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MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He was black and white , the perfect gift for the 6-year-old daughter of Donna and Ronald Gleason . His name was Tommy . The death and mutilation of Tommy the cat has been linked to a serial pet killer , say police in Miami , Florida . The black and white tuxedo cat was one of a dozen pets that have been killed and mutilated recently by someone in the Miami area , police said . On Thursday , the list of confirmed cat deaths and mutiliations grew to 19 pets , police said . They are looking into another 14 feline fatalities . The Gleasons do not want their daughter 's name to be published . Donna Gleason asked the child to leave the room before telling CNN the gruesome details of what happened to their cat . `` Part of his skin was missing underneath ... and part of his legs , '' Gleason said . `` He was partially skinned . '' Miami-Dade County police say Tommy 's demise is part of a string of sadistic feline fatalities that have occurred recently in the Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay areas of southern Miami-Dade County , south of Miami . Miami-Dade Police spokesman Bobby Williams said two of the cat carcasses were `` posed . '' He said that anyone capable of such cruelty toward and torture of an animal `` is disturbed at some sort of level . '' The crimes began May 13 . A reward of up to $ 10,000 has been offered for any information leading to an arrest . Police have been inundated with dozens of phone calls from people who have discovered dead cats throughout the community . Investigators have determined that most of the cases are not related to the string of cat killings . The number grew from 12 to 15 to 19 in just the past two days . Ronald Gleason found Tommy lying in their yard May 25 . At first , he thought his family 's pet had been killed by a dog , but a closer look revealed the cruelty behind his death . Tommy was a gift for the Gleasons ' little girl . She desperately wanted a cat , Donna Gleason said . She searched for a cat that could get along with their dog , but none of the shelter cats they brought home was compatible . `` We prayed that we would find a nice cat that liked our dog , and a few days later , he just showed up at our front door , '' Donna Gleason said . Tommy was adopting them . The Gleasons put signs up in the neighborhood , and when no one claimed him , they kept Tommy . `` It 's disturbing to know that this happened right in front of your house , while you 're sleeping inside , '' Donna Gleason said . `` I 'm not terrified , but I 'm not sleeping as well as I used to . '' Others in south Miami-Dade County are telling similar stories . A woman whose Siamese mix cat , Caesar , was killed and mutilated did n't want her name published . `` This person killed my cat . He does n't need to know anything else about me , '' she said . `` I do n't know if it 's a gang initiation thing or a satanic ritual thing , but to do what he 's doing , he has to be extremely sick . '' The month-long cat-killing spree has police concerned . `` We 're telling people to be aware where their cats are at . Keep your pets inside , '' said Williams , the police spokesman . `` If anyone looks or acts suspicious , call police , '' he added . `` Have us come out there and check them out . This could be the missing link we 're looking for . '' For the Gleasons and 11 other cat owners , it 's too late . All they can do is break the news gently to a little girl who always wanted a kitty . `` She loved him and played with him every morning . ... She just misses him , '' Donna Gleason said . `` We told her that Tommy was killed by an animal , '' she said . Then she added , `` Well , an animal did kill him . '' | Tommy the cat showed up one day on the Gleason family 's doorstep . Florida couple was looking for a pet for their 6-year-old daughter . Tommy was found dead and mutilated in his family 's yard south of Miami . Police believe that he was one of 19 victims of a serial pet killer . | [[2173, 2189], [2192, 2227], [156, 189], [194, 236], [1718, 1752], [156, 189], [194, 236], [416, 427], [430, 495], [872, 966]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- What are reigning world champions Italy , European champions Spain , and football giants Brazil doing taking on teams like New Zealand and Iraq this month ? Robinho -LRB- left -RRB- and Ronaldinho -LRB- right -RRB- celebrate Brazil winning the Confederations Cup in 2005 . It sounds like a complete mismatch , but the eight-team FIFA Confederations Cup which starts in South Africa on Sunday , will see these teams pitted against one another in what is a dress-rehearsal of sorts for next year 's World Cup . Dubbed by FIFA , world football 's governing body , the `` festival of champions '' , the tournament involves primarily the winning teams from regional competitions in each of the world 's six football federations -- Spain from Europe -LRB- UEFA -RRB- , Brazil from South America -LRB- CONMEBOL -RRB- , Iraq from Asia -LRB- AFC -RRB- , U.S. from the Americas -LRB- CONCACAF -RRB- , New Zealand from Oceania -LRB- OFC -RRB- , and Egypt from Africa -LRB- CAF -RRB- . These sides qualified for the tournament by winning their respective regional competitions , while South Africa gained automatic entry as the tournament hosts , and Italy as World Cup holders . The tournament format sees the eight teams split into two groups of four for a round-robin stage , before the top two teams from each group progress to knock-out semi-finals and then the final on June 28 . In-form Spain head to the tournament as favorites , while a resurgent Brazil side and World Cup holders Italy also ca n't be discounted . Egypt could be the dark horses of the event -- but they do have a tough group with games against both Brazil and Italy . The scrap for second in Spain 's pool could well be the other interesting storyline from the competition , as South Africa , Iraq and New Zealand fight it out for a place in the final four . • See profiles of the eight teams involved in the 2009 Confederations Cup . '' While the tournament does n't carry with it the same prestige as a World Cup , it is essentially a trial run of the main event for the host nation , and for the lower-ranked countries involved it offers invaluable experience playing against the world 's best . Ricky Herbert , coach of New Zealand 's national team the `` All Whites '' , told the NZ Soccer Web site the tournament is always hugely attractive to the South Pacific nation as it offers a great opportunity for the national team . Herbert 's side narrowly lost 4-3 to World Cup holders Italy in a friendly on Wednesday , and he said the big-game experience is excellent . `` It 's a fantastic opportunity . It may be mammoth gap between where they are and where we are but it gives a chance on that world stage to put a good foot forward , and I think we can . '' `` Whilst it 'll be great for the players on the pitch to play the best players and the best teams in the world , football fans can switch that on and watch their own team play the likes of Fabio Cannavaro or Fernando Torres or whoever , '' Herbert said . | The Confederations Cup tournament takes place in South Africa this month . Eight teams are involved in the tournament including Spain , Italy and Brazil . Entry is limited to regional champions , the World Cup holders and the hosts . | [[350, 388], [395, 427], [350, 388], [395, 427], [350, 388], [421, 544], [1468, 1547], [1599, 1668], [1878, 1935]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Lighthouse keeper J.A. Eckerman was the last person to see World War II Soviet submarine S-2 before it sank in January 1940 between Sweden and Finland . A team of Swedish and Finnish divers had been searching for the Soviet submarine S-2 since 1999 . As the submarine dove near the island of Market , northwest of Aland , Eckerman heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rise from the water . The long-lost wreck was missing for 69 years until a team of Swedish and Finnish divers -- including Eckerman 's grandson Ingvald -- discovered it this year . What remains of the sub was found between the Swedish coast and the Finnish island of Aland , northeast of Stockholm , in late February , the divers announced Tuesday . The submarine was very badly damaged by the explosion , said Marten Zetterstrom , one of the divers . The front gun is still there , and a torpedo is still in one of the tubes , but about 20 meters -LRB- about 65 feet -RRB- of the vessel is missing . The search had been going on for nearly 10 years , the divers said in a news release . The sub had a crew of 46 and four passengers when it sank . Sweden and Finland claim credit for sinking the submarine with mines . Russia has contacted Swedish and Finnish authorities to clarify what caused the submarine to sink , the divers said . Finland was at war with the Soviet Union at the time the sub sank . A deal between Germany and the Soviets had put the Nordic nation within the Soviet `` sphere of influence , '' and Soviet troops had invaded Finland late in 1939 . The fighting was mostly confined to Finland 's eastern border . Just two months after the submarine 's sinking , a temporary peace agreement was reached . Sweden remained neutral in World War II . CNN 's Per Nyberg contributed to this report . | Lighthouse watchman last saw it 69 years ago before it sank near island of Market . The Soviet submarine S-2 had a crew of 46 and four passengers when it sank . Remains found between Swedish coast and Finnish island of Aland in February . Sweden and Finland claim credit for sinking the submarine with mines . | [[55, 171], [1075, 1134], [568, 659], [1160, 1205]] |
WATERLOO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A southwestern Illinois man accused of strangling his wife and two young sons did not ask how his family was killed or see their bodies after he learned of the deaths , a police official said at a preliminary hearing Wednesday . Christopher Coleman has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bond . Christopher Coleman , 32 , is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Garett , 11 , Gavin , 9 , and his wife , Sheri Coleman , 31 . The victims were strangled in their beds last month . A pathologist will testify during the trial that the time of deaths May 5 was between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. , hours before Coleman said he drove to a gym , said Chief Joe Edwards of the Columbia Police Department . Coleman , a security supervisor , was arrested May 19 . The chief also said that a handwriting expert has concluded that the profanity-laced messages scrawled in red spray paint throughout the house match Coleman 's handwriting . Spray-painted messages were also found on Gavin 's bed sheets , he said . Watch more on the profane messages '' Threatening letters left in the family 's mailbox and an e-mail allegedly sent to Coleman before the killings were traced back to the suspect 's laptop , he said . The letters had no envelopes and no postage , according to Edwards . Testifying at a hearing at the Monroe County Courthouse , the chief said that a police chaplain noticed an abrasion on Coleman 's right arm as he was escorted to an ambulance after the bodies were discovered . Coleman then repeatedly punched the gurney with the arm , Edwards said , adding that when the suspect 's father asked him about the abrasion , he said it was from punching the gurney . The suspect was having an affair with a friend of his wife who lives in Florida , according to prosecutors . Computer forensics found videos , photos and messages between the two , Edwards said . Coleman pleaded not guilty to all charges . The next court date is set for August 26 . | Police chief testifies at preliminary hearing for man accused of slayings . Sheri Coleman , 2 sons killed in Columbia , Illinois , home . Christopher Coleman , husband and father , is accused in the deaths . Graffiti , threats against family tied to Coleman at hearing . | [[208, 267]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brazil 's highest court said Wednesday it does not have jurisdiction over who should have custody of a U.S.-born 9-year-old boy -- his Brazilian stepfather or his father in the United States . David Goldman is seeking custody of his son , Sean , who is living with relatives of his deceased mother in Brazil . The high court 's ruling sends the ongoing case back to an appeals court in Rio de Janeiro . In the unanimous vote , Brazil 's Supreme Federal Court said it could not rule over The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction , of which Brazil is a signatory . Brazil is undergoing constitutional reforms and has recently voted on a law that would make all international human rights conventions part of its constitution . Last week , Judge Marco Aurelio , who sits on the Supreme Federal Court , suspended a lower court ruling that custody of Sean Richard Goldman be turned over to the U.S. consulate , which was to have then handed him over to the boy 's father , David Goldman , who is a U.S. citizen . Aurelio 's decision was based on a conservative party 's petition that said the boy 's removal from Brazil would cause him psychological harm . But the father responded that his son was suffering psychological harm simply by remaining with his Brazilian relatives , whom Goldman -- a part-time model who captains boats -- accused of turning Sean against him . The case now goes to the Federal Appeals Court in Rio de Janeiro and does not mean the boy will return to his father without further rulings . Goldman said that he and his lawyers would have to study the high court decision , but he expressed optimism about what he had learned . `` There seemed to be a lot of good remarks that they want to honor the Hague Convention ; they believe in the Hague Convention and they want to return children . Hopefully , they sent that message to the lower federal courts , and they 'll hear that message . '' Watch CNN 's Campbell Brown talk with Goldman before latest ruling '' He said , `` It 's not over . '' The incident began in June 2004 , when Goldman 's then-wife , Bruna Bianchi Carneiro Ribeiro , took Sean from the family 's New Jersey home for what was to have been a two-week vacation in her native Brazil . But instead of returning , she divorced Goldman , married a Brazilian lawyer , and remained in Brazil with the boy . She died there last September giving birth to a daughter . In Rio , Sean attends a private school and lives in a sprawling home with his half-sister and his stepfather . In March , a spokesman for the boy 's Brazilian relatives said he did not dispute the father 's biological rights , but said other matters needed to be weighed . `` The fact of the matter is that , in order to be a parent , you have to be more than a DNA donor , '' said Helvecio Ribeiro . `` Fatherhood is not about making home movies and taking pictures . It 's about sacrifice ; it 's about providing support for your child ; it 's about being there even when you are not there . '' He said Goldman had failed to do that and accused him of having `` paid not a dime of child support '' and made allegations `` all over the place about us not allowing him to visit the child that are completely untrue . '' Goldman responded , `` Can you take someone 's child to another country and then expect the parent to support you in the abduction of the child ? '' He said he had been making tireless efforts since his son was `` abducted '' to have him repatriated , `` never , ever stopping . '' The case has attracted attention from politicians . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has discussed the matter with Brazil 's foreign minister . According to the U.S. State Department , some 66 American-born children have been taken by a parent to Brazil , in violation of international treaties . Journalist Helena DeMoura contributed to this story . | Brazil 's highest court says it does n't have jurisdiction in custody case of U.S.-born boy . David Goldman expresses new hope : `` There seemed to be a lot of good remarks '' Goldman 's wife took son Sean to Brazil in 2004 ; she filed for divorce , later died . Custody case has attracted attention of U.S. politicians , including Hillary Clinton . | [[0, 15], [19, 92], [48, 57], [61, 146], [1701, 1744], [245, 255], [258, 328], [2107, 2127], [2163, 2223], [3555, 3606]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The World Health Organization raised the swine flu alert Thursday to its highest level , saying the H1N1 virus has spread to enough countries to be considered a global pandemic . Kindergarten students , some wearing masks , attend school in a residential estate in Hong Kong on Thursday . Increasing the alert to Phase 6 does not mean that the disease is deadlier or more dangerous than before , just that it has spread to more countries , the WHO said . `` This is an important and challenging day for all of us , '' WHO Director General Margaret Chan said in a briefing with reporters . `` We are moving into the early days of the first flu pandemic of the 21st century . '' The last previous pandemic occurred in 1968 . As of Thursday , the virus had spread to 74 countries , the health agency said . There were 28,774 confirmed cases and 144 deaths . The United States had 13,217 cases and 27 deaths , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said June 5 in its weekly update . Cases have been reported in all 50 states , the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico . See where H1N1 flu cases are in the U.S. '' The U.S. death toll is expected be higher when the CDC releases its latest figures Friday , said Anne Schuchat , director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases . New England -- particularly Massachusetts -- and the New York and New Jersey areas have been hit the hardest , Schuchat said Thursday at a CDC news conference . The Phase 6 pandemic designation had been widely expected for weeks . `` Further spread is considered inevitable , '' Chan said at a news conference at WHO headquarters in Geneva , Switzerland . `` The scientific criteria for an influenza pandemic have been met . '' The announcement came after a meeting of the WHO 's Emergency Committee , which has debated since April whether the spread of a novel H1N1 flu virus was fast and widespread enough to warrant a Phase 6 designation . Phase 6 , Chan said , is meant as a signal to countries to recalibrate their strategies to minimize the harm from swine flu . In countries where the virus and the response to it are already widespread , it is not likely to mean significant changes , but Chan urged countries that have not seen cases , or seen only limited cases , to get ready . `` The virus is not stoppable , '' she said . `` I would advise them to maintain vigilance , enhance surveillance and be prepared for the arrival of the novel H1N1 in their country . '' The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security said those agencies have been acting for weeks as if Phase 6 were already in effect and no additional measures would be put into effect . The United States declared a public health emergency April 26 . `` WHO continues to recommend no restriction on travel and on border closures , '' Chan said . Discussions about shifting to Phase 6 have been under way for weeks . Chan indicated that a major factor in the decision was surveillance from countries in the Southern Hemisphere , where flu season is under way . In Chile and Australia , two countries with many flu cases , she said H1N1 appears to be the dominant strain , `` crowding out '' the seasonal influenza virus . Chan said she would recommend that vaccine manufacturers proceed with mass production of an inoculation against the new swine flu strain as soon as they finish production of seasonal vaccine , which she estimated would be complete in about two weeks . HHS spokesman Bill Hall said Thursday that no decision has been made on full-scale production because there is no need yet to make that decision . It is a step-by-step process that is moving forward . `` We 're doing as much as we can now , '' he said . The agency awarded a contract several weeks ago to five manufacturers to develop an H1N1 antigen . The companies are producing pilot lots . Clinical testing will take place over the summer , Hall said . At the end of the summer , HHS will decide whether to go into production . `` There 's no specific date on the calendar , '' Hall said . If officials decide to produce a vaccine , the first doses would be ready early in the fall . Hall noted that even full-scale production does n't mean there will be an immunization campaign . Federal officials may have a vaccine and decide not to use it , he said . Also Thursday , authorities in Hong Kong ordered the closure of all elementary schools , kindergartens and day care centers in the city after 12 students were found to be infected with the virus . Authorities have not determined the source of the infection , said Hong Kong 's Chief Executive Donald Tsang . This makes it the first cluster of swine flu cases in the city without a link to someone who had traveled overseas . The schools and day care centers were told to close for 14 days as investigators tried to identify the source of the infection , said Tsang , the chief executive . The health department will decide after two weeks whether to continue the shutdown . Also on Thursday , Israel 's health ministry announced that the number of people diagnosed with swine flu there was 68 . Health officials use the virus ' clinical name -- H1N1 -- to reflect that it 's actually a combination of several different types of flu and to reduce confusion about whether eating pork can spread the virus . It can not . CNN 's David S. Martin , Roya Shadravan in Hong Kong , and Michal Zippori in Jerusalem contributed to this report . | Further spread of swine flu inevitable , World Health Organization says . WHO calls H1N1 a global pandemic , raises alert to highest level . U.N. agency says that does n't mean disease is worse , but that it 's in more countries . Hong Kong orders closure of all elementary schools , kindergartens , day care centers . | [[459, 473], [798, 822], [1558, 1600], [0, 15], [19, 105], [115, 118], [141, 197], [459, 473], [0, 15], [108, 160], [308, 456], [4391, 4510], [4800, 4863]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- London commuters crammed onto buses , scrambled for taxis , cycled or simply walked on Wednesday as a strike by Tube workers shut down most of the subway network . Commuters queue for packed buses in London on Wednesday morning . The strike began Tuesday at 7 p.m. -LRB- 2 p.m. ET -RRB- but the first full effects were felt during Wednesday 's morning commute . The strike was set to last for 48 hours with a normal service resuming Friday morning , according to Transport for London -LRB- TfL -RRB- , which runs the city 's transportation network . The RMT trade union called the strike after talks with management over pay , job cuts , and disciplinary issues broke down . `` RMT does n't resort to industrial action lightly , '' General Secretary Bob Crow said in a statement . `` The fact is that Tube workers have been driven into walking out today . '' Transport Commissioner Peter Hardy said the talks had been making progress on all issues and he urged the RMT to return to the table . `` The RMT leadership says we were close to a deal , '' Hardy said in a statement . `` If that is the case , then they should call off the strike , return to talks ... and resolve this issue without any more disruption to Londoners . '' TfL was running extra buses and free shuttle services across the River Thames during the strike . Electronic travel cards used for the TfL network were temporarily being allowed on all train lines in greater London , it said . While most services on the Tube were shut because of the strike , one line -- the Northern line -- was running normally and five others were running on a reduced schedule , TfL said . `` It 's been really good , '' a girl on Oxford Street told CNN about her commute . `` The Northern line is running perfectly . '' Still , some bus services were packed with commuters who normally ride the underground trains or who failed to find a taxi . `` I think we 'd all like to strike for more money , but unfortunately we ca n't , '' said one woman at Oxford Circus , where the Tube is closed . Others hit the pavement and walked . `` It 's OK -- quite refreshing , '' said a man on Regent Street . He said he had just walked from Liverpool Street Station , a train station as well as a Tube stop that is more than 2.5 miles away . The RMT represents about half of the 20,000 employees on the Tube , a TfL spokeswoman said . Other unions including Unite and TSSA represent the rest , she said , and were not on strike . | London transport system crippled as Tube workers go on strike . Normal service not due to resume until Friday morning . Buses crammed with commuters ; many chose to cycle , walk to work . RMT trade union called strike in dispute over pay , job cuts , disciplinary issues . | [[9, 32], [106, 160], [136, 137], [148, 199], [443, 483], [36, 71], [9, 32], [74, 102], [1809, 1814], [1817, 1861], [2081, 2104], [2081, 2087], [2109, 2117], [586, 671]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three of five Americans contractors detained in Baghdad have been ordered released by an Iraqi judge , because of insufficient evidence , a court spokesman said Thursday . In a CNN exclusive , video shows U.S. contractors taken into custody by Iraqi authorities . The other two other contractors remain in custody , according to Judge Abdul Sattar al-Beeraqdar , a spokesman for Iraq 's Higher Judicial Council . One of the men has been released on bond , the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad confirmed Thursday . The embassy did not identify the man , who was released Wednesday . However , a spokesman for his employer , Corporate Training Unlimited , said it was Donald Feeney . Judy Feeney , Donald 's wife , also confirmed his release . The contracting company said the release of the others has been delayed because of a procedural issue . Judy Feeney said her son , Donald Feeney III , and Mark Bridges were to be released Thursday morning , but it may take more time to release the other two , Jason Jones and Micah Milligan . But al-Beeraqdar said , without naming names , that two contractors were being held on charges involving `` illegal substances '' found on the men when they were taken into custody . Those who have been released are not allowed to leave the country because of an ongoing investigation and the judge may want to question them again , according to al-Beeraqdar . Except for Jones , the detained contractors work for the Fayetteville , North Carolina-based CTU , a security firm headed by the elder Feeney . An Iraqi judge decided earlier on Wednesday that charges against the five contractors were not warranted and that they could be released , according to an Iraqi security source and a source close to the five . The sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case , in which the contractors have been detained since last week for reasons that remain unclear . The contractors initially had been told they were being held in connection with the May death of another contractor , James Kitterman , said the source close to the five . But on Monday , according to a judicial source , the men were told they were being held on suspicion of having unregistered weapons . Still , they were asked about their activities around the time Kitterman was killed , and Iraqi government officials told CNN Monday the five were detained as suspects in connection with Kitterman 's slaying . Kitterman was found bound , blindfolded and fatally stabbed in a car in Baghdad 's Green Zone on May 22 . The 60-year-old Houston , Texas , resident owned a construction company that operated in Iraq . The Green Zone is the high-security area in central Baghdad that contains the U.S. Embassy and key Iraqi government buildings . Access to the area , formally known as the International Zone , is tightly controlled . The five contractors were taken into custody on June 3 in a pre-dawn Green Zone raid by Iraqi and U.S. personnel , the security source told CNN on Sunday . During the raid , troops also confiscated weapons , the Iraqi security source said . Three of the contractors were suspected of being directly involved in Kitterman 's death , the Iraqi source said . A U.S. Embassy spokesman said the search was an Iraqi operation , but FBI representatives were present at the request of Iraqi authorities . The five were transferred to a prison within the Green Zone on Friday . `` After this murder inside the Green Zone , a joint investigation committee from U.S. and Iraq sides has been formed to investigate this incident , '' Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Karim Khalaf told CNN , `` and this committee managed to collect a number of indications that those five are linked to this murder . '' Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh also said the men were detained based on information linking them to the Kitterman slaying . Under Iraqi law , after a person is detained , an investigative judge questions the accused and assesses the evidence . The judge then decides whether there is sufficient evidence , and either refers the case to trial or dismisses it . The Iraqi source said the five had been held in a separate holding area and not with other Iraqi detainees , but spent time in a courtyard with other Iraqi detainees . A U.S. Embassy spokesman said consular officials had visited with them and `` they appeared well . '' The source close to the suspects said Sunday that each of the five men insisted they had alibis that will clear them and they were eager to tell their stories to a judge . The Feeneys had known Kitterman for six years from their time in the Green Zone and `` respected him , '' Corporate Training Unlimited spokeswoman Sarah Smith told CNN . CNN 's Alan Duke in Los Angeles and Jomana Karadsheh in Baghdad contributed to this report . | Judge orders three of five U.S. contractors held in Iraq to be freed . Two others remain in custody on charges involving `` illegal substances '' Contractor already released on bond ; wife , employer identify him as Donald Feeney . Men detained in connection with slaying of another U.S. contractor , sources say . | [[298, 347], [350, 394], [1064, 1081], [1084, 1104], [1107, 1154], [1147, 1189], [1166, 1242], [447, 487], [617, 645], [679, 706], [2338, 2457]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chastity Bono , gay-rights activist and child of performer Cher and the late entertainer and politician Sonny Bono , is in the early stages of transitioning from a female to a male and will be known as Chaz , his spokesman said Thursday . Activist Chastity Bono is transitioning from female to male and will be known as Chaz . `` Chaz , after many years of consideration , has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity , '' Howard Bragman said in a written statement . `` He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones . It is Chaz 's hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue , just as his ` coming out ' did nearly 20 years ago . '' Someone 's decision to transition does not necessarily mean they are undergoing gender reassignment surgery , and in many cases they do not , said Mara Keisling , executive director of the Washington-based National Center for Transgender Equality . `` The whole media fixation on surgery is kind of misplaced , '' she said . `` Almost no transgender people ever have surgery . We do n't have any idea how many do . '' iReport.com : Do you have a transgender story ? An estimated one-quarter to one-half percent of the American population is transsexual , however , Keisling said . `` It 's sort of a general term that encompasses both or either a social transition or a medical transition . '' Keisling said she was unaware of the specifics in Bono 's case , but speaking generally , a transition means that he will now want to be `` known , seen , viewed '' as a male . `` The actual details depend on his needs and wants and his doctor 's needs and wants , '' she said . Bragman asked that the media `` respect Chaz 's privacy during this long process , as he will not be doing any interviews at this time . '' Now 40 , Bono as a little girl made regular appearances on her parents ' show , `` The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour . '' As an adult , he has been a longtime gay-rights advocate and been closely associated with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation . See more photos from Chastity Bono 's life '' Bono 's father , Sonny Bono , was a U.S. representative from California when he was killed in a skiing accident in January 1998 . | Chastity Bono transitioning to male , will be known as Chaz . Bono is longtime gay-rights activist . `` Transitioning '' is either social or medical transition , how person wants to be viewed . | [[0, 133], [136, 199], [0, 15], [204, 225], [258, 317], [258, 280], [313, 345], [2039, 2083], [1393, 1407], [1413, 1485], [1579, 1665]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Anita Dunham 's first heart attack started with a mysterious pain in her arm -- and , suddenly , the 34-year-old felt as if she could n't breathe . After she got dressed , she could barely speak because the pain was so great in her arms and chest . Jolen Johnson took this photo of co-workers wearing red Friday in Cedar Park , Texas . Dunham , who had a second heart attack in 2002 , wore red Friday to spread awareness about heart disease . Now 64 years old , she said she wants women everywhere to know that heart disease , the No. 1 killer for women , can affect women in all walks of life . She and others shared their stories with CNN 's iReport.com . Read more about Dunham . The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute , part of the National Institutes of Health , promoted the red clothing day to spread the message that `` Heart Disease Does n't Care What You Wear -- It 's the # 1 Killer of Women , '' according to its Web site . Others who wore red have family members who succumbed to heart disease . Robin Savage , 42 , of San Juan Capistrano , California , said her grandfather , father and mother all had heart disease . Besides wearing red herself , she goes to heart events and takes pictures of them for a local Web site . See more from iReporters on National Wear Red Day '' Savage has to take beta blockers because her heart sometimes races when she eats certain things , particularly foods containing the preservative MSG . She watches her diet closely and exercises 30 minutes a day to keep herself healthy . iReport.com : Heart Disease runs in my family . For her sons , 9 and 12 , she monitors their diet closely , but fears that she will die while they are young . `` It 's such a huge void in your life , especially when you have your own kids and you do n't have your mom around to , say , ask questions , '' she said . `` I was completely lost when I had kids . '' Visit CNNhealth.com , your connection to better living . Peggy Roesch , a 24-year-old graphic designer from Cincinnati , Ohio , said her grandfather had a heart attack five years ago . She was recently inspired by her mother , who runs marathons , to start running more herself . iReport.com : Seeing red . Eileen Velez from West Palm Beach , Florida , has been organizing her co-workers to wear red to show heart awareness every year since 2007 . `` If everyone is wearing red at the same time , somebody is going to notice , '' she said . iReport.com : Kimley-Horn and Associates . Despite the nationwide movement , Dunham said she had n't noticed anyone else in her town of Earlimart , California , wearing red on Friday . Her message to others at risk for heart disease is to watch their weight . `` I tell -LSB- my daughter -RSB- every day , ` You know you need to start watching your diet or you 're going to be in the hospital with a heart attack , ' '' she said . CNN 's Cristina Martin contributed to this report . | NIH promotes National Wear Red Day on February 6 . The event is intended to spread awareness of heart disease , especially for women . iReport.com : Share your National Wear Red Day experience . | [[702, 745], [792, 843], [462, 468], [481, 591], [615, 676], [1261, 1313]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Barack Obama is a married man but there 's another woman with a hold on him that his wife can never match : she runs the House . Nancy Pelosi has been an easy target for Republican ire . She is Nancy Pelosi , the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives , the most powerful woman in Washington and lately , a target for Republicans . Pelosi is easy to spot in any crowd of U.S. politicians ; she 's the small brown-haired woman in the smartly tailored suit . Conservatives like to stereotype some Democrats as rich , isolated and out-of-touch . As the wife of an affluent investment banker , the always expertly coiffed Pelosi looks like exactly the kind of `` Limousine Liberal '' they 're talking about . Ironically , it 's money that makes her powerful . Under the U.S. constitution , the president ca n't spend a penny without the permission of Congress . Within the Congress , the Senate has its own powers but the House is the place where taxes and spending start . So almost every one of Obama 's plans needs a push from Pelosi . Maybe that 's part of the reason she 's in trouble right now . The issue is n't really part of her daily duties : `` waterboarding '' and other extreme interrogation tactics used against prisoners in the Bush era . Obama ordered an end to the harsh methods , but Republicans are asking why Democrats who knew about them years ago did n't try to stop them then . Pelosi was one of a handful of lawmakers who was briefed by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2002 , but she now accuses the agency of lying to her and hiding what it was doing . Republicans have been attacking Pelosi for making unsubstantiated and damaging accusations against a crucial national security agency . The man who once had her job , former Republican speaker Newt Gingrich , says Pelosi is lying in a way that is `` despicable , dishonest and vicious . '' Whether or not he 's right , it 's smart politics . Obama is still remarkably popular . Most of the country hopes that he 'll succeed in rebuilding the economy and ending the war in Iraq . If the president is immune to most easy attacks from the opposition , it needs to find someone who is n't . Pelosi is a crucial part of his plans . As potential targets go , with her nearly perfect hair and nearly perfect clothes , Pelosi is nearly perfect . | Nancy Pelosi , speaker in House , is most powerful woman in Washington . U.S. President Obama needs Pelosi to ensure his plans get House approval . Pelosi under attack over Democrats ' failure to challenge CIA over waterboarding . Tactic is smart move by Republicans as Pelosi an easier target than Obama . | [[1001, 1065], [148, 205]] |
-LRB- Coastal Living -RRB- -- Visitors love driving Oregon 's coast , but it 's a shame not to get out and hike the stunning landscape , too . Here are several trails to get you started . Explore forested headlands , tour tide pools or stroll the beach barefoot on some of the Pacific Northwest 's best coastal trails . Ecola State Park area , near Cannon Beach . Novice explorers can trek along the Pacific on Clatsop Loop Trail , a two-mile historical interpretive route in Ecola State Park that leads travelers in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark . More seasoned hikers might want to drive the extra miles to Tillamook State Forest for the Kings Mountain Trail , known for panoramic views and wildflower meadows . But be warned : Hikers must endure a 2,546-foot elevation gain in two and a half miles to enjoy the stunning mountain scenes . Devil 's Punch Bowl , near Depoe Bay . Formed by the collapsed roof of two sea caves , this `` punch bowl '' features dramatic water displays that are definitely worth the hike . An easy walk down Beverly Beach and a cliff-climbing staircase leads to the nature-carved basin . Spend the day exploring extensive tide pools , then amble back over to the bowl to witness the wildly churning waves that accompany high tide . The area also promises whale watching and birding . Seaside accommodations are within walking distance at The Inn at Otter Crest . Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and environs , near North Bend . Wind-sculpted dunes , a sparkling blue freshwater lake , and a historic lighthouse all await visitors here . Set aside a day for roaming the path at William M. Tugman State Park , which circles Eel Lake and its many inlets , and expect a few wildlife encounters along the way . The nearby Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area contains the largest coastal sand piles in North America and offers an array of arduous hiking opportunities . Travelers looking for a more laid-back excursion , however , can make their way to Umpqua Lighthouse State Park for relaxing walks and a glimpse of the 65-foot tower known for its distinctive red-and-white flash . CoastalLiving.com : Oregon 's Perpetual Appeal . Columbia River Bar and Fort Stevens State Park , near Astoria . The Columbia River Bar has always been a navigational nightmare for sailors , and a hike beside the `` Graveyard of the Pacific '' will show you why . Pass by the shipwrecked remains of Peter Iredale , one of 2,000 ships that have sunk in this area , on your way to the viewing platform overlooking the jetty . For another slice of history , take a walking tour of Fort Stevens , or enjoy a scenic two-mile jaunt around the fort 's Coffenbury Lake . Humbug Mountain State Park , near Port Orford . Rising 1,756 feet over the Pacific , the forested peak of Humbug Mountain provides visitors with switchback trails and magnificent coastal vistas . Family-friendly paths , such as the paved Old Highway 101 Trail , wind through old-growth Douglas fir , Oregon myrtle , and Western red cedar and yield striking seaside views . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright © Coastal Living , 2009 . | Devil 's Punch Bowl , near Depoe Bay , features dramatic water displays . Enjoy a scenic two-mile jaunt around Fort Stevens ' Coffenbury Lake . Humbug Mountain , near Port Oxford , rises 1,756 feet over the Pacific . | [[931, 1022], [2543, 2571], [2574, 2609], [2615, 2681], [2730, 2742]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Expressing hope that the future of Tibet and China will move beyond mistrust , the Dalai Lama accepted the Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush Wednesday during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda . `` I am deeply touched that this great honor has been given to me , a Buddhist monk born of a simple family , '' he said . Earlier , China slammed the United States for bestowing the nation 's highest civilian honor on the Dalai Lama , calling the ceremony an affront to the budding relations between the countries . But the Dalai Lama repeated his stance that he 's seeking a `` meaningful autonomy '' for the Tibetan people , not independence from China . `` Despite all this , Beijing continues to allege that my hidden agenda is a separation and restoration -LSB- of -RSB- Tibet 's old social political system . Such a notion is unfounded and untrue , '' he said . `` Much of the world is waiting to see how China 's concepts of harmonious society and peaceful rights would unfold . '' Though Bush said the ceremony was not meant to antagonize the Chinese , he made repeated references to religious oppression . `` Americans can not look to the plight of the religiously oppressed and close our eyes or turn away , '' Bush said . Calling the Dalai Lama a `` universal symbol of peace and tolerance , a shepherd to the faithful and a keeper of the flame for his people , '' Bush presented the medallion to the Dalai Lama . Watch actor Richard Gere explain the importance of the ceremony '' The spiritual leader grinned broadly , pulling the award from its case and showing it to the lawmakers with whom he shared the stage . Democratic and Republican leaders praised the Dalai Lama 's record of promoting peace and urged China to allow the return of the exiled leader . Bush also lauded the spiritual leader who as a boy kept a model of the Statue of Liberty by his bedside . The president met privately Tuesday with Tenzin Gyatso , the 14th dalai lama , in the White House . Before the Wednesday honor , Bush said he was attending the ceremony because he admires the Dalai Lama , the two of them both support religious freedom and because `` I like going to the gold medal ceremonies . '' He further said fostering religious freedom was in China 's best interests and that Beijing should meet with the Dalai Lama . `` If they were to sit down with the Dalai Lama , they would find him to be a man of peace and reconciliation , '' Bush said . China saw the ceremony as a political statement and believes the honor represents U.S. acquiescence to the Dalai Lama 's calls for Tibetan autonomy . Tibet , said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao , is `` an inalienable part of China '' and Chinese-Tibetan affairs are strictly a matter of Chinese domestic policy . `` U.S. leaders meeting the Dalai -LSB- Lama -RSB- seriously violate the basic principles of international relations , '' Liu said . The Dalai Lama laughed off Chinese criticism of his visit , saying Tuesday in Washington , `` That always happens . '' The Congressional Gold Medal -- one of four honors Congress is doling out Wednesday -- is presented `` both for singular acts of exceptional service and for lifetime achievement . '' Past recipients include Mother Teresa , former South African President Nelson Mandela , former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and baseball and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson . White House spokesman Dana Perino said Bush considered the Dalai Lama `` a great spiritual leader . '' Bush , who has met with the Dalai Lama four times , told Chinese President Hu Jintao at a summit in Australia last month that he would be attending Wednesday 's ceremony , Perino said . She quickly dismissed the notion that the president was trying to make a statement by attending the ceremony . The White House is generally measured in its criticism of China as it seeks to manage a booming trade relationship and a desire to enlist Chinese cooperation on nuclear standoffs with North Korea and Iran . Beijing has claimed to be the legitimate and rightful government of Tibet since 1951 , the year after China invaded the then-independent state . Some say the claim does n't jibe with international law . Allegations abound that China has stifled Tibetans ' religious and other fundamental freedoms , sometimes violently . The Dalai Lama has led a government in exile from neighboring India for decades . In 1959 , the then-24-year-old Buddhist leader fled Tibet during a failed uprising against the Chinese . Perino said she did not think the meeting -- which the administration had worked to downplay -- would seriously affect U.S.-China relations . Added Bush on Wednesday , `` I do n't think it ever damages relations when an American president talks about that religious tolerance and religious freedom is good for a nation . I do this every time I meet with -LSB- Chinese leaders -RSB- . '' The promise of good intentions did not seem to assuage the Chinese government , who labeled the Dalai Lama 's work `` separatist activities . '' `` The words and deeds of the Dalai Lama in the past decades show he is a political refugee engaging in secessionist activities under the cloak of religion , '' the Foreign Ministry 's Liu said . Zhang Qingli , the Communist Party secretary of Tibet , had even harsher words for the Tibetan spiritual leader . `` He is a person who has tried to split the motherland , who lacks love for his home country , '' Zhang told reporters in Beijing . The Dalai Lama , who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 , has said he advocates autonomy for Tibet and is not calling for it to be a separate country . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Jaime FlorCruz and Lesa Jansen contributed to this report . | NEW : Dalai Lama : China 's allegation of a hidden agenda is unfounded , untrue . President Bush encourages China to sit down with `` man of peace '' White House says it is n't `` poking a stick '' in China 's eye with Dalai Lama honor . China : U.S. leaders `` violate the basic principles of international relations '' | [[851, 888], [2228, 2353], [2307, 2353], [1032, 1094], [2827, 2919]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thanks to dedicated people like Bob and Katherine Rude , many homeless animals in Maryland will have a warm home this winter . Bob and Katherine Rude run an animal shelter out of their home in Harwood , Maryland . The Maryland couple currently cares for 116 cats and six dogs at Rude Ranch Animal Rescue , which they run out of their home in Harwood . `` We take in a lot of abused and neglected animals ; animals that for whatever reason find themselves down on their luck , '' Katherine said . It all started a decade ago when the couple found a group of cats in an alley behind a restaurant . They began working with other organizations to help place the cats , but quickly realized that they could do more . See how 100 cats live in one house '' `` The more we got involved , and the more we found out about the world of animal rescue , the more we found out there was a lot more need . ... We felt we could fill a void , '' Katherine said . A few years later , they bought a ranch house in Harwood and converted it into a shelter . Eventually , Bob and Katherine left their government jobs to work at the shelter full time . They now work seven days a week , morning through night , caring for their cats and dogs . `` Now we 're doing adoptions , we 're doing search and rescue , we 're helping people out with spay and neuters , and we 're helping out other animal controls with animals that they ca n't place , but think deserve a shot at a life , '' Katherine said . The Rudes originally planned on keeping the shelter on one floor , and living in the rest of the house . But they quickly found that many of the cats required full-time care , so they expanded the shelter throughout their home . `` We still have a bedroom that 's sort of ours , but we share it with a bunch of special-needs animals . We have anywhere from two or three dogs and 10 to 12 cats that share a bed with us , '' Bob says . The extra space has allowed the Rudes to take in cats that most shelters can not . Cats that require special attention or medical care -- those that have been abused or are suffering from feline immunodeficiency virus , for example -- all have a place at the ranch . Katherine says this was one reason they started their own shelter . `` It was for ... the ones that maybe do n't have an alternative , do n't have somewhere else to go . We figured they had as much of a chance at a life as someone else , '' she said . Working with the animals is incredibly rewarding , Bob says , but expanding the shelter has also increased the number of mouths to feed . `` For the evening meal , we go through about 25 cans of cat food . For the whole day , we go through about 40-50 . ... We go through about 100 pounds of dry food a week for the cats , -LSB- and -RSB- 10,000 pounds of cat litter a year , '' Bob said . Even buying in bulk has n't helped the Rudes escape the financial woes that have begun to plague most business owners . Katherine says that so far , they have been able to support themselves but are concerned about rising costs and falling donations . At the same time , demand for the Rudes ' help is increasing . Higher costs of food and supplies , as well as the foreclosure crisis , have affected people 's ability to care for their pets , Katherine says . '' -LSB- Pet -RSB- adoptions have pretty much dropped off the face of the earth right now , but people are calling more and more to turn animals in , '' Bob said . And as more people turn to them to care for their pets , the Rudes have no plans to change their tune . Since 1997 , they have helped rescue or place more than 3,000 cats . Katherine estimates that they have helped make 2,500 to 2,700 adoptions to families or individuals . `` They 're getting a home , they 're going to have individual people doting on them , and that 's what we want for all of the residents here , '' Katherine says . | Maryland couple operates Rude Ranch Animal Rescue out of their home . Bob and Katherine Rude currently care for 116 cats and six dogs . The pair is concerned about rising costs , falling donations and more pets in need . | [[146, 219], [233, 322], [298, 322], [336, 370], [233, 322], [1149, 1153], [1207, 1239], [2958, 3089], [2987, 2991], [3033, 3089], [3153, 3222], [3225, 3279]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israeli President Shimon Peres on Tuesday stressed the need for a two-state solution in the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace , a position out of step with the current Israeli government . U.S. envoy George Mitchell says Israel and the United States will remain close allies . It was one of several key issues both sides must emphasize if they are to take advantage of the current `` historic period '' and achieve peace , Peres told visiting U.S. envoy George Mitchell . `` Nobody knows whether it will recur and nobody will forgive himself if we miss the opportunity to make peace , '' Peres said , according to a release from his office . In their meeting , Mitchell said U.S. President Barack Obama is seeking a prompt resumption of the stalled Mideast peace talks and played down tensions that have arisen between the U.S. and Israel in recent days -- particularly over Israel 's recent settlement expansion . `` Israelis and Palestinians have a responsibility to meet their obligations under the road map , '' Mitchell said . `` And we all share an obligation to create the conditions for the prompt resumption and early conclusion of negotiations . '' The 2003 road map is a peace plan that calls for an independent Palestinian state with a secure border with Israel , and the implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who took office in March , has stated his opposition to an independent Palestinian state , and his opposition has cast doubt on the future of the stalled Israel-Palestinian peace process . Peres was elected president during the term of Netanyahu 's predecessor , Prime Minister Ehud Olmert , who supported a two-state solution to achieve peace . Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts as foreign minister to secure peace , along with Israeli President Yitzak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat . But in his discussions with Mitchell , the 85-year-old president stood firm on Israel 's current settlement policy , despite the road map 's provision for Israel to halt building settlements in occupied territories . `` There is agreement in Israel regarding the evacuation of illegal outposts and not to build new settlements , '' Peres told Mitchell . `` However , the issue of natural growth in the settlement blocs must continue to be discussed intensively in order to reach agreement . '' In recent days , the Obama administration has repeatedly called on Israel to stop construction of settlements . In a speech to the Muslim world Thursday in Egypt , Obama said his country `` does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements . '' So far , Netanyahu has refused U.S. calls to stop them , and said he will deliver a major speech Sunday in which he will lay out his plan for the country 's peace and security . `` Let me be clear . These are not disagreements among adversaries , '' said Mitchell , who was dispatched to the region to try and kick-start the negotiating process . `` The United States and Israel are and will remain close allies and friends . '' Peres , too , tried to calm the diplomatic waters . `` I think -LRB- Obama 's -RRB- address was extremely sensitive , touching , concerning all sides without trying to play one against the other , paying compliments when it was justified , criticizing when it was necessary in the most honest way , '' he said after last week 's speech . Watch a review of Obama 's visit to the Mideast , Europe '' He told Mitchell that the Obama administration 's focus on `` a single issue ill-serves the wider diplomatic process which is supposed to set the agenda for Israel and its neighbors . '' Mitchell also met Tuesday with Israel 's Defense Minister Ehud Barak , and is expected to meet with Netanyahu , Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman , and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas . Meanwhile , the State Department announced that Mitchell will spend two days in Syria this weekend as part of the Obama administration 's vision for comprehensive peace in the region . Before heading to Damascus , Mitchell plans to visit Ramallah , the seat of the Palestinian Authority , and Lebanon , State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters in Washington . `` This is a very high priority , '' Kelly said . U.S.-Syrian ties have been strained in recent years over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict , the war in Iraq and the ongoing political struggle between pro- and anti-Syrian factions in Lebanon . The United States has not had an ambassador in Damascus since 2005 . CNN 's Elise Labott contributed to this report . | Israeli President Shimon Peres says this is an `` opportunity to make peace '' Peres meets with U.S. envoy George Mitchell , who urges resumption of peace talks . Israeli prime minister to give major speech Sunday on his plan for peace , security . NEW : Mitchell will travel to Syria this weekend , State Department announces . | [[454, 502], [673, 689], [692, 824], [2729, 2738], [2781, 2897], [3933, 3942], [3945, 4117]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Second seed Andy Roddick is forced to retire with an ankle injury during the first set of his Queen 's Club semifinal against fellow-American James Blake , meaning he misses out on a final showdown against British top seed Andy Murray . Andy Roddick feels his ankle injury before retiring from his semifinal against fellow-American James Blake . Roddick , who was bidding for a record fifth title at the London grass-court tournament , injured his right ankle when he slipped at the back of the court in the fourth game of the first set . He eventually called for treatment three games later and resumed only after having his ankle and foot heavily bandaged . However , Roddick was clearly still in some discomfort as he served in the next game and decided to take the safety-first option with Wimbledon starting in just nine days . `` I 'm going to do everything I can to play at Wimbledon , '' Roddick told Press Association Sport . `` We 're scheduled to get it looked at again on Monday and do some scans on it , then we 'll see where we 're at . `` Initial tests have shown the stability and strength is OK . We 're looking at days , not weeks . My trainer and doctors do n't think anything is torn . '' Blake , beaten in the 2006 Queen 's final by Lleyton Hewitt , admitted he did not take much pleasure from this victory . Speaking after the match , Blake said : `` It was unfortunate but Andy is such a great player and he does n't want to endanger the injury anymore . He normally moves so well and you could tell this was n't the same Andy Roddick . '' Meanwhile , Murray swept into his first-ever Queen 's final with a ruthless 6-2 6-4 win over unseeded Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero . Murray is bidding to become the first Briton to win the pre-Wimbledon warm-up event since Bunny Austin in 1938 . The world number three has not dropped a set in four matches and , in reaching his fifth ATP Tour final this year , he also becomes the first British finalist here since Tim Henman in 2002 . `` I felt it was a good match . I started well but the second set was very close , '' Murray said in a courtside interview after the match . `` I 'm obviously happy to win in two sets . I was very happy with the way I played all round . `` I did n't have the easiest draw so it 's been a good week all around and hopefully I can finish it off on Sunday , '' added the Scot . In the other men 's grass-court tournament being played , second seed Novak Djokovic is through to the final in Halle after a 7-6 6-4 victory over Belgian Olivier Rochus . The Serb will now face unseeded German Tommy Haas , who defeated compatriot Philipp Kohlschreiber 2-6 7-6 7-6 in an epic encounter . Meanwhile , in women 's action , Maria Sharapova crashed out in the semifinals of the Birmingham grass-court event , beaten in straight sets by China 's Li Na . Russian Sharapova had been bidding for a third victory in the tournament , after winning in both 2004 and 2005 , but went out 6-4 6-4 in a match lasting 90 minutes . Fourth seed Li , the highest-ranked player left in the competition , will face Magdalena Rybarikova in the final , after the 13th-seeded Slovakian beat Indian Sania Mirza 3-6 6-0 6-3 . | Andy Roddick forced to retire from his Queen 's Club semifinal with ankle injury . The injury means fellow-American James Blake will face Andy Murray in final . Murray secures his place with a straight sets victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero . | [[0, 15], [31, 172], [256, 364], [275, 284], [292, 364], [1582, 1591], [1594, 1714]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman who survived last week 's Spanair airline crash in Madrid left the hospital Tuesday , saying she was `` born again '' by the disaster . Beatriz Reyes has been released from hospital after surviving the plane crash which killed 154 people . Beatriz Reyes , 41 , has been credited with saving two of the three children who survived the crash which killed 154 people . She is the second survivor to be sent home , while 16 others remained hospitalized Tuesday . The first to leave the hospital was a 6-year-old boy , apparently one of the children Reyes helped in the moments after the Spanair MD-82 airliner crashed on takeoff from Madrid 's Bajaras airport Wednesday . `` I saw some kids and I got them out , '' Reyes said . `` I think anyone would have done it . '' All 18 who survived were seated in the front section of the plane , the only part not to catch fire . Reyes was in seat 5-D . She said she remained conscious throughout the crash . `` I felt a strong blow and then my stomach went up and down , '' she said . `` That 's when I knew there was an accident . '' She said it was ironic that she was treated in the maternity ward at Hospital Infanta Sofia in the Madrid suburb of San Sebastian de los Reyes . `` On the 20th of August , I have been born again , '' she said . She was returning home from a vacation in Germany when she boarded the flight to the city of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands . Reyes said she will continue to fly , a necessity for her job as a bank executive in the Canary Islands . Going home to the Canary Islands , she said , will be hard since the bodies of many of the dead will be arriving there with her . Initially , there were indications an engine might have caught fire as the plane was taking off , but a source familiar with the investigation said that an airport video showed the plane lifting off , veering sharply right , and then dragging or skidding down the right side of the runway . There is a cloud of dust , the source said , followed by a fireball . The crash remains under investigation . CNN 's Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman contributed to this report . | Woman who survived Spanair crash in Madrid says she has been `` born again '' Beatriz Reyes , 41 , saved two of the three children who survived the crash . Reyes remained conscious throughout the crash which killed 154 people . | [[34, 41], [46, 99], [9, 30], [128, 177], [178, 191], [224, 281], [1286, 1310], [282, 295], [298, 300], [303, 358], [340, 358], [363, 407], [178, 191], [224, 281], [340, 358], [363, 407], [934, 988], [943, 988]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tami Farrell , who became Miss California USA last week when Donald Trump dumped Carrie Prejean , promises to avoid controversy during the five months of her reign . Tami Farrell became Miss California USA last week and is set to reign for five months . `` I 'm trying my best to kind of calm the waters , '' Farrell said in an interview Sunday at the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl . Prejean 's same-sex marriage comments , semi-nude photos and personal feud with state pageant officials contributed to a storm of controversy that brought unusual attention to the title Farrell now carries . `` I think that everything in life happens for a reason , and I 'm just blessed to have this opportunity , '' Farrell said . Farrell , 24 , said , `` it 's been a crazy few days '' since Wednesday , when she got the call that Prejean had been ousted . `` I keep stepping into controversy , but hopefully I can avoid it for a while , '' she said . She hopes the extra attention will help launch her show business career . `` A couple of my favorite music groups have called , because I sing , so maybe we could record something together , '' she said . Farrell did not name the groups . She is also a writer and has had meetings in recent days about a screenplay she 's written . `` All I can tell you is that it 's hilarious and that if -LRB- actor -RRB- Will Farrell or -LRB- director -RRB- Adam McCay could give me a call , things would be wonderful , '' she said . | Tami Farrell replaces Carrie Prejean for the next five months . Farrell says she hopes to avoid the controversy that plagued Prejean . `` I 'm just blessed to have this opportunity , '' Farrell says . Farrell hopes ascending to title will help launch her show business career . | [[210, 222], [255, 297], [0, 11], [105, 111], [142, 209], [944, 980], [653, 729], [712, 754], [757, 774], [997, 1070], [1007, 1070]] |
Jamison Green is an educator , adviser and advocate on transgender issues , and the author of `` Becoming a Visible Man '' -LRB- Vanderbilt University Press , 2004 -RRB- . Jamison Green transitioned from female to male just before his 40th birthday . Welcome , Chaz ! Before the word `` transsexual '' had been coined in English , an intrepid young person whose family belonged to the British nobility set out to transform herself from female to male . He received a medical school education , obtained hormones -- relatively new substances that were poorly understood at the time , and independently began living as a man in the early 1940s . Eventually , he found a plastic surgeon to help him , and his physical changes were complete by 1949 , but his family rejected him . The British tabloids hounded him . To escape publicity , he was forced to carve out a life for himself virtually alone . He became a Buddhist monk , and died in Tibet in 1962 at the age of 47 . His name was Michael Dillon , and he one of the Western world 's first transsexual people , that is , someone who changes sex and/or gender by medical means . His extensive writings were suppressed and destroyed by his family -- only fragments survive . By 1988 , when I began my transition -LRB- just before my 40th birthday -RRB- , there was scarcely more information about female-to-male transsexualism available than there was in 1949 . Even in the early 1990s , doctors told transsexual people that we should not socialize together , because people might notice there were things about us that were different from `` normal '' people . Many transsexual women were tall and some had broad shoulders , large hands and feet . Most transsexual men were on the short side , and had small hands and feet . It 's one thing if you mix in with other people where there is a lot of physical diversity , but if you congregate with others like you , you may risk discovery . To be discovered as a transsexual person was a horrible fate . And fitting in , being `` normal , '' was the goal of treatment , after all . I was convinced that having a `` sex change '' was going to be a very straightforward process . I would take the hormones , have some surgery , and then go home and mow my lawn . I expected life to just be ordinary , just the way it was supposed to be . There were a few surprises in store for me , though , not the least of which was that I learned that the fear and shame of being known or discovered to be a transsexual person was probably responsible for a tremendous amount of suffering . I learned that people like me hid themselves from the world , often were under-employed or unemployed , avoided seeing physicians when they were ill , and often expected that they would never have intimate partners . After I began transition , I met more and more transsexual men like myself , and I saw firsthand the fear and shame that limited their lives . These were kind , gentle , thoughtful , serious men , and they did not deserve to live in a state of fear and shame . I knew then that education about who we were , and what our lives were like , would be absolutely necessary to do two things : first to let people like me know we were not alone and we did n't have to be afraid ; and second to let other people know we existed , to make the world safe for us , for our difference and our uniqueness . Like a handful of other trans men in North America , Europe , England , and Japan , I began to do public education , to write about our experience , and to educate legislators and policy makers , helping them change the laws , hoping to ease the suffering of others like ourselves who would follow in our footsteps . And now Chaz Bono announces his transition through his publicist . O , brave new world ! The words are here , some protective laws have been passed , America has learned that it can no longer simply destroy what it does n't understand . Not that some people wo n't try , though . Chaz , here 's hoping your transition from female to male will be effortless , but experience tells me you 're liable to have -LRB- at least -RRB- a few surprises and inconveniences along the way . Here 's hoping you can maintain the privacy you want , and that you have the ability to experience your transition fully , that you are n't robbed of the experience by the demands of a public life . Your visibility can bring new understanding . Where others of us have run from the spotlight , and still others have been denied a voice by a disinterested public , you have the ear of the media , and you will not be ignored . But do n't be tempted to expose yourself when you 're not ready . Your life must be your own . For me , the goal of transition was not to become `` normal '' -- whatever that is -- but to become balanced as myself . It 's a life goal that non-trans people strive for , too , and we all have different paths to get there . My path worked for me ; I hope yours works for you . Good luck , brother ! The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jamison Green . | Jamison Green began his transition from female to male in 1988 . Chastity Bono is transitioning from female to male and will be known as Chaz . Green hopes Chastity Bono 's transition will be filled with less heartache than others ' Green says key to easing sex change process is education . | [[172, 250], [381, 452]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cristiano Ronaldo should be allowed to leave European champions Manchester United for Real Madrid if he wants , says FIFA president Sepp Blatter . Manchester United made a formal complaint to FIFA about Real Madrid 's interest in Ronaldo last month . Questioned about the protracted wrangle over the 23-year-old 's future , Blatter told Sky News that the practice of binding players to lengthy contracts amounts to `` modern slavery '' . Ronaldo himself later agreed with Blatter 's assessment of his transfer standoff with Manchester United . United have vowed not to sell their star winger to Real Madrid , but Ronaldo has spoken of his desire to join the Spanish champions -- although he is yet to submit a transfer request . He told Portuguese broadcaster TVI : `` You know what I said , what I want and what I would like . Let 's see , I agree completely with the president of FIFA . Now I have to wait and see , but I do not know where I will begin the season . '' Ronaldo also added that he will be sidelined for 10 or 12 weeks while he recovers from Monday 's surgery on his right ankle . The Portuguese winger 's future at Old Trafford has been the source of heated speculation , with Spanish giants Real making clear they want to sign him at any cost . United made a formal complaint to FIFA about Madrid 's interest last month , but football 's governing body said that no regulations had been broken . `` I 'm always in favor of protecting the player , and if the player wants to leave , let him leave , '' said Blatter . `` If the player wants to play somewhere else , then a solution should be found because if he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play then it 's not good for the player and for the club . '' Ronaldo , who hit 42 goals for United last season , has a contract until 2012 and Blatter believes the issue raises concerns about the way transfers and contracts are dealt with in the game . He said he was `` very in sympathy '' with Ronaldo over his current position . `` I think in football there 's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there , and putting them somewhere , '' he added . `` We are trying now to intervene in such cases . The reaction to the Bosman law is to make long-lasting contacts in order to keep the players and then if he wants to leave , then there is only one solution , he has to pay his contract . '' A United spokesperson told PA Sport : `` All our players -- like at other clubs -- enter into their contracts after an open and free negotiation . `` Most of whom do after taking advice from a FIFA-registered agent . Many do so on a number of occasions and enjoy long and successful stays at Old Trafford . '' UEFA have warned that players are becoming ever more powerful as a consequence of the Bosman ruling -- and played down Blatter 's suggestions they are slaves to clubs . Communications director William Gaillard , who also serves as special advisor to UEFA president Michel Platini , gave a different point of view and claimed salaries are `` spiralling out of control '' . `` It would be useful to remind people that slaves in all of the slavery systems never earned a wage , '' Gaillard told Sky Sports News . The Bosman ruling came into effect in 1995 , allowing players free transfers at the end of contracts , and those coming to the conclusion of their deals have become prey for other clubs . `` It seems that both clubs and players are trying to negotiate an exit before the player is free , '' said Gaillard . `` It is a consequence of the Bosman ruling -- there is nothing we can do about that . `` It is obvious that today players have a lot more power than they did 20 years ago , undoubtedly , and agents have a lot more power than they did 20 years ago . It is true that salaries are spiralling out of control . Many clubs have pointed that out . '' Blatter went on to dismiss the Premier League 's much-criticised ' 39th step ' proposals , insisting plans to play competitive matches overseas -- either in the league or domestic cups -- was doomed to fail . He said : `` The 39th game as presented will never happen . To my knowledge what they -LRB- the Premier League -RRB- want to do is perhaps to play some of the League Cup matches somewhere outside of England . That 's the last information I got . '' | Cristiano Ronaldo should be allowed to leave Manchester Utd says FIFA chief . Binding players to long deals amounts to `` modern slavery '' says Sepp Blatter . Ronaldo was later quoted as saying : `` I agree completely with FIFA president '' | [[9, 32], [36, 99], [360, 473], [1552, 1569], [474, 579], [877, 924]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Marcus Schrenker , the financial manager who officials say faked his own death in a plane crash after scamming his customers , has been found after an apparent suicide attempt , Florida and federal authorities said Tuesday . Marcus Schrenker was taken to a hospital after he was found in Quincy , Florida , on Tuesday , authorities said . The man was found in Quincy , Florida , with marks on his body consistent with a suicide attempt , said Lt. Jim Corder , a spokesman for the Gadsden County sheriff 's office . He was taken to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare , Porter said . U.S. Marshals Service spokesman Peter Swaim said late Tuesday the man has been identified as Schrenker . The service was leading the manhunt for Schrenker , who has been missing since Sunday . A Marshals Service source , who asked not to be named because the case is still under investigation , said federal agents found Schrenker inside a tent at a camp site with a cut on his wrist . He was airlifted to the hospital , the source said . The source would not say how marshals knew to look at the camp site . Schrenker was charged in Hamilton County , Indiana , on Tuesday with unlawful acts by a compensated adviser and unlawful transaction by an investment adviser . Authorities believe Schrenker defrauded investors through three companies he owns before attempting a bizarre and potentially deadly vanishing act . Schrenker took off alone Sunday night from Anderson , Indiana , in a Piper PA-46 en route to Destin , Florida . Over Alabama , he contacted air traffic controllers , saying the windshield had imploded and he was bleeding profusely , authorities said . Police suspect he then put the aircraft on autopilot and parachuted to the ground . The plane later crashed near the Blackwater River in East Milton , Florida , missing a group of homes by only 50 to 75 yards , said Sgt. Scott Haines of the Santa Rosa County , Florida , sheriff 's department . `` We do consider him dangerous , '' U.S. marshals Deputy John Beeman said Thursday . `` He has shown his disregard for life by letting this plane go unmanned until it crashed into the ground in Florida . '' Shortly before 2:30 a.m. Monday , hours after the crash , Schrenker showed up at a residence in Childersburg , Alabama , and said he had been in a canoeing accident , according to the U.S. Marshals Service . A resident gave him a ride into Childersburg , and police made contact with him , identifying him through his FAA pilot 's license , authorities said . Childersburg is about 35 miles south of Birmingham . Unaware of the crash , the officers took Schrenker to a hotel in nearby Harpersville . After hearing about the crash , they went back to the hotel , where they found that Schrenker had checked in under a fictitious name and was gone , possibly into a wooded area , police said . Officials now believe he fled Harpersville on a 2008 red Yamaha street bike he had stashed at a storage unit earlier , also using an assumed name . Investigators found the unit empty of the motorcycle and with some wet clothes left behind . When leasing the storage facility , Schrenker brought the motorcycle in a brown pickup with a trailer and told the leasing agent he would return for it Monday , according to the Marshals Service . Back in Florida , military aircraft from Whiting Field in Milton , Florida , were dispatched Sunday to intercept the plane after Schrenker reported the emergency . The pilots saw that the plane 's door was open , the cockpit was dark and witnessed the plane 's crash , according to the Santa Rosa County sheriff 's office . Watch what authorities believe happened '' Although Schrenker had said he was bleeding , no blood was found in the downed plane . Before authorities said Tuesday night that Schrenker was found , friends of Schrenker 's seemed as mystified as police , who were seeking him in several states . `` Why someone would jump out of a plane and leave it on autopilot with his training and his background is beyond me , '' Tom Britt said . `` There 's no reason for him to do it other than trying to stage something . '' Watch Schrenker perform airborne stunts '' Britt said he received an e-mail Monday night from someone who identified himself as Schrenker . The message said Schrenker had been reading accounts of his disappearance on CNN.com and other news outlets and was `` disturbed and wanted to set the record straight , '' Britt told CNN affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis . Britt said the message writer said that he would never abandon a plane and let it crash somewhere but that he `` panicked . '' The writer claimed he blacked out and was disoriented , Britt said . The e-mail also implied that Schrenker might commit suicide , Britt said . The message said , `` By the time you read this , I 'll be gone . '' On Monday , a judge in Indiana froze Schrenker 's assets at the request of investigators looking into his business dealings , said Jim Gavin , a spokesman for the Indiana secretary of state . The order also applies to Schrenker 's wife , who was seeking a divorce , and his three companies , Gavin said . Those companies -- Heritage Wealth Management , Heritage Insurance Services and Icon Wealth Management -- are `` the subjects of an active investigation by the Indiana Securities Division , '' Gavin said . Public documents list Schrenker as president of Heritage Wealth Management in Fishers , Indiana . Court papers contain allegations that Schrenker defrauded several investors . A search warrant related to the inquiry was served December 31 , Gavin said . CNN 's Ashley Fantz , Kathleen Johnston and Tristan Smith contributed to this report . | NEW : Authorities : Marcus Schrenker apparently attempted suicide , taken to hospital . NEW : Schrenker found in Florida two days after plane crash , authorities say . Police : Schrenker bailed out of plane before crash , fled on stashed motorcycle . Authorities file charges against Schrenker , accused of defrauding investors . | [[244, 336], [534, 581], [3755, 3817], [2863, 2938], [0, 15], [115, 143], [1267, 1340], [5446, 5523], [5484, 5523]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The company that produced the peanut butter linked to a nationwide salmonella outbreak said late Tuesday that it was voluntarily recalling all products made in its Blakely , Georgia , plant . Salmonella bacteria are transmitted to humans by eating contaminated foods . The Peanut Corporation of America , a peanut processing company , made the peanut butter sold by King Nut company . Health officials in Minnesota have said that salmonella they linked to an open container of King Nut peanut butter was the same strain of bacteria responsible for the apparently ongoing outbreak , which has infected at least 434 people in 43 states . However , the King Nut product is unlikely to be responsible for the entire outbreak , since it distributes its peanut butter only to food service companies in just seven states : Ohio , Minnesota , Michigan , North Dakota , Arizona , Idaho and New Hampshire . So , the Peanut Corporation of America said it was voluntarily recalling all peanut butter produced in its Blakely plant `` out of an abundance of caution . '' Some of it is distributed to another company . What you need to know about food poisoning '' `` We deeply regret that this has happened , '' company president Stewart Parnell said . Over the past few days , Food and Drug Administration inspectors visited the Blakely plant , where they took hundreds of samples for testing , Parnell said . The salmonella outbreak has been spreading across much of the country since September . Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium played a role in the deaths of an elderly person from southwestern Virginia and an adult from northern Virginia . The third death was a nursing home resident in her 70s in Minnesota . All three of the patients who died had underlying illnesses that could have contributed to their deaths , state officials said . The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , in a written statement , has called peanut butter `` a likely source '' of the infections . But it said that no association had been found with common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores . The first cases of salmonella were reported September 3 , but most occurred between October 1 and January 6 , the CDC said . About 18 percent of cases were hospitalized as a result of their illness , and patients have ranged from 2 months to 98 years of age . CDC spokeswoman Lola Russell said a preliminary analysis suggests peanut butter as a likely source of the outbreak . No cases connected to the outbreak have been reported in Montana , New Mexico , Louisiana , Mississippi , South Carolina , Florida or Alaska . Very young people , older people and those with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to severe side effects of salmonella infection , including death , health officials have said . CNN 's Miriam Falco contributed to this report . | The Peanut Corp. of America recalls all products made in Blakely , Georgia , plant . Peanut butter linked to salmonella outbreak has sickened 425 in 43 states . Three deaths possibly linked to the outbreak ; two in Virginia , one in Minnesota . | [[0, 15], [106, 170], [129, 210], [916, 918], [921, 1006], [960, 1036], [19, 30], [36, 105], [563, 600], [607, 654], [1504, 1658]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sports stars seem to have it all -- from seven-figure salaries to big endorsement deals . But lately , what some do n't have is a good reputation . The NBA 's Dwyane Wade started a foundation to help inspire kids in at-risk situations . With the steroids controversy in baseball and drug allegations against the world 's greatest swimmer , many adoring fans may wonder , `` Where are the good guys in sports ? '' Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat is one of those good guys . He stays out of the controversy and insists that his fame should be used to help others . CNN 's Nicole Lapin talked to the NBA star about the foundation he started and his partnership with National Recess Week . The following is an edited transcript of the interview . Nicole Lapin : It feels like you 're getting paid for recess now . You 're 27 years old . Do you look at your paycheck sometimes and are like , `` I get paid for this ? Watch more of Nicole Lapin 's interview with Dwyane Wade '' Dwyane Wade : First of all , to do something that you love , and to get compensated for something that you love at a very , very great rate , is unbelievable . And it 's something that a lot of kids dream of . They 've just got to have somebody who believes in them . And that 's something I 'm trying to do with being the spokesman for this Recess Week . Y' all need to get back out there . We need to get back out there with the kids and help them believe in themselves . Lapin : Some people see you as the role model . Who was your role model growing up ? Wade : You know , I had different role models growing up . Of course , I 'm from Chicago , so when it comes to sports and when it comes to basketball , Michael Jordan . No question about it . But , you know , on a personal level , I always looked at people that were close to me that were doing things . My sister was always a role model to me , just because of the way that she always helped kids . And even though we did n't have much , she always helped the ones that were less fortunate than us . And it 's something that just stuck with me . And it 's something that I 'm trying to do now . Lapin : So , as a role model , to take little kids wearing your jerseys and playing video games of you , do you take that seriously ? Wade : It 's still , you know , crazy to me when I see people wearing my jersey . I mean , just on a regular day . Not a game day . Just on a regular day walking down the street , see somebody with your name on their back . It 's like , wow . Or when you see yourself on video games . All that to me is still , you know , mind-blowing . And the main thing , the only thing you can do is try to go out and talk to kids . You try and tell them the importance of being you . You try and tell them the importance of being a certain way . You try and give them the message that a lot of people gave you . Lapin : In 2003 , you started Wade 's World to help those kids , to talk to those kids . Because you were never talked to when you were growing up . Wade : Yes , yes . I never was . It may have helped me out ; helped my drive out . But unfortunately , I 've never had anyone come to the community I grew up in and give out that helping hand . And to give us hope , in our community , that we can do something special . I always heard that we could n't or you know , it 's one in a million or something like that . Well , our job and my job at the Wade 's World foundation is to go out and let these kids know that we believe in them . And there 's more than what you see out your front window or your front door that 's in life . And you can do anything you want . Lapin : You said on your bio that you want to leave the world a better place . You think you 've done that ? Wade : I think I 've got a lot more `` doing '' to do . Lapin : What do you want to do ? Wade : I think the main thing you think of is to know you can change the whole world , but you can touch many people on the way . And my main thing is like , when I go out and talk to kids or I do different events through my foundation , I just want to change one person 's thought in that room . They had a negative thought or belief coming in , I want to make them believe . And if I can change one kid 's mind , he can change someone else 's mind , and it can be a chain effect that can continue to keep going . | Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade started foundation to help at-risk kids . Wade is national spokesperson for National Recess Week . NBA star says sense of community and sportsmanship are pivotal for kids . Says he wants to leave the world a better place . | [[167, 255], [1261, 1344]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy has checked into an unnamed medical facility for help with his recovery from substance abuse , the Rhode Island Democrat said in a statement Friday . `` I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine , '' Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy says in a statement . In May 2006 , Kennedy , the son of Sen. Edward Kennedy , was admitted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester , Minnesota , a day after slamming his car into a security barricade on Capitol Hill . At the time , Kennedy said he had been suffering from addictions and depression since he was a young man . `` I have always said that recovery is a life-long process and that I will do whatever it takes to preserve my health , '' Kennedy , 41 , wrote in Friday 's release . `` In consultation with my doctors , I have decided to temporarily step away from my normal routine to ensure that I am being as vigilant as possible in my recovery . I hope that in some small way my decision to be proactive and public in my efforts to remain healthy can help remove the stigma that has served as a barrier for many Americans reluctant to get the help they need . '' A Democratic aide declined to say what facility is providing treatment or how long Kennedy might be there . Kennedy left for treatment earlier this week , said a close associate who did n't want to be identified . Since the 2006 incident , the associate said , Kennedy often goes to the Mayo Clinic for one - or two-day stints without anyone knowing . This time , Kennedy and his aides realized the stay would be longer and more aggressive and decided to put out a statement . There was no `` culminating event '' this time , the associate said , and he did not think it was related to Edward Kennedy 's ongoing battle with brain cancer . `` He 's human , '' the source said of Patrick Kennedy . `` He has good days and bad days . This is a part of his effort to make sure there are more good days than bad days . '' CNN 's Dana Bash contributed to this report . | Congressman from Rhode Island seeks help against substance abuse . Rep. Patrick Kennedy , 41 , acknowledges long struggle with addiction , depression . `` I have always said that recovery is a life-long process , '' lawmaker says in statement . Son of Sen. Edward Kennedy sought help after 2006 auto accident . | [[515, 526], [529, 600], [542, 621], [154, 208], [277, 325], [625, 638], [644, 739], [625, 626], [632, 739]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mohsen Rezaie may have little chance of winning Friday 's presidential election in Iran , observers say , but they believe he 's running with a purpose : getting rid of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . Mohsen Rezaie could garner enough conservative votes to swing Iran 's election , experts say . `` He came there just to defeat Ahmadinejad . He did n't come to win , '' said Mehdi Khalaji , a senior fellow with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy . Hardliners disappointed with Ahmadinejad and reformers eager for new leadership are both glad Rezaie is running , Karim Sadjadpour wrote in a recent article for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , where he is an associate . `` Intimidating in appearance and lacking in popular appeal , reformists are happy to have Rezaie in the race , believing he can take some of the votes from Ahmadinejad in the first round , '' Sadjadpour wrote . Khalaji said the incumbent will lose votes at both ends of the political spectrum . Watch how the campaign is a watershed for Iran '' `` Look , everybody in this country wants Ahmadinejad out , '' Khalaji said , `` except the Supreme Leader and his organizations . '' Rezaie , no ally of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei , was a founder of the Revolutionary Guard in 1979 and its leader from 1981 to 1997 , a period that included the devastating eight-year war with Iraq . `` Iranian people do n't like the military at all , '' Khalaji said . `` He 's considered a military man , despite his claims that ` I 'm a civilian . ' But his image is associated with war , and people do n't like it . '' Many people blame Rezaie for prolonging the war and failing to achieve victory , Khalaji said . In an interview this week in the Los Angeles Times , Rezaie said the conflict taught him `` that war is a terrible thing , that we should do everything to avoid war . '' `` Look at what happened to us , the chemical weapons attacks on Iranian cities and Halabja -LSB- in Iraq -RSB- , '' he told the newspaper . `` War is a terrible thing . I saw dead people and crushed children , families destroyed and fleeing from their homes , here in Iran but also there in Iraq . `` I also learned the value of unity , '' he went on . `` The war created a fusion between the population and the state . Everybody was together and everybody was united . I learned the value of self-sacrifice and martyrdom . '' Rezaie has been linked to terrorism . The 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut , Lebanon , by Revolutionary Guard client Hezbollah occurred under his watch . The blast killed 241 Americans . Rezaie is one of several people indicted in Argentina for the 1994 bombing of Jewish and Israeli sites in Buenos Aires . He has denied responsibility for those attacks . In the Los Angeles Times interview , Rezaie said he sees an opportunity for improving relations with the United States . `` I propose to put together a package of eight or nine topics that the U.S. and Iran would work toward , '' he told the paper . `` What is important is to just start the talks . It can be on drug trafficking , it can be anything , but the idea is just to start some kind of dialogue . If we solve one or two problems , we 're on our way . '' Watch how the campaign has heated up at the end '' Rezaie is a member of Iran 's Expediency Discernment Council , a `` council of elders '' from many parts of government and society whose job is to reconcile the needs of the state with the rulings of the Council of Guardians , the arbiter of Islamic law in Iran . Rezaie was raised in a poor family in southern Iran and founded the Manssouroun , a paramilitary force that resisted the reign of the Shah , Khalaji said . That experience led directly to his role in founding the Revolutionary Guard , a force created by revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei to protect against coup attempts by army officers who remained loyal to the Shah . The Revolutionary Guard eventually came to dominate the military . In 1998 , Rezaie 's son Ahmad fled Iran and sought political asylum in the United States , but eventually was persuaded to return home and now is a wealthy businessman , Khalaji said . | Presidential candidate Mohsen Rezaie led Revolutionary Guard for 18 years . His only goal in campaign is to undermine incumbent , Iran expert says . Rezaie led Revolutionary Guard during war with Iraq , Beirut bombing . He tells newspaper he would seek to improve relations with United States . | [[129, 133], [161, 170], [173, 209], [308, 350], [2006, 2008], [2012, 2032], [2795, 2829], [2832, 2915], [3022, 3044]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Perhaps he should be called Captain Phoenix ? Captain America will return in a new comic book series July 1 . Its title : `` Captain America Reborn . '' Rising from the dead after being killed off over two years ago , Captain America is being resurrected by Marvel Comics . Though the circumstances of his return are being closely shielded , the star-spangled superhero returns July 1 in a five-comic-book series , `` Captain America Reborn . '' A big-budget movie in development by Marvel is also expected in 2011 . After close to 60 years in print , Marvel Comics killed off Steve Rogers , aka Captain America , in 2007 , one of its most famous and beloved superheroes , amid a controversial story line . He fought and triumphed over Hitler , Tojo , international Communism and a host of super-villains , but a sniper 's bullet cut Captain America down in 2007 , a move that shocked many of his fans . `` The reaction was amazing , '' says Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort . `` It certainly was like the world went crazy for three days . Everybody had a point of view about it , including fans who had n't read the comic for 30 years . '' In the comic series , Rogers was to stand trial for defying a superhero registration law passed after a hero 's tragic mistake causes a 9/11-like event . Marvel said the comic story line was intentionally written as an allegory to current real-life issues like the Patriot Act , the war on terror and September 11 . Rogers eventually surrenders to police . He is later mortally wounded as he climbs the courthouse steps . It was a violent and strange end for an American hero and icon . The primary shooter , Crossbones -- working under the orders of Captain America 's longtime nemesis , the Red Skull -- was caught . The identity of a second shooter is revealed in issue 600 , which goes on sale Monday . Many felt Captain America 's death in 2007 was symbolic of the time . And his return now ? `` The tenor of the world now is when we 're at a point where we want to believe in heroes . Someone who can lead the way , '' said Brevoort . `` It just feels like the right time . '' Captain America first appeared in 1941 , just as the United States entered World War II . He was a symbol of American strength and resolve in fighting the Axis powers . As originally conceived by creators Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , Rogers was born before the Great Depression in a very different America . He disappeared after the war and only reappeared recently in the Marvel timeline . Keeping superheroes dead and buried does not come easy . Even Superman , who was killed off by DC Comics in 1993 , came back to life a year later . And what of Captain America 's sidekick , Bucky Barnes ? After taking up the shield and mission of Captain America for the past year , it 'll be time to relinquish the mantle . Is there room for two sentinels of liberty ? Stay tuned . Glenn Perreia contributed to this report . | Captain America being resurrected ; superhero was killed off over two years ago . Recent issues of Marvel comics shed light on plot behind superhero 's death . `` It just feels like the right time , '' says Marvel Comics editor . | [[181, 243], [246, 301], [545, 577], [580, 617], [642, 649], [962, 1008], [2117, 2152]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An era in American broadcast television will end Friday as the nation finishes its delayed transition to digital TV . Without a converter box , satellite service or cable hook-up , analog TVs will deliver only static now . By 12:01 a.m. Saturday , broadcasters must have shut down their outdated analog transmitters , leaving static to watch for those who are not ready . Stations all over the country will be making the historic switch all day Friday , Federal Communications Commission officials said . American TV viewers were given four extra months to get ready for the switch , when Congress voted early this year to delay the digital TV transition . At that time , an estimated 6.5 million homes -- including many elderly , poor and disabled Americans -- were n't prepared for a February 17 switch to digital , supporters argued . `` In any change this big , there are going to be disruptions , '' said Michael Copps , the Federal Communications Commission acting chairman . `` We are trying our best to provide people , especially those who are most at-risk , with the help they need to make the switch as smoothly as possible . And we 're going to keep offering it after June 12 , so people should call us at 1-888-CALL-FCC . '' People who pay for cable or satellite TV service are unaffected by the change . Republicans opposed the delay , saying the government had given people years to prepare . The end of analog television frees up that part of the broadcast spectrum for other uses . The federal government raked in $ 20 billion in auctions by selling licenses for the frequencies vacated by local television stations for other commercial uses . Some of the frequencies also have been reserved for emergency agencies to use for communications . Stations have been broadcasting in digital and analog for the past several years , but the switch puts an end to the transition and a form of broadcasting that 's existed since the first regularly scheduled television service began in the United States in 1928 . | By 12:01 a.m. Saturday , broadcasters must have shut down outdated transmitters . Congress voted early this year to delay the digital TV transition by four months . Have n't converted yet ? Call 1-888-CALL-FCC for help . End of analog frees up that part of the broadcast spectrum for other uses . | [[242, 334], [524, 600], [608, 675], [1209, 1253], [1427, 1517]] |
UNITED NATIONS -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rift between Russia and Western powers over Georgia burst back into full view on the U.N. Security Council when Russia vetoed a resolution that would have extended the U.N. observer mission in Georgia . The observer force had been in existence since 1993 , but Russia claims that the mission was invalidated by last year 's conflict over breakaway regions in Georgia . `` The U.N. mission 's previous mandate has actually ceased to exist in the wake of Georgia 's aggression against South Ossetia last August , '' said Vitaly Churkin , Russia 's U.N. ambassador , who said it was `` unacceptable '' to extend the mission . After the veto Monday night , a statement from the office of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the U.N. would `` take all measures required to cease the operations of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia effective 16 June . '' Ban `` will consult with his senior advisors and his special representative on the immediate next steps , '' the statement said . Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war last August over the breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- the first time Russia sent troops abroad in anger since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 . Both sides blame the other for starting the conflict . Western powers , including the United States , the United Kingdom and France backed the Georgian government in a conflict that rekindled Cold War sentiments . The European Union launched a probe to determine how the war began that is due to be completed by the end of next month . The crux of the controversy remains Georgia 's territorial integrity . As a result of last year 's war , Russia now considers South Ossetia and Abkhazia sovereign nations independent from Georgia . Russia has no international support for that position aside from the nation of Nicaragua . The Georgian ambassador to the United Nations , Kakha Lomaia , addressed the Security Council following the vote , saying his nation deeply regrets the apparent end of the mission . He called Russia 's position `` unconstructive . '' The statement from Ban 's office added , `` the Secretary-General regrets that the Security Council has been unable to reach agreement on the basis of a package of practical and realistic proposals he submitted to the Security Council aimed at contributing to a stabilization of the situation on the ground . '' | Russia : `` The U.N. mission 's previous mandate has actually ceased to exist '' Russia considers South Ossetia and Abkhazia independent nations from Georgia . Only Nicaragua supports that position . | [[407, 546], [1694, 1786], [1787, 1877]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sri Lanka 's quarter-century-long civil war is in its final phase , the government suggested Friday , as its troops pounded Tamil Tiger rebels in the country 's north . This picture , released by the Sri Lankan defense ministry , is said to be of a dead Tamil Tiger body captured after fighting on May 14 , 2009 . The rebels -- formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -LRB- LTTE -RRB- -- have fought for an independent state in Sri Lanka since 1983 . As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war began . President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the end of the current military push , which is often referred to as a civilian rescue mission , is less than 48 hours away . He spoke from Jordan on Friday , where he 's attending an economic summit . `` The Tamil civilians held hostage by the LTTE in small area of land in the north would be rescued , and the Tamils would be saved from the threat of LTTE terrorism , '' Rajapaksa said . In a rapid military push , Sri Lankan forces have squeezed Tamil Tiger fighters into approximately 1.5 square miles -LRB- four square kilometers -RRB- of coastal land . The United Nations estimates that more than 50,000 civilians are trapped there . CNN 's Paula Newton reports on the plight of trapped civilians '' The chunk of land , known as the no-fire zone or civilian safety area , was under siege by government forces Friday , according to Tamilnet.com , a rebel Web site . `` The entire safety zone area is in smoke ... as shelling by the Sri Lanka army was destroying all the structures within a narrow strip of coastal land , which is densely populated with tens of thousands of people , '' Tamilnet said . Humanitarian aid groups have reported mass civilian casualties in the fighting . `` The government is moving forward in extremely difficult circumstances . After all , the ... Tamil Tigers are seeded amidst the middle of all these civilians . It 's very difficult to weed out and identify who is a fighter and who is not , '' said Gordon Weiss , a U.N. spokesman . `` It makes it very very dangerous for civilians , and it explains the very large toll on civilian life that we 've seen at this point . '' Weiss called the fighting a `` bloodbath '' at the beginning of the week . The situation had worsened by Friday , the International Committee of the Red Cross said . It suspended evacuation and medical rescue operations in the no-fire zone . Aid agencies had been stuck offshore , unable to deliver badly needed relief supplies and evacuate civilians . `` Our staff are witnessing an unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe , '' said Pierre Krahenbuhl , the Red Cross ' director of operations . `` No humanitarian organization can help them in the current circumstances . People are left to their own devices . '' The U.N. Security Council and U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday called for both sides to protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid into the conflict zone . Watch frustration build at the United Nations '' In a statement at the White House , Obama urged Sri Lankan government troops to halt the `` indiscriminate '' shelling of civilians trapped with the remnants of the country 's Tamil Tigers . He also prodded the rebels to stop using civilians as human shields . Security Council members issued a statement demanding `` that all parties respect their obligations under international humanitarian law . '' A Red Cross worker was killed Wednesday during shelling in the conflict zone in Sri Lanka -- the third aid worker killed in six weeks -- the Red Cross said . | Sri Lanka president says end of current military push less than 48 hours away . U.N. estimates more than 50,000 civilians trapped in area under siege . Red Cross : `` Staff are witnessing an unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe '' Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent state in Sri Lanka since 1983 . | [[555, 624], [555, 564], [685, 713], [1147, 1227], [1181, 1227], [2553, 2621], [333, 346], [365, 484]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For four days , an American sea captain and four Somali pirates rode the waves of the Indian Ocean in an enclosed lifeboat , far out of sight of most of the world . Capt. Richard Phillips , right , stands with U.S. Navy Cmdr. Frank Castellano after Phillips ' rescue Sunday . But for those four days , they were on the minds of people around the globe , from the captain 's hometown in Vermont , to the White House , to port cities and anywhere that families send their loved ones off to sea . `` I actually was more concerned for his family , '' said Adm. Rick Gurnon , head of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy , where Capt. Richard Phillips had trained . `` I was pretty sure he would be OK , '' Gurnon said of Phillips , adding , `` as a captain at sea , in a lifeboat , he was in an environment he was comfortable with even if he was sharing it with four armed Somali pirates . `` I was more worried for his family . They 've been going through hell since Wednesday . This is truly a joyous day for them . '' Watch Gurnon praise Phillips ' courage , professionalism '' The waiting ended Sunday with news that U.S. Navy snipers had shot and killed three of Phillips ' captors , with the fourth pirate in custody onboard the nearby USS Bainbridge , and that Phillips had been rescued uninjured . The expressions of relief and praise flowed . Watch how SEALs took down pirates '' `` I share the country 's admiration for the bravery of Capt. Phillips and his selfless concern for his crew , '' President Obama said . `` His courage is a model for all Americans . '' Phillips offered himself as a hostage after the pirates stormed the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama on Wednesday morning , according to Maersk Line Limited , which owns the ship . The pirates eventually left the Alabama with Phillips that day aboard the lifeboat , where they would stay for four days . In Phillips ' hometown of Underhill , Vermont , Maersk spokeswoman Alison McColl said Phillips ' wife , Andrea , had spoken to her husband by phone after his rescue . `` She was laughing while she was on the phone with him , '' McColl told reporters . `` She was saying his trademark sense of humor was still very much intact , and he 's in great spirits . If you guys could have seen her light up when she talked to him , it was really remarkable . '' McColl said Andrea Phillips and her family `` have felt a tremendous amount of support from the entire nation . '' Watch statement from Andrea Phillips '' `` The thoughts , the prayers , the sentiments , the support you 've shown has really helped them endure this very difficult situation , '' McColl said . Still speaking for the captain 's wife , McColl added : `` She believes she can feel it , and she believes that her husband felt it out there in the middle of the ocean . So thanks to the entire nation , the local community , the state of Vermont , for all your help there . '' Phillips was being praised for his apparent willingness to put his own life in jeopardy to secure the release of his crew and his ship . But Gurnon , who described the captain as `` the good shepherd who willingly exchanged his life for the lives of his flock , '' cautioned that the end of one hostage situation should not be taken as the end of the growing problem of piracy , especially with scores of other lives in peril from pirates who are holding ships and crews off the expansive Somali coast . `` While this is a great day for Massachusetts Maritime Academy and for all of our alumni and all mariners around the world , we still have more than 200 men and women held hostage in Somalia , '' Gurnon said . `` We should not let the spotlights , the TV cameras , the focus of the world be removed from that problem , '' he said . | Captain 's family had been `` going through hell , '' head of maritime academy says . Capt. Richard Phillips , rescued from pirates Sunday , had been trained at academy . `` I was pretty sure he would be OK , '' academy leader says . Wife talked to , laughed with Phillips on phone after rescue , spokeswoman says . | [[906, 941], [942, 992], [2351, 2393], [641, 677], [699, 713], [716, 718], [1898, 1933], [1936, 1943], [1946, 1999], [1984, 1999], [2002, 2064], [2091, 2120], [2301, 2318]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mir Hossein Moussavi , Iran 's former prime minister , has emerged as a serious contender to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , who was , for months , considered a shoo-in for re-election to the Iranian presidency . Presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi holds up the `` V '' sign after casting his vote on Friday . A painter and architect who withdrew from the political front for two decades , Moussavi has emerged with a platter of promises . He has said he wants to reform Iran into a global communicator that embraces freedom of speech . He 's also taken an usual step in politics in Iran by relying heavily on his wife , a college professor . Her public support of his candidacy has underscored his professed support of women 's rights . Largely an unknown to the rest of the world when he announced his bid in March , Moussavi has tried to be the foil to Ahmadinejad , who has earned a reputation internationally as a fundamentalist for his Holocaust denials , calls to annihilate Israel , and cat-and-mouse games with the United States and the United Nations over Iran 's nuclear activities . `` This anti-Ahmadinejad image is connecting with a lot of Iranians because many feel Ahmadinejad has gone too far , said too many outlandish things and is responsible for a serious financial crisis the country is in , '' said Afshin Molavi , a senior fellow at the New America Foundation , a nonprofit , nonpartisan public policy institute in Washington . Molavi is also the author of `` The Soul of Iran , '' a book about Iran 's middle-class struggling to free itself , under intense economic and cultural restraints , from the control of the state . Moussavi was Iran 's prime minister from 1981 to 1989 and oversaw the nation 's eight-year war with Iraq . He has been largely praised by analysts across varied political leanings for that . But when the constitution was reformed in the late 1980s , removing the job of prime minister , Moussavi retreated to a life outside the public sphere for two decades . `` Twenty years -- what has he done in that time ? No one really knows , '' said Shireen Hunter , a Georgetown University visiting professor and Iranian author of numerous books on the nation 's political history who interviewed Moussavi just as he was officially exiting politics . `` What you have is a war and a history that the younger Iranians do not know about or remember , so they know less about him and see him as the reformer he says that he is , '' Hunter said . She spoke with Moussavi for her 1992 book `` Iran and the World . '' `` I quoted Moussavi as saying that Iran did not suffer as much from the Soviet Union as it did from America , '' Hunter said . `` He was very anti-Western . He presided over a lot of nationalism -LSB- during his time as prime minister , -RSB- and now he is saying that he is a reformer ? I do n't believe in born-again Democrats . I 'm skeptical . '' It 's an image or impression the people are being moved by , she and Molavi contend , that may not be based on hard evidence . `` There were still freedoms that were stifled under Moussavi , '' Molavi said . '' -LSB- But -RSB- what Iranians seem to remember , what is lingering , is that he steered the country relatively well in a time of crisis during the war . '' Now Moussavi has seized on Iran 's most pressing problem : its economy . `` There 's a sort of overwhelming support now for an opening up of the country to the international community and some access to the free-market economy because , frankly , Iran 's own economy is on the verge of utter collapse , '' said Reza Aslan , an analyst for DailyBeast.com and author of the book `` No God But God , '' an analysis of Islam in politics and culture . Last week , tensions between the candidates reached a fever pitch . During a recent fiery television debate , Moussavi accused Ahmadinejad of being a radical and turning Iran into a `` dictatorship . '' He said Ahmadinejad was an `` adventurist '' when it came to foreign policy . The acrimony between the candidates has appeared to help Moussavi . During a June 3 television debate , Ahmadinejad called Moussavi `` corrupt . '' The president then showed a picture of Moussavi 's wife , a well-known political science professor , and accused her of skipping university entrance exams . Zahra Rahnavard , who has been touted as a possible first `` first lady '' of Iran , has threatened to sue Ahmadinejad for defamation , according to several reports . The heated tone of the election has translated to the streets . Watch Moussavi 's supporters explain why they 're backing him '' This week , crowds divided between the candidates are facing off on opposite sides of the street in Tehran . A few fistfights have broken out , but there has been relatively little violence . Signs aloft , some are wearing green headbands and chanting `` Moussavi , Moussavi ! '' That crowd has more women , and it 's markedly younger . One young woman on the side of Moussavi said , `` This is like a revolution . '' CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour contributed to this report . | Mir Hossein Moussavi , Iran 's ex-PM , has n't worked officially in politics in 20 years . Analysts : He is wooing support by portraying himself as the `` anti-Ahmadinejad ' Moussavi says he 's a reformer , believes in more freedoms and an open Iran . Author who has interviewed him says she is skeptical that he truly feels that way . | [[326, 349], [354, 403], [1665, 1718], [833, 883], [2449, 2461], [2465, 2480], [2901, 2917]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his main political rival attended demonstrations at separate locations in Tehran on Tuesday in the wake of last week 's disputed presidential election . Al-Alam footage shows Ahmadinejad supporters rallying Tuesday in central Tehran . While pro-Ahmadinejad crowds descended on Vali Asr Square in central Tehran , Mir Hossein Moussavi urged his own supporters to cancel their plans to rally at the square after mass protests a day earlier in which seven people were reportedly killed . Instead , his supporters gathered at a different location in Tehran , according to video footage of the rally . Iran 's government banned international journalists from covering election rallies Tuesday and blocked access to some online communication tools . -LRB- Full story -RRB- . Reporters for international news outlets , including CNN , could talk about the rallies in their live reports but were not allowed to leave their hotel rooms and offices . The decision was an apparent reaction to video showing violence at recent demonstrations in support of Moussavi , who is disputing the results of Friday 's presidential election . Watch government coverage of a pro-Ahmadinejad rally '' Iran 's government has criticized some of that coverage and the images , describing them as biased . Also Tuesday , Iran 's powerful Guardian Council announced a partial vote recount , an apparent U-turn after the country 's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed ultraconservative Ahmadinejad 's win . The Guardian Council met with the three opposition candidates -- Moussavi , Mehdi Karrubi and Mohsen Rezaie -- and asked them to specify the areas where they wanted a recount , a council spokesman told the official Islamic Republic News Agency . Watch how the decision may not satisfy the opposition '' Moussavi rejected the recount , according to an official close to his camp , demanding fresh elections and accusing the country 's religious elite of trying to further manipulate the outcome of the original vote . An official close to the opposition leader 's camp , speaking on condition of anonymity , said a recount would provide another opportunity for the government to manipulate the results . He said the council ordered the printing of 53 million ballots for the elections , but only 39 million were used . Fourteen million ballots were missing . Khamenei appealed to Iranians on Tuesday to stand behind the Islamic republic . `` Some people are against the unity of the Iranian nation and the solidarity of the Islamic system , '' Khamenei said in a meeting with representatives of the four presidential candidates , government-funded Press TV reported . `` Such acts and vandalism and some crimes that were committed are not related to the candidates ' supporters but to disturbers of peace and all should stand against them , '' Khamenei said . A former Iranian parliamentary speaker , addressing Tuesday 's pro-Ahmadinejad rally , called on Moussavi to accept defeat . Gholam Ali Haddad Adel urged Moussavi to `` take the leaders ' advice '' so that `` everyone will benefit '' `` I want to remind my brother Mr. Moussavi that we do know that the leadership of the revolution likes you and he has advised you if you have any complaints please refer to the Council of Guardians , '' Adel said . Iranian security forces arrested three reformist politicians Tuesday for their alleged involvement in orchestrating post-election violence , Press TV reported . Mohammed Ali Abtahi , an adviser to presidential candidate and former parliament speaker Mehdi Karrubi , was one of the three detained . Abtahi was also Iran 's vice president under reformist President Mohammed Khatami . The other two were identified as Behzad Nabavi and Saeed Hajjarian . Ahmadinejad 's resounding election win surprised many experts who had expected Moussavi to win or put up a much stronger fight . Moussavi , a former prime minister thought of as a reformist , enjoys tremendous support among youth , who make up almost 60 percent of Iran 's population of 70 million . He tapped into their dissatisfaction with the faltering economy under Ahmadinejad and with an unemployment rate that tops 30 percent by some accounts , analysts said . Watch how cyberspace is used by opposition '' But Kaveh Afrasiabi , a political scientist who supports Ahmadinejad , said the incumbent 's widespread support in rural areas and small towns was the reason for his win with more than 62 percent of the vote . Since Moussavi contested the results , his supporters have taken to the streets every day , often clashing with police and Ahmadinejad 's backers . iReport.com : On the ground in Iran . Seven people were killed on Monday night in the capital , Tehran , after they allegedly attacked a military post near Azadi -- or Freedom -- Square , government-funded Press TV said . The site was the same one where Moussavi had earlier in the day appealed to his supporters , a crowd of at least 10,000 . Watch crowds call for change '' Moussavi 's presence was his first public appearance since the election . He called on authorities to stop attacks on his supporters and urged his followers to continue demonstrating peacefully . `` You are not breaking glass , '' he said . `` You are breaking tyranny . '' Watch Christiane Amanpour report from rally '' Ahmadinejad was in Russia on Tuesday to meet with President Dmitry Medvedev . He was welcomed as the `` newly re-elected president of Iran , '' with deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov telling reporters , `` The issue of elections in Iran is an internal affair of the Iranian people . '' Reaction from other world leaders to the disputed election has been , for the most part , guarded . In Washington , President Obama reiterated his `` deep concerns '' about the election during a White House Rose Garden appearance Tuesday with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak . `` When I see violence directed at peaceful protesters , when I see peaceful dissent being suppressed , wherever that takes place , it is of concern to me and of concern to the American people , '' he said . `` My hope is that the Iranian people will take the right steps in order for them to be able to express their voices , express their aspirations . '' He said the initial reaction from Iran 's supreme leader indicates that `` he understands the Iranian people have deep concerns about the election . '' `` People want to see debate , '' he said . `` How that plays out is something for the Iranian people to decide . '' Criticism of the Iranian election earned the representatives of several European nations -- France , Germany , the Netherlands , Britain , Italy and the Czech Republic -- a visit to Iran 's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday , where each received a notice of protest for interfering in Iran 's internal affairs , according to Press TV . The European Union had expressed concern over the use of force on protesters . CNN 's Octavia Nasr , Reza Sayah and Samson Desta contributed to this report . | NEW : Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei urges Iranians to stand behind republic . Thousands of Ahmadinejad supporters crowd streets of central Tehran . Supporters backing Mir Hossein Moussavi protest for fourth day elsewhere in city . Iran 's election authority to recount disputed votes in presidential election . | [[2435, 2514], [2435, 2443], [2476, 2514], [242, 323], [264, 323], [584, 641], [4561, 4650], [1382, 1448]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- Attention single ladies ! Comedian Steve Harvey , the best-selling author of `` Act Like a Lady , Think Like Man '' and a self-professed expert on manhood , is here to take you inside the male mind . Comedian Steve Harvey says real men like to provide and protect , but some also like to cheat . Whether you 're looking for Mr. Right or trying to forget Mr. Wrong , Steve is n't holding anything back . Many women have long lists that describe what they 're looking for in a man ... but are their standards simply too high ? Yinka and Lynell are two 30-something friends who have long lists . They 're here to ask Steve if they 'll ever find a man who meets all their requirements . Lynell says she 's looking for a God-fearing , spontaneous African-American millionaire with straight teeth and nice shoes who wants children ... among other things . `` That would be the Lord , '' Steve jokes . `` I 'll be trying to meet him the same time you do . '' If a woman is serious about her list , Steve says she should ask herself one question before turning down a date . `` Are you willing to be the same thing to him that you 're talking about on that list ? '' he says . `` A lot of women are not . '' In general , do women even need a list ? Steve says single ladies do need to set standards . `` I think lists are great . You 've got to have them . You 've got to know what you 're looking for , '' he says . `` Without standards , you settle for stuff . '' Before you get discouraged , Steve reminds women to stay patient and remember that real men are n't afraid of standards and requirements . `` You 've got to wait on this guy to come along . He 's coming . He 's out there . He 's already created . God has already made him , '' he says . `` He has a job . He 's wearing the clothes you like . He 's walking around . You 're not waiting on him to be born . He exists today . All you 've got to do is stay patient . '' Why do many successful , independent women have a hard time finding love ? There are millions of smart , beautiful women around the world who ca n't figure out why they 're unlucky in love , including a group of friends from New York . Steve is here to set them straight . Steve says many successful women dated good men but did n't know it at the time . `` You do n't know the DNA of a good man , '' he says . Even if you look like a million bucks -- and you have a few million in the bank -- Steve says a woman needs to know how a man shows his love . It 's all about the `` three P 's . '' Oprah.com : Can a list help you find love ? `` We profess , we provide and we protect , '' he says . `` A man has got to see where he fits into the providing and protecting role . If you 've got everything , you can do everything , you 've got your own car ... you 've got a guard dog and a handgun . The guy is thinking , ` Where do I fit in here ? ' `` You 've got to make a space for him to fit in so he can come in and do what men do . '' Steve does n't advise women to downplay their success or pack up their designer shoes . Instead , he says strong women have to walk a thin line . `` You ca n't let your independence and your ability to take care of yourself be the dominant factor of who you are , '' he says . `` You know how many times I hear women say : ' I do n't need a man . I 've got this . Why do n't a man just come to me ? ' Just like you 're saying it , you 're projecting it . If you 're projecting it , where does a man fit in there ? Just relax . '' Oprah.com : How to act like a lady , think like a man . After a few dates , some guys just stop returning calls and texts . Even if they are n't interested , do n't they want closure ? Steve has a simple answer to this question ... no . `` Ladies , you 're not going to get closure from a man , '' he says . `` We do n't do closure . And you know why ? Because we do n't even know you 're having an issue . We 're stupid . '' If you 're hoping for a courtesy call , Steve says you can forget about that too . `` We 're not courteous . Listen , it 's not in our DNA as great communicators anyway , '' he says . `` See women keep waiting on closure . Bring it on . If you want closure , close . Move on with your life . '' How important is sex in a relationship ? Sex , or `` the cookie '' as Steve calls it in his book , is a major point of contention for many couples . If you do n't think it 's important to your man , Steve says you 're wrong . `` It 's critical , '' he says . `` It 's one of the three things that a man has to have . A man has to have love , support and the cookie . -LSB- If -RSB- anyone of those three things is missing in the relationship , he 's going to go get it somewhere else . '' If a man is cheating or has the intention to cheat , why pursue commitment with one woman ? Michele found out her boyfriend of many years was cheating after he told her he was ready to settle down and get married . The male mind may be a mystery to women , but Steve says there 's a simple explanation for this behavior . `` A man having sex outside of his relationship is very different from -LSB- a woman -RSB- , '' he says . `` Once we shower and wash off , we cool . `` Please know that about a man . If he 's going to cheat , it has nothing to do with his emotional attachment to you or his feelings for you . '' Steve says cheaters make promises to their significant others because they know that 's what women want to hear . `` Michele , there 's nothing wrong with you . You have n't done anything , '' he says . `` Please release yourself . Let the baggage go . '' Sadly , many women have dated men who cheat ... and most of them do n't even know it . Steve says there are a few major reasons why men stray , though none of them excuse the behavior . The top 5 reasons : . • They can . • They think they can get away with it . • The man has n't become who he wants and needs to be or found who he truly wants to be with . • What 's happening at home is n't `` happening '' like it used to . • There 's always a woman out there willing to cheat with him . If you 're married to a mama 's boy , is there anything a wife can do to become the number one woman in his life ? Before Jill married her husband of 13 years , she says she knew he was a mama 's boy . Over the years , she 's grown tired of coming in second . Steve says the first mistake women like Jill make is thinking they can change their men . `` You think if you give him enough cookie , bake it just right , he 'll straighten up , '' he says . `` That 's not what happens with a mama 's boy . '' Men stay in this adolescent mind-set because their mothers set standards when they were boys and upheld those standards throughout their lives , Steve says . Wives must enter into their marriages with their own set of rules to stand a chance . Oprah.com : Get more of Steve 's love advice ! `` You have to start saying : ` Hey , look , you have to respect me . You have to be here to show your son how a man treats a woman . You have to be here to show your daughter how a man should treat her , ' '' he says . '' ` You ca n't do it if you 're playing me second to your mama . ' '' If that does n't work , Steve suggests appealing to the `` three Ps '' -- profess , provide and protect . `` If you do n't say to your man : ` Okay , look , next time she calls , do not leave us in the middle of the night . We 're unprotected , ' '' he says . `` Every man has it in his DNA to do these things when we love you . When you call on it and require it , we rise to the occasion . '' From The Oprah Winfrey Show © 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 . | Looking for a man ? Know what you want , Steve Harvey says . A man must feel he can provide and protect his woman , he says . Harvey 's Top 5 reasons men cheat includes other women who are willing . One of Harvey 's tips for curing a mama 's boy : Demand respect . | [[449, 454], [460, 505], [1016, 1091], [1374, 1418], [6738, 6750], [2644, 2721], [5686, 5740]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pirates off the eastern coast of Africa fired on U.S. sailors Saturday as they tried to reach the lifeboat where an American captain is being held , a U.S. official familiar with the situation told CNN . The guided missile frigate USS Halyburton , with helicopter capabilities , is now at the scene . The gunfire forced the sailors , who did not return fire , back to the guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge , the official said . Capt. Richard Phillips reportedly offered himself as a hostage to the pirates during an attack Wednesday on the U.S.-flagged container ship Maersk Alabama in the Indian Ocean . The Alabama was en route to Mombasa , Kenya , with a cargo of food aid when it was hijacked about 350 miles off the Somalia coast . The American crew regained control of the vessel , but the Maersk company would not say how . There are about 20 crew members . The Alabama arrived Saturday in Mombasa , along with an 18-person armed security detail on board . `` For security reasons , the vessel will berth in a restricted area of the port and will not be accessible to the media . FBI agents will debrief members of the crew on board the vessel before they disembark . The crew will not be available to the media in Mombasa , '' Maersk Ltd. said . Watch the latest Maersk briefing '' The U.S. Navy -- which is in charge of the situation -- requested help from the FBI to resolve the standoff . The FBI is launching a criminal investigation into the hijacking and hostage-taking , two law enforcement officials told CNN . The probe will be led by the FBI 's New York field office , which has responsibility for looking into cases involving U.S. citizens in the African region . Agents from the office were scheduled to leave for Africa sometime this weekend , the officials said . Phillips lives in Underhill , Vermont , where neighbor and longtime family friend , Tom Walsh , told CNN the captain 's wife , Andrea , was surrounded by relatives . `` If they need us to help with anything . That 's kind of the way it is in these communities . ... just showing that we 're concerned . We want to do whatever she needs , '' Walsh said . `` She has a lot of family there . '' Watch more about the hostage situation '' Earlier Saturday , pirates sailing a hijacked German cargo ship returned to port after failing to reach the area of the standoff with the Bainbridge , a local journalist told CNN . The German ship Hansa Stavanger was among several pirated vessels trying to sail to the area some 300 miles off the Somali coast , a Somali journalist told CNN . The pirate crew had intended to help the pirates holding Phillips but turned back because of the U.S. naval presence , the journalist said . The Hansa Stavanger is now at the Somali port of Eyl , the journalist said . The Hansa Stavanger was hijacked April 4 off the Somali coast . Pirates have been searching the waters off Africa 's coast for the Alabama 's lifeboat , a U.S. military official with knowledge of the situation said Friday . They are using hijacked vessels and skiffs launched from larger ships , the official said . The guided missile frigate USS Halyburton , with helicopter capabilities , has joined the Bainbridge in the area . A third ship , the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer -- with a medical facility aboard -- should be there by the end of the day . iReport.com : Share your thoughts on how the pirates are being handled . Phillips is being held by four gunmen in the covered , fiberglass lifeboat . He jumped overboard at one point to try to escape , but one of the pirates jumped into the water after him and brought him back onboard the 28-foot boat . The pirates fired shots , the military official said , without providing further details . Phillips appeared to be tied up by the pirates after the escape attempt , a Defense Department official told CNN . For the U.S. Navy , bringing in more firepower is more than just a means to resolve a hostage situation , said Chris Lawrence , CNN 's Pentagon correspondent . Attacks in the area have picked up so drastically in recent months that the Navy has to reposition some of its fleet to deal with the threats , he said . The pirates have shown no signs of giving in . Meanwhile , the acts of piracy were having an effect on tourists disembarking from ships in Mombasa . `` Well , we got the international news stories on television on the ship and everybody 's concerned about the route that we were on because there was always the possibility that we would be approached by pirates , '' one male passenger said . CNN 's Stephanie Elam , Mohammed Jamjoom and Barbara Starr contributed to this report . | NEW : Gunfire from pirates forces sailors , who did not return fire , to turn back . NEW : FBI launches criminal investigation into hijacking , hostage-taking . Maersk Alabama arrives in Mombasa , Kenya under armed guard . Capt. Richard Phillips is being held by four gunmen in covered , fiberglass lifeboat . | [[331, 430], [1436, 1519], [641, 684], [901, 940], [104, 176], [3451, 3505], [3492, 3503], [3506, 3527]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Accused terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay complained of abuse that they said led them to tell their CIA interrogators lies , according to sections of U.S. government transcripts made public on Monday . A detainee walks at Camp 4 detention facility at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , in May . Suspected al Qaeda figure Abu Zubaydah told a military tribunal in 2007 that he was physically and mentally tortured for months . `` They did not care about my injuries , '' said Zubaydah , according to the newly released transcripts , adding , `` doctors told me that I nearly died four times . '' When Zubaydah was captured in Pakistan and badly wounded during a shootout in March 2002 , U.S. intelligence officials considered him a major player in al Qaeda . He was treated for his injuries , then later subjected to waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques after CIA interrogators said he stopped cooperating with them . According to a Justice Department memo released in April 2009 by the Obama administration , Zubaydah was waterboarded at least 83 times by CIA interrogators in August 2002 . See timeline of events '' In the newly released section , Zubaydah said his interrogators discovered `` that I am not number three in al Qaeda . '' The transcripts were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union . The Obama administration reviewed the highly redacted portions of the transcripts that were released shortly after the Combatant Status Review Tribunals were held at Guantanamo Bay in the spring of 2007 . The sections made public on Monday still remain heavily blacked out . See key players in interrogation policy '' Khalid Sheik Mohammad , the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 9/11 attacks , told the military panel he made up stories when tortured . In broken English , Mohammad told of being questioned about the location of Osama bin Laden . `` Where is he ? I do n't know , '' said Mohammad . `` Then he tortures me . Then I said yes , he is in this area ... '' Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri , accused of plotting the attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 Americans in 2000 , said his interrogators `` drown me in water , '' apparently in reference to the times he was subjected to waterboarding . According to the transcripts , he claimed he was able to run 10 kilometers -LRB- 6.2 miles -RRB- before he was detained , `` now , I can not walk more than 10 minutes . '' ACLU Attorney Ben Wizner said in a statement that the documents `` provide further evidence of brutal torture and abuse in the CIA 's interrogation program and demonstrate beyond doubt that this information has been suppressed solely to avoid embarrassment and growing demands for accountability . '' Wizner said the ACLU will go back to court to seek the full release of all of the documents . CNN 's Carol Cratty , Mike Ahlers and Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report . | Sections of U.S. government transcripts on Guantanamo made public Monday . Released sections still remain heavily blacked out ; ACLU to seek full disclosure . Khalid Sheik Mohammad tells military panel he made up stories when tortured . Suspected al Qaeda figure waterboarded at least 83 times by CIA in August 2002 . | [[180, 231], [1610, 1644], [1610, 1679], [2777, 2870], [2789, 2797], [2820, 2870], [0, 26], [72, 152], [1723, 1744], [1800, 1858], [1045, 1126]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For more than a half-century Jerry and Marilyn Damman wondered what happened to their 2-year-old boy , who mysteriously vanished into thin air outside a Long Island bakery . Steven Damman and his sister disappeared from outside a bakery in 1955 . His sister was found safe . Now , 54 years later , a Michigan man claims he is the missing child whose name was Steven Damman . Within the last six months , the unidentified man contacted Nassau County , New York , police and said he had credible evidence that would link him to the case of the missing toddler , according to police Detective Lt. Kevin Smith . Nassau County police turned the case over to the FBI in Detroit . So far , authorities will not release the Michigan man 's identity and wo n't say why he believes he is Steven Damman . The FBI is conducting DNA testing , Smith said . Sandra Berchtold , spokeswoman for the FBI Detroit bureau , said only , `` The FBI investigates all leads in kidnapping cases , but can not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation in this matter . '' In 1955 , Marilyn Damman took her toddler , Steven , and his baby sister , Pamela , to a bakery in East Meadow . The mother went inside to do some quick shopping , leaving her 2-year-old and baby girl in the stroller outside . But when Damman returned , her children were gone . A short time later , blocks away , the baby girl was found unharmed and the stroller was intact , but Steven was missing , Smith said . Thousands of searchers looked for the toddler , but the boy was nowhere to be found . Hitting one dead end after the next , the Dammans packed up and moved from New York back to Iowa , Jerry Damman said . And until now , they thought there was little chance of ever seeing their son again . Jerry Damman , who lives on a farm in Iowa , told CNN , `` You never give up hope , -LSB- but -RSB- things dim after all those years . '' He said he is n't ready to comment on the latest developments for various reasons . Damman says authorities have contacted him , but he has not yet given DNA samples . A few years back , Steven Damman 's sister gave a DNA sample in connection with the 1957 Philadelphia case of a young boy 's body found in a box . In that case , all indications were it was not Steven Damman . | Unnamed Michigan man says he was toddler who went missing in 1955 . 2-year-old Steven Damman vanished from in front of a Long Island , New York , bakery . Toddler 's father : `` You never give up hope , -LSB- but -RSB- things dim after all those years '' The FBI is conducting DNA testing , says Nassau County police detective . | [[303, 306], [309, 323], [326, 371], [108, 128], [135, 201], [202, 274], [348, 402], [1843, 1893], [1871, 1921], [822, 855]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A new shoe outfitted with a GPS chip aims to offer peace of mind to Alzheimer 's patients and their caregivers . It 's common for people with Alzheimer 's or other types of dementia to wander from their homes . The embedded GPS tracking system will allow the wearer of the shoe to be located instantly online and for their whereabouts to be monitored in real time . The shoe may offer hope to the growing number of people with Alzheimer 's disease . More than 26 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer 's , and the figure is set to exceed 106 million by 2050 , according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health . `` This could not only save lives but potentially save governments billions in search and rescue operations , '' Andrew Carle , a professor at George Mason University who was an adviser for the project , told CNN . Patients of Alzheimer 's , the leading cause of dementia , can easily become confused or disoriented , and it 's common for them to wander from their home and not be able to find their way back . The shoe is the latest in a wave of assisted-living devices , from home sensor systems to pill boxes that remind people to take their medication , targeted at keeping Alzheimer 's patients safe . Kathi Cordsen , an iReporter from Fullerton , Calif. , whose aunt has Alzheimer 's , welcomed the development of the shoes . `` It 's really sad how this illness creeps up on a person out of the blue , '' she said . `` I think these shoes could help quite a few families to be able to keep -LSB- their loved ones home -RSB- instead of putting them in a home . '' What do you think about GPS-outfitted shoes ? Tell us in the SoundOff below . Carle , an expert in aging and assistive technologies , said businesses are honing in on ways technology can improve the quality of life for older adults . The market for microchip-based technology alone is worth an estimated $ 5 billion , he said . While tracking devices may help those with dementia live independently , they have also raised ethical concerns about informed consent and personal privacy , according to Gayle Willis of the Alzheimer 's Society in the UK . `` As long as people with dementia are involved in the decision-making progress , assisted living technologies can play an important role to help people live well with dementia , '' she told CNN . But , Willis noted , they can not be a substitute for good quality care and more research needs to be done to see what products work best for people . The shoe is a collaboration between GTX Corp. , a firm that specializes in miniaturized GPS tracking devices , and footwear company Aetrex . Details are still being worked out , but GTX Chief Executive Patrick Bertagna expects the shoe to retail for around $ 200 to $ 300 . For a monthly fee of about $ 20 , caregivers will also have the option to subscribe to a GTX service that automatically alerts them when the wearer of the shoe leaves a designated boundary . Sixty percent of Alzheimer 's patients will get lost at least once , said Carle . Because they often will not seek help or respond to assistance , nearly half of them risk death if not found within 24 hours , he said . Electronic wristbands and ankle bracelets have been used to track sufferers of dementia before , but those devices tend to be bulky and uncomfortable . The shoes , on the other hand , are designed to be unobtrusive . Testing of a prototype is expected to be completed by the end of the year and the shoe will likely be rolled out in 2010 . | Shoe with GPS system aims to improve safety of seniors with dementia . Alzheimer 's patients often wander from home and ca n't find their way back . Device would locate them if they get lost and allow caregivers to monitor them . | [[36, 72], [9, 32], [62, 148], [1236, 1284], [149, 246], [893, 917], [920, 949], [952, 993], [1017, 1047], [1000, 1021], [1052, 1088], [3013, 3079], [349, 401]] |
ROME , Italy -- Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney scored a goal in each half as Manchester United won 2-0 in Roma 's Olympic Stadium to virtually assure the Premier League leaders a place in the Champions League semifinals . Cristiano Ronaldo rises above the Roma defense to power home a superb header . United proved they can still dominate the Italian side , following last season 's 8-3 aggregate triumph at the same stage of the competition , with a stylish display . The visitors enjoyed a lot of the ball in the first period as Roma -- missing talismanic striker Francesco Totti -- sat back , seemingly intent on not giving anything away . On 12 minutes , United opened up the Roma defense but after Park Ji-Sung took the ball down on his chest he was crowded out . Christian Panucci headed over the bar from a David Pizarro corner and Mirko Vucinic shot over as he was falling backwards , after Rio Ferdinand had slipped , as Roma briefly threatened . United then suffered a blow as defender Nemanja Vidic was stretchered off with a leg injury , to be replaced by John O'Shea . Chances were few and far between but on 39 minutes United produced a move of majestic quality to take the lead . United switched the ball around the edge of the Roma box before Paul Scholes eventually crossed for Ronaldo to come steaming in to out-jump Marco Cassetti and thump home a header . Just three minutes later Roma had their best chance of the half after a mistake from Ferdinand , but Vucinic dragged his shot from the left just beyond the far post . Roma came out after the break with more purpose and Vucinic played in Max Tonetto , but he lashed his shot wide of the near post , failing even to force Edwin van der Sar into making a save . From a quick throw Panucci had great chance but skied his volley from five meters . Substitute Ludovic Giuly then got behind the United defense but Van der Sar cut out his cross . And the big Dutch keeper then made a stunning one-handed save on 62 minutes from a Vucinic header to keep the scores level . Four minutes later , United scored a crucial second as Park headed a deep cross from Wes Brown back across goal and Rooney mopped up the loose ball after goalkeeper Doni and Panucci impeded each other . Moments later Ronaldo had a shot deflected onto the outside of the post as United threatened to run riot . Rooney had two glorious chances to heap more misery on Roma late on but had one shot blocked and sent the other wide . Ronaldo then almost scored with a stunning late volley from substitute Carlos Tevez 's cross but the ball flew over the bar . With Barcelona taking a 1-0 lead over Schalke in the other semifinal , it looks increasingly likely that United will face the Catalan giants for a place in the Moscow final mext month . Ronaldo played down his goal , simply saying his 36th of the season was `` a good header '' and preferred to comment on the team 's overall performance . `` That was a very good performance in what was a top game , '' he said . `` We created a few chances , scored twice and deserved the victory . `` The defense were terrific and they played their part . It was a good job overall but we must remember that the Champions League is a different style to the Premier League and this match is not over yet , '' added the Portuguese winger . E-mail to a friend . | Manchester United win 2-0 in Roma in the Champions League quarterfinals . Goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney put the visitors in control . The winners will face Barcelona or Schalke for a place in the final in Moscow . | [[0, 117], [81, 146], [0, 117], [81, 146], [2670, 2784]] |
LONDON , England -- John Symons lost his wife Jo to a mysterious cancer two years ago . But he is n't done battling the disease . The CUP Foundation was founded in memory of Jo Symons , who died in 2006 of the mysterious disease . Jo suffered from cancer of unknown primary , or CUP , a diagnosis that is given when doctors find cancer in the body but are n't able to identify where it began . That inevitably complicates treatment , as doctors are at a loss as to whether they are dealing with breast , lung or countless other types of cancer . `` Any cancer diagnosis is devastating for patients and loved ones . But not knowing where in the body the cancer has originated and what type of cancer we are dealing with is a double blow , it 's double agony , '' Symons told CNN . After his wife died in 2006 , Symons abandoned his career as a business school professor to set up the Cancer of Unknown Primary Foundation , also known as `` Jo 's friends . '' The charity aims to raise awareness of CUP and campaigns for more research in the hope that it will lead to better treatment . Symons said he also wanted to help others faced with the challenging diagnosis . People from 35 countries visit the foundation 's Web site . `` Most of them say there 's nowhere else -LSB- for them to turn to -RSB- , '' he said . It is unclear how many people are faced with the cancer of unknown primary worldwide , but according to Symons , 3 to 5 percent of all cancers are CUP . The CUP Foundation estimates that in the UK alone , more than 10,000 people are diagnosed with the mystery disease annually , giving it a higher incidence than pancreatic and ovarian cancers . Find out more about rare conditions '' Cancer needs to be treated by identifying the anatomical location of where the cancer has started , and therapy is always based on where that cancer starts in the body , Symons explained . In the case of CUP , the cells lose their unique features as the cancer spreads . `` So if you do n't know where the cancer has started , it is very difficult to treat it , '' he told CNN . Many CUP sufferers have just weeks or months to live after the cancer has spread . Jo died at the age of 46 , only eight months after being diagnosed . Jo discovered she had cancer when she developed a lump in her neck , according to Symons . But it was only a secondary tumor , and doctors believed the primary tumor was too small to locate or possibly had already disappeared . At first , the Symons were hopeful : `` We kept thinking it 's only a matter of time before someone figures out where this comes from and are able to treat it , that we 'd have good news and that while she might not be cured , she would be able to live with the cancer . '' But as time went by , they realized this was n't going to be possible . Doctors first thought Jo might have ovarian cancer , but ruled that out after several tests . Subsequently they thought it might be breast cancer , so Jo underwent grueling chemotherapy treatment for several months . That did n't help , and further tests were conducted to try and identify the genetic profile of the tumor where the cancer originated . These tests suggested Jo might be suffering from pancreatic cancer . For the last months of her life , Jo was treated for pancreatic cancer . `` But sadly , that was too late , even if it had been the correct diagnosis , to turn the tables , '' Symons recalled . He never found out what cancer his wife had suffered from . `` It has been difficult for me , '' Symons said . But faced with the choice of putting the ordeal behind him or trying to do something about it , he picked the latter . `` In a sense this charity has been therapeutic . '' But at the same time , `` I 'm living daily with a reminder of what it is like for people to go through this terrible disease . '' | `` Cancer of unknown primary , '' or CUP , is a mystery disease . With CUP , doctors do n't know what type of cancer they are dealing with . CUP Foundation casts light on the challenging diagnosis . | [[231, 282]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 15-year-old girl with a 500-texts-a-day texting habit thumbed her way to the $ 50,000 grand prize at the L.G. National Texting Championship in New York on Tuesday . Kate Moore , 15 , of Des Moines , Iowa , out-texted more than 250,000 participants for the texting title in New York . Over 250,000 participants of all ages entered the competition , whose championship rounds were held in New York on Monday and Tuesday and won by Kate Moore of Des Moines , Iowa . Some challenges were straightforward tests of speed and accuracy , but others required a little extra texting savvy . In one round , texters had to send texts while blindfolded . Another round quizzed contestants ' knowledge of texting acronyms . The only acronym to stump every texter was PAW -- parents are watching . The fourth-place finisher , 21-year-old Jordan Rowe , saw her dreams of texting glory vanish in the `` pressure cooker '' round , where actors dressed as emoticons attempted to distract contestants tasked with texting tongue-twisters . Rowe failed to accurately text `` Which wicked witch wished which more wicked witch in the well ? '' while a human emoticon talked trash about her sister . Riffing off texters ' sometimes dangerous tendency to text while performing other tasks , another round required contestants to complete an obstacle course while firing off difficult-to-type texts . `` I felt like I was gon na die , '' the eventual champion said of the texting gauntlet , getting a big LOL from the audience . The finals on Tuesday afternoon pitted Dynda Morgan , 14 , of Savannah , Georgia , against Moore . The two went head to head in a best-of-three showdown to see who could most quickly pound out lengthy texts predetermined by the judges -- with no errors . Morgan , whose stepsister also made it to the championships , took the first round . Faced with a do-or-die situation in the second round , Moore seemed to bet on accuracy over speed , finishing well behind her opponent but winning the round . In the tiebreaker , the two girls furiously raced to thumb the final text : `` Zippity Dooo Dahh Zippity Ayy ... MY oh MY , what a wonderful day ! Plenty of sunshine Comin ' my way ... Zippitty Do Dah Zippity Aay ! WondeRful Feeling Wonderful day ! '' The pregnant pause before the winner was announced stretched into a seeming eternity because Moore apparently forgot to hit send after finishing her text . But then Moore 's phone began to vibrate , signaling that she was the grand champion . Kate 's beaming mother , Claire , acknowledged that she has confiscated her daughter 's phone on occasion , but said she appreciates that her daughter 's texting habit means she 's in constant touch . `` I can get ahold of -LSB- her -RSB- at all times , '' she said . Nor does Moore 's mother have to foot an appallingly large phone bill each month , because her daughter is on an unlimited texting plan . She did concede that the texting portion of one of Moore 's recent phone bills stretched to 294 pages . Moore 's victory was all the more awe-inspiring because she got a phone with text capability less than a year ago . Moments after her victory , Moore agreed to an exclusive text message interview with CNN . CNN : OMG U r ltrlly the wrld 's bst txter . How does it feel ? Moore : It feels the best ! Im so prd of myself & it feels aswm that ive gottn so far ! :-RRB- . CNN : How mny txts do u snd a day ? A month ? Moore : Uhhh about lyk 400-500 in a day , an avrg of 12014 thousand a month ? CNN : Wht r u going to do w the 50 k ? Moore : Idk yet ! Prlly spend a good amount of the $ $ $ ... but ya got ta save some 2 b smart of course ! CNN : Do u ever get in trubl in skwl 4 txting 2 much ? Moore : haah just once or 2ce , teachers hv seen it and taken it away ... lol that sux when that happens tho . CNN : What 's ur crzst txting story ? Moore : Haha I actually have a scar on my hand from txtingg ... i was txting on the top bunk and I sat up cuz it was a cool txt and then I hit it in the ceiling fan . CNN . Do ur thumbs hurt ? Moore : Hahah not at all ! Ud b surprised they do n't get stressed out . CNN : Kthxbi . Moore : cya ! :-RRB- . | Kate Moore of Des Moines , Iowa , says `` I felt like I was gon na die '' Of the $ 50,000 prize , Moore texts she 'll `` prlly spend a good amount of $ $ $ '' Text messaging competition includes texting while blindfolded . | [[360, 375], [452, 483], [1407, 1435], [3585, 3625], [611, 623], [626, 671]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kazakh cyclist Alexander Vinokourov will be free to launch his competitive comeback before the end of next month following a Court of Arbitration for Sport -LRB- CAS -RRB- ruling in Switzerland on Tuesday . Kazakh rider Vinokourov will be free to resume competitive cycling before the end of next month . Vinokourov was originally suspended for one year by his federation -LRB- KCF -RRB- after the pre-race favorite was thrown out of the 2007 Tour de France for blood doping . The International Cycling Union -LRB- UCI -RRB- disputed the length of the ban which should have been for two years under their rules . Parties involved agreed the issue should go to arbitration and Vinokourov , who ` retired ' after being banned , has now been told his ban will be for two years . This year 's Tour de France runs from July 4-26 while Vinokourov has been told by CAS he can resume competitive action two days before the race ends in Paris . Vinokourov has said he wants to launch a comeback , preferably with Astana alongside Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador . `` My dream would be to win the world championship and wear the rainbow shirt for my last year in 2010 , '' he said last month . Swiss-based CAS issued its preliminary decision in the arbitration between the UCI , Vinokourov and the KCF in a Web site statement on Tuesday . CAS said : `` The decision adopted on 5 December 2007 by the Anti-Doping Commission of the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation is set aside . `` Mr Vinokurov committed an anti-doping rule violation under Articles 15.2 of the Anti-Doping Regulations of the Union Cycliste Internationale and , according to Articles 261 , 268 and 275 of the Anti-Doping Regulations , is declared ineligible for a period of two years commencing on 24 July 2007 . `` Mr Vinokurov will be eligible to compete in international competitions as of 24 July 2009 . '' | Kazakh cyclist Alexander Vinokourov is told his doping ban is for two years . Pre-race favorite was thrown out of the 2007 Tour de France for blood doping . Banned for year by Federation , Vinokourov can resume cycling on July 24 . | [[749, 775], [758, 794], [1667, 1760], [1751, 1789], [407, 495], [0, 15], [19, 225], [226, 323], [226, 249], [263, 323], [324, 349], [360, 425], [324, 334], [339, 421], [1790, 1884], [1790, 1805], [1823, 1884]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nigeria 's main militant group issued a veiled threat Monday against an upcoming world football tournament that is tentatively scheduled to take place in the west African nation later this year . Militants from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , pictured September 2008 in the Niger Delta . The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta warned the international football association FIFA that it should `` rethink '' allowing Nigeria to host the upcoming under-17 World Cup series later this year . `` The safety of international players and visitors can not be guaranteed due to the current unrest , '' MEND said in an e-mail . Only two out of the nine stadiums in Nigeria are close to being ready for the tournament which is scheduled to take place between October 24 and November 15 , according to FIFA . The association has given the country a grace period to start constructing the remaining venues , FIFA Vice President Jack Warner said . In its e-mail , MEND claimed to have attacked a Chevron oil station in the Niger Delta region Monday as part of its latest offensive against the Nigerian government , dubbed `` Hurricane Piper Alpha . '' `` Hurricane Piper Alpha hit the Abiteye flow station operated by Chevron today , Monday , June 15 , 2009 at about 0200 Hrs triggering another ` systems failure ' which resulted in a massive fire outbreak that is consuming the entire facility , '' MEND said . It threatened further attacks in other states in the Niger Delta region , as well as offshore oil facilities . Chevron , which halted its onshore operations in the region last month , said it is investigating the reported attack on its Abiteye flow station . `` We are working to ensure the safety of our people , restore the integrity of our operations as soon as possible and are not speculating on any comment while investigations are being undertaken , '' according to an e-mailed statement from Chevron spokesman Scott Walker . Last month , the militant group declared an `` all-out war '' on the government after what it said was a deadly bombing raid on civilians . It is not the first declaration of war by MEND , which demands that more of Nigeria 's oil wealth be reinvested in the region instead of enriching those whom the militants consider corrupt politicians . The militant group declared war against the government in September for what it said were unprovoked attacks . At that time , MEND destroyed several oil facilities , forcing Nigeria to cut its oil exports by as many as 1 million barrels of oil per day , or 40 percent . The recent violence -- which has included attacks on pipelines and hostage-taking -- has limited shipment of crude oil supplies out of Nigeria , Africa 's largest producer . | Nigeria , Africa 's largest oil producer , produces 2.4 million barrels of oil per day . Recent attacks by MEND have limited shipment of crude oil supplies . Tournament to take place between October 24 and November 15 , according to FIFA . Only two out of the nine stadia for under-17s competition close to being ready . | [[2442, 2454], [2457, 2461], [2497, 2600], [2601, 2682], [2686, 2743], [88, 125], [131, 214], [745, 763], [770, 831], [834, 853], [675, 719], [724, 763]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Before Jada Pinkett Smith took the role of producer and star of TNT 's `` HawthoRNe , '' she made sure her family was fine with her being away from her mother and wife duties during filming . Jada Pinkett Smith 's new TV show , `` HawthoRNe , '' premieres Tuesday on TNT . Pinkett Smith plays a single mom and a hospital 's chief nurse on the medical show , which debuts Tuesday night on cable 's TNT Network , which is owned by the parent company of CNN . `` I sat down with kids and my husband and I really asked their permission , '' she said . `` I said ` Listen , there was this show I 'd love to do and it will be three months that you might not see Mommy a lot . ' And they 're looking at me like ` Really ? What does that mean ? ' '' It meant that on weekdays Will would get Willow , 8 , and Jaden , 11 , out of bed each morning , tuck them in at night and take care of them in-between . `` So they get to eat chocolate for breakfast and go to bed whenever they feel like it for those three months while I 'm working , '' Pinkett Smith said . `` So , it works out , and they know that the rest of the year , I 'm off . '' While the show is based on a Richmond , Virginia , hospital , it 's produced in a recently closed Inglewood , California , hospital just a few miles from the Smiths ' home . `` The great thing is that my kids do know I 'm in town , '' she said . It 's close enough for Will to spend time on the set with Jada while still taking care of the kids . `` He 's an extra in one of the episodes , so just see if you can catch him , '' she said . `` He 's walking by , doing a drive-by , and we could hardly afford that . It was a very costly walk-by . '' Smith also works as a `` ghost producer '' helping structure her episodes , she said . `` He 's quite a fantastic story structuralist , '' she said . `` So right now , I 'm learning from him just how to structure a story in a way that speaks to the universal voice and to understand how to hit those human emotional cords that resonate universally , no matter what country you 're from , your economic status . '' Will Smith was also on the set at Paramount Studios last month when daughter Willow taped her TV sitcom debut on Nickelodeon 's `` True Jackson , VP . '' His role then was stage dad . Hollywood 's highest paid actor , as ranked by Forbes magazine , sat with the other parents through the day-long rehearsals and taping `` like a regular dad , '' according to the parent of a cast member . By the way , Jada reports her daughter came home saying she wanted to do more television acting . When `` HawthoRNe '' production ends later this summer , Jada may have to return the `` supportive spouse '' favor to her husband when he travels to Beijing , China , to work on a `` Karate Kid '' remake . Will Smith will produce , with son Jaden playing the lead role , opposite Jackie Chan . It 's not clear if Jada will seek work as a background extra . | Jada Pinkett Smith 's new TV show , `` HawthoRNe , '' premieres Tuesday on TNT . Jada 's actor-husband Will Smith will appear as extra in an episode . Acting runs in family : Jada 's daughter will appear in TV sitcom , son will be in film . | [[383, 399], [408, 452], [1524, 1561], [2204, 2265]] |
Editor 's note : Fawaz A. Gerges holds the Christian A. Johnson Chair in Middle Eastern Studies and International Affairs at Sarah Lawrence College . His most recent book is `` The Far Enemy : Why Jihad Went Global . '' Fawaz Gerges says the elite running Iran has lost the support of two key groups -- women and young voters . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With an apparent political coup in Iran by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his supporters over the weekend , the ruling mullahs have dispensed with all democratic pretense and joined the ranks of traditional dictators in the Middle East . The hardliners in Tehran , led by the Revolutionary Guards and ultraconservatives , have won the first round against reformist conservatives but at an extravagant cost : loss of public support . Widespread accusations of fraud and manipulation are calling into question the very legitimacy and authority of the mullahs ' Islamic-based regime . The electoral crisis has exposed a deepening divide between female and young voters , who represent about 70 percent of the population , and a radical conservative ruling elite out of touch with the hopes , fears and aspirations of young Iranians . The consensus in Iran , particularly among young voters , is that the election was stolen from reformist candidate , Mir Hossein Moussavi , and that the outcome did not reflect the electorate 's genuine will . After the Interior Ministry announced the final election results showing a nearly 2-to-1 landslide for Ahmadinejad -LRB- 62.63 to 33.75 percent -RRB- , thousands of young protesters took to the streets and clashed with police and set trash bins and tires ablaze . Shock and disbelief turned to anger and rage . What poured gasoline on a simmering fire among the youth was a belief of widespread fraud . `` It 's like taking 10 million votes away from Moussavi and giving them to Ahmadinejad , '' said Tehran-based analyst Saeed Leilaz . That is equivalent to more than 30 million votes in the American electorate . `` Death to the dictatorship '' and `` down with the dictator '' shouted the demonstrators while being clubbed by police and anti-riot squads . For the first time , young Iranians showed defiance against their tormentors and overcame their fear . Many young men reportedly roamed Tehran streets looking for a fight with the police . The ruling mullahs face an unprecedentedly serious crisis at home . While it does not threaten their existence , the crisis risks undermining their ability to govern effectively and pursue a successful foreign policy . In his first response to the results of the election , Moussavi nailed it on the head . `` I wo n't surrender to this manipulation , '' he wrote on his Web site . `` The result of such performance by some officials will jeopardize the pillars of the Islamic Republic and will establish tyranny . '' Moussavi 's warning to the mullahs that stealing the election would weaken the very foundation of their regime and ultimately bring about its collapse carries weight because he has been part of the political inner circle of the Islamic Republic , not an outsider . Moussavi is a former prime minister admired for the way he managed the country 's economy during the prolonged and bloody Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s , a conflict which cost Iran over $ 500 billion . He worked closely with Ali Khamenei , then Iran 's president and today supreme leader , and clashed with him over political authority and powers . Moussavi is a member of Iran 's Expediency Council , which mediates between the parliament and the non-elected Guardian Council led by Ayatollah Khamenei . Initially , many reformists were skeptical about Moussavi 's reform credentials and feared that he was too conservative for their taste . Throughout the presidential campaign , Moussavi labored hard to portray his proposals on social policy and foreign affairs as an extension of the Islamic system in order to disarm conservative critics , even denying that he is a mainstream reformist candidate in the hope of winning the support of reformers and moderate conservatives . Indeed , as the presidential campaign progressed , Moussavi won the backing not only of an important conservative segment of the electorate but also the formidable youth constituency . His charismatic wife , Zahra Rahnavard , electrified the female vote and won the hearts and minds of women voters who flooded their campaign rallies . In the past two weeks , Moussavi 's campaign gained momentum . There was increasing evidence that the tide was turning and that women and young voters would tip the balance of power his way , if they turned out to vote in large numbers . Some important facts : There are 46 million eligible voters in Iran , half of whom are women . In 1997 , more than 60 percent of the votes that brought moderate Mohammad Khatami to power were cast by women , and in 2000 , women voters were instrumental in giving reformists a sweeping majority in the Parliament . Promising greater individual freedoms to youths was instrumental in the two landslide victories by Khatami in 1997 and 2001 . Surely , if the turnout was 85 percent as the Interior Ministry said , Moussavi should have done much better than the mere 33.8 percent he supposedly received . According to many independent media reports from all over Iran , women and young voters turned out in record numbers , especially in cities where Moussavi is very popular . That should have given Moussavi a comfortable lead over the incumbent . Multiple irregularities were reported , including the fact that Moussavi supposedly lost the vote in his home province . There is an alarming discrepancy between the final results and the voting patterns of the Iranian electorate over more than a decade . Lack of transparency in the vote count has reinforced Iranians ' suspicion . The weight of evidence is at odds with the final outcome given by the Interior Ministry . Before Moussavi formally appealed the election result , supreme leader Khamenei closed the door for any possible compromise . In a message on state TV , he urged the nation to unite behind Ahmadinejad , calling the result a `` divine assessment . '' Yet the Guardian Council , not Khamenei , is the authority that either ratifies or annuls the results . It is refreshing that Khamenei has finally ordered an investigation into allegations of ballot fraud . It is a good start . A more reassuring intiative would be for the Guardian Council to order a full recount with the presence of independent observers . That would go a long way to putting to rest Iranians ' concerns . In the meantime , trying to divert attention from the mess at home , Khamenei and Ahmadinejad have blamed external `` enemies '' and `` foreign media '' for instigating a `` full-fledged fight against our people . '' The truth is that the crisis is internal and has nothing to do with foreign media or the West . The Obama administration has done the right thing by keeping a low profile and not actively interfering in Iran 's unfolding domestic crisis . Unlike his predecessor , Obama has defused the minefield of relations between Washington and Tehran , shifting the focus of Iranians to their own society . But the disputed result shows that the ultraconservative mullahs are not only out of touch with a plurality of their citizens but also with reality . Their conduct reflects a deeper crisis of self-confidence and fear of the future . Has the Islamic revolution run out of ideological steam ? If the mullahs fear Moussavi , a loyalist , they must be scared of their shadows and uncertain about their authority and power . That speaks volumes about where the Islamic Republic is and where it is heading . The mullahs are swimming against the dominant current of Iranian society . In the next four years , Iran will likely be engulfed in social and political turmoil unless the electoral crisis is resolved in a transparent manner . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Fawaz Gerges . | Fawaz Gerges : Iran 's ruling mullahs forfeited their public support in the election . Gerges : Ruling mullahs are out of step with women and young voters . He says hardliners are swimming against the current of Iranian society . | [[220, 318], [233, 327], [220, 318], [233, 327], [932, 1015], [7233, 7378], [7731, 7805]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An American graduate student who went to Iraq to find ways to help ordinary citizens persevere in a transitioning government was one of two American civilians killed in a Sadr City bombing . Nicole Suveges , a political scientist working toward her doctorate , died in a Sadr City bombing Tuesday . Nicole Suveges , a married political scientist from Illinois , was part of a program that embeds academics into military units to help personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan navigate the local environment , according to her employer , BAE Systems . Suveges , who started her tour with Human Terrain System in April , had been assigned to support the 3rd Brigade Combat Team for the 4th Infantry Division in `` political , cultural , and tribal engagements , '' a statement from the program said . She was one of four Americans to die in the Sadr City bombing Tuesday . Two U.S. soldiers and a State Department employee , Steven Farley , who worked with the provincial reconstruction team , also were killed in the blast . `` Nicole was a leading academic who studied for years on how to improve conditions for others , '' Doug Belair , president of BAE 's Technology Solutions & Services , said in a written statement . `` She came to us to give freely of herself in an effort to make a better world . '' Suveges was the second BAE employee to die in a combat zone this year . Michael V. Bhatia , 31 , a social scientist from Medway , Massachusetts , died in a roadside bombing May 7 in Afghanistan , BAE said . Scott Fazekas , BAE 's director of communications , said Suveges and Bhatia were among three dozen social scientists hired by the company and its subcontractors to support the program . The Johns Hopkins University graduate student was also working toward a doctorate in political science with an emphasis on international relations . The focus of her dissertation was on the transition from an authoritarian regime to democracy and how it affects ordinary citizens , the university said . `` Nicole was committed to using her learning and experience to make the world a better place , especially for people who have suffered through war and conflict , '' William R. Brody , president of the university , said in a message Wednesday to the campus community . `` She exemplifies all that we seek to do at Johns Hopkins : to use knowledge for the good of humanity . '' Mark Blyth , Suveges ' primary faculty adviser , said that when Suveges came to Johns Hopkins , she planned to write her Ph.D. dissertation on how ideas move across borders from society to society , exploring how radical Islamic ideas filtered through Western European mosques . After the outbreak of the Iraq war , Suveges decided to shift her focus to the experience of ordinary citizens under a transitional government , said Blyth , a topic that had interested Suveges since her experience in Bosnia with the SFOR/NATO Combined Joint Psychological Operations Task Force . `` She was a very bright , engaging , sweet person , very intellectually curious , '' Blyth said Wednesday . BAE said Suveges ' experience , which included a tour in Iraq as a civilian contractor and a stint in Bosnia in the 1990s as an Army reservist , made her especially valuable in efforts to improve the lives of Iraqis . A Human Terrain System statement said Suveges and others were attending a meeting of the District Advisory Council on Tuesday to elect a new chairman . The officials were helping mediate disputes among the Sadr City leadership and `` facilitate the development of a more representative local government , '' the statement said . The attack was blamed on a Shiite insurgent cell . Suveges graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1992 and received a master 's degree in political science from George Washington University in 1998 . She had delivered papers to international relations organizations and served as a graduate teaching assistant , the company said . At Johns Hopkins , she was managing editor for the Review of International Political Economy , the university said . Maj. Mike Kenfield , spokesman for the Army 's training and doctrine command , said that the program was credited for `` reductions in non-lethal operations '' and that there had been talk about expanding the purview of the team to outside Iraq and Afghanistan . CNN 's Joe Sterling contributed to this report . | Nicole Suveges , 38 , was part of team of academic embeds advising military in Iraq . The political scientist and Johns Hopkins grad student died in Sadr City bombing . Suveges is second Human Terrain System employee to die in combat zone this year . She was also finishing dissertation on citizens in transitioning governments . | [[155, 209], [227, 277], [210, 224], [280, 317], [1711, 1859], [1318, 1389], [1330, 1389], [2671, 2705], [2708, 2813]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- On Friday afternoon , Robin Meade , HLN anchor of `` Morning Express with Robin Meade , '' sky-dived just before former President George Herbert Walker Bush , who was commemorating his 85th birthday . HLN Anchor Robin Meade chats with former president George H.W. Bush on his 85th birthday . In recent years , Bush 's jumps have been about fun and celebration , but he first parachuted out of a plane when he was a naval aviator shot down over the Pacific Ocean during World War II . On Friday , Meade and Bush were each strapped to a member of the Army 's Golden Knights parachute team . They made their jumps over Kennebunkport , Maine . Before the jumps , Meade sat down with Bush to learn more about why he sky-dives . Plus , the former president weighed in on his and his son 's legacies , Supreme Court justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor , and his view on the country 's most pressing problems . This is an edited transcript of the interview . Robin Meade : Thank you for making time for us to talk to you today . George H.W. Bush : Oh , no , listen , I 'm so glad you 're here . Meade : Happy birthday -- 85 . Bush : I thought you did n't know . Meade : Everybody knows , right ? Bush : I know . It 's exciting . It really is wonderful . Meade : What 's with your penchant for jumping still ? Bush : Well , two reasons . One , it still feels good . You still get a charge out of it . Not easy to do at 85 , but ... Meade : I do n't think it 's easy to do at any age . Watch Bush talk about why he still sky-dives '' Bush : And secondly , just because you 're old , that does n't mean you ca n't do fun stuff . And you do n't want to sit around drooling in the corner . And so it 's a wonderful release . And you know , because I was president , it sends a message all around . You can go out and get something going . Old guys can still have fun and still do stuff . And so , those are the two reasons . ... Meade : You know , I 'm thinking about , too , last Saturday we had the 65th anniversary of D-Day , and that was the first time , in World War II , that you jumped , because you had to ditch your plane . Bush : Yes . Meade : Being back with service members up in a plane and getting ready to jump , does that kind of rekindle your feelings of connection ? Bush : A little bit of deja vu . A little bit , but not that much anymore . But yes , that 's one of the reasons I made the first controlled jump , is because I did the first jump -- or had to get out of the plane . And that was kind of ugly . I pulled the ripcord too early and hit my head on the tail of the plane going by . I was just lucky I 'm still alive . And the parachute hung up for a minute on the tail of the plane . It 's all kind of war stories . If I start telling you that , then you 'll tell me about your father 's war stories or something , or grandfather 's . And so it would n't be fair . But I wanted to do it right . And I did it wrong then . It did save my life , but I did it wrong . So then I 've been out with the Golden Knights and I made several solo jumps . And now it 's tandem . I think they hope the old boy will remember to push . Meade : Did I read somewhere that you asked President Clinton to jump once ? And he has n't jumped with you . Bush : I may have asked him . I ca n't remember . Maybe I did , but I have a good relationship with him , a very good one . Watch Bush leave plane , land '' Meade : Now that you 're 85 , are you thinking a little bit more about the `` L '' word , `` legacy ? '' Bush : I was thinking of the `` L '' word being `` life . '' Life its own self . But no , I think my view on legacy is let the historians figure out what I screwed up and figure out what I got right . And I 'm confident that , you know , we had a good administration and good people . And I think the same thing is true of our son . And you know , he had tough times and all , but he 's doing it right . He 's laying back there and he 's not criticizing the president . And I 'm very proud of him . Watch Bush and sons talk after the jump '' And I hope that we both have set examples for how you ought to conduct yourself when you 've been president and then go out of office . Let the other guy do it , and support him when you can , and be silent . Do n't be out there criticizing all the time . Meade : The one guy at the helm ? Bush : Yes . And the `` L '' word , so it does n't -- I mean , my view is the historians will decide these things , for better or for worse and for right or for wrong . So I 'm not doing any biography or anything like that . And I 'm confident , because we had such a great team around us , that it will be favorable . Meade : Tell me a little bit about Judge Sonia Sotomayor , she 's someone that you appointed to a U.S. District Court . Bush : District Court . Meade : Now she 's been nominated for the Supreme Court . What would her impact be on the Supreme Court , do you think ? Bush : I think she 'd pull a ripcord just at the right time and make a very nice parachutist . I 'm going to leave that to others to analyze , but she should be given a fair hearing . She should be accorded every courtesy that goes with her record as a judge and her aspirations to be a Supreme Court justice . And I have a feeling she will be confirmed , but again , I do n't go into that day in and day out . ... I think she 's had a distinguished record on the bench and she should be entitled to fair hearings . I like the way Sen. John Cornyn said it . I mean , he may vote for her , he may not . But he 's been backing away from these -- backing off from those who use radical statements to describe her or to attribute things to her that may or may not be true . I mean , she was called by somebody a `` racist . '' Well , that 's not right . I mean , it 's not fair . It does n't help the process to be out there name-calling . So let them decide whether they want to vote for her or not , and get on with it . Meade : There are so many causes and so many problems , so many issues right now . Bush : Right . Right . Meade : What is our most pressing problem , do you think , in the country ? Bush : Well , I 'd have to say as long as people are hurting , the economy , and those who are out of work , ca n't find work . I think it will get better . I remain optimistic about our recovery and all of that . But I 'd say that 's -- and health care . But those -- we 've got a lot of people working on those problems . Meade : Oh , by the way , one more question . Is there going to be another jump after this ? Bush : I think when I finish this one , I 'll say , `` See you on my 90th . '' Whether I do it or not , it gives me a goal . I 'm a goal-oriented guy . I really believe in goals . And so -- but we finish this one ... Meade : I hope we do . Bush : ... we 'll all be standing there . And they 'll say to you , `` What are you going to do ? '' And you 'll say , `` Five more years , I 'm going to do another one . '' And I 'll say , `` I 'll be there . '' Ninety years old . I 'll do it . Meade : Is it a deal ? In five years , we 'll do it again ? Bush : I 'm for it . I 'm for it . Meade : OK . All right . | HLN Anchor Robin Meade sat down to interview George H.W. Bush . Later , the two went sky-diving to celebrate former president 's 85th birthday . Bush talks to Meade about how he stays young , and what his legacy will be . See more at the Morning Express blog and showpage . | [[220, 310], [132, 177], [182, 219], [220, 310], [742, 746], [749, 811]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two undocumented workers from Mexico and one from Ecuador have reached court settlements in recent weeks for a total of $ 3.85 million in damages for New York construction-site accidents , an attorney for the men announced Wednesday . `` All three cases involve construction and terribly unsafe working conditions , '' the attorney , Brian O'Dwyer , said in a news conference . `` We 're here today to re-emphasize -- as we have in the past -- to the Latino community and all undocumented workers that they have the same rights once they 're on the job as any New York citizen . '' A 33-year-old undocumented plumber from Mexico who was scalded by an exploding pipe at a Wall Street construction site in 2004 settled his damage claim for $ 2.5 million , according to a statement given to reporters at the news conference . The married father of two , who says he still has nightmares from the accident , hopes to open a restaurant or bar with the settlement money , his cousin told reporters . In a separate statement , owners of the Wall Street site said only that the injured plumber was `` employed directly by -LSB- the -RSB- contractor and not by the owner of the property nor the managing agent . '' Reached through a public relations firm , a spokesperson for the contractor , Swig Equities , had no comment . Another undocumented Mexican worker suffered severe injuries to his left foot and other parts of his body when a steel beam fell on his lower body at a building site in downtown Manhattan , the news conference statement said . The 52-year-old settled his damage claim against Beway Realty Corp. and F.J. Sciame Construction Co. . Inc. for $ 750,000 , according to the statement . David Koeppel , a managing member of Beway Realty , said he was not familiar with the case . F.J. Sciame Construction , the site 's contractor , did not respond to inquiries . A 36-year-old Ecuadorian laborer who worked at the Arverne by the Sea community in Queens -- a neighborhood The New York Times has called a `` bright spot '' in the housing market for its strong sales and low foreclosure rates -- settled a damage claim for $ 600,000 , the news conference statement said . He was injured when three large 44x10-foot trusses , each weighing 200 pounds , collapsed onto him in August 2007 , fracturing his hip and causing other injuries , according to the statement . The father of three , who had worked in construction for more than a decade and owned his own company at the time of the accident , said he was very sad after the accident because he did not know how he would support his family . His two sons , now 7 and 8 , and his 16-year-old daughter were all born in the United States . `` The contractor tried to blame me , '' he said at the news conference , speaking in Spanish . What message would he give other workers ? `` Do n't be afraid to talk to a lawyer . '' Although he had not yet recovered enough to resume construction work , he hopes to use the settlement money to build a home for his family in New Jersey . Messages left for The Beechwood Organization , developers of Arverne by the Sea , were not returned . Joel Magallan , executive director of Asociacion Tepeyac , an immigrant advocacy group , said that while construction work is often dangerous , undocumented workers are likely to work at sites that lack safety equipment and OSHA regulation compliance . `` This is a great day for the undocumented immigrants , '' Magallan said . `` They have to know today that they have rights -- the same rights as other workers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents . '' `` Many workers are threatened by their employers with deportation or discharge if they bring their cases to court , '' O'Dwyer said . `` What we find normally on work sites in New York is that deaths occur to the undocumented far out of proportion to their work in the workplace , and that is because of the fact that they just do not receive the safety protections , '' he said . In 2005 , O'Dwyer won a historic $ 4 million settlement for a 33-year-old Mexican worker who had fallen 30 feet in a scaffolding accident in the Bronx . The injured worker , who was hospitalized for four weeks and underwent seven surgeries after the 2001 accident , told CNN on Wednesday that workers -- documented or undocumented -- should not to be afraid to stand up for their rights . Although it is illegal for an employer to knowingly hire a worker who is undocumented , according to the New York City Mayor 's Office of Immigration Affairs , if an undocumented worker is hired by an employer , he or she then has the right to be paid minimum wage and overtime , the right to health protection and workplace safety , and the right to organize to improve labor conditions . `` Each of these men was injured in the course of their work on construction sites , and their immigration status was irrelevant to their right to seek redress for those injuries , '' O'Dwyer explained in a statement . `` Enforcing laws requiring a safe workplace serves the interests of all Americans , whether they are citizens or not . '' The men involved in the settlements said they chose to remain anonymous to protect relatives outside of the United States , who could become the target of kidnapping schemes if knowledge of their settlements became public . | Two undocumented workers from Mexico , one from Ecuador reach settlements . The three had been injured in different construction accidents around New York . Attorney says undocumented workers have same rights once they 're on the job . Advocate says undocumented construction workers often have less-safe sites . | [[0, 24], [73, 214], [530, 565], [3527, 3579], [3166, 3179], [3255, 3358]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian-Americans demonstrated on the streets of Washington on Wednesday evening , marching from Iranian diplomatic offices to the Russian embassy , in protest of both governments ' actions . A Tuesday meeting of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , left , and Dmitry Medvedev has angered Iranian-Americans . The demonstration came in the wake of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Moscow on Tuesday , despite allegations of ballot fraud in Ahmadinejad 's re-election last week . `` We 're hoping that the world attention does not end from what the Iranians are doing right now , because this is not going to end in the next few days , because this is a long haul , a long battle , '' said Washington protest and group organizer Morteza Ahmady . `` Iranians are very capable of deciding their own destiny . '' The group Whereismyvote.org organized the demonstration of about 100 people and aims to build support for its `` global protest '' this Saturday . `` I think it 's a very new thing from a historical point of view ; it 's a civic movement . People try to keep it as nonviolent and civil as possible , '' said group organizer Negar Mortarzavi . In Russia , Ahmadinejad was welcomed as the `` newly re-elected president of Iran , '' with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov telling reporters , `` the issue of elections in Iran is an internal affair of the Iranian people . '' Eighty-five percent of the country 's 46 million eligible voters went to the polls on Friday , an unprecedented turnout , Iran 's interior ministry said . When the ballots were counted , the government declared Ahmadinejad the winner , with 62.63 percent of the vote . The man many analysts had widely expected to win , Mir Hossein Moussavi , received 33.75 percent . The speed with which the election results were released -- two hours after polls closed -- insulted the Iranian people , said Ahmady , who cited that as a sign of fraud . Moussavi 's camp has demanded new elections . Sarah , a Washington protester who would give only her first name , agreed . `` We 're not saying that pro-Ahmadinejad supporters do n't exist ; they do exist , '' she said . `` And we 're saying that , yes , if they indeed did win the vote , then the election should be theirs , because we are a democratic people . But we do n't feel comfortable with the numbers that came out of Iran . And we 're not saying that we do n't accept it altogether . We 're just asking for a revote . '' | They march from Iranian to Russian embassies , protesting both governments . Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hosted Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after election . D.C. protest organizer : `` This is a long haul , a long battle '' Iran has been gripped by protests since Ahmadinejad was declared victor in election . | [[0, 26], [113, 176], [362, 462], [651, 655], [669, 696], [699, 742], [745, 808]] |
Editor 's note : Ruben Navarrette Jr. is a member of the San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board and a nationally syndicated columnist . Read his column here . Ruben Navarrette says hate crimes should be punished severely because they 're aimed at society as a whole . SAN DIEGO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To think there are some people who still argue that the law should n't categorize some offenses as hate crimes and allow for enhanced criminal penalties . They claim that all sorts of crimes are motivated by hate , and to separate some from others elevates some victims over others and amounts to the state policing thoughts and feelings . They also fear that politicians and institutions are simply yielding to political correctness , liberal pressure groups and identity politics . My view is that hate crimes deserve special punishment because they do n't just victimize whoever they 're aimed at ; they 're intended to send a message , and they terrorize the whole society . That debate might have been settled Wednesday at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum , where hate was on display . A shooting left one man dead : Stephen Tyrone Johns , a six-year veteran of the museum 's security staff who , according to museum director Sara Bloomfield , `` died heroically in the line of duty . '' The alleged assailant is James von Brunn , a Holocaust denier who created an anti-Semitic Web site . The 88-year-old often challenged the authenticity of `` The Diary of Anne Frank , '' the book about a teenage girl living in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands . So it was probably no coincidence that the shooting occurred on the same day the museum had scheduled a play based on a fictional meeting between Anne Frank and Emmett Till , a martyr of the civil rights movement . Von Brunn also had longstanding ties to white supremacist groups , according to authorities . These outfits flourish in bad times because they give underperformers something really valuable : convenient scapegoats for their troubles , failures and shortcomings . Without that , these misfits might actually have to look in the mirror and take responsibility for their own lives . Although these groups are properly categorized as `` hate groups '' by organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center , what also fuels them are things like fear and insecurity . Nowadays , their targets are often Latinos , especially immigrants . But , before that and for much of the history of this country , the targets have been African-Americans . And , for much of the history of the world , they have been Jews . And that prejudice has n't gone away . Consider what the Rev. Jeremiah Wright , the former Chicago , Illinois , pastor whose relationship with Barack Obama became an issue in the presidential election , recently told the Virginia newspaper , the Daily Press , when asked if he speaks to Obama . `` Them Jews are n't going to let him talk to me , '' Wright said in an apparent reference to some of Obama 's aides . Wright later said he misspoke and meant to refer to `` Zionists . '' A researcher for the Southern Poverty Law Center has said her group had a thick file on von Brunn going back 20 years and that he had become a `` hardcore neo-Nazi . '' Von Brunn blamed a six-year prison term he once served -- for the attempted kidnapping of Federal Reserve board members in 1981 -- on `` a Negro jury , '' `` Jew/Negro attorneys '' and `` a Jew judge , '' according to his Web site . In documents read at trial , von Brunn wrote that his goal was to `` deport all Jews and blacks from the white nations . '' Also , on his Web site , there 's a message lamenting how `` bit by bit government institutions and Congressmen fell into JEW hands -- then U.S. diplomacy , businesses , resources and manpower came under Jew control . '' You get the picture . It 's no mystery what this guy is , to anyone but himself . His court-appointed lawyer from the Federal Reserve case said von Brunn , a veteran , considers himself a patriot . He 's no such thing . That concept is best defined as love for one 's country , not hatred for everyone else . It 's also obvious that , while Americans are always in a hurry to close our most unpleasant chapters , anti-Semitism is alive and well in parts of our society . Like its equally vile cousins -- racism and nativism -- it thrives because many people are threatened by change and eager to cast others as villains . Meanwhile , President Obama said the museum shooting `` reminds us that we must remain vigilant against anti-Semitism and prejudice in all its forms . '' So true , Mr. President . Here 's to vigilance . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. . | Ruben Navarrette : Hate crimes should be punished more severely . He says hate crimes terrorize society as a whole . Navarrette : Latinos , blacks and Jews have all been targets of haters . He says Obama is right to urge constant vigilance against hate . | [[160, 221], [795, 884], [182, 268], [955, 989], [4465, 4474], [4477, 4615], [2382, 2413], [2446, 2501], [2504, 2545], [4465, 4474], [4477, 4615], [4645, 4667]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pakistani fighter jets pounded Taliban targets in the country 's northwestern region Tuesday , part of a wider military crackdown on militants inside its borders . A Pakistan army gunship flies over the troubled Dir region on Monday . The airstrikes killed between 70 and 75 militants in the Dir district and flushed out many more , military spokesman Gen. Athar Abbas told reporters . It is part of the Pakistani army 's intensified drive against the Taliban in its restive tribal regions . The Pakistani government has been criticized for not cracking down on militants along its border with Afghanistan . As a result , the U.S. military has carried out drone attacks against militant targets in Pakistan , rankling Pakistan . But Pakistan 's recent military crackdown has led to an exodus of civilians in the region . Between 15,000 and 30,000 residents have left the Dir district , which is less than 160 km -LRB- 100 miles -RRB- northwest of the capital , Islamabad , according to an aid agency operating in the region . The Pakistani military on Tuesday completed its operation to eliminate and expel militants in Dir and is now focusing on the Buner district , Abbas said . About 300 militants entered Buner a few days ago in violation of the Taliban 's recent agreement to leave the district , he said . Buner is about 60 miles away from Islamabad , but Abbas said the militants posed no threat to the capital city . Fighter jets pounded targets in Buner and the Swat Valley in an effort to block the militants ' entry and exit points , he added . The general also released a recording of what he said was a conversation between a regional Taliban commander , Maulana Fazlullah , and some of his lieutenants . On the call , the purported Taliban leaders discuss how to stage an announced retreat from Buner last weekend while remaining in control of the territory . `` Those who will remain there will stay apart , so that the world gets to know that Taliban have left Buner , '' one of the commanders says , according to the transcript . `` Not more than two Taliban should sit on a vehicle . Moulvi Sahib will lead . Other vehicles will follow . '' Showing off for news organizations `` is all right , but we have to implement a permanent plan , '' Fazlullah said . Pakistan 's government insists that its military crackdown has growing popular support for taking on the Taliban -- an issue that has divided the Pakistani people , particularly in the Pashtun areas . `` The government has been hesitant and divided in going after these guys , but public opinion -- judging by what I read in the Pakistani newspapers -- may be shifting , '' analyst Michael Krepon told CNN . `` They have thought the Taliban is America 's war , '' said Krepon , a co-founder of the Stimson Center , a Washington-based think tank . `` We led them to that conclusion with our drone attacks on Pakistani soil . '' But he warned that a Pakistani military operation against what is sometimes perceived as `` going after its own people '' will not be an easy task for the government . `` The military will go into the field and reclaim territory , but it 's not going to be pretty and it 's not going to be easy , '' he said . Amnesty International 's Asia Pacific director Sam Zarifi told CNN he thinks the test for Pakistan 's government is not a military defeat over the Taliban , but `` whether the schools will once again open , whether the health units will once again operate -LRB- in Buner -RRB- . '' He also warned that a Pakistani military operation could be worse than Taliban rule in Buner and other regions . `` What people are telling us over and over again from Buner , from Swat , and other areas , is that they 're very intimidated , very scared about life under the Taliban , '' Zarifi said . `` But what really frightens them is the idea that the Pakistani military will launch operations . '' He said that local residents have told Amnesty in recent months that Pakistani military operations have `` destroyed houses , destroyed markets , without in any way impacting the Taliban . '' `` And that 's what really frightens people , '' he said . `` We 've seen over 500,000 people are now registered as displaced from areas and most of those are people who are afraid of military operations . '' CNN 's Samson Desta , Nic Robertson and Tricia Escobedo contributed to this report . | NEW : Pakistani military says operation completed against militants in Dir . NEW : General releases recording of conversation he says is among Taliban leaders . Pakistan criticized for not cracking down on militants along Afghan border . | [[1066, 1163], [1596, 1607], [1613, 1757], [532, 647], [532, 556], [577, 647]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police are searching for any other alleged victims of a Sunday school teacher accused of raping and killing an 8-year-old girl from Tracy , California . Melissa Huckaby is charged with killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu , who was a friend of her own daughter . `` We are asking the public if they have any indication that any of their children may have had inappropriate contact with -LSB- the suspect -RSB- to contact us , '' Tracy Police Sgt. Tony Sheneman said Tuesday evening . `` There has been no indication that this has happened . But she is a Sunday school teacher and did have contact with children , so that is why we are asking . '' Melissa Huckaby , 28 , was arrested and charged with killing and raping 8-year-old Sandra Cantu , a friend of her 5-year-old daughter . Huckaby , wearing red jail scrubs over a white T-shirt , was in court Tuesday for an arraignment . She was charged with murder , kidnapping , the performance of a lewd and lascivious act on a child under 14 and rape by instrument . If convicted , Huckaby would face the death penalty or life in prison without parole , San Joaquin County District Attorney James Willett told reporters after the hearing . A decision on whether to seek the death penalty will be made later , he said . Huckaby did not enter a plea or speak during the court hearing , although she flinched when Sandra Cantu 's name was spoken , and she cried at times . Sandra 's body was found April 6 , stuffed into a suitcase and submerged in a pond at a dairy farm . Huckaby was arrested Friday night after questioning by police . Sandra was last seen alive March 27 in the mobile home park where she lived with her family -- the same mobile home park where Huckaby lives with her daughter . The two children were close friends and played together frequently , police said . Huckaby is the granddaughter of Clifford Lane Lawless , pastor of Clover Road Baptist Church near the mobile home park , and she taught Sunday school at the church , police have said . The church was searched as part of the investigation into Sandra 's disappearance and death . Before her arrest , Huckaby acknowledged to a newspaper reporter that she owned the suitcase that contained Sandra 's body . But Huckaby said the suitcase had been stolen . Willett declined to comment on any of the evidence or allegations in the case , saying evidence would be presented in court . A memorial ceremony is scheduled for Sandra at 1 p.m. Thursday at a high school in Tracy , police said . -- CNN 's Ninette Sosa contributed to this report . | Police comb community for other possible victims . Melissa Huckaby was arrested and charged with killing and raping Sandra Cantu . Sandra , 8 , was friends with Huckaby 's 5-year-old daughter . | [[19, 96], [73, 156], [172, 235], [661, 676], [684, 696], [661, 676], [701, 756], [212, 235], [242, 276]] |
Metropolis , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Superman will not be saving Lois Lane this time , but the residents of Metropolis are hopeful his fans will . Metropolis , Illinois wants a companion statue for Superman , but the economy may block its efforts . The villain is the economy . Despite being about $ 70,000 shy of the funding needed to cast a figure in the image of the fictional `` Daily Planet '' reporter , this town of 6,000 residents says it 's going forward with a ground breaking . Metropolis wants its Lois Lane statue . There are no skyscrapers here . If you search the local telephone book you wo n't find any familiar names . There 's no Lex Luthor or Perry White . The closest Jimmy Olsen lives in Aledo , Illinois . If you call the nearby nuclear plant and ask about kryptonite they wo n't take you seriously . Most days of the year you can walk about town without seeing anyone in a cape or leotard . Very little about Metropolis , Illinois , resembles the metroplex made famous in `` Action Comics , '' except for the constant presence of Superman . His statue stands 15-feet tall outside the Massac County Courthouse and 50 yards away is the county justice center . In 1972 , DC Comics , the current owner of the character , declared the town the official home for Superman . Since then , it 's residents have fashioned a monument , a museum , and an annual festival around the superhero . `` We 've had groups from as far away as Japan and Australia , '' said Karla Ogle , one of the festival organizers . `` There 's a family that comes every year from Canada . '' And each year Noel Neill is honored . She 's the original Lois Lane . Neill starred opposite George Reeves in the 1950s `` Adventures of Superman '' television series and it 's her image the local chamber of commerce wants to immortalize in a statue . The town first came up with the idea of a companion statue for Superman in 2005 . A lot has changed since then , primarily the economy . `` We 've been affected pretty heavily because most of our revenue comes from the casino , '' said Mayor Billy McDaniel . The Harrah 's Casino is the closest thing this little burgh has to a tall building . `` Their revenue has been down as much as 30 percent , '' noted McDaniel . And the Metropolis budget is not bulletproof either . The town has not been replacing some workers as they retire , because of the lower tax receipts . What about the prospects for Lois Lane ? `` If there 's any money out there we 're going to find it , '' said the mayor . Metropolis has agreed to foot half the statue 's bill , if the Illinois Board of Tourism provides a matching grant . Private donations have raised only $ 9,000 in four years , not even enough to pay for the monument 's base . `` They were good initially , but slowed down to a trickle , '' said Clyde Wills with the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce . `` We 're committed to the project , '' despite the economy . The city plans to break ground for the statue on June 11 , during the opening night of their annual Superman festival , even though the state is months away from a decision on their grant request . Lois Lane 's fate , like in most issues of the comic , is `` to be continued ... '' | Illinois town came up with idea for Lois Lane statue in 2005 . Since then , the economy has taken a downturn and the funding is short . Town plans to go through with groundbreaking , despite the budget shortfall . | [[414, 492], [2943, 2999]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Building upon the success of the Green Week franchise , CNN International expands its environmental coverage this year with special Earth Day reports on April 22 , and plans additional specials in July and October and a series of comprehensive reports around the Copenhagen Climate Conference in December . On Earth Day , Wednesday April 22 , CNN International 's special coverage , `` Going Green , '' will showcase the network 's extensive global resources with an array of reports and live coverage of Earth Day events around the world . From specific signature newscasts to business shows , the network will focus its attention on everything green and help make sense of what it means to be green today . In addition , CNN International will change the network 's signature red logo to green during the coverage . `` CNN International is committed to green coverage , '' said Katherine Green , senior vice president of CNN International . `` It is a topic that resonates with our viewers and with our correspondents . We have reporters all over the world . They find stories no else can . This allows us to give our viewers a true global picture of the environmental issues and solutions . '' The network 's business programs , ` World Business Today ' and ` Quest Means Business ' , will focus on the business of going green . From the CEO of an up-and-coming green company to a climate change skeptic , these programs will speak to a variety of people to offer viewers many perspectives on green topics . Throughout the day , CNN International will engage their international audiences asking them what they are doing to be green . iReport correspondent , Errol Barnett , will solicit iReports and ask viewers to describe what they have done to `` go green '' in the past year . He 'll also share those iReports throughout the day in special segments across CNN International 's programs . On Saturday , April 25 at 1300 BST and Sunday , April 26 at 0100 and 1900 BST , a special programme , ` Your Green World ' , will focus on the current state of green initiatives around the planet . Correspondents from different parts of the world will report on how the current concern over the state of the environment touches the lives of global citizens . The special will explore many stories , including an initiative in Jakarta , Indonesia that promotes the planting of trees before a couple can get married , and a US recycling plant that tackles financial hurdles brought by the country 's financial downturn . | CNN International to broadcast series of reports on Earth Day , April 22 . Additional specials are planned for July and October . CNN plans in-depth reporting around Copenhagen Climate Conference . | [[343, 355], [436, 576], [1821, 1931], [92, 109], [204, 342], [92, 109], [204, 342]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Should he stay or should he go ? Manchester United insist Cristiano Ronaldo will still be wearing a red shirt next season but the Portuguese winger , courted by Real Madrid , has refused to rule out a move to Spain . Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to commit himself to Manchester United . Football Fan Zone presents five reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo should stay at Manchester United and five reasons why he should move to Real Madrid . Let us know what you think below . Stay : . Loyalty : Manchester United took a huge risk when they signed Ronaldo as an unproven 18-year-old for what seemed a vast sum of $ 25 million in 2003 . Since then , under the tutelage of Alex Ferguson and Carlos Queiroz , Ronaldo has developed from a raw talent more famous for his stepovers into the most effective and consistent player on the planet . United also stood by Ronaldo when he was widely blamed in England for getting his club mate Wayne Rooney sent off during the 2006 World Cup . At 23 , Ronaldo owes his best years to United , the club that has helped him fulfil that potential . He has almost four years left on a contract worth $ 240,000 a week -- making him United 's best paid player -- and he should honor it . Glory : Having dominated the English Premier League for the past two seasons and won last season 's Champions League , Manchester United are a club in the ascendancy . With a young team boasting the attacking talents of Ronaldo and Rooney , outstanding young prospects such as Anderson and Nani and a solid defense built around Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic , United could be the preeminent force in European football for seasons to come . If football is primarily about winning trophies , rather than money or lifestyle , then Ronaldo should stay where he is . The Premier League : The English Premier League is the most watched football tournament on the planet and increasingly the stage on which the world 's best players want to showcase their talents . It was no coincidence that three of last season 's four Champions League semifinalists came from the EPL . This week the current world footballer of the year , Kaka , has been linked with a big money move to Chelsea . Real Madrid may be the Spanish champions and one of the world 's most famous clubs , but United are currently the biggest club in the biggest league in the world . Continuity : Leaving a club is always a risk and there is no guarantee that a player will settle successfully into a new set-up in a different country , as Thierry Henry has discovered at Barcelona . At Old Trafford , Ronaldo is the undisputed star with a system built around him and teammates working for him . At Real Madrid he would be one ego among many . Real 's Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder has already warned that Ronaldo 's arrival on a massively inflated salary would not be welcomed by other squad members : `` It would be bad for the dressing room if he gets a much higher salary than the rest of the squad . It 's not important to me but I know other teammates would not like that at all . '' Injury : Having been carrying an ankle injury since March , Ronaldo finally went under the knife earlier this month and is expected to be sidelined until at least October -- long after the summer transfer window has closed . Ronaldo should be concentrating on getting back to full fitness as quickly as possible rather than worrying about a possible transfer . A move to a new club would also likely put him under more pressure to play before he has made a full recovery . Go : . A fresh challenge : Ronaldo has achieved everything he can in English football after two near perfect seasons at Old Trafford , winning back-to-back English Premier League titles and player of the year awards and a European Champions League winner 's medal . If the 23-year-old is to continue developing he needs to find new challenges ; what bigger challenge than joining Real Madrid -- the club of the `` Galacticos '' -- for a world record transfer fee ? Carlos Queiroz : The former United assistant manager was a big influence on Ronaldo 's career and an important mentor figure . With Queiroz departing to coach the Portuguese national side , will Old Trafford hold the same appeal for his protege ? Ronaldo has said he is prepared to `` upset '' Alex Ferguson and admits he has not spoken to the United manager in weeks while apparently taking advice from former national team coach Luis Felipe Scolari -- now managing United 's biggest rivals Chelsea . Money : Real Madrid are apparently prepared to make Ronaldo the most expensive and best paid player in the world . A transfer fee of around $ 140 million would smash the $ 92 million Real paid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001 . On top of that , Ronaldo could command wages of up to $ 400,000 a week . By comparison , United have said they are not prepared to renegotiate Ronaldo 's current deal worth $ 240,000 a week . In an industry driven by money , Ronaldo should go where he can command the highest wages . Lifestyle : It 's a long way from the sun-drenched beaches of Ronaldo 's home island of Maderia to the dreary gray skies of the northwest of England . Madrid may not have any beaches either but at least the weather and the food are more familar and it 's a lot closer to home . As a city , Madrid is far better suited to Ronaldo 's southern European temperament than Manchester . Real Madrid : Manchester United may be big but Real Madrid are in a league all of their own . With nine European Cups and 31 Spanish titles to their name , Madrid 's achievements are unrivalled . Having written himself into Manchester United folklore , Ronaldo has the opportunity to do the same on the Bernabeu pitch once graced by the likes of Francisco Gento , Alfredo di Stefano and Fernec Puskas . Ronaldo may already have done enough to win this year 's world footballer of the year award but a move to Madrid would likely seal that honor : in recent years Luis Figo , Zinedine Zidane , Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Fabio Cannavaro have all won the honor while wearing the most famous white shirt in sport . | Cristiano Ronaldo linked with big move from Manchester United to Real Madrid . Move would likely make Portuguese forward the world 's most expensive player . United have urged Ronaldo to stay , say moving to Spain would be a mistake . Let us know what you think by commenting below . | [[145, 166], [169, 191], [4530, 4556], [4566, 4636], [52, 166], [455, 489], [472, 489]] |
If home is where the heart is , a new survey suggests that most people are n't sure exactly where they live . More than half of people can not pinpoint the exact location of the human heart on a diagram , and nearly 70 percent ca n't correctly identify the shape of the lungs , according to the survey . This lack of knowledge is n't just embarrassing -- it could lead to a poorer quality of health care , some experts say . In the study , published in the journal BMC Family Practice , a research team surveyed 722 Britons -- 589 hospital outpatients and 133 people in the general population . They gave the volunteers four diagrams of human figures and asked them to choose the one that showed the correct size and location of a specific organ . -LRB- For example , the heart diagrams showed various size organs on the far left side of the chest , directly in the center , anchored on the center/left chest , and on the right side of the chest . -RRB- . Overall , people knew less basic anatomy than the researchers expected -- even those patients being treated for a specific condition involving that organ . Participants generally answered half the questions correctly , including 46.5 percent who knew which drawing represented their heart . In all , 31.4 percent correctly identified the lungs , 38.4 percent the stomach , 41.8 percent the thyroid , and 42.5 percent the kidneys . The intestines and bladder were the most easily identified , with 85.9 percent and 80.7 percent , respectively , answering the question correctly . Health.com : Are you cholesterol smart ? Take this quiz . There was little to no improvement compared with a similar study conducted in 1970 , says lead author John Weinman , Ph.D. , of King 's College London . In that study , subjects correctly identified eight major body parts about half of the time . -LRB- The researchers used the same body parts from the 1970 study and added three more : the pancreas , gallbladder , and ovaries . -RRB- . Given the accessibility of the Internet and the prominence of health stories in the news media today , Weinman 's team expected that people would now know more about their body . Weinman says he would n't be surprised if a study based in the United States produced similar results -- or worse . `` I imagine they would be similar , but there could well be regional variation , depending on which part of the U.S. the participants were from , '' he says . `` Actually , I asked one of my colleagues , who is from the U.S. , and she felt that Americans might be worse because , to quote her , ` Very many Americans do n't even know where New Jersey is , so how would they know where their pancreas is ? ' '' Health.com : Eat Smarter in your 30s , 40s , and 50s . That may sound harsh , but time and again , U.S. studies have shown that doctors overestimate how much their patients understand about their conditions and treatment . Adam Kelly , Ph.D. , an assistant professor of medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine , in Houston , Texas , conducted a 2007 study , that showed that doctors overestimate patient literacy and that a lack of patient knowledge leads to poorer care . Kelly believes the problem could be `` even more profound '' in the United States , although a similar study has not been conducted in America . Still , anatomy may not be the best measure of health literacy , says Sandeep Jauhar , M.D. , the director of the heart failure program at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center , and the author of `` Intern : A Doctor 's Initiation . '' Health.com : Computer games that boost your memory . `` They would like us to draw the conclusion that because the patients ca n't identify these organs anatomically that that is an indication of low health-care literacy -- and that may or may not be true , '' he says . `` I work with heart failure patients , and whether they can identify where their heart is is not so important to me as long as they know which medicines to take and when . '' Many patients with heart failure , unfortunately , do n't know which medicines to take , ca n't identify their symptoms , and do n't follow up with their doctors , Jauhar says . `` So health illiteracy is definitely a big problem , '' he adds . `` I just do n't know that this is the best study to show that Americans or Europeans are illiterate when it comes to their health care . '' The study suggests that patients with liver disease and diabetes may be the most health-literate : They were the only two groups to do better than the general population when identifying their affected organ . Overall , 75.3 percent of those with liver disease could find the liver -LRB- versus 45.9 percent in the general population -RRB- and 53.7 percent of diabetics could locate the pancreas -LRB- versus 30.8 percent -RRB- . Health.com : How I survived a heart attack at 43 . `` It is possible that patient-education material for people with diabetes may help to increase their knowledge -LSB- of the pancreas -RSB- , but it is still only at the 50 percent level , '' Weinman says . `` The same explanation may also be true for liver disease , but it may be a chance finding due to the sampling of patients for this study , and it really needs replicating in other larger studies to be certain it is a robust finding and to search for possible reasons for it . '' Weinman says there 's a mountain of evidence to prove that effective communication from doctors increases patient satisfaction and understanding , leading to better clinical outcomes and improved adherence to treatment . Health.com : I lost my insurance , stopped my diabetes medication , and had a heart attack . Jauhar agrees that health literacy improves not only the quality of health care , but also life expectancy . `` Health literacy is clearly very important , and how well patients are versed in their own health care is probably just as important a factor in determining longevity as genes or socioeconomic status , '' he says . `` These are important factors in how long someone lives . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | More than half in British survey could n't identify heart 's location . U.S. results could be similar or worse , some experts speculate . Health literacy contributes to better care received , better patient outcomes . | [[32, 91], [110, 202], [209, 226], [278, 303], [406, 424], [2202, 2275], [5369, 5567], [5661, 5769], [5680, 5740]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nazi war crimes suspect John Demjanjuk was granted an emergency stay late Tuesday to block what appeared to be his imminent deportation to Germany . Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents remove John Demjanjuk from his home Tuesday . The ruling , handed down by the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals , came less than two hours after federal immigration officials took Demjanjuk into custody at his home near Cleveland , Ohio . Demjanjuk , 89 , is wanted by German authorities for his alleged involvement during World War II in killings at Sobibor , a Nazi death camp in Poland . The Justice Department would not immediately comment on the stay , saying officials needed to review the order . The last-minute legal maneuvering leading to the order was the latest chapter in one of the longest-running pursuits of an alleged Holocaust perpetrator in history . The deportation of Demjanjuk , who had been transported to an Ohio detention facility when the stay was issued , would set the stage for what would likely prove to be an extraordinary German war crimes trial . `` Upon due consideration of the motion for a stay and the opposition by the attorney general , we conclude that a stay of removal is warranted , '' the circuit court wrote . Representatives of Attorney General Eric Holder argued in response to an emergency motion filed by Demjanjuk 's attorney that the circuit court does not have jurisdiction over the case . But the court acted anyway . `` Because it is our understanding that the government may remove the petitioner later today , we are compelled to rule on the motion for a stay prior to addressing the jurisdictional concerns raised by the government , '' the court said . On Friday , a federal immigration board rejected an emergency appeal for a stay of Demjanjuk 's deportation . His attorney , John Broadley , had argued that deporting him would constitute torture because of his health problems . Broadley has said Demjanjuk suffers from pre-leukemia , kidney problems , spinal problems and `` a couple of types of gout . '' When Broadley filed another appeal with the 6th Circuit Court , Justice Department officials said they believe that his chances of getting the board 's ruling overturned are slim . `` Looking at what 's going on in Cleveland ... is truly appalling , '' Broadley said shortly after Demjanjuk was taken into custody . `` You have an 89-year-old man with various physical ailments , and you have eight guys from -LSB- Immigration and Customs Enforcement -RSB- trying to stuff him into a wheelchair to send him to Germany . This looks like something taking place in Germany and not in the United States . '' Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center found irony in Broadley 's argument for his client . `` He wants to plead the sense of fairness that he regularly denied all of the victims at Sobibor , '' Hier said . He called Demjanjuk 's comparison of his planned deportation to torture `` preposterous coming from a person that served the -LSB- Nazi organization -RSB- S.S. in a death camp . It is a preposterous argument and insulting to the survivors of the Holocaust . '' Hier said that 250,000 Jews were killed at the camp and that none of the guards who worked there was blameless . `` You were there for one job : kill the Jews , '' he said . `` And that 's what they did full-time . '' He called the evidence against Demjanjuk `` overwhelming . '' German authorities issued an arrest warrant for Demjanjuk on March 10 , accusing him of being an accessory to 29,000 counts of murder as a guard at Sobibor from March to September 1943 . The warrant was issued after the authorities concluded that an identification card provided by the U.S. Office of Special Investigations was genuine . Demjanjuk , a retired auto worker , has been fighting charges of Nazi war crimes for more than two decades . He was previously extradited from the United States to Israel , where he was convicted in 1986 of being `` Ivan the Terrible , '' a guard at the notorious Treblinka extermination camp . The conviction was overturned by Israeli courts on appeal , and he returned to the United States . The United States filed new charges against him in 1999 , again alleging that he had been a concentration camp guard . He was stripped of U.S. citizenship and has been awaiting deportation since 2005 , after fighting his case all the way to the Supreme Court . Demjanjuk , a Ukrainian , says he saw action in the Soviet army and later was a prisoner of war held by the Germans . CNN 's Terry Frieden contributed to this report . | Attorney general 's representatives said court has no jurisdiction . Immigration agents picked up John Demjanjuk at home near Cleveland , Ohio . Demjanjuk , 89 , has been fighting charges of Nazi war crimes for 20-plus years . German authorities accuse Demjanjuk of involvement in killings at Nazi death camp . | [[1266, 1355], [1336, 1452], [168, 256], [356, 440], [450, 459], [462, 464], [467, 546], [3779, 3788], [3815, 3887], [450, 459], [462, 464], [467, 546], [3441, 3459], [3513, 3627]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Family members of Phillip Markoff visited him in jail Friday for the first time since his arraignment on murder charges connected to the slaying of a woman he may have met through a Craigslist online ad . The parents , brother and sister-in-law of accused killer Philip Markoff visited him in jail on Friday . Markoff 's parents , brother , and sister-in-law visited him Friday , having to get through a throng of media members who gathered near the Boston , Massachusetts , jail . Richard Markoff and Susan Haynes arrived early in the afternoon , CNN affiliate WCVB reported . Markoff 's parents stayed at the jail for about two hours and left without making any comments to media , the affiliate reported . Markoff 's brother and sister-in-law also visited him on Friday , the affiliate reported . John Salsberg , Markoff 's attorney , addressed the crowd of reporters Friday and said he was speaking on behalf of the family . `` They love their son very much . They are supportive of him , that 's what they would say if they were speaking themselves , '' he said . It is not yet known if Megan McAllister , Markoff 's fiancee , would visit him in jail , but in an e-mail sent to ABC News , she said police have the wrong man and `` was set up . '' `` Unfortunately , you were given wrong information as was the public , '' she wrote . `` All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly ! '' Markoff , 23 , a second-year student at Boston University 's School of Medicine , is charged with killing Julissa Brisman , who lived in New York , April 14 at Boston 's Copley Marriott Hotel . Police have said Brisman , a model , advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist , a popular online classifieds service . They say Markoff may have met her through the online site . Prosecutors say Brisman sustained blunt head trauma and said the she was shot three times at close range . One of the bullets passed through her heart , killing her , prosecutors said . Markoff is also charged in connection with the April 10 robbery of Trisha Leffler , 29 , at a Westin Hotel in Boston , another woman he allegedly met on Craigslist . Leffler was robbed of $ 800 in cash and $ 250 in American Express gift cards , police reports said . Prosecutors said she was bound and held at gunpoint . Brisman 's mother , Carmen Guzman , released a statement Friday about her devastation . `` The feeling of losing my daughter in this way and the pain she must have felt will haunt me for the rest of my life , '' Guzman said . `` She wo n't live to see her dreams . We will hold Julissa in our hearts every day . '' | Philip Markoff 's family visits him in jail . Philip Markoff , 23 , charged in death of Julissa Brisman 's death . Police say they believe Markoff met Brisman on popular online classifieds Web site . Markoff 's fiancee says police have wrong man , husband-to-be `` was set up '' | [[224, 328], [329, 396], [728, 764], [770, 791], [124, 174], [1463, 1475], [1534, 1584], [164, 223], [1774, 1833], [1783, 1833], [1181, 1193], [1213, 1267]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A New Jersey man whose efforts to gain custody of his son in Brazil attracted international attention may have finally gotten his wish . David Goldman has been fighting for custody of his son , Sean , since his mother took him to Brazil in 2004 . David Goldman 's lawyer , Patricia Apy , said Monday night that a Brazilian federal court has ruled that Goldman 's son should be returned to the United States . Apy said she found out Monday afternoon about the court 's decision , which calls for 8-year-old Sean Goldman to be turned over to the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday . Apy said David Goldman was traveling to Brazil and was expected to arrive in Rio de Janeiro early Tuesday morning . Sean 's mother , who was Brazilian , divorced Goldman , and in 2004 returned to Brazil with Sean . She died in 2008 while giving birth to another child . Sean was was being raised in Brazil by his stepfather . Apy said that Goldman was `` very happy '' at the news , and that it had been `` a long five years . '' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to the case Monday , telling reporters , `` I also wanted just to take this opportunity to recognize the decision by the Brazilian federal court today ordering a young American boy , Sean Goldman , to be reunited with his father , David . It 's taken a long time for this day to come , but we will work with the Goldman family and the Brazilian government , with the goal of ensuring this young boy 's return . '' Apy said she had not received a copy of the Brazilian court decision but expected to get one on Tuesday . CNN 's Elise Labott contributed to this report . | Sean Goldman , 8 , to be turned over to U.S. Consulate on Wednesday . Sean 's parents divorced and mom moved him to Brazil in 2004 . Mom died in childbirth in 2008 , leaving Sean with stepfather . | [[474, 495], [504, 537], [514, 610], [226, 265], [727, 741], [764, 780], [727, 741], [795, 825], [826, 880]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Every weekend for more than four years , Fred Murray has walked the road where his daughter , Maura , vanished . Family , friends and volunteers help him look in the woods and mountains near Haverhill , New Hampshire , for clues to what happened to her . Maura Murray , 21 , disappeared while driving in the New Hampshire woods on a snowy night in 2004 . Maura Murray , a 21-year-old nursing student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst , disappeared on a cold and snowy night in February 2004 . She was last known to be driving from Massachusetts through New Hampshire . It is still unclear where she was heading in her black 1996 Saturn . The car was found abandoned , its front end crashed against a tree . It apparently had skidded off a road at a sharp curve . Shortly after the accident , a passing bus driver stopped and asked Murray if she needed help . She said no . Ten minutes later , police arrived . Inside the crumpled Saturn , they found some of Murray 's belongings -- school books , running gear , snack foods and alcohol -- police wo n't say what kind . But Murray was gone , along with her car keys and a backpack she always carried . There was nothing to hint she 'd be motivated to run away , according to her fiancé , William Rausch , and her father , Fred Murray . Watch why this cold case is a true mystery '' Maura Murray had just gotten engaged to Rausch , her college sweetheart and an Army lieutenant stationed in Oklahoma . They planned to marry after she graduated from nursing school in June 2005 . She 'd found a summer nursing job in Oklahoma . She had everything to look forward to . `` She was in good spirits and had no worries or reason to run away from her life , '' Fred Murray said . Investigators initially operated under the theory that the dean 's list student was troubled and had decided to escape from the demands of her life for a while . As a result , they did not immediately begin to look for her . The search did not begin until 39 hours after her crashed car was found . When it finally got under way , helicopters , search dogs and ground teams covered the area near where Murray 's car was found . The dogs picked up her scent for about 100 yards , leading investigators along the road to an area between two homes . There , the dogs lost the trail . Murray 's credit cards and cell phone have not registered any activity since the night she disappeared , February 9 , 2004 . Tom Shamshak , a private investigator hired by the Murray family to continue the search , said police and volunteers looked for her for two days . `` No footprints were even found in the snow , '' he said . `` Luckily there had n't been any fresh snowfall in those two days . '' Shamshak has concluded that only two scenarios could explain what happened to Murray . Either she was picked up by someone driving on the road , or she walked to a nearby house to ask for help . Police say they did not treat Murray 's case as an abduction because they saw no signs of a struggle at the scene . Before she left campus , police learned , Murray had e-mailed her professors and informed them she 'd be absent for a few days because of a death in the family . Murray 's family and friends said no one in the family had died . Police also noted that Murray had enough food and other items in her car to suggest she might be taking a short getaway vacation . Murray is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall , 120 pounds , with brown hair and blue-green eyes . She was last seen wearing a dark coat and jeans and carrying a black backpack and Samsung cell phone . A $ 40,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to her whereabouts or the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance . The tip line is 603-271-2663 , New Hampshire State Police . | Maura Murray told her professors there had been a death in the family . There was no death , relatives say . Car was found crashed into a tree along snowy New Hampshire roadway . A $ 40,000 reward is offered . Tips ? Call 603-271-2663 . | [[3057, 3079], [3099, 3105], [3138, 3218], [3219, 3284], [3253, 3284], [708, 746], [3616, 3670], [3762, 3821]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1991 , Nirvana changed American rock music with an album that featured a naked baby on the cover . Fred Thorne played in bands for 18 years and says Kurt Cobain 's legacy always stuck with him . Now , that naked baby is 17 years old and a high school graduate . The album , `` Nevermind , '' is a classic beloved by music aficionados across the world . It soared to the top of the Billboard charts , swiftly ending the '80s era of dance pop and `` hair metal '' and replacing it with the `` grunge '' movement . In doing so , it irreversibly changed the tastes and even lives of millions of musicians and music lovers . `` One song changed the way we look at rock music , '' said Russ Lancaster of `` Smells Like Teen Spirit , '' the first track on the record . `` Just like the Beatles changed pop music 30 years prior , Nirvana 's breakthrough album achieved the same level of power in terms of changing pop music . They were n't singing anymore about happy , funny songs . They were taking a real dark turn to pop music , and it changed everything . Back then it was really different to hear that on the radio . It opened up a floodgate of artists that might never have been heard before that . '' What artists , exactly ? Lancaster says Pearl Jam comes to mind , and that the entire emo genre might never have come into existence if it was n't for grunge . `` It would n't have the visibility it has today without the stepping-stone that grunge gave it , '' he said . iReport.com : Passing grunge onto the next generation . Pat Ferguson said grunge also was crucial to indie rock becoming mainstream . `` What I appreciate ` Nevermind ' the most for was paving the way for other indie bands that I really ended up liking to get put out into the mainstream . Not so much for the exposure they got , but so that everyone could more readily get their product , '' he said . `` It was a world without iTunes , Rhapsody or Napster . The only way you got exposure to music that was n't pop -LSB- or -RSB- country was living close enough to a university-run radio station or having a friend who had access to it . It was n't long after the grunge era started that other indie rock bands like Dinosaur Jr. , Sebadoh , Superchunk , fIREHOSE and a wealth of others broke out and started becoming a bit more accessible . '' iReport.com : ' A lot of bands owe a lot to that record ' For Derek Ivy , the influence of Nirvana is a little more personal . Hearing `` Nevermind '' and the band 's other albums inspired him to learn guitar as a teenager , and he still plays in a band called Golden Hours . `` Nirvana taught me to play music , '' said Ivy . `` Everybody has the first few songs they ever learn to play , and for me it was mostly this Nirvana stuff . When I hear this album or think of it , I recall the countless afternoons I spent playing these songs on guitar and , later , drums . I remember learning every song on it , and pretty much every other Nirvana song . '' Ivy said Nirvana front man and songwriter Kurt Cobain was an important influence in his life , musically and otherwise . `` Kurt Cobain was one of my earliest and greatest musical influences , as I 'm sure countless others can attest to . And he 's a tremendous influence on me in a lot of different ways , '' he said . `` When Kurt died , I felt like I 'd lost a personal friend , even though I did n't know him and I was only 14 at the time . It was sort of like , here you go , here 's adulthood . '' iReport.com : ` My teenage years would have been considerably less bearable were it not for this band ' Cobain was also a profound figure in Fred Thorne 's life . Thorne played in bands for 18 years , and he said Cobain 's success on the charts and ultimate suicide led him to heed the Nirvana front man 's advice : `` Be careful what you wish for . '' `` These words were the fuel for the angst I needed to ` kill it ' on stage and give everything I had to just flat out rocking , '' Thorne said . `` That meant no record deals , no big crowds , no bitching at the sound man because I could n't hear the vocals in the monitor , no perfect intonation , no perfect pitch , and if I blew out my voice ... bonus ! These words left me not wanting , but left me satisfied that I played that bar gig to 10 or 20 people like it was my last . In a way I felt like I did it for Kurt . I did it because I knew how badly he wanted to go back to those days of being a nobody and getting booed off the stage , or duct taping gear together and saying ... we can just make noise , vent our angst and throw all regard for approval out the window . '' iReport.com : ` Kurt will always be an icon for indie musicians ' Of course , not everybody enjoyed `` Nevermind '' or the grunge movement it popularized . Take David Gillespie , for example . He agreed that `` Nevermind '' was a turning point in music , but for him , the turn was for the worse . `` Thanks for ending the greatest era of music ever , '' he wrote in his iReport.com submission . `` The onslaught of grunge killed off the best music . The '80s brought such incredible talent and songs that no other decade or era could match . '' Gillespie said he does n't think the grunge movement could compete with styles like glam rock and 1980s dance pop in terms of musicianship . `` Nirvana was not exactly the most musically talented band . Then again , they did n't really need to be , '' he said . `` Grunge as a music form was n't about technical prowess and did n't need to sound good . '' iReport.com : ` Their music was bland and depressing ' Amy Suarez , who called the record `` the pinnacle of my music heaven , '' said that opinions of `` Nevermind '' and the grunge movement are probably just a reflection of the different generations . `` I truly believe that Nirvana , its predecessors and like bands of that time will forever be thought , to me , to be the best and most influential music of my life , '' she said . `` I know that everyone who loves music can say that about the music of their prime . So , I guess I would agree with others who would say that Nirvana was great for many and meant nothing to others ; it 's just a matter of timing . '' iReport.com : ` Not everything has to be complicated to be good ' | iReporters share their memories of Nirvana and the `` grunge '' era . Pat Ferguson says Nirvana opened the door for indie rock groups of the 1990s . Fred Thorne and Derek Ivy say they were profoundly influenced by Kurt Cobain . iReport.com : Share your memories of the grunge era . | [[1663, 1716], [121, 132], [166, 216], [2994, 3114], [3003, 3114], [3115, 3184], [3602, 3660]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Negotiations between the United States and Libya that could result in compensation for past acts of state-sponsored terrorism by Libya are under way , a senior State Department official said Friday . The wreckage of Pan Am 103 in Lockerbie , Scotland ; the bombing killed 270 people in 1989 . U.S. and Libyan officials met Wednesday and Thursday , the official said . The nations hope to hammer out a deal in which Libya would `` resolve all outstanding claims in good faith '' and offer `` fair compensation '' to victims and their families , he said . `` We are just at the beginning of this process . The goal is to get something that is fair and comprehensive , '' the official said . The official said that any agreement would cover about eight acts , including the 1989 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie , Scotland , which killed 259 passengers and 11 people on the ground ; and the 1986 bombing of the La Belle disco in Berlin , Germany , that killed two people and injured at least 120 , including 40 Americans . Outstanding terrorism claims have been a problem for Libya in its attempts to normalize relations with the United States and to begin development of its oil resources . Libya has expressed disappointment that it has failed to reap any political and economic benefits promised by the U.S. government and others after Libya renounced terrorism and stopped development of weapons of mass destruction . And some of the largest U.S. oil companies are eager to begin exploration and development of Libya oil fields , among the 10 largest in the world . The new negotiations and development of an agreement would ideally fulfill all outstanding lawsuits against Libya and allow investment to move forward . A joint U.S.-Libyan statement said , `` Both parties affirm their desire to work together to resolve all outstanding claims in good faith and expeditiously in the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism . '' | Nations hoping for deal in which Libya would compensate terrorism victims . Eights acts would be covered in possible agreement . Libya has tried to normalize relations with U.S. by renouncing terrorism . U.S. oil companies want to explore and develop Libya 's oil fields . | [[0, 26], [73, 78], [84, 164], [398, 571], [719, 849], [1136, 1181], [1460, 1607], [1464, 1502], [1513, 1569]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Islamist fighters in Somalia have made significant gains in the country , according to the latest statement purportedly from al Qaeda 's second-in-command , Ayman al-Zawahiri . Ayman al-Zawahiri , pictured here in 2006 , also spoke about Yemen , Gaza , Afghanistan and Pakistan . The 25-minute audio recording , titled `` From Kabul to Mogadishu , '' focuses primarily on the `` important developments '' in Somalia , which al-Zawahiri called `` a step on the path of victory of Islam . '' CNN can not authenticate the message , which was released on Sunday and was interspersed with television news reports and statements from various al Qaeda-linked commanders . CNN analysts who listened to the recording say the voice is consistent with his intonation and accent . This is the third message from al-Zawahiri espousing the views of the al Qaeda terror network in 2009 ; the other two focused on Israel 's recent military operation against Hamas leaders in Gaza . In addition to Somalia , al-Zawahiri also addresses the situations in Yemen , Gaza , and Afghanistan and Pakistan . Al-Zawahiri praised Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia who recently seized control of Baidoa , where the U.N.-backed transitional government had been based . He warned the newly installed government , under President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed , not to squander those gains by submitting `` to American demands '' and not abiding by sharia , or Islamic law . `` I call on my Muslim brothers in beloved Somalia ... to not be deceived by those who agree to the secularist constitutions which vie with the sharia in its right to rule , '' he said . Al-Zawahiri also addressed the `` awakening '' in Yemen , where many suspected al Qaeda militants wanted in neighboring Saudi Arabia are believed to have fled . That group includes several former detainees of the U.S. military detention facility in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . The al Qaeda leader accused Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Salih and his government of being `` servants and slaves '' to the United States by allowing Yemen to be used as `` a supply center ... against Muslim countries . '' `` How can you agree to let the ruling authority in Yemen be the CIA ? '' al-Zawahiri asked the people of Yemen . Al-Zawahiri spent the last eight minutes addressing the situation in Afghanistan , Pakistan and Gaza . His focus on Somalia and Yemen -- which accounted for more than 17 minutes of the 25-minute address -- is a departure from the topics of his previous messages . CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen suggested that is a reflection of al Qaeda 's recent losses as a result of U.S. missile strikes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border . `` There were three in 2007 and 34 in 2008 by my count , '' Bergen said . `` These strikes are causing al Qaeda leaders to consider their options . '' Al Qaeda has considered relocating its base to Somalia or Yemen , according to a former U.S. official who is familiar with the intelligence . Other analysts have suggested that it would be difficult for al Qaeda to gain a stronghold in Somalia because its radical agenda is unpopular in the moderate Islamic country . John Prendergast , who studies the Horn of Africa for the Center for American Progress think tank , said he expects Al-Shabaab 's overseas ties to dry up after the recent withdrawal of Ethiopian forces , which was its only basis of support in Somalia . J. Anthony Holmes , director of the Africa program for the Council on Foreign Relations , said it is unlikely Somalia will emerge as `` a breeding ground for terrorism '' because of its clan-based society . But Bergen noted that both Somalia and Yemen lack a strong central government and `` therefore -LRB- are -RRB- attractive locations for al Qaeda . '' `` Al Qaeda also has had an on-and-off presence in Somalia since 1992 and even earlier in Yemen , '' he said . `` As we have seen also , Yemen 's weak government and permissive attitude to jihadists have made it an increasingly attractive venue for Saudi members of al Qaeda . '' Bergen said that is most likely why al-Zawahiri chose to focus more than half of his latest message on Yemen and Somalia . | The 25-minute audio recording is titled `` From Kabul to Mogadishu '' Voice claiming to be Ayman al-Zawahiri praises Al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia . Third message from al-Zawahiri espousing views of al Qaeda network in 2009 . Al Qaeda considered relocating base to Somalia or Yemen , ex-U.S. official says . | [[299, 328], [331, 364], [2370, 2387], [2397, 2456], [1101, 1151], [788, 889], [2840, 2903], [2840, 2848], [2906, 2941], [2919, 2941], [2946, 2981]] |
Americans love beef ; we eat nearly 63 pounds per person each year . Although that 's a lot , the amount is down from our 1976 high of 89 pounds . When buying beef , we tend to stick to what we know , which may be why almost 60 percent of our beef dollars go for ground beef . Even as an experienced chef , I often brought home familiar cuts . But researching my book , `` Field Guide to Meat , '' led me to expand my repertoire to tasty , if less familiar , cuts like hanger steak and tri-tip . Soon you can do the same , knowing which cuts to choose for maximum flavor and nutrition . A 3 1/2 - ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein and is an excellent source of iron , zinc , and phosphorus . Beef Background . Humans began domesticating cattle , Bos taurus , about 8,500 years ago . Columbus first brought cattle to the New World , and by 1690 , descendants of Columbus ' cattle ranging in Mexico were driven north and became known as Texas Longhorns . Others arrived later with the colonists . America 's top five cattle breeds are Angus from Scotland , Hereford from England , Limousin from France , Simmenthal from Switzerland , and Charolais from France . More than 90 percent of the beef we buy originates in America , while most of the rest is Canadian bred . The beef we eat comes mostly from 18 - to 24-month-old steers , averaging about 1,000 pounds , and yielding about 450 pounds of meat . Each is divided for wholesale into eight primals -LRB- major portions -RRB- : the chuck -LRB- shoulder and upper ribs -RRB- , the rib , the loin , the sirloin -LRB- hip -RRB- , the round -LRB- upper leg -RRB- , the brisket -LRB- breast -RRB- , the plate -LRB- belly -RRB- , and the small flank . Organs like liver and kidneys are called variety meats . When evaluating your choices at the grocery store , here are a few key terms and facts to know : . • Grain-finished : Nearly 75 percent of U.S. beef comes from cattle fattened on grain -LRB- usually corn -RRB- for three to six months in feedlots . Since corn is not a natural part of a cow 's diet , cattle fed on it may experience stress and other ailments , so they are routinely treated with antibiotics . They also receive growth hormones to increase their size -LRB- and value , as beef is sold by weight -RRB- . Until recently , inexpensive corn has helped keep down the price of beef . • Grass-finished : Grass - or pasture-finished beef comes from cattle that forage on grasses and legumes . Their meat is lower in saturated fat , cholesterol , and calories than grain-finished . -LRB- Because it is quite lean , cook rare to medium-rare for juiciness . -RRB- Grass-fed beef has a distinct flavor , often described as bold , complex , and gamy . Many people believe that grass-fed cattle are a more sustainable choice . However , raising grass-fed cattle is time-consuming and requires large open spaces , variables that raise its price . Most is imported from Canada , followed by Australia , New Zealand , Argentina , and Brazil . • Aging : Dry-aging is the traditional process preferred by many steak lovers . The concentrated , intense flavor of dry-aged beef develops as it hangs in special temperature - and humidity-controlled rooms from 10 days to six weeks . The longer the aging , the better the flavor and tenderness , but also the more the shrinkage as water evaporates and a dark crust develops , which must be cut away . About 90 percent of American beef is sold as large vacuum-packed cuts . During the average seven-day period the beef spends `` in the bag , '' it ages in a process called `` wet-aging . '' • Processing and packaging : Until the 1960s butcher shops bought beef as half - or quarter-carcasses . Packers then began selling vacuum-packed beef , the same large cuts sold at warehouse club stores . Retailers refrigerated the boxes until needed , then opened the package and cut the meat into portions for sale . Next came case-ready meat , which precluded the need for skilled butchers on-site in markets . Leak-proof and easily stackable , case-ready packages are produced in USDA-inspected plants and have a longer shelf life . Packages covered with a sealed layer of clear plastic are modified-atmosphere packages , which have a gas-filled space inside to help preserve freshness and color . Nutrition . • Fat content : The USDA defines `` lean beef '' as having less than 10 grams -LRB- g -RRB- of total fat , 4.5 g or less of saturated fat , and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1/2 - ounce serving -LRB- 100g -RRB- of cooked beef . Half of the fat is saturated and half is heart-healthy monounsaturated . There are 29 naturally lean cuts of beef , including many familiar to Cooking Light readers , such as tenderloin , flank steak , and sirloin , as well as five lesser-known cuts . Others , such as ribeye or chuck roast , naturally contain more fat , although it is similarly divided between saturated and monounsaturated . Because lean beef contains less fat , it 's best cooked to medium-rare -LRB- 145 °F -RRB- or medium -LRB- 160 °F -RRB- to optimize tenderness . If using fattier cuts , slice away the outer rim of fat and cut or pull out any pockets of fat before cooking . For larger cuts , allow the fat to baste the meat while cooking , then trim away before eating , or skim it from the surface of braised dishes or stews . • Other nutrients : A 3 1/2 - ounce serving provides 27g to 30g of protein -- more than half of the 50g recommended daily in a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet . All beef is an excellent source of iron , zinc , and phosphorus . In general , the redder the meat , the more iron it contains -LRB- beef liver has the most -RRB- . Beef also contains thiamin , riboflavin , and niacin and is a rich source of B12 , found naturally only in animal foods . CookingLight.com : Fat and Ground Beef . At the Market . • Inspection and grading : USDA inspectors examine all live animals and beef shipped out of state , which encompasses most of today 's supermarket beef . Grading is voluntary and done by the same inspectors . The more marbling -- the small white flecks of fat within the muscles -- the higher the grade . Three grades of beef are sold to consumers . Only three percent is highly marbled Prime , sought after by top steak houses and butcher shops . About 57 percent is moderately marbled Choice , the most common supermarket grade . The remaining 40 percent is lean Select . • Private labels : Supermarket chains and large food distributors also have developed private brands with their own specifications . The first such program began in 1978 with Certified Angus Beef , which must come from Angus cattle . Niman Ranch Natural Beef and Certified Hereford Beef are two others . • Natural and Organic : Beef labeled `` natural '' must not contain any artificial ingredients and can not be more than minimally processed , such as ground beef . `` Organic '' beef must come from cattle raised and certified according to the USDA 's National Organic Program . Organic cattle must be fed 100-percent organically and without antibiotics or hormones . Both natural and organic beef can be either grass - or grain-finished . Ways to Save . • Buy lean cuts . Often , leaner cuts are cheaper than fatty ones . And when the fat cooks away , lean cuts provide more meat for your dollar . • Buy in bulk . Large or family-sized packages cost less per pound than smaller packages . Divide into portions , and freeze the surplus . • Be your own butcher . Beef that has been presliced into steaks or made into patties costs more than less processed meat . Buy bigger cuts , and do some of the preparation work yourself . CookingLight.com : Beef on a Budget . • But do n't go overboard . Advice to buy a side or quarter of beef may seem sensible , but you 'll likely have more meat than you can store . Such a purchase may yield what one buyer describes as `` cheap steak and expensive hamburger . '' For more tips on making healthy taste great , try Cooking Light - CLICK HERE . Copyright 2009 Cooking Light magazine . All rights reserved . | Humans began domesticating cattle , Bos taurus , about 8,500 years ago . Americans today consume nearly 63 pounds of beef per person each year . Most of us tend to stick with beef cuts we know . | [[721, 767], [770, 793], [22, 68], [166, 168], [174, 198], [307, 343]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As reports of swine flu continue to rise in the United States and around the world , the average American is probably asking , `` How should I protect myself ? '' U.S. health officials stress the importance of frequent hand washing during outbreaks of illness . Health officials ' advice is to follow common-sense precautions : Wash your hands , stay home if you 're sick and listen to your local health authorities . `` Very frequent hand-washing is something that we talk about time and time again and that is an effective way to reduce transmission of disease , '' said Dr. Richard Besser , acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . `` If you 're sick , it 's very important that people stay at home . If your children are sick , have a fever and flu-like illness , they should n't go to school . And if you 're ill , you should n't get on an airplane or another public transport to travel . Those things are part of personal responsibility in trying to reduce the impact . '' So far , Mexico has been hardest hit by swine flu . Cases have been confirmed in the United States , as well as countries including Canada , New Zealand , Spain , United Kingdom , and Israel . `` In areas with no disease yet , a lot of what we can do sounds simple and repetitive but helps , '' said Dr. Anne Schuchat , interim deputy director of the CDC 's Science and Public Health Program . In addition to washing hands often , she recommends covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing and avoiding touching your eyes and nose in case the virus is on your hands . The World Health Organization calls the situation a `` public health emergency of international concern , '' and the United States has declared a `` public health emergency , '' likened by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to preparations for a potential hurricane . No authorities are calling the outbreak a pandemic . The CDC expects U.S. numbers will grow and recommendations will change depending on what happens in individual communities , said the CDC 's Schuchat . The public should pay attention to what is happening nearby and heed the guidance of local health officials regarding school , work and public events . Because so much is still unknown at this point , the main risk factor is people traveling to areas where cases have already been identified . `` However this virus may already be in other places in the United States , '' CDC spokesman Tom Skinner told CNN . `` With enhanced surveillance , we will see more cases and that is why it makes good sense to be proactive , by doing things we know are effective in reducing exposure . '' Explainer : Swine flu facts '' Schuchat noted swine flu symptoms are relatively general and nonspecific . `` So many different things can cause these symptoms . it is a dilemma , '' she said . `` It is a challenge that we are wrestling with . There is not a perfect test right now to let a person or doctor know exactly what this is . '' But Schuchat specifically advised anyone who feels ill after returning from Mexico to see a doctor . Unfortunately , since this is a new strain of influenza , the flu vaccine for this past flu season offers no protection . `` However , we do have anti-virals that work against this swine flu , '' said Skinner , referring to oseltamivir -LRB- Tamiflu -RRB- and zanamivir -LRB- Relenza -RRB- . `` Someone who has -LSB- swine flu -RSB- , if they are treated early , the anti-flu medicines work against this . '' According to Skinner , health officials are still trying to figure out where exactly the virus originated , how transmissible it is and why it is mild in some cases and deadlier in others . CNN 's Mary Carter contributed to this report . | Take standard flu season precautions to avoid infection , CDC advises . Chief risk factor is traveling to areas where swine flu has been identified . No vaccine for new strain exists but antiviral drugs can shorten duration . | [[281, 344], [2280, 2329]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jeff Kepner just wanted to hold his 13-year-old daughter 's hand again . The nine-hour operation completed on Monday was the first double hand transplant in the United States . The 57-year-old Augusta , Georgia , resident underwent the first double hand transplant in the United States on Monday at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center . On Friday he remained at the transplant intensive care unit . He is `` very stable , awake and alert , and he 's talking with us , '' said Dr. W. P. Andrew Lee , who led the nine-hour surgery . `` He is having good circulation in the transplanted hands . '' Kepner shows no signs of transplant rejection , Lee said . The patient was groggy , but asked more questions about the operation as he started feeling better , said his wife , Valarie Kepner . He is expected to remain in the intensive care unit for a week , said Lee , chief of the division of plastic surgery and professor of surgery and orthopedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center . In 1999 , Kepner lost both hands and feet to a strep infection . As the bacterial infection spread throughout his body , it stopped blood flow to his limbs and shut down his liver and kidneys . While most strep infections are mild , in some cases the bacteria can destroy muscles , fat and skin tissue and cause toxic shock syndrome . At the time , Kepner 's daughter was only 3 years old . `` She does n't remember her dad any other way but this . We looked through pictures and we ca n't find one of him holding her hand . That 's one thing she was looking forward to -- that she 's going to be able to hold her dad 's hand again . '' The infection came at a time when Kepner had just earned a degree in pastry arts . `` He was a good cook all the way around . I worked full time , '' his wife said . `` I was spoiled , because when I came home dinner was on the table . He did it very well . '' For the last decade , Kepner adjusted to prosthetic limbs . He drove his teenage daughter , Jordan , to school and worked part-time at Borders bookstore . But he could no longer cook . Although he could do some of the basic tasks , Kepner said her husband could not perform activites that required fine motor skills . She had to help him in the shower and help him get dressed . `` He would be on my schedule , that 's why this -LSB- the hand transplant -RSB- would give him a whole level of independence , '' she said . With his new hands , Kepner hopes to perform small tasks such as changing a light bulb and using a remote control . `` I 'm looking forward to his cooking , '' his wife said . `` I 'm looking forward to him doing the things he wants to do when he wants to do them . '' Kepner initially had doubts , especially since it was an elective procedure . `` The two points that changed his mind as we talked was , No. 1 , the independence he wanted to gain , '' his wife said . The second point was that they believed there were fewer risks with this particular surgery . The Kepners knew a double hand transplant meant Kepner would have to take drugs to suppress his immune system for the rest of his life -LRB- like any transplant , the recipient 's immune system could attack the new organ as a foreign object -RRB- . But for this surgery , the Pittsburgh doctors would also transplant bone marrow from the donor to reduce the amount of immunosuppressants Kepner would have to take . According to the doctors , the bone marrow cells could re-educate the immune system so it would n't reject the hands . Despite the risks , Lee said hand transplant recipients regain much of their autonomy . `` They can perform activities of daily living -- the simple things you and I take for granted such as personal hygiene , brushing our teeth , combing our hair , '' Lee said . `` When you do n't have either hand , you are often completely dependent on another person , a family member or in Mr. Kepner 's case his wife , for a lot of very basic activities during the day . '' On January 22 , Kepner signed up to be a candidate for the medical center 's clinical trial for hand transplants . He had to pass a screening process , which included a physical and a psychiatric evaluation of his coping skills , his expectations and his understanding of the transplant . Three months later , Kepner received the call . There was a donor whose hands matched Kepner 's skin color , gender and size . After getting permission from the donor 's family , the surgeons removed the donor 's hands extending midway to the elbows . A team of surgeons attached arteries and veins , repaired tendons and nerves and set the bones for both hands . The surgery involved 27 bones , 28 muscles , three major nerves , two major arteries , multiple tendons , veins and soft tissue . Kepner still can not feel with his new hands , Lee said . `` We really do n't expect him to -LSB- now -RSB- , '' Lee said . `` The nerves grow at a speed of one inch per month , and there are many inches between the mid-forearm to the fingers . '' After Kepner leaves the intensive care unit , he is expected to begin three months of physical therapy to gain mobility in his joints , wrists and fingers . `` Based on the results of hand transplants performed so far around the world , just about everyone regains protective sensation , which is the ability to distinguish between hot and cold and feel a pin prick , '' Lee said . While it 's difficult to predict how much movement and sense of touch Kepner will have in his new hands , Lee said , `` We are optimistic he will regain protective sensation and even more than that . '' More than 32 patients have received hand transplants . Some of these recipients in the United States and Europe have lived with their new hands for more than a decade . | Former pastry chef received double hand transplant Monday . Jeff Kepner lost both hands and feet after fighting strep infection 10 years ago . Doctor says Kepner shows no signs of rejection . | [[232, 363], [1029, 1036], [1039, 1093], [622, 667]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's amazing how a huge global phenomenon can begin . Tetris , the simple puzzle video game , has been addicting players for 25 years . In 1984 , Russian mathematician Alexey Pajitnov was playing with one of his favorite puzzles when he had an inspiration : How about creating a computer version ? Pajitnov wrote the program in his spare time , simplifying the idea to make it easier for those of us who are n't math geniuses . He used shapes made of four squares -- hence `` Tetris , '' which comes from the Greek word for four , `` Tetra . '' In the game , players must position and stack blocky shapes to fill a grid without leaving spaces in between . Successfully completed sections disappear . The more sections the player completes without reaching the top , the higher the score . iReport : 25 years of Tetris . Steadily , the game worked its way around the world . Millions of people found themselves glued to their computers and game players -- hearts racing and screaming in frustration -- all over getting a simple horizontal line of digital squares to disappear . `` I would just play it for hours and hours , '' said iReporter Joel Vetsch of New Haven , Connecticut , who got addicted to Tetris on a Game Boy when he was 10 . `` I 'm 29 now , and I still love it . '' See Vetsch 's iReport here . Vetsch became so obsessed with Tetris that the game even showed up in his dreams . `` I 'd go to sleep and in my head I 'd see blocks ... going into each other , '' he told CNN . `` It was weird . '' More than 125 million Tetris products have been sold , and Guinness World Records ' 2009 Gamers ' Edition book ranked Tetris No. 2 on its list of the top 50 console games of all time , behind Super Mario Kart . Twenty-five years to the month after Tetris was born , CNN spoke with Pajitnov and Henk Rogers , CEO of Blue Planet Software , the company that manages the exclusive licensing rights to the game . The two men talked about what makes Tetris so addictive , how they believe the game can help unite the world , and -- no joke -- why they want a Tetris competition in the Olympics . See Josh Levs ' interview with Pajitnov and Rogers '' CNN : Alexey , I want to start with you . When you first dreamed up this scenario all those years ago , did you ever imagine it would turn into a global phenomenon ? Alexey Pajitnov , Tetris creator : The very first time when my small game started working even without scoring or leveling , I could n't stop playing . It 's a really good game , but I -LSB- could n't -RSB- imagine that it would be that big . Henk Rogers , CEO of Blue Planet Software : When I first found it at the Consumer Electronics Show in 1988 , I kept on coming back and playing more . And that was a for sure sign that this was going to be a good game . CNN : There are stories of people going in to work on the weekends just to sit at their computer and play for hours . They even dream the Tetris shapes if they play for too long . Could one of you explain to me why it 's so addictive and what goes on when you play it ? Pajitnov : First of all , it 's a very simple game and it has a really strong creative spirit in it . So instead of destroying something , you kind of build up the profile out of those small pieces and enjoy doing it . And that 's probably the very important addictive factor . CNN : The simplicity and also the immediate satisfaction -- but then immediately it 's time to work for the next one . Pajitnov : Yes . CNN : Henk , tell us some of the stunning statistics . Rogers : Over 70 million products have been sold as a box product , and more recently on the mobile -LSB- market -RSB- we 're almost reaching 80 million downloads worldwide . Last year 10 percent of all games on mobile phones in this country were Tetris . CNN : We have some videos of takeoffs -- turning buildings into Tetris or human Tetris . Is that great publicity or are you concerned in a legal way , like , `` Stop grabbing our name and doing what you want with it ? '' Rogers : It 's all flattery . I like it . CNN : Alexey , you were originally unable to make a penny off of this for a long time . What happened there and how did it ultimately pay out for you ? Pajitnov : Back in the '80s when I designed the game , the situation with intellectual property was very unclear in Russia . Communism Party did n't inspire some individual kind of activity . That 's why I decided I granted my rights for Tetris for 10 years to Soviet Union to my computer center . And I did n't receive anything from this 10 years . But 10 years naturally ended , and I 'm fine now . -LRB- laughs -RRB- . CNN : You all put something into your news release : `` We have a vision of the future where people all over the world can meet and become friends without speaking the same language . '' You go on to say that people will be `` connected through the universal language '' of Tetris . Are you guys being sarcastic about that or is that an actual hope ? Rogers : No that 's a real dream for us . Games are a universal language and Tetris breaks all culture , language and age and gender barriers . CNN : Have you had complaints from people saying that Tetris is a drug , that it 's more addictive , there should be some kind of warning with it ? Pajitnov : It happens to me all the time . People approach me and say , `` I spent so much of my college time on Tetris I almost blow my exams . '' And I usually ask , `` But was it good hours which you spent on Tetris ? '' And everybody say , `` Yes it was really good hours . '' So I say , `` I not waste it , I gift it to you ! '' Rogers : I think that Tetris is the first virtual sport . And we 'll see a Tetris Cup in the future and international competition . Hopefully we 'll be part of the Olympics someday . CNN : The actual Olympics ? The Olympics Olympics ? Rogers : Sure , why limit the Olympics to physical sports ? Why not mental sports ? CNN : Wow , that would open up a whole new realm . I know you have a lot of plans for building this . What will we see when we envision the future ? Will there be 3-D Tetris ? Or will I have goggles and play virtual Tetris ? Rogers : Tetris is the ultimate casual game , so we need to keep it simple . If 3-D takes it out of simple-to-understand games , then it probably wo n't go there . CNN : You want to tell me how much you have made off Tetris over the years ? Rogers : A lot . -LRB- laughter -RRB- . CNN : Alexey , how about you ? Pajitnov : Yes , I am happy . CNN : Enough to give Oprah a run for her money ? Pajitnov and Rogers : No , no . -LRB- laughter -RRB- . CNN : No , I do n't think real people do that ever . Have memories of Tetris ? Send us iReports or join the discussions at Facebook or Twitter . | Tetris , the addictive building-block video game , turns 25 this month . CNN speaks with Alexey Pajitnov , the game 's creator , about its popularity . Last year , 10 percent of all games on mobile phones in the U.S. were Tetris . Pajitnov : `` It 's a very simple game and it has a really strong creative spirit in it '' | [[74, 80], [107, 155], [3717, 3797], [3099, 3174]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British Airways is asking thousands of its staff to work for free for up to four weeks , spokeswoman Kirsten Millard said Tuesday . British Airways plans to reduce capacity by 4 percent next winter by parking up to 16 aircraft . In an e-mail to all its staff , the airline offered workers between one and four weeks of unpaid leave -- but with the option to work during this period . British Airways employs just more than 40,000 people in the United Kingdom . Last month , the company posted a record annual loss of # 400 million -LRB- $ 656 million -RRB- . Its chief executive declared at the time there were `` absolutely no signs of recovery '' in the industry . `` In 30 years in this business and I 've never seen anything like this . This is by far the biggest crisis the industry has ever faced , '' said Willie Walsh , British Airways ' chief executive . Watch more about BA 's request '' A spokesman for one of Britain 's biggest unions said its workers could not afford to work for free for a month . `` It 's all well and good for Willie Walsh to say he 's prepared to work for free when he earns four times in a month what they do in a year , '' said Ciaran Naidoo , a spokesman for Unite . He pointed out that the airline was not ordering staff to work without pay . `` It 's a request -- you can take unpaid leave or you can work for free , and the chances of people working for free are very unlikely , but there might be some people who want to take unpaid leave . '' Demand for the airline 's passenger seats and cargo holds fell during the last financial year , while its fuel bill rocketed to almost # 3 billion -LRB- $ 4.7 billion -RRB- . Walsh said British Airways ' woes were inextricably linked to the downturn in the global economy and that there had been no sign of any `` green shoots '' of recovery . Like its premium-class competitors , British Airways is losing customers to cheaper rivals . The airline 's premium passenger numbers fell 13 percent in the second half of last year , in line with the industry average . Total traffic fell 3.4 percent and while the airline carried 33.1 million passengers last year , it was a drop of 4.3 percent from the previous year . The dip in demand for British Airways ' flights has forced a switch in strategy at the airline . From the end of last year , it has been trying to tempt passengers with lower fares , sacrificing profit per seat for `` bums on seats . '' It plans to reduce capacity by 4 percent next winter by parking up to 16 aircraft . CNN 's Alysen Miller contributed to this report . | Union spokesman : Workers could not afford to work for free for a month . British Airways employs just more than 40,000 people in the United Kingdom . Airline 's CEO : There are `` absolutely no signs of recovery '' in the industry . Last month , the company posted a record annual loss $ 656 million . | [[934, 1047], [988, 1047], [420, 496], [595, 635], [595, 614], [642, 702], [841, 899], [1696, 1847], [1797, 1864], [497, 507], [510, 594]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of uprooted people across the world dropped slightly last year , but new displacement this year in conflict zones like Pakistan , Somalia and Sri Lanka so far `` has already more than offset the decline , '' the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday . Pakistani displaced battle severe winds and dust at Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar . `` Today , we are seeing a relentless series of internal conflicts that are generating millions of uprooted people , '' U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said in a news release . This is one of the main points in Global Trends , an annual report by the U.N. agency on developments regarding refugees , internally displaced people , asylum seekers and stateless people . The number of `` uprooted people worldwide '' in 2008 was 42 million , a drop of about 700,000 from 2007 , according to the report . `` In 2009 , we have already seen substantial new displacements , namely in Pakistan , Sri Lanka and Somalia , '' Guterres said . `` While some displacements may be short-lived , others can take years and even decades to resolve . We continue to face several longer-term internal displacement situations in places like Colombia , Iraq , the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia . Each of these conflicts has also generated refugees who flee beyond their borders . '' The number of refugees and internally displaced people who returned home in 2008 was around 2 million , a decline from 2007 , the report said . Refugee repatriation , which was 604,000 , was down 17 percent . Displaced people 's returns were down by 34 percent at 1.4 million people . `` Traditionally the largest durable solution for refugees , it was the second-lowest repatriation total in 15 years , '' the report said . `` The decline in part reflects deteriorating security conditions , namely in Afghanistan and Sudan . '' The report listed other statistics and trends in 2008 : . | U.N. reports shows slight decline in global refugee numbers to 42 million in 2008 . But numbers set to rise in 2009 because of Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Somalia conflicts . Pakistan hosted the largest number of refugees in the world at 1.8 million . Around 2 million refugees returned home in 2009 . | [[0, 15], [66, 92], [755, 800], [809, 823]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal jury Thursday found a 32-year-old Minnesota woman guilty of illegally downloading music from the Internet and fined her $ 80,000 each -- a total of $ 1.9 million -- for 24 songs . Illegal downloads of musical files will cost a Minnesota woman $ 1.9 million , a jury has decided . Jammie Thomas-Rasset 's case was the first such copyright infringement case to go to trial in the United States , her attorney said . Attorney Joe Sibley said that his client was shocked at the fine , noting that the price tag on the songs she downloaded was 99 cents . She plans to appeal , he said . Cara Duckworth , a spokeswoman for the Recording Industry Association of America , said the association was `` pleased that the jury agreed with the evidence and found the defendant liable . '' `` We appreciate the jury 's service and that they take this as seriously as we do , '' she said . Thomas-Rasset downloaded work by artists such as No Doubt , Linkin Park , Gloria Estefan and Sheryl Crow . This was the second trial for Thomas-Rasset . The judge ordered a retrial in 2007 after there was an error in the wording of jury instructions . The fines jumped considerably from the first trial , which granted just $ 220,000 to the recording companies . Thomas-Rasset is married with four children and works for an Indian tribe in Minnesota . | Federal jury finds Jammie Thomas-Rasset guilty of illegally downloading 24 songs . Minnesota wife , mom slapped with fine of $ 80,000 per song , for total of $ 1.9 million . Attorney says client shocked at fine , noting the songs costs 99 cents each . Spokeswoman for the Recording Industry Association of America lauds jury 's finding . | [[0, 15], [43, 157], [286, 308], [0, 15], [43, 157], [0, 15], [139, 162], [209, 285], [423, 442], [443, 548], [473, 483], [510, 578], [611, 625], [694, 792]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Imagine arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia , one of the busiest and most bustling airports in the country . People are dashing about , waiting at checkpoints and scanning the screens for departure and arrival times . Invariably there are delays and since you are n't going anywhere anytime soon , you might as well enjoy the tunes playing over the public announcement system . Hey , is n't that the Peaches and Herb classic `` Shake Your Groove Thing '' ? You have n't heard that in years ! But wait , what are they singing ? It sounds like `` Shake Your Groove Thing , '' but the lyrics playing do n't match the ones you know . Click on the image above to hear two of the airport 's new songs . `` Opening Day fresh , Opening Day fresh , . Yeah , yeah . Hartsfield-Jackson do it now . Opening Day fresh , Opening Day fresh , . Yeah , yeah . Show 'em how we do it now ! Show 'em how we do it now ! '' Welcome to parody with a purpose . As part of an initiative to keep the airport clean and get people excited about the airport 's new shops and dining options , officials there bought the rights to three popular R & B classics : `` Shake Your Groove Thing '' by Peaches and Herb , `` Bustin ' Loose '' by Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers and `` Fantastic Voyage '' by Lakeside . With rights secured , Doug Strachan , Creative Innovations Manager for the City of Atlanta Department of Aviation , rewrote the lyrics and invited the original artists to record the revamped songs . `` Whereas words reach the mind , music reaches the heart , '' Strachan said . `` These are hit songs that people love ... real powerful , catchy and make you want to dance . If you can make someone dance , you can probably motivate them to do other things . '' So `` Groove Thing '' became `` Keep It Opening Day Fresh , '' `` Bustin Loose '' morphed into `` We 're Steady Cleaning Up , '' and `` Fantastic Voyage '' was reborn as `` Our New Concessions . '' Clean music with a clean message -- literally . The concept of `` opening day fresh '' refers to keeping the airport as clean as if it were opening day , which means smelling fresh and looking as spotless as possible . The catchy tunes are a way to subtly remind visitors that it takes a team effort to keep the airport sparkling . `` Our New Concessions '' reminds travelers about the facility 's retail offerings and food service . Strachan said much effort was put into making sure the songs were produced in such a way that they were respectful to the song and the artist . `` The whole idea is to make it sound as much like the original as possible , '' Strachan said . `` If it 's not really done with deft , then it kind of detracts from it rather than enhances it . '' Herb Fame , half of Peaches and Herb , loved the idea and was pleased to remake his classic . `` Shake Your Grove Thing '' `` was a worldwide song and people recognize the melody , '' said Fame , who continues to perform . `` It was fun to do and every time I come through the airport I listen to it . '' Mark Wood , lead vocalist of the group Lakeside , said Strachan did a great job transforming `` Fantastic Voyage '' into a new , yet familiar song . `` It 's important to send the message in a way that the message will get through , '' Wood said . `` Ours is a song that people may have grown up hearing or they may have played for their kids and so you might have generations that can relate to it . '' Such messaging can be extremely effective , said Matt Wallaert , lead scientist for Thrive , an online financial advisory company for young adults . Wallaert , an expert in behavioral finance and social psychology , said the airport is obviously attempting to do something his company also aims for -- offering useful information in a way that is less stressful for the user . `` If you put up a sign that says ` Do n't Litter , ' people see it the first time you put it up , but every time after that it loses its impact , because it becomes a standard part of what they see , '' he said . `` Music is pervasive in a way that a sign is not because it 's everywhere . '' Strachan said officials at the airport definitely want those coming through to enjoy their time . As part of that , the airport recently launched the initial phases of a program that uses a scent called `` Breeze '' to help enhance visitors ' mood . Strachan said the scent , which was first tested on a limited group of passengers , uses a variety of different notes , including vanilla and a little lavender . The pleasant , relaxing scent is going over so well that Strachan said a custom scent that will be exclusive to Hartsfield-Jackson is being developed . `` We want to make people feel better , '' he said . `` We wanted to give them an olfactory cue which suggested that the airport is opening day fresh and we want to enhance their travel experience . '' Stefanie Michaels , also known as Adventure Girl , is a travel commentator and writer who is a frequent traveler . Anything airports can do to make air travel more relaxing is more than welcome , especially in the times we live in , she said . `` Movie theaters and restaurants have been using scents and those kinds of subliminal tactics for years , '' Michaels said . `` Music makes people feel good and with the economy the way it is , people are just stressed to no end , so from a subconscious level it 's a really wise thing for the airport to do . '' | Visitors to Atlanta 's airport will hear some familiar classics . Older R&B hits reworked to promote airport cleanliness . Original artists re-record songs meant to gently prompt passengers . Airport also using scent to help relax visitors . | [[19, 98], [1360, 1373], [1477, 1536], [4322, 4331], [4337, 4403]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If he knew then what he knows now , he might have made some different decisions before the start of the Iraq war in 2003 , the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters Friday . Outgoing Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace says he now thinks more troops were needed at the war 's start . `` One of the mistakes I made in my assumptions going in was that the Iraqi people and the Iraqi Army would welcome liberation , that the Iraqi Army , given the opportunity , would stand together for the Iraqi people and be available to them to help serve the new nation , '' Gen. Peter Pace said . But `` they disintegrated in the face of the coalition 's first several weeks of combat , so they were n't here , '' Pace said . Had he known that would happen , he would have recommended more troops be sent at the outset of the Iraq war , he said . In addition , Pace said , if he had been asked in January 2006 whether the United States should build up its Army and Marine Corps contingents in Iraq , he would have said no , because the plan at the time was to build and equip an Iraqi Army and turn over security duties to it . The force was built and equipped , Pace said , but the February bombing of the Golden Mosque -- one of the holiest Shiite sites -- ignited long-simmering tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims , further destabilizing the region and cutting short any plans for U.S. troop reduction . Thousands of people have died in reprisal killings and bombings since the attack . Still , Pace said , `` Given what I knew at the time , I 'm comfortable with the recommendations that I made . '' Any errors that were made are to be learned from , he added . Watch how Pace details the mistakes made at Iraq war 's start '' And he continued to voice his support for the Iraq invasion . `` Twenty-six million Iraqis have the opportunity now , '' he said . `` They are working their way through 3 1/2 decades of being trod upon , held down , no opportunity at all for freedom of expression , for living their lives the way they wanted to , for picking -LSB- their -RSB- leaders . '' Pace will retire when his two-year term ends this month . Also Friday , Defense Secretary Robert Gates -- in his first public comments since President Bush announced Thursday night he was accepting the Iraq troop level recommendation of Gen. David Petraeus -- noted all Bush 's senior military advisers are in agreement with those recommendations . Gates said he asked Pace and Adm. William Fallon , the head of U.S. Central Command , to begin examining U.S. options in Iraq months ago , knowing that Petraeus -- the top U.S. commander in Iraq -- was doing the same . `` I wanted the president this month to have the benefit of more than one senior military voice as he considered the next steps in Iraq , '' Gates said . `` I also did not want Gen. Petraeus hanging out there all by himself . `` While the analyses of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , CentCom and Gen. Petraeus varied in emphasis and approach , all of the president 's senior military advisers are in full agreement with the recommendations made by Gen. Petraeus , '' he said . The United States ' next steps in Iraq , among other things , `` had to avoid even the appearance of American failure , '' Gates said . `` Extremist Islam was dramatically empowered by defeating the Soviet Union in Afghanistan . The first attack against us by the extremists , the World Trade Center in 1993 , was launched from Afghanistan just four years after the last Soviet soldier left there . `` Should the jihadists be able to claim a victory in Iraq over the United States , the sole remaining superpower , I believe it would empower them worldwide far , far more than their victory over the Soviets , '' Gates said . `` The regional consequences would be significant and highly destabilizing . '' E-mail to a friend . | Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman says he thought Iraqis would welcome liberation . Gen. Peter Pace continues to voice his support for the Iraq invasion . Pace 's two-year term ends this month . Defense secretary says Pace , other Bush military advisers agree with Petraeus . | [[1780, 1841], [2137, 2194], [2159, 2194], [2403, 2485], [2717, 2720], [2731, 2735], [2742, 2800], [3044, 3139]] |
SATSUMA , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The father of a missing 5-year-old Florida girl made a renewed plea Thursday for the return of his daughter . The search continued Thursday for Haleigh Cummings , 5 , who went missing from her home near Orlando . `` If you have my daughter and you 're watching this , drop her off somewhere safe , '' Roland Cummings said of his daughter Haleigh . `` I 'm not out for revenge , I 'm not out for nothing else . I want my daughter back , '' Cummings said , with his girlfriend , Misty Croslin , at his side . He said he could think of no reason Haleigh would be taken . `` Why would anybody be sick enough '' to abduct a child ? he asked . Cummings , 25 , said earlier that he and Croslin had passed lie detector tests . Croslin , 17 , was the last person to see Haleigh when she put the girl to bed Monday night in their Satsuma , Florida , home . She said she awoke in the middle of the night to find Haleigh gone and the back door to the double-wide trailer propped open with a brick . Putnam County authorities on Thursday continued working with the FBI and state investigators to search a five-mile area for Haleigh . Police have no official suspects , but say they are treating everyone they interview as one . `` All the world 's a suspect '' now , a sheriff 's spokesman has said . Cummings said earlier that he was surprised when he arrived home from work at 3 a.m. Tuesday to see his girlfriend awake , and he asked her why she was up . `` She said , ` Your back door 's open and your daughter 's gone , ' '' Cummings told Nancy Grace on her show on CNN 's sister network HLN on Wednesday night . Watch Cummings describe his shock '' Croslin waited until Cummings came home to phone 911 about the girl 's disappearance , though it 's unclear how long that wait was . Watch the father describe what happened '' Police said Wednesday that Croslin had tucked the girl and her 4-year-old brother into bed at 8 p.m. before going to sleep at 10 . Croslin told police she woke up around 3 a.m. to use the bathroom and returned to find the girl missing . The boy was still in bed , Cummings told CNN . A brick was propping the trailer 's door open , Croslin told a 911 dispatcher . Hear the frantic 911 call '' The father said he has used the back door only two times since he 's been living in the trailer . Police say they believe the girl was abducted . `` There 's no longer any reason to believe that the child simply wandered outside , '' Maj. Gary Bowling of the Putnam County Sheriff 's Office said Wednesday . The police must `` assume abduction , '' he said , adding , `` All the answers to why you 'd want to take a 5-year-old are ugly . '' Haleigh 's mother , Crystal Sheffield , shook as she spoke Thursday near the search area . Sheffield 's mother , Marie Griffis , said that she and her daughter are devastated . `` It 's like I 've got a hole in my body , and she feels helpless because she ca n't do anything but sit here . '' A nationwide Amber Alert says the girl was last seen wearing a pink shirt and underwear . Croslin is staying with relatives as the investigation continues , said Bowling , describing the girlfriend as a `` child herself . '' Griffis said that her daughter and Ronald Cummings had a `` rocky relationship '' and that the two took turns spending weekends with their daughter . Watch mother 's tearful plea '' It 's unclear if Sheffield and Cummings were ever married , but they are `` legally separated , '' police said Thursday . Authorities were unable to answer media questions about how and why Cummings had custody of Haleigh . Sheffield lives near the Florida-Georgia line and has been interviewed by law enforcement , according to police . Investigators are looking into various angles of the case , including finding out the location of 44 registered sexual offenders who live within a five-mile radius of the Cummings home , said Lt. Johnny Greenwood of the Putnam County Sheriff 's Office . Police are offering but not requiring all those interviewed in the case to take polygraph tests . A familiar face from the Caylee Anthony case is involved in the search . Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla joined the hunt Tuesday and is offering a $ 25,000 reward for the girl 's return . Padilla initially bonded out Caylee 's mother , Casey , who has been charged with first-degree murder in the toddler 's death , and then helped launch one of several searches for Caylee . Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Putnam County Sheriff 's Office at 386-329-0800 or the Florida Department of Law Enforcement 's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 888-FL-MISSING . CNN 's John Couwels , Brad Lendon and Natisha Lance contributed to this report . | Father of missing child says he , girlfriend took and passed lie detector tests . Haleigh Cummings reported missing around 3 a.m. Tuesday , police say . 17-year-old girlfriend was caring for Haleigh on Monday night , police say . Authorities say they believe the girl was abducted ; bounty hunter offers reward . | [[675, 683], [691, 755], [2346, 2393], [2357, 2393], [4152, 4181], [4210, 4264]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A cancerous tumor in 13-year-old Danny Hauser 's chest has shrunk significantly since he was ordered by a court last month to resume chemotherapy treatment , a family spokesman said . Danny Hauser , 13 , was headed for a clinic in Mexico until an arrest warrant was issued for his mom . But the Hauser family attributes much of his progress to the complementary use of vitamins and minerals to boost his immune system , Dan Zwakman said . `` The family is doing it on their own , with the doctor 's knowledge , '' Zwakman said . `` Everybody is pleased that the tumor is shrinking , of course . The goal is to get rid of the cancer , but they 'd rather be doing it without the chemo . '' Danny 's case made national headlines last month when he and his mother , Colleen , fled Sleepy Eye , Minnesota , for Mexico to seek alternative cancer care despite a court order that he undergo chemotherapy . They eventually returned after an arrest warrant was issued for Colleen Hauser . But had they made it to their destination -- the Rubio Clinic in Tijuana , according to Zwakman -- they would have joined the ranks of an estimated hundreds of other cancer patients who head south of the border each year for cancer care . `` Their intentions started long ago with Colleen . She 's been involved in natural healing for many years now . She believes the world was created with everything needed to sustain and heal life , '' Zwakman said . Despite controversial origins and consistent bad press in the United States , Tijuana 's border clinics continue to attract people like the Hausers , who are in search of more holistic approaches to cancer treatment . Because little data exist on how many clinics are operating , it 's unclear how many American cancer patients visit Mexico each year , said Stephen Barrett , a patient advocate who runs the Web site , http://www.quackwatch.com/ . `` If they answered , you could not be sure they were telling the truth . They might have an incentive to raise the number , '' he said in an e-mail . `` To make matters more complicated , many of the ` cancer ' clinics also see people who do n't have cancer . '' The concept of complementary and alternative cancer treatment has slowly been gaining acceptance for more than a decade in the United States , with the creation of entities including the National Cancer Institute 's Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine . `` Clinicians and researchers have realized that it 's important to conduct methodologically sound studies to help guide patients to understand what 's safe and what 's effective , '' said Dr. Ted Gansler , medical director of health content for the American Cancer Society . But no one recommends that alternative treatment be used to replace conventional care , such as chemotherapy or radiation , he said . `` The important thing to remember is there is no recommended alternative to conventional treatment , and the reason is because if it worked , it would become conventional , '' he said . As far as Tijuana 's border clinics are concerned , the American Cancer Society cautions that `` methods promoted in Mexican border clinics are not consistent with scientific understanding '' of cancer and its treatment . `` Although these clinics often claim great success in advertisements and books , they have not published convincing evidence in medical journals to support those claims , '' the ACS says in a section on its Web site called Questionable Cancer Practices In Mexico . `` Patients traveling to the Tijuana area for treatment appear to be subjecting themselves to costly and potentially hazardous regimens , especially if they postpone standard medical care . '' Loose regulatory standards in Mexico allow Tijuana 's clinics to thrive , many offering expensive treatment in luxurious , spa-like settings , complete with fresh meals , exercise classes and emotional and spiritual counseling . Many herbs and dietary supplements used in border clinics are not considered dangerous ; they just have not been put through the rigorous clinical trials required for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve them for use as cancer treatments . Others , like the antioxidants carotene , lycopene and vitamins C , E and A , have produced inconsistent results in large-scale trials and are still being researched . Still others , like laetrile , a chemical compound whose active ingredient is cyanide , can be dangerous , the National Cancer Institute says . But many patients say they are attracted by the warm , caring relationship between patient and clinic staff . `` They do n't just see the disease . They see the person behind the disease and know how to care for them in every way , '' says Sarah Sackett-Hutcheson , who claims she has been cancer-free for 17 years . When she was 11 years old , her oncologist told her family she had six months to live and recommended chemotherapy and radiation to battle her non-Hodgkin 's lymphoma . Instead of undergoing the debilitating treatments , she went to the Oasis of Hope Hospital in Tijuana , where she received low doses of chemotherapy along with intravenous vitamins . The American Cancer Society says there is no scientific evidence that low doses of chemotherapy or large doses of supplements are effective against cancer . But Sackett-Hutcheson believes the small doses of chemo attacked cancerous cells without destroying her immune system while the vitamins boosted her immunity . `` I remember thinking if they 'd given me the high doses of chemo I would n't have made it . Even the low doses made me so incredibly sick . I 'd be getting up like every 15 minutes , puking in the middle of the night , '' Sackett-Hutcheson said . Like Danny Hauser , Sackett-Hutcheson was entangled in a court battle over her family 's decision . However , a judge allowed her to continue treatment in Mexico , while last month a judge ordered Hauser to undergo chemotherapy . Sackett-Hutcheson 's case was ultimately dismissed after doctors from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston declined to evaluate her progress on the grounds that they felt she was receiving `` inadequate treatment , '' according to court documents . Four months after her diagnosis in 1991 , she says , she was cancer-free , and has remained so . Dr. Francisco Contreras , Oasis of Hope 's head physician and the son of its founder , says Mexico 's `` open-mindedness '' toward alternative therapies is related to the socioeconomic standing of most of its citizens . `` Mexican authorities are much more open to natural therapies because most Mexicans live under the line of poverty so they would not have access to conventional medicine , '' he said . `` I do n't know if that 's for benefit of our patients or not , but we have this open-mindedness because we have to do something to help our people . '' Like many border clinics , Contreras says his center takes an integrative approach , combining conventional treatment , such as chemotherapy and radiation , with alternative methods to create individualized regimens that focus on healing the entire body with fewer debilitating , long-term side effects . Not everyone leaves Tijuana 's clinics happy . Several articles on www.quackwatch.com and its sister sites contain negative testimonials from people who say they sought alternative treatment , mostly laetrile , for parents or a loved one only to have them die of cyanide poisoning a few weeks later . Such cautionary tales did n't stop Jennifer Woods from following the example of her grandfather by going to Tijuana to receive the Alivizatos treatment , an intravenous serum that its makers say consists of vitamins , minerals and amino acids . During her first monthlong visit , Woods paid about $ 15,000 for surgery to remove her tumors , 20 days of worth of the dosage and two meals a day , plus lodging expenses across the border in San Diego , California . But Woods says it was worth every penny . `` I feel well . I 've never had any ill side effects , and I have learned so much about nutrition and how to maintain my health , '' she said in a telephone interview from her home in Denver , Colorado . Woods says she has not seen a doctor in the United States since . She says she returns to IBC about every six months for six days at a time to receive `` booster treatments '' for about $ 1,200 a visit . `` It 's a very well-rounded program . You do n't just go there and let somebody give you something and then walk out and forget about it . You take responsibility from that day forward to do the right thing to keep your health in order . '' | Tumors have shrunk in teen who was ordered to resume chemotherapy . Family credits alternative treatments he 's getting in addition to chemo . Many clinics is Mexico promise cancer healing through alternative therapies . Expert : If alternative therapies really cured cancer , they 'd be standard treatment . | [[0, 15], [65, 174], [577, 601], [5915, 5974], [310, 409], [2955, 3020]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Six days after official election results awarded him victory in Iran 's presidential elections and four days after he compared the putative losers to fans of a losing soccer team , unleashing a wave of fury in his country , Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a broadcast aired Thursday his remarks had been taken out of context . President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad complained Thursday that earlier comments had been taken out of context . `` I was addressing those who started riots and set up fires and attacked people , '' he told the state-run news agency IRINN in an interview . `` I said these -LSB- people -RSB- are nothing , they are not even part of the nation of Iran . They are alien in relation to Iran . '' Ahmadinejad said that the official results , which gave him an overwhelming margin of victory that many Iranians are challenging as rigged , mean that `` everybody is victorious ... We are a big family , and we have to put our hands together . '' In Sunday 's remarks to a rally at Vali-e Asr Square in Tehran , he said , `` The Iranian nation is united . In a football match , there are 50,000 to 70,000 spectators . Those whose team has lost are angry and will do anything to vent their anger . Forty million people participated in the elections in Iran . They themselves were the players , and they determined -LSB- the outcome -RSB- . `` Now four or five dirt or dust creeping from the corners may do something . But you must know that the pure river that is the Iranian nation will not allow them to put themselves on display . '' His reference to unhappy Iranians as `` dirt '' or `` dust '' was seen by many as particularly galling , and he offered a qualified apology on Thursday . `` I am sorry about the degree of accuracy of the news that some publicize , '' he said . `` The very clear statement of the president is being distorted . '' He said that he had noted that all 40 million Iranians had emerged as victorious in the elections , not just those who may have voted for him . And he attempted to include supporters of Mir Hossein Moussavi , the opposition leader who reportedly lost , in his embrace . `` These all are victors of the election forum ; they are all dear , '' he said . `` We are all brothers . And I even said the road is open . Everyone should come . And nobody has the right to ask anybody else whom did you vote for . This means this is how much the government cares for the rights of the people . '' Watch report on online sites that support Ahmadinejad '' He added , `` I am sorry that some people base their movements and political activities on these rumors that are basically untrue , and I hope this will be corrected . '' Key religious conservatives have publicly complained of Ahmadinejad 's treatment of the protesters in rallies demanding a new vote . Watch the latest from the streets of Tehran '' One of the critics was Habibolah Asgharoladi , a senior member of a key conservative voting bloc allied with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , which represents Tehran 's influential bazaar merchant class . Asgharoladi has accused Ahmadinejad of treating the pro-Moussavi demonstrators improperly and urged him to treat them with more respect . These developments marked an extraordinary rebuke to Ahmadinejad and a rare public airing of the existing rift among ruling conservatives . Watch report on conservatives ' reaction '' Other segments of Iranian society are planning to hold rallies , including the Association of Combatant Clerics . The group of influential clerics has requested permission to demonstrate on the streets of Tehran on Saturday , Iran 's government-funded Press TV reported . Khamenei has asked the authority , the Guardian Council , to recount some of the votes . But Moussavi and his supporters are demanding fresh elections . | Ahmadinejad 's comparison of election losers to soccer fans unleashed wave of fury . `` I was addressing those who started riots and set up fires , '' he says in broadcast . President of Iran attempts to embrace opponents : `` These all are victors '' Key conservatives have complained of Ahmadinejad 's treatment of protesters . | [[0, 15], [200, 240], [243, 288], [271, 309], [449, 506], [726, 958], [2690, 2799], [3082, 3219], [3106, 3160]] |
Editor 's note : Deborah E. Lipstadt , Dorot professor of modern Jewish and Holocaust studies at Emory University , is the author of `` History on Trial : My Day in Court with David Irving . '' She was the target of a British libel lawsuit by Irving , a historian she said had become a spokesman for Holocaust denial . Lipstadt won the case in April 2000 . Read her blog here . Deborah Lipstadt says the Holocaust love story seemed incredible on its face . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I do n't know whether to be sad or angry -- or both . The recent exposé of the fact that Herman Rosenblat 's Holocaust memoir is a hoax was no surprise to me . From the first time I heard the story of his `` miraculous '' survival during the Nazi era , I doubted that it could be true . Rosenblat 's claim that , as an inmate in a Buchenwald sub-camp , he had survived because a young girl had tossed an apple over the fence each day for seven months just did not seem credible to me . The notion that a concentration camp inmate could approach the fence without the SS shooting him beggared the imagination . I could not believe that a little girl whose family was supposedly passing as non-Jews would allow their daughter to engage in such an act . The fairy tale nature of the incident was enhanced by the supposed reunion of the couple on a blind date years later when both had moved to America . The story was that they discovered each other 's true identity and , after a whirlwind romance , decided to marry . Survivors who had been in the camp with Rosenblat and had kept in touch with him since the end of the war protested that the story could not be true . They wondered why Rosenblat had never mentioned the incident until the late 1990s . A number of other historians shared my doubts , which I posted on my blog . As one of the first to express skepticism about this , I became the target of attacks from those who thought I was demeaning the Rosenblats . We doubters could not , however , initially overcome the power of Oprah , on whose show Rosenblat and his wife appeared twice . Credulous reporters , who should have sought some form of verification , kept writing about this `` miraculous '' event . The producer who acquired movie rights tried to intimidate those of us who raised questions . He wrote to me saying , `` I have traveled all over Eastern Europe for several years in preparation for what will be a major feature film . I may be more of a Holocaust expert than you , even though , I have no title nor university affiliation . What I do know for sure is before I make any statements I know the facts . You simply do not know those facts , and that Deborah , is the greatest sin to the memory of all those perished so long ago . '' The publisher refused to let anyone see the book . Public relations people circulated versions of the story urging recipients to send it on so eventually it would reach millions of people . Slowly , thanks to the power of the Internet and the work of some intrepid historians , the hoax was exposed . The publisher pulled the book . The movie producer cried foul , presenting himself as a victim who had been duped . This is not the first time such a hoax has been perpetrated . Most of the previous stories have been spread by people who were passing as survivors . In contrast , the Rosenblats were both survivors of the Holocaust . But that fact has now been lost in the shuffle . What , then , is the danger of these sorts of hoaxes ? First of all , they give ammunition to Holocaust deniers . This is a bonanza for them . Deniers expend great efforts in trying to implant doubts in young people about the veracity of the Holocaust . They spend so much energy attacking `` Anne Frank : The Diary of a Young Girl '' because it is a book that is widely read by young people . The fact that this `` apples over the fence '' story has already been published as a widely successful children 's story provides the deniers with a great opportunity to peddle their wares . However , the danger posed by deniers is not the primary reason why such fabricated stories should be exposed . The events of the Holocaust are horrible in and of themselves . They do not need to be aggrandized or exaggerated to be made to sound any worse than they were . They also do not need to be rendered as joyful love stories that make us feel good about what happened . Both are insults to the survivors and inimical to the pursuit of historical truth . The optimum way of teaching about the Holocaust and presenting its history is , to quote Detective Joe Friday from the old TV show , `` Dragnet , '' `` just the facts , just the facts . '' What we need , particularly in relation to something as mind-boggling as the Holocaust , are `` just the facts . '' The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Deborah Lipstadt . | Deborah Lipstadt : People raised questions about Holocaust love story . She says backers of the story rejected the doubts . Lipstadt says such tales give ammunition to Holocaust deniers . She also says the fake story insults the memory of the survivors . | [[2264, 2266], [2271, 2289], [3494, 3537], [4387, 4470]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was working from home Thursday after fracturing her right elbow during a fall the day before , State Department officials said . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was treated and released after fracturing her elbow . Clinton fell Wednesday afternoon at the State Department on her way to the White House and was taken to George Washington University Hospital . She was treated and released . She will have surgery to repair her elbow in coming weeks . Clinton was with Richard Holbrooke , President Obama 's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan , when she fell . `` Secretary Clinton appreciates the professionalism and kindness she received from the medical team who treated her this evening and looks forward to resuming her full schedule soon , '' said department spokeswoman Cheryl Mills . Philip Crowley , an assistant secretary of state , said Obama was one of the first people to call Clinton Wednesday night . Clinton was at home `` resting comfortably , or uncomfortably . She is working from home . She is already taking some calls , and I 'm sure starting to learn the limits of movement -- how well you can text with one arm in a sling , '' Crowley said . CNN 's Paul Courson contributed to this report . | Secretary of State Hillary Clinton breaks elbow in fall . Clinton was on her way to White House . Clinton plans to have surgery to repair elbow . | [[0, 26], [30, 157], [194, 228], [245, 282], [458, 517], [458, 461], [480, 517]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than six hundred workers at Total 's Lindsey oil refinery in Northern England have been told they no longer have jobs after staging what the company calls an `` unofficial , illegal walk out . '' Protesters gathered outside Total 's Lindsey oil refinery on Friday , June 19 , after hundreds of striking workers were sacked . The steel workers started striking last Thursday after one contractor axed 51 jobs while another employer on the same site was recruiting . Protesters gathered outside Total 's Lindsey oil refinery Friday with placards calling for solidarity from fellow workers . The dispute has prompted a number of wildcat strikes at power stations and oil refineries around the United Kingdom . The workers ' union GMB , which represents around half of the sacked workers , estimates that , as of late yesterday , up to 4,000 other workers at four power stations and three oil refineries had walked off the job in sympathy . Early this afternoon , Total confirmed that negotiations had started between the workers ' employers and ACAS , the British Advisory , Conciliation and Arbitration Service . Earlier , in a statement posted on its Web site , Total announced that its contractors had started the process of ending employment contracts for 647 workers on the HDS-3 construction project . The statement said the project has been temporarily shut down and that all employees had until 5pm on Monday to reapply for their jobs . Phil Davies , national secretary and head of the manufacturing section at the GMB Union , told CNN the invitation to a job interview would only stoke workers ' anger . `` I think that would just humiliate people to be quite honest and it will put their backs up and make them more determined to win it , '' he said . He said union representatives were in the process of gathering information to hold an official industrial ballot , a process that could take six weeks . The British Press Association published one sacked Lindsey worker 's appeal for support from fellow union members : `` We are asking for support from workers across the country which I am sure will be given . Total will soon realize they have unleashed a monster . '' Workers at the Lindsey oil refinery walked off the job for more than one week in early February to protest against the hiring of hundreds of foreign workers . They returned to work after the unions and the company gave assurances that half the jobs would go to British workers . | NEW : Total says the workers ' employers and ACAS are in negotiations . Hundreds of striking workers at Total oil refinery told to reapply for their jobs . Dispute started after 51 workers were axed , while another company was hiring . Strike prompted walk outs at four power stations , three refineries in the UK . | [[978, 998], [1001, 1151], [9, 212], [1448, 1482], [366, 448], [455, 505], [630, 747], [748, 771], [827, 977]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The unlikely alchemy of a hard-rock legend and a bluegrass superstar created Grammy gold Sunday night , as Robert Plant and Alison Krauss picked up five awards -- including album and record of the year -- for their work , `` Raising Sand . '' Alison Krauss and Robert Plant 's song `` Please Read the Letter '' won record of the year . `` Sand '' won album of the year honor , while a song from the set , `` Please Read the Letter , '' won record of the year . `` I 'm bewildered . In the old days we would have called this selling out . But it 's a good way to spend a Sunday , '' said Plant , the legendary Led Zeppelin front man . `` Raising Sand '' was produced by T Bone Burnett , whose production and oversight of the `` O Brother , Where Art Thou '' soundtrack won three awards -- including album of the year -- in 2002 . For `` Sand , '' Burnett selected several songs , mostly obscurities such as Gene Clark 's `` Polly Come Home '' and Sam Phillips ' `` Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us , '' and let Plant and Krauss mix it up in stark , often subdued fashion . The result was widely praised and reached No. 2 on the album charts . Watch Plant and Krauss talk about their win '' The win adds to Krauss ' eye-popping Grammy total of 26 awards -- more than any female artist in history and third only to conductor Sir Georg Solti -LRB- 31 -RRB- and producer-arranger-mogul Quincy Jones -LRB- 27 -RRB- . The awards were overshadowed by news that performer Chris Brown , who had been up for two Grammys , had become the focus of a domestic-violence allegation . Brown turned himself in to Los Angeles police Sunday evening . Watch a report on the latest developments in the Brown case '' He was released on $ 50,000 bail , according to the Los Angeles Police Department . Authorities said Brown and a woman were involved in an argument in a vehicle . Read more about Brown . The argument escalated when Brown stopped the car and the woman got out , the LAPD said , citing the victim 's account . A representative for Brown at the ICM agency in Los Angeles could not immediately be reached for comment . Coldplay took home one of the Grammys ' big three honors , song of the year , for the title track of their album `` Viva La Vida . '' The group also won best rock album . `` Thank you and sorry to Sir Paul McCartney for blatantly recycling the ` Sgt. Pepper ' outfits , '' the band 's Will Champion said , noting the group 's colorful attire . See the stars on the red carpet '' Adele won best new artist . The Grammys are often better remembered for the colorful performances than the winners , and this year 's 3 1/2 - hour telecast seemed determined to showcase nominees , often in unusual combinations and settings . Watch Tia Carrere discuss the best Hawaiian music album '' Jennifer Hudson brought the house down with an emotional performance of a new ballad , `` You Pulled Me Through , '' and won best R&B album -- an award presented by another big-voiced vocalist , Whitney Houston . Hudson was equally emotional in her acceptance speech . `` I 'd like to thank my family in heaven and those who are with me today , '' she said , her voice catching . `` Everybody , thank you all , '' she concluded . Hudson 's mother , brother and nephew were murdered last October . Watch Carrie Underwood talk about her meeting with Hudson '' Jamie Foxx took a star turn with a quartet of singers -- including Smokey Robinson -- in a medley of Four Tops songs in tribute to the group 's late lead singer , Levi Stubbs . The University of Southern California marching band backed Radiohead 's performance . Paul McCartney , backed by powerhouse Dave Grohl on drums , did `` I Saw Her Standing There '' -- the first track from the Beatles ' first album , `` Please Please Me , '' in 1963 . Four famed rappers -- T.I. , Kanye West , Jay-Z and Lil Wayne -- were called the `` Rap Pack '' in a segment that followed a tribute to one of the Rat Pack singers , Dean Martin , who received a lifetime achievement award . With them was M.I.A. , extremely pregnant but giving it her all . Then there was the pairing of Stevie Wonder with the Jonas Brothers in a medley that concluded with Wonder 's `` Superstition . '' Brown and Rihanna , each scheduled to perform , were notable for their absence . Rihanna was scheduled to sing `` Live Your Life/Disturbia '' and Brown was later to sing `` Forever . '' Apparently substituting for one of the slots was an all-star version of Al Green 's `` Let 's Stay Together , '' led by the good reverend himself . With more than 100 categories , only a relative handful were presented on the show . Among the winners not televised on the broadcast -- though available on the Internet -- was best comedy album , which went to the late George Carlin for `` It 's Bad for Ya . '' It was his fifth Grammy . Carlin 's daughter , Kelly , accepted on his behalf , saying she 'd take better care of it than Carlin did with his first Grammy . That one , she observed , was taken apart in a `` chemically induced , altered state . '' Carlin was eventually sent a new Grammy for his trouble . | Robert Plant , Alison Krauss `` Raising Sand '' is album of year . Plant , Krauss ' work wins five Grammys total . Coldplay wins song of the year for `` Viva La Vida , '' best rock album . Jennifer Hudson wins best R&B album . | [[126, 220], [4826, 4851], [2259, 2268], [2274, 2295]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 28-year-old Oregon woman has been charged with murder after the body of a new mother was found in the crawl space of her home . Police released a photo of Korena Roberts , who is charged with murder . Rescue crews first went to Korena Roberts ' home in Washington County on Friday in response to a call of a newborn in distress . They found Roberts ' boyfriend unsuccessfully trying to revive the baby using first-aid techniques . Roberts told deputies the baby was hers , the county sheriff 's office said . Medics noticed a lot of blood at the home , and sent Roberts and the baby to a hospital . `` Doctors at the hospital were not able to revive the baby , '' said Sgt. David Thompson of the Washington County Sheriff 's Office in a news release . `` They also discovered that Ms. Roberts had not delivered a child at anytime in the recent past . '' Deputies returned to the home , where they found the body of 21-year-old Heather Snively in the crawl space under the kitchen , Thompson said . Authorities learned Snively had been pregnant at the time she was attacked , and they determined she was the mother of the infant . An autopsy will now determine how the baby was delivered , and whether he died before or after birth , Thompson said . The outcome could result in another murder charge for Roberts , deputies said . Residents in the woman 's Mill Creek Drive neighborhood said Roberts had told them she was expecting a child , according to CNN affiliate KPTV . `` She did n't appear to be pregnant to us , '' neighbor Doug King told KPTV . | Rescue workers called to Korena Roberts ' house after report of baby in distress . Roberts told medics she had just delivered baby . Doctors unable to save baby ; then learned Roberts had not been pregnant . Authorities later find baby 's mother 's body in crawl space of Roberts ' house . | [[1406, 1458], [620, 679], [773, 780], [786, 871], [0, 15], [33, 105], [93, 148], [896, 899], [913, 1000]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Slave labor in developing countries such as Brazil , China and India is fueling part of their huge economic growth , according to a State Department report released Wednesday . Amnesty International activists protest human trafficking during an event in Greece in March . The department 's annual `` Trafficking in Persons Report '' found increased allegations of forced labor made in connection with a variety of agricultural products and manufactured goods in developing countries . In Brazil , the report found a `` trafficking phenomenon . '' It said thousands of trafficked and forced laborers had been found on plantations growing sugar cane for Brazil 's booming production and export of the biofuel ethanol . The report cites shrimp processed in Thailand and Bangladesh ; clothing from Bangladesh , India , Jordan and Malaysia ; and bricks made in India , China and Pakistan as being among the products of booming industries in which workers are subjected to forced labor , debt bondage and hazardous working conditions . Laws are not adequate to punish those responsible , it adds . China was found to have a `` significant '' problem with forced labor , including forced child labor . Children as young as 12 are reportedly subject to forced labor under the guise of `` work and study programs '' and subject to excessively long hours , dangerous conditions , low pay and physical abuse . The report found China 's growing brick industry is fraught with cover-ups of the problem . For the fourth year in a row , China was put on a `` watch list '' of countries that could face sanctions if they do n't improve their efforts to combat trafficking . India was also placed on the watch list for not doing enough to solve its trafficking problem , according to the report . While commercial sexual exploitation remained a problem in India , the State Department found internal forced labor `` may constitute India 's largest trafficking problem . '' It said men , women and children are forced to work in brick kilns , rice mills , agricultural businesses and embroidery factories . Once again , the report found U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf to have dismal records on trafficking . Saudi Arabia , Qatar , Kuwait and Oman were listed as destination countries with widespread trafficking abuses . The report cites forced laborers trafficked from Asia and Africa who are subject to restrictions on movement , withholding of passports , threats , and physical and sexual abuse . The report found those countries made weak efforts to rescue the workers and prosecute the traffickers . The other countries on the blacklist are Algeria , Myanmar , Cuba , Fiji , Iran , Moldova , North Korea , Papua New Guinea , Sudan and Syria . | State Department report documents human trafficking . Slavery rampant in industries in Brazil , China , India , report says . U.S. allies in Persian Gulf have dismal record , according to report . Withholding of passports , threats , physical and sexual abuse reported . | [[0, 26], [147, 185], [160, 206], [30, 35], [42, 98], [1688, 1693], [1784, 1809], [2119, 2129], [2132, 2180], [2149, 2220], [2383, 2398], [2403, 2513]] |
DAVID , Panama -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dozens of families frightened by aftershocks slept outside overnight Wednesday after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook coastal Panama near the border with Costa Rica . The quake was centered about 235 miles -LRB- 380 km -RRB- west of Panama City , near the town of David , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . The temblor occurred at 1:11 a.m. ET and residents reported feeling three aftershocks . There were no immediate reports of casualties , but damage was reported in the cities of Paso Canoa , David and Puerto Armuelles . The extent of the damage was not immediately known . Many families opted to stay outside their homes , saying that they felt as if the earth were swallowing them and that trees and their houses were falling down . One resident , Carlos Estribi , said he picked up his children in his arms and ran to the public plaza in David , seeking protection since he felt like his house was collapsing . Family members told CNN that patients at the Regional Hospital of David went outside and refused to go back in because aftershocks were still being felt . Patients at the Materno Infantil Jose de Obaldia Hospital and the Regional Rafael Hernandez Hospital also fled their rooms . Cyclists from Costa Rica , Colombia , the Dominican Republic and Germany , who were in David for a bicycle race , also had to leave their hotel rooms . Police and other security officials were inspecting schools , hospitals and private and public buildings for damage . Journalist Demetrio Abrego in David contributed to this report . | NEW : Frightened patients flee hospital and refuse to return as aftershocks rumble . NEW : No immediate reports of casualties ; damage reported but extent not yet known . Quake struck at 1:11 a.m. ET about 235 miles -LRB- 380 km -RRB- west of Panama City . | [[44, 78], [989, 1044], [989, 997], [1049, 1114], [1115, 1215], [1221, 1239], [436, 481], [567, 611], [201, 278], [348, 398]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The alleged surviving attacker from last month 's Mumbai terror attacks is seeking help from Pakistani officials , India said Monday . Guests arrive at the reopening of the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai . The suspect , Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab , wrote a letter to Pakistan 's High Commission in India that was handed over to Pakistan 's acting high commissioner in New Delhi on Monday evening , India 's foreign ministry said . Asked about the statement , Pakistan 's foreign ministry said the government in Islamabad `` has so far not received any information or evidence relating to the Mumbai incident from the government of India . '' According to India 's foreign ministry , Kasab , 21 , stated in his letter that he and the other attackers were from Pakistan and asked for a meeting with Pakistan 's High Commission . Indian authorities said Kasab had admitted he was one of 10 gunmen who attacked several targets in Mumbai on November 26 , sparking three days of battles with police and Indian troops in the heart of the city that is the hub of India 's financial and entertainment industries . India said Kasab told investigators he and the others were trained for more than a year in Pakistan by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba , a banned Islamic militant group . The attacks left more than 160 people dead , as well as nine of the gunmen . Most of the deaths occurred at the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi-Trident hotels , which reopened on Sunday -- three weeks after the attacks . CNN 's Sara Sidner in New Delhi and Zein Basravi in Islamabad contributed to this report . | Alleged surviving attacker from Mumbai terror attacks seeks Pakistani help . Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab writes letter to Pakistan 's High Commission . India officials say Kasab has admitted he and other attackers were Pakistani . | [[0, 33], [109, 149], [245, 256], [287, 341], [721, 726], [734, 864], [865, 931]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Some Israeli archaeologists are having a particularly happy Hanukkah , thanks in part to a British volunteer who took time off from her job to work on a dig . Archaeologists found a hoard of gold coins from the 7th century in Jerusalem on Sunday . The Israel Antiquities Authority reported a thrilling find Sunday -- the discovery of 264 ancient gold coins in Jerusalem National Park . The coins were minted during the early 7th century . `` This is one of the largest and most impressive coin hoards ever discovered in Jerusalem -- certainly the largest and most important of its period , '' said Doron Ben-Ami and Yana Tchekhanovets , who are directing the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority . Researchers discovered the coins at the beginning of the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah , which started at sunset on Sunday . One of the customs of the holiday is to give `` gelt , '' or coins , to children , and the archaeologists are referring to the find as `` Hanukkah money . '' Nadine Ross , a British archaeological volunteer , happened onto the coins during the dig just below the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem . `` To be honest , I just thought , ` Thank God I did n't throw it in the rubbish bucket , ' '' said Ross , who had taken four weeks off from her engineering job in England to work at the site . `` I was just glad I sort of spotted it before I disturbed it too much . '' The 1,400-year-old coins were found in the Giv ` ati car park in the City of David in the walls around Jerusalem National Park , a site that has yielded other finds , including a well-preserved gold earring with pearls and precious stones . They were in a collapsed building that dates back to the 7th century , the end of the Byzantine period . The coins bear a likeness of Heraclius , who was the Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641 . The authority said that while different coins had been minted during this emperor 's reign , the coins found at the site represent `` one well-known type . '' In that style , the emperor is clad with military garb and is holding a cross in his right hand . On the other side is the sign of the cross . Authorities said the excavation of the building where the hoard was discovered is in its early stages . They are attempting to learn about the building and its owner and the circumstances of its destruction . `` Since no pottery vessel was discovered adjacent to the hoard , we can assume that it was concealed inside a hidden niche in one of the walls of the building . It seems that with its collapse , the coins piled up there among the building debris , '' Ben-Ami and Tchekhanovets said . The find is a a golden moment for Ross , who said `` it is a pity that I ca n't take it home with me . But there you go . '' CNN 's Shira Medding and Ben Wedeman contributed to this report . | NEW : Coins were found by British volunteer ; `` Pity that I ca n't take it home , '' she says . Researchers find ancient coins in car park in Jerusalem 's City of David . Coins were minted in 7th century and depict Byzantine emperor of the era . They were found in collapsed building being excavated by archaeologists . | [[2733, 2782], [2714, 2718], [2725, 2777], [188, 276], [1449, 1510], [415, 467], [1690, 1723]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police violated the rights of a man charged in the death of a Little Rock , Arkansas , anchorwoman by interviewing him twice without his lawyer present , defense attorneys said in a motion . Anne Pressly spent five days in the hospital before she died from her injuries . The motion requests a judge bar police from `` interviewing , interrogating or otherwise communicating with '' Curtis Lavell Vance . In their response , however , prosecutors note that Vance initiated both interviews with police and waived his right to have an attorney present . A hearing is scheduled Tuesday on the issue , according to the Pulaski County court clerk 's office . Vance , 28 , is charged with capital murder , rape , residential burglary and theft in the death of Anne Pressly . Pressly , 26 , was found unconscious in her home October 20 and died five days later at a hospital . She was the morning news anchor for KATV , a CNN affiliate . Authorities have said Vance is linked to Pressly 's death through DNA testing . Little Rock Police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings and prosecutor John Johnson declined comment to CNN Monday , citing a gag order imposed in the case . However , in Johnson 's response to the motion , he notes Vance initiated both of the interviews . In the defense motion filed earlier this month , Vance 's public defenders wrote they notified the court in December that he intended to assert his right to remain silent and communicate only through his counsel . A judge issued an order directing that police provide sufficient notice to defense counsel before transporting Vance . However , the defense alleges Little Rock Police transported Vance to a police station and interviewed him without notifying them in December and again in February . In December , the attorneys said they were notified by jail staff that Vance had been taken for a police interview . They went to the jail and waited at the inmate entrance in hopes of seeing him as he arrived but police `` deviated from normal practice and took him through an entrance on the opposite side of the building from that which is ordinarily used , thereby avoiding the possibility that Mr. Vance would see his attorneys . '' They said in December , police did not allow them to speak with Vance . In February , they claim in the motion , Vance was not notified of their request to speak with him during the police interview . Although police claim that both of the interviews were initiated by Vance , `` the detectives ' lack of candor with Mr. Vance during the interviews violates his Sixth Amendment right to counsel , '' the defense motion said . `` LRPD detectives have engaged in subterfuge and have violated both the meaning and the express language of a standing court order in their successful attempts to interrogate Mr. Vance outside the presence of counsel . '' But , prosecutors point out in their response , a defendant is allowed to initiate contact with authorities , even if represented by counsel . `` The only issue here is whether the defendant waived his Sixth Amendment right to counsel by initiating contact with the police , and clearly he did , '' Johnson wrote . They also said defense attorneys were notified in December that Vance was being transported from the jail -- by the jail staff . And in February , they said , police could not have violated the district court order in the case because the district court lost jurisdiction over the case when it was filed in circuit court -- as spelled out in the order itself . Prosecutors also note that despite requests by the defense to speak to Vance , `` As counsel knows ... law enforcement is under no obligation to allow an attorney access to their client under these circumstances unless the defendant asks for the attorney . '' Vance 's trial has been set for September 9 , according to court documents . | Motion says Little Rock Police interviewed suspect twice without lawyers . Curtis Vance , 28 , is accused of raping , murdering KATV anchorwoman Anne Pressly . Prosecutor says Vance initiated interviews , waived right to have attorney present . | [[118, 143], [1622, 1660], [1703, 1777], [2777, 2861], [49, 117], [673, 678], [681, 683], [686, 787], [424, 441], [454, 540], [476, 481], [524, 570], [1190, 1226], [1229, 1278], [2426, 2593]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Are circus elephants abused ? Or are the elephants under the big top healthy and thriving in a caring environment ? Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey elephants pass the U.S. Capitol in a parade this week in Washington . That 's the issue a federal judge must decide in a 9-year-old legal dispute pitting four animal rights groups against the nation 's most famous circus , Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey . Closing arguments will be heard Wednesday in the case in which the circus is accused of mistreating its 54 Asian elephants , which are protected under the 1973 Endangered Species Act . Under the law , endangered species can not be `` harmed , harassed , wounded , injured or killed . '' The circus `` is in fact in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act as a result of their routine practices that they use on the elephants , '' according to Tracy Silverman , general counsel for the Animal Welfare Institute . Silverman alleges that the circus uses `` bull hooks '' and electrical prods called `` hot shots '' to train and manage the elephants and that handlers chain the elephants for extended periods of time . These practices violate federal law , Silverman says . But the circus says that no evidence was presented at the six-week trial that such tools as bull hooks and hot shots are used on elephants . `` Ringling Bros. ' practices are well known to the federal government who regulates their business , '' says Ringling Bros. attorney Michelle Pardo . The tools the circus uses to handle animals `` are time-tested , approved and commonly used , '' she added . Pardo insists the trial evidence `` showed the elephants are healthy , well cared for and they 're thriving in Ringling Bros. care . '' Besides the Animal Welfare Institute , other groups involved in the suit are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , the Fund for Animals and Born Free USA , acting with the Animal Protection Institute . While the animal rights groups allege the circus `` severely mistreats and abuses '' elephants , the circus says the animals are not only healthy but `` really do benefit from the enrichment that the circus provides . '' No immediate ruling is expected from the judge . | Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey accused of mistreating 54 Asian elephants . Judge is set to hear closing arguments in nearly decade-old legal dispute . Animal rights groups say circus violating 1973 Endangered Species Act . Circus attorney says elephants `` thriving in Ringling Bros. care . '' | [[486, 494], [504, 547], [486, 489], [504, 514], [526, 563], [1990, 2078], [251, 268], [271, 326], [300, 401], [441, 494], [728, 842], [60, 145], [1620, 1752], [1710, 1752]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The government is warning that taking the psoriasis drug Raptiva could result in serious brain infection and even death . Raptiva may cause a serious brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy . The Food and Drug Administration cited three confirmed cases , and a possible fourth , of people diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy -LRB- PML -RRB- after being treated with Raptiva . `` Three of those patients have died , '' the FDA said in a public health advisory . `` All four patients were treated with the drug for more than three years . '' None was receiving other treatments that suppress the immune system . Raptiva 's product labeling was revised in October to highlight a boxed warning about the risks of life-threatening infections , including PML . `` At that time , the FDA directed Genentech , the manufacturer , to develop a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy -LRB- REMS -RRB- to include a medication guide to educate patients about the drug 's risks , '' the FDA 's advisory says . In the advisory , issued Thursday , the FDA highlighted the confirmed cases and promised to `` take appropriate steps '' to ensure that Raptiva 's risks do not outweigh its benefits . The FDA also said it will ensure that patients `` are clearly informed of the signs and symptoms of PML '' and that health care professionals `` carefully monitor patients for the possible development of PML . '' Overseas , the European Medicines Agency has gone further , recommending that no new prescriptions for Raptiva be issued and that patients taking the drug talk to their doctors about an alternative . On Thursday it asked the European Commission to make that recommendation legally binding . The group 's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use determined `` that the benefits of Raptiva no longer outweigh its risks , because of safety concerns , including the occurrence of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients taking the medicine . '' It said patients who have been treated with the drug should be `` closely monitored for neurological symptoms and symptoms of infection . '' `` Patients who are currently taking Raptiva should not stop treatment abruptly , but should make an appointment with their doctor to discuss the most appropriate replacement treatment , '' the agency said . Raptiva , a once-weekly injection for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis , works by suppressing T-cells -- cells that help fight infection -- in the immune system . Those cells cause the skin inflammation associated with psoriasis . By suppressing T-cells , Raptiva `` decreases the function of the immune system , which increases a patient 's susceptibility to infections , '' the FDA said . The National Institutes of Health says the prognosis for PML `` remains grim ; the disease usually lasts for months and 80 percent die within the first six months , although spontaneous improvement has been reported . Those who survive PML can be left with severe neurological disabilities . '' Around 6 million to 7 million Americans have psoriasis , which is incurable , the NIH says . | NEW : European Medicines Agency discourages new Raptiva prescriptions . Raptiva 's product labeling was revised in October to highlight risks . Raptiva is an injection for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis . The drug suppresses T-cells , which makes it decrease immune system function . | [[1472, 1480], [1483, 1529], [1545, 1601], [1483, 1512], [1532, 1671], [688, 832], [688, 715], [739, 832], [952, 962], [969, 1042], [2383, 2390], [2445, 2468], [2471, 2499], [2629, 2651], [2654, 2708]] |
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 S. Martin says it 's time to get over the fact that baseball turned a blind eye to steroid use . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I loved baseball as a kid . I still have fond memories of my siblings and me , members of the `` Astro Buddies '' club , heading to the Astrodome , the eighth wonder of the world , to watch the Houston Astros play . I played the game in elementary and high school . But now , I 'm sick of it , especially when steroids are brought up . The latest baseball drama surrounds a New York Times report quoting two lawyers who say that former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa 's name was on a list of players who tested positive for an illegal substance in 2003 . The list supposedly contains more than 100 names of players who tested positive that year . This report comes on the heels of Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees admitting that he used performance-enhancing drugs a few years ago ; Manny Ramirez testing positive and suspended for 50 games ; and the continuing drama surrounding Roger Clemens . All three were considered locks for the Hall of Fame . But based on what we keep hearing , that 'll never happen in this holier-than-thou era . OK , got it . Baseball had a terrible drug problem . Now they have a drug testing plan in place that has some teeth in it . So , can we just move the hell on ? Seriously , I 'm tired of rehashing the drama . As a sports enthusiast , I would love nothing better than to think that athletes in baseball , football , basketball or any other sport are as pure as heroes from yesteryear . But cheating is cheating . It has been around from Day One , and if a player thinks he can get an edge , well , it 's a good bet some will try to get it . Sosa has always been suspected of using drugs , but now that two lawyers say they saw his name on the infamous sheet , he has gone , according to Rick Telander 's column in the Chicago Sun-Times , `` from hero to zero . '' But you know what ? I do n't care . Can we just all accept the fact that all of baseball -- players , management , owners , the unions -- turned a blind eye to performance-enhancing drugs ravaging the sport ? And they did so because baseball was on its way to being comparable to the National Hockey League or soccer in the U.S. -- irrelevant to sports fans . After the strike in 1994 wiped out the World Series , fans were angry and did n't give a lick about the sport . But then came 1998 and the home-run derby put on by St. Louis Cardinal Mark McGwire and Sosa , both trying to break the record of 61 homers in a year set by Roger Maris of the New York Yankees . Fans were riveted by the hitting prowess of the two , and people were following their every at-bat . I was working at KRLD-AM in Dallas , Texas , that summer , and we would break into programming to broadcast the call of their at-bats when they were about to break the record . Yea , everyone had Sosa-McGwire fever . Baseball became relevant again . The players redeemed themselves , management was happy to say they worked for the sport , and the owners were delirious because the money came rolling in . So there we have it . All of baseball pulled a Robert Johnson , as in the legend of the classic blues singer who supposedly got his gift for music by making a pact with the devil . Or maybe more like Judas . The sport turned in its integrity for a few pieces of silver . Let 's just accept this as a fact , acknowledge those were the dark days and move on . It 's just tiring to keep going back to what happened then . It 's done . It 's over . So let it go . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland S. Martin . | Roland S. Martin : Baseball was in the doldrums until 1998 home-run race . Martin : Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa race to break home-run record stirred interest . Martin says baseball had a terrible drug problem . But he says it 's time to turn the page on baseball 's deal with devil . | [[2662, 2699], [1438, 1476], [254, 357], [276, 351]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former champion Maria Sharapova has been seeded for next week 's Wimbledon championships . Sharapova powers a forehand during the WTA tournament in Birmingham last week . The Russian has only recently returned to action after a serious shoulder injury , but despite performing solidly in the French Open and reaching the semifinals of the WTA grasscourt event in Birmingham last week , she remained 59th in the rankings . But Wimbledon , who are alone among the grand slams in not sticking entirely with the official rankings of the ATP and WTA in deciding the seedings , have given Sharapova the 24th berth . World number one Dinara Safina of Russia is top seed , followed by Serena Williams and defending champion Venus Williams , who is elevated to third because of her prowess on grass . Rafael Nadal , who remains a slight injury doubt to take his place in the draw , is the top seed in the men 's tournament , with the top six spots in the list following the ATP rankings list . The defending champion will test his injured knees by playing in two exhibition matches on grass at the Hurlingham Club in London later this week , organizers announced Wednesday . The Spaniard will play Lleyton Hewitt of Australia on Thursday and Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland on Friday . Five-time champion and pre-tournament favorite Roger Federer is second seed at Wimbledon as he bids to set a record of 15 grand slam wins after his French Open triumph . Home hope Andy Murray , who won the Queen 's Club tournament on Sunday , is seeded third with Novak Djokovic of Serbia in fourth . Eighth-ranked Fernando Verdasco of Spain gets the seventh seed spot ahead of Frenchman Gilles Simon . Outside of the top seeds , Marat Safin of Russia has been elevated to 15th from his world ranking of 23 . Former world number one Safin reached the semifinals at the All England Club last year . Big-serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic is lifted to 23rd from 31st . The third grand slam of the year starts next Monday with the all-important draw being made on Friday . In the pre-Wimbledon warmup action on Wednesday , top seed Dinara Safina of Russia beat Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-3 6-3 in the Ordina Open in the Netherlands . But Amelie Mauresmo of France was beaten 7-6 7-6 by Russian Ekaterna Makarova at the WTA tournament in Eastbourne . | Maria Sharapova elevated to 24th seed by as Wimbledon announces seeds . Injury-doubt Rafael Nadal top seed as he defends his Wimbledon crown . Nadal to test his injured knees in exhibition tournament at Hurlingham Club . Dinara Safina reaches third round of the Ordina Open in the Netherlands . | [[0, 15], [35, 109], [445, 454], [580, 628], [811, 823], [830, 889], [811, 823], [892, 969], [1004, 1091]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The New Zealand All Blacks secured a narrow 14-10 victory over France in Wellington on Saturday to square their rugby Test series at 1-1 , but France still secured the Dave Gallaher Cup for the first time since it was introduced in 2000 by virtue of their five-point victory in Dunedin last week . Ma'a Nonu goes over for New Zealand 's only try in their narrow victory over France in Wellington . Having been out-muscled and out-played 27-22 in the opening Test , the New Zealanders played with far greater intensity , physicality and urgency at a cold , wet and windy Westpac Stadium . A Ma'a Nonu try midway through the first half opened the scoring for the host nation before Stephen Donald slotted home a penalty for an 8-0 advantage at the break . The French reply was swift after the restart , with wing Cedric Heymans crossing the line with a superb solo effort and then Julien Dupuy 's conversion getting them back into the game . But another Donald penalty and one from substitute Luke McAlister edged the All Blacks further ahead before a late three-pointer from Dimitri Yachvili kept things interesting . Meanwhile , a much-changed Australia side comfortably accounted for Italy 34-12 in Melbourne on Saturday . Man-of-the-match Adam Ashley-Cooper , who started on the bench , finished with two tries , one in each half , after coming on initially when Peter Hynes was blood-binned , then as a replacement for James O'Connor at full-back . Three first-half tries gave the Wallabies a 20-6 lead at the break and that was a fair reflection of the difference between the teams , but the hosts were held at bay for much of the second half before late tries by Lachie Turner and Ashley-Cooper . Australian-born full-back Luke McLean landed four penalties for Italy for whom fellow-Aussie Craig Gower was effective and creative in his second start at fly-half . | The New Zealand All Blacks defeat France 14-10 in Wellington to level series . Tourists France won the opening Test match 27-22 in Dunedin last weekend . A much-changed Australian side defeats Italy 34-12 in Melbourne on Saturday . | [[0, 15], [115, 155], [317, 416], [162, 316], [1136, 1145], [1148, 1242]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals for the first time since 1966 by battling to a 0-0 draw away to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night . North Korea have qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1966 . The point captured in searing temperatures in Riyadh , saw the Koreans edge into second place in Asian qualifying Group 2 to finish ahead of Saudi Arabia on goal difference and seal their place in the finals . It means both group winners South Korea , who co-hosted the World Cup with Japan in 2002 , and neighbors North Korea will play in the 2010 showpiece in South Africa . North Korea coach Kim Yong-Jun Kim had nothing but praise for his players after the final whistle . `` We focused on the defending as we had come under a lot of pressure from the Saudis and I think our preparation for the game was one factor that earned the victory tonight , '' the North Korean boss told FIFA 's official Web site . `` We monitored the Saudi team from the beginning of our campaign and I noticed that they have a problem in finding good strikers . We battled to qualify for the World Cup finals and I would like to thank my players for the great performance that they showed during the whole match , '' added Kim . `` It was so hot in Saudi Arabia and as you know the journey from Korea was long but our belief in the ability of the players snatched the ticket to South Africa , '' Kim stated . The booking of North Korea 's ticket to the finale will see the reclusive nation compete against the world 's best despite growing international political concern regarding Pyongyang 's testing of a nuclear bomb recently . Their form in the tournament is one of upsetting the odds after they Italy 43 years ago en route to the quarter-finals . The home draw sees Saudi Arabia finish in third place to go into the playoffs where they will face Bahrain . The winners will play New Zealand for a place in the finals , while Iran miss out after finishing fourth in Group 2 . Earlier on Wednesday , they were denied a victory in Seoul as Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung scored a late equalizer to give South Korea a 1-1 draw . Iran took the lead from an own goal early in the second half against the group winners , but Park popped up to score a brilliant 81st minute goal as he beat several men before firing home . In Group 1 , Tim Cahill scored twice as Australia came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 to clinch top spot in the section . The result was academic as both teams had already sealed automatic qualification for the World Cup finals in South Africa . Japan went ahead in front of a big crowd of nearly 70,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground -LRB- MCG -RRB- as Marcus Tulio Tanaka headed home a Kengo Nakamura corner in the 40th minute . But the Socceroos , who went through qualifying unbeaten , hit back in the second half . Everton 's attacking midfielder Cahill again worked his scoring magic to secure the victory . He was on target in the 59th and 76th minutes to take his tally to 16 in 33 internationals . `` This is a step forward for us , it 's great to finish top of the group , '' Cahill told FIFA.com after the win , while captain Lucas Neill paid tribute to their opponents . `` They really played the game with intensity and they were running us ragged for a bit and we could n't get ourselves in the game , '' Neill said . Bahrain later clinched third spot in the group and their playoff spot with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan . A 74th minute goal from Mahmood Abdulrahman from a free kick gave his side a crucial three points . | North Korea qualify from Group 2 with 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia . Australia top Group 1 of Asian qualifying with 2-1 win over Japan . Bahrain clinch playoff spot from Group 1 with 1-0 win over Uzbekistan . | [[0, 15], [101, 150], [2358, 2368], [2371, 2478], [3390, 3492]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than 100 Romanians fled their homes Tuesday night in Belfast , Northern Ireland , following what politicians called `` racist attacks and intimidation . '' A Romanian woman and her child are escorted by police in Belfast on Wednesday . `` On Tuesday evening , when the Romanians saw their windows starting to be smashed , they felt the threats were very real and contacted the police , '' said Trish Morgan , the media relations manager at the Belfast City Church , which took them in . A church member was advised by the police that `` the situation was getting too tense , '' and that the group -- 113 people in all -- needed to find a safe place that could accommodate them quickly . The member contacted the church , and that 's where they went , Morgan said . The Romanians were `` quite scared '' upon arrival at the church but `` relieved to be out of the situation , '' she added . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Wednesday condemned what one member of Parliament called `` appalling racist attacks , '' and said he hoped the authorities would be able to `` take all the action necessary to protect them . '' Martin McGuinness , the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland -- a province of the United Kingdom -- visited the families on Wednesday , his party Sinn Fein announced . `` People are shocked and completely disgusted by this incident , '' he said in a statement `` I came here this morning to show very clearly my commitment to facing up to any form of intimidation in our community , no matter where it may come from . `` I met with numerous families who are genuinely fearful for their lives and those of their families ; I held a five-day-old baby girl in my arms today . She was born in Belfast and now forced to leave her home as a result of attacks by racist , criminal thugs , '' McGuinness said . He was speaking at the O-Zone leisure center , where the families have moved because the space is larger than the church . Race-hate crime in south Belfast has increased in the past six months , Sinn Fein equality and human rights expert Vincent Parker said . The incident came only a day after violence broke out at an anti-racism rally in support of Romanians in Belfast . Belfast Lord Mayor Naomi Long called Monday 's scuffles `` totally unacceptable . '' `` A small minority of people have sadly taken away from an event which had been organized by the local community to show solidarity for their Romanian neighbors , and to express their abhorrence at their homes being subjected to racist attacks , '' she said Tuesday . CNN 's Eve Bower contributed to this report . | 113 Romanians flee homes in Belfast after windows smashed . Romanians were sheltered by local church , later moved to leisure center . Northern Irish politicians condemn `` racist attacks and intimidation '' UK PM Brown urges authorities to `` take all action necessary to protect them '' | [[9, 101], [306, 360], [628, 658], [669, 727], [481, 504], [513, 527], [9, 32], [123, 193], [931, 1140], [1109, 1158]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A plane carrying California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made an emergency landing Friday evening after the cockpit filled with smoke , his office said in a statement . California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called his plane 's emergency landing `` a little adventure '' on Twitter . Schwarzenegger confirmed the incident with a tweet on the social-networking Web site , Twitter . He also included a photo of the jet on the tarmac . `` A little adventure just now when my plane made an emergency landing . All 's OK , though , '' he posted . The governor was on his way to the Santa Monica airport after a speech in Mendota , California , about the drought affecting the state . The jet was diverted to Van Nuys Airport after the pilot reported `` smoke emanating from the instrument panel in the cockpit , '' Schwarzenegger 's office said , adding that there were no visible signs of a fire . The pilot made a `` quick , steep , but safe landing , '' his office said . No one was injured . Twitter is a social networking site that allows users to update what they are doing using 140 characters or less . | California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger 's plane makes `` steep '' emergency landing . Jet diverted after smoke emanates from cockpit panel . Schwarzenegger tweets about landing , calls it `` a little adventure '' | [[44, 98], [211, 286], [510, 546], [935, 987], [146, 175], [720, 845], [325, 409]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Members of Iran 's national soccer team wore green arm and wrist bands Wednesday during their World Cup qualifying match against South Korea . Members of Iran 's National Soccer Team sport green bands in their game against South Korea on Wednesday . The team does not normally wear green bands . Many Iranians are viewing the team 's bands as a sign of support for Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi , although that has not been confirmed . Green is the campaign color of Moussavi and has been widely worn by his supporters who have staged massive rallies in Tehran before and after last week 's presidential election . Moussavi is disputing the results of the vote that gave President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term and is calling for a new election . The players took the wrist bands off when the team came out for the second half of the game that was taking place in Seoul , South Korea . It is unclear whether the players were asked to remove the wrist bands . The match ended 1-1 . | Many Iranians viewing team 's bands as a sign of support for opposition leader . Green is the campaign color of Mir Hossein Moussavi . Iranian national team was playing a World Cup qualifier in Seoul , South Korea . | [[329, 423], [486, 525], [9, 29], [73, 175], [884, 892], [898, 923]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iran 's election authority has rejected claims of voting irregularities by a defeated presidential candidate , while acknowledging that the number of ballots cast in dozens of cities exceeded the number of eligible voters there , state-run TV reported Monday . Protesters face Iranian riot police on a street in Tehran on Saturday . Iran 's Guardian Council -- which approves all candidates running for office and verifies election results -- said candidate Mohsen Rezaie alleged irregularities in 170 cities , and that excessive ballots were found in 50 cities , according to government-funded Press TV . Council spokesman Abbas-Ali Kadkhodaei said voting in those locations did not noticeably affect the outcome of the election , adding that the council will continue to investigate complaints that are filed through `` legal channels , '' Press TV said . The council declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner of the June 12 election . Rezaie had reported some irregularities and called for a recount of some ballots , while opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi and candidate Mehdi Karrubi have rejected the election as fraudulent and demanded a new one . Earlier Sunday , thousands of riot police and militia lined Tehran 's streets as the public rift among Iranian leaders appeared to be widening . The country 's foreign minister disputed allegations of ballot irregularities in Iran 's disputed presidential election , and the parliamentary speaker implied the nation 's election authorities had sided with one candidate . Amateur video showed large crowds marching down a major Tehran thoroughfare shouting , `` Do n't be afraid , we 're together ! '' and `` Death to dictator ! '' The person who shot the video said it was taken Sunday , but CNN could not immediately verify that the protest had taken place . Eyewitnesses reported a protest also took place at southern Tehran 's Azad University , where final exams were postponed after about 200 students refused to take them . Thousands of riot police and members of the Basij militia lined the streets of the city , according to eyewitnesses . Security personnel surrounded the headquarters of the country 's state television and radio . Many shops were closed , and shopkeepers whose stores were open said they planned to close early Sunday . However , no tanks were seen on the city 's streets . Traffic was light . Watch amateur video of a volunteer paramilitary forces headquarters burning in Tehran '' A statement purportedly from Moussavi on Sunday called on Iranians to `` exercise self control '' during protests in Tehran , while still supporting their right to demonstrate against the government and the results of the disputed June 12 presidential election . `` The country belongs to you . The revolution and the system is your heritage , '' the statement attributed to Moussavi said in a statement posted on his Web site . `` Protesting against lies and cheating is your right . Be hopeful about regaining your rights . Do not allow anyone who tries to make you lose hope and frighten you make you lose your temper . '' The authenticity of the message could not be verified ; it was posted in Farsi and translated by CNN . The message came a day after hospital sources said 19 people were killed in clashes between anti-government protesters and police . Unconfirmed reports put the death toll as high as 150 . See images of the clashes Saturday '' `` The sad news of the martyrdom of another group who protested the results of the elections has caused our society astonishment and our people mourn them , '' said the statement attributed to Moussavi . `` Firing on people , militarization of the city 's atmosphere , threats , agitations and show of force are all the illegitimate children of law breaking and we are facing all of that . It is a wonder that the perpetrators accuse others of breaking the law for expressing their opinions . '' Watch how social-networking sites spread the word on Iranian news '' Police have not been given permission to use firearms in confronting protesters , Tehran Police Chief Azizollah Rajabpour told Iran 's semi-official Mehr news agency . Police have not used firearms on the public , he said . Allegations to the contrary are false and `` spread by those who want to muddy the waters , '' the agency reported . News coverage in Iran has been limited by government restrictions on international journalists . On Sunday , the BBC said Iran had expelled Jon Leyne , the British network 's permanent correspondent in Tehran . And Al-Arabiya , a Dubai-based Arab satellite network , said its Tehran bureau was ordered closed . Press TV confirmed 13 fatalities Saturday , saying the deaths resulted from police clashes with `` terrorist groups '' in Tehran . But the station did not say whether all the deaths took place Saturday or spanned the length of the weeklong protests . iReport.com : Share images from Iran . Videos posted on social networking Web sites depicted tense scenes and chaos Saturday , and one graphic video that captured the death of a young woman became the iconic symbol of a brutal day . But like most of the information coming out of Tehran , it is impossible to verify her name -- Neda -- or the circumstances of her apparent death . Watch a portion of the video '' Press TV also reported Sunday that five relatives of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani were arrested for allegedly `` inciting and encouraging rioters '' in Tehran 's Azadi -LRB- Freedom -RRB- Square on Saturday , the Web site reported . Faezeh Rafsanjani , the former president 's daughter , was released Sunday , and the four others were released earlier in the day , Press TV reported on its Web site . The woman 's brother said she was arrested while taking part in a protest . The elder Rafsanjani is chairman of the Assembly of Experts , which is responsible for appointing or removing the supreme leader . He is a supporter of Moussavi , while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remained staunch in his defense of incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad . A spokesman for the Guardian Council told state television that Wednesday is the last day it can recount the votes disputed by candidates . Meanwhile , prominent figures , many of whom were part of Iran 's Islamic revolution 30 years ago , issued conflicting statements , a sign that Iran 's leadership was far from unified . The foreign minister , Manouchehr Mottaki , said Sunday an investigation into claims of fraud in the election will be announced by week 's end . But speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran , he called the possibility of irregularities almost nonexistent . `` The possibility of organized and comprehensive disruption and irregularities in this election is almost close to zero given the composition of the people who are holding the election , '' Mottaki said . On the other hand , Iran 's influential parliamentary speaker , Ali Larijani , implicated the same people -- the Guardian Council -- of siding with one candidate . `` Although the Guardian Council is made up of religious individuals , I wish certain members would not side with a certain presidential candidate , '' Larijani told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting on Saturday , without naming whom he meant . The comments were reported on Press TV and on another news Web site , Khabaronline , Sunday . Larijani 's statement was in direct contrast to that of Khamenei , who in a sermon Friday declared the elections a `` definitive victory '' for Ahmadinejad and rejected charges of vote rigging . `` A majority of people are of an opinion separate '' from that of a minority , Larijani said . While Larijani and Ahmadinejad have had a tense relationship in the past , Larijani is seen as being aligned with Khamenei . For him to directly contradict the leader 's statement amounts to another example of the growing disagreement among ruling conservatives . Meanwhile , former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami , in an open letter posted on his Web site , said , `` the presence of the people is one of the achievements of the revolution and must be respected . '' `` Sensational and insulting propaganda against the people , who have always acted independently , and insinuating that their healthy movement is directed by foreigners is itself a sign of the implementation of faulty policies which will widen the gap between the people and the government , '' Khatami wrote . The election and the subsequent clashes in Iran were the subject of protests in some U.S. cities Sunday . See photos of some of the protests in the U.S. '' In Washington , roughly 400 Iranian-Americans gathered in front of the Iranian Interests Section on Sunday to protest the disputed election . The protesters , dressed in the colors of the Iranian flag , waved signs and chanted slogans such as , `` Down with the dictator , '' `` Democracy for Iran , '' and `` Where 's my vote ? '' Some carried signs with images of injured and bleeding Iranian protesters . Protests also were held in Los Angeles and New York . | NEW : Iran 's Press TV : Council acknowledges excessive balloting in 50 cities . Amateur video purportedly shows protesters in Tehran for eighth straight day . Rift between Iranian leaders seems to be growing . On Web site , purported message from Moussavi supports protests , urges caution . | [[9, 29], [150, 293], [548, 594], [366, 390], [597, 638], [1218, 1345], [6409, 6450], [7844, 7978], [2511, 2634], [2511, 2558], [2643, 2773], [2903, 2939]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A nonprofit consumer group said Thursday that it will sue Bayer HealthCare , alleging `` deceptive and irresponsible '' advertising that contends selenium in two of its multivitamins may reduce men 's risk of prostate cancer . One A Day Men 's 50 + Advantage ads say selenium may cut men 's risk of prostate cancer , a consumer group says . The Center for Science in the Public Interest said it informed the multinational company of its intent Thursday . David Schardt , the center 's senior nutritionist , told reporters during a teleconference that the center already has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission . `` We are standing behind all the claims we make in support of the products , '' Trish McKernan , Bayer 's global spokeswoman , told CNN . `` The selenium claims are made by a -LSB- Food and Drug Administration -RSB- - approved qualified health claim . We regularly review the evidence , and we change our claims if necessitated . The emerging science has n't compelled us to change our claims , and the FDA claim is intact . '' Bayer 's HealthCare division , based in Leverkusen , Germany , researches , manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products . Bayer promotes One A Day Men 's 50 + Advantage and One A Day Men 's Health Formula multivitamins on package labels , TV and radio ads and on its Web site . In its promotions , the company says `` emerging research '' suggests that selenium might reduce the risk of prostate cancer , the center said . `` Did you know that there are more new cases of prostate cancer each year than any other cancer ? '' according to one radio ad . `` Now there is something you can do . '' Both dietary supplements contain 105 micrograms of the trace mineral selenium per daily dose , or about twice the Recommended Daily Allowance , which is 55 micrograms a day for adults , according to the center . Visit CNNhealth.com , your connection for better living . `` It 's astounding that a company such as Bayer ... would make such deceptive claims , '' the center 's litigation director , Steve Gardner , told reporters during the same teleconference . Supporting the center in its letter of complaint to the FTC are nine researchers , who wrote a separate letter to Mary Engle , associate director of advertising practices . Among the signees are medical professionals from the Harvard School of Public Health , American Cancer Society and University of Illinois at Chicago Division of Pathology Research . All agree there is scant evidence to support Bayer 's claim . A seven-year , $ 118 million study funded by the National Institutes of Health found last year that selenium does not prevent prostate cancer in healthy men , the center said . The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial involving 35,000 U.S. and Canadian men was halted in October when researchers determined that selenium was not protecting the men from prostate cancer and may have been causing diabetes in some of them . According to the researchers in their letter supporting the FTC 's complaint , `` the federally financed study was the largest individually , randomized cancer prevention trial ever conducted , and , given its high rates of adherence and its statistical power , it is unlikely to have missed detecting a benefit of even a very modest size . '' `` Bayer Healthcare is doing a disservice to men by misleading them about a protective role for selenium in prostate cancer , '' they added . CNN 's Ann Curley contributed to this report . | Center for Science in the Public Interest plans to sue Bayer HealthCare . Group says claims that ingredient in men 's vitamins may cut cancer risk are false . Bayer spokeswoman : `` We are standing behind all the claims '' NIH : Selenium does not prevent prostate cancer in healthy men . | [[0, 26], [30, 104], [658, 698], [2665, 2721]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two Italians , a Dane , a German , a Frenchman and a Brit walk into a space station ... or will , in 2013 , if all goes according to European Space Agency plans . Europe 's six new astronauts hope to join their American counterparts on the Internation Space Station . The six new astronauts named Wednesday were chosen from more than 8,400 candidates , and are the first new ESA astronauts since 1992 , the space agency said in a statement . They include two military test pilots , one fighter pilot and one commercial pilot , plus an engineer and a physicist . `` This is a very important day for human spaceflight in Europe , '' said Simonetta Di Pippo , Director of Human Spaceflight at ESA . `` These young men and women are the next generation of European space explorers . They have a fantastic career ahead , which will put them right on top of one of the ultimate challenges of our time : going back to the Moon and beyond as part of the global exploration effort . '' Humans have not walked on the moon since 1972 , just over three years after the first manned mission to Earth 's nearest neighbor . The six will begin space training in Germany , with an eye to being ready for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond in four years . They are : Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy , a fighter pilot with degrees in engineering and aeronautical sciences ; Alexander Gerst , a German researcher with degrees in physics and earth science ; Andreas Mogensen , a Danish engineer with the private space firm HE Space Operations ; Luca Parmitano of Italy , an Air Force pilot with a degree in aeronautical sciences ; Timothy Peake , an English test pilot with the British military ; and Frenchman Thomas Pesquet , an Air France pilot who previously worked as an engineer at the French space agency . | 2 Italians , a Dane , a German , a Frenchman and Briton make astronaut list . Six new astronauts named Wednesday chosen from 8,400 candidates . Group will undergo four years of training in Germany . | [[287, 369], [287, 325], [376, 419], [1128, 1172]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- DNA test results reveal that a Michigan man is not a Long Island , New York , boy who went missing 54 years ago , according to the FBI . John Robert Barnes claims a DNA test shows he 's Steven Damman , who vanished in 1955 . John Robert Barnes , of Kalkaska , Michigan , approached police in New York twice in March claiming to be Steven Damman , a toddler who vanished while on a shopping trip with his mother in 1955 . Barnes tracked down Pamela Damman Horne , Steven 's sister , and the two had private tests performed that showed a `` probability '' they were siblings , according to Nassau County , New York , detective Lt. Kevin Smith . But samples from Barnes and Horne analyzed by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico , Virginia , determined that they do not share the same mother , the FBI in Detroit said Thursday . Sandra Berchtold , spokeswoman for the FBI Detroit bureau , said the FBI follows strict testing protocols and used mitochondrial DNA to determine Barnes and Horne were not linked to the same mother . Marilyn Damman took her toddler , Steven , and his baby sister , Pamela , to a food market in East Meadow , Long Island , in 1955 . The mother went inside to do some quick shopping , leaving her 2-year-old son and baby girl in the stroller outside . But Damman told authorities that when she returned , her children were gone . A short time later , blocks away , the baby girl was found unharmed and the stroller was intact , but Steven was missing , Smith said . CNN 's Stacey Newman contributed to this report . | John Barnes claimed he was Steven Damman , who went missing 54 years ago . FBI tests show Barnes and Steven 's sister , Pamela , have different mothers . Steven went missing in East Meadow , Long Island , in 1955 . | [[97, 100], [105, 130], [156, 218], [205, 218], [225, 243], [244, 276], [290, 363], [666, 695], [752, 801], [839, 845], [904, 911], [949, 1038], [97, 100], [105, 130], [205, 218], [225, 243]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A car bomb exploded Friday morning in Spain 's northern Basque region , killing a police officer inside the vehicle , officials said . Police investigate the vehicle destroyed by a car bomb in Spain 's Basque region . Spain 's Prime Minister blamed the attack on the Basque separatist group ETA , although there was no warning call before the explosion , as often happens in ETA attacks . The car exploded at 9:05 a.m. -LRB- 3:05 a.m. ET -RRB- in an open-air parking lot in the Basque town of Arrigorriaga and damaged five other cars . Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze , and police moved in to investigate . The Spanish national police officer killed was Eduardo Puelles , said the new Basque regional president , Patxi Lopez . `` ETA showed us the road to pain , '' Lopez said on national TV . `` We will show them the road to prison . '' The officer was a senior figure in the fight against ETA and the explosion was caused by a limpet bomb placed underneath the car , officials told CNN partner station CNN + . A limpet bomb is one that is stuck to the underside of vehicle . Arrigorriaga is about 30 miles south of the largest Basque city of Bilbao . ETA 's last fatal victim was a businessman who was shot dead in the same region last December . `` My stance to stop ETA is unbreakable , so that people in the Basque country and Spain can live in peace , to halt this barbarity , '' said Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero , after the attack . ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its more than four decades of fighting for Basque independence . The European Union and the United States list it as a terrorist group . ETA has threatened Lopez , who is a socialist and the first non-nationalist Basque president in 30 years . He has also vowed to stop the group . There are about 600 ETA members or suspected members in Spanish jails and 150 others in French jails , authorities in both countries have told CNN . | Car bomb explodes in northern Spanish city of Arrigorriaga . Basque president : Victim a national police officer named Eduardo Puelles . Official : Explosion was caused by a limpet bomb placed underneath the car . Arrogorriaga in Basque region at heart of long-running separatist campaign . | [[34, 103], [169, 251], [423, 539], [653, 715], [653, 688], [718, 756], [946, 987], [974, 1013], [1059, 1123], [1559, 1609]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Smoking in youth-rated movies has not declined despite a pledge two years ago by Hollywood studios to encourage producers to show less `` gratuitous smoking , '' according to an anti-smoking group . The American Medical Association Alliance has been trying to get movie studios to make smoking-free films . The American Medical Association Alliance , pointing to research that big-screen smoking leads teens to pick up the tobacco habit , called for an R rating for any movie with smoking scenes . The head of the group that gives U.S. movies their ratings , however , said the smoke has been clearing from youth-rated movies , a result of the film industry 's sensitivity to the issue . The alliance , the medical association 's advocacy arm , launched a summer campaign this week aimed at publicly shaming studios into making smoke-free films . `` Research has shown that one-third to one-half of all young smokers in the United States can be attributed to smoking these youth see in movies , '' said Dr. Jonathan Fielding , head of the Los Angeles County Public Health Department . Fielding cited another study that he said `` found that adolescents whose favorite movie stars smoked on screen are significantly more likely to be smokers themselves and to have a more accepting attitude toward smoking . '' The Motion Picture Association of America , the industry group that issues ratings and parental guidance for U.S. films , added smoking scenes as a factor in ratings two years ago , but Fielding said it has not made a difference . `` In all , 56 percent of the top box office movies with smoking released between May 2007 and May 2009 were youth-rated films -- G , PG or PG-13 , '' he said . Joan Graves , who chairs the Motion Picture Association 's movie rating committee , offered her own statistics , based on all of the 900 films rated each year , not just the top movies included in Fielding 's numbers . The association has given no G ratings in the past two years to a movie with smoking , Graves said . Overall , 55 percent of the movies rated in the past two years showed some smoking , but 75 percent of those with smoking scenes were given R ratings , Graves said . Twenty-one percent were rated PG-13 and the remaining 5 percent were PG , she said . A G movie is deemed suitable for all audiences , while a PG rating is a signal to parents that a film may include some material they might consider inappropriate for children . PG-13 indicates a stronger warning that some material may be inappropriate for children under 13 . No one under 17 can be admitted to see an R movie without a parent or guardian . American Medical Association Alliance President Sandi Frost used as her chief example of a movie with `` gratuitous smoking '' this month 's blockbuster `` X-Men Origins : Wolverine , '' which was rated PG-13 `` for intense sequences of action and violence , and some partial nudity . '' `` Millions of children have been exposed to the main star of the film , Hugh Jackman , with a cigar in his mouth in various scenes , '' Frost said . `` I 'm willing to bet that not one child would have enjoyed that movie or Mr. Jackman 's performance any less if he had n't been smoking . '' A spokesman for Twentieth Century Fox , the studio responsible for the Wolverine movie series , said Jackman 's cigar was never lit and it was limited to just two scenes . In one scene , the cigar is shot out of his mouth , prompting Jackman 's Wolverine character to suggest its loss would lead to clean living -- an anti-smoking statement -- the studio spokesman said . He said that while the Wolverine character has a cigar in his mouth in almost every panel of the comic book series , producers made `` a conscious decision '' to limit the cigar in the movie . The American Medical Association Alliance , hoping to draw studio executives ' attention , hired a mobile billboard to drive around the major studios this week . `` The billboard shows a teenage girl asking the question , ` Which movie studios will cause me to smoke this summer ? ' '' Frost said . The alliance will keep an online scorecard throughout the summer to count `` how many tobacco impressions each studio delivers to G , PG and PG-13 audiences , '' she said . `` At the end of the summer , whichever studio has delivered the most tobacco impressions to youth audiences will be named in a billboard that will run outside of their headquarters , '' she said . Motion Picture Association of America spokeswoman Angela Martinez said the group `` is very sensitive to the concerns of parents about the purpose of the rating systems . '' `` It 's reflective of society , '' Martinez said . `` It 's really a tool for parents to help determine what their kids see . '' They began factoring smoking scenes into the ratings two years ago as `` a reflection of changes in society and health concerns , '' she said . `` Smoking is rated like all the other factors , including violence and sex , '' she said . Fielding said it should be absolute -- and not just a factor . `` Any movie with smoking should be rated R , '' he said . `` And if they worry about an R rating hurting their profits , then they should work with studios to remove smoking from films that hurt youth . '' Graves , whose committee makes the decisions , indicated such a zero-tolerance policy would not be accepted . | American Medical Association Alliance wants films with smoking to be rated R . AMAA says that kids who watch smoking often turn to habit . Hollywood rating organization says smoking in movies has declined . | [[463, 480], [483, 541], [5093, 5136], [203, 242], [351, 392], [395, 480]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A jury Friday acquitted W.R. Grace & Company and three of its former executives of having knowingly exposed mine workers and residents of Libby , Montana , to asbestos . The W.R. Grace plant in Libby , Montana , in an undated photograph . `` We at Grace are gratified by today 's verdict and thank the men and women of the jury who were open to hearing the facts , '' said Fred Festa , chairman , president and CEO of the company in a written statement . `` We always believed that Grace and its former executives had acted properly and that a jury would come to the same conclusion when confronted with the evidence . '' Festa said that during the time Grace owned and operated a vermiculite mine in Libby , `` the company worked hard to keep the operations in compliance with the laws and standards of the day . '' The jury began deliberating Thursday and returned its verdict Friday morning . The Department of Justice 's response to the verdict , which came after a three-month trial , was measured . `` The jury has spoken , and we thank them for their service , '' said a written statement issued by the office of public affairs . `` We are refraining from further comment at this juncture because one individual awaits trial in connection with this case . '' Prosecutors plan to try another executive separately . Asked if the Justice Department plans to appeal , department spokesman Andrew Ames said , `` I would n't want to comment on that . '' Federal prosecutors had accused the mining company and its executives of exposing Libby 's 100,000 residents to asbestos for decades , resulting in more than 200 deaths and 1,000 illnesses . The product covered patches of grass , dusted the tops of cars and drifted through the air in a hazy smoke that became a part of residents ' daily lives . `` There 's never been a case where so many people were sickened or killed by environmental crime , '' said David Uhlmann in an April interview . He helped spearhead the case when he was the Justice Department 's top prosecutor of environmental crimes before stepping down in 2007 . During the trial , those who lost loved ones testified at the federal courthouse in Missoula , about 130 miles southeast of Libby , that residents had been kept in the dark about the dangers . Until 1990 , W.R. Grace & Company operated a mine in Libby that produced vermiculite , a substance used in all sorts of products , from insulation to fertilizers . The vermiculite was contaminated with tremolite asbestos -- linked to numerous illnesses including mesothelioma , a cancer that can attack the lining of the lungs , abdomen or heart . The government 's indictment alleged that W.R. Grace conspired to `` knowingly release '' the asbestos . It said the company tried to hide the dangers from employees and residents , leaving them `` in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury . '' `` It was a purpose of the conspiracy to conceal and misrepresent the hazardous nature of the tremolite asbestos contaminated vermiculite , thereby enriching defendants and others , '' the indictment read . The indictment also said W.R. Grace tried to `` defraud the United States and others by impairing , impeding , and frustrating '' the Environmental Protection Agency and other government agencies once they launched an investigation in 1999 . The 10-count indictment included charges of wire fraud and obstruction of justice . Had it been convicted , the company could have faced criminal fines of up to $ 280 million , which is twice the value of its profits from the mine . Grace executives , who were named as defendants , could have faced prison time . The company did not deny that asbestos emanated from its plant . Nor did it question that some people had been sickened and killed , though a definitive number of deaths linked to the vermiculite plant probably will never be known . But W.R. Grace denied any kind of conspiracy . In fact , the company said , it acted responsibly and took appropriate steps . It said it had voluntarily paid millions of dollars in medical bills for 900 Libby residents . In the courtroom , defense attorneys noted that the asbestos problem dates back to about 1920 , long before W.R. Grace took over the mine in 1963 . The attorneys said that , as information about the asbestos came to light , the company took numerous steps to mitigate the dangers and were open about it . Defense attorney David Bernick said he was not surprised by the verdict . `` The evidence showed that what was going on internally with the company was anything but conspiratorial , '' he told said . `` It was responsible . '' However , some townspeople did not share Bernick 's view . `` I do n't see how they could have gotten out of it , '' said Steven Schnetter , who worked at the mine for 17 years until it closed in 1990 . Shortly afterward , Schnetter was diagnosed with asbestosis , a lung disease caused by exposure to asbestos fibers . The 60-year-old retiree said he told his managers in the late 1980s that he was concerned to find that tremolite is a form of asbestos . `` They said , ` Oh , yeah , but it 's the short-fiber type that wo n't hurt you , ' '' he said . Schnetter settled with the company for a `` small amount , '' he told CNN Friday in a telephone interview . When asked about his frequent coughing , he said , `` I do that all the time . ... My lungs wo n't expand right . '' | Jury acquits W.R. Grace , three former execs in asbestos exposure case . Chemical company accused of hiding asbestos dangers from employees , residents . Prosecutors claim pollution left 200 dead , more than 1,000 sick . W.R. Grace claims it took steps to mitigate danger , paid residents ' medical bills . | [[33, 53], [1474, 1606], [2235, 2295], [2749, 2823], [1474, 1493], [1609, 1664], [3728, 3793], [3953, 3969], [3972, 4021], [4022, 4116], [4265, 4421], [4291, 4338], [4341, 4396]] |
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