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LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The last British soldier to serve in World War I was buried Thursday , marking `` the passing of a generation , '' the British veterans minister said . The coffin draped in a Union Jack flag is taken away from Well Cathedral . Harry Patch died July 25 at the age of 111 , a week after fellow British World War I veteran Henry Allingham died at the age of 113 . A party of pallbearers escorting his coffin was made up of two Belgian , two French , and two German infantrymen , while his coffin was carried by six soldiers from a unit that incorporated the one he served in during World War I. Patch was buried in the cathedral in the city of Wells , southwest England , where he lived . He joined the army at the age of 18 and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele at Ypres , Belgium , in 1917 . He was seriously wounded in the battle , in which more than 70,000 of his fellow soldiers died -- including three of his close friends . `` Today marks the passing of a generation , and of a man who dedicated his final years to spreading the message of peace and reconciliation , '' Veterans Minister Kevan Jones said . `` Active participation in the Great War is now no longer part of living memory in this country , but Harry Patch will continue to be a symbol of the bravery and sacrifice shown by him and those he served with , '' he said . `` In his passing we have lost our last living link to the fighting in the trenches of the Western Front and a member of a generation that stood firm in the face of extraordinary adversity and unimaginable suffering , '' said Gen. Richard Dannatt , the head of the British army . `` But today above all else we give thanks for the life of a brave and inspirational man whose message of reconciliation and peace has reached and touched so many , '' he said . The funeral was attended by the acting head of the British government and the wife of Prince Charles , among thousands of others , the Ministry of Defence said . Patch was the last British man living in the United Kingdom to have served in the trenches on the Western Front , the Ministry of Defence said . Born in 1898 , Patch became a plumber before being conscripted to the army in 1916 . His unit , The Duke of Cornwall 's Light Infantry , was rushed to the front-line trenches of Ypres , where soldiers were urgently needed to replace those who were wounded and dying by the thousands . He fought in the trenches between June and September of 1917 and was involved in some of the fiercest fighting of the war . In late September he was wounded when a light shell exploded above his head , bringing an end to his military service . He received battlefield treatment without anesthetic . After the war ended in 1918 , Patch returned to his work as a plumber and later became a sanitary engineer . He married Ada Billington , a young woman he met while convalescing after the battle . They married in 1919 and had two sons . In World War II , Patch joined the Auxiliary Fire Service and helped tackle the fires caused by heavy German raids on the English cities of Bath and Bristol . At one point he was sent to organize sanitary arrangements for soldiers at a camp near Yeovil , in southwest England , where he became friendly with some of the men . Patch remembered the shock of finding the camp deserted , with coffee still hot and meals half-eaten , on the morning that the soldiers had gone off for the invasion of France , the Ministry of Defence said . His wife , Ada , died in 1976 , and their two sons also later died . Patch remarried in 1980 , but he became a widower for the second time four years later . Patch did n't speak about the war until he turned 100 , the Ministry of Defence said . `` He tried to suppress the memories and to live as normal a life as possible ; the culture of his time said that he was fortunate to have survived and that he should get on with his life , '' a Ministry of Defence biography says . `` That suited Harry ; he could ` forget ' his demons , the memories of what happened to him and to his close friends . '' In 1998 , a television producer with an interest in the war talked to Patch , who then made the decision to speak of his memories , the ministry said . He took part in a documentary on the war and began gradually to open up . It was n't long before Patch became a spokesman for his generation , speaking about the horrors of the war as well as his own emotions and reactions , the ministry said . `` In speaking about his experiences , Harry began at last to come to terms with his war , and was at peace with himself and his memories , '' the ministry said . `` His thoughts then turned to reconciliation , to the long-term effects of suffering and coming to terms with that suffering . '' Patch returned to Belgium in 2002 , something he had said he would never do , and laid a wreath in honor of his battalion , the Defence Ministry said . Two years later , he met and shook hands with a German artilleryman from the Western Front , Charles Kuentz . Patch later laid a wreath at Langemark Cemetery for the German war dead . In his last years , Patch was honored at Buckingham Palace and the prime minister 's residence at 10 Downing Street . On his 101st birthday France awarded him the Knighthood of the Legion of Honor , and this year President Nicolas Sarkozy upgraded that to the rank of officer . Last year , King Albert II of Belgium made Patch a Knight of the Order of Leopold . `` Harry was delighted to receive these awards and wore the medals with great pride , but he always made it clear that he wore these medals as a representative of the selfless generation he had come to represent , '' the Ministry of Defence said . In 2007 , Patch wrote a book detailing his life , called `` The Last Fighting Tommy . '' The name referred to the slang term for British privates . `` While the country may remember Harry as a soldier , we will remember him as a dear friend , '' said Jim Ross , a close friend . `` He was a man of peace who used his great age and fame as the last survivor of the trenches to communicate two simple messages : Remember with gratitude and respect those who served on all sides , -LRB- and -RRB- settle disputes by discussion , not war . '' | Funeral service held for WWI veteran Harry Patch . Patch fought in Battle of Passchendaele in 1917 . Soldiers from Germany , Belgium , France and Britain attended funeral service . Friend said Patch 's message was `` settle disputes by discussion , not war '' | [[722, 724], [762, 808], [821, 830]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sonia Sotomayor , who rose from humble roots in a Bronx , New York , housing project to a high-powered legal career , was sworn in Saturday as the 111th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court . Judge Sonia Sotomayor takes the judicial oath Saturday as her mother , Celina , holds the Bible . With friends and family looking on , the 55-year-old jurist took the judicial oath in the court 's wood-paneled East Conference Room , pledging to `` faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me . '' It was the first time such a ceremony was televised . Chief Justice John Roberts administered the 62-word oath required of all federal judges . In a private ceremony just moments before , Sotomayor took a separate , constitutional oath across the hall . Both oaths are necessary for her to assume her new duties . As her mother , Celina , held a ceremonial Bible , Sotomayor beamed as she waved to relatives and guests when she entered the room for the public ceremony . Among those in the room was her brother , Juan Sotomayor . Watch Sotomayor take the oath '' Roberts made brief preliminary remarks , telling the audience of about 60 that after the swearing-in , Sotomayor can `` begin her duties as an associate justice without delay . '' `` Congratulations and welcome to the court , '' he said afterward . Sotomayor made no statements and did not answer questions . She hugged her mother and several people in the front row . The newest justice can begin moving into her chambers and preparing for the upcoming fall term . The other justices plan to return early from their three-month recess to hear a case September 9 on free speech and campaign finance laws . Sources close to Sotomayor say she has already begun reading up on the caseload , and will soon formally hire four law clerks . She also will have two secretaries and a messenger to assist her . Justice Anthony Kennedy was the only current Supreme Court member on hand for the swearing-in ceremony . David Souter , whom Sotomayor replaces on the bench , was not there . He has retired to New Hampshire . The Senate confirmed Sotomayor on Thursday in a 68-31 vote . President Obama , who did not attend the swearing-in , will welcome his first high court appointee to the White House for a reception Wednesday . Watch Senate vote '' Obama , who selected Sotomayor on May 26 , said Thursday he was `` deeply gratified '' by the Senate vote . `` This is a wonderful day for Judge Sotomayor and her family , but I also think it 's a wonderful day for America , '' he said in brief remarks . Sotomayor , who watched Thursday 's final vote surrounded by friends and family at the federal courthouse in Manhattan , was confirmed after senators spent a final day of debate rehashing the main arguments for and against her . Democrats continued to praise Sotomayor as a fair and impartial jurist with an extraordinary life story . Many Republicans portrayed her as a judicial activist intent on reinterpreting the law to conform with her own liberal political beliefs . See how Sotomayor measures up to other justices '' Sotomayor 's confirmation capped an inspiring personal and professional journey . Her parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II . Her father worked in a factory and did not speak English well . She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project , not too far from the stadium of her favorite team , the New York Yankees . Her father died when she was 9 . Her mother , whom Sotomayor has described as her biggest inspiration , worked six days a week as a nurse to care for her and her younger brother . Sotomayor graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and attended Yale Law School , where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal . She worked at nearly every level of the judicial system over a three-decade career before being tapped by Obama . Her supporters touted her as someone with bipartisan favor and historic appeal . President George H.W. Bush named her a district judge in 1992 . She had served as a judge on the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals since President Bill Clinton appointed her in 1998 . Prior to her judicial appointments , Sotomayor was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes . | NEW : Sonia Sotomayor 's mother , Celina , holds Bible for ceremony . NEW : Sotomayor makes no remarks , shares hugs with loved ones . New justice becomes first Hispanic to serve on Supreme Court , third woman . Sotomayor will start work in September to hear challenge to campaign finance bill . | [[858, 868], [880, 903], [1353, 1381], [1615, 1709]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An autopsy report issued Friday by Hillsborough County , Florida , cites cocaine as a contributing factor in the death of TV pitchman Billy Mays , who died in June at age 50 . The Hillsborough County medical examiner 's office said cocaine use contributed to Billy Mays ' heart disease . `` Mays died from a lethal arrhythmia of the heart caused by hypertensive and arteriosclerotic heart disease , '' the county said in a statement attributed to Dr. Leszek Chrostowski , the associate medical examiner who conducted the autopsy . `` He further concluded that cocaine use caused or contributed to the development of his heart disease , and therefore contributed to his death , '' it added . The fact that toxicology tests detected only breakdown products of cocaine , not the drug itself , led Chrostowski to conclude that Mays had used cocaine `` in the few days prior to death but not immediately prior to death . '' Cocaine is a stimulant that can raise blood pressure and thicken the wall of the left ventricle of the heart , one of the organ 's four main pumping chambers . The autopsy also found low concentrations of ethyl alcohol `` consistent with social consumption of a few beverages '' as well as the narcotic drugs hydrocodone , oxycodone and tramadol . Mays had prescriptions for the drugs -- which were found in therapeutic or subtherapeutic concentrations -- to ease hip pain . In addition , the tests found evidence of two tranquilizers -- alprazolam -LRB- Xanax -RRB- and diazepam -LRB- Valium -RRB- -- which are commonly prescribed for a variety of ailments , including anxiety and insomnia . Both drugs were determined to be in therapeutic or subtherapeutic concentrations . Mays was found dead at his home near Tampa on June 28 . Mays , with his booming voice , was famous for fronting products such as OxiClean and Orange Glo in TV commercials . | Cocaine contributed to Billy Mays ' death , says autopsy report . Mays died from heart disease ; cocaine use played role in illness , report said . Mays died June 28 . | [[0, 15], [86, 163], [195, 306], [251, 306], [550, 555], [564, 693], [0, 15], [86, 163], [195, 306], [251, 306], [307, 357], [550, 555], [564, 693], [141, 163], [170, 194], [1714, 1769]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Holly Williams is one of the only artists in country music male or female who does n't have a stylist . But then again , she might be the only entertainer in Nashville who owns a clothing boutique . Holly Williams is daughter of musician Hank Williams Jr. and granddaughter of musician Hank Williams Sr. . The chic women 's store is named H. Audrey after her maternal grandmother , who was the first wife of the late country music icon Hank Williams . Holly 's father is Bocephus -- the legendary hellraiser and three-time CMA Entertainer of the Year otherwise known as Hank Williams Jr. . She got her height from him . With heels on , she 's about 6-foot-3 -- all tanned legs and long , blonde hair . She looks like a star . And at 28 , she wants to earn the right to be one . Williams just released her sophomore album , `` Here With Me '' -LRB- Mercury Nashville -RRB- . Most of the 11 tracks are self-penned , and she sings them with emotional honesty in a smoky , soulful voice . The characters in her lyrics are friends , family and lovers from the past . She also has a man in her present : On July 24 , she became engaged to Chris Coleman , the drummer in her band . Watch Williams show off her talents '' Williams spoke with CNN about her new album and her family 's legacy . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : Your new album was released the same day as your dad 's new album . Was that planned ? Holly Williams : It was n't planned at all . About three weeks before my release , I was looking over to see who else was coming out that day , and it said , `` Hank Jr. '' -- and I 'm going , `` Is this something my manager planned ? '' And it 's just so random , because out of the 52 weeks of the year , it just happened . CNN : What did he think about the album ? Williams : Well , this is embarrassing , but I have n't sent him a copy yet ! I need to . He 's heard two of the singles . He 's always been a huge supporter of the songwriting , and just been a great encourager with me . CNN : What was it like when you were growing up ? Williams : Well , my mom raised my sister and me . -LSB- My parents -RSB- split when we were 3 and 5 , and he was touring 300 nights a year . We 'd see him every few months when he was off the road , and we 'd go up there and hunt and fish and be on the farm . But my mom did all the rules and curfews and all that . CNN : Your mother does n't seem jaded by the music industry at all . Williams : Oh , she does n't at all . They split in ' 83 , so when they first got married in ' 77 , he was still a struggling artist and doing small theater shows . My single out right now is called `` Mama '' that I wrote ... is kind of a thank-you song , because she was always the most positive influence -- had so much light . My dad always talks about what a great mom she was , and they 're still close friends . CNN : What was it like for you going into the music industry ? Was there a lot of pressure ? Williams : The songwriting hit me at a very young age . Eight , 9 , 10 is when I started writing . Went away from it for a few years , and at 17 picked up a guitar and it was just on from there . I 'm 28 now , and I 've been doing it for 10 years nonstop . I put out an EP myself when I was 20 , and paid 200 bucks for my Web site , and traveled over in the U.K. alone with a backpack . And in the U.S. , I just took my mom 's Suburban and followed everyone from Train , John Mellencamp , Billy Bob Thornton -- everyone 's bus -- and just did any show I could , whether they paid or not . Just played , played , played . CNN : Do you remember the first song you wrote when you were 8 ? Williams : I do . The first song I wrote was called `` Who Am I , '' and it 's funny because it was very serious . I had a very happy childhood , but it was very introspective about this broken marriage , and I wanted Tiffany or Debbie Gibson to cut it . I remember just telling my mom , `` Just please call the publishing company . ... `` I was so ambitious . I remember making cassette tapes and mailing them to Music Row . CNN : What was the reaction from those tapes ? Williams : I 'm sure there was never any response . I 'm sure people just laughed . I was not as talented as Taylor Swift when I was 15 , 16 . I could write a decent song , but I could n't sing that well at that age . CNN : You have a love for rock 'n' roll . Why did you go into country with this album ? Williams : Growing up in my house , you would assume I was growing up around country music with my dad being Hank Williams Jr. . But he did not bring music home . He always said , `` I 'm not Bocephus to you . I 'm Daddy . '' So I was really left to my own devices to find music on my own . And I really fell in love with the singer-songwriters of the '70s -- Tom Waits , Neil Young , Jackson Browne , Bob Dylan , Joni Mitchell , Carole King -- that whole era really struck me . And when I heard Hank Williams Sr. 's name mentioned from those people -- from Leonard Cohen to Bruce Springsteen -- that 's what really brought me back around to learning more about my grandfather . My music is still based in that singer-songwriter tradition . Adding a fiddle and steel guitar makes it more country , and adding blazing electric guitars makes it more rock . I 'm on a country label now . CNN : You also own a clothing boutique in Nashville called H. Audrey . Williams : Everything I have on , except my shoes , is from there . ... It 's a struggle in this economy , but we make enough to pay our payroll and buy the clothes . And it 's nice to fold jeans every now and again , and get my mind out of myself . CNN : When you 're writing down your goals on your wish list , what is it you really want ? Williams : I would love to sell a million records . I would love to play in arenas -- but what I really want to build is a core fanbase , and just hopefully build a place in the Williams family . | Country music scion Holly Williams has new album out , `` Here With Me '' Williams is daughter of Hank Jr. , granddaughter of Hank Sr. . Williams sings country , but influenced by '70s singer-songwriters . | [[243, 329], [5158, 5166], [5170, 5219]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A three-day manhunt ended when officials caught a murder suspect who escaped from a southeastern Louisiana jail with three other inmates , a police news release said . Timothy Murray , 29 , who is charged with murder , has been recaptured , authorities in Louisiana say . Police found Timothy Murray at about 1 a.m. Sunday in a wooded stretch in the Folsom area of St. Tammany Parish , the release said . Police returned Murray to the St. Tammany Parish Jail in Covington , north of New Orleans , Louisiana . Murray , 29 , is charged with murder , said Capt. George Bonnett of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff 's Office . Three other escapees were rearrested Friday , Bonnett said . Thursday night 's escape by Murray and the three others prompted a massive search using dogs , three helicopters and more than 100 officers , Bonnett said . Bonnett said he could not speak to how long it took to plan the escape , but that `` it clearly was a situation where there appeared to be a great amount of planning and forethought . '' The inmates captured Friday were Gary Slaydon , 27 ; Eric Buras , 30 ; and Jason Gainey , 27 . Slaydon is charged with attempted murder , and Buras is a murder suspect . Gainey has been convicted of murder . They were found in a wooded area about a mile from the jail , Bonnett said . The men escaped about 9 p.m. Thursday , Bonnett said , and the escape was not discovered until a resident and Covington police reported seeing what appeared to be inmates in jail uniforms walking down a street . About the time those calls came in , jailers were doing a routine head count and found the four men missing , Bonnett said . | Escaped inmate captured in Louisiana after three-day manhunt , police say . Man , 29 , is charged with murder , police say . Four men escaped from jail in St. Tammany Parish , Louisiana , last week . Three found earlier in area near jail north of New Orleans , official says . | [[187, 206], [238, 257], [187, 201], [204, 208], [213, 235], [528, 534], [537, 539], [542, 564], [50, 155]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We hear that a lot of young people do n't care or worry about the economy and finances . But take it from a 23-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter : They do and should care . Kelly Evans , 23 , is an economics reporter for The Wall Street Journal . Kelly Evans started as an economics reporter at the paper as the economy started getting bad a year and a half ago . She has since seen the resilience of the people in her generation as they adapt to a changing job market . CNN 's Nicole Lapin talked to Evans about what young people should be doing to deal with the tough times . The following is an edited transcript of the interview : . Nicole Lapin : What do you tell young people to make economic news relevant to them ? Watch the entire interview with Kelly Evans '' Kelly Evans : We really , really do try to explain to people , past some of the language and the jargon , to say that economics is really about what 's happening : your job , your income , demographics , poverty rates , and what it looks like across the country . There are some terms that may seem unfamiliar , but I think if you sit down and read through our coverage , you 'll see that a lot of it makes sense . I feel very proud of the fact that over the last year , year and a half , a lot of the articles that I 've written and a lot of the articles that we 've written as an economics team have done a lot to point out the risks out there so that this did n't just come out of nowhere . Lapin : So what are some of the things that young people should really focus on ? Is it a 401 -LRB- k -RRB- ? Is it savings ? Is it a combination of the two , perhaps ? Evans : Well , I think for most young people , the big thing right now is a career or a job path . Whether you 're in high school or you 're in college , you 're thinking , `` What am I going to do when I get out ? Do I want to be a doctor , or a lawyer ? '' I think less people want to be in banking than did a few years ago , and so I 'm curious as a reporter what is perceived to be the golden ticket nowadays . Certainly health care , education are some of the more reliable places to go right now . So what I would say mostly is make sure you 're in a good financial position . Do whatever you can for yourself . But really make sure you 're investing in your education or skills , maybe the language skills in particular , that will be really important down the road . I think that ends up paying off in human capital . It 's really important . Lapin : What kind of tips do you give to youngsters who are about to get out of school ? Evans : I would encourage people who are looking at colleges to ignore the brand name and really go with what is going to be the best value to you . | Kelly Evans is an economics reporter for The Wall Street Journal . She says in this economy , young people should focus on education , job path . She strives to provide common-sense information about complicated economy . When looking for college , Evans says , do n't focus on `` brand name '' | [[196, 207], [215, 269], [1703, 1754], [2604, 2692]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Monday he did not call for a ban on Facebook during the country 's presidential election . President Ahmadinejad 's challengers are using new technology to spread their message . `` I should make an inquiry and ask about this , '' he said when asked about reports that his government blocked access to the online social networking site . He added , `` I believe in maximum freedom of expression . '' The hardline Iranian president made the comment in response to a question from CNN at a news conference . Asked whether he would order that access to Facebook be reinstated , Ahmadinejad responded that he would `` see if there is a complaint '' that may be presented to the judiciary . The semi-official Iranian Labor News Agency reported over the weekend that the Iranian government had blocked Facebook amid political jockeying for the June 12 presidential election . Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi -- a former prime minister considered a threat to Ahmadinejad -- has created a Facebook page for his campaign and has more than 5,000 supporters on the site . Those attempting to visit Facebook were receiving a message in Farsi saying , `` Access to this site is not possible , '' according to CNN personnel in Tehran . The news agency reported the Masadiq Committee , made up of representatives from Iran 's intelligence ministry , judiciary and others , had ordered the action . After a few hours , the block was lifted , but then reinstated later , the agency said . No reason was given . `` We are disappointed to learn of reports that users in Iran may not have access to Facebook , especially at a time when voters are turning to the Internet as a source of information about election candidates and their positions , '' a Facebook spokesperson said in a written statement . `` We are investigating these reports . `` We believe that people around the world should be able to use Facebook to communicate and share information with their friends , family and co-workers . It is always a shame when a countries ' cultural and political concerns lead to limits being placed on the opportunity for sharing and expression that the Internet provides . '' Ahmadinejad 's challengers are increasingly turning to new technology to spread their message , according to a May 13 article in the Financial Times newspaper . Iran 's population -- estimated at more than 66 million by July 2009 , according to the CIA World Factbook -- has a median age of 27 . The Financial Times , which put the country 's population at 70 million , said 47 million Iranians have cell phones and 21 million have Internet access . `` We are using new technologies because they have the capacity to be multiplied by people themselves who can forward Bluetooth , e-mails and text messages and invite more supporters on Facebook , '' Behzad Mortazavi , head of Mousavi 's campaign committee , told the Financial Times . At a Mousavi rally at a stadium Saturday , the Facebook blockage was a topic of conversation among reporters . Many said they had accessed Facebook on Friday night and believe the site was blocked Saturday morning . CNN 's Reza Sayah and Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report . | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he did not call for a ban on Facebook . Ahmadinejad : `` I believe in maximum freedom of expression '' Ahmadinejad 's opponents are using new technology to spread message . Reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi created Facebook page for campaign . | [[0, 6], [9, 166], [414, 422], [426, 472], [167, 254], [214, 254], [2241, 2334], [946, 985], [1036, 1095], [946, 985], [1100, 1144]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The crown of the Statue of Liberty will reopen to tourists on July 4 . The Statue of Liberty welcomes visitors , immigrants , and returning Americans . The crown was closed after the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 , for safety and security reasons . The National Park Service closed the attraction amid worries that it would be difficult for visitors to evacuate quickly in the event of an emergency . Visitors must climb a narrow 168-step double-helix spiral staircase to get to the crown . Since the closing , tourists have been able to visit other parts of the statue . iReport.com : Show us your best Statue of Liberty shots . The federal government planned to give `` America a special gift '' by re-opening the crown , Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in May . `` We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to Lady Liberty 's crown for a unique view of New York Harbor , where the forebears of millions of American families first saw the world , '' he said in a statement . Access to the crown will be limited to 10 people at a time , guided by a National Park Service ranger . `` We can not eliminate all the risk of climbing to the crown , but we are taking steps to make it safer , '' Salazar said . The measures include raising the handrails on the spiral staircase and stationing rangers throughout the Statue to help visitors . The Statue of Liberty will be open for the next two years , then closed again for `` work on a long-term solution that will improve safety and security permanently , '' according to the U.S. Department of the Interior . A gift from France to the United States , the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886 , designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for its centennial on July 4 , 1986 . It stands just across New York Harbor from where the Twin Towers stood . | The Statue of Liberty 's crown will reopen to the public on July 4 . The crown has been closed since the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks . iReporters shared photos of the statue , which CNN combined in a mosaic . iReport.com : See , share your photos of Lady Liberty . | [[0, 24], [52, 98], [180, 251], [611, 668]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The French National Assembly announced Tuesday the creation of an inquiry into whether women in France should be allowed to wear the burka , one day after President Nicolas Sarkozy controversially told lawmakers that the traditional Muslim garment was `` not welcome '' in France . A woman wears traditionnal Muslim dress n Venissieux , near Lyon . A cross-party panel of 32 lawmakers will investigate whether the traditional Muslim garment poses a threat to the secular nature of the French constitution . They are due to report back with their recommendations in six months . Last week 57 lawmakers -- led by communist legislator Andre Gerin -- signed a petition calling for a study into the feasibility of legislation to ban the burka in public places . On Monday Sarkozy declared in a keynote parliamentary address that the burka , which covers women from head to toe , is `` not welcome '' in France . Watch why burkas are such a controversial issue in France '' `` The problem of the burka is not a religious problem . This is an issue of a woman 's freedom and dignity . This is not a religious symbol . It is a sign of subservience ; it is a sign of lowering . I want to say solemnly , the burka is not welcome in France , '' Sarkozy told lawmakers . The right of Muslim women to cover themselves is fiercely debated in France , which has a large Muslim minority but also a staunchly secular constitution . Should Muslim women in France be banned from wearing the burka ? Sound Off below . In 2004 , the French parliament passed legislation banning Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in state schools , prompting widespread Muslim protests . The law also banned other conspicuous religious symbols including Sikh turbans , large Christian crucifixes and Jewish skull caps . Last year , France 's top court denied a Moroccan woman 's naturalization request on the grounds that she wore a burka . Some lawmakers have called for burkas to be banned completely , claiming they are degrading to women . They also include housing minister Fadela Amara , a Muslim-born women 's rights campaigner , who has called the garment `` a kind of tomb for women . '' `` We can not accept in our country women trapped behind a fence , cut off from social life , deprived of any identity . This is not the idea that we have of a woman 's dignity , '' Sarkozy said Monday . But French Muslim leaders say that only a small minority of women wear the full veil and had previously criticized calls for the issue to be the subject of a parliamentary inquiry . `` To raise the subject like this , via a parliamentary committee , is a way of stigmatizing Islam and the Muslims of France , '' Mohammed Moussaoui , the head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion , told AFP last week . `` We are shocked by the idea parliament should be put to work on such a marginal issue . '' According to CIA estimates , between 5 and 10 percent of France 's 64 million population are Muslim . The country does not collect its own statistics on religion in accordance with laws enshrining France 's status as a secular state . France is not the only European Union country to have considered banning the burka . Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a ban in 2005 , although the government of the time was defeated in elections before it could pass legislation to outlaw the garment . | French lawmakers to consider whether burka threatens French secularism . Panel set up after President Sarkozy says burka not welcome in France . Debate is raging in France about Muslim women wearing the traditional garment . | [[8, 30], [34, 107], [383, 540], [444, 540], [2525, 2581], [189, 315], [858, 867], [908, 940], [1228, 1262], [1293, 1368]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The backdrop to countless movies and television shows , Los Angeles has been reproduced on film more times than any other city on the planet . The L.A. metropolis spreads over nearly 500 square miles . But just like the movie sets that went up in flames last year at Universal Studios , the Tinseltown glamour is often no more than a flimsy facade . Behind the myth of Hollywood lies a swirling melting pot of a place where nearly half of people speak Spanish and where , for every rising star , there 's at least a hundred wannabes waiting tables or entertaining tourists on Venice Beach . At once a Lalaland filled with dreamers , Los Angeles has also been scene to some of the worst race riots in American history : a paradoxical place that spawned both Charlie Chaplin and Gangsta Rap . These days , aside from the smog -- an ever present in a city plagued with so many cars and so little rainfall -- the atmosphere is less toxic than two decades ago when the city was awash with crack cocaine and guns . Watch Wolfgang Puck take CNN on a tour of L.A. '' Schemes to gentrify the downtown and other areas , such as the construction of the Hollywood and Highland complex that includes the Kodak Theater -- home to the Oscars since 2002 -- have gone some way to revitalizing the inner city . In any case , in a city with an estimated population of 3.8 million sprawling over a metropolis nearly 500 square miles in size , it 's easy to avoid the sharper edges if you want to . Not that that 's so surprising . After all , where better to detune from reality than in a town whose success is entirely founded on our appetite for escapism . And from its world class art galleries to the unashamed schmaltz of Disneyland and the Hollywood Walk of Fame , it offers escapism for all tastes . The Los Angeles story started in the late nineteenth century when Midwesterners attracted by the promise of a warm , dry climate followed the railroad west . The boom times risked coming to a premature halt at the turn of the century due to water shortages , but the smart engineering and dark maneuverings of the city water department -LRB- maneuverings that helped inspire the classic film noir , Chinatown -RRB- resulted in the construction of water aqueducts that ensured the city 's continued growth . See pictures of Wolfgang Puck 's Los Angeles . In the end though , light was the natural resource that mattered most . From the 1920s onwards , the motion picture industry grew into a worldwide phenomenon thanks to the abundance of clear , blue skies to help light the movie moguls sets . By the time the Golden Age of Hollywood came to an end , the boom town had morphed into a sprawling urban center and the lure of the limelight had earned the city the tag it retains to this day , that of `` entertainment capital of the world . '' In the early nineties , the story lost its luster somewhat when years of marginalization suffered by African Americans found a rallying point in the Rodney King beating . Despite a video that appeared to show police violently attacking King , the accused officers were acquitted . The verdict led to rioting in which 53 people died and large areas went up in flames . The city is certainly no angel , it 's true . Even so , whether it 's tattooed bodybuilders rollerblading Santa Monica Boulevard , a Marilyn Monroe look alike blowing kisses outside Grauman 's Chinese Theater or a blood red sunset dropping into the Pacific , Los Angeles is a place with a rare ability to beguile and bemuse in equal measure . | Los Angeles is known as `` the entertainment capital of the world '' Since the railroad came west it has grown to a metropolis of 3.8 million . The city has seen racial tensions , notably race riots in the early 90s . | [[1341, 1389], [1368, 1439], [2602, 2613], [2659, 2714], [610, 628], [652, 735]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The sponsor of a proposal to rein in aggressive celebrity photographers is meeting resistance from Los Angeles ' top cop , who says the law is not needed when celebrities just behave . Photographers swarm a car carrying Britney Spears after a Los Angeles court appearance in October 2007 . City Councilman Dennis Zine wants to require photographers to stay a safe distance from celebrities . His proposed ordinance is nicknamed the `` Britney Law '' for the hordes of paparazzi that swarm around pop star Britney Spears , sometimes costing the city thousands of dollars for escorts and other enforcement . `` They act like a pack of wolves stalking their prey , creating havoc in the streets , and are nuisances to innocent bystanders , '' Zine said at a task force hearing he convened Thursday . Watch how paparazzi spy on Hollywood stars '' The proposal gained exposure last month when officials from around Southern California asked former independent counsel Kenneth Starr -- whose investigation of former President Clinton spawned its own share of tabloid headlines -- to help craft a law that would protect celebrities without infringing on freedom of the press . iReport.com : Share your celeb stories and photos . Critics of the plan include Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton , who argues that it would be difficult to enforce . He also says existing laws can keep unruly packs of photographers in check . The chief said the city 's tabloid darlings could help by providing photographers less to work with . `` If celebrities behave themselves , that solves about 90 percent of the problem , '' Bratton said . `` Britney , the last couple of days , has started wearing clothes again . The paparazzi are leaving town because she 's not as interesting when she 's not running around without her underwear on . '' He said actress Lindsay Lohan `` evidently found a new love life , so she 's probably in New York hanging out '' and that `` God knows '' where billionaire heiress Paris Hilton had been . `` She 's thankfully disappeared from the scene , '' Bratton said . At the hearing , members of the paparazzi also said the law would be impossible to enforce . `` Unless every celebrity has a chaperone of a police officer with a 6-foot tape measure , how are you going to enforce it ? '' said photographer Nick Stern . Those attending included musician John Mayer , actor Eric Roberts , sheriff 's officials , representatives of the Screen Actors Guild and officials from West Hollywood , Beverly Hills and Malibu . CNN 's Kareen Wynter contributed to this report . | Councilman wants to require photographers to keep distance from celebrities . Critics say ` Britney Law ' would be difficult to enforce . Police chief says law would be unnecessary if celebs behaved themselves . | [[334, 435], [379, 435], [1294, 1334], [1341, 1387], [2126, 2140], [2143, 2167], [2173, 2218], [143, 164], [171, 228]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ed McMahon , the longtime pitchman and Johnny Carson sidekick whose `` Heeeeeeerre 's Johnny ! '' became a part of the vernacular , has died . Ed McMahon had suffered several health problems in recent years . McMahon passed away peacefully shortly after midnight at the Ronald Reagan/UCLA Medical Center , his publicist , Howard Bragman , said Tuesday . McMahon , 86 , was hospitalized in February with pneumonia and other medical problems . He had suffered a number of health problems in recent years , including a neck injury caused by a 2007 fall . In 2002 , he sued various insurance companies and contractors over mold in his house and later collected a $ 7 million settlement . Though he later hosted a variety of shows -- including `` Star Search '' and `` TV 's Bloopers and Practical Jokes , '' McMahon 's biggest fame came alongside Carson on `` The Tonight Show , '' which Carson hosted from 1962 to 1992 . The two met not long after Carson began hosting the game show `` Who Do You Trust ? '' in 1957 . iReport.com : Share your memories of Ed McMahon . `` Johnny did n't look as if he was dying to see me , '' McMahon , who was hosting a show on a Philadelphia TV station , told People magazine in 1980 about the pair 's first meeting . `` He was standing with his back to the door , staring at a couple of workmen putting letters on a theater marquee . I walked over and stood beside him . Finally the two guys finished , and Johnny asked , ` What have you been doing ? ' I told him . He said , ` Good to meet you , Ed , ' shook my hand , and I was out of the office . The whole meeting was about as exciting as watching a traffic light change . '' Watch McMahon discuss meeting Johnny Carson '' Though McMahon was surprised to be offered the job as Carson 's sidekick , the two soon proved to have a strong chemistry . Carson was , by nature , introverted and dry-witted ; McMahon was the boisterous and outgoing second banana , content to give Carson straight lines or laugh uproariously at his jokes -LRB- a characteristic much-parodied by comedians -RRB- . Watch Comedian Joan Rivers recall McMahon '' Carson made cracks about McMahon 's weight , his drinking and the men 's trouble with divorce . McMahon was married three times ; Carson , who died in 2005 , had four wives . McMahon was also the show 's designated pitchman , a talent he honed to perfection during `` Tonight 's '' 30-year run with Carson , even if sometimes the in-show commercial spots fell flat . For one of the show 's regular sponsors , Alpo dog food , McMahon usually extolled the virtues of the product while a dog eagerly gobbled down a bowl . But one day the show 's regular dog was n't available , and the substitute pooch was n't very hungry . McMahon recalled the incident in his 1998 memoir , `` For Laughing Out Loud . '' `` Then I saw Johnny come into my little commercial area . He got down on his hands and knees and came over to me . ... I started to pet Johnny . Nice boss , I was thinking as I pet him on the head , nice boss . By this point the audience was hysterical . ... I just kept going . I was going to get my commercial done . '' ` The next time you 're looking at the canned dog food ... ' -- he rubbed his cheek against my leg -- ... reach for the can that contains real beef . ' Johnny got up on his knees and started begging for more . I started petting him again ... and then he licked my hand . '' McMahon also promoted Budweiser , American Family Insurance and -- during the most recent Super Bowl -- Cash4Gold.com . Entertainment Weekly named him No. 1 on its list of TV 's greatest sidekicks . Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. was born in Detroit , Michigan , on March 6 , 1923 . His father was a promoter , and McMahon remembered moving a lot during his childhood . `` I changed towns more often than a pickpocket , '' McMahon told People . He later joined the Marines and served in World War II and Korea . Though McMahon was well-rewarded by NBC -- the 1980 People article listed his salary between $ 600,000 and $ 1 million -- his divorces and some poor investments took their toll . In June 2008 , The Wall Street Journal reported that McMahon was $ 644,000 in arrears on a $ 4.8 million loan for a home in Beverly Hills , California , and his lender had filed a notice of default . McMahon and his wife , Pamela , told CNN 's Larry King that McMahon had gotten caught in a spate of financial problems . `` If you spend more money than you make , you know what happens . And it can happen . You know , a couple of divorces thrown in , a few things like that , '' said McMahon , who added that he had n't worked much since the neck injury . McMahon later struck a deal that allowed him to stay in the house . He is survived by his wife , Pamela , and five children . A sixth child , McMahon 's son Michael , died in 1995 . | McMahon 's biggest fame came alongside Johnny Carson on `` The Tonight Show '' McMahon hosted `` Star Search '' and `` TV 's Bloopers and Practical Jokes '' McMahon had suffered several health problems in recent years . | [[54, 86], [820, 891], [162, 227], [461, 520]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After her crowning in January , Katie Stam , Miss America 2009 , went from beauty queen to traveling machine -- within minutes . `` The moment they put that crown on my head I started work ... literally , '' she told CNN . Miss America Katie Stam is constantly on the road . The Indiana native will spend a year crisscrossing the country promoting her platform of community service . `` I change locations every two or three days , and that 's exactly how it 's going to be all year , '' Stam says . From visiting children in hospitals in Pennsylvania to flipping pancakes for charity in California , Miss America lives a life on the road . And with such a hectic schedule , she has picked up a few tips on how to stay sane while traveling . `` The most important tip I could offer anybody who does a lot of traveling is to stay as organized as possible , '' Stam says . To keep from losing items on the road , Stam keeps everything in the same place in her suitcase , including her crown . `` It 's really funny , but it helps me kind of keep a clear mind , '' she explains . She also unpacks a little as soon as she arrives in her hotel room . `` You realize when you get on the road , and that 's your life , your hotel becomes your home , '' Stam says . `` And so you really need to feel that you 're coming home to your room , to your place where all of your things are . '' Stam also stresses the importance of a good night 's sleep . `` It 's absolutely essential to get a full night 's rest or at least quality rest , '' she says . However she also acknowledges the difficulties of sleeping a full eight hours while traveling . But the ever chipper Miss America has a trick for getting around the wonky work hours : `` If you know you only have 10 minutes , you take a quick 10 minute nap . '' With airplanes being her primary mode of transportation , the beauty queen also has advice for the frequent flyer on how to stay fresh while on the go . `` It 's tricky , '' she says . `` A lot of people lose their luggage and stuff . So I always keep my makeup with me , put on a little powder before I go somewhere . '' And when you 're Miss America , somewhere could be anywhere . | Miss America Katie Stam is spending a year on the road . She likes to unpack a little as soon as she arrives at her hotel . Keeping things in the same place helps her stay organized on the road . | [[242, 293], [294, 402], [294, 312], [331, 402], [1096, 1099], [1105, 1164]] |
Editor 's note : Robert J. Shiller is a professor of economics at Yale University . This op-ed is based on his book with George Akerlof , `` Animal Spirits : How Human Psychology Drives the Economy , and Why It Matters for Global Capitalism . '' Akerlof is a 2001 Nobel laureate in economics and professor of economics at the University of California at Berkeley . Robert Shiller says basic psychogical factors led to excesses which have devastated the economy . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama 's National Economic Council head Lawrence Summers noted in his speech March 13 that the economic crisis has led to an `` excess of fear '' that must be reversed . To understand the role fear plays in the current crisis , we must understand the role of human psychology . John Maynard Keynes thought psychology was the major cause of economic booms as well as busts , though this aspect of his work is now largely forgotten . He said people 's economic decisions , in both good times and bad times , are largely , ultimately , if indirectly , driven by animal spirits , primitive psychological tendencies . In a recently published book , George Akerlof and I identified three animal spirits that played critical roles in the current economic meltdown . They are confidence , bad faith and storytelling . Let 's first consider confidence and its dictionary meaning . Confidence means complete and secure trust . But trust goes beyond the rational use of information that is usually considered in economic theory . Trust is largely an emotion . Indeed we saw the role of vivid emotions in the stock and housing market booms that brought on our current problems . Trust is a state of mind that is the opposite of vigilance . People were purchasing and selling complex financial instruments without looking carefully at them . This trust is broken . The second animal spirit that came into play was bad faith . With so many trusting people , an uglier side of human nature became prominent . The temptation for smart promoters was overwhelming . Questionable practices boomed , and regulators failed to step in , because of the view , taken from economists , that private markets would be self-policing . Investors would only put their money at increased risk if they were duly compensated by higher expected returns . Thus , there was little worry about laxity of regulation in securities and real estate markets . But , this self-policing view did not consider that these investors might be overconfident . There is a myth that capitalism produces what people really want , as long as firms can make a profit . But , instead , more generally , it produces what people think they want , as long as firms can make a profit . True , unregulated capitalism will produce good medicines that cure our ills . But unregulated capitalism will also produce snake oil that people think they want , but does not cure our ills . -LRB- To guard against the production of such things , the federal government established the Food and Drug Administration in 1906 . -RRB- . The problem of snake oil has special relevance for financial assets , which are only pieces of paper . Most investors can surmise their value only from what others , such as accountants and rating agencies , tell them . These accounting and rating agencies also have their own incentives . And those incentives have not been fully aligned with the public 's interest . And so when people are overconfident , financial markets produce assets that take advantage of that overconfidence . If unprotected by effective regulation , people will be sold snake oil assets . Just recently an industry arose , in Wall Street and beyond , to produce them . A third animal spirit bolstered the previous two . People act and think and live according to stories , especially human interest stories , not usually abstract calculation . That goes for their personal decisions . But there is also always a story , usually with some grain of truth and human interest , about the economy . These stories are often overly exuberant , on the one side , or overly pessimistic on the other . Ten years ago we had the story of the dot-com millionaires . Most recently we believed alchemists of financial engineering were packaging risky financial assets to make them safe . People were overconfident . And markets took advantage of their beliefs to sell them what later proved to be snake oil assets . These three animal spirits then explain how factors in human psychology play a key role in why the economy fluctuates as much as it does . The confidence comes and goes . The stories come and go . The snake oil comes and goes . This explanation for economic fluctuations has implications for the role of government . The first role of government is , before the fact -- as with the Food and Drug Administration -- to protect the public from negative consequences of their animal spirits -LRB- and to let them prevail and even to encourage the positive consequences -RRB- . If , as now , the snake oil has been swallowed , it is the role of the government to restore our health . The government must aim to achieve full employment of the population by added spending to boost the economy and policies to make credit widely available . It should fulfill the full-employment goals of the Employment Act of 1946 . That means that producers who produce good products at a profit should have buyers who want to buy them ; workers who have trained for productive jobs should be able to get them . It also means that producers who can produce such products can get the credit to finance their production ; and buyers who want to purchase these products can obtain the credit to purchase them . Why are such targets useful and necessary ? History tells us . In the Great Depression , both Hoover and Roosevelt had many pragmatic schemes to put people back to work and keep credit markets from falling apart . But for lack of a correct theory of the economy , and targets corresponding to that theory , their measures fell far short . Unemployment in the United States only fell below 10 percent after the start of World War II , in 1941 . Such targets are necessary for political reasons as well . Any effective plan to resolve our crisis will involve massive sticker shock . The two targets are necessary to justify and explain the tough and expensive measures that need to be taken . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Robert Shiller . | Robert Shiller : Economic boom gave rise to schemes that relied on trust . He says basic psychological factors are key to restoring confidence . Government has a role in preventing fraud from being sold to the public , he says . Shiller : Government must aim for full employment and widely available credit . | [[5110, 5196], [5182, 5187], [5197, 5264], [5265, 5340]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Norman Ollestad remembers the tree limb . The book 's jacket features a picture of a 1-year-old Norman clinging to his father 's back on a surfboard . He was 11 years old , riding in a Cessna in a blizzard through California 's San Gabriel Mountains in 1979 , on his way to pick up a trophy he won in a skiing competition . `` The gray clouds were just pressing against the windows ; it did n't even seem like we were moving , '' he recalls . `` Then , there 's a limb reaching out of that fog and disappearing . Then another one and another one . `` Then realizing we were in the trees . '' The plane crash that followed killed his father and the pilot and badly wounded his father 's girlfriend , who with young Norman was tossed violently onto the top of an 8,600-foot mountain in the freezing , February chill . `` I felt three thuds . The third one must have knocked me cold , '' says Ollestad , now 41 . `` I remember feeling those thuds in my spine -- a clear memory of that . Then I woke up who knows how long after . '' The ensuing nine-hour , life-or-death descent -- in the end , he was the only survivor -- is the topic of `` Crazy for the Storm : A Memoir of Survival . '' Watch the press conference that followed his survival '' But the book is about more than a plane crash , namely his relationship with an adrenaline-junkie father who basked in the wild life of Malibu in the 1970s and relentlessly pushed his `` Boy Wonder '' to excel from the ski slopes of northern California to the crashing surf off the Mexican coast . `` It 's actually 100 percent about my relationship with my father , '' Ollestad said . `` That relationship was present on the mountain with me , even though he was dead . '' Released this month , the book already has been picked up by Warner Bros. -LSB- a sister company of CNN -RSB- for a feature film and has earned critical acclaim , including comparisons to John Krakauer 's 1997 nonfiction best-seller `` Into Thin Air . '' `` An engrossing story of adventure , survival and psychological exploration , '' wrote the journal Kirkus Reviews . In the book , Ollestad cuts back and forth between the crash and journey down the mountain and the years leading up to that moment . Included are memories of life in Malibu , where he grew up the son of divorced parents in a cottage on the beach . There are surfers and skate rats , musicians and nudists and memories of smoking weed and spying on his neighbors ' most intimate moments . But mostly there 's his father , Norman Ollestad Sr. , an athlete , actor , lawyer , musician and former FBI agent . From the age of 3 , Norman was groomed for competitive `` extreme sports '' by his father and pushed to be the best . The book 's jacket features a picture of a 1-year-old Norman clinging to his father 's back as he steers a surfboard atop the waves of California 's Topanga State Beach . He acknowledges that many times , when his father was cooking up a new adventure for the two of them , he would rather have been `` riding my bike or eating chocolate cake . '' '' -LSB- At first -RSB- a lot of people are , ` Wow . . I had a lot of trouble with some of the stuff your dad was doing , ' '' says Ollestad , who studied creative writing at UCLA and attended UCLA 's film school . `` But then it turned out that a lot of that stuff was really beautiful . '' And he believes it saved his life . The skiing made him aware of how steep the mountain 's slope was and what it would take to get down it without falling . The skiing and surfing gave him control of his body and awareness of the exact movements required to work his way out of the descent 's most treacherous spots . `` Some of it was sort of eerily , specifically perfect for the situation , '' he says . `` Forty-five degree pitch , blizzard with ice , well , I 've been here for eight years doing this . It was familiar to me . '' The book has had another , unexpected result for Ollestad , who now lives in Venice , California . He says he 's been shocked at the e-mail from readers . `` Nobody 's even written about the plane crash , '' he says . '' -LSB- They say -RSB- ` it reminds me of some of the things I did with my dad or some of the things I did n't get to do . ' `` In every e-mail , whether it 's a woman or a man , they talk about ... their relationship with their father or mother . It touches something in there where they want to talk about it . '' Now , for Ollestad , the story has followed him all the way around . He 's the father of an 8-year-old , Noah , and seeks to walk the line between responsible parenting and teaching his child the lessons he says saved his life . `` Those were different times , '' he tells the boy in the book 's epilogue . `` My dad made me do lots of things that I 'd get arrested for making you do . '' | Norman Ollestad was 11 years old when the plane he was in crashed . Ollestad 's father died and Ollestad climbed down the mountain for nine hours . Experience is present in book `` Crazy for the Storm : A Memoir of Survival '' Book also chronicles Ollestad 's relationship with his father . | [[170, 189], [1048, 1107], [1048, 1093], [1110, 1112], [1138, 1176]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. Mel Martinez , a Florida Republican , announced Friday that he will resign his seat as soon as a replacement can be named by the governor . Sen. Mel Martinez is the only Hispanic Republican in the U.S. Senate . `` My priorities have always been my faith , my family and my country , and , at this stage of my life and after nearly 12 years of public service in Florida and in Washington , it is time to return to Florida and my family , '' the 62-year-old said in Orlando , Florida . `` So today I am announcing my decision to step down from public office . '' Martinez said he is resigning `` of my own free will . There is no impending reason ; it 's only my desire to move on and to get on with the rest of my life . '' He added that he is in good health and that he expects the next phase of his life will take place in the private sector . `` However , I do hope that I can have a voice to speak out on issues I think are important , '' he said . Martinez added that he has no plans to run for any other public office . At a news conference at McDill Air Force Base in Florida , Gov. Charlie Crist said he will `` undertake a very thorough , comprehensive , thoughtful process '' to find a replacement for Martinez . He vowed not to appoint himself to complete Martinez 's six-year term , which ends in about 17 months , and predicted that he would reach a decision before the Senate returns from recess September 8 . Crist , a Republican , had announced in May that he would not seek a second term as governor and instead would run for Martinez 's seat in the 2010 election . Martinez was elected in 2004 . He announced in December his intention to retire at the end of his term . Martinez is the only Hispanic Republican in the Senate . He joined eight other Republicans on Thursday in voting to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court . Democrats hold a tenuous filibuster-proof majority in the Senate , with 60 votes . Martinez is one of six Republicans who have stated they would not seek re-election in 2010 . But the Florida senator is the second Republican who has decided to leave before the curtain drops on the 111th Congress next fall . Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison , R-Texas , recently announced her intention to quit the Senate three years before her term expires , in order to run for governor next year . The five other Republicans who are retiring are Missouri Sen. Kit Bond , Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback , New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg , Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning and Ohio Sen. George Voinovich . Two Democrats will not run in 2010 : Illinois Sen. Roland Burris and Delaware Sen. Ted Kaufman . Republicans must defend 19 seats next year , and Democrats must protect 18 . CNN 's Rick DiBella , Mark Preston and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report . | NEW : Florida senator says there is no `` impending reason '' behind decision . NEW : He has no plans to run for another office , he says . He announced in December that he would not seek re-election . Florida governor has said he will seek the seat . | [[987, 1059], [1007, 1059], [531, 592], [1648, 1721]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators have raised the wreckage of the helicopter involved in Saturday 's deadly mid-air collision over the Hudson River , but they were still looking for the small plane involved in the crash , authorities said Sunday . Divers unload a body from their raft onto a police boat Sunday . Nine people are believed dead in the crash . New York police said they believed side-scan sonar pointed them to the wreckage of the Piper Saratoga PA-32 just north of where the helicopter went down , but Deborah Hersman , chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board , said swift current and low visibility were hindering divers . The search stopped as a storm approached Sunday evening and will resume Monday morning , police said . Nine people , including five Italian tourists , were aboard the two aircraft when they collided over the river shortly before noon Saturday . Seven bodies had been pulled out of the river by Sunday afternoon , Hersman said . Authorities believe none of the nine people aboard the two aircraft survived the crash . Neither aircraft was required to carry electronic `` black boxes '' that record cockpit voices and flight data on larger planes , but electronic navigational devices on board might retain some information that could help the probe , Hersman said . Investigators are trying to establish the facts of the crash but wo n't determine the probable cause for some time , Hersman said . See where the collision occurred '' `` We are looking at everything . Nothing has been ruled out at this point in time , '' she said . Most of the Eurocopter AS350 had been lifted out of the Hudson on Sunday and taken to a pier in Hoboken , New Jersey , across the river from Manhattan , for examination , Hersman said . The helicopter was taking the five Italians on a 12-minute sightseeing tour around New York and had taken off from a heliport in midtown Manhattan shortly before the crash , she said . Watch crews search for victims '' New York police identified the pilot of the helicopter as Jeremy Clark , 32 . He had worked for the operator , Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours , for about a year and a half and had 2,700 helicopter flight hours , Hersman said . iReport.com : Were you there ? Send images . His passengers were Michele Norelli , 51 ; Fabio Gallazzi , 49 ; Filippo Norelli , 16 ; Giacomo Gallazzi , 15 ; and Tiziana Pedroni , 44 , all of Bologna , Italy . The plane took off from a Philadelphia-area airfield Saturday morning , landed at New Jersey 's Teterboro Airport and was bound for Ocean City , New Jersey , with three people aboard -- the owner and pilot , Steven Altman , 60 , of Ambler , Pennsylvania ; his brother , Daniel Altman , 49 , of Dresher , Pennsylvania ; and Daniel Altman 's son Douglas , 16 . Controllers lost contact with the plane at 11:53 a.m. , when it was at an altitude of about 1,100 feet , Hersman said . View images from the scene '' Hersman said the NTSB has recorded eight accidents and one `` incident '' involving Liberty , but Saturday 's crash was the first to involve fatalities . Previous accidents included a 2007 case in which a helicopter crash-landed in the Hudson from a height of 500 feet , but without injuring passengers ; a 2008 incident in which one helicopter taking off clipped another on the ground ; a 2008 incident in which a pilot caused `` substantial damage '' to a helicopter while landing during an instructional session . In 2001 , a Liberty pilot made an `` improper decision '' to continue flying in poor weather at night , causing the helicopter to hit trees , according to the NTSB . Marcia Horowitz , a spokeswoman for the tour operator , said Liberty executives `` are cooperating fully '' with investigators . `` Right now , the company is focusing its efforts on cooperating with the NTSB and giving as much information as it can , '' Horowitz said . `` At this time , their priority is to help with the family of their pilot , and of course the families that were involved in the accident . '' Investigators will focus on radio communications along the congested air corridor at the time of the crash and examine any pictures or video contributed by the public , Hersman told CNN earlier . Witness accounts and still photographs already provided `` good information '' to investigators , she said . A witness told investigators he saw the airplane approach the helicopter from behind , and the plane 's right wing make `` contact with the helicopter , '' Hersman said . The witness , another Liberty pilot who was refueling at a nearby heliport , said he tried to warn the helicopter pilot but got no response . Other witnesses reported seeing debris flying from the helicopter as it slammed into the water . Arnold Stevens , who saw the collision from the W Hotel in Hoboken , said the helicopter `` dropped like a rock , '' while one of the plane 's wings was sheared off and it began `` corkscrewing '' into the water , he said . The busy airspace surrounding Manhattan has been the site of several recent aeronautical accidents . Earlier this year , a US Airways plane with 155 people on board ditched into the Hudson after apparently striking birds upon takeoff from New York 's LaGuardia Airport , officials said . Capt. Chesley B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger 's landing , which resulted in no deaths or serious injuries , was captured on closed circuit television . In 2006 , Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle , 34 , and his flight instructor were killed when the ballplayer 's plane crashed into a high-rise apartment building near the East River , city officials said . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Seven bodies pulled from water ; two others believed dead . Search stops Sunday evening because of weather , will resume Monday . Authorities investigating Saturday 's collision of helicopter , plane over Hudson River . Pilot on ground says he tried to warn helicopter before accident . | [[907, 972], [662, 709], [662, 672], [722, 748], [4524, 4535], [4601, 4643]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A drunk passenger tried to hijack a Turkish Airlines flight to Russia on Wednesday before he was brought under control , the head of Turkey 's civil aviation authority said . The Turkish Airlines passenger jet was en route from Turkey to Russia when the incident took place . The plane landed safely and on time Wednesday afternoon in St. Petersburg . Russian authorities promptly arrested a `` slightly intoxicated '' passenger from Uzbekistan , Russia 's Interfax News Agency reported , citing a national police spokesman . The suspect , in his early 50s , was arrested on suspicion of trying to hijack the plane , Interfax reported . Turkish media initially reported that the plane had been hijacked . When asked about those reports , a Turkish Airlines spokesman said the flight experienced an `` urgent situation '' as it headed to St. Petersburg , without offering further details . Interfax said the flight was carrying 164 Russian nationals . There have been several attempts to hijack Turkish airlines in recent years . In August 2007 , two men hijacked an Istanbul-bound Atlasjet Airlines flight with 136 passengers and crew on board from Cyprus , claiming to have a bomb on board the flight . They forced the crew to make an emergency landing in Antalya . Both hijackers eventually surrendered to Turkish authorities . In April 2007 , Turkish authorities detained a man they believed tried to hijack a Turkish airliner , possibly to Iran . The suspect , Mehmed Goksin Gol , was not armed and all 178 passengers and crew aboard the Pegasus Airlines flight were unharmed . The flight was heading from southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir to Istanbul , but landed at Ankara 's airport , where the suspect was detained . In October 2006 , a Turkish man hijacked a Turkish jetliner with 113 people aboard en route from the Albanian capital Tirana for Istanbul . He forced it to fly to a military airfield in Brindisi , Italy , where the passengers and crew were released unharmed . CNN 's Maxim Tkachenko in Moscow and Nicky Robertson in Atlanta contributed to this report . | Incident on flight between Antalya , Turkey and St Petersburg , Russia . Turkish Airlines : Drunk man tried to hijack passenger plane . Officials : Man brought under control , airline experienced `` urgent situation '' NEW : Interfax : Flight arrives at St. Petersburg , police arrest Uzbek man in his 50s . | [[194, 263], [0, 15], [19, 111], [545, 556], [559, 633], [1349, 1362], [1365, 1469], [724, 754], [757, 839], [371, 463], [466, 505], [545, 556], [559, 633]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two additional suspects in the strangulation of an 89-year-old Holocaust survivor were arrested Friday , the Manhattan district attorney 's office said . Felix Brinkmann dances at a 2008 birthday party . `` He was not the kind of guy who had enemies , '' his son says . Aljulah Cutts , 27 , and his brother Hasib , 30 , were taken into custody in Manhattan in connection with the death last week of Guido Felix Brinkmann , the district attorney 's office said . A spokeswoman declined to specify what , if any , connection the men are suspected to have had to the victim or to a woman previously arrested in the case . Police also would not say what charges the two might face . The woman , Angela Murray , 30 , of the Bronx , was arraigned Sunday on one count of murder in the second degree and three counts of robbery in the case . Brinkmann was found dead in the bedroom of his apartment July 30 , his hands tied behind his back , police said . A safe was missing from the apartment , and his car had been stolen . Brinkmann , a native of Latvia , was held in the Mauthausen , Ebensee and Auschwitz camps during World War II . After the war , he and his wife , who also survived Auschwitz , came to America . In 1971 , Brinkmann co-founded Adam 's Apple disco in Manhattan , and later was the real estate manager of a mixed-use building in the Bronx , according to his son , Rick Brinkman , who uses a different spelling for his last name . Brinkmann 's wife died last year . CNN 's Jason Kessler and Chris Kokenes contributed to this report . | Man , brother taken into custody in connection with Guido Felix Brinkmann 's death . Woman previously arrested in the case was arraigned Sunday . Brinkmann , 89 , was found strangled last week in his Manhattan apartment . A safe was missing from the apartment , and Brinkmann 's car had been stolen . | [[298, 334], [343, 426], [605, 646], [707, 752], [755, 861], [862, 926], [976, 1013], [1020, 1045]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Blind women are being trained to use their sensitive touch to help detect breast cancer earlier and more precisely than doctors . The blind assistants use tape strips with braille coordinates to accurately locate cancerous lumps . The program , called `` Discovering Hands , '' is the brainchild of German gynecologist Dr. Frank Hoffmann . Two years ago , he created Braille strips as a system of orientation , allowing the blind to carry out breast examinations . Using these strips blind women are trained to become Medical Tactile Examiners -LRB- MTUs -RRB- because they are more able to detect smaller lumps than sighted doctors . Hoffman argues that because of their disability , the blind can possess a more acutely developed sense of touch , which has proved to be a valuable asset in breast examinations . Once the strips are placed along specific areas of the breast , they are then used to report a precise location to the doctor as the MTU reads their Braille coordinates . `` We are turning a disability into a gift , '' Dr. Hoffmann told CNN . `` It 's like the game Battleship , '' he added . `` You have the exact location . '' A study at the Essen University 's women 's clinic , Germany , concluded that MTUs found more and smaller tumors than doctors in 450 cases . The identification of smaller lumps allows earlier diagnosis and more effective treatment . Another advantage of having MTUs is that they are able to dedicate more time to examining a patient . Dr. Hoffman said he had previously been able to spend only a few minutes on each examination due to his other commitments , whereas MTUs can commit half an hour . Training takes place at the BFW occupational school in Düren , west Germany , a center for those who are no longer able to continue their profession because of visual impairment or blindness . So far , ten blind women have qualified as MTUs . One of the women , Marie-Luise Voll , 57 , told CNN : '' The work brings me a lot of joy . '' Voll had previously practiced as a nurse before losing her sight in 2007 , but used the experience when training at Düren for her new role . The highly personal nature of the procedure means that only women will be trained . The MTUs report to the doctor - for whom they act as an assistant not a replacement - who then uses this information as part of their ultimate diagnosis . If an abnormality is located the doctor will decide how to proceed , with ultrasounds and mammography being the most frequent course of action . The testing phase of the project between 2006 and 2008 has now been completed in Germany . The hope is that twenty trained MTUs will qualify every year after 2010 . The program has been acclaimed as a success by both patients and practitioners in Germany . Health services in Europe including Ireland , France , Denmark and Austria have also registered interest in starting an equivalent of their own , Hoffman said . | Blind women being trained to use their sensitive touch to detect breast cancer lumps . Called Medical Tactile Examiners , they can spend more time on patients . The ` Discovering Hands ' program takes place at a school in Düren , west Germany . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 165], [1412, 1513], [1453, 1513], [267, 278], [281, 308], [1677, 1744]] |
SRINAGAR , Indian-administered Kashmir -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir tendered his resignation Tuesday after he was accused of being involved in a 2006 sex scandal , his adviser said . Omar Abdullah denies any link to a prostitution ring , saying he has stepped down to clear his name . Omar Abdullah , 38 , delivered his resignation to the state governor after opposition member Muzaffar Hussain Beigh accused Omar of a connection to the prostitution scandal during a session of the state legislative assembly . Muzaffar served as the deputy chief minister in the previous government , when several top pro-India officials were arrested on charges they misused their authority to force girls and women into a prostitution ring in Kashmir . Omar denied being involved in the scandal , but said he could not `` continue in the office following the allegation '' and would not serve again until he is cleared of the charges . `` This is not an ordinary allegation , but a highly serious one . I can not continue in office until I am cleared , '' Omar said in the state assembly . He then drove to Raj Bhawan , the official residence of New Delhi-appointed governor N. N. Vohra , to deliver his resignation , according to Devender Rana , Omar 's political adviser . The governor is consulting constitutional and legal experts before deciding on the resignation . The chief minister refused to talk to journalists outside the governor 's residence . The Times of India newspaper Tuesday quoted highly placed sources in India 's Central Bureau of Investigation as saying that Omar 's name never came up in the prostitution probe . Omar came into office in January following elections in late 2008 that saw the highest voter turnout in the region in nearly 20 years , since the eruption of a secessionist insurgency . Voters went to the polls in large numbers , despite a separatist call for a boycott of the voting . Most recently , the chief minister has been working to defuse tensions that are still running high following the arrest of four police officers in the probe of the alleged rape and murder of two young Muslim women in May . Two people have died and many have been injured in more than 300 violent clashes between Muslim protesters and Indian security forces stemming from the case . The arrests included the former police chief of south Kashmir 's Shopian district and three of his subordinates , who are accused of `` destruction of evidence '' and `` dereliction of duty '' in connection with the deaths , which occurred in the town of Shopian . Kashmir has been in the throes of a bloody secessionist campaign for nearly two decades in which , according to official figures , 43,000 people have been killed . Various rights groups and non-governmental organizations here , however , dispute the official statistics -- claiming that the number killed during the last two decades is twice the official figure . | Chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir tenders his resignation . Omar Abdullah accused of being involved in a 2006 sex scandal . He denies allegation he was involved in a prostitution ring . | [[11, 54], [108, 201], [325, 338], [346, 440], [11, 54], [108, 201], [400, 550], [223, 275], [779, 820]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Bedouin who was just a boy when a U.S. Navy pilot 's plane crashed in the Iraqi desert in 1991 was the key to finding his remains more than 18 years after he was killed , the Pentagon says . Marines conduct recovery efforts at the crash site of U.S. Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher , shot down in 1991 . The new details of the final hunt for U.S. Navy pilot Scott Speicher , who was lost over Iraq on the opening night of the Gulf War in January 1991 , were released by the Pentagon Friday . Two sites were searched by U.S. troops who dug west of Baghdad , Iraq , in Anbar province , one at the plane crash site and another 2 kilometers away . The remains of Capt. Speicher were found at the second location . The U.S. military has long said Speicher had ejected out of his jet after it was hit by an Iraqi missile . After years of searching , it was just last month that the military got the crucial information that led them to the burial site . A Bedouin who was just 11 years old at the time of the crash came forward and connected the military with other locals who had knowledge of generally where the crash and burial locations were . The tipster did not know exactly where Speicher was buried but he knew others who had the knowledge , the military statement explained . `` He willingly provided his information during general discussion with MNF-W -LSB- Multi-National Force-West -RSB- personnel and stated he was unaware of the U.S. government 's interest in this case until queried by U.S. investigators in July 2009 , '' according to the statement . Bedouin are desert-dwelling nomadic Arabs . One hundred and fifty U.S. military troops were dispatched to dig for the remains at the crash site and did not find any sign of the pilot . At the second site the troops discovered skeletal fragments , according to the statement . Dental records initially identified the bones as Speicher 's and , on August 2 , DNA results came back positive . Speicher 's remains will be taken to Jacksonville , Florida , for burial , according to a family spokeswoman . Speicher was a lieutenant commander when shot down , but because his status remained uncertain , he received promotions during the past 18 years , reaching the rank of captain . | U.S. Navy pilot Scott Speicher lost over Iraq opening night of Gulf War in 1991 . Two sites searched by U.S. troops , west of Baghdad , Iraq , in Anbar province . A Bedouin , 11 at time of crash , connected military with locals who knew of crash . Speicher 's remains will be taken to Jacksonville , Florida , for burial . | [[64, 126], [223, 292], [318, 337], [376, 408], [413, 484], [526, 564], [982, 1055], [982, 1042], [1060, 1100], [1986, 2035]] |
-LRB- Parenting.com -RRB- -- A dad looks at how long it really takes a kid to sleep alone : . Getting the baby to sleep is a challenge for many parents . 1:28 a.m. Every couple of hours , Jack -LRB- 2 weeks -RRB- cries . My wife feeds him , then hands him to me to change his diaper . It 's an equitable division of labor , but I wish I could sleep . 2:15 a.m. Jack -LRB- 1 month -RRB- is sleeping between me and my wife because this way she can nurse while she dozes . I 'm happy , but so tired . He 's on his back , and there are no pillows or blankets around him , but I 'm wide-awake , thinking about SIDS . He 's like a little hot-water bottle . His breath is sweet and milky against my face . 10 p.m. I 'm lying on a tiny crib mattress on the floor next to the crib . We 're trying to get Jack -LRB- 9 months -RRB- to sleep through the night . His mother and I take turns lying next to him on the floor and holding his hand through the slats . I miss my wife . 1:36 a.m. Jack -LRB- 12 months -RRB- is sleeping in between us , again . Lying next to his crib did n't work -- Jack kept crying , waking both of us . This way , we all get some sleep . Parenting.com : Dad 's in charge ? Uh oh . 4:27 a.m. I 'm wide-awake because Jack -LRB- 15 months -RRB- kicked me in the groin . I have to get up to drive my wife to New York , then turn around and drive back home with Jack , all on about three hours of sleep . I decide that while his mother is gone , I will Ferberize him . Parenting.com : Ferberizing is not what you think it is . 9:13 p.m. Jack -LRB- 15 months and a day -RRB- is in his crib , crying , crying , crying . 10:11 p.m. Jack -LRB- 15 months and a week -RRB- is in his crib , alone and asleep . Ferberizing worked . Suddenly I have a great idea -- let 's have another baby ! But this would require that my wife and I stay awake for longer than ten seconds once our heads hit the pillows . 12:02 a.m. . In bed with my wife , I 'm feeling romantic , but then Jack -LRB- 18 months -RRB- cries out . He has a fever . We give him kids ' Motrin and bring him back into bed with us . He 's burning up . 11:21 p.m. Jack -LRB- 18 months and a week -RRB- is no longer sick , but now he 's back in our bed , every night . It 's once again the only way he 'll go down . 7 a.m. I realize that for the first time , Jack -LRB- 22 months -RRB- has finally slept through the night . Now we have to get him out of diapers and back in his own room . 11:41 p.m. . We are lying in an H formation . Jack -LRB- 2 years -RRB- is nestled into his mother 's chest , perpendicular to us , with his feet lodged against my throat , trying to push me off the bed . Freud was right about Oedipus . Parenting.com : Why good dads make moms jealous . 4:25 a.m. Jack -LRB- 3 years -RRB- has kicked the covers off me again and I wake up , shivering . I pull the covers up . He kicks them off . I pull them up . He kicks them off . I go downstairs , turn on the TV , and fall asleep on the couch . 2:15 p.m. I 'm sound asleep , dreaming . Unfortunately , I 'm at work . Tomorrow is Jack 's fourth birthday . Last night in bed , he said , `` Hey , why do I have to sleep in the middle ? '' 7:30 p.m. I am lying in the new twin bed we bought Jack -LRB- 4 1/4 years -RRB- , to show him how it works . We made a big deal of it , his very own Big Boy Bed , and we let him pick out the dinosaur sheets and the dinosaur comforter . All is ready . 12:05 a.m. I 'm in this big empty bed , alone . We told Jack that on his fifth birthday he 'd have to sleep in his own bed , because that 's what big boys do , and he agreed . He wants very much to be a big boy . On his birthday , my wife lay down with him at 8:30 and fell sound asleep . 5:02 a.m. I get up and peek in on Jack -LRB- 5 1/2 -RRB- . He 's been sleeping alone in his room for almost a month now . I get back into bed with my wife and snuggle up next to her . At least I think it 's her -- it 's been a while . She feels good against my skin , but now I miss Jack . I miss getting kicked in the throat . I miss getting the covers pulled off of me . Where 's my little boy ? How did he grow up so fast ? 9:42 p.m. Hearing a noise , my wife and I go upstairs to check on Jack -LRB- 6 -RRB- . He says he was having a bad dream . We lie down with him , three of us in a twin bed . It 's crowded , but if we brought him into our bed again , we 'd never get him out . His breath is still sweet and milky on my cheek . How could this not be okay ? This is my family . Try a FREE TRIAL issue of Parenting Magazine - CLICK HERE ! Copyright 2009 The Parenting Group . All rights reserved . Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited . | Dad recalls stages of son 's sleep -- and his own not sleeping . Infant son 's crying or dad 's fear of smothering kept him awake . Child has fever , parents put him in their bed . Child refuses to sleep in crib . Dad misses boy who now sleeps alone in his big boy bed . | [[1079, 1095], [1098, 1117], [2014, 2030], [4334, 4367], [3769, 3831]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Golf was considered a sport of the capitalist elite and banned in Eastern Europe under the rule of communist regimes -- but in the 20 years since the Berlin Wall has fallen there has been a renaissance of the game in the region . Gary Player has overseen the development of two courses on the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria . With rising disposable income and an increasing interest in leisure pursuits , a growing number of courses , more television coverage and availability of EU funds , the future of the industry in Eastern Europe is bright . Bulgaria is one country where the sport is on the up . Eight years ago there were no golf courses but -- to fulfil the increasing domestic demand and as a means to attract tourists to the region -- the country could be set for a boom in golf development . Kancho Stoychev , vice president of Bulgarian Golf , believes that despite there being only 200 registered players in a country whose population is eight million there is set to be an explosion of interest in the sport . See CNN 's Justin Armsden 's report on the development of golf in Eastern Europe . '' `` It is an absurdly low figure , but now I believe that there 'll be a switch because we have six nice golf courses , '' Stoychev told CNN . `` We can already see there is a high increase in interest and it 'll evolve quite quickly . `` We have some advantages in Bulgaria . We have an excellent coastlines , we are a small country but very diverse , so the country is geographically and naturally perfect for golf . '' The potential in Eastern Europe has also been recognized by golf legend Gary Player , whose course design company has been working on projects in the region . Having just opened a course in Poland , Player 's design company is building two more in Bulgaria - BlackSeaRama which is already open , and Thracian Cliffs which is scheduled to be finished by July 2010 . Player told CNN : `` You want to take golf to new areas , like Poland , you want to bring it to Bulgaria , where people never thought that they could play golf where people associated golf with just rich people . `` You can play down here along the ocean and ten minutes up the mountain you have a links course , which is the complete opposite , people who love golf will be in for a golfing treat . '' The knock-on effect of the presence of a high-profile name such as Player in the region ensures it has caught the eye of influential figures within the industry . Ryan Lauder , director of marketing at TaylorMade added : `` Eastern Europe is coming along , although there is still not the number of golfers or golf courses that we have in Western Europe , looking to the future it is a great opportunity for us . '' | Golf has made progress in Eastern Europe since the collapse of communism . Developments in Bulgaria have seen six courses open in the past eight years . Gary Player has designed courses in several Eastern European countries . The region has a great potential for development of golf in the future . | [[143, 248], [249, 341], [507, 563], [619, 634], [759, 819]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For actress Kyra Sedgwick , it 's the public 's approval that makes it worth being away from her family for six months to tape her critically acclaimed series `` The Closer . '' Kyra Sedgwick and her husband , Kevin Bacon , at the 66th annual Golden Globe Awards this month . But she may be getting more approval from her peers , too . Sedgwick will walk the red carpet again Sunday night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards , where she is nominated for a fourth consecutive year for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series for her role as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson . She 's also won a Golden Globe for her performance , in 2007 . The TNT series resumes Monday night where it left off in September with what Sedgwick called `` a fantastic five episodes . '' -LRB- TNT is a unit of Time Warner , as is CNN . -RRB- . `` I said to the writers , ' I really want a lot of personal stuff for Brenda , ' '' Sedgwick said . `` I feel like there 's some of those personal quiet moments with her alone , is something that I 've been missing as an actor , and I feel like the audience has been missing , too . `` She is such a complicated , fascinating character , and watching her growth and lack of growth is something that is really interesting , '' she said . When CNN asked whether the new episodes might include a wedding for her character , Sedgwick laughed . `` That might very well happen , '' she said . `` That 's pretty insightful of you . I 'm just going to just say that . '' A marriage for Brenda Johnson would be `` a complicated , difficult situation , '' she said , because `` she 's basically married to her work . '' Sedgwick 's job also complicates her real-life marriage to Bacon , since the show is produced in Los Angeles and the couple lives in Connecticut with their two children . That 's where the approval -- whether on the street from fans or at award shows -- has `` been a wonderful phenomenon for me , '' she said . `` On a personal level , that 's really good for me , because I really miss my family when I 'm working on the show six months in L.A. , '' she said . `` As much as I try to get my kids to move to L.A. and my husband , they just would n't have it . `` It 's challenging , and I 'm glad that people are watching , because otherwise it would be kind of hard to go to work , '' Sedgwick said . Sedgwick has moved into an executive producer 's role on the show , which she said she expects to continue for at least two more years . `` I love being with a group where there 's not a power struggle , '' she said . `` I have a lot of say , and I always have . And that feels really good . '' CNN Radio 's Jackie Howard contributed to this report . | TNT resumes Sedgwick 's series `` Closer '' where it left off in September . Sedgwick is also up for two SAG awards Sunday . Sedgwick expects to be in the executive producer 's role for at least two more years . | [[670, 711], [712, 793], [2368, 2433], [2425, 2433], [2446, 2504]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After a six-year hiatus in which many bands have emerged , such as the Arctic Monkeys , Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Chiefs , copying their blend of melodic , intelligent songs and cheeky blokeishness , Blur return to show them who is best . Blur frontman Damon Albarn still exudes the matey bonhomie that made him one of the best-known British pop stars of the 90s . Much has changed since the mid-1990s when the Essex boys fought Oasis in the hyped Battle of Britpop . Singer Damon Albarn has pursued successful side projects such as Gorillaz and the Chinese opera Monkey , guitarist Graham Coxon went solo after being axed acrimoniously during the troubled recording of the `` Think Tank '' album , bassist Alex James makes cheese on his farm while drummer Dave Rowntree plans to stand for the UK parliament at the next election . Happily for fans , the band 's two dominant personalities in Albarn and Coxon are now reconciled and , in the year 's most anticipated reunion along with The Specials ' comeback gigs , Blur on Thursday played the first of two outdoor concerts in London 's Hyde Park . Before a massive crowd and a setting sun , Blur kick off with their first single , a feedback-drenched `` She 's So High '' before going straight into `` Girls and Boys , '' the disco-inspired anthem to hedonism that propelled them into the big time in 1994 . Albarn exudes matey bonhomie , asking , `` Was that adequate ? '' The crowd roars its reply in the affirmative . The good-natured banter continues throughout the concert ; he pays tribute to Hyde Park 's `` lakes , Speaker 's Corner ... other stuff '' and more thoughtfully , reminds the crowd that a million people marched there in 2003 in an unsuccessfully effort to prevent the Iraq war . Coxon seems happy just to be back in the band , doing the job he does best . There is a poignant moment when he takes the lead vocals in `` Coffee and TV '' while Albarn watches his songwriting partner admiringly . And as with all the greatest concerts , the hits the crowd has paid to hear keep coming : `` There 's No Other Way , '' a raucous and bouncy `` Country House '' and `` Parklife '' on which actor Phil Daniels takes the jokey vocals . The audience responds to all the songs perfectly , even forcing the band into an extended singalong version of `` Tender . '' The only disappointment on that song is that the gospel backing singers are drowned out in the mix . As the light fades , a superb light show suits the mood of the songs perfectly . And despite this being a huge concert , there is room for more subtle songs like `` Out of Time , '' a nostalgic `` End of the Century '' and `` This is a Low . '' Blur finish with `` For Tomorrow '' and `` The Universal , '' ending what , for this reporter , will be remembered as one of the most amazing concerts . What Blur fans hope for now is some new material to match the classics they are evidently so proud of . | Iconic ` Britpop ' band Blur play comeback gig in London after six-year hiatus . Guitarist Graham Coxon returns to band after he was axed . Gig is most anticipated comeback of year along with The Specials ' reunion . | [[610, 632], [643, 733], [971, 1050], [1053, 1135]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sixteen people were wounded and a guru was shot to death in an outbreak of violence between rival Sikhs at an Indian temple in Vienna , Austria , police said . Austrian police secure the area outside a Sikh temple in Vienna where a shooting occured Sunday . Six people were arrested in connection with the incident , which occurred about 1:20 p.m. local time -LRB- 7:20 a.m. ET -RRB- Sunday in Vienna 's 15th district , police spokesman Schwaig Hofar told CNN . One armed suspect fired at two gurus , and five other knife-wielding suspects attacked congregants during prayer , Hofar said . One of the gurus , a 57-year-old Sikh preacher , was killed . The number of wounded includes four of the suspects , two of them in serious condition , he said . About 150 people were in the room when the violence took place , he said . Authorities are investigating what triggered the attacks . CNN 's David Ariosto contributed to this report . | Police : One suspect fired at two gurus , while five suspects attacked with knives . One of the gurus , a 57-year-old Sikh preacher , was killed . Police : About 150 people were in the room when the violence took place . | [[47, 152], [481, 517], [524, 593], [47, 152], [609, 625], [658, 670], [770, 832]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Turkish television show is offering contestants what it claims is the `` biggest prize ever '' -- the chance for atheists to convert to one of the world 's major religions . The TV show offers converts to Islam the chance to visit Mecca . The show , called `` Tovbekarlar Yarisiyor , '' or `` Penitents Compete , '' features a Muslim imam , a Catholic priest , a Jewish rabbi and a Buddhist monk attempting to persuade 10 atheists of the merits of their religion , according to CNN Turk . If they succeed , the contestants are rewarded with a pilgrimage to one of their chosen faith 's most sacred sites -- Mecca for Muslims , Jerusalem for converts to Judaism , a trip to Tibet for Buddhists and the chance to visit Ephesus and the Vatican for Christians . Ahmet Ozdemir , deputy director of Turkish channel Kanal T , which will air the show from September , said the program aimed to `` turn disbelievers on to God . '' `` People are free to believe anything they want . Our program does not have a say , '' he said , according to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet . Contestants will be judged by a panel of eight theologians and religious experts prior to going on the show to make sure their lack of faith is genuine . But the show has been condemned by Turkish religious leaders . The head of the country 's supreme council of religious affairs , Hamza Aktan , told CNN Turk that it was `` disrespectful '' to place different faiths in competition with each other and accused Kanal T of using religion to boost ratings . `` To do such a thing for the sake of ratings , not only with Islam but with all religions is disrespectful , '' said Aktan . `` Religion should not be the subject of this type of program . '' Although Turkey has a predominantly Muslim population and culture , religion is a sensitive subject because of the country 's staunchly secular constitution which outlaws most displays of faith in public life . Last year the Islamist-influenced government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan clashed with the country 's constitutional court when judges overturned the efforts of Erdogan 's AK Party to lift a ban on female students wearing headscarves at public universities . Aylin Yazan at CNN Turk contributed to this story . | Turkish TV show features imam , Catholic priest , Jewish rabbi , Buddhist monk . Religious leaders attempt to persuade atheists to `` convert '' to their faith . Show has prompted criticism from religious groups who say it is `` disrespectful '' | [[334, 381], [134, 194], [779, 792], [881, 939], [1241, 1299], [1237, 1299], [1300, 1363], [1380, 1520]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An 18-year-old Guatemalan man who doctors say faces almost certain death unless he receives a transplanted heart is surrounded by family as he waits , thanks to the kindness of strangers . Juan Gonzalez was earning $ 250 a week as a dishwasher when his heart trouble began . Juan Gonzalez , now lying in a hospital in Atlanta , hopes to learn Friday whether he will be added to the list of people eligible to receive transplants . Doctors at St. Joseph 's Hospital said Gonzalez appears to be a good candidate . Without a transplant , they said , he could die in six months . The teen traveled alone to Rome , Georgia , to earn enough money to help support his family back home . The undocumented worker took a job as a dishwasher for $ 250 a week . That 's when heart trouble stepped in . Dr. Frank Stegall , a cardiologist at Redmond Regional Medical Center in Rome , told Gonzalez he had a chronically weak heart , or dilated cardiomyopathy . The organ pumps only 20 percent of the blood a healthy heart would , Stegall said . As his heart failed , Gonzalez 's plight moved the hospital staff to try to reunite him with his parents . They contacted U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey -- himself a doctor . Gingrey persuaded the State Department to expedite travel visas for Pascual and Maria Gonzalez , and Delta Air Lines provided a free ride . Last month , CNN aired a story on Juan Gonzalez . Afterward , the Larry King Cardiac Foundation -- founded by the CNN talk show host 21 years ago to pay for life-saving cardiac care for patients without insurance who do n't qualify for state or federal assistance -- helped get Gonzalez transferred to St. Joseph 's Hospital in Atlanta for evaluation . Many of the people who saw the story on CNN were moved to offer help . It was then that the possibility of a heart transplant became real , thanks to a large donation from one of those people . The donor has asked that details of the gift not be revealed , other than his name , Sam Shapiro . Gonzalez and his parents say they are grateful for the overwhelming support . St. Joseph 's has provided housing for the parents at a nearby hotel . Although it is not clear where Gonzalez will go once the evaluation at St. Joseph is completed , staff members at Redmond in Rome , about 60 miles northwest of Atlanta , indicated they might provide a place for the parents to say . The parents ' visas will run out in about two and a half months . CNN 's Anna Armas contributed to this report . | Juan Gonzalez hopes to learn Friday if he will be added to heart transplant list . Without a transplant , doctors said , he could die in six months . Heart transplant a possibility now thanks to donations from strangers . Teen traveled alone to Georgia to earn money to support his family back home . | [[312, 325], [365, 433], [79, 109], [572, 581], [584, 612], [582, 612], [177, 185], [188, 225], [1798, 1920], [613, 644], [657, 716]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After deliberating for more than four hours , a jury convicted a Nevada man of 22 counts Tuesday for videotaping himself sexually assaulting a toddler , CNN affiliates report . Chester Arthur Stiles has been convicted of videtaping a sexual assault on a child . Chester Arthur Stiles , 38 , faces a maximum sentence of life in prison . He was convicted of lewdness with a child , sexual assault with a minor , attempted sexual assault with a minor and other related charges . He showed no reaction as the verdict was read after more than four hours of jury deliberations , according to KLAS . Sentencing was set for May 8 . The crime triggered a national manhunt and search for the girl when the tape surfaced in 2007 . Jurors in Stiles ' trial viewed the videotape , but the judge would not allow members sitting in the gallery to view it , and a screen was put up to block the jury box , said Michael Sommermeyer , spokesman for Clark County , Nevada , courts . Some members of the media were allowed to view the tape as well , but the judge did not want the reactions of reporters or the public to influence jurors , he said . The charges also related to another girl who Stiles was accused of sexually assaulting on videotape . The tape was given to authorities in September 2007 by a man who said he had found it in the desert five months before . On it , police found images of the small girl being sexually assaulted . After attempting unsuccessfully to find out the girl 's identity , authorities turned to the media for help and released a picture of the girl , and the case drew nationwide attention . She was found in October 2007 . An attorney for her mother said she was 7 years old and safe and healthy . The rape occurred before the girl 's third birthday , while she was in the care of a baby-sitter her mother had hired , he said . The mother did not know the girl had been victimized . After the girl was found , authorities asked CNN and other news organizations to stop showing her picture . In an appearance on `` The Dr. Phil Show , '' the girl 's mother said the girl has no recollection of the assault . Stiles , a resident of Pahrump , Nevada , was arrested in a traffic stop in October 2007 . Police said at the time they pulled Stiles ' car over because it had no license plate , and became suspicious when the driver displayed an expired California license with a photo that did not match his appearance . Stiles eventually admitted who he was and that he was being sought , authorities said . The man who turned the tape over to authorities , Darrin Tuck , faced criminal charges because of the delay in turning it over , during which authorities alleged he showed it to others . A judge gave Tuck a one-year suspended sentence and three years of probation in April after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct a public officer , according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal . He initially had faced a felony count of possession of child pornography . | NEW : Chester Arthur Stiles guilty of all counts in child sex video case . NEW : Sentencing for Stiles scheduled for May 8 . Stiles could be sent to prison for the rest of his life . Tape surfaced in 2007 , years after alleged assault . | [[65, 169], [196, 280], [355, 396], [612, 642], [281, 302], [310, 354], [643, 738], [711, 738]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Five Italian tourists visiting New York from Bologna are among the nine victims believed killed Saturday in a midair collision of a sightseeing helicopter and a single-engine plane over the Hudson River , a law enforcement source said . First responders gather on a pier after a plane and helicopter collided Saturday over the Hudson River . The tourists , who apparently died with the chopper 's pilot , were part of a group of 12 visiting the United States , the source said . The helicopter was operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours . The bodies of two adults and one child were recovered after the collision , which occurred around noon over the Hudson between New York and Hoboken , New Jersey , authorities said . The child is believed to be one of the three people on the plane , a single-engine Piper PA-32 Saratoga that took off from New Jersey 's Teterboro Airport , authorities said . A source involved in the investigation identified the pilot and owner of the plane as Steven Altman , whose brother Daniel and nephew Douglas also were among the victims . The two adult bodies , discovered underwater , are believed to be two of the Italian tourists aboard the helicopter , the law enforcement source said . The Italian Foreign Ministry said consulate officials were working with New York authorities to identify the victims . Helicopter wreckage was found in about 30 feet of water , while the plane is believed to be near the midchannel point of the Hudson in deeper water , the source said . A side-scanning sonar is being used to pinpoint the plane and has identified a possible third debris field , the source said . The search is scheduled to resume Sunday morning , Debbie Hersman , chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board said at a riverside news conference late Saturday . Underwater visibility of about two feet hampered Saturday 's search effort , she said . All nine people in both aircrafts are thought to have been killed in the collision , New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said . See where the collision occurred '' `` There was an accident which we do not believe was survivable , '' said Bloomberg , noting that the search for survivors had become a recovery mission . A temporary flight restriction over the rescue area -- about three nautical miles around and 2,000 feet up -- was put in place , a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman said . A witness told investigators he saw the airplane approach the helicopter from behind , Hersman said . The witness said the plane 's right wing made contact with the helicopter , an American Eurocopter AS350 operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours , Hersman said . View images from the scene '' Another Liberty pilot who was refueling at a nearby heliport told NTSB investigators that he saw the plane approach the helicopter and tried to warn the helicopter pilot , but got no response , Hersman said . `` This is a VFR corridor -- that means Visual Flight Rules prevail , '' Hersman told reporters late Saturday . `` You are supposed to be alert and see and avoid other aircraft in the vicinity . '' iReport.com : Police search for debris . Witnesses reported seeing debris flying from the helicopter as it crashed . The helicopter wreckage has been found , but the search for the plane , single-engine Piper Saratoga PA-32 , will continue Sunday morning , Hersman said at a riverside news conference . Witness Arnold Stevens said after the plane had a wing sheared off , it began `` corkscrewing '' into the water . The helicopter `` dropped like a rock '' after the collision , which happened about noon . See a series of photos from the scene '' Radar contact was lost with a small plane this morning believed to be the aircraft in the crash , FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac said . Ben Berman , a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board , said if the helicopter fell straight down , it 's likely there was a rotor failure . Scott Schuman was with his grandparents on the Hoboken side of the river when they heard a loud bang . `` The plane was kind of whirlybirding its way down , brown smoke coming out the back of it , and it crashed into the water . Then a few seconds later the helicopter with debris falling off of it also hit as well , '' Schuman said . `` It was a scary sight , '' he added . iReport.com : Were you there ? Send images . He said some of the debris fell in Hoboken , and `` we covered our heads . '' Asked if he had seen anyone in the water , Schuman replied , `` I have not seen anything , but judging by the impact when the plane and the helicopter hit , it would be very unlikely for a positive outcome . '' Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer called on witnesses who filmed or photographed the incident to come forward . `` It would be extremely helpful to have that footage , '' she said . The busy airspace surrounding New York 's Manhattan island has been the site of several aeronautical mishaps in recent history . Earlier this year , a US Airways plane with 155 people on board ditched into the Hudson , apparently after striking at least one bird upon takeoff from New York 's LaGuardia Airport , officials said . Capt. Chesley B. `` Sully '' Sullenberger 's landing , which resulted in no deaths or serious injuries , was captured on closed circuit television . In 2006 , Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor were killed when the 34-year-old ballplayer 's plane crashed into a high-rise apartment building near the East River , city officials said . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | NEW : Five Italian tourists from Bologna , pilot on sightseeing copter believed dead . Bodies of two adults from helicopter found below water , authorities say . Authorities find body of child who was one of three on small plane in collision . Pilot on ground tried to warn helicopter that plane was coming up from behind . | [[28, 80], [370, 430], [433, 486], [577, 650], [740, 758], [916, 934], [1107, 1127], [1130, 1151], [1107, 1129], [1141, 1151], [1154, 1200], [1107, 1127], [1167, 1222], [577, 650], [759, 823], [2434, 2518], [2737, 2758], [2798, 2906]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Meat is murder ? Well , perhaps not for much longer . Artist Banksy has satirized modern farming and meat production ; could in-vitro meat be a better option ? A pioneering group of scientists are working to grow real animal protein in the laboratory , which they not only claim is better for animal welfare , but actually healthier , both for people and the planet . It may sound like science fiction , but this technology to create in-vitro meat could be changing global diets within ten years . `` Cultured meat would have a lot of advantages , '' said Jason Matheny of research group New Harvest . `` We could precisely control the amount of fat in meat . We could make ground beef with an ideal fatty acid ratio -- a hamburger that prevents heart attacks instead of causing them . '' But it is n't just the possibility of creating designer ground beef with the fat profile of salmon that drives Matheny 's work . Meat and livestock farming is also the source of many human diseases , which he claims would be far less common when the product is raised in laboratory conditions . `` We could reduce the risks of diseases like swine flu , avian flu , ` mad cow disease ' , or contamination from Salmonella , '' he told CNN . `` We could produce meat in sterile conditions that are impossible in conventional animal farms and slaughterhouses . And when we grow only the meat we can eat , it 's more efficient . There 's no need to grow the whole animal and lose 75 to 95 percent of what we feed it . '' Conventional meat production is also hard on the environment . The contribution of livestock to climate change was recently highlighted by the United Nations ' report , `` Livestock 's Long Shadow '' , while groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have demonstrated how soy farming for animal feed contributes to the destruction of the Amazon . In this context Matheny believes his project could significantly cut the environmental impact of meat production -- using much less water and producing far fewer greenhouse gases . `` We could reduce the environmental footprint of meat , which currently contributes more to global warming than the entire transportation sector , '' says Matheny . Preliminary results from a study by Hanna Tuomisto , at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit , University of Oxford , suggest that cultured meat would reduce the carbon emissions of meat production by more than 80 percent . Making cultured meat . In-vitro meat is made from samples of animals conventionally slaughtered . For example , `` pork '' is made from pig ovaries retrieved from slaughterhouses , which are fertilized with pig semen , transforming them into embryos . They are then placed in a nutrient solution , where they grow and develop . It 's a long way from the popular image of animals wandering round the farmyard in the sunshine , but then so is modern intensive farming . The factor that could take the research from the lab to the store and into refrigerators around the world is its remarkable commercial potential . According to New Harvest , meat is already estimated to be a $ 1 trillion global market , and demand is expected to double by 2050 . With concerns about health , animal welfare and the environment growing the appeal of in vitro meat is obvious . Matheny told CNN that venture capitalists Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers have shown an interest in his technology , while Stegman , a sausage subsidiary of food giant Sara Lee , is a partner . The Netherlands ' Government has also invested around $ 4 million in Dutch research into in-vitro meat production . But it is n't just the suits who are circling with their checkbooks out -- campaign group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -LRB- PETA -RRB- have announced a $ 1 million prize for the first commercially viable in vitro chicken product . The Humane Society of the United States has also been supportive . `` We think that a technology to produce cultured ground meats -- burgers , sausages , nuggets , and so forth -- could be commercialized within ten years , '' said Matheny . `` As with most technologies , successive generations should improve in price , quality , and acceptance . We do n't think that matching the taste and texture of ground meats will be very difficult . Both conventional and cultured meat is made of muscle tissue . And conventional ground meat is typically highly processed . Chicken nuggets for instance , are made of something called ` meat slurry ' -- it would be hard not to do better ! '' Public attitude . But the public does n't always blindly buy what companies believe they should , and acceptance of what is a very radical proposition certainly is n't a foregone conclusion . There are bound to be claims of `` Frankenfoods , '' and reaction against the work . `` Social acceptance is n't guaranteed , but we all want meat that 's safer and healthier , '' he said . `` If cultured meat looks , tastes , and costs the same as regular meat , then I think acceptance will be high . The more we learn about the health and environmental impact of conventional meat , the more cultured meat looks like a good alternative . '' One obvious touchstone for how in-vitro-meat will be received by the public is perhaps the way GM crops were -- or were not - accepted around the world , something that Matheny draws encouragement from . `` What 's interesting about the GM issue is that it has been controversial in some places , but is a non-issue for most consumers , '' he said . `` Most Americans are regularly eating GM foods . In any case , it 's not necessarily the case that cultured meat would involve GM foods . `` We all want meat that 's safer and healthier . If cultured meat looks , tastes , and costs the same as regular meat , then do we care that it 's produced in a steel tank , rather than in an animal farm ? `` Take hydroponic vegetables . We like the idea that they 're produced in sterile water instead of dirt and manure . It 's true that in-vitro meat is n't natural . Nor for that matter are hydroponic vegetables , or bread , or cheese , or wine . Raising 10,000 chickens indoors and pumping them full of drugs is n't natural , either , and it is n't healthy or safe . The more we learn about how meat is produced now , the more in-vitro meat looks like a better alternative . '' Lab-produced meat also raises some ethical considerations . Kate McMahon , Friends of the Earth Energy and Transport campaigner , believes more attention should be paid to improving livestock conditions rather than developing in-vitro meat . `` At a time when hundreds of small-scale , sustainable farming operations are filing for bankruptcy every day , it is unethical to consider purchasing petri dish meat . Rather , we should be making it easier and more affordable to raise livestock in a safe , humane and ecologically sensitive manner , '' she told CNN . Gillian Madill , Genetics Technologies spokesperson for Friends of the Earth , thinks that clear parameters for in-vitro development need to put in place : `` If we can successfully develop these products , what is the defining line between lab-grown meat and natural animals ? '' she told CNN . `` That is an especially important question since a high level of differentiation and tissue complexity is required to replicate muscle tissue that we use as meat . We need to draw clear lines in order to prevent the commodification of all life . '' Ultimately the success of in-vitro meat may be less about consumer sensibilities and more about the hard realities of feeding a growing global population in a finite world . `` With India and China doubling their meat consumption every decade , there 's no sustainable way to satisfy the growing global appetite for meat without a significant improvement in technology , '' said Matheny . `` Cultured meat offers one solution . Improved plant-based meat substitutes offer another . I expect both will be needed . '' Test tube burgers ? It seems you could be eating them sooner than you might expect . What do you think of in-vitro meat ? Do you think it could be a solution to the problems connected to meat production and climate change ? Let us know in the Sound Off box below . | Ongoing research into in-vitro meat ; grown in a lab using animal samples . Advocates say in-vitro meat is better for health of humans and environment . Lab-made meat could be served in a decade , says research scientist Jason Matheny . | [[2477, 2522], [427, 516], [567, 606], [3940, 4093]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- NASA 's Kepler space telescope has already made a discovery , and its science operations are n't even officially under way yet . The planet used in the test is a giant gas planet about the size of Jupiter that orbits a star called HAT P-7 . NASA scientists who put the telescope through a 10-day test after its March 6 launch said this week that Kepler is working well . Its ability to detect minute changes in light has enabled scientists to determine that a planet orbiting a distant star has an atmosphere , shows only one side to its sun and is so hot it glows . Kepler 's ability to take measurements that precise at such a great distance `` proves we can find Earth-size planets , '' William Borucki , Kepler 's principal science investigator told reporters at a recent briefing . The powerful scope is looking at thousands of stars in its vision field in the Milky Way on a 3 1/2 - year mission to find planets the size of Earth and to determine how common these planets are . The planet used in the test , a giant gas planet about the size of Jupiter , orbits a star called HAT P-7 in just 2.2 days and is 26 times closer than Earth is to the sun , according to NASA . It is called an exoplanet because it orbits a star outside the solar system . Kepler detected the planet 's atmosphere , demonstrating the telescope 's capabilities and giving astronomers what NASA says is `` only a taste of things to come . '' `` It learned that this planet is like 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit . That is so hot . And it 's 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit just on one side only . The other side would be closer to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit , '' said Sara Seager , a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Kepler science team member . `` This particular planet showed an unusual change in brightness , '' she said . `` As the planet is orbiting the star , it goes through phases just as the moon goes through phases as seen from Earth . '' `` Kepler learned something new about an old planet , '' she said . `` The new discovery was that planet is extremely hot , very , very hot . And it 's very , very hot on one side , compared to the other . '' Borucki compared it to `` an element in your toaster or stove . '' | Kepler orbiting observatory beginning mission to find planets the size of Earth . It has found that a planet orbiting a distant star shows only one side to the star . `` Kepler learned something new about an old planet , '' says team member . | [[898, 954], [448, 585], [1230, 1273], [1962, 2010]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From Woodstock and a man on the moon to the Manson murders and the Stonewall riots , the summer of 1969 was a tumultuous and eventful time . Listed below are a few of the historic and memorable moments from that summer . April 23 | Sirhan Sirhan sentenced Sirhan Sirhan , convicted of murdering New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy during the 1968 presidential campaign , is sentenced to death a week after being found guilty . Three years later , his sentence is commuted to life in prison after California abolishes the death penalty . May 18 | Apollo 10 The Apollo 10 mission is a dress rehearsal for the lunar landing module . This mission tested `` all aspects of the lunar landing mission exactly as it would be performed , except for the actual landing , '' according to NASA . It also transmitted the first color pictures of Earth from space . May 23 | The Who releases `` Tommy '' The Who , a key band of the 1960s British Invasion , releases the rock opera `` Tommy . '' The double album features songs like `` Pinball Wizard '' and `` Tommy , Can You Hear Me ? '' May 24 | Beatles ' `` Get Back '' is No. 1 `` Get Back '' by the Beatles becomes the top song on Billboard 's list and stays there for five weeks . Released as a single , the song later appeared on the `` Let it be '' album . `` Aquarius/Let the Sunshine in '' by the Fifth Dimension was the second song on the list for that week . May 25 | `` Midnight Cowboy '' released John Schlesinger 's `` Midnight Cowboy , '' starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman , is released with an X rating , the first ever in wide release . The film received seven Academy Award nominations and won three , including best picture . Other notable movies released during that year include `` Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , '' `` Easy Rider '' and `` True Grit . '' June 3 | Last episode of ` Star Trek ' airs The last episode of the original `` Star Trek '' airs on NBC . During the episode , titled `` Turnabout Intruder , '' one of Captain Kirk 's former lovers steals his body . June 6 | Joe Namath briefly retires Joe Namath , the star New York Jets quarterback who famously guaranteed a Super Bowl victory , briefly retires from the National Football League over a conflict with league Commissioner Pete Rozelle . June 8 | Nixon and Vietnam President Nixon , after being elected on a campaign pledge to pull troops out of Southeast Asia , announces the withdrawal of 25,000 U.S. troops from Vietnam . June 9 / June 23 | Burger becomes chief justice Appointed by President Nixon , Warren Burger is confirmed as the chief justice of the Supreme Court on June 9 , succeeding Earl Warren . Two weeks later , he is sworn in . In 1973 , Burger votes with the majority in the landmark Roe v. Wade case , establishing a woman 's right to an abortion . June 28 | Stonewall riots A confrontation between gay rights activists and police outside the Stonewall Inn -- a gay bar in Greenwich Village , New York City -- escalates into a riot . Over the next four decades , the riots act as a symbolic force for the burgeoning gay rights movement . July 25 | Sen. Kennedy and Chappaquiddick Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy receives a two-month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of a fatal accident . Mary Jo Kopechne , once a campaign worker for Sen. Robert Kennedy , drowned in the July 18 accident in Chappaquiddick , Massachusetts . July 20 | Moon landing Apollo 11 , carrying three U.S. astronauts , lands on the moon . Mission commander Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon ; crewmate Buzz Aldrin also walked on the moon . The third man on the mission was Michael Collins . Six lunar landings followed . July 24 | Muhammad Ali convicted Boxing champion Muhammad Ali is convicted of evading the draft after he refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army . Two years earlier , Ali applied for an exemption as a conscientious objector but was denied . He was stripped of his fighting license and title . He returned to the ring in 1970 , and his conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1971 . August 9-10 | The Manson murders During a two-night rampage , pregnant actress Sharon Tate and seven others are killed by Charles Manson and his `` Family . '' Manson and four others -- Susan Atkins , Patricia Krenwinkel , Charles `` Tex '' Watson and Leslie Van Houten -- were later convicted of murder and other charges . Their death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment in 1972 . August 14 | British troops sent to Northern Ireland More than 300 British troops are ordered into a Londonderry neighborhood in Northern Ireland after three nights of clashes between police and Catholic residents . The troops were supposed to stay for days , but the conflict lasted decades . The number of British troops stationed in Northern Ireland peaked at 30,000 in the early 1970s . August 14 | The Miracle Mets The New York Mets fall nine games behind the Chicago Cubs in the National League race but , led by future Hall of Fame pitchers Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver , stage a comeback in the months that followed to capture the pennant . They went on to defeat the Baltimore Orioles for the Word Series title . August 15-18 | Woodstock Nearly 400,000 people show up at a farm in Bethel , New York , for a music festival that features legendary acts Jimi Hendrix , the Who , the Grateful Dead , Janis Joplin and Sly and the Family Stone . The event would help define an era . August 17 | Hurricane Camille More than 250 people are killed in Mississippi and Louisiana when Hurricane Camille strikes the United States mainland . At its peak , Camille was a Category 5 storm , packing winds stronger than 200 mph and leaving tides measuring higher than 20 feet in its wake . September 1 | Gadhafi assumes power Moammar Gadhafi , a military captain at the time , deposes King Idris and assumes control of Libya . He remains in power to this day . September 24 | The `` Chicago 8 '' trial begins A trial gets under way for eight people -- known as the `` Chicago 8 '' -- who were indicted on charges connected with protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago . After a long , raucous trial , two were acquitted , and the others were convicted on various charges . Eight police officers were also indicted in connection with the disorder in Chicago . | Man lands on the moon on July 20 with Apollo 11 mission . A new Supreme Court justice and withdrawal of troops in Vietnam grab headlines . In the world of sports , The Mets , Muhammad Ali and Joe Nameth make news . For more , go to In Depth : Summer of 1969 . | [[3443, 3475], [3478, 3508]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Divers found an eighth body Monday from the weekend collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River , leaving only one victim unaccounted for . Silvia Rigamonti , wife of one of the victims , walks with her son Davide Norelli in Bologna , Italy , on Monday . The man 's body was found inside the submerged Piper Saratoga PA-32 fixed-wing plane that was carrying three people when it collided Saturday with a tourist helicopter carrying six people , police said . It was not immediately possible to remove the body , police said . The plane wreckage and the body were found on a day in which police divers worked in water made treacherous by poor visibility and strong currents . All six bodies of the people who were aboard the helicopter were pulled from water up to 50 feet deep over the weekend . Another body from among the three people who were aboard the private plane was found Saturday floating near Pier 40 . Recovery operations were suspended late Monday afternoon and were to resume Tuesday morning , when the Army Corps of Engineers plans to lift the plane , police spokesman Paul Browne said . The victims aboard the helicopter included five tourists from Bologna , Italy , part of a group of 10 Bologna-area residents who were in New York to help a couple celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary , said Giovanni Castellaneta , Italy 's ambassador to the United States . See where the collision occurred '' The celebrating husband and one of the couple 's sons were killed in the crash , but the wife skipped the sightseeing flight to go shopping , another son told Italian news media . The victims from Bologna were Michele Norelli , 51 ; Norelli 's son Filippo Norelli , 16 ; Fabio Gallazzi , 49 ; Gallazzi 's wife , Tiziana Pedroni , 44 ; and Gallazzi 's son , Giacomo Gallazzi , 15 . Michele Norelli 's wife , Silvia Rigamonti , decided to visit New York stores instead of seeing its sights from above , the couple 's eldest son , Davide Norelli , told Italian media . The Norellis were ecstatic to be spending their anniversary in New York , Davide Norelli told Stampa newspaper in Turin , Italy . `` They used to talk about their trip at dinner with enthusiasm , of their silver anniversary and how they were going to celebrate it together . My aunt gave them the trip as a gift , '' the paper quotes Davide Norelli saying . Davide Norelli , 23 , also told Italian media that when he saw news of the crash on Saturday , he called his mother and was relieved at first because she answered . Then came the news that his father and brother died , which he had to relay to his 92-year-old paternal grandmother . The pilot of the helicopter -- a Eurocopter AS350 -- was Jeremy Clarke , 32 . He had worked for Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours for about 1 1/2 years and had logged 2,700 helicopter flight hours , Hersman said . Killed aboard the plane were the owner and pilot , Steven Altman , 60 , of Ambler , Pennsylvania ; his brother , Daniel Altman , 49 , of Dresher , Pennsylvania ; and Daniel Altman 's 16-year-old son , Douglas . The National Transportation Safety Board has begun to reconstruct what happened . The Piper took off from a Philadelphia-area airfield Saturday morning and landed at New Jersey 's Teterboro Airport before taking off again , this time bound for Ocean City , New Jersey . Watch why investigators are looking at the airspace '' The Piper pilot spoke after takeoff with the Teterboro tower , which handed him off electronically to the Newark tower , NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman told reporters . But the pilot never contacted the Newark tower , she said . Controllers lost contact with the plane at 11:53 a.m. , when it was at an altitude of about 1,100 feet , Hersman said . Watch why investigators are looking at the airspace '' The helicopter was taking the five Italians on a 12-minute sightseeing tour around New York and had taken off from a heliport in midtown Manhattan shortly before the crash , Hersman said . Hersman called the area `` very complex airspace '' near three major airports and a variety of other general aviation facilities . In an effort to determine just how complex , the Federal Aviation Administration found that , in each of the eight days prior to the crash , an average of 225 aircraft operated at or below 1,100 feet within a 3-mile radius of the accident site , she said . Below that altitude , aircraft can operate under visual flight regulations . The wreckage of the helicopter was pulled up Sunday , nearly intact , Hersman said on CNN 's `` American Morning '' on Monday . Watch the NTSB official discuss the accident '' Castellaneta said he had asked New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to help speed the inquiry into what happened . Bloomberg , who is a pilot , likened the crowded air corridor where the accident happened to a highway . `` Nobody is ever going to make every road perfectly safe or every trip in your automobile , and the same thing is true when you fly , '' he said . He added , `` Nothing we can say will bring them back , but our prayers are with them . '' Investigators will focus on radio communications along the air corridor at the time of the crash and will examine any images contributed by the public . Neither aircraft was required to carry electronic data recorders -- often referred to as `` black boxes '' -- that record cockpit voices and flight information on larger planes . But electronic navigational devices on board might retain information that could help investigators , Hersman said . Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours , since 1995 , has had eight accidents and one `` incident , '' after which the NTSB made a number of safety recommendations , Hersman said . `` I think the fact that we are here today shows there is a lot of work that still needs to be done , '' she said . Saturday 's crash was the company 's first involving fatalities . Marcia Horowitz , a spokeswoman for the tour operator , said Liberty executives were working with investigators . `` The company is focusing its efforts on cooperating with the NTSB and giving as much information as it can , '' Horowitz said . `` At this time , their priority is to help with the family of their pilot and , of course , the families that were involved in the accident . '' CNN 's Susan Candiotti , Mary Snow and Hada Messia contributed to this report . | Body found Monday in submerged wreckage of plane . Eight bodies now located after weekend plane-helicopter collision ; one missing . Wife of Italian victim skipped helicopter flight to go shopping , son tells Italian media . Helicopter wreckage recovered Sunday . | [[28, 127], [287, 371], [558, 609], [28, 127], [0, 24], [130, 171], [1534, 1588], [1591, 1628], [1830, 1853], [1875, 1947], [1950, 1974], [1994, 2014], [558, 609], [4465, 4516]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A tsunami watch issued for five nations after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean was canceled about two hours later . A tsunami watch in effect after an earthquake in the Indian Ocean has been called off . The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had issued the watch for India , Myanmar , Thailand , Indonesia and Bangladesh after the quake , which struck at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday -LRB- 3:55 p.m. Monday ET -RRB- . Its epicenter was about 163 miles -LRB- 262 km -RRB- north of Port Blair in India 's Andaman Islands , and 225 miles south-southwest of Pathein , Myanmar , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . The earthquake 's focus was about 20 miles below the Earth 's surface . In general , earthquakes centered closer to the Earth 's surface produce stronger shaking and can cause more damage than those further underground . Watch where the earthquakes hit '' `` Sea level readings indicate that a significant tsunami was not generated , '' the warning center said in a bulletin . `` Therefore , the tsunami watch issued by this center is now canceled . '' According to the geological survey , a 6.4-magnitude quake struck near the south coast of Honshu , Japan , 12 minutes after the Indian Ocean quake . The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory following that quake , but said that the expected wave would be under 2 feet . CNN 's Augie Martin contributed to this report . | Watch covered India , Myanmar , Thailand , Indonesia and Bangladesh . It was issued after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean . Quake with 6.4-magnitude occurred near Japan 12 minutes later . | [[19, 111], [237, 366], [19, 111], [237, 366], [1125, 1184]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If climate change were a small house fire , current policy in the European Union and the United Kingdom would ensure that it would destroy not just the house but the entire suburb . Author of `` Carbon Scenarios '' compares global warming to a house fire that the world is currently failing to contain . That 's the grim analogy offered by Paul Domjan , author of a new report , `` Carbon Scenarios : Blue sky thinking for a green future '' , by the Stockholm Network , a London-based pan-European think tank . The report explores three scenarios on climate change , none of which leads to what 's defined by the EU and UK as a ` successful outcome ' ; a greater than 90 percent chance of temperatures rising by no more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels . `` We have failed , '' Domjan says , adding , `` We will not prevent two degrees of warming . '' Continuing the house fire analogy he says , `` The less than two degree scenario is a fire you can put out . With less than three degrees it spreads to other rooms but you can still put it out . '' He says global policy of the past ten years looks more like the third -- and worst -- scenario explored by the Carbon Scenarios report -- the one dubbed `` Agree and Ignore . '' In that case , `` your house is unrecognizably destroyed . The positive feedback cycle is n't contained . Your house catches fire , your neighbor 's catches fire ... '' And so on . Domjan blames the failure of the current climate change policy on the constant stream of compromises by world leaders designed to keep the Kyoto agreement intact . `` This dynamic of making lots of small compromises in order to keep the agreement in place has led to a situation where the agreement has lost a lot of its teeth . '' He points to Canada as an example , a signatory to the Kyoto agreement which has `` done nothing '' to implement it . `` During the time it 's been a signatory it 's been developing massive coal sands projects which are the most polluting way of producing gas and oil in the world , '' he says . `` There 's a great international censure against the U.S. for not ratifying Kyoto but nothing has been said about Canada . '' `` The coal sands are using so much natural gas and electricity they could have an entire nuclear facility just for themselves . '' The three alternative futures explored in the Carbon Scenarios report include `` Kyoto Plus , '' `` Agree and Ignore '' and `` Step Change . '' `` Kyoto Plus '' envisages a gradual transition to a global cap on carbon emissions by 2012 . Domjan calls it a `` largely successful scenario '' where there 's a greater than 90 percent chance of global average temperatures rising more than 3.31 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2100 . `` That 's not a disaster . It 's still a world that 's recognizable , '' he says . The second scenario -- `` Agree and Ignore '' -- predicts efforts to reduce carbon emissions will `` stall and backslide '' leading to `` competitive regionalism . '' There would be a greater than 90 percent chance of global average temperatures rising no more than 4.8 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2100 . From that point , temperatures would continue to rise into the next century . The third scenario -- `` Step Change '' -- imagines a radical shift in global policy direction . World leaders would introduce a system of global carbon caps , giving them greater than 90 percent chance of limiting the rise in global average temperatures to 2.85 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2100 . Of the three scenarios , `` Step Change '' is the one Domjan personally prefers but the one he concedes is unlikely to happen . `` Our proposal -LSB- for a global upstream cap -RSB- is similar to but not identical to the proposal from the Kyoto 2 project , '' he says . `` It 's a line of thinking that 's been around for a while that will provide a healthy alternative to emissions trading . '' Under the scheme , the United Nations would impose an annual cap on the amount of carbon that could be produced from fossil fuels . Natural resource companies would have to apply and pay for permits to produce carbon . Compliance would be determined at key points , for example , coal washing stations . `` The problem is how do you get the political impetus to have a big international change like that and for people to accept that this is genuinely going to be dealt with at an international level , '' Domjan asks . The `` Step Change '' scenario supposes that the impetus comes through a threat to U.S. and Chinese economic security . Under the scenario , climate change threatens Sino-U.S. . trade relations so the two combine to lead and enforce global change . `` Our current approach to climate change is moving at the pace of the slowest country , '' Domjan says , adding , `` Here they say we 're going to move as quickly as possible and then force others to catch up . '' Under that scenario , the need to purchase carbon production permits would push record oil prices even higher as energy companies pass on the cost to consumers . Domjan is confident the global economy could cope -- it 's adapted to higher energy prices so far and is likely to prove equally resilient in the future . And the extra cost of fuel , rather going to producers , would be held in a fund controlled by the United Nations . It would be used to help developing nations to use fewer fossil fuels , to support new research and development , to compensate oil producers for the carbon they 're not producing , and to establish an emergency fund to deal with the consequences of climate change . Domjan acknowledges that world leaders are unlikely to use the report as the basis for a new global policy , but he hopes they at least take away two key points : `` Whenever possible regulate at the point where there are fewest participants -LSB- and -RSB- we need to make sure there 's a clear price signal so the market can distribute energy efficiently . '' | Carbon Scenarios report says EU , UK global warming targets `` unrealistic '' Report 's author : `` We have failed . We will not prevent two degrees of warming '' Document explores three scenarios for global warming under different policies . Proposes radical shift in policy to introduce global carbon caps and permits . | [[340, 412], [803, 820], [823, 825], [823, 837], [840, 846], [849, 896], [547, 600], [2344, 2413], [2344, 2484], [3259, 3277], [3302, 3355]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After 20 years of mega-success together , country duo Brooks & Dunn say they are done . Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have decided to call it quits as a country singing duo . In a statement on their Web site , the pair said they will tour one last time next year as a goodbye to fans -- and then call it a day . The decision to part was mutual , the duo said . `` If you hear rumors , do n't believe them , it 's just time , '' the Web statement said . Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were successful singer-songwriters in their own right when they joined forces and scored their first hit as a duo with their 1991 debut CD , `` Brand New Man . '' Since then , they have released more than a dozen albums , had 20 No. 1 hits and won the Country Music Association 's Vocal Duo of the Year award every year from 1992 until 2006 -- with their streak broken just once in 2000 . The duo will release a compilation , '' .1 's ... And Then Some , '' on September 8 . `` The Last Rodeo '' tour will begin in 2010 , but dates have not been announced . | The pair said they will tour one last time next year as a goodbye to fans . Brooks & Dunn have released more than a dozen albums and had 20 No. 1 hits . The duo will release a compilation on September 8 . | [[191, 223], [226, 299], [971, 1015], [659, 715], [659, 669], [672, 676], [718, 728], [885, 953]] |
WICHITA , Kansas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Scott Roeder 's ex-wife said she believes her former spouse was capable of murder . Scott Roeder , 51 , is being held on a first-degree murder charge and two counts of aggravated assault . Roeder , 51 , is sitting in a Kansas jail , charged with murdering George Tiller , one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortion . `` He was determined that if the abortion doctor killed the baby , then he did n't have any right to live either , '' Roeder 's ex-wife Lindsey Roeder told reporters on Monday , refusing to show her face to cameras . Lindsey Roeder said their 10-year marriage ended 13 years ago in part because he had a fanatical preoccupation with certain views , including those on abortion . She said her ex-husband believed killing an abortion provider `` is justifiable , '' and described him as self-righteous and someone who may be capable of murder . Scott Roeder was charged Tuesday with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault stemming from Tiller 's shooting death at Tiller 's Wichita church Sunday morning . Watch panel discuss ramifications of slaying '' During a brief initial court appearance , in which he appeared via video from the county jail , Roeder requested a court-appointed lawyer . He has made no plea , and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 16 . Police have not disclosed a possible motive in Tiller 's killing . But associates have told CNN that Roeder was a regular among the anti-abortion protesters who routinely gathered at Tiller 's Wichita clinic , Women 's Health Care Services . And records and interviews with family and fellow abortion protesters suggest Roeder had a fanatical preoccupation with abortion and used Christianity to support his beliefs . In 1996 , he was arrested in Topeka , Kansas , with explosives , a military rifle , ammunition and a gas mask in his car , according to records . His ex-wife said that at that time he intended to blow up an abortion clinic . A Shawnee County judge called Roeder a `` substantial threat to public safety '' telling him that one must follow the law as established , not the law as one might wish it to be . Roeder pleaded not guilty , spent 16 months in prison and eight on probation . But his lawyer argued on appeal that his car had been illegally searched , and Roeder 's conviction was vacated . He became known as a regular at protests outside abortion clinics , say those who rallied alongside him . Anti-abortion activists Anthony Leake and Regina Dinwiddie told CNN that Tiller had strong beliefs . `` He was a confessing Christian , '' Leake continued . `` He always had his Bible , which was n't uncommon . He professed faith in Jesus Christ . '' A man named Scott Roeder signed a message on the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue 's Web site in 2007 , calling for prayers to shut down Tiller 's `` death camp . '' `` Sometime soon , would it be feasible to organize as many people as possible to attend Tillers church -LRB- inside , not just outside -RRB- to have much more of a presence and possibly ask questions of the pastor , deacons , elders and members while there ? Does n't seem like it would hurt anything but bring more attention to Tiller , '' the message reads . National anti-abortion organizations , including Operation Rescue , condemned Tiller 's slaying . '' -LSB- The alleged killer -RSB- is not one of us , and if he thinks he is , then he is deluded , '' said the Rev. Gary Cass , the director of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission . Dinwiddie , a 54-year-old grandmother , said Roeder once told her that he confronted a doctor at a Planned Parenthood center , telling the physician , `` Now I know what you look like . '' `` We all said , ` Scott , you better leave or they are gon na get after you , ' '' Dinwiddie said . `` Next thing , all these people come rushing out of the place , all worried . Scott was standing up for what he believed in . '' In the mid-1990s , police said he was also possibly linked to the Freemen , an anti-government group based in Montana . Eugene Frye , who says he has known Roeder for years as an anti-tax campaigner , said just Roeder showed up at a recent abortion protest talking about this year 's trial of Tiller , whom Frye called the `` killer . '' Tiller was acquitted in March of 19 misdemeanor counts of performing unlawful procedures at his clinic , and Frye said Roeder told him he had attended the trial . See what people are saying about Tiller 's slaying '' `` He just said he 'd been down there , and that the trial was a sham , '' Frye said . But he said he was surprised that Roeder was a suspect in Tiller 's death , saying he never spoke of any kind of violence . Tiller describes the philosophy of his clinic in 1999 '' CNN 's Ed Lavandera , Randi Kaye , Paul Vercammen and Ashley Fantz contributed to this report . | Ex-wife : Scott Roeder was self-righteous , potentially dangerous . Scott Roeder , 51 , of the Kansas City , Kansas , area charged with murder . Roeder suspected of killing abortion provider Dr. George Tiller on Sunday . Tiller was one few remaining doctors in the U.S. offering late-term abortions . | [[486, 506], [522, 546], [750, 753], [839, 882], [2012, 2104], [120, 132], [140, 224], [225, 231], [269, 305], [225, 231], [269, 305], [315, 335], [340, 370]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Substitute Victor Obinna came off the bench to score twice as Nigeria beat Kenya 3-0 in Abuja , to claim their first victory in African World Cup qualifying Group B. Obinna scored a late second-half double to help Nigeria cruise to a 3-0 home victory over Kenya . The Inter Milan striker scored twice in the last 17 minutes , including one from the penalty spot , after Getafe 's Ikechukwu Uche had given the Super Eagles as early lead . The result sees Nigeria move up to second place in the table with four points from their two games , two points behind leaders Tunisia who beat Mozambique 2-0 on Saturday to have maximum points from their two matches . Kenya are bottom of the table , without a point , and it already looks like Tunisia and Nigeria will battle it out for top spot in the group and automatic qualification for the World Cup finals . Elsewhere in Africa , Cameroon are surprisingly bottom of Group A after a 0-0 home draw with Morocco in Yaounde . The two group favorites cancelled each other out , meaning they both have a point apiece from their two matches . Gabon are the shock group leaders -- and they followed up their opening victory in Morocco by thumping an Emmanuel Adebayor-led Togo 3-0 in Libreville on Saturday . That result means Gabon are on six points , with Togo second on three points . Meanwhile , in Group E , Ivory Coast made it two wins from two matches to go top of the group with a 2-1 victory in Guinea . Sevilla midfielder Christian Koffi Ndri scored the winning goal with 13 minutes remaining as Ivory Coast joined Burkina Faso on a maximum six points . The two teams already look to have the group between them , as Guinea and Malawi are both point-less from their two matches . Malawi lost 1-0 at home to Burkina Faso on Saturday . African champions Egypt prop up Group C after crashing 3-1 in Algeria where Karim Matmour -LRB- 60 -RRB- , Abdelkader Ghezzal -LRB- 64 -RRB- and Rafik Djebbour -LRB- 77 -RRB- were on target for the hosts . Algeria top their section on goal difference from Zambia after their weekend success in front of a sell-out crowd . Ghana , who reached their first World Cup finals in Germany three years ago , won 2-0 at Mali and lead Group D by three points from Benin . Kwadwo Asamoah and Matthew Amoah were on target . | Victor Obinna scores twice as Nigeria defeat Kenya 3-0 in African Group B . The result sees Nigeria move up to second place in the table with four points . Cameroon and Morocco draw 0-0 in Group A and trail surprise leaders Gabon . | [[0, 9], [19, 112], [81, 88], [115, 184], [185, 282], [199, 282], [457, 555], [894, 954], [1100, 1133]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Divers on Tuesday recovered the bodies of the final two of nine victims of Saturday 's collision between a helicopter and small plane over the Hudson River , police said . The wreckage of a PA-32 that collided Saturday with a helicopter is lifted Tuesday from the bed of the Hudson River . `` They were inside the wreckage when we pulled it up , '' said New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne . Earlier Tuesday , police divers had attached chains and straps to the plane 's fuselage and used a crane to lift it from the riverbed 60 feet below the surface . On Saturday , the Piper PA-32 Saratoga carrying three people collided with a helicopter carrying six people , five of them Italian tourists , killing all nine people aboard both aircraft . The wreckage of the helicopter , operated by Liberty Helicopter Sightseeing Tours , was lifted Sunday nearly intact from the Hudson . The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the collision , which occurred shortly after the helicopter took off from a heliport in Midtown Manhattan on what was to have been a 12-minute sightseeing tour around New York . The Piper took off from New Jersey 's Teterboro Airport and was bound for Ocean City , New Jersey . It began its flight Saturday morning at a Philadelphia , Pennsylvania-area airfield . CNN 's Susan Candiotti and Mary Snow contributed to this report . | NEW : Bodies of 8th and 9th victims recovered from plane wreckage . Single-engine plane , tour helicopter collided Saturday over Hudson River . Divers attached chains , straps to lift submerged wreckage of plane . Helicopter 's wreckage was pulled from the river Sunday . | [[0, 24], [46, 183], [0, 24], [46, 183], [216, 223], [229, 264], [200, 223], [265, 317], [461, 530], [794, 824], [878, 927], [794, 824], [878, 927]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The view will be one unlike any other . Climbing up through the clouds at a rate faster than the speed of sound , the sky will darken to a deep blue and then to black . Below , entire mountain ranges , coastlines and cities will shift into focus as the horizon bends around the curvature of the Earth - the thin veil of its atmosphere shimmering against a backdrop of stars . An emerging space tourism industry may give thousands of travelers a new view of Earth . And then , of course , there will be the feeling of weightlessness . `` It is just life changing , '' said Col. Richard Searfoss , a retired NASA shuttle commander . `` To be outside the atmosphere and see the curvature of the Earth and see so much land area at once , it gives you a sense of separateness but connectedness . '' The view of Earth from outer space is a sight that in the history of mankind only a few hundred people have ever seen . But that could soon change as what was once an almost nonexistent space tourism industry slowly matures into what some analysts predict could be a billion dollar enterprise with thousands of passengers by the end of the next decade . `` This is just the beginning of the golden age of space flight , '' said Peter Diamandis , chairman of the X Prize Foundation , which awarded the $ 10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004 for the first privately funded human flight to the edge of space . `` Looking back a thousand years from now , this will be the period of time when the human race irrevocably moved off the planet . '' Look back roughly ten years , though , and the idea of sending tourists into space seemed more like science fiction than a viable business plan , said John Gedmark , executive director of the Personal Spaceflight Federation , a trade association representing the space travel industry . `` No one ever thought this was real at all , '' said Gedmark . `` It was just completely unthinkable . '' But that perception began to change in 2001 when American multimillionaire Dennis Tito became the world 's first so-called space tourist , traveling aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule to the International Space Station for a price of around $ 20 million . Four more tourists have since made the trip . Another major milestone for the industry has been a growing interest and investment from entrepreneurs like Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen , who financed the development of SpaceShipOne , winner of the Ansari X Prize , and British billionaire Richard Branson , founder of the space tourism company , Virgin Galactic . `` Since then the activity has been more evenly spread and steadier and more consistent and more determined , '' said Gedmark . `` Now you have a number of companies working on multiple fronts to get people into space . '' There are now at least a dozen space tourism endeavors worldwide , offering experiences that range from a flight to the fringe of space to astronaut training on a tropical island . While the companies make up a varied landscape of technological know-how , financial wherewithal and enterprising ideas , they all share one common goal : The desire to conquer what is widely considered to be the final frontier of mankind -- the universe . `` The human species is about evolution and is about moving forward , '' said Eric Anderson , president of Space Adventures Ltd. , the Virginia-based company responsible for arranging civilian trips to the space station on the Soyuz . `` Space is filled with infinite resources that can make our lives better . '' This October , Richard Garriott , a computer-game developer and son of former NASA astronaut Owen Garriott , is scheduled to become Space Adventures ' sixth client to leave the planet followed by a seventh yet-to-be identified passenger next April . Space Adventures is also planning to build commercial spaceports near Dubai and in Singapore . But Anderson said the next big step involves something slightly further afield - a trip to the Moon . With a price tag of $ 100 million per seat , two tourists and a pilot would spend around two weeks board a modified Russian spacecraft with the chance to see an Earth rise from lunar orbit and cruise around the far side of the Moon . The excursion will launch when contracts are finalized with travelers , Space Adventures said . Suborbital space tourism is also set to take off soon . For $ 200,000 , Virgin Galactic passengers will undergo several days of training before taking a two-hour flight to the fringe of space - 70 miles above sea level . From there , the company says , passengers will experience the feeling of weightlessness and see a view of the Earth that spans a 1,000 miles in any direction . Will Whitehorn , president of Virgin Galactic , said the company has collected $ 35 million in deposits from 250 would-be space tourists . Another 80,000 have registered interest with the company , he said . `` That figure has been growing month by month the past year , especially as we get finished building the technology , '' said Whitehorn . Virgin will begin testing WhiteKnightTwo this summer , said Whitehorn . The carrier vehicle will ferry suborbital craft SpaceShipTwo , modeled after Ansari X Prize winner SpaceShipOne , 50,000 feet in the sky before releasing it . `` Once we have tested that sufficiently , we will put the spaceship underneath it , '' said Whitehorn . Other companies are also jumping in the suborbital space race . In March , California-based XCOR Aerospace announced plans to build the Lynx , a two-seater rocketship that will carry passengers up into the atmosphere for about $ 100,000 . The vehicle will be the size of a small business jet , capable of making several flights a day , the company said . And last year , European aerospace giant EADS announced plans for its Astrium space division to develop a line of suborbital jets to satisfy a space tourism market that it predicts could grow to as many as 15,000 passengers a year by 2020 . `` The market is there , '' said Robert Laine , chief technical officer of EADS Astrium . `` The question is how to build the planes that can satisfy that market and to understand what profits at the end we can make out of it . '' ... . Would you want to take a holiday in space ? Is it worth the cost ? Leave your views and comments in the Sound Off box below . | Space tourism projected to be billion dollar industry by end of next decade . More than a dozen commercial space ventures operating worldwide . European aerospace company EADS projects 15,000 space travelers by 2021 . | [[412, 500], [959, 1183], [2802, 2866], [5915, 5974]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A rare and original manuscript of one of America 's most patriotic songs has been discovered in a flea market bargain . The manuscript of the song could be worth tens of thousands of dollars . A shopper browsing through the market in New York bought a framed picture of a flower for $ 10 and found handwritten manuscript of `` America '' -LRB- My Country 't is of Thee -RRB- tucked behind the picture , the manuscript 's owner said Thursday . The manuscript of the song whose lyrics were written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831 could be worth tens of thousands of dollars , said the owner , art collector Keya Morgan . He said he bought it from the flea market shopper , who has asked not to be identified . The song was intended to be played in schools to inspire and teach children and was first played in public on July 4 , 1831 , in the First Baptist Church in Newton , Massachusetts , Morgan said . The song is written to the tune of `` God Save the Queen , '' the national anthem of the United Kingdom . Take a look at the manuscript '' The authenticity of the document was confirmed by Morgan , a handwriting expert who has been authenticating historical documents for nearly a decade , and Diana Yount , an archival specialist at Andover Newton Theological School . Yount reached her conclusion after comparing the handwriting with that in a hymn written by Smith . Morgan , whose collection includes artifacts from Abraham Lincoln , Marilyn Monroe , Thomas Jefferson and Ulysses S. Grant , was ecstatic . `` It 's the biggest high I could get , '' said Morgan . `` It shaped the nation and reminds us that this nation is just a baby . '' | `` America '' -LRB- My Country 't is of Thee -RRB- found tucked behind a picture . Picture sells for $ 10 at flea market ; manuscript reportedly worth thousands . `` America '' first played in public on July 4 , 1831 . | [[372, 402], [392, 428], [148, 220], [221, 315], [471, 497], [551, 599], [736, 744], [816, 825], [833, 859], [736, 744], [820, 859]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Walter Thomas knows , it 's hard to look for a job when your stomach is rumbling . Samirah , 2 , asked her mom to take this photo to show that hungry people `` are like everyone else . '' The 52-year-old from Washington , D.C. , started skipping meals in early January when his savings account was running dry and his kitchen cabinets were almost empty . Thomas at first did n't want to turn to the United States ' food safety net , the food stamp program , for help . But after being laid off in July from what seemed like a steady job in sales at a furniture store , Thomas swallowed his pride and applied for the monthly food aid . `` It lets me think , ` OK , well , tomorrow I 'll be able to eat . If nothing else , I 'll be able to eat , ' '' he said . With the national economy in meltdown , more Americans than ever are relying on the federal aid program to keep from going hungry . In October , more than one in 10 people -- about 31 million -- were using the food stamp program to get by , according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture . More recent numbers are not available , but advocates for the poor say the number of those in need of aid probably has increased since then . Stereotypes associated with food stamps abound , and recipients are often seen as prone to taking handouts , sometimes when they may not be needed . But the profile of hunger in America is multifaceted , as diverse as the nation itself , especially in these times of economic hardship . To get a better idea of what it 's like to live on a food stamp budget , CNN correspondent Sean Callebs has decided to eat for a month on $ 176 and blog about the experience on CNN.com . Watch reporter 's struggle to buy food with food stamps '' That 's a situation many people , Thomas included , can relate to . Thomas , who said he had been working steadily since he was 13 years old , now receives $ 175 per month for food . That 's about $ 5.83 per day -- less than $ 2 per meal . See what people on food stamps can buy '' Not that Thomas is complaining . After getting his first payment , which is added to an inconspicuous debit card to reduce the stigma associated with the program , Thomas went straight to the grocery store . He was hungry and grateful . `` It 's definitely been a blessing to me , '' he said of the food stamp program , which , since October , has gone by the name Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , or SNAP . Advocates for the poor , as well as those on federal assistance , hope President Obama 's economic stimulus plan will increase food stamp payments . The average family on food stamps would receive $ 79 more per month if the stimulus bill passes in the U.S. Senate this week , according to The New York Times . iReport.com : How are you doing in this tough economy ? There is some debate about whether giving people money to spend on groceries is a valid form of economic stimulus . Few are more hopeful the measure will pass than Crystal Sears , a 30-year-old mother in Germantown , Pennsylvania , who said she has been on food stamps for more than three years . Sears said she sometimes skips meals so her three children can eat . Even with federal assistance , she said , she sometimes has to make a meal for herself out of crackers or food scraps . She said she has been out of work for several years because all three of her children have medical conditions : Her 8-year-old son has a seizure disorder that requires frequent hospital visits and constant attention ; her 2-year-old daughter was born with heart problems ; and her 12-year-old daughter has scoliosis , a back condition that recently required two surgeries , she said . Without much money , she 's forced to make tough choices . `` If the kids needed sneakers and their sneakers are getting too small , or if my water bill is past due , I 'd opt not to pay it and risk them sending me a shut-off notice just so my children can eat , '' she said . Sometimes she chooses to buy more food instead of paying her gas bill to heat her home . When she does , the family sleeps huddled around their stove or an electric heater , she said . Her monthly food stamp payment is $ 489 , she said . That 's sometimes sufficient . But some months , she said , she does n't receive full payments because of mix-ups with paperwork . Until recently , she said , she received about $ 250 per month , which she said was far from enough to feed her family of four . The SNAP program is meant to supplement a person 's food budget , not cover all food expenses , said Jean Daniel , a spokesperson for the USDA , which administers the program . Taking on part-time work would further complicate the application process , she said . Sears said she worked for seven years at a Salvation Army shelter before becoming unemployed . `` For me , I 've always been a helper . And my thing is I do n't like to help people to enable them . I like to help people so they can help themselves in the long run , '' she said . Sears stretches her food budget by buying cheap and sometimes fatty meals . She said she does n't like doing that but ca n't avoid it . With food prices high , she said , grocery shopping is stressful . `` We get like the mac and cheese , which is dehydrated cheese -- basically food that 's no good for you health wise , '' she said . `` Everything is high in sodium and trans fats ... and that 's all we basically can afford . There 's not enough assistance to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight . '' Advocates for the hungry say many people on the food stamp program opt to buy less-healthy foods because they ca n't afford fresh fruits and vegetables on such a tight budget . Food stamp `` benefits are n't really enough for a healthy diet , '' said Jim Weill , president of the nonprofit Food Research and Action Center . Sears said she is grateful for the help she does get . Maribel Diaz , a 36-year-old mother of three boys in Los Angeles , California , said her $ 319-per-month payment is n't always enough . But she said she would starve herself before letting her boys go hungry . `` You 're bringing home less bags -LSB- of food -RSB- now , because the milk is almost $ 5 a gallon and the bread is $ 3 a loaf . ... A chicken is , like , now $ 8 , '' Diaz said . `` If you 're really breaking it down , you 're not bringing a lot of groceries home . '' All SNAP recipients are eligible for free nutritional counseling to help people stretch their food budgets , said Daniel , of the USDA . Advocates for the hungry find flaws in the way the program is set up , but they praise it for being a safety net the government ca n't take away during tough times . Unlike aid to soup kitchens , the food stamp program receives federal funding in times thick and thin , and has a $ 6 billion backup fund , Daniel said . `` The money will be found so people are not turned away , '' Daniel said . All of the benefits paid to participants come from the federal government . States split the program 's administrative costs . Advocates see some flaws in SNAP but generally give it praise . `` I say about food stamps what Winston Churchill said about democracy : ` It 's the worst possible system except all the others , ' '' said Joel Berg , executive director of the New York Coalition Against Hunger . Berg said the program 's benefits are too small and too difficult for people to obtain . But the food stamp program is somewhat successful , he said . `` The main purpose of the program is to wipe out Third World starvation in America , and it 's worked , '' he said , adding that he 's optimistic about improvements that could come as part of the economic stimulus plan . Thomas , the laid-off furniture worker in Washington , said he does n't want people to feel sorry for him . After being let go from his store , he stopped at an employment center before going anywhere else . He said he faxed about 20 résumés to similar companies on that very day . None has resulted in a job yet , but Thomas said he has been to interviews for other types of work and hopes employment will come soon . For now , he 's just happy to continue the job search without the pain of hunger nagging at his stomach . | More than 1 in 10 Americans are part of the federal food assistance program . Some people say it is hard or impossible to make ends meet , even with help . President Obama 's economic stimulus plan could increase food-stamp funding . CNN 's Sean Callebs will live on $ 176 this month to learn about life on food stamps . | [[913, 923], [926, 952], [965, 1019], [926, 952], [987, 1001], [1022, 1071], [2514, 2596], [1501, 1571], [1572, 1687]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tributes have been flooding in following the sudden death of Spanish Primera Liga side Espanyol 's captain Daniel Jarque at the age of 26 on Saturday night . Espanyol fans have begun a memorial for captain Daniel Jarque following his sudden death on Saturday . Jarque passed away around 8pm local time when his heart stopped following a training session in Coverciano , Italy , where the squad are on a pre-season camp . Reports suggest Jarque was on the phone to his fiancee -- who is eight months pregnant -- at the time and she alerted two of his team-mates , who raced to his hotel room . Club doctors and Italian paramedics tried to revive Jarque , a product of the Espanyol youth system , but without success . Most Spanish clubs immediately expressed their condolences and leading footballing personalities have now done the same . Speaking on the official Real Madrid Web site , club captain Raul said : `` As captain , and on behalf of the whole Real Madrid team , I want to express our sincere condolences . `` We will support the player 's family and the Espanyol family in any way possible during this very difficult time for everybody . `` He was a great professional and sportsman and this has left us all very hurt . We offer our most sincere sympathies , '' added Raul . Jarque 's death comes two years after that of Sevilla and Spain defender Antonio Puerta , who suffered multiple organ failure in hospital , three days after a cardiac arrest during a league match against Getafe . Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini added : `` It is news that you wish was n't true . It 's terrible , it already happened a couple of years ago to Sevilla and the truth is these things have an impact . '' Joan Laporta , president of European champions Barcelona -- Espanyol 's city rivals -- said on their official Web site : '' `` We are very shocked by this tragic event . `` We are all in mourning and I wish to express in the name of FC Barcelona our heartfelt condolences to Espanyol on the painful loss of their captain Dani Jarque , and also to his family '' . Jarque joined Espanyol at the age of 12 , making his debut in 2002 , and was handed the captaincy this summer . Fans have been flocking to Espanyol 's stadium since the news broke and have been in mourning outside gate 21 -- Jarque 's squad number . Former Espanyol coach Ramon Moya , who handed Jarque his debut against Rayo Vallecano , was deeply shocked . `` I feel like I have lost a son , '' he told reporters . `` Jarque was a footballer , but he was also my friend . This situation is very difficult for a person . It was as if he was family . I knew him for many years . I gave him his debut and I shared many moments with him . It 's very difficult to explain how I feel at the moment . '' Another former coach , Ernesto Valverde , insisted Jarque had never had any medical problems previously . `` After hearing the news I still have n't taken it in , '' said the current Villarreal coach . `` He was a player who was super strong , super healthy and very important in the dressing room . We got goosebumps when we heard the news . He was a very strong person but life is like that and it gives you terrible surprises . '' Espanyol , who had been due to play Bologna in a friendly match on Sunday , suspended their pre-season tour of Italy and have flown back to Barcelona . | Tributes are flooding in following the sudden death of Espanyol 's Daniel Jarque . Jarque suffered a heart attack while in his hotel room during a club tour of Italy . 26-year-old made his debut in 2002 and was given the captaincy this summer . | [[19, 139], [19, 27], [47, 176], [177, 279], [217, 279], [280, 355], [2084, 2090], [2126, 2150], [2084, 2090], [2151, 2195]] |
LAS VEGAS , Nevada -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police executed a search warrant at a Las Vegas pharmacy Tuesday morning in connection with the investigation into Michael Jackson 's death , a federal drug agent said . A Las Vegas pharmacy was searched Tuesday in connection with Michael Jackson 's death . Applied Pharmacy on Flamingo Road in Las Vegas sold the anesthetic propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray , Jackson 's doctor , a source familiar with the investigation said . Another source close to the investigation said last month that Murray , a Texas-based cardiologist , is said to have given Jackson propofol , commonly known by the brand name Diprivan , in the 24 hours before he died . The search of Applied Pharmacy came two weeks after searches of Murray 's home and clinic in Las Vegas . The search warrant served Tuesday authorized investigators to seize documents -- both on computers and paper -- related to the Jackson investigation , DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Flanagan said . The warrants used for those earlier searches , which were filed in a Clark County , Nevada , court , imply that investigators looking into Jackson 's death believe that the singer was a drug addict . The warrants , signed by District Judge Timothy Williams and given to CNN by Las Vegas affiliate KTNV , say that `` there is probable cause to believe '' that the searches would uncover evidence at Murray 's home and office of excessive prescribing , prescribing to an addict , prescribing to or treating an addict and manslaughter . They cite `` probable cause to believe '' that the premises contained `` records , shipping orders , distribution lists , use records relating to the purchase , transfer ordering , delivery and storage of propofol -LRB- Diprivan -RRB- . '' Murray was with Jackson on June 25 when he was rushed to UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles and when he was pronounced dead , according to Murray 's lawyer . A source involved with the inquiry into Jackson 's death has said that investigators found numerous bottles of prescription drugs in his $ 100,000-a-month rented mansion in Holmby Hills , California . The items taken from Murray 's home included copies of his computer and cell phone hard drives . They were to be turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department , which is leading the investigation into Jackson 's death at age 50 . A `` thorough and comprehensive '' report into the death of Michael Jackson is complete , the Los Angeles County coroner 's office said Monday , but police have requested that the report not be released because of the ongoing investigation . The coroner 's office said it would abide by the request that `` the cause and manner of death remain confidential '' and referred all questions to the Los Angeles Police Department . CNN 's Ted Rowlands contributed to this report . | Applied Pharmacy sold propofol to Dr. Conrad Murray , source says . Warrant part of follow-up to searches of home , clinic of Jackson doctor . Autopsy results held because of investigation , coroner says . | [[296, 392], [682, 786], [2508, 2604]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Late-night talker David Letterman married his longtime girlfriend , Regina Lasko , last week , according to a transcript of the taping of his Monday night show . Late-night host David Letterman says he `` avoided getting married for ... 23 years . '' The wedding was at the courthouse in Choteau , Montana , on Thursday , he said , according to quotes from CBS ' `` Late Show with David Letterman '' provided to CNN by Letterman 's publicist , Tom Keaney . `` Regina and I began dating in February of 1986 , and I said , ` Well , things are going pretty good , let 's just see what happens in about 10 years ... , '' he joked during the taping . Watch Letterman spill the beans '' `` I had avoided getting married pretty good -LSB- sic -RSB- for , like , 23 years , and ... honestly , whether this happened or not , I secretly felt that men who were married admired me -- like I was the last of the real gunslingers . '' Lasko is a former `` Late Show '' staffer . The couple have a son , Harry . Letterman told his audience that the wedding almost did n't happen after the couple , son in tow , got their pickup truck stuck in the mud on the way to the ceremony . `` So I get out of the truck and I walk two miles back to the house into a 50 mph wind . It 's not Beverly Hills , it 's Montana , for God 's sakes , ' '' he said . `` And the whole way , I 'm thinking , ` See , smartass ? See ? See ? You try to get married , this is what happens . ' '' When he returned with a car , he said -- presumably joking -- that his son was disappointed , `` because mom had told him if I was n't back in an hour , the deal was off . '' | Talk-show host marries Regina Lasko , who he began dating in 1986 . Letterman talks of last week 's wedding on his show Monday night . Letterman and Lasko have a son ; were married in Montana . | [[0, 24], [46, 93], [499, 533], [993, 1014]] |
` SINDH KALAY ' , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The aroma of freshly baking flatbread wafts through the air as a unit of British soldiers position themselves for a quick patrol around the village of Sindh Kalay . A British soldier on patrol in the mock Afghan village of Sindh Kalay . Market vendors hawk grapes and melons , as a group of village elders sit smoking water pipes and suspicious-looking men lurk beside battered motorcycles . What should the soldiers do ? Conduct a weapons search ? Approach the village elders first ? In the complex political and cultural terrain of Afghanistan , what is the best course of action ? Except this is not Afghanistan . It 's Norfolk , England . Instead of the Hindu Kush mountains , it is the green ladscape and tidy farmhouses of the English countryside that stretch out behind them . Welcome to the British Army 's state-of-the art training ground . It cost more than $ 20 million to build and every British soldier serving in Afghanistan will do his or her training here . `` I think it 's the closest thing you are going to get short of being in Afghanistan itself , '' says Col. David Colthup of the 2nd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment . His troops have already served one tour of duty in Afghanistan 's Helmand province and are training for another . British troops serving in Helmand province are tasked with mentoring and training Afghan security forces . Not an easy job in a Taliban stronghold and Afghanistan 's center of opium production . `` Ultimately , a soldier joins the army and trains to fight . That 's what a soldier trains to do . But today , it 's a much , much more complex environment , '' explains Colthup . `` The business of being able to interact either through an interpreter or through Afghan security forces , whether they are police or army . And to understand how the people operate and how we can interact better with them . Because ultimately , that 's what it 's about , '' he says . The most distinctive features of Sindh Kalay are the high three-meter walls that make up the village compound , creating narrow alleyways difficult for troops to patrol . The village is staffed with Afghan asylum-seekers , many of whom have fled the Taliban . They play the roles of market vendors , village elders and sometimes Afghan security forces . Several Afghan women are also on hand , useful for training British soldiers on the religious and cultural sensitivities of entering an Afghan home . Watch British troops training in mock Afghan village '' The Taliban insurgents are played by Nepalese Ghurkha soldiers authorized to handle weapons . They play their roles silently , unable to partake in the Pashtun banter among the Afghans . Fazel Beria is also an asylum-seeker from Afghanistan . He is responsible for recruiting and for creating the sights and smells of Sindh Kalay and is easily identifiable as the only Afghan in the market in Western clothes . He beams with pride walking down the bazaar and clearly relishes his role in training the British Army . `` Everything with the culture comes up with the issue of hearts and minds , '' he explains . `` If you want to win that , you need to know about their culture . You need to respect their culture , their religion and their way of life . '' He gives high marks to the soldiers training so far . After each exercise , the Afghan actors talk directly to the soldiers about what went wrong and what went right . Sometimes , it 's the little things that count . `` Yes , there have been quite a lot of surprises , '' Beria says . Like Afghan will sit cross legged for hours . `` The British soldier can not do that , '' he laughs . `` The Afghan will be sitting very comfortable and the British soldier is not . So , they have to get used to it . '' See photos of British troops on patrol in Sindh Kalay -- and for real in Afghanistan '' Previously , the army trained on farmhouses and in urban neighborhoods that resembled Northern Ireland more than Afghanistan . But Sindh Kalay does more than mimic the physical reality of Afghanistan . It also mirrors the changing tactics on the ground . Troops are grilled in IED training by amputees that act out the violence with latex wounds and fake blood . When a new IED tactic is discovered by troops in Afghanistan it is communicated to Sindh Kalay and put into practice immediately . `` Before we had this , it was n't realistic enough , '' says Col. Richard Westley , head of training here . `` I think if you 're going to be asking young men and women to go and risk their lives in someone else 's country , then you have a moral obligation to prepare them for that environment . And that 's what this village does . It gives them the isolation and complexity of an Afghan village . Which we ca n't do with farmhouses which represent Western Europe . '' Some of the details in the Afghan village do n't quite ring true . The slabs of lamb and beef hanging from the market stalls are plastic , as are the grapes and melons the vendors try and sell to the British soldiers . Still , Sindh Kalay is eerily effective . When soldiers sit down for a `` shura '' or meeting with village elders , helicopters buzz overhead and the soldiers seem surprised to be served a homemade yogurt and cucumber drink . But the unit commander ca n't help laughing when one of the Afghan village heads pulls out a `` list of damages '' by British troops . It turns out to be a receipt for the local supermarket . | British soldiers train in mock Afghan village before deployment to Afghanistan . Village features Afghan asylum-seekers as vendors , elders , Afghan forces . Taliban militants are played by Nepalese Ghurkha soldiers . Village trains soldiers to understand Afghan customs , respect Afghan culture . | [[2472, 2524], [2139, 2188], [2228, 2321], [2528, 2590]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez continues to shuffle his top military commanders as he tries to make good on his recent promise to cleanse the government of corruption . Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez has faced political pressure to act on government corruption . After firing 700 police officers and forcing the retirement of 31 military and police generals Sunday , Fernandez on Monday removed more generals and reassigned others . The government also has announced that more than 535 members of the nation 's 24,000-strong military have been forced out in the past six months due to their suspected involvement in the drug trade . Among the generals forced to retire was the former head of the nation 's top anti-drug agency , the Dominican National Drug Control , known by its Spanish acronym DNCD . In his state-of-the-nation speech Friday , Fernandez said , `` In the Dominican Republic -- listen well -- narcotrafficking will not pass . '' Despite the president 's strong words , many Dominican citizens and outside analysts said narcotrafficking already has taken hold . `` The situation in the Dominican Republic is that organizations that are supposedly involved in fighting corruption and narcotrafficking are involved in it , '' said Tomas Castro Monegro , an anti-corruption attorney for 25 years in Santo Domingo , the capital . Tobias Friedl , a regional manager for Latin America at Washington-based iJET Intelligent Risk Systems , which helps companies assess and deal with dangers abroad , said , `` The security forces -- the army and the police -- have been corrupted . '' The Dominican government generally carries out military promotions and retirements on February 27 , the day in which the nation celebrates its 1844 declaration of independence from Haiti . But this year 's numbers are unprecedented , Castro said . In 1978 , he said , 48 generals were let go -- some for perceived corruption , others for political reasons . But Castro said he never has seen 700 police officers fired or more than 500 military personnel relieved of their duties . `` In the majority of cases , '' he said , `` there has to be something linking that person to narcotrafficking or corruption in general . '' National police chief Rafael Guzman addressed his force Monday , admonishing them not to cave in to the many temptations they face . `` Today , more than ever , harassed by increasingly demanding challenges that jump out from all sides , just when drug trafficking persists in crippling society , it 's time for all police agents and officers , the men and women of our dear institution ... to raise our chest , since this is the moment to define ourselves . We 're with the nation or we 're against it , '' he was quoted as saying in the Dominican Today and Listin Diario newspaper Web sites . Castro and others said police and the military have been involved in organized crime `` for a long time . '' The evidence lies in the lavish lifestyles many of these officials are able to sustain on a public salary , they said . `` They live in contradiction with their salaries , '' Castro said . `` They live in houses that cost millions of pesos and drive big vehicles . '' Corrupt officials prefer to work in customs , at the airport and the border and in anti-drug units , the lawyer said . They receive bribes from traffickers , Castro said , and also profit by arresting people involved in the drug trade and taking their possessions . Castro , a well-known attorney in a nation of less than 10 million , has represented drug suspects and has argued cases before the Dominican Supreme Court . In 2000 , a published report said , he filed a suit against Fernandez alleging padded road-construction contracts . Friedl , the risk analyst , notes that Caribbean routes for drug shipments have diminished due to strong interdiction efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard . The majority of shipments now travel through Mexico , Costa Rica and Panama , he said . However , Friedl and others said , the drug trade still flourishes in the Dominican Republic . `` The Dominican Republic is not a major drug-producing country , but it acts as a transit point for cocaine , heroin , marijuana and ecstasy bound for the United States and Europe , '' said Jane 's Sentinel Security Assessment , a publication that offers country-by-country risk analysis . `` The main trafficking routes are by sea from South America , and the drugs are then transferred by go-fast boats to islands such as Puerto Rico and St. Martin , on the way to the U.S. '' The indexmundi Web site , which offers analyses on nations worldwide , said the Dominican Republic has become `` a trans-shipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for the U.S. and Canada . '' Jane 's and indexmundi point out that substantial money-laundering also takes place in the Dominican Republic . Deteriorating conditions in Haiti , with which the Dominican Republic shares a 193-mile border , have led traffickers to go next door . `` Haiti was the place where drugs used to come through , '' Friedl said . `` Some of this now has shifted to the Dominican Republic . '' Drug use in the Dominican Republic also has shifted . Ramon Cruz Benzan , a reporter for the Listin Diario newspaper who has been covering corruption cases , relates what many Dominicans say : `` Before , it used to come in and it would go . Now , it 's not like that . It comes in and it stays . '' Friedl points out that tourism creates a demand for drugs . `` Tourism is a huge thing in the Dominican Republic . Local consumption has definitely gone up . '' And large Dominican communities in the United States and Puerto Rico `` create a natural connection '' for drug smuggling into those countries , Friedl said . Federal officials in New York have been battling -- and indicting -- Dominican natives on drug charges for years . Some observers see Fernandez 's crackdown as a sign that he is getting serious . `` Fernandez is trying to weed out corruption , '' said Chris Kimble , a Latin America analyst also with iJET Intelligent Risk Systems . Others , such as the lawyer Castro , said Fernandez was forced to act after public outcry concerning the shootings deaths in August of seven Colombians in a drug-related case . A high-level commission appointed by Fernandez concluded that low - and midlevel officials from the national police were involved . But many Dominicans said they believe higher-ranking officers were responsible and the political pressure has been mounting on Fernandez to act . And many observers do n't expect this will be the last of it . | President Leonel Fernandez fires 700 police officers in Dominican Republic . He shuffles more commanders after forcing retirement of 31 military , police generals . Fernandez vows in a state-of-the-nation speech to rid the government of corruption . Fernandez says , `` Listen well -- narcotrafficking will not pass '' | [[312, 413], [416, 457], [312, 413], [416, 435], [462, 481], [0, 15], [19, 202], [312, 413], [416, 457], [312, 413], [416, 435], [462, 481], [682, 721], [0, 15], [19, 202], [6014, 6056], [852, 892], [895, 909], [913, 991], [959, 991], [992, 994]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- To understand how close Kanye West and his mother , Donda , were , one only needs to listen to his music . Donda and Kanye West , here during her book tour , were very close . He regularly made reference to her in his lyrics , discussing everything from her insistence that he receive a college degree to her unshakeable support of him when he ultimately decided to pursue a rap career . Donda West , who died at 58 over the weekend , appeared to be as tough as she was loving . On `` Ca n't Tell Me Nothing , '' a track from his latest album , `` Graduation , '' he rhymes about his mother 's attempt to discourage him from spending money on jewelry and `` Louis V. '' On `` Touch the Sky , '' from his 2005 album , `` Late Registration , '' he recalls how his mother drove him from Chicago , Illinois , to New York in a U-Haul van . -LRB- Read the obituary of Donda West . -RRB- . She was also the inspiration for the song `` Hey Mama , '' from the same album . `` I want to scream so loud for you / because I 'm so proud of you , '' he rhymes . `` I know I act a fool / but I promise you I 'm going back to school / I appreciate what you allowed for me and I just want you to be proud of me . '' Watch how Kanye West is mourning his mother '' Donda West was indeed proud . She regularly attended her son 's concerts and often could be found dancing and rapping his more radio-friendly lyrics . Watch Donda West talk about `` Raising Kanye '' '' At the MTV Video Music Awards in September , she and a gaggle of girlfriends were perched in the VIP section at a party for Rolling Stone magazine . As Kanye West whipped the crowd into a frenzy with hits such as `` Gold Digger '' and `` Through the Wire , '' his mom waved her hands in the air side to side and bobbed to the beats . When asked if her son would sell more records than 50 Cent -LRB- both rappers released their albums on September 11 -RRB- , she answered coyly . `` Good music will win out , '' she said with a smile and a wink . -LRB- Her son 's label is named Good Music . -RRB- Gallery : Donda and Kanye '' `` Graduation '' would go on to trounce 50 Cent 's `` Curtis , '' debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and selling more than 950,000 copies in its first week of release . Long before her son became an international superstar , Donda West was an English professor at Chicago State University . She stepped down as chairwoman of the university 's English department in 2004 to manage her son 's burgeoning career full time . The two collaborated on a book , `` Raising Kanye : Life Lessons From the Mother of a Hip Hop Star , '' which was released in May . And most recently , she became the CEO of Super Good , the parent company of Kanye West Enterprises . She also was the chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation , which , interestingly enough , is focused on keeping students from dropping out of school . E-mail to a friend . | Hip-hop star Kanye West often paid tribute to his mother in his songs . Donda West was supportive of her son 's career , would dance to his beats . Mom was former English professor , later managed son 's career . | [[204, 252], [1733, 1809], [2278, 2297], [2334, 2399], [2400, 2529], [2400, 2403], [2479, 2529]] |
BOGOTA , Colombia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- `` Easy money , fast and effective . '' Investors protest outside the headquarters of DMG , one of many companies accused of defrauding the public . That was the name of one of the businesses in which millions of Colombians deposited their life savings after being promised short-term returns of as much as 150 percent . But government officials say the businesses were pyramid schemes that raked in at least $ 200 million from 3 million people . The government has said it knows who most of those responsible are , but they have escaped . The government is tracking them down . Sergio Munoz is among those who lost their savings . `` That was for my children , '' he said . `` Now , it comes to light that they have robbed us . It was with complicity of the authorities who permit this -- knowing that it is illegal for it to be permitted . '' The government says the businesses defrauded the public by offering false promises of a sure investment . Wilson Rodriguez handed over the equivalent of $ 80,000 to a money man who offered him what he thought were assets in hotels and property in exchange . Now , he does n't know whom to approach . `` I do n't even have enough to care for my family , '' he said . `` I lent money and what I make from my salary goes to pay off debts . I have nothing . I lost everything . '' Infuriated investors have demonstrated outside the headquarters of several companies in question across the nation . Worried that the situation has already led to physical altercations and riots , President Alvaro Uribe asked that authorities act immediately to bring those responsible to justice . `` We are asking the public prosecutor to speed up the resolution of the cases , '' he said . `` The national police has handed to the prosecution the power to intervene in pyramids . '' Treasury Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga said the government is not to blame . `` The government had advertised all this time about the illegality of this operation , warning Colombians not to let themselves be defrauded , not to take their money to these illegal activities , '' he said . Meanwhile , some observers complain that , though the investors may shoulder some blame , the government could have mitigated their losses by moving more quickly . And , they note , some of the alleged pyramid schemes continue to stay in business . | Pyramid schemes robbed 3 million Colombians of at least $ 200 million , officials say . Many businesses promised returns as high as 150 percent . Treasury Minister Oscar Ivan Zuluaga says government warned against schemes . Authorities tracking down people behind businesses , many of whom have escaped . | [[387, 483], [214, 228], [238, 357], [232, 260], [290, 357], [557, 576], [577, 615]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 26-year-old man was arraigned Tuesday on murder charges in the January strangling deaths of his girlfriend and her four small children in an Oklahoma apartment . Joshua Durcho told a friend he choked Summer Rust but said her children were elsewhere , an affidavit says . Joshua Steven Durcho is charged with five counts of first degree murder in the January deaths of Summer Rust , 25 ; her son Teagin , 4 ; and daughters Evynn , 3 , and Autumn and Kirsten , both 7 . All five bodies were found January 12 in Rust 's apartment in El Reno , Oklahoma , about 30 miles west of Oklahoma City . Authorities believe Durcho killed Rust because she threatened to call the police on him , prosecutors said in court documents released Tuesday . He knew that likely would bring about his arrest , the documents said , because two outstanding bench warrants had been issued on him after he failed to appear in court in two criminal cases -- one on charges of driving under the influence and the second on charges of unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance . Durcho had previously served time in prison after being convicted of unlawful possession of marijuana and `` vowed he would never go back to prison , '' the court documents said . Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty against Durcho , according to the documents , which note each victim suffered `` severe pain and anguish '' as they fought for their lives while being strangled with a ligature , which could include a string , cord or wire . In addition , the documents said , evidence indicates Durcho sexually abused both the 7-year-old girls at or near the time they died . In Tuesday 's arraignment , Canadian County District Judge Edward Cunningham entered not guilty pleas on Durcho 's behalf , according to The Oklahoman newspaper . An affidavit filed in the case , written by an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent , said Durcho went to the home of an acquaintance January 12 and said he had `` choked '' Summer Rust -- identified in court papers as Summer Garas -- to death and was leaving Oklahoma . When the acquaintance , a women , asked Durcho about Rust 's children , he `` told her that the children were at their grandmother 's residence ... while he and Summer worked out their relationship problems , '' according to the affidavit . The acquaintance then called Durcho 's mother , who drove to the apartment but received no answer at the door , the affidavit said . She asked her nephew , Durcho 's cousin , to accompany her , leading to the discovery of Rust 's body . The cousin notified police , and responding officers found the children 's bodies in the apartment . According to the court documents released Tuesday , Durcho also told the female acquaintance that he killed Rust because she threatened to call the police on him . Durcho was arrested in Hamilton County , Texas , the day after the bodies were found . He has been appointed public defenders , according to Canadian County , Oklahoma , court records , and earlier waived his right to a preliminary hearing in the case . CNN 's Ashley Broughton contributed to this report . | NEW : Court papers say woman , four kids suffered `` severe pain and anguish '' NEW : Two 7-year-old girls sexually assaulted before they died , documents say . NEW : Threat of returning to prison motivated slayings , prosecutors say . Bodies found January 12 in apartment in El Reno , Oklahoma . | [[1365, 1369], [1377, 1446], [1547, 1565], [1568, 1655], [489, 558]] |
RIO DE JANEIRO , Brazil -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A 12-mile oil slick near where an Air France jet crashed Monday into the Atlantic Ocean indicates the plane likely did n't break up until it hit the water , Brazil 's defense minister said Wednesday . Image released by the Brazilian Air Force shows oil slicks in the water near a debris site . If true , that would argue against an in-flight explosion as the cause of the crash of Air France Flight 447 , Defense Minister Nelson Jobim told reporters . But Robert Francis , former vice chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board , said the question of determining where a plane broke up `` is a very difficult one to deal with . '' He told CNN 's `` Anderson Cooper 360 '' that `` there are lots of things that cause a plane to go out of control . '' He added that extremely strong winds are not unusual near Brazil . Pilots who fly over that part of the world keep track of radar and `` are very , very wary about the weather as they go back and forth down in that area . '' Jobim said currents had strewn the debris widely and that the search area had been expanded to 300 square miles . The Airbus A330 , carrying 228 people , went down about three hours after beginning what was to have been an 11-hour flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris , France . No survivors have been found . Map of Flight AF 447 's flight path '' Investigators have not determined what caused the plane to crash . The flight data recorders have not been recovered , and the plane 's crew did not send any messages indicating problems before the plane disappeared . Watch as high seas hamper recovery '' The Brazilian Air Force said it found the oil slick and four debris fields Wednesday , but rain and rough seas kept searchers from plucking any of the debris from the water . Among Wednesday 's finds were objects in a circular 5-kilometer -LRB- 3-mile -RRB- area , including one object with a diameter of 7 meters -LRB- 23 feet -RRB- and 10 other objects , some of which were metallic , Brazilian Air Force spokesman Jorge Amaral said . Searchers had found two debris fields Tuesday and identified the wreckage as coming from Flight 447 . The debris was found about 650 kilometers -LRB- 400 miles -RRB- northeast of the Fernando de Noronha Islands , an archipelago 355 kilometers -LRB- 220 miles -RRB- off the northeast coast of Brazil . It included an airplane seat and an orange float . Wednesday 's debris find was about 90 kilometers -LRB- 56 miles -RRB- south of Tuesday 's discoveries , Amaral said . Eleven aircraft and five ships are engaged in the search , including airplanes from France and the United States . Watch as experts question whether recovery is possible '' The NTSB said Wednesday it has accepted an invitation from the French aviation accident investigation authority , the Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses , to aid in the investigation . NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker has designated senior air safety investigator Bill English as the U.S. accredited representative . The U.S. team will include technical advisers from the Federal Aviation Administration ; General Electric , which made the plane 's engines ; and Honeywell , which made the plane 's data recorders . The aircraft 's computer system did send about four minutes of automated messages indicating a loss of cabin pressure and an electrical failure , officials have said . Some investigators have noted that the plane flew through a severe lightning storm . Foul play has not been ruled out . Air France had received a bomb threat May 27 for a flight from Buenos Aires , Argentina , to Paris , sources in the Argentine military and police told CNN on Wednesday . According to the officials , who had been briefed on the incident and declined to be identified because of the ongoing investigation , the Air France office in Buenos Aires received the threat from a man speaking Spanish . Authorities checked the Boeing 777 and did not find anything . Security was tightened during check-in for Flight 415 , which left on time and without incident , the officials said . Although officials have said the likelihood of finding survivors of Flight 447 's crash is small , authorities have not closed the door on the possibility . `` Until the aircraft is identified , and the remains indicate that survival is technically impossible , we will maintain the possibility that there could be survivors , '' Amaral said . The majority of the people on the flight came from Brazil , France and Germany . The remaining victims were from 29 other countries , including three passengers from the United States . French officials said Wednesday they may never find the jet 's flight data recorders . The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates the ocean depth in the area at 3,000 meters -LRB- about 9,840 feet -RRB- to 7,500 meters -LRB- 24,600 feet -RRB- . Brazilian officials have said the sea depth in the area is around 2,000 to 3,000 meters -LRB- 6,562 to 9,842 feet -RRB- . `` We need time to reach the recorders , '' said Paul-Louis Arslanian , head of France 's accident investigation bureau . The recorders are built to emit locator signals for up to 30 days . The French government has sent a research vessel carrying a deep-diving submersible to where the debris was found . `` Recorders from time to time were found after the 30 days , but I 'm not so optimistic , '' Arslanian said . `` It 's not only deep , it 's also very mountainous at that place of the ocean . '' But Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed optimism that the flight data recorders would be found . `` I think that a country with the ability to retrieve oil from 6,000 meters -LRB- 3.7 miles -RRB- underwater can retrieve a plane from 2,000 meters -LRB- 1.2 miles -RRB- . The truth is , we are going to see -- I 'm not a specialist and do n't want to give predictions of what will happen , '' Lula said , according to the Brazilian state news agency . A memorial for the victims of Flight AF 447 , which included 61 people from France , 58 Brazilians , 26 Germans and people from 29 other countries , took place Wednesday at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris . Brazil has declared three days of mourning . CNN correspondent John Zarrella in Rio de Janeiro and journalist Brian Byrnes from Buenos Aires contributed to this report . | NEW : Oil slick may argue against an in-flight explosion , Brazilian official says . NEW : Determining where plane broke up will be difficult , U.S. aviation expert says . Air France flight disappeared over Atlantic Ocean after taking off from Brazil . Memorial for the victims of Flight AF 447 takes place in Paris at Notre Dame . | [[499, 513], [588, 685], [5991, 6034], [6140, 6199]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British football fan has been shot and wounded in Kyrgyzstan after a local became upset with a group of supporters chanting in a bar . England fans celebrate following victory against Ecuador at the 2006 World Cup finals . The incident took place ahead of England 's World Cup qualifying match away to neighboring Kazakhstan on Saturday . A British Foreign Office spokeswoman said the attack took place in a bar in Bishek on Tuesday . `` The British honorary consul is liaising with those involved and with the local authorities , '' she said . Britain 's Sun newspaper reported on Thursday that the local in the bar told the England fan and his friends to stop chanting , and shot him in the thigh with a pistol when they continued . The wounded man is aged in his 30s and is from Rochdale in the north-western county of Lancashire , the paper said . Kyrgyzstan , with a population of more than five million people , is a landlocked nation bordered to the north by Kazakhstan . England will be seeking to maintain a 100 per cent record in the European Group Six qualifier in Almaty , having won all five games so far to be five points ahead of second-placed Croatia . | England supporter shot in the leg in a bar in Kyrgyzstan by an angry local . The local was upset by the chanting of the man and his fellow supporters . The British Foreign Office says the attack took place in Bishek on Tuesday . England will play neighboring Kazakhstan in World Cup qualifier on Saturday . | [[0, 15], [19, 20], [29, 55], [0, 15], [60, 155], [698, 755], [0, 15], [60, 155], [566, 691], [360, 455], [402, 455], [244, 319], [346, 359]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The British mother of a child who died after being brutally abused has been jailed indefinitely . A police computer image of some of the facial injuries suffered by baby Peter . The child 's -- originally known as Baby P -- horrifying death caused a furor in Britain , with the media , public and politicians united in demanding to know how his terrible injuries were missed by social workers , police and medical staff . Judge Stephen Kramer also Friday jailed the 27-year-old mum 's boyfriend for life with a minimum of 12 years and their lodger , Jason Owen , 37 , indefinitely but with a minimum of three years , the British Press Association reported . The boyfriend , 32 , was also convicted of raping a two-year-old girl . Baby P 's mum has to serve a minimum of five years . She and her boyfriend can not be named . Baby P -- he could not be known by his first name , Peter , until the recent lifting of a court order -- was only 17 months old when he was found dead in his blood-spattered cot in August 2007 . He had more than 50 injuries , including a broken back and fractured ribs , despite being on London 's Haringey council 's at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers , doctors and police over eight months . The resulting public outrage saw the government 's child secretary , Ed Balls , step in to demand the removal of the council 's head of children 's services , Sharon Shoesmith , with two other leading officials also stepping down . Shoesmith had to be placed under police guard after death threats were made . Judge Kramer told Peter 's mother that she was `` a manipulative and self-centered person , with a calculating side as well as a temper . '' Watch more on the case '' `` Your conduct over the months prevented Peter from being seen by social services . You actively deceived the authorities ... you acted selfishly because your priority was your relationship , '' he told the court , PA reported . Judge Kramer 's comments echoed the country 's response to the case . `` Any decent person who heard the catalogue of medical conditions and non-accidental injuries suffered by Peter can not fail to have been appalled . '' A second serious review of the case commissioned by Balls and released Friday , also reiterated that Peter 's death `` could and should have been prevented . '' Graham Badman , the chairman of Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board , which conducted the review said : `` I believe the most important lesson arising from this case is that professionals charged with ensuring child safety must be deeply skeptical of any explanations , justifications or excuses they may hear in connection with the apparent maltreatment of children . `` If they have any doubt about the cause of physical injuries or what appears to be maltreatment , they should act swiftly and decisively . Badman said the review found that if `` doctors , lawyers , police officers and social workers had adopted a more urgent , thorough and challenging approach , the case would have been stopped in its tracks at the first serious incident . '' `` Baby Peter deserved better from the services that were supposed to protect him , '' Badman said . | British mother of child who died after brutal abuse has been jailed indefinitely . Her boyfriend and lodger are also sent to jail over Baby P 's horrific injuries . Case caused an outrage in Britain after raft of people missed chance to stop abuse . | [[58, 65], [70, 102], [9, 32], [103, 133], [214, 302]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Mexican man who was allegedly killed on orders from his own cartel believed they were hunting for him after he began working as an informant and was fearful for his life , according to court documents . Police say soldier Michael Jackson Apodaca , 18 , acted as the gunman . Jose Daniel Gonzalez Galeana began to worry after he began working as an informant for immigration officials in the United States . `` The victim was concerned for his own well-being and the safety of his family , '' the documents said , referencing statements the victim made to a witness . When Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials gave Gonzalez a visa so he could live in El Paso , Texas , his fellow Juarez cartel members began to get suspicious , El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said at a press conference . Allen said Gonzalez 's exit from Mexico , combined with a raid on a cartel warehouse and the arrest of cartel lieutenant Pedro `` El Tigre '' Aranas Sanchez led cartel members to believe he might be working as an informant , Allen said . Then , a Mexican newspaper named Gonzalez as an informant in the arrest of the high-ranking cartel member , according to court documents . Police say Gonzales quickly became the target of his own cartel . Police said Gonzalez knew if his fellow cartel members found him , he would likely be killed , police said . On May 15 , the cartel found him . He was shot eight times outside his home in El Paso , Texas , police said . Pfc. Michael Jackson Apodaca , 18 , Ruben Rodriguez Dorado , 30 , and Christopher Andrew Duran , 17 , were each named as suspects Monday and each are facing one count of capital murder . The three men are being held on $ 1 million bond . Police said Apodaca was the shooter , Duran was the getaway car driver , and Rodriguez was the one who coordinated the murder . On Wednesday , police also arrested a 16-year-old who they said was involved in the surveillance and reconnaissance of the victim . The juvenile also faces one count of capital murder . Rodriguez and the victim were in the Juarez cartel , based across the border from El Paso , police spokesman Chris Mears said . He said police believe Apodaca and Duran were not cartel members . Apodaca joined the Army a year ago and worked as a crew member on a Patriot missile launcher , officials at Fort Bliss in El Paso said . `` He was in the top of his class , '' said Dave Jackson , his grandfather . `` You talk to all his sergeants . He 's a good soldier . Now , before he went in -LSB- and joined the Army -RSB- , he was in , he was in with a bad crowd . '' Investigators said at the press conference they think the three suspects met through a relative of Rodriguez . `` He -LSB- Rodriguez -RSB- was the older guy , he provided the alcohol , the party locations , '' police Lt. Alfred Lowe said . `` And he recruited these people to do his bidding . '' Once the three men were allegedly hired , they were `` told to find the victim in the United States , '' Allen said . Rodriguez paid the victim 's cell phone bill hoping he would be able to learn where he lived , federal officials learned , according to court documents . Federal law enforcement was apparently concerned enough about the incident that officers told local law enforcement to signal Gonzalez 's home could be at risk . Hours before the slaying , police said Rodriguez called a tactical supply store that exclusively sells the same brand of ammunition found at the scene . The suspects found Gonzalez at a relative 's home in Canutillo , Texas , and followed him back to his home before shooting him , police said . The three arrested men 's phone records showed their approximate locations on the night of the killing and corroborated that the suspects were tracking the victim , according to court documents . During an interrogation , Rodriguez told investigators he ordered Gonzalez 's execution , police said . But Allen also said during the press conference that Rodriguez planned the killing and hired the other suspects after he was given the order by cartel lieutenant Jesus Aguayo Salas . Police said there was also a warrant out for his arrest . Rodriguez told police he paid the participants for their role in the killing , the affidavit said . It said he also noted that he was a midlevel member of the cartel , which he called the `` Compania , '' and said he was in charge of coordinating surveillance for the cartel , `` following intended victims up until their execution . '' Duran and Rodriguez told police that Apodaca was paid to be the shooter and Duran to drive the getaway car , according to the affidavit . Allen said both men were each paid `` quite a robust amount of money ... under $ 10,000 , in that area . '' Police said more arrests could still come in the case . CNN 's Ashley Fantz , Tracy Sabo , Mallory Simon and Melanie Whitley contributed to this report . | Police say victim believed if cartel found him , he would be killed . Documents : Suspect tried to find victim by paying his phone bill . Soldier Michael Jackson Apodaca , 18 , was one of three men arrested Monday . Other suspects include Ruben Rodriguez Dorado and Christopher Andrew Duran . | [[1273, 1353], [3016, 3060], [3031, 3108], [224, 271], [1481, 1575], [1583, 1592], [1599, 1617], [1481, 1575], [1583, 1592], [1599, 1617]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fans wishing to attend singer Michael Jackson 's memorial service next week will have to register for the 11,000 free tickets , organizers said Thursday . Michael Jackson is shown rehearsing at the Staples Center on June 23 , two days before his death . Details on how to register for the 10 a.m. -LRB- 1 p.m. ET -RRB- service at the 20,000-seat Staples Center in Los Angeles , California , Tuesday are to be announced Friday . Jackson 's family will hold a private ceremony before the public memorial service , his brother said Thursday . Speaking to CNN 's Larry King , Jermaine Jackson said the ceremony will be held Tuesday morning , but he did not say where . Jackson rehearsed at Staples Center two nights before he died , and he appeared healthy in a video clip of the rehearsal obtained by CNN . Jackson died June 25 after collapsing at his rented home in Los Angeles . AEG , promoter of Jackson 's planned London , England , shows , released the short video of Jackson rehearsing in the arena on June 23 . Jackson sang `` They Do n't Care About Us , '' a song from his `` HIStory '' album , as he danced along with eight male dancers . Watch Jackson rehearse '' Jackson did not specify where he wished to be buried in a 2002 will , which was filed in court Wednesday . Watch CNN 's Anderson Cooper talk about his interview with AEG '' More information emerged Thursday about how Jackson 's estate will be shared , which his will estimated in 2002 as being worth $ 500 million . The family trust created by Jackson to receive all of his assets includes his mother , his children and a list of charities , according to a person with direct knowledge of the contents of the trust . Mother Katherine Jackson 's 40 percent share would go to Michael Jackson 's three children after her death , the source said . The children -- ages 7 , 11 and 12 -- also will share 40 percent of the estate 's assets , and the remaining 20 percent will benefit charities designated by the executors of the will , the source said . A judge has delayed for a week , until July 13 , a hearing to decide whether Katherine Jackson will remain the temporary guardian of Jackson 's children . At a brief talk with reporters Thursday , an attorney for Jackson 's ex-wife Debbie Rowe said she `` has not reached a final decision '' on whether she will challenge Jackson 's mother for custody of Jackson 's two oldest children , according to her lawyer . A Los Angeles TV station quoted Rowe on Thursday morning saying , `` I want my children . '' Except for the statement to the radio station , she has not publicly indicated whether she would seek custody now that Jackson is dead . Rowe was left out of the will . `` I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife , Deborah Rowe Jackson , '' the will said . The will nominated Katherine Jackson , now 79 , as the guardian of his children . If Katherine Jackson were to die , `` I nominate Diana Ross as guardian , '' Jackson said in the will , written July 7 , 2002 . Singer Ross , 65 , was a lifelong friend of Jackson 's . Watch how the two had a close relationship '' There 's also a question on when the will 's executors should take over control of the late entertainer 's assets , which Judge Mitchell Beckloff temporarily placed under Katherine Jackson 's control . One man named as executor is John Branca , who represented Jackson from 1980 until 2006 and was hired again before the singer 's death . He helped acquire Jackson 's music catalog , which is worth millions . The other is music industry executive John McClain , a longtime Jackson friend who has worked with him and his sister Janet . DEA reportedly joins investigation . The Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation into Jackson 's death , a federal law enforcement official said Wednesday night . And the California State Attorney General 's office said Thursday that it is helping the Los Angeles Police Department in its investigation . The attorney general 's office said it will assist police in sifting through information in a state database that monitors controlled medication . Two law enforcement officials separately confirmed the DEA inquiry , saying agents would look at doctors involved with Jackson , their practices and their possible sources of medicine supply . Neither official wanted to be identified because they could not comment publicly on the matter . Officially , a DEA spokeswoman referred questions to the Los Angeles Police Department , which would not confirm the involvement . `` We routinely offer assistance to any agency regarding the Federal Controlled Substance Act , '' said Sarah Pullen of the DEA . `` However , at this time , we have nothing further to comment about the death of Michael Jackson . '' Speculation about the role of drugs has been swirling since Jackson died June 25 at his rented estate in Holmby Hills . The cause of his death , at age 50 , was pending toxicology results . On Wednesday , police released a car belonging to Jackson 's cardiologist , Dr. Conrad Murray . They had impounded the vehicle Friday , saying it might contain evidence -- possibly prescription medications . Police did not say whether they found anything . Murray 's attorneys issued a statement , asking the public to reserve judgment about the cause of death until the coroner 's tests are complete . `` Based on our agreement with Los Angeles investigators , we are waiting on real information to come from viable sources like the Los Angeles medical examiner 's office about the death of Michael Jackson , '' the statement said . `` We will not be responding to rumors and innuendo . '' No public showing planned for Neverland . Logistical and financial challenges derailed earlier plans for a public viewing and private memorial at Neverland Ranch . Planning had been under way for a motorcade to carry Jackson 's body from Los Angeles to the Santa Barbara County ranch , which state and local officials suggested would be difficult and costly . Law enforcement sources had said a public viewing at the ranch was under consideration for Friday , but a spokesman for the family said that it would not happen . `` Plans are under way regarding a public memorial for Michael Jackson , and we will announce those plans shortly , '' said Ken Sunshine , whose public relations firm had been hired by the Jackson family . Despite the announcement , more than two dozen TV satellite trucks lined the narrow two-lane road leading to the ranch . For a time , the California Highway Patrol closed the road to clear up a small bottleneck of cars created by Jackson fans and the media . CNN 's Drew Griffin , Kathleen Johnston , Michael Carey , Paul Vercammen , Carol Cratty and Kara Finnstrom contributed to this report . | NEW : 11,000 memorial service tickets will be made available . Source : Jackson memorial to be Tuesday at Los Angeles ' Staples Center . Jackson appears healthy in video clip of rehearsal two days before death . Drug Enforcement Administration reportedly joins inquiry into Jackson 's death . | [[44, 119], [199, 267], [709, 770], [777, 829], [3693, 3729], [3730, 3816]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Marine was killed in action and several others wounded Thursday in a major U.S.-led offensive in southern Afghanistan , the Marines said . U.S. Marines prepare for Operation Khanjar at Forward Operating Base Dwyer , Afghanistan , on Thursday . The push , called Operation Khanjar , is targeting militants in Helmand province , a Taliban stronghold and poppy-growing region . The forces are attempting to gain and hold ground in the perilous region ahead of national elections in August . Almost 4,000 Marines and sailors , along with several hundred Afghan security forces and British troops , worked to clear Taliban militants from population centers in the Helmand River valley . They have been operating in the districts of Nawa and Garmsir in central Helmand province and `` as far south as the vicinity of Khan Neshin , the capital of Rig district in the region of the Helmand River valley known as ` The Fishhook . ' '' The Marines stressed the mission `` is to provide security for population centers '' and `` connect local citizens with their legitimate government while establishing stable and secure conditions for national elections . '' Helmand 's governor , Gulab Mangal , said he believes the operation will work and has assured the populace that it will provide security for them . His spokesman also confirmed that resistance had been minimal . The Marines said about 80 percent of the American troops are in direct combat , with the rest working in support . Taliban resistance has been light and sporadic , consisting of intermittent small arms fire , the Marines said on Thursday . The troops have encountered only relatively small groups of militants . `` Indications are the militants break away shortly after they make contact , '' Marine spokesman 1st Lt. Abe Sipe said , referring to what is regarded as the Taliban 's habit of running and hiding after troops confront them . A Taliban spokesman said the group 's fighters had killed 33 soldiers and destroyed several vehicles . CNN could not independently verify the Taliban claims because of safety and access issues . There has been an outcry in Afghanistan over civilian deaths in the Afghan war 's crossfire , with much ire directed toward coalition air operations . But the Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan emphasized in a news release that the Marines have not `` received any confirmed reports of civilian casualties or damage to property . '' They said they have not utilized `` artillery or other indirect fire weapons , and no bombs have been dropped from aircraft . '' The brigade operates under NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . The assault has prompted Pakistani authorities to redeploy troops along the Afghan border to stop Taliban from escaping the push in Helmand . More than 30 U.S. , British and Danish troops have been killed there since January , with the latest being the Marine on Thursday and a pair of British soldiers slain in Helmand on Wednesday . The push is the largest since the Pentagon began moving additional troops into the conflict this year , and it comes after a British-led operation launched last week in the same region , the Marines said . When President Obama announced his strategy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan , he said American soldiers and Marines `` will take the fight to the Taliban in the south and the east , and give us a greater capacity to partner with Afghan security forces and to go after insurgents along the border . '' He also said the bolstered deployment `` will also help provide security '' ahead of August presidential elections in Afghanistan . The Obama administration has moved about 21,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan , the original front in the war launched after the September 11 attacks . It is also the first big move since U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal took over as the allied commander in Afghanistan in mid-June . In Washington , a senior defense official said the size and scope of the new operation are `` very significant . '' `` It 's not common for forces to operate at the brigade level , '' the official said . `` In fact , they often only conduct missions at the platoon level . And they 're going into the most troubled area of Afghanistan . '' The defense official said the operation is a `` tangible indication '' of the new approach that McChrystal -- a former chief of the Pentagon 's special operations command -- is bringing to the nearly eight-year war . `` They 're not just doing an offensive push to get bad guys ; they 're going in to hold the area and stay there , '' the official said . `` This approach is indicative of McChrystal 's philosophy : measuring success by the number of Afghans protected , not bad guys killed . '' During his confirmation hearing in June , McChrystal told senators that the conflict requires a new focus on counterinsurgency to reduce violence and build support for the U.S.-led NATO alliance among Afghans . `` Although I expect stiff fighting ahead , the measure of success will not be enemy killed . It will be shielding the Afghan population from violence , '' he said . The Islamic fundamentalist Taliban ruled most of Afghanistan before its allies in al Qaeda attacked New York and Washington on September 11 , 2001 . Though quickly toppled after the attacks , its leaders escaped , and the movement regrouped in the Afghan countryside and across the border in Pakistan . Helmand was once known as the breadbasket of Afghanistan , but the fertile land is now used for growing poppies . Afghanistan produces more than 90 percent of the world 's opium , with most of that coming from the poppies in Helmand . The drug trade is an import source of income for the Taliban and major supply routes run through the province . CNN 's Atia Abawi in Afghanistan , Nic Robertson in Pakistan and Chris Lawrence and Barbara Starr at the Pentagon contributed to this report . | One Marine killed , others wounded ; Taliban says 33 soldiers killed . 4,000 American troops , hundreds of Afghans involved in Operation Khanjar . It focuses on Helmand River valley , hotbed of Taliban violence . Operation 's size and scope are `` very significant , '' official says . | [[8, 35], [39, 87], [73, 158], [1942, 2044], [1962, 2011], [2914, 2953], [285, 320], [323, 406], [3933, 3946], [3949, 4019], [3980, 4045], [4114, 4136], [4605, 4627]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A rash of bank robberies in New York has the city 's police commissioner worried that criminals have turned banks into `` virtual cash machines '' and some wondering whether tough economic times are fueling the trend . A surveillance camera captures a bank robbery suspect in New York on December 2 . On Monday alone , robbers targeted five banks in the Big Apple , some striking in broad daylight and near famous landmarks . Police called the incidents unrelated , but they 're just the latest examples of the growing tally of hold-ups . Bank robberies in New York have risen 54 percent compared with last year , with criminals committing more than 430 in the past 12 months , according to the New York police department . `` As it stands now , they 've turned -LSB- banks -RSB- into virtual cash machines , '' New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said . Bank robberies are also up in many areas across the country , including San Diego , California , and Houston , Texas , federal law enforcement experts told CNN . It 's enough for some to link the trend to the rash of layoffs , the plummeting stock market and the bust in the real estate values , all of which have left many Americans in dire financial straits . `` It makes me think that the recession is making people go to extreme measures , '' a woman who frequents one of the banks robbed Monday told The New York Times . Watch where the robbers struck '' But Kelly said it 's not clear whether the bad economic times are fueling the unusual spike . `` People want to say ... it 's because of the economy . I think it 's too early to make that statement , '' he said . CNN security analyst Mike Brooks agreed , adding that although there are typically many bank robberies during the holidays , there are no data to suggest that any recent spike was caused by the economy . Another expert said it 's possible that the difficulty of finding a job right now may be a factor , but he doubted that law-abiding citizens are turning to crime to make ends meet . `` It 's hard to attribute the bank robberies to people who were let go from Lehman Brothers or other organizations that are in trouble , '' said Alfred Blumstein , who has researched criminal justice for 20 years and is a professor of operations research at Carnegie Mellon University 's Heinz College . `` I would anticipate that people who rob banks have been involved with crime before because that 's not where one is likely to start , '' Blumstein said . A person who might turn to robbing banks is someone in their late teens or early 20s who has already broken the law and has decided to move on to a bigger target , he added . `` Bank robbery is a very high-risk activity , because most banks have various surveillance equipment in place , and it requires a degree of aggressiveness that otherwise law-abiding folks are not likely to take on , '' Blumstein said . Some officials say the modern , customer-friendly design of banks -- with easy access to tellers and cash -- is too tempting for robbers . `` We do n't like the business plan that makes a bank look like a living room , '' Kelly said `` We -LSB- advise -RSB- just some common sense provisions , such as so-called bandit barriers , so that tellers have some option to act when somebody puts a note in front of them . '' In fact , bank robbers have simply handed tellers a note in a vast majority of hold-ups in New York . Kelly put the figure at 80 percent and added that although the rest of the robbers claimed to have a gun , many did n't actually show it . Mike Smith , president and CEO of the New York Bankers Association , is meeting with the NYPD to see what more can be done to discourage robbers . He said banks have a significant amount of security , some of which may not be visible to the public . `` Are there enhancements ? Obviously . Criminals talk to each other , they know what 's going on , but typically they are apprehended , '' Mike Smith said . CNN 's A. Pawlowski contributed to this report . | Bank robberies in New York have risen 54 percent compared with last year . On Monday alone , robbers targeted five banks , some striking in broad daylight . NYPD : Not clear whether the bad economic times are fueling the spike . Expert doubts law-abiding citizens are turning to crime to make ends meet . | [[567, 615], [605, 639], [329, 344], [347, 391], [394, 453], [1366, 1389], [69, 246], [1454, 1543], [1971, 2048]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- David Letterman has been taking some heat and issuing some apologies for the off-color joke he made last week about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin 's daughter , but he found a sympathetic critic in comedian Jeff Foxworthy on Monday . Jeff Foxworthy , the father of two teenage daughters , says David Letterman 's joke was flawed . The best-selling comedy recording artist in history paid a visit to CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' to talk about Letterman 's gaffe . `` As a father of two teenage daughters , it was a flawed joke , '' Foxworthy said . Letterman joked last Tuesday that Palin 's `` daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez '' at a recent Yankees game , stirring up an angry reaction from the Palin family . Letterman has since apologized twice for what he called `` inappropriate '' humor . And Foxworthy agreed : `` I do n't think any kind of joke about someone having sex with a teenage girl is funny . '' Watch Foxworthy comment on joke '' But Foxworthy 's rebuke of the joke was gentle in tone , and he showed empathy for Letterman as well as the Palin family . `` As a comedian , you look at what Dave does , '' Foxworthy said . `` You 're trying to do this night after night , year after year , decade after decade -- at some point in the road , are you going to throw one out there you should n't have ? Yeah . '' Foxworthy said it 's probably time to forgive and forget . `` It 's about forgiveness , '' Foxworthy said . `` He came back and apologized and said : ` Hey , the joke is flawed . ' And to me you move on . '' King asked what advice he 'd give Sarah Palin if she received an invitation to appear on Letterman 's `` Late Show . '' Foxworthy said he 'd encourage the Alaska governor to accept it . `` Life is about forgiveness . I think that makes her bigger to go on there and say ' I accept your apology ' . '' Letterman has insisted he was referring to Palin 's 18-year-old , Bristol , who gave birth to a boy in December , and not her 14-year-old , Willow , in the joke . Palin has called that a `` weak , convenient excuse '' for a joke that was `` inappropriate '' no matter which daughter was the target . Foxworthy , the author of `` How to Really Stink at Work , '' also made some `` confessions '' about his pre-comedy career in corporate America . `` I was at IBM for five years ; I do n't know how much work I did , '' Foxworthy said . The comedian , who said he used to make prank phone calls to his boss at work to lure him back and forth from his desk , had this tongue-in-cheek advice for people about how far to take things on the job : . `` You do n't really want to get fired ; you want to have a job . But you do n't want to do it well , because you 're going to be promoted , and that 's a lot of pressure . Who can have any fun with that kind of anvil hanging over your head ? '' Foxworthy is also the host of `` Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader '' and talked about the appeal of a game show that spotlights how much people tend to forget after all those years of cramming in facts at school . `` It 's a strange thing why the brain keeps some things , '' Foxworthy said . `` Like I do n't know why my brain has all the words to ` The Brady Bunch ' theme song , but it deleted everything about triangles . '' | David Letterman made off-color joke about Gov. Sarah Palin 's daughter last week . Foxworthy : `` As a father of two teenage daughters , it was a flawed joke '' Foxworthy also says he thinks Palins should accept Letterman 's apologies , move on . The comedian also has `` advice '' about having fun on the job . | [[92, 170], [246, 260], [301, 342], [517, 537], [540, 559], [1139, 1158], [1434, 1453], [1454, 1459], [1489, 1493], [1496, 1524], [2370, 2389], [3118, 3137], [1346, 1404], [1674, 1739], [1689, 1739], [2390, 2402], [2511, 2593]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The British are coming , the British are coming -- to Brooklyn ? By subway ? Barclays has paid $ 300 million for the naming rights to the New Jersey Nets arena . New York 's struggling Metropolitan Transportation Authority has sold the naming rights to the second-busiest subway stop in Brooklyn . The Atlantic Avenue-Pacific Street Station will now have the name of a British bank , Barclays , added to it . Several subway riders are outraged that Barclays has purchased the naming rights to this subway stop , which sees about 10 million people go through it each day . One straphanger said , `` A London Bank should n't be the name of this train station ; it 's something that belongs to the public domain . '' Another said , `` It 's just everywhere we go , everything we do , it 's just branding , branding , branding . It 's America now . '' Renaming the Atlantic-Pacific Station is tied to the construction of Barclays Center , the new sports arena for the National Basketball Association 's New Jersey Nets . Barclays is paying developer Forest City Ratner $ 300 million for naming rights to this arena . Ratner , in a separate deal , will be paying the Metropolitan Transportation Authority $ 200,000 a year for the next 20 years to rename this commuter hub . Authority Press Secretary Jeremy Soffin said , `` Like transit systems all over the U.S. and around the world , we are facing budget deficits . '' In an effort to bridge the authority 's $ 1 billion deficit , the transit giant that oversees the operation of the city 's subways , buses and rail lines wants to follow the Barclays example with stations throughout the system . Though the Atlantic-Pacific subway station is the first in New York for which naming rights have been sold , across the country , there have been several cases of public transportation systems using naming rights to increase revenue . In 2003 , the Las Vegas monorail system signed a 12-year , $ 50 million deal with Nextel to put its name on the station in the Las Vegas Convention Center . The Cleveland Bus System sold station names to two hospitals for $ 1.1 million a year . Internationally , Dubai 's Roads and Transport Authority has been selling the naming rights of 23 metro stations . However , not all naming rights deals are successful . In 2001 , the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority tried to raise $ 22 million by auctioning the naming rights to four historic `` T '' stations . It received no bids . Reassuring the public that there are certain lines they wo n't cross when it comes to renaming stations of historical value , Soffin said , `` It 's a very clear line there , and we want to be as open as possible , but we 're not sort of selling the shop here . '' | Basketball arena developer pays $ 200,000 a year for 20 years for rights . Atlantic Avenue-Pacific Street station is second busiest in Brooklyn . Riders express disappointment at `` branding '' of subway stop . | [[1141, 1147], [1164, 1266], [190, 325], [437, 537]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Insurgents ' use of roadside bombs has increased dramatically in Afghanistan this year , according to Pentagon statistics , and the United States ' top military official is calling them the `` No. 1 threat '' to troops there . An IED is exploded by U.S. Marines near the remote village of Baqwa , Afghanistan , in March . In June there were 736 incidents in Afghanistan involving roadside bombs , called improvised explosive devices or IEDs , and 82 `` effective attacks , '' ones that caused casualties among coalition forces , the figures show . That was up from 263 incidents and 25 effective attacks in February , with the numbers increasing each month , said the Pentagon 's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization , an agency dedicated to thwarting roadside bombs . The number of coalition forces killed and wounded by such bombs has climbed , though not steadily , from 18 killed and 33 wounded in February to 23 killed and 166 wounded in June , the agency said . No numbers were provided for July , but such attacks have continued this month . In the latest , roadside bombs killed two NATO-led troops on Thursday , one in eastern Afghanistan and the other in southern Afghanistan . The military has called IEDs the weapon of choice for insurgents in that country . And at the National Press Club on Wednesday , Adm. Mike Mullen , chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , said in response to a reporter 's question that the biggest threat to coalition troops in Afghanistan is improvised explosive devices . Watch Adm. Mullen address efforts in Afghanistan '' He noted that they `` have become more and more sophisticated over time '' and that they are being combined with `` more and more sophisticated attacks from the Taliban , where they use IEDs as well as other tactics to inflict or to fight our troops . '' | Pentagon agency : 82 incidents in June caused casualties among coalition troops . Military has called IEDs the weapon of choice for insurgents in Afghanistan . No numbers were provided for July , but such attacks have continued this month . | [[503, 510], [516, 556], [975, 994], [1235, 1317], [1364, 1380], [1423, 1558], [1015, 1048], [1051, 1095]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , whose re-election last month led to massive protests , on Tuesday called the balloting `` the most free election anywhere in the world . '' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected last month , setting off days of protests . `` It was a great event , '' he said in a nationally televised address . The election , which opponents charge was rigged , was followed by street demonstrations and civil unrest that led to the deaths of at least 20 protesters and the arrest of more than 1,000 , according to Iranian state-run media . The numbers of casualties and arrests could not be independently verified by CNN because the Iranian government banned coverage by international journalists . The president , who said voter turnout was 85 percent , said opponents `` did not provide even one piece of document regarding irregularities or vote fraud . '' Without specifically mentioning the post-election violence , Ahmadinejad said criticism of government `` is the key to the success of a nation . '' Everyone has criticisms , he said . `` I have my own . '' But he accused the `` arrogant powers '' and `` enemies '' of Iran of interfering in his country 's affairs , including the post-election situation . Some Iranians collaborated with enemies , the president said . Ahmadinejad also said Tuesday he believes the government should be `` substantially '' reorganized . Although he did n't elaborate , he said the areas of employment , housing , development and civil rights were high on the agenda . '' -LSB- We -RSB- need to create newer capacities and prepare ourselves for this new period , '' he said , apparently referring to his upcoming second term in office . `` With this election , we have entered a new era ... in domestic spheres and on an international level , '' he added . He called it `` an era of solidarity . '' `` The government is at the service of the entire people , '' Ahmadinejad said . `` Things will be done in a better way , more effective way , so we can reach higher aspirations . '' He said experts have been invited to help the government achieve progress . | Iranian president calls recent vote `` most free election anywhere in the world '' In address , he says criticism of government `` is the key to the success of a nation '' He accuses `` arrogant powers '' and `` enemies '' of Iran of interfering in country 's affairs . Widespread protests rocked Iran in days after Ahmadinejad 's re-election . | [[131, 185], [994, 1063], [994, 1005], [1011, 1077], [1143, 1288], [0, 6], [9, 29], [102, 125], [213, 276], [213, 250], [279, 309], [383, 420], [434, 488]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The emergence of a purported statement from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden about U.S. policy in Pakistan as the U.S. president embarks on a major trip to Muslim countries is no coincidence , the White House spokesman and a counterterrorism official say . Osama bin Laden is seen in an image taken from a videotape that aired on Al-Jazeera in September 2003 . `` I think the reports we 've seen are consistent with messages we 've seen in the past from al Qaeda threatening the U.S. and other countries that are involved in counter-terrorism efforts , '' White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Wednesday . `` But I do n't think it 's surprising that al Qaeda would want to shift attention away from the president 's historic efforts and continued efforts to reach out and have an open dialogue with the Muslim world . '' A U.S. counterterrorism official , asked about the statement , said bin Laden `` has timed the release of tapes to major events so it is not surprising that he picked this particular week . '' Al Jazeera , the Arabic-language TV network that aired the message on Wednesday , said the statement was `` a voice recording by bin Laden . '' As for the tape 's authenticity , a CNN analysis said the voice does indeed sound like the leader of the terrorist network that attacked the United States on September 11 , 2001 . The counterterrorism official said `` there has never been a fake Bin Laden tape . '' The message comes as Obama begins his trip to the Middle East , visiting Saudi Arabia on Wednesday and , in Egypt on Thursday , making a major speech to the Muslim world . Zeroing in on the conflict in Pakistan 's Swat Valley , where Pakistan 's troops are taking on Taliban militants , the message asserts that Obama is proving that he is `` walking the same road of his predecessors to build enmity against Muslims and increasing the number of fighters , and establishing more lasting wars . '' The message said U.S. policy in Pakistan has generated `` new seeds of hatred and revenge against America . '' The remarks -- which would be bin Laden 's first assessment of Obama 's policy -- were believed to have been recorded several weeks ago at the start of a mass civilian exodus because of fighting in northwestern Pakistan . The speaker cites strikes , destruction , and Obama 's `` order '' to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari `` to prevent the people of Swat from implementing sharia law . '' `` All this led to the displacement of about a million Muslim elders , women and children from their villages and homes . They became refugees in tents after they were honored in their own homes , '' the message says . `` This basically means that Obama and his administration put new seeds of hatred and revenge against America . The number of these seeds is the same as the number of those victims and refugees in Swat and the tribal area in northern and southern Waziristan . '' And , the message says , `` the American people need to prepare to only gain what those seeds bring up . '' Watch what the speaker says on the tape '' The speaker also says Zardari and Pakistan 's military chief , Ashfaq Pervez Kayani , continue to divert the army 's main role from protecting the nation to fighting Islam and its followers . He says the war is also hurting Pakistan 's economy , endangering the country 's religion and security and `` fulfilling an American , Jewish and Indian plot . '' `` Most of the Pakistani people reject this unjust war . Zardari did this in response to the ones paying him in the White House -- not 10 percent but multiple folds of that , '' the message says . The message points to India 's aspirations , saying it is `` easy for India to subject the disassembled territories of Pakistan , one after another , for its own benefit , like the case of eastern Pakistan before , or even worse . '' `` This way , America eases its worry towards Pakistan 's nuclear weapons , '' the message says . Eastern Pakistan is a reference to Bangladesh , which had been part of Pakistan until it became an independent country in 1971 . Pakistan and India have also been at odds over the disputed territory of Kashmir , and pro-bin Laden jihadis have opposed Indian rule there . Richard Holbrooke , the Obama administration 's special envoy to Pakistan and India , said he had n't listened to the message but commented on what he had heard about it . `` The idea that anyone is responsible for the refugee crisis other than al Qaeda and the Taliban and the other people who have caused such tragedy in western Pakistan is ludicrous , '' he said . `` This entire problem begins with al Qaeda and its associates , and everybody in the world knows that , and it 's silly to even respond to such a ludicrous charge . '' Al Jazeera aired three separate segments totaling just over four minutes long from what it said is a new bin Laden audiotape aired over an old still picture of the terrorist leader . The network 's anchors took part in describing each of the segments before they ran them . Since the message was not posted on the radical Islamist Web sites that usually carry statements from al Qaeda , it is believed that this latest message was hand-delivered to the TV network , based in Doha , Qatar . In other purported bin Laden messages issued in March , he called for Somalia 's new president to be overthrown and called Israel 's recent offensive in Gaza a `` holocaust . '' Bin Laden has delivered many messages over the years , but the last video message from him was in early September 2007 . In that video message , he criticized U.S. Democrats for failing to stop the war in Iraq ; spoke of the anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II ; the troop surge in Iraq ; and world leaders such as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown . On that tape , bin Laden 's appearance was artificially changed for the first time . He dyed his beard from grayish white to black , leading analysts to believe that he has switched to sending only audio messages because he is altering his looks and does n't want people to know what he looks like . Analysts also believe that bin Laden has n't made videos lately because they are more labor-intensive to produce . There have been gaps between videos from bin Laden , with many audio messages in between , each time prompting analysts to theorize he might be dead . The last two videos of bin Laden himself delivering an address were the 2007 tape and another in 2004 . See a timeline of bin Laden messages '' The U.S. counterterrorism official said of the latest purported bin Laden tape that `` while the words are different '' from other messages , this statement `` recycles the broad themes of messages past . '' `` While we are still looking at the message closely , there is no reason to believe any specific or credible threat is contained in it , '' the official said . Al Qaeda 's second in command issued an audio statement Tuesday saying Obama is not welcome in Egypt . Ayman al-Zawahiri said relations with the United States can not be mended so long as the administration maintains its alliance with Israel . In a message called `` Tyrants of Egypt and America 's agents welcome Obama '' that was posted on Islamist Web sites , al-Zawahiri once again lashed out at the United States . Obama 's message to the Muslim world , he said , has already been delivered with his support for `` Zionist aggression . '' In the 10-minute audio message , al-Zawahiri said Obama had already made himself an enemy of Muslims by sending more soldiers to Afghanistan , ordering bombings in the tribal areas of Pakistan and administering a `` bloody campaign against Muslims '' in Pakistan 's Swat Valley . CNN 's Octavia Nasr and Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report . | NEW : White House says timing of tape is not a coincidence . Analysis of tape indicates that voice sounds like Osama bin Laden 's . Purported tape from terror leader surfaces as President Obama visits Mideast . Message says U.S. policy on Pakistan has generated `` seeds of hatred '' | [[1222, 1310], [1454, 1515], [1951, 2005], [1968, 2058], [7206, 7218], [7325, 7381]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Big Ben , arguably the world 's most famous clock , celebrates on Sunday 150 years of keeping London on time . The British landmark has lived through war , bad weather and disasters . Big Ben 's distinctive bongs have been a part of the London scene for 150 years . Big Ben is the 14-ton bell inside the world 's largest four-faced chiming clock , although most people use the name to describe the tower that houses it . The clock is perched on a 96-meter -LRB- 310-foot -RRB- elegant tower at the Westminster Bridge end of the Palace of Westminster . The Victorian masterpiece , which provides distinctive chimes known as bongs , was voted Britain 's favorite monument in 2008 . It has been featured in films such as `` 101 Dalmatians '' and `` Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix . '' Big Ben has been disrupted a few times over the years for various reasons , including weather and breakages . Its bongs went silent for about two months in August 2007 to allow a crew to repair its mechanism system . During that time , the rest of the clock was running on an electric system . It was fully restarted again October 1 . The clock pays tribute to Britain 's royal history : It has a Latin inscription of the phrase : `` O Lord , save our Queen Victoria the First . '' The ornate masterpiece has some quirky features . The hour hand , which weighs 300 kilograms -LRB- 661 pounds -RRB- , is made of gun metal while the minute hands are made of copper sheet . The minute hands would not work when they were first made of cast iron because they were too heavy . The clock started working on May 31 , 1859 , after the lighter copper hands were installed . The origins of the landmark 's name are obscure . Some say it was named after the 1850s heavyweight boxer Ben Caunt while others suggest it was named after Sir Benjamin Hall , a former member of parliament . Hall , the commissioner of works in 1859 , was responsible for ordering the bell . Alan Hughes , the director of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry that made the bell , prefers the latter . `` I suppose I like it chiefly because it was a nickname of a man who was big and loud and pompous , and never used one word if 27 would do , '' he said in a 2008 interview . Hughes ' company also made America 's Liberty Bell and a number of others for cathedrals and churches around the world . | London 's Big Ben turns 150 years old on Sunday . Last year , Victorian masterpiece was voted Britain 's favorite monument . No one is quite sure where the clock 's moniker came from . | [[0, 15], [71, 129], [571, 632], [650, 698], [1677, 1726]] |
BUCHENWALD , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Barack Obama made an emotional visit to the former Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald , Germany , Friday , saying that the camp should serve as a reminder of humanity 's duty to fight the spread of evil . President Obama visits Buchenwald with Chancellor Angela Merkel , left , and survivor and activist Elie Wiesel . The visit had personal significance for the president , whose great-uncle helped liberate prisoners from the camp during World War II . `` I will not forget what I 've seen here today , '' Obama said after touring the camp with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ; Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Elie Wiesel , and survivor Bertrand Herz . `` These sites have not lose their horror with the passage of time , '' Obama said . `` This place teaches us that we must be ever vigilant about the spread of evil in our times . ... We have to guard against cruelty in ourselves ... '' Watch Obama honor Holocaust victims '' Wiesel , whose father died at Buchenwald , was imprisoned at the camp during the final months of the war in 1945 . `` Every war is absurd and meaningless , '' Wiesel said . `` The world has n't learned . ... Had the world learned , there would have been no Cambodia and no Rwanda and no Darfur and no Bosnia . '' Like Obama , Wiesel stressed that the lessons of Buchenwald are that humanity must unite to keep such atrocities from happening again and work toward making the 21st century `` filled with promise and infinite hope . '' `` Memory must bring people together , rather than set them apart . Memories here not to sow anger in our hearts , but on the contrary , a sense of solidarity with all those who need us , '' Wiesel said . Obama told reporters earlier in the day that his great-uncle , Charles Payne , had a `` very difficult time re-adjusting to civilian life '' after helping his Army division liberate the Ohrdruf forced labor camp , a subdivision of Buchenwald . `` And it is now up to us , the living , in our work , wherever we are , to resist injustice and intolerance and indifference in whatever forms they may take and ensure that those who were lost here did not go in vain . '' Later Friday , the president traveled in Germany to Ramstein Air Base and visited with wounded American troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center . He then moved on to Paris , France , ahead of D-Day commemoration services on Saturday . Obama began his tour of the Middle East and Europe in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday , before moving on to Egypt , where on Thursday he delivered a key speech on American and Muslim relations . In the 55-minute address -- billed as a fence-mending effort between the United States and Islam -- the president urged those in the Cairo audience and the people across the globe viewing the speech on television to enter a new , productive and peaceful chapter of relations . CNN 's Ed Henry contributed to this report . | Obama recalls great-uncle 's role in liberation of Buchenwald as reason for tour . Holocaust survivor , Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel speaks of father dying at Buchenwald . Obama met Friday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel . Germany visit comes day after key speech in Egypt on U.S. relations with Islam . | [[1002, 1008], [1024, 1042], [258, 321], [2574, 2634]] |
WICHITA , Kansas -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An anti-abortion activist suspected in the death of Kansas doctor George Tiller told CNN on Tuesday the closing of Tiller 's women 's clinic is `` a victory for all the unborn children . '' Scott Roeder , charged in the death of Dr. George Tiller , spoke to CNN on Tuesday . Scott Roeder , 51 , would not admit to CNN 's Ted Rowlands that he killed Tiller , who was gunned down at his church May 31 . But he said if he is convicted in Tiller 's slaying , `` the entire motive was the defense of the unborn . '' Tiller 's family said Tuesday the clinic he headed will permanently close , effective immediately , and they would issue no more statements . At the time Roeder was interviewed Tuesday , word of the permanent closure had not come out -- but when told the clinic had been shuttered since Tiller 's death , he said , `` Good . '' Roeder said the closure would mean `` no more slicing and dicing of the unborn child in the mother 's womb and no more needles of poison into the baby 's heart to stop the heart from beating , and no more partial-birth abortions . '' Watch Rowlands describe Roeder 's mood during interview '' Dan Monnat , Tiller 's attorney , declined to respond to Roeder 's comments on the family 's behalf . But in an e-mail , he added , `` Speaking for myself ... I am reluctant to in any way legitimize Mr. Roeder , or anything he stands for , by directly responding to his statements . `` I am content to let law enforcement determine whether anything he says merits attention . I do not encourage anyone else to give Mr. Roeder or his extremist views any additional attention as he awaits trial , '' Monnat wrote . Tiller , 67 , was one of the few U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions . He had already survived one attempt on his life before he was slain , and the announcement by Tiller 's family dismayed supporters of abortion rights . Nancy Keenan , the president of Washington-based NARAL Pro-Choice America , called Tiller 's killing `` part of an ongoing pattern of extreme anti-choice violence and intimidation '' aimed at depriving women of a legal medical option . `` It is a sad day for our country when family members who stood by their husband and father as he endured countless anti-choice attacks are forced as a result of his murder to make a decision like this one , '' Keenan said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon . Nancy Northup , president of the Center for Reproductive Rights , expressed hope that other doctors `` will be brave enough to come forward and continue Dr. Tiller 's critical work of providing services to women . '' `` It is unacceptable that anti-abortion intimidation and violence has led to the closing of Dr. Tiller 's clinic . It illustrates the ongoing harassment endured by abortion providers and the resulting disservice to women across this country , '' Northup said . Roeder is jailed on first-degree murder and aggravated assault charges in Tiller 's death . A Kansas judge earlier this month set his bail at $ 5 million . Tiller 's family said Tuesday it is `` proud of the service and courage shown by our husband and father , '' and that it would honor his memory `` through private charitable activities . '' The statement promised his patients `` that the privacy of their medical histories and patient records will remain as fiercely protected now and in the future as they were during Dr. Tiller 's lifetime . '' Peter Brownlie , president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri , said he and his staff `` fully respect and understand '' the family 's decision . `` Their loss is immense -- they have lost a husband , father , grandfather and hero , '' Brownlie said in a statement . But the closure of Tiller 's clinic `` creates a significant gap in access for women and families in Kansas , '' he continued . `` No one is providing that service between Kansas City and Denver . '' Most of the leading U.S. anti-abortion groups have condemned Tiller 's killing and disavowed Roeder , saying they wanted Tiller 's clinic shut down , but through peaceful means . Troy Newman , the president of one of those organizations , Operation Rescue , said in a statement on the group 's Web site Tuesday that his group is `` thankful that Tiller 's clinic will not reopen and thankful that Wichita is now abortion-free . '' But he added , `` This is a bittersweet moment for us at Operation Rescue . We have worked very hard for this day , but we wish it would have come through the peaceful , legal channels we were pursuing . '' Operation Rescue and other Kansas anti-abortion activists had supported a criminal investigation by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline , a petition drive to empanel a special grand jury to investigate the practice and efforts to get his medical license revoked . On its Web site , the group referred to Tiller as a `` monster '' who had `` been able to get away with murder . '' But in a New York Times interview last week , Newman said closing the clinic because of the shooting would be cause for concern . `` Good God , do not close this abortion clinic for this reason , '' he said . `` Every kook in the world will get some notion . '' Roeder met with Rowlands for a half-hour Tuesday , talking on a phone through security glass at the Sedgwick County jail where he is being held . He initially was reluctant to talk , as he said he had been misquoted in another interview . But he gradually opened up , noting that he was giving the interview against the advice of his defense attorney . Roeder told CNN he is `` feeling good , '' and getting encouraging letters from people around the country , many of whom he does not know . But he complained about conditions in the jail , saying he does n't like being in solitary confinement and that the jail is `` freezing . '' Associates have told CNN that Roeder was a regular among the protesters who routinely gathered at Tiller 's clinic . Roeder 's former roommate , Eddie Ebecher , has told CNN Roeder was `` obsessed '' with Tiller and in the past had debated whether to kill him . Relatives said Roeder had suffered from mental illness over the years and had refused treatment at times . He served prison time in Kansas in the late 1990s after being arrested with explosives in his car , but his conviction was overturned on appeal . But Roeder said Tuesday that reports he has mental illness or schizophrenia are `` totally wrong . '' He acknowledged having a drug problem at one point , but said he has been off drugs since he was 28 years old and has no mental illness . Rowlands said he attempted to discuss Tiller 's death with Roeder , pointing out that there were witnesses to the shooting and its aftermath who claim they saw Roeder leaving the scene and got a license plate from the car . Roeder nodded , Rowlands said , but still would not admit any culpability . But `` He did n't say , ' I did n't do it , ' '' Rowlands said . `` He did n't say , ` Get me out of here , I 'm the wrong guy . ' '' Federal civil rights prosecutors have launched an investigation into Tiller 's slaying , the Justice Department has said . The inquiry will focus on violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and other applicable federal laws . Roeder was concerned about the possibility of federal charges , saying his lawyer has warned him that he will be facing them if he does n't stop talking . CNN 's Michael Cary contributed to this report . | In jail interview with CNN , suspect Scott Roeder admits no guilt in Tiller slaying . But Roeder says if he 's convicted , `` motive was the defense of the unborn '' Roeder is charged in death of Dr. George Tiller , who performed late-term abortions . Family is shutting Tiller 's clinic permanently , lawyer says . | [[226, 238], [285, 310], [441, 543], [36, 101], [226, 238], [241, 282], [547, 620]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rob Thomas is a busy guy -- so busy , he apparently has n't had much time to check in with his Matchbox Twenty bandmates . Rob Thomas prefers to focus on the `` musician '' side of his career , rather than `` celebrity . '' We only know this because we ran into guitarist Paul Doucette at the BMI Pop Awards in Beverly Hills several weeks ago , where he was picking up a plaque for songwriter of the year . `` We 're interviewing Rob about his solo album , '' I told him . `` Hey , '' Doucette exclaimed . `` Tell that guy to call me , would you ? I did n't even know he was in L.A. ! '' By the time we met up with Thomas the next day , he and Doucette had already connected over drinks somewhere between midnight and the morning -- musician 's hours . Thomas recently released `` Cradlesong , '' his second solo CD . Even though he 's clearly excited about it , he spends as much time talking about Matchbox Twenty as he does the solo album he 's in town to promote . For the 37-year-old singer-songwriter , it 's all interconnected . One has fed into the other since he gained household name status a decade ago , after scoring a massive , Grammy-winning hit with Carlos Santana on `` Smooth . '' Watch Thomas describe the difference between being a celebrity and a musician '' The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : Who has given you the best piece of advice ? Rob Thomas : Carlos -LSB- Santana -RSB- will constantly send you messages out of nowhere . Carlos will call me at 10 at night and be like , `` Listen , I had a dream about you , and so much good is happening , but there 's dark forces at work , and when you get out of here , I have this woman who wants to cleanse you . '' I think Carlos ' most important piece of advice ever was that he taught me the difference between being a celebrity and being a famous musician . CNN : But some artists do n't have that kind of success , and they try for celebrity instead . Thomas : Sure , and sometimes that works -- but none of my favorites have done that . I remember when Matchbox Twenty started years ago , and we had a lot of success , but nobody knew who we were . The first time we did an interview with MTV , it was about how no one knew who we were . We had sold 8 million records . I do n't know if we were being naive at the time , but we thought we 'd won because our songs were more famous than we were . I 'm much more known for the music that I make than what I do with my life . It 's never , `` Oh yeah , I 've been seeing you in -LSB- the New York Post gossip column -RSB- Page Six at these clubs that you go to '' or `` I know who you 're sleeping with . '' CNN : When you became famous for being Rob Thomas the solo artist , did that cause problems within the band ? Thomas : No . I think the guys would rather it be me than them . None of them want the job , and they realize that it 's working now . They have a singer . I can go out and do it -LSB- publicity -RSB- for them , and they 're fine with it . They can stay home . I think there 's nothing more attractive than wealth and anonymity . If I 'm not out supporting my work , I really do n't want people to see me . I go to movie premieres -- my wife and I -- all the time , and nine out of 10 of those movie premieres , much to my publicist 's dismay , I get there , but I sneak around the pictures and get into the party -LSB- using the back entrance -RSB- . If I have a record coming out , I 'll go in front of the cameras , and I 'll say , `` Hi ! Hey , I 'm at this movie premiere . '' I liken it to being a switch that I can move on and off . CNN : What has doing a solo project enabled you to do that you ca n't do with a band ? Thomas : I get to pick my own schedule , and that 's nice . Matchbox Twenty -- it 's four lead singers , there 's four front men , and everybody 's tastes , everybody 's schedule , everybody 's personal life comes into account when you 're doing something like that . We all live -LSB- in four different cities -RSB- ... so we literally have to pull ourselves up from all over the country and go somewhere , just to get us into a room to write . And you have to not think you 're so great so you do n't get upset when somebody does n't like your stuff . Like `` Her Diamonds '' -- one of the singles on this solo album -- is one of my favorite songs that I 've ever written , and the guys loved the song , but did n't want to play it . -LSB- They said , -RSB- `` When you do a new solo record , you should put it on there . It does n't sound like a song we would do right now . '' And they were right . When we put together the last Matchbox record , it was much more of a rock record . CNN : What 's the most surprising thing on your iPod ? Thomas : Britney Spears . Come on ! `` Toxic , '' man , is just one of the baddest tracks ever ! I remember the first time we listened to '' ... Baby One More Time . '' ... We were like , `` Oh , let 's go play Britney Spears on the piano ! '' And we all come over drinking , and after a couple of minutes , we 're like , `` This Britney Spears is a lot harder than we thought ! '' CNN : Whose career would you like to emulate ? Thomas : Tom Petty is a famous musician . He 's not a music celebrity . When Tom Petty walks down the street , you know that it 's Tom Petty , but it would be like , `` Oh my gosh , it 's Tom Petty ! I love Tom Petty , right on ! '' It would never be like , `` Aaaaaaaah ! '' -- and 3 million teenage girls follow him down the street . | Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty has new album out , `` Cradlesong '' Thomas says Matchbox Twenty is still very much together . Singer : `` Nothing more attractive than wealth and anonymity '' | [[797, 835], [3069, 3137], [3077, 3137]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A University of Memphis football player was shot and killed on campus Sunday night , prompting administration officials to cancel classes and plead for anyone with information to come forward . Police said defensive lineman Taylor Bradford , 21 , apparently was shot around 9:45 p.m. -LRB- 10:45 ET -RRB- Sunday . The 5-foot-11-inch , 300-pound junior apparently then got into his car , drove a short distance and hit a tree near the campus residence hall area . Bradford , of Nashville , Tennessee , was pronounced dead at Regional Medical Center . The university locked down the residence halls and canceled classes for Monday as an `` early precaution '' against the possibility there was an armed attacker on campus , university President Shirley Raines said . Raines said the school did not activate its newly installed emergency public address system because university police determined the campus was not in imminent danger . Witnesses told police they saw people they suspect were the assailants fleeing the scene , Raines said . University police said the Memphis Police Department 's homicide bureau is assisting in the investigation . Officials said they hope that surveillance cameras in the area will yield clues . Memphis Director of Police Services Larry Godwin said that because such crimes are rare on the university campus Bradford `` may very well have been targeted . '' `` We 're looking at everything , '' he said . `` We 're hoping that someone will step forward with some information to point us in the right direction . '' Residence halls reopened early Monday , and classes are expected to resume Tuesday . On Monday , offices at the university were open so students could have access to counseling and talk with faculty and staff , said university spokesman Curt Guenther . Raines said she and head football coach Tommy West met with Bradford 's parents and other family members to express their condolences . West said Bradford was `` very popular within our team , very popular on our campus . Very upbeat , very up-tempo personality . Always smiling , always talking . Very well-liked on this campus . '' Bradford , a marketing major , transferred to the University of Memphis from Samford University in Birmingham , Alabama , according to the Univeristy of Memphis football team 's Web site . The University of Memphis had 20,562 students last fall and about 2,500 employees , according to the school 's Web site . On September 21 two students at Delaware State University were wounded in shootings . There will be a moment of silence at Tuesday night 's scheduled football game against Marshall University to honor Bradford . E-mail to a friend . | NEW : Coach says the 21-year old was a popular student . University of Memphis football player Taylor Bradford , shot dead . Initial investigation suggests attack was not random , police say . Classes canceled Monday but are expected to resume Tuesday . | [[1957, 2042], [1612, 1652]] |
-LRB- Tribune Media Services -RRB- -- While most first-time visitors to Europe choo-choose to travel by train , consider the convenience of driving . Behind the wheel you 're totally free , going where you want , when you want . When drivers come off a ferry in Great Britain or Ireland , they usually see a sign warning them to drive on the left . Driving in the British Isles is wonderful -- once you remember to stay on the left and after you 've mastered the roundabouts . But be warned : Every year I get some emails from traveling readers advising me that , for them , trying to drive in Great Britain and Ireland was a nerve-wracking and regrettable mistake . Here 's a tip : If you want to get a little slack on the roads , drop by a gas station or auto shop and buy a green `` P '' -LRB- probationary driver with license -RRB- sign to put in your car window . Of course , in Britain and Ireland you 'll be driving on the left-hand side of the road . Why that side ? Originally , it was in order for you to drive defensively ... with your `` sword hand '' on the inside to protect you against oncoming traffic . Many Yankee drivers find the hardest part is n't driving on the left , but steering from the right . Your instinct is to put yourself on the left side of your lane , which means you may spend your first day or two constantly drifting off the road to the left . It can help to remember that the driver always stays close to the center line . Not only will you be driving on the left , but you 'll also be using roundabouts , where traffic continually flows in a circle around a center island . These work well if you follow the golden rule : Traffic in roundabouts always has the right-of-way , while entering vehicles yield . For some drivers , roundabouts are high-pressure traffic circles that require a snap decision about something you do n't completely understand : your exit . To replace the stress with giggles , make it standard operating procedure to take a 360-degree , case-out-your-options exploratory circuit . Discuss the exits with your navigator , go around again if necessary , and then confidently wing off on the exit of your choice . Whenever possible , avoid driving in cities . London even assesses a congestion charge -- about $ 13 per day -- to drive in the city center -LRB- see www.cclondon.com -RRB- . It 's best and less stressful to begin your driving experience away from big cities , so try renting your car in a smaller town . A pleasant scenario for a Britain itinerary would be to start your trip in a small town such as Bath , rent a car when leaving Bath , explore Britain at your leisure by car , then drop off the car in York , and take the train into London , where you can rely on the excellent public transportation system . Outside of the big cities and the motorways -LRB- freeways -RRB- , British and Irish roads tend to be narrow . Adjust your perceptions of personal space . It 's not `` my side of the road '' or `` your side of the road . '' It 's just `` the road '' -- and it 's shared as a cooperative adventure . In towns , you may have to cross over the center line just to get past parked cars . Sometimes both directions of traffic can pass parked cars simultaneously , but frequently you 'll have to take turns -- follow the locals ' lead and drive defensively . On rural roads , locals are usually courteous , pulling over against a hedgerow and blinking their headlights for you to pass while they wait . Return the favor when you are closer to a wide spot in the road than they are . Do some homework before getting behind the wheel ; buy good maps and check various mapping Web sites , including Michelin 's site and Google Maps . A GPS device can also be helpful . You 'll notice some differences between driving in the Republic of Ireland versus the United Kingdom -LRB- Great Britain and Northern Ireland -RRB- . In the Republic of Ireland , the speed limit is in kilometers per hour , road signs are usually bilingual -LRB- but not always -- `` geill sli '' means yield -RRB- , and roads are more likely to be bumpy and poorly maintained . In the United Kingdom , the speed limit is in miles per hour , signs are in English -LRB- except in Wales , where they are bilingual -RRB- , and roads are generally in better condition . Even if you do n't drive , as a pedestrian you 'll have to remember that among our British and Irish cousins ' many unusual habits , traffic comes from the opposite direction -- look both ways before crossing any street . Horror stories about British and Irish traffic abound . They 're fun to tell , but driving here is really only a problem for those who make it one . The most dangerous creature on the road is the panicked American . Drive defensively , observe , fit in , avoid big-city driving when you can and wear your seat belt . Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio . E-mail him at [email protected], or write to him c/o P.O. Box 2009 , Edmonds , Wash. 98020 . Copyright 2009 RICK STEVES , DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES , INC. . | Rick Steves writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows . His TV series , `` Rick Steves ' Europe , '' airs on PBS stations . Steves ' company , Europe Through the Back Door , conducts European tours . | [[4850, 4912], [4900, 4918]] |
Editor 's note : Jack D. Hidary co-founded a technology company , Earth Web/Dice , and a financial research company , Vista Research . He works currently in the fields of clean energy technology and policy and is chairman of SmartTransportation.org which successfully pushed for the use of hybrid cars as taxis in New York City . Jack Hidary says the Cash for Clunkers program promotes fuel economy and safety while boosting the economy . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Our country is facing a daunting economic challenge this year and we must take steps to pull ourselves out of this ditch . One such program that has hit the ground running is Cash for Clunkers . It 's helping consumers move beyond these hard times and has reignited a whole industry . Cash for Clunkers is now working in more than 10 countries around the world . In Germany , consumers have junked more than 1.2 million guzzlers in the last five months and significantly boosted the economy there . So we know that Clunkers programs get the job done . How many other government programs can you say that about ? The Senate has joined the House in passing an additional $ 2 billion for Cash for Clunkers , allowing the program to move forward . This will bring additional buyers to the showroom . One key feature of the Clunkers program is that it is not just $ 3 billion of new money into the economy . It is injecting $ 21 billion -- since consumers must bring the rest of the money to pay for the new car . That is a lot of stimulus for the dollar . Cash for Clunkers is saving jobs up and down the auto supply chain : from dealers to assembly workers and parts markers . Dealerships alone lost 50,000 jobs in the last 18 months and would continue to shed jobs without this program . If you look at the new cars consumers are buying with the program , 45 percent are from Detroit 's Big Three automakers . That is a lot of new sales for Ford , GM and Chrysler . Cash for Clunkers also helps autoworkers across the country . Let 's remember that lots of the Toyotas and Hondas sold in the program are made by American workers right here in this country . They are in states such as Kentucky , Tennessee and Alabama . This program helps all American autoworkers , not just those up North . Some people ask why we should help the auto industry and not other industries in this same way . Cash for Clunkers actually helps all of us -- even those of us who do not participate in the program or work in the auto industry . First , the auto industry has so many connected jobs in real estate , finance , manufacturing and other industries , that is hard to separate it out . Second , one of the biggest drags on our economy is our trade imbalance . We import about $ 700 billion more than we export . That hurts our capital flows , credit and other key indicators . Guess what amounts to 50 percent of that trade imbalance ? Oil . We use 21 million barrels of oil every day in the United States and import 62 percent of that -- mainly from countries that really do n't like us . We use that oil mainly for transportation -- cars , SUVs , and other vehicles . Unless we scrap guzzlers at a faster rate , we will never reduce our oil consumption . Cash for Clunkers is a step in the right direction . It educates the consumer on how much they are paying for having a low-MPG car and encourages them to get into a more efficient vehicle . A family can save $ 750 - $ 1,000 a year by jumping just 10 mpg in efficiency . Those savings will increase as gas prices go back up . Gas has already shot up from $ 1.50 a gallon to $ 2.60 . Do you want to be stuck with a 10 mile-per-gallon guzzler when gas jumps back to $ 4 a gallon ? Third , Cash for Clunkers saves lives . When you bring in a clunker that has no airbags , anti-lock brakes or other modern safety features and get a new car that does , you are protecting your family . Forty thousand people die every year on American highways and many more get serious injuries . You can reduce your chances of becoming a statistic by getting the most safety for your dollar -- and with the Clunkers program you can now do that more affordably . As a co-architect of the federal Cash for Clunkers program with the Center for American Progress and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and adviser to various congressional offices on the issue , it is gratifying to see how quickly it has been adopted by the American people . It achieves multiple goals -- it stimulates auto sales , increases the efficiency of the U.S. fleet and makes us safer . Let 's support this program by encouraging our friends and neighbors to finally retire that guzzler and help the country with the purchase of a cleaner , lower maintenance car for the future . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jack D. Hidary . | Jack Hidary : Cash for Clunkers program boosting economy and auto industry . He says getting clunkers off the road will help decrease dependence on foreign oil . He says switching to a more efficient car can improve safety and save cash . Hidary : Cash for Clunkers is saving jobs up and down the auto supply chain . | [[330, 438], [416, 438], [590, 661], [330, 438], [4023, 4024], [4035, 4077], [4474, 4476], [4548, 4564], [1519, 1585], [1931, 1948], [1954, 1992]] |
Editor 's note : Nancy Grace is the host of `` Nancy Grace '' on HLN nightly at 8 and 10 p.m. ET . Read an excerpt from her new novel `` The Eleventh Victim '' published by Hyperion . Nancy Grace found it challenging to complete her first novel , `` The Eleventh Victim . '' -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Readers of Nancy Grace 's debut novel , `` The Eleventh Victim , '' would be forgiven if they assumed the main character is based on Grace . After all , the heroine of the novel becomes an Atlanta , Georgia , district attorney after her fiancé is murdered and later relocates to New York for a fresh start . But Grace said there are some differences between her and her protagonist . `` Hailey is a much better person than I am , '' Grace said . The tough-as-nails anchor of the HLN show that bears her name was driven to complete her first book of fiction , which she said has been in the works for almost a decade . The novel centers on the character of Hailey Dean , a psychology student who becomes a prosecutor after the tragic murder of her fiancé just weeks before their wedding . The mystery takes flight when Dean , having relocated to Manhattan and trained as a therapist , discovers that her patients are being murdered in a copycat style of an Atlanta serial killer from her past . Grace -- who is also the author of the nonfiction book `` Objection ! '' -- recently spoke to CNN about the challenges of giving birth to both twins and a thriller , who might die in her next novel and what she thinks about television shows like `` Saturday Night Live '' parodying her . CNN : You are a working mother of two year-old twins . How in the world did you find time to write a book ? Nancy Grace : It was hard work . I had done `` Objection '' and I had an idea for a second nonfiction . I went back to my editor and I said `` Here 's an idea for another nonfiction . '' She said `` Yeah , it 's OK , you got anything else ? '' I said `` No , but I do have an old manuscript I 've been working on for a long time , a murder mystery . '' I told her it 's not finished yet , I have about 300 pages . I took it over that day and the next day they told me they wanted a two-book series on Hailey Dean . Then I thought `` Oh Lord , now I 've got to finish it . '' That happened around the time I got pregnant . Watch Nancy discuss her new book '' I had a difficult pregnancy . I was in a wheelchair , I threw up every day , I broke my foot during the pregnancy , so a lot of crazy things happened . Finally , after the twins came , the deadline came . I literally had to sit in the bed with the computer and force myself to finish it . I knew what was going to happen in each of the four storylines , but I had to get there . I would be up sometimes until 3 or 4 in the morning . The twins , one would wake up , by the time I would get that one fed and down , the other one would wake up and then it was time to get up at 5:30 . CNN : You said you knew who did it in terms of the mystery early on in the writing . So how did the book change during its development ? Grace : The characters really developed . It 's like getting to know a person . Read an excerpt from the novel . There are certain things Hailey simply would not do . You get to know your characters and they become richer and more intricate because you get to know the character . I would not do anything that was out of character for them . CNN : The plot and the settings sound very familiar to your own life . How much of you is in Hailey ? Grace : Hailey is a much better person than I am , I can tell you that much . She 's very brave . She thinks her way out of difficult and almost impossible situations , she 's courageous and she 's witty . I would say it 's loosely based , but she 's a much better heroine than I could ever be . CNN : What is more difficult , writing nonfiction or fiction ? Grace : It is definitely harder to write fiction . With nonfiction you deal with facts already in existence , but with fiction you have to create everything . Details like what color somebody 's hair was to how hot it was that day . A lot of ideas for the book would come to me in the middle of the night and I forgot some of them so often that I now sleep with my two BlackBerrys near the bed . I 've learned my lesson the hard way , so I will now write myself my book notes in the middle of the night . CNN : Is there anything that did n't make it into this book that you wished had ? Grace : Yes , but do n't worry because I saved it for the next book , which will be set in the television industry . There 's going to be a lot of dead TV executives -LRB- laughing -RRB- . CNN : They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery , so what are your thoughts on having been parodied ? Grace : It 's funny to me . Everything from YouTube to `` Boston Legal '' and `` Saturday Night Live . '' It 's very flattering that they would think enough to make fun of me . I want -LSB- rapper -RSB- Eminem to make fun of me , but I do n't think it would be very nice -LRB- laughing -RRB- . | Nancy Grace 's debut novel , `` The Eleventh Victim '' has a story similar to hers . Grace says main character `` is a much better person than I am '' The thriller was almost a decade in the making . Book first of two planned about prosecutor-turned-therapist Hailey Dean . | [[678, 721], [3513, 3553], [840, 850], [859, 911], [2126, 2198]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britons , Germans and other tourists on the Spanish island of Mallorca `` can feel safe because they are n't targets of the ETA terrorist band , '' which recently bombed the popular resort , Spain 's interior minister said Tuesday . Police cordon off the route leading to the location of the blasts in Palma de Mallorca . `` People should feel safe because security forces are on top of this , '' Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba told a nationally-televised news conference in Madrid . Rubalcaba 's comments followed the Sunday explosions on Mallorca of what he said were four small ETA bombs that caused no injuries , and two weeks after an ETA car bomb killed two Civil Guard officers on the same Mediterranean island . But Rubalcaba said police are n't sure if the ETA militants behind the bombings remain in hiding on the island or have left , and he warned repeatedly that the Basque separatist group could attack again . `` We are on maximum alert in Mallorca and the rest of Spain , '' Rubalcaba said . `` ETA , when it can , attacks , so you ca n't rule out that they wo n't attack again . We try to prevent them from doing so . '' Watch background behind ETA 's decades-long struggle '' The island 's regional government told CNN on Monday that since the bombings , there have been no `` significant '' tourist cancellations . Tens of thousands of Britons and Germans are vacationing on Mallorca , as is Spain 's King Juan Carlos and the royal family . ETA is blamed for more than 800 deaths in its long fight for Basque independence . Police initially attributed three small bombs on Sunday to ETA , which is listed as a terrorist group by Spain , the United States and the European Union . But Tuesday , Rubalcaba confirmed that police believe a fourth bomb also was ETA 's work . Some local authorities initially thought it might have been just an accidental gas explosion . Three of the bombs exploded in the restrooms of restaurants and a bar in the main city , Palma de Mallorca , and the other was placed in the restroom of an underground commercial area beneath a main square . Rubalcaba revealed that at least one of the bombs was in a male lavatory ; previously it was reported they were all in women 's restrooms . Rubalcaba said one of the three warning calls on Sunday preceding the attacks came from near Bordeaux , France -- ETA 's traditional rear-guard base . The warning calls , he added , provided only scant details about the bombs ' locations to police . The four small bombs were activated by timers , and one of them was hidden in a bar that had been closed since Friday . Rubalcaba reiterated the government 's position that `` these attacks do n't do anything but strengthen our determination . Those who placed the bombs will spend long years in jail and recent experience says they will . '' ETA has been battered over the past 16 months by arrests of four suspected top ETA military chiefs and dozens of militants . Hours before Sunday 's bombs , ETA claimed responsibility for a series of bombings across Spain in June and July : the one that killed two Civil Guard officers , another that killed a police officer , and another that heavily damaged a Civil Guard barracks , slightly wounded dozens , including children . In a statement released to the Basque newspaper Gara , ETA said those attacks were in retaliation for the Socialist government 's crackdown on its ranks . The group said , `` What ETA has been looking for during long decades is a negotiated political solution . '' But Rubalcaba recently ruled out a resumption of negotiations that his government tried without success in 2006 during an ETA cease-fire . Spanish media last week cited numerous politicians and analysts who suggested that ETA 's recent spate of violence might be trying to force the government back to the negotiating table . | Spanish officials say ETA not targeting tourists on island of Mallorca . Four bombs detonated on Sunday with no injuries . Two Civil Guard officers killed on Mallorca two weeks earlier . | [[0, 161], [514, 620], [587, 589], [595, 644], [651, 660], [667, 749]] |
LEBANON , Tennessee -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A tumultuous home life forced country music star Gretchen Wilson to grow up quickly . Bernadine Nelson , left , and Gretchen Wilson want to raise awareness about the importance of adult education . `` I was one of those kids that was brought up in kind of a crazy environment in the home , and I just thought I 'd be better off if I could get out there and start doing it my way , '' said Wilson , 35 . So at 15 , she quit school and became a bartender in her Illinois hometown . From that point on , Wilson focused her attention solely on surviving and making music . In 1996 , she moved to Nashville to pursue her dream of being a country music singer . Despite setbacks along the way , she found success in 2004 with the release of her first single , `` Redneck Woman . '' `` I had big dreams like most local musicians do , but the chances of this having happened for me were slim to none , '' said the Grammy Award winner . `` Without -LSB- an -RSB- education , I 'd have been pouring drinks for the rest of my life . '' Until earlier this year , Wilson was one of the millions of Americans who have n't finished their high school education . According to the U.S. Department of Education , 43 million people have dropped out of high school , and one in five Americans are functionally illiterate . Though she was a successful musician , Wilson said she became more determined than ever to finish her education . So , at age 34 , she decided to get her GED -- and it was educator Bernadine Nelson who helped her . `` I did n't have to go back and get my GED , but it was something I really needed to complete me as a person , '' Wilson said . Wilson reached out to the local adult education center in Lebanon , Tennessee , where she met Nelson , the center 's director . '' -LSB- She -RSB- greeted me with a huge smile on her face and welcome arms , '' Wilson said . `` She promised me above all that I 'd be able to stand in that line and be proud of myself . She became an instant hero in my eyes . '' Nelson held true to her word . A year later , Wilson received her GED , crediting the achievement to Nelson 's support and encouragement . Together , they 're now raising awareness about the importance of an education and encouraging people to say , `` I can do that too . '' Though she had been a teacher for decades , Nelson , 62 , did n't realize the scope of under-education in America until she began working in adult education roughly six years ago . `` It was an emotional thing to me because I kept thinking , ` What can I do ? How can my little job help ? ' '' Nelson said . `` But I know it does , because every single person I 've helped helps the big problem . '' Watch Wilson describe why Nelson is her hero '' In addition to overseeing the center , Nelson has become an outspoken advocate for adult education in Tennessee , speaking to community groups and holding a weekly guest spot on a local radio show . She believes the benefits of an education are priceless . `` Having a GED or high school diploma gives you more self-esteem and a better opportunity for a better job , '' Nelson said . Since 2002 , Nelson has helped more than 1,050 students receive their GEDs . And she said she knows that many others will follow in Wilson 's footsteps . `` Gretchen came to the program because she wanted to fulfill this void that had been missing for all these years for her , '' Nelson said . `` I do n't think she realized how much this would speak to other people . Her fans are legion . If their role model , the Redneck Woman , could get her GED , then ... maybe they could too . '' Since Wilson received her GED in May 2008 , Nelson said , several people have already called her , citing the singer 's achievement as inspiration for obtaining theirs . For Wilson , Nelson 's dedication to bringing the importance of education to the forefront of people 's lives is making a difference . `` She 's bound and determined to put that sense of pride back into these people who felt that they 've lost it , '' Wilson said . `` That 's not only respectable , it 's admirable . '' | Country singer Gretchen Wilson earned her GED 20 years after quitting school . Educator Bernadine Nelson helped Wilson along the way . Wilson and Nelson promote the importance of adult education . Wilson 's achievement has inspired others to get their GED , Nelson said . | [[1507, 1539], [1514, 1539], [1544, 1556], [2078, 2090], [2093, 2099], [2119, 2185], [155, 236], [2197, 2287], [3702, 3716], [3743, 3813]] |
TEHRAN , Iran -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , whose re-election last month led to massive protests , on Tuesday called the balloting `` the most free election anywhere in the world . '' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected last month , setting off days of protests . `` It was a great event , '' he said in a nationally televised address . The election , which opponents charge was rigged , was followed by street demonstrations and civil unrest that led to the deaths of at least 20 protesters and the arrest of more than 1,000 , according to Iranian state-run media . The numbers of casualties and arrests could not be independently verified by CNN because the Iranian government banned coverage by international journalists . The president , who said voter turnout was 85 percent , said opponents `` did not provide even one piece of document regarding irregularities or vote fraud . '' Without specifically mentioning the post-election violence , Ahmadinejad said criticism of government `` is the key to the success of a nation . '' Everyone has criticisms , he said . `` I have my own . '' But he accused the `` arrogant powers '' and `` enemies '' of Iran of interfering in his country 's affairs , including the post-election situation . Some Iranians collaborated with enemies , the president said . Ahmadinejad also said Tuesday he believes the government should be `` substantially '' reorganized . Although he did n't elaborate , he said the areas of employment , housing , development and civil rights were high on the agenda . '' -LSB- We -RSB- need to create newer capacities and prepare ourselves for this new period , '' he said , apparently referring to his upcoming second term in office . `` With this election , we have entered a new era ... in domestic spheres and on an international level , '' he added . He called it `` an era of solidarity . '' `` The government is at the service of the entire people , '' Ahmadinejad said . `` Things will be done in a better way , more effective way , so we can reach higher aspirations . '' He said experts have been invited to help the government achieve progress . | Iranian president calls recent vote `` most free election anywhere in the world '' In address , he says criticism of government `` is the key to the success of a nation '' He accuses `` arrogant powers '' and `` enemies '' of Iran of interfering in country 's affairs . Widespread protests rocked Iran in days after Ahmadinejad 's re-election . | [[131, 185], [994, 1063], [994, 1005], [1011, 1077], [1143, 1288], [0, 6], [9, 29], [102, 125], [213, 276], [213, 250], [279, 309], [383, 420], [434, 488]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A tsunami watch issued for five nations after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean was canceled about two hours later . A tsunami watch in effect after an earthquake in the Indian Ocean has been called off . The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had issued the watch for India , Myanmar , Thailand , Indonesia and Bangladesh after the quake , which struck at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday -LRB- 3:55 p.m. Monday ET -RRB- . Its epicenter was about 163 miles -LRB- 262 km -RRB- north of Port Blair in India 's Andaman Islands , and 225 miles south-southwest of Pathein , Myanmar , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . The earthquake 's focus was about 20 miles below the Earth 's surface . In general , earthquakes centered closer to the Earth 's surface produce stronger shaking and can cause more damage than those further underground . Watch where the earthquakes hit '' `` Sea level readings indicate that a significant tsunami was not generated , '' the warning center said in a bulletin . `` Therefore , the tsunami watch issued by this center is now canceled . '' According to the geological survey , a 6.4-magnitude quake struck near the south coast of Honshu , Japan , 12 minutes after the Indian Ocean quake . The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory following that quake , but said that the expected wave would be under 2 feet . CNN 's Augie Martin contributed to this report . | Watch covered India , Myanmar , Thailand , Indonesia and Bangladesh . It was issued after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean . Quake with 6.4-magnitude occurred near Japan 12 minutes later . | [[19, 111], [237, 366], [19, 111], [237, 366], [1125, 1184]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Irish government ordered a recall Saturday of all pork products linked to pigs slaughtered in Ireland , after laboratory tests found the presence of dioxins in animal feed and pork fat samples . Preliminary evidence gathered by Ireland 's Food Safety Authority indicated that the contamination likely started in September , the government said in a statement . The Food Safety Authority advised consumers not to consume Irish pork and bacon products for the time being . The government is now trying to determine the scope of the contamination . Dioxins are environmental contaminants , often present in industrial waste . Most dioxin exposure occurs through diet , with more than 95 percent coming from the consumption of animal fats , according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . Dioxin levels in food are regulated . Dr Tony Holohan , Ireland 's Chief Medical Officer , said that the dioxin usually impacts the nervous system and liver in comments reported by the UK Press Association . Holohan added that the dioxin would only be perilous through prolonged exposure . The agency reported that an animal feed ingredient supplied by one business to 40-plus farms is regarded as the likely cause of the dioxin by experts , and that tests revealed the dioxin polychlorinated biphenyls to be 80 to 200 times above the acceptable safety level . | Food scare in Ireland after dioxins found in animal feed and pork fat samples . Government evaluating extent of contamination , risk only via prolonged exposure . Media : Government says level of dioxins were 80 to 200 times above acceptable level . | [[133, 217], [1106, 1376], [494, 515], [523, 568], [494, 508], [512, 568], [1024, 1105], [1043, 1105], [1106, 1376], [1282, 1376]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bishop Earl Paulk , a charismatic preacher brought down by a series of sex scandals , has died . He was 81 . Bishop Earl Paulk died this weekend at 81 . Paulk died near midnight Saturday at the Atlanta Medical Center , a nursing supervisor confirmed to CNN . The bishop had been at the hospital for several days , she said . Paulk 's death came after an `` extended and horrible battle with cancer , '' Paulk 's nephew , Bishop Jim Swilley , wrote in a blog post . Paulk founded the Chapel Hill Harvester Church in Decatur , a suburb of Atlanta . It quickly grew to become one of the first megachurches in the country . Paulk also had his own television show . But his success as a preacher was overshadowed time and again by allegations of sexual impropriety . One allegation ended in a civil suit that was settled out of court in 2003 . The accuser said Paulk molested her when she was a child . A second woman claimed the bishop forced her into a 14-year affair . She filed , withdrew and refiled a suit . Dennis Brewer , an attorney for Paulk , admitted to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Paulk had a brief adulterous relationship with the woman , but said she was the initiator . During a deposition in the case , the bishop said under oath the woman was the only one he slept with outside of marriage . But a court-ordered paternity test showed that he also fathered a child with his sister-in-law . Other allegations -- some true , some unfounded -- cost the church membership , as worshippers dwindled from 10,000 to about 1,000 . `` As most of you know , my family has been walking through a very long nightmare season in connection with things concerning him , '' Swilley wrote in his blog post . `` Please pray for some much needed healing and closure for us all . '' | Bishop Earl Paulk died near midnight Saturday at the Atlanta Medical Center . Paulk was accused several times of molesting various church members . Paulk was battling cancer , according to a blog posting by his nephew . | [[146, 189], [190, 253], [702, 798], [437, 455], [479, 501]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Say hello to your latest personal navigation device : a netbook . Dell plans to introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be integrated into the company 's netbooks to turn them into gizmos that can offer turn-by-turn direction as well as any Garmin or TomTom . Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks to offer turn-by-turn direction . `` Smartphones already have GPS capabilities , '' says Alan Sicher , senior wireless product manager at Dell . `` We are now bringing it to netbooks so the devices know where you are and can help you where you want to go . '' Customers will have the option to buy the $ 69 card called the Wireless 700 when ordering their Dell Mini 10 netbook . Dell 's move comes at a time when navigation devices makers are looking beyond the traditional standalone GPS gadget and are offering their software on other devices . Last month , TomTom announced that its turn-by-turn directions app would be available on the iPhone . TomTom will also offer accessories such as a car mounting dock and power charger . Meanwhile , Dell is hoping to capitalize on the explosive sales of netbooks . Dell netbooks with the integrated GPS cards will allow consumers to pop open a netbook and get directions and also also make their netbook location aware . For instance , buyers can geo-tag photos on Flickr or check weather information customized to their current location . The Wireless 700 card combines Broadcom 's GPS technology and Skyhook Wireless ' Wi-Fi positioning solutions . As for the navigation software , it offers 2D and 3D map views , save addresses for a trip and route optimization -- pretty much all the things that a standard GPS devices does . Netbooks are petite devices . Still , it is difficult to imagine consumers carrying it around as a GPS navigation device or using it their car to find their way around -- especially when smaller-sized cellphones could do the job . Sicher says Dell 's GPS-capable netbooks will come in handy for international travelers . `` If you are traveling to Europe roaming costs can be pretty pricey for your cellphone , '' he says . The GPS netbooks could also be handy in areas where cellphone coverage is weak , says Sicher . But there 's fine print to the turn-by-turn directions navigation software on the netbook . Though it will be free for buyers of the card and the netbook , the maps will be updated yearly and customers could be charged for the updates . Dell plans to offer accessories such as car charger and a dock for the netbooks , but they wo n't be available until later this month . The GPS cards will be available starting July 7 . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Dell will introduce a GPS and Wi-Fi card that can be added to its netbooks . The company 's netbooks will be able to offer turn-by-turn directions . Makers are looking beyond traditional GPS gadgets to offer software on other devices . Users will be able to geo-tag photos on Flickr or check customized weather info . | [[87, 131], [281, 321], [307, 389], [1166, 1271], [1166, 1209], [1286, 1321], [1974, 2051], [307, 389], [1166, 1271], [735, 851], [769, 794], [856, 902], [1337, 1401], [1337, 1343], [1376, 1440]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The text messages address various issues and come from all over the African continent . President Obama greets people Saturday during breakfast at Osu Castle in Accra , Ghana . From the personal : `` Obama , as a young lady I dream of being the president . U r a huge encouragement . '' To cries for help : `` Dear president , Darfur firing again ... waiting for peace through the change u promised . '' To calls for intervention : `` Encourage African leaders to improve the quality and access to education for citizens . '' The messages , from Ghana , Sudan and South Africa respectively , were among more than 5,000 sent to Barack Obama during his first visit as president to sub-Saharan Africa . Obama , accompanied by his wife , Michelle , and their two daughters arrived in Ghana on Friday night , sparking excitement in the west African nation . Watch how Ghana is celebrating Obama 's visit '' Despite being home to some of the world 's poorest nations , Africa has a vibrant cell phone market , considered by industry analysts as among the fastest-growing worldwide . Administration officials said they set up different numbers across the continent for citizens to communicate with Obama , whose father was from the east African nation of Kenya . `` Over the past week , we have been collecting questions , comments and words of welcome for President Obama via SMS , Twitter , Facebook and from newspapers across Africa , '' the White House said on its Web site . Three journalists from South Africa , Senegal and Kenya will vet the questions and provide a few to Obama , who will address them on African radio stations and via a Web video Monday , the White House said . Peter Kimani , a senior associate editor for a Kenyan daily , The Standard , is one of the three . `` The U.S. Embassy picked and vetted the journalists , and we are getting the questions , then it is up to us to determine what questions we will forward to the president , '' Kimani said . `` It is our judgment call on what to pick . '' Most of the text messages were coming from South Africa , according to a log on the White House Web site . Obama 's one-nation visit has generated envy among Ghana 's neighbors , who considered it a message from the White House to governments that have poor records of stability . Citizens of Nigeria , Africa 's most populous nations , and Kenya were the most vocal in their concerns over the choice of Ghana . `` We r disappointed that you have not chosen Nigeria as your first African point of call , '' one text said . | More than 5,000 messages sent to Obama during his visit to Ghana . Despite widespread poverty , Africa has a vibrant cell phone market . Three African journalists from South Africa , Senegal , Kenya will vet questions . Obama will address the questions on African radio stations and via Web video . | [[545, 608], [611, 637], [622, 718], [982, 1095], [1492, 1570], [1492, 1520], [1530, 1547], [1575, 1597], [1589, 1599], [1604, 1647]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A massive fire engulfed the four-story offices of a major film company in central London on Friday , sending clouds of white smoke over the city skyline , the London fire department said . Streets in London were cordoned off while firefighters tackled the blaze . Two firefighters were taken to the hospital with minor injuries as a result of the blaze in the Future Films building on Dean Street in the city 's Soho district , London ambulance services said . The London Fire Brigade dispatched 12 engines and 55 firefighters to battle the fire , which began before 2 p.m. -LRB- 9 a.m. ET -RRB- . As a result , an adjacent street -- the W1 -- has been closed to traffic and pedestrians . When reached by CNN , Future Films founder and managing director Stephen Margolis had no comment about the fire . Future Films has been involved in the production of more than 120 films since Margolis created the company in 2000 , including `` Bend it like Beckham '' -LRB- 2002 -RRB- , `` The Importance of Being Earnest '' -LRB- 2002 -RRB- , and `` Transsiberian '' -LRB- 2008 -RRB- . CNN 's Per Nyberg and Laura Perez Maestro contributed to this report . | Streets sealed off around London blaze . Smoke seen billowing over British capital . Soho a popular nightlife district . | [[225, 299], [648, 666], [674, 724], [9, 32], [137, 188]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After arguing with her husband , Liza Murphy walked out of their home in Emerson , New Jersey , leaving behind her purse , her cigarettes , her cell phone and her three children , her husband told police . There has been no sign of her since August 19 , 2007 . Liza Murphy has been missing from her home in Emerson , New Jersey , since August 19 , 2007 . Murphy 's friends and family reported her missing the next day . `` In my heart , I fear the worst , that my daughter is gone , '' said her mother , Sophia Stellatos . Police searched extensively for Murphy , especially around a reservoir not far from her home , but they found nothing . Cadaver dogs caught her scent near the George Washington Bridge , but the trail went cold , police told the family . Deepening the mystery , her husband , Joe Murphy , tried to take his own life a few days after his wife disappeared by walking into oncoming traffic and throwing himself in front of a fire truck , police say . He was hospitalized and recovered from his injuries , but police say he hired a lawyer and is no longer cooperating with investigators . His lawyer said Murphy , an Irish immigrant , has nothing to hide from the authorities . He said his client has no criminal record and no history of violence . Attorney Joseph Rem added that there was no physical violence in the marriage . According to her family , Liza Murphy , 42 , was not the type of person to take off on her own without letting her family know . Watch an update '' `` She would never leave her three children behind voluntarily , '' her mother insisted . `` What does n't make sense is Liza leaving her house without her purse , cell phone , wallet , keys or cigarettes , '' she added . `` She was a heavy smoker , and if she took off after a fight for a walk to cool off , she definitely would n't leave without her cigarettes ! '' Liza Murphy and her husband were having marital problems , her family said . Stellatos described Joe Murphy as possessive of his wife , never allowing her to go out with her friends . She said he was even jealous if she spent time with her parents . Rem pointed out that his client has not been named as a suspect or a person of interest in the case . He said police have not asked to speak to his client recently . Liza Murphy 's children are 15 , 13 and 10 years old now . Joe Murphy has full custody of them , and the Stellatoses have not seen their grandchildren since shortly before their daughter disappeared . Murphy and her children had spent the week before her disappearance visiting with her parents , who live about 125 miles away . They returned the Friday before Murphy 's disappearance . Police say both the Murphy home and their vehicles have been processed for forensics , but they found no evidence of foul play or struggle . Liza Murphy had been suffering from depression and was on medication for fibromyalgia , a painful condition that affects the muscles and soft tissues . Police say she may have been accosted after she left home , still stewing over the argument . The police seek the public 's help in this case . Anyone with information leading to the whereabouts of Liza Murphy or the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance is asked to call the Emerson Police Department 's tip line at 201-262-2800 . | Woman disappeared after argument with husband . Husband tried to kill himself after disappearance , denies involvement . Cadaver dogs detected Liza Murphy 's scent near George Washington Bridge . Know something ? Call 201-262-2800 . | [[0, 24], [28, 58], [788, 797], [812, 823], [839, 982], [671, 734], [3131, 3154], [3245, 3335]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rep. Charles Rangel said he is satisfied with the steps New York police are taking in response to the death of Officer Omar Edwards , but renewed his call for a federal investigation into instances of police friendly fire . Officer Omar Edwards was shot to death by another officer on May 28 . Edwards , 25 , a black officer , was shot to death May 28 by a fellow officer , Andrew Dunton , who is white . Edwards was off duty at the time . Edwards was in plainclothes and carrying a handgun as he chased a suspect past a police car , authorities said . Dunton shot him after Edwards failed to drop his weapon when ordered to , they said . Officials said Dunton said he did n't realize Edwards was an officer . `` Every white cop that shot down a black cop , I would believe it was a mistake and not because of racism , but it takes special training for them to know , '' Rangel , D-New York , told CNN 's Don Lemon on Saturday . In the wake of Edwards ' death , the New York Police Department has implemented sensitivity training and provided guidance to officers on identifying themselves . In a statement , Rangel asked the Department of Justice to look into `` police department practices , training of police officers and whether and to what extent race was an issue in the tragedy . '' The shooting prompted New York Gov. David Paterson to commission a task force to investigate shootings between police officers statewide , spokeswoman Marissa Shorenstein told CNN on Saturday . NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne pledged Saturday to assist Paterson 's investigation . Also Saturday , the NYPD released a list of 10 New York City officers killed in cases of mistaken identity since 1930 . Five of the officers were African-American or Hispanic ; five were white . The list does not include officers who were injured by friendly fire , and does not specify whether the officers killed were on or off duty . The formation of the New York task force came after Paterson met with state officials , clergy members and civil rights leaders , including the Rev. Al Sharpton , in a closed-door meeting Friday . The group called for an independent investigation and the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into the NYPD incident . `` We are handling this sensitively , '' Paterson told reporters after the meeting . `` There may be issues that involve race , -LSB- but -RSB- we are not discussing any institutional or direct racism . '' The governor spoke of what he described as a `` high percentage of African-American and Hispanic police officers who were shot either on or off duty by friendly fire . '' However , the commission will examine friendly fire incidents between all officers regardless of race , according to Shorenstein . The task force will ask NYPD and police departments across the state to provide any data related to shootings where officers were either killed or injured by other officers . The governor said the task force will look at the statistics to `` determine if there 's any disproportionate sense that any particular group has been victimized more than any other . '' Paterson said that he would `` not close the door '' on an independent investigation or special prosecutor to look into the death of Edwards , but would rely for now on the investigation by the New York City district attorney and the NYPD . The focus of the task force , the governor said , would be to prevent friendly fire among all police officers , regardless of race , and to instill confidence in the state and community that such incidents are investigated properly . CNN 's Alona Rivord contributed to this report . | Officer Omar Edwards of NYPD killed in friendly fire incident last month . Edwards , who is black , was shot by white officer who did n't realize he was fellow cop . Rep. Charles Rangel asks Justice Department to look into police training , practices . New York Gov. David Paterson has set up task force to look at issue statewide . | [[252, 321], [322, 334], [345, 399], [252, 321], [322, 334], [345, 399], [682, 737], [741, 756], [762, 783], [0, 8], [166, 251], [1120, 1134], [1137, 1265], [1319, 1396], [1341, 1455]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuela has promised to give Nicaragua $ 50 million to replace money that the United States said this week it would withhold from the Central American country , Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega Saavedra said Saturday . Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega expressed disappointment in U.S. President Barack Obama 's decision . Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez promised the aid after Ortega learned that the United States was canceling $ 62 million of aid that was to have come from the Millennium Challenge Corporation , a U.S.-government-funded anti-poverty fund set up by former President George W. Bush . Ortega expressed disappointment in President Barack Obama for the decision . `` He expresses good will , but in practice , he has the same policies as President Reagan , '' Ortega told a crowd of supporters in Managua 's Plaza of the Revolution . In 1982 , then-President Reagan supported funding the contras , the forces opposed to Ortega and his socialist Sandinista Party , which had come to power after overthrowing the U.S.-backed Anastasio Somoza in 1979 . Ortega called this week 's decision not to follow through on the payment `` disrespectful . '' `` The United States had given its word to the people of Nicaragua and in particular to the people of the cities involved in the program , '' he said . Wednesday 's decision to cut the funds altogether came after the United States announced last November that it was suspending aid to Managua in the wake of what it said were fraudulent municipal elections . Ortega , whose party members won most of the mayoralties , disputed that . And he warned his U.S. counterpart that the world has changed since the United States funded the contras . `` He is the first to know that the United States of today is not the United States of 20 , 30 , 40 years ago , '' Ortega said . `` Today , the United States can not do whatever it wants in the world . It does n't have the moral force , even though it may have the material force to do it . They have even lost the support of the U.S. people . '' Still chafing over his loss to Violeta Chamorro , who replaced him as president in 1990 , Ortega said those were the elections that were fraudulent . He said President George H. W. Bush affected the outcome by telling the Nicaraguans , `` If you vote for the -LSB- Sandinista -RSB- front , the war is going to continue ; if you vote for the enemies of the front , go in peace . ' That was the promise that Bush made . '' He described that pact as `` a big lie , since the peace was already coming . We , the Nicaraguans , were making peace . '' What Bush then wanted , Ortega said , was war throughout Central America . `` He fed the war in Guatemala , he fed the war in El Salvador , he fed the war in Nicaragua , '' Ortega said . Ortega described the three U.S.-backed governments that ruled Nicaragua from 1990 until 2007 -- when he reclaimed power -- as anti-democratic . `` They robbed the people of the right to health , the right to education , the right to decent housing , '' he said . `` They privatized energy industry , the telecommunications industry , the businesses of the workers -- those were nothing more than acts of corruption . '' And he said that the $ 62 million would have been used to build 12 highways , not to support his government . But work that has begun on two of the roads will be completed , said Rodney Bent , deputy CEO for the Millennium Challenge Corporation in an interview Friday with CNN en Espanol . He denied any suggestion that the money was being used for political ends rather than simply to alleviate poverty . `` That 's totally false , '' Bent said , adding that his corporation 's funds are doled out regardless of a government 's leftist , centrist or conservative policies . `` We want a clean government , '' he said , adding that because the elections were not clean , `` we had to act . '' | U.S. cancels $ 62 million of aid from the Millennium Challenge Corporation . Ortega : ` Obama expresses good will , but ... has same policies as Reagan ' Ortega called the decision not to follow through on the payment ` disrespectful ' | [[346, 473], [470, 473], [479, 537], [707, 729], [736, 747], [750, 794], [242, 345], [1090, 1181], [1090, 1096], [1104, 1181]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A stolen Statue of Liberty replica has resurfaced in a disturbing video posted on YouTube that shows someone decapitating the blindfolded lady and smashing her head into pieces . The YouTube video shows a gloved hand sawing off Lady Liberty 's head before smashing it . The 200-pound replica was stolen less than a month ago from Vox Pop , a coffee shop in Brooklyn . `` It 's very disturbing , '' shop operator Debi Ryan told CNN , adding the video struck a chord similar to that of terrorist assassination videos . `` I do n't know what it means . ... I do n't know who would do this . '' The YouTube video begins with a waving American flag , and then shows a gloved hand sawing off the head of the statue before crushing it . The slogans `` We do n't want your freedom '' and `` Death to America '' flash across the screen during the one-minute video , which is dated July Fourth . It was anonymously e-mailed to the Daily News and Ryan earlier this week . Ryan said she 's sure the statue in the video is the one stolen from her cafe . `` She 's unique . I know my girl , '' she said of the statue . `` We just had her completely refurbished , outfitted with a solar torch and painted . '' Authorities told CNN they are handling the case as a larceny rather than separately investigating the YouTube video . `` We want to verify who sent the e-mail with the video and see if they 're responsible , '' police said . A sign on the store , located in Ditmas Park , reads , `` Books , Coffee , Democracy , '' near where the 8-foot replica of Lady Liberty used to stand outside . The self-described community coffee shop is also a bookstore and a spot for artists and performers . `` We 've created a space here that 's owned by the community , '' Ryan said . `` We 're all about freedom of speech and freedom to be who you are and say whatever you think . '' But Ryan does n't consider the YouTube video featuring her stolen statue appropriate free speech . `` Vox Pop stands for freedom of speech . You do n't get to steal somebody else 's property to send that message . We have to respect each other , '' she said . Although the coffee shop recently faced economic problems and neighborhood tension , the motive behind the statue 's theft remains unknown . As for whether there will be a replacement statue , Ryan said , `` I 'm hoping . I think she belongs here . But she added , `` Whether we have a physical statue or not , what she stands for remains here . '' | Video shows Statue of Liberty replica blindfolded before it 's decapitated , smashed . 200-pound replica was stolen less than a month ago from Vox Pop coffee shop . Slogans `` We do n't want your freedom , '' `` Death to America '' flash across screen . Cops say they are handling case as larceny . | [[0, 24], [47, 99], [110, 117], [123, 206], [0, 3], [175, 206], [207, 297], [231, 297], [619, 636], [678, 757], [298, 365], [758, 816], [1223, 1340], [1244, 1340]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- David Beckham is planning showdown talks with L.A. Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan , who questioned the English football star 's commitment to the MLS team earlier this month . Landon Donovan , left , is unhappy with David Beckham 's contribution at LA Galaxy . Beckham said the U.S. national captain was `` unprofessional '' for publicly voicing his opinions , which were reported worldwide from the soon-to-be-published book `` The Beckham Experiment '' by Sports Illustrated writer Grant Wahl . `` In every football player 's eyes throughout the world , it would be unprofessional to speak out about a team-mate , especially in the press and not to your face , '' Beckham said before watching the Galaxy 's 1-0 win over Chivas USA on Saturday night . What do you think ? Was Donovan right ? `` In 17 years , I have played with the biggest teams in the world and the biggest players , and not once have I been criticized for my professionalism . `` It 's important to get this cleared up , and I will be speaking to Landon either this evening or over the next couple of days . Me and Landon will talk , but that will be a private conversation . '' Donovan , who led the United States to the Confederations Cup final last month , said in the book that Beckham had been a negative influence since his high-profile move to the Major League Soccer outfit two years ago . He said Beckham , who brokered a loan move to AC Milan last season , had shown little interest in the Galaxy since coach Ruud Gullit resigned in August last year . Donovan , who leads the Galaxy in Beckham 's absence , also cast doubt on the 34-year-old midfielder 's leadership abilities . But last week he admitted that he should have brought up his grievances with Beckham earlier . `` I do n't apologize for what I said , '' Donovan told MLSnet.com on Thursday . `` I just apologize for the way I did . I should have told him to his face . I 've long told David since he 's been gone and I 've been gone that I want to sit down and talk with him about everything . `` It 's fresh in everyone 's minds now , and it appears like everything has gone on in a short period of time , but this has been a long time coming . The timing of it makes it a little awkward and seemingly uncomfortable , but we 'll be fine . We 'll get through it . `` I like David as a person and I think he 's a very good player . The frustrating part was at some point something happened and he seemingly turned off at the end of the year . `` Nobody knows what it was , and my fault is I should have asked him and approached him and I did n't . Instead I vented to a reporter , and I regret it . '' | David Beckham plans to meet with L.A. Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan . U.S. captain accused Beckham of not been committed to the MLS team . England star Beckham says Donovan 's comments were `` unprofessional '' The midfielder has returned to the Galaxy after loan spell with Italy 's AC Milan . | [[0, 5], [19, 100], [65, 100], [107, 194], [195, 209], [219, 279], [280, 377]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pilot of a doomed plane that crashed , killing 50 people , said `` Jesus Christ '' and `` We 're down , '' seconds before the plane hurtled from the night sky into a house outside Buffalo , New York , in February . An investigator walks past the wreckage from a plane crash in Clarence Center , New York , in February . The last sounds heard in the cockpit were First Officer Rebecca Shaw saying `` We 're '' and then screaming at 10:16 p.m. on February 12 , according to a transcript of the cockpit recording . Seconds earlier , the pilot , Capt. Marvin Renslow , said , `` Jesus Christ , '' as a sound `` similar to stick shaker '' was heard , the transcript said . Renslow said , `` We 're down , '' and a thump was heard before Shaw said , `` We 're '' and screamed . The National Transportation Safety Board released the transcript of the cockpit recording on Tuesday as it began a three-day hearing in Washington on the crash . See how crash of Flight 3407 unfolded '' Continental Connection Flight 3407 , operated by regional carrier Colgan Air , plunged into a house in Clarence Center , New York , killing all 49 people on board and one man in the house . About five minutes before the crash , Shaw had shared with Renslow her fear of flying in icy conditions , according to the transcript . `` I do n't want to have to experience that and make those kinds of calls . You know I ` dve freaked out . I ` dve -LSB- sic -RSB- had like seen this much ice and thought , ` oh my gosh , we were going to crash , '' Shaw told Renslow . The NTSB 's preliminary investigation determined there was some ice accumulation on the Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft , but that `` icing had a minimal impact on the stall speed of the airplane . '' Watch more on the NTSB investigation '' In a story Monday , the Wall Street Journal cited investigators as saying the crash resulted from pilot Marvin Renslow 's incorrect response to the plane 's precarious drop in speed : He overrode an emergency system known as a `` stick pusher , '' which sends the plane into a dive so it can regain speed and avoid a stall . Colgan Air , the operator of Continental Connection flights , said Monday that Renslow had never trained in a flight simulator with the safety system that activated just before the plane went down . Colgan said there is no regulatory requirement that it provide hands-on training with the `` stick pusher . '' `` A stick pusher demonstrated in an aircraft simulator is not required by the FAA , '' the airline said in a statement . `` And thus was not included in Colgan 's Q400 training program . '' The Federal Aviation Administration said its standards do not require hands-on practice with the safety system . `` That 's a significant problem , '' veteran pilot Douglas Moss told CNN . Moss , an expert in stall recovery , believes flight simulator practice with a stick pusher should be mandatory for aspiring pilots . `` It 's similar to picking up and throwing a groundball in baseball . You can study it academically all you want to but you really need to develop the proficiency , the skill , the muscle memory required to do that , '' said Moss . Renslow had failed five pilot tests , known as `` check rides , '' three of which occurred before he joined the airline , Colgan Air said . Renslow had revealed only one of those failures to the airline , according to Colgan . NTSB Chairman Mark Rosenker said Tuesday that the board 's hearing will not address who is to blame for the accident . `` Over the course of this hearing , we will continue to collect information that will assist the safety board in its examination of safety issues arising from this accident , '' he said . He said those issues are : airplane performance , cold weather operations , a sterile cockpit , flight crew training and performance , and fatigue management . CNN 's Allan Chernoff contributed to this report . | NEW : First officer talked to pilot about fear of crashing , transcript shows . Safety board releases transcript from cockpit of plane 's final moments . February crash near Buffalo , New York , killed all 49 on plane and one on ground . Monday report cited pilot 's training ; airline says training met FAA requirements . | [[493, 545], [1199, 1234], [1237, 1302], [1237, 1241], [1305, 1334], [493, 545], [806, 967], [0, 26], [43, 51], [73, 90], [1009, 1043], [1141, 1198]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Woody Harrelson defended his clash with a photographer at a New York airport Wednesday night as a case of mistaken identity -- he says he mistook the cameraman for a zombie . Woody Harrelson says he got into a clash with a photographer because he mistook him for a zombie . The TMZ photographer filed a complaint with police claiming the actor damaged his camera and pushed him in the face at La Guardia Airport , according to an airport spokesman . `` We 're looking into this allegation and if it 's warranted , we 'll turn it over to the proper authorities , '' said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Ron Marsico . The photographer , who was not identified , captured the encounter on a small camera after his larger one was broken . Harrelson , who is being sued by another TMZ photographer for an alleged assault in 2006 , did not deny his involvement . `` I wrapped a movie called ` Zombieland , ' in which I was constantly under assault by zombies , then flew to New York , still very much in character , '' Harrelson said in a statement issued Friday by his publicist . `` With my daughter at the airport I was startled by a paparazzo , who I quite understandably mistook for a zombie , '' he said . TMZ.com posted two videos of the incident , including one recorded by the larger camera before it was damaged . The first video shows the photographer following Harrelson and his daughter down an escalator and out of the terminal . It ends with Harrelson apparently reaching for the lens . The second video begins with the photographer accusing Harrelson of breaking his camera . After Harrelson returns the camera to him , a scuffle appears to ensue . `` Woody , this is assault . Woody , this is assault , '' the photographer is heard saying . `` Woody , chill out . Would you please chill out ? '' The photographer continues to follow Harrelson for another four minutes as the actor and his daughter walk to the airport parking lot . At one point , Harrelson again turns toward the cameraman . `` I 'm being chased by Woody Harrelson while I 'm talking to you , '' the photographer says as he talks to an unidentified person on a cell phone . `` He hit me in my face , he broke my friggin ' camera , he broke the camera in pieces , '' he said . Harrelson , his daughter and a driver get inside an SUV and the encounter ends . In the movie `` Zombieland , '' Harrelson plays `` the most frightened person on Earth '' looking for refuge from zombies , according to the Internet Movie Database . Filming on the movie wrapped in Atlanta , Georgia , on Wednesday , according to director Ruben Fleischer 's Web site . TMZ photographer Josh Levine filed a lawsuit against Harrelson last year for an alleged attack outside a Hollywood nightclub in 2006 . Video of that incident , which is also posted on TMZ.com , also appeared to show Harrelson grabbing a camera and clashing with the photographer . Los Angeles prosecutors declined to press charges against the actor , but Levine filed a suit last summer asking for $ 2.5 million in damages . `` Woody Harrelson has a history of anger management issues with people and we intend to put a stop to this , '' Cyrus Nownejad , Levine 's lawyer , said Friday . TMZ is partly owned by AOL , part of CNN 's parent company , Time Warner . CNN 's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report . | Woody Harrelson defends his clash with a photographer at a New York airport . Statement through publicist says he was still in character from zombie movie . Harrelson : `` I quite understandably mistook -LSB- the photographer -RSB- for a zombie '' Harrelson is being sued by another TMZ photographer for an alleged assault . | [[19, 105], [194, 254], [215, 292], [1070, 1114], [146, 193], [215, 292], [1168, 1179], [1188, 1229], [774, 783], [790, 862], [2660, 2794]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- Since the dawn of time , people have found nifty ways to clean up after the bathroom act . The most common solution was simply to grab what was at hand : coconuts , shells , snow , moss , hay , leaves , grass , corncobs , sheep 's wool -- and , later , thanks to the printing press -- newspapers , magazines , and pages of books . The average American uses 57 squares a day and 50 pounds of toilet paper per year . The ancient Greeks used clay and stone ; the Romans , sponges and salt water . But the idea of a commercial product designed solely to wipe one 's bum ? That started about 150 years ago , right here in the U.S.A. . In less than a century , Uncle Sam 's marketing genius turned something disposable into something indispensable . Toilet paper gets on a roll . The first products designed specifically to wipe one 's nethers were aloe-infused sheets of manila hemp dispensed from Kleenex-like boxes . They were invented in 1857 by a New York entrepreneur named Joseph Gayetty , who claimed his sheets prevented hemorrhoids . Gayetty was so proud of his therapeutic bathroom paper that he had his name printed on each sheet . But his success was limited . Americans soon grew accustomed to wiping with the Sears Roebuck catalog , and they saw no need to spend money on something that came in the mail for free . Toilet paper took its next leap forward in 1890 , when two brothers named Clarence and E. Irvin Scott popularized the concept of toilet paper on a roll . The Scotts ' brand became more successful than Gayetty 's medicated wipes , in part because they built a steady trade selling toilet paper to hotels and drugstores . But it was still an uphill battle to get the public to openly buy the product , largely because Americans remained embarrassed by bodily functions . In fact , the Scott brothers were so ashamed of the nature of their work that they did n't take proper credit for their innovation until 1902 . `` No one wanted to ask for it by name , '' says Dave Praeger , author of `` Poop Culture : How America Is Shaped by Its Grossest National Product . '' `` It was so taboo that you could n't even talk about the product . '' By 1930 , the German paper company Hakle began using the tag line , `` Ask for a roll of Hakle and you wo n't have to say toilet paper ! '' As time passed , toilet tissues slowly became an American staple . But widespread acceptance of the product did n't officially occur until a new technology demanded it . At the end of the 19th century , more and more homes were being built with sit-down flush toilets tied to indoor plumbing systems . And because people required a product that could be flushed away with minimal damage to the pipes , corncobs and moss no longer cut it . In no time , toilet paper ads boasted that the product was recommended by both doctors and plumbers . Mental Floss : 5 times drug companies promised too much . Strength of going soft . In the early 1900s , toilet paper was still being marketed as a medicinal item . But in 1928 , the Hoberg Paper Company tried a different tack . On the advice of its ad men , the company introduced a brand called Charmin and fitted the product with a feminine logo that depicted a beautiful woman . The genius of the campaign was that by evincing softness and femininity , the company could avoid talking about toilet paper 's actual purpose . Charmin was enormously successful , and the tactic helped the brand survive the Great Depression . -LRB- It also helped that , in 1932 , Charmin began marketing economy-size packs of four rolls . -RRB- Decades later , the dainty ladies were replaced with babies and bear cubs -- advertising vehicles that still stock the aisles today . By the 1970s , America could no longer conceive of life without toilet paper . Case in point : In December 1973 , Tonight Show host Johnny Carson joked about a toilet paper shortage during his opening monologue . But America did n't laugh . Instead , TV watchers across the country ran out to their local grocery stores and bought up as much of the stuff as they could . Also telling was that , in 1978 , a TV Guide poll named Mr. Whipple -- the affable grocer who implored customers , `` Please do n't squeeze the Charmin '' -- the third best-known man in America , behind former President Richard Nixon and the Rev. Billy Graham . Mental Floss : Cheetos Lip Balm and other bizarre brand extensions . Rolling the world . Currently , the United States spends more than $ 6 billion a year on toilet tissue -- more than any other nation in the world . Americans , on average , use 57 squares a day and 50 pounds a year . Even still , the toilet paper market in the United States has largely plateaued . The real growth in the industry is happening in developing countries . There , it 's booming . Toilet paper revenues in Brazil alone have more than doubled since 2004 . The radical upswing in sales is believed to be driven by a combination of changing demographics , social expectations , and disposable income . `` The spread of globalization can kind of be measured by the spread of Western bathroom practices , '' says Praeger . When average citizens in a country start buying toilet paper , wealth and consumerism have arrived . It signifies that people not only have extra cash to spend , but they 've also come under the influence of Western marketing . America without toilet paper ? Even as the markets boom in developing nations , toilet paper manufacturers find themselves needing to charge more per roll to make a profit . That 's because production costs are rising . During the past few years , pulp has become more expensive , energy costs are rising , and even water is becoming scarce . As the climate continues to change , toilet paper companies may need to keep hiking up their prices . The question is , if toilet paper becomes a luxury item , can Americans live without it ? Mental Floss : Why does bottled water have an expiration date ? The truth is that we did live without it , for a very long time . And even now , a lot of people do . In Japan , the Washlet -- a toilet that comes equipped with a bidet and an air-blower -- is growing increasingly popular . And all over the world , water remains one of the most common methods of self-cleaning . Many places in India , the Middle East , and Asia , for instance , still depend on a bucket and a spigot . But as our economy continues to circle the drain , will Americans part with their beloved toilet paper in order to adopt more money-saving measures ? Or will we keep flushing our cash away ? Praeger , for one , believes a toilet-paper apocalypse is hardly likely . After all , the American marketing machine is a powerful thing . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | Ancient Greeks used clay , stone ; Romans , sponges and salt water as toilet paper . U.S. man designs aloe-infused sheets of manila hemp in 1857 . Johnny Carson joked about toilet paper shortage , people bought out stores . U.S. buys $ 6 billion of toilet tissue annually -- more than any other nation . | [[443, 481], [802, 905], [3827, 3843], [3846, 3944], [3973, 3980], [3983, 4051], [3983, 4013], [4056, 4102], [4454, 4463], [4466, 4536]] |
DENVER , Colorado -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds , or even thousands , of surgical patients to hepatitis C after taking their fentanyl injections and replacing them with used syringes filled with saline solution , authorities say . A hospital worker has admitted to secretly injecting herself and using unclean syringes for patients . Kristen Diane Parker , who worked at Rose Medical Center in Denver , has admitted to secretly injecting herself in a bathroom and using unclean syringes as replacements for patients , investigators said . She had hepatitis C , which she believes she contracted through using heroin and sharing dirty needles while she lived in New Jersey in 2008 , authorities said . She was a surgical technician at Rose from October 2008 to April 2009 . Nine patients who had surgery there during that time have tested positive for hepatitis C. Investigators are looking into whether they contracted the virus from Parker . According to an affidavit filed by an investigator with the Food and Drug Administration , Rose Medical Center knew Parker tested positive for hepatitis C . She was counseled on how to limit her exposure to patients . Parker quit after she was found to be in an operating room where she was not allowed to be . She subsequently tested positive for fentanyl . Hospital officials then contacted the DEA . Parker is in federal custody facing three drug-related charges . If she is found to have done serious harm to a patient , she could face up to 20 years in prison . If a patient dies because of her actions , she could face life in prison . In a statement to police , Parker said , `` I ca n't take back what I did , but I will have to live with it for the rest of my life , and so does everyone else . '' Her attorney could not be reached Friday . Rose Medical Center is contacting 4,700 patients who had surgery at Rose during the time Parker was employed there . However , hospital officials do not believe that many patients were exposed . `` We are taking a very conservative and cautious approach by contacting everyone who had surgery during this broad time period , '' a statement on the hospital 's Web site said , adding , `` It is likely that most of the patients who receive letters will not have been exposed to hepatitis C. '' An additional 1,200 patients may have been infected between May 4 , 2009 , and July 1 , 2009 , when Parker worked at Audubon Ambulatory Surgical Center in Colorado Springs . Audubon is also contacting patients . According to the Centers for Disease Control , hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer . | Kristen Diane Parker believes she contracted hepatitis C from sharing dirty needles . She was a surgical technician in Denver from October 2008 to April 2009 . Hepatitis C is a contagious liver disease that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer . | [[589, 600], [613, 683], [581, 584], [662, 721], [743, 814], [2586, 2672]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- All the news that 's fit to print -- the motto of The New York Times -- does not necessarily apply to photos . The newspaper published an editor 's note Thursday stating that pictures used in a photo essay in its most recent Sunday Magazine were digitally manipulated without the paper 's knowledge . The Times commissioned Portuguese photographer Edgar Martins to shoot a Sunday magazine color photo essay titled `` Ruins of the Second Gilded Age '' to capture physical evidence of the real estate bust that took place across the United States . In the text that preceded the six photos that were published , the magazine stated that while the photographer `` creates images with long exposures , '' he does so without digital manipulation . `` A reader ... discovered upon close examination that one of the pictures was digitally altered , apparently for aesthetic reasons , '' the Times editors wrote . `` Editors later confronted the photographer and determined that most of the images did not wholly reflect the reality they purported to show . Had the editors known that the photographs had been digitally manipulated , they would not have published the picture essay , which has been removed from the NYTimes.com , '' the note concluded . Numerous attempts by CNN to reach Edgar Martins by phone and e-mail were unsuccessful . The newspaper 's decision to withdraw the photos left a publisher of Martins ' book `` Topologies '' released in 2008 , intrigued and surprised . `` I think he 's a great artist and we 're very proud to have published his prior works , '' said Lesley Martin , publisher of Aperture books . She said that Martins ' prior works frequently verge on abstract landscapes , including forests ravaged by fire and nighttime beaches . `` His work has a certain visual effect . A distinct look and feel to it . '' However , Martin said she understands the newspaper 's decision . Aperture books , which publishes a variety of photographic styles , including photojournalism , `` would not have published this work in a strict journalistic context had we known there would be manipulation used , '' she said . | New York Times admits pictures in recent photo essay were digitally manipulated . Editors say photos in Sunday Magazine were changed `` for aesthetic reasons '' Photographer Edgar Martins ' photo essay showcased real estate bust . | [[139, 268], [163, 328], [826, 867], [139, 268], [163, 328], [329, 434], [399, 531]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Joey `` Jaws '' Chestnut unseated the six-time defending champion in Nathan 's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest on Wednesday , eating 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes . Chestnut -- veins throbbing in his forehead -- wolfs down a dog on his way to the title and a world record Wednesday . Six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi of Japan , nursing a sore jaw after wisdom tooth surgery , scarfed down 63 hot dogs . Last year , he edged out Chestnut by nearly two dogs , eating a then-record 53 and three-quarters to Chestnut 's 52 . Chestnut , who hails from San Jose , California , set a record with Wednesday 's feat of eating 66 hot dogs , the event 's organizers said . Not since Joe Frazier defeated Muhammad Ali in the 1971 bout coined the `` Fight of the Century '' have two contestants battled so hard . Perhaps . At one point , Kobayashi expelled some of his half-mashed hot dogs from his mouth ; those did not count in his total . Chestnut toiled beside him , a vein throbbing in his forehead and his face bright red . Watch how the wiener-off went down '' `` My body worked for me , '' Chestnut said in an interview after the contest . Kobayashi , 29 years old and weighing in at 154 pounds , was listed as questionable prior to the event . He was receiving acupuncture treatment Wednesday morning to relieve pain in his jaw after wisdom tooth surgery . Video from Tuesday 's weigh-in showed that he could open his mouth only half way . Chestnut , 23 , weighing 215 pounds , had broken Kobayashi 's 2006 record by downing 59 1/2 hot dogs at a qualifying contest in Phoenix last month . Chestnut claims the `` Coveted Mustard Yellow International Belt '' and wins a one-year supply of hot dogs from Nathan 's , the sponsor of the annual event , which has been held on the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn since 1916 . Organizers said 50,000 people attended Wednesday 's contest . Chestnut is a civil engineering student at San Jose University . E-mail to a friend . | Joey `` Jaws '' Chestnut unseats six-time defending champion , sets record . Reigning champ possibly was slowed down by wisdom tooth woes . `` My body worked for me , '' winner says after hard-fought swallowing scrap . | [[36, 164], [1102, 1125]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- U.S. Marines on Friday kept up a major push against entrenched militants in southern Afghanistan in an attempt to rout the Taliban from their stronghold in Helmand province , Marine Capt. William Pelletier said . A U.S. Marine patrols Garmser district in Afghanistan 's Helmand province on Friday . A Marine source described Thursday evening 's fighting in the Helmand River Valley as `` our most significant encounter . '' Sporadic fighting that began earlier Thursday stretched over several hours in the southeastern sector of Garmser district , said Pelletier , spokesman for the Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan . Helmand province , a poppy-growing region , is the focus of the U.S.-led Operation Khanjar . Afghanistan supplies 90 percent of the world 's opium , which is used in the production of heroin . The forces are attempting to gain and hold ground in the perilous region ahead of Afghan national elections in August . Almost 4,000 Marines and sailors from the expeditionary brigade , along with more than 600 Afghan national security forces , are operating in key population centers along the valley , Pelletier said . Their targets are Garmser and Nawa districts in central Helmand , and stretch to Rig district in the south , Pelletier said . Marines and Afghan forces have taken over the key town of Khan Neshin , the capital of Rig district , which had been under Taliban control , the Marine source said . The goal is to protect residents from the threat of Taliban and other insurgent intimidation and violence , Pelletier said . `` Our focus is now and will remain the Afghan people . We have worked closely with local Helmand government officials and many tribal and local leaders in the detailed planning of this major offensive , '' said Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson , commander of Task Force Leatherneck . Once security is established , civil affairs personnel and other nongovernmental groups and agencies can come in and establish programs . However , Taliban control of the countryside is so extensive in provinces such as Helmand and Kandahar to the east that security forces face a tough job , according to a report this week in The New York Times . The government has no involvement in five of Helmand 's 13 districts , the report said . In the fighting that began Thursday , Marines fired 20 mm cannons from their Cobra helicopter gunships -- but dropped no bombs -- to avoid the higher risk of civilian casualties , the Marine source said . The source called resistance `` heavy '' and `` persistent '' but intermittent . Militants responded using small arms , rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns . `` Last night , Marines bedded down in compounds within cities ... with permission from the people '' rather than sleep in a restricted area away from the local population , Pelletier said . He said military leaders also were holding talks with village leaders . In other developments . CNN 's Atia Abawi , Barbara Starr and Jill Dougherty contributed to this report . | Marine source describes fighting as `` our most significant encounter '' Marines trying to rout Taliban from stronghold in Afghanistan 's Helmand province . Marines and Afghan forces in control of key town of Khan Neshin , source says . Marine killed in the U.S.-led offensive in southern Afghanistan . | [[338, 426], [8, 149], [139, 141], [150, 211], [1305, 1374]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 42 people were killed and 154 were wounded in five attacks on a religious holiday Friday , an Interior Ministry official said . Shiite Muslim women light candles early Friday at a shrine in the holy city of Karbala , Iraq . The first four attacks , which together killed 36 and wounded 124 , targeted Shiites ; the fifth attack was against a Sunni target . In the latest attack , a parked motorcycle bomb exploded in the marketplace of al-Khadra in a predominantly Sunni neighborhood of eastern Baghdad . Six people died , and 30 were wounded , the official said . The attack appeared to have targeted a police patrol ; three of the fatalities were police , the official said . But most of the carnage was directed at Shiite targets , with the highest single toll exacted in the northern city of Mosul , where a suicide car bomb exploded near a Shiite mosque as a funeral was taking place , killing 30 people and wounding 100 , the official said . In another attack , a roadside bomb exploded near a bus carrying pilgrims in the Sadr City neighborhood , killing three and wounding eight , the official said . Also in Sadr City , a roadside bomb exploded near a car , killing one person and wounding seven . And in eastern Baghdad , a car carrying pilgrims was targeted , killing two people and wounding nine . Friday was the end of a Shiite Muslim celebration in Karbala celebrating the birthday of Imam Mohammed al-Mehdi , the last of 12 historic imams revered by Shiites . Pilgrims participating in such celebrations have been the target of similar attacks by Sunni Muslims . According to the Oxford Dictionary of Islam , Imam Mohammed al-Mehdi `` is expected to return at the end of time as the messianic imam who will restore justice and equity on Earth . '' Last Friday , bombs detonated after prayers near five Shiite mosques nearly simultaneously , killing 29 people as they were leaving the mosques . The attacks fueled fears that sectarian violence could be reigniting in the country and called into question the ability of security forces to safeguard the population as U.S. troops have taken a back seat to their Iraqi counterparts . Though the number of casualties has dropped over the past year , Friday 's attacks show that an insurgency capable of wreaking havoc remains . CNN 's Arwa Damon and Yousif Bassil contributed to this story from Baghdad . | NEW : Motorcycle bomb kills six in Sunni neighborhood of Baghdad . Blast near Shiite mosque kills at least 30 in Mosul . Three attacks target Shiite pilgrims traveling through Iraqi capital . Friday was end of Shiite celebration of historic imam 's birth . | [[400, 420], [423, 547], [548, 563], [839, 844], [853, 914], [853, 871], [934, 968], [725, 775], [1250, 1272], [1275, 1311], [1353, 1413], [1375, 1464]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One day while driving with her father , Hannah Salwen noticed a Mercedes stopped next to a homeless man sitting on the curb . The Salwen family of Atlanta , Georgia , has decided to sell this house and give half the proceeds to charity . `` I said to my dad , ` If that guy did n't have such a nice car , then that guy could have a nice meal , ' '' the 15-year-old from Atlanta , Georgia , recalled . And so began the tale of what the Salwen family calls `` Hannah 's Lunchbox . '' Watch why family wants to give away $ 800K '' It started as family discussions about what they needed versus what was enough . Hannah 's father Kevin , an entrepreneur , is on the board of the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and is no stranger to community work , but he said this family conversation was life-changing . `` We stopped and paused and thought about what are the things in the world that could really make a difference , a little bit of difference in the world , '' he said . They talked about selling their cars or other things , but it was Hannah 's mother , Joan , who came up with selling their 6,500-square-foot house , donating half the proceeds and then moving into a house half the size . For nine years , the family lived in a historic 1912 mansion near downtown Atlanta . It boasts five bedrooms , eight fireplaces , a kitchen that would make any cook jealous and even an elevator . See the new and old houses , side by side '' When Hannah would bring friends over , she said , often their jaws would drop and they 'd gasp , `` Wow , you live here ? '' Like most teens , Hannah loves to shop , and she jammed every space of her massive walk-in closet full of clothes . But she also knows many people are less fortunate ; she volunteers at a local community food bank and other relief agencies . Joan Salwen , a teacher , said the mansion was her dream home . `` It was a challenge , '' she said of giving up that house . `` It was a test , almost , to see : How committed are we ? I mean , how serious are these kids about what we should do ? And they all nodded and there we were . '' So the Salwens put the house up for sale in May 2007 and started figuring out what they would do with half the proceeds , which would amount to more than $ 800,000 . They spent six months researching charity organizations before deciding on the Hunger Project , an organization dedicated to helping end world hunger through people helping themselves . Hunger Project Vice President John Coonrod said the family met with organizers in New York and notified them months later that the charity was the winner . When the Salwen house sells , the money will be channeled through The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta over a six-year period and end up in Ghana , Coonrod said . `` This will underwrite a process in more than 30 villages to enable people to meet all of their basic needs on a sustainable basis , '' he said . `` They will be able to grow enough food , to build clinics and schools , and the villagers will be doing the lion 's share of the work . '' Coonrod said he 'd never heard of a family donating in this way . `` Hannah 's awakening to social injustice , and her family 's ability to make a difference in that issue will make a profound difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people , '' he said , estimating the money could affect more than 20,000 people in Ghana . Hannah 's 13-year-old brother , Joseph , was so impressed with his big sister 's ideas that he made a three-minute video of the family 's project . Watch Joseph 's video . The video won the grand prize in the 2008 `` My Home : The American Dream '' contest , sponsored by Coldwell Banker and Scholastic Publishing . In the video , Joseph tells viewers , `` We 're showing you can redefine the American dream . '' But the Salwens ' house has sat on the market for more than a year . It 's a tough time to sell any house , let alone one with an asking price of nearly $ 1.8 million . Real estate agent Sally George said she 's shown the house 40 or 50 times , and there have been nibbles but no buyers . See the house 's real estate listing . Many people are interested in the house 's rich history but often do n't know anything about the philanthropic aspects of the family 's project . `` I 've never handled a house selling for this reason , '' George said . `` I did n't learn about what the family was doing until early this year . '' Hannah and Joseph said most of their friends at school do n't know about it . `` We did n't do it for the fame or the glory , '' said Joan Salwen . `` This was something Hannah sort of yanked us into . '' Even though it was Joan Salwen 's idea to sell the house , it has been tough for her to give it up . `` I have to admit , '' she said , `` I loved living in this house . Does that make me an evil person ? I hope not because it 's a beautiful place . '' The family recently moved to a house less than half the size of their mansion four blocks away . While Hannah 's friends called her old home the `` wow house , '' this one is more ordinary and that 's fine with her . Lately the family has spent a lot of time around the kitchen table talking about an upcoming two-week trip to Ghana . The Salwens will spend six or seven hours a day visiting the villages where their money will be put to work . Kevin Salwen said the new house is great , it 's just smaller . `` We as Americans have so much , '' said Salwen , a former Wall Street Journal writer . `` We love the concept of half . We are going from a house that 's 6,000 square feet to a house that 's half the size , and we 're giving away half the money . `` And we do think everyone can do something if they think through half . '' | Family tries to sell $ 1.8 million mansion and give half the proceeds to charity . Decision comes after discussions about how much wealth is needed . Family voluntarily downsizes to more ordinary house . After sale , money will go to villages in Ghana via the Hunger Project . | [[163, 191], [194, 274], [1155, 1181], [2634, 2744], [3127, 3158], [5644, 5679], [565, 627], [4922, 5018]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The British government is buying 10,000 Taser stun guns for police officers across England and Wales , Britain 's Home Office said Monday . British police officers use a Taser gun to tackle a mock suspect in a training exercise . The move will expand the ranks of officers carrying the weapons from `` select firearms squads '' to `` thousands of trained frontline officers , '' according to the Home Office , which is responsible for domestic policing . Home Secretary -LRB- Interior Minister -RRB- Jacqui Smith said police `` deserve our support , so I want to give the police the tools they tell me they need to confront dangerous people . That is why I am giving the police 10,000 Tasers . '' The guns fire barbed darts charged with enough electricity to stun a person , the Home Office said . But Amnesty International UK described them as `` potentially lethal electrical weapons '' that deliver `` 50,000 volts of electricity into a person 's body . The result is excruciatingly painful , causing a person to fall to the ground and , at times , lose control of their bodily functions . '' The human rights group , however , expressed qualified support for the British government move , urging that the weapons be given only to officers specially trained to use them . `` We do n't actually oppose the use of Tasers as long as it 's by a limited number of highly trained specialist officers , responding to genuinely life-threatening or very dangerous situations , '' said Oliver Sprague , the organization 's arms program director . But , he added : `` Tasers are potentially lethal weapons which are already linked to numerous deaths in North America and that 's why wide deployment without adequate training is a dangerous step too far for British policing . '' `` The home secretary should urgently review this decision and ensure that Tasers only end up in the hands of a small number of fully trained officers capable of making the potentially fatal decision over whether to fire 50,000 volts into a person 's body . '' Amnesty says more than 300 people have died after being shot with Tasers since 2001 . The decision to introduce Tasers across England and Wales follows what the government called a successful pilot program with officers from 10 police forces , including London 's Metropolitan Police and forces responsible for Liverpool and Bristol . The test ran for 12 months from September 2007 with constables who had not previously carried firearms , a Home Office spokesman said . Before the pilot program , approximately 6,000 specially trained firearms officers across the country had access to Tasers starting in 2004 . Most British police officers do not carry any kind of firearm , Home Secretary Smith emphasized in her statement , a fact she said she was proud of . | Police officers across England and Wales to armed with Taser stun guns . Guns fire barbed darts charged with enough electricity to stun a person . Decision to roll out Tasers across England and Wales follows pilot program . Human rights group criticizes plan to use `` potentially lethal electrical weapons '' | [[9, 32], [36, 136], [733, 799], [773, 808], [838, 924], [896, 924], [930, 992], [2154, 2201], [2154, 2402], [838, 924]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The rehearsals ended on a high note that night . Jackson , here at a June 23 rehearsal , `` was full of jokes , full of life , '' band vocal coach Dorian Holley said . Michael Jackson was energetic and excited . He popped his signature moonwalk and dance spins that gave chills to some of those watching . As he walked to his car , he put his arm around concert promoter Randy Phillips and -- as Phillips later recounted -- in his soft voice , whispered : `` Thank you , I know we 're going to get it there together . I know I can do this . '' That was late Wednesday night , June 24 . A few hours later , Jackson was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead . `` All I know is that the Michael Jackson that hugged me and said ` goodnight ' was a healthy , vibrant human being about to undertake the greatest undertaking of his life , '' Phillips said Thursday . `` And something happened between 12:30 when he left us and the morning when I had to rush to the hospital when I got the first call . '' Watch Jackson rehearse for London shows '' The death of the pop icon shocked the music world , not only because many fans were looking forward to his 50 sold-out shows in London , England , beginning in mid-July , but also because the 50-year-old singer -- while a step slower than in his prime -- was apparently healthy and up to the task of what has been described as a grueling show . `` He was just like a kid in the candy store because he was seeing his vision come alive , '' said Dorian Holley , the vocal coach for Jackson 's band , about the last rehearsal . `` He was just full of jokes , full of life , '' Holley said . He added that Jackson was due to be back at rehearsals again at 4:30 p.m. on the day of his death . On Thursday , Phillips ' promotion company , AEG Live , released a 1 1/2 - minute rehearsal clip that was shot two nights before Jackson 's death . In that clip , Jackson barreled through the song `` They Do n't Care About Us . '' As a guitarist played a riff , he danced next to her and then led eight backup dancers in a choreographed march , reminiscent of his breakthrough music video `` Thriller . '' The clip -- shot at the Staples Center arena in Los Angeles , California , on June 23 -- ends with a voice off stage saying , `` Hold for applause , hold for applause ... fade out . '' Two days later , Jackson was dead . Phillips said a doctor , hired by the tour 's insurance carrier , examined Jackson before AEG proceeded with the rehearsals -- and gave the singer the green light to continue . `` He examined Michael for about five hours at his house and I think they went somewhere for some other tests , '' Phillips said . `` We are obviously not privy to the patient-doctor relationship with that information , but the insurance broker told us that he passed with flying colors . '' The production pace in those final weeks was ferocious , some of the attendees said . Jackson 's manager , Frank DiLeo , told a radio interviewer that he discussed tweaking the strenuous two-hour format of the shows . `` We were going to do one of two things , '' DiLeo told KDKA in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , last week . `` We were either going to do so much in the beginning , take a half-hour break , then come back and do the second half of the shows . Or we were going to cut it down to 90 minutes . '' The exacting rehearsals may have been taking a toll on Jackson , his doctor 's lawyer has said . `` Michael Jackson did n't eat very much , '' said Edward Chernoff , the lawyer for Jackson 's cardiologist , Dr. Conrad Murray . `` He really did n't drink very much . He did n't hydrate very well . When he rehearsed , it was very strenuous exercise . '' As authorities await toxicology reports to determine how Jackson died , fans around the world lamented the loss of a great performer whose ability to dazzle seemed intact , if inhibited , in the short video clip . `` He still moves better at 50 than I could at 15 , '' said Stephanie Siek , a graduate student in Frankfurt , Germany . `` But he also seems to be holding back in a way he never did in his older videos or other footage I 've seen . I think it would have been a great show , but I think that a lot of people would have been disappointed , because he was so iconic in his prime . That 's a very , very hard standard to live up to . '' This report incorporates information from CNN broadcasts and interviews conducted Thursday for the shows `` AC 360 '' and `` The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer . '' | Jackson rehearsed at Staples Center on night before he died . He was preparing for 50 sold-out shows in London , England . `` He was just full of jokes , full of life , '' vocal coach says . Video clip shows Jackson singing , dancing 2 days before he died . | [[1776, 1787], [1790, 1818], [1832, 1923], [1157, 1222], [93, 100], [103, 120], [133, 168], [171, 211], [212, 255], [1616, 1656], [1776, 1787], [1790, 1818], [1832, 1923], [2367, 2381], [2384, 2402]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You might think childbirth would be a topic too personal , too beautiful or way too graphic to write about on Twitter . Sara , the wife of Twitter 's CEO , posted online from a hospital while she was in labor . But , as Sara Williams showed on Tuesday when she posted Twitter updates about giving birth to her child , online social networking has pushed its way into the delivery room . It 's now a trend for expectant moms to post to sites such as Twitter from the time they conceive to the moment they deliver a baby into the world . Williams , wife of Twitter CEO Evan Williams , posted to her 14,000-plus Twitter followers when her water broke , when she arrived at the hospital , during contractions and when she decided to get an epidural . Her husband broke the news on his Twitter feed that their `` perfect baby boy '' was delivered on Tuesday afternoon . As if the real-time drama of her labor was n't enough , Sara Williams managed to spice up her Twitter feed with humor along the way . `` Dear Twitter , My water broke . It was n't like Charlotte in Sex and the City , '' she wrote at about midnight ET on Tuesday . `` Now , timing contractions on an iPhone app . '' After noting later that contractions are painful , she wrote , `` Epidural , yes please . '' Her childbirth drew widespread attention online , where people who have never met Williams eagerly awaited the birth of her baby . Some moms and dads cheered her on , saying that by posting through labor she lifted the veil on a period that can be terrifying for pregnant women who do n't know what to expect when their baby is ready to leave the womb . Others cringed at the idea , saying childbirth posts are too much information . Williams ' childbirth is among the first to be publicized though Twitter , but she 's far from the only woman to have published thoughts about the birth of her child while the process was happening . Terra Carmichael , who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area , said she tweeted through her third childbirth in February to keep her loved ones up to date . `` At the moment nothing went through my head . It was just like , ` This is how I 'm feeling and so this is going out there , and if you do n't like it you do n't have to read it , ' '' said the 36-year-old . `` Afterwards , I was like ' I hope I was n't too gross or graphic . ' '' She said posting to Twitter helped relieve some of the pain . `` I would literally be coming down from a really painful contraction and I 'd be saying , ` Give me my iPhone , ' and -LSB- my husband -RSB- would be saying , ` You are weird . Why are you doing this , ' '' she said . `` Some of it was for me . It just felt kinda good to get that out there , put that out to the universe so it was n't just my pain , so other people could feel it for me and feel it with me a little bit . '' Kyle Monson , a new dad in New York City , did the tweeting for his wife . While she was in labor , he was busy sending text messages . `` We were on our iPhone and Blackberry right up until the point when my wife started pushing , and then we had to put those phones down , '' he said . Monson posted updates about his wife 's labor to Twitter by using code words only his friends could understand . Instead of posting `` my wife just gave birth , '' for instance , he wrote , `` Operation Bumblebee complete ! Ada Elizabeth is 7lbs , 2oz , and is very happy to be here . '' Ada , who is the couple 's first child , was born on August 5 . Monson has nearly 800 Twitter followers and did n't want everyone in the world to know about the `` blood and gore '' of the birthing process . Most of the couple 's friends and family live further West , he said , so the online networks helped them keep their loved ones updated . The senior editor at PCMag.com said his wife was sending text messages to people throughout her 10-hour labor . `` She had an epidural so it was actually pretty easy for her , '' he said . Debora Robertson , group manager of the Expectant Mother 's Guide , said she would n't feel comfortable sharing so many details on Twitter , but making such information public could be helpful for pregnant women who are anxious about childbirth . `` I think it 's great that she -LSB- Sara Williams -RSB- can do that with family and friends , and I would imagine a lot of first time moms have curiosity , '' she said . `` They 're peeking into the delivery rooms . '' Monson also said Twitter posts from the delivery room can be informative . `` Going into it I had a lot of questions because no one really writes about this stuff '' online , he said . Many new sites are promoting `` mom-to-mom wisdom '' as a way for expecting parents to become educated about childbirth , said Dina Freeman , spokeswoman for the Baby Center , an online resource for moms . Freeman said one of her friends tweeted through childbirth . She had mixed feelings about the posts . `` Although I was happy for the updates , I was like , ` Are you sure you want that on Twitter ? ' '' New moms also are joining mom-specific social networks to get important questions answered , said Freeman , who manages the Baby Center 's Facebook page . She said the wisdom of the crowd is useful , but sometimes she recommends pregnant women and new moms see physicians for potentially serious health issues . Moms are finding other ways to share their pregnancies online , too . A quick search on YouTube found more than 3,600 videos matching `` childbirth . '' And a product called the Kickbee is a belt that wraps around a pregnant woman 's stomach and automatically posts to a Twitter feed when the baby kicks . Some people say too much technology in the delivery room is a bad thing . `` I think it 's terrible , '' Dr. Renana Brooks , a psychologist , told the Baltimore Sun in reference to people who post on Twitter during childbirth . `` One of the few rituals we have , in terms of giving each other undivided attention , is that time in a delivery room . To be spending time writing to someone else destroys the whole ritual . `` That 's like Twittering on your wedding night . You can blog about it afterward . '' The Twittering parents , however , said they 're just trying to include as many friends and family members in their special moment as possible . `` I 've got a lot of people in my life that I love , '' Carmichael said , `` and I want to keep up on their lives . This is one of the biggest events of my life , and so -LSB- writing on Twitter -RSB- was my way of keeping people posted on what was happening . '' After his wife gave birth on Tuesday , Evan Williams beamed on his Twitter feed . `` Yes ! @sara gave birth to a perfect baby boy , '' he wrote . `` Both are well . 8 pounds , 21 inches ! Smiles all around . '' Moments later , friends responded with encouragement . `` Yay ! @ev and @sara just had their first baby and it 's a boy -- ca n't wait to meet the mini CEO , '' Twitter co-founder Biz Stone wrote . | NEW : The wife of Twitter 's CEO posted messages on Twitter during her labor . NEW : Sara Williams delivered a `` perfect baby boy '' Tuesday afternoon . One of her last posts from the hospital said , `` Epidural , yes please '' Some say it 's a trend for moms to post online about labor and pregnancy . | [[239, 334], [555, 563], [602, 666], [1423, 1453], [1466, 1495], [1926, 1942], [1987, 2067], [3142, 3198], [4433, 4439], [4445, 4486], [5827, 5833], [5838, 5873], [6566, 6602], [6605, 6647], [813, 883], [6657, 6695], [6841, 6896], [139, 143], [175, 204], [733, 765], [406, 442], [428, 489], [5827, 5833], [5838, 5873]] |
ROME , Italy -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amanda Knox will testify Friday in an Italian courtroom to defend herself against charges that she took part in the killing of her roommate two years ago , her lawyer said . American college student Amanda Knox , 21 , is expected to take the witness stand Friday at her Italian murder trial . Knox , 21 , an American college student from Seattle , Washington , will be questioned by her attorneys first and her testimony could continue Saturday , said Luciano Ghriga , one of her lawyers . The trial against Knox and her Italian former boyfriend , Raffaele Sollecito , 24 , began January 16 in Perugia , a university town about 185 kilometers -LRB- 115 miles -RRB- north of Rome . They are charged with murder and sexual assault in the November 2007 slaying of Knox 's roommate , British exchange student Meredith Kercher , who died in what prosecutors called a `` drug-fueled sex game '' with the couple . A third person , Rudy Hermann Guede , from the Ivory Coast , was convicted of murder in October and sentenced to 30 years in prison . Kercher was found dead in her bed , half-naked , with a knife wound to her neck . In court papers , prosecutors stated that Sollecito held Kercher by her wrists while Knox poked at her with a knife and Guede sexually assaulted her . Prosecutors say they have physical evidence placing the defendants at the scene , and that they gave investigators confusing and contradictory statements about their whereabouts the night Kercher died . Knox first said she was at the house she shared with Kercher , then changed her story , according to court records . Sollecito , meanwhile , said he was never at the house , but was at his apartment , watching a movie on his computer with Knox . Later , he told investigators he did not remember whether Knox was with him the entire night . Defense lawyers are expected to argue that the physical evidence was tainted by sloppy police work . The case is being heard by a panel of eight judges . The trial has drawn more than 140 journalists from 86 news outlets to the courthouse in Perugia , Italy . The presiding judge in the case , Giancarlo Massei , has barred cameras from the courtroom and said he could completely close portions of the trial dealing with the most graphic sexual assault allegations . | Murder trial makes American student Amanda Knox well-known in Italy . British student Meredith Kercher found dead in house shared with Knox . Prosecutors say they have evidence placing Knox , other defendants at scene . Knox 's former boyfriend , Italian Raffaele Sollecito , also faces murder charges . | [[1306, 1459], [522, 577], [606, 633]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- With Congress on its August recess , lawmakers are back in their home districts to meet with their constituents . Voters are confronting lawmakers with tough questions on health care at town hall meetings across the country . Across the country , members of Congress are holding town hall meetings where voters are encouraged to voice any questions or concerns about what 's happening on Capitol Hill . Health care reform has dominated the conversation at the meetings . President Obama has called on Congress to pass legislation this year , but lawmakers are hearing from their constituents that they want more specifics on what reform will mean for them . In addition to taking questions , lawmakers are trying to set the record straight and put an end to the spread of misinformation . Many town hall meetings are open to anyone . If you 're interested in attending one , you 're not alone . More than 70 percent of people say they are either very likely or somewhat likely to attend a town hall on health care , according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey . To find a meeting near you , determine who your senators and representatives are . You can find this information on the House and Senate Web sites . Some lawmakers have information about their town hall meetings clearly listed on their Web sites . Democratic Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado , for example , has an `` events '' section detailing the time and location of his upcoming meetings . Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin has a section called `` listening sessions . '' It links to a map that shows where the meetings are by county . Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa lists his August meetings under the `` latest headlines '' section of his Web site . Not all of the lawmakers keep their Web sites up to date , and some do n't have their town hall meetings listed online . If that 's the case , you also can call your senator or representative 's office to get more information on upcoming events . It 's a good idea to call their office to confirm the time and location , even if the details are online . Meetings are often rescheduled or relocated , and it never hurts to double-check . Find out what time the doors open , and ask whether registration is required . You can also keep track of your senators and representatives on Twitter . Some lawmakers send messages about their upcoming events . Tweetcongress.org has a list of members of Congress who use Twitter . | Congress is on its August recess , and lawmakers are hearing from constituents . Voters are encouraged to attend meetings to voice questions and concerns . Call your senator or representative 's office to confirm the time and location . | [[298, 307], [317, 421], [1902, 1905], [1911, 2005], [2006, 2077]] |
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