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TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In an unprecedented move in Iranian politics , a reformist presidential candidate accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of tainting the country 's image by questioning the Holocaust and by wielding a reckless leadership style . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , who came to power in 2005 , is seeking a second term in office . The frontrunners in Iran 's presidential race clashed during a fiery debate broadcast to a national television audience on Wednesday evening . The verbal jousting between Ahmadinejad and opponent Mir Hossein Mousavi -- a former prime minister and reformist candidate who poses a threat to the firebrand Iranian president -- lasted an hour and half . Mousavi said Ahmadinejad 's dictatorial ways have hurt Iran 's image across the globe and could be a prelude to a dictatorship . `` There are two ways of confronting the country 's problems , '' Mousavi said . `` One is through a management style based on adventurism , instability , play-acting , exaggerations , wrongdoing , being secretive , self-importance , superficiality and ignoring the law . The second way is based on realism , respect , openness , collective wisdom and avoiding extremism . '' He said Ahmadinejad 's denials of the Holocaust had repulsed Iran 's allies . `` This has greatly damaged us , '' Mousavi said . The Iranian president called the Holocaust , in which six million Jews perished at the hands of the Nazis , `` a big deception . '' Ahmadinejad also has lashed out at the United States and Israel , calling at various times for the end of Israel 's existence as a Jewish state . In addition to Mousavi , two other challengers -- former parliament speaker Mahdi Karoudi , another reformist , and hard-liner Mohsen Rezaei , secretary of Iran 's Expediency Council -- hope to unseat Ahmadinejad in the June 12 election . Neither took part in Wednesday 's debate . The outcome of the election will set the tone for Iran 's policies on crucial issues , including its nuclear ambitions and the possibility of bilateral talks with Washington . Wednesday night 's event was the first of four debates that will pair two of the candidates against each other ahead of next week 's presidential elections . Ahmadinejad , known for his attacks against his foes , accused Mousavi of colluding with Iran 's former presidents Mohammad Khatami and Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani . Ahmadinejad , seeking a second term in office , accused the two Iranian figures of mismanagement , corruption and the masterminding of a plot to force him from power . `` I have tolerated all the personal insults and lies for four years and I forgive those responsible for them , '' Ahmadinejad said . `` But I do not have the authority to turn a blind eye when the people and the people 's choice and their interests are insulted . '' Ahmadinejad accused Mousavi and the two former leaders of standing against the Iranian nation and conspiring against him . Ahmadinejad said that , in the early days of his presidency , Rafsanjani sent a message to the king of a Persian Gulf state that said : `` Do not worry . This government will fall within six months . '' Hours after the debate , Ahmadinejad and Rafsanjani met at a ceremony commemorating the death of Imam Ruhollah Khomeini , the leader of the revolution that overthew the ruling monarchy in 1979 and established Iran as an Islamic republic . The meeting was cordial , with Rafsanjani holding on to Ahmadinejad 's arm throughout their talk , the semi-official Fars news agency said . Rafsanjani , a powerful cleric who heads the Expediency Council and Assembly of Experts , remains an influential figure in Iran . He was president from 1989 to 1997 and then attempted to position himself in the political center in the 2005 elections , when he publicly favored a policy that would relax tensions with the United States . The two nations have had no diplomatic ties since the 1979 Islamic Revolution . Rafsanjani lost to the ultra-conservative Ahmadinejad , who was then Tehran 's mayor . Ahmadinejad 's accusations against the former Iranian presidents mark a change in traditional politics , in that he named them . Normally , charges are made via innuendo . Though the targets are clear , they go unnamed . The change could indicate that he has the backing of Iran 's supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei . Analysts say that , without at least a nod from Khamenei , Ahmadinejad would not dare implicate members of Iran 's powerful inner circle . Outside the TV station , supporters of both candidates stayed well after the debate had ended , chanting slogans and not fully dispersing until 4 a.m. , according to the semi-official Fars news agency . CNN 's Shirzad Bozorgmehr in Tehran contributed to this story . | In a first for Iran , nation holds debates televised live ahead of presidential elections . Mir Hossein Mousavi accuses Ahmadinejad of behaving like a dictator . Mousavi : Ahmadinejad 's denials of the Holocaust had repulsed Iran 's allies . Ahmadinejad accused Iran 's former presidents of corruption , mismanagement . | [[348, 490], [409, 490], [80, 185], [698, 826], [123, 230], [1203, 1280], [1211, 1280], [2389, 2400], [2437, 2530]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of Pakistani residents have taken up arms and are battling local Taliban militants in the wake of a deadly mosque attack last week . A Pakistani police stands guard at a checkpoint in Peshawar , Pakistan on June 8 . It is the first major battle between the residents of northwest Pakistan and Taliban militants near the Afghanistan border . The residents are outraged over a suicide attack on a local mosque during Friday prayers that killed at least 40 people and wounded some 80 others . Starting on Saturday morning , some 400 villagers in the Upper Dir district formed a `` lashkar '' -- or militia -- to fight the Taliban , killing 14 of the militants as of Sunday evening , according to local administrator Atiq Ur Rehman . Four of the villagers have been injured in the battle , Rehman said . The militia have burned a number of houses thought to be sheltering the militants , according to Upper Dir police chief Ijaz Kahn . Both the residents and Taliban fighters are using heavy weapons , including rocket launchers and anti-aircraft weapons , Rehman said . There is a long history of Taliban presence in the area , including foreign fighters in leadership roles , local officials said . Authorities said Taliban fighters were driven out of Shot Ghas and Ghazigay -- two villages where the Taliban have support . The villagers took up arms against the Taliban after Friday 's suicide attack at a mosque in Hayagay Sharqi -- a village in Upper Dir located about 35 km -LRB- 22 miles -RRB- from the Afghan border and known for being against the Taliban . Upper Dir is a part of the Swat Valley , where the Pakistani military has waged a month-long operation against Taliban militants , but the district has not been part of the ongoing military offensive . The United Nations has said an estimated 2 million Pakistanis have been displaced by fighting between the Pakistani military and Taliban militants . The militants threatened to continue attacking cities in Pakistan until the military ends its operations against Taliban militants . As a result , Pakistani authorities have increased security in Islamabad , Pakistan 's capital city . CNN 's Ingrid Formanek and journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report . | Upper Dir , part of Swat Valley , is where Pakistan army are fighting Taliban militants . U.N. says an estimated 2 million Pakistanis have been displaced by fighting . Backlash follows suspected Taliban suicide attack Friday at a mosque . Official : Both sides using heavy weapons , including anti-aircraft weapons . | [[12, 36], [95, 181], [1611, 1649], [1634, 1649], [1652, 1739], [1813, 1961], [1836, 1961], [12, 36], [95, 181], [390, 478], [1371, 1460], [981, 1099]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sir Edmund Hillary has been laid to rest in New Zealand after thousands paid tribute to a mountaineer whose conquest of Mt Everest in 1953 was one of the 20th century 's defining moments . A last farewell to Sir Edmund Hillary . Guests filled Auckland 's Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral and an overflow area next door for a service . Among the guests were politicians , mountaineers and friends . Lady Hillary sat with family and Prime Minister Helen Clark . In the congregation were members of Nepal 's Sherpa community and Buddhist monks . In front of them , Hillary 's coffin was draped in a New Zealand flag and covered in wreaths . See photos of the funeral service '' As the service began , Sherpas laid Tibetan prayer scarves on the coffin . In Nepal , schools were due to ring bells as the service started . Hillary 's son , Peter , told the congregation : `` Adventure was compulsory growing up in the Hillary household . He took us to the most extraordinary places . '' His daughter , Sarah spoke of a childhood where Sir Edmund was planning expeditions , and coming home to a family eager to see him again . `` When asked at primary school what my father did , I was unable to find an answer . '' Clark said : `` He was a role model for a generation of New Zealanders ... We mourn as a nation because we know we are saying goodbye to a friend . '' On Monday , New Zealanders filed past Hillary 's casket as they paid final respects in Auckland 's Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral . Four soldiers , rifles at rest , stood guard as ordinary New Zealanders said goodbye to a national hero , whose achievements are known around the world . Hillary 's widow attended the tribute , which featured Maori song and dance . Clark , called it a celebration of a `` very great '' life . Hillary , who was 88 , died at Auckland City Hospital on January 11 . On May 29 , 1953 , Hillary and Tenzing Norgay , a Sherpa guide , became the first men to climb the 29,035 feet to the top of Everest and safely return . Hillary , who served during World War II in the Royal New Zealand Air Force , began climbing while in high school and traveled to the central Himalayas to join a British party exploring the southern face of Everest in 1951 . He returned in 1953 , when he and Norgay made their ascent -- spending 15-30 minutes at the summit . He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II on his return to England , but continued exploring -- reaching the South Pole by tractor in 1958 , joining the first group to climb Antarctica 's Mount Herschel in 1967 and boating east Himalayan rivers and the Ganges . His Himalayan Trust has helped build schools , hospitals and airstrips in Nepal since 1961 . He was also a strong supporter of environmental causes and worked to improve the lives of Nepal 's Sherpas . E-mail to a friend . | New Zealand says final goodbye to national hero Sir Edmund Hillary . In the congregation is family , Nepalese Sherpas , politicians and friends . Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first men to climb Mount Everest . | [[1511, 1524], [1544, 1614], [353, 415], [416, 477], [478, 560], [1874, 1890], [1893, 1919], [1939, 2026]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite a bleak economic environment featuring wide-ranging layoffs and rising unemployment , the nation 's premier law enforcement agency is touting `` one of the largest hiring blitzes in our 100-year history . '' The FBI is about to embark on its biggest hiring spree since immediately after the September 11 , 2001 . The FBI posted openings for 850 special agents and more than 2,100 professional support personnel . Officials say it 's the largest FBI job posting since immediately after the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks . The FBI 's unexpectedly large number of job openings results more from attrition and a wave of retirements than from growing government appropriations , Bureau officials told CNN . The FBI routinely advertises openings for individuals with critical skills in computer science and language fluency . But John Raucci , assistant director of the FBI 's Human Resources Division , says current needs are much more wide-ranging . `` We 're also looking for professionals in a wide variety of fields who have a deep desire to help protect our nation from terrorists , spies and others who wish us harm , '' Raucci said . The lengthy list of openings includes positions in finance and accounting , security , intelligence analysis , training and education , nursing and counseling , physical surveillance , electrical engineering , physical and social sciences , and auto mechanics . Procedures for applying and a full listing of available positions are posted on the Web site fbijobs.gov . `` This is a great time to apply for a great job in the FBI , '' said the bureau 's chief spokesman , Richard Kolko . Officials note at least a few jobs are currently available in every one of the FBI 's 56 field offices across the nation . The FBI lists openings throughout the year , but seldom has anything close to the current number of available positions . The present job postings expire on January 16 , but a new , possibly smaller set of openings will be posted shortly thereafter , the agency said . | FBI goes on biggest hiring blitz since 9/11 . Postings on www.fbijobs.gov seek 850 agents , 2,100 support staffers . Retirements , attrition responsible for openings , FBI says . | [[124, 242], [246, 341], [246, 253], [263, 350], [451, 546], [471, 568], [351, 450]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Stumped on a tough decision ? New Web sites are there to help . Hunch , a site open to the public Monday , asks questions and helps people make decisions . Hunch , a site that launches for the public Monday , will consider your quandary by getting to know you , asking you a series of questions and then spitting out three decisions . Another site , Let Simon Decide , makes a similar attempt . Caterina Fake , co-founder of the photo-sharing community Flickr , says she created Hunch not because people need help with emotional decisions but because it 's too tough to find smart information online . You often have to replicate someone else 's research , which is a waste , she said . Tech bloggers seem to be pleased with the effort . `` For the most part , I was impressed , though it quickly became clear that Hunch is n't capable of magically making up your mind for you , '' wrote Jason Kincaid , a reporter at TechCrunch , a technology blog . He called the site `` very clean and unintimidating . '' Fake spoke with CNN about decision making , her nerdy past and the power of collective knowledge . The following is an edited transcript : . CNN : Where did you get the idea for Hunch ? Fake : It 's a user-generated content site similar to Flickr , but the unit is not a photograph but a decision . And so it 's sort of a similar thing in that way . We kind of built the system so people can contribute to it . They can ask questions on there and suggest questions . And then you sort of codify it into a decision tree . CNN : So you 're answering questions about yourself ? Fake : Well , there are two components . So you answer questions about yourself , and there 's a little module that says things like , `` Alien abductions : real or fake ? '' And what -LSB- Hunch -RSB- does is , it then puts together a profile of you , a taste profile . And then you can go into the system and ask it any question that 's in the system . So it 's things like , `` What HD-TV should I buy ? '' or `` Where should I go to college ? '' or , you know , `` Where should I eat in San Diego on a Saturday night ? '' It could be just about anything . Once it kind of gets to know you , you can ask it questions , and then it gives an answer to you that it does n't give to anyone else . CNN : What are the downsides ? Fake : It depends on what the decision is . There is kind of an array of decisions that are too taste-oriented . Like , no matter how well we know you , we 're not going to know that your backyard is like 25 feet by 10 feet , versus 10 feet by 10 feet -LSB- for a person looking to buy a backyard grill -RSB- . You know what I 'm saying ? There 's no system that can get to know that . So what we try to do is narrow it down . So we ask you questions about your aesthetics or your beliefs or your politics or your demographic . CNN : What kind of decision-maker are you ? Fake : It 's really funny , because I think there 's a mistake that 's generally made with people asking about Hunch , and it 's that it 's solving people 's emotional problems . And it 's not . It 's solving people 's informational problems . I do n't have any problems making any decisions . I 've never had any problem making decisions , but when I go to Google and I 'm looking for information , say , about trademarks . I have to do all this research , and somebody has already done this research . CNN : So you see Hunch as a kind of search engine , almost ? Fake : No , it 's not a search engine . The feel of it is nothing like a search engine . It 's something new . CNN : How do you think collective knowledge online will change the way people live , or the way we interact with each other ? Fake : It 's like it 's an amazing period in the history of the Internet just in that way . ... We know more in the collective than we do in the individual . It becomes even more amazing when you extend that out to people outside your social network . Like , I do n't know anyone that has taken a yoga class in Romania . But I 'm sure that if I ended up in Romania , and I wanted to sign up for a yoga class that somebody in the world would know three places to recommend me . The information is out there in a sort of disorganized fashion . ... These systems that are kind of growing up now -- and Hunch hopefully is among them -- are able to take this sort of collective knowledge and make it easy for people to use and easy for people to access . CNN : Is there anything in your background that influences your belief in this collective knowledge idea ? Fake : I was a nerdy little girl . I played Dungeons and Dragons , and I had a little TRS-80 computer . It was really early on , I think it was , gosh , like 1994 when I first saw the Web , right ? So I went online , and I saw these people uploading pictures of , like , their cats . And I remember there was a video cam of ... the famous coffee pot at the IBM research center that uploaded every 5 minutes to show that the coffee pot was full or empty or whatever . And so the Internet struck me as this incredible thing where anybody -- like anybody -- could publish anything , and then anybody anywhere else in the world could read it . And I never got over that . There was kind of this wonder , this sense of wonder that I had about this incredible culture of generosity on the Web -- of all these people sharing stuff with each other . I 've always been so amazed by that . I love that . Like , I love that aspect of the Internet . That 's the thing that always seemed like it was magic to me . CNN : What are some cool Web sites that are flying under the radar right now ? Fake : Have you heard of Etsy ? CNN : Yeah , is that where people buy and sell art ? Fake : Yeah , it 's great . I think it 's gon na be like the next eBay . And I met those guys when they were really small . I 've been helping those guys since it was three kids in a dorm room . I love those guys . It 's one of my favorite companies . It has that same kind of ethic -LSB- as Hunch -RSB- : the power of the individual . There are like these housewives in the Midwest who had no idea they could make a living making Christmas ornaments or whatever . It 's just kind of an amazing thing that can only happen on the Internet . | CNN talks with Caterina Fake , founder of a Web site that makes decisions . Hunch.com asks you questions and then suggests answers . Fake says Hunch works best for informational problems , not emotional dilemmas . Fake 's philosophy : `` We know more in the collective than we do in the individual '' | [[1027, 1068], [83, 88], [126, 140], [175, 180], [281, 353], [414, 427], [481, 561], [3799, 3829]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Latin American nations overwhelmingly rejected nearly 50 years of U.S. policy toward Cuba on Wednesday , voting at a meeting of the Organization of American States in Honduras to revoke the communist nation 's 1962 suspension from the multinational group . Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales says farewell to Hillary Clinton at Wednesday 's OAS meeting . Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales said at the end of the two-day meeting in the city of San Pedro Sula that the OAS had rectified a serious error . The United States led the push to suspend Cuba from the OAS at the height of the Cold War , also breaking diplomatic relations with the island nation in 1961 and establishing an economic embargo the next year . `` This is an important message to the whole world , not just our continent , '' Zelaya said , later adding , `` The Cold War ended today in San Pedro Sula . '' The United States sought to obtain concessions from Cuba this year in exchange for readmission to the 35-nation group . In particular , the United States wants greater political and personal freedoms for the island 's 11 million citizens . Cuba rejected any preconditions , with former President Fidel Castro saying this week Cuba had no interest in rejoining the OAS . Although the OAS lifted Cuba 's suspension , Latin leaders did not automatically welcome the nation back . Instead , the OAS set up a mechanism by which Cuba could rejoin . Much of that dialogue will center on human rights . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she was `` pleased '' with the outcome , which came on a voice vote with no opposition . `` The member nations of the OAS showed flexibility and openness today , and as a result we reached a consensus that focuses on the future instead of the past : Cuba can come back into the OAS in the future if the OAS decides that its participation meets the purposes and principles of the organization , including democracy and human rights , '' Clinton said in a statement . She attended the two-day meeting but left before the vote to travel to Egypt , where President Obama was to make a major address to the Muslim world Thursday . Some analysts agreed with Clinton 's assessment . `` The OAS emerged from a heated debate with a constructive compromise that revokes an obsolete Cold War resolution suspending Cuba , '' said Robert Pastor , who was a Latin America national security adviser for President Carter in the late 1970s . `` But rather than invite Cuba to join the OAS , which Cuba said it would not do , it invited Cuba to initiate a dialogue on the purposes and principles of the OAS . '' Others saw the vote as an outright rebuke for an outdated U.S. policy . `` I would n't say it was inevitable , but it was almost so , '' said Wayne Smith , who worked as a top level official at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba from 1958 to 1961 during the Cuban Revolution that brought Castro to power . `` The U.S. was totally isolated on this , '' said Smith , who also was the chief of mission at the U.S. interests section in Havana from 1979-82 . `` The United States had some legitimate points on readmitting Cuba , '' Smith said , but went about it wrong . Larry Birns , director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs policy institute , saw the vote as a personal defeat for Clinton . `` This will be presented in Latin America as a big defeat for Hillary Clinton because people are not ready to take a swat at Obama yet , '' Birns said . `` It was hers to win , but she managed to lose it . '' The United States is being `` hypercautious , '' he said , rather than taking imaginative and bold steps toward normalizing relations . Analysts said many people in Latin America expected more from the newly elected Obama , who ran on a mantra of `` change . '' Said Smith : `` The Obama policy has reflected so little change that the other countries are just fed up . '' And many Latins gauge the United States -- long considered with suspicion , if not outright hostility -- by its stance toward Cuba . `` The road to rehabilitating relations with Latin America is through Havana , '' Birns said . `` That 's something that the Latin Americans are very responsive to . '' Heather Berkman , a Latin America analyst with the Eurasia Group consulting firm , saw the vote as `` a largely symbolic gesture that will have little impact in the short term either on improving democracy and human rights on the island , or on increasing the likelihood that the U.S. will lift the embargo of the island . '' And the vote could have a backlash , she said . `` There will be a strong reaction among certain members of U.S. Congress who are passionately opposed to improving U.S.-Cuba relations while the Castros remain in power , '' Berkman said . That reaction was quick to come Wednesday . `` Today we witnessed an example of the Obama administration 's absolute diplomatic incompetence and its unrestricted appeasement of the enemies of the United States , '' Cuban-American U.S. Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart , R-Florida , and Mario Diaz-Balart , R-Florida , said in a joint statement . `` The OAS is a putrid embarrassment . '' Other Cuban-American members of Congress also released statements criticizing the vote . The United States provides about 60 percent of OAS funding , Berkman said , and some members of Congress have threatened to withhold the money if Cuba is allowed back into the organization . Some old Latin America hands agree that the OAS may have hurt itself . `` I never cease to be amazed at how destructive some of these Latin American leaders can be , '' said Otto Reich , who served in high-level Latin American posts for Presidents Reagan , George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush . `` They chose to revive something out of the Cold War . '' The Latin leaders , Reich said , misread Washington . `` Some of these countries have further isolated themselves from the Obama administration , '' Reich said . `` It will be a long time before they regain the trust of the American government . '' Reich , a strong anti-communist , also opposed the vote on ideological grounds . `` The problem is that the conditions that suspended Cuba still exist , '' he said . `` Cuba has n't changed . '' | OAS revokes a 1962 decision suspending Cuba 's membership . The 35-member Organization of American States met this week in Honduras . U.S. had led push toward the 1962 suspension during Cold War 's height . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she 's `` pleased '' with the outcome . | [[195, 275], [2278, 2303], [2309, 2364], [0, 15], [124, 194], [545, 634], [1512, 1595]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Director of National Intelligence is replacing the agency 's inspector general just days after the public release of a blistering report critical of the DNI 's office . DNI head Dennis Blair announced Friday Justice Department official Roslyn Mazer will replace Inspector General Edward McGuire as the DNI 's internal watchdog . The inspector general 's role is to examine the operations of the office and investigate any allegations of waste , fraud or misconduct . Earlier this week , Maguire testified before Congress about his report on the state of the DNI 's office , outlining rampant communication problems , continuing turf battles within the intelligence community and financial mismanagement . All of those problems were supposed to be addressed when the position of DNI was created by Congress in 2004 to look at the intelligence failures associated with the 9/11 terrorism attacks and the claims of Iraq possessing weapons of mass destruction . The classified inspector general report was completed in November 2008 , but was not made public until this week . DNI spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said Maguire 's departure has nothing to do with his report . She claimed Blair , who assumed his position two months ago , wanted to bring his own leadership team . `` The director appreciates the efforts and work of the previous inspector general and will continue to build on some of the suggested reforms , '' Morigi said . | Inspector General Edward McGuire is being replaced as DNI 's internal watchdog . Maguire 's departure comes after blistering report critical of DNI . Report details turf battles within intelligence community , financial mismanagement . | [[250, 362], [0, 26], [68, 202], [521, 528], [651, 738]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.N. special investigator called for the resignation of top Kenyan officials and sweeping changes in the country 's security forces to end reported widespread killings by police across the African nation . The report urged President Mwai Kibaki to publicly acknowledge his commitment to ending the killings . `` The special rapporteur concluded that police in Kenya frequently execute individuals and that a climate of impunity prevails , '' Philip Alston said in a report a recently submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva . `` Most troubling is the existence of police death squads operating on the orders of senior police officials and charged with eliminating suspected leaders and members of criminal organizations . '' The report calls for the resignation of Kenya 's attorney general and the immediate replacement of the police commissioner . It also says Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki should publicly acknowledge his commitment to ending unlawful killings by the police . The Kenyan government expressed its `` deep displeasure '' with the report , questioning the special investigator 's `` approach , conduct and method of work . '' `` The government expresses grave concern regarding the allegations contained in the report by the special rapporteur , '' said Alfred Mutua , a spokesman for the Kenyan government . `` His questioning of the very basis of the Kenyan state and , in particular , its institutions is totally unacceptable and impinges on Kenya 's sovereignty . '' Alston also accused government security forces of torturing and killing hundreds of men in a March 2008 crackdown on a militia in the Mt. Elgon district , in western Kenya . And he said there was compelling evidence that what he called police death squads were operating in Nairobi and Central Province with a mandate to `` exterminate '' suspected Mungiki gang members . `` These are not `` rogue '' squads , but police who are acting on the explicit orders of their superiors , '' he said . The Mungiki militia , which is loyal to Kibaki 's Kikuyu tribe , began as a religious sect , but over the years has morphed into a gang that runs protection rackets -- particularly in the slums . The U.N. investigator suggested Kibaki acknowledge the alleged police killings and commit to stop them . He also advocated creating an independent civilian police oversight body , and said the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court should investigate violence after the 2007 election . He urged the government to create a witness protection program as well . Alston , who investigates human-rights problems around the world for the United Nations , traveled to Kenya at the government 's invitation . He stayed for 10 days in mid-February while 100 interviews were conducted in the U.N. member nation . There is hope for Kenya despite his criticism , Alston said . `` While the existing situation is bad , it is far from intractable , '' the report says . `` If it so chooses , Kenya can significantly reduce the prevalence of unlawful killings . '' | Report : Police death squads operate on the orders of senior officials . Calls for resignation of attorney general , replacement of police commissioner . Philip Alston accuses security forces of killing hundreds of men in 2008 crackdown . Kenya questions investigator 's `` approach , conduct and method of work '' | [[0, 15], [160, 226], [330, 457], [598, 668], [1695, 1838], [1931, 1941], [1946, 1998], [19, 152], [759, 883], [1521, 1527], [1533, 1673], [1013, 1087], [1013, 1034], [1090, 1172]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bombs in Baghdad and Baquba killed four people , two police officers among them , and wounded seven others Sunday morning , an Interior Ministry official said . A wounded Iraqi woman cries at a Baquba hospital after being caught in a blast Sunday at a police building . One death came about 9 a.m. when a parked car bomb detonated near the Buratha Shiite mosque in northwestern Baghdad . The blast apparently targeted a convoy belonging to an endowment that manages Shiite mosques in the war-ravaged nation . Three people were wounded in the explosion . A roadside bomb attack an hour earlier struck a police patrol in western Baghdad 's Mansour district , the Interior Ministry official said . Two police officers were killed and four others were wounded , he said . In another attack targeting authorities , a suicide car bomber slammed into the emergency police headquarters in central Baquba about 9:30 a.m. , a Baquba police official said . Twelve people were hurt in the blast , including three police officers . The blast also damaged the police headquarters and three civilian automobiles , the police official said . The suicide bomber was the only person killed in the blast . The U.S. military told CNN it has no evidence of a reported attack by al Qaeda in Iraq militants on an Iraqi village near Baquba on Saturday . A Baquba police official said at least 10 people were killed when the AQI insurgents raided the village of Adwaila -- home to both Sunni and Shiite Iraqis -- who have opposed al Qaeda , making the village a target . `` CF -LSB- coalition forces -RSB- and IA -LSB- Iraqi army -RSB- searched the area by air and by ground for several hours and found no evidence of this attack , '' Task Force Iron spokeswoman Maj. Peggy Kageleiry told CNN in an e-mail sent on Sunday . `` An IA team that was called to investigate the alleged incident was attacked by small arms fire and not anywhere on the scale described in the original report from the media . '' The police official said al Qaeda in Iraq insurgents launched mortars into the village north of Baquba and then sent in dozens of fighters with small arms to storm the village . The police officials aid at least five homes were burned and destroyed . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this report . | A parked car bomb explodes outside an organization that manages mosques . Two police officers killed in roadside bomb attack in Baghdad 's Mansour district . Suicide car bomber dies after slamming into Baquba police building , injuring 12 . | [[304, 421], [337, 421], [10, 102], [304, 421], [588, 688], [195, 210], [244, 303], [844, 929], [980, 1052], [980, 993], [1019, 1052]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Henry Joseph Madden was a good student and track team member in high school , but he had a secret : He sometimes wore his mother 's pantyhose and underwear under his clothes . Dr. Jennifer Madden , a family physician , began her transition to being female at age 48 . `` I really wanted to be a girl so bad , and that was one way for me to satisfy those feelings , '' Madden said . `` I always felt like someone was looking over my shoulder . '' The desire to be female never went away . At age 48 , Madden confessed these feelings to a doctor , and started seeing a gender therapist who suggested Madden was transgendered . Through reconstructive surgeries , electrolysis , laser procedures and voice lessons , Henry Joseph became Jennifer Elizabeth , known as Jenny . She is a practicing family physician in Nashua , New Hampshire . Watch Jenny 's story '' Chastity Bono , child of performer Cher and the late entertainer and politician Sonny Bono , announced Thursday the beginning of a transition from female to a male . While still relatively rare -- one advocate estimates that 0.25 to 0.5 percent of the American population is transgendered -- the idea of changing gender identity has become more widespread in recent years . The term `` LGBT '' -LRB- Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , Transgender -RRB- is more commonly recognized , and transgendered people have been portrayed in the 1999 film `` Boys Do n't Cry '' as well as the 2002 book `` Middlesex '' by Jeffrey Eugenides . Many people who have transitioned , including Madden , say they knew they had been born into the wrong gender from childhood . As early as age 3 , Dr. Julie Praus , born male , did n't understand why her father wanted to play catch . As a boy , Praus learned how to fish and hunt , but enjoyed collecting Depression-era glassware vases . Praus , 48 , a psychiatrist in Brattleboro , Vermont , started living as a woman in March 2008 . `` I get up every morning and say , ` Wow , I can actually look at myself in the mirror , ' because I 've never been able to do that in my life , because what would stare back at me was not me , '' Praus said . iReport.com : Share your story of gender change . Doctors speculate that there is a biological foundation to gender identity , but no one has determined what in the biological makeup determines that gender . The interactions between personality and culture also contribute to identity , said Chris Kraft , clinical director at the Johns Hopkins Sexual Behaviors Consultation Unit . The process of changing genders . For people who want a gender change on a biological level , the first step is therapy , experts say . Dr. Gary Alter , a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills , California , said patients do n't come to him until they 've been in therapy , a process that can take as much as a year . A therapist then gives a physician approval to start the patient on hormone treatment . At that point , the patient may or may not start living as the chosen sex , Alter said . Females seeking to transition into males may elect to have their breasts removed via surgery . With testosterone , they will grow hair on their face and chest after about two years . Read one man 's female-to-male advice to Chaz Bono . A higher percentage of males transitioning to females will go forward with genital surgery than females going to males , Alter said . Surgical methods for creating a penis -- which range from making one out of the clitoris to using the skin from the forearms -- are `` not perfect , '' and many patients are happy with just chest surgery , he said . Genital surgeries for creating female genitalia are better , he said . Alter 's method is to make a clitoris out of the head of the penis , and make space for a vagina . Facing the rest of the world . It is rare for people to undergo a gender transition and then want to reverse it , especially when surgery is involved , experts say . Some say changing genders is one of the best things they 've done , like Jamison Green , 60 , author of `` Becoming a Visible Man , '' who went through chest reconstruction and genital surgery . `` I do n't have too hard of a time telling people about it , '' Green said . `` I worried about that a lot in the beginning , before there was any kind of community and support about this condition , but one of the things I learned early on was that living in fear and shame is not very healthy . '' Green , who started his transition at age 40 , is now happily married to a woman whom he did not know before his change . Praus is also married to a woman , who knew her before her transition . Madden has a boyfriend . `` For the longest time , I really felt like I had a mental illness , and I do n't feel that way anymore , '' Madden said . But all three have experienced shock and dismay from others around them . Green said his mother took five years to adjust . One of Praus ' sons does n't speak to her . Madden 's marriage to a woman ended in divorce during her transition , and her children have struggled . Yet these three transgendered individuals say they feel better in many ways in their chosen gender roles . `` My patients say I 'm a better doctor , '' Praus said . `` Some of it is that I 'm not exerting so much energy hiding myself . '' Psychologists recommend that people who change genders adopt a `` transgendered identity , '' and not keep their history of transition a secret . But some who `` pass '' as their new genders do n't want to risk stigma , and tell only people closest to them , Kraft said . Often , males who transition to females face more problems than females who become males , Kraft said . Transgendered individuals who start as men tend to face more stigma , particularly if they are more noticeably transgendered . Transgendered individuals do face some legal quandaries . Some states require people to show proof of a medical procedure before changing gender on documents such as driver 's licenses , while others require that the person has taken hormones , Kraft said . People may also elect to change their birth certificates to reflect chosen gender . Chastity Bono , who now goes by `` Chaz , '' has been a prominent gay-rights activist . `` You could speculate that that could make it more complicated -- when you 're a public figure -- to take on something stigmatizing '' such as a gender transition , Kraft said . | Estimate : 0.25 to 0.5 percent of the American population is transgendered . Doctors speculate that there is a biological foundation to gender identity . People rarely undergo gender-reassignment surgery and then want to reverse it . | [[1044, 1071], [1075, 1251], [2197, 2271]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- Ah , that new car smell , that eau de car-logne ; it does an ego good while it does a wallet bad . And now it turns out , it can do bad things to your health , too . Air freshners can contain aldehydes , esters and ketones , industry spokesman says . All these years , while we were being offered safety first , last and front , side and rear ways , hardly anyone in the vehicle industry had given much thought to what actually was in that perfume de profit , the new car smell that car buyers sought and bought . As everyone knew , pollution related to vehicles originated from the exhaust pipe , not the shifter knob . It was spewed out the back of the rear , not the back of the rear view mirror . Well , what everyone thought they knew was wrong . It turns out -- take a deep breath -- that most of that new car smell is not some carefully-compounded , luxury , feel-good incense to the Mammon gods . But the new car smell comes from toxic gases . Not only that , but like a two dollar cologne , the effects can linger and linger for years , stinking up not only your shiny new car , but the reputation of the entire vehicle industry itself . AOL Autos : Best new small cars . Who says so ? Just about everyone in the vehicle business these days . But the initiator was The Ecology Center -LRB- EC -RRB- , a membership-based , nonprofit environmental organization based in Ann Arbor , Michigan . AOL Autos : 10 most fuel-efficient new cars . In a 2006 industry-awakening report entitled `` Toxic At Any Speed : Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives '' , this independent green organization declared that much of the material in most car interiors that produce that new car smell is made with toxic chemicals known to pose major public health risks . The report went on to say that not only are vehicle drivers and passengers breathing toxic air , but are also in constant physical contact with dangerous chemicals leaching from just about every interior surface of a new vehicle . The report says these chemicals give off gases that not only contaminate the air , but also coat interior surfaces with toxic `` fog , '' generally seen as that new car film common to new car interior windshields and windows . These are the same type of chemicals that are , `` linked to birth defects , impaired learning , liver toxicity , premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals amongst other serious health problems , '' according to EC . Fake is probably as bad as real . The companies that market those `` new car smell '' products that are sold at car washes and auto accessories stores generally will not reveal product contents . One fragrance industry spokesman indicated they can contain artificial leather odor , plus aldehydes , esters and ketones , which are all organic or chemical compounds . AOL Autos : Safest cars under $ 30,000 . Back to real . We are not speaking of plastic doodads here . There is an average of 250 pounds of plastic in new cars , the largest portion used for interior seat cushions , arm rests , door panels , steering wheels , dashboards , wire insulation and the plethora of aircraft-type knobs and switch controls throughout a car 's cockpit . AOL Autos : 10 least expensive new cars . In addition to acettonitrile , decanol , formaldehyde , naphthalene and carbon disulfide used in foams , adhesives and fabrics , the two major problem chemicals in most new vehicles are -LRB- a -RRB- the PBDEs , which are used as fire retardants throughout the industry and -LRB- b -RRB- phthalates , which are widely employed to soften PVC plastics . AOL Autos : Best financing deals of the month . Extended research by the Ecology Center covered samples from model years 2000 to 2005 made by 11 manufacturers . Part of the research showed significantly higher levels of PBDEs in those vehicles as compared to those levels in homes and offices that had been measured in previous studies , making in-car pollution a major source of indoor air pollution and health danger . In the resultant table of contamination levels , Hyundai rated lowest and Mercedes highest in PBDEs . Volvo rated lowest and Hyundai highest in phthalates . Not only are these toxic elements dangerous in any situation , but the combination of higher temperatures caused by the surrounding glass of windshields and windows and UV exposure from the sun can cause PBDE flame retardants to become even more dangerous with solar exposure , up to five times higher than in homes and offices . Imagine the gas chamber you 're creating by also smoking in the car , Jack . Report coauthor and EC 's Clean Car Campaign Director Jeff Gearhart wrote , `` We can no longer rely just on seatbelt and airbags to keep us safe in cars . Our research shows that autos are chemical reactors , releasing toxins before we even turn on the ignition . There are safer alternatives to these chemicals ... '' The Ecology Center called for these actions : . Manufacturers : Should phase out PBDEs and phthalates in auto material parts . Government : Should provide phase-out guidelines and provide technical assistance and research to vehicle manufacturers for development of alternatives . At a most recent count , nine states have passed laws banning two forms of PBDEs with at least six more coming aboard . Vehicle occupants : Should minimize health risks by using solar reflectors , ventilating car interiors with open windows and non-recirculating air conditioning and parking out of direct sunlight whenever possible . In other words , get rid of that new car smell . Although the automotive industry took notice of the report , there was no instant fire drill to rectify the status quo . Reaction to the report was slow-growing , but due to things green busting out all over , just about every vehicle manufacturer began to initiate research and development to reduce or eliminate built-in passenger compartment pollution . Actually , research on toxic chemical reduction and elimination had been underway for some time in the electronic and electrical industries . As far back as 2003 , the European Union had passed legislation requiring the phase-out of PBDEs . Companies like Apple , Dell , HP , IBM , Panasonic and Sony have already eliminated PBDEs from their products . Addressing progress or lack of same in its recent Second Annual Report , the Ecology Center graded the country 's eight leading car manufacturers on their plastics policies and practices . The report said that Ford and Honda had made the most significant improvements since the original findings and had joined Toyota as the three leaders in using `` safe '' plastics for indoor auto parts by -LRB- a -RRB- use of bio-based materials , -LRB- b -RRB- improving interior air quality and -LRB- c -RRB- reducing the use of PVC . Bio-based materials . Toyota led the group with a ` B ' grade by developing an eco-plastic made from sugar cane or corn and building a pilot plant to produce it . DaimlerChrysler came in second through increased use of renewable materials , and Ford came in third for developing a soy-based foam and a bio-fabric for seating . Interior air quality . Ford headed this group with a B for having four vehicles certified to an independent allergy-free standard . Toyota got a C + in this group for its goal to reduce in-cabin VOC -LRB- volatile organic compound -RRB- levels in all vehicles globally by 2010 , but it 's noted that Toyota did n't say to what levels they would be reduced . PVC reduction . Honda was tops with a B for removing PVC from most applications in its products . Also cited were Hyundai , Toyota and DaimlerChrysler for replacing PVC parts in some lines . But not all is mountain fresh air in vehicleland . While these studies show progress , vehicle manufacturers still have miles to go before the interiors of their offerings are safe from `` new car smell . '' When grading the manufacturers that account for 94 % of total vehicles in sales in the US , it resulted in the highest overall grade of a C + for Toyota and a C for Ford , while the lowest score in this group overall was a D - for Volkswagen . Much of Ford 's good grading came from its Volvo component . Volvo , which had the Ecology Center 's lowest emissions of phthalates and a lower incidence of the flame retardant PBDE than in most other cars , actually led the Ecology Center to encourage other car manufacturers to follow Volvo 's example . `` Safety is more than crumple zones and air bags , '' said a Volvo spokesman . `` All of our interiors comply with Oeko-tex 100 , probably the toughest cabin standard being used today . '' Oeko-tex 100 is an international environmental standard for textiles which demands that seat belts , carpets , thread and fabrics contain no harmful substances , that leather upholstery undergoes chromium-free tanning with natural plant substances and even smaller parts , such as handbrake buttons and steering wheel emblems , be tested as possible contact allergy sources . Finally , the greenies also found their share of doubting Thomases , or in this particular case , Hermanns or maybe Hanses . A group of German scientists decided to conduct their own tests of indoor vehicle pollution . They ran tests of volatile organic compounds originating from the interiors of vehicles and concluded that there was no evidence of toxic effects when they exposed human lab cell cultures to cabin pollutants . Although they declared their research showed no evidence of any health harm , the scientists did n't explain why so many people derive such pleasure from inhaling new car smell , which comes from alky benzenes , alkanes , formaldehyde and acetone . Or could it be that inhaling those fumes could lead the mind to such wondrous suggestions ? Either way , now that you have the facts about that once-desirable , now-controversial new car smell , you can breathe easier . Well , maybe not . | Ecology Center study shows `` new car smell '' comes from toxic gases . Effects of gases can linger for years . Toyota , Honda and Ford lead in using `` safe '' plastics for indoor auto parts . German scientists run alternate tests -- say no evidence of toxic effects . | [[934, 976], [1672, 1690], [1696, 1751], [1025, 1068], [6491, 6794], [9152, 9245], [9246, 9250], [9338, 9391], [9465, 9531]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Alicia A.S. Duque knew she had some pounds to lose , but she had no idea how much being overweight affected her until the television cameras started rolling . Alicia Duque performs with her partner on Oxygen 's new hit `` Dance Your Ass Off . '' `` Going into it , I knew it was a TV show , I knew it was a weight-loss show and I knew it was a dance show , but I did n't think I was going to learn so much about myself through the process , '' said the 23-year-old Duque , a contestant on the new show `` Dance Your Ass Off . '' `` I did n't know how many issues and problems I had with my weight until I faced it on the show . '' Duque 's struggle with weight loss is one of many on television that is resonating with those tuning into programming aimed at and featuring the plus-sized . Style Network 's `` Ruby , '' NBC 's `` The Biggest Loser , '' Lifetime 's `` Drop Dead Diva '' and Fox 's forthcoming dating show `` More to Love '' all center on the overweight and are tapping into an audience that can relate to the desire to shed a few pounds . Obesity has risen dramatically in the United States during the past 20 years , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . And this year television has seen an increase in shows featuring participants and stars who look more like the viewing public . Oxygen Channel 's `` Dance Your Ass Off '' combines elements of ABC 's `` Dancing With The Stars '' and NBC 's `` The Biggest Loser . '' Contestants learn dance routines for which they are judged before weighing in to determine how much they have lost . Amy Introcaso-Davis , senior vice president of original programming and development at Oxygen , said dance and diet are two areas of interest for younger viewers of the channel , so combining the two made sense . The 12 contestants , from the smallest to the largest , have struck a chord with viewers , she said . `` People find the contestants so relatable , '' she said . `` We cast very purposely across the board in terms of how many pounds people needed to lose -- we had anywhere from people who needed to lose 40 -LSB- pounds -RSB- to over 150 . '' The premier of `` Dance '' rated highly for Oxygen , with more than 1 million viewers tuning in . Oxygen also found success earlier with `` Mo'Nique 's F.A.T. Chance , '' a plus-size pageant where women of substance strutted their stuff to be crowned `` Miss Fabulous And Thick . '' For a nation grappling with obesity , Introcaso-Davis said , there is a hunger for such shows . `` If you have five pounds to lose or you have 150 pounds to lose , it 's something you think about all day long , '' she said . `` You take a bite of cheesecake and you think ` Should I be doing this ? ' '' Esther Rothblum , a professor of women 's studies at San Diego State University and co-editor of the forthcoming anthology `` The Fat Studies Reader , '' said she wonders if part of the appeal of plus-sized shows stems from the overweight being held up for public ridicule . The subject of her book is an emerging field that has been defined as `` confronting and critiquing cultural constraints '' against notions of `` fatness '' and `` the fat body . '' `` Most people feel too fat in this country and are made to feel very unhappy with their bodies , '' she said . `` So by portraying somebody who weighs so much more than they do , it 's almost a way to make the audience feel like ' I could look worse ' or ` At least I 'm not them . ' '' Ruby Gettinger said she supports any show that does not mock the overweight . Her hit show `` Ruby '' started out as a documentary and has transformed Gettinger into a reality star who has lost more than 100 pounds and appeared on `` Oprah . '' `` We are really all on this journey together , and I tell -LSB- viewers -RSB- that all of the time , '' said Gettinger , who at her heaviest weighed 716 pounds . `` There are a lot of shows out there and I think people are trying to find a way to beat it and lose weight . '' Gettinger , who is traveling around the country walking in various cities to inspire fans to become more active , said shows featuring the obese can really touch the audience if they are authentic . '' -LSB- My show -RSB- is the truth , not to say that the others are n't , '' she said . `` When I started out on this journey and met with Style -LSB- Network , which airs the show -RSB- I said ' I have to keep my truth because this is about my journey and addiction and I want to deal with that because too many people are struggling . ' '' Her show portrays her grappling with everything from temptation to embarrassment at having to visit the gynecologist , but Gettinger said it 's all worth it if it inspires others . Actress Marissa Jaret Winokur , who starred in the Broadway musical `` Hairspray , '' said she agreed to host `` Dance Your Ass Off '' because she saw the potential for inspiration in viewers witnessing overweight people being active and feeling confident and sexy -- even in skimpy dance outfits . Reality television has become so popular because viewers are attracted to watching real people , and there is a craving for viewers to see folks like themselves , she said . `` It became that so many people on reality shows were only beautiful skinny people , and I think a lot of people got sick of that , '' said Winokur , who has been blogging about her own struggles with weight for People magazine . `` Really , who 's home watching TV is the everyday person who is not a TV model . I think there is much more interest in watching people like yourself . '' | Shows about and featuring the overweight are flourishing . `` Dance Your Ass Off '' drew more than a million viewers for its premier . Star of show says programs resonate because of truth . Professor wonders if shows inspire ridicule of the overweight . | [[2153, 2203], [2211, 2250], [2959, 3014]] |
Editor 's note : Rich Roll , one of Men 's Fitness magazine 's `` 25 Fittest Guys in the World '' in 2009 , was the first athlete to compete in the Ultraman World Championships on an entirely plant-based diet . He 's sharing insights today as part of Dr. Sanjay Gupta 's `` Four Months to Fitness '' effort . Before : At 40 years old , Rich Roll called himself `` fat , unhappy and fed up . '' -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- I can still remember it , vivid as yesterday . It was the eve of my 40th birthday , and I walked upstairs to take a shower . And I was winded . I mean very winded . As I was trying to catch my breath , I took off my shirt , looked in the mirror and tried to convince myself that I was still that fit guy I had always thought I was . Somehow , I had been able to skate by on this delusion for all too many years . But the denial had finally caught up to me . I saw my true reflection , and I could n't lie to myself anymore . I was in the worst shape of my life . I was fat , unhappy and fed up . It 's the typical story . First it 's the career . Then comes marriage , followed by kids . Your time is no longer your own , and you resign yourself to `` maturity , '' `` filling out '' or whatever euphemism for middle age that soothes that idea that you are simply overweight , unfit and unhealthy . I 'm here to say that it does n't have to be that way . I do n't care how busy you are . I do n't care how old you are , how many kids you have or how little time you think you have . The power rests within yourself to enact any change in your life you desire . And I can say this because I have seen it happen in myself and countless others . After that fateful day of clarity , I made a decision to change my life . Not a vague , wishy-washy notion that I should `` get in shape , '' maybe `` eat better '' or possibly `` go on a diet , '' but rather a specific long-term plan to enhance my wellness in a way that would not only stick , but fit within the parameters of my busy life as a full-time lawyer , husband and father of four small children . In my case , it began with a well-researched and supervised seven-day fruit and vegetable juice cleanse -LRB- during which time I weaned myself off caffeine -RRB- , followed by an entirely plant-based nutrition program -- an animal-product-free regimen I have adhered to ever since . The immediate result was a rather surprising and unexpected increase in my energy levels , leading to a very gradual return to exercise , building up slowly over an extended period of time . The results were hardly overnight . But two years later , I had lost well over 30 pounds . And not only did I keep the weight off , I was the most fit I had ever been in my life . At 42 years old , I competed in the Ultraman World Championships , a grueling three-day uber-endurance triathlon circumnavigating the Big Island of Hawaii that involves 6.2 miles of swimming , 260 miles of cycling and culminates with a 52.4-mile double marathon run . I placed 11th overall and was the third-fastest American . To top it off , Men 's Fitness magazine recently named me one of the `` 25 Fittest Guys in the World . '' -LRB- Not that I actually believe I deserve such an honor ! -RRB- . Quite an extreme contrast from that day I looked in the mirror . I 'm not advocating that everyone should test himself or herself so severely . But my point is that change starts with a decision followed by baby steps along a new , consistent trajectory that , over time , can lead to dramatic results . I 'm nothing special . I 'm not a professional athlete . I 'm just a normal family guy . But if I could experience such a vast transformation in my own life , I know with certainty that everybody has within himself the power to enact his own well-balanced transformation . Change is never easy . And despite what you may see advertised , I 'm sorry to say there is no secret diet , mystery pill or overnight miracle that will do it for you . But there is a solution . Here are some helpful tools I employed along the way that can help you get started : . Set a goal : Vague , nonspecific notions of `` getting fit , '' `` going to the gym , '' or `` eating better '' are all fine , but they are not true `` goals '' and all too typically devolve , paving the way for relapse to old habits . Instead , establish something very concrete you would like to achieve on a future date . The more specific , the better . Then create a solid plan with reasonable interim `` steppingstone '' milestones along the way to achieving the larger goal . Chart your progress , as meeting interim milestones will boost your confidence and invest you more deeply in the ultimate goal . Create community and accountability : If you go public with your quest , then you are on the hook . A good support network is a key to success . But beware of the negative dream crushers . Be selective , surrounding yourself with people who encourage your success . Do what you love : When it comes to exercise , it should n't be too painful . Ideally , it should be fun . If you absolutely hate running , find something else you enjoy . Otherwise , you set yourself up to fail . And do n't be too rigid -- mix it up with a variety of activities you like to keep it interesting and fresh . Do n't diet : Instead , get honest about your habits and embark on implementing healthy , lasting changes in your nutrition . I feel quite strongly that a nutrition program built entirely around plant-based foods and completely devoid of animal products is optimal . Conventional wisdom would say that an athlete can not perform on plants alone . But I am living proof that this is false , and I have ample research to support this position . Personally , I can not overemphasize the difference this has made in my own life , a secret weapon for enhanced athletic performance and overall long-term wellness . -LRB- In the last two years , I have not gotten sick or even suffered a cold . -RRB- . I realize , of course , that not everyone is ready to go 100 percent vegan , but a program built on a strong foundation of fresh organic vegetables , fruits and grains should be the focus . Do n't skip meals , but reduce your portions slightly . Read the labels and educate yourself . Avoid saturated fats , processed foods and soft drinks , all of which are entirely devoid of nutritional value . Eating whole fresh foods high in nutritional content will also stave off those unhealthy urges to binge . One day at a time : Large goals can seem insurmountable . The idea that you can never eat a cupcake or sleep in again is daunting at best . Instead , just focus on what is happening today , even if it 's hour to hour , and do n't worry about tomorrow . `` Today , I 'm not going to eat that cupcake . Maybe I 'll eat it tomorrow , just not today . '' And if you miss a beat , do n't flog yourself ; it only leads to discouragement and quitting altogether . The important thing is to make sure you get right back on it the next day -- do n't let another day go by . Prioritize : Take an honest look at your average week , identify your inefficient uses of time and eliminate the things that do n't serve your goals . No matter how busy you are , if you are truly honest about this inquiry , I guarantee you can make some cuts and carve out some time . Remember : Nothing changes if nothing changes . Be consistent : It 's not about how much you do in a given workout or how hard it is . Ten minutes of core exercises four to five times per week is far better than one long run a week . Establishing a consistent rhythm of repetition is key , and another reason that your choice of exercise should be something you truly enjoy . Let 's join together to shift the world 's perspective on long-term health and wellness . No matter how old , overweight or out of shape you are , you have the power to make a decision , set a goal and create a plan . Positive change is always within your grasp , and today still remains the first day of the rest of your life . Make it count ! The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Rich Roll . | Rich Roll : Approaching 40 , `` I was in the worst shape of my life '' Two years later , he was the most fit he 'd ever been . This year , Men 's Fitness named Roll one of the `` 25 Fittest Guys in the World '' To become fit , set a specific goal , be consistent and take it one day at a time , he says . | [[309, 315], [318, 333], [336, 385], [309, 315], [318, 333], [336, 345], [382, 390], [938, 975], [2672, 2719], [3063, 3149], [3405, 3474], [3445, 3474], [3494, 3524], [4080, 4090], [4316, 4323], [4326, 4404], [7381, 7394], [7856, 7859], [7911, 7926]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seventh graders at Ron Clark Academy became an overnight sensation during the presidential election when their YouTube performance of `` You Can Vote However You Like '' catapulted them to online stardom . `` The higher the expectations , the higher the results , '' says Ron Clark , seen here with his students . Now , their creative and scholastic talents have proved the students to be more than just `` one hit wonders . '' Academy students showcased their poetry and writings for CNN 's documentary `` Black in America 2 , '' hosted by Soledad O'Brien . Cultivating student creativity is just one of the goals of academy founder Ron Clark , an enigmatic educator known for his unconventional teaching methods . Under his strict tutelage , students at Ron Clark -- who are predominantly African-American -- are expected to excel in all subjects and maintain a high standard of respect for their peers and teachers . `` I 'm teaching an eighth-grade curriculum to fifth-graders , '' says Clark . `` Some people say my expectations of the kids , academically , is too high , but the higher the expectations , the higher the results . '' But with high academic expectations come an equally high quotient for fun . It 's become one of Clark 's trademarks : singing and dancing to popular rap and R&B songs during class to get the kids engaged . `` My first day at Ron Clark Academy , I thought all the teachers were psychopaths , '' says seventh-grader Jai Springs . `` I thought Ron Clark was going crazy . He was up in front of the kids on desks , he was dancing . ... I never saw a teacher get up on a desk and dance . But now I 'm used to it , so I get up on the desk and dance too , '' says Jai . Clark , formerly a schoolteacher from South Carolina , founded the academy with money he earned from his book titled The Essential 55 , which detail Clark 's 55 golden rules for success -- in and out of the classroom . Clark was invited to be a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show after winning Disney Teacher of the Year Award in 2001 . Oprah believed so much in the well-mannered Southern school teacher from South Carolina that she encouraged him to write the book . Later she promoted The Essential 55 on her show , prompting it 's ascension to New York Times bestseller list . Together with co-founder Kim Bearden , Clark transformed a decaying factory in a rough part of Atlanta , Georgia , into a state-of-the-art educational model for middle schools across the country . Soon after the school opened its doors in 2008 , a Christmas package from Winfrey arrived for Clark in the form of a $ 365,000 grant , or `` a thousand dollars for each day of the year , '' as Oprah referred to it in the letter . Then came the elections , with a tight presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and John McCain of Arizona . Inspired by rapper T.I. 's hit song `` Whatever You Like , '' Clark 's seventh grade class penned their own lyrics and dance moves . The students ' performance carried a message : Cast your ballot because you support a candidate 's policies rather than just his skin color . When they perform the song , half the seventh grade class touts the virtues of GOP 's McCain while the other half root for Democrat Obama : `` Obama on the left . McCain on the right . We can talk politics all night . And you can vote however you like . '' The students `` can talk politics with the best of them , '' says Clark . Video clips of the kids performing have garnered over 15 million hits on YouTube . `` We got lots of media attention . But when the media arrived to the school they realized the song is not the story , it 's the kids , '' says Clark . One of Clark 's credos is teaching a `` global curriculum '' with a heavy emphasis on current events . Himself an avid world traveler , Clark believes it 's essential for his students to travel to other countries to develop an understanding and appreciation of the world in which they live . Through Delta 's corporate sponsorship of the school , administrators have been able to send all 100 of their fifth to eighth grade students abroad before they graduate . `` I 'm not nearly as shy as I used to be , '' says seventh-grader Chi Chi Kasarachi after her first year at the academy . `` My knowledge of the world has improved , I know more about what 's going on in other countries and I 'm more curious about things . ... I 'm just hungry for knowledge , '' says Chi Chi . In fact , the students at Ron Clark Academy are better versed in current events and politics than many adults . `` I never thought I 'd be interested in watching the news , '' says seventh-grader Osei Avril . `` Now I find it interesting because I have learned the stories behind the news , '' he says . Osei -- who pronounces Iranian President Ahmadinajad 's name perfectly -- says he 's interested in learning about world issues such as the Iranian elections , the Taliban in Pakistan , and the Palestinian - Israeli conflict . `` At the beginning , '' says Clark , `` the kids will say something like ` I 've been to East Point -LSB- a suburb of South Atlanta -RSB- . After a few years they 've been to Kenya , Japan , or South Africa , or England . ... They 've become very comfortable with understanding the country and understanding themselves . '' But it 's not just the travel or even the singing and dancing to rap music that make the school so special , say the students . It 's the academy teachers ' creative ways of instilling education , solid values , and a passion for learning . `` They want you to pass the people at the top , '' says Jai . `` To be at the top nonstop , be at your fullest , to be creative , to think out of the box . '' But school is n't all fun and games , she says . Clark is a strict disciplinarian that expects -- and enforces -- model behavior from all of the students . `` I love Mr. Clark with all my heart , he 's like a father to me , '' says Chi Chi . `` He might fuss a lot , but I know he 's doing it for our own good . '' | Ron Clark Academy students ' '08 YouTube rap performance got millions of hits . Clark teaches `` global curriculum '' with heavy emphasis on current events . `` I 'm teaching an eigthth-grade curriculum to fifth graders , '' says Clark . Student : `` My knowledge of the world has improved . ... I 'm hungry for knowledge '' | [[3475, 3557], [3710, 3812], [960, 1017], [1020, 1035], [3459, 3474], [4296, 4337], [4435, 4465]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nearly two decades after the first Gulf war and six years after Saddam Hussein was removed from power , Iraq still is subject to 73 United Nations resolutions . A March 1991 photo shows burning oil wells in Kuwait damaged by Iraq military forces . Now Iraq 's foreign minister says his country `` will not regain full sovereignty and independence without getting rid of these resolutions . '' Speaking to reporters in Washington , Hoshyar Zebari said Monday that Iraq has paid `` billions '' of dollars under Chapter 7 of the U.N. sanctions placed on Iraq as a result of the 1990 Iraq invasion of Kuwait and subsequent war . The U.N. Security Council is reviewing the sanctions , and Zebari said he had `` intensive discussions '' in New York with members of the Security Council . He said `` I think the outcome is positive . '' `` We felt a great deal of good will that , really , time has come for Iraq to get rid of all these restrictions and to regain its international standing and position as a normal country . '' The Iraqi foreign minister said bringing Iraq out of Chapter 7 is an `` American commitment also '' since Iraq signed the status of forces agreement with the United States , which governs the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq , based on its understanding that the U.S. would help Iraq to come out of Chapter 7 . Foreign Minister Zebari said the sanctions impose a heavy burden on Iraq -- it continues to pay 5 percent of its oil revenues to Kuwait , down from the initial 30 percent . Iraq 's security forces , he told reporters , have `` proven they are capable of defending themselves and the country . '' In the next six months , however , he said , the country faces some risks . `` What can be seen as problems could become crises unless this administration keeps its focus and support to push the situation forward ; otherwise this overall strategy of responsible redeployment could be undermined . '' If that happens , Zebari said , it `` will impact what the U.S. is doing in the Middle East , in the Arab peace process , with Iran , even in Afghanistan because Iraq is such a crucial player in the region . '' | Iraq 's FM says his country wo n't be fully independent until U.N. sanctions end . Iraq has paid `` billions of dollars '' under U.N. 's Chapter 7 , foreign minister says . `` Intensive discussions '' held with Security Council members , minister says . | [[278, 419], [461, 570], [714, 811]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- While many now recognize the scientific explanation for a solar eclipse , the phenomenon is still marked with tradition and sometimes suspicion in Hindu-majority India . People test the `` sky watching telescope '' at the Gujarat Council of Science City in India . The `` exceptionally long '' eclipse that will cross half the planet Wednesday will be able to be seen by virtually all of the population of China and India . For beggars in India , the occasion means an extra day of receiving alms and food . The panhandler in Sandeep Jaggi 's neighborhood normally visits the block every week on Tuesdays and Saturdays , as well as the days of a new and full moon . And because his patrons mark an eclipse with alms-giving , prayers and bathing , he rarely misses the chance to meet them on this day as well . `` It 's a family tradition and I follow it , '' says 34-year-old Jaggi . He will fill the beggar 's small steel pail with mustard oil and coins and his disheveled sash with lentils . For others in the country , the eclipse is not a reason to celebrate , but a more ominous phenomenon . Send us your photos of the eclipse . Most pregnant women hope to avoid giving birth during an eclipse . `` None of the expectant mothers under my treatment are willing to have deliveries on Wednesday , '' Shivani Sachdev Gour , a gynecologist at New Delhi 's Fortis La Femme hospital , told CNN . In fact , there are critically ill patients who do not want to be in the hospital on the day of the eclipse , she said . Indian astrologers even advise expectant mothers to stay indoors when this celestial event occurs . `` It may not cause any physical harm to the baby , but it may affect the child 's overall personality , '' said R.K. Sharma , who describes himself as a `` remedial astrologer . '' A solar eclipse , he says , weakens the sun god temporarily because of an encounter with dragon Rahu and leaves some cascading results everywhere . `` Bathing in holy rivers and ponds during this time thus helps protect health and develop positivism and greater will power , '' he explained . About 1.5 million people are expected at one such pond -- the Brahmsarovar , or the pool of Hindu god Brahma -- in northern India on Wednesday . `` They offer prayers to the sun god and take holy dips during an eclipse , '' said Ashok Kumar Bansal , the sub-divisional magistrate of Kurukshetra , an ancient Hindu city . But the century 's longest total solar eclipse is not just about the dragon-sun combat , it also means business for some . Travel firms in India have plans in place to cash in on the phenomenon . Cox and Kings India has a planeload of eclipse watchers heading for the eastern state of Bihar , one of the most preferred locations for sighting the event . The plane will hover over Gaya in Bihar and return to New Delhi the same day , company spokesman Thomas C. Thottathil told CNN . Passengers were given two options : to book a `` sunside '' seat facing the eclipse for about $ 1,640 , or reserve an `` earthside '' seat for about $ 610 , Thottathil added . `` And it 's a sold out flight now ! '' he said . | Solar eclipse marked with tradition and often suspicion in Hindu-majority India . Most pregnant women in India hope to avoid giving birth during eclipse . Some critically ill patients do not want to be in hospital on day of eclipse . Astrologer : Eclipse weakens sun god because of encounter with dragon Rahu . | [[111, 134], [142, 170], [111, 125], [129, 206], [1171, 1237], [1441, 1538], [1852, 1859], [1862, 1981], [1834, 1849], [1862, 1968]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Video showing Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl , captured by the Taliban in Afghanistan , is just another example of how captors use the medium for psychological warfare . U.S. Army Spc. Shoshana Johnson , who was held by insurgents in Iraq , prepares to enter a plane to safety . The latest video shows Bergdahl , of Ketchum , Idaho , looking comfortable and eating food . While he expresses concern about not seeing his family and girlfriend again , he does appear to speak calmly and has no visible signs of abuse . `` I have a very , very good family that I love back home in America , and I miss them every day that I 'm gone , '' he says in a 28-minute video released by his captors . `` I miss them , and I 'm afraid I might never see them again and that I 'll never be able to tell them I love them again . I 'll never be able to hug them . '' But that is in stark contrast to the well-publicized captures of U.S. servicemen and women in conflicts past . Vietnam . Sen. John McCain , whose plane was shot down during a combat mission over Vietnam in 1967 , is considered one of the most famous prisoners of war . He was captured by the Communist Viet Cong and spent nearly six years in a prisoner of war camp , where he was often tortured . A grainy black-and-white film released by his captors showed a severely injured McCain talking on camera in the so-called `` Hanoi Hilton . '' McCain later refused to be released before other prisoners . He eventually returned to the United States in 1973 . `` During the years , we were kept in solitary confinement or two or three to a cell because they did n't want us to see each other . We 'd spend all our time tapping on the walls to each other and encouraging each other and organizing , organizing , organizing with our chain of command . The days and hours go by , '' McCain told CNN 's John King last year . Iraq . And most recently , in 2003 , video from Iraq painted a picture of an unruly and chaotic terror organization holding U.S. soldiers captured in the Iraq military theater . Army Spc. Shoshana Johnson was shown on videotape being interrogated -- with five other soldiers including Pfc. Jessica Lynch , who was badly wounded and was held prisoner at a separate location . Nine of their fellow soldiers were killed when their convoy was ambushed . Johnson appeared frightened , with her eyes darting quickly left and right . `` I was terrified . I did n't know what was going to happen to me , '' Johnson said in a past CNN interview . `` And I was in a lot of pain . '' Lynch 's videotaped rescue made her a celebrity , and she was used by the Pentagon to put a face on the men and women who were fighting the war against the regime of Saddam Hussein . Johnson and the other POWs spent 22 days as prisoners until Marines rescued them . Chris Voss , a former lead international kidnapping coordinator for the FBI , says that as a lesson from the Johnson video , the Taliban may have learned to try to appear more political than radical . `` They 're hoping that ... this gets to other media outlets that will make them appear so that they are a reasonable political force , '' he says . `` There is very much a lack of overthreat in the -LSB- Bergdahl -RSB- video , and they clearly thought this through ... specifically strategic for these purposes . '' Somalia . Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Durant , a Black Hawk helicopter pilot , was shot down in 1993 during a combat mission in Mogadishu , Somalia . The body of one of his fellow pilots being dragged through the streets was captured on video . After the crash , he was captured by a mob and held for 11 days . Durant suffered several serious injuries , including a broken back and face and leg wounds . He was later released . His bloodied and bruised face was splashed on the covers of several national magazines , including Time and Newsweek , and on TV networks . His story later inspired Mark Bowden 's bestseller `` Black Hawk Down '' and a movie by director Ridley Scott . Voss says his image was depicted in a different way than others had been . `` The media picked that up and ran in a way that was very accusatory towards the United States , '' he says . `` There were pictures of Mike Durant in a clearly beaten-up condition , and the captions in the various national magazines were , ` What in the world are we doing ? ' '' Voss says that from that incident , the United States may have learned to apply the mostly mum stance it 's using during the Bergdahl capture . `` The U.S. government gave a knee-jerk reaction to that , which I think they 've learned from , '' he says . `` So how this plays out in the media , the Taliban is being very cautious to appear to be reasonable ... because they do n't want to make themselves look like they 're fanatical . They are trying to be very reasonable . '' | Army Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl was captured nearly three weeks ago in Afghanistan . Sen. John McCain is considered one of the most famous prisoners of war . Video of captured soldiers in Iraq painted a picture of rogue captors . | [[49, 62], [65, 103], [989, 1005], [1081, 1136], [1891, 1908], [1911, 1918], [1921, 1999]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Pope Benedict XVI preached and greeted well-wishers Sunday , three days after breaking his wrist in a fall . The pope celebrates mass with his broken wrist in plaster . He held the text of his speech in his uninjured left hand , then circulated among the crowd who came to hear him in Romano Canavese , pictures from the northern Italian town showed . The 82-year-old pope had surgery on his right wrist after he fell Thursday night , spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told CNN on Friday . The pope is `` learning '' to live with his cast , Lombardi told Vatican Radio . The most painful aspect of the incident for Benedict is having to give up writing by hand , which he had intended to do frequently during his annual vacation Italy 's Val d'Aosta region , Lombardi told the official Vatican station . `` I know that here , too , in the Ivera region , many families are facing economic hard times due to a lack of work , '' he said , referring to the now-defunct Olivetti typewriter manufacturer in the region . `` Dear friend , do not be discouraged , '' he added , according to Agence-France Presse . `` Providence always helps those who do the right thing and seek justice ; it also helps those who think not only of themselves , but also think of those in worse situations than their own . '' | Pope preaches and greeted well-wishers , three days after breaking his wrist . Benedict XVI had surgery on his right wrist after he fell Thursday night . Most painful aspect for pope is having to stop writing by hand , spokesman says . | [[0, 4], [7, 28], [50, 58], [7, 28], [63, 90], [93, 140], [141, 200], [7, 28], [63, 90], [93, 140], [384, 464], [604, 693]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal judge ordered 10 municipal police officers arrested Saturday in connection with the slayings of 12 off-duty federal agents in southwestern Mexico , the attorney general 's office said . The recent spate of violence was sparked by the arrest of high-ranking drug cartel member Arnoldo Rueda Medina . The federal officers ' bodies were found Tuesday on a remote highway in Michoacan state , where at least 18 federal agents and two soldiers have been killed since July 11 due to drug-related violence . Video from the scene showed three signs , known as narcomensajes , or narcomessages , left by the killers . They all stated the same thing : `` So that you come for another . We will be waiting for you here . '' The officers arrested Saturday are on the police force in the city of Arteaga . Mexican President Felipe Calderon , whose home state is Michoacan , responded to the violence by dispatching 1,000 federal police officers to the area . The infusion , which more than tripled the number of federal police officers patrolling Michoacan , angered Michoacan Gov. Leonel Godoy Rangel . He called it an occupation and said he had not been consulted . Authorities said Wednesday they were searching for the governor 's half-brother , who they say is a top-ranking member of La Familia Michoacana drug cartel . The cartel is blamed for most of the recent violence in the state . The governor 's brother , Julio Cesar Godoy Toscano , was elected July 5 to the lower house of Congress . The governor has publicly urged his brother to surrender . There were no reports of his apprehension as of late Saturday . The sudden spike in violence followed the arrest July 11 of Arnoldo Rueda Medina , described as a high-ranking member of La Familia . La Familia members attacked the federal police station in Morelia to try to gain freedom for Rueda shortly after his arrest , authorities said . When that failed , cartel members attacked federal police installations in at least a half-dozen Michoacan cities . Under Mexican law , the officers arrested Saturday will be held for 40 days while officials determine whether to formally charge them . | Officers arrested Saturday are on the police force in the city of Arteaga . Slain agents were found Tuesday on a remote highway in Michoacan state . Governor calls infusion of federal agents in Michoacan an occupation . Governor 's half-brother , said to be key figure in drug cartel , still at large . | [[64, 195], [763, 842], [349, 436], [1141, 1167], [1256, 1284], [1300, 1362]] |
SAN JOSE , Costa Rica -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Honduras ' interim government on Sunday rejected a proposal to reinstate ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya , ending a round of negotiations aimed at resolving the country 's political crisis . Jose Manuel Zelaya was ousted from the Honduran presidency on June 28 . The proposal had been presented by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias , who was mediating the talks between the two Honduran sides at his home over the weekend . `` I 'm very sorry , but the proposal you presented -LSB- is -RSB- unacceptable by the government of Honduras that I represent , '' Carlos Lopez , who was representing interim Honduran President Roberto Micheletti at the weekend negotiations , said of the proposal advanced by Arias . Representatives of Zelaya , who was ousted in a June 28 coup , said this marked the end of talks with Honduras ' interim government . The weekend 's talks were the second attempt by Arias to negotiate a resolution . He vowed Sunday to continue his mediation efforts . `` I want to take 72 hours to continue working , even more arduously this time , to see if we can really reach an agreement between the parties in this conflict , '' Arias said . Arias expressed concern that violence could ignite in Honduras if the sides stop talking , and that a civil war could result . Shortly after announcing the end of the negotiations , Lopez indicated in an interview with CNN en Español that Micheletti 's delegation would be open to further talks in the future . At a news conference later Sunday , the head of the Organization of American States said he had been enthusiastic about the proposal advanced by Arias . `` We regret deeply the attitude of Micheletti , '' said OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza . `` I think -LSB- the proposal -RSB- was a good one . '' The proposal , presented by Arias to both sides on Saturday , would have returned Zelaya to the Honduran presidency . It would also have compelled Zelaya to abandon efforts to modify the country 's presidential term limits . In remarks to reporters before starting Sunday 's talks , representatives of Zelaya said he accepted the seven-point proposal . Micheletti has said he would not accept Zelaya 's return as president , and remarks by Zelaya printed in a Brazilian newspaper contradicted Zelaya 's acceptance of the proposal , Micheletti negotiator Arturo Corrales said . In Sunday 's editions of the Folha newspaper , Zelaya was quoted in support of continuing with his push for a reform to term limits . `` We can not betray the people and abandon the process , '' the paper quoted Zelaya as saying . `` Yesterday they said one thing , and today another , '' Micheletti negotiator Corrales said , adding that Zelaya 's remarks broke the good faith behind the talks . The newspaper , however , noted that Zelaya was interviewed one day before he agreed to Arias ' seven-point proposal . Zelaya was removed from office June 28 in a military-led coup that has drawn international condemnation . Congressional leader Micheletti was sworn in hours later as provisional president . Micheletti and his supporters , including the Honduran supreme court , congress and the military , argue that the action was not a coup , but a constitutional transfer of power . Other steps proposed by Arias included moving up elections scheduled for late November , establishing a national unity government , providing amnesty for all political crimes and setting up an international commission to oversee implementation of the accord . Under Arias ' proposal , oversight of the Honduran military would have switched from the executive branch of government to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal one month before the elections . Delegations representing Zelaya and Micheletti also met at Arias ' home in Costa Rica last week but did not reach an accord . Zelaya , a leftist who took office in 2006 on a narrow victory , had been at odds with Honduran lawmakers , the country 's supreme court and the military over his attempts for a referendum . He sought the referendum , which he planned to hold last month , to see if voters wanted a measure on November 's ballot to establish a constitutional assembly to study whether a president could run for re-election . Under the current charter , a president can serve only one four-year term . Congress had forbidden the referendum and the supreme court ruled it illegal . The military declined to participate in its usual role of safeguarding the vote , saying it could not take part in an illegal act . Zelaya vowed to hold the vote anyway , but was toppled before the voting started . | Talks between Honduras ' interim government , ousted president end without deal . Interim government 's representative : Proposal to reinstate Zelaya `` unacceptable '' Zelaya had OK 'd proposal presented by Costa Rican president , who was mediating . Zelaya was removed from office June 28 after he pushed for term-limit reform . | [[754, 779], [817, 887], [3731, 3777], [3831, 3856], [0, 37], [81, 149], [494, 578], [2175, 2268], [308, 376], [343, 376], [383, 468], [236, 307], [773, 779], [786, 814], [2915, 2976]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Neil Armstrong took one small step onto the moon in 1969 , it seemed only a matter of time before the advent of thriving space colonies and summer vacations on distant planets . But after an initial flurry of moon landings , manned lunar expeditions dwindled : the last time an astronaut left his footprints on the moon was in 1972 . Plants such as lettuce , peppers and tomatoes will be on the menu at Moon Base One . Then , in January 2004 , President Bush announced NASA 's intention to return humans to the moon by 2020 , and in 2006 , NASA announced plans to set up a manned lunar outpost by 2024 , with the European and Russian Space Agencies now planning bases of their own . After years in limbo , the dream of living in space is alive once more . Sustaining long-term space habitation presents space agencies with a whole new set of technological and logistical challenges . Currently , the International Space Station supports three astronauts in a low Earth orbit , with food supplied periodically by space shuttle . But , just as home cooking is cheaper than getting takeout , when it comes to more permanent settlements , this kind of supply voyages would be prohibitively expensive : we will need to grow our own food in space . Raymond Wheeler , a plant physiologist at Kennedy Space Center , explained to CNN , `` In the near term it 's not needed , for example on the space station and initial short sorties to the moon , but as you go further and stay longer , regenerative systems become much more cost effective . '' Wheeler sees this development of space farming as a gradual process in which space outposts become increasingly self-sufficient . `` It would probably be evolutionary , '' he said . `` The first human missions to Mars might set out with everything stowed , but they might set up the beginnings of an in-situ production system -- maybe a plant chamber -- that you could use to grow perishable foods . You would n't be providing everything , but in subsequent missions if you returned there you could expand the infrastructure . '' Of course , this means growing plants in conditions very different from those on Earth . Yet research has shown that plants are surprisingly adaptable . For example , while plants normally use gravity to direct the growth of their stems and roots , in low gravity conditions they can use light to orient themselves . And research suggests that plants can grow well even at very low atmospheric pressures . That reduces the leakage of oxygen and carbon dioxide from their growth chamber out into space , but crucially , it also reduces the structural requirements of a `` space greenhouse , '' meaning less construction material needs to be shipped into orbit . Nor is the absence of soil a problem . Many supermarket vegetables are already grown hydroponically in nutrient-enriched water , and research indicates this technique could work well in space . Some have even suggested the loose rock regolith on the surface of the moon or Mars as a growing medium , although additional minerals would need to be brought from Earth . So what 's on the menu at Moon Base One ? Well , initial crops would need to be small in stature and grow well in controlled environments with artificial light . Plants such as peppers and tomatoes are already extensively grown hydroponically , while lettuce , with its short lifecycle , would yield fast returns for pioneering space colonists . But again , Wheeler sees the choice of crops as part of an evolutionary process . He tells CNN , `` The first things you might grow would be perishable foods -- maybe vegetables or fruits -- things that do n't keep very well if you 're on a journey to Mars . Even though you 're not providing a lot of calories , these things could have a strong impact in terms of adding color , flavor and texture to the diet . '' `` The other reason for considering freshly consumed foods on early missions is that they do n't require any processing , '' he continued . `` If you were to grow grains , like wheat , you 'd have to thresh the seed out of the head , then clean it and mill it to make flour . Staple crops like wheat , soy bean , rice and potato -- things that would provide carbohydrates , protein and fat -- they 're the final end point . '' Crops need a sheltered environment , protected from the extreme temperatures and frightening levels of radiation found on the moon 's surface , with water , carbon dioxide and light . Researchers at the University of Arizona 's Controlled Environment Agriculture Center -LRB- CEAC -RRB- , in collaboration with Sadler Machine Company -LRB- SMC -RRB- , have come up with one solution : to house plants and astronauts in an inflatable habitat . They are working on a full-scale prototype Mars Inflatable Greenhouse . Space-worthy inflatable structures have been around since the 1960s and are lightweight , compact in transit and easy to assemble on landing . But what 's novel about the CEAC design is that it incorporates a bio-regenerative life-support system -- the kind of technology that could one day not only feed an outpost on the moon or Mars , but also provide it with oxygen and recycle its water . Gene Giacomelli , Director of CEAC , told CNN , `` If people get to Mars we want to be able to feed them , but maybe even more importantly revitalize the atmosphere -- allow the plants to consume the carbon dioxide as they do so well here on Earth , and provide oxygen . '' In the prototype designed by Phil Sadler -LRB- SMC -RRB- and evaluated by Giacomelli and graduate student Lane Patterson , plants are grown hydroponically . As water evaporates from their leaves , air moisture is condensed and re-used for irrigation . The inedible bits of plants , the stems and leaves , are fed into a composter that breaks down the biomass , releasing carbon dioxide that can be re-used by growing plants . In a working moon base , waste water from the astronauts ' showers and laundry could also go into the composter , where it would be cleaned by microbes and then used in the plants ' hydroponic system , before being condensed and re-used by the astronauts once again . The CEAC team intends to test the finished prototype in Antarctica , a harsh and remote environment that provides a realistic analog of conditions on the moon . The team has already provided a food growth chamber for the Amundsen-Scott South-Pole Station and the time Sadler and Patterson have spent there has provided a unique insight into some of the other benefits that bio-regenerative life support might provide for inhabitants of a space base . `` It 's not just oxygen , fresh water and food that it provides , but it 's also the green , living plants that psychologically become so important to people living and working in a confined , harsh , black and white space at the South Pole or in a moon or Mars base , '' says Giacomelli . Patterson adds , `` Bright lights , high humidity , green plants and the fragrance as well -- these are things that are missing in that environment . Those things should n't be underestimated . '' The CEAC project offers a tantalizing glimpse of the kind of habitat that may house settlers in the space colonies of the future . And perhaps one day , as you relax in your inflatable villa by the Sea of Tranquility , plants will provide much more than just your dinner . ... . Do you think farming on the moon will be a reality by 2024 ? Should man be developing stations on the moon ? Send us your thoughts by using the `` Sound Off '' below . | NASA plans lunar outpost by 2024 . Long-term space habitation will require space farming . CEAC and SMC working on prototype Mars Inflatable Greenhouse . Greenhouse could provide food , oxygen and recycle water . | [[554, 561], [564, 645], [1220, 1266], [4751, 4822], [5170, 5192], [5197, 5216], [5435, 5439], [5471, 5487]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We all know what happens when urban sprawl gets out of control : Commutes back up , smog thickens , and concrete suburbs gobble up green spaces . The oceans are growing crowded , and governments are increasingly trying to plan their use . But what about `` ocean sprawl '' ? Until recently , no one gave that idea much thought . But the oceans , like the land , have gotten crowded , and now scientists and policy makers are looking for ways to plan ocean development -- with the aim of preventing our public-owned seas from turning into sprawling , watery versions of Houston , Texas , or Atlanta , Georgia . `` The oceans are kind of the last frontier for use and development , '' said Amanda Leland , ocean policy director at the Environmental Defense Fund , an advocacy group . `` Even in the 1970s we thought that the oceans were limitless resources of fish . We know today now that fisheries are collapsing all around the world . '' In an attempt to address this and other crowding problems , governments are for the first time devising comprehensive plans for their marine waters . The Obama administration on June 12 announced a task force devoted to federal ocean planning . By September , the group must recommend a national policy on the subject that 's designed to protect ocean ecology , address climate change and promote sustainable ocean economies . A handful of states , including Massachusetts and Rhode Island , are charting similar courses . Massachusetts on June 30 published a draft plan for its coastal waters , which is scheduled to be finalized by the end of the year . One of the state 's main aims is to make space for two ocean wind farms -- taking up 2 percent of the state 's waters -- without angering fishing industries , killing whales or harming ecosystems . Internationally , several European countries , including Denmark , Belgium , the United Kingdom and France , are pioneering the new field , said Fanny Douvere , a co-principal investigator at UNESCO 's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission . Ocean advocates say these planning processes are urgently needed and have been a long time in coming . One reason it 's taken so long is that people ca n't see that the oceans are filling up , said Sandra Whitehouse , a marine biologist and senior adviser at the Ocean Conservancy , an environmental group . `` The majority of the ecosystem is under the water , '' Whitehouse said . `` So it 's out of sight , out of mind . We 're only looking at the surface . '' Beneath the water , though , overfishing has caused some fish stocks to collapse . By one report , wild fish could disappear by mid-century . The energy sector threatens to take up large chunks of water . Shipping lanes cross the paths of endangered whales . Fish farms are growing in some countries . Climate change is altering ocean chemistry . And power lines , reefs , lobster traps and sunken ships compete for seafloor space . In Europe 's North Sea , expanding industries have tried to claim three times the amount of ocean space than is available , said Douvere , of UNESCO . What happens on land also affects the oceans . A 2003 report by the Pew Oceans Commission says that each year , coastal development destroys 20,000 acres of estuaries and near-coast fish habitat . Furthermore , pavement on land creates `` expressways '' for oil and other pollutants to run into the ocean . `` Every eight months , nearly 11 million gallons of oil run off our streets and driveways into our waters -- the equivalent of the Exxon Valdez oil spill , '' the report says . When the renewable energy sector started trying to move into the sea , the situation went from crowded to unmanageable and without a clear plan , said Whitehouse , of the Ocean Conservancy . `` There 's a lot of pressure to be able to harness this energy , '' she said , `` but it 's very important that this be done in a proactive and comprehensive way , because we also have so many important economic aspects of our oceans . '' Since there are new uses but not new space , planning is necessary , said Charles Ehler , another co-principal investigator at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission . He added , `` There 's not enough space for everything , and there are going to have to be trade-offs that are made . '' Current efforts focus on broad public interest rather than specific conflicts , Ehler said . Until now , the ocean primarily was divvied up in a sort of `` free-for-all '' in which `` whoever gets there first gets the access , '' he said . Leland , of the Environmental Defense Fund , said the patchwork of federal agencies managing the oceans in the United States contributes to the problem . More than 140 federal laws govern the ocean 's use ; and six federal departments , along with dozens of agencies , are in charge of implementing those laws , according to the Pew Oceans Commission report . Charles M. Wahle , a marine ecologist and senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , said Obama 's ocean-planning efforts are a complete shift in thinking . `` We 're acknowledging that we want and need to use the ocean in a lot of different ways , '' he said . `` They all have standing , and we need to figure out a way to allocate them fairly and sustainably . '' He added , `` Fifty years from now , you should be able to go to a place -LSB- in the ocean -RSB- and know what will be happening there . '' There are skeptics of the shift . Commercial fisheries are hampered by current regulations and could be further harmed if the ocean is divided up among too many groups , said Jim Ruhle , president of Commercial Fishermen of America , an industry group . `` We make our livelihoods from that ocean , and we want to make sure that we have reasonable plans in effect to allow that to take place , '' he said . Some other fishing groups oppose new ocean uses , like offshore wind energy , entirely . Despite this new emphasis on planning , there 's still a chance that ocean waters could go the way of haphazard cities . `` The proof will be in the pudding , '' said Wahle , of NOAA . But he said it 's exciting that so many groups are on board for a new way of thinking . `` If we do our jobs right , overall , the oceans will be healthier , ecosystems will be more productive , people will derive more services and benefits and value from those ecosystems , '' he said , `` and industry will be able to plan and commit and invest in ways that actually work . '' | The oceans are growing crowded , and some scientists worry about `` ocean sprawl '' For the first time , governments plan ocean use in a comprehensive way . Advocate says oceans are the `` last frontier for use and development '' President Obama creates task force to map out the future of the oceans . | [[352, 378], [381, 400], [5581, 5626], [958, 971], [1018, 1107], [629, 696], [1108, 1202], [1154, 1202]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A North Carolina man is accused of arranging to have his wife raped through personal ads on the Web site Craigslist , police said Wednesday . The 25-year-old man , of Kannapolis , North Carolina , was arrested in connection with the incident that occurred at his home early Sunday , police said in a statement . Police responded to the home at about 2:45 a.m. after receiving a 911 call indicating a male armed with a knife appeared in the couple 's bedroom and sexually assaulted the man 's wife , authorities said . The man was present at the time of the assault , and two young children were in the home , but were unharmed and unaware of the incident , the police statement said . `` During the investigation , investigators interviewed the victim and her husband , '' the statement said . `` Investigators became suspicious when they noticed there was no sign of forced entry to the home . Investigators also developed information that led them to note specific inconsistencies in the initial statement provided by -LSB- the man -RSB- . '' But on Tuesday , police found that the man `` had responded to at least two personal ads on Craigslist.com in an effort to arrange for someone to come to his home and have sex with his wife using some type of scare tactic . '' `` Investigators believe -LSB- he -RSB- arranged this incident without the knowledge or consent of the victim , '' the police statement said . The woman was taken to a hospital after the assault , where she underwent a forensic examination and was interviewed , police said . She suffered no serious physical injuries and was released shortly afterward . Police did not release the identity of the victim . CNN is not naming the victim 's husband in an effort to avoid identifying her . The incident remains under investigation , police said . The man faces charges including first-degree rape , two counts of first-degree sexual offense and one count of attempted first-degree sexual offense , according to the police statement . Kannapolis is about 26 miles northeast of Charlotte , North Carolina . | Police : Man arranged wife 's rape through ads on Craigslist.com . Male appeared in bedroom and sexually assaulted man 's wife Sunday , police say . Attacker was armed ; husband was in bedroom at the time , police say . Husband charged with rape , sexual offense . | [[0, 15], [19, 80], [0, 15], [64, 123], [1068, 1078], [1081, 1183], [481, 515], [1231, 1253], [395, 442], [1553, 1566], [1821, 1834], [1835, 1983], [1986, 2021]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two federal agencies warned consumers Friday not to eat raw Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough . Consumers are advised to throw out all prepackaged , refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products . The company said it is recalling an estimated 300,000 cases of the dough as a precaution after reports of food-borne illness in 28 states . There are concerns that the premade dough may be contaminated with the bacterium E. coli 0157 : H7 , which causes abdominal cramping , vomiting and diarrhea , the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said . Young children and the elderly can suffer more serious symptoms . Nestle issued a statement saying , `` While the E. coli strain implicated in this investigation has not been detected in our product , the health and safety of our consumers is paramount , so we are initiating this voluntary recall . '' According to Nestle spokeswoman Laurie MacDonald , raw dough was one of the things the sick people reported eating . `` The health and safety of our consumers is our No. 1 priority , '' she said . `` We felt the best thing to do is a voluntary recall . '' She said the company was informed by the FDA Wednesday night `` and immediately took action . '' `` We really want to remind consumers that raw cookie dough should not be eaten , '' she said . Since March , the CDC says , 66 people have become sick in 28 states after eating raw cookie dough . Twenty-five people were hospitalized . No one has died . The FDA and the CDC say people who have become sick after eating refrigerated Toll House cookie dough should contact their doctors . They advise consumers to throw out all prepackaged , refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products . Retailers and restaurateurs should not sell or serve any Toll House cookie dough products , the agencies said . The company said the market share for Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough for the most recent 52-week period was 41 percent . The recall does not include already-baked Toll House cookies , varieties of Toll House morsels , chocolate baking bars or cocoa or Dreyer 's and Edy 's ice cream products with Nestle Toll House cookie dough ingredients . | 300,000 cases of Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough being recalled . 66 cases of food-borne illness reported in 28 states ; dough is one common link . Dough may be contaminated with E. coli , which causes gastric symptoms . Nestle : E. coli not detected in product ; recall is safety precaution . | [[244, 383], [261, 383], [1677, 1681], [1730, 1784], [244, 383], [261, 383], [1386, 1397], [1400, 1412], [1415, 1486], [1413, 1486], [384, 477], [700, 886]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Queen of the Blues is dead . Koko Taylor performs in Spain in 2005 . Her last performance was in May of this year . Koko Taylor , a West Tennessee sharecropper 's daughter who went to Chicago , Illinois , with `` 35 cents and a box of Ritz Crackers '' at 24 and wound up an award-winning blues legend , died Wednesday at her Chicago home at 80 . She died of complications from a May 19 surgery for gastrointestinal bleeding , her Web site reported . Just days before the surgery , Taylor won her 29th Blues Music Award , picking up the trophy for Traditional Female Blues Artist Of the Year . She performed her signature song , `` Wang Dang Doodle , '' at the ceremony . Known for her powerful vocals , Taylor was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1997 , won the Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Ward in 1999 and was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship in 2004 . She also won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1985 for her album `` Queen of the Blues . '' Taylor was born Cora Walton and picked up the nickname `` Koko '' because of her love of chocolate as a child . She also displayed a love of singing from an early age . She and her future husband , the late Robert `` Pops '' Taylor , traveled to Chicago in 1952 , where Pops Taylor worked for a packing company while Koko Taylor cleaned houses . By night , the two roamed Chicago 's blues clubs , where Koko Taylor sat in with top bands and was soon a popular guest artist . But it took 10 years for Koko Taylor to record on her own , after Willie Dixon got her signed to Chess Records and produced several singles , including `` Wang Dang Doodle . '' Taylor landed a permanent home with Alligator Records when Chess was sold in 1975 . Her final performance was the May 7 blues award show , but earlier in the year she performed at the Kennedy Center Honors program honoring actor Morgan Freeman . Throughout her lengthy career , she shared the stage with nearly every blues performer imaginable , from Junior Wells and B.B. King to Taj Mahal and Muddy Waters . She was a strong influence to later performers , including Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin . Survivors include Taylor 's husband , Hays Harris , daughter Joyce Threatt , son-in-law Lee Threatt , grandchildren Lee Jr. and Wendy , and three great-grandchildren . | Taylor dies at Chicago home of complications from May 19 surgery . Her final performance was a May 7 blues award show . She sang her signature song , `` Wang Dang Doodle , '' at the ceremony . Taylor won Grammy in 1985 for her album `` Queen of the Blues '' | [[139, 150], [326, 368], [369, 446], [92, 138], [1778, 1830], [616, 648], [932, 935], [941, 1014]] |
-LRB- Budget Travel -RRB- -- With rates as low as $ 36 , these flashy new European hotels take the convenience of the pod concept and expand it with style . Qbic hotels have a clever lighting concept -- Deep Purple Love , anyone ? You can pick the color you like , or turn them off altogether . YOTEL . Where : Inside terminals at London 's Gatwick and Heathrow airports -LRB- in Terminal 4 -RRB- , and Amsterdam 's Schiphol airport . The concept : Catering to those with a long layover , these glossy , no-nonsense capsule hotels are small but convenient for business travelers -- or someone just looking for a nap and a shower . What you get : A windowless room -LRB- about 75 square feet -RRB- that looks like a cruise ship cabin -- there 's a shower , a TV , a fold-out work desk and an overhead storage rack ; Wi-Fi is free . Bonus : a 24-hour room-service menu of snacks and drinks delivered within 15 minutes . What it 'll cost : There 's a four-hour minimum , which costs about $ 36 for a standard cabin in the London locations . After that , pay by the hour -LRB- about $ 10 -RRB- . Premium cabins are probably better for shares -- those start at $ 57 for four hours . yotel.com . QBIC . Where : Antwerp , Belgium ; Maastricht and Amsterdam , the Netherlands . The concept : A completely self-service hotel . You check yourself in at the kiosk and buy everything with your hotel key card . What you get : In the center of each room is a Cubi , a 75-square-foot enclosed platform for the bed , a bar-like work-and-dine space and the bathroom . The lighting is at your discretion -- Mellow Yellow , Deep Purple Love -- it 's all pretty club-like . There 's a vending machine in the lobby filled with drinks , locally made snacks such as organic bread and things you may have forgotten -- like neckties . What it 'll cost : From $ 91 . qbichotels.com . CITIZENM . Where : Near Amsterdam 's Schiphol airport and in central Amsterdam 's posh Zuid neighborhood , which started taking guests this April . The concept : Keeping prices down by using prefabricated everything -- the 150-square-foot rooms are built in a factory , stacked up and then shot through with plumbing and electrical wiring . Budget Travel wrote about citizenM in a February 2009 story on boutique hostels . Budget Travel : See photos of the boutique hostels . What you get : Only single-bed rooms are offered , each with an ultramodern cylindrical shower . Use a control panel -LRB- called a moodpad -RRB- to manage the room temperature , blinds , alarm clock , stereo and lighting -- there are clever choices like `` I 'm here to party , '' with intense colored lighting and dance music . There 's also a 24-hour self-service cafeteria ; if you 're craving a martini , a bartender is on duty in the evenings . What it 'll cost : From $ 109 . citizenm.com . EXPANSION PLANS . All three of these mini chains have plans to expand -- some more than others . CitizenM will open a third hotel in Glasgow , Scotland , in 2009 , and plans to expand into London and New York City in the next five years . Yotel will open in London and then at all major airport hubs in Europe and the U.S. , but there are no fixed dates . Qbic hopes to pursue a franchise model -- if you -LRB- really -RRB- like what you see , apply to be a franchise-owner on the Web site . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip . | Pay just $ 36 for four hours in one of Yotel 's London locations . At Qbic hotels , colorful lighting schemes give the rooms a club-like feel . CitizenM rooms feature an ultramodern cylindrical shower . | [[937, 1037], [1629, 1654], [2432, 2457], [2566, 2664]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- No drawn butter will ever touch Fiona 's tail . She 's an extremely rare , seven-year-old `` yellow '' lobster . Fiona 's colorful hue makes her a one-in-30 million rarity . Fiona belongs to Nathan Nickerson , the owner of Arnold 's Lobster and Clam Bar in Eastham , Massachusetts , who has been in the restaurant business for 32 years . The special lobster was caught off the coast of eastern Canada last week by a friend of Nickerson . `` In 57 years in Cape Cod , I have never seen a yellow lobster and I doubt that I will ever see one again , '' he said Thursday . Experts say Fiona 's colorful appearance makes her one in 30 million . Fiona 's not really yellow , but more of a bright orange , She 's not quite the red color your typical lobster looks after it 's been cooked . Nickerson has plans for his new ocean-dwelling friend , but it has nothing to do with the boiling pot . He said he 'll keep the 1.75-pound crustacean in a viewing tank at his restaurant , hoping to draw in a few extra customers . CNN 's Samuel Gardner contributed to this story . | Rare `` yellow '' lobster making waves at Massachusetts restaurant . Fiona was caught off coast of eastern Canada , given to restaurant owner . Her colorful appearance makes her 1 in 30 million rarity . Owner has no cooking plans for Fiona . | [[67, 131], [132, 192], [588, 658], [600, 658]] |
TYRE , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Diab Diab lost an eye and part of a leg trying to clear unexploded bombs from the fields of southern Lebanon . But now he is going to lose his job , too . Despite the dangers of clearing mines , Diab Diab wants to continue his work . For though there are possibly thousands of unexploded bombs and shells littering the landscape , the money for cleanup operations has disappeared in the global recession . Diab knows the dangers all too well , but said he wants to continue working for British specialist clearance company BACTEC . `` It 's hard to lose one 's job -- despite the risks and the dangers you run , you get used to it , '' he said . Countries such as the United States , Saudi Arabia , the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates all pledged to help Lebanon clear the landmines , cluster bombs and other unexploded ordnance left by Israeli forces as they withdrew from their conflict with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 . More than $ 43 million in international donations has been spent so far on clearing the region . Britain and the Netherlands have been the largest single donors , each giving more than $ 5 million . The United States gave $ 2 million soon after the conflict and Saudi Arabia 's contributions are now at $ 1.5 million , a report by the United Nations Mine Action Service shows . But with the economic crisis sweeping around the globe , some of the donor cash has dried up , and BACTEC , which had been responsible for a quarter of the clearing work , has to shut down its operations in Lebanon . There are some areas that BACTEC operations manager Johan Hann can mark as `` cleared '' on a map in his office . Elsewhere , the map shows areas that have not been touched and a vast swath of land where no one knows what lies in the ground . Watch mom cry for her daughter , maimed by a bomb '' Cluster bombs leave huge craters but also spread bomblets over a wide area . Not all the bomblets will necessarily detonate on impact , and those that do not explode are left , like ticking time bombs in the ground . The United Nations Mine Action Service says Israel has provided no information as to where bombs were dropped . Nor has Israel contributed to the funding for the U.N.-led mine clearance effort . Land has to be cleared field by field , section by section and yard by yard . A piece of red and white tape fluttering across a piece of land shows how far Hann 's team got before they had to stop . Mohammed Cheaito looks to the other side of the tape , to the land that he should be farming but that could be full of hidden danger . `` If they are going to stop now , it means we will stop planting and working , too ; we ca n't get to our land anymore , '' he said . `` Of course , I am upset . They 're supposed to finish their work so we can walk freely and cultivate our land in order to make a living . '' But the risks of straying onto uncleared land are all too obvious . At least 328 people have been killed or wounded by bombs left in the soil of the region that borders Israel . One of them is Naimah Ghazi , who stepped on a cluster bomb in her garden in 2007 and lost half a leg . She used to provide for her family by farming tobacco , but now she spends most of her day sitting in the very garden that hid the weapon that injured her . Her mother , Khadija , finds it almost unbearable to look at her . `` I cry so much I can barely see with my eyes . I cry when I look at the state my daughter is in , '' the 86-year-old wails . Phone calls asking for jobs are still coming in to BACTEC 's offices , Hann said , even as the mine clearers pack up their tents and climb into their trucks for the last time . They leave behind thousands of acres of land around the villages that they have n't been able to check and an untold number of bombs , perhaps still waiting for a victim . | Bomb disposal teams leave Lebanon as funding dries up in economic crisis . Thousands of unexploded bombs litter landscape around Lebanese villages . Hundreds have been killed , hurt by deadly remnants of 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict . | [[363, 439], [68, 144], [279, 362], [3008, 3044], [3699, 3763], [3769, 3831], [2957, 2993]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One man was gored in the abdomen and another suffered facial injuries on the third day of the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona , Spain , a hospital doctor told Spanish state television Wednesday . A fighting bull leaps over a fallen runner at the Mercaderes curve during the running of the bulls . A 22-year-old Californian , who was gored , was taken to a hospital and was `` stable and conscious , '' said the doctor , Ignacio Yurss , medical director of Hospital de Navarra . The patient 's name was not released . The man who suffered facial injuries comes from Greece and was injured in the nose , Yurss added . The latest injuries bring to 20 the number of runners who have been hurt in the first three days of the running . Watch the running of the bulls in Pamplona '' Two of those were due to bull gorings -- the Californian gored Wednesday and a Spaniard gored Tuesday . The other 18 injuries resulted from falls or collisions , the regional government of Navarra reported . Ten of the injured are Spanish . The other 10 include three Americans and one each from England , Australia , New Zealand , Greece , South Africa , South Korea , and Romania , the Navarra government said . Many of the 20 have already been released from the hospital . The running of the bulls in Pamplona started 400 years ago and became popular worldwide after Ernest Hemingway wrote about it in the 1920s . The running is held for eight consecutive days , July 7 to 14 , as six bulls and a pack of tame steers run from the corrals through Pamplona 's old town to the bull ring , where the bulls will die later in the day in a bullfight . A total of 13 people have been killed in the runs since 1924 , when record-keeping began . The last was a 22-year-old American gored to death in 1995 . The runs begin off at 8 a.m. -LRB- 2 a.m. ET -RRB- each day , with a few thousand runners participating daily , although crowds swell at the weekend . | One man gored in the abdomen , another facially injured at Pamplona bull run . Californian and Greek hospitalized following event , now more than 400 years old . Latest injuries happened on the third of eight scheduled runs in the Spanish city . NEW : Twenty people injured so far this year ; last fatality was an American in 1995 . | [[9, 30], [34, 66], [71, 167], [559, 613], [818, 855], [897, 921], [339, 364], [375, 406], [71, 167], [701, 711], [716, 771], [1435, 1490], [658, 711], [1757, 1817], [1770, 1817]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former death row inmate in Tennessee has been cleared of murder , three years after the Supreme Court raised repeated questions about his conviction . After 22 years on death row , Paul House was released on bail and has now been cleared of murder charges . State prosecutors on Tuesday asked a judge to drop all charges against Paul House , who was convicted of murder and sentenced to die in 1986 . Special Judge Jon Blackwood accepted the request . House had been scheduled to be retried next month for the 1985 murder of Carolyn Muncey . He had been on death row for 22 years but was released on bail last year . He has multiple sclerosis and must use a wheelchair . The high court ruled in June 2006 that House was entitled to a new hearing . `` Although the issue is closed , we conclude that this is the rare case where -- had the jury heard all the conflicting testimony -- it is more likely than not that no reasonable juror viewing the record as a whole would lack reasonable doubt , '' wrote Justice Anthony Kennedy for the 5-3 majority . House 's appeal was championed by the Innocence Project , affiliated with the Cardozo School of Law in New York . `` In the three years since the U.S. Supreme Court stepped into this case and sent it back to the trial court , substantial additional DNA testing and further investigation have shown that he is innocent , '' said Peter Neufeld , the group 's co-director . `` Each time a layer of this case was peeled away , it revealed more evidence of Paul House 's innocence . '' Muncey disappeared from her rural Luttrell , Tennessee , home on July 13 , 1985 . Her body was found a day later , badly beaten and showing signs of a struggle . She had been raped . House , who was on parole at the time as a sex offender , was questioned by police . He denied any involvement in the crime . He was a friend of Muncey 's husband , but claimed he was in his own house several miles away the evening of the murder . But prosecutors found a hole in his alibi , discovering that he had left his home the night of the murder and returned about an hour later with unexplained cuts and bruises . Forensic evidence found Muncey 's blood on House 's jeans , but questions were later raised whether the samples were contaminated en route to an FBI lab for analysis . Subsequent state-of-the art DNA testing conducted after the conviction showed that semen on the victim belonged to her husband , not House . Blood under her fingernails and cigarette butts discovered near the wooded crime scene also did not match the accused . But prosecutors maintain that other evidence points to his guilt . Muncey 's family has also continued to believe that House was involved in the crime . In 2005 , House told CNN he did not rape or kill Muncey , and he wondered why he was still on death row . `` I guess that 's the million-dollar question , '' he said . While maintaining his innocence , he said that lying to police about his whereabouts that night was a big mistake . Kennedy , in his 2006 high court ruling , offered an extensive summary of the facts of the investigation , especially the DNA evidence , which he said might point to `` a different suspect . '' Kennedy said jurors might conclude that Muncey 's blood found on House 's pants may have inadvertently spilled there during the autopsy or through mishandling by police at the crime scene . District Attorney Paul Phillips wrote in his petition this week that he still believes House could have been convicted again in a new trial , `` but the new evidence -LRB- including the forensic examinations -RRB- raises a reasonable doubt that he acted alone and the possibility that others were involved in the crime . '' But Phillips noted the `` substantial sentence '' House has served as another reason for the charges being dropped now . | New evidence prompts judge to drop murder charges against Paul House . House , of Tennessee , spent 22 years on death row for murder of Carolyn Muncey . House , who uses a wheelchair , was released on bail in 2007 . New DNA testing helped raise doubts . | [[183, 210], [213, 223], [249, 289], [290, 371], [3832, 3863], [183, 210], [213, 244], [183, 210], [213, 223], [249, 289], [574, 611], [183, 210], [213, 244], [574, 576], [606, 648], [1308, 1399]] |
If home is where the heart is , a new survey suggests that most people are n't sure exactly where they live . More than half of people can not pinpoint the exact location of the human heart on a diagram , and nearly 70 percent ca n't correctly identify the shape of the lungs , according to the survey . This lack of knowledge is n't just embarrassing -- it could lead to a poorer quality of health care , some experts say . In the study , published in the journal BMC Family Practice , a research team surveyed 722 Britons -- 589 hospital outpatients and 133 people in the general population . They gave the volunteers four diagrams of human figures and asked them to choose the one that showed the correct size and location of a specific organ . -LRB- For example , the heart diagrams showed various size organs on the far left side of the chest , directly in the center , anchored on the center/left chest , and on the right side of the chest . -RRB- . Overall , people knew less basic anatomy than the researchers expected -- even those patients being treated for a specific condition involving that organ . Participants generally answered half the questions correctly , including 46.5 percent who knew which drawing represented their heart . In all , 31.4 percent correctly identified the lungs , 38.4 percent the stomach , 41.8 percent the thyroid , and 42.5 percent the kidneys . The intestines and bladder were the most easily identified , with 85.9 percent and 80.7 percent , respectively , answering the question correctly . Health.com : Are you cholesterol smart ? Take this quiz . There was little to no improvement compared with a similar study conducted in 1970 , says lead author John Weinman , Ph.D. , of King 's College London . In that study , subjects correctly identified eight major body parts about half of the time . -LRB- The researchers used the same body parts from the 1970 study and added three more : the pancreas , gallbladder , and ovaries . -RRB- . Given the accessibility of the Internet and the prominence of health stories in the news media today , Weinman 's team expected that people would now know more about their body . Weinman says he would n't be surprised if a study based in the United States produced similar results -- or worse . `` I imagine they would be similar , but there could well be regional variation , depending on which part of the U.S. the participants were from , '' he says . `` Actually , I asked one of my colleagues , who is from the U.S. , and she felt that Americans might be worse because , to quote her , ` Very many Americans do n't even know where New Jersey is , so how would they know where their pancreas is ? ' '' Health.com : Eat Smarter in your 30s , 40s , and 50s . That may sound harsh , but time and again , U.S. studies have shown that doctors overestimate how much their patients understand about their conditions and treatment . Adam Kelly , Ph.D. , an assistant professor of medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine , in Houston , Texas , conducted a 2007 study , that showed that doctors overestimate patient literacy and that a lack of patient knowledge leads to poorer care . Kelly believes the problem could be `` even more profound '' in the United States , although a similar study has not been conducted in America . Still , anatomy may not be the best measure of health literacy , says Sandeep Jauhar , M.D. , the director of the heart failure program at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center , and the author of `` Intern : A Doctor 's Initiation . '' Health.com : Computer games that boost your memory . `` They would like us to draw the conclusion that because the patients ca n't identify these organs anatomically that that is an indication of low health-care literacy -- and that may or may not be true , '' he says . `` I work with heart failure patients , and whether they can identify where their heart is is not so important to me as long as they know which medicines to take and when . '' Many patients with heart failure , unfortunately , do n't know which medicines to take , ca n't identify their symptoms , and do n't follow up with their doctors , Jauhar says . `` So health illiteracy is definitely a big problem , '' he adds . `` I just do n't know that this is the best study to show that Americans or Europeans are illiterate when it comes to their health care . '' The study suggests that patients with liver disease and diabetes may be the most health-literate : They were the only two groups to do better than the general population when identifying their affected organ . Overall , 75.3 percent of those with liver disease could find the liver -LRB- versus 45.9 percent in the general population -RRB- and 53.7 percent of diabetics could locate the pancreas -LRB- versus 30.8 percent -RRB- . Health.com : How I survived a heart attack at 43 . `` It is possible that patient-education material for people with diabetes may help to increase their knowledge -LSB- of the pancreas -RSB- , but it is still only at the 50 percent level , '' Weinman says . `` The same explanation may also be true for liver disease , but it may be a chance finding due to the sampling of patients for this study , and it really needs replicating in other larger studies to be certain it is a robust finding and to search for possible reasons for it . '' Weinman says there 's a mountain of evidence to prove that effective communication from doctors increases patient satisfaction and understanding , leading to better clinical outcomes and improved adherence to treatment . Health.com : I lost my insurance , stopped my diabetes medication , and had a heart attack . Jauhar agrees that health literacy improves not only the quality of health care , but also life expectancy . `` Health literacy is clearly very important , and how well patients are versed in their own health care is probably just as important a factor in determining longevity as genes or socioeconomic status , '' he says . `` These are important factors in how long someone lives . '' Enter to win a monthly Room Makeover Giveaway from MyHomeIdeas.com . Copyright Health Magazine 2009 . | More than half in British survey could n't identify heart 's location . U.S. results could be similar or worse , some experts speculate . Health literacy contributes to better care received , better patient outcomes . | [[32, 91], [110, 202], [209, 226], [278, 303], [406, 424], [2202, 2275], [5369, 5567], [5661, 5769], [5680, 5740]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that another stimulus package might be needed to help the ailing economy . House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with economists and other Democrats on Tuesday to discuss the stimulus . Pelosi , whose comments followed a meeting with several economists , said the measures already taken by the Obama administration are helping to restore confidence in the shaky financial markets . But `` we have to keep the door open and see how this goes , '' the California Democrat added . House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey of Wisconsin said on Tuesday night he 's already instructed his staff to start drafting a second stimulus proposal . Obey said his staff is preparing the outline of a stimulus bill but he cautioned there is no timeline to move on it . One of the economists in the meeting with Pelosi and other Democrats , Mark Zandi with Moody 's Economy.com , said more taxpayer money would likely be needed to bolster the economy . Another economist , Allen Sinai , chief global economist at Decision Economics Inc. , urged patience . But he questioned President Obama 's prediction that the $ 800 billion stimulus package enacted last month would create or save as many as 3 million to 4 million jobs . `` Initially ... the jobs created may be a little disappointing , '' Sinai said . Sinai said his analysis showed that about 2.5 million jobs would be saved or created over the next two years and he said it is more realistic to project 3 million jobs over a longer period of three years . The most recent prediction from the Congressional Budget Office , released last week , estimates the recovery package will create or save from 1.2 million jobs to 3.6 million jobs . | `` We have to keep the door open and see how this goes , '' the House Speaker says . House Appropriations Committee chairman 's staff is preparing second proposal . More taxpayer money will likely be needed to bolster economy , economist says . Economist questions whether current stimulus will save or create 4 million jobs . | [[452, 493], [449, 451], [486, 503], [541, 708], [627, 708], [827, 895], [937, 1009], [1117, 1281]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Reclusive author J.D. Salinger has emerged , at least in the pages of court documents , to try to stop a novel that presents Holden Caulfield , the disaffected teen hero of his classic `` The Catcher in the Rye , '' as an old man . J.D. Salinger has stayed out of the public eye for most of the past half century . Lawyers for Salinger filed suit in federal court this week to stop the publication , sale and advertisement of `` 60 Years Later : Coming Through the Rye , '' a novel written by an author calling himself J.D. California and published by a Swedish company that advertises joke books and a `` sexual dictionary '' on its Web site . `` The Sequel infringes Salinger 's copyright rights in both his novel and the character Holden Caulfield , who is the narrator and essence of that novel , '' said the suit , filed Monday in U.S. District Court in New York . Published in 1951 , `` The Catcher in the Rye '' is an iconic take on teen alienation that is consistently listed among the greatest English-language novels ever written . Salinger , 90 , who has famously lived the life of a recluse in New Hampshire for most of the past half-century , last published in 1965 . With the exception of a 1949 movie based on one of his early short stories , he has never authorized adaptations of any of his work , even turning down an overture from director Steven Spielberg to make `` Catcher '' into a movie . `` There 's no more to Holden Caulfield . Read the book again . It 's all there , '' the court filing quotes Salinger as saying in 1980 . `` Holden Caulfield is only a frozen moment in time . '' The filing refers to the new book 's author as `` John Doe , '' saying that the name John David California probably is made up . The first-time novelist 's biography on Amazon.com says California is the son of a Swedish mother and American father who was named after the state where he was born . It claims he is a former gravedigger and triathlete who found a copy of Salinger 's novel `` in an abandoned cabin in rural Cambodia '' and that it helped him survive `` the most maniacal of tropical fevers and chronic isolation . '' The Web site 's description of the book is written in the same choppy , first-person stream of consciousness that Salinger employs as Holden wanders the streets of New York . It describes a character , `` Mr. C , '' who flees his nursing home and `` embarks on a curious journey through the streets of New York . '' The lawsuit names Swedish publisher Nicotext ; its offshoot , Windupbird Publishing Ltd. ; and California-based SCB Distributors as defendants . The Web site for Nicotext advertises such books as `` The Macho Man 's -LRB- Bad -RRB- Joke Book '' and `` Give It To Me Baby , '' which it describes as an erotic `` flick book . '' Marcia Paul , Salinger 's New York-based attorney , declined to speak on the record , citing her client 's private nature . E-mail messages to Nicotext were not returned Wednesday . Aaron Silverman , president of SCB Distributors , said the people behind the new book plan to defend it against the lawsuit . `` We believe we have the right to distribute this book and the publishers believe they have the right to publish it , '' he said . Silverman , whose company distributes books by about 150 publishers , called `` 60 Years Later '' a work of `` social science fiction , '' saying that California does n't plagiarize , but sets a well-known character in an alternate place and time -- as literature has done for centuries . `` It 's amazing , '' he said of the book . `` If it was something else , or it felt like a knock-off or whatever , I would have told the publisher we would n't do it . But it 's really just amazing . '' Despite his cloistered lifestyle , Salinger nods to the contemporary marketplace in the lawsuit , noting that , as of last week , '' ` The Catcher in the Rye ' currently sells more copies on Amazon.com than ` Harry Potter and the Sorcerer 's Stone , ' ` The DaVinci Code , ' ` To Kill a Mockingbird ' or ` Of Mice and Men . ' '' A hearing in the case is expected Monday . Salinger 's lawyers will ask a judge to freeze publication of the book until a final ruling is made . The book is already available in Europe and the United Kingdom , and is scheduled to be released in the United States in September . The lawsuit asks that sales be halted and that books already distributed be recalled and destroyed . The argument is reminiscent of the legal tussle over the 2001 novel `` The Wind Done Gone , '' a parody of Margaret Mitchell 's `` Gone With the Wind '' told from the perspective of a slave . Mitchell 's estate argued that the book , by novelist Alice Randall , infringed upon her copyright . But the 11th District U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in Randall 's favor , saying the book was protected as a parody of a well-known work . Salinger 's lawyers say `` 60 Years Later '' deserves no such protection . `` The sequel is not a parody and it does not comment upon or criticize the original , '' the lawsuit argues . `` It is a rip-off pure and simple . '' | Lawsuit seeks halt to `` 60 Years Later : Coming Through the Rye '' J.D. Salinger says `` sequel '' infringes on copyright of his classic novel . New author says he 's former gravedigger , discovered `` Catcher '' in Cambodia . Court hearing scheduled for Monday in New York . | [[334, 416], [383, 387], [393, 462], [4106, 4197], [4341, 4441], [667, 752], [1924, 1975], [1940, 1975], [1980, 2059], [820, 822], [839, 888], [4063, 4105]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In keeping with President Obama 's pledge of an administration that is `` transparent and accountable , '' the White House has launched a site that promises to show taxpayers where their stimulus-package dollars are being spent . Visitors to Recovery.gov are greeted with a video message from President Obama . The site , Recovery.gov , allows visitors to track efforts to jump-start a teetering economy in the midst of a slumping housing market and massive job losses . It breaks down the $ 787 billion package by category : $ 288 billion for tax relief , $ 59 billion for health care , and so on . The site promises that more detailed spending information will be posted once federal agencies decide how they are going to allocate the money . Learn more about where the money is going '' Using graphs , charts and layman 's terminology , the online portal is an example of how the tech-savvy Obama administration is taking its message to the American people . While running for president , Obama harnessed the Web 's fundraising and social-networking capabilities to energize his grass-roots campaign . And the moment he was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States , administration officials unveiled a sleek interactive version of Whitehouse.gov , the official White House Web site . Recovery.gov , launched within hours of Obama 's signing of the stimulus bill Tuesday , continues the theme of offering information in a user-friendly format . Visitors are greeted by a brief video address from Obama . `` The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan represents a strategic and significant investment in our country 's future , '' the president explains . `` The size and scale of this plan demand unprecedented efforts to root out waste , inefficiency and unnecessary spending . Recovery.gov will be the online portal for these efforts . '' The site will publish information on how the stimulus funds will be spent in a `` timely , targeted and transparent manner , '' Obama said . Edward Glaeser , a professor of economics at Harvard University , said transparency has `` been a watch word for good government types for years . '' `` There is sense that taxpayers will feel a lot better about this if they actually know where their money is going , '' Glaeser said . `` Better transparency makes evaluation much easier . '' Glaeser pointed out that the idea behind Recovery.gov is not entirely new . He noted that the Office of Management and Budget has for years had a site where citizens can learn the available cost-benefit information of several government programs . Clicking on `` Where is Your Money Going '' on the new site brings up a chart displaying key areas where the $ 787 billion will be distributed , including tax relief , energy , health care and infrastructure and science . Under `` Accountability and Transparency , '' there is a statement that reads , `` This is your money . You have a right to know where it 's going and how it 's being spent . Learn what steps we 're taking to ensure you can track our progress every step of the way . '' Like other Obama online portals , the site encourages user interaction . The public is invited to share stories on how the Recovery Act is affecting them . Scrolling over a map of the United States reveals data on the number of jobs created and saved in each state . Those with some time on their hands can also read , in its entirety , the full text of the legislation . | New White House Web site explains economic stimulus spending . Obama administration continues promise to be `` transparent and accountable '' Recovery.gov is similar to other Obama-backed sites . Harvard professor : `` Better transparency makes evaluation much easier '' | [[0, 15], [19, 81], [2302, 2355]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Four teenage boys in Tampa , Florida , were charged as adults Wednesday on allegations of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy . Lee Louis Myers , 14 , from Tampa , Florida , is one of the defendants in the case . Charged with four counts each of sexual battery were Randall John Moye , 14 ; Raymond A. Price-Murray , 14 ; Lee Louis Myers , 14 ; and Diamante J. Roberts , 15 . CNN is naming the defendants because they were charged as adults . Hillsborough County prosecutors allege the four boys raped the 13-year-old victim multiple times over two months with a broomstick and hockey stick . At a bond and arraignment hearing , the defendants appeared before Hillsborough County Judge Wayne Timmerman to hear the counts against them read in court . Prosecutor Kimberly Hindman described to the court how two defendants held down the victim while the other two defendants violently sodomized him with the sticks . `` The victim screamed and cried , telling them to stop , '' Hindman said . The prosecutor said the victim 's screams could be heard outside the boys ' locker room at Walker Middle School , in southern Tampa , where the alleged assaults took place . Multiple people witnessed the attacks , but no one reported the incidents , including the victim , Hindman said . The school began an investigation after a fight that began on the football field and continued until a coach broke it up in the locker room , said the prosecutor . During the fight , the victim said , `` I 'm tired of them getting on me , '' Hindman said . When school officials questioned the defendants , all four admitted in a written statement that they had sexually assaulted the victim . The defendants `` all implicated themselves in a sexual-battery incident , '' Hindman said . The victim did not acknowledge the attacks until questioned . School officials contacted authorities , who initially charged the four as minors with sexual assault and false imprisonment . Several students witnessed the incidents over the two months , said the prosecutor , who added that she could not understand why no one reported the attacks . The victim made a statement in court , telling the judge how his father was angry and his mother could n't stop crying when they heard about the attacks . Defense attorneys told the judge their clients were good students and had never been in trouble before . Attorney Tim Taylor , representing Randall Moye , said his client 's family is among the finest in the community . Taylor presented six character witnesses , including his client 's mother , Jeanne Myers , who said her son wants to attend college . The prosecutor asked her about her son 's written statement about the attacks . Myers said her son described clowning around in the locker room with a hockey stick . She added that he told her about holding down the victim for a few seconds . The victim finished the academic year at home instead of returning to school , authorities said . The judge set bond for each defendant at $ 15,000 , with ankle monitors for all but one , who has left the area . The four boys were taken into custody in court and booked into the adult jail . The judge warned the four to have no contact with one another , the victim or any witnesses in the case . The defendants could spend up to 120 years in prison if convicted on all four counts . | Prosecutors : Victim , 13 , raped over 2-month period with broomstick , hockey stick . Multiple people witnessed attacks , but no one reported incidents , prosecutor says . The 4 teens gave written admission of assaults to school officials in Florida . Defense attorney for one teen says client 's family is among the finest in Tampa . | [[0, 15], [48, 148], [464, 613], [503, 576], [826, 934], [1652, 1692], [1185, 1222], [1229, 1281], [1975, 1991], [2038, 2133], [1556, 1603], [1606, 1646], [2678, 2681], [2685, 2722], [2394, 2413], [2444, 2508]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Man-made climate change threatens to stress water resources , challenge crops and livestock , raise sea levels and adversely affect human health , according to a report released by the Obama administration on Tuesday . Farmers and workers in central California are suffering through the third year of a worsening drought . The nearly 200-page document on global climate change -- released by the White House science adviser and mandated by Congress -- does not include new research , but encompasses several recent studies on the effects of global warming over the last half century . Among the report 's key findings are an `` unequivocal and primarily human-induced '' rise in the Earth 's temperature of 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 50 years , and a projection of more rapidly changing temperatures over the next several decades . `` It 's not just a problem for the future , '' said Jane Lubchenco , administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . `` We 're beginning to see the impact on our daily lives . '' The continuing temperature rise is likely to spur a series of negative consequences for the Earth 's energy supply , water , transportation , ecosystems and health , the study said . '' -LSB- The report -RSB- tells us why remedial action is needed sooner rather than later , as well as showing why that action must include both global emissions reductions to reduce the extent of climate change and local adaptation measures to reduce the damage from the changes that are no longer avoidable , '' said John P. Holdren , the White House science adviser . Among the study 's specific predictions : Longer and more intense heat waves ; increased heavy downpours likely to cause widespread complications such as flooding and waterborne diseases ; reduced summer runoff , creating greater competition for water , especially in the West ; rising ocean water temperatures that will threaten coral reefs ; an increase in wildfires and insect infestations ; and more frequent coastal flooding caused by rising seas . The report is the first in almost a decade to break down impacts of climate change on regions and economic sectors of the United States . For example , warming trends in coming decades are expected to reduce the lobster catch in the waters of the Northeast , increase the intensity of hurricanes in the Southeast and accelerate drought in the Southwest , it said . Authors of the comprehensive report said they hope it can serve as a valuable tool for policymakers and other Americans , such as farmers making crop decisions or local governments passing zoning restrictions in coastal areas . The report comes as Congress debates a White House-backed climate change bill that seeks to reduce the United State 's greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 through a so-called `` cap and trade '' program . The bill cleared a key House committee vote in May and could be considered by the entire chamber within the next two weeks , House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday . The bill 's future remains unclear in the Senate , where leaders are holding off advancing their own version of the legislation until it clears the lower chamber . | Man-made climate change is adversely affecting the U.S. , says a federal report . Report : Changes will stress water resources , challenge crops and raise sea levels . Document is released by White House science adviser and mandated by Congress . Report 's predictions : Hotter heat waves , more flooding and an increase in wildfires . | [[0, 15], [19, 143], [81, 110], [166, 187], [1062, 1225], [374, 395], [399, 442], [342, 395], [447, 467], [1616, 1643], [1658, 1692], [1695, 1802], [1960, 2008], [2222, 2254], [2329, 2422]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Deep-sea explorers say they have solved `` one of the greatest mysteries in naval history '' with the discovery of what was `` the world 's mightiest and most technically advanced warship '' when it sank in 1744 . The HMS Victory sank in 1744 . The HMS Victory -- the predecessor to a historic British flagship of the same name -- was found `` far from where history says it was lost , '' Odyssey Marine Exploration said in a news release Monday . The find in the English Channel exonerates Adm. Sir John Balchin , one of `` the greatest admirals in English history , '' because it shows that the ship went down in a violent storm , not due to any mistakes he made , Odyssey said . It did not specify the ship 's exact location . Maritime lore said the ship went down in the northern part of the Channel Islands , south of England near the coast of France . Stories about treasures -- including gold -- that may have been on the ship have existed ever since its disappearance . This HMS Victory was a predecessor to the historic British ship that took the same name and which served as Admiral Nelson 's flagship in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 . In court papers seeking exclusive salvage rights , Odyssey says the wreck site `` consists of cannons and other unidentified objects . Odyssey believes that potentially valuable cargo may be located at or near the site . '' The papers were filed in U.S. District Court in Tampa , Florida , where Odyssey is based , seeking exclusive salvage rights . There were nearly 1,000 people aboard -- `` 900 sailors , plus a complement of marines and 50 volunteers drawn from the noblest families of England , '' Odyssey said in information about the ship released together with the Discovery Channel , which chronicled the find . Based on reports from the time , there may be as much as four tons of gold on the ship , Odyssey and the Discovery Channel said . `` Additional research indicates that there were large quantities of both silver and gold coins aboard . ... Research suggests that this prize money will also likely be located at the wreck site . '' ... However , no coins have been located at the site to date , and no accurate assessment as to their value can be made prior to location , recovery and analysis . '' The potential treasure also comes in another form -- bronze weaponry . `` The site 's anticipated ordnance collection '' includes `` the single largest collection of bronze cannon in the world '' and `` the largest consignment of bronze guns ever manufactured and preserved today , '' Odyssey said . Two cannons have been recovered -- `` a 12-pounder featuring the royal arms of George II '' and a `` 42-pounder bearing the crest of George I , '' it said . `` The huge 42-pounder recovered is the only known example of a gun of this type and size currently in existence on dry land . The only other artifacts recovered to date were two small brick fragments that were brought into U.S. federal court in order to file an admiralty arrest of the site . '' Admiralty arrest is a step mandated under international maritime law . The discovery could set up a legal battle with the British government . If it really is the HMS Victory , `` her remains are sovereign immune , '' the British Ministry of Defense -LRB- MOD -RRB- said in a statement on its blog Monday . `` The wreck remains the property of the Crown . We have not waived our rights to it . This means that no intrusive action may be taken without the express consent of the United Kingdom . '' In its statement , Odyssey said it `` has been cooperating closely '' with the ministry , and `` all activities at the site have been conducted in accordance with protocols agreed with MOD and Royal Navy officials . '' The ship has deteriorated to the point that recovering it is impossible , Odyssey said . `` A plan is being developed for an archaeological excavation of the site , and artifacts will be recovered in accordance with a scientific project plan , which will be submitted to the UK MOD for review and approval . '' The company has proposed that it be paid `` with either ... a percentage of the value of the collection that has been recovered , conserved and presented to the UK government , or a percentage of the coins or other artifacts that the government decides to -LRB- sell -RRB- . '' The ship was found nearly 100 km -LRB- 62 miles -RRB- `` from where the ship was historically believed to have been wrecked on a reef near the Channel Islands , '' Odyssey 's statement said . `` Having discovered it in deep water far from where history says it was lost has served to exonerate Admiral Balchin and his officers from the accusation of having let the ship run aground on the Casquets due to faulty navigation , '' said Greg Stemm , Odyssey 's chief executive officer , in the statement . Odyssey said the `` prevailing belief '' about the ship 's fate was that it had `` smashed into the Casquets , a group of rocky islets '' north of Guernsey , the second largest of the Channel Islands . But the evidence , Odyssey 's statement said , suggests `` the ship sank as the result of a violent storm and suggests that the design and construction of the ship contributed to her loss . '' Odyssey released press materials about the ship in cooperation with the Discovery Channel , which chronicled the find and will be showing it in a program this week called Treasure Quest . `` The English Channel is a treacherous place to navigate , '' Discovery Channel President John Ford told CNN Radio . `` The ship was returning from Portugal and got caught up in a storm . And despite being judged unsinkable at the time , sort of like the Titanic was , this very , very large ship went down in a storm and vanished without a trace . '' CNN Radio 's April Williams contributed to this report . | Team says it has discovered the wreck site of HMS Victory . Victory sank in 1744 between England and France . If find is confirmed , it could set up a legal battle with the British government . Replacement HMS Victory served as Nelson flagship for Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 . | [[215, 232], [233, 263], [3112, 3183], [1035, 1060], [1066, 1145], [1071, 1084], [1095, 1168]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A close aide to Pakistan 's Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud said he is breaking ties with him and confirmed reports that Mehsud was behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto . Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December 2007 at a campaign rally . Qari Turkestan Bhitaini , a self-proclaimed right-hand man of Mehsud , said Mehsud was behind the December 27 , 2007 , assassination of Bhutto , Pakistan 's Express TV reported . Bhitaini said he is breaking ties with Mehsud because he blames the Taliban chief for killing scores of innocent Muslims in recent attacks in Lahore . The Pakistani government and CIA officials have said in the past that Mehsud was responsible for Bhutto 's death . Bhutto , 54 , was heading the opposition to then-President Pervez Musharraf when she was assassinated during a campaign rally in Rawalpindi ahead of parliamentary elections . The Pakistani government , who has struggled to control terrorism , is waging a military offensive against the Taliban in the country 's North West Frontier Province . | Report : Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud responsible for Benazir Bhutto 's slaying . Mehsud 's former aide makes allegations , blames him for killing Muslims . Bhutto was assassinated in December 2007 at campaign rally . | [[0, 15], [83, 85], [116, 216], [319, 342], [390, 435], [719, 763], [512, 648], [217, 318], [764, 770], [778, 938]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi who was captured on videotape torturing an Afghan grain dealer has reportedly been detained , a senior U.S. State Department official told CNN Saturday . Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan , pictured here , allegedly tortured a business associate on videotape . The official said the government of the United Arab Emirates , which includes Abu Dhabi as one of its seven emirates , told the State Department that Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan is under house arrest pending an investigation , but that the United States has not independently confirmed the development . The videotape emerged last month in a federal civil lawsuit filed in Houston , Texas , by Bassam Nabulsi , a U.S. citizen , against the sheikh . Former business partners , the men had a falling out , in part over the tape . In a statement to CNN , the sheikh 's U.S. attorney said Nabulsi is using the videotape to influence the court over a business dispute . The tape of the heinous torture session is delaying the ratification of a civil nuclear deal between the United Arab Emirates and the United States , senior U.S. officials familiar with the case have said . The senior U.S. officials said the administration has held off on the ratification process because it believes sensitivities over the story can hurt its passage . On Saturday , Human Rights Watch called the sheikh 's reported detention `` a significant development '' but said the UAE government needs to do more to restore confidence in its judicial system . `` The videotape of this episode shocked the world , '' said Sarah Leah Whitson , Middle East director at Human Rights Watch . `` The report of the arrest was reassuring , but now the government needs to make the details public . Secretive prosecutions will not deter further abuses and torture . '' On the tape , Sheikh Issa appears to burn with rage . Apparently believing he was cheated in a business deal , the sheikh was trying to extract a confession from the Afghan grain dealer . With a private security officer assisting , Sheikh Issa is seen stuffing sand in the Afghan 's mouth . As the grain dealer pleads and whimpers , he is beaten with a nailed board , burned in the genitals with a cigarette lighter , shocked with a cattle prod and led to believe he would be shot . Salt is literally poured on his wounds . The 45 minutes of torture appears on a nearly three-hour-long videotape shot in late 2004 in the desert outside Abu Dhabi . It was made at the direction of the sheikh himself . The tape has been viewed by CNN . Watch portions of the tape and Nabulsi tell his story '' After international concerns over the tape mounted in late April , Abu Dhabi 's government issued a statement saying it deplored the contents of the video and planned an immediate and comprehensive review of it . The sheikh , who holds no official government position , is the half-brother of the UAE 's ruler , President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan . Human Rights Watch sent a April 28 letter to the president imploring him to form `` an independent body '' to probe both the torture and and the `` failure '' of the UAE 's Interior Ministry `` to bring those involved to justice . '' The group reiterated that call Saturday . As for the grain dealer , UAE officials say he survived the ordeal , and said the sheikh and the grain dealer settled the matter privately by agreeing not to bring formal charges against each other . However , Nabulsi 's attorney , Anthony Buzbee , said the grain dealer ca n't be located and it is not known whether he is alive . | State Department official says member of Abu Dhabi royal family reportedly detained . Investigation continuing after videotape shows sheikh torturing grain merchant . Videotape emerged last month in federal civil lawsuit filed in the United States . U.S. senior officials say case is holding up a U.S. nuclear deal with the UAE . | [[0, 26], [135, 163], [166, 167], [59, 71], [76, 127], [92, 134], [226, 257], [276, 330], [639, 698], [675, 723], [1150, 1206]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It is possible more U.S. troops could be added in Afghanistan if the new U.S. commander there needs them , but Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he does not expect a significant increase . U.S. Marines sweep for bombs in Afghanistan this week . During a visit to troops at Fort Drum , New York , on Thursday , Gates said he is waiting to hear what Gen. Stanley McChrystal recommends after he completes a review of operations in Afghanistan . McChrystal is expected to complete a classified report for Gates by the end of this month , assessing where the war stands , and what needs to be done . He will tell Gates whether he needs more U.S. troops to fight the escalating conflict , according to a senior U.S. military official . Gates asked McChrystal to `` state his requirements for resources , '' said the official -- who did not want to be identified because the report is not completed . The review is also expected to recommend that the number of Afghan troops be increased beyond the goal of 134,000 , other military sources said . During a speech and question-and-answer session with troops at Fort Drum , Gates acknowledged he would consider a recommendation to boost U.S. troops beyond the level of 68,000 already approved . `` We 'll see what Gen. McChrystal recommends , '' he said . `` But I think there will not be a significant increase in troop levels in Afghanistan beyond the 68,000 , at least probably through the end of the year . Maybe some increase , but not a lot . '' Gates has made clear in the past he is reluctant to approve additional major increases in troop levels , preferring to keep the U.S. at a lower profile in the nation . About 57,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan , with the other 11,000 to arrive by the end of this year . Gates has said he wants to see if that level of troops would be sufficient . Gates ' press secretary , Geoff Morrell , told CNN the Fort Drum comments `` are not necessarily a foreshadowing of what 's to come . '' He said Gates `` does n't want to impose an artificial troop cap on the commander , '' but does want to see if the strategy can be carried out with the approved troop levels . | Defense secretary would consider it if U.S. commander says he needs more . Gen. Stanley McChrystal preparing review of operation for Gates . Still , Secretary Gates said , any amount over 68,000 approved would not be much . Wants low U.S. profile in Afghanistan , chance to see if 68,000 is enough . | [[1061, 1133], [1136, 1227], [266, 303], [331, 448], [342, 344], [356, 462], [130, 209], [1231, 1256], [1325, 1422], [1547, 1668], [1514, 1519], [1619, 1681], [1786, 1862], [1801, 1862]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Italian newspaper and magazine published excerpts of what they said were audio recordings of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi talking with an escort at the center of a corruption probe . Veronica Lario , the wife of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi , pictured , filed for divorce in May . The daily La Repubblica and its sister magazine L'Espresso said the recordings posted on their Web sites Monday were of Berlusconi and Patrizia D'Addario . She has said that an Italian businessman hired her and other women to attend parties at Berlusconi 's homes . In June , D'Addario told CNN that she had turned the tapes over to a prosecutor in Bari , southern Italy . Through her attorney , she refused to comment on the authenticity of the excerpts released Monday . But in a statement carried by the Italian news agency ANSA , Berlusconi lawyer Niccolo Ghedini said the prime minister is challenging the `` truthfulness and legality '' of the recordings . `` We can only regard the material as worthless , completely false and the result of invention , '' Ghedini said . `` In any case , the act of its publication is an illegal act in itself , which will need to be pursued , and all legal actions will be taken against any body who publishes such material . '' Berlusconi , the 72-year-old media mogul-turned-prime minister , has denied the allegations . According to La Repubblica , the conversation between D'Addario and Berlusconi took place in October and November at the prime minister 's house in Rome . It also published an excerpt of what it said was a conversation between D'Addario and Gianpaulo Tarantini , the businessman accused of hiring D'Addario and other escorts . Prosecutors in Bari , in southern Italy , are investigating allegations that Tarantini bribed health officials to buy prosthetics and other medical supplies from a company he and his brother own . Tarantini has denied any wrongdoing and says he brought women to the parties to make a `` beautiful impression . '' `` I have never paid money to those who accompanied me except for refunding their trip expenses , '' he said in a statement issued last month . `` I exclude that the premier could have been aware of these reimbursements and I want to ask forgiveness for having involuntarily damaged him . '' Berlusconi 's private life has been in the spotlight since his wife of 19 years , Veronica Lario , filed for divorce in May . The split followed reports that Berlusconi went to the birthday party in Naples of an 18-year-old girl , with whom Berlusconi has denied having an inappropriate relationship . And the Spanish newspaper El Pais has published what it said were photos of racy parties at Berlusconi 's villa on the island of Sardinia , including one picture that showed scantily clad women . But despite the swirl of scandal , Berlusconi remains popular , consistently scoring approval ratings well over 50 percent . CNN 's Hada Messia contributed to this report . | D'Addario refuses to comment on authenticity of excerpts released Thursday . Berlusconi attorney calls act of publication `` an illegal act '' La Repubblica : Conversation between D'Addario , Berlusconi took place at his home . La Repubblica publishes alleged conversation between D'Addario , businessman . | [[728, 786], [1127, 1183], [1425, 1550], [1551, 1553], [1559, 1658]] |
SACRAMENTO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Debbie Brown used to process medical and dental forms for a living before a debilitating illness forced her into early disability retirement and left her in a simple , no-frills wheelchair -- a rented wheelchair that has cost taxpayers about $ 1,200 . CNN found a wheelchair similar to Debbie Brown 's taxpayer-funded Medicare wheelchair for a fourth of the price . Brown says the public should be outraged about her wheelchair . Why ? She says she could buy a comparable wheelchair on the Internet for $ 440 if she had the money . It sounded hard to believe that her rented , $ 1,200 taxpayer-funded wheelchair could be bought for $ 440 , so CNN decided to check -- and instead found an even better deal . CNN went to the same company that charges Medicare for Brown 's chair , Apria Healthcare , and bought it for $ 349 -- about a fourth of what taxpayers ' have paid for Brown 's rented wheelchair . That 's why this slightly built woman , who lives modestly with her husband in Sacramento , California , believes her story and her wheelchair underscore the bigger problem of reforming health care in America . `` Now you multiply that by how many people have a manual wheelchair , especially the baby boomers , it multiplies and multiplies and that money could be spent , even a hundred dollars out of that ... could give someone else the options that they need , '' Brown said . Reforming health care is at the top of the agenda in Washington . Everyone seems to agree this nation 's health care costs and care availability are out of whack . Fixing it is another problem altogether . The Clintons failed . President Bush tried and got push-back as well . Now President Obama says he will do it because America ca n't put it off any longer . But he , too , is finding the way forward is not an easy path . Terms like `` affordability , '' `` single payer , '' `` universal coverage , '' and an entire lexicon have become part of the health care buzz lingo . It is a complex issue with so many facets , so many lobbyists and so many special interests that one proposal seems to result in a competing proposal or proposals , or competing parties with concerns of their own . To illustrate how difficult it will be to overhaul America 's health care , CNN decided to focus on one item in the nation 's health care bill : a basic wheelchair . The wheelchair , in its own small way , CNN discovered , gives a glimpse of the contentious and complex debate swirling around health care reform . CNN interviewed Brown and her husband , Dennis Brown , at a community center in Sacramento . It is a place the couple visits frequently ; it is free , offers programs , books , entertainment and features a park to stroll in . Debbie Brown sent an e-mail to CNN months ago , outraged over the continuing Medicare payments for a wheelchair that after four years of use is not in the best shape . It squeaks and is hard to navigate . Her ride in it is made more difficult because her husband , retired from the armed services , is also on disability and has trouble getting the wheelchair in and out of the car . On days he is not well , he sometimes has trouble pushing her . She showed CNN her bills and documented the fact that Medicare is still paying for the wheelchair after all these years . Medicare , with Brown 's permission , confirmed the payments . Brown referred us to the Internet sites where comparable chairs -- and better ones than hers -- are listed for a fraction of the cost Medicare pays over time . The Browns have a limited income and say they can not afford to buy one . That 's when CNN decided to check Brown 's story by buying one directly from Apria , based in Lake Forest , California . CNN paid cash for the chair after calling one of Apria 's offices in an Atlanta , Georgia , suburb . Apria representatives told the CNN buyer that the chair Brown had is no longer made but offered the model that is being rented and sold as the replacement model for the one Brown still uses . When CNN asked Apria why it rented wheelchairs to the government for $ 1,200 , but sold it to us for $ 349 , the company said it was an `` honest , unfortunate mistake . '' Lisa M. Getson , Apria executive vice president for government relations , said in a letter that CNN `` should have been charged $ 949 , in accordance with Apria 's retail price ... '' `` Since there 's no comparable sale option in the Medicare system for such a wheelchair , our employee was confused by the sale request and charged the incorrect amount , '' Getson said . But the amount CNN paid is comparable to many other companies ' prices on the Web . A quick check found two firms selling the Invacare Tracer SX5 for $ 289.00 and $ 249.00 , including delivery . The manufacturer 's suggested retail price is nearly $ 300 less than the corrected Apria price . Apria Healthcare said its costs are higher because of the stringent paperwork required by the government and because it provides 24-hour on-call service . Apria also points out that the cost of the wheelchair over the past four years has been less than 78 cents per day , a bargain because it allows the patient to remain at home . Wheelchairs are classified as durable medical equipment , along with such items as oxygen tanks and home infusion therapies . Apria is the nation 's leading provider of home health care products and services , according to its Web site . The nation 's $ 1 billion annual durable medical cost is only a fraction of Medicare 's $ 444 billion budget last year , but one government officials believe it is time to rein in . That 's where this story of the rented wheelchair gets caught between all the interests involved . Congress sets the rates Medicare pays and Congress determined that wheelchairs should be billed on a monthly rate for 13 months -- the renter has to pay 20 percent of the costs . After 13 months , a user can opt to own it -- if the user knows about the rule . Brown , who worked in claims processing for years , said no one ever told her the wheelchair that barely works for her now is hers if she wants it . Instead , now that her rental term has ended , she gets billed by Apria every six months for service . Medicare pays $ 63 and she pays $ 16 . Jonathan Blum , one of Obama 's picks to reform the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services , said it is simply wrong that a wheelchair an individual can buy for $ 349 has cost the government $ 1,200 . He said the government has a plan to fix it : competitive bidding . `` The good news is we have new authority right now to use competitive bidding to give the program much more flexibility , '' Blum said . But that 's where the rubber -- or in this case , a wheelchair -- meets the road . Medicare has tried for years to get a bidding project off the ground . Last year , a bidding project was stopped after two weeks . The industry is flat-out against the government 's proposed bidding project , contending it is n't competitive bidding at all . Opposing a bidding project is a well-funded lobbying industry , small - and durable-equipment businesses and special-interest groups who worry their ill clients wo n't be served if a bidding process as proposed by Medicare is put in place . So CNN loaded its wheelchair onto a Delta 757 to Washington and rolled it through the halls of Congress to find out why any representative -- not to mention 84 of them -LRB- the number who signed an April letter asking that competitive bidding be put on hold once again -RRB- would object to a plan that Medicare maintains will save taxpayer money . From Republican and Democrat alike , the answer was nearly identical as they sat for interviews next to CNN 's $ 349 wheelchair . `` Well , you know what ? I am a big believer in competitive bidding , '' said Rep. Betty Sutton , a Democrat from Ohio , where Invacare , one of the biggest manufacturers of durable equipment , is based . `` So at the outset I absolutely concur . But this program as it has unfolded , as it 's been developed it really is a competitive bidding process that is n't competitive bidding . '' Rep. Marsha Blackburn , a Republican from Tennessee , agreed . `` My hope is that as we look at health care reform that some of those that are working off of theory , if you will , and the federal system will slow down and we look at where the lessons learned should be and we will think long and hard before they move aboard a single-payer or mandated to restrict choice and restrict options for individuals , '' said Blackburn . The American Association for Homecare , which represents many in the durable-equipment industry , said the bidding program is anti-competitive . In a statement , the association said the bidding program would `` sacrifice care for seniors and people with disabilities '' as it `` reduces patient access to and choice for medical equipment . '' The association said competitive bidding will `` increase Medicare costs because it will lead to longer , more expensive hospital stays . '' But John Rother , the head of policy and strategy for the retiree advocacy group AARP , said what 's really happening is business trying to protect profits -- in this case profits four times the cost of Brown 's wheelchair rental . `` It 's an outrage , '' Rother said . `` It 's a ripping off of the taxpayer . It does n't make any sense to have those kinds of expenses for products that could be bought for so much less . '' Medicare again plans to try to get its competitive bidding program started later this year in at least nine markets , although Blum said it is unlikely to go into effect until next year . As for Brown , her four-year-old wheelchair needs replacing . She 's reluctantly applied through her doctor for a new one . CNN 's Marcus Hooper contributed to this report . | Woman : Rented , $ 1,200 taxpayer-funded wheelchair can be bought for $ 440 . CNN found chair that could be bought for a fourth of the price . Debbie Brown believes her story , wheelchair underscore problem health care reform . Legislators , companies debate competitive bidding to fix problem . | [[235, 254], [260, 294], [295, 408], [479, 551], [575, 706], [575, 577], [591, 749], [295, 408], [946, 983], [1051, 1146], [1074, 1156]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The House of Representatives voted Friday to impeach a federal judge convicted of obstruction of justice while in office . Judge Samuel Kent was the first federal judge to be charged with sexual crimes while in office . U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent of Texas pleaded guilty in February , admitting he lied to investigators about nonconsensual sexual contact with two employees in his courthouse . As part of a plea agreement , other counts alleging sexual misconduct were dropped . Kent was the first federal judge to be charged with sexual crimes while in office . He has submitted his resignation , but made it effective June 1 , 2010 , meaning he would be paid for a year while in prison . That drew a heated response among some members of Congress , and a House Judiciary Committee task force unanimously approved four articles of impeachment against Kent on the grounds of sexual assault , obstruction of justice and providing false statements to federal investigators . Before the House vote , Judiciary Committee member Rep. Bob Goodlatte , R-Virginia , said to House members that Kent collecting a salary of about $ 174,000 while in prison constituted `` an attempt to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from the American people . '' There were no dissenting votes . The decision on whether to convict Kent will be made by the Senate . A conviction would mean he would lose his seat on the federal bench and his pension . Kent , who turns 60 this month , was sentenced in May to 33 months in prison and began serving the sentence Monday . He was ordered to undergo treatment for alcoholism while in prison . An attempt to reach Kent 's attorney for comment was unsuccessful Friday afternoon . President George H.W. Bush nominated Kent , who took his seat on the bench of the Southern District of Texas on October 1 , 1990 . Kent is the 14th federal judge to be impeached by the House . The last impeachment -- on charges of lying to a federal grand jury -- was of Mississippi Judge Walter Nixon in 1989 . | Samuel Kent says he lied about nonconsensual sexual contact with 2 employees . Kent submits resignation effective June 2010 , which allowed him to collect salary . To keep Kent from being paid while in jail , House panel votes to impeach . Decision on whether he 'll lose his seat on the bench and pension rests with Senate . | [[239, 282], [312, 420], [590, 622], [590, 592], [629, 660], [0, 15], [48, 141], [1304, 1372], [1373, 1458], [1397, 1458]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New IBO light-welterweight world champion , Manny Pacquiao , is planning a career in politics , the 30-year-old told CNN on his return to his native Phillipines . Philippine boxing champ Manny Pacquiao sits with Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources Lito Atienza -LRB- L -RRB- and former governor Chavit Singson -LRB- R -RRB- in Manila . Though `` Pacman '' will concentrate on boxing until next year , the man dubbed the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world suggested he could retire the following year to run for congress . `` I want to be a Congressman so I can help the people , '' Pacquiao told CNN 's Andrew Stevens . But when asked if becoming the Filipino president was his ultimate aim he added : `` I would n't think about that because my ambition is only to run for congress . Pacquiao previously ran in the 2007 congressional elections for President Arroyo 's party but was beaten by the Nationalist People 's Coalition candidate Darlene Antonino-Custodio , who received 139,061 votes to Pacquiao 's 75,908 , Britain 's Daily Telegraph said . Pacquiao is a national hero in the Phillipines but has seen his popularity grow around the world since his comprehensive victory over British fighter Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas . `` I 'm happy to be back -LRB- in Manila -RRB- because there 's a lot of people supporting me here . I expected it in the Phillipines but I had many supporting me in America too . '' The man dubbed the `` National Fist '' will be a busy man over the next few months as he plans to make his second film and record a TV programme . This is a long way from his humble origins growing up in General Santos City , southern Philippines , a reality that Pacquiao says he struggles to believe sometimes . `` I never dreamed I would reach the levels of success I have reached , he said . `` But I have faith in God and discipline in myself to make the sacrifices -LRB- needed -RRB- and to train hard . '' In 14 years as a professional , Pacquiao has won world titles in four weight divisions -- from 7st 8lb to 9st 9lb , at flyweight , super bantamweight , super featherweight and lightweight . In his last contest , in December , in what many felt would be a step too far , he dismantled America 's most popular boxer , Oscar De La Hoya , at the 10st 7lb limit , in eight one-sided rounds . Pacquiao is currently rated by The Ring , the sport 's most respected trade magazine , as the best boxer in the world . His career earnings stand at an estimated # 30 million , with major paydays coming relatively late in his career . However he remains modest despite the success . `` It 's a big honour to me and my family to be looked up to by so many people . `` My inspiration comes from my family -- the people who are always there behind me supporting me and love me . '' | Manny Pacquiao plans career in politics . Wants to run for Philliphines congress . World 's best pound-for-pound fighter coulf retire in 2010 . | [[0, 15], [69, 77], [80, 112], [431, 491], [431, 438], [446, 558]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch expects News Corporation-owned newspaper Web sites to start charging users for access within a year in a move which analysts say could radically shake-up the culture of freely available content . Murdoch said the existing Internet business model was `` malfunctioning . '' Speaking on a conference call as News Corporation announced a 47 percent slide in quarterly profits to $ 755 million , Murdoch said the current free access business model favored by most content providers was flawed . `` We are now in the midst of an epochal debate over the value of content and it is clear to many newspapers that the current model is malfunctioning , '' the News Corp. . Chairman and CEO said . `` We have been at the forefront of that debate and you can confidently presume that we are leading the way in finding a model that maximizes revenues in return for our shareholders ... The current days of the Internet will soon be over . '' Murdoch said the experience of the News Corp.-owned Wall Street Journal had proved that charging for content could be made to work . Would you pay to use news Web sites ? Sound Off below . He said 360,000 people had downloaded an iPhone WSJ application in three weeks . Users would soon be made to pay `` handsomely '' for accessing WSJ content , he added . Murdoch said he envisaged other News Corp. titles introducing charges within 12 months . Murdoch 's international newspaper empire includes the New York Post , the News International stable of UK titles including the Sun and the Times , and a cluster of Australian papers including the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun . His comments come with the U.S. newspaper industry in a state of crisis amid plunging advertising revenues and falling circulations with several historic titles already going out of business . Joshua Benton , Director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University , said Murdoch was not the only executive looking to generate new income streams from online content . `` News executives are starting to recognize that online advertising revenues are not enough on their own , '' Benton told CNN . But he said the challenge for media organizations was finding a balance between advertising and subscription revenues and figuring out how to charge for content without alienating existing users -- which could lead to Web sites offering tiered levels of free and paid-for material . `` I suspect within any readership there is a small slice -- maybe three percent -- that is willing to pay . News organizations are going to have to find a way of getting money from that slice without driving away everybody else , '' Benton said . `` I do n't think you can afford to put a lock and chain on the front page . Benton said the U.S. newspaper industry was in a `` horrible state '' which was likely to get worse . `` We 're starting to see holes where newspapers were . The question is , will new Web sites fill the holes , will traditional names come in -- or will they just not get filled ? '' Earlier this week , the 137-year-old Boston Globe said it would be forced to shut down unless it reached an agreement with unions over a $ 10 million program of cost-cutting measures . Watch media chief discuss charging for online content '' The paper 's owners , The New York Times Co. , postponed plans to close the paper after reaching a deal with six of seven employees ' unions but said the Globe was expected to lose $ 85 million in 2009 if it did not make major cuts . The developments followed the demise of print editions of The Rocky Mountain News in Denver , Colorado ; The Seattle Post-Intelligencer ; and The Christian Science Monitor . The Rocky Mountain News shut down completely ; both the Seattle paper and the Christian Science Monitor remain in online editions . At least 120 newspapers in the U.S. have shut down since January 2008 , according to Paper Cuts , a Web site tracking the newspaper industry . More than 21,000 jobs at 67 newspapers have vaporized in that time , according to the site . Despite the general mood of gloom over the state of the economy , Murdoch said he believed the worst of the financial crisis had passed . `` I 'm not an economist and we all know economists were created to make weather forecasters look good , '' he said . `` But it is increasingly clear the worst is over . '' | Rupert Murdoch says News Corp. . Web sites will charge for content within year . Murdoch 's newspapers include New York Post , UK 's Sun , Times . Wall Street Journal proves users can be charged for content , Murdoch says . Murdoch : `` The current days of the Internet will soon be over '' | [[0, 15], [19, 156], [1423, 1656], [1527, 1554], [976, 1047], [989, 1108], [1246, 1320], [920, 962], [966, 972], [920, 952], [958, 972]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A one-of-a-kind bicycle belonging to U.S. cycling legend Lance Armstrong was stolen from a team truck in California just hours after he rode it Saturday on the first day of a nine-day race . Lance Armstrong 's bike was stolen after he competed in the first day of the Amgen Tour of California . Cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France champion Armstrong is racing in the Amgen Tour of California this week as he attempts another comeback after retiring from the sport in 2005 . Armstrong 's first comeback came in 1998 , two years after he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain . Doctors gave him a less than 50 percent chance of survival . Armstrong announced the bike theft on his Twitter account Sunday morning and posted a photograph . `` There is only one like it in the world therefore hard to pawn it off . Reward being offered , '' he wrote . The bicycle that was stolen is not the one Armstrong rides every day during the race . The stolen bike is used only for time trials , a race in which cyclists ride individually at staggered intervals over a set distance and try to get the best time . The thieves took four bicycles from a truck Armstrong 's Astana team had parked behind a hotel in Sacramento . The other three bicycles belonged to team members Janez Brajkovic , Steve Morabito and Yaroslav Popovych , Astana said . Armstrong , 37 , won the Tour de France , considered the premier bicycle race in the world , a record seven times from 1999-2005 . The 750-mile Amgen Tour of California ends Sunday . It is the second major race in which Armstrong has participated since announcing his comeback in September . He raced last month in the Tour Down Under in Australia , finishing 29th . Armstrong said he is aiming for another Tour de France victory this summer and was not expected to contend in the Australian race , which he used to gauge his fitness level after more than three years out of the saddle . | One-of-a-kind bicycle taken from team truck in California . Armstrong posted announcement of theft on Twitter account . Champion cyclist aiming for comeback with participation in Amgen Tour . | [[738, 795], [339, 527]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Commuters on the New York-New Jersey Port Authority Trans-Hudson -LRB- PATH -RRB- rail system will have added security screening Wednesday as part of a month-long pilot program , according to a news release from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . Riders of the New York-New Jersey PATH trains will see a new security system in place on Wednesday . The screening system is called the Passive Millimeter Wave . It can detect threats , including explosive devices , hidden under clothing , the Port Authority explained in the news release . The Transportation Security Administration and the Port Authority stress that there is no current threat to the mass transit system , nor do they anticipate delays for commuters from the new technology , which has already been tested at several other transit locations . The Passive Millimeter Wave `` detects threats by analyzing the energy generated by the human body , '' according to TSA spokesperson Lara Uselding . The camera-like device displays an image for operators , and `` an indicator produces a strength bar from green to red that indicates the presence/absence of anomalies that could have security implications , including the possible presence of explosives , '' according to the TSA Web site . The TSA and the Port Authority emphasize that the device is non-invasive and completely safe . The Port Authority 's news release explains that all PATH passengers are subject to the pilot security screening , and passengers who do not want take part must leave the station . The TSA has partnered with agencies in various cities in the past to test out the same security screening system , including in 2007 at Washington 's Union Station and on New York 's Staten Island Ferry . The TSA has also tested the system at several U.S. airports including Minneapolis-St . Paul , Minnesota ; Denver , Colorado ; and Boston , Massachusetts . | PATH riders to have new security starting Wednesday ; part of a month-long program . System called Passive Millimeter Wave ; it detects hidden explosives under clothing . Do n't want to be screened ? Then leave station , says Port Authority . System previously tested at Staten Island Ferry , several U.S. airports . | [[0, 24], [104, 204], [288, 388], [389, 449], [450, 452], [474, 525], [1386, 1566], [1505, 1566], [1633, 1771], [1772, 1858]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- If you think being a secret agent is all just one giant adrenaline rush , think again . Cracking the safe at the International Spy Museum . Our mission on the other side of the world : Retrieve a missing nuclear trigger before it falls into enemy hands . We do n't know whom to trust in Kandahar . We ca n't speak the language . We 've got to conduct video surveillance on an always-moving target , decrypt a secret audio conversation when we can barely hear through the static , crack a safe and then escape from a heavily guarded compound . Phew . We kept the terrorists from getting the trigger . Everyone heaves a giant sigh of relief . The three middle-schoolers in the group performed admirably . Welcome to Operation Spy at the International Spy Museum -LRB- www.spymuseum.org -RRB- in Washington , D.C. `` Today intelligence is the first line of defense against ideology-driven terrorism , nuclear proliferation , and other threats to our country , '' explains Peter Earnest , executive director of the International Spy Museum , who spent 36 years at the CIA . The idea , he explains , is to put civilians like us in a situation that mirrors a real mission . But I 've got a bigger mission ahead this weekend : Can I make a visit to the nation 's capital , museums and historic sites at every turn , fun ? I 've brought along two sixth-graders from Stamford , Connecticut -- my cousin 's son , Max Weinberg , and his friend , Miles Singer -- to see if I 'm up to the challenge . So far so good . The kids loved Operation Spy and the spy tools in the museum 's permanent exhibits -- a Soviet listening device hidden inside the heel of a target 's shoe , a lipstick pistol and poison gas gun nearly as much as they loved the gift shop , which offered every spy toy imaginable . New lasers in hand , we adjourn next door to the upscale Zola restaurant -LRB- www.zoladc.com -RRB- , which has a sophisticated ambience and menu to please the grown-ups , as well as a welcoming attitude toward kids ... not to mention terrific fries . -LRB- Memo to parents : If you take kids to a restaurant like this and they 've outgrown the kids ' menu , suggest they share a meal -- assuming they want the same thing . -RRB- . Over dinner , the boys confess that learning about intelligence gathering was a lot more fun than learning how Congress works , and taking the Amtrak train -LRB- www.amtrak.com -RRB- was a lot more fun than driving or flying , because they could stay `` plugged in '' the entire trip , playing video games , watching movies and buying pizza and hot dogs . -LRB- Kids ride Amtrak for half price . -RRB- . The Palomar Hotel , a Kimpton Hotel , -LRB- www.hotelpalomar-dc.com -RRB- , just a short walk from DuPont Circle and Rock Creek Park -RRB- proved an ideal choice for my `` mission '' too . The theme of this hotel is `` art in motion '' and when we get to our room , the kids find personalized cartoons drawn by a local cartoonist and an iHome to plug in their iPods . `` This makes me feel like a king , '' Miles declares , jumping on the bed . That 's exactly what General Manager Brett Orlando , himself the father of young twins , wants to hear . `` Our job is to create an experience for kids as well as parents , '' he explains . There is a treasure chest of toys for younger kids to borrow , a lending library of DVD movies and welcome swag that includes a card for free cookies from room service . -LRB- Check the hotel Website for the Link in Luxury package that allows you to book one room at a going rate -- weekend rates start at $ 229 and a second adjoining room for the kids for $ 50 . Fall and winter weekends are a great time to visit D.C. with bargain hotel rates . Visit www.washington.org -RRB- . The boys , of course , would have preferred to never leave the hotel but I promise we can skip all the `` boring stuff '' '' -- like the Capitol Building , the Supreme Court , all art museums and even the White House . But even without these stops , we had plenty to fill up our weekend . At Jaleo , -LRB- www.jaleo.com -RRB- , they sampled tapas for the first time -- but passed on the octopus and squid and reveled at being treated like grown-ups at the trendy D.C. Coast -LRB- www.dccoast.com -RRB- . They declared `` Shear Madness , '' which has been running in the Kennedy Center 's Theater Lab -LRB- http://www.kennedy-center.org/ -RRB- for almost 20 years , a high point -- with campy humor and the opportunity for the audience to help solve the scissor-stabbing murder of a concert pianist who lives above the hairstyling salon . They also liked the view from the top of the Washington Monument , though they were disappointed when they learned they had to take a 70-second elevator ride rather than climb the 800-plus steps . -LRB- TIP : Even in the fall , the entire day 's tickets had been given out before 10 a.m. Arrive before 9 a.m. at the kiosk at 15th Street and Madison Drive to get one . -RRB- . The kids also gave a thumbs-up to The Bureau of Engraving and Printing -LRB- www.bep.treas.gov -RRB- where they watched from an overhead glass window , as money was made and sorted . NOTE : Though -LRB- free -RRB- tickets are n't required September through February , tours still fill up . Be prepared . You may need to wait . At the National Air and Space Museum -LRB- www.nasm.si.edu -RRB- where a new exhibit , America by Air , will open next month , the boys were most interested in the gift shop -- until they discovered the Simulator Rides -LRB- $ 8 each -RRB- that allowed them to try their skills as a pilot and gunner aboard an F-4 Phantom II Jet Fighter . `` I wish we could do it again and again , '' Max said . I insisted they see the original 1903 Wright Flyer but after a cursory look , they were done . Sure I could have forced them to spend more time at the museum -- maybe I should have -- but that would have just made them cranky . Me too . Instead , we all left happy . The Smithsonian museums and the capital will be here next trip . E-mail to a friend . -LRB- For more Taking the Kids , visit www.takingthekids.com , where Eileen Ogintz welcomes your questions and comments . -RRB- . Copyright 2009 EILEEN OGINTZ , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | The International Spy Museum is popular with kids . Fall and winter weekends in D.C. are a great time for bargain hotel rates . Arrive before 9 a.m. for tickets to climb up the Washington Monument . | [[3658, 3740], [3687, 3694], [3700, 3740]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five years from now , there 's an excellent chance you wo n't have the same health insurance you have -LRB- or do n't have -RRB- right now . That 's because members of Congress are gearing up to reform the U.S. health care system , and unlike in 1993 when then-first lady Hillary Clinton tried her hand at changing the medical system , this time the important players -- doctors , insurance companies , pharmaceutical manufacturers -- seem to be on board . You heard a lot about health care reform this week , and you 'll be hearing even more in the months to come . It 's an incredibly confusing , complex issue , so in this week 's Empowered Patient , we break it down for you with 10 frequently asked questions about health care reform . Overhauling health care is key to U.S. economic stability , President Obama tells doctors Monday . 1 . Why is health care reform such a hot issue right now ? Fewer and fewer Americans have health insurance , and therefore can not afford good medical care . Nearly 46 million Americans have no insurance , and 25 million more are underinsured . One major reason for this crisis is that many employers have stopped offering insurance to employees because of the high cost . In the United States , total health care spending was $ 2.4 trillion in 2007 -- or $ 7,900 per person -- according to an analysis published in the journal Health Affairs . The United States spends 52 percent more per person than the next most costly nation , Norway , according to the Kaiser Family Foundation . There 's little debate that health care reform is necessary -- President Obama , Republican and Democratic members of Congress , the American Medical Association and America 's Health Insurance Plans , which represents the insurance industry , all have agreed the system needs to be changed , although they disagree on how to do it . 2 . So let 's start with Obama . What are his plans for revamping the system ? A central point of the president 's plan is to create a government-sponsored health insurance program that would be an option for all Americans , similar to how Medicare is now an option for Americans over age 65 . He has also said he 'd `` like to see '' prohibitions against insurers discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions , and incentives for people to use preventive services and wellness plans . Obama outlined this plan last week at a town hall meeting in Green Bay , Wisconsin , and on his Web site . 3 . How does the president plan to pay for this ? Obama said he 's already identified `` hundreds of billions of dollars '' worth of savings in the federal budget that could help finance health care reform , such as rooting out waste , fraud and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid . He 's also proposed reducing tax deductions for high-income Americans . 4 . What do the Republicans think of Obama 's plan ? In particular , they do n't like the idea of having a government-sponsored health insurance program for all Americans . They fear employers would opt for the government-run insurance over private insurance because the government option would most likely be less expensive , but Republicans say it would also be lower quality . For information , see House Minority Leader John Boehner 's Web site . 5 . Since they do n't like Obama 's ideas , how would Republicans like to reform health care ? Republicans think Obama 's plan is costly and will make health insurance more expensive , not less . In a plan outlined this week , House Republicans proposed individual tax breaks for buying health insurance and `` pools '' of states and small business to get lower-cost health care plans . They also proposed increasing incentives for people to build health savings accounts , allowing dependent children to stay on parents ' policies until age 25 and encouraging employers to reward employees for improved health . 6 . I 'm happy with the insurance I receive from my employer . What would health care reform mean for me ? If you receive high-quality health insurance from your employer , Obama said , his plan wo n't change that , and you can still keep your insurance and your doctors . Republicans , however , said that if Obama gets his way , there 's a good chance your employer will stop buying the private insurance you have now and instead opt for the less-expensive government plan . 7 . I have a pre-existing condition and ca n't get health insurance . Will health care reform help me ? You have a terrible problem and you 're in good company . Millions of people who do n't get insurance through their employer try to get insurance on their own and are turned down because they have a pre-existing condition . Obama said at the Green Bay town hall meeting that under his reforms , no insurance plan `` would be able to deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions , '' but he did n't explain how he would force insurance companies to insure people with pre-existing health problems . Similarly , Boehner wrote on his blog that `` quality health coverage must exist for every American , regardless of pre-existing health conditions , '' but did not explain how he would pay to insure people with pre-existing conditions . 8 . How do doctors feel about health care reform ? The American Medical Association said while it believes in health care reform , `` the AMA does not believe that creating a public health insurance option ... is the best way to expand health insurance coverage . '' The AMA has told members of Congress that doctors fear a new government-sponsored health insurance program would reimburse them at Medicare rates . `` Medicare reimbursement rates have not kept pace with the cost of practice , '' AMA President Dr. Nancy Nielsen told CNN earlier this week . `` Our Medicare rates are back at 2001 rates , and the reality is , that 's not where our rent is , that 's not where the electricity is . The system for paying doctors is a broken system , and everybody acknowledges it . '' Other doctors ' groups , however , support the idea . The American Academy of Family Physicians , the National Physicians Alliance and other groups put out a statement of support this week for Obama 's plan . `` Having the choice of a public health insurance plan will help make health care more affordable for patients , foster greater competition in the insurance market and guarantee that quality , affordable coverage will be there for our patients no matter what happens , '' they wrote in a joint statement . . 9 . Obama has mentioned high health care costs in McAllen , Texas , several times . What 's up with that ? According to research conducted at the Dartmouth Institute , the average per person health costs for McAllen are sky-high compared with costs in other cities . In McAllen , the average Medicare beneficiary spends $ 15,758 per year , while the average Medicare patient in LaCrosse , Wisconsin , spends $ 6,412 per year . Another comparison : The cost in Miami , Florida , is $ 18,170 , compared with $ 7,478 in Portland , Oregon . Dartmouth researchers believe doctors in high-priced cities tend to refer to specialists more and are more likely to put patients in the hospital rather than handling their problems on an outpatient basis . 10 . How do health care costs in the U.S. compare with costs in other countries ? In the United States , every person spends on average $ 6,714 for health care . That 's significantly higher than in the United Kingdom , where $ 2,760 per person is spent ; or in France , where the cost is $ 3,449 per person ; or in Canada , where medical costs are $ 3,678 per person , according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development . While some would argue that medical care is better in the United States than in these other countries , others would say the opposite is true . For example , the United States ranks 50th in life expectancy , and 180th infant mortality -LRB- meaning 179 countries have higher infant mortality rates such as Angola and Turkey and 43 countries have lower infant mortality rates such as France and Sweden -RRB- according to the CIA World Factbook . For more on international price comparisons , see this segment '' on CNN Newsroom . CNN 's Jennifer Pifer Bixler , Marcy Heard and Sabriya Rice contributed to this report . | President Obama says health care reform is a priority ; other stakeholders on board . U.S. spends 52 percent more per person than the next most costly nation . Obama wants government-sponsored health insurance program . Republicans think plan is costly , will make health insurance more expensive . | [[6062, 6216], [1404, 1488], [1957, 1997], [2001, 2171], [3382, 3423], [3382, 3393], [3400, 3405], [3428, 3482]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Dallas Cowboys scouting assistant suffered a broken back and has been permanently paralyzed after the collapse of the team 's practice canopy during a heavy thunderstorm , the Cowboys announced Sunday . An aerial view of the scene shows the Dallas Cowboys logo amid the ruins of the indoor practice facility . Rich Behm , 33 , was one of three Cowboys staffers seriously hurt when the storm struck their practice facility Saturday afternoon . Behm 's spinal cord was severed by a fractured vertebrae , paralyzing him from the waist down , the team said in a written statement . `` To the Behm family , we extend our love , comfort and the full support of every person and resource within the organization , '' Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said . `` Rich is a courageous member of our family and someone for whom we care deeply . We ask for all friends and fans of the Dallas Cowboys to join us in embracing him and his family with their thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time , '' Jones said . A total of 12 people were hurt when a severe thunderstorm knocked down the air-supported , metal frame structure that covered the team 's practice field . About 70 people , including more than two dozen of the team 's rookies , were in the facility when it was blown down . Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis had a fractured cervical vertebra , while assistant trainer Greg Gaither had two broken bones in his leg , the team said . Watch CNN 's Don Lemon with update on conditions of those injured in collapse '' A line of heavy thunderstorms was moving through the Dallas area at the time , but no other damage to buildings was reported , said Mike Adams , a dispatcher for the Irving , Texas , Fire Department . Watch the roof collapse on players , coaches '' Arnold Payne , a photographer for WFAA , was shooting the Cowboys ' practice session Saturday when rain began falling `` tremendously hard . '' `` I noticed the walls started to waver ... and then I noticed that the lights that were hanging from the ceiling started to sway , and it would n't stop , '' Payne told CNN . Shortly after that , he said , `` It was as if someone took a stick pin and hit a balloon . '' Watch Payne describe being inside when structure collapsed '' Payne said Cowboys staff photographers were up in the metal framework beneath the canopy to film the practice session and `` actually rode the building down with the storm . '' `` There was nowhere for them to go , and it fell so fast -- it just collapsed as if it was being imploded , '' Payne said . CNN 's Matt Smith contributed to this report . | Rich Behm one of three Cowboys staffers seriously hurt Saturday . Behm 's spinal cord severed by a fractured vertebrae , paralyzing him from waist down . Canopy over Dallas Cowboys ' practice facility collapsed during thunderstorm . Team photographers were up in framework of structure , rode it down , witness says . | [[331, 340], [348, 381], [331, 340], [359, 463], [464, 520], [464, 483], [523, 557], [0, 15], [82, 190], [2207, 2268], [2269, 2357], [2391, 2442]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cycling legend Lance Armstrong -- a survivor of testicular cancer -- and girlfriend Anna Hansen are expecting a baby , CNN learned on Tuesday through his charitable organization . Cyclist Lance Armstrong has announced he will come out of retirement and race once again in the Tour de France . The baby is due in June . Armstrong was diagnosed in 1996 with testicular cancer that had spread to his brain , lungs and abdomen . He underwent treatment for the disease and was able to return to cycling , eventually winning seven consecutive Tour de France 's . The harsh chemotherapy left him unable to have children , although he and then-wife Kristin Richards had three children using sperm the cyclist had donated before the treatment . Armstrong and Hansen , however , are expecting without the use of any artificial fertilization process . `` This is a hopeful thing for testicular cancer survivors , '' CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said . `` It means his body healed from the chemotherapy and surgery . '' Armstrong retired from cycling after his seventh Tour de France win in 2005 , and focused his energy on the Lance Armstrong Foundation -LRB- livestrong.org -RRB- , which supports people affected by cancer . Armstrong founded the organization in 1997 . The 37-year-old Texan announced in September that he was launching a comeback with the goal of winning the Tour de France in 2009 . `` After talking with my children , my family and my closest friends , I have decided to return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden , '' he wrote on LiveStrong 's Web site . He is training for several races leading up to the Tour de France , including Australia 's Tour Down Under and the Giro d'Italia . | Seven-times Tour de France winner Armstrong is a survivor of testicular cancer . The 37-year-old Texan already has three children from his marriage . `` This is a hopeful thing for all testicular cancer survivors , '' says Sanjay Gupta . | [[444, 446], [519, 575], [643, 659], [677, 719], [860, 918]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man accused of killing eight people in a shooting spree at a North Carolina nursing home is the husband of a woman who worked there , police said Monday . Robert Stewart faces eight counts of first-degree murder in the nursing home shootings . The two may have been separated , said Carthage , North Carolina , Police Chief Chris McKenzie . He did not say if the wife was in the building at the time . The alleged gunman , Robert Stewart , was carrying several weapons , authorities said . Seven patients and a nurse were killed , and three people were wounded , including a visitor and a police officer . All the wounded are expected to survive , McKenzie said . Officer Justin Garner was shot in the leg , McKenzie said . `` As I understand , there were three pellets in his shin , leg and foot , '' he said . Garner entered the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center alone with no backup and brought the shooting spree to an end with a single shot , hitting Stewart in the `` chest , upper torso area , '' McKenzie said . `` If that 's not heroism , I do n't know what is , '' he said . Garner is `` in very good spirits , resting at home , '' he added . McKenzie said he did not know the latest on Stewart 's condition . The alleged gunman 's motive remained a mystery . Stewart has not made a public statement nor has an attorney on his behalf . His wife has not issued a statement either . Meanwhile , his ex-wife , Sue Griffin , told CNN affiliate WTVD-TV in Raleigh-Durham , North Carolina , `` He did have some violent tendencies from time to time . '' She added that when she heard the news of Sunday 's shooting , `` I could n't believe it -- then I stopped , thought about it and thought , ` It is possible . It 's possible . ' '' At a news conference Monday , McKenzie described the shooting spree as `` unimaginable '' and `` horrific . '' `` Everything that you can possibly imagine that is bad in the world , '' he said . `` This does n't happen , but it did . '' He described the small town as `` strong , faith-based -- and that faith will get this community through this . '' The tragedy draws attention to what McKenzie called the toughest part of training police officers . Officers are told not to wait for backup when there are many lives on the line , he said . `` That 's the hardest thing -- to try to convince them you ca n't wait , you have to go . '' If Garner had waited for backup , `` there would have been a lot more people -LSB- killed -RSB- , '' McKenzie said . The slain patients ranged in age from 78 to 98 , Moore County District Attorney Maureen Krueger said . A witness told CNN affiliate WRAL-TV in Raleigh-Durham that Stewart was armed with a rifle , a shotgun and other weapons . Jerry Avant Sr. told WRAL that his son , Jerry Avant , a 39-year-old registered nurse , was the employee who was killed in the shooting . He said a doctor told him that his son had been shot more than two dozen times . The elder Avant said the doctor told him his son `` undoubtedly saved a lot of lives . '' Watch dad praise his son 's bravery '' Stewart faces eight counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony assault on a police officer , and other charges are pending , Krueger said . Carthage is about 60 miles southwest of Raleigh . See map showing Carthage and Raleigh '' | NEW : Alleged gunman may have been separated from wife . NEW : Lone police officer took down shooter , chief says . NEW : Police say they do n't have motive in slayings . Eight people shot and killed Sunday at North Carolina nursing home . | [[265, 296], [833, 839], [910, 965], [1240, 1289], [19, 109]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Arkansas man suspected in a shooting that killed one soldier and wounded another at a Little Rock military recruiting center was angry over the treatment of Muslims , authorities said Tuesday . Pvt. William Long , 23 , of Conway , Arkansas , was killed in Monday 's attack . Abdulhakim Bledsoe , 23 , of Little Rock , also told police he recently watched a video `` pertaining to subversive activities which spurred him to commit this act , '' according to court documents . Bledsoe pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday and was ordered held without bail . He faces one count of capital murder and 16 counts of engaging in a terrorist act , said Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas . The terrorist counts stem from the shots fired at an occupied building . Watch scenes from Tuesday in court '' Before the not guilty plea , authorities said Bledsoe waived his Miranda rights after the shooting Monday and gave a video statement indicating that `` political and religious '' motives were involved . He `` stated that he was a practicing Muslim ... that he was mad at the U.S. military because of what they had done to Muslims in the past , '' homicide detective Tommy Hudson said in a police report . Bledsoe told police `` he fired several rounds at the soldiers with the intent of killing them , '' according to Hudson 's report . The suspect is a Muslim convert who has also gone by the names Carlos Bledsoe and Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad . He changed his name from the latter April 23 , citing religious reasons , court records show . A leader of the Muslim community in Little Rock said he did not know Bledsoe . The suspect had been under investigation after visiting Yemen , a federal law enforcement official said . The official declined to provide further information . Police believe the shooter acted alone `` with the specific purpose of targeting military personnel , '' Thomas said . Kent Krause , Bledsoe 's public defender , said a formal hearing would be held for his client , but no date has been set . Residents left flowers and miniature American flags outside the recruiting center after the shooting . A lone candle burned on the sidewalk next to bouquets of white and red roses . A note that said `` Thank you for your service '' was attached to the flowers . The shooting Monday killed Pvt. William Long , 23 , of Conway , Arkansas , and wounded Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula , 18 , of Jacksonville , Arkansas , who were outside the military recruiting center . Bledsoe told police he was driving around and saw Long and Ezeagwula smoking outside the building , according to Hudson 's report . He said he pulled into the parking lot and shot the two soldiers and added that `` he would have killed more soldiers if they had been on the parking lot , '' according to the report . Ezeagwula was in stable condition Tuesday , the police chief said . The soldiers were part of a recruiting program called `` hometown recruiting assistance , '' said Lt. Col. Thomas F. Artis , commander of the Oklahoma recruiting battalion that oversees the Little Rock Army-Navy recruiting center . Under the program , soldiers tell their stories to potential recruits . It 's a volunteer position taken while soldiers are visiting or based back in their home region , Artis said . `` I 'm relieved there 's a suspect in custody , '' said Capt. Matthew Feehan , commander of the recruiting center . He said several people were in the building at the time of the shooting , but nobody else was injured . Bledsoe was arrested after officers on Interstate 630 pulled over his car , which matched witnesses ' description of a black Ford sport utility vehicle seen leaving the scene of the shooting . Police recovered three guns from the suspect 's vehicle -- an SKS semi-automatic rifle , a .22 - caliber rifle and a .380 - caliber automatic pistol , Thomas said . The victims were shot with an SKS rifle , according to the police report . Police also seized from Bledsoe 's vehicle and apartment several rounds of ammunition , two homemade silencers , handwritten notes in Arabic , CDs with handwritten Arabic labels , a computer and cell phones , according to court documents . Melvin Bledsoe of Memphis , Tennessee , was listed on the police report as Bledsoe 's father . He declined to comment , referring questions to Little Rock police . | Police say `` political and religious motives '' were indicated . Convert said he was angry over military 's treatment of Muslims , police say . One soldier killed , one wounded in Monday 's shootings . | [[828, 854], [857, 868], [938, 1030], [0, 15], [147, 186], [1085, 1169], [48, 58], [64, 82], [216, 250], [253, 296], [2316, 2448]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 1994 , universal health care was a key policy plan for then-President Bill Clinton . It eventually failed . In 1993 , President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton listen to a man 's story about health care problems . Now , 15 years later , another Democratic president is taking on the challenge , but facing an uphill battle from not only from Republicans , but from members of his own party . Will failing to reform health care have the same consequences for Obama 's administration as it did for Clinton 's ? Like Obama , Clinton came into office with reforming the nation 's health care system as one of his top priorities . Then-first lady Hillary Clinton , who headed the administration 's task force on reforming the system , delivered a 1,000-page plan that was dubbed `` Hillary Care , '' which required Americans and permanent resident aliens to enroll in a health plan . Other provisions included Americans below a certain income level paying nothing for care . Republicans decried the plan as overcomplicated and used it to tag the administration as big government-loving , tax-and-spend liberals . The plan 's failure emboldened Republicans and led to huge Democratic losses in the 1994 midterm elections , allowing the GOP to take control of Congress and stymie other Clinton initiatives . Now , 15 years later , Obama potentially faces a similar fate . Obama seeks the overhaul to ensure that health insurance is available to the 46 million Americans currently without coverage while preventing costs to both the government and individuals from continuing to climb . Watch more on the health care debate '' The president had set a deadline for passage of a bill before the August congressional recess , but in an interview Monday with PBS 's Jim Lehrer , the president said that if Congress tells him it 's `` going to spill over by a few days or a week , '' that 's fine . iReport.com : Weigh in on the health care debate . A senior White House official adds that while there is a `` long way to go '' in coming up with legislation , there is a true effort being made to devise a bipartisan plan . See how the plans compare '' '' -LSB- The Senate -RSB- is working in a bipartisan way and despite all of the cacophony of attacks you 've heard from some Republicans , I think you 've got to give some credit to the Republicans on the finance committee who are making right now a good faith effort , despite pressure , probably from their own party , to work with Democrats to try to come up with something that people can get behind , '' said White House Communications Director Anita Dunn on Wednesday . Sen. Tom Coburn , R-Oklahoma , says in order for health care reform to get passed , it will take a well-coordinated bipartisan effort . `` I think the president is right . He really does want a bipartisan effort . And that 's what it 's going to take for it to be for the American people . But the approach to it is kind of like a doctor practicing bad medicine where you fix only symptoms and do n't treat the disease . ... the disease is only going to get worse . '' But the battle over health care reform is weighed down by complex problems , competing interests , a $ 1 trillion price tag , conservative Democrats in sticker shock and Republicans sensing an opportunity to regain some of the power they lost in the 2006 congressional elections . Conservative Bill Kristol wrote in his blog that there is an opportunity to inflict political damage to the president and that opponents should n't compromise : . `` My advice , for what it 's worth : Resist the temptation , '' Kristol wrote . `` This is no time to pull punches . Go for the kill . '' The White House has so far resisted another idea for raising revenue -- creating a tax on the medical benefits provided by employers . Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus said he likes the idea , but Obama said it could be too disruptive to a system in which 180 million Americans have health coverage provided by their employers . But while Obama has remained mostly popular in national polls so far , support for his health care plan has begun to wane . A CNN Poll of Polls released Wednesday indicates that less than half the country approves of how he 's handling the issue . Forty-seven percent in the poll approve of how the president is dealing with health care reform , with 44 percent disapproving . The poll averaged the three most recent national surveys that asked about Obama 's performance on health care : USA Today/Gallup -LRB- July 17-19 -RRB- ; ABC/Washington Post -LRB- July 15-18 -RRB- and CBS News -LRB- July 9-12 -RRB- . Meanwhile , Coburn -- a fierce opponent of the current plans being worked up in Congress -- says that Congress needs to slow down . `` Getting this right is better than meeting a political deadline ... I want him to back off the timeline , '' he said . `` Let 's start over ... let 's fix it all and do it in a way that the American people wo n't charge it to their grandkids . '' CNN Senior Political Analyst David Gergen , who has worked under several administrations , including Clinton 's , says there 's is concern that Obama may be trying to ram health care legislation through Congress as he did with the economic stimulus plan . `` And they -LSB- Americans -RSB- do n't have a lot of confidence in the past effort in the stimulus plan to put together something comprehensive and -- ` here we go again ' ... something that looks like it 's being thrown together to many people in the public . So they 're not confident that they want it . And Coburn 's argument -- along with nearly all congressional Republicans ' -- could pose a risk to Obama 's political capital with Americans . Gergen agrees . `` I think he 's got two other problems : One is that he does n't have a firm plan to sell . ... Second thing is , from his point of view , there are many in the public that 'd like to hear from him and also like to see just how he 's negotiating the plan , '' he said . `` What they look for is a leadership that says , ` Here 's where we 're going to go , ' not a leadership that says , ` I 'm urging Congress to make more progress ' '' Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle , who Obama had tapped to be Health and Human Services director and the point person on health care reform before tax problems derailed his nomination , said getting health care reform passed now will be a major factor in defining Obama 's presidency . `` Because he 's made it such an issue , and because he has invested so much personal time and effort , this will , more than stimulus and more than anything he has done so far , be a measure of his clout and of his success early on , '' Daschle was quoted in the New York Times . `` And because it is early on , it will define his subsequent years . '' CNN 's Dana Bash , Paul Steinhauser and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report . | President Obama is urging Congress to come up with a health care reform plan . CNN analyst sees similarities between Obama 's push and Clinton 's in 1994 . Obama and top Democrats are seeking coverage for 46 million Americans . | [[6125, 6137], [6143, 6147], [6152, 6196], [1410, 1612], [1422, 1596]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An international peace conference in Johannesburg has been cancelled after South Africa refused the Dalai Lama a visa to attend the event . Archbishop Desmond Tutu said Monday he would boycott the conference . Announcing the postponement at a news conference Tuesday , Irvin Khosa , chairman of the South African football league , did not offer an explanation . A presidential spokesman , Thabo Masebe , said little . `` South Africa has made this decision , '' he said . `` We stand by the decision . '' The peace conference had been scheduled to start Friday . Officials said they would like to have a conference in the future , but they did not offer a specific date . The conference had been organized by South African soccer officials , led by Khosa , and was billed as an opportunity to showcase South Africa 's role as a human-rights champion ahead of the 2010 World Cup -- the global soccer championship the nation will host next year . The presidential spokesman had said earlier that the Dalai Lama -- Tibet 's spiritual leader and a Nobel Laureate -- did not receive a visa because it was not in South Africa 's interest for him to attend . Masebe said South Africa thinks that , if the Dalai Lama attended the conference , the focus would shift away from the World Cup . `` We can not allow focus to shift to China and Tibet , '' he said . He added that South Africa has gained much from its trading relationship with China . Khosa made the announcement at a news conference also attended by Chief Mandla Mandela , grandson of former South African President Nelson Mandela . Mandla Mandela said it was a sad day for the country 's democracy and the African continent that the South African government had denied the Dalai Lama a visa . South Africa should not succumb to international pressure , Mandela said . A representative of the Dalai Lama said he was not surprised by the visa refusal . The Tibetan government in exile thinks that China has pressured many countries to refuse a visit by the Dalai Lama , according to Chhime Chhoekyapa , an aide in Dharamsala , India . The Dalai Lama fled China in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule . The peace conference was to bring together Nobel laureates and top soccer officials . Archbishop Desmond Tutu ; former President F.W. De Klerk ; laureates Nelson Mandela and Martti Ahtisaar ; Seff Blatter , president of soccer 's international governing body ; and actress Charlize Theron were among those invited . The event had the blessing of the Nobel Committee . A presidential spokesman had said earlier that the Dalai Lama -- Tibet 's spiritual leader and a Nobel Laureate -- did not receive a visa because it was not in South Africa 's interest for him to attend . | South Africa refused the Dalai Lama a visa to attend the event . Spokesman : Not in South Africa 's interest for him to attend . Grandson of Nelson Mandela said it was a sad day for country 's democracy . | [[0, 15], [69, 129], [94, 158], [964, 1103], [1013, 1027], [1081, 1170], [1698, 1757], [2556, 2693], [2603, 2617], [2671, 2760], [1013, 1027], [1081, 1170], [2603, 2617], [2671, 2760], [1606, 1697]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When man first walked on the moon 40 years ago , it was not only a `` giant leap for mankind '' but also a boon for everyday items . A NASA-inspired tracking system is helping monitor endangered whale sharks . Sports shoes , for example , took a huge leap forward in the late 1980s when AVIA Group International , then a subsidiary of Reebok , turned to space technology to make them more flexible and durable . Freeze-dried food , artificial limbs , cordless vacuum cleaners and edible toothpaste were also developed using research that can be linked to NASA 's forays into space . They are listed in detail in `` Spinoff , '' a NASA magazine first compiled in 1976 as a definitive guide to the commercialized products whose development can be tied to space technology . `` We are fairly liberal with our application of the term spinoff , '' said editor Daniel Lockney . `` The product has to contain a component that was developed for NASA , some aspect of it or it could just be NASA 's know-how that helped the commercialization of the product , '' he said . More than 1,660 articles on space-related products have been published since the magazine 's first edition . Watch some of the spin-offs developed from space technology '' What you wo n't find on the list is the bright orange powered drink , Tang , or Teflon , or Velcro -- all products that have over time been erroneously linked to NASA 's space mission . `` Tang was developed by General Foods before NASA was even made a federal agency , but it was popularized during astronaut tasting experiments , '' Lockney said . `` Velcro was invented by a Swiss engineer in the 1940s , '' he said , adding `` Teflon was created by Dupont . It has many applications within NASA but is not a NASA technology . '' Infant formula makes the grade due to an ingredient discovered during NASA research into algae as a source of food supplements . `` Different experiments led to the discovery of a nutrient substance that has previously only been found in breast milk . -LSB- This is -RSB- believed to be important in the development in the eyes and the brain . '' It 's now in 95 percent of infant formula sold in the U.S. and in 65 countries around the world , Lockney said . It may have been 40 years since NASA put the first man on the moon , but the number of products that use space technology does n't seem to be diminishing . `` Spinoff '' publishes articles on 40 to 50 new space-related products every year but receives many more submissions for inclusion . The next edition due out in October will feature a new tracking system for endangered animals , including polar bears and whale sharks , which was derived from an algorithm developed for tracking star patterns . `` Tracing theses animals is something that previously a small core group of scientists would go out and do . We 're now able to have ordinary citizens upload their pictures of these animals that have been spotted through Flickr and Facebook . Logging times and dates will significantly increase the level of monitoring of these endangered species , '' Lockney said . For more space-related products see NASA 's `` Spinoff '' Web site . | Many common products can be traced back to research conducted by NASA . Freeze-dried food , artificial limbs , edible toothpaste are among NASA spin-offs . Contrary to rumors , Tang , Velcro and Teflon not developed for space travel . It has been 40 years since NASA 's Apollo 11 mission took man to the moon . | [[448, 533], [554, 618], [725, 807], [448, 568], [448, 533], [554, 618], [725, 807], [1271, 1369], [36, 82], [85, 168], [2264, 2330]] |
WASHAKIE COUNTY , Wyoming -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal agents have apprehended accused child molester Edward Eugene Harper , who was on the FBI 's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list , an FBI official said Thursday . Edward Eugene Harper is believed to have lived a nomadic lifestyle since fleeing Mississippi . Harper , 63 , is accused of molesting two girls , ages 3 and 8 , in his neighborhood in Hernando , Mississippi , more than a decade ago , the FBI said . The FBI said it received a telephone tip in June at the Denver office regarding Harper , and brought a SWAT team and a hostage negotiation team to apprehend him in rural Wyoming on Thursday . He surrendered without incident , the FBI said , and later admitted his identity to agents . Harper was living in a 1979 truck with a camper top in the southern portion of Washakie County 's Big Horn Mountains , the FBI said . He is believed to have lived a nomadic lifestyle , moving from place to place and earning a living by doing odd jobs and herding sheep , the FBI said in a statement . He was indicted in April 1994 with conspiracy to commit sexual battery , fondling a child and sexual battery . He failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing and a state warrant was issued for his arrest in October 1994 . He was later charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution , a federal offense . The FBI added him to its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list last year . Before living in Mississippi , Harper had been a ranch hand , working with cattle and sheep in Montana and Wyoming , the FBI said in its release on Harper last year . He has also worked as a truck driver , the agency said . According to the FBI , Harper subscribed to `` sovereign citizen '' ideology and claimed to be a member of the Montana Freemen , a group that rejected the authority of the U.S. government . The group became famous for an 81-day standoff with federal agents in Montana in 1996 . But after the arrest and conviction of many of its members , the group essentially disintegrated , according to Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center . `` As far as I know , '' they do n't exist , he said . `` Most of them went to prison and there was nothing left . '' | Edward Eugene Harper accused of molesting two girls ages 3 and 8 a decade ago . Harper surrendered without incident after telephone tip in June led FBI to him . FBI says he was working as sheep herder , living in camper in rural Wyoming . Harper was indicted in Mississippi on charges of sexual battery , fondling a child . | [[45, 120], [85, 120], [127, 174], [304, 310], [313, 315], [318, 366], [457, 543], [649, 680], [742, 858], [1644, 1664], [1043, 1045], [1116, 1153]] |
BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A crowd in southern Lebanon threw rocks at U.N. peacekeepers over the weekend , wounding 14 of them in an effort to prevent the investigation of an explosion in the area , the United Nations said . U.N. peacekeepers were investigating reports of an explosion in a Hezbollah stronghold . The troops with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon -LRB- UNIFIL -RRB- were lightly wounded , and some vehicles were damaged including a UNIFIL ambulance , officials said . The explosion took place Tuesday in Khirbet Salim , in what Lebanese authorities said was an uninhabited house . Ammunition stored there caused the blast due to the high temperature and humidity , Lebanese officials said . The region is a stronghold for Hezbollah , the Lebanese militant group and political party that fought a war with Israel in 2006 . Hezbollah has carried out attacks against civilians , and the United States and Israel list the group as a terrorist organization . Hezbollah officials had no comment Monday . UNIFIL called last week 's explosion `` a serious violation of Security Council resolution 1701 , '' which was aimed at ending the 2006 conflict , `` notably the provision that there should be no presence of unauthorized assets or weapons in the area of operation between the Litani River and the Blue Line . '' Israel said the blast indicated that Hezbollah continued to store weapons near the Israeli border . Israeli Ambassador Gabriela Shalev argued that the Lebanese Army had assisted Hezbollah in preventing U.N. personnel from investigating the scene . UNIFIL , in a statement Monday , said it was conducting a joint investigation with the Lebanese military . When troops Saturday night arrived `` at a location 1 km from the site in order to verify elements related to the explosion , approximately 100 persons gathered and attempted to hamper the activity . `` The amassed population threw stones and confronted the UNIFIL personnel on the ground . As the gathering grew both UNIFIL and LAF deployed additional personnel on the ground in order to contain the situation and prevent any further escalation . `` As UNIFIL troops were leaving the area , one patrol , surrounded by a group of persons , fired warning shots in the air to clear its exit path . '' During the incident , the 14 peacekeepers were injured and the vehicles were damaged , the UNIFIL statement said . CNN 's Cal Perry and Kevin Flower contributed to this report . | Crowd in southern Lebanon throw rocks at U.N. peacekeepers injuring 14 . Peacekeepers were trying to check an explosion in the area . Ammunition stored in house caused blast due to temperature and humidity . | [[9, 32], [64, 113], [9, 32], [116, 148], [1904, 1939], [234, 322], [617, 698]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Texas authorities released court documents Thursday detailing the items seized from the medical office and storage unit of Dr. Conrad Murray , the cardiologist who was with Michael Jackson when he fell ill and died on June 25 . Dr. Conrad Murray 's office was searched Wednesday for `` evidence of the offense of manslaughter . '' Detectives searched both sites in Houston on Wednesday for `` evidence of the offense of manslaughter , '' according to court documents . Murray 's attorney confirmed the search Wednesday . Among the items removed from Murray 's office were a computer ; 27 tablets of Phentermine , a prescription-strength appetite suppressant ; 1 tablet of clonazepam , an anti-anxiety medication ; and some Rolodex cards . From Murray 's storage unit , authorities removed two computer hard drives ; an `` important contact list '' ; a suspension notice from Houston 's Doctors Hospital ; notices from the Internal Revenue Service ; and a list of medical and hospital documents . Jackson 's former nurse , Cherilyn Lee , was also approached on Wednesday by investigators who wanted copies of medical files she had on the singer , Lee told CNN 's Nancy Grace . Lee said she handed over the files to officials with the coroner 's office . Ed Chernoff , a Houston lawyer hired by Murray soon after Jackson 's death , confirmed that Los Angeles Police detectives and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents used a search warrant to enter Murray 's office in northeast Houston on Wednesday morning . `` The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items , including documents , they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter , '' Chernoff said in a written statement Wednesday . Chernoff said members of Murray 's legal team were at the medical office during the search , which he said `` was conducted by members of the DEA , two robbery-homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Houston Police officers . '' `` Law enforcement concluded their search around 12:30 p.m. and left with a forensic image of a business computer hard drive and 21 documents . None of the documents taken had previously been requested by law enforcement or the L.A. coroner 's office , '' Chernoff said . Tammy Kidd , a spokeswoman at Chernoff 's office , said the search `` was absolutely a surprise to us , because we 've had open lines of communication this whole time . '' `` Based on Dr. Murray 's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson 's last days , he should not be a target of criminal charges , '' Chernoff said Tuesday . `` Dr. Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him . '' Los Angeles investigators have interviewed Murray twice , Chernoff said . A third interview has not been scheduled , he said . Police impounded his car , which had been parked at Jackson 's Holmby Hills home , the night after Jackson 's death . It was released to Murray several days later . `` Dr. Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports . He has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard , '' Chernoff said . `` He ca n't operate his practice . He ca n't go to work because he is harassed no matter where he goes . '' At least two investigations are under way into Jackson 's death . The Los Angeles County coroner is waiting for toxicology results to determine a cause of death , while the city Police Department , with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration , is looking at the possibility of criminal charges . A coroner 's office spokesman said the autopsy findings could be released in the next week or more . Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton told CNN he would wait for the coroner to determine the exact cause of Jackson 's death . `` And based on those , we will have an idea of what it is we are dealing -LRB- with -RRB- : Are we dealing with a homicide , or are we dealing with an accidental overdose ? '' he said . CNN 's Alan Duke , Ted Rowlands and Randi Kaye contributed to this report . | Texas office and storage unit of Dr. Conrad Murray searched . Among items seized are pills , computer hard drives , contact lists , officials say . Jackson 's former nurse says she has been asked for copies of records . Murray 's lawyer says his client `` should not be a target of criminal charges '' | [[46, 159], [247, 346], [540, 555], [586, 601], [758, 785], [788, 832], [1015, 1038], [1056, 1105], [1092, 1105], [1110, 1140], [2562, 2607]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- English football star Steven Gerrard has admitted punching a man in a bar , but the Liverpool captain insisted in his court testimony that it was in self-defense . England international Steven Gerrard is in court defending his actions after a bar brawl late last year . The 29-year-old is facing a charge of affray after an incident in the early hours of December 29 , when he attacked businessman Marcus McGee following a dispute about the music that was being played . If found guilty , Gerrard faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of $ 7,200 . Gerrard , who denies the charge , told a judge on Thursday that he was sorry about his actions in Southport 's Lounge Inn , but at the time he thought McGee was going to attack him . They had been involved in an argument after Gerrard tried to change the music on the bar 's sound system , but McGee would not let him , the UK Press Association reported . `` I thought he was going to hit me , '' Gerrard said . `` He was on his way forward to me and his behavior had changed from when I was having a discussion with him . I did n't know why . '' Gerrard said he was unaware that his friend John Doran had already punched McGee when he himself started to hit the 34-year-old . `` I am certainly mistaken in thinking he was coming towards me to throw punches at me , '' the midfielder said . `` Now I know , obviously , he had been struck , reacted and thought the strike was by me and he came into me and that 's when I reacted . I am sorry about the whole incident . `` I grabbed the back of his jumper as he moved forward to me . When I had hold of Marcus , I remember swinging my right hand two or three times . `` I was trying to stop still and I felt I had arms all over me . I could see a melee around Marcus McGee . When I was getting pulled away I realized people were patting me , some of whom were my friends . `` I wanted to help control the situation . I was worried the fight I had with Marcus was going to get worse because people were going past me in that direction . '' Gerrard said that his friends had earlier told him to `` forget '' the argument , but he felt he needed to confront McGee . `` I could n't understand why the guy had such a problem with me , why he was so aggressive , '' he said . `` I was also concerned that if I did leave it I would not have been able to enjoy my night , he may have come over to me . `` I wanted to see why he had such a problem with it , why a total stranger had such a problem with me putting my favorite songs on . I asked why I could n't have an input in the music and tried to explain that I had permission from the manageress . '' `` I asked Marcus what was the problem with the music machine and why he treated me like that . Very quickly he came off the bar stool and was in my face right by me . '' Gerrard had been celebrating after scoring two goals as Liverpool thrashed Newcastle 5-1 to remain top of the Premier League , and admitted that he had been drinking alcohol . `` I certainly knew I had had a drink . I was certainly in control of how I felt in my surroundings , '' he said . The father of two said he had not been in trouble with the police since the age of 19 , when he was banned from driving for nine months for drink-driving . | English football star Steven Gerrard has admitted punching a man in a bar . But the Liverpool captain says in court testimony that it was in self-defense . Gerrard , 29 , denies charge of affray for attacking businessman Marcus McGee . If found guilty , he faces maximum penalty of six months in jail and $ 7,200 fine . | [[0, 15], [41, 92], [99, 182], [289, 385], [393, 465], [586, 593], [600, 617], [508, 585]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger , accused of sexually assaulting a woman last summer , said Thursday that he is innocent . Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says there is no merit to the accusation . `` Saturday was the first that I learned of her accusations , '' the Pittsburgh Steeler said , calling the accusation reckless , false and an attack on his family . The woman filed a civil complaint against Roethlisberger last week . `` I would never , ever force myself on a woman , '' he said . The complaint , filed Friday in the 2nd Judicial District Court in Washoe County , Nevada , alleges that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted the woman -- an executive casino host at Harrah 's Lake Tahoe -- while he was staying at the resort for a celebrity golf tournament in July 2008 . Teresa Duffy of the Douglas County , Nevada , Sheriff 's Department , said the department does not intend to open an investigation unless the alleged victim comes forward and tells authorities she wants them to . Roethlisberger said that he would not discuss the `` civil case in the media , '' but that he would fight to protect his family and his reputation . Roethlisberger and eight Harrah 's employees are named in the suit , which seeks at least $ 390,000 , plus unspecified punitive damages , from the defendants . Harrah 's itself is not named as a defendant . The woman said that the employees contributed to her emotional distress and that some defamed her and tried to cover up the incident . According to the complaint , on July 11 , 2008 , the woman was working on the 17th floor -- the same floor as Roethlisberger 's room -- when Roethlisberger told her that his television and sound system were not working . He asked her to try to fix it , the complaint said . When she entered his room and deemed that the television was working , she tried to leave , but Roethlisberger blocked her way , the complaint states . He then , against her will , kissed her , groped her and sexually assaulted her , the complaint states . The woman says that in the months following the incident , she incurred emotional distress that resulted in hospitalizations that included treatment for anxiety and depression , the complaint said . Calvin Dunlap , the woman 's attorney , said earlier this week that his client did not pursue criminal charges after the alleged assault because she felt discouraged when the resort 's chief of security did not investigate the matter . According to the complaint , the chief told her she was `` overreacting . '' Dunlap said the chief has `` close ties to law enforcement . '' Of the eight employees , all but two are still employed by Harrah 's , according to a spokeswoman for Harrah 's Entertainment . Marybel Batjer of Harrah 's declined to comment on the suit , other than to say that the alleged victim still works at Harrah 's Lake Tahoe as an executive casino host . Another Harrah 's Entertainment spokesman , Gary Thompson , said the company was `` confident that a much different story will emerge and that the Harrah 's employees will be dismissed from the lawsuit . '' Roethlisberger 's attorney , David Cornwell , released a statement saying the charges were false . `` The timing of a lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct , '' he said . CNN 's Sara Weisfeldt contributed to this report . | `` I would never , ever force myself on a woman , '' Ben Roethlisberger says . Woman filed complaint saying quarterback raped her in Lake Tahoe last summer . Roethlisberger , 8 Harrah 's employees named in $ 390,000 lawsuit . Sheriff 's department says it wo n't investigate unless alleged victim calls for it . | [[0, 15], [56, 106], [404, 472], [536, 549], [628, 736], [145, 195], [1184, 1250], [1242, 1250], [1259, 1343], [822, 849], [859, 865], [892, 978]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Last August , then-Republican presidential nominee John McCain introduced to the nation his surprise pick for vice president , Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin . Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has a strong base of supporters , as well as a steady supply of vocal critics . At the time , little was known about the fresh-faced , first-term governor , but within days , Palin 's face was on newspapers , magazines and tabloids . Since then , Palin has become a polarizing figure in the Republican Party . Her passionate supporters are countered with equally fervent critics . And even though it 's been nearly a year since she ventured onto the national stage and more than eight months since the Republican ticket lost the election , as Palin prepares to leave office , the public 's interest in her has yet to wane . Palin explains why she 's stepping down . `` She 's kind of a shooting star that caught fire and kept burning , '' said Lorenzo Benet , an assistant editor for People magazine and author of `` Trailblazer : An Intimate Biography of Sarah Palin . '' `` When she walks into a room , she definitely commands attention and she gets more than most . She 's definitely a star , '' said Benet , who was the only national journalist to have spent much time with Palin in the weeks before she was announced as McCain 's running mate . Palin , a mother of five , `` caught the imagination '' of the public because there is no one else like her , Benet said . `` Particularly for conservative America , there has n't been a rallying figure of this type , '' he noted . In the days leading up to Palin 's debut speech at the Republican National Convention last September , Palin revealed that her 17-year-old daughter Bristol was pregnant . The announcement followed Internet rumors that Sarah Palin 's 4-month-old baby was actually Bristol 's . The instant fascination with Palin and her family was just a glimpse of what was to come . The public wanted to know everything it could about the Alaska governor , whose resume also included beauty queen , high school basketball star , TV sportcaster and mayor of the small Alaska town of Wasilla . Amid all the rumors and negative press , Palin showed herself to be a fierce attack dog and came out throwing punches in her speech at the RNC . The self-described `` hockey mom '' tore into then-candidate Barack Obama as two-faced , inexperienced and intoxicated by the sound of his own voice . Even her critics recognized the spirit she brought to the GOP . Palin continued to throw flames on the campaign trail , energizing her supporters and outraging her adversaries . `` She yelled fire in a crowded theater . She really did , in some of her speeches -- ` palling around ' with terrorists and some of the other slurs she was hurling in the way of Obama and the Democrats , '' said Larry Persily , a former Palin staffer and Alaskan journalist . `` That turned off an equally big chunk of the American public that found it distasteful , destructive , divisive , mean and ignorant . Whereas others said , ` Way to go girl . You stick it to them , '' he said . But Palin has n't always been such a divisive figure . Before entering the national scene , Palin , who knocked out incumbent Republican Frank Murkowski in the gubernatorial primary , was touted as one of the most popular governors in the country , with approval ratings nearing 90 percent . She was seen as a champion of ethics , determined to root out corruption and challenge the status quo . For those in Alaska , Palin 's Reaganesque appeal was nothing new . She secured her role as a local hero back in 1982 when she led Wasilla High School 's basketball team to a state championship . And in a small community like Wasilla , that was a big deal . Alaskans liked her `` combativeness and feistiness , '' Benet said , and resurrected her nickname of `` Barracuda '' during her successful 1996 campaign to be Wasilla 's mayor . But when Palin 's `` Barracuda '' side hit the national stage , it was met with mixed reactions . Evangelia Souris , the president of Optimum International Center for Image Management , says Palin 's potential is the driving force behind the public 's love-hate relationship with her . `` That 's what people are drawn to , and that 's what actually threatens others . She definitely has the power to shake up a lot of old-school institutions . '' said Souris , who has advised politicians . Furthermore , Souris said , `` I just do n't think people were ready for somebody so attractive and so fashionable and so hip to actually be campaigning . She falls out of the norm , '' Souris added . But despite grumblings from some that they 're sick of hearing about her , stories about her continue to get a lot of attention . Benet said People magazine follows two politicians : `` One is Obama , and one is Sarah Palin -- and then there 's everybody else . '' From being dogged by ethics complaints , to her public fight with Levi Johnston -LRB- the father of her grandson and ex-fiance of her daughter -RRB- , to her recent announcement that she 's resigning this week as governor , Palin has maintained a steady presence in the public eye since stepping off the campaign trail . Michael Carey , a columnist with the Anchorage Daily News , says Palin stirs excitement -- and hostility -- because `` people want to see her even if they do n't like her . '' He likens the public 's interest with her to `` drinking on the sly . '' People say , `` I do n't want to do this , I know I should n't , but I do it anyway , '' he said . Some people love Palin , Persily said , because they can relate to her . `` I think much of America said , ` Oh gee look at her , she 's just like us . Kind of dumb on some things , kind of smart on others . Imperfect . And not at all embarrassed to show all of her imperfections . ' '' But others saw her imperfections as inadequacies . `` She 's simplistic . Some people love the simplistic approach to problems . Others shake their heads and say , ` My God , you do n't get it . ' '' Persily added . Opponents have been quick to question Palin 's intellectual chops , pointing to her spotty college career . Palin attended five colleges , graduating from the University of Idaho with a communications degree in 1987 . A series of botched national interviews did n't do much to disprove their point . But even Palin 's critics admire her ability to connect with the people , Benet said . `` I do n't think I 've ever really met anyone like that , except maybe Bill Clinton , that will have that interpersonal eye contact with you and will remember your name and your kids ' names , and make small talk with you and be really sincere about it , '' he said . Benet predicted that while Palin might take a short break to recoup once she hands off power on Sunday , `` she 'll be back in the public eye . '' `` I do see her turning this to her advantage , '' he said , noting that she 's made a similar move before . In 2004 , Palin stepped down as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after less than a year on the job , amid controversy over ethics allegations against another committee member . She turned that move around and used it as a launchpad to run for governor , because she went after the corruption going on in Alaska at the time . `` For me , I think she 's just catching her breath . She 's just too young to retire , '' he added . `` She did say 10 years ago she wanted to be president some day . She has n't backed off from that . '' In Carey 's opinion , Palin 's career as an elected official is over , but he does n't expect Palin to be leaving the headlines anytime soon . `` She 's gone from being our governor or a public figure in Alaska to being a national celebrity , '' he said . `` It 's clear that her days of governor -- there are just a few of them left , but she 's really only at the beginning of her career as a celebrity . '' | Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin stepping down from office on Sunday . In the year since her national debut , she 's become a polarizing figure in the GOP . People are drawn to -- and threatened by -- her potential , image consultant says . Palin is beginning her career as a national celebrity , columnist Michael Carey says . | [[839, 861], [5091, 5094], [5098, 5129], [430, 440], [443, 505], [593, 687], [3122, 3131], [3136, 3142], [3148, 3172], [3122, 3127], [3136, 3172], [772, 819], [4048, 4064], [4136, 4235], [5229, 5242], [5289, 5333]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After meeting a number black couples in crisis , Nisa Muhammad and Dr. Rozario Slack were inspired to create Basic Training for Couples . Nisa Muhammad , who founded National Black Marriage Day , co-created the Basic Training for Couples program . The eight-week program educates dating , engaged or married couples about the value of commitment , responsibility to the black community , psychological differences between the sexes , sexual intimacy and conflict resolution . Slack created the male-friendly portion while Muhammad , who founded National Black Marriage Day and the Wedded Bliss Foundation , created the female-friendly portion . In the program , couples also learn about the history of the African-American marriage and many for the first time plot their own family tree to trace marriage and divorces . The following is rundown of the eight-week course : Class No. 1 : Why marriage ? This class teaches the benefits of marriage for men , women , children and the community . It gives the history of marriage in the black community from slavery when marriage was illegal to today 's trends . Icebreaker : Q & A : How couples met ? Homework : . 1 . Choose songs to reflect their love for each other . 2 . Marriage family tree . Class No. 2 : From I to we ; the sweetness of surrender . This class helps couples transition from `` I thinking '' to `` we thinking . '' It helps them understand the value of making their marriage a priority in their lives . Class No. 3 : Communication ; getting your message understood . This class helps couples take responsibility for their communication and teaches skills to improve their communication techniques . Main lessons : . • Respecting differences between men and women . • Learning to talk to each other and not at each other . • Format : Teaching session with dialogue . • Activity : The talking stick , during conversation only the individual holding the stick can speak . Class No. 4 : Conflict management . This class helps couples understand that conflict needs to be managed , or it will manage you . It helps to normalize some conflict that couples experience with the understanding that some conflict can not be resolved and can only be managed . Lessons : . • This class targets biases . When there 's a difference of opinions , generally the stronger spouse wants his or her way . • How to bring closure to old issues instead of combining them into new issues/conflict . • Agree to disagree and not degrade your spouse for having a difference of opinion . Activity : Break up into gender groups to discuss current conflicts . The group works out ways to solve the issue . Class No. 5 : Let 's make love . When the sex is good in a marriage , it 's only about 20 percent of what 's going on . When it 's bad , it 's a significant problem . This class helps to solve some of those problems . The approach was from a physiological and biological perspective of the differences between the male 's and female 's body . Discussion included chemical bonding effect in women and men . Class No. 6 : From yours and mine to ours . Many couples in the black community bring children from other relationships to their marriage . This class helps to blend the family into one cohesive unit . It also talks about preventing in-laws from becoming outlaws . Class No. 7 : Keeping the FIRE burning . FIRE is an acronym for Faithful , Intimacy , Responsibility and Excitement . This class helps couples maintain the FIRE in their relationship . Class No. 8 : From this day forward . This class helps couples understand the value of commitment in their marriage and never to make divorce an option . They create their own place for success . Recap of all the lessons together : . • Remembering people gravitate to the applause • Ways to appreciate and affirm your spouse • Setting time for just the two of you • Learning to communicate , getting your message heard and understood . Bonus class : Hot monogamy . Gets couples comfortable to discuss sex with their spouse . Graduation . A ceremony of new beginnings , couples testify what the class brought to their marriage over the eight-week period . Lots of emotions and bonding during this time between husbands and wives . Graduating couples are encouraged to bring a couple from their community or family who needs help . | Nisa Muhammad and Rozario Slack created a Basic Training for Couples . The eight-week program helps dating , engaged and married couples stay on track . Unhealthy relationships give kids inaccurate views of marriage , says Muhammad . | [[19, 65], [68, 156], [157, 170], [218, 266], [4087, 4172]] |
BOSTON , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 23-year-old medical student pleaded not guilty Monday to an indictment alleging first-degree murder charge in a killing tied to Craigslist . Philip Markoff is charged with killing a woman and robbing another in Boston hotels in April . Philip Markoff is accused in the the fatal shooting of one woman and the robbery another in Boston hotels earlier this year . A Massachusetts grand jury late last week indicted him on seven counts , including first-degree murder . Markoff is charged with the April 14 fatal shooting and attempted robbery of Julissa Brisman , 25 , and the armed robbery of a 29-year-old Las Vegas woman on April 10 . Investigators have linked both crimes to ads on the popular Web site Craigslist . He is also charged with `` the armed and forcible confinement '' of the two women , as well as two counts of unlawful firearm possession , the Suffolk County District Attorney 's Office said . Watch Markoff in court '' The grand jury returned the indictment late Thursday , and it moves the case from Boston Municipal Court to Suffolk Superior Court , where Markoff entered his not guilty plea on Monday . He previously had pleaded not guilty in the city court and is being held without bail . Markoff 's attorney , John Salzberg , had no comment on the new indictment . Prosecutors said Brisman , a model from New York who advertised as a masseuse on Craigslist , was shot three times at close range and suffered blunt head trauma at the Marriott Copley Place hotel . The Las Vegas woman was robbed of $ 800 in cash and $ 250 in American Express gift cards at the Westin Copley Place hotel , police reports said . Markoff , a second-year medical student at Boston University 's School of Medicine , also has been charged in a nonfatal hotel assault in Rhode Island . He has been charged with assault with the intent to rob , assault with a dangerous weapon , possession of a handgun and use of a firearm while committing a crime of violence , stemming from an April 16 robbery attempt at a Holiday Inn Express in Warwick , Rhode Island . | NEW : Suspect pleads not guilty to slaying of woman , robbery of another . Philip Markoff charged in seven-count indictment . Police : Both April incidents linked to ads on Craigslist.com . Slain woman was masseuse who advertised on Craigslist , prosecutors say . | [[185, 279], [185, 199], [211, 279], [280, 405], [1120, 1167], [406, 510], [154, 184], [680, 748], [1373, 1381], [1386, 1424]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Finnish prosecutors will file genocide charges against a Rwandan man in the killings of 15 people during Rwanda 's ethnic cleansing bloodbath in 1994 , authorities said Monday . The case is the first genocide trial in Finland 's history . Accused of complicity in the killings , the unidentified man would face life imprisonment if convicted . `` It is obvious , according to the pre-trial investigation , that the man has committed a crime of genocide in the municipality of Nyakizu in April and May 1994 with intent to destroy the Rwandan Tutsis partly or totally , '' Finland 's prosecutor-general said in a statement . The man , a 58-year-old Hutu , has denied the charges . Stoked by the assassination of then-Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana , extremist militias made up of ethnic Hutus slaughtered ethnic Tutsis across Rwanda , beginning in April 1994 . Within 100 days , an estimated 800,000 people were killed . The genocide ended when Tutsi-led militias backing Rwandan President Paul Kagame ousted the Hutu government supporting the massacre . The Rwandan man was living in Porvoo , about 50 km -LRB- 31 miles -RRB- east of the Finnish capital of Helsinki , when he was arrested . Prosecutors said they interviewed nearly 100 witnesses abroad before proceeding with charges against the man . | The case is the first genocide trial in Finland 's history . The 58-year-old Hutu man living in Finland when he was arrested . Estimated 800,000 ethnic Tutsis slaughtered in 1994 by Hutu-led militias . | [[197, 257], [774, 816], [804, 856], [885, 900], [903, 944]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Humiliation and comedy have always been natural bedfellows , but the one does n't guarantee the other , as poor Katherine Heigl discovers in this crude , sub-par stab at a modern screwball comedy . Katherine Heigl plays the sophisticated female boss of Gerard Butler in `` The Ugly Truth . '' The `` Grey 's Anatomy '' and `` Knocked Up '' star plays Abby , a supposedly intelligent producer on a local Sacramento TV news show . We 're repeatedly assured that she 's good at her job , though there 's little or no evidence for that in what we see , and apparently the ratings are in the toilet . That 's why her boss drafts controversial cable clown Mike -LRB- Gerard Butler -RRB- , whose bargain basement show `` The Ugly Truth '' gives viewers the real dope on the opposite sex . Mike 's straight talk is n't exactly edifying -- or original . It boils down to this : men are only interested in one thing , and it 's not your IQ score . His advice to women : swallow your pride -- and anything else that might come up . Abby is understandably skeptical , both professionally and personally , but the sweeps prove her wrong . Mike may be outrageous , but Sacramento loves him for it . A smarter comedy might make mischief from these base ingredients , the sophisticated female boss and her rude , reactionary star employee . But this movie , which is credited to three female screenwriters , bends over backward to accommodate Mike 's tired old sexist world view and fails to be funny in the process . Abby really is a neurotic control freak , living alone with her cat and a checklist about what constitutes the perfect guy . And when a close approximation of the type moves in right next door -LRB- Eric Winton as a handsome young doctor -RRB- , she only lands him by putting herself in Mike 's hands : accentuating her cleavage , losing the ponytail and trading in dinner and an art show for a hot dog and a baseball game . Directed by Robert Luketic -LRB- `` Monster in Law '' -RRB- , `` The Ugly Truth '' barely attempts to disguise its own lifts and tucks . The most craven of these gambits involves Abby going into multiple orgasm at a business dinner , a variation on Meg Ryan 's famous scene in `` When Harry Met Sally , '' except that in Ryan 's case , she was in full control , demonstrating her mastery of the fake-out . Abby , though , is sent into inadvertent paroxysms when the remote control of the vibrating panties she 's wearing -- do n't ask -- falls into the hands of a curious kid . Watch the stars describe the scene '' In other scenes , Heigl is caught hanging upside down from a tree in her nightgown , hiding in her office closet and furiously rubbing a stain out of the doctor 's crotch in front of a stadium of ball fans . Presumably this is what picking up Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock 's cast-offs entails these days . Katharine Hepburn would weep . But what about Mike ? Surely he has lessons to learn and comic indignities to endure ? Not so much . In contrast to Abby 's makeover , he 's allowed to be comfortable in his own rather corpulent skin . Gerard Butler evidently has n't worked out since Sparta ; heck , he has n't even bothered to shave . You wo n't be surprised that the avowed bachelor boy falls in love with dear Abby . Of course he 's a nice guy underneath . We know that from the way he looks out for his fatherless nephew . So what if he 's a sexist pig ? He 's a sexy sexist pig , and obviously father material . What more could any woman want ? `` The Ugly Truth '' is rated R and runs 97 minutes . For Entertainment Weekly 's review , click here . | `` The Ugly Truth '' is a romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler . Movie bends over backward to accommodate a tired old sexist world view . Film fails to be funny in the process . | [[1348, 1358], [1431, 1481], [1348, 1358], [1486, 1520]] |
-LRB- The Frisky -RRB- -- Groucho Marx once famously quipped `` I do n't care to belong to a club that would have me as a member . '' I sort of feel the same way about online dating sites . There has got to be a better way to meet people . Sadly , mental telepathy does not work . Unless you know what I was just thinking , in which case , e-mail me . We flock to digital artifices that both feed and coddle our egos , says writer of online dating sites . I 've recently begun ... researching popular dating sites . Not because I need a date . No ! I do n't need a date . I 'm up to my ears in hot lady action . No , this research is for you , for all of you . It 's a testament to my generosity of spirit I waded through these interweb love sewers in order to impart some sort of wisdom . Here 's the wisdom : dating sites are terrible . Possibly , if I was in prison , an Alaskan crab fisherman or a morbidly obese shut-in so humongous I had to wash myself with a ShamWow stapled to a broom handle , I could see the value in such sites . But I 'm not isolated , nor confined to a forklift . I do n't need a middleman brokering a get together between the potential woman of my dreams and my own abilities to self-sabotage and humiliate myself . I can do this without an intermediary . The Frisky : Have to go online to get a date ? This might or might not be a totally uninformed opinion . The extent of my research began and ended with me signing up for OK Cupid , and failing to finish my profile . I could n't even bring myself to pick a pseudonym , which just seemed like the first of many lies required to meet anyone . Do I call myself OptimusGandalf and admit from the get-go that I 'm an alpha nerd ? Do I overshare a little too much and pick EdgarAllanEeyore ? Or do I just admit to being a snarky , pretentious creep and go for HumbertHumbert ? The Frisky : Online dating dos and do n'ts . I tried to fill out the profile , but instead , it just filled me with a quiet rage . The self-summary section was baffling . It pushed me into an existential identity crisis . Who am I ? Or more importantly , who am I when it comes to who I want someone else to think I am , so they will contact me , go out with me , and eventually kiss me ? Am I a sensitive guy , or a romantic , or sarcastic ? Maybe I 'm all three . I love long walks , going to see live indie bands , and whatever . I made sure to pepper everything with winking non-sequiturs and casual attempts at pop profundity . Then there was the section where I define myself by the books , movies , and music I listen to . My music list was a near impenetrable list of overly eclectic bands that reflect my excellent taste , punctuated by `` and Genesis . '' My movies were all '80s flicks , foreign films , and David Lynch . By the time I got to books , and wrote `` Pynchon , '' I was in a full-fledged state of self-loathing . The Frisky : Five online dating types to avoid . Let me get this straight : I 'm going to spend a ton of time crafting a persona that is a borderline dishonest amplification of the personality traits I think other people will find attractive so I can find someone who 's done the same thing , and we can both go out and discover that we 're equally compatible idiots fakers . It 's like a masquerade party in the Twilight Zone : I take off my Brad Pitt mask just so I can reveal Sloth from `` The Goonies . '' The Frisky : Downside of online dating . There are , no doubt , many of you who have met the love of your life via online dating sites . Good for you . Congratulations on basically winning the lottery . I firmly believe I have a better chance of getting a girlfriend dressed like Zeus , stopping women on the street , and bellowing , `` Rut with me , mortal beauty , and feel thine mighty , fleshy thunder ! '' Not that I want a girlfriend . I just broke up with six the other day . I can deal with the risks of love . The threat of heartbreak is what makes finding that one person who sparks your fuse so precious . But I have to be honest , the online dating thing freaked me out . It touched a nerve , and I 'm flummoxed as to why . The only conclusion I could come up with was that , maybe , we deserved them . Perhaps online dating sites accurately reflect a generation of singles so entitled to instant happiness and acceptance , we flock to digital artifices that both feed and coddle our egos . Virtual environments where we can indiscriminately reject dishonest projections of identity , while simultaneously being insulated from the very rejection we dole out . A play land of false romantic promises and deferred risk . A huge solipsistic waste of time . TM & © 2009 TMV , Inc. | All Rights Reserved . | Writer has trouble filling out his profile for an online dating service . He figures if he is borderline dishonest about his traits , his date will be too . Thinks he would be better off dressing like Zeus , bellowing on the street at women . Says online dating sites draw singles who feel entitled to instant happiness . | [[1391, 1416], [1471, 1501], [3721, 3734], [3737, 3743], [168, 189], [3518, 3539]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper was suspended Wednesday for five days without pay following a highly publicized scuffle with a paramedic in Okfuskee County in May , according to the Highway Patrol . This is an image from a video that captured an Oklahoma trooper 's scuffle with a paramedic in May . The incident , which was caught on dash-camera and cell-phone video , showed Trooper Daniel Martin pulling over a Creek Nation ambulance for a traffic-stop violation . During the incident , Martin is heard repeatedly using profanity and twice getting into a scuffle with one of the paramedics . Both paramedics and family members of the patient in the ambulance informed Martin several times by there was a patient inside , but he did not allow the paramedics to continue to the hospital while the video continued . In a news conference Wednesday , Oklahoma Highway Patrol Captain Chris West said Martin `` failed to recognize that it would have been more reasonable and appropriate to immediately allow the ambulance to continue to the hospital once he understood there was a patient onboard the ambulance . '' Watch the confrontation '' West also said Martin had `` probable cause to make the traffic stop and justification to arrest the paramedic for obstructing a police officer '' but that the incident `` resulted in conduct unbecoming an officer . '' Martin 's attorney , Gary James of Oklahoma City , did not immediately return a phone call from CNN . In a disciplinary letter sent to Martin , Oklahoma Public Safety Department Commissioner Kevin Ward , concluded that the `` disregard for the welfare of the patient -LSB- justified -RSB- severe discipline . '' Martin will also be required to take an anger assessment , West said . The trooper had no previous discipline action in his record , according to West . On Tuesday , the paramedic involved in the scuffle , Maurice White , filed a lawsuit against Martin in federal court claiming his civil rights were violated . CNN 's Mayra Cuevas-Nazario contributed to this report . | May incident was caught on dash-camera and cell-phone video . Trooper Daniel Martin shown pulling over a Creek Nation ambulance . During incident , Martin heard using profanity and getting physical with paramedic . Martin continued to hold up ambulance despite being informed of patient inside . | [[243, 250], [256, 321], [322, 389], [392, 420], [322, 389], [392, 420], [399, 489], [100, 184], [243, 250], [256, 321], [490, 509], [512, 564], [512, 518], [565, 616], [617, 683], [723, 743], [1073, 1130]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police and soldiers killed at least 133 people during two days of riots between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria last year , Human Rights Watch alleged Monday . Anti-riot policemen patrol the streets in Jos , Nigeria , following riots between Christians and Muslims . Most of the victims of violence by security forces were young Muslim men , often unarmed , the group charged in testimony before a state commission examining the riots and in a separate report . More than 700 people died in the violence last November , the group said , citing local religious authorities on both sides of the divide . A 26-year-old mechanic described seeing anti-riot police known as MOPOLs hunting down people near where he worked . `` I saw them enter one house just across the street from us , '' the unnamed witness said . `` We heard shots and later we saw five bodies there . Anyone they found hiding in the garage , they shot them . They combed the garage hunting for people . This went on for about 10 minutes or so . Then they returned to their truck and left . '' Another witness described police units going from house to house , summarily executing unarmed men and boys . A third said he saw an unarmed shopkeeper plead for his life . Police ordered him to lie down on the ground , the witness said . `` He kept saying , ` Please God , allow me to live . ' ... One of them said , ` Today you go die , ' and then he shot him in the side . Then the same MOPOL shot him again . As he was going to shoot him a third time , the other MOPOL said ... ` Leave it , he 's already dead . ' '' The shopkeeper managed to drag himself to a neighbor 's house , where the neighbor tried to stop the bleeding from wounds to the back and abdomen . Police then returned and shot tear gas into the neighbor 's house , he testified . The shopkeeper `` died a short time later , '' the neighbor said . In the report , released Monday , Human Rights Watch says it `` documented 133 of these killings but believes that the actual number of arbitrary killings by security forces may be substantially higher than these figures . '' James Manook , a spokesman for Plateau State where the violence occurred , said the Human Rights Watch claims are `` one of the issues that the commission has under inquiry , and given that - I do not want to comment while it 's under investigation . '' However , he added , '' I assure you that we remain respectful of the rule of law . '' The clashes followed a dispute over an election that pitted a Christian candidate against a Muslim one in late November 2008 . Police and soldiers responded to the riots with deadly force , on the same day the governor of the state issued a `` shoot-on-sight '' order , Human Rights Watch said . The group based its allegations on 151 interviews in the city of Jos in Nigeria 's Plateau State , it says in the report . It withheld the names of many of the people it interviewed over the course of 18 days in December 2008 and February 2009 . The report includes photographs of burned-out mosques , Christian boarding schools , and homes and businesses . The rights group said the state commission examining the riots should investigate and call for the prosecution of security forces involved . `` At least 130 men were killed by members of the very institutions charged with protecting them , '' said Corinne Dufka , senior West Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch . `` These investigative bodies owe it to the victims and their families to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into these extremely serious allegations . '' Eric Guttschuss , a Human Rights Watch researcher , testified before the commission Monday . There is a history of religious violence in central Nigeria , where majority-Muslim north Africa meets largely Christian sub-Saharan Africa . Human Rights Watch estimates that more than 1,000 people were killed in riots in 2001 . Local religious leaders in Jos have been trying to bridge the differences , including setting up a soccer league with teams on which Christians and Muslims play side-by-side . CNN 's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report . | Nigerian police , soldiers accused of killing 133 during riots in November 2008 . U.S.-based Human Rights Watch says main victims were young Muslim men . Witnesses say police units summarily executed unarmed men and boys . HRW says death toll could be `` substantially higher '' than documented cases suggest . | [[8, 158], [2608, 2668], [3276, 3343], [304, 392], [304, 392], [1095, 1110], [1162, 1204], [3276, 3343], [161, 196], [1914, 1927], [1948, 2108], [1914, 1927], [1948, 1966], [2015, 2136], [2751, 2776]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Researchers in the United States are buoyed by the results of a study which has determined that a giant grass could help the country to meet its steep biofuel targets . Stephen Long amid Miscanthus stalks found to outperform other biofuel sources . After successful long-term trials in Europe , a three-year field study of Miscanthus x giganteus by the University of Illinois has revealed that it outperforms traditional biofuel sources , producing more than twice the ethanol per acre than corn or switchgrass , using a quarter of the space . Crop sciences professor and study leader Dr. Stephen Long told CNN that while there probably is n't one magic bullet to fix our climate woes , Miscanthus -- also known as elephant grass -- promises to be one of five or six options that could help the U.S. to reach its target of replacing 30 percent of gasoline use with biofuels by 2030 . `` I think it 's important in the biofuels debate that we do n't throw the baby out with the bath water . The idea we use the sun 's energy to grow plants and then make fuels from those plants is essentially a good one , '' Dr. Long said . `` It 's been tainted by the fact that the easy way to do it is to just use food crops , but society needs to realize there are big opportunities beyond food crops and beyond the use of crop land . '' Miscanthus , for instance , is able to grow on land too marginal for crop production , so it does n't have to compete with land for food crops . It also does n't require major input or fertilization after planting and once established will yield for around 15 years . Yet even with the success of these trials in the U.S. and the earlier European ones , it could be years before the full potential of Miscanthus is realized . This is due in part to the fact that it 's much more complex to make cellulosic ethanol -- ethanol made from non-food plants -- than it is to turn simple food starches found in corn or wheat into ethanol . In the United Kingdom , Miscanthus is recognized by the Department of Environment , Food and Rural Affairs as an energy crop and it 's currently being used to co-fire the Drax power station in England 's Yorkshire . Even still , Dr. Geraint Evans from the UK 's National Non-Food Crops Centre said rather than plants like Miscanthus , wheat grain will be used to meet the UK target of replacing five percent of fuel with renewable sources by 2010 . `` Miscanthus has the potential to be more efficient , producing between 4,000 and 7,000 liters of fuel per hectare , whereas ethanol made from wheat grain makes about 1900 liters per hectare . '' `` Wheat grain-derived ethanol is what we can do today with the technology we have available today . The technology to use Miscanthus is not yet commercially available , '' Dr. Evans told CNN . In addition to the technical hitch , Dr. Evans said a further downside is that even though Miscanthus is a low maintenance crop , it can be costly to plant compared to wheat or rapeseed canola and the first yield would n't occur for at least three years . In an effort to overcome some of the challenges , Dr. Long now intends to turn his attention to experimenting with the wild Miscanthus used in the U.S. trial . And if the sort of improvements made to corn in the last 50 years are any indication , Miscanthus could be well be used to fuel the future in a matter of years . Is Miscanthus the next big thing in biofuels ? Sound off below . | A U.S. study has revealed a giant grass outperforms other biofuel sources . Miscanthus produces more than double the ethanol of corn per acre . It 's already used to co-fire the Drax power station in north England . The full potential of Miscanthus as a biofuel may take years to realize . | [[95, 105], [112, 204], [205, 284], [205, 240], [247, 284], [285, 328], [331, 579], [285, 328], [331, 579], [2118, 2208], [1713, 1772]] |
SEATTLE , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man at a Fort Lewis army post on Wednesday fatally shot a woman before turning the gun on himself , military authorities said . The shootings on Wednesday occurred outside the main post exchange at Fort Lewis in Washington state . The man , who was hospitalized earlier in the day , was pronounced dead late Wednesday , Fort Lewis spokesman Joe Kubistek said . The man shot the woman and then shot himself in the head , said Maj. Mike Garcia . He said the shootings occurred outside the main post exchange , as retail stores at military installations are called . Garcia said the 59-year-old shooter was a retired soldier . The woman he shot , Garcia said , was a civilian who worked as a vendor in the store . Neither was identified . Kathy Johnson had taken her elderly mother to shop at the store when shots rang out . `` I heard five to six shots and hit the floor , '' Johnson said , `` I was hiding under a clothing rack and people were yelling that we were being taken hostage . '' Eventually , Johnson said , customers were told over the store intercom that it was safe to leave the store . Outside military police had surrounded the store and were posted on nearby rooftops , she said , . It was not immediately clear what the relationship between the man and woman was , Garcia said . He said since the shooting took place on a federal installation , the FBI would lead the investigation into the shootings . CNN 's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report . | Alleged shooter is a 59-year-old retired soldier , Fort Lewis spokesman says . Slain woman was a civilian who worked as a vendor at the post , spokesman says . `` I heard five to six shots and hit the floor , '' witness says . FBI will lead probe into shootings on the federal facility , spokesman says . | [[362, 402], [606, 665], [618, 665], [686, 697], [700, 714], [666, 683], [700, 752], [867, 892], [867, 868], [897, 910], [1337, 1400], [1403, 1460]] |
SAN FRANCISCO , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 100-inch , high definition screen projects an intense college basketball game . Massage therapists rub the nervous tensions of men and women away . Scissors skillfully cut men 's hair . Two chandeliers adorn the main room , complimented by brick walls and a glass bar that doubles as a retail counter . Sean Heywood , right , and Kumi Walker own MR. , a barbershop and wine bar in San Francisco , California . This is not your typical barbershop . And that has always been the vision of owners Kumi Walker and Sean Heywood . `` We are literally trying to create a new version of the country club golf experience . But we 're replacing golf with haircuts , and we 're putting it in urban environments , '' says Heywood . MR. -LRB- for mister -RRB- is their first business venture . It 's an upscale barbershop , wine bar and lounge in the financial district of San Francisco where memberships cost $ 65 to $ 250 a month . In addition to the basic services , those who become members benefit from exclusive services like golf putting clinics and human resource workshops . `` We 're trying to thrive , not just survive , '' Heywood said . MR. takes the cultural aspect of the black barbershop experience and modernizes it , making it a place where businesspeople of all races can network . `` We looked at our social lives , and we had black friends , Asian friends , Latino friends , white friends . We would do a lot of things socially together , but when it came to getting our hair cut , we would all split up , '' Walker says . Watch Walker talk about the difficulty of starting and running a business '' The two entrepreneurs are bridging a cultural divide , and also giving back to the community . They offer free lifetime memberships to MR. to those in good standing with a re-entry program called Back on Track . Among other things , Back on Track offers first-time , low-level criminal offenders GED preparation , tutoring , money-management instruction and job training and placement . And that 's where MR. steps in . The membership provides them with one free haircut , trim , and shoeshine monthly . `` We 'll take care of their grooming so that they do n't have to . And they 're ready for all the different jobs that they pursue going forward , '' Walker says . Giving back is paramount for the entrepreneurs . And the story of one black business district in Tulsa , Oklahoma , inspires them . It was known as Black Wall Street , and it was destroyed in a race riot and fire 88 years ago . `` All of the businesses that we wanted to create , we wanted to encompass the culture of , if that community still existed today , what it would look like , '' says Walker , who says he read about the riot six years ago . Imagine a credit union , a barbershop , a library , and men in freshly pressed suits with top hats sauntering on sidewalks . The melodic sounds of jazz flow into the streets from several nightclubs . A thriving community of black-owned businesses serve their clientele across a 42-block area . That was the community that existed in the segregated neighborhood of Greenwood from 1830 to 1921 . But on the evening of May 31 , 1921 , white mobs entered Greenwood with torches and guns . Black residents gathered to protect a young man accused of assaulting a white woman . When the smoke from fires cleared on June 1 , more than 1,000 homes , businesses and other institutions were burned or destroyed , according to the report of the Oklahoma Commission to Study the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921 . `` People came and said , ` Run , they are shooting people , ' '' says Wess Young , who was 4 then . `` We evacuated . They were destroying everything . '' The death toll has been debated for years , because many victims were dumped in mass graves . An American Red Cross estimate puts the total at 300 , much higher than the 36 reported by local officials . The riot devastated the social underpinnings of the Greenwood community and leveled a black economic force . Greenwood was rebuilt , but it never recovered . `` It was a really tragic end to thriving businesses . I think we 'd be a lot further ahead had that area been able to continue to thrive , '' says Walker . Wess Young and his family rebuilt their lives in Tulsa . When asked what he thought America would be like if the Tulsa race riot had not happened , he answers without hesitation , `` We would have had a black president before now . ... He has done a good job , but we -LSB- blacks are -RSB- still in a box . '' His advice to people is to let go of the past once they 've learned from it . `` Hate will destroy your whole universe -- got to learn how to forgive , but never forget , '' Young says . Walker says these stories of black struggle and survival motivate him . `` I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors , '' he says . `` I just want to be as successful as possible so I can turn around and be mentors and sponsors to other people who come after me . '' | Entrepreneur read about famed Black Wall Street that was destroyed in 1921 . He and partner created modern barbershop to honor memory of district . Black Wall Street burned to ground during massive race riot in Tulsa , Oklahoma . Tulsa race riot survivor : `` Learn how to forgive , but never forget '' | [[2492, 2551], [2492, 2551], [3926, 3934], [4002, 4034], [4630, 4637], [4651, 4670], [4674, 4701]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Got a few grand to spare for a $ 3,000 phone ? Yeah , we did n't think so . Nobody does -- and that 's a problem for the makers of luxury phones , such as Motorola , Bang & Olufson , LG and Vertu . Vertu makes phones starting at $ 6,000 and going up in price . After years of chasing the ultra-wealthy with exclusive devices that carry designer logos and promise craftsmanship from materials such as sapphire and stainless steel , luxury phone makers are now pulling back . `` The culture has shifted away from conspicuous consumption , so if you are going to have a super expensive product this may not be the time for it , '' says Avi Greengart , research director for consumer devices at Current Analysis . Motorola has already gotten the memo . Earlier this week , the company reportedly canceled the Ivory E18 , a device tentatively priced around $ 3,000 . The phone had met with lack of interest from telecom carriers . Motorola declined to comment . If that sounds like an obvious outcome , perhaps it should n't . In the last few years , luxury phones had turned into an attractive new business , as designer houses rushed to get a foothold in the tech sector . Prada collaborated with LG to launch two LG Prada phones in Europe and Asia . Last September , Samsung launched the M75500 Night Effect phone , which carried the Emporio Armani insignia . A month later , Motorola offered a $ 2,000 phone , called the Aura , which was fashioned out of stainless steel and sported a 62-carat sapphire crystal lens . And then there 's Vertu , a company that makes true luxury phones , the cheapest of which costs about $ 6,000 . The recession put a spoke in those plans . And it 's not just the 401Ks of middle-class Americans that have been in peril . In Russia , many newly-minted billionaires saw their fortunes slip away with falling oil prices . By the first quarter this year , the U.S. economy had shrunk 5.5 percent . Even 50 Cent has complained about losing more than a few Benjamins on the stock market . And just like that , the crystal dominoes started to fall . Last October , Bang & Olufsen , whose phones retailed in Europe for more than $ 1,500 , shuttered its cellphone business as it decided to trim its costs and get out of non-profitable ventures . Motorola is the latest to pull back its luxury line . Luxury phones have never been a big phenomenon in North America , says Greengart . Their manufacturers have had better luck in emerging markets . But now even in those countries , where once 8 percent GDP growth seemed conservative , wealthy consumers are feeling the pinch . `` Super expensive , bling bling phones are big in markets where conspicuous consumption is a way to tell your countrymen you have arrived , '' says Greengart . `` But now , it 's a very different economy for everyone . '' Many of the troubles that the uber-expensive phones face are because they are created by companies whose main expertise is in targeting a mass market , says Frank Nuovo , former chief of design for Nokia and current head of Vertu . `` I did n't start this business to soak the phones in diamonds and jewels , '' says Nuovo . `` The concept is same as a fine watch or a fabulous car . To be a true luxury product , you have to look at making something that does n't have an 18-month shelf life . '' True luxury , as Nuovo defines it , does n't apply to a mere $ 2,000 phone : A Vertu device , soaked in platinum , can run up to $ 70,000 . The company 's one-off phones , designed in collaboration with luxury jewels house Boucheron , cost even more . Nuovo may have inadvertently hit on the real problem with luxury phones : Phones are still a very feature-driven products . They are products where the rapid advances in technology can rend older models obsolete very quickly . `` Phones are n't like a handbag where the fundamental utility remains the same and the design changes all the time , '' says Greengart . But Nuovo is n't convinced . `` Take watches and cars , '' he says . `` They all run the same but everyone has a unique way of delivering them stylistically . We can do the same with phones . '' Despite the bumps on the road now , Nuovo says the luxury phones will bounce back and find an audience . `` It is no different than a fine watch or a car , '' he says . `` If you take people who value something that is made extraordinarily well there will always be a group interested in it . '' Vertu is determined to prove that . It will launch its latest handset the Carbon Fibre Ascent Ti in August . The phone is made of high-gloss carbon fiber and has a sandblasted titanium surface . The price tag ? $ 9,800 . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | The luxury phone market is in decline because of the recession . Uber-high-end phones are more popular outside the U.S. Vertu makes luxury phones that start at $ 6,000 and go up in price . Some phones pair with designer brands or are made from rare materials . | [[219, 281], [231, 257], [219, 224], [262, 281], [1606, 1649], [328, 345], [351, 371]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When shots rang out at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum last week , security officers Harry Weeks and Jason McCuiston were stunned . Harry Weeks , left , and Jason McCuiston fired on James von Brunn at the Holocaust Memorial Museum . `` I would say it was surreal , both of us could n't believe what was happening , '' Weeks told CNN in his first national televised interview since the June 10 shooting . `` I know myself I just , I heard ` pop , pop ' and it was surreal . '' McCuiston added : `` It was n't normal . You knew something was wrong and you knew it was very bad . '' What went terribly wrong is that white supremacist James von Brunn allegedly walked into the museum and started firing his rifle , shooting security officer Stephen Johns in the chest . Despite their initial shock , Weeks and McCuiston kept their composure enough to draw their weapons and start shooting at von Brunn , 88 . Weeks had fired his gun in the line of duty 25 years earlier as a Washington , D.C. , police officer . But he said nothing compared to this bloody confrontation . `` This was terrible , '' Weeks said softly . `` This was worse . ... We lost Officer Johns . '' Johns died shortly after the shooting , leaving behind a family that includes a teenage son who told CNN affiliate WUSA-TV the day after the tragedy that his dad was `` my hero . '' Watching a video clip of those comments , McCuiston started crying . `` First thing I thought about , I have an 11-year-old , '' the officer said before breaking down . Watch the officers tell their story '' Just moments before their joint interview with CNN on Thursday , McCuiston and Weeks attended a grief counseling session together , and both men say they are still struggling with their emotions . The security officers said they believe von Brunn will survive his wounds and eventually face trial . So they would not discuss details of the shootout out of a fear of jeopardizing the criminal investigation , but they were willing to discuss their memories of Johns so that the public knows more about him . McCuiston said the 6-foot-6-inch , 300-pound Johns was a `` gentle giant '' who was always friendly to colleagues and museum visitors . `` Just an awesome guy , '' he recalled . `` Grin from ear to ear . You 'd never know that man probably ever had a bad day in his life . '' Weeks said he wanted the world to see `` what a man of hate did to this family , and the grief he caused . Let 's all remember Officer Johns , and his family , because he took the ultimate -- he did his job and he was where he was supposed to be -- and the family suffered . That could have been anyone . '' McCuiston and Weeks , however , deflected suggestions that they may be heroes as well because if they had not stopped von Brunn , there 's no telling how many of the more than 2,000 people visiting the museum at the time could have been injured or killed . `` A lot of people are going to be saying what they have been saying , ` You are a hero , you 're this , you 're that , ' '' McCuiston said . `` It 's like we tell everybody , ` We chose this job , it 's a job . It 's the same as a firefighter who would walk into a building , that is his job , he chose to do it . ' '' Johns ' funeral on Friday has been moved to a larger church in the Washington area to accommodate all of the people who want to attend , and the museum will be closed most of the day so that his colleagues can attend . `` Everyone knows when you lose someone , death is one of the worst things , even though it is reality , '' McCuiston said . `` Time will hopefully heal all , and hopefully there will be a little bit of closure with us and the family and we can all just move forward but never forget what a wonderful man he was . '' | Security officers Harry Weeks and Jason McCuiston recall shooting , fellow officer . When they heard shots at museum , they knew something had gone terribly wrong . They call slain officer a `` gentle giant '' who was always friendly to colleagues , visitors . Men , who shot shooting suspect , say they 're not heroes , were just doing their jobs . | [[30, 97], [100, 164], [190, 265], [829, 930], [30, 97], [100, 164], [583, 609], [2150, 2170], [2175, 2230]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- With car companies going in into bankruptcy and shedding famous names left and right , it 's important to remember that today 's automotive titans started out as tiny startups , not unlike Silicon Valley entrepreneurs . General Motors was almost called International Motors Co. . Names like Ford , General Motors , Chrysler , Toyota and Porsche call to mind the huge corporate successes of the past and the great automotive families that survive today . But behind every brand name , there is a flesh-and-blood inventor , entrepreneur or industrialist . Most of the time , they gave their name to the companies . And that fame was often about all they ended up with . David Buick , who invented the overhead valve engine , founded the Buick Motor Car Co. in 1903 . William C. Durant , the industrialist who would eventually found GM , took over the company in 1904 , when it ran into financial trouble . Buick stayed on as a director , but left in 1908 , never making much money from the enterprise . He reportedly died in 1929 , unable to afford one of his cars . Durant kept the name for one of his company divisions and for the car , even though he worried that people might pronounce it `` Boo-ick , '' according to one author . Strangely enough , the man who practically created General Motors single-handedly never really liked the idea of a ` Durant ' car . In another example , Robert Hupp invented the Hupmobile , ' a two-seat runabout , in 1908 . But he sold his stock in his Hupp Motor Car Company in 1911 . He turned around and founded the Hupp Corp. that same year . Investors in his first firm took him to court to make him drop the `` Hupp '' from his new company 's name and they won . His own automotive glory quickly faded , although the Hupmobile survived until the 1940s . Swiss-born Louis Chevrolet 's experience was similar . Durant brought him into a new car-building venture in 1911 , hoping to trade on his fame as an absolutely fearless race car driver . Chevrolet left the company in 1913 , apparently unable to make the adjustment from racing to building production vehicles . But its name stuck to the new Chevrolet vehicles ; Durant reportedly liked its musical lilt . It could also work the other way around . In 1925 , Walter P. Chrysler got the naming rights to the Maxwell Motor Co. after he and another industrialist steadily bought up shares in the firm over a two-year period . Things turned out a little differently for Henry Ford . He suffered the ignominy of being booted from an early auto company that bore his own name . But his revenge was sweet . The Henry Ford Company , which traded freely on Ford 's early fame as an inventor , fired him in 1902 `` because he was spending all his time developing a race car , not a passenger car , '' according to the Encyclopedia of American Business and Biography . AOL Autos : Ford 's ` Wonder Woman ' engineers most important new car . After Ford was gone , the company was renamed Cadillac , after Antoine Laumet de la Mothe Cadillac , the French nobleman who founded Detroit in 1703 ; his heraldry became the model 's badge and the company became a part of General Motors in 1909 . After his firing , Ford quickly found investors to help him found his own firm , the Ford Motor Co. , in 1903 . He introduced the company 's first new vehicle , the Model and followed it up with other low-cost vehicles , including his greatest achievement , the Model T , in 1908 . Its price tag started at $ 850 and fell steadily as Ford introduced more production innovations . The young firm became phenomenally successful . AOL Autos : 10 classic American rides . In the 1920s , he got the chance to buy the five-year-old Lincoln Motor Co. out of bankruptcy . It was then owned by one of the very people , Henry Leland , who fired him in 1902 . Then he used the former aircraft company to launch his own line of luxury cars bearing the Lincoln name . For its part , General Motors almost did n't get the name it bears today . Durant actually incorporated his company under the name `` International Motors Co. '' , in New Jersey in 1908 . But his attorney advised him that it would be easier to raise capital under a new name . `` We might use ` United Motors Company ' were it not for the fact that there is already a United Motor Car Company in that state , '' the attorney wrote . `` We suggest the name General Motors Company , as we have ascertained it can be used . '' A newly coined French word , auto-mobile , inspired many vehicle names of the early years . Inventor Ransom E. Olds filed a patent for an `` auto-mobile '' during the mid-1890s . Names like Bugmobile , Locomobile , Hupmobile , and of course , the Oldsmobile , could not have come along without it . The origins of some names can be tricky to trace . The first use of Jeep , for instance . is shrouded in mist . Jim Allen , the author of a book called `` Jeep , '' concludes that it 's based on early World War II slang for `` a new , unproven recruit or a new unproven vehicle . '' It was n't until 1950 that Toledo-based Willys-Overland , Inc. , one of the producers of the early four-wheel-drive vehicle , trademarked the term . Many of the names were not originally associated with the auto industry . The Toyota name came from the Toyoda loom works in Kariya , Japan ; When it turned to car production , the Toyoda family changed the 'd ' to a ` t ' to make it simpler and more elegant in Japanese script . AOL Autos : Top 10 best car names . There 's little doubt about other brand names . Pontiac was an offshoot of the Pontiac Buggy Co. , a horseless carriage manufacturer named after a renowned Indian chief . Mechanic Soichiro Honda started producing motorized bicycles after the devastation of World War II and eventually graduated to cars . AOL Autos : Pontiacs we 'll never forget . Volkswagen , a response to Adolf Hitler 's call for a car for the common folk , means ` people 's car ' in German , evidently beating out the prototype 's name , ` Strength through Joy , ' for the honors . In 1917 , the Rapp Engine Works became known as the Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH , or Bavarian Motor Works -LRB- BMW -RRB- as the four-year-old airplane engine firm diversified into motorcycle engines , with a stylized white propeller against a blue sky as its logo , according to some authorities . The first BMW cars were produced 11 years later . The legendary Jaguar name is considered one of the best sports car names of all time . It beat out a long list of lackluster animal names compiled by a British ad agency in 1935 . In 1939 , Ford struck gold with Mercury , the fleet-footed messenger of the gods . It tapped into Greek and Roman mythology for the name , just as it did for the similarly styled Lincoln Zephyr , the god of the wind , three years earlier . Some other storied automotive brands are based on acronyms . Fiat stands for Fabbrica Italiani Automobili Torino , or Italian Automotive Works Turin . Similarly , Saab stands for Svenska Aeroplanaktiebolaget , or Swedish Aeroplane Ltd. , hearkening back to the automaker 's origins as an aircraft company . Ford might have done better with an acronym in 1958 . The Edsel was conceived as a new , distinct Ford Motor Co. brand , with its own models , badge and division . The mission was to take on GM 's Oldsmobile . After considering thousands of suggestions , Ford named the new brand after Edsel Ford , Henry Ford 's only child . He had been a major styling influence within the company and was its president at his fathers death in 1943 . The name Edsel was an immediate letdown . Ford stock fell 10 points on the day it was announced . One disenchanted executive predicted that the name alone would cost the new vehicle 200,000 units in sales . AOL Autos : Best and worst automotive designs of all time . Its name was n't the sole reason for its failure . It did n't help that the country was in recession or that the new car seemed based on Ford and Mercury models . But all that did n't stop Edsel from entering the vocabulary as an idea or project fated to failure . | David Buick invented the overhead valve engine , founded Buick Motor Car Co. . Fearless race car driver Louis Chevrolet 's name stuck for its musical lilt . The Henry Ford Company fired its namesake who later started Ford Motor Co. . Toyota name came from the Toyoda loom works in Kariya , Japan . | [[693, 704], [711, 745], [693, 704], [748, 789], [1873, 1879], [1934, 2005], [2496, 2563], [5279, 5320]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A top executive for the company which built the flight data recorder aboard Air France Flight 447 says he hopes his firm 's 100 percent recovery record from air accidents will be maintained despite concerns the device may be lost at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean . A Brazilian diver floats on wreckage of Flight 447 spotted Wednesday . Although some debris has been retrieved , air crash investigators remain in the dark about what caused the airliner to plunge into the sea off the coast of Brazil with 228 people onboard earlier this month . The wreckage is believed to be about 4,500 meters -LRB- 15,000 feet -RRB- deep , amid underwater mountains and mixed in with tons of sea trash . A French nuclear submarine and other vessels are searching for the flight data recorder by attempting to trace its locator beacon , which sends acoustic pulses , or `` pings , '' to searchers . The U.S. Navy has contributed two high-tech acoustic devices -- known as towed pinger locators -- which have been attached to French tug boats and can search to a maximum depth of 20,000 feet . Honeywell Aerospace 's Paolo Carmassi -- the firm 's president for Europe , the Middle East , Africa and India -- told CNN that retrieving the flight data could help solve the mystery of the plane 's fate and said his company had never lost a black box involved in an accident . `` We believe that our technology is well-positioned to , in this case , contribute to solve the big question around this particular accident , '' Carmassi said . `` We have a 100 percent recovery rate of all the black boxes that we have installed that unfortunately may have been involved in accidents , so we hope that we will be able to maintain our record and be able to shed some light on what happened . '' Watch what clues investigators are looking at '' But Carmassi acknowledged it was hard to estimate how much battery life the locator beacon had left . `` There is a certain duration which depends on the particular environmental conditions , whether it 's underwater or on land , whether it 's at 10 meters or 4,000 meters . So , it 's very difficult to pinpoint exactly the duration , '' he said . Yann Cochennec , an aviation expert with Air et Cosmos magazine , told CNN that a recorder had been retrieved from the seabed in 2004 after an Egyptian charter flight crashed into the Red Sea shortly after leaving Sharm el-Sheikh . But he said the depth of the Atlantic , strong currents and bad weather would make retrieving the recorder from the Air France wreckage far more difficult . The flight data recorder -- sometimes called a `` black box '' -- is actually an orange , metal cylinder weighing about 13 pounds . Inside is a stack of memory chips designed to survive high temperatures , strong impact and tons of pressure . The devices record virtually every detail about how an aircraft is working , including cabin pressure , speed and altitude , remaining fuel and whether that fuel is flowing properly . They have played a crucial part in air crash investigations since they were first fitted to commercial aircraft in the 1940s . | Maker of flight data recorder aboard AF447 has `` 100 percent '' recovery rate . Top executive says finding flight data recorder could reveal cause of air crash . Plane wreckage believed to be on Atlantic seabed , around 4,500 meters deep . Device 's underwater locator beacon has limited battery life . | [[1099, 1136], [1213, 1351], [217, 286], [566, 672], [566, 578], [591, 710], [1844, 1941]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British airlines have put into effect measures to stop people with swine flu boarding flights in a bid to prevent the virus from spreading further . Medical screening for the swine flu virus has been introduced at many airports . British Airways said there had been a `` very small number of cases '' where people who had checked in with symptoms of H1N1 had been advised not to travel after having medical checks . Virgin Atlantic also said victims would not be allowed to board one of its planes without a fit-to-fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital , though there had been no cases yet . The World Health Organization declared the virus a global pandemic June 11 . More than 120 countries have reported cases of human infection . About 98,000 cases have been documented worldwide , with 440 deaths , according to the WHO . Watch as airlines ban sufferers '' With 29 deaths and a huge rise in the number of cases , Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe . Eight British schoolchildren remained in hospital in China on Monday after contracting swine flu on a trip to the country , the Foreign Office said . The teenagers were diagnosed with the H1N1 virus in Beijing . More than 50 of their classmates and teachers are also quarantined in a hotel . Watch as students are quarantined '' Medical screening for the swine flu virus has been introduced at many airports around the world for passengers arriving on international flights but there are concerns that many people may not be aware they are infected . Those who do have symptoms have been advised by Britain 's health authorities to delay their journeys until the signs have cleared up . `` We have a medical team within the airline as well as a contingency planning group which has met for the past few years to look at the issue of a flu pandemic , '' A British Airways spokeswoman said . `` We have a wide range of contingency plans in place which we can use depending on how the situation may evolve . `` If we have concerns about a customer or the customer is concerned , then we have a 24-hour medical service we can call to give advice to staff . `` They will speak to the customer and an assessment will be made about their fitness to fly . `` There have been a number of cases where we have advised customers not to fly on the basis of their diagnosis or symptoms of H1N1 . '' Watch as a CNN reporter is quarantined '' BA told CNN Monday though that it was `` business as usual '' and all flights were operating normally . Virgin Atlantic spokesman Paul Charles said : `` If there are signs of something being wrong , be it excessive sneezing or coughing , not looking well , high temperature , then the airport staff can call in a medical team for extra advice . `` If the medical team believe there are reasons not to fly , the passenger will be asked to produce a fit to fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital , and they will be put at our cost on to the next available flight . '' Swine flu has spread so rapidly and extensively around the globe that the World Health Organization is changing tactics against the H1N1 virus , including stopping a tally of cases and focusing on unusual patterns . `` At this point , further spread of the pandemic , within affected countries and to new countries , is considered inevitable , '' the WHO said . The counting of all cases is no longer essential because it is exhausting countries ' resources , the organization said . `` In some countries , this strategy is absorbing most national laboratory and response capacity , leaving little capacity for the monitoring and investigation of severe cases , and other exceptional events . '' Monitoring is still required , the organization urged , but should focus on exceptional patterns . `` Because the numbers of cases have increased in so many countries , it is very hard to keep up , '' Keiji Fukuda , WHO assistant director-general , said earlier this month . Laboratories have been inundated with testing requests and the virus is showing up in most lab tests in countries with major outbreaks , he said . The organization said it will not issue global tables showing confirmed cases for countries that have reported cases , according to the release . However , it will still report on nations that have not had cases so that its presence can be confirmed . `` WHO will continue to request that these countries report the first confirmed cases and , as far as feasible , provide weekly aggregated case numbers and descriptive epidemiology of the early cases . '' Meanwhile , governments should should be on the lookout for unusual patterns , the organization said . While most patients have reported mild symptoms , a rise in severe symptoms or respiratory ailments that require hospitalization should be cause for concern , it said . Governments should also pay attention to unusual patterns linked to fatal cases , the WHO said . Any changes in prevailing patterns should be flagged , including a rise in school and job absenteeism , and an increase in visits to the emergency room . An overwhelmed health system may mean there is a rise in severe cases , the organization said . | British airlines stop people with swine flu boarding flights . Around the world there have been 98,000 cases of swine flu in 120 countries . With 29 deaths , Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe . Medical screening for virus has been introduced at many airports . | [[9, 32], [36, 138], [337, 451], [452, 467], [473, 598], [873, 904], [2295, 2300], [2307, 2397], [715, 779], [780, 829], [780, 798], [850, 872], [964, 1015], [185, 265], [1345, 1455]] |
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]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oguchi Onyewu , who made his AC Milan debut in a 2-1 friendly defeat to Mexico 's Club America , is the first player from the United States to be signed by the Serie A giants and is a rising talent in world football . Oguchi Onyewu has cut a commanding figure at the center of defense for the U.S. national team . The `` Rossoneri '' have put their faith in a 27-year-old defender , who has become a lynchpin of his national team in recent times -- but how did the stopper climb the ladder of success ? The imposing Onweyu , who stands 1.93 meters tall and tips the scales at 95 kilograms , was born in Washington D.C. , one of a family of five to Nigerian-born parents . While at high school in Maryland , he showed immediate promise and was selected for a soccer academy run by International Management Group -LRB- IMG -RRB- . After graduation , Onyewu spent two years in collegiate soccer at Clemson University before taking his chance in Europe . CNN 's Patrick Snell interviews Onyewu . '' He was originally at Metz in France before being loaned out to La Louviere in the Belgium league and finally to Standard Liege where he has spent the majority of his professional career . Because of his strong performances with Standard , Onyewu was constantly linked with a number of leading European clubs , but finally had his chance when sent out on loan to Newcastle United in the English Premier League . Joining for the back end of the 2006-07 season , he formed an uncertain partnership with Titus Bramble in the center of defense , which , combined with the arrival of new manager Sam Allardyce , was to cost him his place . Newcastle decided not to make his loan move permanent and Onyewu returned to Standard to help them win successive Belgian league titles . He was involved in a controversial incident at the end of the current season during the championship playoff against Anderlecht . Onyewu claimed Anderlecht defender Jelle Van Damme called him a `` dirty ape '' and persisted despite being reported to the referee . The Times of London reported on June 2 that Onyewu had taken legal action in a Brussels court over the alleged slur , hoping it will help eradicate such incidents in the future . His lawyer Jean-Louis Dupont said Onyewu felt compelled to take it further . `` He was convinced it was his duty to lodge the complaint , '' Dupont said . `` It is not a question whether Van Damme is racist . The issue is that these slurs are still used on the pitch , and are being used because they know it hurts . '' Onyewu made his debut for the U.S. national team in 2004 and played all three games for the side before their exit from the 2006 World Cup . But it was his performances in the recent Confederations Cup in South Africa which showed his qualities to the full . After the U.S. beat Egypt 3-0 to reach the semifinals , Onyewu was outstanding again in the shock 2-0 defeat of world number one-rated Spain to reach the final . The U.S. went on to lose the final 3-2 to Brazil , but Onyewu had again sparked renewed interest , including Milan , who had tracked him since 2004 . He signed a three-year deal earlier this month with the seven-time European champions , who are in a rebuilding process after the retirement of club legend Paulo Maldini and departure of Kaka to Real Madrid . Onyewu is the second U.S. international to play in Serie A. Former national captain Alexi Lalas played for Padova in the 1990s . | Oguchi Onyewu is the first U.S.-born player to be signed by AC Milan . Onweyu was a star performer for the U.S. team in 2009 Confederations Cup . The 27-year-old has Nigerian parents and went to Clemson University . | [[136, 193], [667, 675], [676, 690]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They scream germs : Used gum . A flock of pigeons . A tomb covered with kisses . The Blarney Stone in Ireland received more than 400,000 visitors in 2008 , many who kissed the lucky stone . These bacteria-infested attractions have topped an unusual list compiled by editors at TripAdvisor.com , a travel advice Web site . This summer , editors at the site named the five `` germiest '' tourist spots in the world . Despite the H1N1 scare that went global this spring , tourists have n't stopped spitting out their gum and sticking it onto a wall already saturated with millions of gooey pieces , editors say . Nor do germ fears stop travelers from journeying to the pigeon-infested St. Mark 's Square in Venice , Italy , where the birds often bestow droppings . `` These places are great attractions regardless of the fact that they are ` germy ' , '' said Brooke Ferencsik , a travel expert at TripAdvisor . `` Venice is lovely , and it 's a great spot , but with all the pigeons , I 'd bring an umbrella just in case the birds drop some gifts from above . '' Though it is unlikely to get sick from visiting one of these places , health experts say germs are always a gamble . The more people who touch and visit a spot , the more germs there are in the mix , they say . Their traveling advice ? Travelers should load up on hand sanitizers and wash their hands often on their trips . Blarney Stone in Blarney , Ireland . Where the Blarney Stone came from and how it got to Ireland is a matter of debate . One old tale goes : Once upon a time , the king of Ireland saved a woman drowning in Blarney Lake . The woman told the king that if he kissed the stone , he would receive the gift of eloquence . Thus , the tradition of kissing the Blarney stone was born . Watch where you can find germ hotspots '' Last year , about 400,000 people kissed the stone , says a spokesman for Blarney Castle & Gardens . To do so , the person must be hung upside down to kiss the rock . Some people prefer watching to smooching . Chuck Gerba , a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona , visited the Blarney Stone in Ireland last year and refused to kiss the same spot where millions of tourists had put their lips . `` My wife did it , '' he added . `` And I wiped her lips before I kissed her . '' Market Theater Gum Wall in Seattle , Washington . There is a distinct fruity aroma that welcomes visitors when they pass the giant wall of gum housing millions of chewed pieces in Seattle . The gum -- pink , blue , yellow and green -- is piled several inches thick , spanning an area 15 feet high and 50 feet wide . Watch the wall of gum '' The Gum Wall , also dubbed the Wall of Gum , is one of the strangest attractions in Pike Place Market , where visitors can go to watch fish throwers and see the original Starbucks . `` People will do artwork with the gum , '' said Jay Hitt , the marketing director of the Market Theater . `` They write words on the wall , stick posters and business cards . '' The gum-sticking tradition began by accident in 1993 when patrons , mostly college students waiting in line for a show , would stick gum to the wall . Theater company workers say they scraped the gum routinely , but eventually gave up . Slowly the gum amassed . Today , there are n't any rules at the Gum Wall . Visitors from all over the world snap photos next to it and leave as many pieces of their own gum as they want . St. Mark 's Square in Venice , Italy . In the heart of Venice , Italy , lies St. Mark 's Square , also known as Piazza San Marco , where both tourists and pigeons flock . Each year , more than 2 million visitors venture to St. Mark 's Square to see the Doge 's Palace and St. Mark 's Basilica . Thousands of the dirty birds crowd the square sometimes leaving their droppings or attacking visitors . Some fearless visitors who are n't worried about germs snap pictures with the birds . But health experts warn that birds are notorious for carrying dangerous germs and viruses . If you want to see the famous pigeons , go soon . In 2007 , city officials have worked hard to remove the pigeons from the square . They have banned people from feeding them and have even started trapping the birds in nets , significantly reducing the pigeon population . Grauman 's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood , California . What do George Clooney , Clint Eastwood and Marilyn Monroe have in common ? All three of them are celebrated stars with their hand prints molded into the concrete of the forecourt of Grauman 's Chinese Theatre for millions of people to touch . The sidewalk is littered with 246 celebrity hand and footprints that draw in 4.5 million visitors a year , many of whom put their own hands and feet on them . The site began as an accident in 1927 when Norma Talmadge , a famous actress in the 1920s , stepped into wet cement . Creator and owner of the theater , Sid Grauman , decided to make the hand and footprints a tradition . `` The stars are selected based on the longevity of their career , '' said Levi Tinker , a tour guide at the Grauman Theatre . `` Stars who will be around 10 to 20 years from now are picked so people know who they are . '' For germ-conscious travelers , Tinker says the concrete is mopped daily and pressure washed once a week . Oscar Wilde 's Tomb in Paris , France . It 's an unusual site in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris . Author and playwright Oscar Wilde 's body rests in a tomb speckled with lipstick marks from visitors from all over the world showing their literary appreciation . Wilde , who died in 1900 from cerebral meningitis , continues to be a celebrated literary figure today famous for his tabooed sexuality at the time and his novels such as `` The Picture of Dorian Gray . '' The kisses display a rainbow of colors -- so much so that travel experts say Oscar Wilde 's name on the tomb can be hard to discern sometimes . One TripAdvisor traveler wrote after visiting the grave , `` The tombstone of Oscar Wilde is ... well , wild , excuse the pun . '' | More than 400,000 visitors kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland in 2008 . Tourists will try to make artwork with their chewed gum on Seattle 's Gum Wall . Oscar Wilde 's tomb in Paris , France is covered with an array of lipstick kisses . The Grauman Chinese Theatre that houses celebrity hand prints is washed daily . | [[100, 172], [175, 179], [184, 208], [1823, 1832], [1835, 1872], [1823, 1832], [1835, 1855], [1875, 1922], [2841, 2878], [71, 99], [5404, 5504]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Samuel Fahrer and Sidney Lipson shake hands and smile . It 's the first time the men have seen each other in 64 years . They were U.S. soldiers back on a forced death march in Nazi Germany in April 1945 . Sidney Lispson , left , and Samuel Fahrer meet for the first time in 64 years . They were in a Nazi slave labor camp . `` How you doing ? '' Fahrer says . It 's a subdued moment for the two men . There are no tears , no pats on the back . The men have endured years of contained emotions from what happened six decades ago when they were prisoners of war and held as slaves inside Germany . They have come to a hotel in Orlando to be honored by the Army this weekend for the first time . Watch slave camp survivors reunite '' Fahrer and Lipson were among 350 soldiers held at the slave labor camp called Berga an der Elster , a largely forgotten legacy of the war and a subcamp of Buchenwald where soldiers were beaten , starved and forced to work in tunnels to hide German equipment . More than 100 soldiers died at the camp and on the death march . Buchenwald was one of the largest and first concentration camps on German soil . See photos inside Berga '' The Berga soldiers are being honored thanks in part to CNN.com users , who demanded the Army recognize the men , all in their 80s , after a series of reports late last year . The Army then conducted a months-long review of Berga at the urgings of Rep. Joe Baca , D-California , and Rep. Spencer Bachus , R-Alabama . `` These soldiers endured extreme hardships of forced labor , beatings , poor living conditions , and ultimately a forced march of over 250 kilometers -LSB- about 155 miles -RSB- prior to liberation by advancing U.S. Armed Forces , '' Army Secretary Peter Geren said at the conclusion of the review . `` The survivors of Berga certainly deserve both our thanks and recognition for their service and sacrifice . '' Geren is sending Maj. Gen. Vincent Boles to honor the survivors on Saturday . Six of the 22 Berga survivors will be at the event ; most of those still living could not make it because of declining health . Those here look forward to what the general has to say . They want desperately to know why the U.S. government commuted the death sentences of the two Berga commanders , Erwin Metz and his superior , Hauptmann Ludwig Merz . Both were tried for war crimes and initially sentenced to die by hanging until their commutations in 1948 . `` I 'm very happy the Army is sending a general to see us , '' Fahrer says . `` But they should 've sent the general to see us a long time ago when some of the fellas were still alive . We 're only 20 fellas left . '' Fahrer was one of the primary survivors after the war who fought to get the government to carry out the death sentences for Metz and Merz . In a letter to survivors in January 1949 , he wrote , `` Things are beginning to break our way . A little enthusiasm , a little more cooperation , a little more action , will accomplish a great , great deal now . '' Now , 60 years later , he may finally get some answers . `` Let 's see what the general has to say when he gets here , '' Fahrer says . His comrade , Morton Brooks , says , `` I never wanted revenge , but I did think retribution would be proper . And I think they should 've suffered a little bit longer for what they did . ... They would n't kick a dog , but they did that to us . '' Watch Morton Brooks describe the Germans ' `` work to death '' program '' The two men finally hugged . `` I 'm glad to see you , '' Fahrer says . Some of the Berga soldiers were killed in cold blood , such as Morton Goldstein , shot through the head and then machine-gunned . His bullet-riddled body was placed in front of the barracks for all to see . Bernard Vogel and Izzy Cohen were forced to stand without food and water for days , pushed to their deaths . Cohen was a 32-year-old father of two young children . When he left for war , he kissed his family goodbye at a train station in California . He looked at his wife , Florence , and said , `` Whatever happens happens . '' It was the last words he ever spoke to her . Vogel 's last words at Berga were : `` I want to die ! I want to die ! '' Hear Martin Vogel finally learn about his brother 's final minutes '' `` They killed us slowly , '' Fahrer says . `` They did n't feed us , they did n't give us anything , they did n't do anything . '' The memories are so terrible , so horrific that Sid Lipson does n't remember much of anything about his captivity . `` I do n't remember a damn thing from the march , '' he says . Brooks says , `` I think it 's best . '' Brooks weighed 75 pounds when he was finally freed ; Fahrer weighed 90 . `` The United States government did not acknowledge the fact that we were put in this slave labor camp , '' Fahrer says , shaking his head . `` We went through all these things and nobody wants to give us any help . And finally , now ... '' Brooks went on to become a psychologist . He says his time in captivity was a `` $ 1 million experience that I would n't want to repeat for $ 2 million . '' His message to the world about the whole ordeal : . `` We have to learn to talk to one another and live together . It 's not necessary to go kill people for no reason . '' One of the survivors who wo n't be at this weekend 's ceremony is Tony Acevedo , the U.S. medic who kept a diary inside Berga cataloguing the deaths and atrocities . It was Acevedo who CNN profiled in November , prompting a series of events culminating with the Pentagon deciding to honor the soldiers . See Acevedo 's diary '' Acevedo 's wife , Loline , is too ill . He does n't want to leave her side . `` The love of my life , '' he says . | Samuel Fahrer , Sidney Lipson reunite six decades after surviving Nazi camp . They join with other survivors in Florida to be honored for the first time by the Army . They were held at a camp called Berga an der Elster , part of infamous Buchenwald . Prisoners endured forced labor , beatings and terrible living conditions . | [[3044, 3047], [3050, 3064], [3067, 3081], [3086, 3100], [633, 637], [651, 729], [818, 865], [1517, 1612]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A California man convicted of the 2006 arson murders of five U.S. Forest Service firefighters was sentenced to death Friday . Raymond Lee Oyler was sentenced Friday to die for the arson murders of five firefighters . Raymond Lee Oyler , 38 , of Beaumont was convicted in March of five counts of first-degree murder . The convictions included two special circumstances : that the murders were committed during an arson and that multiple murders were committed . Oyler also was convicted of 11 counts of arson and 10 counts of use of an incendiary device in those arsons . The imposition of the death penalty by a judge was a formality . A jury earlier recommended capital punishment for Oyler . Watch as Oyler 's sentence is read '' Firefighters Mark Loutzenhiser , 44 ; Jess McLean , 27 ; Jason McKay , 27 ; and Daniel Hoover-Najera , 20 , died October 26 , 2006 , during the Esperanza fire outside Los Angeles . Fueled by Santa Ana winds , the wildfire enveloped their engine . The fifth firefighter , Pablo Cerda , 23 , died October 31 , 2006 , at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center , where he had been taken after suffering burns over 90 percent of his body . Days before being charged in Esperanza fire , Oyler had been arrested and charged with two counts of arson in a June 2006 fire in the Banning Pass area . The 41,173-acre Esperanza fire destroyed 34 homes and 20 outbuildings , mainly in the Twin Pines and Poppet Flats areas , which had been under mandatory evacuations . The firefighters died trying to protect a partially built house in Twin Pines , a rural mountain community . CNN 's Lynn Lamanivong contributed to this report . | Raymond Oyler formally handed death sentence for five firefighter deaths . Jury convicted Oyler of five counts of first-degree murder , 11 counts of arson . 2006 fire outside Los Angeles , California , killed the five firefighters . Esperanza fire destroyed 34 homes in Twin Pines area outside Los Angeles . | [[19, 112], [0, 15], [92, 144], [145, 235], [145, 162], [184, 235], [19, 112], [145, 235], [145, 162], [184, 235], [236, 335], [480, 485], [491, 589], [19, 112], [145, 235], [1335, 1404]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Carrie Prejean 's lawyer gave Miss California USA executive director Keith Lewis what he said was a final warning to retract statements made about the former beauty queen or face a defamation lawsuit . The lawyer for former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean , says the ousted beauty queen 's good name is `` tarnished . '' Prejean , stripped of the Miss California USA title last week , `` suffered severe emotional distress '' and her reputation was harmed by Lewis , Charles LiMandri said in a letter sent Thursday to Lewis ' lawyer . LiMandri 's letter also accused Lewis , whom he referred to as a `` gay activist , '' of setting Prejean up to be fired because of her statements opposing same-sex marriage . When Prejean , 22 , was dethroned , Lewis said it was for `` contract violations , '' including missed public appearances . He told CNN 's Larry King last week that it was n't one thing Prejean did , but `` many , many , many things . '' `` She came to us and said I 'm not interested in your input ; I 'll make my own decision what I 'm going to do , '' Lewis said . `` You know , when you have a contract , when you 're working for someone , you have a responsibility to follow through on what that requirement is . '' Lewis told King it was clear `` she was not interested in upholding the title or the responsibilities . '' `` Carrie Prejean 's good name has been tarnished by your client 's false and defamatory accusations , '' the letter from her lawyer to Lewis ' said . `` Please view this letter as a last opportunity for Mr. Lewis to retract the defamatory statements made against my client and to seek to restore her good name , '' LiMandri said . `` If he does not comply , I will have no alternative but to recommend that Ms. Prejean proceed to do so through litigation . '' In response to the letter , Lewis issued a statement that said : `` Mr. LiMandri obviously has never watched ` The Apprentice ' if he believes that Mr. Trump could be so easily fooled . Facts are facts , and we stand by them . '' LiMandri denied any contract violations , saying it was a `` complete and utter pretext '' for her firing . The list Lewis gave to reporters of Prejean 's missed appearances was `` an outright fraud , '' he said . Prejean `` did not refuse reasonable appearance requests '' that could `` be expected to promote and further the intended purposes of Miss California USA , '' he said . The beauty queen expected to be asked to attend `` Rotary conventions and avocado festivals , '' not events Lewis suggested , LiMandri said . `` She did not think it was appropriate for her to accept Mr. Lewis ' invitation to attend a gay documentary in Hollywood promoting same-sex marriage , '' he said . `` It was not my client 's job , as Miss California , simply to help your client promote his personal or business interests as a Hollywood agent and producer , or gay activist . '' He accused Lewis of trying to make commissions off Prejean 's appearances . `` Your client was trying to wrongfully profit off of my client 's participation as Miss California , in violation of her contract , by taking 20 percent of any appearance fee she would earn , such as at the Las Vegas jewelers convention she attended at his request , '' LiMandri 's letter said . LiMandri cited a statement he said Lewis made during a May 15 conference call that `` clearly shows that your client was trying to ` set-up ' our client for termination '' by relaying an offer to appear semi-nude in Playboy . Three people who worked for a public relations agency representing Prejean at the time heard it , he said . `` All three of those people distinctly remember Keith Lewis talking about sending Ms. Prejean an offer to do a Playboy photo shoot ` so when they take her title away , she does n't sue me , ' '' he said . LiMandri said Lewis -- and former co-executive director Shanna Moakler -- were `` bound and determined to get her fired , and they have now finally gotten their way . '' Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump announced last month that Prejean could keep her title despite a controversy over topless photos , missed appearances and her statements against same-sex marriage . Trump reversed himself last week . `` I told Carrie she needed to get back to work and honor her contract with the Miss California USA organization , and I gave her the opportunity to do so , '' Trump said . `` Unfortunately , it just does n't look like it is going to happen , and I offered Keith my full support in making this decision . '' | NEW : Pagaent director responds , `` Facts are facts , and we stand by them '' Attorney Charles LiMandri pens ultimatum to Miss California USA director 's lawyer . Carrie Prejean 's lawyer says dethronement caused `` severe emotional distress '' `` Please view this letter as a last opportunity '' to retract statements , LiMandri writes . | [[2032, 2047], [2054, 2072], [0, 11], [69, 112], [125, 179], [142, 245], [432, 472], [0, 11], [69, 112], [125, 179], [142, 245], [514, 547], [1539, 1635], [3291, 3319]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- England international footballer Steven Gerrard was found not guilty of affray by a court in his home city on Friday . England international Steven Gerrard was cleared by a court in Liverpool of affray . The jury at Liverpool Crown Court took a little over an hour to clear Gerrard of charges relating to a fracas in a nightclub bar in the north-western of England city on December 29 of last year . They accepted the Liverpool captain 's version that he acted in self defense in punching businessman Marcus McGhee . The 29-year-old was the only one of the seven defendants in the case to be cleared after an incident which was described by judge Henry Globe as an `` explosion of violence . '' Gerrard spoke of his relief outside the court . `` Can I just say how pleased I am with today 's verdict , '' he said . `` I 'm glad to put this case behind me and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now . `` I would just like to say a big thank you to my legal team and to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool football club for supporting me . '' His comments were met with a round of applause from a large group of fans of the Premier League club who had gathered outside the court , before he was ushered away . Gerrard was celebrating in the Lounge Inn in Southport , a suburb of Liverpool , after scoring twice his team 's 5-1 win at Newcastle which took them to the top of the Premier League . Video footage , which was available to the court , showed the moment around 2 . am in the morning when trouble flared . Gerrard apparently wanted to change the music on the CD player and the 34-year-old McGee said the football star had acted aggressively in trying to grab the device . In the fracas which followed , Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but said only one connected . He claimed , and his version was accepted by the jury , that he believed he was about to be attacked himself . `` You did not start the violence , it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends , John Doran , '' Globe said . `` The victim 's consequential actions of reeling backwards and then forwards and your actions in response to that movement forward has to be seen against that background , '' he added . Five other men have already pleaded guilty to affray and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behavior . They will be sentenced at a later date . | England football star Steven Gerrard cleared of affray charge by Liverpool court . Gerrard admitted punching 34-year-old businessman Marcus McGhee . Jury accepted his version that he acted in self defense in nightclub brawl . | [[0, 15], [19, 137], [138, 222], [223, 311], [1756, 1769], [1787, 1826], [304, 418], [419, 519], [433, 465], [474, 535], [1870, 1910]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tyler Perry is known today as the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio . He 's a pioneer whose own life story is a rags-to-riches tale that reads like a screenplay . Tyler Perry is the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio . Now a writer , actor , director and producer -- Perry 's success grew out of a troubled home in a poor neighborhood in New Orleans , Louisiana . Strong on faith , Perry named his first play `` I Know I 've Been Changed , '' after an old Negro spiritual . It was a gospel musical about two adult survivors of child abuse . In 1991 , he moved to Atlanta , Georgia , where he worked as a bill collector and eventually scraped together enough money to rent a small theatre and stage the play . With only 30 people in the audience , the play was a flop . For the next several years , he struggled and was often broke and sometimes lived in his car . But Perry refused to give up . He finally got a second chance in 1998 , when a promoter booked the show in the Tabernacle , a former church turned concert hall in downtown Atlanta . It was a sold out hit and the little boy from inner-city New Orleans was well on his way . Perry then took his plays on the road and traveled the so-called `` chitlin ' circuit '' to theaters in Memphis , Tennessee , Detroit , Michigan , and Baltimore , Maryland -- where black entertainers historically performed for predominantly black audiences . He began making a name for himself with African-Americans . In 2004 , he started looking for backers for his first movie project `` Diary of Mad Black Woman , '' a story about a devoted wife in a bad marriage . He said he faced a wall of ignorance when he pitched white executives in Hollywood . One told him the project was doomed to fail at the box office because the core audience for Perry 's stage plays -- black churchgoers -- would n't go to the movies . Another said the dialogue for his characters was unrealistic . Though he was largely unknown to white audiences , Perry refused to play by Hollywood 's rules and demanded creative control of his projects . Tour of Tyler Perry 's back lot '' He was resigned to bankrolling the project himself and selling it as a DVD when he got a call from the independent studio Lionsgate . They struck a deal and he made `` Diary '' for about $ 5 million . The movie earned 10 times that at the box office . Since then , Perry 's movies have grossed nearly $ 400 million and he 's developed a loyal following . He now demands not only creative control but also ownership of the finished product . Still , it 's just the beginning , he said . `` I do n't necessarily feel like I 've arrived . '' Even so , Perry has a prolific output of stories , including his movies `` Why Did I Get Married , '' `` Meet the Browns , '' `` The Family that Preys , '' and `` Madea 's Family Reunion . '' He signed a $ 200 million deal with TBS -LRB- owned by Time Warner , the same company that owns CNN -RRB- for 100 episodes of `` House of Payne , '' one of television 's most popular shows among black adults . The sitcom is now in syndication , making even more money for Perry . Perry said ownership of the finished product is key to building wealth , a principle he hopes other African-Americans will embrace . How are entertainment heavyweights changing black stereotypes ? `` If you want to think about longevity , '' he said , `` if you want to think about your family and generations down the line , then you have to own it . '' And own it he does . Tyler Perry Studios , on 30 acres in Atlanta , is his black Hollywood . But he is quick to acknowledge his debt to the legendary black actors from an earlier generation by naming two of his soundstages after Sidney Poitier and Cicely Tyson . He has also helped introduce them to a new generation by casting Tyson , 76 , an Oscar-nominated actress , in two of his films . Tyson opens up about life , career '' A study by the NAACP found that African-Americans are `` underrepresented in almost every aspect of the television and film industry , '' but Perry is able to hire on both sides of the camera . On his production crews , black employees are getting unprecedented career opportunities , and black actors are portraying characters beyond the predictable drug dealers and thugs . `` What makes me feel great is to be able to pull up to this place and to be able to have 300 people working and running around , trying to get things done , '' he said . `` That makes me feel great . '' His greatest accomplishment , he said , has nothing to do with business . `` It 's more personal than that for me , '' he said . `` My biggest success is getting over the things that have tried to destroy and take me out of this life . Those are my biggest successes . It has nothing to do with work . '' The NAACP has honored Perry with its Image Award , but there are some who believe his characters do n't portray African-Americans positively . `` He 's made a lot of money , but the quality of work is sorely lacking , '' said Todd Boyd , a University of Southern California film professor and culture/media critic . Some of Perry 's characters rely heavily on exaggerated personalities and slapstick comedy . Boyd is particularly critical of Perry 's recurring character , Madea , an over-the-top grandmother who smokes marijuana and brandishes loaded guns she keeps in her purse . Perry himself plays the tough , buxom matriarch , who runs at full throttle fueled by country wisdom and ghetto strength . `` It seems a bit ironic that at the moment of the first African-American president , the most popular African-American figure in the media is a man in drag engaging some of the most stereotypical images of African-Americans ever created , '' Boyd said . Perry said his critics are missing the point . `` They miss the messages of empowerment , '' he said . `` Sure , the silliness of ` Madea , ' the silliness of ` Brown , ' it 's broad , it 's over the top . Great . Fine . I get it . But how can you miss the message of forgiveness ? How can you miss the messages of empowerment ? `` I would love to share with them the letters that I 've gotten from people . ` This helped me get through a tough time . ' ' I was gon na commit suicide . ' ` My husband and I were n't speaking until we saw `` Why Did I Get Married ? '' It saved our marriage . ' '' For Perry , his work will always be about writing from his experiences , old and new . `` Whatever I 'm experiencing in life is what I 'll write about , '' he said . `` I 'm telling you , just to think this little boy from Louisiana can do it , anybody can do it . '' | Tyler Perry is the first African-American to own a major film and TV studio . The director , writer and playwright grew up poor in New Orleans , Louisiana . Perry 's movies have grossed nearly $ 400 million ; he 's developed loyal following . '' -LSB- If -RSB- this little boy from Louisiana can do it , anybody can do it , '' says Perry . | [[0, 7], [10, 33], [37, 129], [223, 300], [238, 300], [349, 431], [1128, 1196], [2433, 2443], [2446, 2505], [2500, 2535], [6607, 6661]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- England international footballer Steven Gerrard was found not guilty of affray by a court in his home city on Friday . England international Steven Gerrard was cleared by a court in Liverpool of affray . The jury at Liverpool Crown Court took a little over an hour to clear Gerrard of charges relating to a fracas in a nightclub bar in the north-western of England city on December 29 of last year . They accepted the Liverpool captain 's version that he acted in self defense in punching businessman Marcus McGhee . The 29-year-old was the only one of the seven defendants in the case to be cleared after an incident which was described by judge Henry Globe as an `` explosion of violence . '' Gerrard spoke of his relief outside the court . `` Can I just say how pleased I am with today 's verdict , '' he said . `` I 'm glad to put this case behind me and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now . `` I would just like to say a big thank you to my legal team and to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool football club for supporting me . '' His comments were met with a round of applause from a large group of fans of the Premier League club who had gathered outside the court , before he was ushered away . Gerrard was celebrating in the Lounge Inn in Southport , a suburb of Liverpool , after scoring twice his team 's 5-1 win at Newcastle which took them to the top of the Premier League . Video footage , which was available to the court , showed the moment around 2 . am in the morning when trouble flared . Gerrard apparently wanted to change the music on the CD player and the 34-year-old McGee said the football star had acted aggressively in trying to grab the device . In the fracas which followed , Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but said only one connected . He claimed , and his version was accepted by the jury , that he believed he was about to be attacked himself . `` You did not start the violence , it was started by the violent elbowing of Marcus McGee in the face by one of your friends , John Doran , '' Globe said . `` The victim 's consequential actions of reeling backwards and then forwards and your actions in response to that movement forward has to be seen against that background , '' he added . Five other men have already pleaded guilty to affray and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behavior . They will be sentenced at a later date . | England football star Steven Gerrard cleared of affray charge by Liverpool court . Gerrard admitted punching 34-year-old businessman Marcus McGhee . Jury accepted his version that he acted in self defense in nightclub brawl . | [[0, 15], [19, 137], [138, 222], [223, 311], [1756, 1769], [1787, 1826], [304, 418], [419, 519], [433, 465], [474, 535], [1870, 1910]] |
KUALA LAMPUR , Malaysia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Malaysia will swear in a new prime minister Friday -- one tasked with reuniting a multi-racial nation and shoring up an economy in dire straits . Outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi , facing , hugs his successor , Najib Razak last week . Until now , Najib Razak had served as the Southeast Asian country 's deputy prime minister . He succeeds Abdullah Badawi who turned in his resignation after five years as leader . Both are part of Malaysia 's ruling party , the National Front Coalition , which has ruled the country since it gained independence from Britain in 1957 . But last year , a loose coalition of opposition parties won 82 of 222 parliamentary seats in elections . It was only the second time in the country 's history that the ruling party failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to amend the constitution . The election upset led to calls for Abdullah to step down . Various challenges await Najib : . In recent months , the country has seen riots with the country 's ethnic Chinese and Indian communities who accuse the government of passing laws that favor the Malay majority . Najib has said he will do more to address their concerns . The country , like other nations around the world , has been severely affected by the global economic downturn . Critics are demanding Malaysia diversify its technology-heavy economy . Last month , Najib unveiled a multi-billion dollar stimulus plan for new spending , according to published reports . Najib also brings with him a whiff of controversy . Two former bodyguards are facing charges in connection the murder of a Mongolian model . He has denied all links to the killing . | Najib Razak to become new prime minister for Malaysia on Friday . Abdullah Badawi to step down from PM post . Ruling party has failed to secure majority needed to amend constitution . | [[43, 93], [396, 411], [416, 470], [917, 940], [790, 845]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World champion Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from last weekend 's Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne after presenting `` misleading '' evidence to stewards . Hamilton has been disqualified from the Australian GP after presenting `` misleading '' evidence to stewards . The McLaren driver and Toyota 's Jarno Trulli were called to an FIA hearing in Malaysia -- the site of this weekend 's grand prix -- on Thursday to discuss an incident during Sunday 's race . Trulli finished third at Melbourne 's Albert Park , only to later be handed a 25-second penalty by race stewards which relegated him to 12th position and saw Hamilton lifted into third . However , following Thursday 's hearing , Trulli has been reinstated in third position . McLaren had complained that veteran Italian Trulli had illegally passed Hamilton under yellow flags following an accident late on involving Red Bull 's Sebastian Vettel and Robert Kubica in his BMW Sauber -- who were running second and third at the time . Trulli had decided not to appeal the original decision but the FIA , the sport 's governing body , said it had received new information and pressed ahead with a second hearing . `` The stewards , having considered the new elements presented to them from the 2009 Australian Grand Prix , consider that Lewis Hamilton , and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team , acted in a manner prejudicial to the conduct of the event by providing evidence deliberately misleading to the stewards at the hearing on Sunday 29th March 2009 , '' the FIA said in a statement . It said Hamilton and McLaren had violated its rules and retrospectively disqualified him from the race . Meanwhile , Trulli believes justice has been served after Thursday 's decision . `` I am happy because I wanted some justice and I got it , '' he told PA Sport . `` I am happy for myself and the team and I have to thank the FIA because it does not happen very often they reconsider something . `` It must have been really hard for them , but they had common sense to really try and understand what was going on . I have always been honest and it has paid off . '' | World champion Lewis Hamilton has been disqualified from the Australian GP . Stewards say Hamilton and McLaren team presented `` misleading '' evidence . Hamilton was involved in incident with Toyota driver Jarno Trulli in Melbourne . | [[0, 15], [34, 183], [184, 294], [0, 15], [34, 183], [184, 294], [184, 192], [238, 294], [1197, 1212], [1215, 1370], [1197, 1212], [1306, 1538]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- North Korea says it will attack the Japanese military and `` major targets , '' if Japan shoots down a rocket Pyongyang plans to launch in the coming days , North Korea 's state-run news service , KCNA , reported Thursday . Japan recently deployed its missile defense system in anticipation of North Korea 's planned rocket launch . `` If Japan recklessly ` intercepts ' -LSB- North Korea 's -RSB- satellite for peaceful purposes , the -LSB- Korean People 's Army -RSB- will mercilessly deal deadly blows not only at the already deployed intercepting means but at major targets , '' KCNA reported . Japan recently mobilized its missile defense system in response to the planned North Korean launch , Japanese officials said . The move , noteworthy for a country with a pacifist constitution , is aimed at shooting down any debris from the launch that might fall into Japanese territory . U.S. Navy ships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles have also been moved to the Sea of Japan , a Navy spokesman said . The threat of retaliation comes as North Korea has begun fueling its long-range rocket , according to a senior U.S. military official familiar with the latest U.S. intelligence on the matter . The fueling signals that the country could be in the final stages of what North Korea has said will be the launch of a satellite into space as early as this weekend , the senior U.S. military official said Wednesday . Other U.S. military officials said the top portion of the rocket was put on very recently , but satellite imagery shows a shroud over the stage preventing a direct view of what the stage looks like . The officials said the satellite payload appears to have a `` bulbous '' cover , which could indicate there is a satellite loaded on it . Such a cover protects a satellite from damage in flight . While the sources did not know for sure what the payload is , they did say there is no reason to doubt it is a satellite as indicated by North Korea . Pyongyang has said it will conduct the launch sometime between April 4 and April 8 . It 's a launch that may violate a 2006 United Nations Security Council resolution . Resolution 1718 '' -LSB- d -RSB- emands '' that North Korea `` not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile . '' `` It raises questions about their compliance with the Security Council Resolution 1718 , '' U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week . `` And if they persist and go forward , we will take it up in appropriate channels . '' Pentagon officials worry less about the payload and more about the launch itself , saying any kind of launch will give the North Koreans valuable information about improving their ballistic missile program . `` I do n't know anyone at a senior level in the American government who does not believe this technology is intended as a mask for the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile , '' U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Sunday . Defense analysts say the same rocket could be used to push a satellite into space or deliver a nuclear warhead . Gates noted that while the United States believes it is North Korea 's `` long-term intent '' to add a nuclear warhead to any such rocket , he `` personally would be skeptical that they have the ability right now to do that . '' Gates said that the U.S. military could shoot down `` an aberrant missile , one that was headed for Hawaii ... or something like that , we might consider it , but I do n't think we have any plans to -LRB- do -RRB- anything like that at this point . '' He does not believe North Korea currently has the technology to reach Alaska or Pacific coast . CNN Senior Pentagon Producer Mike Mount contributed to this story . | N. Korea says it will attack Japanese military , `` major targets , '' if it shoots down rocket . Japan recently mobilized its missile defense system in response to planned launch . N. Korea said it would conduct launch between April 4 and April 8 . Sources say `` bulbous '' shroud atop rocket could indicate satellite aboard . | [[19, 93], [580, 596], [599, 617], [243, 351], [618, 669], [1227, 1391], [1992, 2076], [2011, 2076], [1645, 1723], [1664, 1685], [1694, 1767], [1702, 1723], [1753, 1782]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Summer offers lots of things to do outdoors , which is good for the many television viewers who complain about the quality of programming then . Showtime 's `` Nurse Jackie '' is one of the cable series providing a lift for summertime television viewing . It 's not that there are n't things to watch . On network television , there are plenty of repeats , reality shows and final episodes of series that have been canceled . But summertime viewing on network television can be a wasteland , especially for bloggers and critics whose gig it is to write and report on TV , said Kath Skerry , founder and editor of the Give Me My Remote blog . `` It 's borderline depressing , '' Skerry said . `` Between the onslaught of reality television and what I call filler TV -- shows that the networks may have under contract but they just feel the need to get out regardless of the quality -- it almost feels like -LSB- the networks -RSB- have given up . '' Variety , for many the bible of the entertainment industry , reported on the first four weeks of summer . It said viewership of ABC , NBC , CBS and Fox was down 9 percent , according to Nielsen . Even more distressing for advertisers , viewership was down 15 percent in the 18-49 demographic and 18 percent in the coveted 18-34 demographic . Skerry is n't surprised . The most quality she said she felt she has gotten out of network television this summer has been ABC burning off the final episodes of the canceled series `` Pushing Daisies , '' `` Eli Stone '' and `` Dirty Sexy Money . '' Otherwise , Skerry said , the great shows are happening on the cable networks . Joe Bua blogs at IAmATVJunkie.com and counts among some of his favorite summer shows HBO 's `` True Blood , '' `` Torchwood Children of Earth '' on BBC America and Showtime 's `` Nurse Jackie . '' `` Nurse Jackie '' and other shows such as `` Mad Men '' are luring viewers who want original quality programs . Fans are even showing up in big numbers for cable reality shows such as `` Jon & Kate Plus 8 '' -LRB- currently on a break -RRB- , and the `` Real Housewives '' franchise . Bill Gorman , editor of the TV rating and analysis site TvByTheNumbers.com , said the shift to cable has been a long time coming . `` It 's the continuation of a trend that 's been going on since the early '80s , '' Gorman told AfterElton.com . `` Viewers continue making the 30-year shift from watching broadcast to watching cable . '' Jonathan Storm , a TV critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer , said the apparent ceding of summer to cable by broadcast networks is rooted in tradition and the history of how television started . `` The car manufacturers came out with their new models in September , and the TV people said , ` We will give you new shows to advertise your cars on , ' '' Storm . `` That was part of it and that started in the 1950s . '' Storm said there is also a type of `` circadian rhythm '' to television in that viewers are more inclined to tune in when the days are shorter and colder . Broadcast networks once were able to afford 39 episodes a year , he said . Now economics often dictate a 22-episode season . Storm said networks now trot out cheaper-to-produce reality shows -- something CBS hit the jackpot with several years ago after the runaway success of the summer-debuted `` Survivor . '' `` The networks just could n't afford to make shows all summer long , '' said Storm , who will soon join his colleagues for one of their summer highlights -- The Television Critics Association 's summer tour in Pasadena , California . `` Now they 've found the answer , '' Storm said . `` They make all of these ridiculous Japanese game shows -- crash yourself into the red balls , ` Wipeout ' show -- and several shows that come on and vanish before most TV critics and the general public even know they are there . '' Ronnie Karam , senior editor at TVgasm.com , said he has been doing what a lot of viewers do during summertime -- checking out television shows on DVD that he had n't watched during the fall season . `` I think that putting television shows on DVD has changed the way a lot of people are watching , '' he said . `` During the summer , you feel like you are really scraping the bottom of the barrel . '' Karam said it 's a chance to check out critically acclaimed shows that viewers either did n't have the time for or the inclination to watch . Broadcast networks really have n't figured out what their strategy should be for summer programming , said Jace Lacob , the writer/editor of Televisionary . `` Years ago , you had Fox launching scripted shows early in the summer and you had shows like ` The O.C. ' , '' Lacob said . `` You used to have ` American Idol ' during the summer as well , which was huge for Fox . But -LSB- networks -RSB- really have n't gotten a grasp on their summer programming , so they are offering really random shows that nobody is really particularly interested in . '' Lacob said some of the offerings have been a mixed bag , such as `` The Listener , '' which did n't exactly catch fire , and `` I 'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here , '' which he believes was n't as popular with viewers as NBC had hoped . Blogger Kath Skerry said that even the publicity push around some of the shows such as `` The Listener '' and `` The Philanthropist , '' which broadcast networks have premiered during the summer , has not at all rivaled the fall season . `` The promotion around them , I feel like the lack of enthusiasm with how the networks have communicated with bloggers feels very different , '' she said . `` Whether it 's true or not , from my standpoint it feels like the networks are not very enthusiastic about the shows . '' | Summer seen as wasteland on broadcast TV for some critics and bloggers . Networks often run repeats and launch reality shows during summertime . Cable stations offer destination viewing for new , hot shows . Blogger says `` you are really scraping the bottom of the barrel '' for shows . | [[449, 546], [526, 546], [591, 660], [3752, 3759], [3783, 3835], [205, 274], [322, 343], [346, 373], [5338, 5340], [5347, 5398], [1572, 1583], [1586, 1639], [4269, 4334], [4201, 4265]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Skywatchers are gathering from parking lots in western India to music festivals on remote Japanese islands to witness what NASA describes as an `` exceptionally long '' total solar eclipse that will cross half the planet on Wednesday . People try out `` solar view goggles '' ahead of the eclipse on the outskirts of Ahmedabad , India . `` This eclipse has the potential to be observed by more people than any eclipse in all of history , '' said MIT astronomer Richard Binzel , who will be in Shanghai leading an expedition of observers and a group of eclipse chasers . `` Essentially , every inhabitant of all of India and China will be able to see at least part of the sun covered throughout the day , '' he said . The path of the total eclipse will stretch across the heart of Asia -- from India 's Bay of Cambay , over the Himalayas and across China and the southern islands of Japan . The eclipse is expected to reach its peak over India at around 12:40 a.m. GMT Wednesday -LRB- 8:40 p.m. ET Tuesday -RRB- . Though the duration of greatest eclipse will occur over the Pacific Ocean at six minutes , 39 seconds , people in some areas of China and Japan will experience up to more than six minutes of darkness , according to predictions by Fred Espenak of NASA 's Goddard Space Flight Center and J. Anderson of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada . Watch as eclipse-watchers head to China '' The 15,150-kilometer -LRB- 9,415-mile -RRB- journey of the moon 's shadow across the Earth will last nearly three-and-a-half hours and be `` one of the longest eclipses , if not the longest eclipse , in this century , '' Binzel said . Forecasters predict stormy weather for Wednesday morning in Shanghai , but this prognosis has not deterred astronomers and tourists from flooding the city . Send us your photos of the eclipse . Professor Zhao Junliang of the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory said the weather could be unpredictable but staying away from such an historic event would be a mistake . `` In 1987 , I chased a total solar eclipse in -LRB- the western region of -RRB- Xinjiang . At the time , the sun was entirely blocked by stormy clouds . Two minutes before the eclipse began , the clouds suddenly cleared , '' Zhao said . `` You just never know , so you have to go . '' Read blog on how eclipse-chasers are gambling on weather . Rick Gille and his wife flew in from Atlanta , Georgia , to catch the eclipse in Shanghai . They were heading to what is known as the `` centerline '' -- where the eclipse will last nearly six minutes . They are armed with high resolution digital cameras and telescopes . `` You 'll know us when you see us , '' said Gille , who travels the world chasing solar eclipses . `` We 're all wearing beige t-shirts which read ` Eclipse 2009 . ' '' Total eclipses happen about once a year or a little less often somewhere on the Earth 's surface and are visible in a narrow band , Benzil said . `` This band starts at sunrise in India and ends at sunset over the Pacific , just east of Hawaii about four hours later . The shadow path of the moon is sweeping across the surface of the Earth at about 3,000 kilometers per hour , '' he said . `` The partial eclipse is also visible throughout Thailand and Vietnam , as far south at the top tip of Australia and as far north as Siberia . '' In some cultures , legends and folklore surrounds eclipses . In India , an eclipse is considered inauspicious . Women forbid pregnant daughters-in-law from going outside out of the belief that their children could be born with marks . Some temples wo n't offer any prayers on the day of an eclipse -- such as the one next to the planetarium in Mumbai , which said it wo n't even light a stick of incense . In Chinese tradition , there is a story about a heavenly dog eating the sun . As the story goes , people would make noise to scare off the dog and rescue the sun , said Bill Yeung , president of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society . `` In ancient China , we shared the same impression with our Indian friends that a solar eclipse was not a good thing , '' he told CNN . Some of the more unusual ways to see Wednesday 's eclipse include a cruise ship that will travel along the centerline off Japan and from aboard a 737-700 chartered plane in India . `` The aircraft will be intercepting the middle of the eclipse shadow at 0626 IST -LRB- Indian Standard Time -RRB- at a height of 41,000 feet , '' travel company Cox and Kings India Ltd , which is organizing the flight in association with Space technology and education Ltd , said in a statement . `` Eclipse chasers sitting along the Sun Side seats of the aircraft will be able to photograph the eclipse ; while the chasers sitting along the Earth Side seats will be able to photograph the Lunar Shadow moving over the Earth cloud top , '' the company said . More conventional viewing parties in Shanghai have been planned along the beach , in a park and in skyscrapers . A music festival has been organized in Japan 's Amami island , with more than 6,000 people expected , and Japanese television has shown rows of tents set up on Akusekijima island . The witnesses of the eclipse will range `` from the farmer who only knows legends of eclipses and may not know this is happening at all to the world 's experts who have come specifically to the Shanghai region to make the most detailed scientific analysis possible , '' added Binzel , the MIT astronomer . For James and Kathy Scheffler of Kokomo , Indiana , solar eclipses are not to be missed . They have seen six eclipses , including in Aruba , the Black Sea , Madagascar and the Egyptian-Libyan border , and are now making their way to Shanghai . `` When it happens , there is this dissonance that is set up between what your body knows is supposed to be light and what your eyes are seeing -- it 's suddenly gotten dark . It 's a very , very strange feeling that some people have likened to a religious experience , and you get kind of addicted to that , '' said James Scheffler , a cardiologist . `` It 's a very interesting emotional experience as well as the beauty of the event . '' Kathy Scheffler added : `` It 's an experience that , first of all very few people in the world will see it , and second of all , it 's a once in a lifetime -- ever -- experience that you ca n't ever duplicate because they are all so different . '' CNN 's John Vause , Nishi Kumar , Yoko Wakatsuki , Stephanie Akiko Haschke and Mallika Kapur contributed to this report . | NASA says it will be `` exceptionally long '' total solar eclipse ; will cross half the planet . MIT astronomer says it could be seen by more people than any other eclipse . The path of the total eclipse will stretch across the heart of Asia . Some watching events include a cruise , plane trip and a music festival . | [[102, 207], [188, 207], [213, 254], [1419, 1462], [1554, 1587], [356, 454], [736, 803], [19, 125], [4119, 4148], [4177, 4299], [4973, 5033]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy became faint while jogging late Sunday morning and was taken to a hospital , the presidential office said . French President Nicolas Sarkozy is often seen jogging with bodyguards . He did not lose consciousness , and initial tests showed nothing abnormal , said a statement released by the president 's office . His heart will be monitored until Monday morning , which is standard procedure in such cases , the statement said . In the meantime , according to the statement , he is resting and keeping in touch with his advisers . Sarkozy , 54 , had been jogging with bodyguards for about 45 minutes near the Elysee Palace , the official residence of the president , when he fell ill , the statement said . After being seen by the Elysee doctor , Sarkozy was taken by helicopter to the military hospital Val-de-Grace . Watch more on Sarkozy 's trip to hospital '' No further announcement was expected until morning , the statement said . Sarkozy exercises regularly and is an avid jogger . Earlier this month , he was photographed jogging through Central Park in New York during his trip to the United States . CNN 's Jim Bittermann contributed to this report . | NEW : Sarkozy resting , talking with advisers at hospital , president 's office says . NEW : Initial tests show nothing abnormal , according to president 's office . French President taken to hospital after becoming faint while jogging . Sarkozy is an avid jogger . | [[144, 174], [495, 510], [542, 596], [144, 174], [284, 321], [284, 297], [324, 378], [8, 30], [34, 113], [8, 30], [106, 141], [175, 216], [222, 247], [175, 247], [1004, 1031], [1004, 1021], [1036, 1055]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- World champions South Africa held off a second-half rally from New Zealand to win their Tri-Nations opener 28-19 in Bloemfontein on Saturday . Morne Steyn goes on a run for the Springboks in their Tri Nations win . The All Blacks were trailing 17-3 early in the second half and got within four points before the Springboks sealed victory when Jaque Fourie went over eight minutes from time . All Blacks took the lead through Stephen Donald 's early penalty , but South Africa hit back with 17 points without answer . Frans Steyn and Ruan Pienaar kicked penalties before the latter went over for the first try . Pienaar missed the conversion and carrying a slight injury passed the kicking duties back to Steyn who made a penalty to put them 14-3 up . Morne Steyn took over the kicking in the second half and he was successful with his first attempt to make it 17-3 . The All Blacks then burst into action as Conrad Smith ran through for a superb try which was converted by Donald who then landed a penalty . Steyne and Donald shared penalties before Piri Weepu 's wayward pass was recovered by the Springboks and Fourie went over to punish the error . The conversion was missed to complete a day of wayward kicking by the home side , but after a penalty by Donald , Steyn made no mistake the next time , with his kick three minutes from time finally ending the All Black challenge . South Africa go into the Tri-Nations off the back of a thrilling 2-1 series victory over the British and Irish Lions . | South Africa beat New Zealand 28-19 in Tri-Nations opener in Bloemfontein . Jaque Fourie and Ruan Pienaar crossed for tries for the Springboks . All Blacks hit back from 17-3 down to set up thrilling finale . | [[0, 15], [19, 161], [327, 410], [234, 292]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He has been at the center of Asia 's biggest sex scandal , but now actor Edison Chen has broken his silence on the public episode that has ended careers and caused him to face at least one reported death threat . Internet sex photos of Edison Chen and starlets caused a huge media storm and fall from grace for many . Talking exclusively to CNN on his return to Hong Kong , where he had been forging a career in the movies , Chen reveals his side of the scandal that broke in early last year when hundreds of sexually explicit photos of Chen with other celebrities turned up on the Internet . `` There 's been a lot of talk through the past year and a half about this or that and a lot of rumors , a lot of hearsay , and I feel , you know , I 've kept quiet just to kind of respect everyone and respect the law , '' Chen told CNN . A Hong Kong computer technician was sentenced to more than eight-and-a-half months in jail for dishonestly obtaining access to the intimate photos when Chen sent his computer in for repairs . But it is still unclear exactly how the images made their way to the web . Watch the full exclusive TV interview with Edison Chen online '' The photographs caused shock in Hong Kong and across Asia , with around 1,300 salacious images fueling front page news for tabloids for weeks . There was also a huge public backlash against the 28-year-old who has been one of the rising young stars of Asia cinema . After the scandal broke , Chen , who admitted taking the photos , announced his retirement from Hong Kong 's entertainment business and fled to his native Canada . Added to the media attention , Chen says he faced death threats . A bullet was sent to a TV station in Hong Kong earlier this year warning the entertainer to stay out of the limelight . While Chen issued his own apology for any hurt or embarrassment caused soon after the photos surfaced , he maintains he suffered as well . `` I believed I was a victim . I believed that I was hurt by this a lot . I believed that ... I knew that I had nothing to do with the spreading of these photos , '' he told CNN in the exclusive interview . `` I ca n't say I did n't do anything wrong . I 've admitted that I was wrong , and I would n't say sorry if I was n't wrong . But I also believe that at the same time that I was n't the perpetrator , and I had suffered a lot from this as well . '' Chen has suffered a spectacular fall from grace and some of the starlets in the photos have endured public disgrace in this culturally conservative region . For some , careers have been left in ruins . Chen says he has not spoken to any of the women identified in the photos since the scandal broke . `` Initially it was because I could n't find them . Secondly , it was because I did n't really know how to approach and really what to say to be honest with you , '' Chen told CNN . Cecilia Cheung was one of the actresses identified in the photos and in a recent interview , she had strong criticism for Chen . `` I was n't allowed to talk to her in the initial because of the police request and they were investigating me ... I had so much things on my mind , '' said Chen . `` I 'm not trying to say that that justifies any wrongdoing that she thinks I 've done to her . But I hope that she can understand , and I hope that she can forgive me either today or one day , and she 'll understand that I had my difficulties , and I really , really never wished this to happen upon anyone , and I still respect her . '' Watch the full exclusive TV interview with Edison Chen online . '' Chen talks at length to CNN 's Anjali Rao about the women involved in the photographs , why he took the images , the effect the scandal had on his health , his family and others . | Actor gives exclusive interview with CNN on the sex scandal that rocked Asia . Chen faced death threats ; careers of some girls in explicit photos ruined . Returns to Hong Kong to explain his side of scandal and its effects . Watch even more from the interview in exclusive online only footage . | [[337, 390], [1118, 1179], [2101, 2144], [127, 148], [154, 171], [176, 231], [232, 279], [310, 336], [1644, 1678], [2394, 2480], [2446, 2550], [2551, 2559], [2562, 2595], [2551, 2595], [337, 390], [444, 480], [1118, 1179], [3511, 3574]] |
CHICAGO , Illinois -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama announced key members of his energy team on Monday , naming physicist Steven Chu as secretary of energy , and former EPA administrator Carol Browner to a new post in the White House to coordinate energy and climate policy . Carol Browner was one of four key environmental nominees named by Obama . Obama also named Lisa Jackson , former head of New Jersey 's environmental agency , to serve as his Environmental Protection Agency administrator , and Nancy Sutley , the Los Angeles deputy mayor for energy and environment , to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality . Sutley , a prominent supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton 's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination , is the first high-ranking gay appointee to the Obama administration . `` In the 21st century , we know that the future of our economy and national security is inextricably linked with one challenge : energy , '' Obama said at a news conference to introduce his energy team . `` We 've seen Washington launch policy after policy , yet our dependence on foreign oil has only grown , even as the world 's resources are disappearing , '' he said . `` This time has to be different . This time we can not fail , nor can we be lulled into complacency simply because the price at the pump has for now gone down from $ 4 a gallon . '' Obama called Chu `` uniquely suited to be our next secretary of energy '' for his work on new and cleaner forms of energy . Chu , who runs the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California , won the 1997 Nobel Prize in physics and is highly respected in energy circles . Browner , who was administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the Clinton administration , was named to be the nation 's first `` climate czar , '' working inside the White House on policy issues . `` Carol understands that our efforts to create jobs , achieve energy security , and combat climate change demand integration among different agencies , cooperation between federal , state , and local governments and partnership with the private sector , '' Obama said . He said that Jackson , as commissioner of New Jersey 's Department of Environmental Protection , helped make that state a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and developing new sources of energy . `` Lisa also shares my commitment to restoring the EPA 's robust role in protecting our air , our water , and abundant natural resources so that our environment is cleaner and our communities are safer , '' Obama said . Sutley has been `` at the cutting edge '' of environmental work on the municipal and regional level , Obama said . She will be `` a key player in helping to make our government more efficient in coordinating our efforts to protect our environment at home and around the globe , '' he added . Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa praised the appointment of his deputy mayor to a national post . `` With Nancy on my team , we have made tremendous progress -- from quadrupling our renewable energy portfolio to exceeding the targets set out by the Kyoto Protocol four years ahead of schedule , '' he said in a written statement . Energy is one aspect of the president-elect 's goal to create 2.5 million jobs by 2011 . The plan aims to put Americans to work updating the country 's infrastructure , making public buildings more energy-efficient and implementing environmentally friendly technologies , including alternative energy sources . During his campaign , Obama said he would invest $ 150 billion over 10 years in clean energy . He proposed increasing fuel economy standards and requiring that 10 percent of electricity in the United States comes from renewable sources by 2012 . | Nobel-prize physicist Steven Chu named secretary of energy in Obama 's cabinet . New post created in White House for energy and climate policy coordinator . Obama said he would invest $ 150 billion over 10 years in clean energy . | [[10, 34], [125, 175], [1388, 1393], [1424, 1511], [182, 206], [254, 295], [3511, 3530], [3533, 3605]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An unusual exhibition is confusing and amusing tourists and locals in central Copenhagen this month . Strange signs from around the world can be seen in Copenhagen , Denmark . `` Signspotting '' is a collection of more than 100 signs found by travelers around the world and recreated by travel writer Doug Lansky . `` I wanted it to look as if we 'd stolen the sign or someone with a professional camera had taken a really good picture of it , '' he told CNN . See pictures from Signspotting in Copenhagen . '' Lansky started his collection almost 17 years ago , encouraged by friends who found his photos of strange signs more compelling than his treasured holiday snaps . As a travel columnist for the Chicago Tribune , he set about collecting photos of as many bizarre signs as he could . Interest in the project became so big that he eventually used them to replace the column itself . Signspotting Weekly was taken up by six papers , and before he knew it people began to send him pictures of signs they 'd seen , eventually enough to fill a floor-to-ceiling cabinet . The photos filled two volumes of Signspotting books for Lonely Planet . Lansky chose the best for the first exhibition in Stockholm last year . `` I felt bad I had n't seen them . I knew I was n't going to go around the world to track it down so I thought I 'd do it this way , '' he said . Creating the exhibition took hours of painstaking work to digitally enlarge the photos so they looked like the real thing . `` When most of these people sent these signs in they were on a postcard-sized photo and the actual sign was about the size of a postage stamp . To blow them up to this size was tricky , '' he said . The photos were then mounted onto real signs on metal poles standing in concrete bases . The free exhibition opened in Copenhagen , Denmark last week and will move to Arhus , Denmark on July 1st . Lansky is currently building a second exhibition for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August . | Doug Lansky has been collecting photos of amusing signs for 17 years . The `` Signspotting '' street exhibition opened in Copenhagen last week . Reproducing the life-sized signs from tiny photographs is a painstaking task . Each sign was digitally enlarged and mounted on metal poles . | [[530, 579], [741, 796], [1797, 1837], [1853, 1880], [1384, 1438], [1708, 1728], [1737, 1767], [1708, 1718], [1724, 1767]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- The wind blowing through the streets of Manhattan could n't power the city , but wind machines placed thousands of feet above the city theoretically could . A prototype of a high-altitude wind turbine made by Magenn Power . The first rigorous , worldwide study of high-altitude wind power estimates that there is enough wind energy at altitudes of about 1,600 to 40,000 feet to meet global electricity demand a hundred times over . The very best ground-based wind sites have a wind-power density of less than 1 kilowatt per square meter of area swept . Up near the jet stream above New York , the wind power density can reach 16 kilowatts per square meter . The air up there is a vast potential reservoir of energy , if its intermittency can be overcome . Even better , the best high-altitude wind-power resources match up with highly populated areas including North America 's Eastern Seaboard and China 's coastline . `` The resource is really , really phenomenal , '' said Christine Archer of Cal State University-Chico , who co-authored a paper on the work published in the open-access journal Energies . `` There is a lot of energy up there , but it 's not as steady as we thought . It 's not going to be the silver bullet that will solve all of our energy problems , but it will have a role . '' For centuries , we 've been using high-density fossil fuels , but peaking oil supplies and climate concerns have given new life to green technologies . Unfortunately , renewable energy is generally diffuse , meaning you need to cover a lot of area to get the energy you want . So engineers look for renewable resources that are as dense as possible . On that score , high-altitude wind looks very promising . Wind 's power -- energy which can be used to do work like spinning magnets to generate electricity -- varies with the cube of its speed . So , a small increase in wind speed can lead to a big increase in the amount of mechanical energy you can harvest . High-altitude wind blows fast , is spread nicely across the globe , and is easier to predict than terrestrial wind . These properties have led inventors and scientists to cast their hopes upward , where strong winds have long been known to blow , as Etzler 's dreamy quote shows . During the energy shocks of the 1970s , when new energy ideas of all kinds were bursting forth , engineers and schemers patented several designs for harnessing wind thousands of feet in the air . The two main design frameworks they came up with are still with us today . The first is essentially a power plant in the sky , generating electricity aloft and sending it down to Earth via a conductive tether . The second is more like a kite , transmitting mechanical energy to the ground , where generators turn it into electricity . Theoretically , both approaches could work , but nothing approaching a rigorous evaluation of the technologies has been conducted . The Department of Energy had a very small high-altitude wind program , which produced some of the first good data about the qualities of the wind up there , but it got axed as energy prices dropped in the 1980s and Reagan-era DOE officials directed funds elsewhere . The program has n't been restarted , despite growing attention to renewables , but that 's not because it 's considered a bad idea . Rather , it is seen as just a little too far out on the horizon . `` We 're very much aimed these days at things that we can fairly quickly commercialize , like in the next 10 years or so , '' said National Renewable Energy Laboratory spokesperson George Douglas . Startups like KiteGen , Sky Windpower , Magenn , and Makani -LRB- Google 's secretive fundee -RRB- have come into the space over the last several years , and they seem to be working on much shorter timelines . `` We are not that far from working prototypes , '' Archer said , though she noted that the companies are all incredibly secretive about the data from their testing . Magenn CFO Barry Monette said he expects `` first revenue '' next year when they sell `` two to four '' working prototypes of their blimpy machine , which will operate at much lower altitudes . `` We do think that we 're going to be first -LSB- to market -RSB- , unless something happens , '' Monette said . In the long term , trying to power entire cities with machines like this would be difficult , largely because even in the best locations , the wind will fail at least 5 percent of the time . `` This means that you either need backup power , massive amounts of energy storage , or a continental - or even global-scale electricity grid to assure power availability , '' said co-author Ken Caldeira , an ecologist at Stanford University . `` So , while high-altitude wind may ultimately prove to be a major energy source , it requires substantial infrastructure . '' Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Study : Wind machines placed thousands of feet above New York could power the city . Enough wind energy exists at high altitudes to meet global demand 100 times over . A kite-like device could transmit energy to generators that turn it into electricity . Startups are developing turbines , although they are still in the prototype stage . | [[102, 177], [245, 395], [2538, 2653], [245, 395], [384, 445], [2538, 2653], [2760, 2797]] |
-LRB- OPRAH.com -RRB- -- If there 's anything Oprah Winfrey knows for sure , it 's what the love of a dog can do for your life . `` There is nothing in the world like puppy love , '' Oprah says . Inmates at the Fishkill Correctional Facility work with the dogs to prepare them to help wounded troops . Still , dogs are more than just companions . They can be the eyes for those who ca n't see , lead those who ca n't walk and calm people suffering from conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder . Where do these service dogs get their start ? For some , it all begins behind prison walls ... At the Fishkill Correctional Facility in upstate New York , more than 1,600 men convicted of abuse , robbery and murder are serving their time . `` I 've been incarcerated for robbery in the first degree , '' an inmate named Michael says . `` I really had no regards for other people . It was always me , me , me , me . '' Now , a groundbreaking program called Puppies Behind Bars is transforming these offenders . Inmates are given 8-week-old puppies and taught to train them to become service dogs for the disabled , including wounded soldiers . The puppies and prisoners are together 24 hours a day . The puppies sleep in crates in the inmates ' cells . In return , the puppies give the prisoners something many of them have never experienced before -- unconditional love . `` I 'm going to make my family and those around me proud of me again . Joining this program , it helped me to give myself a sense of pride again . To know that by nurturing and raising these dogs to their fullest potential , that I could give back . '' Oprah.com : Amazing animal friendships you have to see . Animal lover and five-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close first learned about Puppies Behind Bars when she volunteered to help inmates at the women 's prison in her town . She was so moved by the impact of the program that she called `` The Oprah Winfrey Show '' herself to share this story . `` We know the bond that can be created between humans and animals . And there is common knowledge that it 's a healing quality , '' she says . `` The bond that 's created between inmates -- who never knew love , never knew responsibility , have only been told that they 're worthless -- and the bond that they then train their dogs to establish with these wounded returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan is changing their lives . '' Oprah.com : 10 inspiring pets . Roberto is an inmate whose life has been changed by the program . Convicted of second-degree murder , Roberto has been in prison since he was 17 . `` I am now 33 years old . I wish I could turn back the hands of time for the hurt and pain that I 've caused so many people , especially my victim 's family , '' he says . Roberto was chosen for Puppies Behind Bars and immediately bonded with his yellow lab , Frankie . `` From the moment I got her , it was amazing , '' he says . `` There was some beautiful moments in here that I shared with my puppy . '' Eventually , Frankie had to move on -- and Roberto had to say goodbye . `` The first night I was without Frankie , I have to say it was a long night , '' he says . `` It was hard for me to realize that the next morning I was going to wake up and not actually feed her that morning . '' Since leaving Roberto , Frankie has become a lifeline for Sgt. Allen Hill , who suffers from traumatic brain injury and severe combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder after he was hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq . Frankie helps Sgt. Hill overcome his paralyzing , violent flashbacks by kissing his face . After a few months together , Sgt. Hill and Frankie return to Fishkill to meet Roberto . When Frankie sees Roberto , she takes off running . `` She looks beautiful , '' Roberto says . Sgt. Hill thanks Roberto for all that he 's done . `` Frankie has been there for me . She 's been my rock when I 've needed her to help me out with a flashback or a nightmare . I can do things that for a year and a half I could n't do , '' Sgt. Hill says . Roberto is moved . `` This is an overwhelming feeling , and to see you is breathtaking , '' he says . `` And to see what Frankie had done in your life . '' Oprah.com : Animals that are working hard every day . Now paroled , Roberto is expected to be released from prison this summer , but what he learned from Puppies Behind Bars will stay with him forever . `` Being able to be involved in the puppy program has taught me to be a responsible person , '' he says . `` It has taught me patience . '' Sgt. Hill , his wife , Gina , say Frankie has changed their lives . `` The biggest difference that Frankie has made in my life was , one , she allowed me the opportunity to go back to church , '' he says . `` And , two , she 's helping me gain my independence back so I 'm not so reliant on Gina and other family members . '' Gina says she 's starting to see her husband 's playful , energetic side come through once again . `` We 're starting to see that side of him again that we have n't seen in the year and a half he 's been home from Iraq , '' she says . `` Frankie has brought my sons their daddy home . She has lit the light back in him that had been so dark . '' Perhaps the greatest legacy of Puppies Behind Bars is the lesson of love each inmate learns . Jesse , another prisoner at the Fishkill Correctional Facility , is currently training Joy , his third dog . `` She brought forth in me the ability to love again . It had been so dormant in me for so long because of the cold place that I 'm in , '' he says . `` I did n't know that I could love again , and we all get to see how greatly these dogs affect the lives of the people that they touch . '' From The Oprah Winfrey Show 2009 . Subscribe to O , The Oprah Magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . That 's like getting 18 issues FREE . Subscribe now ! TM & © 2009 Harpo Productions , Inc. . All Rights Reserved . | Inmates at Fishkill Correctional Facility train puppies behind bars . The pups will become service dogs for U.S. troops injured in Iraq , Afghanistan . Dog Frankie helps Sgt. Allen Hill overcome paralyzing , violent flashbacks . Trainer Roberto says Frankie taught him patience , responsibility . | [[1012, 1019], [1053, 1144], [2287, 2390], [3513, 3549], [3532, 3581], [4511, 4540]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President-elect Barack Obama will invoke God when he takes the oath of office January 20 , despite a lawsuit filed by atheist and non-religious groups , according to an attorney for Chief Justice John Roberts , who will administer the oath . President-elect Barack Obama has asked to invoke the phrase `` so help me God '' at the end of his oath . The groups have sued in federal court to block any mention of God during the inaugural ceremonies . Roberts was among those named in the suit . However , Obama wishes to conclude the oath with the phrase `` so help me God , '' Jeffrey Minear , an attorney and administrative assistant for Roberts , told a federal court in documents Friday . The Constitution mandates the exact language to be used in the 35-word oath of office : `` I do solemnly swear -LRB- or affirm -RRB- that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States and will to the best of my ability preserve , protect and defend the Constitution of the United States . '' Some chief executives have embellished the oath with `` so help me God . '' It is not constitutionally required , unlike in other federal oaths . Historians have been at odds over whether George Washington established precedent by invoking the phrase on his own at the first inaugural in 1789 . The Library of Congress Web site says he did . Most presidents have used the phrase . iReport.com : Your photos from the inauguration . Inaugural officials and presidents or presidents-elect usually coordinate behind the scenes on whether the judge or government official administering the phrase will invoke it . Michael Newdow , supported by several groups including the American Humanist Association , claims in his lawsuit that `` so help me God '' violates the constitutional ban on government `` endorsement '' of religion . He asked a federal judge to intervene and block references of God or religion in the formal ceremonies . The lawsuit also opposes the traditional invocation and benediction to be delivered by pastors invited by Obama . `` There can be no purpose for placing ` so help me God ' in an oath or sponsoring prayers to God , other than promoting the particular point of view that God exists , '' according to the lawsuit . The federal government revealed in its response that Obama wants to use the phrase . The declaration was apparently aimed at blunting Newdow 's concession that Obama could add the phrase on his own but that Roberts or any government official should not force or prompt him to say it . Among those named in the lawsuit besides the 53-year-old chief justice are the Presidential Inauguration Committee ; the Joint Congressional Committee on Inauguration Ceremonies and its chairwoman , Sen. Dianne Feinstein -LRB- D-California -RRB- ; and the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee and its commander , Maj. Gen. Richard Rowe Jr. . Newdow said December 31 that he did not name Obama in his suit because in addition to participating as a government official in the ceremony , Obama possesses rights as an individual that allow him to express religious beliefs . `` If he chooses to ask for God 's help , I 'm not going to challenge him , '' Newdow said . `` I think it 's unwise . '' A decision from the federal judge is expected in the next few days . The high court ruled against Newdow in 2004 after he tried to block the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited at his daughter 's Sacramento , California-area public school because it contains the phrase `` under God . '' He argued the case himself before the justices , making an impassioned plea that the teacher-led pledge forces religion on impressionable youngsters and carries the stamp of government approval . | Court documents say President-elect Barack Obama asked to invoke God . Groups are suing to block any mention of God during the inaugural ceremonies . Many presidents have added the phrase `` so help me God '' at end of oath . | [[272, 352], [2280, 2364], [2333, 2364], [3138, 3171], [129, 180], [378, 477], [378, 388], [416, 477], [1863, 1967], [338, 377], [1096, 1109], [2121, 2122], [2126, 2179], [3138, 3171]] |
MATURA , Trinidad -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With its white sand and clear , blue water , Trinidad 's Matura Beach looks like a postcard . It 's a far cry from its recent past , when leatherback sea turtle carcasses littered the ground and kept tourists away . Suzan Lakhan Baptiste 's efforts have turned a beach from a leatherback turtle graveyard to a nesting colony . `` Twenty years ago , this was a graveyard , '' Suzan Lakhan Baptiste said of the six-mile stretch of beach near her home . `` The stench was horrendous . You could smell it for miles , '' she said . Saddened and frustrated , Baptiste launched a crusade to help end the slaughter of the gentle giants . Today , she and her group are succeeding : What was once a turtle graveyard is now a maternity ward -- one of the largest leatherback nesting colonies in the world . It has n't been an easy fight for Baptiste or the turtles . For 100 million years , the creatures have traveled the world 's oceans , outliving the dinosaurs . Over the last 30 years , they have become critically endangered worldwide because of fishing , pollution and hunting . For centuries , they 've been hunted throughout the Caribbean for their meat and fins , and also for their eggs , which some people prize as aphrodisiacs . `` Turtles are in serious trouble , '' Baptiste said . Every year , female leatherbacks make their way onto the beach , laying their eggs deep in the sand . It is a long , complicated ritual during which the enormous , slow-moving animals are easy prey for poachers . `` Leatherbacks -LSB- are -RSB- very vulnerable , '' Baptiste said . `` They can not pull their head and flippers back into the shell . They have no sense of defense to actually protect themselves . '' By the 1980s , nearly one in three turtles that nested on Matura Beach were killed . When the government asked for volunteers to help protect the endangered creatures , Baptiste and several others answered the call . In 1990 , they started Nature Seekers , one of Trinidad 's first environmental groups . ` Crazy Turtle Woman ' For years , Baptiste and her group patrolled the beaches every night of turtle nesting season . She often walked alone until sunrise . Locals mocked her efforts , calling her the `` Turtle Police '' or `` Crazy Turtle Woman , '' yet her dedication to the unpaid work was fierce ; when it conflicted with her day job , she quit and found a new job . Leatherbacks were a vital source of income for some members of her village , and the poachers who prowled the beaches with machetes could be threatening . When Baptiste 's then-husband was injured during a patrol , she became more determined to stand her ground . `` I was very vigilant , '' she said , adding that at times , she even got into physical fights . But Baptiste persisted , and a prestigious award from the United Nations Environment Program helped validate her efforts . She and her group also worked hard to convince the villagers that using the turtles for eco-tourism could create a more sustainable income . `` I wanted to show that a turtle is -LSB- worth -RSB- so much more to us alive than dead , '' Baptiste said . Gradually , her message of conservation turned the tide of public opinion , and after nearly two decades under Baptiste 's leadership , Nature Seekers has largely won its battle . Today , the leatherbacks ' survival rate on Matura Beach is virtually 100 percent . `` Here , turtle slaughter is a thing of the past , '' Baptiste proclaimed . Even `` Papa George , '' a village elder who used to hunt leatherbacks with his father , can attest to the cultural shift . `` Suzan brought around the change , '' he said . `` They do n't kill the turtles anymore ... because of the visitors . '' Nearly 10,000 tourists a year , most of whom are Trinidadian , now visit Matura Beach , and many locals make a living by providing them with accommodations , food and souvenirs . Since the beach is a prohibited area during the nesting season , Nature Seekers ' members act as guides , explaining the turtles ' ancient rituals to visitors . In addition , Baptiste and her colleagues gather data on the enormous creatures , tagging and weighing as many leatherbacks as they can . Watch Baptiste and her group weigh a leatherback turtle at night '' During peak season , they might see between 250 or 300 turtles a night . More than 5,000 leatherbacks nest in the area each year . The group 's work is often cited as one of the most successful eco-tourism efforts in the Caribbean . Still , turtle slaughter persists throughout the region , and Baptiste is working to help other groups learn from her success , most recently on the island of Dominica . She finds joy in sharing her hard-earned knowledge . `` The passion that I feel , it burns me up , '' she said . `` I have seen the fruits of our labor , and it can happen in every community . '' Watch how Baptiste helped end the slaughter of turtles in her community '' Her efforts -- and those of many others around the region -- are making a difference . While leatherbacks are still critically endangered worldwide , the Caribbean population has begun to rebound . `` When I got started , a lot of people thought I was crazy , '' Baptiste said , and she admits that she sometimes wondered if they were right . Reflecting on what she and her team have accomplished , she now believes it was worth it . `` I love being crazy , you know ? '' she said , laughing . `` Crazy with a passion , crazy with a dream -- totally environmentally crazy . '' Want to get involved ? Check out Nature Seekers and see how to help . | Suzan Lakhan Baptiste helped end leatherback turtle slaughter in her community . Her nonprofit Nature Seekers promotes turtle conservation throughout the Caribbean . The group 's efforts contribute to eco-tourism in the area . Do you know a hero ? Nominations are open at CNN.com / Heroes . | [[4885, 4956], [4895, 4956], [4417, 4434], [4438, 4518]] |
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