doc_text
stringlengths 157
16.7k
| summary_text
stringlengths 26
11.1k
| highlight_spans
stringlengths 9
3.7k
|
|---|---|---|
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Zimbabwe battles a cholera epidemic that has already killed hundreds , one company thinks it may have found a potential solution to the world water crisis . A shortage of clean drinking water has unleashed a cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe . Element Four , a small Canadian firm , has applied its water technology to create the WaterMill , a novel electricity-powered machine that draws moisture from the air and purifies it into clean drinkable water . The compact WaterMill , which goes on sale in the spring , is designed for household use . More crucially for countries such as Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo , Element Four is also working on another device , the WaterWall , which could potentially supply an entire village in the developing world . The team at Element Four shares an ambitious goal : to quench the world 's growing thirst for water . Now the 10-person company is taking on a challenge that global multinationals have struggled to meet . Rick Howard , the CEO of the company , says it was at a U.N. conference on water in New York last summer that he realized just how revolutionary Element Four 's technology might be . `` There we were on the same stage as GE , Dow Chemical and Siemens , and it was a complete shock to us when we heard the solutions they were offering . We realized we had something that could effect change , '' Howard tells CNN . The WaterMill draws in air through a filter and then cools it into water droplets . This water then passes through a special filter and is exposed to ultraviolet light , which rids it of bacteria . The product Element Four is designing for the developing world is called the WaterWall and is constructed by taking several of the water-making cells of the consumer appliance and hooking them up in series on a wall . The U.N. , which has declared 2005-2015 the International Decade for Water , expects 1.8 billion people to live in regions with absolute water scarcity by 2025 . It 's no wonder then that Element Four is being closely watched by the tech world . The WaterMill is being displayed at the Wired Store in New York , a temporary store the magazine opens every holiday season that showcases the future of technology . About one in five people in the world lack access to safe drinking water , and shortages pose serious health problems for much of the developing world . Lack of clean water , coupled with poor sanitation practices , can lead to outbreaks of water-borne diseases , such as cholera and dysentery , which in turn , can cause life-threatening forms of diarrhea . More than 500 people have died in Zimbabwe . Diarrheal disease is the third leading cause of death from infectious diseases , and the majority of those deaths are among children under the age of 5 , according to the WHO and UNICEF . Most of those deaths could be prevented if improvements to sanitation and drinking water were made . But can an invention like the WaterWall really help ease the world 's water shortage and help prevent health disasters like the outbreak in Zimbabwe from occurring in the future ? `` There are some brilliant inventions out there , but they are expensive and difficult to get hold of , '' says Paul Jawor , an emergency water and sanitation consultant with international aid organization Doctors Without Borders . The WaterMill retails for about $ 1,300 , but Howard estimates that a pared down version -- without the bells and whistle -- for use in places like Africa would cost about $ 300 . The biggest challenge of a product like the WaterWall , Howard says , is the power consumed by the water-making cells . To counter that , the product is designed to turn on in stages so it does n't overload fragile power grids . In comparison to solutions like desalination , which can cost billions of dollars to develop , that 's cheap . `` For about $ 300 we can start saving lives . Ours is a very scalable product , '' Howard says . But there are skeptics . Frank Lawson , an engineering adviser at international charity WaterAid , said the solution Element Four is devising would n't be appropriate for the charity 's projects . For one , the technology does n't work in very dry climates . The machine only functions at or above about 35 percent relative humidity levels . Furthermore , it requires an energy source . `` Our technologies have to be within the capacity of the benefiting community -- both technically and financially , '' Lawson says . WaterAid uses a number of low-cost and sustainable solutions , such as rainwater harvesting and hand-dug wells , to help communities in more than 17 countries access water . But those solutions depend upon the availability of water in the area , and fresh water supplies worldwide are feeling the squeeze from population growth , pollution and climate change . Howard admits the company needs to focus on growing its business first , so it may be some time before the Element Four 's products make their way to the developing world . `` We quickly came to realize that if we did n't first build a business to perfect the product and application , then we were n't going to be able to get to a point where we could have a significant humanitarian impact , '' he says . But Howard and partner Jonathan Ritchey are in various stages of discussions with several humanitarian groups in the field . Howard declined to name the organizations . It 's early , but the company 's core principle is `` to do good as we do well , '' he says . `` That 's part of truly what drives us -- knowing that at some point we will be able to do some significant good . '' | Element Four has developed a machine that creates clean water out of air . Growth of water use has been outpacing the rate of population increase . Shortages of clean water pose health challenges in the developing world . Zimbabwe 's water crisis has unleashed a devastating cholera epidemic . | [[196, 277], [2253, 2325], [2332, 2405], [2406, 2466], [2469, 2546], [9, 121], [196, 277]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Several years ago , in honor of the new millennium , Playboy magazine asked musicians for lists of their top 10 songs of the previous 1,000 years . The Beatles placed six albums in Tom Moon 's `` 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die . '' Most of them stuck to the era of recorded sound , but guitarist Richard Thompson cheekily took Playboy 's request seriously and submitted a list that included such songs as `` Sumer Is Icumen In , '' a hit from the 13th century , and `` Blackleg Miner , '' a folk ballad of the 1800s . Playboy was not amused , and did not print Thompson 's list . Such is the fate that awaits many people who compile expansive lists of the greatest or most influential songs , movies , TV shows , romantic getaways or baseball players shorter than 5 feet 9 . Everybody 's a critic . At best , your list will inspire furious discussion ; at worst , it will be ignored by your prospective debaters and sink as forlornly as a pebble in the Atlantic Ocean . Which has n't stopped a slew of new entries in the list-making business -- and not just simple top 10s , either . A handful of authors and publications have released , or are planning to release , works with up to 1,001 suggestions you should know about right now . Tom Moon , author of `` 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die '' -LRB- Workman -RRB- , knew what a daunting task he had been assigned . `` Could one person be counted on to do all kinds of music ? '' says Moon , the former music critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer and a regular contributor to NPR , describing himself as apprehensive about the project . But he found himself warming to the idea . As a music journalist , he prides himself on being a generalist , though he admits he 's mostly stayed close to the pop realms . A book such as `` 1,000 Recordings , '' he says , can help people see past their particular favorite artists or genres and tap into the whole world of recorded music . `` It 's like having a tour guide with a flashlight shining into unknown places , '' he says in a recent interview at CNN Center . `` It 's someone saying , ` This is cool . Check this out . ' '' Watch Moon defend the inclusion of Britney Spears ' `` Toxic '' '' Moon is n't the only one marking time by making lists this season . Movie critic David Thomson put out '' ` Have You Seen ... ? ' : A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films '' -LRB- Knopf -RRB- in October . The January issue of Blender magazine blares `` 1,001 Greatest Songs to Download Right Now '' on its cover . The minds behind the music Web site Pitchfork have `` The Pitchfork 500 : Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present '' -LRB- Simon and Schuster -RRB- . And then there are the other big lists , past and future , including Dave Marsh 's 1989 singles compendium `` The Heart of Rock and Soul '' -LRB- Marsh chose 1,001 influential singles -RRB- and Robert Hofler 's forthcoming `` Variety 's ` The Movie That Changed My Life ' '' -LRB- 120 notables pick their favorites -RRB- . So where does one start ? Thomson and Moon wanted references that included well-known titles and obscurities , often cheek by jowl . `` I wanted a ` bumper ' book for your laps , '' writes Thomson in his introduction . `` I wanted old favorites to be neighbors with films you 've never heard of . I wanted you to entertain the unlikely possibility that ` everything ' is here . Of course , it is not -- everything remains out in our scattered ` there . ' '' So `` Have You Seen ... ? '' , which is organized in alphabetical order by title , includes some interesting juxtapositions . The laconic Humphrey Bogart film `` The Big Sleep , '' directed by the no-nonsense Howard Hawks , precedes Alfred Hitchcock 's `` The Birds . '' The Frank Capra-directed `` Mr. Smith Goes to Washington , '' starring an earnest James Stewart , resides next to David Lynch 's loopily creepy `` Mulholland Dr. '' Thomson picks some films for their artistry , others because ... well , because he wanted to , and it 's his book . Moon says he set some ground rules . He wanted to stick with albums , not singles or specific cuts . He knew he 'd have to include certain essential recordings , but wanted room to roam . `` There 's no way to be definitive about music , '' he says . `` My thought was , let me find some of the best of the best ... then find stuff as thrilling , but perhaps not as accessible . '' So `` 1,000 Recordings '' includes the Jimi Hendrix Experience 's `` Are You Experienced '' and Glenn Gould 's two albums of Bach 's Goldberg Variations , but also Guided By Voices ' `` Bee Thousand '' and Toumani Diabate and Ballake Sissoko 's `` New Ancient Strings . '' `` Born to Run '' makes the list ; so does Henry Mancini 's score for `` Breakfast at Tiffany 's . '' But like Thomson 's film book , it has some idiosyncracies . The Beatles get six selections ; the Rolling Stones get two , and one is a singles collection . There 's a Beau Brummels album , but only a Dion single -LRB- yes , Moon breaks his own rules occasionally -RRB- . And the curmudgeonly listeners at Pitchfork , Down Beat and the classical magazine Gramophone no doubt are wondering where some of their favorites are . For Moon -- as with probably anyone who 's ever tried to make a comprehensive list of anything -- that 's all part of the fun . Go ahead and argue ; passion is better than indifference . `` These are starting points , '' he says . | Critics offering mega-lists of albums , films , other things to know about . Critic Tom Moon on his `` 1,000 Recordings '' : `` It 's someone saying , ` This is cool ' '' Moon says he 's not providing be-all and end-all : `` These are starting points '' | [[634, 642], [648, 820], [1236, 1281], [2114, 2134], [2139, 2153], [2137, 2153], [5426, 5454]] |
-LRB- Coastal Living -RRB- -- The Little Dipper 's seven patio tables overlook a twinkling Caribbean . Tonight , the chef -- who 's also waiter and hostess -- prepares Creole fish with vegetables . Although the small restaurant is one of the best in Grenada , it 's the vista that stands out . Founded in the late 17th century , the capital city of St. George 's sits on the island 's southwest coast . Sailboats sway at anchor on Clarkes Court Bay , and lights blink on against dark green hills . The island 's hidden treasure is its views -- and not just from quaint seaside cafés . Take the nearby resort of Laluna , on Portici Bay . With 16 hillside cottages huddled around a private cove beach , it overflows with scenic panoramas . Founded by a former fashion consultant from Italy , Laluna is chic , but not pretentious -- a stylish retreat on one of the Caribbean 's quietest islands . Eco-inspired rooms feature fabric-draped four-poster beds from Bali , individual plunge pools , and bamboo-topped verandas . The most distant cottage sits 150 feet from the beach , making the resort a barefoot , lounging kind of place . Ultracasual dress code aside , Laluna takes meals seriously . Dinner comes prepared by an Italian chef who mingles his home country 's techniques with Caribbean flavors . You can start with octopus salad with potatoes and chickpeas , then make your way down the menu to pappardelle with a nutmeg cream sauce . It wo n't be the last time you see nutmeg on a menu here . Grenada provides a third of the world 's supply of the spice , which can be sampled as a powder , syrup , or jam . Almost every visitor brings some home , usually in a small basket also packed with cloves , cinnamon , mace , bay leaves , and ginger . The country may not claim flashy casinos or high-rise resorts , but Grenada grows more spices per square mile than any other place on the globe . Coastal Living : The other Caribbean . It takes a lush climate , such as the rain forest at Grenada 's center , to produce these flavors . Grand Etang National Park preserves the island 's tropical flora and fauna . Visitors can book guides to lead them through terraced banana farms and forests of giant gommier trees , teak , and wild orchids . From a mountain peak , 90 percent of the island is visible , vivid green after a midday rain . As one might expect , the cities here move at a sleepy , island pace . But the township of Gouyave on Grenada 's western coast jumps to life on Fish Fridays , which are part street-food festival , part outdoor concert , and part extended-family gathering . Beginning late afternoon , the fishing village 's streets and side passages fill with tables of seafood . Vendors sell sample-size servings of everything from lobster to jerked marlin to deep-fried fish cakes . Music lifts the spirit , as do the enthusiastic greetings of friends and relatives . Visitors to Gouyave are a little reluctant to leave . But eventually they 'll head back to Laluna , along a cliffside road illuminated by stars on a cloudless night -- yet another unforgettable view . Island Info . Laluna 's cliffside cottages start at $ 390 . Rates do not include meals , but all snorkeling and kayaking is included ; 866/452 -5862 or laluna.com . Guided hikes from Henry 's Safari Tours cost $ 40 to $ 55 per person . Denis Henry offers trips tailored to your experience level . His taxi tours are also the best on the island ; 347/721 -9271 or henrysafari.com . Reservations at Little Dipper on Clarkes Court Bay in Woburn can be made through Laluna , or by calling 473/444 -5136 . From Laluna , a round-trip taxi to Fish Fridays in Gouyave costs roughly $ 100 . Food at the festival will run between $ 15 and $ 20 per person . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright © Coastal Living , 2009 . | Grenada provides a third of the world 's supply of nutmeg . The casual , quiet island offers a wealth of spectacular views . The township of Gouyave jumps to life on Fish Fridays . | [[1500, 1560], [498, 584], [701, 737], [2414, 2495]] |
SAN DIEGO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What if we offered illegal immigrants a path to citizenship that included a stint in the U.S. military ? Ruben Navarrette : Be wary of offering military service as a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants . The idea has been trumpeted by thoughtful people such as Max Boot , a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations , who thinks this is the time for a `` freedom legion . '' He 's talking about a unit of the military made up entirely of the foreign-born -- including illegal immigrants -- where the compensation would include U.S. citizenship . About 70,000 foreign-born men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces , or about 5 percent of the total active-duty force , according to the Pentagon . Of those , nearly 30,000 -- or about 43 percent -- are not U.S. citizens . Roping illegal immigrants into military service could accomplish two goals at once : helping alleviate the military 's recruitment worries while giving the undocumented a chance to prove that their commitment to this country extends beyond a paycheck . We 're already talking about requiring illegal immigrants to learn English , pay fines , and return to their home countries to earn legal status . Why not , some say , raise the stakes and require men and women between 18 and 42 to serve a couple of years in the military to earn something even more precious : U.S. citizenship for themselves and their children ? The idea appealed to a reader in upstate New York who called me to gauge my reaction . I told him that I had n't made up my mind , but that the concept did fit with my view that any conferring of legal status be laden with onerous conditions so that it really is earned . To earn it , illegal immigrants should have to do everything but walk across broken glass . Still , I told him , I 'm not sure how those who oppose comprehensive reform but support turning illegal immigrants into cannon fodder go about squaring that circle . Restrictionists and racists have argued that illegal immigrants are invading this country , and that they 're a dangerous menace to society that is prone to all sorts of violent and criminal behavior . Of course , many native-born U.S. citizens are just as menacing . But for those who believe that illegal immigrants are inherently violent , do they really want to give these folks military training and a M-16 , to help them graduate from menacing to lethal ? After all , assuming they survive their stint in the military , they eventually have to return stateside . Then they 're our problem . Consider the ghastly events in Newark , New Jersey , where three African-American students were killed execution-style and a fourth was shot in the head but survived . The accused ringleader is Jose Carranza , an illegal immigrant from Peru , who was previously charged with raping a 5-year-old girl and threatening her parents . Twice indicted by grand juries , Carranza slipped through the cracks and was released on bail . Authorities say that the 28-year-old construction worker led at least four other individuals in attacking the youths with a gun and a machete . If convicted , Carranza could get the death penalty . Glad to hear it . If half the things they say about this creep are true , Carranza belongs on death row . But guess what ? He sure does n't belong on an Army recruitment poster , or handling heavy artillery . Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a member of the editorial board of The San Diego Union-Tribune and a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . E-mail to a friend . | Is it time for a military `` freedom legion , '' made up of all foreign-born troops ? Is military service as a way to citizenship for illegal immigrants a good idea ? Jose Carranza , accused in the Newark killings , makes the proposal problematic . Illegal immigrants are considered dangerous menaces by some . | [[348, 365], [372, 421], [425, 536], [90, 101], [107, 146], [1972, 2111], [2248, 2253], [2258, 2385]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. military forces landed at a compound in Pakistan to battle targets linked to recent attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan , a senior U.S. official confirmed Wednesday . Security in the South Waziristan area of Pakistan has deteriorated in recent years . The official declined to be identified , citing the extreme sensitivity of U.S. forces operating within Pakistan 's borders . The action was an uncommon one for the U.S. military . Generally , NATO forces do not enter Pakistan except when pursuing insurgents in Afghanistan who slipped over the border or , in an extreme case , to pursue a high-value target . The Pentagon has refused to comment officially on the attack , but several defense officials acknowledged that U.S. military activity had taken place inside Pakistan . The senior U.S. official said a small number of U.S. helicopters landed troops in the village near Angoor Adda in South Waziristan , where Taliban and al Qaeda fighters have hunkered down over the years . Local media reports said the troops came out of a chopper and fired on civilians . The U.S. official said there may have been a small number of women and children in the immediate vicinity , but when the mission began `` everybody came out firing '' from the compound . He said the U.S. troops specifically attacked three buildings in the compound . They were believed to contain individuals responsible for training and equipping insurgents who have been crossing the border into Afghanistan in increasing numbers in recent months and staging large-scale , high-profile attacks against U.S. and coalition forces . The official could not say if the troops were going after a specific individual . Officials told CNN there was no indication the target was Osama bin Laden or his deputy , Ayman al-Zawahiri . Pakistan 's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday lodged a protest against U.S.-led coalition and NATO forces for what it said was a `` helicopter-borne ground attack '' from Afghanistan into Pakistan , an uncommon tactic in the coalition 's fight against militants along the violent border . The coalition and NATO have been seeking a way to effectively battle militants launching attacks from Pakistan 's swath of tribal areas along the border . They have become frustrated with Pakistan over the years , saying it is not being proactive enough against militants , a claim denied by Pakistan -- now in political flux after the resignation of President Pervez Musharraf . Top U.S. and Pakistani military officials last week met on an aircraft carrier regarding American concerns that Pakistan has n't been cracking down hard enough on the Taliban . Several times this year , U.S.-operated drone aircraft launched attacks inside Pakistan . The Pakistani Foreign Ministry described the strike as `` a helicopter-borne ground attack supported by air assets based in Afghanistan '' and called it a `` gross violation of Pakistan territory . '' Pakistani officials were still counting the casualties . One local official said the raid left 20 civilians dead . Pakistan military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said seven civilians died and others were critically injured . `` It is , indeed , most unfortunate that coalition/ISAF in Afghanistan have resorted to cross-border use of force against civilians , '' the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in a written statement . ISAF is NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . Pakistan 's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan was summoned to provide an explanation of the incident . `` Such actions are counterproductive and certainly do not help our joint efforts to fight terrorism , '' the ministry said . `` On the contrary , they undermine the very basis of cooperation and may fuel the fire of hatred and violence that we are trying to extinguish . Moreover , any attack on Pakistani territory is unacceptable and constitutes a grave provocation . '' Owais Ahmed Ghani , the administrative head of Pakistan 's Federally Administered Tribal Areas , called the strike `` a direct assault on the sovereignty of Pakistan . And the people of Pakistan expect that the Armed Forces of Pakistan would rise to defend the sovereignty of the country and give a befitting reply to all such attacks . '' | NEW : Assault targeted compound in area linked to Taliban , al Qaeda . NEW : Individuals in compound suspected of helping Afghan attacks . Pakistani reports say from seven to 20 civilians killed in raid . Pakistan calls on U.S. ambassador to explain attack . | [[0, 15], [19, 90], [3008, 3065], [3032, 3065], [3099, 3178], [3435, 3567], [3479, 3567]] |
HOLLYWOOD , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Singer Christina Aguilera joins fellow Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys and John Legend for `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute , '' airing Thanksgiving night on CNN . Christina Aguilera performed her hit single `` Beautiful '' at `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute . '' The show , taped before an audience of more than 2,000 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood , pays tribute to the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 . Liz McCartney , dedicated to helping survivors of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their homes , has been named the 2008 CNN Hero of the Year . McCartney , of St. Bernard Parish , Louisiana , received the honor at Saturday night 's taping of `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute . '' The telecast airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Thanksgiving on the global networks of CNN . McCartney , who will receive $ 100,000 to continue her work just outside New Orleans , was selected from among the top 10 CNN Heroes after six weeks of online voting at CNN.com . More than 1 million votes were cast . `` To the country and the world , I ask you to please join us , '' McCartney said . `` Together we can continue to rebuild families ' homes and lives . ... If you join us , we 'll be unstoppable . '' Hosted by CNN 's Anderson Cooper , `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute '' features moving musical performances by Aguilera , Keys and Legend . Watch a preview of the show , including Aguilera 's performance '' Aguilera performed her hit single `` Beautiful . '' Legend , backed by the world-renowned Agape Choir , brought the audience of more than 2,000 to their feet with his powerful call to personal action , `` If You 're Out There , '' from his just-released album , `` Evolver . '' Keys sang `` Superwoman , '' her tribute to women around the world , from her hit album `` As I Am . '' All three performances echoed the spirit of the CNN Heroes campaign , which salutes everyday people accomplishing extraordinary things in their communities and beyond . `` In this time of economic turmoil , it is such a relief to know that there are people like these heroes , people who care more for others than they do for themselves , '' Cooper said . The top 10 CNN Heroes , chosen by a blue-ribbon panel from an initial pool of more than 3,700 viewer nominations , were each honored with a documentary tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter . Each of the top 10 Heroes receives $ 25,000 . Watch a close-up look at the CNN Hero Award '' Actors Cameron Diaz , Salma Hayek , John Krasinski , Forest Whitaker , Meg Ryan , Terrence Howard , Lucy Liu , Jessica Biel , Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez were among the stars joining in CNN 's tribute to the top 10 . See photos of the presenters '' In addition , actor Hugh Jackman presented People magazine 's 2008 Heroes Among Us award to six recipients honored by the magazine . Award-winning producer-director Joel Gallen returned to executive produce this year 's program . Among his credits , Gallen produced telethon events supporting victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina , winning an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for `` America : A Tribute to Heroes . '' The Kodak Theatre is best known as the first permanent home of the Academy Awards . In addition to its airing on CNN , the second annual `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute '' will air simultaneously on CNN International and CNN en Español at 9 p.m. ET Thursday -LRB- 0200 GMT Friday -RRB- . In alphabetical order , the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 as chosen by the blue-ribbon panel are : Watch the members of the blue ribbon panel '' Tad Agoglia , Houston , Texas : Agoglia 's First Response Team provides immediate help to areas hit by natural disasters . In a little over a year , he and his crew have helped thousands of victims at more than 15 sites across the United States , free of charge . Yohannes Gebregeorgis , Addis Ababa , Ethiopia : Moved by the lack of children 's books and literacy in his native Ethiopia , Gebregeorgis established Ethiopia Reads , bringing free public libraries and literacy programs to thousands of Ethiopian children . Carolyn LeCroy , Norfolk , Virginia : After serving time in prison , LeCroy started the Messages Project to help children stay connected with their incarcerated parents . She and volunteer camera crews have taped roughly 3,000 messages from inmates to their children . Anne Mahlum , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania : On her daily morning jogs , Mahlum used to run past homeless men . Today , she 's helping to transform lives by running with them , and others as part of her Back On My Feet program . Liz McCartney , St. Bernard Parish , Louisiana : McCartney moved to New Orleans to dedicate herself to helping Hurricane Katrina survivors move back into their homes . Her nonprofit , St. Bernard Project , has rebuilt the homes of more than 120 families for free . Phymean Noun , Toronto , Ontario : Growing up in Cambodia , Noun struggled to complete high school . Today , she offers hundreds of Cambodian children who work in Phnom Penh 's trash dump a way out through free schooling and job training . David Puckett , Savannah , Georgia : Puckett started PIPO Missions to bring ongoing prosthetic and orthotic care to those in need . Since November 2000 , he has helped more than 420 people in southeastern Mexico , free of charge . Maria Ruiz , El Paso , Texas : Several times a week , Ruiz crosses the border into Juarez , Mexico , bringing food , clothing and toys to hundreds of impoverished children and their families . Marie Da Silva , Los Angeles , California : Having lost 14 family members to AIDS , the nanny funds a school in her native Malawi , where half a million children have been orphaned by the disease . Viola Vaughn , Kaolack , Senegal : The Detroit , Michigan , native moved to Senegal to retire . Instead , a group of failing schoolchildren asked her to help them pass their classes . Today , her 10,000 Girls program is helping hundreds of girls succeed in school and run their own businesses . | 2008 CNN Hero of the Year is Liz McCartney of St. Bernard Parish , Louisiana . Grammy winners Christine Aguilera , Alicia Keys and John Legend perform . The show honors the top 10 CNN Heroes as selected by a distinguished panel . It airs globally at 9 p.m. ET November 27 -LRB- 0200 GMT November 28 -RRB- . | [[453, 466], [535, 589], [590, 623], [638, 701], [0, 9], [12, 147], [1279, 1370], [1371, 1434], [1371, 1376], [1390, 1398], [1401, 1437], [314, 324], [405, 452], [2176, 2197], [2200, 2288], [2176, 2197], [2291, 2335], [2176, 2197], [2340, 2377], [3464, 3485], [3488, 3556], [3559, 3601]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Solomon Brown of San Jose , California , is one of the millions of voters who helped elect Barack Obama to be the future president . He 's also one of the voters in California , Arizona and Florida who cast ballots in support of same-sex marriage bans that got considerable support in each state . Jim Smotherman , left , and Pat Wright of La Mesa , California , rushed to get married in June . His voting choices are a picture-perfect model of the paradoxical results of the 2008 U.S. presidential election . They also illustrate how Obama 's inclusive strategy won over many voters who did n't necessarily toe the Democratic Party line . The war in Iraq and the economy were the main issues Brown , 18 , a first-time voter , said he considered in choosing a president . But when the time came to vote on the `` one man and one woman '' issue , he followed his moral beliefs and voted in support of California 's Proposition 8 . He said he is n't at all surprised that many voters did the same . `` They did that because of religion , '' Brown said of voters . `` They wanted change for the country but were n't going to change their religion . '' He had no qualms about voting for Obama , either , and adds that his choice was n't related to race . But he worries what moral beliefs will be taught in coming years . iReport.com : Read Brown 's thoughts on Proposition 8 . `` I do n't want a man and a man to be married , '' Brown said . `` When I have kids , I do n't want them to see that . '' Still , he says he does n't hate gay people and has several gay friends . He emphasizes that he dislikes the fact that people are gay , but not the individuals themselves . `` I ca n't be prejudiced against them , with me being an African-American , '' Brown said . `` That would be hypocritical in my eyes . '' But Maggie Cassella of Toronto , Ontario , said she watched the U.S. elections and could n't help but feel thankful for being in Canada . iReport.com : Watch Cassella express her disdain over the election . `` I 'm tired of talking about it , because I live in a country where I have all my rights now , '' she said . `` I talk about politics , but it 's never gay rights because we 're done . '' She said she felt upset by the election and could n't help but wonder why voters would want to make the decision to elect a black man as president and then outlaw gay marriage at the same time . `` I would just like someone to talk to an African-American gay person from California or any person from California and ask them what it feels like to have your rights to be an equal citizen taken away concurrent with this great day in history , '' she said . `` My guess is it actually does n't feel so great . After all , civil rights are civil rights . I do n't care what anybody says . '' iReport.com : Share your story or opinion of same-sex marriage . The issue hits close to home for Pat Wright of La Mesa , California , who married his partner , Jim Smotherman , in June . He says he does n't like seeing the animosity from both sides and has personally lost friends over the issue . `` A lot of ugliness and nastiness has come out . I do n't know how these people have a direct connection to God , '' Wright said . `` How can people be so badly informed , why are they qualified to vote on my marriage , and should 52 percent of the population be able to take away my rights ? A very ugly situation . '' Wright said the couple rushed their marriage because of Proposition 8 and campaigned against it . They were saddened to see `` Yes on 8 '' signs in nearby yards , but never expected the proposition to succeed . iReport.com : `` We are still numb and in mourning '' Two states away , Fred Thorne of Washington Terrace , Utah , said he was disappointed about the same-sex marriage decisions . Thorne says he comes from a long line of Mormons and that locals ' views are highly shaped by their religion and the church . He describes his parents as `` freethinkers '' who encouraged him to break away from the church 's views and support `` equal rights . '' Thorne said he thinks religious organizations in Utah have a huge local and national political influence that oversteps the separation between church and state . iReport.com : Watch Thorne discuss `` sexual equality behind the Zion curtain '' `` Gays have the right to marry and be openly gay , in my opinion , '' Thorne said . `` If it offends somebody , I 'm sorry . I 'm offended that you 're offended by it . '' Jason Dinant of Las Vegas , Nevada , said the election of Obama made great strides for equality but did n't signify much `` progress for equal rights '' overall . iReport.com : Watch Dinant 's retro black-and-white commentary . `` Even though it 's 2008 , we really are still in the 1950s when it comes to gay rights , '' he said . Dinant , who is gay , said he feels Obama must make the legalization of gay marriage part of his agenda for change as he assumes the nation 's top post . The move to outlaw gay marriage adds `` discrimination into a state 's constitution , '' he said . But the legal side of the issue looms large for John Riolo , a Rhode Island voter who prefers not to state the results of his last-minute voting decision . Riolo says both sides like to dig in their heels , and he wishes they would see eye to eye . iReport.com : Watch Riolo talk about his complex views . `` My liberal and some , but not all , of my gay friends see same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue , '' Riolo said . `` My conservative friends see gay marriage as fundamentally altering society and/or a violation of religious tradition . '' Riolo doubts both religious consequences for gay marriage and violation of civil rights if the unions are banned . He said the decisions should be drawn up in courts and that both sides of the issue should maintain a clear head whatever the result . `` Marriage is little more than a license , '' Riolo said . `` It is a privilege given by the state and , like a driver 's license or any other type of license , the state can set up rules and criteria . '' But for Wright , who feels fortunate he got to marry his partner , the decision boils down to legislating personal lives and Proposition 8 stings hard . iReport.com : Watch the scene of protests in California . `` It has been a kick in the teeth , '' he said . `` I ca n't imagine voting on someone 's marriage . '' | Solomon Brown voted for Obama and supports Proposition 8 . Maggie Cassella upset that black president elected , gay marriage opposed . Pat Wright rushed marriage to partner in light of the upcoming vote . iReport.com : What do you think ? Share your thoughts on the issue . | [[1980, 2034], [2225, 2294], [317, 366], [382, 413], [3434, 3531], [3446, 3503], [2814, 2825], [2828, 2878]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Leszek Balcerowicz , Poland 's former finance minister , recently said his country is enjoying `` its best period in 300 years . '' CNN looks at how the country emerged from communism to become one of eastern Europe 's most stable and thriving democracies . Solidarity leader Lech Walesa addresses striking workers in Gdansk , Poland in 1989 . Modern Poland gained independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War . Almost six million Poles , including the majority of the country 's large Jewish population , died during the devastating six-year conflict . The shadow of Stalin continued to loom large over Poland after the war , when the communist-dominated government ensured that Poland would become a Soviet satellite state for the next 40 years . The following decades were punctuated by revolts against the repressive authoritarian regime in Warsaw , but none had a greater impact on Poland 's political future than events in 1980 at a shipyard in western Poland . With a struggling economy and rumors of corruption and mismanagement within the state causing widespread discontent , a series of strikes by workers paralyzed the country . Eventually the government was forced to negotiate and on August 31 , 1980 , workers at the massive Lenin shipyard in Gdansk , led by an electrician named Lech Walesa , signed a deal giving workers the right to strike and form trade unions . This heralded the creation of the Solidarity movement , which would ultimately be instrumental in bringing Poland 's communist era to an end . The presence in the Vatican at the time of Polish-born Pope John-Paul II was also a significant influence on the movement throughout the 1980s , as the Catholic church had remained a very potent force in Polish life . The Pope even made a visit to the country in 1979 . Despite Soviet-endorsed attempts to slow the erosion of the regime 's grip on power -- including the declaration of martial law by General Wojciech Jaruzelski in 1981 which outlawed Solidarity -- Poland 's worsening economic situation , compounded by further nationwide strikes , meant that the government had no alternative but to negotiate a date for free elections with Walesa and the Solidarity movement . Solidarity members won a stunning victory in the election of 1989 , taking almost all the seats in the Senate and all of the 169 seats they were allowed to contest in the Sejm or parliament . This gave them substantial influence in the new government . Activist and journalist Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed prime minister , while Lech Walesa was elected as president the following year . Were you in Poland in 1989 ? Send us your memories . After years of economic mismanagement under the communists , Poland embarked on a painful reform program under finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz -- especially in traditional heavy industries such as coal and steel -- which moved away from the inefficient state-controlled system of economic planning . Despite growing unemployment and a dilapidated infrastructure , Poland was slowly transformed into an investment-friendly , market economy . Banking and lending policies were reformed , while newly reshaped ownership relations , independent enterprises and strengthened domestic competition all had a massive impact . Over a relatively short period of time , Poland had become one of the most dynamically developing economies in Europe and by the mid-1990s , it became known as the `` Tiger of Europe . '' Poland also liberalized its international trade during this period . The national currency -- the zloty -- became convertible to other currencies and internal convertibility was also established , providing another platform for dynamic economic growth . New markets in countries that had been treated not so long before as ideological as well as economic enemies were opened up to Polish companies . The EU and U.S. were now the key markets for Polish goods . This realignment of policy was emphasized by its accession into the European Union in 2004 . It had also joined NATO in 1999 . Unfortunately the continuing problem of high unemployment and the promise of better salaries encouraged many Poles to work in other EU countries after 2004 . However this trend started to reverse in 2008 as the Polish economy enjoyed a boom period . Politically , Poland has also successfully transformed itself into a fully democratic country . Since 1991 the Polish people have voted in parliamentary elections and four presidential elections -- all free and fair . Incumbent governments have transferred power smoothly and constitutionally in every instance to their successors . | Poland was ruled by Soviet-backed regime after the Second World War . Solidarity movement became a key factor in the fall of communist regime . Centrally-planned economic system replaced by free market economy . Poland joined the European Union in 2004 . | [[706, 822], [1486, 1509], [1518, 1598], [3993, 4085]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dr. George Tiller , whose Kansas women 's clinic frequently took center stage in the U.S. debate over abortion , was shot and killed while serving as an usher at his Wichita church Sunday morning , police said . Dr. George Tiller was one of the few U.S. physicians that performed late-term abortions . Wichita police said a 51-year-old man from the Kansas City , Kansas , area was in custody in connection with the slaying of Tiller , who was one of the few U.S. physicians who still performed late-term abortions . The killing , which came about 16 years after Tiller survived a shooting outside his Wichita clinic , took place shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church . Officers found the 67-year-old dead in the foyer , police said . Witnesses provided a description of the car and a license number of the killer 's getaway vehicle , Wichita police spokesman Gordon Bassham said . Police stopped a blue Ford Taurus matching the description about three hours later in Gardner , about 30 miles southwest of Kansas City , and took the driver into custody . No charges had been filed Sunday evening and no motive for the killing was immediately known , but Wichita police Detective Tom Stoltz told reporters : `` We think we have the right person arrested . '' `` We will investigate this suspect to the Nth degree -- his history , his family , his associates -- and we are just in the beginning stages of that , '' Stoltz said . See what people are saying about Dr. Tiller 's murder '' Tiller 's slaying drew condemnation from supporters , from some of those who tried to shut down his practice and from President Obama , who just two weeks ago urged Americans to seek `` common ground '' on the issue of abortion . `` However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion , they can not be resolved by heinous acts of violence , '' Obama said in a statement issued by the White House . The shooting prompted U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to direct federal marshals to `` offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation , '' according to a statement from the Department of Justice . Tiller had been practicing medicine for nearly 40 years , said Peter Brownlie , president of the Kansas City-based regional Planned Parenthood office . His patients were `` almost always in circumstances where something had gone horribly wrong with a pregnancy , '' and where a woman 's health would be endangered if the pregnancy continued , Brownlie said . He and his staff had been picketed for years , with some activists distributing leaflets around his neighborhood , Brownlie said . His clinic suffered serious damage from a bomb in the mid-1990s , and he was shot through both arms in 1993 by an anti-abortion activist who is currently serving time in federal prison . `` He endured that kind of stuff on a very frequent basis , '' Brownlie said . `` As recently as early this month the clinic sustained serious vandalism that put them out of commission for a week or so . '' Watch Tiller describe the philosophy of his clinic in 1999 '' Tiller had armed security at his clinic and a `` pretty rigorous '' security procedure at home , Brownlie said . But he `` made an effort to live his life as normally as possible knowing he could be a target at any time , '' he said . In a statement issued through Tiller 's lawyers , his family -- a wife , four children and 10 grandchildren -- said their loss `` is also a loss for the City of Wichita and women across America . '' `` George dedicated his life to providing women with high-quality health care despite frequent threats and violence , '' his family said in a written statement . `` We ask that he be remembered as a good husband , father and grandfather and a dedicated servant on behalf of the rights of women everywhere . '' In March , Tiller was acquitted of 19 counts of performing procedures unlawfully at his clinic . In 2008 , a probe initiated by abortion opponents who petitioned state authorities to convene a grand jury ended without charges . Leading anti-abortion groups condemned Sunday 's shooting , emphasizing they wanted to shut down Tiller 's practice by legal means . Operation Rescue , which has led numerous demonstrations at Tiller 's clinic , called the shooting as a `` cowardly act . '' And the National Right to Life Committee , the largest U.S. anti-abortion group , said it `` unequivocally condemns any such acts of violence regardless of motivation . '' `` The pro-life movement works to protect the right to life and increase respect for human life , '' it said . `` The unlawful use of violence is directly contrary to that goal . '' But Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry , who is no longer affiliated with the group , called Tiller `` a mass murderer . '' `` We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God , '' Terry said in a written statement . `` I am more concerned that the Obama administration will use Tiller 's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions . Abortion is still murder , and we still must call abortion by its proper name . '' The National Organization for Women , which supports abortion rights , called Tiller 's killing an act of `` domestic terrorism . '' And NARAL Pro-Choice America said Tiller had worked for years under `` intense harassment tinged with persistent threats of violence . '' If Tiller was killed because of his work , he would be the fourth U.S. physician killed over abortion since 1993 . See all abortion-related attacks since 1993 '' In 1998 , a sniper killed Dr. Barnett Slepian in his Amherst , New York , home . Anti-abortion activist James Kopp was later arrested in France and is serving life in prison . In 1994 , Dr. John Bayard Britton and one of his volunteer escorts were shot and killed outside an abortion clinic in Pensacola , Florida . Paul Hill , a former minister , was convicted of the killings and executed in 2003 . And in 1993 , another doctor , David Gunn , was shot to death outside another Pensacola clinic . His killer , Michael Griffin , is serving a life sentence . In addition , a nurse at a Birmingham , Alabama , clinic was maimed and an off-duty police officer was killed in a 1998 bombing by Eric Rudolph , who included abortion among his list of anti-government grievances . Rudolph admitted to that attack and three other bombings -- including the 1996 attack on the Olympic games in Atlanta , Georgia -- and is currently serving life in prison . CNN 's Matt Smith contributed to this report . | Suspect in shooting death of Dr. George Tiller in custody , police say . Tiller shot Sunday at his church in Wichita , Kansas , according to police . Motive unknown ; Tiller was one of few U.S. doctors performing late-term abortions . Supporters , President Obama and anti-abortion groups condemn killing . | [[260, 283], [289, 320], [469, 492], [497, 534], [1140, 1181], [1524, 1575], [4104, 4161]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal slid to an astonishing 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6 defeat to Sweden 's Robin Soderling at the French Open on Sunday . Soderling savors his unlikely triumph against Nadal in the French Open fourth round . Soderling , the 23rd seed , was a rank outsider against the world number one who had never lost a match on the clay at Roland Garros and was a short-priced favorite to win a record fifth straight title . But Soderling never looked back after breezing through the first set of their fourth round match and closed out victory as Nadal sent a volley wide after bravely saving a matchpoint in the fourth set tiebreak . The Spaniard tried to look on the positives after his shock defeat . `` It 's not a tragedy , losing here in Paris , '' he told the official tournament Web site www.rolandgarros.com . `` It had to happen one day , and this is an excellent season for me . `` Of course it 's a bit sad , but I have to overcome this as quickly as possible . No one remembers defeats on the long run . People remember victories . So I have to move forward and try and prepare the best I can . '' King of clay Nadal had compiled a 31-match winning streak at the French Open and was attempting to win the second grand slam of the year after beating world number two Roger Federer in the final of the Australian Open . Soderling took advantage of a strong serve and big forehands to give Nadal a torrid time in front of a stunned crowd on the Philippe Chatrier court . Defeat for Nadal opens up his side of the draw with world number three Andy Murray a possible beneficiary . Murray , who was seeded to meet Nadal in the semifinals , beat Marin Cilic of Croatia 7-5 7-6 6-1 in their earlier fourth round match . He will play Fernando Gonzalez of Chile for a place in the semifinals . Gonzalez beat Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-2 6-4 6-2 in their fourth round match . Soderling will next play Nikolay Davydenko of Russia as the 10th seed beat eighth-ranked Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-2 6-2 6-4 . in the final last 16 match of a dramatic day . | Four-time defending French Open champion Rafael Nadal crashes out . Top seed beaten in four sets by Sweden 's Robin Soderling in Paris . Britain 's Andy Murray powers into quarterfinals with straight sets win . | [[0, 15], [29, 166], [0, 15], [29, 166]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An extended trip to Ecuador by two Americans changed from a dream to a nightmare after a brutal attack last week , according the couple 's blog and U.S. officials . State Department spokesman Robert Wood confirmed Tuesday that the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador had been told that two Americans from Bend , Oregon , were attacked in the city of Esmeraldas , on Ecuador 's northern coast . But he said he could provide no further information because of privacy laws . Two State Department officials , however , said that the man was stabbed more than 24 times and that his fiancée was beaten and raped . CNN does not name the victims of sexual assault and has removed publication of the man 's name to help protect the identity of the woman . The couple was evacuated to the United States on Tuesday for treatment , the officials said . The couple wrote a blog throughout their trip . In the most recent post on Monday , the woman wrote that her fiance was in intensive care after three surgeries . `` I was informed by the head surgeon there is no certainty he will survive , '' she wrote . The earlier postings were happier reflections on their visit to Ecuador , a year-long trip they planned after getting engaged and selling all their belongings . In the blog , the couple seems unconcerned about safety , posting that they occasionally hitchhiked , visited the homes of strangers and posed for pictures with new friends they made on their travels . One senior official told CNN that the victims ' parents complained to U.S. consular officers in Ecuador that the Embassy did not do enough to warn Americans that many people have been attacked in Esmeraldas . The State Department 's Web site advises caution when traveling to the northern border region of Ecuador , including Esmeraldas . The travel advisory section notes that `` U.S. government personnel are under limitations with respect to traveling alone and over-nighting in these areas due to the spread of organized crime , drug trafficking , small arms trafficking , and incursions by various Colombian terrorist organizations . '' The Web site says that since 1998 , at least 10 U.S. citizens have been kidnapped and one killed near Ecuador 's border with Colombia . Wood on Tuesday expressed the State Department 's `` deep sympathy '' for the victims and said the department worked with the victims ' families to provide assistance . `` It 's a horrible and shocking incident '' he said . | U.S. officials say man was stabbed repeatedly , his fiancée raped and beaten . Relative tells media that couple was attacked on beach in northern Ecuador . Fiancée writes in blog that her companion may not survive despite three surgeries . State Department site advises caution when traveling to parts of northern Ecuador . | [[490, 520], [533, 625], [252, 411], [907, 940], [943, 1020], [1686, 1815], [1727, 1815]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The worst cholera outbreak in Africa in 15 years has killed more than 4,000 Zimbabweans , and the crisis threatens to worsen when the rainy season hits , the U.N. Children 's Fund said Thursday . A cholera patient sits in his bed at a hospital in Harare . The rainy season could threaten more lives . The preventable disease has spread through the southern African country in the past 10 months because of faulty sewage systems , uncollected refuse and a lack of clean water , UNICEF said . `` Last year , we had a near collapse of basic social services , '' said Tsitsi Singizi , a spokeswoman for the organization . `` Municipal services were not providing clean water anymore and they were not collecting refuse anymore . There was also a collapse of the health-delivery system . So if you went to the clinic and you were affected by cholera , you would not be attended to . '' The possibility of a new wave of cholera cases looms , Singizi said . `` We might have another spike in the number of cases once we have our first rain , because cholera is waterborne and the contaminated water will be flowing towards open sources and people will be drinking from unprotected wells , '' she said . Nearly 100,000 people have been infected since the current epidemic broke out , according to a new Red Cross report . The cholera crisis comes as Zimbabwe is struggling with an economic meltdown . In May , Zimbabwe announced that it would receive a $ 22 million grant from the World Bank to help the country 's battered economy . | The cholera crisis has killed 4,000 Zimbabweans and could to worsen , the U.N. said . A new wave of cholera looms as the rainy season approaches , UNICEF said . The crisis comes as Zimbabwe is struggling with an economic meltdown . | [[0, 15], [62, 106], [113, 170], [149, 170], [173, 181], [173, 214], [275, 319], [496, 509], [970, 1023], [1333, 1411], [1361, 1411]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Walk into Naughty Auties , a virtual resource center for those with autism , and you 'll find palm trees swaying against a striking ocean sunset . Were it not for the pixelated graphics on the computer screen in front of you , you would swear you were looking at a tropical hideaway . David Savill , who has named himself Dave Sparrow in Second Life , has Asperger 's syndrome . David Savill , 22 , lives in Gloucester , England , in real life and created this spot within the virtual world of Second Life . Residents of this digital realm can represent themselves with 3-D images called avatars and connect with each other over the Internet . Savill has Asperger 's syndrome and said he wanted Naughty Auties to serve those with autism spectrum disorders and their friends and family . Savill , who represents himself in the virtual world using an avatar named Dave Sparrow , said one benefit is that visitors can practice social interaction and find information about the condition . The graphical representations of real people create a `` comfort zone '' that can coax users out of their shells and get them communicating with others , he said . `` You 're on your own computer , in your own room , your own space , '' Savill said . `` So you 're not going out into the real world meeting people , you 're going meeting people online and in your own home , so you 're perfectly relaxed . It 's just a fantastic tool to use to bring people together . '' Take a video tour of Naughty Auties with Savill '' Autism , more precisely the autism spectrum , is a range of brain disorders that can cause difficulties in social interaction , communication and behavior . Asperger 's syndrome is at the milder end of this spectrum . People with Asperger 's are often high-achieving but can have difficulty in social situations . CNN learned about Savill 's Second Life place from an iReporter in England who has named herself Janey Bracken in Second Life . Bracken , who prefers not to share her real name , submitted stories to iReport.com describing Savill 's resource center and providing information about other places where those with the condition can turn . '' -LSB- Savill -RSB- said that his life changed when his family decided to get the Internet , '' Bracken wrote . `` He was able to use chat rooms and soon realized that people used symbols to express themselves : the smiley signs , the angry signs , hug signs , etc. , to enhance the text . He went on to say that subconsciously his brain was learning about communication from these sessions of chat . '' Second Life has its own economy and social scene , and Bracken and Savill hope it could become a haven for those seeking help for autism . While many think such computer interactions could eventually be helpful in treating autism , scientists say more information is needed to truly assess their value . Dr. Fred Volkmar , a professor in Yale University 's Child Study Center , said he would want more concrete studies done before he could be sure . `` Although not much research is yet available , there is clearly considerable potential in use of new technologies for fostering social skills , '' Volkmar said . To answer this need , scientists are beginning to explore the possibilities in Second Life . One such researcher is Simon Bignell , a lecturer in psychology at the University of Derby in Derby , England , who is running a project that is evaluating teaching and research in Second Life . Bignell , known in-world as Milton Broome , said Second Life is an uncharted but promising area for new applied psychological research . Virtual reality can be used to simulate new environments for people on the autistic spectrum , he said . `` For people with autism , we 've found it 's a very nice way of setting up situations they might come across in their everyday lives , '' Bignell said . `` For people who have social , emotional , communicational problems ... we can get them familiar with an environment before they actually try it out in real life . '' Watch more on autism research in a virtual world '' He started the `` Autism Research '' discussion group within Second Life to serve as an information-sharing tool for interested parties . He also has an office within Second Life and can sometimes be found working in SL-Labs , the university 's in-world psychology lab space . The lab areas contain meeting spots , informational kiosks and games . A portion of these areas contain information about autism and Asperger 's . Savill said Second Life excels at minimizing geographical separations between people and bringing people from all over the world to meet together quickly and easily . He added that he wanted to emphasize that virtual worlds are an emerging and important tool not just for autistic people , but for the people who know them . `` It 's not just to help people with autism , it 's to help people whose lives have been affected by autism , be they family or friends or employees of people who have autism , '' Savill said . `` Naughty Auties is a fantastic meeting place for people . '' E-mail to a friend . | People with autism spectrum disorders could find a haven within Second Life . Second Life is a virtual world where people represent themselves with avatars . David Savill , 22 , has Asperger 's syndrome and founded a virtual gathering spot . iReport : See your Second Life stories and news of a virtual world . | [[527, 599], [589, 618], [806, 812], [819, 858], [304, 316], [371, 397], [398, 415], [467, 526], [663, 694], [1969, 1976], [2020, 2052]] |
Editor 's note : The U.S. Marshals Service last week launched one of the largest weeklong fugitive sweeps in the southeastern United States . CNN takes you inside the operation . Authorities received a tip that a convicted child molester was living here . He was captured at a hardware store . ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The trail for the convicted child molester seemed to grow cold as the police combed his empty apartment . James Maurice Robinson , 25 , a confessed sex offender , had been on the run for more than two years , and it looked as if he would elude capture yet again . The authorities huddled in a nearby parking lot to discuss Plan B , an air of disgust hanging over them . James Ergas , the U.S. Marshal helping to lead this operation , acts on a tip . He pulls out his cell phone and calls a hardware store where the suspect may be working . Using a ruse , he begins speaking to the manager and , at one point , Robinson himself gets on the phone and unknowingly talks to the very man trying to catch him . Gotcha ! Authorities now know exactly where their man is . He 's seven miles away , on the other side of town . It 's 11:02 a.m. Ergas guns his unmarked sport utility vehicle at 95 miles per hour through downtown Atlanta , zipping in and out of the city 's notorious traffic congestion . Hear cops bang door , see raid on a home : `` Get down ! '' '' `` I 've got no place in my heart for pedophiles , '' he says , pressing down harder on the gas . The vehicle thrusts forward . Ten minutes later , he whips his SUV into the store 's parking lot . The suspect 's car , a burgundy , four-door Pontiac Grand Am , sits near a back stairwell . `` When we go in there , he 's going to run out the back , '' Ergas says . He parks near the front of the building and alerts his backup . Within minutes , the full team arrives . Two take position near the back stairwell . Ergas and other team members , dressed in black flak jackets , enter the front door at 11:19 a.m. Robinson does n't have a chance . He tries to run , but slips . Ergas points his Taser and prepares to zap him . Robinson knows his gig is up . He surrenders peacefully . `` He saw the Taser , '' Ergas says , with a smile . `` Nobody wants to be Tased . '' More than 100 miles away , the man who first arrested Robinson in March 2004 gets word of the capture . `` Anytime we can get a pervert off the street like that , it 's going to make me happy , '' said Robert Tate , a detective with the LaFayette Police Department in northwest Georgia , near the Tennessee border . Robinson had been accused of exposing himself to a 10-year-old boy in a Wal-Mart bathroom and masturbating in front of him . Police records indicate the boy was so petrified he was afraid to leave the stall for 15 minutes afterward . Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of child molestation on May 26 , 2005 , according to the Walker County District Attorney 's Office . But he skipped town and never made his sentencing hearing on February 14 , 2006 , authorities said . A warrant was then issued for his arrest . Robinson now faces five to 20 years in prison , the DA 's office said . Robinson was one of 1,250 fugitives busted in Georgia last week as part of Operation Falcon , a nationwide sweep to arrest some of the most violent offenders . Of the arrests in Georgia , 724 came in metro Atlanta ; two were suspected killers , authorities said . Multiple sweeps like these have already taken place in other cities in recent weeks as part of Falcon . More are coming to undisclosed regions of the country . Authorities would not release further details about the nationwide hunt due to the ongoing nature of the operation . `` Our primary focus when we do this operation are violent offenders , sex offenders and gang members , '' says Keith Booker , the commander of the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force leading this sweep that included 115 federal , state and local agencies . The fugitives were wanted on felony charges ranging from murder and aggravated assault to rape and armed robbery to child molestation and an array of parole violations . On this day , while Ergas and his eight - to 10-member team hit multiple spots where fugitives were believed to be living , another 150 agents , investigators , detectives , officers and deputies were working other parts of metro Atlanta . Of the 700-plus arrests made around Atlanta , authorities smashed through 154 doors . Not every suspect was captured , but the hunt generated leads that will be followed up . The work involved grueling and dangerous 14 - to 18-hour days , but the officers still found time to laugh . There was one who Tasered himself while running after a suspect , and another who held up a bag of oregano thinking it was pot and quizzed his subjects . Both provided fodder for the watercooler . Then , there was the suspect wanted for aggravated assault who authorities said tried to jump over a 30-foot wall , breaking several bones when he landed . `` He did n't want to go to jail . Instead , he went to jail crippled , '' Ergas said . The police kept close tabs on the six different teams ' arrests , an internal competition to see who could bag more wanted felons . Team Vulture beat out Team Osprey with 147 arrests to 132 . At the end of the operation , about 80 officers crowded into a large conference room and were briefed on the final results . `` You prevented a lot of victims this week , '' Booker told them . Law enforcement studies , he said , indicate the typical fugitive commits an average of 13 crimes while they 're on the run . If that 's true , more than 15,000 potential victims have been spared . `` These people ca n't commit crimes against other people while they 're locked up , '' Booker said . | U.S. Marshals carry out massive fugitive sweep , nab 1,250 fugitives in Georgia . The operation was part of a larger nationwide hunt called Operation Falcon . One sex offender surrendered peacefully in hardware store : `` He saw the Taser '' Authorities message to those on the run : We 're coming after you . | [[0, 14], [17, 42], [53, 141], [3159, 3212], [3179, 3250], [256, 293], [2142, 2168], [2172, 2188]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama visited military personnel and their families enjoying Christmas dinner at a Marine Corps base in Hawaii Thursday during his holiday vacation . President-elect Obama shakes hands with troops having Christmas dinner at a military base in Hawaii . Obama went to Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay on Oahu where he mingled with Marines and sailors . Obama and the troops also had a traditional dinner including turkey , roast beef , ham and trimmings . Obama , dressed casually in a blue polo shirt and dark khaki trousers , chatted casually , shook hands and posed for photos with men and women in the dining hall , which had been decorated with Christmas trees and Santa figurines . Shortly before Obama entered the room , a Marine shouted to the crowd scattered across 25 tables , `` You need to take you seats , the president-elect is going to be coming . '' Obama , who spent about an hour at the Marine base , worked his way around the room , table by table . `` Just wanted to say , ` Hi , hey guys , ' '' Obama said at one point while reporters were allowed in the room . `` Hey guys , Merry Christmas , '' he said to another group . Obama also highlighted the service of the country 's military men and women now overseas in a holiday message to be broadcast on radio this Saturday . `` As we celebrate this joyous time of year , our thoughts turn to the brave men and women who serve our country far from home , '' he said in the message , which was posted online Wednesday . `` Their extraordinary and selfless sacrifice is an inspiration to us all , and part of the unbroken line of heroism that has made our freedom and prosperity possible for over two centuries . '' Watch Obama 's holiday message '' More than 140,000 soldiers are currently serving in Iraq , as well as roughly 30,000 in Afghanistan . In the broadcast message , Obama also called on Americans to `` renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship . '' `` These are also tough times for many Americans struggling in our sluggish economy , '' he said . `` Now , more than ever , we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans -- that I am my brother 's keeper , I am my sister 's keeper . ... We must all do our part to serve one another ; to seek new ideas and new innovation ; and to start a new chapter for our great country . '' Obama said that notion `` will guide my administration in the New Year . If the American people come together and put their shoulder to the wheel of history , then I know that we can put our people back to work ... and reach the promise of a brighter day . '' | President-elect Barack Obama mingles with troops in Hawaii on Christmas Day . Obama praised country 's military men and women in online message . Obama calls on Americans to `` renew a sense of common purpose '' | [[0, 15], [19, 93], [192, 238], [348, 352], [359, 396], [1189, 1194], [1200, 1264], [1480, 1496], [1503, 1532], [1864, 1888], [1891, 1896], [1902, 1984], [2113, 2199]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Switzerland 's Lara Gut made history on Saturday when she became the youngest-ever winner of a women 's World Cup race when claiming victory in the super-G at St Moritz . Gut holds the Swiss flag aloft after becoming the youngest skier to win a women 's World Cup race . Cheered on by the local supporters , the 17-year-old finished ahead of compatriot Fabienne Suter with Italy 's Nadia Fanchini -- the winner of the opening super-G in Lake Louise , Canada , finishing third . Gut gave a clear indication of her immense talent on Friday when finishing fifth in the super-combined and she produced a near flawless run of 57.38 seconds to finish well clear of her rivals . Suter , who finished third on Friday , moved up one place on the podium with a time 00.63 secs behind Gut . World Cup leader Lindsay Vonn failed to finish on a piste that had been considerably shortened to deal with poor visibility caused by falling snow . American Vonn , the defending overall champion , was one of many racers caught out by a bump in a fast section after a sharp right-hand turn . Vonn said Gut 's maiden win was not a surprise . `` She has been skiing well all season so far , '' said the 24-year-old . `` She has got a lot to learn still , but on a day like today , going first , it was a perfect chance for her . She definitely executed and seized the opportunity . '' Gut added : `` I was really nervous as I was n't used to being the leader , but gradually I began to realise that in fact I had skied really well especially when I saw that Nadia and Fabienne were behind me . '' | Swiss Lara Gut makes history by winniing the women 's Super-G at St Moritz . The victory makes Gut , 17 , the youngest-ever woman to win a World Cup race . Fellow-Swiss Fabienne Suter finished second with Italy 's Nadia Fanchini third . | [[0, 15], [19, 137], [138, 189], [0, 15], [19, 137], [190, 289], [200, 214], [221, 289], [327, 415]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British man was jailed Tuesday for raping two of his daughters and fathering nine children over 27 years , a case with echoes of Austria 's Josef Fritzl . The two daughters were made pregnant 19 times ; there were nine births , five miscarriages and five terminations . Seven of the children are alive but suffer genetic deformities . The father , who can not be named for legal reasons banning the identification of his victims and the surviving children , pleaded guilty Tuesday at Sheffield Crown Court , northern England , and was sentenced to serve 25 life sentences to run concurrently . The judge said the minimum term the 56-year-old rapist should serve in jail should be 19 1/2 years . South Yorkshire Police Chief Superintendent Simon Torr said , `` The victims of these terrible crimes have asked me to state the following : ` His detention in prison brings us only the knowledge that he can not physically touch us again . The suffering he has caused will continue for many years , and we must now concentrate our thoughts on finding the strength to rebuild our lives . ' '' Speaking for the police , Torr added , `` The main concern ... is for those who have been so badly affected : the victims who have suffered a terrible ordeal . We will continue to offer them our full support to try and help them get on with their lives . `` As far as the sentence goes , we are satisfied that this offender has received the strongest possible punishment for his heinous crimes . Now we need to ensure continuing support for those who have suffered as a result of his actions . '' The daughters first told police about their ordeal in June , but the abuse dated to 1981 . It emerged that in 1998 one daughter rang Childline , a charity to help abused kids , and asked for assurances about being able to keep her children if she came forward . When Childline could not make that guarantee , the daughter did nothing more to raise her plight . Watch how the case came to light '' The UK 's Press Association reported that the rapes began in 1981 with daily attacks and that for long periods , they would be raped up to three times a week , and the assaults would continue through pregnancies . Their only reprieve came after they had just given birth or when they were ill because of the abuse . If either daughter tried to refuse their father 's attacks , they would be punched , kicked and or held to the flames of a gas fire , burning their eyes and arms , PA reported . Despite visiting hospitals and meeting with social workers over the 27 years of abuse , no investigation was launched into the family . The case comes in the wake of the death of a baby , known only as Baby P , which has dominated headlines in Britain . The baby endured horrendous torture and died despite being on the local authority 's child protection register . In Austria this year , Josef Fritzl was arrested , accused of keeping his daughter in a basement dungeon and fathering seven children through the rapes . | Dad in UK sentenced to life in jail for subjecting daughters to rapes over 27 years . Rapes resulted in 19 pregnancies , nine births , seven children . Surviving children suffer genetic disorders . Judge questions why social workers , professionals did not find out about case . | [[0, 15], [19, 20], [33, 125], [0, 15], [19, 20], [33, 125], [224, 290], [2863, 2883], [2886, 2898], [2914, 3016], [291, 355], [291, 312], [327, 355]] |
HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe described the U.S. government and Western nations as `` quite stupid and foolish '' Tuesday for trying to be involved in the African country 's affairs . Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has ignored international calls for him to step down . Mugabe made the comments at the funeral for a former senior soldier , just days after a top U.S. diplomat said the United States no longer supports a power-sharing deal between Mugabe and his political rival , Morgan Tsvangirai , that might pave the way for economic , health and other reforms . Jendayi Frazer , U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs , said Sunday that the U.S. felt a viable unity government was not possible with Mugabe in power . At the funeral , Mugabe reacted : `` The inclusive government ... does not include Mr. Bush and his administration . It does not even know him . It has no relationship with him . Watch U.S. say Mugabe needs to go '' `` So let him keep his comments to himself . They are undeserved , irrelevant and quite stupid and foolish . Who are they to decide who should be included or should not in an inclusive government ? '' Mugabe and Tsvangirai , who leads the opposition Movement for Democratic Change , signed the unity deal September 15 , but Mugabe 's ZANU-PF party and the MDC have failed to implement it because they can not agree on who should control key ministries . Under the power-sharing proposal brokered by former South African leader Thabo Mbeki , Mugabe would remain president while Tsvangirai would become prime minister . Watch what options the international community has in Zimbabwe '' U.S. President George W. Bush and other leaders have urged Mugabe to step down amid a cholera epidemic that the United Nations says has killed more than 1,000 people since August . Mugabe blames Western sanctions for Zimbabwe 's worst economic and humanitarian crisis since independence from Great Britain 28 years ago . The nation is facing acute shortages of fuel , electricity and medical drugs . The inflation rate -- the highest in the world -- is 231 million percent . Mugabe , referring to Bush 's call for him to leave office , said : `` We realize that these are -LSB- the -RSB- last kicks of a dying horse . We obviously -LSB- are -RSB- not going to pay attention to a sunset administration . Zimbabwe 's fate lies in the fate of Zimbabweans . They are the ones who make and unmake the leaders of the country . Their decision alone is what we go by . '' Bush leaves office January 20 . Tsvangirai announced Friday that his party will withdraw from efforts to form a unity government unless 42 kidnapped party members are released or brought to court to face formal charges by New Year 's Day . | President Robert Mugabe describes U.S. and West as `` stupid and foolish '' Power-share deal is stalled because of dispute over control of ministries . Zimbabwe faces cholera epidemic , economic crisis . Mugabe has resisted international calls for him to step down . | [[0, 6], [9, 223], [1039, 1102], [1382, 1447], [1678, 1780], [224, 311]] |
SAN DIEGO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dust off every disaster plan from Washington to San Diego , scrutinize them to your heart 's content , and it 's still unlikely you 'll find mention of the emergency services provided by Shary Shores . Eric Campbell of Palomar Mountain became a reluctant tailgater at Qualcomm Stadium with his two cockatiels . Shores , a volunteer registrar at San Diego 's evacuee shelter , has appointed herself the shelter 's `` hugger . '' Every person she signs in gets a warm , heartfelt hug . Having lost her own home to foreclosure in March , Shores says she has empathy for the suddenly homeless . Her embraces may not be government-sanctioned , but they are appreciated . `` I ca n't tell you how many people say ` Thank you . ... I needed that , ' '' Shores said . Welcome to Qualcomm Stadium , home of the San Diego Chargers and , for the time being , thousands of people who have fled the California wildfires that destroyed nearly 1,600 homes and burned some 679 square miles . Some 76,000 people stayed in 42 San Diego County shelters Wednesday night , county emergency spokeswoman Lynda Pfieffer said . Those numbers were dropping as residents were allowed to return home . Qualcomm Stadium housed 11,000 evacuees at the peak of the disaster , but that number dropped to 5,000 Wednesday morning . Those staying in shelters represented only a small fraction of the nearly 1 million evacuees . `` We believe many people are staying with family and friends or going to hotels , '' said Red Cross spokeswoman Jeanne Ellinport in Washington . Conceived on paper as a safe -- if uncomfortable -- refuge for thousands of people , Qualcomm Stadium has become in practice a wonderland of surprises . Were it not for the absence of a Ferris wheel , the tent city just inside the stadium 's gates could be mistaken for a county fair . Watch volunteers make life easier at Qualcomm '' Stiltwalkers stroll around the grounds waving at gawking children . Food and drink are abundant . Signs hawk free massages , acupuncture treatments and spiritual aide . Math tutors -- admittedly not a staple of county fairs -- are available free of cost . `` This is amazing , what 's going on here , '' said Robert Norman , who sought shelter at Qualcomm with his wife and 1-year-old son . `` They 've made it very comfortable . '' The real purpose of this midway , however , becomes apparent only at second glance . At a booth where one might expect to buy cotton candy , a volunteer pharmacist dispenses aspirin and antacid . Other tents are labeled `` Safeco Insurance '' and `` All State . '' Catholic Charities has erected a tent , as has a local politician . And , in a cold slap of reality , there is a drab tent where evacuees can privately read the list of homes that have been destroyed . The cost of homes destroyed by the wildfires is likely to top $ 1 billion in San Diego County alone , an emergency official said . Watch how valiant efforts sometimes fall short '' The outpouring of help has been so massive that some volunteers are being turned away , and donated food and water is being stored in tents in the far reaches of the stadium 's parking lot . `` If you need kosher food , we 've got it ! , '' exclaims Phillip Dewitt , a defense department contractor who is volunteering at the site . On Tuesday , volunteer teachers outnumbered kids three to one , said Edwin Lohr , another volunteer . Anitra Means showed up to volunteer on Tuesday and found herself managing one of several food banks that seemed to spontaneously appear on the midway 's fringes . She does n't know who organized the food bank , whether it be a city , state , federal government or a private enterprise , nor does she seem to care . Her one concern is that pallets of donated soup and pudding are appearing quicker then they are disappearing , she said , leaving her to wonder if food will be left over . Meanwhile , nearly 400 Red Cross volunteers from across the country were to arrive in the San Diego area Wednesday , said Red Cross worker John Degnan , who came in from Massachusetts . Also , 75 emergency response vehicles were coming to the region to deliver meals and other supplies to shelters . Disaster experts say planners sometimes focus on the negative consequences of disasters , such as public panic or rioting , which are rare . And planners rarely focus on the more likely consequences of disaster -- massive outpourings of help . But whether by accident or design , San Diego is offering emergency planners a lesson in harnessing volunteerism . E-mail to a friend . | Volunteer registrar Shary Shores has appointed herself the shelter 's `` hugger '' Qualcomm Stadium has become a wonderland of surprises . Tent allows evacuees to privately read list of homes that have been destroyed . | [[353, 359], [408, 466], [1663, 1732], [2724, 2735], [2742, 2787], [2779, 2787], [2793, 2814]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wreckage of a C-130 cargo plane that disappeared shortly after takeoff in the southern Philippines Monday night was found Tuesday about two miles -LRB- 3km -RRB- offshore , the Philippines News Agency reported . Searchers have recovered items from the wreckage of the cargo plane . The bodies of two of the nine crew members on board were recovered , the report said . The Philippines Air Force plane was declared missing after the control tower at Davao International Airport lost radio contact with the pilot halfway between Manila and Davao , an Air Force official said . The plane , with two pilots and seven crew members on board , was to have picked up members of the Presidential Security Group for transport to Manila . The wreckage was found at 6am Tuesday by a search team just off the coast of Barangay , San Pedro Extension , Davao City , the news agency said . | The wreckage of a C-130 cargo plane is found close to Philippine coastline . The bodies of two of the nine crew members on board were recovered . C-130 cargo plane was was going to pick up the Presidential Security Group . | [[305, 371], [598, 657], [660, 750]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The mother of an 8-year-old boy suspected in the shooting deaths of his father and another man said Monday that the youngster `` loved his dad '' and had a strong relationship with him . `` He 's a very good little boy , '' Eryn Bloomfield said on ABC 's `` Good Morning America . '' `` What happened to being innocent until proven guilty ? '' For legal reasons , Bloomfield -- who is identified in court papers as Eryn Thomas -- could not discuss details of the case . She said she is not even allowed to discuss the case with her son . Prosecutors in Apache County , Arizona , filed a motion Friday to dismiss one of the two murder charges against the boy -- the charge involving the death of his father . The filing gave no explanation , saying only , `` The state believes the interest of justice will be served by such a dismissal . '' Authorities last week released a videotape of the boy 's police interview in which he initially denied any involvement in the shootings , but later said he had shot his already-wounded father `` because he was suffering . '' Watch the boy talk to police '' Legal questions surround the interview . One of the boy 's defense attorneys said he was not read his rights and had no attorney or parent present . Police have not responded publicly to those complaints . Asked what she heard on the interview tape , Bloomfield responded , `` A scared little boy , that 's what I hear -- someone who 's very afraid of what 's going on . '' `` He had a very good relationship with his father . He did a lot with him , '' she said . `` They did everything together . He loved his dad . '' She described her son as `` very outgoing . He loves animals . He likes to ride his dirt bike , skateboarding , you know , outdoor things . '' Asked if he 's ever been in trouble at school , she replied , `` No . Not at all . I mean , acting out as far as not raising your hand when he needs to speak -- you know , just normal stuff like that . '' The boy lived with his father , Vincent Romero , 29 , in St. Johns , Arizona . Bloomfield lives in Mississippi . The Apache County Superior Court clerk 's office said the latest legal agreement between the boy 's parents was from April 2006 . The mother had weekly visitation rights and had the boy on some weekends and holidays , according to court documents . Romero and Tim Romans , who rented a room in Romero 's home , were found dead inside the house November 5 . Police said the next day that the boy had confessed to shooting the men with a .22 - caliber weapon . Watch why observers find the interrogation troubling '' The killings shook the town of about 4,000 residents near the New Mexico border . Trying to hold back tears , Bloomfield told ABC that her son is scared and living alone at a juvenile detention center . The other children were removed so that older juveniles could not influence him `` in the wrong way , '' she said . `` So he 's in there by himself , in his cell by himself , '' she said . Authorities have said the boy is attending school at the detention facility . Apache County Court Administrator Betty Smith said earlier this month , `` Every effort is being made to see that he 's comfortable . '' Bloomfield described heart-wrenching visits -- 30 minutes each day -- when she can speak to her son through a glass partition . `` I get two visits with him that are physical visits -- to where we sit in a room and he will come and sit in my lap pretty much the whole time and hold onto me , '' she added . She will be allowed 48 hours with him at home over the Thanksgiving holiday , she said . `` We 're going to watch movies , play games , try to keep things normal as possible , '' she said , adding that the boy had picked out the movie `` Kung Fu Panda . '' Officials from the juvenile detention center and a court-appointed guardian will be present during the visit , Smith said . According to a report in The Arizona Republic , Judge Michael Roca warned the media not to contact the juvenile . `` The minor is off-limits , '' he said , according to the newspaper . `` I think common decency should protect him , but , just in case , he is not to be contacted . '' Asked what she 'll say to him on Thanksgiving , Bloomfield answered , `` I tell him every day that I love him , and I do n't know how much more I can express that , but I definitely plan on doing that -- just to let him know that I 'm here for him and how much I do love him . '' | Mother : Son rarely in trouble outside of incidents like speaking out of turn in class . Boy will be allowed home for holidays , has asked to watch `` Kung Fu Panda '' movie . Boy is suspected in two shooting deaths , but prosecutors look to drop one charge . The 8-year-old is scared , in `` cell by himself '' but visits often with mother , she says . | [[3725, 3781], [33, 97], [557, 585], [598, 676], [1429, 1435], [1439, 1487], [2724, 2816]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon met with the country 's 32 governors Thursday to create a plan to combat the nation 's staggering rise in crime and kidnappings . Mexican President Felipe Calderon has noted that kidnappings have reached an alarming level . In a heavily guarded meeting at Mexico 's National Palace , the leaders devised a plan that detailed 65 specific actions to could be taken in the next several months . Those actions are aimed at helping families like that of prominent businessman Alejandro Marti . He told the group that the new focus on kidnapping has come too late for his 14-year-old son , Fernando . Fernando was grabbed from a car on a busy street at a fake police checkpoint this year . The next day , his chauffeur and bodyguard were found bound and strangled in the trunk of a car . Next to their bodies , police found a yellow chrysanthemum , a calling card from a gang that calls itself the Band of Flowers . Some investigators believed the flower was a coded message to police telling them not to investigate too closely , that the kidnappers were police , also . In July , Fernando 's decomposed and bullet-ridden body was found stuffed in the trunk of a car . At least one police officer and one civilian have been taken into custody , accused of involvement in the kidnapping and killing , police and Alejandro Marti said . Marti told the group of leaders to do a better job to protect other children like his son . `` There are university students who could do their jobs better than you can , '' Marti scolded the group . To address the crime increase , Mexican leaders called Thursday for building special prisons exclusively for kidnappers , bolstering the justice system , cleaning up corrupt police forces , clamping down on kidnapping tools such as prepaid cell phones and money laundering . Calderon noted at the meeting that kidnappings had reached an alarming level . `` The truth is we are all responsible , '' Calderon told the group . `` We must recognize the traditional way of combating crime has not been sufficient . We must act in a more coordinated and vigorous manner . '' According to official figures , there have been 314 kidnapping in Mexico this year . The numbers topped 700 in 2007 . Authorities say the real figures may be even greater because victims often do n't report crimes to a police force they do n't trust . Experts say the rise is also a result of a perception sense that crimes go unpunished . Non-governmental groups estimate that there have been more than 1,500 killings in Mexico this year linked to organized crime . The group of leaders pledged to implement changes within the next three months . Activists said they hoped the one-day crime summit does not end up becoming just a photo-op . | Actions are aimed at helping families like that of businessman Alejandro Marti . Marti 's son Fernando , his chauffeur and bodyguard were killed after kidnapping . Marti told group of leaders to do better job to protect other children like his son . | [[466, 562], [466, 479], [490, 562], [1403, 1453], [1414, 1494]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Archaeologists have discovered what they say is the oldest surviving human brain in Britain , dating back at least 2,000 years to the Iron Age . A representation of the skull generated from the CT scans taken at York Hospital . The remains of the brain were found in a skull unearthed during excavations at York University in northern England , a statement from the university said Friday . The dig site was described by investigators from York Archaeological Trust as being in an extensive prehistoric farming landscape of fields , track ways and buildings dating back to at least 300 BC . They believe the skull , which was found on its own in a muddy pit , may have been a ritual offering . Rachel Cubitt , who was taking part in the dig , described how she felt something move inside the cranium as she cleaned the soil-covered skull 's outer surface . Peering through the base of the skull , she spotted an unusual yellow substance . `` It jogged my memory of a university lecture on the rare survival of ancient brain tissue . We gave the skull special conservation treatment as a result , and sought expert medical opinion , '' she said in a statement on York University 's Web site . A sophisticated CT scanner at York Hospital was then used to produce startlingly clear images of the skull 's contents . Philip Duffey , Consultant Neurologist at the Hospital said : `` I 'm amazed and excited that scanning has shown structures which appear to be unequivocally of brain origin . I think that it will be very important to establish how these structures have survived , whether there are traces of biological material within them and , if not , what is their composition . '' Dr Sonia O'Connor , Research Fellow in Archaeological Sciences at the University of Bradford added : `` The survival of brain remains where no other soft tissues are preserved is extremely rare . This brain is particularly exciting because it is very well preserved , even though it is the oldest recorded find of this type in the UK , and one of the earliest worldwide . '' According to York University , the find is the second major discovery during archaeological investigations on the site of the University 's $ 745 million campus expansion . Earlier this year , the skeleton of a man believed to be one of Britain 's earliest victims of tuberculosis was discovered in a shallow grave . Radiocarbon dating suggests that the man died in the fourth century late-Roman period . | Skull found at site of York University 's $ 745 million campus expansion . Investigator spotted an unusual yellow substance inside the skull . Hospital scanner used to produce clear images of the brain tissue . Expert : Survival of brain remains where no other soft tissues are preserved is rare . | [[303, 378], [2125, 2266], [933, 974], [1228, 1280], [1286, 1348], [1228, 1271], [1276, 1348], [978, 1068], [1823, 1914]] |
ASHEVILLE , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Greg Melville 's neighbors in Vermont looked at him like he was crazy 2 1/2 years ago when he drove what he refers to as his `` vegetable vehicle . '' It 's a car that runs on vegetable oil instead of gasoline . Greg Melville converted a 1985 diesel station wagon to run on vegetable oil when his family needed another car . Back then , gasoline cost about $ 2.20 per gallon . Now that the cost of gas is nearly twice that , many Americans are starting to think that converting to a vehicle that runs on vegetable oil is n't such a bad idea . Melville , who now lives in Asheville , North Carolina , says the decision to convert a 1985 diesel station wagon to run on vegetable oil came about when his wife was in medical school and the couple needed a second vehicle . `` We did some research and found out that the old Mercedes engines were very easy to convert , just because they are practically indestructible , '' Melville explained . After he found a good deal online , the couple purchased the car and found a conversion kit from a company in Massachusetts called Grease Car . The Melvilles then took the car and kit to an expert installer in their area and in no time , they were driving around -- with free fuel . The kit and installation cost about $ 1,000 each , and Melville says it took about 1 1/2 years to recoup that cost . `` We 're kind of playing with house money , because we 're driving on free gas , and it 's paid for itself many times over , '' he said . Melville , who is a writer , has driven the gas-free vehicle more than 60,000 miles , including two cross-country trips he 's written about in an upcoming book . Veggie car makes a cross-country road trip '' The converted car was outfitted with a 15-gallon tank . Melville says it gets about 20 miles per gallon , the same fuel economy it would have gotten with the original diesel system . But according to a recent editorial he wrote for The New York Times , Melville says his carbon footprint is cut in half while driving the car fueled by vegetable oil . But all is not golden -- or green , as the case may be -- in this veggie tale . Melville admits that there are a few downsides to having a vegetable-oil powered vehicle . The process of collecting and filtering the grease can be time-consuming and a bit messy . He 's made arrangements to get most of his waste oil from local restaurants , and each week , his suppliers leave him five-gallon drums that he must pick up . But when he travels long distances , he has to find new restaurants on the road that are willing to give him their used grease . Once Melville gets the grease , he pours it into a large gas can that 's been painted black . The dark color helps absorb the sun 's rays , which heat the oil inside . The process helps thin the grease and makes it easier to filter bits of onion rings and other fried foods . '' -LSB- It 's -RSB- not always the cleanest thing . I 've spilled it all over me a couple times , '' Melville said . Another side effect of using vegetable oil is the smell . The undeniable aroma of french fries and other deep-fried foods wafts up frequently from the exhaust . Depending on a person 's palate , the aromatherapy could be a deal-breaker or a fringe benefit . Still , Melville says he would recommend a vegetable vehicle to anyone -- with the following caution : . `` Make sure you have a supplier lined up , because suppliers are becoming harder to find . '' Even though many Americans love to eat fried food , there 's not enough leftover oil to power all of the cars in the United States . The vegetable-oil powered cars have become so popular , there have been reports of cooking oil thefts from eating establishments across the country and talk of restaurants charging for the leftover oil . For now , Melville is n't concerned . `` My hope is ... by the time that happens , some other alternative like plug-in hybrids will come along and make these cars obsolete , '' he said . `` Then I wo n't have to be filling it up with vegetable oil , and I can have a plug-in hybrid and go to a regular gas station and not have to feel guilty or worry about it . '' | Greg Melville converted a 1985 diesel Mercedes to run on vegetable oil . A car kit and professional installation cost about $ 2,000 . Restaurants supply Melville with free five-gallon drums of used oil , which he filters . Collecting and cleaning oil , smelly fumes are a few downsides of veggie cars . | [[197, 257], [203, 208], [214, 257], [282, 370], [527, 536], [542, 563], [651, 726], [1986, 2083], [2346, 2421], [2428, 2437], [2440, 2504], [2164, 2254], [2185, 2254], [3028, 3040], [3048, 3070], [3028, 3085]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At the time of his death , Heath Ledger had just concluded his work as the Joker in `` The Dark Knight , '' the sequel to 2005 's `` Batman Begins . '' Heath Ledger died in January at age 28 . He had been expected to hit new heights of stardom . The buzz surrounding his performance was electrifying . He was remaking the Joker ; he was n't a camp comedian like Cesar Romero or a malevolent clown like Jack Nicholson . He was pure nihilism , with his jagged makeup and ragged hair . Even glimpses of his smile on the `` Dark Knight '' movie posters were thrilling . And then he was gone . `` We have concluded that the manner of death is accident , resulting from the abuse of prescription medications , '' read the New York City medical examiner 's office report , affectlessly . Who knows what could have happened ? The hype surrounding `` The Dark Knight , '' partly fueled by Ledger 's death , turned out to have been warranted ; the film earned critical praise and planeloads of money . Ledger has been posthumously nominated for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award and is expected to receive an Oscar nomination , as well . Had he lived , he could have named his price . We 'll never know . `` Prediction is very difficult , especially of the future , '' the physicist Niels Bohr is credited with saying . Ledger 's movie , `` The Dark Knight '' -- with its uncertain , bleak Gotham City -- seemed symbolic of the year in entertainment . A writers ' strike cast a pall over awards season . The paparazzi 's favorite target , Britney Spears , was institutionalized for a time . Pixar 's brilliant `` Wall-E '' depicted an Earth abandoned to the waste of consumerism . See some of the year 's top entertainment stories '' Even the presidential campaign , source of so many laughs for late-night comedians , was fraught with 3 a.m. phone calls and `` terrorist fist bumps . '' Why would n't people be attracted to change and hope ? Hollywood , usually a prime provider of optimism , is littered with the stories of lights put out early . James Dean was 24 when a Ford coupe crossed into his lane and hit his Porsche Spyder head-on near Cholame , California . River Phoenix was 23 when he died of a drug overdose outside the Viper Room in Hollywood . They are two of too many . So : On January 22 , 2008 , Heath Ledger was found dead in a New York apartment . He was 28 . Asking `` what if '' is a dead end . `` Saturday Night Live , '' many years ago , used to mock it : What if Superman grew up in Nazi Germany ? What if Eleanor Roosevelt could fly ? The past is past , what 's done is done , and the future can be fickle , anyway . So many of the year 's stories had unexpected outcomes . Consider : For almost two decades , movie audiences eagerly awaited a new Indiana Jones film . This year , they got their wish with `` Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , '' and the film was widely criticized for taxing the credulousness of even its most dedicated fans . It 's one thing to chat with a centuries-old Grail Knight , but surviving an A-bomb by hiding in a refrigerator ? Not quite . Then there was the ultimate reality show : the election . If you 'd polled media professionals last year , they might have named Hillary Clinton and Fred Thompson as the future nominees . John McCain 's campaign was on life-support ; Barack Obama 's was struggling . We all know how things turned out . And the election also made a star -- a celebrity , if you will -- of Sarah Palin , the Republican vice presidential candidate . Palin had a charisma -- the TV execs call it `` breakthrough '' -- that , at times , overshadowed the man at the top of the GOP ticket . iReport.com : What was your most memorable entertainment event this year ? There was something else about Palin : She looked like Tina Fey , once the `` Weekend Update '' anchor and head writer for `` Saturday Night Live , '' now the star of the smart `` 30 Rock . '' Fey went back on her old show and had great success parodying Palin , driving `` SNL '' to some of its highest ratings in years . -LRB- Palin also looked like `` King of the Hill 's '' Peggy Hill , but unlike Fey , the animated character was n't a Second City-trained comedy performer who could strike in real time . -RRB- . Some observers foresee a bright future for the Alaska governor ; others believe she 'll wear out her welcome . Time , again , will tell . Cast members of `` Saturday Night Live '' are object lessons : John Belushi and Chris Farley , gone before their times ; Robert Downey Jr. -LRB- 1985-86 -RRB- emerges from a lifetime of troubles with two hit movies and Entertainment Weekly 's Entertainer of the Year distinction . Other notables had a chance to live out three rich acts . Paul Newman , who epitomized the best qualities of a performer and human being -- thoughtful , charitable , capable , courageous -- died in September . Visionary author Arthur C. Clarke died in March ; elemental guitarist Bo Diddley died in June . And comedian George Carlin , who viewed life as `` a ticket to the freak show '' and `` a zero-sum game , '' died in June . Carlin , who reveled in absurdity , had the right attitude to try to figure out `` what if . '' In his surrealist way , he noted that the light at the end of the tunnel could be daylight -- or , maybe , an approaching train . Either way , it 'll be here soon enough . `` The future , '' he once said , `` will soon be a thing of the past . '' | Heath Ledger died in January , had been expected to reach new stardom . Year 's other events included Britney Spears institutionalization , `` SNL '' heights . Election crossed over into entertainment realms . | [[171, 211], [212, 264], [212, 214], [233, 264], [1526, 1558], [1578, 1612]] |
ASHEVILLE , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1988 , a relatively unknown rock and blues guitarist named Warren Haynes got some of his friends together to play music in Asheville , North Carolina . It was just an opportunity for local musicians to jam during the holidays , the one time of year they were all in town together . Warren Haynes ' good work has been noted by the street named after him . The artists also wanted to give back to the community , so they gave the money raised by their show to various charities . The tradition has continued . Now celebrating its 20th anniversary , Haynes ' Christmas Jam has evolved into an epic annual event for the musicians , fans , and particularly Habitat for Humanity . `` We need Habitat For Humanity more now than ever , with the whole mortgage crisis that put us where we are now , and the fact that Habitat is about building homes for people that ca n't afford homes as opposed to lending money to people who ca n't afford homes , '' Haynes told CNN . Haynes and his wife , Stefani Scamardo , decided to donate 100 percent of the Christmas Jam proceeds to Habitat for Humanity years ago because they could see exactly where the money was going . They go back each year and meet the families they helped build homes for . Singer Joan Osborne echoed Haynes ' thoughts . `` It 's a scary time . A lot of people are losing their homes so it 's good to be able to do something that helps with that specific problem , '' she said . Going into 2008 's shows , which were held December 12 and 13 , the Christmas Jam had raised more than $ 665,000 for Asheville 's Habitat For Humanity . The money has gone into building 12 houses in Enka Hills , a wooded community surrounded by mountains on a street the organization appropriately named Warren Haynes Drive . -LRB- In 2005 Habitat also built a house in the New Orleans Musicians Village . -RRB- . The Thursday before the show , Haynes presented the key to a new home to single mother Suzie Cromer and her 8-year-old daughter . `` Meeting the families and seeing the work that Habitat 's doing with our help -- you know its hard to see that and not get emotional , '' Haynes said . `` Warren is a hero in our mind , '' said Habitat 's Arianne Kjellquist . `` In western North Carolina , the housing costs are really out of whack with what the local wages are , so there 's a big discrepancy there . There are more people that maybe would have been approved previously when the lending standards were n't so strict . '' This year 's Christmas Jam lived up to the long-lasting and crowd-pleasing traditions of previous shows . The first night 's show ran more than nine hours , ending with an Allman Brothers set after 4 a.m. . The second night 's show ended at 3:30 a.m. Performers included Ben Harper and Relentless 7 , Travis Tritt , Michael Franti , Osborne , Ivan Neville 's Dumpstaphunk , Steve Earle and Haynes ' band Gov ' t Mule . Perhaps the most anticipated addition this year among both fans and artists was former Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones , who played acoustic mandolin , bass and keyboards throughout the weekend with just about everyone . Jones said he was happy to pitch in . `` In the economic climate like this , people really just want to get out and enjoy themselves and forget about the day to day stuff that they have to deal with . So it works on many levels , '' Jones said . `` The fact that it is for a good cause is just a huge bonus . '' Haynes says the 20-year evolution of the Christmas Jam reflects his career . `` We 've grown up together . Its a parallel of the progress that I have achieved , and the event reflects not only the philosophy I share with these people but the mission . '' And as fans danced the night away while the artists played their hearts out , families ' dreams of owning their perfect home come true . `` I would have never imagined or dreamed that it would turn into what its turned into , '' Haynes reflected with a huge smile . | Guitarist Warren Haynes helped start Christmas Jam 20 years ago . Asheville , N.C. , concert has raised thousands for charity . Money has built 12 Habitat for Humanity houses in a local neighborhood . | [[557, 723], [1637, 1693]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- 1 . `` Für Elise '' Bob Dylan wrote `` It Ai n't Me , Babe '' for Joan Baez . Written by : Ludwig van Beethoven . Written for : Some girl probably not named Elise . In fact , as far as most historians can tell , Beethoven did n't even know an Elise . Instead , the song was originally titled `` Bagatelle in A minor '' based on some handwritten notation a Beethoven researcher claimed to have seen on a now-lost copy of the sheet music . Further complicating things , Beethoven had hideous handwriting -- to the point that some scholars speculate the song was actually written `` for Therese , '' as in Therese Malfatti , one of several women who turned down a marriage proposal from the notoriously lovesick maestro . 2 . `` Philadelphia Freedom '' Written by : Elton John & Bernie Taupin . Written for : Billie Jean King , as a thank-you for a tracksuit she gave Elton . And what a tracksuit it must have been ! The 1975 song remains one of the most popular disco hits ever , leaving thousands of Hustle enthusiasts wondering just what Billie Jean King had to do with Philadelphia , anyway . Turns out , the song was a reference to King 's pro tennis team , The Philadelphia Freedoms . Prior to 1968 , tennis players were all considered `` amateurs '' and were n't eligible to receive prize money . So , if you did n't have the wealth to support yourself , you could n't play . Billie Jean King fought against those constraints , ultimately founding Professional World Team Tennis in 1974 and turning tennis into a paid league sport . 3 . `` Lola '' Written by : The Kinks ' Ray Davies . Written for : A transvestite . But the question is , which one ? According to Rolling Stone , `` Lola '' was inspired by Candy Darling , a member of Andy Warhol 's entourage , whom Ray Davies briefly -LRB- and cluelessly -RRB- dated . If that 's the case , then `` Lola '' is just another notch on Darling 's song belt -- she 's also referred to in Lou Reed 's `` Walk on the Wild Side . '' -LRB- `` Candy came from out on the Island / In the backroom she was everybody 's darlin ' . '' -RRB- . But , in the Kinks ' official biography , Davies tells a different story . He says `` Lola '' was written after the band 's manager spent a very drunken night dancing with a woman whose five o'clock shadow was apparently obvious to everyone but him . 4 . `` 867-5309 / Jenny '' Written by : Jim Keller -LRB- of Tommy Tutone -RRB- and Alex Call . Written for : Unknown , as the songwriters apparently make up a different story about its inspiration every time they 're asked . While the woman continues to remain a mystery , however , the phone number is all too real . In fact , it 's been wreaking havoc ever since 1982 and the passage of time has n't quelled of the number of crank calls . In 1999 , Brown University freshman roommates Nina Clemente and Jahanaz Mirza found that out the hard way , when the school adopted an 867 exchange number for its on-campus phone system . Immediately , the girls ' innocuous Room No. 5309 became a magnet for every drunk college kid with a 1980s fetish . Other unfortunate phone customers have fought back with creative and profitable solutions , like the holder of 212-867-5309 , who put his phone number up for auction on eBay in 2004 . Bids approached $ 100,000 before eBay pulled the item at the request of Verizon , the number 's actual owner . 5 . `` Oh , Carol '' Written by : Neil Sedaka . Written for : Carole King , naturally . Sedaka and King actually dated briefly in high school -- a romance Sedaka was able to successfully milk with `` Oh , Carol , '' a then top-10 -LRB- if now somewhat forgettable -RRB- 1959 pop song . However , the real success of `` Oh , Carol '' came a few months later , when it inspired King to write a rebuttal entitled `` Oh , Neil . '' At the time , King and her husband , Gerry Goffin , were fledgling songwriters in need of a hit tune . `` Oh , Neil '' was n't that , but it did pay off . After Sedaka gave a tape of the song to his boss , King and Goffin landed jobs at the legendary Brill Building pop music factory , where the duo went on to write chart-toppers like `` Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow '' and `` The Loco-Motion . '' 6 . `` It Ai n't Me , Babe '' Written by : Bob Dylan . Written for : Joan Baez , though it clearly was n't the nicest gift Dylan could have given her . The two met in 1961 , when Baez was an up-and-coming folk singer and Dylan was a nobody from Minnesota . Desperate to make his break in the music biz , Dylan worked like crazy to get Baez 's attention . He eventually ended up going on tour with her , which is how he first became famous , and also how the two began dating . For a while , they seemed like the golden couple , but things soon went downhill . During a European concert tour together in early 1965 , they had a huge fight and parted ways . That May , Dylan was holed up in a hotel after being hospitalized with a virus , and Baez , hoping to remain friends , decided to bring him flowers . Sadly , that 's how she found out that her ex was already dating someone else . That someone else was Sara Lownds , whom Dylan married a mere six months later . 7 . `` Our House '' Written by : Graham Nash -LRB- of Crosby , Stills , Nash & Young -RRB- . Written for : Joni Mitchell . In December 1968 , Nash and Mitchell moved into a cozy little house in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles . Though commonly left out of the hippy pantheon , Laurel Canyon was sort of a commune-home away from commune-home for San Francisco society -- not just CSN&Y , but also Jim Morrison , the Eagles , Frank Zappa , and more . `` Our House '' was directly inspired by a lazy Sunday in the Nash/Mitchell household . The couple went out to brunch , hit an antiques store , and then returned to find the house just a bit chilly , at which point Nash literally `` lit a fire , '' while Mitchell `` placed the flowers in the vase that she bought that day . '' No , really . The whole tableau seemed so ridiculously domestic to Nash that he immediately sat down and spent the rest of the day writing about it . E-mail to a friend . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Several famous songs written by men for a woman . Beethoven 's `` Für Elise '' may have been written `` for Therese '' Songwriters make up stories about who is behind `` 867-5309 / Jenny '' | [[551, 647], [2486, 2571]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Letters containing white powder were mailed to 16 U.S. embassies across Europe , according to the State Department on Wednesday . Emergency services surround U.S. Embassy in Madrid , Spain . The substance has proved to be harmless in 15 locations with results still pending for the final embassy in The Hague , Netherlands , Deputy Spokesman Robert Wood said . He said the list of U.S. embassies where the powder was received includes Berlin , Germany ; Bern , Switzerland ; Brussels , Belgium ; Bucharest , Romania ; Copenhagen , Denmark ; Dublin , Ireland ; Luxembourg ; Madrid , Spain ; Oslo , Norway ; Paris , France ; Reykjavik , Iceland ; Riga , Latvia ; Rome , Italy ; Stockholm , Sweden ; Tallinn , Estonia ; and The Hague . An envelope , containing what testing revealed to be white flour , prompted the U.S. Embassy in Madrid to close the staff entrance on Wednesday , a U.S. embassy official told CNN . Mail at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid is received near the front entrance and was closed amid security concerns , he said , though most employees remained at work . `` We know where the package is coming from , '' the official said , but declined to elaborate . The official spoke on coindition on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media . He described the incident as `` very serious '' but went on to say there is probably `` more commotion '' outside the embassy , where local media reported police and ambulances had gathered . A similar letter was mailed to the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen on Tuesday , embassy spokeswoman Melissa Ford said Wednesday . She said the contents of that envelope `` still are n't in , '' contrary to Wood 's statement . `` It usually takes more than 24 hours -LRB- for the cultures -RRB- , so perhaps we 'll know later today or early tomorrow , '' Ford told CNN . CNN 's Elise Labott and Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman contributed to this report . | Sixteen U.S. embassies in Europe receive mail containing white powder . Tests show powder harmless in 15 cases ; results pending in 16th case . U.S. embassy official in Madrid : `` We know where the package is coming from '' | [[0, 6], [9, 112], [415, 429], [436, 485], [225, 252], [256, 280], [225, 238], [250, 280], [1110, 1171], [1121, 1153], [1156, 1176]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama showed Thursday night that they have more common ground than differences when it comes to making national service a priority in their presidential administrations . The presidential canidates put aside partisan politics as the nation remembers the terrorist attacks . The candidates took the stage separately in a forum sponsored by TIME at Columbia University in New York . A coin toss determined who took questions first from moderators TIME Managing Editor Rick Stengel and PBS 's Judy Woodruff . Asked why it seems the terror attacks of September 11 , 2001 , are `` fading '' in the minds of many Americans , McCain said : . `` We needed at that time -LSB- September 11 , 2001 -RSB- to take advantage of the unity in the United States of America . '' McCain criticized the Bush administration for not taking advantage of that sense of unity and instead imploring the American public to live their lives as usual and `` go shopping . '' `` I would have called them to serve , '' said McCain . The GOP candidate said he suspects people feel uninspired by leaders in Washington and that Americans want `` change '' in federal government . `` They understand the challenges that we have in this world . They see the Russian invasion of the little country called Georgia . They see the problems in Afghanistan growing larger . They see a whole lot of things happening in the world that 's going to require us to serve , and that opportunity has to be provided to them . '' Watch McCain talk about service '' McCain praised the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps , saying they and similar organizations do n't receive `` sufficient recognition '' from Washington . But McCain was careful to say government should limit its involvement . Asked about compensation for service McCain said : . `` I 'd be glad to reward -LSB- volunteers -RSB- them as much as possible . But you want to be careful that the reason is not the reward of financial or other reasons , but the reward is the satisfaction of serving a cause greater than yourself . ... Finding new ways to serve . That 's what this next few years should be all about . '' McCain also fielded a question about his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin 's dismissive comments about Sen. Barack Obama 's community service in Illinois . `` Look , Gov. Palin was responding to the criticism of her inexperience and her job as a mayor in a small town . That 's what she was responding to . Of course I respect community organizers . Of course I respect people who serve their community . And Sen. Obama 's record there is outstanding . '' McCain also said that politics is `` tough business , '' and that Obama set the tone of the whole campaign when he refused to take part in town hall meetings with McCain across America . Obama said his views do n't necessarily differ from McCain 's on national service . He said creating opportunities for national service would be a priority for his administration as well . `` Part of what makes America work is the fact that we believe in individual responsibility and self-reliance , but we also believe in mutual responsibility , in neighborliness , in a sense that we are committed to something larger than ourselves . '' Obama cited a plan to provide college tuition aid in return for student community service . `` One of my central platforms in this campaign is we 're going to provide a $ 4,000 tuition credit every student , every year , but in exchange for giving something back . And so , young people of modest means , who are interested in going to college , this gives them an opportunity to serve and at the same time , pay for their college education . I think there are a lot of creative ways where we can provide opportunities than exist right now . '' Obama also said he wants to attract more young people into civil service careers . `` The fact is that we have to have government . When a hurricane strikes , as it did with Katrina , we have to have a FEMA that works , which by the way , means that we should be encouraging young people , the best and the brightest , to get involved as civil servants , to pursue careers of public service so we 've got people who are trained in federal emergency management who are able to take on the job . '' Watch Obama talk about service '' `` Now , that does not crowd out the Red Cross . That does n't crowd out the thousands of church groups that went down there . What it means is that each area has a role to play . '' The forum is part of a two-day summit meant to promote national service . Nearly 500 leaders from business , foundations , universities and politics are meeting to `` celebrate the power and potential of citizen service '' and lay out a plan to address `` America 's greatest social challenges through expanded opportunities for volunteer and national service , '' according to the organizers ' Web site . Each presidential candidate has served his nation in different ways . McCain was a Navy officer for over two decades and often encourages Americans to serve a `` cause greater than oneself . '' Obama served as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago after he graduated from college . In a speech in December , the Illinois Democrat said he would ask Americans to serve if he becomes president . `` This will be the cause of my presidency , '' he said . Today 's joint appearance came amid recent sniping between the campaigns . McCain 's campaign recently attacked Obama for `` lipstick '' remarks made during a campaign stop in Virginia on Tuesday . `` John McCain says he 's about change too , and so I guess his whole angle is , ` Watch out George Bush -- except for economic policy , health care policy , tax policy , education policy , foreign policy and Karl Rove-style politics -- we 're really going to shake things up in Washington , ' '' he said . `` That 's not change . That 's just calling ... the same thing something different . You know you can put lipstick on a pig , but it 's still a pig . You know you can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change , it 's still going to stink after eight years . We 've had enough of the same old thing . '' Watch how tensions are rising on the trail '' The crowd erupted in applause when Obama delivered the line . McCain 's campaign said Obama 's remarks were offensive and a slap at vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin , despite the fact that the Arizona senator himself used the phrase last year to describe a policy proposal of Hillary Clinton 's . Obama shot back Wednesday and accused the McCain campaign of engaging in `` lies '' and `` swift boat politics . '' `` I do n't care what they say about me . But I love this country too much to let them take over another election with lies and phony outrage and swift boat politics , '' he said in Norfolk , Virginia . `` Enough is enough . '' Watch Obama deliver his harsh words '' The phrase `` swift boat '' comes from the 2004 presidential election , when the group `` Swift Boat Veterans for Truth '' launched an attack ad campaign against Democratic candidate John Kerry that was said by some to be false . But the two presidential candidates agreed to put aside partisan politics on Thursday . They appeared together in New York to lay a wreath at ground zero , where the World Trade Center towers collapsed after two airliners hijacked by al Qaeda operatives plowed into them on September 11 , 2001 . The two met with families of victims as well as state and local officials . Earlier in the day , McCain attended a ceremony in Shanksville , Pennsylvania , to remember those who lost their lives when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field there on September 11 , 2001 . Many believe that the hijackers intended to crash Flight 93 into the U.S. Capitol in Washington . `` Hundreds , if not thousands , of people at work in that building , when that fateful moment occurred , could have been destroyed along with a beautiful symbol of our freedom , '' McCain said . `` They -- and possibly I -- owe our lives to the passengers who summoned the courage and love necessary to deprive our depraved and hateful enemies their terrible triumph . `` I 've had the great honor and privilege to witness great courage and sacrifice for America 's sake , '' he said . The Obama campaign released a statement earlier Thursday for its candidate in which he said , `` We will never forget those who died . `` On 9/11 , Americans across our great country came together to stand with the families of the victims , to donate blood , to give to charity , and to say a prayer for our country , '' Obama said . `` Let us renew that spirit of service and that sense of common purpose . '' Meanwhile , a CNN poll out Thursday suggests that voters view McCain as the better presidential candidate to handle terrorism but do not consider terrorism their primary concern in voting . Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed , 62 percent , believe that the Republican presidential nominee would be the better candidate to handle the issue of terrorism , compared with 34 percent who believe that his Democratic rival , Obama , would be better on the issue . The poll 's margin of error is plus-or-minus 3 percentage points . Opinion Research Corp. conducted telephone interviews with 1,022 adults from September 5-7 for the poll . Time 's Michael Duffy contributed to this report . | Sens. McCain and Obama met at a forum on national service in NYC Thursday night . Two candidates appearing together at 9/11 remembrance in NYC . New poll : Respondents view McCain as better in handling terrorism . | [[5392, 5466], [7261, 7326], [8741, 8750], [8753, 8930], [8990, 9093]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Between 1.5 trillion and 2 trillion tons of ice in Greenland , Antarctica and Alaska have melted at an accelerating rate since 2003 , according to NASA scientists , in the latest signs of what they say is global warming . This image shows the changing rate of mass in mountain glaciers on the Gulf of Alaska . Using new satellite technology that measures changes in mass in mountain glaciers and ice sheets , NASA geophysicist Scott Luthcke concluded that the losses amounted to enough water to fill the Chesapeake Bay 21 times . `` The ice tells us in a very real way how the climate is changing , '' said Luthcke , who will present his findings this week at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco , California . NASA 's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment , or GRACE , mission uses two orbiting satellites to measure the `` mass balance '' of a glacier , or the net annual difference between ice accumulation and ice loss . `` A few degrees of change -LSB- in temperature -RSB- can increase the amount of mass loss , and that contributes to sea level rise and changes in ocean current , '' Luthcke said . The data reflects findings from NASA colleague Jay Zwally , who uses different satellite technology to observe changing ice volume in Greenland , the Arctic and Antarctica . In the past five years , Greenland has lost between 150 gigatons and 160 gigatons each year , -LRB- one gigaton equals one billion tons -RRB- or enough to raise global sea levels about .5 mm per year , said Zwally , who will also present his findings at the conference this week . GRACE measured that mountain glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska lost about 84 gigatons each year , about five times the average annual flow of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon , according to NASA . `` Every few extra inches of sea level have very significant economic impacts , because they change the sea level , increase flooding and storm damage , '' said , Zwally , ICESat Project Scientist . `` It 's a warning sign . '' Melting ice , especially in Greenland and the Arctic , is also thought to contribute to global warming , Zwally said . When the vast ice sheets and glaciers melt , they lose their reflective power , and instead , oceans and land absorb the heat , causing the Arctic waters and the atmosphere to warm faster . `` We 're seeing the impacts of global warming in many areas of our own lives , like agriculture , '' Zwally said . As an example , he cited the pine beetle infestation of this summer in the forests of Colorado and western Canada . `` They were believed to be spreading because the winter was not cold enough to kill them , and that 's destroying forests , '' he said . In the 1990s , Greenland took in as much snow and water as it let out , Zwally said . But now , about 15 years later , sea levels are rising about 50 percent faster , making the global climate situation even more unpredictable . `` The best estimates are that sea levels will rise about 18 to 36 inches by the end of the century , but because of what 's going on and how fast things are changing , there 's a lot of uncertainty , '' he said . | About 2 trillion tons of ice have melted in Greenland , Antarctica , Alaska since 2003 . Lost amount of water could fill up Chesapeake Bay 21 times , NASA scientist says . Most came from Greenland , where losses raised global sea levels .5 mm annually . Scientist says sea levels rising 50 percent faster than 15 years ago . | [[0, 15], [82, 150], [2038, 2090], [2093, 2140], [428, 548], [1418, 1423], [1476, 1523], [2803, 2810], [2813, 2833], [2836, 2881]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The leader of this week 's coup in Guinea assured senior officials Thursday `` they are safe , '' a journalist with the state-run newspaper told CNN . Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara with Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare . Coup leader Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara met with Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare and about 30 other top officials at a military camp in Conakry , the nation 's capital , said Ousmane Barry , a correspondent for the state-run Horoya newspaper . Camara has declared himself president of the National Council for Democracy , which he called a transitional body that will oversee the country 's return to democracy . In effect , that makes Camara president of Guinea , which was thrown into turmoil Monday after the death of President Lansana Conte . Souare called Camara `` Mr. President '' at Thursday 's meeting , which was witnessed by journalists , Barry said . The two men also discussed Conte 's funeral , scheduled for Friday . Camara has suspended the government , constitution , political parties and trade unions and formed his own government , Africa News reporter Mamdou Dian Donghol Diallo told CNN on Wednesday . The newly formed government , made up of 26 military personnel and six civilians , is negotiating a power-sharing deal that would reflect its ethnic make-up , Diallo said . International institutions , including the African Union , have condemned the coup . `` What we want to see is the transition to a more democratic governing structure for the people of Guinea , '' U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said earlier this week . Guinea , in western Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean , has had only two presidents since gaining independence from France in 1958 . Conte came to power in 1984 , when the military seized control of the government after the death of the first president , Sekou Toure . The country did not hold democratic elections until 1993 , when Conte was elected president . He was re-elected in 1998 and 2003 amid allegations of electoral irregularities . Worsening economic conditions and dissatisfaction with corruption and bad governance prompted two massive strikes in 2006 , the CIA World Factbook says . A third nationwide strike in early 2007 sparked violent protests that resulted in two weeks of martial law . To appease the unions and end the unrest , the Factbook says , Conte named a new prime minister in March 2007 . | Safety guarantees given to leading Guinea officials , reporter tells CNN . Coup leaders made Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara de facto president . Camara met prime minister and about 30 other top officials . President Lansana Conte died Monday after near 25-year rule . | [[0, 15], [61, 96], [1093, 1164], [257, 354], [694, 705], [712, 787]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida woman accused of killing her toddler daughter made a rare court appearance Thursday for a hearing regarding `` disturbing '' images of the scene where her daughter 's skeletal remains were found . Caylee Anthony , 2 , had been missing since June in a case that has received national attention . The hearing began without Casey Anthony , as defense attorney Jose Baez saying she waived her right to appear . But prosecutors objected , saying Anthony should be brought into court and questioned before waiving her appearance . Orange County Circuit Judge Stan Strickland agreed , sending deputies to retrieve Anthony from jail but starting the hearing without her . She later was brought in , wearing navy jail scrubs . Answering Strickland 's questions in a clear voice , Anthony confirmed that she had waived her right to appear in court . Watch Casey Anthony appear in court '' Strickland , however , had her remain for the rest of the hearing . She sat expressionless , appearing to listen closely as prosecutors and defense attorneys hashed out routine discovery and evidentiary issues . Anthony , 22 , is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee , who was last reported seen in June . She was arrested in October and charged with first-degree murder and other offenses , even though Caylee 's body had not been found . The girl 's skeletal remains were found last month in woods about a half-mile from the home of Anthony 's parents , where Caylee and her mother had been living . Authorities have been unable to determine how the girl died but said she was the victim of a homicide . In Thursday 's hearing , prosecutors and defense attorneys wrangled over defense experts ' access to images from the scene where the body was found . Prosecutors said they did not want the defense to copy , print or send any photos or X-rays of Caylee to their experts , many of whom were outside Florida , out of concern they might wind up in the media 's hands . Because the experts are outside the jurisdiction of the Florida court , Strickland would have little recourse if the photos wound up `` displayed on some magazine at the checkout at the Publix , '' prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick said Thursday . The pictures `` are not necessarily gruesome , but they are disturbing , '' especially images of the child 's skull when it was found and removed from the woods , she said . Baez agreed he did not want the photos to be made public , and said he doubted his experts would jeopardize their reputations by leaking them , noting they have signed confidentiality agreements . The parties agreed that the defense would set up a secure Web site for its experts to evaluate the photographs . Strickland also ordered Baez not to copy the images or transmit them in any way . In an earlier hearing Thursday , another Orange County circuit judge ruled that a lawsuit filed against Anthony may proceed , but the judge is not requiring Anthony to submit to a deposition at this time . In questioning after Caylee 's disappearance , Anthony told police she had left the child with a baby sitter named Zenaida Gonzalez and had not seen her since . Checking out her story , authorities found that the apartment where Anthony said she left Caylee was vacant and located a Zenaida Gonzalez , who said she had never met Anthony . Gonzalez filed a defamation suit against Anthony , saying that as a result of Anthony 's statements , she has been suspected wrongly of involvement in Caylee 's disappearance . Her attorney , John Morgan , told the judge Thursday that Gonzalez lost her job because of those claims . Anthony 's defense attorneys asked that proceedings in the Gonzalez suit -- specifically , Anthony 's deposition -- be postponed until the criminal case against Anthony is resolved , because Anthony 's answers to questions in the deposition could potentially incriminate her , meaning she would have to invoke her Fifth Amendment right in refusing to answer . Circuit Judge Jose Rodriguez agreed that Anthony should not be compelled to undergo an oral deposition , but said Morgan could depose her with written questions and answers . `` No matter how much we want to separate these cases , they 're intertwined , '' Rodriguez said in issuing his decision . Morgan noted that Anthony has filed a countersuit against Gonzalez , and said Anthony can not duck a deposition at the same time that she is suing his client . `` They can not have their cake and eat it too , '' Morgan said , adding that Anthony `` ca n't sue someone and then say , ` You ca n't question me because of the Fifth Amendment . ' '' Anthony 's countersuit accuses Gonzalez of attempting to cash in on the high-profile case . A trial date has not been set for Anthony , who could face a sentence of life in prison if convicted of killing Caylee . Prosecutors have said they will not seek the death penalty against her . | Judge calls Casey Anthony to hearing at request of prosecutor . Hearing focuses in part on how to share crime scene images with defense experts . Prosecutors fear images could wind up in hands of media . In separate hearing , judge says defamation suit against Anthony can proceed . | [[1645, 1667], [1670, 1767], [1967, 2009], [2821, 2851], [2854, 2944]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As millions of people enter the job market and business owners struggle to entice consumers , Ryan Taylor may be better positioned than most to weather the economic crisis . Ryan Taylor , right , and client Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men at Taylor 's downtown Los Angeles office . Taylor is a custom tailor who brings his showroom to clients ' homes and offices . The day before former New Edition artist Johnny Gill left for a U.S. concert tour in March , Taylor sat in the musician 's modest condominium taking measurements for a customized shirt and suit that needed to be completed and shipped in a few days . Even on short notice , `` Taylor the Tailor , '' as he is known , delivered on his promise -- and made Gill a loyal and satisfied customer . Taylor says he wants to change the apparel business model by personalizing a customer 's needs , instead of having large inventories and high overhead costs that can quickly put someone out of business in a bad economy . His recipe for success : virtually no inventory and prices competitive with brand name department stores . His story in the apparel business began with the word `` wardrobe '' itself . `` I had seen it numerous times and thought , ` Why would a word associated with business suits or casual attire have such a negative prefix ? ' '' He decided to remove the word `` war '' and create a brand called DROBE that would offer professionals and smaller mom-and-pop boutiques his personalized custom style . But his first foray into the apparel business began and ended about 10 years ago at a trade show in Las Vegas , Nevada . He borrowed money to pay for a booth , but like many entrepreneurial designers getting started , Taylor said buyers were not interested in clothing without established brand names . Soon after , Taylor was broke . `` When I came home from that show thousands of dollars in the hole , I thought , ` How can I create a better story ? ' '' Watch Taylor discuss how his business started '' Several months later , Taylor was surprised that some of his personal customers were coming back for more shirts because of his attention to size and detail . `` I discovered that clothes off the rack fit less than 50 percent of the consumer population , '' he said , `` and that my custom clothes can be generally close to the same price as those on the rack . '' He also began visiting his clients in their living rooms or offices for custom fittings and offering a range of fabrics , textures and designs conducive to an individual 's style . When a sale is made , Taylor collects half the money up front , which helps pay for the cost of materials . `` Nine times out of 10 we visit clients in their home or offices , we take their measurements right there inside their office , have them select the fabric they prefer , take their measurements right then and there , and -LSB- in -RSB- a couple weeks have a tailor-made garment to wear , '' he said . Although he discovered his custom-tailored clients looked great in his shirts , he noticed that most Main Street customers wore pants and suits that did not properly fit , so Taylor saw that as another opportunity to expand . With no inventory and a small staff on commission , Taylor 's reputation spread throughout the Los Angeles , Chicago , Illinois , and Atlanta , Georgia , business communities , partly with the help of fellow Hampton University alumni . He said television shows and celebrities began to take notice , and soon he found himself in the fitting rooms of major motion picture and recording studios . Taylor told CNN 's Ted Rowlands that one of his first clients was the late comedian Bernie Mac . `` I called the Bernie Mac show and the stylist there said come on in and he was my first celebrity client . '' Some of his other celebrity clients include Al Pacino , Martin Lawrence , Jay Leno , Jimmy Kimmel , George Lopez and musician and multi-Grammy winner Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men . But his reputation did not change his business style . `` Our business model is remarkably fit and lean , '' he said . `` We have no inventory because our inventory is simply fabric . '' The vast majority of men and women who make up Taylor 's clientele earn a living on Main Street , like Brian Asciak , the sales manager of a Ford dealership in Long Beach , California , who became Taylor 's most recent customer as he sat in his office . `` We eliminate the cost to have your clothes tailored and we eliminate the time it takes to go shopping , '' said Taylor . His business has expanded to include custom-tailored dresses , ties , shoes and accessories . What began as a small loan has turned into 1,300 loyal clients . He averages close to $ 30,000 per month in revenue , and sales are down by only about 15 percent this year , he said . In a volatile economic climate , Taylor is not cutting back . He recently opened a second DROBE office in Pasadena , California , and wants to add 200 clients before the end of the year . `` To survive in this tough economy , '' he said , `` you have to be willing to customize your product as well as your service for the specific nuances of individual people so they will talk about you with glow -- with a feeling of excitement about your product . '' CNN 's Ted Rowlands contributed to this report . | Ryan Taylor finds a niche in the apparel market with custom fittings . `` Taylor the Tailor '' starts with a small loan and a failed booth at a trade show . He now has 1,300 clients , among them Al Pacino , Jay Leno and other celebrities . The vast majority of clients earn a living on Main Street , he says . | [[1525, 1566], [1577, 1630], [1642, 1678], [4655, 4681], [3814, 3995], [4666, 4719], [4183, 4217], [4250, 4278]] |
CNN 's Susan Lisovicz sat down with her uncle Lenny Lisovicz , a decorated D-Day veteran , to talk about his experiences at war . CNN 's Susan Lisovicz spoke to her Uncle Lenny about his D-Day and war experiences . HOUSTON , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Decorated D-Day veteran Lenny Lisovicz says the whispers are true . For 65 years my family had heard whispers that he and 220 men stormed Omaha Beach and that he and his captain later went AWOL in Paris , France . They heard he returned to combat and fought all the way to Germany and his courage was rewarded with the prestigious Silver Star . Then -- after that sacrifice and loss -- he was committed to a hospital . On the 65th anniversary of D-Day , Uncle Lenny finally talked at length about everything he had seen and done . And he said it was all true . Nowadays , Uncle Lenny lives a tranquil life . At 91 , he is proud of his garden , where he grows corn , tomatoes and grapefruit . He takes in stray cats , attends Mass and sends money regularly to Catholic missionaries . But his thoughts are never far away from a sliver of sand thousands of miles away . He turned down my offer to visit Normandy . `` I do n't want to see it . I try to rub that out of my mind . It wo n't go away , '' he said . But now , he finally agreed to share his memories . Watch Uncle Lenny describe storming the beach '' It began with The Longest Day : June 6 , 1944 . My uncle was a 26-year-old lieutenant with the Army 1st Infantry Division , the famed `` Big Red One . '' They had been training in England for something big for months . Then , over the loudspeakers in the barracks came the famous declaration from Gen. Dwight Eisenhower : `` You are about to embark on the Great Crusade . '' The Germans were taken by surprise in one of the greatest amphibious invasions of all time , which would mark a turning point of the war in Europe . `` I just imagined what that enemy observer felt when he looked through that concrete bunker and looked out at that ocean and all he could see was boats , warships , '' Lisovicz said . But the Nazis had a superior position . `` They had you pinpointed . It was just like shootin ' ducks on a pond . Your comrades would get artillery busted . A hand flying here , a leg there , guts laying out on the ground , asking for help and you could n't help them . You had to move . You just had to push them aside , '' he recalled . But the Allies could n't push their way onto the cliffs until a massive air assault began . `` At times there were so many planes in the sky you could n't see the sky ... , '' Lisovicz said . `` You could see them forming from all directions coming into one pattern . And that 's how we got off the beach , darlin ' . '' Their orders were to meet up with the paratroopers , who landed behind enemy lines . My uncle said they found them by smell , because they were all dead . `` They backed them in a corner and machine gunned them down and did n't have enough decency to cover them , '' he said . That was when an unwritten order came down : `` No prisoners . And we did n't take any . '' It was shortly after this that he decided he had enough . He and the captain went AWOL in Paris . To add insult to injury , they stole the major 's jeep . Their freedom lasted only about a week . `` The MP told us he was going to shoot us for going AWOL . But who cares ? You did n't care anymore , '' Lisovicz said . `` You were just fed up with war , fed up with killing , just absolutely fed up . '' But they were n't shot -- not by Americans , anyway . My uncle and the captain went back into combat . The captain was killed by a camouflaged tank . My uncle was now the commanding officer . And the fighting was ferocious as he battled his way into Germany . He set trip wires for flares in one pivotal battle . At about 3 a.m. , the flares went off . The Germans had overrun the outer defenses of the platoon . It was chaos . The Silver Star says that he `` skillfully deployed men and weapons into strategic positions and with accurately directed fire , held the foe at bay until supporting troops arrived and repulsed the attack . '' But there was more . `` When I looked up I seen a man walking up with two of my comrades . It was a German . So I went after him . And got him and brought my men back , '' he said . The Silver Star described it as `` extraordinary gallantry and aggressive leadership . '' Only 22 of the 220 men that stormed the beach with him came home alive . That was the last time my uncle saw combat . He had been hit . He learned about his Silver Star in the hospital . He wanted to return , but he was shell-shocked . `` It took them a year and a half of my life for them to straighten me out and get back to civilian life , '' he said . | Sixty-five years after D-Day , CNN correspondent 's uncle talks about experience . Lenny Lisovicz describes day he and his unit stormed Omaha Beach . He says the Nazis `` had you pinpointed . It was just like shootin ' ducks on a pond '' Lisovicz was one of 22 , out of 220 men in his group , to return home alive . | [[0, 45], [130, 214], [669, 701], [704, 757], [1310, 1358], [2111, 2136], [2137, 2181], [4410, 4432], [4465, 4482]] |
HOLLYWOOD , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The slot machines are ringing , music is blasting at the crowded poolside bar , and people are dancing to celebrity DJs at hip nightclubs . But this is not a scene on the Las Vegas strip . This action is taking place on an Indian reservation . Richard Bowers Jr. says the Native American Group is intended to help tribes with basic needs . Business at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood , Florida , is booming and contributing to the Seminole Indian Tribe 's great wealth . Now the Seminoles are taking that wealth -- and the power that comes with it -- and using it to do something that has not been done before : organizing Native American tribes with the intent of spreading economic opportunities across Indian Country . `` Some of these reservations I have been to -- it 's like the Third World right here in the United States , '' says Richard Bowers Jr. . As president of the Seminole Tribe of Florida Inc. , Bowers has oversight over all the Hard Rock cafés , hotels and casinos in the world except the café in London and the casino in Las Vegas . The Seminole Tribe purchased the Hard Rock properties in 2007 for a reported $ 965 million . Bowers , a former alligator wrester and cattle rancher , is thankful for his tribe 's success and has used his influence to create a consortium of Native American Tribes called the Native American Group . The goal of this group is to bring tribes throughout the United States and Canada together in an effort to promote Native American-owned businesses and services . Keeping the dollar within Indian Country , Bowers hopes , will help the less fortunate tribes with basic needs such as housing , food and education . `` I view this as historic in nature , '' says Donald Laverdure , the chief legal counsel from Montana 's Crow Tribe . `` We have n't had first-nation to first-nation actually occur , and now with the success of the Seminoles and others , they have an opportunity to help tribes such as ourselves . '' The help that the Crow Nation seeks is financial . For the Crow Tribe , gaming is not an option , according to Laverdure . `` There 's less population , so the success in gaming can not be paralleled as elsewhere , '' he says . `` So we 've always viewed our future in energy . '' That energy would come from coal . The Crow Tribe wants to mine some of the 9 billion tons of coal that it estimates is on its land . Crow Nation Chairman Cedric Black Eagle hopes the success of his tribe will lie in turning coal into liquid diesel . `` It will open the door for Indian Country in energy fields and help this country start veering away from its dependence on foreign oil , '' he says . As the group meets to discuss coal , Bowers recalls that it was the need for beef that prompted his idea for the Native American Group . `` Here we have all these cafes , casinos -- everybody eats a hamburger , '' says Bowers . `` And than -LRB- I -RRB- realized that we do n't have enough beef to supply our own needs , and that 's when I reached out to other Native Americans that did have cattle . '' Bowers discovered there are more than 2 million heads of cattle on Indian land . If there is not enough cattle on Indian land , then members of the group are encouraged to keep the business in the country and buy American . The Native American Group has come a long way since Bowers was looking for cattle . The group now has more than 100 tribal members and more than 100 Native-owned businesses . One successful business that joined the group is the largest Native American-owned contractor , Flintco . Robin Flint Ballenger , who is Cherokee , is its chairman of the board . `` It was n't a far stretch for me at all to take a risk on this new organization because we are successful , we 're doing very well , '' says Ballenger , who adds that a third of the company 's work is done for Native America . One of the projects Flintco is working on is a casino being built on Choctaw tribal land in Durant , Oklahoma . With every Native American-owned casino , Bowers sees an economic opportunity for all . `` Trash bags , everybody uses trash bags -- so just for an example , let 's all get together and order trash bags and it 's going to be cheaper on all of us , '' Bowers says , pointing out that there is a Native American trash bag supplier . When discussing the potential of the Native American Group , Ballenger remembers something her father used to show her . '' -LRB- He -RRB- showed me one stick and -LSB- said -RSB- you can break one stick easily , '' Ballenger recalls . `` When you bundle many sticks together , it is impossible to break . '' This is her wish for the consortium -- `` That we will bundle these many sticks together and become impossible to break . '' | Seminole Tribe owns Hard Rock properties , looks to help unify Native Americans . The Native American Group is a consortium of various tribes . Keeping the dollar within Indian Country seen as way to help less fortunate tribes . Group now includes more than 100 Native-owned businesses . | [[1411, 1514], [1206, 1212], [1292, 1375], [1353, 1410], [1574, 1614], [1632, 1723], [1963, 2022], [3422, 3512], [3483, 3493], [3494, 3512]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fresh faced and pictured wearing a crisp military uniform , the photo of a young Jim Tuckwell looks like it was taken before he 'd seen action . But in fact , at the age of just 22 , he had already experienced the full horrors of war . World War II veteran Jim Tuckwell as a young soldier . Shot twice on Gold beach during the Normandy Invasion or `` D-Day landings , '' Tuckwell was later deafened by a shell that blew off his friend 's legs nearby . By the end of the war , the British soldier had been promoted to the rank of full sergeant , as he put it , simply because so many of his seniors had been killed . Now 86-years-old , he and many of his former comrades will remember the 65th anniversary of the landings Saturday at ceremonies along the French coast . It was a massive air and sea operation that marked the turning point of the war in Europe . And he knows how lucky he is to be alive . `` My mate Jimmy went up the beach with two cases of bombs . I never saw him again . If I had n't been hit , who 's to say I would n't have been in the same position as he was when he was killed ? '' With bullet wounds to his chest and arm , Tuckwell collapsed unconscious on the beach . It was more than nine hours later that he was picked up by the stretcher-bearers . Incredibly , he was back fighting within six weeks . Watch Tuckwell tell his story '' So much time has passed since then , but the pain is still etched into his face . Sitting there in full military uniform , blazer adorned with half a dozen medals , his voice frequently cracks with emotion . He frequently tails off as he relives the past . `` Every time I go back to Normandy I go to his grave , and it brings a tear to me eye even now . We were going do so much after the war ... but it never happened . '' Tuckwell , who saw action with the 1st Battalion , Dorset Regiment , has since formed a close friendship with Frank Rosier ; they are members of the Normandy Veterans Association . Both men say their experiences were so commonplace among their generation that none were able to talk about it until 40 years later . Rosier told me that what he and the veterans discuss among themselves is very different to what is said in television interviews ; but when pushed , he describes what it 's like to kill another man . `` We could never get our fathers to talk about the first World War , because they were involved in close combat . And twice in the second World War it happened to me . `` I came face to face with a German , and I beat him to the draw . I killed him . I sat on the grass and was sick and I cried ... he was some mother 's son . '' I get the sense that there was a great deal of respect between these soldiers and the Germans on the other side . Younger generations try to relate to the scale and the carnage of D-Day through movies like `` Saving Private Ryan . '' The veterans talk of the noise , `` big battleships firing , rocket ships firing , mortars landing , planes strafing , floating artillery and the Germans were totally unsociable about it , they were firing back at us , so there was a hell of a lot of noise there , '' recalls Rosier . They are lighthearted at times , citing the fact that British troops are renowned for their humor -- even in the darkest hours . But it is impossible to gloss over the horror and the danger they faced . Standing together in one of the landing crafts at the D-Day museum in Portsmouth , England , Rosier described what it was like to approach Gold beach . Watch Rosier 's full interview '' He spoke of the bullets thundering into the sides of the craft , a ramp on one side hitting a mine and being disabled , and the knowledge that when the front ramp was dropped , the troops inside would be peppered with machine gun fire . He and his infantry were lucky that day - making it onto the beach with minimal loss . But as he told me later , of the 800 men in his infantry , only five survived the war unharmed , `` the rest were killed , missing or wounded . '' Rosier , who fought with the 2nd Battalion , Gloucestershire Regiment , bears the visible scars of battle . He lost an eye to a shrapnel wound -- a ` Blighty one , ' meaning that he was taken home to recover in Britain -- and has had to live with the psychological trauma of facial disfigurement . But it 's the pain of the ones they left behind that hurts the most . `` There was no time to mourn , you did n't have time to mourn , '' said Tuckwell . `` And the worst thing about later battles was that when you lost people , you normally had to bury them yourself . You could n't leave the bodies on the ground , there was nowhere else to put them . '' Rosier added : `` When your best friend gets killed it is surprising how hard you can become on a battlefield , I think you switch your mind off . My best friend , we called him Smokey Joe , Battersea boy , London boy , he was 18 years when he died . `` At the time I just said ` oh Reggie is gone , ' but ... I will be going back to Normandy and I will see his grave and cry . I have never figured out why I a mourn him now and not at the time . To lose a brother is a terrible thing and he was a brother . I lost two actual brothers in the war , but I miss Reg a lot . '' There was so much pain , so much suffering and such massive loss of life . Was it worth it ? Rosier 's response is emphatic . `` Yes , every minute of it . We go back to Europe quite frequently , and even in Germany people say to us ` thank you for our freedom ' . It is only in recent years that I have realized how important freedom really is , you ca n't taste it , you ca n't feel or hear it . But it is so important to be free . '' | D-Day soldiers remember the horrors of war and fallen comrades . One tells how he survived despite being wounded storming Gold beach . Another says he still mourns his best friend and cried after killing a German soldier . President Obama attending 65th anniversary services in France Saturday . | [[2608, 2617], [654, 787]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A potential victim became a compassionate counselor during a recent robbery attempt , changing the would-be criminal 's mind -- and apparently his religion . Surveillance video shows storekeeper Mohammad Sohail holding a robber at bay with a shotgun . Storekeeper Mohammad Sohail was closing up his Long Island convenience store just after midnight on May 21 when -- as shown on the store 's surveillance video -- a man came in wielding a baseball bat and demanding money . `` He said , ` Hurry up and give me the money , give me the money ! ' and I said , ` Hold on ' , '' Sohail recalled in a phone interview with CNN on Tuesday , after the store video and his story was carried on local TV . Sohail said he reached under the counter , grabbed his gun and told the robber to drop the bat and get down on his knees . `` He 's crying like a baby , '' Sohail said . `` He says , ` Do n't call police , do n't shoot me , I have no money , I have no food in my house . ' '' Amidst the man 's apologies and pleas , Sohail said he felt a surge of compassion . He made the man promise never to rob anyone again and when he agreed , Sohail gave him $ 40 and a loaf of bread . `` When he gets $ 40 , he 's very impressed , he says , ' I want to be a Muslim just like you , ' '' Sohail said , adding he had the would-be criminal recite an Islamic oath . `` I said ` Congratulations . You are now a Muslim and your name is Nawaz Sharif Zardari . ' '' When asked why he chose the hybrid of two Pakistani presidents ' names , the Pakistani immigrant laughed and said he had been watching a South Asian news channel moments before the confrontation . Sohail said the man fled the store when he turned away to get the man some free milk . He said police might still be looking for the suspect but he does n't intend to press charges . `` The guy , you know , everybody has a hard time right now , it 's too bad for everybody right now in this economy , '' said the storekeeper . | Long Island storekeeper Mohammad Sohail faces man wielding baseball bat . Sohail grabs shotgun ; stunned man begins to cry , says he has no food at home . Man 's story tugs at Sohail 's heartstrings , and he offers man money , bread , milk . After act of compassion , man says he wants to become a Muslim like Sohail . | [[442, 501], [965, 993], [1137, 1151], [1154, 1196], [1243, 1250], [1255, 1290]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An emotional Nancy Reagan helped unveil a statue of her late husband , President Reagan , on Wednesday , calling the 7-foot figure `` a wonderful likeness . '' Nancy Reagan , with House Minority Leader John Boehner , wipes away tears at Wednesday 's event . `` I know Ronnie would be deeply honored to see himself with a permanent home in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol and very proud to be representing his beloved California , '' Nancy Reagan said . She appeared to battle emotions as she mentioned her last visit to the marbled hall for Reagan 's memorial in June 2004 . `` It 's nice to be back under happier circumstances , '' she said . Watch Nancy Reagan unveil the statue '' The statue is one of two from California in the National Statuary Hall Collection donated by states to honor significant figures . Nancy Reagan stood arm-in-arm with House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio to pull down the curtain from the statue . She thanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California for making the event possible . In her remarks , Pelosi noted that the former president 's statue contains pieces of the Berlin Wall , `` as a symbol of his commitment to national security and to his success . '' The wall was torn down shortly after Reagan left office . `` I 'm so grateful to Californians for giving him this honor , '' Nancy Reagan said . `` Artist Chas Fagan has captured his likeness so well , and I think the addition of the pieces of the Berlin Wall in the pedestal reflects my husband 's commitment to freedom and democracy for everyone . '' The former president is credited with polices that led to the break-up of the former Soviet Union and the dismantling of the wall that divided Berlin as a symbol of Cold War politics . James Baker , a longtime Republican who served in the Cabinets of Reagan and President George H.W. Bush , recalled that Reagan inherited some major problems when he took office in 1981 . Citing the former president 's trademark optimism , he quoted from Reagan 's first inaugural address that `` we are not , as some would have us believe , doomed to an inevitable decline . '' Nancy Reagan attended a White House ceremony Tuesday marking Barack Obama 's signing of legislation authorizing a Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission . The 11-member commission will plan activities marking Reagan 's 100th birthday on February 6 , 2011 . Reagan was president from 1981 to 1989 . | NEW : Former first lady touts husband 's `` commitment to freedom '' California donated figure for Capitol Rotunda to honor former president . Pelosi says statue contains pieces of Berlin Wall . Commission planning events to mark 100th birthday in 2011 . | [[1051, 1065], [1068, 1228], [2300, 2401], [2335, 2401]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Famed Uruguayan author Mario Benedetti died at his home in Montevideo , Uruguay , on Sunday , his personal secretary , Ariel Silva , told CNN . Author Mario Benedetti , 88 , was battling intestinal problems and had been hospitalized earlier this month . Benedetti , 88 , was battling intestinal problems and had been hospitalized earlier this month . A descendent of Italian immigrants , Benedetti authored such best-selling novels as `` The Truce '' and `` Juan Angel 's Birthday , '' as well as a collection of short stories and poems . The poet-turned-novelist became a part of a thriving era of Latin authors including Gabriel Garcia Marquez , Carlos Fuentes , and Mario Vargas Llosa , who often intertwined politics with their work . A supporter of Fidel Castro 's government , Benedetti left Uruguay to live in exile , partly in Cuba , where his writings grew more political . `` I have never hidden my political position so I had to leave the country , '' he told CNN in a June 2005 interview . `` I 've had many mishaps , many problems in my short life , '' he added . Journalist Dario Klein in Montevideo contributed this report . | Mario Benedetti , 88 , was battling intestinal problems ; hospitalized earlier this month . Benedetti authored novels such as `` The Truce '' and `` Juan Angel 's Birthday '' A supporter of Fidel Castro 's government , Benedetti left Uruguay to live in exile . | [[163, 185], [193, 225], [163, 185], [230, 272], [273, 282], [290, 322], [273, 282], [327, 369], [407, 557], [802, 841]] |
LEESBURG , Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The clock is ticking for Ray O'Bryhim : he has less than a week to sell his last 40 cars . This Virginia dealership can not legally sell any new Chryslers , Dodges or Jeeps after June 9 . His ads for Pohanka Chrysler-Dodge scream , `` Everything must go , regardless of profit ! '' On June 9 , his franchise to sell new Chryslers and Dodges will be terminated , along with those of almost 800 other Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealers nationwide . This comes as a result of Chrysler 's announcement last month that they would shrink their dealer base in the United States . O'Bryhim can not legally sell any new cars he has left after June 9 -- and because the manufacturer is in bankruptcy protection it is n't obligated to take them back . A customer comes out of his showroom with the keys in her hand for a new Dodge Nitro SUV she just bought . She wo n't give her name , because she took the day off work to pounce on the discount . But she says she has been monitoring new-car prices for months , and they just took a steep dive , so she came in and made off like a bandit . O'Bryhim points to a new Nitro he has discounted 40 % off the sticker : $ 17,510 instead of the MSRP of $ 29,170 . Soon , he says , he may mark it down even further . `` As we get closer to June 9 , '' he says , `` we 're going to have to do what we have to do to move these cars . '' Watch how dealerships are making record price cuts '' His salesmen have sold 80 cars in the 19 days since their termination letter arrived , with the cars and minivans selling faster than the trucks . Nationwide , Chrysler 's terminated dealers had about 44,000 cars sitting on their lots when they got their notifications May 14 . Chrysler spokeswoman Kathy Graham says the company plans to help redistribute any leftover inventory to the 2,400 surviving dealers , who could otherwise run low while factories are idled . `` Our manufacturing facilities have been shut down since May 1 , '' she said . `` We have dealers that are looking for inventory . '' Down the street at Dulles Motor Cars , Hamid and Kevin Saghafi have sold off about half their $ 1.5 million inventory of Jeeps . Hamid says they are `` taking a beating , '' asking $ 10,000 less than the invoice price for high-end models like the Jeep Commander . But he still worries they wo n't be able to sell them all in time . `` Chrysler has told us they 're going to help us send these cars to other dealers ' inventories , '' he says . `` But we do n't know what kind of prices we 're going to be offered . '' The affected dealerships are not only furiously trying to sell off their inventory ; at the same time , they are trying to figure out what they will do once they stop selling new Chryslers , and how they can save the jobs of their employees . Pohanka will focus on service and used-car sales , or maybe switch to another brand ; Dulles will focus on the two other brands they already sell , Subaru and Kia . How much do the Saghafi brothers stand to lose in shutting their Jeep showroom ? `` Millions , '' says Kevin . CNN 's Brian Todd contributed to this report . | Nearly 800 Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealerships must stop selling new cars by June 9 . The company is n't buying the inventory back because it is bankrupt . Chrysler has only offered to help find surviving dealerships willing to buy the cars . As a result , the owners of the closing dealerships are suffering huge losses . | [[130, 226], [321, 330], [333, 398]] |
HERMOSILLO , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Felipe Calderon traveled to Hermosillo on Saturday to meet with health officials as the death toll of a day care center fire there grew to 38 children . A crib and baby seats lie outside a day care center Friday in Hermosillo , Mexico , as police cordon off the area . The cause of Friday 's blaze remained unknown , but investigators concluded that the fire did not start inside the ABC Day Care , Eduardo Bours , the governor of Sonora state said . As of Saturday night , 23 children remained hospitalized , 15 of them in critical condition , Sonora spokesman Daniel Duran told CNN . Another 10 children had been transported to other hospitals : eight to Guadalajara , one to Ciudad Obregon , and one to Sacramento , California . A team of 29 medical experts in Hermosillo were deciding if any more victims would be moved to the Shriners Hospital in Sacramento , or elsewhere . In addition , six adults were injured , Duran said . `` Without a doubt this is the worst disaster we 've had , '' Bours told CNN . The president arrived with Interior Secretary Fernando Gomez Mont and Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova to get firsthand updates from doctors and investigators , the state news agency Notimex reported . Calderon ordered the nation 's attorney general to investigate the blaze . Most of the victims died from smoke inhalation and not burns , Bours said . But the fire was enough for the roof to collapse , he added . At the time of the blaze , 142 children were inside the ABC Day Care . The day care is for children ages 2 to 4 , but Bours confirmed that children even younger were among the victims . All the children at the day care had been accounted for by Saturday evening , Bours said . A severely burned 3-year-old girl arrived Saturday at the Sacramento hospital -- where pediatric burn treatment is a specialty -- and was in critical condition , according to Dr. Tina Palmieri , assistant chief of the burn unit . The child was burned over 80 percent of her body , the doctor told reporters . She said the hospital normally can save just over half of the children with burns that severe . In Hermosillo , a large crowd gathered outside of the emergency entrance of the city 's general hospital and many people consoled each other , video from the scene showed . `` They told me that this happened in a matter of five minutes , '' Hermosillo Mayor Ernesto Gandara told reporters after surveying the scene . | NEW : President Felipe Calderon travels to Hermosillo to meet with health officials . NEW : Officials believe blaze did not start in center ; attorney general to investigate . NEW : 23 children remained hospitalized , 15 of them in critical condition . One child admitted to Shriners Hospitals in Sacramento , California . | [[0, 10], [13, 35], [39, 173], [370, 461], [1266, 1340], [1283, 1305], [1314, 1340], [500, 520], [523, 556], [1843, 1867], [1890, 1915], [1756, 1833]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Paolo Maldini and Luis Figo brought down the curtain on their remarkable careers as their Milan clubs both scored victories on the final day of the Serie A season . Maldini was given a special presentation as he made his 902nd and final appearance for Milan . The 40-year-old Maldini was playing his 902nd game for Milan who won 2-0 at Fiorentina while Portuguese international Figo helped champions Inter to a 4-3 home win over Atalanta . Milan 's victory helped them secure the third Champions League place in Italy and automatic qualification to the group stages . Juventus , who beat Lazio 2-0 with Vincenzo Iaquinta scoring twice , finished level on points with Milan , while Fiorentina will go into the Champions League final qualifying round after finishing fourth . Inter had clinched the title two weeks ago , with a Zlatan Ibrahimovic double making sure that they would round off their season in style , the Swede finishing Serie A 's top scorer with 25 goals . Figo has been with Inter since 2005 and has helped the club to four straight league titles to become a firm favorite with the fans who gave him a rousing farewell . Former Italian international defender Maldini was completing an incredible 24 seasons at Milan . Inter finished top with 84 points with Milan and Juventus on 74 , with Fiorentina fourth with 68 . In the relegation dogfight , Torino joined Reggina and Lecce in making the drop from Serie A as they lost 3-2 at AS Roma . Bologna beat Catania 3-1 to finish in the 17th place with 37 points , while Torino ended on 34 . Bari , Parma and the winner of the promotion playoff will be the newcomers in Serie A next season . | Paolo Maldini plays 902nd and final match for AC Milan in 2-0 win over Fiorentina . Luis Figo ends his career as champions Inter Milan beat Atalanta 4-2 . Torino relegated to Serie B with 3-2 defeat to AS Roma . | [[184, 278], [228, 278], [279, 339], [334, 339], [344, 365], [1381, 1387], [1395, 1402], [1413, 1474]] |
KATHMANDU , Nepal -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The leader of Nepal 's former communist rebels was named as the country 's new prime minister Friday . Prachanda is still the supreme commander of the Maoists People 's Liberation Army . Pushpa Kamal Dahal , also known as Prachanda , was elected four months after elections in which his Communist Party of Nepal -LRB- Maoist -RRB- became the largest party in the 601-member constituent assembly . Prachanda received 464 votes of the 577 votes cast , while his rival Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress party received 113 votes . Most of the parties in the assembly voted for the Maoist candidate . A simple majority was enough to be elected the prime minister . Prachanda 's victory became certain on Thursday when the third and fourth biggest parties in Nepal 's assembly decided to back him . He will now lead a coalition government , although talks are ongoing on about the allocation of ministerial portfolios . The Maoists signed a peace deal with the government in November 2006 , joined an interim parliament and government in 2007 and fought multi-party elections in April this year . The Communist Party of Nepal unexpectedly became the largest party in the elections , winning 220 of the 575 elected seats in the assembly . The assembly declared Nepal a republic in May and in July elected Nepal 's first president , physician Ram Baran Yadav . Prachanda , 54 , entered politics when he was 17 but went underground in 1981 , making his first public appearance after 25 years in 2006 . The Maoists launched an insurgency to abolish the monarchy in 1996 and the ten-year conflict claimed more than 13,000 lives . According to the peace deal agreed in 2008 , the estimated 19,602 Maoist combatants would be integrated into the country 's security structure , the process of which is yet to be worked out . Prachanda remains the supreme commander of the Maoists People 's Liberation Army . Besides completing the peace process , the new government has to face many challenges including inflation , lawlessness , impunity and ethnic aspirations . | Prachanda , Communist Party of Nepal chairman , won 464 out of 577 votes . A simple majority was enough to be elected the prime minister . Assembly declared Nepal a republic in May and July elected first president . The post of president is largely ceremonial . PM has executive powers . | [[641, 704], [641, 658], [670, 704], [1277, 1322], [1335, 1367]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Korean Air was established as a private airline in March 1969 . In nearly 35 years , it has grown 150 times and is poised to continue that growth into the next millennium . With a fleet of 124 aircraft , Korean Air is one of the world 's top 20 airlines , and operates almost 400 passenger flights per day to 115 cities in 37 countries . Korean Air was named the Best First/Business Class Airline and the Best Frequent Flyer Program in TIME Readers ' Travel Choice Awards 2006 . In April and July 2007 respectively , the carrier was named the Best Economy Class in the OAG Airline of the Year Awards and the Skytrax 2006/7 World Airline Awards . It is a founding member of SkyTeam , the global airlines alliance partnering Aeroflot , AeroMexico , Air France , Alitalia , CSA Czech Airlines , China Southern Airlines , Continental Airlines , Delta Air Lines , KLM and Northwest Airlines . E-mail to a friend . | Korean Air was established as a private airline in March 1969 . It has a fleet of 124 planes and operates almost 400 passenger flights per day . It is a founding member of SkyTeam , the global airlines alliance . | [[0, 15], [19, 82], [223, 233], [279, 356], [665, 906], [665, 667], [673, 699]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For CNN , Tiananmen Square was a watershed story -- a seminal moment in the network 's history . Beijing bureau chief Mike Chinoy , producer Nancy Lane and Moscow bureau chief Steve Hurst . Only nine years old in 1989 , CNN was the only 24-hour news station on the air at the time . But staffers say the network suffered an inferiority complex when comparing itself to the major players in American television , who had dismissed the new upstart for years as `` Chicken Noodle News . '' Enter Tiananmen Square . Change the face of television news . Take your place in the big leagues . `` It put CNN on the map , '' said Mike Chinoy , CNN 's Beijing bureau chief during the crisis . `` It was the first time an upheaval in a previously isolated , distant , inaccessible location suddenly was available on television sets in living rooms and foreign ministries around the world . It was a pivotal moment for television . '' And it was an accident too . Foreign reporters had flooded Beijing to cover the historic visit of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev . Suddenly , they found themselves covering a very different story . For CNN , it all started in early April when Alec Miran , CNN 's special events producer for the Gorbachev visit , went to Beijing to propose an `` outlandish idea '' to the Chinese authorities -- bringing in the network 's own transmission equipment to beam live television pictures from China . `` It was unprecedented , '' said Miran . Before that , networks would feed their material from CCTV -LRB- Chinese Central Television -RRB- , who would monitor -- and censor -- everything that was sent out . `` Our own transmission was a scary idea to them , '' said Miran . But he says he thinks the Chinese eventually agreed -- after much back and forth -- because , above all , they wanted international coverage of Gorbachev 's visit . The Chinese gave CNN permission to bring in their own `` flyaway '' satellite dish and additional microwave gear to be able to transmit live -- a permission unheard of at the time in closed , Communist China . CNN was granted exactly one week 's permission , timed to coincide with the Soviet leader 's visit . See photos of the CNN team in Tiananmen Square in 1989 '' CBS was also granted permission to transmit live , but because CNN was on the air 24 hours a day , the permission it was granted turned out to be much more significant . `` On the first day of the Gorbachev visit , we not only had our own satellite transmission , we also had a live camera overlooking the square , '' said Miran . `` We were really well set up . '' But the situation was deteriorating rapidly for the Chinese leadership . Huge groups of students demanding reform had occupied Tiananmen Square and had launched a hunger strike just days before the Soviet leader 's visit was about to begin . CNN 's live camera , at the Gate of Heavenly Peace overlooking the square , showed the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who had gathered in Tiananmen Square where Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was due to greet Gorbachev at the Great Hall of the People . `` On the day of the big meeting , we waited , and waited , and waited , watching the signal from CCTV , '' said Miran . `` No picture . We called our contact at CCTV to see if there were technical problems . Nope . '' `` They could n't take Gorbachev in the front door of the Great Hall of the People because there were more than a million people in the square asking for reform , '' said Cynde Strand , CNN 's cameraperson in Beijing at the time . `` The students upstaged Deng in one of his biggest moments , his big rapprochement with the Soviet Union . '' And the massive crowd -- as well as the non-appearance of Deng welcoming Gorbachev at the Great Hall of the People -- was all captured live on CNN . Soon afterwards , the Chinese informed CNN they could no longer maintain their live position overlooking the square , a position that had become vital for the network 's coverage . Entire shows anchored by Bernard Shaw had been taped there . Miran and Chinoy huddled and decided that although the Chinese had forbidden further transmission from the Gate of Heavenly Peace , the network still had permission to use its portable microwave transmitter . So for the next few days -- always looking nervously over their shoulder -- CNN continued live transmissions using their microwave transmitter , both from their bureau at the Sheraton hotel -- but also from the middle of Tiananmen Square . `` Everywhere you looked , there was a great picture , '' said Miran . `` Soldiers would be on the steps of the Great Hall of the People and students would go up to them , offering flowers or to read to them . There were long staring contests between the armed soldiers and the students . It was riveting television . '' On the night of May 19 , after the network had gotten word that troops were moving towards Beijing , Shaw and Moscow correspondent Steve Hurst broadcast from Tiananmen Square for several hours -- in the dark . The students in the square were edgy and had asked them to turn off their lights . `` I do n't remember what we were able to show people that night , '' Miran said , `` little flickers of light . '' The next morning , Chinese authorities arrived at CNN 's bureau and ordered the network to cease transmitting -- before its week-long permission had expired . Watch a Chinese official order CNN staff in Beijing to stop broadcasting '' Again , the entire exchange between CNN and the Chinese officials was captured on live television . Watch the moment when CNN stopped transmitting '' `` You get almost numb to it now , '' said Vito Maggiolo , CNN assignment editor on duty in Beijing at the time . `` But that live capability -- people watching events as they happen -- was truly special at that time . '' `` It was our first big live moment , '' said camerawoman Strand , now director of coverage for international news in Atlanta . `` And it became our signature , what we did very well . '' At one point in the live stand-off , while CNN tried to buy time before pulling the plug on itself , Marin gave out his telephone number for the Chinese authorities to call him -- an attempt to squeak out just a few more minutes of air time . The phone rang . It was a woman from Minnesota , a viewer who had been watching the events unfold in China from the comfort -- and safety -- of her living room . `` You 're doing a great job ' she said to me , '' Miran recalled . `` Everybody 's watching . And we 're rooting for you . '' `` It was all just momentous , '' Miran said . `` I felt like we had actually made a difference . And if people had n't heard of CNN before , they had certainly heard of it then . '' Daniela Deane was a chief sub-editor at the Reuters news agency in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen crisis . | The story `` put CNN on the map , '' said former Beijing bureau chief Mike Chinoy . Reporters had flooded Beijing to cover the visit of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev . For the first time , a TV network beamed its own live pictures from China . As protests grew , Chinese authorities ordered CNN to stop transmitting . | [[608, 629], [632, 651], [971, 1053], [2807, 2854], [1350, 1437], [3824, 3839], [3842, 3939], [5245, 5261], [5264, 5283], [5313, 5373], [5456, 5479], [5602, 5629]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fresh faced and pictured wearing a crisp military uniform , the photo of a young Jim Tuckwell looks like it was taken before he 'd seen action . But in fact , at the age of just 22 , he had already experienced the full horrors of war . World War II veteran Jim Tuckwell as a young soldier . Shot twice on Gold beach during the Normandy Invasion or `` D-Day landings , '' Tuckwell was later deafened by a shell that blew off his friend 's legs nearby . By the end of the war , the British soldier had been promoted to the rank of full sergeant , as he put it , simply because so many of his seniors had been killed . Now 86-years-old , he and many of his former comrades will remember the 65th anniversary of the landings Saturday at ceremonies along the French coast . It was a massive air and sea operation that marked the turning point of the war in Europe . And he knows how lucky he is to be alive . `` My mate Jimmy went up the beach with two cases of bombs . I never saw him again . If I had n't been hit , who 's to say I would n't have been in the same position as he was when he was killed ? '' With bullet wounds to his chest and arm , Tuckwell collapsed unconscious on the beach . It was more than nine hours later that he was picked up by the stretcher-bearers . Incredibly , he was back fighting within six weeks . Watch Tuckwell tell his story '' So much time has passed since then , but the pain is still etched into his face . Sitting there in full military uniform , blazer adorned with half a dozen medals , his voice frequently cracks with emotion . He frequently tails off as he relives the past . `` Every time I go back to Normandy I go to his grave , and it brings a tear to me eye even now . We were going do so much after the war ... but it never happened . '' Tuckwell , who saw action with the 1st Battalion , Dorset Regiment , has since formed a close friendship with Frank Rosier ; they are members of the Normandy Veterans Association . Both men say their experiences were so commonplace among their generation that none were able to talk about it until 40 years later . Rosier told me that what he and the veterans discuss among themselves is very different to what is said in television interviews ; but when pushed , he describes what it 's like to kill another man . `` We could never get our fathers to talk about the first World War , because they were involved in close combat . And twice in the second World War it happened to me . `` I came face to face with a German , and I beat him to the draw . I killed him . I sat on the grass and was sick and I cried ... he was some mother 's son . '' I get the sense that there was a great deal of respect between these soldiers and the Germans on the other side . Younger generations try to relate to the scale and the carnage of D-Day through movies like `` Saving Private Ryan . '' The veterans talk of the noise , `` big battleships firing , rocket ships firing , mortars landing , planes strafing , floating artillery and the Germans were totally unsociable about it , they were firing back at us , so there was a hell of a lot of noise there , '' recalls Rosier . They are lighthearted at times , citing the fact that British troops are renowned for their humor -- even in the darkest hours . But it is impossible to gloss over the horror and the danger they faced . Standing together in one of the landing crafts at the D-Day museum in Portsmouth , England , Rosier described what it was like to approach Gold beach . Watch Rosier 's full interview '' He spoke of the bullets thundering into the sides of the craft , a ramp on one side hitting a mine and being disabled , and the knowledge that when the front ramp was dropped , the troops inside would be peppered with machine gun fire . He and his infantry were lucky that day - making it onto the beach with minimal loss . But as he told me later , of the 800 men in his infantry , only five survived the war unharmed , `` the rest were killed , missing or wounded . '' Rosier , who fought with the 2nd Battalion , Gloucestershire Regiment , bears the visible scars of battle . He lost an eye to a shrapnel wound -- a ` Blighty one , ' meaning that he was taken home to recover in Britain -- and has had to live with the psychological trauma of facial disfigurement . But it 's the pain of the ones they left behind that hurts the most . `` There was no time to mourn , you did n't have time to mourn , '' said Tuckwell . `` And the worst thing about later battles was that when you lost people , you normally had to bury them yourself . You could n't leave the bodies on the ground , there was nowhere else to put them . '' Rosier added : `` When your best friend gets killed it is surprising how hard you can become on a battlefield , I think you switch your mind off . My best friend , we called him Smokey Joe , Battersea boy , London boy , he was 18 years when he died . `` At the time I just said ` oh Reggie is gone , ' but ... I will be going back to Normandy and I will see his grave and cry . I have never figured out why I a mourn him now and not at the time . To lose a brother is a terrible thing and he was a brother . I lost two actual brothers in the war , but I miss Reg a lot . '' There was so much pain , so much suffering and such massive loss of life . Was it worth it ? Rosier 's response is emphatic . `` Yes , every minute of it . We go back to Europe quite frequently , and even in Germany people say to us ` thank you for our freedom ' . It is only in recent years that I have realized how important freedom really is , you ca n't taste it , you ca n't feel or hear it . But it is so important to be free . '' | D-Day soldiers remember the horrors of war and fallen comrades . One tells how he survived despite being wounded storming Gold beach . Another says he still mourns his best friend and cried after killing a German soldier . President Obama attending 65th anniversary services in France Saturday . | [[2608, 2617], [654, 787]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gunmen on motorcycles fired Friday on a campaign office for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , wounding two adults and a child , according to a report by Iran 's state-run news agency . President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was not present at the time of the attack . The shooting happened about 5 p.m. in front of the entrance to the campaign office , campaign representative Mohammed Reza Zahed Shaikhi told IRNA . Ahmadinejad , who is running for a second term in office , was not present . Iran 's presidential election will take place on June 12 . The attack happened in Sistan-Balochistan province in southeastern Iran , the same province where a Shia mosque was bombed Thursday . Several suspects have been arrested in connection with Thursday 's attack in the town of Zahedan , which killed between 15 and 20 people , according to Iranian media reports . No group publicly accepted responsibility for the mosque attack , but the provincial governor , Ali-Mohammad Azad , blamed a terrorist group that he said would be unveiled to the public once the suspects have been interrogated , IRNA reported . Zahedan is about 1,100 km -LRB- 700 miles -RRB- southeast of Tehran , near Iran 's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan . Sistan-Balochistan province -- which shares a border with Pakistan -- is the site of frequent clashes involving Iranian police , drug dealers and armed groups . The province is located on a major narcotics-smuggling route between Afghanistan and Pakistan . Azad said information on the arrested terrorist group would be unveiled to the public once interrogations were complete . `` The terrorists and notorious gang planned to stir order and security in the province on the eve of -LRB- the June 12 presidential -RRB- elections , using ongoing insecurity in our eastern neighbors , '' he said Thursday . Several days of mourning were reported to be under way for victims of the explosion . Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami , a hard-line cleric who led Friday prayers in Tehran , said there were signs that the United States and Israel were involved in the mosque bombing , IRNA reported . The cleric , who put the death toll at 25 , condemned the bombing before a congregation on the Tehran University campus . CNN 's Shirzad Bozorghmehr contributed to this report . | Gunmen fire on campaign office for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , . Two adults and child wounded in attack ; Ahmadinejad not present . Attack happened near where Shia mosque bombed Thursday , killing up to 20 . No group has accepted responsibility , but local governor blamed terrorist group . | [[9, 29], [55, 122], [9, 29], [125, 156], [216, 289], [439, 450], [498, 515], [649, 666], [673, 708], [798, 805], [814, 845], [885, 948], [955, 978], [1001, 1070]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Recently , I discovered that one of my best friends had ditched me after I logged onto Facebook and found her profile had disappeared from my page . When you break up with a best friend online , things can get murky . We 'd been having problems that had culminated in a huge argument the day before , but I figured we 'd get through it . I figured wrong . Still , being given the heave-ho by way of a social networking site ? My first reaction was to laugh . I mean , we 're adults . Unfriending me seemed tantamount to toilet-papering my locker or scribbling my phone number on the boy 's locker room wall . We had been close for well over a decade . We supported each other through parental deaths , and together we 'd bitched and moaned about men for untold hours . I loved her amazing daughter -- buying that little girl Christmas presents was the highlight of my holidays . Suddenly , that was all gone . Suddenly , I was n't laughing . I was crying . We know what to do when boyfriends dump us : sob . We eat everything in the house or take to our beds and refuse all sustenance . Usually , there 's yelling -- at least at my house . The Frisky : How NOT to help heal a broken heart . We purge them from our lives . We delete all their emails and erase their number from every electronic device we own . But when you break up with a girlfriend , things are murkier . For one thing , people do n't feel sorry for you the way they do when a romantic relationship bites the dust . You ca n't blame them ; it 's not like you were in love or planning a future with your friend . -LRB- Even though you assumed she 'd be part of it . -RRB- So , getting wound up about the loss seems somehow , I do n't know , less legit . Is it ? It hurts as much as any other heartbreak . Victoria Clark made a short film on the subject : `` Ruminations on You and Me . '' I asked her about the process of grieving a dead friendship . `` As a woman , I expect men to come and go because of the nature of love , '' she explained . `` But your girls are supposed to be on your side , no matter what ... That 's what I wanted to believe for a long time , but now I know that that 's not always reality . '' The Frisky : What are your rules for friendship on Facebook ? A friend of mine was saddened when her BFF excised my friend from her life after landing a boyfriend . `` She hated being single , so if there was a man anywhere in the vicinity , you 'd be kicked to the curb , '' my pal explained wistfully . Even forewarned with this knowledge , it stung when she was dismissed from her friend 's life . The Frisky : Five ways to unfriend a friend . Unlike my breakup , there was no dramatic defriending . This woman utilized the passive-aggressive method of choice : the slow fade . `` I remember buying her a birthday gift , but somehow she just never had the time to come collect it . '' The Frisky : Ten songs about friendship . Like any other kind of relationship , friendships end . It 's not like I 've never dumped a pal . I 've gotten back together with a few . Because I miss her and love her , I gave making up a shot with this one . A few weeks after I was banished from her Facebook page , I emailed her an apologetic note . I never heard back . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Author gets ditched on Facebook by good friend and does n't know what to do . People do n't feel as sorry for you with a friend breakup . You ca n't blame your friend -- it 's not like you were in love . Like any other kind of relationship , friendships end but you have to go on . | [[0, 5], [37, 174], [2275, 2377], [1510, 1531], [1534, 1605], [2981, 2998]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For three years , the thieves crept into some of the poshest homes in the most exclusive enclaves in the nation . The gated community of Bel Air was one of several enclaves targeted by the so-called `` Hillside Burglars . '' Police said they finally have a break in the case , and wealthy residents of Los Angeles , California , are breathing a sigh of relief . `` These guys were real good , '' said L.A. City Councilman Jack Weiss , who oversees Bel Air where some of the burglaries were committed . `` They were professionals . '' The thieves hauled away more than $ 10 million worth of valuables and cash from 150 homes in upscale neighborhoods such as Bel Air , Pacific Palisades and Beverly Hills , police said . Homes of Hollywood celebrities , professional athletes and multimillionaires were hit . According to CNN affiliate KABC , country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw and former Paramount Pictures CEO Sherry Lansing were among the victims . DNA evidence led the LAPD to suspected ringleader Troy Corsby Thomas , 45 , of Los Angeles . He was arrested near L.A. International Airport last weekend . Police say Thomas led a gang dubbed the `` Hillside Burglars '' that targeted the neighborhoods overlooking Sunset Boulevard . `` It 's a very euphoric , satisfying feeling that we got this person , '' said the police Lt. David McGill . `` It 's a very frustrating feeling to tell the victims , ` I 'm sorry I do n't have any news for you . ' Finally when we got some good detective work and breaks , things started lining up . '' Police are looking for more suspects linked to the three-year spree but are not naming them . Thomas is being held on $ 2 million bail , according to the L.A. County District Attorney 's Office . He is likely to stay in custody because he must reveal the origin of any funds used to pay the bail , authorities said . At a court appearance Tuesday , Thomas pleaded not guilty to two charges of residential burglary , one in January 2006 and another in March 2008 . The preliminary court date for Thomas will be set on January 29 and additional charges are expected to be filed , according to CNN affiliates KABC and KTLA . Police will not comment on Thomas ' background . The Los Angeles Times reported that Thomas told police he had been working as an auto broker . The Hillside Burglars have not struck since Thomas ' arrest , police said . `` Hallelujah ! '' said L.A. Councilman Bill Rosendahl , whose district includes Brentwood and Pacific Palisades . `` Even a crafty crook does make his mistake and that 's what happened to this one . '' Some residents are cautiously optimistic . `` We 're delighted , '' said Robert René , president of Brentwood Homeowners Association , which represents about 800 homes . `` We are very fortunate to have the due diligence of the Westside LAPD . '' Harvey I. Saferstein , president of the Bel Air Association , agreed , `` We are all obviously thankful and relieved . '' The financially strapped LAPD created a Hillside Burglars task force . People donated cameras and other equipment and police stepped up patrols . The outlay amounted to `` millions of dollars , '' Rosendahl said . Neighborhood watch groups formed . One in Bel Air donated $ 8,000 for infrared cameras that can spot burglars in the dark . Robert Ringler , president of the Bel Air Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council , hosted a community meeting with the LAPD at the five-star Bel Air Hotel a year and a half ago . As swans swam in ponds in the background , about 150 Westside residents sipped Perrier and vented their fears . `` It had gotten to be such an epidemic , '' Ringler said . The impressive mansions -- usually gated and hidden by walls and hedges -- dot the lush hillsides and canyons between the coast and the mountains . The qualities that make them so desirable also make them vulnerable . The seclusion that appeals to upscale homeowners also appeals to thieves . Because many of the homes are tucked into the sides of mountains and canyons , behind gates , it 's easy for a thief to escape unseen and hard for police to get there quickly . `` It 's the perfect target , '' Ringler said . `` You can access the property and nobody would ever see you . '' Frequently , maids , pool workers and gardeners have access to the property , which allows burglars to pass as the help and slip in unchallenged . According to police and media reports , the methods were sophisticated . Burglars waited till homeowners went on vacation or out for the night . They used lawn furniture and ladders to creep into the second floor , which often lacked alarms . They quickly went in , looked for jewelry , safes and cash , and ducked out with the goods . They never attacked any of the homeowners , preferring stealth to confrontation . Residents say they learned to keep jewelry and other valuables in safety deposit boxes and out of sight . Many added alarm systems and insured their belongings . `` It 's not just about money , '' said Robin Stevens , who lives with her husband and son in Brentwood . `` A lot of people lost things of sentimental value . '' Stevens , whose neighbors have been burglarized , said she feels safer knowing that police arrested Thomas , but will continue hiding her mother 's antique jewelry and locking the windows . During a two-week trip to the South Pacific last fall , Stevens made sure to e-mail her neighbors , notifying them that she would be gone so they could look out for strangers . Other residents remain skeptical . Pacific Palisades Community Council Chairman Richard G. Cohen said he feels relief but is waiting for a conviction . `` The arrest does n't mark the end of our concern , '' he said . With the economy in a tailspin , Steve Twining , who serves on the West Los Angeles Police advisory board , believes thefts will continue . `` In these dire economic times , I do n't think it 's going to dissuade others from trying to do the same thing , '' he said . `` The burglary situation will probably get worse before it gets better . '' | Wealthy Bel Air , Beverly Hills residents feel cautious relief . Police say Troy Thomas led gang that stole $ 10M from 150 upscale homes . Thomas in custody , pleads not guilty to felony burglary . | [[553, 721], [1136, 1164], [1147, 1199], [1884, 1913], [1916, 1980]] |
RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Brazilian supreme court judge on Tuesday suspended a lower court 's order that would have given custody of a 9-year-old boy to the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro , where he was to be reunited with his American father . David Goldman has been fighting for custody of his son , Sean , since the boy 's mother took him to Brazil in 2004 . Judge Marco Aurelio argued against taking Sean Richard Goldman from what has been his home for almost five years to the United States `` in an abrupt manner . '' Doing so , he wrote in his order published on the court 's Web site , could subject the boy to psychological harm . The decision , which means the entire Brazilian supreme court will take up the case , comes a day after a superior court justice ordered Sean taken Wednesday to the U.S. Consulate in Rio and handed over to his father , David Goldman , who arrived Tuesday from New Jersey to pick up his son . The two were separated in June 2004 when the boy 's Brazilian mother , Bruna Bianchi Carneiro Ribeiro , told Goldman -- to whom she was then married -- that she was taking the boy on a two-week vacation to Brazil . Watch Goldman describe his fight to get his son back '' Mother and son never returned . Instead , Bianchi stayed in Brazil , where she divorced Goldman and married a Brazilian lawyer . But in September , Bianchi 's death during childbirth led Goldman to renew his efforts to regain custody of their son . Sean , who has been living with his half-sister and his stepfather , was to have spent a 30-day adaptation period in the United States before his father gained full custody . That prospect sparked outrage from an attorney representing the boy 's Brazilian relatives . `` The child was n't heard , '' lawyer Sergio Tostes said . `` The child said many times that he wanted to stay in Brazil . This is not human , and it is a cruelty . '' The case has attracted high-level attention . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to the case Monday , telling reporters , `` I also wanted just to take this opportunity to recognize the decision by the Brazilian federal court today ordering a young American boy , Sean Goldman , to be reunited with his father , David . It 's taken a long time for this day to come , but we will work with the Goldman family and the Brazilian government , with the goal of ensuring this young boy 's return . '' David Goldman 's attorney , Patricia Apy , did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment . CNN 's Rob Frehse and Alessandra Castelli contributed to this report . | Brazilian supreme court judge suspends lower court 's order . Lower court had ordered son taken to dad at U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro . Boy 's parents divorced after mom moved with son to Brazil in 2004 . Mom died in childbirth in 2008 , leaving boy with stepfather . | [[0, 39], [86, 208], [798, 847], [336, 382], [953, 1021]] |
RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Brazilian air force said that debris picked up Thursday near where officials believe Air France Flight 447 crashed Monday into the Atlantic Ocean was not from the plane . Image released by the Brazilian Air Force shows oil slicks in the water near a debris site . `` It has been verified that the material did not belong to the plane , '' Brigadier Ramon Borges Cardoso told reporters in Recife about the material recovered Thursday . `` It is a pallet of wood that is utilized for transport . It is used in planes , but on this flight to Paris , there was no wooden pallet . '' He added that oil slicks seen on the ocean were not from the plane , either , and that the quantity of oil exceeded the amount the plane would have carried . `` No material from the airplane was picked up , '' he said . The announcement left open the question of whether other debris that had not yet been plucked from the ocean might be from the plane . On Wednesday , searchers recovered two debris fields and had identified the wreckage , including an airplane seat and an orange float as coming from Flight 447 . Officials now say that none of the debris recovered is from the missing plane . Helicopters had been lifting pieces from the water and dropping them on three naval vessels . Brazilian Air Force planes spotted an oil slick and four debris fields Wednesday but rain and rough seas had kept searchers from plucking any of the debris from the water . Officials said searchers had found objects in a circular 5-kilometer -LRB- 3-mile -RRB- area , including one object with a diameter of 7 meters -LRB- 23 feet -RRB- and 10 other objects , some of which were metallic , Brazilian Air Force spokesman Jorge Amaral said . The debris was found about 650 kilometers -LRB- 400 miles -RRB- northeast of the Fernando de Noronha Islands , an archipelago 355 kilometers off the northeast coast of Brazil . Eleven aircraft and five ships are engaged in the search , including airplanes from France and the United States . Earlier Thursday , a public interfaith service was held for the 228 victims at a 200-year-old Catholic Church in downtown Rio . Joining family members were members of the Brazilian armed forces , who are leading the recovery effort . `` Whoever has faith , whoever believes in God , believes in the eternity of the soul , '' said Mauro Chavez , whose friend lost a daughter on the flight . `` This means everything . '' Investigators have not yet determined what caused the plane to crash . The flight data recorders have not been recovered , and the plane 's crew did not send any messages indicating problems before the plane disappeared . A Spanish pilot said he saw an `` intense flash '' in the area where Flight 447 came down off the coast of Brazil , while a Brazilian minister appeared to rule out a midair explosion . Meanwhile , a report in France suggested the pilots were perhaps flying at the `` wrong speed '' for the violent thunderstorm they flew into early on Monday before the Airbus A330 's systems failed . Le Monde newspaper reported that Airbus was sending a warning to operators of A330 jets with new advice on flying in storms . As several ships trawled the debris site in the Atlantic , Brazil 's defense minister said a 20-kilometer -LRB- 12-mile -RRB- oil slick near where the plane , en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris , went down indicated it probably did not break up until it hit the water . If true , that would rule out an in-flight explosion as the cause of the crash of Air France Flight 447 , Defense Minister Nelson Jobim told reporters . However , both pilots of an Air Comet flight from Lima , Peru , to Lisbon , Portugal , sent a written report on the bright flash they said they saw to Air France , Airbus and the Spanish civil aviation authority , the airline told CNN . `` Suddenly , we saw in the distance a strong and intense flash of white light , which followed a descending and vertical trajectory and which broke up in six seconds , '' the captain wrote . Air Comet declined to identify the pilot 's name but said he waited until landing to inform Air Comet management about what he saw . Air Comet then informed Spanish civil aviation authorities . The Air Comet co-pilot and a passenger aboard the same flight also saw the light . But Robert Francis , former vice chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board , said the question of determining where a plane broke up `` is a very difficult one to deal with . '' He told CNN 's `` Anderson Cooper 360 '' that `` there are lots of things that cause a plane to go out of control . '' He added that extremely strong winds are not unusual near Brazil . Pilots who fly over that part of the world keep track of radar and `` are very , very wary about the weather as they go back and forth down in that area . '' Jobim said currents had strewn the debris widely and that the search area had been expanded to 300 square miles . Watch report on the struggle to find pieces of the plane '' The Airbus A330 went down about three hours after beginning what was to have been an 11-hour flight . No survivors have been found . Map of Flight AF 447 's flight path '' The NTSB said Wednesday it has accepted an invitation from the French aviation accident investigation authority , the Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses , to aid in the investigation . The aircraft 's computer system did send about four minutes of automated messages indicating a loss of cabin pressure and an electrical failure , officials have said . Some investigators have noted that the plane flew through a severe lightning storm . Foul play has not been ruled out . Air France had received a bomb threat May 27 for a flight from Buenos Aires , Argentina , to Paris , sources in the Argentine military and police told CNN on Wednesday . Watch as experts question whether recovery is possible '' According to the officials , who had been briefed on the incident and declined to be identified because of the ongoing investigation , the Air France office in Buenos Aires received the threat from a man speaking Spanish . Authorities checked the Boeing 777 and found nothing . Security was tightened during check-in for Flight 415 , which left on time and without incident , the officials said . Most of the people on Flight 447 came from Brazil , France and Germany . The remaining victims were from 29 other countries , including three passengers from the United States . CNN correspondent John Zarrella in Rio de Janeiro and journalist Brian Byrnes from Buenos Aires contributed to this report . | Wreckage , debris found earlier is not from missing plane , air force says . Conflicting reports over why Air France jet crashed with 228 aboard . Oil slick appears to rule out midair fire or explosion , Brazil minister says . But two Spanish pilots say they saw `` intense flash '' in area where jet crashed . | [[0, 39], [43, 107], [132, 217], [311, 380], [626, 783], [640, 692], [1143, 1222], [1166, 1184], [1195, 1222], [2813, 2875], [3478, 3482], [3490, 3578], [2691, 2753], [3638, 3701], [3715, 3756], [3879, 3943]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Free elections 20 years ago this week in Poland marked the unraveling of the Soviet bloc of Eastern European nations and the beginning of market reforms . Shipyard workers hold Solidarity trade union flags on the anniversary of free elections in Poland . The events of June 1989 also marked the turning point for companies like KGHM , which has grown into a global player in the world 's copper market and one of Poland 's largest companies with 18,000 employees . `` A lot of changes have happened since that moment , since 1989 , '' said Zbigniew Klich , a development engineer who has worked at a company copper smelter near Lubin for more than 30 years . `` This is the Poland of my dreams , '' Klich said . `` Even though I will probably retire in the next few months I feel so fortunate to have seen the last 20 years in my professional career . '' The financial crisis has had minimal impact on the company so far . `` In comparison to other sectors of the Polish economy , the commodity business has been doing quite well , '' said Jarek Romanowski , sales director of KGHM . Poland 's export prowess has led the nation to become one of the great success stories of former communist bloc economies . In 2008 , it ranked 22nd in the world with more than $ 190 billion in exports , ahead of Australia and India , according to the CIA Factbook . The country 's economy has grown every year since 1992 , and bucked the recessionary trend of other European Union nations by expanding its economy by just under 1 percent in the first quarter of this year . `` Poland is not an island and we are very much linked to other EU countries so a lot depends on the performance of the German economy , '' said Dominik Radziwill , Poland 's deputy finance minister . `` But even with the current forecasts which are really pessimistic for the German economy , we still think Poland should be doing relatively OK . '' Leszek Balcerowicz was the country 's first Finance Minister after the fall of communism and initiated Poland 's free market reforms . `` Socialism -LRB- was -RRB- a very bad system and everybody knew that it was a bad system without any hope for a better life , '' he said . `` Transition to a better system is sometimes difficult but you have to overcome these difficulties on the way to a better regime . '' One industry that exploded was Poland 's once state-run media industry , which now includes eight daily national newspapers plus dozens of television channels and radio stations . `` The transformation had many phases in Poland . The state totally withdrew from the press market and step-by-step , private TV stations appeared , '' said Polish journalist Adam Mischnik . `` So , today we have a pluralist media which represents very different tendencies . '' Janusz Weychert and Mariusz Walter founded the ITI group , a leading private media company in Poland with television stations - including the influential news network TVN24 - as well as a home video , new media and theatrical production operations . `` Under one umbrella there 's various projects put together , '' Weychert said . `` The advantage it gives us is the free flow of content and information between all the platforms . '' Communism and absolute media control may have only been twenty years ago - but in Poland today , certainly for the country 's youth and the media , it 's a lifetime . Maciej Popowicz set up `` Nasza-Klasa '' - Poland 's equivalent to Facebook -- with three friends in 2006 . Its success made 25-year-old Popowicz one of Poland 's youngest millionaires . He 's also too young to remember what life was like under Communism . `` I 'm very glad that I live in these times because we have so many more opportunities than our older friends so for example , you could n't manage your own business twenty years ago , now there is an opportunity to do that , '' Popowicz said . `` So you can develop your ideas , create your own firms . '' But market reforms have n't been kind to the historic shipyards of Gdansk , where the Solidarity Union movement began with union leader and future Polish president , Lech Walesa . Marching with him was Brunom Baranowski , a shipyard worker for more than 30 years who spent nearly a year in jail for civil disobedience for his role in the union . In the 20 years since the end of communism , he 's seen the shipyard workforce shrink from 18,000 to about 2,700 today . The shipyard , in danger of going bankrupt , was given a lifeline this week when Neelie Kroes , European Commissioner for Competition , met with Polish officials and told the press an EU bailout of the shipyard was likely . Still , Baranowski said `` shipyard workers do n't have much reason to be happy . Over the past 20 years we have been trying to save our jobs . '' While the fortune of his nation improved , he still lives in the same tiny apartment as he did in 1989 and has the same worries about his job . But Brunom says it was all worth the fight . `` Of course it 's much better . In the old days all you could get at the shop was vinegar and mustard . To get anything else you had to know people . Now everything is available , '' he said . CNN 's Fred Pleitgen and Fionnuala Sweeney contributed to this report . | Twenty years after democracy Poland has strongest economy in former Soviet bloc . The country 's economy has grown every year since 1992 . By export it ranks 22nd in the world , ahead of Australia and India . Shipyards like Gdansk , home of the democracy movement , struggle to survive . | [[1103, 1226], [1370, 1424], [3971, 4040]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When rehab and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings did n't work for Eddie Freas , he sought another way to kick his 20-year drug and alcohol addiction . Eddie Freas fights drug addiction by putting all his energy into training for triathlons . He swam 2.4 miles . He biked 112 miles . He ran 26.2 miles . The Pennsville , New Jersey , resident found relief in triathlons . `` I feel better when I 'm working out , '' said Freas , 33 . `` It does wonders for the mind . The reason I started running -- it was a switch that went off in my head . I started feeling positive and feeling great about myself . '' Freas spent his youth in pursuit of drugs . At the age of 13 , he snuck bottles of Amaretto and rum from his mother 's liquor cabinet . He also developed a taste for marijuana and cocaine . By his senior year of high school , Freas was kicked off the wrestling and football teams after failing a drug test . Then in 2007 , after a three-day binge , `` I came home and was crying , '' Freas said . `` I was so depressed . I turned on the TV . '' The set was tuned to ESPN , which was airing a story about a former drug addict who competed in triathlons . The program 's subject was Todd Crandell , who had lost a college hockey scholarship because of a drug addiction . After 13 years of using drugs , Crandell started competing in Ironman races and championed finding positive ways to fight addiction through his program called Racing for Recovery . `` Having an athletic background , I was drawn to getting back in shape , '' Crandell said . `` It makes you turn intellectually and spiritually fit . Exercise is essential . It decreases addiction , depression and you use it as part of the recovery . '' Freas was entranced by the parallels . `` His whole story seemed like mine , '' Freas said . `` That 's why it hit me so much . It was my story but it happened to somebody else . I knew I had to get back into fitness . '' He took a bus to Racing for Recovery 's office in Sylvania , Ohio . There , Freas said he learned to `` stay clean and use other things -- fitness , instead of drugs . '' On his first day , Freas pushed himself to run 10 miles . `` It killed me , '' Freas said . `` I was just motivated . I was sore for a week and I gradually got into it . As soon as I started including fitness into my everyday lifestyle , it made it so much easier . It kept me busy and because of the physical fitness , it was making me feel better about myself . '' He pushed himself to run farther and raced in his first Ironman competition in 2008 . `` It 's different when you use drugs , you temporarily feel good and afterwards , you feel like doing more drugs , '' Freas said . `` When you go for a long run and do physical fitness , you feel good doing it . '' Research in animals and humans show that exercise can be a mild antidepressant . `` It is n't a huge surprise when you consider many positive effects exercise can have with regards to the brain chemistry : dopamine , serotonin , endorphin , epinephrine -- these are all associated with mood altering effects , '' said Dr. Cedric Bryant , the chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise . `` If they 're able to get this natural high , through a natural endeavor such as exercise , it allows them to replace the means to achieve that high with a more positive approach . '' One study showed that women trying to quit smoking were more successful when they exercised . And the National Institute on Drug Abuse held a conference last year to explore the possible role of physical activity in substance abuse prevention . `` The thought centers around the release of mood-altering brain chemical , mainly endorphins , '' Bryant said . `` It gives you euphoria or what you call ` runner 's high . ' '' Crandell said some people who battle drug addiction `` want something more than sitting in support groups filled with smoke , complaining about drinking . '' `` I 've had some of my naysayers from other programs who say you 've taken one addiction and replaced it for another , '' Crandell said . `` I 've taken addiction and put into a new focus that includes exercise . Exercise for me is essential to my recovery and well-being . '' The purpose of Racing for Recovery is not to turn everyone into an athlete , but to focus on positive pursuits in a person 's life . `` Whatever you lost during your addiction , that should be your Ironman , not just running , '' Crandell said . `` If your goal is to become a teacher , let that be your Ironman . '' After Freas spent six months in Ohio , he returned to his hometown . `` I did n't want to come back home , because this was where I did all the dirt , all the partying and stuff , '' Freas said . `` As time went on , I had to come back here . My life is turned around . I got to help people in my hometown . '' Back in New Jersey , Freas helped train Dustin Deckard , 19 , a former high school star wrestler , who is recovering from a four-year heroin addiction . Deckard wanted to get clean after a near-fatal overdose . `` I have to be clean the rest of my life , '' Deckard said . `` Sometimes that overwhelms me . I just feel that sometimes it 's not fair that other people can go out and have fun and drink and do whatever at a party . But me -- if I do anything -- it 's off . I ca n't stop . I definitely have troubles with that . '' Freas and Deckard have developed a brotherhood . `` I know how he was feeling , being down , not wanting to use drugs , '' Deckard said . `` I just relate to him in every way . We both used . He 's also into sports and into wrestling like I was . That 's what 's cool . '' This Sunday , Freas and Deckard head to Racing for Recovery 's half triathlon at Monroe , Michigan where the teen will race for the first time . | New Jersey man finds solace in exercise after spending youth on drugs . Eddie Freas now member of group that advocates physical fitness in place of drugs . Freas competes in Ironman and also mentors a New Jersey teenager . | [[620, 663], [4171, 4231]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Leszek Balcerowicz , Poland 's former finance minister , recently said his country is enjoying `` its best period in 300 years . '' CNN looks at how the country emerged from communism to become one of eastern Europe 's most stable and thriving democracies . Solidarity leader Lech Walesa addresses striking workers in Gdansk , Poland in 1989 . Modern Poland gained independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War . Almost six million Poles , including the majority of the country 's large Jewish population , died during the devastating six-year conflict . The shadow of Stalin continued to loom large over Poland after the war , when the communist-dominated government ensured that Poland would become a Soviet satellite state for the next 40 years . The following decades were punctuated by revolts against the repressive authoritarian regime in Warsaw , but none had a greater impact on Poland 's political future than events in 1980 at a shipyard in western Poland . With a struggling economy and rumors of corruption and mismanagement within the state causing widespread discontent , a series of strikes by workers paralyzed the country . Eventually the government was forced to negotiate and on August 31 , 1980 , workers at the massive Lenin shipyard in Gdansk , led by an electrician named Lech Walesa , signed a deal giving workers the right to strike and form trade unions . This heralded the creation of the Solidarity movement , which would ultimately be instrumental in bringing Poland 's communist era to an end . The presence in the Vatican at the time of Polish-born Pope John-Paul II was also a significant influence on the movement throughout the 1980s , as the Catholic church had remained a very potent force in Polish life . The Pope even made a visit to the country in 1979 . Despite Soviet-endorsed attempts to slow the erosion of the regime 's grip on power -- including the declaration of martial law by General Wojciech Jaruzelski in 1981 which outlawed Solidarity -- Poland 's worsening economic situation , compounded by further nationwide strikes , meant that the government had no alternative but to negotiate a date for free elections with Walesa and the Solidarity movement . Solidarity members won a stunning victory in the election of 1989 , taking almost all the seats in the Senate and all of the 169 seats they were allowed to contest in the Sejm or parliament . This gave them substantial influence in the new government . Activist and journalist Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed prime minister , while Lech Walesa was elected as president the following year . Were you in Poland in 1989 ? Send us your memories . After years of economic mismanagement under the communists , Poland embarked on a painful reform program under finance minister Leszek Balcerowicz -- especially in traditional heavy industries such as coal and steel -- which moved away from the inefficient state-controlled system of economic planning . Despite growing unemployment and a dilapidated infrastructure , Poland was slowly transformed into an investment-friendly , market economy . Banking and lending policies were reformed , while newly reshaped ownership relations , independent enterprises and strengthened domestic competition all had a massive impact . Over a relatively short period of time , Poland had become one of the most dynamically developing economies in Europe and by the mid-1990s , it became known as the `` Tiger of Europe . '' Poland also liberalized its international trade during this period . The national currency -- the zloty -- became convertible to other currencies and internal convertibility was also established , providing another platform for dynamic economic growth . New markets in countries that had been treated not so long before as ideological as well as economic enemies were opened up to Polish companies . The EU and U.S. were now the key markets for Polish goods . This realignment of policy was emphasized by its accession into the European Union in 2004 . It had also joined NATO in 1999 . Unfortunately the continuing problem of high unemployment and the promise of better salaries encouraged many Poles to work in other EU countries after 2004 . However this trend started to reverse in 2008 as the Polish economy enjoyed a boom period . Politically , Poland has also successfully transformed itself into a fully democratic country . Since 1991 the Polish people have voted in parliamentary elections and four presidential elections -- all free and fair . Incumbent governments have transferred power smoothly and constitutionally in every instance to their successors . | Poland was ruled by Soviet-backed regime after the Second World War . Solidarity movement became a key factor in the fall of communist regime . Centrally-planned economic system replaced by free market economy . Poland joined the European Union in 2004 . | [[706, 822], [1486, 1509], [1518, 1598], [3993, 4085]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than nuclear bomb tests , the suicide of former South Korean president Roh Moo-Hyun has stunned the South Korean public . While the news has shocked the nation , perhaps the level of surprise at the method was n't as great . The suicide of former president Roh has shocked South Korea . In a country with one of the highest suicide rates among economically advanced countries , traditional concepts of honor and public `` face '' remain powerful social forces . According to World Health Organization figures , rates of suicide in South Korea doubled to 21.9 deaths per 100,000 people between 1996 and 2006 . The United Nations cites that 90 percent of suicide cases were caused by mental disorders , but socio-cultural and economic pressures play a large part . While each case of suicide has a number of complex personal issues , the connection between suicide and honor has a historical basis in many Asian countries . `` There are cultural histories in Asian societies of honorable suicide , such as hara-kiri in Japan , where the person assumes total responsibility , '' said Dr. Erminia Colucci , research fellow at the University of Melbourne 's School of Population Health . `` In many western countries , a suicide in someone of Roh 's position might be more about looking for understanding . In collectivist societies , like Japan and Korea , where a person 's identity is more tied closely to other groups , suicides can be seen as the ultimate way to rebuild or reclean your image , if it changes . '' `` I think there is something paradoxical in it . On one hand , some see it as a way of maintaining status and restoring honor to you and the people you represent , but the pressure from that group could contribute to you considering suicide . '' Roh was under investigation for corruption and some believe the pressures he felt just became too great . `` Roh had come to power as a human rights lawyer , as an uneducated outsider pledging to clean up Korean politics , so it was particularly hard on him to have what he stood for and the reality of what happened under his administration . I think that was particularly hard for him to take , '' David King , director of the Korean Studies Institute at the University of Southern California told CNN . Watch more on the rise and fall of Roh . In a suicide note to his family , Roh described his life as `` difficult '' and was sorry for making `` too many people suffer . '' Roh had said he was ashamed about the scandal and in the first round of questioning , he said he was losing face and that he was disappointing his supporters . In South Korea , Roh is the latest and highest profile of recent suicides of public figures . In late 2008 , two South Korean actors took their lives . Police cited malicious online rumors as a possible cause for the suicide of Cho Jin-sil in October 2008 . The blogs and chat rooms had speculated that she had been pressuring fellow actor Ahn Jae-hwan to repay a debt before he took his own life in September 2008 . Video : How South Korean continue mourning '' High-profile suicides can make for lurid headlines , which Dr Paul Yip , director of the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong , believes are far from helpful in combating suicide rates . `` Common in Asia is to sensationalize suicides , especially among celebrities . Often the local or national media publish lots of details of how it was done . The media -LRB- in Hong Kong -RRB- has got better in their responsible reporting , '' he said . `` Whenever famous people kill themselves there is an effect on those people who are most vulnerable from a similar age group -- we see this in Taiwan , South Korea and Japan and China , '' said Yip . `` People at risk can see Roh 's death as an example and say , ` Well if he can do it , so can I ' . Neither Roh nor any of the high-profile people who have committed suicide would have thought about this affect . There are a number of complex issues . There is n't just one that leads someone to take their life . '' Copycat deaths are a worry for Yip , and Colucci agreed that there can be lots of meaning in the method of a suicide , which people may be encouraged to follow . `` The way that Roh died is similar to some of the methods used in Japan , which is interesting . It really suggests it 's about the people wanting to relieve the burden they feel they are on others . For young people , it can be really connected to ideas of identity . For many , they feel it 's the last thing they have control over , '' said Colucci . Watch CNN 's report on Japan 's suicide forest . Yip advised the South Korean Ministry of Health during Roh 's administration to help them devise a new approach to dealing with mental health issues and the problem of suicide . `` It is sad that Roh , whose government really did a lot to tackle the issue , should have done this . Last year a mental health act was passed by the South Korean government , as it recognized that more steps needed to be taken , '' said Yip . While there are distinct differences between the societies and traditions of Japan , Korea and Hong Kong , Yip was at least encouraged that the Chinese Special Administrative Region has seen a decline in the number of suicide cases since its peak in 2003 of some 1,200 to around 9000 . A key element has been breaking though the taboo of talking about mental health issues , one that Yip believed was common across Asia . `` They 've been stigmatized , and very common that it would not be talked about , especially if there is not a good mental health support system in place . Ten years ago in Hong Kong , people did n't want to talk about it . '' However , Yip is well aware of the link between suicide rates and economic change , which many have cited as a reason for suicide rates increasing . `` The rate generally goes up more in Asian countries than the west when there is an economic downturn . For an age group like Roh 's , suicide can seem like a very traditional , if extreme way to solve problems . The problems at first are economic , but make people feel great shame or disgrace . There is a large sense of pride in middle-age men and working people . '' Making it acceptable to talk about problems , making people feel connected to their community and having a support system in place were methods Yip believed has helped to reduce those at risk . But it was not just something that charities or governments can work on , Yip said : `` We have to reach out to the main concern groups , it 's a multi-layered approach . '' | South Korea has one of the highest rates of suicide in developed countries . Concepts of honor and `` face '' remain strong social forces in many Asian societies . Suicide is a complex mix of issues , but ideas of ` honorable ' death persist . | [[311, 399], [402, 485], [311, 399], [402, 485], [787, 819], [856, 945], [787, 819], [856, 945], [1588, 1599], [1602, 1686], [3982, 4020]] |
WEIMAR , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A long narrow road winds through a thick forest up a hill called the `` Ettesberg , '' on the outskirts of Weimar in central Germany . The ovens where tens of thousands of bodies were cremated are restored and working . The road goes on for miles through the forest , but every once in a while you see an old railway station , a tower , or an old structure withering in the German rain . This road was named `` the trail of blood , '' by inmates of the infamous concentration camp Buchenwald , because of the death marches they were forced to undertake as they were deported to work as slave laborers for Nazi Germany 's defense industry from 1937 to 1945 . `` The trail of blood '' leads straight to the entrance gate of the former concentration camp -- a structure with a huge iron gate in the middle , a tower with a clock above , and arrest cells in the building 's wings . U.S. troops saw the horror of the Nazi regime first hand when they came through this gate on April 11 , 1945 , and found camp inmates starved to the bone , many too weak to stand . `` We could n't even show our joy at this moment , which we had been waiting for so long , '' said former inmate Zeev Factor , recalling the day American troops came to liberate the camp . Now the camp is getting ready to host President Obama , who has a special relationship with Buchenwald . His great-uncle Charlie Payne , 84 , helped liberate a sub-camp here when he was an infantryman fighting in World War II . `` The survivors see President Obama almost like a grandson of theirs , '' said the director of the Buchenwald memorial , Volker Knigge , speaking just outside the front gate . `` The president is related to one of the brave men who came here and saw the Nazi horror first hand . The soldiers only had vague knowledge of what concentration camps actually were , but here they saw people too weak to survive , even after having been liberated . '' Historians estimate that of the 20,000 inmates who were liberated by U.S. troops , 1,000 died shortly after because of exhaustion and the effects of years of starvation . It is easy to see why . Every building in the Buchenwald complex radiates death , suffering and evil . In the crematorium , where tens of thousands of bodies were burned , the ovens have been restored and are fully functional . In a cellar below the cremation room , meat hooks in the walls were used by SS guards to hang and strangle more than 1,000 inmates , many of them women and children . Obama will see these testimonies to the barbarism of the Nazis when he takes a tour of the camp with German Chancellor Angela Merkel . He will also meet some of the survivors who Volker Knigge says feel so close to this president . | President Obama visits Buchenwald concentration camp , Germany , on Friday . His great-uncle helped liberate one of the complex 's sub-camps during WWII . Director of Buchenwald camp memorial : Survivors see Obama as a grandson . Obama will meet some camp survivors during his visit . | [[1389, 1404], [1426, 1511], [1584, 1631], [1515, 1548], [2660, 2699]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- William Whitaker is certain that somebody in the central Oklahoman community where he lives knows who killed his daughter . Taylor Paschal-Placker , left , and Skyla Jade Whitaker were found shot to death along an Oklahoma road a year ago . The dirt road where the bodies of 11-year-old Skyla Jade Whitaker and Taylor Paschal-Placker , 13 , were found is too remote for the killings to be the work of a stranger passing through , he says . `` There 's absolutely no way that somebody from out of the area could 've just stumbled upon the place , '' Whitaker said . `` I know whoever did it told somebody , whether they were drinking or bragging or whatever , and whoever knows just needs to bring the information forward . '' It has been a year since the two friends were shot multiple times in the stomach and chest less than a half a mile from Taylor 's home in the rural community of Weleetka , with a population just over 1,000 . `` Taylor was shot five times . My daughter was shot eight times . Thirteen shots between two little girls who never did anything to anyone , '' Whitaker said . `` I do n't know how a person can go to work , eat or sleep knowing what they did . I could n't live with that on my conscience , but they 've been doing it for a year now . '' Watch father plead for answers in killings '' In the beginning , hundreds of tips poured in . Authorities pursued leads and analyzed evidence , but a year later , they have no suspects or witnesses leading them to any viable conclusions . Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson Jessica Brown said during a press conference Monday that authorities have `` good evidence '' in the case but lack the final piece to make an arrest . `` If we could get this one piece of evidence that would help solve this case , that 's what we need , '' Brown said Monday . Investigators believe that the killer or killers could be from Okfuskee County , or that a member of the community knows something about what happened to the girls the afternoon of June 4 , 2008 . `` What we are frustrated about is the lack of cooperation we 're getting from members of the public , '' Brown said . She stressed Monday that a $ 36,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to a conviction . The girls were shot with two different guns , leading to the possibility that two people were involved , Brown said . The OSBI released a sketch of a person wanted for questioning last year , but they have not received information leading to him , she said . But the killings remain fresh in the minds of Oklahomans . A billboard with the girls ' faces and a tip hotline has loomed over Interstate 40 for several months . A memorial service was planned for Monday in Weleetka to mark the anniversary . `` I ca n't go to the dry cleaners , the gym without people asking me , ` what 's going on with those two girls ? ' Everyone in Oklahoma is emotionally involved in this case , and I think it 's because it happened to two small children in an area you would n't think you 'd ever have to worry about , '' Brown said . The same posters adorn storefronts and bulletin boards in banks , restaurants and post offices throughout Okfuskee County , a sparsely populated manufacturing region best known as the birthplace of songwriter Woody Guthrie . Weleetka Police Officer Stacey Rice will never forget the image of the dead girls . He was the second officer on the scene after a relative called 911 around 5:30 p.m. that day . `` I really hope I never see anything like that again . It 's just emotionally and visually traumatic . You see two small children lying on the ground like that and it 's kind of hard to explain . Makes you want to go find your children , '' said Rice , a father of two teenage boys . `` It took me several minutes to realize what happened , but after a while , it kind of sank in , and that 's when emotions started running ... anger , lots of anger , sadness , disbelief . Nobody wanted to believe what had happened . '' The incident stripped the small , close-knit community of its innocence as people came to realize that they were n't safe , Rice said . Parents kept close tabs on their children and started locking their doors . Since then , the guard has come down , Rice said . `` I do n't think the fear level is as high as it was . People are kind of aware of it , that something like this can happen . They 're still cautious , but I do n't think as cautious , '' he said . `` Just the monotony of everyday life , the basic routine , people get used to it and they forget about the dangers we face every day . We 're not oblivious , but we put it in the back of our mind . '' Skyla 's father says he and his wife try to carry on for the sake of their youngest daughter , who asks about her older sister nearly every day . Skyla 's room is the same as it was a year ago except for the boxes of cards from across the globe , as far as Japan , expressing sympathy and support . Whitaker finds solace in visiting the memorial site set up at the crime scene , where people leave bouquets of flowers , stuffed animals , cards and other mementos . The most recent addition to the site is an 8-foot cross donated by members of the community . `` I just get a feeling whenever I 'm there . It 's real quiet out there , and I see the stuff people brought and it 's kind of comforting , it really is . I know she 's in a better place right now , she do n't feel sickness , do n't feel pain . She 's in a better place , and it 's my way of remembering . '' | Skyla Jade Whitaker , 11 , Taylor Paschal-Placker , 13 , fatally shot on rural road . Local resident may be involved or have information , girl 's father believes . Billboard , posters around Okfuskee County serve as reminders of girls ' brutal deaths . Skyla 's father finds comfort in visiting memorial at crime scene . | [[175, 259], [143, 165], [179, 198], [210, 259], [260, 273], [280, 336], [360, 373], [19, 95], [1859, 2046], [1886, 1937], [1948, 2055], [3099, 3220], [4989, 5040], [4989, 4997], [5011, 5066]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British authorities and environmental groups were welcoming the launch this week of the world 's first biodegradable chewing gum , which they say could help save some of the millions spent on clearing up the mess ordinary gum creates . Manufacturers say the gum decomposes within six weeks . The new gum becomes non-adhesive when dry and decomposes to dust within six weeks , a spokesman for Mexico 's Chicza Mayan Rainforest Chewing Gum told CNN . The makers of Chicza say it is the first biodegradable chewing gum ever sold . Environmental and waste management groups told CNN that they , too , believe it is a first . Unlike other gums that contain petrochemicals the natural gum is produced from the sap of the chicozapote tree found in the Mexican rainforest , a spokesman for Chicza told CNN . A spokesman for campaign group Keep Britain Tidy told CNN they welcome any product that can help eradicate the staining on pavements caused by dropped chewing gum . Removing chewing gum litter costs local authorities # 150 million -LRB- $ 222 million -RRB- a year , a spokesman for the Local Government Association told CNN . Sixty-five percent of British streets have chewing gum stuck on them , a spokesman from Keep Britain Tidy told CNN . One of the worst-affected areas is Westminster in central London , where a comprehensive gum clean-up would cost # 9 million -LRB- $ 13.4 million -RRB- , according to Westminster City Council . `` Gum litter is a constant problem for us , especially given the vast number of visitors to Westminster every day . We spend # 100,000 -LRB- $ 148,000 -RRB- a year cleaning ugly blobs of conventional chewing gum off our streets , '' Westminster City Councilor Danny Chalkley said in a written statement . `` It 's an incredibly expensive and time-consuming task , so anything that could reduce the problem is very welcome indeed . '' he said . British parliamentarians have called on the government to introduce a tax on chewing gum , with the money raised going toward the cost of gum removal . In Britain , offenders can be fined up to # 80 -LRB- $ 119 -RRB- for discarding used chewing gum on a street . The producer of the new gum is Consorcio Chiclero , which comprises 46 cooperatives with around 2,000 chicleros farmers , working in an area of 1.3 million hectares of rainforest , according to a statement from Chicza . Locals have been extracting the natural chicle gum base from the bark of the chicozapote trees for a century , a spokesman for Chicza told CNN . After years of exporting the gum base to be used as an ingredient in the manufacture of regular chewing gum , the cooperative recently decided to start making its own gum using only chicle gum base and natural flavorings and sweeteners , Chicza said . The company launched its gum in Britain this week . It is available at a chain of supermarkets and Mexican restaurants . The Chicza gum sells for # 1.39 -LRB- $ 2.06 -RRB- for a pack of 12 squares . | Authorities , green groups welcome launch of world 's first biodegradable gum . Chewing gum costs millions to remove from city sidewalks . Manufacturers say new Mexican product decomposes in six weeks . | [[0, 6], [9, 164], [133, 164], [178, 218], [485, 551], [510, 563], [564, 605], [633, 656], [206, 261], [959, 1000], [1001, 1072], [1352, 1409], [1433, 1472], [272, 327]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Researchers have discovered a previously unknown group of rare monkeys in the forests of Vietnam . The Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys were so skittish , researchers captured a photo of only one : an adult male . Several biologists caught fleeting glimpses of about 15 or 20 Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys in a remote area near the Chinese frontier , the wildlife conservation group Fauna & Flora International said Thursday . The `` bizarre-looking '' monkeys -- on the brink of extinction -- were so skittish around people that researchers were able to snap a photo of just one of them : an adult male scampering through the trees . The monkeys were `` very sensitive to the presence of people , giving warning signs to one another and fleeing '' whenever biologists approached , the group said in a statement . `` It was apparent that the monkeys associated humans with danger -- perhaps due to ongoing threats from hunters , '' the group said . So few Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys have survived in the wild that scientists thought until recently that they were extinct . Now they estimate that roughly 200 remain , mainly in parts of northern Vietnam near the Chinese border . Hunters with a taste for bush meat and the loss of habitat have pushed the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey toward extinction , according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature . It classifies the primate as critically endangered `` because its population size is estimated to number fewer than 250 mature individuals , with no subpopulation greater than 50 mature individuals , and it is experiencing a continuing decline . '' Fauna & Flora said it is working with a variety of groups to improve the livelihoods and `` reduce human pressures on the forest ecosystem '' in an effort to safeguard the newly discovered group , which was spotted in a patch of forest in the Quan Ba district of Vietnam 's Ha Giang province . The sighting thrilled conservation biologist Le Khac Quyet , described by Fauna & Flora as `` one of the few people in the world who can claim to be an expert on this mysterious species '' and as the person credited with discovering the new group of that species . `` When I saw the Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys ... I was overjoyed , '' he said in the Fauna & Flora statement . `` There is still time to save this unique species , but with just 200 or so left and threats still strong , we need to act now . '' | About 15 or 20 Tonkin snub-nosed monkeys seen near Chinese frontier . Population thought to be `` fewer than 250 mature individuals , '' wildlife group says . Group says monkeys fled humans , possibly because of hunting . To save species , `` we need to act now , '' conservation biologist says . | [[226, 356], [937, 956], [1080, 1185], [1103, 1121], [1131, 1185], [1376, 1473], [1405, 1561], [825, 934], [2403, 2423]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Photographer David DeJonge plans to capture a vanishing bit of history Tuesday on a trip to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington . Antonio Pierro , 110 , of Massachusetts served with the U.S. military in World War I and died in 2007 . There , he hopes to photograph 107-year-old Frank Buckles , one of the few men still alive who fought in World War I. Buckles will lay a wreath at the grave of Gen. John J. `` Black Jack '' Pershing , who led U.S. forces in Europe in World War I . The visit comes 90 years to the day after the end of World War I , an occasion that led to Veterans Day in the United States and Armistice Day in other nations . For DeJonge , it 's a poignant reminder that time is running out in his quest to find and photograph the few surviving veterans of the war , which raged from 1914 to 1918 . `` In my view , America has missed the boat in documenting this part of history , '' said DeJonge , a portrait photographer from Zeeland , Michigan . `` It was such a pivotal moment in global history . '' He has raced the clock for the past two years to photograph the dwindling number of surviving World War I veterans , a mission he embraces with a keen appreciation for the ticking clock : Eight of 12 veterans he has photographed in the past two years are now dead . `` It 's a tragic loss : a tragic loss for the project and for global history , '' he said . `` These are the last breaths of the last souls who witnessed one of the most horrific wars this world has ever seen . '' Watch photo sessions with remaining veterans '' DeJonge knows of only 10 living veterans worldwide who fought during World War I. Four live in Britain , two in Australia , two in France and two in the United States : Buckles and 108-year-old John Babcock of Spokane , Washington , who served with Canadian forces during World War I , DeJonge said . Each week or month that passes , it seems , brings news of an aging veteran succumbing before DeJonge can find the time and money to photograph him . Not long ago , he said , two Jamaicans who fought with the British during World War I died . The last known German , French and Austro-Hungarian veterans died in the last year as well . `` These are the last of the last , '' he said . DeJonge said he became interested in photographing war veterans in 1996 , when he worked on a project to chronicle U.S. veterans of several wars . The subjects included two men who served during World War I . He tried to interest a photography organization in a national project to document the remaining U.S. World War I veterans -- about 600 were alive in the mid-1990s , DeJonge said -- but that did n't happen . So he set out two years ago to try to do it on his own . DeJonge has received some financial help here and there , he said , but has paid most costs himself . `` I have paid about $ 100,000 of my own money , '' he said . He spends about half his time at home in Michigan , taking photographs to earn his living . He spends the other half conducting research , traveling to points distant or photographing aging vets . `` I have an incredibly supportive wife , '' he said . He is trying to find money and time to take pictures of two vets in Australia and two in France , he said . And he would love to check out unconfirmed reports of an elderly man in the Ukraine who says he served with the Russian military during what also is known as the Great War and the War to End All Wars . In March , he donated nine portraits of World War I veterans that the Pentagon plans to display permanently . He traveled to Washington that month with Buckles , who drove an ambulance in Britain and France during the war as a corporal in the U.S. Army . In a White House ceremony in March , President Bush paid tribute to Buckles , who said he lied about his age and enlisted at age 15 . `` Mr. Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times , and one way for me to honor the service of those who wore the uniform in the past and those who wear it today is to herald you , sir , and to thank you very much for your patriotism and your love for America , '' he said during the March ceremony . DeJonge and Buckles plan to drive Tuesday from Buckles ' cattle farm in Charles Town , West Virginia , to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington . The photographer said he feels `` just an unbelievable respect '' for men and women who served their country . And he savors the living history lessons they provide . `` It really is like stepping back in time , '' he said . | David DeJonge photographs the surviving veterans of WWI , which ended in 1918 . DeJonge knows of only 10 living veterans worldwide who fought during World War I . Nine portraits of World War I vets have been donated to the Pentagon . | [[685, 715], [761, 809], [1076, 1088], [1095, 1163], [1530, 1577], [328, 339], [346, 351], [356, 386], [1578, 1618], [1595, 1656], [1595, 1628], [1633, 1659], [3463, 3471], [3474, 3572]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For actress Jane Alexander , the criticism of a $ 50 million boost in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts is a sequel . Tony-award winning actress Jane Alexander says giving money to the arts will save and create jobs . She was chairman of the agency from 1993 through 1997 when arts funding was cut sharply by the Republican-led Congress , which questioned whether it was an appropriate way to use government money . Now the issue is whether giving money to the arts should have been part of the economic stimulus program . Among those who have criticized the new spending this year is Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal , who delivered the Republican response to President Barack Obama 's message to Congress Tuesday . On Monday 's `` Larry King Live , '' Jindal said , `` Fundamentally , I do n't think $ 30 million for the federal government to buy new cars , $ 1 billion for the Census , $ 50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts is going to get the economy moving again as quickly as allowing the private sector to create jobs . '' It 's no surprise that Alexander disagrees and argues that arts spending can give a vital boost to the economy . The actress , who will appear later this month in a new comedy at the New York theater company Primary Stages called `` Chasing Manet , '' won a Tony Award for her role in the `` The Great White Hope . '' She has been nominated eight times for an Emmy and four times for an Oscar for films including , `` All the President 's Men '' and `` Kramer vs. Kramer . '' Alexander spoke to CNN.com last week . CNN : What do you think of the controversy over the $ 50 million in increased government spending for the arts ? Alexander : I think it 's long overdue and I was very , very happy to see it . Since 1995-96 we had an incredibly decreased budget for the NEA . Finally we 're getting back to where it was when I came in -LSB- as chairman -RSB- . It 's all vitally needed . In fact , the endowment has not kept pace with inflation as other agencies have . ... This $ 50 million will certainly help a great deal . What people forget is that there are over 2 million people in the United States of America who are professional artists . Those are jobs like any other jobs . The artists have families , they have people for whom they 're responsible and they give to their communities . We all have the right to life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness . The life part would be health and housing . The liberty part would be our civil rights . And the pursuit of happiness , the arts would come under that . And it 's as vital a part of well-being in the United States as anything else . CNN : When you say 2 million artists , could you define artist ? Alexander : Well they include everything from writers , painters , all the visual arts spectrum and that 's pretty large , including graphic arts . Theater and so on , music , ceramicists , costume designers , makeup artists , filmmakers , it 's a huge panoply . CNN : How far can $ 50 million go ? Alexander : Well for the endowment which has had a budget of around $ 144 million currently , it can go quite a way . When I came in it was about $ 175 million and then it was cut under my aegis by Congress down to $ 99 million . CNN : Some people will say that while the NEA may consider this a victory , it 's really a pittance , a drop in the bucket , so little money given the challenges many arts organizations are facing today . Alexander . It will help , it will help enormously , because every single NEA grant that goes out is a challenge to the community to come up with the same amount of money , or a 3 to 1 . ... By the way , the public should know that within this coming year , we 're going to see an awful lot of arts organizations closing . I just came from working at a theater in Pittsburgh , -LSB- Pennsylvania -RSB- and the International Poetry Forum , which has been going for 43 years , will close its doors this year . The Milwaukee Shakespeare Festival has already closed . The LA -LSB- Los Angeles -RSB- Opera has laid off 17 percent of its staff . CNN : So this is n't going to be enough to reverse those kinds of things ? Alexander : No , but it will challenge the community to understand what the imperiled status of their arts organizations are . It will only help . It will help an enormous amount , and for some organizations , it will make all the difference in their staying alive . Now the NEA this fall gave out 884 grants , totaling $ 20 million and that was 38 percent of the project cost of the applicants . So 38 percent is a nice healthy piece of change for the cost of a project . CNN : How did you personally get involved in this cause ? Alexander : As an actress who spent most of my career in nonprofit theaters , They began with the seed of an NEA grant back in the late 60s , most of them . Today we have about 450 nonprofit theaters across the United States . Back in 1965 , when the NEA was founded , there were only about 23 of them . CNN : Your forthcoming play -- is that being done for a nonprofit theater ? Alexander : Yes . It 's another nonprofit called Primary Stages in New York City , a small theater . What people do n't quite understand about theaters is that they never increase their size . They 're bound by the number of seats within a given theater , and meanwhile there 's inflation and the costs rise . So currently most theaters can never make more than 50 percent of their income from ticket sales . The rest has to be raised . CNN : How 's the company doing ? Alexander : It had a good play last year , `` Dividing the Estate , '' by Horton Foote , which got a lot of attention but I do n't think it made back its nut on Broadway . It transferred from the nonprofit to a commercial venue on Broadway . ... In the film business , independent films are considered nonprofit in many instances . It 's interesting to see that an independent won the Academy Award . Of course it was distributed by a major studio . `` Slumdog Millionaire '' started off as an independent . It did extraordinarily well . ... Many of the commercial arts are fed by the nonprofit arts . And that 's another thing most people do n't fully understand . Where do you think the Tom Hanks , the Cate Blanchetts of the world come from ? They come from small venues that are independent and are nonprofit usually and then they move into the mainstream . CNN : What 's your attitude about the future , under the Obama administration . Do you think there 's reason for hope about the arts , or despair ? Alexander : I think there 's reason for great hope . President Obama has said repeatedly and he 's said it for a couple of years now , that he thinks arts education is vital for children of all ages , starting right away . We have the arts in nursery school anyway , but he believes in institutionalizing the arts so it 's part of the curriculum for every child in America . ... Everybody in all walks of life know people who are out of work presently or are about to be out of work . And the same is true for artists . I know so many artists -- for example visual artists , the gallery has closed or it 's cut back . Theaters that are no longer going to do productions with more than five actors . And so on . So I know a lot of people out of work : costume designers , makeup people . And let 's not forget all the ancillary jobs from having an arts organization in your neighborhood . That includes restaurants , taxicabs , whatever . CNN : Gov. Jindal said he did n't think the arts money should be part of the economic stimulus plan . Alexander : Well what he does n't understand is that $ 50 million goes directly ... as a grant to organizations which employ people . It 's quick and it 's a system that works beautifully and it 's done within a year . | Jane Alexander : Increasing funds for the arts is a good way to boost economy . She chaired the NEA when Republican-led Congress sharply cut its budget . She says about 2 million Americans are employed as artists of all kinds . Alexander : Injecting funds into the arts will quickly support jobs . | [[160, 259], [1081, 1098], [1128, 1193], [1788, 1853], [1802, 1804], [1809, 1853], [3162, 3203], [3208, 3250], [2691, 2716], [160, 259]] |
Editor 's note : James Alan Fox is Lipman Family Professor of Criminal Justice and professor of law , policy and society at Northeastern University in Boston . Fox has written 16 books , including `` Extreme Killing : Understanding Serial and Mass Murder '' and is writing a book on school violence and security . James Alan Fox says perpetrators of mass shootings usually do not suddenly go berserk . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Massacre/suicide has become an all too familiar sight on the electronic pages of this and other news sites . But Tuesday 's rampage in Samson , Alabama -- with a body count reaching to the double digits -- forces us to struggle mightily in search of plausible explanations and effective solutions . What could have prompted 28-year-old Michael McLendon to shoot to death his mother , grandmother , uncle , cousin and six others -- some of whom appear just to have been in the worst place at the worst time -- before turning the gun on himself ? Mayor Clay King summarized the collective bewilderment in Samson in the immediate aftermath of the bloodshed . `` I do n't think anybody has any idea of what the motive is , '' he said . In just over a few moments of horror , this rural community of a couple thousand residents that had n't had a single homicide in well over a decade , based on FBI crime reports , now had a multitude of questions about the will to kill . `` Apparently something just snapped , '' speculated Wynnton Melton , mayor of Geneva , Alabama , the community just outside Samson where McLendon ended his own life after a police chase . Because McLendon chose suicide , the complete truth to his motivation may never be known . But from what can be learned from countless similar episodes in America and abroad , the crime may not be so unfathomable after all . Contrary to the widely held belief of `` snap judgment , '' perpetrators of mass murder -- and family annihilation in particular -- generally do not suddenly go berserk . If he was like most others who have walked in his shoes , McLendon would have contemplated his actions for some period of time , surely more than the few moments it took to load his assault rifle . With a list of enemies and a large arsenal , his planning would probably have reflected calm deliberation and cool determination . In decades of research in collaboration with my Northeastern University colleague Jack Levin , certain common characteristics of mass killers emerge time and time again . First , the perpetrators tend to have experienced a long history of frustration and failure , resulting in a diminished ability to cope with life 's disappointments . Second , they typically externalize blame , frequently complaining that others did n't give them a decent chance . Without this , their destructiveness would instead be directed inward . In addition , these killers generally lack emotional support from friends or family . They are loners as well as losers . Lacking this support system and reality check , they come to perceive some precipitating event as being absolutely catastrophic . This most often involves some kind of major disappointment : the loss of a job , the breakup of a relationship or financial ruin , surely a major issue in today 's economy . Finally , they need access to a weapon powerful and rapid enough to satisfy their intense need for revenge . Without much hope for a brighter tomorrow , these assailants often decide that life is not worth living ; rather than just taking their own life in quiet solitude , they are eager for payback . It becomes their all-consuming mission to avenge , with a death penalty , against those who caused them to suffer -- in reality or perhaps only in their paranoid interpretation of events . Experiencing disappointment and failure so profound as to extinguish their desire to survive , most mass killers deliberately and methodically execute those closest to them , those they hold responsible for their troubles . There is little surprise , therefore , that mass murder overwhelmingly involves family members or co-workers , not total strangers . Although there certainly are many well-known episodes of random slaughter of complete strangers , these are more the exception than the rule . In the wake of extraordinary shooting sprees like the Alabama tragedy , calls for tighter gun control typically surface as a possible policy response for prevention . Yet the mass shooting just hours later and thousands of miles away in rural Germany , where gun limits are stricter than in the United States , reminds us that any debate must confront questions broader than just guns , even if the use of a high-powered firearm tends to increase the victim toll . Regrettably , there are no simple fixes nor any means for reliably identifying mass killers before they act , despite the consistent profile . There are tens of thousands of Americans who would fit the mold , yet , fortunately , very few of them decide literally to take matters and guns into their own hands . The best we can do , in terms of public policy and hometown approach , is to reach out to those around us who appear to be struggling emotionally or financially and offer friendship , compassion and understanding . At the end of the day , our efforts may not eliminate the risk of mass murder or necessarily deter the next Michael McLendon from turning his community into a personal battle zone , but at least we can enhance the well-being of countless citizens in the process of trying . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Alan Fox . | James Alan Fox : Alabama and Germany shootings raise questions about motive . Evidence in many cases shows killers do n't suddenly go berserk , he says . Fox says mass killers react after losses and lack social support system . He says they blame others , rather than themselves , for their failures . | [[314, 379], [334, 388], [392, 401], [1861, 1932], [1936, 1961], [1965, 1974], [2843, 2914], [2642, 2648], [2651, 2683], [3922, 3970]] |
On CNN 's `` State of the Union , '' host and chief national correspondent John King goes outside the Beltway to report on the issues affecting communities across the country . This week , King traveled to Georgia to learn about the toll military service is taking on two veterans . Chris Tucker , who served three tours in Iraq , suffers from hearing , back , foot problems and still has nightmares . SAVANNAH , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As his tank rolled into Baghdad in April 2003 , Chris Tucker mounted his camera to capture the moment . `` It 's history ; we made history , '' he told CNN back then . `` It 's my first war , hopefully my last war . '' He could not have imagined then that six years later , Iraq would still be a combat zone . `` I thought we would get there quick and handle our business and we 'd be out , '' Tucker told us this week . `` At least , that 's what we were told anyway . '' Tucker received a medical discharge from the Army last year and he now is Officer Chris Tucker of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department . `` You still get to serve your community and your country in other ways , '' he said . At age 26 , he is a veteran of three combat tours . The patrol skills he learned on the streets of Baghdad , Fallujah and Sadr City come in handy as he drives his police cruiser around the neighborhoods of his Savannah precinct . `` Some people -- you will be moving around the corner and they will just run , '' Tucker said as he drove his cruiser . `` And you can tell they are favoring one side -- maybe they have a gun . '' He loves his new job , and the joys of fatherhood . His daughter Callie was born three months ago . iReport.com : Send your salute to troops . `` So my life is slowing down , '' Tucker said . `` But I enjoy the slow pace . '' But he has n't left it all behind . As the war hits the six-year mark , Tucker is part of a history -- and a legacy -- still being written as the military tries to better understand the depth of the damage to those exposed repeatedly to the violence . `` I still have the nightmares and wake up and find myself downstairs and I do n't know how I got there , '' Tucker said . `` I still see and dream the same things . ... Faces . Kids ' faces . People that you have engaged or you have had contact with . ... You see your colleagues blown up . Things like that . '' He left the Army with a sour taste . He was sent back for his third tour despite the nightmares , depression , major hearing loss and painful injuries to his back and both feet . Then , the Army decided to give him a medical discharge for his back issues even though Tucker believes he could have recovered with rehabilitation . But he tries not to dwell on his frustration . `` I try to distance myself from it as much as I can , because for me , the more I think about it , the more I reflect on what happened and what we did , the more I think the dreams and the nightmares actually come back . '' Tucker is as tired of the Iraq war as anyone , but his experience tells him things can suddenly take a turn for the worse , and so he is skeptical of President Obama 's promise to get most combat troops out of Iraq by August 2010 . Watch former VP Cheney discuss Iraq war strategy '' `` I think we are in too deep to pull out , '' Tucker said . `` You ca n't just commit the way we committed and then say , ` OK , we are done . ' ... Politics should not be involved in the way the war is handled . '' There will be no more tours for Tucker , but a colleague on the Savannah-Chatham force will soon deploy for his first Iraq tour , and is being ribbed around the precinct , by Tucker and others , as `` the grandpa going off to war . '' Police Cpl. Randy Powell is 50 years old and became a grandfather just last week . Watch Tucker and Powell tell their stories '' Powell served nearly 20 years ago in the Persian Gulf War , then in 1992 took an early retirement package when the Army was downsizing after the war . The deal required him to stay on what the military calls the IRR -- the Individual Ready Reserve -- but even as troops were sent to Afghanistan after 9/11 and then to Iraq for repeat combat tours , Powell heard nothing . Then last year , nearly 15 years after leaving the military , he was told to report to a local Reserve center . Another request came in January of this year . Both times , after some perfunctory paperwork , Powell was sent home . But when he returned home from work one day last month , an overnight letter from the Army had arrived with orders that he was being activated for an Iraq deployment . First , starting next month , he 'll have refresher training on radar systems at Fort Jackson in South Carolina . `` They 're kind of shocked , '' Powell said of his family . But there are no complaints from Powell -- to the contrary . `` I still feel I am fully capable of being a soldier , '' he told us outside at his police precinct . `` Once a soldier , always a soldier . I find that it 's an honor to serve within the military . I enjoyed the military while I was in . Kind of looking forward to getting back in the groove . '' | Savannah police officer lives with physical , mental injuries from Iraq war . Veteran is skeptical about plans to pull out of Iraq . 50-year-old colleague on force is being called back into service . He 's not complaining -- `` Once a soldier , always a soldier , '' he says . | [[3104, 3149], [3721, 3749]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An SUV carrying almost two dozen undocumented immigrants crashed in Arizona over the weekend , killing 10 people and injuring several others , state police reported Sunday . This Ford Excursion was packed with 22 passengers inside when it crashed in Arizona late Saturday night . The Ford Excursion crashed at about 11:55 p.m. Saturday in a remote area about 30 miles north of the Mexican border , ejecting almost all the 22 passengers inside , police said in a statement . In addition to the dead , 12 people were hospitalized . The identity of the driver , passengers and owner of the Excursion were not released . | SUV is packed with almost two dozen undocumented immigrants . Ford Excursion crashes about 30 miles north of Mexican border in remote area . Almost all of the 22 people jammed inside are ejected from vehicle . In addition to 10 dead , 12 people are hospitalized . | [[19, 83], [299, 414], [193, 298], [299, 317], [417, 461], [0, 15], [114, 144], [519, 548]] |
PLAYA DEL REY , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The black sedan pulled up to the parking lot at Dockweiler State Beach in California , and the five members of The Lost Trailers stepped out -- no chauffeur , no publicist , no manager , no entourage . From left to right , Jeff Potter , Stokes Nielson , Ryder Lee , Manny Medina and Andrew Nielson of The Lost Trailers . But that 's the way this rising country band rolls these days . When they embarked on their current `` Lean , Clean and Local '' tour , they streamlined their operation in the greenest way possible . Since September , they 've reduced their carbon footprint by 132 tons . That meant giving up their tour buses , as well as their road crew and traveling with their own equipment . Their new buzz phrase is `` hiring local '' -- local roadies , local T-shirt vendors , local suppliers for amps and equipment . If they ca n't stuff it in a suitcase , they do n't bring it . The Lost Trailers have also partnered with Keep America Beautiful , a national organization dedicated to litter reduction and recycling . On a recent day off in Los Angeles , singer Ryder Lee , guitarist Stokes Nielson , bassist Manny Medina , keyboardist Andrew Nielson and drummer Jeff Potter met up with a group of young adults from the L.A. Conservation Corps for a little coastal cleanup -- country style . Watch the band at work on the beach '' Three of the band members sported cowboy boots as they sifted through the sand . The kids were from South Central Los Angeles , an inner-city area not generally known for its love of country music . After the cleanup , we pulled the CNN van up to the beach , popped in The Lost Trailers ' CD , and hit `` play '' on their hit single , `` Holler Back . '' As the fiddle and banjo strains of the high-octane hillbilly tune blared through the speakers , there were blank stares all the way around from the students . But after joining in the chorus of `` heys '' and `` hos , '' one young man named Virgil LaFlora started rapping over the verses . It was the most unexpected country/hip-hop mash-up since Tim McGraw and Nelly joined forces for `` Over and Over '' in 2004 . All of a sudden , the two camps had discovered some common ground , and the song ended in cheers and hugs . One girl asked if she could have the CD . CNN talked to the Trailers ' members about their activism and their tour . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : `` Lean , Clean and Local '' is n't just about recycling . You guys are actually going into the community and hiring local people . Stokes Nielson : We did a show with Tim McGraw in New York at the end of last year . It was a fly date for us , so we hired local , and this guy came up to us and said , `` Thank you so much for hiring local , 'cause I have n't had a check in three weeks . '' And we realized as the recession was heading into place , that one of the things we could do to benefit these communities is hire local , and not just bring in our own crews and just extract money form the locals and then leave , but we could also leave a small stimulus of our own . CNN : As rising artists , you work hard to earn the right to have a tour bus . Now you 're giving it up . Stokes Nielson : Since we wo n't have a crew , we thought , `` OK , we 're not going to have the bus anymore , and we 're just going to fly to dates , '' and that cut down our diesel consumption . Andrew Nielson : We travel really light so that we can roll into town , hire the crew , and also hire local equipment . Potter 's a drummer , and everywhere we go , we rent drums . Jeff Potter : We were trying to figure out a way that was practical to get a drum set on a plane , but it did n't really work out . I like it because I get to show up , and somebody working there locally has already set it up for me , and I get to just sit down and play . Ryder Lee : We were trying to get Potter some of those electric drum pads -LRB- which will fit into a suitcase -RRB- , but that 's just not as cool . CNN : Or you could just get a drum machine and eliminate the problem altogether ! That would save the most money . Potter : I like being in the band . Manny Medina : I 'm afraid they 're going to hire local bass players , and I 'll be out of a job ! -LRB- Laugh -RRB- . CNN : Do you save money by hiring local , or does it cost you more this way ? Stokes Nielson : No , it 's about even . It 's not about the money . Obviously , the government is putting a lot of money into trying to get this thing -LRB- the economy -RRB- kick-started . As small-business owners , we want to do our part as well . It 's also really been great to realize that we actually can do something besides just writin ' a song and singin ' it . Lee : We 've set up a Web site : LeanCleanAndLocal.com , and that 's become kind of a Yellow Pages for the local businesses we 've hired . And we have videos on there , and a directory of the folks we 've used , so if other acts were to hire this way , they could come in and use these same people . CNN : Does n't that lead to disaster sometimes ? Medina : So far , it 's been great . Potter : Either we 've been very lucky , or we 've really come up against some great people , but when you 're a national act , there 's a certain level of competence with the people you deal with , and that 's great to see . CNN : I 'm sure there were a lot of organizations you looked at before partnering up with Keep America Beautiful . Why that organization ? Lee : I think as country artists , it 's really important to preserve the things that we grew up with . We 're naturally outdoors men because of where we grew up , and keeping the rivers and streams clean is part of being country , and we 're really proud of that . And Keep America Beautiful and their efforts in recycling and litter cleanup was really fitting for us , so it was a natural place to reach out -- not to mention , at our shows , there tends to be a few bottles and cans that build up . -LRB- Laugh -RRB- . Stokes Nielson : This tour may not last forever . Maybe just until the recession is over . But definitely , we want to do our part to give back . Medina : Plus you really get to know the towns better . You meet the people . You do n't just stay on your bus , play a show and leave . You really get to know the towns . | Members of The Lost Trailers try to hire local , reduce carbon footprint . Band partners with Keep America Beautiful , a group dedicated to litter reduction . Guitarist : `` We want to do our part to give back '' Band travels light so members can rent local equipment . | [[2504, 2512], [2555, 2576], [1006, 1075], [4594, 4626], [6129, 6166], [3441, 3493], [3424, 3438], [3521, 3543]] |
Editor 's note : Ken Ballen is president of Terror Free Tomorrow : the Center for Public Opinion , a nonprofit institute that researches attitudes toward extremism . Amjad Atallah co-directs the Middle East Task Force at the New America Foundation , a think tank that promotes ideas across the ideological spectrum . Kenneth Ballen says Iranians overwhelmingly favor better relations with the United States . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a new public opinion poll before Iran 's critical June 12 presidential election , by large margins , most Iranians said they support an American-Iranian rapprochement for bringing a new era of peace to the Middle East . Surveyed on a wide range of issues , Iranians overwhelmingly favor better relations with the United States and greater democracy for Iran . The poll shows that the Iranian public remains far removed from the stereotypes of apocalyptic fanatics commonly asserted in some circles in the United States . The survey suggests that Iranians instead are a people with self-confidence and hope in a more democratic future . It also reveals a population with a strong awareness that the United States is as much a potential ally as it is now seen as a current threat . This holds much promise for U.S. national security interests in the region . These are some of the many findings from a new nationwide public opinion survey of Iran , to be released Monday . Independent and uncensored nationwide surveys of Iran are rare . Typically , pre-elections polls in Iran are either conducted or monitored by the Iranian government and other affiliated interest groups . Consequently , they are notoriously untrustworthy . By contrast , our poll -- the third in a series over the past two years -- was conducted by telephone from a neighboring country , uncensored , with time-tested methodology . Funding for the survey was provided by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund . The poll was led by Terror Free Tomorrow : the Center for Public Opinion and the New America Foundation , with fieldwork by KA Europe SPRL . The full results and methodology are available at terrorfreetomorrow.org . The survey was conducted from May 11 to 20 , with 1,001 random interviews proportionally distributed covering all 30 provinces of Iran , and a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points . Though our poll results show President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the lead , it appears that that none of the presidential candidates will pass the 50 percent threshold needed to automatically win ; a second-round runoff between the two highest finishers -- as things stand , Ahmadinejad and Mir Hussein Moussavi -- is likely . Regardless of whom they may vote for , the No. 1 priority Iranians have for their government is improving the Iranian economy , very closely followed by ensuring free elections , a free press and better trade and relations with the West . It is in this context that the Iranian people strongly support a fundamental change in American-Iranian relations . Right now , Iranians consider the United States and Israel as the greatest -- and only -- threats to Iran . As a result , more than six out of every 10 Iranians oppose any peace deal with Israel and are in favor of the government of Iran providing military and financial assistance to Palestinian groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad , as well as providing military and financial assistance to Iraqi Shiite militias . A majority of Iranians also favor Iran developing nuclear weapons . These `` hard-line '' attitudes dramatically change , however , as part of a potential deal with the United States . More than 70 percent of Iranians favor providing full access to inspectors and a guarantee not to develop or possess nuclear weapons , in return for outside aid and investment . In another consistent trend over the past two years , 77 percent of Iranians also back normal relations and trade with the United States . Indeed , as part of a deal with the United States , 54 percent of Iranians would endorse the Iranian government ending support for Iraqi militias instead of providing military assistance . Rather than supporting the destruction of the state of Israel , as they do now , as part of a deal with the United States , a majority of Iranians would even favor recognizing the state of Israel . Greater democracy , economic progress and good relations with the United States are the ultimate goals for most Iranians . In another indication of the public 's strong support for a more open and fully democratic system of government , 77 percent said they support a political system where the supreme leader , along with all leaders , can be chosen and replaced by a free and direct vote of the people . The vision of the Iranian people for a more democratic future , with normal trade and relations between Iran and the United States , remains the consensus over our three nationwide surveys . Iranians also view their support for Ahmadinejad -- or whoever might be elected the next president of Iran -- as consistent with those goals . The Iranian people are apparently looking to their next president , whether or not it 's Ahmadinejad , to be a Persian Nixon going to China . They want a tough negotiator to bring home a deal for Iran . His mandate is not to continue current hard-line polices with the United States but to change -- if the United States , in turn , is willing to recognize the Islamic Republic and end its policy seeking regime change in Tehran . For Washington , this means that the Iranian people are not an obstacle and that a real bargain can be struck that would find popular support . But the Iranian people are endorsing a negotiating position that leaves little time and much room for miscalculation . President Obama needs to integrate this reality into his strategy for the greater Middle East and , once the elections are complete , engage Iran on the potential of a new strategic relationship . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ken Ballen and Amjad Atallah . | Ballen , Atallah : Most Iranians are not extremists ; they favor peace with U.S. They say poll shows overwhelming support for negotiations . Poll finds Iranian support for a deal regardless of whether Ahmadinejad is re-elected . | [[317, 408], [337, 408], [428, 468], [532, 650], [688, 790], [428, 468], [532, 650], [428, 468], [532, 650]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gabon 's President Omar Bongo , Africa 's longest-serving ruler , died Monday morning , the country 's prime minister said , settling conflicting reports from government and media accounts . Gabon 's President Omar Bongo , who died Monday , was Africa 's longest-serving ruler . Calm was reported after the announcement , but Gabon 's Ministry of Defense nonetheless announced it was closing all of the country 's land , air and sea ports , according to a ministry statement . The statement , which was broadcast on state television and radio , said that in `` the best interest of the nation , the Ministry of Defense calls on the population to increase their vigilance and patriotism during this difficult and painful time the country is facing . '' In a statement , Prime Minister Jean Eyeghe Ndong said Bongo suffered cardiac arrest at a hospital in Barcelona , Spain . `` He dedicated his political life to his country and the Gabonese people , always cultivating the unity and cohesion of the Gabonese toward a true peace , '' Ndong said . The government declared a 30-day national period of mourning . Bongo , 73 , had been receiving treatment for intestinal cancer at the Quiron clinic in Barcelona , Spain , according to the Gabonews agency . Earlier in the day , the prime minister strongly refuted initial French news reports of Bongo 's death . He had vowed to lodge a protest with the French authorities about `` repeated leaks in the French press . '' Shortly afterward , hospital officials reported Bongo 's passing to Gabonese officials . Bongo took power in 1967 , seven years after the West African country 's independence from France . He imposed one-party rule a year after succeeding the country 's first president , who died in office . He allowed multiparty elections after a new constitution in 1991 , but his party has retained control of the government since then . President Obama said Bongo `` played a key role in developing and shaping the strong bilateral relationship that exists between Gabon and the United States today . '' `` President Bongo consistently emphasized the importance of seeking compromise and striving for peace , and made protecting Gabon 's natural treasures a priority , '' Obama said in a statement Monday . `` His work in conservation in his country and his commitment to conflict resolution across the continent are an important part of his legacy and will be remembered with respect . '' CNN 's Per Nyberg and Al Goodman contributed to this report . | NEW : Defense Ministry closing all of the country 's ports after leader 's death . Bongo took power in 1967 , seven years after Gabon 's independence from France . At the time of his death , he was being treated in Spain for intestinal cancer . Earlier Monday , there had been conflicting reports about the state of Bongo 's health . | [[345, 457], [1574, 1598], [1613, 1643], [1128, 1133], [1136, 1225]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Eighteen people , including two soldiers , were killed Saturday in a gunbattle between the Mexican army and organized-crime suspects in the Mexican resort town of Acapulco , the Mexican Ministry of Defense said Sunday . Mexican soldiers hold rifles Saturday during a clash with organized-crime suspects in Acapulco . The incident began about 7 p.m. , when the soldiers went to a location called Avenida Rancho Grande in Acapulco `` to exploit information obtained through an anonymous tip , '' the ministry said in a statement . The soldiers were met by gunfire , it said . Five people were arrested in connection with the shootout . Two soldiers and 16 gunmen were killed , and nine soldiers were wounded , the statement said . The gunmen were not identified , but the statement called them `` members of organized crime . '' Authorities seized 36 large-caliber weapons , 13 small-caliber weapons , two grenade launchers , 13 fragmentation grenades , 3,525 rounds of various caliber ammunition , 180 charges and eight vehicles , the ministry said . CNN 's Arthur Brice and CNN en Español 's Luisa Calad contributed to this report . | Mexican soldiers , organized-crime suspects fight in Acapulco , authorities say . Two soldiers , 16 `` members of organized crime '' killed ; nine other soldiers wounded . Five people arrested in connection with shootout ; authorities seize weapons . Soldiers were investigating anonymous tip , says Mexican Defense Ministry . | [[0, 15], [51, 190], [239, 335], [239, 246], [292, 335], [0, 15], [37, 59], [0, 15], [51, 190], [698, 724], [785, 842], [593, 652], [193, 238]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gunmen killed three police officers in Acapulco , Mexico , early Monday morning in attacks on two police stations , the state news agency Notimex reported . Suspected gang members are handcuffed after a gunbattle in Acapulco , Mexico , on Saturday . The attacks came two days after a ferocious street gunbattle that left 18 people dead , including two soldiers . Mexican soldiers , in trucks and helicopters kept watch over the resort town Monday . Along with swine flu fears , the uptick in violence threatens the tourist economy of Acapulco and other popular resort areas . Witnesses told police that just before 6 a.m. , gunmen armed with AK-47s stepped out of two luxury vehicles , walked toward the police station in the Ciudad Renacimiento neighborhood and began shooting . Acapulco officers Gilberto Reducindo Salazar and Arturo Tonala Aguilar were killed in that incident , according to Notimex . Shortly afterward , at a second local police station , attackers fatally wounded officer Andres Guzman Casiano , Notimex said . A fourth officer was injured . The Guerrero attorney general 's office said the attacks could have been conducted by the same people , as there was a 30-minute gap between them , the state agency reported . It was unknown whether the attacks were connected with Saturday 's shootout , which started when soldiers went to a location called Avenida Rancho Grande in Acapulco on an anonymous tip . They were met by gunfire , according to a statement from Mexico 's Ministry of Defense . Five people were arrested in connection with the shootout . Sixteen gunmen and two soldiers were killed , and nine soldiers were wounded , the statement said . After that incident , authorities seized 36 large-caliber weapons , 13 small-caliber weapons , two grenade launchers , 13 fragmentation grenades , 3,525 rounds of various caliber ammunition , 180 charges and eight vehicles , the ministry said . | Attacks came 2 days after ferocious street gunbattle that left 18 people dead . 2 soldiers , 16 suspected gang members killed ; 9 soldiers wounded Saturday . Five people arrested in connection with shootout ; authorities seize weapons . Mexican soldiers , in trucks and helicopters kept watch over Acapulco on Monday . | [[269, 329], [301, 329], [335, 381], [301, 329], [335, 381], [1646, 1672], [176, 268], [1536, 1595], [1696, 1715], [1718, 1918], [382, 398], [401, 467]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hobbled with age , weathered with time , the World War II veterans stood at attention . One by one , a two-star general delivered flags flown over the Pentagon in their honor . He looked them in their eyes and snapped his right hand in salute . Maj. Gen. Vincent Boles salutes Berga survivor Edward Slotkin , 84 , at an event in Orlando Saturday . `` National treasures , '' Maj. Gen. Vincent Boles said Saturday evening . It marked the first time in history the U.S. Army recognized 350 soldiers held as slaves inside Nazi Germany . The men were beaten , starved and forced to work in tunnels at Berga an der Elster where the Nazi government had a hidden V-2 rocket factory . Berga was a subcamp of the notorious concentration camp Buchenwald . `` These men were abused and put under some of the most horrific conditions , '' the general told a private gathering of Berga survivors . `` It was n't a prison camp . It was a slave labor camp . '' No ranking Army official had ever uttered the words `` slave labor camp '' in reference to the men 's captivity at Berga . Boles knew the gravity of his statement -- that he was setting the historical record straight after 64 years . Watch general set record straight after six decades '' `` That 's why I 'm here . That 's why the Army sent me here : To look them in the eye and tell them that . '' It 's a rare moment to witness history , even more rare when it pertains to America 's greatest generation six decades later . But that 's what happened at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando , first in a private meeting and then in the larger ceremony to honor them . `` It 's humbling , '' Boles said . It was a bittersweet moment . More than 100 of the Berga soldiers died at the slave camp or on a forced death march of more than 200 miles in April 1945 . About 80 of the 350 soldiers had been singled out for being Jewish by the Nazis . Dozens more survived captivity but died as the years passed . There are 22 known Berga survivors still alive , but only a handful made the trip here . `` He used that term slave labor camp . That was never used by anyone before , '' said survivor Samuel Fahrer . `` It was a long time coming . '' See photos inside the camp '' The six Berga survivors present -- Fahrer , 86 ; Morton Brooks , 83 ; Sidney Lipson , 85 ; Peter Iosso , 83 ; Wallace Carden , 84 ; and Edward Slotkin , 84 -- looked on stoically as Boles spoke privately with them . The men 's faces hid decades of pain from what they endured in the waning months of World War II in 1945 . They 'd given up decades ago that the Army would recognize them . `` It means a great deal -- that it 's being recognized and understood , '' Brooks told the general . See excerpts from diary inside Berga '' Boles recited a soldier 's war ethos : I will always place the mission first ; I will never quit ; I will never accept defeat and I will never leave a fallen comrade . He looked at each of the weathered war heroes and said , `` Just as they never left their fallen comrades , we will never leave them . '' `` You were good soldiers and you were there for your nation . '' Boles added , `` They 're looking around and they 're thanking me for coming . And I 'm the one thanking them because I get to bask in the character of these great heroes . '' If there was a skeptic coming into the evening , it was Fahrer , a U.S. medic held at Berga . He had dedicated much of his life in the years after the war seeking recognition for the men . He had been outraged that the government in 1948 commuted the death sentences of two Berga commanders , Erwin Metz and his superior , Hauptmann Ludwig Merz . Fahrer sought for their death sentences to be reinstated . See document from War Department letting commanders off '' A native of Long Island , New York , the typically talkative Fahrer was rendered nearly speechless as the general spoke . `` After 60 years , I gave up hope a long time ago , and I 'm glad you 're here with us tonight , '' Fahrer told Boles . Boles said he could n't speak to why the Berga commanders got off so easy , but he said he knew `` it caused a great deal of pain for these men . '' In modern times , he said , if U.S. soldiers were held at a slave camp in Iraq or Afghanistan , he 'd expect justice for those responsible . `` I think full justice is the right word . '' The general even addressed documents that many of the Berga survivors signed before they were sent back home to the States . `` The interests of American prisoners in the event of future wars , moreover , demand that the secrets of this war be vigorously safeguarded , '' it says . The survivors believed the document meant they were never to speak about their Berga experience . `` That was not our intent at all , but we screwed that up , '' Boles said . `` What the intent of the documents was , for those who had been POWs , not to talk about escapes , people who had assisted them , people who had helped them . Our inability to explain that correctly was , therefore , misunderstood by them . '' He added , `` What they went through did n't need to be kept a secret . '' The night would get more special as this evening progressed . The Berga soldiers were honored in front of a gathering of World War II POWs . About 100 veterans and their families packed a banquet hall . Boles told the group what he said in private -- that the men are `` national treasures . '' `` You may wonder if it mattered , if your service and sacrifice made a difference , if it stood the test of time , '' he said . `` You may rest easy . I have seen your service live . '' The room grew quiet . The general , in dress blues , strode to the six Berga survivors and presented each one with the flags flown over the Pentagon . `` Your nation remembers and it salutes each of you , '' Boles said . Each of the elders saluted the general back . The room was then told to stand on orders of the president of the United States . The entire room came to a hushed silence and rose to its feet . Fahrer , the medic who had fought so hard for justice for his Berga comrades , was asked to step forward . And there before the crowd on this historic evening , he was presented with one of the nation 's highest honors , the Bronze Star . `` To all who shall see these presents , greeting : this is to certify that the President of the United States of America authorized by executive order , 24 August 1962 , has awarded the Bronze Star Medal to Private Samuel Fahrer , Army of the United States , for meritorious achievement while serving with Medical Detachment , 110th Infantry Regiment in the European Theater of Operations on 19 December 1944 , in military operations against an armed enemy of the United States . '' He had earned the medal 65 years ago , but due to clerical errors it had never been given to him . Fahrer beamed with pride . He had shed few tears since his time at Berga . But on this night , even Fahrer had trouble containing his emotions . `` I 'm not the crying type , but it got me right here , '' he said , his hand over his heart as he searched for words . At long last , the Berga men finally had some comfort . `` It 's satisfying that after all this time amends could be made , '' Brooks said . `` When there 's talk of the Holocaust , we understand it . '' The general commended CNN for its reporting on the issue in recent months , saying those reports helped change the men 's legacy . Boles applauded Reps. Joe Baca , D-California , and Rep. Spencer Bachus , R-Alabama , who urged the Army to act to honor the Berga soldiers . At one point Saturday evening , Berga survivor Sidney Lipson pulled me to the side . `` Why did you care so much that we be recognized ? '' `` Because you deserved it , '' I replied . He clutched his encased flag , pulled it to his heart and smiled . `` Thank you . '' Note from CNN 's Wayne Drash : For Berga survivors who were not able to attend the Orlando event , the Army is working to coordinate events in the men 's communities . I also want to thank CNN 's audience who lobbied Congress and the Army to give these soldiers recognition . | For first time in history , Army recognizes soldiers held as slaves in Nazi Germany . Maj. Gen. Vincent Boles presented six Berga survivors with flags flown over Pentagon . 350 soldiers held at Berg an der Elster ; `` It was a slave labor camp , '' general says . `` These men were abused and put under some of the most horrific conditions '' | [[460, 495], [496, 570], [138, 213], [5655, 5666], [5686, 5692], [5724, 5757], [496, 570], [952, 979], [2077, 2113], [783, 807], [783, 795], [812, 858]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of Pakistani residents have taken up arms and are battling local Taliban militants in the wake of a deadly mosque attack last week . A Pakistani police stands guard at a checkpoint in Peshawar , Pakistan on June 8 . It is the first major battle between the residents of northwest Pakistan and Taliban militants near the Afghanistan border . The residents are outraged over a suicide attack on a local mosque during Friday prayers that killed at least 40 people and wounded some 80 others . Starting on Saturday morning , some 400 villagers in the Upper Dir district formed a `` lashkar '' -- or militia -- to fight the Taliban , killing 14 of the militants as of Sunday evening , according to local administrator Atiq Ur Rehman . Four of the villagers have been injured in the battle , Rehman said . The militia have burned a number of houses thought to be sheltering the militants , according to Upper Dir police chief Ijaz Kahn . Both the residents and Taliban fighters are using heavy weapons , including rocket launchers and anti-aircraft weapons , Rehman said . There is a long history of Taliban presence in the area , including foreign fighters in leadership roles , local officials said . Authorities said Taliban fighters were driven out of Shot Ghas and Ghazigay -- two villages where the Taliban have support . The villagers took up arms against the Taliban after Friday 's suicide attack at a mosque in Hayagay Sharqi -- a village in Upper Dir located about 35 km -LRB- 22 miles -RRB- from the Afghan border and known for being against the Taliban . Upper Dir is a part of the Swat Valley , where the Pakistani military has waged a month-long operation against Taliban militants , but the district has not been part of the ongoing military offensive . The United Nations has said an estimated 2 million Pakistanis have been displaced by fighting between the Pakistani military and Taliban militants . The militants threatened to continue attacking cities in Pakistan until the military ends its operations against Taliban militants . As a result , Pakistani authorities have increased security in Islamabad , Pakistan 's capital city . CNN 's Ingrid Formanek and journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report . | Upper Dir , part of Swat Valley , is where Pakistan army are fighting Taliban militants . U.N. says an estimated 2 million Pakistanis have been displaced by fighting . Backlash follows suspected Taliban suicide attack Friday at a mosque . Official : Both sides using heavy weapons , including anti-aircraft weapons . | [[12, 36], [95, 181], [1611, 1649], [1634, 1649], [1652, 1739], [1813, 1961], [1836, 1961], [12, 36], [95, 181], [390, 478], [1371, 1460], [981, 1099]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- John Travolta , still in mourning over the death of his teenage son earlier this year , issued a rare public statement urging fans to see his latest movie , `` The Taking of Pelham 123 , '' which he filmed last year . John Travolta stars as a villainous ex-inmate in `` The Taking of Pelham 123 , '' which opens in theaters Friday . `` I promise , you wo n't be disappointed , '' said Travolta , who plays a deranged ex-inmate who takes hostages on a New York subway . Travolta did not join co-star Denzel Washington in the promotional tour for the movie -- which hits theaters Friday -- because he said his family needed `` additional time to reconcile our loss . '' His son Jett , 16 , was found unconscious on January 2 while on vacation with his family in the Bahamas . The teen was taken to a hospital , where he was pronounced dead on arrival , local police said . Washington , who plays a subway train dispatcher forced to face down Travolta 's character , said he talked to the actor about three weeks ago . `` Needless to say , he 's struggling , '' Washington said in an interview last week . Travolta 's statement , which can be read on his official Web site , said Washington , director Tony Scott and the producers `` stepped up without hesitation to help promote this wonderful film , and their unselfish efforts have allowed my family the additional time to reconcile our loss . '' Making the movie was `` a labor of love , '' Travolta said . `` Tony gave me the freedom to define , and then to become , the ultimate evil mastermind , '' he said . `` This role as an actor gave me the chance to dispense with all moral and ethical limitations , and explore just how bad this character could really be . I believe you will like the result . '' Much of the movie is a dialogue between Washington and Travolta 's character over a two-way radio . Many of the action shots were filmed in New York subway tunnels . | John Travolta releases statement on his Web site about `` The Taking of Pelham 123 '' Travolta , still mourning son 's death , praised colleagues for `` unselfish efforts '' Travolta 's son Jett died in January during family vacation . | [[1147, 1213], [1343, 1437], [0, 11], [66, 129]] |
Editor 's note : Jane Velez-Mitchell is host of the HLN show , `` Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell , '' a topical event-driven show with a wide range of viewpoints . Velez-Mitchell is the author of `` Secrets Can Be Murder : What America 's Most Sensational Crimes Tell Us About Ourselves . '' Jane Velez-Mitchell says tougher penalties are needed to keep sex offenders from committing more crimes . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Early last month , beautiful 25-year-old Laura Garza went missing . Her family holds out hope she is still alive . An aspiring dancer from Texas , Garza moved to New York City to pursue her career . On December 2nd , she went to the posh Manhattan nightclub Marquee to blow off some steam with her friend . Security video shows Garza leaving the club with convicted sex offender Michael Mele , according to the New York Police Department . NYPD officials confirmed that Mele then drove Garza about an hour away toward his apartment . Garza was reported missing the next day . New York state police searched Mele 's apartment and court documents indicate officers observed apparent bite marks on Mele 's hand and scratches on his back and shoulder . According to court records and state police , large pieces of carpet were missing from his apartment and days later , carpet pieces that seemed to match Mele 's were found on the side of a nearby road . Search parties have been combing roads , woods , and swampland , and police divers searched for clues in a nearby lake , but the search has gone cold in recent weeks . Mele is in jail for violating probation and is a suspect , but he has not been charged in Garza 's disappearance , according to state police . Laura Garza is still missing more than a month later . Her family has joined search efforts in New York and prays they will find her alive , but police are treating the case as a homicide . The worst part about this tragic story ? It may have been preventable . Laura Garza had no idea she was leaving that club with a sex offender . After all , most of them look pretty normal . Few fit the Hollywood stereotype of the creepy guy wearing a trench coat and driving a white van . Laura Garza may have been unaware who she was with that night , but the legal system certainly knew him . Michael Mele previously pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault , including one count of masturbating in front of two women . And he was violating probation . And he had an outstanding warrant for allegedly exposing himself to a woman in a mall parking lot . Mele has n't been convicted of anything in this case or charged in Garza 's disappearance , but even if he is innocent , the larger question of how the criminal justice system deals with sex offenders remains a vital issue . In a sane world , Mele is not a free man on that night , able to allegedly target Laura Garza . But we do n't live in a sane world . We live in a world where sexual assault is business as usual . Where 's the outrage ? The Garza case is a microcosm of a societal problem . As a nation , we must realize there is no such thing as a `` minor '' sexual offense -- because sex offenders often start small and graduate to more serious crimes . According to a 2003 Department of Justice study , 78 percent of imprisoned sex offenders had prior arrests and 28 percent had prior arrests for sex crimes . According to the same study , one quarter of men serving time for rape and 19 percent of those serving time for sexual assault had been on probation or parole at the time of the offense that landed them in prison . The formula is simple . Sex offenders start off by nabbing the easy prey -- committing the so-called `` minor '' sexual offenses like flashing random women , or the crimes Michael Mele committed . Then , after getting away with it or receiving a slap on the wrist , they become hungrier and develop into full-fledged predators . And it 's only when they sink their teeth into their prey that the legal system finally brings down the hammer . But it 's too late . To stop this progression , we must start treating all sexual offenses as major crimes . In the same Justice Department study , on average , the sex offenders served less than half of their sentences . So basically that means Paris Hilton served more of her sentence than the average person convicted of a sex crime does . I 'm glad our justice system has its priorities straight . The simple answer is to take all sex offenders off the streets , from the moment they commit the first `` minor '' offense . I 'm not just talking about putting them behind bars . We need to rehabilitate these predators at the earliest stage possible , before their behavior worsens . And if the prisons are too crowded to hold them , how about releasing some of the nonviolent drug offenders to make some room ? They ca n't be worse than sex offenders on the prowl who , compared with non-sex offenders released from prison , are four times more likely to be rearrested for a sex crime , according to a government study . This problem is out in the open . I see it . My viewers see it . But how many Laura Garzas will it take to before politicians and judges see it and are willing to do something about it ? The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jane Velez-Mitchell . | Jane Velez-Mitchell : Sex offenders are often let out on the street too soon . Victims pay the price for inadequate punishment and rehabilitation , she says . Velez-Mitchell says we must treat all sex offenses as serious crimes . | [[4068, 4128]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oooooooshie the clown knows the instant effect he has on patients . The Lev Leytzan clowns perform for children and patients in hospitals to spread laughter and joy . `` When you walk out of a room hearing people laugh and smile , you hear them talking about it , '' said the clown , whose real name is Asher Mechanic . He entertains children and patients as part of a clown troupe in New York called Compassionate Clown Alley , bringing laughter to those in hospitals . `` It 's the spreading of giving from one person to another , like a chain reaction , '' Mechanic said . The clown organization is also known as Lev Leytzan , a name derived from the program 's roots working with Jewish youth . In Hebrew , lev means heart , and leytzan is a clown , so the translation is `` The Heart of the Clown . '' Watch the clowns talk about their work . '' `` Lev Leytzan allows me to take -LSB- something -RSB- scary and mundane for the patient and into something exciting beautiful and playful , '' said the group 's founder , Dr. Neal Goldberg , a Woodmere , New York-based clinical psychologist . For the last two and half years , the clowns have been bringing cheer to the patients at the South Nassau Communities Hospital . `` The patients get satisfaction from having some sunshine coming to them in the hospital , '' said Phyllis Citera , director of volunteer services at the hospital . `` Sundays at the hospital are typically quiet , especially for those patients who do n't have visitors stopping by . The clowns especially cheer them up . '' A positive approach empowers people who are ill , said Goldberg , who works with children , teenagers and young adults . Six years ago , while working on a bereavement project , he realized he was making a clown of himself and others in an effort to help people cope with pain . He wondered what would distract the patients from their pain and bring joy . Inspired by the work of Dr. Patch Adams , who was portrayed by Robin Williams in the 1998 film `` Patch Adams , '' Goldberg thought of running a similar program in which he and others could bring joy to people in orphanages , hospitals and retirement homes using the same whimsical approach . Goldberg researched the subject before putting on a red nose and trying out therapeutic clowning for himself . `` I found it powerful in terms of my own growth and freedom of expression and creativity , and thought it would be something wonderful and powerful to bring back to the community , to teens in particular , '' he said . Goldberg 's clowns range from 13 to 22 years old and say they find it both empowering and humbling . `` As a clown , you get more than you give , '' said Dassy Newman , a former clown . `` You ca n't hold back , you have to give it all . You have to give your heart , your soul , your energy , everything . It 's the most exhausting thing you 've ever done , but at the same time it 's the most exhilarating . '' Dr. Carolyn Fein-Levy , a pediatric oncologist at Schneider Children 's Hospital in New Hyde Park , New York , said Goldberg 's clowns provide relief to the patients . `` Whenever the clowns are around , the children are happier , '' Fein-Levy said . `` When they are happier , their parents enjoy watching them . They recapture their childhoods lost as a result of being sick . Clowns are a good distraction and it helps them feel normal . Nothing is more important for them than feeling normal , because their lives are not normal while going through therapy . '' She also teaches an oncology class to the Lev Leytzan clowns . `` It adds another dimension to their training and gives them an overview and an understanding to know what it 's like to be a kid with cancer , '' she said . Fein-Levy also draws from her own experience , having survived ovarian cancer as a child after a year of chemotherapy . `` I teach in the clown school but I 'm not worried about patients being harmed , '' she said . `` I 'm more worried about harm for clowns because it 's hard to see sick children . Some of the clowns have never really seen illness , and they can be afraid , and that 's OK . '' Clowning might be assumed to be all fun and games , but Goldberg takes the work very seriously . `` Some of the kids may have told you there 's intense amounts of hours of training and rehearsals with doctors and clowns and debriefings , '' he said . Ultimately , Goldberg said , the goal of Lev Leytzan is to `` change people 's worlds , create worlds for people that need it , and to help people play . '' He does it all under the mantra of `` serious clowning , a story behind every smile . '' | Clown group Lev Leytzan gets name from working with Jewish youth . Founder says he was inspired by Dr. Patch Adams to bring joy to patients . Clowns who perform for patients say experience is humbling . Mantra of group is `` serious clowning , a story behind every smile '' | [[604, 655], [678, 726], [1933, 1972], [348, 402], [457, 498], [2557, 2589], [2610, 2657], [4564, 4618]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Enya is an anomaly . Think about it : How many recording artists have enjoyed 20 years of success while never having toured ? Enya sets her own pace when making albums . `` And Winter Came '' is her first CD in three years . `` The fans are very , very loyal , '' says the Irish chanteuse . `` They 're always saying , ` When is the next album ? ' They know when I finish in the studio it 's got to be a few years before the next album . '' Perhaps it 's the vast gaps between releases that help make Enya , 47 , the Emerald Isle 's second-biggest-selling artist of all time -LRB- after U2 -RRB- . Thanks to a stipulation in her recording contract , the Grammy winner has the luxury of setting her own pace with each project , another rarity in the music business . She 'll devote two to three years to each album , flitting between her Dublin castle and the studio , where she works tirelessly to perfect every celestial chord and layer harmony upon harmony . `` I always felt that the music sells by itself , '' she says . `` The music has always been the successful aspect on my career and that means that , to me , I can always still stay very focused on music . '' Watch Enya revel in harmony '' Her latest album -- the seventh of her career -- celebrates both the drama and quiet contemplation that come with the winter season . Called `` And Winter Came , '' the release has reached the top 10 on album charts across Europe and in the U.S. since its November release . And while Enya wo n't commit to the idea of taking her tunes on the road , she does hint at the possibility . `` To actually tour with the songs would be wonderful . It would be very much on a large scale : the orchestra , the choir . There 'd be a lot of rehearsals , but it 'd be very exciting , '' she says . Enya spoke to CNN about how her music is like an onion -LRB- think layers , not tears -RRB- , keeping a low profile , and marking the 20-year anniversary of `` Watermark , '' her breakout album . CNN : What does wintertime mean to you ? Enya : Wintertime for me is a time when I do a lot of my writing in the studio . It 's a time I enjoy . And it 's very reflective and a very calming time of the year . Throughout the year I gather a lot of musical inspirations and this is where I bring them to the studio and see what will evolve musically . CNN : You set out to make a Christmas album . How did the project evolve ? Enya : I 've always wanted to put together a Christmas album . So I was writing some Christmas carols and what happened was some of the songs started to veer more into winter themes . And when I discussed it with -LSB- producer and lyricist -RSB- Nicky and Roma -LSB- Ryan -RSB- , they felt , well , within winter is the celebration of Christmas , so let 's infuse the two themes together . CNN : A lot of people think of Enya as a soloist , but really you 're kind of a trio , are n't you ? Enya : I work with two other people , the producer Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan , the lyricist . The way I work with Nicky and Roma is firstly I do the writing of the melodies in the songs , and that 's kind of the solitude moment for me in the studio , which I enjoy very much . When I have the melody -- the idea of the melody -- I play that to Nicky and Roma . ... I get to see their reaction immediately . Is this a song for the album ? And I can see from their reaction -- `` Yes , this is going to work , '' or perhaps it 's not . There are a lot of ideas that Nicky had wanted to experiment with . When I met with him first he had this idea of using a voice -- one voice -- as an instrument to layer many times and he knew my love of harmonies . Some people who hear the songs think that we have a set routine , a set formula we work with . It is n't , ... because each song is very different , and it 's very spontaneous on my part . CNN : About the layering of your voice ... at any given time how many Enyas might we be listening to ? Enya : I do n't count ! It 's a very spontaneous moment on my behalf . I will listen back to the last harmony I 've sung , and then I 'll sort of try to enhance that harmony . Then Nicky will decide if he 'll record my voice 20 times or 30 times -LSB- for -RSB- that one part . CNN : I read that you might -LSB- record -RSB- as many as 80 vocal tracks . Is that a reasonable number ? And then I read 500 . That 's got to be ridiculous ! Enya : Yes , it can be , but you have to remember that -LSB- if -RSB- it 's 500 vocals I would n't have sung them at the same time . We 're talking about over two years that we keep going back to arrange vocal parts on these songs . It 's a very slow process . CNN : It 's hard to believe that it was about 20 years ago that you made `` Watermark . '' Do you ever go back and listen to that record ? Enya : Well , with the anniversary , yes , I 've been listening to `` Watermark . '' It 's kind of like a journal for me . It takes you back to that time in your life . Each song has its own little story and I can hear the life of that song . You know how it was written , what inspired me , what worked , what did n't work . But the nice thing about spending two to three years on an album is I can say there 's nothing I would change on any of the albums . CNN : You 've said that you change the formula a little with each album , but to an untrained ear your music has sort of stayed the same throughout your career . Are you a believer in the saying `` If it ai n't broke , do n't fix it '' ? Enya : Musically it has to be something that I 'm comfortable to perform . Would we ever hear Enya with a guitar solo ? I say , `` Never say never . '' And there 's a guitar solo on `` My ! My ! Time Flies . '' This happened because it suited the song . It 's always got to sound like me because it 's my voice and there 's always this little sense of melancholy that is inherent in my melodies . I think that 's because of my Irish culture . CNN : Your manager has suggested that one of the secrets to your success is that you keep a fairly low profile . Do you agree ? Enya : It 's very easy for me to keep a low profile because the focus I feel is always on the music . Success and fame are two different things . And so I feel the success is always towards the music , which means that I can have a very normal and private lifestyle . | Enya 's new album is `` And Winter Came '' Irish singing star keeps a low profile , works on albums for years . Enya 's voice may be overdubbed hundreds of times for each album . | [[1377, 1388], [1391, 1393], [5951, 6059]] |
BETHESDA , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Josh Winston is a self-described problem solver . From his spacious office on the seventh floor of a high-rise building in Bethesda , Maryland , he fills out tax returns and keeps the books balanced for a number of his accounting clients . Josh Winston stands outside the 1983 RV he was converting to run on vegetable oil . `` Everything on the left always equals everything on the right . For math-oriented people and musicians like me , that 's very satisfying , '' he says . Four years ago , Winston was watching a late-night news program and saw a segment about converting diesel vehicles to run on alternative fuels . That night , Winston was hooked . He ordered a conversion kit for $ 900 and proceeded to convert a truck to run on used vegetable oil -- just to see if he could . Soon after , he converted his 1998 Jetta and affixed a sticker to the rear bumper that said , `` This vehicle runs on straight vegetable oil . '' `` For a single bumper sticker , I was surprised at how many people stopped me and said , ` Hey , how do you do that ? ' '' Before taking on his first conversion , he had n't worked on a car since his 1978 Plymouth Volare -- which he drove in college . By Winston 's estimate , there are fewer than 10,000 vehicles on the road that have undergone these diesel conversions . Now , he sells and installs his own kits -- and he 's the only person in the Washington , D.C. , area to offer the service . Though his side business , named `` Feed My Wheels dot com , '' has only converted a handful of vehicles , he recently took on his largest project by far -- a 1983 Itasca RV . `` There 's a lot of trial and error , '' says Winston . Watch the `` problem solver '' at work '' Over the course of two days , Winston ran into many a problem . First , the batteries kept dying . Later , there was an issue with the alternator . By the end of Day 2 , as Winston was preparing to fill a 40-gallon veggie-oil tank in the RV with recycled oil from a Chinese food restaurant , a neighbor watching him tipped over an 80-gallon holding tank , spilling tens of gallons of brown , smelly oil down his street . `` It 's OK , '' Winston quipped , `` earthworms love this stuff . '' After nearly 50 hours of cutting and reattaching hoses , Winston managed to get the RV running and successfully switched over to the vegetable oil tank . He claims that veggie-oil emissions are about half of those of petroleum-based diesel fuel . `` If you 're emitting half the carbon dioxide that our neighbor is , that means one of two things : Either your neighbor can drive twice as much , or you 're having a significant positive impact on the environment , '' Winston says . `` In some small way , we 're contributing to saving the environment . It 's going to save a glacier somewhere . '' | `` Problem solver '' converts vehicles to run on vegetable oil , not diesel . A 1983 RV recently became this converter 's largest project . Recycled vegetable oil for RV came from Chinese food restaurant . Small steps can add up : `` It 's going to save a glacier somewhere '' | [[0, 8], [11, 88], [319, 362], [696, 698], [738, 795], [891, 906], [912, 916], [919, 967], [1577, 1619], [696, 698], [738, 795], [1915, 2034], [2789, 2830]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The jet carrying 228 people from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , that disappeared overnight as it entered an area of strong turbulence probably crashed into the Atlantic Ocean , the CEO of Air France said Monday . Anne and Michael Harris , who lived in Rio de Janiero , Brazil , were two Americans aboard the flight . Brazilian and French ships and planes were looking for any sign of the missing plane , authorities said . The first three hours of what was to have been an 11-hour flight appear to have been uneventful , CEO Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said . But about 4:15 a.m. Paris time , Flight 447 's automatic system began 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 , '' he said . `` This succession of messages signals a totally unforeseeable , great difficulty , '' he said . `` Something quite new within the plane . '' During that time , there was no contact with the crew , 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 . He said the Airbus A330 was probably closer to Brazil than to Africa when it crashed . He noted that turbulence made flying `` difficult '' in the area but that it is `` too early to say '' exactly what happened . The chances of finding any survivors were `` very low , '' French President Nicolas Sarkozy admitted Monday . `` This is a catastrophe the likes of which Air France has never seen before , '' he said at Charles de Gaulle International Airport , where he met with relatives of the missing . `` I said the truth to them : The prospects of finding survivors are very low , '' he said . The airline company identified the nationalities of the victims as two Americans , an Argentinean , an Austrian , a Belgian , 58 Brazilians , five British , a Canadian , nine Chinese , a Croatian , a Dane , a Dutch , an Estonian , a Filipino , 61 French , a Gambian , 26 Germans , four Hungarians , three Irish , one Icelandic , nine Italians , five Lebanese , two Moroccans , three Norwegians , two Polish , one Romanian , one Russian , three Slovakian , two Spanish , one Swedish , six Swiss and one Turk . An official list of victims by name was not available late Monday . The American victims were identified as Michael Harris , 60 , and his wife , Anne , 54 , by the couple 's family and his employer , Devon Energy in Oklahoma -- the largest U.S.-based independent natural gas and oil producer . Michael Harris was a company geologist in Rio de Janeiro , according to a company spokesman . Anne Harris ' sister , Mary Miley , told CNN the couple had been living in the city since July 2008 and that they were traveling to Paris for a training seminar for Michael and for a vacation . `` Anne and Mike were indeed a beautiful couple inside and out and I miss them terribly already , '' Miley said in an e-mail . Sarkozy said French authorities sent ships and planes to the area about 250 miles -LRB- 400 kilometers -RRB- from Brazil . `` Our Spanish friends are helping us ; Brazilians are helping us a lot as well . '' French Transport Minister Jean-Louis Borloo told CNN affiliate France 2 that France asked the U.S. military to assist in the search through U.S. detection satellites . Pentagon officials in Washington did not immediately confirm the request . Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told reporters in San Salvador , El Salvador , that he had spoken with Sarkozy but neither leader knew what to say . `` All we could do was thank each other , '' Lula said . `` He thanked me for the speed with which the Brazilian air force took charge . '' He added , `` In times like these , there is little to do but to deeply lament , to wish the families a lot of strength , because there are no words in times like these . '' Sarkozy said authorities were seeking the help of satellites that might be able to pick up signs of what happened to the 4-year-old Airbus 330 . No possibility was being excluded : Turbulence in the area was strong , but other planes were able to pass through it without incident , he said . The plane reported a problem with the electrical system , `` but the specialists refuse for the moment to express themselves about any possibility , '' Sarkozy said . The jet also sent a warning that it lost pressure , the Brazilian air force said . Watch aviation expert describe possible scenarios '' It lost contact with air traffic control between Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro and Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris , the airline said Monday . The Airbus A330 sent out an automatic signal warning of the electrical problems just after 2 a.m. GMT Monday as it flew `` far from the coast , '' said an Air France spokeswoman who declined to be identified . It had just entered a stormy area with strong turbulence , she said . The jet was flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet and a speed of 521 mph , the air force said . Among the passengers were 126 men , 82 women , seven children and a baby , in addition to the 12 crew members , Air France officials in Brazil said . Much of the route is out of radar contact , Brazilian air force Col. Henry Munhoz told TV Globo . The flight , AF 447 , took off from Galeao International Airport at 11:30 p.m. Sunday GMT . It was scheduled to land in Paris at 9:10 a.m. GMT . Learn more about recent notable airplane crashes '' Its last known contact occurred at 2:33 a.m. GMT , the Brazilian air force spokesman said . It was expected to check in with air traffic controllers at 3:20 a.m. GMT but did not do so , the Brazilian air force said in a statement . Brazilian authorities asked the air force to launch a search mission just over three hours later , at 6:30 a.m. GMT , the statement said . The plane reported no problems before takeoff , Joao Assuncao , Air France 's manager in Brazil , told the country 's Record TV . The airline set up a crisis center at the Paris airport . It listed numbers for families to call : 0 800 800 812 for people in France and 00 33 1 57 02 10 55 for families outside France . At a crisis center at the airport in Rio , relatives of the missing complained of a dearth of information from Air France , the Brazilian state news agency reported . One man , who identified himself as Bernardo , said his brother , Romeo Amorim Souza , and his wife were on the missing flight . `` I came to the airport because I was n't finding information , and my parents are very nervous , '' he told Agencia Brasil . The missing A330 last underwent a maintenance check on April 16 , the airline said . CNN air travel expert Richard Quest said the twin-engine plane , a stalwart of transatlantic routes , had an impeccable safety record , with only one fatal incident involving a training flight in 1994 . `` It has very good range and is extremely popular with airlines because of its versatility , '' he said . Its crew was composed of three pilots and nine cabin crew members , including a captain who has logged 11,000 hours in flight . About 1,700 of those hours were on the A330 and A340 . Of the two co-pilots , one has 3,000 hours of flying experience and the other 6,600 hours . The aircraft has flown 18,870 hours . The model is `` capable of communicating in several different ways over quite long distances even if they are out of radar coverage , '' said Kieran Daly of the online aviation news service Air Transport Intelligence . The French Accident Investigation Bureau for civil aviation is investigating , the company said in a statement . CNN 's Lianne Turner , Ayesha Durgahee , Helena DeMoura , Isa Soares and Mariano Castillo contributed to this report . | CEO : `` Several pieces of aircraft equipment were at fault or had broken down '' Passenger jet carrying 228 people disappears off coast of Brazil , airline says . Air France says jet may have suffered electrical problems after hitting storm . Expert says plane is extremely popular with airlines . | [[616, 646], [730, 818], [34, 81], [4220, 4275]] |
EL PASO , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- CNN Hero Maria Ruiz has been changing the lives of children and their families in Juarez , Mexico , for more than 12 years . But lately , it 's been Ruiz 's own life that 's been changing . Crews prepare to demolish Maria Ruiz 's home as part of ABC 's `` Extreme Makeover : Home Edition . '' In November , `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute '' honored Ruiz for crossing the Texas border to Juarez several times a week to deliver food , clothing and toys to impoverished children and their families . Months later , Ruiz and her family received another surprise , courtesy of ABC 's `` Extreme Makeover : Home Edition . '' Ruiz , her husband and their two children were sent on a five-day vacation to the Bahamas while thousands of volunteers built the family a custom-designed home . `` When Ty Pennington came to our home and said , ` Ruiz family , come on out , ' we all just ran out and could n't believe that we were chosen , '' Ruiz said . `` It 's a blessing to us , but we were n't expecting all of this at all , and it has been overwhelming . '' Pennington is the host of `` Extreme Makeover : Home Edition , '' which selected Ruiz and her family from thousands of applicants throughout Texas . Pennington said the idea was to give Ruiz what she needed most : the tools to do more . Watch Ruiz and her family react to their new home '' In addition to bringing supplies to the people of Juarez , Ruiz and her family are completing construction of a complex there , which includes a community kitchen , an orphanage and a trade school . Read more about Ruiz 's work . In order to devote their time to the Juarez community , the family put construction of their own home on hold in 1996 , Ruiz said , leaving many parts unfinished . They were also using much of their living space as a warehouse for all of the donations for the Juarez families , she said . `` A home is somewhere you can go after a long day 's work and relax and where the family can get together and be able to sit down and talk about our day , '' Ruiz said . `` When we had the things in the living room , we could n't do that there . '' Upon returning from the Bahamas , Ruiz and her family were surrounded by thousands of volunteers and community members who blocked them from seeing the changes by the show 's large bus . After chanting the show 's coined phrase -- `` Move that bus ! '' -- Ruiz and her family were introduced to their new home . `` For us , it is a new beginning , and it 's going to change our lives , '' Ruiz said . With her new home , Ruiz will be able to continue -- and even expand -- her family 's work for those in need . According to Executive Producer Anthony Dominici , both an additional kitchen and storage space were built in the new home for Ruiz . And `` through the generosity of the community , '' enough donations of food , clothes and toys were collected to fill a 20-foot shipping container and a 16-foot cube truck -- including more than 75,000 cans of food , Dominici said . `` That 's the whole point here , '' Pennington said . `` To give her what she needs to make her life easier to literally spread dreams and hope to people who have absolutely none of either one of those . '' For Ruiz , it 's about teaching young minds so they can in turn give back to their community . `` If you teach them and train them as a child and they go out and do the same , we would live in a much better world . '' `` CNN Heroes : An All-Star Tribute '' introduced Ruiz to the world when it premiered on Thanksgiving on the global networks of CNN . Actress Selena Gomez introduced and presented Ruiz with her CNN Hero award . Each of the top 10 CNN Heroes also received $ 25,000 . Watch Ruiz accept her CNN Hero Award '' Nominations for 2009 CNN Heroes opened January 1 and can be submitted at www.CNN.com/Heroes . The Ruiz family episode of `` Extreme Makeover : Home Edition '' is scheduled to air March 15 . | Thousands of volunteers rebuilt CNN Hero Maria Ruiz 's home for ABC show . CNN had honored Ruiz for bringing food and supplies to poor children in Mexico . Finishing construction on her home had taken a back seat to her charitable work . New home will be revealed March 15 on `` Extreme Makeover : Home Edition '' | [[755, 820], [2150, 2181], [2184, 2268], [448, 536], [3905, 3951]] |
PALMETTO , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The idea of investing in new home construction and high-end restaurant businesses would send most entrepreneurs running these days , but developers in a small community in rural Georgia say they 're still growing . The community of Serenbe in rural Georgia is surrounded by 40,000 acres of dense forest . At first glance Serenbe is a bucolic scene of horses and stables ringed by 40,000 acres of dense oak and pine forest , but as you drive around the first bend , a collection of look-alike white houses emerges , giving the distinct impression of a conventional high-end housing development . But a 21st century high-tech eco-village soon emerges from the mists . There are paths leading to water recycling facilities , composting , recycling , and 25 acres of organic-certified farmland , four of which are planted with anything from hops for beer making to sweet peas . A silver sign is prominently displayed in recognition of Serenbe 's ecologically sound construction , proving that Serenbe is not the average cookie-cutter housing development . Serenbe , a community founded on principles of farm-to-table cooking and environmentally conscious building techniques , has seen its fortunes rise while the rest of the country struggles . The development 's founders have sold four homes and five building lots at the development since January alone , and they believe that innovation may be just the thing the economy needs . Founders Marie and Steve Nygren say they 're running their business the old-fashioned way : looking back to what they call a `` village model , '' where people shop and dine locally , helping to sustain each other 's business while also creating less waste . `` People are looking for what 's important , quality of life , for them and their children . Many of the residents want to know their neighbors , and we 're creating public spaces where they can interact , '' Steve says . The community started small : the Nygrens bought a farmhouse and 90 acres of land back in 1991 . At first they used it as a weekend retreat from nearby Atlanta , but three years later they made it their permanent residence and workplace . Soon the 90 acres became 1000 , the farmhouse became an inn , and the Nygrens developed a vision of community . `` We 're intentional in the way that we respect the environment . It 's about the way you live , the way you interact , the way you eat , '' says Marie . It has also been a business success : today Serenbe is a four-year-old upscale housing development , where the starting price for a house is $ 350,000 . In the last three years Serenbe has grown to a community of 160 residents , mostly young families who work in the Atlanta area , the self-employed or retired . So far , 102 freshly built environmentally friendly homes and business spaces have been rented and sold , a small collection of boutiques and galleries has popped up , and at the heart of the community , three restaurants are thriving . See photos of what the community looks like '' Hilary White is the latest chef to join Serenbe 's community , and her 18-month-old restaurant , The Hil on the Hill , is now the centerpiece of the community 's small commercial block . White came to Serenbe for the four-acre organic farm that is now steps away from her kitchen . She gets her kale there in the winter , her fruit in summer , and for most of the year enough produce for all of her cooking at the restaurant . Not only does she save fuel and energy by minimizing the products she has to have shipped in , but diners near and far are drawn to the freshness of farm-to-table cuisine . `` The winter is a smaller menu , but in the summer it 's endless , '' she says . Harvesting the last delicate bundles of this season 's spinach for tonight 's dinner , she already knows how to use them : `` We like these leaves , nice and crinkly , holds the vinaigrette really well , and it 's just got a real good flavor . '' In colder months she makes her culinary creations with hearty winter vegetables like shitake mushrooms , cabbage and Kohlrabi , a water chestnut-textured turnip . But what 's driving the restaurant 's success in these cold economic climes ? Jim White , Hilary 's husband and business partner , says it 's the alternative nature of their business that has saved them from going under . `` We do n't have as much of a roller coaster ride , people are traveling to see us , and they come from the city because of the whole farm-to-table concept . '' Watch a farm-to-table cooking demo '' Hilary and Jim admit that the restaurant 's sales have slowed recently , but business is brisk enough that they have no plans to scale back . And Serenbe is also bucking some of the national trends , especially when it comes to real estate . According to the National Association of Realtors , new home sales in 2008 were down nearly 37 percent , and it is projected that in 2009 sales could fall another 39 percent . The figures have scared developers away from investing in new types of property , but Steve Nygren says that Serenbe is maintaining sales even now . `` We still have consistent movement , '' Steve says , `` and considering the current environment we 're really pleased . '' Shelton Stanfill was one of Serenbe 's first full-time residents . Before moving to the development in 2006 he ran Atlanta 's Woodruff Arts Center . He says he was attracted to Serenbe because he saw it as a `` poster child for the anti-sprawl mentality . '' Like many other residents , Stanfill was also drawn to the communal feel of the development . `` We lived in Atlanta for 11 years and within four months of being at Serenbe I knew more people by first name than I ever did in my old neighborhood , '' he says . When Steve Nygren started building his vision of an eco-community , conventional developers were skeptical about Serenbe , but now Steve says that `` a lot of those developers are coming out now with tape measures and cameras to see what we 're doing . They 're realizing that high-quality environmental developments sell . '' | Serenbe founded on principles of farm-to-table cooking , green building techniques . Rural Georgia community 's developers say they 're still growing . High-tech eco-village is surrounded by oak and pine forest . Homes , galleries , boutiques , restaurants all part of community . | [[1100, 1208], [175, 252], [253, 342], [389, 459]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You do n't expect to hear an electric saw in church , but Kevin Cross uses the tool along with a frying pan , blender and toaster oven to help free people from debt . Kevin Cross holds the boards steady as a woman uses a reciprocating saw to cut up her credit cards . This money missionary helps people destroy those little plastic shovels , otherwise known as credit cards , that so many people have used to dig their way to financial ruin . `` It 's such an easy message . It really is , '' says Cross , an ex-con who credits religion for his conversion from thief to money coach . `` That 's why it does n't take a rocket scientist , it does n't take a CPA to do it . A first-year bookkeeper can figure out that you ca n't spend more than you make , '' he said . Earlier this month , Cross spoke to about 150 people at the Miami Vineyard Community Church where Kevin Fischer is the pastor . `` You 've got to plan your spending ; you 've got to give back a part to God . You 've got to save for the future , and you 've got to learn to be content , '' said Fischer . Fischer says the pressure of money and debt is enormous on people , especially more recently . `` We should change the marriage vows from 'till death do us part ' to ` debt do us part ' because that 's what 's going on , and it 's so true , '' he said . Cross is breathless . As he speaks to the crowd , he 's a non-stop , does n't - come-up-for-air , high-octane money missionary . He uses Christian principles , prayer , common sense , and a few good one-liners to get his message across . `` I had a 401k , it went to a 201k , went to 101k , now it 's just K , '' he said as the crowd laughs . `` I 'm thinking I got a thousand bucks left , and I can retire for about a week . '' Cross presides over a day-long sermon on how people can make their lives better by taking control of their spending . He says he tries to demonstrate the long-term effects of irresponsible borrowing . Simple stuff , he says , will make people more content and give them the cushion necessary to give back . His new book is `` Building Your Financial Fortress in 52 Days . '' `` I want to get people to have more margin , so instead of investing in stuff , and stuff that does n't last , they can invest in people 's lives , '' he said . The tools he uses to hammer home his message go beyond his overhead TV screens , charts and calculators . Cross invites his guests , who pay $ 25 a head to hear his message , to come up to the front of the room for what he calls the beginning of `` freedom . '' On a table , sit a frying pan , a toaster oven , a blender and a wooden sawhorse and an electric saw . About six people cut up their credit cards and bake them in the toaster oven as if they were TV dinners . Others sliced and diced their Visa , MasterCard and Amex , before mixing the pieces with Spam in the blender . At one point , Cross called for some cooking oil as one lady stood over her credit card-saute with a spatula . Holding a plate full of the little pieces of credit card , Cross said , `` This looks like a melted credit card , but this really represents freedom in these people 's lives , because it 's the first step . '' Cellie Mayol says she used to have 10 or 11 credit cards . She put on protective goggles , taped her cards to a two-by-four and shredded them with a reciprocating saw . `` It just felt like the right thing to do to get me started on the right path , '' she said . `` The Sawzall -LSB- reciprocating saw -RSB- was exhilarating . I love that feeling . '' Kevin Cross was n't always this way . About 20 years ago , as a teen , he embezzled about $ 300,000 from the sheriff 's office in Broward County , Florida . Yes , the sheriff 's office . Cross was a bookkeeper and skimmed money from an account filled by payments from court judgments . He invested the stolen funds and profited about $ 50,000 before he was caught . He was charged with fraud and theft , and spent minimal time in jail . He paid half the money back . But , he says , that was another life ago . Cross says it took him four years to crawl out of his own hole ; He was $ 100,000 in debt . `` I could spend a thousand dollars a day , '' Cross told the crowd . `` Although , I 'd have to spend about two days recovering from that -- you know what I mean , '' he said . `` I completely sabotaged my life , all in one year . I did more damage in one year than most people do in their whole life . '' One night , as a 20 year old , he says , he was parking cars at Miami 's Hyatt Regency hotel . He was wearing black ladies garden shoes , because he could n't afford the black sneakers that were part of his uniform . A Jaguar pulled up , and inside was one of Miami 's most recognizable newsmen , anchorman Dwight Lauderdale . He took the car , turned on the radio , and heard a Christian financial expert say , `` There is hope for the hopeless . All you have to do is give your heart and soul to the Lord . '' `` And then , I thought , oh Lord , if you 're there . I need you . '' `` I was n't going to find satisfaction in money . The only place I was going to find it was outside of that , and I found it , in turning my heart over to God . '' He became a CPA and spends one full day each week doing free financial counseling for needy people . He says he no longer gets high on money . He only helps people understand that they can manage their money in a way that can help themselves , their families and others . Juan and Beth Diaz were at the seminar . They said they ran up their credit cards and that their home , south of Miami , went into foreclosure last year . `` America has been a very greedy , give-me-now country for so long , and I think it 's a wake-up call for everybody that we can live differently , '' said Beth Diaz . Juan Diaz , her husband , says doing away with credit cards has helped them . The couple plans to be debt free in about 18 months . `` They 're telling you : ` Use me , you need me ' -- and they own you . We 've gotten to the point where we just do n't need credit cards , '' he explained . `` Everything we do , we plan , and if we do n't have the money , we just do n't buy it , '' he said . | Kevin Cross teaches churchgoers about the evil of credit cards . Cross was convicted of fraud and theft as a teenager . He turned to religion after hearing a radio message in a car while a valet . Saws and frying pans among the tools he uses to `` free '' clients . | [[93, 169]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , police officers became the first department fatalities since 1995 Saturday morning while responding to a domestic dispute call , Police Chief Nathan Harper said . Law enforcement from several jurisdictions respond to a shooting standoff at Pittsburgh home Saturday . `` We have never had to lose three officers in the line of duty at one time at one call , '' Harper said . Suspect Richard Poplawski surrendered around 11 a.m. outside the Stanton Heights home he shares with his mother after a standoff that lasted nearly four hours and left two more officers injured . Wearing a bulletproof vest and armed with an AK-47 , a long rifle and a pistol , Poplawski fired about 100 rounds during the standoff , Harper said . Watch officers respond at the scene '' Poplawski was taken into custody after surrendering to law enforcement . He is expected to face charges of homicide , aggravated assault and other related offenses , Harper said . Officer Paul Sciullo III was the first to approach the home after responding to the scene around 7:05 a.m. . He was shot in the head as he entered the doorway . When Officer Stephen Mayhle tried to help his fellow officer , he too was shot in the head , Harper said . Officer Eric Kelly , who rushed to the scene on his way home after finishing his shift , was fatally shot as he attempted to assist his fallen colleagues , Harper said . The shootings triggered a standoff between Poplawski , who was shooting from his bedroom window , and law enforcement agencies from several jurisdictions , Harper said . Poplawski opened fire at an Army SWAT vehicle that arrived around 8:30 a.m. , preventing them and medics from reaching the wounded policemen . Officer Timothy McManaway also was shot in the hand , the chief said . Another officer , Brian Jones , broke his leg while trying to get over a fence while securing the rear of the house , he said . Some neighbors were evacuated during the standoff . Neighbors reported that the family had caused trouble before and Harper said police had responded to calls from the home two or three times . | NEW : Suspect was wearing bulletproof vest , armed with AK-47 , police chief says . NEW : Third officer killed was on his way home after finishing shift . Officers were responding to domestic call in Stanton Heights area of Pittsburgh . Two more officers were injured in the nearly four-hour standoff that ensued . | [[182, 215], [623, 673], [1260, 1278], [1285, 1320], [1260, 1278], [1321, 1346], [0, 15], [142, 179], [545, 555], [561, 585], [545, 546], [590, 622]] |
CANTON , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Meet Kaden , bomb-sniffing dog in training . Jeff Schettler coaches handlers on how to work with detection dogs , including Kaden , far right , in the field . His name , a Gaelic word meaning `` little battle , '' is fitting for the energetic 12-pound puppy with a perky tail that curls like a cinnamon bun . At 4 months old , Kaden is a playful , black - and white-coated basenji being schooled at Georgia K9 National Training Center . Once fully trained , he will assist federal and local police officers as well as private corporations in nosing out deadly explosives at schools , airports and public events . His detective skills can potentially save thousands of lives in an era where law enforcement agencies are aggressively fighting against drugs and terrorist attacks . `` Think about a scenario like the 1996 Olympic bombings , '' says Kaden 's trainer Jeff Schettler , a cheery man who has coached hundreds of dogs to sniff out bombs , drugs , missing people and corpses since the mid-1990s . Demand for these detection canines -- including bomb dogs such as Kaden -- has surged as homeland security and drug crackdowns become a bigger priority for government and law enforcement . The North American Police Work Dog Association says 35,000 dogs are trained to do detective work in the U.S. . The association estimates up to 10,000 dogs have been added since the September 11 , 2001 , attacks . Watch three detection puppies in action '' Official records of training puppies to work as detection dogs date back to the early 1900s in the U.S. . In more recent years , police departments realized a dog 's nose was a valuable asset . Dogs possess impressive olfactory abilities -- some breeds more than others . For each drop of odor detected by a dog , the human nose would require 1,000 to 10,000 drops of odor , veterinarians say . Can your pooch be a detection dog ? '' Other animals may have smelling skills that rival a dog 's , such as pigs nosing for truffles in France or honey bees that can sniff out TNT particles , but veterinarians say dogs are the most controllable and sociable for their human handlers . Police dogs remain the most affordable and reliable solution to solving crimes that require scent detection , police officers say . Trained dogs can track down cocaine camouflaged inside car seats . They can find children who have mysteriously vanished overnight . Detection dogs can even weed out pest-infested apples and oranges accidentally left in suitcases at airports . `` They are a growing aspect of law enforcement , '' says Jim Watson , secretary at the North American Police Work Dog Association and a handler for decades . Earlier this month , investigators were baffled during the international manhunt for George Zinkhan , a former University of Georgia professor accused of fatally shooting his wife and two other people . Two weeks into the search , two cadaver dogs , a German shepherd named Circe and an Australian shepherd named Madison , arrived . Within 10 hours , the dogs picked up the scent of Zinkhan 's remains in a shallow pit hidden in a thick forest . Once the dogs neared the suspect 's body , they gave their handlers personalized signals . Circe barked excitedly . Madison lay down . Trainer Jeff Schettler explains Kaden is an unlikely candidate for police work . Basenjis , a breed that originated in central Africa , are usually used as hunting or show dogs . There are only two other trained police dog basenjis recorded by the North American Police Work Dog Association . Most trainers in the police dog world dislike experimenting with new dogs , preferring to stick to breeds with a proven track record . Most law enforcement agencies rely on Belgian Malinoises and German shepherds for detection work because of their protective yet friendly personalities , but labs , bloodhounds and beagles also can be used . `` We 're not trying to fix anything , '' Schettler says . `` We 're trying to enhance it . '' Schettler points out some of Kaden 's advantages : The dog 's weight will peak at about 25 pounds , enabling him seamlessly to sift between cramped luggage and lockers . Kaden is barkless because basenjis have an oddly shaped larynx , ideal for quiet searches . On a recent rainy Saturday morning at the Georgia K9 National Training Center , little Kaden undergoes testing . Passing the exam depends on his whiffing talents . Upon the instructor 's command , Kaden 's pencil-thin legs playfully trot along the damp grass to an oversize wall scattered with dozens of holes . His instructor has hidden black gunpowder wrapped in pantyhose in one of the holes . If Kaden 's nose sniffs out the gunpowder , he will immediately sit . Kaden begins on the left side , quickly taking a zigzag pattern from one hole to another . His pace is methodical , a sniff for each hole . Soon he slows , pauses , inhales again and then sinks his tiny hindquarters to the ground . `` What a good boy , '' coo several of Kaden 's trainers , stroking his sleek fur and rewarding him with one of his favorite treats , torn bits of venison jerky . As Kaden nibbles on his treat , Schettler admits there are drawbacks to training basenjis . Basenjis do n't have a furry coat to endure cold weather like a German shepherd . Basenjis are also a highly independent , stubborn breed with personalities similar to cats , making them difficult to train . Kaden 's personality , however , is contrary to most basenjis . He was culled from a litter in Atlanta at 7 days old because of his unusual sociability with humans . `` At eight weeks , he was in the airport going up to people and running around like he owned the place , '' Schettler says . Training detection dogs such as Kaden often begins during puppyhood so imprinting scent differentiation becomes innate , handlers say . Puppies are selected based on breed purity , confidence , sociability and temperament . In any training program , there are doggie dropouts . In those instances , the puppies become pets . On the job , dogs can suffer from on-site injuries , such as mild sprains and bruises . Some dogs have even been killed when a bomb explodes or buildings collapse . As police dogs age , health problems such as arthritis can send them into early retirement . A work dog 's career typically spans about seven years , instructors say . Different breeds specialize in certain detection jobs , says Joseph Morelli , a canine handler for the Connecticut State Police . Morelli says he relies on Labrador retrievers for arson cases . German shepherds at his school are saved for patrolling or drug cases . `` People are really starting to see how useful these dogs can be , '' says Morelli , who has started to train dogs from neighboring states in recent years . `` We 're really seeing our program take off . '' | Police dogs can nose out explosives , drugs , bodies and missing people . Kaden , at 4 months old , is training to become of the the few basenjis bomb dogs . Training usually begins in puppyhood so handlers can imprint skills . About 35,000 police dogs work in the U.S. , group says . | [[1051, 1074], [1078, 1097], [345, 360], [363, 472], [5760, 5795], [1229, 1339], [1276, 1339]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four men were indicted Tuesday in what prosecutors said was a plot to bomb two New York City synagogues and fire surface-to-air missiles at U.S. military planes . Three of the four suspects in the alleged synagogue bombing plot are shown after their arrests . The defendants -- James Cromitie , 44 ; David Williams , 28 ; Onta Williams , 32 ; and Laguerre Payen , 27 -- were charged with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States , conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles and six other counts . They face a maximum penalty of life in prison . Arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday . The plot was uncovered in a yearlong investigation involving an FBI informant . It ended with federal agents and New York police used an 18-wheel truck to block a vehicle carrying the suspects after they planted what they believed were explosive devices in cars near the synagogues , said New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly . The planted devices were actually duds . The four are accused of plotting to detonate explosives near two synagogues in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and seeking to fire missiles at planes at an Air National Guard base . Kelly described the plot as homegrown , with no known links to any foreign or domestic groups . At a court hearing on May 21 , U.S. Magistrate Lisa Smith ordered three of the suspects -- Cromitie , David Williams and Onta Williams -- to remain in custody without bail . Prosecutor Eric Snyder described the suspects as violent men `` eager to bring death to Jews . '' At a later hearing , the fourth suspect -- Laguerre Payen -- also was remanded without bail . Payen received medical treatment for injuries during the arrest and had a bandage over one eye at his hearing . Payen 's lawyer told the hearing that her client had a history of mental instability , but Snyder , the prosecutor , said videotapes of the plotters showed Payen to be a coherent and willing participant . Payen told the judge he has prescriptions for drugs used to treat depression and conditions including bipolar disorder . Cromitie , David Williams and Onta Williams are U.S. citizens , while Payen is Haitian , according to the New York governor 's office . Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised the work of his city 's Police Department and federal authorities in uncovering the alleged plot . `` The good news here is that the New York Police Department and FBI did exactly what they 're trained to do and prevented what could have been a terrible event , '' Bloomberg said . `` We have to constantly be vigilant . '' `` Unfortunately , this is the world we live in , '' said Nurit Bacharach of the Gan Miriam Early Childhood Center at the Hebrew Institute in Riverdale . `` We just have to forge ahead and keep a positive mind and live life and just be cautious and aware . '' According to state and federal authorities , an FBI informant met with Cromitie in June 2008 in Newburgh , New York . During that meeting Cromitie said his parents live in Afghanistan , he was angry about the U.S. war there and that he had an interest in `` doing something to America . '' The four suspects began meeting with the informant at a home equipped with concealed video and audio equipment , plotting to bomb the synagogues , authorities said . The suspects also conducted surveillance , including photographs , of an Air National Guard base where they wanted to blow up planes , authorities said . The informant provided the men with a surface-to-air guided missile and C-4 plastic explosives , none of which could actually be used . `` No one was at risk , '' said Kelly , the police commissioner , describing the explosive devices as duds created to dupe the suspects . CNN 's Laurie Segall contributed to this report . | Four men accused of plotting to bomb two synagogues , fire missiles at military jets . Police say informant gave conspirators phony explosive devices , which they planted . New York City mayor praises police , FBI : `` We have to constantly be vigilant '' One of the suspects tells judge he has depression and bipolar disorder . | [[28, 94], [67, 78], [84, 190], [191, 287], [515, 564], [1034, 1218], [1034, 1042], [1055, 1218], [3161, 3164], [3274, 3305], [3397, 3412], [3430, 3459], [815, 935], [2255, 2385], [2570, 2607], [2569, 2574], [2580, 2607], [1793, 1877]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Midway through Jason Dinant 's fitness journey to get six-pack abs by June , the 27-year-old had a breakdown . Halfway through his fitness goal , Jason Dinant said he sees a four-pack gradually forming . After months of eschewing junk food in favor of lean protein -- egg whites , chicken breast and vegetables -- he devoured pie . The slice came from Marie Callender 's , drizzled with caramel , loaded with candied apples and layered with cream cheese . Yes , it was delicious , Dinant said . Then he got home and had a Tootsie Roll . Then , he ate a Klondike ice cream bar . The breakdown came late February after months of following a lean diet . It also came with consequences . `` When I woke up the next day , I had a horrible stomach ache , '' Dinant said . `` My trainer said once you 're on the diet , you can try to go back and have a day where you binge on bad food and it 's going to give you a stomach ache . '' Since January , CNNhealth has been following the progress of three iReport contributors as they strive to meet their New Year 's diet and fitness goals . One of them is Dinant , a Las Vegas , Nevada resident , who wanted to get a six-pack by summer in time for his 10-year high school reunion . He also wants to show off a chiseled stomach on his blog called `` Naked Boy News , '' where he stands shirtless to give `` the naked truth about today 's news . '' The junk food breakdown came after almost two months of staying on a lean diet . The self-described `` candyaholic '' often craved his favorite treats like York Peppermint patties , macaroons , Mounds bars and Coca Cola . `` The key to falling off the wagon is not to stay off the wagon , '' said Gregg Avedon , a certified fitness trainer and model whose chiseled six-pack has appeared on the cover of Men 's Health magazine 18 times . `` If you fall off the wagon for one day , the problem is it could lead to two days , three days , a week , then you fall off completely . Next thing you know , it leads to two weeks of binge eating . '' Dinant has maintained his diet of 16 egg whites , one and a quarter-pound of meat , four cups of vegetables , potatoes and rice a day . He treats himself to one Tootsie Roll a day , and sometimes indulges in gelato . Dinant 's quest for six-pack abs -- which initially included 500 daily crunches -- brought attention from his neighbors , an egg company that ships him 15 dozen eggs every two weeks and news media such as USA Today and his hometown newspaper , Las Vegas Review-Journal and blogs . Some people left words of encouragement for Dinant 's quest for tight abs , but others were less supportive . A picture compared him to a toothpick . Another one showed a kitten shooting a shirtless Dinant . `` A lot of people said , ` You need to put on a shirt , ' '' he said , so Dinant set up a Web site called putonashirt.com where he compiled the comments . The hate mail comes `` when they see a thin guy trying to be more fit . They 're jealous , '' Dinant said . The negative comments add fuel to his fire . `` I 've wanted to do this before and last year , I had the same resolution , '' Dinant said . `` I did it for two weeks and by January 15 , it was time to move on . So I applied for iReport . I wanted people to follow it , so I 'm motivated to do it . So many people are watching , so mentally , I have to do it . I put my mind to it . I have to do it . '' Watch Dinant 's video . Dinant does n't have a six-pack yet . `` You can see four , '' he said . `` It 's more defined . The middle two are coming in . I need a tan . I 'm so white it 's hard to see . '' In January , Dinant 's exercise regimen started with 500 stomach crunches a day , after hearing a Britney Spears interview about her sit-ups for toned abs . Dinant has abandoned the crunches and enlisted a personal trainer who has designed 11 core body exercises . For 20 minutes , Dinant performs 25 repetitions of the exercises , which include a floor bicycle , upward leg lifts and a type of sit-up where he lifts his legs and arms up at the same time . He spends an hour jogging , doing cardio and lifting weights . He also changes his exercise routines and works out four to five times a week . Recently , Dinant lost his job in sales for a Las Vegas show , which he attributes to a sluggish economy . He still has his job as an emcee for a night club and on the bright side , he said he `` can dedicate more time to work out . '' `` I 'm working out my legs and arms to burn the calories , to lose the layer of fat , '' he said . `` I do n't want to plateau and have a two-pack . '' Many fitness fanatics do the same exercises and never see improvements because they plateau , said Avedon , a trainer in Sunrise , Florida . `` In the gym , you need to change the factors of what you 're doing , '' he said . `` If you 're doing heavy weights and lower reps , you can change to more moderate weights and moderate repetitions . You can change exercises , do different types of cardio . It 's creating change . The body adapts to change quickly and responds really well when you hit a plateau . '' At the same time , some people have difficulty getting a six pack , because of elevated levels of cortisol which can lead to belly fat , said Avedon , author of `` Muscle Chow : More Than 150 Meals to Feed Your Muscles and Fuel Your Workouts . '' `` You 've got to make sure the cortisol level is not elevated , '' he said . `` One way is proper sleep and reducing stress . '' Before blaming hormones for flab , Avedon warned , `` you really need to make sure you 're doing all the right things first . So many people do n't take accountability . '' The good news for Dinant is that the hardest part is getting the initial six pack and afterwards , it gets easier . `` There 's a big learning curve , '' Avedon said . `` Granted there are people who can eat pizza and can get a six-pack . For people struggling to get a six pack , you learn to eat properly , get in a gym and be consistent . You know what you need to do . Definitely , it would be easier to maintain it and more difficult to obtain it in the beginning . '' | iReporter Jason Dinant on a quest for six-pack abs has sweet tooth binge . Men 's Health model and fitness expert said falling off wagon is OK if temporary . Dinant reports that so far , his abs are looking more like a four-pack . He eats 16 egg whites , 1 1/4 pounds of meat , 4 cups of veggies , potatoes , rice a day . | [[165, 222], [2046, 2181]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A paper cape sits loosely around your shoulders , covering your naked chest . A radiology technologist directs you toward an imposing-looking machine . As you hold your breath , one bare breast at a time is tightly compressed between two flat panels and X-rayed . You 'll undress from the waist up for a mammogram ; wearing two pieces , not a dress , makes it easier . It 's a scene that 's been repeated more than 35 million times in the past year at certified mammogram facilities around the United States . No matter what their age , race or medical history , the female patients probably shared a similar experience during the 20-minute procedure . `` Mammograms are known to be uncomfortable , '' concedes Dr. Sujatha Reddy , an Atlanta , Georgia,-based gynecologist . `` The harder they squeeze and squish that breast , the less tissue the X-rays have to go through and the more likely they are to find something . '' The American Cancer Society reports two to four mammograms out of every 1,000 lead to a diagnosis of cancer . About 10 percent of women who have a mammogram will require more tests . Accuracy often depends on patient cooperation , but Reddy reveals there 's another side as well : `` A mammogram is only going to be as good as the technician and the doctor who read it , so you want to go to a good place . '' A recent study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reports that doctors reading mammograms miss an average of two in every 10 cases of breast cancer . Medical experts remind women that mammograms alone do n't guarantee a clean bill of health . `` I wish I could say the mammogram could find 100 percent of breast cancers , '' Reddy said . `` I think we have to rely on having a clinical breast exam once a year at a health care provider and doing your self-breast exam on a monthly basis . '' Reddy recommends having mammogram screenings at a reputable facility that is certified . She also suggests going to the same office every year so that old X-rays can be compared with new films . A convenient location is another factor that makes it more likely that someone will actually show up for an annual mammogram appointment . Health Minute : Watch more on what to expect during a mammogram . '' Fear of discomfort is what often keeps some women away . Reddy advises her patients to schedule a screening appointment for the early part of their menstrual cycle . `` The best time of your cycle to do a mammogram is going to be when your period is over , maybe the week after your period is done when the breasts are not going to be tender . '' Caffeinated coffee , tea and soft drinks may also contribute to tender , lumpy breasts . Experts recommend avoiding caffeine for a week before the procedure . Before having any type of imaging test , the Cancer Society warns patients to tell technicians if they think they might be pregnant or are breast feeding . Similarly , reveal any unusual breast symptoms or problems before a mammogram . The screening requires women to undress from the waist up . You 'll be given a disposable wrap to put around your shoulders and chest . Wearing a two-piece outfit will make the process easier and more convenient . Technicians tell patients not to wear deodorant , antiperspirants , perfumes or powders . They might leave a residue that can be picked up on the X-rays , interfering with the results . All mammogram facilities are required to issue results within 30 days , but many will contact patients within a week if there is a problem with the mammogram . The Cancer Society recommends women 40 and older get a mammogram every year . Younger women may be advised to be screened earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer . E-mail to a friend . Judy Fortin is a correspondent with CNN Medical News . CNN medical producer Linda Saether contributed to this report . | More than 35 million mammograms performed annually in the U.S. Be screened at the same place every year ; makes comparing images easier . Minimize discomfort by going early in your monthly cycle . | [[409, 546], [1965, 1968], [1974, 2018], [2336, 2444], [2350, 2444]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You 'd love to go . Just think of the history , the beautiful artwork ... the things you could learn . But upon hearing the word `` museum , '' your kids break into a chorus of `` I 'd rather die . '' Your children can pet some of the world 's insect species at the Insectarium in New Orleans , Louisiana . So you wheel , deal and promise ice cream in massive amounts . In return , they agree to whine only when it 's absolutely necessary -- or every five seconds , whichever comes first . Perhaps you can avoid a situation like this on your vacation . Pauline Frommer , creator of the Pauline Frommer Guidebooks , has two kids , ages 6 and 10 . As a travel author , she knows what makes a museum educational and interesting for adults . As a mom , she knows what will keep children from being bored to tears . `` I think it 's impossible to pick the very best five , '' Frommer said . `` But here are five really terrific museums , with very different subject matters , that both kids and adults will groove on . '' The Spy Museum , Washington . Frommer describes this museum as `` an intriguing , surprisingly scholarly , fun and highly interactive introduction to the shadowy world of spies . '' When you enter the Spy Museum , you will be asked to pick an alternate identity . Throughout the building , you and your kids will be tested on keeping this cover . In addition to seeing all kinds of cool spy gadgets -- umbrellas with poison tips ! -- you 'll learn about famous spies throughout history , how the government uses these undercover agents and the common ways spies practice their trade . `` I had trouble dragging my kids out of this one , '' Frommer said . `` And I 've been through it twice and enjoyed it both times . '' Adults $ 18 ; children ages 5-11 $ 15 ; children under 5 free . The Grammy Museum , Los Angeles , California . Only 3 months old , the Grammy Museum goes well beyond the famous music awards . `` In truth , it 's a museum that celebrates the history of recorded music and does so in a cutting-edge , highly interactive manner , '' Frommer said . Every genre from rock to hip-hop to country music is explored here . Top recording artists serve as your guide as they discuss , for example , what makes jazz such an important American phenomenon , what the song-writing process is like or how one genre of music has deeply affected another . Sound like child dull-ville ? `` Kids will love the booths that allow them to mix and produce music , '' Frommer said . The museum also has a dynamic touch-screen map that allows visitors to explore the nation 's musical heritage and several video displays that will distract any kid 's short attention span . Adults $ 14.95 ; children 6-17 $ 10.95 ; children under 5 free . The Metropolitan Museum of Art , New York . You might not think world-renowned art exhibits would be a good fit with your kids ; priceless objects do n't often mesh with PB&J - smeared fingers . But Frommer says you will be doing your children a great disservice if you visit New York and do n't bring them to the Metropolitan Museum of Art . `` Do n't worry , what with all the armor , the mummies and Egyptian temples , the always fun costume collection and the over-the-top grandeur of the place , there 's no way they could be bored , '' she said . The museum also offers a number of family programs , associate museum educator Mike Norris said . The museum 's kids Web site has activities to keep kids entertained while visiting , including guides that focus on specific areas of art like a scavenger hunt , from animals to doors to stained glass . Norris ' top recommendation is not to view the museum as a whole , but as 16 to 18 mini museums . `` It 's best not to conquer us in one visit , '' he said . `` Remember , -LSB- kids ' -RSB- legs go at twice the RPMs that yours do . '' Other offerings from the museum include family audio guides that are best for ages 6 to 12 , Norris said , and a `` Make your Mark ! '' sketching book that is aimed at younger children . Suggested admission for adults $ 20 ; children under 12 free . The Insectarium , New Orleans , Louisiana . The Insectarium , part of the Audubon Nature Institute , pays tribute to everything creepy and crawly . Many up-close insect encounters will take place here , from watching winged beauties in the butterfly garden to the bugs you -LRB- or just your children ! -RRB- can pet . The Insectarium 's Web site boasts of trips through the Louisiana swamp , an animated insect film and a special exhibit where you 'll be shrunk to insect size . `` I thought I 'd be grossed out but came away fascinated , '' Frommer said . `` And all the kids around me were enthralled . '' Ca n't make it there in person ? Visit the Web site to download butterfly origami and coloring pages or let your kids read Harry the Praying Mantis ' blog . Adults $ 15 ; children 2 to 12 $ 10 . Field Museum of Natural History , Chicago , Illinois . `` What kid does n't love dinosaurs ? '' Frommer asked . The Field Museum of Natural History sports one of the largest , most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossils around . The museum also has a new exhibit called `` Real Pirates , '' running through October 25 , that will let your children experience the pirate life . They can hoist the skull-and-crossbones , tie pirate knots , learn how to fire a cannon and more , the museum 's Web site says . Permanent exhibits include displays about Africa , animal biology , bird habitats , ancient Egypt , Eskimos and Native Americans . And for a more focused trip , the museum 's Web site provides downloadable `` Family Adventure '' self-guided tours that cover anything from scavenger hunts through the museum to biodiversity and conservation . Adults $ 15 * ; children 3 to 11 $ 10 * * More for entry into special exhibits like `` Real Pirates '' | Travel author Pauline Frommer recommends five museums for adults and kids . Frommer : Sure , take your kids to the Metropolitan Museum of Art . The Insectarium pays tribute to everything creepy and crawly . Field Museum of Natural History has giant Tyrannosaurus rex fossil . | [[4154, 4169], [4211, 4257]] |
LA PAZ , Bolivia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bolivian officials have declared a health emergency after three deaths attributed to dengue hemorrhagic fever , the often-lethal form of a mosquito-borne disease that more than 1,000 Bolivians are thought to have contracted since November . Brazilian soldiers pour insecticide to fight dengue fever in 2008 . Bolivia also is battling the mosquito-borne disease . At least 12 unconfirmed instances of dengue hemorrhagic fever have been reported in the first 17 days of 2009 , the official ABI news agency said . About 250 cases of dengue fever , the milder , nonlethal form of the disease , have been confirmed in the past two weeks , said Health Minister Ramiro Tapia in the Los Tiempos de Cochabamba newspaper . Authorities said they have committed more than 20,000 military personnel and 2.5 tons of insecticide to combat the disease . A preteen boy died last week at Children 's Hospital of La Paz , a few days after arriving with internal bleeding , hospital director Christian Fuentes told La Razon newspaper in La Paz , the nation 's capital . `` By that time , there was nothing we could do . He had multiple internal hemorrhages , '' Fuentes said . A 17-year-old boy and a 30-year-old woman also died last week , the ABI news agency said , citing the national director of epidemiology , Juan Carlos Arraya . Cases of dengue fever usually spike from November through January , which is Bolivia 's hot and rainy season . Alberto Nogales , the country 's vice minister of health , said the fight against mosquitoes will last until April . Dengue occurs in tropical and subtropical parts of the world , transmitted by the bite of a mosquito infected with one of four dengue viruses , the World Health Organization says . Symptoms , which appear three to 14 days after the bite , can include mild to high fever , severe headache , pain behind the eyes , muscle and joint pain and a rash , the WHO says . Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially fatal complication that affects mainly children , the WHO says . Symptoms include fever , abdominal pain , vomiting and bleeding . The disease can not be transmitted directly from one person to another . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are up to 100 million cases worldwide each year . `` It actually is quite common , '' Dr. Ali Khan of the CDC told CNN last year . `` And unfortunately , over the last 30 years or so we 've seen an increase in the number of countries infected with dengue fever . '' Khan attributes the increase in part to population growth . Mosquitoes that carry dengue typically breed in areas near humans . `` This is a disease that occurs where there 's lots of population , '' he said . The WHO says mosquitoes carrying dengue viruses breed in exposed water , including places as shallow as jars , discarded bottles and plant saucers . Last year , 55,000 people in southeastern Brazil contracted the disease . The outbreak was confirmed as causing the deaths of at least 67 people -- almost half of them children under 13 -- and another 58 deaths were under investigation last summer , the Rio de Janeiro state 's ministry of health reported at the time . Final statistics on the outbreak were not immediately available . | At least 12 unconfirmed instances of dengue hemorrhagic fever reported in Bolivia . Bolivia fights disease with 20,000-plus in military , 2.5 tons of insecticide . Cases of dengue fever usually spike in Bolivia 's hot and rainy season . At least 55,000 contracted disease last year in Brazil . | [[399, 508], [511, 546], [345, 352], [358, 398], [749, 873], [766, 849], [1410, 1417], [1426, 1462], [2877, 2886], [2889, 2950]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The current debate over controversial interrogation practices -- tactics that some say constitute torture -- is rooted in the early years of the fight against terrorism and the Iraq war . The photographs from Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq sparked outrage across the globe . After the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States , the Bush administration crafted the legal basis for aggressive interrogation techniques of prisoners and terrorism suspects . The techniques included keeping the prisoner in stress positions for extended periods of time , sleep deprivation , slapping , enclosing the prisoner in a box with insects , and waterboarding , which simulates drowning . Those techniques were detailed in four Bush-era legal memos -- one from 2002 and three from 2005 -- released by the Obama administration last month . The memos concluded that such techniques did not constitute torture and were not illegal . See timeline of events '' The Obama administration disagrees . President Obama formally banned the techniques by issuing an executive order requiring that the U.S. Army field manual be used as the guide for terror interrogations . `` I can stand here tonight and say without exception or equivocation that the United States of America does not torture , '' he said during an address to a joint session of Congress in February . More than 400 people have been disciplined based on investigations involving detainee abuse , according to Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman . He said the punishments have ranged from prison sentences to demotions and letters of reprimand . `` The policy of the Department of Defense is to treat prisoners humanely , and those who have violated that policy have been investigated and disciplined , '' he said . The most notorious of the cases centered on Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq . In 2004 , images leaked to the media showed U.S. troops abusing Iraqi prisoners . Some prisoners were stacked atop each other while naked , and others were being threatened by dogs . See disturbing images from Abu Ghraib -LRB- discretion advised -RRB- '' One widely disseminated photograph showed an Iraqi prisoner hooded and wired , as if an electrocution were about to take place . Eleven American soldiers were tried and convicted of Abu Ghraib offenses , and some officers were reprimanded . Some received prison sentences . Janis Karpinski , a brigadier general and commander of the prison during the time the photographs were taken , was demoted to colonel . She was eventually rotated out of Iraq . The prison was shut down in September 2006 . Karpinksi , now retired , said the recent disclosures have validated her earlier claims that she and her troops were following orders and that the abuses at Abu Ghraib were not simply the work of a few `` bad apples , '' as once described by then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld . See gallery of key players '' `` That is what we have been saying from the very beginning , that , wait a minute , why are you inside pointing the finger at me ? Why are you pointing the fingers at the soldiers here ? There 's a bigger story here , '' Karpinski said . `` I was never inside an interrogation room where they were conducting interrogations , but I read the memorandums many times over , '' she added . `` Waterboarding is torture . '' Other recent disclosures of harsh interrogation tactics have also raised questions . One Bush-era memo -- dated May 30 , 2005 , and recently released by the Obama administration -- said CIA interrogators used waterboarding at least 266 times on two top al Qaeda suspects . The technique was used at least 83 times in August 2002 on suspected al Qaeda leader Abu Zubaydah , according to the memo . Interrogators also waterboarded Khalid Sheikh Mohammed -- said to be the mastermind of the September 11 attacks -- 183 times in March 2003 , the memo said . Obama said last week that he felt comfortable releasing the classified memos because the Bush administration acknowledged using some of the practices associated with the memos , and the interrogation techniques were widely reported and have since been banned . `` Withholding these memos would only serve to deny facts that have been in the public domain for some time , '' Obama said in a statement . `` This could contribute to an inaccurate accounting of the past and fuel erroneous and inflammatory assumptions about actions taken by the United States . '' However , Obama recently reversed course on the court-ordered release of hundreds of additional images said to show abuse in detention facilities in Afghanistan and Iraq . He argued that the photos could `` inflame anti-American opinion '' and have `` a chilling effect '' on further investigations of detainee abuse . The photos `` are not particularly sensational , especially when compared to the painful images that we remember from Abu Ghraib , '' he said last week . The Obama administration said last month that it would not object to the release of the photos . The images are from more than 60 criminal investigations into detainee abuse between 2001 through 2006 , Pentagon officials said . The release was ordered in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the American Civil Liberties Union . `` Essentially , by withholding these photographs from public view , the Obama administration is making itself complicit in the Bush administration 's torture policies , '' ACLU attorney Amrit Singh said . Bush-era officials , especially former Vice President Dick Cheney , have defended the controversial interrogation tactics , arguing that they helped provide valuable information in the fight against terrorism and other conflicts . `` I know specifically of reports that I read , '' Cheney told Fox News last month , `` that lay out what we learned through the interrogation process and what the consequences were for the country . '' The Obama administration `` did n't put out the memos that showed the success of the effort , '' he said . The memos ' release has added momentum to the debate over whether Bush administration officials ought to be prosecuted for authorizing such policies . Obama said Attorney General Eric Holder would decide whether to investigate Bush administration officials who formed the legal basis for the techniques . The Obama administration has said that CIA interrogators who followed the instructions would not be prosecuted for their work . `` We are going to follow the evidence , follow the law and take that where it leads , '' Holder said . `` No one is above the law . '' CNN 's Arwa Damon , Terry Frieden , Ed Hornick , Jonathan Mann , Mike Mount and Samira Simone contributed to this report . | Recently released Bush-era memos detail controversial interrogation practices . The practices were used to interrogate in Iraq and Afghanistan . The Obama administration has said some of those practices constitute torture . The memos have added to the debate over investigating Bush-era officials . | [[700, 759], [3420, 3437], [3467, 3512], [97, 124], [6020, 6170]] |
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 Wednesday night 's broadcast . CNN 's Campbell Brown says The Huffington Post has audio of an executive talking about the `` awards . '' -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- And timing is everything when it comes to cashing in during the bailout . The soon-to-be-combined Morgan Stanley and Citigroup 's Smith Barney will be doling out bonuses to its financial advisers , even as both firms take $ 60 billion of your bailout dollars . And it gets better . The bonuses , which could total $ 3 billion , will be based on the companies ' 2008 numbers , which , while bad , will almost certainly be better than this year . How do we all know this ? Someone gave The Huffington Post Web site audio from a conference call where , by the way , a Morgan Stanley executive told them not to use the `` b '' word . Conference audio : `` There will be a retention award . Please do not call it a bonus . It is not a bonus . It is an award . And it recognizes the importance of keeping our team in place as we go through this integration . '' Sounds like a bonus to us . The dictionary describes a bonus as a sum of money granted to an employee on top of their regular pay , usually in appreciation for work done , length of service , or accumulated favors . Semantics aside , the companies have good reason to want to hide the truth . But in the middle of a bailout , we have good reason to call this bonus -- bogus . Jim Wiggins , spokesman for Morgan Stanley , would not confirm the authenticity of the tape , but he did defend their practice of so-called retention programs . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Campbell Brown . | Brown : Banks reportedly giving `` retention awards '' to employees . She says awards are bonuses , given by firms accepting bailout money . Brown says that 's wrong , to the tune of up to $ 3 billion in bonuses . | [[648, 739]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You can call 18-year-old Marc Davis a veteran of the racetrack . On everything from BMX bikes and Bandolero cars to Legends and Late Models , Davis has steadily moved up the ranks of competitive racing . Marc Davis , left , talks strategy with crew chief Billy Venturini in Concord , North Carolina . `` I 've been racing for 13 years . Started out when I was 6 years old , '' said Davis , who is set to race this month as NASCAR 's only current African-American driver/owner . Two years ago , Davis signed a six-year contract with the Joe Gibbs Race team as a developmental driver . But then the economy went south , and Davis was let go in a cost-cutting move . He was another casualty of the recession . `` We got bit by the economy , '' Davis said . Mike Herman Jr. has worked as Davis ' coach for the past two years and feels that NASCAR could be in store for even rougher financial times . `` In my honest opinion , I feel like motorsports is a year away from feeling the brunt of the recession . '' Davis ' father , Harry , breaks it down further and says it 's all about sponsorship money . `` Sponsors are harder to find . Teams want more money . So now instead of being unemployed , Marc is now self-employed , moving forward and racing his own team . '' Watch Marc Davis at the track '' Davis formed his own two-car team to compete in this year 's Nationwide Series , with his first entry set for Bristol , Tennessee , on March 21 . His team is being funded by family and a few sponsors , not an easy feat when it costs a minimum of $ 75,000 to enter a Nationwide Series race . In fact , a two-car team is considered a skeletal operation by NASCAR standards . Some of the better-funded racing teams have 12 to 20 cars at their disposal . But Davis ' crew chief , Billy Venturini , says a two-car team can work for the time being . `` It 's a start-up deal , but I think with the short schedule he 's got , I think we 'll be in fine shape . '' Several NASCAR teams have scaled back on their budgets , and Davis feels that it actually levels the playing field a bit . `` With a lower-budget team , you have a better shot of making races and winning races to be more competitive , since a lot of the higher teams have cut back their budgets as well . '' NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston agrees with Davis and goes one step further . `` Several teams are watching their spending , and that brings more parity in the sport , with the result being a more competitive and enjoyable product for race fans . '' Davis plans to compete in a number of Nationwide Series races before moving on to the Sprint Cup Series . `` I want to progress through the Nationwide Series and enter the Sprint Cup Series and win championships and hopefully be a full-time owner years down the road , so I think everything 's going in the right direction , '' Davis said . With a strong family and a nuts and bolts crew behind him , Marc Davis could be on the cusp of something special . | NASCAR racer Marc Davis ,18 , lost driver 's contract and became owner . His father says recession has cut sponsorship money . Family and friends sponsor Davis ' 2-car team in Nationwide Series . Teen is only current African-American racer and owner in NASCAR . | [[1317, 1395], [1463, 1516], [396, 496]] |
In the dining room 's soft amber glow , dozens of patrons peruse the menu at Rock Creek restaurant in Bethesda , Maryland . From a health standpoint , making a smart choice is easy . Watch your portion size and inquire about the nutritional content of your meal when you eat out . Whether it 's the slow-cooked salmon with sesame seeds , warm bok choy salad , and miso mustard dressing or the jumbo lump crab cakes with celeriac-apple slaw and lemon-caper aioli , each meal contains 600 or fewer calories -- nearly half the amount found in a typical restaurant entree . `` We offer what you 're supposed to eat -- proper portions , great flavor-and we use fresh , local ingredients as much as possible , '' says co-owner Tom Williams , who , with partner Judith Hammerschmidt , opened Rock Creek two years ago . The pair worked with Cynthia Payne Moore , R.D. , a Baltimore , Maryland-based dietitian , to obtain nutritional analyses for every item on the menu , and they adjust recipes to avoid unnecessary fat and determine portion sizes . `` We put the nutritional information in the back of the menu-people who want to look at it do , and those who do n't , do n't , '' Hammerschmidt says . The concept and execution have proved so successful that earlier this year , the pair opened another Rock Creek in Washington , D.C. Enjoying restaurant food like Rock Creek 's -- tasty , good for you , and with a reasonable amount of calories -- was once a difficult order to fill . No longer . `` The idea that eating healthy does n't mean feeling deprived is something restaurants see as a vehicle for change , as a way to differentiate their offerings from their competitors , '' says Master Chef Mark Erickson , vice president for continuing education at the Culinary Institute of America . While some restaurants make it clear they offer more healthful fare -- by using symbols , calorie counts , and the like -- others practice what Erickson calls `` stealth health , '' making some healthful changes on the menu without fanfare . `` When restaurants make their menus more healthful , consumers benefit , '' Erickson says . And , in fact , eating well when dining out is a growing trend . Healthfulness on the menu . Part of what 's driving these positive changes is consumer demand . Nearly three out of four adults say they are trying to make healthier choices when eating out than they did just two years ago , according to the National Restaurant Association . `` It 's hard to refute that health is related to diet , '' Erickson says . `` And restaurants are making up more and more of the daily diet -- the average American eats one out of three meals away from home . '' Increasingly , savvy consumers expect restaurants to have a conscious approach to food preparation similar to the one they use in their own kitchens -- using fruits and vegetables creatively or cooking with less saturated fat or salt . CookingLight.com : Secrets to eating out . Legislative changes are also having an effect . The New York City-initiated ban on trans fats has become far-reaching ; at least eight other major metropolitan areas have legislated similar bans , as have restaurants , hotels , theme parks , cruise lines , and many other businesses . Meanwhile , New York City recently took another stand on upgrading restaurant menus . In a move affecting mostly fast-food restaurants , the city 's board of health recently asked food service establishments with standardized preparation methods that already have nutrition analyses to post calorie information on menus so customers can see it when deciding what to order . Many restaurants purposefully take their offerings to a more healthful level . Since he took over the kitchen at the highly regarded Gramercy Tavern in New York City last October , Executive Chef Michael Anthony has created lighter dishes , many of which feature vegetables rather than meat as the plate 's centerpiece . `` The goal is to leave consumers feeling invigorated , not lethargic because they 've overindulged , '' Anthony says . Like Rock Creek , some restaurants are building their business around a more healthful model . Seasons 52 , which has five locations in Florida and two in Atlanta , Georgia , takes a lighter approach to dining by featuring fresh foods that rotate with the seasons and dishes that contain a maximum of 475 calories . The chefs do this by taking out fat , lowering sugar and salt when possible , and relying instead on flavorful accents such as balsamic vinegar , lemon juice , garlic , and fruits . `` We call it ` palate distraction , ' '' explains Clifford Pleau , director of culinary development . `` If you can give the mouth something else to focus on , it says , ` Wow ! I have n't tasted something that interesting before , ' instead of ` Wow ! Something 's missing . ' '' CookingLight.com : An expert take on healthful dining-out trends . Tap into the trend . `` While restaurants are becoming more health-conscious , it 's only going to keep happening if people ask for it , '' says Katherine Tallmadge , R.D. , a Washington , D.C.-based spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association . Here 's how to support the trend while ordering sensibly : . • Do a little homework . `` If you decide ahead of time what you want to order , it will eliminate temptation while you are at the restaurant , '' Tallmadge says . Many national chains post nutrition analyses on their Web sites , so you can find out how much fat , cholesterol , sodium , protein , carbohydrates , fiber , and calories a potential meal contains . Healthydiningfinder.com , a Web site operated by the National Restaurant Association , can help you pinpoint nutritious fare at nearly 30,000 restaurants across the country -- enter your ZIP code or your city , and you can search for restaurants by cuisine or price range . • Watch portion size . Prodigious entrees remain common in many restaurants , despite other changes for the better . Because patrons tend to place a premium on value -- they want to feel as if they 're getting their money 's worth -- piled-high plates are n't likely to become a relic of the past anytime soon . `` You can negotiate such situations by having part of your meal boxed to take home , downsizing your order by selecting an appetizer and side salad instead of an entree , or splitting the entree with someone , '' says Dawn Jackson Blatner , R.D. , a Chicago , Illinois-based ADA spokesperson . CookingLight.com : How to practice portion control . • Sample small plates . Tapas-sized servings -- i.e. small plates -- will continue to be in fashion in coming years , according to Restaurant Startup Consultants , Inc. , which counsels new food service businesses . Small plates allow you to sample a variety of dishes without consuming too many calories . In addition to high-end restaurants , the trend is also appearing in some national chains . In March , TGI Friday 's unveiled a new Right Portion , Right Price menu , offering smaller portions of certain entrees that contain 500 calories or less and 10 grams of fat or less per serving . CookingLight.com : Tapas at home . • Choose seasonal ingredients . A less-is-more approach governs the preparation of fresh , seasonal ingredients : They 're often minimally dressed or sauced , allowing fresh flavors to play the starring role . Look for items like spinach and roasted beet salad or roasted butternut squash on fall menus . `` If you have a high-quality meat , fish , or vegetable that has a great deal of flavor , you do n't need to eat a lot of it to feel satisfied , '' says Hugo Matheson , chef-owner of the Kitchen Café , who practices this principle at his Boulder , Colorado , restaurant . CookingLight.com : Ultimate summer cookbook . • Select healthful sides . These days , healthful sides , ranging from steamed broccoli to grilled asparagus to sautéed spinach with garlic , have more space on restaurant menus . `` The idea that you can have an indulgent entree but improve your sides is something I enjoy because it 's a small change , '' Blatner says . `` If you make small steps to improve what you eat , you 'll be healthier for it . '' • Look for balance . Chefs and restaurateurs are reexamining the fundamentals of their offerings . At Seasons 52 , for example , each entree plate is made up of one-third protein and two-thirds fruits , vegetables , and starches . Others are practicing what the Culinary Institute refers to as `` the protein flip . '' `` Finer dining establishments are flipping the traditional plating concept . Vegetables and carbohydrates are the main component , and protein is secondary , '' Erickson says . • Ask questions . When ordering , inquire about the meal 's composition or preparation . `` Go to restaurants where the people serving the food know what the ingredients are , '' Pleau says . For example , Rock Creek uses phyllo instead of traditional lard-laced dough in its piecrusts ; but unless you ask them , you wo n't know that you can enjoy a slice of their pie and avoid unnecessary saturated fat and calories . • Enjoy yourself . While we 're all eating out more often these days , consider a restaurant meal to be a treat . Savor the flavors , and select dishes you ca n't or would n't make in your own kitchen . `` Look at the meal as a source of pleasure , '' Anthony says . `` The key is to relish the experience -- within moderation . '' For more tips on making healthy taste great , try Cooking Light - CLICK HERE . Copyright 2009 Cooking Light magazine . All rights reserved . | More and more high-end restaurants are offering low-calorie , healthy menus . The New York City-initiated ban on trans fats has become far-reaching . Many national chains post nutrition analyses of menus on their Web sites . You can often order a healthful side like broccoli or spinach . | [[2041, 2104], [3618, 3696], [7798, 7890], [7913, 7950], [3007, 3076], [5384, 5447], [7357, 7451], [7771, 7797], [7798, 7808], [7811, 7826], [7829, 7898], [7811, 7826], [7859, 7910], [7798, 7890], [7913, 7950]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Come out and join CNN 's Fit Nation ! Our tour is coming to your city with a digital interactive experience , free Fit Nation gear and a chance for you to be on CNN TV with chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta . The Fit Nation bus will criss-cross the country starting in July to connect with people who are on ready to commit to a healthy lifestyle . Check the list of scheduled stops below to find out when the tour is coming to a city near you . Upcoming Tour Dates - July 11-13 : Taste of Dallas , Dallas , Texas - July 18-20 : Bite of Seattle , Seattle , Washington - July 26 : Aquatennial River Blast Minneapolis , Minnesota - August 1-3 : Ohio State Fair in Columbus , Ohio Do you have a weight loss success story you 'd like to share ? Send us your story , photos and video . | CNN 's Fit Nation launches it 's great American road trip this summer . Meet Dr. Sanjay Gupta and take part in a digital interactive experience . | [[239, 326], [0, 126]] |
-LRB- CNET -RRB- -- Now that stereo Bluetooth has become a common feature in a lot of music phones , it 's no surprise that stereo Bluetooth headsets have become quite popular as well . Stereo Bluetooth headsets come in many shapes and sizes , from the behind-the-ear style of the Motorola Rokr S9 to the over-the-head style of the Jabra BT8030 . The Jabra BT3030 is in the style of a pendant , or as its design suggests , more of a dog tag . It 's been available for a while now , but we think it 's still worth it . The Jabra BT3030 can be purchased for around $ 39.99 . Of course like any stereo Bluetooth headset , the Jabra BT3030 requires a cell phone with the A2DP or stereo Bluetooth profile . The Jabra BT3030 consists primarily of a small remote control unit housed in a dog-tag style pendant . Measuring 2.1-inches long by 1.6-inch wide by 0.38-inch thick , the pendant is slim and compact with a metal finish and a rubberized border all around it . All of the controls are laid out right on the front face in a straightforward grid . They are the Play/Pause key , the track shuffle keys , the volume controls , plus the multifunction Call key . The keys are all made of rubber , and are raised above the surface for a nice tactile feel . The 3.5 mm headset jack is on the right spine , while the charger jack is on the bottom . On the top is an opening for an optional lanyard . Also on the top is a tiny microphone . Getting the headset set up is pretty simple . Just power it on via the multifunction Call button , and turn on the Bluetooth pairing mode on your cell phone . We managed to pair the Jabra BT3030 with the LG Chocolate 3 without a problem . From there , we could play/pause tracks , skip songs , and adjust the volume , all from the Jabra BT3030 . The Jabra BT3030 comes with nice pair of ear buds that sit comfortably in the ear , but since it has a 3.5 mm headset jack , you can use any headphones of your choosing . Aside from using the Jabra BT3030 for music , you can also use the it to make calls via the last number redial or voice command . When there 's an incoming call during music playback , the music will pause and you will hear a ringing tone . You can then hit the Call button to answer the call . After you hang up , the music will resume from the paused point . Other features include call-waiting support , the ability to reject calls , plus the ability to transfer calls from the headset to the phone , and vice versa . Sound quality was quite good , and comparable to most MP3 players on the market . The bass was a little weak , but the overall quality was decent . Call quality was mixed . While we heard our callers just fine , we did have to bring the pendant close to our mouths for callers to hear us . They reported a little bit of static and echo from us as well . This seemed to vary from caller to caller , however , so we urge you to give it a trial run before you settle for it . The Jabra BT3030 also comes with an optional clothing clip accessory , plus an AC adapter . It has a rated battery life of 8 hours talk time , 7 hours music streaming , and 9.58 days standby time . © 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 Jabra BT3030 is a great , affordable option for a stereo Bluetooth headset . Device is slim and lightweight , plus it has tactile and easy-to-use controls . It comes with a 3.5-mm headset jack so you can use it with any headphones . Its music quality is decent , although the call quality could be improved . | [[518, 572], [1864, 1946], [2468, 2496], [2583, 2615], [2616, 2640]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On March 30 the Open Skies treaty went into effect , liberalizing air travel between the U.S. and Europe . But how will the ease of restrictions on transatlantic routes affect business travelers ? Under Open Skies , European and U.S. airlines will be given unlimited access between Europe and U.S. points . The treaty puts an end to the exclusive arrangement granted to British Airways , Virgin Atlantic , United Airlines and American Airlines to fly transatlantic out of London Heathrow . But with the airport currently operating at almost-maximum capacity , new flights will be severely limited . As a result competition is fierce for Heathrow slots , with airlines paying as much as $ 60 million to get their hands on them . For each flight that is added , another less lucrative service is scrapped . Airlines are giving priority to high-yield business routes to and from Heathrow . While European carriers are now allowed to fly from any point within E.U across the Atlantic , the U.S. domestic market remains closed to them . Operators in Europe hope that a second phase of the Open Skies deal will mean a relaxation of restrictions on European airlines ' investment in U.S. carriers and the ability for European airlines to compete in the U.S. domestic market . The issue is pending in U.S. Congress . If the U.S. does n't deliver , there is a clause in the agreement that states the Open Skies treaty -- phase I included -- can be torn up . Industry experts foresee some fare wars in both economy and business-class . Service options are also likely to improve as competition intensifies . U.S. airlines will vie with BA , the dominant carrier at Heathrow , that currently has flights to 24 U.S. cities . The biggest challenge to the incumbent airlines operating out of Heathrow will come from carriers in the SkyTeam alliance , that includes Air France and KLM , Delta Air Lines , Northwest Airlines News , and Continental Airlines . Before Open Skies , the SkyTeam alliance offered no transatlantic routes to and from Heathrow . By summer they will offer 10 percent of these flights . SkyTeam carriers will be located for the first time in Terminal 4 . Given the size of the market for U.S.-London flights , airlines will continue to offer services from Gatwick , London 's second-busiest airport . Open Skies will intensify competition for ailing U.S. airlines on what has been their most profitable route . Analysts expect to see consolidation between U.S. airlines as they combine international networks to beat competition . One advantage U.S. airlines can offer is opportunity for connecting flights to other European cities as well as on to Asia and the Mideast . European carriers on the other hand , can not operate domestic flights within the U.S. New flights and new airlines . Oneworld Alliance . British Airways will shift its Dallas and Houston services from Gatwick to Heathrow and its Warsaw operation to Gatwick . Flights to Detroit and Harare will be axed . In June , the airline will also launch services between Continental Europe and New York . Operated by subsidiary OpenSkies , the daily flights will fly from either JFK or Newark to Brussels or Paris CDG using Boeing 757s from its existing fleet . In the future , OpenSkies plans to fly to other business centers , including Amsterdam , Frankfurt , Milan , Madrid , Zurich , and Geneva . BA will also commence business-only flights between New York and London City Airport next year using Airbus A318 jets in a 32-seat layout . SkyTeam Airline Alliance 's new transatlantic flights starting between March 30 and June 2008 . • Air France in joint venture with Delta : daily service to Los Angeles • Continental : twice-daily service to Houston and twice-daily service to Newark Liberty International -LRB- EWR -RRB- from May 29 2008 • Delta in joint venture with Air France : daily service to Atlanta and twice-daily service to New York JFK • Northwest in joint venture with KLM : daily service to Detroit , daily service to Minneapolis and daily service to Seattle . Slots were secured as a result of Air France ditching four daily rotations from London to Paris Charles de Gaulle and KLM dropping three of its slots to Northwest from Eindhoven and Rotterdam . Non-aligned airlines . Aer Lingus launched services from Dublin to Washington DC , Orlando and San Francisco last year . This followed agreement between the Irish and U.S. governments that the airline could begin operations before others . Low-cost airline Ryanair is considering setting up a separate long-haul carrier that would fly ultra-low-fares between secondary airports in Europe and U.S. such as Stansted and Baltimore-Washington International . Virgin Atlantic has decided to wait to see if Open Skies Phase II is adopted before starting new flights to New York from non-UK cities . E-mail to a friend . | Biggest challenge to Heathrow incumbents will come from SkyTeam alliance . New flights start this year from Air France , Continental , Delta and Northwest . BA will launch services between Continental Europe and New York in June . | [[1749, 1796], [1811, 1870], [1850, 1870], [1878, 1978], [3021, 3028], [3031, 3110]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Perveen Crawford became Hong Kong 's first female pilot in 1995 and is soon to be Hong Kong 's first female astronaut when she blasts off to sub-orbital space as a paying customer on Virgin Galactic 's SpaceShipOne . Po Toi O is in Clear Water Bay in the New Territories , Hong Kong . The Hong Kong socialite shows us around her city 's favorite haunts . For the best seafood in the city , Crawford recommends Po Toi O a small fishing village at Clear Water Bay in the New Territories , Hong Kong . At the village 's two seafood restaurants diners can sample the freshest fish picked from teeming water tanks and enjoy specialties such as fried mantis shrimp with peppery salt and fried rice with sea urchin . There 's also a 300-year-old temple in the village and hiking trails abound in the hills around the bay . Po Toi O is a 45-minute drive from Hong Kong Island and can be reached using minibus route 16 from Po Lam and by car along the Po Toi O Chuen road . Another of Hong Kong 's hidden gems is the retro-chic China Club on the 13th floor of the Old Bank of China building on Bank Street . The style is 1930s Shanghai with traditional furniture as well as contemporary Chinese art and dazzling views from the balcony . On the menu is traditional Chinese food -LRB- monosodium glutamate is completely banned -RRB- as well as Western tea , coffee and cakes during the day . China Club , The 13/F , The Old Bank of China Building , Bank Street , Central , Hong Kong . Telephone : 25218888 . | Perveen Crawford , Hong Kong 's first female pilot , shows us around her favorite spots . For the best seafood try Po Toi O a small fishing village in the New Territories . The retro-chic China Club in Central Hong Kong serves traditional Chinese food . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 99], [321, 381], [1001, 1134]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three people were arrested Saturday after chaos broke out at an `` America 's Next Top Model '' audition at a New York hotel , police said . `` American 's Next Top Model '' is hosted and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks . Six people were injured , and two of them sought treatment at a hospital , authorities said . Police said they did n't know what provoked the bedlam , which resulted in three people being charged with disorderly conduct and inciting a riot in connection to the incident at the Park Central New York hotel in Manhattan . The audition was shut down after the incident , authorities said . Calls to Park Central management were not immediately returned on Saturday . The `` Top Model '' competition , hosted and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks and aired by the CW network , is in its 12th cycle . | Police : 3 people were arrested Saturday after chaos broke out at a TV show audition . `` America 's Next Top Model '' audition was being held at a New York hotel , police said . Two people sought treatment at a hospital , authorities said . `` Top Model '' competition is hosted by Tyra Banks and airs on CW network . | [[28, 152], [358, 433], [418, 521], [28, 152], [282, 324], [327, 345], [620, 638], [169, 201], [216, 251], [716, 721], [799, 822]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida man told police he drove across the country to meet `` Dancing with the Stars '' contestant Shawn Johnson because she was communicating with him through the television , according to a restraining order application filed this week . `` Dancing With the Stars '' contestant Shawn Johnson is a gymnast who won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics . Robert Michael O'Ryan entered a not guilty plea Thursday to a felony count of stalking and two misdemeanor counts of carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle stemming from his arrest outside the `` Dancing with the Stars '' studio earlier this week . O'Ryan , 34 , was ordered held on $ 220,000 bail , the Los Angeles District Attorney 's office said . O'Ryan is accused of driving from Florida to Los Angeles to meet Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson , 17 , who is appearing on the show , prosecutors said . He was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly tried to jump a security fence at CBS Studios in the Wilshire district of Los Angeles , where the ABC television show is filmed , authorities said . Police found a loaded handgun and shotgun in his car . O'Ryan was also ordered to have no contact with Johnson or her family and to stay 500 feet away from the gymnast and the CBS studio . A preliminary hearing was set for April 27 . O'Ryan told police at the time of his arrest that `` he packed all his belongings , permanently left Florida to drive across the country because he believes -LSB- Johnson -RSB- is speaking to him personally through the television and via ESP and that he will be with her no matter what , '' according to an application for a restraining order against him filed by Johnson 's mother , Teri . Also found in O'Ryan 's car were love letters , clippings and other information on Johnson , the court documents said , along with items such as duct tape and `` zip ties . '' The application said Johnson fears for her life . `` She is extremely upset by this incident and her entire family and those around her are all extremely concerned and fearful that the respondent might try to kidnap her or harm her in an effort to make good on his statements . '' O'Ryan was attempting to contact Johnson at the studio , and was detained by security while police were summoned because no one knew who he was , Teri Johnson said in an affidavit accompanying the application . `` It was extremely disturbing to us that this person had so much information on my daughter 's life , '' the court documents said . `` This incident has caused us severe emotional distress . We have been on the move ever since and have not been able to rest at all for fear that this disturbed person will attempt to make good on his statements and attempt to harm my daughter and possibly us as well . '' A temporary restraining order was put in place , with a hearing set next month on the matter . If convicted , O'Ryan could be sentenced to up to four years in prison , prosecutors said . It was not known whether he had retained an attorney . `` The appropriate authorities are handling the matter , '' a Dancing With the Stars '' spokeswoman said . `` The matter has been turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney 's Office . It is currently an ongoing investigation and we are confident that it will be handled appropriately by all involved , '' said Johnson 's publicist , Susan Madore . Johnson won a gold medal on the balance beam and three silver medals in the women 's team , all-around and floor competitions at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing , China . CNN 's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report . | NEW : Robert Michael O'Ryan ordered held on $ 220,000 bail in stalking case . NEW : Police find love letters , duct tape , zip ties in O'Ryan 's car . He allegedly told police that contestant Shawn Johnson was talking to him via ESP . O'Ryan is ordered to have no contact with Johnson or her family . | [[647, 653], [656, 658], [661, 695], [1723, 1808], [1811, 1835], [1838, 1883], [1148, 1281], [1148, 1154], [1172, 1281]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Mariska Hargitay went to a hospital for tests Wednesday after she `` experienced some discomfort '' related to the collapsed lung she suffered in January , her publicist said . Mariska Hargitay plays Olivia Benson on `` Law & Order : Special Victims Unit . '' `` She is undergoing routine tests and expects to be feeling better soon , '' Leslie Sloane said in an e-mailed statement . Hargitay stars as Detective Olivia Benson in `` Law & Order : Special Victims Unit . '' `` Production will not be affected , '' Sloane said . | Mariska Hargitay in hospital for tests related to collapsed lung . Actress suffered collapsed lung in January . Hargitay is star of `` Law & Order : Special Victims Unit '' | [[0, 9], [19, 95], [138, 180]] |
-LRB- Southern Living -RRB- -- Mount Vernon is undergoing a renaissance . Today the site 's annual attendance matches its highest since 1976 . Why ? Visitors used to spend only an hour or so at his house , then leave still thinking of George Washington as that grim , old man on the dollar bill . Now , visitors meet him face-to-face in three life-sized statues , and they ca n't get enough of America 's first action hero . At the museum at Mount Vernon , the 45-year-old future president is depicted riding in Valley Forge . `` He 's tall ! He 's strong ! He 's handsome ! '' they may exclaim when seeing him for the first time . Today 's first President is a well-rounded figure at the expanded visitors center , museum , and education facility at Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens in Virginia . A new face for George . Washington now startles visitors . As they walk through the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center , one of three life-size models depicts him at age 19 , standing 6 ' 2 '' , with his auburn hair pulled back in a queue . He 's lean and lanky like an athlete , with muscular hips and thighs -- the marks of a man comfortable in the saddle . SouthernLiving.com : D.C. Travel Planner . `` He was the best horseman in America , '' James C. Rees , executive director of Mount Vernon , remarks . `` He was a great architect and landscape designer , and a terrific ball room dancer . '' Washington seems alive , except for breath itself . Step around another museum corner and he appears at 45 astride his horse in the snow at Valley Forge . Down another corridor he takes the oath of office at 57 . More than mere mannequins , these figures are based on forensic research . To piece the elements together , scientists sized Washington up with measurements of his breeches and waistcoat . They determined the jut of his jaw from his dentures . They analyzed locks of his hair to determine its color at various ages . Getting to know the man . Admirers esteem his intellect , compassion , and self-restraint . -LRB- He was the only Founding Father to free his slaves . -RRB- After winning the Revolutionary War , Washington could have crowned himself king . Instead of reigning , however , he resigned and went home . Visitors tour the home , stopping to marvel at the stately main hall and gliding their hands along the same banister that supported the likes of the Marquis de Lafayette . They crowd into upstairs halls to see bedrooms that hosted more than 700 guests each year in George and Martha 's time . SouthernLiving.com : Come Home to Virginia . Then they explore the estate with its 18th-century sights , sounds , and scents . The distillery and gristmill are now open , and a reconstructed slave structure tells the African American story . There 's more to come . This spring , bellows will breathe fire to life in the new blacksmith shop . Meanwhile , the orientation center and museum are close at hand yet hidden , tucked into the earth so they do n't interfere with the historic landscape . He who would not be king . It 's working . Washington is undergoing a renaissance . `` King George III told an associate that if Washington gave up all his power and went back to his farm , he would be the greatest man in the world , '' James remarks . `` That 's like the Dallas Cowboys coach saying something nice about the Redskins . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2009 Southern Living magazine . All rights reserved . | Today Mount Vernon 's annual attendance matches its highest since 1976 . Three new life-size models depict George Washington at different ages . Visitors can explore the distillery , gristmill and a reconstructed slave structure . | [[74, 142], [297, 300], [303, 361], [928, 979], [928, 957], [982, 999], [2657, 2698], [2705, 2771]] |
-LRB- Travel + Leisure -RRB- -- From Fitzrovia to Covent Garden , London is embracing its charming -- and sometimes cheeky -- past . Every era , from the roaring '20s to the swinging '60s , is represented , with new takes on old-fashioned locales : chip and sweets shops , hidden Prohibition-style hangouts , even ballrooms . The shelves at Hope and Greenwood , in Covent Garden , are filled with glass jars brimming with British sweets . But rather than flaunt themselves as fusty Churchillian relics , these new spots are drawing stylish Bright Young Things who ca n't get enough of the city 's collective nostalgia trip . They 're celebrating inspired design , tastes and bygone lifestyles with zeal . At the forefront of London 's retro renaissance : sugar . Behind a shiny strawberry-red façade in Covent Garden , British confectionary is experiencing a resurgence at Hope and Greenwood , a sweet 1950s-style candy store named after its sugar-loving owners . Glass jars and cut-crystal candy dishes that grandma would love brim with classic and all-but-disappeared `` pick and mix '' English candies -- Minty Humbugs , Raspberry Ruffles and Traffic Light Lollies . It 's the kind of place that will even inspire adults on a strict diet to indulge in sweets -LRB- and sweet thoughts -RRB- of yesteryear . Travel + Leisure : See London 's best retro spots . Over in the trendy , up-and-coming neighborhood of Marble Arch , Cocomaya is attracting followers with its jewel-like handcrafted chocolates tantalizingly displayed under glass domes on marble counter tops and antique mirrors . And places such as East End 's Treacle are delighting locals and visitors alike with a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse , serving up comforting classics like Jammy Dodgers and buttercream cupcakes . Bourne & Hollingsworth -LRB- named after the department store that once existed on its site -RRB- is decidedly more adult ; the quirky basement bar in Fitzrovia is tricked out to feel like grandma 's -- complete with signature floral wallpaper and consciously stodgy décor . Still , zany accents , like a fireplace full of discarded Champagne bottles , reflect the underground boîte 's joie de vivre spirit of excess . On Prohibition themed nights , vintage gin cocktails arrive hidden in teapots , as Billie Holliday sets the mood . Geales , in Notting Hill , is the ideal spot to start -- or end -- an evening on the town , London-style . Now a shadow of its former 1939 no-frills self , the newly renovated fish and chips shop is giving a lighter gourmet twist to an old London standby ; golden , delicately fried cod and haddock is the restaurant 's main event , supported by more elegant briny treats like raw oysters and classic shrimp cocktail . No matter where you go in London town these days , vintage style is everywhere . What 's old is new -- again ! -- in England 's retro-mad city . 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 . | Sugar is at the forefront of London 's retro renaissance . Hope and Greenwood is a sweet 1950s-style candy store . East End 's Treacle is a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse . | [[894, 963], [1589, 1725]] |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.