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-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The future of Detroit is electric cars , the governor of Michigan declared in an opinion piece on Newsweek 's Web site . The Chevy Volt is one of the electric cars being developed by Michigan 's auto industry . `` In Michigan , we are doing everything we can to become the home of this new electric auto industry -- and to the jobs this industry will create , '' wrote Gov. Jennifer Granholm . `` Again , the road to a stronger future for our country will begin in Michigan . '' She said that for automakers , replacing the 100-year-old internal-combustion engine is both `` revolutionary and daunting . '' Ann Marie Sastry , director of the energy systems engineering program at the University of Michigan , said the industry will have to take risks and government support will be essential . `` Gov. Granholm is doing exactly what we all hope our elected officials will do -- she is supporting partnerships and growth in critical economic areas , '' Sastry said . `` She 's enunciated a vision for clean vehicles that builds our regional economy and provides global , sustainable transportation solutions . `` We understand that these investments will take time to reach profitability , but these are hard problems , and they are worth investment and risk . The risk of doing nothing is much , much greater . I 'm glad she is making the case for Michigan . '' Granholm said all of Detroit 's Big Three automakers -- General Motors , Ford and Chrysler -- are working on electric vehicles . `` General Motors plans to make lithium-ion battery packs to power the Chevy Volt , which is expected to earn a fuel-economy rating of more than 100 mpg , '' she wrote . '' ... As Ford celebrates the sale of the 100,000 th hybrid Escape , it is preparing for the introduction of a full line of new hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles . Chrysler , too , is electrifying its product lines . '' Sastry said she could n't be more delighted with GM 's plans for the Volt as a `` truly mass-marketed electrified drive train using electric technology . '' In 2008 , GM sold 14,439 hybrid vehicles , according to a statement from the company . `` These companies are serious about transforming themselves and transforming us into a nation less reliant on foreign oil , '' Granholm wrote . Sastry said public opinion toward energy conservation is a major factor in the companies being willing to take the risk of creating the new types of cars . `` These very large companies are placing a bet on the future in no small measure because of the American public 's change in attitude toward it , '' she said . In her commentary , Granholm referred to President Barack Obama 's plan , announced in February , to direct $ 2 billion from the economic stimulus package into technology aimed at putting 1 million American-made , plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015 . Sastry said it 's hard to predict when something of that scale will happen -- many industry experts disagree on an exact time -- but it will happen . `` Keep in mind , several industries have to work together to make this happen , '' she said . | Gov. Jennifer Granholm says auto industry 's future is electric . University of Michigan expert agrees Big Three need to move to electric cars . Public opinion on energy conservation is pushing the move , expert says . | [[0, 15], [19, 57], [2290, 2378]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A well-known Iranian filmmaker has written an open letter calling for the release of journalist Roxana Saberi . In a letter , Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi blames himself for urging Roxana Saberi to stay in Iran . Bahman Ghobadi said he kept quiet about the arrest and conviction of the Iranian-American journalist at the request of her family . After Saberi was convicted last weekend and sentenced to an eight-year prison sentence , he said he felt he had to do something . He told CNN that Saberi , whom he described as his fiancee , is caught in a `` game of politics . '' In his letter , which has been posted by the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran , Ghobadi blames himself for urging Saberi to stay in Iran despite her desire to leave . Also , he writes , `` My letter is a desperate call to all statesmen ... and to all those who can do something to help . '' `` From the other side of the ocean , the Americans have protested against her imprisonment , because she is an American citizen , '' he writes . `` But I say no , she is Iranian , and she loves Iran . I beg you , let her go ! I beg you not to throw her in the midst of your political games ! She is too weak and too pure to take part in your games . Let me be present at her trial , sit next to her wise father and gentle mother , and testify she is without guilt or reproach . '' The 40-year-old filmmaker said that Saberi was planning to leave the country , but he kept her from leaving until his latest film -- which will be shown at this year 's Cannes film festival -- was completed . Ghobadi won the 2000 Golden Camera award at the Cannes festival for his feature film , `` A Time for Drunken Horses . '' Saberi , 31 , was sentenced Saturday to eight years in prison after a one-day trial that was closed to the public . The decision prompted sharp denunciations from President Barack Obama , as well as other U.S. and international officials . Iranian officials initially said Saberi was held for buying a bottle of wine . The Foreign Ministry later said she was detained for reporting without proper accreditation . On April 9 , word emerged that Saberi had been charged with espionage . Saberi 's lawyer has said he will appeal the verdict . Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi has ordered the head of Tehran 's Justice Department to make sure the appeals process is quick and fair . Ghobadi wrote that he is `` optimistic about her release , and I firmly hope the verdict will be canceled in the next stage of the trial . '' `` My Iranian girl with Japanese eyes and an American ID , is in jail . Shame on me ! Shame on us ! '' CNN 's Igor Krotov and Shirzad Bozorghmehr contributed to this report . | Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi writes letter calling for release of jailed journalist . Filmmaker says fiancee Roxana Saberi is caught in a `` game of politics '' Journalist `` is without guilt or reproach , '' filmmaker 's letter says . `` Shame on me ! Shame on us ! '' the letter concludes . | [[0, 6], [9, 29], [46, 144], [529, 535], [563, 609], [1270, 1273], [1355, 1397], [145, 156], [159, 249], [613, 626], [708, 783]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of refugees on Wednesday blocked a main road in northwest Pakistan , to protest living conditions for some of the 1.5 million Pakistanis forced to flee their homes in the past three weeks . The refugee situation in Pakistan could be a bigger threat than fighting with Taliban , U.N. says . `` The government has been making big promises , but none of those were ever fulfilled , '' said Hazrat Bilal , a protester and refugee whose family has taken up temporary residence in a primary school . The refugees had blocked the main road in Pakistan 's Mardan district since 8 a.m. Wednesday , Bilal said by telephone . The demonstrators were demanding food , water and other government services , he said . Mardan is a main transit point for the large numbers of Pakistanis fleeing the Swat Valley , the site of fierce fighting between Taliban militants and Pakistani soldiers . The first pictures from the fighting '' The refugee crisis could pose a bigger threat to stability in Pakistan than the war itself , U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres told CNN while touring a refugee camp in the nearby Swabi district last week . The Pakistani government has been working with international aid agencies to establish camps for refugees , where tents , food , water and basic medical services are provided . But the scale and speed of the displacement -- said to be the worst since the Rwandan genocide in 1994 -- have overwhelmed aid workers , Guterres said . `` The scale of the problem is such that all our resources combined can not cope with it . And it 's very important for this population not to feel abandoned , '' Guterres said . `` Without massive support of the international community for the Pakistani people , this will become a very dramatic problem , and not only a humanitarian problem . '' On Tuesday , U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced $ 110 million in humanitarian aid for Pakistani refugees . She also unveiled a system that lets Americans donate to the U.N. refugee effort , by sending a text message on mobile phone , including the word `` Swat . '' Meanwhile , Pakistan 's military said it was continuing the assault on Taliban militants . Pakistani forces have targeted regional Taliban commander Maulana Fazlullah and Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan , but have `` no information about whether we have been successful , '' said the spokesman , Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas . He said 80 `` terrorists '' were killed Tuesday night in `` intense fighting '' in the town of Sultanwas , located in Buner district . One Pakistani soldier was also killed in recent fighting , Abbas said . | Nearly 1.5 million Pakistanis have registered as displaced since May 2 , U.N. says . U.N. believes refugee crisis could be bigger threat than fight with Taliban . United States is sending $ 110 million in aid to Pakistan . | [[151, 155], [159, 238], [327, 338], [239, 324], [964, 1047], [1867, 1877], [1880, 1988]] |
Tokyo is a huge and often confusing city for travelers , but with these tips you need n't be daunted by the Japanese capital . 100 Yen shops are great value for money . Subway Tokyo has an incredibly efficient subway , but the 13 lines are run by two different companies , Toei Subways and Tokyo Metro , meaning a bewildering variety of day passes are available . A good bet is the Toei and Tokyo Metro One-Day Economy Pass , which costs ¥ 1,000 and gives you a day of unlimited travel on all subway lines . During rush-hour the subway becomes an unbearable crush . All social niceties go out the window in a free for all that 's best avoided completely . Taxis During the day traffic can be gridlocked , but in the evening , when traffic is lighter , taxis are reasonably alternative to the subway . Enter and exit taxis by the back left-hand door . Do n't make the novice 's error of trying to open or close the door -- your white-gloved driver will do that from the front seat . Ideally , have a map of your destination , or at least an address written in Japanese . Tipping is not expected . ATMs Although Tokyo is ultra-modern , you may have to revert to carrying travelers ' checks for the duration of your stay . Few ATMs accept foreign cards , although you should have more luck at post offices and branches of Citibank . ATMs in busy areas stay open until 9 p.m. and most are closed at weekends , although Citibank has 24-hour ATMs . Credit cards are still not accepted as widely as you might expect , so travelers ' checks are your best bet -- and make sure you 're carrying cash if you 're planning a night out away from the city center . What 's on The best way to keep up with events and entertainment is with one of Tokyo 's English language magazines . Metropolis and Tokyo Notice Board are two of the best -- and they 're both free . 100 Yen shops These bargain stores are hugely popular in Tokyo , selling everything from food to toiletries for ¥ 100 plus ¥ 5 tax -- about $ 1 . They are also a great place to pick up an inexpensive , kitschy souvenir . Daiso 100-Yen Shop in Takeshita-dori -LRB- Village 107 Building , 1-19-24 Jingumae , Shibuya-ku -RRB- has four floors of cheap thrills . Etiquette As a foreigner , having a generally courteous demeanor will cover a multitude of sins , but there are a few rules you should try to remember : . - Never use your chopsticks to take food from someone else 's and do n't stick your chopsticks upright in your food when you 've finished -- both of these denote funerary customs . - If you 're eating with other people , do n't pour your own drink . Fill your neighbor 's glass and wait for them to reciprocate . - The Japanese do n't pour sauces onto their rice . Leave any sauces in their serving dish and dip your food in lightly . - It 's a faux pas be seen eating in public -- especially on a train . And blowing your nose in public is an absolute no-no . ... . What are your tips for a great stay in Tokyo ? Where have you found the `` real '' Tokyo ? Send us your suggestions in the `` Sound Off '' box below and we 'll print the best . | Tokyo has a fantastic subway system -- just do n't use it during rush hour . Few ATMs accept foreign cards , so you should take travelers ' checks . 100 Yen shops are hugely popular in Tokyo and are great value for money . | [[1220, 1249], [1514, 1550], [127, 168], [1850, 1912]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tokyo was known as Edo until 1868 , but it 's hard to imagine that this high-rise , high-tech metropolis could possibly have existed in a time before electricity and concrete . Tokyo is n't just a futuristic city ; it 's the place that has shaped our vision of what the future will look like . In Tokyo , the future is a long-standing tradition . There 's a sci-fi familiarity to areas like Shibuya , Shinjuku and Akihabara ; the skyscrapers glowing with illuminated signs , subway stops inside shopping malls and taxis with automated doors could be straight out of `` Blade Runner '' or `` The Fifth Element . '' But the space-age topography of Tokyo has been shaped by a history of catastrophe . In the 20th century alone Tokyo suffered earthquakes , fires and devastating bombing . The result is a city that has repeatedly been forced to rebuild , shedding its past with each successive redevelopment . In Tokyo , the future is a long-standing tradition . After centuries of expansion , Tokyo has grown vertically to accommodate its 12 million residents . Perhaps the inevitability of another catastrophic earthquake accounts for the lack of emotional attachment to the city 's architecture ; buildings are continuously being pulled down and replaced , creating the sensation that Tokyo 's skyline is a permanent work in progress . While it can seem that the city is intent on stream rolling over its past , you can still see traces of old Edo . The Meiji Jingu Shrine tells of the city 's Shinto heritage and there 's something timeless about the charming chaos of Tsukiji Fish Market . Even the enduring formalities of Tokyo 's social etiquette and the joy with which Tokyoites greet the coming of the cherry blossom are signs that the city maintains a lingering affection for its traditions . At first glance , Tokyoites may seem sober and industrious , efficiently going about the business of making their city a world capital of techno commerce , but shops filled with manga comics and anime DVDs hint at a desire to escape the obligations of real life . That appetite for escapism is most colorfully expressed in the phenomenon of `` cosplay '' , which sees teenagers dress as characters from cartoons and comic strips , or in the outlandish uniforms of various distinctive subcultures . In the 80s , Japan 's bubble economy created unsustainable growth in Tokyo and property prices in the capital went through the roof . When the bubble burst in the early 90s , Tokyo was hit particularly hard but , after years of recession , Tokyo has the buzz of a city regaining its confidence . For this endlessly fascinating city , it 's back to business -- and back to the future . | Known as Edo until 1868 , Tokyo has been shaped by a history of disasters . There 's a sci-fi familiarity to areas like Shibuya , Shinjuku and Akihabara . There are still traces of traditional Tokyo , such as at the Meiji Jingu Shrine . | [[19, 52], [637, 716], [633, 716], [366, 442]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rick Warren , founder and pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest , California , is one of America 's most influential authors and religious leaders . In August , he moderated a discussion on key issues between presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain . Rick Warren says no matter what problem you have , there 's a purpose behind it . His latest book is `` The Purpose of Christmas . '' He was interviewed by Kiran Chetry on `` American Morning '' on Friday . Here is an edited version of the exchange : . Chetry : We always say we do n't want Christmas to be commercialized . It seems that at the end of the year , we end up in the same position , worried about buying presents , worried about spending money , worried about holiday cards , and how do you get back to the real meaning ? Rick Warren : A lot of people are really hurting because of the economy and because of the fears about what 's going to happen , and really those same problems are the problems that Mary and Joseph went through . Housing , no room at the inn , travel , economic unrest , things like that . So I wrote this book really to focus us on what is the true meaning of Christmas . It 's a book of hope , and the big idea behind it is that no matter what problem you 're going through , there 's a purpose behind it . God has a purpose , and that purpose can help you make it through even the stressful times when we decide to write a note to everybody , buy a gift for everybody , redecorate our house , have five or six meals and go to eight or nine parties . Rick Warren : Shop more or pray more ? '' Chetry : Exactly , because that 's usually what ends up happening , and sometimes the spirit of giving and fellowship is lost in that . You also write in the book , remember that God loves you , but for somebody who is facing foreclosure -- let 's say you lost a loved one or your job or dealing with an illness -- it can sound pat in a way . What do you say to people who say , pastor , I do n't feel that God loves me or I would n't be going through this . Warren : Actually , sometimes what we think is a problem is actually a protection . For instance , last month my daughter-in-law , who is 25 years old , went through a brain tumor . She had her first child premature , about six weeks early , and when she had that baby early , it was breech . The cord was wrapped around its neck and it stopped breathing and they actually had to do an emergency C-section and resuscitate the child and save the baby 's life and save her life . We looked at that and we thought , boy , that 's a pretty tough problem , but we now know that she had a three-inch brain tumor at the base of her brainstem , and if she had pushed , it would have killed her . And so actually , seven weeks later , when she should have been delivering the baby , we discovered the brain tumor , and she would have been trying to have brain surgery , three surgeries , one was 20 hours long , at the same time as having a baby . So what we thought was a problem was actually a protection saving her life . And sometimes , we look at a tapestry , and from the top down , you can see the picture . From the bottom up , it 's all of these different colors of threads . It makes no sense . It 's all jumbled . When God looks down , he sees what he 's doing . When we look up , we just see the jumble . Chetry : And she 's OK ? Warren : She 's OK . Chetry : Thank goodness . I want to turn to politics now and ask you about the summit you hosted for both of the candidates . Great provocative questions and interesting answers we were n't hearing on the campaign trail . Now that the campaign is over , what is your reaction to the outcome and to President-elect Barack Obama ? Warren : Well , there 's no doubt about it , we need to be praying for our president . I do n't think any president has come into a crisis so quickly as President-elect Obama has , and no president has come in with probably as high expectations as President-elect Obama . So we need to pray for him . We need to support him where we can , and we need -- we want the best for America . Chetry : Religion factored heavily into some of the back-and-forth in the campaign season . Many people believed -LSB- incorrectly -RSB- that Barack Obama was n't really Christian , that he was Muslim , and , of course , the Jeremiah Wright thing . Religion ended up , unfortunately , being a divisive issue at times as opposed to one that was a uniting issue . How do you change that ? Warren : Part of it is we have to end the caricaturization of the candidates . I know all of the candidates on both sides , and none of them were exactly as they were portrayed . We tend to overportray them whether it 's Sarah Palin or Hillary Clinton , Barack Obama or John McCain . They 're not anything like the caricaturization that we often hear . We tend to push to extremes . They are a lot more practical and pragmatic , I think , than we want to give them credit for , and every president , when he becomes president , has to let go of some ideology and become more of a pragmatist because there 's so many issues that you do n't probably understand until you actually hold the office . | Pastor Rick Warren : Problems we face similar to those of Mary and Joseph . He says we need to look for the purpose of Christmas and of our problems . Warren : We need to pray for new president and support him where we can . | [[956, 1035], [288, 369], [1124, 1195], [3805, 3846], [4035, 4060]] |
MUMBAI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The children in their party outfits on the red carpet were in full agreement with the woman in the middle of the slum : `` It 's unbelievable ! '' Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali got to leave their homes in Mumbai to go to Hollywood for the Oscars . Nine-year-old Rubina Ali and Azharuddin Ismail , 10 , were living a very different life and apparently loving every minute of it . The two , some of the child stars of the Oscar-winning `` Slumdog Millionaire '' movie , know the Indian slum well . It 's where they 've grown up , and it 's where they will return at the end of their Hollywood dream trip . But before that , there was the red carpet and an interview with E! host Ryan Seacrest , where they grinned and repeated their disbelief at what was happening to them . `` Unbelievable . I never thought it would be an Oscar , this movie , '' said another of the children , Ayush Mahesh Khedekar . Then it was to the awards show itself , where their movie won first for its cinematography , script and music . Toward the end of the evening , Danny Boyle picked up best director , and then Rubina , Azharuddin and many of the movie 's other stars got to storm the stage with producer Christian Colson to collect the best picture award . By that time , it was late morning in the children 's home city of Mumbai , where family , friends and many fellow residents of the slum watched the results from Hollywood . Watch how Mumbai celebrated '' `` I do n't really know what the Oscars are , '' Rubina 's mom said . `` I 'm just glad my daughter looks happy , though she told me she misses Indian food . '' The Oscar success of `` Slumdog '' distracted some from the drudgery of their daily lives . But the poverty and lack of opportunity that 's a central theme of the film is always all around . `` Our children lead a dog 's life , '' Rubina 's mother said , pointing out garbage everywhere , the open drains and the lack of education opportunities . That at least may change for Rubina and Azharuddin . In a few days they will be back in Mumbai and back in the slums that are their home . Watch how ` Slumdog Millionaire ' dominated at the Academy Awards '' But , according to media reports , Boyle has promised to help the children he plucked from the obscurity of the slum and see that they will now get to go to a proper school . | Two child stars of `` Slumdog Millionaire '' come from the slum featured in the movie . They traveled from Mumbai to Hollywood for Academy Awards . Disbelief , joy echoed amid the red carpet glamour and in the squalor of the slums . | [[181, 284], [227, 238], [249, 284]] |
Editor 's note : CNN agreed not to use the full names of the family in this article due to concern for their safety . Youssif is able to smile again , and his scars are healing well . Doctors are monitoring the swelling on his right ear . WOODLAND HILLS , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Youssif happily pulls off his plastic face mask and pats his cheeks , which were once covered by horrific burns . `` No hurt , '' the 5-year-old Iraqi boy says in English . `` No hurt . '' He then shows off his right hand . It too had been marred by hardened scar tissue after he was attacked by masked men outside his central Baghdad home January 15 , 2007 . Now , his hand is smooth . Youssif flashes a proud grin . A few moments later , he darts off and comes back toting his kindergarten portfolio . In less than a month of schooling , he 's now writing the alphabet in upper - and lowercase . See photos of a transformed Youssif '' He reads a book , repeating each word after the narrator . When he gets to the word `` you , '' he gets tickled . He points at the name `` Youssif '' and then covers the final four letters . `` You , '' he says . Youssif began attending an American school just last month , one year to the day after he was so savagely attacked in Baghdad . In a recent letter to those who have helped his son , Youssif 's father described the anniversary as a `` very hard day '' to endure but one that also brought joy . `` But this year , it was the day for another miracle , Youssif 's first day of kindergarten . It was a very happy day , '' Youssif 's father said . Youssif begins each day with his father strapping him into a bike trailer . Dad then pedals him to school . On one recent outing , his dad 's mobile phone blared Arabic music as Youssif quietly sat in the back , a helmet securely strapped to his head , the wind whirling past . As soon as they reached the school , Youssif 's slow walk away from his father , his head held down , quickly changed into a sprint toward his classroom , and all you could see was the big red `` S '' on his Superman backpack flying away . `` Harry , '' Youssif says in a small , muffled tone , reading the writing on the dry-erase board after receiving a little help from some classmates seated on the rug . Watch Youssif-inspired music video '' He then receives a congratulatory high-five from one of his kindergarten teachers . Youssif is adjusting well to school , able to write out the alphabet and count to 12 without hesitation . He always finishes with an accomplished sigh , wide eyes and a smile so big , it 's as if he is making up for the 10 months he was not able to smile . He is quick to show the pencil box on his desk , pointing to his name written on it and then pointing to himself with the same tiny finger and nodding his head , letting you know that it is his . `` The kids love Youssif . They get more excited than he does when he learns a new word in English , and they brag about it for hours , '' the mother of a classmate says . Youssif is attending the school thanks to help from the Children 's Burn Foundation , the Grossman Burn Center and hundreds of thousands of dollars donated by you , the CNN.com user , to help bring him and his family to the United States for treatment . Youssif has undergone more than half a dozen surgeries . One removed the most massive scarring , which stretched about half a foot , from one of his ears to below his chin . See how doctors removed Youssif 's scars '' He could undergo as many as 12 more procedures , his doctors say , mostly to tweak scars . His right ear has swelled , and doctors are monitoring it to figure out the best way to keep it in check . He wears a clear plastic face mask for much of the day to keep his skin tight and to allow it to heal correctly . But the young boy 's transformation -- both in looks and in spirit -- is nothing short of remarkable . Back at his apartment , Youssif peels a clementine . He uses exaggerated motions as he plops each section in his mouth . At one point , he places his hand on his hip and taps his foot , waiting for an acknowledgment of this feat . When he came to America in September , he could n't eat -- or at least not like this . He smiles again . `` Now , Youssif eats anything he wants , because he can open and close his mouth , '' his father said in the letter . `` I have begun to see my son 's lively spirit return . The surgeries have removed more than just external scars , they are also beginning to remove his internal scars . `` A few weeks ago we went to the park and Youssif rode on the merry-go-round . Every time he passed by , he shrieked and laughed and waved wildly to me . I thought my heart would burst with happiness . '' E-mail to a friend . | Youssif began attending school in metro LA one year to the day of his attack . Boy burned in Iraq is already writing the alphabet and counting . Dad says , `` I have begun to see my son 's lively spirit return '' | [[2387, 2394], [2430, 2471], [1550, 1577], [4357, 4409]] |
Editor 's note : CNN agreed not to use the full names of the family members in this article due to concern for their safety . Youssif and his surgeon , Dr. Peter Grossman , shake hands at the end of their Wednesday visit . SHERMAN OAKS , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Youssif nervously scanned the doctor 's examining room , his dark brown eyes darting around , from the floor to the wall to the ceiling . His mother stroked his hair and then his forehead to put him at ease before the doctor walked in to the room . A day earlier , the badly burned 5-year-old Iraqi boy had boarded a plane in Amman , Jordan , with his family , their first trip on an airplane . Now , more than 7,500 miles later , his mom , dad and 14-month-old sister were with him at the Grossman Burn Center in the heart of sunny Southern California . Dr. Peter Grossman strode into the room , a warm smile across his face . He held Youssif 's hand . The boy turned shyly around and buried his face into his father 's leg . `` This is not unusual , '' said Grossman , a plastic surgeon with more than 12 years of experience , including helping one young girl whose face had melted to her shoulder after a horrific accident . Watch Youssif show his scars to Grossman for the first time '' A father of two children , Grossman spoke softly and reassured Youssif that they would soon be friends . `` We 're going to do everything we can to make him better , '' he told Youssif 's parents . Perhaps haunted by the pain he suffered in Baghdad 's hospitals , Youssif hiccupped back sobs as his father lifted him onto the examination table . But the boy put on a brave face after his father told him to let the doctor do his job . `` Who 's the brave one ? Youssif , '' his father whispered reassuringly . `` He 's not going to hurt you , I promise . '' Grossman pulled out measuring tape and took measurements of scars under the boy 's chin and around his nose . One swollen scar around his chin measured nearly 3 inches . He also examined burns on Youssif 's hands , forehead and right ear . At one point , Youssif thrust his head back and opened his mouth as best he could for the doctor . But his lips barely separated , their movement hampered by the swollen , hardened flesh . `` What we want to eventually do is be able to get him to open his mouth as wide as he can , '' Grossman said . Youssif faces eight to 10 operations , possibly more , over the next six to eight months . He also will undergo psychological therapy to help him better adapt to all that has happened to him . See photos of the boy 's arrival in the U.S. '' On January 15 , masked men grabbed Youssif outside his central Baghdad home , doused him in gas and set him on fire . Grossman wo n't be able to make all the scars go away , he said , but he 's confident that `` we can make him significantly better . '' `` We 're going to do everything we can to move forward and to do a good job , '' he said . The boy 's mother nodded solemnly . `` I just want my son 's smile back , '' she told the doctor . Watch how masked men stole a boy 's smile . Youssif was introduced to his other doctors , a pediatrician and anesthesiologist . The boy cuddled into the warm confines of his father 's chest . His dark eyes kept a keen watch on all those around him . His first operation could come as early as next week and involve multiple procedures . Grossman will cut away scar tissue around his nose and put temporary skin from a cadaver over it . `` We 're also going to stick a balloon underneath the good skin under his neck and on his face , '' the doctor said . `` The purpose of that is over time we will stretch the good skin , so that in about three months he will be able to go back to surgery , remove the scar tissue and pull up the stretched out good tissues . '' Grossman eventually will work to repair Youssif 's upper lip . `` We 're going to make you a lot better , '' he said . With that , the doctor brought this introductory session to a close . The two shook hands . He also tried teaching Youssif an American guy classic : hitting your fists together in cool approval . Youssif watched and listened . He stretched his fist out , then pulled it back . He looked up at his father and then slammed his fist with his father 's -- the only man this wounded boy trusts right now . His father caressed his son 's hair and planted a soft kiss on his head . He risked so much for this moment for his son . This was more than just a journey from Iraq to America . `` I 'm emotionally exhausted , '' Youssif 's dad said . `` We went from death to a new life . '' E-mail to a friend . | Burned Iraqi boy will undergo eight to 10 surgeries in coming months . Youssif 's medical treatment in California follows CNN story about him . Youssif remains cautious around doctor but eventually warms up . By the end of first visit , the boy , 5 , and doctor shake hands . | [[2358, 2394], [126, 149], [173, 222], [3997, 4018]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Rev. Martin Luther King is looking down on the United States , smiling , Otis Sutton said Wednesday . Otis Sutton , 78 , recalls how times have changed since he grew up in the segregated South . `` That 's what he wanted . He 'd been preaching that all along , '' Sutton , 78 , said of the nation electing its first African-American president . Sutton , who has worked on and off at the historic Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta , Georgia , since it opened in 1947 , was baptized by the civil rights icon 's father , King Sr. . He remembers playing pick-up football games in a dirt lot with King Jr. when they were both youngsters in Atlanta . Asked if King Jr. was any good at football , Sutton chuckled . `` He liked to read and study , '' he said with a reverence that prohibited him from disparaging King Jr. in any way , `` but he loved the game . '' Walk around Atlanta and you 'll find plenty of African-Americans who hope Sen. Barack Obama will inspire young people to reach for a book rather than a football . `` As young , black Americans our society and our communities had told us that the only way we could make it out is if we entertain , '' said Cortez Tarver , 28 , who cuts hair at the University Barbershop , just down the street from the historically black Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University . Hear Tarver talk about Obama 's win '' `` They want us to be funny . They want us to cook their food , entertain them and play their sports -- and we do all that , we 're just going to fit in . '' The media reinforce the erroneous notion that successful black men exist only in the realms of hip hop , football and basketball , Tarver said . The result is that fewer and fewer African-American children aspire to occupations like doctor and lawyer , he said . All that changed after Obama locked up the Electoral College vote on Tuesday night . `` Now , they can say they want to be president , '' Tarver said of young blacks . `` This shows us , hey , if we go to college , we study hard , we help out our communities , we can become president , we can become something great -- other than shucking and jiving , other than putting on a show . '' Sutton likens Obama 's rise through the political ranks to Tiger Woods ' rise through professional golf . Until about 12 years ago , when Woods turned pro , it was rare to find black youngsters swinging clubs at their local links . Even if they had the natural skills , they did not believe the game belonged to them , he said . `` You never seen black children playing golf till -LSB- Woods -RSB- started playing , '' said Sutton , explaining that even his 7-year-old grandson , Josh , now enjoys playing golf . What Woods did for golf , Sutton said , Obama has done for politics . Children across the nation were told Tuesday night that they , too , can aspire to the highest office in the land . `` If he can do it , they believe they can do it , '' Sutton said . Back at University Barbershop , Tarver 's colleague , Spot Jackson , 28 , said the only thing keeping him awake was some Burger King coffee and a few doughnuts after staying up until 6 a.m. watching election news . Like Tarver and Sutton , Jackson said he believes Obama shattered the ceiling for black men and women . He joked that Obama 's victory made him want to start a foundation . Its mission would be simple , he said . `` We 're going to eradicate the word ` ca n't . ' We 're going to try to get it out of every dictionary known to man , '' he said . `` There 's nothing you can honestly say you ca n't do anymore ; it just changes your perception as far as what you think is possible in this country . '' Jackson dismissed a question about whether the change was made possible by Obama 's skin color , saying it was more about the man 's character and platform . `` He could 've been green and if the message was the same and it resonated the same way it did , then he still would 've gotten the same support , '' he said . Jackson said he saw television footage of people in Indonesia celebrating the U.S. presidential election , something he 's never seen in the 10 years he 's been voting . Morgan Blanchard , 20 , a junior at Clark Atlanta , said she also was impressed to see international footage from Italy and Australia of people celebrating the election . It shows Obama has broad appeal , which speaks more to his honesty and principles than to his skin color , she said . `` Oh gosh , it 's not even that he 's African-American , '' she said , noting with a sly smile that Obama 's mother was white . `` It 's the way he carries himself , the way he puts himself out there . I do n't think race has anything to do with it . '' Her sentiments were echoed by fellow Clark Atlanta student Ashante Smith , 18 . A sophomore studying music , Smith said many African-Americans voted for Obama because of his race , but she pointed out that he also snared millions of votes in white and Latino communities . `` I think he was just really committed to all communities , '' she said . And while she thinks Obama can help improve education , unemployment and the economy in general , she concurs with many who say he can hearten generations of African-Americans to reach higher in life . `` It just inspires me to go for what I want , '' she said . `` It 's like we can do anything . '' | African-Americans in Martin Luther King Jr. 's hometown say Obama shattered ceiling . Otis Sutton says Obama did for politics what Tiger Woods did for golf . Blacks no longer relegated to `` shucking and jiving '' to get ahead , barber says . | [[3212, 3290], [2718, 2741], [2756, 2787]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iraqi police and soldiers on Saturday launched major raids in a once-notorious insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad . Saturday 's raids in Falluja by Iraqi forces were similar to U.S.-led sweeps in the city in 2004 , shown here . A police official in the Anbar province city of Falluja told CNN that a large number of security forces were scouring its Sinaie district for an array of weapons -- machine guns , mortars , rocket-propelled grenades and small arms . The Sinaie area , in Falluja 's southeastern section , is an industrial district with factories , scrap yards and large , abandoned yards . The area used to be a stronghold of the insurgency in Falluja until the militants were driven out in major military operations five years ago . At that time , the U.S.-led offensive was largely in response to the brutal ambush , killing and mutilation of four U.S. security contractors . Their charred bodies were left dangling from a bridge over the Euphrates River in spring 2004 . In November of that year , U.S. and Iraqi forces attacked insurgents in Falluja , killing about 1,200 militants . Eight Iraqi soldiers and 51 U.S. troops , mostly Marines , died in urban combat , according to the Pentagon . About 95 percent of Falluja 's population was displaced . Falluja is about 37 miles , or 60 kilometers , west of Baghdad . After the city was pacified , the United States committed more than $ 200 million to reconstruction projects there , and changes became evident . Small cafes and grocery stores lined the streets once dusty and abandoned . Iraqis in Falluja got back to the rhythms of everyday life : They worked , shopped -- and rebuilt . As fragile security gains took root , American military officials marveled at the resurgent city of several hundred thousand . On Saturday , a police official denied reports that armed groups were trying to re-establish a foothold in the area . The U.S. military said Marines and police in the nearby town of Karma were also participating in a combined cache sweep . Violence has dropped in Iraq , and President Obama 's administration has been gearing up to withdraw U.S. troops . The U.S. military continues to be on guard for flare-ups in violence and insurgent activity . The vast and predominantly Sunni Arab Anbar province was a battleground between the U.S. military and al Qaeda in Iraq during the earlier years of the Iraq war . But the insurgents eventually lost ground when a grass-roots movement called `` the awakening '' emerged . The tribe-based awakening forces rejected al Qaeda in Iraq and turned their allegiances toward the U.S. and Iraqi government . While the awakening does n't have clout in Falluja , there are pockets of support just outside the city , as well as in the rest of the province . Al Qaeda in Iraq 's strongest presence in the country is now in the Mosul area , in Nineveh province , north of Baghdad . | Iraqi police official says security forces were scouring Sinaie district of Falluja . U.S. military : Marines and area police assisting in combined cache sweep . Anbar province is vast and violent scene of U.S. and al Qaeda in Iraq encounters . | [[264, 496], [334, 496], [1935, 2004], [1958, 2056], [2266, 2427]] |
SINGAPORE -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of customers flocked to the Singapore office of troubled insurer American International Group Inc. -LRB- AIG -RRB- on Wednesday , many hoping to pull their investments and policies from the company . People in Singapore queue outside the office of AIA , a subsidiary of AIG . The crowd formed just hours after the U.S. Federal Reserve Board authorized the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to lend $ 85 billion to a crumbling AIG . In return , the federal government will receive a nearly 80 percent stake in the company . One person who lined up in Singapore , retired teacher Wong Yoke Inn , said she was going to pull her investments from AIA even though it would cost her about $ 3,000 -- the equivalent of about $ 2,000 in the United States . She joined an orderly crowd whose members were each given a number and a time to return to meet with a representative of AIA Singapore -- AIG 's division in the island nation . AIA tried to allay investors concerns in a statement distributed outside the Singapore office and posted on the company 's Web site . `` AIA Singapore has more than sufficient capital and reserves ... to meet our obligations to policyholders , '' the statement said . `` The funds maintained in Singapore are segregated from American International Group , Inc. -LRB- AIG -RRB- and are held specifically for the purpose of meeting our obligations to policyholders . '' The U.S. government announced Tuesday night that it would act to save America 's largest insurer from filing for bankruptcy . Such a move almost certainly would have further roiled world markets already reeling from the bankruptcy filling of Lehman Brothers and the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America . AIG has $ 1.1 trillion in assets and 74 million clients in 130 countries . | Hundreds queue outside AIG subsidiary in Singapore following news of U.S. bailout . U.S. Fed announces $ 85 billion loan to one of world 's largest insurers . Singapore offices try to ease worries of policyholders . | [[29, 165], [348, 468], [962, 1014]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The New York Times endorsed Arizona Sen. John McCain for the Republican presidential nomination over Rudy Giuliani and the rest of the GOP field , strongly criticizing the former mayor of its home city . Sens. John McCain , left , and Rudy Giuliani took part in a debate in Florida on Thursday . In endorsements posted on its Web site for Friday 's editions , the Times also endorsed New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination . `` Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small , angry fringe , '' the paper 's editorial board wrote . `` With a record of working across the aisle to develop sound bipartisan legislation , he would offer a choice to a broader range of Americans than the rest of the Republican field . '' The endorsement anticipated readers asking how the New York paper could reject Giuliani , a man it endorsed for re-election in 1997 and praised for his work cleaning up crime in the city and during the time of the September 11 , 2001 attacks . `` That man is not running for president , '' the paper wrote . `` The Rudolph Giuliani of 2008 first shamelessly turned the horror of 9/11 into a lucrative business , with a secret client list , then exploited his city 's and the country 's nightmare to promote his presidential campaign , '' the paper writes , describing Giuliani as `` a narrow , obsessively secretive , vindictive man . '' Giuliani played down the harsh words , suggesting that the Times has a liberal editorial staff that often disapproved of him . `` I probably never did anything the New York Times suggested I do in eight years as mayor of New York City , and if I did , I would n't be considered a conservative Republican , '' Giuliani said during a Republican debate Thursday night hosted by MSNBC in Boca Raton , Florida . `` I changed welfare , I changed quality of life , I took on homelessness -- I did all the things that they think makes you mean and I believe show true compassion and true love for people . '' His was n't the only Republican campaign taking that tack . An e-mail from the campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney sarcastically noted that McCain had been endorsed by '' -LSB- t -RSB- hat bastion of conservative advocacy . '' The editorial was hardly full of praise for McCain , despite calling him a `` genuine war hero '' and a `` staunch advocate of campaign finance reform . '' `` Mr. McCain was one of the first prominent Republicans to point out how badly the war in Iraq was being managed . We wish he could now see as clearly past the temporary victories produced by Mr. Bush 's unsustainable escalation , which have not led to any change in Iraq 's murderous political calculus , '' it reads . `` At the least , he owes Americans a real idea of how he would win this war , which he says he can do . '' The paper praised Clinton 's chief rival , Sen. Barack Obama , but called Clinton more qualified for the job . `` It is unfair , especially after seven years of Mr. Bush 's inept leadership , but any Democrat will face tougher questioning about his or her fitness to be commander in chief , '' it reads . `` Mrs. Clinton has more than cleared that bar , using her years in the Senate well to immerse herself in national security issues , and has won the respect of world leaders and many in the American military . '' The Democratic editorial contrasts Clinton and Obama -- calling her `` the brilliant if at times harsh-sounding senator from New York '' and him `` the incandescent if still undefined senator from Illinois . '' The paper says Clinton `` sometimes overstates the importance of -LSB- her -RSB- resume , '' but that upon hearing `` her policies and answers for America 's big problems , we are hugely impressed by the depth of her knowledge , by the force of her intellect and by the breadth of , yes , her experience . '' New York is one of a host of states that will vote during the February 5 Super Tuesday primaries . E-mail to a friend . | Paper rips Rudy Giuliani as `` a narrow , obsessively secretive , vindictive man '' Giuliani responds : I would n't be a conservative Republican if I did what paper wanted . Opinion piece says McCain will `` end the George Bush style of governing '' Paper praises Barack Obama but calls Hillary Clinton more qualified for the job . | [[1394, 1413], [1427, 1493], [1394, 1406], [1416, 1493], [1747, 1800], [2924, 2933], [2991, 3034]] |
Editor 's Note : Republican strategist Alex Castellanos was a campaign consultant for Mitt Romney 's presidential campaign and has worked on more than half a dozen presidential campaigns . Castellanos is a partner in National Media Inc. , a political and public affairs consulting firm that specializes in advertising . Alex Castellanos says stimulus bill is a cover for a bold plan for government to rule key parts of private sector . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two Congressmen walk into a bar to watch President Obama 's first prime-time press conference . The Democrat says to the Republican ... . D : Just watch the president tonight and you 'll see how to get this economy back on track . Monopolies . R : Monopolies ? D : Monopolies so big they will shame Parker Brothers and make them put the board game in a bigger box . Monopolies so huge , they 'll make railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt look like a push-cart operator . R : Why monopolies ? D : In these desperate times , we ca n't afford to let Americans choose inefficient cars or wasteful health care . We ca n't let innovation run wild on Wall Street or Main Street . We have to make sure Americans are secure in their health care and jobs , their incomes and energy . To serve the greater good , we have to organize America 's economy so it achieves the best possible ends for all Americans . We ca n't leave that to chance . Who knows what might happen if individual Americans make those choices in a free market and organize themselves ? R : A little less freedom , a lot more organization , all for the collective good ? D : My friend , we need a directed economy , where we limit people 's choices to those that serve the best social ends . Our nation 's development is best controlled by monopolies , not some atomistic economy where Americans are free to make almost any choice and organize bottom-up , according to their own whims . That means , big , honking , all-powerful monopolies . R : But during the campaign , Obama talked about change , fueling `` bottom-up prosperity . '' This sounds like the same old , top-down , industrial-age stuff Democrats have been pitching for years . D : You betcha ! Bottom-up campaign rhetoric just ran into the top-down Democratic establishment from Washington . Guess who won . We 're going to create monopolies in the biggest sectors of the economy , starting with banking and financial services . Even after the meltdown , that 's still the largest stock market sector , 16 percent of the S&P . R : Follow the money . D : Exactly . With massive regulation , caps on pay and restrictions on risk and competition , we can turn the entire financial sector into a cross between a public utility and the DMV . R : And then ? D : We 'll create an energy monopoly that would make J. D. Rockefeller look like a gas station attendant . If it has anything to do with energy , we will control it , plan it and direct it . You are going to love your windmill . R : I 'm not feeling so good . D : That 's next . A health care monopoly alone will organize another 16 percent of the economy . Choice and diversity are great , but not so much in health care . We 'll throw in $ 20 billion at the start for paperless health records . Data , my friend , is power . You know where we will go : Cost controls . Restricted formularies . Nancy Pelosi can be your doctor . You do n't need a lot of choice . Just a good choice . Or a good-enough choice . Cough for me . R : Watch that . I 'm leaving . D : Now that you mention it , we ca n't forget the good old American auto industry . To borrow from Henry Ford , consumers can pick any color car they want , as long as it is green . R : Who are you going to get to run these monopolies ? You are dealing with increasingly complex economic networks . How are you going to coordinate the sophisticated relationships , the subtle interests and ever-changing needs of millions of American consumers ? Americans have traditionally done that themselves , in a natural and organic way , one to another , through the market . Who is smart enough to replace all that ? D : Congress . R : You are making this stuff up . The president is n't talking about huge government-run monopolies . All he 's talking about is the stimulus bill . iReport.com : Share your thoughts on the stimulus package . D : Of course . That 's the beauty of the thing . As long as we call it `` stimulus , '' we can pass almost anything that expands the power of government to command people 's lives . Why do you think Newsweek 's cover says , `` We Are All Socialists Now ? '' R : I need a drink . Do n't they serve Congressmen in this bar ? D : No . But you can buy one from a lobbyist . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Alex Castellanos . | Alex Castellanos : Democrats think we ca n't let the free market rule economy . He says Democrats are trying to micro-manage the crucial finance sector . Castellanos says they also want to make key decisions for health care . He says stimulus bill is being used as cover for introducing bigger government . | [[320, 397]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House committees will begin action on President-elect Barack Obama 's proposed economic recovery package in the next couple of weeks , with a vote in the full House slated for the week after Obama 's inauguration . Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will not go on a break until an economic recovery package is passed . Obama will take office January 20 . If that schedule slips , Pelosi , D-California , pledged to cancel the House 's planned weeklong break in mid-February for Presidents Day . `` We are not going home without an economic recovery package , '' Pelosi said . Pelosi said Obama 's plan has broad public support `` almost sight unseen , '' citing a poll from Politico that says 79 percent of Americans support the president-elect 's plan . A senior Pelosi aide said discussions about the details are ongoing between the Obama transition team and key leaders . The Ways and Means Committee will focus on the tax piece , approximately $ 300 billion in tax cuts . Obama transition aides met with Democrats on that committee Wednesday morning to discuss various proposals , according to another Democratic aide . The Appropriations Committee is tasked with drafting details on spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects , food stamps and other aid to states . Sidestepping a question on possible roadblocks for the bill , Pelosi instead touted the new muscle of the expanded Democratic majority . `` We have been so used to an uphill fight , but now we have arrived . We have a big , strong , something like an 80-vote majority in the Congress , in the House , with a Democratic president in the White House , '' she said . In a speech Thursday , Obama said it was imperative that Congress move quickly to pass the stimulus package once he takes office , warning that a failure to do so would have devastating long-term consequences to the nation 's economy . `` We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime , a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks , '' Obama said at George Mason University in Virginia . Watch Obama call for `` dramatic action '' on the economy '' `` I do n't believe it 's too late to change course , but it will be if we do n't take dramatic action as soon as possible , '' Obama continued . `` If nothing is done , this recession could linger for years . '' Key members of Obama 's own party , however , said they opposed central tax measures of the president-elect 's proposals after emerging from a closed-door meeting of the Senate Finance Committee . Watch Obama explain his tax proposals '' In particular , they do not think that giving employers a $ 3,000 tax credit for each worker they hired would work . `` I 'm not that excited about that , '' said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts . `` Having a tax credit for hiring is not going to change that dynamic ; creating a direct job will . So I 'd rather spend the money on the infrastructure , on direct investment , on energy conversion and other kinds of things , much more directly and much more rapidly and much more certainly create a real job . '' Sen. Kent Conrad agreed . `` I think it 's unlikely to be effective , '' the North Dakota senator said . `` If you think about it , businesspeople are not going to hire people to produce products that are not selling . Who is going to hire in the auto industry if you give them a $ 3,000 credit to make cars that people are not buying ? '' A second Obama tax proposal that several Democrats were down on is payroll tax credits , amounting to about $ 20 per paycheck and totaling $ 500 per person and $ 1,000 for couples earning less than $ 200,000 a year . Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said he doubted that proposal would do much to stimulate the economy . `` We have an example from the first stimulus that indicates just giving people $ 500 to $ 600 , while certainly welcome when there 's this much economic hurt , may not be the best use of stimulus , '' Wyden said . Instead , Wyden said , pumping more money into infrastructure spending would be more effective in creating jobs . Conrad agreed with Wyden . `` Twenty dollars a week ? I do n't think that will be effective , either . That is in terms of economic impact . We have got to focus on what is actually going to lift the economy , '' Conrad said . None of the senators CNN spoke with after the meeting said they thought the opposition to these provisions would derail the bill but suggested that many meetings would be needed with the Obama team to hammer out an agreement . First votes in the Finance Committee , which must approve the tax components of the stimulus plan , could come in the next two weeks , senators and aides said . CNN 's Deirdre Walsh , Dana Bash and Ted Barrett contributed to this report . | Speaker Nancy Pelosi sets full House vote on stimulus for week of January 25 . House committees will work on Obama 's plan over the next couple of weeks . Senate Democrats balk at proposal to give employers $ 3,000 for each worker hired . | [[0, 26], [30, 254], [220, 284], [0, 26], [30, 254], [4627, 4663], [4727, 4759], [2439, 2472], [2485, 2635], [2693, 2769], [3531, 3594], [3620, 3656]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- My eyes stung , I was coughing , my nose was running . Along with cameraman David Hawley and freelance producer Kareem Khadder , I had just been tear-gassed -- not for the first time last Friday -- during a day-long clash between Palestinian kids and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank town of Na'alin , on the West Bank . An Israeli soldier confronts Palestinian protesters during a demonstration Friday in the West Bank village of Jayyus . We had gone there to gauge the Palestinian view of Tuesday 's Israeli elections . Na'alin , and many other towns and villages like it in the West Bank , are in the forefront of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians . Here , it all comes down to the most basic element in the century-old conflict : control of the land . Na'alin is an old town , with factories and workshops , surrounded by olive groves . But in recent years neighboring Israeli settlements , built since the June 1967 war , have increasingly encroached on Na'alin 's farmland , and Israel , on grounds of security , has built its security barrier around the town . As a result , Na'alin residents say they have lost access to much of their land , their water sources , in short their livelihood . Beginning two years ago , every Friday they hold protests against Israel 's settlement expansion and barrier building . Most Na'alin residents are not ideological hotheads ; before the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada , or uprising , in September 2000 , many worked in Israel . Most are still fluent in Hebrew and do business with Israelis looking for a good deal on car repairs and other services . For that reason I thought Na'alin would be a good place to see what Palestinians were thinking . What I heard was universal pessimism . No one I spoke with expressed the slightest hope that any of the leading candidates -- Likud 's Benjamin Netanyahu , Kadima 's Tzipi Livni , Israel Beitenu 's Avigdor Lieberman and Labour 's Ehud Barak -- would do anything to remove the settlements that are slowly closing in on Na'alin . As we sheltered from the tear gas behind a house , Na'alin resident Hani Khawaja told me , `` I do n't expect anything to come out of the elections that will please the Palestinians . Just killings , expulsions and land confiscations . '' Another man , Ayub Srour , had a slightly different approach . He prefers Israeli leaders to be honest about their intentions , and not raise hopes only to dash them later . He wants Likud leader and long-time hardliner Benjamin Netanyahu to win . `` At least he 's honest . He says he 'll expel us , and he will expel us . He says he 's slaughter us , and he will slaughter us . '' I 've covered almost every Israeli election since 1996 . With each election , the Palestinian feeling of despair and hopelessness only deepens . Since the last election in the spring of 2006 , Palestinians have seen Israel and Hezbollah go to war , West Bank settlements continue to expand , Hamas and Fatah fight it out in Gaza with Hamas taking control in June 2007 . They 've also seen a series of Israeli incursions into Gaza , culminating recently in the 22-day Israeli offensive that left large parts of the strip in ruins . Meanwhile many Palestinians say their leadership -- often described as moderate and pro-western -- in Ramallah is incapable of reversing the trend of settlement expansion . The same leadership has been unable to convince Israel to remove few of the hundreds of roadblocks and checkpoints that make travelling around the West Bank a test of patience and endurance . In short , when Palestinians look back over the last 15 years since the Oslo Accords were signed , they 've seen their lot only go from bad to worse . As a result , more and more Palestinians are convinced the only way to beat the Israelis is to join them , to discard failed attempts at creating a Palestinian state in an ever smaller , ever more economically unviable territory , and go for what is known as the one-state solution . That would mean Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza relinquishing their dream of an independent Palestinian state , and instead insisting on equal rights in the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean , an area that is , for all intents and purposes , under Israel 's control anyway . The one-state solution is an anathema to many Israelis , who are well aware that , with their higher birth-rate , Palestinians -LRB- those living within Israel proper , plus Jerusalem , the West Bank and Gaza -RRB- could well become a majority within a generation . Israelis increasingly worry the national struggle between Israel and the Palestinians will be transformed into an internal struggle , for equal rights for all those living within historic Palestine . Those fears prompted Israel 's current caretaker prime minister , Ehud Olmert , to warn as far back as November 2007 that if Israel does n't move quickly to achieve a two-state solution , it will be in a position not unlike South Africa during the apartheid area , whereby a minority -- in this case Israeli Jews -- rules over a restive majority -- the Palestinians -- by means of force , repression and discriminatory laws . Many Palestinians argue that is already the case , citing Israeli restrictions on movement , residence , and work . The bedrock of Israeli antipathy toward the Palestinians is part of the reason for the growing strength of the Israel Beiteinu -LRB- Israel is Our Home -RRB- Party , led by Avigdor Leiberman . He argues that Israel 's Palestinian minority -LRB- they make up about 20 percent of the population -RRB- as a potential fifth column working against the aims of the Jewish majority . Leiberman has focused much of his fire on Palestinian Knesset members such as Ahmed Tibi , accusing him and others of sympathising with Israel 's enemies , Hamas and Hizballah . His solution is to compel all of Knesset members -- and possibly all Israeli citizens -- to take an oath of loyalty to the state . Another of Leiberman 's proposals is to redraw Israel 's boundaries to exclude as many of its Palestinians as possible . Tibi responds that Leiberman 's growing clout is symptomatic of `` an obvious fascist phenomena invading Israeli society . During the last years , racism became mainstream . '' Back in the town of Na'alin , the kids throwing stones at Israeli troops do have some odd companions . Young Israelis , some of them self-described anarchists , also take part in the protests . They do n't throw stones , but they do offer useful advice . `` Laththam ! Laththam ! '' one Israeli with black tattoos on his arms tells a young boy , no older than 12 , hurling rocks with a home-made sling . `` Laththam '' is Arabic for `` cover your face , '' the advice imparted because if Israeli troops can identify stone throwers , they arrest them . There still is cooperation of sorts between Palestinians and Israelis , but it 's an increasingly rare commodity . And this election probably wo n't do anything to bridge the growing gap between the two -- the curious friendship in Na'alin notwithstanding . | CNN correspondent finds moods of universal pessimism in West Bank town . Israel votes Tuesday after election campaign dominated by the country 's right . More and more Palestinians see `` one-state solution '' as only way forward . Israelis oppose one-state solution for fear Palestinians would be majority . | [[1743, 1781], [3975, 4023], [4329, 4383]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The stock market crashed . Wall Street panicked . People stashed silver and gold under mattresses while businesses shut doors across America . People in Detroit , Michigan , line up for food at the Capuchin Soup Kitchen . We 're talking , of course , about the Great Depression ... of 1873 . That 's the event that Scott Reynolds Nelson cites when asked to give an historical perspective on today 's sputtering economy . The historian says the economic panic of 1873 started with the same toxic mix as today 's crisis : risky mortgages , a stock market dive and the use of complex financial instruments that few understood . `` Until 1929 , when people used the word -LSB- s -RSB- Great Depression they referred to 1873 , '' says Nelson , a professor of history at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg , Virginia . `` That was a worldwide international depression that started with the banks . That 's what we 're seeing now . This looks like 1873 . '' The nation 's economic crisis is not only causing people to look more closely at their 401 -LRB- k -RRB- account statements . They 're also turning to their history books . Politicians and commentators routinely invoke the Great Depression and other historical events to describe today 's economic crisis . Watch the debate over ` Depression ' talk '' But how fair is that historical analogy ? Why Great Depression comparisons may be unfair . James Kolari , an economist at Texas A&M University , says the nation experienced two `` rough '' recessions in the mid-1970s and the early 1980s . A recession is generally defined as a decline in the Gross Domestic Product for two or more consecutive quarters . He says it 's not fair to compare the current economic crisis to the Great Depression , because the federal government was far more passive in the 1920s . `` We let 15,000 out of 30,000 banks fail , '' he says . `` Government efforts to jump-start the economy were slow and relatively weak until President -LSB- Franklin -RSB- Roosevelt came along with the New Deal . '' Kolari says people can learn more by looking at Japan . He says the U.S. economy is facing the same crisis as Japan in the 1990s when the Japanese economy collapsed from a real estate bubble and never fully recovered . `` The Japanese government moved too slowly and not aggressively enough , '' he says . `` The problems festered . '' David George , a professor of economics at La Salle University in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , says the federal government better protects ordinary people from financial ruin today than during the first stages of the Great Depression . Today we reap the benefits of policies created during that era , George says . Roosevelt helped create New Deal legislation to insure bank deposits and enacted other modern relief efforts like unemployment compensation to help those in distress . `` By any measure , incomes were lower then than now , and the worst imaginable loss of output today would still keep the nation well above where we were back then , '' George says . Marjorye Heeney is not an economist , but she definitely knows something about the Great Depression . Heeney , 83 , grew up on an Oklahoma farm during the Great Depression and lived through the 1930s Dust Bowl storms . For much of that decade , `` black blizzards '' -- formed by a prolonged drought and poor farming techniques -- ravaged the southern Plains . Heeney , who now lives in Topeka , Kansas , snorted when told that today 's conditions remind some of the Great Depression . During the Depression , crops failed , and few had a job , car or clothes , she says . `` Everyone had one nail for themselves in the clothes closet , '' Henney says . Henney says the Great Depression toughened people up . People grew and canned their own food , sewed their own clothes and learned how to make possessions last . `` No one really came from wealth , and nothing was easy , '' she says . `` But people got by because they had a wonderful spirit of survival . We 're not as gutsy . I do n't know if we have that today . '' Why this economic period is still frightening . Victor Matheson , an economist at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester , Massachusetts , says the nation 's most recent recession was the dot-com bust , which hit around March of 2001 . `` This recession has already eclipsed the dot-com bust in every fashion , '' he says . `` During that time , the GDP did not fall much , and unemployment did not rise much . '' Matheson offers one bit of good news , though . He says today 's unemployment rate is not as bad as in previous eras . The unemployment rate reached 10.8 percent during the early 1980s and 25 percent during the Great Depression , he says . Yet Matheson says there is an ominous feature to the current situation : The Federal Reserve has already lowered interest rates as far as they can go , to around zero percent , but the recession marches on . The current recession is so `` scary '' that Matheson says he has reversed his attitude on Obama 's $ 787 billion stimulus plan . He once opposed it but now supports it because he ca n't think of anything that might work better . He says the economy will not bounce back on its own anytime soon . `` You got ta go with what you got , '' he says . `` The Federal Reserve has loosed all of its cannons , and it has nothing left . Now we 're down to fiscal policy . '' Nelson , the historian who has studied the panic of 1873 , says today 's economy might even be worse than the American economy in 1873 . `` This is a perfect storm : banks failing , stock markets declining and commodity prices dropping , '' Nelson says . Nelson says it took America four years to recover from the 1873 panic . Tens of thousands of workers -- many Civil War veterans -- became homeless . Thousands lined up for food and shelter in major cities . The Gilded Age , where wealth was concentrated in the hands of a few `` robber barons like John D. Rockefeller , '' followed the panic . America , of course , pulled out of the panic . Nelson is just not quite sure how the nation is going to do it now . His ultimate assessment of today 's economy is blunt : . `` It looks grim . '' | Is it fair to invoke Great Depression ? Some economists say comparison overblown . Nation had another Great Depression few remember , scholar says . Depression survivor : `` People had a wonderful spirit of survival '' | [[1339, 1376], [1377, 1425], [1689, 1774], [3959, 4022]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Katy Brown is an Internet-savvy college freshman with conservative perspectives who worries about the future of the Republican Party . Katy Brown , Kevin Neugebauer , Barbara Rademacher and Chuck Burkhard discuss the future of the GOP . Brown , a student at Kent State University in Ohio , joined other Republicans and conservative independent iReporters in an online roundtable discussion . The Republican National Committee selected Michael Steele to become its chairman Friday during its annual winter meeting after the decisive victory of President Obama in November . Over the next four years , Republicans must regroup and establish a strategy , and the new GOP leader must navigate a political landscape where the Democrats control the White House and both houses of Congress . `` I think we 'll come with somebody who has experience , knows what they 're talking about , is good with both liberals and conservatives , both Democrats and Republicans , '' Brown said of a future Republican presidential nominee . iReport.com : Watch Brown respond to one of Obama 's Cabinet picks . Kevin Neugebauer of Katy , Texas , a Republican who voted for Sen. John McCain in the election , said during the chat that he thinks the majority of Americans are conservative and that he wants to see the party head in a more conservative direction . iReport.com : ` McCain was n't conservative enough to win ' Neugebauer thinks that abiding by conservative principles , especially fiscally , is the only way to solve the country 's financial problems . `` I do n't want to have to mortgage my kids ' future to get us out of the things we 're doing today , '' he said . Another panel participant , Chuck Burkhard of Windber , Pennsylvania , voted for McCain as a registered Republican but plans to become an independent . Watch the iReporters talk over a Web chat '' He feels that the Bush administration failed at making government smaller and reducing spending , which he thinks Republicans should make a top priority . He hopes that the party will take a new direction and reach out to more people . `` I really think the Republicans will reach out with a grass-roots campaign , '' he said . iReport.com : ' I choose Sen. McCain ' Neugebauer said he thinks the Republican Party needs a `` fresh new face '' who can set the agenda . He says the government needs to be smaller and thinks politicians waste money on `` stuff that the government has no business being in . '' The fourth panel participant , Barbara Rademacher , said she had a difficult time making her decision during the 2008 election . She finally settled on McCain but says she is very much an independent voter . Social issues such as abortion are what swung her to the right , but she said the party focused too much on attacks . `` I hate the Republican Party the way it is right now . I hated the way they acted during the election and some of the ideas they came up with as election strategies , '' she said . Rademacher said she thinks former Gov. Mike Huckabee , a candidate in the 2008 race , would be a good president because of his experience . She says he has integrity , intelligence and charisma , as well as the ability to manage money . iReport.com : How will Huckabee reform the party ? `` I think he may be the only hope for the Republican Party , '' she said . Burkhard , Brown and Neugebauer all agreed that Huckabee would be a good presidential candidate . Neugebauer said he also likes former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and advocated for a return to strong Republican politics . `` I just think what we need to do is , we need to concentrate on the core values that the Republican Party was started on , '' he said . `` There 's too many fence-huggers . They 'll say one thing just to get votes , and they actually are thinking the other way . You really need someone in there that can rally the troops and somebody with good morals and a good record . '' Paul A. Beck , a political science professor at Ohio State University , said that although Obama is president , there is a large number of conservative people in the country , and they will want their say . `` We have to remember that the 2000 and 2004 elections were very narrow elections , '' Beck said . `` The country was very divided in those elections . '' He said he feels that many voters looked at Bush 's administration and blamed him for the downfall of the economy and the war in Iraq , creating trouble for the Republican candidates who would attempt to follow him . `` It looks like the Bush administration fumbled the ball . McCain did n't know quite what to do , '' he said . Hao Li , a student at the University of Southern California , said he was n't Bush 's biggest fan but thought the former president did `` the right thing . '' Li said he lives the divide in this country every day as a committed Republican and McCain voter in a state that went for Obama . He describes himself as strongly fiscally conservative and socially moderate . He feels that the GOP needs to make greater efforts to reach out to minorities and young people if party members hope for success . Watch Hao Li ask about reaching out to young people in a ` Digg Dialogg ' `` The party has its way of saying , ` Just work hard , and you 'll get there , ' and they do n't really outreach to the minority community . The party should n't change its basic principles , but the party should outreach to women and minorities . '' | Republican National Committee names Michael Steele as chairman . Katy Brown advocates bipartisan cooperation during iReport roundtable chat . Kevin Neugebauer suggests Republicans need to return to conservative roots . iReport.com : Hao Li asks how the party can reach out to younger voters . | [[411, 591], [454, 591], [1107, 1131], [1204, 1357], [3453, 3463], [3529, 3583], [5021, 5116], [5153, 5224]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The last eight years In the United States have included momentous events including the September 11 attacks , the Iraq war , Hurricane Katrina and an economic recession . Ted Stanke of New York created a symbolic map of the United States out of toy soldiers to protest the Iraq war . Historic moments defined President Bush 's time in office , and now the world must wait to see how history will define him . Just 27 percent of the respondents to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll said they approved of Bush 's handling of his job as president . Respondents also indicated they did n't want him to have future influence , with 66 percent saying they did n't want to see the president return to public life . We asked readers to share their views on Bush 's legacy on iReport.com . The majority of the responses expressed disappointment with the president 's performance . Many readers with whom we spoke said they were deeply frustrated with the way Bush handled issues such as the Iraq war , the economy and Hurricane Katrina . Watch Bush discuss handling of Katrina '' Cathy Cott , 49 , of Tahlequah , Oklahoma , vented her `` boiling anger '' on iReport.com . She voted Republican for 22 years until after the 2000 election when Bush won a narrow victory over Democrat Al Gore . She says she is now a registered Democrat who voted for Barack Obama . iReport.com : Bubbling over . `` I guess the simplest reason for my boiling anger is I have three kids and they will spend their lives paying for Bush 's policies , wars , economic disasters and the general mess he is leaving behind both monetarily and in their general quality of life , '' Cott said . `` Eight years of frustration '' over the Iraq war and other military decisions inspired New York artist Ted Stanke to create painstakingly detailed and unmistakably symbolic artwork from toy soldiers . One piece shows a map of the United States with an inset globe made from the tiny fighters , while another depicts a bush constructed from the soldiers . iReport.com : See Stanke 's toy soldier art . Some iReporters say they still support Bush , while others said they voted for him but changed their minds about him later . Kathi Cordsen is a Republican who describes herself as a Bush supporter . The Fullerton , California , resident says the September 11 attacks profoundly changed the way people perceived Bush . She says many people were too unwilling to give him a chance . iReport.com : In defense of Bush . `` He is a funny man , a kind man , a bit of a goofball and not very well-spoken , '' Cordsen said . `` But , he would not have been treated the way he is being treated now if not for 9/11 . His presidency was thwarted by the ` evildoers . ' I love that term of his . '' Chuck Burkhard of Windber , Pennsylvania , hopes history will remember Bush as a strong man who loved his country . Burkard said the president juggled unprecedented challenges during his term , including dealing with terrorism and facing up to financial forces that may not have been under his control . Critics of Bush should look within themselves for answers , he said . iReport.com : Working overtime . `` Most of us are spoiled by a have-it-our-way-now and reckless generation that must stop borrowing so much and start working more . We shift blame instead of looking to ourselves for resolve and drive . '' Burkhard said he feels Bush is one of the most overworked presidents in history and has shouldered too much blame for the current state of the economy . `` I personally have never seen this much responsibility thrown onto our country , in such a small amount of time , '' Burkhard said . `` We are responsible for the world economy , the global war on terror , global warming . You name it , we have our hands in it . '' Chris Molisani of Rochester , New York , says September 11 was a defining moment , not just for Bush 's presidency , but also in his own life . He was in high school and college during Bush 's eight years in the White House . iReport.com : Look back on how Bush changed the country . He can scarcely remember the Bush presidency before 9/11 and expects phrases such as `` weapons of mass destruction , '' `` Axis of Evil '' and `` You 're either with us or against us '' to be associated permanently with him . He hopes for a brighter future with President-elect Barack Obama . `` History will likely be kinder to Bush than his contemporaries are , but a Washington , Lincoln or Roosevelt he will not become , '' Molisani said . `` What is interesting to note is that some of the worst presidents in history have been followed by the best presidents . Perhaps we will have a bright future to look forward to . '' Maria Davis of Prescott Valley , Arizona , voted twice for Bush but now regrets her decision . Her dislike for the Democratic candidates ' running mates in 2000 and 2004 was a major factor , she said . iReport.com : Watch Davis discuss the pros and cons of the president 's time . Although she wants Bush to get out of the national spotlight , she feels he needs to speak to the people and mend wounds . She hopes he will follow Sen. John McCain 's example and make a gracious speech after the inauguration . `` Speak to the American people passionately and gracefully about Obama taking the presidency , '' Davis said . `` That would probably help people . '' His presidency was n't all bad , she said . `` Well , he was good for 9/11 , and he caught Saddam -LSB- Hussein -RSB- , but he ran the country into the ground with unneeded funding for an unneeded war in Iraq , '' she wrote . Overall , Davis has mixed feelings now and has felt uneasy for a long time . She was laid off from her job and is trying to run a home eBay business that barely pays rent . She is having trouble finding jobs that pay more than $ 7 per hour . Her brother , who has a house payment and a child to support , was recently laid off , as well . She hopes the country can rebuild . `` It 's hell , it 's absolutely hell , '' she said . `` I really hope Obama can fix the economy so we can have our lives again and live the American dream . '' The desire to dream again was a common theme , and many iReporters said they yearn for more hopeful times . Robin Savage of San Juan Capistrano , California , said Bush 's greatest legacy is the passionate voter turnout he unintentionally inspired in the 2008 election . She said she is glad to see Obama 's rise as a result . iReport.com : One last thing before he goes . `` I think the one thing President Bush will be remembered for is not being able to really connect with people . If you compared him to Obama , I tell you , what a difference there is . '' Patrick Finney of Portland , Oregon , said he felt there was a large disconnect between Bush and the American people . He says the president ignored what ordinary folks wanted . `` I am afraid that George Bush will be judged harshly by history , '' Finney said . `` I am also afraid that judgment will be deserved . '' But critics should be careful about taking aim at Bush , warns David P. Kronmiller of Burbank , California . `` I do not think we should be blaming him for the misery of the last eight years . He is not to blame . We are . You are , the American people . We voted him into office . '' iReport.com : The Bush paradox . Kronmiller says he voted for Bush in 2000 , but not in 2004 , adding that he feels Bush is responsible for day-to-day decisions that placed the country in a state he finds unfortunate . He watched the final presidential news conference and said he thinks Bush should have better addressed the hardships faced by residents who were affected by Hurricane Katrina . `` I learned my lesson in four years , '' Kronmiller says . Jimmy Deol of Toronto , Ontario , Canada , said he believes Bush had good intentions . `` I think he meant well , '' Deol said . `` I wholeheartedly believe it . In his convictions , he always thought he was doing the right thing . The people elected him . There must have been something people liked . '' iReport.com : Quotes and commentary . Deol said he thinks Bush should take time out to help the veterans of the war he helped create . Overall , he said , the meaning of the Bush presidency will be defined by those who pick up where he left off . `` The movement of change ? That 's Bush 's legacy . '' | iReport.com : Readers share impassioned , often angry , thoughts on Bush . Cathy Cott says she feels frustration coming to a boil at the mention of him . Chris Molisani says he ca n't remember Bush 's years before September 11 . Maria Davis wants to see him give a unifying departing speech . | [[740, 812], [749, 812], [1103, 1133], [1147, 1194], [1103, 1133], [1147, 1194], [4097, 4153], [5130, 5234]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Taliban leader has instructed fighters in Afghanistan to target U.S. and other coalition troops in response to the United States sending more troops into the war . U.S. Army soldiers , right , watch two Afghan soldiers at ISAF 's Camp Bostick in the eastern Kunar province . A two-page statement sent to CNN instructs fighters to start new attacks against coalition troops and Afghan parliament members , and urges suicide bombers to strike . The statement was written by Mula Birather , a Taliban chief of at least 12 military groups in Afghanistan . Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed to CNN that the statement came from Birather . The statement also warned Afghans to not get `` near U.S. troops anywhere because we will target them any where they are and if anybody is killed in a attack on them we will not be responsible for their death . '' The statement comes as U.S. troops begin increased deployments in Afghanistan . President Barack Obama approved sending 4,000 additional troops to Afghanistan in March and pledged to send 17,000 more . Col. Greg Julian , a spokesman for U.S. Forces-Afghanistan , responded to the statement . `` The Taliban extremists are promising to bring more death and destruction to Afghanistan and limit the freedom of movement of all Afghans , '' Julian said . `` They offer no hope for the future , and only seek to kill ... We will continue working side-by-side with our Afghan partners to improve security and demonstrate to these ruthless murders and criminals that they will not stop progress in Afghanistan . '' Meanwhile across the border in Pakistan , the country 's military intensified its drive against the Taliban in the country 's restive tribal regions , reclaiming a key town in the northwest district of Buner . CNN 's Nic Robertson and Atia Abawi contributed to this report . | Taliban leader instructs fighters in Afghanistan to target U.S. , coalition troops . Statement written by Mula Birather , chief of at least 12 Afghan military groups . U.S. troops are beginning increased deployments in Afghanistan . | [[8, 35], [39, 169], [484, 526], [652, 686], [152, 204], [901, 980], [924, 980]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken for the first time about the reasons her divorce in an interview with a French newspaper . The announcement ended weeks of speculation over their marriage . Cecilia Sarkozy told L'Est Republicain on Friday that the couple 's relationship had not been able to survive the glare of the media spotlight following a highly public separation in 2005 . The Sarkozys announced on Thursday they were divorcing by mutual consent after 11 years of marriage . A former model , Cecilia Sarkozy said that she was not comfortable with her position as first lady . `` I am someone who likes the shadows , serenity , tranquility . I had a husband who was a public man , I always knew that , I accompanied him for 20 years . But me , I think that is not my place . It is no longer my place , '' she was quoted as saying . The couple has been dogged by persistent rumors of infidelities , which Cecilia Sarkozy seemed to confirm in her newspaper interview . Explaining the events that led to the couple separating in 2005 , she said : `` Two years ago an event happened of which unfortunately the whole of France is aware . In 2005 , I met someone , I fell in love and I left . '' The French president , in Portugal for an EU summit , has declined to comment on his marriage breakdown . His divorce comes as he deals with crippling public sector strikes at home that have shut down much of France 's transit system . Cecilia Sarkozy was a smiling figure at her husband 's inauguration in May as she stood with the couple 's five children . But she said recently she did n't see herself as having any role at all as the president 's wife . For the French public , news of the divorce is unlikely to come as a shock . French presidents and their spouses have a long tradition of leading separate lives , even while carrying on the functions of state . Former President Francois Mitterrand not only lived apart from his wife , Danielle , but he maintained a secret second family that turned up in public only at his funeral . Jacques Chirac , who stepped down when Sarkozy was elected this year , hinted at a number of affairs . He and his wife lived largely separate lives , appearing together only at presidential functions . Nicolas Sarkozy said at the start of his term that he had no worries as president , except for his wife . E-mail to a friend . | French President Nicolas Sarkozy 's wife Cecilia says she did n't like spotlight . Former model said it was no longer possible to keep their marriage together . The split came after 11 years of marriage . | [[472, 538]] |
KARACHI , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some of the toughest criticism of Pakistan 's pro-democracy movement comes from an unlikely source : the 25-year-old niece of Benazir Bhutto , who says Pakistani party politics do nothing but support military rule . It 's an environment , she said , her late aunt is partly responsible for . Fatima Bhutto says she 's not interested in `` perpetuating a really ineffectual form of politics ... because of my name . '' `` At this stage , we are in a state in Pakistan where so-called democratic forces are only interested in coming into office . So ultimately , they only prop up dictatorships , '' she told CNN from her home in Karachi . She raised her voice as she described what she feels is the core of Pakistan 's political problems : the lack of a true democratic culture . Instead , she said , the country is run by power grabbers . `` Ultimately to them , it 's a game of revolving chairs . As long as they get to be in one , they do n't care who 's in the other one . '' Fatima Bhutto said her aunt played this `` game of revolving chairs '' at huge costs to the Bhutto family , shattering the clan 's unity . In 1996 , Fatima Bhutto 's father , Murtaza Bhutto , was gunned down by Pakistani security forces in front of the family compound . His sister , Benazir , was prime minister at the time . His widow blames her sister-in-law for the killing , because Murtaza had become a political rival . Watch Fatima Bhutto say she 's not `` interested in being a symbol '' '' `` We have to seriously look at her political legacy , which is deeply flawed , '' Fatima Bhutto said . `` Both her governments were known for widespread corruption , for an abuse of human rights , and for an excess of police violence . '' Fatima Bhutto was estranged from her aunt and had not spoken to her since Benazir Bhutto returned to the nation for Pakistani elections . Benazir Bhutto was killed in a bloody December 27 attack . Her niece says now that Benazir Bhutto has herself been killed , she does not look back in anger . Watch a struggle over the Bhutto legacy '' `` We also have to take into account that Benazir Bhutto died bravely and that the attack on her is ultimately an attack on her country , '' she said . She added that she did attend her aunt 's funeral . Some here in Pakistan believe Fatima Bhutto -- and not Benazir Bhutto 's 19-year-old son , Bilawal -- is the true heir to the Bhutto political dynasty . Fatima Bhutto said she 's a political person and does campaign for a splinter group of the Pakistan Peoples Party . That group is now run by her mother following the death of her father . She said her main political goal is to empower Pakistan 's largely disenfranchised masses and end what she calls the perpetual cycle of `` dynastic '' cronyism . What her role would be in making that happen remains the great unknown . `` What I think we need to do is open the field , '' said Fatima Bhutto , who went to college in the United States and graduate school in England . `` It has to stop being this autocratic , dynastic environment . ... When that day comes and this happens -- that we have an open field -- if there 's a way for me to serve this country , then I would be proud to . '' Until then , she said , she exerts her power from her writing . Fatima Bhutto is a successful columnist , author and poet ; a staunch critic of Pervez Musharraf 's government . And though her name would probably propel her to the highest levels of Pakistani politics almost instantly , she said that wo n't happen anytime soon . `` I 'm not interested in being a symbol for anyone , '' she said emphatically . `` And I 'm not interested in perpetuating a really ineffectual form of politics simply because of my name . '' She added , `` I have never believed in dynastic politics , or the politics of birthright . ... I think that 's dangerous to the cause of democracy in Pakistan , and ultimately does n't serve the people . '' E-mail to a friend . | Benazir Bhutto 's niece : Pakistan 's democratic forces only `` prop up dictatorships '' Fatima Bhutto , who was estranged from aunt , says country is run by power grabbers . Her goal : empower Pakistan 's masses , end cycle of `` dynastic '' cronyism . The columnist , author and poet is a critic of Pervez Musharraf 's government . | [[164, 178], [185, 253], [599, 630], [827, 835], [838, 876], [1757, 1798], [2641, 2743], [2641, 2644], [2735, 2802], [3027, 3088], [3306, 3363]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite the rain , `` Slumdog Millionaire '' shone brightly at the British Academy Awards Sunday , scooping a clutch of honors . `` Slumdog Millionaire '' director Danny Boyle shields composer A.R. Rahman from the rain as they arrive Sunday at the BAFTA awards in London . Not even the drizzle could dampen Danny Boyle 's spirits as `` Slumdog , '' his Mumbai-set rags to riches movie phenomenon won a remarkable seven awards at the glitziest night in the UK film calendar . `` You make a film like this and you just hope and pray it will be seen by a few people , '' the British director told CNN . `` And the journey it 's been on , the reception it 's had around the world , has just been extraordinary . '' Watch Danny Boyle , Dev Patel and Freida Pinto talking about `` Slumdog '' on the red carpet . As was widely expected , following its haul of four Golden Globes last month including Best Motion Picture , `` Slumdog '' took the Best Film award . `` I 'd like to acknowledge the blood , sweat and tears of our cast , '' said the film 's producer , Christian Colson who accepted the award . `` The film you saw is the film Danny Boyle imagined and it 's very rare you can say that . He dreamed the dream , 24-hours a day , seven days a week for two and a half years . '' Boyle 's labors were recognized by the Academy , handing him the Director award , which he can add to the BAFTA he won for debut feature `` Shallow Grave '' in 1995 . `` Slumdog '' has touched audiences and critics alike . Boyle thinks the film 's extraordinary effect is down to its universal message of hope . `` It 's the contrast I think between where the kid comes from and what he achieves , '' said Boyle . `` And he achieves everything on his own terms , and that gives you a kind of hope , really , which we all , no matter how romantic it is , we all need that . '' Watch Bollywood legend and `` Slumdog '' star Anil Kapoor talking about the `` Slumdog '' phenomenon . `` Slumdog '' also won the Cinematography , Adapted Screenplay , Music , Sound and Editing awards . Closest rival David Fincher 's `` The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , '' which was up for 11 awards , bagged only three . These included a richly-deserved Make Up & Hair award for the feat of transforming Brad Pitt into an octogenarian baby to tell the curious story of a man who is born old and gets younger as he ages . Actress Kate Winslet also continued her success streak , scoring the Leading Actress honor for her powerful portrayal of a former-Nazi concentration camp guard in Stephen Daldry 's `` The Reader . '' Conversely , Winslet both won and lost the award having been nominated twice in the same category , which included Meryl Streep for `` Doubt , '' and Kristin Scott Thomas for `` I 've Loved You So Long . '' But most eyes were on the actress to see if there would be a repeat performance of the breathlessly incoherent acceptance speech she made at the Golden Globes last month after winning two awards . `` These are really special moments . And I do n't want to waste them , '' Winslet told CNN on the red carpet before going on to accept her award with no tears or obvious emotion . Instead she simply thanked her parents and the late Anthony Minghella and the late Sydney Pollack , two of the film 's producers . Watch Kate Winslet talking about her `` amazing year '' on the red carpet . Reformed Hollywood badboy Mickey Rourke provided the only mild controversy of the night with a few expletives in his acceptance speech for the Best Actor award . `` Thank you Darren Aronofsky who gave me a second chance after I 'd f *** ed up my career for 15 years . Such a pleasure to be here , and be out of the darkness , '' he told the audience . Earlier , the actor told CNN how things have changed for him since the accolades started pouring in for his extraordinary performance in Aronofsky 's `` The Wrestler . '' `` I got a whole bunchy of new friends that I do n't need , '' Rourke said . `` But I 've also heard from some people that I 'd worked with years ago that I 'd burned bridges with that have come around . `` It 's taken me a long time to change and come back and do things the right way . I 'm just grateful for the second chance . '' There were also gongs for Spain 's Penelope Cruz , who took home Supporting Actress for her fiery scene-stealing performance as an unhinged artist in Woody Allen 's `` Vicky Cristina Barcelona , '' and the late Heath Ledger whose chilling reinvention of the Joker in Christopher Nolan 's `` The Dark Knight '' was recognized with the Supporting Actor award . Now , as attention turns to the upcoming Oscars , `` Slumdog 's '' BAFTA wins will only increase the momentum behind the Best Picture nominee . After success at both the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs , Kate Winslet could also be justified in looking forward to the Oscars with confidence . | `` Slumdog Millionaire '' wins seven prizes at British film awards . Mickey Rourke named best actor ; Kate Winslet named best actress . Penelope Cruz , late Heath Ledger win supporting actor awards . | [[55, 132], [9, 32], [135, 164], [382, 510], [2418, 2438], [2475, 2595]] |
LONDON , England -- A yellow smiley-face badge , smeared with blood , has become the trademark for `` Watchmen , '' the most critically revered of all comic-books -- but it could also represent its troubled journey from page to big screen . `` Watchmen '' opens with the unexplained murder of The Comedian -LRB- Jeffrey Dean Morgan -RRB- . Note smiley badge . The subject of fervent debate in the geekosphere for more than two decades , `` Watchmen , '' finally rolls out in the U.S. and other territories from the first week of March onward . But it 's not as well known to wider audiences , who may puzzle at all this heat about a superhero movie with no A-list star attached . Instead , they may simply ask : `` Watch-what ? '' Are you looking forward to `` Watchmen ? '' Or think it 's just hype ? Tell us your views . `` Watchmen , '' created by the UK comic-book team of writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons , surfaced in 1986 as a monthly 12-issue series published by DC Comics -LRB- part of Time-Warner , which owns CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting -RRB- . It was a defining year for the medium : aside from `` Watchmen , '' '86 also saw Pulitzer-prize winning holocaust drama `` Maus , '' from The New Yorker contributor Art Spielgeman ; and Frank Miller 's hyperviolent Batman reworking `` The Dark Knight Returns . '' `` Watchmen , '' set in 1985 , sets up a parallel world in which America never lost Vietnam , Russia is about to invade Afghanistan and Nixon still holds power -LRB- Bernstein and Woodward were murdered -RRB- . Meanwhile a superhero team -- only one of whom has special powers -- reforms after a fellow operative is mysteriously slain . So far , so what . But what lifts `` Watchmen '' is a complex , multi-layered narrative and depth of characterization that ensured it was the only comic-book to make Time 's 100 best novels since 1923 . A dark , downbeat work with a heady 11th-hour twist , it puts as much store on subsidiary characters like a newspaper seller as its does blue-skinned man-god Dr Manhattan . Watch `` Watchmen '' trailer . '' Perfect fodder , one might think , for the multiplex -- but `` Watchmen '' has been lodged in Development Hell for the best part of two decades . At various times Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel were mooted to play Manhattan ; Mickey Rourke and Ed Norton suggested for right-wing vigilante Rorschach . Directors set to shoot have included Terry Gilliam , Darren Aronofsky , Paul Greengrass and David Hayter -LRB- whose script has been retained for much of the final film -RRB- . Several planned shoots failed to materialize due to studio fears about the budget -LRB- locations include Antarctica and Mars as well as New York -RRB- and how the ending might be perceived in a post-9 / 11 world . But film-makers such as Gilliam and Guillermo del Toro also believed that the complex material would be better treated as a TV mini-series -LRB- as the `` Pan 's Labyrinth '' film-maker told IGN : `` I just could n't get my head around ` Watchmen ' being two or three hours long . '' -RRB- . Whoever made `` Watchmen '' would also do so without Moore 's blessing . Still resident in his hometown of Northampton , central England , Moore cuts an imposing figure . At least six-and-a-half feet tall , with chest-length beard and hair , talon-like rings on his fingers and the skull of a centuries-old Buddhist monk in his study , he resembles Doctor Who as reimagined by Edgar Allan Poe . -LRB- In person he 's gracious and affable , as this writer will attest from a few years back -RRB- . Moore has had a mixed relationship with both the mainstream comic-book industry -LRB- which he accuses of over-commercialization and exploiting creators ' rights -RRB- and Hollywood . The comic-book series `` From Hell , '' in which Moore uses the Jack the Ripper killings as a precursor to 20th-century violence , runs to about 500 pages , including 40-plus pages of footnotes . On film it became a melodramatic pad around Victorian London , gamely carried by a pre - `` Pirates '' Johnny Depp . Two other Moore adaptations also failed to translate . Stephen Norrington 's `` The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen '' -LRB- 2003 -RRB- was widely derided and the subject of a court case into which Moore was dragged ; by the time of James McTeigue 's better judged `` V For Vendetta '' -LRB- 2005 -RRB- , Moore had asked his name be taken off any movie adaptations and refused to take royalties . Enter Zack Snyder . In 2004 , Snyder came to the attention of mainstream cinemagoers with his well-regarded remake of George A Romero 's zombie flick `` Dawn of The Dead . '' Following the $ 450m-plus taken worldwide by Snyder 's `` 300 '' -LRB- 2006 -RRB- -- a hyper-stylized take on Frank Miller 's ancient Greek suicide-mission -- it was announced that `` Watchmen '' would be his next project with Warner Bros. . Paramount , which abandoned plans for the movie in 2005 , took international rights . The $ 150-million feature went into production in Vancouver in mid-2007 , wrapping in early 2008 , and with a cast including Billy Crudup and Jackie Earle Haley . Snyder has retained `` Watchmen 's '' 1980s setting and also recruited original artist Gibbons -- who still retains friendship with Moore -- to advise on production design . Mindful that a narrative so complex could never work as a movie , Snyder has jettisoned several parallel subplots , which will surface as DVD extras and in director 's cuts . Word is that the ending has also been changed . But wary of over-tweaking , Snyder told Entertainment Weekly last year : `` You ca n't make it into something else , you really ca n't . It 's not ` Fantastic Four , ' it 's got to be hard R -LSB- cinema rating -RSB- , it 's got to challenge everyone 's ideas . '' Meanwhile Moore , who sometimes mentions that he worships a Roman snake-god , hinted in the LA Times that he had cursed the feature . `` I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come , '' he added . So was it Moore who saw `` Watchmen '' end up in the courts for a case that risked scuppering its release ? Last year Twentieth Century Fox claimed it still retained rights through an earlier deal with producer Lawrence Gordon in the 1980s ; Warners Bros disagreed but a judge decided there was a case to answer . A settlement was eventually thrashed out last month , only weeks ahead of release . And so `` Watchmen '' ticks toward early March and a rollout in spring , the now-traditional season for edgier comic-book adaptations like `` 300 '' and `` Sin City . '' Trailers and early footage have drawn praise , with several scenes playing like detailed frames from the original artwork . But key will be whether Snyder can match `` Watchmen 's '' dramatic beats against its green-screen chicanery for more than two hours -LRB- IMDB lists the running time at 163 minutes -RRB- . After all , successfully mixing pyrotechnics and narrative is how the most satisfying genre features of recent years -- such as Peter Jackson 's `` Lord Of The Rings '' trilogy and Christopher Nolan 's `` The Dark Knight '' -- have found artistic , as well as commercial , favor . Should Snyder pull it off then will he earn the gratitude of fan boys everywhere , as well as no small thanks from a fair few movie executives . What Alan Moore might think is another issue . | Comic-book movie , directed by Zack Snyder , took two decades to reach cinemas . Directors Terry Gilliam , Darren Aronofsky , Paul Greengrass , previously attached . Source material regarded by many as the best comic-book ever written . Co-creator Alan Moore has objected to the idea of story being made into movie . | [[2394, 2504]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After a lifetime of playing characters past-their-prime , Clint Eastwood appears to still be enjoying his own . Clint Eastwood stars as inspector Harry Callahan in `` Dirty Harry '' -LRB- 1971 -RRB- . Just last week the 78-year-old actor , best-known for his portrayal of `` tough guys '' like `` Dirty Harry , '' was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival . The American film-maker accepted the Palme d'Or -LRB- only the second they 've ever given for lifetime achievement -RRB- , while he was in town promoting his new film `` Gran Torino . '' What is your favorite Clint Eastwood movie ? Tell us below in the SoundOff box . Eastwood both directs and co-stars in `` Gran Torino , '' as a prejudiced Korean war veteran who comes to the rescue of troubled Asian teens who live next door . For Eastwood the honor caps a 40 year career acting , directing , producing and composing . During this time , he has won five Academy Awards , five Golden Globes and received many more nominations . The Hollywood veteran earned perhaps most acclaim for two films : `` Unforgiven '' -LRB- 1992 -RRB- and `` Million Dollar Baby '' -LRB- 2004 -RRB- . For each of these films he was awarded both Best Director and Best Picture Oscars , as well as being nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role . Eastwood got his break in 1959 , landing the role of Rowdy Yates in the television series `` Rawhide . '' A successful seven-year run helped turn Eastwood into a household name and landed him several other roles in so-called Spaghetti Western films , including the hit `` A Fist Full of Dollars '' -LRB- 1964 -RRB- , directed by Sergio Leone . Leone then re-hired Eastwood for two more successful films : `` For a Few More Dollars '' -LRB- 1965 -RRB- and `` The Good , the Bad and the Ugly '' -LRB- 1966 -RRB- . The trilogy earned Eastwood greater fame and a reputation for playing tough-guy , gun-slinging cowboys . Eastwood found another friend in director Don Siegel who gave him perhaps his most iconic role , starring in `` Dirty Harry '' -LRB- 1971 -RRB- as no-nonsense , `` loose-cannon '' cop Harry Callahan . The film was such a hit that it four spin off sequels were made : `` Magnum Force '' -LRB- 1973 -RRB- , `` The Enforcer '' -LRB- 1976 -RRB- , `` Sudden Impact '' -LRB- 1983 -RRB- -LRB- the highest grossing film of the series -RRB- , and `` The Dead Pool '' -LRB- 1988 -RRB- . In the 1990s Eastwood returned to westerns -- this time as director as well as star -- earning critical acclaim and a monumental nine Oscar nominations for `` Unforgiven '' -LRB- 1992 -RRB- . Throughout the decade he also had considerable success helming blockbuster projects , like `` In the Line of Fire '' -LRB- 1993 -RRB- , `` Bridges of Madison County '' -LRB- 1995 -RRB- and `` True Crime '' -LRB- 1999 -RRB- . In 2000 Eastwood co-starred in the box-office hit `` Space Cowboys . '' In 2004 , he put employed his entire array of movie skills directing , producing , scoring and co-starring alongside Hillary Swank in boxing drama `` Million Dollar Baby . '' Until his most recent return to the screen in `` Gran Torino , '' Eastwood had been concentrating on directing , releasing two films about World War II in 2006 , `` Flags of our Fathers '' and `` Letters from Iwo Jima '' and directing Angelina Jolie to BAFTA , Golden Globe and Oscar nominations this year in `` Changeling . '' Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is the only other film-maker to have received the Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement from the Cannes Film Festival . | Clint Eastwood wins a Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement . Ingmar Berman is the only other filmmaker to have received this honor . Eastwood directs and stars in his new film `` Gran Torino '' `` Dirty Harry '' star still enjoys playing gun-slinging `` tough guys '' | [[237, 251], [347, 438], [3450, 3599], [3482, 3599], [1876, 1980], [1921, 1922], [1934, 1980]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The designers behind a `` thinking '' yacht are hoping to break a world record by sending it across the Atlantic Ocean without any human assistance . The autonomous yacht Avalon is hoisted to have her keel put in place before launching . The four-meter boat , `` Avalon '' , was designed and built by an eight-strong team of third-year engineering students at Swiss science university ETH Zurich . The students are planning to take the boat to a robotic sailing regatta in July , before launching it into the Microtransat Transatlantic challenge in early September . Using sensors to detect the speed and direction of the wind , the boat is programmed to reach a given co-ordinate and will attain it by automatically adapting to the changing conditions . One of the `` Students Sailing Autonomously '' -LRB- SSA -RRB- team 's project managers , Hendrik Erckens , told CNN that if the Atlantic crossing succeeds it will be a world record as an unmanned boat has not previously made the voyage . It is planned the crossing will begin from the west coast of Ireland and finish in the Caribbean . `` For us the Microtransat challenge is the big goal . I 'm pretty confident we can do it . This week in testing it is pretty much doing what it 's supposed to do . And it is water tight . `` Over the last couple of days we tried some autonomous tacks and jibes and now we are testing the navigation , '' he said . See photos of the autonomous yacht from construction to launch '' The team has been working on the project since September 2008 , and are currently at the on-water testing stage , having designed and built the boat . While the team will be able to track the boat through an onboard global positioning system -LRB- GPS -RRB- during the transatlantic voyage , Erckens said as long as the challenge is active they wo n't have any control over the vessel . `` We will set it out and it will be completely autonomous . There are solar cells on the back for power and extra power supplies on board . `` There is a satellite communication system on board and the boat can download weather information by itself so it can calculate the best route to travel , '' he said . Erckens said the team is positive that the carbon-fibre boat will survive the rough Atlantic seas -- an issue that has stopped many manned crossings before -- including Richard Branson 's attempt at the fastest transatlantic crossing aboard the 99-foot Virgin Money last fall . `` We feel our advantage over other teams is that we are mechanical engineers . We have designed this boat ourselves and exactly for this purpose . '' Erckens said the idea could one day offer a new autopilot option for large yachts . `` The idea came as there are autopilots for boats out there , but currently the commercially available autopilots only steer the rudder . We are looking to control the sails as well . '' | University students at ETH Zurich have designed and built a robotic boat . The boat needs no sailors and uses sensors to sail in changing conditions . It is hoped the yacht will sail autonomously across the Atlantic Ocean . If it succeeds it would be the first Atlantic crossing by an unmanned boat . | [[274, 293], [328, 433], [1510, 1518], [1644, 1660], [9, 32], [71, 185], [791, 803], [899, 1029]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf has revealed he is flattered to be linked with a move to Premier League Chelsea but insists he will still be an AC Milan player next season . Clarence Seedorf wants to remain with AC Milan , despite Carlo Ancelotti 's recent switch to Chelsea . There has been speculation that the 33-year-old midfielder could move to Stamford Bridge to link up with his former Rossoneri coach Carlo Ancelotti , who was confirmed as Blues manager on June 1 . But the player is not interested in moving to the English Premier League and has told his own official Web site : `` It 's beautiful news , that Ancelotti wants me in London , but next year I will still be playing for Milan . `` I have a contract with Milan and I am a player of Milan . I hope to still play for at the San Siro for at least three or four more years . After that I have a whole lifetime ahead of me to do good . '' Seedorf played for six-and-a half years under Ancelotti at Milan . Together they won two Champions League titles , the Club World Cup , two European Super Cups , the Coppa Italia and Italian Supercoppa . His comments will come as a welcome boost to Milan following the sale of Seedorf 's fellow-midfielder Kaka to Real Madrid . | Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf says that he has no plans to quit AC Milan . Seedorf was replying to rumors linking him with Premier League side Chelsea . Seedorf 's former coach Carlo Ancelotti recently left San Siro to coach Chelsea . | [[205, 251], [0, 15], [19, 142], [308, 439], [335, 455], [408, 457], [462, 504]] |
CAMEMBERT , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We 're up in the north central part of France -- Normandy -- to see what 's happening with French cheese . Cheese lovers will be happy to know , just about nothing , at least as far as the traditional cheeses are concerned . Cheese from the Camembert region now carries the same cachet as a chateau label for wine . But for the milk industry in general , it 's another story . It has now a larger annual turnover than the steel industry in France -LRB- which admittedly is in decline . -RRB- . Somehow the French have figured a way to export dairy products to people who already have cows and their own dairy industries -- to the tune of nearly $ 4 billion -LRB- $ 6 billion -RRB- per year . CNN spoke to a few of the people who do just that everyday and who are part of the changing face of France . Philippe Meslon , the mayor of Saint-Loup de Fribois and the administrator of the Saint-Loup cheese works says : `` A camembert not made out of raw milk is like making love without sex . `` A Frenchman is someone who cultivates with modern evolution his past . It 's someone who protects moral values , cultural values and artistic values , and when I say cultural values I would include camembert . '' Meslon and small cheese makers like Francois Durand , who has 40 cows , have struggled and won the right to an Appelation d'Origine Controllee -- the mark AOC for their `` Camembert de Normandie '' which carries the same cachet as a chateau label for wine . For Durand making cheese is about not cutting corners . `` You have to have the passion , '' he says . `` Yes it 's difficult because it means a lot of work . We make it all by hand . I do believe it is important because the cheese is an emblem of France . It is a gastronomic emblem . '' Still some small cheesemakers have been driven out of business and the taste and smell of their particular cheeses are lost to the world forever . For Michel Delorme it was a combination of new , more stringent rules and his age that led him to quit producing his handmade Camemberts . Michel Delorme : `` It 's more and more complicated for those who stay in the business . They must hold out ! Yes I miss the cheese a little . That 's true . But I 've kept my souvenirs , you see I 've kept my old milk cans so I can stay in the spirit of Camembert ! '' Despite those who 've quit , the actual number of the variety of cheeses in France is growing . At the last cheese census more than 1,000 different kinds of cheeses were made here . The milk industry is no small cheese in France , thanks to the efforts of people like Philippe Jachnik who travels the world endlessly promoting milk products , which these days include protein supplements and milk derivatives that can go into all sorts of processed food . Jachnik , who works for the milk marketing consortium , says : `` I really would say I am selling the French approach to milk . We EAT a lot of milk . We DRINK a lot of water , wine , beer and coffee . But drinking milk is not a big business here . `` France has developed technological and marketing knowledge about adding value to a raw material -- milk . I have been traveling for 40 years all around the world and I feel so welcome . When you are French and you demonstrate that being French you can listen to others , people are interested in knowing about this country , about its people , about the way of life here . '' Jachnik must be doing a good job as it 's not just abroad that the French are selling more milk products -- cheese consumption in France has doubled from 12 to 24 kilos per person per year . It seems there 's no curding their enthusiasm ... E-mail to a friend . | Milk industry is booming in France , now has larger turnover than steel industry . Dairy industry worth $ 6 billion , French eat 24 kilos of dairy per person a year . Cheesemaker : Cheese is gastronomic emblem of France . Last cheese census found around 1,000 different kinds of cheeses in France . | [[415, 490], [3534, 3619], [1684, 1756], [1721, 1756], [1757, 1785], [2441, 2526]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President Barack Obama won a battle against Somali pirates . But does he really want to go to war ? The USS Bainbridge tows a lifeboat in which the captain of the Maersk Alabama was held hostage . You may have seen the headlines in the last few days : a Somali pirate attack and hostage-taking ended with a precision operation by U.S. snipers and a successful rescue . Somali pirates have been the scourge of the Horn of Africa for years . They 've attacked dozens of ships and taken hundreds of hostages from several countries . The attack on the Maersk Alabama was the first on an American ship . But when it was over , Obama made a particularly broad pledge . `` We are resolved to halt the rise of piracy in that region , '' Obama said . `` We 're going to have to continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks . We have to continue to be prepared to confront them when they arise . '' See an interactive map of 2009 pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa '' Experts say that means addressing the anarchy ashore which allows the pirates to operate . Somalia is a failed state , where lawlessness is a license for every kind of criminal enterprise . James Christodoulou of Industrial Shipping Enterprises Corporation told CNN that if the US wants to do something about piracy , it has to `` go to Somalia and deal with the cause there . Whether it 's with bullets or butter , the solution lies on land not at sea . '' The U.S. tried once before to impose order in Somalia , with disastrous results . It led a humanitarian mission to oversee the delivery of food aid that turned into an armed operation against local warlords . More than 40 U.S. personnel were killed before U.S. forces withdrew . That 's the challenge facing the leader of every nation whose ships have fallen prey to the pirates . An international effort has been underway to patrol the troubled waters . The French navy has been particularly active . But no one has rushed onto Somali soil . The Obama administration is already managing wars in two countries . Wait and see whether it 's really willing to risk a third . | President Barack Obama says U.S. is committed to tackling piracy off Somalia . Hostage captain of U.S. cargo ship rescued in U.S. Navy operation this week . But experts say tackling piracy on seas means tackling failed state of Somalia . With wars in two countries , is Obama willing to risk getting involved in another ? | [[687, 747], [1001, 1053], [1092, 1099], [1103, 1117], [1319, 1377], [2002, 2070]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Natalie Cole 's search for a new kidney ended this week when someone with a compatible organ died and their family asked that it be given to the singer , according to the organ procurement group that handled the donation . Natalie Cole received a kidney transplant Tuesday in Los Angeles . Cole , who underwent a successful kidney transplant at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Tuesday , was `` responding well and recuperating '' Thursday , her publicist said . Cole had been on what she called `` a very long list '' of people waiting for an organ donation when she got word recently that OneLegacy , an organ procurement agency in Southern California , had a kidney that was a biological match . It was a `` directed donation '' from a deceased organ donor , according to OneLegacy CEO Tom Mone . `` Having heard of Ms. Cole 's need for a kidney , the family asked that one of their loved one 's kidneys be transplanted to Ms. Cole if they were a match , '' Mone said . Directed organ donations are rare , and rarer still are those directed to someone not related to or known personally by the deceased , he said . The donor will remain anonymous until the family gives permission for the name to be made public , he said . Cole 's need for a kidney donation was highly publicized , including with an appearance on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on March 31 . `` I 'm on a very long list , which is why we are looking to donors , '' said Cole , the daughter of legendary crooner Nat King Cole . Cole said her kidney troubles date to February 2008 when she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Cole said she attributes the Hepatitis C to her well-publicized struggles to stop using cocaine and heroin . Cole said she has been sober for some time now after two stints in a rehabilitation clinic . Cole said she underwent chemotherapy in an aggressive way to fight the virus . Within four months of getting chemotherapy , both of Cole 's kidneys failed . `` I could n't breathe . I -- I went into -- literally , my kidneys stopped functioning . They stopped , you know , processing the fluid that was starting to build up in my body . '' Since then Cole has been on dialysis three days a week and has been searching for a kidney , she told King in one of the first public interviews about the issue . Cole won six Grammys for her 1991 critically acclaimed album `` Unforgettable : With Love , '' a jazzy tribute to her father . She won a Grammy this year for her new album `` Still Unforgettable '' and another Grammy for her work on another album . Cole was still able to tour this year even with her kidney ailment . She canceled a planned show last week in South Korea because of her illness , which meant she was in Los Angeles when the organ became available . `` I have been on dialysis in Istanbul , Milan , Indonesia , Manila , London . It 's -- it 's amazing , '' Cole said . During King 's show , dozens of people sent e-mails to CNN telling Cole that they would get tested to see if their kidney could be donated . King handed a thick stack of paper to Cole . `` These are all e-mails from dozens -- dozens of people offering to be tested to see if they can match , who want to give you a kidney , '' King said . Cole stared at the papers for a moment . `` There are some great human beings out there . That 's all I can say , '' Cole said . Cole is expected to return to the tour after three to four months of recovery . CNN 's Denise Quan contributed to this report . | Natalie Cole 's new kidney came from deceased fan ; fan 's family asked for Cole . Natalie Cole underwent kidney transplant surgery Tuesday . Singer received supportive e-mails when on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' in March . | [[0, 11], [14, 40], [84, 195], [146, 238], [753, 813], [905, 1009], [267, 333], [334, 338], [345, 439]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Walking through a maze of narrow streets south of Tiananmen Square , Nick Frisch appeared unfazed by the sight of drastic changes -- traditional courtyard houses that once lined up these hutongs , or alleys , now in different stages of being knocked down . Nick Frisch 's underground exploration in Beijing has attracted the attention of a Singapore TV crew . While the Qianmen area is going through an extreme makeover -- a restoration of its Qing dynasty flavor ahead of the Olympics -- Frisch 's destination is safe from the city 's ubiquitous wrecking balls . Upon reaching the entrance to the Underground City , however , he was told it was closed for `` renovation , '' just like the surrounding neighborhood . `` It 's like they 're trying to literally bury this place before the Games , '' said Frisch , a recent graduate of Columbia University in the United States , with a major in history and Chinese language . This place is a vast network of tunnels built beneath Beijing 's city center during the 1970s in anticipation of a nuclear war with the Soviets . Covering an area of 85 square kilometers and containing 1,000 anti-air raid structures , the subterranean complex was said to have been mostly hand-dug by 300,000 local residents . `` The plan was to move half of Beijing 's population underground and the other half to western hills in the event of a nuclear attack , '' Frisch explained . The 22-year-old New York native has lived in China on and off for a year and is fascinated by the bomb shelter and its history . After the authorities opened part of the Underground City as a tourist attraction to woo foreigners , he turned a routine visit to an adventure in 2006 . Armed with a flashlight , Frisch veered off from the mandatory guided tour . Moving sandbags and unchaining doors , he explored the off-limit area and found rooms with bunk beds and decayed cardboard boxes of water purifiers . `` It 's more than just propaganda posters down there -- it really is a parallel universe , with street signs stenciled on the wall , '' Frisch said . Since then , Frisch has discovered other shelters linked to the network -- many of them turned to cheap hostels -- on busy streets . Not surprisingly , the time-warped part of the Underground City remains his favorite . `` I sometimes wish I was born earlier to witness the Cold War unfold -- and the tunnels have given me a unique vantage point to look into that period of history , '' Frisch said . `` While Beijing is transforming itself for the Olympics , it 's just amazing to see this space in such a sharp contrast to the city aboveground . '' E-mail to a friend . Steven Jiang is a Beijing-based freelance writer and former CNN producer . | American university student exploring Beijing 's underground tunnels . Part of capital 's `` Underground City '' now open to tourists . Beijing 's underground tunnel network was built in 1970s as giant bomb shelter . | [[292, 394], [1573, 1672], [1675, 1726], [958, 997], [990, 1103]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A process that started months ago among White House lawyers to compile a list of possible Supreme Court picks has accelerated with word Justice David Souter plans to step down from the bench in June . Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the only female high court justice . Women likely will be high on the Souter successor list . The nominee would give President Obama an immediate opportunity to place his stamp on the nation 's highest court , and perhaps to begin cementing his legacy with a lifetime appointment to that bench . Obama on Friday said he will seek `` somebody with a sharp , independent mind and a record of excellence and integrity . '' That person must honor traditions , respect the judicial process and share Obama 's grasp of constitutional values , he said . The president said he intends to consult with people in both political parties as he makes his choice to replace Souter . Legal sources say Obama 's legal team will begin refocusing what had been an aggressive effort to fill federal vacancies on lower federal court seats . Now their attention will be directed into a search for Souter 's replacement . Administration officials have been working closely with key senators and Democratic legal advisers on possible choices . `` The -LSB- Obama -RSB- White House and the Justice Department certainly have people there already thinking about the issues , compiling lists , starting to vet the backgrounds of those candidates , '' said Edward Lazarus , a Supreme Court legal expert and a legal adviser during the Obama transition . A mix of federal judges and political allies are among the names the administration is said to be informally considering , said legal and political sources . Among them are federal appeals court judges Sonia Sotomayor , 55 , of New York ; Diane Wood , 59 , of Chicago ; and Solicitor General Elena Kagan . Those sources say women candidates will be at or near the top of the list of finalists . `` The president has long recognized the need for more gender diversity on the high court , '' said one source who asked not to be identified . Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg , 76 , is the only woman on the high court . Sotomayor is near the top of the list of many sources consulted by CNN . She is a Hispanic-American named a federal trial judge by President Bush in 1992 and elevated to her seat in 1996 . Her supporters call her a moderate who would enjoy bipartisan support in the Senate . But conservative legal blogs in recent weeks have been sharply questioning her judicial philosophy , perhaps anticipating a high court vacancy . Fights over judicial nominees have grown increasingly partisan and nasty in recent years , sparked by the confirmation fights over Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court . Bork was rejected by lawmakers , while Thomas sits on the high court . Many of President George W. Bush 's judicial choices were blocked by Democratic senators , and his two Supreme Court picks were the subject of massive ad campaigns launched by advocacy groups on both sides of the political debate . Conservatives have vowed to give Obama the same treatment over his choices . Most of Bush 's lower court choices were not named until August 2001 , seven months into his first term . The political and practical stakes are high . Sources have said privately the president is not interested in choosing `` extreme '' liberals to the bench , an idea echoed by some legal analysts . Watch CNN 's Bill Schneider examine Obama 's options '' `` I do n't expect to see President Obama naming some real firebrands , the kind that might be real lightning-rods for controversial confirmation hearings , '' said Lazarus . Conservatives `` are assuming that in his heart of hearts , Obama is an activist , old-fashioned , liberal firebrand on judicial issues , and , at least if one goes by what President Obama has written on the subject , he 's not . '' Obama , a Harvard Law School graduate , has taught constitutional law in Chicago . Republicans have warned the White House not to shut them out of the overall judicial selection process . In a March 2 letter , 41 GOP senators urged Obama `` to consult with us as it considers possible nominations to the federal courts from our states . '' If not consulted , they said , `` The Republican Conference will be unable to support moving forward on that nominee . '' Watch CNN 's Dana Bash report on how Republicans might respond '' Translation , say liberal groups : filibusters and obstructionist tactics . `` Republican senators fought hard against some of President Clinton 's candidates , '' said Nan Aron , who heads the the Alliance for Justice . `` I think we saw it during Eric Holder 's hearing -LSB- for attorney general -RSB- . Republican senators were testing out messages , not designed to deny confirmation to Eric Holder but to test them to see whether those tactics would work with some of Obama 's judicial nominees , '' Aron said . `` That 's going to happen . There 's no question about it . '' The fight over Souter 's seat could be just the opening act to perhaps two more high court vacancies under Obama . Bush burnished his conservative credentials by naming Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the high court , and helped increase the overall conservative bent of most federal courts . Republicans have controlled the White House -- and thereby court nominations -- in 28 of the last 40 years . Seven of the nine high court members were named by GOP presidents . Obama has said Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg -- liberals named by President Clinton -- are his kind of judges , but Obama has spoken only in general terms about the type of person he would nominate . `` I will look for those judges who have an outstanding judicial record , who have the intellect , and who hopefully have a sense of what real-world folks are going through , '' he said at the October 15 presidential debate . | President Obama has chance to place his stamp on the Supreme Court . Sources : Women candidates to be at or near the top of the list . Republicans hint at confirmation confrontation if they are ignored . Seven of the nine high court members were named by GOP presidents . | [[348, 461], [291, 347], [1885, 1973], [1903, 1973], [2191, 2244], [5479, 5546]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The question is starting to feel a little old : Whom will Barack Obama pick as his vice president ? Sen. Barack Obama has a big event scheduled Saturday . Will his No. 2 man -LRB- or woman -RRB- be by his side ? With the clock ticking -LRB- the Democratic VP candidate delivers a big speech next Wednesday -RRB- the announcement is at most days and at least a few hours away . Everyday seems to be `` the day , '' the day the guessing game will finally end . In a poke at all of the VP buzz , the Obama campaign sent an e-mail to reporters Wednesday with the subject line `` Vice presidential ... '' The first line of the e-mail : `` Just kidding . '' The e-mail contained details about Obama 's schedule with no mention of any of the potential vice presidential candidates . But if the top contenders have any inside information , they 're doing a good job of keeping quiet . Sen. Joe Biden told reporters camped outside his Delaware home Tuesday that it 's not him . `` You got better things to do , guys ; I 'm not the guy , '' he said . Asked where he would be Saturday -- when Obama is reportedly scheduled to hold a campaign event in Springfield , Illinois , that may feature his new running mate -- Biden replied , `` here , '' pointing to his driveway . He softened up a little later that night , telling reporters , `` I promise you , I do n't know anything . '' Along with Biden , Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine are considered to be among the top tier of VP contenders . Watch the latest on Obama 's VP selection '' Bayh has managed to stay out of the spotlight this week . Does that mean he 's dodging the question ? He hit the Sunday talk show circuit this weekend and tried out the attack dog role , criticizing Republican John McCain for his stance on Georgia , Iraq and national security . When asked about the veepstakes , the former governor said he had `` nothing to report today . '' Kaine , on the other hand , seems to have no qualms about taking the main stage this week . A relative newcomer to national politics , Kaine is scheduled to appear alongside Obama on Thursday as the presumptive Democratic nominee campaigns in central Virginia . Could he be introduced as Obama 's No. 2 man ? The pair will host an invitation-only town hall meeting Thursday in Chesterfield County , a suburb of Richmond . Kaine 's sturdy performance in the traditionally conservative Richmond suburbs helped vault him to the governorship in 2005 . Obama has stops scheduled in Virginia on Wednesday and Thursday before returning home to Illinois for the Springfield event , which takes place where he first kicked off his presidential run . The event marks the beginning of a tour of battleground states leading into next week 's convention in Denver , Colorado . The Obama campaign has kept the details on both the timing and selection of the running mate under wraps . They would neither confirm or deny whether Obama would appear with his VP candidate this weekend . iReport.com : Whom do you think Obama should pick ? Although the focus in recent days has been on Bayh , Biden and Kaine , there are quite a few other serious contenders , and a curveball pick could always be in the works . Other big names thought to be in the running include retired Gen. Wesley Clark , New York Sen. Hillary Clinton , Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd , Texas Rep. Chet Edwards , Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel , Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine , former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn , Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed , New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius . Obama 's campaign says that when he makes up his mind , he 'll send a text message and e-mail to his supporters to let them know who his sidekick will be . | Democratic VP candidate gives big speech next Wednesday at convention . Barack Obama 's campaign sends e-mail with subject : `` Vice presidential ... '' Evan Bayh , Joe Biden , Tim Kaine considered top tier contenders . Obama has big campaign event Saturday ; VP pick could join him . | [[260, 330], [478, 509], [512, 590], [1410, 1522], [119, 173], [141, 173], [1101, 1170]] |
COPENHAGEN , Denamrk -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Actress Connie Nielsen hit the big time when she starred in `` Gladiator '' as Lucilla , sister of the deranged Emperor Commodus . Since then she has appeared in hit movies including `` One Hour Photo '' and `` The Hunted '' . Connie Nielsen has always refused to play the Hollywood fame game . But Nielsen has refused to play the Hollywood fame game and seems drawn to challenging roles in controversial movies , including `` The Situation '' , about the current Iraq war , and `` Battle in Seattle '' , about the anti-globalization riots that took place in Seattle in 1999 . Nielsen now lives in the US and returns to Copenhagen every year . She talks to My City , My Life about what makes the city , and its people , so special . CNN : How do you define yourself ? Connie Nielsen : I absolutely refuse the fame part of my business . I refuse even the money side of my business . I try to do as good work as I can do , I try to grow in my art and reach for truth . That 's what I want from my art , that 's what I aspire to . I try to combine my work with my family , that 's what I aspire to . I do n't say that 's the only thing . It 's not all work and family , because otherwise you would be saying no to the many other things in life and there are many other things . CNN : The people here are supposed to be incredibly happy -- what do you think ? Connie Nielsen : I think it 's funny in a way because when I grew up here it was very unusual to hear the word `` happiness '' . If you asked somebody , `` what do you wish for in life ? '' they would n't say `` happiness . '' I would have answered `` excitement , knowledge , '' God knows -- I mean , many , many different things , but certainly not `` happiness '' . It seemed like a foreign concept to wish for something that specific and that singular . And I think that a lot of Danes kind of feel like that about being the happiest people in the world . CNN : Is there anything you 'd like to change about the city ? Connie Nielsen : Anywhere there are social buildings that stuff people into boxes , concentrate poor people there . It 's specific to any big city . There was an effort to create buildings that concentrate these people very closely , and their social problems . They are still around in New York , Paris , London and here too . So if I could change anything about Copenhagen , or any other major big city , I would change the way we build buildings or housing for lower income people . I do n't think people who are already burdened with social , economic , psychological situations , dysfunctional families , need to be burdened with other people with the same problems . CNN : Is the city politically driven ? Connie Nielsen : I do n't think I can remember a moment in my life where people did n't discuss politics . People discuss politics at the table . I think some of the first information I received was politically charged -LRB- laughs -RRB- . It was at a time when girls were being told , `` Why do n't you go and learn how to repair machines rather than learn to repair your jumper ? Why do n't you learn to cut wood rather than learn to keep a house clean ? '' in school . It was to make us conscious of what we were , how we defined ourselves and why you would accept one concept of yourself rather than another . Have you searched through the truth of that concept ? Have you deconstructed ? Have you made sure that its foundations are valid ? That 's how I grew up and I think it was wonderful . CNN : How would you describe the city architecturally ? Connie Nielsen : It 's everything here from very late renaissance to this 19th century golden age we had here . It 's that , intermixed with pure Danish modernism . I love the juxtaposition of it all . I love when we bring in metaphors for our past as well . CNN : A lot of the places you have taken us to have been very romantic , do you think there is a fairy tale quality to Copenhagen ? Connie Nielsen : An alternative society ... yes I do , I do feel that . I do feel that most things are possible here . I can dream here . I can imagine . CNN : What is it about the city that makes people creative ? Connie Nielsen : Well , we have a very , very long winter and it gets a little boring , so you better think of something to do ! It can get deathly boring , so you start using your imagination . Sometimes it 's necessity that produces it , because you need to do something . CNN : Is there something about the people here that want to change things for the better ? Connie Nielsen : I think so -- I think we 're an idealistic people . I think there are disillusioned people everywhere , there are doubters everywhere , but I do think there are constructive people here ; I do think that people believe in people . CNN : Do you take any inspiration from the city ? Connie Nielsen : Yes , yes I do . Whenever I come back here I remember that I want to write poetry -LRB- laughs -RRB- . I want to take more time to sit and paint some more . I want to do so many more things whenever I come back -- I 'm always reminded of that when I come here . CNN : You 've lived in lots of cities all over the world and still do . Why is Copenhagen special to you ? Connie Nielsen : I was born here and it 's the capital of my home country . It 's also immensely beautiful . Many of my friends live here and much of my partner 's family lives here too and so we bring our kids back here every year . It holds all the museums that hold our history , our culture , and I take our children there and I go there for my own pleasure all the time . I love going to museums . I love this city and I love cities that are on the water . I love the water element , specifically the sea . I grew up on the sea and I grew up sailing -- I love sailing -- and the presence of the sea gives the air and the light a very special quality that I absolutely adore . CNN : It seems that for a small place it has a lot of cultural influence . Connie Nielsen : Yes , it 's sort of a little pearl in the middle of the seas . There 's a lot of traffic through this place , from the east , west , north and south . And we are the southern part of the north , so everything from the south comes up here on its way towards the north , and the opposite . And it has left its mark . We are definitely some kind of place where culture is being deposited over and over and over again , but it also springs from here . It 's the kind of place that attracts creative people and so it springs from here too . CNN : If Copenhagen was a person , how would you describe it ? Connie Nielsen : If Copenhagen were a person , that person would be generous , beautiful , elderly , but with a flair . A human being that has certain propensities for quarrelling , filled with imagination and with appetite for the new and with respect for the old -- somebody who takes good care of things and of people . | Connie Nielsen says she refuses the fame and money side of acting . She says the long winters mean the residents have to be creative . Copenhagen is full of history and culture , and Nielsen loves its museums . The city is very beautiful and the light has `` a very special quality , '' she says . | [[267, 334], [339, 483], [825, 875], [876, 921], [4215, 4248], [5475, 5567], [5317, 5349]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Deepa , 40 , was born in Mumbai , where she is now a banking technology consultant , as well as running a company that offers `` offbeat sightseeing tours '' of six Indian cities , including Mumbai , Delhi and Jaipur . Deepa Krishnan : `` When you live in Mumbai you feel like you 're in the nerve center of the country . '' Deepa 's Mumbai tours take in the city 's bazaars , backstreets and culture and her blog , Mumbai Magic , is a personal view of life in the city . CNN : How does Mumbai compare to those other cities your company offers tour of ? Deepa : Mumbai is a very young city by Indian standards , only 500 years old , whereas a city like Delhi is really ancient . Mumbai used to be a fishing hamlet and it grew after the British arrived . So it 's a young city and one that has been formed by migrants . Almost everyone in Mumbai has arrived here in the course of the last few generations , and so the city has a vibrancy and cosmopolitanism that is different from other cities . CNN : What makes Mumbai special to you ? Deepa : The fact that I am so grounded here -- I was born here and four generations of my family live here . But also , Mumbai is on the move , it 's vibrant , it 's accepting of change and it 's got a very active citizenry . It 's the one place where you can make a mark , where you can make a difference . When you live in Mumbai you feel like you 're in the nerve center of the country . You feel like all the big events are near you and you 're connected to everything . In other cities I tend to feel more remote . If there 's a new play it premieres in Mumbai , if there 's a new band they play in Mumbai -- everything happens here . We 're close to the center of commerce and I would rather be close to the center of commerce than the center of politics ! What makes Mumbai special to you ? Let us know . CNN : What are your favorite parts of the city ? Deepa : I think my favorite is a place called Bhuleshwar . It 's the `` native '' bazaar area that sprang up outside the old British fort . It 's got a certain colorful energy and retains its 18th Century-feel to some extent . Everything under the sun can be bought there ; it 's got a spice market , a jewelry market . It 's a busy , bustling area where a lot of trade happens , so I love it . CNN : Where do people go if they want to escape Mumbai 's bustle ? Deepa : We head out of the city -- we run for the hills ! We go to the Western Ghats , which is a mountain range that runs parallel to the coast , barely a two-hour drive from where I live . `` There 's climbing and a whole bunch of very interesting mountain forts to explore ; there 's whitewater rafting , paragliding , cycling . Ecologically , it 's a very bio-diverse area so it attracts photography enthusiasts and bird watchers . We 're very lucky that we 're so close to it . We also have a lot of beaches just outside the city and they are popular as well . Within the city there are little enclaves of peace -- even in Bhuleshwar market there are temple complexes where there 's a surprising silence compared to the bustle of the streets . We also have our seaside promenades where we love to hang out . The young , who have no other place to go , find romance on Marine Drive and Bandra Bandstand . It 's Mumbai 's version of Lovers Lane -- except the lane is wide open ! CNN : What 's a typical weekend in Mumbai ? Deepa : We party quite hard , so Saturday and Sunday evenings are days when you go out with friends and family . There are a huge number of restaurants with all sorts of cuisines on offer . There are some great clubs -- my favorite right now is a place called The Blue Frog -- and there 's an active cultural scene . Alongside all the partying we 're all in a mad race to lose weight and look good . Bollywood is helping men wake up to the fact that there 's nothing wrong with a well-toned physique . In all the suburbs of Mumbai there 's a mushrooming of places where young guys are pumping iron and trying to be ` he-men . ' CNN : Do you think the city 's changed since the terrorist attacks last November ? Deepa : Yes , I think there 's a hardening of stances and an unwillingness to accept platitudes . I also think there is increased uneasiness between communities . CNN : Has tourism been affected by the attacks ? Deepa : My own business went bust for two weeks . For two weeks I had nothing but cancellations in Mumbai and I was only saved by the fact that I was doing business in other cities . But then business picked up again . My first clients after the attacks were a Jewish American couple and I was heartened by the faith and support they showed for Mumbai . Mumbai also gets big tour groups that arrive by bus and I think that kind of group tour has lessened , but my business gets more independent travelers and they are still coming . People choose to respond to crises more positively than we think they will and I 'm seeing very strong individual responses . CNN : If Mumbai was a person what would he or she be like ? Deepa : This is a city which is strangely beautiful and strangely warty . At its heart this city is about money , it 's a city of exchange and commerce , so it would be a trader or a wheeler dealer -- someone who 's on the move , making deals and making money ! | Deepa lives in Mumbai , where her company runs `` offbeat sightseeing tours '' She says Mumbai is younger and more cosmopolitan than most Indian cities . People in the city party hard , she says -- and there 's an active cultural scene . Last November 's terrorist attacks have increased tension in the city , she says . | [[59, 62], [115, 237], [263, 281], [1368, 1386], [932, 975], [945, 975], [981, 1013], [3412, 3431], [3624, 3720], [4213, 4214], [4220, 4277]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- This month , Just Imagine has looked at the future of space , and the potential it holds for humanity . Should humanity aim for the stars ... The proponents of the NewSpace movement , like our featured commentator Bob Richards , hold that humanity must expand into space if we are to survive . They say that the limitless resources held by the stars will help humanity seek a bold new future . But some say that we should fix Earth 's problems , especially the challenge of global warming , before we set our eyes on the stars . They say space travel is too expensive , and its carbon footprint too great , to be a priority for us right now . We want to hear your views . Should space be our next frontier ? Or should we focus on fixing things here on Earth first ? Post your comments in the Sound Off box below , and we 'll publish the best . | We ask , should humanity expand into space ? Those in the NewSpace movement say space is humanity 's future . But others say we should focus on fixing issues on Earth first . What do you think ? Post your views and we 'll publish the best . | [[123, 158], [691, 726], [161, 220], [248, 292], [417, 507], [727, 784], [727, 729], [737, 784], [662, 690], [785, 830], [837, 862]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1981 , Dr Mohga Kamal-Yanni was preparing to leave Egypt for a clinical attachment in England when her father had a heart attack . He fell in the street , and was taken to a public hospital , where Dr Kamal-Yanni kept vigil at his bedside until he regained his strength . A doctor at a hospital in India where health indicators have showed no significant improvement in seven years . During his stay in the hospital , she was appalled at the low level of healthcare available to him . `` It was awful . There was no medicine , '' she told CNN . As a doctor , Kamal-Yanni was able to watch over her father 's progress . Her professional opinion on his recovery was striking . `` My father survived that heart attack for two reasons , '' she said . `` One , because of God 's will , and two , because he had a strong will . It was nothing to do with the health service . '' The following year , Kamal-Yanni came to England to do a clinical attachment . She found herself deeply affected by the stark contrast between the healthcare available in Britain , on the publicly funded National Health Service , and the healthcare available at home in Egypt . She found herself slipping into depression . `` I could n't talk to the patients ; I could n't talk to the doctors . I just could n't cope with it , '' she revealed to CNN . `` I could n't understand why every time I saw a monitor next to a patient I was so upset . '' It dawned on her that the gulf in care was troubling her . `` I kept thinking why on earth my dad did n't have that . The only reason was that he happened to be born in Egypt and these people had the luck to be born -LSB- in England -RSB- . '' Kamal-Yanni is now a senior health & HIV policy advisor at third-world charity Oxfam . Her first-hand experience of the divide between the healthcare available in richer countries , and that on offer in poorer ones , has given her the impetus to try and narrow the gap . While Western countries are pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge , discovering the potential of nanotechnology and other high-tech solutions to the developed world 's diseases , like diabetes , cancer and obesity , poor countries are struggling to combat health problems such as HIV , malaria and TB . Lack of infrastructure . And it 's not as simple as shipping medicines and supplies in bulk quantities . Oxfam 's `` Paying for People '' report , published in February this year , said that poor countries are suffering because they lack the infrastructure of a health service . The WHO 's 2006 `` World Health Report '' also indicates that 4.25 million doctors , nurses and health workers are needed across 57 countries . Sub-Saharan Africa , for example , has 600,000 health workers : one million more are required . Without these key workers , it is questionable whether healthcare in poor countries can be improved . Nicky Wimble , a spokesperson for Oxfam , told CNN , `` There is money coming in for drugs now , but there 's no commitment to long-term aid . '' Governments are unable to give healthcare workers with job security and doctors and nurses , where they do exist , are largely poorly paid : so people choose other careers . `` They 're either becoming taxi drivers , or working for private businesses , '' Wimble says . This double brain-drain -LRB- one internal , one external as those who do train are tempted away by higher salaries and brighter futures in developed countries -RRB- means that even if drugs make it to poorer areas , there can be no one to administer them . `` Drugs are sitting in cupboards , '' Wimble told CNN . `` Or they 're available in cities but people in rural areas do n't have the bus fares to get to them . '' Vulnerable to disease . Dr Kamal-Yanni backs this up . She told CNN , `` There is no public investment in health systems so people have to pay for it . If you 're poor you ca n't buy your healthcare and if you 're a woman who happens to be poor you might as well forget it . '' And in countries where no healthcare system exists , people are extremely vulnerable to diseases , which can spread rampantly and unchecked through communities . Dr Kamal-Yanni paints a worrying picture . `` Particularly in Africa , they 're not equipped to face anything -- not HIV , let alone avian flu . If something like avian flu hit Africa with no health system , no health workers and no money , it would spread . We ca n't contain it in Africa . The world would wake up and realize that , but in the meantime , it would have wiped out goodness knows how many millions of people . '' It 's not just in Africa . HIV is a known crisis there , but it is anticipated that more people will be infected in India than anywhere else , as the disease spreads quickly through its billion-strong population . Increasingly , countries like these are having to deal with a boom in incommunicable diseases , like diabetes and cancer . Chronic diseases like diabetes have the additional problem that they require long-term care , and therefore long-term funding . Dr Kamal-Yanni explained the difficulties of that situation . `` You buy the pills today , but maybe tomorrow you do n't have enough money so you 're never cured and develop complications . '' What lies ahead ? Dr Kamal-Yanni sees three possible outcomes for health in poor countries . The first , as she explained , is bleak . She told CNN , `` If things continue as they are , with rising infection , increasing resistance to drugs , HIV and malaria run unchecked , chronic and non-communicable diseases are ignored and no money is spent on a health system , then the gap will just increase and the situation will get worse and worse . '' Dr Kamal-Yanni is hopeful , however , that the situation will improve somewhat . She explained a second scenario , the one she feels is most likely to happen . `` If the international community invests a little bit , things will be slightly better , '' she told CNN . `` More people with HIV will get treatment , as will people with TB and malaria . But non-communicable chronic diseases -LSB- like diabetes -RSB- will be ignored . '' But large-scale epidemics like avian flu or SARS would still remain a huge threat in this scenario , as would diseases like cancer . `` Who 's going to pay for medicine for cancer , which is increasing like anything in developing countries ? '' asks Dr Kamal-Yanni . `` Nobody . '' Hope for the future . But there is a third scenario , which holds out more hope for people in developing countries . Dr Kamal-Yanni says , `` If public pressure is high , southern governments , donors and the international community will decide that health is really a priority . We 'll put our money where our mouth is and we 'll fulfil the commitments that we 've made before . '' She says that in the first instance , African countries need to be encouraged to divert 16 percent of their budget to health . -LRB- Currently , nearly a third allocate less than five percent . -RRB- `` Then they will realize that this is not enough , so they 'll put in more , '' she continues . If this money were to be added to the $ 50 billion promised by G8 , the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations , in Gleneagles in 2005 , it would have a huge impact on health and education , particularly in Africa . And education is the key , Dr Kamal-Yanni believes . She explained , `` You ca n't separate health and education because unless you educate doctors and nurses , and midwives and pharmacists , you ca n't run a health service . '' Working together . It 's also important for donors and governments to work together to provide a cohesive service , she says . `` They really need to start coordinating their work so it 's not a series of vertical programs that do n't relate to each other and waste resources . '' Oxfam 's Nicky Wimble agrees . She told CNN , `` Over the last 100 years , countries like France , Britain and America have developed by giving their people free education and healthcare . It 's a major way to bring people out of poverty . '' Wimble cites the example of education , where the number of children not in school worldwide has fallen from around 120 million to around 80 million . `` The key is getting governments to commit to it as a part of their aid package , and monitoring the aid package so that the money is tracked to ensure that it gets to where it 's intended , '' she said . `` It 's working for education , and they think it 'll work for healthcare too , but it needs committed investment . '' And in the meantime , people like Mohga Kamal-Yanni will continue their work to pressure governments to encourage positive change . She says , `` That 's my motivation to do this work . It 's not for me ; it 's a life thing . My dream in life is for everybody in Africa to have access to a publicly financed , publicly run healthcare service with strong regulation , quality , care and equity . '' E-mail to a friend . | Oxfam : Lack of infrastructure is the greatest danger to health in poor countries . WHO : 4.25 million more doctors and nurses needed worldwide . Poor countries wo n't cope with SARS , avian flu . Positive policy changes have seen number of children not in school fall by a third . | [[2390, 2429], [2466, 2563], [2564, 2582], [2611, 2707], [4255, 4259], [4307, 4328], [4332, 4389], [4443, 4475], [6158, 6252], [8120, 8129], [8132, 8242]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Doing it nature 's way has the potential to change the way we grow food , make materials , harness energy , heal ourselves , store information , and conduct business . '' Janine Benyus . When self-confessed `` nature nerd '' Janine Benyus coined the term `` biomimicry '' in a book she published a decade ago , little did she know it would make her into an household name , rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars . Janine is a champion of the biomimicry movement and helps companies to improve designs by turning to Nature . The natural sciences writer now gives talks on the subject to riveted crowds and is a consultant to some of world 's biggest companies . In her capacity as `` biologist at the design table , '' Janine helps companies like Nike and Hewlett Packard to innovate and improve their designs by using what already exists in nature . She also appeared as a consultant in the apocalyptic environmental documentary `` 11th Hour , '' produced by Leonardo DiCaprio last year . Janine coined the term `` biomimicry '' from the Greek `` bios , '' meaning `` life , '' and `` mimesis , '' meaning `` imitate . '' `` It was a surprise to me when the phone started ringing after my book came out in 1997 , '' she told CNN . `` It was companies and individual inventors , companies that were inventing everyday and they had problems to solve . They said , ` gee the book is fabulous , it 's about all this science that 's happening in early stage research . But we 're doing innovation in real time . Can you come and be a biologist at the design table ? '' So far , using nature 's design genius has led to the creation of bat-inspired ultrasonic canes for the blind , synthetic sheets that collect water from mist and fog as desert beetles do , and paint that self-cleans like a lotus leaf . Scientists are also working on making solar cells like leaves and supertough ceramics that resemble the inner shells of abalone , which is twice as durable as the ceramics used in jet engines . Before Janine wrote her book , there was n't even a word to describe the work of a few scattered scientists looking for inspiration through nature in different corners of the world . History is , of course , littered with examples of humans copying nature 's design . One of the most notable was invented by the Swiss engineer George de Mestral . Whilst out walking his dog one day de Mestral became annoyed by the burrs catching and sticking to his clothes and in his dog 's fur . He decided to study them under a microscope . The magnification revealed a network of tiny hooks . The product of his labors was Velcro , which was patented in 1951 . At the core of Janine 's beliefs is that nature has already spent 3.8 billion years on research and development . Its failures are now fossils . She believes its successes contain strategies the human race can copy in its quest for a sustainable future . Janine has cultivated a deep knowledge of the natural world , beginning with direct observation in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey , continuing in habitats from Maine to West Virginia where she worked as a backcountry guide , and now , in her home wilds of Montana . She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University , New Jersey , with two degrees in Natural Resource Management and English Literature/Writing . Named by Time magazine as an environmental hero of 2007 , she 's now writing the sequel book , `` Nature 's 100 Best Technologies , '' and also consults through her firm The Biomimicry Guild , which came about following the massive demand for her knowledge . `` From interiors , manufacturing everything from apparel to transportation to bath and kitchen and carpets and furniture and sneakers , and even cities , '' she told CNN . `` I 'd be talking to groups of mayors and talking to the European parliament , policy makers and they all wanted to know how can we learn from nature how to design a more sustainable world . '' `` They want to know if there are blue prints , and of course there are . And they said ` great , bring over your biologists . '' One of the companies that Janine has worked with is Interface , Inc , the world 's largest commercial carpet manufacturer . The process is particularly hard on the environment as it uses petrochemicals in every step and consumes vast amounts of energy , and produces tons of waste . But after working with Janine and the Guild , Interface introduced Entropy , a carpet inspired by random pattern formation in nature . It was a greener product that gave customers more flexibility as they could replace individual tiles instead of the whole carpet . Entropy quickly rose to become Interface 's top-selling line of carpet and still represents 40 percent of their carpet tile sales . With results like that , it seems , you ca n't argue with Mother Nature . | Janine Benyus coined the term `` biomimicry '' in her influential 1997 book . Biomimicry is the concept of looking for inspiration for design through nature . She was named by Time magazine as an environmental hero of 2007 . | [[314, 347], [226, 320], [350, 453], [1226, 1250], [454, 460], [506, 563], [835, 889], [3354, 3409]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. John McCain has inched ahead of Sen. Barack Obama in national polls , but the Democratic candidate holds a steady lead in the most recent Electoral College estimates . John McCain and Sarah Palin are campaigning hard in battleground states . In national surveys , McCain leads by 2 points , 47 percent to 45 percent , according to CNN 's poll of polls released Monday night . In the Electoral College standings , the most recent survey shows 243 electoral votes either safely in Obama 's column or leaning his way . At this point , McCain can claim only 189 . Many of the state polls used to determine the Electoral College standings , however , were conducted before the conventions . Monday marked the first time McCain passed Obama in CNN 's poll of polls . Watch how the race has tightened '' On Saturday , Obama was up by 3 in the poll of polls . That lead shrank to just 1 point Sunday before disappearing Monday . In the most recent survey , 8 percent of respondents said they were still unsure about who they were going to vote for . The poll of polls is an average of five surveys : CNN -LRB- September 5-7 -RRB- , ABC/Washington Post -LRB- September 5-7 -RRB- , CBS -LRB- September 5-7 -RRB- , Gallup -LRB- September 5-7 -RRB- and Diageo/Hotline -LRB- September 5-7 -RRB- . The poll of polls does not have a sampling error . The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll released Monday shows McCain and Obama tied at 48 percent . The poll , which was conducted Friday through Sunday , carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points . It was based on 1,022 telephone interviews . Republicans are hoping that if McCain can close the popular vote gap , he can also make gains in the electoral gap . The Electoral College will ultimately decide who takes over the White House . Watch what the different standings mean '' Although polls across the country are open on one day , the election is not a national poll but a series of 51 state-level elections that decide the members of the Electoral College . Technically , voters are n't choosing a candidate but a slate of electors who have pledged to vote for that candidate when the Electoral College meets . With 538 electors up for grabs , the candidate with more than half -- 270 -- wins the presidency . The number of electors from each state equals the number of senators and representatives the state sends to Congress . Both candidates are turning their focus to battleground areas as they try to stack the states in their column . According to CNN 's electoral map , the states that could go either way are Colorado , Florida , Michigan , Missouri , New Hampshire , Nevada , Ohio and Virginia . McCain and his running mate , Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin , are campaigning Tuesday in Lebanon , Ohio , just 30 miles from Obama , who is in Riverside . No Republican has won the White House without winning Ohio . Obama 's running mate , Delaware Sen. Joe Biden , is campaigning in Missouri . Both parties are putting a lot of emphasis on Missouri . For the past century , the state has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election except one . -LRB- Missouri picked Adlai Stevenson over Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 . -RRB- . McCain and Palin campaigned there Monday . They 're hoping the state 's landscape will help them take its 11 electoral votes . The state has the 13th oldest population in the country , and Obama has struggled with older voters . Also , 37 percent of Missourians are evangelical Christians , according to the Pew Forum . That 's substantially higher than the 26 percent nationally . If McCain can take Missouri and tilt the toss-up states of Florida and Ohio , which also have older populations , he will pull ahead of Obama . CNN 's Tom Foreman contributed to this report . | CNN 's poll of polls shows John McCain leading Barack Obama , 47-45 percent . Obama ahead in Electoral College count , but some polls taken before convention . Candidates focusing on battleground states like Missouri , Ohio . Candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the election . | [[0, 15], [19, 91], [266, 285], [288, 312], [342, 375], [266, 285], [288, 303], [315, 339], [355, 399], [98, 191], [400, 434], [437, 539], [584, 607], [660, 709], [192, 265], [2413, 2524], [2978, 3034]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A construction company and three supervisors were indicted Monday on manslaughter and related charges in the deaths of two firefighters battling a 2007 blaze at the Deutsche Bank building in lower Manhattan . Firefighters Joseph Graffagnino , left , and Robert Beddia died in the Deutsche Bank building blaze . Prosecutors also reached an agreement with the city of New York requiring the implementation of new fire safety measures . `` Our goal is to put in place procedures which will prevent a disaster of the magnitude of the Deutsche Bank fire and to make sure that firefighters are never again exposed to the risks they faced in that fire , '' Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said . The indictments against the John Galt Corp. , Jeffrey Melofchik , Mitchel Alvo and Salvatore DePaola also allege negligent homicide and reckless endangerment . The indictment is the result of an investigation into an August 18 , 2007 , blaze that consumed nine floors of the Deutsche Bank building . The building had been scheduled for demolition after being contaminated by debris , asbestos and other hazardous substances after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center buildings . The two firefighters killed in the blaze -- Robert Beddia , 53 , and Joseph Graffagnino , 33 -- were caught in a smoke-filled stairwell that prosecutors say was improperly blocked off by barriers erected to seal off floors being stripped of contaminants . In addition to the deaths of Beddia and Graffagnino , 105 other firefighters were injured combating the blaze . The agreement with the city of New York mandates the creation of a new civilian inspection unit at the city 's fire department , the sole purpose of which will be to perform inspections at construction sites throughout the city . `` The regulatory measures we have put in place and the additional reforms set out today are designed to prevent any firefighter again confronting the conditions that firefighters faced at the Deutsche Bank building that tragic day , '' New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a written statement . The father of one of the firefighters killed in the blaze , Joseph Graffagnino Sr. , said the indictments did not go far enough . `` I do n't understand if the -LSB- city -RSB- agency ca n't be indicted , why ca n't individuals be indicted who we already know should have been responsible for doing their jobs and did not do their jobs , '' he said to reporters . Graffagnino was referencing the lack of criminal charges brought against employees of the city fire department , the city 's department of buildings and the building 's landlord , the Lower Manhattan Development Corp. . | John Galt Corp. , three supervisors indicted ; city to change procedures . Firefighters died when caught in smoke-filled stairwell . Prosecutors allege doorway was improperly sealed . 105 other firefighters were injured fighting blaze . | [[0, 24], [55, 109], [394, 461], [2545, 2615], [1243, 1330], [1312, 1330], [1333, 1378], [1354, 1378], [1400, 1438], [1553, 1610]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At 80 , Maya Angelou says her `` knees are not all that swift and my lungs need some extra help but other than that , my desire to learn and to share , that has not abated . '' Maya Angelou urges politicians to `` aim for the high ground '' in her new book , `` Letter to My Daughter . '' She shares what she 's learned in an eventful life in her best-selling new book , `` Letter to My Daughter . '' Angelou achieved fame for her autobiographical writing , including `` I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings '' and her poetry . She read her poem `` On the Pulse of Morning '' at President Clinton 's first inauguration . She was only the second poet invited to read at the swearing in of a new president . But her career has had many facets -- Angelou has been a singer , dancer , playwright , director and teacher . In 166 pages , `` Letter to My Daughter '' distills stories from Angelou 's life into universal lessons . She writes about birth , life and death , about the ways people misunderstand each other and then transcend their conflict . She calls on national leaders to raise the country 's spirit and on Americans to remember that this is the nation that defeated the Nazis and expanded people 's freedom through the civil rights movement . `` Politicians must set their aims for the high ground and according to our various leanings , Democratic , Republican , Independent , we will follow , '' she writes . `` Politicians must be told if they continue to sink into the mud of obscenity , they will proceed alone . '' In an interview last week in her 1881 brownstone in Harlem , decorated in vibrant , bright colors , Angelou sat at the round table in her dining room , sipping coffee , as she talked about the election and her work . She supported Sen. Hillary Clinton 's bid for the Democratic nomination and then backed Sen. Barack Obama once the primaries were over . CNN : In the chapter called `` National Spirit , '' you call on political leaders to raise the level of discussion . Could you elaborate on that ? Maya Angelou : What I 've encouraged voters to do is to vote for the person I am extolling , and also do n't expect that if your man or woman gets in , that all things will be rectified immediately . It 's taken us a long time to come to this place of weariness and almost hopelessness . So because Obama gets in or McCain gets in , it 's not going to be repaired overnight . The economy is not going to be repaired , the schools -- the disaster in our schools -- will not be repaired overnight . Nor will the social conversation be repaired overnight . However , I would encourage every voter to say to his or her candidate , go in and do it , and you will not do it alone . I will help . You have to get up off that sofa or off that couch and give something to the country -- even if it 's one hour every other week to an old people 's home -- I will read , go into the children 's ward and read , or give to your church or your synagogue or your mosque . ... Offer something to the country . So you do n't just sit there . CNN : What does it say about the country that Barack Obama is a candidate to be president ? Angelou : The country is growing up and confessing to something we 've known all along . What prevented us from admitting that we knew that ? And I was taken back to slavery . If you will have a person enslaved , the first thing you must do is convince yourself that the person is subhuman . The second thing you have to do is convince your allies so you 'll have some help , and the third and probably unkindest cut of all is to convince that person that he or she is subhuman and deserves it . Well , such a job has been done on all of us that people found it very difficult to admit that human beings are more alike than we are unalike . We 've known it . But to admit it , you have to stop saying because this guy speaks another language , because their eyes are shaped differently from mine , because they 're first-generation Americans from Eastern Europe , then they do n't count , I do n't have to consider them . With this , the country is finally able to see through complexion and see community . CNN : You 've known and worked with people like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. . Could you imagine what their reaction would be to this ? Angelou : I think everybody would be weeping tears of joy really . I think of my grandmother who raised me . She was a daughter of a former slave . She knew this was going to happen . You know that when I was young , I was physically abused and so I stopped talking . I thought that my voice had killed the criminal . ... The man had been found dead . Police said he had been beaten to death . So I knew , because I told -LSB- people -RSB- that he did it , that my voice could just go out and kill people . So after a few months , my mother 's people sent me and my brother back to this little village in Arkansas to my grandmother , my father 's mother who was raising me , and she used to braid my hair . My hair was huge and very curly , black . And my grandmother put her hand behind my neck and held it so she would n't break my neck by accident . And she would start to brush my hair and she would say , `` Sister , Mama do n't care what these people say about you , that you must be an idiot , you must be a moron because you ca n't talk . Mama know when you and the good Lord get ready , you 're going to teach all over this world . You 're going to be a mighty teacher . '' I did n't speak for six years . She said that to me all the time , in this little village in Arkansas . -LSB- Now -RSB- I teach all over the world , I teach in French and Spanish , so when I stand up on a stage or see a book of mine gets accolades or a piece of music I 've written , I think about my Mama , and she died before I really came of age , and I just think she knew it . CNN : She was prophetic about you , but beyond that ? Angelou : Yes , -LSB- she believed -RSB- it will get better . And you have to continue to prepare yourself , continue to build yourself , continue to elevate yourself and be a benefit , be a blessing rather than a curse , and things will get better . And they have , so when I think of Dr. King and Malcolm , Fannie Lou Hamer , Medgar Evers , I also think of Chief Albert Luthuli , one of the first Africans to earn the Nobel Prize . I mean that after Chief Luthuli , apartheid was so rigid , unbreakable that men had to carry their IDs on plastic cards that were too large for any suit , so they flapped , reminding them constantly who they were . It was my blessing to meet Nelson Mandela before he went into prison and I 've seen him many times since . He knew this day would come , and to be able to stay in prison for 27 years , knowing that the day would come . CNN : What gave you the inspiration to call the book , `` Letter to My Daughter , '' even though you do n't have a daughter ? -LSB- Angelou has a son , the writer Guy Johnson . -RSB- . Angelou : There was an African-American poet , her name was Anne Spencer ; she wrote a poem called `` Letter to My Sister , '' around the turn of the 20th Century . ... I started making notes to Oprah -LSB- Winfrey -RSB- about 20 years ago . She really became a daughter to me . So there were things I wanted to talk to her about ; I made notes , copious notes , and about a year and a half ago , I got out that box called WIP , works in progress , and I started going through two or three lines and I said , `` Hmmm , there 's an essay in here . '' So it is a letter to all my daughters , to those who do n't know they are . It is my intent to say you may encounter many defeats , but you must not be defeated . You will be changed , events will change you , but you have to decide not to be reduced . CNN : Have you been in touch with Oprah lately about the election ? Angelou : I spoke to her about a week ago ... -LSB- During the primaries -RSB- , a newspaper reporter said this proves that Oprah Winfrey does n't listen to everything Maya Angelou says , because she was supporting Sen. Obama and I was supporting Sen. Clinton . And when I was asked by the reporter , `` What do you say to Oprah ? '' my answer was , `` I say nothing , she 's a woman who thinks carefully and profoundly and she has courage . So she 's chosen the person she thinks would be the best person for our country . I do the same . '' The primaries proved that Oprah had selected the one that most people wanted , so I went to Sen. Obama right after that . Hillary Clinton ... telephoned me and thanked me for my unwavering support , and then asked me to please put that same energy behind Mr. Obama . CNN : Another theme in the book is to believe in yourself , to have faith in yourself . Why is that important ? Angelou : You need to know that you can go somewhere . You 're not just like grass growing on the street . You 're like trees , you have roots , and they 've done wonderful things , and you need to know that , and by knowing that , you see how outfitted you are for these times . And that you really owe it to those who went before so that you can add to them for those who are yet to come . You need to know that you are in a continuum , and if you understand that , you realize that you are worthwhile . This continuum would be broken without me . | Maya Angelou : No matter who wins , do n't expect an overnight turnaround . Angelou says politicians should raise the level of discussion . She says voting is not enough , people need to volunteer to help others . Angelou : You will encounter defeats , but do n't be defeated . | [[2055, 2067], [2157, 2254], [2388, 2430], [1957, 2024], [2055, 2067], [2157, 2254], [7623, 7676], [7683, 7709], [7761, 7799]] |
LAHORE , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police raided an Islamic school and arrested seven students hours after a blast in a mosque in northern Pakistan left at least 50 dead and dozens injured , according to an Associated Press report . A man , right , mourns the death of his two sons in a suicide attack near Peshawar that killed at least 50 . A bomb , packed with ball-bearings and nails , tore through Eid prayers at a mosque packed with hundreds of worshippers northeast of Peshawar on Friday , targeting Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao , former Pakistani interior minister , local police told CNN . The blast left blood-stained clothes , hats and shoes as well as body parts and pieces of flesh scattered across the mosque , according to reports . The attack is the most recent in a series of attacks in Pakistan 's North West Frontier Province and occurred near Sherpao 's residence in Charsadda -- an area approximately 28 miles -LRB- 45 kilometers -RRB- northeast of the city of Peshawar . Watch what 's known about the blast '' Police investigators say Taliban or al Qaeda elements could have been involved and they believe the former minister was targeted over his supervision of operations against militants in Pakistan 's tribal areas including the restive NWFP . This attack is the deadliest in Pakistan since 136 people were killed in the southern port city of Karachi on October 18 in a suicide bombing targeting the convoy of Benazir Bhutto , Pakistan 's former prime minister . See photos from the blast 's aftermath '' Bhutto returned to the country after eight years in self-imposed exile ahead of January parliamentary elections . The attack comes in the midst of continued operations by the Pakistani army to rout out militants in the swat valley in the north of the country , an area the government considers a front-line in the so-called global war on terror . A former tourist destination about 100 miles -LRB- 160 kilometers -RRB- from Islamabad , The Swat Valley has been plagued by violence and has become a hotbed for militants . Earlier this month , the army said it has retaken towns seized by militants over the summer , killing 290 and capturing 140 . The attack also comes less than a week after President Pervez Musharraf lifted a six-week-old state of emergency he said was necessary to ensure the country 's stability but that critics said was a move to stifle the country 's judiciary , curb the media and secure more power . While Musharraf has promised free and fair parliamentary elections , continued instability in the tribal areas and the threat of attack on large crowds has kept people from attending political rallies and dampened the country 's political process . Campaigners from various political parties say fewer people are coming out to show their support . The president -- who survived two assassination attempts in December 2003 -- denounced Friday 's attack , speaking out against what he said was a small number of Muslim extremists who would carry out such an act , according to a report from the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan . He ordered security and intelligence agencies to find those responsible . A spokesperson for the U.N. said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemns the attack and he `` urges all political forces in Pakistan to unite against the scourge of terrorism and to act together to create a peaceful environment ahead of the Parliamentary elections . '' This is the second attempt on Sherpao 's life since April , when a suicide bomber blew himself up just a few feet from Sherpao during a political rally , injuring him and killing at least 28 people . The APP reported that the blast was caused by a suicide bomber inside the mosque , as people were gathering for religious observances of Eid al-Adha , the Muslim celebration of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia . `` We were saying prayers when this huge explosion occurred , '' said Shaukat Ali , a 26-year-old survivor of the blast whose white cloak and pants were torn and spattered with blood , an AP report said . Despite security measures at the mosque , the bomber was praying in a row of worshippers when he detonated the explosive , provincial police chief Sharif Virk said , the report added . A Peshawar hospital was wracked with chaos as the injured arrived in pickup trucks , ambulance sirens wailed and the wounded screamed for help , the report said . The bomb contained between 13-17 pounds of explosives and was filled with nails and ball bearings to maximize casualties , said the head of the bomb unit at the scene , who declined to give his name . Sherpao and his two sons were in the first row of the mosque , the APP report said . Mustafa Khan Sherpao had leg injuries while Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao `` escaped unhurt . '' Sherpao was Pakistan 's interior minister -- the country 's top civilian security official -- before Musharraf announced a caretaker government in November ahead of elections . He heads the breakaway political group Pakistan People 's Party-Sherpao , is a vocal critic of religious extremism , pro-Musharraf and a candidate in upcoming elections . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Mohsin Naqvi contributed to this report . | Bomb detonated at mosque northeast of Peshawar , Pakistan . Local police : At least 50 dead in attack on Eid prayers . Reports : Former interior minister was target , escapes blast , one son injured . Minister supervised military operations in tribal areas against militants . | [[9, 27], [37, 43], [73, 149], [120, 190], [287, 317], [323, 343], [120, 190], [287, 317], [323, 343], [1112, 1267], [1643, 1718]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three Staten Island men are charged with violating voting rights , accused of assaulting African-Americans after Barack Obama 's win in the November presidential election , authorities said Wednesday . A grand jury indicted Ralph Nicoletti , 18 , Michael Contreras , 18 , and Brian Carranza , 21 , on charges of conspiracy to interfere with voting rights . All three pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday afternoon . According to the indictment , the three `` knowingly and intentionally '' conspired to intimidate African-Americans `` in the free exercise and enjoyment of a right ... and because of having so exercised that right , to wit , the right to vote . '' Nicoletti and Carranza are white , and Contreras is Latino . They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted . At the arraignment , Nicoletti and Contreras were ordered held without bail , while Carranza was released on a $ 200,000 bond but ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device . Contreras ' attorney , public defender Len Kamdang , could not be reached for comment . Nicoletti 's attorney , Bob LaRusso , had no comment . Prosecutors said in court filings that on the night of November 4 , the defendants were at a `` makeshift outdoor clubhouse '' in the Rosebank section of Staten Island when they learned of Obama 's victory . At that point , prosecutors said , Nicoletti drove Contreras , Carranza and another friend to the predominantly African-American Park Hill neighborhood in Staten Island . Their purpose , prosecutors said , was to assault African-Americans because of Obama 's win . Their first victim , according to the U.S. Attorney 's Office , was 17-year-old Ali Kamara , whom they beat with a metal pipe and a collapsible police baton . Kamara escaped after suffering a concussion and injuries to his legs . `` The first swing that swung -- it hit my head . It cut my head , '' Kamara told CNN affiliate WABC . `` I got staples on my head now . '' Kamara said he hid in a neighbor 's backyard until the boys moved on . Continuing to the Port Richmond section of Staten Island , the group assaulted a second African-American man , pushing him down , the federal prosecutors alleged . They then allegedly accosted a Latino man , demanding to know how he voted , and shouted profanities about Obama at a group of African-Americans at a hair salon . Next , prosecutors said , the group targeted Ronald Forte , a man they mistakenly believed to be African-American who was walking along Blackford Avenue in predominantly African-American Port Richmond . Forte is white , but because he was wearing a hoodie , the men were unable to identify his race and assumed that he was African-American . According to the indictment , the men decided to assault Forte with the police baton as they drove by , but at the last moment , Nicoletti swerved the vehicle directly into the 38-year-old man instead . Forte was thrown onto the hood of the car , shattering the front windshield . According to Staten Island Real Time News -LRB- silive.com -RRB- , Forte was in a coma for 45 days , returning to his family 's home in New Jersey in mid-December , said his mother , Eileen . She added that her son now has serious brain damage and motor control problems . `` He 's not good . He 's never going to be good , '' she said . `` Every day , I just see something different , and it 's so scary . '' U.S. Attorney Benton J. Campbell decried the attacks . `` Violence and intimidation aimed at interfering with the constitutional rights of every citizen , including the right to vote , will not be tolerated , '' he said in a written statement . According to the U.S. Attorney 's Office , Nicoletti has an extensive history of violent criminal activity including burglary , car break-ins , firebombing , assault , and marijuana and cocaine distribution . He is also a member of the `` Rosebank Crew '' -LRB- RBK -RRB- founded by his now-incarcerated younger brother , Anthony Nicoletti . Investigators found a cache of weapons and police batons stolen from vehicles owned by police , as well as letters from Nicoletti 's brother urging Ralph to maintain RBK loyalty and not cooperate with authorities . Nicoletti and three others approached Contreras three weeks ago at his house , believing he was cooperating with authorities , according to a filing with the U.S. Attorney 's Office . They allegedly attacked him and called him a snitch , according to a letter from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pamela Chen and Margo Brodie to the judge in the case . The letter petitions for home confinement , drug testing and other pretrial release conditions for Nicoletti and Carranza . The judge has not responded to the request . CNN 's Mythili Rao and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Indictment says three men conspired to intimidate African-Americans . They 've pleaded not guilty of conspiracy to interfere with voting rights . Two held without bail ; other out on bail with monitoring device . Prosecutors : Men went to African-American neighborhoods , assaulted 3 people . | [[510, 676], [28, 92], [385, 452], [813, 831], [834, 888], [0, 24], [95, 198], [2180, 2213]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former prison secretary has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for having sex with an inmate she was supposed to be supervising , a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney 's office in the District of Colorado said Friday . Janine Sligar , 47 , of Wray , Colorado , was sentenced Thursday for sexual abuse of a ward . After serving her sentence , she will serve five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender , spokesman Jeff Dorschner said in a news release . Sligar , who must surrender to a facility designated by the Bureau of Prisons on March 2 , did not respond to a telephone call to her home for comment . She was indicted in July by a federal grand jury in Denver and pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in October . According to the plea agreement , Sligar , a 14-year Bureau of Prisons veteran , said she and inmate Eric McClain met in February 2007 , when he was assigned to clean her office . `` They began to have conversations and realized they had similar interests , '' the plea agreement said . That summer , they initiated a sexual relationship that included 10 to 20 sessions of oral sex and sexual intercourse , ending in October 2007 , it said . The liaisons primarily occurred in a staff restroom in the housing unit at the Federal Prison Camp in Florence , Colorado , according to the agreement . Sligar , who acknowledged having detailed her activities in a journal , said she obtained a cell phone with a non-local phone number so McClain could call her without raising suspicion and admitted she gave him contraband that included photographs with explicit sexual poses , the plea agreement added . `` Defendant also admitted using her cell phone camera to take graphic pictures of a sexual nature which depict defendant and this inmate , '' it said . Authorities began investigating the incident after receiving a tip about the inappropriate relationship . They then learned that Sligar had changed the primary beneficiary on an insurance policy from her children to McClain . A subsequent search of her home turned up the journal and photographs . | Former prison secretary Janine Sligar had sex with inmate . Sligar sentenced to six months on charge of sexual abuse of a ward . Documents : Sligar , inmate had 10 to 20 sexual encounters . Sligar detailed liaisons in journal , admitted taking and giving inmate graphic photos . | [[0, 15], [96, 125], [249, 277], [291, 342], [0, 15], [28, 95], [249, 277], [291, 342], [1062, 1073], [1076, 1179], [1370, 1376], [1383, 1439], [1506, 1513], [1559, 1644], [1674, 1686], [1692, 1772], [1757, 1772], [1779, 1811]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Saudi King Abdullah has pardoned a rape victim who had been sentenced to 200 lashes and six months in prison in a case that sparked international attention , a Saudi newspaper has reported . The case cast light on the treatment of women under Saudi Arabia 's strict Islamic law . Al-Jazirah newspaper quoted a Saudi Justice Ministry official saying King Abdullah issued a royal pardon Monday -- the same day that the Hajj , the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca , begins in Saudi Arabia . The victim 's husband told CNN he has not received an official letter regarding her pardon , but considers it to be legitimate since it was announced in an official Saudi newspaper . He thanked King Abdullah for the pardon , saying : `` This fatherly care and noble gesture will help -LRB- in -RRB- lifting the emotional and psychological stress and suffering that our family has been enduring . '' `` This is not something new because we know that the King was always generous in dealing with his people and the entire world , '' the husband said . `` This week , we have two holidays to celebrate ; the Eid and this great news of the pardon . '' Saudi sources told CNN that the king 's pardon was not related to the beginning of the Hajj nor the Eid al-Adha festival that follows , which is normally when the Saudi monarch issues amnesty for prisoners . Watch how Arab media is reporting the story . '' Saudi Arabia 's Justice Minister Abdullah Bin Mohammad al-Sheikh told al-Jazirah newspaper that the king felt the pardon would be in the best interests of the Saudi people , and the decision did not reflect any lack of confidence in the Saudi justice system . The White House welcomed King Abdullah 's decision , but National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe stressed that `` this is obviously a matter for the Saudi Arabians and King Abdullah . '' A Saudi court ruled the 19-year-old had an `` illegitimate relationship '' with a man who was not her husband , and that she was raped after she and the man were discovered in a `` compromising situation , her clothes on the ground . '' The rape took place in Qatif in March 2006 when the woman was engaged to be married . The case has drawn international attention , provoked outrage in the West and cast light on the treatment of women under strict Islamic law in Saudi Arabia . The woman was meeting with a man -- described by the woman 's attorney as a former friend from whom she was retrieving a photograph -- when they both were abducted last March . Seven men , convicted of abducting the pair and raping her , were sentenced from two to nine years in prison . Abdul Rahman al-Lahim , the lawyer who represented the woman , faced a disciplinary hearing for `` insulting the Supreme Judicial Council and disobeying the rules and regulations '' of the judiciary . The hearing has been postponed . The woman 's husband has been outspoken in his support for his wife . He called a Lebanese TV show to defend her , when a former Saudi judge claimed on the program that she `` spoil -LRB- ed -RRB- their marital bed '' by meeting an unrelated male `` in secret '' and admitted her guilt . Al-Lahim has said he hopes the case changes the Saudi justice system . `` We want to highlight the rape crimes in Saudi Arabia and the way they are handled and sentenced in court , '' he added . `` This is a new era for all of us . '' He said that the rape case had elicited a fierce response , including calls for his beheading . U.S. President George W. Bush said last week that King Abdullah `` knows our position loud and clear '' on the case . Under Saudi law , women are subject to numerous restrictions , including a strict dress code , a prohibition against driving and a requirement that they get a man 's permission to travel or have surgery . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Mohammed Jamjoom , Saad Abedine and Isha Sesay contributed to this report . | NEW : Sources say pardon unrelated to Hajj nor subsequent Eid al-Adha . NEW : Justice minister says king felt pardon in best interests of Saudi people . Report : King Abdullah pardons rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes . A Saudi court had ruled the 19-year-old had an `` illegitimate relationship '' | [[1156, 1276], [299, 360], [327, 410], [1413, 1584], [0, 15], [19, 137], [1872, 1907], [1892, 1957]] |
CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mike Mette has been a Chicago police officer for almost four years . But now , as a result of a fistfight one night in Dubuque , Iowa , he is a convicted felon . Mike Mette , a Chicago police officer , says he acted in self-defense when he punched Jake Gotthard , a student at the University of Dubuque . Mette has been sentenced to almost five years in prison after Dubuque County Judge Monica Ackley found him guilty of assault causing serious injury . Mette says he 's been wronged . `` I was arrested for self-defense ... I was defending myself , '' he said . Mette 's saga started in October 2005 after a night of drinking in Dubuque , where he was visiting his brother Mark . After the bars closed , Mette and his crew made their way to an after-hours party thrown by Jake Gotthard , a student at the University of Dubuque . According to court documents , Mette and his friends entered the house party , but decided to leave without paying the required $ 5 entry fee when they saw the room was mostly empty . Gotthard became angry , and with the help of his roommate , began chasing Mette down the street . Gotthard claims someone in Mette 's group had stolen his cell phone and he wanted it back . Exactly what happened to the cell phone is still unclear . The altercation continued a block and a half down the street and eventually ended up in front of the house of Mette 's brother . Fight could land cop in prison '' `` That 's when Mr. Gotthard hit me . He hit me with two fists like this , straight into the chest , '' Mette said . `` He was yelling about his cell phone , telling me if he did n't get his cell phone back he was going to beat the crap out of me . He hit me several more times and then I pushed him away from me . It was n't until after the third time is when he came back at me again and that is when I struck him . '' When police arrived , they found Gotthard lying on the ground with bruises and lacerations on his face , cheek , nose , chin and forehead . Mette , who had blood on his shirt and whose knuckle was bruised and cut , was arrested and charged with a felony . '' -LSB- Gotthard -RSB- had bruises on the side of his neck , his arms , his elbow , his shoulders , on his back , that were simply not consistent with Mr. Mette 's version that he only struck him once , '' said Assistant County Attorney Tim Gallagher . Dubuque doctors testified the injuries were consistent with someone who had been stomped and kicked . But a doctor testifying for Mette 's defense rejected the Dubuque findings . He said all those injuries could have come from Mette 's single punch and the impact from falling on the sidewalk . Gallagher said the decision to prosecute Mette was a tough one . `` It 's never an easy situation when someone is sentenced to prison , particularly when it 's a police officer that we have to rely on , '' he said . `` But we ca n't allow individuals to be given certain privileges because of their occupation . '' The case spawned a battle between newspaper columnists in Chicago and Dubuque . `` Mette played baseball in college . But what 's happening to him is n't about Iowa baseball mythology . It does n't smell of corn . It stinks of the pig barn , '' wrote Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass . He chalks the judge 's decision up to small town politics . In a reply , a columnist for the Dubuque Telegraph Herald wrote that Kass is a `` legendary muckraker '' who is `` training his scorn '' on Ackley , the judge . Mette is currently on unpaid leave from the Chicago Police Department and is appealing his case . He will begin serving his five-year sentence in November . E-mail to a friend . | Mike Mette , a Chicago police officer , is heading to prison this November . He says he was acting in self-defense when he punched Jake Gotthard . Doctors testified Gotthard appeared as though he had been stomped , kicked . Mette , currently on unpaid leave , is appealing the court 's decision . | [[3614, 3672], [200, 210], [240, 269], [245, 299], [564, 586], [2451, 2463], [2468, 2497], [3516, 3521], [3590, 3613]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Prosecutors in Florida are taking a new look at the 2007 death of Anna Nicole Smith to see if recent evidence that California investigators gathered might cause them to open an inquiry . Prosecutors in Florida are reviewing evidence gathered in California for a probe into Anna Nicole Smith 's death . Howard K. Stern -- Smith 's longtime partner and attorney -- and two doctors were charged this month in California with conspiring to furnish drugs to Smith before her fatal overdose . `` Our prosecutors have met with representatives of the Los Angeles County district attorney 's office and the California Department of Justice and discussed the evidence they have turned up in their investigation , '' said Ron Ishoy , a spokesman for Broward County State Attorney Michael Satz . `` We are now examining that evidence to see where it might lead in relation to Ms. Smith 's death here in Broward County in 2007 . '' The Broward County state attorney 's office never opened a probe into Smith 's death but assisted the Seminole police in its investigation in the days afterward . Smith , 39 , was pronounced dead February 8 , 2007 , after being discovered unconscious in her hotel room at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino near Hollywood , Florida . A coroner said she died from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs . Officials said both prescription and over-the-counter drugs were found in Smith 's system , including three anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drugs . Human growth hormone and chloral hydrate , a sleep medication , also were found in toxicology tests , officials said . Stern and Drs. Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor were charged in California with several felonies , including conspiring to furnish controlled substances , unlawfully prescribing a controlled substance and obtaining fraudulent prescriptions from June 2004 through January 2007 -- only weeks before Smith 's death . Kapoor and Eroshevich also were charged with obtaining a prescription for opiates by `` fraud , deceit or misrepresentation . '' And each was charged with one count of obtaining a prescription for opiates by giving a false name or address , prosecutors said . `` Anna was the center of a cruel tabloid feeding frenzy , '' Eroshevich 's attorney , Adam Braun , told CNN in a statement after his client was charged . `` In the face of this , Dr. Eroshevich did her best to help the patient while protecting what little privacy Anna had left . Any actions were done with the patient 's well-being in mind and were certainly not criminal . '' Watch allegations over photos and the doctor '' California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the doctors and Stern devised a plan to use fake names so Smith could be prescribed `` thousands of pills . '' The former Playboy playmate and reality TV star was drugged `` almost to the point of stupefaction , '' Brown said . `` The quantity of the drugs , the variety of the drugs , the combination at any given point , and her continuing to use that -- that , to a professional , is clear evidence of addiction , '' Brown said Friday . `` These cocktails of methadone and anti-depressants and sleeping pills and Xanax , you put all that into a cocktail , it explodes and can cause death , injury and permanent morbidity and disability . '' | Broward County , Florida , prosecutors taking new look at death of Anna Nicole Smith . Ex-Playboy playmate found dead in Florida hotel room in February 2007 . Coroner : Smith died of accidental overdose of prescription drugs . Smith 's boyfriend , two doctors charged recently in California drug case . | [[0, 5], [8, 31], [50, 160], [222, 336], [819, 832], [843, 950], [819, 824], [829, 950], [1117, 1122], [1130, 1167], [1293, 1368], [1308, 1368], [337, 352], [402, 521], [1636, 1717]] |
YUSUFIYAH , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Until recently , Yusufiyah was among the most dangerous places in Iraq . U.S. Col. Michael Kershaw meets with Sunni leaders in Yusufiyah , formerly a hot spot for insurgent activity . Located in the so-called `` triangle of death , '' a violent area south of Baghdad , it was the site of frequent clashes between coalition forces and Sunni fighters . In May , two U.S. soldiers went missing in Yusufiyah and were never found , despite a massive search . But today , Sunni tribal leaders in this town cooperate with U.S. forces in their battle against foreign fighters and al Qaeda in Iraq . `` It 's all the roll of the dice . It 's people and politics all intertwined down here , '' said Col. Michael Kershaw , commander of the Second Brigade , 10th Mountain Division . Kershaw now greets his former enemies with kisses , hears their grievances , spends time in their homes and even shares meals with them . He is surprised at how far relations have progressed . `` Our hope a year ago was to establish very basic inroads down here , '' Kershaw said . `` We thought the insurgency was far too deep for us to be able to effectively root it out and develop the relationship with the locals . '' As happened in Anbar province to the west , local Sunni leaders from this town south of Baghdad finally turned on the al Qaeda extremists in their midst when the death and destruction became too much to bear . `` Killing people , stealing goats , everything , you name it , '' said Sheik Hamid Karbouli , when asked why he and his men now oppose al Qaeda . Karbouli has recruited some 150 volunteers to man checkpoints and carry guns . Sunni sheik lists grievances against al Qaeda '' The U.S. military calls the men concerned local citizens . `` I have n't had more than one IED destroy a vehicle in an area where concerned citizens were located ... in the past two months , '' Kershaw said . To further encourage local tribesmen to turn against al Qaeda , the U.S. military pays local sheiks to provide security in their area ; they receive up to $ 10 per man . It 's a controversial policy , but one that has helped the U.S. military identify and stop insurgents , Kershaw said . `` In the three months since this has started , we have gathered more insurgents up , more terrorists , than we did in the preceding nine months . And that 's because they have pointed out to us these people within their own ranks , '' Kershaw said . The next step is to have these young Sunnis join the Iraqi police . For that to happen , the U.S. military needs the cooperation of the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad . Cooperation , however , is slow in coming . Iraq 's central government is concerned these gunmen might turn into armed militias if the U.S. pulls out and civil war erupts . To assuage these concerns , Kershaw is registering as many of the local volunteers as possible , taking photographs and retinal scans , hoping leaders in Baghdad will agree to hire them as Iraqi police . `` What we see as being the end state down here is these tribes being brought back full into the government process , '' Kershaw said . The Second Brigade has lost 53 men in Iraq . Their photos are proudly displayed in the brigade 's headquarters . Some of the U.S. soldiers here have a hard time forgiving the Sunnis for what they might have done in the insurgency . `` Were some of these people part of the insurgency ? Sure they were , '' Kershaw said . `` Our job over here is n't to do what 's comfortable for us , and it is n't to do what we want , '' he said . `` Our job is to do the nation 's bidding . If this gets our nation closer to a solution for this country ... then that 's what we 're gon na do . '' E-mail to a friend . | Yusufiyah , south of Baghdad , was among the most dangerous places in Iraq . Local Sunnis tired of the destruction wrought by al Qaeda in Iraq . They partnered with U.S. forces to keep their town safe . Iraq 's Shiite-dominated central government remains wary of such partnerships . | [[53, 108], [494, 499], [502, 626]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- She is one of the world 's most likeable and photogenic leaders , has her own YouTube channel , and is determined to change the face of learning in the Middle East . Queen Rania 's down-to-earth personality has won hearts and minds all over the world . She is also , according to you , the most inspirational leader featured on CNN 's `` The Spirit of ... '' in 2008 . Thousands of CNN Web site users voted to award her the honor for her matchless energy working with Jordan 's young people , ahead of luminaries such as peace advocate Kofi Annan , activist Wangari Maathai and environmentalist James Lovelock . This is Queen Rania 's second award in as many months . In November , she was presented with the first ever YouTube Visionary Award for her bold use of the video-sharing network to discuss stereotypes about Islam and the Arab world . The channel fielded questions from young people about all aspects of Islamic culture . She could not be present to personally receive the honour at YouTube 's Live event in San Francisco , but her pop-culture-savvy pre-recorded acceptance speech showed her to be possibly the coolest queen alive . She delighted viewers with a lighthearted top-ten list of reasons for registering her own YouTube channel , which included , `` Because I did n't have enough friends on Facebook , '' and `` Because anything Queen Elizabeth can do I can do better . '' The experimental venture gained her a faithful online following , and since then the channel has become a platform for entertaining , non-hostile debate . It is exactly this willingness to set aside her royal image and interact with the public that her fans say has shown Queen Rania 's dedication to bringing about change . She first entered the international spotlight 15 years ago after marrying Abdullah II bin al-Hussein , the then future king of Jordan . In 1999 , she was proclaimed Queen , the world 's youngest at age 28 . She wasted little time in applying herself to various causes , and soon made her name as an engaging advocate for women 's rights and moderate Islam , and as a heavy investor in youth . The 38-year-old mother of four has said that she cares about her people as if they were her own children , and wants to ensure as many of them as possible get the most out of school . Queen Rania may be light-hearted in some of her approaches , but she is very serious when it comes to revitalizing education in the Middle East . She has made closing the Middle East 's `` knowledge divide '' -- the gap in knowledge that has grown as a result of people in richer countries having more access to computers , the Internet and education than those in poorer countries -- a top priority over the next few years in the hope that it will unlock the economic potential of the region 's population . Queen Rania certainly has a challenge on her hands . Earlier this year , the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organisation revealed that nearly one in three between the ages of 15 and 45 is illiterate . Alongside promoting equal rights for men and women and the importance of literacy , Queen Rania has strived to convince both the education and private sectors that existing education systems need reinvigoration . She has repeatedly called for creative instruction and explorative learning to be embraced in the classroom . In April of this year , Queen Rania launched the Madrasati -LRB- `` My School '' -RRB- project , which encourages Jordanians to get their neediest schools back on their feet . Under the program , communities are working with the public and private sectors to raise funds and recruit volunteers to renovate school facilities and provide school supplies and equipment . This is expected to improve the learning environment for children , and ultimately have a ripple effect on the neighborhoods where the schools are located . Queen Rania 's campaigns in various areas have helped to inspire other Middle Eastern policy-makers to see globalization in a more positive light -- a truly inspiring leader . | Queen Rania voted `` The Spirit of ... '' most inspirational leader of 2008 . Online readers acknowledge her work with education , women 's rights and Islam . Queen Rania personally encourages open dialogue through her YouTube channel . | [[322, 373], [3060, 3141], [9, 32], [102, 129]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's rundown housing estates and deprived inner cities will be the setting for a new project that aims to use classical music to lift children out of the poverty trap . Simon Bolivar Youth Symphony Orchestra rehearse ahead of a performance at New York 's Carnegie Hall in November last year . Organizers are modeling the plan on a hugely successful scheme already in place in Venezuela that gives free instruments and training to children from poor and vulnerable backgrounds . They are hoping that lessons learned in the slums of Caracas can be made to work in Britain . Internationally renowned cellist Julian Lloyd Webber is spearheading the initiative he hopes will give `` a sense of purpose '' to the lives of the most in need . Under the government-backed project , children as young as three will be taught to play classical instruments by trained musicians . `` We 're really trying to go to the most deprived children , to the most poor areas , '' Lloyd Webber told CNN . `` You 're talking about children from a background where classical music has almost certainly played no part . '' The inspiration behind the scheme is the El Sistema social program in Venezuela , which has helped improve the lives of thousands of young people since it began over 30 years ago . Many of those youths have gone on to be part of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra , which was created as a result of the program and has performed around the world to rave reviews . The scheme has launched the musical careers of several of its members . One graduate , Gustavo Dudamel , currently conducts the orchestra but has been signed up to take over as musical director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic next year . The 27-year-old prodigy described by the New York Times as `` classical music 's hottest young podium property '' was born to a poor family in the Venezuelan interior and took up the violin aged 10 . However for Lloyd Webber , who has worked with a range of top musicians from Yehudi Menuhin to Elton John , the purpose of the UK project is not to create a new batch of professional musicians . `` That 's not the way we 're looking at it . It 's very likely most of those involved will not turn professional but they will hopefully be empowered to make something more of their lives . '' The Venezuelan project has grown from around 100 or so members when it started to involve 250,000 children and young people today . In the 1970s , Venezuela had only two professional orchestras mainly composed of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Italy . Thanks to El Sistema that number has expanded to over 110 . But will the British version be able to match this astonishing success , given the very different social conditions that exist in the two countries ? After all , though there are deprived areas in the UK they ca n't be compared with the grinding poverty of Venezuela 's slums where the incentive to escape to a better life is surely much greater . Lloyd Webber disagrees , insisting that levels of poverty in Britain are far worse than many realize . `` We have many of the same problems here that they 've encountered there . We have drug issues , prostitution issues , gang warfare issues . `` The Venezuelan project has been hugely helpful in reducing those kind of problems , and save children who would have possibly died without it . '' What about the wide array of distractions on offer in the West such as video games and television , not to mention the low regard many young people have for the world of classical music , which is still considered stuffy and uncool ? Again he disagrees , claiming that children in poor areas of Britain often have nothing to distract them , which he says leads to anti-social behavior . `` There are very poor areas in England and for the children who live there , there is often very little to do . That 's why you see them out on the streets drinking , bored out of their heads . '' Lloyd Webber is charged with chairing the steering group set up to organize the project , which is initially funded to run for the next three years . He says the scheme will focus on three or four specific areas of the country considered to be especially deprived . Charismatic teachers will be recruited to inspire the children . Although the cellist says the experience of performing in an orchestra should serve as a powerful inspiration on its own . `` I grew up performing in youth orchestras , '' says Lloyd Webber , who is the son of the composer William Lloyd Webber and younger brother of Andrew Lloyd Webber , who has written and produced several major West End and Broadway musicals including Phantom of the Opera and Evita . `` It will give them a sense of purpose and a sense of togetherness . It 's a wonderful feeling when you 've a group of a hundred players wanting to produce something bigger and better than they are . `` It could be that through this some of those involved feel self-worth for the first time in their lives . '' | UK project to provide musical instruments and training to children in poor areas . The scheme is modelled on a successful program in Venezuela . El Sistema has helped lift many youths out of the slums through music . The UK scheme is being led by famous cellist Julian Lloyd Webber . | [[777, 812], [815, 909], [335, 397], [1139, 1218], [1206, 1220], [1227, 1319], [614, 776]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Is it possible to have a building that can make you happy , sad , or even angry ? The Experience Music Project in Seattle has appeared in the Forbes list of ugly buildings . Does it affect your mood ? Alain de Botton thinks it is . The Swiss-born British writer , modern-day philosopher , and author of international bestseller `` The Architecture of Happiness '' , believes there is more to buildings and architecture than we may think . Taking on 19th Century French writer Stendhal 's motto that `` beauty is the promise of happiness , '' de Botton analyzes human surroundings and considers how our needs and desires are transferred into architecture . He also discusses the amount to which architecture can affect our personal happiness . De Botton told CNN he felt that a beautiful building , or likewise , an ugly structure , could affect how we feel . `` Beauty has a huge role to play in altering our mood . When we call a chair or a house beautiful , really what we 're saying is that we like the way of life it 's suggesting to us . It has an attitude we 're attracted to : if it was magically turned into a person , we 'd like who it was . `` It would be convenient if we could remain in much the same mood wherever we happened to be ... but unfortunately we 're highly vulnerable to the coded messages that emanate from our surroundings , '' he said . But , how do buildings manage to cast their bricks and mortar over our emotions ? `` One might say that architecture suggests a mood to us , which we may be too internally troubled to be able to take up . Its effectiveness could be compared to the weather : a fine day can substantially change our state of mind -- and people may be willing to make great sacrifices to be nearer a sunny climate , '' de Botton said . De Botton believed that structures communicate with us in various ways . `` This book focuses our minds on the idea that buildings speak -- and on topics which can readily be discerned . They speak of democracy or aristocracy , openness or arrogance , welcome or threat , a sympathy for the future or a hankering for the past . '' So , indeed your own house could be making you happy or sad , de Botton suggests . `` They -LRB- houses -RRB- tell us of certain moods that they seek to encourage and sustain in their inhabitants . While keeping us warm and helping us in mechanical ways , they simultaneously hold out an invitation for us to be specific sorts of people . They speak of particular visions of happiness , '' he said . De Botton said there are `` thousands '' of public buildings which are ugly and could possibly force a negative , saddening , or even potential anger-producing mood upon us . What are some examples ? De Botton is quick to mention the new Westfield mall opening in Shepherd 's Bush , London , which he describes as a `` monument to human idiocy '' which represents a `` large , confused shed , which offers the wider community nothing but a windowless façade clad in nauseating green paneling , with an utter indifference to symmetry , proportion or beauty '' . And what other buildings could be considered a structure of sadness ? Certainly , Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen 's Experience Music Project building in Seattle has to be a nominee -- featuring in the Forbes list of the top ten ugliest buildings in the world . Elsewhere , London 's Millennium Dome -LRB- or 02 Arena -RRB- and Cleveland 's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , are other well-known candidates for buildings that could destroy one 's day , after featuring in various `` ugly '' lists . At the other end of the scale , de Botton has some ideas about structures we should cast our eyes upon to make us happy . While all of this is rather subjective , de Botton said there were some aesthetic values that were universally appreciated . He was particularly fond of the highly-detailed yet serene Senate House in Bloomsbury , London , and also the Georgian-style architecture of Bedford Square , also in London . It 's fair to say though , that not everyone in the architectural world is as optimistic about the power of architecture over people . In a debate with architect Robert Adam organized by building.co.uk , Adam attacked de Botton 's ideas . After questioning de Botton 's use of the word `` us '' when presenting some opinions , Adam said he did not believe that people were culturally aware enough to take notice of such details . `` I would n't call myself a pessimist because it would mean I feel bad about popular culture , which I do n't . What I think we have at the moment is people who are unprepared to take on the language of the greater part of the population , '' he said . We want to know what you think . Do you believe buildings can influence the way we feel ? Give us your examples of buildings that make you happy or sad in the Sound Off box below and we 'll publish the best . | Alain de Botton authored The Architecture of Happiness . He believes emotions are shown in , and can be deduced from architecture . Architect Robert Adam disagrees with many of de Botton 's ideas . | [[692, 694], [700, 778], [575, 587], [620, 691], [1482, 1538], [1817, 1889], [4160, 4198], [4229, 4263]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In sport , being the best is not just about the having the greatest players . Here are five teams that have gone from zeroes to heroes , and in the process left their mark on sporting history . 1 . The European Ryder Cup team . The 1980 U.S. hockey team 's ` Miracle on Ice ' against the Soviet Union . Europe 's Ryder Cup team has become renowned for upsetting the form book , frequently triumphing against higher ranked American opposition . Since European players were first allowed to join the British and Irish team for the famous golf tournament -LRB- to improve the level of competition -RRB- in 1979 , the U.S. has won six times ; Europe seven ; and the teams have tied once . The slight edge enjoyed by Europe , however , belies the lowly status of their players in world golf . For the last tournament two years ago in Ireland , for example , the Americans boasted 68.4 world-ranking points and the top three players , including world number one , Tiger Woods . Compare this with just 47.8 ranking points for the Europeans . Even so Europe went on to achieve a record third consecutive win . The key to this success has been the camaraderie and teamwork exhibited by the Europeans . Their players have consistently rallied around their position as underdog , managing to achieve a level of togetherness made all the more surprising since the team is made up of a collection of nationalities that are better known for falling out with each other . 2 . The 1980 U.S. Olympic ice hockey team . A famous victory against a seemingly invincible Soviet Union side propelled this team of college players and amateurs to the level of national heroes . Although the U.S. team went on to win the gold medal by defeating Finland at the Winter Olympics , it was the earlier match against the Soviets that captured the popular imagination . Classed as amateurs , the Soviet players were essentially professional , and were provided with different job titles by the communist government to allow them to compete . Many of their players were considered legends of world ice hockey at the time . The U.S. team coached by Herb Brooks was , by contrast , genuinely amateur and came into the tournament in Lake Placid , New York , as rank outsiders . Their youthfulness and tenacity combined with patriotic home support saw them upset predictions , defeating the Soviets 4-3 in a match that became known as the `` Miracle on Ice . '' The win over their Cold War enemies seized the imagination of the U.S. public -- it inspired two films and was voted the greatest sporting moment of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated . Dave Ogrean , former executive director of USA Hockey , called the victory `` the most transcending moment in the history of our sport in this country . '' 3 . The ` Crazy Gang ' defeat Liverpool in the FA Cup . Nobody expected lowly Wimbledon Football Club to do anything other than turn up when they played Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium . Dubbed the ` Crazy Gang ' by British media because of the eccentric antics of their players and staff , who included future film actor Vinnie Jones , the team was outclassed on every front . At the time Liverpool were the dominant force in English football , having won the league title that year for the seventh time in a decade . Managed by former player Kenny Dalglish and boasting a host of stars , the team was expected to cruise past Wimbledon , who had little resources and were considered something of a joke . Under the chairmanship of Lebanese businessman Samir `` Sam '' Hammam , Wimbledon earned a reputation for bizarre behaviour , with players setting fire to new signings football kits , and Hammam once offering to buy a camel for the team 's striker if he scored 20 goals in a season . The practical jokes helped to foster an extraordinarily strong team spirit , however , which saw them topple Liverpool 1-0 , with Wimbledon captain Dave Beasant the hero of the hour after he saved a penalty . 4 . Joe 's Jets win the Superbowl . When the New York Jets took on the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 Superbowl , it was the team from Baltimore that was strong favorites . The Colts had stormed the National Football League -LRB- NFL -RRB- championship , considered at the time a much stronger competition than the American Football League -LRB- AFL -RRB- , headed that year by the Jets . This news , however , seemed to have escaped Joe Namath , the Jets ' charismatic quarterback , who gave a `` guarantee '' a few days earlier at a news conference in Miami -- where the Superbowl was being staged -- that his team would win . True to his predictions , the Jets came out on top with Namath taking all the plaudits -LRB- Sports Illustrated described him as a `` folk hero of the new generation '' -RRB- after a blistering performance that saw his team triumph 16-7 . 5 . The Magical Magyars . The legendary Hungarian national football team of the 1950s is still considered one of the greatest teams in the history of sport . Although many of its players -- most notably striker Ferenc Puskas , who eventually moved to Real Madrid -- went on to play in the West , during its heyday the majority of the team was drawn from the Honved club in Budapest . The Magyars remained unbeaten for an unprecedented 33 consecutive matches -LRB- a record that still stands today -RRB- finally losing out in the 1954 World Cup Final to Germany . This golden age of Hungarian football was brought to an abrupt end in 1956 by the events of the Hungarian Revolution . Puskas and some of his team mates opted to defect to Western Europe , and never played for their country again . | Europe 's Ryder Cup team has often beaten the U.S. despite lower profile players . America 's ice hockey win against the Soviets is known as the `` Miracle on Ice '' Wimbledon 's defeat of Liverpool in the FA Cup was considered a major upset . New York Jets Superbowl win in 1969 was inspired by quarterback Joe Namath . | [[339, 435], [2404, 2411], [2424, 2456], [4031, 4062], [4068, 4135], [4679, 4715]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Myanmar is facing a food shortage largely due to last year 's deadly Cyclone Nargis , which destroyed nearly all the rice crops in the fertile Ayeyarwaddy delta , the United Nations said Wednesday . A young farmer ploughs a field in preparation to grow rice in Dalla , about 20 kms south of Yangon on July 9 , 2008 . Rice production in the cyclone-affected areas of Ayeyarwaddy and Yangon , the largest city and former capital of Myanmar , is expected to be 50 percent of last year 's , according to the report issued by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization -LRB- FAO -RRB- and World Food Programme -LRB- WFP -RRB- . Rat infestation in western 's Myanmar 's Chin State has also contributed to the food shortage , the report says . `` Access to food remains the critical challenge for the poorest people and for vulnerable populations in remote areas of Myanmar , '' Chris Kaye , WFP 's representative for Myanmar , said in a written statement . `` And for many of those affected by Cyclone Nargis , who are engaged in rebuilding their lives and livelihoods , the limited delta harvest means they will continue to rely on assistance to meet their food needs . '' Watch Paul Risley of the WFP discuss the food crisis '' Although rice production is expected to be adequate this year because of strong crops in other areas of the country , access to food remains a serious challenge to Myanmar 's poor , especially in the delta region , the report said . More than 5 million people fall below the food poverty line and emergency food aid is still needed in cyclone-affected areas , the report said . The cyclone also hurt the cattle and fishing industries , contributing to the food crisis . `` Humanitarian assistance has not restored the production capacity of small to medium-sized farms , '' He Changchui , FAO 's Asia-Pacific regional chief , said in a written statement . `` Farmers and fishers are unlikely to self-finance their needs this year , thus entering into a spiral of pauperization of the delta . '' | Myanmar is facing a food shortage largely due to last year 's deadly Cyclone Nargis . Cyclone destroyed nearly all the rice crops in the fertile Ayeyarwaddy delta . Rice production in the cyclone-affected areas expected to be half of last year 's . Despite adequate crops this year , food access remains a problem for the poor . | [[19, 102], [1361, 1455], [1621, 1632], [1679, 1712], [81, 102], [111, 179], [336, 407], [459, 473], [336, 407], [471, 503], [756, 885], [1361, 1455]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Japan 's GDP fell 4 percent last quarter , the fastest pace on record , the government said on Wednesday . A homeless man pulls his cart filled with possessions and goods for recycling on March 18 in Osaka , Japan . The January-March quarter for Japan was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year , according to figures released by the Cabinet Office . Exports fell 26 percent on quarter , while imports were down 15 percent . The GDP slide in the world 's second-largest economy is the greatest drop among the world 's leading economies . By comparison , GDP in the United States fell 6.1 percent on an annual basis . This was the fourth straight quarter the Japanese economy contracted . Analysts say the drop reflects cuts in domestic spending with job cuts , factory closings and less capital spending as a result of spiraling sales abroad . The news punctuates a month of poor economic news out of Japan in recent weeks . Panasonic , one of the world 's largest makers of electronic devices , announced it lost nearly $ 4 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31 . Hitachi lost $ 8 billion in the fiscal year , with consolidated revenues down 11 percent from last year , the largest loss ever recorded by a Japanese manufacturer . NEC Corporation lost $ 3 billion in the past fiscal year , down nearly 11.5 percent from last year . Meanwhile , Nissan lost $ 2.3 billion for the year.Sony Corp. announced net losses of $ 1 billion for the fiscal year ending March 31 , finishing a year in the red for the first time in 14 years . | Japan 's GDP fell 4 percent last quarter , the fastest pace on record . First quarter GDP was 15.4 percent lower than the same time period last year . This was the fourth straight quarter the Japanese economy contracted . | [[8, 29], [33, 73], [703, 736], [249, 343], [8, 29], [33, 73], [666, 736], [703, 736]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Football fans are set to benefit from the recession as clubs slash season ticket prices to keep supporters coming back . Some Premier League fans will save on season tickets after five clubs cut prices . Price cuts have been announced at five English Premier League clubs . Manchester City , Sunderland , Everton , Portsmouth and Newcastle United have cut prices , while five further clubs announced price freezes on their season tickets . Bolton dropped their season ticket prices last season . Manchester City have taken an average of seven percent off their prices , while at Everton the cheapest adult season ticket will now be # 399 -LRB- $ 550 -RRB- . At Sunderland under-16 season passes will be just # 1 -LRB- $ 1.39 -RRB- per home match for the 19 matches -LRB- # 19 -LSB- $ 26 -RSB- total -RRB- when purchased with an adult pass . The move comes amid a slight decline in Premiership football crowds this season . The average attendance at Premier League matches is down about 800 per match compared to the 2007/2008 season -- however , on average the stadiums are still at almost 92 percent capacity . Outside the United Kingdom , fans also stand to benefit from lower ticket prices . In the U.S. Major League Soccer side Kansas City Wizards recently announced they would drop ticket prices for the coming season . Wizards president Robb Heinemann was quoted in the Kansas City Star saying ; `` We understand these are tough economic times . '' Other countries in Europe have maintained lower prices in recent years , with single tickets available for about 10 Euros in club games in Italy and Germany . Tickets in Australia 's A-League tended to be cheaper yet , while South America and Africa/Middle East remained the cheapest . In England 's League One and League Two competitions crowds had dropped more significantly . Dan Johnson of the Premier League told CNN the clubs cutting ticket prices were simply responding to the financial climate . `` Given the economic situation , there will be pressure on fans ' ability to spend and the clubs have acted accordingly . `` It 's a very real way that they can help at this time , '' Johnson said . Johnson said the drop in crowds this season was not significant and may be made up towards the end of the season when attendances are traditionally higher . Sport business expert Professor Simon Chadwick , founder of the Center for the International Business of Sport -LRB- CIBS -RRB- at Coventry University , told CNN recessions could have a strong impact on football crowds . `` In previous recessions there is evidence to suggest that as unemployment rises , the attendance at football matches decreases , '' he said . However , Chadwick said English football fans should n't hope for significant price reductions . `` Some Premier League clubs are running at nearly 100 % capacity and there 's excess demand ... so in the short-to-medium term they should be able to continue at premium prices , '' Chadwick said . | Football fans to benefit as club teams lower season ticket prices . Five English Premier League teams have dropped prices for season passes . Dan Johnson of the Premier League says the move is due to recession . A U.S. Major League Soccer team has also announced a price drop . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 87], [36, 49], [58, 123], [91, 156], [157, 239], [476, 531], [1148, 1174], [1177, 1181], [1187, 1230], [1231, 1360], [1307, 1360], [91, 156], [157, 239], [216, 239], [240, 309], [310, 398], [1307, 1360], [1870, 1994], [1231, 1360], [1307, 1360]] |
KHARTOUM , Sudan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fighting resumed Tuesday in a disputed oil-rich town in Sudan , threatening to reignite a calamitous civil war which ended three years ago . Fresh fighting in Sudan over an oil-rich town has raised fears civil war could again erupt . Fresh fighting in Sudan over an oil-rich town has raised fears civil war could again erupt . UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon deplored the fighting between the Sudanese military and troops with the Sudan People 's Liberation Army . The SPLA fought a rebellion against the government for more than 20 years until both sides signed a peace deal in 2005 . The deal 's Comprehensive Peace Agreement ended a north-south civil war that killed about 2 million people and displaced more than 4 million others . An impasse over the boundaries of the town of Abyei is a major reason the peace agreement has not been fully implemented . Fighting erupted in Abyei on May 13 . It resumed Tuesday despite a cease-fire and has `` resulted in the destruction '' of the town `` and the displacement of between 30,000 and 50,000 people , '' the secretary general said in a statement . Do n't Miss Sudanese opposition leader arrested Sudan cuts ties with Chad after attack Darfur rebels advance on Sudan capital , their leader says `` If the situation is not urgently addressed , the achievements thus far of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement could be placed at serious risk , '' he said . The civil war in Sudan , which started in 1983 , pitted a northern government dominated by Arab Muslims against black Christians and animists in southern Sudan . That conflict was not directly related to ongoing violence in the Darfur region of western Sudan . Human rights groups and United Nations say the Sudanese military armed and trained Arab militias in Darfur after a rebellion erupted in 2003 . They say the military and militias have engaged in widespread killing , rape and forced displacements in Darfur as they battle about rebels who have splintered into roughly a dozen groups . One of those groups staged a daring attack this month near the Sudanese capital , Khartoum . The government said it quashed the attack . Nearly 300,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million displaced in Darfur in the last five years , the UN says . | Fighting in disputed oil-rich Sudan town raises fears of return to civil war . Up to 50,000 people displaced by latest outbreak of fighting . Despite cease-fire agreement Abyei has been destroyed and deal is at risk . | [[55, 116], [11, 32], [119, 165], [196, 268], [253, 280], [253, 268], [275, 288], [289, 361], [346, 373], [346, 361], [368, 381], [1002, 1106], [953, 955], [997, 1049], [1002, 1106], [1350, 1444]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistan is optimistic about the Obama administration 's commitment to its region and will work with the United States on trying to root out extremism within its borders , Pakistan 's foreign minister said . Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi meets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi cited a `` convergence of interests '' between Washington and Islamabad and a `` willingness to work together . '' `` I see a lot of hope in the new administration , the new leadership , and Pakistan is willing to work with the American administration to fight extremism and terrorism , '' he said Tuesday . `` We are determined to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations . '' Qureshi is in Washington to take part in strategic review of U.S. policy to stabilize Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan . The effort is being led by South Asian security expert Bruce Reidel and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke , U.S. special envoy . Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin D. Spanta also was leading a delegation from his country to take part in the review . He and Qureshi will meet with both Clinton and Holbrooke this week . U.S. President Barack Obama and Clinton tapped Holbrooke as special representative for the two countries , a signal of how the new administration considers Afghanistan and Pakistan intertwined in any solution to the war in Afghanistan and the terrorist threat along their shared border . `` We are consulting very closely with the government of Pakistan on our strategic review of our way forward and I 'm very grateful for the minister 's advice and counsel , '' Clinton said after meeting with Qureshi . Last week Obama announced he is sending another 17,000 troops to Afghanistan to fight a strengthening insurgency , which Obama has called the `` central front in our enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism . '' The troops will be sent to southern Afghanistan , which borders Pakistan and is a haven for Taliban insurgents . Pakistani officials have expressed concern the deployment will push the Taliban across the border into Pakistan and further destabilize their country . The Obama administration is conducting several reviews of U.S. policy in Afghanistan , including a review by Gen. David Petraeus , the commander in the region . Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said the original mission in Afghanistan was `` too broad '' and needs to be more `` realistic and focused '' for the United States to succeed . Pakistan is engaged in its own effort against Taliban militants in its Northwest Frontier Provence . The militants , who effectively control the country 's Swat Valley , extended a cease-fire Tuesday as part of an agreement with the government , a deal the U.S. and NATO warn risks granting a safe haven to extremists near the Afghan border . Watch why the deal is being viewed as a capitulation '' Swat Valley was once one of Pakistan 's biggest tourist destinations . It is situated near the Afghanistan border and about 186 miles -LRB- 300 kilometers -RRB- from Pakistan 's capital , Islamabad . In recent months , militants have unleashed a wave of violence that has claimed hundreds of lives across the province . The militants want to require veils for women and beards for men and to ban music and television . The fighting has displaced nearly half of Swat 's population , officials said . The central government has long exerted little control in the area , but it launched an intense military offensive in late July to flush out militants . As retaliation for the military presence , the Taliban carried out a series of deadly bombings , beheadings and kidnappings -- and said the attacks will continue until the troops pull out . The Taliban said Tuesday it was indefinitely extending a cease-fire Taliban leaders declared eight days ago after signing a controversial deal with the government to impose Islamic law , or Sharia , in the region . The Pakistani government 's decision now to negotiate with Pakistan has been met with international criticism . Holbrooke has said the Obama administration was `` troubled and confused '' by the truce in Swat . Holbrooke and NATO officials have expressed concerns that such an accord could cede effective control of the Swat Valley to extremists . | Qureshi : `` I see a lot of hope in the new administration , the new leadership '' He and Afghan foreign minister will meet with Clinton , Holbrooke this week . U.S. troops will be sent to southern Afghanistan . Taliban militants extend cease-fire as part of deal with Pakistan . | [[30, 111], [585, 651], [238, 342], [1223, 1291], [2019, 2066], [2726, 2739], [2795, 2868], [3866, 3973]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The New York State Assembly passed a same-sex marriage bill Tuesday evening , bringing New York one step closer to legalizing such marriages . Gov. David Paterson has said he 'd sign a same-sex if it 's passed by the New York Senate . The bill , which passed 89-52 , will now go on to the state Senate for a vote . If it is passed there , it will go to Gov. David Paterson , who has made it clear he will sign the bill . `` I applaud ... members of both parties for moving this historic legislation forward , '' New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement released by the mayor 's office . `` I hope New York will soon become the latest state to adopt a law whose time has come . '' State Sen. Thomas K. Duane , a Democrat , said in a statement , `` I am confident that this year my Senate will uphold this fundamental legal principle and vote for my right , our right , to be married this year . '' This is the second time New York 's Marriage Equality Legislation has been approved by the State Assembly -- it passed in 2007 , but subsequently stalled in the then Republican-controlled Senate . | New York State Assembly passes bill by vote of 89 to 52 . Same-sex marriage bill will go to the state Senate . Gov. David Paterson has said he would sign a same-sex marriage bill . New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg applauds legislators for vote . | [[0, 18], [28, 103], [263, 271], [280, 292], [263, 273], [295, 303], [307, 342], [263, 273], [300, 342], [171, 221], [200, 224], [365, 400], [378, 402], [407, 448]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- First it was instant messaging during office hours that gave us the thrill of passing notes in class . Then it was ogling ourselves on Web cams , ranting our minds on blogs , uploading our baby photos on Flickr and poking each other on Facebook . These days , as corporate records show , we choose to spend our lunch breaks watching YouTube , if not chatting over Skype . CSL 's flagship One2Free shop stands at the corner of Hong Kong 's trendy Causeway Bay district . The bad news is the Web 2.0 revolution is over . The good news is now we can take it with us . Over the past two years , well over a dozen startups have sprung into action , bringing everything from IM to VoIP -LRB- Voice over Internet Protocol -RRB- to our mobile phones , in a quest to conquer the cellular fourth screen . Winner of Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal 's 2007 Emerging Technologies Awards in the category of Social Networking , Mig33 is confident about the viability of its future : `` The next wave of Internet growth is mobile . The number of mobile devices worldwide has exceeded three billion , and the next billion subscribers will have their first Internet experience using a mobile phone . '' Like the Rotterdam-based Nimbuzz , Mig33 also offers instant messaging , photo sharing and VoIP for cheaper telephony , in addition to social networking via profiles , chatrooms and , of course , friends . Applications are free to download and communities are free to join , while members are charged only for SMS and VoIP calls , bridging communications between mobile devices and desktop computers . The softwares are fully functional on both 3G and any smart -LRB- Internet-enabled -RRB- 2.5 G phones running such platforms as Java , Symbian , Windows Mobile , Blackberry , S60 and the iPhone OS . Nimbuzz in particular boasts compatibility with Skype , Google Talk , AOL Instant Messenger , Windows Live Messenger , Yahoo! Live Messenger , Jabber , MySpace and Facebook . But it is hardly alone in partnering with traditional desktop live chat sites , as well as industry partners around the world . Playfully packaged , internationally-based Fring works with WiFi providers in Europe and Australia as well as SIP -LRB- Session Initiation Protocol -RRB- providers based in both North and South America , Western and Eastern Europe , South Africa and China , also consolidating all chat buddies into a single mobile contact list . In this context , one way to stand out from the all-encompassing bunch with the global reach is through niche audience focus . MyHappyPlanet , a free online language-exchange network that allows members to create profiles and chat with language partners in real time -LRB- text , voice , video -RRB- , will go mobile in the near future . A2Aworld , an upcoming mobile social networking startup , will focus on connecting social networkers between the world 's two largest online communities -- America and Asia -- in terms of communication , information , culture and e-commerce . Furthermore , its business model is based on revenue from emerging online advertising , VoIP calls and premium membership fees , without the mobile ads and viral marketing . Fierce competition . Meanwhile in the mobile marketplace , VoIP competition is getting fierce . While SIPphone 's open-source Gizmo Project was heralded by early beta testers as `` the first viable Skype alternative '' in July 2005 , it 's clear today that Skype itself is the big winner in the VoIP game . Most recently , iSkoot has extended its partnership with Skype , following its collaboration with mobile operator 3 for the global launch of the 3 Skypephone in October 2007 , which was the first mass-market Skype-enabled handset as a carrier-integrated solution for mobile-VoIP IM services . But mobile VoIP itself still faces multiple challenges , including fragmented access and distribution . While some applications choose to collaborate with mobile network carriers , others choose to compete with them by using data networks such as WiFi . `` In the near future , there will be a hyper-convergence solution , '' predicts A2Aworld 's Michael Liu . `` However , WiFi/WiMax to cell/IMS will be playing a bigger and bigger role . In the long run , there will be all-in-IP IMS solutions . '' Insecure communications also pose a new threat to VoIP , as Liu points out : `` In the early days of VoIP , people were mostly concerned with its cost , functionality and reliability . Now that VoIP is gaining wide acceptance and becoming one of the mainstream communication technologies , security has become a major issue . '' And to satisfy the YouTube generation , applications such as myZen Mobile encourage the circulation of photos and viral videos optimized for mobile viewing in real time , with an all-in-one interface featuring YouTube , Facebook , Flickr , Yahoo podcast , etc , with the possibility to add other community sites such as ifilm and blogger . Going mobile . Simon Newstead , founder and CEO of Frenzoo , a social-networking site specialized in 3D fashion avatars , is enthusiastic about going mobile . `` We have a roadmap to implement our service on mobile platforms such as iPhone , '' he says . `` Today users are already using 3D in gaming platforms like the wildly successful Nintendo DS Lite , so the logical integration of 3D avatars into the mobile platform will certainly present a great opportunity . `` Technically , new handsets already integrate hardware acceleration for 3G , and battery life is increasing rapidly . Now the only remaining factor is availability or higher-speed affordable mobile bandwidth , which is already emerging in advanced mobile markets such as South Korea , Hong Kong and Japan . '' Indeed in Hong Kong , where the mobile-phone penetration rate hovers around 150 percent , mastering the mobile market is becoming increasingly lucrative . Hong Kong 's largest mobile network carrier CSL introduced Asia 's first 3G video-sharing service in 2005 , launched Hong Kong 's first 3G interactive mobile TV in 2006 , and partnered with blogging site Xanga in early 2008 . From the carrier 's point of view , people 's choice of mobile communication is a question of coverage and user-friendliness -- of `` price , packaging , usability , '' according to CSL 's -LRB- `` Create a Simple Life '' -RRB- chief marketing officer Christina Teo . `` We try to ` replicate ' any desktop experience to the mobile phone . You can call it replicating , extending , adding value , '' continues Teo . `` And with every new partnership , we need to make sure that the application works on each new handset we launch ... With mobile phones -LSB- as opposed to desktop computers -RSB- there is still some concern , stigma , so we need to educate people to get over that hurdle . It 's the faster we can get it at the click of a button . '' More and more , the mission of the mobile industry is to make seamless that virtual space between desktop and handset . `` It 's where we want people to embrace life , '' says Teo . `` It 's what we all aim to do . No downtime , no downspace ... Over time Xanga will add more features , and we will mobilize as much as possible . '' The good news is the Web 3.0 revolution is only beginning . E-mail to a friend . | Startups offer applications to bring social networking sites to mobile platforms . VoIP faces challenges on mobile market : competition , distribution , access . Mobile mission to make seamless space between desktop and handset . | [[3261, 3297], [3806, 3905], [1488, 1614], [6901, 7004]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If one hardened cockpit door is good , would two barriers be even better ? Many airline pilots believe the answer is `` yes , '' and are hoping to reinvigorate efforts to require so-called `` secondary barriers '' on every commercial plane in the country . Pilots praise the hardened cockpit doors mandated after 9/11 , saying they have done as much as anything to protect aircraft from terrorist assaults . But planes remain vulnerable for short periods of time during some flights when pilots go to the lavatory , get meals or , on long flights , change out crews . Currently , flight attendants sometimes block the aisle with beverage carts to prevent possible terrorists from rushing the cockpit . But pilots believe the barriers -- relatively inexpensive gates that would be deployed before pilots come out of the cockpit -- would solve that vulnerability . `` This is an absolute no-brainer , '' Capt. Bob Hesselbein of the Air Line Pilots Association said . `` Of all the things we could do , the most cost-effective thing we could do right now is put the device in . '' ALPA this summer published a position paper calling on the U.S. and Canadian governments to require secondary flight deck barriers on all airliners by January 1 , 2010 . The barriers would be designed to delay anyone trying to attack the cockpit by at least five seconds , giving pilots time to retreat to the cockpit , ALPA said . Hijackers have attempted to gain access to flight decks on planes overseas four times in the past year , according to ALPA . The airline industry has fought efforts to require the barriers , saying airlines should be allowed to decide for themselves if the barriers would improve security . The barriers would not be useful on short hauls where pilots do n't ordinarily leave the cockpit , and the airline industry claims other layers of protection are sufficient on longer flights . Hesselbein disagrees . `` You can never guarantee that you 're going to have an armed pilot protecting that cockpit from inside that cockpit . You can never guarantee that you 're going to have a federal air marshal , or federal air marshal team , in the cabin to defend that cockpit . `` But the secondary barrier , once installed , will always be there , '' Hesselbein said . The government has classified the number of federal air marshals and armed pilots , but it is widely known that they cover a small percentage of flights in the U.S. . In a June 2005 report to Congress , the Transportation Security Administration said the barrier `` appears to be a simple solution that offers greater security at a relatively low cost . '' `` Valuable time is gained in deterring the movement of an unauthorized individual towards the flight deck , '' the report said . But the TSA recommended against mandating secondary barriers , citing `` the costs of engineering and installation that would be incurred by the -LSB- airlines -RSB- to retrofit '' aircraft . `` The economic fragility of the industry due to increasing costs , including persistently rising fuel prices , makes this a decisive recommendation . '' The Air Transport Association , which represents the nation 's major airlines , said hardened cockpit doors and other measures provide effective security and that mandating other measures should not be done `` in the absence of appropriate risk analysis . '' Rep. Steve Israel , D-New York , said he is again introducing a bill to require barriers on passenger planes . `` Everybody recognizes the vulnerability , '' he said . `` The airline industry recognizes the vulnerability and thinks that the federal government ought to pay for the secondary barriers . The federal government recognizes the vulnerability and thinks that the airline industry should pay . `` Meanwhile , for as long as the debate continues , the flying public is less safe . '' E-mail to a friend . | Pilots praise the hardened cockpit doors mandated after 9/11 . Many pilots support efforts to mandate secondary cockpit barriers . The airline industry has fought efforts to require the barriers . The TSA recommended against mandating secondary barriers . | [[287, 347], [357, 361], [287, 327], [350, 437], [105, 124], [174, 286], [1565, 1628], [2793, 2849]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In a city famous for being the birthplace of the avant-garde , it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends . Here 's a rough guide to what 's hot right now in the French capital . This beat is Tecktonik : The latest dance craze to hit the Parisian streets . Tecktonik Parisian youths love their trends . The latest dance craze sweeping the city is Tecktonik , a fusion dance style usually accessorized with spiked hair and neon accessories . Look out for kids dancing in packs outside the Trocadero . You might even be lucky enough to spot a Tecktonik/breakdance dance-off . Le Scrapbooking Scrapbooking is the current craze amongst Paris ' more sedate residents . Head to Le Temple Du Scrap -LRB- 13 Rue Ernest Cresson -RRB- for pretty paper supplies , trimmings , ribbons and associated frippery . Bike around town Much of Paris is walkable , but the city 's cheap bike-hire scheme , Velib , which launched in 2007 , makes dashing around the city even easier . There are thousands of bikes stashed across the city at bike stations around 300m apart . The first 30 minutes of any trip is free ; you 'll need a credit card to register with the scheme . Once you 've got your bike , you 're ready to career around the cobbled streets of Montmartre and rattle along the Seine . Café hotspots The classic Parisian image of smoky cafes is now banished to the pavements , thanks to a smoking ban in bars and restaurants that came in at the end of 2007 . Quel dommage ! In the winter , café culture 's hotspots are those with heated terraces . You 'll still be able to light up while you sip a petit café crème , but only if you sit outside -- bring a turtleneck and a beret to keep you warm as well as stylish . Massages at the Mosque Paris is home to a large Muslim population , and La Grande Mosquée de Paris -LRB- rue Geoffroy St. Hilaire . -RRB- reflects that . From the outside , the building is absolutely stunning ; it 's even more spectacular inside . Treat yourself to a massage at the hammam -LRB- Turkish bath -RRB- and you could easily think you are in Morocco . Relax post-massage by sipping a mint tea in the courtyard . Check in advance which days are for men and which are for women . Subway style Taking the subway in Paris can be a drag . Striking drivers and filthy platforms can make the Metro a misery . But the light at the end of this often dark and dingy tunnel is the Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre stop , or namely the Palais Royal entrance . Like a lot of things in Paris , it 's an artwork in its own right , by French artist Jean-Michel Othoniel . His design of brightly colored class beads is a delight , and nearby Place Colette is a great spot for people watching : pull up a pew and enjoy . | Watch out for spikey-haired Parisians getting all Tecktonik -- the latest dance style . Get ahead , get a bike : the city 's cheap bike-hire scheme has proved a success . Marvel at the Musée du Louvre 's sumptuous metro stop . Get a taste of the exotic with a massage at the La Grande Mosquée 's own hammam . | [[244, 296], [343, 419], [399, 480], [900, 922], [939, 955], [888, 922], [958, 1001], [2169, 2185], [1994, 2060], [1994, 2108]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An audio message reportedly from al Qaeda 's deputy chief vows revenge for Israel 's air and ground assault on Gaza and calls the Jewish state 's actions against Hamas militants `` a gift '' from U.S. President-elect Barack Obama . Al Qaeda 's Ayman al-Zawahiri is said to address Muslims in Gaza in an audio message released Tuesday . The speaker , identified as Ayman al-Zawahiri , addresses Muslims in Gaza . He said the violence `` is one part of a series of a crusade war against Islam and these air strikes are a gift from Obama before he takes office , and -LRB- Egyptian President -RRB- Hosni Mubarak , that traitor , is the main partner in your siege and killing . '' The message , posted Tuesday on various Islamist Web sites with a picture of al-Zawahiri next to an image of a wounded child , urges militants to rally against Israel . `` My Muslim brothers and mujahedeens in Gaza and all over Palestine , with the help of God we are with you in the battle , we will direct our strikes against the crusader Jewish coalition wherever we can . '' The 10-minute message also address Muslims worldwide , claiming that Obama was portrayed as `` the savior who will come and change American policy '' during the U.S. election but is now `` killing your brothers and sisters in Gaza without mercy or even pity . '' Obama 's transition team did not immediately respond to the message . Earlier Tuesday , the president-elect said he was `` deeply concerned '' about the loss of life in Gaza and Israel , and he promised to make the issue a top priority in his administration . It was Obama 's first public reaction to the ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza , which began with Israeli air strikes 11 days ago . He reiterated that only one president can speak for the United States at a time . `` Starting at the beginning of our administration , we are going to engage effectively and consistently to try to resolve the conflicts that exist in the Middle East , '' Obama said . CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson said the al Qaeda message speaks to al-Zawahiri 's cause in two ways : It bashes the new U.S. president before he takes office and it criticizes Mubarak , who has drawn al-Zawahiri 's ire for not allowing goods and aid through Egypt 's border with Gaza . Al-Zawahiri is a native of Egypt who has served jail time there . Robertson , who is reporting from the Israeli-Gaza border , noted on CNN 's `` Situation Room '' that al-Zawahiri got the message out quickly -- `` within 12 days , that 's very fast . '' He said that indicated `` there 's many issues there that are dear to him . '' | Ten-minute message delivered by Ayman al-Zawahiri , a native of Egypt . In address , al-Zawahiri says violence a `` gift '' from Obama before he takes office . The message , on various Islamist Web sites , urges militants to rally against Israel . In Obama 's first public reaction to the violence , he says he is `` deeply concerned '' | [[355, 366], [369, 400], [2331, 2363], [514, 576], [2147, 2228], [696, 707], [710, 784], [696, 709], [823, 864], [1426, 1522], [1598, 1702]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` No matter what I do in life I think I will always be remembered as the wrap dress '' -- -LRB- Diane von Furstenberg , CNN 2008 -RRB- . Calling the shots : Diane von Furstenberg oversees a meeting to discuss handbags in New York . Belgian-born , New York-living , ex-member of the German royal family , daughter of a holocaust survivor , socialite and business-woman , Diane von Furstenberg is famous for one thing : a single item of clothing . Her wrap dress -- a patterned piece of jersey tied around the body like a kimono -- sold in the millions . In the 70s , when Von Furstenberg launched her dress business , the wrap 's simplicity became synonymous with feminism and the sexual revolution . `` I was selling clothes that would make other women feel confident , '' -LRB- Von Furstenberg , CNN , 2008 -RRB- . And the designer herself came to become the face of the brand . Photographed modeling her own clothes , launched a face that became so iconic that Andy Warhol painted her . But with success came boom then bust -- the 80s saw a dramatic nose-dive in the quality and distribution of the DVF brand . `` I became successful very quickly , a lot of people wanted my name and I licensed a lot of things . . the spirit of the brand disappeared '' , -LRB- Von Furstenberg , CNN , 2008 -RRB- . In the late 90s , wrap dresses came back in to fashion , and DVF returned to the fashion pages , and subsequently fashion shows , of the age . The comeback is recorded as one of the most successful business stories of the decade . Her 30 stores and countless concessions in department stores make the DVF brand a multi-million dollar fashion empire . She dresses celebrities from Madonna to Sharon Stone , but keeps her products affordable and maintains an ethos of `` easy to wear '' `` When a woman goes in to a DVF shop and tries something on , it 's like a light turns on '' , -LRB- Von Furstenberg , CNN , 2008 -RRB- . Celebrities are often snapped wearing Von Furstenberg 's designs . DVF often clings to Eva Longoria Parker 's silhouette who declares to Revealed `` She is one of my favorite people -- not just a designer ! '' Honored by the Council of Fashion of Designers of America -LRB- CFDA -RRB- by inviting Von Furstenberg to act as President -- she is now seen as the Grand Dame of New York fashion . CNN gains access to her as she prepares for the 2008 CFDA Awards -- deciding at the last moment to ditch one of her own designs and wear an Yves St Laurent tuxedo in a tribute to her friend , the designer who died a few days before the ceremony . Clearly moved , Revealed includes footage of her rehearsing the changes to her speech to include a touching farewell to YSL : `` He brought art into fashion , and fashion into art . He used to joke that he always wanted to be Matisse . But I think if we could have asked Matisse , he would have wanted to be Yves St Laurent '' she tells CNN . Revealed follows Diane von Furstenberg at an exciting moment in her catwalk history . For the first time she is showing outside of the United States , and the setting for her European debut is a romantic private Florentine garden , under the full moon . The Tuscan capital is a special place for her , as it was half an hour down the road that her first wrap dress was produced in a local textile factory . We document the magnificent event from a behind-the-scenes perspective . Interviewing Von Furstenberg herself , along with supermodel Natalia Vodianova , and DVF Creative Director Nathan Jenden ; we get a sense of the unfolding of a magical star-lit event . From fittings and dress rehearsals , to visits from the 9-year-old granddaughter Von Furstenberg lovingly calls ` her assistant , ' we experience the excitement of the designer returning home to Europe and putting on a magnificent show to herald her arrival . The theme of the collection is `` Le Petit Valise '' -- a group of outfits that can be easily packed and will not crumple ; a notion in keeping with the spirit of the DVF brand . Inspired by the Talented Mr Ripley , 600 guests including Lapo Elkan -LRB- heir to the Fiat empire -RRB- witness the 50 wardrobe changes of a young American traveling abroad . To experience the elegant , informal , party-loving spirit of DVF and her team of designers and models , tune in to `` Revealed '' on CNN International in November . ALL TIMES GMT Wednesday , November 19 0930 1830 Saturday , November 22 0830 1900 Sunday , November 23 0530 1830 Monday , November 24 0400 . | In November , CNN 's Revealed explores the life of Diane von Furstenberg . The Belgian designer wowed the fashion world with her simple wrap dress . DVF became familiar initials used to sell anything from homeware to lipstick . CNN 's Revealed follows the designer backstage at a fashion show in Florence . | [[4224, 4389]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It takes a savvy film star to invest in the only business that 's keeping audiences away from cinemas . In the case of India 's biggest Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan that 's cricket . Photographers mob Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri as they arrive for the inaugural Indian Premier League players ' auction , February 20 , 2008 . Over 45 days from April to June , India 's newest big money cricket competition -- the DLF Indian Premier League -- infected the country with the kind of excitement usually reserved for the item number in the latest Bollywood blockbuster . Off the pitch , among the cheerleaders and dancing girls , was actor Shah Rukh Khan , the proud new co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders , a cricket team whose name was said to be inspired by David Hasselhoff 's 1980s television hit . The team , captained by Indian cricketing hero Sourav Ganguly , took to the field in black and gold uniforms created by Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra ; black for the color of goddess Kali and gold , because as Khan said , `` We aim for gold . '' In fact , the Knight Riders were knocked out of the competition before the semi-finals , with Khan announcing to fans via SMS : `` Al of us have become part of a failed script , a bad IPL script . Let 's try and keep our chin up . '' Shah Rukh Khan , one of the few people in the world also known by his initials , has every reason to keep his own chin up . Twenty years after his first onscreen role in the Indian television series `` Fauji , '' SRK -- the man and the brand -- is more popular than ever . On Sunday night , he won the Best Actor award in Bollywood 's version of the Oscars -- the International Indian Film Academy Awards -- for his role as coach of the Indian national women 's field hockey team in `` Chak De ! India . '' The film took nine awards in all , including Best Film and Best Director . Shah Rukh Khan 's previous box-office outing , `` Om Shanti Om , '' scooped five awards , adding icing to its title of Bollywood 's highest-ever grossing film . In India , you do n't have to go to the cinema to see Shah Rukh Khan . He has returned to the small screen , this time as a television quizmaster . After fronting the Indian version of `` Who Wants to Be a Millionaire , '' he 's back with a new series , the local take on the U.S. hit `` Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader . '' If there 's any proof of Shah Rukh Khan 's global appeal , it comes in the form of 15 year old Shabana Shaheen who lives in Virginia in the U.S. . The high school student created her own Shah Rukh Khan Fansite last year -- www.freewebs.com/srkplace . All that and she 's never been to India . `` The thing he 's like a normal person . He 's down to earth and humble , '' she says . `` He values his family -- his parents who have passed away , his wife and children . He 's so normal ; he just behaves like a normal human being . '' Shabana inherited her love of Shah Rukh Khan from her mother who moved to the U.S. from Pakistan . In Virginia , it 's not hard to keep up with the latest Bollywood action . A cinema close to Shabana 's home shows the most popular productions . And then there 's the internet . Shabana 's website gets as many as 1000 hits a day , mainly from fans in the United Kingdom and India . `` It 's amazing -- so many people are crazy about him , even in Germany , '' she says . `` A lot of people in Mexico are also apparently very big fans of his films . '' In part , Shah Rukh Khan 's fame can be put down to expert merchandising . He 's the consummate salesman , charming and keenly aware there 's a huge market for his product . The Kolkata Knight Riders may be one of the newest sporting teams in the world , but within months , Khan and Co. has turned them into a lucrative brand . While they did n't win the IPL on-pitch title , they took away the prize as the team who made the most money . Jerseys , t-shirts , sneakers , caps , key chains , coasters , mugs , bandanas , sippers and posters all came with KKR branding through a merchandising deal with Reebok and Indian music group Planet M. Fans could even buy the CD , featuring the KKR theme song , ` Korbo , Lorbo , Jeetbo , ' which means `` We will do it , fight it and win it . '' Shah Rukh Khan made the most of his iconic status by writing a blog on the team website under the title of `` 12th man '' . Fans were encouraged to become a 12th man as well . So far there are more than 46,000 . Another wave of SRK mania is set to sweep through cinemas in December 2008 with the release of `` Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi , '' translated as `` A Couple Made by God . '' It 's a love story directed by Aditya Chopra , the man behind Shah Rukh Khan 's enduring hit , `` Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge . '' DDLJ , as it 's known , has been playing to packed cinemas for the past 13 years . With Shah Rukh Khan topping the bill , it 's likely to be there a lot longer . | Bollywood superstar makes sporting debut as owner of Kolkata Knight Riders . Shah Rukh Khan still wildly popular 20 years after his television debut . Now presents India 's version of `` Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader '' Filming `` Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi , '' a Bollywood love story to be released late 2008 . | [[1453, 1527], [1539, 1545], [1574, 1601]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sri Lanka ordered an end to combat operations against Tamil Tiger rebels in the country 's north , the president 's office said Monday . But the rebels accused the military of continuing to bomb civilians . Sri Lankan soldiers stand guard next to a tank captured from the Tamil Tigers . `` Our security forces have been instructed to end the use of heavy-caliber guns , combat aircraft and aerial weapons which could cause civilian casualties , '' according a statement from the Presidential Secretariat . A rebel Web site , Tamilnet.com , immediately accused the government of violating its own order and `` deceiving the international community . '' `` Two Sri Lanka air force fighter bombers continued to bomb civilian targets in Mu ` l'li-vaaykkaal after the announcement by the Sri Lankan forces that it would not deploy heavy weapons or carry out air attacks , '' Tamilnet said , citing S. Puleedevan , director of the Tamil Peace Secretariat . `` Obviously we need to see what that means in practice , '' John Holmes , the head of U.N. humanitarian operations , said about the government announcement to end combat operations . `` But , on the face of it , I think it 's good news . '' The military will now concentrate on `` saving '' and `` rescuing civilians , '' who have been caught in the fighting between government forces and rebel fighters , the presidential statement said . The government 's decision followed an unscheduled meeting of the National Security Council called by President Mahinda Rajapaksa . The session included the commanders of the army , navy and air force . The developments came a day after Sri Lankan officials rejected a proposed cease-fire from the Tamil rebels , warning instead that government troops would continue a new offensive until the group surrendered , a senior government official told CNN . `` The government is firm that -LRB- the rebels -RRB- lay down their arms and surrender . We do not recognize this so-called offer , '' said Lakshman Hulugalle , director of Sri Lanka 's Media Center for National Security . The Tiger leadership had asked the international community to `` pressure the Sri Lankan government to reciprocate '' on the cease-fire offer . The United States , the United Nations , the European Union and India have called for a cease-fire . The foreign ministers of three nations are due in Sri Lanka on Wednesday -- David Miliband of the United Kingdom , Bernard Kouchner of France and Carl Bildt of Sweden . The rebels ' proposed cease-fire came six days after the Sri Lankan army launched a new offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam -LRB- LTTE -RRB- . Government troops made significant advances into rebel-held territory on Friday and Saturday , according to Sri Lankan army sources . A government-imposed deadline for the Tigers to surrender passed last Tuesday . Tens of thousands of displaced civilians currently remain wedged in a dwindling swath of territory controlled by the Tigers along the country 's northeastern coast . Government troops say they have rescued 39,000 civilians trapped in the area , but a U.N. refugee agency said Friday that a wave of `` fresh displacement '' now exceeds 100,000 people . Watch civilians describe what they are experiencing '' Fifty metric tons of relief supplies -- which landed in Colombo on Monday -- will be sent by UNICEF to the north to help displaced residents . UNICEF , which called the situation in the north a `` catastrophe for children , '' said the displaced lack food , water and basic medical supplies . The rebels estimate the number of civilians still located in the territory at more than 160,000 . The Sri Lankan military said it `` freed 3,254 civilians from LTTE clutches '' in operations Sunday . The Tigers have been fighting for an independent state in Sri Lanka 's northeast since 1983 . As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began , and the group has been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries , including the United States and the European Union . | Tamil rebels say Sri Lankan forces ignoring orders to end military operations Sri Lanka : Forces ordered to cease use of heavy-caliber guns , combat aircraft Rebels say fighter bombers continued to bomb civilian targets after announcement . Developments come after Sri Lankan officials reject rebels ' cease-fire offer . | [[160, 225], [306, 423], [688, 794], [1614, 1721]] |
LA PAZ , Bolivia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalized the Chaco petroleum company Friday , taking over the BP subsidiary with the military on standby . Bolivian leader Evo Morales speaks before parliament Thursday in the capital , La Paz . `` With this decree , '' Morales said in a nationally televised address from an oil field in Cochabamba , `` we nationalize all the petroleum business in Chaco for all Bolivians . '' Chaco is jointly owned by Pan American Energy and the Bolivian Pension Fund , each with a 50 percent stake , BP spokesman David Nicholas said from Great Britain . BP owns 60 percent of Pan American Energy , and Bridas Corp. owns the other 40 percent , Nicholas said . Nicholas declined comment on the nationalization . `` We are aware of the presidential decree but can not comment , '' he said . `` We support Pan America 's energies with any discussions they have with the Bolivian government . '' Morales wore a white safety helmet with the words `` Chaco nationalized '' printed on the front when he made his announcement . The Bolivian president guaranteed the petroleum workers that their jobs will be safe . Formed in 1997 , Chaco employs about 90 Bolivians , the company says on its Web site . Chaco is dedicated to the exploration and production of hydrocarbons , BP says . Morales decreed in 2007 and 2008 that the government should nationalize various petroleum companies . His actions Friday came less than 48 hours before Bolivians vote Sunday on a new constitution that would give the central government more power and control . | Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalizes Chaco petroleum company . Morales guarantees petroleum workers that their jobs will be safe . Military on standby in nationalization of BP subsidiary . Move comes 48 hours before Bolivian vote on new constitution . | [[0, 114], [375, 425], [1077, 1163], [1133, 1163], [0, 6], [117, 177], [1434, 1527]] |
BOGOTA , Colombia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Colombian officials are blaming the FARC guerrilla group for an explosion in an upscale Bogota neighborhood Tuesday night that killed two people and wounded 20 . Police inspect one of two dead bodies after an explosion Tuesday night in Bogota , Colombia . President Alvaro Uribe , who is in France , issued a statement expressing sorrow for `` the new terrorist attempt against Bogota '' and accusing FARC of hypocrisy for talking about human rights while setting off lethal bombs . FARC , the Spanish acronym for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , is the largest and oldest revolutionary group in Colombia . `` Let us always remember that Bogota cries but will never give up , '' Uribe 's statement said . The blast occurred around 9 p.m. at a Blockbuster video rental store in an exclusive neighborhood in northern Bogota , causing major damage to the building , most notably the parking lot . Debris was scattered for more than a block , and nearby buildings and cars also were damaged . Senior presidential aide Fabio Valencia Cossio said 11 pounds of explosives were used , El Espactador newspaper reported . A female passer-by and the store 's parking lot attendant were killed in the blast , Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told the newspaper . Another newspaper , El Tiempo , said the woman was about 25 years old and was carrying notebooks and books , so authorities believe she was a university student . Police said they were looking into a tip that the bombing might have been part of a FARC extortion attempt , said Radio Caracol , citing presidential aide Valencia . Blockbuster has been complaining to authorities for months that criminals who said they were associated with FARC had been demanding money , news reports said . In his statement from France , Uribe referred to FARC `` combining extortion with terror . '' There was an explosion at another Blockbuster store in the Colombian capital a year ago . Authorities are offering the equivalent of $ 50,000 for information that would lead to an arrest . The explosion occurred in an neighborhood known for posh restaurants and nightclubs . Ricardo Serrano described to El Tiempo how he felt a loud explosion and the immediate confusion that ensued . `` People were running from one place to another , '' he told the newspaper . `` There were a lot of sirens and police . '' Angel Alberto Arias , a doorman at a nearby building , told El Tiempo , `` I felt like the whole building was going to come down on top of me . '' FARC has about 9,000 to 12,000 armed guerillas and several thousand supporters , mostly in rural areas , according to security analysts . The guerrilla group was established in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party . The guerrillas operate mostly in Colombia but have carried out extortion , kidnappings and other activities in Venezuela , Panama and Ecuador , according to the Federation of American Scientists Intelligence Resource Program . Fernando Ramos and Toby Muse contributed to this report for CNN . | Explosion in upscale Bogota neighborhood kills two people and wounds 20 . Colombian President Alvaro Uribe condemns FARC rebel group for blast . Eleven pounds of explosives reportedly used in front of Blockbuster video store . | [[0, 6], [9, 33], [37, 158], [114, 158], [164, 185], [114, 124], [186, 198], [199, 292], [2072, 2113], [0, 6], [9, 33], [37, 158], [293, 315], [337, 492], [1034, 1119], [1086, 1119], [1122, 1135]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Democratic congressman from Mississippi plans to hold a hearing into how millions of dollars worth of supplies meant for Gulf Coast hurricane survivors ended up being given away as surplus property . Rep. Bennie Thompson says he 'll hold a hearing into how supplies for Katrina victims were diverted . Rep. Bennie Thompson , chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security , called the situation `` a debacle . '' In June , CNN revealed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had warehoused $ 85 million worth of household goods for two years before giving them away to federal agencies and 16 states . But Thompson said there is still a great need for basic supplies in Mississippi . `` We just think that FEMA needs to come and tell the committee how such a debacle could occur , and in the process , what are they going to do to assure Congress and the taxpaying public that it will never happen again , '' Thompson said . The household goods were meant to help Gulf Coast households rebuild . But they sat in FEMA warehouses for two years before the agency declared them surplus property and gave them away in February . The state of Louisiana had not asked for any of the supplies , prompting outrage there after the original CNN report . Since then , the state has taken steps to claim some of the stockpiles and distribute them to groups working to resettle victims of Hurricane Katrina , the 2005 storm that flooded New Orleans and ravaged the Mississippi Gulf Coast . Mississippi took the supplies it was offered but did not give them to Katrina victims . Instead , as CNN reported this week , the state distributed them to prisons , volunteer fire departments , colleges and other state agencies . Thompson said he was stunned at how Mississippi officials made `` a mockery of the whole process . '' `` I 'm disappointed that my state decided that prisoners had a higher priority than Katrina victims and has made no effort to correct it even when this mistake was made , '' he said . `` Any time items intended for victims of Katrina end up in the hands of the Department of Corrections or state employees , then clearly , Mississippi dropped the ball . '' Watch victims tell why they need the items '' Thompson said his committee would `` ask all the tough questions '' and demand any documents associated with the matter . `` So we are prepared , if necessary , to put those officials under oath , '' he said . `` We are prepared if necessary to subpoena any and all documents relative to this situation . '' FEMA spokesman Marty Bahamonde said the agency welcomed any congressional hearing . `` We always make ourselves available to answer the questions . That 's something we are always ready to do , '' he said . FEMA said it was costing more than $ 1 million a year to store the supplies , but officials have not been able to answer why the agency did n't get the supplies to Katrina victims . FEMA said the agency has launched an internal probe into the issue . Jim Marler , director of Mississippi 's surplus agency , failed to return repeated phone calls over several months to explain what happened there . But spokeswoman Kym Wiggins said the agency was not told the items were still needed -- a statement that did n't sit well with groups working to rebuild the stricken coast . Bill Stallworth , executive director of the Hope Coordination Center in Biloxi , said he and other community leaders would have begged for the FEMA stockpiles had they known they were available . `` When I hear people stand up and just beat their chest and say we 've got everything under control , that 's when I just want to slap them upside the head and say , ` Get a grip , get a life , ' '' said Stallworth , also a Biloxi city councilman . If you have a story tip , e-mail [email protected] . | Rep. Bennie Thompson wants FEMA to explain giveaway of hurricane supplies . FEMA held $ 85 million worth of supplies meant for Katrina victims for two years . Goods later given to federal agencies and states , CNN revealed . Thompson 's state , Mississippi , did n't give the goods it received to hurricane victims . | [[94, 172], [440, 447], [450, 634], [1033, 1106], [440, 447], [450, 634], [1509, 1520], [1558, 1596]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two people were found dead and a third person is still believed missing in a North Carolina food plant heavily damaged in a morning explosion , police said Tuesday night . Part of a collapsed ConAgra Foods plant lies atop parked cars Tuesday in Garner , North Carolina . Four people were in critical condition after the explosion at the ConAgra Foods plant in the town of Garner , CNN affiliate WRAL-TV reported . The explosion , reported about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday , caused sections of the roof to collapse . Search efforts for those missing were slowed by ammonia leaks and a fire that was not extinguished until afternoon . `` There was no warnings , no signs , '' Garner Mayor Ronnie Williams said . `` It all happened very abruptly . '' At least 38 people were transported to area hospitals , said Jeff Hammerstein , district chief for Wake County Emergency Medical Services . Four burn victims -- two males and two females -- were undergoing critical care at the North Carolina Jaycees Burn Center , said Dr. Charles Cairns , director of emergency medicine for UNC Hospitals . The patients suffered burns that covered from 40 to 60 percent of their bodies , Cairns said . Police said recovery workers still were trying to get the two bodies out of the plant , which makes Slim Jim food products . The victims ' names were n't immediately available . More than 300 people were in the plant when the explosion happened , authorities said . The cause of the blast was unknown , according to Garner police spokesman Joe Binns . Rescuers were crawling into the rubble -- sometimes in pockets of space less than 30 inches tall -- in attempts to access the two bodies and find the missing person , officials said at a news conference Tuesday night . The search crews were moving slowly in part because the building is very unstable , officials said . Video from the scene showed holes in sections of the roof of the 425,000 square-foot plant . First responders set up a makeshift triage area near the building . A section of the roof was collapsed , and pipes could be seen spewing liquid believed to be ammonia . Watch liquid spew from building '' ConAgra Foods ' brands include Healthy Choice , Chef Boyardee and Orville Redenbacher , among others . The Garner plant is known for producing Slim Jim beef jerky products . The company was `` working with authorities on the ground to ensure that their employees are getting all of the support that they need , '' said Stephanie Childs , ConAgra director of corporate communication . `` The employees ' health is their only real concern at this time . '' Gail Ruffin , a ConAgra worker who was in the plant when the explosion happened , told WRAL she heard a boom . `` The ceiling start coming down , and we all start running , '' Ruffin , who was n't injured , told WRAL . `` Everyone was trying to get to the exit door . ... I was just trying to get out , and then we just -LSB- saw -RSB- people that -LSB- were -RSB- burned -- blood all over them . '' Garner is seven miles south of Raleigh . | NEW : Police : Teams looking for missing person , trying to recover two bodies . Part of roof collapses in explosion at ConAgra Foods plant in North Carolina . At least 38 taken to hospitals ; four said to be in critical condition . Officials do n't know cause of blast . | [[19, 49], [1195, 1280], [94, 160], [191, 252], [433, 448], [485, 526], [2028, 2063], [290, 397], [759, 812], [899, 916], [934, 945], [949, 1020], [1461, 1495]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir , who faces charges of crimes against humanity , visited Zimbabwe on Sunday for a regional trade meeting . Sudan president Omar al-Bashir is the first head of state ever indicted by the ICC . Al-Bashir landed Saturday in the capital , Harare , for the two-day African leaders ' summit of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa -LRB- COMESA -RRB- . The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir on March 4 , accusing him of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in his government 's campaign against rebels in Darfur in western Sudan . It was the first arrest warrant for a sitting head of state by the world 's only permanent war crimes tribunal , based at The Hague in the Netherlands . Sudan expelled 13 international aid agencies from the Darfur region after the warrant was issued . Al-Bashir has denied the charges , calling them an attempt by Western powers to recolonize Sudan . The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 after rebels in the western region of Sudan began attacking government positions . The government responded with a fierce military campaign that has left about 300,000 dead and more than 2.5 million displaced , the United Nations estimates . The International Criminal Court has no arrest powers and depends on its 106-member states to take suspects into custody . Al-Bashir has visited other counties , including Qatar and Ethiopia , since the warrant was issued . In Zimbabwe , the summit will be at the Victoria Falls , a popular tourism spot on the Zambezi River . Sudan is a member of the trade group , which consists of 19 African nations . | Sudan president Omar al-Bashir visits Zimbabwe despite arrest warrant . ICC accused al-Bashir of alleged war crime against rebels in Darfur . Al-Bashir has denied charges against him . | [[43, 52], [59, 99], [412, 429], [497, 639], [892, 924]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The alleged leader of a firearms trafficking network believed to be smuggling guns into Mexico -- where police say they are used against law enforcement officers by members of Mexican drug cartels -- was arrested Thursday in Arizona , authorities said . Victor Varela was arrested by the ATF as part of the agency 's ongoing Project Gunrunner . Victor Varela was arrested by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol , Tobacco , Firearms and Explosives as part of the agency 's ongoing Project Gunrunner , according to an ATF release . He was in the custody of the Maricopa County , Arizona , sheriff . `` Law enforcement officers disrupted a group of gun traffickers and recovered several weapons , including .50 - caliber semiautomatic rifles and several handguns , allegedly intended to supply drug traffic organization members of the Juarez Cartel in Palomas , Mexico , '' the statement said . In state charges , prosecutors allege Varela and his co-defendants bought a number of guns in Arizona intending to supply the Mexican cartel members . The group allegedly transported the illegally purchased guns to New Mexico , and then into Mexico . A .50 - caliber weapon is the largest that can legally be bought in the United States , and is illegal in Mexico . Authorities believe a .50 - caliber weapon was used in recent months to kill Francisco Ledesma Salazar , a police commander in Juarez , Mexico . He is among five high-ranking Mexican police officials killed this year in what Mexico authorities describe as an escalating war between police and drug cartels . Last week , 2,000 troops were sent to Juarez by the Mexican government in an effort to quell the violence there , which has claimed some 200 lives since January . Guns are difficult to buy legally in Mexico , but can be obtained just north of the border at gun shows and gun shops . Project Gunrunner was launched as an effort to help Mexican police by cracking down on illegal smuggling of guns and ammunition , and has led to several arrests and seizures . Watch how the weapons fuel a little-known war '' `` This case was made one of our highest priorities because of the nature of the crime alleged to be committed by Varela , '' U.S. Marshal David Gonzales said in the ATF release . Guns featured in a CNN Special Investigations Unit report last week , confiscated by Juarez police , are believed to have been smuggled into Mexico by Varela , according to an ATF spokesman . Authorities said one recent discovery , in a storage locker in Yuma , Arizona , yielded 42 weapons and hundreds of rounds of .50 - caliber bullets already belted to be fed into a machine gun-style weapon , as well as Fabrique Nationale pistols , semiautomatic handguns that fire a 5.7-by-28-millimeter round . `` What 's interesting about this gun , why it 's in high demand , is the nickname that it has in Mexico , '' said William Newell , ATF special agent in charge , about the Fabrique National pistol . `` It 's called ` mata policias , ' or ` cop killer . ' '' Charging documents allege that Varela was attempting to buy a fully automatic M-60 machine gun for a drug cartel associate in Palomas , authorities said . `` Additionally , a number of firearms recovered by Mexico law enforcement ... allegedly were trafficked by Varela 's gun smuggling network , '' the ATF statement said . U.S. authorities are sharing intelligence with their Mexican counterparts to assist in ongoing investigations , the ATF said . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's John Murgatroyd and Drew Griffin contributed to this report . | Suspect is alleged leader network believed to be smuggling guns into Mexico . Last week , 2,000 Mexican troops were sent to Juarez , Mexico , to quell violence . Mexican drug cartels blamed for killings of police officers . ATF : U.S. authorities sharing intelligence with their Mexican counterparts . | [[0, 15], [41, 51], [72, 113], [0, 15], [41, 71], [81, 113], [1053, 1127], [2264, 2314], [2378, 2421], [3197, 3217], [3258, 3318], [1576, 1585], [1588, 1659], [1650, 1689], [123, 215], [3349, 3458]] |
Editor 's note : A nationally syndicated columnist , Roland S. Martin is the author of `` Listening to the Spirit Within : 50 Perspectives on Faith '' and `` Speak , Brother ! A Black Man 's View of America . '' Visit his Web site for more information . Roland Martin says men are harming their health by their reluctance to go to the doctor . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A couple of years ago , my dad told me that he had a cataract in his eye and could barely see out of it and that he needed to get it fixed . `` Cool . Go to the doctor and get it taken care of , '' I said . `` I will , '' he replied . One month became three ; three months turned into six months ; and a year later and numerous calls later by a ticked-off son , he still had not gone to the doctor . So one morning , when I was hosting the 6 to 9 a.m. talk show shift on WVON-AM in Chicago , Illinois , I told my producer , Geneen Harston , to call my dad , but do n't tell him he 'll be on the air . When the commercials ended , I pulled him up on the air and asked , `` So , dad , have you made that doctor 's appointment ? '' He started to laugh and said that he had done so the day before and that he was seeing the doctor later in the week . Luckily , he followed through , and they discovered that he had another one growing in the other eye . Both eyes were taken care of , and all has been well since . Yet what ticked me off was that here was a guy with insurance , a son who could pay for the bill even if he did n't , but he still refused to go to the doctor ! Watch Roland 's commentary segment '' My dad 's story is all too common to a lot of you who must deal with fathers , brothers , uncles , husbands and male cousins , church members and co-workers , who are obstinate and absolutely refuse to go to the doctor . `` Oh , I 'll be fine . '' `` I can handle the pain . '' `` I do n't want a doctor poking on me . '' `` If it 's bad , I 'm sure it would hurt worse . '' All typical responses , and all pretty dumb . Yes , it 's true that women all around the globe have outlived men for years . In the United States , the life expectancy for men is 74 and for women is 80 . Yet when that is broken down racially , there is a huge gap between whites , blacks , Hispanics and Asians . Men are dying earlier due to prostate cancer , heart disease , stroke and other maladies , and their actions play a large role in it . Black men in particular drive me nuts . I 've heard several mention that their aversion to doctors stems from the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment , the study conducted between 1932 and 1972 that monitored black sharecroppers who were infected with the disease but did n't treat them , much less inform them that they had it . That program by the U.S. Public Health Service was hideous but should n't be used as an excuse today . Men can no longer be so hard-headed about their health . I 've given speeches on this issue and told married women that they should say , `` no doctor 's visit , no sex . '' That 'll get his attention ! We all love the men in our lives . But being silent means we are aiding them in their health dilemma , and that 's wrong . If it means lovingly reminding , fine . If you have to badger them , whatever . Just like Dad told us to eat our vegetables when were kids , saying we 'll be better off as adults because of it , we should tell Dad or any other man to stop acting like a child and go see the doc . It really could save their life . The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of Roland Martin . | Roland Martin : Men are foolishly reluctant to go to the doctor . He says some black men cite the infamous Tuskegee Experiment . Martin : Men already have a shorter life expectancy than women . He says that failing to detect and treat illness makes no sense . | [[254, 321], [305, 343], [2436, 2538]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rapper T.I. , who was sentenced to a 366-day prison sentence in March , reported Tuesday to a federal prison complex in Forrest City , Arkansas , according to CNN affiliate WSB-TV . T.I. , left , performed to a packed crowd Sunday , days before he was to start a prison term . The rapper -- whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr. -- was required to be at the prison before noon local time to begin serving his sentence on federal weapons charges . According to news reports , officers from Forrest City and the prison set up a roadblock along Arkansas Highway 1 about one-tenth of a mile from the complex . Reporters were not allowed any closer to the prison . T.I. threw himself a going-away party Sunday night at Philips Arena in Atlanta , Georgia , before a packed house . During Sunday 's concert -- called `` T.I. 's Final Goodbye Bash '' -- the 28-year-old Grammy winner reiterated a message that 's become familiar in recent weeks : He wants others to learn from his mistakes . `` I 'm doing the best I can to get out there , man , and put something positive on these young kids , man , '' T.I. said during the show . `` I try my best . I need y' all help , though . '' The rapper played to a sell-out crowd of 16,000 people , said Kenan Woods , a spokesman for the arena . T.I. played through much of his catalog , including the hits `` Whatever You Like , '' `` Live Your Life '' and the Grammy-winning `` Swagga Like Us , '' Woods said . At times in the show , Harris was joined on stage by fellow rapper Soulja Boy and by his five children and mother , Woods said . T.I. was sentenced in March on weapons charges related to purchasing machine guns and silencers . In addition to serving prison time , T.I. was placed on house arrest , was given community service and was ordered to pay a $ 100,300 fine . Though he had been in legal trouble before , Harris ' current situation began when he was arrested just hours before he was to perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta . The rapper had provided a bodyguard with $ 12,000 to buy weapons . Harris was not permitted to own any guns , however , because he was convicted in 1998 on felony drug charges -- possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute -- in Cobb County , in suburban Atlanta . After his arrest , he entered a plea agreement , which federal authorities called unique because it allowed the rapper to remain out of prison for a year while he performed community service . Harris has already left a strong mark on the hip-hop genre , music experts told CNN , which should position his career well when he is released . Harris had been named to the Forbes list of top-earning rappers , making an estimated $ 16 million in 2006 . Some music industry observers have said T.I. 's prison term will only make him more popular . `` I think that if anything , it will gain him more fans and actually support his fan base , because he 's talked about making a mistake , '' Emil Wilbekin , editor in chief of Giant Magazine , told CNN . `` He 's talked about taking care of the error of his ways . '' The Atlanta rapper has expressed remorse for the situation . `` I would like to say thank you to some and apologize to others , '' he said at his sentencing in March . `` In my life , I have been placed in the worst-case scenario and had to make the best of it . '' In a March interview with CNN 's T.J. Holmes , Harris said he no longer felt like he needed to carry weapons to protect himself . He said people should not idolize him for what he 's gone through , but should take note of the fact that he has taken responsibility for his actions . `` You should n't take the things that I 've gone through , and the negative parts of my life , and admire me for that . If anything , admire me for how I 've accepted responsibility for the part I played in placing myself in these situations , and what I 've done to recover from it , '' Harris said . Harris has been the subject of an MTV reality show , `` T.I. 's Road to Redemption , '' in the lead-up to the prison term . | T.I. performed Sunday , less than two days before his prison term was to start . The rapper has been sentenced in connection with federal weapons charges . His prison term of one year and one day starts Tuesday . | [[201, 205], [215, 249], [264, 295], [296, 306], [408, 466], [1596, 1642], [264, 295]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Singapore 's Gross Domestic Product is expected to shrink as much as 5 percent in 2009 , far more than the 1 to 2 percent contraction predicted earlier this month , the government said . People walk out for their lunch break in the financial district of Singapore on Wednesday . The Ministry of Trade and Industry said it expected a GDP reduction of between 2 and 5 percent this year . Singapore 's economy grew by 1.2 percent in 2008 , the government said , far lower than its 7.7 percent growth in 2007 . Slowdowns in manufacturing , trade , transport and storage , information and communications and the financial services sectors contributed to the decline , the government said . The global financial crisis led to a `` significant decline in fund management and stock broking activities in the second half of 2008 , '' and a sharper downturn was expected in 2009 , the ministry said . The ministry cited data on retail sales and unemployment in the United States , industrial production in Europe and on Asian exports for the weaker outlook . Inflation was expected to ease slightly , however . The finance minister is expected to deliver the 2009 budget statement on Thursday . | Gross Domestic Product reduction between 2 and 5 percent expected . Ministry cites data on U.S. retail sales and unemployment , Asian exports . Finance minister expected to deliver the 2009 budget statement Thursday . | [[0, 15], [67, 105], [298, 404], [338, 404], [910, 1067], [1120, 1203], [1120, 1140], [1153, 1203]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Turkey 's military said it killed at least 15 rebels in operations in northern Iraq earlier this week , but a spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Security Forces denied the report , saying Turkey has not conducted any military operation or air assault there in the past two weeks . Turkish troops patrol near the border with Iraq during an offensive in February . A statement posted on the Turkish armed forces ' official Web site said a group of PKK , or members of the Kurdistan Workers ' Party , was identified in northern Iraq , and said the group was believed to be planning an attack and trying to leak through the border into Turkey . The PKK , labeled a terrorist group by Turkey , the United States and the European Union , is comprised of militants who have been launching attacks against Turkey from bases in northern Iraq . The Turkish military said the PKK group `` came under fire by long-range weapons '' on Thursday , and 15 terrorists were killed . The same region was targeted by a Turkish air assault on Friday , the military said , adding that the number of casualties was not yet available . `` In the missions , only the places that were confirmed to belong to the terrorist group were targeted , '' the military statement said . `` Turkish armed forces acted with utmost sensitivity in order to avoid any negative impact of the strikes on the civilians in the region . '' However , Jabbar Yawer , a spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Forces , said no air assault was conducted Thursday or Friday , and added that no operations have been conducted in northern Iraq for the past two weeks . The PKK has spent two decades fighting for autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey , with some of its attacks launched from inside Iraq '' . The Iraqi government opposes the PKK 's presence , but views a Turkish military incursion as a violation of its sovereignty . E-mail to a friend . CNN Turk 's Begum Donmez and CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | Turkey : At least 15 rebels in operations in northern Iraq earlier this week . Says Kurdistan Workers ' Party -LRB- PKK -RRB- members trying to get into Turkey . Iraqi Kurdish Regional Security Forces denies the report , says no operation . PKK , labeled a terrorist group by U.S. , EU , has attacked Turkey from N Iraq . | [[0, 15], [19, 120], [388, 427], [561, 665], [127, 203], [213, 219], [127, 185], [206, 305], [1429, 1441], [1555, 1641], [770, 782], [787, 859], [1742, 1784]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Those extra service fees tacked on to concert ticket prices -- long a source of grumbling by ticket buyers -- will disappear for millions of seats sold by the largest U.S. concert promoter this summer . Live Nation is awaiting government approval of a merger with giant Ticketmaster . Live Nation launches `` No Service Fee Wednesdays '' this week for lawn seats at amphitheaters , removing extra fees from 5 million lawn seats for shows at amphitheaters across the United States . Live Nation insisted that the promotion was about selling more tickets and helping music fans hit by hard times , not improving public relations while it waits for government approval of its merger with Ticketmaster . But the promotion could soothe some bad feelings . `` People get a little ticked off when they think they 're paying $ 20 for a ticket and as they progress along the various pages of the electronic transaction , they see more fees added a long the way , '' said Ray Waddell , who writes about live music tours for Billboard magazine . Live Nation will waive fees on lawn seats for 24 hours , beginning at midnight Tuesday local time and lasting through Wednesday . Lawn seat tickets available this week include concerts by Aerosmith , Blink-182 , Coldplay , No Doubt , Nickelback , Depeche Mode , Toby Keith , Brad Paisley and many others , Live Nation said . Other shows coming later in the summer include Crosby Stills & Nash , Crue Fest 2 , Def Leppard with Poison and Cheap Trick , Jason Mraz , Kid Rock & Lynyrd Skynyrd , Incubus , New Kids on the Block , Nine Inch Nails and Jane 's Addiction , Phish , the Dead , Rascall Flats with Darius Rucker , the Allman Brothers Band , the Fray and the Killers . `` They 're sacrificing quite a lot of revenue here , '' Waddell said . He estimated that fees add up to about a third of the average price for lawn seats . The economic recession has not seemed to slow the live concert business , which `` considering everything else , is going like gangbusters , '' he said . `` It looks like it could be a really strong year , '' he said . `` People want to go to shows . They want to hear music . '' Every tour offers some type of promotion , he said , including a lot of $ 10 lawn seats . `` This is a business that 's pretty flexible when it needs to be , '' he said . Live Nation began selling tickets to its own concerts only last year , just months before announcing plans to merge with Ticketmaster , the world 's largest ticket-seller . Before that , Live Nation promoted shows but had no infrastructure to sell tickets , and it contracted out to Ticketmaster or others to sell them . The Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger plan has drawn criticism . The Justice Department launched an investigation of the proposed merger in February . Neither Live Nation nor Ticketmaster executives would respond to questions about the merger . However , Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff did talk about it before a U.S. Senate subcommittee earlier this year . The merger `` will give us greater flexibility in how we promote , market and sell tickets to events , '' he said . `` It will give us a pathway to alternative pricing and fee structures . And we will be better able to develop new and innovative products and services that enhance the fan experience and make all forms of entertainment more accessible to everyone . '' CNN 's Denise Quan contributed to this report . | Live Nation 's `` No Service Fee Wednesdays '' applies to 5 million seats . Promotion could soothe feathers ruffled by Ticketmaster merger . It applies to shows such as No Doubt , the Dead , Jason Mraz , Nine Inch Nails . | [[329, 349], [426, 525], [748, 794], [2682, 2744]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that despite President Bush 's low approval ratings , people will soon `` start to thank this president for what he 's done . '' Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says `` there is no greater honor than to serve this country , '' `` So we can sit here and talk about the long record , but what I would say to you is that this president has faced tougher circumstances than perhaps at any time since the end of World War II , and he has delivered policies that are going to stand the test of time , '' Rice said in an interview that aired on CBS ' `` Sunday Morning . '' The secretary of state brushed off reports that suggest the United States ' image is suffering abroad . She praised the administration 's ability to change the conversation in the Middle East . `` This is n't a popularity contest . I 'm sorry , it is n't . What the administration is responsible to do is to make good choices about Americans ' interests and values in the long run -- not for today 's headlines , but for history 's judgment , '' she said . `` And I am quite certain that when the final chapters are written and it 's clear that Saddam Hussein 's Iraq is gone in favor of an Iraq that is favorable to the future of the Middle East ; when the history is written of a U.S.-China relationship that is better than it 's ever been ; an India relationship that is deeper and better than it 's ever been ; a relationship with Brazil and other countries of the left of Latin America , better than it 's ever been ... `` When one looks at what we 've been able to do in terms of changing the conversation in the Middle East about democracy and values , this administration will be judged well , and I 'll wait for history 's judgment and not today 's headlines . '' Asked by CBS ' Rita Braver why some former diplomats say Americans are disliked around the world , Rice said that 's `` just not true . '' `` I know what U.S. policy has achieved . And so I do n't know what diplomats you 're talking to , but look at the record , '' she said . Rice said she was n't bothered by criticism about her or the administration 's polices , saying if a person in her business is not being criticized , `` you 're not doing something right . '' `` I 'm here to make tough choices , and this president is here to make tough choices , and we have . And yes , I -- there are some things that I would do very differently if I had it to do over again . You do n't have that luxury . You have to make the choices and take the positions that you do at the time , '' she said . Asked about historians who say Bush is one of the worst presidents , Rice said those `` are n't very good historians . '' `` If you 're making historical judgments before an administration is already out -- even out of office , and if you 're trying to make historical judgments when the nature of the Middle East is still to be determined , and when one can not yet judge the effects of decisions that this President has taken on what the Middle East will become -- I mean , for goodness ' sakes , good historians are still writing books about George Washington . Good historians are certainly still writing books about Harry Truman , '' she said . Rice , 54 , said she has enjoyed working in the Bush administration during the last eight years , first as national security adviser , then as secretary of state . `` There is no greater honor than to serve this country , '' she said , adding that there is also no greater challenge . Rice said when the new administration takes over , she plans to return to the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and write two books -- one on foreign policy and one about her parents . | Condoleezza Rice says Bush 's policies will `` stand the test of time '' Rice says she 's not bothered by criticism ; says she 's `` here to make tough choices '' Secretary of state says historians criticizing Bush `` are n't very good historians '' Rice says she plans to write a book about foreign policy . | [[486, 556], [2081, 2169], [2314, 2358], [2667, 2716]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police said they are pursuing leads in the death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu , whose body was found Monday stuffed into a suitcase in a dairy-farm pond near her Tracy , California , home . Sandra Cantu , 8 , disappeared March 27 . Her body was found at a dairy-farm pond near her Calilfornia home . `` We are heading in a direction , '' Tracy police Sgt. Tony Sheneman told reporters . `` To comment on that would compromise the investigation , and I ca n't do that . '' A search warrant was executed at the Tracy mobile home park where the girl lived , and a related search was to be conducted Tuesday at a nearby church , he said . He implied more than one person may have been involved in the death of Sandra , who had been missing since March 27 . `` Investigators are looking at additional information they received since yesterday and , hopefully , that will lead us to Sandra 's killers , '' he said . Asked if his use of the plural meant police were looking for more than one person , he responded , `` We have no specific suspects , ma'am . '' Sheneman also implied the killer likely was familiar with the location where the body was found . He said he himself was unfamiliar with the location where the girl 's body was found , despite having lived in the community for nearly 12 years . `` Someone would have to be familiar with that area to know to go there , '' he said . Watch how the suitcase was found '' Sheneman said police had no one in custody , despite having interviewed hundreds of people regarding the case . `` Everyone that we speak to right now is being considered a person of interest , '' he said . `` We 're not eliminating anyone . '' The autopsy was being conducted Tuesday , but it was not clear when the report would be available . `` It 's going to be some time before we hear from the coroner , '' Sheneman said . `` I ca n't tell you when that 's going to be . '' More than 10 search warrants have been executed as part of the investigation and `` a lot '' of evidence has been recovered , Sheneman said . The day Sandra was last reported seen , she returned home from school , kissed her mother and left to play with a friend who lives nearby . A short time later , wearing a pink Hello Kitty T-shirt and black leggings , she left to go to another friend 's home , according to a family spokeswoman . Police said Monday the girl 's clothing helped them identify the body . | NEW : Police imply person or persons involved in Sandra Cantu 's death from area . Police plan to church near mobile park home where Sandra 's family lived . Sandra was found in suitcase in a dairy-farm pond near her California home . Sandra had been missing since March 27 from her home in Tracy , California . | [[652, 729], [572, 639], [68, 94], [97, 184], [249, 316], [207, 219], [226, 248], [720, 731], [736, 769]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The 5-year-old girl found the note tucked inside a plastic bag and left in a basket used as a flower pot . April Tinsley , 8 , abducted in Fort Wayne , Indiana , was raped and killed 21 years ago . The case was not solved . `` Hi Honey I Been watching you , '' it said . `` I am the same person that kidnapped an Rape an kill Aproil tinsely here is a present foR yo you are my next vitem . '' A used condom was stuffed in the bag alongside the note . It was March 2004 -- nearly 16 years after 8-year-old April Tinsley was abducted from a Fort Wayne , Indiana , neighborhood , raped and killed . Her killer remains at large , and police believe he has surfaced several times , scrawling a message in crayon on a barn in 1990 , then leaving four chilling notes for children in the Fort Wayne area years later . Indiana authorities are now asking an FBI task force -- the Child Abduction Response Deployment -LRB- CARD -RRB- team -- to help take a fresh look at the case . `` Investigators believe the case is ` highly solvable , ' and after 21 years , their desire to bring April Tinsley 's killer to justice is stronger than ever , '' the FBI said . CARD teams were created three years ago , aimed at bringing together `` a variety of experts in child abduction cases who could quickly respond on the ground to help local authorities with time-sensitive investigations , '' the FBI said . While CARD responds to abductions and disappearances , the team also works cold cases , like April 's , the agency said . `` As team members discovered , there is enough evidence -- including notes , pictures , and DNA left by the killer years after the murder -- to make investigators hopeful they can break the case . '' The team includes behavioral profilers , agents and analysts from the FBI 's Crimes Against Children Unit and coordinators and representatives from the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program . April Marie Tinsley was playing outside with friends on Good Friday , April 1 , 1988 . As the three girls were moving from one friend 's home to another 's , the first-grader realized she had left her umbrella behind and went back to get it . She never returned . Her body was found three days later , in a ditch some 20 miles northeast of the Tinsley home . April 's body was clothed , but an autopsy showed she had been raped and suffocated . Two years later , a teenage boy called police to report a message scrawled in crayon and black marker on the front doors of a barn about 10 miles from April 's home . He never saw the writer , according to the TV program `` America 's Most Wanted , '' which profiled the case in May , but each day noticed the print was getting darker and more pronounced . Although the message was hard to read , the person wrote he had killed April , and that he would kill again . Crayons were left behind at the scene , `` America 's Most Wanted '' said on its Web site . Police attempted to conduct forensic analysis on them , but came up empty . Then , in spring 2004 , the four notes appeared at various Fort Wayne homes , several of them placed on bicycles that young girls had left in their yards . All the notes were written on lined yellow paper and placed inside plastic bags along with used condoms or Polaroids of the killer 's body , the FBI said . Several notes referred to April . Authorities have reason to believe the writer of the 1990 note also left the notes 14 years later , Fort Wayne police said . `` That tells us that the person 's still around , still out there , '' said Fort Wayne police Capt. Paul Shrawder . `` It 's definitely very odd , '' he added . `` Even the FBI is puzzled by the behavior , that the letters would come out so many years later and then nothing again . '' DNA evidence was recovered from April 's body and from the condoms , Shrawder said . While police have no one to match it with at this point , `` things have been resubmitted and retested '' as technological advances have been made , he said . The advantage of the CARD team , from a local police standpoint , is that members only work such cases , while `` we 're local -- we work on whatever happens here , '' Shrawder said . The team has experience in such matters , and might look at new aspects , angles and possibilities that local authorities have n't thought of , he said . Federal investigators were deployed to Fort Wayne to work the Tinsley case earlier this month . After the `` America 's Most Wanted '' profile and the renewed push , authorities received between 400 and 500 tips , Shrawder said . Some could be ruled out right away -- someone who had died between the murder and the 2004 notes , for instance , he said . DNA samples were taken on about 150 people . Police are still trying to run down about 50 or 75 tips , he said . `` That was the purpose , was to go out and run down every single one of these , no matter how vague it was . '' Some of the authorities ' leads , according to the FBI , include identifying Fort Wayne residents who used Polaroids as late as 2004 ; tracking down a green paisley bedspread similar to that seen in one Polaroid ; and looking at misdemeanor offenses in the area near the time of April 's death and the 2004 note spree , as offenses like indecent exposure could indicate more serious sex crimes . In addition , the FBI has released a behavioral profile of Tinsley 's killer . Police believe he is a white male currently in his 40s or 50s who prefers and desires sexual contact with children , particularly little girls . `` This offender has demonstrated that he has strong ties to northeast Fort Wayne and Allen County , '' the profile said . `` This is where he likely lives , works and/or shops . You may be standing next to him in line at the grocery store , sitting beside him in the pew at church , or working beside him on the production line . '' Such profiles can be helpful in that they might spur local residents to tell police , `` You know , I always wondered about this one guy , '' Shrawder said . To offer information on the Tinsley case , contact your local FBI office or Fort Wayne police at -LRB-866-RRB- 602-7745 . | FBI task force considers girl 's slaying `` highly solvable '' April Tinsley , 8 , was abducted in 1988 while walking home from a friend 's house . Writer claimed responsibility for slaying in barn-door message in 1990 . Four more notes , believed to have been written by the killer , surfaced in 2004 . | [[990, 1044], [507, 593], [696, 705], [746, 828], [3061, 3065], [3068, 3082], [3085, 3136]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The government is delaying legal action against Pennsylvania landowners who have n't yet agreed to sell their land for a memorial to victims of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11 , 2001 , federal officials said Friday . This plot of land is scheduled to house the permanent United Airlines Flight 93 memorial . The government has been negotiating with several landowners since 2003 in an effort to purchase their properties near Shanksville where the hijacked jet crashed into a field , killing everyone aboard . If final efforts at negotiations are unsuccessful , officials intend to use eminent domain to acquire the property . That right allows governments to take private property for public use without an owner 's consent , after paying a fair price for the land . The government is seeking to buy 166 acres in western Pennsylvania to complete the area needed to build a memorial on 2,200 acres . `` The -LRB- National Park Service -RRB- will negotiate with the landowners to reach agreement . If agreement is not reached , eminent domain remains as a backstop to acquire these lands , '' said Kendra Barkoff , spokeswoman for the Department of Interior . See plans for the proposed Flight 93 Memorial . Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Sen. Arlen Specter , D-Pennsylvania , met with landowners and some 9/11 victims ' relatives Friday in Somerset County , where the plane crashed into a field . `` The goal remains to finish phase one of the memorial by September 10 , 2011 , '' Barkoff said . `` We 'll try to negotiate with the families , but eminent domain has always been and will continue to be the last resort . '' Landowner Randy Musser told CNN he is encouraged that the government is recognizing that the negotiations are n't working . While the threat of eminent domain stills seem to be on the table , `` it finally seems like the lines of communication are open , '' Musser said . Producers Eric Fiegel and Terry Frieden contributed to this report . | Government may use eminent domain to seize land needed for 9/11 memorial . Hijacked United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville , Pennsylvania . Federal officials say they hope to have first phase of memorial complete by 2011 . | [[591, 655], [455, 466], [473, 510], [1430, 1508]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Elizabeth Taylor went to the Hollywood Bowl to hear Andrea Bocelli in concert , the first night out in months for the big-screen legend . Elizabeth Taylor went to see Andrea Bocelli at the Hollywood Bowl , a rare outing for the film legend . Taylor , bound to a wheelchair by scoliosis , said her mind and soul `` were transported by his beauty , his voice , his inner being . '' The 77-year-old actress posted online messages through the Twitter social network after the Italian tenor 's concert Monday night . `` I went to see Andrea Bocelli last night . The first time I 've been out in months . The Hollywood Bowl allowed me to use my wheelchair , '' Taylor 's first tweet said . `` My mind , my soul were transported by his beauty , his voice , his inner being . God has kissed this man and I thank God for it , '' she wrote in a second message . Taylor opened her Twitter account this year as `` DameElizabeth '' at the suggestion of her close friend , model-actress-author-businesswoman Kathy Ireland , her publicist Dick Guttman said . Taylor is `` very adventurous '' and `` exceedingly active '' despite health problems that sent her to a hospital for a week last month , Guttman said . She is working on a new perfume to follow up on her popular White Diamonds , he said . | Elizabeth Taylor attended Andrea Bocelli concert at Hollywood Bowl . `` The first time I 've been out in months , '' Taylor wrote on Twitter . Taylor was in hospital last month but still `` exceedingly active , '' says spokesman . | [[44, 121], [182, 247], [424, 505], [601, 642], [1088, 1149], [1158, 1173], [1179, 1223]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A series of major international sporting events , a weak currency and its perennially sunny perch on the tip of South Africa are making Cape Town one of the hottest sailing destinations of 2009 . Lucky strike : The port city of Cape Town is set to benefit from several major sporting events . The Indian Premier League cricket tournament was recently relocated to South Africa because of security concerns , and now Cape Town is slated to host the opening match on April 18 . Both the Lions Tour rugby and the FIFA Confederations Cup football will follow the cricket tournament , heading down to South Africa later this year . Combined with the arrival of the World Cup in 2010 , South Africa has suddenly become the ultimate holiday spot for sports fans . Calvyn Gilfellan , chief executive of Cape Town Routes Unlimited -- the region 's tourism board -- told CNN the boost to the region had arrived at a crucial time . `` When the financial crisis started people went into gloom and doom but these events are helping a lot to restore confidence in the industry . `` The fact that we have a positive exchange rate also helps us a lot as a destination , '' he said . But South Africa 's government is so focused on ensuring the success of the upcoming games that it recently denied a visa to The Dalai Lama . Critics contend that South Africa bowed to pressure from the Chinese government in refusing Tibet 's spiritual leader entry to attend a peace conference that was partially intended to help promote the World Cup . As the focus strengthens on these international events , the Cape Town region looks set to benefit more than many from the expected surge in tourism . Gilfellan says this is largely due to the city 's location . `` We are lucky to be in such a wonderful spot . A lot of these events revolve around the marine industry and revolve around the harbor . '' This weekend harbor will play host to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival -- one of many upcoming festivals in the area . Cape Town 's picturesque Victoria & Alfred Waterfront , set against the backdrop of Table Mountain , has become South Africa 's most visited tourist attraction . Commodore of the Royal Cape Yacht Club -LRB- RCYC -RRB- John Martin , told CNN the Cape Town port was used widely for business , leisure and sports . As well as being the country 's second biggest functioning port for trade , the port played host to racing yachts in events such as the Volvo Ocean Race and the Clipper Round-the-world Challenge . `` We have several major yachting events that stop here and we are very proud of that . '' Martin said the popularity of the port means water space is `` at a premium , '' but there are hopes a new harbor and breakwater will be constructed in the next few years . Still , Cape Town has the capacity to cater for foreign visitors on super-yachts and international cruise-liners . `` Cape Town is a real focal point for refueling and repairs and it 's also quite cheap here so people tend to stay for a while , '' he said . Gilfellan said she felt the surge of massive sporting events would undoubtedly have spin-off benefits for the marine industry . The Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket , which starts this month , had been tipped to go to England , but ultimately South Africa was chosen for its sunny weather . The tournament , which will feature 59 matches across six venues , will run from 18 April to 24 May . The 2009 British and Irish Lions tour officially kicks off on May 30 in Rustenberg . Matches will be held in Cape Town on June 13 and June 23 . The eight-team Confederations Cup runs from June 14-28 , and will take place across four cities . The event marks the first time an African nation will host an international FIFA tournament . The landmark event foreshadows the much-anticipated World Cup football tournament in June 2010 , for which qualifying matches are currently being held . Although that 's still a year away -- there are signs that the excitement in South Africa is already palpable . A new television commercial that began airing last month features Spain and Liverpool star , Fernando Torres , and Brazilian icon Kaka showing off their football skills . The advertisement ends with Torres saying `` Ke Nako '' , which in South Africa 's Sotho language means `` it 's time . '' It seems for Cape Town and the whole country -- this could not be more true . Mike Steere contributed to this report . | MainSail 's ` Port of the Month ' is Cape Town , South Africa . The area is one of South Africa 's most popular tourist destinations . Cape Town is set to benefit from major international sporting events . The port is the country 's second biggest and hosts major yacht races . | [[2039, 2092], [2129, 2200], [232, 244], [247, 328], [3070, 3197], [3094, 3197], [2359, 2424], [2427, 2498], [2548, 2603]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. company is offering a rare chance to holiday on a mega-yacht once used by a Hollywood star and her husband -- and thanks to the recession it 's actually affordable . The 100 foot Katania was chartered by Hollywood star Hilary Swank and her husband Chad Lowe . Seattle-based mega-yacht rental business CEO Expeditions usually charges around $ 100,000 a week to charter their 100 + foot yachts , however , they have introduced a deal waiving the charter fees -- so guests will only need to pay for the running of the vessel . The move to make such vessels more affordable comes as the recession continues to put pressure on the luxury holiday and mega-yacht industries . Although the costs of crew and luxury food are n't extremely cheap , it is expected this move will open up the recession-hit market to many more potential holiday-makers . One of the company 's mega-yachts , Katania -- a 100 foot vessel which Hollywood actress Hilary Swank once chartered , now costs less than $ 3000 per day . Normally it would attract an additional $ 49,500 charter fee for a week 's use . At the $ 2950 per day special rate four people can stay on the Katania -- but with the maximum six on board -LRB- $ 450 extra per person -RRB- , the cost per person is a slightly more achievable $ 642 . The price includes full crew , premium wines , gourmet food prepared by a private chef , amenities such as kayaks , hot tub , fishing/crabbing/shrimping equipment , and even a 30 ' Whaler for guest use . According to the company , Swank said of her charter holiday : `` We had an absolutely enchanted time aboard the Katania . A more beautiful yacht does not exist . '' There is one small catch with the deal -- the boat is based in the San Juan islands , and any cruises to other destinations will attract an additional charge to cover fuel costs . The company 's owner , Bruce Milne , said in a statement that the deal was largely due to the impact of the recession . `` Travel is down , agents and brokers need deals , so rather than just a few full price charters , we decided to stay busy , put more people to work , and help island tourism by doing charters at cost . `` Since we started chartering 10 years ago , we have been looking for a chance to provide our ` Expeditions to the Extraordinary ' in the San Juan Islands at a price any luxury traveler can afford - this recession provides that opportunity , '' he said . Tim Wiltshire , director and sales broker at international yacht company Burgess Yachts , said the charter market was n't a complete disaster , so he was surprised to see such a discount . `` I would n't have expected to see that . We are seeing discounts on average of about 25 percent . Although , some people are trying interesting gimmicks to inspire new business , '' he said . Wiltshire said that CEO Expedition 's fleet is n't among the biggest or most luxurious on the market , and that this deal appeared to be clever marketing stunt . He felt that other larger vessels still warranted their greater price tags . | U.S. mega-yacht charter company waives massive $ 50,000 charter fees . The impact of the recession is reason given for the discounted deal . A yacht chartered by Hilary Swank can now be rented for under $ 3000 a day . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 103], [445, 499], [1874, 1894], [1911, 1993], [884, 917], [1003, 1039], [1121, 1191]] |
BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lebanese voters were heading to the polls on Sunday with their main choices to lead the next government a Hezbollah-backed alliance or a U.S.-backed coalition . Hezbollah party workers in the southern town of Nabatiyah hope for an election victory . Analysts say the race will be tight , with the Hezbollah-dominated `` March 8 alliance '' possibly winning a majority of seats in parliament . The polls opened at 1200 GMT and will close 12 hours later . Turnout is expected to be high among the country 's 3 million registered voters . About 50,000 troops were on the streets , but the run-up to the balloting had been free of violence . The vote comes at a critical time for Lebanon as it sits amid a power struggle between a weakened pro-Western government and a stronger pro-Syrian Hezbollah political bloc that has gained political momentum in recent years . The United States considers Hezbollah -- which is supported by both Syria and Iran -- to be a terrorist organization . The group grew in popularity after its militant wing claimed victory over Israel after a 34-day military conflict in 2006 . Since then , it has been more widely perceived by its supporters to be the `` defenders '' of Lebanon . Though U.S. President Barack Obama did n't mention the Lebanese general election in his address on Thursday , he did call for religious tolerance in the Muslim world , noting sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites and the struggles faced by religious minorities . `` The richness of religious diversity must be upheld -- whether it is for Maronites in Lebanon or the Copts in Egypt , '' he said , referring to Christian groups in those countries . `` And if we are being honest , fault lines must be closed among Muslims as well , as the divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence , particularly in Iraq . '' In Lebanon 's unique power-sharing government , the presidency is reserved for Maronite Christians , the speaker of parliament is always a Shia Muslim , and the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim . The law was created to balance power among Lebanon 's three main religious groups . Analysts say the Hezbollah-dominated `` March 8 alliance '' may win a parliamentary majority with the support of Christian opposition leader Gen. Michel Aoun -- the only prominent Christian politician to back the bloc . `` They keep trying to scare the Christian voters with their stories about Hezbollah 's weapons , so to all of those who complain about Hezbollah , can they tell us how they will disarm the party , '' Aoun told supporters Friday . `` Hezbollah 's weapons will no longer be a problem when the causes behind its existence disappear , including the borders ' issues . '' A close look at Lebanon 's political landscape reveals that the country 's Christian voters are split on how they will cast their ballots . Some Christian voters want their representatives to step out of the shadows of Hezbollah and Saad Hariri , who leads the Sunni-dominated `` March 14 coalition . '' Christian voters are divided between supporting Aoun and other Christian leaders who want Hezbollah to disarm . `` In these elections , Christians look more divided than ever while others seem more unified than ever , '' said Shibley Telhami , a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution . For the Obama administration , the elections could be indicative of the president 's odds of pushing stability in the region . Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner Jimmy Carter said the United States should work with whichever coalition wins . Carter was in Beirut as part of more than 200 international observers monitoring the election . He also oversaw balloting in Gaza during the elections in the Palestinian territory in January 2006 . The Palestinian militant group Hamas won that race `` fairly and squarely '' by a huge margin , Carter said . The United States and Israel later refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Hamas win . `` And it 's resulted in a split in the Palestinians and a very difficult situation there , '' Carter added . `` I think they -LRB- the United States -RRB- learned a hard lesson that they should accept the results of an election . '' Two senior Obama administration officials -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden -- have visited Lebanon in recent months , signaling concerns with a possible Hezbollah victory . During his trip to Beirut two weeks ago , Biden warned the country that while the United States supports Lebanon 's democratic process , it will reconsider its assistance to the country if its next government strays from certain `` fundamental principles . '' Biden 's visit followed Clinton 's April trip to Beirut in which she called for an `` open and free '' election without outside interference -- a veiled reference to Iran and Syria . Such rhetoric has been dismissed by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as `` meddling . '' The Hezbollah leader has been increasingly vocal in the lead-up to the election , blasting the current government as powerless . However , part of the reason Lebanon 's government is crippled is that it made concessions to Hezbollah -- including giving them veto power -- in order to end a political stalemate that boiled over into violence of historic proportions last year . While some analysts are concerned Hezbollah could gain more control over Lebanon 's government after Sunday 's vote , a key Lebanese politician , Dori Chamoun , warned that assessment may be misleading . Chamoun , who opposes the March 8 alliance , said talk of Hezbollah 's possible victory may be based on `` rumors '' and propaganda being spread by the Shiite militia and their political allies . `` They -LRB- Hezbollah -RRB- think they can scare many but no one is scared , '' Chamoun told CNN . `` They can spread all kinds of rumors on their four TV stations saying that they will win this upcoming elections . '' Chamoun , whose father , Camille Chamoun , was Lebanon 's president in the 1950s , is running for a seat in parliament . Even if a Hezbollah-dominated government does move in , it could have trouble working with Christian and Sunni Muslim politicians who -- under Lebanese law -- must participate in the government . It would also be difficult to find a Sunni political figure willing to serve as prime minister in a Hezbollah-led government since the majority of Lebanon 's prominent Sunni politicians are aligned with Hariri 's March 14 coalition , which has declared it will not participate in any government if Hezbollah wins . Lebanon 's political landscape could be shifting after a similar shift in neighboring Israel . Voters in the Jewish state overwhelmingly supported conservative parties over more moderate groups , bringing into power Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year . Netanyahu is viewed in the Arab world as more hawkish than his predecessor , Ehud Olmert , who ordered the war against Hezbollah in 2006 . A Hezbollah victory in Lebanon could further inflame tensions with Israel , particularly with an estimated 30,000 rockets pointed at Israel from southern Lebanon -- all under the control of Hezbollah . CNN 's Cal Perry , Octavia Nasr and Saad Abedine contributed to this report . | Analysts say the race will be tight . Some say the Hezbollah-dominated alliance may win a parliamentary majority . Turnout is expected to be high among the country 's 3 million registered voters . About 50,000 troops deploy to the streets . | [[286, 354], [356, 428], [2159, 2304], [2172, 2316], [490, 571], [490, 497], [510, 571], [572, 611]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- While the horse racing world is all abuzz over Rachel Alexandra , the amazing three-year-old filly who recently beat Kentucky Derby winner Mine that Bird -LRB- along with a field full of other colts -RRB- in the Preakness Stakes , we 're reminded of some other female athletes of the two-legged variety who also beat the boys at their own game . Danica Patrick finished third at the 2009 Indianapolis 500 on Saturday . 1 . Billie Jean King -- tennis . In 1973 , Billie Jean King was 29 years old and the reigning queen of women 's tennis . In an era when female athletes were paid significantly less than their male counterparts , King still managed to earn $ 100,000 in 1971 . Bobby Riggs had won Wimbledon back in 1939 , but by the 1970s his star was fading . He kept his name in the press by proclaiming himself a male chauvinist pig and declaring that women athletes could never be as good as men . After defeating Margaret Court in May , he proclaimed `` I want King ! '' The much-hyped `` Battle of the Sexes '' was held at the Houston Astrodome on September 20 , 1973 . The idea of a woman beating a man in any sport was so unbelievable at the time that Las Vegas oddsmakers heavily favored the 55-year-old Riggs . A worldwide television audience watched via satellite as King neatly thrashed Riggs 6-4 , 6-3 and 6-3 . Billie Jean King not only took home the prize money and several endorsement deals , she also opened up a new playing field for professional sportswomen . Mental Floss : Song Elton John wrote for Billie Jean King . 2 . Margaret Murdock -- shooting . Margaret Murdock 's father was a Kansas state rifle champion , so it was logical that both she and her sister took up the sport as children . When Murdock attended Kansas State in the early 1960s , she won her varsity letter by competing on the men 's rifle team . In 1976 she became the first woman to represent the U.S. on its Olympic shooting team . The small-bore three position competition calls for the shooter to fire off 40 shots each in the standing , kneeling and prone position . The competitors fire from 50 meters away at a target that is a little smaller than a dime . At the end of the competition , Murdock was tied with Lanny Bassham , the team captain . Bassham requested a tie-breaking shoot-off , but Olympic rules forbade it ; instead , Bassham was awarded the gold medal because he had scored three `` 100s '' to Murdock 's two . During the medal ceremony , Lanny pulled Margaret up from the silver pedestal to stand with him during the national anthem to indicate that she deserved the gold as much as he . 3 . Jackie Mitchell -- baseball . Virne Beatrice Mitchell , known to her family as `` Jackie , '' entered the world ahead of schedule and weighed only a little over three pounds at birth . As soon as she learned to walk , her father took her to the ballpark . The Mitchell 's next door neighbor in Memphis was future Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance , who was still playing in the minors at the time . He coached Jackie in the art of pitching when she was eight years old and even showed her his trademark `` drop pitch , '' a dazzling throw in which the ball swooped down just before crossing the plate . When Mitchell was 17 she was offered a contract with the Chattanooga Lookouts , today the AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers . On April 1 , 1931 , the New York Yankees were in town to play an exhibition game against the Lookouts . The game was postponed a day due to rain , and there was a crowd of 4,000 on hand when Mitchell finally took the mound . Babe Ruth stepped up to the plate and southpaw Jackie threw her special pitch . Ruth took the first pitch for a ball , but the next three were strikes . Lou Gehrig , baseball 's Iron Man , was up next and similarly struck out . The crowd was on its feet , but some skeptical reporters wrote that the whole thing had been staged , since the game was originally scheduled for April Fool 's Day . Nevertheless , Commissioner Kennesaw Landis was sufficiently threatened by the tiny female dynamo that he had her contract voided , stating that baseball was `` too strenuous '' for women . Mental Floss : 7 silly products licensed by Major League Baseball . 4 . Seana Hogan -- cycling . To Ultra Cyclists , 100-mile events are kid stuff . Ultra Cyclists consider events like the Race Across America -LRB- RAAM -RRB- -- a 2,950 mile cross-country jaunt -- to be a real competition . Seana Hogan of San Jose , California , has won the female division of RAAM an amazing six times , and her finish times in each case usually placed her in the top 15 finishers overall . Ultra Cycling requires about 20 hours of continuous pedaling per day , up hills -LRB- a combined total of about 82,000 feet of climbing -RRB- , down dales and in all weather . Hogan holds the record for the San Francisco to Los Angeles race -LRB- beating even the best men 's time -RRB- and was the overall winner of the 1995 Furnace Creek 508 , which runs from Valencia through Death Valley to Twentynine Palms . 5 . Danica Patrick -- auto racing . Danica Patrick 's parents met on a blind date at an auto race , so she felt that racing was her destiny . Patrick started competing on the go-kart circuit at age 10 , and moved to England at 16 to participate in various racing events and advance her career . In 2000 , she finished second in the Formula Ford Festival , the highest finish by an American in that event . She moved back to the States where she competed in the Toyota Atlantic series for Rahal Letterman Racing and won her first pole position . Patrick started her Indy career in 2005 , making her only the fourth woman to compete in the 500 . Three years later she won the Twin Ring Motegi in the Indy Japan 300 , the first female driver to win an IndyCar race . 6 . Sonya Thomas -- competitive eating . At five feet , five inches tall and just under 100 lbs. , Sonya Thomas gives the impression that the slightest breeze could blow her away . But despite her wispy stature , Thomas is known in competitive eating circles for blowing away the competition , including male contestants three times her size . Thomas remembers being inspired to enter the world of competitive eating after watching Takeru Kobayashi munching his way to the championship at the Nathan 's Coney Island hot dog contest in 2002 . In 2005 she set a record for female frankfurter consumption in Nathan 's annual contest . That was n't quite good enough for Sonya , however , and she began a training regimen that included walking two hours per day on an inclined treadmill and eating only one large meal per day . Scientific-types hypothesize that Sonya 's slim physique gives her an advantage over her more zaftig competitors -- she lacks a layer of fat around her abdomen , which gives it more room to expand . Whatever the explanation , Thomas has defeated all-comers in various International Federation of Competitive Eating contests , including `` the most '' oysters , chicken wings and Krystal hamburgers downed in a prescribed amount of time . Mental Floss : Food challenges for the super competitive . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Female pitcher Virne Beatrice Mitchell struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig . Seana Hogan holds the record for the San Francisco to Los Angeles cycling race . Sonya Thomas wins eating contests of oysters , chicken wings , Krystal hamburgers . | [[3742, 3752], [3794, 3816], [4826, 4896]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- One portion of macaroni and cheese . One slice of chocolate cake . One pair of svelte black pants . Do some very simple , if highly emotional , addition and subtraction , and you arrive at a whole new way to see yourself . The first documented instance of my distorted body image is an entry in my fourth-grade journal . `` I just ate three cookies , '' it says . `` I feel fat . '' There is no way that I actually was ; my jeans , although dorky , fit just fine . Nevertheless , the disconnect grew worse as puberty approached -- especially in eighth grade , when the body mass index -LRB- BMI -RRB- entered my life . This is a formula that tells you whether you need to drop pounds -- and while it 's generally reliable , it does n't take body composition into account . At 5 ' 4 '' and 140 pounds , I 'm close to the overweight category , but that 's only because I 've got heavy bones and a sprinter 's thighs . Every time I calculate my BMI , I get angry at myself , even though I 'm aware that I am in good shape . But what do feelings have to do with numbers ? Most women know that it is possible to immediately gain 15 pounds by eating one pint of Ben & Jerry 's . And when it comes to your butt -LRB- which can enlarge six sizes in the wrong pair of jeans -RRB- , the rules of physics no longer apply . Oprah.com : Start loving the way you look . We need a better way to quantify these fluctuations -- a formula that goes beyond your BMI and calculates the feel of overweight . So I propose the personal body image index -LRB- PBII -RRB- . The general idea is as follows : . • Start with your weight . • Subtract seven pounds if you have just worked out . • Add five if you 've single-handedly finished a plate of guacamole and chips ; four for macaroni and cheese ; six for death-by-chocolate cake . • Subtract 10 pounds if people nearby are fatter than you . • If you 're wearing black pants , subtract two ; if in a bathing suit , add eight . • If you are more than seven years older than the group average or are surrounded by bikini-clad undergraduates with toned stomachs and cellulite-free thighs , add 20 . iReport.com : What kinds of things do you do you stay fit ? I do n't advocate letting the PBII dictate how you live your life ; it could turn you into one of those people who spend their beach time camouflaging their lower halves with sarongs . But once you acknowledge that the PBII exists , you can take steps to improve your score . Some suggestions : . Hang out with people older than you , preferably much older . This has three benefits : . -LRB- a -RRB- You probably have fewer varicose veins than they do . -LRB- b -RRB- Truly old people are inspiring ; they tend not to give a damn about what they look like in bathing suits . -LRB- c -RRB- Except for my elderly neighbor , who once greeted me by announcing that I 'd gained weight in my face , older people are usually effusive with compliments . My friend Luba , who lived to 99 , used to tell me how beautiful I was every time I saw her , even though she was blind . Watch those college girls on the beach . Notice how often they adjust their bikinis and glance at themselves in other people 's sunglasses . They are totally insecure . Granted , they are probably also judging you , but still -- I find their self-doubt liberating . Is n't there some cosmic limit on how much body insecurity the universe can handle ? Embrace the bikini now : `` Look how skinny I was ! '' my mother says every time she sees a picture of herself from the 1970s . `` I thought I was so fat . I was 130 pounds . '' My mother , now 66 , is living proof that you should do everything in your power to enjoy your body as it is right now so you never have to look at an old photograph of yourself and wish you 'd spent more time in a two-piece bathing suit . When it comes to my own PBII , I still have a way to go . It does n't take too much extra chocolate to convince me that I should never be allowed to wear shorts . But recognizing the illogical logic behind my self-image helps me to control it better . And by my calculations , that 's worth subtracting at least five pounds . By Catherine Price from `` O , The Oprah Magazine , '' July 2008 . 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 . | Calculating your body mass index -LRB- BMI -RRB- does not take feelings into account . The personal body image index uses other things besides height and weight . Standing next to fat people , wearing black pants lowers your score . Standing next to young , toned , bikini-clad women -- adds 20 points . | [[1859, 1894], [1980, 1981], [1985, 1988], [2036, 2137], [2140, 2148]] |
HERMOSILLO , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thirty-one children were killed and more than 100 others were injured Friday when their day-care center caught fire in the northwestern state of Sonora , a spokesman for the state 's governor said . A crib and baby seats lie outside a day-care center where the deadly fire broke out Friday . The victims were from 1 to 5 years old , said Jose Larrinaga , the spokesman . The fire appeared to have started at 3 p.m. in a warehouse next door to the one-story concrete building that housed the state-run ABC Daycare and spread to the state-run institution , news reports said . By then , many children had already been picked up by their parents from the one-story building . But others came after the blaze had been put out , with parents screaming their children 's names as others fainted . In a message of condolence , President Felipe Calderon wished a quick recovery for the injured , who were taken to several area hospitals . He also called on the nation 's attorney general to investigate the fire . Authorities dispatched 15 specialists in reconstruction and three air ambulances to the area along with respirators and specialized medicines , and a U.S. hospital will help treat some of the victims . Watch chaos in aftermath of tragedy '' Admissions will begin Saturday , said Catherine Curran , a spokeswoman for Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento , California . Shriners Hospitals is a health care system that gives children free treatment for burns , spinal cord injuries , orthopedic conditions , and cleft lip and palate , according to its Web site . It admits children under 18 . The first hospital opened in 1922 . The system has burn units in Boston , Massachusetts ; Cincinnati Ohio ; and Sacramento , California . Journalist Guadelupe Gutierrez contributed to this story . | NEW : Hospital in California to treat some of the victims . The victims were from 1 to 5 years old , official says . The fire appears to have started in a warehouse next door to the state-run day care . President Felipe Calderon orders investigation , sends condolences . | [[1189, 1246], [331, 369], [272, 289], [296, 330], [410, 478], [830, 856], [859, 924]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Think of a bullwhip and fedora and one man immediately springs to mind : Indiana Jones , the sardonic archeologist played by Harrison Ford in Steven Spielberg 's '80s trilogy which started with `` Raiders of the Lost Ark. '' `` If you learn how to talk I 'm in deep trouble , '' quips Harrison Ford -LRB- right -RRB- to Vic Armstrong -LRB- left -RRB- on this photo which shows how similar the pair look . But if you were to venture on set during the filming of `` Raiders '' hoping to catch a few moments with the star you might have had a surprise . The tall , rangy man in the dented hat signing autographs could just as easily have been Ford 's stunt double , Vic Armstrong . Back then , in the right light Armstrong could easily be mistaken for Ford -- both of them over six feet tall and bronzed with crinkly eyes . And it 's this that is at the root of his success as Indy 's `` fall guy . '' In fact , Ford is a talented stuntman in his own right and Armstrong says that his biggest headache on set was trying to stop Ford from getting involved in action that was too risky . `` The biggest stunt I always say on the Indiana Jones films was stopping Harrison doing the stunts because I had to fight nearly every time to stop him , '' Armstrong chuckles . An accomplished horseman -LRB- his first career choice was steeplechase jockey -RRB- , it 's Armstrong 's Indy you see galloping along in the stained khaki shirt and jumping from his horse onto a tank in `` The Last Crusade . '' `` Technically very difficult , '' Armstrong says , `` I had to rely on a horse , and horses have a sense of survival and they do n't actually do what you tell them to do as they have n't read the script . '' It may have been his close resemblance to Ford that clinched the `` Raiders '' job but the pair developed a rapport that led Armstrong to work on the other two installments of the trilogy , `` Temple of Doom '' and `` The Last Crusade . '' `` It always works better if you do have a relationship with -LSB- the actor -RSB- . You can mimic how they move , how they work when you coordinate fights for them like I did with Harrison , '' Armstrong tells CNN . Armstrong was just 16 years old when he started in the stunt industry in 1965 . He utilised his horseriding skills to double as Gregory Peck in spy movie `` Arabesque . '' He had to jump a huge moat and then fall off his mount but it was the simple lifestyle and travel that hooked young Armstrong -- `` Forty dollars a day and all you can eat . Fantastic living . '' After over 40 years and countless movies , his filmography reads like a who 's who of Hollywood : he has doubled for Sean Connery , Donald Sutherland , John Voight and collaborated with directors like Ridley Scott , Paul Verhoeven , Michael Cimino and Sir Richard Attenborough . His work for three decades on classic Bond films like `` You Only Live Twice '' and `` Live and Let Die '' cemented his reputation as a stuntman who could pull off complicated of stunts with precision . `` The films I 've done I 've been very lucky to have been very prolific in an area and a time when iconic films were being made . `` My first stunt on a Bond film was in 1966 in the winter of `` You Only Live Twice '' . I was one of the ninjas coming down firing guns into the volcano , which for me was sensational . '' He doubled for Roger Moore in `` Live and Let Die '' for a short while and was then propelled into working as a stunt coordinator and director of action units . Armstrong then added a superhero to his already impressive roster of action idols , standing in for Christopher Reeve in `` Superman . '' Despite this , his allegiances lie solidly with cinema 's ` real ' heroes . `` If you look at `` Spiderman '' and movies like that , or the `` Incredible Hulk , '' they are far more computer-generated and so therefore slightly more cartoonish or video game-ish . `` My personal preference is for real action just enhanced or maybe helped by computers . We use computers to take away fall pads or wires if you 're getting snatched or thrown in the air . '' And in the spirit of keeping it real , Armstrong has gone to great lengths to help stuntmen achieve their crazy feats as safely as possible . In the 1980s he modified a tool known as the `` fan descender '' for the film `` Green Ice . '' It would allow stuntmen to safely slow down when performing high freefalls . It revolutionized the stunt industry and in 2002 he was awarded a Science and Technology Academy Award for his invention -- the only one ever handed out to a stunt man . Earlier this year , he was honored by the Screen Actors Guild for his work on 2007 action horror `` I am Legend . '' He has just finished work on `` The Mummy 3 '' -- it was his prior commitment to this movie that stopped him working on the fourth Indy film `` Kingdom of the Crystal Skull '' -- and is now stunt coordinating on the Weinstein production `` Shanghai . '' Even after all this time , Armstrong , the authority on how to create a death defying stunt , still reckons Ford is the best stuntman actor he has ever worked with -- `` Harrison has to be the ultimate . '' So why bother with a stunt double ? `` I was cheaper and it did n't matter if I got hurt . '' | Vic Armstrong was Harrison Ford 's stunt double in the Indiana Jones movies . His physical similarity to Ford is at the root of his success as Indy 's `` fall guy '' After 40 years in the business , Armstrong is the authority on death defying stunts . Armstrong on Ford as a stuntman actor : `` Harrison has to be the ultimate '' | [[861, 871], [877, 931], [1736, 1782], [5143, 5154], [5159, 5179]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As the saying goes , `` Pain is temporary , film is forever '' and noone in the movie business knows this better than stuntmen . Stunt double Terry Leonard performs a hazardous jump from horseback to a truck as Indiana Jones in `` Raiders of the Lost Ark. '' Hollywood 's athletes regularly defy death in pursuit of ever more extreme spectacles to keep us on the edge our cinema seats . `` The Screening Room '' takes a look at some of the best stunts ever pulled off -- and a few that did n't end so well . Do n't agree with the list ? Think we 've missed one ? Tell us in the SoundOff box below . 1 . `` Steamboat Bill , Jr. '' -LRB- Charles Reisner , 1928 -RRB- Stunt : Building falls down Stuntman : Buster Keaton . Charlie Chaplin may be better remembered , but no early stuntman was more willing to risk eternal oblivion for a great stunt than Keaton . In perhaps his most perfect stunt , the side of a building crashes down on top of him and Keaton is saved only by an open window that fits neatly around him . The window was built to have clearance of two inches around each shoulder and on the top of his head . As Keaton himself said , `` You do n't do these things twice . '' 2 . `` Stagecoach '' -LRB- John Ford , 1939 -RRB- Stunt : High speed stagecoach jump Stuntman : Yakima Canutt . Ex-rodeo cowboy Yakima Canutt was probably the first celebrity stuntman , best known as a stunt double for John Wayne . In this stunt -- which has since become a Western classic -- he portrays a galloping warrior during an Indian attack on a stagecoach . He jumps from his own horse to the six-horse team pulling the stagecoach , is shot , falls , and is dragged underneath the fast-moving team and stagecoach . 3 . `` Ben Hur '' -LRB- William Wyler , 1959 -RRB- Stunt : Chariot race Stuntman : Joe Canutt . Canutt -LRB- son of Yakima -RRB- doubles for Charlton Heston in the famous chariot race . Half way through , things veer off plan and he is forced down the inside part of the track straight towards a wrecked chariot . When his charito hits , Canutt is flung over the front of the chariot , where he clings before clambering back on . The sequence was completely unplanned but made it into the film because Canutt kept a cool head even though he was injured . 4 . `` Raiders of the Lost Ark '' -LRB- Stephen Spielberg , 1981 -RRB- Stunt : Truck drag Stuntman : Terry Leonard . This intense stunt sequence was so hazardous to perform that veteran stuntman Terry Leonard only agreed to do it if his friend and fellow stuntman Glenn H. Randall Jr. was driving the truck . A ditch was dug underneath the path of the truck to give Leonard enough room to manoeuver . Harrison Ford , an accomplished stuntman in his own right , performed an earlier portion of the sequence , where Indy hung onto the bonnet of the truck only by a bending hood ornament . 5 . `` GoldenEye '' -LRB- Martin Campbell , 1995 -RRB- Stunt : 750 foot bungee jump Stuntman : Wayne Michaels . This breathtaking Bond stunt was performed at the Verzasca hydro-electric dam in Switzerland and done in one take . Michaels jumped from a specially-constructed platform built to jut out from the dam to prevent him making contact with the front of the dam , which was studded with steel pegs . This , combined with his high falling velocity , could have proved fatal . 6 . `` Who am I ? '' -LRB- Wo shi shei -RRB- -LRB- Jackie Chan , 1998 -RRB- Stunt : 21-storey slide Stuntman : Jackie Chan . It 's almost impossible to choose just one of Chan 's stunts , but his faintly slapstick 21-storey slide down the side of a skyscraper is pretty impressive -- even more so when you find out he did it without a harness . He never uses stunt doubles or special effects and as a result has broken just about every bone in his body over the years . Now that 's commitment . 7 . `` Sharky 's Machine '' -LRB- Burt Reynolds , 1981 -RRB- Stunt : Free-fall jump Stuntman : Dar Robinson . At 220 feet , legendary stuntman Dar Robinson 's jump from Atlanta 's Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel remains the highest free-fall stunt ever performed from a building for a commercially-released film . Ironically , despite it being a record-breaking fall , moviegoers only see the briefest moment of the actual stunt in the film . The rest of the fall from the skyscraper is disappointingly a dummy . 8 . `` Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid '' -LRB- George Roy Hill , 1969 -RRB- Stunt : Cliff Leap Stuntmen : Mickey Gilbert/Howard Curtis . Trapped by the Superposse , Butch and Sundance leap from the top of a cliff into the boiling waters of a river below . It 's set up nicely with some humorous dialogue : `` I ca n't swim . '' `` Are you crazy ? The fall will probably kill you ! '' Robert Redford and Paul Newman did jump off the cliff , but landed on a ledge with a mattress about six feet below . The stuntmen jumped off a construction crane at a studio lot obscured by a painting of the cliffs . 9 . `` Terminator 2 : Judgment Day '' -LRB- James Cameron , 1991 -RRB- Stunt : Motorcycle jump Stuntman : Peter Kent . Stuntman Peter Kent 's resemblance to Arnold Schwarzenegger was the basis of a 14-year association with the ex-action hero . As Schwarzenegger 's stunt double he performed the T-101 's famous motorbike jump into a massive storm drain . To get the effect , his motorbike was rigged up to a web of one-inch cables , to cut the impact when the bike and rider hit the ground . The cables were later digitally erased . 10 . `` Deathproof '' -LRB- Quentin Tarantino , 2007 -RRB- Stunt : Car chase on bonnet Stuntwoman : Zoë Bell . Bell won an award at the Oscars of the stunt world , the Taurus stunt awards , for this daredevil action piece . She clings precariously to the bonnet of a car going at 85 miles per hour while receiving hits from a second car in a long , climactic chase scene . Bell is a stuntwoman by trade but it 's easy to see why Tarantino flouted the unspoken Hollywood convention that stuntmen stay out of the limelight and cast her as the film 's lead . And five tragic stunts that did n't come off ... Stunts are a dangerous business , and it does n't always work out . We pay tribute to five brave stunt men and women who fell in the line of duty . 1 . `` Top Gun '' -LRB- Tony Scott ,1986 -RRB- . Renowned aerobatic pilot Art Scholl died during the making of `` Top Gun '' in 1985 after his plane never recovered from a flat spin and plunged into the Pacific Ocean . 2 . `` The Crow '' -LRB- Alex Proyas ,1994 -RRB- . Martial arts legend Bruce Lee 's son Brandon was shot and killed during a stunt shooting sequence , when the cap of a blank accidentally penetrated his abdomen and lodged in his spine . 3 . `` Twilight Zone : The Movie '' -LRB- Joe Dante/John Landis , 1983 -RRB- . Actor Vic Morrow and child actors Renee Chen and My-ca Dinh Le were instantly killed when a special-effects explosion caused a helicopter to spin out of control and crash down on top of them . 4 . `` Cannonball Run '' -LRB- Hal Needham , 1981 -RRB- . Stuntwoman Heidi Von Beltz was paralysed from the neck down when her sports car crashed head on into a van during a stunt on the set of the film . 5 . `` Armour of God '' -LRB- Jackie Chan , 1987 -RRB- . Chan fell 15 feet while jumping from a wall to a tree branch . He landed hard on his head , causing part of his skull to crack and lodge in his brain . He required major surgery and now has a permanent hole in his head which is filled by a plastic plug . | The Screening Room chooses the some of the best stunts ever filmed . Buster Keaton is saved by an open window in `` Steamboat Bill Jr. '' James Bond turns bungee jumping into an art form in `` GoldenEye '' We want to hear from you : what is your favorite movie stunt ? | [[423, 487], [895, 928], [931, 961], [981, 1023]] |
BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thailand 's military has denied abusing refugee boat-people from Myanmar after claims some were whipped on a tourist beach and hundreds more left dead or missing after being towed at to sea without food and water . Photograph released by Thai navy showing a group of illegal immigrants captured on December 12 . Photos showing refugees being made to lie face down on a popular beach and media reports claiming refugees been deliberately lost at sea have sparked concerns for their safety . The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says it is `` concerned '' about the fate of the Muslim ethnic minority Rohingya people , who have fled from Myanmar 's border with Bangladesh . The agency says it has written a formal note to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking for clarification of what is happening . CNN spoke to one Australian tourist , who declined to be named for fear of being barred from Thailand , who says boat-people were `` whipped '' by Thai guards on popular diving resort island in the Similan Archipelago last month . Local media also report claims by Rohingya survivors that the Thai military have been detaining hundreds of them an island called Koh Sai Daeng before towing them back out into open water without supplies . The survivors say hundreds of them drowned and only the lucky ones made it to the Indian Andaman Islands or Indonesia 's Aceh province . The Thai Navy denies knowledge of the incident . Rear Admiral Naris Pratumsuwan told CNN `` as a normal practice , if Navy finds illegal immigrants , we will hand them over to related authorities , e.g. police or immigration police . '' He said he had not received any information on an island where migrants are being detained . There were reports of another boatload of 46 Rohingya detained by the Thai military Friday , but there was no official confirmation . The Rohingya have been fleeing persecution of the hard-line military regime in Myanmar , formerly Burma , for years and often seek refuge in Malaysia . Boat loads of Rohingya arriving in Thailand is nothing new , but non-governmental organizations are increasingly worried about what they say is an apparent change of government policy . They say the army 's Internal Security Operations Command is forcing the Rohingya out to sea rather than deporting them overland back to Myanmar . `` The Thai government is taking highly vulnerable people and risking their lives for political gain , '' says Refugee International 's Sean Garcia says . `` It should be engaging the Burmese government on improving conditions at home for the Rohingya if it wants to stem these flows . `` The Rohingya will continue to make the journey because they have no hope for a better life in Burma . Pushing them back out to sea is not an effective deterrent it just jeopardizes lives . '' | Thai military denies abusing refugees from Myanmar . Witnesses say ethnic Rohingya whipped face down on tourist beach . Reports say hundreds missing after being towed back out to sea . | [[0, 7], [10, 34], [38, 123], [124, 173], [350, 438], [487, 527], [165, 252], [10, 18], [192, 252]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton met her match while appearing on NBC 's `` Saturday Night Live '' to deliver the show 's trademark opening line and provide an `` editorial response '' to a mock presidential debate . During the opening sketch -- which featured SNL actors playing Clinton , rival candidate Barack Obama and the debate moderators -- Clinton complimented the performance of Amy Poehler , who regularly lampoons Clinton with her impersonation of the senator from New York . `` I simply adore Amy 's impression of me , '' Clinton said , providing the cue for Poehler to enter the stage , wearing the same two-button brown jacket and sporting Clinton 's medium-length , layered hairstyle . Poehler giddily thanked Clinton for appearing . `` I love your outfit , '' the identically dressed Poehler told Clinton . `` Well , I love your outfit , '' Clinton responded , putting her hand on Poehler 's shoulder , `` but I do want the earrings back . '' The quip sparked a hyperbolic cackle from Poehler . Clinton asked , `` Do I really laugh like that ? '' The two jokingly agreed she did . Clinton appeared on the show ahead of several do-or-die primaries that will determine the fate of her campaign . During the segment , Poehler -- who also does impersonations of talk show host Kelly Ripa , `` American Idol '' judge Paula Abdul and pop star Michael Jackson -- asked Clinton , who trails Obama in the Democratic race , how her campaign was going . `` The campaign is going very well . Very , very well , '' the former first lady responded before earning some laughs with a deadpan : `` Why ? What have you heard ? '' Clinton said she appeared on the show to `` just relax , have fun '' without politics , but she did n't miss her chance to address voters in delivering the opening line . Saying she was appealing to all Americans -- whether they 're from Ohio , Texas , Rhode Island , Vermont , Pennsylvania `` or any of the other states '' -- Clinton opened the show with `` Live from New York , it is Saturday night ! '' Watch Clinton open the show '' Pennsylvania 's primary is slated for next month , while the other four states Clinton mentioned are holding primaries Tuesday . Clinton 's appearance was a poorly kept secret . The media were tipped off when she failed to arrive for a campaign charter flight from Dallas , Texas , to Columbus , Ohio , on Saturday . Her campaign would not say where she was , but an entertainment industry source confirmed she was set to appear on SNL . The late-night skit show has been a popular spot on the campaign trail . Obama appeared unannounced in October , and GOP candidate Mike Huckabee did a bit on the show 's `` Weekend Update '' last week . Also , former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani , who dropped out of the GOP presidential race this year , appeared later in the show that Clinton opened . During an MSNBC debate in Ohio on Tuesday , Clinton referenced an SNL skit in which the comedy troupe satirized the media for being too friendly with Obama . `` Maybe we should ask -LSB- Obama -RSB- if he 's comfortable and needs another pillow , '' she said during the debate . Clinton is scheduled to appear on Jon Stewart 's `` Daily Show '' Monday . E-mail to a friend . | Clinton appears during the opening segment with impersonator Amy Poehler . Clinton mentions upcoming primary states in opening line , `` It is Saturday night ! '' Her rival Sen. Barack Obama appeared on the show last year . Clinton referenced a recent SNL skit during a debate in Ohio on Tuesday . | [[253, 278], [384, 435], [2067, 2097], [2898, 2939], [2942, 2972]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With 17 Grammys , five gold records and -- by his count -- almost 130 albums , polka superstar Jimmy Sturr might just be the most successful musician you 've never heard of . Polka artist Jimmy Sturr is up for a possible 18th Grammy Award at the upcoming ceremony . Sturr and his orchestra , superstars in the polka world , are one of a multitude of musical acts nominated this year in some of the lesser-known Grammy categories . When there are 110 categories , `` lesser-known '' might be putting it lightly . `` I try not to get too worked up over it , '' said Sturr , who is once again nominated this year in the best polka album category . `` But when the -LSB- awards -RSB- season comes along I am right there saying ' I hope I win . I hope I win . ' It just never gets old . '' Sturr is among the unsung artists whose statuette presentation does n't make it to the prime-time televised broadcast , which will air 8 p.m. Sunday on CBS . While categories like best Hawaiian music album , best traditional world music album and best historical album may linger in the shadows of the big Grammy show , they are no less important to the performers and fans who love them . See some of the lesser-known categories '' The Grammy Awards are trumpeted as `` music 's biggest night , '' and Grammy officials there are cognizant of the heavy competition to appear on the broadcast . There just is n't enough time to honor everyone on the televised presentation , said Neil Portnow , president and CEO of The Recording Academy , which presents the Grammy Awards . He said about a dozen awards , including album of the year and best new artist , are given out during the live show . `` Every Grammy is of equal value and importance in our minds , '' Portnow said . `` That said , with 110 categories and 3 1/2 hours of television , physics dictate the reality that we ca n't do everything on the national broadcast . '' Instead , the other nominees are feted at an event held earlier in the day , Portnow said . `` We created a very significant and somewhat extravagant pre-telecast , which is conducted in a separate facility right across from the Staples Center the afternoon of the show , '' Portnow explained . `` We build a substantial stage , we have co-hosts , we have music performances and we have presenters , '' he said . `` Many , many of our nominees come to that event to pick up their Grammys . '' This year , fans of the best contemporary folk/Americana album or best engineered album -LRB- nonclassical -RRB- categories -- among others -- will be able to see their favorites on the Web , because this year 's pre-telecast will be streamed live on Grammy.com and available for viewing for 30 days after the ceremony . Singer Wayna , who is nominated for best urban/alternative performance for her song `` Lovin You -LRB- Music -RRB- '' featuring Kokayi , said she feels honored simply to have been chosen . `` I 'm not sure if I 've taken it all in yet , '' the Bowie , Maryland , singer said . `` I 'm really proud of this category . '' The increase in independent artists shows a trend Portnow said `` speaks to the importance of what we do to a very broad segment of the music community . '' No doubt that community includes at least a few admirers of the vivacious dance music that is polka . Sturr may not be burning up the charts or even generating the heat of fellow Grammy nominees Lil Wayne and Radiohead , but he gets his fair share of love from those who follow his genre . Some admirers have gone on to become collaborators . Sturr 's recording partners have included Willie Nelson , the Oak Ridge Boys and Charlie Daniels . He 's often surprised by who is a fan , he said . `` I was in Jupiter , Florida , a few years ago and the manager of a restaurant I knew came up to me and said there 's a fan of yours that would like to meet you , '' recalled Sturr . `` I went over and it was Burt Reynolds . '' Sturr and his orchestra 's popularity have been bolstered by appearances on `` Saturday Night Live '' and at the Grand Ole Opry , as well as his own variety show , which airs twice a week on Direct TV . Polka 's partisans are well aware that the music is often mocked , and believe an appearance on the Grammys would go a long way toward widening the genre 's audience . `` To get a legitimate , great sounding orchestra on national television would certainly help , '' said Ray Zalokar , director of 247Polkaheaven . com . Zalokar added that younger fans are discovering the music thanks in part to newer bands , such as one that covers Pink Floyd tunes as polkas . The genre might also take heart from what happened to rock 'n' roll . The Academy , Portnow said , is careful to implement a category only after it has been established as viable , but it also does n't want to miss the boat when it comes to new music . Such was the case with rock 'n' roll in the 1960s . `` Years ago the Academy was , not a secret , late in recognizing particularly the rock area coming out of the middle of the road times , '' he said . '' -LSB- In the -RSB- Rolling Stones versus Andy Williams scenario , the Rolling Stones were not in the mix , '' he said . `` I think that as an organization we may have fallen behind , but that really has n't happened in the recent past because we have a fantastic process here . '' While honored to have his first clarinet featured in the new Grammy Museum , Sturr said he 'd relish a chance to perform on the show and give a wider audience a taste of what his fans know from albums like `` Polkapalooza '' and `` Sturr-It-Up . '' `` I 'd love to have just 30 seconds on that show , '' he said . `` Just to play so people can see that this is not your grandmother 's kind of music . '' | Polka is among several of the lesser known Grammy categories . Artist Jimmy Sturr up to possibly win Grammy number 18 . Academy exec : `` Every Grammy is of equal value and importance in our minds '' Pre-telecast for those not included in live show growing in popularity . | [[369, 449], [1194, 1236], [194, 284], [1696, 1757]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jero is making old , new again in Japan . African-American Jero is famous for singing Japanese enka . The 27-year-old American has made a name for himself singing enka , a traditional form of lounge music that flourished in 1940 's Japan . It seems an unlikely musical style for the Pittsburgh native to pursue . Enka 's fan based comes generally from an older generation and is practically unknown outside of Japan , with simple song themes about love and loss . But Jero , real name Jerome White , with his youth , hip-hop look and fine singing voice has propelled enka into the 21st century and captured a new audience . It was the influence of his Japanese grandmother that first led him on the path to enka . She ensured that Jero was aware of his connection to the culture of Japan and sang enka songs in Japanese with him when he was young . He went on to study Japanese at high school and spent time in Japan while on an exchange with the University of Pittsburgh . After he graduated he moved to Japan , working as a computer scientist and teaching English . His big break came when he appeared on an amateur singer TV show . On the back of that success he released his first single in early 2008 , promoting it with live appearances in record stores and the odd impromptu street performances . It shot up the Japanese singles chart , reaching No 4 , the highest ever position for a first time enka release . Watch the show on CNN as we spend time with him in a karaoke spot in Tokyo and find out how he 's dealing with sudden fame in a foreign country . | Jero has made traditional Japanese enka songs hip and found new audience . He sang enka with his Japanese grandmother when he was a young boy . Found success on talent show and first single made No. 4 in charts . | [[61, 120], [61, 82], [93, 120], [121, 186], [487, 503], [536, 612], [487, 571], [617, 642], [667, 691], [697, 732], [733, 847], [750, 754], [811, 838], [848, 867], [1334, 1360], [1363, 1376], [1323, 1325], [1363, 1376]] |
Editor 's note : Peter Bergen is a fellow at the New America Foundation , a Washington-based think tank that promotes innovative thought from across the ideological spectrum and at New York University 's Center on Law and Security . He 's the author of `` The Osama bin Laden I Know : An Oral History of al Qaeda 's Leader . '' Peter Bergen says deals with the Taliban could further destabilize the situation in Afghanistan . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is a longstanding cliché that there is no military solution in Afghanistan , only a political one . Linked to this is the newer , related notion , rapidly becoming a cliché , that the United States should start making deals with elements of the `` reconcilable '' Taliban . As with many clichés , there is some truth to both these notions , but neither of these comforting ideas are a substitute for a strategy that is connected to what is happening on the ground in Afghanistan and Pakistan . Sunday 's New York Times ran an interview with President Obama in which he said that , just as the U.S. had made peace agreements with Sunni militias in Iraq , `` There may be some comparable opportunities in Afghanistan and in the Pakistani region . '' He also cautioned that this could be `` more complex '' than was the case in Iraq . It 's not only going to be more complex , but doing deals with the Taliban today could further destabilize Afghanistan . Before getting to why that is the case , let 's stipulate first that there are always going to be some local commanders of the Taliban who can be bribed , coerced or otherwise persuaded to lay down their arms . In fact , the Afghan government already has had an amnesty program in place for Taliban fighters for four years . Thousands of the Taliban already have taken advantage of the amnesty , a fact that tends to be glossed over in most of the recent discussions of the issue . That being said , there are nine reasons why doing deals with most of the various factions of the insurgencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan that are labeled `` the Taliban '' are more in the realm of fantasy than a sustainable policy . First , the Afghan government is a sovereign entity and any agreements with the Taliban must be made by it . Right now the weak and ineffectual Afghan government is in no position to negotiate with the Taliban , other than to make significant concessions of either territory or principle , or both . Second , while Obama did n't talk about dealing with Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar , it is worth pointing out the Taliban leadership , including Mullah Omar , has in the past several months taken every opportunity to say that it has no interest in a deal with the Afghan government . And just last week , Mullah Omar urged the Pakistani Taliban to refocus their efforts on attacking U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan . Those statements should be taken at face value . Third , Mullah Omar 's intransigence is utterly predictable . He was prepared to sacrifice his regime on the point of principle that he would not hand over Osama bin Laden after 9/11 . And he did . This does not suggest a Kissingerian realism about negotiations , but rather a fanatical devotion to his cause . Fourth , the Taliban believe they may be winning in Afghanistan , and they also are confident that they are not losing , which for an insurgent movement amounts to the same thing . They see no need to negotiate today when they can get a better deal down the road . Fifth , the Taliban leadership is largely in Pakistan . Side deals done with the Afghan Taliban will have little or no effect on the fact that the command and control of the insurgency is in another country . Sixth , when Pakistan 's government has done `` peace '' deals with the Taliban in the Pakistani tribal regions in 2005 and 2006 and in the northern region of Swat earlier this year , they were made following military setbacks by Pakistan 's army . Those deals then allowed the militants to regroup and extend their control over greater swaths of Pakistani territory . Why would new agreements with the Taliban on either side of the Afghan-Pakistan border yield different results ? Seventh , `` reconcilable '' Afghan Taliban leaders have already reconciled to the government . Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil , the former foreign minister who met with Afghan government officials in Saudi Arabia in September , to discuss some kind of agreement with the Harmid Karzai administration , was a foe of bin Laden 's long before 9/11 and was never a hard-liner . Muttawakil has no standing today with Taliban leaders , who have been waging war now for 7 1/2 years against Karzai , and who quickly denied they were in any negotiations with his government . Eighth , while the Taliban was never a monolithic movement , it is much closer to al Qaeda today than it was before 9/11 . Yes , there are local groups of the Taliban operating for purely local reasons , but the upper levels of the Taliban have morphed together ideologically and tactically with al Qaeda . Baitullah Mehsud , for instance , the leader of the Pakistani Taliban , sent suicide attackers to Spain in January 2008 , according to Spanish counterterrorism officials , and sees himself as part of the global jihad . The Haqqani family , arguably the most important component of the insurgency on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border , has ties with bin Laden that date back to at least 1985 , according to the Palestinian journalist Jamal Ismail , who has known the al Qaeda leader for more than two decades . Gulbuddin Hekmatyar , a commander allied to the Taliban , has been close to bin Laden since at least 1989 , according to militants who know both men . Al Qaeda was founded in Pakistan two decades ago , and bin Laden has been fighting alongside Afghan mujahedeen groups since the mid-1980s . Al Qaeda Central on the Afghan/Pakistan border is much less of a `` foreign '' group with far deeper and older roots in the region than Al Qaeda ever was in Iraq . The Taliban 's rhetoric is now filled with references to Iraq and Palestine in a manner that mirrors bin Laden 's public statements . The use of suicide attacks , improvised explosive devices and the beheadings of hostages -- all techniques that al Qaeda perfected in Iraq -- are methods that the Taliban have increasingly adopted in Afghanistan and have grown exponentially there since 2005 . iReport.com : Should there be a deal with the Taliban ? One could go on listing examples of the Taliban 's ideological and tactical collaboration with al Qaeda , but the larger point is that separating al Qaeda and the Taliban is not going to be as relatively simple as splintering Iraqi insurgent groups from al Qaeda in Iraq . And ninth , unlike Al Qaeda in Iraq , which was a foreign-led group that sought to impose , unpopular Taliban-style rule on Sunni areas of Iraq , the Taliban in Pashtun areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan are not outsiders , but are often neighborhood people whose views about religion and society are rooted in the values of the Pashtun countryside . While , of course , the U.S. should be splintering , buying off and co-opting as many elements of the Taliban as possible , American officials also need to be realistic about how much closer Al Qaeda and the Taliban have grown together in recent years , and the fact that the insurgency has mushroomed in size on both sides of the Afghan-Pakistan border . Winston Churchill once observed that `` it 's better to jaw-jaw than to war-war . '' True enough . But `` jaw-jaw '' with the Taliban wo n't work if they think they are winning as they do right now . The Obama administration has ordered 17,000 additional American soldiers to go to Afghanistan this year . As a result , two Marine brigades and a mobile , well-armored Stryker brigade will deploy into the heart of the Taliban insurgency in southern Afghanistan . Marine and Stryker brigades are not the kind of units you send in to play nice . Those deployments strongly suggest that for all the public discussion of negotiations with the Taliban the decision already has been made that any such negotiations should precede from a position of strength rather than weakness . These comments are , in part , based on Peter Bergen 's testimonybefore the U.S. House of Representatives , Committee on Oversight and Government Reform , Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs on March 4 . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bergen . | Peter Bergen : Idea of dealing with moderate Taliban is gaining more support . Bergen says it 's not likely to be a strategy for success in the Aghanistan war . Taliban leadership thinks it 's winning the war and wo n't cut a deal , he says . Bergen : Afghan government too weak to engage in meaningful talks . | [[328, 368], [2237, 2240], [2298, 2327], [3205, 3211], [3214, 3268], [3275, 3279], [3285, 3323], [7532, 7628], [2237, 2297]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To the litany of challenges that confront India 's path to a better life , we can now add subdued economic growth as a result of the global financial crisis . A banana vendor stands on a flooded street as he waits for customers in Amritsar , India , on August 13 . After three spectacular years of 9 percent-plus annual growth , India will reach just 6.3 percent next year , according to the latest forecast by the International Monetary Fund in early November . The Reserve Bank of India is forecasting a more optimistic 7.5 to 8 percent . While 7.5 percent may still sound a good result , it is barely enough for the economy to keep pace with the 10 million-plus young people who will join the Indian job market in 2009 . India 's major shortcomings in infrastructure , education , health care and environmental protection are well known , as are the constant problems of corruption , poor governance , rural poverty , communalism , domestic terrorism , child labor , discrimination against women and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes . But at least in recent years India could point to a strong economy as the platform on which it was making its push for higher living standards , social modernization and economic reform . Since May 2004 , when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram took on the reins of government , India 's economy has had a charmed run . Strong growth in business sectors such asinformation technology , pharmaceuticals , automotive , financial services and retail have coincided with a better performing agricultural sector , and a housing and consumption boom driven by easier credit . India 's young working men and women -- more than half the country 's 1.15 billion people are aged 25 or less -- have shown a much greater propensity to spend , compared to their thrifty , risk-averse parents and grandparents . This willingness to go into debt rather than save has seen a massive rise in sales of consumer goods such as mobile phones , flat screen TVs , refrigerators , household utensils , motorcycles and cars . The same goes for spending on services , from tourism to healthcare to self-improvement . Now the halcyon days appear to be over , as the international credit crunch flattens demand everywhere . Already the downturn is seeing job losses in sectors such as aviation , financial services , retailing and export industries , as companies tighten their belts and put expansion plans on hold . The government admits things will get tougher , with Singh telling the nation on October 20 that `` we must be prepared for a temporary slowdown in the Indian economy . '' Earlier that day , the Reserve Bank of India cut its key repurchase -LRB- short-term lending -RRB- rate by 100 basis points to 8 percent , saying it needed to ease the pressure on India 's credit markets and maintain financial stability . It followed that with another cut to 7.5 percent on November 1 . RBI Governor Dr. D. Subbarao noted the global downturn could be deeper and the recovery might take longer than earlier expected . `` Consequently , the adverse implications through trade and financial channels for emerging economies , including India , have amplified , '' he said . Economists and analysts have welcomed the central bank 's moves , which have included a 350-basis point reduction in the cash reserve ratio -- the amount of money Indian banks must keep on hand -- between July and November . Tushar Poddar , head of Asian economic research at investment bank Goldman Sachs , said the RBI 's October 20 action was `` well ahead of market expectations '' and showed a bias towards growth and financial stability , against inflation . Goldman Sachs had earlier cut its growth outlook for the 2009-10FY to 7 percent and has warned the figure could go lower if the international financial turmoil continues over the next few months . But Poddar believes that India 's export drive -- which has seen exports triple since 2003 to about $ 163 billion in 2007-08FY -- may not suffer too greatly . In a recent study , he found that about two-thirds of India 's exports go outside the United States and the European Union -LRB- the two trade areas most affected by the downturn -RRB- to China , Southeast Asia , West Asia and Africa . While Indian exports would slow , `` the downside is limited , '' he said . A lower Indian rupee would also help . Foreign investment is slowing in line with the downturn . Morgan Stanley 's India economist Chetan Ahya noted recently that `` adverse global circumstances '' are weighing on India 's ability to attract overseas money . Unless there is a dramatic turnaround in the global credit markets , Ahya believes capital inflows could slow to $ 40-50 billion in the year ahead , compared with $ 110 billion in 2008 . On the broader political front , India has to deal with a range of internal and external risks that include domestic communalism-cum-terrorism and the constant threat of conflict with Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir territory . Afghanistan , Bangladesh , Myanmar , Nepal and Sri Lanka all add to a difficult neighborhood , while India 's relations with China are cool at best , even as trade ties grow . Territorial disputes linger from the 1962 border war between the two . That helps explain why India was named recently by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy -LRB- PERC -RRB- as the Asia-Pacific country with the highest political and social risk for 2009 . A report by PERC in late October assessed 16 countries in the Asia Pacific region , and assigned India the highest risk rating of 6.87 , ahead of Thailand with 6.28 . China was seventh with 5.33 , behind Malaysia , Indonesia , the Philippines and Cambodia . PERC cited uncertainties surrounding India 's coming general election -- due to be held by May 2009 -- along with rising communal violence and incidents of terrorism . `` The biggest risk is that a deterioration in political and economic conditions in neighboring Pakistan could aggravate social unrest in India further , and hurt national security , '' it noted . But it said India 's underlying attractions to foreign investors should remain , `` no matter who wins the next election . Prime Minister Singh , with six months of his government to run , is putting on a brave face . `` It is when India is challenged that the Indian people rise to the occasion and convert the challenge into an opportunity . There is no place for fear , '' he told the nation late last month . Geoff Hiscock writes on Indian business and is the author of `` India 's Global Wealth Club '' -LRB- 2007 -RRB- and `` India 's Store Wars '' -LRB- 2008 -RRB- , both published by John Wiley & Sons . | India 's economic growth will slow in 2009 , most economists project . Nation 's young population has shown willingness to go into accrue debt to spend . Infrastructure , corruption , health and education worries remain economic hurdles . India faces political , social risk in 2009 , according to Hong Kong-based group . | [[2592, 2662], [1674, 1710], [1779, 1901], [36, 46], [52, 91], [743, 843], [864, 1072], [4832, 4862], [4865, 4926], [5310, 5515], [5774, 5843]] |
CHENNAI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At 68 , Christian Fabre , CEO of Fashions International , might be expected to be thinking about retiring . Christian Fabre , or Swami Pranavananda Brahmendra Avadutha , or just Swamiji for short . But Fabre , or Swami Pranavananda Brahmendra Avadutha as he is also called , is a practicing Hindu monk as well as a businessman , and retirement does n't really enter his thoughts . `` I 'm having too much fun , '' he says with a chuckle . Hardly a gnomic mysticist , Fabre comes across as a jolly old soul , and greets me wearing saffron robes , sandals and sporting the most stylish pair of rimless glasses ever worn by a monk of any denomination . As we chat in his light , open office on a sunny morning in Chennai , his BlackBerry beeps with new e-mails . Tools of the trade , or at least business , are allowed then ? `` How can a man who is supposed to be meditating in a cave do this , you may say . But there is no dichotomy between this and my spiritual beliefs , '' he says . A MacBook on his desk and a picture of his guru on the wall , plus the company 's 25 percent growth last year , Fabre life seems to be in balance . However , he admits that reaching the place he 's in today , both spiritually and physically , `` was no pleasure cruise . '' Instead of a backpack and a pocket full of marijuana , he arrived in Chennai in 1971 with a job in the textile-buying business , a wife and a young son . Three years later the job had gone , so too his wife , taking their son with her . Rather than return to France , he stayed , having been seduced by the richness of Indian culture , but struggled to find more work . He met his current business partner in Fashions International , A. Jayapalana , when embarking on an ill-fated and short-lived venture with a fashion designer . However his rag-trade to rags to saffron robes existence only developed when he was introduced to the guru of his yoga teacher . `` He 'd suffered from leprosy , but radiated happiness and energy . It dried my tears ; I had no right to cry over myself . I also wanted to know his secret , and after meeting regularly for six months , he told me I was right to become a swami . '' As a child , Fabre had wanted to become a priest , something his communist railway-worker father completely rejected . `` Who knows how he would take it , but I 'm sure if I was telling him about my spirituality , he would agree . Communism and Hinduism go well together in some Indian states , although I 'm sure Karl Marx would wonder what it 's doing here , '' he says . Depending on how much work he has to do , every month Fabre spends around a week at his ashram , where he has some disciples . It 's an eight-hour drive from Chennai and two miles from the nearest village , where he has more time and space -- and less clothing -- in which to further his spiritual practices . His personal life is more ascetic than his BlackBerry-bleeping office existence . He does however have satellite TV at home and the Internet at his hermitage , plus a personal driver , but one thing he always carries with him is a spiritual self-awareness . `` Everything is the ultimate . It is a very leveling spirituality , is it not ? '' he says , the French accent slipping into an Indian lilt . `` I can be a businessman and a swami without losing that awareness . It 's within and it 's without . It 's the ultimate and the universal and beyond the universal . It makes you understand a lot in a split second , and you can see things from many angles . '' Watch financial advice from Fabre '' Business karma . One thing he clearly understands is the fashion business . As an outsourcing supply company , Fabre 's company is indirectly responsible for employing around 80,000 people in 200 factories around Tamil Nadu , and his clients include labels such as Kenzo , Lee Cooper and Oxbow . Fabre himself is given a modest monthly salary of around $ 400 -LRB- kept in a safe , bank accounts are n't allowed -RRB- , most of which goes on food , bill and petrol . His spirituality and belief in karma informs the way he lives as well as his business ethics , but do n't affect his business decisions . There would be no problem with dismissing a staff member if the need arose , he tells me . However being a swami , he ca n't sign contracts either with his staff or Fashions International 's clients , which he says has only caused a problem once . Much of that he owes to the open-minded people who work in fashion . `` They tell me I am well integrated , '' he says with a laugh . `` They also feel that you are an honest person , although I do n't agree with that reasoning . You could be a monk and a bad one . '' If there 's no contradiction between being a Hindu monk and running a successful company , there 's a certain irony about Fashions International 's new venture : their own line of clothing named after their CEO , whose wardrobe consists of four yellow pieces of cloth and is more taken to being naked . Not quite the emperor 's new clothes , Fabre business acumen tells him they 're getting in on selling their own range of clothing at the right time . `` Going into the domestic market is a wise choice . If the American market , or circus , I might call it , goes wrong , we 'll have something to fall back on . Also we are taking the brand to South Africa , which is also booming . '' Openness and change . Walking around his office , he appears more like a favorite teacher than a boss with his staff of young designers and sales and marketing employees , but he admits that he 's not always easy to work with . `` My guru said : ` Never prevent anyone from coming and seeing you . ' But sometimes its strenuous when someone is boring , but then you keep it short and they leave feeling positive , '' he says with a smile . As his personal assistant of 13 years , Pinky Lahiri knows as much about the swami formerly known as Christian Fabre as well as any . `` He is strict and he has his principles , '' she says , while Fabre takes a break for lunch . `` He used to get angry quite easily , he 's much calmer now than when I first met him . It could be his age , '' she jokes , `` but it 's probably his spirituality . '' Switching from caffeine and a 60-cigarette-a-day habit to a strict vegetarian diet no doubt helped reduce stress levels . He 's been to parties with designers and fashionistas including Jean-Paul Gaultier -- `` a lot of fun '' -- and is regularly feted by the French chamber of commerce , but that 's not the reason he 's spent so much of his life in the fashion industry . As well as the jobs he 's helped to create , he sees fashion as something that gives people the chance to express themselves , present an image and change it if they want . More significant transformations though are harder to come by . Gandhi 's famous quote : `` For things to change , first I must change '' appears on signs on desks throughout his office . `` People do n't like to change . They 're ensconced in their traditions , their habits , my god ! You have to have tradition in society , but some are no longer valid . You have to be able to balance that correctly . `` It 's not a question of faith ; it 's not an intellectual thing , either . It comes from the intellect and the heart , and usually this distance is not far away , but for some it takes a long time , '' he says . A businessman , a swami , and now a brand , Fabre is clearly enjoying himself and prepared for any more changes . `` I 'm having a hell of a good time , but it would very boring if everyone was like me . '' | Frenchman Christian Fabre is CEO of fashion company and also a Hindu monk . Splits time between his office in Chennai and ashram in the hills of Tamil Nadu . Has been in India for 37 years ; clients include Kenzo and Lee Cooper . Recently launched own clothing label , despite not wearing clothes himself . | [[237, 286], [310, 361], [3820, 3885]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What does it take to become the CEO of India 's biggest biotech company and the richest woman in India ? Mazumdar Shaw with Shah Rukh Khan . India 's richest woman is ready to answer your questions . Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw , founder of biotech pharaceutical company Biotech answers your questions , below . Yours is a very inspiring story . Could you tell us more about what challenges you had to overcome to bring Biocon to a global level ? Vishala Vasandani . Mazumdar Shaw : My journey started 30 years ago at a time when I had to face credibility challenges that pertained to my gender , my inexperience as a business entrepreneur and my unfamiliar biotechnology-based business model . My business evolved in tandem with challenges . Once I overcame these credibility challenges , I faced technological challenges of trying to build a Biotech business in a country that had infrastructure that was too primitive to support a high tech industry that demanded uninterrupted power supply , high quality water , sterile labs , imported research equipment , advanced scientific skills etc. . Over the next 10 years , we systematically addressed these challenges and built a self contained enterprise that had captive power and water supply , state of the art labs and facilities and a team of highly experienced scientists and engineers capable of delivering world class research and technologies . Today , our challenges address those posed by new medical wisdom : addressing unmet medical needs , researching new drugs , new drug delivery systems and new therapies . Overcoming each of these phases has been a rich learning experience that has helped us to develop world class expertise in biotechnology . Innovation and quality have been integral to our business ethos . Can Biocon 's oral insulin IN-105 replace traditional and painful needle based insulin delivery system for type1 diabetics ? Can a diabetic who is taking insulin by needle based delivery system hope for change in near future ? Ajay Kumar Singh . Mazumdar-Shaw : Oral Insulin is not just about delivering Insulin in a tablet . It is about delivering Insulin very rapidly to the liver -LRB- hepato-delivery -RRB- which is the main organ responsible for glycemic control in our body . Injectable Insulin takes approximately 30 minutes to act . Oral Insulin takes approximately 5 minutes to act which mimics how non-diabetics respond to glucose uptake when food is consumed . This will help both Type I and Type II diabetics to manage their diabetes better . We hope that early intervention with Oral Insulin will help to manage Diabetes especially in Type II diabetics much more effectively than is being done by oral diabetic agents like Metformin , Sulphonyl Ureas and Glitazones which stimulate the pancreas to produce Insulin . This is unlike oral Insulin which will allow a poorly functioning pancreas to rest and hopefully help to revive Insulin secreting beta cells . Should our Oral Insulin program succeed , this will revolutionize Diabetes therapy in the future . If you had to do the IPO again what would you do differently and when can we see Biocon listed in NASDAQ ? Harish Swaminathan . Mazumdar-Shaw : I do n't believe so . I think we got the valuation we were expecting through an Indian listing . A NASDAQ listing is only something we will address when one of our branded drugs are close to commercialization in either the U.S. or European markets . Today NASDAQ is risk averse and not valuing biotech companies any better than the BSE or NSE . I am so humbled by your story . What does it take as a woman to get to where you are today ? What obstacles did you have to overcome , especially in an industry that is deemed to be a `` man 's world '' ? Would women setting up business in India today find it easier than you did ? Irene Gonza , Uganda . Mazumdar-Shaw : I believe that women need to believe in themselves . I set up Biocon with a spirit of challenge and a deep sense of purpose . The challenge was to break the gender bias in the business world . My sense of purpose was to create a Biotech business in a country like India which had a very poor research culture with limited opportunities for scientists and engineers to pursue a career . It was about stopping the `` brain drain '' from India . It was about providing exciting career opportunities to young scientists and engineers . It was about encouraging young women to pursue careers . When one is passionate about a mission that is about change , it enables you to persevere and endure . I do believe that if I could achieve success , any woman can overcome obstacles with a sense of determination ! When you set up Biocon did you aim to make it one of the biggest and most successful in the world ? Do you need ambition like that be a success in any kind of business or does it take luck , too ? David James , London . Mazumdar-Shaw : When I set up Biocon , I certainly did not have such a big ambition ! I basically wanted to run a successful and profitable business to start with . Ambition is evolutionary and one does not see the big picture until you reach a certain critical mass . It was only a few years ago that we developed a global ambition and built global scale in our operations . Whilst luck can be described as `` being at the right place at the right time '' or `` being prepared to address an opportunity , '' I personally believe that it is about being able to seize opportunities by leveraging existing capabilities to reach new levels . In our case , we leveraged our enzyme capabilities to pursue bio-pharmaceuticals ; it was also about picking the right products -LRB- statins & Insulin -RRB- that had large markets . We chose to partner with innovative companies and in-license innovative technologies which spearheaded our new drug development programs . We have always chosen to differentiate ourselves from the market and this has allowed us to `` think out of the box '' and stand apart . How do you think the global economic downturn will affect Biocon and Indian companies in general ? Alicia van Waveren , The Hague . Mazumdar-Shaw : The economic meltdown will certainly bring tremendous pricing pressure and we expect to see our margins shrink . We also expect payment terms that involve extended credits . However , we also see a silver lining amidst this gloomy scenario as R&D and manufacturing are likely to shift to countries like India in order to bring down costs . We have two subsidiaries that offer research and clinical services , Syngene and Clinigene that are likely to see their businesses increase . We also expect generic drugs to become a larger part of healthcare budgets in western economies . Finally , new drug development costs are under tremendous pressure both in terms of funding and development . India and companies like Biocon provide very effective co-development partnership opportunities to bring these costs down . The differences between wealth and poverty in India are starker than anywhere else in the world . Do you think the poverty gap will ever be closed ? Richard Ng , Hong Kong . Mazumdar-Shaw : Poverty poses a huge challenge . Education and employment are the only answers . India is striving to address these two areas through various education and vocational training initiatives . What we also need is employment generation through a myriad of projects that span infrastructure development , co-operative agriculture to entrepreneurship . India needs to provide rural connectivity both in terms of roads and tale/IT connectivity . This will unleash inclusive growth in a huge way . Today we are caught between a political ethos that finds it convenient to keep its vote bank ignorant and unemployed and a civic India that wants to educate and harness the potential of its human capital . It seems that Indian biotech and pharmaceutical industry is relying more on being the outsourced resource of the U.S. and EU companies rather than creating their own intellectual property.Do you think this a culture in India to not be active in creating IP or is it related to the inadequacies in the patent law ? Dipanjan Nag . Mazumdar-Shaw : A very correct observation . The risks associated with proprietary products are high and Indian businesses and more importantly Indian investors and banks are extremely risk averse . Hopefully , the rapid commoditization of generics and services will force companies to differentiate on the basis of IP . At Biocon we strongly believe that our proprietary programs will help us sustain growth in the future . It is a challenge to convince our investors of this but we think they will understand this in the near future . In hindsight , what is the one piece of advice you wish you 'd been given when you were starting out in business ? Karl Malone , Winchester . Risk is not about taking but about managing . I took a huge risk when I started a Biotech company in 1978 and I soon realized that I had to manage the risk by addressing very serious challenges of a very primitive infrastructure at the time . It took me a lot longer than I thought to build the company but in hindsight it was still worth the effort ! What drives you to achieve what you have and to keep going when times are tough ? Melinda Cook , Melbourne . The belief that we can deliver the world 's first Oral Insulin and other life saving drugs for cancer and auto-immune diseases . I am driven by my desire to see novel drugs being developed by Biocon for global markets with a `` Made in India '' label . I am determined to see India earn a strong reputation in innovation . At a time when most Biotech companies in the western world are challenged with funding , I believe we can forge ahead and succeed . About Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw . Mazumdar-Shaw is founder of Biocon , the biotech and pharmaceutical company that made her India 's richest self-made businesswoman . She was named as one of Fortune magazine 's 50 Most Powerful Women in 2007 and was instrumental in forging India 's biotechnology industry . Living and working in Bangalore , she set up Biocon in 1978 and has developed it into a global biopharmaceutical player with highly developed research and development facilities focusing on cancer and diabetes treatments . Biocon was bought first by Unilever in 1989 and then sold to ICI in 1997 , but Mazumdar-Shaw remains the company 's Chair and Managing Director and has been part of the Indian government 's Council on Trade & Industry . | India 's richest woman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is founder and CEO of Biocon . Email her your questions on business and secrets of her success . Her answers will appear here on Friday , November 28 . | [[19, 123], [9793, 9868]] |
For a city of its size , Copenhagen has a remarkable range of shops that ooze class and individuality . The Georg Jensen store has some exquisite silver jewelry . The city 's main shopping hub is Strøget , a collection of pedestrianized streets that lead from Rådhuspladsen to Kongens Nytorv ; you can easily spend hours , and a small fortune , browsing its boutiques and chain stores . Do n't miss Illums Bolighus -LRB- Amagertorv 10 -RRB- , with its four floors of contemporary Scandinavian design . Once you 've got a taste for stylish home accessories , make your way to Normann Copenhagen -LRB- Strandboulevarden 98 -RRB- or Hay Cph -LRB- Pilestraede 29-31 -RRB- for a masterclass in simplicity and elegance . When you 've finished kitting out the house you might want to work on your wardrobe . Kronprinsensgade is full of hip boutiques , among them Bruuns Bazaar -LRB- Kronprinsensgade 8-9 -RRB- , with its collection from the ever-so-trendy , and suitably pricey , Bruuns label . Nearby , Designers Remix -LRB- Pilestraede 8 -RRB- offers sophisticated styles for women , while Könrøg -LRB- Hyskenstræde 11 -RRB- has cutting-edge fashions from a collective of Danish designers . For something more traditional , but no less beautiful , head to the Georg Jensen store in Amagertorv , for silverware that ranges from intricate jewelry to timeless tableware . If that 's not exclusive enough for you , Peter Hertz in Købmagergade is jeweler to Danish royalty . Pick up something for the kids at Aniel -LRB- Frederiksberg Allé 70 -RRB- , which has too-cute baby grows , children 's clothes and wooden toys made from organic and natural materials . Frydendahl -LRB- Store Regnegade 1 -RRB- has some unusual hand-knitted toys among the selection of homeware strewn along the pavement outside . If your eyes are bigger than your wallet , then you might be interested in the flea market held on Saturdays in Israels Plads , where high-street stores are said to unload the goodies they ca n't sell in their shops . If it 's raining you might prefer Det Blå Pakhus -LRB- 113 Holmbladsgade -RRB- , the city 's biggest indoor flea market and a treasure trove of bargains begging to be hunted . ... . Copenhagen city guide : . Where to stay | What to see | Where to be seen | Where to eat | Where to shop . ... . Do you agree with our Copenhagen picks ? Send us your comments and suggestions in the `` Sound Off '' box below and we 'll print the best . | Strøget , a collection of pedestrianized streets , is the city 's shopping hub . Illums Bolighus has four floors of modern Scandinavian design . Bruuns Bazaar sells clothing from the popular and stylish Bruuns label . Det Blå Pakhus is an indoor flea market and has some great bargains . | [[163, 203]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Flamboyant and fearless , Roberto Cavalli is the peacock of the fashion world ; with his body-hugging clothes , he woos women the world over . Fashion designer Roberto Cavalli . But his clients are no dainty damsels : Cavalli 's women are Amazonian warriors and Grecian goddesses , whose armor is fashion and whose weapon is sex . His colorful creations are unabashed celebrations of the female form : dresses slashed to the hip or barely skimming the buttocks , necklines that plunge where no other designer dares . Cavalli 's woman knows she looks fabulous , and is n't afraid to show it : to her , it 's not just clothing , it 's an announcement that she 's arrived . Born in Florence in 1940 , Cavalli was immersed in an intensely creative environment from childhood . That influence came from his father , a tailor , and his artist grandfather , Giuseppe Rossi , whose work is shown in the famous Uffizi Galleries . Following in his father 's footsteps , Cavalli studied textile design at the local art institute . By the early 70s , he had developed an innovative technique for printing on lightweight leather , and his Florentine flair had led to commissions with Hermes and Pierre Cardin . In 1970 , he presented his first namesake collection at the Salon for Prêt-à-Porter in Paris . His trademark work with unconventional fabrics like embellished denim and leather , mixed with wild animal prints and exotic patterns , was embraced by the jet set and Cavalli opened his first boutique in Saint Tropez in 1972 . Cavalli married his wife , Eva Duringer , a former Miss Universe , in 1980 ; she is now his business partner and right-hand woman . His fondness for bright color , exotics , fur and bold prints -- which he designs in his factory on the outskirts of Florence -- have won him a name as the king of fashion excess . Beloved by A-listers and pop princesses , these are not clothes for the shy : this is old-school glamour , infused with power , wielded by women who have flounced and shimmied their way to the top . See Cavalli 's designs on the catwalk '' His main line is sold in over 50 countries worldwide , along with his diffusion lines RC Menswear and Just Cavalli , plus a children 's line , knitwear , accessories , eyewear , watches , perfumes , underwear and beachwear . He 's even ventured into Cavalli-branded vodka and wine . His collaboration with high-street fashion store H&M in November 2007 caused stampedes as his fans flocked to get their hands on his creations , desperate to capture some of that Cavalli magic at tiny prices . Some have asked whether his latest collections have taken a more gentle direction -- but the tiger 's inner fire still burns bright . Spring/Summer 2008 's bold flower prints and flirty feathered dresses were followed by Autumn/Winter 2008 's flowered dresses that at first glance appear dewy and fresh -- but look closer , and the hip-hugging cut belies their innocence . Cavalli is adored by his celebrity clientele , who flaunt his show-stopping creations on red carpets from Los Angeles to Sydney . Fans of his work include Halle Berry , Sharon Stone , Madonna , Jennifer Lopez , Gwyneth Paltrow , Beyoncè Knowles , Charlize Theron and Victoria Beckham . If anyone sums up the glamour and glitz of show business , it 's Cavalli : fashion as theatre , shameless decadence where the whole world is a stage . That 's underlined by his eponymous 133 ' 9 '' long yacht , built 2004 , and color-coordinated , naturally , with his helicopter and fleet of cars . | Florence-born fashion designer Roberto Cavalli is known for his bright , sexy clothes . He is the grandson of Impressionist painter Giuseppe Rossi and the son of a tailor . His clothes are adored by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham . Cavalli 's extravagant lifestyle includes color-coordinated yacht , cars and helicopter . | [[2959, 3003], [3089, 3244]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No matter when you go , Paris has that certain ` je ne sais quoi ' that makes it special . But time your visit right and you could find yourself taking part in one of the city 's signature events . Ice skating in front of the grand facade of the Hotel de Ville on a crisp winter day . Fashion Weeks Paris is eponymous with style , and fashionistas will be in seventh heaven during the city 's haute couture fashion weeks , in January and June/July each year . Celeb-spotting , cooing over clothes and scrambling for a seat at Galliano are par for the course : just make sure your image is up to it . Bastille Day If freedom and fireworks are your thing , what better time to be in Paris than 14 July , or Bastille Day , when you can celebrate the storming of the hated prison , symbol of repression and aristocratic excess . Watch the military parade down the Champs Elysees , enjoy the Eiffel Tower fireworks from the Champ de Mars , and raise a glass to liberte , egalite and fraternite . No guillotines allowed -- and most of the metros are closed , so be prepared to walk home . Paris Plages It 's still true that many of Paris ' residents leave the city in August , shutting up shop and heading to the beach , but for the past few years the Paris Plages have brought that holiday feel to the city . Sand dunes , swimming pools and petanque are all things you might associate with France 's south coast resorts , but all can be found on the riverbank from late July until late August each year . The FIAC -LRB- International Fair of Contemporary Art -RRB- October 's Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain -LRB- FIAC -RRB- sees gallery-owners and collectors of contemporary art descend on the Louvre and the Grand Palais for one of the art world 's major dates . There 's an emphasis on up-and-coming artists and newer galleries from across Europe . Works of art in all media -- painting , drawing , prints , photography , sculpture and more -- are on display and available to purchase . Ice skating in front of Hotel de Ville If you like your outdoor pursuits to be frosty and free , you 'll love the ice rink that 's outside the Hotel de Ville every December until March . Rent your skates or bring your own and glide around the rink , hand in hand with a loved one , gazing at the beautiful buildings that surround the square , then warm up with a chocolat chaud at a nearby cafe . Could Paris be any more romantic ? | The biggest date in the calendar is 14 July , which celebrates the French revolution . From July to August , sun worshippers can bathe on beaches on the riverbank . Style gurus migrate to the city twice a year to take part in fashion week . In Winter , ice skate in front of the Hotel de Ville for the ultimate romantic moment . | [[1451, 1533], [365, 454], [2124, 2184]] |
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