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BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Lebanon on Sunday to pledge U.S. support for the country and its push for free elections . Lebanon President Michel Sleiman greets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday . `` The people of Lebanon must be able to choose their own representatives in open and fair elections , without the specter of violence or intimidation , and free of outside interference , '' Clinton said during an unannounced visit to Beirut . It was Clinton 's first time visiting the country since taking office . Lebanon is preparing for legislative elections in June that analysts say could bring the militant group , Hezbollah , to power . The Obama administration backs the unity government of Sleiman , while Syria is allied with Hezbollah . `` Both of us are committed to supporting President -LRB- Michel -RRB- Sleiman 's efforts to build a peaceful , prosperous , sovereign and democratic Lebanon . '' Clinton is expected to meet with Sleiman and lay a wreath at the tomb of former Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik Hariri , who was killed in a bomb attack in 2005 . Many Lebanese , as well as the United States , accused Syria of orchestrating the assassination of Hariri , an outspoken opponent of Syria . Damascus denied responsibility . But massive popular protests after Hariri 's death led to the pullout of thousands of troops that Syria maintained in Lebanon from the 1970s . A senior state department official said Clinton 's visit is intended to reassure Lebanon that the United States will not forgo its support of the country as it opens dialogues with Syria and Iran . `` Beyond the election , we will continue to support the voices of moderation in Lebanon , and the responsible institutions of the Lebanese state they are working hard to build , '' Clinton said . CNN 's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report . | Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes unannounced visit to Lebanon . Clinton says people of Lebanon should vote `` without the specter of violence '' Clinton also reassures U.S. support of Lebanon in ongoing talks with Syria , Iran . | [[458, 513], [270, 455], [1459, 1612], [1553, 1656]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A top Taliban commander has issued a new threat to foreign aid workers , saying that under the insurgent group 's new `` constitution '' they will execute them as spies or hold them in exchange for the release of Taliban fighters . Taliban militants pose with their weapons as they drive their car in Wardak province . -LRB- File photo -RRB- . In an exclusive telephone interview Friday night with CNN , Mohammed Ibrahim Hanafi said the Taliban intelligence wing was actively gathering information on foreign aid workers . `` If we get someone , that is how we will deal with it under our new constitution , '' he said . He added that he was telling `` Afghan brothers not to work with NGOs . '' In the 15-minute interview , arranged by an intermediary for CNN , Hanafi repeated the Taliban 's pledge to keep girls out of public schools . `` Our law is still the same old law which was in place during our rule in Afghanistan , '' he said . `` Mullah Mohammad Omar was our leader and he is still our head and leader and so we will follow the same law as before . '' `` In my opinion , '' he added , `` Taliban are n't allowing girls to go to schools because Taliban want women to preserve their respect by staying in their homes , not to work as laborers for others . '' Dozens of crimes across the country , especially acid attacks , have marred the opening of the new school year in Afghanistan . Afghan girls have been burned and scared randomly with acid as punishment for going to school . More than 600 schools did not open this year because of security issues , according to the Afghanistan Education Ministry . Watch what females face in Afghanistan '' The schools that did open , however , remain defiant . Young women admitted to CNN being fearful but also said they are determined to get an education and better their lives . It is a sentiment echoed by their principal , a 35-year veteran of Afghanistan 's girls schools . `` I am asking those who close schools and throw acid on girls to let the children of this country go to school because it 's crime to close the schools , a crime against the children of this country , '' said Safia Hayat , principal of the Zarghona Girls School in Kabul . Hanafi , meanwhile , went on to discuss possible reconciliation talks with the Afghan government . `` I do n't think there can be any discussion of peace until the the foreigners leave Afghanistan , '' he said referring to the presence of coalition troops . While he seemed to confirm that some reconciliation talks were ongoing , Hanafi also said he wondered what kind of peace was possible as long as Afghans are still dying in NATO bombardments . Hanafi described himself as a commander in the southern province of Helmand , but announced a new Taliban offensive in the north was about to begin and that he would be playing a key role there . | Top Taliban commander issues threat to execute foreign aid workers . Mohammed Ibrahim Hanafi said intelligence wing was gathering information . Hanafi repeated Taliban 's pledge to keep girls out of public schools . Commander gave exclusive telephone interview Friday night to CNN . | [[0, 5], [8, 35], [45, 86], [119, 159], [383, 440], [443, 561], [735, 761], [802, 877], [1124, 1135], [1139, 1188], [383, 440], [443, 561]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The most eagerly anticipated animated film this year hits big screens this weekend , as `` The Simpsons Movie '' opens worldwide . The Screening Room spoke to creator Matt Groening and writer Al Jean in London about everyone 's favorite two-dimensional yellow family . Simpsons supremo Matt Groening with his creations at the film 's premiere in Springfield , Vermont . Matt Groening told the Screening Room that fans had driven the demand for the movie . `` We 've had fans clamoring for a movie for the past 18 years , '' he said . The film has taken four years to come to fruition , as writer Al Jean explained . `` What really held us up for a long time was to have enough people to do the show and the movie , '' he said . `` We talked for a while about doing the movie after the show is done , but the show is never done ! So it really started in earnest in 2003 , when we started working on this story that became the movie . '' Technology has also played its part . Jean continued , `` The technology to do this film really was n't even around five years ago . For example , there was this joke I once pitched and David Silverman , the director , started drawing and as I was pitching it , it went into the film and it was cut a day later . To go from pitch to cut in two days is pretty impressive . '' Its creators hope that `` The Simpsons Movie '' will both satisfy long-term fans and bring Homer and Marge 's family to a new audience . Groening told the Screening Room , `` This movie is designed to both honor the people who have loved the show all this time , so there 's lots of little details for them in the movie , little characters and stuff who they know and love , but we also want people who do n't know the family to not be completely confused . It is a complete movie experience , but again , we have a lot of little details that only the really , true die-hard fans are going to get . '' And fans can expect to be entertained by plenty of cartoon mishaps . Groening said , `` When you see somebody fall off the roof in a live-action film , it 's funny -- we all love it . But it 's not as funny as when Homer falls off the roof . I do n't know what that says about humanity , but we do like to see cartoon characters hurt themselves and there 's quite a bit of that . '' But how have Springfield 's finest led the field for so long ? Groening believes that a large part of the Simpsons ' success is down to the traditional animated techniques used to create it -- and that its hand-drawn charm puts the movie ahead of its CGI rivals . He told CNN , `` The difference between our film and these other films is that we have no penguins , okay ? So that 's the big difference . -LRB- Although we do have one penguin . -RRB- . `` But the other thing is , our film is done the old fashioned way . It 's got a lot of errors and flaws in it . These computer-animated films -- and I love them -- are perfect . They 're spooky , they 're so good . Ours is a way for us to honor the art of traditional animation . '' Al Jean thinks that the series ' success is also down to its wide appeal . He says , `` I have a two year old and she loves the Simpsons already , just because of the way it looks and the family . And then on the other hand , we do satirical references that only an adult would get . '' A large part of the appeal of `` The Simpsons '' comes from its ability to portray the more touching moments in family life , like Jean 's favorite moment in the movie . `` It 's a scene where Bart is really mad at his father , '' he told CNN . `` He 's sitting in a tree outside the Simpson house at night . He looks over and sees the Flanders house and thinks how wonderful it would be if he lived there . It 's just really sweet : there 's something really warm about that scene . '' Groening , who has been meeting fans worldwide while promoting the movie , said that the Simpsons phenomenon has excelled his wildest dreams . `` It 's not just the numbers , '' he told CNN . `` The numbers are good , but it 's the intensity and the tattoos . The tattoos are freaky . You know ? And it 's not all just Bart and Homer . You 'd think it would be just Homer . I talked to this one guy and he had Millhouse , and I said , ` Oh my god , Millhouse ! ' and he said , ` Yeah , everybody gets Bart . ' '' While Groening never expected the series to run for so long , he told the Screening Room he has no plans to quit while it 's ahead . `` The answer is , ` No end in sight ! No end in sight ! ' '' he said . `` We 're having fun , we hope the audience has fun , and as long as that 's true , we 'll continue doing the show . '' Jean believes the show has proved it has longevity . `` I 'm sure -LSB- it -RSB- , like Mickey Mouse , will live on and on , '' he said . And he also hopes the Simpsons ' success will continue . `` In terms of new episodes , we 're doing another season after the movie comes out for sure , and then the casts ' contracts expire , but I 'd love to get another three seasons and maybe another movie , '' he said . But what is the legacy of this much-loved yellow family ? Matt Groening sees the film as the culmination of two decades of hard graft . He says , `` I want to make sure that everyone who 's ever worked on this show is proud of their work on this movie , so this rewards the writers , the animators , the actors . It 's basically a celebration of twenty years of The Simpsons . '' E-mail to a friend . | Simpsons creator Matt Groening : Movie is culmination of 20 years ' hard work . Writer Al Jean says success is down to show 's universal appeal . Movie uses traditional hand-drawn animation techniques . | [[305, 335], [5150, 5227], [3068, 3142], [3088, 3111], [3122, 3142], [2395, 2582], [2812, 2852]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- United Airlines and US Airways have joined American Airlines in charging passengers to check bags on certain flights . Passengers check in at the United Airlines counter at the Miami International Airport Thursday in Miami , Florida . Citing higher fuel prices , United Airlines said Thursday it will begin charging domestic passengers $ 15 each way for one checked bag . The Chicago , Illinois-based airline said the fee to check a second bag will be $ 25 each way . The fee to check three or more bags , overweight bags or `` items that require special handling '' will increase from $ 100 to $ 125 or from $ 200 to $ 250 , depending on the item , United said in a statement . The $ 15 charge will apply to customers who purchase a ticket on or after Friday for travel within the United States , and who buy on or after August 18 a ticket to or from Canada , Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands . The $ 15 service fee will not apply to customers flying in United First or United Business or who have premier status with United or Star Alliance airline network , the carrier said . iReport.com : How do you feel about the new fee ? For itineraries that include international flights -LRB- except Canada -RRB- , checking a first and second bag will continue to be free , United said . The cost to check more than two bags or items that are overweight or require special handling varies by destination . US Airways , meanwhile , said it will begin charging passengers $ 15 for their first checked bag for travel on or after July 9 . The airline said it also has recently started charging passengers $ 25 for second checked bags . The new policy applies to flights in the United States as well as flights to and from Canada , Latin America and the Caribbean . Some airlines have been adding fees to once-free benefits , such as snacks . Despite this cost-cutting , airlines are finding it harder to survive as they get squeezed by soaring fuel costs . `` With record-breaking fuel prices , we must pursue new revenue opportunities while continuing to offer competitive fares , by tailoring our products and services around what our customers value most and are willing to pay for , '' said John Tague , United 's executive vice president and chief operating officer . United said it estimates that the $ 15 fee will apply to one out of three customers , and the potential revenue from baggage handling service fees , including those for checking a first and second bag , will be approximately $ 275 million a year . The move comes a month after American Airlines announced a $ 15 service charge for the first checked bag . Delta , Continental and Northwest told CNN they are not charging for passengers ' first checked bags . However , a spokesman for Northwest said the airline is well aware of changes in the industry . `` We are always keeping an eye on what our competitors are doing , '' the spokesman said . | United : Second bag to cost $ 25 ; $ 125 to apply to three or more or overweight bags . $ 15 fee will not apply to those in United First , United Business or with premier status . Some airlines add fees to once-free snacks . United : $ 15 fee will apply to one out of three customers . | [[391, 486], [444, 486], [487, 552], [574, 642], [1308, 1401], [1555, 1651], [1572, 1574], [1580, 1592], [1601, 1651], [1572, 1574], [1593, 1651], [922, 1012], [1781, 1857], [282, 390], [698, 737], [2289, 2527], [2301, 2527]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What to do with 50,000 used , possibly smelly and dirty prison mattresses that need to be disposed of every year ? Discarded mattresses pile up alongside trash in London in January of this year . Britain 's Prison Service won praise Thursday for its innovative solution to the problem : recycle the mattresses for carpet underlay , or break them down for fencing or even roof tiles . Most of the mattresses are sent to landfills . There are enough of them each year to fill 30 double-decker buses , the National Audit Office said Thursday . The Prison Service wanted to find a better way to dispose of the mattresses -- a `` zero-waste '' solution that also cost less money , the NAO said . It worked with suppliers and launched a competition to find the best solution . They ended up coming up with several proposals to reuse the mattresses , and the Prison Service is now testing them out , the NAO said . Thursday 's report highlighted several other examples of ways that government departments have used innovation to their advantage . `` We have selected them as good examples of innovative approaches which have lessons for how innovation can be managed in government , '' the report said . | UK 's prison system wins praise for recycling mattresses . Prison mattresses sent to landfills could fill 30 double-decker buses . UK 's Prison Service sought a `` zero-waste '' solution to tossed mattresses . | [[232, 320], [232, 257], [323, 365], [492, 496], [502, 532], [577, 652]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir landed in Qatar on Sunday for an Arab League summit , a move that could put him at risk of arrest on war crimes charges leveled by a U.N. tribunal . Omar al-Bashir is the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over allaged war crimes in Darfur . Al-Bashir met with Qatar 's emir , Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani , after arriving in Doha , Qatar 's capital . Earlier this weekend , al-Thani criticized the timing of the arrest warrant issued in early March by the International Criminal Court , arguing it has undercut his government 's efforts to resolve the long-running conflict in Sudan 's Darfur region . `` We believe that peace and justice should go hand in hand to settle the conflict in Darfur , or for that matter , any other conflict , '' al-Thani told Arab League foreign ministers Saturday in remarks carried by the Qatar News Agency . `` But we also believe that justice can not be reached in the absence of peace . '' The March 4 arrest warrant is the first issued for a sitting head of state by the world 's only permanent war crimes tribunal , based at The Hague in the Netherlands . But the ICC has no arrest powers of its own , and depends on its 106 member states to take suspects into custody . Qatar is not a member of the tribunal . Sudan refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the ICC , and has made no efforts to hand over two other officials indicted by the court . Al-Bashir has called the charges an attempt by Western powers to recolonize Sudan . The court accuses al-Bashir of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in his government 's campaign against rebels in Darfur , in western Sudan . The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million have been forced to flee their homes because of the conflict . Qatar had been mediating talks between Sudanese officials and representatives of one of the rebel factions , who signed a confidence-building agreement in February . CNN 's Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report . | Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir arrives in Doha , Qatar . Move puts him at risk of arrest for war crimes . International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrant over Darfur campaign . | [[105, 113], [119, 172], [202, 292], [465, 541]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Doctors Without Borders has embarked on a massive vaccination campaign in three African countries to combat an outbreak of meningitis that has killed hundreds of people , the organization said Wednesday . A child gets vaccinated against meningitis in Niger in August 2007 . The vaccinations are being carried out in Niger , Nigeria , and Chad -- part of a large swath of what is known as the `` meningitis belt '' of sub-Saharan Africa , the organization said . The `` belt '' stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia . Doctors Without Borders , widely known by its French name , Medecins Sans Frontieres , said medical teams have treated and vaccinated 5.4 million people and plan on vaccinating another 1.7 million -- making the vaccination campaign the organization 's largest ever . The group said more than 1,900 people have died in this outbreak since January . More than 56,000 cases have been reported in Nigeria , Niger and Chad alone , the organization said . Last month , the World Health Organization said the disease was at epidemic level in 76 areas of in Niger and Nigeria , and a spokesman in Nigeria , Dr. Olaokun Soyinka , said the outbreak was `` bigger than usual . '' In March , the organization said a total of 24,868 suspected cases had been reported in the `` meningitis belt , '' including 1,513 deaths . The outbreak began around the start of the year , Soyinka told CNN . It usually peaks in the dry season because of dust , winds and cold nights , before dipping around May when the rains come , he said . Meningitis is an infection of the meninges , the thin lining that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord , according to the World Health Organization . Several different bacteria can cause meningitis but Neisseria meningitidis -- which is to blame for the current outbreak -- is one of the most important because of its potential to cause epidemics . | Doctors Without Borders embark on vaccination campaign to combat outbreak . Vaccinations being done in Niger , Nigeria , Chad , where over 56,000 cases reported . 5.4 million people have been treated , vaccinated ; 1.7 million more to be vaccinated . Over 1,900 people have died in this outbreak since January . | [[0, 15], [19, 116], [293, 361], [881, 956], [533, 556], [620, 729], [139, 152], [158, 187], [800, 880], [815, 880], [1297, 1312], [1315, 1342]] |
BOGOTA , Colombia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Colombian police foiled a plot by Marxist guerrillas to assassinate the nation 's defense minister , according to President Alvaro Uribe . Colombian President Alvaro Uribe says authorities foiled an assassination plot against the country 's defense chief . Ten guerrillas dressed as police planned to infiltrate the family farm of Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos over Easter week and kill the official and his family , Uribe said Thursday on national television . The guerrillas , who belong to the FARC , the Spanish acronym for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , were captured , Uribe said . Uribe thanked and congratulated federal authorities , saying , `` This investigation had been proceeding for several months , and fortunately the National Police has dealt this well-placed blow . '' Police Director Oscar Naranjo said eight of the guerrillas were captured at a property near Santos ' farm in the municipality of Anapoima , 54 miles -LRB- 87 kilometers -RRB- from Bogota , the capital . Officials did not reveal where the other two guerillas were captured . The FARC , the largest and oldest guerrilla group in Colombia , has been waging war against the government since the 1960s . Security analysts have said the FARC has about 9,000 to 12,000 armed guerillas and several thousand supporters , mostly in rural areas . The guerrilla group operates mostly in Colombia but has carried out extortion , kidnappings and other activities in Venezuela , Panama and Ecuador , analysts said . The guerrilla group is known to pull off audacious operations , sometimes dressed as police , soldiers or other government officials . On April 11 , 2002 , a 20-member commando group dressed in police and military uniforms faked a bomb alert at the parliament building in Cali , Colombia 's third-largest city . They tricked 12 congressmen into getting on a bus by telling them the military provided it for their safety . They then drove off , taking the congressmen into captivity . Eleven of those congressmen died in June 2007 during a shootout between military and the FARC . The sole surviving congressman , who was released in February , said the FARC shot the hostages when the soldiers approached . | Plot was against Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos , president says . Ten guerrillas planned to kill Santos ' family , President Alvaro Uribe says . Members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia were captured , Uribe says . | [[9, 33], [138, 175], [176, 293], [9, 33], [138, 175], [294, 308], [425, 457], [628, 640], [9, 33], [138, 175], [628, 640]] |
SANTA CRUZ , Bolivia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bolivian President Evo Morales on Monday accused a U.S. diplomat of contacting opposition groups , declared him `` persona non grata '' and ordered he be expelled . `` Francisco Martinez , a Mexican-U.S. citizen , was in permanent contact with opposition groups during the whole era of conspiracy , '' the leftist president said . `` He was the U.S. embassy person who contacted ex-police officers , '' Morales told reporters , according to The Associated Press , whose tape of the speech was broadcast on CNN en Espanol . `` The times of the colony will end in Latin America , '' Morales vowed to reporters . `` We are in profound transformation . '' Martinez was identified in media reports as the second secretary at the embassy in La Paz , Bolivia 's capital . Heidi Bronke , a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department 's Western Hemisphere Affairs bureau , acknowledged the move , but said it had not been communicated through diplomatic channels . `` We reject the accusations made by the government of Bolivia , '' she said . `` This decision is unwarranted and unjustified . It is inconsistent with recent statements by the government of Bolivia expressing a desire to improve bilateral relations . '' Morales ' move comes six months after he declared U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg persona non grata for allegedly having encouraged anti-government demonstrators to violence . Goldberg denied the charge . Journalist Gloria Carrasco contributed to this story from Santa Cruz , Bolivia . | Bolivian President Evo Morales expels U.S. diplomat . Francisco Martinez identified in media reports as second secretary . Diplomat `` contacted ex-police officers , '' said Morales . U.S. State Department rejects accusations , says spokeswoman Heidi Bronke . | [[692, 781], [0, 136], [381, 404], [409, 437], [995, 1057]] |
BOGOTA , Colombia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Guerrillas in Colombia tortured and killed 17 Indians who they believed were helping the government , a governor and two human rights organizations said Wednesday . Marxist rebels with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , known as FARC , swept into a village in southwest Colombia last week and abducted an undetermined number of Awa Indians , Human Rights Watch said . The guerrillas tortured and killed 17 Awas , including at least two minors , the human rights group said . Another human rights group , the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia , or ONIC , also reported the allegations . Navarro Wolff , the governor of Narino province , where the Awas live , decried the reported killings . `` The guerrillas took several families , recriminating them for their supposed collaboration with the army , '' Wolff told El Pais newspaper . `` A young man was able to escape and told how he had been tied . Later , they tortured him , they beat him and they killed eight with with a knife . '' Nine other villagers also were executed , unconfirmed reports said . The allegations are based partly on the information provided by the young man who said he escaped . Human Rights Watch also said it received reports from `` reliable sources , '' whom the organization did not name . `` These cruel killings violate the most basic principles of human decency and dignity , '' said Jose Miguel Vivanco , the Americas director at Human Rights Watch . `` There is no possible excuse or justification for these horrific actions . '' The remote village is a 12-hour trip away from the nearest large town , and no independent verification has been obtained . Besides the unforgiving terrain , the presence of land mines and the existence of numerous armed groups virtually prevent outsiders from visiting the area . Monsignor Ruben Salazar Gomez , the president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia , joined the chorus of criticism , alleging a `` crime the whole country should condemn . '' Another religious leader said the Awa need protection . `` We are very worried about the Awa community , '' said Monsignor Gustavo Giron Higuita , the bishop of the city of Tumaco . `` It is a community that is pretty unprotected and that in the past five years has received a type of persecution by armed groups . '' The prelate said that although there were indications that the FARC was behind the killings , `` we are not certain of that , '' El Pais said . The Awas , he said , `` are pacifist , want respect of their organization and want to regain their traditions . We have been accompanying them in this process , and that 's why this hurts so much . '' New York-based Human Rights Watch said group members have made numerous visits to Narino , which is one of Colombia 's 32 departments , or states . Narino is in southwest Colombia , on the Pacific Ocean and the border with Ecuador . The area has a heavy presence of various armed groups and Colombian military forces , and has among the worst human rights conditions in Colombia , the human rights group said . The Awa territories have been particularly affected . The Colombian government has issued a `` risk report , '' warning authorities that civilians in the region are at risk . The FARC is said to have `` confined '' some villages , cutting them off from the outside world and not allowing anyone to enter or leave . In another report Wednesday , ONIC , the indigenous human rights group in Colombia , said the FARC has abducted 120 Awas since February 4 . ONIC said the FARC kidnapped 20 Awa men , women and children February 4 from the Barbacoas area in Narino . The rebels returned the next day and grabbed children who had remained behind , ONIC said , according to Caracol Radio . ONIC also reported that a number of Awa had been knifed to death . The FARC , the largest and oldest guerrilla group in Colombia , has been waging war against the government since the 1960s . Security analysts say the FARC has 9,000 to 12,000 armed guerillas and several thousand supporters , mostly in rural areas . The guerrilla group operates mostly in Colombia but has carried out extortion , kidnappings , bombings and other activities in Venezuela , Panama and Ecuador . | Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia accused of torture , slayings . FARC guerillas killed the Indians for helping the Army , governor reportedly said . Allegations are based in part on information from man who said he escaped . Human rights group in Colombia says FARC has abducted 120 Awas since February . | [[95, 99], [109, 136], [644, 657], [700, 703], [716, 747], [748, 765], [790, 855], [892, 925], [1114, 1165], [1178, 1191], [1196, 1213], [202, 264], [340, 386], [389, 414], [492, 521], [3079, 3108], [3424, 3451], [3454, 3458], [3509, 3563]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Goldendoodle ? Bernese Mountain Dog ? Irish wolfhound ? Chihuahua ? Gina Goodman says a Pomeranian would be a good pet because they 're like a stuffed animal come to life . After selecting a chief of staff , President-elect Barack Obama quickly turned to the more pressing issue of finding the perfect puppy for his girls , Sasha and Malia . `` We have two criteria that have to be reconciled . One is that Malia is allergic , so it has to be hypoallergenic , '' Obama said Friday in Chicago , Illinois . `` On the other hand , our preference would be to get a shelter dog . But , obviously , a lot of shelter dogs are mutts , like me . '' CNN asked iReporters to weigh in on what kind of dog he should get and what to name it . The response was tremendous . After all , everyone 's got an opinion about which pooch will be the Obamas ' best friend . Gail Hurson , who lives outside Allentown , Pennsylvania , shared the opinion of many iReporters who want the Obamas to get a shelter dog . She says these pups appreciate having loving owners and a place to call home . iReport.com : What do you think the Obamas should pick ? `` Mr. Obama , I say give your girls both a puppy of their own to care for , and give those dogs a second chance , like this country is going to get now that you 've been elected to lead us back on track , '' Hurson said in her iReport . Although there was a mix of monikers for the First Dog , many iReporters believe that Hope would be a good name . `` I really believe that with a new president in the White House , there will be hope , '' Teri Satterlund said . The Troutdale , Oregon , resident wants the dog 's name to reflect Obama 's message of change . Barbara Martinez remembered that Malia is allergic to dogs , so she suggested that Obama get a Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle . Both breeds are hypoallergenic and have a sweet temperament , perfect for a family with children , she said . See some of the more popular hypoallergenic breeds '' America 's Yankee Doodle Dandy would make for a great name , Martinez said . Of course , it 's a mouthful , but `` Dude , '' `` Doodle '' or `` Dandy '' could work as nicknames . Finding a name that would celebrate Obama 's African heritage was what led Don Belgard to the name Ubuntu . The Pittsfield , Maine , resident said Ubuntu is an African philosophy that promotes `` peace , harmony and good will . '' Because Dale Jacquef shares a birthday with Obama -- August 4 -- he jokes that he is qualified to give some puppy advice . The San Jose , California , engineer says his Alaskan Klee Kai is a big hit with everyone . `` All my daughter 's friends go crazy over him , so I thought it would be a good one for the Obamas . '' Elizabeth Shumway of Geneva , New York , envisions the Obamas having a fluffy Bernese Mountain Dog . These `` big , cuddly pieces of fur '' take a while to grow up , maintaining their puppy playfulness , Shumway said . `` I could picture them standing in front of the White House with this big , beautiful dog . '' Huguette Rainforth raised Irish wolfhounds on her farm outside Montreal , Canada , for seven years and thinks the Obamas should get one , too . Rainforth thinks Obama and an Irish wolfhound would make a fine pair because of their comparable personalities . `` I think it 's a very noble dog . It 's very loyal , trustworthy , '' she said . `` I just felt it was the dog for him . '' A Pomeranian would be the perfect pooch for Obama , according to Gina Goodman , who runs a petsitting service out of her home in Malvern , Pennsylvania . `` They would be ideal for the sweet little Obama girls because they would be like having their stuffed animals come alive for play , '' she wrote in her iReport . Paris Pujol 's pet Rocco died a month ago , but she will always remember him for being a great pup . The white Chihuahua loved to zip around outside his home in Natalbany , Louisiana . Being fast and fun-loving does not mean a Chihuahua will be too much for Obama to handle . Obama wo n't have to fret about it taking too long to train the puppy , because Chihuahuas are easy to train , Pujol said . iReport.com : Spunky little pup brought family lots of love . Dogs are too high-maintenance for Jeremy Larson of Belleville , Illinois , who says Obama should get a cat instead . `` Cats are easier to take care of you do n't have to walk them outside . They run around inside and entertain themselves . '' Rusty Clark of West Springfield , Massachusetts , suggests that the Obamas go for a more unusual pet : a llama . iReport.com : An Obama llama ? When Clark thought of the `` cute and fuzzy '' creature , she could n't help but chuckle at the rhyme that popped into her head . `` Obama llama . It just sounded like a '50s doo-wop song , '' she said . `` If they 've had donkeys and ponies at the White House , then why not a llama ? '' | CNN.com readers suggest the perfect presidential pet . Labs , Pomeranians and a llama top the list . Many said the Obamas should pick a mutt from the shelter . Tell us what you think at iReport.com . | [[547, 593], [951, 966], [971, 1009]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The suspected leader of the Basque separatist group , ETA , and two alleged accomplices were arrested over the weekend in France . Jurdan Martitegui Lizaso is the fifth ETA suspect arrested in France in the past two weeks . Jurdan Martitegi Lizaso , 28 , was arrested Saturday in a French-Spanish operation near Perpignan in southeast France , Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said Sunday in a nationally televised news conference here . Hours later , in northern Spain 's Basque region , six other ETA suspects -- ages 25-31 -- were arrested , Rubalcaba said . Police suspect Martitegi replaced the suspected ETA military chief who was arrested last December and who , in turn , had replaced the alleged ETA military chief who was arrested last November , Rubalcaba said . Those arrests occurred in France , from where ETA has launched a number of attacks into Spain . ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its more than four decades of fighting for Basque independence and is listed as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States . Rubalcaba said police had also dismantled two ETA commando cells before they could strike , one of them last October in northern Spain 's Navarra province , and the other late Saturday , when the six suspects were arrested . Martitegi 's arrest came after police trailed an alleged ETA local leader from Spain to a meeting in France with Martitegi for a two-hour training session on the use of explosives and weapons , Rubalcaba said . Police made the arrests in France right after the meeting , before the alleged local leader could return to Spain to share those details with his alleged commando cells , Rubalcaba said . Police seized three pistols , two vehicles , and a small quantity of explosives from Martitegi and the two others arrested in France , Rubalcaba said . `` I think it 's very good news and shows the constant police coordination and the cooperation between the police and the courts , '' Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon , who was involved in the latest investigation , told reporters . Martitegi is the fifth ETA suspect arrested in France in the past two weeks . Given the heavy police crackdown , Rubalcaba said investigators have noted some internal discussion among ETA members about whether they should continue their armed fight or try for a negotiated end to the violence . But he said the government , which held failed peace talks with ETA under three prime ministers since the 1980s , was no longer willing to negotiate . `` The process of dialogue is the past , and the past never returns , '' Rubalcaba said , adding that ETA would have to decide to end the violence itself , or the state would force the group to end it . Over the past two years , police in Spain and France have arrested 365 ETA suspects , Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said in December . But top Spanish officials have repeatedly warned that ETA , while weakened , is not finished . There are about 600 ETA convicts or suspects in Spanish jails and 150 others in French jails , authorities in both countries have told CNN . | Jurdan Martitegui Lizaso wanted for various ETA attacks in Spain . State security forces say Martitegui was ETA 's `` No. 1 '' ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths in fight for Basque independence . | [[865, 920], [38, 93], [921, 1025]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- August 20 , 2007 . Quick Guide . Stories of Summer '07 - Catch up on some of the big news stories from the summer of 2007 . Hurricane Dean - Find out how some U.S. officials are preparing for Hurricane Dean . Earthquake in Peru : Learn about relief efforts in Peru following a deadly earthquake . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : We 're back with a brand new school year of CNN Student News . Glad to have you with us everyone . I 'm Carl Azuz . Bracing for the storm : U.S. and Mexican authorities are preparing for a powerful hurricane tearing through the Caribbean and looks to be headed for the Gulf of Mexico . And wrapping up the summer : You might have been out of school , but the news does n't take time off . So we 're reviewing some of the summer 's big stories . First Up : Stories of Summer '07 . AZUZ : You might have spent the last couple months working at a summer job or working on your tan , but the news did n't stop when school let out last spring . There was tragedy in the Twin Cities when a bridge in Minnesota collapsed during rush hour , and questions in America 's pasttime when a slugger 's record-breaking trip around the bases raised a cloud of controversy . We 've followed it all and we 're ready to get you caught up on some of the biggest headlines of the summer . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . RUSTY DORNIN , CNN REPORTER : It was an extended family of rescue workers from around the country who converged on Charleston to honor the nine fallen firemen , joining blood relatives , friends and the local community . HARRIS WHITBECK , CNN REPORTER : The relatives of those victims deal with the wrenching but definite news that everybody on board the flight from Puerto Allegre died during yesterday 's crash . LIZ KENNEDY , CNN REPORTER : The questions for the CNN-sponsored debate were submitted to the online video sharing Web site YouTube . BRIAN TODD , CNN REPORTER : Animal rights protesters target their rage at an NFL star as he enters a federal courthouse . Inside , Michael Vick pleads not guilty to felony charges of dogfighting and conspiracy . ANDERSON COOPER , CNN REPORTER : Six o'clock on Wednesday evening , rush hour in Minneapolis . Cars , trucks , buses crawl across the I-35W bridge bumper to bumper . Just minutes later , that slow traffic comes to a tragic halt . JOHN VAUSE , CNN REPORTER : Many of the toys made here for the U.S. giant Mattel were coated in lead paint , and earlier this month more than a million were recalled . BARRY BONDS : This record is not tainted at all , at all , period . You guys can say whatever you want . JOHN LORINC , CNN REPORTER : Nearly a week into the search for six miners trapped in the Crandall Canyon coal mine , rescuers will now try a new tactic : drilling a third hole in an effort to find the men . BARBARA STARR , CNN REPORTER : Top U.S. commanders are now using the strongest language to condemn the killing and wounding of hundreds after multiple suicide vehicle bombs exploded in remote northern Iraqi villages , home to a religious minority group known as Yazidis . HARRIS WHITBECK , CNN REPORTER : People waited in lines for hours , desperate for food , water and blankets . Civil defense authorities estimate more than 17,000 homes were destroyed in one town alone . -LRB- END VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . Promo . AZUZ : If you want to keep the discussion going on the stories in our summer round-up , we 've got a learning activity that will help you take a closer look . Students can talk about how time and perspective might shape opinions about news events and examine how the stories from this summer might be presented in a history textbook . You can check out the free activity at CNNStudentNews.com . Hurricane Dean . AZUZ : Several countries are preparing for a deadly storm that 's blowing through the Caribbean . Hurricane Dean has been tearing across the area since late last week , and on Friday , it strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane . Jamaican officials turned off some power grids in advance of the storm 's approach and advised residents to move into shelters , and the Mexican government issued a hurricane watch for areas in Dean 's projected path . This massive storm is large enough to easily be seen from space , and with its menacing winds bearing down on the Gulf of Mexico , Liz Kennedy reports on what officials are doing to get ready . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . LIZ KENNEDY , CNN REPORTER : FEMA officials came out Sunday with a message : If Hurricane Dean does make landfall on the American Gulf Coast , help is ready to go . DAVID PAULISON , FEMA DIRECTOR : We are ready . This is one of the best efforts I 've seen , the best coordinated efforts I 've seen . KENNEDY : FEMA says their latest information shows the storm not making it as far north as Texas . However , they say hurricanes are ultimately very unpredictable and they are working under the assumption the United States will be affected . The White House has already approved a request to free up federal assistance for Texas . On the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas coast Sunday , oil rig workers were evacuated via helicopter to nearby Galveston . A veteran of the rigs says he was happy to comply . KEN YATES , OIL RIG WORKER : I know what its like to be on , get caught , trapped on one and you ca n't get off of it . Its not much fun . KENNEDY : Dean is being blamed for several deaths in the Caribbean . Forecasters say it could bring up to 20 inches of rain in heavily populated Jamaica , which could trigger life-threatening floods . I 'm Liz Kennedy , reporting from Atlanta . -LRB- END VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . Fast Facts . GEORGE RAMSAY , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Time for some Fast Facts ! Using categories of 1 to 5 , the Saffir-Simpson scale gauges how much power a hurricane packs . A Category 1 hurricane , for example , has wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour and is capable of lightly damaging trees and shrubs . Contrast that to a seriously damaging Category 4 , which has wind speeds of more than 130 miles per hour and a storm surge of up to 18 feet above normal . Earthquake in Peru . AZUZ : As you saw in our summer wrap-up , parts of Peru are recovering from a different natural disaster . A massive earthquake struck there last week , killing more than 500 people . This tremor registered an 8.0 on the Richter scale , which measures the magnitude , or strength , of earthquakes . Towns along the country 's Pacific Coast suffered the most severe damage , and many Peruvians were left in need of food , shelter and supplies . Harris Whitbeck has more on the relief efforts in the South American nation . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . HARRIS WHITBECK , CNN REPORTER : Three days after the powerful earthquake , aid continued to flow into the stricken Ica region of southern Peru . A sports stadium in the regional capital hummed with activity as workers sorted supplies . Among the workers , Peruvian President Alan Garcia 's daughter . GABRIELA GARCIA -LRB- Spanish -RRB- : We are trying not only to give support and all the solidarity that we have , but also to give our time to help in moving and classifying things . WHITBECK : People waited in lines for hours , desperate for food , water and blankets . Civil defense authorities estimate more than 17,000 homes were destroyed in one town alone . Many of the area 's residents spent the night in the streets for a third time in a row . They were surrounded by the destruction , accompanied by little more than what lay beneath the rubble . EARTHQUAKE VICTIM -LRB- Spanish -RRB- : The dead are still buried under all this . It is going to start stinking here and we can be contaminated by cholera or many other epidemics . WHITBECK : Military personnel patrolled the stricken cities in efforts to prevent looting . Gunfire was heard throughout the night in Ica . Eyewitnesses reported armed inmates who had escaped from a nearby destroyed prison were roaming parts of town looting homes . Amid the chaos , a sign of hope . A baby was born to an earthquake victim while the visiting President Alan Garcia looked on . But other parents worried about the future for their families . EARTHQUAKE VICTIM -LRB- Spanish -RRB- : I need to think about rebuilding so that my son can live here . I know it is too soon , but someday I will die and my children will live on . WHITBECK : They might live on , but they will do so with the memories of the horror of the past . Harris Whitbeck , CNN , Lima , Peru . -LRB- END VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . Promo . AZUZ : CNN Student News has a new address , at least online . Check out CNNStudentNews.com . You 'll find all of our free curriculum materials , transcripts of all of our programs and of course our show . Plus , you wo n't want to miss our brand new blog . It 's all right there at CNNStudentNews.com . Shoutout . RAMSAY : Time for the Shoutout ! Fill in the blank : A pachyderm is a _____ . If you think you know the answer , shout it out ! Is it a : A -RRB- Reptile , B -RRB- Mammal , C -RRB- Bird or D -RRB- Arachnid ? You 've got three seconds -- GO ! Elephants , hippos and rhinos are all pachyderms , and they 're all warm-blooded mammals to boot . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , we 've got a look at an elephant 's trip over the hill . Siri the elephant turned the big 40 this weekend . The plodding pachyderm has been the main attraction in her zoo 's elephant exhibit for 35 years . She may be a little long in the tusk , but that does n't mean she does n't know how to party ! Plenty of fans were on hand to sing happy birthday and cheer her on as she dove trunk first into her peanut butter birthday cake . Siri 's friends at the zoo say she 's got quite the fan club . NICK PIRRO , ONONDAGA COUNTY EXECUTIVE : She 's the matriarch of the herd here , and we have one of the finest elephant breeding programs in the country . So we 're very proud of it . Goodbye . AZUZ : And that 's our last bite for today . But we 'll see you again tomorrow for more CNN Student News . Thanks for watching , everyone . I 'm Carl Azuz . E-mail to a friend . | Catch up on some of the big news stories from the summer of 2007 . Find out how some U.S. officials are preparing for Hurricane Dean . Learn about relief efforts in Peru following a deadly earthquake . | [[65, 155], [860, 912], [1353, 1435], [156, 170], [173, 240], [4443, 4505], [241, 251], [262, 328], [6345, 6365], [6391, 6421], [6682, 6759]] |
-LRB- CNN Student News -RRB- -- January 18 , 2008 . Quick Guide . Focus on : The Economy - Hear about the `` r '' word , and see how a possible recession could be fought . No Girls Allowed - Learn why a Florida family is balking at a statewide baseball rule . A Song for Spain - Consider what it would be like to have a national anthem without lyrics . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT . THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED . CARL AZUZ , CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR : Fridays are awesome ! Thanks for spending part of yours with CNN Student News ! From the CNN Center , I 'm your host , Carl Azuz . First Up : Focus on : The Economy . AZUZ : First up today : Technically , recession is n't a four-letter word . But it is one that Americans do n't like to use , because it describes a downturn in the economy over time . Why might this happen ? Well , many Americans ' home mortgages are going up . And they 're not able to pay . More people are out of work , consumers -- like you and me -- are spending less money overall . And we do n't even need to mention gas prices . Now these factors add up to an economic forecast that 's not so good ; Your family may be feeling the pinch . And all this is lighting a fire under government officials to fight a possible recession . Brianna Keilar considers the options Congress has , to try to prevent America from slipping into the red . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . BRIANNA KEILAR , CNN REPORTER : With fears of a recession growing , Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke was on Capitol Hill Thursday , urging Congress to act quickly on an economic stimulus package . BEN BERNANKE , FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN : Stimulus that comes too late will not help support economic activity in the near term and it could be actively destabilizing if it comes at a time when growth is already improving . KEILAR : The president had a conference call with Senate and House leaders from both parties , the White House characterizing it as a consultation rather than a negotiation . All sides are indicating partisan bickering will take a backseat to finding a quick solution . Today marks the first time the White House has said President Bush is backing a stimulus plan , but spokesman Tony Fratto shied away from discussing specifics . TONY FRATTO , WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECY. : The headwinds that we 're dealing with right now are things that we see over the next coming quarters . So we do want to try to pass something quickly . KEILAR : House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner met for the second day in a row . Both sides are stressing a bipartisan effort , but proposals are still vague . One option Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on : tax rebates : checks sent to taxpayers in an attempt to quickly pump money into the economy . Democrats say they 'll scuttle any Republican attempts to extend the president 's tax cuts as part of the stimulus package . Privately , congressional Republicans acknowledge it 's a fight they ca n't win . What 's more , Bernanke told Congress Thursday , making the tax cuts permanent wo n't help in the short term . BERNANKE : I think that the evidence suggests that measures that involve putting money in the hands of households and firms that will spend it in the near term will be more effective . KEILAR : Speaker Pelosi is hoping to have a final agreement before the State of the Union on January 28th . Brianna Keilar , CNN , the White House . -LRB- END VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . No Girls Allowed . AZUZ : The next question today is , are girls as good as boys at sports ? And if they are , should they be allowed to play at the organized , school level ? Swing by Jacksonville , Florida , and you 'll find that very controversy rounding the bases . But it 's not over a school rule -- It 's a state one . Laura Mazzeo of affiliate WJXT steps up to the plate . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . ALYSSA PITRE , WANTS TO PLAY BASEBALL : I can play as well as a boy . LAURA MAZZEO , WJXT REPORTER : Twelve-year-old Alyssa Pitre is passionate about baseball . PITRE : I just love the sport . MAZZEO : She lives by the motto , `` practice makes perfect . '' PITRE : I 'm gon na try harder . MAZZEO : She spends hours here in the batting cage and working with coaches on her curveball . But this week , Alyssa went to try out for the middle school baseball team at the Providence School and was told she could n't play . PITRE : I 'm a girl . So what ? You 're not supposed to discriminate against females if they want to try to do something new , and try to make history at their own school . MAZZEO : The school 's headmaster says they have no problem with her playing with the boys , but that she is n't allowed by the Florida High School Athletic Association . DON BARFIELD , HEADMASTER OF PROVIDENCE SCHOOL : Since we have a softball team , the state has indicated to us that she would not be permitted to play baseball . MAZZEO : The most obvious difference between softball and baseball -- it 's the ball . The softball and the baseball . But Alyssa says there 's much more to it than that . PITRE : The pitching is different . The ball is different . In softball they have longer bats -- different gear . MAZZEO : Alyssa is n't alone in her baseball dreams . her parents are considering taking legal action in hopes of changing the rules . ALYSSA 'S MOTHER : If she wants to pursue baseball , then we 'll pursue baseball . I just want to give her a chance . You know , give her a chance to try out , to see if she 's good enough to make any team . MAZZEO : Alyssa is a humble , yet confident 7th grader . PITRE : I was going to give them something to show , instead of wearing pretty jewelry and short skirts . MAZZEO : She believes she is good enough to play with the boys . PITRE : There 's really no difference - girls an play just as good as boys . -LRB- END VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . Promo . AZUZ : Standing up for what she believes in ; got ta give her props for that . Another famous American who stood up to create change : Doctor Martin Luther King Junior . CNN Classroom Edition will air ` The MLK Papers - Words that Changed a Nation . ' It 's on at 4 am Monday morning . Be sure to set your DVR 's now . For special curriculum on the program , check out CNNStudentNews.com . Shoutout . MONICA LLOYD , CNN STUDENT NEWS : Today 's Shoutout goes out to Mrs. Simmons ' geography classes at Dixon-Smith Middle School in Fredericksburg , Virginia ! Who wrote the lyrics to `` The Star-Spangled Banner '' ? If you think you know it , shout it out ! Was it : A -RRB- Betsy Ross , B -RRB- Thomas Jefferson , C -RRB- Susan B. Anthony or D -RRB- Francis Scott Key ? You 've got three seconds , GO ! Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the U.S. national anthem , the Star-Spangled Banner , after witnessing a battle during the War of 1812 . That 's your answer and that 's your Shoutout ! Song for Spain . AZUZ : For many of us , it 's hard to say , `` Oh Say Can You See '' without singing it -- the words and music are sort-of glued together . In Spain , there 's just a tune to hum . And though one Spaniard recently got really close to putting official words to it . Al Goodman explains why many people there , did n't like the way they sounded . -LRB- BEGIN VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . AL GOODMAN , CNN REPORTER : The English proudly sing their national anthem , the Americans croon to theirs . And then , there 's Spain . Hold it . The Spanish anthem does n't have any words . This man won a nationwide contest with his lyrics for the anthem . But then suddenly the Spanish Olympic Committee , which sponsored the contest , withdrew the winning entry . ALEJANDRO BLANCO , SPANISH OLYMPIC COMMITTEE : Once Spaniards heard these lyrics , they sparked a lot of controversy , even rejection . GOODMAN : Viva Espana , or Long Live Spain , is how the now-discarded lyrics began . The phrase struck a sour note . Critics say it harkened back to the long right-winged dictatorship of Francisco Franco . MARGARITA SAENZ-DIEZ , JOURNALIST : You have to understand that many Spaniards do not consider the national anthem as their own . It was played a lot under Franco . GOODMAN : Spain is now a democracy , but many still bristle at the military march that 's served for more than two centuries as the national anthem . Spain is made up of many different peoples , and five languages are spoken across the country . So , naturally , getting agreement on one set of lyrics is no easy task . One of those languages , ancient Basque , is among those taught in Madrid : Basques have their own national anthem and lyrics . At the Basque Cultural Center we found a Spaniard who liked the proposed lyrics for the Spanish national anthem . They 're good , he says , and very neutral about Spain . Many others say the proposed lyrics lacked polish and shine . ANTONIO VILLALON , RETIRED CIVIL SERVANT -LRB- TRANSLATED -RRB- : The French and American anthems speak about an enemy to defeat ; our lyrics mentioned fields , wheat and friends . It 's just stupid . MANUEL RINCON , TAXI DRIVER -LRB- TRANSLATED -RRB- : The anthem should give us goose bumps . Spain 's long history and diverse culture should show , in the lyrics . GOODMAN : The Spanish Olympic Committee says the search will go on , but in Beijing , Spanish athletes will likely have to just hum along to a wordless anthem , as they 've done for years . It 's a tune almost every Spaniard knows . Al Goodman , CNN , Madrid . -LRB- END VIDEO CLIP -RRB- . Before We Go . AZUZ : Before we go , smaller cell phones : Cool . Smaller MP3 players : Cool . Smaller bridges ? You 're not gon na get too much traffic across this Golden Gate bridge . It 's pictured next to a toothpick because it 's made from one ! Check that out -- you can even see the lines on the hand holding it ! This thing was carved , with a great deal more precision than I 've got , from a single toothpick and glue . The footage sent in to us by I-Report . The guy who did this says he 's been a toothpick artist for 36 years ! Goodbye . AZUZ : And as you could see , he really knows how to ` pick ' his subjects . That 's just painful ! And that 's where we conclude our week 's last broadcast . We 'll return on Tuesday , next week . Enjoy your three-day weekend , everyone ! I 'm Carl Azuz . E-mail to a friend . | Hear about the `` r '' word , and see how a possible recession could be fought . Learn why a Florida family is balking at a statewide baseball rule . Consider what it would be like to have a national anthem without lyrics . | [[66, 153], [125, 171], [1298, 1404], [172, 259], [201, 259], [260, 352], [293, 352], [260, 287], [310, 352]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Movie director John Landis is suing Michael Jackson , accusing the reclusive entertainer of fraud in his handling of profits from the iconic `` Thriller '' video the two made together more than 25 years ago . `` King of Pop '' Michael Jackson , seen in 2005 , made the `` Thriller '' video with John Landis more than 25 years ago . Landis claimed his 1983 contract with Jackson gave him 50 percent of net profits from the 14-minute video and the documentary about the making of it , both works that he directed and co-wrote with Jackson , court documents say . Jackson `` wrongfully refused to pay or account for such profits , '' the suit , filed against the singer and Optimum Productions , says . The suit characterizes Optimum as `` a defunct corporation '' Jackson has used as an alter ego . The suit accuses Jackson of `` concealing the extent of net profits '' by not giving an annual accounting for at least the past four years , and maintains that Jackson is `` guilty of fraudulent , malicious and oppressive conduct . '' Jackson 's lawyers have not responded to the suit , which was filed on January 21 . The video was based on Jackson 's 1982 album by the same name , one of the top-selling of all time . Landis , best known as director of `` Animal House '' and `` An American Werewolf in London , '' made the song into a short horror movie , complete with Vincent Price adding narration . Word of the suit comes just after an announcement that Jackson has signed a deal to take the dancing zombie story to the Broadway stage . The Nederlander Organization , a Broadway production company , announced Tuesday that it had signed a contract with Jackson to produce `` Thriller '' on stage . The show , which Jackson is to be involved with , also is to include music from other Jackson albums , the company said . The court has set May 11 as the date for lawyers to hold a conference with a judge concerning the lawsuit . | Director John Landis , Michael Jackson made `` Thriller '' video 25 years ago . Landis claims 1983 contract gives him 50 percent of net profits from video . Jackson `` wrongfully refused to pay or account for such profits , '' suit says . Jackson 's lawyers have not responded . | [[181, 227], [228, 261], [279, 350], [580, 644], [647, 658], [712, 718], [816, 954], [1051, 1100]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In its opening weekend , `` The Haunting in Connecticut '' scared and thrilled millions of moviegoers across the country . In `` The Haunting in Connecticut , '' Virginia Madsen sees strange things happen in her old house . The film , which earned $ 23 million to finish No. 2 at the box office , emphasizes psychological horror over slasher film blood 'n' gore , which its audience apparently appreciated . But Virginia Madsen , who plays Sara Campbell in the film , confessed that , while filming , fear was not just reserved for the screen . `` We all stayed in this big , old hotel which was kind of like the one in ` The Shining , ' one of those turn-of-the - century big , old hotels , '' Madsen told CNN . `` I had a little chat with my room . I said , ` Just out of respect , if there are any entities around , I need to stay here , I have a lot of work to do , I have to sleep at night , so please leave me alone . ' '' Yet , Madsen admitted , her belief in ghosts is not very strong . `` I do have an attraction to paranormal investigation and all those kinds of shows but I 'm not sure if I really believe in ghosts , '' she said . `` The Haunting in Connecticut '' is based on the true story of Sara Campbell , a mother who moves her family into an old house in Connecticut in order to be closer to the hospital where her son , Matt -LRB- Kyle Gallner -RRB- , receives cancer treatment . The house was once a funeral home and , shortly after their move , the family begins witnessing strange , supernatural activities . `` Something very powerful and very real happened to this family . Whether or not you believe it was some sort of demon or , you know , they 're manifesting it -- whatever it is -- it changed their lives , '' Madsen said . Madsen , 47 , is probably best known for her Oscar-nominated turn in `` Sideways '' as Maya Randall , the restaurant waitress who gets involved in a romance with the prickly writer played by Paul Giamatti . Since that 2004 film , the actress has made several films , including `` A Prairie Home Companion '' and `` The Number 23 . '' She and the rest of the cast developed a close relationship on the set and were much like a family behind the scenes . `` I was more like a mother bear with my young actors , '' Madsen said . In fact , Madsen added , her close relationship with the younger actors made filming difficult at times . `` One scene in the movie that was the hardest for me to do was when -LSB- Matt -RSB- wakes up ... and his skin is all carved with these different incantations , '' she said . `` And I open his shirt and he 's just looking up at me with these big blue eyes with tears ... and he really felt like my boy , he really felt like my second son . '' Madsen said the film , complete with ghosts , séances and creaking floorboards , is successful because it has all the elements of a good horror flick . `` The movie works ... because it plays on our most basic childhood fears . ` Something 's under the bed , something 's in the closet , something 's in the mirror . ' And all of us still have those same childhood terrors , '' she said . The desire to experience those same terrors and to forget about everyday life , Madsen added , draws people to the theaters at an older age . `` I like things that go bump in the night , and scary things that are fun , '' she said . `` That 's really what this movie really is . I think horror movies are so popular because times are especially hard and I think a horror movie more than any other kind of movie is a true escape ... You 're forgetting about your life because you 're like , ` Oh my God ! ' '' CNN 's Elham Khatami contributed to this story . | `` The Haunting in Connecticut '' had a successful opening weekend at box office . Virginia Madsen , who stars in film , likes `` things that go bump in the night '' Madsen , best known for `` Sideways , '' took motherly role over young co-stars . | [[3309, 3348], [1799, 1805], [1813, 1890], [2255, 2305]] |
Editor 's note : Taresh Moore is a student at Winston Salem State University in North Carolina . The 21-year-old senior traveled to Washington , D.C. , to attend the inauguration . Alfred Bouey is a World War II veteran and a grandson of slaves . WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alfred Bouey , an 84-year-old African-American , still remembers the stories from his grandfather about the scars on his body from the beatings he took as a slave in the South . Bouey , of Oak Park , Illinois , attended Tuesday 's inauguration of President Obama . Words ca n't express his excitement and happiness about witnessing history . A World War II veteran , he never thought he would live to see a black president in America . Bouey grew up in Arkansas and saw racism firsthand . He witnessed his mother being mistreated by whites in the South , but he never saw her give up . He eventually left Arkansas for Chicago . Bouey attended the inauguration after winning Brookdale Senior Living 's Experiences of a Lifetime contest . Residents at various Brookdale Senior Living communities nationwide shared their experiences and submitted their wishes as part of the contest . Bouey shared his story and said he 'd like to be there when Obama was sworn in . `` My grandfather and grandmother were whipped and beaten , and had the scars to prove it , '' he said . With CNN.com 's help , Taresh Moore spoke with Bouey about the inauguration ceremony . Below is a transcript of their interview . Moore : How are you today ? Bouey : I 'm great . I could n't feel any better right now . Moore : How did it feel to take part in this historic inauguration ? Bouey : It felt very great . I ca n't find any words to express my happiness . I am speechless and full of joy . Moore : What will you remember most about the inauguration ? Bouey : I will remember that I was actually there . I lived to see this historic event . I 'm 84 , and I had the chance to witness this . Not too many people had that opportunity , and I am honored . Moore : How did you feel when you found out that you and your family were going to Washington , D.C. , to take part in the inauguration ? Bouey : I was happy . At first when I was asked to take part in the survey , I did n't mind sharing my story because I had many stories to share . When I found out I had the opportunity to go , I was very grateful . I could n't wait to get here . Moore : Did you ever believe you would live to see an African-American president in your lifetime ? Bouey : No . I never thought I would live to see one . Growing up , my mother wanted me and my brother and sister to get an education . And we all did . An education will take you far , and we see that it did for our new president and for me . But I 'm glad I lived to see this . It 's a wonderful experience , and I am very proud of it ! Moore : How was it growing up in the South ? Bouey : I was born in Philadelphia and moved to Arkansas at the age of 1 . Growing up , everything was segregated -- in the schools , restaurants and just everywhere . Blacks could n't do this and we could n't do that . I came to the point where I got tired of it all in the South and just moved away . I moved to Chicago on June 2 , 1946 . Moore : Was it better in Chicago ? Bouey : Yes , a lot better . Better opportunities for blacks . Moore : You have lived a life that has seen the scars on the body of a former slave , who was your grandfather , to seeing America 's first African-American president all in one lifetime . How does that make you feel ? Bouey : I feel that America has come a long way . And I mean a very long way . My grandfather had scars from slavery . My mother was n't a slave , but she still was beaten in the cotton fields . Beatings did n't stop for some years after slavery . But there are no slaves now . It shows the great progress this country has made . Moore : How do you think your grandparents and mother would feel to see the first African-American president ? Bouey : I believe it would mean more to them than it means to me because of how they were treated and the hard work they put in . This would be like their reward for all of the work and suffering they endured . Others , like Martin Luther King , who I marched with , would be very happy as well . Moore : How did you feel when President Obama was first elected ? Bouey : Well , I had tears of joy on Election Night . I cried . They almost had to mop up the floor due to all of the tears that came out of my eyes . It was just a great feeling . Moore : How do you feel about President Obama and the future of America ? Bouey : I feel that America is headed in the right direction . The youth are our future , and the youth in the African-American community has a great example of a role model to look up to . Any youth from any race can look to President Obama . They do n't have to sell drugs or other bad things . Be like Obama , get an education and succeed in life . Moore : Millions of people of all races filled Washington this weekend to witness history . Of those people , many white Americans filled the city to see a black man being sworn in as president . How does that make you feel ? Bouey : I feel happy . It shows change . It 's good to see the white Americans appreciate and show love to the new president . And it 's good to see everyone come together for a special occasion . We 're all equal , no matter what color your skin is . Moore : If you could say anything to President Obama , what would it be ? Bouey : I would say job well done . Our prayers are with you . Keep your faith in God , and he 'll keep you . | Alfred Bouey , 84 , attended the inauguration of the nation 's first black president . Bouey , who grew up in Arkansas , saw his mother being mistreated by whites . `` It 's good to see the white Americans appreciate and show love to the new president '' Bouey says , `` I am ... full of joy '' | [[455, 474], [488, 541], [1191, 1193], [1202, 1239], [3384, 3398], [3428, 3503], [5083, 5140], [713, 738], [713, 718], [743, 765], [766, 829], [5212, 5297], [5212, 5217], [5223, 5249], [5212, 5222], [5230, 5260], [5212, 5222], [5265, 5297], [1712, 1745], [5179, 5193]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With President Barack Obama limiting how and where detainees at Guantanamo Bay can be interrogated , some analysts are asking if intelligence agencies will be able to get the information they need to keep the country safe -- and where the prisoners will eventually end up . President Barack Obama recently ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay detention facility . Fresh off his inauguration , Obama issued executive orders relating to Guantanamo , including one requiring that the detention facility be closed within a year . During a signing ceremony at the White House on January 22 , Obama reaffirmed his inauguration pledge that the United States does not have `` to continue with a false choice between our safety and our ideals . '' The president said he was issuing the order to close the facility in order to `` restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great even in the midst of war , even in dealing with terrorism . '' At its peak , Gitmo held 770 people the U.S. government believed may have been involved in terrorist activity or military action against the nation . The facility drew sharp criticism , including from Obama as he campaigned for the presidency . Human and legal rights advocates complained that many Gitmo detainees were being held indefinitely without charge . There were a handful of reports of mistreatment of detainees and Obama , among others , said the facility was not an effective way to deal with alleged enemy combatants or gather good intelligence . With the closing of Gitmo and secret overseas CIA prisons , future detainees may stay in foreign custody . Those countries might not have the same constraints on interrogations , and they could share what they learn or let U.S. intelligence sit in . Watch more on the Gitmo dilemma '' `` While you 're able to say that you do n't have U.S. secret prisons , in effect , you may be able to get the benefit through your relationship with foreign intelligence services , '' said CNN national security contributor Frances Townsend , who served as President Bush 's national security adviser . But some say it 's the mere image of closing Gitmo that will help U.S. relations around the world . `` Guantanamo is an extraordinary debilitating symbol in the United States and the United States ' standing in the world community . Closing it makes good sense , '' Charlie Swift , a former naval defense attorney , said on CNN 's `` State of the Union with John King , '' on Sunday . But Douglas Feith , who helped shape the Bush administration 's terrorism policy , downplayed that notion . `` I do n't think that it 's much more than a symbolic decision , '' he said . `` The real issue is whether we can make sure that the extremely dangerous people that we 're holding at Guantanamo can continue to be held so they do n't engage in terrorism in the future . '' That issue was raised last week amid a new report by the Pentagon -- released days before Obama took office -- which said 18 former detainees are confirmed to have participated in attacks , and 43 are suspected to have been involved in attacks . Watch more on where Gitmo prisoners may go '' But security experts are questioning information released by the Pentagon , saying 61 former detainees from Gitmo may have returned to terrorist activities . That figure would be about 11 percent of the roughly 520 prisoners who have been released from the Guantanamo facility . But in a briefing Thursday , Secretary of Defense Robert Gates -- an advocate for closing Guantanamo while serving under Bush and , now , under President Obama -- seemed to downplay the number of former detainees who have returned to fighting . `` It 's not as big a number if you 're talking about 700 or a thousand or however many have been through Guantanamo , '' he said . On Friday , a Pentagon spokesman defended the integrity of the report but would not directly answer questions about where the figures come from . `` We do n't make these figures up . They 're not done willy-nilly , '' spokesman Geoff Morrell said . Pentagon officials said they would not discuss how the statistics were derived because of security concerns that such information could give clues to how U.S. intelligence officers collect their data . CNN learned some former Guantanamo detainees have returned to the fight . An al Qaeda video viewed by CNN 's Nic Robertson showed militants labeled with their former prisoner numbers . Saeed Shihri , Prisoner No. 372 , is believed to have been responsible for an attack on the U.S. embassy in Yemen that killed nearly a dozen people in September , barely a year after he was released from Guantanamo . CNN 's Susan Candiotti , Ed Hornick and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report . | President Obama signs executive order calling for Gitmo facility to close . Security experts question where the detainees will be relocated to . There are also concerns about how intelligence will be collected under new rules . CNN learned some former Gitmo detainees have returned to terrorism . | [[293, 383], [3169, 3214], [0, 15], [19, 205], [3291, 3372], [3687, 3706], [3711, 3738], [4322, 4395], [4326, 4395]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No longer able to fit into a booth at a restaurant and too embarrassed to ask for seatbelt extensions on an airplane , Maggie Sorrells was desperate to lose weight . Maggie Sorrells lost 300 pounds and went from wearing a size 5X or 64 in men 's clothing to a size 6 . The day she stepped on a hospital scale and realized she weighed 440 pounds she knew she had to do something . Name : Maggie Sorrells Age : 32 Hometown : Franklin , Tennessee Occupation : Receptionist in doctor 's office Height : 5 feet 6 inches Heaviest weight : 440 pounds Current weight : 140 pounds Pounds lost : 300 pounds Defining moment The moment I saw that I weighed as much as I did , it scared me , and I knew I had to do something about it . How did you finally lose the weight ? Diet : Weigh Down Workshop , a faith-based weight loss program . I ate whatever I craved , but only when I was truly hungry , and then I ate a lot slower , so I could tell when to stop . Exercise : Nothing out of the ordinary , occasionally I 'd go for a walk , but never because I felt like I had to . How long did it take you to lose weight ? Four years with two pregnancies within the same time period . One month after I lost 300 pounds , I became pregnant for the third time with my son . How has this changed your life ? Drastically , the way I eat , the way I live my life . I am able to move better . I feel better emotionally and physically . I 'm just a much happier person . I love to hike and I could never go when I was big . I almost killed myself going a half-mile . My chest would hurt and I would think I was having a heart attack . Just after we had our daughter , we went hiking all day and climbed rocks . I also love the beach . I 'm no longer ashamed to go to the beach or wear a bathing suit . Do you have any tips for other people who want to lose weight ? Yes , do n't think about how much weight you have to lose because you 'll get overwhelmed and discouraged . Set small goals , like 15 pounds . There were times I wanted to give up and there were days I felt like I could n't do this . Food was my drug . Take -LSB- weight loss -RSB- in small increments because when you lose 15 pounds you 'll be excited and before you know it you 'll lose 50 . | Maggie Sorrells could no longer squeeze into restaurant booths at 440 pounds . Doctors had warned her that she might not live to the age of 30 . She shed 300 pounds following a faith-based weight loss program . | [[19, 21], [29, 77], [288, 299], [332, 372], [552, 577], [185, 216], [811, 816], [817, 844]] |
Editor 's note : Penn Jillette -- the larger , louder half of Penn & Teller -- is a magician , comedian , actor , author and producer . Obama and McCain both promise a government that will watch over us ... `` I do n't like that , '' says Penn Jillette . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Everyone I talk to seems to think the president of the United States right now is stupid . The Bush presidency is stupid speeches , stupid high gas prices , stupid bad economy , stupid war on terrorism , stupid war on drugs , stupid hurricane fixing , stupid global warming , stupid war -- stupid , stupid , stupid . They all seem to think we need to get a smarter guy in the White House fast , and Bush is so stupid , that task should n't be too hard . Not me . I 'd like to say that I believe every president in United States history , including the stupid one we have now , is smarter than me . My alma mater is Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth Clown College , so I 'm damning with faint praise , but I 'm stupider than this here stupid president . Maybe I 'm less stupider than Bush than I 'm stupider than Jefferson . But I 'm stupider than all the stupid in both of them put together . The idea , especially from the Democrats that I know , is , we just get a smarter guy in the White House , and all the problems will go away . We 'll have smart speeches , smart high gas prices , smart bad economy , smart war on terrorism , smart war on drugs , smart hurricanes , smart global warming , smart war in Georgia -- smart , smart , smart . Barack Obama is way smarter than Bush -- so way , way smarter than me . Obama is way more charismatic than me . He did his big speech for about 80,000 people ; I 'll do my show tonight in Vegas for about 1,000 people . He 's more ambitious than I ; he 's going to be the next president of the United States , and I could n't even get to week three of `` Dancing with the Stars . '' Obama is a great leader . He can fire people up and get them to do what he wants . He does smart speeches that promise everyone everything they need and make us feel good about our country and how much greater our government could be . But I do n't think our next president being a great leader is a good thing . I 'm worried about someone smarter than Bush taking over that tremendous power . Charisma and ambition increase my fear exponentially , and a great leader scares me to death . We need someone stupid enough to understand that the president of the United States ca n't solve many problems without taking away freedom and therefore should n't try . The only reason John McCain scares me a little less is because I think he 's a little less likely to win . They both promise a government that will watch over us , and I do n't like that . I do n't want anyone as president who promises to take care of me . I may be stupid , but I want a chance to try to be a grown-up and take care of my family . Freedom means the freedom to be stupid , and that 's what I want . I do n't want anyone to feel my pain or tell me to ask what we can do for our country , or give us all money and take care of us . Gene Healy at the Cato Institute explains that the Founding Fathers wanted the president `` to faithfully execute the laws , defend the country from attack and check Congress with the veto power whenever it exceeded its constitutional bounds . '' That sounds like plenty to me . You got ta be smarter than me to do all that , but you do n't have to be as smart as Obama , and you sure do n't have to be a great leader . Our first seven presidents averaged a bit more than three public speeches a year , and they did n't promise jobs for everyone , day care , dental exams and free stuff . It 's really hard to find someone who trusts Americans to take care of themselves and each other without government force . It 's hard to find someone running for president who would be content to be what George Washington humbly called the `` chief magistrate . '' I think Ron Paul and Bob Barr mean it when they say they want much smaller government . But the government is already big enough , powerful enough and bipartisan enough -LRB- and `` bi '' means exactly two and no more -RRB- that Ron and/or Bob wo n't even be in the debates . People wo n't even hear someone suggesting that our president should do less and individual citizens should do more for themselves . The choice should n't be which lesser of two evils should have the enormous power of our modern presidents . The question should be , who would do less as president ? Who would leave us alone ? If we could find a lazier , less charismatic , stupider person than me to be president , I 'd be all for it . But , it 's not going to be easy ; stupider than me is rare breed . So remember , the only way to waste your vote is to vote ! The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . | Everyone thinks we need to get a smarter guy in the White House , says Penn Jillette . Jillette : Obama is a great leader who fires people up , gets them to do what he wants . McCain scares Jillette a little less because he 's a little less likely to win . Ron Paul , Bob Barr say they want much smaller government . | [[591, 595], [600, 666], [1251, 1295], [1925, 1950], [1951, 1972], [1951, 1953], [1977, 2007], [2584, 2681], [2647, 2690], [3993, 4072]] |
Editor 's Note : CNNU is following two student teams from the University of Southern California as they work to improve the quality of life in India . The student teams will be writing about their experiences for CNNU throughout the summer . Check back regularly for updates on their work . CNNU first introduced the Oral Cancer Awareness Team . It now introduces the Water and Health Team . The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of CNN or its affiliates . Students visited slums to obtain data on the history of health and access to water in each household . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The World Health Organization reports that 88 percent of the 1.8 million deaths resulting from diarrhea can be attributed to unsafe water or inadequate hygiene or sanitation . Unfortunately , a significant population in the city of Hubli , India , fall victim to these causes , and they are not even aware of the cause . The University of Southern California Hubli Water and Health Team is spending this summer implementing a project model that will improve these statistics in the community . The team of six students , visiting from the University of Southern California , will guide a pilot project in the under-served community of S.M. Krishna Nagar . Over the course of the next year , the Team will employ local college students to maintain the program and monitor the efficiency of the water purification technology . And by subsidizing the cost for those living within S.M Krishna Nagar , the Team will be providing state-of-the-art purification systems at affordable prices , creating an important sense of ownership and empowerment for the people . The team also plans to build awareness within the local community about the need to drink purified water . While the source of water currently received by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation is filtered , sewage leakage and the poor management of waste often contaminates drinking water on its way into the homes . This means that while the water from these pipes or the bore wells may look clean , it can be hazardous to drink . To compound the issue , even water contained in holding tanks on vehicles that visit the community is by no means guaranteed to be of sufficient , purified quality . The tanks carrying the water are rarely cleaned and the taps through which the water is dispersed may easily be contaminated . Families must be aware that the water they are provided is harmful to their health and provides a catalyst for breeding mosquitoes carrying malaria and other transferable diseases . Local reports have proven this , and communities in the past have fallen victim to water-related illnesses as a result of their consumption of unclean water . The USC Hubli Water and Health Team team hopes to shed light on this threatening issue , as confronting the challenge of dirty drinking water is a `` gateway '' step towards achieving measured , sustainable improvements in a wide array of serious health related issues . Through education at key points of community influence and the measured introduction of new technologies that encourage responsibility over simply charity , the Team will use its time in Hubli to affect change that is both scalable and sustainable . | Students from University of Southern California go to India to improve quality of life . Team provides innovative water treatment measures to stop disease . Other team teaches how to prevent oral cancer , one of top 3 cancers in India . Students employ locals to maintain program and monitor efficiency over next year . | [[99, 150], [1097, 1121], [1124, 1175], [1259, 1291], [1294, 1427]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the age of digital audio , what does good old-fashioned radio still have to offer ? Teca Lima , the voice of RadarCultura , consults the Web site before talking into the mic . Plenty , according to the creators of RadarCultura , a community-based Web site and a daily three-hour AM radio program broadcast from Brazil 's São Paulo . `` Radio is ` now , ' '' says 22-year-old Brazilian André Avorio , who implemented the Web site . '' -LSB- Radio -RSB- is generally quick and live . This adds a special dynamic to the medium . Moreover , it is still one of the most popular means of mass communication in Brazil . Combining it with the power of the Internet can result in many new possibilities . '' RadarCultura is an experimental project of the Padre Anchieta Foundation to promote public participation in audio-visual programming , eventually aiming to fuse its radio , television and Web programs into a single interactive , real-time platform . Like many online music sites , RadarCultura is always looking for new music and emerging talents , but its primary focus is to preserve the memory of the Brazilian repertoire by resurfacing classic , forgotten or unknown songs . The Padre Anchieta Foundation also happens to boast the biggest archive of Brazilian music in Brazil , including more than 15,000 songs dating from the 1920 's to the present . `` Making it easy to search through the vast archive of songs was an important feature since version one of the Web site , '' says Avorio . Producer Alceu Maynard observes two types of RadarCultura members : `` There are people who listen to the show because they are fans of Brazilian music . There are others who like to produce the content on our site -- they collaborate actively with suggestions , playlists and all aspects of programming . '' Meanwhile , RadarCultura team members Alceu , speaker Teca Lima and project manager Lia Rangel are busy podcasting interviews , moderating conversations , blogging , twittering and keeping the site relevant . Old media gets new blood . True to its non-visual origin , RadarCultura 's Web site is strictly text-based , with icons that link to votes and streaming audio . And true to its Web-based platform , the site has adopted , and adapted , all Net-native systems for its daily operations . The site itself runs on the free Drupal content-management system , which allows content to rank and flow according to input and feedback from the site 's online community . Members who wish to contribute their own audio material to RadarCultura 's archive must either podcast it themselves first , or else they may upload it to the U.S.-based Archive.org to clear it of online rights . Given the quantity of music aired from the ever-expanding repertoire , copyright issues are the most common pretext to negotiation , most notably with ECAD , a privately owned civil society for the collection and distribution of copyright managed by 10 Brazilian music associations . Online , however , RadarCultura distributes the entirety of its streaming content under a Creative Commons license . The team has also been experimenting with the free CoveritLive software to enable live blogging , chatting and Twittering among audience , presenters and guests during its online coverage of radio and TV events , including the popular Roda Vivo TV show . RadarCultura 's first live event coverage in February 2008 was of Campus Party Brasil , a seven-day tech-fest that saw people camping out in tents with broadband cables while sharing ideas and technological innovations . In April 2008 , RadarCultura struck again with its live coverage of Virada Cultural , Brazil 's largest cultural event , including art performances and exhibits in the streets of São Paulo during 24 continuous hours , attracting some 4 million people . `` I came up with the idea of inviting the audience to report directly from the streets using their mobile phones , '' says Avorio . `` A telephone system was installed , and the calls from the participants were automatically recorded . Our non-stop production team listened to every recording as they arrived and not only immediately published them online but geo-localized them on an interactive map of São Paulo . `` It was RadarCultura 's first truly collaborative coverage , as the audience produced most of the interviews and reviews , of not only the main attractions of Virada Cultural , but also the very obscure ones that otherwise would not be covered by the mainstream media . '' Next : Music for the masses , on demand . But still much remains to be done with RadarCultura 's original content -- music . `` Due to legal restrictions , it has been very difficult to exploit many of the possibilities previously imagined for the RadarCultura Web site , like listening online to playlists or to the thousands of songs in the archive , '' Avorio reflects . `` Live radio has been a great success and will remain so for a long time , but it is now clear the value of on-demand content -- whenever you want it , wherever you are , on whatever device you have handy -- from the iPod to your mobile phone . '' RadarCultura 's Web site not only introduces Brazilian music and culture to the international online community , it brings its programming well beyond the limited broadcasting range of the station 's native São Paulo to the rest of Brazil . In a nation notorious for violence rooted in social inequality , the democracy of the Web -- not unlike radio -- is a welcome new medium of communication . `` Certainly São Paulo is the most ` wired ' city in the country , but the Internet and the possibilities associated with it have reached the most distant towns , '' says Avorio . `` It is amazing the value that such a technology delivers to a country in a fast development pace such as Brazil -- from education to more subtle ways of social inclusion . '' For Gioconda Bordon , Padre Anchieta Foundation 's radio coordinator , RadarCultura 's most memorable moment took place on December 17 , 2008 , when the program celebrated its first anniversary . `` We had here in our studio the great composer Tom Zé , a very well-known musician , singing and talking live with a very young singer , Mallu Magalhães , a teenager , actually , '' she recalls . `` The listeners were as happy as we were and , of course , as moved as the two artists were . It was a day in our history . '' | RadarCultura is a daily 3-hour radio program and community Web site . Its father foundation boasts the biggest archive of Brazilian music in Brazil . Web site invites members to create playlists , vote on , suggest music for air . RadarCultura also covers live culture and technology events . | [[253, 262], [263, 277], [282, 354], [1200, 1229], [1235, 1335], [1200, 1229], [1303, 1356]] |
LYON , France -- Inter Milan have agreed to the transfer of Italian World Cup winning defender Fabio Grosso to six-time French champions Lyon . Grosso made 23 Serie-A appearances for Inter Milan last season . `` The player arrived late on Friday evening and passed his medical test before signing his contract with the club on Saturday morning , all three parties involved are in agreement , '' said Olivier Blanc , communications director of the French club . The 29-year-old Italian will be present at a ceremony at Lyon 's Town Hall to launch the French champions 2007-08 season . Grosso is Lyon 's highest-profile summer signing and will come as much sought after relief by a club who saw the departure of France international left back Eric Abidal to Barcelona . Lyon , chasing a record seventh consecutive League One title , have also signed Nadir Belhadj from French first division rivals Sedan and Mathieu Bodmer and Kadar Keita both from Lille . The Italian League champions Inter Milan decided to release Grosso after a below-par season and just one year at the club . The imposing defender played 23 matches in the league last term , scoring two goals . He will be bitterly remembered in France for scoring Italy 's winning penalty in the final shootout that denied France their second World Cup success . Grosso will be the third Italian to play for the club since it was founded , following Orenzo Dito and Aridex Caligaris in the 1950s . E-mail to a friend . | Lyon have completed the signing of Inter Milan defender Fabio Grosso . The Italian World Cup winner signed his contract on Saturday morning . Lyon will be bidding for a seventh consecutive French title next season . | [[209, 222], [258, 343]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The case against a Marine accused of murder in a 2005 incident involving the killings of Iraqi civilians in Haditha `` is simply not strong enough to prove against a reasonable doubt , '' the investigating officer said Thursday . The investigating officer has recommended that Sgt. Frank Wuterich not be tried for murder . Lt. Col. Paul Ware recommended that Sgt. Frank Wuterich face trial for lesser charges of negligent homicide . The case involved allegations that Marines killed up to two dozen Iraqi civilians in the town of Haditha , Iraq , in November 2005 . Ware said the evidence indicated Wuterich `` failed to exercise due care in his own actions in supervising his Marines . '' `` When a Marine fails to exercise due care in a combat environment resulting in the death of innocents , the charge of negligent homicide , not murder , is the appropriate offense , '' he said in a statement . The recommendation goes to Lt. Gen. James Mattis , the commanding general overseeing the case , who will make the final decision . If the recommendation is accepted , it could mean that no one in the Haditha case will be tried for murder . Four enlisted Marines were initially accused in the case , and charges against two have been dropped . Murder charges remain against Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum , although Ware has recommended dropping all charges against him . Ware said the evidence is too weak for a court martial . Four officers were later accused of failing to investigate and report the deaths properly . Charges against two of them have been dropped . Haditha , along the Euphrates River , was the target of previous Marine campaigns aimed at rooting out insurgents . Wuterich was leading a patrol through the city on November 19 , 2005 , when the unit was hit by a roadside bomb that killed one of its members . Twenty-four civilians were killed in what a human rights group and military prosecutors said was a house-to-house rampage by Marines after the bomb exploded . The military began investigating the killings in March 2006 , and charges were brought the following December . A statement from the Marine Corps originally blamed the civilian deaths on the roadside bomb , triggering a parallel investigation into how commanders handled the incident . Arrest made in terrorist financing case . Earlier Thursday , the U.S. military announced the arrest of a man who smuggled $ 100 million into Iraq during the past few months to finance terrorist operations . The unidentified man , arrested Tuesday near Baghdad , allegedly employs 40 to 50 extremists at $ 3,000 per job for al Qaeda in Iraq bomb attacks against coalition forces , using money from supporters outside Iraq , the military said . `` The extremist financier is suspected of traveling to foreign countries to acquire financial support for terrorist activities and is suspected of supplying more than $ 50,000 to al Qaeda each month , '' the military said . The suspect , captured during a coalition raid in Kindi , operates a network of financing cells across Iraq , the military said . `` He is believed to have received $ 100 million this summer from terrorist supporters who cross the Iraq border illegally or fly into Iraq from Italy , Syria and Egypt , '' the military said . The $ 100 million figure is based on intelligence report estimates over several months , a spokesman for Multi-National Corps-Iraq said . The man is also accused of purchasing some of the explosives and weapons used in the 2006 attack on Samarra 's al-Askariya mosque , also known as the Golden Mosque , and a second attack on it in 2007 . The attacks heightened sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims . During a separate operation in Radwaniya on Tuesday , Iraqi forces detained a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq platoon leader who commands 15 men in attacks on Iraqi and coalition forces with roadside bombs and direct assaults , the military said . Meanwhile , an Iraqi Ministry of Information spokesman said Thursday that Iraq has entered into a `` substantial '' deal with China to purchase weapons and light military equipment for its police forces , because the Asian nation promised the fastest delivery . Brig. Gen. Abdul Kareem Khalaf told CNN he was unable to confirm that his country was spending $ 100 million for the items , a number reported in Thursday 's editions of The Washington Post , which quoted Iraqi President Jalal Talabani . Khalaf said there have been delivery delays from other countries , including the United States , and adequately arming police forces is a priority in Iraq 's goal to provide its own security . In the United States , there are several layers of review before military equipment sales are approved . Khalaf said the deal was made last June during a visit to China by Talabani and Minister of Interior Jawad al-Bolani , whose department is in charge of policing and border control . Other developments : . CNN 's Jamie McIntyre , Saad Abedine and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report . | If advice accepted , it could mean no one in Haditha case will be tried for murder . Iraq to buy weapons from China ; $ 100 million worth , Washington Post says . Pentagon : Detainee financed terror operations across country . Financier allegedly paid $ 3,000 per roadside bomb operation . | [[260, 352], [1098, 1170], [2506, 2526], [2561, 2630]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The grandparents of missing 2-year-old Caylee Anthony continue to stand by their daughter , who is accused of killing Caylee , an attorney said Monday . Caylee Anthony , 2 , has been missing since June in a case that has received national attention . The lawyer 's announcement came just hours before a source confirmed authorities discovered bones in the area where a body believed to be Caylee 's was found last week . The bones were scattered in the dirt , perhaps by an animal , the source said . Crime scene investigators were searching the area where the body was found and will continue searching through at least Wednesday , according to Commander Capt. Angelo Nieves with the Orange County Sheriff 's Office . Outside agencies , including the FBI , were helping the sheriff 's office sift through the area `` in order to make sure that no stone , no area , is left untouched where the child 's remains were found , '' Nieves said . `` Significant finds have been made , '' he added . `` At this point , we can not identify what items have been recovered . '' George and Cindy Anthony were `` devastated '' upon learning a toddler 's corpse had been found near their Orlando , Florida , home , attorney Brad Conway said , but the couple is waiting for authorities to confirm the body 's identity . `` They 're not grieving yet , because they do n't know whose body this is , but if it is identified as Caylee they 're going to go through that grieving process privately , and when they 're ready to speak , they will , '' Conway told reporters . A utility worker discovered the remains in a plastic bag Thursday and alerted authorities . CNN affiliate WFTV-TV in Orlando reported the utility worker , a meter reader , picked up a bag at the site and a skull fell out . Listen to the disturbing 911 call '' Later that day , authorities searched the Anthonys ' home and removed `` a number of items , '' Conway said . Authorities have said Casey Anthony , 22 , waited about a month before telling her family Caylee was gone . Caylee 's grandmother called police on July 15 , saying her daughter would not tell her where Caylee was . See where remains were found '' The girl was 2 at the time of her disappearance . The FBI is using DNA analysis to try and positively identify the remains , Conway said . Though bureau spokesman Richard Kolko said Monday he did not know when tests would be complete , Conway said the FBI is likely to have results `` within the next week . '' Watch Conway describe the grandparents ' devastation '' `` Everybody wants to make sure that there are no mistakes made , that the person responsible for this crime is held responsible for it and , if that happens to be Casey , a jury of her peers will have to make that decision after the state of Florida proves beyond a reasonable doubt , '' he said . If the remains prove to be those of their granddaughter , the body would be released to the Anthonys `` for proper and respectful burial , '' he said . Conway described his clients as `` good , honest , decent people that are getting publicity that they do not deserve . '' Orange County Sheriff Office 's spokesman Carlos Padilla said last week that authorities believe the remains are Caylee 's because no other children have been reported missing in the area , the remains are consistent with a child Caylee 's age and the remains were found near the grandparents ' home . Watch how a home became a crime scene '' Caylee and her mother had lived in the house with Caylee 's grandparents , but Casey Anthony moved into an apartment at the time Caylee disappeared . Casey Anthony faces charges including first-degree murder in Caylee 's disappearance . If convicted , she could face a sentence of up to life in prison . Prosecutors said this month they would not seek the death penalty . Casey Anthony 's attorneys have insisted she is innocent . Watch Caylee 's uncle dismantle a memorial '' After learning a corpse was found last week , attorneys sought a court order allowing them to observe the autopsy and conduct their own forensic tests . A judge denied the request after prosecutors said the motion was premature because the body had not yet been identified . Watch why police think it 's Caylee '' `` What I do n't want to see , bluntly , is 24 hours after viewing an autopsy , a defense expert on a national news show describing this child 's remains , '' prosecutor Jeff Ashton argued . `` The specter of that is nauseating to me . '' Asked Friday how Casey Anthony responded to the news her daughter 's remains may have been found , lawyer Jose Baez said , `` It 's not something that someone takes well . '' Casey Anthony remains in protective custody and has no contact with other inmates , corrections officials said . A psychologist has seen her , and she is on psychological observation , which is not the same as suicide watch , according to a statement . Casey Anthony 's trial , originally set for January , has been postponed until at least March . When questioned by police this summer , Casey Anthony gave conflicting statements , including some that were later disproved , according to hundreds of documents and investigative reports released in the case . She claimed she dropped Caylee off with a babysitter , but when police checked out her story , they learned the address Casey Anthony supplied belonged to an apartment that had been vacant for weeks . The woman Casey Anthony named as her babysitter told police she did not know her . Review a timeline of the case '' Investigators said cadaver dogs picked up the scent of death in Anthony 's car as well as in her parents ' backyard . They also said air quality tests conducted by the FBI found evidence consistent with human decomposition and chloroform in the car 's trunk . A neighbor told police Anthony had asked to borrow a shovel . CNN 's John Couwels and Natisha Lance contributed to this report . | NEW : Sheriff 's official says `` significant finds have been made , '' does n't elaborate . Source says authorities find bones near site where corpse was found . FBI should have DNA analyzed `` within the next week , '' he adds . Hair , age , measurements of remains match toddler , police and attorneys say . | [[978, 1013], [338, 397], [389, 457], [1016, 1029], [2258, 2330], [2444, 2515], [3338, 3391]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brittany Zimmerman , a 21-year-old college student who wanted to be a doctor , called 911 as she was being attacked by a stranger , police say . Brittany Zimmerman 's screams and struggle for her life were captured by a 911 tape . But the police did not come for 48 minutes . By that time , Zimmerman was dead . Her fiance found her body . Although the dispatcher claimed later to have heard nothing , the 911 tape captured screams , gasps and what sounds like a struggle , according to the court documents . Spring was in the air when college student Zimmerman returned April 2 from classes at the University of Wisconsin to the off-campus apartment she shared with her fiance , Jordan Gonnering . He was out when she arrived home . He discovered her body when he returned . Zimmerman had been stabbed multiple times in her chest , near her heart . She 'd also been beaten and strangled , according to warrants released recently . Watch an update on the case '' Zimmerman managed to call 911 at 12:20 p.m. . The call was taken by the Dane County 911 center and an internal investigation revealed the dispatcher did not hear any sounds that would signal an emergency . Because of that , police were not sent to the apartment until 48 minutes after Zimmerman made the call . Her fiance was already there . Dane County has taken some harsh criticism from the public regarding the delay , and tough questions have been raised about whether a prompt response might have saved Zimmerman 's life . Police are still looking for her killer . `` We are working diligently on this case , have generated significant leads , and are making progress , '' said Joel De Spain of the Madison Police Department . The police said they believe Zimmerman was attacked by a stranger . Her apartment door showed signs of forced entry . After interviews with Zimmerman 's family , friends and acquaintances , investigators determined there was no personal motive for the attack . `` In fact , we have not been able to determine any motive yet in this case , '' De Spain said . He emphasized that police have no reason to believe Zimmerman was the victim of a serial killer . During the investigation , police have tracked leads pointing to vagrants in Zimmerman 's off-campus neighborhood . The vagrants often would knock on doors and beg for money . `` We are still investigating this avenue , but at this time we have not been able to develop any specific suspects , '' De Spain said . Zimmerman 's family and friends describe her as a loving , warm young woman , who had much to look forward to . She was engaged to the love of her life and had dreams of earning a medical degree , they said . She was idealistic , and her goal was to help people , not to earn a large salary , they said . Other details in the released warrants reveal that Zimmerman was murdered in her bedroom , that her cell phone was found in `` parts , '' and that her bloody slippers and bloody computer paper were recovered . The murder weapon is described as a knife , two to five inches long . Police are not saying whether they have recovered it . DNA was collected from Zimmerman 's body , as well as hair , blood samples , footprints and fingerprints . So far , no match has been made to a suspect . Zimmerman 's family is offering a $ 14,000 reward , and Crime Stoppers is offering $ 1,000 for tips leading to the arrest and/or conviction of anyone responsible for Zimmerman 's death . Please call the tip line at 608-266-6014 . | College student 's battle for her life caught on 911 tape . Police did not respond to her call for help for 48 minutes . Brittany Zimmerman 's fiance found her body . Police suspect she was attacked by a stranger and are eyeing vagrants . | [[49, 78], [90, 124], [173, 181], [207, 228], [173, 258], [430, 499], [263, 303], [1215, 1301], [340, 367], [762, 803], [0, 3], [96, 104], [107, 157], [1724, 1791], [1740, 1791], [2180, 2204], [2207, 2295]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michelle Crawley says she 's a `` freak '' about putting sunscreen on her two girls . Emily Crawley and her dad , Jere , hit the pool on the first day of a Florida vacation , which left Emily sunburned . `` They are both pretty fair skinned , '' says the West Chester , Ohio , mother of two . So every time Emily , 6 , and Claire , 3 , go out into the sun , she slathers them with SPF 30 or higher . But during a recent trip to Key Largo , Florida , Crawley 's vigilance was n't enough . `` I was n't sure if it was my technique , the sunscreen or being in Florida , '' Crawley said , but `` that evening they were just fried beyond belief . '' Slathering on sunscreen has become as much a part of the summer ritual as the vacation itself , but a consumer advocacy group has a warning for parents like Crawley who think they 're protecting their family with sunscreen : You may be getting burned . The Environmental Working Group , a Washington-based nonprofit , has released an investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreens that says four out of five do n't adequately protect consumers and may contain harmful chemicals . The group says that some of the products of the nation 's leading brands -- including Coppertone , Neutrogena and Banana Boat -- are the poorest performers . Read about the study . Coppertone was named by the Environmental Working Group as having 41 products that failed to meet the group 's criteria for issues ranging from failing to protect adequately to containing potentially harmful ingredients to making unsubstantiated claims . But in a statement to CNN , the company says it `` rigorously tests all its products in the lab and in the real world '' to ensure that they 're safe and effective . Watch more on what to look for in sunscreen '' The makers of Banana Boat , which also failed to meet the Environmental Working Group 's standards for various reasons , did not respond to CNN 's requests for comment . Neutrogena says its sunscreen products have been `` embraced by dermatologists and consumers for their efficacy '' and says its new Helioplex technology provides broad-spectrum UV defense against sun damage . The science of sunscreens is simple : Active ingredients are compounds that absorb , reflect or block ultraviolet light . Sunscreens are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration not as cosmetics but as over-the-counter drugs . Sunscreens are rated based on their SPF , or Sun Protection Factor . The higher the SPF , the better the protection against sunburn . The Environmental Working Group says that the SPF rating on a sun product is only part of what consumers need to know and that one of the biggest problems with sunscreens is that they do n't fully protect against sunlight . `` A good , effective sunscreen must prevent against a broad spectrum of rays , '' said Sonya Lunder , a senior researcher at the Environmental Working Group . Sunlight is composed of two types of ultraviolet light : UVB rays , which cause sunburns , and UVA rays , which tan . Although both may increase the risk of skin cancer , sun damage and wrinkles , the FDA does n't require sunscreens to protect against both , just UVB . The FDA acknowledges that new rules mandating UVA testing and labeling requirements are being evaluated , but the Environmental Working Group wants tougher standards now . `` The fact most sunscreens still do n't do n't offer UVA protection and the fact the FDA has been working for years to finalize its rules is really what provoked us to look at this issue , '' Lunder said . Another issue : Is a key sunscreen ingredient safe ? Oxybenzone is a a popular UV filter in many sunscreens , one evaluated by the FDA as safe . The Environmental Working Group says its analysis of hundreds of studies of more than a dozen sunscreen chemicals finds that oxybenzone can penetrate the skin and pose health concerns , anything from hormone disruption to cancer . The industry group representing sunscreen makers denies that oxybenzone causes harm and deems such claims irresponsible . `` Questions about the safety of oxybenzone unnecessarily alarm consumers , '' said John Bailey , the chief scientist for the Personal Care Products Council , which offers its scientific information about the safety of sunscreen ingredients online . `` Safe sun '' has always been a priority for the American Academy of Dermatology , which sees sun overexposure as the single most preventable risk factor in the more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year . Although dermatologists agree that broad-spectrum sun protection is important , some experts see an even bigger sun danger if people perceive that their sunscreen is n't safe . `` We 're concerned this will raise unnecessary confusion and cause people to stop using sunscreen , '' said the Skin Cancer Foundation , a nonprofit group dedicated to educating the public about sun safety . `` Consumers should rest assured that sunscreen products are safe and effective when used as directed . '' While sunscreen effectiveness is debated , all skin experts agree that how a sunscreen is used is just as important as what kind of sunscreen is used . Dermatologists say that an ounce of sunscreen should be applied to all exposed areas 30 minutes before going outside and should be reapplied every two hours , or immediately if you swim or sweat . Common sense can also protect from the sun . Experts agree that children under 6 months old should be kept out of direct sun . Children need sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher . If you are sensitive to sunscreen , never go without . Instead , try sunscreens that provide a physical barrier , such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide . New micronizing technology makes both appear more transparent on the skin , so you do n't have to look like a lifeguard with a white nose . After her girls were sunburned , Crawley bought aloe and sun shirts , which they wore for the rest of their Florida trip . She is frustrated some consumers may not be getting the protection they think they are when they buy sunscreen . `` I think it 's disappointing if you are putting your trust in these companies , '' she said . `` Someone needs to be keeping an eye on it to make sure they are meeting their claims . '' CNN correspondent Elizabeth Cohen , senior producer Jennifer Pifer and Melanie Diaz contributed to this report . | Environmental Working Group : 4 out of 5 sunscreens tested do n't adequately protect . Group says chemical in sunscreens can penetrate skin and pose health concerns . FDA allows the chemical in sunscreens , says it is safe . Sunscreen manufacturers say their products are safe and effective . | [[1024, 1058], [1064, 1121], [2552, 2775], [2679, 2775], [3730, 3843], [926, 957], [1126, 1157], [3816, 3960], [3695, 3729], [3961, 4082], [4984, 5087], [4984, 4996], [5009, 5087]] |
-LRB- Oprah.com -RRB- -- It came as no surprise to a woman we 'll call Joan when , after 16 years of marriage , she and her husband started discussing the possibility of divorce . Deep down she 'd never believed her marriage , or any marriage , could be genuinely happy . Still , the reality was crushing . `` I was desperate , '' she says . `` I thought , ` I 'd do anything to feel better . ' '' How about singing every day , making lists of things that made her happy , and getting a `` joy buddy '' ? Those are among the suggestions given in Awakening Joy , a class taught by James Baraz , a meditation instructor and founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre , California . A series of exercises , lectures , and meditations stretched over 10 months , Awakening Joy is designed to bring more happiness to people 's lives . Like some participants , Joan , who heard about the program while attending a meditation retreat at Spirit Rock , initially balked at the idea of singing . `` I thought James wanted me to join a choir , '' she says , `` but I took it on faith that the singing was going to work . '' So she started trilling along with the `` Hairspray '' soundtrack while driving . `` It seemed ridiculous , but that 's what initially helped me the most . '' `` The course uses practices that lead the mind toward states of happiness and well-being , '' says Baraz . `` In other words , it teaches you to focus on how it feels to feel good . '' The first and most important step , he says , is intention : making the decision to be happy . Robert Holden , Ph.D. , author of `` Happiness Now ! Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good Fast '' and director of the Happiness Project in the United Kingdom , agrees that this is key . `` Intention is another word for focus . Whatever you focus on will become more apparent and will grow . For centuries , optimists and pessimists have argued over who 's right , and the answer is they both are ; each sees what they 're looking for . If you focus on happiness , that 's what you become more aware of . '' Once participants have made up their minds to be happier , Baraz gives them the tools -- delivered in lectures to the live class he teaches in Berkeley and in twice-monthly e-mails sent to participants in other areas -- to teach them how to cultivate a positive state of mind . Among them : . • Writing what the word joy means to you . • Doing some form of physical movement -- such as yoga , dance , or walking -- a few times a week . • Making a `` nourishment list '' of activities you enjoy , checking off those you do regularly and circling the ones that could be done more often . • Checking in with your `` joy buddy , '' a kind of running partner in the pursuit of happiness . `` That 's important , '' says Holden . `` One of the major blocks to happiness is a sense of isolation . If you 're alive , you need help . '' There are also guided meditations , including instructions on how to be mindful -- being present for whatever you 're doing and , as Baraz says , `` simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different . '' For Joan , that turned out to be a bigger challenge than singing -- especially when her husband suggested that they begin the separation process . `` Awakening Joy is n't about being a happy little do bee , '' she says . `` You 're taught that when feelings arise , no matter what they are , you stay with them . When my husband said we should contact a mediator , I cried years of tears . But by accepting those painful feelings , I had a watershed moment : I realized that I really wanted this marriage . '' Rather than assuming divorce was inevitable , Joan started to see other possibilities . `` From that day to this , it 's been a whole different experience , '' she says . `` My husband and I are still together , and in a way that I honestly did n't think was possible . '' For Baraz , the best testimonials come from former skeptics ; he admits that he himself would n't be the best case study . `` I 've always been a relatively joyful , celebratory kind of person , '' he says . He found his spiritual path in Buddhism , but when his studies became very serious , so did he . `` Then I realized that the Buddha was called the Happy One , and he said , ` Go for the highest happiness . ' That became the focus of my teaching . '' -LRB- Baraz points out that one need n't be a Buddhist , or of any particular faith , to reap the benefits of Awakening Joy . `` Ministers , rabbis , and secular experts have successfully used these basic principles , '' he says . -RRB- . The idea for the course began eight years ago , when Baraz 's wife , Jane , gave him a book called `` How We Choose to Be Happy , '' by Rick Foster and Greg Hicks . `` The instructions made a lot of sense , but they did n't have a spiritual dimension , '' Baraz says . `` So I added that and presented it as a series of talks with my weekly meditation group for about three months to see what would happen . '' The results : `` We got happier and happier ! '' Baraz then turned Awakening Joy into a six-month class and found that participants maintained a positive attitude even after it ended -LRB- as long as they practiced the exercises ; as with diets or working out , continuity is essential -RRB- . Word of mouth about the course that could make people happier began to spread : The first round of Awakening Joy meetings consisted of about 40 members . The next numbered 100 ; the next , 200 , and then 500 . It went international when its members began e-mailing their monthly homework assignments from the lectures to friends . Baraz was thrilled to receive messages from strangers in Europe , Africa , and New Zealand . `` It works ! '' they wrote . Apparently , you did n't have to be there to get the joy . Nor do you have to be the type who can deftly turn a frown upside down . `` I 'm the person who walks into a nicely designed room and notices only that the painting was hung too high , '' says Gretchen , age 56 . In addition to being a `` serious '' woman from a depressive family , Gretchen also found herself in chronic pain after sustaining a back injury . `` It was horrible , '' she recalls . `` Medication made me sick . I felt guilty about not being able to work , and I thought people were judging me . '' Though a specialist was able to alleviate some of her physical discomfort , Gretchen fell into a deep depression . She heard about Awakening Joy after taking Baraz 's meditation classes at Spirit Rock . `` The first thing I was hit by was the instruction to notice what it feels like when you 're happy , '' she says . `` I loved the walks I took to help my back , but before , I just plodded down the street , not noticing anything . Now I 'm aware of how I feel when I 'm walking , which enhances my enjoyment . '' Writing lists of things she 's grateful for was also a big help . `` A lot of my seriousness has lifted , '' she says . `` I have a lighter heart . I still have chronic pain , but I know there 's a lot to feel good about . '' Baraz is writing a book about Awakening Joy and the people who now routinely roll up the windows in their cars so they can sing as loudly as they want to . `` More than 2,000 people have tested it , so it 's not some airy-fairy idea , '' he says . `` I 've learned that it 's possible to change , no matter what your history or the limiting beliefs you 've held on to . If you have the intention to be happy and you do the practices , if you give it your best shot and are very patient , it works . '' We 're all so used to thinking that we 'll finally be content when we find the perfect partner , lose weight , or get our dream job . Is it really possible to become happier just by deciding you can ? `` We use the language of having , getting , and chasing to describe happiness , rather than being , '' says Holden . `` What we 've learned about happiness is that it is n't an it or a thing . Research has proven that there is no one set of circumstances that makes someone happy ; it 's more about having a healthy mental attitude toward whatever you 're experiencing . So , you can either chase happiness or you can choose to be happy . It really is that simple . '' By Suzan Colón from `` O , The Oprah Magazine , '' January 2008 . E-mail to a friend . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Joy is different for everyone , but some may not recognize it . Make a list of activities that nourish your spirit . Expert : What you focus on in your life will grow . Get a partner to encourage and nudge you towards joy . | [[2510, 2567], [1794, 1841], [1794, 1812], [1846, 1857]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Harold Pinter , the Nobel Prize-winning playwright and screenwriter whose absurdist and realistic works displayed a despair and defiance about the human condition , has died , according to British media reports . He was 78 . The much-honored Harold Pinter received the French Legion d'honneur in 2007 . Pinter 's wife , Lady Antonia Fraser , confirmed his death . Pinter , who had been suffering from cancer , died on Christmas Eve , according to the reports . Fraser told the Guardian newspaper : `` He was a great , and it was a privilege to live with him for over 33 years . He will never be forgotten . '' Pinter was known for such plays as `` The Birthday Party '' -LRB- 1957 -RRB- , `` The Homecoming '' -LRB- 1964 -RRB- , `` No Man 's Land '' -LRB- 1974 -RRB- , `` Mountain Language '' -LRB- 1988 -RRB- , and `` Celebration '' -LRB- 2000 -RRB- . The works caught a linguistic rhythm -- the legendary `` Pinter pause '' -- and an air of social unease that resonated throughout the English-speaking world and in myriad translations . His movie credits , like his plays , span the decades and include `` The Quiller Memorandum '' -LRB- 1965 -RRB- and `` The French Lieutenant 's Woman '' -LRB- 1981 -RRB- . Pinter also wrote the screenplay for his 1978 play `` Betrayal , '' the story of a doomed love affair told backward , which was made into a 1983 film with Ben Kingsley , Jeremy Irons and Patricia Hodge . He received the Nobel Prize in literature in 2005 . Pinter 's later plays were more overtly political , with works such as `` One for the Road '' -LRB- 1984 -RRB- and `` The New World Order '' -LRB- 1991 -RRB- focusing on state torture . In commentaries , he became a blistering critic of the United States , writing in his Nobel lecture that the country `` quite simply does n't give a damn about the United Nations , international law or critical dissent , which it regards as impotent and irrelevant . It also has its own bleating little lamb tagging behind it on a lead , the pathetic and supine Great Britain . '' But Pinter could also be a man of great humor . In 2006 , he recounted a story about a fall that had landed him in the hospital a year earlier . `` Two days later , I woke up to find that I 'd been given the Nobel Prize in literature , '' he said . `` So life is really full of ups and downs , you see . '' Harold Pinter was born in London on October 10 , 1930 . He was the son of Jewish immigrants , his father a dressmaker , his mother `` a wonderful cook , '' he once recalled . In 1948 he was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts , then as now one of Great Britain 's most renowned drama schools . But the RADA did n't take ; Pinter hated the school and dropped out after two terms . He became an actor and turned to playwriting with his first work , `` The Room , '' in 1957 . Later that year he wrote `` The Birthday Party , '' a `` comedy of menace , '' in the words of one critic , that helped make Pinter 's reputation -- though , in an irony he could appreciate , after it closed in London due to scathing notices . Ensuing Pinter plays , including `` The Dumb Waiter '' -LRB- 1957 -RRB- and `` The Homecoming , '' made him Britain 's most famous playwright , as influential to `` late 20th-century British theater -LSB- as -RSB- Tennessee Williams is to mid-century American stages , '' CNN.com 's Porter Anderson wrote in 2006 . `` What 's generally meant as a ` Pinter play ' in the purest sense usually revolves around one or more characters who are imposing on themselves a constricted , even deprived existence in order to hold off a presumed but uncertain threat , '' Anderson wrote . Pinter 's plays featured sparse dialogue , often spiced with paranoia or simple befuddlement . In `` The Birthday Party , '' a boardinghouse resident is accosted by two malevolent visitors who insist it 's his birthday ; in `` The Homecoming '' -- which won the Tony Award for best play when it premiered on Broadway in 1967 -- a professor and his wife return to his working-class British family , where the wife becomes the center of attention . Pinter credited Samuel Beckett , among others , as an influence . -LRB- He starred in a production of Beckett 's `` Krapp 's Last Tape '' in 2006 . -RRB- In turn , writers such as David Mamet and Sam Shepard followed Pinter 's elliptical lead . `` One way of looking at speech is to say it is a constant stratagem to cover nakedness , '' Pinter once said . He was married first to the actress Vivien Merchant . Following a 1980 divorce , Pinter married writer-historian Lady Antonia Fraser . | Harold Pinter died on Christmas Eve , his wife tells British media . Pinter , 78 , had been suffering from cancer . He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005 . | [[0, 32], [184, 192], [0, 32], [195, 231], [322, 336], [361, 382], [383, 389], [429, 450], [232, 243], [383, 426], [1434, 1485], [2198, 2215], [2218, 2286]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He 's the butt-kicking , karate-chopping , kung fu superstar who rose from nowhere to conquer Hollywood in a spectacularly visual style . Action star Jackie Chan celebrates winning Best Actor at the 25th China Golden Rooster in 2005 . With his compact but wiry 5-foot , 9-inch frame , Jackie Chan seems to pale into insignificance when compared with muscle-bound Hollywood tough guys such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme . But combining extraordinary athleticism and an acrobatic style , Chan could probably take them both on in a fight and emerge victorious . Best known to western audiences as star of the Rush Hour trilogy , Chan is a prolific actor who has made more than 100 films spanning three decades . But success did not come easy for Chan , who made a string of flops in the early 1970s in Asia . He struggled for years to break out of the shadow of Bruce Lee , the undisputed kung fu king of the time -- even appearing as a stuntman in two of Lee 's films . But in 1978 , Chan landed his first hit in Asia with `` Snake in the Eagle 's Shadow . '' This was quickly followed by `` Drunken Master , '' which catapulted him to fame , and he suddenly became one of the highest-paid actors in the industry . Chan is credited with creating a new film art form , with his comedic take on martial arts , reminiscent of Buster Keaton 's slapstick style . `` He totally reinvented Hong Kong cinema , '' said Renee Witterstaetter , author of `` Dying For Action : The Life and Films of Jackie Chan . '' `` He created a new film art form , mixing humor with martial arts , '' Witterstaetter said . `` It was so different and unique . '' Watch TalkAsia 's exclusive interview inside Jackie Chan 's den '' Although a household name in his native Hong Kong and most of Asia , Hollywood seemed largely oblivious to his talents . It was not until 1994 when he made `` Rumble in the Bronx , '' which grossed $ 10 million in its opening weekend and made it to number one at the U.S. box office , that Chan finally cracked Hollywood . Soon big-budget hits such as the `` Rush Hour '' series and `` Shanghai Noon , '' followed . `` Rush Hour '' was Chan 's first movie to break $ 100 million at the U.S. box office , earning $ 141 million , according to the box office tracking Web site , Box Office Mojo . `` Rush Hour 2 '' made $ 226 million and `` Rush Hour 3 '' has earned $ 137 million so far . His current cinematic venture sees him paired with longtime friend Jet Li in `` The Forbidden Kingdom '' in their first movie collaboration . Set in a mythic , ancient China , it is described as `` The Wizard of Oz with lots of martial arts . '' The martial arts dream team have already seen `` Kingdom '' debut at No. 1 with $ 20.9 million in ticket sales last weekend , but Chan says the reason it took him so long to work with Jet Li is because he did n't like the Hollywood scripts they were initially offered . Chan , 54 , is also quite candid about the fact that he does n't like most of the Hollywood films he has made . He revealed to CNN : `` I did n't really like ` Rush Hour . ' In America , everyone likes ` Rush Hour , ' but in Asia nobody likes it . `` They like talking too much in America but in Asia they like to fight more in the films . '' After the film wrapped in 1998 , he wrote on his Web site : `` When we finished filming , I was very disappointed because it was a movie I did n't appreciate and I did not like the action scenes involved . `` I felt the style of action was too Americanized and I did n't understand the American humor . '' Chan has certainly come a long way from his impoverished childhood in Hong Kong , where the story has it that his parents were so poor , they nearly sold him to a British doctor for less than $ 100 . However , his parents instead enrolled him at the China Drama Academy , a talent school of hard knocks with a draconian regime that included training in music , acrobatics and martial arts that lasted 18 hours a day . Beatings were commonplace . Children were made to perform headstands for hours on end and Chan describes being forced to run , arms outstretched , carrying two full cups of water , with strict instructions not to spill a drop . With his parents now living in Australia , Chan stayed at the school for ten years and was adopted by his Master . Undoubtedly , the academy 's grueling regime would later stand Chan in good stead , turning him into an incredibly driven and disciplined stuntman turned actor , who always choreographs and performs his own stunts . As a consequence , no insurance company will underwrite Chan 's productions , which are legendary for his death-defying super stunts . They include water-skiing barefoot behind a speeding hovercraft , jumping off a building and swinging from a hot air balloon . Chan holds the Guinness World Record for `` Most Stunts By A Living Actor . '' He also holds the record for the most number of takes for a single shot in a film , having shot over 2900 retakes for a complex scene involving a badminton game in `` Dragon Lord . '' Unsurprisingly , Chan has suffered a litany of injuries in the course of his film career . Over the years , he has dislocated his pelvis and broken his fingers , toes , nose , both cheekbones , hips , sternum , neck and ribs on numerous occasions . When filming `` Police Story '' in 1985 , he suffered second-degree burns to his hands and palms after sliding 100 feet down a pole festooned in Christmas lights . Many of the injuries have appeared , in eye-watering viewing , as outtakes or bloopers during the closing credits of his films . But in 1986 , he came close to death while filming `` Armor of God , '' when he fell 45 feet from a tree and fractured his skull , leaving a permanent hole in his head . Chan explained to CNN 's TalkAsia host , Anjali Rao that he never insists on doing his own stunts . It 's just the way things are done in Hong Kong . `` Making a film in Hong Kong in the old days was not like Hollywood , '' he says . `` We did n't have protection like elbow pads and we did n't have the knowledge about safety . I had to risk my life jumping from building to building . '' Chan is a one-man movie-making machine . He has his own production and distribution company -- Jackie Chan Emperor Movies -- and controls all aspects of the movie-making process , from casting to directing , producing , screenwriting , choreographing and stunt coordinating . He even has his own stunt team and casting agency . His director on the Rush Hour series , Brett Ratner told CNN 's The Screening Room that Chan 's versatility gives him the edge over other martial arts stars like Bruce Lee and Jet Li . `` Jackie is the most gifted actor of the three because he has the most range . Bruce Lee is a legendary performer and martial artist , but I do n't think he is as funny as Jackie Chan . `` Jackie can be funny , he can be dramatic , he can do the action and the stunts , he can direct , edit , shoot . He is also a stunt coordinator so he is everything wrapped into one . '' E-mail to a friend . | Action star Jackie Chan is famed for combining humor with martial arts . His new film `` The Forbidden Kingdom '' is first pairing with kung fu star Jet Li . Chan holds the Guinness World Record for `` Most Stunts By A Living Actor '' He has suffered a litany of horror injuries over his 30-year movie career . | [[2446, 2512], [4850, 4925], [5113, 5127], [5130, 5203]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three professors and a former professor at Columbia University 's Teachers College received hate mail this week , the New York Police Department said . It 's the campus that was shaken by several bias crimes directed at black and Jewish professors in 2007 . Columbia University 's Teachers College is once again the target of a hate campaign . Three professors received manila envelopes Tuesday with images of swastikas in them . The fourth , a former professor who is an African-American , was sent a manila envelope containing an image of a noose , according to NYPD deputy commissioner Paul Browne . Among those receiving a swastika image was Elizabeth Midlarsky , a Jewish psychologist who has studied psychological principles in the context of the Holocaust , police said . In 2007 , her office door was spray-painted with a swastika . -LRB- A swastika is the right-angles cross symbol used on Nazi Germany flags -RRB- . The NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is leading the investigation into the incident . No arrests have been made . `` The TC community deplores these hateful acts , which violate every Teachers College and societal norm , '' said an e-mail Wednesday to faculty and students from the college 's president , Susan Fuhrman ; and dean , Tom James . No arrests were been made in the 2007 incidents . Police declined to say if they believe there is a connection between those cases and the mailings this week . | Three professors , one former one at Columbia University receive hate mail this week . Jewish psychologist at Teachers College among those receiving swastika . In 2007 , same psychologist 's office door was spray-painted with a swastika . NYPD Hate Crimes Unit is leading investigation ; no arrests made . | [[0, 139], [372, 457], [1363, 1446], [631, 693], [807, 814], [817, 868], [954, 1028], [1029, 1056], [1287, 1336]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two teams of scientists say they have found a key area of the H5N1 bird flu virus which seems to be vital to its ability to copy itself , and hope the discovery could lead to new drugs to fight the infection . Human-to-human transmission of avian flu is rare , but in some cases , the virus has passed from poultry to humans . The discovery is generating excitement among scientists who are looking for a new weapon against the bird flu virus that typically kills more than half its human victims . Two separate groups of scientists -- one in China , one in France -- used a highly technical process to identify protein that seems to be involved in its ability to replicate itself . That gives researchers a new target , as they try and develop new medications . The announcements , detailed in the British-based journal Nature , come at an uneasy time for those who follow the bird flu strain called H5N1 . So far this disease is mainly affecting birds in some countries and the number of human cases remains small , but the virus has shown no sign of growing milder since it first infected people back in 1997 . It continues to decimate bird flocks in sporadic outbreaks , mostly in Asia , and occasionally breaks into the human population . China 's Ministry of Health reported eight human cases last month , including four deaths . Since 2003 , the World Health Organization has confirmed 404 human cases worldwide . Nearly two-thirds of the victims have died . While H5N1 does n't make headlines the way it did in 2005 , health officials say the continuing severity of the infections means the alarm is still on . Influenza viruses , in general , spread easily . If H5N1 were to acquire the genetic ability to pass easily from person to person , it could turn into a major catastrophe . Many countries have stockpiled both vaccines and antiviral medications , for such a scenario . The same medications that are used to treat regular flu , oseltamivir -LRB- Tamiful -RRB- and zanamivir -LRB- Relenza -RRB- , also seem to be effective against H5N1 . But that 's no reason to rest easy . All flu viruses tend to mutate rapidly , which is why the flu vaccine one year , wo n't protect you against the next year 's flu . Those rapid mutations mean the virus tends to develop a resistance to any widely used medication . Dr. Anthony Fauci , Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease , told CNN , `` It always happens that eventually , sooner or later , the -LSB- flu -RSB- virus will develop varying degrees of resistance . You just hope that it 's kept to a minimum . '' The findings in Nature may lead to another option to fight bird flu , but an actual new drug is years away . A vaccine could be effective , but they first have to know what strain of flu they 're fighting . The current strategy of health officials around the world is to try to contain isolated cases before they spread . The best case scenario would be , that this H5N1 killer remains primarily a disease for the birds . | Experts say they have found key component of the H5N1 bird flu virus . It is hoped this will lead to better medication to fight the infection . China reported its first human-to-human infection in 2005 . Since 2003 , the World Health Organization has confirmed 404 human cases . | [[0, 15], [19, 100], [893, 926], [0, 15], [161, 203], [161, 228], [1355, 1365], [1368, 1439]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A company accused of encouraging hundreds to illegally enter the United States and then hiring them using fake Social Security numbers has agreed to pay the largest settlement ever in a workplace immigration bust , the Department of Justice said Friday . Relatives of people arrested in IFCO raids gather for a news conference in July 2006 . IFCO Systems North America , a pallet and crate company , will pay a $ 20.7 million settlement , which includes $ 18.1 million in fines and $ 2.6 million for overtime violations , the Department of Justice said . In early 2006 , immigration officials raided 45 IFCO sites , arresting almost 1,200 low-level workers . Federal officials also charged several managers , accusing them of using `` as a business model the systematic violation of United States law . '' To date , nine IFCO managers and employees have pleaded guilty to criminal conduct , the Justice Department said . Four managers are awaiting trial on felony charges and the investigation is continuing , it said . The Justice Department said it will not pursue criminal charges against the company if it complies with the terms of the settlement . `` The agreement severely punishes IFCO for its serious immigration and employment violations , '' acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Baxter said . `` But it also allows the corporation to continue its operations , so that its lawful employees and innocent shareholders do not suffer the consequences of a business failure in this economy . '' IFCO 's violation of the law was flagrant , officials said . More than half of the company 's 5,800 workers during 2005 had invalid Social Security numbers , and the company ignored at least 13 letters from the Social Security Administration about questionable Social Security numbers . IFCO records suggests that as many as 6,000 illegal immigrants worked at company plants from 2003 to 2006 , the Justice Department said . Federal officials said Friday that IFCO `` acknowledges and accepts responsibility for the unlawful conduct of its managers and employees . '' An IFCO official could not be reached for comment . | Pallet and crate company IFCO Systems North America will pay $ 20.7 million . IFCO accused of luring workers to U.S. , giving them fake Social Security numbers . Justice wo n't pursue criminal charges if company complies with settlement . As many as 6,000 illegal immigrants worked for company from 2003 to 2006 . | [[372, 398], [430, 466], [439, 466], [475, 549], [30, 108], [0, 26], [113, 164], [1582, 1676], [1050, 1183], [1078, 1133], [1137, 1183], [30, 108], [1808, 1913], [1835, 1913], [1916, 1945]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Searchers looking for a woman believed to have fallen from a cruise ship off the Yucatan coast of Mexico have seen no sign of her , a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said Friday afternoon . The Norwegian Pearl is on a seven-day Caribbean cruise . Lt. Matt Moorlag , based in Miami , said crews would work into the night to find 33-year-old Jennifer Feitz , whose husband reported her missing aboard the Norwegian Pearl about 3:40 a.m. Friday . Ship personnel called the Coast Guard for help when they could n't locate Feitz . Moorlag said he had not spoken with the woman 's husband . The search was centered about 15 miles east of Cancun , Mexico , in the Caribbean Sea , said Petty Officer 3rd Class Nick Ameen , a Coast Guard spokesman . `` Initial reports indicate the guest may have gone overboard while the ship was at sea , east of Cancun , '' a spokeswoman for the Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement . AnneMarie Mathews said the ship left Miami on Sunday on a seven-day western Caribbean cruise . The Coast Guard dispatched an Air Station Miami HU-25 Falcon jet crew , and a C-130 fixed-wing aircraft crew from the Air Station in Clearwater , Florida , also was headed to the site , Ameen said . The Mexican government was aiding the search with a helicopter crew and three water - and ground-surface crews . | Passenger Jennifer Feitz , 33 , reported missing on Norwegian Pearl ship . U.S. Coast Guard in search about 15 miles east of Cancun , Mexico . Cruise line says , `` Initial reports indicate the guest may have gone overboard '' Mexican government also is helping in the search . | [[318, 384], [358, 384], [401, 473], [615, 668], [53, 129], [771, 858], [1253, 1365]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari denied his nation was involved in last week 's deadly attacks on Mumbai , India , and told CNN on Tuesday he 's seen no evidence that a suspect in custody is a Pakistani national as Indian officials claim . Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari says he believes the Mumbai attackers were `` stateless actors . '' `` I think these are stateless actors who have been operating all throughout the region , '' Zardari said on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' in an interview set to air Tuesday night . `` The gunmen plus the planners , whoever they are , -LSB- are -RSB- stateless actors who have been holding hostage the whole world . '' At least 179 people were killed when a band of gunmen attacked 10 targets in Mumbai on Wednesday night , triggering three days of battles with police and Indian troops in the heart of the city -- the hub of India 's financial and entertainment industries . Most of the deaths occurred at the city 's top two hotels : the Oberoi and the Taj Mahal . Watch Zardari blame `` stateless actors '' '' Indian officials have publicly blamed Pakistani militants for the attacks , and called on Pakistan to hand over a group of wanted militant leaders suspected of plotting them . On Tuesday , Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi proposed a joint investigation into the attacks and said , `` This is not the time to point fingers . '' Zardari confirmed he is willing to have Pakistani security officials participate with India in a joint investigation . `` The state of Pakistan is in no way responsible , '' Zardari told King . '' ... Even the White House and the American CIA have said that today . The state of Pakistan is , of course , not involved . We 're part of the victims , Larry . I 'm a victim . The state of Pakistan is a victim . We are the victims of this war , and I am sorry for the Indians , and I feel sorry for them . '' Indian officials have said that the only suspected attacker in custody has told police he is a Pakistani national . Indian intelligence sources have told CNN 's sister network , CNN-IBN , that police believe all the attackers were Pakistanis . Indian police say nine of the 10 attackers were killed by Indian forces . Asked about the suspect in custody , Zardari said : `` We have not been given any tangible proof to say that he is definitely a Pakistani . I very much doubt it , Larry , that he is a Pakistani . '' He said Pakistan is looking into the allegation , but added , `` Like I said , these are stateless individuals . ... We 've had incidents the past two days in Karachi where we 've lost more than 40 to 45 people , hundreds injured . These are stateless actors who are moving throughout this region . '' India summoned Pakistan 's high commissioner , the top-ranking Pakistani diplomat in New Delhi , to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee 's office Monday to inform him that last week 's massacre in Mumbai `` was carried out by elements from Pakistan . '' It renewed a demand that Pakistan hand over a group of militant leaders whose extradition it has sought since a 2001 attack on India 's Parliament that brought the South Asian nuclear rivals to the brink of war . `` The government expects that strong action would be taken against those elements , whosoever they may be , responsible for this outrage , '' a statement from India 's Foreign Ministry said . `` It was conveyed to the Pakistan high commissioner that Pakistan 's actions needed to match the sentiments expressed by its leadership that it wishes to have a qualitatively new relationship with India . '' The list reportedly includes Hafiz Mohammed , the head of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , a now-banned Islamic militant group that denied last week that it was involved in the Mumbai attack . The group is blamed for the 2001 attack on India 's Parliament . `` I am definitely going to look into all the possibility of any proof that is given to us , '' Zardari said . `` At the moment , these are just names of individuals . No proof , no investigation , nothing has been brought forward . '' If proof of the individuals ' involvement is provided , he said , `` We would try them in our courts , we would try them in our land , and we would sentence them . '' Indian authorities said the suspect in custody was trained by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba . Zardari told CNN that Lashkar-e-Tayyiba is a `` banned organization '' in Pakistan and around the world . `` If indeed they are involved , we would not know , '' he said . `` Again , they are people who operate outside the system . They operate like -- al Qaeda , for instance , is not state-oriented . They operate something on that mechanism , and ... I 've already offered India full cooperation on this incident , and we intend to do that . '' `` I 'm firmly committed to fighting terrorism per se , '' he said . `` That 's why we are fighting them every day , Larry . '' Asked about the possibility of Indian military strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan , Zardari said : `` I would not agree with that because this is a time to come together and do a joint investigation and look at the problem in the larger context . We have a larger threat on our hands ... it 's a threat throughout the region . So that would be counterproductive . '' Pakistan and India , both nuclear powers , have a tense relationship and have fought three wars since the subcontinent was divided in 1947 . On whether the Mumbai attacks could trigger a fourth war , Zardari said : `` Larry , democracies do n't go to war . All those wars you 're talking about did not take place in any democracy . They all happened in the times of dictators . ... `` The whole nation of Pakistan is united to ... becoming friends with India , '' he said . | Pakistani President Zardari : `` Stateless actors '' behind attacks in Mumbai , India . Indian intelligence sources tell CNN-IBN they believe attackers were Pakistani . Zardari says he doubts suspect in custody is Pakistani . He says he 's willing to have Pakistan participate in a joint investigation with India . | [[0, 15], [19, 129], [263, 364], [305, 364], [371, 405], [2507, 2521], [2524, 2557], [2445, 2447], [2499, 2504], [2508, 2557], [2044, 2103], [2116, 2171], [2926, 3004], [162, 262], [1422, 1540], [1440, 1540]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Italy 's prime minister held emergency meetings on Monday to discuss the growing garbage problem in Naples , where more than two weeks of closed dumps and uncollected garbage has led to mountains of trash across the city . Collectors stopped picking up rubbish on December 21 , saying that dumps are full . The garbage problem has become so bad that Neapolitan residents have started burning their waste , leading to noxious fumes permeating the air in the southern Italian coastal city . On Monday , the government called on the army to help with emergency trash collection for the second time in a year . Bags of rotting , uncollected waste now line city streets and sit in alleys beneath residential apartment blocks . In some places , the piles of trash tower over the cars driving past . Prime Minister Romano Prodi met with the interior and environment ministers in Rome after President Giorgio Napolitano , who is from Naples , said he was alarmed by the crisis . The latest problems began on December 31 , when the government closed one of the area 's two working dumps . Gian Francesco Raiano , a spokesman for the government 's `` garbage crisis administrator , '' said the dump was closed at the request of residents . That left only one working dump , in the town of Serre , which is able to accept only 2,000 tons of trash a day . Raiano said that was the reason trash started piling up on the streets . Authorities are hoping to alleviate the problem when they reopen a long-closed dump in the town of Pianura , near Naples , by the end of this week . The government announced on December 30 that it planned to reopen Pianura , and the decision immediately sparked protests by nearby residents . They blocked roads to stop trucks from entering the site to prepare to open it after 12 years out of commission , and there were scuffles as police tried to move protesters away . Problems with Naples ' garbage have been around in some form for 14 years , when Italian authorities first declared the situation an emergency . Complicating the issue is the involvement of organized crime , which has long controlled the region 's waste business . The Camorra , as the mafia is known in Naples , controls both dumps and garbage trucks , making the problem enormously difficult for the government to solve . Forty dumping sites have operated in the Campania region over the past 30 years , but most have been closed for various reasons , including criminal investigations related to the Camorra . Residents ' protests , over-saturation , and lack of proper equipment were other factors . Italian media have cited statistics saying that Naples produces 1.6 million tons of garbage a year , and that the government has spent 1.8 billion euros -LRB- $ 2.7 billion -RRB- over the past 14 years to deal with the problem . E-mail to a friend . | Prime Minister Romano Prodi holds emergency meetings over trash problems . Prodi forced to act after army called to help clear rubbish piles around Naples . City collectors stopped work on December 21 because dumps are full . Residents in a city suburb set up roadblocks in protest at dump reopening . | [[0, 4], [7, 28], [56, 138], [825, 943], [533, 638], [255, 307], [310, 338], [1678, 1741], [1742, 1798]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's Prince William received his Royal Air Force pilot 's wings at a graduation ceremony Friday . Prince William while attending Remembrance Sunday ceremonies last November in London . His father , Prince Charles , presented the wings to his son and 24 other graduating students at the ceremony , held at the Cranwell Air Force base in northern England . Prince Charles smiled broadly as he pinned the badge on his son 's lapel . The two shared a few words and shook hands as the audience clapped . William 's girlfriend , Kate Middleton , was among those watching the ceremony . Watch William being presented with his wings '' William , 25 , is already a second lieutenant in the British Army , where he serves in the Household Cavalry -LRB- Blues and Royals -RRB- . Since January , he has been on a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force designed to give the future king experience with the various branches of the military . William plans to complete a similar attachment with the Royal Navy later in the year , according to his office at Clarence House . During his time with the RAF , William learned to fly three different aircraft : a Grob 115E light aircraft , the faster Tucano T1 plane , and a Squirrel helicopter . The prince was only eight days into his flying course when he made his first solo flight , Clarence House said . At the time , William described it as `` an amazing experience . '' `` Going solo is one of those things -- if you had a list of the top 50 things to do before you die , it would be in there , '' he said in January . Clarence House said it was William 's `` lifetime ambition '' to learn to fly . After the ceremony , he will be known in the RAF as Flying Officer Wales . Prince Charles earned his wings more than 35 years ago at the same air force base , graduating as a Flight Lieutenant . William 's uncle , the Duke of York , flew Sea King helicopters during the Falklands War in 1982 . E-mail to a friend . | Britain 's Prince William due to receive his Royal Air Force pilot 's wings . Future head of British armed forces completes four-month stint with RAF . The 25-year-old has trained as a helicopter and fighter pilot . His father , Prince Charles , presented his wings at graduation ceremony . | [[810, 889], [1109, 1137], [1140, 1187], [0, 6], [9, 32], [62, 139], [227, 237], [257, 320], [622, 669]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The slayings of two super-yacht staff within two weeks have shaken the luxury yacht industry and sparked calls for crews to exercise extreme caution . Australian luxury yacht captain Drew Gollan was killed in January in English Harbor , Antigua . Both slayings occurred in popular yachting destinations in the Caribbean and involved violent attacks . Last week , U.S. luxury yacht chef Sara Kuszak , of Savannah , Georgia , was killed after being abducted during a morning run in Puerto Rico . The body of Kuszak , who was five months pregnant , was found with a slashed throat in a field . A local man has been arrested by police in connection with the incident . On January 22 , Australian Drew Gollan , captain of Perini Navi yacht Perseus , was shot dead in what was described as a `` failed robbery '' in English Harbor , Antigua . Gollan , 38 , was described as a `` widely respected member of the yachting community . '' His death came less than a year after the double killing of a British couple on the island . Suspects have been arrested and charged with murder in both cases . Antigua , in particular , is highly dependent on the luxury yacht industry to boost its local economy -- and it appears news of the crimes is already having a negative impact . In a press release , the Antigua Charter Yacht Meeting acknowledged that `` a number of boats have decided to leave Antigua in the wake of this incident . '' Further reports from yachting magazine SuperYachtWorld suggest several captains on the island have also decided to leave . Meanwhile , luxury yacht staff who are remaining in the Caribbean have been urged by industry Web site yotcru.com to `` exercise vigilant personal safety at all times . '' After the death of Gollan , local Antigua politicians and yacht industry representatives held an emergency meeting to discuss the problem . At the meeting , the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda , Baldwin Spencer , said : `` Antigua is still a safe place to be . It 's an unfortunate situation , however we are all hoping that justice will be done , '' SuperYachtWorld reported . Spencer also pledged new security efforts to help prevent future crimes . An international charter company manager and luxury yacht industry expert , Els Bucknell , said yacht crews and clients were `` shocked and saddened '' by the deaths , and there would likely be a short-term impact on the Caribbean region . `` Most people assumed that this part of Antigua was safe and I think it has come as a shock , '' she said . `` Some boats have already left and I think you will see some of that . '' However , Bucknell felt the incident would not affect the region in the long term . `` People do forget about these things over time ... and the local business people with police and other authorities have made a serious attempt to make it safer . `` The economy being the way it is has more to do with how business operates than these kind of things , '' she said . | Australian captain Drew Gollan shot dead in Antigua on January 22 . U.S. yacht chef Sara Kuszak was abducted and killed in Puerto Rico last week . Reports indicate some yachts and crew members leaving Caribbean . | [[170, 253], [684, 697], [700, 722], [754, 807], [370, 379], [382, 430], [433, 512], [1285, 1303], [1306, 1439], [1506, 1565], [2545, 2558], [2564, 2576]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New York police have made an arrest in the case of an Ecuadorian immigrant beaten to death in an apparent anti-Latino and antigay hate crime in December , New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced Wednesday . Jose Sucuzhanay was beaten after leaving a party at a church . Police arrested Hakim Scott , 25 , on Tuesday and charged him with second degree murder as a hate crime . Police are still looking for a second suspect . On December 7 , 2008 , police say Jose Sucuzhanay and his brother Romel had left a party at a church and were embracing each other to keep warm in the cold when Scott and another man approached them in a car in Brooklyn 's Bushwick section , about a block from the brothers ' home . Police say the two assailants shouted antigay and anti-Latino vulgarities and attacked the brothers . Scott first assaulted Jose with a beer bottle before chasing after Romel , police said . The second assailant proceeded to `` savagely beat Jose about his ribs , shoulders , '' head and back with an aluminum bat , according to Kelly . Jose Sucuzhanay , 31 , died of his injuries in December hours before his mother arrived in New York from Ecuador . Romel Sucuzhanay , 34 , suffered minor scrapes . Police were able to identify two suspects after inferring that they had crossed the Triborough Bridge in the course of their flight from the crime scene . They interviewed bridge toll booth employees and combed through videotape of cars passing through cash-only lanes on the bridge . Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes said the incident should send a message that antigay violence endangers straights and gays alike . `` If there was ever a message to the people of this city or anywhere as to why heterosexuals have to stand up and not permit this type of violence ... it is this case , '' Hynes said . | Hakim Scott , 25 , charged with 2nd degree murder in New York case . Second suspect sought in beating of Jose and Romel Sucuzhanay . Brothers were hugging to stay warm ; assailants made antigay remarks . | [[413, 429], [438, 460], [413, 419], [424, 460], [461, 474], [484, 490], [515, 526], [566, 616]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Ethiopian immigrant with a history of mental health problems is in custody after being accused of mailing a letter with HIV-tainted blood to Barack Obama when he was president-elect , according to court records . Police say blood-stained letters were addressed to President Obama and top aide Rahm Emanuel . Saad Bedrie Hussein told investigators that he is an admirer of Obama and that the letter -- containing his photo , an admission ticket to Obama 's election night victory party in Chicago 's Grant Park and six index cards containing writing and reddish stains -- was his way of seeking government help and tickets to Obama 's inauguration . Hussein , who has HIV , said he `` purposely cut one of his fingers with a razor so he could bleed on the letter , '' according to an affidavit by Terry L. Cullivan , an investigator with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service . The letter , postmarked December 27 and written in an Ethiopian language , was addressed to Obama at the Illinois Department on Aging in Springfield , Illinois . When the letter was opened two days later , it was found to contain an orange powder , Cullivan said . A state employee then took the letter to another state office , resulting in a two-hour lockdown of the building , affecting more than 300 people , the affidavit says . During an interview , Hussein was unable to remember what the orange powder was , but tests revealed it to be a drink-mix powder , the affidavit says . According to the affidavit , during a December 29 interview , Hussein denied mailing any additional letters . But , the affidavit said , two days later , the Illinois Department of Revenue notified him it had received two similar letters , both with Hussein 's return address . One was addressed to the Illinois Department on Aging , and the second to `` Emanuel , '' which investigators believe was intended for Obama aide Rahm Emanuel . Both letters contained what appeared to be dried blood and an orange powder . The criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Illinois alleges that Hussein `` knowingly mailed '' the letters containing HIV-infected blood `` with the intent to kill or injure another . '' In January , a federal judge ordered a mental evaluation of Hussein , saying `` there is reasonable cause to believe -LSB- Hussein -RSB- may ... be suffering from a mental disease or defect rendering him mentally incompetent -LSB- and -RSB- unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings against him . '' According to court records , Hussein was arrested March 29 , 2006 , by Chicago police after setting a fire in the middle of a Chicago intersection , waving a Quran in the air and yelling `` Allah -LSB- u -RSB- Akbar '' -- Allah is great -- and other words . Hussein `` created a standstill in the traffic and refused to comply '' with police commands , Cullivan 's affidavit says . Hussein 's attorney , public defender Robert J. Scherschlight , could not immediately be reached for comment . U.S. Postal Service Inspector Peter Rendina said this is the second known case in which a person is alleged to have sent HIV-tainted blood through the mail for malicious reasons . In the other case , which is ongoing , a man sent blood to a person he thought was a business associate . | Affidavit : HIV-positive man `` cut one of his fingers ... so he could bleed on the letter '' The note , mailed with orange powder , was sent to Obama at an Illinois state building . Investigators think another letter , to `` Emanuel , '' was intended for Obama aide . Judge ordered mental evaluation of man , citing his history of instability . | [[0, 26], [78, 186], [682, 689], [706, 765], [763, 794], [3090, 3212], [907, 930], [971, 1055], [1069, 1153], [1932, 2009], [1932, 1944], [1960, 2009], [246, 340], [257, 340], [1858, 1860], [1867, 1931], [2214, 2224], [2227, 2281], [2227, 2242], [2284, 2393]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nearly seven years after the remains of federal intern Chandra Levy were found in a Washington park , a jailed laborer from El Salvador faces a murder charge in her death , authorities said Tuesday . Ingmar Guandique is serving a 10-year sentence for two assaults in the park where Levy 's body was found . A judge on Tuesday signed an arrest warrant for Ingmar Guandique , 27 , who is serving a 10-year sentence for two assaults in Rock Creek Park that occurred around the time of Levy 's disappearance . Her remains were found in Rock Creek Park about a year after she was reported missing . `` We believe Levy was a random victim of Guandique , who attacked and killed her as she jogged in Rock Creek Park , '' said Jeffrey Taylor , U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia . Guandique 's public defenders said the case was far from over , and urged the public not to jump to conclusions . `` This flawed investigation , characterized by the many mistakes and missteps of the Metropolitan Police Department and every federal agency that has attempted to solve this case , will not end with the simple issuance of an arrest warrant against Mr. Guandique , '' the federal public defender 's office said in a statement ... We look forward to trying this case before unbiased jurors who will not rush to judgment . '' Guandique faces a first-degree murder charge . A conviction on the charge would bring a mandatory sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison , Taylor said . The massive publicity surrounding the Levy case was largely a result of her romantic affair to then-Rep . Gary Condit , a California Democrat . Police questioned Condit many times in connection with the slaying , but the congressman was never considered a suspect . Watch the police announce arrest '' A California native working as an intern for the Federal Bureau of Prisons , Levy , 24 , disappeared May 1 , 2001 . Her remains were found in May 2002 by a man walking his dog in a remote area of the park . Guandique has been imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution-Victorville , a medium-security facility northeast of Los Angeles , California . Officials hope to transfer him from California to the nation 's capital in 45 to 60 days . He 's serving his sentence on the two assault convictions in California because there are no prisons in the District of Columbia . Those convicted of federal crimes in the capital are sent to various federal prisons across the country . Guandique was considered a person of interest in 2002 in connection with Levy 's death , authorities said Tuesday . Before the new charges , his projected release date from prison was October 5 , 2011 . According to officials at Tuesday 's news conference -- and the affidavit supporting the arrest warrant for Guandique -- circumstantial evidence played a large role in the case . Authorities presented no evidence Tuesday of anyone seeing Guandique and Levy together . Timeline of Levy 's disappearance '' But the affidavit said a witness reported seeing and running from a man in the park , and she said she believed that occurred on the same day as Levy disappeared . Upon seeing a photograph of Guandique in the interim , the woman thought he looked like the man who followed her in the park , the affidavit said . Another witness reported seeing Guandique with `` a fat lip and scratches on his face '' about the time of Levy 's disappearance , the affidavit said . The witness added that Guandique said he was injured by his girlfriend during an argument . Interviewed by police , Guandique 's girlfriend at the time said that while he was violent with her on occasion , `` at no time during any of the arguments or fights did -LSB- she -RSB- ever strike Guandique or cause any injuries to his face or neck . '' Two other witnesses reported that Guandique told them he committed crimes against women , including rape and murder , according to the affidavit . And another witness last month told police Guandique admitted his involvement in Levy 's killing , as well as that he tried to rape two other women in the park at knifepoint , the affidavit said . When news emerged last month that Guandique 's arrest was imminent in the Levy case , the same witness told police Guandique `` became very anxious and said something to the effect of , ' -LSB- Expletive -RSB- , it 's over . They got me now . What am I gon na do ? ' '' Authorities searching Guandique 's cell in California in September found a photograph of Levy that apparently had been taken from a magazine , the affidavit said . Speaking last month as news emerged that an arrest in the case was imminent , Levy 's mother , Susan , said , `` It 's a bittersweet situation for me as the mother of a daughter who is no longer here . I want justice . I want to know that the person who did it is in jail and will not do it to anybody else . '' She added , `` Every day the elephant is there . Every day you get a knot in your stomach . It does n't go away . It 's a life sentence for the families and relatives that miss their loved ones . We have a life sentence of hurt . '' CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report . | NEW : Affidavit says suspect told fellow inmate last month `` They got me now '' NEW : Witness told police she saw man resembling suspect in park , affidavit says . Ingmar Guandique is serving a 10-year prison sentence for two assaults . Levy disappeared in May 2001 ; her body was found a year later . | [[4376, 4393], [3019, 3079], [3925, 3953], [230, 305], [385, 406], [413, 478], [536, 623], [1802, 1876], [1891, 1917], [1918, 1961]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The bay pilot who steered a container ship into the San Francisco Bay Bridge in 2007 , causing a massive oil spill , pleaded guilty Friday to violating misdemeanor pollution laws and faces up to 10 months in prison , federal prosecutors said . The Korean-flagged Cosco Busan rammed into San Francisco 's Bay Bridge on November 7 , 2007 . Prosecutors dropped felony charges against him . John Joseph Cota , 61 , pleaded guilty to violating the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 , a law enacted in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska , and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act . Cota gave orders to officers controlling the Korean-flagged Cosco Busan as the ship was leaving fog-shrouded San Francisco Bay , California , on November 7 , 2007 . The 901-foot ship struck fenders around the base of a bridge support tower , rupturing two of the ship 's fuel tanks and spilling about 53,000 gallons of oil into the bay . At least 2,000 migratory birds were killed . At the time , officials estimated clean-up costs at $ 60 million . `` Today 's guilty plea is a reminder that the Cosco Busan crash was not just an accident , but a criminal act , '' said John C. Cruden , acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department 's Environment and Natural Resources Division . `` John Cota was an experienced ship pilot that was handsomely compensated for his special knowledge of ships and expertise in local waters . His failure to act prudently under the circumstances caused a major environmental disaster that could have been far worse , '' said Joseph Russoniello , U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California . Cota has piloted about 4,000 ships in the bay during his 27-year career , said his attorney , Jeffrey Bornstein . Bonstein said Cota is remorseful and accepts responsibility for his part in the accident . But Bornstein also criticized the accident investigation . He said it was unfair and protected others who also bear responsibility . `` Captain Cota has been vilified by the media , lost his job , will now go to jail for at least 60 days , and still suffers under the weight of crushing civil lawsuits , '' Bornstein said . `` He understands and accepts responsibility for his part in the accident and hopes that others will step forward and accept their roles and responsibilities as well . '' Cota will be sentenced to 2 to 10 months in prison and be fined between $ 3,000 and $ 30,000 , if the plea terms are accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston . Sentencing is scheduled for June 19 . Prosecutors said the plea included factual admissions by Cota , including an acknowledgment his negligence `` was a proximate cause of the -LSB- oil -RSB- discharge . '' Cota also admitted that he failed to discuss the planned route with the ship 's master or crew as required , or to use the ship 's radar in the final approach to the bridge . He also failed to recognize two red triangles on the ship 's electronic chart system that marked bridge tower buoys . Attorney Bornstein said the ship 's master told Cota the red triangles represented the lights on the bridge , `` which in Capt. Cota 's knowledge were at the center of the span . He had no reason to think that the master did n't know what he was talking about . '' See the path . As part of the plea agreement with Cota , the government agreed to dismiss false statement charges pending against him . Those charges alleged that Cota failed to disclose his medications on required Coast Guard forms . The court ruled those charges would be tried separately . But Cota admitted in the plea papers filed Friday his 2006 physical exam form failed to disclose some of the medications he was prescribed . Among them were two pain medications , three different drugs prescribed as sleeping aids and an antidepressant prescribed for an off-brand purpose . Bornstein said there is no evidence that medication played any role in the accident . At Friday 's hearing , Illston set trial for the remaining defendant in the case , the ship 's manager , Fleet Management Ltd. -LRB- Hong Kong -RRB- , for Sept. 14 . The charges include acting negligently , killing protected migratory birds , obstructing justice and making false statements by falsifying ship records after the incident . | John Joseph Cota pleads guilty to violating misdemeanor pollution laws . The pilot faces up to 10 months in prison , federal prosecutors say . Container ship Cosco Busan slammed into San Francisco 's Bay Bridge in 2007 . Massive oil spill killed more than 2,000 birds and cost $ 60 million to clean up . | [[0, 26], [147, 161], [169, 208], [162, 208], [417, 433], [441, 498], [0, 26], [213, 244], [247, 273], [30, 43], [48, 114], [274, 367], [0, 26], [117, 144], [943, 987], [988, 999], [1002, 1054]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The federal judge whose husband and mother were slain in their family home in Chicago , Illinois , four years ago was honored Monday by U.S. marshals charged with combating a growing number of threats to the judiciary . Judge Joan Lefkow has advocated improving judicial security since her husband and mother were killed . Judge Joan Lefkow , who eventually returned to the bench , credited the marshals who protect federal judges at work and at home with major improvements in judicial security in the years since her family tragedy . `` It 's now four years later , and I do see dawn has broken , '' Lefkow told a crowd of friends and federal officials gathered at the Marshals Service headquarters across the Potomac River from Washington . The improved security -- including home intrusion security systems and coordinated intelligence and threat analysis -- was badly needed , according to both judges and the Marshals Service . The number of threats has increased each year , and is expected to exceed 1,500 this year , up from 1,278 last year . `` We 've already had 600 inappropriate communications reported in the first months of this year , '' said Marshals Service spokesman Dave Turner . Whether real threats or hoaxes , every e-mail , phone call , written note and letter -- including some with white powder -- is investigated . The scope and seriousness of the protective effort increased sharply after the Lefkow tragedy . On Tuesday , the Marshals Service dedicated the `` Joan Lefkow Conference Room '' in the new Threat Management Center to the memory of her slain husband , Michael Lefkow , and mother , Donna Humphrey . Judge Lefkow returned home on February 28 , 2005 , to find them shot to death . The man authorities said was their killer committed suicide 10 days later when he was stopped by police in Wisconsin . The killer was angry that Judge Lefkow had dismissed his medical malpractice case and he sought revenge , police concluded . U.S. Marshals Director John Clark credits Lefkow 's advocacy for better security as the catalyst for dramatic changes . `` Because of her courage to speak out and her advocacy for reform in the protection of judges , things started to happen , '' Clark said . He cited congressional funding for home-intrusion alarms in every judge 's residence and a sharp increase in funding to hire more threat investigators , protections specialists , analysts and trainers . The threat management center has been open for more than a year . Deputy marshals in the judicial protection effort attribute a growing number of the threats to disgruntled members of what is known as the sovereign citizenship movement . The movement is a loosely organized network of individuals and groups claiming not to be accountable to the federal government . The movement includes tax protesters , white separatists , zealots of fringe religious groups and desperate individuals lashing out at bankruptcy courts or judges who had wronged them . As a result , some judges have been given around-the-clock protective details by deputy marshals . `` While steady progress has been made , we must be ever vigilant and progressive in order to ensure we are providing the best possible protection to our nation 's judiciary , '' Clark said . | U.S. Marshals honor federal judge whose husband and mother were killed . Family killed by man angry at judge 's decision to dismiss malpractice case . Judge Joan Lefkow , marshals have worked to help increase security for judges . Lefkow : `` It 's now four years later , and I do see dawn has broken '' | [[0, 26], [30, 47], [62, 115], [0, 26], [129, 179], [316, 352], [1869, 1972], [250, 338], [353, 370], [412, 565], [3024, 3108], [567, 595], [602, 626], [611, 626], [629, 638]] |
MEMPHIS , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When James Earl Ray bought a white Mustang in the summer of 1967 , he stood on a streetcorner in downtown Birmingham , Alabama , and pulled the cash out of his shirt pocket , $ 2,000 in all . James Earl Ray paid $ 2,000 cash for a white Mustang , similar to this one , the seller told the FBI . `` Mostly twenties , with some $ 100 bills , '' the seller would later tell the FBI about the sale to Ray , later convicted of assassinating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. . `` He must have had a roll of twenties , if he paid that guy $ 2,000 in twenties , that 'd be a lot of money , '' said Jerry Ray , James Earl Ray 's brother . Police Capt. John Light , who was chief of detectives that year in Ray 's hometown of Alton , Illinois , suspects the wad of money came from a still-unsolved bank robbery . While Ray was on the run as a prison escapee from Missouri that summer , two men walked into the Bank of Alton with a pistol and a sawed-off shotgun . Both wore stocking masks . The leaner man went behind the counter , scooped up the cash and fled with close to $ 30,000 . Ray , King crossed paths before shooting '' Within a day or two of that robbery , Ray would leave the area and head to Canada -- just as he did almost a year later when he fled the scene in Memphis , Tennessee , after King 's murder . Light told CNN the stolen bank money consisted mainly of $ 20 bills . The partially burned shotgun and the stocking masks were found abandoned in a wooded area near a cemetery where Ray 's mother is buried . Ray returned from Canada and bought the Mustang after seeing a classified ad in Birmingham the month after the robbery . In the months to come , Ray would keep spending $ 20 bills . When Ray underwent plastic surgery in Los Angeles 30 days before King 's death , he paid in cash -- denomination unknown . When he drove back to Birmingham six days before the murder to buy a .30 -06 high-powered hunting rifle for just under $ 250 , the gun store salesman later told investigators , `` I remember he paid for the gun with $ 20 bills , paid cash . '' On April 4 , 1968 , only hours before King would die , the landlady at the boarding house where Ray rented a room told police , `` He gave me a $ 20 bill '' when he paid for a week 's rent just across the street from the Lorraine Motel . In the sporting goods store where Ray went to buy binoculars , the salesman told police , `` He gave me two twenties ; I think he had two twenties left ... The bills came out of his right pocket , neatly folded , and nothing but bills . '' For Light , the bank holdup is the most likely answer to the question of where Ray got the money to travel as a fugitive to Canada and Mexico , then to flee again to Canada and finally London , England , after King 's murder . `` Thirty-thousand dollars back in 1967 was a lot of money , '' Light said . In London , Ray ran short of money . Four days before he was caught , he robbed a bank . His thumbprint was found on the holdup note . He got little more than $ 200 -- enough to buy an airline ticket to Brussels , Belgium , where he hoped to join mercenaries fighting to keep white rule in southern Africa . He was stopped at a London airport when a police sergeant spotted his phony Canadian passport . Ray lived very cheaply on the run . He got change back for his $ 20 bill at the Memphis boarding house -- a week 's rent there was $ 8.50 . The original prosecutors in the Memphis case decided it would not have cost that much for all of Ray 's travels . `` He was living on a dollar to two dollars a day , '' said current prosecutor John Campbell . `` He was even darning his own socks to be able to save money . '' | Police : James Earl Ray 's money came from a bank robbery in his hometown . Gun , masks used in robbery found near burial plot of Ray 's mother . Ray bought a Mustang and underwent plastic surgery before King 's death . Prosecutors believe he lived very cheaply on the run . | [[668, 680], [782, 840], [2925, 2955], [2958, 2976], [1419, 1524], [1514, 1524], [1531, 1556], [1739, 1817], [1820, 1861], [3292, 3327]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than $ 20 million from dozens of clients is unaccounted for in the aftermath of what police say was a murder-suicide by the attorney who invested the money , according to a source with direct knowledge of deceased lawyer William Parente 's financial dealings . Police say Stephanie Parente 's father killed his family and himself in a Baltimore hotel Monday . Some investors fear their entire life savings have been wiped out , said the source , who based the $ 20 million amount on knowledge of Parente 's finances . Some other investors are missing what could amount to another $ 7 million , CNN has learned , so the total of missing money tied to Parente could be upwards of $ 27 million . Baltimore County , Maryland , police say Parente , 59 , killed his family before committing suicide . The bodies of Parente , his wife and their two daughters were found in a hotel room in Towson , Maryland , on Monday . The source , who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive financial information involved , said one investor had been involved with Parente for more than 15 years , receiving regular monthly payments from Parente until April 16 , four days before the bodies were found . The source said Parente solicited personal loans from clients at high interest , promising to use the money for bridge financing of real estate projects such as shopping centers . The source did not know whether Parente , of Garden City , New York , had actually used the money for any legitimate investments . The source , who knew Parente for more than 15 years , described him as `` serious , somber and conservative . '' Parente told investors he was generating returns of more than 13 percent even in down markets , according to the source . Investors were not given investment statements and were not charged a management fee , but Parente did provide notices informing investors that he owed them money , according to the source . In other developments Friday , police said Parente bought a set of knives from a Crate and Barrel store in Towson , and one of the knives is believed to be the one Parente later used to take his own life . Baltimore County police said that knife is being tested as evidence in the murder/suicide case . Investigators say they found a receipt for the knife in the hotel room where the deaths took place , and the time stamped on the receipt was 5:25 p.m. Sunday . Police have said Parente 's wife , Betty , 58 , and daughters Catherine , 11 , and Stephanie , 19 , were killed by asphyxiation and blunt force trauma Sunday afternoon . Authorities said Parente took a call about midnight Sunday from his elder daughter 's college roommate asking whether she was returning to her dormitory . Police believe Parente 's daughter was already dead . He told the roommate his daughter was spending the night at the hotel with the family . Also Friday , other details emerged about some of Parente 's other clients . One of Parente 's investors was Queens lawyer Bruce Montague , and Montague 's office has heard from 10 Parente clients whose investments are unaccounted for . Together , those clients had invested about $ 7 million . Through a law partner , Craig Gardy , Montague said he is missing $ 450,000 . The clients are from New York , New Jersey , California and Florida , according to Montague 's office . The office has referred those clients to the FBI . Gardy said Montague , who considered Parente to be a personal friend , remains too devastated about the deaths to provide details himself , but he authorized his partners to speak on his behalf . The scenario as given by his partners was that after the Bernard Madoff scandal broke last fall , Montague got `` cold feet '' and repeatedly asked Parente for his investment money back . On April 16 , Montague tried to deposit a check from Parente for $ 245,000 . On Tuesday , April 21 , when Montague 's bank notified him the check did not clear , he called Chase bank , where Parente 's funds were held . Montague was told Parente 's account was empty , according to Gardy , and it would be useless to deposit other checks received from Parente . Then Montague called the New York attorney general 's office . He called the attorney general 's office again after he learned about Parente 's murder/suicide . Gardy said Montague believed he was investing in real estate notes -- short-term , high-interest loans made to developers , for example , who wanted to circumvent conventional bank loans . Montague did not receive monthly or quarterly statements . Gardy said Montague believed he was making money on interest from those loans and would sometimes get a check when the note was paid off . The FBI is continuing its investigation . Spokesman James Margolin said a number of banks are being contacted . He would not identify them . Funerals for Parente 's wife and daughters are scheduled for Tuesday at St. Joseph 's Catholic Church in Garden City , New York . The funeral home handling arrangements said a separate , private service will be held for William Parente . | Police say William Parente killed wife , 2 daughters and himself . Parente may have taken more than $ 27 million from dozens of clients . Clients got no investment statements and were not charged a management fee . A client nervous after Madoff case found there was no money in Parente 's account . | [[0, 24], [28, 165], [294, 392], [305, 354], [726, 742], [782, 827], [828, 946], [2430, 2522], [645, 674], [683, 725], [1776, 1785], [1827, 1860], [4521, 4579], [4047, 4075]] |
HOUSTON , Texas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On the tape , Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan appears to burn with rage . Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan , pictured here , allegedly tortured a business associate on videotape . Believing he was cheated in a business deal , the member of the United Arab Emirates ruling family was trying to extract a confession from an Afghan grain dealer . With a private security officer assisting , Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan is seen stuffing sand in the Afghan 's mouth . As the grain dealer pleads and whimpers , he is beaten with a nailed board , burned in the genitals with a cigarette lighter , shocked with a cattle prod , and led to believe he would be shot . Salt is poured on his wounds . In the end , the victim can muster up only weak moans as an SUV is repeatedly driven over him . The 45 minutes of torture appears on a nearly three-hour-long videotape shot in late 2004 in the desert outside Abu Dhabi , one of the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf region . It was made at the direction of the sheikh himself . The tape has been viewed by CNN . Now the tape has surfaced as a piece of evidence in a federal civil suit filed in Houston , Texas , against the sheikh by his former business partner , Bassam Nabulsi . As media , U.S. governmental and human rights questions and concerns emerged , Abu Dhabi 's government on Tuesday issued a statement saying it deplored the contents of the video and plans an immediate and comprehensive review of it . Nabulsi , a Lebanese-born U.S. citizen living in Houston , says he met Sheikh Issa when the royal came to Houston for medical care in 1994 . Watch portions of the tape and Nabulsi tell his story '' According to Nabulsi , the men became friends and business partners , and Sheikh Issa eventually recruited Nabulsi to move to Abu Dhabi to work for him . `` We were buddies , '' said Nabulsi , who met with CNN journalists in Houston . `` He gave me his personal vow . He swore to look after my family in case something happened to me . '' The sheikh , who holds no official government position , is the half-brother of the country 's ruler . In the lawsuit , Nabulsi says was disturbed by the sheikh 's `` increasingly bizarre behavior '' after the November 2004 death of his father , UAE ruler Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan . Nabulsi 's lawsuit says that Sheikh Issa 's father `` kept tight control over Sheikh Issa '' but after the father 's death , he `` apparently no longer felt constrained . '' Nabulsi claims he confronted his business partner about the Afghan 's treatment , telling him that to do such a thing he `` must not be a God-fearing person . '' Nabulsi says his boldness prompted the sheikh to turn on him . Later , Nabulsi was arrested on drug charges . Security officers working for the sheikh ransacked his home and demanded the torture video , Nabulsi claimed . By this point , the tape -- shot by Nabulsi 's brother at the order of the sheikh -- had been smuggled out of the country . According to an affidavit , Nabulsi 's brother worked for Sheikh Issa as a personal assistant . In 2005 , Nabulsi was arrested , jailed and ultimately convicted on drug charges . And , he said , he was tortured and humiliated by UAE police , who demanded he return the tape . `` It was a lot of humiliation , '' Nabulsi told CNN . `` And I really do n't like to talk about it . '' Nabulsi was fined and deported . Darryl Bristow , the sheikh 's Houston attorney , argued in court papers that American courts have no jurisdiction over his client . In a statement to CNN , Bristow said Nabulsi is using the videotape of a third party , Nabulsi 's brother , to influence the court over a business dispute . `` The public should know that the man behind the camera was Bassam Nabulsi 's brother and that Bassam Nabulsi kept the video from the media while his lawyer was asking for money . What do you call that where you come from ? '' Bristow asked . Nabulsi 's attorney denied wrongdoing . The Houston case languished in the U.S. court system after it was filed in 2006 but it eventually moved forward when the sheikh 's personal assistant was served with court papers last year . Nabulsi 's attorney , Anthony Buzbee , said he has deposed the sheikh , but the deposition is under seal . The case was filed in Houston because the Sheikh Issa-Nabulsi business partnership was formed and focused in Texas and `` claims at issue in this case arose out of contacts within Texas . '' Nabulsi claims breaches of contract and fiduciary duty . He wants $ 80 million he says is owed to him from their business relationship . He also wants to be awarded punitive damages for torture , intentional infliction of emotional distress , and malicious prosecution . Initially , the UAE Interior Ministry said Sheikh Issa `` does not hold any official position '' in the government and that Nabulsi 's lawsuit is `` a private dispute . '' Asked about the torture allegations , the UAE said it investigated and found '' ... all rules , policies and procedures were followed correctly by the police department . The review also concluded that the incidents depicted in the videotapes were not part of a pattern of behavior . '' The shocking case has made waves recently as news organizations asked about the tape . U.S. senior officials familiar with the case say the administration is holding off sending a nuclear deal with the United Arab Emirates to Congress for ratification because they fear a fallout from the torture story . Congress has to ratify the civil nuclear agreement signed in January between the Bush administration and the UAE . Those senior U.S. officials said the agreement was supposed to be sent to the Senate , but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held off doing so because of the story 's sensitivity . One American lawmaker , Rep. James McGovern , D-Massachusetts , asked Clinton to investigate and that all `` expenditures of funds , training , sales or transfers of equipment or technology , including nuclear '' to the UAE be put on hold until the matter is reviewed . He also wants the United States to deny any visas for travel by Sheikh Issa or his immediate family . `` I think we have an obligation to say we want to step back a bit and look at this a little more closely , '' said McGovern , co-chairman of the congressional human rights commission . He promised hearings on the issue , probing the case and how the U.S. Embassy in the UAE handled it . `` I am not going to let it go away , '' McGovern said . Human Rights Watch , the humanitarian watchdog group , is calling for the United Arab Emirates to `` investigate and prosecute '' the grain dealer 's torture . With media questions about the tape mounting , Abu Dhabi said on Wednesday it decided to renew its inquiries -- more than four years after the incident . As for the grain dealer , UAE officials say he survived the ordeal , and said the sheikh and the grain dealer settled the matter privately by agreeing not to bring formal charges against the other . How much money was the grain dealer accused of stealing from the sheikh ? `` It 's nothing , '' Nabulsi said . `` No more than about $ 5,000 . '' CNN 's Scott Bronstein , Drew Griffin , Stan Grant , Elise Labott , Octavia Nasr , and Joe Sterling contributed to this report . | Former business partner of Sheikh Issa of Abu Dhabi suing royal . Bassam Nabulsi 's tape shows sheikh severely torturing grain merchant . Nabulsi , of Houston , says he himself was tortured in jail , sheikh owes him $ 80M . U.S. senior officials say case is holding up a U.S. nuclear deal with the UAE . | [[109, 140], [159, 213], [1507, 1553], [3186, 3189], [3192, 3199], [3202, 3246], [4541, 4620], [4550, 4620], [5301, 5465]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A longtime employee and vault manager for a jewelry company in Long Island City , New York , stole millions of dollars worth of gold and gold jewelry from her employer over a six-year span , the Queens district attorney has alleged . Teresa Tambunting , 50 , of Scarsdale , New York , is accused of stealing as much as $ 12 million from Jacmel Jewelry , Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement Wednesday . At an arraignment Wednesday , she did not enter a plea to charges of first-degree grand larceny and first-degree criminal possession of stolen property , the district attorney 's office said . She was released on $ 100,000 bail and will return to court May 19 , the office said . Her attorney , David Kirby , did not return phone calls seeking comment . Tambunting , who worked for Jacmel for 28 years , has returned about $ 7 million worth of gold , but $ 4 million remains missing , according to Brown . `` The defendant is accused of establishing a virtual mining operation in Long Island City which siphoned off millions of dollars ' worth of the precious metal from her employer , '' Brown said . Police say Tambunting -- whose job responsibilities involved monitoring the vault in which fine gold , finished products and raw materials were stored -- confessed that for several months last year , she hid gold in makeshift slits in her purse . An inventory in January revealed that as much as $ 12 million in merchandise was missing , Brown said in the written statement . After an investigation , Tambunting arrived at the jewelry company 's offices wheeling a suitcase containing about 66 pounds of gold , an estimated $ 868,000 , the district attorney 's office said . In February , about 450 pounds of gold was taken from her residence , the office said . Tambunting became vault manager in 1991 , the office said . The dates of the alleged thefts were not immediately clear . The value of the gold returned fluctuates because of the rise and fall of gold prices . However , the charges are based on what Jacmel claims it lost : $ 3 to $ 12 million , according to the Queens district attorney . Jewelry manufacturer owners often find themselves in precarious circumstances when protecting their companies from thievery , said Benjamin Mark , who owned a jewelry manufacturing company in New York for 20 years . `` Unless you have metal detectors where every single employee removes their shoes and belts , you ca n't be certain , '' said Mark , who now operates a one-man business . `` Stealing jewelry is relatively simple . '' Jacmel Jewelry is one of the country 's largest manufacturers and distributors of popular price jewelry , according to its Web site . It employs more than 1,000 people worldwide , according to its president , Jack Rahmey . Rahmey said he is cooperating with authorities . Tambunting faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted . | Vault manager worked for Jacmel Jewelry for 28 years . Authorities say she confessed to hiding gold in her purse . District attorney says she 's returned about $ 7 million in gold . She could get 25 years in prison if convicted . | [[807, 817], [824, 854], [1246, 1293], [1309, 1401], [219, 261], [807, 817], [855, 901], [2863, 2904]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actor , author and Parkinson 's disease activist Michael J. Fox spoke with CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' to be aired Thursday . Michael J. Fox : `` I still travel with my kids , and I 'm with them part of the day , every day . '' In the interview , Fox , who was diagnosed with Parkinson 's in 1991 , talks about his new book , which he describes as `` a memoir of the last 10 years . '' In it , he explores the nature of optimism . He also talked about his family , a new approach to acting and President Obama 's lifting of a ban on stem cell research , among other things . Here are some excerpts from the show . Larry King : He 's founder of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson 's Research . He 's a best-selling author -- the new book is `` Always Looking Up . '' By the way , he has got an ABC special , `` Michael J. Fox : Adventures of an Incurable Optimist . '' It airs on May 7 . You remain -- is it easy to be an optimist ? Michael J. Fox : Well , for me it 's second nature . It 's just the way I look at life . And it 's certainly a challenge now for most people to be optimistic , obviously , with all of the troubles we have and the problems that the country is facing . But I think it 's exactly in those times when our optimism kicks in highest gear . I think -- there 's an expression that I like that I always use : `` Do n't wish for a lighter load , wish for broader shoulders . '' And I think that people are really -- I see a lot of broader shoulders these days , people are really working on the delts , you know ? King : What was it like when you were diagnosed ? Fox : Well , you know , it 's hard to describe it , because I was so young , I was 29 years old . And so Parkinson 's is not what you expect to hear . I had a twitch in my pinky and I figured it was some kind of nerve damage or I 'd done something probably athletic . ... But then I got this diagnosis , and I thought the guy was kidding . And then it was shock , and then I had a certain amount of fear and I started to react to it in certain ways . I started drinking more heavily as a way of self-medicating it . And it took me -- you know , it 's funny , because I sit and talk about `` Always Looking Up '' and being optimistic , and accept the losses and move on or find new gains , but it took me about seven years , I think , to really get to the point where I could tell people about it . ... I was diagnosed in ' 91 , and it was n't until '98 that I admitted publicly that it was a situation I was facing . King : It is not life-threatening , is it ? Fox : No . And I would say you do n't die from it , but you -- up to now , you 'll definitely die with it if you have it . ... King : Why did you write the book ? Fox : The book was -- I wrote the first book because I had to , I think I had to kind of tell that story just for myself , just kind of to acknowledge all of the work that I had done on getting through that journey . And then this book was -- I thought about writing another , and I thought about people responding so positively to the optimism in the first book . And so many people wanted to talk to me about that . So I thought , well , optimism : What is optimism ? And so I started to think about it more kind of empirically , writing a book about optimism as a subject , and interviewing researchers about it and talking to people who are optimistic and traveling to places where people are optimistic and all of this stuff . ... So I had to kind of tell it -- I could n't tell , talk about optimism without -- and separate it from my experience . I had to make it part of my experience . So then , having done that , and written this book , which is really a memoir of the last 10 years , I still have these questions about optimism . So I went to ABC and I said , ` There was a thing I was going to do a book on , but I 'd like to do a documentary special on . ' And they said , great . And so we 've been traveling around , talking to optimists . We went to Bhutan , which is a country in the Himalayas that actually measures its gross national happiness along with its GDP . King : Really ? Fox : Yes . And it makes decisions on its development as a country based on how to affect the happiness of the people . And the people are uniformly happy . It 's amazing . ... King : Speaking of optimism , in March , President Obama lifted the ban on federal financing for embryonic stem cell research . You 've long fought for that . You 've got to feel like a -- it has come true . ... Watch Fox 's talk about the lifting of the ban '' King : When you act , is it hard ? Fox : Oh , yes . I do n't have any access to the same tool kit that I always had . But it 's like anything . It 's like , you find new ways of doing things . And in those new ways , you maybe are able to do things you could n't do before in ways you might not have approached before . And that 's my whole kind of philosophy of life is -- in dealing with Parkinson 's or any kind of setback or loss , is that if you avoid it or it creates a hole that you try to fill up with other stuff , with your ego and your needs and your wants and your control issues , then you 're just going to dig deeper in a hole . But if you just recognize , ` look , it is what it is ' -- now what 's around it ? I mean , the only thing that I do n't have a choice about is whether I have Parkinson 's . Everything else I have a choice about . ... Fox explains how he handles the bad days '' King : Parts of your book are a love letter to your wife , Tracy . Without being saccharine , how important has she been ? Fox : I could n't have made the journey that I 've made without her . And certainly I would n't have this family that I have . And three-quarters of our children were born after the diagnosis . And we knew what we were facing , what we were dealing with , and had some sense of what the prospects were , although they 've turned out a lot better than we could have imagined . I mean , I 'm 20 years after diagnosis , and there 's very little that I do n't do now that I used to do . I still travel with my kids , and I 'm with them part of the day , every day . King : How old are they now ? Fox : My oldest is 19 -- he 'll be 20 next month . And the twins are going into high school next year ; they are 14 . And then I have a 7-year-old . | Fox gratified Obama lifted ban on federal money for embryonic stem cell research . He says the research does n't guarantee a cure , but it ca n't hurt . Fox has some bad days , but he tries to separate the physical from the emotional . | [[4369, 4455], [3517, 3518], [3571, 3603]] |
BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Thai judge fined dozens of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar who pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of illegal entry after escaping from their own country a month ago -- amid allegations that other Rohingya have been dumped at sea by the Thai army . Male refugees show scars they say were caused by beatings at the hands of the Myanmar navy . The Ranong Provincial Court judge ordered each of the 66 ethnic Muslim refugees to pay 1,000 Thai baht -LRB- less than $ 30 -RRB- . He imposed the fines via a closed-circuit television link to Ranong Provincial Prison , where the refugees will continue to be held until they can pay the court . Twelve additional refugees , all teenagers , were being detained at a police station and are exempt from prosecution . The 78 refugees will be handed over on January 31 to immigration police , who will deport them . It is unclear where they will be sent . The refugees arrived by boat on the Thai shore , and Thai police said many had severe burns from a fire that broke out on board their craft after it left neighboring Myanmar , also known as Burma . Members of Myanmar 's Rohingya minority have been fleeing the country for years , saying they are persecuted by its military government . One refugee , who called himself Mohamed , told CNN that their boat had been at sea for a month , and that Myanmar 's military had detained and attacked them before setting their boat on fire . The refugees are unwelcome in Thailand , where authorities say about 20,000 have settled illegally . Other boatloads of Rohingya have allegedly been set adrift after being towed out to sea by Thai authorities . A recent CNN investigation found evidence of such activity . Photos obtained by CNN include one that shows the Thai army towing a boatload of some 190 refugees . Watch Dan Rivers ' BackStory on the investigation '' CNN also interviewed a refugee who said he was one of the few who had survived after a group of six rickety boats was towed back to sea and abandoned by Thai authorities earlier this month . The Thai government has launched an inquiry . The Thai army has denied the allegations . But after extensive questioning by CNN , one source in the Thai military confirmed that the Thai army was operating a dump-at-sea policy . The source defended it , saying that each boatload of refugees is given sufficient supplies of food and water . That source said Thai villagers had become afraid of the hundreds of Rohingya arriving each month , and they had accused the refugees of stealing their property and threatening them . The Thai government has said that `` there is no reasonable ground to believe '' that the Rohingya are fleeing Myanmar because of persecution . `` Their profile and their seasonal travel further support the picture that they are illegal migrants , and not those requiring international protection , '' the Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued Tuesday . One of the refugees who came ashore Tuesday said they will be killed if returned to Myanmar because of their minority status . He said the Rohingya are stateless because they lack bribe money to obtain identification cards in Myanmar . In Tuesday 's statement , the Thai government said it deals with all illegal migrants in accordance with its laws and international guidelines . It said `` basic humanitarian needs '' such as food and water are met among the migrants before they are returned home . Their boats also are fixed , officials said . The Thai government said that `` accepting those arriving in an irregular manner would simply encourage new arrivals . '' The government denied media reports alleging that Thai authorities mistreat the illegal migrants and intentionally damage their boats . CNN 's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report . | Sixty-six Rohingya refugees from Myanmar fined by Thai court . They will be handed over to immigration police with 12 others . Rohingya refugees are at center of allegations of mistreatment by Thai army . Photos obtained by CNN show army towing boatload of 190 refugees to sea . | [[38, 97], [381, 512], [795, 866], [1130, 1169], [1212, 1267], [3655, 3768], [1563, 1590], [1622, 1672], [1734, 1756], [1734, 1834], [1765, 1768], [1774, 1834]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Paul Goydos pulled ahead of overnight co-leader Justin Leonard to move into a three-stroke lead at the halfway point of the Valero Texas Open . Goydos posted six birdies to hold a three-stroke lead after 36 holes of the Texas Open . The American had begun the day tied on seven-under-par with former Open champion Leonard , a Texas native , who started early at the par-70 , 6,896-yard Resort Course at La Cantera and followed his first-round 63 with a two-under 68 to move to nine-under . Goydos set off in pursuit later in the day and got off to a bad start with a bogey on his first hole at the par-four 10th . But it was to be the only blemish on his card as the 2008 Players Championship runner-up knocked off six birdies for a five-under 65 to get to 12 - under-par . `` Another good day , '' Goydos told reporters afterwards . `` Really only had one mediocre shot all day , and that was on the first hole . I made bogey , and after that I played reasonably well . '' Mathias Gronberg led a Swedish charge in San Antonio , opening the day on four-under and going one better with a second-round 65 to take a share of the clubhouse lead with Leonard on nine-under . American Ted Purdy improved by three strokes with a 67 while his compatriots John Mallinger , with a 64 , and Scott Sterling , who posted a 63 , made it a five-way tie overnight for second place . | Paul Goydos leads by three strokes after the second round of the Texas Open . Goydos cards six birdies for five-under-par 65 to get to 12-under after 36 holes . Joint first round leader Justin Leonard among quintet to share second position . | [[19, 162], [163, 251], [177, 251], [163, 251], [177, 251], [682, 792], [1104, 1172], [19, 162], [252, 340], [1104, 1172], [1299, 1313], [1334, 1385]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A diabetes test that measures a person 's average blood glucose control over the preceding two to three months is being recommended as the new diagnostic tool for the condition . Diabetics have too much glucose in their blood when the condition is uncontrolled , and must monitor it . A committee of international experts recommended the test , called the the A1C assay , at the American Diabetes Association 's 69th Scientific Sessions over the weekend . The report could instigate a change in the way diabetes is diagnosed , the American Diabetes Association said . The A1C assay , which has been used for nearly 30 years to determine how well a patient controls diabetes , is a more stable , reliable diagnostic tool than the techniques currently in use , the authors of the report said . `` This committee that I chaired is recommending that this be used as widely as possible to diagnose diabetes instead of the blood sugar test , '' said Dr. David Nathan , director of the Diabetes Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and chairman of the committee . The A1C test , which consists of a simple blood test , is also more convenient than the two tests commonly used for diabetes -- the fasting plasma glucose and the oral glucose tolerance test -- the authors said . In the fasting test , the patient does not eat for about 12 to 14 hours before a blood test . In the tolerance test , the patient drinks a sweet solution and has blood drawn two hours later . In addition , Nathan said , `` It probably is better related to the development of eye disease with diabetes , and therefore probably serves as a better diagnostic tool . '' The international committee was assembled by the American Diabetes Association , International Diabetes Federation and European Association for the Study of Diabetes , but those organizations have not officially endorsed the report . `` Basically , the American Diabetes Association supports the concept , supports the use of the A1C to diagnose diabetes , and just has to look at the implications of it , and the implementation of it , '' said Richard Kahn , Chief Scientific and Medical Officer for the American Diabetes Association , who was part of the committee . Using A1C in diagnosis would be particularly useful for determining whether patients have type 2 diabetes , which is more difficult to diagnose than type 1 , said Dr. William Bornstein , assistant professor of endocrinology at Emory University , who was not part of the committee . `` This will be beneficial to the population in terms of helping us more clearly diagnose folks who are at risks for complications and help them manage that earlier , '' Bornstein said . Still , controversy likely will arise over the use of the A1C in diagnostics because of the long , established track record of using the other two methods , Bornstein said . iReport.com : Boxing champ talks about diabetes struggle . How it works . Humans can not live without having sugar called glucose in their blood . Too much glucose , however , attaches to a variety of proteins in the body and harms them . Uncontrolled diabetes is characterized by too much glucose in the bloodstream . This excess glucose then glycates with -- or sticks to -- a protein called hemoglobin , which carries oxygen from the lungs to the body 's cells . The A1C test measures the percentage of glycated hemoglobin in the blood , which is a reflection of average blood glucose control , according to the American Diabetes Association . A1C is a better measure of the problem that diabetes causes than glucose-based tests , at least for monitoring , said David Schoenfeld , professor of biostatistics at Harvard University . He and colleagues , including Nathan and a large group of international researchers , studied the relationship between A1C and average blood glucose . While many diabetics monitor their average blood glucose levels daily , at the doctor 's office the patient receives a measurement in terms of hemoglobin A1C , Schoenfeld said . He and researchers created a chart to convert these two measurements , so that patients would not have to interpret two different numbers and feel confused . They concluded in a 2008 paper that , for most patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes , A1C levels can be expressed as average glucose . The international committee concluded that an A1C level of 6.5 percent indicates that a person has diabetes , while values between 6 percent and 6.5 percent are likely to be at highest risk for developing diabetes . Experts note , however , that there is a continuum of risk for complications , and the `` cut-point '' of 6.5 percent should not be considered an absolute dividing line . All adults who are overweight and have additional risk factors , such as family history of diabetes , high blood pressure or abnormal lipid levels , should be screened for diabetes , according to the American Diabetes Association . Adults aged 45 or older should be tested even if they do not have these risk factors , the association said . | Committee says A1C test is more reliable and convenient than other tests . Tests in use now are fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance test . A1C test is currently used for monitoring patients ' control of diabetes . Expert : Report may cause controversy because of track record of using current tests . | [[587, 600], [643, 758], [1080, 1092], [1135, 1177], [1196, 1204], [1208, 1270], [587, 600], [603, 692], [587, 600], [643, 758], [2697, 2702], [2705, 2793]] |
Editor 's Note : Award-winning journalist and best-selling author Carl Bernstein , best known for his reporting work with Bob Woodward about the Watergate scandal , serves as a political analyst for CNN . Most recently , Bernstein wrote `` A Woman in Charge : The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton , '' a detailed portrait of the junior senator from New York and former Democratic presidential candidate . Carl Bernstein says Republicans returned to old themes , including patriotism , to attack Democrats . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Democrats take note : the Republican convention was resolutely on-message Tuesday night , sounding old themes and buzzwords that have worked for the GOP in the past . It 's those same themes that John McCain , who once rejected the approach , has now embraced as the only way to the White House . `` The Angry Left , '' `` Liberals , '' `` The Media , '' -- the familiar litany of right-wing Republican demons -- rocked the house in St. Paul , Minnesota . The message : McCain , Sarah Palin and the Republicans are the true party of patriotism , as if the Democrats are n't . In the repetitious theme of the evening , the Republicans would `` Put Country First , '' as if the Democrats would n't . The Democrats ' first response to the evening , in a statement from the Obama campaign about the GOP 's failure to address economic problems in the country , said nothing -- perhaps at its peril -- about the real Republican message . The theme was first sounded by actor Robert Duvall in the short film he narrated ; followed by speaker after speaker and later interspersed in filmed tributes to Ronald Reagan and to a Navy Seal hero who died in Iraq . That is the theme invoked as the motif of John McCain 's life . Perhaps the most extreme example of the implication that the Republicans have a lock on patriotism and `` Putting Country First '' came in video footage of a first-responder going underwater to rescue occupants of a car that plummeted in the Minneapolis bridge collapse . -LRB- No word at the convention about problems of infrastructure in the country -- just people -LRB- apparently only Republicans -RRB- who would `` Put Country First . '' Meanwhile , consistent with the demonizing subtext of this theme , President Bush attacked -LRB- rather incongruously , but with plenty of antecedents in Republican history -RRB- `` The Angry Left '' -- perhaps an attempt to stigmatize those who would question Sarah Palin 's credentials . A quick video tribute to Ronald Reagan referred to `` the media -LSB- who -RSB- despised him . '' Former Sen. Fred Thompson pounded Barack Obama as `` the most liberal '' presidential candidate in history , and brought the convention to its feet . He also warned of losing the Supreme Court to the Democrats and `` liberalism '' -LRB- to delirious applause -RRB- . Thompson said McCain 's pick of Palin had thrown the Democrats ' `` friends in the media into a state of panic '' -LRB- pandemonium in the hall -RRB- . John McCain , in a different time in his life -LRB- i.e. running against George W. Bush for the Republican nomination in 2000 -RRB- , specifically rejected this approach . He courted and charmed the dreaded `` media '' monolith and enunciated a post-partisan vision -LRB- yet definitely consistent with conservative orthodoxy on many big questions -RRB- . McCain also railed against the culture wars that his party and campaign are now intent on stoking as the way to victory . -LRB- Remember , only months ago , when the promise of this election was that there were two nominees who understood the enduring damage of the culture wars to the country and its political system ? -RRB- . Will the Republican message on display last night work ? It was essential to George W. Bush 's defeat of John Kerry and pulled Bush to parity with Al Gore in 2000 . George H.W. Bush relied on the approach in 1988 . Bill Clinton recognized the strategy , addressed it substantively and forthrightly and buried it . The McCain campaign and the Republican Party of 2008 are betting that Barack Obama wo n't be nimble enough to repeat Clinton 's feat , and that they have found the formula -LRB- including putting Palin on the ticket at a moment when the election seemed to be eluding them -RRB- to victory . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . | Tuesday 's themes at GOP convention dealt with patriotism , `` Putting Country First '' President Bush attacked `` The Angry Left '' at convention . Bernstein : McCain once rejected old GOP themes , now embraces them . | [[403, 504], [423, 480], [1165, 1184], [2157, 2178], [3674, 3730], [824, 838], [841, 845], [691, 820], [720, 731], [738, 764], [2989, 3000], [3003, 3034], [3123, 3160]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Now it 's the Republicans ' turn . Charlie Daniels will headline a concert Wednesday in Minneapolis-St . Paul , Minnesota . The Democrats turned out the star power for its convention in Denver , Colorado , right up to the final night , when the 80,000-strong crowd attending Sen. Barack Obama 's closing speech at Invesco Field was serenaded by Sheryl Crow and Stevie Wonder , among others . The Republican National Convention , which begins Monday in Minneapolis-St . Paul , Minnesota , may not have the same oomph , but it wo n't lack for well-known visitors . After mixing and mingling in Denver with Democrats , the nonpartisan Creative Coalition is scheduled to join the festivities in the Twin Cities . The organization is devoted to arts advocacy as well as issues such as health care and affordable housing . Its spokespeople include Warren Beatty , Dana Delany , Tim Daly , Giancarlo Esposito and Matthew Modine . The group is showing a film , `` 14 Women , '' about the 14 female senators of the 109th Congress . Creative Coalition Executive Director Robin Bronk told The Hollywood Reporter that the organization was determined to present some steak with its celebrity sizzle . iReport.com : Share your photos , videos from around the Republican Convention . `` We have a great track record of bringing substance with splash , '' she said . The group is sponsoring a Charlie Daniels Band concert on Wednesday . The Black Eyed Peas played the group 's Denver show . Retail chain Target is co-sponsor of both shows . Also in Minneapolis : a show titled `` The Songwriters Circle : The Songs We Love , '' which will feature performances by Brett James -LRB- who wrote `` Jesus , Take the Wheel '' -RRB- and Greg Laswell -LRB- `` What a Day '' -RRB- , according to RollingStone.com . The show is sponsored the The Recording Academy and its GRAMMY Foundation . Among other celebrities expected to be present are the Beach Boys -- who will be headlining a concert of their own Monday -- Gretchen Wilson and Sammy Hagar . However , one of the GOP 's biggest celebrity names , California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , may not make the trip . Schwarzenegger has said that state business may keep him in Sacramento . Not every event will be sanctioned by the convention , of course . The politically active band Rage Against the Machine , which played a free show in Denver , has scheduled a Minneapolis concert , though it 's far from free : Tickets are $ 60 for the show at the Target Center on Wednesday . Rage guitarist Tom Morello is also teaming with Steve Earle for a union rally on Labor Day . There are also several arts-related events in a lower key . According to The New York Times , artists will be coming to Minneapolis-St . Paul to mount various forms of political theater , from creating ice sculptures to inviting the public to perform karaoke versions of convention speeches . Though some of the exhibits will be politically pointed , organizers are careful to characterize them as nonpartisan -- and expect some unusual discourse . `` You expect people to respond by organizing a protest and throwing their fists in the air , and you also expect people to respond by flying 1,000 American flags , '' Sarah Peters of Minneapolis ' Walker Art Center , which is taking part in that city 's `` UnConvention , '' told the Times . `` And those are two legitimate ways to respond to politics , but there is a whole in-between area that does n't get talked about . '' | GOP convention to include celebrities , some performing , others visiting . Rage Against the Machine , which played in Denver , Colorado , also in Twin Cities . Art installations reportedly to express nonpartisanship . | [[541, 581], [1885, 1931], [2302, 2342], [2394, 2429]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Everything about Jupiter is super-sized , including its colorful , turbulent atmosphere . But there 's fresh evidence that one of the planet 's most recognizable features , the Great Red Spot , is shrinking . NASA 's Cassini spacecraft photographed Jupiter and its Great Red Spot , seen center near the equator , in 2000 . The spot , which is actually an ancient monster storm that measures about three Earths across , lost 15 percent of its diameter between 1996 and 2006 , scientists at the University of California , Berkeley , have found . It shrank by about 1 kilometer -LRB- about 0.6 miles -RRB- a day during that time period , said Xylar Asay-Davis , a postdoctoral researcher who was part of the study . Astronomers have observed for years that the clouds of the Great Red Spot have been waning , but this newest research focused on the motion of the storm -- a much more reliable way to measure its size , Asay-Davis said . He and fellow Berkeley researchers Philip Marcus , Imke de Pater , Michael Wong and Sushil Shetty developed software that tracked the movement of the spot 's cloud patterns over long periods of time . `` It 's not just the motion of the spot as a whole object . Within it , it has a very complicated swirl to it -- sort of a thin ring on the outside and then a sort of quiet area in the center -- and that shape of it has been changing over time , '' Asay-Davis said . `` What we actually look at is where the winds are the strongest in the vortex . It 's the ring where they 're the strongest , and that ring has been shrinking over time . '' The findings have been submitted for publication in Icarus , the International Journal of Solar System Studies . See photos of the other planets and find out what makes them stand out '' What makes it red ? The researchers do not know why the storm is shrinking . In fact , little is known about the Great Red Spot at all . Even the exact cause of its distinctive color is a mystery . `` We do n't actually know what causes any of the colors on Jupiter , '' said Amy Simon-Miller , chief of the Planetary Systems Lab at NASA 's Goddard Space Flight Center . `` One of the leading theories is that -LSB- the storm -RSB- is dredging up stuff from much deeper below in the atmosphere that turns red when it 's exposed to sunlight . '' The spot is n't always bright red ; sometimes it 's actually quite pale , Simon-Miller noted . Astronomers have been tracking it since the 1870s , said Glenn Orton , a senior research scientist at NASA 'S Jet Propulsion Laboratory who investigates planetary atmospheres . It is possible that the spot may one day disappear , he added . `` It 's just a storm that , like many things , has a natural growth and disintegration rate , '' Orton said . Astronomers see a dramatic difference in the spot 's shape when comparing photos of Jupiter taken more than a century ago to recent images of the planet . Orton joked that the Great Red Spot used to be so long that its acronym should have stood for the `` Great Red Sausage . '' `` I just happened to look at an old picture and said to myself , ` That looks like a breakfast sausage . ' It 's very long . I mean , if you look at one of those pictures back from then and a picture now , you think , ` My God , this thing is going on a diet , '' Orton said . Now eye-shaped , the spot is expected to become circular by about 2040 , he added . Chemical stew . The storm is a fascinating feature on a fascinating planet . It has some of the characteristics of a hurricane on Earth , including a circular motion and strong winds . They 're Jupiter-strength inside the spot , with some gusting up to 400 miles per hour , Simon-Miller said . Unlike hurricanes on Earth , which are low-pressure systems , the Great Red Spot is a high-pressure system , so it 's more stable -- one of the reasons it has lasted so long , she added . Another factor in its longevity is that there is no land on Jupiter to slow a storm in the way landfalls cause hurricanes to lose steam on Earth . Jupiter 's atmosphere of colorful dots , swirls and bands may look like an impressionist painting from above , but it would quickly lose its beauty on closer approach . The clouds visible from space consist of ammonia ice and ammonium hydrosulfide -- a sort of smoggy chemical stew -- and the conditions below are brutal , especially inside the Great Red Spot . `` The winds are so strong , everything would get pulled apart pretty quickly . There 's no surface to stand on and look up at it , '' Simon-Miller said . Probes sent by NASA towards the interior of the planet have been crushed by the gas giant 's enormous atmospheric pressure . Still , the images of Jupiter and its Great Red Spot mesmerize astronomers . `` The pictures are just so beautiful , and they 're different every single time we look , '' Simon-Miller said . | Scientists : Great Red Spot lost 15 percent of its diameter between 1996 and 2006 . It is possible that the spot may one day disappear , astronomers say . Jupiter 's famous feature is a monster storm that 's been tracked since the 1870s . Winds inside gust up to 400 miles per hour ; it 's not exactly known what makes it red . | [[342, 350], [359, 491], [342, 395], [438, 491], [2601, 2651], [342, 350], [359, 491], [342, 395], [438, 491], [2424, 2473], [1784, 1803], [1921, 1981]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This holiday season , it 's still shoes off and liquids out at airport security , but changes may be on the way to part of this routine , and agents will be watching much more than the contents of your carry-on . Passengers prepare for a security screening at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia . In the coming months , the government expects to revisit its rule for the amount of liquids that may be brought aboard planes , while boosting the number of behavior detection officers deployed at checkpoints across the country . More than 2,000 are already on the job , and the program is growing every day , said Christopher White , a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration . `` What the officers are looking for are physiological signs that can not be manipulated that indicate stress , fear or deception , '' White said . `` We find bad people everyday with behavior detection officers . '' The specially trained agents , who work in teams , establish a baseline of behavior and then search for people who rise above that level , he added . The TSA has been taking steps to reduce stress for all travelers at security , such as adding special family lanes , to make it easier for the officers to spot passengers who are acting suspiciously . `` By calming the checkpoint down , it makes people with potential hostile intent really stand out , '' White said . `` If there 's a shark fin in a rough sea , it 's impossible to see . If there 's a shark fin in a lake , it 's very easy to see . '' The word on liquids . Meanwhile , new technology may help change a familiar part of the security screening process . By now , most air travelers know the government 's 3-1-1 rule for liquids and gels : Containers no larger than 3 ounces are allowed in carry-on luggage , provided they are packed into one quart-size clear plastic zip-top bag , with one bag allowed per person . Those restrictions could be eased next year with the help of advanced X-ray machines that can be upgraded with software , like computers , White said . `` Scientists at the national labs have been working to develop an algorithm to plug into the machines that would allow us to tell the difference between a bottle of Coke and a bottle of liquid explosives , '' he said . The TSA is planning to have 600 of the machines installed at airports across the country by the end of this year and may look at changes to the 3-1-1 rule in fall 2009 , White added . Coming much sooner : the expansion of the family lane program to every airport in the country starting Thursday . See where the nation 's busiest airports are '' The special lanes are designed to make security screening as smooth as possible for people traveling with children , passengers with special needs or anyone unfamiliar with security procedures , while improving wait times for other travelers . What 's not changing for the foreseeable future : taking your shoes off at security . Running them through the X-ray machine is simply the fastest way of ensuring there 's nothing hidden inside , White said . Preparation and planning . If you are flying this Thanksgiving , expect lots of company but fewer people than last year . The Air Transport Association of America predicts a 10 percent drop in the number of people traveling on U.S. airlines during the holiday , compared with the same time period in 2007 . `` Some of the capacity cuts that carriers put into place have finally taken effect , but also we do think that the economic downturn is finally taking a toll on consumer spending when it comes to travel , '' ATA spokeswoman Elizabeth Merida said . The trade association for U.S. airlines predicts that the busiest travel days of this Thanksgiving holiday will be Wednesday , November 26 ; Sunday , November 30 ; and Monday , December 1 , with planes 90 percent full on average on those dates . Airports across the country are gearing up for the travel rush . `` We are making a commitment that even during peak periods , the -LSB- security -RSB- line will not exceed 20 minutes , '' said Ben DeCosta , aviation general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia . The world 's busiest airport has spent more than $ 25 million on improvements , including 10 additional `` high-productivity , speedy '' security lanes for a total of 32 , he added . Hartsfield-Jackson also offers a number of queuing options for the more than 40,000 people who line up at its security checkpoints every day . `` Our line management segregates people by expertise and by preference , and it helps to speed everything up and to make people less anxious about the beginning of their trip , '' DeCosta said . Hartsfield-Jackson is also joining the growing number of U.S. airports with whole-body imagers at security checkpoints . The machines offer an alternative to pat-downs by officers . No matter what airport you 're passing through , be prepared , White said . `` If you 're ready for security with your boarding pass and your ID out , with your shoes and your coat off , and with your liquids out of the carry-on bag , your experience is going to be very good and very pleasant , '' he said . `` For passengers who are not ready , they not only slow down themselves , they slow down the entire checkpoint line . '' | Government 's 3-1-1 rule for liquids and gels could be eased next year . TSA aims to reduce travelers ' stress , making it easier to spot suspicious behavior . Taking shoes off at security expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future . Family lane program expands to every airport in the country starting Thursday . | [[333, 353], [356, 424], [1926, 1969], [1096, 1212], [1235, 1296], [2888, 2935], [2938, 2973], [2564, 2595]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The debate about using technology to help referees has been re-ignited following a number of controversial decisions in the Champions League semi-final between Chelsea and Barcelona . The Hawk-Eye system is already widely used in tennis and has transformed the game . Sepp Blatter , president of FIFA , the game 's governing body , has consistently opposed the use of in-game video replays , but goal-line technology , to determine if the ball has crossed the goal line , has received more support . The Hawk-Eye system is extensively used in tennis , using cameras to calculate the trajectory of the ball . The system then uses the trajectory data to determine exactly where the ball has hit the ground , making it invaluable for marginal line calls . Using similar technology , Hawk-Eye Innovations , based in England , has developed a football system to determine if a goal has been scored . It again uses cameras to track the ball and computers to calculate its position . If the system detects that the ball has crossed the goal line a central computer transmits a signal to the referee via either a watch or earpiece . The system was tested at Premier League football club Fulham in 2006 and then at Reading 's training ground in 2007 . It was backed by the British Football Association and funded by the Premier League . Another goal-line technology , a microchipped football , was developed by Adidas and German firm Cairos Technologies . A microchip built into the football detects a magnetic field generated by underground cables in the penalty area . Like the Hawk-Eye system it uses a computer to send a signal to the referee 's watch when a goal is scored . The system was tested at the World Under-17 Championships in 2005 and the 2007 World Club Championship in Tokyo . The International Football Association Board -LRB- IFAB -RRB- , which decides the laws of the game , discusses new rules at an annual general meeting consisting of four representatives from FIFA and one each from England , Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales . Explaining the IFAB 's decision , Blatter said the microchipped ball had failed in one of the seven World Club Championship matches because of interference to the signal sent to the referee and that it would be difficult to implement the chip technology in the many types of football used around the world . He added that it was not possible to ensure that the Hawk-Eye system worked in a crowded goalmouth , where players might block the cameras ' view of the ball . `` FIFA are of the opinion that the systems are very costly , would not add anything to the game and would harm the position of the referee , '' the UK 's Press Association reported at the time . Do you think goal-line technology should be used ? Share your thoughts in the Sound Off box below . But Hawk-Eye managing director Paul Hawkins told CNN that he believes FIFA has decided that it does n't want technology in football . `` I saw FIFA last week and told them that we can provide a system if they want it , but it 's very clear they do n't want the system , '' he said . Hawkins said his company can not develop the technology any further without more testing in real stadiums , but that kind of testing requires FIFA 's consent . The idea that football 's governing bodies are opposed to more technology in football has been supported by statements from the sport 's governing bodies . In March 2009 , Blatter said in a statement : `` The IFAB believes that football is a game for human beings and , as such , we should improve the standard of refereeing - and not turn to technology . '' Michel Platini , President of UEFA , European Football 's governing body , has expressed similar views . Instead of pursuing goal-line technology , the IFAB chose to trial the idea of having two extra match officials , one behind each goal . A FIFA spokesman told CNN that while the use of goal-line technology has n't been ruled out forever , even after recent refereeing controversies , the IFAB 's current position is to continue to experiment with extra officials . The IFAB 's decision means there will be no goal-line technology used in the Champions League final on 27 May , which means there is the potential for more refereeing disputes . `` Maybe there will be a controversial goal in the Champions League final and maybe the discussion over the technology will begin again , '' Oliver Braun , marketing and communications director at Cairos Technologies told CNN . Hawkins agrees that it will take a controversial goal-line incident in a big FIFA match to get the IFAB to change their position , saying it took a series of contentious calls at the 2004 US Open for tennis authorities to seriously consider using the Hawk-Eye system . If that is the case , there will be some football fans hoping for plenty of goal-line drama come May 27 . | Debate over whether technology should be used to help referees . FIFA is opposed to video replays but has considered goal-line technology . Hawk-Eye system and microchipped footballs were rejected by IFAB . Some feel it will take a big-match controversy to re-open the debate . | [[36, 39], [47, 219], [304, 316], [368, 425], [3892, 4036], [4526, 4613], [4657, 4744]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- How does a man from an unassuming Dutch village go to being loved in South Korea , adored in Australia , revered in Russia and admired in England ? Guus Hiddink , the Russia and Chelsea coach , has had much to smile about in his 22-year managerial career . By being an exceptional football manager , for one . Enjoying success around the world -- at different levels with different players in different cultures -- has made Guus Hiddink one of the most admired bosses around . Born in rural Varsseveld , near the German border , in 1946 , Hiddink 's early years were unremarkable . While playing semi-professional football , he spent 10 years as a gym teacher at a school for children with learning difficulties . Most of his playing days were in the midfield of De Graafschap , a smallish club with no history of winning silverware . He later spent two years playing in America before returning to retire at De Graafschap . Watch CNN 's exclusive interview with Hiddink '' Little , then , to suggest that here was a man who would achieve so much in his later career . But great players seldom become great managers . His first steps in that direction came at De Graafschap , Holland , where he was assistant manager before moving to the same role at Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven . See key moments from Hiddink 's career '' By 1987 , at the age of 40 , he was in charge of PSV and led them to their 1988 European Cup win , a feat unthinkable today . He almost reached the final again in 2005 during his second spell in Eindhoven . Hiddink 's keeper at PSV , Hans van Breukelen , revealed some of the manager 's methods . `` He 's very interested in people and immediately tries to create a family environment , '' he told Britain 's Sun newspaper . `` I can vividly remember him smoking and having a cup of coffee with his players . I do n't know if he still smokes , but he was a chain smoker at PSV . '' Hiddink 's resume includes stints in other high-pressure jobs such as Fenerbahce , Valencia and Real Madrid , but it 's on the international scene where his shrewd tactical mind , organizational skills and motivational prowess grabbed attention . Semifinalists with Holland at the 1998 World Cup , he took over South Korea in 2001 and led the co-hosts of the 2002 World Cup to the last four . No Asian country had ever gone as far in a World Cup before and he left the job a national hero . He agreed to coach another underdog in the shape of Australia in 2005 and led them to the 2006 World Cup . There , the Socceroos had eventual winners Italy rattled for much of their second-round match before succumbing to a late , controversial penalty . Hiddink took Russia to Euro 2008 , where they were beaten by Spain at the semifinal stage . Naturally his hometown Varsseveld wanted to capitalize on Hiddink 's huge global popularity . The `` Guuseum '' was built in his honor , which for a time was particularly popular with South Koreans on a pilgrimage to see from where their idol hailed . Chelsea were in the doldrums when he arrived on a short-term deal in January as a favor to his comrade , Roman Abramovich , the club 's billionaire owner . And the Hiddink magic has worked again , giving the Blues direction to a season that was drifting under previous boss Luiz Felipe Scolari . But the straight-speaking Dutchman is loyal to the project he has in charge of the Russian national side and insists he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season regardless . Sure of himself but free of ego , Hiddink knows what he wants . And , as he 's repeatedly proved , he knows how to get it too . | Born in 1946 , Hiddink has become one of the best managers in the world . Dutchman has enjoyed huge success at club and international level . He 's currently coach of Russia and is in charge of Chelsea until end of May . | [[346, 379], [426, 512], [3373, 3384], [3388, 3430]] |
HIGH BRIDGE , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` The thought that I can reach out and permanently improve someone 's life for the better is addictive , '' says Dave Schweidenback . Dave Schweidenback saw transformative effects of bikes while in the Peace Corps in Ecuador from 1977-80 . Several times a year , the 55-year-old can be found prepping large shipments of used bicycles bound for a developing country . For Schweidenback , gathering and breaking down these bikes is a labor of love -- one that is helping to keep the bikes out of landfills and give them new life . `` Used bicycles can transform the economic and social condition of families , '' says Schweidenback . '' -LSB- They -RSB- give people access to jobs , health care and education that is too distant for walking . '' Since 1991 , Schweidenback 's nonprofit Pedals for Progress has collected and shipped more than 115,000 used bicycles to 32 developing countries worldwide , where they are sold at a low cost to local residents like Don Roberto Garcia . `` A used woman 's mountain bicycle changed my life , '' says Garcia , 54 , a house cleaning supplies salesman in Nicaragua who works six days a week to support his six children and buy medicine for his wife , who suffers from cancer . For 20 years , Garcia walked six to seven hours a day , hauling his merchandise in a wheelbarrow along a 6 mile route . This earned him $ 2 - $ 3 a day . `` More than anything , I would always return home so tired from the walk , '' Garcia recalls . Little by little , Garcia saved his money and was able to buy a used bicycle six years ago from a Pedals for Progress partner agency in Jinotepe , Nicaragua . `` Because of a bicycle , I now earn about $ 4 a day , '' says Garcia . `` I sell more and I do my rounds quicker . I tell everyone to go buy a bicycle . '' Watch Garcia explain how a used bicycle has helped him in Nicaragua '' The seeds for Schweidenback 's Pedals for Progress were planted years ago while he was volunteering for the Peace Corps from 1977-80 in Ecuador , near the Amazon Basin . `` Besides the bus that comes through town and one guy that owned a pickup truck , everybody walked everywhere all the time , '' he recalls . `` My landlord was the exception because he owned the only bike in a 500-mile radius . He was the most successful man in the region because he could access a job and get wherever he needed to go . '' Years later , Schweidenback noticed used bicycles at garage sales and in garbage cans throughout his New Jersey community . `` I remembered how -LSB- the need -RSB- in developing countries was so great , that I could n't stop thinking about it , '' he says . Knowing the bikes could be put to better use , Schweidenback asked members of his community to donate 12 used bicycles ; he planned to send them to Ecuador . The community brought him 140 . Within a year , Schweidenback had created Pedals for Progress and shipped roughly 500 bicycles to developing countries . Today , Schweidenback organizes 140 used bike drives each year and , on average , collects 90 bicycles in three hours . Donors are asked to pay a $ 10 fee per bike to help cover shipping costs and reduce the cost of the bicycle when it 's sold overseas . Each bike is sold for about $ 15 . Watch how Pedals for Progress bikes get from donors to people in developing countries '' `` There 's a bike that 's unloved in every garage in this country . Rather than put these old bikes in landfills for no reason , we can use them as economic stimulus to aid our neighbors , '' Schweidenback says . `` This is the transfer of wealth between nations because these have great value overseas . And they give people the ability to hold a job or a child the ability to go to school . '' Watch Schweidenback talk about his inspiration for Pedals for Progress '' Pedals for Progress bicycles have been sent to countries in Central America , Africa , Eastern Europe and the Caribbean . For Schweidenback , knowing he 's making an impact keeps him going . `` You can change someone 's life with your bike . '' | CNN Hero 's nonprofit Pedals for Progress gives new life to used bicycles . Dave Schweidenback saw transformative effects of bikes while in the Peace Corps . More than 115,000 used bikes have been sent to 32 developing countries since '91 . Low-cost bikes help local residents gain access to jobs , health care and schools . | [[494, 497], [503, 573], [179, 258], [789, 799], [802, 848], [867, 933], [910, 943], [680, 751]] |
SAVANNAH , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Walt Peters knows what it 's like to fear for his life . He knows how it feels to board a plane , deploying for combat . He knows the feeling of making it home alive . Walt Peters is often among the last people soldiers see as they deploy and the first they see upon their return . That 's why the retired Vietnam veteran has stood outside at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah , Georgia , for the past four years as a beacon of pride and support , welcoming home returning soldiers and wishing `` Godspeed '' to those deploying . `` To me , if it was n't for our soldiers and our veterans , we would not have this beautiful country , '' says Peters . `` These guys are our freedom . '' Peters , 64 , has been one of the last people that about 20,000 soldiers so far have seen before boarding the plane for the war zone -- and one of the first seen upon return . No matter what time the soldiers ' flights are arriving or departing -- many take place in the middle of the night -- Peters is there to shake their hands and give them a token of support : a small American flag . Some of those flags , Peters says , have gone to Iraq and back . `` When they touch that flag , we 're giving them a piece of our country , saying , ` Thank you . ' '' Peters is not the only volunteer showing his support at each flight . But he does all of this nearly blind . He says learned he had chemical diabetes nearly 10 years ago after he was exposed to Agent Orange during his Vietnam tours . He has lost almost all of his sight over the past few years , but that has n't depleted his dedication to the soldiers . `` When I went to Vietnam on my tours I 'd never had this . I had never had nobody say , ` We appreciate your service . We thank you for what you 're doing for our freedom , ' '' Peters says . `` When they get on that plane , they 're gon na know that this old Vietnam vet cares . '' Peters first became involved greeting flights through the Savannah Red Cross in 2004 when a friend from his fraternal Moose Lodge brought him to welcome a returning flight . Peters has since become a flight greeting leader , bringing in and training his own volunteers . His crew includes Moose members and Vietnam veterans . So many flights come in , Peters says , that it 's impossible to be present for all of them . He 's worked as many as three flights in one day , in a 26-hour period . Watch how Peters sends off and greets deploying and returning U.S. soldiers '' Peters and his volunteers arrive two hours before a flight 's arrival or departure to set up their tables and brew coffee . He makes sure he walks around and talks with the troops when they come through for processing . `` I 'm a combat veteran ; the soldiers know I can relate to them , '' Peters says . `` I tell them , ` It 's OK to be scared . You stay scared , you stay alive . ' '' Peters also talks to the soldiers about the Adopt-A-Soldier program , asking them to fill out a card so a family can `` adopt '' them and send care packages and necessities to them in Iraq or Afghanistan . Watch Peters and volunteers interacting with U.S. soldiers before their deployment to Iraq '' Peters says the most important thing is to show the soldiers `` the support and the spirit that they need behind them as they step up to get on that plane . '' `` Sometimes it breaks your heart because you ask yourself , ` Which one of these beautiful people is not coming home ? ' '' But as long as there are soldiers deploying and returning , Peters says he 'll be there . Watch Peters talk about one of the highlights of his military career '' `` I see the roots of our country and our future in every one of these soldiers , '' he says . | Walt Peters welcomes soldiers home , wishes `` Godspeed '' to those deploying . The Vietnam veteran has greeted an estimated 20,000 soldiers since 2004 . He says he lost sight as a result of chemical diabetes from Agent Orange exposure . | [[320, 359], [485, 542], [485, 499], [523, 566], [2413, 2488], [774, 855], [1406, 1480], [1515, 1574]] |
BIRMINGHAM , Alabama -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If Russell Jackson has his way , any child who needs medical care but lacks the transportation to get there will have a safe and reliable alternative . Russell Jackson started Kid One , which has ferried thousands of children to medical appointments . `` We found that there were 80,000-plus children in Alabama living in a home with no car , '' Jackson says . `` And in the rural areas , there are no cabs , there are no buses , there are no trains . ... Millions of children in our country every day have no access to medical care when they need to reach it . '' Jackson is so determined that in 1997 he gave up his career as an Alabama firefighter , moved in with friends and dug into his retirement account to start Kid One Transport , a nonprofit organization that provides rides for needy children in his home state . In 11 years , Kid One 's fleet of vans has ferried more than 16,000 kids to and from scheduled medical-related appointments all over Alabama . Watch Jackson describe the need for medical transportation in rural Alabama '' Jackson never anticipated he would leave the fire department to head up a nonprofit organization . After all , firefighting was the culmination of a lifelong dream . `` What little boy does n't want to be a firefighter ? '' Jackson says , laughing . But an emergency call to his department in March 1992 changed everything . Jackson was dispatched to help an unresponsive 2-year-old who had accidentally hanged himself in the family car while trying to retrieve a toy . `` We did everything that we could to try to revive that young child , '' he says . The 2-year-old died despite their efforts . `` I took it pretty tough , '' Jackson remembers . `` It 's not that I had not been exposed to tragedies before , but this one hit me differently . '' At the advice of a counselor , Jackson started volunteer work to help him process his grief . A friend suggested Jackson volunteer in the small rural town of Sayre , Alabama . Jackson was stunned by what he saw just 25 minutes from his home . `` When I drove into the community , it was a world of its own . It was a lot of homes that were deplorable . And that 's really the only way I can explain them , '' he says . Jackson says he was instantly ashamed by his own comfortable lifestyle . Watch Jackson describe the `` turning point '' that led to Kids One Transport '' `` All it took was the one visit , '' he recalls , `` and I knew I really wanted to come out and work with these folks , hand in hand , and do whatever I could to help make life a little bit easier for them . '' When social workers told him about the neighborhood children who had no way to travel to and from appointments for chemotherapy , physical therapy and even for regular checkups , Jackson started driving them there himself . Before long this one-man operation grew into a 13-van team covering 30 counties . Though Jackson recently stepped down from a daily role in the organization he founded , he says the best part of his work has been meeting the families and witnessing firsthand so many medical transformations . There were some who learned to speak , another who learned to walk , and others who recovered from life-threatening illnesses -- even when doctors were less than hopeful . Watch a child who relies on Kid One to get to medical appointments '' `` I saw so many lives changed , so many determined children and parents who wanted to beat the odds that were against them , '' Jackson says . He says he believes that getting them to the care they needed made the difference . `` We 're that missing part of the puzzle that is preventing so many people from reaching what we 'd consider as world-class medicine . ... To know that they beat it all because of a simple ride , '' he adds . `` That has definitely been worth every bit of founding Kid One Transport . '' | More than 80,000 children in Alabama reportedly live in homes without a car . Fireman Russell Jackson quit his job to start a nonprofit to help fill that gap . Kid One has ferried 16,000 children to and from medical-related appointments . | [[292, 380], [1127, 1184], [208, 225], [232, 291], [864, 875], [878, 987], [878, 902], [944, 1006], [3309, 3375], [3315, 3322], [3327, 3375]] |
DOHA , Qatar -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One look outside the window gives a glimpse of the `` economics of energy '' in Doha , Qatar . Cranes dot the tops of half-finished towers , a monumental work in progress ; the result of vast energy wealth being pumped out of the ground and poured into project after project . Doha , Qatar : A city skyline awash with cranes and towers powered by abundant oil and gas supplies . It 's here that our Principal Voices met for the first of this year 's roundtables . Outside Qatar , the economics of energy present a very different picture . Rising fuel costs are pricing power out of the means of some of the world 's poorest people . And the environmental cost of continuing to exploit the world 's fossil fuel supplies is now almost universally agreed to be so great that society can no longer afford to ignore it . Our Principal Voices come from diverse backgrounds : . The Icelandic President Olafur Grimsson -- the first head of state to sit on a Principal Voices panel -- grew up on a small island in the North Atlantic Ocean and over the past forty years has witnessed the country abandon coal to become the world 's first clean economy . Dr Joseph Adelegan from Nigeria has seen poverty first hand in Africa where he worked closely with villagers to convert slaughterhouse waste to gas they use for cooking . And , Qatar-based businessman Hesham Ismail AbdulRahman Al Emadi is leading an ambitious project to create a global network of `` Energy Cities '' to house the oil and gas industry . For an hour and a half they spoke about how to solve what Icelandic President Grimsson called , `` the most fundamental question of the 21st century '' : energy and whether there will ever be enough alternative sources of power to satisfy global demand if , and only if , the world manages to shake its addiction to oil and other fossil fuels . They spoke not only about the need to find alternatives to traditional energy sources , but whether there 'll ever be a concerted effort in developed countries to conserve rather than consume precious resources . So what is holding us back ? `` We are creatures of habit , '' Grimsson offered by way of explanation , adding that `` it usually takes a crisis to bring about change '' . He warned that there is one potential disaster looming : the predicted melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas in 30 to 40 years which will cause catastrophic flooding in India and China . `` This is not just a discussion about the rich , about cities or about Europe or America or even China or India , the great economic powerhouses . This is also a question about the poorest of the poor . '' In a response to an emailed question about whether the developed world should face sanctions for not meeting any targets set by the international community on climate change , Dr Joseph Adelegan called for aid to help poorer countries -- like the ones in Africa -- find alternatives to fossil fuels . The Middle East is facing different challenges . Hesham Al Emadi says energy subsidies in Gulf Cooperation Council countries and ignorance of the issues provide little incentive for residents to conserve energy or find greener alternatives : `` there is lots of ignorance . Awareness is a major issue . '' And what of countries like the U.S. ? Would higher taxes on fuel be enough to move residents in the right direction ? Acknowledging he 's an optimist and `` a great friend of America , '' Grimsson said , politically , all the elements are already in place for a big shift in attitudes in the U.S. `` McCain , Hillary and Obama are all on the positive issue , as I call it , '' he said . He also said the world might be wise to look to the Middle East for guidance . `` I believe they are probably more aware than we are that the odds are that oil will run out sooner rather than later , '' Grimsson said , adding `` A visionary leader of a country who wants to create a good living for his or her grandchildren or great grandchildren thinks about these issues . '' We 'll put more content from the debate on the website as soon as possible , including video highlights . What 's your point of view ? Send us an email by filling out the form on the front page , or perhaps send us an iReport explaining your views . Join the debate . | First Principal Voices round table debate takes place in Doha , Qatar . Olafur Grimsson states `` it usually takes a crisis to bring about change '' Joseph Adelegan calls for aid to help poor countries find alternatives to fossil fuels . | [[411, 495], [427, 495], [2148, 2159], [2192, 2259], [1901, 1904], [1910, 1960], [2833, 2891], [2833, 2835], [2900, 2903], [2922, 2957]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The concept may be radical , but it might just have to be if the worst predictions of climate change are realized . The Lilypad as imagined by architect Vincent Callebaut moored off the coast of Monaco . The Lilypad , a floating ecopolis for climatic refugees , is the creation of Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut . `` It is '' he says , `` a true amphibian , half aquatic and half terrestrial city , able to accommodate 50,000 inhabitants and inviting biodiversity '' . Callebaut imagines his structure at 250 times the scale of a lilypad , with a skin made of polyester fibres coated in titanium dioxide which would react with ultraviolet light and absorb atmospheric pollution . The Lilypad comprises of three marinas and three mountain regions with streets and structures strewn with foliage . `` The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature , '' said Callebaut . With a central fresh water lagoon acting as ballast , the whole construction would be carbon neutral utilizing solar , thermal , wind , hydraulic , tidal and osmotic energies . With high density populations living in low-lying areas -- The Netherlands , Polynesia , Bangladesh -- the ecopolis , its creator believes , could be the answer to mass human displacement that global warming is predicted to cause . In its most recent 2007 report the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted sea levels will rise by 60-90 cm during this century . Some climate scientists like James Hansen think that if greenhouse gas emissions are n't checked then those figures might be much , much worse . In practice , Callebaut envisages the Lilypad sailing the seas , following currents like a futuristic cruise ship . He also thinks that it could `` widen sustainability in offshore territories of the most developed countries such as Monaco '' . You ca n't help thinking that the well-heeled residents of the Principality might have a thing or two to say about 50,000 climatic refugees bobbing around in the harbour , but you can not fault Callebaut 's ambition . His previous creations -- showcased on his website -- reveal an imagination working at full throttle with sustainable design lying at its heart . Anti-Smog -- a prototype of depolluting architecture and Ecomic -- an ecotower rising up from the foundations of Aztec ruins are two further examples of his eco design credentials . The Perfumed Jungle , Fields in Fields and The Fractured Monolith may sound like titles for various genres of novel but are , in fact , names for sustainable projects in Callebaut 's growing portfolio . Now all he needs is to find someone brave enough to build on the vision he has created . | Belgian architect imagines climate refugees living on a futuristic Lilypad ecopolis . The structure would support 50,000 inhabitants in a zero carbon environment . The goal is to `` create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature '' | [[152, 188], [152, 239], [240, 251], [254, 295], [240, 251], [298, 354], [837, 907]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Plans to rejuvenate a dilapidated London icon -- known worldwide to movie and music fans -- were unveiled last week . The redevelopment of Battersea Power Station includes a new eco-dome and a solar chimney . Battersea Power Station , which has dominated the west London skyline since 1933 , will -- subject to planning approval -- undergo an $ 8 billion redevelopment including shops , homes , a hotel , offices and a striking 300 meter eco-tower . The building appeared on the cover of the 1977 Pink Floyd album `` Animals , '' complete with a giant pig floating above its four distinctive towers . It has also appeared in numerous movies including sci-fi drama `` The Children of Men '' , new Batman feature `` The Dark Knight '' and Alfred Hitchcock 's `` Sabotage . '' Real Estate Opportunities Ltd -LRB- REO -RRB- , who currently own the 38 acre site say the defunct and crumbling edifice will be : `` brought back to life in the most spectacular way . It will be a place to live , work and play '' . An Irish development company , REO is planning to spend $ 300 million repairing the old coal-powered station and get it working again -- this time producing energy from biofuels , waste and other renewable energy sources . At the heart of the regeneration stands a vast new chimney and eco-dome , which as well as housing apartments and offices will act as a vast solar ventilation system cutting down the building 's energy demand by two thirds . Managing Director of REO 's development manager , Treasury Holdings UK , Rob Tincknell describes it as `` a power station for the 21st century ... supporting a truly sustainable , zero carbon development '' . Uruguayan architect Rafael Vinoly whose daunting job it was to come up with a workable new design for the much loved site describes the old power station as a `` remarkable architectural presence '' . In creating a vast transparent chimney Vinoly hopes that it will contrast with what he describes as the `` monumental mass '' of J. Theo Halliday and Sir Giles Gilbert Scott 's original design . Of course , we 've been here before . Since the turbines were shut down for the final time in 1983 the power station -- situated on the south bank of the river Thames -- has been the subject of several failed redevelopment ventures . In 1983 , a scheme proposed by UK businessman John Broome promised to turn the power station into a gigantic theme park . But by the decade 's close and despite the enthusiastic backing of UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher his funding package for redevelopment , much like the site itself , were in a ruinous state . In 1996 , development company Parkview International headed up by Victor Hwang acquired the freehold for the site . By the time its current owners REO bought the site a decade later another over ambitious redevelopment scheme -- which included a single table restaurant atop one of the four chimneys -- had come and gone . By now the entire site was in a pretty parlous state -- the chimneys being declared beyond repair and threatened with imminent demolition . This new proposal has already provoked a chorus of dissent . Writing in London 's Evening Standard newspaper , architecture critic Rowan Moore described the idea as : `` spectacularly , riotously , extravagantly nuts , '' telling the developers and planners to : `` Forget it . Do not try to compromise with a tower two-thirds as high . Do not build a tower . Aim for zero-carbon and beautiful buildings ... '' . The Guardian 's resident architecture expert Jonathan Glancey gave the designs a cool reception describing them as ; `` more than a little over the top '' . CNN spoke to Keith Garner , an architect and member of the Battersea Power Station Community Group about the new proposals . He did n't mince his words . `` If you take it as a serious proposal , it 's immensely harmful , '' he said . `` It is a massive tower -- about the same size as the gherkin . Battersea Power Station is a Grade II * listed building . If you put a tower of that mass next to it , you are going to diminish its significance . `` If you are serious about rescuing this building you would do it in stages . The old turbine halls and the switch houses are easily reusable . A sensible , rational approach to this would involve starting with the power station itself and doing the work in small achievable phases . '' Consequently , Garner does n't believe that the new plans are credible . `` I think the developers have overplayed it . This is a joke and I think it needs to be denounced for what it is -- a ludicrous and unnecessary diversion from the principal task of repairing the building . '' Take a look at the photos of the new proposal and classic images on the tab at the top of the page . Tell us what you think of the latest redevelopment plans in the sound off box below . Do you think they will dwarf the old power station and compromise its iconic status ? | New plans to rejuvenate the iconic Battersea Power Station site have been unveiled . A new chimney and eco-dome form part of a 21st century blueprint for sustainability . Critics remain unconvinced that the new development is desirable or achievable . | [[36, 124], [154, 244], [1266, 1431], [3112, 3141], [3151, 3172], [3112, 3172], [4433, 4490]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The creators are billing it as one of the coolest hostels in the world and it 's undoubtedly one of the most novel overnight stays you are ever likely to experience . Welcome to the Jumbo Hostel -- an old Boeing 747 which is being converted into a 25-room hostel at the Stockholm-Arlanda airport . The Jumbo Hostel is currently being refurbished and will open for business in December 2008 . The idea is the brainchild of Swedish businessman and entrepreneur Oscar Dios , who has been running hostels in Uppsala , Sweden for the past five years . Renovation work is underway on a plane which used to carry in excess of 350 passengers . Jumbo Hostel is scheduled to open for business in December 2008 and will provide accommodation for up to 85 guests . CNN spoke to Dios about how he got the project off the ground . `` We were looking to expand the business but it was more or less impossible to find reasonably priced housing at the airport . And you can not build a new house and run a hostel because it is too expensive , '' he said . It was in 2006 that Dios first heard about the Boeing 747 , which was for sale . Formerly flown by the now defunct Transjet Airways , the plane was wasting away in a hangar at Arlanda airport and had n't flown since 2002 . `` The plane was in a terrible state when we first saw it , '' he said . `` But we contacted the owners and gave them a fairly good offer , I think . '' Although he was n't prepared to let on exactly how much he paid for the old Boeing , Dios confirmed that the price tag was a six-figure sum -LRB- in euros -RRB- . Dios took possession of the 1976 Boeing 747-200 -- one of 393 built by the company until 1991 -- in June 2007 and by December he had reached agreement with the airport authorities about his unique proposal . In August 2008 the plane was finally moved to its permanent home at Arlanda airport 's main entrance , where it will now stay . Apart from the engines being removed from the wings before purchase , the plane , from the outside , looks almost exactly as it did when it was grounded . The interior , for obvious reasons , is a different matter . Dismantling and stripping out all the old equipment and instruments started earlier this year . The final phase of refurbishment is nearing completion and Dios says it complies with the same building regulations required for a house . There will be two types of accommodation . A basic room will be roughly six square meters in size with sleeping space for three adults . It will cost $ 110 -LRB- $ 150 -RRB- per night . But if you fancy splashing out , you can book the top deck , complete with the cockpit suite , which comes with a private bathroom and panoramic views of takeoffs and landings . Dios envisages newlyweds taking advantage of this more expensive option , which costs $ 500 -LRB- $ 700 -RRB- . If you do n't want to spend a whole night on board you can hop on and relax in the cafe suite for a couple of hours at a cost of $ 25 -LRB- $ 35 -RRB- . This will also afford you the opportunity of striding out onto the wing and taking in the views of the bustling airport . While most large commercial planes end up in vast aircraft boneyards , some , like the Jumbo Hostel , find new lives . New York based urban architects Lot-ek plan to create a library in Guadalajara , Mexico , made by recycling 200 Boeing 727 and 737 fuselages . And Californian millionaire Francie Rehwald has started building a house from the parts of another scrapped 747 . | Swedish entrepreneur to open a Jumbo Hostel at Arlanda airport in Sweden . Decommissioned Boeing 747-200 currently being renovated into a 25 room hostel . Jumbo Hostel will cost $ 110 per room per night or $ 500 for the cockpit suite . | [[231, 333], [231, 333], [2538, 2586], [2620, 2673], [2810, 2836], [2845, 2876]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Olafur Ragnar Grimsson is currently enjoying a third term as President of the Republic of Iceland . Since first being elected in 1996 , Grimsson has been a passionate advocate of international cooperation in combating climate change . Olafur Ragnar Grimsson . Whilst Iceland still imports oil for its transport , electricity is generated from hydroelectric power . And heating is provided by geothermal power -- an abundant source in energy due to Iceland 's geographical position sitting above two continental plates . Iceland is also pioneering the use of hydrogen power with several projects testing the viability of this renewable energy . In his youth , Grimsson studied Economics and Political Science at Manchester University , gaining a B.A. and a Ph.D before returning to Iceland to take up a post as a professor of Political Science at the University of Iceland . He entered Althingi , the Icelandic parliament in 1978 , served as minister of finance between 1988 and 1991 and was leader of the Peoples ' Alliance from 1987 to 1995 . Grimsson promotes the intelligent use of renewable energy resources and is providing world leaders with an invaluable insight into how their own economies might make the switch to more renewable sources of energy . | Olafur Grimsson is Principal Voices ' Frontline Pioneer for the Economics of Energy . Grimsson has been President of the Republic of Iceland since 1996 . He has called repeatedly for international cooperation on climate change . | [[0, 15], [19, 54], [64, 118], [0, 15], [45, 118], [119, 152], [155, 253]] |
RIYADH , Saudi Arabia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Taliban in Afghanistan have momentum that makes any effort to negotiate with them difficult , the U.S. defense secretary said . Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Cairo , Egypt , on Monday . He 's visiting Afghanistan on Wednesday . Secretary Robert Gates spoke to CNN 's Chris Lawrence in an exclusive interview Tuesday evening before leaving for Afghanistan , where he is visiting troops and bases Wednesday . `` The political level of the Taliban probably is n't ready to think about reconciliation or any kind of accommodation at this point , '' Gates said in the interview . `` They probably feel like they have the momentum with them . And until that momentum changes , it will be difficult . '' As part of the U.S. strategy in Afghanistan , the military and Afghanistan government are attempting to reach out to elements of the Taliban who are engaged in the battle for financial gain , rather than ideological gain . `` There are really two groups we 're talking about -- the younger , or less committed , who do this mainly to earn a living and put food on the table for their families , and those that are more ideologically committed . The latter are going to be a tougher pull , and we 'll probably have to wait awhile before there 's an opportunity there . '' On Monday , CNN 's Nic Robertson interviewed a spokesman for the Taliban , Zabiullah Mujahid , who said the Taliban will only negotiate with the Afghanistan government when the United States leaves the country . `` Our conditions are clear , we want to negotiate and they -LSB- the U.S. -RSB- will not interfere in our affairs ; secondly , they -LSB- the U.S. -RSB- will leave the country , '' Mujahid told CNN . Gates said the stance was not surprising . `` Well I do n't know what else he 'd say . He 's leading the opposition , he 's leading this insurgency . He 's not going to sort of , sort of throw down and say ` We 're ready to negotiate , we 're about done here , ' '' Gates said . The United States is adding 21,000 troops to the Afghanistan battlefield . The majority will be moving to the south to confront the Taliban along the porous Pakistani border . The Taliban have had mostly free rein in that area with few U.S. or coalition forces to confront them until now . Gates admitted moving the battle to the south will mean there is `` a tough fight ahead . '' `` I think , certainly , I have been pretty clear . As we move into areas of the south that have not seen any Afghan or coalition forces so far , we 're clearly going to be going into areas where the Taliban are very entrenched , '' he said . `` And , sad to say , I expect with the rising level of our activity and operations , there probably will be higher casualties . '' In recent weeks , the Pakistani government has seen the Taliban gain control on its side of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border . Privately , Pakistani officials have expressed concern to the United States that the increased fighting in southern Afghanistan will only push the Taliban back to the Pakistani side . `` Well I think it 's just the reality that there are extremists on both sides of that border . And they threaten both the elected government of Afghanistan and the elected government of Pakistan . So like it or not , they both have a certain common enemy , '' Gates said . Gates said he is encouraged by recent cooperation efforts between the two countries to deal with the problem , and by Pakistan 's recent confrontation with the Taliban in Bunir province , near the capital of Islamabad . `` The signs right now are pretty positive , '' he told CNN . | U.S. defense secretary : Political level not ready for reconciliation , accommodation . U.S. trying to reach out to Taliban interested in financial gain , not ideological gain . Taliban spokesman : We will negotiate with Afghan government when U.S. leaves . Gates says that as U.S. forces build up in southern Afghanistan , fight will be tougher . | [[139, 172], [464, 596], [880, 894], [899, 976], [1386, 1397], [1400, 1417], [1424, 1492], [1429, 1536], [2307, 2396], [2369, 2396]] |
JOHNSTON , Iowa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Politics meets technology Thursday as a group of undecided Iowa Democrats has allowed themselves to be wired for the debate of Democratic presidential hopefuls . A dial-test graph is displayed over candidate Rudy Giuliani during a recent GOP debate . By the end of the debate , CNN hopes to be able to gauge which debater was the group 's favorite and whose popularity fell -- and perhaps -- who may win the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses on January 3 . Across town , six Democratic candidates will be facing off for their final scheduled debate in the Hawkeye State before caucus night . The debate is hosted by the Des Moines Register and Iowa Public Television . Each member of the randomly selected group will watch the debate on a large-screen TV while operating special hand-held dial-testing devices which are approximately the size of typical remote-control devices . Viewers will react to the debate as it happens -- second-by-second -- as they move their dials to the right or the left . Dialing right indicates a positive response and dialing left represents a negative response . Southern Methodist University professors Rita Kirk and Dan Schill will track the average response of the group corresponding with each moment of the debate . Responses will be represented by a moving line on a video monitor . The group of Iowans , randomly selected by phone from a list of registered voters , will be recording their impressions of every moment of the debate . The Democratic participants will answer a series of questions both before and after the debate , to determine how the event may change their minds about the candidates . Among the questions to be posed before the face-off : Who do the group members think will perform best in the debate ? Afterwards , they 'll be asked who they think did the best . They also will be asked who they would vote for if the election were held today and who they think will win the nomination . All participants are planning to attend caucuses , but have yet to pick a candidate . Some are wavering between two candidates while some are considering several . They 're hoping to get a better sense of the race from watching this debate , and CNN is hoping to get a better sense of their impressions of the debate by watching them . E-mail to a friend . | Randomly chosen , undecided Democrats will watch debate while turning dials . Dials will rate their positive and negative responses to each debater . Group members will be asked questions about candidates before , after debate . | [[35, 108], [995, 1043], [1364, 1383], [1386, 1445], [1516, 1589]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The September issue of Essence magazine features an interview with Sen. Barack Obama and his family inside their Chicago home . Angela Burt-Murray is editor-in-chief of Essence magazine . Essence editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray said it took a year for the magazine to gain access to the Obama 's Illinois home for an intimate interview with the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , his wife , Michelle , and their daughters , Sasha and Malia . Burt-Murray talked Thursday with CNN `` American Morning '' anchor Kiran Chetry about the interview and the Obama family . Chetry : You are the first African-American media outlet to get this inside look . Did your team get a chance to see the real Obamas ? Burt-Murray : I think we did . We went to their home on the South Side of Chicago and it was wonderful to see them as a family interacting with each other , and see the girls skipping around the house , just acting like it 's a normal , everyday occurrence to have a camera crew in their home and Secret Service at different points throughout the house and around the yard . But it did n't really seem to impact the girls in any way . Watch what Essence found inside the Obamas ' home '' Chetry : Much was made of an earlier televised interview they with their daughters and they said , looking back , they probably should n't have done that . There is so much interest about their family , and yet they want to protect their girls . How do they balance that ? Burt-Murray : They try to take a look at who is around the family and make sure they try to keep things as structured as possible . But also , you have instances where magazines like Essence show up to take photographs , but the girls are very relaxed because they 're in their home environment . And I think that 's the difference between our photo shoot and what you saw on television . Taking the girls outside of their home and putting them in the spotlight is probably a bit more challenging for them as parents . Chetry : They have to deal with completing stereotypes , if you will : They were parodied as these angry black radicals and as these Ivy League elitists . In the magazine , Gwen Ifill wrote , `` The Obamas pride themselves on creating a family picture that is authentically black with shades of Norman Rockwell . '' Explain that . How are they getting that image out . Burt-Murray : I think it 's the idea that they 're just an average American family . They have strong family values , they 're deeply rooted in their community and they want to show their girls a great example of achievement . But they also want to be a model for the rest of their community . The Obamas talk about in our story how important it is for them to continue to live in their South Side Chicago neighborhood because it 's a neighborhood in transition . So you have children who have the opportunity to see an African-American man run for the highest office in the nation right in their neighborhood . So they 're modeling not only for their children but also for the larger community . Chetry : They do live in a gated community , a $ 1.6 million home , so it 's out of reach for a lot of people . Burt-Murray : But it 's so accessible . While we were there photographing them for Essence , you could see the cars going by and stopping and people getting out to take photographs . The girls were on the porch and people could see them . There is some normalcy there , but it 's also obviously something very special and different . Chetry : They said race had been prominent on the campaign trail . Barack Obama told Gwen Ifill that he thinks race is a national obsession . He thinks the racial divide is not as big an issue in this country as it 's made out to be . Burt-Murray : As evidenced by the success that he 's had with his campaign , you can certainly see that attitudes are shifting . But there are still challenges , obviously , that need to be addressed . And it keeps coming up throughout the campaign . So it will be interesting to see what happens when the country goes to the polls in November . | Essence magazine interviews senator , wife and children in Chicago home . Editor says candidate , Michelle Obama try to keep daughters ' life normal . Obamas have strong family values , roots in community , Angela Burt-Murray says . | [[0, 15], [59, 146], [207, 474], [764, 814], [2467, 2497], [2500, 2541]] |
DENVER , Colorado -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On a historic night for America , Barack Obama secured the Democratic Party 's nomination for president and emerged for the first time on stage in Denver with running mate Sen. Joe Biden . Obama on Wednesday officially became the first African American to lead a major party ticket . Delegates cried and cheered as former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton motioned to cut the roll call vote short , saying `` Let 's declare together with one voice right here , right now , that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president . '' The dramatic move was carefully choreographed to put down any fears of a divided party following the protracted primary battle . Watch emotional crowd nominate Obama '' The Democrats jumped to their feet as they made history with Obama as their leader . Outside the hall , Republican leaders also hailed the achievement . On Thursday , the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. 's `` I have a dream '' speech , in the culmination of the Democratic National Convention , Obama will address an estimated 70,000 people at Invesco field in Denver . Read more about the historic anniversary . `` This is something people like me have been waiting for for days , weeks . Years , '' said Howard Hemsley , an African-American delegate from New York . `` He 's going to the White House . He 's going to be our next president . '' iReport.com : `` Never thought I 'd see this day '' Former President Bill Clinton reflected on the significance of the moment in his address before the Democratic National Convention . Read more on Clinton 's case for Obama . `` Now , Sen. Obama 's life is a 21st-century incarnation of the old-fashioned American dream . His achievements are proof of our continuing progress toward the more perfect union of our founders ' dreams , '' he said . `` Barack Obama will lead us away from the division and fear of the last eight years back to unity and hope . '' Watch the sights and sounds of the convention events '' President Clinton and Biden , two of the party 's elder statesmen , lavished praise upon the newly crowned nominee and did their best to paint Republican rival Sen. John McCain as a candidate who would lead the country down a dangerous path . Clinton cast Obama as the safe pick , and the only one who could bring about change . He sought to put to rest the main criticism of Obama -- that he does not have the experience to lead . Watch Clinton wow the Democrats '' Obama 's perceived weakness compared to McCain on foreign policy and national security issues has been of concern to Democratic strategists , especially since Russia 's conflict with Georgia intensified this month . According to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll , 78 percent of registered voters said they believe McCain can handle the responsibilities of commander in chief , compared to 58 percent for Obama . `` Clearly , the job of the next president is to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world , '' President Clinton said Wednesday night . iReport.com : Share your reaction to the convention speeches . `` And here 's what I have to say about that . Everything I learned in my eight years as president , and in the work I have done since in America and across the globe , has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job . '' The ex-president had been one of the most vocal critics of Obama during the protracted primary season . Republicans have used the Clintons ' earlier criticism of Obama 's experience in their attacks on the Democratic presidential nominee . Going into the convention , there were still a lot of questions about whether the Clintons were ready to embrace Obama following the bruising primary battle . Clinton seemed to change that narrative as he declared his support for Obama . David Gergen , a CNN senior political analyst who worked in the Clinton administration , said the speech was `` the most effective and the most important speech Bill Clinton has delivered since he left the White House . '' View an analysis of day 3 '' Continuing criticism leveled by Clinton and other speakers this week , Biden took to the stage and delivered an assault on Republican policies . `` As we gather here tonight , our country is less secure and more isolated than at any time in recent history . The Bush-McCain foreign policy has dug us into a very deep hole , with very few friends to help us climb out , '' he said . Biden rattled off a list of McCain 's positions on issues ranging from taxes to alternative energy , repeatedly saying : `` That 's not change -- that 's more of the same . '' Read more about Biden 's attacks . Biden , chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , is widely believed to have been chosen for the Democratic presidential ticket based on his foreign policy credentials . Watch Biden accept the nomination '' The six-term senator pointed to his friendship with McCain , but said `` I profoundly disagree with the direction that John wants to take the country . '' | Barack Obama becomes first African American to lead major party ticket . Delegates cry , cheer during historic night . Former President Bill Clinton says Obama is ready to lead . VP nominee Joe Biden slams Republican John McCain , his long-time friend . | [[71, 140], [226, 320], [263, 320], [779, 825], [321, 336]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Taliban militants , who implemented Islamic law in Pakistan 's violence-plagued Swat Valley last week , have now taken control of a neighboring district . Protests in Karachi against the creation of sharia courts in Swat Valley . Here are some answers about the Swat Valley , its history and what 's taking place there . What is Swat Valley ? Swat Valley is located in Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province , near the border with Afghanistan and about 185 miles -LRB- 300 kilometers -RRB- from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad . The alpine region once was one of Pakistan 's premier tourist destinations , boasting the nation 's only ski resort until it was shut down after Taliban militants overran the area . It also was a draw for trout-fishing enthusiasts and those wishing to visit the ancient Buddhist ruins in the area . What 's happening in Swat Valley ? In recent years Taliban militants unleashed a wave of violence that claimed hundreds of lives in the province . The militants wanted sharia law -- or Islamic law -- imposed in the region . They took over the valley in 2008 . The central government of Pakistan , which long exerted little control in the area , launched an intense military offensive in late July to flush out the militants . In retaliation , the Taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks and began gaining ground , setting up checkpoints in the area . Has the government intervened ? The militants and the Pakistani government reached a peace deal earlier this year , which was recently signed into law by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari . Under the deal , sharia law was imposed in the region . While the peace deal drew criticism for the Pakistani government , some analysts and political observers say the government had little choice but to capitulate , as militants have terrorized the region with beheadings , kidnappings and the destruction of schools . What 's happening now ? This week , the Taliban moved to seize control of the neighboring Buner district , bringing it closer to Islamabad than it has been since Taliban insurgency began . What is sharia law ? Sharia law is Islamic law . While there are different interpretations of it , the Taliban 's strict interpretation forbids women from being seen in public without their husbands and fathers , requires veils for women and beards for men , and bans music and television . Consequences are severe ; during the Taliban struggle to impose sharia law , anyone found disobeying was pinned to the ground and lashed . Others were beheaded and hung from poles , with notices attached to their bodies that anyone daring to remove the corpse before 48 hours had passed would also be beheaded and hanged . | Taliban militants in Pakistan 's Swat Valley take control of neighboring Buner district . Swat Valley was once one of Pakistan 's top tourist attractions . Militants are now closer to Islamabad than any point since start of insurgency . | [[0, 15], [123, 131], [138, 173], [0, 15], [128, 173], [1948, 1957], [1960, 2028], [2063, 2112]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gunpowder , fireworks and attention-grabbing installations mark Cai Guo-Qiang as one of the world 's biggest and brightest artists . Cai 's fireworks will be seen by millions during the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies . The Chinese artist is about to show the world what he can do with a spectacular pyrotechnics display at the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing . Despite not having lived in China since 1986 , Cai has been selected to be the Director of Visual and Special Effects for both the opening and closing ceremonies at the Games . For the 51-year-old contemporary artist , whose work has previously caused controversy in China , the politics that have been swirling around the Games are secondary to the event itself . `` In any country , in any city , there will be political influence on what is said , what kind of images are to be projected and , yes , of course artists can be and are influenced by politicians , '' he told CNN . `` But what I also think is that our leaders at the very highest level want artists to be able to be free , to be creative and to show this other side of China that is vibrant . '' While some of his art is politically charged , Cai has established his reputation as much as a director of the spectacular , with his work often providing a visceral and visual bang . He studied stage design at the Shanghai Drama Institute between 1981 and 1985 before moving to Japan a year after graduation . Now residing in New York , he gained wide-spread international recognition at the Venice Biennale in 1999 , winning the Golden Lion prize . However , the work he displayed -- Rent Collection Courtyard , a replica of famous Chinese socialist-realist sculpture -- upset artists of the original piece in Shanghai who believed it diminished the sentiment behind the original work . Born in Fujian in 1957 , Cai 's father was also an artist , but had a much more traditional outlook than the one Cai developed . `` He and his friends always lamented about the good days and , that there 's no vitality in today 's art and culture . So , I really rebelled against that . I felt that what they were talking about had very little to do with how our lives were like at that moment , '' he said . Cai began using gunpowder in his work after moving to Japan . Detonating large trails of it on his two-dimensional pieces , creating small mushroom-clouds , or lighting enormous firework displays , explosions have been a continuous theme of his work . `` I have always been a coward as a child . I am not very brave . I am very aware of the fact that I am not very gutsy . So , I am always trying to do things to kind of boost my own sense of courage a bit . So maybe that is why I use gunpowder , '' he told CNN . Cai has proffered different explanations for different projects that feature the same motifs . Perhaps that is not surprising when his influences come from a myriad of sources that include Taoism , Buddhist philosophy and UFO-observations . Recently exhibited at New York 's Guggenheim Museum , `` Inopportune : Stage One '' is a set of 9 cars suspended above each other with illuminated shards shooting out . Cai has previously said it denotes Chinese craftiness in stealing western technology , while arrows piercing the life-sized stuffed tigers of `` Inopportune : Stage 2 '' are also about the aesthetics of pain . `` For me cars are tigers , they are all bodies of the human form and it is a human form I am working with through this medium . For the cars the energy goes inward out and for the tiger piece the energy flows in , '' he told CNN . Meanings and interpretations then can be fluid , but as well as the explosions and visual excitement , there is a common social theme in his work . The most connected to this ethos is `` Reflection-A Gift from Iwaki 2004 . '' The skeleton of a wooden boat found off the coast of Iwaki , Japan , that spills delicate pieces of porcelain from its hull is recreated piece by piece by the people who helped excavate it . `` This work and the history of this work belongs to the people of Iwaki and me . It is a shared experience , a shared history , '' he said . `` Some works of art have material other works have form , but this piece has something additional , it has a narrative , it has a story that is just as important as the material and form itself . '' Ultimately the most unifying and social part of his work is the spectacle of it all . Everyone loves fireworks , and if Cai 's own careful planning and that of the Games organizers come together , he should provide a fitting opening and finale to the world 's biggest spectacle . | Chinese artist will curate Olympic Games ' opening ceremony pyrotechnic display . Uses gunpowder and fireworks to produce spectacular large-scale pieces . International recognition winning Golden Lion at 1999 Venice Biennale . | [[247, 265], [275, 396], [1497, 1575], [1497, 1499], [1578, 1609]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Thomas Friedman is never short of a word or two . Thomas L. Friedman : `` Incredible opportunities masquerading as insoluble problems . '' The celebrated commentator occupies a position in his profession that many of his contemporaries would rival . He gets to go where he wants , when he wants and write about what he thinks , or as he puts it : `` I get to be a tourist with an attitude . '' Officially , he 's The New York Times ' foreign affairs columnist -- a position he 's held since 1995 -- as well as the author of five books . Through his syndicated column his opinion has become a recognizable American voice on the international stage , and with it has come a sense of responsibility . `` I agonize over every column . Precisely because I know it is going to be read by a lot of people and it 's going to be in Google forever , '' he told CNN . `` So there is that sense of responsibility , but at the same time you do have to take the attitude of ` This is what I think . This is why I think it . ' I 'm not in a popularity contest . '' Before his current position , Friedman served in various posts at the New York Times , including chief economic correspondent , chief White House correspondent and bureau chief in Beirut and Israel . His reporting from Lebanon in 1983 and work in Israel in 1988 won him Pulitzer Prizes for international reporting . Taking in the world provides never-ending fascination , he says . `` I have the best job in the world , I mean , somebody has to have it . '' He 's recently trained his eye on how America can reassert itself by leading the way in green technology , encapsulated in his latest book `` Hot , flat and crowded . '' As he admits , the environmental aspect is not the point of the book ; really it 's a treatise on how America `` lost its groove and why we need to get it back by taking the lead in the energy revolution . '' One man who will need to take a pivotal role is the incoming U.S. president , Barack Obama , Friedman says . `` I have a lot of high hopes for him . I think we are very lucky to have someone with his raw material as the next president . I think he brings together several things that we have n't had , '' Friedman told CNN . Whether Obama can solve the raft of problems he faces is another matter . `` Is he ready to be as radical as the moment ? Really have the courage of our crisis ? At the end of the day it 's gon na be Barack Obama and -LRB- Chinese President -RRB- Hu Jintao . We 're not going to get out of this without cooperating and working closely with China , '' Friedman said . While presenting a view from the United States , Friedman is still able to do a mea culpa on America 's behalf when it comes to the current economic crisis . `` We were in the middle of a huge credit bubble which in its own way was a Ponzi scheme . We gave the world financial SARs . We just spread it around the world . '' An optimist by nature -- `` I do live by the motto that pessimists are usually right , but all the great change in history was done by optimists '' -- he 's sanguine when it comes to the planet in the current climate of economic depression and environmental urgency . `` What I 'm basically arguing is that you can look at the world today that is hot , flat , and crowded and you can have one of two reactions . One reaction is to say ` We 're cooked , let 's party , ' '' he said . `` That 's not the way I 'd look at it . I 'd look at it the way John Gardner , the founder of Common Cause , once described . I look at these problems that come from hot , flat and crowded and what I see are incredible opportunities masquerading as insoluble problems . '' | Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author : `` I 'm not in a popularity contest '' On U.S. and global economic situation : `` We gave the world financial SARS '' On Barack Obama : ` Is he ready to be as radical as the moment ? ' | [[1076, 1110], [2892, 2926], [2350, 2397], [2356, 2397]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Palestinian militants fired more rockets into Israel on Friday as a tenuous six-month truce between Hamas and Israel expired . Palestinian children look at a blast crater following an Israeli airstrike over southern Gaza on December 18 . Two Qassam rockets were fired Friday morning from Gaza into separate Israeli communities , the Israel Defense Forces said . Earlier , Palestinians in Gaza shot at Israeli farmers working in their fields in Kibbutz Nirim , the IDF said . No one was hurt in the attacks and one car was damaged , it added . Islamic Jihad sources claimed responsibility for firing the rockets . Under the Egytian-brokered truce , which began June 19 , the Hamas government in Gaza agreed to end militant attacks from Gaza on Israel . The pledge applied to all militant groups in the coastal territory , including Islamic Jihad . In return , Israel agreed to halt raids inside Gaza and ease its blockade . The truce held well for the first four months but began to fall apart in October , when there was a marked increase in the number of rockets fired from Gaza into Israel -- estimated at 200 . Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza as a result . Watch what may follow the end of the truce '' Israel has said a major military operation in Gaza may be unavoidable if daily rocket fire from the territory continues . However , both sides have expressed a desire not to see the situation worsen . Islamic Jihad said it planned a rally in Gaza City in the afternoon , after Friday prayers , announcing the end of the truce but also calling for a lifting of the Israeli siege . Israel has tightened its restrictions on border crossings and the flow of goods into the impoverished territory , making life extremely difficult for residents . Gaza depends on Israel for 90 percent of its imports , according to the U.N. Development Program . -- CNN 's Ben Wedeman and Michal Zippori contributed to this report . | Egyptian-brokered truce , which began June 19 , has expired . Ceasefire had applied to all militant groups -- including Hamas , Islamic Jihad . Qassam rockets fired Friday from Gaza into separate Israeli communities . Islamic Jihad sources claimed responsibility for firing the rockets . | [[29, 155], [652, 659], [660, 696], [648, 674], [683, 696], [781, 875], [826, 847], [850, 875], [29, 155], [267, 343], [401, 486], [1085, 1120], [572, 641], [572, 593], [617, 641]] |
Editor 's note : Maury Klein is professor emeritus of history at the University of Rhode Island . He is the author of 15 books , including `` Rainbow 's End : The Crash of 1929 '' and most recently `` The Power Makers : Steam , Electricity , and the Men Who Made Modern America . '' Historian Maury Klein says it 's important to remember that psychology plays a huge role in financial markets . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friday marks the 79th anniversary of the day that launched the stock market crash of 1929 . As an unprecedented wave of selling threw the floor of the New York Stock Exchange into pandemonium on a day that became known as Black Thursday , a show of organized support by a coterie of leading bankers halted the panic . But on the following Monday , the market collapsed in a tsunami of selling . Every intense convulsion of the stock market raises primal fears spawned by the Great Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression , which dragged on for a full decade and has haunted Americans ever since . The Panic of 2008 is no exception . In the past year , the market 's fall has at times rivaled that of 1929 . Are there connections or similarities between those earlier national traumas and our current crisis ? First some facts about that earlier experience . The Great Crash and the Great Depression were two separate events . The Crash was a financial panic , the Depression an economic downturn . The one does not necessarily lead to the other ; the market has collapsed several times in American history without bringing on a depression . Great Depression holds lessons for surviving a tough economy . The Crash began in October 1929 , and the worst of it was over in three weeks ; the Depression did not fasten itself on the nation for another year . To this day , the connection between them remains unclear , which makes it difficult to draw lessons or analogies from them . The Dow plunged 39 percent between October 23 and November 13 , 1929 , but it regained 74 percent of that loss by March 1930 . Only when the economy failed to gain momentum in the spring did the market slip back . By fall the country had slipped into a depression , and the market resumed a downward course that did not touch bottom until July 1932 . It did not again return to the levels of 1929 until 1954 . The Depression did not end until increased military spending revived the economy in the spring of 1940 . The bull market of the 1920s was unique in that it marked the first time large numbers of ordinary people participated . The market moved from Wall Street to Main Street and aroused intense interest even among people who were not active in it . The new investors , or `` fish '' as the pros called them , were prone to panic when the market fell sharply . Could it happen again ? History never repeats itself , but historical patterns do -- though always in a new context . Here are just a few of the similarities and differences between the earlier crisis and its modern version . During the 1920s , the financial industry underwent a great expansion , bringing into the business many inexperienced people and new investment vehicles -- most notably the investment trust , the forerunner of the modern mutual fund . Nobody knew what impact they would have on the market with their buying and selling on a large scale . The business world hailed the 1920s as the `` New Era , '' one with new rules in which the old pattern of cyclical depressions would no longer occur and prosperity would be continuous . Compare this delusion with the `` New Economy '' of the 1990s . The 1920s marked the beginning of the consumer economy , and with it a broad expansion of credit . Installment buying made its debut on a large scale . Credit also was used to buy stocks on margin , greatly increasing the market 's volume and volatility . The banking system was shaky throughout the 1920s , and failures escalated steadily after 1929 . The Crash exposed many cases of fraud that led to investigations and passage of the most significant banking reform in American history . The Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. , or FDIC , gave rise to the Securities and Exchange Commission , or SEC , and separated investment banks from commercial banks . The latter reform was repealed in 1999 , giving banks free rein to perform both activities once again . Some differences between the eras are worth noting . Prior to 1933 , the federal government played virtually no active role in relieving the banking crisis of the 1920s . The stock market did not have giant institutional buyers moving huge blocks of stock . Nor did it operate on a global scale , though it was deeply influenced by international events . After the crash , the banks had plenty of money to lend but no takers , the opposite of today 's situation . Deflation became the mortal enemy as people removed their cash from banks and hoarded it . A familiar pattern emerged from these events . Business and the Republican Party in the 1920s demanded and got a `` free '' market unrestrained by government . Neither Wall Street nor the New York Stock Exchange was regulated by the government . The resulting disaster prompted outraged demands that Washington `` do something . '' Regulation was then forthcoming . Later , as prosperity returned and the market began soaring , the restraints were gradually removed and the pattern of excess began anew until it collapsed once again in our own time . With the fall comes renewed pleas for government to `` do something . '' Finally , it is important to remember that psychology plays a huge role in financial markets . Every panic has been at bottom a crisis of confidence . So too with the economy . As Frederick Lewis Allen observed , `` Prosperity is more than an economic condition ; it is a state of mind . '' The trick is always to find out what exactly is needed to restore it . We are still fishing for the answer to that riddle . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maury Klein . | Maury Klein : The 1929 market crash and the Depression were separate events . Many financial panics have not led to depressions , Klein says . Before 1933 , the government was n't active in trying to save banks , he says . After crisis , people demanded regulation , which eventually faded , Klein says . | [[809, 941], [1279, 1346], [4439, 4452], [4455, 4556], [5187, 5235], [5307, 5312], [5315, 5358], [5369, 5406]] |
HARARE , Zimbabwe -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Deaths in Zimbabwe related to the cholera epidemic are approaching 2,000 , the World Health Organization said Tuesday , and close to 40,000 people have been affected by the preventable water-borne disease . Two men rest in a cholera rehydration tent on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border in December . Statistics released by the Geneva , Switzerland-based organization WHO on Tuesday show 1,937 people have died in the raging epidemic from the 38,334 who contracted the disease since its outbreak in August . Cholera has spread to neighboring countries South Africa and Botswana . The epidemic comes at a time when President Robert Mugabe 's government is facing its worst economic crisis , manifested in shortages of all essentials from food , fuel , cash , foreign currency and electricity and a hyperinflationary economy . Health experts have said Harare 's failure to import adequate stocks of water-treating chemicals is the main driver of the disease . Most residents have resorted to rivers and shallow wells for drinking water , because taps are usually dry . On top of that problem , the waste-disposing system has collapsed . Children can be seen playing on heaps of uncollected garbage in the suburbs of most urban areas in Zimbabwe . Last month , Mugabe 's government declared the cholera epidemic a national emergency . Since then , international governments and organizations such as WHO , Doctors Without Borders , Oxfam , USAID and other U.N. groups have moved in to combat the disease that has engulfed all of Zimbabwe 's provinces . But the situation has not immediately improved . Zimbabwean Health Minister David Parirenyatwa warned this month that the epidemic could get worse as the rainy season develops . Harare issued a warning Monday that some parts of the country are going to experience floods during rainy season , further compounding the fight against the disease . The season peaks in January or February and ends in late March . Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai signed a power-sharing deal in September to run the government after a hotly contested presidential election . It was widely hoped that the deal would be the panacea to the humanitarian and economic problems bewildering the once-prosperous Zimbabwe , but the pact is yet to take effect . The sides continue to debate the sharing of key Cabinet ministries such as information , local government , finance , defense and home affairs . | World Health Organization says 1,937 people have died since outbreak in August . Cholera epidemic comes as Zimbabwe faces worst economic crisis . Expert : Failure to import adequate stocks of water-treating chemicals behind disease . Cholera has spread to neighboring countries South Africa and Botswana . | [[373, 485], [475, 485], [490, 543], [616, 723], [861, 957], [886, 993], [544, 615]] |
DAVOS , Switzerland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The worldwide economic recession has exposed a `` crisis of global governance '' that can only be addressed by the radical reform of the United Nations , former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Wednesday as the World Economic Forum got under way in Switzerland . Kofi Annan says the United Nations needs to be reformed . `` The current architecture of managing global affairs is broken and needs to be fixed , '' Annan said on the opening morning of the five-day annual meeting of global political and business leaders . `` We have major new players coming on the scene and they need to be integrated and given a voice . '' Referring to the U.N. Security Council , which gives permanent places and vetoing powers to the U.S. , the UK , Russia , China and France , Annan said : `` We can not continue to run the world based on countries that won a war 60 years ago . It 's either destructive competition or cooperation . We live in an interdependent world and the only way to move forward is to cooperate . '' Annan is one of six co-chairs at this year 's WEF gathering , along with news tycoon Rupert Murdoch , HSBC Chairman Stephen Green , Werner Wenning of the German chemical group Bayer , Indian industrialist Anand G. Mahindra and Maria Ramos , Chief Executive of the South African transport group Transnet . He also urged delegates to address three interconnected challenges : the global recession , energy and security , and climate change . `` It is important leaders work on ways of finding effective , far-reaching policies -- even if they are radical -- that will allow us to create sustainable economic growth and create jobs for those who are out of jobs , '' Annan said . Newscorp . CEO Murdoch said delegates needed to be `` absolutely honest about where the world is at this point , '' warning that the consequences of $ 50 trillion being wiped off personal fortunes had left people feeling `` depressed and traumatized . '' `` We 've been living in the Western world way above our means . We 've been on a great binge and it 's come to an end and we have to live though the correction , '' Murdoch said . But he said the downturn offered a chance to set about tackling issues of energy sufficiency and pollution . `` We must treat this crisis , whether it lasts for a year or five years , as an opportunity to set goals for how we want to come out of it . This is a time to shape the policies to help to solve some of those problems . '' HSBC boss Green said the banking industry needed to admit that it had not `` covered itself in glory '' in contributing to the collapse of the financial industry and called for continuing government intervention to `` stop a nasty recession spiraling down into something else . '' But he said the major banks could contribute to solving the crisis as well : `` I do not believe for a moment that you can have a successful economy without successful and properly functioning international capital markets . '' Wenning said he did n't expect any solutions to emerge from this year 's meeting , but hoped delegates could achieve `` a joint understanding of the reasons for the financial crisis '' and called for a return to `` the basics of sustainable behavior . '' `` If we are really able to address these mega-challenges of the future then we would be able to restore the trust in leadership -- and I believe the world needs leadership . '' Political leaders will join the discussions later Wednesday with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin both due to deliver agenda-setting addresses . | Kofi Annan calls for reform of U.N. at World Economic Forum in Davos . Annan says economic recession has exposed a `` crisis in global governance '' Rupert Murdoch : Western world has been living `` way above our means '' HSBC boss Stephen Green admits banks `` did n't cover themselves in glory '' | [[193, 276], [308, 365], [324, 365], [8, 35], [39, 119], [366, 430], [366, 420], [441, 452], [455, 463], [2500, 2661]] |
CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of Chicago 's most well-known real estate moguls appears to have shot himself to death , police said . Steven Good was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot Monday , police said . The body of Steven L. Good was found in his Jaguar on Monday . The car was spotted in a parking lot of a wildlife preserve in Kane County , Illinois , just outside Chicago , authorities said . No note was found , and police say they do not know how long the 52-year-old had been in the vehicle . Good was the chairman and chief executive officer of Sheldon Good & Co. , a major U.S. real estate auction company . The death comes amid great turmoil in the country 's real estate industry . In his role as chairman of the Realtors Commercial Alliance Committee , Good commented on tough conditions last month at a business conference . On a memorial blog set up by the Chicago Association of Realtors , for which Good once served as president , friends and colleagues described him as a gregarious man with a big personality . He was a savvy businessman who built his company into a major national real estate company that did deals with Donald Trump , they said . `` It is testimony to Steve 's leadership that Sheldon Good & Co. remains well-positioned for the future , '' said Sheldon Good President Alan R. Kravets . `` The guy was a true blue Realtor , '' said Barbara Matthopoulos , the association 's spokeswoman . She was new to real estate when she met Good more than a year ago . He took time to give her advice that has helped her grow to love the business . `` Anybody who knew him would speak to his leadership , his generosity , his attitude . The guy was just very positive , always smiling , always telling you a story . He was engaged . Everyone is really very shocked , '' she said . `` I doubt anyone could help explain why this happened . '' Kane County Sheriff 's Department spokesman Lt. Pat Gengler said authorities do n't have any `` concrete evidence if this had anything to do with his finances . '' The company was founded by Good 's father , Sheldon Good , in 1965 , according to the firm 's Web site . Steven Good had `` been involved in the sale of more than $ 4 billion of real estate , including commercial , office , retail , industrial , residential , and vacant land sites , '' it says . `` Mr. Good is the driving force behind the expansion of the company , which has been ranked as the largest firm in the United States exclusively conducting real estate auctions . '' Good , who was also an attorney , wrote a book , `` Churches , Jails and Gold Mines : Mega-Deals From a Real Estate Maverick . '' According to Amazon.com , Donald Trump wrote the afterword . The first chapter begins , `` Our auction company is to the real estate business what Sotheby 's and Christie 's is the fine art and collectibles business . '' The book goes to say that as of its 2003 publication , the firm had sold 40,000 properties totaling $ 8 billion . `` If you lined up 1,000 people and said pick the one that might do this to themselves , he would be the last person I would choose , '' said Wayne Caplan , who worked at Sheldon Good for six years and knew Steven Good personally . `` He had a zest for life . He has a wife and kids and he had so much in his life . '' | Steven L. Good was found dead of an apparent gunshot wound in his car Monday . Good was a well-known real estate businessman in Chicago . Friends , family shocked , saddened by what police say appears to be a suicide . | [[10, 34], [84, 128], [145, 216], [233, 295], [1785, 1816]] |
-LRB- LifeWire -RRB- -- Janice Shih might be the most educated pastry chef you 'll ever meet . Janice Shih left her career in medicine at age 38 and became a pastry chef . Shih attended Johns Hopkins University , followed by medical school at George Washington University , then practiced for eight years as an obstetrician/gynecologist before realizing that baking , not medicine , was her calling . `` Everyone would say , ` You 're a doctor ; it must be so great to be able to save lives , ' '' she says . `` But I felt like I was just pushing papers and feeling pressure to see more patients in less time . It was very draining . It just was n't fun anymore . '' So in 2004 , at age 38 , she swapped her stethoscope for a rolling pin and enrolled in the pastry program at L'Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg , Maryland . `` I had always been interested in pastries -- mostly interested in eating them , '' she says with a laugh . Shih now owns Tenzo Artisan , a bakery and catering company in Baltimore that specializes in pastries for people with food allergies -- it 's rewarding , she says , to make birthday cakes for people whose dietary sensitivities had forbidden such treats . She 's one of thousands of career changers who have left their cubicles for culinary school . Enrollment has risen 40 percent since 2000 at the Culinary Institute of America , and it 's up 15 percent this year at The Art Institutes , which operates 30 culinary programs across the country . The trend is helped by a growing cultural interest in gourmet food and a proliferation of cooking-themed TV shows like the Food Network 's `` Ace of Cakes '' and Bravo 's `` Top Chef . '' Plenty of possibilities . Students attending the grueling programs , which can last six to 38 months , can dole out as much as $ 30,000 to $ 40,000 for the diploma . And then the real work begins . Neil Robertson , 44 , was technical director at a graphic design firm in 2003 and felt like he no longer fit the mold . He quit his 18-year career and attended the French Pastry School in Chicago . `` I 've always loved to bake , '' he says . `` But baking in a professional kitchen ? I was n't sure that I could handle it . '' In his first professional experience after pastry school , he found out how tough it can be : `` I came very close to tears . '' Yet he persevered , and five years later became head pastry chef at Seattle 's Canlis restaurant . `` You 're not a chef as soon as you finish culinary school , '' says Michael Ruhlman , author of `` The Making of a Chef , '' an inside look at life at the Culinary Institute . `` You 're a chef only after spending several years further honing your craft and learning the ropes . To say otherwise would be like saying grads of medical school could instantly be called pediatric neurosurgeons the day after graduation . '' And becoming a chef is n't the only option . `` There are so many possibilities today , '' says Culinary Institute President Tim Ryan . `` Catering , sales , manufacturing -- we even have graduates who have launched clothing companies -LRB- or -RRB- become food scientists . '' Jen Beltz , 38 , and Thom Householder , 40 , testify to that . In 2004 , they quit their jobs at AARP and followed their palates to Italy . Using the proceeds of their house sale , the couple attended a five-month culinary program in Florence , then a nine-month course in Canada . All the while , they had no idea where their gastronomic education would take them . `` Some of our friends and family seemed to think we were a bit insane , '' Beltz recalls . But with their newfound culinary know-how , Beltz and Householder launched Front Burner PR , a boutique public-relations and marketing firm in Portland , Maine , that focuses on restaurants , hotels and other food-related clients . Do n't quit your day job just yet . Think carefully before writing your resignation letter -- culinary school is no cakewalk , says Robertson . `` It 's hot . It 's fast . It 's high-stress . It 's a pressure cooker . '' Ruhlman agrees . `` I ca n't even tell you how many people have read my book and thanked me for saving them from going to culinary school , '' he says , `` because they had no idea how hard it really is . '' Before taking the plunge , Robertson and Ruhlman suggest getting a feel for the job via a culinary vacation , like those offered through gourmetontour.com and foodvacation.com , or by shadowing a chef . For the second option , `` go to a restaurant that you like and respect and ask if you can spend a day in the kitchen , '' suggests Ruhlman . It 's called trailing , and some restaurants are open to it . If you have some food experience , you might be able to stage -LRB- pronounced stauge -RRB- , which entails working in a kitchen alongside a chef , without pay , for a day or two . `` You get to see what life is really like in a professional kitchen , '' he says , `` and it will really open your eyes . '' Looking back , Robertson says leaving his job for the culinary world was a bold move , but worth every deflated soufflé along the way : . `` I 'm much more excited about what I 'm doing now . '' LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers . Sarah Jio 's work has appeared in `` Gourmet , '' `` Health , '' `` O , The Oprah Magazine , '' and many other publications . | Physician one of thousands to leave office drudgery for cooking school . `` It just was n't fun anymore , '' says doctor , now owner of catering business . Chef : School is `` hot . It 's fast . It 's high-stress '' Trend is fed by TV shows `` Ace of Cakes '' and `` Top Chef '' | [[1215, 1233], [1238, 1284], [634, 663], [3961, 3974], [3975, 3987], [3988, 4007], [1482, 1589]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau , the last two months have been a whirlwind . `` Full of the best moments and the scariest moments of my life , '' says the 24-year-old Olympic swimmer . Eric Shanteau said he felt angry when he found out he had testicular cancer . `` Getting to the Olympics was , has always been , my swimming dream since I was 8 or 9 years old . You know , right after I started swimming it was , ' I want to make an Olympic team . That 's where I want to be ' . '' In June , a week before the qualifying round of the Olympics he was told he had testicular cancer . `` My initial reaction was probably anger more than anything else , '' he says . `` I 'm used to being in control of everything . I 'm in control of how I train , how I race and then to all of a sudden have that control ripped away from me was tough . '' After weeks of tests to determine the `` stage '' or spread of the cancer , Shanteau 's team of doctors cleared him to compete in the Beijing Olympics , which meant carefully monitoring his tumor but delaying treatment . Though putting off the surgery was controversial to some , Eric says it was an educated choice based on numerous doctor evaluations . `` I hope people understand that if I was in a different position with my test results , then I would n't have put off having surgery . '' Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports from Eric Shanteau 's surgery '' He swam a personal best in the 200 meter breaststroke . He did not qualify for the finals . Cancer was a motivator , he says , because he knew it meant he could be facing his last competition . He put everything he had into that heat . `` Leave it all in the pool , and I do n't look back and regret anything as far as how I raced . '' Once back from Beijing , Shanteau invited CNN to spend time with him the night before his surgery in Atlanta , Georgia . Though admittedly a little scared , he spent the evening relaxing with his family , cooking dinner , walking the dog . A source of inspiration , he says , were fans who shared their stories of beating cancer . `` They send me their story and it helps me to learn that people are going through the same thing I am all over the world , '' says Shanteau . `` They all affect me in a different way and it 's been really encouraging to share in this experience with other people . '' Testicular cancer is diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime . It is the most common form of cancer for 15 - to 34-year-olds . It is also one of the most curable if discovered early . Nearly 140,000 men in the United States are testicular cancer survivors . Shanteau says he experienced no symptoms of cancer and came across the tumor by chance . `` I 've been in a Speedo half my life , '' he says . `` So I am really comfortable with my body . One day I just felt something that was n't suppose to be there . I decided to go and get it checked out . '' He adds that although he had the `` greatest excuse in the world '' -- an Olympic dream -- to ignore the lump , he understood the importance of early detection . Shanteau 's father Rick , is battling lung cancer and responding well to treatment . `` A lot of guys , if they hear a rattle in their car , they 're at the mechanic the next day , '' he says . `` But if they feel something -LSB- physically -RSB- that they do n't think should be there , it takes them a year to get to their doctor and that just is not smart . There 's really no excuse , because it can save your life . '' Fast forward to Shanteau 's recent operation at Emory University Hospital . CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was with Shanteau during the surgery and spoke with the lead surgeon , Dr. Jeff Carney , moments afterward . `` I think the operation went very well , '' Carney said . `` Eric 's a very healthy young man , very thin , in excellent shape . That makes my job easy . '' Later that week , Shanteau 's pathology results revealed that the operation removed the most of the cancer . `` The majority of it is gone . '' he tells CNN . `` There is a small chance it could come back but I should n't need chemotherapy at this point , so I am really optimistic . '' His treatment plan is to keep a close eye on his health for the next year with regular medical tests . `` Obviously , it would have been nice if the doctor said , ` You 're completely in the clear , ' but my results are exactly what the doctors expected . '' Eric says the cancer diagnosis gave him a different perspective on life . `` I appreciate life much more now , '' he says . `` I do n't let myself get upset about the little nitpicky things anymore . Food even seems to taste better . It is really great . '' As for Shanteau 's swimming career , he plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome , Italy . `` 2012 -LSB- the next Olympics -RSB- is a push for me . Right now I 'm just kind of taking it year by year and we 'll see what happens . '' | Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau found out about his cancer in June . He delayed treatment so he could compete in the games in Beijing . He plans to compete in the 2009 World Swimming Championship in Rome . Testicular cancer is diagnosed in about 1 in 300 men in their lifetime . | [[523, 530], [533, 534], [575, 622], [1008, 1028], [1037, 1098], [4750, 4817], [2366, 2438]] |
As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continues high-level talks with Mexico 's leaders this week , her comments about responsibility in the U.S.-Mexico drug trade have struck a chord with officials familiar with U.S. anti-drug efforts . Mexican federal police have been deployed openly in Ciudad Juarez , which borders El Paso , Texas . Clinton said the United States ' `` inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border '' was a major contributor in Mexican violence along the border . She went on to say that the United States has `` a co-responsibility . '' In an interview Wednesday on `` American Morning '' with CNN anchor John Roberts , former Drug Enforcement Agency special agent Robert Strang talked about the three-pronged approach needed to curb drug use in America and the need to bust distribution rings . Strang is also CEO of Investigative Management Group . The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity : . John Roberts , CNN anchor : Everybody 's blaming Mexico for -LSB- the U.S. drug trade -RSB- , but the secretary of state yesterday said , ` Hey , the United States shares a lot of the blame because of the pent-up demand here , the insatiable demand for drugs . ' Do you agree with her ? Watch Clinton say , `` We have to do a better job '' '' Robert Strang , former DEA special agent : Let 's face it , the average first drug use is 12 years old in our country . That means kids that are in the sixth grade are trying drugs for the first time . Marijuana , cocaine , heroin , methamphetamine , all these drugs are coming across the border because we demand them . We have the cash to pay for them , and we really are pretty much the No. 1 consumer in the world for these drugs . Roberts : Is the United States doing enough to try to curb demand ? The Office of National Drug Control Policy , I do n't remember much coming out of it during the Bush administration , and I have n't seen anything come out of it in the Obama administration . Strang : We 're trying all the time . I 'm on the board for D.A.R.E. America , and that is teaching kids about the dangers of drugs and violence in schools . And constantly , we 're trying to get money federally for this program and police officers go into the school . They teach the kids . It 's a wonderful program in those trouble years , the fourth , fifth and sixth grade especially , and we need to have a little bit more money in this area . amFIX : React to Strang 's comments about U.S. anti-drug effort . There 's three things , John : It 's treatment , it 's enforcement and it 's education . And it 's like a three-legged stool . If all three things do n't work , it 's going to fall down . So , we can send all of the agents in the world down to the border . We can seize all the coke , heroin , methamphetamine that we want . If we do n't have treatment on demand , and if we 're not educating our kids in our country about the dangers of drugs , the problem 's going to grow . Roberts : When you see the Department of Homeland Security prepared to spend these hundreds of millions of dollars on border security , what do you think ? Strang : I 'm happy that they 're doing something . This is a small piece of the enforcement operation . The best thing to do is like the case that we saw three weeks ago , when the DEA announced 750 arrests involving 250 cities between Mexico and the United States , mostly in the U.S. , this huge distribution network . Because when you dismantle those networks that constantly are putting drugs from the cartels to the street , when you can put those guys in jail , when you take their assets , then you have an impact . Watch how drugs from Mexico enter U.S. '' Roberts : But would you like to see them take some of that money , and you know , they take , I think , what , $ 700 million , and they throw it at the border . Would you like to see them take some of that money , maybe even just a fraction of it , and throw it into prevention programs ? Strang : Absolutely . Instead of going to some of the financial institutions , I 'd like to see it go for the drug problem . I 'd like to see enforcement , treatment and prevention . I 'd like it to be evenly divided , and I really think we could have an impact on the problem . We 've got to look at this a different way . And I think that it 's a combination of these things , and we 're moving in that direction . Let 's hope that we make some headway here . | Robert Strang , former DEA special agent , says drug use starts as early as 12 . Strang : `` We can send all of the agents in the world , '' but border patrol not enough . Money aimed at financial institutions should go to prevention programs , Strang says . | [[591, 671], [674, 772], [1377, 1436], [2720, 2764]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two inmates at New Jersey 's Union County Jail made a movie-style escape Saturday and remained at large Monday , according to Union County Prosecutor Ted Romankow . Otis Blunt , left , and Jose Espinosa escaped from the Union County Jail Saturday night , officials say . Twenty-year-old Jose Espinosa and 32-year-old Otis Blunt , who are considered armed and dangerous , were discovered missing from their cells at about 5:15 p.m. Saturday , Romankow said . The men left behind dummies in their beds , cinder block dust and a note wishing authorities `` Happy Holidays . '' Espinosa , who recently pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter , was to be sentenced on January 25 and faced a minimum of 17 years in prison . Blunt was being held in lieu of $ 75,000 bond on weapon and robbery charges . Both men were being housed in the high security area of the multilevel jail , Romankow said . Police said Espinosa and Blunt were in adjacent cells and used a long metal wire to scrape away mortar around the cinder block between their cells and the outer wall in Espinosa 's cell . Once the cement block between the cells was removed , they smashed the block and hid the pieces in a footlocker . According to police , Blunt , who is 5 feet 10 inches and weighs 210 pounds , squeezed into Espinosa 's cell through an approximately 16 - to 18-inch hole . The two inmates wiggled through another 18-inch hole in the outer wall . From a roof landing , the two men `` took a running jump or they were standing and they jumped approximately 15 feet out and about 30 feet down , '' Romankow said . Then they jumped a razor-wire fence onto a New Jersey transit railroad bed to freedom , police said . Authorities found two sets of footprints in the snow heading in opposite directions . At a news conference Monday , Romankow read the note that was found in Espinosa 's cell , saying it represented the `` arrogance of these two men . '' `` Thank you officer -------- for the tools needed , you 're a real pal , Happy Holidays , '' the note read , with a smiley face drawn next to it . Authorities are investigating the note 's claims about the guard , the Associated Press reported . The guard has not turned in a report and disciplinary action has not been taken , Romankow said , according to AP . To delay discovery of the escape , Espinosa and Blunt used dummies made of sheets and pillows in their beds . They also hung photographs of bikini-clad women to hide the holes in the walls , a move reminiscent of a scene in the Hollywood hit `` The Shawshank Redemption . '' Romankow played down the comparison . `` I think this is a very serious situation you saw , '' he said . `` I really prefer not to compare with any movie , although I can understand why you might because it does look certainly very similar to some of them . Except in ` The Shawshank Redemption ' they had a better poster on the wall . '' According to police , Blunt tried to escape in September using similar methods . There is an $ 8,000 reward for the men 's capture . Romankow said a statewide hunt is under way , with several agencies involved . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Brian Vitagliano contributed to this report . | Two inmates broke out of Union County Jail Saturday night , officials say . They removed blocks from walls , hiding their work behind pinups of women in bikinis . The duo made it over 25-foot fence to escape jail 's top-security area . One was awaiting sentence for manslaughter ; the other faced robbery charges . | [[2420, 2424], [2430, 2498], [817, 892]] |
Editor 's note : Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University 's Woodrow Wilson School . His new book , `` Arsenal of Democracy : The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism , '' will be published this fall by Basic Books . Zelizer writes widely on current events . Julian E. Zelizer says Democrats should be questioning themselves on several key points . PRINCETON , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This week , Jews will conclude the eight-day celebration of Passover , a holiday that has often found its way into the political realm . Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. frequently invoked the story of the liberation of the Jewish people from the Egyptians in his struggle against white oppression . President Obama made headlines last week when he hosted a Passover Seder in the White House . Today , Democrats can draw an important lesson from Passover , this time not so much from the story that is retold during the holiday but through the rituals that are the focus of the week . Last Wednesday and Thursday evenings , Jews gathered with families , friends and other groups to have a Seder . These meals are not just about eating and talking , but also about learning and debating the stories of the holiday contained in a book called the Haggadah . There is no right answer to many of the questions that are raised , and discussions change over time as the life experiences of the participants bring new perspectives to the table . The highlight of the Seder is when the youngest child asks the Four Questions , asking the adults what makes these nights different from the others and then offering some possible answers . Politicians could learn a lot from the Seder , particularly when one party controls both the executive and the legislative branch , and the temptation is to act in lock-step . Republicans did not have enough moments of questioning and reflection between 2002 and 2006 , which many observers agree was not just damaging to the country but to the party as well . While there was strong private , internal disagreement among Republicans over how to conduct the war on terror , over whether the war in Iraq was a wise move and over the basic contours of economic policy , most Republicans stayed silent in public . Even when they gathered in the private corridors of the White House , according to memoirs that have been published by former officials such as Scott McClellan , Republicans tended to remain deferential to President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney . Historically , vigorous internal party debate has had the ability to strengthen a party politically . The fight that took place between Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford in the 1976 Republican primaries , where Reagan pushed President Ford to be more responsive to the growing conservative movement and avoid making all his decisions from inside the beltway , created a GOP that in the 1980s was a formidable political force . Bill Clinton 's insistence that Democrats needed to rethink some of their conventional wisdom from the New Deal and Great Society periods , with his preference being to move toward the center , opened up a healthy debate about what Democrats should stand for that helped result in Barack Obama 's victory in 2008 . Thus far , Democrats have been more comfortable openly criticizing each other . Princeton economist Paul Krugman has emerged as the leading liberal critic of the administration by arguing that President Obama is not spending enough to stimulate the economy and that his financial bailout plan will only provide Band-Aid solutions that place all the risk on taxpayers . But Democrats will feel less comfortable having internal debates as the elections of 2010 and 2012 get closer , as the pressures of re-election intensify and as Republicans become more aggressive and more coherent in their attacks . To get the conversation started , it would be worth thinking about the four questions that Democrats should keep asking when they get together in the next few years . The first is : What are the issues on which Democrats are willing to compromise with Republicans , if any ? The compromises will not be easy given that Republicans have refused to endorse Democratic proposals in the first few months of Obama 's presidency . However , if the popularity of the GOP continues to erode and Obama 's stays strong , there might be an opportunity for the president to act . Compromises means giving something up , so Democrats will have to talk among themselves about what that might be . The second question is : Where are Democrats willing to renege on campaign promises ? Since November , Democrats have already backed off some very big promises . Though Obama ran as a candidate who promised to change the way that government worked , government reform has quickly dropped off the agenda . Nor has the White House been fully compliant with its promise to end the secrecy practiced by the Bush administration . It is natural that a party wo n't be able to do everything it said in a campaign , but Democrats need to think about which issues they are willing to let go and which they are determined to fulfill . The third question is : What is the foreign policy agenda of the current administration ? This has been the murkiest part of the First 100 Days . When Barack Obama ran for president , it was clear what kind of foreign policy he opposed . His campaign took aim at the unilateralism , militarism and pre-emptive strategy of the Bush administration . Yet it is easier to be against something than for something . Now the burden is on President Obama to define what he will be about in the next four years and what he hopes to pursue . This agenda will be dynamic and unfold as international crises occur . But Democrats need to keep coming back to the questions and keep forcing the president to articulate what his goals are in this arena . The final question is : What are the policy priorities of the Democratic Party ? This is always one of the most difficult questions for any party given that events move politics in unexpected directions . This White House has naturally been consumed by the economic freefall and the effort to stabilize economic conditions . With his budget , Obama has highlighted two priorities from the campaign -- health care and the environment , though some will get traded away in upcoming negotiations . Another issue that the White House may make a priority is immigration reform . Whereas the campaign established a certain framework for thinking about priorities , that framework fades as the election moves farther away . Democrats must keep getting together , asking their own version of the four questions and insisting on internal debates . Although the discussions can become uncomfortable -LRB- as most Jews will recall from their Seders -RRB- , this is a formula for making the strongest party possible . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | Julian Zelizer : Passover Seders involve four questions asked by youngest . He says Democrats should be asking themselves four key questions . Zelizer : Are they willing to compromise on their objectives to win GOP support ? He asks what priorities will take precedence for the Democrats . | [[1523, 1620], [343, 432], [366, 432], [3960, 4013], [5975, 6055], [5999, 6055]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Americans have varied feelings about guns . In Focus : Guns in America is a series of stories by CNN photojournalists that looks at the complex views and emotions that surround this controversial subject . In a 5-4 ruling , the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Washington , D.C. 's , ban on handgun ownership , saying it violates the constitutional right to `` keep and bear arms '' by preventing individuals from having guns in their homes . In this series , Americans tell their stories about guns on a first-hand basis , providing a more intimate look at a topic that is often ignored until gun violence erupts . In one video , 32-year-old Steve Ferguson talks about a shooting in Washington that left him paralyzed , his battle to recover and his views on guns . In another story , Scott Morris shares his passion for his shooting range on a road he named 2nd Amendment Drive . CNN photojournalists also traveled to Massachusetts to play paintball , rural Pennsylvania to hunt turkeys , and to Hollywood to hang out on a movie set . They also meet Dale Tate , who hand-makes guns that he considers works of art , and they learn about new technology for less lethal weapons . | The U.S. Supreme Court rejects Washington , D.C. 's , ban on handgun ownership . CNN photojournalists take a look at the views and feelings about guns in America . In this series , individual Americans tell their stories about guns . | [[236, 251], [254, 296], [30, 73], [74, 82], [85, 147], [127, 147], [153, 192], [468, 482], [485, 546]] |
JAKARTA , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ahri 's chin quivers , and his large dark eyes fill with tears the 11-year-old ca n't control . Holding Eka Jaya , Nuraini leads son Ahri , 11 , to the orphanage with dad Joni Lubis and brother Mohammed . `` Be tough . I am sorry you have to go , '' his grandmother whispers while hugging him . His parents are taking Ahri to live in an orphanage . They swear they are not abandoning their son . `` I am not throwing my child away , '' says his mother , Nuraini , wiping away tears . `` I just want him to get a proper education . I hope that one day he 'll do something useful for this country and help his brothers , because we are living in poverty . '' The family lives crammed into a home that 's 17 feet by 17 feet in a poor neighborhood on the outskirts of Jakarta . Nuraini runs a small shop the family opened to try to make ends meet . Ahri 's father , Joni Lubis , collects bottles from the streets , selling them to plastic and glass factories . Watch Ahri say goodbye '' Ahri 's parents make $ 2 to $ 3 a day , with about half of that going toward their daily rent . With the increased cost of living , what 's left just is n't enough to send Ahri to school and to feed him and his two brothers , 3-year-old Mohammed and 7-month-old Eka Jaya . `` I never imagined it would come to this , '' Nuraini admits . But for many Indonesians , it has . More than 80 percent of children in child care institutions have both their parents , according to the most recent survey conducted in 2006 by the Indonesian government . A recent study by Save the Children , UNICEF and the government says Indonesia -- the world 's fourth most populous nation -- has more orphanages than any other country . This year , orphanages are reporting even higher number of parents giving up their children because they can no longer afford to feed them or send them to school . In the past year , the cost of living increased beyond many people 's reach . In May , a 30 percent fuel hike set off countrywide protests . Ahri peers intently as his mother signs off custody of him to the orphanage . The other children cram their faces up against the window to see the new arrival . At least half of them at the Putra Utama 1 orphanage have been through this before as well . `` The prices have gone up . -LSB- Families -RSB- ca n't balance their income with the prices , '' orphanage staffer Utari says . `` By putting their children here , they are hoping that their children 's education will improve . '' It does n't take long for Ahri to make new friends . Soon , he 's stuffing rice into his mouth and chatting with the other boys . His parents stand against the doorway and watch their son playing soccer . Here at least , there 's enough space to do so . `` If my son can adapt , then I am happy , '' says Ahri 's father , Joni Lubis . `` I can see that it 's calm and peaceful here . That makes me happy . So does the school -- my son can be educated . '' Nuraini adds , `` There has to be a better chance for my two other sons . '' It 's all they can hope for : that economic pressures will ease so they wo n't have to face such a decision again . | Mother of three insists she is not `` throwing away '' her first-born child . Parents take 11-year-old to orphanage because they say they ca n't make ends meet . More than 80 percent in orphanages have two living parents , Indonesian study says . | [[388, 434], [438, 469], [334, 387], [1796, 1900], [1395, 1478]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A thin girl with caramel skin and a yellow silk blouse walks alone through a barren landscape of rubble . Nway prepares for her new job , selling vegetables from her aunt 's garden . Her legs are marked by cuts . Her face is smeared with white streaks of powder . And her eyes are blank as she sifts through the debris of what used to be her home before Cyclone Nargis slammed into Myanmar one night and swept her parents away . Her name is Nway , and that 's how she looked when aid workers found her after Nargis destroyed her isolated village . She refused to talk about the cyclone , pretending it never took place . She became , according to a CNN story , the `` girl who refuses to remember . '' A year later , an aid worker returned to the village to see how Nway was doing . She found Nway living in a tidy , bamboo house flanked by palm trees . The 8-year-old greeted her visitor with a big smile . Then she asked whether she could play with her visitor 's hair . Pam Sitko , the aid worker , said Nway -- like thousands of people in Myanmar -- is slowly recovering one year after Nargis demolished their country . `` After all of her pain and loss , she really is a spunky girl , '' said Sitko , who works with World Vision International , a humanitarian group . `` She was n't shy about reaching out to touch my blonde hair . '' The night everything changed . Nway 's resilience is shared by many in Myanmar , aid workers say . Last year 's cyclone was catastrophic . It killed at least 140,000 people and left at least 2 million people without homes , according to the United Nations World Food Programme . The brunt of the storm hit Myanmar 's delta region , the country 's bread basket . It wiped out crops , shrimp farms and fish ponds . A year later , many fields remain unplanted ; supplies are short , and the lack of drinking water complicates recovery efforts , World Food Programme officials say . Yet some sense of normal life is returning , said Mia Marina , a program support manager for World Vision 's Nargis response efforts . World Vision is building cyclone-resistant schools and providing supplies to cyclone survivors . `` Most of the people are going back to their livelihoods , '' Marina said . `` Kids are going to school . The markets are open . '' The people of Myanmar are also buying planting tools and seed in preparation for the monsoon rains that typically come in May , Sitko said . `` Everyone is hoping that this is the moment that it turns around , '' Sitko said . `` It 's an exciting time , a time of hope . '' That hope appears to have spread to Nway . She is fortunate to be alive . The cyclone killed her mother and father . The winds were so powerful that they blew away the village buffalo . In Nway 's village , 120 people out of a population of 430 people lost their lives . Nway survived because she was staying with her aunt . The pair joined a group squeezed in to the village headman 's house to survive , Sitko said . Nway would n't talk about the cyclone after aid workers found her a month later . She would walk away whenever she was asked about that night . Now , according to Sitko , who wrote about her meeting for World Vision , Nway can talk a little about her loss . Sitko said Nway shared one memory from the morning after the cyclone while sitting in her aunt 's house : . `` When I walked to my aunt 's house that day , my legs were scratched , and I passed lots of dead bodies , '' Nway said . `` I wanted to help , because everyone was working , but I was too scared , so I only helped clean up my auntie 's yard . '' Nway dreams of her future . Nway prefers to talk about other subjects . One is her new job . She helps her aunt sell vegetables from their garden . On most mornings , she smears white powder made from tree bark on her cheeks -LRB- it 's used as a skin beautifier by women and children in Myanmar -RRB- . Then she balances a tray of vegetables on her head and walks to a village road to call out to potential customers . Nway told Sitko that she 's made `` four new best friends . '' They like to memorize new words and play hide and seek after school . `` I 'm always the fastest runner , '' she told Sitko . Nway is starting to become aware of life outside her village . `` She was very proud , '' Sitko said . `` She explained that she had recently taken a trip to another village with her aunties , and she was n't afraid . '' Nway does n't know , though , where she would attend school as she gets older , Sitko said . She 'll have to pay to attend school away from her village one day , but her aunt and uncle ca n't afford the costs . `` She wanted to study and said that she was smart , '' Sitko said . `` She said she would be willing to travel to a school outside of her village if she had to . '' Nway has already taken a more difficult journey . The shocked girl who aid workers met a year ago has changed , Sitko said . Now Nway can remember -- and smile again . `` I was expecting a very different girl , '' Sitko said . `` The little girl I met was very confident . I think she 's been really transformed by our experience . '' | Girl who survives Myanmar cyclone pretends it never happened . Cyclone survivor becomes known as ` the girl who refuses to remember ' Aid worker returns to Myanmar a year later to see the girl . `` I was expecting a very different girl , '' worker says . | [[567, 570], [607, 639], [567, 604], [680, 691], [696, 717], [2996, 3077], [721, 733], [736, 801], [4988, 5025]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea vowed Wednesday that it `` will take every necessary measure to protect its sovereignty '' in the midst of 12-day U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises . South Korean soldiers move into a building during a joint military exercise with U.S. troops in Pocheon Tuesday . `` These war exercises were kicked off by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet war-like forces across South Korea at a time when the inter-Korean relations have reached the worst phase and the situation has grown so tense that a war may break out -LRB- at -RRB- any moment due to the reckless policy of confrontation pursued by the South Korean conservative authorities , '' North Korea 's official KCNA news agency said . Referring to `` war maneuvers '' and `` nuclear war exercises , '' a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said they were `` designed to mount a preemptive attack on the DPRK -LRB- Democratic People 's Republic of Korea -RRB- in terms of their scale and contents from A to Z , '' according to KCNA . South Korea has defended the joint exercises . `` We have said several times that the U.S.-South Korean military exercises are annual defensive exercises , '' said Kim Ho-nyun , a Unification Ministry spokesman , South Korea 's Yonhap news agency reported Monday . `` We again urge North Korea to maintain the agreed stance of mutual respect and to stop its verbal attacks and actions that are raising tensions on the Korean peninsula , '' he said . Tensions have ramped up in recent days , as North Korea threatened retaliation in the event of an interception of its `` satellite '' launch . U.S. and South Korean officials have said that North Korea appears to be preparing to test-fire its long-range missile , the Taepodong-2 , under the guise of launching a satellite into space . The missile is thought to have an intended range of about 4,200 miles -LRB- 6,700 kilometers -RRB- , which -- if true -- could give it the capability of striking Alaska or Hawaii . On Saturday U.S. envoy Stephen Bosworth said he wanted dialogue with North Korea , but he also spoke against North Korea 's move to go forward with a launch , saying it would be `` ill-advised . '' | N. Korean Foreign Ministry refers to U.S.-South Korean `` nuclear war exercises '' South Korea calls exercises `` annual defensive exercises , '' Yonhap reports . North Korea threatens retaliation in event `` satellite '' launch is intercepted . U.S. , South Korea say North Korea appears to be prepping missile test firing . | [[1075, 1181], [1241, 1292], [1478, 1516], [1519, 1556], [1522, 1620], [1621, 1813], [1668, 1739], [1668, 1679], [1688, 1757]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Bush has expressed his `` deep concern '' and regret to Iraq 's prime minister over the desecration of a Quran by an American soldier , the White House said Tuesday . President Bush called Nuri al-Maliki over the incident , al-Maliki 's office says . The leaders are seen in September . National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Bush spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday in one of their regularly scheduled secure video teleconferences . `` President Bush expressed his deep concern over the incident and told Prime Minister Maliki that the soldier has been reprimanded by his commanders and removed from Iraq , '' Johndroe said . Al-Maliki 's office on Tuesday said Bush issued an apology for the action on behalf of the United States and `` promised to present the soldier to the courts . '' The office said Bush made the apology in a call to al-Maliki on Tuesday morning . An American staff sergeant -- a sniper section leader -- used a Quran for target practice in Iraq earlier this month . The U.S. commander in Baghdad issued a formal apology Saturday and read a letter of apology by the shooter . Watch the U.S. military formally apologize '' The sergeant has been relieved of duty as a section leader `` with prejudice , '' officially reprimanded by his commanding general , dismissed from his regiment and redeployed -- reassigned to the United States , the U.S. military said . Reports of the Quran desecration have enraged Muslims in Iraq and elsewhere around the world . The soldier , whose name was not released , shot at a Quran on May 9 , villagers said . The Quran used in the incident was discovered two days later , according to the military . A tribal leader said `` the criminal act by U.S. forces '' took place at a shooting range at the Radhwaniya police station on Baghdad 's western outskirts . After the shooters left , an Iraqi policeman found a target marked in the middle of the bullet-riddled Quran . Pictures of the Quran show multiple bullet holes and an expletive scrawled on one of its pages . Officials said the soldier asserted he was n't aware the book was the Quran , but U.S. officials rejected the claim . On Saturday , Maj. Gen. Jeffery Hammond , commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad , appeared with leaders from Radhwaniya and apologized . `` I come before you here seeking your forgiveness , '' Hammond said to tribal leaders and others at the ceremony . `` In the most humble manner I look in your eyes today and I say please forgive me and my soldiers . '' Hammond also read a letter from the shooter , who called his actions `` shortsighted , very reckless and irresponsible , '' but he insisted he was not being malicious . `` I sincerely hope that my actions have not diminished the partnership that our two nations have developed together , '' the letter said . Hammond said the soldier 's actions were tantamount to `` criminal behavior . '' `` I 've come to this land to protect you , to support you -- not to harm you -- and the behavior of this soldier was nothing short of wrong and unacceptable , '' the general said . Another military official kissed a Quran and presented it as `` a humble gift '' to the tribal leaders . Many Iraqi leaders said the apology alone would not suffice . Watch villagers protest the desecration '' On Monday , the Iraqi Islamic Party , the movement of Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi , condemned what it said was a `` blatant assault on the sanctities of Muslims all over the world . '' The party said it reacted to the news `` with deep resentment and indignation '' and wants the `` severest of punishments '' for the action . `` What truly concerns us is the repetition of these crimes that have happened in the past when mosques were destroyed and pages of the holy Quran were torn and used for disgraceful acts by U.S. soldiers , '' al-Hashimi said . `` I have asked that first this apology be officially documented ; second a guarantee from the U.S. military to inflict the maximum possible punishment on this soldier so it would be a deterrent for the rest of the soldiers in the future . '' CNN 's Ed Henry and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Nuri al-Maliki 's office : President Bush `` promised to present the soldier to the courts '' An American staff sergeant used a Quran for target practice . Iraqi Islamic Party has demanded `` the severest of punishments '' for the soldier . | [[264, 290], [813, 863], [949, 975], [1006, 1067], [1556, 1569], [1600, 1624], [3544, 3685], [3544, 3553], [3629, 3685]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Obama administration is giving General Motors 60 days worth of financing for restructuring , according to senior administration officials . General Motors ' Rick Wagoner , CEO of the company since 2000 , is on his way out , sources say . Chrysler will receive as much as $ 6 billion and 30 days to complete an agreement with Italian automaker Fiat , the officials said . Meanwhile , White House and GM sources told CNN Sunday that GM Chief Executive Rick Wagoner will resign as part of the federal government 's bailout strategy for the troubled automaker . Wagoner 's departure comes as President Obama is expected to announce Monday the latest details of the government 's plans for restructuring GM and Chrysler LLC , which have been pushed to the brink by huge losses and a sharp decline in sales . Fritz Henderson , GM 's chief operating officer , is expected to be named GM 's interim CEO , according to two GM sources . A GM spokesman declined to comment on reports of Wagoner 's resignation . A company statement said : `` We are anticipating an announcement soon from the administration regarding the restructuring of the U.S. auto industry . '' GM and Chrysler face a Tuesday deadline to prove to the Treasury Department that they can be viable in the long term . Without such a finding , the government can recall the $ 13.4 billion it already loaned to GM and the $ 4 billion it loaned to Chrysler . Wagoner , a 32-year company veteran , has been CEO of General Motors since 2000 . Before becoming CEO , he was chief operating officer and led the company 's North American operations . He also served as chief financial officer from 1992 to 1994 . A senior GM official official told CNN that the White House and its auto task force had `` sent very clear signals '' that the key to more help was `` new leadership '' and something that would help the administration see real change . General Motors has been hit hard as auto sales have plummeted . Sales have continued to tumble through the early months of this year , falling 40 percent across the industry and about 50 percent at GM and Chrysler . The companies and industry analysts have slashed their sales estimates for the year , and that has heightened the need for more loans to keep GM and Chrysler afloat . Last month , the two companies filed reports on their restructuring efforts . GM said it needed up to $ 16.6 billion more in loans . Chrysler asked for an additional $ 5 billion , and said it would need the money by the end of March to avoid running out of cash . The Obama administration had been widely expected to approve the requests . Obama has repeatedly spoken about the importance of saving the struggling auto industry , and on March 19 , the Treasury Department announced $ 5 billion in federal help for GM 's and Chrysler 's auto parts suppliers . CNN 's Kate Bolduan and John King contributed to this report . | Departure of General Motors ' CEO part of government 's bailout strategy , sources say . GM official : White House signaled that `` new leadership '' was key to more aid . Officials : GM to get 60 days of financing ; Chrysler could get $ 6 billion . GM , Chrysler were told to prove viability to Treasury Department by Tuesday . | [[258, 271], [405, 414], [417, 591], [1694, 1811], [1817, 1876], [30, 124], [272, 328], [1189, 1264]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Taliban advances in Pakistan are raising concerns in Islamabad and capitals as far away as Washington . CNN 's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson looks at how the Taliban spread and what could be done to help Pakistan . Students in burqas in Buner district . How is the Taliban extending its influence in Pakistan ? It has extended its influence considerably over the last few years moving northwards along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border , from South Waziristan to North Waziristan to Bajur and across now to Swat and Buner . But the Taliban has also extended its influence because it is now involved with several Punjab terrorist groups that have affiliated themselves with the border Taliban and have helped commit some attacks such as one on a police station in Lahore . The Pakistan government has been cutting deals with the different elements that were Taliban or became Taliban since 2004-2005 . Those deals have enabled the Taliban to extend themselves . Is Pakistan going to fall or fail ? The overall answer to that is no . But the Taliban is further destabilizing an incredibly unstable situation . There is a weak government that faces challenges , not only from the Taliban but also from almost every political party in the country . It faces challenges from across the border with its old enemy India , which means a large percentage of the Pakistan army is tied up on that border rather than fighting terrorism . The Taliban is not going to take Islamabad , but its attacks and advances are going to weaken an already unstable government and make an already dangerous situation even more volatile ... and that will mean the Taliban will be able to wield more influence in the future than they do today . What options are open to the Pakistan government and other countries ? Pakistan could form a broad-based government of national unity and appeal for more international support in terms of encouraging financial aid and having trade restrictions lifted so they can improve the economy . The international community could help Pakistan resolve issues with India . It would help the economy and help the government focus on its own internal problems and better influence the situation in Afghanistan . What the Pakistan government would also need to do is convince its people that outside support and help is in their best interests to deal with terrorism and stabilize the country . To do that the government would also have to win the support of its large Pashtun minority , from whom the Taliban draws a lot of its support ... and that is difficult particularly as the U.S. -- which would need to be a principle supporter of Pakistan -- continues to bomb targets in Pashtun areas leading to civilian casualties . | Taliban influences in Pakistan has developed over years . Pakistan government weak and could be weakened further . Pakistan has options to deal with Taliban , but they come with problems . | [[349, 415], [1144, 1280], [1153, 1170], [1176, 1192], [1511, 1647]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Environmentalists are encouraged by President Barack Obama 's focus this week on renewable energy and stricter emissions standards , although some economists are skeptical he can pull the country out of the recession while cleaning up the planet . President Barack Obama with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson . Obama must strike a careful balance between stimulating the economy in the coming months and investing in the long-term future of the environment , said Raj Chetty , professor of economics at the University of California , Berkeley . `` If you spend money too quickly , you lose site of the long-term vision , '' Chetty told CNN . `` If you focus too much on the long term , you may not act on spending money . '' Framing his remarks with an eye on the recession , the president on Monday announced a plan for `` a new energy economy that will build millions of jobs . '' Obama proposes to put 460,000 Americans to work through clean energy investments , increasing fuel efficiency in vehicles and reducing greenhouse gas emissions . By 2025 , the Obama administration hopes one-fourth of the nation 's energy will come from renewable sources . Over the long term , the president hopes to create millions of new jobs by investing $ 150 billion in taxpayer money to help private companies develop new sources of clean energy , such as wind , solar and geothermal power . It 's about time , say scientists who often clashed with former President George W. Bush on environmental policy . `` By repowering our nation with clean energy , we will create millions of jobs that ca n't be sent overseas . By harnessing the energy of the sun and wind , we can refuel our nation and end our addiction to oil , '' said Wesley Warren , director of programs for the Natural Resources Defense Council . Environmental scholars , however , say the changes Obama seeks are not easy . `` These technologies are not new . They have been around for 10 to 15 years , '' said Bill Chameides , dean of the Nicholas School of Environment at Duke University . `` Government can push new policies , but it has to prove to be economically competitive or else it will not happen . '' `` It is going to require massive investments , '' said Joseph Romm , former acting assistant secretary of energy under the Clinton administration and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress . `` The only question is , are we going to be the leader and export our technologies or a follower and continue importing our resources ? '' Some economists question whether spending government money on new energy technologies is the best way to stimulate the economy in the short term . Opponents of Obama 's proposals say renewable energy would be expensive , take up large amounts of land , and might not even be able to generate sufficient energy given the aging infrastructure of the nation 's electric grid . `` If the private sector will not invest in these technologies , it will not be efficient , '' said Alan Reynolds , senior fellow at the Cato Institute . `` Creating jobs by switching from one form of energy to another is a bad idea , '' he added . `` You do n't need subsidies for anything that is free . Getting a $ 7,000 rebate on a $ 100,000 plug-in electrical hybrid that gets its power from a coal plant does n't make a lot of sense . '' Several events in Washington this week underscored the Obama administration 's commitment to environmental issues . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday named a special envoy to pursue global agreements combating global warming . On Wednesday , former Vice President Al Gore urged Congress to approve Obama 's stimulus package and said the United States needs to join international talks on a climate-change treaty . `` For years our efforts to address the climate crisis have been undermined by the idea that we must chose between our planet and our way of life , between our moral duty and economic well-being these are false choices , '' Gore told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . `` In fact , the solutions to the climate crisis are the same solutions that will address our economic and national crisis as well . '' Obama may have science on his side . By overwhelming consensus , scientists agree that our warming planet poses a greater global threat with every passing day . The replacement of current technology with energy generated from natural resources , such as sunlight and wind , could help reduce CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2050 , according to the International Energy Agency . `` Frankly the science is screaming at us , '' said Sen. John Kerry , chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , at Wednesday 's hearing . `` Carbon dioxide emissions grew at a rate of four times faster in the Bush administration than they did in the 1990s . '' Even so , experts agree the faltering economy will complicate any discussion about investment in clean energy . `` The country is running two deficits , '' said David Orr , a professor of environmental studies and politics at Oberlin College , `` the economy in the short term , which will take one to five years to figure out -LSB- and -RSB- the environment in the long term , which if we do n't do anything about it will see catastrophic effects . '' | Environmentalists are encouraged by President Obama 's focus on renewable energy . Some economists are skeptical he can fix the economy and the planet at once . Scholar : Obama can push new policies , but they must be economically competitive . President announced a plan for `` a new energy economy '' that will build jobs . | [[19, 149], [161, 235], [181, 266], [2144, 2198], [782, 830], [833, 901], [879, 901], [907, 936]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United Nations has sent police and military patrols to a camp in western Sudan after reports fighting there killed civilians , a U.N. spokesman said Tuesday . A file photo of refugees queuing for food in the Kalma camp in western Sudan . Aid groups have started evacuating wounded from the Kalma camp , home to 80,000 internally displaced people in the Darfur region of western Sudan . The U.N. said it received reports that Sudanese police vehicles surrounded the camp and that civilians were killed Monday during subsequent attacks inside the camp . The U.N. African Union Mission in Darfur `` is extremely concerned by this serious incident -LSB- and the -RSB- circumstances will be investigated , '' the mission said in a statement . `` It is closely monitoring the situation and -LSB- calls -RSB- on all parties to exercise restraint . '' A spokesman for the mission , Noureddine Nezni , said Tuesday the Dutch wing of Medecins Sans Frontieres had evacuated 47 wounded people who were being treated at a nearby hospital . Some of them -- mostly young men -- refused to be evacuated for fear of being arrested for having participated in the fighting , Nezni said . Nezni would not say how many people were killed in the Monday attacks . `` There are many figures being thrown around and we hesitate to give any numbers before we are sure , '' he said . `` We are still checking and hopefully we will have the correct figure late today . '' The Sudanese government said it entered the camp to look for `` huge quantities of arms and criminals , '' Nezni said . The U.N. African Union Mission in Darfur said it sent police and military patrols to Kalma to confirm the details of the incident and provide assistance . Nezni added that the mission and some aid groups were in talks with refugees at the camp to find a lasting solution to the problems . Fighting has displaced more than two million Sudanese -- and more than 238,000 refugees live in camps across the border in eastern Chad , the U.N. says . They have been displaced by fighting that broke out in 2003 , when rebels began an uprising in Darfur and the government launched a brutal counter-insurgency campaign . The Sudanese authorities armed and cooperated with Arab militias that went from village to village in Darfur , killing , torturing and raping residents there , according to the U.N. , Western governments and human rights organizations . The militias targeted civilian members of tribes from which the rebels draw strength . In the past five years , an estimated 300,000 people have been killed through direct combat , disease , or malnutrition , the U.N. says . Another 2.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of fighting among rebels , government forces , and allied Janjaweed militias . The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court filed genocide charges against Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir last month for the campaign of violence in Darfur . CNN 's Eunice Mafundikwa contributed to this report . | United Nations sends police and military patrols to a camp in western Sudan . Move prompted by reports of fighting which killed civilians . 47 wounded people evacuated for treatment at a nearby hospital . | [[0, 15], [19, 124], [1587, 1741], [1633, 1741], [0, 15], [19, 124], [108, 147], [409, 574], [423, 574], [867, 894], [916, 1003], [986, 1049]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seven members of a joint United Nations-African Union peacekeeping patrol have been killed by a heavily armed militia group in Sudan 's Darfur region , the U.N. said . Peacekeepers drive into a Sudanese refugee camp near Farchana , east of Chad . Five of those killed were Rwandan , a U.N. peacekeeping official said , and the other two were a Ugandan and a Ghanaian . Twenty-two others were wounded in the attack , which was immediately condemned by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon . `` The attackers used heavy weapons and engaged the UNAMID convoy in an exchange of fire for more than two hours , '' according to the statement released by Ban 's spokesman . UNAMID is the acronym for the U.N.-AU mission in Darfur . The peacekeepers are allowed to used force when fired upon directly . `` The secretary-general condemns in the strongest possible terms this unacceptable act of extreme violence against AU-U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur and calls on the government of Sudan to do its utmost to ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly identified and brought to justice , '' the statement said . `` The secretary-general expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the peacekeepers who lost their lives , and reiterates his appreciation for their service , valor and commitment to the search for peace in Darfur . '' The ambush happened around 2:45 p.m. -LRB- 1145 GMT -RRB- in northern Darfur . The rescue mission did not take place until after dark , she said . The peacekeepers who were attacked operated out of Shangil Tobayi -- a base to the west of El Fasher . In five years of war the U.N. says more than four million people have been affected : Two-and-a-half million people forced from their homes and more than 300,000 killed . Sudanese officials dispute those numbers claiming only 10,000 have died -- a number they say is normal for five years of war . U.S. President George W. Bush calls the killings genocide and has put sanctions on Sudan . The U.N. says Sudan 's government is guilty of crimes against humanity and of violating international human rights laws every bit as heinous and serious they say as genocide . In February 2008 , a fresh wave of killing forced 58,000 people to flee their homes as government troops and Janjaweed militiamen retaliated against rebels . A U.N. report said Sudan broke international law as 115 innocent civilians were killed using tactics similar to those employed in 2003 , 2004 , the worst years of the war . Peacekeepers are frequently targeted by militias in Darfur , where they are trying to protect civilians from `` janjaweed '' militias -- nomadic Arab militias , supported by Sudan 's government , which target pastoral black Africans . Ten African Union peacekeepers were killed in October in an ambush on their peacekeeping base -- the deadliest single attack on AU peacekeepers since they began their mission in late 2004 . A U.N. commission concluded in 2005 that the Sudanese government and militias `` conducted indiscriminate attacks , including killing of civilians , torture , enforced disappearances , destruction of villages , rape and other forms of sexual violence , pillaging and forced displacement '' in Darfur . In 2006 , the U.N. Security Council authorized the creation of the joint AU/U . N. hybrid force of peacekeepers to protect civilians in Darfur . That hybrid force formally took over peacekeeping duties late last year from the force composed solely of members of the African Union . Yet the force is under-manned as a result of the Sudanese government 's opposition to a U.N. presence , with just over 9,500 troops of an authorized strength of 26,000 . | U.N. : Seven peacekeepers , including five Rwandans , killed and 22 wounded . Attack immediately condemned by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon . In five years of war U.N. says more than 4 million people have been affected . | [[266, 299], [388, 432], [422, 432], [441, 456], [467, 506], [422, 432], [445, 506], [1596, 1679]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tens of thousands of people packed a soccer stadium in Cameroon Thursday , including President Paul Biya and his wife , for the first large-scale mass of Pope Benedict XVI 's first visit to Africa . Tens of thousands of people gathered at a football stadium in Cameroon to see the pope . Africa is the last continent that Benedict had left to visit , and one he could not avoid , said David Gibson , a biographer of the pope . `` He knows he has to do this . He knows Africa is the future of the -LRB- Roman Catholic -RRB- Church , as it is for all of Christianity , '' said Gibson . Christianity , like Islam , is on the rise in Africa and Latin America , even as the northern hemisphere tends to become more secular . '' One in five of the world 's Christians lives in Africa -- up from less than one in fifty in 1900 , said Brian Grim , an editor of the World Religion Database . So Benedict is making the visit although travel `` is not his cup of tea , '' Gibson said . `` John Paul II loved the travel and loved the different cultures . Benedict is a European through and through . '' Watch the pope at the soccer stadium '' But Benedict understands that travel has become an essential part of a pope 's duties , said Gibson , the author of `` The Rule of Benedict : Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World . '' Benedict drew cheers at the mass at the 40,000-seat Amadou Ahidjo Stadium when he told worshippers that God had not forgotten orphans , poor and abused children , and those `` forced to join paramilitary forces , '' Cameroon TV reported . He did not mention condoms , a subject which sparked controversy when he reiterated the Vatican 's opposition to artificial birth control Monday while flying to Cameroon . Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit harder by AIDS and HIV than any other region of the world , according to the United Nations and World Health Organization . There has been fierce debate between those who advocate the use of condoms to help stop the spread of the epidemic and those who oppose it . The pope 's mention of birth control may have been an effort to draw attention to the trip , which `` is not getting much of a bounce in the Western media , '' Gibson speculated . `` They are savvy enough to know that if the pope mentions condoms , it is going to be a headline , '' he said of the pontiff 's advisers . The issue did not come up by chance , he pointed out . `` These were pre-selected questions for which they had prepared answers , '' he said . The pope also Thursday met local Muslim leaders in Cameroon , a west African country which is just over one-quarter Roman Catholic and just under one-quarter Muslim . Both religions are expanding rapidly in Africa , said Grim , a senior research fellow in religion and world affairs at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life . Less than one in ten people in sub-Saharan Africa was Christian in 1900 . Today nearly six in ten are , he said . The region was about 14 percent Muslim at the beginning of the 20th century , he said , and about 30 percent Muslim now . Benedict outraged Muslim leaders around the world in 2006 by quoting the 15th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus when he said , `` Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new , and there you will find things only evil and inhuman , such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached . '' He repeatedly apologized for the citation , which he said did not reflect his own views . `` It was a painful lesson but clearly the pope learned something from that , '' Gibson said . The pope 's meeting Muslim leaders in person can help relations between the Church and Islam , the analyst added . Face-to-face encounters make `` the pope a human figure . That 's what these trips are really about -- to see that the pope is not the boogeyman , he is someone who is kind and wise and wants to discuss issues . `` It 's so easy to see caricatures , so for the pope simply to show up can be an enormously positive development , '' Gibson said . Gibson said this week 's visit may be Benedict 's only trip to Africa . `` Knowing that the pope is older , he can not travel as much -- he does not like to travel -- makes these trips more poignant . He may never come back to Africa again . '' | Tens of thousands of people pack soccer stadium in Cameroon for pope 's mass . Pope tells followers that God has not forgotten orphans , poor and abused . He did not mention condoms after sparking controversy earlier in the week . | [[40, 93], [218, 306], [218, 245], [289, 306], [1110, 1146], [1352, 1485], [1431, 1512], [1591, 1617], [1620, 1629], [1636, 1728]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The negotiations are over . The treaty has been signed . The skies across the Atlantic are now open for free movement of flights between European and U.S. cities . Now the battle commences between airlines as they prepare for their new-found commercial freedom when the Open Skies agreement comes into action in March 2008 . The choice of transatlantic routes is set to increases with the advent of the Open Skies agreement . The main beneficiaries of increased competition between airlines are likely to be business travelers . And while they may not see a dramatic reduction in ticket prices , they can look forward to a greater choice of flights from a greater number of airlines as well as an increase in business-only services . Airlines with the strongest brands and best quality products are likely to lure passengers away from European rivals by launching flights from other major European cities . British Airways has confirmed it will launch its first transatlantic flights from continental European cities once the agreement comes into place next year . And while it is not ready to confirm branding , types of aircraft , or even final routes , a BA spokesperson said likely contenders for new transatlantic routes will be from business destinations such as Paris , Frankfurt , Brussels and Milan . She also confirmed that , contrary to expectations , these flights would not be exclusively business class . Though they will offer premium cabins for business customers . Virgin Atlantic is expecting to place a greater focus on its business customers and has established a team to work towards the launch of business-only flights in 2009 . These will fly from airports such as Paris , Frankfurt , Milan and Zurich and the airline is currently in discussion with Airbus and Boeing to place orders for between 10 and 15 aircraft . Virgin and BA are both confident they can entice customers away from European national carriers due to the strength of their brands and service offering . As Paul Charles , director of corporate communications at Virgin Atlantic says , `` we are seen as a truly global brand and well-placed to compete with the quality of business services currently coming out of cities such as Paris and Milan . '' Open Skies will put an end to the exclusive arrangement granted to British Airways , Virgin Atlantic , United Airlines and American Airlines to fly transatlantic out of Heathrow . As a result , airlines including BMI , Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines are all lined up to launch direct transatlantic flights from Heathrow from next year . But with the airport currently operating at almost-maximum capacity , it is likely that new flights will be limited . Airlines operating from other airports , in particular the new business-only players such as Eos , Silverjet and Maxje , will , however , see an opportunity to expand their own services across the Atlantic . Joshua Marks , executive vice president for planning and development at U.S. business-class airline , Maxjet , says it expects to `` strengthen its position at Stansted '' as a result of the Open Skies agreement . `` With more flights moving from Gatwick to Heathrow , three major airports will become two in London . '' As such , he adds , Stansted could become the default airport for travelers coming from and to the east of the city . Now that the U.S. Department of Transport has given approval for Maxjet to launch flights from Stansted to other countries with open skies agreements with the U.S. , business travelers in London should also be able to pick up Maxjet flights to destinations such as India . Maxjet has confirmed that it will not fight for slots at Heathrow , which Marks says has become an `` operational nightmare . '' Yet , other premium-only services are not ruling out the move . Silverjet , currently operating out of Luton , has been in discussion with -LRB- un-named -RRB- airlines interested in striking deals to launch flights out of Heathrow . Opportunities have been offered for flights to U.S. cities such as Los Angeles , says Lawrence Hunt , Silverjet 's chief executive . `` This is an ongoing dialogue , '' he says . But before they make the move , they would need to see major changes to facilities at Heathrow in order for it to offer the `` personalized , discreet and carefree '' travel experience Silverjet offers customers from Luton . `` Heathrow has become a zoo and the customer experience has become appalling , '' he says . Airline executives agree that growth in transatlantic flights as a result of the Open Skies agreement will be aimed at business customers . As Hunt says , airlines have little else to offer , or gain , in terms of economy long-haul seats . And as Charles at Virgin points out , given the success of the new business-only entrants and the simultaneous ongoing demand for its business class seats , `` there 's clearly a market out there for business-only flights . '' While there may be some softening of prices from Heathrow as airlines fight for slots , few expect prices for business travelers to drop dramatically as a result of the Open Skies agreement . As BA 's spokesperson says , UK to North America is already a very competitive market . `` It is not as if we are moving from a monopoly , '' she says . Despite this , there is still a great deal to offer business customers and those that will make the most of the opportunity , says Anthony Concil , spokesperson from IATA , will be the most innovative . `` We have created a new playing field and it is up to players to make the most of that and for governments to take the agreement forward towards further liberalization . '' E-mail to a friend . | Open Skies agreement lifts restrictions on transatlantic air services . British Airways and Virgin will launch flights from European capitals . Business-only services set to expand across London airports . | [[93, 199], [361, 461], [850, 860], [887, 942], [943, 1052], [630, 769], [1518, 1597]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than 200 people have died of meningitis in the past week alone in Niger and Nigeria , according to the World Health Organization . A health care worker vaccinates a child during an earlier outbreak of meningitis in Niger . The disease is an epidemic in 76 areas of the two countries , the health agency reported Wednesday . A spokesman for W.H.O. in Nigeria , Dr. Olaokun Soyinka , said Saturday that the outbreak is bigger than usual and stretches across the African meningitis belt from east - to west-sub-Saharan Africa . The outbreak began around the start of the year , Soyinka told CNN . It usually peaks in the dry season because of dust , winds and cold nights , before dipping around May when the rains come , he said . A shortage of vaccines means officials are relying on `` effective prevention , '' in which they watch for outbreaks and then vaccinate people in the epicenter and surrounding areas , Soyinka told CNN . There have been nearly 25,000 suspected cases and more than 1,500 deaths in the meningitis belt in the first 11 weeks of the year , W.H.O. reported . More than 85 percent of those cases happened in northern Nigeria and Niger . Nigeria 's Ministry of Health has reported 17,462 suspected cases of meningococcal disease , including 960 deaths , the world health agency said . In the past week , it reported 4,164 suspected cases with 171 deaths . Sixty-six local government areas in Nigeria have crossed the epidemic threshold . Epidemic thresholds are a way the W.H.O. confirms the emergence of an epidemic so it can step up vaccinations and other management measures . Niger 's Ministry of Health has reported 4,513 suspected cases of meningococcal disease , including 169 deaths , since the start of the year . In the past week , 1,071 suspected cases and 30 deaths have been reported , the W.H.O. said . Ten of Niger 's 42 districts have crossed the epidemic threshold . By comparison , other countries are reporting fewer than 50 cases a week . Meningitis is an infection of the meninges , the thin lining that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord . Several different bacteria can cause meningitis but Neisseria meningitidis -- which is to blame for this outbreak -- is one of the most significant because of its potential to cause epidemics . Health authorities have released 2.3 million doses of vaccine to Nigeria and 1.9 million doses to Niger , the W.H.O. said . CNN 's Christian Purefoy in Lagos , Nigeria , contributed to this report . | W.H.O. : Meningitis killed more than 200 people in the past week in Niger and Nigeria . Outbreak stretches across African `` meningitis belt , '' at epidemic levels in 76 areas . Vaccine shortage forces an `` effective prevention '' approach . 25,000 suspected cases , 1,500 deaths in the belt in the first 11 weeks of 2009 . | [[0, 5], [8, 123], [8, 31], [126, 170], [1641, 1751], [1784, 1800], [1803, 1857], [1784, 1800], [1860, 1877], [263, 322], [364, 397], [422, 564], [1417, 1498], [769, 846], [0, 5], [8, 123], [972, 1101], [1199, 1312], [1641, 1751]] |
JOHANNESBURG , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prosecutors dropped corruption charges Monday against South Africa 's ruling party president Jacob Zuma , who is expected to win the presidential race later this month . Jacob Zuma is expected to win the country 's upcoming presidential election . The leader of the African National Congress had been charged with more than 700 counts of corruption and fraud . The charges , which were linked to a multibillion dollar arms deal in the country , were dropped after eight years of investigations . Zuma , who was named one of Time 's Most Influential People in 2008 , is favored to win the country 's next presidential elections scheduled for April 22 . He served as deputy president of South Africa from 1999 until he was fired in 2005 by President Thabo Mbeki over his alleged involvement in a bribery scandal . Opposition parties are accusing prosecutors of buckling under pressure from the ruling party . Mokotedi Mpshe , head of the National Prosecuting Authority , disagreed . `` An intolerable abuse has occurred , '' Mpshe said after reading transcripts of telephone conversations between two prosecution chiefs who appear to be planning to charge Zuma before ANC party elections . CNN 's Nkepile Mabuse contributed to this report . | Jacob Zuma is president of the ANC , the most powerful party in South Africa . He is widely predicted to win the presidential vote , expected to take place in April . Zuma has denied claims of accepting bribes , money laundering , among others . Opposition parties accuse prosecutors of buckling under pressure . | [[117, 152], [157, 216], [117, 152], [157, 216], [217, 294], [217, 227], [240, 294], [543, 547], [613, 673], [631, 698], [859, 953]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The backstage gossip at recent fashion shows would n't be complete without rampant speculation about who is likely to replace esteemed American Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour . Vogue editors Anna Wintour and Carine Roitfeld at AmfAR 's 10th Annual New York Gala in January 2008 . Wintour has yet to announce any plans to retire but her advancing age -- she 's 60 this year -- has stoked speculation that after more than 20 years in the role it might be time to leave . One name touted as a possible replacement is Carine Roitfeld , the highly respected editor in chief of Vogue Paris . Read more about Carine Roitfeld . Roitfeld is accustomed to the speculation , describing it as `` frustrating . '' She told CNN she had n't been offered the job and even if she was she probably would n't take it . `` It 's a bit like for an actor . Do you want to go to Hollywood or do you want to stay here in Paris and do the cinema I like to do ? , '' Roitfeld said . `` I think I prefer to stay here in Paris . '' Watch Carine Roitfeld Revealed . A fixture at the U.S. title since 1988 , Wintour has a fearsome reputation , mostly courtesy of the 2006 film starring Meryl Streep , `` The Devil Wears Prada . '' The film is based on a book penned by a former assistant at American Vogue who has denied suggestions Wintour was the inspiration for the demanding and odious lead character . Roitfeld is anxious not to create any friction between her and her U.S. counterpart , telling CNN `` I think Anna does a great job ... I think she 's a great person . '' She said she would be honored to be asked to fill Wintour 's shoes , but pointed out that `` it 's a very different job . '' `` I 'm very happy at French Vogue to be able to do everything -- almost everything -- I want in the magazine , '' she said . `` It would be too political at American Vogue for me . And I 'm not sure I 'm talking enough good English to work there . '' At Vogue Paris , Roitfeld knows her readers . They are a select group of incredibly stylish and wealthy women who are thrilled rather than alienated by unconventional ideas . The best-selling edition so far , in August 2003 , featured French actress Sophie Marceau on the cover smoking a cigarette . At French Vogue , there 's less pressure to appeal to the masses . Its circulation of some 139,000 is dwarfed by the million plus readers of American Vogue . Fashion shoots are about fantasy . There 's no imperative to make any clothes they feature wearable . If it 's unusual and innovative , then it 's in . With just 25 staff , Roitfeld describes the team at French Vogue as like a family . And that 's how she prefers it . Having said that , she told CNN she would n't dismiss any offer out of hand . `` Of course I would consider it because it would be ridiculous not to consider such a huge position -- in terms of money and in terms of power , '' she said . `` But I 'm very happy . It 's very much a small team -LRB- in Paris -RRB- . America is a huge team . I know because I 've worked for them before . I think it 's not for me . '' | Style icon Anna Wintour is rumored to be leaving American Vogue in 2009 . Vogue Paris Editor in Chief Carine Roitfeld touted as a possible replacement . Roitfeld told CNN : `` I think I prefer to stay here in Paris ... I 'm very happy '' | [[139, 214], [507, 567], [998, 1038], [1415, 1423], [1501, 1515], [2934, 2951]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prince William has spoken in depth publicly for the first time about death of his mother , Diana , Princess of Wales , 12 years ago , saying `` mummy '' is now a hollow word `` evoking only memories . '' Diana , Princess of Wales , died in a Paris car crash 12 years ago . Prince William was only 15 and his brother Prince Harry 12 when Diana died in a Paris car crash along with Dodi Fayed in 1997 . The Prince made the comment Thursday during a speech to mark his new role as patron of Britain 's Child Bereavement Charity -- a group his mother was once involved with . The British Press Association reported that he told the launch of the charity 's Mother 's Day campaign : `` My mother Diana was present at your launch 15 years ago , and I am incredibly proud to be able to continue her support for your fantastic charity , by becoming your royal patron . `` What my mother recognized then -- and what I understand now -- is that losing a close family member is one of the hardest experiences that anyone can ever endure . `` Never being able to say the word ` Mummy ' again in your life sounds like a small thing . Tell us what you think about Prince William 's moving comments . `` However , for many , including me , it 's now really just a word -- hollow and evoking only memories . `` I can therefore wholeheartedly relate to the Mother 's Day campaign as I too have felt -- and still feel -- the emptiness on such a day as Mother 's Day . '' Listen to Prince William discuss his mother . '' The charity wants to raise awareness of the problems suffered by mothers bereaved of a child or children bereaved of their mother . Based in Buckinghamshire , a region west of London , it educates professionals and supports families after a death . Writing in Britain 's Daily Mail newspaper about his new role , the Prince said the reality of losing a child or parent was `` awful . '' `` Initially , there is a sense of profound shock and disbelief that this could ever happen to you . Real grief often does not hit home until much later . `` For many it is a grief never entirely lost . Life is altered as you know it , and not a day goes past without you thinking about the one you have lost . '' Mother 's Day in the UK always falls on the fourth weekend of Lent , and this year is on March 22 . Earlier this week France 's leading society magazine , Point de Vue , reported that the Prince would marry his long-term girlfriend , Kate Middleton , this summer . The magazine claimed an official announcement was `` imminent . '' | Prince William says he feels `` emptiness '' every Mother 's Day . His mother , Diana , Princess of Wales , died in a Paris car crash 12 years ago . Prince : `` For many , including me , -LSB- Mummy is -RSB- now really just a word '' | [[223, 228], [251, 291], [356, 419], [0, 15], [153, 194], [161, 219], [1222, 1226], [1229, 1241], [1472, 1517]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Danielle Dayton and Patrick Murray received the call Saturday afternoon : Their 4-pound son , Brayden Murray , was shipping out . Patrick Murray and Danielle Dayton say their tiny son 's evacuation went smoothly . As coastal hospitals prepared for Gustav , tiny babies in the Newborn Intensive Care Units were among the first to be evacuated . `` The NICU babies are our first priority when it comes to evacuation , '' said Keith Darcey , a spokesman for East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie , Louisiana , where Brayden was a patient before being evacuated to Woman 's Hospital in Baton Rouge , Lousiana . Woman 's Hospital started receiving phone calls Wednesday from coastal-area hospitals inquiring whether there was room in their NICU , spokeswoman Jodi Conachen said . By Sunday evening , the hospital was taking care of 32 evacuated babies . `` The hospitals started preparing early this time , '' she said . `` They learned their lesson from Katrina . '' The babies have done well since arriving in Baton Rouge , Louisiana , said Darcy Gann , director of the NICU at Woman 's Hospital . `` They act like they were barely affected by the transfer . '' The babies arrived by ambulance without their parents . Dayton and Murray drove to Baton Rouge to join their son after dropping off their 7-year-old daughter , Breanne , to stay with relatives far from the storm . While the couple took care of their children , they had a friend board up their business in Metairie . `` You have to deal with it the best you can . You ca n't panic , because it does n't do anyone any good , '' Murray said . `` You do what 's best for the baby . '' Although Murray said Brayden 's evacuation went smoothly , one hospital administrator said the patient evacuation process had been `` incredibly frustrating . '' Watch part of the NICU evacuation '' `` There was at least a six - to eight-hour delay in evacuating the babies , '' said Dr. Kevin Jordan , chief medical officer of Touro Infirmary in New Orleans , which sent seven NICU babies to Woman 's Hospital . `` It was very , very , very disorganized . '' Jordan blamed the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness . He said Touro is still waiting to evacuate four critically ill adult patients on ventilators . `` It 's been incredibly frustrating , '' he said . The secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals said each hospital is responsible for evacuating its own patients , adding that Touro asked for assistance Sunday morning , days after other hospitals had asked for help . `` It 's never a perfect process , '' he said . `` It 's never easy to evacuate thousands of people in 48 hours . '' Touro , which usually has between 215 and 245 patients , has evacuated all but around 65 to 70 , he added . `` The sickest of the sick patients we 're keeping and sheltering in place , '' Jordan said . `` We 're concerned that evacuating them could do significant harm . '' Other hospitals took a different approach . East Jefferson evacuated only its three NICU babies , keeping its 210 adult patients in the hospital . `` We survived Katrina quite well and learned a lot from the experience , '' Darcey said , adding that since Katrina , the exterior of the hospital has been fortified . `` But you do n't want to take any chances with the little babies , '' he added . `` Their temperatures have to be very carefully regulated , and if the air conditioning goes out , that could have a detrimental effect on their health . '' | Sick newborn babies among first evacuate area , as Gustav approaches . Touro Infirmary , sent seven NICU babies to Woman 's Hospital in Baton Rouge . `` It was very , very , very disorganized , '' says Touro 's chief medical officer . | [[233, 243], [276, 344], [335, 362], [363, 432], [538, 618], [2013, 2024], [2033, 2078], [2082, 2122]] |
ROCKVILLE , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced it is blocking the import from China of five species of seafood until their importers can prove they are not contaminated . About 10 percent of catfish eaten in the U.S. comes from China , according to the National Fisheries Institute . `` FDA is initiating an import alert against several species of imported Chinese farmed seafood because of numerous cases of contamination with drugs and unsafe food additives , '' said Dr. David Acheson , the agency 's assistant commissioner for food protection , in a conference call with reporters . The species cited are catfish , eel , shrimp , basa and dace , he said . Basa is similar to catfish ; dace is similar to carp . The medications cited include the antimicrobials nitrofuran , malachite green , gentian violet and fluoroquinolones . Nitrofuran , malachite green , and gentian violet have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals . Use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing animals can result in antibiotic resistance . None of them is approved for use in farmed seafood in the United States and some of them have been shown to cause cancer when fed to laboratory animals for `` prolonged periods of time , '' Acheson said . Alerts have been issued in the past , but Thursday 's announcement is the largest . The food will not be allowed into the United States until the importer can prove it is free from harmful contaminants , Acheson said . He said the agency decided to broaden its previous alerts for products from individual companies to a countrywide alert after tests showed that 15 percent of those species of seafood produced by 18 companies in China contained traces of one or more of the contaminants . `` FDA is taking this action to protect the public health of the American people , '' he said . Watch more on the FDA 's import alert on five kinds of fish from China . '' The products `` could cause serious health problems if consumed over a long period of time , '' he said . Still , Acheson added , the low levels of contaminants means that there is `` no imminent threat '' to the public health . China is the world 's largest producer of farmed fish , accounting for 70 percent of the total produced , he said . It is the third-largest exporter of farmed fish to the United States . The action is an import alert , which means that these products from Chinese processors `` will be detained and refused entry into the United States until the importer can demonstrate that the product is safe and in compliance with applicable regulations , '' said Margaret O ' K. Glavin , FDA 's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs . Last year , the FDA slapped a countrywide alert on all Chinese eel after tests showed residues of an antimicrobial agent , she said . Since then , and `` despite extensive communications between FDA and appropriate Chinese authorities to correct the problem , we have continued to find residues of certain veterinary drugs or food additives that are not permitted for use in the United States , '' she added . Glavin said the FDA inspects 5 percent of seafood from China . The first alert on Chinese seafood occurred before 2001 , she said . `` We 're not asking for this product to be withdrawn from the market or for people to take this out of their freezers and throw it away , '' Acheson said . `` This is a long-term health concern ; it is not an acute health concern . '' China is not the sole offender , Glavin said . Import alerts have been ordered for firms in the Philippines , Mexico `` and several others , '' though this is the first countrywide import alert , she said . More than 80 percent of shrimp eaten in the United States is imported , including 7 percent from China , according to the National Fisheries Institute . About 10 percent of catfish eaten in the United States comes from China , the seafood industry advocacy group said . Last year , the United States imported 590,299 metric tons of shrimp from abroad ; 68,150 metric tons of which came from China , according to the Department of Commerce . The United States imported $ 1.2 billion of fish from China in 2004 , according to H. M. Johson & Associates , a seafood industry research group . E-mail to a friend . | FDA blocks import of shrimp , catfish , eel , basa and dace from China . Fish wo n't be allowed until importers prove they are safe . The fish were treated with antibiotics and antifungal medication . The antibiotics are not allowed in U.S. fish . | [[12, 163], [340, 512], [640, 700], [1871, 1943], [164, 223], [1369, 1486], [2377, 2392], [2401, 2589], [2512, 2617]] |
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