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NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the midst of the ongoing culture wars , can it be a good idea to put out a comedy about two Stone Age men who wander into the Bible ? In `` Year One , '' Jack Black stars as an inquisitive Stone Age man , with Michael Cera as his sidekick . Harold Ramis thinks so . `` Year One , '' which he directed , concerns two men -- played by Jack Black and Michael Cera -- who leave their home and , in their travels , meet biblical characters such as Cain , Abel , Abraham and Isaac . Among the locales : ancient Sodom , which `` did n't seem worse than Las Vegas to me , '' Ramis told CNN . `` Year One '' comes out Friday . Ramis , whose writing and directing credits include `` Groundhog Day '' and `` Analyze This , '' said it was time for a new biblical epic -- of sorts . `` No one had done this film for our generation , '' he told CNN . It 's like , you know , when ` Animal House ' -LSB- which Ramis co-wrote -RSB- came out , there were college films . Every generation had college films , but our generation did n't have one yet , and I do n't know that our generation - this young , new generation of kids has a , you know , a sandal epic yet , and this is the one . This is for them . '' Ramis rounded up a cast of comedians familiar to any watcher of Judd Apatow-produced movies -- no surprise , since Apatow is a producer of `` Year One . '' Christopher Mintz-Plasse -LRB- `` Superbad '' -RRB- , Horatio Sanz -LRB- `` Saturday Night Live , '' `` Step Brothers '' -RRB- and Bill Hader -LRB- `` Tropic Thunder '' -RRB- all have parts . `` A lot of them were new to me , '' said Ramis . '' -LSB- But -RSB- Jack knew them , Michael knew them , they were connected -- all connected through Judd Apatow , through ` Saturday Night Live ' ... the comedy world is a club . '' Black joked that everyone 's a member of a secret society , requiring retinal scans , that meets `` inside the O of the Hollywood sign -- the first O , '' he noted . . `` All the projects are laid out on a table , '' he said . `` And we talk generally about how we 're gon na take over the planet , take over the comedy and keep a vise grip on it . '' Black said he revels in the chance to find the humor in the Bible . `` That was the fun of this thing , '' he said . `` It 's like , we are going to have some fun with the Bible ; you do n't see it very often . It has n't really been done since Monty Python days . ` Life of Brian . ' '' However , the film could get more than it asked for . Films poking fun at the Bible -- or , indeed , treating the Bible with anything less than reverence -- have been the subject of protests and criticism . `` Life of Brian , '' the Python troupe 's 1979 comedy about an assumed messiah that parodied the story of Jesus , was protested by clergy in the U.S. and banned outright in Ireland . French protesters threw Molotov cocktails into a Paris theater showing `` The Last Temptation of Christ , '' Martin Scorsese 's 1988 film version of Nikos Kazantzakis ' novel . More recently , Mel Gibson 's `` The Passion of the Christ , '' though a huge financial success , was criticized by some observers for alleged anti-Semitism , as well as its violence . Ramis , who observed that a number of biblical films focus on the New Testament , said he deliberately chose to make the Old Testament his subject . `` I told people that I wanted to do for the Old Testament what Monty Python did for the Gospels , '' he said . `` Which is just to kind of take a funny look and project a contemporary sensibility back to these treasured myths of Western civilization . `` It was n't so much to attack any particular religion , '' he added . `` I figure all religions are good . They all make sense on paper ; it 's just the exploitation of religion that 's been a problem , by ... people using religion to justify war , or to justify government or , you know , ` God made me do it . ' '' Ramis said one of his intentions with `` Year One , '' which he co-wrote with `` Office '' writers Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg , was to focus on people , not God . Paraphrasing the liberal clergyman and activist William Sloane Coffin , he said , God 's not the event itself , but `` God 's in our reaction to the event . '' `` I wanted to do a film that kind of addressed these fundamental beliefs and urged people to take personal responsibility , no matter what they believe God is or is n't , '' Ramis said . `` It 's still up to us in the final analysis . '' Which is not to say that the film skimps on its comedy -- and with Ramis , Black , Cera , Hank Azaria , David Cross and producer Judd Apatow -LRB- `` The 40-Year-Old Virgin , '' `` Superbad '' -RRB- around , there 's no shortage of jokes . `` It 's really just a good , dumb , broad comedy , '' Ramis told Entertainment Weekly . Improvisation often played a role , said Cera and Black . `` We were n't locked to anything , '' Cera said . `` It was a very honest set . If something was n't working then we would address it . '' `` We got a lot of different options -LSB- from observers -RSB- , and they were able to play with different options in the editing room . I thought it was a cool way to do it , '' said Black . `` I 've never done a movie like that -- and now I wan na do that on all my movies . '' iReport.com : Seen `` Year One '' ? Share your review . The handful of early reviews have been positive , and Ramis is pleased with the result . He 's particularly happy the film was received warmly in the Sodom shooting location -- Sibley , located in northwest Louisiana , in the heart of the Bible Belt . `` It 's funny , because Southern people living in the heart of the Bible belt , there 's a Baptist church every 150 feet in that area , and here we are in Sodom , in the city of Sodom , '' he said . `` And they just got into it , they enjoyed it so much . '' | `` Year One '' stars Jack Black and Michael Cera as Stone Age men in Bible . Director and co-writer Harold Ramis says the film uses comedy to make points . Biblical films are sometimes met with protest ; will `` Year One '' qualify ? | [[311, 313], [334, 391], [2498, 2533], [2554, 2650]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A four-story residential building collapsed Sunday in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn , and at least four people suffered minor injuries , according to the New York City Fire Department . Firefighters and other personnel arrive in the Fort Greene neighborhood on Sunday . The cause of the midday collapse of the building on Myrtle Avenue between Ryerson and Hall streets was not immediately known . All residents of the building were accounted for , authorities said . Three people were given medical attention at the scene and a fourth person was taken to a Brooklyn hospital , said a fire department spokesman . It was not clear whether any of the injured lived in the building . The New York Department of Buildings said residents in six adjacent buildings were told to leave those structures as investigators worked to determine the cause of the collapse . Watch video of the rubble '' A spokeswoman for that department confirmed that the owner of the collapsed building was cited in May after inspectors noticed several vertical cracks on an exterior wall . Watch video of the rubble . That case was scheduled to be heard Monday by the city 's Environmental Control Board , which handles citations issued by the buildings department . | Residential building collapses in Fort Greene area ; 4 people have minor injuries . Residents in six adjacent buildings told to leave those structures . Owner of collapsed building cited in May after inspectors saw vertical cracks on wall . | [[0, 14], [28, 122], [129, 173], [561, 613], [719, 796], [761, 832], [761, 796], [807, 897], [927, 1099], [976, 1099]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Chevron Corp. . CEO David O'Reilly says Big Oil is not to blame for skyrocketing gas prices . Chevron Corp. . CEO David O'Reilly says world demand for crude oil has been growing , which is affecting gas prices . In an interview Tuesday with Wolf Blitzer on CNN 's `` The Situation Room , '' O'Reilly said high demand and a short supply of crude oil were key factors causing gas prices to spike . Despite reports of record profits among major oil companies , O'Reilly downplayed a recent poll in which Americans said corporate avarice played a role . O'Reilly also discussed President Bush 's and GOP presumptive presidential nominee Sen. John McCain 's proposal to lift the ban on new offshore drilling as well as presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama 's call for taxing companies ' windfall profits . The following is an edited version of the show 's transcript : . Blitzer : You know you have -- you and ExxonMobil , the Big Oil companies -- have a huge public relations problem . In all the recent polls , when the American public is asked , who do you blame for these huge gas prices at the pump , they -- more than any other single source -- they blame Big Oil . They blame you . What 's going on ? Watch Blitzer grill O'Reilly '' O'Reilly : Well , I do n't think they blame us as much as you think . It looks to me like there 's a lot of blame to go around . Blitzer : There 's other blame , but more than any other single source , they blame Big Oil . O'Reilly : It depends on the poll you look at . Blitzer : The recent Gallup Poll . O'Reilly : Let me point out what we 're trying to do about this because I think the issue here is one of supply . And prices are high today , but it 's fundamentally a concern about oil supplies -- 75 percent of the price of gasoline is related to crude oil . We 're very dependent on crude oil imports . The total world demand for crude oil has been growing steadily over the last decade . And that is affecting everybody 's price . So it is a concern , but we need to work on the supply side , as well as the demand side , to bring change . Blitzer : Because you have had record profits , right ? O'Reilly : We 're investing those record profits . Blitzer : But billions and billions of dollars in profits , more than ever before . O'Reilly : Yes , but it 's a big business . And on a return-on-sales business , we 're right in there with the average of American business today . What we 're doing is investing that money . For example , last year , we did make a lot of money , $ 18.7 billion . This year , our capital investment in new supplies is $ 22.9 billion , almost $ 23 billion . Blitzer : You know that Barack Obama says if he 's president , he wants a windfall profits tax . He wants to take a chunk of your profits right now and give it back to the American people . John McCain opposes that , as you know . So I assume you would like to see John McCain elected president ? Watch McCain explain his stance '' O'Reilly : Well , I would like to see no windfall profit tax . And I will tell you why . First of all , we are already heavily taxed as an industry . Our tax rates last year were at 45 percent , compared with in the 30s for the average of all industry . Secondly , as I mentioned earlier , we 're investing the money . If you take the money away , it will reduce investment , reduce supply and have exactly the opposite effect of helping the problem that you have referred to . And , thirdly , we have done it before . We have had windfall profit taxes . Congress has studied them about 30 years ago . And what happened under those circumstances is supplies dropped domestically , and we became even more dependent on imported oil . You do n't want to do that today . Blitzer : Here 's how Sen. Obama put it . Listen to this . Obama -LRB- in a video clip -RRB- : Sen. McCain wants to give billions of dollars in tax breaks to Big Oil and opposes a windfall profits tax on oil companies like Exxon to help families struggling with high energy costs . I think that is exactly why we need to change Washington . Blitzer : So , I guess , given the stark difference when it comes to Big Oil between Obama and McCain -- let me rephrase the question -- do you want McCain to be elected ? O'Reilly : I want someone to be elected who will help resolve our energy crisis . And I do n't know enough about Sen. Obama 's position or Sen. McCain 's position to pass judgment on either one of them . What I do know , though , is that if we want to solve this problem of high energy prices , we 're going to have to work not only in the demand side , as Congress has done with -LSB- Corporate Average Fuel Economy -RSB- standards and alternatives , but we 're going to have to work on the supply as well . Blitzer : Do you want offshore drilling to be approved on both coasts and in the Gulf , which Sen. McCain now says is a good idea ? O'Reilly : I do think that 's a good idea . Today , our shores , except for the gulf off Texas and Mississippi and so forth , are off-limits today . So , look , Europeans who are very environmentally conscious -- the British , the Norwegians , the Danes , the Dutch -- they can allow sensible offshore production from their oceans . Why ca n't we ? See where drilling is allowed , banned '' Since we have -- over the last 20 years , domestic production has steadily declined -- and we have been more and more dependent on imports . We definitely need to do something about it . We do n't know yet how much oil is under there , but we should at least be given the opportunity to look . Blitzer : We invited our viewers to ask you a question , and some of the I-Reports came in . iReport.com : See what iReporters are saying about gas prices . Unidentified male -LRB- in a video clip -RRB- : If you would had told me a year ago that gas prices were going to reach about $ 4 a gallon , I would n't have doubted you . And if you had told me the year before that that they would reach $ 3 a gallon , I still would n't have doubted you . So what should Americans expect in terms of pricing of gas in the future ? Blitzer : What do you think ? O'Reilly : Very good question . I mean , $ 4 gasoline is a reality today because ... Blitzer : In some parts of the country , it 's approaching $ 5 . O'Reilly : Well , 75 percent of that is the price of crude oil . And that is the crude oil that we have been talking about here that 's driving the current crude oil -- energy market . Blitzer : So , how high is it going to go ? O'Reilly : Well , if crude oil prices come down , I think those prices could moderate . But it 's a big if . Crude oil prices have to come down . We need to send a very strong signal to the market that we 're serious about increasing supplies in this country . Blitzer : Do you think manipulators , stock manipulators , are paying -- are doing things to cause this spiral ? O'Reilly : I do n't know enough about the financial markets . We 're a physical player . But I think most of the price that we see today is because of concern about physical long-term supply . Blitzer : Just because of the huge demand in India and China , also ? O'Reilly : Huge demand around the globe , including here in the United States . Blitzer : Here 's another question . Unidentified male -LRB- in a video clip -RRB- : Have we reached peak oil supply ? And , if not , when do you expect that we will ? And , once we do , when do you expect that the prices of gas will go down to a reasonable level ? O'Reilly : You know , peak oil is a big question today , and it 's a very good question . One of the issues that we face has been addressed -- around people -- has been addressed to the National Petroleum Council study , which was issued last year by the secretary of energy . It is a very important study . What it really says is , there 's enough oil and gas in the ground , but the access is what 's impeding production . So , we could have a squeeze in the years ahead if we do n't get after increasing our supplies , not only here in the U.S. , but creating a global environment which permits access around the globe and free trade around the globe as far as oil is concerned . | Chevron CEO says his company is investing windfall profits in supplies . David O'Reilly says he is opposed to windfall profits tax , favors offshore drilling . `` I want someone to be elected who will help resolve our energy crisis , '' O'Reilly says . Citing report , O'Reilly says plenty of oil is in ground but access is the problem . | [[2193, 2232], [2465, 2508], [3260, 3268], [3271, 3293], [3296, 3324], [4298, 4368], [7908, 7951]] |
JOHANNESBURG , South Africa -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hugh Masekela is the legendary South African musician whose songs were an inspiration in the fight to end apartheid . He tells CNN about growing up under apartheid , why he left South Africa and what is was like to move back to Johannesburg after 30 years away . Hugh Masekela : `` The people of South Africa deserve entertainment , recreation and freedom . '' CNN : How did the suffering of the apartheid influence your art ? Hugh Masekela : I do n't think what I do is influenced by suffering . I come from a talented people who are prolific in music and dance . We have wonderful singers and we have a diversity of music here that is just amazing . But in spite of being oppressed these people were very resilient and they were mostly resilient through song . I think we are the only society where music played such a major part in our resistance . We grew up in rallies and in the street . We did n't have televisions so we played in the streets and made up songs about what was happening . Watch Hugh Masekela take CNN on a tour of Johannesburg '' . CNN : What 's your earliest memory of Johannesburg ? HM : I came to Jo ' burg from Springs -LSB- a town near Johannesburg -RSB- . My family moved to Alexandra township and the first time I went to town alone I must have been 10 or 11 . Jo ' burg used to be scrubbed every night with fire hoses and those hard brooms and the granite on the sidewalks would always sparkle . I remember that because I came from Alexander township where there were no lights , no sewage and no cafes . The most vivid memory I have -- we used to stop and look through restaurant windows at the white people eating fancy food , and we 'd say `` what do you think that is ? '' and `` there are so many types of food ! '' CNN : How did it feel to leave South Africa ? HM : When I left South Africa in 1960 I was 20 years old . I wanted to try to get an education and music education was not available for me in South Africa . I wanted to learn from the same kind of teachers that taught Miles Davis and Clifford Brown and Chad Baker and they were not in South Africa . I hoped that one day I could go and learn some of those things and then come back and teach . It was a rough time , when the apartheid government first started showing that if you do n't behave , they 'll shoot you -- women and children too . You saw police with guns , with machine guns , and for the first time you saw tanks . We had a group called the Jazz Epistles and we were about to take off on a national tour . We were the first African group to play on an LP , but gatherings of more than 10 people were banned so we could n't do our tour . But four years later , when I was ready to come back to South Africa , I could n't . The place was impenetrable . By then Mandela had been sentenced to life imprisonment . So I stayed 26 years longer than I planned to . See Hugh Masekela 's Johannesburg '' CNN : Tell us about coming home . HM : It was great , but it was also a tense time coming back to South Africa and we were not naive about it . It was a time of real turmoil . There were no-go places in the townships , there was sniping , there were major clashes and it was a time when civil war was threatening . When I left South Africa there were 10 million people -- when I came back there were more than 40 million . I had to learn how to get to the highways because when I left where there were no highways . And I had to adjust my language because people would say `` we do n't ' talk like that anymore ! '' I was like a sponge trying to learn to do the right things . Not many people came back from exile compared with those who left . About a million left -- 50,000 came back , and of those about 25,000 did a U-turn because it was n't easy . It was n't easy but it 's been a great experience . CNN : How would you define the culture of Jo ' burg ? HM : There 's no one culture -- it 's a cosmopolitan city . It 's so diverse , like South Africa itself has so many diverse cultures . But again , we are still living in the culture of ethnic grouping . If we could beat that and have a major festival of tolerance , it would be the shining path . CNN : Where do you like to go out in Jo ' burg ? HM : I go to Newtown , I go to the Market Theater a lot , and also to the Dance Forum , because we have very brilliant dance choreographers . Old Jo ' burg was vibrant , there were things going on all the time -- concerts , festivals , clubs -- but in the last 10 years or so it has become a very quiet city at night . CNN : What is life like in the city ? HM : It 's not very easy to enjoy the city because the safety and security is not such that you can just go anywhere any time . There 's a sadness about this city that everybody talks about . People in South Africa have become inward ; they spend most of the time in their homes . When it gets dark , everyone wants to go home as quickly as they can . That is not only Jo ' burg 's problem , it is a national problem . What we 're talking about does n't make me very popular with the people who run this country , but it 's nothing new -- you see it in the newspapers every day . It has to be fixed , because the people of South Africa deserve entertainment , recreation and freedom to enjoy the beauty of their country and to show guests around and say `` this is my country . '' | Hugh Masekela songs were an inspiration in the fight to end apartheid . He left South Africa to get a musical education and could n't return for 30 years . Under apartheid black South Africans were resilient through song , he says . He says Johannesburg is cosmopolitan and multicultural , like South Africa . | [[64, 100], [113, 145], [768, 809], [3945, 3972], [3973, 4009], [4017, 4047]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Arab world is among the worldwide audience that has been closely watching as events in Iran have unfolded over the past week . Protesters fight running battles with motorcycle-mounted militia members Saturday in Tehran . `` In all honesty , I am amazed by these Iranians , '' Egyptian human rights activist and blogger Walid Abbas posted on his Twitter page . `` I have no green t-shirt '' Abbas tweeted Saturday . He was referring to the color worn by many supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Moussavi , whose supposed failure to win last week 's election sparked the wave of unrest that has gripped the nation . Watching the events unfolding in Iran on Twitter , Youtube and other social networks , the Egyptian activist said he is learning from the Iranian activists . He said he does not support Moussavi because he is part of the Mullah system . `` We are not with Moussavi , '' Abbas tweeted , `` We are with the Iranian people and their demands . '' Taghlob Salah , a 24-year-old Iraqi student at Baghdad Law College , told CNN that the Iranian youths who make up most of the protesters can be inspiring to Iraqis , despite cultural differences . See images of the clashes Saturday '' `` Despite the difference that we have with Iran and the fact that many Iraqis do n't trust their Persian neighbor , we are still Muslims and at the end of the day that matters a lot , '' he said . `` We will look at this phase in Iranian history and learn , for sure and I can say that we will learn from them , 100 percent . '' Iraq and Iran are culturally linked because their populations are predominantly Shiite Muslims , as opposed to Sunni Muslims who make up the majority of most Arab countries . Salah credited the Internet for giving everyone involved a chance to have their voices heard . `` There are so many Iraqi groups all over Facebook , '' he said . `` The world is evolving ; we are developing our approach to our surroundings . '' Abdel Bari Atwan , editor of the London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi , expressed dismay over the continued protests . He called on Moussavi to be `` responsible enough to protect his people and avoid bloodshed , instability and confrontation in his country that may rupture the Iranian internal unity spreading chaos throughout the region . '' Atwan said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made it clear in his speech during Friday prayers that his patience had run out and he praised the supreme leader for having displayed `` leniency '' in his dealings with the protesters , but predicted that that leniency would not continue . iReport.com : Share images from Iran . Abd Rahman Rashed , editor of the Saudi-owned , London-based Arabic daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat , expressed a different point of view . In an editorial published Saturday , Rashed directed comments to Arab supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , whose landslide victory in last week 's election is being challenged by Moussavi and his supporters . `` No matter what happens , Iran did technically change and will shift its course in a great way , '' Rashed wrote . `` It is over , '' he said . `` Iran the one system , the street and the agenda is over . '' They may not understand Farsi or why some Iranians voted for Moussavi , Mehdi Karrubi or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , but Arabs can surely relate to the passionate shouts of `` God is Great ! '' And `` Down with the dictator '' in defiance of Iran 's theocracy . Relations between Iran and Arab states have always been tense : through its proxies , Iran sometimes accuses some of the leading Arab states , including Egypt and Saudi Arabia , of being subject to the whims of Western imperialism and of failing to confront America and its ally , Israel , in the region . Rashed credited Iranians for speaking with courage against their government 's funding of controversial organizations like Hezbollah , Hamas and anti-government groups in Yemen and elsewhere . He said Iranians voted against the current system because they do n't want the government to dedicate the country 's budget to ally itself to such organizations instead of focusing on the average citizen . Some Arab states look to Iran as a regional superpower that can support them financially , militarily and politically in their confrontation with the international community . Those states include Syria and Sudan , which support organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah -- deemed terrorist organizations by the United States -- that are used as a proxy to challenge America and Israel in the region . Some Arab states have long warned that Shiite Iran wants to spread its power across the Sunni-dominated Arab world , causing more mistrust and friction between the Persian nation and the Arab world . Recently , Egypt and Morocco accused Iran of attempting to spread the Shiite faith among its Sunni population and creating Shiite converts and activists in their communities and in the rest of the Arab world -- a charge that Iran has denied . | Arab world has closely watched as events in Iran have unfolded over past week . Relations between Iran and Arab states have always been tense . Egypt , Morocco accuse Iran of trying to spread Shiite faith among its Sunni population . Some Arab states look to Iran as a regional superpower that can support them . | [[0, 6], [9, 29], [33, 79], [51, 79], [85, 128], [111, 163], [3486, 3536], [3542, 3547], [3486, 3524], [3530, 3547], [4590, 4789], [4629, 4640], [4707, 4789], [4590, 4789], [4790, 4997], [4191, 4245], [4221, 4245], [4251, 4279]] |
Editor 's note : CNN Contributor Bob Greene is a best-selling author whose new book , `` Late Edition : A Love Story , '' will be published next month . Bob Greene recalls a radio exec who was ahead of his time by working an almost endless day . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I think perhaps the oddest person I have ever known was a man by the name of Robert Hyland . But the truly odd thing is that we all seem to have turned into him . Hyland was the vice president and general manager of KMOX radio , the 50,000-watt powerhouse in St. Louis , Missouri . He came to work every day at 2:30 . In the morning . That 's right : Hyland would show up at his office at 2:30 a.m. each day . He would then work straight through until 5 p.m. . He did n't do this once in a while ; he did it each and every day . He did n't do it to set an example for his employees . He did it because he could n't seem to stop working . `` I 'm not one of those people who need sleep to be refreshed , '' Hyland told me once . `` I 'll go to bed between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. , and I 'll wake up at 1:30 a.m. I have an alarm clock , but I never set it . I wake up automatically . I shower and shave , and I 'm at the office by 2:30 . '' I asked him if this schedule made any sense at all . `` It 's a good time to get a lot of work done , '' he told me . `` The phone is n't ringing , and there are no distractions . I have a pile of paperwork on my desk , and I go through it . '' At 9 a.m. , he said -- after he had been at work for 6 1/2 hours -- the other people at the office would show up . And he would keep going . Hyland may have seemed eccentric -- he readily understood that perception ; he said to me : `` I think what you 're thinking is that you 're talking to a nut '' -- but if he had lived a little longer -LRB- he died of cancer in 1992 at the age of 71 -RRB- , he would have witnessed something that might have astonished even him : . The rest of the world joined him in his obsession . Hyland died just before the era in which everyone began using cell phones and staring at home computer screens . Society might never have been ready to do what he did -- come to the office in the middle of the night and routinely work 14 1/2 hour days -- had the technology revolution not come along . But come along it did -- and with it came the erasure of all the boundaries that at one time separated the workday from leisure time . E-mails and text messages and BlackBerrys and all their digital cousins may have given us the illusion of freedom -- we tell ourselves that we are unfettered by traditional offices , that we can go anywhere we please -- yet in the end they have created a nation of Robert Hylands . We 're never off the clock ; that cell phone may ring at dinnertime , that allegedly urgent e-mail may arrive at 11 p.m. , that instant message from the regional manager may pop onto the screen when we 're on vacation with our families . And what do we do ? If your answer is , `` We ignore them , '' good for you . But the truth is , mostly we do n't ignore them -- mostly we snap to attention . Ask yourself this : What do you think would happen to an employee who received an e-mail at home from his boss at 8 o'clock on a Tuesday night , and who responded to the e-mail by writing back : . `` I 'm sorry , but I 'm only available for work-related e-mails during office hours . If you 'd like to communicate with me about this matter , please feel free to do so tomorrow after 9 a.m. '' That might be the rational answer . But how many people -- especially in this economy , and in this job market -- do you think would dare to do that ? And it 's not just when we 're working for our bosses -- it 's when we 're purportedly doing things for ourselves . Try to picture your father 's or grandfather 's reaction if in , say , 1958 , he had been trying to make an airplane reservation and he had been told by the airline : . `` We 'd like you to purchase a computer and set it up inside your house . You pay for it ; you also pay for the electricity to run it . Now , we 'd like you to buy a printing machine -- you pay for that , and you pay for the ink inside it , and you pay for the paper that feeds into it . Now , we 'd like you to use the computer you 've paid for to do the work of reservation agents , so we do n't have to hire as many of them . Got it ? Now , use that computer , make your own reservations , and print out your own ticket . On your own time . '' Had your dad or granddad been told that , half a century ago , he might have thought he was having a nightmare . But we 're grateful for it ; we tell ourselves this is progress . If we log on at the moment the seat-selection process opens up , and we manage , by playing airline-roulette on our keyboard , to get ourselves an aisle seat , we feel triumphant . We barely stop to consider that we 're working for the very airline company to which we 're paying our money . Robert Hyland said he would feel funny not working all those hours -- he even did it on Saturdays ; on the sixth workday of his week he would come in , as usual , at 2:30 a.m. `` I just do n't think that most people have the commitment to their jobs that I do , '' he told me . If only he had lived to see 2009 . He would have been just a face in the crowd -- just another American to whom the notion of quitting time has lost all meaning . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Bob Greene . | Bob Greene : I once knew radio exec who started work at 2:30 a.m. He says Americans now accept that they are always on call for work . Greene : In tough economy , workers are reluctant to draw boundaries . | [[153, 245], [547, 582], [616, 674], [2082, 2089], [2118, 2220]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In the pre-dawn darkness Saturday , long after her parents and brother were asleep , Atefeh Yazdi lay in bed cradling the house phone and her cell phone in her hands . Atefeh Yazdi visits with her grandfather , Dr. Ebrahim Yazdi , during his trip to America last year . The only light was from a television tuned to the latest news from Iran , and her laptop displaying her Facebook page in hope of any updates on what was happening halfway around the world . `` I kind of felt I was more there when I could n't see the rest of the room , just the TV and the Facebook , '' the 28-year-old Iranian-American told CNN by telephone from her home in Mechanicsburg , Pennsylvania . Repeated calls to relatives in Tehran only got the `` annoying '' Farsi-language error message . She recounted the thoughts running through her brain all night : `` Are they going to really shoot people ? What 's going to happen ? Is this going to turn into massive killing and violence ? '' In Houston , Texas , Reza Soltani said the anxiety of waiting and wondering was like endless pacing at a hospital during a loved one 's operation . `` It feels like the operation started last week and it has n't ended , '' Soltani , 28 , told CNN by telephone . `` I 'm worried . I 'm hoping it will be good but I 'm worried it will get very ugly . '' The jumble of emotions -- fear , hope , anxiety , frustration -- were reality for millions of Iranian-Americans trying to find out if Iranian authorities would crush protests over last week 's election . President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the overwhelming victor in voting that opposition groups called rigged . No independent monitors were permitted for the election . A threatening statement Friday by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei increased fears of bloodshed . Iranian authorities have cut off traditional communications such as cell phone connections , and also banned foreign news outlets from covering the protests . Thousands of protesters took to the streets Saturday , even though the demonstrations were banned and police confronted them with clubs , tear gas and water cannons . The uncertainty and unrest strikes close to home for Yazdi , whose grandfather -- a longtime politician in Iran -- was arrested from his hospital bed this week . He 's been returned to the hospital , she said , but she does n't know if he 'll be arrested again or what will happen to other relatives . `` It 's very exhausting , '' Yazdi said . `` I have this feeling I want to be there . I want to book the next flight . I want to be with the people . I do n't care about the risks involved . '' Her parents , who left Iran in the 1970s before the Islamic Revolution , say such talk is foolish , she said . They are as worried as she is , but fear returning now would bring too much risk . `` There 's a generation gap , a culture gap , '' she explained . It runs deep , defining her life as an American-born citizen of both Iran and the United States , who refers to Iranians as `` my people . '' `` Being born and raised in America , where I was able to voice my opinion , do what I want , say what I wanted , I 'm culturally confused , '' Yazdi said . `` I 'm not completely American the right way , and I 'm not completely Iranian the right way . '' Soltani also mentioned the generation gap among Iranian-Americans , but he described it as more political . His parents ' generation lost everything in the revolution , and will only consider returning when the revolutionary regime has been toppled , he said . Older Iranian-Americans in the United States `` actually boycotted the election , saying if you vote you 're just legitimizing the government , '' Soltani said . `` We sacrificed everything for you guys , and now you 're going to the other team , '' is how Soltani characterized their attitude . `` They think the system needs to go completely , '' he said . `` All they care is for the system to collapse . They think if the system collapses , they 're going to be able to go back . '' No matter what happens , Soltani and Yazdi said , Iran is changed forever by this week 's events . `` I believe that anything that comes out of it will be positive , '' Soltani said . `` Even if they fail now , the people know if they get in the streets in millions , they 're not going to be able to stop them . '' | Pair describe fear and anxiety as they wait for news . They believe Iran will be changed forever by the week 's events . Culture gap exists between older , younger Iranian-Americans , woman says . | [[987, 1005], [1008, 1062], [1339, 1400], [1404, 1450], [4074, 4096], [4099, 4147], [3301, 3308], [3314, 3366]] |
CAIRO , Egypt -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Egyptian business tycoon and a former police officer have been found guilty of last July 's slaying of a rising Lebanese pop singer . Suzanne Tamim was found dead in her Dubai apartment in July . The case , with its high-profile victim and defendant , has captivated Egypt and the region . A judge convicted and sentenced to death real estate mogul Hisham Talaat Moustafa and the former officer Muhsen el Sukkari on Thursday . Egypt 's Grand Mufti -- the country 's highest religious official -- will review the sentence and rule on June 25 if the men will be executed , the judge said . Because the two men were sentenced under Islamic law , it is widely expected that they would be hanged . Moustafa 's lawyer told reporters outside the courtroom that he will appeal the conviction , saying there was `` a one million percent guarantee '' the sentence would be overturned . The singer , Suzanne Tamim , was found slain in her apartment in the United Arab Emirates . She had been stabbed and her throat slit . Prosecutors alleged that Moustafa , a parliament member for the ruling National Democratic Party , paid el Sukkari $ 2 million to kill Tamim . During the trial , Moustafa 's lawyer told CNN his client loved the singer , but could not take Tamim as a second wife because his family objected . Polygamy is legal in Egypt , and it 's not unusual for men -- such as Moustafa , a married father of three -- to take on additional wives . Prosecutors have said Tamim 's death was a `` means of taking revenge , '' but have not elaborated . Moustafa and el Sukkari claim the prosecution 's evidence could have been fabricated or tampered with by UAE authorities and should not be used against them . Although Tamim was killed in the United Arab Emirates , the Egyptian judiciary tried the case in Cairo because the accused were arrested in Egypt . After his arrest in September , Egyptian authorities indicted Moustafa , stripped him of his parliamentary immunity and jailed him pending trial . He also resigned as chairman of Talaat Moustafa Group -- a conglomerate with construction and real estate arms that was founded by his father , Talaat Moustafa . Moustafa 's brother , Tarek Talaat Moustafa , now chairs the company . CNN 's Raja Razek and Housam Ahmed contributed to this story . | Egyptian mogul and ex-police officer guilty of Lebanese singer 's murder . Her body was found in apartment in United Arab Emirates . Prosecutors alleged ex-officer was paid $ 2M to kill singer Suzanne Tamim . Egypt 's Grand Mufti -- highest religious official -- will review death sentence . | [[0, 5], [8, 169], [170, 231], [912, 922], [933, 1003], [1047, 1173], [1072, 1080], [1146, 1189], [463, 483], [520, 576]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Eleven-year-old Hiroki Ando will likely die if he does not get a new heart . Hiroki in an ambulance on the way to catch his flight to New York , where he will wait for a heart . Hiroki suffers from cardiomyopathy , which inflames and impairs the heart . The same disease killed his sister five years ago . `` We have two children in our family who got a disease that happens one out of every 100,000 people . I am sorry for my children . We are having my daughter and Hiroki going through this harsh experience , '' said father Ryuki Ando . `` We were told by his doctor at the end of last year that the heart transplant operation was the only way for him to survive , '' Ando said . But the law in Japan prohibits anyone under the age of 15 from donating organs -- meaning Hiroki ca n't get a new heart in his home country . According to the web site for Japan Transplant Network , a non-governmental group that supports changing Japan 's transplant law , `` this stipulation has greatly reduced the possibility of transplants to small children ; heart transplants to small children have become impossible . '' Watch Hiroki 's trip to the United States '' Lawmaker Taro Kono is spearheading efforts to change the law , which was enacted in 1997 . Japan 's parliament is now debating four proposed amendments -- including one that would scrap the age limit . But , beyond the age matter , the issue of organ transplantation in general , has been a difficult one for the country because of perceptions of brain death . Some refuse to accept it if their loved ones ' hearts are still beating . `` For a long time , it 's the heart that mattered in Japan . Some religions ask us not to declare being brain dead as death . But that is not the majority , '' Kono said . `` So it is simply that we have been doing things this way and a lot of people are very skeptical about it . '' Kono , who gave a kidney to his father , said a total of 81 organ transplants have been conducted in Japan since the transplant law was enacted in 1997 , whereas nearly thousands of transplants occur in the United States each year . `` A lot of people in Japan waiting for a transplant , waiting for a liver , a heart , other organs , most of them just die simply because they could n't get any organs , '' he said . Kono said he believes the public supports changing the law to allow organ donation from children , noting that `` when the parents of the child are going on the street asking for donations , they can actually raise more than a million dollars . '' Incredibly , that 's just what Hiroki 's family has done . They started a group called `` helping Hiroki '' and raised $ 1.7 million in donations . `` It was very tough to get the donations , but so many people from all over Japan donated the money , '' he said . `` It was not only the money , but so many letters and messages to energize us , sent to the group . We realized there are so many people supporting us , and they are the reason that we made it this far and will be able to continue after going to the U.S. '' Hiroki is now at Columbia University Medical Center in New York , awaiting a new heart . His father says he knows that the transplant issue is a difficult one for families . `` The honest wish from the recipient 's side is to have a donor show up as soon as possible , '' he said , pausing . `` I still do not know whether I can make a decision to give my child 's heart to someone else if I am faced with such a situation . But unless the people face the issue and think about it seriously , I do not think the time will come soon to see more people volunteering to donate organs . '' Ando said he hopes that one day he will be able to play baseball with his son , who is an avid sports fan . `` I would like to have a fun time again with Hiroki . I would like to make it home with everyone in good health , '' he said . `` That 's the biggest hope I have now . '' Ando 's mother wrote in a blog on her Web site -LRB- http://www.hirokikun.jp/ -RRB- that Hiroki was high on the waiting list for a heart transplant in New York . `` I believe Hiroki will be all right , '' she wrote . | Hiroki Ando , 11 , suffers from cardiomyopathy , which inflames and impairs the heart . He ca n't get heart in Japan because people under 15 not allowed to donate organs . Hiroki 's family raised $ 1.7 million in donations to send Hiroki to New York for surgery . | [[211, 245], [231, 245], [254, 262], [231, 245], [267, 286], [80, 109], [721, 795], [789, 795], [799, 848], [807, 858], [2634, 2722], [2634, 2638], [2687, 2722]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dubai could lose its place on the Women 's Tennis Association Tour calendar after Israeli Shahar Peer was denied entry to compete at this week 's event , the WTA supremo warned Monday . Shahar Peer told CNN she learned of her visa ban Saturday , just before her scheduled flight to Dubai . Peer was scheduled to fly into the United Arab Emirates on Sunday , but was informed Saturday night by telephone that she would not be granted a visa . WTA Chairman and CEO Larry Scott said the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour `` will review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament . '' Scott added : `` The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour believes very strongly , and has a clear rule and policy , that no host country should deny a player the right to compete at a tournament for which she has qualified by ranking . '' Peer , who had just finished playing in the Pattaya Open in Thailand , where she reached the semifinal , said she is `` very , very disappointed '' to have been denied the opportunity to play in Dubai . `` They really stopped my momentum because now I 'm not going to play for two weeks and because they waited for the last minute I could n't go to another tournament either , '' Peer said from Tel Aviv . `` So it 's very disappointing , and I think it 's not fair . '' Watch Peer describe her disappointment '' Scott , meanwhile , confirmed : `` Following various consultations , the Tour has decided to allow the tournament to continue to be played this week , pending further review by the Tour 's Board of Directors . `` Ms. Peer and her family are obviously extremely upset and disappointed by the decision of the UAE and its impact on her personally and professionally , and the Tour is reviewing appropriate remedies for Ms. Peer . '' Scott said Peer 's visa refusal has precedence : Last year an Israeli men 's doubles team was denied entry to Dubai . He said the Emirate cited security reasons following recent unrest in the region . `` At that time I was in Dubai . I made it clear to the authorities , the representatives of the government , that next year when our top players wanted to play this very prestigious tournament all of them had to be allowed to play , '' Scott said . `` They had a year to work on it and solve it . We 've spent time through the year discussing it . We were given assurances that it had gone to the highest levels of government , '' Scott said . `` I was optimistic they would solve it . And we 've made crystal clear to the government , to the tournament organizers that there could be grave repercussions not just for tennis in the UAE but sports beyond that . '' Watch CNN 's interview with Larry Scott '' The Dubai government issued a short statement through the state-owned news agency , saying that Peer was informed while in Thailand that she would not receive a visa . The agency quoted an official source in the organizing committee saying , `` The tournament is sponsored by several national organizations and they all care to be part of a successful tournament , considering the developments that the region had been through . '' Earlier an official source who did not want to be named , said , `` We should check what happened in New Zealand , when Peer was playing there with all the demonstrations against Israel during the attacks on Gaza . We have to consider securing the players and the tournament . '' In January , a small group of about 20 protestors waved placards and shouted anti-Israel slogans outside the main entrance to the ASB Classic tournament in Auckland . They were moved on before Peer played her match . The Israeli player said she 's received phone calls of support from her fellow players . '' ` All the players support Shahar , '' world No. 6 Venus Williams told The New York Times , adding , `` We are all athletes , and we stand for tennis . '' Peer is uncertain of her next move . She said the last-minute decision had left her at a loose end . She said she was concerned about her points and ranking and may go to the U.S. this week to try to take part in another tournament . `` I do n't think it should happen , '' she said . `` I think sport and politics needs to stay on the side and not be involved . I really hope it 's not going to happen again , not only to me but to any other athlete . '' CNN Dubai bureau chief Caroline Faraj contributed to this report . | Israeli tennis player back in Tel Aviv after being denied entry for Dubai event . Shahar Peer told night before tournament she would not be granted visa by UAE . WTA chief Larry Scott warned Dubai tournament could lose place on calendar . Scott : `` This runs counter to everything we were promised and is a setback '' | [[101, 170], [994, 1051], [101, 170], [205, 262], [226, 262], [265, 308], [309, 313], [381, 421], [427, 460], [2701, 2721], [2785, 2868], [16, 94], [173, 204], [461, 619], [2227, 2242], [2422, 2437]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Health and Human Services ' acting secretary has appointed Dr. Richard Besser as the interim director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . William Gimson will return to his position as the CDC 's chief operating officer . He replaces William Gimson , who took over as interim CDC director at noon on January 20 . Gimson notified CDC employees that HHS acting secretary Charles E. Johnson had announced the appointment . Gimson replaced Dr. Julie Gerberding , who was the head of the CDC from 2002 until two days ago . Gerberding , along with other senior officials , also resigned on January 20 , when Barack Obama and his administration took over . Past HHS secretary Michael Leavitt said that the interim directors would take over until the next HHS nominee -- former Sen. Tom Daschle -- is confirmed and makes the permanent appointments . Gimson told employees he 's returning to his post as the CDC 's chief operating officer . The CDC usually has a physician as its director , which Gimson is not . According to the biography posted on the CDC Web site , Besser 's last position at the CDC was as the director of the Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response , where he was responsible for public health emergency preparedness and emergency response activities . According to CDC sources , Besser was seeing patients when he learned of his new position . In addition to heading the CDC bioterrorism preparedness division , he is a practicing pediatrician . | Dr. Richard Besser has been designated acting director of the CDC . Besser replaces William Gimson as interim director . Dr. Julie Gerberding was CDC head from 2002 to end of Bush administration . HHS-nominee Tom Daschle , upon confirmation , will appoint permanent CDC head . | [[0, 7], [10, 191], [0, 7], [10, 191], [489, 509], [516, 570]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Steve Bierfeldt says the Transportation Security Administration pulled him aside for extra questioning in March . He was carrying a pocket edition of the U.S. Constitution and an iPhone capable of making audio recordings . And he used them . Steve Bierfeldt is accusing the Transportation Security Administration of `` harassing interrogation . '' On a recording a TSA agent can be heard berating Bierfeldt . One sample : `` You want to play smartass , and I 'm not going to play your f**king game . '' Bierfeldt is director of development for the Campaign for Liberty , an outgrowth of the Ron Paul presidential campaign . He was returning from a regional conference March 29 when TSA screeners at Lambert-St . Louis -LRB- Missouri -RRB- International Airport saw a metal cash box in his carry-on bag . Inside was more than $ 4,700 dollars in cash -- proceeds from the sale of political merchandise like T-shirts and books . There are no restrictions on carrying large sums of cash on flights within the United States , but the TSA allegedly took Bierfeldt to a windowless room and , along with other law enforcement agencies , questioned him for almost half an hour about the money . The American Civil Liberties Union has taken up Bierfeldt 's cause and is suing Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano , whose department includes the TSA . Their complaint alleges that Bierfeldt was `` subjected to harassing interrogation , and unlawfully detained . '' Larry Schwartztol of the ACLU said the TSA is suffering from mission creep . `` We think what happened to Mr. Bierfeldt is a reflection that TSA believes passenger screening is an opportunity to engage in freewheeling law enforcement investigations that have no link to flight safety , '' he said . Schwartztol believes many other passengers have been subjected to the same kind of treatment , which he claims violates constitutional protections against unlawful searches . The TSA would n't comment on the lawsuit , but said in a statement that the movement of large amounts of cash through a checkpoint may be investigated `` if suspicious activity is suspected . '' Unbeknownst to the TSA agents , Bierfieldt had activated the record application on his phone and slipped it into his pocket . It captured the entire conversation . An excerpt : . Officer : Why do you have this money ? That 's the question , that 's the major question . Bierfeldt : Yes , sir , and I 'm asking whether I 'm legally required to answer that question . Officer : Answer that question first , why do you have this money . Bierfeldt : Am I legally required to answer that question ? Officer : So you refuse to answer that question ? Bierfeldt : No , sir , I am not refusing . Officer : Well , you 're not answering . Bierfeldt : I 'm simply asking my rights under the law . The officers can be heard saying they will involve the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration , and appear to threaten arrest , saying they are going to transport Bierfeldt to the local police station , in handcuffs if necessary . Bierfeldt told CNN he believes their behavior was inappropriate . `` You 're in a locked room with no windows . You 've got TSA agent . You 've got police officers with loaded guns . They 're in your face . A few of them were swearing at me . '' But the officers did not follow through on their threats . Near the end of the recording an additional officer enters the situation and realizes the origins of the money . Officer : So these are campaign contributions for Ron Paul ? Bierfeldt : Yes , sir . Officer : You 're free to go . According to the TSA , `` Passengers are required to cooperate with the screening process . Cooperation may involve answering questions about their property . A passenger who refuses to answer questions may be referred to appropriate authorities for further inquiry '' Bierfeldt contends he never refused to answer a question , he only sought to clarify his constitutional rights . `` I asked them , ` Am I required by law to tell you what you 're asking me ? Am I required to tell you where I am working ? Am I required to tell you how I got the cash ? Nothing I 've done is suspicious . I 'm not breaking any laws . I just want to go to my flight . Please advise me as to my rights . ' And they did n't . '' The TSA says disciplinary action has been taken against one of its employees for inappropriate tone and language . | Passenger questioned about large amount of cash . He says the money was from sale of political merchandise . ACLU is suing Homeland Security Secretary on behalf of passenger . TSA says movement of large sums of cash may be investigated . | [[1055, 1062], [1159, 1215], [1216, 1282], [1216, 1250], [1287, 1343], [1970, 1977], [2017, 2161], [3648, 3668]] |
Only about one in 10 workers who lose their job opt to keep their employer-sponsored health insurance through the safety-net program COBRA , most likely because the premiums are too expensive , according to an analysis released Friday by the Commonwealth Fund , a private foundation that supports independent research on health care issues . Only about one in 10 workers who lose their job opt to keep their insurance through the COBRA program . Experts worry that the highest unemployment rate in 16 years , combined with a health care system dependent on employer-sponsored health insurance , is a recipe for disaster , and will swell the ranks of the uninsured particularly if people are n't using COBRA . About 46 million people in the United States -LRB- 18 percent of those under 65 -RRB- lacked health insurance in 2007 . Health.com : Laid off ? The healthiest ways to spend your time . The new report is based on a 2007 survey of 3,501 people . The researchers found that two-thirds of workers , if they were laid off , would be eligible for COBRA . Data from 2006 data suggest that only 9 percent would opt into the program . Health care insurance premiums have risen since then , so it 's likely that the problem is getting worse not better , they say . `` The affordability issue gets worse every year , that 's the big concern , '' says Meredith Rosenthal , PhD. , an associate professor of health economics and policy at the Harvard School of Public Health , who was not involved in the study . `` Of course -LSB- some people can -RSB- still get an offer of coverage through a spouse , but we 're still talking about very , very serious increases in the number of uninsured . '' Health.com : Natural cold and flu remedies . COBRA -LRB- Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act -RRB- was passed in 1985 to allow laid-off workers to continue their health insurance if they lose their job . -LRB- COBRA only covers workers in companies that offer health insurance , have 20 or more employees , and are still in business . -RRB- . But there 's a catch . Most employers pick up 75 percent to 85 percent of the tab for their workers ' health insurance , and once a person has been laid off , the entire bill falls on the ex-employee 's shoulders . That means that health insurance costs dramatically escalate at a time when people have little or no money to burn . The Commonwealth Fund estimates that the cost of COBRA is four to six times higher than what people pay when they are employed ; $ 4,704 per year for an individual and $ 12,680 for a family . Health.com : Live healthy for way less . Erin McCullar , 26 , of Birmingham , Alabama , has type 1 diabetes and was laid off from her job as an interior designer in October . At the time , she did n't sign up for COBRA , a decision she now seriously regrets . Overwhelmed , she did n't realize she had a 60 days to sign up for the program and missed the deadline by a couple of days . `` On the day I got laid off I got a packet slapped in front of my face and that was it , '' she says . `` I was just totally in the dark . '' She quickly found out that she could n't get health insurance that would cover her type 1 diabetes , at least without a six-month or year-long waiting period , because it is considered a preexisting condition . She stockpiled a six-month supply of lifesaving insulin in the two-week period before she lost her job , but since then has scrimped on the drug to make it last longer . At one point , she even disconnected her pump , which delivers a continuous dose of insulin , for about three weeks . She used only a couple of insulin injections in that time to control high blood sugar , a potentially serious threat to her health . Even if she did sign up , she 's not sure she could afford the premiums , which would have cost about $ 8,000 a year . Health.com : Healthy meals for under $ 10 . `` Ultimately , yes , I need it , but cost did factor into it , '' she says . `` I do n't know that I would have been able to keep up my payments because I was barely able to keep up on my rent . '' Cost is clearly a major issue for most laid-off workers , says Karen Davis , president of the Commonwealth Fund . Only 3 percent of workers near the poverty level who are eligible for COBRA opt to keep their insurance , compared to 14 percent of workers who made more money before they lost their job . It 's a problem that `` is not going away , '' says Davis , `` The Congressional Budget Office estimates that we 're going to go to 8.3 percent unemployed in 2009 and 9 percent in 2010 , '' says Davis . -LRB- The unemployment rate was 7.2 percent in December . -RRB- . She notes that each percentage point increase in the unemployment rate leads to a 1.1 million increase in the number of uninsured . `` So it 's pretty urgent that the economic stimulus bill not only address the job situation , but address health insurance coverage too , '' she says . While some laid-off workers may get health insurance coverage though a spouse or partner , their research suggests that only about 14 percent of people who are not eligible for COBRA could get coverage through a partner or some other source after losing their job , she says . Rosenthal and other experts hope that if there is a silver lining , it 's that there may be more political will to change the current health care coverage system . `` One of the biggest challenges to health care coverage reform has been that the status quo is okay for many people , particularly for many people who vote , '' she says . `` If that is no longer true , and if the people who have coverage now are insecure enough , they may be willing to give up something to get coverage security . '' McCullar just hopes she can get health insurance soon . `` It sounds just colossally stupid to not have heath insurance , but I luckily had enough vials and insulin so I 'm not near running out now , but I have to get health insurance in the near future , '' she says . `` God forbid I had to go to the hospital during this ; that would be a nightmare . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | About 46 million people in the United States lacked health insurance in 2007 . The new report is based on a 2007 survey of 3,501 people . COBRA was passed in 1985 to allow laid-off workers to keep health insurance . | [[709, 828], [894, 952], [1737, 1881]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A white tiger mauled a zookeeper to death at a New Zealand wildlife park Wednesday as a group of tourists watched in horror , police say . The zookeeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens in New Zealand could not be saved by other staff . The attack took place at the Zion Wildlife Gardens near Whangarei , about three hours north of Auckland . Two zookeepers had gone in to clean an enclosure at the park , when one of two white tigers inside lunged at a keeper , said Sarah Kennett , spokeswoman for Northland Police . The second keeper and other zoo staff tried to pull the tiger off the man but failed . He died shortly after , Kennett said . The tiger was put down , the park said . Watch park officials , visitors react '' A group of eight tourists who were on a guided tour of the park witnessed the Wednesday morning attack , Kennett said . `` This is an incredibly sad day , '' the park said in a statement , adding that it would provide counseling to its employees . The Zion Wildlife Gardens is home to several endangered tigers and lions . It is best known in New Zealand as the setting for the popular television series `` Lion Man . '' In February , an employee needed surgery after he was attacked by a white tiger , according to local media reports . Last year , the country 's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry released documents to CNN affiliate TVNZ that said animals at the park were kept in crowded , unsanitary conditions . Inspectors were so concerned about the conditions that they considered having 40 cats put down , the documents said . | White tiger mauls a zookeeper to death at a New Zealand wildlife park . Attack happened in front of group of tourists . Another keeper and zoo staff tried to pull the tiger off the man but failed . | [[0, 15], [33, 101], [1159, 1170], [1173, 1238], [738, 763], [802, 840], [158, 247], [530, 616], [530, 567], [608, 616]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Nestle plant linked to an outbreak of illness has been shut temporarily , and the company said Monday that it expects to lay off more than 200 workers as a result . Preliminary results `` indicate a strong association with eating raw prepackaged cookie dough , '' the CDC says . `` It 's likely that we 're going to have some temporary layoffs at that facility , '' Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said of the Danville , Virginia , facility that was churning out refrigerated cookie-dough products until Thursday . About 550 people work at the factory , but only about half of them work on cookie dough , she said . The rest work on Buitoni pasta and sauce in a separate facility at the plant . She said there is little chance that the Buitoni products might be tainted , because -- even if the cookie dough is proved to be the source of the outbreak of E. coli 0157 : H7 -- it is a kosher product , meaning it is made from a segregated stream of ingredients . Danville 's Economic Development Office said the city 's unemployment rate is 14.3 percent . Nestle was first alerted to the problem late Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration , O'Hearn said , adding : `` Less than a day later , we made the decision to remove the product . We shut down . We stopped shipping . '' Included in the recall are 300,000 cases of the product . Each case contains 12 packages , and each package contains 24 cookies . That 's a total of 86.4 million cookies ' worth of dough . The recall does not include Dreyer 's or Edy 's ice cream products with Nestle Toll House `` cookie dough '' ingredients . That 's because the `` dough '' in ice cream is not really dough at all ; it is cooked . `` Ice cream is a different formulation , '' O'Hearn said . `` Since it 's not meant to be baked before consumption -- those cookie crumbles that are in the formulation -- they 're all cooked . For the cookie dough that 's present in the ice cream , Dreyer 's is using heat-treated ingredients . '' According to the CDC , between March 1 and Monday , 70 people in 30 states had been infected with a strain of E. coli . The ages of the people affected ranged from 2 to 57 years , though more than 70 percent were younger than 19 , and 75 percent were female , the agency said on its Web site . Twenty-five people had been hospitalized , and seven had developed a kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome . No fatalities had been reported , it said . `` Preliminary results of this investigation indicate a strong association with eating raw prepackaged cookie dough , '' the agency said . `` Most patients reported eating refrigerated prepackaged Nestle Toll House cookie dough products raw . '' Though cooking the product would kill the bacteria , the agency did not recommend that people holding on to the company 's cookie-dough products do so , `` because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces . '' The recall does not include Nestle Toll House morsels , which are used as an ingredient in many homemade baked goods , or other baked cookie products . CNN 's Louise Schiavone contributed to this story . | Nestle may lay off factory workers after illness linked to cookie dough . 70 people in 30 states infected with a strain of E. coli . believed to originate in dough . The company recalled about 300,000 cases of the product last week . The factory also makes Buitoni products , but in separate facility . | [[99, 185], [301, 381], [2106, 2173], [1354, 1411]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No one expected them to live long . A glass tree at the University of Miami commemorates those who died from complications of HIV/AIDS . Many of their peers succumbed to unusual infections by their first or second birthdays . They were living on borrowed time , it seemed . While their friends ' parents visited schools , these kids visited their parents ' graves . When their classmates planned for the future , they often thought about death . But those babies who were born with HIV/AIDS in the 1980s have defied initial expectations . With advances in medicine , the babies born with what was once thought of as a sure-fatal virus have danced at their high school proms , walked on stage to receive their diplomas and even experienced the birth of their children . `` It 's a battle -- not because the HIV is going to defeat us , '' said Quintara Lane , a 22-year-old student with long braids . `` It 's more of what we have to go through to take care of ourselves . '' Lane is part of a generation that was born with the virus . Since the mid-1990s in developed countries , antiretroviral drugs have largely prevented mothers from transmitting HIV/AIDS to their babies . A new kind of family . On a warm Florida Friday , boys in high-tops and loose jeans hanging from their thighs greet one another with a nod and then a slap on the hand . They tease relentlessly . Others pay little attention , listening to music blasting through their earbuds or texting so quickly that their thumbs appear a blur on pink , sparkly phones . See more photos . '' Nearly 30 young adults and teenagers who were born with HIV/AIDS meet every week at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami , Florida . `` The teens are teenagers , '' said Ana Garcia , an adjunct assistant professor in pediatric infectious disease and immunology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who helped form the group . `` They just happen to have HIV . It 's about fitting in , being normal , and having goals and living long enough to meet them . '' The group of HIV-positive teens , which calls itself the Kool Kids , formed in 1995 . The youth who grew up with HIV/AIDS describe the usual complications of adolescence -- dating , high school drama and rumors . But they also experienced broken families , medical complications and fights for acceptance . As their parents and family members died , the peer group here became a new family , Garcia said . Over an hour of joking , merciless teasing and eating Chinese food , the teens scarcely mention HIV/AIDS . It 's a fellowship that silently understands one another 's struggles . `` We do n't want to talk about HIV every day , '' said Eric Koumbou , 19 . `` If you talk about HIV and you do n't have it and I do , sometimes it makes me angry or makes me sad . '' Even if they do n't talk about it , it helps a young person with HIV who may think , `` This is the end of my life . I do n't know what to do , '' said Lane , who joined when she was 11 . The older teens support the younger ones and show that HIV/AIDS does n't consume one 's life . Quintara Lane . Lane was raised by her grandmother after her mother left her at the hospital . More than two decades ago , `` The families frequently lacked hope , '' said Dr. Gwendolyn Scott , director of Pediatric Infectious Disease and Immunology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine , who treated the newborns . `` Many times , the parents died when children were at a young age . '' As a child , Lane understood she had to take `` vitamins '' -- two dozen antiretroviral pills chopped into pieces and taken with orange juice every day . The pills made her nauseated and gave her headaches and skin rashes . Side effects of taking the medications can include gastrointestinal problems , weight gain , neuropathy and other symptoms . `` I did n't want to take the medicine , '' Lane recalled . She lied to her grandmother about taking them for nearly two years . `` I could say I took 'em when I did n't . Being around friends , I did n't want to take them and I did n't want them to ask questions . '' After fainting from a decimated immune system at the age of 12 , Lane started to understand the gravity of her situation . But questions and the anger occasionally surfaced . `` Why did I get it ? '' Lane would ask . `` All these questions of why , why , why -- all that anger makes this worse . Dealing with school , relationships , dealing with life -- it could be overwhelming . But I try to look at the best of everything and not dwell so much on myself . '' Lane counsels other young adults who have new HIV diagnoses , answering questions about how HIV/AIDS affects dating and how to handle the medications . Young patients with HIV/AIDS often get pill fatigue , Garcia said . `` It makes me different . I feel sick . I 'm allergic to them , '' they tell her . Some of her young patients died because they stopped taking the pills . `` There are kids who are set with , ' I do n't want to be in this world . I want to be with my mother or I want to be with my father , ' or they do n't care , '' she said . `` It does n't matter what you offer them . So it 's very complicated to move through that -- sometimes you run out of time . '' The next generation . Over the years , the number of pills required to treat HIV/AIDS has dwindled significantly . But , it 's not the physical side effects that bother patients . `` I 'm only reminded of it when I have to take medication , '' said a 28-year-old with HIV who asked to be identified only as `` Mike . '' `` That 's what we do . That 's our lives . '' Mike contracted HIV after receiving a contaminated blood transfusion as a newborn . `` I was n't promised to live on Earth long enough , '' he said . `` At times , I 'd think about suicide and think ` Why me ? Why would the doctor give me dirty blood ? ' I come to realize that it 's no one 's fault . '' He joined the HIV support group as a teenager . There , he met his wife , who had contracted the virus from her mother . Their primary focus now is raising their 5-year-old daughter , a petite , shy girl with wavy brown curls . This newest generation of children born to HIV-positive parents has a different fate . `` My wife took her medicine to reduce chances of our daughter being infected with the virus , '' Mike said . `` By the grace of God and praying , my daughter is HIV-negative . '' | Babies born with HIV/AIDs in the 1980s defy expectations . HIV/AIDs transmission through pregnancy has been curbed through medicine . Teens living with virus have unique camaraderie . | [[469, 557], [1053, 1095], [1098, 1194]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After touring the wreckage Tuesday of two Metro transit trains that crashed the day before , killing nine , Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty said it was a sight that `` no one should have to see . '' Investigators work Tuesday at the site of a Metro train crash in Washington . Officials said that all the wreckage has been cleared and that no other bodies have been found in what was the worst subway train accident in the history of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Three bodies discovered Tuesday were lodged behind the driver 's compartment of the rear train , an official said at the scene . The driver of that train , who was among the dead , was Jeanice McMillan , 42 , of Springfield , Virginia , Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said . McMillan had worked at Metro since January 2007 . McMillan 's aunt , Venice Foster , said her niece loved her job and `` was just a joy to be around . '' Retired Maj. Gen. David F. Wherley Jr. , former commanding general of the District of Columbia National Guard , and his wife , Ann , also were killed in the collision . Both were 62 . Names of the other casualties were released by authorities Tuesday afternoon : Mary Doolittle , 59 ; Lavanda King , 23 ; Veronica Dubose , 26 ; Cameron Williams , 36 ; and Dennis Hawkins , 64 , all of Washington ; and Ana Fernandez , 40 , of Hyattsville , Maryland . Watch what officials know about the crash '' The Metro 's board approved a $ 250,000 hardship fund to assist the victims ' families with funerals and other immediate expenses . According to Fenty , at least three bodies were trapped in a `` very compressed area . '' It was n't clear whether those were the bodies found behind the operator 's station . `` It just brings home what an awful tragedy this was , '' the mayor said . The crash occurred along the Red Line just before 5 p.m. Monday on an above-ground track in the District of Columbia near Takoma Park , Maryland . See location of crash '' Both cars were on the same track , traveling in the same direction : southward from the Fort Totten Metrorail station to the Shady Grove station . The train in front had stopped behind another train undergoing service and awaited directions to move ahead . `` We do n't know at this point whether the operator could see the train in front of her in time to stop , '' said Deborah Hersman , who is leading the investigation for the National Transportation Safety Board . The weather at the time of the crash was good , she said . See pictures of crash site '' `` I did have the opportunity to walk the track with our investigators . I can tell you it is a scene of real devastation , '' Hersman said . Jamie Jiao was sitting in the front car of the second train . He said he suffered injuries to his feet and back . `` I see the train in front a split second before we crashed . That 's all . You do n't have time to react or do anything , '' he told CNN 's Jeanne Meserve . He said that after impact , `` You just hear really loud noises , as if there was an explosion . I could see things falling apart , tearing apart . '' A pole fell on top of him , but he was able to throw it off . The car broke open , and he crawled outside , where he waited for firefighters . He said he did n't notice whether the driver tried to brake before hitting the other train . Many of the passengers in his car were injured , he said . `` I 'm lucky to be alive , '' Jiao said . `` My injuries are n't too bad . '' iReport.com : Were you there ? Share your photos , video . Hersman said there was a telescoping effect when the second car slammed into the first and landed atop it . `` The first car -LSB- of the second train -RSB- overrode the rear car -LSB- of the front train -RSB- , and much of the survivable space on that first car of the striking train was compromised , '' she said . One of the factors the NTSB will examine is the crash-worthiness of the cars . `` The safety board has long been on record making recommendations about survivability when accidents do happen to make sure that operators and passengers are protected as much as possible , '' Hersman said , but those have n't been implemented . She did n't elaborate . The safety board has called since 2006 for the transit authority to modernize its fleet of transit cars . The agency has sought more safety features and higher technology , such as data boxes on each car that can provide valuable information in case of a crash , Hersman said . Citing the most recent federal data , she said the average age of the cars in the fleet was 19.3 years old . The lead train in the crash contained 5000-Series and 3000-Series cars , which are newer and have better technology than the cars in the rear train , with 1000-Series cars . Watch woman say she , fellow passengers `` went flying '' '' The Metro board is `` aggressively seeking '' to replace 300 1000-Series cars purchased between 1974 and 1978 , said Jim Graham , chairman of Metro 's board of directors . There should be nine data recorders aboard the first train , which will aid the investigation a great deal if they are n't damaged , Hersman said . The recorders provide data on such things as speed , braking and emergency applications . She said there were no recorders on the rear train . `` We 've recommended for years that WMATA either retrofit those cars or phase them out of the fleet . They have not been able to do that . And our recommendation was not addressed , so it has been closed in an unacceptable status , '' she said . `` If there are changes we can make to those cars , we will do so , '' said John Catoe Jr. , general manager of the transit authority . Fenty said 76 people were injured , and two remained in critical condition Tuesday . The condition of another critical patient was upgraded . Two of the injured were emergency responders , Washington Fire Chief Dennis Rubin said . Watch injured passengers limp from the scene '' All trains were to operate in manual , instead of automatic , mode Tuesday , Catoe said at the briefing . He called the move `` an extra safety precaution '' until there is more information on the crash . The rear train was operating on `` automatic '' mode , which is routine during rush hour , and preliminary evidence shows that the driver may have employed the brakes , Hersman said . Hersman addressed reports that the trains may have been two months past due on brake inspections , saying , `` We are very interested in looking at those records , and we 're interested in looking at all of the records . '' She said cell phone and texting records would also be reviewed , which is standard . `` We 've investigated a number of accidents where there were distractions , '' she said , adding that it 's unknown whether cell phone use was a factor in this crash . Nine safety board teams will examine aspects such as train operations and communications , signals , tracks , crash-worthiness of equipment , maintenance and survivability -- ease of fleeing the trains after the crash and other survivability factors , Hersman said . The transit authority gave Red Line riders several options for commuting Tuesday morning and was providing free shuttle buses to drive people around the accident scene . The only other time in Metrorail 's 33-year history that there were customer fatalities was in January 1982 , when three people died as a result of a derailment between the Federal Triangle and Smithsonian Metrorail stations . In 2004 , two trains collided at the Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan Metrorail station . There were minor injuries . | Former commanding general of the D.C. National Guard among those killed . Death toll in accident is 9 , spokesman says ; 76 people were injured . Official says driver of rear train may have employed brakes . Investigator says it 's unclear whether train operator could see stopped train . | [[987, 1012], [946, 980], [1062, 1070], [1077, 1114], [0, 26], [123, 135], [5691, 5724], [6270, 6341], [2255, 2359]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The high-end specialty coffee industry is n't immune to the effects of a recession , but many companies are still doing well . Growers , roasters and equipment manufacturers were represented at the coffee expo in Atlanta . Portland Roasting had a slow holiday season , but business is picking up , said owner Mark Stell . `` February was a great month for us , '' he said . Stell traveled from Oregon to Atlanta , Georgia , for the Specialty Coffee Association of America expo , where the show floor was filled with nearly 800 booths featuring everything from exotic coffee beans to the latest Italian espresso machines . Stell 's company sells about a million pounds of coffee a year . He said sales to offices and hotels are down but are being replaced by orders from grocers and universities . `` People do n't leave coffee , '' he said . `` They just get it differently . '' Tony Riffel owns Octane Coffee in Atlanta and was watching the 10th annual World Barista Championship , held in conjunction with the expo at the Georgia World Congress Center . Pushcart owner Gwilym Davies of London , England , won the 2009 barista crown . Watch baristas battle for the world title '' Riffel said business at his coffee shop was flat last summer , but sales are up 10 percent for the first quarter of 2009 . `` The first part of this year has been our best ever , '' he said . `` People are being careful with what they 're spending money on , but they 're spending it on quality products . '' Business is good enough that Riffel plans to open a second location this year . `` Now is a really good time to do that , '' he said . `` Developers and landlords are more flexible and negotiable , '' even though banks are `` pickier than normal . '' Joseph Taguman also knows about picky banks . The general manager of the Zambia Growers Association said the lack of financing is holding back the association 's 80 farmers . Taguman said the farmers could grow more than their current rate of about 300 metric tons per year , but trees take time to grow and long-term financing is hard to come by in Zambia . A couple of aisles over from Taguman 's booth , Shawn Contreras sees a similar problem . Contreras is the sales director for Diedrich Manufacturing , which has been selling roasting equipment for nearly 30 years . He said wholesale roasters are continuing to grow , but smaller operations are having `` an extraordinarily difficult time '' getting funding . Consultant Andrew Hetzel acknowledges that credit is a hindering factor for companies , but he is optimistic about the specialty coffee industry . `` The U.S. market is continuing at a steady pace , '' he said . But it 's a slower pace than the past few years . `` Coffee is something that has been with humanity for 1,500 years , '' Hetzel said . `` It 's not going anywhere any time soon . '' | High-end specialty coffee industry not immune to effects of recession . Many companies still doing well , with some looking to expand . Hundreds of companies from around the world gathered in Atlanta for annual expo . British barista wins World Barista Championship held in conjunction with expo . | [[0, 7], [10, 33], [76, 119], [126, 140], [145, 163], [164, 259], [975, 1017], [1020, 1092]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Scientist and author Stephen Hawking is `` very ill '' and has been hospitalized , according to Cambridge University , where he is a professor . Stephen Hawking in Pasadena , California , in March . Cambridge University said the 67-year-old is `` comfortable '' and will stay overnight at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge . Hawking , one of the world 's most famous physicists , is also a cosmologist , astronomer , and mathematician . Wheelchair-bound Hawking is perhaps most famous for `` A Brief History of Time , '' which explored the origins of the universe in layman 's terms . The book is considered a modern classic . Hawking has Lou Gehrig 's Disease -LRB- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis , or ALS -RRB- , which is usually fatal after three years . Hawking has survived for more than 40 years since his diagnosis . On his Web site , Hawking has written about living with ALS . `` I try to lead as normal a life as possible , and not think about my condition , or regret the things it prevents me from doing , which are not that many , '' he wrote . He added : `` I have been lucky , that my condition has progressed more slowly than is often the case . But it shows that one need not lose hope . '' The disease has left him paralyzed -- he is able to move only a few fingers on one hand . Hawking is completely dependent on others or technology for virtually everything -- bathing , dressing , eating , even speech . He uses a speech synthesizer with an American accent . Hawking has been married and divorced twice . In 2004 , police completed an investigation into accusations by Hawking 's daughter that his second wife was abusing him . Authorities said they found no proof . His Web site says he has three children and one grandchild . Hawking was born in Oxford , England , on what turned out to be an auspicious date : January 8 , 1942 -- the 300th anniversary of the death of astronomer and physicist Galileo Galilei . A Cambridge University spokesman told CNN : `` Professor Hawking is very ill and has been taken by ambulance to Addenbrookes Hospital , Cambridge . '' Professor Peter Haynes , head of the university 's department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics , said : `` Professor Hawking is a remarkable colleague , we all hope he will be amongst us again soon . '' At Cambridge , he holds the position of Lucasian Professor Mathematics -- the prestigious post held from 1669 to 1702 by Sir Isaac Newton . Hawking has guest-starred , as himself , on Star Trek : The Next Generation and The Simpsons . He also said if he had the choice of meeting Newton or Marilyn Monroe , his choice would be Marilyn . In October , CNN 's Becky Anderson interviewed Hawking . The following are some quotes from that interview : . `` Over the last twenty years , observations have to a large extent confirmed the picture I painted in ' A Brief History of Time . ' The one major development that was not anticipated was the discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating now , rather than slowing down ... We live in the most probable of all possible worlds . '' CNN 's Jennifer Pifer contributed to this report . | Physicist Stephen Hawking hospitalized Monday in `` very ill '' condition . 67-year-old suffers from degenerative condition known as Lou Gehrig 's Disease . Hawking is considered by many to be world 's greatest living scientist . | [[2019, 2048]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There is a general consensus that women 's tennis needs a new name to ignite some excitement into it and , at this week 's Wimbledon , it does appear likely that the Williams sisters will once again be the ones to beat at the grass-court grand slam . The Williams sisters have dominated Wimbledon this century and contested last year 's final . Defending champion Venus -LRB- five wins -RRB- and younger sibling Serena -LRB- two wins -RRB- have dominated the tournament since 2000 , with only Maria Sharapova -LRB- 2004 -RRB- and Amelie Mauresmo -LRB- 2006 -RRB- breaking that monopoly . In fact , the Williams domination has been so great this century that the 2006 final -- when Mauresmo beat Justine Henin -- is the only final when one of the American duo has not been involved . Both Sharapova and Mauresmo are back this year , although their participation had seemed in doubt in the early part of 2009 . Sharapova certainly has the powerful game to claim another Wimbledon title , but a persistent shoulder injury has plagued her all year and she comes into the competition poorly prepared . At nearly 30 , Mauresmo is now a veteran of the WTA Tour . She had looked a spent force last year , but has enjoyed some better results this year and comes into the tournament as the 17th seed . A potential third round showdown with top seed Dinara Safina will test her to the limit , although she would undoubtedly have the fans ' support should that encounter materialize . Safina 's standing as world number one has divided opinion . The Russian is yet to win a grand slam and wasted another opportunity to end that particular hoodoo when losing to compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in the French Open final last month . The 23-year-old comes into the tournament with a niggling knee injury and has not impressed in her pre-tournament displays . The feeling remains that should the Williams sisters decided to play more WTA events then one of them , and not Safina , would be topping the world rankings . Russians Elena Dementieva and Kuznetsova are seeded fourth and fifth and both have chances should they bring their top game to SW19 , although again it is hard to see one of them defeating an in-form Williams sister . Former world number one Jelena Jankovic has slipped down the world rankings this year and she too has yet to win a major , while 13th-seed Ana Ivanovic has not shown anything like the form that saw her win last year 's French Open . Last year 's semifinalist Jie Zheng of China loves the surface and could figure again . Unfortunately for her , she is due to face Serena Williams in the fourth round . | The Williams sisters are expected to dominate women 's singles once again . The American have won seven out of the last nine Wimbledon tournaments . Top seed Dinara Safina heads the rankings despite not winning a grand slam . | [[126, 141], [152, 229], [181, 211], [221, 269], [181, 201], [212, 269], [1553, 1622]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A New York Times reporter who was held by the Taliban for seven months has escaped , the newspaper reported Saturday . New York Times reporter David Rohde , shown in 1995 , escaped from the Taliban . David Rohde told his wife , Kristen Mulvihill , that he and a local reporter , Tahir Ludin , climbed over the wall of a compound late Friday where they were being held in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan . Pakistani military spokesman Gen. Athar Abbas told CNN that the Pakistani military was involved in freeing Rohde . Additional details were not immediately available . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement expressing her relief about Rohde 's `` return to freedom . '' `` I would like to thank the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan for their assistance in ensuring his safe return , '' Clinton said . `` Journalists put themselves at risk every day to report the news in regions gripped by conflict . We rely on their vital role and I am grateful for their service . '' Watch CNN 's Nic Robertson report on the escape '' Rohde , Ludin and their driver were kidnapped outside of Kabul , Afghanistan , on November 10 , and Afghan and Western officials said recently that Rohde was being held in Pakistan . After leaving the compound Friday night , the two men then found a Pakistani army scout who led them to a nearby army base . On Saturday , they were flown to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan , the newspaper said . A U.S. official told CNN that Rohde will arrive in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates at 10 p.m. Saturday . `` They just walked over the wall of the compound , '' Mulvihill said , according to the newspaper . Ludin hurt his foot during the escape , but otherwise both men appear to be in good health , the newspaper said . The driver , Asadullah Mangal , did not escape , the newspaper said . `` It is hard to describe the enormous relief we felt at hearing the news of David and Tahir 's escape and knowing he is safe , '' a statement from Rohde 's family said . `` Every day during these past seven months , we have hoped and prayed for this moment , '' said the statement , which was provided to CNN by The New York Times . It asked that the family 's privacy be respected . White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the White House was `` very pleased to see that David Rohde is now safe and returning home . '' `` This marks the end of a long and difficult ordeal for David 's family , friends and co-workers . The FBI has been the lead agency on his case , and we refer you to them for any further information , '' he said . The New York Times and other media outlets had kept the kidnapping quiet out of concern for the men 's safety . `` From the early days of this ordeal , the prevailing view among David 's family , experts in kidnapping cases , officials of several governments and others we consulted , was that going public could increase the danger to hostages , '' The New York Times said in a written statement . `` Therefore , we did not publicly discuss the kidnapping . We are deeply grateful to the other news organizations that honored our request to refrain from reporting on it . '' A Taliban spokesman told CNN several weeks ago that the Taliban had released two `` proof of identity '' videos and had demanded negotiations . The Taliban wanted some of its leaders in U.S. custody to be released as well as money , the spokesman said . Rohde , 41 , had traveled to Kabul in early November to work on a book , The New York Times said . He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for his reporting on the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia while working for The Christian Science Monitor . He was also part of The New York Times reporting team that won a Pulitzer Prize in May for coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan last year . | NEW : U.S. secretary of state Clinton thanks Pakistan , Afghanistan for help . David Rohde was kidnapped outside of Kabul , Afghanistan , on November 10 . Rohde , 41 , said he climbed over the wall of a compound late Friday . Rohde was being held in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan . | [[724, 838], [219, 244], [267, 359], [337, 338], [353, 431], [1179, 1261]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Which is more important -- the customer being king or the employees being highly motivated -LRB- keeping in mind reduction of operating expenses and being competitive -RRB- ? '' - Ronald Mahondo , I&M Bank , Kenya . The customer is king . The customer is always right . These are phrases that have been with us for a while . As business and marketing environments have become tougher , it 's true that those companies that have found out what the king wants -- and provided it -- have been successful . This would make it easy , if only it was clear which king to ask . Many companies draw a distinction between `` consumers , '' those who are the end-user of a product or service , and `` customers , '' those who are the trade , distributors and so on . This kind of customer is very powerful indeed -- especially if they are Wal-Mart or Tescos . So which customer is more king than the other ? And what if they do n't agree on what they want ? Sounds like war . In global companies the complexity rises . They have consumers and customers , but it 's also common that employees of that company are also customers of other employees . A trend at the moment is that regional employees are customers for central employees . Motivation and , more importantly , aligned goals , are absolutely critical to success . Getting this wrong can be costly in many ways -- not least in morale , time and money . The real truth is that this is not a question of `` or . '' Customer and employee satisfaction and motivation are critical . The challenge is to create a virtuous circle . Motivated employees are a great way of delivering what the customer wants , be that service , fast moving consumer goods , innovation , or anything else , and happy customers make employees feel rewarded . Of course , the virtuous circle has to start somewhere . In creative industries such as ours , often the job is to stretch further than the customer can see . They can tell you what they like today , but tomorrow looks misty and murky . A motivated group of creative individuals love nothing more than the art of invention , the creation of the new , the alchemy of an idea . If you want a king , it 's the idea , not the customer or the employee . Being competitive comes from having better ideas than your competition : an idea about targeting a particular group of people , an idea about a new product , an idea about how or where to distribute it , or an idea about how to advertise it . In 1944 James Webb Young , an employee of JWT , defined an idea as `` nothing more or less than a new combination of old elements . '' It 's a definition that we continue to find very useful today . Your customers are an excellent source of the familiar ; a highly motivated employee will most likely be the one who combines the familiar in a new way , creating the idea , and the competitive edge . On my way to work this morning with a trainload of people in glorious iPod isolation , I wondered what kind of company Apple would be today if the employees had been thinking the customer was king instead of working out how to combine some music with a little bit of one of their computers . | Motivation and aligned goals are absolutely critical to success . Being competitive comes from having better ideas than your competition . JWT idea : `` nothing more or less than a new combination of old elements '' | [[1246, 1295], [1298, 1334], [1483, 1547], [2250, 2320], [2493, 2517], [2541, 2624]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Puzzled zookeepers in northern Japan have discovered the reason why their attempts to mate two polar bears kept failing : Both are female . A 4-year-old polar bear sent to impregnate a female polar bear at a zoo in Kushiro was found to be female as well . The municipal zoo in the city of Kushiro in Hokkaido brought in a polar bear cub three years ago . They named it Tsuyoshi , after the popular baseball outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo , and waited until it reached reproductive age . In June , the zoo introduced Tsuyoshi to its resident bear , an 11-year-old female named Kurumi , and waited for sparks to fly . But much to the disappointment of zookeepers , Tsuyoshi never made any amorous advances toward Kurumi . Earlier this month , zookeepers put Tsuyoshi under anesthesia to get to the bottom of the matter . That 's when they made their discovery : Tsuyoshi is a female . Still , the Kushiro zoo plans to keep Tsuyoshi because he -- or rather , she -- has become immensely popular with visitors . `` I have rather mixed feelings , given the need for breeding , but Tsuyoshi is an idol for Kushiro , '' Yoshio Yamaguchi , head of the Kushiro zoo , told Japan 's Kyodo news agency . Tsuyoshi will even keep her name . `` We will not be changing it to ` Tsuyoko ' since it is loved by citizens -LRB- by the current name -RRB- , '' Yamaguchi said . `` Ko '' is a common suffix for a Japanese female name . Meanwhile , Tsuyoshi 's `` brother , '' who was adopted by another zoo , has also turned out to be female , Kyodo reported . -- CNN 's Chie Kobayashi contributed to this report . | Zoo introduced polar bear cub to its resident bear and waited for sparks to fly . And it waited and waited : Tsuyoshi never made amorous advances toward Kurumi . Months later , the zoo makes key discovery : both bears are female . | [[516, 523], [526, 574], [526, 533], [618, 644], [692, 748], [155, 172], [1442, 1451], [1454, 1476], [1515, 1547]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World War II did n't just divide the world . It also divided four brothers . Ken -LRB- left -RRB- and Harry Akune served in the U.S. military during World War II . Not long after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , Harry and Ken Akune were sent to live in an internment camp in Amache , Colorado . When the U.S. Army 's Military Intelligence Service came to their camp to recruit Japanese-speaking volunteers as interpreters , they joined so they could prove their loyalty to their country . Across the world in Japan , their father Ichiro was raising the rest of his large family -- which had returned to his home country after the death of his wife -- in a fishing village , Kagoshima , on the island of Kyushu . The youngest brothers , Saburo and Shiro , were just teenagers when they were drafted into the Imperial Japanese Navy . The brothers , four of the Akunes ' nine children , had all been born or raised in the United States ; Ichiro Akune owned a grocery business before moving back to Japan . Harry and Ken had been sent back to America to work and earn money for the family . Watch how brother fought brother during the war '' Harry and Ken graduated from language school in 1942 and were dispatched to the Pacific Theater . Ken served in Burma at the Office of War Information . His job was trying to create propaganda to persuade the Japanese to surrender rather than sacrifice their lives on the battlefield . Harry served in New Guinea and the Philippines . His ethnicity did n't endear him to some of his colleagues . `` I had an intelligence officer who disliked me , '' Harry recalled . Before a parachute jump onto the island of Corregidor with the 503rd Paratroopers late in the war , the officer stripped Harry of all of his gear , including his weapon . `` I got onto the airplane with only my parachute . A soldier took pity on me and helped find a rifle and one clip , '' he said . He survived , but many of his fellow soldiers did not . Twenty percent of them lost their lives just on the jump because of the jagged terrain and enemy fire . iReport.com : What did you do in the war ? His work was heroic . Harry 's interrogation of prisoners and translation of captured documents revealed a Japanese occupation force of over 5,000 , which vastly outnumbered the American forces . `` My information helped reduce casualties , '' he said . Most of the Japanese soldiers chose death over what they perceived as dishonor . Harry says only 22 were captured , with the rest dying in combat or suicide attacks -- and they often were n't satisfied with dying alone . At one point , with Harry 's back turned , a prisoner jumped him and tried to kill him . Harry recalls the incident vividly . `` My guard beat him with his gun . It seemed like this prisoner was clinging to me for dear life , '' he said . `` That feeling I have never lost . Even though he was the enemy , to see him die the way he did , affected me . '' The Japan-based Akune brothers saw death from the other perspective , as part of the war effort . Saburo became a spotter for kamikazes , known for their suicide dive-bomb missions on Allied ships . Shiro , just 15 , served at Sasebo , a naval base , helping to orient new recruits . He remembers American Grumman torpedo planes flying into the harbor . `` Bap , bap , bap ... ships going down ... we just watching ! We can not do anything ! '' he remembered . After the war , the Akune brothers discovered they served against each other , leading to ill feelings on both sides . Harry and Ken , now in Japan as members of the Allied Prisoner of War Recovery Team , joined Saburo and Shiro at a family reunion in Kagoshima . `` When we first met , the topic of the war came up . Both sides were saying their side was right , '' Ken said . `` Saburo and Shiro got really hot and stood up , they wanted to fight us . '' `` The propaganda situation in Japan was very extreme , '' Shiro said . `` The elders told you what you should do is revere the emperor like a god , and if you did n't abide by it , you were physically harmed . '' It took the intercession of their father to stop the familial battle . `` Shut up , '' the elder Akune said . `` The war is over . '' All four brothers ended up in the United States , with Shiro -- ironically -- serving as an American GI in Korea . Saburo died several years ago , but Shiro , Harry and Ken continue to live in Southern California . Ken still volunteers full time with the `` Go For Broke '' National Education Center , which preserves the memory of Japanese-American soldiers who served the United States in World War II . Harry says his military service helped him identify as an American . `` The benefit of going to war for the United States helped me manage myself not as a Japanese-American , but more like an American . I feel very happy I was able to do that , '' he said . But he holds nothing against the two brothers who fought for the other side . `` They were in Japan , educated there . It 's only right to be loyal to the Japanese force , '' he said . `` I feel like they were like any other Japanese and we were like any other American . Two sides had their ideas , and there was a clash , '' he said . `` Everything worked out . All four of us were able to survive without having to be casualties of the war . '' | Two Akune brothers fought for U.S. , two for Japan in World War II . U.S. brothers had been in internment camp ; served as interpreters . Japanese brothers drafted as teens ; one was spotter for kamikaze pilots . Brothers reunited after end of war ; all ended up living in U.S. | [[761, 782], [804, 880], [3086, 3123], [4254, 4301]] |
-LRB- Southern Living -RRB- -- When I was 5 , my parents went to a conference on Hilton Head Island and let me tag along , leaving my brothers landlocked in central Mississippi . Two memories stand out from my first encounter with the watery majesty of this Southern icon . Hilton Head Island 's relaxed atmosphere is ideal for families . For starters , it 's the first place I ever heard the term `` market price . '' Daddy encouraged me to eat whatever I wanted at restaurants -- no kid 's menu here -- so I tried my hand at swordfish . I figured anything so fresh they could n't put a price on it until the day it was served had to be good . And for years , I ordered based on that idea . From the right side of the menu . If it was fresh -LRB- and expensive -RRB- , it had to be the best . More boats than cars . Second , water was everywhere . I 'd been to the beach before , but never an actual island . It seemed like Hilton Head had more boats than my hometown had cars . And even then , I understood that the marinas were the real lifeblood of the community . On my most recent visit to Hilton Head , my brothers and their wives joined me , while my parents stayed home with the gaggle of grandkids . The tables had turned . But I discovered a few constants remain : From fresh cobia -LRB- available only in May and June -RRB- to wild shrimp caught in local waters , ordering `` market price '' from the menu is n't a bad way to go . Water is everywhere . And each marina celebrates the spirit of the island with its own special style . Explore them , one by one . SouthernLiving.com : A coastal S.C. retreat . Harbour Town : The classic . Known for its candy-striped , red-and-white lighthouse , the Harbour Town marina is easily the most-touristed waterfront on Hilton Head . Large yachts moor behind the newly expanded seawall , shops stock the requisite `` I heart Hilton Head '' souvenirs , and water sport outfitters launch Jet Skis and hoist Para-Sails in Calibogue Sound . The waterside restaurants do n't shine for their innovative cuisine , but they 're worth a stop for the prime real estate -- westward-facing Harbour Town is one of the best spots on the island to catch the sunset . SouthernLiving.com : Top 10 budget getaways . While there : Hard-bottomed Zodiac boats crouch closer to the water than a traditional boat does . We booked a one-hour tour with H2O Sports -LRB- www.h2osportsonline.com or -LSB- 843 -RSB- 671-4386 -RRB- and spent the afternoon watching dolphins play . Broad Creek Marina : The local . You do n't get more homegrown than Broad Creek , a modest port just off the Cross Island Parkway , where area residents drydock their boats . At Up the Creek Pub , a rickety seafood shack with killer views of the water , we stopped in for a bite -LRB- food = fried -RRB- and lingered on the deck for -LRB- my brother , Jeremy , might argue in spite of -RRB- the nightly strum-fest . www.broadcreekmarinahh.com or -LRB-843-RRB- 681-3625 . While there : Join Capt. John Maires , a huge Buffett fan with a sly smile , a weathered face , and a twinkling laugh , for a sunset sail on his 45-foot sloop Cheers . www.cheerscharters.com or -LRB-843-RRB- 671-1800 . South Beach : The beach bum . I thought we were going to have to drag my always-up-for-a-good-time brother , Prentiss , away from South Beach . This laid-back harbor feels like a Northeastern-style fishing village , complete with blue clapboard buildings connected by a sprawling weathered deck . It 's New England meets Caribbean cool , polished with Southern charm . The omnipresent music ranges from Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley by the DJ to jam-friendly local bands . Dancing is optional , but you wo n't want to be the only one left sitting . SouthernLiving.com : Great summer getaway . While there : Rain or shine , locals and tourists mingle in the late afternoon over heavy-handed cocktails ; ice-cold brews ; and steaming , hot-boiled shrimp at the open-air Salty Dog Café -LRB- www.saltydog.com or -LSB- 843 -RSB- 363-2198 -RRB- . Arrive early and snag a table ; they tend to fill up quickly . Shelter Cove Harbour : The unassuming naturalist . The quiet Shelter Cove Harbour and neighboring Palmetto Dunes Resort -LRB- just across U.S. 278 -RRB- , with upscale boutiques , smartly casual restaurants , and untainted Lowcountry views , ooze understated elegance without an ounce of priss . Capt. Scott Henry 's little Hurricane deckboat bobs among Goliath-sized mega-yachts but somehow does n't seem out of place . Lowcountry Nature Tours specializes in personalized , eco-friendly trips of Broad Creek and Calibogue Sound . www.lowcountrynaturetours.com or -LRB-843-RRB- 683-0187 . While there : The 11-mile saltwater lagoon system in Palmetto Dunes Resort is a maze of water courses , full of redfish , trout , and black drum . We rented kayaks for an early morning paddle through the tree-canopied canals . Palmetto Dunes Outfitters can hook you up with everything you need , from kayaks to private fly-fishing charters with Capt. Trent Malphrus.www.palmettodunes.com or -LRB-843-RRB- 785-2449 . Palmetto Bay Marina : The everyman . With a working boatyard and a everyone-knows-your-name dockside bar -LRB- Captain Woody 's -RRB- , Palmetto Bay gives off a relaxed vibe that transcends labels such as `` local '' and `` tourist . '' Our group settled onto the patio at Black Marlin Bayside Grill for brunch -- a perfect place to dawdle on a lazy morning -LRB- -LSB- 843 -RSB- 785-4950 -RRB- . My personal favorite : the shrimp hash -- a hearty combo of poached eggs , delicate shrimp and spicy sausage -- is like something you 'd expect for breakfast on board a fishing boat . My brother bogarted the sushi nachos with seared tuna and avocado . And the sisters-in-law did serious damage to the dessert-like bananas Foster French toast . While there : Reserve a spot on the PAU HANA or FLYING CIRCUS catamarans for a bring-your-own-picnic twilight cruise through the sound -- a trip highlight . www.hiltonheadisland.com/sailing or -LRB-843-RRB- 686-2582 . Skull Creek Marina : The seafood connection . Local fish and shrimpboats unload their nets along the piers at Skull Creek , where a trio of restaurants , all with waterside dining , take advantage of the seasonal catch . Hudson 's On The Docks -LRB- www.hudsonsonthedocks.com or -LSB- 843 -RSB- 681-2772 -RRB- is a perennial crowd-pleaser with down-home seafood platters . Charley 's Crab -LRB- http://www.muer.com/ or -LSB- 843 -RSB- 342-9066 -RRB- , a khakis-and-button-down kind of place , delivers she-crab soup and fried green tomatoes with a shrimp-and-crawfish salsa . The vibrant Boathouse II , with great food , an extensive wine list , and an anything-goes attitude , suited us best . If cobia is in season , a local catch with the density of swordfish and the flakiness of cod , this is the place to try it . www.boathouserestaurant.net or -LRB-843-RRB- 681-3663 . While there : The Benny Hudson Seafood market is the go-to for fresh oysters from the nearby May River and wild American shrimp just off the boat . If you 're renting a house or condo , stock up to create your own locally inspired feast . -LRB-843-RRB- 682-3474 . Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright 2009 Southern Living magazine . All rights reserved . | Harbour Town is one of the best spots on the island to catch the sunset . Broad Creek Marina is where area residents drydock their boats . The harbor at South Beach feels like a Northeastern-style fishing village . | [[2064, 2068], [2115, 2182], [2172, 2204], [3339, 3449]] |
SAN FRANCISCO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Convicted `` Unabomber '' Ted Kaczynski , who terrorized the country with a series of mail bombs over nearly two decades , is fighting to stop a public auction of his diaries and other personal possessions . Ted Kaczynski is fighting auction of possessions like this jacket and sunglasses made famous by a police sketch . But Kaczynski 's five-year legal battle will come to an end soon unless he can convince the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case . `` I regard him as the essence of evil . He 's evil and amoral . He has no compassion , '' said Dr. Charles Epstein , who was seriously injured in 1993 when a bomb went off in a piece of mail he opened at his home . The blast destroyed both of Epstein 's eardrums , and he lost parts of three of his fingers . Epstein , 75 , is a world-renowned geneticist and retired professor at the University of California at San Francisco . He is one of four victims who are owed $ 15 million in court-ordered restitution from Kaczynski , and he told CNN the auction was important to victims . Watch why the auction is causing controversy '' `` Who would think that we would still be sitting , this many years later , still having dealings ... with the man who tried to kill us ? '' Epstein said . Kaczynski was arrested in 1996 , pleaded guilty in 1998 and is currently serving a life term in the federal `` Supermax '' prison in Florence , Colorado . CNN was given exclusive access to videotape the items that will be up for auction , which were seized from the Montana cabin in which Kaczynski lived for years and held in evidence by the FBI in San Francisco and Washington . See who else calls `` Supermax '' home '' The property includes tools , typewriters , knives and a hatchet ; Kaczynski 's degrees from Harvard and the University of Michigan ; and the glasses and hooded jacket made famous by an artist 's rendering of the suspect . But experts say the most valuable items probably will be the 40,000 pages of Kaczynski 's diaries and other writings . `` Personally , I do n't think he has any rights to anything , '' Epstein said . `` I think he abrogated all of his rights by his behavior . '' The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the victims earlier this year , and now Kaczynski has until June 15 to file a notice of appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court . Steve Hirsch , a California attorney who represents the four victims , said he doubts the Supreme Court would consider an appeal , and thinks the auction could happen later this year . A private company will handle the auction , but no company has yet been selected . `` The victims were placed in this terrible position of either accepting this idea of an auction with all of its problems or letting Kaczynski have all of his things back , which would have been another wound for them , '' Hirsch told CNN . In handwritten legal documents , in which Kaczynski refers to himself as `` K , '' he claims , `` The District Court 's orders violate K 's First Amendment rights . '' `` The case involves the question of whether the government , consistent with the First Amendment , can confiscate an individual 's personal papers and sell them at public auction to enforce payment of a debt , '' Kaczynski wrote in one of his numerous legal arguments . Lawrence Brown , acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California , said his office has no choice but to support the auction . `` This is a directive from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals , '' he said . `` We were put in a situation where it was sort of an either-or . Either we returned all of the property back to Kaczynski , or we sought to maximize its value by holding an auction to put it back towards the $ 15 million that 's owed in restitution . '' Kaczynski , now 67 , killed three people and wounded 23 others in a string of attacks from 1978 to 1995 . The remainder of the victims have declined to seek restitution . Federal agents gave the case the code name `` Unabom '' because universities and airlines were the early targets . Kaczynski quit a tenure-track position at the University of California-Berkeley in 1969 to build a 13-by-13 foot shack near Lincoln , Montana , where he lived without running water or electricity until his 1996 arrest . Agents closed in after his brother noted similarities between his old letters and journals and the bomber 's 35,000-word anti-technology manifesto . The New York Times and the Washington Post agreed to publish the document under a promise that the bombings would stop . `` If some funds are raised by this auction , to help out some of the victims , well , then that does help promote some level of justice , '' Brown said . `` But you just can not right the tremendous wrong that Kaczynski committed . '' | `` Unabomber '' Ted Kaczynski fighting to stop auction of his personal possessions . Kaczynski terrorized the country with mail bombs over nearly two decades . Four victims are owed $ 15 million in court-ordered restitution from Kaczynski . Property includes 40,000 pages of Kaczynski 's diaries and other writings . | [[0, 42], [169, 253], [254, 334], [59, 85], [92, 114], [942, 954], [959, 1024], [3666, 3668], [3698, 3789], [1936, 2050]] |
RECIFE , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Eight more bodies have been recovered from last week 's crash of an Air France jetliner in the Atlantic Ocean , bringing the total to 24 , Brazil 's military announced Monday . Recovery efforts have found several items confirmed to have come from Air France Flight 447 . The bodies were found floating about 440 kilometers -LRB- 273 miles -RRB- northeast of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago northeast of the Brazilian coast on Monday , military officials said Monday evening . Air France 447 disappeared over the Atlantic early June 1 . The jet was en route to Paris , France , from the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro with 228 passengers and crew aboard . The military said earlier Monday that 16 bodies had been recovered . Items found in the same area Saturday were confirmed to have come from the jet , including pieces of the aircraft 's wing section , luggage and a leather briefcase containing an airplane ticket with a reservation code for the doomed flight , Brazilian air force spokesman Jorge Amaral said . The exact location of the crash has not been determined , because ocean currents probably caused the bodies and debris to drift in the days since the crash . Two key pieces of evidence -- the flight data and cockpit voice recorders -- remain missing and could lie on the ocean floor . Map of Flight 447 's flight path '' The part of the ocean where the debris and bodies have been found ranges from 6,000 to 8,000 meters -LRB- about 19,700 to 26,250 feet -RRB- deep . The search area covers 200,000 square kilometers -LRB- 77,220 square miles -RRB- , an area nearly as big as the country of Romania . Watch CNN 's Karl Penhaul report on more bodies found '' Brazilian officials emphasized Monday that finding bodies was their priority . The French are in charge of finding the black boxes , and a submarine was en route as part of that mission . Fourteen aircraft -- 12 Brazilian and two French -- were participating , along with five Brazilian ships and one French frigate . In Washington , a U.S. defense official said the U.S. Navy will contribute two high-tech acoustic devices to listen for emergency beacons still operating in deep water . The `` towed pinger locators , '' which help search for emergency beacons on downed aircraft to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet , will be placed aboard two French tugs that are part of the search efforts , the official said . Recovery of bodies and debris is significant not only for families but also for crash investigators , said Mary Schiavo , a former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation . `` Even if they do n't find anything else , they can get some very important clues from the pieces that they do find and from the human remains , '' she said Saturday . Watch an explanation of what could have caused the crash '' She said investigators would be able to tell whether there was an explosion from possible residue on the bodies or other items . Or , if water is found in the lungs of victims , investigators would know that the plane went down intact , she said . Investigators in Paris said Saturday that the Air France flight sent 24 automated error messages about four minutes before it crashed . The messages suggest the plane may have been flying too fast or too slow through severe thunderstorms it encountered before the crash , officials said . Schiavo said four minutes `` was a very long time '' for automated signals to be sent from the plane . Investigators also reported that the airline had failed to replace a part as recommended by the manufacturer , Airbus . Airbus had advised airlines to update part of the equipment that monitors speed , known as pitot tubes . The recommendation was a result of technological developments and improvements , an Airbus spokesman said . The change was not mandatory , and the spokesman would not comment on Air France 's failure to follow the advice . CNN 's Karl Penhaul , Richard Quest , Helena DeMoura and Barbara Starr contributed to this report . | NEW : Brazilian officials emphasize that finding bodies is their priority . Military says total number of bodies found stands at 24 . Plane disappeared over Atlantic Ocean last week . U.S. to contribute high-tech devices to look for plane 's emergency beacons . | [[1715, 1793], [1766, 1793], [9, 31], [147, 171], [515, 574], [2033, 2046], [2049, 2138], [2073, 2170], [2234, 2236], [2243, 2295]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three attacks were made on Royal Dutch Shell oil facilities in Nigeria on Sunday , according to a company spokesman who said details were not immediately available . Investigating the attacks will be difficult because they happened in remote areas , Royal Dutch Shell says . The attacks were against pipelines in the eastern part of the Niger Delta in Nigeria , said the spokesman , Rainer Winzenried . `` Shell is investigating the impact on facilities , the environment and the production capabilities , '' he said . The attacks happened in remote areas , making investigations difficult , he said , adding that the company would not send in investigators until it was certain the area was secure . It was not known whether there were any casualties , he said . The pipelines are part of a Shell joint venture that provides oil to several companies , Winzenried said . Shell runs the venture , and Nigeria is the operator . Winzenried refused to speculate on who was behind the attacks , but Nigeria 's main militant group -- the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta , or MEND -- said it had attacked an offshore facility earlier Sunday and that `` the structure is ... engulfed in fire . '' Winzenried had no information about that claim . MEND , which demands a fairer distribution of Nigeria 's oil wealth , claimed Friday that it destroyed a pipeline owned and operated by the Italian gas company Agip , but Agip has not confirmed that report . Earlier in the week , MEND claimed to have destroyed Royal Dutch Shell 's main trunk line in Bayelsa state and a Chevron oil station in the delta region . Shell confirmed an attack on that pipeline and said it had shut it down to avoid an environmental impact . Chevron , which halted its onshore operations in the region last month , said it was investigating . 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 invested 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 . | Royal Dutch Shell : Pipelines attacked in eastern part of Nigeria 's Niger Delta . Few details available ; company says remote area will make investigation hard . Company wo n't speculate on who was behind attacks . Militant group MEND claimed it attacked an offshore facility earlier Sunday . | [[0, 15], [19, 99], [294, 378], [1482, 1501], [1504, 1636], [1637, 1679], [115, 134], [139, 184], [185, 266], [945, 1006], [1013, 1043], [1113, 1221]] |
JESSUP , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The beer is flowing , the polka band is playing , and dancers are twirling across the dance floor . Couples dance at Blob 's Park , a dance hall that owes its revival , in part , to the economic downturn . Blob 's Park lives again . The popular Bavarian beer hall and weekend nightspot had closed its doors in 2007 , the victim of an unlikely foe : progress . Developers , eager to build on the 400 acres of prime real estate in the bustling Baltimore/Washington , D.C. , corridor , had purchased the 400 acres upon which the dance hall sat . It was the end of an era for the farmland first owned by Max Blob , a German immigrant , who , among other things , helped found America 's first `` Oktoberfest '' 70 years ago . Blob was the great-uncle of Max Eggrel , who grew up on the land in Jessup , Maryland . Standing on that farmland recently , Eggrel recalled the old days . `` We would farm during the week and have a biergarten during the weekend , '' Eggrel says . Those weekend events were held in a small , wood-framed building situated between rows of golden crops . The building would come to be known as Blob 's Park , a restaurant , dance hall and German-style biergarten . It opened in 1933 . Thousands of patrons came to know the dance hall , which saw most of its business on Friday and Saturday nights . But time marched on , and developers came calling . `` My brother ran the park until New Year 's Eve -LRB- of 2007 -RRB- , and the rest of my family members decided , with the pressure from developers , to sell the land , '' Eggrel says . `` Our land butts right up to Fort Meade and the NSA -LRB- National Security Agency -RRB- facility , '' Eggrel explains . Fort Meade is currently going through major renovation and upgrades on its facility . The fort is part of the Base Realignment and Closure -LRB- BRAC -RRB- program implemented by the Department of Defense in 2005 that will see thousands of new jobs on base . With all these jobs comes a need for housing , Eggrel says . `` There are people that are going to be working there , and they are going to have to live somewhere , and so this is one of the spots . '' Private developers are expected to build townhomes , condominiums and retail storefronts on the rolling hills of farmland where Blob 's Park stands . But that 's somewhere in the future . For now , the economic crisis gripping the country has played a role in the revival of Blob 's Park . With the economic slowdown , developers could n't see spending all the money on building upon the land since there currently is n't a demand . `` The infrastructure is going to take time to develop . There is no water or sewer on the property right now , '' adds Eggrel , who still lives on the property . Once the land was sold and Blob 's Park shut down , Eggrel found himself gazing out his front yard at the facade of a dance hall and all the open space surrounding it . `` The building was sitting there , just inviting someone to jump in and bring it back , '' Eggrel says . That 's exactly what he set out to do . But it would n't be an easy task . `` To open it back up took a sizable financial risk , '' Eggrel says . `` I just had the vision that it could succeed again and be bigger then it was before , and I was just willing to take that risk . '' Eggrel took his idea to the developers and a few attorneys . The developers agreed to rent 40 acres of the land back to Eggrel , a small portion compared to the land he grew up on , but it gave Eggrel the right to reopen the doors to Blob 's Park . Eggrel spent five months renovating the hall , and in January 2009 he and his employees reopened the doors to the public . Watch the action on the dance floor '' The hall currently has a three-year lease , but Eggrel speculates the dancing could go on for as many as 10 years -- or so he hopes . Eggrel says his customers share a deep affection for his place . For $ 8 , they can listen to or dance to live musicians who play for five hours every Friday and Saturday night . The customers who keep coming back to the hall week after week have as much fondness for the hall as the owner himself . `` Every week someone else comes up to me and thanks me for opening it back up , '' Eggrel says . As for the economy and Blob 's Park , Eggrel has this to say : `` I hope it takes a long time to rebound . The longer this place stays open , the happier I 'll be . And so will hundreds of other people . '' | Popular Bavarian dance hall opened in Maryland in 1933 . Developers bought land , club closed its doors on New Year 's 2007 . With slow economy , developers are n't building on the land . Family member leases back enough land to reopen dance hall . | [[1223, 1242], [270, 351], [1383, 1408]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal drug officials say they 've arrested 124 people and busted 56 labs in the largest illegal steroid investigation in U.S. history . The Drug Enforcement Administration says it busted 56 steroid labs in 27 states . The 18-month investigation , dubbed `` Operation Raw Deal , '' targeted traffickers who allegedly imported raw materials from China and used them to make anabolic steroids , human growth hormone and insulin growth factor , the Drug Enforcement Administration said . `` Today we reveal the truth behind the underground steroid market : dangerous drugs cooked up all too often in filthy conditions with no regard to safety , giving Americans who purchase them the ultimate raw deal , '' DEA Administrator Karen Tandy said in a statement . Authorities made arrests in 27 states , including busts in Los Angeles , California ; New York City ; San Diego , California ; Providence , Rhode Island ; and Kansas City , Missouri . They seized more than 530 pounds of raw materials and 11.4 million steroid dosage units in the United States , officials said , enough to supply hundreds of users . Most of the arrests were made between Thursday and Sunday , the DEA said . Chinese authorities cooperated with the investigation , which targeted 37 companies in China , the DEA said . So far , one Chinese lab has been shut down , officials said . The Chinese `` have done everything '' they were asked to do , said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne . Watch DEA officials say bust is only the beginning '' The operation , according to the DEA , also cracked down on underground trafficking of counterfeit medications as well as Web sites that were distributing materials that helped in converting raw steroid ingredients into the finished product . `` DEA successfully attacked the illegal steroid industry at every level of its distribution network-from the manufacturers in China who supply the raw materials , to the traffickers in the United States who market the deadly doses , '' the DEA statement said . Besides China , other countries which cooperated in the operation included Mexico , Canada , Belgium , Australia , Germany , Denmark , Sweden and Thailand , officials said . E-mail to a friend . | Authorities arrest 124 people , shut down 56 labs . Investigators seize raw materials imported from China . China cooperates with probe , shuts down one lab . | [[30, 167], [168, 249], [209, 249], [310, 395], [1211, 1264], [1321, 1327], [1330, 1364]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 14-year-old girl stoops and screams above the body of a Kent State University student killed in 1970 by an Ohio National Guardsman . John Filo 's 1970 photo at Kent State University became a symbol of the anti-war movement at the time . A police chief aims his gun at a Vietcong prisoner 's head in 1968 , while executing him on a Saigon , Vietnam , street . And in 1989 , an unarmed man in Beijing , China , stands defiantly in front of a column of tanks as they rolled into Tiananmen Square . These are iconic images , the kinds of shots that changed the way people viewed history as it unfolded . They put human faces on conflicts and became rallying cries for movements , inspiring those who demanded change . But while these photographs -- chronicling a single , silent moment -- were taken by seasoned photographers , two of whom won Pulitzer Prizes , this time amateur cell phone video is grabbing worldwide attention . It captures the death of a young woman named Neda Agha-Soltan , galvanizing protesters in Iran and shaping perceptions of a land and people few Westerners know . See how images have inspired change '' `` Every revolution needs icons and symbols -- an image that embodies a sense of universality of blight and at the same time innocence , '' said Roya Hakakian of Connecticut , a writer , poet and journalist who was born and raised in Iran . `` The image of Neda does both . '' The graphic video of Neda 's death , caused by a gunshot fired during a protest in Tehran , Iran , records her final moments : Her eyes turn toward the camera , people scream and struggle to revive her while blood streams across her face . Watch how Neda 's proven to be a tipping point '' Having gone viral with the help of social networking sites such as Twitter , the video of Neda 's death has earned her the highly revered status of martyr . The woman who by all counts was an innocent bystander is now known as the `` Angel of Iran '' and is inspiring poetry . She is mourned publicly despite Revolutionary Guard threats , and her likeness graces posters . For Hakakian , who left Iran about 25 years ago , the significance of Neda 's image runs deep . She said it 's part of a larger picture of current protests being propelled by women , and a reflection of the Iran and the Iranians she knows . What outsiders have seen over the past three decades , she said , are fist-pumping men decrying America , images of hostages and `` the burning of Uncle Sam effigies . '' Americans , she continued , have gotten to know little beyond the talk of Hezbollah and Hamas support , discussions of nuclear bombs and the rants of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , calling for , among other things , the destruction of Israel . `` We come from different corners of the world , but we see the same thing , '' Hakakian said of the video of Neda 's death . `` You do n't need to be Iranian . You do n't need to be her neighbor . You do n't need to know her name . ... Anyone can watch this and come away with the sense of injustice and what 's taking place , and I think that 's why it 's catching on . '' Graphic images have long played a role in driving social awareness and change , said Bruce Shapiro , executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma . The skeletal figures of concentration camp victims drove home the horrors of the Holocaust . And the brutalized body of Emmett Till , a 14-year-old black boy killed in 1955 for allegedly flirting with a white woman , was shown at the insistence of his mother at his funeral , galvanizing the civil rights movement , Shapiro said . In more recent years , amateur video was credited with capturing the 1991 beating by Los Angeles police of Rodney King . And the first images out of Virginia Tech during the 2007 campus shooting were taken by students before professionals could hit the scene , added Nora Paul , founding director of the Institute for New Media Studies at the University of Minnesota . The challenge today , in a time when anyone can post images , is making sure graphic photos or videos are put in context and used by news organizations in a way that moves stories forward , both Paul and Shapiro agreed . While news outlets may blur faces , offer warnings to viewers or not even use some images , the vastness of the Internet means that once they are out there -- no matter how horrifying or inappropriate for viewers -- it 's next to impossible to stop them from being circulated . `` Even if you try to control access , the dam is already broken , '' Paul said . As for the impact on viewers , the effect of disturbing and violent images is hard to measure , said Elana Newman , who teaches psychology at the University of Tulsa and is a specialist in psychological trauma . An image often can communicate `` the depths of pain '' in a way that words alone can not , Newman said . But she added scholars often debate whether such images turn people away from news , desensitize them or bolster a story 's credibility . And there is also the challenge to consider of `` balancing the privacy of the victim with the importance of telling the story . '' Her own opinion ? `` These images are helpful when these events are far away , '' she said , because they can bring home a story . They , however , are `` not helpful to people when they 're in their own backyard . '' And the impact on the person who captures the image is often untold . John Filo was a senior photography student at Kent State when he snapped the photo that became a symbol of the shootings on campus and helped propel the anti-war movement at the time . He does n't remember going through six rolls of film that day , but he remembers being shot at and is all too aware that a mere feet -- even inches -- separated him from life or death . In 13 seconds , four students were killed and nine were wounded . It took `` a good nine years '' for him to sort through the experience , he told CNN . His relationships suffered , as did his confidence as a photographer . He grappled with survivor 's guilt , the images he saw but did n't share and the anxiety about how his work affected other people 's lives . `` Everyone that was there that day was affected , '' said Filo , now director of photography for CBS media relations . `` At least I had something to do that day . There were people who felt totally helpless -- people who tried to hide behind a four-inch street curb . '' When no one could believe what was happening around them , he had the power to show it . `` You sit there as a journalist and say , ` If it was my brother or my mother , would I have taken this picture ? ' '' he reflected out loud . It 's `` your purpose of being there . So yes , if it was my brother , if it was my mother , I 'd still shoot the picture . '' | Photos from Vietnam , Tiananmen Square and Kent State galvanized movements . Cell phone video of death of Neda Agha-Soltan , at a protest in Iran , goes viral . `` Every revolution needs icons and symbols , '' Iranian-born writer says . Amateur videos and photos powerful but need context , experts say . | [[154, 257], [621, 625], [659, 694], [1010, 1037], [1110, 1145], [5507, 5629], [879, 947], [1426, 1460], [1463, 1482], [1473, 1550], [1149, 1192], [3988, 4007], [4050, 4108]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man suspected of fatally shooting an Iowa football coach Wednesday was released from a hospital the day before , without the knowledge of police , who had asked to be notified , authorities said . Ed Thomas had been with the school district for more than 30 years and was well-known in the region . Mark Becker , 24 , faces first-degree murder charges in the death of Ed Thomas , 58 , a longtime football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg High School . Investigators believe Becker walked into the school 's weight room , where Thomas was overseeing athletes ' weight lifting , about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday and shot him multiple times as about 20 horrified students looked on . Thomas was flown to a hospital , where he later died . `` It 's just too early to speculate '' on a motive for the shooting , said Kevin Winker , assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation . Authorities said Becker was a former student at Aplington-Parkersburg , which is about 100 miles northeast of Des Moines , Iowa , and a former football player . The agency , however , noted that Becker had `` recent contact '' with police in Cedar Falls , Iowa , about 25 miles to the east of Parkersburg . On June 20 , Becker led police on a high-speed chase after he allegedly broke into a man 's house , according to a division statement . He was taken into custody , but early the next morning authorities determined he needed medical attention and he was taken to a hospital . Police asked to be notified when he was released , the statement said . But on Tuesday , Becker was released and spent the night at his parents ' Parkersburg home before heading to the high school Wednesday morning , the division said . `` Law enforcement was unaware that Becker had been released . '' Cedar Falls police earlier said in a statement that they responded June 20 to a report of a man breaking several windows in a Cedar Falls home with a baseball bat and driving his car through a garage door . Just before officers arrived , the man fled the scene in his car and was seen leaving the area . Becker was arrested after a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 80 mph , Cedar Falls police said . He was taken into custody by Butler County authorities and later taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation , according to the statement . `` Cedar Falls police was awaiting notification that the subject was to be released from custody in order to arrest Becker and file the charges relevant to the Cedar Falls incident , '' according to the police statement . He faces felony charges of criminal mischief and eluding authorities , along with traffic offenses , in the Saturday incident , Cedar Falls police said . Winker would not provide further details about why Becker was transported to the hospital . A 911 call was received at 7:47 a.m. Wednesday regarding the high school shooting , the Division of Criminal Investigation said . Becker was located in the driveway of his parents ' home , where he was arrested without incident . Coincidentally , Becker had been released from the same hospital where his alleged victim died -- Covenant Hospital in Waterloo , Iowa . Thomas had been with the school district since 1975 and was a regionally well-known coach , according to district Superintendent Jon Thompson . The coach 's son , Aaron Thomas , spoke briefly to reporters Wednesday , saying that his father would want to be remembered not only as a coach , teacher and father , but also for his involvement in his church , calling him `` a man of deep faith who touched many lives . '' `` God always has a reason , '' he said . `` At this time , it 's very tough for us to understand that . '' He thanked the community for an outpouring of support , recalling residents ' struggle to rebuild after a deadly tornado struck the Parkersburg area last year . But he also reminded residents to have concern and compassion for Becker 's family . `` We ask that people pray for them as well , and that people take time to comfort and be with them , '' he said . `` I know that my father 's legacy ... will live on , '' Aaron Thomas said . `` Without a doubt , we 're going to miss him . We will have many great memories to share and to think back upon . We were lucky to have the father we had ... I feel very fortunate to be the son of Ed Thomas . '' No students were injured or threatened in Wednesday 's incident , authorities said . The school was placed on lockdown immediately . Crisis counselors were on the scene to assist students who witnessed the shooting , Thompson said . A vigil was planned in Thomas ' honor Wednesday night . CNN 's Kara Devlin contributed to this report . | NEW : Mark Becker , who faces murder charges , had `` recent contact '' with police . NEW : Police say they were n't notified suspect was released from hospital . On June 20 , Becker led police on a high-speed chase after an alleged burglary . Coach Ed Thomas has died after being shot inside a school . | [[320, 331], [339, 398], [1068, 1078], [1091, 1213], [0, 15], [72, 131], [1726, 1788], [1757, 1788], [3043, 3107], [1214, 1224], [1227, 1275], [2122, 2131], [2137, 2171]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An ex-astronaut accused of assaulting a romantic rival in a Florida parking lot will stand trial December 7 , a judge ruled . Prosecutors accuse Nowak of driving nearly 900 miles wearing NASA diapers to track down her rival . Lisa Marie Nowak , 46 , is accused of stalking Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman and pepper-spraying her in a parking lot at Orlando International Airport in February 2007 . She has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted kidnapping with intent to inflict bodily harm , battery and burglary of a vehicle using a weapon . If convicted , she could face a sentence of up to life in prison . Prosecutors accuse Nowak of driving nearly 900 miles from Houston to Orlando -- wearing NASA diapers to cut down on the number of stops she needed to make -- and donning a disguise before following Shipman from baggage claim to a parking lot . Her attorney , Don Lykkebak , has denied that she wore the diapers . Shipman told police that after she got into her car , Nowak feigned distress and knocked on the window . When Shipman cracked it to talk to her , Nowak sprayed her in the face with pepper spray , Shipman said . Police said Nowak was apprehended as she was disposing of her disguise in an airport trash bin . Nowak has said she went to the airport to talk to Shipman , who had begun dating Nowak 's former love interest , Navy Cmdr. Bill Oefelein , who was also an astronaut but has since left the astronaut corps . Judge Marc Lubet handed Nowak a legal victory in November 2007 when he ruled evidence found in her car and statements she made to police after her arrest were inadmissible at trial because both were unlawfully obtained . Prosecutors appealed , however , and in July 2008 , the Fifth District Court of Appeals ruled that evidence found in Nowak 's car was admissible , although it agreed her statements to police were not . At a hearing in August 2007 , Orlando police detective William Becton testified that when he searched Nowak 's car , he found maps showing how to reach the airport , maps of the airport 's layout , a buck knife and papers including a letter Nowak appeared to have written to Oefelein 's mother . He also testified he found used and clean diapers in the car . Police previously said they also found a BB gun , a steel mallet , a 4-inch knife and rubber tubing in the vehicle . Nowak 's attorneys have said they intend to utilize an insanity defense , saying in court documents her diagnoses include more than a dozen psychiatric disorders . A pretrial conference in the case is set for November 10 , Lubet ruled Tuesday . A hearing set for Friday was canceled . CNN 's Rich Phillips contributed to this report . | Lisa Marie Nowak , 46 , is accused of stalking Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman . Prosecutors say Nowak , wearing diapers , drove 900 miles to confront Shipman . Nowak donned disguise , pepper-sprayed Shipman , authorities say . Ex-astronaut says she was at airport to talk to Shipman . | [[263, 279], [282, 284], [287, 365], [163, 236], [199, 262], [652, 717], [263, 279], [282, 284], [287, 365], [346, 352], [353, 434], [788, 895], [1070, 1108], [1111, 1158], [1288, 1330]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A defiant and chaotic protest sprouted in and around a public square Monday despite a warning by Iran 's Revolutionary Guard against the kind of street demonstrations that have roiled Iran for more than a week , witnesses said . Security forces patrol the streets of Tehran on Monday . Thousands of Iranians congregated and passed through Haft-e Tir Square , but riot police and the pro-government Basij militia confronted them and smacked their batons against their shin guards , making loud cracking sounds that seemed like gunshots , the witnesses said . As the protests continued , an election official with the Interior Ministry said the `` box-by-box details '' of the ballots -- which were confidential in previous elections -- would be released in response to claims that the election was rigged , Press TV reported . Iran 's Guardian Council declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner of the election with 62.63 percent of the vote . His closest rival , Mir Hossein Moussavi , received 33.75 percent , surprising many experts who expected him to win . Iranians have continued protesting the results by taking to the streets . Most stores around the square were closed as the unrest reverberated , with some guarding against damage by erecting steel fences on their windows . Helicopters hovered overhead as the security forces wielded batons and used a spray to push the crowd out of the square . After that , police chased down demonstrators in nearby alleys and streets , with protesters and lawmen playing cat and mouse over several tension-filled hours until the crowd began to thin out around dusk . There were isolated face-offs and quarrels that broke out between demonstrators and the riot police and the Basij militia -- a volunteer paramilitary force that takes orders from the Revolutionary Guard , a military unit under the direct control of Iran 's supreme leader . There were no reports of serious injuries , but there were at least eight arrests , witnesses said . `` Thirty years after the revolution , this is what we get , '' one man said dejectedly , watching the noisy and chaotic scene as he remembered the birth and the promise of Iran 's Islamic revolution in 1979 . The location was the spot where a vigil was to be held in memory of Neda , a young woman who became a symbol for the opposition after her death was caught on camera . While Internet postings on Twitter , Facebook and an Iranian opposition leader 's Web site had mentioned a possible rally , it was unclear whether people who were at the square were there for a vigil . Some people were clad in black , a symbol of mourning , but placards and banners about Neda and candles have not been seen . However , security forces and demonstrators appeared at the square at the time the vigil was to be held . Watch how women are on front line of protests '' Meanwhile , a message on opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi 's Facebook page , which could not be authenticated , called for a peaceful demonstration in Tehran on Thursday to honor the dead . `` We are waiting for the route of the march to be announced as well as the location of the sit-in , '' the message said . `` Presently the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic seems to be the safest place for the sit-in , so that we can mourn for our martyrs in a place that is close to the spirit of that free man . Demonstrators Monday had brushed off a warning from the Revolutionary Guard that people who `` disturb the peace and stand up to security forces '' would be met with a strong response . The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying `` the guardians of the Islamic revolution and the courageous Basiji together with the security forces following the orders of the supreme leader and following him unquestioningly . '' It said the authorities `` are determined to act strongly to return peace and tranquility to society ... and to clean the country of these plotters and hooligans . '' Iran 's Revolutionary Guard is directly under the control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and enforces the government 's Islamic codes and morality . With more than 200,000 members , it is tasked with overseeing the country 's crucial interests , including guarding its oil fields and missile arsenals . The regime 's lawmakers called for a review of ties with Britain amid concerns over so-called Western `` meddling '' in the country 's daily unrest . The government-funded Press TV reported that Iranian lawmakers were calling for a review of the country 's ties with Britain because of its `` interference in Iran 's recent post-election unrest . '' Britain 's Foreign Office announced Monday it is withdrawing the family members of its embassy staff from Iran until the situation there improves . 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 . Al-Arabiya , a Dubai-based Arab satellite network , said its Tehran bureau was ordered closed . At least 19 people were killed in clashes in Tehran on Saturday as Iranians took to the streets to protest the results of the June 12 presidential election , according to hospital sources . Iranian-funded Press TV confirmed 13 fatalities , while unconfirmed reports put the number as high as 150 . Tehran 's prosecutor general 's office said it has launched an investigation into the killings . Watch one woman 's account of clashes with security forces '' The station also said police arrested 457 people Saturday who vandalized property . See images of the clashes Saturday '' Moussavi has called on Iranians to `` exercise self-control , '' while still supporting their right to demonstrate , a statement attributed to Moussavi said late Sunday on the candidate 's Web site , Ghalam news . CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of the site . Watch Iran 's former crown prince call election a `` fraud '' '' On Monday , the site was intermittently inaccessible , but said at one point that Moussavi had met with a group of clerics in the city of Ghom on Monday morning to discuss current events . A spokesman for the Guardian Council told state television that Wednesday is the last day it can recount the votes disputed by candidates . | NEW : Interior Ministry will release box-by-box ballot details , Press TV reports . Basij militia smack batons against shin guards as protesters pass through square . Helicopters hover as thousands play cat and mouse with police , witnesses say . At least 8 reported arrested , but no reports of serious injuries . | [[591, 616], [619, 715], [839, 858], [396, 472], [396, 444], [465, 511], [1356, 1390], [245, 261], [1324, 1375], [1395, 1445], [1528, 1605], [2012, 2028], [5549, 5607], [1976, 2009]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former middle-school student who was strip-searched by school officials looking for ibuprofen pain medication won a partial victory of her Supreme Court appeal Thursday in a case testing the discretion of officials to ensure classroom safety . Savana Redding leaves the U.S Supreme Court in April . She was 13 when she was strip-searched . Savana Redding was 13 when administrators suspected that she was carrying banned drugs . No medication was found , and she later sued . The justices concluded that the search was unreasonable but that individual school administrators could not be sued . The larger issue of whether a campus setting traditionally gives schools greater authority over students suspected of illegal activity than police are allowed was not addressed fully by the divided court . `` Savana 's subjective expectation of privacy against such a search is inherent in her account of it as embarrassing , frightening and humiliating , '' wrote Justice David Souter for the majority , likely his last opinion before he steps down from the bench next week . But reflecting the divisiveness over the issue , Souter said , `` We think these differences of opinion from our own are substantial enough to require immunity for the school officials in this case . '' Whether the school district would be liable was not an issue before the high court . `` I 'm pretty excited that they agreed with me , they see that it was wrong for the school to do that , '' Redding said from her Hobbs , New Mexico , home after the ruling was announced . `` I 'm pretty certain that it 's so far less likely to happen again '' to other students . Redding was an eighth-grade honor student in 2003 , with no history of disciplinary problems at Safford Middle School , about 127 miles from Tucson , Arizona . During an investigation into pills found at the school , a student told the vice principal that Redding had given her prescription-strength 400-milligram ibuprofen pills . The school had a near-zero-tolerance policy for all prescription and over-the-counter medication , including the ibuprofen , without prior written permission . Redding was pulled from class by Vice Principal Kerry Wilson , escorted to an office and confronted with the evidence . The girl denied the accusations . A search of Redding 's backpack found nothing . A strip search was conducted by Wilson 's assistant and a school nurse , both females . Redding was ordered to strip to her underwear and to pull on the elastic of the underwear , so any hidden pills might fall out , according to court records . No drugs were found . `` The strip search was the most humiliating experience I have ever had , '' Redding said in an affidavit . `` I held my head down so that they could not see that I was about to cry . '' Souter said Wilson initially had `` sufficient suspicion '' to justify searching the girl 's backpack and outer clothing . But when no contraband was found , the officials went too far by continuing the search of her underwear . With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union , Redding and her family sued , and a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled against the school , calling the search `` traumatizing '' and illegal . That court said the school went too far in its effort to create a drug - and crime-free classroom . The Supreme Court found little agreement on key issues . Justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed that the search was illegal but would have also made individual officials liable for damages by Redding . `` Wilson 's treatment of Redding was abusive , and it was not reasonable for him to believe that the law permitted it , '' said Ginsburg , who was especially forceful during oral arguments in April , criticizing the school 's actions . But Justice Clarence Thomas took the opposite view : that administrators deserved immunity and that the search was permissible . `` Preservation of order , discipline and safety in public schools is simply not the domain of the Constitution , '' he said . `` And , common sense is not a judicial monopoly or a constitutional imperative . '' In 1985 , the high court allowed the search of a student 's purse after she was suspected of hiding cigarettes . Such a search was permitted if there were `` reasonable '' grounds for believing that it would turn up evidence and when the search was not `` excessively intrusive . '' Opinions in 1995 and 2001 allowed schools to conduct random drug testing of high school athletes and those participating in other extracurricular activities . The court was being asked to clarify the extent of student rights involving searches and the discretion of officials regarding those they have responsibility over . Adam Wolf , an ACLU attorney who represented Redding , applauded the decision . `` When parents send their kids to school , they can now breathe a sigh of relief they will not end up naked before school officials , '' Wolf said . But school administrators said the ruling does not make their jobs any easier . `` The home medicine cabinet now poses a serious threat to students , who may take those medications for abusive purposes , '' said Francisco Negron , general counsel for the National School Boards Association . `` That 's a problem schools are trying to stem . '' `` How they determine now whether the drug is dangerous , whether it 's not dangerous -- that kind of clarity and that kind of guidance , the court did not give us . '' Redding , now 19 , said she has never gotten over her experience . `` Before it happened , I loved school , loved everything about it . You know , I had a 4.0 GPA , honor roll , and now , well , afterwards I never wanted to go to school again . '' She is attending college . The case is Safford Unified School District No. 1 v. Redding -LRB- 08-479 -RRB- . | Savana Redding was 13 when administrators suspected she was carrying drugs . No medication was found , and she later sued . Justices : Search was unreasonable , but individual school officials ca n't be sued . Redding , now 19 , has said she has never gotten over her experience . | [[399, 460], [461, 484], [491, 507], [2612, 2633], [508, 625], [536, 563], [568, 625], [3138, 3203], [5508, 5515], [5527, 5574]] |
HAVANA , Cuba -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama misinterpreted Cuban President Raúl Castro 's offer to start talks with the United States , Castro 's brother Fidel said Wednesday , appearing to dismiss the U.S. leader 's call for Cuba to release political prisoners . Fidel Castro appears with Venezuela 's Hugo Chavez , left , and brother Raúl Castro in a photo released in June . In an essay published in state-run newspapers Wednesday , the ailing revolutionary leader said the people Washington calls political prisoners are `` in the service of a foreign power that threatens and blockades our homeland . '' Fidel Castro 's comments come after signs of a thaw in the decades-old impasse between the United States and the communist-ruled island to its south . Obama lifted all restrictions on visits and money transfers between American citizens and relatives in Cuba this month , while Raúl Castro said Cuba is prepared to talk with the United States about `` everything -- human rights , freedom of the press , political prisoners . '' Speaking at a conference of inter-American and Caribbean leaders Sunday , Obama said the Cuban leader 's declaration was `` a sign of progress . '' He added that the Cuban government could send a much clearer , more positive signal by releasing political prisoners or reducing fees charged on remittances Americans send to relatives in the country . But Fidel Castro wrote Wednesday , `` There is no doubt that the president misinterpreted Raúl 's statements . '' `` When the president of Cuba said he was ready to discuss any topic with the U.S. president , he meant he was not afraid of addressing any issue , '' Castro wrote . `` That shows his courage and confidence on the principles of the revolution . '' He said Cuba would be willing to release prisoners held since a 2003 crackdown on dissidents if the United States would release five Cubans convicted of spying in 2001 . And he criticized Obama for not doing more to lift the U.S. embargo on Cuba , imposed in 1962 . `` Should we wait for so many years before his blockade is lifted ? '' Castro asked . `` He did not invent it , but he embraced it just as much as the previous 10 U.S. presidents did . '' Castro ceded power to his brother in 2006 before undergoing surgery for a still-undisclosed intestinal condition . But he remains head of the Communist Party , and his essay raises the question of who would be calling the shots in any talks with Washington . `` Who 's in charge ? '' one Havana man asked Wednesday . `` Raul -- ah , Fidel -- ah , Raúl . '' But a woman who spoke to CNN said , `` The president is Raúl . He 's the one you have to listen to now . '' | Fidel Castro essay seems to dismiss U.S. leader 's call for Cuba to free dissidents . Raúl Castro has said Cuba is prepared to talk with U.S. about `` everything '' President Obama responds by saying Cuba should send signal and free prisoners . Fidel Castro also criticizes Obama for not doing more to lift U.S. embargo on Cuba . | [[141, 158], [165, 235], [170, 179], [182, 268], [383, 394], [441, 566], [64, 84], [101, 138], [892, 1039], [1510, 1599], [1602, 1652], [1510, 1599], [1655, 1672], [1191, 1324], [1763, 1767], [1785, 1847], [1925, 2000]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A pilot dragged his passenger to safety and buried him neck-deep in sand to protect him from hypothermia Sunday night after their helicopter crashed in crocodile-infested mudflats in Australia 's Northern Territory . Air ambulance workers attend to a man buried in sand following a helicopter crash . `` The pilot thought that in this remote location , nobody would find them . So he buried his friend to try and stop the hypothermia , '' said Ian Badham , director of CareFlight , the air ambulance service involved in the rescue . The two friends had gone camping on a remote beach without road access , about 130 km -LRB- 80 miles -RRB- from the Northern Territory capital of Darwin . While leaving Sunday night , the pair decided to fly their two-seater helicopter over waters that are home to large crocodiles . `` It 's an area known for its big saltwater crocodiles , '' Badham said . `` Those things make alligators look like wussies . '' The pilot later told rescuers that they flew in to take a closer look . The next thing he remembered was lying upside down in the mud with the wreckage of the helicopter on top of him , Badham said . The men , both in their 50s , were about 100 meters -LRB- 328 feet -RRB- from the main beach . Finding his friend seriously hurt , the pilot dragged him back to shore , away from the crocodiles -- and buried him in sand up to his neck to prevent him from freezing to death . Rescuers responded after the pilot used a satellite phone to alert them . The friend remained hospitalized Monday in serious but stable condition , Badham said . He suffered head and chest injuries . He also fractured his arm and several ribs . The pilot suffered minor injuries . `` It was the opinion of the -LRB- air-ambulance -RRB- doctor that the friend 's injuries were grave and , quite likely , this man would not have survived the night , '' Badham said . | Helicopter pilot buries injured passenger in sand to save him from hypothermia . Pilot dragged him from crocodile-infested mudflats in Australia 's Northern Territory . Helicopter crashed as they flew in low over mudflats to look for the giant reptiles . Passenger remains hospitalized Monday in serious but stable condition . | [[0, 15], [63, 159], [268, 319], [400, 452], [1297, 1306], [1367, 1440], [19, 58], [143, 235], [793, 799], [805, 835], [1297, 1332], [143, 235], [1001, 1037], [1515, 1586]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The five remaining defendants in the racially charged `` Jena Six '' case will appear in court Friday and are expected to enter a plea , a spokesman for the district attorney 's office said . Protesters converged on the small Louisiana town in September 2007 after the `` Jena 6 '' were charged . Bill Furlow , spokesman for LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters , declined to say whether the defendants will plead guilty . `` It 's not a done deal until it 's a done deal , '' he said . In December 2006 , six African-American teenagers were charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy in the beating of a white classmate . The incident followed months of racial tension in the community of about 3,000 people . Jena , Louisiana , is about 140 miles southeast of Shreveport in the north-central part of the state . The case drew national attention from civil rights groups , who argued that the charges were excessive . An estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators turned out for a rally on behalf of the teens : Carwin Jones , Jesse Ray Beard , Robert Bailey Jr. , Bryant Purvis , Theo Shaw and Mychal Bell . The charges were eventually reduced . Bell pleaded guilty to battery in a juvenile court and moved to Monroe , Louisiana . In January , Bell said he had attempted suicide the month before by shooting himself in the chest but was recovering . Friday 's hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. | `` It 's not a done deal until it 's a done deal , '' spokesman says . 6 teens charged in December 2006 with beating a white classmate . Incident followed months of racial tension in town of about 3,000 people . One of the the `` Jena 6 '' pleaded guilty to battery in juvenile court this year . | [[180, 234], [476, 523], [539, 555], [558, 690], [691, 778], [1209, 1259]] |
LIMA , Peru -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Peru 's Congress voted overwhelmingly to revoke two decrees that indigenous groups had said would result in the exploitation of their native lands for oil drilling , mining and logging . A man shouts slogans at a demonstration in Lima against the Garcia government on June 11 . The 82-14 vote on Thursday with no abstentions came after five hours of intense debate . `` Today is a historic day , '' said Daysi Zapata , vice president of the Interethnic Association for Development of the Peruvian Jungle , in a statement on the group 's Web site . She repeated the group 's call this week to its members to abandon further opposition efforts , including blockades of rivers and roads . `` My brothers from Yurimaguas affirmed that they will return to their communities as soon as the legislative decrees are repealed , '' she said . `` We are thankful because the will of the indigenous people has been heard and we only hope that , in the future , government will pay attention to and listen to the people and not legislate behind their backs . '' However , despite praising President Alan Garcia for supporting the revocation of the decrees , Zapata said that had he done so earlier , lives might have been saved . She called for the repealing of seven remaining legislative decrees and the immediate lifting of the state of emergency and curfew in the city of Bagua . And she asked the government to stop the political persecution of her group 's leaders , including Alberto Pizango , who faces charges in Peru related to the clashes . He flew this week to Nicaragua where he was granted asylum . The vote came a day after Garcia 's cabinet chief , Yehude Simon , called on lawmakers to repeal the laws which have created tension between the government and indigenous communities in the Amazon . Striking the contentious Forestry and Wildlife Law and a related decree -- laws that Congress had voted last week to suspend indefinitely -- `` will prevent more blood from being spilled , '' Simon said Wednesday . `` The government must have the wisdom to know when its best to back down , '' Andina cited him as saying . He announced this week that he will resign once peace is restored . Simon 's call marked a turnaround , considering that last week , he called the repealing of laws in response to the protest the equivalent of bowing to extortion . Violence earlier this month in northwest Peru left more than 30 dead and more than 50 wounded , according to reports . Indian rights advocates put the number of dead and missing higher , with some groups saying more than 100 were killed or missing . The controversial laws were part of numerous decrees that Garcia passed through special powers awarded to him by Congress last year with the goal of having Peru meet rules set in a free trade agreement with the United States . The decrees made it easier for companies to gain concessions for oil drilling , mining and logging , including on indigenous lands . The forestry law , in particular , removed some 45 million hectares -LRB- more than 170,000 square miles -RRB- of Peruvian jungle from the government 's list of protected lands . The government is taking three major steps to address protesters ' concerns , Vicki Gass , senior associate for rights and development at the Washington Office on Latin America told CNN . Those include requesting to repeal the controversial laws , ending a state of emergency in the Amazon area and forming a working group with the indigenous groups , she said . The government 's responses have diffused tensions , but `` had the government done this process of consultation earlier , we would n't have seen the blockades , and avoided the violence , '' Gass said . The real test for the Garcia government will be how seriously officials listen to the concerns of indigenous citizens , Gass said . `` These are positive steps , but the question is the process -- will they really allow for detailed debate ? '' she said . CNN 's Mariano Castillo and Maria Elena Belaunde contributed to this report . | NEW : Indigenous leader Zapata calls for end of political persecution of other leaders . Indigenous leader Pizango faces charges in Peru , is granted asylum in Nicaragua . Laws led to violence between government , indigenous . Decrees made it easier for firms to gain concessions for oil drilling , mining , logging . | [[1402, 1516], [1501, 1516], [1523, 1544], [1591, 1600], [1607, 1630], [1683, 1695], [1718, 1829], [2862, 2994], [2893, 2994]] |
MANAGUA , Nicaragua -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nicaragua 's election council will allow a review of the mayoral election in the nation 's capital after opponents of the ruling Sandinista Party raised fraud allegations , the council 's president said Wednesday . Opponents of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega 's Sandinista party have raised election fraud allegations . Election council President Robert Rivas announced that ballot tally sheets from Managua would be reviewed after violence followed a resounding victory for the Sandinistas in Sunday 's municipal elections . The leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front won mayoral races in 94 municipalities , while the main opposition party , the Liberal Constitutional Party -LRB- PLC -RRB- , captured 46 posts and minor parties won six , according to results provided by the government . The PLC and other groups rejected the results and called for an international investigation . The Organization of American States met with opposition leaders Wednesday . Jose Pallais , a PLC leader , asked for the annulment of the elections . The Supreme Electoral Council is to verify final results by November 23 , but a tally is possible by next week . `` Everyone is waiting for the final numbers , '' journalist Rosemary Thornton said . `` Once they do , there might be violence again . '' Election critics cite many irregularities for their allegations , including the government 's refusal to allow foreign and local monitors , the delay in tabulating ballots and discrepancies between results certified by election officials and the tallies released on television . In addition , ballots were found in trash dumps in the municipalities of Tipitapa , which is part of Managua , and Leon . La Prensa newspaper published 40 photographs on its Web site that appear to show discarded ballots and other election material at an unnamed dump . Ethics and Transparency , a Nicaraguan observer group that was not sanctioned by the government , has reported discrepancies in about one-third of the polls it monitored . The group said it had 30,000 volunteers nationwide monitoring the election . The monitoring group said the results in more than 100 of the 146 elections were correct , a local newspaper reported . But the results in another 30 municipalities require further investigation into possible irregularities , La Prensa newspaper said on its Web site , citing Ethics and Transparency executive director Roberto Courtney . The Catholic Church asked the electoral council for a recount . The Sandinista government is led by President Daniel Ortega , a leader in the guerrilla movement that ousted Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza in July 1979 . Ortega served as president from 1985-90 . After three unsuccessful bids , he won the presidency again in 2006 . Sunday 's elections were the first since he regained the presidency . | Ballot tally sheets will be reviewed in mayoral election in nation 's capital , Managua . Announcement follows fraud allegations from opponents of ruling Sandinista party . The leftist party won mayoral races in 94 municipalities , including Managua . Critics highlight delays in tabulating ballots , ballots found in trash dumps . | [[10, 35], [39, 167], [363, 568], [413, 568], [10, 35], [39, 167], [254, 362], [413, 568], [1335, 1436], [1473, 1506], [1626, 1695]] |
Editor 's note : Below is an excerpt from Larry King 's autobiography , `` My Remarkable Journey , '' published by Weinstein books . Larry King anchors `` Larry King Live '' at 9 p.m. ET on CNN . Larry , left , at age 10 with his younger brother , Marty , shortly after their father died . I was walking home from the library carrying nine books . That 's the way my memory sees it . I ca n't know for sure if it was exactly nine books . Maybe I picture nine books because I was nine years old . I 'm certain that I was nine years old , because I 'm sure of the date -- June 9 , 1943 . There were a lot of books under my arm on that summer day because I loved books . I wonder what happened to those nine books ... There were three squad cars in front of my apartment building . Flivvers , we called them . I do n't remember exactly when I started to hear my mother 's screams . But as I hurried up the steps , a cop quickly came down , straight for me . He picked me up and the books went flying . Watch Larry on his `` Remarkable journey '' '' I 'm not sure if I knew the cop . But I may have . For years , before the war started and my father went to work in the defense plant , he 'd owned a little neighborhood bar and grill . He was friendly with all the cops . The cops loved my father the way they loved any bar owner who had a great sense of humor . I remember having my own police costume when I was very young . A badge and a little nightstick came with it . I 'd make like I was walking the beat . The cop put me in the squad car . He told me that my father had died . Heart attack . I did n't cry . I remember that . I did n't cry . I was more befuddled than anything else . It must have been difficult for the cop . He started the car and drove . We wound through the streets of Brownsville and ended up at a movie theater . I 'll never forget the movie , Bataan , starring Robert Taylor as Sergeant Bill Dane . It was about a bunch of American soldiers trying to stave off the Japanese invasion of the Philippines . Larry King 's life in pictures '' Sergeant Dane and his patrol are ordered to blow up a bridge to stop the advancing enemy . They 're cut down one by one until only Sergeant Dane and two others remain . The first is killed by a sniper . The second is stabbed by a Japanese soldier who 'd been playing dead . The movie ends with Sergeant Dane firing his machine gun straight into the camera at the Japanese soldiers coming at him in one last act of courage and defiance . I do n't remember what it was like when I got home that day . A lot about that day I 've blocked out . My younger brother Marty has blocked it out , too . He was only six at the time . But there are a few more memories attached . I did n't go to the funeral . I 'd been so close to my father -- yet I refused to go . I stayed at home . There must 've been somebody watching me , but I remember being alone . I remember bouncing a spaldeen -- the Spalding rubber ball we used to play stickball -- off the front stoop . Two other things I can tell you for sure . I never went back to that library again , and from that day on I was nervous if I saw a squad car in my neighborhood . If one parked by my apartment building , I 'd start running home , in fear that my mother had died . | Larry was 9 years old when his father died of a heart attack in 1943 . Larry says he has blocked much of that day from his memory . He recalls a police officer broke the news , then took him to see a movie . Larry refused to attend funeral though he and his father were extremely close . | [[270, 289], [2581, 2604], [1761, 1763], [1809, 1838]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Attacks in January and February by Sudanese forces on Darfur villagers are described in a U.N. report as `` violations of international humanitarian and human rights law . '' Between January and February , Sudanese forces killed 115 people -- including women , children and elderly -- in air and ground attacks on four Darfur villages , according to the report . Prepared by the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur , the report says attacks in January and February point to a deliberate plan to destroy civilian infrastructure . Helicopter gunships and fixed-wing aircraft targeted the villages while armed militias rode in on horses and camels to force about 30,000 people from their homes , according to the report . The attacks were `` carried out during a major military push by the Sudanese government to regain control of West Darfur 's northern corridor , and drive out an insurgent group , '' it said . The village of Saraf Jidad , Sudan , was attacked three times in January , while the villages of Sirbal , Silea and Abu Suruj were attacked within hours of each other on February 8 , UNAMID said in the report . The militias and the Sudanese armed forces looted , vandalized and burned homes , schools , shops , community centers and other buildings in the villages , the report said . Sometimes , buildings were burned with people inside , it said . The attacks `` amount to violations of international humanitarian and human rights law , '' they said . `` The scale of destruction of civilian property , including objects indispensable for the survival of the civilian population , suggests that the damage was a deliberate and integral part of a military strategy . '' The Sudanese government had no immediate response . However , last week , Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir accused the international media of `` exaggerating '' the situation in Darfur to detract from atrocities in Iraq , the Palestinian territories and Somalia . He said the crisis in Darfur is a `` media fabrication '' and that in most of the region there is little or no conflict and people are living normal lives , he said . Citing Sudanese government statistics , el-Bashir said fewer than 10,000 people have died in the conflict and fewer than 500,000 have been displaced . International figures , including U.N. data , put the death toll in Darfur at 200,000 , with another 2.5 million people displaced . The conflict began five years ago when ethnic African tribesmen took up arms , complaining of decades of neglect and discrimination by the Sudanese government . Sudan 's Arab-dominated government is accused of responding by unleashing tribal militias known as Janjaweed , which have allegedly committed the worst atrocities against Darfur 's local communities . Rebels fighting the government-backed militias have also been accused by the United Nations of widespread human rights abuses . El-Bashir rejects claims that the Darfur conflict is being fought along ethnic lines . At the start of this year , more than 9,000 UNAMID peacekeeping troops were deployed to the region to address the fighting and humanitarian suffering . Plans are for the force to eventually number 26,000 . E-mail to a friend . | Report : January through February , Sudanese forces killed 115 people in Darfur . Helicopter gunships and fixed-wing aircraft targeted the villages while , . Armed militias -- Janjaweed -- rode in to force about 30,000 people from their homes . Report : Attacks `` amount to violations of international ... human rights law '' | [[194, 222], [225, 344], [447, 500], [559, 674], [631, 720], [2588, 2622], [2648, 2696], [0, 15], [73, 190]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama is planning to sign an executive order Monday to overturn Bush-era policy that limited federal tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research , according to administration officials familiar with the deliberations . President Obama will overturn Bush policy on embryonic stem cell research , administration officials say . Obama 's move will be hailed by advocates for those suffering from a host of afflictions , ranging from diabetes to Parkinson 's disease , who believe that an expansion of stem-cell research could boost medical progress toward eradicating the debilitating diseases . But many conservatives object to the destruction of human embryos because they contend that it ends a human life . The officials said the administration is planning a Monday event at the White House at which Obama will overturn the executive order signed by President George W. Bush in August 2001 . It barred the National Institutes of Health from funding research on embryonic stem cells beyond using 60 cell lines that existed at that time . Interactive : Unlocking the promise of stem cells '' Tony Perkins of the conservative Family Research Council accused the White House of leaking the details Friday night so that the move gets little attention , declaring that it is `` a slap in the face to Americans who believe in the dignity of all human life . '' House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio , said , `` Advancements in science and research have moved faster than the debates among politicians in Washington , D.C. , and breakthroughs announced in recent years confirm the full potential of stem cell research can be realized without the destruction of living human embryos . '' In addition to signing the executive order , Bush twice vetoed legislation -- in July 2006 and June 2007 -- that would have expanded federally funded embryonic stem cell research . At the time , Bush also argued that scientific advances allowed researchers to conduct groundbreaking research without destroying human embryos . Bush 's moves led to Democratic charges that he had put politics over science . | NEW : Critic says move is `` a slap in the face '' to many Americans . Bush-era policy on stem cell research to be reversed , officials say . Officials say the administration is planning a Monday event at the White House . | [[1257, 1265], [1290, 1345], [66, 185], [260, 333], [749, 832]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The `` King of Pop '' had been topping music charts long before he ever pulled on that white-sequined glove , made the moonwalk a household move and sent screaming fans into a frenzy . In spite of all of the rumors and his `` Wacko Jacko '' persona , Jackson 's musical draw remained strong . But the spotlight that followed Michael Jackson , earned him headlines and made him a tabloid favorite as an adult , often had little to do with the artistry . While filming a commercial for Pepsi in 1984 , a pyrotechnic accident set his hair ablaze , leaving him with second-degree burns on his scalp and igniting what would eventually became an odyssey of reconstructive work . Rumors about his face , the ever-changing nose and lightening skin fueled the `` Wacko Jacko '' persona , a moniker he 'd be given later and seem to embrace . There was , for instance , Bubbles , a chimpanzee he adopted , befriended and allowed to share his toilet . Jackson did n't fight and even perpetuated claims , even though they were n't true , that he 'd bought the remains of The Elephant Man and slept in a hyperbaric chamber -- although he would deny both years later during an interview with Oprah Winfrey . It was then , in that 1993 interview , that he also shot down rumors that he was dying his skin to make it lighter . Instead , he spoke for the first time about having vitiligo , a skin pigmentation disorder . iReport.com : Share your favorite Jackson memory . Meantime , he had designed his dream home , the Neverland Ranch in Santa Ynez , California , as if he were the Peter Pan he so admired . Replete with a zoo , his own amusement park and the bevy of children who surrounded , played and sometimes slept over with him , he proudly set out to recapture the childhood he publicly said he 'd never had . Allegations of what went on privately , however , landed him in a big-boy pool of legal hot water . He was accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy . Soon after came talk about his addiction to prescription drugs . He settled the civil lawsuit with the accusing family in 1994 and was never charged criminally . Then came the shocking , albeit relatively short-lived , marriage to Lisa Marie Presley -- a move that set off a whole new round of speculations . More facts about Jackson 's life '' Did he tie the knot to fight the child abuse speculations that dogged him ? Was this eccentric `` King '' aspiring to be the son-in-law of `` The King , '' Elvis Presley ? Or could it have been true love ? Despite this two-year marriage , and the reported relationships he 'd had earlier with Tatum O'Neal , Stephanie Mills and Brooke Shields , Jackson remained sexually ambiguous and , in many people 's eyes , sexless altogether . He 'd later marry once more for several years , this time a nurse named Debbie Rowe . People debated whether they consummated that marriage or if artificial insemination played a role , but Jackson left in 1999 with custody of two children , a son known as Prince Michael and a daughter named Paris . For years when they appeared in public , the children wore veils or masks . Prince Michael II was born in 2002 . An unidentified woman gave birth after reportedly being artificially inseminated with Jackson 's sperm . His second son was semi-revealed to the public in Berlin , Germany , when Jackson momentarily dangled the baby , his face hidden beneath a blanket , over a balcony four stories above the ground and a mass of fans . Watch Jackson introduce Prince Michael II '' It was yet another move that spawned talk and accusations , and it was one he 'd apologize for later . In recent years there was yet another child sexual abuse accusation , one Jackson was acquitted of in May 2005 . The trial was a media spectacle , and one where the fashion icon wore his pajama bottoms to court and danced atop a car . He also had enormous financial problems to deal with and narrowly escaped bankruptcy and foreclosure on his Neverland property . But in spite of all of this , Jackson 's draw remained strong . More than 25 years after the release of his epic album , `` Thriller , '' it was being celebrated again . He was scheduled to start what he described at a March press conference as his `` final curtain call '' concert tour , which had recently been postponed to next year . See Jackson make his final tour announcement '' What Jackson would have brought to the stage then , and to the headlines before and after , will never be known . What is certain is that he 's one who 'll always be remembered . | Michael Jackson , the `` King of Pop , '' made headlines for more than his music . `` Wacko Jacko '' known for Bubbles the chimp , his changing nose and skin tone . At Neverland Ranch , he played Peter Pan , amid a zoo , rides and lots of kids . He was dogged by accusations and whispers , but a comeback tour was on tap . | [[316, 359], [429, 471], [692, 698], [743, 784], [716, 795], [1610, 1628], [1631, 1678], [1696, 1702], [1631, 1678], [1707, 1736], [2331, 2395], [3543, 3555], [3561, 3589]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A rush-hour collision Monday between two Metro trains north of downtown Washington , D.C. , killed at least six people and injured scores , Mayor Adrian Fenty said . One train was stationary when the crash happened , according to Metro General Manager John Catoe . He called it the deadliest crash in the history of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , known as Metro . One of the dead was the female operator of one of the trains , Metro officials said . `` The scene is as horrific as you can imagine , '' Fenty said in a news conference . `` One car was almost squeezed completely together . '' Seventy-six people were treated for injuries , including two with life-threatening injuries , said Chief Dennis Rubin of Washington 's Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department . Two of the injured were emergency responders , Rubin said . See location of crash '' The crash happened just before 5 p.m. on an above-ground track on the Red Line in the District of Columbia near the border with Takoma Park , Maryland . Both trains were on the same track , and one of them was stationary when the crash happened , said John Catoe , Metro general manager . Watch woman say she , fellow passengers `` went flying '' '' Video footage of the scene showed two cars of one train lying atop the cars of the other train . Emergency personnel carried injured passengers , some on stretchers , from the wreckage . Watch injured passengers limp from the scene '' `` Metro officials do not know the cause of the collision and are not likely to know the cause for several days as the investigation unfolds , '' a Metro statement said . Fire department personnel cut through the trains to help people from the wreckage , officials said at a press briefing . Some three hours after the accident , fire department sources said rescue operations had ceased , with ongoing work focusing on recovery . See pictures of crash site '' President Obama issued a statement saying he and his wife Michelle were `` saddened by the terrible accident , '' and thanking the first responders to the scene `` who arrived immediately to save lives . '' A survivor , Jodie Wickett , described feeling a bump on the track , and then being flung forward when the train suddenly halted a few seconds later . She said she hit her head , but managed to get out and go to where the collision occurred a few cars up , where one subway car lay atop another . `` There was debris , and people pinned under in-between the two cars , '' Wickett said . `` We were just trying to get them out and help them as much as possible , pulling back the metal . '' People were badly injured , she said . `` Ones that could speak were calling back as we called out to them . '' One car was `` about 75 percent compressed , '' and recovery workers are n't sure if any more bodies are inside , Fenty told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' on Monday night . `` We just have n't been able to cut through it to see if there 's bodies in there , '' Fenty said . A certified nursing assistant who was on one of the trains told CNN affiliate WUSA she was trying to help those in severe condition after the crash , including a lady who appeared to be in her 20s . `` She is very , very torn in her legs -- the muscles and everything are torn , ripped through . She had metal pieces in her face , '' said the nursing assistant , who said her name was Jeanie . Other witnesses described seeing more blood than they had seen before . Tom Baker , who was in the train that hit the stationary train , told WUSA that after the collision , he looked toward the front of the car , and when the smoke cleared , `` all you could see was sky . '' Jasmine Gars , who also was on the moving train , told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' that the collision `` was like nothing I 've ever felt before . '' `` It was like we hit a concrete wall , '' Gars said . `` Almost immediately I fell off my seat . Another person -- I do n't know who -- flew off their seat . And the lights went off and smoke started filling the train car . '' Four people were taken to Providence Hospital in Washington , including two with back injuries , one with a hip injury and one complaining of dizziness from hitting her head , hospital officials said . Washington Hospital Center reported seven patients from the crash with injuries ranging from serious to minor , while Howard University Hospital reported three and Suburban Hospital in Maryland reported two . Groups of people wearing green plastic ribbons to show they had been checked by paramedics left the scene about 90 minutes after the crash . Some were crying , and a woman with her arm in a sling who gave her name as Tijuana described the crash as `` an earthquake . '' A National Transportation Safety Board team arrived to investigate the crash , assisted by the FBI Evidence Response Team , according to NTSB board member Deborah Hersman , who said she walked the tracks by the wreckage . `` I can tell you it is a scene of real devastation down there , '' she said . Hersman said both trains contained six cars . One train struck the other train from the rear and and its `` first car overrode the last car of the other train in an accordion fashion , '' she said . She said it was n't clear if the trains involved in the accident carried devices that recorded speed and other data . At least two FBI officials were at the scene , and the FBI confirmed it was assisting as part of the National Capital Response Squad . Amy Kudwa of the Department of Homeland Security said `` at this early stage , '' there was no indication of anything other than an accidental collision . It was the second Metro crash to involve fatalities in the 33-year history of the transit authority . In January 1982 , a derailment killed three people . The only other collision between Metro trains occurred in 2004 . `` We are extremely saddened that there are fatalities as a result of this accident , which has touched our Metro family , '' Catoe said in a statement . `` Our safety officials are investigating , and will continue to investigate until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again . '' | One train was stationary when crash happened , Metro official says . 76 people treated for injuries , fire chief says . Two Metro trains collide north of downtown Washington . Crash happened just before 5 p.m. on above-ground track . | [[196, 244], [479, 501], [1107, 1157], [3530, 3539], [3545, 3569], [644, 688], [644, 662], [691, 735], [644, 662], [738, 827], [913, 1052]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Stars at the legendary Glastonbury , one of the world 's largest music festivals , have begun to pay tribute to Michael Jackson , who died Thursday . Glastonbury at Worthy Farm in Somerset is the world 's largest music festival . Singer Pharell Williams of U.S. group N.E.R.D acknowledged the music icon 's legacy as his band played on the English festival 's main stage , the Pyramid Stage . `` The music was so incredible and what he and Quincy Jones did was change music and the way people looked at music , '' Williams was quoted as saying on the BBC 's Glastonbury Web site . Teenage Australian singer Gabriella Cilmi was the first artist at the festival to pay tribute to Jackson , Friday , singing a few bars of song `` Billie Jean '' during her set . Organizer Emily Eavis wrote on her Twitter site : `` So sad to hear the news about MJ . There will be tributes all over the site all weekend . `` A truly great artist . '' Other artists are expected to honor the singer , who died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 50 , throughout the 3-day festival weekend in southwestern England . Festival-goers woke to an unexpectedly somber first day of Glastonbury , Friday , as the news of Jackson 's death began to sink in . See images of reactions to the star 's death from around the world '' Rumors of the singer 's death had circulated the isolated 900-acre site the previous evening , but many fans had dismissed them as the hearsay and misinformation that thrives each year in the site which has no TV or Internet-access . Confusion quickly turned to shock for many , as Jackson 's music played in festival bars and news of his demise spread by cell phone . `` It 's totally weird , '' Sally Anne Aldous , 29 , told CNN on Thursday night . `` People are just getting text messages saying ` Michael Jackson is dead . Michael Jackson is dead . ' '' With a laid-back focus on mainly alternative music , the Glastonbury festival -- expected to attract as many as 137,000 music-lovers -- is not a venue where people would normally expect to hear Jackson 's music . Watch more reaction from Glastonbury '' But few here deny the singer 's influence . An impromptu memorial was held by mourning fans late Thursday at the `` Stone Circle , '' a neolithic monument in the festival 's grounds . Other headline acts such as Bruce Springsteen , Lady GaGa and Lily Allen , performing at the festival , are expected to pay tribute to Jackson . iReport : Share your memories of Michael Jackson . Anouk Lorie contributed to this report . | Singer Pharell Williams of U.S. group N.E.R.D paid tribute to the music icon . Earlier Australian singer Gabriella Cilmi sang a few bars of `` Billie Jean '' Festival goers awoke to the news on an unusually somber day one of the festival . | [[249, 344], [600, 625], [716, 760], [1111, 1181]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson had a level of hero worship on a par with Elvis Presley or the Beatles but he was the first black star to inspire such a massive following around the world . Michael Jackson , the ultimate showman , craved attention and was rarely disappointed . Total worldwide sales of more than 350 million records over his 40-year career give just a hint of the adoration there was for the `` King of Pop . '' The fact that his death came on the eve of a comeback tour in London will leave his devotees feeling even more bereft . While his career -- and wealth -- had waned greatly in recent years , there was still enough support for the concerts to sell out at a rate of nearly 40,000 an hour . Fans from as far afield as Japan , Germany and Dubai queued to buy their tickets . Steve Greenberg , founder and CEO of S-Curve Records , was a disc jockey in Tel Aviv , Israel , when `` Thriller '' first dropped and witnessed first-hand how Jackson became an international icon . His was a global appeal , Greenberg said , among fans and artists worldwide . `` He was as big in the Middle East and Southeast Asia as he was in America and Europe , '' Greenberg said . `` He had that universality that not many people had . The Beatles had it , Muhammad Ali had it , but not many other people have had it . '' Jackson was known for far more than his music though . Speaking after his death in Los Angeles was announced , U.S. civil rights campaigner Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to the work of a `` trailblazer '' in helping people around the world through his charities . How will you remember Michael Jackson ? Sharpton added that the song Jackson co-wrote with Lionel Richie , `` We Are the World , '' a 1985 charity single that raised an estimated $ 50 million for famine relief in Africa , ushered in Live Aid and the era of celebrity philanthropy . Jackson was the supreme showman who had an unrivalled knack of grabbing headlines . From his precocious abilities as the 11-year-old singer in the Jackson 5 to his legendary `` moon-walk '' dance , the star craved attention , and was rarely disappointed . Jackson `` as big as it gets '' '' But in the years after his colossal 1982 hit album `` Thriller '' and its 1987 follow-up `` Bad , '' much of the focus did not cast him in a good light . In 1996 the lead singer of Pulp , Jarvis Cocker , caused a furor at the Brit Awards in London when he invaded the stage during Jackson 's performance of `` Earth Song '' in protest `` at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure with the power of healing . '' Jackson failed to see the humor in Cocker 's mockery , responding that he was `` sickened , saddened , shocked , upset , cheated , angry '' by the protest . He also alleged that Cocker had attacked children on stage , something that the Pulp singer denied . But many in the music industry backed Cocker , who was arrested but later released without charge . The theme of children was one that continued to haunt Jackson . In 2002 he caused a public outcry by dangling his baby son Prince Michael II from a third-floor hotel balcony in Germany before the world 's press . He later said he regretted the incident . Watch video of the incident '' And in a 2003 interview with British journalist Martin Bashir that was supposed to repair his image around the world , the singer revived allegations of child abuse when he said of sharing a bed with a young boy : `` It 's a beautiful thing . It 's very right , it 's very loving . Because what 's wrong with sharing a love ? '' A warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of sexually molesting 12-year-old Gavin Arvizo . Jackson surrendered himself to police amid a media furor . In the 2005 trial conducted in the glare of the world 's media spotlight , Jackson was cleared of child molestation charges . Following the trial , Jackson 's finances took a hit and he was forced to sell his Neverland ranch in California . He later kept a low profile in the United States and spent time in Britain , where his friends included psychic spoonbender Uri Geller and Harrod 's owner Mohamed Al Fayed , and also in Bahrain . But in November last year , Jackson was sued by an Arab sheikh at the High Court in London for $ 7.7 million . They parted `` amicably '' after agreeing a settlement . Jackson had been invited with his children and entourage to Bahrain by the king 's son , Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa , who lavished money on Jackson and built a recording studio , which he believed would be used to record albums by Jackson using material the sheikh had helped to write . But Jackson insisted there was no valid agreement and that the sheikh 's case was based on `` mistake , misrepresentation and undue influence . '' He said sums of money paid out by the sheikh were `` gifts . '' As fans around the world mourn it is likely Michael Jackson will be remembered as a musical hero -- but also a man with human flaws . | Michael Jackson was adored by fans around the world . Total sales exceeding 700 million records over his 40-year career . U.S. civil rights campaigner Rev. Al Sharpton paid tribute to his charity work . | [[1400, 1439], [1456, 1608]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- DreamWorks Studios will back out of plans to produce a movie about the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. unless King 's three surviving children settle their differences over the deal , the studio said Wednesday . From left , Dexter , Bernice , Martin and Yolanda King . The three surviving siblings have had several public rifts . A longtime friend of the three Kings predicted peace may be at hand for the squabbling siblings and that all of them want Steven Spielberg 's studio to portray their father 's life on the big screen . The latest public rift between Dexter King , the chief executive of the King estate , and his brother and sister -- Martin Luther King III and Bernice King -- erupted Tuesday after it was made public that Dexter King , 48 , had finalized the deal with DreamWorks . Martin King , 51 , and Bernice King , 46 , learned that a deal had been struck when Dexter sent them an e-mail Tuesday morning , just as the news media was being told by the studio , a source close to the family told CNN . Yolanda King , the eldest of the Kings ' four children , died two years ago at age 51 . Martin King and Bernice King , who live in Atlanta , Georgia , had known that Dexter King , who lives in California , was negotiating with Spielberg on a possible movie deal , the source said . Bernice King and Martin King said they knew nothing about the DreamWorks project . They said they embraced the idea of a film about their father but told CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' they were concerned about the deal . `` I think Mr. Spielberg is a great producer and we look forward to hearing from him about the scope of this agreement , '' Bernice King said . `` We know nothing about the scope of this agreement . We have no details to say whether or not this particular one is a good idea . '' DreamWorks issued a statement Wednesday that suggested King family unity was essential for the movie to be made . `` The purpose of making a movie about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is to tell a great story which could bridge distances and bring people together , '' the statement said . `` We remain committed to pursuing a film chronicling Martin Luther King 's life provided that there is unity in the family so we can make a film about unity in our nation . '' DreamWorks executives appeared caught by surprise by the King family 's infighting , although such squabbles are not new -- Martin King and Bernice King filed a lawsuit against Dexter King last year over publication of their mother 's recently discovered love letters . Martin King and Bernice King have complained in court filings that Dexter King has acted independently for years on estate business matters , refusing to call a family meeting . Over the past year , angered over Dexter King 's move to publish their mother 's love letters , neither Martin King nor Bernice King has spoken to Dexter King , the source close to the family said . Dexter King , in a written statement Wednesday evening , said he has `` always upheld my duty '' as CEO of the King estate to communicate with the others . `` Although my communication with family members has been somewhat stymied by the current litigation , I have continued to reach out and I remain committed to working together with my siblings on projects to educate people about the life , leadership and teachings of our father , Martin Luther King Jr. , '' Dexter King said . DreamWorks is `` a company with unrivaled resources for making epic films of the highest quality , offers an unprecedented opportunity for educating the largest possible audience about our father 's legacy as the leader of America 's greatest nonviolent movement , '' he said . `` Just as Sir Richard Attenborough 's film , ` Gandhi , ' educated many millions of people all over the world about the Mahatma 's teachings , I believe this project can do the same regarding the life , work and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. , and I sincerely hope my brother and sister will join us in supporting this urgently needed project , '' Dexter King said . Tom Houck , an Atlanta public relations agent who has known all three children since the 1960s , when he was their father 's driver , suggested the dispute could be resolved . `` I do n't think that either Martin or Bernice are opposed to having a megafilm done on the big screen by DreamWorks , but I think it 's the mechanism and the way it was done that 's got them upset , '' Houck said . `` They 're feeling that , until they resolve some problems with Dexter , that they 're not going to be very forthcoming in letting this project go forward , '' he said . Houck suggested someone such as the Rev. Andrew Young , a close aide to the patriarch during the civil-rights movement , might be able to help the siblings reconcile . Young is a former Atlanta mayor and former U.N. ambassador . `` Martin and Bernice want to have some reconciliation with Dexter before they sign off on it , '' Houck said . | DreamWorks Studios hesitates on movie about Martin Luther King Jr. . Studio says film wo n't go ahead unless King 's three children agree . Dexter King has OK 'd project without notifying his siblings . Source close to family says resolution may be at hand . | [[1841, 1941], [370, 465], [1019, 1058], [4099, 4108], [4233, 4274]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Pittsburgh Penguins have won the Stanley Cup for a third time after a pair of second-period goals by Max Talbot gave them a narrow 2-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the deciding game of the best-of-seven series . The Penguins celebrate with the Stanley Cup after claiming a narrow game seven victory at Detroit . Talbot opened the scoring early in the second period and added a second on a two-on-one break midway through the session to help the Penguins to avenge their defeat to the Red Wings in last year 's finals . Jonathan Ericsson pulled a goal back for the home side with just over six minutes remaining in the game but Detroit were unable to prevent Pittsburgh from becoming the first team in 38 years to claim the Stanley Cup with a game seven victory on the road . The Penguins , who last won the title in 1992 , were depriving the Red Wings of becoming the first team since Detriot themselves -LRB- in 1998 -RRB- to retain the Stanley Cup . `` We 're going to enjoy this one . We 're going to sit back and relish the moment . We 're going to get our names on the Cup , and we 'll get our day with it , '' Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma told their official Web site . The result proved a difficult pill to swallow for Red Wings winger Marian Hossa . Last summer , the Slovakian turned down a lucrative long-term contract with the Penguins , thought to be worth in the region of $ 50 million , to sign a one-year $ 7.5 m deal with Detroit -- thinking they had a better chance of hoisting the Stanley Cup . However , he failed to score once in the finals and cast a lonely figure watching his former team-mates lift the trophy . | The Pittsburgh Penguins secure Stanley Cup for the third time in their history . Penguins beat Detriot Red Wings 2-1 in deciding game of best-of-seven series . Two Max Talbot goals ensures Penguins claim trophy for first time since 1992 . | [[0, 15], [19, 134], [0, 15], [124, 243], [244, 343], [244, 256], [288, 343], [0, 15], [19, 134]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A search was under way Tuesday for the pilot of an F-16 that crashed over the Utah Test and Training Range west of Salt Lake City , Utah , the Air Force said . An F-16 from Hill Air Force Base trains in Utah in 2001 . The F-16 crashed about 10:25 p.m. Monday , according to a posting on the Air Force 's Web site . The crash site was found in a remote area of the range , but no contact has been made with the pilot , the Air Force said . Emergency responders from nearby Hill Air Force Base were searching for the pilot . The F-16 was assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base and was on a routine training mission when it crashed , the posting said . Air Forceofficials will investigate the incident . | Emergency responders from Hill Air Force Base in Utah searching for pilot . Crash site found in remote area of Utah Test and Training Range . No contact has been made with the pilot , who was on a routine training mission . | [[19, 74], [458, 541], [67, 74], [80, 125], [334, 388], [391, 434], [542, 550], [617, 666]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To guard against public indifference to climate change the United Nations has enlisted a coalition of the world 's leading advertising agencies . The world in their hands : New campaign aims to empower public . Leading up to the U.N. Climate Change Conference -LRB- COP15 -RRB- in Copenhagen in December , the global `` Hopenhagen '' campaign has been unveiled . The initiative is aiming to generate active interest and persuade the public into believing they have a say in the negotiations between world leaders that will ratify a new global climate treaty . `` Climate change is one of the epic challenges facing this and future generations . World leaders will come together for the Copenhagen climate change conference in December , and every citizen of the world has a stake in the outcome . It is time to seal a deal . We need a global movement that mobilizes real change , '' said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a press statement . `` It is about global action for a global climate treaty and a better future for humankind . '' The campaign is a collaboration between a number of the world 's largest communications companies . The strategy and creative concept for the Hopenhagen idea came from WPP 's Ogilvy & Mather team ; digital framework and direction were developed by MDC Partners ' Colle + McVoy ; and the global PR and messaging plans are spearheaded by Omnicom Group 's Ketchum . Michael Lee , executive director of the International Advertising Association called the coalition of media companies involved `` unprecedented , '' adding that it was `` testament to the significance the industry places on the need for action to address climate change . '' According to the campaign brief , the aim is to change from the idea that we are just `` coping '' with global climate challenges to `` hoping '' and ultimately acting to combat the perils of climate change . The Hopenhagen Web site will be the center of an open source campaign where the public can send messages to the delegates of the UN summit meeting as well as raise awareness and debate issues . While the Web site will be developed as the months go by , the IAA also hopes that businesses , governments and NGOs engage in the campaign as well to create a broad global community with shared goals . Unveiled at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival this week , the first elements of the campaign can be seen at New York 's JFK International , LA International and London Heathrow airports . From September a more `` aggressive '' consumer launch of the campaign will commence until the conference begins on December 7 . What do you think ? Does climate change need to be branded to keep us engaged ? Are we in danger of `` climate change '' fatigue ? Have your say in the Sound Off box below . | U.N. launches climate change awareness campaign ahead of Copenhagen summit . U.N. enlists broad coalition of communications companies across media platforms . Ban Ki-moon : `` We need a global movement that mobilizes real change '' | [[323, 381], [1061, 1160], [844, 896]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kimberley Locke knows a thing or two about singing competitions . `` American Idol '' finalist Kimberley Locke is the new co-host of `` Gospel Dream . '' Having placed third during season two of `` American Idol '' -- just behind winner Ruben Studdard and runner-up Clay Aiken -- the singer is back in reality show action as the new co-host of `` Gospel Dream . '' The Gospel Music Channel 's talent search is going into its fourth season , and Locke joins fellow host Mike Kasem -LRB- son of Casey Kasem -RRB- and the judges -- gospel artist J. Moss , Destiny 's Child member Michelle Williams and industry executive Mitchell Solarek -- on the show . Locke has worked steadily since she first burst onto the `` Idol '' scene in 2003 . She has modeled , served as a spokesperson for plus-sized clothier Lane Bryant and Jenny Craig and appeared on VH1 's `` Celebrity Fit Club . '' All the while , she has continued to pursue her music . Her `` 8th World Wonder '' was a big hit , making the Top 10 on Billboard 's Adult Contemporary charts . She 's had three dance chart No. 1s . Locke recently spoke with CNN about the `` Gospel Dream , '' life after `` American Idol '' and the one reality show she really wants to appear on next . CNN : How did you get involved with `` Gospel Dream ? '' Kimberley Locke : Funny enough , I 've been wanting to do more hosting , and I had been talking to my manager about it . They contacted me out of the blue , and I was like `` Oh , I put it out to the universe , and here it is . '' CNN : Are you a gospel music fan ? Locke : I am a gospel music fan . Of course I grew up in the church singing gospel music . I do n't listen to as much as I used to , but I used to sing in a girl a cappella group and that 's how we started , performing in church . CNN : Why do you think so many performers in the music industry come out of the church ? Locke : I think a lot of people become stars in their church . ... The church environment is so supportive . When you are first starting out and learning how to sing in front of an audience , that 's the kind of audience you want to be in front of . Even if you mess up and you sound horrible , they kind of let you stand there and collect yourself while the pianist keeps playing . Then they plow through it with you . That 's a part of the business , a professionalism that really comes in handy when you get to this level . CNN : You 've had some experiences with singing competitions . How is `` Gospel Dream '' different ? Locke : It 's different in that the contestants are very focused on where they want to be and the type of music they want to sing . When you are on `` Idol , '' you are forced to fit into all of these different genres you may or may not want to do and you may or may not even be familiar with them . The `` Gospel Dream '' contestants ' direction is really clear and defined , so they are picking songs that really speak to them on a personal level . Watch Locke talk about the show '' CNN : How has life been for you post - `` Idol ? '' Locke : Life has been great post - `` Idol . '' So many opportunities , so many things I would have never imagined . Things that I did n't even associate with singing , like modeling , hosting , being a spokesperson , owning a restaurant . It just opened so many doors . CNN : You were a plus-sized model and spokesperson for Lane Bryant , but now you are way too small to do that . Locke : That really opened me up to bond with my fans . I tell people I 'm still a big girl at heart . CNN : When is your next album coming out ? Locke : I just started working on the next album . We are in the very preliminary stages of putting together the concept of the record and we just compiled a bunch of songs to start listening to . CNN : Are you planning on doing any other reality shows ? Locke : I 'm not really a big reality show fan . I did `` Celebrity Fit Club '' because there was a purpose behind that in my wanting to lose weight . There is only one reality show I really , really want to do , and that 's `` Dancing With the Stars . '' I want to be on that show because then I 'd lose the extra 10 to 15 pounds I want to lose . | Singer Kimberley Locke finished third during season two of `` American Idol '' She is co-hosting the fourth season of the talent competition `` Gospel Dream '' Locke has worked steadily since `` Idol '' as a spokesperson , host and performer . She says she 'd like to appear on `` Dancing With the Stars '' | [[85, 169], [173, 233], [85, 169], [384, 457], [671, 754], [1195, 1252]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- It 's that time again , when you turn on the A/C to chill out from the summer heat and all you get is hot air ! Air conditioning on the fritz ? Taking your car to an A/C tech will keep you from getting hot headed . Ughhhh ! How do you restore that refreshing , cool air to your vehicle 's interior cabin so you can survive the heat ? Well ... sit back and relax , and I 'll tell you exactly what to expect from your shop . System performance test . First , the tech should perform an A/C system performance test . He/she will first check vent temperature to confirm that the system is indeed inoperative . Should this be the case , the tech will then perform a head pressure check . During this process , gauges are installed on the high and low side of the system to determine if there 's any refrigerant in the system . An extremely low -LRB- or no -RRB- pressure reading usually indicates a lack of refrigerant in the system , which means it has leaked out . Sometimes the pressure reading may be too high , in which case there is a restriction in the system , inhibiting the flow of refrigerant . There are three diagnostic paths , depending on the initial evaluations . Should the system be low on refrigerant , the tech should run a leak test , identify the location of the leak , repair it , and recharge the system with refrigerant and oil . If the pressure in the system is too high , the tech should locate the restriction , often caused by dirt that finds its way to the orifice tube , a small in-line filter designed to screen out any particulates in the system . -LRB- Restrictions can occur for other reasons that I will not go into here for the sake of space . -RRB- . Once the plug is found , it is removed , and dirt is flushed from the system . Finally , if the system seems to be operating properly -LRB- all head pressures are in line with factory specifications -RRB- , then the tech will look to the duct system for problems . The duct system . The engine in your car generates vacuum as a result of taking in air . This vacuum is used for the duct system . How the system works : Vacuum is collected in a vacuum reserve chamber ; this device usually resembles a plastic ball or a coffee can . The vacuum builds up inside this chamber and when A/C is called for , vacuum is channeled through the switch and small vacuum lines -LRB- capillary tubing -RRB- to the servo motor . The servo motor is responsible for opening a special duct door -LRB- the air blend door -RRB- , which directs the correct amount of cool air into the vehicle 's cabin . Problems crop up when vacuum is lost due to a cracked vacuum reserve chamber , broken vacuum line , faulty vacuum servomotor , bad switch , or poor engine vacuum . The tech must track down the cause of the vacuum loss and repair it in order to restore the system . Other causes of poor HVAC air volume are broken air blend door or door hinge , organic debris in the fan squirrel cage inhibiting airflow , worn blower motor shaft bearings slowing down the squirrel cage , or electrical wiring / component problems that control fan operation . Proper A/C leak test procedure . The main cause of A/C system failure is refrigerant leak . This system is a closed system , so the refrigerant chemical and lubricant are sealed from the outside atmosphere . When a leak forms , the system drains of both refrigerant chemical and the lubricant vital to compressor life and function . In addition , moisture and dirt can get in through the leak causing contamination . This contamination eats away at the inside of the system resulting in rust and scale buildup , corrosion and erosion in vital A/C system parts . Proper A/C system leak tests are necessary to identify the source of a leak . There are three types of leak inspections : visual , halogen , and dye testing . The visual test includes inspection of all lines and external components -LRB- specifically condensers , hi and low pressure lines , compressors , air dryers , and expansion valves -RRB- . Any indication of refrigerant oil on these components is an indication of a leak and the component must be replaced . The halogen tester is designed to detect the presence of leaking refrigerant gas , which is odorless and colorless . The tech scans the system with the flexible probe on the tester . If there is a leak , then the tester will howl , light up , or click . Finally , if the tech is convinced that there is a leak in the system and he can not find it , then he performs a dye test . After a fluorescent dye is charged into the system , an ultra violet light is shown on the system . If there is a leak , it will show up as a bright yellow color under the light . These are tried and true diagnostic methods that have been used in A/C system diagnostics and repairs for years and are guaranteed to track down the most stubborn A/C leaks . A word about refrigerant chemicals . As a result of the Clean Air Act , all chlorofluorocarbons are no longer used as refrigerant chemicals because of their negative effect on the ozone layer . Consequently , all A/C systems now use an ozone-friendly refrigerant called R134A . Any vehicles that still run the road with the old R12 chemical have to be retrofitted to run R134A . In addition , the tech is required by Federal Law to recapture the R12 into a reclaiming station for disposal -LRB- it can not be released into the air -RRB- . Venting of chlorofluorocarbons to the atmosphere is considered a Federal Offense . Should you have a vehicle that still has the old R12 system in it , have the system converted . This procedure involves the installation of new schrader valves for system charging and testing , as well as a complete and thorough cleaning and flushing of the system . It is essential that all of the R12 be removed , because the mixing of R12 with R134A results in ` system meltdown . Now that you know all about the air conditioning in your car , you can see that there are many sources of potential problems . Thus , proper diagnosis of problems with this system can save you a lot of money ; so make sure you take it to a reputable shop that has the necessary equipment and experienced techs . And enjoy the summer heat ! | Problems with your A/C / system can cost you money by wasting extra gas . Tech should first do a car A/C system performance test . Problems with vacuum system can also limit cooling in car . | [[474, 479], [482, 538]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pop icon Michael Jackson , 50 , who died Thursday afternoon after being rushed to a Los Angeles hospital in cardiac arrest , had a long history of confirmed health problems , in addition to rumored conditions . Michael Jackson , seen here in 2005 , was taken to UCLA Medical Center in cardiac arrest Thursday . In 1984 , Jackson was burned while singing for a Pepsi-Cola commercial in Los Angeles , when a special-effects smoke bomb misfired . He had to have major surgery on his scalp and said that because of the intense pain , he developed an addiction to painkillers . He also was reported to have a form of lupus in the 1980s , but it was later said to have gone into remission . Jackson also had had numerous plastic surgeries , including rhinoplasty and a chin implant . In 1993 , Jackson 's dermatologist , Dr. Arnold Klein , released a statement saying that Jackson had a skin disease called vitiligo . The condition causes a person to lose melanin , the pigment that determines the color of skin , hair and eyes , in patches or all over the body . Vitiligo affects 1 million to 2 million people in the United States , according to the National Institutes of Health , and no one knows what causes it . Learn about the difference between heart attack and stroke . He was also hospitalized with chest pains in 1990 and postponed a concert because of dehydration in August 1993 . A concert tour was cut short in November 1993 because of an addiction to prescription painkillers amid allegations of child molestation . During a rehearsal at the Beacon Theater in New York in December 1995 , the entertainer collapsed onstage from apparent dehydration and low blood pressure and was hospitalized . While jurors deliberated in a case in which he was accused of child molestation in June 2005 , Jackson went to a hospital for treatment of what his spokeswoman said was recurring back pain . He had complained of back problems before . Rumors circulated in December that Jackson was ill and in need of a lung transplant because of Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency , a rare genetic condition . More rumors emerged in May that Jackson had skin cancer . But Randy Phillips , president and CEO of AEG Live , told CNN at the time , `` He 's as healthy as he can be -- no health problems whatsoever . '' Jackson apparently collapsed in his home in Los Angeles on Thursday and was taken by ambulance to UCLA Medical Center . Watch CNN 's Sanjay Gupta talk with Anderson Cooper about Jackson 's death '' Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman told CNN on Thursday that Jackson 's use of medications had gotten in the way of doing rehearsals . `` His injuries , which he had sustained performing , where he had broken a vertebra and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage , were getting in the way . I do not know the extent of the medications that he was taking , '' he said . Cardiac arrest , distinct from heart attack , affects about 300,000 Americans every year , Dr. Clyde Yancy of the American Heart Association told CNN . Without immediate efforts to resuscitate a person , the survival rate is usually 5 percent to 15 percent , he said . If resuscitation takes longer than three to five minutes , a person could experience profound impairments , particularly neurologically , he said . Beyond five minutes , the likelihood of success falls quickly , especially in older people . Younger people can tolerate cardiac arrest somewhat better , he said . | Jackson was burned while singing for a Pepsi-Cola commercial in 1984 . His skin condition , vitiligo , causes a person to lose melanin , the pigment in skin . Jackson collapsed in 1995 from apparent dehydration and low blood pressure . More rumors emerged in May that Jackson had skin cancer , but were discredited . | [[330, 337], [340, 415], [886, 930], [931, 976], [1543, 1612], [1615, 1697], [2111, 2168]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Several of Michael Jackson 's comeback concerts in London have been postponed until next year because producers ca n't be ready in time for the July debut , according to a `` Dear Customer '' e-mail sent to ticket holders Wednesday . Michael Jackson gestures to the crowd at the March announcement of his series of London concerts . The delay comes days after the concert promoter said Jackson was in good health , contrary to media reports he was diagnosed with skin cancer . Jackson 's `` This Is It '' shows were to begin July 8 at London 's 20,000-capacity O2 Arena . `` It was not an easy decision to change the schedule but in the end we wanted to ensure that all of Michael 's fans attending the concerts get the same quality in staging and level of entertainment , '' said the Ticketmaster e-mail sent to someone who bought tickets for the third show . `` In order to deliver a phenomenal and unprecedented show -- the first show on the 8th July will take place on 13th July 2009 , '' according AEG Live , the promoter of the London concerts . `` The subsequent shows on 10th July will be moved to 1st March 2010 , 12th July will be moved to 3rd March 2010 , and the show on the 14th July will be moved to 6th March 2010 . '' The delay is `` due to the sheer magnitude '' of the concerts , AEG said . The decision `` to move back a few of the opening shows '' was needed `` in order to meet the challenges presented by such a massive and technically complex show , '' it said . Randy Phillips , president and CEO of AEG Live , last week denied reports that Jackson had skin cancer . `` He 's as healthy as he can be -- no health problems whatsoever , '' the executive told CNN on Saturday . `` Michael , who is directly involved with all aspects of the styling/choreography/band selection and rehearsals , is working around the clock to ensure this is the show to end all shows ! '' AEG said in it 's delay announcement . Jackson held open auditions for dancers last month at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles , California . Promoters released a video this week showing that process and ending with a clip of the 12 dancers who were chosen meeting Jackson in an undisclosed gym in the Los Angeles area , where he has been preparing for the shows . Ticketmaster , in its e-mail , assured the ticket holders they would `` have the same seat originally purchased . '' `` You do not have to do anything as you will be automatically allocated the same seats and moved to the revised date , '' it said . | Michael Jackson was scheduled to perform 50 shows starting July 8 . Several shows being postponed until 2010 because of `` sheer magnitude '' Jackson health said to be fine , despite UK rumors . | [[496, 509], [530, 590], [1071, 1139], [1140, 1183], [1186, 1249], [1253, 1314], [379, 451]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Monica Conyers , Detroit 's embattled City Council president pro tempore , pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to commit bribery , a federal court representative in Michigan told CNN . Detroit City Council member , Monica Conyers , admits accepting bribes to sway a $ 1.2 billion contract vote . Conyers , 44 , admitted accepting bribes in exchange for her vote to sway the City Council to approve Synagro Technologies Inc. 's $ 1.2 billion contract in 2007 . It 's unclear when Conyers , the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers , began her relationship with Synagro , but court papers say she received money from Synagro until December 2007 . Conyers voted in favor of the wastewater treatment contract on November 20 , 2007 , the same day she received an envelope filled with cash from Detroit businessman Rayford Jackson , court papers say . Jackson pleaded guilty to providing Conyers with the money . He had been a paid consultant of Synagro . On December 4 , 2007 , Conyers received another envelope of cash from Jackson in a McDonald 's parking lot , said Terrence Berg , the U.S. attorney from the eastern district of Michigan . `` She was the swing vote in this deal , '' Berg said . `` She used her power to get the deal done , and she acknowledged that . '' The mood was somber at Conyers ' office on Friday , an official there told CNN . A few office workers cried . They found out about the developments through news reports , said Denise Tolliver , Conyers ' deputy chief of staff . `` We 've been going through this for a while , '' Tolliver said . `` Reporters would ask us questions about anonymous sources , and we just did n't believe them . '' Office workers were preparing for an afternoon meeting with City Council President Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr. later Friday . According to state law , Conyers will have to forfeit her seat , Tolliver said . Cockrel said there 's language in the law that makes it unclear whether she needs to forfeit her seat immediately or after sentencing . `` It hurts the City Council 's image , for sure , '' Cockrel said . `` But we need to remember , this is only one member of the council . You ca n't paint the entire council with the same brush . '' For a seven-month period in 2008 , Cockrel replaced former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick after Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two counts of obstructing justice . During that time Cockrel terminated the city 's contract with Synagro because of rumors circulating about bribes , he said . Conyers faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison , according to prosecutors . Synagro would not comment on Conyers ' plea , but a spokeswoman said , `` We have cooperated fully with the federal investigation and will continue to do so . '' | Detroit City Council president pro tempore admits taking bribes for contract . Monica Conyers sealed $ 1.2 billion wastewater treatment deal , U.S. attorney says . State law forces her to give up seat , she faces up to five years in prison . Conyers is the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers . | [[36, 43], [47, 79], [204, 231], [251, 314], [315, 322], [330, 380], [1799, 1821], [1824, 1861], [2494, 2549]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jenny Sanford said Thursday that her husband Mark Sanford 's political career is `` not a concern of mine '' and that she 'd be just fine -- regardless of whether their marriage survives . Jenny Sanford , here with her husband , was a Wall Street executive before she married Mark Sanford . She would not speculate whether her husband would resign as South Carolina governor . `` His career is not a concern of mine , '' she told reporters as she departed the family 's vacation home in Sullivan 's Island , South Carolina . `` He 's going to have to worry about that . I 'm worried about my family and the character of my children . '' She added that she would be fine , with or without her husband . `` I have great faith and great friends and great family . We have a good Lord in this world and I know that I 'm going to be fine and not only will I survive , I 'll thrive , '' she said . `` I do n't know if he 'll be with me , but I 'm going to do my best to work on my marriage because I believe in marriage . I believe in raising good kids is the most important thing in the world , '' she said . After disappearing from the public eye for nearly a week , Gov. Mark Sanford , 49 , admitted to having an extramarital affair with an Argentine woman . He also admitted Wednesday that he had not hiked the Appalachian Trail during his absence -- as his staff had said earlier -- but had been in Buenos Aires , Argentina . Jenny Sanford would not reveal whether she was headed back to the family 's home in Columbia . `` Right now we 're taking it a day at a time . Right now we 're going out on a boat . '' Watch more of Jenny Sanford 's comments '' Gov. Sanford , leaving the family home in a different car , was in a far less talkative mood . `` I 'm going back to Columbia , '' he said . The State , the Columbia-based newspaper that acquired what it said were e-mail exchanges between Sanford and the woman in Argentina , acknowledged Thursday that there would likely be people who would call for the governor 's resignation . `` We are not ready to join them at this point , '' its editorial said . | Jenny Sanford : I 'll be fine regardless of whether our marriage survives . South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford admitted affair with Argentine woman . Governor also admitted he just got back from Argentina . | [[19, 156], [656, 720], [818, 881], [1123, 1179], [1182, 1199], [1207, 1274]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Few have had a bigger influence on today 's musical artists than Michael Jackson . Michael Jackson performs with Usher in September 2001 at Madison Square Gardens in New York City . Younger singers , from Justin Timberlake to Usher and Chris Brown , have emulated his dance moves , his look and his sound . He was , for many , the ultimate performer . '' -LSB- His influence -RSB- feels like something that is instilled and embedded in anyone who wanted to create anything musically , '' said Marsha Ambrosius , one half of the duo Floetry that wrote the single `` Butterflies . '' That single appeared on Jackson 's 2001 `` Invincible '' album . `` He will always be the King of Pop , and no one will ever be able to fill those shoes with those shiny socks and that glove , '' Ambrosius said . For many of the younger generation , he was the first to not just cross over but explode onto the pop charts from the R & B scene . His phenomenal talent and worldwide appeal made his throne one to be aspired to even as they stood in awe of him . `` If you 're a singer and you do n't want to be like Michael Jackson , something is wrong , '' said 19-year-old singer and rapper Sean Kingston , who scored a hit in 2007 with the song `` Beautiful Girls . '' `` He 's a huge influence . '' Sonia Murray , a longtime Atlanta-based music columnist , said Jackson was for the younger set what James Brown had been for Jackson : an inspiration . `` It was the many dimensions he had as a performer , '' Murray said . `` A lot of those artists strive to be all around entertainers . Michael looks to James Brown and Sammy Davis Jr. and for the younger guys , he was the closest thing they had . '' His music videos were must-see TV , and aspiring artists learned that it took more than just holding a microphone if they really wanted to make it big . `` He was the total package , '' said Gail Mitchell , senior editor for R & B and Hip-hop for Billboard . `` I was talking to somebody the other day about what trends they were seeing , and they said that a lot of the acts these days seem to going back to the whole entertainer thing . '' `` It 's not just good enough anymore to lip-synch or program your computer , but some of these newer artists are more concerned about putting on a great show for their fans . '' Steve Greenberg , founder and CEO of S-Curve Records , was a disc jokey in Tel Aviv , Israel , when `` Thriller '' first dropped and witnessed first-hand how Jackson became an international icon . Greenberg said Jackson `` influenced everyone who has come after him . '' `` He 's been around so long that everyone on the contemporary scene has come after him , '' Greenberg said . `` His was the first very contemporary , very exciting dance music to emerge after the death of disco . '' His was a global appeal , Greenberg said , among fans and artists worldwide . `` He was as big in the Middle East and Southeast Asia as he was in America and Europe , '' Greenberg said . `` He had that universality that not many people had . The Beatles had it , Muhammad Ali had it , but not many other people have had it . '' His music also crossed genres . He was a favorite of rappers to sample and working with him was a badge of honor in the industry . Producer Dallas Austin worked with him on Michael Jackson 's `` HIStory : Past , Present and Future '' and , like the rest of the world , was stunned by his death . `` Michael Jackson was a magical person to work with , '' Austin said in a released statement . `` I am saddened by his death . The world wo n't be the same without him . '' Even for the most hardcore in hip-hop , there was no shame in admitting love for the King of Pop . `` Michael Jackson has always been an inspiration to me as far as his music is concerned , '' Rapper Snoop Dogg told MTV in 2001 . `` You ca n't take nothing from him . '' Wyclef Jean released a statement saying `` Michael Jackson was my Musical God . '' `` He made me believe that all things are possible , and through real and positive music , he can live forever , '' Jean said . `` I love Michael Jackson . God Bless him . '' Floetry member Marsha Ambrosius said she felt blessed to have spent two weeks working with Jackson in New York City a few years ago after he fell in love with a song she had written . She had the opportunity to get to know him , not just as a superstar , but as a fun-loving family man who stayed in touch with her even after the project was finished . `` He was one of the most amazing people you would ever want to meet , '' she said . `` I can say I worked with the most incredible artist on planet Earth . '' CNN 's Shanon Cook contributed to this report . | Michael Jackson 's dance moves , his look were emulated . Jackson inspired artists such as Usher , Justin Timberlake and rapper Snoop Dogg . Recording CEO : Jackson `` influenced everyone who has come after him '' | [[201, 298], [201, 298], [19, 101], [2523, 2568], [2538, 2593]] |
Editor 's note : Gene Seymour has written about movies , music and culture for The New York Times , Newsday , Entertainment Weekly and The Washington Post . He lives in Brooklyn , New York . Gene Seymour says we want to relive Michael Jackson 's youth , not the sad and bizarre aspects of his later life . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seconds after the news first hit the airwaves , your own shock merged with everyone else 's in the immediate vicinity . And you could feel it rolling through the rest of the planet like a runaway diesel . As with most things you neither expected nor wanted to hear , you thought that there had to be more to it than what was being said . Especially because it was Michael Jackson , who seemed too dominant , too other-worldly and , more than anything , too complex to be brought down by anything as simple as cardiac arrest . And also because most of what we 'd been hearing about Jackson 's personal life over the last decade and a half had been bizarre , sordid and sad . It was to those aspects -- the deepening isolation , the child molestation trials , the financial woes , the `` Wacko Jacko '' moments like that 2002 interlude on the balcony with the baby -- that the talking heads on TV devoted tentative attention within minutes of the official announcement . The commentariat presumed it had a responsibility to poke those embers for clues of something beyond the single , dreadful fact of Jackson 's death . Even if we did n't care for this conversation , we had been conditioned by the most recent events to wonder , deep down , if there was something stranger or more unpleasant attached to his passing . But acceptance came easier -- and sooner -- than any of us expected last night . And when it did , we wanted the talking heads to go away and leave us with our memories ... and nothing but the good ones , thank you very much . We wanted the loop of performances and hit singles . Retrieve for us , please , the electricity of the 10-year-old wunderkind who literally leapt into our consciousness in that shattering year of 1968 with `` I Want You Back '' and `` ABC . '' Let us see that transfiguring moment 15 years later at the Motown Anniversary TV special when Jackson seized dominion over the pop firmament with his shattering , moon-walking recital of `` Billie Jean . '' We wanted the videos -- `` Beat It , '' `` Bad , '' `` Thriller , '' `` Black and White '' and all that incredible , unearthly dancing . That was all we needed to see and hear . Save the armchair psychoanalysis for later . Maybe , much later . No one would have understood or indulged such yearnings as quickly or as intuitively as Michael Jackson . As surely as he was the King of Pop , Jackson was also a high priest of wish fulfillment . His performances as both precocious child and child-like adult made growing up or growing old the only unimaginable things in the known world . This Peter Pan mystique even became part of the Jackson brand to the point of naming his combination of retreat and theme park the Neverland Ranch . The promise of eternal youth was embedded in pop music way before Jackson and his four brothers emerged from the grit of Gary , Indiana , to jump-start Motown 's winning streak . But it 's when that promise expands to shatter boundaries and expand possibilities beyond Top-40 parameters that pop music becomes pop phenomena . And Michael Jackson , in the early 1980s , was a pop phenomenon powerful enough to pool together previously polarized audiences -- heavy metal , disco , funk -- and get them all on the same bandwagon . Only twice before -- with Elvis Presley and the Beatles -- had the cultural landscape been changed as decisively by a pop star . It has n't happened since -- and may never happen again . Certainly , `` Thriller , '' the best-selling LP of all time , wo n't be surpassed because LPs have been superseded twice over by discs and downloads . Jackson 's off-stage public diffidence gave the impression that his transformations of both self and society were all happening by off-hand magic . But his wispy speaking voice belied a steely resolve to control his image , his artistry and his product . The energy he devoted to keep what he considered `` negativity '' at bay was meant to nurture his audience 's dreams of release -- and to maintain his primacy in the pop marketplace . Even the eccentricities , at the peak of his influence , seemed calculated to promote , if not perpetuate , his product . But time -LRB- by far , Jackson 's worst and most formidable enemy -RRB- could n't stop even his most devoted admirers from wondering what drove him to change his appearance so drastically over the years . Or why he wanted to both save the world and hide from it with the same ferocious intensity . If he 'd been able to stop the clock at 1985 or even 1987 -LRB- the year of `` Bad '' -RRB- , life would have been so much easier . The magic faded . Setbacks and embarrassments were occasionally offset by a tour or show that transported us back to the better , happier times when we were willing to overlook real life for our most elemental dreams of release . We seek those dreams even more urgently now that we know , for certain , that we 'll never again see him on stage -- the one place where he was happiest and most assured . But perhaps the hardest dream to give up -- and the reason so many people in so many countries were almost physically leveled by yesterday 's news -- is of finding common ground and sharing common awe in a song or a dance or a single act of outreaching , transcendent audacity . However divided -LRB- or worse -RRB- we may have felt about Michael Jackson at the end , we cherish how he brought out the best in us at the beginning . Whatever the days ahead , that will be more than enough for now , forever . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gene Seymour . | Gene Seymour : We want to relive the promise of Jackson 's eternal youth . He says the final years of his life were bizarre and sad . Seymour : Jackson pooled heavy metal , disco and funk audiences . Jackson 's `` Thriller '' LP will never be surpassed , he says . | [[191, 305], [209, 251], [191, 305], [952, 998], [3381, 3400], [3424, 3582]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 2003 , the BET Awards had a priceless moment when Michael Jackson surprised his idol , James Brown , by showing up on stage where the duo thrilled the audience with an electrifying performance . Michael Jackson performed with James Brown at the BET Awards in 2003 . This year 's show is dedicated to Jackson . Now , both the King of Pop and the Godfather of Soul are gone . Sunday night 's 9th Annual BET Awards is sure to be filled with tributes to Jackson , whose videos and performances were a staple for the network in his heyday . BET has already paid tribute to the singer , going wall-to-wall with Jackson videos Thursday night . Many of the celebrities scheduled to attend the show were also fans of the singer and it is expected that the night will provide an opportunity for them to salute the star . `` Words can not capture the impact Michael Jackson has had on pop culture around the world , '' said Debra L. Lee , chairman and chief executive officer of BET Networks . `` He changed the way we hear and feel and move to music ; he epitomized what true musical talent and star power really mean . He is and always will be the King of Pop . '' Academy Award-winning actor and R&B singer Jamie Foxx is set to host the show . Several of the scheduled performers include artists , such as Ne-Yo and Beyonce , who have acknowledged the influence of Jackson on their music and careers . The annual event is a premier one for the network and this year 's plan was to recognize the musical legacy and longstanding career of the legendary soul trio , the O'Jays , with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award . Artists Alicia Keys and Wyclef Jean are to be honored with the Humanitarian Award for their respective charitable work . BET CEO Lee said Sunday 's show will be dedicated to Jackson and will also pay tribute to his legacy . Lee reflected on Jackson 's career and his importance to BET -- which stands for Black Entertainment Television -- in a prepared statement after his death , while also offering heartfelt prayers for the singer 's family and friends . `` Michael 's influence is felt every day in so many ways at BET Networks , and it 's been that way throughout our network 's entire 29-year history , '' she said . `` We watched him grow up and , like everyone around the world , he feels like he is a member of our family . `` He will be missed more than we can say ... but his legend and memory live on in the artists , musicians , producers , dancers , fans and everyone else who looks to him for inspiration . '' The BET Awards is scheduled to run live on the cable network Sunday at 8 p.m. | BET Awards are scheduled for Sunday night . Many of the planned attendees expected to pay tribute to Michael Jackson . Network CEO : `` Michael 's influence is felt every day in so many ways '' | [[2573, 2645], [2573, 2587], [2601, 2650], [396, 479], [745, 832], [927, 1004], [2106, 2179]] |
Editor 's note : Roya Hakakian is the author of `` Journey from the Land of No : A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran . '' Her web site is http://www.royahakakian.com/live/ . Roya Hakakian says she lived through an earlier moment when Iranians thought freedom was at hand . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Since last Saturday , the images of Neda Agha Soltan , the young woman who died on the streets of Tehran , keep playing before my eyes . When I do n't look at the clip on my computer , it runs on its own in my mind 's eye . What has me so riveted is not entirely empathy , the intuitive human response the images are bound to stir in everyone . There is also something less noble at work in me , an obsession with seeing my own face upon hers . Each time I see her die , I die along with her . I , too , was born and raised in Iran . My coming-of-age years coincided with the Iranian revolution of 1979 . I , too , was on the streets , watching and rooting for the demonstrators . Nothing seemed more natural , more compelling than being on the streets , calling for freedom , breathing the intoxicating , the dangerously euphoric Tehran air . I was 12 in 1978 , yet I was as undaunted as any adult . Nothing , least of all my pleading parents , could keep me away from the rooftops at 9 p.m. Amid the night 's dark , where the crowds were as indiscernible as ghosts , the shouts of `` Allah-o-akbar '' rose from every rooftop like smoke rising from an invisible bonfire . We were all victims of the flames and the very arsonists at once . We were burning in the fire of our own making . Thirty years hence that fire still burns in Iran , because moments before her death , Neda Agha Soltan cried : `` I 'm on fire ! '' I am entranced by her because she and I are the only two possibilities of the dictatorial narrative : Death or escape . She died . I escaped . I live . And because I live I can not escape her death -- the memory of her large eyes languidly drifting to one side , then freezing upon the abyss . Survival of this kind brings its own eternal damnation : A bifurcated existence lived in the here and now , but perpetually haunted by there and then . Making peace with the past would have been easier , if only the essence of that past had not been in doubt , if its dignity were intact . But in my first American ride in my first American taxi cab , I learned the staggering counter-narrative that I would hear again and again , dominating the western perceptions of Iran , when the driver asked : `` So , where are you from ? '' `` I come from Iran , '' I said , in broken English . `` Eeran , '' he asked with uncertainty . `` Eeeran ? '' Then passing his fingertips across his throat like a knife , he said , `` Eeran ... Khomeini ? '' In that , 2,500 years of civilization was reduced to one vile name and the invocation of a throat being slit . It did not take long for me to learn that between the Iran that I knew and the Iran that Americans knew was a discrepancy as vast as the waters that separated us . I soon learned that the images of a fist-throwing mob of angry men and darkly veiled women burning the Uncle Sam effigies were the only images that most Americans had of Iran . Those images had little in common with the Iran I knew -- greater in numbers and in the grip of the same fist-throwing crowds . With Neda 's death , the Iran I know finally has a face . The sequence of her death is the sequence of our nation 's struggle in the past 30 years : The democratic future that 1979 was to deliver collapsing , then trails of blood -- that of so many executed or assassinated -- streaming across its bright promise . The film of Neda 's death is the abbreviated history of contemporary Iran . If history is a contest among competing narratives and icons , let the image of a young woman lying on the ground endure as that of Iran today . Let it loom so large to wipe away the memory of the thugs marching American hostages out of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran . Let the scarf that loosens and falls off her head to expose her dark hair be emblazoned in our memories as the metaphor for the plight of Iran 's women . As if her death were not tragic enough , the authorities have banned all mosques throughout Tehran from holding prayer services for Neda . Silence in the face of such inhumanity is a sin as great as the one a war could spur . This Friday evening throughout Iran , people will be lighting candles in memory of Neda and others who have died in the past few days . Here in the United States , I hope you join me and thousands of my compatriots in a memorial campaign for Neda by asking your religious and spiritual leaders to include a prayer for Neda and other fallen Iranians of the recent days in this week 's services . For 30 years , Iran 's regime has appropriated God . Let us reclaim God from those who deny a family the right to properly mourn the death of their child through our prayers and help bring peace to a tormented nation . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roya Hakakian . | Roya Hakakian : I was a girl in Iran during the revolution of 1979 . She says she saw the hopes of democracy and freedom quashed . Hakakian : Join me in praying for Neda and other fallen Iranians . | [[830, 900], [4532, 4661]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five of the six black high school students charged with attempted murder in 2006 for allegedly beating a white classmate pleaded no contest in a Louisiana court Friday , closing the book on a racially charged case . Terms of the settlement include restitution to Justin Barker , shown here in 2007 in Jena , Louisiana . The men agreed to plea deals that settled lawsuits filed against them by Justin Barker and his family the year after the December 4 , 2006 , incident in the town of Jena , population 3,000 . The case was referred to as the `` Jena Six . '' An underage boy also allegedly was involved in the case , but was not named as one of the attackers . Each man , excluding Theo Shaw , was fined $ 500 , must pay $ 500 in court costs and will have seven days of unsupervised probation . They also were ordered to pay restitution to Justin Barker and to have no contact with the Barker family . The $ 500 fine was waived for Shaw because of the almost seven months he has spent in jail . According to Barker 's mother , Kelli , her son was taken to a hospital with cuts and with injuries to his eyes and ears after the assault . His right eye had blood clots , she said . Parents of the Jena Six say they heard Barker was hurling racial epithets , but Barker 's parents insist he did nothing to provoke the beating . In the settlement , the Barkers received an undisclosed amount of money . The family also had sought to retain the right to sue the school board and to receive a percentage of any profits the youths might receive in the next five years from book or video deals , family attorney Henry Lemoine Jr. told CNN before the hearing . The terms of the agreement were not disclosed . The case drew national headlines when the teens were charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit attempted murder . After the charges triggered protests from critics who said they were too strict , a judge reduced the charges against Shaw , Jesse Ray Beard , Robert Bailey Jr. , Carwin Jones and Bryant Purvis to battery and conspiracy . The sixth defendant , Mychal Bell , pleaded guilty in December 2007 to a misdemeanor second-degree battery charge and was sentenced to 18 months in jail . At the hearing , attorneys representing the five men read a statement expressing sympathy to the Barkers and acknowledging that Justin Barker did not use a racial slur . They also apologized to the residents of Jena for the uproar caused by the case . `` They are pleased with the settlement . The settlement is under a gag order , '' the Barkers ' lawyer , Henry Lemoine Jr. , said after the hearing . `` Hopefully , all the wounds that were opened will now be healed . '' James Boren , an attorney for Bailey , added , `` We 're all proud of our clients , who are doing well . '' `` They 're moving on with their life . '' | The family of Justin Barker filed lawsuits after alleged beating in 2006 in Jena . The 5 men agreed to plea deals that settled suits ; they 'll pay court costs , restitution . Case drew national protest when teens were charged with attempted murder . `` Hopefully , all the wounds ... will now be healed , '' said attorney Henry Lemoine Jr. . | [[357, 367], [373, 440], [381, 470], [235, 295], [339, 367], [357, 367], [373, 440], [681, 689], [726, 761], [681, 689], [756, 814], [815, 819], [825, 921], [1719, 1845], [1752, 1816], [1757, 1766], [1780, 1845], [1846, 1895], [1928, 2039], [2443, 2474], [1607, 1670], [2641, 2655], [2673, 2681], [2694, 2696], [2641, 2693]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From street corners , buses and subways to phone calls , e-mails , text messages , online posts and tweets , people around the world commented , pondered , and paid tribute to pop legend Michael Jackson , who died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles . Pedestrians in Sydney , Australia , watch a TV screen announcing Michael Jackson 's death on Friday . Around midnight at London 's Leicester Square , as news of Jackson 's death spread , Luis Carlos Ameida and his friends were surrounding a car listening to the star 's music . Ameida said he 'd gotten tickets to see Jackson at his `` This Is It '' concerts beginning on July 13 in London . `` From a young age , you know , I used to have the video game , '' said Ameida . `` I used to have the white suit , and I 'd wear it on my birthday . I used to moonwalk ... I remember my mum used to send me to lessons to be like Michael Jackson . And when I heard the news , I had tears in my eyes because of that connection I had because of all the songs he used to play . '' In Glastonbury , southern England , where one of the world 's largest music festivals was to kick off Friday morning , initial rumors and then confirmation of Jackson 's death added to confusion and then shock among festival goers . Watch British fans react '' `` As I was walking back through the crowd it was the word on everyone 's lips , '' Sally Anne Aldous , 29 , told CNN over the phone . Reaction from around the world in pictures '' Backstage , Michael Jackson songs were being played in tribute , and fans talked of an impromptu memorial for the late singer at the `` Stone Circle , '' a neolithic monument in the grounds of the venue . In Adelaide , Australia , Christos Winter of the MJ Fan Club had organized a petition to bring Jackson to tour there . `` It did n't matter if you were 60 , 40 or 20 like I am . Michael Jackson 's music just spoke to everyone ... It was always uplifting and happy music , '' Winter told CNN . On a street in New Delhi , India , 31-year-old Sachina Verma said on Friday , `` Any of the baby boomer generation or , you know , people from my age or our time , I mean they have grown up on his music . Literally , people have been inspired by his dance movements , by his music . Tributes appeared on YouTube and CNN 's iReport . `` I remember growing up in the Middle East , influenced , enjoying his music , waiting for his albums , '' CNN iReporter Rany Freeman , an Egyptian living in Canada , said in a video submission . `` Regardless to his strange behaviors or questionable events that happened to his life , let 's remember him as the great entertainer he was . '' Another iReporter , Peter Maiyoh , a Kenyan student studying in the U.S. city of Kansas , Missouri , called Jackson `` the voice of change , '' saying `` he was there before Tiger Woods , before Michael Jordan , even before Barack Obama ... I hope people remember him for the work he did . '' On a Facebook page dedicated to Michael Jackson , fans across the world left hundreds of messages in languages ranging from French and Spanish to Japanese and Hebrew . Watch fan reaction in Tokyo , Japan '' `` SHANGHAI WILL MISS YOU ! NOT JUST SHANGHAI ! . . EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD WILL MISS YOU ! WE LOVE YOU MICHAEL !!! '' wrote Vrishti Bhowmik . Kase Ng , a 24-year-old manicurist and member of the Michael Jackson Hong Kong Fan Club , told CNN by phone she had been planning to go with four friends to his August 1 concert in London . Watch fans in Hong Kong , China , react '' Expressing sadness and shock over Jackson 's death , Ng recalled being inspired by an interview he once gave to Oprah Winfrey . `` He said if you have power , try to give it back and help the others , and I will try to do that , '' she said . At a music store in Beijing , China , Jackson songs were being played , and his albums were put on special display . `` I rather enjoyed it -LRB- his music -RRB- because in my family my brother 's generation likes his music , '' said customer Xu Wei . `` Many , many people in China like him a lot . '' Watch reaction from around the world . Although Jackson never played in mainland China , his music was among the first in the West made available there , as the peak of his popularity during the 1980s coincided with the opening up of the communist country . On Friday , Chinese netizens had set up a Web site memorial to Jackson , and on Fanfou.com , China 's version of Twitter , the pop star has become the most popular tag . Fanfou user Layla Suen , or `` Leilajiang , '' of Shenyang city in Liaoning province wrote about her memories of Jackson : `` When I was only four , my brother demanded that I learn his ` Thriller . ' It was the second song I 've ever learnt -LRB- the first one being something taught by the kindergarten teacher -RRB- . Everytime I sing it at my kindergarten it would scare a bunch of little children . '' Chinese blogger and media commentator Michael Anti wrote on his Facebook page : `` So sad about Jackson 's Death , for my English first name is really named after him when I was a freshman . '' Ethan Zuckerman , a fellow of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University , tweeted in the hour after Jackson 's death was announced , `` My twitter search script sees roughly 15 % of all posts on Twitter mentioning Michael Jackson . Never saw Iran or swine flu reach over 5 % . '' As Jackson 's death quickly overshadowed all else Friday , commentators worried that the world would forget about political developments in Iran . `` Am I the only one who thinks that Michael Jackson 's passing is the worst thing that could have happened to the protesters in Iran ? '' wrote Melissa Cohen , or mcohen00 , on Twitter . CNN 's Emily Chang , Jaime FlorCruz , Miranda Leitsinger , Mairi Mackay , Linnie Rawlinson and Bharati Naik contributed to this report . | Fans across the world remark on Jackson 's music . Postings on Twitter express concern Jackson will overshadow Iran . `` I remember growing up in the Middle East ... waiting for his albums , '' iReporter says . Chinese netizens set up Web site memorial for Jackson . | [[128, 161], [4077, 4115], [5410, 5466], [5469, 5556], [2315, 2355], [2392, 2414], [4335, 4344], [4347, 4405]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The woman and children held captive in a cellar for years by their incestuous father will take years to recover from their disturbing ordeal , doctors warned Wednesday as the family at the center of the case remained in psychiatric care . The bathroom used by Elizabeth Fritzl , who was held captive for more than two decades , and her three children . Members of the Fritzl family will also be offered the chance to adopt new identities in an effort to help them lead normal lives , officials said . Hans-Heinz Lenze , the head of local social services said the family was `` doing as well as can be expected in the circumstances '' and said any change of identity would be the family 's decision . Elizabeth Fritzl -- now 42 -- spent more than two decades in the windowless basement after being drugged , handcuffed and locked up by her father , Josef Fritzl , as an 18-year-old . Repeatedly raped , she gave birth to seven children by Fritzl , one of whom died as an infant . Three of the children -- Kerstin , 19 ; Stefan , 18 ; and Felix , 5 -- remained imprisoned underground with their mother . The other three lived in an apartment upstairs with Fritzl and his wife who believed Elizabeth had abandoned them after running away from home . Elizabeth and five of the children were continuing to receive treatment at a local clinic near Amstetten after being reunited on Sunday . Kerstin , whose hospitalization at the weekend finally brought the family 's plight to the attention of authorities , remained in a coma at a nearby hospital . `` It is astonishing how easy it worked that the children came together , and also it was astonishing how easy it happened that the grandmother and the mother came together , '' clinic director Berthold Kepplinger said . But Kepplinger warned that the family would require extensive counseling . `` We 're talking of 20 years of darkness , incest and its effects and other illnesses they might have suffered from . '' Kepplinger said the two sets of children were tentatively getting to know one another , adding that the two boys who had lived underground had an unusual way of communicating with each other . A policeman who had accompanied the boys to hospital after their discovery on Sunday said the pair had `` screamed with excitement '' during the car journey as they experienced the outside world for the first time . `` The two boys appeared overawed by the daylight they had never experienced before , '' said Chief Inspector Leopold Etz . `` The real world was completely alien to them ... We had to drive very slowly with them because they cringed at every car light and every bump . It was as if we had just landed on the moon . '' In an interview with the Austrian newspaper , Oesterreich , psychiatrist Max Friedrich , who treated the abducted teenager Natascha Kampusch , estimated it would take `` between five and eight years '' for the children to recover from their experiences . Another psychologist , Bernd Prosser , told Austrian television that it would be impossible for the four held prisoner underground to lead normal lives . `` I am afraid it is too late for that . '' Kampusch , the Austrian girl abducted as a 10-year-old and held captive in a basement for more than eight years until she escaped in 2007 , also offered her help to the family on Tuesday , but questioned the decision to move them from the cellar into psychiatric care . `` Pulling them abruptly out of this situation , without transition , to hold them and isolating them to some extent , it ca n't be good for them , '' said Kampusch , now 20 , in an interview with Austrian TV station Puls 4 . `` I believe it might have been even better to leave them where they were , but that was probably impossible . This case is not like mine , where that was not my environment . They were born there and I can imagine that there is a strong attachment to that place . '' E-mail to a friend . | Austrian family held captive in a cellar will take years to recover , doctors say . Family are undergoing treatment at a local psychiatric clinic . Children kept underground may never lead normal lives , psychiatrist warns . Family have been offered opportunity to adopt new identities . | [[0, 15], [42, 76], [162, 226], [2710, 2753], [2756, 2796], [2853, 2928], [1266, 1376], [1266, 1300], [1317, 1403], [2965, 2985], [3004, 3118], [372, 469]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- She hit the big time in the 1980 's with Eurythmics and found huge success as a solo artist with her 1992 album `` Diva '' , but for singer Annie Lennox , being able to express her passion has always been the motivating factor in whatever she 's done . Annie Lennox will continue to SING with her AIDS awareness charity . As a result her musical career has taken a back seat to her political activism and charity work in recent years ; most notably with SING her AIDS awareness in Africa charity , as well as working with Amnesty , Save the Children and as a UNICEF ambassador . Yet the 54-year-old maintains that she 'll always keep singing as well as working on the other things that she feels passionate about . `` I 'm a multi-tasker . I have to do a lot of things at once . I love music . And I want to keep making music . I hope that I 'll always be a music-maker and I 'll always be an activist , '' she told CNN in Hong Kong . Growing up in Aberdeen , Scotland , Lennox found enormous success with Eurythmics and the 1983 album `` Sweet Dreams '' and single of the same name . It catapulted her to international success and stardom , something she had always wanted , but at first found difficult to adjust to . `` We were really on a whole kind of roller coaster with -LSB- Eurythmics -RSB- , which on the one hand I was very grateful for , and on the other hand , it sort of sucked out your life , any sort of privacy , '' she said . `` Just the ability to be anonymous which I absolutely really value . I love to just to be mixing with people and not have to be the one person in the room with the spotlight and the heads all turning . So that was a little bit hard to adapt to ... I might as well have a neon light for a head . '' She 's sold over 80 million records during a career that has spanned four decades , which she credits to hard graft fueled by an unending passion for music . `` The glamour side to it is what we see as the end result . But all the rest of it is hard work and dedication . And it 's not easy always , you have to be very focused . And you have to be really , really motivated to do it . You have to have a kind of yearning , a passion for that . `` I was never thinking , ` Oh , I 'm in this for the long haul . ' I just think as I 'm still thinking , I want to have a life where I 'm able to do the thing that makes me feel alive . '' Aware of the downsides of a career in music , Lennox also has a greater sense of the perils and pitfall in life , something she has often expressed in her music . `` I have encountered individuals and I 've encountered things in the industry that were vile . Bad things happen everywhere . And the music industry and all that surrounds it , is no exception . '' . Having experienced unscrupulous people in the music industry and been through her own personal upheaval through two failed marriages , Lennox remain passionate , energetic and sanguine . Ultimately , she says , `` its all part of life 's rich tapestry . '' | Sold over 80 million records in career that has spanned four decades . Found success first with Eurythmics , British band founded with Dave Stewart . Lennox set up SING charity to combat HIV and AIDS in Africa . | [[1762, 1765], [1769, 1813], [1798, 1813], [1819, 1845], [19, 70], [990, 1054], [272, 340], [455, 459], [468, 514]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One female fan on Twitter said `` Off the Wall '' was the first cassette tape she owned . `` I have it on CD now and still listen to it , '' she said . Many people found out about Michael Jackson 's death through Web sites like Twitter and Facebook . `` I saw the Victory Tour at Dodger Stadium in 1984 , '' posted a man on his Facebook status update . `` Anybody else ? '' And on CNN 's iReport.com , a tearful Melissa Fazli of Yorba Linda , California , posted an emotional video . `` I grew up with Michael Jackson , '' she said , choking back tears . `` This is just a very sad day . '' From Facebook to Flickr , Twitter to YouTube , stunned and saddened fans came together across the vast online universe to share their memories of the iconic pop star , who died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles . By Thursday evening , 9 of the 10 top trending topics on micro-blogging site Twitter were about Michael Jackson . Because traditional media outlets were slow to confirm the news of Jackson 's death , many people appeared to find out through messages on social-networking sites . Some of those linked to celebrity gossip site TMZ.com , which was among the first to report the news . `` Damn ... it 's official , '' posted one Twitter user , shortly after the news of Jackson 's death was confirmed . `` RIP to the BIGGEST star the world has EVER seen . '' Another woman vowed in a tweet never to change her cell phone 's ringtone , which was set to `` P.Y.T -LRB- Pretty Young Thing -RRB- , '' a hit from Jackson 's classic `` Thriller '' album . Sony BMG , Jackson 's music label , removed from its Web site a list of dates for the singer 's European tour , which was to kick off next month in London . Within minutes , Jackson 's Wikipedia page had been updated to reflect his death , with biographical information changed to the past tense . On Flickr , fans posted images from all phases of Jackson 's career , from his child-star , large-Afro days to moody publicity shots to dramatic photos of a costumed , windblown Jackson in concert . While most fans celebrated Jackson 's buoyant music and dynamic stage presence , others viewed him as a tragic figure with an increasingly bizarre public image who , in his later years , battled child molestation charges and mounting debt . One grieving fan posted an image on Flickr of herself , head in hands . `` He was ... amazing . And had amazing songs . :-LRB- What 's so weird is that I was singing his songs today before I found out about this , '' she wrote . `` At least he 'll be safe now . Away from all the troubles and stuff . :-RRB- '' On Twitter and other sites , several online mourners posted `` Never Can Say Goodbye , '' echoing the title of one of the Jackson 5 's early hits . Another fan quoted from Jackson 's `` Man in the Mirror , '' saying , `` If you want to make the world a better place , take a look at yourself , then make a change . '' The swirling news may have overwhelmed Facebook , which was inaccessible at times Thursday evening . When the site was viewable , people filled their status updates with Jackson memories , lyrics and links to his videos . Others remarked on the coincidence of two pop icons , Jackson and Farrah Fawcett , dying within hours of each other . `` Johnny -LSB- Carson -RSB- is going to have a great show in heaven tonight , '' wrote a Los Angeles man on Facebook . Ed -LSB- McMahon -RSB- 's back , and he 's got two great new guests . '' | Stunned fans came together across the Web to share memories of Michael Jackson . Thursday evening , 9 of the 10 top trending topics on Twitter were about Jackson . Many people appeared to find out about his death through social-networking sites . Sony BMG removes a calendar for the singer 's concert tour from Jackson 's Web site . | [[610, 633], [636, 643], [669, 728], [610, 633], [657, 775], [1023, 1101], [2618, 2644], [2647, 2702], [823, 842], [845, 869], [900, 936], [171, 269], [1023, 1101], [1569, 1577], [1605, 1678]] |
LONDON , England -- A huge crowd gathered in London , UK on Friday for a mass `` moonwalk '' -- paying tribute to Michael Jackson by dancing to his most iconic songs and replicating his famous walk . Two young fans who say Michael Jackson meant a lot to them donned self-made T-shirts at the event in London . The horde of people gathered on the streets outside Liverpool Street train station , one of the city 's major transport hubs , and burst out into cheers , chants and dances to the tunes of `` Billie Jean , '' `` Bad '' and `` Thriller . '' Life-long Jackson fan Milo Yiannopoulos organized the moonwalk , the singer 's trademark backwards shuffle , by sending messages via Twitter and Facebook . His messages went `` viral '' -- spreading like wildfire around the Internet -- as the number of people wanting to join his impromptu `` flash mob '' event far exceeded his expectations : . `` I do n't know what I 've unleashed here , '' Yiannopoulos , who said he does n't even know how to moonwalk , told CNN . He came up with the ideas `` because of all of the stuff people are saying about Michael Jackson -- surgeries , molestation etc. -- I wanted to do something to remind people how great he really is and remind them of his music . '' But those who were there did not seem to need much reminding of Jackson 's greatness . `` He is the biggest idol in my life . Unfortunately , I did not grow up with all his best hits , but he has been so important for me . I am very sad , '' said 13-year-old Paul Graham , who wore a self-made Michael Jackson `` Rest in Peace '' T-shirt . See images of Jackson fans at the moonwalk event '' Another of the many young fans there was 17-year-old George Webster , who spontaneously performed a perfect Michael Jackson dance routine for a cheering audience . He told CNN : `` This is a celebration . We are here to remember Michael Jackson 's best moments . '' And the laughing crowd did indeed seem to be celebrating , rather than mourning : . Hanging off lampposts and standing atop telephone booths , people were brandishing everything from white paper gloves to black hats and face masks . Watch video of the crowd singing to Billie Jean '' British television presenter Gail Porter was also at the tribute : `` As soon as I saw it on Twitter , I thought ` let 's go and have a dance ' , '' she told CNN while twittering away on her cell phone . The gathering started off to a rocky start , as the short notice had left London city police unsure about how to handle it and what to expect . They were overheard telling organizer Yiannopoulos that they would not allow him to do the moonwalk outside the station and that he had to limit his gathering to 300 people . Eventually the crowd was allowed to gather outside , attracting many more tourists , commuters and passers-by to join in the event . `` I want to thank the police for being so cool , '' Yiannopoulos told the audience . `` You guys are great , let 's continue dancing . '' More tributes are now expected to take place around the world and Austria has already replicated London 's moonwalk event with their own on Friday . | A huge crowd gathered in London , UK on Friday for a mass `` moonwalk '' The crowd paid tribute to the Michael Jackson by dancing to his famous tunes . The celebratory event was organized through Twitter and Facebook . | [[20, 51], [81, 92], [96, 129], [130, 199], [310, 329], [441, 500], [600, 612], [659, 705]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sharp-witted . Direct . In control . Loyal . Jenny Sanford , here with her husband , was a Wall Street executive before she married Mark Sanford . That 's how friends describe Jenny Sanford , the wife of Gov. Mark Sanford , who confessed to the nation in a rambling news conference that he was having an affair with a woman in Argentina . Jenny Sanford , unlike so many wives of cheating politicians , was not there facing the cameras , standing beside her husband . A reporter asked the governor if he and his wife of 20 years were separated . `` I 'm here , and she 's there , '' he replied . As romantic e-mails between her husband and his mistress were published by a local newspaper Thursday , the state 's first lady , a former Wall Street executive , stayed far away from reporters . She was at the family 's home on Sullivan 's Island in South Carolina with her four sons and a few friends . `` Do n't you know that is what Jenny Sanford is about ? That is what is authentic about Jenny Sanford . She is not going to humiliate herself by standing next to a story , '' said Cyndi Mosteller , a friend of the Sanfords since 1992 and the former first vice chairwoman of the South Carolina GOP . `` She will stand next to Mark emotionally , but she can not stand in the glare of others , '' Mosteller continued . `` She is out there taking a dignified road , one that is defined by principle , even if her heart might have difficulty following that principle . But her overriding priority is to protect her children . '' Jenny Sanford released a lengthy statement late Wednesday making clear she had learned of her husband 's infidelity before his recent secret trip to Buenos Aires . His whereabouts were a mystery for six days , leaving his family in the dark and creating a power vacuum and considerable confusion in the Capitol , with aides telling reporters he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail . `` When I found out about my husband 's infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness , and then to work diligently to repair our marriage , '' she wrote . `` We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity , self-respect , and my basic sense of right and wrong . I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago . `` This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage . During this short separation it was agreed that Mark would not contact us . I kept this separation quiet out of respect of his public office and reputation , and in hopes of keeping our children from just this type of public exposure . '' Mosteller 's brother-in-law was with Jenny Sanford on Thursday as the e-mails penned to `` Maria '' became public . The messages from Mark Sanfordcompliment the woman on her `` tan lines '' and `` gentle kisses . '' The e-mails were published by The State newspaper in Columbia , South Carolina 's capital , which said the governor 's office confirmed they are authentic . When contacted by CNN , the governor 's office would neither confirm nor deny their authenticity . '' -LSB- The e-mails -RSB- are almost like reading a novel that you would embarrassed to buy , '' Mosteller said . `` To be one of his four children and know that is there for the world to see , it is incredible to all of us . '' Jenny Sanford grew up in Winnetka , Illinois , and earned a degree in finance from Georgetown University . She met Mark Sanford when they worked for investment firms in New York , she at Lazard Freres and he at Goldman Sachs . The two married and moved to his native South Carolina , and she managed his campaign for Congress in 1994 . `` Mark started out with five other opponents , and he did n't really have a shot . That was the opinion of most people , '' Mosteller said . `` But she and Mark worked together and turned that thing around so that candidate three , four and five ended up throwing their support behind him , and he won . '' The two are equals intellectually , according to people who know them . She went on to manage his gubernatorial campaign in 2002 , turning her home into campaign headquarters . Jenny Sanford was more than a visible first lady of South Carolina ; she was involved in the finances of her husband 's office to an extent that drew heated criticism from his opponents . She also took a $ 70,000 deficit from the operations of the governor 's mansion and put its finances into the black . `` I pretty much am in his office in the mornings most days , and I do pretty much anything he wants me to do for him . I help to bridge the gap between things that have been commonplace themes in his life and make sure everybody in the office is on pace with his agenda , '' Jenny Sanford told Charleston 's Post and Courier in June 2005 . The governor told the newspaper that his wife is `` particularly good with financial analysis -LSB- and -RSB- working with numbers . '' She took up health as a key issue in her role as first lady , advocating nutrition , exercise and cancer prevention , serving on major boards and speaking at various functions to raise funds for disease research . `` This is a classy woman who lacks pretension , '' Mosteller said . `` I took a road trip with her last year , and she just automatically got into the back seat . When we were making a lot of appearances , and the schedules were hectic , she called and said , ` I 've figured out that the key is changing your deodorant . ' `` Jenny is someone you can talk politics with , you can talk about grand issues with , and you can also discuss deodorant , '' Mosteller said . `` She 's a remarkable , classy woman with a lot of integrity who is trying to keep it together . '' | Friend : Jenny Sanford , former Wall Street executive , is avoiding media . Gov. Mark Sanford 's wife ran his political campaigns , was major force in his career . Governor 's e-mails called `` novel that you would be embarrassed to buy '' | [[64, 77], [104, 165], [718, 741], [777, 809], [3140, 3166], [3183, 3232], [3204, 3232], [3235, 3247]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Two cable powerhouses have announced an ambitious pilot program that aims to convince their customers that , actually , TV on the web should not be free . Jeffrey Bewkes , chairman and CEO of Time Warner , speaks at the NCTA conference in Washington . With a service called TV Everywhere , Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers access to `` premium '' television content via broadband , and later cellphone connections . To begin with , 5,000 Comcast subscribers will begin testing the system next month , giving them access to Time Warner 's TBS and TNT channels on their computers , and the same channels ' video-on-demand catalogs on their cable boxes . If you made peace long ago with the idea of paying a monthly cable bill , this probably sounds great . It means watching your existing subscription on new screens without paying additional fees or buying more hardware . -LRB- Of course , as consumers adopt TV Everywhere , they can probably expect price increases . -RRB- . But if you prefer to watch your television for free on ad-supported sites like Hulu while paying only for the internet connection that delivers it , you could be in for a rude awakening . TV Everywhere represents an alternative -- and possible threat -- to the popular Hulu model . If the pilot program impresses the group -- and proves to other networks that its user-authentication system is secure -- Comcast and Time Warner expect the other television programmers , ISPs and mobile providers to join , giving all cable subscribers a way to watch the content they pay for on their televisions using any broadband-connected computer or authenticated cellphone . Already `` at least 92 percent of Americans qualify to watch this for free online , '' according to Jeff Bewkes , chairman and CEO of Time Warner . For these subscribers , TV Everywhere represents a potential win . The only question is whether they will keep paying for the old cable subscription model as their viewing habits shift online . There 's nothing to stop television networks from putting their content on both Hulu and TV Everywhere , because TV Everywhere 's contract will be non-exclusive , according to Bewkes . However , given the choice between Hulu and TV Everywhere , television programmers have an incentive to go with the latter . Only the TV Everywhere model promises to port yesterday 's lucrative business model onto today 's platforms . And that , according to some critics , is exactly the problem . '' -LSB- TV Everywhere -RSB- raises substantial anti-competitive issues by restricting the availability of programming to the favored distribution methods , '' said Gigi B. Sohn , president and co-founder of the public interest group Public Knowledge . `` Under the TV Everywhere plan , no other program distributors would be able to emerge , and no consumers will be able to ` cut the cord ' because they find what they want online . As a result , consumers will be the losers . `` In addition , we are concerned that this program violates the open nature of the internet . By adding this additional toll lane , Comcast and Time Warner want to create their own ` managed channel ' within the internet and turn the internet into their own private cable channel . '' So , what about Hulu ? Will its deals fall through given this new option ? `` There will be some part -LSB- of Time Warner 's content -RSB- that will be out there -LSB- on Hulu -RSB- , said Bewkes . `` Short-form content , I think , will continue to be available -- promotional content will continue to be available . '' However , only cable subscribers will be able to access other content online -- through officially licensed avenues , anyway . Bewkes added that some other television programmers have avoided Hulu `` for security concerns and because they did n't like the model , '' but that they will give TV Everywhere a chance . `` Consumers vote every single month with their pocketbook , '' he added . `` They do n't have to subscribe to cable . They do n't have to pay for these services , yet they do . The number of people paying for subscription television has gone up and up and up every single quarter that we 've been in the business . '' Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers online access to tv content . Program is called TV Everywhere and will begin testing next month . TV Everywhere represents alternative -- and possible threat -- to popular Hulu model . Some of Time Warner 's content will remain on Hulu.com . | [[311, 419], [472, 497], [541, 617], [278, 318], [472, 538], [1204, 1297], [3395, 3411], [3417, 3454]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- There are two good ways to buy your new car or truck at a reasonable low price and avoid all of the negotiating games and hassles : . 1 . Buy through the Internet . Buying your new or used car or truck through the Internet is the easiest and most hassle-free way to make the purchase . All you have to do is choose the vehicle brand and model you wish to purchase as well as provide some basic contact information such as your name and e-mail address . In return , you 'll receive - via e-mail - low bottom-line selling prices from dealerships in your area for the exact vehicle you want to buy . Compare the various selling prices and find the lowest one . Then , simply go direct to that dealership 's Internet Department , sign the papers and drive your new car home - no negotiating , no hassles . To begin the process , get your free price quotes from AOL Autos . It only takes a few minutes . This service is totally free and you are under no obligation or pressure to buy . AOL , like CNN , is a unit of Time Warner . Within 24 hours , you 'll receive your bottom-line selling prices from dealerships in your area . Once you 've compared the various prices and found the lowest one , you then have four good options : . • You can go to the dealership that gave you the lowest price , sign the papers and drive your new car home -- no hassles , no negotiating . AOL Autos : Best deals of the month . • You can try to negotiate the lowest price with the dealership in order to get the price even lower . There 's nothing that says you ca n't . AOL Autos : Aggressive car buying tactics . • You can shop the lowest price around to other dealerships to see if any of them are willing to beat it . AOL Autos : Which dealers treat you best ? • You can do nothing . If you feel unsure or uncertain , then set it aside for a while . You are not obligated to buy anything you do n't want . By getting these low bottom-line selling prices via the Internet , you 're avoiding the car salesman 's entire negotiating game altogether . And you 're buying your car at about the same price you would expect after lengthy negotiations . It 's certainly the fastest and easiest way to beat the car salesman . AOL Autos : New rules to car buying . 2 . Buy through the dealership 's Fleet Department . Almost every dealership has a division called the `` Fleet Department . '' It usually consists of only a handful of salespeople who specialize in selling fleets of cars -- large orders of several vehicles direct to businesses . This department is authorized by the dealership to sell their cars at bottom-line non-negotiable prices . The prices they offer are about the same as you would expect from an online price quote or after lengthy negotiations . A secret of the car business is that many dealerships ' Fleet Departments also sell direct to the public . By the rules of the game , however , they ca n't advertise to the public since they do n't want to compete with the dealership 's retail sales team . So to buy from the Fleet Department , you have to specifically ask . To buy your vehicle direct from the dealership 's Fleet Department , simply call the dealership and ask to speak with the Fleet Manager . When you get him on the line , explain to him that you 're ready to buy a car and you 'd like to buy it from him . If he asks you what business you are associated with , tell him where you work . He 'll probably be happy to set up an appointment with you . When you arrive at the dealership , the Fleet Manager will show you the vehicle , allow you to test drive it , and then bring you to the office to discuss price . With absolutely no negotiations , he 'll offer you a reasonable bottom-line non-negotiable selling price for the vehicle . If the price he gives you falls within the pre-set limits of your buying goal and you 're satisfied with the deal , then you can buy the car . No pressure , no games , no hassles . If for some reason , you do n't want to buy the vehicle , you are under no obligation . Simply thank the salesman for his time and leave on good terms . Then , if you 'd like , you can visit -LRB- or call -RRB- the Fleet Departments of other dealerships to compare prices . The selling prices offered by the various Fleet Departments can vary depending upon their inventories . AOL Autos : Have a car shopping game plan . | You can solicit best price quotes from car dealers over the Internet . You can shop the lowest price to other dealers to see if they will match or beat it . Individuals can also buy car from dealer 's Fleet Department . | [[478, 487], [490, 603], [827, 829], [850, 893], [1431, 1503], [1618, 1699], [1913, 1977], [478, 487], [490, 603], [622, 656], [622, 629], [661, 682], [1148, 1213], [1216, 1247], [1431, 1503], [1618, 1699], [1660, 1724], [4133, 4136], [4156, 4229], [2265, 2313], [2342, 2385], [2805, 2841], [2847, 2874], [3028, 3060], [3094, 3160]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I was a high school student in 1983 , when the video for `` Thriller '' was released , getting plenty of air time on MTV . By then , the network 's `` M '' could just as easily have stood for Michael . It was an event . At a time when MTV was criticizing for not featuring black artists , Michael Jackson 's success changed all that . I can remember getting together with a group of friends to watch the premiere like it was a new movie release . The video did not disappoint . Once again Michael disregarded all conventions of the genre and not just redefined , but completely re-imagined , what a music video could be . But most people do n't know that the album broke new ground in a non-musical way , too . Viewers today of MTV , with its steady stream of reality shows like `` Real World 22 - Cancun '' and `` 16 and Pregnant , '' might forget that , when it started nearly three decades ago , MTV was all music , all day . Actually , it was n't really all music . It was just what MTV considered rock music . By the late 1970s , radio formats had essentially resegregated the music world . When MTV launched in 1981 , it modeled its playlist on the popular album-oriented rock radio format of the day , which meant that music by black artists was effectively excluded from the network . You might see the occasional Jimi Hendrix clip , but there was no room for funk , disco , R&B or that new emerging form -- rap . It was n't long before the public took note of the glaring absence of African-American artists . MTV was called to task on the air in 1983 for its lack of black artists by none other than David Bowie . At about the same time , MTV famously refused to air Rick James ' `` Superfreak '' video . It defended itself by claiming it was n't a rock song . Michael Jackson changed all that . Jackson opened the door with the video for `` Billie Jean , '' which was simply too good for its time to be overlooked . He blew that door wide open with `` Beat It , '' which featured a guitar solo by the reigning rock god of the day , Eddie Van Halen . Jackson succeeded in this not just because he was a great singer , but because of his musical daring . `` Beat It '' was a song that was incapable of being slotted among the genres of the day . Yes , it had all the signatures of a rock song -- overdriven guitars , a driving tempo and a searing solo . But it had more . It had a backbeat . You could dance to it . You wanted to dance to it . And the viewers loved it , regardless of their race or ethnicity . iReport.com : Share stories of Jackson 's success , legacy . Jackson 's effect on MTV was both immediate and permanent . His videos became cultural events and his success laid waste to the notion that white rock audiences would n't tune in for `` black '' music . In the aftermath of Jackson 's breakthrough success , MTV helped usher rap into the mainstream with shows like `` Yo ! MTV Raps , '' and black artists like Prince and Chaka Khan became mainstays of the network . It was n't long before young people schooled on a diet that ranged from Public Enemy to AC/DC began to experiment with what those genres would sound like if they were combined -- just as Jackson had done with `` Beat It . '' The outcome was some of the most interesting music of the next decade . Artists like Linkin Park , Rage Against the Machine , P.O.D. and Beck all owe a debt of gratitude to Jackson for creating a welcoming environment . And we as fans all owe him the acknowledgment reserved for those individuals whose achievements transcend their chosen field and reshape the world around us . Watch fans in Los Angeles react to Jackson 's death '' I was always mournful about the sad spectacle his life became in recent years . But that should not detract from the meteor-like impact he had on popular culture at his peak . Michael Jackson was the Jackie Robinson of MTV . He disregarded the conventional categories of the day and created something that was both new and immediately accessible to millions of listeners . In so doing , he forced an industry still informed by stubborn prejudices to rethink itself . Most successful entertainers can ride in tandem with the zeitgeist for only so long before they drift away . Michael Jackson did more than that . He inhabited the zeitgeist and bent it to his will . No matter where his life may have gone after that , it can not overshadow this transcendent moment . | Michael Jackson 's breakthrough success forced MTV to rethink itself . MTV had been criticized for not airing videos by black artists . Many viewers , regardless of race or ethnicity , loved Jackson 's videos . | [[239, 305], [308, 353], [2803, 2854], [2857, 2897], [239, 305], [308, 353], [1464, 1537], [1538, 1642]] |
Editor 's note : Kevin Fenton is director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS , Viral Hepatitis , STD and TB Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Fenton has written for journals including The Lancet , AIDS , the British Medical Journal and the Journal of Infectious Diseases . After graduating from medical school , Fenton earned his Masters in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from University College London . Dr. Kevin Fenton urges Americans to get tested for HIV . ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Every 9 1/2 minutes someone 's brother , mother , sister , father , or neighbor becomes infected with HIV in the United States . That 's 56,000 people every year . But there 's something we can all do to help protect ourselves and our partners from this disease -- get tested for HIV . In the fight against HIV , I can tell you that few things are more important than testing . It 's an essential step in reducing the number of new HIV infections and extending the lives of those who are infected . Put simply , HIV testing saves lives . As a CDC official , I 've spoken with hundreds of people who have made the decision to get tested . Many described the relief they felt when they found out they were HIV-negative . Thanks to the HIV test , they could take steps to make sure they and their partners stay that way . I 've also met people who found out they were HIV-positive . Although initially worried about their diagnosis and their future , they were thankful they had their infection diagnosed early , and were able to live long , healthy and productive lives with HIV . They had the knowledge and will to protect their partners from infection , or to prevent their infants from becoming HIV infected . I recently met one young woman who learned about her HIV infection after being diagnosed during routine HIV testing in pregnancy . By getting tested early , and having access to effective treatment , her child was born without HIV , and she now has two healthy children . She is a living testament that life does not stop with this disease . Instead , knowledge of her HIV status along with effective treatment and care has given her the freedom , resolve and respect to make choices to protect her life and the lives of those she loves . Yet today , not everyone has benefited from knowing their HIV status . Far too many individuals with HIV do n't know that they 're infected . CDC estimates that one in five people with HIV in the United States is unaware of being infected . That 's more than 200,000 Americans who may be transmitting the virus to others without knowing it , and who ca n't take advantage of HIV treatments that could prolong and improve the quality of their lives . As we mark National HIV Testing Day on Saturday , I strongly encourage all Americans to get tested for HIV . At CDC , our goal is to make HIV testing as routine as a blood pressure check . HIV testing has never been quicker , easier or more accessible . In fact , with rapid HIV tests , results can be available in as little as 20 minutes , and tests can be given in your doctor 's office or other locations in your community , such as churches and college campuses . To ensure that all Americans know their HIV status , CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV as part of routine medical care -- regardless of their perceived risk for infection . CDC also recommends that those at increased risk , such as sexually active gay and bisexual men , get tested at least annually . We are also working with our partners to bring HIV testing services directly to communities across the nation . Increased HIV testing will make it possible to significantly reduce the number of new infections . Research indicates the majority of new sexually transmitted HIV infections are transmitted by people who do not know they are HIV-infected . Studies also show that most people who test HIV-positive take steps to protect their partners from infection . Nearly 30 years after the start of the epidemic , far too many people continue to be diagnosed late in the course of their infection . Too many times , I 've heard stories from people who went to the emergency room after a few days of flu-like symptoms . Once there , doctors conduct tests and inform them they have both pneumonia and AIDS . They never knew they were HIV infected , and yet they had the virus for years . In fact , data released today show that nearly 40 percent of people develop AIDS within just a year of being diagnosed with HIV . Many of these people could have stayed healthier if they were diagnosed with HIV and began drug treatment much earlier . Anti-retroviral treatment can lower the amount of the virus in the blood , slowing progression from HIV to AIDS . We must remember that AIDS still kills in this country -- more than 14,000 people die every year . Yet we have the tools to diagnose an HIV infection early , to begin life-prolonging treatments to prevent progression to AIDS , and to ensure a strong quality of life for HIV-infected people . But without a test , there is no diagnosis -- and no treatment . The fight against HIV here at home is far from over . But too many mistakenly believe that HIV in the United States is no longer a serious problem . In fact , a recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found a troubling decline in awareness and concern about the domestic HIV/AIDS crisis , in the general population and among those at greatest risk . To help combat this complacency , the White House recently joined CDC and the rest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to announce a new communication campaign , `` Act Against AIDS . '' The campaign is working on a number of fronts to refocus national attention on the U.S. epidemic , and to increase the number of Americans who get tested for HIV . Although HIV/AIDS continues to pose a serious threat to the nation 's health , HIV testing is a powerful weapon against the disease . By increasing the number of people who know their HIV status , we can decrease the number of new HIV infections , and help save thousands of lives . What you do n't know can hurt you . In fact , it can kill you . But a simple test could change your fate and the fate of others . That 's why today I urge all Americans to take the test -- and take control . To learn more about HIV/AIDS and where you can receive a confidential HIV test , visit hivtest.org , call 800-CDC-INFO , or text your ZIP code to `` Know It '' -LRB- 566948 -RRB- . For comprehensive information about HIV prevention , visit http://www.cdc.gov/nineandahalfminutes/index.html , the Web site for the first phase of CDC 's recently-launched Act Against AIDS campaign . | Fenton : Testing is essential to reducing the number of new HIV infections . Many who get tested are relieved when they find out they are negative after all . Those who are positive can prolong their lives and ensure the health of loved ones . | [[502, 558], [974, 1075], [3722, 3820], [3754, 3820], [6135, 6185], [1234, 1314], [1249, 1259], [1265, 1314], [1340, 1398], [1544, 1548], [1610, 1674]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A sharply divided House of Representatives narrowly passed a White House-backed climate change bill Friday after hours of cajoling and arm-twisting by Democratic leaders among members worried about the legislation 's potential economic and political fallout . The House of Representatives passes an energy bill that includes a `` cap-and-trade '' program on emissions . The bill passed 219-212 , with virtually no Republican support . The bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a so-called `` cap-and-trade '' program under which companies would buy and sell emissions credits . Among other things , the bill would also require utilities to generate an increasing amount of power from renewable sources . Even before daybreak Friday , consternation over the bill brewed anew . The Democrats released a 301-page amendment to the bill at 3:09 a.m. Friday , drawing protest from Republican Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio . `` This is the biggest job-killing bill that has ever been on the floor of the House of Representatives . Right here . This bill , '' Boehner said . The leaders of the House are customarily granted unlimited speaking time , but when the Boehner 's speech went more than 2 1/2 hours , Democrats objected . `` Is this an attempt to try to get some people to leave on a close vote ? '' asked Rep Henry Waxman , D-California , the bill 's lead sponsor . Also Friday , the House of Representatives phone switchboard went down as conservative radio hosts and congressmen made direct pleas for voters to dial the Capitol to voice their opposition to the bill . `` Phone traffic has increased to a level where some callers are receiving an ` all circuits are busy now , please try back again later ' message , '' communications director Jeff Ventura said via e-mail . Congressional sources said Democrats were hoping their constituents would also attempt to match phone calls opposed to the bill with phone calls for the bill . `` Call your congressman , right now ! '' urged Rep. Mike Pence , R-Indiana , from the House floor as the chamber seemed near a vote . Ventura said the bill was likely behind the phone-line crash . `` The suspected cause ... is believed to be interest and inquiries regarding the expected vote on the climate bill , '' he wrote . The House vote came one day after President Obama made an urgent plea for congressional approval in what could be an early make-or-break test of his young administration . `` Now is the time for us to lead , '' Obama said during an appearance Thursday in the White House Rose Garden . `` We can not be afraid of the future . We can not be prisoners to the past . '' The president said the bill will spark a `` clean energy transformation '' of the U.S. economy and `` make possible the creation of millions of new jobs . '' `` Make no mistake , '' he emphasized . `` This is a jobs bill . '' Several moderate and conservative Democrats indicated that they received heavy constituent pressure in the final hours to buck their party leadership and vote against the bill . `` I ca n't begin to tell you how many calls we 've received , '' said Rep. Charles Gonzalez , D-Texas . `` And it 's disproportionately vote ` no . ' '' Gonzalez , who voted `` yes , '' believes special interest groups generated many of the calls on both sides , including the late surge of negative feedback . However , Gonzalez also said Obama tried to counter much of that pressure by personally reaching out to swing members since Thursday night . Republicans have argued the bill would have the unintended consequence of devastating the country 's battered industrial base while pushing polluting industries to countries with lower environmental standards . Having cleared the House , the bill now faces an unclear future in the Senate , where Democratic leaders have held off on introducing their own version of the legislation . CNN 's Evan Glass contributed to this report . | Democratic leaders , Obama twist arms to get politically dicey bill passed . Bill would reduce nationwide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 . GOP says bill would drive polluting companies to less-regulated countries . Bill faces unclear future in Senate , where it has not been introduced . | [[2363, 2534], [2397, 2534], [3586, 3796], [3603, 3796], [3586, 3597], [3718, 3796], [3824, 3874]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- United States accident investigators are probing two recent failures of airspeed and altitude indications aboard Airbus A330s -- the same type of plane that crashed into the Atlantic nearly a month ago . Investigators are looking into incidents aboard two other Airbus A330s . The planes landed safely and there were no injuries or damage , the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday . One flight was between the United States and Brazil in May and the other between Hong Kong and Japan in June . The probes were launched in the aftermath of the June 1 crash in the Atlantic Ocean -- when Air France Flight 447 was flying to Paris , France , from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . All 228 people on board the plane , an A330 , were killed . Investigators are looking at the possible role of airspeed sensors known as pitot tubes , among other factors , as a possible cause of the Flight 447 crash . That flight sent 24 automated error messages in the four minutes before it crashed , the head of the French accident investigation board , Paul-Louis Arslanian , has said . The error messages all indicate there were problems with on-board information about the plane 's speed , which can cause some of the plane 's instruments to stop functioning , Arslanian said . Search teams are looking for the bulk of the plane 's wreckage and for its flight data recorders . The first of the two incidents being investigated by the NTSB happened May 21 , when a TAM Airlines flight from Miami , Florida , to Sao Paulo , Brazil , experienced a loss of primary speed and altitude information while in flight , the NTSB said . `` Initial reports indicate that the flight crew noted an abrupt drop in indicated outside air temperature , followed by the loss of the Air Data Reference System and disconnections of the autopilot and autothrust , along with the loss of speed and altitude information , '' the NTSB said . The flight crew used backup instruments and the primary data was restored in about five minutes , the NTSB said . Another `` possibly similar '' incident happened June 23 on a Northwest Airlines flight between Hong Kong and Tokyo , Japan , the NTSB said . Investigators from the NTSB are gathering data recorder information , monitoring system messages , crew statements and weather information , the NTSB said . | Probe involves two failures of airspeed and altitude indications aboard A330s . On June 1 , an Air France A330 crashed into the Atlantic . Investigators are looking at the possible role of airspeed sensors in that crash . The planes involved in the other two incidents landed safely . | [[0, 26], [30, 155], [234, 306], [1106, 1208], [1483, 1484], [1552, 1628], [1647, 1916], [176, 181], [187, 233], [539, 622], [775, 841], [307, 331]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson knew `` exactly how his fate would be played out '' and feared his death would echo that of Elvis Presley , Lisa Marie Presley wrote in an online blog posted Friday morning . Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley in 1994 . Presley says , `` I loved him very much '' and believes he loved her . Presley -- the daughter of Elvis , the `` King of Rock , '' and the ex-wife of Jackson , the `` King of Pop '' -- wrote on her MySpace page that she wanted `` to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once . '' Her publicist confirmed Presley wrote the blog . She said her short marriage to Jackson -- from May 1994 until January 1996 -- `` was not ' a sham ' as is being reported in the press , '' but she divorced him because she was `` in over my head in trying '' to save Jackson `` from the inevitable , which is what has just happened . '' Jackson talked with her about his death during `` a deep conversation '' 14 years ago about `` the circumstances of my father 's death . '' Watch more from Presley on Jackson '' `` At some point he paused , he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty , ' I am afraid that I am going to end up like him , the way he did , ' '' Presley wrote . `` I promptly tried to deter him from the idea , at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know , he knew what he knew and that was kind of that . '' That conversation haunted Presley as she watched television coverage of Jackson 's death Thursday , she said . `` I am sitting here watching on the news -LSB- as -RSB- an ambulance leaves the driveway of his home , the big gates , the crowds outside the gates , the coverage , the crowds outside the hospital , the cause of death and what may have led up to it and the memory of this conversation hit me , as did the unstoppable tears , '' she wrote . `` A predicted ending by him , by loved ones and by me , but what I did n't predict was how much it was going to hurt when it finally happened . '' Elvis Presley collapsed in the bathroom of his Memphis , Tennessee , mansion -- Graceland -- on August 16 , 1977 , at the age of 42 . While his death was ruled the result of an irregular heartbeat , the autopsy report was sealed amid accusations that abuse of prescription drugs caused the problem . `` As I sit here overwhelmed with sadness , reflection and confusion at what was my biggest failure to date , watching on the news almost play by play the exact scenario I saw happen on August 16 , 1977 , happening again right now with Michael -LRB- A sight I never wanted to see again -RRB- just as he predicted , I am truly , truly gutted , '' she wrote . `` I wanted to ` save him ' , '' she wrote . `` I wanted to save him from the inevitable , which is what has just happened . '' `` The hardest decision I have ever had to make , which was to walk away and let his fate have him , even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow , '' Presley wrote . Their marriage , which some suggested was only to help Jackson 's image , was real , she said . `` It was an unusual relationship , yes , where two unusual people who did not live or know a ` normal life ' found a connection , perhaps with some suspect timing on his part , '' she wrote . `` Nonetheless , I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much . '' Presley called Jackson `` an incredibly dynamic force and power that was not to be underestimated . '' `` When he used it for something good , it was the best and when he used it for something bad , It was really , REALLY bad , '' she wrote . Presley 's blog entry ended with a thank you to those who would read it . `` I really needed to say this right now , thanks for listening . '' Presley 's blog can be found online at http://bit.ly/5wR7p . | Lisa-Marie Presley , Jackson were married from 1994 to 1996 . She says Jackson feared he would die like her father , Elvis Presley . Presley says their marriage was not `` a sham '' as press has said . `` I wanted to save him from the inevitable , '' she says . | [[44, 165], [0, 3], [116, 165], [2776, 2798], [2821, 2861], [3014, 3015], [3042, 3077]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- There 's a photo of the Jackson family on the cover of the September 24 , 1971 , issue of Life magazine . In it , Joseph and Katherine Jackson stand at the foot of a set of stairs , their star children -- known as the Jackson 5 -- arrayed behind them . The Jackson brothers , here in the 1970s , were driven to be great by their father , Joseph . They appear to be the all-American clan , gold records arranged behind them , the boys loose and smiling , the parents more awkward and serious in their demeanor . Over the years , that façade crumbled . The brothers bickered ; some made accusations of abuse . But the group remained tight-knit through crises , including Thursday 's tragedy , when Michael Jackson collapsed at his house and later died at UCLA Medical Center . The journey began with music in Gary , Indiana . Joseph Jackson , the patriarch , played in a short-lived band called the Falcons -LRB- no relation to the Detroit-based group featuring Wilson Pickett -RRB- in the 1950s . His primary job , however , was as a crane operator at U.S. Steel . Katherine Jackson , the musical and devoutly religious woman who he married in 1949 , tended to the couple 's large family : Rebbie , Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , La Toya , Marlon , Michael and Randy , all born between 1950 and 1961 . Daughter Janet arrived in 1966 . By that time , the three oldest boys -- Jackie , Tito and Jermaine -- had started their own group , which Marlon and Michael eventually joined . Joseph Jackson saw a chance for his sons to have the musical career he 'd found elusive . Joseph Jackson admitted being a harsh taskmaster . He drove his sons hard , forcing them to rehearse with a James Brown-like intensity . He was n't above emphasizing his feelings to his seventh child , Michael . `` My father teased me and I just hated it and I cried every day , '' Michael told Oprah Winfrey in 1993 . He said his father also beat him : `` He was very strict , very hard , very stern . ... There 's been times when he 'd come to see me , I 'd get sick , I 'd start to regurgitate . '' He quickly said , imagining his father 's reaction , `` Please do n't be mad at me . '' Joseph Jackson disputed the word `` beat , '' but did n't question Michael 's account . `` I whipped him with a switch and a belt , '' he told the BBC in 2003 . He added , `` I never beat him . You beat someone with a stick . '' In a 2005 interview with CNN 's Larry King , Jermaine defended his father 's actions . `` We grew up like any other black family . You did something , you got your butt tore up , and it was n't tore up , it was just , you got a spanking , '' he said . `` I will say this . He kept us off of the streets . He kept us away from drugs . He kept us away from gangs and ... we 've been able to project a talent out there and have the support of strong people to entertain the world . '' By 1968 , when Michael turned 10 , the Jackson 5 was a professional musical machine . They 'd won an Apollo Theater talent night the previous year and were working the `` chitlin circuit '' of black clubs when producer Bobby Taylor urged Motown to sign the group . Motown founder Berry Gordy was impressed and made them `` the last big stars to come off my assembly line , '' according to a biography on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Web site . The group shot out of the gate with four No. 1 hits and gained a huge fan base , along with an animated TV show . But success took its toll , particularly when it was n't so easy to come by . In the mid-1970s , the band -- minus Jermaine , who 'd married Gordy 's daughter Hazel -- moved to Epic Records , where they were produced by the Philadelphia soul-funk team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff . The two remember nothing but good times from the sessions , which produced two albums and the Top 10 hit `` Enjoy Yourself . '' `` It was a collaboration , '' Gamble said . `` They all participated in creating . Tito was a great guitarist -- they were all great musicians . '' Huff said he visited the Jackson compound during a trip to California and remembered a warm family setting , complete with a `` fantastic meal '' cooked by Katherine Jackson . `` I 've got nothing but respect for the father , '' added Gamble . `` He 's a great man . He made something out of nothing . '' Even during that era , however , Michael was standing out . Gamble and Huff recalled him taking a keen interest in recording technology and the way he sounded . Going solo with Quincy Jones producing , as he did in 1979 , was the right move , Gamble and Huff said . The family dynamics kept changing as the siblings grew older . After Michael 's `` Thriller '' became the biggest album of all time , the brothers -- including Jermaine -- regrouped for a new album , `` Victory , '' and accompanying tour . But Michael , now the undisputed draw , disagreed with some of the tour plans and ended up donating his earnings to charity . Michael 's brightened spotlight boosted the careers of his siblings ; even Rebbie had a hit . But it was Janet who broke out with the most success , including the No. 1 singles `` Miss You Much , '' `` Black Cat '' and `` Again '' in the 1980s and '90s . With the increased interest in the Jacksons came tabloid scrutiny of the family 's every move . When La Toya appeared nude in Playboy magazine , the story made headlines . She later criticized Michael and was on the outs for several years . Jermaine put out a song called `` Word to the Badd , '' an attack on Michael , in 1991 ; he later changed the lyrics . Janet 's relationships were probed in detail , as were the brothers ' marriages . And Michael , of course , was seen as increasingly eccentric , his personality overwhelming his music . But for all their own bickering , the family closed ranks when a member was attacked . In 1992 , Jermaine co-produced `` The Jacksons : An American Dream , '' a TV miniseries based on Katherine Jackson 's memoir , which chronicled their rise to stardom . When Michael faced molestation allegations in the early '90s and was tried in 2005 , the family rallied around . `` The Jackson family was groomed to be a team , '' said Linda Johnson Rice , president and CEO of Ebony and Jet magazines ' Johnson Publishing and a longtime family friend . `` As you can see through their performances , they were always there for each other . '' In recent years , La Toya has appeared on the reality shows `` Armed and Famous '' and the UK `` Celebrity Big Brother . '' She originally had a scene in the forthcoming Sacha Baron Cohen movie , `` Bruno , '' but CNN confirmed the scene has been cut , `` out of respect for Jackson 's family , '' the studio told The -LRB- UK -RRB- Guardian . Jermaine , who converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Abdul-Aziz , appeared on `` Celebrity Big Brother '' in 2007 . Jackie runs a record label , Tito remains involved in the music business , and according to a 2008 article in the New York Post , Marlon and Randy have struggled financially . In the hospital emergency room Thursday , Randy and Jermaine were witnessed hugging and crying over their late brother . `` We 're a family , '' Jermaine told Larry King in the 2005 interview . `` We 're no different than any other family who has feuds and problems . ... But at the same time , we 're united , and we have a united front that is very , very strong , and it 's supported by God . `` My mother and father did a great job in instilling the morals and principles in us from the very beginning . We feel that with that , that 's all you need to go through life . '' CNN 's Alan Duke contributed to this article . | Jackson family has been in spotlight along with Michael . Father Joseph was a sometimes rough taskmaster . Siblings have been in news for relationships , intrafamily bickering . But group closes ranks when member is in trouble , as happened with Michael . | [[4943, 5010], [1584, 1634], [570, 591], [594, 626], [5999, 6081], [6084, 6111]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Refugees are the most vulnerable people on Earth . They are fighting to survive . '' -- Angelina Jolie , United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees goodwill ambassador . Children play in floodwater at a Pakistan refugee camp after floods displaced residents in August 2008 . The world 's population at the end of last year included 42 million displaced people , 80 percent of them in developing nations , according to a report this week by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . Many of these refugees are living in minimal standards for shelter and are exposed daily to the harshest elements of weather , the report says . For example , in Pakistan , some 300,000 refugees are living outdoors , in tents or similar structures , said Michael Kocher , vice president of international programs for the International Rescue Committee . That part of the world has been hit hard by extreme weather over the past couple of months . First , extreme heat plagued Pakistan , with temperatures in May and June soaring past 100 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- 38 degrees Celsius -RRB- . The heat is escalating the discomfort for many . `` People are living in cramped situations , often unsanitary situations , and it 's very hot , '' Kocher said . `` In many places , there is not enough clean water or adequate sanitation . Heat exacerbates that problem . '' As World Refugee Day approaches -- it falls on Saturday this year -- the forecast calls for even more dramatic weather changes in the coming weeks . In Southeast Asia , long stretches of scorching temperatures are usually the prelude to the rainy , or monsoon , season . Watch Angelina Jolie talk to CNN 's Anderson Cooper about the world 's refugee problem '' The term `` monsoon '' refers to a seasonal reversal of wind that typically occurs in late June or early July . For countries like Pakistan and India , this change brings daily , nonstop downpours . The change in the weather is essential for local crops , according to John Fasullo , project scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research . `` The Southeast Asian monsoon is the key source for regional agriculture , '' he told CNN . `` It provides the majority of the moisture to support food needs for one-half the world 's population . ... It also brings a beneficial cooling of the temperatures . '' The problem is , monsoon rains can also cause devastating floods . Fasullo says the threat for flooding can be `` continual from late June through early September . '' In Pakistan , for example , where agencies have witnessed a large increase in displaced people over the past year , the monsoon of 2008 was particularly intense . If 2009 brings similar floods to the country , there will be a new threat for refugees exposed to the storms : mud . Watch how the monsoon is affecting refugees '' `` The camps are quite threadbare , '' Kocher said . `` Tents are held to the ground by rope . It 's hard to keep people dry . The ground gets muddy , which can lead to dirty water and bad sanitation facilities . '' Vulnerability to nature 's dangerous elements is not only a concern for people displaced in Pakistan . Refugees in Afghanistan are subject to brutal winters , while in Iraq , scorching heat and sandstorms are common challenges for those without sufficient shelter . Of World Refugee Day , actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie says , `` Please do not forget them , and remember them on this day . '' Here are answers to some commonly asked questions : . • How can I help world refugees that are exposed to the monsoon season and other weather dangers ? Go to CNN.com / ImpactYour World . There , you will find links to charities that help refugees and others in need . • Does the monsoon season affect the weather in the United States ? Southern Arizona and parts of New Mexico see heavy rain during the North American monsoon season , which runs from June 15 through September 30 . This time of year , the wind shifts , tapping into moisture from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico , and producing strong thunderstorms that bring the majority of the region 's annual rainfall . | As World Refugee Day approaches , monsoons could compound refugees ' troubles . World contains 42 million displaced people -- 80 percent in developing nations . In Pakistan , the 2008 monsoon season brought rains that flooded refugee camps . UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie : `` Please do not forget them '' | [[1398, 1426], [2821, 2867], [2831, 2867], [300, 427], [195, 299], [256, 299], [2390, 2407], [2419, 2439], [2541, 2552], [2657, 2703], [2831, 2867], [3350, 3417], [3420, 3482]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The teenage niece of golf superstar Tiger Woods has failed to make the cut in her first professional tournament . Cheyenne Woods was handed entry into the Wegmans tournament on a sponsor 's invite . Cheyenne Woods was four strokes shy of qualifying for the weekend rounds of the LPGA Tour 's Wegmans event at Locust Hill in Rochester , New York . The 18-year-old had to complete her second round on Saturday along with half of the 140-player field due to delays of almost five hours following thunderstorms in the area . Competing on a sponsor 's invite , the college amateur followed up her opening 75 with a two-over-par 74 to be well down the field . She had been two-under for the round after 10 holes on Friday , but fell back again with a triple-bogey at the par-four 12th before finishing strongly with a birdie . Cheyenne is the daughter of world No. 1 Tiger 's half-brother , Earl Jnr . Defending champion Eun-Hee Ji also missed the cut after completing a 71 which saw her seven over the card . South Korean Shin Jiyai had led by three strokes overnight after posting a 68 which gave her a 36-hole total of 11-under-par 133 . However , Morgan Pressel reduced that advantage to just a single stroke when she picked up two birdies to complete a 66 , leaving her one shot ahead of third-placed fellow American Stacy Lewis . | Cheyenne Woods four strokes shy of qualifying for final rounds of Wegmans event . The 18-year-old completed a weather-delayed second round of 74 on Saturday . The college amateur opened her debut LPGA Tour tournament with a 75 . Playing on sponsor 's invite , she is daughter of Tiger Woods ' half-brother . | [[218, 352], [366, 539], [366, 381], [386, 426], [575, 644], [627, 672], [627, 672], [133, 217], [540, 572]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A defiant and chaotic protest sprouted in and around a public square Monday despite a warning by Iran 's Revolutionary Guard against the kind of street demonstrations that have roiled Iran for more than a week , witnesses said . Security forces patrol the streets of Tehran on Monday . Thousands of Iranians congregated and passed through Haft-e Tir Square , but riot police and the pro-government Basij militia confronted them and smacked their batons against their shin guards , making loud cracking sounds that seemed like gunshots , the witnesses said . As the protests continued , an election official with the Interior Ministry said the `` box-by-box details '' of the ballots -- which were confidential in previous elections -- would be released in response to claims that the election was rigged , Press TV reported . Iran 's Guardian Council declared President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner of the election with 62.63 percent of the vote . His closest rival , Mir Hossein Moussavi , received 33.75 percent , surprising many experts who expected him to win . Iranians have continued protesting the results by taking to the streets . Most stores around the square were closed as the unrest reverberated , with some guarding against damage by erecting steel fences on their windows . Helicopters hovered overhead as the security forces wielded batons and used a spray to push the crowd out of the square . After that , police chased down demonstrators in nearby alleys and streets , with protesters and lawmen playing cat and mouse over several tension-filled hours until the crowd began to thin out around dusk . There were isolated face-offs and quarrels that broke out between demonstrators and the riot police and the Basij militia -- a volunteer paramilitary force that takes orders from the Revolutionary Guard , a military unit under the direct control of Iran 's supreme leader . There were no reports of serious injuries , but there were at least eight arrests , witnesses said . `` Thirty years after the revolution , this is what we get , '' one man said dejectedly , watching the noisy and chaotic scene as he remembered the birth and the promise of Iran 's Islamic revolution in 1979 . The location was the spot where a vigil was to be held in memory of Neda , a young woman who became a symbol for the opposition after her death was caught on camera . While Internet postings on Twitter , Facebook and an Iranian opposition leader 's Web site had mentioned a possible rally , it was unclear whether people who were at the square were there for a vigil . Some people were clad in black , a symbol of mourning , but placards and banners about Neda and candles have not been seen . However , security forces and demonstrators appeared at the square at the time the vigil was to be held . Watch how women are on front line of protests '' Meanwhile , a message on opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi 's Facebook page , which could not be authenticated , called for a peaceful demonstration in Tehran on Thursday to honor the dead . `` We are waiting for the route of the march to be announced as well as the location of the sit-in , '' the message said . `` Presently the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic seems to be the safest place for the sit-in , so that we can mourn for our martyrs in a place that is close to the spirit of that free man . Demonstrators Monday had brushed off a warning from the Revolutionary Guard that people who `` disturb the peace and stand up to security forces '' would be met with a strong response . The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency quoted the Revolutionary Guard as saying `` the guardians of the Islamic revolution and the courageous Basiji together with the security forces following the orders of the supreme leader and following him unquestioningly . '' It said the authorities `` are determined to act strongly to return peace and tranquility to society ... and to clean the country of these plotters and hooligans . '' Iran 's Revolutionary Guard is directly under the control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and enforces the government 's Islamic codes and morality . With more than 200,000 members , it is tasked with overseeing the country 's crucial interests , including guarding its oil fields and missile arsenals . The regime 's lawmakers called for a review of ties with Britain amid concerns over so-called Western `` meddling '' in the country 's daily unrest . The government-funded Press TV reported that Iranian lawmakers were calling for a review of the country 's ties with Britain because of its `` interference in Iran 's recent post-election unrest . '' Britain 's Foreign Office announced Monday it is withdrawing the family members of its embassy staff from Iran until the situation there improves . 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 . Al-Arabiya , a Dubai-based Arab satellite network , said its Tehran bureau was ordered closed . At least 19 people were killed in clashes in Tehran on Saturday as Iranians took to the streets to protest the results of the June 12 presidential election , according to hospital sources . Iranian-funded Press TV confirmed 13 fatalities , while unconfirmed reports put the number as high as 150 . Tehran 's prosecutor general 's office said it has launched an investigation into the killings . Watch one woman 's account of clashes with security forces '' The station also said police arrested 457 people Saturday who vandalized property . See images of the clashes Saturday '' Moussavi has called on Iranians to `` exercise self-control , '' while still supporting their right to demonstrate , a statement attributed to Moussavi said late Sunday on the candidate 's Web site , Ghalam news . CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of the site . Watch Iran 's former crown prince call election a `` fraud '' '' On Monday , the site was intermittently inaccessible , but said at one point that Moussavi had met with a group of clerics in the city of Ghom on Monday morning to discuss current events . A spokesman for the Guardian Council told state television that Wednesday is the last day it can recount the votes disputed by candidates . | NEW : Interior Ministry will release box-by-box ballot details , Press TV reports . Basij militia smack batons against shin guards as protesters pass through square . Helicopters hover as thousands play cat and mouse with police , witnesses say . At least 8 reported arrested , but no reports of serious injuries . | [[591, 616], [619, 715], [839, 858], [396, 472], [396, 444], [465, 511], [1356, 1390], [245, 261], [1324, 1375], [1395, 1445], [1528, 1605], [2012, 2028], [5549, 5607], [1976, 2009]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that he wo n't push to visit the site of the destroyed World Trade Center during his visit to the United Nations next week . Iran 's president said he wanted to `` pay his respects '' and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks . The controversial leader asked to `` pay his respects '' and lay a wreath at the site of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks , but New York city officials on Wednesday denied that request , citing safety concerns at what is now a construction site . Ahmadinejad said he would try to visit the site `` if we have the time and the conditions are conducive . '' But if local officials can not make the proper arrangements , `` I wo n't insist , '' he said in an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS ' `` 60 Minutes . '' The Bush administration considers Iran a state sponsor of terrorism , and State Department spokesman Tom Casey called the request `` the height of hypocrisy . '' CBS correspondent Scott Pelley told Ahmadinejad he `` must have known that visiting the World Trade Center site would infuriate many Americans . '' `` Well , I 'm amazed , '' he said , surprised by the question . `` How can you speak for the whole of the American nation ? The American nation is made up of 300 million people . There are different points of view over there . '' More than 2,700 people died in the attack on the World Trade Center , when al Qaeda terrorists flew hijacked passenger jets into the twin towers . A third jet hit the Pentagon , and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers resisted their hijackers . Iran is ruled by a Shiite Muslim government hostile to the fundamentalist Sunni al Qaeda . Ahmadinejad 's predecessor , Mohammed Khatami , condemned the attacks and cooperated with the U.S.-led campaign to topple al Qaeda 's Taliban allies in Afghanistan that followed . But the United States calls Iran the world 's top state sponsor of terrorism because of its support of the Lebanese Shiite Muslim militia Hezbollah and other militant groups . Washington and Tehran have not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980 after Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and held Americans hostage for 444 days . The Bush administration has also accused Iran of meddling in Iraq and Afghanistan , where U.S. troops are battling Taliban and al Qaeda remnants more than six years after the September 11 , 2001 , attacks . It accuses Iran of supplying advanced explosives to Shiite Muslim militias , some of which have used the devices against U.S. troops . Ahmadinejad also has drawn fire for his hard-line anti-Israel stance and his insistence that Iran will defy international demands that it halt its production of enriched uranium . Iran insists it is producing nuclear fuel for civilian power plants , but Washington accuses Tehran of trying to create a nuclear bomb . The Iranian leader has made statements suggesting that Israel be politically `` wiped off the map , '' though he insists that can be accomplished without violence . He has questioned the existence of the Holocaust , the genocidal Nazi campaign against European Jews , and warned Europeans that they may pay a heavy price for its support of Israel . Ahmadinejad is also slated to speak on the campus of Columbia University during his visit , university President Lee Bollinger said . His presence is likely to spark protests on and off campus . Bollinger said the appearance is part of the World Leaders Forum -- an annual university event `` intended to further Columbia 's long-standing tradition of serving as a major forum for robust debate . '' E-mail to a friend . | Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had asked to visit ground zero . City officials turned down request ; Iranian president says he wo n't insist . The United States calls Iran the world 's top state sponsor of terrorism . The Iranian leader questioned why such a visit would be considered insulting . | [[205, 323], [324, 438], [564, 614], [0, 18], [28, 204], [445, 563], [735, 736], [738, 753], [830, 897], [1913, 2084]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Transportation investigators Wednesday discovered `` anomalies '' in an essential control circuit of a track where a fatal crash between two Washington subway trains killed nine people . Investigators work Tuesday at the site of the Metro train crash in Washington . Each section of the transit system 's track contains a circuit that transmits and receives signals that generate speed commands for trains , said Debbie Hersman of the National Transportation Safety Board . She said the circuits are `` vital providing information to the operators and the train itself when on automatic . '' Investigators found no problems in five of the six circuits on the stretch of track in the crash area . But they found `` anomalies '' with the sixth circuit , Hersman said . She would not say what those anomalies were but said simulated crash tests would be conducted to try and determine what caused the deadly accident . The findings could mean that the striking train , which was on automatic , did not know to slow down because another train was stopped on the track ahead . Hersman said investigators walked the tracks Wednesday , finding markings on the track that indicated emergency braking had taken place . Investigators hoped Thursday to interview the operator of the struck train , who was released from a hospital Wednesday . The driver of the striking train was killed . The crash , the worst in the history of Washington 's transit system , known as the Metro , occurred along the congested Red Line just before 5 p.m. Monday on an above-ground track section near Takoma Park , Maryland . Both cars were on the same track , traveling in the same direction -- southward from Fort Totten Metrorail station to the Shady Grove station . The struck train had stopped behind another train undergoing service and was awaiting directions to move ahead . The striking train was pulling some of the oldest cars in the fleet of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . On Wednesday , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he plans to seek $ 3 billion for Metro transit capital improvements , some of which would likely be spent to replace some those old Series 1000 cars , purchased between 1974 and 1978 . Upon impact , the train pulling those Series 1000 cars jumped on top of the other train . All the fatalities were on the striking train , Train 112 , Metro transit spokeswoman Angela Gates told CNN on Wednesday . In the collision , the front car of the striking train was severely damaged , leaving minimal space for survivability , said Hersman . According to one report , 50 feet of the 75-foot length of that lead car were lost to the accident , leaving only one-third of the space after the crushing impact . Watch Hersman talk about previous warnings '' The NTSB recommended in 2006 that Metro transit replace or retrofit all of its Series 1000 trains , to bring them up to current safety standards . Metro transit responded that because it was constrained by tax-advantage leases , it intended to keep the 1000 Series until the end of 2014 . `` Our recommendation was not addressed , so it -LSB- the case -RSB- has been closed in an unacceptable status , '' Hersman said . The NTSB has no regulatory powers and ca n't force implementation . Watch Hersman talk about the computer systems '' `` The safety of our citizens is our highest priority and we must take every precaution that this loss of life does not occur again , '' said Hoyer , a Democratic congressman from Maryland . He said he would soon introduce a final measure to authorize dedicated federal and local funding for Metro . The Series 1000 cars comprise a quarter of Metro transit 's 1,126 cars , or nearly 300 cars , Gates said . At $ 3 million per car , the agency ca n't afford to replace them all at once , Gates said . Each car has a 40-year life and can last until fiscal year 2015 , she added . `` So we 've taken steps to keep them in good condition . '' She said they have been phasing out the outdated cars as new cars are bought , she said . That plan has n't gone as quickly as anticipated , however , because of an increase in ridership , Gates added . The lead train in Monday 's crash contained newer 5000-Series and 3000-Series cars . These have data recorders , which will aid the investigation a great deal if they are n't damaged , Hersman said . The recorders provide information on such things as speed , braking and emergency applications . She said there were no recorders on the rear train . The rear train was being operated in automatic mode , which is the normal operating procedure during rush hour . Washington transit trains are being operated manually until the cause of the crash is determined , Hersman said . She said there is no indication that any of the brakes on the rear train failed before it rear-ended the other train . `` Our investigators on scene yesterday did find some evidence of emergency brake application . They found the emergency mushroom , which is a button that was depressed in the control cab , and they also examined the wheels and the brakes , and they found that the rotors showed some bluing , '' Hersman said . `` That bluing is consistent with an emergency brake application , '' she said . Bluing indicates the rotors have been subjected to extremely high temperatures , and this can be caused by hard stops . | House majority leader to push for $ 3 billion in Metro transit funding . The transit authority wants to replace its aging Series 1000 cars . A train of Series 1000 cars rear-ended another train Monday , killing nine . Investigators question why computerized emergency system failed . | [[2008, 2020], [2023, 2129], [2132, 2210], [131, 138], [145, 216], [2247, 2258], [2261, 2336], [4799, 4880]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From street corners , buses and subways to phone calls , e-mails , text messages , online posts and tweets , people around the world commented , pondered , and paid tribute to pop legend Michael Jackson , who died Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles . Pedestrians in Sydney , Australia , watch a TV screen announcing Michael Jackson 's death on Friday . Around midnight at London 's Leicester Square , as news of Jackson 's death spread , Luis Carlos Ameida and his friends were surrounding a car listening to the star 's music . Ameida said he 'd gotten tickets to see Jackson at his `` This Is It '' concerts beginning on July 13 in London . `` From a young age , you know , I used to have the video game , '' said Ameida . `` I used to have the white suit , and I 'd wear it on my birthday . I used to moonwalk ... I remember my mum used to send me to lessons to be like Michael Jackson . And when I heard the news , I had tears in my eyes because of that connection I had because of all the songs he used to play . '' In Glastonbury , southern England , where one of the world 's largest music festivals was to kick off Friday morning , initial rumors and then confirmation of Jackson 's death added to confusion and then shock among festival goers . Watch British fans react '' `` As I was walking back through the crowd it was the word on everyone 's lips , '' Sally Anne Aldous , 29 , told CNN over the phone . Reaction from around the world in pictures '' Backstage , Michael Jackson songs were being played in tribute , and fans talked of an impromptu memorial for the late singer at the `` Stone Circle , '' a neolithic monument in the grounds of the venue . In Adelaide , Australia , Christos Winter of the MJ Fan Club had organized a petition to bring Jackson to tour there . `` It did n't matter if you were 60 , 40 or 20 like I am . Michael Jackson 's music just spoke to everyone ... It was always uplifting and happy music , '' Winter told CNN . On a street in New Delhi , India , 31-year-old Sachina Verma said on Friday , `` Any of the baby boomer generation or , you know , people from my age or our time , I mean they have grown up on his music . Literally , people have been inspired by his dance movements , by his music . Tributes appeared on YouTube and CNN 's iReport . `` I remember growing up in the Middle East , influenced , enjoying his music , waiting for his albums , '' CNN iReporter Rany Freeman , an Egyptian living in Canada , said in a video submission . `` Regardless to his strange behaviors or questionable events that happened to his life , let 's remember him as the great entertainer he was . '' Another iReporter , Peter Maiyoh , a Kenyan student studying in the U.S. city of Kansas , Missouri , called Jackson `` the voice of change , '' saying `` he was there before Tiger Woods , before Michael Jordan , even before Barack Obama ... I hope people remember him for the work he did . '' On a Facebook page dedicated to Michael Jackson , fans across the world left hundreds of messages in languages ranging from French and Spanish to Japanese and Hebrew . Watch fan reaction in Tokyo , Japan '' `` SHANGHAI WILL MISS YOU ! NOT JUST SHANGHAI ! . . EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD WILL MISS YOU ! WE LOVE YOU MICHAEL !!! '' wrote Vrishti Bhowmik . Kase Ng , a 24-year-old manicurist and member of the Michael Jackson Hong Kong Fan Club , told CNN by phone she had been planning to go with four friends to his August 1 concert in London . Watch fans in Hong Kong , China , react '' Expressing sadness and shock over Jackson 's death , Ng recalled being inspired by an interview he once gave to Oprah Winfrey . `` He said if you have power , try to give it back and help the others , and I will try to do that , '' she said . At a music store in Beijing , China , Jackson songs were being played , and his albums were put on special display . `` I rather enjoyed it -LRB- his music -RRB- because in my family my brother 's generation likes his music , '' said customer Xu Wei . `` Many , many people in China like him a lot . '' Watch reaction from around the world . Although Jackson never played in mainland China , his music was among the first in the West made available there , as the peak of his popularity during the 1980s coincided with the opening up of the communist country . On Friday , Chinese netizens had set up a Web site memorial to Jackson , and on Fanfou.com , China 's version of Twitter , the pop star has become the most popular tag . Fanfou user Layla Suen , or `` Leilajiang , '' of Shenyang city in Liaoning province wrote about her memories of Jackson : `` When I was only four , my brother demanded that I learn his ` Thriller . ' It was the second song I 've ever learnt -LRB- the first one being something taught by the kindergarten teacher -RRB- . Everytime I sing it at my kindergarten it would scare a bunch of little children . '' Chinese blogger and media commentator Michael Anti wrote on his Facebook page : `` So sad about Jackson 's Death , for my English first name is really named after him when I was a freshman . '' Ethan Zuckerman , a fellow of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University , tweeted in the hour after Jackson 's death was announced , `` My twitter search script sees roughly 15 % of all posts on Twitter mentioning Michael Jackson . Never saw Iran or swine flu reach over 5 % . '' As Jackson 's death quickly overshadowed all else Friday , commentators worried that the world would forget about political developments in Iran . `` Am I the only one who thinks that Michael Jackson 's passing is the worst thing that could have happened to the protesters in Iran ? '' wrote Melissa Cohen , or mcohen00 , on Twitter . CNN 's Emily Chang , Jaime FlorCruz , Miranda Leitsinger , Mairi Mackay , Linnie Rawlinson and Bharati Naik contributed to this report . | Fans across the world remark on Jackson 's music . Postings on Twitter express concern Jackson will overshadow Iran . `` I remember growing up in the Middle East ... waiting for his albums , '' iReporter says . Chinese netizens set up Web site memorial for Jackson . | [[128, 161], [4077, 4115], [5410, 5466], [5469, 5556], [2315, 2355], [2392, 2414], [4335, 4344], [4347, 4405]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former middle-school student who was strip-searched by school officials looking for ibuprofen pain medication won a partial victory of her Supreme Court appeal Thursday in a case testing the discretion of officials to ensure classroom safety . Savana Redding leaves the U.S Supreme Court in April . She was 13 when she was strip-searched . Savana Redding was 13 when administrators suspected that she was carrying banned drugs . No medication was found , and she later sued . The justices concluded that the search was unreasonable but that individual school administrators could not be sued . The larger issue of whether a campus setting traditionally gives schools greater authority over students suspected of illegal activity than police are allowed was not addressed fully by the divided court . `` Savana 's subjective expectation of privacy against such a search is inherent in her account of it as embarrassing , frightening and humiliating , '' wrote Justice David Souter for the majority , likely his last opinion before he steps down from the bench next week . But reflecting the divisiveness over the issue , Souter said , `` We think these differences of opinion from our own are substantial enough to require immunity for the school officials in this case . '' Whether the school district would be liable was not an issue before the high court . `` I 'm pretty excited that they agreed with me , they see that it was wrong for the school to do that , '' Redding said from her Hobbs , New Mexico , home after the ruling was announced . `` I 'm pretty certain that it 's so far less likely to happen again '' to other students . Redding was an eighth-grade honor student in 2003 , with no history of disciplinary problems at Safford Middle School , about 127 miles from Tucson , Arizona . During an investigation into pills found at the school , a student told the vice principal that Redding had given her prescription-strength 400-milligram ibuprofen pills . The school had a near-zero-tolerance policy for all prescription and over-the-counter medication , including the ibuprofen , without prior written permission . Redding was pulled from class by Vice Principal Kerry Wilson , escorted to an office and confronted with the evidence . The girl denied the accusations . A search of Redding 's backpack found nothing . A strip search was conducted by Wilson 's assistant and a school nurse , both females . Redding was ordered to strip to her underwear and to pull on the elastic of the underwear , so any hidden pills might fall out , according to court records . No drugs were found . `` The strip search was the most humiliating experience I have ever had , '' Redding said in an affidavit . `` I held my head down so that they could not see that I was about to cry . '' Souter said Wilson initially had `` sufficient suspicion '' to justify searching the girl 's backpack and outer clothing . But when no contraband was found , the officials went too far by continuing the search of her underwear . With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union , Redding and her family sued , and a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled against the school , calling the search `` traumatizing '' and illegal . That court said the school went too far in its effort to create a drug - and crime-free classroom . The Supreme Court found little agreement on key issues . Justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg agreed that the search was illegal but would have also made individual officials liable for damages by Redding . `` Wilson 's treatment of Redding was abusive , and it was not reasonable for him to believe that the law permitted it , '' said Ginsburg , who was especially forceful during oral arguments in April , criticizing the school 's actions . But Justice Clarence Thomas took the opposite view : that administrators deserved immunity and that the search was permissible . `` Preservation of order , discipline and safety in public schools is simply not the domain of the Constitution , '' he said . `` And , common sense is not a judicial monopoly or a constitutional imperative . '' In 1985 , the high court allowed the search of a student 's purse after she was suspected of hiding cigarettes . Such a search was permitted if there were `` reasonable '' grounds for believing that it would turn up evidence and when the search was not `` excessively intrusive . '' Opinions in 1995 and 2001 allowed schools to conduct random drug testing of high school athletes and those participating in other extracurricular activities . The court was being asked to clarify the extent of student rights involving searches and the discretion of officials regarding those they have responsibility over . Adam Wolf , an ACLU attorney who represented Redding , applauded the decision . `` When parents send their kids to school , they can now breathe a sigh of relief they will not end up naked before school officials , '' Wolf said . But school administrators said the ruling does not make their jobs any easier . `` The home medicine cabinet now poses a serious threat to students , who may take those medications for abusive purposes , '' said Francisco Negron , general counsel for the National School Boards Association . `` That 's a problem schools are trying to stem . '' `` How they determine now whether the drug is dangerous , whether it 's not dangerous -- that kind of clarity and that kind of guidance , the court did not give us . '' Redding , now 19 , said she has never gotten over her experience . `` Before it happened , I loved school , loved everything about it . You know , I had a 4.0 GPA , honor roll , and now , well , afterwards I never wanted to go to school again . '' She is attending college . The case is Safford Unified School District No. 1 v. Redding -LRB- 08-479 -RRB- . | Savana Redding was 13 when administrators suspected she was carrying drugs . No medication was found , and she later sued . Justices : Search was unreasonable , but individual school officials ca n't be sued . Redding , now 19 , has said she has never gotten over her experience . | [[399, 460], [461, 484], [491, 507], [2612, 2633], [508, 625], [536, 563], [568, 625], [3138, 3203], [5508, 5515], [5527, 5574]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Media maven Oprah Winfrey earned 10 times more than Angelina Jolie last year , but the actress bumped the talk show host from the top spot on Forbes ' 2009 Celebrity 100 list just released by the business magazine . Angelina Jolie has ousted Oprah Winfrey from the No. 1 spot on Forbes ' 2009 Celebrity 100 list . Jolie 's fame , evidenced by magazine covers and TV , radio , newspaper and Web stories , outweighed Winfrey 's , giving her the edge as `` the most powerful celebrity in the world '' based on Forbes ' formula , Forbes Senior Editor Matthew Miller said . Winfrey , who was at the top for two years straight , grossed $ 275 million last year , compared with Jolie 's $ 27 million , Miller said . `` We try and measure a celebrity 's power , and we look at two metrics to do that , '' Miller said . `` We look at money , and we look at fame . '' A world tour , which helped Madonna pull in $ 110 million , and a bumper crop of tabloid gossip pushed the Material Girl into the third spot , up from her 21st ranking on last year 's list . Beyonce Knowles held steady in fourth , same as last year , with $ 87 million in income from her multiplatform empire , Miller said . Forbes leveraged the singer-actresses fame by placing her on this week 's cover . A bad knee kept Tiger Woods off the PGA tour over the past year and lowered him to the fifth spot on the Forbes list . The golfer , still the highest-paid athlete in the world , was second last year . Bruce Springsteen 's tour landed the Boss in sixth , while director Steven Spielberg 's latest Indiana Jones movie helped him to seventh place . Actress Jennifer Aniston and her ex-husband , Brad Pitt , were eighth and ninth , respectively , on the strength of successful movies and tabloid headlines . Basketballer Kobe Bryant 's endorsements and popularity , boosted by his play on the U.S. Olympic team , jumped to the 10th spot . Miller said Forbes ' has spent a great amount of time compiling the list for the past decade because `` celebrities play an ever increasing role in everyone 's lives , whether we like it or not . '' `` Celebrities are brands , and they are marketing to us and there 's stuff we consume off of them , from movies to albums to concerts to books to speaking tours to everything in between , and we sort of all buy into it , '' he said . The income figures used are gross numbers and do not take into account what goes to agents , managers , taxes and expenses , Miller said . `` It can be very expensive to be a celebrity , '' he said . `` What they 're taking home to their personal checking accounts is far less than their gross earnings . '' The list , which has been `` put through our special sauce of earnings and fame , '' is used as a barometer of who has the real power in Hollywood , Miller said . `` When you look at the components of fame and earnings , you can get a good vibe as to who 's important this year and who 's not , '' he said . `` Angelina Jolie is , by far , the most famous celebrity on the planet , '' he said . `` There 's not a day that goes by where she 's not on the cover of a tabloid magazine or a regular magazine . There 's not day that goes by when people are not talking about her philanthropy or her relationship with Brad Pitt or her movies or her children . All of that lends to a more popular , more robust and , frankly , more valuable brand . '' Miller estimated that Jolie was on about 20 to 30 times more magazine covers last year than Winfrey . It 's normal for celebs to fall down or off the list for a year if they are between projects , he said . One newcomer to the list of top 100 celebrities is Barack Obama , debuting at 49 . Obama is the first sitting head of state to appear in Forbes ' Celebrity 100 rankings . CNN 's Jim Roope contributed to this report . | Angelina Jolie 's fame factor is too much for Oprah Winfrey 's money-making machine . Forbes senior editor : `` Jolie is , by far , the most famous celebrity on the planet '' Forbes ' annual Celebrity 100 list takes media moxie and income into account . Madonna , Beyonce Knowles and Tiger Woods round out the Top Five . | [[358, 445], [448, 469], [358, 445], [472, 541], [570, 612], [2994, 3014], [3017, 3023], [200, 218], [224, 259], [2852, 2963]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two of the biggest stars in the NBA will be team-mates next season after a blockbuster trade which sees Shaquille O'Neal move from the Phoenix Suns to the Cleveland Cavaliers -- the home of league MVP LeBron James . Shaquille O'Neal is hoping his arrival will put a smile on the faces of Cleveland fans . The 37-year-old O'Neal is one of the all-time greats of basketball , winning four NBA championships , three straight with the Los Angeles Lakers and the other with Miami Heat . James is widely recognized as the sport 's current superstar , but the 24-year-old has been left frustrated by Cleveland 's failure to win the title . He stormed off the court after their loss to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals , not even shaking hands with 2008 Olympic teammate Dwight Howard . The trade , which sees Phoenix get center Ben Wallace and guard Sasha Pavlovic , has been talked about since February but finalized on Thursday night . `` I was elated about the trade because I get to play with one of the greatest players to ever play the game in LeBron James , '' O'Neal was quoted on the NBA 's official Web site www.nba.com . O'Neal averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in 75 games for the Suns last season and believes he still has much to offer the NBA . `` My numbers are not good enough to retire . Three more years left , '' O'Neal wrote on his Twitter blog . His career averages are 24.7 points , 11.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots , with his peak seasons coming as he led the Lakers to three straight titles from 2000-02 . The Lakers traded him to Miami where he spent three seasons , helping them to the NBA Championship three years ago . He has played in Phoenix for the past two years , restricted by injuries in his first season . The Cavs , powered by James , won 66 regular season games and their first eight in the playoffs before coming unstuck against the Magic . They will be hoping that O'Neal will be the final piece in the jigsaw to land the first American sports championship for Cleveland in 45 years . | Shaquille O'Neal is traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Cleveland Cavaliers . 7 foot one inch O'Neal has been named in the NBA 's All Star team 15 times . O'Neal , 37 , will now pair up with 2009 NBA MVP LeBron James at Cleveland . | [[92, 111], [118, 173], [324, 346], [393, 423]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Carly Smithson wants to make one thing clear : She is not the new lead singer of Evanescence . Former `` American Idol '' contestant Carly Smithson is the lead singer of the new band We Are The Fallen . There may be some confusion because the former `` American Idol '' contestant has joined forces with original Evanescence members Ben Moody , Rocky Gray and John LeCompt for the new band We Are The Fallen . The dark-haired Irish rocker made it to the top six during season seven of `` American Idol '' before being eliminated . Smithson said that since then , quite a few opportunities have come her way that were not a good fit . This new band , which also includes bassist Marty O'Brien , is perfect for her , Smithson said . Guitar player LeCompt agrees . `` I 've said many times about Evanescence that we caught lightning in a bottle ... and I think we are doing it again , '' he said . `` Carly is a good fit for the band because more than anything she is a brilliant , brilliant vocalist who is very down to earth and a humble person . She wants to do something where everyone is involved rather than being a posturing diva . '' Smithson recently spoke with CNN about why she is thankful to Moody 's roommate , why the group gets along so well and how they want to collaborate with fans . CNN : You must be pretty psyched about this new band . Carly Smithson : I am . It 's pretty awesome and everything I think we have all ever wanted . We all blend together and it 's all about making business . CNN : With all of the opportunities that have come your way since `` Idol , '' why go this route ? Smithson : I had a lot of the wrong opportunities approach me . They were very flattering offers , but musically not on the same page with where I envisioned myself . As soon as Ben -LSB- Moody -RSB- came to me , he was actually someone that I had in mind , after coming off the `` Idol '' tour , to go and try and work with . He 's worked on some music that I had a lot of respect for and really admired , but he was busy , oddly enough , working on this project . CNN : So how did you two connect ? Smithson : He had never watched `` American Idol '' and he did n't know who I was . I am good friends with his roommate who recently moved in and I had met him briefly . My friend came and saw me live and then planted the seed in his head . She said , `` You should really consider my friend for this band , '' and he said `` Who is your friend ? '' She said , `` You know , the girl you met down the basement , '' and an artist he has been working with played him a bunch of YouTube clips of me . We were hanging out at about one in the morning and he called my friend and said , `` I just watched your friend . I should have done this a long time ago . Where is she , when can I meet her , I need to meet her right away . '' She said , `` Well , actually we are out right now and we 're going to be at the house in about 20 minutes . '' We came back to the house and we had a meeting which lasted until about 4 a.m. ... Obviously it was a decision I needed to make very fast because they were looking for a singer and people do n't wait forever . I called my manager and it was a done deal pretty much the next day . CNN : Sounds like it was meant to be . Smithson : Everybody was very excited and thought it was the right direction to go . I 'm happy that it happened in such an organic way . It 's really weird , but as people we are all very alike . We all like the same jokes , watch the same TV shows and play the same music . It 's great . CNN : Do you at all feel pressure because of the success that Evanescence had ? Smithson : No , because this is a new band . Evanescence is still out there . We are not Evanescence and our band is n't here to follow . Watch Smithson talk about the new band '' I 'm here to make music . Obviously I want to be successful but I think we all are in a contented place to make music . If we can grab some fans , that 's great . If we can grab a bunch of fans , that 's awesome . We are here to compete with ourselves and put out something epic . CNN : What does the name mean ? Smithson : It 's more of a statement rather than a name . We feel like our fans can say `` We Are The Fallen '' as well as us . It 's not just a band name , it 's kind of like a movement name . We are trying to create a group of people that are in to the same thing . It 's a collaboration of our fans and us appreciating music that we are making . CNN : So what do you all stand for , since you want the fans to be a part of it . Smithson : Freedom . Every since we all came into this band , we feel so free to go and be who we are . I embrace that . | `` Idol '' finalist Carly Smithson is lead singer of new band We Are The Fallen . Group is made up of some former members of Evanescence . Smithson finished sixth of season seven of `` American Idol '' | [[114, 201], [429, 523]] |
JERSEY CITY , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alfa Demmellash grew up on less than a dollar a day , and against the backdrop of torture and murder . But these days she 's living the American dream and helping others do the same . Alfa Demmellash helps low-income entrepreneurs in New Jersey start or grow their businesses . `` Entrepreneurs are at the very heart of what the American dream is all about , '' says Demmellash , a native of Ethiopia . And from her small office in Jersey City , her nonprofit , Rising Tide Capital , is helping small businesses flourish . Robin Munn , who runs a flower shop in Jersey City , says the skills she learned through Demmellash helped her transform the way she operates her business . `` I was thinking about closing , but once I started taking the classes I found that the fire came back . '' Kim Bratten , a 39-year-old painter and mother of six , says she 's seen her yearly income increase by 50 percent since she started working with Demmellash and her team . `` They put hope back into the community , '' Bratten says . Watch small business owners describe how Demmellash has helped them '' Demmellash 's own struggle began in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia , amid instability and unrest . Thousands of Ethiopians -- including her aunt -- disappeared or were tortured and/or killed under the ruling military regime . When Demmellash was 2 , her mother fled the country , leaving the toddler in the care of her grandmother and aunt . Demmellash lived on less than a dollar a day but never considered herself poor . Watch Demmellash talk about her childhood '' Nearly a decade later , Demmellash and her mother reunited in Boston , Massachusetts . But Demmellash found her mother was n't living the American dream she 'd envisioned . `` I -LSB- thought -RSB- I would find my mom in a beautiful mansion with trees -LSB- and -RSB- gold everywhere , '' recalls Demmellash , now 29 . `` I was shocked when I found her in her tiny apartment ... working very , very hard . '' Her mother had worked as a waitress during the day and a seamstress at night to earn money to bring her daughter to the United States . Watching her mother sew beautiful gowns for low profits , Demmellash thought there had to be a way for her to increase what she was making as a seamstress . `` Even though she had the skills , she did not necessarily have the business skills , '' she says , adding that her mother 's pricing `` was completely off . '' Still , her mother worked tirelessly to keep her daughter adequately fed , clothed and in school . Demmellash was later admitted to Harvard University , which she was able to attend with the help of `` wonderful financial aid . '' At Harvard , Demmellash and classmate Alex Forrester discussed what their generation could do to alleviate poverty on a local level . They set out to learn what resources people needed -- or as Demmellash says , `` to find people like my mom . '' In 2004 , the pair started Rising Tide Capital -LRB- RTC -RRB- to help those who had ideas and abilities but needed the education and support to launch or grow their businesses . `` You hear a lot of talk about Main Street and Wall Street , but no one really talks about how exactly you go about helping the Mom-and-Pops , '' says Demmellash . The group runs the Community Business Academy , an intensive training session coupled with year-round coaching and mentorship to help individuals `` really work on the hands-on management side of their business , '' Demmellash says . The organization supports underserved populations , including women , the formerly incarcerated , minorities , unemployed and working poor , and immigrants and refugees . Demmellash and Forrester -- now married -- have helped 250 entrepreneurs and small-business owners in New Jersey so far , 70 percent of whom are single mothers . RTC raises money from corporations and works with local governments for funding in order to provide classes and support its participants at affordable costs . Participants pay a small materials and registration fee based on their income range : either $ 100 or $ 225 for the course that Demmellash says would cost thousands of dollars otherwise . The organization has also built partnerships with micro-lenders , so when students are ready , the lenders provide financing . `` The ability to become self-reliant , to have economic hope , -LSB- that is -RSB- the fabric of this country and we have to fight for it , '' Demmellash says . Many of RTC 's students use the increased earnings from their new business to supplement their wages , allowing them to better provide for their families and transform the face of their communities , according to Demmellash . `` There are thousands of entrepreneurs , millions across this country , who do incredible things and make money to put food on the table , to pay their bills , and to save for the future and their children , '' she says . `` If we were to literally bank on them , invest in them -LSB- and -RSB- support them ... that 's the kind of stuff that changes lives and strengthens families . '' Want to get involved ? Check out Rising Tide Capital 's Web site and see how to help . | Alfa Demmellash helps low-income entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses . Her nonprofit , Rising Tide Capital , primarily serves single mothers . Demmellash , an Ethiopia native , was inspired by her mother 's struggle . Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open at CNN.com / Heroes . | [[228, 321], [228, 243], [298, 321], [490, 503], [528, 566]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rem Koolhaas revolutionizes city landscapes with distinctive and cutting-edge buildings . Seattle 's Central Library is one of Rem Koolhaas ' recent builds . Responsible for the iconic CCTV headquarters in Beijing the Dutch architect was named one of `` The World 's Most Influential People '' by Time magazine . Similar to the man himself , his buildings are not afraid to make a statement . `` We felt it was very important for an entity like CCTV to make its presence felt ... To generate a space and to define a space , that is the main thing , '' he told CNN at the opening of his `` Transformer '' building in Seoul , South Korea . Koolhaas admits that the current economic climate is not particularly favorable to big and bold architectural plans , but from adversity comes creativity . `` Definitely there were a number of projects that we worked on put on hold , but on the other hand certain things were also accelerated because the price of construction is getting so cheap . '' Despite these new parameters he remains optimistic that his profession will continue to invent and be relevant , `` because it means kind of smaller , but more complex and kind of interesting things , kind of related to , not necessarily with commerce , but more connected to culture and to the social world . '' His buildings have attracted worldwide fame and given Koolhaas himself a form of semi-celebrity status . Yet Koolhaas still feels a sense of unease being labeled a `` Starchitect . '' `` I think it 's a name that is actually degrading to the vast majority of people it is applied to . And it really is a kind of political term that for certain clients is important because they use star architects . My hope is that through the current complexity that title will exit discretely and disappear , '' he said . He believes that by being able to respond to different demands architecture is evolving into something new . `` It is not possible to live in this age if you do n't have a sense of many contradictory forces , '' he said . `` Each building has to be beautiful , but cheap and fast , but it lasts forever . That is already an incredible battery of seemingly contradictory demands . So yes , I 'm definitely perhaps contradictory person , but I operate in very contradictory times . '' | Dutch architect is creative force behind landmark buildings across the world . Beijing 's CCTV building and Seattle 's Central Library are two bold examples . Koolhaas embraces contradictions in a project and creative-commercial tensions . | [[1322, 1365], [177, 331]] |
NEW ORLEANS , Louisiana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The five remaining defendants in the racially charged `` Jena Six '' case will appear in court Friday and are expected to enter a plea , a spokesman for the district attorney 's office said . Protesters converged on the small Louisiana town in September 2007 after the `` Jena 6 '' were charged . Bill Furlow , spokesman for LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters , declined to say whether the defendants will plead guilty . `` It 's not a done deal until it 's a done deal , '' he said . In December 2006 , six African-American teenagers were charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy in the beating of a white classmate . The incident followed months of racial tension in the community of about 3,000 people . Jena , Louisiana , is about 140 miles southeast of Shreveport in the north-central part of the state . The case drew national attention from civil rights groups , who argued that the charges were excessive . An estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators turned out for a rally on behalf of the teens : Carwin Jones , Jesse Ray Beard , Robert Bailey Jr. , Bryant Purvis , Theo Shaw and Mychal Bell . The charges were eventually reduced . Bell pleaded guilty to battery in a juvenile court and moved to Monroe , Louisiana . In January , Bell said he had attempted suicide the month before by shooting himself in the chest but was recovering . Friday 's hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. | `` It 's not a done deal until it 's a done deal , '' spokesman says . 6 teens charged in December 2006 with beating a white classmate . Incident followed months of racial tension in town of about 3,000 people . One of the the `` Jena 6 '' pleaded guilty to battery in juvenile court this year . | [[180, 234], [476, 523], [539, 555], [558, 690], [691, 778], [1209, 1259]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tess Sosa and her daughter have had a hard time forgetting US Airways Flight 1549 's emergency landing in New York City 's Hudson River in January . Tess Sosa holds her infant son , Damian , as her daughter Sophia , 4 , plays on the couch . Sosa and Sophia , 4 , have needed therapy , and the Sosas have had to pay out of their own pockets because US Airways ' insurer says only three counseling sessions are covered . The family has private insurance and large deductible . The airline and insurer say compensation to the passengers has already exceeded US Airway 's obligation , adding they gave $ 5,000 to passengers after the incident . But Sosa said she thinks the airline is still falling short . `` They have gone to incredible measures to get all of our belongings back , dry them out , '' she said . `` However , I think in doing so , there was this huge oversight in ` Let 's take care of these passengers . ' '' Watch Sosa explain her expectations '' Relief over her family 's survival ca n't undo the trauma she endured after the January 15 landing , during which she had to scramble over seats with her infant son , Damian , in tow . Water rushed into the plane as she turned and saw her husband , Martin , sitting at the back of the plane with their then-3-year-old daughter , Sophia . She recalled her husband `` in shock with my daughter being held up high , the water coming in , and hoping they 'd see me . '' Another passenger `` bear hugged '' her and Damian and escorted them to the exit . Today , Sosa still remembers how she felt that day : `` the possibility , the imminent death , just waiting to see if the plane was going to plunge any further in the river . '' Following the emergency ditching of Flight 1549 , Capt. Chesley `` Sully '' Sullenberger was quickly crowned a hero for ably landing the Airbus A320 after birds disabled its engines . He made the cover of several magazines , including People , which featured him holding Damian Sosa . See other notable air accidents '' U.S. Airways hired a firm to restore and return thousands of personal items to passengers -- items ranging from boarding tickets to suitcases . The airline 's insurer , American International Underwriters Holdings , a unit of AIG , says US Airways went above and beyond its obligations because the airline is not liable in the crash and the insurers ' responsibility `` is to pay valid claims on behalf of US Airways as a result of its legal liability . '' Commenting for AIU , Robert Hartwig , president of the Insurance Information Institute , said he concurred that the airline and insurer had fulfilled their obligations . `` We have a flock of birds flying into jet engines for a perfectly well-functioning aircraft and a crew that exhibited extraordinary professionalism in this particular incident . This is very important to recognize , but again , the liability does not exist , '' he said . This is little consolation to the Sosas , whose private insurance has a $ 3,000 deductible . Sosa said the family still needs help dealing with the trauma , especially Sophia . The family just received another $ 1,000 bill for therapy sessions . `` I expect my family to be taken care of in the very best way possible , and I do n't feel like that 's happening when you 're balking at my claims to a therapist and you are setting limits on that , '' she said . | Family paying for therapy out of pocket after Flight 1549 's crash landing . Pilot ditched plane in Hudson River in January after birds crippled engines . US Airways , its insurer say they have exceeded obligations to passengers . Mother says she , daughter still experiencing trauma from landing . | [[313, 367], [317, 326], [336, 446], [0, 176], [64, 70], [76, 176], [1826, 1832], [1837, 1900], [503, 561], [503, 518], [566, 606], [2181, 2203], [2206, 2250], [2269, 2322], [0, 176], [990, 1088], [3031, 3114]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States is providing weapons and ammunition to Somalia 's transitional government as it fights al Qaeda-linked Islamic militants , State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Thursday . Somali government soldiers , who are fighting Islamic militants , patrol Mogadishu . `` At the request of that government the State Department has helped to provide weapons and ammunition on an urgent basis , '' he said . `` This is to support the Transitional Federal Government 's efforts to repel the onslaught of extremist forces which are intent on destroying the Djibouti peace process . '' Kelly said the weapons shipments are in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions , which ban some arms shipments to Somalia . There is growing concern that Somalia could be the next base for al Qaeda as U.S. forces pound their positions in Afghanistan and Pakistan . CIA Director Leon Panetta recently said that the intelligence agency is keeping tabs on the region as a possible destination for fleeing al Qaeda operatives . `` Our concern right now is that likely safe havens are areas in the Horn of Africa , like Somalia and Yemen , that are countries that because of their political status can be attractive to al Qaeda in order to operate there , '' Panetta said earlier this month . `` We are focusing on those countries as well in order to ensure that there is no safe haven for al Qaeda as we continue to pressure them , continue to push them , and hopefully continue to make the effort to destroy them , not only in Pakistan but throughout the rest of the world . '' Somalia is not new territory for al Qaeda , according to CNN 's terrorism analyst Peter Bergen . `` Al Qaeda was running training camps in Somalia in the early and mid-1990s , '' he said . `` If this is now coming back , this is something that al Qaeda has already done and it 's worrisome for the future . ... `` The fact that we 're seeing evidence of this already happening in both Yemen and Somalia suggests that , A , the drone program in the tribal areas of Pakistan has been effective , but , B , you know it 's pushing al Qaeda into areas where they 'll build up larger operations . '' Somalia recently called on its neighbors to send military forces to help government troops stop hard-line Islamist militants from taking over . The call for help came hours after a third top politician was killed this month in ongoing fighting . The deaths included Mogadishu 's police chief and Somalia 's internal security minister , who was killed in a suicide car bombing in the central city of Beledweyne . A Pakistani militant who is a high-ranking official in al Qaeda is leading the fighting in Somalia against the government , said Sheikh Adan Madowe , Somalia 's parliament speaker . Madowe warned that militants will spread fighting into the rest of the region if they topple the government in Somalia . The United States is concerned that Somalia 's weak government could fall to the Islamist insurgency , as it did in 2006 before Ethiopian forces ousted the militants from power later that year . `` We think this government ... represents Somalia 's best chance for peace , stability and reconciliation , '' Kelly said Thursday . `` This government is the best chance they 've had in the last 18 years . '' Somalia 's current President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is a former member of the Islamic Courts Union , which took part in the 2006 coup . His decision to renounce the bloody insurgency and try to establish peace in Somalia has put him at odds with Islamist hard-liners who are still battling for control of Somalia . Residents and journalists in Mogadishu , Somalia 's capital , have reported seeing foreign fighters among Al-Shabaab , the radical Islamic militia that is battling to overthrow the weak transitional government . Those foreign fighters recently distributed recorded messages from al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden calling for the overthrow of the government . Al-Shabaab , also known as the Mujahideen Youth Movement , was officially designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in March 2008 . It is waging a war against Somalia 's government in an effort to implement a stricter form of Islamic law , or sharia . | State Department : Weapons for fighting al Qaeda-linked Islamic militants . Weapons shipments are in accordance with U.N. Security Resolutions , Kelly says . There is growing concern that Somalia could be the next base for al Qaeda . | [[125, 168], [621, 710], [756, 850], [1056, 1164], [2916, 3016]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former rugby superstar Jonah Lomu has revealed that he is poised to make a shock playing comeback at the age of 34 with French third-division club Marseille Vitrolles . Jonah Lomu pictured in action for New Zealand 's All Blacks during the 1999 World Cup in France . The giant New Zealander , who became a global name after an electrifying series of performances on the wing for the All Blacks at the 1995 World Cup , retired in 2007 after a succession of injuries hampered his attempt to return following a kidney transplant . He played 63 internationals , the last of them in 2002 , but was never able to regain his previous dominance even after regaining full health . `` Marseille Vitrolles is on the point of finalizing the transfer of the greatest legend in world rugby , '' said statement on the club 's Web site . Lomu , who is featuring in a new worldwide advertising campaign for sportswear manufacturer adidas called `` Nothing Is Impossible '' , was also quoted as confirming his desire to return to the playing field . `` I took a sabbatical year to be at my pregnant partner 's side and to fully enjoy this important moment in any man 's life , '' he said on the Web site . `` Everyone thought I had ended my playing career , but that was wrong . I still feel the desire to play and it will be me alone who decides when to call it a day . `` My ambition is to help a club like Marseille join the group of top clubs in France . '' Lomu was first diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome , a rare and serious kidney disorder , at the end of 1996 . He successfully returned to the game after treatment , but in May 2003 he was put on dialysis three times a week due to deterioration in his kidney function , with the treatment 's side effects leaving him with severe nerve damage in his feet and legs . Lomu faced life in a wheelchair if a kidney transplant was not performed , so underwent the operation . He signed a two-year contract with New Zealand province North Harbour in 2005 , and also played for Welsh club Cardiff Blues during the southern hemisphere 's off-season . However , he was unable to achieve his goal of being selected in the All Blacks squad for the 2007 World Cup in France , having suffered a shoulder injury . Lomu agreed to play in a charity match in England last year , but withdrew after injuring his ankle in training . | Former All Blacks winger Jonah Lomu to join French third-division club . The 34-year-old will play for Marseille Vitrolles after supposedly retiring in 2007 . New Zealander became rugby 's first global superstar after the 1995 World Cup . He previously returned to playing after having a kidney transplant . | [[0, 15], [42, 187], [0, 15], [42, 187], [286, 309], [316, 434], [1572, 1624]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One year before the FIFA World Cup kicks off , 26 teams of gay and lesbian footballers are battling for global supremacy in the Gay Soccer World Championships . Players from the London Stonewall Lions hold the 2008 Gay World Soccer Championship trophy aloft . Co-ordinated by the International Gay & Lesbian Football Association -LRB- IGLFA -RRB- , the tournament , which began on Sunday , is being hosted by the Federal Triangles club in Washington D.C. , and supported by the local Major League Soccer -LRB- MLS -RRB- side D.C. United . IGLFA spokesman Michael Pranikoff told CNN that the competition has been running annually since 1992 . `` We started very small . There were just a few clubs from around the world . But we have gone from strength to strength . Last year the tournament was in London and sanctioned by the Football Association . '' Pranikoff said there are no professional players involved , but the standard of play is strong and the teams in the top divisions are very competitive . Although the tournament involves club sides -- rather than national teams , there is still a strong international feel with players from the U.S. , United Kingdom , Ireland , Canada , Germany , Australia , Denmark , Belgium , Sweden , Argentina , Italy , and Norway all taking part . The London Stonewall Lions are the reigning champions in the men 's division and expected to figure in Sunday 's final at Trinity Washington University , he said . Despite the competitive nature of the event , Pranikoff said there are also less serious divisions where there is a more important message . `` When you are on the pitch it 's all about the game . But it 's also about providing an environment where people can be free to be who they are . `` It 's a lot about camaraderie too . There are a lot of places in the world where gays and lesbians are n't accepted . '' So , is the competition restricted to only gay and lesbian players ? Not at all , said Pranikoff . `` It 's very open , we do n't discriminate . '' He said gay , lesbian , bi-sexual and heterosexual players were all welcome to play . Pranikoff said he is happy with how the 2009 event is unfolding , despite numbers being slightly down on what was expected -- due to the effects of the recession , swine flu and the upcoming Out Games in Denmark which has made attending the football tournament unaffordable for some teams . `` This year we did n't have as big a global turnout as we hoped for but there have been a lot of challenges -- so we 're pleased to have 26 teams here . '' Outside of organizing the current world championships , the IGLFA has also been involved in helping other organizations at stamping out homophobia , Pranikoff said . | The Gay World Soccer Championships are being held in Washington D.C. Twenty-six teams with players from 12 different countries are competing . Major League Soccer team D.C. United have supported the tournament . | [[0, 6], [83, 196], [296, 352], [497, 574]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Will Smith 's Hancock was n't the first superhero with bad habits and a bad attitude . Hellboy , the protagonist of `` Hellboy II : The Golden Army , '' has a bit of the devil in him : His skin is red ; he has two shorn-off horns on his head , a gargantuan club fist and a long , slippery tail . Ron Perlman returns in the title role in `` Hellboy II : The Golden Army . '' He also has a down-to-earth side : a fondness for Cuban cigars , Mexican beer , TV and candy . He has a short fuse and he 'd like a little appreciation for his efforts , please . He deserves it , too . This rank outsider is n't a billionaire like Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark . He 's not even a scientist like Bruce Banner . He 's more of a working stiff , a slugger with a gruff manner and a stogie in the side of his mouth -- but he wants to bat for the right team . -LRB- According to writer-artist Mike Mignola , the character was inspired by his father , a cabinetmaker . -RRB- . Hellboy -- or `` Red '' to his friends -- has switched studios since his 2004 big-screen debut , from Columbia to Universal . Not that it shows . Writer-director Guillermo del Toro is still pulling the strings , and the key creative personnel are all back , including Ron Perlman in the title role , Selma Blair as the pyrokinetic Liz -LRB- now Mrs. Hellboy -RRB- , Doug Jones as the piscine Abe Sapien -LRB- the brains to Red 's brawn -RRB- , and -- behind the scenes -- cinematographer Guillermo Navarro , and art whizzes Stephen Scott and Peter Francis . Between them , they conjure up one hell of a creature feature . `` Hellboy II '' boasts a dazzling multitude of imaginary beings : the deceptively delicate tooth fairies -LRB- so called because they eat bone , with a fondness for teeth in particular -RRB- ; the elfin king whose antlers grow out of his head to form a crown ; the plantlike forest god that collapses into a strangely beautiful floral mulch right under the Brooklyn Bridge ; the magnificent Angel of Death , an old crone who unfurls her wings to reveal a sparkling set of eyes -LRB- an avian variation on the creepiest creation in the acclaimed `` Pan 's Labyrinth , '' del Toro 's last movie -RRB- . Then there 's the redoubtable Johann Kraus , an officious but in many ways admirable German who only exists as a vapor trail -- except when he 's bottled up in an ingeniously modified , but still splendidly archaic , deep-sea diving suit . When a filmmaker can invest even a puff of smoke with so much chutzpah you know he 's on to something . It 's wonderful to see del Toro let his imagination run rampant like this . iReport.com : Did you see `` Hellboy II '' ? Share your review . The plot concerns an ancient race that 's determined to wage war on humanity , but it 's secondary to del Toro 's amazing characters . The Mexican director 's first Hollywood movies -LRB- `` Mimic '' and `` Blade II '' -RRB- were far less distinctive than his Spanish-language films : `` Cronos , '' `` The Devil 's Backbone '' and `` Pan 's Labyrinth . '' You could n't really call `` Hellboy II '' an advance on the latter -- `` Pan 's '' was nominated for six Oscars and won three -- but it 's obvious he relishes this material . It 's pulpy and hammy and unashamedly lowbrow , and del Toro has the confidence and power to make it his own . The film feels very free , loose and -LRB- unusually for a special-effects picture -RRB- improvisational . An outsize personality such as Perlman is in his element here . Even when the wisecracks fall short -- there are an awful lot of `` ass '' gags -- they are closer to the grubby , subversive impulses of the comic books than the over-hyped , market-tested , industrial-strength blockbuster adaptations Hollywood churns out . It 's not for nothing that the central tension running through this movie is Red 's anarchic streak , his sometimes irresponsible need to be his own man in the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense -LRB- the `` X-Men '' - like institution where he works -RRB- and in his marriage . Scratch the surface , and this is a film about love and loyalty , figuring out where your deepest bonds lie . Highbrows may damn `` Hellboy II '' as a `` comic book movie , '' though even they would have to grant that its wonderful idiosyncrasies indicate brilliance . But it 's more than that . Hellboy does so much growing up over the course of these 110 minutes , we may have to call him `` Hellman '' from now on . Let 's hope Universal stays the course and gives us that opportunity . People as creative as del Toro and his gang need all the support we can give them . `` Hellboy II : The Golden Army '' is rated PG-13 and runs 110 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's take , click here . | CNN.com 's Tom Charity : `` Hellboy II '' shows more Guillermo del Toro brilliance . Ron Perlman is back as the cigar-chomping title character . Plot is secondary to amazing characters , including a vaporous mass . | [[315, 369], [1597, 1661], [2767, 2818]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- China 's Olympic adventure may be over , but new age chanteuse Sa Dingding is one global export that in many ways echoes the Beijing Olympic fantasy of `` One World . One Dream . '' Sa Dingding 's music should find a home on the iPods of millions of chill-out world music fans . Born to a Mongolian mother and Han Chinese father , she sings in Mandarin , Tibetan , Sanskrit , and the rare dialect of Lagu , while fusing chill-out beats and floaty instrumentation played on zither , horse head fiddle and bamboo flute . Already hugely popular in China , she has been finding similar success farther afield : Her first album sold 2 million copies in Southeast Asia , and she has appeared on MTV . Earlier this year she won a BBC Radio 3 World Music Award as well as performing at the Royal Albert Hall in London . Her linguistic skills and musicianship were honed from a young age . Born in Inner Mongolia in 1983 , she spent three years until the age of 6 with her grandmother , living a nomadic life in northern China , where her imagination and creativity were allowed to roam free . `` We actually lived in a small city between grassland and the big city . In spring time , we move to the grassland . And in winter time , we moved back to the city , `` she told CNN 's Talk Asia . `` The whole memory of my childhood is in one word : Play . I just played everywhere on the grassland . And there a lot of interesting things happened which affected the ... life of mine . '' Later she became a student of Buddhism and yoga as well as becoming a multi-instrumentalist , releasing her first album at the age of 18 . Melding different musical cultures and ethnic influences , notably Tibetan , has also caused a certain amount of discussion , especially on her own position toward the status of Tibet within China . `` From a musician 's point of view , Tibetan culture and its music can not be seen as an isolated subject ... lots and lots of other ethnicities have added their colors on the Tibetan culture . So I see the Tibetan culture nowadays as an integral part of the greater Chinese culture , '' she said . Aiming to avoid controversy , organizers of the Glastonbury festival dropped her from this year 's lineup . `` I do n't quite understand the reason behind -LSB- it -RSB- . To me , art and music really belong to the whole world and they should n't be limited by boundaries . So I really hope that I could join Glastonbury next year , '' she said . Until then further explorations in language and music beckon , and there have been recent collaborations with house music DJ Paul Oakenfold and French chill-out duo Deep Forest in Europe . `` It 's very amazing because when I had to return to China , they drove me to the airport and told me : ` Life is full of miracles . When you first arrived here , these three songs did n't exist . But now you 're leaving , and we have three wonderful new songs . ' '' | Half-Mongolian , half-Chinese musician mixes ethnic influences with chill-out beats . First album sold over 2 million copies in South East Asia . Deemed too controversial by Glastonbury Festival and dropped from line-up . | [[350, 353], [432, 481], [626, 681], [2162, 2239]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 6-foot-4 football player is more than a million times the size of a typical Staphylococcus bacterium . But under the right conditions , that athlete could find himself defenseless against the microscopic bug . Kellen Winslow recently had a second staph infection and has accused his team of covering it up . The problem came to the forefront last week with Cleveland Browns player Kellen Winslow , who recently had his second staph infection . He is reportedly the sixth player to acquire staph among the Browns in five years . Winslow recently said the Browns treated him like a `` piece of meat '' when he was hospitalized for the condition , and he claimed they covered up the cause of his illness . After Winslow spoke out , the organization suspended him for one game , then rescinded the suspension after a settlement with Winslow over the weekend . The Browns said in a statement Saturday that the team and Winslow had worked through their differences , and that the team looked forward to his return . Winslow joined the team again Monday . Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts was revealed to have a staph infection , the Indianapolis Star reported Friday . University of North Carolina-Asheville fans also recently learned that Kenny George , the 7-foot-7 center on the basketball team , had a staph infection complication that led to part of his foot being amputated . It 's unclear how these high-profile athletes acquired their infections , but locker rooms have been found to habor staph bacteria in previous outbreaks . The topic is generating buzz throughout the sports world as more players ' staph cases are revealed . Hospitals have long been known to be hot spots for transmitting staph , but recently cases have cropped up in other community settings . Regardless of where these players got their infections , the close quarters of a locker room raise questions about overall risks . About 30 percent of people carry staph in their noses without exhibiting symptoms , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Experts say Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , or MRSA , a form of staph resistant to common antibiotics , has become a more prevalent problem in settings such as contact sports that involve skin-to-skin touching . Most MRSA infections acquired in community settings present themselves as sores or boils and often appear red , swollen , painful or with drainage such as pus , the CDC says . Infections often occur in cuts and abrasions but also on body parts covered in hair , such as the back of the neck , armpit or groin . Schools , prisons and other crowded environments are particularly known for transmitting MRSA , said . Elaine Larson , professor of epidemiology at Columbia University 's Mailman School of Public Health . MRSA may spread particularly easily among athletes because they have repeated skin-to-skin contact , share items and surfaces that touch skin and have a hard time staying clean , the CDC says . Athletes often get cuts and abrasions ; MRSA can enter uncovered skin breaks and cause infection . Dr. James Steinberg , medical director at Emory University 's Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta , Georgia , said that environment plays a role in the spread of MRSA but that it 's less a factor than coming into contact with a person 's skin . `` If you have somebody who has an infection -- he has a draining infection -- and he gets some of his pus on a bench , that staph 's going to be there for hours or days before it dries out , '' he said . `` But the higher concentration is going to be on that person 's skin . '' A second infection in the same person could result from re-exposure or from treatment that did n't get rid of the bacteria colonization , he said . MRSA has been around in hospital settings since the 1970s , but community-associated MRSA was born in the late 1990s , and is now widespread in the community , said CDC spokesperson Nicole Coffin . A report from the CDC said that the deaths of four children from MRSA in North Dakota and Minnesota during the late 1990s `` demonstrate the potential severity of community-acquired MRSA infections . '' A study on the St. Louis Rams published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 found that during the 2003 football season , there were eight MRSA infections among five of the 58 Rams players . To protect against MRSA , the CDC recommends practicing good personal hygiene and taking care of your skin , which includes wearing protective clothing and covering cuts and abrasions with clean , dry bandages . Also , do not share items that come into contact with your skin , such as towels , razors and ointments . Put something between your skin and shared equipment -- for example , sit on a towel on a bench . Larson said she is not directly familiar with Winslow 's situation but understands the dilemma that a team would face if a player contracted a staph infection . There could be economic and psychosocial repercussions -- for example , another team might not want to play against that one , she said . But in general , other team members should be made aware of the situation so they do not share towels or engage in other behaviors that might transmit the infection . Still , there is a danger of overreaction , she said . In some instances when a child in a public school has died , the whole school panicked and fumigated the facility , she said . `` It 's a good idea to avoid that level of fear , because it 's costly and it scares people unnecessarily , '' she said . On Thursday , the Brown 's General Manager Phil Savage said the team did not alert players to Winslow 's staph infection partly because of the health privacy laws and partly because the team was in `` game mode '' when Winslow had a confirmed diagnosis . `` To come out and talk about that just was going to be another distraction , '' Savage said on his regular weekly appearance on WTAM radio in Cleveland , Ohio . `` That 's our job , is to limit distractions as much as we can . '' Winslow said in a statement released through his publicist , Denise White of EAG Sports Management , that he had been discouraged from making the issue public . `` This has nothing to do with football , and this has nothing to with my current contract situation , '' he said . `` This is a health concern . '' A spokesperson for the Browns did not return a request for comment . An NFL representative said the league has no statement on the issue . | Several professional athletes have recently had staph infections . Experts say it is a growing problem in settings that involve skin-to-skin touching . CDC : Do n't share towels ; put something between your skin and the bench . Cleveland Browns ' Kellen Winslow brought issue to forefront . | [[378, 416], [423, 464], [482, 548], [1070, 1149], [1620, 1661], [2250, 2264], [2270, 2301], [2818, 2943], [2463, 2477], [2997, 3011], [4702, 4754], [4772, 4799], [329, 416]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In compiling a new George Harrison greatest-hits collection , the idea was to focus on the flow , his widow , Olivia , told CNNRadio Monday . George Harrison , shown here in 1992 , had hits with `` My Sweet Lord '' and `` All Those Years Ago , '' among others . `` It 's a collection that spans his career , and we put them together in a way we thought they would just kind of flow , you know , musically , into one another , '' she said of `` Let It Roll : Songs by George Harrison , '' out Tuesday . `` But , it 's all George , you know . '' In 1970 , the Beatles broke up . Harrison burst out of the palace with `` All Things Must Pass , '' a monster three-record set that featured friends like Eric Clapton , Leon Russell and former bandmate Ringo Starr . Critics and fans agree the album is among the best solo offerings from a former Fab . Although five cuts from `` All Things '' got the nod on this package -- the title track , `` Is n't it a Pity , '' `` What is Life , '' `` The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp '' and , of course , `` My Sweet Lord '' -- this look back displays Harrison 's solo work throughout his career . The 19-cut CD extends all the way through `` Brainwashed , '' his final album , featuring that album 's chirpy `` Any Road '' and the hypnotic instrumental `` Marwa Blues . '' The Beatles are present too . Three live Harrison songs from `` The Concert for Bangladesh '' -- `` While My Guitar Gently Weeps , '' `` Something '' and `` Here Comes the Sun '' -- sound as good today as they did on that August date in 1971 at Madison Square Garden . And , of course , his bouncy , tongue-in-cheek `` When We Was Fab , '' from his 1987 release `` Cloud Nine , '' shows Harrison looking back without anger . `` I think that there is an underlying thread that he always expressed , always a bit of humor , always a bit of longing , '' said Olivia Harrison . `` You know , I do n't like to overuse the word spirituality , but , you know , he was interested in things not of this world . '' Harrison is a two-time inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , once as a Beatle and once as a solo artist . | New George Harrison collection , `` Let It Roll , '' out Tuesday . CD songs from 1970s `` All Things Must Pass '' through 2002 's `` Brainwashed '' Widow : Harrison 's songs had `` always a bit of humor , always a bit of longing '' | [[0, 15], [19, 78], [641, 657], [660, 662], [874, 933], [1150, 1206], [1767, 1871]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. fans of Michael Jackson are pouring out their grief through music and dance , impromptu shrines at symbolic locations and heartfelt remembrances online . Valerie Rojas Pruitt , 12 , lights a candle Friday at Michael Jackson 's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Jackson 's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was surrounded hours before dawn Friday by candles , flowers , posters and balloons . As the sun rose , a man crouched on the sidewalk and painted a portrait of the pop star , who died suddenly on Thursday . `` This is a very sad day here in Hollywood , California , '' sobbed Melissa Fazli , a CNN iReporter . `` This is very , very sad . I ca n't believe it . '' The star emblem had been covered until almost 3 a.m. by a red carpet for the premiere of the Sasha Baron Cohen film `` Bruno '' at Grauman 's Chinese Theater , but fans started leaving mementos as soon as the carpet was removed . The film 's producers reportedly cut a scene referencing Jackson , at least for the premiere . Watch the Walk of Fame shrine grow '' `` He was an innovator , '' a fan named Delores said outside the theater . `` He 's basically an icon in his own time -- legendary . It 's going to take years -LSB- to sink in -RSB- that he 's gone , because he 's always with me . ... I 'm just trying to assess it all right now . I 'm still mourning , and at the same time missing him . It 's a little bit much to bear . '' See what celebrities had to say '' Fans gathered near the gates of the Los Angeles home where the King of Pop collapsed Thursday , and hundreds more assembled outside the UCLA Medical Center , where Jackson was pronounced dead . The U.S. fans ' reaction was part of a worldwide outpouring of grief over Jackson 's death and celebration of his life and art . See how people reacted in other countries . People stopped in their tracks Thursday in New York 's Times Square , staring up at the giant TV screens bearing news of Jackson 's death . Some people set up lawn chairs in the evening . Watch the reaction on Times Square '' Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Motown Historical Museum in Detroit , Michigan , a two-story house where the Jackson 5 's recording career began in 1969 , according to CNN affiliate WDIV-TV . Fans built a makeshift shrine to Jackson , whose hits could be heard booming from passing cars , the station reported . View a timeline of Jackson 's career '' Fans frequently broke into song and dance around Jackson 's childhood home on Jackson Street , renamed in honor of the family , in Gary , Indiana , CNN affiliate WRTV-TV reported . Watch fans gather at the home '' `` I knew Michael . I only lived three blocks from him myself , '' Gary resident John Moore told WRTV-TV . `` It 's a really sad day . I 'm very hurt and disappointed right now . He was a great guy . '' CNN iReporter Egberto Willies of Kingwood , Texas , summed up the conflicting feelings Jackson engendered among his admirers : . `` I grew up on Michael Jackson , '' Willies said in a video post on iReport.com . `` I loved Michael Jackson . I hated Michael Jackson . I admired Michael Jackson . I was ashamed of Michael Jackson . I was sorry for Michael Jackson . I was proud of Michael Jackson . iReport : Share your thoughts about Michael Jackson . `` Michael Jackson was a complicated human being who was -LSB- denied -RSB- a childhood in order to provide us with great musical and dancing entertainment , '' Willies went on . `` But with all his wealth and success he never seemed happy with himself . He never viewed himself as we viewed him : simply the best entertainer alive . May he rest in peace , his demons left behind . '' CNN 's Kara Finnstrom and Dan Simon contributed to this report . | Admirers gather at symbolic locations to salute the late `` King of Pop '' Candles , flowers , posters , balloons surround star on Hollywood Walk of Fame . Fans sing and dance outside Detroit house where Jackson 5 first recorded . Neighbors remember Jackson at childhood home in Gary , Indiana . | [[2610, 2639], [288, 419], [2429, 2498], [2610, 2639]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A veteran of over 20 years of mountain climbing , Dave Bunting has been in some pretty tight scrapes . Soldier mountaineer Dave Bunting on Mount Everest . His team tried to summit via the mountain 's notorious West Ridge in 2006 . He and his climbing partner once watched in terror as a huge avalanche careered down a Himalayan mountainside straight for them . They were miraculously spared when the wall of snow parted on either side of the promontory where they were standing at a distance of just 50 meters . On another occasion he spent an agonizing night hanging precariously over a 3,000-foot -LRB- 900 meter -RRB- drop during an electrical storm in the Alps . He estimates he was electrocuted `` half a dozen times '' during the course of the night . Faced with the fearsome power of nature mountaineers like Bunting rely on one indispensable ally -- other mountaineers . Teamwork is essential in climbing . The first successful ascent of Everest was as much about the bond of trust that existed between modest New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and his diminutive Sherpa , Tenzing Norgay , as their individual talents . To illustrate this point , when Bunting -- a warrant officer in the British Army -- was compiling a team of soldiers to attempt an ascent of Everest 's notorious West Ridge the first quality he and the rest of the selection panel looked for was not climbing expertise , but compatibility . `` A lot of people think that when you go and do something like that , you immediately look for all the best climbers in the army , '' he says . `` But what we based our selection process on , compatibility was first . '' Of course , all team sports rely upon a strong dynamic between the individual members . But there can be few disciplines in which the stakes are as high as in mountain climbing , where your life often literally rests in someone else 's hands . Bunting , 40 , led the expedition of 21 army mountaineers to Everest 's West Ridge two years ago . It was a daunting undertaking . Of over 2,200 climbers who have made it to the top of the world 's tallest peak since it was first conquered , only 19 have done so via this route . The ridge is rarely attempted because of its steepness and because its position leaves it exposed to high winds and the risk of avalanche . The army 's summit attempt took three and half years in the planning and preparation and was the subject of a documentary , ` Everest : Man v Mountain . ' Much of this build-up involved establishing strong bonds between team members . Practice climbs , social events and corporate-style teambuilding days were all employed to try to instil an atmosphere of mutual trust within the group . An essential factor on a mountain as significant as Everest , Bunting says . `` You are massively wrapped up in emotions there because you 've spent three and a half years preparing for it , '' says Bunting , who now runs his own outdoor events company in the Bavarian Alps . The prestige of getting to the top of Everest can sometimes blur a climber 's moral judgement , leading to acts of single-mindedness that border on the downright callous . During the same season as Bunting 's army expedition , David Sharp , a 34-year-old British climber died of cold , exhaustion and lack of oxygen on his descent from the summit . As details of Sharp 's death became public it emerged that 40 climbers had passed him , making no attempt to save the stricken climber as he lay stranded in the scant shelter of a rock alcove on the mountain 's northeast ridge . The incident drew much soul-searching in the mountaineering world , with Sir Edmund Hillary complaining to New Zealand 's Otago Daily Times of the `` horrifying '' attitudes it revealed . '' -LRB- On Everest -RRB- a lot of people are out for themselves completely , '' says Bunting . He says this selfish streak is exacerbated by the fast turnover of commercial climbing expeditions , which often meet for the first time just a couple of weeks before a summit attempt , meaning there is little opportunity to build team morale . By contrast , among Bunting 's army mountaineers the needs of the group were always put before personal ambition . He gives an example : . `` As we went for the summit there were a number of support teams , one of whose job it was to break trail from base camp right the way up to 7,500 metres , clambering through two foot of snow . `` Each step you take at those altitudes is absolutely horrendous . There 's a clip in the documentary of one of the lads breaking trail , every step up to his knees in snow , and you hear him say : ` Well , this is our job so we 've got to get on with it . ' `` A brilliant demonstration of teamwork . '' The biggest test of this togetherness came when Bunting was left the unenviable task of telling his team of ambitious young soldiers he was abandoning the summit attempt because of a high risk of avalanches . `` Two or three of the guys were pretty pissed off , to be honest . `` Instead of getting wrapped up in emotions -- because Everest is a very emotional place -- I looked at it in very black and white terms . I could n't risk sending my team up the mountain with that kind of real and present danger involved . '' This clear-headed thinking meant his team braved one of the most dangerous climbs in the world and made it back down again , together . | Army officer Dave Bunting recruited a team of 21 soldiers to summit Everest . The 2006 attempt was via the mountain 's notoriously dangerous West Ridge . They spent over three years preparing by building cameraderie and team spirit . Bunting says personal ambition can sometimes get the better of climbers on Everest . | [[1194, 1201], [1246, 1328], [1260, 1261], [1270, 1334], [1918, 1925], [1933, 2016], [191, 266], [1194, 1201], [1246, 1328], [1260, 1261], [1270, 1334], [1918, 1925], [1933, 2016], [2338, 2422], [2493, 2572], [2804, 2915], [3003, 3062], [3068, 3096], [3003, 3048], [3053, 3096], [3769, 3833]] |
BUENOS AIRES , Argentina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Smoke blanketed the Argentine capital Friday as brush fires apparently set deliberately consumed thousands of acres in the provinces of Buenos Aires and Entre Ríos . A haze surrounds the Palermo neighborhood of the Argentine capital early Thursday . The smoke , from about 300 fires , is blamed for at least two fatal traffic accidents this week that left eight people dead . Sections of major highways and the Buenos Aires port , among the busiest in the world , have been closed . Incoming flights to the city 's domestic airport , Jorge Newbery Airpark , have been diverted . The Argentine government has blamed farmers looking to clear their land for crops and grazing for the fires , which are estimated to cover 173,000 acres -LRB- 70,000 hectares -RRB- . `` This is the largest fire of this kind that we 've ever seen , '' Argentine Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo said Thursday . Randazzo called the situation a `` disaster . '' As of Friday morning , little progress had been made extinguishing the blazes . No rain is predicted for the next few days , but the National Meteorological Service predicts that the winds will change direction soon , dispersing the smoke . On Friday morning , the National Roads Administration closed sections of the heavily traveled Panamericana Highway , which leads in and out of Buenos Aires . Spokesman Ernesto Arriaga said `` visibility is 5 meters '' -LRB- about 16 feet -RRB- in some sections of the highway . `` Covering highways with smoke just to clear a field of weeds is unforgivable , '' Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez told Radio Diez . `` It 's incredibly irresponsible . '' Hospitals have reported an increase in visitors complaining of breathing problems , sore throats and burning eyes in the past three days . Citing a high level of carbon monoxide in the air , officials have encouraged people not to exercise outside . Schools in Pilar , a city in the province of Buenos Aires , were closed Friday because of the gray , thick air . The smoke has obscured views of some of the capital 's landmarks , such the Obelisco monument and the government house , Casa Rosada , and people were seen walking on the city streets covering their faces with clothes . This month , Argentina 's farmers suspended a three-week strike over a new government export tax on commodities . The bitter lockout left grocery shelves empty and caused major friction between President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner 's government and Argentina 's large agricultural sector . E-mail to a friend . Journalist Brian Byrnes contributed to this report . | Parts of highways , Buenos Aires port closed by heavy smoke from fires . Wildfires cover 173,000 acres around Buenos Aires . Argentine government blames farmers for setting the blazes . Shifting winds may help clear Buenos Aires . | [[44, 209], [420, 472], [508, 526], [1227, 1244], [1247, 1341], [44, 209], [0, 12], [92, 209], [717, 732], [739, 805], [623, 730]] |
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