew life could be better ... and we 'd never given up . '' But Jaruzelski still believes that without his decision to impose martial law in 1981 , Poland 's revolt against Soviet domination would have been as ruthlessly and violently quashed by Moscow as had those in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968 . `` For me personally it was a great tragedy , the consequences of which I 've felt to this day , '' Jaruzelski told CNN . `` Martial law was evil . But it was less evil than the real and inevitable threat we were facing . There was a threat of an explosion -- and an explosion in Poland would have meant an explosion throughout Europe . '' As a key link in the Soviet Union 's chain of Eastern European satellite states , Jaruzelski believes Moscow would never have allowed Poland to break away peacefully : `` I feared a terrible catastrophe . If martial law had not happened , Poland might have been flooded by a sea of blood . '' Walesa admits the threat of Soviet intervention in the early 1980s was real , but says Solidarity had already won the argument against communism by the time Jaruzelski imposed martial law . `` I knew we were not going to fight , '' he said . `` Because in Poland there were over 200,000 Soviet troops , they had nuclear arms , and they shot better than us . We could conquer them only this way : You can arrest us , but when we come out we do the same , and we will never work for communism again . '' Even his arrest and imprisonment only deepened Walesa 's belief that Jaruzelski 's government could be toppled : `` My friends advised me to run away but I made a different decision . When they came to arrest me , I said , ` You have lost , I have won . You have just put the last nails into the coffin of communism . ' '' These days Jaruzelski is no defender of the system which he served , describing communism as `` beautiful and noble , but utopian . '' Yet he believes Solidarity 's demands in the early 1980s amounted to an `` economic time bomb '' and that Poland was not ready for democracy at the time . `` The system was bad , I admit it today , '' he said . `` But at the time , I was n't aware of that . Everything has to ripen -- corn , fruit , man and societies . Western countries took centuries to arrive at democracy . Except for six or seven years after World War I Poland had never been democratic so it was a difficult process . '' The Polish authorities also realized the urgency of economic and political reform , Jaruzelski adds , and had already begun the process before the Round Table talks with Solidarity in 1989 that led to elections . `` It was a difficult and painful process for both sides , '' he said . `` I can talk primarily of the government side , and what huge resistance I had to overcome among the people who were in power -- in the party , in the state , the army and the security apparatus . '' Both men pay tribute to outside forces which made the leap to democracy possible . For Jaruzelski , Mikhail Gorbachev 's emergence in the Kremlin marked a `` breakthrough moment '' in which the threat of Soviet military intervention in Poland was lifted , and a possible end to the Cold War loomed into sight . Walesa and Jaruzelski also acknowledge the unique role of the Polish-born Pope John Paul II and the Catholic church in brokering peaceful talks between the two sides . For Jaruzelski , though , the fall of communism was not the product of Solidarity alone or a single summer of upheaval but `` a great river made up of numerous streams . '' `` Nobody should monopolize that victory , '' he said . `` Because in this stream there was Gorbachev ; there was Reagan and then Bush , who caused the weakening of the Soviet Union by the arms race ; there was Solidarity ; there was the pope , and there were also -- which I will say without humbleness -- the reformists within the authorities at the time . '' Both Jaruzelski and Walesa paint themselves as reluctant leaders . Jaruzelski describes his decision to become Polish prime minister as `` one of the greatest mistakes of my life , '' while Walesa , who was elected Polish president in 1990 , says it was never his wish to lead his country -- `` but who else could have done it ? '' Jaruzelski remains a divisive figure in modern Poland , derided by many as a living symbol of an oppressive past and occasionally summoned to court rooms to answer charges relating to his career as a leading servant of the communist regime . `` My generation , which remembers those times and can evaluate them in a balanced way , is passing away , '' he said . `` And the new , younger generation , through school , books and TV , are being indoctrinated to be critical of martial law . Still , a large part of the society -- the majority , I think -- considers martial law to have been inevitable and justified . '' Yet even Jaruzelski says Poles can be `` proud '' of their role in the downfall of communist regimes across Europe : `` The Polish elections preceded the revolutions in Hungary and in Czechoslovakia and the fall of the Berlin Wall . That impulse , that example that came from us , was of great significance and I think it is our great historical tribute . '' Walesa , unsurprisingly , offers a more direct assessment : `` Poland knocked out the teeth of the Soviet bear . Once we had done that , knocking down the Berlin Wall , the Velvet Revolution , all was made possible -- but only once the bear had no teeth . '' CNN 's Claudia Rebaza interviewed Wojciech Jaruzelski . CNN 's Fredrik Pleitgen interviewed Lech Walesa . | Former Polish leaders Jaruzelski , Walesa speak to CNN . Jaruzelski was military leader who declared martial law in 1981 . Walesa was leader of Solidarity , first president of post-communist Poland . Both men claim to have played key roles in Poland 's transition to democracy . | [[2694, 2735], [393, 396], [464, 481], [514, 591]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A crude bomb made from a water bottle was used in an explosion that damaged a Starbucks coffee shop on New York 's posh Upper East Side , New York police said . Monday 's explosion shattered glass at the Manhattan Starbucks coffee shop . No one was injured . The Memorial Day explosion damaged the shop , but no one was injured and no motive has been identified for the bombing . `` We believe it to be ... a six - to 10-ounce water bottle that was wrapped in black tape , '' New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told CNN on Wednesday . He said the bomb 's powder may have come from fireworks components , including a fuse . The powder was placed inside the bottle in a way that made it `` more powerful , '' Kelly said . He said a forensics unit is working on finding fingerprints . The homemade bomb , which went off around 3:30 a.m. , shattered glass , but no one was injured . The store was not open . Police have said the device was planted under a wooden bench outside the coffee shop . `` We have a witness who believes he saw two young people he describes as teenagers , both white males , '' the commissioner said . One is described as blond , wearing a red shirt , and the other had brown hair and wore a gray shirt . Kelly said the witness saw the two approach the Starbucks , then looked away . After the witness heard the blast , he said he saw the two young people run away from the building . Kelly said that for now , it 's impossible to say whether the bombing was politically motivated . `` We do n't know if they were a corporate target or somebody had a problem -LSB- with -RSB- what was going on on that corner , in general ... we 're not ruling anything out . '' In 1999 , a Starbucks in Seattle , Washington , was vandalized during a world trade conference . In February 2008 , a Vancouver Starbucks and another restaurant were damaged by an overnight explosion . New York police say they 're aware of both incidents , but Kelly says it is too early to draw any conclusions . `` In the past , they -LSB- Starbucks -RSB- sort have been identified with the globalization movement . ... We 're not saying that this is the case in this matter . '' | New York police say the bomb outside a Starbucks was made from a water bottle . The Memorial Day explosion damaged store but injured no one . The blast happened about 3:30 a.m. on the posh Upper East Side of Manhattan . Suspects and motive -- including possibility of political motivation -- still being sought . | [[28, 65], [0, 24], [53, 90], [78, 90], [96, 163], [166, 188], [408, 467], [78, 90], [96, 163], [266, 286], [287, 330], [890, 910], [78, 90], [96, 163], [814, 831], [840, 883], [1438, 1535]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg plans to undergo a `` precautionary '' course of chemotherapy following her surgery last month for pancreatic cancer , the Supreme Court announced Tuesday . President Obama greets Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on her arrival for his February 24 address to Congress . The treatments will begin later this month at the National Institutes of Health outside Washington , the court said . In a statement , the justice said the treatment is `` not expected to affect my schedule at the court . Thereafter , it is anticipated that I will require only routine examinations to assure my continuing health . '' Ginsburg , who turned 76 on Sunday , has consistently signaled her health outlook is positive . She termed the February 5 removal of her cancer `` successful , '' and was back on the bench 18 days later when the high court resumed oral arguments . Ginsburg 's post-op recovery has gone well , and doctors and the family are cautiously optimistic , court sources said . The disease was caught early and had not spread beyond her pancreas , doctors have said . `` Cancer patients with no evidence of disease after surgery but who have a statistical chance that there is microscopic spread often get chemotherapy to kill off that disease , '' explained Dr. Otis Brawley , chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society . Getting back into her regular routine was important to the justice , and it would help her cope with future medical treatment , sources close to her said . She successfully fought colorectal cancer a decade ago . Almost 35,000 Americans are estimated to have died from pancreatic cancer in 2008 , making it the fourth leading cause of cancer death overall , according to the American Cancer Society . For all ages combined , the one-year survival rate is 24 percent ; the five-year survival rate is 5 percent . The low survival rate is a result of the disease commonly going undetected until it has reached an advanced stage . Ginsburg -- the only woman on the Supreme Court -- entered a New York hospital after a CT scan in January `` revealed a small tumor , approximately one centimeter across , in the center of the pancreas , '' a previous news release said . She has kept a busy schedule , on and off the bench . Since her diagnosis , she has released three opinions , attended President Obama 's February 24 address to Congress , gone to an opera production in the company of Justice David Souter , and traveled for several speeches . She told an audience last week in Boston , Massachusetts , that she had no plans to retire , but on the subject of court retirements she hinted cryptically , `` We have n't had any of those for some time , but surely we will soon . '' Ginsburg , Souter and Justice John Paul Stevens frequently have been mentioned as likely to step down in the next few years . Ginsburg also said her former colleague , retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor -- herself a cancer survivor -- had offered her some good advice . `` She said when you 're up to chemotherapy , you do it on Friday , Friday afternoon . You 'll get over it over the weekend , and you 'll be able to come to the court on Monday , '' said Ginsburg , who noted O'Connor returned to work nine days after her breast cancer diagnosis . `` So I 've been following her advice meticulously . '' Ginsburg has been on the Supreme Court since 1993 . | Supreme Court justice , 76 , will receive chemotherapy treatments . Doctors removed small tumor from her pancreas in February . Ruth Bader Ginsburg consistently signals her health outlook is good . Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor gave Ginsburg advice on chemotherapy . | [[30, 174], [658, 666], [695, 739], [658, 666], [721, 753]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- There exists a school of thought that dictates if you think something catastrophic , then it wo n't happen . What would happen if my family died in a car accident ? What would happen if my house caught on fire ? `` What makes men connect with the girl of their dreams after sparking with me ? '' the author asks . Two summers ago , I asked myself : Would n't it suck if my first love met someone unexpectedly and got over me before I could begin to move on ? Thankfully , my family and my house are safe , but my feelings , my love life , and my ego still need mending . `` I met someone . '' The text message appeared on the screen of my phone and I stopped walking . A group of my friends and I were leaving the movie theater , and it was as if all feelings he had for me were obliterated in one night . We broke up because he was studying in Europe . Poetically , we had expressed our feelings for each other just two nights before . Then he became someone else 's boyfriend , and remained so , for much longer than he and I lasted . I should 've known it would happen , since it happens quite often . My first kiss , who refused to be my boyfriend , met the girl of his dreams while I still ached for him . They 're still together today . Since then , I 've been the second choice for several more men . The most recent ones occurred this summer , when I tried and failed to win the heart of my friend Ken -- he started dating the person that he truly liked instead of settling for me . I lost Brian to his ex-girlfriend -LRB- although , in that case , I think they belonged together anyway -RRB- . Each time , I laughed one of those sad , desperate guffaws -- here we go again ! What makes men connect with the girl of their dreams after sparking with me ? Another concept may be more applicable to my situation : the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy . Perhaps I 'm so aware of my `` magic touch '' that I 'm making it happen . While the first love arrived in Europe , I even warned him what may happen . At the time , though , he waved the thought away . `` I 'm so picky , I rarely really like a girl like I like you , '' he typed . A month later , he must 've been pleasantly shocked to discover my unfortunate power reached across the Atlantic Ocean . When Ken told me he was dating Mary , I was angry I 'd let this happen to me again . I raged at him . He argued that it 's irrational to use my past experience to predict the outcome of my future relationships -LRB- or my attempts at them -RRB- . I 'm sure that there 'll be a guy someday who does n't find me easy to move on from , but in the meantime I ca n't ignore the pattern and pretend that each time was a coincidence , as Ken had wanted me to do . I do n't know if there is a way to avoid the seemingly inevitable . Each time I let my hopes conquer my superstition , there 's a crash , a burn , a deflation , and the temporary loss of the ability to giggle , but I choose the chance of being the girl before the girlfriend over giving up the chance for breaking my streak . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Author 's ex-boyfriend meets someone else before she can get over him . She lost Brian to his ex-girlfriend and her friend Ken to another girl . Author : Maybe it 's a self-fulfilling prophecy . `` I choose the chance of being the girl before the girlfriend , '' she says . | [[963, 1003], [1517, 1556], [1857, 1863], [1864, 1885], [2961, 3071]] |
WOODBURY , Minnesota -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At 14 , Andrew Busskohl got a second chance at life when he underwent a heart transplant . But four years later , neighbors have more fear than compassion for him . Police say Andrew Busskohl plotted to kill a neighbor but was stopped before it got to that point . Busskohl , 18 , has been charged with two felony counts relating to a break-in attempt . But police say he was up to something more sinister : a murder plot that involved cutting out the victim 's heart or slicing off his eyelids . Busskohl posted $ 100,000 bail on condition he undergo psychological evaluation . He 's living with his mother and brother in the same neighborhood where authorities say he had planned to carry out his attack . As condition of his release , he is allowed to leave the Woodbury , Minnesota , home only for medical , psychological and legal appointments . Defense attorney Joe Friedberg says that his client is a threat to no one and that his medications affected his mood . `` The Woodbury police are excited because they got something that 's more serious than a cat up a tree , '' Friedberg said . `` This is a very unique case , and frankly , I do n't know the ramifications of anything yet . '' Busskohl has been charged with one count of first-degree attempted burglary with a dangerous weapon and one count of aggravated harassment with a dangerous weapon . He has not entered a plea in the case . Busskohl 's release has sent shockwaves through this quiet Minneapolis suburb of about 50,000 people . Residents say they survey their homes before entering , secure their windows and check behind curtains and other household items once inside . Once rarely used , alarm systems now are on constantly . `` My whole family is feeling a lot more nervous , '' said one neighbor , who asked not to be identified . `` We 're just always looking out the windows . ... The whole neighborhood in general is feeling the same way . '' Tim Kinateder said that his alarm system is on `` nonstop now '' and that everyone in his family has taken extreme precautions around the home . He did n't mince his words when he spoke of Busskohl being out on bail . `` That , to me , is ridiculous . I do n't understand how that can happen , '' Kinateder said . Across the street , Jim Fratto has taken more security measures than most . Fratto sleeps with a baseball bat next to his bed and a flashlight on his nightstand . A 10-foot-long 2 by 4 barricades his bedroom door . He 's installed lights with motion sensors on the outside of his home and added locks on his doors , both inside and out . Tour Fratto 's high-security house '' It is Fratto who , authorities say , was to be Busskohl 's possible victim . He lives just a few blocks from Busskohl . Walking through his home , Fratto shows off the locks on his interior doors . They rattle and clang with every movement . `` He 's going to have to bang a little bit to get in at me . And hopefully , I 'll be able to wake up by then , '' he said through a wild-eyed gaze and booming laugh . `` If not , sayonara . '' Busskohl admits breaking a window of Fratto 's home , police say , in the early hours of August 6 . Although it may not sound like much on the surface , police now say it was the first step of the plot . Busskohl was planning to return to that shattered window in the next couple of days for an easy entry , one without commotion , according to the criminal complaint filed against him . The complaint says one of Busskohl 's friends , Eric Eischens , went to police shortly after the window-breaking incident . `` Mr. Eischens stated that Mr. Busskohl told him that he had come up with a plan on how to murder someone , '' the complaint says . `` Mr. Eischens stated that Mr. Busskohl wanted to find an adult male who lived by himself and within walking distance of the defendant 's house . '' Eischens is quoted in the complaint as also telling police that `` Mr. Busskohl stated that he would then either stab the potential victim in the chest or slash his throat . Mr. Busskohl told Mr. Eischens that he would then either cut off the eyelids of the victim or cut out his heart . '' The complaint alleges that Busskohl acknowledged to police his conversation with his friend but also told them , `` I 'm not even sure I would have gone through with it . '' Friedberg , the defense attorney , said he could understand Fratto being `` frightened or mad . '' `` The evidence I received , -LSB- Busskohl -RSB- discussed very openly these things with the police , '' Friedberg said . `` When you said bizarre , that 's probably an understatement . '' Busskohl was taking seven or eight medications -- a combination of anti-rejection medicine for his heart and anti-depressants -- at the time of his arrest , according to Friedberg . He said a doctor who evaluated him in jail recommended that he be taken off one medication and two others be substituted in its place . `` Within eight to 10 hours , the bizarre type of thinking he was undergoing was gone , '' Friedberg says . `` If anybody were to meet him and talk to him at this point , he represents no threat to anyone . '' He has advised his client not to talk with members of the media . In 2004 , Busskohl became a common face on local Minnesota media when he underwent a successful heart transplant . Shortly after the surgery , according to the Star Tribune newspaper , he showed off his scar to a reporter and said , `` I plan on becoming a surgeon . '' If convicted on the charges , Busskohl could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $ 17,500 for the first count and a maximum of 5 years and $ 10,000 fine for the second count . Busskohl has no prior arrests , and the prosecutor 's office said that under the sentencing guidelines of Minnesota , it would be unlikely he 'd serve more than 48 months if convicted . His arraignment is set for September 3 . According to the criminal complaint filed this month , authorities obtained a search warrant for Busskohl 's car and found a swim cap , black gloves , latex gloves , scrubs , gauze , an address card with Fratto 's name and address , a map to Fratto 's house , shoe covers , a pry bar , a black mask , two bags , one knife , two flashlights , one set of tweezers , two pairs of scissors and one scalpel . Busskohl told authorities the items were there `` if -LSB- he -RSB- somehow went through with the act , '' according to the complaint . Fratto says it was difficult to grasp when police first informed him of the alleged plot . `` I did n't even look at it as a murder plot until they actually started putting it on the news , '' he said . Standing in his backyard , he pointed into the air . `` What bothers me is : If you throw a rock , he 's about four blocks away . '' Although many neighbors said they believe that a much more serious charge of attempted murder should have been pursued , the prosecutor stands by his decision . Washington County attorney Doug Johnson said the two felony counts Busskohl faces are the only ones he could pursue under state law . For a charge of attempted murder , he said , an individual has to follow through on an act `` which is a substantial step toward , and more than preparation for , the commission of the crime . '' `` Now I 'm not saying I 'm happy with that -LSB- law -RSB- , '' Johnson said . `` But if we have somebody that 's just simply preparing to commit the crime and does not take a substantial step toward committing that crime , we ca n't charge an attempt . And that 's what this is all about . '' As for Fratto , he 'll still keep locking his doors , armed with his flashlight and baseball bat . He 's thankful to still be alive . `` If it was n't for his friend and the grace of God , that 'd be it . '' | Police : Heart transplant teen planned to cut out possible victim 's heart . Andrew Busskohl , 18 , charged with two felony counts relating to broken window . Prosecutor stands by charges ; neighbors upset teen not facing attempted murder . Defense attorney says teen 's medication affected his thinking . | [[448, 461], [467, 536], [4097, 4099], [4155, 4174], [305, 313], [316, 318], [321, 360], [343, 393], [1235, 1399], [6837, 6968], [891, 1009]] |
HOLLYWOOD , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reality television featuring law enforcement officers on the beat is nothing new . A show featuring a lawman who makes jailed inmates wear pink underwear and uses actors to trick suspects , however , is a new twist . Maricopa Co. . Sheriff Joe Arpaio now has his own TV show , `` Smile : You 're Under Arrest . '' Maricopa County , Arizona , Sheriff Joe Arpaio -- whose showy brand of justice has raised charges of discrimination and civil-rights abuses while making him a hero among fans of his tough-on-crime attitudes -- will star in `` Smile : You 're Under Arrest . '' The show , which premiers this weekend on Fox Reality Channel , features Arpaio and other officers using elaborate ploys crafted by comedy writers and carried out by professional actors to arrest suspects with outstanding warrants . In one , a suspect is invited to a fake fashion shoot and told he 's going to become a supermodel , according to Fox Reality 's Web site . In another , a suspect is tricked into what he thinks is a job as a movie extra and , after a staged argument between the film 's `` director '' and another actor , gets promoted to the starring role . `` It 's kind of fun to show how stupid they are and , as I say , the looks on their face , '' Arpaio , 76 , said of the suspects wanted for DUIs , drug charges , missed court dates and other offenses . Watch Arpaio explain his methods '' But Arpaio 's critics are n't amused . They say they fear the show will give the controversial sheriff positive publicity , ignoring what they call a darker side to his 16-year tenure as top lawman in the county that includes Phoenix . `` It 's going to celebrate a sheriff that 's frankly scaring this community , a sheriff that has seen violent crime increase significantly in his county , a sheriff that is racially profiling the Latino community , and I doubt that the show is going to reflect that , '' said Paco Fabian , spokesman for the immigrant-rights group America 's Voice . In a statement on the group 's Web site , Fabian calls Arpaio a `` modern day Bull Connor , '' comparing him to the public safety commissioner in 1960s Birmingham , Alabama , whose use of attack dogs and firehoses on civil rights demonstrators made him a symbol of racial intolerance . Dubbed `` America 's Toughest Sheriff , '' Arpaio makes many of his county 's 10,000 or so inmates live in tents . He reinstituted chain gangs -- including crews for women and juveniles -- banned smoking , coffee and movies in his jails and , most recently , moved to require all inmates with money in their jail accounts to pay for their own meals . And then , of course , there 's the pink underwear . `` They were stealing the white underwear , smuggling the underwear out of the jail , '' Arpaio told CNN . `` So you know what ? Give them pink . The other reason is they hate pink . Why would you give the 10,000 inmates the color they like ? '' Earlier this year , the mayor of Phoenix wrote a letter to the U.S. attorney general 's office , asking the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department 's civil rights division to investigate Arpaio 's aggressive illegal immigration crackdowns . Mayor Phil Brown wrote that Arpaio 's sweeps show `` a pattern and practice of conduct that includes discriminatory harassment , improper stops , searches and arrests . '' The letter came after Arpaio , who had already been the target of hundreds of lawsuits , launched a series of what he calls crime-suppression patrols in largely Latino neighborhoods . Critics say the patrols use racial profiling to unfairly target Hispanic drivers and pedestrians , while Arpaio says they have resulted in the deportation of hundreds of illegal immigrants , including some with criminal records . `` We are the only ones cracking down on the state 's human smuggling law , '' Arpaio said . Fabian said America 's Voice is considering putting pressure on companies that advertise during Arpaio 's show . Either way , the series offers another moment in the spotlight for a lawman who has never shied away from it . `` I 'm not going to brag , '' Arpaio said , `` but there is n't anybody in the world who does n't know who this sheriff is . '' CNN 's Brooke Anderson and Doug Gross contributed to this report . | Maricopa Co. , Arizona , Sheriff Joe Arpaio now has own TV show . Arpaio proud of sometimes unorthodox methods , has been criticized for them . Show , `` Smile : You 're Under Arrest , '' gets people with outstanding warrants . | [[274, 318], [330, 352], [590, 612], [616, 624], [767, 848]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Frank Buckles considered it his duty to represent his fellow soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day . Frank Buckles , 107 and the last living U.S. WWI veteran , said it was his duty to represent his fallen soldiers . `` I have to , '' he told CNN , `` because I 'm the last living member of Americans '' who fought in what was called The Great War . Buckles , 107 , who is the sole living U.S. World War I veteran , attended ceremonies Tuesday at the grave of Gen. John Pershing , the top U.S. commander in that war . He was present for the first Veterans Day in 1918 -- though it was originally called Armistice Day -- that marked the end of WWI . Buckles was warmly greeted with standing applause by those in uniform and others who had gathered for the commemoration , but he said he did not think the fuss was about him . `` I can see what they 're honoring , the veterans of World War I. '' `` Time has passed very quickly to me , '' he said after a wreath-laying . `` I 've had a lot of activity in the last 90 years . '' Watch interview with Frank Buckles '' According to an autobiography released this year by the Pentagon , Buckles was eager to join the war . Although only 16 in the summer of 1917 , he lied about his age to get into the armed services . He said his recruiter told him `` the Ambulance Service was the quickest way to get to France , '' so he took training in trench casualty retrieval . Buckles was an officer 's escort in France before joining a detail transporting German prisoners of war . A few decades later , Buckles was in the Philippines as a civilian , on the day in December 1941 that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor . He was taken as a prisoner of war in Manila and held for 39 months . Today Buckles is the symbolic leader of a drive to improve a run-down city-owned memorial on the National Mall for those lost in the World War I . The gazebo-styled structure was built in the 1930s . There is no national memorial in the nation 's capital for the troops known as `` doughboys '' who served in the war that ended 90 years ago . Legislation in Congress would provide federal funding to restore and enhance the city 's memorial . A $ 182 million World War II memorial was dedicated on the National Mall in 2004 . | Frank Buckles , 107 , is the last living U.S. veteran of WWI . Buckles was present for first Veterans Day in 1918 when it was Armistice Day . Buckles said it was his duty to represent soldiers since he is last WWI vet . There is no national memorial in Washington for WWI veterans . | [[149, 205], [208, 245], [397, 404], [417, 460], [625, 642], [650, 663], [30, 148], [149, 205], [208, 245], [213, 263], [397, 404], [417, 460], [1968, 2037]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mount Redoubt volcano in southern Alaska has erupted again , shooting ash as high as 45,000 feet in the air on Saturday , experts said . A series of eruptions has been rattling Alaska 's Mount Redoubt volcano since Sunday . The eruption occurred at about 1:30 p.m. -LRB- 5:30 p.m. ET -RRB- , the U.S. Geological Survey told CNN . Some of the ash fell around Anchorage , resulting in the airport to close , the Federal Aviation Administration said . The volcano erupted three times Friday , at times shooting ash as high as 51,000 feet . The eruptions are the latest in a series that began March 22 . The Alaska Volcano Observatory has set the alert level at its highest possible designation -- red -- indicating that an eruption is under way or imminent and that the eruption will produce a `` significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere . '' Friday 's volcano activity prompted Alaska Airlines to limit flights to and from Anchorage , according to the airline 's Web site . It canceled all its Thursday flights to and from Anchorage after an eruption earlier in the day sent an ash cloud 65,000 feet high . The eruptions are the latest in a series that began Sunday . | NEW : Mount Redoubt volcano in southern Alaska erupted again on Saturday . NEW : Eruption sent ash as high as 45,000 feet in the air , experts said . NEW : FAA says ash falling around Anchorage resulted in closure of the airport . Mount Redoubt has been erupting since March 22 . | [[0, 15], [53, 77], [156, 242], [0, 15], [80, 138], [141, 155], [468, 506], [509, 530], [349, 386], [349, 364], [389, 422], [425, 467], [875, 965], [1007, 1091], [156, 242]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court agreed Monday to examine whether prosecutors can aggressively prosecute illegal immigrants for identity theft if they did n't know the documents they were given belonged to someone else . The Supreme Court has agreed to grapple with the issues of identity theft and illegal immigration . The justices announced they will hear arguments in the appeal of a Mexican national arrested in a government work site raid in the Midwest . A ruling is expected by June . At issue is whether people who use fake IDs to obtain work in the United States but did not know the documents belonged to someone else can be convicted of `` aggravated identity theft . '' Stealing personal identification such as Social Security numbers is illegal , but federal courts around the country are divided over how to treat people who buy them on the black market . Federal law states that for aggravated identity theft to occur , it must be proved that a person `` knowingly transfers , possesses , or uses , without lawful authority , a means of identification of another person . '' Many criminals steal a person 's identification to empty his or her bank account or falsely obtain loans or credit . Lawyers for the detained illegal immigrants say their clients simply used numbers picked `` out of thin air '' that happened to belong to another person . They used the numbers only to obtain work , not steal to money , the lawyers said . The Justice Department argues its prosecutors need not prove `` knowledge '' that the documents belonged to someone else instead of being fabricated . The difference could mean an additional two years in federal prison under an enhanced sentence . Most workers with false papers serve only a few months behind bars , and many are then deported . At stake is the government 's crackdown on undocumented workers , most of whom must rely on fake IDs to obtain employment . Read a report from the front lines of the immigration debate . The case before the justices involves Mexican immigrant Ignacio Flores-Figueroa , who worked at a steel plant in East Moline , Illinois . He was arrested with phony Social Security and alien registration cards that had been assigned to someone else . He admitted obtaining the documents but said he did not know they were someone else 's . He was convicted and sentenced to 75 months in prison . The court did not act on a similar appeal from a Mexican national who was arrested during a raid on a meat processing plant in Iowa , the largest criminal workplace enforcement operation in U.S. history . Nicasio Mendoza-Gonzalez was among 389 people arrested , most of whom were given five months in prison . | Attorneys for illegal immigrants argue their clients used random numbers . U.S. says prosecutors need not prove `` knowledge '' that ID belongs to someone . A decision is expected by the end of June . | [[1223, 1333], [1462, 1557], [477, 507]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A ship carrying U.N. relief supplies , including food and water , arrived Friday in the hurricane-ravaged Haitian city of Gonaives , an official with the United Nations ' World Food Programme said . The ship sailed from the capital , Port-au-Prince , carrying 19 tons of high-energy biscuits , 50,000 bottles of water , water purification tablets and other supplies , Myrta Kaulard said . An ambulance , two trucks , a four-wheel drive vehicle and a small speedboat to be used in rescues were also aboard the ship , she said . `` Distributions are ongoing at present , '' she said , speaking by phone from the capital . `` We are also airlifting biscuits now to Gonaives . '' Haiti , the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere , has endured three storms -- Hanna , Gustav and Fay -- over the past month . The last storm , Hanna , killed at least 137 people when it passed Tuesday over Gonaives and lingered nearby for days . It left water more than 4 meters deep in some places in the city , according to Abel Nazaire , Haiti 's assistant coordinator of Risk and Disaster Management . Watch as flooding overwhelms Haitians '' Much of the water remained Friday in Gonaives , and the city was unreachable by car or truck , as roads were flooded and bridges had collapsed , Kaulard said . `` We need to send food and water and primary needs , '' said Jean-Pierre Gueatou , executive director of the Haitian Red Cross . `` The other things , they will come later . '' People trudged through city streets that were covered in murky brown water thigh-deep and higher in some places . Some residents camped out on their roofs , their clothing and blankets hung over the sides of buildings . `` Drinking water is the biggest problem , '' said Joel Trimble , co-founder of Haiti for Christ Ministries . `` That water that everybody 's been wading in -- now for days -- is contaminated with dead carcasses of animals , and cadavers of people . '' `` We remember the last time this happened , '' a man told The Associated Press , according to the agency 's translation . `` It was the same situation . A lot of aid money was given for nothing . They did nothing with that money . If that money had been invested in this town , we would not be in this situation today . '' `` People really have lost a lot of things , '' Kaulard said . `` They are asking for clothes , they are asking for water , they are asking for food . `` The situation is very tense , people are exhausted . '' Kaulard said World Food Programme officials hope to send another ship laden with similar supplies on Saturday , before Hurricane Ike , a Category 3 storm in the central Atlantic , approaches . Ike is predicted to sweep more than 100 miles north of Hispaniola -- the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic . `` We really hope that the current trajectory ... is maintained , '' Kaulard said . On Friday , the U.S. Coast Guard delivered enough hygiene kits , plastic sheeting and water jugs for 2,000 people in Gonaives , according to the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince . With those supplies , and others expected to arrive Saturday in Gonaives on a U.S. Coast Guard cutter , the United States expects to help about 10,000 people , the embassy said . In addition , the USS Kearsarge is expected to arrive Monday in Haiti from Colombia to support relief efforts , the embassy said , though it noted that Hurricane Ike could delay its arrival . U.S. ambassadors in Jamaica and Haiti have authorized $ 100,000 in emergency relief for each country , and the United States is providing $ 50,000 worth for the Dominican Republic , said State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood in Washington . The United States offered to send humanitarian relief and a disaster assistance team to Cuba , but has received no response from the Cuban government , the State Department said . `` The situation in Gonaives is catastrophic , '' Daniel Rouzier , Haiti chairman of Food for the Poor , wrote in an e-mail , according to the AP . `` We , just like the rest of the victims ... have limited mobility . You ca n't float a boat , drive a truck or fly anything to the victims . '' CNN 's Charley Keyes contributed to this report . | International aid groups struggle to reach thousands after Tropical Storm Hanna . Hurricane Ike also could hit Haiti this weekend . Poorest country in the Western Hemisphere has been hit by 3 storms in a month . Drinking water in Haiti is contaminated by bodies , Haitian volunteer says . | [[695, 700], [738, 801]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seoul is a bit of curio . On the surface it 's as modern as any city could hope to be , addicted as it is to technology and modern design . Let me entertain you , Korean-style . Bars and karaoke rooms abound in entertainment areas . Yet among the blocky skyscrapers and highways running through the sprawling city like monuments to the country 's rapid industrialization , are vestiges of the 600-year-old capital . Mountains , parks and 16th century palaces are in stark contrast to the neon and noise of the city 's shopping and entertainment areas . Duck off one of the main boulevards like Saemunangil in the center of the city and you can discover one of pulsating areas where Seoulites relax -- often in city 's thousands of restaurants , bars and noraebang -LRB- karaoke bars -RRB- that should feature in even a flying visit . Home to over 10 million people , the best policy is to make the most of just a few of the city 's districts . Start near City Hall in Myeongdong , a downtown area close to some of the city 's best sites and shopping -LRB- located on and around Myeong-donggil -RRB- and all within a walkable distance . Steps away from City Hall subway station is one of the city 's Joseon dynasty palaces , Deoksugung , where you can sample a quieter side of Seoul . It 's the site of one of Korea 's King Seonjo 's residences ; he turned the old aristocratic house into a palace in 1593 . If you 're in the city on Sunday , a reenactment of the changing of the guards takes place outside the main gate ; false beards are moustaches are attached as the brightly colored guards go through the motions . A few minutes from the palace is the decent National Museum on Contemporary Art , where international and Korean artists get a regular showing . The tranquility of the palace grounds are a great contrast to much of the rest of the city -- not far away original parts of old Seoul 's city walls can still be seen in mountains to the north . For a closer inspection of Seoul of old , history buffs can get their fill at the Seoul Museum of History , twenty minutes walk from Deoksugung Palace . Better is to push on another 20 minutes from the museum and you 'll hit Gyeongbokgung , the largest and grandest of the city 's palace grounds . To save pounding the concrete there hop in a taxi -- standard cabs are white , but for the sake of a bit more legroom , shinier leather seats , and twice the cost , black deluxe taxis are also cruising the streets . In true Seoul tech style , many are equipped with a free digital translation service , useful as many drivers do n't speak much English . The preserved village of Bukchon lies between Gyeongbok Palace to the west and Changdeok Palace to the east , where you can wander around restored timber houses and courtyards , and also grab a bite to eat in one of the area 's cafes or restaurants . The city and Korea in general has a fascination with technology and design and is constantly positioning itself on the cutting edge of both . The most recent addition to the city 's modern landscape is Dutch architect Rem Koohaas ' `` Transformer '' . His shape-changing building can flip onto one of its three sides depending on its use and is currently home to a Prada Exhibition . It sits in a cozy juxtaposition next to the 16th century Gyeonghui Palace pavilion . For a less ambiguous view of the city , hop in a taxi to Namsan cable car station . It will propel you up to a peak in Namsan park -- central Seoul 's biggest -- next to the Seoul Tower , from where you can survey the sprawling metropolis . Throw yourself back into the thick of it by hitting Namdaemun market , also known as the goblin market . It 's a hive of goods from cheese to camcorders , often sold at cheaper prices than elsewhere . Do n't expect just stalls , it 's more a mix of buildings , underground malls and shops . Shinsegae department store is a city favorite in Myeongdong , but those after a bit of South Korean kitsch or quirk should be happy browsing around the boutiques off Myeongdong-gil and Myeongdong Jungang . More Meccas to mammon can be found at Dongdaemun to the east . It 's been the site of a market since 1905 , but inevitably is now a block of towers stuffed with shopping malls . Be careful , it could take a whole day to explore each one . Crossing downtown Seoul is the Cheonggye stream -- a river that was covered by a road until it was unearthed in 2005 and transformed into one of the city center 's most popular urban oases and worth a stroll in the evening . Just north of Cheonggye is the slightly twee area of Insadong , an area as close as Seoul comes to its past in its present work-a-day guise . The area has as few tacky tourist shops , but gets enough local life to make it a good area to grab a bite to eat . The narrow winding streets off Insadonggil are crammed with traditional style buildings housing restaurants where Korean barbeques , bibimbap , kimchi and other delights of Korean cuisine can be sampled and often quite reasonably priced . For a bit of local flavor on the go , street vendors serve up kimchi pancakes , octopus and other Korean snacks , while mobile restaurants appear on some of the street corners around Myeong-dong and Insadong when night falls . Duck under the temporary tarpaulin hoisted over these carts , take a seat next to a local and enjoy cultural feast as well as simple , fresh cooked local dishes . Soju , the local firewater , or some Korean beer is a typical accompaniment . It could get you in the mood for a bout of karaoke in a private room , or noraebang . In which case it could be worth asking your hotel concierge for a recommendation for an English language-friendly one , or just dive in and indulge in the randomness of it all . North east of downtown is Hongdae ; a decent area for bars and music , and its more salubrious that Itaewon , twenty minutes south in a taxi from downtown Seoul . Here you 're more likely to see U.S. military police in a club or bar than a local , which is another reminder that the other world that is North Korea is only 30 miles away . If you have an extra few days , take a trip to the Demilitarized Zone -LRB- DMZ -RRB- -- organized tours are the only way to see it . | Among the urban sprawl are pockets of tranquility , neon-lit fun and greenery . The Joseon dynasty palaces are a must , offering a contrast to the city 's concrete . Insadong provides some old world charm and great places to eat Korean cuisine . | [[1256, 1302], [1783, 1873], [1155, 1240], [4774, 4809], [4870, 4917], [4924, 5012]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward relied on FBI insider W. Mark Felt as a reliable but anonymous source for their stories on the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon 's resignation in 1974 . Carl Bernstein says `` Deep Throat 's '' information on Watergate was `` absolutely invaluable . '' Felt , referred to as `` Deep Throat '' in the Washington Post stories and in Woodward and Bernstein 's book `` All the President 's Men , '' died Thursday in California at 95 . He revealed his identity for the first time in 2005 . Bernstein never met Felt until this year , but praised his courage during an interview Friday on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' AM : What are your thoughts on the occasion of Mark Felt 's death ? Bernstein : I think it 's a little emotional , even though he was 95 years old . He was integral to our coverage . He was one of many sources in Watergate who had both the intelligence and the courage to tell the truth . And in his own organization he was one of the few , and he was near the top . What his information enabled us to do was to confirm stories that we had really obtained elsewhere , more than anything else , rather than give us that much primary information . But it was invaluable , and he performed a great act of courage and national service . Watch a video obituary of W. Mark Felt '' AM : The way that he was portrayed by Hal Holbrook in `` All the President 's Men '' was he would give your partner Bob Woodward a little bit of a tease and say , `` I 'm not going to tell you anything more than that ; you 've got to follow the trail . '' Was that an accurate portrayal ? Bernstein : Yeah . Yeah , that 's what we did . But his knowledge gave us a grounding and assurance that we were right in what we were saying and reporting . -LSB- He gave us -RSB- a certainty in a situation where you had the leader of the free world attacking the press every day , making our conduct -- Woodward 's , myself 's , the Washington Post 's -- the issue in Watergate rather than the conduct of the president and his men . So I think Mark Felt 's confirming this information -LRB- and occasionally he gave us some important information that we had n't obtained , toward the end , elsewhere -RRB- , it was absolutely invaluable . AM : It was always Bob Woodward 's intention to keep the identity of Deep Throat secret until the occasion of Mark Felt 's death . Bernstein : Well , we both kept it . I knew who he was . The two of us knew . AM : Was it a surprise when it came out in 2005 ? Bernstein : To both of us . It was a total surprise , even though I 'm a contributing editor at Vanity Fair magazine and they disclosed it . They scooped everybody on that one . Yeah , we were surprised . Bob and I went out to San Francisco a few weeks ago ; we had a speech out there . And we went to see Mark Felt , and we had a kind of wonderful couple of hours with him . He knew we were coming ; he was looking forward to it . But he had been very ill , and it was a kind of closing of the circle , and it was a wonderful experience . AM : Was that the first time you had met him in person . Bernstein : First time I had met him , yes . Bob had met him as a young ensign in the Navy , when he was a messenger at the Pentagon and had renewed the acquaintance . AM : So what did you think of him when you met him ? Bernstein : First of all , I was aware that he was 95 years old and in the last stages of his life . But I was amazed at his relative vigor given the fact that he had been quite ill . I was also surprised that there were some moments of clarity , because he had dementia . AM : His family , when the news came out in 2005 , declared him to be an American hero . Would you agree ? Bernstein : Obviously he is . Look , Watergate was a constitutional crisis in a criminal presidency . And he had the guts to say , `` Wait . The Constitution is more important in this situation than a president of the United States who breaks the law . '' It 's an important lesson , I think , for the country and for people in our business , as well . | Watergate reporter Bernstein knew who Mark Felt was ; only Woodward contacted him . Important source for scandal story died Thursday at age 95 . Bernstein : Felt `` performed a great act of courage and national service '' | [[474, 512], [823, 844], [3422, 3478], [567, 576], [614, 692], [1270, 1328]] |
YANGON , Myanmar -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Courts in Myanmar have sentenced a blogger , a poet and several dissidents to several years in jail for anti-regime activities , a court official told CNN Tuesday . Young people at an Internet cafe in Myanmar . The verdicts were announced Monday and Tuesday , the court official said . Blogger Nay Phone Latt was sentenced to more than 20 years in jail for his illegal Internet activities , the court official said . The blogger was a `` major source of information for the outside world '' when the military junta used force last year to suppress anti-government demonstrations , said The Irrawaddy , an online newspaper published by exiles from Myanmar , which is also known as Burma . The government exercises strict controls over media outlets in the southeast Asian country . Dissidents often turn to the Internet to disseminate information . In the second case , poet Saw Wai received a two-year jail sentence for a poem he wrote for Valentine 's Day that contained a veiled jab at the junta 's leading figure , Senior Gen. Than Shwe . The first words of each line in the eight-line poem , `` February the Fourteenth '' spelled out the message : `` Senior General Than Shwe is crazy with power . '' On Tuesday , the government handed down prison sentences to about a dozen members of a pro-democracy group known as the '88 Generation Students . Irrawaddy said the members were each sentenced to 65 years in jail , but CNN could not independently confirm the figure . Members of the group took part in the anti-government demonstrations that ended with the death of as many as 100 people last year after security forces clashed with thousands of protesters . The dead included 40 Buddhist monks . Witnesses said the violent crackdown in September 2007 came as hundreds of monks defied a military ban on public assembly . Until then , demonstrations led by the monks -- who are highly respected in the predominantly Buddhist country -- had gone largely unchallenged by the military , which has ruled the country since the 1960s . The protests were sparked by a huge fuel price increase imposed by the military government , and quickly escalated . The action was informally dubbed the `` Saffron Revolution '' because of the maroon robes with saffron sashes that the monks wore . | Myanmar court jails blogger , poet and dissidents for anti-regime activities . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [46, 78], [1241, 1251], [1254, 1347]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. attorney general is trying to prevent immigration authorities from sending a Muslim woman to her home country , where she was a victim of female genital mutilation . Attorney General Michael Mukasey ordered an immigration court to reconsider an African woman 's case . In a stinging order overriding federal immigration courts , Mukasey blasted a decision that said a 28-year-old citizen and native of Mali should be expelled `` because her genitalia already had been mutilated -LSB- so -RSB- she had no basis to fear future persecution if returned to her home country . '' Calling the rationale `` flawed , '' Mukasey sent the case back to the Board of Immigration Appeals with orders to reconsider . The woman , a native of Mali , begged the court not to send her back to her Bambara tribe . The 28-year-old said if she returned and had a daughter , the child also would be subject to mutilation . The woman also said she faced forced marriage if she had to go home . Mukasey cited what he concluded were two significant factual errors in the court 's rejection of her appeal . `` Female genital mutilation is not necessarily a one-time event , '' Mukasey said . He noted that the board in a previous case had granted asylum in to one woman whose `` vaginal opening was sewn shut approximately five times after being opened to allow for sexual intercourse and child birth . '' He also concluded that the Board of Immigration Appeals was wrong to assume that the woman `` must fear persecution in exactly the same form -LSB- namely , repeat female genital mutilation -RSB- to qualify for relief . '' Mukasey had been urged to look into the matter by angered members of Congress in the wake of the January decision . `` This recent action taken by the Board of Immigration Appeals is a step backward for the rights of women worldwide , '' declared Rep. John Conyers , D-Michigan , in a January letter . `` Female genital mutilation is a gross violation of a woman 's human rights and has traditionally been grounds for the granting of an asylum claim , '' Rep. Zoe Lofgren , D-California , said in the letter . Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy , D-Vermont , issued a statement applauding Mukasey 's action , and declaring female genital mutilation a `` barbaric practice widely regarded as a human rights abuse . '' The Justice Department acknowledged it is extraordinarily rare for an attorney general to jump into a relatively low-level immigration case . The immigration courts decide about 40,000 cases a year , and an attorney general has issued an opinion on a case only three times in the past three years . Female genital mutilation is common in parts of Africa , Asia and in some Arab countries , according to the United Nations . The operation is viewed by some ethnic groups as a means to control a woman 's sexuality and is sometimes a prerequisite for marriage or the right to inherit . The procedure can cause tissue injury , severe infection and fever , among other complications . The U.N. has recorded cases in which hemorrhaging and infection lead to death . | Court ruled that because woman already had surgery , she should not get asylum . In rare move , Attorney General said court 's ruling was `` flawed '' Michael Mukasey ordered court to reconsider its ruling . Mali woman said she fears any daughter she had would be subject to mutilation . | [[205, 307], [718, 740], [833, 938], [889, 900], [906, 938]] |
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]] |
RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Antiviolence protesters stretched out 16,000 coconuts on Brazil 's world-famous Copacabana beach Saturday , each one representing a victim of urban violence . Protesters used dummies to represent victims of violence on Brazil 's Copacabana beach this week . Activists from ONG Rio de Paz led a protest march Saturday morning that included residents and tourists who usually can be found on the beach on weekends . The protesters strung up a sign on the sand that said `` Shame '' in Spanish , Portuguese , English and French . They finished with a minute of silence for the victims of violence . Rio de Paz said the coconuts represent victims of violence , homicides , dead police officers and those who have been shot in gunfights between authorities and gangs of narcotics traffickers . The figure itself was obtained from official information from the Rio de Janeiro governmental Institute of Public Security . It was the second protest staged this week on Rio de Janeiro 's Copacabana beach by the group Rio de Paz . On Tuesday , the group created a mock cemetery in the sand with mannequins representing 9,000 people who Rio de Paz says have been slain and secretly buried since January 2007 . Rio de Paz President Antonio Carlos Costa said he believes that about 6,000 of the missing people were killed , many by drug traffickers fighting for territory in Rio 's slums and poor neighborhoods . Others , he said , were killed by hit squads and police acting on their own . `` In general , they are assassinated by police -- police acting outside of their regular work hours , '' Costa said Tuesday . `` They are also assassinated by narcotraffickers . The bodies are disposed of in secret cemeteries in the metropolitan Rio de Janeiro area or incinerated alive by narcotraffickers in what they call ` microwaves . ' '' To illustrate the point , demonstrators also constructed facsimiles of the `` microwaves '' that narcotics traffickers and death squads reportedly use to cremate remains of those they have abducted . CNN 's Fabiana Frayssinet contributed to this report . | Protesters line up coconuts on Brazil 's Copacabana beach . Rio de Paz says coconuts represent victims of urban violence , drug wars . Protesters string up sign in sand that says `` Shame '' in four languages . Earlier , group staged mock cemetery in beach sand representing missing people . | [[43, 148], [964, 1050], [151, 201], [639, 742], [457, 500], [492, 500], [506, 569], [1064, 1074], [1077, 1138]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The ozone hole over Antarctica in 2008 is larger in both size and ozone loss than last year , but not as large as in 2006 , the European Space Agency said Tuesday . Some chemical processes produce ozone-depleting gases . The hole is a thinning area in the ozone layer over Antarctica and the size of the hole varies every year depending on weather conditions . This year , the size of the thinned area reached about 27 million square kilometers -LRB- 10.4 million square miles -RRB- , compared to 25 million square kilometers -LRB- 9.65 million square miles -RRB- in 2007 . In 2006 , the hole was a record 29 million square kilometers -LRB- 11.2 million square miles -RRB- , larger than North America , the ESA said . The ESA announced its results based on information from German and Dutch researchers who analyzed satellite data . Depletion of ozone is caused by extreme cold temperatures at high altitude and the presence of ozone-destroying gases , such as chlorine and bromine , in the atmosphere , the ESA said . Those gases originate from man-made products like chlorofluorocarbons , or CFCs , which were phased out under a global agreement two decades ago but continue to linger in the atmosphere . Ozone is a protective atmospheric layer found at an altitude of about 25 kilometers -LRB- 15.5 miles -RRB- . It acts as a sunlight filter , shielding life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays that put humans at greater risk of skin cancer and cataracts and harm marine life , the agency said . | 2008 ozone hole larger than in 2007 , European Space Agency says . It covers area of about 27 million square kilometers . Ozone layer acts as a sunlight filter , shielding Earth from some ultraviolet rays . | [[0, 15], [58, 110], [722, 736], [380, 389], [392, 501], [1335, 1363]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A grandmother , mother and her child died when a military fighter jet crashed into a house in San Diego Monday , igniting a huge fireball , CNN 's San Diego affiliates and the San Diego Union Tribune are reporting . Fire rages in a San Diego neighborhood where an F/A -18 jet crashed Monday . Another child is missing , authorities said . A search ended Monday when night fell but will continue Tuesday morning , a spokesperson for the medical examiner said . The father is a businessman who was at work at the time of the crash , and was not reached for comment , according to the Tribune . The paper also reported that Monday night , a pastor and congregants at the family 's church , the Korean United Methodist Church of San Diego in Clairemont . The pastor told a television station that the mother was in the home with her two sons -- a 2 month-old and 1 year-old . The mother was a nurse at a hospital . The F/A -18 D plane , which authorities described as disabled , was trying to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar . The jet had just performed landing training on a Navy aircraft carrier before the pilot reported having trouble , according to the Marine Corps . See map showing crash site , airfield '' `` It was , oh gosh , maybe a couple of hundred feet off the ground . And it was quiet -- I think the engine was off , '' said San Diego resident Ian Lerner , who was heading to lunch at a shopping center about a half-mile from the neighborhood of about 20 homes when he saw the jet flying low . iReport.com : See Lerner 's photos . `` Then all of a sudden we saw the canopy of the jet explode and go up , and then we saw the pilot blast out of the plane and the parachute open , '' Lerner said . Another witness said the jet was flying at a low altitude , and `` just spiraled , right out of -LSB- the movie -RSB- ` Top Gun . ' '' Watch witnesses describe the scene '' The house was destroyed . A photograph taken at the scene showed the pilot , who ejected safely , sitting on the front lawn , making a call on his cell phone . He was taken the hospital , the Marine Corps said in a written statement Monday . Watch burning debris near crash site '' The pilot , whose name was not released , was the only occupant of the two-seat aircraft , according to the Marine Corps . The Tribune spoke with Steve Diamond , a retired naval aviator , who found the pilot in a tree behind a house and helped the man who Diamond said was a lieutenant in his 20s , down from the tree . The pilot told him that after he lost power in the first engine , and that it was decided he would try to get the jet to Miramar on the single working engine , Diamond told the paper . The pilot was in communication with military air traffic controllers before the jet crashed , and the crash site is about two miles -LRB- three kilometers -RRB- from the airfield , the Federal Aviation Administration said . Burning debris scorched two additional homes and a slice of jet knifed another home . `` This could have wiped out half a dozen homes depending on how it landed , '' said Maurice Luque , a spokesman for the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department . See photos of fiery crash site '' Inside one of those houses , Robert Johnson sat in the living room with his daughter , Heather Certain , and her 2-year-old son , Nicholas , according to the San Diego Union Tribune . They heard the explosion then saw a giant fireball in their picture window facing their front yard , the Tribune reported . They ran out of the house . `` The house shook like an earthquake , '' Johnson said . `` I saw the flames right there in front of my house . '' iReporter Chris Morrow of San Diego said she went to the crash site Monday and saw `` Two houses that looked liked they 'd blown up . '' One resident interviewed by CNN affiliate KFMB said he saw a fighter jet at a very low altitude , and `` it just spiraled , right out of ` Top Gun . ' '' Watch aerial footage of crash site '' The Marine Corps said it is investigating what went wrong with the plane . The military has jurisdiction over the crash site . iReport.com : Smoke rises from fiery crash . | Officials : Three people in San Diego home killed in crash of F/A -18 . One believed to have been in home is missing , officials say . Marines : Pilot -- the jet 's only occupant -- ejected safely , was taken to hospital . Two homes destroyed in crash about 2 miles from airfield , officials say . | [[0, 129], [249, 273], [280, 311], [312, 336], [339, 350], [1934, 2067], [1973, 1982], [1989, 2003], [2068, 2093], [2190, 2201], [2232, 2278], [2793, 2873]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- Engagement season is in full swing , which , of course , means an influx proposals , but more importantly , tons of creative `` will you marry me ? '' scenarios to top . Take a cue from these celebrities by jaunting off to memorable destinations for a proposal your partner wo n't forget -LRB- or turn down ! -RRB- . Venice was the scene of Avril Lavigne and Dereyck Whibley 's engagement . St. Barts . On their first date , Billy Joel took Katie Lee out to dinner , but on that November 2002 evening she got much more than a scene from an Italian restaurant . `` Afterward he took me to see `` Movin ' Out '' -LSB- the hit musical based on Joel 's tunes -RSB- , got onstage and sang the last two songs , '' recalls Lee , 23 , who was visiting New York from Ohio and first met Joel , 55 , in the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel , where both were staying . `` I knew he was trying to impress me . '' It must have worked ; six months after that meeting she moved to Long Island , New York , to live with him , and in January 2004 he proposed on a trip to St. Barts . `` He got down on his knee , and it was a complete surprise , '' Lee recalls . `` That made me feel really special . '' Though Scott Wolf , 35 , of `` Everwood , '' and Kelley Limp , 28 , formerly of `` Real World New Orleans , '' credit a friend with setting them up , in a way they can thank Oprah Winfrey . `` When I first called Kelley , '' says Wolf , `` she said , ' I just sat down with strawberries and chocolate milk to watch `` Oprah . '' ' '' Apparently it was not the best timing . `` Nobody calls me at 4 o'clock , '' says Limp . `` It 's an unwritten rule that I 'm watching `` Oprah '' . '' So Wolf decided to catch the episode , and they discussed it afterward . The chatting continued over a dinner date at Raoul 's in New York City . A year later , on a trip to St. Barts , Wolf took Limp boating and pulled into a cove for a sunset dinner , where he gave her a Bruce Winston -LRB- son of Harry Winston -RRB- 2.7-carat diamond ring . `` I said yes , like , 15 times , '' says Limp . New York City . It was Stephanie March 's first and last blind date ever . After weeks of delays , March , then starring on `` Law & Order : Special Victims Unit '' , finally agreed to meet Food Network chef Bobby Flay for dinner at Nobu in New York . Within seconds of meeting Flay , her misgivings about blind dates were dispelled . `` I know it 's a cliché , but I remember thinking , Oh my gosh , this is the rest of my life , '' says March . She was right : Just before Christmas 2003 , Flay took March ice-skating at Rockefeller Center , where he surprised her with another kind of ice -- a princess-cut diamond ring -- and a proposal . Africa . On the golf course during the 2001 British Open was probably the last place Tiger Woods , 28 , expected to meet his future wife , Elin Nordegren , 24 . The thunderbolt struck when fellow golfer Jesper Parnevik introduced Woods to Nordegren , who was then working as the Parneviks ' nanny . If his scores are any indication , Woods was more than a little distracted by the stunning Swedish former model . He lost the tournament but soon won her heart . And on a South African safari two years later , Woods proposed to Nordegren during a sunset stroll around the Shamwari Game Reserve . Nantucket , Massachusetts . Devon Gummersall , 29 , thought he 'd blown it after a 1998 date with `` Quarterlife 's '' Majandra Delfino , 27 . `` I showed up in this awful leather jacket , and Majandra was like , ` Who is this guy ? ' '' recalls Gummersall , the former co-star of `` My So-Called Life . '' After losing the leather , he reconnected with Delfino at a concert five years later -- and did n't miss a beat . Soon , the future groom bought a garnet ring from the Beverly Hills Watch Co. and hid it for a scavenger hunt on a Nantucket , Massachusetts , beach . Says Delfino , `` I dug up this white box , all sandy , and opened it . Devon said , ` Do you know what this means ? ' '' Delfino definitely did . New Zealand . The romance that blossomed between `` Two and a Half Men 's '' Melanie Lynskey , 30 , and Jimmi Simpson , 31 , star of `` The Farnsworth Invention '' on Broadway , surprised them both . The pair , who had become friends while co-starring in a Stephen King miniseries in 2000 , were sharing a taxi when `` good night '' turned into a good-night smooch . `` We kissed each other unexpectedly ! '' says Lynskey of the moment . `` Once that happened , I was head over heels for him . '' Simpson chose a moonlit moment on the deck of Lynskey 's family beach house in New Zealand in 2005 to get down on one knee . `` He opened the ring box , '' she recalls , `` but then he set it on the table . I was like , ` Can I try that on ? ' '' Six months after Matthew Perry introduced them at a 2004 barbecue , actor Jonathan Silverman , 41 , proposed to `` Close to Home '' actress Jennifer Finnigan , 28 , in a New Zealand rain forest . Hawaii . Channing Tatum surprised his `` Step Up '' costar Jenna Dewan with a weekend proposal in Maui in September 2007 . Tatum arranged to have close friends of the couple fly in for the festivities . Canada . When commissioning an engagement ring for his girlfriend Heidi Klum , Seal had one key word for New York City jeweler Lorraine Schwartz : canary . Schwartz 's sister delivered the 10-carat yellow diamond stunner to Whistler , British Columbia , where Seal proposed to Klum on a glacier -- with the sunny piece of ice . England . In May 2004 Jason Priestley arranged a trip to London , England , -- to the very street corner where he and girlfriend Naomi Lowde first met . Once there , Priestley presented Lowde with an emerald-cut , three-diamond ring by Steven Pomerantz . `` It became evident that my life was better with Naomi in it , '' says Priestley . In the summer of 2006 , after 3 years of dating , `` Superman Return '' star Brandon Routh purchased the 3-carat diamond ring that had caught girlfriend Courtney Ford 's eye during an earlier visit to Beverly Hills jeweler Neil Lane . But since the two were traveling for the `` Superman Returns '' press tour , Routh asked Gilbert Adler , one of the film 's producers , to hold the ring until they arrived in England . `` Poor man ! '' says Routh . `` He carried it around for two and a half weeks . '' Finally , while picnicking in Glastonbury , England , Routh popped the question . Italy . One year after Avril Lavigne and Dereyck Whibley 's friendship turned romantic , Whibley , 26 , proposed with a 5-carat diamond solitaire after a picnic and gondola ride in Venice , Italy . It was something of a shock for the bride-to-be . `` I might look like a tough chick -- and I am , '' Lavigne once said , `` but I 'm a hopeless romantic inside . '' Puerto Rico . Just two days before Christmas 2007 , under a full moon at midnight in a bay off the coast of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques , Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter were seated in a double kayak , taking in the bioluminescent organisms shimmering in the water all alone , except for a tour guide in a second kayak . After giving an `` amazing speech , '' Winter pulled out a 4.3-carat brilliant-cut diamond ring by Michael Barin , Sánchez 's favorite jeweler . California . `` I ca n't remember the exact day I knew she was the one ; I remember it was an accumulation of what she 's about , where she came from , and her family , '' says tennis star Pete Sampras of his bride , Bridgette Wilson-Sampras . After nine months of dating , Sampras proposed to Wilson at his Los Angeles , California , home with a platinum ring with oval-shaped diamond from Cartier . The romance between Noah Wyle , 29 , and Tracy Warbin , 31 , a movie makeup artist , was born on the frigid Maine set of the 1997 film `` The Myth of Fingerprints . '' Recalls Warbin , `` At the end of one shoot , there was a huge snowball fight . Noah pushed my face into a snowbank . It really , really hurt ! I knew then that he liked me , because it was so kindergarten-y . '' Wyle concurs : `` It 's a technique I learned in grade school , and it 's worked for me ever since . '' Three years later , on Valentine 's Day 1999 , at a picnic for two on the couple 's Santa Ynez , California , ranch , Wyle got down on one knee to propose , a marquise-cut diamond ring in hand . In February 2005 Christina Aguilera and her beau , Jordan Bratman , went on a Valentine 's Day getaway to Carmel , California , where Bratman proposed with a five-carat diamond-and-platinum ring by Stephen Webster . Eight months later , the pair -- who share a love of the wine country -- wed in Napa Valley . Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Billy Joel proposed to Katie Lee in St. Bart 's . Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter got engaged while in a double kayak . Jordan Batman proposed to Christina Aguilera on a Valentine 's Day getaway . Seal gave Heidi Klum a 10-karat yellow diamond on a glacier in Canada . | [[1036, 1088], [6821, 6856], [6859, 6949], [6952, 7013], [6952, 6983], [7016, 7065], [8166, 8183], [8186, 8210], [8213, 8260], [8284, 8360], [8361, 8409], [8429, 8473], [5346, 5422], [5450, 5484]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three years ago Tuesday , Leslie Marva Adams , an attractive , 40-year-old hair stylist from Atlanta , Georgia , chatted on the phone with her mother in the morning . Leslie Adams , 40 , filed a restraining order against an old boyfriend and disappeared three years ago . It was the last conversation she would have with a family member . On the third anniversary of Adams ' disappearance , her family is still waiting for answers . Her daughter , Cierra Burk , 19 , clings to the belief that Adams is alive . `` We will find her , '' Burk says . The family became concerned when Adams failed to show up for her sister 's birthday party the day after she talked on the phone with her mother . Two days after the missed party , Adams was officially reported missing . At her apartment in suburban Lilburn , police found evidence suggesting foul play -- a 12-inch blood stain near her bed and a .45 - caliber bullet casing . Adams ' car was parked in her driveway and a handwritten note was found on her door . Investigators soon learned the note was from her sister , Roberta . It said , `` Leslie , we 're worried about you , please call me as soon as possible . '' Watch how the mystery began with a missed party '' Adams had been having trouble with her ex-boyfriend , Billy Joe Cook , in the days leading up to her disappearance . She had accused him of stalking her and had filed a restraining order . In the court document , she alleged that Cook had verbally and physically abused her . She said she feared for her life . A temporary restraining order was granted by the court , but Adams vanished before a scheduled hearing on the matter . Phyllis Adams said her daughter told her in their final conversation that she had argued with Cook over the phone on the previous day . According to the temporary restraining order , Cook was not to have any contact with Adams . Police brought Cook in for questioning and learned he had spoken to Adams on the phone twice the day before she last spoke to her family . Although he was questioned extensively , police have not named Cook a suspect . Police say he was very cooperative and there is no evidence suggesting his involvement in her disappearance , although they have not ruled him or anyone else out as a potential suspect or person of interest . Just when they thought the trail had gone cold , police found what could be a lead in the case . In May 2007 , clothing was recovered that could belong to the missing hair-dresser . Police found a pair of men 's size 8 Reebok sneakers , size 10 capri pants , and a black sweater in the woods along I-85 in Franklin County , 90 miles from Adams ' home in Atlanta . They also discovered human bones and a breast implant near the clothing . Police have sent the remains to a DNA testing lab and they have yet to be identified . The results are inconclusive , and police continue to collect DNA samples from Adams family members for future tests . Leslie Marva Adams is an African-American female who stands 5 feet 5 inches , weighs 130 pounds , and has breast implants . Family members fear the remains could be Leslie Adams , but they are still hopeful that she will be found alive and well . Burk , Adams ' daughter , says she struggles with her emotions at this time of year . `` I still believe she is alive and we will find her , but this time of year is very hard , '' she said , fighting the tears . `` It 's my aunt 's birthday , the day my mom did n't show up and we never saw her again , so it 's hard not to break down . '' Police and family urge anyone with information on the whereabouts of Leslie Adams to call the Gwinett County Police Department at -LRB-770-RRB- 513-5300 . There is a $ 25,000 reward for information that helps locate Leslie Adams or leads to the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance . | Atlanta hair stylist Leslie Marva Adams disappeared three years ago . She failed to show up at her sister 's birthday party . Adams had taken out a restraining order against an ex-boyfriend . Police continue with DNA tests to determine if skeletal remains are hers . | [[195, 207], [270, 299], [367, 416], [419, 460], [575, 672], [195, 207], [215, 265], [1362, 1365], [1402, 1433], [2770, 2819]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 13-year-old Minnesota boy who has cancer has resumed chemotherapy treatments and is not responding well , a family spokesman said Friday . Doctors say Daniel Hauser 's lymphoma responded well to a first round of chemotherapy in February . Danny Hauser started a second round of chemotherapy treatment this week , Jim Navarro said in a statement on the family 's Web site , dannyhauser.com . `` The doctor changed the number of chemotherapy drugs in the protocol submitted to the court . Danny is not tolerating the drugs well and has been vomiting all day . He is understandably angry and depressed about being forced to go through the ravages of chemotherapy again . '' Daniel underwent his first round of chemotherapy in February , a month after he was diagnosed with Hodgkin 's lymphoma . But his parents were concerned about the treatment 's side effects , which typically include nausea , and decided to end the chemotherapy regimen and pursue holistic treatments instead . When Daniel 's oncologist learned of the decision to reject standard treatment , which doctors say is associated with a cure rate of as high as 90 percent , he asked a court to intervene to ensure the teen got chemotherapy . Doctors say that , without it , the disease would likely prove fatal . But last week , before the court could act , Colleen Hauser packed up her son and flew with him to Southern California , from where they were planning to continue to Mexico to seek alternative alternative medical treatment . She said he would have run on his own had she not helped him flee . She changed her mind before crossing the border and returned this week with Daniel to Minnesota , where the family agreed to comply with whatever treatment the court ordered . A medical examination revealed that the boy 's tumor had grown since he was diagnosed and the boy 's doctor recommended he resume chemotherapy . After examining the boy on Monday , Dr. Michael Richards estimated the tumor 's size at 5.3 inches by 5.1 inches by 6.3 inches , and said it was `` protruding outside the chest wall . '' He said initiation this week of standard chemotherapy treatment was `` imperative . '' Richards recommended at least another five cycles of chemotherapy followed by radiation , and added that the `` goal will be to include alternative therapies in which the family is interested , as long as there is not data to suggest that a particular danger exists with any alternative medicine . '' District Court Judge John Rodenberg originally took custody of the boy away from his parents , but returned him to his family on the condition that they comply with the recommendations of the cancer specialist . Hodgkin 's lymphoma is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system , which is part of the immune system . As the disease progresses , it compromises a body 's ability to fight infection . CNN 's Aaron Cooper contributed to this story . | Daniel Hauser started second round of chemotherapy this week , spokesman says . Daniel `` angry and depressed '' at being forced to undergo chemo , Jim Navarro says . 13-year-old needs chemotherapy , doctors and court say . Mother took him out of the state to seek alternative treatment , returned this week . | [[0, 15], [19, 46], [51, 97], [260, 331], [579, 638], [579, 581], [620, 688], [1765, 1909], [1300, 1309], [1312, 1338], [1341, 1355], [1378, 1414], [1589, 1592], [1641, 1684]] |
JEDDAH , Saudi Arabia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saudi King Abdullah confirmed Sunday that his country will increase daily oil production from 9 million barrels to 9.7 million in the near future to counter the sharp rise in international oil prices . Saudi Arabia has announced an increase in oil production in a bid to ease the pressure on oil prices . The Saudi petroleum minister , Ali I. Al-Naimi , said the country will reach the 9.7 million level by July . The announcement comes after Saudi officials announced modest increases . It would be Saudi Arabia 's highest production rate since 1981 . White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto praised the step , saying , `` Any increase in production in today 's oil market is welcome . It is important that we also take steps to increase domestic production and our refining capacity . '' Meanwhile , the average price of gasoline in the U.S. rose nearly 10 cents in the past two weeks to almost $ 4.10 a gallon for self-serve regular , according to a national survey released Sunday . The survey showed the national average was just a fraction of a cent under $ 4.10 a gallon , said survey publisher Trilby Lundberg . That is up 9.7 cents a gallon from the same survey two weeks ago , Lundberg said . Sen. Charles Schumer , D-New York , downplayed the Saudi increase . `` Nice try , but no cigar . When gas is at $ 4 per gallon , demand increases almost daily , and the Saudis have millions of barrels per day more in spare capacity , '' he said . `` This is n't nearly good enough . '' Al-Naimi , the petroleum minister , also said the Saudi government will invest in oil projects that would allow Saudi Arabia to have the capacity to produce 12.5 million barrels per day by the end of next year . King Abdullah 's announcement came at the end of the Jeddah energy summit , where he also called for OPEC to set aside $ 1 billion for a strategy to ease the oil price crisis . He said $ 500 million should be given to developing nations to help them get the energy they need . King Abdullah said there are `` many factors that made oil prices high . '' Along with increased demand , he also cited oil speculators and an increase in taxes in consumer nations . `` Now we see a lot of people point the finger at OPEC as it is solely responsible for this , '' he said . The king 's statement came a day after U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman , attending the summit , blamed the record oil prices on lack of production . `` All nations must be better at conservation , and the U.S. is at the top of that list , '' said Bodman , who met with journalists ahead of the international meeting of oil producing and consuming nations focusing on high oil prices . Some observers have blamed speculators for driving up oil prices . A key adviser to Saudi Arabia 's oil minister said Friday that a number of factors , including speculators and currency fluctuations , are to blame for rising oil prices . `` We need stability , '' Dr. Ibrahim al Muhanna said , adding that Saudi Arabia would like to see producers , consumers and distributors cooperate . But Bodman said he did not believe that they are the cause . Since 2003 , he said , global demand for oil has increased because of industry in China , India and the Middle East . But from 2005 to 2007 , there was very little increase in supply . Nations need an additional supply of energy to market , whether that energy is nuclear , coal , fossil fuels , solar or wind power , Bodman said . `` We spent 30 years digging ourselves into this hole , '' he said . `` It wo n't be solved soon . '' On Wednesday , President Bush asked Congress to permit drilling for oil in deep water off the U.S. coast to combat rising oil prices . He also renewed his demand that Congress allow oil drilling in Alaska 's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge , clear the way for more refineries and encourage efforts to recover oil from shale in areas like the Green River Basin , which encompasses parts of Colorado , Utah and Wyoming . `` In the short run , the American economy will continue to rely largely on oil , and that means we need to increase supply here at home , '' Bush said in a Rose Garden statement . | Saudis will increase daily oil production from 9 million barrels to 9.7 million . Increase from July , boosting production to highest level since 1981 . Announcement at Jeddah energy summit to help ease pain of oil price hike . Saudis : OPEC should give $ 1B for strategy , $ 500M of which for developing nations . | [[9, 37], [41, 186], [243, 308], [529, 593], [187, 242], [303, 345], [1749, 1822], [1798, 1815], [1831, 1833], [1839, 1894], [1926, 2013]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I 'm the mother of two daughters , a teen and a tween . So every day , I tiptoe through hormonally laced minefields hoping to avoid emotional carnage in response to any of my random comments or actions . The cervical cancer vaccine , approved in 2006 , is recommended for girls around 11 or 12 . As I tiptoe , I sometimes stumble , as any mother of girls that age knows . No adult woman in her right mind would knowingly , willingly utter comments that result in young people hissing , hurling verbal grenades such as , `` Thanks , Mom , for calling me fat , AGAIN . '' Or `` Are you EVEN listening to me ? '' Or any version of the very popular , `` I hate YOU , '' `` I hate you SO much , '' `` I hate this family , '' or just plain `` AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH ! '' followed by stomping feet and slamming doors . So given this background , you might understand why , when I chose to broach the subject of the latest vaccine for young girls , I was braced for a fight . Oddly enough , for once , the battle did n't come . I told my teenage daughter I wanted her to get the HPV -LRB- human papillomavirus -RRB- vaccine the next time she went to see her doctor . `` I do n't want to . '' `` Well , sorry . You have to . '' `` I heard it hurts . '' `` Well , that 's too bad . But it might prevent you from getting cancer later in life . '' `` Oh . -LRB- pause -RRB- OK . '' If you were keeping score , you might chalk that one up as a Mom win . The only problem with that is after winning over my daughter , I now had to convince myself . This drug has its own emotional battlefields . The HPV vaccine has been available to the public for almost two years . When Merck launched it in 2006 under the name Gardasil , many people enthusiastically embraced it as a wonder drug . Dr. Kevin Ault , associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University 's School of Medicine , says the vaccine helps women avoid an assortment of ailments , some not too serious , but others that are potentially deadly . `` There are about 100 different types of human papillomavirus , '' he said . `` Some of them are pretty common and not dangerous , like plantar warts or warts on your hand . About 30 of them infect the genital tract , and about a dozen of them are associated with cancer . '' Health for Her : Watch more the HPV vaccine and girls '' In this case , the cancer Ault is talking about is cervical cancer . The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2008 , there will be over 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed and almost 4,000 women will die from it in the United States . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says that at least 50 percent of people who have had sex will have one type of HPV at some time in their lives . Given those stats , this vaccine would seem like a pretty good thing , right ? The hitch is that the vaccine is suggested for adolescent girls , but the viruses in question are sexually transmitted . And that is one of the big reasons the HPV vaccine has divided parents in the question of `` to give or not to give . '' Let 's face it . Parents do n't like thinking about their daughters having sex at all . Ever . Now a new drug comes along , and not only are parents told they should embrace this new vaccine for their young daughters , but it 's also part of the set of routine vaccines that doctors are strongly encouraged to give their patients . Merck says the drug has been safely tested for girls and women between the ages of 9 and 26 . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that girls get the vaccine at age 11 or 12 . Ault explains why youth is key . Human papillomavirus is sexually transmitted , `` so one of the advantages of giving it to adolescents is that they are unlikely to have been sexually active , so they will not have been exposed to the virus before getting the vaccine . '' Another reason to do this early , Ault points out , is that `` our immune system is a lot better when we are 11 than when we are , say , at 22 . '' Ault also suggests that parents could use this experience to teach their children about sex and , even more important , about the realities of life , such as sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies . These arguments are n't convincing to some parents , the ones that are choosing not to have their daughters vaccinated . There are several reasons for doing this , including religious beliefs . Some faith-based groups feel the vaccine is inviting their young daughters to become sexually active . Others believe the drug is just too risky . CDC spokesman Curtis Allen says the vaccine is constantly being monitored by a joint CDC / FDA hotline . Parents , patients and physicians can call the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System , or VAERS , to report any adverse reaction to the vaccine . Through a Freedom of Information Act petition , the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch got records from VAERS that showed three deaths in girls who 'd had the vaccine in March-April 2007 and over 1,600 adverse reactions reported from June 2006 to April 2007 . All said the response came after getting the HPV vaccine . Allen cautions restraint in considering the reports . `` Most of these reactions were minor , '' he said , and the deaths `` were linked to circumstances not related to the vaccine . '' The CDC and the FDA are constantly monitoring the VAERS hotline and wo n't hesitate to act should they see any dangerous trends due to the HPV vaccine , he said . The vaccine does have some known side effects . Ault has seen his share . `` I certainly hear from women who get the vaccine that it 's painful , and I think some dizziness has been reported . '' In fact , fainting has been added to the list of potential side effects to watch for . Allen says doctors are now recommending that girls stay in their doctor 's office for a short period after they get the injection for just that reason . Three injections are necessary to get the full benefit of the vaccine . The shots need to be administered over a six-month period and at this stage are guaranteed to work for at least five years . All of this information leaves me confused . Frankly , I 'm not really sure I have won myself over when it comes to the `` shot or no shot '' decision for my daughters . However , in the back of my mind , I hear the words a father spoke when he thought about not giving the vaccine to his still-young daughter . He said , `` How am I going to be able to turn to my daughter when she 's older and tell her , ` When you were younger , I had the chance of making sure you never got a certain type of cancer , and I decided not to do it ' ? '' That 's an emotional minefield I truly do n't think I 'm emotionally equipped to walk through . E-mail to a friend . | Human papillomavirus , or HPV , can cause cervical cancer . Gardasil , a vaccine against HPV , was approved for U.S. use in 2006 . CDC : Girls 11-12 should get the vaccine , before they 're sexually active . Reported side effects causing some parents to reconsider vaccination . | [[241, 268], [271, 287], [241, 268], [290, 332], [1087, 1160], [2868, 2918], [3523, 3630], [3591, 3630], [5536, 5583], [5558, 5583]] |
-LRB- Travel + Leisure -RRB- -- With its tranquil beaches , the tiny northern island of Sylt is the country 's best-kept summer secret . An ideal way to see the island -- especially in late summer when the heather is in full bloom -- is by bike . Where to stay . Long and narrow , and spread over 36 square miles , Sylt has a verdant countryside peppered with its signature low-slung cottages . Many house tiny hotels , like the secluded Dorint Söl ` ring Hof -LRB- 1 Am Sandwall , Rantum ; 49-4651/836 -200 ; doubles from $ 550 -RRB- , a 15-room inn tucked into the dunes on the southern coast with its own hidden stretch of sugary sand . For those who want to be closer to the action , there 's the Hotel Stadt Hamburg -LRB- 2 Strandstrasse ; 49-4651/8580 ; doubles from $ 253 -RRB- , in the charming village of Westerland . You 'll have to walk five minutes to the beach , but this tidy hotel , built in 1869 , is an ideal base for exploration . Where to eat . The island 's dining scene attracts a number of German celebrities -LRB- Claudia Schiffer , Boris Becker -RRB- , and many frequent the stylish Sansibar -LRB- 80 Hörnumer Str. , Rantum ; 49-4651/964 -656 ; dinner for two $ 130 -RRB- . The restaurant 's North Sea-meets-Asian dishes , like fresh mussels in a sweet curry sauce , are a potent draw . In Kampen , you 'll find Greta 's Rauchfang -LRB- 5 Strönwai ; 49-4651 / 42672 ; dinner for two $ 92 -RRB- next to Louis Vuitton and Hermès . Here , socialites enjoy bottles of Kristall -LRB- opened dramatically with sabers -RRB- , along with small plates of the sweet local shrimp . To get away from the fabulous set , head to Alter Gasthof -LRB- 5 Alte Dorfstrasse , List ; 49-4651/877 -244 ; dinner for two $ 65 -RRB- on the isle 's northern tip . This 200-year-old inn dishes out classic regional food , including stellar house-smoked salmon and eel . What to do . Sylt is known for its nude beaches . The most famous is Buhne 16 -LRB- 133A Listlandstrasse , Kampen -RRB- , where Germans of every stripe let it all hang out as they lounge in wicker basket chairs . For those who like things a bit more covered up , try Am Roten Kliff , just north of Kampen , which is also -LRB- no surprise -RRB- less crowded . An ideal way to see the island -- especially in late summer when the heather is in full bloom -- is by bike . Fahrrad am Bahnhof -LRB- 49-4651/5803 -RRB- , in Westerland 's main train station , has a terrific rental selection , and the staff will happily suggest a route along Sylt 's 136 miles of well-laid-out paths . Getting there . Sylt is reached by train from Berlin -LRB- 5 hours -RRB- or Hamburg -LRB- 3 1/2 hours -RRB- . By car , take the autobahn to Niebüll from Berlin -LRB- 290 miles -RRB- or Hamburg -LRB- 120 miles -RRB- . There is no road connecting Sylt to the mainland ; vehicles board a train for the 30-minute trip to the island . For more , see bahn.de . Planning a beach getaway ? Do n't miss Travel + Leisure 's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts . Copyright 2009 American Express Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved . | The island of Sylt is five hours from Berlin by train . Sylt is known for its nude beaches . The island 's dining scene attracts a number of German celebrities . | [[2563, 2651], [1880, 1916], [964, 1094]] |
MOSCOW , Russia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A passenger jet caught fire early Sunday , exploded and crashed into railway tracks in the central Russian city of Perm , killing all 88 people on board . Wreckage from the Aeroflot-Nord Boeing 737 , which crashed near Perm , lies across a railway track . The exact cause of the pre-dawn crash is under investigation , but government spokesman Vladimir Markin said `` a technical breakdown '' was a likely cause . Markin said in televised remarks that the failure of one of the Boeing 737-500 's two engines may have caused the plane to come down , The Associated Press reported . Airline officials have said there is no indication of terrorism . `` We think it 's very doubtful that it was the result of a terrorist attack , because at the scene , there were no traces of explosives as we know for now , '' said Lev Koshlyakov , Deputy Director General of Aeroflot . It took firefighters more than two hours to extinguish the blazing wreckage . When the sun rose , pieces of the Aeroflot jet were strewn about the railroad tracks . `` It slammed in front of my house , and there was a huge flame , '' an unidentified woman in Perm told Russian state television . `` It looked like fireworks . '' She said the impact of the crash `` threw me across my sheets ... . Then my daughter ran in from the next room and asked if a war had started . '' She and other witnesses said they saw the aircraft burning before it came crashing down . `` It looked like a comet , '' she said . The jet was en route to Perm from Moscow when the pilots lost communication with air traffic control just before landing about 3:10 a.m. -LRB- 2110 GMT -RRB- , an Aeroflot official said . He described the weather at the time as `` mediocre . '' The public safety minister for the Perm region said investigators were combing a 2.5-mile -LRB- 4-kilometer -RRB- area , including homes and railways . Watch more about the crash '' `` Right now , it 's apparent that there was a fire on the plane at one kilometer in the air , '' Yuri Orlov said . `` After that , all contact was cut off -- the plane exploded . '' The flight data recorder has been recovered and will be analyzed by the International Aviation Commission , Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said . The plane carried 82 passengers , including seven children , and a crew of six . At least 21 non-Russians were on board , including passport-holders from Azerbaijan , Germany , France , Italy , Switzerland and Ukraine , said Lev Koshlyakov , Aeroflot 's deputy director general . The U.S. Embassy confirmed that no Americans were on board the flight , even though one passenger was listed as a U.S. citizen . It is the second crash in the region involving a Boeing 737 in less than a month . An Iran-bound Boeing 737 with 90 people on board crashed on August 24 just outside the airport in Kyrgyzstan 's capital , Bishkek , killing 68 . The 737 is a workhorse of the airline industry , with thousands of planes in service . Aeroflot said the one that crashed in Perm was manufactured in 1992 and was operated by its Aeroflot-Nord subsidiary . `` This Boeing 737 has all the necessary certificates , '' Koshlyakov said . `` We conduct audits and inspections of all the affiliate companies we work with in the realm of their effectiveness , safety and reliability of the airplanes . '' Airline safety in Russia and the former Soviet Union is among the worst in the world . Aviation experts say poor maintenance , inadequate pilot training and weak government controls are major factors . But Aeroflot is considered one of the safer airlines in the region . Sunday 's crash is the first fatal accident for the airline since 1994 , when a Russian pilot handed control of an Airbus to his 15-year-old son . It crashed , killing all 75 people on board . Russia 's government has now ordered an inquiry into the latest incident , to find out how another routine flight could have ended in tragedy . The National Transportation Safety Board will send a team of investigators to Perm to look into the incident -- a standard practice when a U.S.-made aircraft crashes . CNN 's Kathleen Koch and Michael Sefanov contributed to this report . | NEW : National Transportation Safety Board to send team from U.S. to investigate . NEW : Crash likely caused by engine failure , investigator reported as saying . Boeing 737 en route to Perm from Moscow was operated by Aeroflot Nord . Officials have said there is no indication of terrorism . | [[3968, 4076], [358, 448], [449, 473], [482, 568], [487, 581], [204, 232], [241, 258], [204, 232], [261, 290], [1511, 1551], [3000, 3118], [3000, 3008], [3014, 3042], [3063, 3118], [616, 681], [644, 681]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former first lady Nancy Reagan has been released from a hospital after fracturing her pelvis during a fall at home last week , a spokeswoman said Friday . Former first lady Nancy Reagan is shown at an event in the nation 's capital in September . Reagan , 87 , returned to her Bel Air , California , home , spokeswoman Joanne Drake said . Doctors expect a full recovery , prescribing a regimen of daily physical therapy and a reduced public schedule , Drake said in a written release . The former first lady admitted herself to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on Tuesday after experiencing what Drake described as `` persistent pain . '' Tests revealed a fractured pelvis and sacrum , the triangular bone within the pelvis . She also was hospitalized for two days in February after a fall . President Reagan died in June 2004 after a long battle with Alzheimer 's disease . Since his death , Nancy Reagan has remained involved with the national Alzheimer 's Association and its affiliate , the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute in Chicago , Illinois . However , she has appeared in public only rarely in recent years . Reagan expressed her thanks in the release Friday to all those who prayed for her and sent cards , flowers , phone calls and e-mails . | Nancy Reagan admitted herself to a hospital with a fractured pelvis Tuesday . Reagan , 87 , returned to her Bel Air , California , home Friday . She previously was hospitalized for two days in February after a fall . | [[0, 15], [37, 143], [505, 655], [266, 272], [280, 323], [0, 15], [37, 143], [746, 749], [755, 811]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pakistani military says security forces have taken back the city of Mingora from the Taliban , calling it a significant victory in its offensive against the Taliban . Pakistani solders escort a suspected Taliban militant inside an army base in Mingora . Mingora is the largest city in Pakistan 's Swat Valley where security forces have been fighting the Taliban in a month-long offensive . `` It is a great accomplishment , '' said Pakistani Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas . `` This is the largest city in Swat and for all practical purposes , Mingora has been secured . '' Abbas said militants put up a stiff resistance , but their resistance weakened as troops moved in . Abbas told CNN pockets of militants remain just outside Mingora . The fighting has uprooted about 2.4 million Pakistanis from their homes in the northwestern region of the country , according to the latest data from the United Nations . Of those displaced , about 10 percent -- or 240,000 -- are living in refugee camps , according to the U.N. . The announcement that the military has pushed the Taliban out of Mingora comes after days of Taliban attacks in other areas in the country . The military issued a press release on Saturday saying that 25 militants and a soldier were killed in fighting across the region over the last 24 hours . Pakistani authorities increased security throughout Islamabad on Friday after a string of deadly bombings in Lahore and Peshawar , and a threat by the Taliban to carry out further attacks . The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for Wednesday 's suicide attack in Lahore on a building housing police , intelligence and emergency offices . Twenty-seven people were killed . The militant group also threatened to continue attacking cities in Pakistan until the military ends its operations against Taliban militants in the country 's northwest . | Pakistani military says it has taken back key Swat Valley city of Mingora . Army spokesman says operation is a `` great accomplishment '' Fighting in northwestern region has displaced about 2.4 million Pakistanis . Pakistan raises security levels after deadly blasts in Lahore , Peshawar . | [[0, 9], [12, 36], [40, 136], [1077, 1127], [1055, 1195], [775, 873], [1350, 1478]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nadya Suleman , who gave birth to octuplets in January , will tell her story in a book , although no publisher has been found to sell it , her lawyer said . In addition to her reality TV show , Nadya Suleman has met with a ghost writer for a book . Jeffrey Czech also confirmed details of a `` less-intrusive '' reality show about Suleman and her 14 kids , although no U.S. network has been signed to carry it . The advance money for the TV show deal will help Suleman pay her bills , Czech said . `` Obviously , she needs to do something more than just flip hamburgers all day , '' he said . Suleman was set to sign an agreement with a ghost writer for her book Monday , Czech said . While he would not name the writer , he said the two `` hit it off . '' In addition to the eight children born this year , Suleman has six other children . All 14 were conceived through in-vitro fertilization . The TV deal was signed with the British division of EyeWorks , Czech said . Headquartered in the Netherlands , EyeWorks produces and distributes television programs in Europe , parts of South America , Australia , New Zealand and the United States . Its U.S. productions include `` The Biggest Loser , '' which takes overweight participants through what producers call `` radical physical makeover without any kind of surgery . '' `` EyeWorks is a strong company and they did offer some money up front , which is obviously attractive to a woman with her financial situation , '' Czech said . He would not reveal terms of the TV deal or how much money was involved . The show would be similar to what EyeWorks has produced in Europe , in which a camera crew does not follow the family every day , he said . It would , instead , record milestones and special events . Suleman will handle the camera for much of the taping of her TV show , reducing the intrusion into her children 's lives by television crews , Czech said . Though he said the show has not been named , Suleman has sought to trademark her media nickname -- Octomom -- for a TV show and a line of diapers . Suleman has said no to some opportunities to make money , Czech said . She declined an offer from Vivid , a porn movie company , to star in its productions , he said . CNN 's Alan Duke contributed to this report . | Nadya Suleman 's lawyer says she 's met with ghost writer ; no publisher yet . She 's also getting an advance on reality TV show ; she will handle the camera . Lawyer : `` She needs to do something more than just flip hamburgers all day '' Suleman , already mother of six , gave birth to octuplets in January . | [[133, 180], [238, 292], [637, 706], [456, 526], [1407, 1441], [1806, 1869], [183, 200], [557, 621], [44, 57], [64, 98], [852, 884]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mauricio Funes was inaugurated Monday as El Salvador 's president , promising to work for the nation 's poor and disadvantaged . El Salvador 's new president , Mauricio Funes , takes power Monday after his inauguration in San Salvador . Funes , elected March 15 , is a member of a political party that waged guerrilla war against the government 17 years ago . He is El Salvador 's first leftist president . `` The Salvadoran public asked for a change , and that change begins now , '' Funes said in an inauguration speech before an audience that included Latin American leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Funes , a member of the FMLN party , won a narrow victory over the ARENA party 's Rodrigo Avila . Funes ' victory ended a 20-year hold on the presidency by the right-leaning ARENA . With Funes ' win , El Salvador joined other Latin American countries that have elected leftist leaders in recent years -- Venezuela , Bolivia , Nicaragua , Argentina , Honduras , Guatemala , Ecuador and Brazil . The FMLN , which is the Spanish acronym for the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front , was formed in 1980 as an umbrella group for five leftist guerilla organizations fighting a U.S.-backed military dictatorship . The guerrillas and the government signed a peace pact in 1992 , and the FMLN became a legitimate political party . By some estimates , 75,000 Salvadorans died during the war . The new president will find `` a country that still retains a lot of bitterness , a lot of division , '' Peter Hakim , president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue policy institute , said before the election . `` This country is completely divided , '' ARENA party official Adolfo Torres said on CNN affiliate TCS TV on election night . Funes acknowledged that division Monday , promising to `` create a country without hate and without resentment . '' He also seemed to acknowledge the difficulties ahead , saying , `` We do n't have the right to make mistakes . '' Despite a dire economy , Funes promised an ambitious social program that would include construction of 11,000 homes , scholarships for children ages 6 to 18 and improvement in delivery of water , electricity and sanitary services to 32 poor municipalities . He may be hard-pressed to follow through , some analysts said . `` Once Funes assumes office on 1 June , his government will face major challenges to boost the economy , cut government expenditures to trim the fiscal deficit and maintain support to the poor , who are being hit hardest by the economic downturn , '' analyst Heather Berkman wrote in a report last week for the Eurasia Group consulting firm . `` Cutting expenditures and reducing the deficit will be the most important challenges , '' Berkman wrote , adding that to `` do this , the Funes administration plans to cut government spending and eliminate redundant presidential commissions ; retarget propane subsidies -LRB- and perhaps eventually eliminate them -RRB- ; and propose a number of new taxes on alcoholic beverages , tobacco and new vehicles . '' Funes campaigned on a platform of fiscal reform that aims to increase the government 's tax take incrementally , Berkman said . Funes did not offer any details Monday , speaking instead in general terms of the El Salvador he would like to see under his five-year administration . He will not , Funes said , `` govern for a few or be complacent to corruption . '' Funes , a former freelance journalist for CNN en Español , noted in particular that his administration will fight organized crime and narcotraffickers . `` In this government , '' he said , `` those who have merit will be compensated and those who are guilty will be punished . '' | Mauricio Funes is inaugurated as El Salvador 's president . Funes of the FMLN party is El Salvador 's first leftist president . Funes ' political party waged guerrilla war against government till early '90s . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton among dignitaries at inauguration . | [[0, 5], [19, 84], [148, 176], [196, 255], [379, 425], [256, 261], [283, 315], [298, 315], [321, 378], [548, 559], [565, 642]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Navy is investigating how thousands of dollars went missing in the rescue of the captain of the Maersk Alabama in April , a Pentagon source told CNN . The USS Bainbridge tows the lifeboat in which Capt. Robert Phillips was held for days . The Naval Criminal Investigative Service opened an investigation into how $ 30,000 disappeared after special forces snipers shot and killed three pirates , ending the multi-day siege and freeing the captain , who had been held hostage . Investigators are talking to anyone who may have had contact with the money or knowledge about what happened to it , the source said , including military personnel on the warship , Navy SEALs who rescued Capt. Richard Phillips , and the crew of the Maersk Alabama . The NCIS and the Maersk Line Ltd. , which owns the Maersk Alabama , have not responded to CNN 's request for comment . In a criminal complaint filed against the one surviving alleged pirate , Abduwali Muse , the government contends the alleged pirate demanded money from the ship 's captain and led him by gun point to the ship 's safe . Watch CNN 's Chris Lawrence on the investigation '' `` The captain opened the safe and took out approximately $ 30,000 in cash . Muse and two other pirates then took the cash , '' the criminal complaint contends . It goes on to allege that Muse distributed some of the money to the other pirates who retreated to a lifeboat where they were holding the captain as a captive . See timeline of events that led to piracy case '' All three of the other pirates were killed by U.S. Special Forces snipers during the rescue but the complaint does not list any money recovered from the boat after the rescue . It only lists rifles , a hand gun , artillery , cell phones and handheld radios . | The Naval Criminal Investigative Service opened an investigation into missing cash . $ 30,000 disappeared after rescue of captain of Maersk Alabama by Navy SEALs . SEALs shot and killed three pirates , ending multi-day siege , freeing captain in April . Pirates reportedly led captain at gun point to the ship 's safe . | [[30, 153], [273, 426], [30, 153], [691, 701], [706, 775], [273, 426], [429, 479], [460, 509], [691, 701], [706, 775], [1539, 1630], [895, 918], [984, 1106], [968, 976], [1071, 1113]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- A directive recently handed down by a Detroit-area suburban mayor has ignited the latest round of a seemingly endless debate -- one that always burns with more intensity in the home of the Big Three than anywhere else . Many residents in the Detroit , Michigan area are auto workers . Thousands have been laid off recently . It 's the debate that relates to cars and goes something like this : `` Buy American ! '' vs. `` I 'll buy what I want ! '' That debate sometimes , but not always , begins as a civil conversation . But the Detroit area has been hit hard in the last five years by the ongoing , sometimes enormous financial losses posted by the Big Three . The Big Three 's financial woes have had a direct impact on the Michigan economy with hundreds of thousands of layoffs and/or buyouts . Given that so many of the state 's workers have lost their jobs -- and in some cases , their homes - it sometimes does n't take long before the car debate escalates into an emotional one . That can lead to angry name-calling and insults - like many of the reader comments that flooded the online edition of the Detroit newspaper that first reported a controversial story . AOL Autos : Best new car deals this month . This latest round of the discussion was inspired by a decision made by Jim Fouts , the mayor of Warren , Michigan , a large Detroit suburb and Michigan 's third-largest city , and where a good portion of the residents are -LRB- or were -RRB- autoworkers . In mid-August , Fouts told his department heads , which amount to 40 or 50 of the city 's more than 700 employees that he `` expects '' the next car they buy will be an American model . More to the point , he expects them to drive General Motors or Chrysler vehicles , since both companies have various manufacturing or assembly plants in Warren -- not to mention GM 's sprawling Tech Center -- and therefore are the city 's two highest taxpayers . Fouts , who drives a 2001 Chrysler Concorde himself , is n't being draconian about it . That is , he has n't ordered his appointees to run right out and dump their Hondas , Toyotas , Saabs or Audis immediately . `` But I strongly suggested that the next car they buy should be an American one , and that I had an equally strong expectation that they will do so , '' Fouts said . `` Legally , since they are ` at-will ' employees , I have the right to mandate , and an expectation that they will meet that mandate . '' AOL Autos : Best hybrid SUVs . Some have accused Fouts of over-stepping his authority by `` butting in '' to his employees ' private lives , while others have given the policy a hearty `` thumbs up . '' `` Some of them are not enthusiastic about it , '' Fouts said , noting that one department head currently drives a Mercedes-Benz vehicle . `` But many of these department heads make more than $ 100,000 a year , and I told them that they might not be able to enjoy the economic comforts they currently enjoy if it were not for the amount of taxes that GM and Chrysler pay to the city . AOL Autos : Luxury cars with the best MPG . `` I think of it as ` economic patriotism . ' '' Fouts said he did not know how many of his department heads currently drive imports , although one of his appointees , Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer , guessed that about 90 percent of the appointees already drive American-made cars . `` But the ones who are not happy about this -- well , they wo n't talk to -LSB- reporters -RSB- about that , because they know how I feel about it , '' said Fouts . Dwyer , who drives a Jeep Cherokee , supports the mayor 's `` buy American '' expectation . `` I believe that , the way the economy is that Americans should be buying American cars . And , as department heads , I think it 's important for us to be setting an example for the other city workers . '' AOL Autos : Safest cars . One of the reasons usually cited for the U.S. automakers ' loss of market share are consumer perceptions that imports are higher in quality -- although several recent surveys by various research groups have revealed that Detroit carmakers have closed the `` quality gap '' in recent years to the point that it is almost negligible . And the handful of Detroit-area residents/natives we talked to about the `` Buy American '' debate had no complaints about the quality of their American-made cars - or their foreign-made ones , for that matter . One is Tracy Balazy of Dearborn , Michigan - the Detroit suburb that is home to the Ford Motor Company 's world headquarters . AOL Autos : Most popular crossover vehicles . `` I drive a 2000 Saturn , because it was cheaper than a Honda , '' Balazy said . `` And other than brakes and the usual things , I 've had no problems with it , and it now has 101,000 miles on it . '' Balazy has an interesting take on the topic of whether we should feel compelled to `` buy American , '' when it comes to cars , however - and whether we should be instructed to do so . `` The average American probably spends a lot more on other things - clothes , household goods , you name it - than on cars . I think it 's hypocritical for someone to tell everyone to ` buy American ' as it pertains to cars , but then take advantage of the great prices on imported goods at say , Wal-Mart , '' Balazy said . `` I 've passed up many good deals , and have abstained from buying a lot of consumer goods I 've wanted over the past year , just to avoid buying foreign-made products . '' Ken Reibel , a Michigan native who 's lived in Milwaukee for more than 20 years , drives a 2002 Mazda Protégé , while his wife motors around in a 2001 Toyota Corolla . `` We bought both of them used , from neighbors , '' he says . `` They 've both been good runners . No serious problems . The Protégé is a sweet ride . `` But I 'm not even sure what it means to ` Buy American ' anymore , '' says Reibel . `` Ford has a huge stake in Mazda , and Japanese automakers build most of their cars for the American market right here in the U.S. , with American labor . It 's easier to ` Buy American ' if you 're purchasing a shirt or case of beer . But cars are different . I 'm sure if you disassembled a Chevrolet Malibu or a Ford Windstar you would find an appalling number of foreign-made components and assemblies . '' Gary Galusky is a Detroit-area native/resident who gives high marks to quality of his American-made vehicle . For the last couple of years , Galusky has actually maintained two residences : one in Dearborn and one in Sutton 's Bay , in Northern Michigan - a five-hour drive . `` I make that commute regularly , about every three weeks , in a 2005 Ford Escape that I bought new . It now has 103,000 miles on it , and it 's never required anything other than ordinary maintenance , '' says Galusky . Conrad Sutter grew up in Harper Woods , a Detroit suburb just a few miles from Warren , and now lives in Richland , in western Michigan . Sutter says he agrees with the `` Buy American '' sentiment . `` I believe what the mayor of Warren is doing is okay , '' says Sutter . `` I would n't suppose there are a lot of Apple Computers being purchased in Redmond , Washington -LRB- home of Microsoft Corp. -RRB- , either . `` Nothing wrong with that . '' | Detroit mayor sparks debate when he tells employees to buy American cars . Big Three 's financial woes have had impact on Michigan economy . Customer : Hypocritical to buy American cars then buy other imported goods . Differences in quality between American and foreign are negligible . | [[25, 90], [0, 21], [76, 149], [420, 439], [3600, 3645], [4285, 4310], [5110, 5208], [548, 624], [646, 688], [689, 824], [5110, 5208]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A drunk passenger tried to hijack a Turkish Airlines flight to Russia on Wednesday before he was brought under control , the head of Turkey 's civil aviation authority said . The Turkish Airlines passenger jet was en route from Turkey to Russia when the incident took place . The plane landed safely and on time Wednesday afternoon in St. Petersburg . Russian authorities promptly arrested a `` slightly intoxicated '' passenger from Uzbekistan , Russia 's Interfax News Agency reported , citing a national police spokesman . The suspect , in his early 50s , was arrested on suspicion of trying to hijack the plane , Interfax reported . Turkish media initially reported that the plane had been hijacked . When asked about those reports , a Turkish Airlines spokesman said the flight experienced an `` urgent situation '' as it headed to St. Petersburg , without offering further details . Interfax said the flight was carrying 164 Russian nationals . There have been several attempts to hijack Turkish airlines in recent years . In August 2007 , two men hijacked an Istanbul-bound Atlasjet Airlines flight with 136 passengers and crew on board from Cyprus , claiming to have a bomb on board the flight . They forced the crew to make an emergency landing in Antalya . Both hijackers eventually surrendered to Turkish authorities . In April 2007 , Turkish authorities detained a man they believed tried to hijack a Turkish airliner , possibly to Iran . The suspect , Mehmed Goksin Gol , was not armed and all 178 passengers and crew aboard the Pegasus Airlines flight were unharmed . The flight was heading from southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir to Istanbul , but landed at Ankara 's airport , where the suspect was detained . In October 2006 , a Turkish man hijacked a Turkish jetliner with 113 people aboard en route from the Albanian capital Tirana for Istanbul . He forced it to fly to a military airfield in Brindisi , Italy , where the passengers and crew were released unharmed . CNN 's Maxim Tkachenko in Moscow and Nicky Robertson in Atlanta contributed to this report . | Incident on flight between Antalya , Turkey and St Petersburg , Russia . Turkish Airlines : Drunk man tried to hijack passenger plane . Officials : Man brought under control , airline experienced `` urgent situation '' NEW : Interfax : Flight arrives at St. Petersburg , police arrest Uzbek man in his 50s . | [[194, 263], [0, 15], [19, 111], [545, 556], [559, 633], [1349, 1362], [1365, 1469], [724, 754], [757, 839], [371, 463], [466, 505], [545, 556], [559, 633]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thousands of inmates rioted at the Reeves County Detention Center in Texas on Saturday , the second disturbance at the prison facility in the last two months . As many as 2,080 inmates from two of the center 's three buildings began fighting in the prison yard about 4:30 p.m. CT , said county Sheriff 's Office Dispatcher Anna Granado . Authorities from several law enforcement agencies responded to quell the violence . However , officials had not brought the unrest under control as of 1 a.m. Sunday , according to the sheriff 's office . Officials said they do not know what prompted the riots . Three inmates were hospitalized , including one with a severed finger , the sheriff 's office said . On December 12 , inmates took two workers hostage and set fire to the recreation area at the center in Pecos , located about 430 miles west of Dallas . The inmates , who had made several demands , surrendered later that night . The prison is a 2,400-bed , low-security facility , operated by Geo Group Inc. . It houses federal prisoners as well as inmates from other states . CNN 's Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report . | NEW : Inmate unrest at Texas prison enters second day . NEW : Authorities : Three inmates have been hospitalized ; one has severed finger . Prison was site of another inmate riot in December . Officials say they do not know what sparked latest riot . | [[619, 650], [619, 632], [653, 688], [561, 618], [576, 618]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mauricio Funes was inaugurated Monday as El Salvador 's president , promising to work for the nation 's poor and disadvantaged . El Salvador 's new president , Mauricio Funes , takes power Monday after his inauguration in San Salvador . Funes , elected March 15 , is a member of a political party that waged guerrilla war against the government 17 years ago . He is El Salvador 's first leftist president . `` The Salvadoran public asked for a change , and that change begins now , '' Funes said in an inauguration speech before an audience that included Latin American leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Funes , a member of the FMLN party , won a narrow victory over the ARENA party 's Rodrigo Avila . Funes ' victory ended a 20-year hold on the presidency by the right-leaning ARENA . With Funes ' win , El Salvador joined other Latin American countries that have elected leftist leaders in recent years -- Venezuela , Bolivia , Nicaragua , Argentina , Honduras , Guatemala , Ecuador and Brazil . The FMLN , which is the Spanish acronym for the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front , was formed in 1980 as an umbrella group for five leftist guerilla organizations fighting a U.S.-backed military dictatorship . The guerrillas and the government signed a peace pact in 1992 , and the FMLN became a legitimate political party . By some estimates , 75,000 Salvadorans died during the war . The new president will find `` a country that still retains a lot of bitterness , a lot of division , '' Peter Hakim , president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue policy institute , said before the election . `` This country is completely divided , '' ARENA party official Adolfo Torres said on CNN affiliate TCS TV on election night . Funes acknowledged that division Monday , promising to `` create a country without hate and without resentment . '' He also seemed to acknowledge the difficulties ahead , saying , `` We do n't have the right to make mistakes . '' Despite a dire economy , Funes promised an ambitious social program that would include construction of 11,000 homes , scholarships for children ages 6 to 18 and improvement in delivery of water , electricity and sanitary services to 32 poor municipalities . He may be hard-pressed to follow through , some analysts said . `` Once Funes assumes office on 1 June , his government will face major challenges to boost the economy , cut government expenditures to trim the fiscal deficit and maintain support to the poor , who are being hit hardest by the economic downturn , '' analyst Heather Berkman wrote in a report last week for the Eurasia Group consulting firm . `` Cutting expenditures and reducing the deficit will be the most important challenges , '' Berkman wrote , adding that to `` do this , the Funes administration plans to cut government spending and eliminate redundant presidential commissions ; retarget propane subsidies -LRB- and perhaps eventually eliminate them -RRB- ; and propose a number of new taxes on alcoholic beverages , tobacco and new vehicles . '' Funes campaigned on a platform of fiscal reform that aims to increase the government 's tax take incrementally , Berkman said . Funes did not offer any details Monday , speaking instead in general terms of the El Salvador he would like to see under his five-year administration . He will not , Funes said , `` govern for a few or be complacent to corruption . '' Funes , a former freelance journalist for CNN en Español , noted in particular that his administration will fight organized crime and narcotraffickers . `` In this government , '' he said , `` those who have merit will be compensated and those who are guilty will be punished . '' | Mauricio Funes is inaugurated as El Salvador 's president . Funes of the FMLN party is El Salvador 's first leftist president . Funes ' political party waged guerrilla war against government till early '90s . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton among dignitaries at inauguration . | [[0, 5], [19, 84], [148, 176], [196, 255], [379, 425], [256, 261], [283, 315], [298, 315], [321, 378], [548, 559], [565, 642]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Desperation , sophisticated smuggling operations and the emergence of a small Italian island as a migrant destination provide the sad backdrop to Monday 's tragedy on the Mediterranean Sea -- the capsizing of a boat carrying African migrants from Libya to Italy . Libyan police officers help rescued migrants off an overcrowded boat that arrived this week in Tripoli . Jean-Philippe Chauzy , spokesman for the International Organization for Migration , said Tuesday that Libya for years has been a destination for migrants from the rest of Africa . Its relatively successful economy is a magnet for people from impoverished regions , and its proximity makes it a logical jumping-off point for Europe . People from places such as Ghana , Nigeria , Niger and Burkina Faso long have traveled to Tripoli and other Libyan locations and have gotten work there , from construction to washing cars . Chauzy said even people from the Horn of Africa , where Somalis and Ethiopians have fled to Yemen via the Gulf of Aden , are choosing to travel to Libya rather than pursue a trip to Yemen . Asians as well are opting to travel to Europe from Libya . While some Africans hope to settle in Libya , many others have their eyes on moving onward to Europe . They tend to sail to Lampedusa , an Italian island lying southwest of Sicily and just north of the African coast -- considered an advantageous way station for entrance into Europe . Italy has been bolstering its efforts to stop the illegal traffic . Some of the people who find their way to the island get asylum . Some migrants eventually are returned to their home countries , but others are taken from Lampedusa to facilities on the mainland , where they are sometimes simply released instead of being deported . Chauzy said people head to Europe first and foremost to help their families back home with a paycheck . He said the global economic crisis has led to a drop in the money sent back home , and that in turn has affected hurting African economies , where prices for staple crops have plummeted . He said that the bolstering of border controls sparked by such a tragedy could prompt migrants to take other dangerous routes . Watch as details emerge on latest tragedy '' Officials said at least hundreds of migrants are believed to have perished in the Mediterranean over the past year . In the latest incident , more than 200 African migrants are believed to have died after their vessel , carrying 250 people , capsized in rough waters . At least 20 people are confirmed dead , and 23 have been rescued . Another boat with more than 350 migrants aboard was rescued , and these migrants -- mostly Africans but also including some Asians -- were taken to Tripoli in Libya . The International Organization for Migration believes there are two other boats in the Mediterranean that could be carrying migrants . The flight of migrants on rough seas is not just a local phenomenon . `` We are seeing it all over the world , '' U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said Tuesday . Smugglers , for example , also take people from western Africa to the Canary Islands , from Myanmar to Thailand , and from Turkey to Greece . Guterres said the tragedy shows the urgent measures people take `` to escape conflict , persecution and poverty in search of a better life . '' Some of the people can be classified as refugees -- people fleeing war and persecution and who could qualify for asylum in other countries . Others are migrants from countries where there is no persecution . They are in search of jobs and a better life . Thousands have died on their journeys , but thousands have survived as well , with many awaiting asylum and resettlement opportunities . There has been much publicity about the flight of Ethiopians and Somalis across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen . Many have died en route , with smugglers at times throwing people overboard to avoid getting arrested by navies for their operations . Ron Redmond , the UNHCR spokesman , said he believes such movement will persist as the `` economic situation continues to worsen worldwide . '' The agency said the number of asylum seekers in industrialized countries increased last year for the second year running , in part because of higher numbers of asylum applications by citizens of Afghanistan , Somalia and other turbulent nations . Last year , 36,000 people arrived in Italy by sea from North Africa . Some 75 percent of them applied for asylum , and about 50 percent of those received some form of international protection from the Italian authorities . Demetrios G. Papademetriou , president of Washington-based think tank Migration Policy Institute , said the movement of migrants is organized , with smuggling syndicates making `` obscene profits '' and `` enormous amounts of money . '' `` These are organized flows , '' Papademetriou said . As for the tragedy , `` you will see this again and again and again , '' he said . | Libya has long been a destination for migrants from the rest of Africa . Many African migrants try to find work in industries such as construction . Others attempt to move on to Europe , with Italy a common destination . Strict border controls often prompt migrants to take other dangerous routes . | [[388, 408], [472, 567], [721, 845], [721, 788], [836, 845], [850, 872], [967, 989], [1032, 1100], [1166, 1203], [1160, 1170], [1206, 1262], [1296, 1375], [1379, 1444], [2071, 2198], [2084, 2117], [2134, 2198]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea is to blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Friday . Hyun Hak-Bong -LRB- right -RRB- , North Korea 's deputy negotiator to six-party talks , crosses the border into South Korea on June 5 . The destruction of the plant 's cooling tower is part of an agreement with the United States aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula in exchange for loosening some restrictions on the highly secretive Communist country . The North Korean government has invited news organizations , including CNN , to witness the event . Earlier this year , Pyongyang agreed to disable its nuclear reactor and provide a full accounting of its plutonium stockpile , `` acknowledge '' concerns about its proliferation activities and its uranium enrichment activity , and agree to continue cooperation with a verification process to ensure no further activities are taking place . North Korea has been taking Yongbyon 's main reactor apart , but imploding the cooling tower is an exceptionally important psychological step given that the highly recognizable shape of the structure is synonymous with nuclear power plants . The United Nations ' nuclear watchdog , the International Atomic Energy Agency , says it would take a year to rebuild if North Korea decided to go back on its agreement , and that the construction could not be done in secret . Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended U.S. diplomacy toward North Korea last week , saying the deal with Pyongyang made Asia and the U.S. safer . Speaking at the Heritage Foundation , a conservative Washington think tank , Rice said that `` North Korea will soon give its declaration of nuclear programs to China . '' China is the host of the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea 's nuclear program , along with Russia , South Korea , Japan and the United States . Rice spoke in advance of her upcoming trip to Asia where she will be attending a meeting of G8 foreign ministers and meeting with her Asian counterparts . Rice said once North Korea submits its declaration , President Bush will notify Congress he intends to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and scrap some sanctions levied against North Korea because of nuclear concerns . But she noted that there would be no practical effect to loosening the restrictions because North Korea still was under the same sanctions because of other areas of U.S. law . Rice said a 45-day review would then begin to see if North Korea is telling the truth and living up to its end of the deal struck in the six-party talks . `` Before those actions go into effect , we would continue to assess the level of North Korean cooperation in helping to verify the accuracy and completeness of its declaration , '' she said . `` And if that cooperation is insufficient , we will respond accordingly . '' The United States softened its demand that North Korea publicly admit to having a highly enriched uranium program and to providing Syria with nuclear technology , key unanswered questions that have left negotiations stalled for months . North Korea has already handed over about 18,000 documents on its nuclear past to the U.S. , which the U.S. says are critical to verify North Korea 's claims . Rice said that the deal with North Korea was n't perfect but offered the U.S. the best chance to learn about North Korea 's nuclear history . `` We must keep the broader goal in mind : the elimination of North Korea 's nuclear weapons and programs , all of them , '' she said . `` North Korea has said that it is committed to this goal . We 'll see . '' Rice said that `` no final agreement can be concluded '' unless the U.S. verifies North Korea 's claims . CNN State Department Correspondent Elise Labott contributed to this report . | North Korea plans to destroy nuclear plant 's cooling tower . Implosion is part of an agreement with the United States . U.N. says the cooling tower would take a year to rebuild . Long-term aim is to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons . | [[30, 124], [261, 353], [1169, 1206], [1250, 1337], [336, 398]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Voluble real estate mogul Donald Trump called alleged Wall Street scam artist Bernard Madoff a `` sleazebag '' and `` a total crook '' Thursday in an interview on CNN . Donald Trump said investors who lost money in a Ponzi scheme were victims of their own greed . Trump recently hosted a party at his Palm Beach , Florida , estate , Mar-a-Lago , that was attended by several people who say they were victims of an alleged $ 50 billion Ponzi scheme run by Madoff . Madoff , 70 , is a former chairman of Nasdaq . He was charged last week with fraud . Trump , chairman and president of the Trump Organization , a New York-based real estate development empire , spoke with Kiran Chetry on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' CNN : How angry are people at this situation with Madoff ? Donald Trump : ... The people in Palm Beach , many of those people have been just ripped off by this sleazebag , and they 'll never see the kind of money that they 've seen . You have some people gave 100 percent of their net worth to him in trust , because they trusted him , they trusted his family , they trusted everybody , and now they literally are selling their houses in order to live . And some of them mortgaged their houses in order to give that money to this Madoff . And it 's really a terrible thing . I 'd see him around Mar-a-Lago , I 'd see him around Palm Beach -- and he 's a disgrace . Watch the possible ramifications of the Madoff case '' CNN : ... How did he get away with this ? How did so many smart people entrust somebody -- and we keep hearing over and over again , 100 percent of their money going to this guy . Would you ever let 100 percent of your money go to something , even if you trusted the person ? Trump : I would not , and a lot of my friends would not , but obviously a lot of my friends did . The word is very simple . It 's a word called `` greed . '' Greed . That 's all it is . People were greedy . They thought he was going to get them a little bit more return , or a lot more return . I mean , he was a Svengali for rich people . There are Svengalis for women ; this guy was a Svengali for rich people -- very rich people . But when you think of a person putting up 100 percent of their net worth and even mortgaging their house , even though they had a lot of cash -- mortgaging their house to get more cash to this guy -- and now they 're going to have to go out , literally , and maybe work in a drugstore . I do n't know what they 're going to do . CNN : Did you lose money from Madoff ? Trump : No , I did not . CNN : Some are blaming the -LSB- Securities and Exchange Commission -RSB- , saying for years they did not investigate any claims . Chairman Christopher Cox said there were some credible accusations against Madoff made nearly a decade ago that were never referred to the commission to act . So what 's your take on the oversight , how the SEC and government handled this ? Trump : I would not blame the SEC . This guy was a total crook . The people in his own organization supposedly did n't know about it . Now , that 's another thing ; I find that hard to believe . He 's got two sons , and they did n't know about it ? And they worked there for years ? I think the whole thing is a swindle . I think even that 's a swindle : The father said , `` Look , you guys turn me in and pretend you do n't know anything and I 'll save my two sons . '' But it 's impossible for me to believe that his sons did n't know about this . CNN : So you also think it 's impossible that he acted alone . Trump : I do n't know how you could act alone . They had three floors of a major office building . How could one man be manipulating that much money without all of the people knowing -- without at least a large number of the people knowing about it ? So I would certainly think that his sons are guilty . | Real estate giant lashes out at suspect in $ 50 billion investment scheme . People were victims of their own greed , Trump says . Trump doubts that Bernard Madoff could have acted alone . Trump says he did not lose any money to Madoff . | [[430, 482], [188, 282], [206, 282], [1918, 1938], [3553, 3592]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A rocket fired by Palestinian militants fell on a Gaza home and killed two children , Palestinian sources said Friday , the same day Israel opened three Gaza border crossings for the first time in 10 days . A truck carrying grain enters Gaza from Israel on Friday at the Karni crossing point , one of three Israel reopened . A third child was in critical condition . The children , all girls , were cousins -- the two who died were 7 and 12 , and the injured child is 5 , Hamas security and Palestinian medical sources said . The rocket struck a house north of Gaza City . In a separate development , the Israeli military said it allowed a Palestinian who was badly wounded by rocket fire Wednesday to enter Israel for treatment . The Palestinian entered Israel through the Erez Crossing between northern Gaza and Israel . Israel closed the crossing for all but humanitarian reasons because of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel by Palestinian militants . But it opened three other crossings Friday , allowing fuel and commodities into the Palestinian territory for the first time in more than a week . About 80 trucks filled with commodities were expected to cross into Gaza . Among the goods were 400,000 liters of fuel and 120 tons of cooking gas . The decision to open the crossings at Kerem Shalom , Karni and Nahal Oz came after requests from international aid groups and Egypt , said Peter Lerner , a spokesman for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories . In addition , he said , Israel has no desire to hurt the civilian population in Gaza . Lerner said whether to keep the crossings open would be a daily decision . United Nations assistance programs in Gaza have run out of flour and several essential pharmaceuticals , the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said . A tenuous six-month truce between the Hamas government in Gaza and Israel expired a week ago . Under the Egyptian-brokered deal , Hamas agreed to end militant attacks on Israel from Gaza , and Israel agreed to halt raids inside the territory and ease its blockade on humanitarian goods . In reality , the truce started breaking down two months ago . Rocket attacks by militants became more frequent , and Israel resumed airstrikes inside Gaza . Since then , dozens of rockets have been fired by Palestinian militants into Israel . Israel Defense Forces said about nine rockets have been launched from Gaza since midnight , pushing the three-day total to more than 110 . There are no reports of casualties in Israel . The crossings opened a day after Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met in Cairo and Egypt expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza . Livni criticized Hamas after her meeting with Mubarak . `` Hamas needs to understand that Israel 's basic desire to live in a tranquil region does n't mean that Israel is willing to accept ongoing shooting at its population , '' she said , according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry . `` Enough is enough . We can not accept this situation , and the situation will change . '' Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has threatened to respond to the escalating violence . He warned Hamas again Thursday in an interview on the Al Arabiya television network and seemed to suggest that time was running out . `` We do not want to fight the Palestinian people , but we will not allow Hamas to strike our children , '' Olmert said . `` I did not come here to declare war , '' he continued . `` But Hamas must be stopped -- and so it will be . `` I will not hesitate to use Israel 's strength to strike at Hamas and Islamic Jihad . How ? I do not wish to go into details here . '' | NEW : Militants ' rocket hits Gaza house , killing Palestinian cousins . NEW : Military says it allowed wounded Palestinian into Israel despite blockade . Trucks filled with commodities cross into Gaza at three locations . Militants have fired 110 rockets since Wednesday , Israel says . | [[0, 25], [69, 88], [555, 601], [602, 627], [630, 680], [656, 727], [667, 680], [685, 759], [1134, 1208], [1134, 1173], [1188, 1208], [2295, 2305], [2308, 2380], [2381, 2402], [2473, 2519]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two men were in custody and a third was still on the run Friday after the shooting of two police officers in Indiana sparked a manhunt across the Ohio River into Kentucky , authorities said . One of the injured officers is taken out of an ambulance and rushed into the University of Louisville Hospital . Vincent Windell , 22 , and another man whose name was not released were in custody in connection with Thursday 's shooting , Jeffersonville , Indiana , Chief Detective Charlie Thompson told CNN . A third suspect , Robert Dattilo , 37 , fled into Kentucky , where Louisville police were pursuing him , according to Louisville Metro Police spokeswoman Alicia Smiley . The incident began Thursday when Jeffersonville Police Cpl. Dan Lawhorn , 39 , and Patrolman Keith Broady , 32 , responded to a call from a Motel 6 employee about possible drug activity , Thompson said . The two were apparently ambushed when they arrived , Indiana State Police told the Louisville Courier-Journal . Lawhorn , an 11-year veteran , was shot in the leg , and Broady , a 4-year veteran , was shot in the upper body , Thompson said . The two officers returned fire , but it was n't clear whether the suspects were hit . Lawhorn and Broady were able to reach their patrol cars and call for help after the shooting . They were rushed to the University of Louisville Hospital for surgery and are both listed in serious but stable condition , hospital spokesman David McArthur told CNN . | Vincent Windell , 22 , and another man in custody for Thursday 's shooting . Third suspect , identified as Robert Dattilo , 37 , fled into Kentucky , still on run . Police say incident started when cops were ambushed responding to drug call . Both officers who were shot are listed in serious but stable condition . | [[19, 42], [347, 362], [374, 446], [324, 362], [391, 446], [47, 135], [520, 535], [560, 578], [894, 944], [1317, 1321], [1391, 1399], [1407, 1438], [1317, 1321], [1400, 1438]] |
TAMPA , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There 's probably no way to describe the feeling . Joe Pirrone 's pride and joy , his F350 Super Duty turbo diesel truck , turned out to be a stolen `` clone . '' One moment , Guiseppe `` Joe '' Pirrone was on a long weekend at the beach . The next moment , he found out the pickup that he bought a year ago is stolen , and he is still on the hook for the $ 27,000 loan . Stories like Pirrone 's are scattered across the country , and Tuesday the FBI announced that it has broken up one of the largest auto theft cases in the U.S. Capping `` Operation Dual Identity , '' arrest warrants for 17 people were executed in Tampa and Miami , Florida ; Chicago , Illinois ; and in Mexico City and Guadalajara , Mexico . The suspects were accused of `` cloning '' vehicles , which is making stolen cars look like legal ones . The FBI says that the ring was operating in the U.S. for more than 20 years . More than 1,000 vehicles were stolen in Florida , with more than $ 25 million in losses to consumers and banks . `` Individuals have been victimized at every level , from the average Joe , to the banks , to big companies , '' said Dave Couvertier , of the FBI 's Tampa field office . Car theft rings clone vehicles by taking license plates , vehicle identification numbers -LRB- VIN -RRB- , and other tags and stickers from a legal car and putting them on a stolen vehicle of similar make and model . `` This does not just affect big business . Anyone could become an unwitting victim of this particular scam . It could happen to anyone , '' said Couvertier . Pirrone knows how it was done because it happened to him . Last year , he bought a used 2005 F350 Super Duty turbo diesel pickup to use for his landscape business in Fort Myers , Florida . He bought it off a small used car lot and took out a $ 27,000 loan from a credit union . `` I had it for about nine months . It was a great truck , '' he told CNN . In the fall , Pirrone decided to drive across the state to spend a long weekend in Fort Lauderdale . He was lying on the beach when his father called him to tell him that a detective from the Lee County Sheriff 's Office was at his house with a tow truck . Pirrone got back in his car and drove back home immediately . `` I was confused , honestly , '' he said . `` I had to ask the detective for credentials . I did n't believe what was going on . '' Pirrone said the detective explained to him that he was the victim of a scam , that he was sold stolen goods . Left without a truck , Pirrone called the Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union . He found that his $ 536 a month payment would live on after his truck was long gone . Pirrone said he was able to get a 30-day payment exemption , but was told that he had a signed agreement with the bank , and he was still obligated to pay the loan in full . `` I am making payments on a piece of property that I do n't have , '' Pirrone said . `` They ca n't even repossess it . The bank does n't have any help to offer me . '' The bank is a victim in the car cloning scam as well . Lisa Brock , a spokeswoman for Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union , told CNN that the company never discusses private information about any of its members . `` It is a police matter , and it 's nothing we can make any substantial comment on , '' she said . Pirrone has hired an attorney , and he is considering filing a lawsuit against the dealership to get the bank 's money back . Pirrone said he was advised by his lawyer not to name the used car lot . Law enforcement hopes that this is the beginning of the end of the `` car cloning '' scam . The National Motor Vehicle Information system -LRB- NMVTIS -RRB- database was implemented in January . It allows state DMVs to share title and registration information . Cloned vehicles were moved and sold to buyers in 20 states and several countries , often for less than market value , the FBI said . Many of the vehicles were exchanged for drugs , according to the bureau . The FBI says that people need to be careful when buying a car independently . `` Folks should be educated enough so that they do n't buy a car from a stranger , on the street , or in a back alley somewhere , '' said the FBI 's Dave Couvertier . `` And if you 're getting it for too good a deal , it should be raising flags . '' Like so many others , Pirrone is feeling the economic squeeze . Without a truck , he had to sell his landscaping business , which he had as a side business . He is still working his other job as a restaurant manager . `` It 's not a good time for this to happen . I 've had hours cut back at work , I 'm not making what I used to make . '' `` I do n't know what 's real anymore , '' he said . CNN National Correspondent Susan Candiotti contributed to this story . | FBI to announce 17 arrests in huge `` car cloning '' scam . Under scam , VINs , other details taken from legal car , given to similar stolen model . In one case , owner lost truck but was still saddled with payments . Ring stretched from Chicago to Florida to central Mexico . | [[748, 799], [359, 406], [2590, 2675], [2604, 2675], [2801, 2813], [2824, 2849], [2801, 2803], [2808, 2849]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The leader of a religious group that authorities believe preys on children was released from a Pennsylvania prison Friday but wo n't be required to register as a sex offender , triggering outrage in the community where he plans to live . George Feigley , who was released from prison Friday , is the subject of community protests . George Feigley , now 68 , was convicted in 1975 on charges including statutory rape , indecent assault and corrupting the morals of minors . Because Feigley 's 1975 conviction predated the passage of Megan 's Law , he will not be required to register as a sex offender . And , having served his maximum sentence , he was not put on parole upon his release . Feigley 's Neo American Church , which authorities have called a sex cult , operated a school in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , that police said was a front for sexual activity . The church 's manifesto says , `` We hold that the changes called creation and procreation are divine and that human sexuality is to humans the most available expression of that function of divinity , '' according to community activist Scott Portzline , who has researched Feigley 's history and that of the group . `` Sexual activity is the greatest act a human can do . '' Court documents filed in connection with Feigley 's criminal case alleged a less lofty goal . `` The defendants ' design was to operate a ` church oriented ' school , which is free of any governmental regulation , for the ostensible purpose of education when their real goal was to gratify their own deviant sexual desires , '' the documents stated . One of Feigley 's victims , identified only as `` J , '' told the Harrisburg Patriot-News she was part of the organization from the ages of 5 through 12 , when her mother left the Neo American Church . Children were beaten for letting anyone but fellow cult members see them , she said , and their genitals were pierced with a lock to be controlled by Feigley , who called himself `` The Light of the World . '' Children also were photographed in graphic sexual poses , she said . Feigley is `` not a man who should be out with society , '' J said . `` He preys on -- at least he did -- the people who believed in him . '' And , community members say , there will be no protections in place to stop him from continuing to do so . Watch why the case inflames emotions '' Feigley was convicted of additional conspiracy charges in 1995 . Authorities said he was attempting to direct sexual activity involving children by telephone from prison . However , conspiracy charges do not require listing on a sex offender registry . Feigley `` never admitted what he did was wrong , '' said John Goshert of the Dauphin County district attorney 's office , who interviewed him last week as part of a pre-release program . Protests took place Friday in front of Feigley 's Harrisburg home and the church headquarters . His wife , Sandra , still lives in the home . She was convicted in 1975 on one count of corrupting the morals of minors . She served a brief prison sentence , according to the Patriot-News . Sandra Feigley now operates a Web site ostensibly aimed at benefiting state , local and federal prison inmates . The site has a lengthy section with articles discussing sex in prison and elsewhere . Some of them are written by George Feigley , using his own name and some of his aliases . `` Thanks to the Christian crazies who were and are so influential in this country , America has criminalized more sexual conduct than any other Western nation , '' says an article on the site , which does not name an author . `` It 's a neurosis . As a result , there are a lot of ` sexual offenses . ' '' Another article bearing George Feigley 's alias of G.G. Stoctay , Ph.D. , and included in Portzline 's research says , `` There is nothing injurious to sexuality . It 's good and pleasant , not an evil . Children exposed to it are simply not injured . '' Angel Fox , who will be Feigley 's next-door neighbor , helped organize Friday 's protest and is circulating a petition to prevent his return to the neighborhood , according to the Patriot-News . `` I mean , what happens when I 'm not at home ? '' she asked . `` Do I have to worry about what 's happening with my kids ? I have to try to do something . '' The community is `` outraged , '' said Annette Antoun , publisher of a weekly newspaper . She said authorities are looking into whether Feigley would be required to register under a federal statute . And , she said , if there is a loophole in the law , legislators are starting to work on ways to close it . She said she has spoken to Feigley 's victims , and `` they have scars they say will never go away . ... They 're frightened . '' In 1976 , Feigley escaped from a Pennsylvania prison . He was captured two years later in West Virginia but escaped again from a local jail and was recaptured by the FBI . In 1983 , two members of the Neo American Church drowned in what authorities believe was an attempt to break Feigley out of prison . Laura Seligman and James Gilbert drowned in the sewer line outside the prison where Feigley was being held . The two had crawled a mile and a half through the line , according to Portzline . A rainstorm caused an overflow gate to open , flooding the line . CNN 's Aurore Ankarcrona contributed to this report . | Feigley was convicted before passage of Megan 's Law . Because he served a full prison term , he was n't put on parole . Protests held at church and Harrisburg , Pennsylvania , home of Feigley 's wife . Prosecutor says Feigley never acknowledged wrongdoing . | [[500, 563], [622, 662], [622, 625], [665, 708], [2822, 2917], [2634, 2681]] |
HONG KONG , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From the runway to the store rack , Vivienne Tam is one designer who uses creativity and business acumen in equal measure . Leading fashion designer Vivienne Tam spoke to CNN 's Andrew Stevens in The Boardroom . Since her start in the fashion business in the early '80s and establishing her own brand in the '90s , she has risen to fame with her east-meets-west styles . Today it 's her skills in business which have expanded the label to some 30 stores worldwide , from New York to Beijing . CNN 's Andrew Stevens caught up with the designer in Hong Kong to talk about what it 's like to lead both the business and creative direction of a global fashion line . Tam : The business side is like designing , it 's like I like the touch of the fabric , I like to know the details about it . And you feel about it , you know about the deal , because who 's the person who knows what the best deal for you is ? Yourself . It 's like designing clothes , I love to know how to solve every single thing , you know . Like what kind of budget . Stevens : It 's just natural curiosity ? Tam : Natural curiosity , I love it . I love every aspect of it . Stevens : Who have you learned your business skills from or have you made it up as you went along ? Tam : I self-taught myself in business ; I know nothing about the business , I learned everything -- about the pricing , the shipping , the contracts , everything -- by doing it . When you 're doing it yourself , you know everything . If you do n't do it , you just listen to somebody telling you how to do it , you 're not experiencing it . Once you 're experiencing it , you can grow so much from it . Once you experience it , you can go further , much further . It 's a feeling of it . Stevens : When you won the Hong Kong businesswoman of the year award , you said that your mother was one of your greatest inspirations . How did she inspire you ? Tam : She inspired me so much you know , like you say , the determination , persistence . When she really wanted to make something , she would really go to the end , she 'd really want to make it happen and I see her , she 's really the force behind me . We were quite poor , we had no money , my parents were working really hard . When I grew up , I saw them working so hard , and then deep inside myself that I wanted to change the situation , I wanted to make something , this one thing . Stevens : What do you think are the most important qualities for a businessperson ? Tam : For me , it 's most important , a vision , determination , and to never say no to yourself . And be open to criticisms , open to learning , and open to criticisms and knowing nothing about the business ; nothing , so you can learn everything by knowing nothing , you know , and be successful in the things that you did n't know . Stevens : You work in a very creative industry , how do you keep your staff motivated in this industry , how do you keep them going , how do you keep them working for you ? Tam : I always tell them my story , how I was in school when my teacher asked for one outfit -- I give them 8 outfits . I told them , do things that I did n't ask you , give me , do your work with passion , it 's more important than `` Oh , 6 o'clock , I have to leave . '' Do something that is out of the box . E-mail to a friend . | Designer Vivienne Tam speaks to CNN 's Andrew Stevens in The Boardroom . She started in the fashion industry in the '80s , launched own brand in the '90s . Said her mother was inspiration when made Hong Kong businesswoman of the year . | [[161, 248], [311, 349], [249, 407], [1768, 1775], [1778, 1836], [1839, 1904], [1937, 1969]] |
Editor 's note : Campbell Brown anchors CNN 's `` Campbell Brown : No Bias , No Bull '' at 8 p.m. ET Mondays through Fridays . She delivered this commentary during the `` Cutting through the Bull '' segment of Friday night 's broadcast . CNN 's Campbell Brown praises Mark Felt , the Watergate case 's `` Deep Throat . '' -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cutting through the bull . It 's hard to think of anyone who gave those words more meaning than Mark Felt . The man we all came to know as `` Deep Throat '' died Thursday at his California home after a life in the shadows . His willingness to risk everything -- career , family , and even his safety -- helped bring down President Richard Nixon in disgrace . Felt was the No. 2 man at the FBI . And yes , it 's fair to say he had an ax to grind after being snubbed for the top job . Watch Campbell Brown 's commentary '' But that did n't make his information less accurate or crucial . And even after taking that huge risk , he gave up all kinds of chances to cash in on his secret identity . Imagine the book deal `` Deep Throat '' would have gotten or the movie rights to a blockbuster like `` All the President 's Men '' ? What millions did he lose by not spending years on the lecture circuit ? No , Felt 's willingness to keep Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward pointed in the right direction as Woodward and Carl Bernstein flushed out the greatest political scandal in American history had its roots in the integrity that no one else would show back then . We remind you of this because the timing of Felt 's death is not lost on us . Just this month , we 've watched a governor accused of redefining crooked politics in Illinois . We 're in the final days of a White House that pushed the limits of the Constitution and never appeared eager to share information with the American people . And just this week , the president-elect , who talks of change , tried to stop a journalist from finishing a question at a news conference . Now , as ever , we need people like Woodward and Bernstein to keep asking questions . But more importantly , we need people brave enough to give the answers . People like Mark Felt . A man whose name you never heard until he finally surfaced near the end of his life . By then , he was a quiet , meek-looking person who changed our country forever -- by cutting through the bull . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Campbell Brown . | Mark Felt , Watergate 's `` Deep Throat '' dies . Brown : Felt risked everything to help bring down a crooked president . Felt had integrity that no one else would show back then , she says . | [[268, 277], [284, 301], [305, 318], [449, 456], [480, 564], [238, 277], [565, 640], [644, 699]] |
Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a nationally syndicated columnist and a member of the editorial board of the San Diego Union-Tribune . Read his column here . Ruben Navarrette says Sarah Palin 's critics challenged her because of prejudices about small-town values . SAN DIEGO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- During the presidential election , some Democrats demanded to know how I could defend Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin . Simply put , Palin is my people . She 's small-town folk who wound up in the big leagues . Because I grew up in a small town with a population of less than 15,000 people , I was disgusted by the insults and condescension coming from those who think of themselves as the enlightened elite . Meanwhile , in small towns , I detected great affection for Palin . People talked about how she was `` a real person '' who `` reflected their values . '' The most significant divide in America is n't Red State vs. Blue State , it 's rural vs. urban . The country mouse and the city mouse are still slugging it out . In 1982 , New York Mayor Ed Koch ran unsuccessfully for governor of New York . Some say the deciding factor was when Koch described life in upstate New York as `` sterile '' and said he dreaded living in the `` small town '' of Albany , if elected . That did n't play well in rural areas . Now comes Colin Powell . During a recent appearance on CNN 's `` Fareed Zakaria GPS , '' Powell attempted an autopsy on the Republican Party 's failed presidential bid . He went after Palin , accusing her of pushing the party so far to the right that it went over a cliff . `` I think -LSB- Palin -RSB- had something of a polarizing effect when she talked about how small-town values are good , '' Powell said . `` Well , most of us do n't live in small towns . And I was raised in the South Bronx , and there 's nothing wrong with my value system from the South Bronx . '' You 'd think the presidential campaign was about conservatives picking on urbanites . It was n't . Sure , some Republicans probably made a mistake by using phrases such as `` real America '' or `` real Americans '' as a rallying cry for the base . Americans who live in cities might have thought they were being slighted . But those phrases referred as much to people 's politics and values as it did their zip code . I live in a city with a population of more than a million people and I never thought the GOP singled me out as not being a `` real American . '' If anything , it appeared that big-city liberals were tapping into prejudices about small-town America to belittle the governor of Alaska . After Powell attacked Palin , one of the governor 's most vocal defenders , conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh , returned the favor by attacking Powell . `` What is this hatred for conservatives and small-town people and Sarah Palin ? '' Limbaugh asked on his radio show . `` I know a lot of people that are from the Bronx , Gen. Powell , and if you think the values there in the Bronx today reflect the ones you grew up with , take a trip back and see if the street corners and the activities there are the same as when you were growing up . '' Limbaugh got it . When people use phrases such as `` small-town values , '' it 's as much about time as it is place . The idea is n't that people who live in small towns have better values than people who live in cities . It 's simply an attempt to recall , with nostalgia , what life was like when more Americans lived in small towns . It used to be that more families ate dinner together and high school students worked summers and after school . It used to be that our schools did n't make excuses for why some kids do n't learn because they were too busy trying to teach them . It used to be that parents were n't interested in being their kids ' best friends , only good parents . And it used to be that people pulled their own weight and would never dare ask for a handout . During a recent interview with the conservative newspaper , Human Events , Palin was asked if she thought her humble background accounted for some of the flak she got from the media . Palin acknowledged that she did n't come from elite stock , but said that she was grateful for that . `` I got my education from the University of Idaho because that 's what I could afford , '' she said . `` No , I do n't come from the self-proclaimed ` movers and shakers ' group and that 's fine with me . It 's caused me , or rather , allowed me , to work harder and pull myself up by my bootstraps without anyone else helping me . I think it allows me to be in touch with the vast majority of Americans who are in the same position that I am . '' Sarah Palin understands a lot about America . Too bad many Americans do n't understand Sarah Palin . No worries . They may get another chance to acquaint themselves with her -- in say , four years . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. . | Ruben Navarrette : Sarah Palin rose from small-town life to big-time politics . She 's been accused by Democrats of polarizing the campaign , Navarrette says . He says she was unfairly targeted by liberals prejudiced against small towns . Navarrette : We can expect to hear from Palin again , maybe in four years . | [[453, 468], [473, 502], [300, 332], [335, 411], [1586, 1648], [1594, 1680], [150, 257], [172, 257], [2460, 2585]] |
KINGSTON , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Environmental Protection Agency has found high levels of arsenic and heavy metals in two rivers in central Tennessee that are near the site of a spill that unleashed more than a billion gallons of coal waste . Four days after the spill , the water is cloudy on the east bank of the Clinch River in Kingston , Tennessee . The agency said it found `` several heavy metals '' in the water in levels that are slightly above safe drinking-water standards but `` below concentrations '' known to be harmful to humans . `` The one exception may be arsenic , '' the agency said in a letter to an affected community . `` One sample of river water out of many taken indicated concentrations that are very high and further investigations are in progress . '' However , arsenic was not detected in a water intake facility near Kingston , Tennessee , where the spill happened , said EPA spokeswoman Laura Niles . The metals were found in the Emory and Clinch rivers , near the site of a major spill last week that unleashed enough sludge to fill 1,660 Olympic-size swimming pools . The EPA 's letter comes as the head of the largest public power company in the nation pledged to clean up the massive spill . `` This is not a time where TVA holds its head high , '' said Tom Kilgore , president and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority . `` But we wo n't hang our head , either , because that wo n't get the job done . I 'm here to tell you that we will clean it up , and we will clean it up right . '' The sludge is a byproduct of the ash from coal combustion . A retention site at the Tennessee Valley Authority 's power plant in Kingston , about 40 miles west of Knoxville , contained the waste until a wall breached last Monday , sending the sludge downhill to damage 15 homes and cover at least 300 acres . All residents in the area were evacuated , and three homes were deemed uninhabitable , according to the TVA . The TVA 's initial estimate for the spill tripled from 1.8 million cubic yards , or more than 360 million gallons of sludge , to 5.4 million cubic yards , or more than 1 billion gallons . The plant sits on the Clinch River , which is a tributary of the Tennessee River . Video footage from the river , a popular fishing site , reveals piles of dead fish on its banks . The TVA says that has nothing to do with the toxicity of the sludge , though environmental advocates say the ash contains concentrated levels of mercury and arsenic . TVA officials have said water quality tests from a nearby water treatment facility have shown that the water from the river intake meets federal and state guidelines for potable water . But coal operation critics remain concerned about the long-term effects of the spill , and residents have expressed concerns about drinking water , especially from wells . Roane County Emergency Management Director Howie Rose said the county has asked the state and the federal Environmental Protection Agency to monitor groundwater from wells around the area . He and Kilgore spoke at a town hall meeting Sunday . Rose said the county has also requested air quality tests from the state and federal agencies . Steve Ahlstedt , an independent aquatic biologist , told CNN that a spill of this magnitude probably will affect the area 's ecological balance . `` Once the ash has settled to the bottom of the rivers , all heavy metals will hang around for a long time , '' he said . `` When coal releases into the water , the mussel population goes into deep freeze . They are the ` canary in the coal mine . ' They are the main indicator of how healthy our water is . '' CNN 's Helena DeMoura contributed to this report . | `` Several heavy metals '' found in levels above safe drinking-water standards . TVA pledges cleanup ; officials say treatment facility tests show water is potable . Breach at retention site has released more than a billion gallons of coal waste . 15 homes damaged , at least 300 acres covered ; area residents evacuated . | [[0, 8], [11, 36], [58, 160], [365, 439], [1140, 1238], [1450, 1454], [1460, 1496], [2489, 2571], [2513, 2674], [187, 194], [200, 253], [1594, 1613], [1765, 1842]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hanny van Arkel was poring over photos of galaxies on the Internet in August 2007 when she stumbled across a strange object in the night sky : a bright , gaseous mass with a gaping hole in its middle . Hanny van Arkel made her discovery by poring over images of galaxies on an astronomy Web site . `` It looked a bit like an irregular galaxy , but I was n't sure what it was , '' Van Arkel said . So she posted a query on the Web site of the Galaxy Zoo project , which encourages members of the public to join in astronomy research online . Van Arkel is a 25-year-old schoolteacher in Heerlen , The Netherlands , not an astrophysicist . But her startling find -- a mysterious and unique object some observers are calling a `` cosmic ghost '' -- has captivated astronomers and even caught the attention of the people who run the Hubble Space Telescope , who have agreed to take a closer look next year . `` This discovery really shows how citizen science has come of age in the Internet world , '' said Bill Keel , professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Alabama and a Galaxy Zoo team member . `` There was a time when I spoke pejoratively of armchair astronomers . And I 've gotten up at a star party and publicly apologized for that . '' Not so long ago , the term `` amateur astronomer '' conjured images of stargazers peering through backyard telescopes . But today 's are as likely to be analyzing reams of sophisticated data collected by observatories and posted on space-related Web sites . Armchair observers like van Arkel increasingly are making significant contributions to science , said Steve Maran , spokesman for the American Astronomical Society , a group of 6,500 professionals . Amateurs have been invited to present papers at recent AAS conferences , `` which would n't have happened years ago , '' he said . A successful example of amateur-professional collaboration , the Galaxy Zoo project was launched last year by Yale University astrophysicist Kevin Schawinski and Chris Lintott at the University of Oxford in England . The pair were looking for help in cataloging archived photographs of galaxies -- one million images -- taken by the robotic Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope in remote southern New Mexico . Knowing that the human eye is sometimes more sensitive than a computer at picking out unusual patterns -- and that they did n't have time to do all the work themselves -- Schawinski and Lintott posted the images on the Galaxy Zoo Web site last summer . The professors then invited amateur astronomers , with the help of a brief online tutorial , to classify the galaxies as spiral , elliptical or something else . Online galaxy-sorting might not sound as fun as , say , surfing YouTube , but it was an immediate hit . `` We were overwhelmed by the response . It completely melted the server , '' Schawinski said . `` People tell us it 's addictive . Some of -LSB- the volunteers -RSB- are professional astronomers , but most of them are not . They 're just regular people who got excited about the project . '' During the past year , more than 150,000 armchair astronomers from all over the world volunteered their time , submitting more than 50 million classifications . The public 's collective wisdom -- the same principle that guides jury trials or Wikipedia -- proved remarkably astute , Schawinski said . For example , if 33 of 36 volunteers thought a galaxy appeared elliptical , then astronomers could be confident the classification was correct , he said . Van Arkel had been classifying photos on Galaxy Zoo for about a week when she came across the image that quickly became known as `` Hanny 's Voorwerp , '' Dutch for `` object . '' The primary school teacher does not own a telescope -- `` my -LSB- astronomy -RSB- background does n't really go further than looking at the stars when walking outside in the evening , '' she said -- but when she posted her finding August 13 on the Galaxy Zoo forum , the astronomers who run the site began to investigate . They soon realized van Arkel might have found a new class of astronomical object . The Galaxy Zoo team asked scientists working at telescopes around the world to take a look at the mysterious Voorwerp . Their best guess : The Voorwerp is probably a cloud of hot gas punctured by a central hole 16,000 light years across and illuminated by the `` dying embers '' of a nearby quasar , Schawinski said . Quasars are distant , highly luminous astronomical objects powered by black holes ; scientists suspect that light from the quasar still illuminates the Voorwerp even though the quasar itself burned out in the past 100,000 years . `` It 's this light echo that has been frozen in time for us to observe , '' said Lintott , the Oxford scientist . `` It 's rather like examining the scene of a crime where , although we ca n't see them , we know the culprit must be lurking somewhere nearby in the shadows . '' Galaxy Zoo leaders are eagerly awaiting images from NASA 's orbiting Hubble , which is scheduled to train its powerful instruments on the Voorwerp in 2009 . In the meantime , van Arkel is enjoying the fuss over her contribution to astronomy . `` It 's amazing to think that ... amateur volunteers can help by spotting things like this online , '' she said . `` What excites me the most is that all of this leads to more interest in science . '' | Using the Web , a Dutch schoolteacher has discovered a strange astronomical object . The find illustrates how more amateur astronomers are contributing to science . The Galaxy Zoo project encourages the public to join in astronomy research online . Hubble Space Telescope has agreed to take a closer look at the object next year . | [[106, 159], [922, 1010], [1532, 1626], [457, 479], [488, 559], [839, 871], [876, 921], [4996, 5026], [5033, 5105]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. Hillary Clinton will win Florida 's Democratic presidential primary Tuesday , CNN projects , although party sanctions have stripped the state of its convention delegates and no Democrats campaigned there . Hillary Clinton addresses a crowd in Davie , Florida , after winning the state 's primary . Published polls showed the New York senator and former first lady was heavily favored in the state . Her leading rivals , South Carolina primary winner Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John Edwards , did not campaign in Florida . They opted to concentrate on next week 's `` Super Tuesday '' contests in states such as New York , California , Missouri and Georgia . CNN 's projection is based on precincts reporting results , entrance polls and other statistical models -- including the number of votes outstanding in areas where Clinton was expected to do well . The sanctions make Tuesday night 's results largely meaningless to the Democratic presidential race . Obama described the primary as a `` beauty contest '' Tuesday , and his campaign issued a statement declaring the race a tie in the delegate count : `` Zero for Obama , zero for Clinton . '' But Clinton has pledged to fight to have the state 's delegates seated at the August convention in Denver , and has increasingly stressed the state 's importance since losing Saturday 's hotly contested primary in South Carolina to Obama . Though Democrats agreed to leave the state off their itineraries in a show of solidarity with the national party , Clinton attended permitted fund-raisers in Florida on Sunday and planned to appear with supporters there after polls closed . And turnout was high for the race even though no delegates were at stake . Nearly 400,000 people cast early or absentee ballots ahead of the primary , and Tuesday 's vote was expected to top the nearly 800,000 who turned out in 2004 . Donna Brazile , who managed former Vice President Al Gore 's presidential bid , said many Democrats were likely to turn out to vote on a state constitutional amendment that would limit property tax increases and expand homestead exemptions . `` People are very afraid this will cut public services , cut back education , '' said Brazile , a CNN analyst . `` So the Florida Education Association and all of the unions are spending millions of dollars to get voters to turn out . '' E-mail to a friend . | Rivals Sens. Barack Obama and John Edwards did not campaign in Florida . There were no delegates at stake in Florida . Obama and Edwards concentrated efforts on Super Tuesday states . | [[444, 513], [516, 545], [1700, 1728], [546, 681]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda on Thursday convicted the `` mastermind '' of the Rwandan genocide and sentenced him to life in prison for genocide , crimes against humanity , and war crimes . Theoneste Bagosora , right , and his co-defendant Anatole Nsengiyumva , left , arrive in court . It is the first time the tribunal has convicted high-level officials for the 100-day genocide in 1994 which left an estimated 800,000 people dead . Theoneste Bagosora , 67 , a colonel in the Rwandan army , was found guilty along with two other men -- Major Aloys Ntabakuze and Lieutenant Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva . All were sentenced to life in prison . The tribunal -- located in Arusha , Tanzania -- acquitted General Gratien Kabiligi , the former head of military operations , and ordered his immediate release . CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour -- who covered the story -- called the verdicts `` a real turning point and a milestone in justice . '' Watch CNN 's Christiane Amanpour on the verdict '' `` It sends a message that right up the chain of command , you can not hide , '' Amanpour said . The court said Bagosora was a key figure in drawing up plans for the genocide . A Hutu , Bagosora was convicted of ordering Hutu militia to slaughter rival Tutsis . The massacres began after a plane crash on April 6 , 1994 that killed the presidents of Rwanda and neighboring Burundi . The court said the plane was brought down by a surface-to-air missile fired from the airport in Kigali , the Rwandan capital . Watch what happened in the court '' Bagosora decided the military should take over and he refused to involve the prime minister , Agathe Uwilingiyimana , in any discussions , the court found . April 7 , while Bagosora held a crisis meeting with top military officials , the prime minister was arrested , sexually assaulted and killed by top members of the Rwandan Army , the court found . Find out more about the world 's killing fields '' That made Bagosora the head of all political and military affairs in Rwanda , and in that capacity , he was at the top of the chain of command . The same day the prime minister was killed , the court said , army personnel confined and killed four important opposition leaders -- including the president of the constitutional court and government ministers -- and murdered 10 Belgian peacekeepers who had been dispatched to the prime minister 's residence . The court found Bagosora bore responsibility for those and other killings because he commanded those who carried out the crimes . `` Bagosora was the highest authority in the Ministry of Defense and exercised effective control of the Rwandan army and gendarmerie , '' said Presiding Judge Erik Mose . `` He 's therefore responsible for the murder of the prime minister , the four opposition politicians , the 10 Belgian peacekeepers , as well as the extensive military involvement in the killing of civilians during this period . '' ICTR Prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow said the convicted men `` prepared , planned , ordered , directed , incited , encouraged and approved the murder of innocent civilian Tutsis . '' The killings were carried out by military personnel on the orders of Rwandan authorities including Bagosora , the court said . The court found that from April to July 1994 , Bagosora exercised authority over members of the Rwandan Army and their militiamen , who committed massacres throughout Rwanda with Bagosora 's knowledge . `` In all the regions of the country , members of the Tutsi population who were fleeing from the massacres on their hills sought refuge in locations they thought would be safe , often on the recommendation of the local civil and military authorities , '' the indictment said . `` In many of these places , despite the promise that they would be protected by the local civil and military authorities , the refugees were attacked , abducted and massacred , often on the orders or with the complicity of those same authorities . '' The indictment against Bagosora alleged he had been opposed to concessions made by his government to Tutsi rebels at 1993 peace talks in Tanzania , and had left the negotiations saying he was returning to Rwanda to `` prepare the apocalypse . '' The U.N. established the tribunal in late 1994 . The trial began in April 2002 and has been deliberating since June 1 , 2007 . During the trial , the court heard 242 witnesses -- 82 for the prosecution and 160 for the defense . The three convicted men will be held in the tribunal 's custody until a state can be found to house them . The genocide 's impact is still be felt today , with recent fighting in neighbouring Congo blamed on lingering tensions from the slaughter . Rebel leader Laurent Nkunda says his forces are fighting to defend Congolese Tutsis from Hutu militants who escaped to Congo . | Bagosora guilty of masterminding genocide which left at least 800,000 dead . Genocide began after plane carrying the leaders of Rwanda , Burundi crashed . Bagosora was charged with genocide and crimes against humanity . The United Nations established the genocide tribunal in late 1994 . | [[69, 132], [421, 425], [432, 471], [1242, 1317], [1318, 1368], [1371, 1375], [1381, 1438], [4285, 4333]] |
COLOMBO , Sri Lanka -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five members of the Sri Lanka 's Civil Defense Force -LRB- CDF -RRB- were killed in a suicide blast in Sri Lanka at a church outside the capital of Colombo Sunday morning , police said . Sri Lankan police officers investigate Sunday 's suicide bombing near Colombo . Eight other CDF officers and two civilians were wounded , police said . Nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the blast , but police suspect the bomber was a member of the Tamil Tiger rebels . There was no immediate response from the Tamil Tiger rebels to the incident , which , police said , occurred at St. Anne 's Church in the Colombo suburb of Wattala , located on a roadway to the country 's only international airport about 15 kilometers -LRB- 9 miles -RRB- north of the capital . The attack happened during a weekly festival that usually draws a large crowd shopping for vegetables and household goods . The suicide bomber walked into an area where CDF officers were stationed and detonated his explosives , police said . Investigators suspect the bomber targeted the area because 150 police officers who help patrol the road to the airport are billeted there . Government forces have engaged rebels in heavy fighting for more than a year in the Kilinochchi region , once the center of political power for the Tamil Tigers . The 25-year civil war between ethnic Tamil separatists and the Sri Lankan government has left more than 65,000 people dead . The Tamil Tigers were founded in 1976 , and the U.S. State Department designated the group a foreign terrorist organization in 1997 . The rebels , formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -LRB- LTTE -RRB- , are fighting for the creation of an independent nation , citing discrimination by the country 's Sinhalese majority . Earlier Sunday , Sri Lanka 's navy said it had destroyed a Tamil Tiger rebel boat allegedly attempting to smuggle in military supplies through the northern coast . Commander D.K.P. Dissanayake , a navy spokesman , told CNN that four rebels were killed in attack after the boat was engulfed in fire . He said the incident occurred just after midnight Sunday but gave no other details . There was no immediate response from the Tiger rebels to that incident . CNN could not independently verify the government 's claim because media is debarred from Sri Lanka 's battle zones . In the past , both sides in the conflict have exaggerated accounts of military operations . On December 20 , the Navy said it destroyed a similar rebel boat trying to smuggle military supplies through the coast near the northeastern coastal village of Mullaitivu . However , a second supply boat was caught on Air Force aerial surveillance cameras unloading along the coast . `` They included assorted ammunition , artillery shells , mortar shells and other items , '' a senior Air Force official told CNN . He spoke on grounds of anonymity since he was not authorized to speak to the media . | NEW : Attack coincided during a weekly festival that draws a large crowd . NEW : Police suspect the bomber was a member of the Tamil Tiger rebels . No immediate response from Tiger rebels on church blast , destroyed boat . Four rebels killed in boat attack after midnight Sunday , Navy says . | [[802, 846], [829, 846], [852, 925], [440, 506], [507, 582], [1828, 1892], [2196, 2268], [1975, 2003], [2030, 2110], [2111, 2195], [2119, 2167]] |
AMSTETTEN , Austria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Austrian police believe a 73-year-old man held his daughter captive in his cellar for the past two decades and fathered at least six children with her , according to police and state-run news reports Sunday . The woman , identified as 42-year-old Elisabeth F. , has been missing since 1984 , when she was 18 years old , police said at a news conference . The situation came to light earlier this month after her daughter -- a 19-year-old woman , identified as Kristen F. -- was hospitalized in Amstetten after falling unconscious , according to police . She was admitted to a hospital in Amstetten , outside Vienna , by her grandfather with a note from her biological mother requesting help . Amstetten is a rural town about 150 km -LRB- 93 miles -RRB- west of Vienna . But police said a DNA test later revealed her grandfather , Josef F. , was also her father , according to ORF , Austria 's state-run news agency . That sparked a police investigation , which revealed that Josef F. may have fathered at least six children with his daughter , forcing her and three of the surviving children to live in the cellar of his house , according to ORF 's Peter Schmitzberger . The children are now between 5 and 19 years old . Police are awaiting DNA tests to verify their relationship to Josef F. , who faces arrest for `` severe crimes against family members , '' according to police . So far , he has not given a statement to police . Police spokesman Franz Polzer told ORF that the 73-year-old has led police to several hidden rooms in his cellar accessible only by an electronic passcode that he provided to police . Watch a report on the discovery '' On Sunday , police searched the hidden rooms where Josef F. admitted he kept his daughter and their children , Polzer told ORF . The rooms included sleeping quarters , a kitchen and a bathroom , which Josef F. told police he built , Polzer said . Neighbors told ORF they were shocked to hear the news , and had no indication such horrors were taking place in their town . `` One ca n't imagine how it could happen , how nobody could realize anything of what was going on in the cellar of this house , '' Schmitzberger told CNN . `` It 's quite unimaginable . '' Acting on `` a confidential tip , '' Amstetten police apprehended Josef F. and Elisabeth F. on Saturday near the hospital for questioning , according to a police statement . Once police assured the daughter that she would never have contact with her father again , `` she was able to tell the whole story , '' Schmitzberger said . Josef F. lived upstairs with his wife , Rosemarie F. , who police said had no idea about her husband 's other family living in the cellar . Josef F. and Rosemarie F. had adopted three of the children that he had with his daughter , according to police . He told his wife that his missing daughter had dropped the unwanted children off at the house because she could not take care of them , police said . The other three children -- Kerstin , 19 ; Stefan , 18 ; and Felix , 5 -- remained locked in the basement with their mother , according to police . None had seen the light of day during their entire time in captivity , police said . After she was detained Saturday , Elisabeth F. gave police a `` psychologically and physically disturbed impression , '' police said in a statement . She told them her story after she was assured her children would be protected from further harm . She said her father began sexually abusing her at age 11 . On August 8 , 1984 -- weeks before she was reported missing -- her father enticed her into the basement , where he drugged her , put her in handcuffs and locked her in a room , she told police . For the next 24 years , she was constantly raped by her father , resulting in the six surviving children , she said , according to the police statement . She told police she gave birth to twins in 1996 , but one of the babies died a few days later as a result of neglect , and Josef F. removed the infant 's body and burned it . She told police that only her father supplied her and her children with food and clothing , and that she did not think his wife knew anything about their situation . When Kerstin fell ill earlier this month , Josef F. apparently told his wife and the hospital that his `` missing '' daughter had dropped off the sick girl on his doorstep . In an effort to find out what might be ailing 19-year-old Kerstin , the hospital asked the media to put out a bulletin requesting any information about the girl or her missing mother , attorney general Gerhard Sedlacek told NTV . Sometime later , Josef F. brought Elisabeth F. out of the cellar , telling his wife that she had returned home with her two children after a 24-year absence , police said . He took Elisabeth F. to the hospital to talk with doctors about Kerstin 's condition , and at that point , authorities became aware of her situation , Sedlacek said . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Ben Brumfield contributed to this report . | Woman tells Austrian police she was held prisoner in cellar for nearly 24 years . Police believe the 73-year-old man may have fathered at least 6 of her children . The 42-year-old woman had been missing since 1984 , when she was 18 . One of her children , a 19-year-old woman , is hospitalized in serious condition . | [[12, 35], [39, 145], [1083, 1165], [12, 35], [150, 189], [956, 1080], [3746, 3749], [3787, 3826], [248, 328], [331, 356], [359, 393], [463, 482], [485, 509]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida boy remains in stable condition just days after he found his parents ' long-forgotten handgun in a closet and accidentally shot himself in the head . Police are deciding whether or not to charge parents after their son found a forgotten gun and shot himself . Sheriff 's detectives in Pinellas County , Florida , near St. Petersburg , say the boy found the .25 - caliber European semi-automatic handgun in a box in a closet in their home . `` They are dealing with this very tragic situation , and at this point , no charges have been filed , '' said Cecilia Barreda of the Pinellas County sheriff 's office . His stepfather found Jacob Larson , 12 , with a gunshot wound to the head Friday . The stepfather called 911 . Police say the shooting took place between 7:40 a.m. , when his mother , Tracy Newman , leaves for work , and about 11 a.m. , when his stepfather , Joseph Newton , returns home . The boy normally goes to school about 8:30 a.m. `` A few years ago , they moved , and -LSB- the gun -RSB- was stored in the closet . The mother never checked it , never fired it , '' Barreda said . `` They told detectives that they forgot they had stored it in a box inside a closet . Both her and her husband forgot about it , '' she said . Newman told detectives that she received the gun six years ago from a former employer . Police say that both she and her husband are cooperating in the investigation into the incident . The sheriff 's office says it 's unlikely that they will face charges . Florida law prohibits a person from leaving a loaded firearm where a minor might have access to it . Prosecutors do have some discretion , and depending on what happens with the gun , charges ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony can be filed in the event of death or serious injury . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 17 states have child firearm access protection and safe-storage laws . Chief Assistant State Attorney Bruce Bartlett says that although laws are needed , an accident with a firearm can be a greater penalty than any judge could ever hand down . `` Sometimes , the injury of a child is more severe from a punishment standpoint than any kind of criminal charge , '' he said . The CDC says three children per day , on average , died in accidental incidents in the United States from 2000 to 2005 , the last year data are available . Bartlett said his office has filed charges in previous cases when there was culpable negligence on the part of a gun owner . But , he says , there are cases where accidents happen , not crimes . The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence says that 34 percent of children in the United States live in homes with at least one firearm , so people have to be aware . `` It 's a horrible thing , and those parents will blame themselves from here out , and you have to look at things real close to see if it warrants any enforcement from our end , '' Bartlett said . | Boy , 12 , found .25 - caliber gun in box in closet . Police have not charged anyone in relation to incident . Florida law prohibits leaving a loaded firearm where minor can access it . Prosecutor : `` Sometimes , the injury of a child is more severe '' punishment . | [[93, 150], [305, 345], [380, 484], [1146, 1229], [543, 585], [1545, 1605], [1567, 1645], [1958, 2130], [2146, 2244]] |
MARIANNA , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Leaning against his cane , Bryant Middleton shuffled toward the makeshift cemetery . Tears welled in his eyes as he leaned down to touch one of the crosses . Bryant Middleton kneels by a row of white crosses on the grounds of a former reform school he attended . `` This should n't be , '' he said . `` This should n't be . '' Thirty-one crosses made of tubular steel and painted white line up unevenly in the grass and weeds of what used to be the grounds of a reform school in Marianna , Florida . The anonymous crosses are rusting away but their secrets may soon be exposed . When boys disappeared from the school , administrators explained it away , said former student Roger Kiser . They 'd say , `` Well , he ran away and the swamp got him , '' Kiser recalled . Or , `` The gators got him . '' Or , ` Water moccasins got him . '' Kiser and other former students believe authorities will soon find the remains of children and teens sent to the Florida School for Boys half a century ago . Watch Middleton kneel by the crosses '' On the orders of Gov. Charlie Crist , the Florida Department of Law Enforcement last week opened an investigation to determine if anyone is buried here , whether crimes were committed , and if so , who was responsible . A group of men in their 60s , who once attended the school , have told investigators they believe the bodies are classmates who disappeared after being savagely beaten by administrators and workers . The FDLE is just beginning its investigation , so there is no way to know if there is any truth to the allegations . The investigation will be challenging . Finding records and witnesses from nearly half a century ago will be difficult if not impossible . Many of the administrators and employees of the reform school are dead . Read more about the investigation . Middleton is 64 now , a former Army Ranger . He was 14 then , a wayward boy . He was sent to the Florida School for Boys for breaking and entering . He recently accompanied CNN to the school grounds . `` This is a travesty against mankind and the state of Florida should be ashamed of themselves , '' he said , choking back tears . `` It 's as if they were tossed out here like they were nothing but garbage . And it 's just downright criminal . Somebody needs to be accountable for this . '' A single-story , nondescript building anchors the other side of the property . The white cinder block structure looks so simple , so bland , that it is difficult to imagine the pain , terror and torture it conjures up in the men who say their childhoods were ravaged within its four walls . The building was known as `` the white house . '' Watch a former student return to the building '' Middleton said he was brought there six times . He recalled that his tormentors , including one known as `` the whipper , '' would turn on a large industrial fan to muffle the screams of the boys who were beaten with long leather straps , reinforced with metal . See photos from Middleton 's reform school days '' Dick Colon said he went to the white house 11 times during his 30 months at the school . He 's one of four men known as `` the White House Boys . '' Colon , Kiser , Robert Straley and Michael O'McCarthy , the original four White House Boys , spoke out about the 31 crosses and their boyhood abuse and pushed for an investigation . Colon recalls his visits to the white house as if they were yesterday : . He said he was forced to lie face down in a blood-soaked pillow -- a pillow with small pieces of lips , tongue and skin on it from the previous boy . He 'd clench the metal bar of the bed . The ceilings were low . He would hear the strap hit the ceiling and make a `` tick '' sound before it swung down on him . `` After that tick , you 'd go ` Aaaahh , ' and then you 'd grab that bar , and go ` Ooooohhhhhhh , ' and the spindles of the bed would bounce , and sometimes the bed would come off the ground , '' Colon told CNN . Watch Colon 's face contort as he relives the beatings '' Kiser , a fellow White House Boy , said the beatings provided entertainment for the guards and administrators . `` There were bets , and money changed hands on who could draw blood on the first blow , '' he said . He recalled his reaction when he went into a bathroom to clean up after enduring another beating . `` I looked up into that mirror and I just screamed , '' he said . `` I just saw this monster . I could n't even tell who I was . '' Colon said his reaction was to bury the pain inside . He told a story about how another boy 's terror left him wrestling with his own best and worst instincts even to this day . He walked into the school 's laundry room one day and saw a black teenager inside a large tumble dryer that was running . He wanted to save the boy , and tried to talk himself into being brave . `` I said , ` Do it ! Do it ! Do it ! ' '' he recalled , his eyes beginning to tear . `` And then I thought to myself , ` If you do it , they 're gon na put you in there . You 're gon na be next . ' And I walked away . '' After a long , tearful pause , Colon continued . `` I 've been married to my wife for 42 years , and never told her , '' he said , wiping tears away with a handkerchief . `` I do n't know how often in a week I think about that . '' `` A chicken s -- , I was , '' he sobbed . Still , Colon 's is ultimately a success story . At the reform school , he studied to be an electrician and now owns a multimillion-dollar company in Baltimore , Maryland . Colon founded a scholarship fund for high achievers at the very same school that haunts his memories . It is called the Arthur Dozier School for Boys , and Colon returns every year to talk to the students about hope and hard work . `` They need to know they can do things and have a future , '' he said . `` Many just accept that they will be in prison someday . '' | Former students talk about brutal days at a Florida reform school . One recalls hearing the tip of a whip hit the ceiling before it came down on him . Another regrets being too afraid to help a boy left in a tumble dryer . Third remembers beatings by a guard called `` the whipper '' | [[264, 300], [1310, 1319], [1326, 1350], [3673, 3734], [3673, 3675], [3717, 3770], [4544, 4667], [4668, 4670], [4722, 4770], [2788, 2935]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Internet-based rip-offs jumped 33 percent last year over the previous year , according to a report from a complaint center set up to monitor such crimes . The report said that about 77.4 percent of perpetrators of Internet fraud were men . The total dollar loss from those crimes was $ 265 million . That 's $ 26 million more than the price tag in 2007 , the National Internet Crime Center said . For individual victims , the average amount lost was $ 931 . `` This report illustrates that sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue to flourish as financial data migrates to the Internet , '' said Shawn Henry , the FBI 's assistant director of the Cyber Division . Americans filed 275,284 reports claiming to be ripped off on the Internet , the highest number reported since the center began keeping statistics in 2000 . The dollar loss has been on a steady increase since 2004 , while the number of cases referred to law enforcement has decreased steadily since that same year . Complaints to the center have resulted in several arrests , the center said , although information comes only from agencies that voluntarily provide the results of investigations . Henry said the figures show the need for computer users , in businesses and in homes , to be wary and use sound security practices while using the Internet . The center said the top three most frequent complaints were about merchandise that was n't delivered or payment that was n't received , Internet auction fraud and credit/debit card fraud . Other scams include confidence frauds such as Ponzi schemes , check fraud , the Nigerian letter fraud and identity fraud . One popular identity fraud scam used during 2008 involved sending e-mails crafted to appear as if they 'd been sent by the FBI . Sometimes the scammers went so far as to say the mailings were from FBI Director Robert Mueller himself , according to the center . The e-mails would ask the recipient for personal information , such as a bank account numbers , claiming the FBI wanted the information to look into an impending financial transaction . One variation of the scheme , according to the center , was to send an e-mail saying the recipient is entitled to lottery money or an inheritance and the funds can be moved as soon as bank account information is supplied . The FBI has issued warnings about such scams in the past , and Monday 's report included a new one : `` The FBI does not contact U.S. citizens regarding personal financial matters through unsolicited e-mails . '' The report said that about 77.4 percent of perpetrators of Internet fraud were men , and about half lived in either California , New York , Florida , Washington , Texas or the District of Columbia . More than 55 percent of those who filed complaints were men . But the report noted that anyone who uses the Internet can be a victim , and that the ages of victims have ranged from 10 to 100 . Internet crime offers unique challenges to investigators . The report said the offender and victim often live in different states and sometimes different countries , requiring multiple law enforcement agencies to cooperate and conquer any issues of jurisdiction . Another big problem is the anonymity of using the Internet . In most instances , a victim never meets the criminal . The Internet Crime Complaint Center is a partnership of the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center . | Internet users said they were scammed out of a total of $ 265 million last year . FBI : Report shows `` sophisticated computer fraud schemes continue to flourish '' Americans filed record 275,284 reports claiming to be ripped off . Report said that about 77.4 percent of perpetrators of Internet fraud were men . | [[270, 329], [699, 772], [488, 620], [699, 772], [185, 269], [206, 269], [2548, 2746], [2569, 2630], [2747, 2776], [2798, 2808]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- Frank Santa Maria buys two tickets to Italy on Expedia . But when an agent misspells his wife 's name , he must embark on an odyssey to ensure she 'll be allowed to use her tickets . Will he be successful ? Q : I recently bought tickets to Italy by calling Expedia . I spelled my wife 's first name to the agent . That afternoon we left town for a trip . When we returned the tickets were at the front door and a confirmation e-mail was waiting . My wife 's first name was spelled Crista instead of Christa . I immediately called Expedia , and was told I should have contacted them the day the e-mail was sent to me and that there would be a $ 150 re-ticketing fee . After several more calls and being put on `` hold '' for more than half an hour , a supervisor told me that there was nothing they could do . They could n't even change the name on the ticket . I contacted the airline directly and they told me they would make a note on my wife 's passenger record . My wife 's tickets are still wrong and I 'm afraid we may have a problem with our connecting airline or with customs . What can I do ? -- Frank Santa Maria , New Braunfels , Texas . A : Expedia should have spelled your wife 's name correctly . When it was clear that the company had made an error , it should have done everything in its power to fix it instead of giving you the runaround and forcing you to deal directly with your airline . Then again , it should have never come to this . First , why are you phoning an online travel agency to buy tickets ? It may be more convenient , but online agencies are built to handle your purchases online . It 's more efficient and reduces the chance of an error being introduced -- like misspelling a passenger 's name . Second , you should always check your verification e-mail immediately . Expedia could have made a change to your ticket if you had caught the mistake earlier . It 's essential that you review your itinerary as soon as possible . Believe me , I know . I just made this mistake and had to spend an extra day at my destination because I put the wrong date in my reservation . -LRB- See ? It can happen to anyone . -RRB- . I 've dealt with too many wrong-name cases to count , and here are a few things I 've learned . Passengers are n't turned away at the gate because of a typographical error on their tickets . Reservations systems have limitations that sometimes truncate last names or render non-English names in funny characters . Last names and first names are frequently flip-flopped . Ticket agents , gate agents and security screeners know that , and will let you through . I have n't heard of anyone being denied boarding because of a one-character difference in a name . I 'm reasonably sure your wife would have been allowed to travel using her ticket , even if this had happened after the May 15 implementation of the first phase of the Transportation Security Administration 's `` Secure Flight '' initiative , which requires that you provide your full name as it appears on your government-issued identification . Incidentally , the `` notation '' in her reservation would have almost certainly been visible to any connecting airline . And a customs agent would n't even pay attention to your ticket under normal circumstances . It 's your customs form and passport that matter to them . Next time you buy tickets by phone -- and I hope there 's no next time -- do yourself a big favor : When you offer your name to the agent , ask to have it spelled back . That way , you 'll catch any errors before the transaction goes through . Once you have a reservation , it becomes much more difficult -LRB- or even impossible -RRB- to make a change . It should n't be that way . In an ideal world , you 'd be able to change a name on a ticket . Airlines say they ca n't allow name changes for `` security reasons '' but I 'm inclined to believe it has more to do with the fact that they would lose lots of money if passengers could give their tickets to friends and family . Or resell them . I contacted Expedia on your behalf , and it issued a new ticket with your wife 's name spelled correctly . Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine . E-mail him at [email protected] . Copyright 2009 CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | Passenger purchased airline tickets from Expedia by phone . When he received the tickets , his wife 's name was misspelled . Troubleshooter urged him to purchase online and to verify information . Expedia issued a corrected ticket when contacted by the Troubleshooter . | [[0, 13], [38, 94], [249, 250], [284, 304], [485, 546], [249, 250], [284, 304]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lectures , slide shows and notes are often boring , but people are using technology to find entertainment in these unlikely places . Spoof notes of `` Star Wars '' are scribbled into a fun online `` pencast . '' Some use high-tech pens to track presentations . Others share PowerPoints in slide show form online . These technologically spiced-up presentations seem to be getting more attention these days . They 're also creating buzz about what the future of presentations might hold . Consider `` pencasts , '' which are made using the Pulse SmartPen and specially gridded paper , both sold by the California startup Livescribe . The pen writes like an ordinary pen but also has a voice recorder , and it `` notes '' -LRB- so to speak -RRB- which notes were taken at which point in the recording . Some quirky SmartPen presentations come off as comedy sketches . One popular presentation muses about how George Lucas might have come up with the idea for Star Wars . Some university students love the technology because they can record and play back what their professor was saying at an exact point in their notes -- which is especially useful when you ca n't read your own writing . And many professors are all for it , too . `` I feel like this is one of those ` Rear View Mirror ' moments in which a new technology comes into our lives with enormous potential and we just do n't know what to do with it yet , '' blogs Michael Wesch , a cultural anthropology and digital ethnography professor at Kansas State University . `` We think of it in terms of what we know -LRB- pen and paper -RRB- and fail to recognize the potential . '' That potential -- for entertainment and serious uses alike -- can be gleaned from pencasts posted on the Livescribe Web site 's community section , which is about a year old . The pencasts posted there have collectively received more than 1.5 million views . Soon , it will be easier to embed pencasts on other sites , like personal blogs , the company says . Slide shows are further along in popularity . A startup called SlideShare launched in late 2006 with the idea of allowing people to easily share their PowerPoint presentations . Its site had more than 15 million visitors last month , and its 2008 contest for the best presentations showed off the form 's potential . The best are far removed from the dull bullet-point presentations you might have fallen asleep to . Many use dramatic images , striking design and memorable phrases . Former Vice President Al Gore developed his presentation on the planet 's environmental challenges into the Academy Award-winning documentary and best-selling book `` An Inconvenient Truth . '' Last year 's top SlideShare presentation , called `` Thirst , '' highlights the looming water crisis and has nearly 200,000 views . Others are more light-hearted . The No. 2 spot -LRB- with more than 60,000 views -RRB- went to a presentation called `` Foot Notes . '' It shows pictures of the narrator 's feet in various places she 's been -LRB- like on cobblestone corridors in Prague and a dance floor in Chicago -RRB- , interspersed with inspiring quotes related to feet and walking . Finally , for many people , the most dreaded , boring form of communication of all is the lecture . But then , how to explain the popularity of the TED videos ? TED stands for Technology , Entertainment , Design . The conference started in the mid - '80s and has become a networking event of sorts for the world 's best and brightest . Dozens of speakers give presentations of about 20 minutes each -- the perfect duration for a juicy `` media snack . '' TED.com started introducing TEDTalks to the public for free in July 2006 , and by the following year , there were more than a hundred talks dating back to 2002 . Broken down into dozens of themes , today they 're popular fodder for video iPods . In one , the amputee athlete and model Aimee Mullins talks about how her many pairs of artificial legs often beat having a single pair of regular ones -- some make her taller , others are works of art . In another , Jill Tarter , an astronomer and director of the Center for SETI Research , discusses how insanely large the universe is and what a `` waste of space '' it would be if life on Earth were indeed all there is . It 's hard to watch a handful of TED videos and not feel your perspective broadening . That helps explain how , despite the lecture format , TEDTalks has become hugely popular . A few months ago , the videos surpassed the 100 million views mark -- not bad for a bunch of lectures . | Technology injects new life into a dull medium : presentations . SmartPens bring audio and written notes together . Growth in online applications makes slide shows and lectures more interesting . Success of TED lectures means educational content can be popular . | [[333, 386], [333, 378], [384, 425], [333, 378], [384, 425]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- American fighter jets intercepted two Russian bombers , one of which buzzed a U.S. aircraft carrier in the western Pacific on Saturday , U.S. military officials told CNN Monday . Russia 's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that there was no violation of flight regulations during the incident . A ministry official said the flights are standard operating procedure for air force training . One of them twice flew about 2,000 feet over the deck of the USS Nimitz Saturday while another flew about 50 miles away , officials said . Two others were at least 100 miles away , the military reported . U.S. defense officials said four F/A -18 A fighter jets from the Nimitz were in the air . The Russians and the U.S. carrier did not exchange verbal communications . Watch U.S. aircraft carrier USS Nimitz '' Four turboprop Tupolev-95 Bear bombers took off from Ukrainka Air Base , in Russia 's Far East , in the middle of the night , Japanese officials told The Associated Press , adding that one of the planes violated Japanese airspace . Russian bombers have been making flights over the western Pacific for several months . There have been eight incidents off Alaska since July . Among the latest , on September 5 , six F-15s from Elmendorf Air Force Base , adjacent to Anchorage , Alaska , intercepted six Russian bombers about 50 miles from the northwest coast of Alaska . Two similar incidents occurred in August , one near Cape Lisburne , Alaska , and the other near Cold Bay , Alaska , west of the Aleutian Islands . E-mail to a friend . | Russia 's Defense Ministry says there was no violation of flight regulations . One bomber twice flew about 2,000 feet over USS Nimitz deck , U.S. military says . U.S. Defense officials say four F/A -18 A fighter jets from the Nimitz were in the air . Japanese officials tell AP one of the planes violated their country 's airspace . | [[209, 320], [254, 320], [621, 692], [925, 951], [954, 998], [1008, 1030], [954, 972], [1001, 1059]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will undergo a routine medical examination at a hospital in the Indian capital on Tuesday , his spokesman Tenzin Taklha told CNN Sunday . The Dalai Lama with French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy on a recent visit to France . The check-up in New Delhi is likely to take several hours , but the Dalai Lama will not be admitted to the hospital , the spokesman said . The Dalai Lama , who lives in exile in the north Indian hill town of Dharamsala , will travel to the Indian capital on Monday . The 73-year-old Tibetan leader was hospitalized in Mumbai in August for abdominal discomfort . Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will undergo a routine medical examination at a hospital in the Indian capital on Tuesday . | Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama will undergo a medical exam this week . Dalai Lama was recently admitted for tests after suffering abdominal discomfort . The check-up in New Delhi is likely to take several hours . | [[0, 9], [66, 166], [665, 689], [694, 796], [570, 664], [665, 689], [694, 796], [0, 9], [66, 166], [303, 360], [665, 689], [694, 796]] |
HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A power-sharing deal has been reached between Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change , South African President Thabo Mbeki said . Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe , left , and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai . Mbeki , who mediated the talks in Harare for the Southern African Development Community , said the deal would be signed Monday but did not give details of the agreement . Zimbabwe has had no Cabinet since the March presidential election that started the impasse . Opposition lawmakers booed and heckled Mugabe when he spoke at the opening of the country 's parliament August 26 . MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes in that election , but not enough to avoid a runoff , according to the government 's official count . He withdrew from the June 27 runoff days before the vote , saying Mugabe 's supporters had waged a campaign of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters . The main sticking point in the talks had been how much power Mugabe would retain . Tsvangirai had said he would sign a deal only if Mugabe gave up some power and his presidency became a ceremonial position . United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the agreement , according to a statement released by his spokesperson , and `` hopes that this agreement will pave the way for a durable peace and recovery in the country and contribute to rapid improvement in the welfare and human rights of the people of Zimbabwe . '' The country is also reeling from hyper-inflation . In August , the country 's Central Statistical Office said inflation was at 11.2 million percent , the highest in the world . Analysts have said the Zimbabwean government 's official inflation rate figures are conservative . One of Zimbabwe 's leading banks , Kingdom Bank , said the country 's inflation rate was more than 20 million percent . The economic crisis has destroyed Zimbabwe 's currency and made it difficult for Zimbabweans to buy basic commodities , electricity , fuel and medicines . | Zimbabwe leaders agree terms for sharing power , South African president says . Thabo Mbeki , who led mediation talks , said deal will be signed Monday . Zimbabwe has been in political deadlock since controversial election in June . | [[170, 212], [297, 302], [309, 384], [297, 302], [387, 467]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States needs a new law requiring that the president consult with Congress before going to war , a blue-ribbon panel led by two former secretaries of state said Tuesday . James Baker , left , and Warren Christopher led a panel that recommended a new War Powers Act . The current War Powers Resolution is `` ineffective , and it should be repealed and it should be replaced , '' James Baker said in a joint appearance with Warren Christopher , announcing the results of the study they led . The recommendation follows failed efforts by Democrats in Congress to put a stop to the war in Iraq or to put conditions on President Bush 's conduct of it . Congress passed a joint resolution to authorize armed force against Iraq in 2002 , but some Bush opponents say it should not have been interpreted as a blank check for the United States to invade and occupy the Persian Gulf nation . Baker , who served in George H.W. Bush 's administration , and Christopher , who served under President Bill Clinton , said their project was not prompted by any specific war , with Christopher adding that the commission had `` tried very hard not to call balls and strikes on past history here . '' `` We did n't direct this report at any particular conflict , '' Baker added . The existing law , the War Powers Resolution of 1973 , has been regarded as unconstitutional by every president since it was passed as a response to the Vietnam War , Baker and Christopher said . It requires presidents to report regularly to Congress about ongoing conflicts , but the provision has been flouted . `` No president has ever made a submission to Congress pursuant to the War Powers Resolution since 1973 , '' former Sen. Slade Gorton , a Republican member of the committee , said Tuesday . The panel , formally called the National War Powers Commission , said a new law should be created requiring the president to consult with key members of Congress before sending troops into combat expected to last more than a week , or within three days of doing so in the case of operations that need to be kept secret . It should also make clear exactly who the president needed to consult . The panel suggests that the president talk to `` a joint Congressional committee made up of the leaders of the House and the Senate as well as the chairmen and ranking members of key committees . '' The new committee would have a permanent professional staff with access to intelligence information , Baker and Christopher said . Congress , in turn , would have to declare war or vote on a `` resolution of approval '' within 30 days , they said . If a resolution of approval failed , any member of Congress could introduce a `` resolution of disapproval , '' but it was not clear that such an act would stop a war in progress . Christopher was unable to say in the news conference what practical effect congressional disapproval would have . Baker said the commission had been in touch with the presidential campaigns of Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain , as well as leaders of Congress . He declined to reveal what they thought of the proposal , but said : `` We have n't gotten a negative reaction . '' Congress has not officially declared war since 1942 , when the United States entered formal hostilities with the Axis powers in World War II . But since then , presidents have sent troops into countries including Korea , Vietnam , Grenada and Iraq . The Constitution makes the president the commander in chief of the armed forces , but gives Congress the power to declare war and approve military budgets . Baker and Christopher 's group included both Republicans and Democrats and held seven meetings over 14 months . | War Powers Act is `` ineffective '' and should be repealed , blue-ribbon panel says . Former secretaries of state James Baker and Warren Christopher led the study . They say the project was not prompted by any specific war . Panel proposes new law requiring president to consult with Congress . | [[307, 358], [137, 210], [236, 306], [921, 926], [984, 995], [1040, 1114], [1224, 1280], [30, 134], [54, 136], [236, 306], [1804, 1813], [1869, 1965], [1874, 1883], [1902, 1999]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In tests for teacher Tom Farber 's high school class , students can demonstrate their mastery of calculus and find out where to get braces or even a haircut . Calculus teacher Tom Farber is selling ad space on tests to defray printing costs . Squeezed by classroom budget cuts , the Rancho Bernardo High School teacher is selling ads on his exams to cover the costs of printing them . `` It raises money for the teachers and it 's amusing for the kids , so it seems like a win-win , '' said Luke Shaw , 18 , a student at the suburban San Diego , California , school . Parents and administrators also praise Farber , 47 , for his creative classroom funding , but he does n't want it to become the norm . `` My intention is , -LSB- selling ads -RSB- is a stopgap measure , '' said Farber . `` I do n't want to be doing this year after year . '' Instead , he says , government must do more to help educators provide what students need . Farber started letting parents and local businesses sponsor tests this fall after learning budget cuts would limit his in-school printing allowance -- tracked by the school 's copy machines -- to $ 316 for the year . The cost of printing quizzes and tests for his 167 students will easily be more than $ 500 , he said . That meant Farber , whose courses prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam , would have to give fewer or shorter tests , or find money . Farber , who says 90 percent of his students got a 5 -- the top score -- on AP exams last year , said skimping was n't an option . `` It has to be a certain quality , or they wo n't be ready , '' he said . So Farber , who says he 'd never asked for money from parents in his 18 years of high school teaching , pitched the ad idea to parents at a September back-to-school night . For checks made to the math department -- $ 10 a quiz , $ 20 a test or $ 30 for a final exam -- they could insert an inspirational quote -- their own or someone else 's -- or a business advertisement at the bottom of the first page . Watch how teacher came up with ad idea '' Of the seven to run so far -- one per test or quiz -- five were quotes , and two were ads from local businesses connected to the parents or someone close . `` Brace yourself for a great semester ! Braces by Henry , Stephen P. Henry D.M.D. , '' read one of the ads in small type at the bottom of a quiz 's first page . Farber said orders took off after recent media reports . He 's collected more than $ 300 , and he believes he 'll top $ 1,000 , with some ad buyers paying more than required . All amounts beyond his shortfall will cover colleagues ' printing costs , he said . Farber said students and parents have gotten a kick out of the sponsorships . Student Scott Robison , 18 , said : `` I liked it because all the teachers complain about budget cuts , and he did something about it . It has n't hurt in any way . '' Luke Shaw 's father , Jay Shaw , said he wants to sponsor a test next semester . And while Jay Shaw praised Farber 's idea , `` It 's just sad it came to the point where he needs to do that , '' he said . Farber said he does n't want quiz ads `` to become the standard . '' `` What I 'm doing now is ... dealing with the economic situation and making sure kids get what they need , '' Farber said . `` Teachers should n't have to scrounge for funding . To me , this is what our government is for , to provide necessities , and that 's why we pay taxes . '' But California 's budget crisis has forced Farber 's school district , Poway Unified , to cut costs , district Superintendent Don Phillips said . The California Federation of Teachers says the state cut more than $ 4 billion in education spending this year . Phillips said that when the district sought to chop $ 11 million from its $ 265 million annual budget , it wanted to keep teachers but cut other areas . Among the things to go was 30 percent to 40 percent of Poway schools ' materials spending -- including copying . Phillips praised Farber 's ad idea as creative . But he said district officials are weighing whether to set guidelines , especially for business ads . Farber said he 'd prefer to keep ads to local `` mom-and-pop '' operations . He 's accepting one from hair salon Fantastic Sam 's , noting that although it 's part of a chain , the store that 's buying the ad is locally owned . Farber and Phillips said they do n't know of any Poway teachers wanting to replicate the ad idea , but they said educators there have long spent out-of-pocket for supplies . Susan Carmon of the National Education Association said a 2003 study on the issue found U.S. teachers spent an average of $ 450 of their own money yearly for school resources . `` You can only imagine -- with tighter school budgets in almost every state this year -- that this number can only get higher , '' said Carmon , the NEA 's associate director for teacher quality . Fred Glass , the California Federation of Teachers ' communications director , said things could get worse for teachers in the state , with California considering $ 2.5 billion in mid-year education cuts . Glass said he hopes Farber 's ad selling `` will underscore for disinterested observers that this -LSB- funding shortfall -RSB- ca n't go on . '' Glass said he would n't like to see any classroom ads . `` The student needs not to be distracted by anything on the test . This is not instructionally sound , '' he said . But he said he does n't blame Farber . `` This teacher should n't be put in this position , '' Glass said . To those who do n't like his idea , Farber suggests asking legislators to better fund education or writing a check to a school . But he said most of the feedback has been positive . `` One person said , ` Too bad you 're not a bank , because you might qualify for $ 700 billion , ' '' he said . `` I thought that was pretty clever . '' | California calculus teacher had budget for classroom supplies cut . Parents or businesses can sponsor exams with small ad on first page . Teacher Tom Farber expects to raise $ 1,000 with ads this school year . Farber , education officials hope stopgap measure does n't become the norm . | [[1019, 1055], [953, 1028], [2314, 2390], [2486, 2538], [681, 721]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Northwest braced for blizzards Friday night while cities from Milwaukee , Wisconsin , to Boston , Massachusetts , were cleaning up after a major storm delayed air travel and created havoc on the ground . A commuter waits at a Detroit , Michigan , bus stop Friday morning . `` This is essentially the reincarnation of the same storm that brought the heavy snow to parts of California , southern Nevada and northern Arizona , '' Steve Corfidi , lead forecaster with the weather service 's Storm Prediction Center in Norman , Oklahoma , told CNNRadio . Icy roads created from storms this week paralyzed much of the greater Seattle , Washington , area , where schools were closed and bus routes were suspended Friday as roads were too icy to navigate . Two charter buses carrying 80 people that collided and skidded off a road were pulled to safety , CNN affiliate KOMO reported . The buses crashed through a metal railing and hung precariously over Interstate 5 for several hours before tow trucks pulled them back on the road , KOMO reported . `` We hit it and everyone is in shock for a minute , and -LSB- the driver -RSB- says ` go to the back of the bus . ' And people threw each other out the windows , '' passenger Tamera Vasquez told KOMO . Saturday was expected to bring heavy snows in Washington , damaging winds and power outages to a region still recovering from storms earlier in the week . Hurricane-force winds are possible in the eastern foothills of Snohomish , King and Pierce Counties . Further west , several inches of snow are possible in the greater Seattle-Tacoma-Everett metro area Saturday afternoon . Toward the Olympic Mountains , they could be measuring new snowfall in feet . Flights at most airports in the Midwest and Northeast were up and running after experiencing delays as long as three hours throughout the day . But storm warnings and watches remained in effect for most of region . Corfidi said the storm is expected to maintain intensity into Saturday , continuing east and `` spreading a swath of very heavy snow and freezing rain '' into Pennsylvania and New York . `` There could easily be up to a foot of snow over parts of Illinois , northern Indiana , perhaps into parts of Michigan and southern Wisconsin , eastward into parts of New York and Pennsylvania , '' Corfidi said . In Milwaukee , snowfall closed the airport for several hours and cut into local business hours for retail shops during the busiest shopping season of the year . Malls and shopping centers in Milwaukee , Glendale , Wauwatosa and Greendale opened later than usual , dealing another blow to retailers already struggling with a severe economic downturn . To compensate , some stores in the area , including Kohl 's , Boston Store , J.C. Penney and Macy 's are staying open until midnight on some days , the Journal-Sentinel Online reported . `` The snow has me concerned , '' Southridge Mall manager Mary Wenger told the newspaper . Another four to seven inches of snow is expected over the weekend . In New Hampshire , still reeling from an ice storm last week , crews worked feverishly to restore electricity service to more than 30,000 customers remaining in the dark , CNN affiliate WMUR-TV in Manchester reported . Southern New Hampshire could get 10 new inches of snow before midnight Friday , WMUR said . Elsewhere , police in Buffalo , New York , shut down the city 's Skyway highway because of winds and snow , CNN affiliate WGRZ-TV reported . Western New York had several inches of snow on the ground by noon , the station reported . To the north in Ontario , Canada , southbound Highway 400 was shut down outside Toronto after an multivehicle accident in near whiteout conditions , CNN affiliate CTV reported . `` Lots of blowing snow . Visibility is next to nothing , '' CTV senior cameraman Tom Podolec reported from the scene . Ontario Provincial Police reported 70 accidents in less than five hours Friday morning . The system should move quickly , Corfidi said . It was not shaping up as an extraordinary event , he said . `` It is December , and winter storms certainly raise their ugly heads this time of year , '' Corfidi said . | NEW : Tow trucks pull two buses to safety after they skidded off road . NEW : Blizzards , hurricane strength winds anticipated in Washington . NEW : Snowfall cuts into shopping hours for retailers struggling with downturn . Up to a foot of snow is expected from Illinois to New York . | [[772, 845], [772, 808], [846, 867], [900, 909], [946, 1029], [1007, 1046], [0, 5], [33, 60], [573, 602], [613, 670], [1268, 1359], [1268, 1276], [1327, 1371], [1423, 1524], [2341, 2353], [2356, 2364], [2406, 2501], [1939, 2125], [2033, 2125], [2126, 2213]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- FBI agents Monday raided a rural Georgia peanut butter plant suspected as the source of a nationwide salmonella outbreak , a CNN affiliate reported . The Food and Drug Administration launched a probe of Peanut Corporation of America on January 30 . The Peanut Corporation of America plant in Blakely , Georgia , was sealed off by federal authorities Monday morning , WALB reported . The company is accused of knowingly shipping tainted products now linked to nearly 600 illnesses , including eight deaths , in 43 states . The recent outbreak has led to one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history , encompassing more than 1,000 products . The Food and Drug Administration 's Office of Criminal Investigations launched a probe of the company on January 30 . Previously , the Peanut Corporation of America had said said it shipped products only after subsequent tests came back negative for salmonella . Representatives from the company have not returned repeated calls from CNN . | Peanut Corporation of America plant is accused of knowingly shipping tainted goods . Those goods are linked to nearly 600 illnesses , including eight deaths , in 43 states . The outbreak has led to one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history . | [[402, 463], [402, 413], [438, 523], [402, 413], [438, 523], [541, 619]] |
-LRB- CNET.com -RRB- -- The HP Pavilion Media Center TV m8120n is proof positive that quad-core processing is ready for mass consumption . This $ 1,150 entertainment-minded desktop serves up Intel 's Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU , a quad-core chip that up to this point we 've seen only in much higher-end systems meant for gaming . While HP 's own Pavilion Slimline or Apple 's Mac Mini might be better fits for most people looking for a PC to pair with their plasma , the m8120n is a great buy if you need a high-end PC that can do pretty much everything outside of gaming . This fixed-configuration retail PC serves up a host of audio and video connections , plenty of hard drive space , more memory than we were expecting , and integrated Wi-Fi -- all inside a functional and good-looking case . The result is a surprisingly powerful media PC ; you wo n't find a better performer for less . Only its lack of a next-gen optical drive prevents a higher recommendation . We 're also not thrilled with the amount of shovelware . Aside from its black exterior , the m8120n is similar in design to the Pavilion Media Center m7780n we reviewed at the start of the year -LRB- HP moved to its current Media Center chassis in the spring -RRB- . We turned on the system and looked over the components , expecting to find a few incremental upgrades from the previous models . Instead , we were shocked to find not only a quad-core processor but also 3GB of fast 1,066 MHz memory -- 1GB more than we anticipated . A quick scan of our quad-core reviews confirmed our suspicion : this is by far the cheapest quad-core PC we 've reviewed . HP is able to keep the price down in large part by not going after gamers with this system -LRB- the preloaded trial offers -- shovelware -- also help subsidize the cost of the PC -RRB- . Instead of putting money toward a powerful but pricey graphics card , HP uses a low-end Nvidia GeForce 7350LE TurboCache card . It borrows resources from the main system memory when it needs more than its 128MB of dedicated video RAM , but it 's more than capable for everything but supplying suitable 3D framerates as our tests show . Beneath the graphics card is a TV tuner card that features an NTSC tuner , an over-the-air ATSC HD tuner , and an FM tuner . It allows you to connect it to your cable box or grab over-the-air channels via an HD antenna -LRB- which you 'll need to supply yourself -RRB- . The m8120n uses Vista Home Premium , which includes the Media Center shell . You can use it as your subscription-free DVR front-end to watch , pause , and record TV . It also lets you access other media files -- photos , music , videos -- via the included Media Center remote . A slick , slim wireless keyboard is also included , but it lacks a mouse control nub or ball , which means living-room use will require mousing on your thigh , the arm of the couch , or coffee table if it 's something you ca n't control with the remote . A pair of 320GB hard drives provides ample storage out of the box , and you can add more via the Personal Media Drive bay on the front panel that can accept HP 's external hard drives . The drives come in 160GB , 300GB , and 500GB capacities and require no wires to connect -- just slide them into the slot . They also feature a USB port should you need to connect them to another PC . Aside from that , there is n't much room for expansion . All four memory slots are occupied , as are both PCI slots . You can easily get rid of the modem card if you need a free PCI slot , however , and there is an available x1 PCI Express slot . Beneath the 15-in-1 media card reader conveniently located across the top of the front panel are two 5.25-inch drive bays . We were hoping HP 's hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD drive would occupy one of the two slots , but , alas , we discovered a LightScribe DVD burner that might have excited us two years ago . Then again , it 's probably too much to ask for that hybrid drive at this price . The Pavilion Media Center m8120n is a fixed configuration retail model , but you can customize a similar model on HP 's site . The hybrid drive adds $ 760 to the cost of the system plus a necessary yet reasonable $ 130 graphics upgrade . Alternatively , you can configure the online model with a $ 200 HD DVD-ROM drive if you want to watch next-gen discs but not write to them . By comparison , the hybrid drive writes to Blu-ray and only reads HD DVD . The lack of a next-gen optical drive is disappointing on this type of PC because it offers so much media-consuming goodness . In addition to the TV tuner , the Pavilion Media Center m8120n serves up useful AV ports on the front panel . Along with the usual FireWire , USB , headphone , and microphone connections , the system gives you composite and S-Video ports along with two RCA audio ports . The front panel ports make it a snap to connect a camcorder or other video device should you have the PC tucked into your home theater setup where getting to the back-panel ports may prove difficult . Back-panel ports of note include digital audio in and out . The integrated Wi-Fi also increases its living-room appeal because it lets you connect to the Internet without running Ethernet all over your house . And for such a powerful PC , the system is remarkably quiet . About its power . The advantages of a quad-core processor are obvious when you compare the results of the Pavilion Media Center m8120n with two dual-core systems , the $ 1,470 Gateway DX430X and the $ 1,499 Velocity Micro ProMagix E2035 , on our Photoshop and Cinebench tests . The m8120n completed our Photoshop CS2 benchmark 7 percent faster than the Velocity Micro system and 19 percent faster than the Gateway . The difference in performance is far greater on our Cinebench test that taxes multiple CPUs ; the m8120m enjoyed a huge 69 percent advantage over the Velocity Micro and a 75 percent lead over the Gateway . Our Multitasking test provides a good glimpse of overall application performance under a typical workload . The Pavilion Media Center m8120n 's showing on this test is particularly impressive when you consider that it easily outpaces a Gateway PC that costs a few hundred more . While Dell 's original XPS 710 cost nearly five times more than the m8210n when we reviewed it in November 2006 , it 's used here by comparison to show what the scores of an overclocked , high-end , quad-core gaming PC look like . Also note that the Dell XPS 710 was running Windows XP , which is n't nearly as demanding as Vista . HP backs the Pavilion Media Center m8120n with an industry-standard one-year part-and-labor hardware warranty -LRB- software support ends after 90 days -RRB- . Toll-free phone support and live chat are available 24-7 . One piece of preloaded software we do appreciate is HP 's Total Care Advisor , a suite of support tools that can help you schedule updates and backups and diagnose and repair problems . The included printed materials are thorough and clearly written , from the huge , full-color start-up poster to the lengthy Getting Started manual . E-mail to a friend . © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | The HP Pavilion Media Center TV m8120n retails for $ 1,150 . It boasts a quad-core Intel processor and outstanding overall performance . No next-gen optical drive on this retail model , little room for future expansion . | [[139, 221], [139, 221], [888, 964], [3353, 3391]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From cyberspace to college campuses , many young conservatives are worried that Sen. John McCain is not appealing to their generation . Sen. John McCain says he knows how important young voters are . At a town hall meeting in Ohio this month , a student told McCain that Republicans were a dying breed on his campus . `` I understand the challenge I have , and I understand that this election is really all about the people of your generation , '' McCain said . Many young Republicans said Sen. Barack Obama , the 46-year-old junior senator from Illinois , is inspiring voters their age , but McCain , the 71-year-old Arizona senator who has been in office since the early '80s , is not . Eric Perlmutter , a Republican and student at the at the University of Southern California , said the roaring enthusiasm that follows Obama is missing among conservatives his age . `` We try to get people out to our college Republican meetings , but ... we ca n't seem to draw the same kind of vocal support , '' he said . At the July town hall meeting in Portsmouth , Ohio , McCain said he knows that he has `` a lot of work to do '' with the younger voters . The senator said he needs young conservatives to help spread his message for him , because `` there 's nothing that convinces young people like other young people . '' McCain also acknowledged the importance of using the Internet to reach out to a generation that stays in touch via social networking sites . On MySpace , Obama has more than 427,000 friends , compared with fewer than 60,000 for McCain . Perlmutter said he cringed when McCain admitted he does n't use e-mail . Obama , however , is frequently seen with Blackberry in hand . Additionally , Perlmutter pointed out that the images used in McCain 's campaign -- such as a message about small businesses showing a barber shop with a traditional red and blue pole -- hardly connect to the younger generation . `` Well , when you see the Main Street barber shop image , you think of 1950s America . An entrepreneur , a Silicon Valley guy would definitely make him more attractive , '' he said . Obama also has increased his college-age appeal by holding rallies and giving speeches at hundreds of campuses . McCain has said he recognizes that he needs to get out to those venues `` where young people are engaged and receiving their information and forming their opinions . '' `` Sen. McCain should demand that these same colleges and universities host him or else their tax-exempt status could be in jeopardy , '' said Jason Mattera , spokesman for Young America 's Foundation , a conservative outreach group . McCain must work to connect young voters to conservative principles , Mattera said . `` So if they are suspicious of Uncle Sam telling them what Internet sites they can view , they should be equally suspicious of the federal government telling them what health care plan they are going to be a part of , '' he said . According to a Pew Research Center study conducted between October and March , McCain has a big numbers gap to close . The study found that the current generation of young voters , those who came of age during the President Bush years , are giving the Democrats a wide edge . Fifty-eight percent of voters under 30 identified or leaned toward the Democratic Party , compared with 33 percent who said they identified or leaned toward the Republican Party . The McCain campaign said it plans to increase the senator 's presence on sites such as Facebook and MySpace in addition to the candidate making appearance on shows that appeal to younger viewers , such as `` The Daily Show with Jon Stewart , '' `` The Tonight Show with Jay Leno '' and the `` Late Show with David Letterman . '' In past elections , both parties have tended to put less focus on younger voters because historically , their turnout has been low . With fewer than four months until the November election , McCain said he 's confident he can convince young voters that he is the candidate for them . `` I believe that I can convince them that I have the plan of action and the ideals and the goals and the inspiration that , as next president of the United States , I can serve better their interests than my opponent , '' he said . | Young GOP voters say enthusiasm for Sen. John McCain missing in their age group . McCain : `` This election is really all about the people of your generation '' McCain says he does n't use e-mail ; Sen. Barack Obama has big MySpace presence . McCain campaign says it plans to increase presence on MySpace , Facebook . | [[57, 154], [962, 1015], [155, 218], [380, 461], [464, 480], [1574, 1646], [1590, 1646], [3414, 3577]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The man who police say dressed as Santa Claus and killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party lived with guilt from an incident that left his son from a previous relationship a paraplegic , according to an attorney who once represented the woman in that relationship . Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a shooting rampage in a Los Angeles suburb on Wednesday , police say . Prime suspect Bruce Jeffrey Pardo , who police said committed suicide hours after he went on a shooting rampage and started a raging house fire in the Los Angeles suburb of Covina , had a son who sustained severe brain damage several years ago in an apparent swimming pool accident while he was in Pardo 's care , according to attorney Jeffrey Alvirez . Police have said Pardo targeted his rampage at his former wife , Sylvia Ortega Pardo , and her family at the family 's Christmas Eve party . The Los Angeles Times reported that Pardo had kept his son 's existence and condition a secret from his wife . When she found out , her anger over the situation and also finding out that Pardo had claimed the child as a tax dependent for several years became a major factor in divorce proceedings , the paper said , quoting an unidentified source close to the investigation . Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said Friday that a divorce between the two was finalized in court December 18 in a `` somewhat contentious proceeding . '' On Saturday , Covina police released the names of the nine people unaccounted for since the shooting and fire . Nine bodies were recovered from the rubble of the house , but authorities said they are having to work with dental records to establish identities . `` The bodies were so badly burned they can not be identified any other way , '' Covina police Lt. Pat Buchanan said . The nine unaccounted for are Sylvia Pardo , her parents , her sister , her two brothers , both brothers ' wives and a nephew . Ages of the nine range from 17 to 80 , police said . Police said Sunday a car believed to have been rented by Pardo on December 19 , a gray Toyota RAV4 , was found in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale . Authorities had cautioned the missing car might be booby-trapped or contain explosives , but it was unclear whether any had been found . Another rented car that Pardo used to flee the scene was found booby-trapped after the shooting , police said . That car burned as the Covina bomb squad was trying to disconnect an explosive device in it , police said . In an interview Saturday with CNN , Alvirez -- who represented Pardo 's former girlfriend Elena Lucano in a child support case against Pardo -- said that Pardo and Lucano were in an `` off-and-on again relationship '' in 2001 and that Pardo was watching their 13-month-old son , Matthew , one Saturday while Lucano went grocery shopping . When Lucano returned a short time later , she found Pardo frantically holding the unconscious toddler , Alvirez said . `` The child did get away from him for a few minutes and managed to crawl out of a patio door and slip into the pool , '' Alvirez said . The couple rushed the child to a nearby hospital , where paramedics resuscitated him . Later , the gravely traumatized child was airlifted to Children 's Hospital in Los Angeles , a world-renowned trauma center that specializes in severe pediatric care , for specialized treatment , Alvirez said . During the first week in the intensive care unit , Pardo never left his son 's bedside , Alvirez said . But a few weeks after the child was stabilized , doctors concluded that severe brain damage would confine him to a wheelchair for life , Alvirez said . Less than six months later , Pardo and Lucano ended their relationship , and Pardo stopped visiting his son . Pardo also neglected to contribute to Matthew 's medical costs , which surged up to $ 340,000 within the first year , Alvirez said . `` We had to sue -LSB- Pardo -RSB- on his $ 100,000 homeowner 's insurance policy , and I recommended that Elena sue Bruce beyond the policy , '' he said . `` She was not a vindictive type , and she knew he was living with overwhelming guilt and wanted to only pursue his policy . '' Alvirez said he never had any problems with Pardo and was able to collect the $ 100,000 policy to pay off medical bills and set up a special needs trust of $ 240 per month for the rest of Matthew 's life . The boy is now 9 years old , Alvirez said . `` Once the settlement was reached in August 2002 , Bruce stopped communicating completely and never saw Matthew or Elena again , '' Alvirez said . He said Lucano had maintained occasional contact with Pardo 's mother over the years but she was unaware that Pardo had remarried and never anticipated the violent path that ended his life and left nine other people dead . `` She is overwhelmed by all of this , but Elena has managed to provide for Matthew as a single parent with a part-time nurse and a full-time job , '' Alvirez said . Lucano declined to be interviewed by CNN , Alvirez said . | Bruce Pardo 's son from previous relationship was brain damaged , attorney says . Secret of boy 's existence was factor in divorce , newspaper reports . Police are looking for car Pardo might have rented . Authorities release information on those unaccounted for after fire . | [[160, 171], [177, 231], [0, 11], [234, 258], [412, 445], [594, 693], [700, 702], [726, 765], [907, 1017], [1996, 2073], [1436, 1447], [1450, 1547]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Microsoft has applied for a patent on metered , pay-as-you-go computing . Under a Microsoft proposal , consumers would receive heavily discounted PCs , then pay fees for usage . U.S. patent application number 20080319910 , published on Christmas Day , details Microsoft 's vision of a situation where a `` standard model '' of PC is given away or heavily subsidized by someone in the supply chain . The end user then pays to use the computer , with charges based on both the length of usage time and the performance levels utilized , along with a `` one-time charge . '' Microsoft notes in the application that the end user could end up paying more for the computer , compared with the one-off cost entailed in the existing PC business model , but argues the user would benefit by having a PC with an extended `` useful life . '' `` A computer with scalable performance level components and selectable software and service options has a user interface that allows individual performance levels to be selected , '' reads the patent application 's abstract . The patent application was filed June 21 , 2007 . `` The scalable performance level components may include a processor , memory , graphics controller , etc. . Software and services may include word processing , email , browsing , database access , etc. . To support a pay-per-use business model , each selectable item may have a cost associated with it , allowing a user to pay for the services actually selected and that presumably correspond to the task or tasks being performed , '' the abstract continues . Integral to Microsoft 's vision is a security module , embedded in the PC , that would effectively lock the PC to a certain supplier . `` The metering agents and specific elements of the security module ... allow an underwriter in the supply chain to confidently supply a computer at little or no upfront cost to a user or business , aware that their investment is protected and that the scalable performance capabilities generate revenue commensurate with actual performance level settings and usage , '' the application reads . ' A more granular approach ' According to the application , the issue with the existing PC business model is that it `` requires more or less a one chance at the consumer kind of mentality , where elasticity curves are based on the pressure to maximize profits on a one-time-sale , one-shot-at-the-consumer mentality . '' Microsoft 's proposed model , on the other hand , could `` allow a more granular approach to hardware and software sales , '' the application states , adding that the user `` may be able to select a level of performance related to processor , memory , graphics power , etc that is driven not by a lifetime maximum requirement but rather by the need of the moment . '' `` When the need is browsing , a low level of performance may be used and , when network-based interactive gaming is the need of the moment , the highest available performance may be made available to the user , '' the document reads . `` Because the user only pays for the performance level of the moment , the user may see no reason to not acquire a device with a high degree of functionality , in terms of both hardware and software , and experiment with a usage level that suits different performance requirements . '' By way of example , the application posits a situation involving three `` bundles '' of applications and performance : office , gaming , and browsing . `` The office bundle may include word-processing and spreadsheet applications , medium graphics performance and two of three processor cores , '' the document reads . `` The gaming bundle may include no productivity applications but may include 3D graphics support and three of three processor cores . The browsing bundle may include no productivity applications , medium graphics performance and high-speed network interface . '' `` Charging for the various bundles may be by bundle and by duration . For example , the office bundle may be $ 1.00 -LSB- 68 pence -RSB- per hour , the gaming bundle may be $ 1.25 per hour and the browsing bundle may be $ 0.80 per hour . The usage charges may be abstracted to ` units/hour ' to make currency conversions simpler . Alternatively , a bundle may incur a one-time charge that is operable until changed or for a fixed-usage period , '' the document reads . Microsoft 's patent application does acknowledge that a per-use model of computing would probably increase the cost of ownership over the PC 's lifetime . The company argues in its application , however , that `` the payments can be deferred and the user can extend the useful life of the computer beyond that of the one-time purchase machine . '' The document suggests that `` both users and suppliers benefit from this new business model '' because `` the user is able to migrate the performance level of the computer as needs change over time , while the supplier can develop a revenue stream business that may actually have higher value than the one-time purchase model currently practiced . '' `` Rather than suffering through less-than-adequate performance for a significant portion of the life of a computer , a user can increase performance level over time , at a slight premium of payments , '' the application reads . `` When the performance level finally reaches its maximum and still better performance is required , then the user may upgrade to a new computer , running at a relatively low performance level , probably with little or no change in the cost of use . '' © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. . All rights reserved . CNET , CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. . Used by permission . | Microsoft has applied for a patent on metered , pay-as-you-go computing . Under its plan , a standard PC would be given away or heavily subsidized . Consumers would then pay regular fees to use the computer . Charges would be based on length of usage time and PC performance levels . | [[20, 93], [94, 169], [303, 314], [321, 385], [321, 349], [367, 418], [123, 132], [172, 197], [419, 476], [469, 542], [1972, 2088], [3266, 3279], [3285, 3327]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An internationally renowned paleontologist will plead guilty to stealing dinosaur bones from federal land , his attorneys said in a court filing . Paleontologist Nate Murphy is expected to plead guilty to stealing fossils from federal land . Nate Murphy , whose famous finds include Leonardo , one of the best-preserved dinosaurs in the world , will make that plea in federal court in Billings , Montana . Earlier this month , Murphy pleaded guilty to state charges of stealing a fossil from private land in order to sell it . An expert cited in that case said Murphy 's find was worth between $ 150,000 and $ 400,000 . The self-taught dinosaur expert , who is director of vertebrate paleontology at the Judith River Dinosaur Institute , could face jail time . Murphy and his attorney did not immediately respond to phone messages Friday from CNN . Jessica Fehr , lead prosecutor in the case , said the U.S. Attorney 's Office would not comment until after the plea is entered . In court papers , federal prosecutors say Murphy knowingly took fossils from federal property between about August 2006 and August 2007 . The `` paleontological resources '' were said to be worth at least $ 1,000 . In the state case , Murphy pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft . As part of the plea , the state recommended Murphy 's sentence be deferred for five years . Douglas Erwin , president of The Paleontological Society and curator of the Smithsonian 's National Museum of Natural History , said `` theft of fossils from pubic lands has long been a problem . '' In a written statement sent to CNN on Friday , he said such thefts `` can often result in the loss of important scientific information and the disappearance of specimens that belong to the public . `` At the same time , however , fossil collecting , particularly of common invertebrate fossils , has been a pastime enjoyed by many for decades , and is an important way of connecting people with their natural heritage . '' An omnibus public lands bill , which the U.S. Senate passed Thursday , includes penalties for fossil theft from public land . | Attorney says well-known paleontologist will plead guilty to stealing dinosaur bones . Nate Murphy , of the Judith River Dinosaur Institute , has made major fossil finds . Murphy is accused of taking fossils from federal lands in Montana . Smithsonian : `` Theft of fossils from pubic lands has long been a problem '' | [[0, 15], [19, 124], [166, 260], [166, 192], [205, 260], [166, 260], [166, 192], [205, 260], [998, 1013], [1016, 1135], [1377, 1390], [1505, 1572]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Screening Room went to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane in the heart of London 's West End , where a spectacular musical version of `` The Lord of The Rings '' is enjoying a successful run , to meet Indian composer A. R. Rahman , whose blend of Asian culture with rock and Western classical styles has revolutionized the Indian film industry . And now Rahman is about to make his mark in Hollywood . A. R. Rahman , interviewed by CNN 's Screening Room . Virtually unknown in Europe and the U.S. , Rahman has sold 200 million albums worldwide -- more than the Beatles -- and is worshipped throughout much of Asia , where he 's known as the Mozart of Madras . Now he has added a Hollywood film score to his vast repertoire of movie music . Rahman explained to CNN what he thinks makes great movie music . `` A great soundtrack is like ` Laura `` s theme ' , the ` Love Story ' theme , ` Chariots of Fire ' and all those sorts of things , where it stood by itself , '' he said . But recently , he 's noticed a changing mood . `` Now it is becoming too abstract and more ambient and more ... I do n't know , soundscape-ish , more than melody . People are afraid of melody : ` Oh , that melody is distracting my scene , ' it is becoming like that . '' And that brings fresh challenges for the makers of film music . `` Now the challenges of the composer are much more , '' he told CNN . `` One needs to know of recording , production , it is not enough to compose a great theme and -LSB- know -RSB- how it can intertwine with the movie . And with Indian film it is an even greater challenge , because we need to be like Michael Jackson , John Williams , Hans Zimmer and an Indian folk composer all put together . So they expect finesse and they expect versatility . '' Rahman 's compositions are versatile enough to be used by both Bollywood and Hollywood , a case in point being his music for the Hindi film `` Dil Se , '' which was used almost a decade later by Spike Lee for `` Inside Man . '' But for Rahman , the process to create film music is being challenged by increasingly crammed movie schedules . `` There used to be a time where the director and the composer would work together , '' he explained . `` They would develop themes and the director would shoot a scene , but now the world 's so fast that people are finishing the movie even before going to a composer . '' As well as writing songs and scores , Rahman has featured in many Bollywood films singing the songs which are mimed by the acting superstars . He recently completed a sell-out tour of the U.S. performing highlights from his songbook to devoted fans . He explained to CNN how playback singing is a normal part of Indian film music . `` Well , until I worked in ` Bombay Dreams ' six or seven years back , I never realized that it is not cool to have playback singing . Until then , it was the story of Indian films where somebody else lip synchs and somebody else sings . '' And Rahman has been converted to the Western model , where those singing on-screen usually provide the vocals themselves . `` In my future projects I would rather have a star who sings , '' he said . Director Shekhar Kapur recruited Rahman and fellow composer Craig Armstrong to provide the score for Cate Blanchett 's sequel to `` Elizabeth , '' `` The Golden Age , '' which premieres at Toronto Film Festival in September this year . Kapur described the thrill of working with two such different -- and complementary -- composers . He told CNN , `` Here are two totally different cultures . Craig Armstrong is strings and heart , the skies , choir , angels and devils , and A. r. is modern , restless music . '' `` Just to get them together was very interesting for me . To sit there and see both of them jamming together , that was fascinating . They would n't talk , they would jam , and out of the jamming came the music . It was great . '' Rahman is still getting used to his new-found status as darling of both East and West -- and it leads to a somewhat chaotic lifestyle , as he explained . `` It is terrifying sometimes . I suddenly wake up in Scotland doing music for ` Golden Age , ' and suddenly wake up doing an Indian superstar film , but I think after all these years I am probably getting a balance . '' E-mail to a friend . | Composer A. R. Rahman has sold over 200 million albums worldwide . The ` Mozart of Madras ' works in both the Indian film industry and Hollywood . Rahman 's work includes the music for ` The Lord of the Rings ' stage production . | [[534, 605], [1803, 1889]] |
HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe published a draft constitutional amendment in the government gazette Saturday , paving the way for the power-sharing agreement reached after violence disrupted this year 's presidential election . President Robert Mugabe , left , and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed the deal in July . Constitutional Amendment 19 details the posts and institutions that were created by the power-sharing deal , including the position of prime minister intended for Morgan Tsvangirai , leader of the Movement for Democratic Change . The publication of the draft is the first step in creating a law in Zimbabwe . For the law to pass , it must be appear before parliament in 30 days , according to the country 's constitution . If it is approved , it will be sent to Mugabe for his signature . The deal arose after Tsvangirai withdrew from a June 27 runoff days before the vote , saying Mugabe 's supporters had waged a campaign of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters . The two leaders signed the initial agreement , brokered by former South African President Thabo Mbeki , in July but have failed to agree on how to form a cabinet . The MDC , the main opposition party , noted that Mugabe 's latest move does not legalize the amendment . `` Gazetting the bill -- which was done by -LSB- Mugabe 's party -RSB- Zanu-PF -- does not automatically translate into passing it into law , '' MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said . `` That can only take place if outstanding issues have been addressed . Otherwise we will not support the bill . '' The two parties agreed last month to the draft amendment during talks in South Africa , but Chamisa warned then that problems remained . `` We have differed with Zanu-PF for a long time while the citizens suffer , but fortunately we have agreed on something . I need to hasten to mention that we still have some outstanding issues , such as the cabinet , appointment of diplomats , '' he said in late November . Zanu-PF lost its majority in the parliament in the March elections . As no party has the two-thirds majority to pass the law , its passage relies on MDC support . If parliament does not approve the amendment , Mugabe may call for new elections , Zimbabwe Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told state-run daily newspaper The Herald . `` I envisage that it will require two weeks for it to be debated and passed through both Houses . If no support is forthcoming , it means that Amendment Number 19 Bill will be dead matter , '' Chinamasa is quoted as saying The Herald . `` In the event that the collaboration that we envisage is not forthcoming , then that will necessitate fresh harmonized elections at some point in time , '' he said , according to The Herald . Tsvangirai won the most votes in the March election , but not enough to avoid a runoff , according to the government 's official count . South African President Kgalema Motlanthe , chairman of the Southern African Development Community , welcomed the draft . `` The gazetting of Amendment 19 of the Zimbabwean Constitution is indeed a major step towards the formation of an inclusive government in Zimbabwe , '' he said in a written statement . `` We urge the Zimbabwean political parties to establish an inclusive government . '' Meanwhile , the country is battling a cholera outbreak that has killed nearly 800 people since August , according to the World Health Organization . More than 16,000 people have been infected , WHO said . This week , Mugabe declared that `` there is no cholera in the country . '' His spokesman later said Mugabe was sarcastically ridiculing what he believes are Western designs to invade the country . Another Zimbabwean official , Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu , said Friday that the disease was a `` calculated , racist attack on Zimbabwe by the unrepentant former colonial power , which has enlisted support from its American and Western allies so that they can invade the country . '' Britain ruled the country as a colony until 1965 . Ndlovu 's claims triggered quick and pointed reaction from Britain and the United States . In Washington , State Department spokesman Rob McInturff called Ndlovu 's accusations `` patently ridiculous . '' | Amendment paves way for power-sharing deal after violence disturbed election . President Robert Mugabe , MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed deal in July . Amendment describes prime minister post intended for opposition leader Tsvangirai . Parliament must approve amendment before Mugabe can sign it into effect . | [[9, 33], [150, 196], [169, 239], [211, 266], [267, 365], [1051, 1162], [394, 428], [434, 546]] |
CORAL SPRINGS , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities solved a 31-year-old disappearance this year when they found the remains of Jeff Klee , missing since 1977 , in a van in a canal . Jeff Klee had been missing since 1977 ; his remains were found this year . But prosecutors have announced that no charges would be filed against the man who , authorities say , admits that he put Klee 's body in the van three decades earlier . `` Today is a sad day for our family , '' Klee 's sister , Laurel Steele , told reporters Thursday . `` It tests my family 's faith to its very core . '' Klee 's remains were found in March during a routine police sweep for stolen vehicles in the C-14 canal in Coral Springs , Florida . The van was in neutral when police discovered it . DNA confirmed Klee 's identity , but authorities say there was not enough evidence to determine how he died -- and whether he had been killed . Watch Klee 's sister react to the decision '' The Broward County State Attorney 's Office said the statute of limitations on possible manslaughter charges expired in 1980 . As for a more serious charge such as first-degree murder to which a statute of limitations would not apply , prosecutors said they do n't have any evidence of premeditation or that the death was caused by a criminal act . Police had long thought Klee 's best friend , David Cusanelli , was the last person to see him alive June 21 , 1977 . According to a memorandum released Thursday by the Broward County State Attorney 's Office , Cusanelli told authorities this July 28 that he put Klee 's body inside his black Chevy van after he was dead and that his brother , Carl Cusanelli , helped shove the van into the canal . But Cusanelli denied involvement in Klee 's death , prosecutors said . Mitch Polay , the defense attorney for the Cusanelli brothers , reiterated that denial . He said the brothers ' statements `` were taken out of context , and they were posed as hypotheticals to drum up potential memories of the event . '' `` My clients , for 31 years , have denied any involvement , '' Polay told CNN . `` They had no involvement with pushing any van into the water , nor did they have any involvement with the death of Jeff Klee . '' According to the prosecution memorandum , Cusanelli told police that he and Klee had an argument over a former girlfriend . Cusanelli said Klee began to chase him out at the canal that night , the document alleges . Cusanelli said that `` all he remembers is , he turned around and saw that Jeff had fallen and was on the ground , and his head was split open , and there was a lot of blood , '' according to the document . `` There was definitely a confrontation that night , which resulted in Jeff Klee 's death , '' lead Detective David Weissman said Thursday . Cusanelli told police that he ran away from Klee because he was in fear of his life and that he has no idea how Klee fell . Cusanelli concedes that he may have thrown a rock at Klee , according to the prosecution memo . Cusanelli , according to the memo , said he panicked and put Klee 's body inside his van . He then called his brother Carl , who helped push the vehicle into the canal , the memo alleges . In the state attorney 's memorandum , Cusanelli said Klee was bleeding from a serious head wound and was not breathing . He told authorities he would never have put Klee 's body into the van and rolled it into the canal if Klee was n't dead , the memo says . Carl Cusanelli told police he helped push the van into the canal , the memo says , but denied any knowledge that Klee may have been in the van at the time . David Cusanelli also told police that he thinks he blocked the whole incident from his memory and that only recently did some details begin to materialize , according to the prosecution memo . `` It 's turned their worlds upside down . They are very upset , '' said Polay , the defense attorney . `` Thirty-one years ago , David was best friends with Jeff Klee . '' Coral Springs Police Chief Duncan Foster expressed frustration that no charges are being brought . `` Jeff Klee was a loved member of someone 's family , and that has no time limits , '' Foster said . `` It 's just very , very frustrating for us . '' Steele , Klee 's sister , said , `` Victimized by the loss of Jeff so many years ago , we are victimized once again . '' Klee 's mother , Florence Klee , clutched a framed photo of her son but did not speak during Thursday 's news conference . Klee 's father died about two years ago . Authorities said the case remains open . The family and the police are asking for the public to help them find any possible evidence of what happened that summer night in 1977 at the canal . `` Justice has been denied , '' Steele said . | Prosecutors say they wo n't pursue charges in death of man from 1977 . Remains of Jeff Klee were found in van in a canal in Florida this year . Authorities say there 's not enough evidence to determine cause of death . `` Justice has been denied , '' Klee 's sister says . | [[261, 338], [4047, 4082], [105, 140], [224, 260], [584, 704], [805, 850], [805, 816], [821, 911], [1194, 1306], [469, 486], [505, 530], [4712, 4738]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mysterious disappearance of Flight AF 447 over the Atlantic Ocean has fueled speculation among aviation experts about what caused the state-of-the-art airliner to come down . An airliner is struck by lightning strike at Washington 's Dulles airport last year . According to Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon , the Airbus A330-200 encountered heavy turbulence about 02:15 a.m. local time Monday -LRB- 10:15 p.m. ET Sunday -RRB- , three hours after the jet carrying 228 people left Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , for Paris , France . At that point , the plane 's automatic system initiated a four-minute exchange of messages to the company 's maintenance computers , indicating `` several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down . '' The jet , which was flying at 35,000 feet and at 521 mph , also sent a warning that it had lost pressure , the Brazilian air force said . Its last known contact occurred at 02:33 a.m. , the Brazilian air force spokesman added . The assumption is that these electrical problems led to a catastrophic failure of the aircraft 's controls . What brought Flight AF 447 down ? '' Some experts have said that a lightning strike was a possibility , particularly since the plane disappeared in a storm-prone area along the equator known as the Intertropical Convergence zone -LRB- ITCZ -RRB- . This is where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres converge . The intense sun and warm water of the equator heats the air in the ITCZ , raising its humidity and making it buoyant . Aided by the convergence of the trade winds , the buoyant air rises , releasing the accumulated moisture in an almost constant series of thunderstorms . The airliner 's route '' According to CNN 's Mari Ramos , these storms can reach altitudes of 52,000 ft -- way beyond the capacity of commercial airliners to fly over . Watch more about the weather systems '' Retired airline pilot John Cox told CNN that modern aircraft receive a constant stream of real time weather data which allows them to plot a course around storms . `` Because safety is the paramount concern , airliners do n't fly into storms . They fly around them , '' he said . `` The ITCZ is no different . Planes fly through it every day . `` At 8 miles per minute , modern jets can easily fly around storms . Even if they encounter turbulence , they 're designed to absorb it . '' When lightning strikes a plane , the bolt typically hits a sharp part of it , such as a wing tip . Huge amounts of energy surge through the aircraft before exiting out of another sharp point , such as the tail . But sometimes high voltages can cause electrical damage if components are not well-grounded . Unlike other aircraft where the pilot 's controls are manually attached to the flaps and rudders , Airbus 330 airliners are equipped with a `` fly by wire '' system that sends electronic signals from an onboard computer to move key control surfaces . Experts say that it is possible for this system and its back-up computers to be disabled by lightning . `` If you have a massive electrical problem it 's possible that you could cut off all the commands out to the control surfaces , '' said aeronautics expert John Hansman . However , Kieran Daly , from the online aviation news service Air Transport Intelligence , told CNN that this scenario , while not impossible , is inconceivable . `` It 's more likely that lightning would cause a fire or punch a hole through the aircraft structure , '' he said . `` It could be significant that the jet reported a loss of pressure . '' He added that the aircraft would be able to continue without the fly-by-wire system . The `` trim tab , '' which enables the pilot to manually manipulate controls such as the rudder , would allow the crew to fly the aircraft safely . `` Pilots are routinely trained for these kinds of events in a simulator , '' he said . Former Airbus pilot John Wiley said on average every airliner is hit by a strike once a year . `` They do n't go down , '' he said . According to Air France , the captain of Flight AF 447 had a record of 11,000 flight hours and had already flown 1,700 hours on Airbus A330/A340 aircraft . Of the two first officers , one had flown 3,000 flight hours -LRB- 800 of which on the Airbus A330/A340 -RRB- and the other 6,600 -LRB- 2,600 on the Airbus A330/A340 -RRB- . The aircraft had totaled 18,870 flight hours and went into service on 18 April 2005 . Its last maintenance check in the hangar took place on 16 April 2009 . | Air France Airbus A330-200 encountered heavy turbulence . CEO : `` Several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down '' Some experts have said that a lightning strike was a possible cause . Flight 447 , traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris , was carrying 228 people . | [[353, 429], [301, 350], [586, 615], [703, 767], [703, 753], [771, 788], [1166, 1313], [490, 537]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They 've been teasing and tantalizing female readers with images of muscular men oozing sensuality and the pretty women they are destined to save and then fall in love with . The `` beefcakes and bodices '' book covers have helped Harlequin sell their romance novels for more than half a century . Powerful men and demure women were stock in trade in early Harlequin novels . `` It 's always great to feel like you 're the girl in the book and the handsome guy is coming to rescue you , '' said Liz Lenz , 25 , who has been reading Harlequin novels since she was a teen . `` It 's always fun for the reader . '' Those covers also seduced Winnipeg , Canada , teacher Louann Bergen . `` There 's usually good-looking males on the covers or something intriguing to make you want to read more , '' she said . `` I guess they change with the times , but they still have that same allure and that same passion behind them . '' As sort of a 60th anniversary gift to its faithful readers , Harlequin is displaying original artwork for its covers in an New York exhibit called `` The Heart of a Woman : Harlequin Cover Art 1949-2009 . '' And before you sniff disdainfully at romance novel art , be reminded : That artwork sells a lot of books . Romance fiction is responsible for $ 1.375 billion in book sales every year , according to Romance Writers of America . The organization says more than a quarter of all books sold are romance novels , satisfying 51 million readers every year . The Harlequin exhibit comes from boxes and boxes of old novels that employees discovered at the company 's headquarters in Toronto , Canada . `` I pawed through literally thousands of paintings , '' curator Elizabeth Semmelhack said , adding that she saw apparent shifts in women 's historical desires began to emerge . Watch the curator discuss some favorites '' `` Rather than being retardataire -LSB- outdated -RSB- , many of these images are extremely cutting edge , '' she said . `` There are images of women doctors before women were really embraced by the workplace . There are women who are adventuring around the world before independence is really part of women 's culture . '' Many early Harlequin covers , like that of Elizabeth Houghton 's `` Island Hospital , '' in which a man , woman and grizzly bear stand poised in confrontation , depict more than one -LRB- fully clothed -RRB- character in the crux of a suspenseful moment . `` You do n't know , is the couple going to get together ? Is the hero going to save the heroine ? The happy ending is not on the cover , '' Semmelhack explained . The illustrations have changed their tone over the years . Where cover art used to hint at psychological intrigue , it 's grown to instead promise a passionate physical conclusion . `` From the earliest covers , there 's sort of an implied sexual tension , but there is n't much direct imaging of passion . That does n't happen until the late '70s and into the '80s , '' she said . `` By the time you hit the sexual revolution and passion becomes of primary importance on these covers , then that lover 's embrace in many ways signals the happy ending right there on the front of the book . '' And in recent decades , the once revolutionary depictions of the lovers ' raw embrace have been reduced further . `` Today , covers might just be the undressed male body . He might even be headless . He 's so truncated that all you 're doing is looking at the object of desire , his masculinity . '' Although Harlequin romances are predominantly written for and read by women , according to Semmelhack , the majority of the publisher 's cover illustration artists have been male . `` It is interesting that you have men imaging female desire , '' she said . `` It seems to work ; the books certainly sell . '' This year , Harlequin books , which publishes 1,200 new titles annually , reported first quarter earnings up more than 13 percent . Debbie Macomber , who has published 153 books since 1983 -- and is most recently author of a May New York Times Harlequin best-seller , `` Summer on Blossom Street . '' -- visited the `` Heart of a Woman '' exhibit on opening night . `` There were some that really made me laugh out loud , '' Macomber said . `` It was amazing to see the role and the progression of the women 's movement in the cover art itself . I get letters from 13-year-old girls and women who are in their 90s , and that 's one of my goals as a writer : to write books that are relevant to my readers . '' | Decades of busting bodices , bulging biceps , intrigue and glamour in exhibition . Harlequin displays half a century of romance book covers in New York . Curator : Covers go from psychological intrigue to passionate physical conclusion . Reader says books `` still have that same allure and that same passion '' | [[28, 126], [1010, 1088], [2196, 2223], [2226, 2270], [2732, 2797], [877, 945]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reclusive author J.D. Salinger has emerged , at least in the pages of court documents , to try to stop a novel that presents Holden Caulfield , the disaffected teen hero of his classic `` The Catcher in the Rye , '' as an old man . J.D. Salinger has stayed out of the public eye for most of the past half century . Lawyers for Salinger filed suit in federal court this week to stop the publication , sale and advertisement of `` 60 Years Later : Coming Through the Rye , '' a novel written by an author calling himself J.D. California and published by a Swedish company that advertises joke books and a `` sexual dictionary '' on its Web site . `` The Sequel infringes Salinger 's copyright rights in both his novel and the character Holden Caulfield , who is the narrator and essence of that novel , '' said the suit , filed Monday in U.S. District Court in New York . Published in 1951 , `` The Catcher in the Rye '' is an iconic take on teen alienation that is consistently listed among the greatest English-language novels ever written . Salinger , 90 , who has famously lived the life of a recluse in New Hampshire for most of the past half-century , last published in 1965 . With the exception of a 1949 movie based on one of his early short stories , he has never authorized adaptations of any of his work , even turning down an overture from director Steven Spielberg to make `` Catcher '' into a movie . `` There 's no more to Holden Caulfield . Read the book again . It 's all there , '' the court filing quotes Salinger as saying in 1980 . `` Holden Caulfield is only a frozen moment in time . '' The filing refers to the new book 's author as `` John Doe , '' saying that the name John David California probably is made up . The first-time novelist 's biography on Amazon.com says California is the son of a Swedish mother and American father who was named after the state where he was born . It claims he is a former gravedigger and triathlete who found a copy of Salinger 's novel `` in an abandoned cabin in rural Cambodia '' and that it helped him survive `` the most maniacal of tropical fevers and chronic isolation . '' The Web site 's description of the book is written in the same choppy , first-person stream of consciousness that Salinger employs as Holden wanders the streets of New York . It describes a character , `` Mr. C , '' who flees his nursing home and `` embarks on a curious journey through the streets of New York . '' The lawsuit names Swedish publisher Nicotext ; its offshoot , Windupbird Publishing Ltd. ; and California-based SCB Distributors as defendants . The Web site for Nicotext advertises such books as `` The Macho Man 's -LRB- Bad -RRB- Joke Book '' and `` Give It To Me Baby , '' which it describes as an erotic `` flick book . '' Marcia Paul , Salinger 's New York-based attorney , declined to speak on the record , citing her client 's private nature . E-mail messages to Nicotext were not returned Wednesday . Aaron Silverman , president of SCB Distributors , said the people behind the new book plan to defend it against the lawsuit . `` We believe we have the right to distribute this book and the publishers believe they have the right to publish it , '' he said . Silverman , whose company distributes books by about 150 publishers , called `` 60 Years Later '' a work of `` social science fiction , '' saying that California does n't plagiarize , but sets a well-known character in an alternate place and time -- as literature has done for centuries . `` It 's amazing , '' he said of the book . `` If it was something else , or it felt like a knock-off or whatever , I would have told the publisher we would n't do it . But it 's really just amazing . '' Despite his cloistered lifestyle , Salinger nods to the contemporary marketplace in the lawsuit , noting that , as of last week , '' ` The Catcher in the Rye ' currently sells more copies on Amazon.com than ` Harry Potter and the Sorcerer 's Stone , ' ` The DaVinci Code , ' ` To Kill a Mockingbird ' or ` Of Mice and Men . ' '' A hearing in the case is expected Monday . Salinger 's lawyers will ask a judge to freeze publication of the book until a final ruling is made . The book is already available in Europe and the United Kingdom , and is scheduled to be released in the United States in September . The lawsuit asks that sales be halted and that books already distributed be recalled and destroyed . The argument is reminiscent of the legal tussle over the 2001 novel `` The Wind Done Gone , '' a parody of Margaret Mitchell 's `` Gone With the Wind '' told from the perspective of a slave . Mitchell 's estate argued that the book , by novelist Alice Randall , infringed upon her copyright . But the 11th District U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in Randall 's favor , saying the book was protected as a parody of a well-known work . Salinger 's lawyers say `` 60 Years Later '' deserves no such protection . `` The sequel is not a parody and it does not comment upon or criticize the original , '' the lawsuit argues . `` It is a rip-off pure and simple . '' | Lawsuit seeks halt to `` 60 Years Later : Coming Through the Rye '' J.D. Salinger says `` sequel '' infringes on copyright of his classic novel . New author says he 's former gravedigger , discovered `` Catcher '' in Cambodia . Court hearing scheduled for Monday in New York . | [[334, 416], [383, 387], [393, 462], [4106, 4197], [4341, 4441], [667, 752], [1924, 1975], [1940, 1975], [1980, 2059], [820, 822], [839, 888], [4063, 4105]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Everything you know about the world of Arnold Schwarzenegger 's most famous character has changed . Thomas Dekker , Lena Headey and Summer Glau star in `` Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles . '' In the season finale of `` Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles , '' John Connor , the boy destined to lead humanity 's battle against Armageddon , gets jolted into the future -- the one he was supposed to lead . But here , he has no identity . No one has heard of him . In this new future , he 'll be fighting alongside his father , his uncle and a girl who looks just like the robot he came into the future to save . None of them has any idea who he is . Confused ? Do n't be . It was a daring , surprising , brilliant cliffhanger for a show that 's gained a loyal following , particularly among people like me who are in awe of it . It also opens the door to anyone who has n't discovered this show yet , allowing for a fresh start . Unfortunately , it may be too late . For fans , the big question is whether the `` Chronicles '' will be back , or canceled for inadequate ratings . We find out in a couple of weeks when Fox announces its schedule . The speculation online does n't look good . Ending on this Season 2 cliffhanger would be a shame . When Fox picked up this `` Terminator , '' it took on one of the most successful sci-fi franchises in modern entertainment history . It courted `` Terminator '' fans , as well as people like me who never gave much thought to the movies but appreciate deep , high-quality TV storytelling . Ending on this `` what happens now '' cliffhanger would leave a gaping hole in the franchise 's history . But of bigger concern , of course , is that `` The Sarah Connor Chronicles '' is just really good TV -- the kind that you want to believe can last . And that 's thanks to Josh Friedman , the inspired executive producer . For him , `` Terminator '' is n't about special effects and metal monsters . It 's a family drama ; a mother and son entrusted with a huge secret and the responsibility to change the future , no matter what the cost . Without clobbering you with messages , Friedman gets you thinking -- about people whose secret struggles you ca n't know , about living with trauma and moving forward , about the strength and fragility of teenagers , and about the otherwise impossible things parents manage to do to protect their children . Sarah is parental adrenaline personified . It 's also a show about cancer . We know Sarah can successfully battle robots , evil people and well-meaning authorities who want her locked up . But will cancer ultimately do her in ? Friedman has talked about the show serving as a catharsis for his own real-life battle against cancer . Fans ca n't wait to find out what happens with Sarah -LRB- Lena Headey -RRB- in the new reality . Did she follow her son into the future ? If not , what happened to her ? Friedman might be the best storyteller on TV right now . He packs episodes with twists you do n't see coming but make sense in retrospect . He changes up his style , drops lead characters for entire episodes , uses biblical references left and right and delivers dialogue that 's simultaneously believable and eloquent . He lets major characters die . And the show 's directors coax subtle , nuanced performances from the actors . You would n't guess any of this from Fox 's promotions , which have focused too heavily on Cameron -LRB- Summer Glau -RRB- , the robot who helps protect John Connor -LRB- Thomas Dekker -RRB- , sending the signal that it 's a show just for teenage fanboys . Cameron and John 's relationship is actually a very clever exploration of something adults quickly recognize : the teenage boy with the mysterious girl who seems to have his best interest at heart but might be the most dangerous thing in his life . It 's in some ways the reverse of `` Buffy . '' Speaking of which , Fox may have done better promoting `` Chronicles '' as a family drama and then pairing it with one , rather than `` Dollhouse , '' the latest from `` Buffy '' creator Joss Whedon . -LRB- Insider question for fans : Is Josh Friedman the new Joss Whedon ? Weigh in here or here . -RRB- . It 's also not clear how , or if , the new movie `` Terminator : Salvation '' affects the show 's chances of survival -- though strictly in terms of storylines , there 's apparently no overlap and no conflict . The weekly adventures of Sarah and John Connor just are n't done . There 's too much unanswered , too much left to explore . So here 's my pitch to network heads : You can still change the future . Do n't terminate these `` Chronicles '' before their time . What are your thoughts ? Think Josh is right -- or misguided ? Weigh in at Facebook or Twitter . | Future of `` Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles '' is up in the air . CNN 's Josh Levs believes show is one of best on TV and is taking interesting turns . Levs : Fox has misplaced promotion , which should be focusing on mother-son bond . | [[1009, 1109], [3926, 4041]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Big Ben , arguably the world 's most famous clock , celebrates on Sunday 150 years of keeping London on time . The British landmark has lived through war , bad weather and disasters . Big Ben 's distinctive bongs have been a part of the London scene for 150 years . Big Ben is the 14-ton bell inside the world 's largest four-faced chiming clock , although most people use the name to describe the tower that houses it . The clock is perched on a 96-meter -LRB- 310-foot -RRB- elegant tower at the Westminster Bridge end of the Palace of Westminster . The Victorian masterpiece , which provides distinctive chimes known as bongs , was voted Britain 's favorite monument in 2008 . It has been featured in films such as `` 101 Dalmatians '' and `` Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix . '' Big Ben has been disrupted a few times over the years for various reasons , including weather and breakages . Its bongs went silent for about two months in August 2007 to allow a crew to repair its mechanism system . During that time , the rest of the clock was running on an electric system . It was fully restarted again October 1 . The clock pays tribute to Britain 's royal history : It has a Latin inscription of the phrase : `` O Lord , save our Queen Victoria the First . '' The ornate masterpiece has some quirky features . The hour hand , which weighs 300 kilograms -LRB- 661 pounds -RRB- , is made of gun metal while the minute hands are made of copper sheet . The minute hands would not work when they were first made of cast iron because they were too heavy . The clock started working on May 31 , 1859 , after the lighter copper hands were installed . The origins of the landmark 's name are obscure . Some say it was named after the 1850s heavyweight boxer Ben Caunt while others suggest it was named after Sir Benjamin Hall , a former member of parliament . Hall , the commissioner of works in 1859 , was responsible for ordering the bell . Alan Hughes , the director of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry that made the bell , prefers the latter . `` I suppose I like it chiefly because it was a nickname of a man who was big and loud and pompous , and never used one word if 27 would do , '' he said in a 2008 interview . Hughes ' company also made America 's Liberty Bell and a number of others for cathedrals and churches around the world . | London 's Big Ben turns 150 years old on Sunday . Last year , Victorian masterpiece was voted Britain 's favorite monument . No one is quite sure where the clock 's moniker came from . | [[0, 15], [71, 129], [571, 632], [650, 698], [1677, 1726]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italian football manager Carlo Ancelotti has gone from Milan to London in less than a day . Carlo Ancelotti will take over as manager of Chelsea from July 1 this year . Just 24 hours after resigning from his highly-successful eight-year stint at Italy 's AC Milan , he has been announced as the new manager of English Premier League club Chelsea -- replacing temporary manager Guus Hiddink . Chelsea , who won the FA Cup at the weekend , were looking for a permanent manager for the start of next season -- and Ancelotti has been signed on a three-year deal to the west-London club . A statement on Chelsea 's web site read : `` Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job . He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for , and have been successful in , major domestic and European competitions . '' Ancelotti , who turns 50 next week , has been in management since 1995 , when he took charge of Italian Serie B club Reggiana . Although he only spent one season at Reggiana , he managed to earn them promotion to the top-flight Serie A league . Since then he has managed Parma and Juventus , before taking on the San Siro-based giants AC Milan . Is Ancelotti 's appointment the right move for Chelsea ? Tell us in the Sound Off box below . As a manager he has enjoyed plenty of success , particularly in his time at the Rossoneri . He steered Milan to the Coppa Italia in 2003 , the Serie A title in 2003 -- 04 , the UEFA Champions League in both 2002 -- 03 and 2006 -- 07 , the UEFA Super Cup in 2003 and 2007 and the FIFA Club World Cup crown in 2007 . Before entering management , Ancelotti had a significant playing career as a midfielder with AS Roma and AC Milan . During his time at both clubs he amassed three Serie A titles , two European Cups , and he also won the Coppa Italia four times with Roma . He is one of only six people to ever win the Champions League as both a player and manager -- a list which includes current Barcelona manager and this year 's winner , Josep Guardiola . Ancelotti also represented Italy on 26 occasions , scoring once . He played in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups alongside players such as Roberto Mancini and the recently-retired Paolo Maldini . Despite his management success at AC Milan , it has been widely reported that his relationship with the club 's owner , Silvio Berlusconi , has not been strong in 2009 . He takes over at Chelsea as the permanent replacement for Luiz Felipe Scolari , although Guus Hiddink has been in charge since Scolari was sacked from Stamford Bridge in February . | London football club Chelsea appoint Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager . Ancelotti has been in charge of Italian giants AC Milan for the past eight years . As a manager , Ancelotti has enjoyed multiple Italian and European successes . The Italian previously represented his country as a player , scoring one goal . | [[128, 204], [205, 381], [346, 381], [385, 427], [2431, 2508], [205, 381], [1118, 1162], [1165, 1218], [1744, 1825], [2070, 2079], [2121, 2135]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friends and relatives of the 216 passengers and 12 crew members on Air France Flight 447 are coming to terms with the news that wreckage from the flight was found in the Atlantic Ocean . Eithne Walls , who danced with Riverdance on Broadway , was aboard Air France flight 447 . Among those on board were a member of Brazil 's former royal family , a one-time performer with the Riverdance troupe , a Rio city official , executives from major international companies and an 11-year-old British schoolboy . Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganca , 26 , was a descendant of the family that ruled Brazil until 1889 , a branch of the former Portuguese royal family . The Orleans and Braganca family considered him to be fourth in line to the throne . Pedro Luis was the oldest son of Prince Antonio and Princess Christine , the family said . He was the only member of the family on the flight , his relatives said . Eithne Walls , who danced with Riverdance on Broadway , was also on the plane , said Julian Erskine , senior executive producer of the troupe . `` I never saw her without a smile on her face , '' Erskine said in a statement . `` It is hard to believe that such a bright light could be quenched so early and while burning so brilliantly . '' She joined the Irish dance troupe in 1998 and performed with them for most of a decade , studying medicine at the same time , Erskine said . Watch CNN 's Paula Newton report on families awaiting news of Air France Flight 447 '' `` Anyone who traveled with Eithne will remember the medical books always on the go and her constant attention to her studies , '' he said . `` Without doubt she was someone with a rich future stretching out ahead of her . '' The wife one passenger said Tuesday she was only beginning to come to grips with the likelihood that he is dead . `` I have to say , maybe today I 'm realizing he might not come back , '' Patricia Coakley told a reporter about her husband , Arthur . The structural engineer and designer had completed a business trip to Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , and was flying to Paris , France , on his way back to their home in Whitby , North Yorkshire , near England 's northeast coast . Coakley said her husband hated his cell phones and usually left them switched off . `` But yesterday it was ringing , so maybe they 're not at the bottom of the sea . That 's my hope . But I think it 's maybe fading today . '' He had originally planned to return home on May 19 , but his boss asked him to stay in Brazil until Sunday , she said . `` He should n't have been on that flight , '' she said . `` He should have been on the earlier flight . '' In a telephone call he told her he was excited about returning to see their three children and their plans to go on vacation Friday to the Greek island of Corfu , she said . `` All his stuff 's ready should he turn up , '' she added . `` We had so many plans , and they 've taken it all away , have n't they ? '' she asked rhetorically , without identifying `` they . '' `` God would n't be so cruel . '' She described her husband as a religious man . `` It used to drive me mad . He used to read the Bible every night . And if he thought he was going to get pissed -LSB- drunk -RSB- , he used to read it before he left the house . '' The two loved to travel , and he would ask her , `` Where should we go next , darling ? '' she recalled . But they had been based in England for 25 years to give their children a sense of stability , she said . `` His priority was sea view and mine was trees and we found it , '' she said , pointing to both , her eyes welling . `` It was just going to be repainted next week . '' Thinking about the moment when an apparent catastrophic failure caused the jet and its 228 occupants to plunge into the ocean , she said , `` I hope Art was asleep and I hope he was n't frightened . '' `` I know if he was awake , he would have been thinking of us . '' The passengers on Flight 447 also included Marcelo Parente , chief of staff in the office of Rio de Janeiro 's mayor . Two executives of Michelin , one of the world 's leading tire manufacturers , also were aboard the plane , a Michelin spokeswoman said . They were Luiz Roberto Anastacio , president of Michelin Latin America , and Antonio Gueiros , another top regional executive . Michelin employee Christine Pieraerts was also among the passengers , the company said . The spokeswoman said that Michelin was saddened by the tragedy . Alexander Bjoroy , 11 , was on his way home to England after a vacation in Brazil , the headmaster of his school said . He was a `` well-liked and respected boarder who will be sorely missed by his fellow pupils and staff , '' said John Milne , the head of Clifton College Preparatory School in Bristol , England . Milne expressed the school 's `` deepest sympathies '' to the boy 's family . The passengers included 61 people from France , 58 Brazilians , 26 Germans and people from 29 other countries , Air France said . An official list of victims by name was not available early Tuesday , but two Americans -- Michael Harris , 60 , and his wife , Anne , 54 -- were identified by the couple 's family and his employer . `` Anne and Mike were indeed a beautiful couple inside and out , and I miss them terribly already , '' said Anne Harris ' sister , Mary Miley . Michael Harris was a geologist in Rio de Janeiro for Devon Energy , a U.S.-based natural gas and oil producer , according to a company spokesman . The Harrises were traveling to Paris for a training seminar and vacation , Miley said . CNN 's Isa Soares , Helena DeMoura , Alysen Miller and Lianne Turner contributed to this report . | Member of Brazil 's former royal family among 216 passengers on missing plane . One-time performer with Riverdance troupe , British schoolboy also aboard . Air France flight disappeared over Atlantic after taking off from Brazil . Majority of the presumed dead came from Brazil , France and Germany . | [[312, 379], [221, 233], [240, 274], [939, 951], [958, 992]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shortly before President Obama departs for a trip to the Middle East , a new national poll suggests that one in five Americans has a favorable view of Muslim countries . President Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visit an Istanbul mosque in April . That view compares with 46 percent of the people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey who say they have an unfavorable opinion of Muslim countries . That 's up 5 percentage points from 2002 , when 41 percent indicated that they had an unfavorable view . Meanwhile , three in 10 say they have a neutral opinion of Muslim countries . The poll also suggests that most Americans suspect people in Muslim countries do n't think highly of the United States . Nearly eight in 10 questioned say people in Muslim countries have a unfavorable opinion of the United States , with 14 percent saying Muslims hold a favorable view . iReport.com : Your perspectives on the Muslim world . But the poll indicates Americans seem to be split on whether such negative opinions by Muslims matter . Fifty-three percent of those questioned say they think Muslim views of the United States matter greatly or moderately , with 47 percent saying that Muslim opinions of the United States do n't matter very much or at all . The poll 's release comes hours before the president flies to Saudi Arabia for meetings with King Abdullah . Following the stop in Saudi Arabia , Obama will head to Egypt , where he 'll deliver a long-awaited speech Thursday on relations between the United States and the Muslim world . Watch the challenges Obama faces with the speech '' At a town hall in Turkey earlier this year , the president declared that `` the United States is not , and will never be , at war with Islam . '' Many Americans seem to agree with the president : Sixty-two percent of those surveyed say they do n't think the United States is at war with the Muslim world , with 36 percent indicating that the country is at war with Muslim countries . Those numbers have remained stable since CNN 's 2002 poll . But the poll suggests that six out of 10 think that the Muslim world considers itself at war with the United States . `` The feeling seems to be mutual . We distrust Muslims . They distrust Americans . Views of Americans have not changed very much over the past seven years . There are some indications that Muslims ' views of Americans have improved a bit since Barack Obama took office , but they are still not positive , '' said Bill Schneider , CNN senior political analyst . The CNN/Opinion Research poll was conducted May 14-17 , with 1,010 adult Americans questioned by telephone . The survey 's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points . | Poll : One in five Americans has a favorable view of Muslim countries . Poll released on eve of President Obama 's speech in Cairo , Egypt , to Muslim world . Poll : Americans say they are n't at war with Muslims but think Muslims at war with U.S. | [[101, 199], [45, 98], [1476, 1481], [1490, 1597], [645, 653], [659, 765], [766, 892], [1846, 1971], [2098, 2211]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brazilian star Kaka has agreed to join Real Madrid from Italy 's AC Milan in a $ 92 million deal , the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported on Tuesday . Former World Player of the Year Kaka has agreed to join Real Madrid in a $ 92m move according to reports in Spain . Cadena Ser claimed that Real president Florentino Perez had thrashed out a deal with AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani and Bosco Leite , Kaka 's father and agent . Kaka is currently in Brazil with the national team ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay and earlier in the day had appeared to rule out a move from Italy 's Serie A. `` I 'll say it for the last time . The last time . I do n't want to leave Milan , '' he told Gazzetta dello Sport . `` In this period I prefer to remain silent because I do n't want to be misunderstood . Or , worse still , to be used . `` To the millions of Milan supporters , I say that I have made my choice . I have said what I want to stay . Leave me in peace , please . '' However , AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi also hinted at Kaka 's departure just before Cadena Ser 's claim . `` I do not know if we can keep Kaka at Milan because they -LRB- Real -RRB- have offered him so much money , '' Berlusconi was quoted as saying by Italian press agency Ansa . Spanish reports said Kaka will sign for five years with a salary worth nearly $ 13 million a year . Former team-mate Paolo Maldini , who retired at the end of the season , admitted he still had doubts about Kaka 's future at the San Siro . `` I do n't know if he 'll still stay at Milan , '' Maldini told Gazzetta dello Sport . `` Ancelotti might have been cryptic about his future but Kaka has been even more so . '' Last January , Kaka rejected a move to Premier League Manchester City who were prepared to pay the 2007 world player of the year $ 750,000 per week . Kaka 's coach at Milan Carlo Ancelotti was on Monday appointed manager at Premier League Chelsea who have also been linked with a bid for the Brazilian . | Spanish radio station Cadena Ser claim Kaka agrees $ 92m Real Madrid move . Kaka currently in Brazil with the national team ahead of a World Cup qualifier . Reports said Kaka will sign for five years with salary worth nearly $ 13m a year . | [[0, 15], [19, 115], [118, 176], [177, 292], [248, 292], [464, 491], [1304, 1403], [1325, 1403]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea has completed preparations for launching what it says is `` an experimental communications satellite , '' the reclusive nation 's state news agency reported early Saturday . A satellite image shows a rocket sitting on its launch pad in northeast North Korea . `` The satellite will be launched soon , '' KCNA reported . How `` soon '' was anyone 's guess . On Friday , President Obama reiterated that the United States strongly opposes any such launch . `` We have made it very clear to the North Koreans that their missile launch is provocative , it puts enormous strains on the Six-Party Talks and that they should stop the launch , '' Obama said while on a stop in France . Obama warned that the United States will join with its allies to take `` appropriate steps '' to let North Korea know it ca n't violate United Nations rules and get away with it . Western nations fear that North Korea plans a ballistic missile test rather than a satellite launch , but the administration 's special envoy to the Six-Party Talks , Stephen Bosworth , said it did n't matter if the North Koreans were trying to put a satellite in space or testing a ballistic missile that could threaten Japan or the United States . `` Whether it is a satellite launch or a missile launch , in our judgment makes no difference . It is a provocative act , '' Bosworth said . Bosworth said the United States stands ready , in the event of a launch , to participate in U.N. deliberations on new sanctions against North Korea . A commentary carried by KCNA recently blasted critics for opposing its plans . `` This is nothing but a groundless outcry of the political philistines ignorant of any legality of the study of space for peaceful purposes , '' the commentary said . The U.S. Navy is monitoring the expected launch with at least four ships in the region around the Korean Peninsula and northern Japan , according to U.S. military officials . The ships -- three destroyers and one cruiser -- are capable of tracking and shooting down ballistic missiles using powerful Aegis radar systems aboard each vessel . Two ships are in the Sea of Japan , the USS Curtis Wilbur and the USS Stethem , both guided-missile destroyers . Two other ships are on the Pacific Ocean side of Japan to monitor the missile if it flies over that nation . Those ships are the USS Shiloh , a guided-missile cruiser and the USS Fitzgerald , another guided-missile destroyer , the officials said . All four U.S. ships are working with Japanese naval ships in the same region that are also equipped with Aegis radar . Watch report on launch preparations '' U.S. military officials say Pyongyang seems to still be on track to launch the missile as early as Saturday , but one official told CNN that winds strong enough to delay a launch are predicted for Saturday in the area of the launch site , in northeastern North Korea . | N. Korea says rocket containing `` communications satellite '' is ready for launch . U.S. military officials anticipating Saturday launch , but windy weather could delay it . Obama : U.S. opposes any such launch , which puts `` strain '' on Six-Party Talks . Aegis-equipped U.S. , Japanese naval ships are monitoring in Sea of Japan , Pacific . | [[19, 131], [1776, 1789], [1912, 1950], [2701, 2743], [2750, 2872], [388, 397], [400, 484], [579, 626], [1776, 1909]] |
RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Debris located early Tuesday in the Atlantic Ocean off the northeast coast of Brazil is wreckage from the Air France jet that disappeared Monday , Brazil 's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said . A French search and rescue crew scans the Atlantic for wreckage Tuesday . No survivors have been found , he said . Jobim made the announcement after meeting with relatives and friends of Brazilians who were among the 228 people aboard Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris , France . Two debris fields were found about 650 km -LRB- 400 miles -RRB- northeast of the Fernando de Noronha Islands , an archipelago 355 kilometers -LRB- 220 miles -RRB- off the northeast coast of Brazil -- or at latitude 2 north , longitude 30 west , the Ministry of Defense said on its Web site . One of the fields was 5 km -LRB- 3 miles -RRB- long and that both lie near the flight path between Rio de Janeiro and Paris . Among the wreckage was an airplane seat , metal debris , an orange float , a drum and an oil spill , the posting said . See map of suspected crash zone '' Brazilian air force planes spotted the debris field Tuesday morning , but it was not until a French commercial vessel arrived on the scene that the debris ' origin was confirmed . The planes searched 10,000 square kilometers -LRB- 3,861 square miles -RRB- of ocean throughout the day and will continue to search for more debris overnight , the Brazilian Air Force Said . Two Netherlands-flagged vessels were expected to arrive in the area later in the day ; a Brazilian navy ship was expected to arrive Wednesday , officials said . Brazilian air force jets were continuing to comb the area for other debris , and a U.S. P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft was assisting as well . Watch how wreckage has been spotted in Atlantic '' The searchers also want to find the cockpit voice and data recorders , which might shed light on what caused the jet to disappear before any of the three pilots was able to issue a mayday . `` That really is an ominous sign , '' said former U.S. National Transportation Safety Board Managing Director Peter Goelz . `` It means , whatever happened , it happened so quickly that the pilots were not able to radio out . It probably indicates a catastrophic failure at altitude . '' He said that meteorologists have been checking weather data over the area `` to see if there was some phenomenon that was taking place -- so far , we have n't seen it . '' The Airbus A330 encountered heavy turbulence early Monday , about three hours into what was supposed to be an 11-hour flight , according to the airline . The plane carried 216 passengers -- 126 men , 82 women , seven children and a baby -- and 12 crew members , Air France said . The majority of the people on the flight came from Brazil , France and Germany . Other victims were from 29 other countries , including three from the United States . Of the crew , 11 were French , and one was Brazilian . A team of approximately 20 Air France staff members , including two doctors and a nurse , arrived Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro to assist families of the victims , the airline said . An inter-religious ceremony is to be held Wednesday afternoon inside Paris ' Notre Dame Cathedral for family and friends of the victims . Though it will be closed to news media , a sound recording of the ceremony will be broadcast into the square outside . An official list of victims by name was not available Tuesday afternoon , but two Americans on board -- Michael Harris , 60 , and his wife , Anne , 54 -- were identified by the couple 's family and his employer . Prince Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganca , a member of Brazil 's non-reigning royal family , was also on the flight , his family said Monday . Pedro Luis was 26 . Also on the flight were two executives of the French tire company Michelin : Michelin Latin America President Luiz Roberto Anastacio and Antonio Gueiro , director of informatics . Read more about victims on Air France Flight 447 . The jet was 4 years old and had last undergone routine maintenance April 16 . The Air France plane has built-in homing devices , said Greg Feith , a former investigator with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board . Homing devices such as `` pingers , '' which are underwater locator beacons attached to flight data and cockpit voice recorders , can transmit signals from as deep as 14,000 feet , about the maximum depth of the waters in the area . The average depth of the Atlantic Ocean is about 12,000 feet : more than 2 miles . `` They 're water-activated , so if they 're sitting at the bottom of the ocean , of course , then the military assets will have to go in there with listening devices and try and home in on those particular signals , '' Feith said . Shortly before it disappeared , the plane 's automatic system initiated a four-minute exchange of messages to the company 's maintenance computers , indicating that `` several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down , '' Air France CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said Monday . The jet , which was flying at 35,000 feet and at 521 mph , also sent a warning that it had lost pressure , the Brazilian air force said . There was no contact with the crew during or after the time that the automatic messages were sent , Gourgeon said . `` It was probable that it was a little bit after those messages that the impact of the plane took place in the Atlantic , '' he added . CNN 's John Zarrella , Kim Segal and Nesta Distin and journalist Helena DeMoura contributed to this report . | NEW : Pilots ' failure to issue mayday `` ominous sign , '' former NTSB spokesman says . NEW : Memorial service to be held Wednesday at Paris ' Notre Dame Cathedral . 2 debris fields found about 400 miles northeast of Fernando de Noronha Islands . Flight 447 , traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris , was carrying 228 people . | [[3158, 3295], [523, 631], [424, 434], [439, 482], [2631, 2736]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Going to the prom is a highlight in many teenagers ' lives . But attending a prom is n't always an option for some young people , including those with special needs . Alex Gonzales passes under the Marines ' sword arch Saturday in Washington as he arrives at the prom . That 's where Helen McCormick comes in . `` We are dreaming for children who are excluded from their proms , and ... you 're going to see people walk through the doors who are going to be just absolutely mesmerized , '' said McCormick , president of a Virginia-based nonprofit called The House , Inc. . For the past four years , McCormick has organized a prom specifically for children with special needs . This year 's prom , dubbed `` The Cinderella Ball , '' was held Saturday night at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington . More than 150 teens attended the gala , where they were greeted by 41 Marines . Each one of the teens went down a red carpet , under a Marine Corps sword arch , before being seated for dinner . Watch scenes from the spectacular prom '' `` The children that will be coming are various disabled children with kidney -LRB- ailments -RRB- , children that are literally terminally ill , children with cerebral palsy , Down syndrome and autism , '' McCormick said before the event . Norman Gonzales brought his 13-year-old son , Alex. `` Their social life is very limited at school and outside school as well , so something like this is very good because they come to a place where they find themselves with people that they can relate to , '' Gonzales said . This was Alex Gonzales ' first prom and he said he had a great time . `` Coming to an event like this -- I think it 's a great experience , '' he said . The entertainment for the evening was 2007 `` American Idol '' winner Jordin Sparks . `` I think it 's so amazing with all the kids that they get to have their prom . They get to dress up and feel really beautiful and have this night dedicated to them , '' Sparks said . Most of the teens attending the prom were accompanied by a parent or friend . Some of them brought dates . It was a night many of them said they would n't forget anytime soon . Victor Padgett attended the festivities with his daughter , Dede . He said events like these prove that the human spirit is alive and well . `` There is hope . There is love , and there is compassion for everyone , '' he said . | `` The Cinderella Ball '' is held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington . Teens with illnesses , autism , Down syndrome get to attend a prom of their own . Teens go down a red carpet and under a Marine Corps sword arch before dinner . Organizer Helen McCormick arranges top talent -- 2007 `` Idol '' winner Jordin Sparks . | [[707, 711], [757, 839], [603, 706], [1884, 1913], [197, 299], [920, 964], [1747, 1832]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Scottish Rugby Union has appointed Andy Robinson , formerly coach of bitter rivals England , as the new national team boss . Andy Robinson will be seeking to revive the fortunes of Scotland 's struggling rugby side . The 45-year-old won eight caps as a flanker for England , and was assistant coach in Clive Woodward 's 2003 World Cup-winning set-up before taking over for an ill-fated reign himself in 2004 , winning just nine of 22 matches . Robinson returned to top-class coaching with Celtic League team Edinburgh in 2007 , and has sufficiently impressed Scottish officials in the 20 months since then to win favor as the replacement for Frank Hadden . He had been part of Hadden 's backroom staff , and had already been chosen to coach Scotland A this summer . Hadden resigned on April 2 after Scotland again struggled in the Six Nations , finishing second from bottom with just one win from five outings . Robinson was delighted to be given the chance to return to the international stage . `` With the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011 , I believe we have a crop of players who can really challenge the world 's best , and preparation for that starts now , '' he told the SRU Web site . `` I 'm looking forward to leading Scotland A into the IRB Nations Cup in Romania next week and thereafter preparing for our Autumn Tests at Murrayfield against Fiji , Australia and Argentina . '' Robinson is believed to have headed off the likes of South Africa 's World Cup-winning coach Jake White and former Australia boss Eddie Jones for the job . Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lion Gordon Bulloch was part of the interview panel that determined the appointment . `` Andy was the outstanding candidate from a quite exceptional shortlist which underlines the allure of coaching the Scotland team , '' he told the SRU 's Web site . `` I know from having had the privilege of his coaching and guidance on Lions tours that he is passionate about his rugby , is a skilled communicator and has values and an ethos which are absolutely at one with developing a winning Scotland team . '' Scottish Rugby chief executive Gordon McKie said he was confident Robinson would prove to be successful . `` Andy has proved himself at every level of the game and we are thrilled that he will now be leading the Scotland team as we look towards the challenges of the next three years , including the 2011 World Cup , '' McKie said . `` He has been part of the Scottish Rugby family for the past two years and has brought success both to Edinburgh Rugby , with their highest ever Magners League finish in successive seasons , and has also guided the Scotland A team to notable successes . '' | Andy Robinson appointed new coach of Scotland 's national rugby team . Robinson replaces Frank Hadden , who resigned in April after poor results . The 45-year-old has played for and coached England 's national side . He rebuilt his career with Edinburgh after being sacked by England . | [[0, 15], [32, 71], [789, 865], [240, 295], [467, 548]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is one of the most notorious cold cases in recent memory . A 6-year-old girl , a child of beauty and privilege , was found dead in the basement of her home in Boulder , Colorado , on the day after Christmas 1996 . The strangulation of JonBenet Ramsey is also among the coldest of cases . Twelve years have passed , and again it is Christmastime , the season of JonBenet 's death . The investigation has taken many heartbreaking twists and turns , including a false confession and baseless suspicions cast for a time on the child 's parents . After years of false starts , there are no solid leads . For many , the images of this tragic story are indelible : A doll-like child smiling flirtatiously at the camera in flamboyant costumes , heavy makeup and grown-up hairstyles parading on a beauty pageant stage . A tiny , lifeless body , dressed in long johns , found on the basement floor by her father . Watch how this case touched nearly everyone '' Just this past July , John and Patsy Ramsey were exonerated by police of having any role in their daughter 's death . Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in June 2006 . FBI lab results confirmed that a man , yet to be identified , touched JonBenet 's long underwear . This so-called touch DNA also was found in JonBenet 's underpants , mixed with the child 's blood . Police believe the DNA belongs to the killer . They just do n't know who he is . They are waiting for a match . From the beginning , police focused their attention on Patsy Ramsey , placing the entire family under what authorities later would admit was a cloud of suspicion . The investigators ' working theory was that JonBenet 's mother may have struck her in anger as punishment for bed-wetting , causing the little girl 's death on Christmas night . Investigators theorized that a strangulation was then staged to direct suspicion toward an intruder or sexual predator . Patsy Ramsey told police she awoke early December 26 and found a two-page , handwritten ransom note on a back staircase . It said JonBenet had been kidnapped by a `` small foreign faction '' and that she 'd be executed if the Ramseys did not pay a $ 118,000 ransom . The Ramseys checked JonBenet 's room , discovered she was missing and immediately called 911 . When police arrived , they suggested that John Ramsey and a family friend , Fleet White , search the house . Shortly afterward , Ramsey and White found JonBenet 's body in a wine cellar in the basement . The child 's body was wrapped in a blanket , with duct tape across her mouth and white cord wrapped around her neck and wrists . An autopsy showed the child had eaten pineapple shortly before she died . She 'd been sexually assaulted , strangled by the cord and struck on the head . Crime scene photos show two small burn-type injuries on JonBenet 's head . Private investigators Ollie Gray and John San Augustin , working as consultants on the case , said the burns are consistent with marks made with a `` stun gun . '' Investigators also concluded that the paper the ransom note was written on came from a notepad in the Ramsey home , as did the broken paintbrush handle used to form the garrote . However , the sources for the cord and duct tape were not found anywhere in the home . Other nagging clues include an open basement window near where the child 's body was found . A suitcase stood directly below the window , and appeared to have been used as a step . There was a scuff mark on the wall beneath the window . A footprint of a Hi-Tec hiking boot was found in the dust in the wine cellar and can not be connected to anyone in the Ramsey family or their friends . Police say they were initially suspicious of the Ramseys because there were no footprints in the snow outside the house . Lou Smits , a lead police investigator on the case , resigned because , he said , the investigation `` was misdirected and had developed tunnel vision , only focusing on the Ramseys as suspects and not following alternative leads . '' The contradictory facts have caused problems in the case . Many experts have said they believe Boulder police botched the investigation by failing to preserve the crime scene properly . When , for example , police arrived and directed John Ramsey to search his own home , Ramsey not only found his dead daughter but also picked her up and brought her upstairs , disturbing the crime scene . Police investigators , friends and family were allowed to walk in and out of the house freely , again contaminating evidence that could have been gathered . The District Attorney 's Office has taken over the investigation , said spokeswoman Caroline French . `` This case is still an open and active investigation , '' French said . Prosecutors seek tips and ask anyone with information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for JonBenet Ramsey 's death to call 303-441-1636 . | False suspicions , unsecured crime scene plague investigation from start . Ramsey family spends years under `` cloud of suspicion '' New touch DNA test cleared all family members earlier this year . Anyone with information is asked to call 303-441-1636 . | [[412, 429], [478, 530], [488, 572], [573, 600], [603, 629], [1454, 1472], [1475, 1481], [1524, 1617], [4017, 4075], [4112, 4119], [4153, 4202], [488, 572], [1454, 1472], [1475, 1481], [1524, 1617], [982, 996], [1004, 1099], [4741, 4752], [4767, 4794], [4881, 4928]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Japanese police arrested three sumo wrestlers and their stable master on Thursday over allegations they beat a 17-year-old wrestler to death , the case sent shockwaves across a country that links its national identity to the sport . Sumo stablemaster Junichi Yamamoto following the young wrestler 's death in October . In scenes unprecedented in Japan 's history , where wrestlers are seen as national heroes , the sumo stars were shown handcuffed and with jackets over their heads surrounded by cameras and reporters . Police arrested sumo wrestlers Masakazu Kimura , 24 , Yuichiro Izuka , 25 , Masanori Fujii , 22 , and their stablemaster , Junichi Yamamoto , 57 , who is also known as Tokitsukaze . Aichi prefectural police allege Yamamoto ordered the three wrestlers to beat a 17 year old junior wrestler so brutally that he died . Takashi Saito , 17 , collapsed at his sumo stable and was rushed to the hospital . Initially , the boy 's death was listed as `` ischemic heart failure '' , until his family viewed his body . They say his body was covered in bruises , cuts and burns . They begged police to open an investigation , believing he 'd been punished for trying to flee the stable . `` He said he 'd be a good boy , I just need to come get him -LRB- from the stable -RRB- , '' his father told reporters last summer , through choked tears . `` I should have listened and trusted him . '' Police say on June 25 , Yamamoto instructed the wrestlers to beat the boy using sticks and a metal bat . Yamamoto publicly denied striking Saito inappropriately , though he did admit to striking him on the head with a beer bottle during dinner that day . He told reporters shortly after Saito 's death , `` This was an ordinary practice . How could you think I would do anything to hurt someone I consider my child ? '' The results of an autopsy conducted last year by Niigata University concluded that Saito died of shock caused by multiple injuries . In a separate autopsy , specialists at Nagoya University confirmed earlier this month that shock caused by multiple external injuries contributed to Saito 's death . The arrests have shaken Japan 's national sport to its core . The Prime Minister , on the floor of the Parliament , urged the nation to carefully examine its sport . The Sumo Association says it will look at how young sumo are hazed , a process that often batters them to toughen them up . `` There will be some change in the short-term , but in the long-run , nothing will change , '' says sumo analyst and Japan Times sumo columnist Mark Buckton . `` These are bad apples who took it too far . '' E-mail to a friend . | Police arrest three sumo wrestlers and their stablemaster over wrestler 's death . Police allege the trainer ordered the wrestlers to beat the 17-year-old wrestler . The case has shocked Japan where sumo is regarded as near-sacred sport . | [[38, 119], [271, 356], [558, 678], [137, 178], [740, 858], [33, 62], [181, 222]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dressed as Santa , Bruce Jeffrey Pardo walked up to his ex-in-laws ' home in Covina , California , on Christmas Eve and knocked on the door . Bruce Jeffrey Pardo was sought for a Christmas party shooting before taking his own life , police said . An 8-year-old girl , elated to see Santa , ran toward the door . That 's when , police say , Pardo lifted a gun and shot her in the face . Pardo , 45 , with a gun in one hand and a wrapped present in the other , began shooting indiscriminately , police said at a news conference Thursday . He sprayed the living room with bullets . Watch police describe the child getting shot '' Nearly 25 friends and family members were at the home for an annual Christmas party . Some ran , some took cover under furniture , some broke windows in an effort to escape -- one woman jumped from the second-story of the home , police said . Neighbors heard gunfire and called 911 shortly before 11:30 p.m. Police said they arrived within three minutes to find the home engulfed in flames . Police said Thursday afternoon that six bodies had been recovered . The Los Angeles County coroner 's office later said two more bodies had been recovered . The names of the victims have not yet been released by authorities . Police said they have not accounted for three people : Pardo 's ex-mother-in-law , ex-father-in-law and ex-wife -- whom he recently divorced . The 8-year-old , whose injuries indicate the bullet went straight through her face , is recovering at a hospital in Los Angeles , police said . `` She has a very , very severe injury to her face . It 's not life-threatening , but she 's got a very tough road ahead of her , '' Lt. Pat Buchanan of the Covina Police Department said Thursday . A 16-year-old with a gunshot wound and the woman who jumped out the window were also being treated at the hospital . Police believe that after Pardo stopped shooting he unwrapped his gift -- a home-made device used to spread fire -- and used it to set the house ablaze . Watch firefighters on the scene of the inferno '' Buchanan said the device was `` something we have never seen before . '' Covina Police Chief Kim Raney described it as a pressurized tank attached to another tank filled with accelerant . Police believe that after Pardo set fire to the home , he changed into his regular clothing , went to another relative 's home in the nearby Sylmar area and committed suicide . Authorities identified Pardo 's body , said Buchanan . Police have not released the identities of any of his alleged victims . At the news conference Ed Winter , assistant chief Los Angeles County coroner , said the recovered bodies were `` severely burned and charred , '' making it necessary to use dental and medical records , and X-rays to establish identities . The intense fire caused the top floor of the two-story house to collapse onto the first floor , according to Winter . Raney said Pardo 's former in-laws regularly have a party Christmas Eve and that one neighbor always arrives dressed as Santa . This year , that neighbor was away , police said . Police suggested marital problems as a possible motive for the attack and said they believe Pardo and his wife of one year finally settled a contentious divorce last week . Authorities said Pardo 's name was given to them by people who were at the party . Police also said they recovered multiple weapons from inside the house . | Pardo shot 8-year-old at ex-in-laws ' home as she ran toward him . Pardo carried gift-wrapped , homemade device to spread fire . Eight found dead after shootings , fire at the Los Angeles-area house . Suspected gunman found dead at relative 's house , police say . | [[291, 311], [334, 355], [1891, 2018], [2303, 2335], [2338, 2340], [2377, 2459]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After shooting several people at the home of his former in-laws , police say Bruce Jeffrey Pardo , still dressed as Santa Claus , sprayed gasoline throughout the home intending to set it on fire . Police carry the homemade device they believe Bruce Jeffrey Pardo used to set the home on fire . But his plan went awry . The home exploded , windows were blown out , and part of Pardo 's Santa suit melted onto his skin . He suffered third-degree burns . That 's why police say he decided to kill himself rather than use the airline ticket to Canada that was in his pocket . Pardo killed nine people , police said . Three others were injured , including an 8-year-old . A 16-year-old girl was wounded by gunfire and was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries , police said . A woman who jumped out a second-floor window broke her leg and was hospitalized . None of the victims has been identified . Police said Pardo showed up at the home dressed as Santa and had $ 17,000 cling-wrapped to his legs and inside a girdle . Watch police talk about what was found on the gunman 's body '' He knocked on the door . And when the 8-year-old ran to greet him , he shot her in the face . Watch police describe the girl 's injuries '' Terrified people inside the home called 911 . `` Stay away from the window ! '' a woman can be heard pleading , `` Please come immediately ... he 's shooting ! He 's shooting ! '' See photos from the scene '' Some fled the house any way they could . Others sought shelter inside , some ducking under the dining room table , one witness said . Pardo was targeting his ex-wife 's family , police said , shooting some of them `` execution-style . '' Afterward , he prepared to set the home on fire using a homemade device designed to spread fuel . Watch investigators at the burned-out home '' After the home exploded , Pardo removed his Santa suit , put on street clothes and began to knock out lights in the area as he fled the scene , according to a witness on a recording of a 911 call . Pardo fled to his brother 's home in nearby Sylmar , California , police said . When Pardo realized his brother was n't home , he broke in and eventually shot himself to death , police said . Police later found his rental car with the remnants of the Santa suit on the seat . It was rigged to explode if the costume was removed . During a search of Pardo 's home in Montrose , California , police found five empty boxes for semiautomatic handguns , two high-powered shotguns and a container of `` racing fuel . '' Police said they recovered four handguns at various locations . Watch how the massacre unfolded '' Investigators have yet to identify the charred remains recovered from the burned house . Ed Winter , assistant chief Los Angeles County coroner , said the intense fire caused the top floor of the two-story house to collapse . Winter said the bodies were `` severely burned and charred , '' and dental and medical records and X-rays will be used to establish identities . Police said they have not accounted for Pardo 's ex-mother-in-law , ex-father-in-law and ex-wife . Police suggested marital problems as a motive for the attack and said Pardo and his wife of one year settled a contentious divorce last week . Covina Police Chief Kim Raney said Pardo 's former in-laws regularly have a party Christmas Eve and that one neighbor always arrives dressed as Santa . This year that neighbor was away , police said . | Police say suspect had flight scheduled from Los Angeles to Canada . Police believe Bruce Jeffrey Pardo 's injuries prevented him from fleeing . Pardo , who killed nine people , committed suicide after the attack , police say . Police found $ 17,000 cling-wrapped to Pardo 's legs , inside a girdle . | [[616, 640], [643, 656], [811, 824], [2130, 2143], [949, 955], [1010, 1070]] |
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