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LAS MANOS , Nicaragua -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Ousted Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya returned to Nicaragua late Friday night after briefly entering his home country from which he was removed in a military coup nearly a month ago . Supporters cheer as deposed leader Jose Manuel Zelaya crosses into Honduras on Friday . Zelaya crossed a few yards into Honduras on Friday afternoon and then hunkered down while he carried on extensive telephone conversations and press interviews . The Honduran government said it would arrest Zelaya if he pushed further into the nation and would ask the International Red Cross to monitor his treatment . Provisional President Roberto Micheletti , who was sworn in hours after Zelaya was removed from office on June 28 , said Friday night his country was willing to continue negotiations . Two previous rounds hosted by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias were deadlocked over the Honduran government 's refusal to allow Zelaya to return to power . Watch Zelaya cross the border '' `` I offered several days ago to give up my position if Mr. Zelaya would stop inciting his followers to violence , '' Micheletti told CNN en Español . Micheletti said Zelaya had no intention of returning to Honduras , where he faced certain arrest by the national police . Zelaya went back to Nicaragua , Micheletti said , to keep causing problems . `` We have received information that they want to continue with these type of actions that only incite the public , '' he said . Asked in an interview with CNN en Español late Friday night why he did not go farther into Honduras , as he had vowed to do , Zelaya said he did not want to cause any violence . `` You have a correspondent here who can tell you how aggressive the military has been acting , '' Zelaya said . The latest events unfolded live and in front of a multitude of TV cameras as Zelaya led a 20-vehicle convoy over two days from the Nicaraguan capital of Managua to the Honduran border . Along the way , he held news conferences and conducted numerous telephone interviews . The highlight occurred Friday afternoon when Zelaya walked under a border chain and returned to his home soil . `` I am not afraid when I work for a just and noble cause , '' Zelaya said to someone on a cell phone moments after crossing the border , surrounded by scores of reporters and cheering supporters . Honduran soldiers pulled back about 25 meters -LRB- 80 feet -RRB- from the border as Zelaya stopped and continued talking on the phone . He stopped in front of a large white sign that says , `` Bienvenidos a Honduras '' -LRB- Welcome to Honduras -RRB- . Zelaya remained in the area for several hours , saying he was waiting for his wife to join him . She stayed in Honduras when the military flew Zelaya out of the country during the coup . His wife , Xiomara Castro de Zelaya , told CNN en Español that she was being kept from joining her husband . Asked what she was feeling , she said , `` Anguish . Anguish is what we feel at this moment because he is a man of peace . '' Moments before crossing the border , Zelaya talked briefly face to face with army Lt. Col. Luis Roicarte , with whom he had been previously talking on the phone , said CNN 's Karl Penhaul . The army officer cut off the conversation with Zelaya because he had to take a call , likely from one of his superiors . Zelaya later recounted the conversation . `` The colonel told me , ` You ca n't cross the border . ' I said , ' I can cross . ' I crossed , shook his hand and asked for communications with his higher-ups , '' Zelaya said . In Washington , the State Department issued a travel alert for Honduras and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Zelaya 's actions . `` We have consistently urged all parties to avoid any provocative action that could lead to violence , '' Clinton said . `` President Zelaya 's effort to reach the border is reckless . It does not contribute to the broader efforts to restore democratic and constitutional order in the Honduras crisis . '' The State Department warning `` alerts American citizens to the current unstable political and security situation in Honduras , and recommends that American citizens defer all non-essential travel to Honduras until further notice . '' While the drama unfolded at the border , Micheletti supporters held a large and colorful rally in San Pedro Sula . Zelaya supporters amassed in the Honduran city of El Paraiso , about 12 kilometers -LRB- 7 miles -RRB- from the border with Nicaragua . They were met there by about 1,500 police and soldiers , some of whom fired on the crowd , a correspondent for CNN en Español reported from the scene . Two people were wounded , journalist Jorge Jimenez said . The police and soldiers fired tear gas at the demonstrators for about 15 to 20 minutes before letting off a barrage of 15 to 20 shots , Jimenez said . The apparent shootings happened minutes after Zelaya held a news conference on the Nicaraguan side of the border and asked police and soldiers to let him back into his country . Watch a report on Zelaya 's return '' `` Allow me to return to my country , '' Zelaya said , directly addressing his nation 's police and army . `` To embrace my fellow countrymen , my children , my wife , my mother . '' Honduran police and soldiers set up numerous roadblocks between Tegucigalpa , the capital of Honduras , and the border , and established an immediate curfew in the area until 4:30 a.m. . The shootings came after the National Police director , Salomon Escoto Salinas , said in a televised news conference that cars and people were being searched for weapons . `` Our job is to maintain order of the people who are protesting , '' Escoto Salinas said . `` If there is any vandalism , the police will act and we will apply the laws . '' He declined to say in an interview with CNN en Español whether Zelaya would be arrested if he crossed into Honduras . The National Police have a plan , he said , and it will be carried out . The Honduran political crisis stems from Zelaya 's desire to hold a referendum that could have led to extending term limits by changing the constitution , even though the congress had outlawed the vote and the supreme court ruled it illegal . The takeover has drawn international condemnation , including demands by the United Nations General Assembly , the OAS and the European Union that Zelaya be reinstated . Micheletti has steadfastly rejected characterization of the takeover as a coup , saying Zelaya 's removal was a constitutional transfer of power . He repeated that contention Friday night . `` There has been no coup because in a coup the military remains in power , '' he told CNN en Español . | NEW : Zelaya says he did not go further into Honduras to avoid violence . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls Zelaya 's actions `` reckless '' `` I am not afraid when I work for a just and noble cause , '' Zelaya says upon return . Deposed leader walks under border chain Friday surrounded by supporters . | [[1619, 1670], [3593, 3596], [3653, 3718], [3841, 3870], [3891, 3904], [1767, 1783], [2172, 2226], [3560, 3576], [232, 310], [252, 319], [2057, 2136], [2229, 2238], [2279, 2366]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Comic book fans have been waiting for years for a film to be made of `` Watchmen , '' the famed graphic novel about a group of misfit crimefighters battling a plot to eliminate their members while the world awaits nuclear war . Malin Akerman , who plays the second Silk Spectre , says `` Watchmen '' will make fans proud . Now that the film is complete and set for release Friday , the cast of the adaptation is confident the movie will meet fans ' high expectations . `` We 've heard a few comments from diehard fans where they 're just saying , ` Wow , we 're really impressed , ' '' said Malin Akerman , who plays Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre II in the movie . Praising director Zack Snyder , whose resume includes the highly successful `` 300 '' and `` Dawn of the Dead , '' Akerman said the film will make fans proud . `` This is just sort of a huge feat for Zack to take on . But him being a true fan , he came in with the mind of these fanboys and really kept that in mind and I think that he did a great job , '' she said . `` Watchmen '' had a long road to the screen . The original comic book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons came out in 1986 and 1987 and was compiled into a book . Since then it has been considered both brilliant -- it made Time magazine 's list of the 20th century 's greatest novels -- and unfilmable . Watch `` Watchmen '' stars talk about the film at its premiere '' Rights passed from studio to studio , with any number of directors attached -LRB- including Terry Gilliam and Paul Greengrass -RRB- , before ending up with Warner Bros. -LRB- like CNN , a division of Time Warner -RRB- and Snyder . A longtime fan himself , Snyder said he was determined to remain true to the book . `` Zack respected the source material so much that he knew the only way to adapt it was to hew as close to the source material as possible , '' said Snyder 's wife and producing partner , Deborah Snyder . EW : A `` Watchmen '' primer . Jackie Earle Haley , who stars in the film as Rorschach , said Snyder 's passion for the film will lead to its success among dedicated fans . `` I think the film does to the comic book film genre what -LSB- ` Watchmen ' -RSB- the comic book does to the comic book genre , '' Haley said . `` I think Zack captured it ... and it 's just an in-your-face , kick-butt comic book film , but it 's got that extra depth , it 's a little smarter . '' Fans of the comic book have been scrutinizing the film `` every step of the way , '' said Jeffrey Dean Morgan . But , he added , `` It 's going to blow people away even with these high frigging expectations that everybody has . '' Indeed , there have been any number of challenges . The comic book is set in an alternative 1985 in which the United States and Soviet Union are on the verge of nuclear war , so there were period details to attend to . There are some superhero accessories , such as a flying machine nicknamed Archie , as well as the character Dr. Manhattan , a blue , extremely powerful and often naked Superman type . Carla Gugino lost herself in the part of Sally Jupiter , an early female crimefighter who is the mother of Akerman 's character . That immersion -- which included age makeup for scenes in which Sally is in her 60s -- made the film easier to watch , she said . `` I look at it and do n't feel like I 'm watching myself , which then liberates you , because I am my own worst , harshest critic , '' she said . `` There was something about watching Sally older and I was like , ` Oh , that seems like a different woman ... ' and I can sort of see her for what she is . '' iReport.com : Are you excited for `` Watchmen '' ? Billy Crudup , who plays Dr. Manhattan , said seeing himself transformed with the effects of computer-generated imaging was astonishing . `` I was totally flabbergasted by the level of detail and sophistication that went into making Dr. Manhattan real , '' he said . In some cases , the actors were as excited as they expect fans to be . Morgan enjoyed delving deep into the character of Edward Blake , or The Comedian , and said the role allowed him to live his childhood dream . `` We got to play superheroes . We got to do something that I used to do when I was 12 years old , '' he said . `` This is always the guy that I wanted to be when I was 12 and I get to do it at 40 years old . '' CNN.com 's Elham Khatami contributed to this article . | `` Watchmen '' film has been anticipated since comic books in mid - '80s . Film to be released Friday ; stars are proud of finished product . Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan : `` We got to play superheroes '' | [[0, 3], [44, 98], [88, 124], [367, 370], [376, 384], [401, 423], [2523, 2552], [4178, 4206]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Jesse Ray Beard said he was constantly in trouble , even when he behaved . It took being accused of the racially charged attempted murder of a white classmate in the Deep South to turn his life around . Living with attorney Alan Howard , right , has afforded Jesse Ray Beard a bevy of new experiences . Beard , 18 , now interns at a New York law firm as he prepares for his senior year next month at Canterbury School , a Connecticut prep academy where Beard is highly regarded among peers and teachers . `` I did n't change the way I act . I did n't do nothing different . It was just that I was at Canterbury instead of Jena , '' he said . `` It was like Jena was out to get me -- and not just me , but other people , too . '' If not for the controversy surrounding the Jena Six and the palpable racial tension in the Louisiana town , Beard never would have met the attorney who changed the course of Beard 's life by removing him from everything he knew . Watch Beard describe his reaction '' Alan Howard met Beard , the youngest of the African-American teens who made up the Jena Six , in January 2008 when he began representing him in a lawsuit filed by beating victim Justin Barker . The fight followed months of disquiet among Jena High School students , including off-campus skirmishes , a school arson and nooses hung from a campus tree . In September 2007 , thousands of protesters , alleging the teens were treated harshly because they were black , converged on middle Louisiana . Protesters were particularly angered at the jailing of Mychal Bell , one of the six , who was charged as an adult . Later in September , he was reclassified as a juvenile and released . The Jena Six were lionized and vilified ; donations for their defense poured in , as did threats on their lives . Howard said his first impression of Beard -- that he had `` tremendous character , tremendous resilience and tremendous potential '' -- was so strong he invited the teen to live with his family in New England . It 's been a tidal shift , Beard said , moving from a Louisiana town of 3,000 to Bedford , New York , a well-to-do city of 18,000 situated an hour north of the Big Apple . The biggest shock ? `` Where I 'm from in Jena , I think the only time it snowed is when I was 6 , and it was like 1 inch . '' Another difference , he said , is not living in a town where everyone associates him with one of the most controversial events in contemporary race relations . See history of Jena Six '' The Howards say Beard meshes seamlessly . Though he struggled with the curriculum at Canterbury -- a Catholic school in New Milford boasting a six-to-one student-teacher ratio -- he is seeing tutors and showing improvements . He spent the summer helping attorneys at Howard 's firm prepare for court cases and looks forward to his senior year as a three-sport athlete . Head football coach Ken Parson said he `` ca n't wait to unleash '' the 5-foot-11 , 215-pound Beard . Beard is a candidate for team captain , Parson said , and the coach hopes Beard 's leadership and `` quiet confidence '' will draw recruiters from Division I schools . Division II schools are already snooping around , he said . `` When he gets going , he 's like a freight train . He 's also got the softest pair of hands you could ever imagine on a high school football player and can make moves in the field like Barry Sanders , '' Parson said , invoking the Detroit Lions ' legendary running back . Though football , baseball and basketball are his preferred sports , Beard has picked up lacrosse from playing with Howard 's sons -- Nick , 14 , and Tommy , 11 -- and tennis from playing with Howard 's daughter , Jessie , 17 . She said his tennis skills are `` ridiculous . '' Other fresh experiences include snowboarding in Utah , surfing in Long Island , visiting the Hamptons and attending baseball games at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium . Around the house , he 's a big brother , said Howard , whose children welcomed Beard immediately . `` My kids were the ones who said , ` If it means getting out of Jena , let him stay here , ' '' Howard said . `` My 14-year-old son said , ` He can share my room , ' and he does n't even let his 11-year-old brother in his room . '' Beard is prone to the same gaffes as any teenager , Jessie said , giggling as she recalled a time he replaced a box of snacks in the cabinet after finishing the last one . Her mother , Patti , left the box on his sneakers with a note : `` Would you like more of these ? '' `` He 's just another member of the family , '' Jessie said . `` Now , when people ask me how many brothers I have , I say three , not two . '' Beard said he could never be proud of his involvement with the Jena Six , but he believes God put him through tribulations to deliver him to a better place . `` I 'm not glad it happened , but I 'm glad I came to a good family , '' he said . Beard 's mother , Stella , is a `` remarkable woman , '' Howard said , but Beard did n't have much supervision at home . Howard thought to himself in 2008 , `` It 's not just enough to keep the kid out of jail one time because the system is stacked against him . '' Five of the Jena Six had already made tracks -- to Texas , to Georgia , to other parts of Louisiana -- but Beard had nowhere to go . That he was on house arrest for another juvenile offense confounded matters . `` I promise you I will get you out of Jena , whatever it takes , '' Howard told Beard . `` You promise me that you 'll hang in there , keep doing what you 're doing , going to school and keep out of trouble . '' Beard 's mother made `` the ultimate sacrifice , '' allowing Howard to pursue guardianship and ferry her son 1,500 miles to New England . She put aside Jena Six donations to help Howard pay Canterbury 's $ 40,000-a-year tuition , he said . She declined to be interviewed . Beard left Jena in spring 2008 . About a year later , Beard , Robert Bailey , Theo Shaw , Carwin Jones and Bryant Purvis pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery . Fines and probation were doled out and civil suits settled . The terms were undisclosed . Bell , who served as the face -- and lightning rod -- of the Jena Six , had separately pleaded guilty to a second-degree battery charge in December 2007 . Weeks after completing his 18-month sentence at a juvenile facility , Bell shot himself in the chest in December after an arrest on shoplifting charges . He later said the pressure to be perfect prompted him to pull the trigger . Read Bell 's remarks after the suicide try . Jena is often painted as a town of bumpkins who pursued draconian criminal charges and exorbitant bails for a school fight but turned a blind eye when three nooses dangled from a campus tree . Beard , however , bristles at the portrait and defends his hometown . `` No , sir . There 's not more racists in Jena , '' he said . `` There 's racism everywhere . I just ca n't blame it on Jena because I did get along with the white folks and they did like me . '' As he and his five cohorts pursue educational and athletic endeavors around the nation , Beard hopes they wo n't be dogged by racial matters but that they 'll be `` superstars , not from being the Jena Six , but from whatever we go to college for . '' Howard and Parson have confidence Beard will succeed , no matter his occupation . `` Whatever he ends up doing , '' the coach said , `` he 's going to be great . '' | In spring 2008 , Jesse Ray Beard went to live with his attorney 's family in New York . Once accused of attempted murder in Louisiana , Beard now attending prep school . Attorney Alan Howard 's daughter , Jessie , says she considers Beard a brother . Football coach says he `` ca n't wait to unleash '' Beard at linebacker , wide receiver . | [[5881, 5913], [2878, 2959]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday it will apologize to veterans who were mistakenly told they 'd been diagnosed with a fatal neurological condition . Brent Casey said went into a `` meltdown '' when he got a letter from the VA saying , erroneously , that he had ALS . Letters were sent August 13 to 1,864 veterans and survivors , the VA said in a written statement . They were supposed to be sent to veterans with ALS -- also known as Lou Gehrig 's disease -- to keep them apprised of expanding benefits eligibility . `` According to the records of the Department of Veterans Affairs -LRB- VA -RRB- , you have a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -LRB- ALS -RRB- , '' said the letter , according to the National Gulf War Resource Center . `` This letter tells you about VA disability compensation benefits that may be available to you . '' But some who received the letters , like Brent Casey , do not have ALS . Casey , a disabled Army veteran from the first Gulf War , told CNN that when he received the letter , he was `` just completely beside myself . Just floored . Went into a complete and total meltdown . I could n't speak , could n't -- I guess I was , truthfully , speechless . '' The VA said issued a statement saying it made `` a coding error , and a number of veterans who should not have received this letter did . '' An estimated one-third of the letters -- more than 600 -- were sent erroneously , a department official familiar with the program told CNN . After hearing from veterans who received the letter but do not have ALS , the VA immediately began reviewing individual claims files for all the recipients to determine who received the letter by mistake , agency spokeswoman Katie Roberts said in the statement . `` VA employees are personally contacting these individuals to ensure they understand the letter should not be confused with a medical diagnosis of ALS , explain why they mistakenly received the letter and express VA 's sincere apologies for the distress caused by this unfortunate and regrettable error . '' `` It 's not right for it to happen this way , '' Casey said . `` Regardless if it was the case that I was diagnosed with ALS , that would be the worst possible way for an organization to let an individual know . '' Upon receiving the letter , some veterans sought a second opinion outside the VA , according to veterans ' service organizations , paying for doctors ' consultations out of their own pockets . The VA said it will reimburse those veterans for the costs . In addition , the VA said it is reviewing its notification process to make sure a similar error does n't happen again . The AmVets service organization is `` encouraged '' by the VA 's response to the situation , and pleased to see they caught the error , said spokesman Ryan Gallucci . CNN Radio 's John Lorinc contributed to this report . | NEW : VA says some 600 people got letters in error due to a `` coding error '' Letters sent last week informed 1,864 veterans and survivors of ALS diagnosis . VA : `` Employees are personally contacting '' those who do n't have disease . Agency is reviewing notification process to ensure no such error is repeated . | [[1235, 1325], [1376, 1413], [1427, 1430], [1434, 1455], [303, 362], [1780, 1931], [2573, 2625], [2585, 2654], [2601, 2678]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Hundreds of people attending Comic-Con in San Diego , California , will transform into zombies on Thursday . A `` zombie walk '' at Comic-Con will promote the upcoming `` Zombieland '' movie . They 'll converge in a `` zombie walk '' through the San Diego Convention Center to promote Woody Harrelson 's upcoming post-apocalyptic comedy , `` Zombieland . '' Comic-Con is an annual gathering of 125,000 people whose interests include comic book and science fiction film and TV , anime , toys and video games . Major movie studios and TV networks use the convention to launch their latest productions . Zombie movies have been on the rise in recent years , and the type of zombies on the big screen has been evolving with the times . George Romero 's 1968 film `` Night of the Living Dead '' -- followed by `` Dawn of the Dead '' -- popularized zombies `` based on the original Haitian voodoo kind of zombie , the supernatural being , the walking dead or the undead , '' said `` Zombieland '' director Ruben Fleischer . Zombie films made `` a seismic shift in zombies with Danny Boyle 's film '28 Days Later , ' where it became a more viral-based thing , a diseased population , as opposed to from the grave , '' Fleischer said . In `` Zombieland , '' living people are infected by a fast-spreading virus that turns them into `` this other being '' that is fast , ferocious and flesh-eating , he said . `` These modern zombies are reflective of some of the perils of what can happen with overpopulation and disease control and how quickly things can spread and become a problem . '' iReport.com : Going to Comic-Con ? Fleischer , along with screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick , consulted a disease expert `` to get to the bottom of what the modern pandemic would be , '' he said . `` When swine flu happened , it was after we finished shooting , but it just really reminded me of how these things can spread so quickly and a whole population can be devastated , '' he said . While about 500 extras were hired to be zombies in Fleischer 's movie , even more Comic-Con participants could take part in Thursday 's zombie walk . Sony has hired professional makeup artists to get them ready . Fleischer said those portraying a modern zombie should think like `` a rabid dog . '' Do n't lumber along like Frankenstein 's monster , but move with `` a real furious anger and intensity '' and `` a lot of grunting and snarling and growling , '' he said . `` Zombies do n't talk . '' Hunger is a modern zombie 's chief motivation , he said : `` I think that they 're definitely cannibalistic . They want to eat people . '' What does a modern zombie wear ? Fleischer 's zombies come as they are , whether in a work uniform or dressed for the mall . `` It 's as if you were at the mall and some zombies attacked and everyone there got turned into a zombie , '' he said . `` They 'd be wearing the same clothes that they had before . They 'd be dressed in the same way . '' Fleischer developed a list of 150 types of zombies for his film , including construction workers , moms , a punk rocker and preppie zombies . `` They 're just people who got infected , like a modern pandemic , '' he said . `` Zombieland '' -- which hits theaters October 9 -- brings out the humor in killing zombies , which is Harrelson 's specialty . `` They 're not easy to kill , so sometimes you 've got to get them more than once , '' Fleischer said . `` You 've got to make sure you get them because they 'll keep coming if you do n't . '' Harrelson blamed post-traumatic stress from filming for his scuffle with a TMZ photographer at an airport the day after shooting wrapped in Georgia in April . `` With my daughter at the airport I was startled by a paparazzo who I quite understandably mistook for a zombie , '' Harrelson said . While Harrelson will be at Comic-Con to promote the movie , it was not known if he would be kept away from Thursday 's zombie walk . | Some Comic-Con attendees will become zombies to celebrate new film . `` Zombieland , '' starring Woody Harrelson , to debut in October . Comic-Con draws more than 100,000 fans annually . | [[0, 15], [73, 127], [128, 211], [3212, 3225], [3235, 3258]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sean Kingston was talking about his hit song `` Fire Burning '' when his cell phone suddenly started to ring . The device blasted a familiar tune . Sean Kingston has one of the summer 's hottest hits with `` Fire Burning . '' She 's fire burning , fire burning on the dance floor . Wait a minute . His own song is his ringtone ? `` I 've got to support it , man , '' said Kingston , 19 , with a cheeky smile . `` It goes right back in my pocket , but hey . '' There had better be plenty of room in those pockets . `` Fire Burning '' is shaping up to be one of the summer 's hottest tracks , with more than a million downloads sold , and is the second best-selling song on iTunes this week . For mainstream radio listeners and nightclub goers , the reggae-trance track is inescapable . Even for Kingston . Watch how Kingston sets the dance floor ablaze '' `` Three days ago I was in an elevator , '' he said . `` A lady came in and she had her iPod and she was playing my song . She did n't know who she was standing next to . That was kind of funny . '' But hearing his music in public does n't mean he 's allowed to get too cocky , he said . `` It actually motivates me to make even more music , because that 's kind of big . Coming from where I 'm from -- coming from nothing -- it 's just amazing to hear people react to my music like they do . '' The Miami-born artist , whose real name is Kisean Anderson -- he changed his name to Kingston to reflect his Jamaican heritage -- got a taste for the big time in 2007 when his debut song `` Beautiful Girls '' became a No. 1 hit in the United States . His sophomore album , called `` Tomorrow , '' comes out September 22 . Kingston just wrapped filming in Los Angeles for the music video for its second single , `` Face Drop . '' Kingston dropped by CNN to share his thoughts on his abilities on the dance floor and the leading ladies of pop . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : How much time do you actually spend on the dance floor ? Sean Kingston : I spend a lot of time on the dance floor , -LSB- though -RSB- ... I 'm more the type of dude to sit back and pose and act cool . But I had to make a song for it because there 's a lot of stuff that 's going on in the world today ... people want to dance . People want to let loose and `` Fire Burning '' is a song that you can do that to . CNN : You were born in Miami . You grew up in Kingston . Then you moved to L.A. Where do you feel most at home ? Sean Kingston : I feel really at home , I ca n't even lie , in Miami . Because it 's just like I know a lot of people , my friends that are there . That 's where I started doing music when I was in Miami . CNN : Why call your sophomore album `` Tomorrow '' ? Kingston : Because I feel like it 's so futuristic . I felt like my last album was yesterday . Nobody 's going to be able to expect what Sean Kingston is bringing on this new album . CNN : The first track that came off the new album was a collaboration with Lil ' Wayne . It did n't take off like your previous hits . Why do you think that is ? Kingston : We never sent it to radio . That record got leaked . It got leaked from the Internet and we just kept it going . But it never really got that push from the label . But I mean it did good . I mean 4 million plays on YouTube , 3 million on MySpace . Sometimes you 've got to give free music to get people to pay attention and to build a buzz . So I basically gave my fans free music . CNN : You collaborate with punk-pop band Good Charlotte on the album . Kingston : Yeah . Benji and Joel -LSB- Madden -RSB- , man ! Those guys are hilarious . They 're talented and geniuses . ... The whole `` Tomorrow '' album ... it 's ridiculous . I feel like it 's going to be the album of the year . I feel like it 's my best album that I ever made . It 's way better than the first one . CNN : Do you feel like you 've pioneered this new sound that combines reggae and hip-hop and other elements ? Kingston : I definitely think that 's my own style . I definitely think I came in the game and I got my own blend . I 've got something that I call hip-pop , not hip-hop . And a lot of people are starting to use that now but I feel like it was my fusion . CNN : Is it fair to say that `` Beautiful Girls '' brought massive change to your life ? Kingston : It did . It changed my life like that ! No other song did it but that song . I 'm blessed . CNN : Are you surprised that it only takes one hit song to make someone a huge star ? Kingston : It did n't really quite take me one . It took me one to get in the door . And then it took having a Top Five record . But you 've got to understand ... in this music business , there are so many one-hit wonders . You could have a hit , but it 's like `` OK , could you follow up ? '' So it 's not about what your past is , it 's about longevity . CNN : You 've been the opening act for Gwen Stefani and Beyonce . Who are some other female musicians you admire ? Kingston : Man , those two are amazing . Gwen Stefani ! That 's what you call a star right there . Just to be in her presence ... I learned a lot from her . She 's just amazing . Beyonce too . I like Mary J. Blige . Rhianna ! I met her a lot of times and she 's down to earth . She 's so cool . And she 's an island girl . And I 'm an island dude , and we got ta hold down for other people . | Sean Kingston 's `` Fire Burning '' one of top hits of summer . Kingston melds reggae , pop , hip-hop ; he calls it `` hip-pop '' New album , `` Tomorrow , '' is due in September . | [[176, 250], [201, 250], [542, 560], [575, 616], [3926, 4007], [1630, 1649], [1652, 1658], [1660, 1670], [1673, 1700]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arturo Gatti , who was found dead in a Brazilian hotel room in suspicious circumstances , is revered by boxing fans for his trilogy of thrilling and brutal fights with Micky `` Irish '' Ward . Arturo Gatti fought to the limit of his endurance in many epic bouts . The Italian-born Canadian captured world titles at super featherweight and junior welterweight during his 16-year-professional career and also fought and lost to legends Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. in big money matches . But his 2002 and 2003 bouts with Ward will always be remembered , and two of them won the `` Fight of the Year '' award given out by the prestigious Ring Magazine . The first two fights were over 10 rounds , with Gatti losing the first and gaining revenge in a classic second bout . The third and deciding fight took place in June 2003 , and Gatti broke his right hand in the fourth round . Almost unbelievably , he fought on and despite being floored in the sixth dominated the rest of the fight to win on a unanimous decision . Despite Gatti 's winning the WBC junior welterweight crown the following year by beating Gianluca Branco of Italy to the vacant title , his storied wins over Ward proved to be the high point of Gatti 's career . He made two successful defenses of the title against lightly-regarded opponents until running into Mayweather in June 2005 . It proved a big fight too many , as he was slowed by body shots and cut a sorry figure as he was stopped in the sixth round . Moving up to welterweight , Gatti won a warm-up fight before losing to Carlos Baldomir in a world title bout . His comeback fight , with old rival Micky Ward by then his trainer , also ended in defeat to Alfonso Gomez in July 2007 , and he promptly announced his retirement . It ended a 49-fight career with 31 knockout and nine defeats . His first world title had come with victory over Tracy Harris Patterson , the adopted son of heavyweight great Floyd Patterson , to claim the IBF super featherweight crown . As his fame spread and with countless nominations for Ring 's Fight of the Year , Gatti , nicknamed `` Thunder , '' gained a large and devoted following among boxing fans . But his life outside the ring proved contentious and in March this year the Canadian Press reported that Gatti was charged with assaulting his then girlfriend Amanda Rodriguez and spent two nights in jail after failing to turn up for a court appearance . Gatti later married Rodriguez , and they have a one-year-old son . She has been arrested in connection with his death . | Arturo Gatti was one of the most popular fighters of his generation . Italian-born Canadian fought epic trilogy of bouts with Micky Ward . Gatti also won world titles at two different weights in 16-year pro career . | [[0, 15], [109, 194], [1622, 1671], [1696, 1741], [283, 416], [1056, 1061], [1065, 1106]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Watergate Hotel , part of a complex that became synonymous with President Richard Nixon 's downfall , attracted no bids at an auction Tuesday . The Watergate Hotel will most likely have to be sold privately after not attracting bids at auction . According to Paul Cooper , vice president of Alex Cooper Auctioneers , some 10 bidders ready to provide a $ 1 million deposit were registered for the auction . But the hotel fell back into the hands of its lender , PB Capital , after no one advanced the $ 25 million opening bid , the auction company said . The auction was sponsored by PB Capital , which holds a $ 40 million note on the hotel after the previous owner , Monument Reality , defaulted on its loan . Monument 's 30-day foreclosure note expired Thursday . Cooper said PB Capital will most likely sell the hotel privately after it takes over the title and will not try to operate the hotel itself . On the night of June 17 , 1972 , the hotel served as a base for an illegal break-in by operatives of the Nixon re-election campaign at the offices of the Democratic National Committee , located in the Watergate office building next door . Some of the burglars and their handlers , whose arrests began the investigation that led , two years later , to Nixon 's resignation , actually stayed at the Watergate hotel prior to the break-in . Among the hotel guests were former FBI agent G. Gordon Liddy , and former CIA operative Howard Hunt , both of whom later served prison time as a result of the Watergate break-in . Developers estimate the hotel could need up to $ 100 million in renovations . The Watergate complex was built in the late 1960s and consists of the hotel , two office buildings , and three apartment buildings . Only the hotel building was up for auction Tuesday . It closed two years ago for renovations , and possible conversions into co-op apartments . | Hotel falls back into the hands of its lender , PB Capital . PB Capital will most likely sell the hotel privately after it takes over the title . Hotel was a base for a break-in by operatives of the Nixon re-election campaign . | [[444, 492], [178, 207], [231, 279], [178, 197], [220, 279], [800, 854], [942, 972], [975, 1125]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Roberto Lee Jr , 35 , is the President of Fresh Bread & Company in Shanghai . He has an MBA from USC Marshall School of Business and an Executive MBA -LRB- EMBA -RRB- from INSEAD and Tsinghua University in Beijing . Roberto Lee : `` I do n't think I 'd be as complete a manager as I am today without the EMBA . '' Roberto tells CNN how his EMBA has helped his career . CNN : Tell us about your current role . Roberto Lee Jr : I 'm president of Fresh Bread & Company , in Shanghai , which I started in 2004 . We supply finished products like sandwiches , cakes and desserts for Starbucks , Walmart , Metro AG , Tesco , and a number of franchised restaurants . We also have a more upscale chain with bakeries , coffee shops and the biggest bread chain in the Shanghai subway system . We currently have 620 employees , 32 shops in Shanghai , and we hope to expand into Eastern China next year . CNN : You already had an MBA , what made you decide to do an EMBA ? RL : We are hoping to expand Fresh internationally , at least in Asia , and it could become an international company . The Tsinghua/INSEAD EMBA is a really global MBA . We had classes in Beijing , Shanghai , Singapore , Abu Dhabi , and Fontainebleau -LRB- in France -RRB- so it gave a very international focus . In each city INSEAD arranged for guest speakers from very large companies to tell us about the business environment in each country . It gave me much more of an international focus . CNN : How has that global focus helped you with your business ? RL : In my class I had senior people from 17 countries . We became like a family and we are still in touch . I 've been in different countries the last few years and my classmates have entertained me and showed me around in each of the countries . Down the road , if we decide to go into some of these countries , I have contacts and I 've learned from my classmates , from their past experiences and the experiences they 're going through . CNN : What was the biggest difference between the MBA and the EMBA ? RL : A key difference is seniority . The average age on the MBA was 28 and on the EMBA it was 37 . On an MBA people are getting ready to move into senior management , whereas much more senior management things being discussed on the EMBA . The other difference is that for the MBA you take off two years of your life . With the EMBA you still work , so every five to six weeks you meet for a week or two and you go to classes . With the EMBA you do n't get spend as much time on the books , so an MBA is more theoretical and with the EMBA you learn a lot more from your classmates . I had numerous high-level people in my class and they shared how they 've done things in the past . Read more business related features . CNN : So because you 're working at the same time , can you put what you 've learned into practice ? RL : That 's what was really cool -- all my classmates did it , taking stuff from class and applying it . I was able to get help from my finance professor about international standards for how some things are done on the books . The professors all have working experience -- they 're not just people with PhDs who teach -- so you can ask for advice and even now I can email them and ask their advice . CNN : Can you think of any example where you 've directly applied something you learned from the EMBA to your business ? RL : We learned about how one company got all its senior managers together and went out for a weekend brainstorm to set out their strategy for the next year . That 's something we did this past year at Fresh , and we set out a really clear path and goals . So far we 've met all our goals this year , so it was a really great way of doing it . CNN : Would you have got where you are today without the EMBA ? RL : It helped me out a lot -- I do n't think I 'd be as complete a manager as I am today without the EMBA . It 's given me a broader perspective for being a manager for all departments . My strong point has always been sales and when the company started that was the area I pushed the hardest , but now I 'm diving more into finance , accounting , marketing and HR . After the EMBA I have a much clearer idea what 's going on in my company within all the different departments -- that 's where it 's really been a huge help for me . CNN : What would you say to people put off by the expense of an MBA ? RL : If you 're going to do an EMBA program , do a good one . Tuition plus time and expense will usually run into six figures in U.S. dollars , but if you get into a good program it 's very worth it . | Roberto Lee Jr is President of Fresh Bread & Company , based in Shanghai . He has an MBA from USC and EMBA from INSEAD and Tsinghua University . `` I 've learned from my classmates and their past experiences , '' says Lee . He says the EMBA course helped him become a more complete manager . | [[0, 6], [9, 50], [58, 113], [462, 501], [114, 251], [1889, 1921], [2596, 2648]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A single-engine airplane made an emergency landing on a California highway Sunday morning , though no major injuries were reported , authorities said . The Piper Comanche 260 carrying a married couple landed on the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 . The Piper Comanche 260 carrying a married couple landed on the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 just outside Santa Barbara and a few miles from the airport , said California Highway Patrol spokesman Officer James Richards . The plane 's engine quit , and as the pilot descended , he lost control of the plane and landed in the southbound lane facing oncoming traffic . The plane struck two vehicles while landing , then spun and hit another one with its tail , Richards said . One vehicle passenger was treated for minor injuries , he said . No other injuries were reported . The landing happened at 10:36 a.m. -LRB- 1:36 p.m. ET -RRB- and held up traffic for less than two hours , Richards said . He added that the plane had departed Temecula in southwestern Riverside County , California , and was destined for the airport in Santa Barbara , a flight of about 180 miles . The pilot told authorities that he attempted to switch fuel lines during the flight , but was unable to restore power to the plane . He said he alerted a tower at the airport that a landing on the highway was imminent , Richardson said . | Piper Comanche 260 carrying a married couple landed on U.S. Highway 101 . Plane 's engine quit , pilot lost control ; landed in south lane facing oncoming traffic . Plane struck two vehicles while landing , then spun and hit another one with its tail . | [[171, 272], [203, 272], [273, 372], [305, 399], [273, 321], [435, 500], [171, 272], [203, 272], [273, 372], [305, 399], [501, 525], [557, 585], [557, 559], [590, 619], [600, 645], [646, 689], [646, 655], [692, 701], [646, 655], [706, 735]] |
Tukwila , WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Dude was in the house . Winners of the Seattle Lebowski Fest best-costume prizes pose at a bowling alley . Actually there were 11 Dudes , all dressed in the bathrobe-paired-with-sunglasses look made famous by actor Jeff Bridges in the movie `` The Big Lebowski . '' The venue , a bowling alley outside Seattle , Washington , was the setting for the Lebowski Fest , the unofficial celebration of the Coen brothers classic . When the film -- with its story of an aging hippie bowler turned bumbling detective -- opened in 1998 , `` The Big Lebowski '' fell flat at the box office and with many critics . Since then , however , the movie has developed a distinct cult following . `` These guys are not the ` Star Trek ' fans , they are not the ` Star Wars ' fans , they are a different class . They are not the nerds . They are the slackers , '' said attendee Scott Glancy . Dressed like a wide range of characters from the film , about 200 attendees of Seattle Lebowski Fest watched the movie yet again , bowled , drank the film 's signature white Russians and quoted each other their favorite lines . Watch highlights from the Fest '' There were plenty of Jeff `` the Dude '' Lebowskis , but also a handful of people dressed like his addled Vietnam vet sidekick Walter Sobchak , and sex offender nemesis from the bowling alley , Jesus Quintana . Others dressed up as lines of dialogue or set pieces , like the tumbleweed blowing across Los Angeles in the opening of the film . Most of the attendees stay in character the entire night with a dedication that would make Russell Crowe or Robert DeNiro jealous . `` There 's a certain community thing that goes on when you hang out and watch your favorite film , '' said Lebowski Fest co-founder Scott Shuffitt . `` When you are watching it with 700 people who love it just as much as you do and everyone 's quoting from it , it 's just a really nice community . '' Shuffitt and fellow founder Will Russell came up with the idea in 2002 while quoting lines from the movie during a slow day selling T-shirts at a tattoo expo in Louisville , Kentucky , where they live . `` People we did n't know jumped in and started quoting lines with us , '' Russell said . `` We realized we are not alone with our obsession for this movie , and we thought , ` Hey man , let 's have a party in a bowling alley for `` The Big Lebowski '' ' and never thought anything would come of it , and here we are eight years later doing it all over the country . '' Since then , Lebowski Fest has been held 25 times in the United States and overseas . This year , the roving celebration of the movie will visit 15 cities , including Chicago , Illinois , New York and Washington . Rachel Life , who dressed as Maude Lebowski , the film 's eccentric artist and love interest for the Dude , said the fest brings a sense of community . `` I love hanging out with freaks that are like me , '' she said . `` We are letting our freak flags fly ! '' Dude look-alike Kurt Michaels came for the feeling of being in on the joke . `` It 's just this cult following , '' he said . `` So many people are in on something that the general public is not aware of . '' And for Scott Glancy , it 's about getting something -- anything -- out of an otherwise unfortunate natural resemblance to a character played by actor John Goodman . `` It 's my destiny , '' he said . `` Where else can I come where I can be a superstar for four hours ? '' | `` The Big Lebowski '' fell flat at the box office , but has developed a cult following . Film tells story of an aging hippie bowler turned bumbling detective . Lebowski Fest attendees dress like characters from the film , bowl , quote lines . Most of the fans stay in character the entire night . | [[467, 550], [571, 645], [646, 656], [669, 720], [467, 550], [571, 645], [916, 969], [972, 977], [1103, 1143], [1389, 1441], [1520, 1594]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Famous for honest self-portraits , Mexican artist Frida Kahlo said that she painted her reality and that her paintings carried a message of pain . Her life was full of it , both physical and emotional , and she used it to fuel her art . Frida Kahlo was born in this house and lived in it with her husband , Diego Rivera . Much can be learned about both her private and public life by visiting the home she shared , first with her parents and later with her painter husband , Diego Rivera . The bold blue house with red trim stands out in the quiet residential street of the Coyoacán section of Mexico City . It was painted that way because Kahlo and Rivera felt that the bright colors represented Mexican culture better than the original white paint . This home-turned-museum , known as La Casa Azul , is where Frida Kahlo was born , began to paint and died , making the house a witness to one of the most important artistic lives in Mexican history . The museum entrance leads to a large patio where pre-Columbian sculptures collected by Diego Rivera throughout his lifetime are scattered among the plants and fountains . The couple 's love for traditional Mexican art can be seen throughout the house , from the large fireplace designed by Rivera that dominates the first room , resembling a step pyramid like the ones built by the Mayas and Aztecs , to Kahlo 's paintings and the couple 's collection of smaller sculptures . Some of Kahlo 's most well-known works , such as `` Viva la Vida , '' a still life of watermelons , are on display in the museum , but it is the personal objects that tell the most interesting stories . An entire room is dedicated to communist paraphernalia . Kahlo was very politically active and did not hide her political leanings . In fact , she and Rivera invited exiled Russian communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky and his wife to live with them in the late '30s . As visitors move through the museum , it is the remnants of Kahlo and Rivera 's private life that begin to tell their story . Part of the collection is a bed with a mirror attached to it , used by Kahlo in order to create many of her celebrated self-portraits . At the age of 18 , she was left bedridden for a few months when her spine was broken in a serious bus and trolley accident . It was during those months that Kahlo began to paint , to help pass the time and keep her spirits up . Also on view are several corsets that Kahlo had to wear during her lifetime because of lasting injuries from the accident , several surgeries and a childhood bout of polio . It was because she began painting that Kahlo met Diego Rivera , who was at the time a famous Mexican muralist . Kahlo wanted to know whether she had talent enough to make art a career , so she sought out Rivera to get his opinion . That was the start of their famously tempestuous relationship . They were married for the first time in 1929 , but after infidelities on both sides -LRB- including an affair between Kahlo and Trotsky -RRB- , they divorced in 1939 . They were married again a year later . She once commented on their relationship , saying that there had been two great accidents in her life , the trolley and Diego ; Diego , she claimed , had been the worst of the two . The house , which was witness to the birth of Kahlo on July 6 , 1907 , was also witness to her death July 13 , 1954 . Rivera put her ashes in a pre-Columbian urn , which remains in the house to this day . He donated the house in 1957 , and it opened to the public as La Casa Azul , Museo Frida Kahlo in 1958 . So the blue house , which has seen so much of the history of two of Mexico 's most famous artists and was witness to so much of Kahlo 's personal suffering , is open to the public , ready to tell their story to all who are willing to listen . | Frida Kahlo was born in La Casa Azul and lived there with Diego Rivera . The house contains the bed where an injured Kahlo started to paint . An entire room in the home is dedicated to communist paraphernalia . | [[256, 290], [256, 267], [295, 323], [771, 794], [821, 876], [1650, 1706]] |
BEIRUT , Lebanon -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Lebanese army has arrested 10 suspected members of a terrorist network who the military believes were planning to attack targets abroad , the army said . The army claims suspects planned to create cells to monitor and attack UNIFIL troops , among other things . Most of the suspects are not from Lebanon , said the army , which does not identify the network in the statement it released . Officials also do n't say when or where the suspects were captured . `` As a result of intensive investigation by the Lebanese army intelligence directorate in following up on radical terrorist networks , the directorate was able to arrest ten persons of one of these networks , belonging to different Arab nationalities , '' the statement said . According to a military probe , some of those arrested had used their jobs in private companies as a cover for surveillance and monitoring operations . The army urged private employers to verify the legal status of their employees or job seekers and report any suspicious information . The army claims the terrorists in custody were planning to : . • Smuggle wanted terrorists from the Palestinian refugee camp Ein el-Hilweh , located south of Beirut , to other countries . One of the network 's members was to bring them fake documents and money for their trip . • `` Harbor radical elements '' from the terrorist group Fatah al-Islam and give them fake documents to help them enter the Ein el-Hilweh camp . • Create terror cells to monitor the Lebanese army and UNIFIL , the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon , to carry out attacks against them . • Carry out surveillance of money exchange centers and jewelry stores as possible robbery targets to help finance their operations . | Most of the suspects were not Lebanese , according to statement from the army . Statement does n't identify the terror network it claims the suspects belong to . Military probe : Some had used private-sector jobs as cover for operations . Plots to aid `` radical elements , '' target UNIFIL troops and commit robbery alleged . | [[178, 193], [302, 343], [302, 322], [346, 414], [302, 322], [346, 414], [776, 805], [808, 927], [194, 301], [210, 301]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British solo round-the-world sailor Dee Caffari happily admits that you need to be a little bit ` mad ' to take on long-distance sailing . Dee Caffari celebrates completing the solo Vendee Globe race earlier this year . And she should know : Caffari became the first woman to sail single-handedly around the world in both directions after completing the solo round-the-world race , Vendee Globe , earlier this year . `` People say you must be mad -- and there probably is an element of truth in that , '' the 36 year-old told CNN . Growing up on the south coast of England , Caffari was bitten by the sailing bug early and her passion for the sport led her to enter the Vendee Globe , considered by some to be the most punishing sporting event on the planet . Caffari spent 99 days at sea completely alone and says preparation is the key to success in long-distance voyages at sea . That , and the desire and self-belief to make it to the finish . `` You have to have this desire to see how far you can push yourself . It 's having the willingness to put yourself in that uncomfortable position -- and belief that you have the strength to get through it . `` It 's a perceived risk and you go out there knowing that you have done all you can to deal with all scenarios . You do n't just go out there on a whim -- we are well trained , '' she said . Coping day-to-day during the journey is a whole new challenge : solo sailors must battle perilous conditions , changes to sleep patterns and , inevitably , loneliness . Would you survive a round the world voyage ? Take our personality test and find out ! Caffari says she found being separated from family and friends was the hardest aspect of sailing round-the-world the first time . `` The toughest thing about my first journey was not seeing people for six months . You can communicate very well now , perhaps too well , but it still does n't allow you to have face-to-face contact with people . '' Modern-day communications allow sailors to keep in touch via satellite phones and also keep in Internet contact . Sailors are tracked by global positioning systems -LRB- GPS -RRB- and also receive regular weather information . `` Transition '' periods at the start or just after the end of voyages -- when sailors are adjusting to boat routines or getting reacquainting with daily life -- are also very challenging . Exhaustion while getting used to different sleep patterns was particularly difficult : On board , Caffari would generally sleep in short bursts of two or three hours depending on conditions . The amount of sleep could vary greatly from day-to-day . `` The transitions are difficult . Life on board is very disciplined . Your adjustment with new sleeping patterns takes about two to three weeks . If it 's changeable weather when you 're out there , you do n't stand a hope of getting sleep . `` It 's a major shock to the body when you get back too . Suddenly you are supposed to get all your sleep at once -- and you actually have a night and a day , '' she said . Food is also an issue for sailors spending a long time at sea . It needs to keep for a long time and take up minimal space , which means meals can be monotonous -- freeze-dried pasta or rice-based dishes made by adding hot water . Cravings are not unusual , according to Caffari . `` Thankfully the product has improved . I just get bored of eating the same type of food . You are aware you have n't had fresh produce in a long time and you start to crave it . '' Despite the hardships , Caffari says there are numerous benefits . `` It 's an amazing environment . Every time you go out you are going to see something different -- but you ca n't always prepare for how hostile the environment may be . `` I 'm not a gadget person , so I quite enjoy the basics of life . I really value my time now . And in a team scenario it can be particularly rewarding , as the ability to not only push one 's own limits but also to push other people 's limits is important , '' she said . The intrepid Caffari is ready to push her limits once again -- this time sailing around Britain and Ireland . To find out more about Dee Caffari 's voyage around Britain and Ireland go to her Web site : www.deecaffari.co.uk . | CNN 's MainSail speaks with British round-the-world sailor Dee Caffari . Caffari is the only woman to have sailed around the globe in both directions . Lack of sleep and loneliness are the main challenges , according to Caffari . Desire , preparation and self-belief are the keys to success , Caffari says . | [[278, 415], [1640, 1769], [796, 803], [846, 918], [930, 983]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The crown of the Statue of Liberty will re-open to tourists on July 4 , the Interior Department said Friday . 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 . `` 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 crown has been closed since the terrorist attacks of September 11 , 2001 . Tourists have been able to visit other parts of the statue . Access to the crown will be limited to 10 people at a time , guided by a ranger . Official : Government wants to give `` America a special gift '' by re-opening the crown . | [[219, 290], [569, 649], [589, 597], [613, 649], [1133, 1191], [1133, 1152], [1194, 1236], [708, 799]] |
Editor 's note : Maria -LRB- Maki -RRB- Haberfeld is a professor of Police Science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City . She has served in the Israeli Defense Forces and the Israel National Police , and worked for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as a special consultant . From 1997 through 2001 , she was a member of a research team , sponsored by the National Institute of Justice , studying police integrity in three major police departments in the United States . She is the author of `` Critical Issues in Police Training '' -LRB- 2002 -RRB- and co-author of `` Enhancing Police Integrity '' -LRB- 2006 -RRB- . Maria Haberfeld says police officers make decisions based on their awareness of potential danger . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- We teach our children to think about what others feel before they act , but as grown-ups we frequently assume we understand what others do without ever having walked in their shoes . President Obama expressed his opinion about a police officer 's interaction with Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates . `` The Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home , '' the president said . Was it stupid behavior or was it an understandable result of police procedure -- the culture , or rather sub-culture , of this profession . People depend on police in a time of trouble but are quicker than lightning to judge harshly when things go wrong . But the most important question in this case is : Did they go wrong ? One needs to understand that the interaction between a police officer and a suspect is just part of a larger context . When a neighbor calls the police to report a burglary in progress and a police officer is dispatched to respond , a decision-making process begins for the officer . Police work is about sub-cultural contexts , about war stories , about suspicion , about unpredictability , about danger and fear for one 's life . Police officers make their decisions based not just on a given situation but also based on their prior experience , the experience of those they have worked with and the stories they have heard about incidents that happened in the past . A call to respond to a burglary in progress generates a series of images that prepare a police officer for an encounter -- a dangerous encounter that can possibly end with a loss of life . Not long ago one of my students , an officer in the New York Police Department , was killed trying to stop a robbery in progress . Police officers hear about these stories and unlike the members of the public who forget a story , no matter how sensational within a day or two , police officers carry these stories as their secret weapons . This is part of their armor . An officer responding to a burglary in progress arrives at a scene with a heightened sense of danger , anxious and ready to go into fighting mode . Yes , the professor identified himself as a legitimate occupant of the premises . However , he was not arrested for trespassing . He was arrested for disorderly conduct . Police officers arriving at the scene of a suspected burglary in progress do not put down their armor of suspicion just because somebody proved to them that they are the legitimate occupants of the dwelling . Police encounters can become deadly when officers assume that , on the surface , everything appears to be in order . It is their sixth sense of suspicion that helps them assess the situation in a way that members of the public would not consider reasonable . It is this precise quality of suspicion that goes beyond a reasonable doubt that sets them apart from the larger public and can be understood only by the members of the force . A person usually does not break into his own house -- it is true that it can happen , and it apparently did in this case -- but this is not a standard behavior that , once explained to the officer , should mandate an automatic approach to put down your guard . The officers look at the scene of the event they were called to as their domain , their turf , their territory , where some order has been disturbed and they were called to restore it . A famous police scholar , Egon Bittner , once wrote that we call the police when `` something ought not to be happening about which something ought to be done right NOW ! '' The professor may have raised his voice , and this would appear now as justifiable under the circumstances . But , when somebody challenges the authority or the domain of a police officer who was just called to restore order , the discretionary process of the officer is not the same as that of a bystander . The professor seemingly lost his temper . One might say that this is fine , given the circumstances . The police officer did not lose his temper , he just made a decision that might have been an outcome of an error of judgment , or which one might say could have been justified given the totality of the circumstances . iReport.com : `` Shame '' on Gates . There are over 19,000 different law enforcement agencies across the United States . Each agency has its own standard operating procedures and rules and regulations , including the ones that would appear relevant to this case . However , there are no national standards that can be applied when officers respond to a call for a burglary in progress . Only very general standards could be applied and even then the evolving situation would dictate how officers would proceed after confronting the suspicious person . When an individual under suspicion becomes agitated , insults the officer and becomes aggressive , the majority of police departments would allow the officer to make an arrest . I was not there . Neither was the president nor all the others who are quick to pass judgment . What went on in the officer 's head is something that I can only guess but , based on over 30 years of experience in the doing , teaching and studying of the police profession , I would venture to say that race had nothing to do with the behavior displayed and that the sub-culture of police work dictated the action , more than any possible bias or prejudice . I do believe that racial profiling exists in the minds of many -- not just police officers but also regular citizens . But police departments around the country are working very hard to fight these ill-conceived notions and , in recent years their diversity recruitment and selection processes , paired with modules in sensitivity and multicultural training , have had an impact . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maria Haberfeld . | Maria Haberfeld : President Obama said police acted stupidly in arresting professor . She says act could be viewed as result of officers ' awareness of potential danger . She says officers arrive at such scenes with heightened sense of danger . | [[955, 1073], [1077, 1196], [645, 743], [645, 743], [2778, 2898], [3097, 3305]] |
BEIJING , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Travelers to China who display flu-like symptoms may be randomly quarantined over concerns of the swine flu virus , the U.S. State Department warned . A child traveling with his parents wears a face mask after they arrive at the Beijing , China , airport . There have been cases of children being separated from parents after either tested positive for the virus , also known as H1N1 , a travel alert said Friday . Chinese officials may give medications to minors in such cases without consulting their parents , according to the alert . `` Although the proportion of arriving Americans being quarantined remains low , the random nature of the selection process increases the uncertainty surrounding travel to China , '' the alert said . Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs transmitted to humans and caused by type A influenza virus . Symptoms include fever , lethargy , lack of appetite and coughing . There have been about 48,000 confirmed cases worldwide , including 519 in China , according to the World Health Organization . The Chinese government has taken measures to stop the spread of the virus . They include placing passengers who have fever or flu-like symptoms on a seven-day quarantine , the alert said . Others facing quarantine include those sitting close to travelers with symptoms , those with elevated temperatures and those from areas where virus outbreaks have occurred . A 15-year-old from Topeka , Kansas , told CNN on Monday that she was quarantined in Beijing for a week . `` Apparently , I was sitting too close to a man who had a fever on the 14-hour plane ride , '' Kaitlin Hannigan said , adding that she initially thought she had a fever , but her temperature was fine when officials checked it . A day after she arrived in Beijing with an educational group , government officials showed up at her hotel . `` They were wearing quarantine suits , goggles and masks and , like , full body suits and gloves , and said I had to be quarantined for seven days because I came in contact with that guy , '' Hannigan said . Earlier in June , New Orleans , Louisiana , Mayor Ray Nagin was quarantined in Shanghai after possible exposure to the virus . Nagin was headed to Australia on an economic development trip when he was quarantined for four days after sitting beside a passenger who was being treated for suspected swine flu symptoms . Nagin showed no signs of illness . State officials warned Americans traveling to China that they have to follow local quarantines procedures . `` The U.S. Embassy will be unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine for affected travelers , '' the statement said . The travel alert expires in September . | Travelers to China with flu-like symptoms could face 7-day quarantine . Chinese government officials try to control spread of H1N1 virus . New Orleans , Louisiana , Mayor Ray Nagin recently quarantined on China trip . | [[10, 31], [70, 148], [1148, 1241], [1987, 2065], [1072, 1147], [1072, 1094], [1114, 1147], [2105, 2213]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Members of the international community have reacted to the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of Iran and the oppostion protests which have accompanied the result . Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pictured at a rally held in Tehran Sunday to celebrate his re-election as Iranian president . U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement Saturday : `` We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran but we , like the rest of the world , are waiting and watching to see what the Iranian people decide . `` The United States has refrained from commenting on the election in Iran . We obviously hope that the outcome reflects the genuine will and desire of the Iranian people . '' White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Saturday the administration was `` impressed by the vigorous debate and enthusiasm that this election generated , particularly among young Iranians . '' U.S. Vice President Joe Biden , commenting on NBC 's `` Meet the Press '' Sunday , said : `` I have doubts , but withhold comment . '' He added that the Iranian government had suppressed crowds and limited free speech , which raised questions . He also said that the strong showing by Ahmadinejad was `` unlikely , '' based on pre-election analysis . Gallery : Emotions run high after election '' Israel 's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman said in a statement that `` the problem which Iran poses for the international community is not personal in nature , but derives from its policy . `` In any case , in light of Tehran 's ongoing policy , and even more so after Ahmadinejad 's re-election , the international community must continue to act uncompromisingly to prevent the nuclearization of Iran , and to halt its activity in support of terror organizations and undermining stability in the Middle East . In a statement Saturday the EU Presidency said it was `` concerned about alleged irregularities during the election process and post-electional violence that broke out immediately after the release of the official election results on 13 June 2009 . `` The Presidency hopes that outcome of the Presidential elections will bring the opportunity to resume the dialogue on nuclear issue and clear up Iranian position in this regard . The Presidency expects the new Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will take its responsibility towards international community and respect its international obligations . '' UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Saturday that the UK government had `` followed carefully , and admired , the passion and debate during the Iranian election campaign . `` We have also heard the concerns about the counting of ballots expressed by two of the candidates . This is a matter for the Iranian authorities to address . We will continue to follow developments . Our priority is that Iran engages with the concerns of the world community , above all on the issue of nuclear proliferation . '' Fawzi Barhoum , spokesman for Hamas , the militant Palestinian movement backed by Iran , welcomed the results . He urged the world to respect Iranian democracy and accept the results of the elections . The office of Afghan President Hamid Karzai said in a statement Sunday that he had congratulated Ahmadinejad on his victory . It added that Karzai believed `` relations between the two Muslim nations of Afghanistan and Iran expanded during Mr. Ahmadinejad 's first term and hoped that these relations get stronger during his second term . '' German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told ARD Sunday that the Iranian ambassador in Berlin would be summoned to explain the treatment of protesters against the result . `` I have already prompted Iran , together with European colleagues today , to quickly shed light on what has happened there -- if one can take the announced election results there seriously or not , '' he added . Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have offered their congratulations to Ahmadinejad , the official Anatolian Agency reported Monday . It said that they `` called Ahmadinejad on the phone and congratulated him for his success in the election . '' Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon told reporters in Niagara Falls , Ontario , Canada , Saturday , that Canada was `` deeply concerned '' about allegations of voting irregularities . `` We 're troubled by reports of intimidation of opposition candidates ' offices by security forces . We 've asked our embassy officials in Tehran to closely monitor the situation , and Canada is calling on Iranian authorities to conduct fair and transparent counting of all ballots . '' CNN 's Shira Medding in Jerusalem and Greg Clary in Washington contributed to this report . | U.S. Vice President Joe Biden : Questions need to be asked about vote . UK : We admire passion of the election , Iran needs to address fears about fairness . EU Presidency : Hopes outcome sees opportunity for dialogue on nuclear issue . Turkish media : President , prime minister have offered congratulations . | [[718, 907], [758, 840], [791, 896], [2469, 2504], [2574, 2581], [2584, 2587], [2106, 2277], [2135, 2286], [3180, 3305], [3916, 4036]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sales of the flu drug Relenza shot up 1,900 percent from a year ago as governments around the world stockpiled in preparation for a swine flu pandemic , drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline said Wednesday . Stocks of antiviral treatments are pictured at a warehouse in an undisclosed location in the UK . Relenza sales were # 60 million -LRB- $ 98.4 million -RRB- in the second quarter of this year , compared to # 3 million -LRB- $ 4.9 million -RRB- in the same quarter last year , the company said in announcing its Q2 results . Glaxo also said that by the end of the year , it expects to have an annual production capacity for Relenza of 190 million treatment courses , more than a threefold increase to its previously announced maximum capacity . The company will achieve it by increasing production of the Relenza Diskhaler inhaler and building new capacity to manufacture Relenza Rotacaps , Glaxo said . Watch as swine flu boosts drug profits '' Relenza is an antiviral medication similar to Tamiflu that treats symptoms of the flu and helps to prevent getting it . GlaxoSmithKline started production last month of a vaccine for swine flu , also known as the H1N1 virus , the company said . It is now on track to meet the orders placed by many governments and the World Health Organization for the vaccine , Glaxo said . `` To date we have contracts in place to supply 195 million doses of the vaccine , '' Chief Executive Andrew Witty said . `` We also have a variety of agreements in place with the U.S. government to supply pandemic products worth $ 250 million . Discussions with over 50 governments are ongoing , with many at advanced stages , and I therefore expect further significant orders . Shipments are expected in the second half of 2009 and early 2010 . '' In an interview with CNN 's Richard Quest , Witty said the new swine flu vaccine will likely be a boost to sales into 2010 . `` As we go forward , I think we 'll see -LRB- swine flu -RRB- become more material for the company , particularly as we move into -LRB- the fourth quarter -RRB- of this year and vaccine shipments begin , '' he said . However , he thinks any sales boost from the planned swine flu vaccine will last only as long as the threat . `` What we 're doing here is responding to government needs , where they 've said , ` Look , we do n't know how serious this is going to be but we want to be prepared ' , '' he said . The real challenge for pharmaceutical companies is coming up with new blockbuster drugs for chronic disease , not acute outbreaks like swine flu . `` I think what you see in our industry is relatively resistant to the economic downdrafts ... but we do need to constantly renew our portfolio -- that 's the challenge we face . '' Glaxo will donate supplies of both the swine flu vaccine and Relenza to the WHO for use in developing countries , he said . Australian company CSL announced this week it planned to start the first human trials of a swine flu vaccine in Australia . Watch vaccine being tested '' Participants will receive two shots three weeks apart and will undergo blood tests to determine if they are generating an appropriate immune response to the virus , the company said . Swine flu has spread so rapidly and extensively around the globe that the WHO said Monday it was changing tactics against the virus , including stopping a tally of cases and focusing on unusual patterns . WHO declared the virus a global pandemic on June 11 . More than 120 countries have reported cases of human infection , totaling more than 98,000 documented cases worldwide . More than 700 people have died of the virus , the organization said Tuesday . With 29 deaths and a huge rise in the number of cases , Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe . Cases of swine flu in Britain have , however , proven to be generally mild in most people , Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday . They have been severe only among a small minority , mostly where patients have had underlying health problems , he said . `` Robust plans are in place '' to deal with the pandemic , Brown said . By the end of the week , a new National Pandemic Flu Service will be operating in England to quickly diagnose people who have swine flu and allow them to get antiviral treatment directly from local providers , Brown said . Swine flu has spread so rapidly and extensively around the globe that the WHO is changing tactics against the H1N1 virus , including stopping a tally of cases and focusing on unusual patterns . `` At this point , further spread of the pandemic , within affected countries and to new countries , is considered inevitable , '' the WHO said . The counting of all cases is no longer essential because it is exhausting countries ' resources , the organization said . While most patients have reported mild symptoms , a rise in severe symptoms or respiratory ailments that require hospitalization should be cause for concern , it said . Governments should also pay attention to unusual patterns linked to fatal cases , the WHO said . Any changes in prevailing patterns should be flagged , including a rise in school and job absenteeism , and an increase in visits to the emergency room . An overwhelmed health system may mean there is a rise in severe cases , the organization said . | NEW : CEO : Boost from swine flu vaccine will likely increase profits later this year . Sales of flu drug Relenza soar as governments stockpile in case of pandemic . Around the world there have been 98,000 cases of swine flu in 120 countries . With 29 deaths , Britain has the worst swine flu figures in Europe . | [[944, 973], [1802, 1843], [1846, 1926], [9, 32], [66, 186], [3489, 3551], [3489, 3512], [3554, 3608], [3743, 3794]] |
MUNICH , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Juliane Koepcke is not someone you 'd expect to attract attention . Plainly dressed and wearing prescription glasses , Koepcke sits behind her desk at the Zoological Center in Munich , Germany , where she 's a librarian . Juliane Koepcke fell more than 3kms after the plane in which she was traveling broke up in midair . Yet this unassuming middle aged woman has one of the most exciting and unbelievable stories of tragedy and survival to tell . It was Christmas Eve , 1971 , when Koepcke , then aged 17 , and her mother boarded a Lockheed Electra turboprop for a flight from Lima , Peru , to Pucallpa in the Amazonian rainforest . Her parents , both famous zoologists , ran a research station in the jungle studying wildlife . The airline , LANSA , had already lost two aircraft in previous crashes . `` We knew the airline had a bad reputation , '' Koepcke told CNN , `` but we desperately wanted to be with my father for Christmas , so we figured it would be alright . '' The flight was supposed to last for less than an hour and for the first 25 minutes everything was fine , Koepcke recalled . `` Then we flew into heavy clouds and the plane started shaking . My mother was very nervous . Then to the right we saw a bright flash and the plane went into a nose dive . My mother said , ` This is it ! ' '' An accident investigation later found that one of the fuel tanks of the Lockheed Electra had been hit by a bolt of lightning which had torn the right wing off . `` We were headed straight down . Christmas presents were flying around the cabin and I could hear people screaming . '' Watch Koepcke tell her dramatic survivor 's story '' As the plane broke into pieces in midair , Koepcke was thrust out into the open air : . `` Suddenly there was this amazing silence . The plane was gone . I must have been unconscious and then came to in midair . I was flying , spinning through the air and I could see the forest spinning beneath me . '' Then Koepcke lost consciousness again . She fell more than three kilometers -LRB- two miles -RRB- into the jungle canopy but miraculously survived with only minor injuries . Ninety-one other people aboard Flight 508 died . Koepcke says she is not a spiritual person and has tried to find logical explanations for why she survived . `` Maybe it was the fact that I was still attached to a whole row of seats , '' she says . `` It was rotating much like the helicopter and that might have slowed the fall . Also , the place I landed had very thick foliage and that might have lessened the impact . '' In any case she survived with only minor injuries . Her collarbone was broken , her right eye swollen shut , she was suffering concussion and had large gashes on her arms and legs . `` I did n't wake up until nine o'clock the next morning . I know this because my watch was still working . So I must have been unconscious the whole afternoon and the night . When I came to I was alone , just me ... and my row of seats . '' Her ordeal was far from over . Rescue planes and search crews were unable to locate the crash site and Koepcke was stranded in the jungle alone . But she had spent years on the research station with her parents and her father had taught her how to survive in the rainforest -- she knew how to cope in that environment . '' `` He said if you find a creek , follow it because that will lead to a stream and a stream will lead to a bigger river and that 's where you 'll find help . '' The day after the crash she found a creek and started to wade down stream , but it was tough going . The only food she had was some candy she had found at the crash site and her wounds were quickly infested with parasites . `` I had a cut on my arm and after a few days I could feel there was something in it . I took a look and a fly had laid her eggs in the hole . It was full of maggots . I was afraid I would lose my arm . Later , after I was rescued it was treated and more than 50 maggots were found inside . I still wonder how so many maggots could have fitted into that little hole , it was no bigger than a one euro coin . '' As she travelled downstream , Koepcke discovered more wreckage from the plane -- and found some of the crash victims . `` I found another row of seats with three dead women still strapped in . They had landed head-first and the impact must have been so hard that they were buried almost two feet into the ground . `` I was horrified -- I did n't want to touch them but I wanted to make sure that my mother was n't one of them . So I took a stick and knocked a shoe off one of the bodies . The toe nails had nail polish on them and I knew it could not have been my mother because she never used nail polish . '' Juliane continued through the rainforest , wading through jungle streams infested with crocodiles , piranhas and devil rays . `` Sometimes I would see a crocodile on the bank and it would start into the water towards me , but I was not afraid . I knew crocodiles do n't tend to attack humans . '' After 10 days , starved and exhausted , Koepke finally came upon a small boat and a hut on the river . She stayed there , hoping to be rescued . The next day a group of Peruvian lumberjacks found her and brought her to the next town . She became known as the miracle girl and was hounded by Peruvian media , receiving hundreds of letters from people she had never met before . `` It was so strange , '' she says , smiling . `` Some of the letters were simply addressed ` Juliane -- Peru ' but they still all found their way to me . '' The events of 1971 still haunt Koepcke and she says the memories are especially clear when she is confronted with airline disasters like last month 's Air France crash off the coast of Brazil . `` It just horrifies me . I only hope it all went quickly for those on board . '' | German girl , 17 , was only survivor of 1971 plane crash in Peruvian rainforest . Juliane Koepcke fell more than 3km into jungle attached to a row of seats . Koepcke suffered minor injuries , survived for 10 days alone in rainforest . Koepcke haunted by ordeal ; especially when confronted with other air disasters . | [[519, 526], [529, 541], [258, 309], [2026, 2106], [2348, 2359], [2369, 2392], [2348, 2349], [2354, 2392], [2026, 2029], [2111, 2159], [2585, 2636], [2948, 2983], [3112, 3154], [5035, 5072], [5075, 5137], [5570, 5608], [5613, 5701], [5622, 5763]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama on Monday strongly praised a decision by the nation 's pharmaceutical industry to agree to a deal cutting drug costs for elderly Americans , calling it an example of the kind of compromise required for successful national health care reform . President Obama says the pharmaceutical industry announcement `` marks a major step forward . '' The agreement discounts medications for Medicare beneficiaries facing high out-of-pocket expenses when their benefits reach a gap in coverage . `` This is a significant breakthrough on the road to health care reform , one that will make the difference in the lives of many older Americans , '' Obama said at the White House . `` Today marks a major step forward , but it will only be meaningful if we complete the journey . ... I have to repeat and revive an old saying we had from the campaign : Yes , we can . We are going to get this done . '' The nation 's top drug manufacturers agreed over the weekend to at least a 50 percent discount for most beneficiaries for brand-name medicines purchased in the so-called `` doughnut hole '' gap in coverage , Obama noted . The gap involves medication costs of senior citizens between roughly $ 2,700 and $ 6,100 a year that are not covered by the Medicare part D plan . The deal will be part of an $ 80 billion reduction in Medicare drug costs for senior citizens over the next 10 years , according to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus , D-Montana , who helped negotiate the agreement . Part of that $ 80 billion will go to closing the Medicare prescription drug `` doughnut hole . '' Congressional staffers did not have precise estimates , but Finance Committee spokesman Erin Shields said they expect the $ 80 billion commitment to both cover the Medicare drug gap and leave additional money for other , still unannounced , programs . The American Association of Retired People , the nation 's largest organization of senior citizens , has praised the pharmaceutical industry agreement as a step toward health care reform . Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs noted Monday that AARP was opposed to health care reform during the first term of former President Bill Clinton in the early 1990s . `` You 've got the pharmaceutical industry and the largest group representing seniors in this country , who 16 years ago were n't at the table but were on the other side of the political debate , '' Gibbs said of groups expressing support Monday for health care reform . `` I think that represents progress and important steps towards real reform . '' Overhauling health care is a top priority of Obama 's administration , but the initial proposals to reach Congress last week received a rocky reception . The Congressional Budget Office determined that either of two similar bills written by Senate Democrats would cost more than $ 1 trillion , which was higher than expected . Republican opponents immediately slammed the measures , and the Senate Finance Committee delayed scheduled hearings on one of the bills . Hearings by the Senate Committee on Health , Education , Labor and Pensions on the other measure began amid intense partisan bickering , with hundreds of amendments proposed by Republican opponents . At least two more bills are expected from the House of Representatives , and a bipartisan group led by former Senate majority leaders Tom Daschle , Howard Baker and Bob Dole also has offered guidelines for a proposal . At issue is how best to reduce the cost and increase the reach of the current health care system , which officials say is increasingly draining personal , corporate and government budgets while leaving 46 million Americans without health insurance . Obama has warned that a failure to act soon will bring far worse economic difficulties than the costs of plans under discussion . Both parties in Congress agree on the need to slow the increase in health care costs while ensuring that all Americans can get health insurance , but they differ sharply on how to proceed . Democrats generally favor a government-funded `` public option '' to compete with private insurers . Republicans have said such a step would lead to a government takeover of health care , which they oppose . Republicans also accuse Obama and Democrats of trying to rush through what they say is flawed legislation in 2009 before the politics of midterm elections in 2010 and the 2012 presidential race . The parties do appear to agree on several broad principles , however , including an emphasis on preventive care , cost-cutting measures in the existing Medicare and Medicaid programs , and a halt to denials of coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions . CNN 's Lisa Desjardins contributed to this report . | Deal discounts drugs for some on Medicare when benefits reach gap in coverage . Deal part of $ 80 billion reduction in Medicare drug costs for senior citizens . Health care overhaul a priority for President Obama ; early plans have had hang-ups . | [[375, 437], [1291, 1407], [2572, 2640]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Defying threats of arrest or worse , witnesses to protests in Iran are managing to leak reports of violence after the country 's disputed presidential elections . Anti-riot police form a barrier against protesters in Iran Tuesday . `` Censoring is very bad here and they have reduced Internet speed , '' two Iranians said to a friend outside the country . The pair wanted to broadcast images of damage and casualties after a reported attack on a dorm at the University of Tehran . `` We managed to upload a few pictures and movies ... please give it to news agencies and ask them to air it . '' The witnesses said riot police and militia attacked the dormitory Sunday night after a student protest the day before . Up to 150 students were arrested , according to the account , and at least one was killed . Students were beaten and shot , and one of the buildings caught fire . Some university professors resigned after the incident , the witnesses said . CNN can not independently confirm this or other reports . The images showed a heavily damaged building , the charred remains of what appeared to be a dorm room , an injured or dead person , a burned motorcycle and a bloody floor . Many Iranians feel the June 12 election was `` a sham , '' a Tehran man in his 20s told CNN in an interview . `` During -LSB- the -RSB- previous presidential election , we had a 50.9 percent turnout , '' he said . `` This time , we got 82 percent , because people wanted change and -LSB- current President Mahmoud -RSB- Ahmadinejad out . We know that many of Ahmadinejad voters from -LSB- the -RSB- last election voted for -LSB- opposition leader Mir Hossein -RSB- Moussavi this time . `` This is one of the reasons we were certain that Moussavi would win , '' he said . `` On Saturday morning , when they released the results that Ahmadinejad got 64 percent and Moussavi got 33 percent , we were absolutely shocked . If you looked at the returns coming in , Ahmadinejad 's returns never dipped -- but -LSB- conservative presidential candidate -RSB- Mohsen Rezaie 's dropped from 630,000 to 570,000 . How is that possible ? It 's just more proof that the elections were rigged ... people feel like their intelligence has been insulted and that they 've been lied to . '' Watch a report on images coming out of Iran '' Reports of violence came from outside Tehran as well . One video was posted by a person who said he had received it anonymously from a Twitter feed . It showed several people wounded by apparent gunshots , and people attempting to treat them , seemingly without medical supplies . The poster said the video was shot in Esfahan , a city about 200 miles -LRB- 320 kilometers -RRB- south of Tehran . `` We need napkins , towels ! '' one person yells in the video . `` Quick , give them to me ! '' `` Sit down , sit down , '' another person tells one of the injured . `` Please relax . You are very hurt . '' Another image on CNN 's iReport site shows the body of a man who has suffered a huge gash to his side . The man was 25 , the description said , and was martyred because of his belief in freedom . In yet another video , posted without a description , a screaming crowd surrounds a man 's body . CNN is not identifying iReporters who post content from inside Iran . `` Iranian TV is n't giving the big picture , '' the Tehran man said . `` They are depicting the protesters as anarchists . They even report that students are finishing finals at the university when the place has been shut down for days . '' One iReporter noted that Moussavi supporters are still able to organize rallies through person-to-person contact . Many Internet sites are blocked , and cell phones lack service in some areas , the person said . iReport.com : Are you in Iran ? Share your story with CNN . The Iranian government has blocked journalists who work for international news organizations . Witness accounts are that plainclothes police were on the streets , shooting rifles into crowds and chasing down those with cameras and cell phones attempting to communicate , fostering `` mass fear . '' One person said the injured were staying out of hospitals , as doctors are handing patients over to police . In Shiraz in southwestern Iran , 28-year-old Najmeh , a hospital nurse , said she had joined protests since Saturday , but decided on Wednesday the risk was too great . `` The police are everywhere you look , '' she said . `` They hurt and arrested so many people last night that no one wants to go out . '' Some Moussavi supporters , however , remained firm -- even as they accused those outside Iran of turning a blind eye to their plight . `` We are fighting with our lives and the world is just watching , '' said Ali , a Tehran University student who asked that his full name not be used . `` They see how the government is trying to silence us , how they are beating us -- but they do n't come to our help . It 's OK . We will succeed , even if we have to fight alone . '' | Report alleges arrests , beatings , shooting , fire in attack at University of Tehran . Twitter feed shows people apparently shot in city about 200 miles south of Tehran . Nurse says police in Shiraz in southwestern Iran have put a damper on protests . | [[375, 499], [442, 499], [826, 855], [2474, 2527]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. military bombed about 300 tons of poppy seeds in a dusty field in southern Afghanistan Tuesday in a dramatic show of force designed to break up the Taliban 's connection to heroin . The U.S. military bombed about 300 tons of poppy seeds in a dusty field in southern Afghanistan Tuesday . The air strike occurred mid-day in Helmand province and was observed by CNN 's Ivan Watson , who is embedded with the U.S. Marines operating in that province . The military dropped a series of 1,000-pound bombs from planes on the mounds of poppy seeds and then followed with strikes from helicopters . Tony Wayne , with the U.S. State Department , said the strikes on poppy seeds , that can be used to make opium and heroin , is part of a strategy shift for the military to stop the Taliban and other insurgents from profiting from drugs . Watch U.S. military bomb poppy seeds '' `` There is a nexus that needs to be broken between the insurgents and the drug traffickers , '' Wayne said . `` Also , it is part of winning the hearts and minds of the population because in some cases they are intimidated into growing poppies . '' In a bid to encourage Afghan farmers to swap out their poppy plants for wheat crops the U.S. Agency for International Development has been offering them seeds , fertilizers and improved irrigation . Observers have noticed a significant decline in the opium trade in Afghanistan , with the number of poppy-free provinces increasing from 13 in 2007 to 18 in 2008 , according to a U.N. report released last year . Opium cultivation in the country , which has 34 provinces , dropped by about 20 percent in a year , the U.N. reported in August . `` It 's a challenge to deliver assistance in a war zone -- you can hear fighter jets flying above us right now , '' said Rory Donohoe , a USAID development officer . `` At the end of the day , what we found is successful is that we work in areas that we can work , '' he told CNN in a recent interview in Helmand province . `` We come to places like this demonstration farm where Afghans can come here to a safe environment , get training , pick up seeds and fertilizer , then go back to districts of their own . '' Watch Afghans speak about the change in their farming practices '' Many of Afghanistan 's northern and eastern provinces have already benefited from USAID alternative farming programs , which have doled out more than $ 22 million to nearly 210,000 Afghans to build or repair 435 miles -LRB- 700 kilometers -RRB- of roads and some 2,050 miles -LRB- 3,300 kilometers -RRB- of irrigation and drainage canals . Giving Afghan farmers improved access to markets and improved irrigation is successfully weaning them away from poppy production , according to officials at USAID . Over the years , opium and heroin -- both derivatives of the poppy -- have served as a major source of revenue for the insurgency , most notably the Taliban movement that once ruled Afghanistan . `` If you can just help the people of Afghanistan in this way , the fighting will go away , '' said Abdul Qadir , a farmer in Lashkar Gah . `` The Taliban and other enemies of the country will also disappear . '' Atia Abawi contributed to this report . | U.S. bombs poppy seeds in bid to break up Taliban 's connection to heroin . Poppy seeds used to produce opium and heroin . Opium , heroin has been a major source of revenue for the Taliban . USAID offering seeds , other help to encourage Afghan farmers to grow wheat . | [[8, 35], [39, 142], [165, 229], [230, 335], [684, 759], [815, 875], [2796, 2810], [2813, 2829], [2857, 2961], [1169, 1170], [1175, 1249], [1166, 1174], [1250, 1364]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A small plane startled shoppers but caused no injuries or damage Tuesday when it made an emergency landing in the parking lot of a New Jersey shopping mall . The plane 's pilot reported a `` rough-running engine '' before landing Tuesday , an FAA spokeswoman says . The plane landed around noon at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall , according to Greg Poff , an official with Rockaway Township , about 25 miles northwest of Newark , New Jersey . Neither of the two people aboard the Cessna 172 was hurt , Poff said . Footage from the scene showed the plane resting nose down in a part of the parking lot near JCPenney . Mall employee Jennifer Nelson was relieved to hear that no one was hurt , and kept her sense of humor about the novelty of the incident . The optician at Pearle Vision did not see the landing , but heard about it when a patient came in and told her a plane was in the parking lot . At first she thought the patient was kidding . `` I did , because , who would think ? It 's craziness , '' she said . The unusual excitement near her store did inspire one idea . `` We 'll have to have a plane crash special on eyeglasses , '' she said with a laugh . Lori Magie , who works at the JCPenney department store , said that when she heard from others that a plane had landed in the lot , her first thought was to check on her car . `` When I was told , I could not believe there would be an accident like that around here , '' she said . iReport : Watch video shot at the scene of the parking-lot landing . The pilot of the plane reported a `` rough-running engine '' before the aircraft landed in the parking lot , according to Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac . One of the plane 's wheels apparently hit a tree during the landing , said Les Morris , a spokesman for Simon Property Group , which owns the mall . FAA records indicate that the plane is registered to an aircraft charter company called Genesus One , based in Paramus , New Jersey . | Plane carrying two people lands in parking lot of New Jersey shopping mall . No one injured , Rockaway Township official says . Pilot reported engine trouble before landing , FAA spokeswoman says . Mall worker says she thought landing was a joke when she first heard about it . | [[0, 15], [55, 176], [531, 633], [1602, 1640], [634, 663], [677, 705], [177, 256], [259, 284], [1534, 1614], [1643, 1714], [916, 962], [916, 928], [937, 962]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fashion photographer Rankin took time out from his career to take powerful pictures of people from Congo . One of Rankin 's images . He visited a refugee camp with the charity Oxfam and his work is now being exhibited in London . The photos are posed like a fashion shoot and different to the regular images coming out of conflict zones . `` I wanted to make the people who saw the photos look at the people and see them as people , not see them as victims , '' Rankin told CNN . Oxfam says 10 million people have died in the last 10 years in the Democratic Republic Of Congo . In the last few weeks , a fragile cease-fire has broken down . The conflict is complicated by outside forces and a variety of armed groups fighting both the government and each other . Rankin said the people he photographed just `` wanted the thing to stop . '' | Fashion photographer exhibits shots of refugees in DR Congo . Rankin says `` I want people to see them as people , not victims . | [[378, 466], [469, 492]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Portuguese football coach Jose Mourinho , ever the headline creator , has caused further outcry this week after he substituted Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari from his Inter Milan side during their Italian Serie A clash with Bari . Inter midfielder Sulley Muntari was substitued Jose Mourinho for his low-energy levels as a result of fasting . Taking a tired player from the field of play was hardly breaking news , at least it was n't until Mourinho revealed the move had been prompted because the player 's perceived `` low-energy levels '' were as a result of fasting . Muntari is a practicing Muslim who , like many of the same faith around the world , is currently not eating during the hours of daylight to mark the Ramadan holy period . Should fasting footballers be dropped by their managers ? Sound Off below . A discipline that clearly irked Mourinho who said in a post-match press conference : `` Muntari had some problems related to Ramadan , perhaps with this heat it 's not good for him to be doing this -LRB- fasting -RRB- . Ramadan has not arrived at the ideal moment for a player to play a football match . '' Muslim leaders in Italy have criticized the opinions of the coach known as the `` Special One '' , but Mourinho did not rule out the possibility of dropping the player for the Milan derby between arch rivals Inter Milan and AC Milan this weekend for the same reason . Click here to see our gallery of the top 10 Muslim football stars '' Elsewhere in Italy , fellow Muslim and Siena striker Abdelkader Ghezzal added to the debate by revealing he can not fast and play at the same time . `` I 've always observed Ramadan but I have had to change my habits for health reasons from the first year that I became a professional . Before that I played at Crotone -LSB- while fasting -RSB- but after two weeks I felt ill and had to stop . '' Egypt 's Under-20 football squad passed up the chance to break the Ramadan fast to help them prepare for the forthcoming World Youth Championship which they host at the end of September . The Egyptian Football Association confirmed that the Dar al-Ifta , the country 's institution which clarifies religious principles and issues edicts , had given specific permission for the players to legitimately avoid fasting . It is not just Ramadan which has caused issues between Muslim players and their clubs . The beliefs of Sevilla striker Freddie Kanoute have conflicted with the demands of his professional career . Kanoute taped over the logo of the Sevilla club 's shirt sponsors - internet gaming company 888 . com -- in 2006 because he said Islam forbade the promotion of gambling . So is Mourinho right to take account of how religious practices may affect his players ' performance ? Is it wrong to drop a fasting footballer whose energy levels may be lower than his teammates ? Should Mourinho contemplate that a player of faith may perform better in a period of self-enforced discipline ? Were the Egyptian players right to carry on fasting even though they were given permission to break the fast ? If Kanoute right to bring his religious beliefs into his place of work ? And can sport and religion ever be separated in a satisfactory way?Let us know your thoughts in the Sound Off box below . | Jose Mourinho substituted Sulley Muntari because he had been low energy . The Ghanaian midfielder is a Muslim and had been fasting during Ramadan . Egypt 's national youth team turned down the opportunity to break the fast . Let us know if fasting footballers should dropped in the Sound Off below . | [[131, 235], [254, 365], [482, 594], [1883, 1962], [824, 841], [3210, 3283]] |
LEBANON , Pennsylvania -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A hostile crowd shouted questions and made angry statements Tuesday at a town hall meeting on health care in Pennsylvania led by Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter . Sen. Arlen Specter , left , answers questions Tuesday during a forum in Lebanon , Pennsylvania . The meeting drew an overflow of about 250 people , with more gathered outside the hall to demonstrate for and against President Obama 's push to expand health insurance for 46 million people without coverage while bringing down costs . It was the latest in a series of emotional public meetings on the health care issue that have prompted Obama and Democratic leaders to complain of a campaign by opponents to drown out the debate with unruly disruptions . At one point , Specter shouted into his microphone that demonstrators disrupting the proceedings would be thrown out . `` We 're not going to tolerate any demonstrations or any booing , '' he said after one audience member shoved another making an unsolicited speech . `` So it 's up to you . '' Watch the shouting and shoving '' Many in the crowd identified themselves as conservative Republicans , with one man noting they had voted for Specter before the senator switched parties this year . One woman prompted a standing ovation by telling Specter : `` I do n't believe this is just health care . This is about the systematic dismantling of this country . ... I do n't want this country turning into Russia , turning into a socialized country . What are you going to do to restore this country back to what our founders created , according to the Constitution ? '' See a comparison of different countries ' plans '' Specter responded by noting his support for the Constitution as a past chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee on issues such as warrantless wiretaps . `` When you ask me to defend the Constitution , that 's what I 've been doing , '' Specter said . Specter said that overhauling the health care system is about America taking care of all of its people . `` In our social contract , we have provisions that see to it that you take care of people who need some help , '' he said . Several people asked if a health care bill would mean taxpayer dollars would pay for others to get abortions . Specter responded that any measure passed by Congress would allow people to choose a plan that did n't cover abortions . The senator agreed with the crowd on some issues , saying he opposes mandatory counseling on end-of-life issues called for in a House of Representatives version of health care legislation . Specter also vowed he would never support any bill that increased the federal deficit or took away a person 's right to choose their health care coverage . `` I am opposed to anybody making a decision for you or me or anybody else about what health care plan we should have , '' he said . Emotions ran high , with questioners complaining of government intrusion in their lives on health care and other issues . One man implored Specter and the government to `` leave us alone , '' while another said the message Specter should take back to Washington is that he and others `` want our country back . '' The shoving incident occurred early in the 90-minute session when a man started shouting that he had been told by Specter 's staff that he could speak , but he did n't get one of the 30 cards distributed to people allowing them to ask questions . Another man stood up and shoved the protester , and Specter approached the men shouting for calm . `` You and your cronies in government do this kind of stuff all the time , '' the protester shouted before leaving the hall . `` I 'm not a lobbyist with all kinds of money to stuff in your pockets . I 'll leave you so you can do whatever the hell you do . '' Specter remained calm most of the time , except when a woman asked if the bill meant a 74-year-old man with cancer would be written off by an overhauled health care system . `` Nobody 74 is going to be written off because they have cancer , '' he responded angrily . `` That 's a vicious , untrue rumor . '' See an overview of the issue '' One man defended the rowdy behavior of the audience . `` I do n't think we have bad attitudes , '' he said . `` We 're just being Americans . '' iReport.com : Attending a town hall ? Specter said he would vote against all the provisions he said he opposed in the town hall meeting , but he dodged the question of whether he would vote against a final bill if it still contained those provisions . The senator also tried to inject some humor , making sure to thank the lone person among the 30 questioners who supported the health care overhaul . Obama has said an overhaul is essential for long-term economic stability . Congressional action has slowed due to strong Republican opposition . Neither the House nor the Senate met Obama 's goal of passing a bill before Congress ' August recess . Watch how Obama is preparing for his own town hall '' In particular , Republicans and some Democrats reject a government-funded public health insurance option , arguing it would lead to a government takeover of the health care system . Most Democrats want a public option to ensure coverage is available to virtually all Americans and provide competition to private insurers . | Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania addresses raucous crowd 's concerns . One man storms out after he says he failed to obtain card allowing him to speak . Senator angered by `` vicious , untrue rumor '' that sick seniors will be `` written off '' | [[3484, 3530], [4059, 4095]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Getting arrested for stealing cars after his 16th birthday may be the best thing that ever happened to Terrence Barkley . Serving time in Missouri 's juvenile justice system set Terrence Barkley on the path to college . It got him out of gangs and headed to college . While in one of Missouri 's juvenile facilities , Barkley became editor of its student newspaper , captain of the football team and made the honor roll . `` I wanted something different for myself or I 'd end up in Kansas City doing nothing . I knew I could do something , '' said Barkley , who is the first in his family to go to college . Now he 's a sophomore studying criminal justice at the University of Central Missouri . Barkley was n't scared straight . He was n't packed away in a crowded facility with steel bars and razor wire . He was n't under the constant guard of uniformed officers with billy clubs or locked down with hundreds of other juveniles . Instead , he was sent to Waverly Regional Youth Center , one of Missouri 's 32 residential facilities where he wore his jeans and T-shirts . He slept in his own bunk bed in a room that looks more like a dorm than a jail cell . He received counseling and schooling . While America 's juvenile system is often criticized for corruption and abuse , Missouri state officials say its juvenile justice solution has saved billions of dollars and reduced the number of repeat offenders . In the last four decades , the state has transformed its juvenile system into one that defies the traditional prison model . Known as the Missouri model , the program focuses on therapy , comfortable living conditions and an emphasis on job training and education . Missouri 's facilities are serving thousands of young offenders , and they are receiving national acclaim . Each offender is placed in a small group of 10 to 15 , assigned a case worker and sent to school during the day . Offenders also put on Shakespeare stage productions and play sports . They learn about teamwork through camping and rock climbing . `` Young people are really turning their lives around and becoming productive citizens , '' said Tim Decker , director of Missouri Division of Youth Services . `` We 've redefined what 's possible in the juvenile justice system . '' Several states including New Mexico , Louisiana , California and Virginia are trying to emulate the Missouri model . Washington 's troubled juvenile detention center , Oak Hill Youth Center , which once housed some of the most serious teen offenders , was shut down in 2009 and rebuilt to copy the Missouri model . Missouri has changed , too . The state once relied on a punitive system that warehoused offenders in harsh conditions . For nearly a century , the Missouri Training School for Boys in Boonville was a dark place known for beatings , rapes and even deaths . At one point , it was crammed with 650 offenders . Even judges hesitated sending children to Boonville . It was closed in 1983 and transformed into an adult prison . `` We had a dysfunctional system and we had to change our mindset on how to best work with these kids , '' said Mark Steward , who helped pilot the Missouri model in the 1970s . Steward heads the Missouri Youth Services Institute , a consulting agency that helps other states implement the Missouri model . Under the Missouri model , juveniles who commit minor crimes such as skipping school or trespassing are placed in low-security , renovated houses or cottages with 10 other kids . The small group size allows staffers to work more effectively with individual offenders . Delinquents who commit violent crimes are placed in gated facilities that hold a maximum of 50 offenders but offer the same small group atmosphere and focus on rehabilitation . These offenders are broken into smaller groups and also receive counseling and go to school on site . Most juveniles work on community service projects during their stay . Instead of serving sentences of weeks , months or years , a juvenile in Missouri can win release through good behavior and demonstrated progress . Missouri officials say the small group size may be the reason why there has n't been a suicide in their residences in 25 years . The federal government has reported hundreds of suicide incidents involving juveniles in confinement . Critics argue the Missouri model 's residential centers are too soft on juvenile delinquents and that some youths may never become law abiding citizens . `` There are victims who certainly feel more is needed to help the child fully understand the consequences of their actions , '' said Julie Lawson , executive director of Crime Victim Advocacy Center in St. Louis , Missouri . Lawson said some adult criminals may take advantage of a juvenile system that does n't appear to be as punitive as the traditional juvenile model . Adult gang members may ask juveniles to take the blame if they know that the punishment wo n't be that harsh , she said . Missouri 's Youth Services Division staff admits that a small percentage of juveniles will continue breaking the law despite going through the program . But some research on the Missouri Model has shown promising results . A recent analysis by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that about 9 percent of juveniles in Missouri get in trouble with the law again within three years of their release . By contrast , about 28 percent of Arizona 's juvenile offenders were back in trouble within three years . The program has survived scrutiny from tough-on-crime conservative leaders such as former Missouri Gov. John Ashcroft , who later served as attorney general in the Bush administration . The Missouri model has saved the state billions of dollars , said George Lombardi , who heads the adult Department of Corrections . He credits the Missouri model 's low recidivism rate with slowing prison population growth . As a result , the state did n't have to build three prisons . More than 370 of the juveniles who went through the Division of Youth Services graduated from high school this year compared to just 40 children when the program began in earnest in 1983 , according to state officials . `` I had wanted to go to college '' said Kaitlyn Bullard , a 21-year-old senior at the University of Missouri . Bullard , a teen who abused alcohol was sent to a facility for girls in 2005 for behavioral problems . `` But I just never thought it would actually happen . '' Today , she is planning to apply to law school . | The Missouri model uses small , therapeutic groups to treat juvenile offenders . Juvenile residences do n't have barbed wire or require uniforms . A handful of other states are trying to replicate the Missouri model . Studies show only ten percent of Missouri 's youth re-offend . | [[2286, 2402], [5200, 5374]] |
-LRB- InStyle.com -RRB- -- The Cyrus family is ready to rock and always on a roll at its new L.A. home . Kick back and chill out with Billy Ray , Miley and the entire guitar-crazy clan . Billy Ray , Tish and Miley join Braison and Noah for chips and salsa in the kitchen before a rare barbecue . After months on the road , playing concerts one city at a time , Hannah Montana deserves a little R&R when she gets home . `` I just Superman onto my bed , '' says Miley Cyrus , 15 , whose Disney Channel alter ego has made her a pop sensation , with two multiplatinum sound-track albums and more than 70 sold-out concerts in the past year . `` I love to sleep . I 'd sleep all day if I could . '' Her father and Hannah co-star , country music icon Billy Ray Cyrus , prefers to think of the family 's Mediterranean-style villa in North Hollywood as more than a crash pad . `` I like for the house to be an escape from the insanity that is outside , '' says the 46-year-old singer and actor best known for his signature hit `` Achy Breaky Heart . '' Inside , the superstars focus simply on relaxing with Miley 's mom and manager , Tish , 41 , grandmother Loretta Finley -LRB- who runs Miley 's fan club -RRB- , 72 , brothers Trace , 19 , and Braison , 14 , and sisters Brandi , 21 , and Noah , 8 . `` Our house is fun , '' says Miley . `` Parts of it are really modern , but it 's mostly old Italian country . '' She opted for a `` more chill '' vibe in her two-room bedroom one for sleeping , one for hanging out and playing music with friends such as dancer Mandy Jiroux and High School Musical 's Ashley Tisdale . Inspired by the ultra-cool Viceroy Hotel in nearby Santa Monica , the suite has sea blue walls , coral-filled lamps and a delicate shell chandelier that hangs over her bed . `` It feels beachy and Old Hollywood , '' says Miley . `` I love the way the room is laid out . '' Billy Ray felt the same way about the entire house the first time he saw it in 2007 , when the family decided they needed more space and privacy in the after-blast of Hannah Montana 's success ... `` I just walked in and said , ` That 's it ; that 's the place , ' '' he says . Though Billy Ray and Miley have work to do in their native Tennessee , where the highly anticipated Hannah Montana movie is filming , right now he 's eager to lead his youngest daughter on a roller-skating expedition around the house . Miley sits at the foot of the stairs , teaching her brother how to break in his guitar strings . The Cyrus clan is happy to be home , even if the comings and goings of family and friends sometimes get as crazy as life on the road . `` It feels like we 're at the YMCA ; there are so many people just in our family , '' Miley says with a laugh . `` Then our friends come over , and it 's like , OK , this is a stinkin ' country club ! '' Get a FREE TRIAL issue of InStyle - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Miley Cyrus ' Disney Channel alter ego is Hannah Montana , a pop sensation . Cyrus has two bedrooms , one for sleeping and one for hanging out . The family bought their new L.A. home in the wake of Cyrus ' recent success . Cyrus lives with her mom , dad , grandmother , two brothers and two sisters . | [[460, 471], [500, 538], [1407, 1485], [1488, 1507]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former world number one , Rafael Nadal , has exclusively told CNN his levels of fitness ahead of the U.S. Open are `` better than expected , '' boosting his chances of becoming only the seventh man in history to win a career grand slam with victory at Flushing Meadows . Titans of tennis , Rafael Nadal -LRB- left -RRB- and Roger Federer -LRB- right -RRB- , will be both keen to capture the U.S. Open title . The Spaniard , who dropped to third-best in the world after being sidelined for over two months with a knee injury , said he was pleased with his physical preparation for the major that starts on August 31 . `` I 'm very happy as I arrive here feeling better than I expected I would a few weeks ago , '' the 23-year-old said , who came through two warm-up events recently for the hard-court tournament without any further reaction . Watch Nadal 's interview with CNN . '' `` I had a really good time in Cincinnati and a good tournament in Montreal . `` But playing in New York is always a special feeling and it 's the last major of the season so I hope to have a good event , '' Nadal said . Nadal , who was knocked out of the U.S. Open at the semifinal stage by Britain 's Andy Murray last year , said he considers himself lucky in terms of injuries that have affected his career . `` If you 're playing at 100 percent , always at the limit , it is normal that you get injuries . I had nearly four years of perfect fitness while playing a lot of matches . Injuries sometimes happen so you have to accept that and try and recover as quickly as possible . '' But the Majorca-born player admitted it has been difficult to cede ground to his rivals while unable to play and he is keen to prove a point in New York . `` Roger has done an unbelievable job - he deserved the 15 grand slams and I ca n't congratulate him enough . I miss the competition but not the challenge of playing Roger ! `` The atmosphere in New York is great , the crowd is more educated than many other events , so I like this kind of energy and electricity and I have high expectations of playing well here . '' Current world number one and defending champions Roger Federer also spoke to CNN about his optimism ahead of the last major event of the calendar . `` I feel great , a lot has happened in my personal life , as I have twin babies now , and this is their first trip abroad they 're only five weeks old . I won in Cincinnati so things are looking good . `` The main threats are Nadal , Murray and -LRB- Novak -RRB- Djokovic because they have done well here in the past - but we also have players like -LRB- Jo-Wilfried -RRB- Tsonga and -LRB- Juan Martin -RRB- Del Potro coming through so I think it could be more wide open than normal . '' Despite the difficult opponents standing in his way the Swiss still had his eye on capturing his sixth straight title in America and extending his record of 15 grand slam wins . `` It would be a dream come true to win six in a row here . It 's a dream that I always thought was impossible but I 'm only a few matches away now so I 'm close , '' he said . | Rafael Nadal feels fit for U.S. Open after returning from knee injury . Spaniard aims to seal career grand slam with victory at Flushing Meadows . Roger Federer is in good form after winning key hard-court warm up event . Swiss confident of bid to capture sixth successive U.S. Open title . | [[2799, 2924]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The first search of Michael Jackson 's bedroom a day after his death found marijuana , skin-bleaching and hair-growing ointments , anti-insomnia pills and empty bottles of several anti-anxiety drugs , according to court documents unsealed Thursday . The documents reveal what investigators found in Jackson 's bedroom the day after his death . A substance initially suspected to be tar heroin proved not to be a narcotic , according to a source with knowledge of the investigation . An affidavit , written by Los Angeles Detective Orlando Martinez , was used to outline probable cause for a warrant to search Jackson 's Holmby Hills , California , home on June 26 . Martinez filed his report on what was found in the search five days later . While the documents may provide some insight into Jackson 's life , they appeared to contain nothing that would lend new insight into his death . Another sworn statement written by Martinez several weeks later -- and made public earlier this week -- provided a more extensive list of drugs found by investigators at Jackson 's bedside . That document also revealed that toxicology tests led the Los Angeles County coroner to a preliminary conclusion that Jackson died of an overdose of propofol , a powerful sedative he had been given to help him sleep . The latest release refers to suspicions by some members of Jackson 's family in the hours after his June 25 death that heroin might have been involved . `` During the course of the investigation , family members of the decedent notified -LSB- coroner investigator -RSB- Chief -LSB- Ed -RSB- Winter that they located a quantity of tar heroin in a bag in the decedent 's bedroom located on the second floor of the residence , '' Martinez wrote . He used this statement to justify a search of Jackson 's home because `` there may be additional medications and/or narcotics at the location as well as the necessity to confiscate these items for the safety of the minor children . '' A source with knowledge of the probe told CNN Thursday that a test later showed that a brown , sticky substance found in the search was not heroin . The source asked not to be named because the source was not authorized to speak about it publicly . In addition to listing two Baggies of marijuana , the detective 's report of what was found in Jackson 's home listed three vials of Latanoprost Plus Solution liquid . An online search found medical journal references to this glaucoma medication also used to stimulate hair growth . Jackson suffered permanent hair loss when his scalp caught fire while taping a Pepsi commercial in 1984 . He was known to wear wigs in public after the mishap . Also listed on the detective 's report was Benoquin ointment , a medication used to lighten skin pigmentation in people with vitiligo , a skin condition . Jackson 's dermatologist , Dr. Arnold Klein , said on CNN 's `` Larry King Live '' last month that he had treated Jackson for the condition , which causes irregular patches of white skin . `` His was bad because he began to get a totally speckled look over his body , '' Klein said . The coroner announced two weeks ago that the report on Jackson 's death was completed , but that police asked for it to be withheld until completion of the criminal probe . | Skin-bleaching , hair-growth ointments also found day after Jackson 's death . Police searched Jackson 's home after family believed it found tar heroin . Source : That substance was not heroin . | [[0, 11], [113, 242], [388, 464], [388, 436], [467, 526], [388, 464], [2020, 2168], [2080, 2168]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- An infant girl delivered prematurely from her mother , who has the swine flu virus , has died , hospital officials said Monday . Aubrey Opdyke was put into a medically induced coma to give the baby as much oxygen as possible . Parker Christine Opdyke was delivered 14 weeks early by doctors at Wellington Regional Medical Center in Florida 's Palm Beach County . Her mother , Aubrey Opdyke , was placed into a medically induced coma June 3 to help give the baby as much oxygen as possible . But doctors delivered Parker on Saturday after her mother suffered a collapsed lung last week . Aubrey Opdyke remains comatose and in critical condition in Wellington 's intensive care unit . `` Despite heroic efforts on the part of physicians and nurses , we are sad to announce that baby Parker Christine Opdyke has expired , '' said a written statement from the hospital . No other details were available Monday . Attempts by CNN to reach the family were unsuccessful . Even under the best circumstances , delivering a child at 27 weeks is a very early birth , Dr. David Feld , a Palm Beach County obstetrician and gynecologist , told CNN affiliate WPEC . `` When you have an infectious case , I do n't think you 're going to see that lung maturity as quickly , and I think that is the issue , '' he said . But , he said , now that Aubrey Opdyke is no longer pregnant , she will be able to fight for her own life . Palm Beach County has had 247 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus , known as swine flu , but only one death . In late June , a 25-year-old pregnant woman died , but her baby survived . Pregnant women have long been a prime concern of health care officials regarding the flu virus , but are of particular concern during this outbreak of swine flu . Pregnant women have always been advised to get a flu shot because they are at greater risk because of the weakened immune system resulting from their pregnancy . But the H1N1 epidemic has seen new complications and challenges . `` We have seen , with this virus , worse complications and severe infections in pregnant women , '' said Dr. Anne Schuchat , director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . `` We 're urging women who are pregnant who develop fever or respiratory symptoms to seek care promptly . '' The CDC said it is vitally important for pregnant women to recognize the signs and symptoms , like fever and cough , to get to their doctor quickly and to begin taking antiviral medicines early on . `` I know that many pregnant women do n't want to take anything while they 're pregnant , '' said Schuchat . `` This is a situation where you need to be more worried about your health and the baby 's health . '' The CDC also recommends that pregnant women get the H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available , in addition to an annual flu shot . `` For people who are at high risk , like pregnant women , planning to receive both vaccines is probably the right way to go , '' Schuchat said . The CDC 's advisory committee will meet later this month to make recommendations on at-risk groups who should receive the new vaccine . | Baby delivered 14 weeks prematurely from a mom battling swine flu has died . The baby 's mother , who has been placed in a coma , remains in critical condition . CDC sees `` worse complications , severe infections in pregnant women '' with this flu . | [[19, 71], [246, 381], [767, 835], [1019, 1071], [148, 245], [382, 392], [402, 509], [606, 701], [606, 636], [663, 701], [1611, 1625], [1712, 1773]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Seventh graders at Ron Clark Academy became an overnight sensation during the presidential election when their YouTube performance of `` You Can Vote However You Like '' catapulted them to online stardom . `` The higher the expectations , the higher the results , '' says Ron Clark , seen here with his students . Now , their creative and scholastic talents have proved the students to be more than just `` one hit wonders . '' Academy students showcased their poetry and writings for CNN 's documentary `` Black in America 2 , '' hosted by Soledad O'Brien . Cultivating student creativity is just one of the goals of academy founder Ron Clark , an enigmatic educator known for his unconventional teaching methods . Under his strict tutelage , students at Ron Clark -- who are predominantly African-American -- are expected to excel in all subjects and maintain a high standard of respect for their peers and teachers . `` I 'm teaching an eighth-grade curriculum to fifth-graders , '' says Clark . `` Some people say my expectations of the kids , academically , is too high , but the higher the expectations , the higher the results . '' Watch Clark 's students perform their original poetry '' But with high academic expectations come an equally high quotient for fun . It 's become one of Clark 's trademarks : singing and dancing to popular rap and R&B songs during class to get the kids engaged . `` My first day at Ron Clark Academy , I thought all the teachers were psychopaths , '' says seventh-grader Jai Springs . `` I thought Ron Clark was going crazy . He was up in front of the kids on desks , he was dancing . ... I never saw a teacher get up on a desk and dance . But now I 'm used to it , so I get up on the desk and dance too , '' says Jai . Clark , formerly a schoolteacher from North Carolina , founded the academy with money he earned from his book titled The Essential 55 , which detail Clark 's 55 golden rules for success -- in and out of the classroom . Clark was invited to be a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show after winning Disney Teacher of the Year Award in 2001 . Oprah believed so much in the well-mannered Southern school teacher from South Carolina that she encouraged him to write the book . Later she promoted The Essential 55 on her show , prompting it 's ascension to New York Times bestseller list . Together with co-founder Kim Bearden , Clark transformed a decaying factory in a rough part of Atlanta , Georgia , into a state-of-the-art educational model for middle schools across the country . See newsmakers and iReporters on race , challenges , solutions for black America . Soon after the school opened its doors in 2008 , a Christmas package from Winfrey arrived for Clark in the form of a $ 365,000 grant , or `` a thousand dollars for each day of the year , '' as Oprah referred to it in the letter . Then came the elections , with a tight presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and John McCain of Arizona . Inspired by rapper T.I. 's hit song `` Whatever You Like , '' Clark 's seventh grade class penned their own lyrics and dance moves . The students ' performance carried a message : Cast your ballot because you support a candidate 's policies rather than just his skin color . When they perform the song , half the seventh grade class touts the virtues of GOP 's McCain while the other half root for Democrat Obama : `` Obama on the left . McCain on the right . We can talk politics all night . And you can vote however you like . '' The students `` can talk politics with the best of them , '' says Clark . Video clips of the kids performing have garnered over 15 million hits on YouTube . `` We got lots of media attention . But when the media arrived to the school they realized the song is not the story , it 's the kids , '' says Clark . One of Clark 's credos is teaching a `` global curriculum '' with a heavy emphasis on current events . Himself an avid world traveler , Clark believes it 's essential for his students to travel to other countries to develop an understanding and appreciation of the world in which they live . Through Delta 's corporate sponsorship of the school , administrators have been able to send all 100 of their fifth to eighth grade students abroad before they graduate . `` I 'm not nearly as shy as I used to be , '' says seventh-grader Chi Chi Kasarachi after her first year at the academy . `` My knowledge of the world has improved , I know more about what 's going on in other countries and I 'm more curious about things . ... I 'm just hungry for knowledge , '' says Chi Chi . In fact , the students at Ron Clark Academy are better versed in current events and politics than many adults . `` I never thought I 'd be interested in watching the news , '' says seventh-grader Osei Avril . `` Now I find it interesting because I have learned the stories behind the news , '' he says . Osei -- who pronounces Iranian President Ahmadinajad 's name perfectly -- says he 's interested in learning about world issues such as the Iranian elections , the Taliban in Pakistan , and the Palestinian - Israeli conflict . `` At the beginning , '' says Clark , `` the kids will say something like ` I 've been to East Point -LSB- a suburb of South Atlanta -RSB- . After a few years they 've been to Kenya , Japan , or South Africa , or England . ... They 've become very comfortable with understanding the country and understanding themselves . '' But it 's not just the travel or even the singing and dancing to rap music that make the school so special , say the students . It 's the academy teachers ' creative ways of instilling education , solid values , and a passion for learning . `` They want you to pass the people at the top , '' says Jai . `` To be at the top nonstop , be at your fullest , to be creative , to think out of the box . '' But school is n't all fun and games , she says . Clark is a strict disciplinarian that expects -- and enforces -- model behavior from all of the students . `` I love Mr. Clark with all my heart , he 's like a father to me , '' says Chi Chi . `` He might fuss a lot , but I know he 's doing it for our own good . '' | Ron Clark Academy students ' '08 YouTube rap performance got millions of hits . Clark teaches `` global curriculum '' with heavy emphasis on current events . `` I 'm teaching an eigthth-grade curriculum to fifth graders , '' says Clark . Student : `` My knowledge of the world has improved . ... I 'm hungry for knowledge '' | [[3615, 3697], [3850, 3952], [960, 1017], [1020, 1035], [3599, 3614], [4436, 4477], [4575, 4605]] |
-LRB- Mental Floss -RRB- -- We 're in the throes of summer vacation season , but at least one American is still on the job . While it 's rumored that President Obama will follow in the footsteps of President Clinton and vacation on Martha 's Vineyard , he has n't had a chance to break out his Bermuda shorts just yet . When Obama does take off , though , he 'll join in the grand tradition of presidential vacations , like these notable ones : . President Bush -LRB- R -RRB- and Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen ride bikes in Crawford , Texas , in 2008 . 1 . Abe Lincoln does n't go too far . Far-flung vacations are nice , but President Lincoln preferred to stay a bit closer to home . When Lincoln needed a getaway from the heat and political turmoil of Civil War-era Washington , D.C. , he headed to ... a different part of Washington , D.C. From 1862 to 1864 Lincoln spent June through November living in a cottage atop a hill at the Soldiers ' Home a few miles from the White House . Lincoln apparently loved the slight change of scenery , which meant slightly cooler temperatures and a chance to ride his horse each morning . If you 're considering a stay-cation this year , consider this Honest Abe 's endorsement . 2 . Movie cowboy does real ranching . Think George W. Bush was the first president to sneak away from the White House to spend time on his ranch ? Not quite . At the end of his second term as Governor of California in 1974 , Ronald Reagan paid just over half a million dollars to acquire Rancho del Cielo in California 's Santa Ynez Mountains . The 688-acre ranch , complete with stables and a 1500-square-foot adobe house , was Reagan 's go-to vacation destination while he was in office , and he entertained some big names there , including Margaret Thatcher , Queen Elizabeth II , and Mikhail Gorbachev , who gamely wore a cowboy hat during his visit . 3 . LBJ does some ranching , too . Texan Lyndon Johnson was very involved in the everyday operations of his ranch . Johnson , who had gotten into ranching in 1951 , grew his LBJ Ranch into a 2,700-acre spread populated by 400 head of Hereford cattle . Johnson was no absentee owner when he was in Washington , either . Johnson frequently headed back on vacations and supposedly drove his foreman crazy by calling every day to talk about the weather on the ranch or how the pastures looked . Today , the National Park Service maintains LBJ 's spread as a working ranch , complete with a herd of cattle descended from the Herefords Johnson bred . 4 . George W. Bush initiates a war on brush . George W. Bush followed in LBJ 's footsteps and went to his own Texas ranch when he needed a getaway . Prairie Chapel Ranch , a 1,583-acre spread Bush owns near Crawford , Texas , served as the secondary White House throughout Bush 's presidency , and he was often shown clearing brush during vacations . Bush was n't just doing farm work , though . He exhorted visitors to join the `` President 's 100-Degrees Club '' by running three miles or biking 10 after the mercury hit 100 degrees . Anyone who could pull of the feat got a specialized Under Armour shirt as recognition . We can only hope one of the many foreign dignitaries Bush entertained at the ranch -- including Vladimir Putin , Tony Blair , Silvio Berlusconi , Ariel Sharon , and Saudi King Abdullah -- managed to get one of the coveted shirts into their suitcases . Mental Floss : Iraq , Afghanistan and other extreme vacation spots . 5 . FDR heats up Georgia . Some presidents choose to head to their hometowns or a beach side resort for their vacations , but Franklin Roosevelt preferred to travel to western Georgia . Warm Springs , Georgia , is the home of -LRB- you guessed it ! -RRB- warm springs that supposedly had therapeutic value for polio sufferers . FDR , who had contracted his own paralytic illness in 1921 , started visiting Warm Springs in 1924 in the hope that exercising in the springs ' warm waters would cure him . Although the springs did n't reverse his illness , FDR felt like his time at the resort alleviated his symptoms somewhat . In 1927 he bought the resort he 'd been staying at , and in 1932 he ordered a six-room Georgia pine house to be built on the property . This house was FDR 's retreat throughout his presidency and became known as the Little White House . FDR was sitting for a portrait at the Little White House when he died of a stroke in April 1945 . Today , the house is part of Georgia 's state park system and is open to visitors ; it 's been preserved to look almost exactly as it did the day FDR died . 6 . Nixon gets the right ice cubes . When Richard Nixon wanted a break from Washington , he headed to a modest ranch home he owned on Key Biscayne off Miami . Nixon 's `` Florida White House , '' which he visited 50-plus times during his tenure in office , eventually swelled to include three houses and a floating helipad , which the Department of Defense installed at a taxpayer expense of $ 400,000 . -LRB- There was plenty of room for taxpayer outrage at the $ 625,000 total the government spent sprucing up the Florida White House ; one itemized expense was $ 621 for a replacement icemaker because `` the President does not like ice with holes in it . '' -RRB- . Given that this house was Nixon 's retreat , it 's no surprise that some shady dealings transpired on the premises . Nixon allegedly discussed plans for the Watergate break-in at the house , and he holed up there when the coverup came to light . The house fell into disrepair after Nixon sold it , and in 2004 it was razed to make room for a new building . The Florida White House was n't Nixon 's only retreat , though . He bought a mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean in San Clemente , California , shortly after taking office in 1969 . Nixon dubbed his new digs `` La Casa Pacifica , '' but the press quickly started referring to the spread as `` the Western White House . '' This house was n't cheap for taxpayers , either ; the government dropped over a million dollars improving this home with temporary office quarters for staffers , helipads , and an upgraded heating system . Mental Floss : Donald Nixon and other memorable presidential siblings . 7 . Teddy Roosevelt goes bear hunting . Lounging on the beach is great , but do you really think Teddy Roosevelt would miss the opportunity to do something manly ? Roosevelt 's vacation in 1905 took him to the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs , Colorado , where he stayed for three weeks while bear hunting . 8 . FDR 's successor gets his own little White House . Harry Truman may have been from Missouri , but he headed south when he needed some R&R . Truman started suffering from exhaustion in late 1946 , and his physicians recommended a warm weather vacation to revitalize the President . Truman took his vacation in a converted duplex in Key West that already held some history . The house , which was originally built in 1890 for the commandant and paymaster of Key West 's naval base , had already hosted William Howard Taft while he was in office in 1912 . When Thomas Edison developed 41 new weapons to aid in the American efforts in World War I , he spent six months living in the house . Once Truman visited the house , though , it quickly became known as Truman 's Little White House . He ended up spending 175 days in Key West over the course of his two terms in office . Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy later used the house while they were in office , and it 's now open as a tourist attraction . Mental Floss : Early summer jobs of Truman , LBJ and more . 9 . Kennedy retreats to his compound . Starting in 1926 , Joseph P. Kennedy began taking his family to Hyannisport , Massachusetts , on vacation each summer . His son John liked the area so much that in 1956 he bought a cottage of his own near his parents ' digs , and the family soon purchased a third cottage in the area , giving rise to the name `` the Kennedy Compound . '' JFK used his cottage as a base of operations for his presidential campaign and later vacationed there each summer he was in office . 10 . George H.W. Bush prefers not to ranch . Not to be outdone by the Kennedys , the Bush family has an even older compound of their own in Kennebunkport , Maine . In 1903 George H. Walker , the grandfather of George H.W. Bush , built a great mansion on his oceanfront estate in Kennebunkport , and the property has remained in the family ever since . George H.W. Bush used the Kennebunkport compound as his vacation home during his presidency , and George W. Bush made a few getaways to the house as well . Between father and son , they 've entertained some pretty big names at their summer house , including Yitzhak Rabin , Vladimir Putin , and Nicolas Sarkozy . For more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . Entire contents of this article copyright , Mental Floss LLC . All rights reserved . | U.S. presidents leave the White House to relax on vacations . Presidents Lyndon Johnson , Ronald Reagan , George W. Bush visited their ranches . Taxpayers spent $ 625,000 sprucing up President Nixon 's Florida home . Pres. Lincoln spent four months at the slightly cooler Soldiers ' Home . | [[2582, 2596], [2630, 2684], [8465, 8556], [4757, 4788], [4855, 4920], [5077, 5133], [5998, 6153]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Cannes Film Festival entrusted its opening to a Pixar film , and the animation studio did not disappoint . An adventurous boy and a cranky man travel by unusual means in the new Pixar film `` Up . '' Pixar , which has produced such gems as `` Toy Story , '' `` The Incredibles '' and `` WALL-E , '' introduced its latest feature , `` Up , '' on Wednesday night at the French movie celebration . By critics ' reckonings , Pixar has never released a bad film , and those who saw `` Up , '' its 10th feature , say the studio 's perfect record is still intact . The film is a `` captivating odd-couple adventure that becomes funnier and more exciting as it flies along , '' wrote Variety 's Todd McCarthy . `` The two leading men are 78 and 8 years old , and the age range of those who will appreciate the picture is even a bit wider than that . '' Gallery : Pixar in pictures '' `` It 's a terrific family adventure , '' wrote Peter Bradshaw of Britain 's The Guardian . `` The 3-D presentation gives it a real boost , but this film is airborne because of the traditional strengths : story , characterization and inventive animation with the old-fashioned values of clarity and simplicity . '' See the excitement of Cannes ' opening '' `` Up '' concerns Carl Fredericksen , a balloon seller voiced by Ed Asner . Faced with eviction after his wife dies , Fredericksen decides to uproot himself -- literally -- by attaching hundreds of balloons to his house and flying it to South America . However , it turns out he 's not alone . A stowaway -- a Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell -LRB- voiced by Jordan Nagai -RRB- -- is in the house as well , and the two of them become mutually dependent after landing a continent away . The film opens May 29 in the United States . Cannes audiences are notoriously vocal . They 'll whistle if they 're unhappy -- a French version of a boo -- and a movie that does n't meet the audience 's high standards will be treated to the repeated `` whop '' sounds of theater seats banging shut as patrons leave . `` Up , '' on the other hand , received little but cheers . CNN 's Natasha Curry , who 's at the festival , reports a morning screening concluded with applause . It 's an unlikely film to be opening Cannes . Not only is it animated , it 's animated by computer -- and , in some theaters , it will be shown in 3-D . Those are all firsts for a Cannes curtain raiser . But the Los Angeles Times ' Kenneth Turan told CNN that `` Up '' fits in with Cannes ' aspirations . `` Cannes likes to be seen as innovative , likes to be seen as embracing something new , '' Turan observed . `` But really the reason ` Up ' is opening the festival is not because it 's animated , not because it 's 3-D , it 's ... because it 's a wonderful film . -LSB- Festival organizers -RSB- saw that , and I 'm sure they liked the fact that they could do something avant-garde in terms of technique , but really it 's a wonderful story , it 's a terrific film and that 's why it 's opening . '' Turan said he sees Pixar 's work , and its recognition by Cannes , as another sign that animated features are among the best films being produced right now . `` The Pixar films , the Hayao Miyazaki films from Japan , the Wallace and Gromit films from Britain -- we 're really living in the golden age of animation , one of the great ages of animation in the whole history of film , '' he said . `` And Cannes is happy to be part of that . Cannes is happy to recognize that . '' CNN 's Matthew Carey contributed to this report . | `` Up , '' new film from Pixar , opens Cannes Film Festival . Critics widely praise animated film -- the usual reaction to Pixar movies . Why the opener ? `` It 's a wonderful story , it 's a terrific film , '' critic Kenneth Turan says . | [[0, 15], [19, 81], [2669, 2671], [2674, 2697], [2622, 2641], [2742, 2751], [2754, 2796], [2823, 3009]] |
JAKARTA , Indonesia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. mining company has denied a report by Indonesia 's state media that a convoy of its buses came under fire in the province of Papua Wednesday . Indonesian soldiers provide security near a PT Freeport-owned gold mine in Timika , Papua province , on July 18 . The state-run Antara News Agency had said that two people were reportedly killed when a 12-bus convoy carrying employees of PT Freeport was attacked by unidentified gunmen in the country 's eastern-most province . The company clarified that a vehicle was wrecked in the province , killing one person and wounding several others . When police and mechanics drove to the area to assist , shots were fired at them . Three people were hurt in the shooting , the company said . `` No shots were fired at the PT-FI bus convoy as earlier reported , '' the company said . Following the company 's comments , Antara 's Web site changed its report to reflect the new information . PT Freeport is the largest copper and gold mining company in the province . Attacks directed at the company killed an Australian mine technician and two Indonesians on July 11 and 12 . And two directors of the company were wounded Friday in a twin attack at the Ritz Carlton and JW Marriott hotels in the capital Jakarta . Papua residents have long resented the presence of PT Freeport in the province . They have criticized the environmental impact of the mining operations and the small share of revenues the province receives . In 2008 , a separatist group claimed responsibility for a series of bomb attacks in the area . No one died in the attacks , Antara said . In 2002 , two American teachers and an Indonesian colleague who worked at the mine were shot dead in an attack , the news agency said . Meanwhile , authorities on Wednesday released sketches of two men believed to have carried out the bombings at the luxury hotels in Jakarta . One was about 40 ; the other 17 , officials said . Analysis of their DNA matched those obtained from a homemade explosive found in a room at the Marriott where they had checked in , police said . But authorities still do not know their identities . CNN 's Andy Saputra contributed to this report . | Antara News Agency said two people were killed when convoy was attacked . Convoy was transporting employees of U.S. mining company PT Freeport . Company clarified a vehicle was wrecked but no shots fired at convoy . Papua residents resent firm 's presence , criticize environmental impact , little benefit . | [[303, 516], [350, 516], [1643, 1650], [1653, 1702], [1726, 1753], [350, 516], [517, 632], [539, 581], [776, 842], [1297, 1377], [1378, 1480]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three of five Americans contractors detained in Baghdad have been ordered released by an Iraqi judge , because of insufficient evidence , a court spokesman said Thursday . In a CNN exclusive , video shows U.S. contractors taken into custody by Iraqi authorities . The other two other contractors remain in custody , according to Judge Abdul Sattar al-Beeraqdar , a spokesman for Iraq 's Higher Judicial Council . One of the men has been released on bond , the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad confirmed Thursday . The embassy did not identify the man , who was released Wednesday . However , a spokesman for his employer , Corporate Training Unlimited , said it was Donald Feeney . Judy Feeney , Donald 's wife , also confirmed his release . The contracting company said the release of the others has been delayed because of a procedural issue . Judy Feeney said her son , Donald Feeney III , and Mark Bridges were to be released Thursday morning , but it may take more time to release the other two , Jason Jones and Micah Milligan . But al-Beeraqdar said , without naming names , that two contractors were being held on charges involving `` illegal substances '' found on the men when they were taken into custody . Those who have been released are not allowed to leave the country because of an ongoing investigation and the judge may want to question them again , according to al-Beeraqdar . Except for Jones , the detained contractors work for the Fayetteville , North Carolina-based CTU , a security firm headed by the elder Feeney . An Iraqi judge decided earlier on Wednesday that charges against the five contractors were not warranted and that they could be released , according to an Iraqi security source and a source close to the five . The sources requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case , in which the contractors have been detained since last week for reasons that remain unclear . The contractors initially had been told they were being held in connection with the May death of another contractor , James Kitterman , said the source close to the five . But on Monday , according to a judicial source , the men were told they were being held on suspicion of having unregistered weapons . Still , they were asked about their activities around the time Kitterman was killed , and Iraqi government officials told CNN Monday the five were detained as suspects in connection with Kitterman 's slaying . Kitterman was found bound , blindfolded and fatally stabbed in a car in Baghdad 's Green Zone on May 22 . The 60-year-old Houston , Texas , resident owned a construction company that operated in Iraq . The Green Zone is the high-security area in central Baghdad that contains the U.S. Embassy and key Iraqi government buildings . Access to the area , formally known as the International Zone , is tightly controlled . The five contractors were taken into custody on June 3 in a pre-dawn Green Zone raid by Iraqi and U.S. personnel , the security source told CNN on Sunday . During the raid , troops also confiscated weapons , the Iraqi security source said . Three of the contractors were suspected of being directly involved in Kitterman 's death , the Iraqi source said . A U.S. Embassy spokesman said the search was an Iraqi operation , but FBI representatives were present at the request of Iraqi authorities . The five were transferred to a prison within the Green Zone on Friday . `` After this murder inside the Green Zone , a joint investigation committee from U.S. and Iraq sides has been formed to investigate this incident , '' Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Karim Khalaf told CNN , `` and this committee managed to collect a number of indications that those five are linked to this murder . '' Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh also said the men were detained based on information linking them to the Kitterman slaying . Under Iraqi law , after a person is detained , an investigative judge questions the accused and assesses the evidence . The judge then decides whether there is sufficient evidence , and either refers the case to trial or dismisses it . The Iraqi source said the five had been held in a separate holding area and not with other Iraqi detainees , but spent time in a courtyard with other Iraqi detainees . A U.S. Embassy spokesman said consular officials had visited with them and `` they appeared well . '' The source close to the suspects said Sunday that each of the five men insisted they had alibis that will clear them and they were eager to tell their stories to a judge . The Feeneys had known Kitterman for six years from their time in the Green Zone and `` respected him , '' Corporate Training Unlimited spokeswoman Sarah Smith told CNN . CNN 's Alan Duke in Los Angeles and Jomana Karadsheh in Baghdad contributed to this report . | Judge orders three of five U.S. contractors held in Iraq to be freed . Two others remain in custody on charges involving `` illegal substances '' Contractor already released on bond ; wife , employer identify him as Donald Feeney . Men detained in connection with slaying of another U.S. contractor , sources say . | [[298, 347], [350, 394], [1064, 1081], [1084, 1104], [1107, 1154], [1147, 1189], [1166, 1242], [447, 487], [617, 645], [679, 706], [2338, 2457]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has followed his country 's surprise 2-0 Confederations Cup defeat to the United States by hinting he could be ready to leave English Premier League club Arsenal because of their limited success . Is Cesc Fabregas paving the way for a move away from London-based club Arsenal ? The 22-year-old star told British newspaper The Sun that the loss to the USA was not the prime factor contributing to his depressed mood , instead he focused on his club 's inability to win silverware . `` The absence of titles at Arsenal is what angers me the most . Cristiano Ronaldo said he 's leaving Manchester United because he had nothing else to win . For me right now it is the exact opposite , seeing the impotence , '' the playmaker and club captain said . Check out the world 's 20 most wanted players . Fabregas , who joined the north London club in 2003 , has not won a major club trophy since Arsenal beat Manchester United in 2005 to lift the FA Cup . Arsene Wenger 's team have also not been crowned champions of the Premier League since 2004 , a factor that has been increasingly of concern for the diminutive footballer . `` This year we wanted -LSB- the title -RSB- , we were giving everything - but we could n't reach the level that everyone expected of Arsenal . When you win , you 're well . But when you do n't , everyone is in a bad mood . For four years now , we 've needed a title to regain our belief in ourselves , '' he added . Fabregas signed an eight-year contract with the Gunners in 2006 , a deal that should see him stay at the club until 2014 , however , it seems he is already considering other destinations to ply his trade . `` My seventh season is about to start . It 's a lot when you 're just 22 . When you stop to think , you see that time flies . In football , you have to learn fast and take the best decisions for yourself and try to be happy . `` If one day I 'm not happy , I am the first who will tell the manager . I admire Arsene Wenger but each of us has his own life and looks after his own interests . '' The midfielder - who helped his national side win the European title in 2008 as well as guiding Arsenal to the semifinals of the Champions League in 2009 - hinted that the ambition shown by Real Madrid has attracted his attention despite descending from a family of Barcelona supporters . `` Of course my family would understand if I signed for Real Madrid because they love me , they want me to be happy and what is best for me . They 'd support me - whichever club I joined . My family will always be there for me - whatever decision I make . They 're the ones who are always by my side . '' Since the re-election of president Florentino Perez , Real Madrid have embarked on a period of extravagant spending , buying Brazil 's Kaka for $ 92 millions dollars from AC Milan and agreeing a $ 130 million transfer fee with Manchester United for World Player of the Year Ronaldo . Rumors have circulated that Fabregas could be a target for Los Merengues and the man himself speculated it would be a difficult choice to make if both Barcelona and Real were to bid for him . `` At the moment it 's not happened so I do n't have to choose . For any player it gives great pride that those two clubs come to sign him . It would be a difficult choice , '' he added . Arsenal kick off the forthcoming season in England with an away visit to Everton on August 15 . | Cesc Fabregas has lamented Arsenal 's `` impotence '' over recent years . The midfielder signed an eight-year contract with the Gunners in 2006 . `` Family would support a move to Real '' player tells The Sun newspaper . Arsenal have not won the English Premier League title since 2004 . | [[149, 246], [475, 510], [531, 595], [1486, 1549], [2382, 2456], [996, 1087]] |
MUMBAI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shweta Gupta knows exactly what kind of groom she wants : he should be educated , well settled and live in a good location -- one that must be in India . Indian brides and grooms from the Adivasi tribe take part in a mass marriage ceremony . Love may be recession proof in India , but arranged marriages are not . One of the casualties of the global economic slowdown is the Non Resident Indian -LRB- NRI -RRB- groom . They were once considered premium marriage material . After all , these were the men who had typically studied hard , gotten top jobs in the West , earned big bucks and could whisk their wives away to better opportunities in the West . Not anymore . `` Yeah , I hate to say it but the NRI man seems to be out of favor with the Indian woman , '' said Gaurav Rakshit of Shaadi.com , a matrimonial search engine used by 14 million people globally . He has seen demand for NRI grooms drop by around 20 to 30 percent since the recession hit . Why ? Shweta Gupta , a 23-year-old student , has an answer . `` Many Indians working abroad have come back due to recession hitting foreign countries and I do n't think recession has affected India that much , '' said said . She believes there is greater job security in India , so would prefer her husband to be based here . Her mother , who is involved in finding a suitable man for her daughter , agreed . `` Suppose there is no job security , then again he would have to come to India , then again he would have to find a job for himself , so I would prefer both of them to be here . Plus , I want my daughter to be close to me , '' said Shraddha Gupta . Arranged marriages are still the norm in India and parents play an active role in choosing a life partner for their children . Traditionally , parents will let friends know that they are on the lookout for a partner for their child . Sometimes , they go to a marriage broker -- a middleman who keeps a stash of resumes and photos of eligible men and women whose families have registered with them . As Indians get more tech savvy , more people are taking their search for partners online . Matrimonial Web sites are popular since they offer a much bigger pool of potential life partners . Shweta Gupta is currently pursuing an MBA in Mumbai and is confident of getting good job offers in India -- another reason she would not want to risk that by going abroad . `` As the woman finds her voice in Indian society , a part of the trend is defined by her unwillingness to compromise on where she grew up , the kind of person she wants to be with , the value system she wants to associate with , '' Rakshit said . Women in India are comfortable with the opportunities they have at home and do n't feel they need to go abroad to have a better life . As a result , NRI men are out . So , who is in ? Well , government employees , who are typically thought to hold more stable jobs . Shaadi.com said demand was up around 45 percent since last year for men with these jobs . Also in favor now : working wives -- a departure from the tradition of Indian men choosing only homemakers . Anish Sapra , 27 , has been looking for a bride for around ten months -- and he wants a working woman . `` It will be a help -- more than a help -- to have a working partner , '' he said . `` Not just for financial reasons , '' he added noting that he believes he would have more in common with such a wife . A wife with a job could help pay off some of the wedding bills , too . Indian marriages are typically large and flamboyant affairs , though the slowdown means they are somewhat subdued these days . That is one tradition Shweta Gupta wo n't give up . She is holding out for a grand wedding with lots of singing and dancing -- she just has to find Mr. Right . `` My marriage should be fun , it should be remembered by all people , '' she said . | Arranged marriages are still the norm in India . Typically families sought Indians working overseas as good marriage material . With recession hitting the West hard , Indians are looking inward for suitors . Women in India are more comfortable today with the opportunities they have at home . | [[1650, 1708], [1777, 1790], [1793, 1883], [2660, 2713], [2696, 2713], [2719, 2731]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson could n't sleep . A coroner preliminarily has concluded Michael Jackson died of an overdose of propofol , court documents say . Maybe it was anxiety over his upcoming comeback concert series in London , England . Perhaps his body was trying to process too many different medications . The reason may never be known , but a sworn affidavit makes clear that the King of Pop could n't get rest the night before he died on June 25 . The affidavit , from Detective Orlando Martinez of the Los Angeles Police Department , outlines probable cause for search warrants on the offices of doctors who are thought to have treated Jackson . Yet it also opens a window into Jackson 's final hours , revealing information about the singer 's treatment and the drugs given him by Dr. Conrad Murray , his personal physician , before his death . Watch a panel discuss Jackson 's death '' Based on interviews , visits to Jackson 's home as well as records and documents gathered during the investigation , the affidavit provides the following account of Jackson 's last days : . In May , Jackson hired Murray , a cardiologist . The singer was spending long days rehearsing for concerts that he saw as crucial to reviving his career . For six weeks , Murray told police that he treated Jackson for insomnia . He said he had been giving the singer an intravenous drip with 50 milligrams of propofol , diluted with lidocaine , every night to help him sleep . Jackson was already familiar with propofol , a powerful anesthetic , Murray said . The singer even called it his `` milk '' because of its milky appearance , he said . With the concerts approaching , Jackson started to need these drugs every night , Murray said -- and the doctor said he worried that Jackson was becoming addicted to propofol . He wanted to wean Jackson off the drug . Three days before Jackson 's death -- on June 22 -- Murray gave the singer a combination of drugs that he hoped gradually would move the singer off propofol . That mixture involved propofol , the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam -LRB- known by its brand name , Ativan -RRB- and midazolam -LRB- known as Versed -RRB- . It succeeded in helping Jackson to sleep for that night and the next , Murray said . But by the night of June 24 , Jackson again apparently was unable to sleep . Learn more about the events of Jackson 's final hours '' At 1:30 a.m. on June 25 , Murray decided to forgo the propofol in favor of 10 milligrams of Valium . Half an hour later , with Jackson still awake in bed , Murray injected the singer with two milligrams of lorazepam . It still was n't working . At 3 a.m. , Murray gave the singer two milligrams of midazolam , pushed slowly into his IV . And two hours later , with Jackson still awake , Murray administered another two milligrams of lorazepam through Jackson 's IV . The drugs did nothing to help Jackson sleep . At 7:30 a.m. , Murray gave the singer another two milligrams of midazolam in his IV . By that point , Murray was n't even leaving Jackson 's room anymore , let alone his bedside . The doctor told police he sat next to the singer in his bedroom , monitoring Jackson 's pulse and oxygen levels . More than three hours later , despite a night of medication and doctor 's care , Jackson remained awake . Jackson was repeatedly asking -- even demanding -- that Murray give him more propofol to help him sleep , the doctor told police . So Murray finally administered 25 milligrams of propofol diluted with lidocaine via Jackson 's IV drip . The singer now had his `` milk , '' and it worked . After a restless night , Jackson was finally able to close his eyes and go to sleep . Murray told police he watched Jackson sleep for about 10 minutes before going to the bathroom . It had been a long night for both of them . The trip to the bathroom took less than two minutes , Murray told police . But when he came back , he said , he saw Jackson was n't breathing . He started cardiopulmonary resuscitation , but it did n't work . Jackson was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead later that afternoon . According to court documents released Monday , Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran , the chief medical examiner-coroner for Los Angeles County , concluded Jackson died of an overdose of propofol . Sathyavagiswaran reached that preliminary conclusion after reviewing toxicology results carried out on Jackson 's blood , according to a search warrant and affidavit unsealed in Houston , Texas . The coroner 's office would not comment on the statements in the affidavit . But Ed Chernoff , Murray 's attorney , took issue with some of the information included in the court documents . `` Much of what was in the search warrant affidavit is factual . However , unfortunately , much is police theory , '' Chernoff said , specifically referring to media reports the coroner would rule Jackson 's death a homicide . The Los Angeles County district attorney 's office said it has not yet seen a police report on the case , and no criminal charges have been filed . | Affidavit opens a window into Michael Jackson 's final hours . Doctor reportedly said he worried Jackson was becoming addicted to propofol . Affidavit : Dr. Conrad Murray gave singer several drugs on night before June 25 death . Murray 's attorney calls some information in affidavit `` factual , '' other `` police theory '' | [[663, 669], [675, 717], [1022, 1090], [2333, 2389], [1741, 1816], [776, 816], [1858, 1892], [1896, 1906], [1910, 2016], [4683, 4747]] |
Editor 's note : Julian E. Zelizer is a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University 's Woodrow Wilson School . His new book , `` Arsenal of Democracy : The Politics of National Security -- From World War II to the War on Terrorism , '' will be published this fall by Basic Books . Zelizer writes widely about current events . Julian Zelizer says some of President Obama 's political vulnerabilities have started to emerge . PRINCETON , New Jersey -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- June has been rough for President Obama . After experiencing enormous success during his first months in office , some of his political vulnerabilities have started to emerge . As Republicans begin to think about the 2010 midterm elections and moderate Democrats decide how they should vote on Obama 's most ambitious initiative , health care , the White House must prevent these weaknesses from becoming debilitating . The first vulnerability is the tension between the left and center of the Democratic Party . Since his election , President Obama has struggled to navigate the divisions that exist between the liberal base of the party , who were the core of his early support , and moderate Democrats , who were also instrumental to his victory . At first , the administration relied on good will and political capital from the election to overcome conflicts , such as when Obama agreed to reductions in the size of the economic stimulus package to placate the conservative Democrats and some Republicans despite the objection of progressives . But the tensions are becoming more pronounced and more difficult to resolve . The president has disappointed gay rights activists for not fulfilling promises they thought he had made on the issue of gay rights . Last week , they expressed their frustration with the Department of Justice 's legal brief supporting the Defense of Marriage Act , a law that prohibits same-sex partners from receiving marriage benefits and protects states that do n't recognize same-sex marriages . Obama failed to calm the storm even when he extended some employment benefits to the same-sex partners of federal workers . He came under fire for having declined to provide health care and retirement benefits on the grounds that such a move would violate the Defense of Marriage Act . These kinds of left-center tensions will intensify when Congress delves into the final negotiations over health care this summer . Progressive Democrats insist that without a public insurance option health care reform will fail in the long run . Several Democratic moderates have been pushing alternatives that fall far short of that goal . The second vulnerability is the deficit . When Republicans have turned away from cultural issues and toward economics , they have been finding more success at attracting the interest of independents and moderates . Recent polls have shown that the public is concerned about the growing size of the deficit and Republicans have finally gained a bit of political traction by linking Obama 's policies to the government 's red ink . To be sure , this is not a home run issue for the GOP . Many commentators have pointed to the hypocrisy of Republicans making anti-deficit arguments following the tax-cutting and spending spree that took place under President Bush . Moreover , deficits have a poor track record in terms of being a winning campaign issue . There have not been any presidential candidates or major midterm elections in recent history that hinged on anti-deficit arguments . Many presidents , including Franklin D. Roosevelt , survived while growing the deficit . Polls have shown the public is also notoriously fickle about how much weight it gives to the deficit as an issue , and is often misinformed about the actual size of the deficit . Nonetheless , warning about rising deficits has been an effective tool for weakening the political strength of an incumbent administration . Regardless of the economics of the issue , with some respected economists saying short-term deficits do n't matter , many Americans perceive the budget deficit as a symbol for whether a president is keeping federal spending under control . While Republicans might not take back Congress by focusing on the deficit , they can erode Obama 's political standing and make it more difficult for him to pass legislation . Finally , there is the economy . The irony for Obama is that as the economy has stabilized , it has become a greater source of political danger . Without an immediate crisis , voters are not as panicked and do n't feel as desperate for federal assistance . A growing number are more comfortable criticizing the administration 's economic policies . Some Republicans have picked up on this and have asked why the U.S. needs to spend the stimulus money if the recession is almost over . At the same time , Obama is in a double bind : Most experts agree that we will have a fragile economy in the foreseeable future , so voters wo n't be happy either . If there is any new dip in the economy , the public will blame President Obama rather than President Bush . This is exactly what happened with the recession in 1937 , which FDR 's opponents called the `` Roosevelt Recession , '' using the downturn to diminish the number of New Deal liberals in the House and Senate in 1938 . Does this mean Obama is finished ? Not at all . The same polls that reveal vulnerabilities show that Obama is still extremely popular with the public and most evidence suggests that he has good standing with congressional Democrats . But in recent weeks a candidate who was once seen as invincible is now seen as potentially vulnerable . This is when the sharks start to circle in American politics . The revelation of weakness gives Republicans , as well as unhappy Democrats , more confidence to challenge the White House . This is not what the president wanted right as he is trying to win support for his health care proposal and the rest of his budget . If the problems are not contained , they can also become the foundation for the Republican campaign for Congress in 2010 . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer . | Julian Zelizer : June has been a difficult month for President Obama . He says divisions have grown among Democrats on gay rights , health care . Zelizer says growing concern about deficit could blunt Obama 's plans . He says a new dip in the economy would be blamed on Obama , not Bush . | [[486, 527], [2885, 2946], [5005, 5040], [5043, 5080]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Space shuttle Discovery launched just before midnight Friday on a mission to the international space station . Space shuttle Discovery lifts off late Friday from Kennedy Space Center in a photo from iReporter Alan Walters . The crew of seven astronauts includes one from Mexico and another from Sweden . One of those seven , Nicole Stott , will remain on the station as a flight engineer , while astronaut Timothy Kopra is to return home aboard the shuttle . Also on board : The Leonardo logistics module , science experiments and the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill -LRB- COLBERT -RRB- , named for fake newsman Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central 's `` The Colbert Report . '' Colbert won an online poll conducted by NASA to name the newest space station compartment , but Colbert and the space agency compromised to give the moniker to the treadmill . The new compartment was given the name Tranquility . NASA astronaut Cady Coleman said the treadmill is an essential addition to the space station . Watch shuttle launch '' `` We have the treadmill now to keep them healthy , which is really part of being able to come home in one piece . So it is an essential part , '' Coleman said . iReport.com : Discovery lights night sky . Discovery 's liftoff , originally set for Tuesday , had been postponed three times -- first for bad weather , and twice more while mission managers checked out indications of a faulty valve . | Space shuttle Discovery launches just before midnight Friday . Discovery is scheduled to fly to international space station with a crew of seven . Logistics module , science experiments , Stephen Colbert treadmill also aboard . | [[0, 15], [19, 129], [130, 242], [0, 15], [19, 129], [243, 322]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Starting Tuesday , many `` robocalls '' from telemarketers will be illegal . A new ban on automated telemarketing calls goes into effect Tuesday . Businesses that try to push products on consumers with automated and unsolicited calls will face fines of up to $ 16,000 per call , according to the Federal Trade Commission . `` American consumers have made it crystal clear that few things annoy them more than the billions of commercial telemarketing robocalls they receive every year , '' FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said in a news release . Calls from politicians , public service announcements and `` informational '' calls will be exempt from the new rule . A call alerting a traveler that his or her flight has been delayed would still be allowed , for example . Banks , telephone carriers and most charitable organizations are also excluded from the ban , the FTC says . The FTC asks people to report questionable robocalls by visiting its complaint Web site or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP . `` If consumers think they 're being harassed by robocallers , they need to let us know , and we will go after them , '' Leibowitz said . The ban on many pre-recorded calls was approved by the FTC in August of 2008 and is the last of a series of amendments to go into effect , said Lois Greisman , the FTC 's associate director of marketing practices . She said the ban applies only to pre-recorded calls and encouraged consumers to sign up for the federal `` do not call '' registry for additional protections . Robocalls to mobile phones already are illegal , she said . People still will be able to receive telemarketer calls if they give companies written permission to contact them . Nate Anderson , a blogger at Ars Technica , a technology site , cheered the amendments but said many calls are illegal even without the new amendments . `` Most of the robocalls received by people in the office here are already illegal to do begin with -- pitches for time shares and bogus car warranties top the list of such calls , '' he wrote . | An FTC ban on automated telemarketing calls starts Tuesday . Companies breaking the rule face fines of $ 16,000 per call . Exceptions include political calls , `` informational '' calls and bank calls . | [[16, 35], [96, 165], [166, 295], [585, 678]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Search teams have found the flight data recorder from the Yemenia Airways plane that crashed off the Comoros Islands in June , killing 152 people , the chief investigator said Friday . Search parties continue their operation to locate the Yemenia Airbus A310 off the Comoros Islands in July . An operation to retrieve the recorder has begun , said a statement from investigator Ali Abdou Mohamed . The Airbus 310 crashed into the Indian Ocean , carrying 142 passengers and 11 crew members . It originated in Yemen 's capital , Sanaa , and went down just miles from Moroni , the capital of the Comoros Islands . One person , a 13-year-old French girl , survived . The recorder could contain information to help determine what caused the crash . The plane had tried to land at the airport in Moroni , then made a U-turn before it crashed , Comoros Vice President Idi Nadhoim said soon after the accident . A French official said that country had banned the plane after it failed an aviation inspection in 2007 , but Yemenia Airways was not on the European Union 's list of banned airlines . Passengers on the flight included 66 French citizens , 54 Comorians , one Palestinian and one Canadian , according to Yemeni and French officials . The crew was made up of six Yemenis , two Moroccans , one Ethiopian , one Filipino and one Indonesian . The Comoros Islands are between the east African country of Tanzania and the island nation of Madagascar . | Comoros Islands lie between east African and the island nation of Madagascar . Recorder could contain information to help determine what caused the crash . Thirteen-year-old French girl was the only person to survive plane crash . | [[1360, 1466], [682, 762], [682, 694], [721, 762], [630, 640], [671, 681]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini believes his squad is now `` complete '' and ready for the challenge of a new Primera Division campaign . Manuel Pellegrini is encouraged with the performances of Cristiano Ronaldo and company in pre-season . The Bernabeu club have invested heavily in their side over the summer , bringing in the likes of Kaka , Cristiano Ronaldo , Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema in a bid to wrest the domestic and Champions League trophies away from rivals Barcelona . The pre-season signs have been encouraging , and they rounded off their preparations with a 4-0 rout of Norwegian side Rosenborg on Monday . Pellegrini is hopeful it will all come together again when they kick off their Spanish Liga campaign against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday . `` The pre-season has been very positive and we 've managed to prepare the squad well , allowing every man to play more or less the same time , '' he told the club 's official Web site . `` The team is solid in defence and has potential in attack . We keep possession more on our opponent 's half of the pitch , allowing us to showcase our technical differences . `` This squad is complete . It gives us alternatives to try out different things . We still have to polish some aspects of our game , but I 'm not worried about that . '' Pellegrini has also been impressed by Ronaldo , although he believes the Portugal winger requires more time to settle in following his move from Manchester United . `` Cristiano Ronaldo needs a little time to adapt to his new team 's style . Every player on the squad is working hard to be fit and play well , '' the coach added . `` Cristiano has experienced a change in style and now lives in a different country . He needs a little more time unlike those who already know La Liga . '' Ronaldo himself is looking forward to the challenges ahead , with Real desperate to improve on their showing last term . `` The team is doing well . We are working hard and preparing for the start of La Liga , '' he said . `` I feel comfortable and relaxed . I am working hard and I am waiting for the league to begin . I 'm sure things will turn out as we want them to . `` We must take things slowly , get in good shape and think positively at all times . '' | Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini says that his squad is now `` complete '' Bernabeu giants have invested heavily in their side over the summer months . Pellegrini reveals that Real Madrid 's pre-season form has been encouraging . | [[0, 15], [19, 160], [1156, 1183], [264, 333], [161, 263], [508, 550], [792, 832]] |
JALOZAI REFUGEE CAMP , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's an exodus on an almost biblical scale . And it has produced a mosaic of plastic and canvas that is now home to more than 93,000 people -- with more arriving each day . These children are among the thousands of refugees this month at the Jalozai camp in western Pakistan . This is Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar , suddenly almost a city in its own right as thousands flee the violence raging between the Pakistani army and Taliban fighters . The United Nations estimates that it 's the biggest movement of people in Pakistan since the country was formed in 1947 . Officials say up to 1.8 million people have been forced from their homes . Food is available at this camp -- fruit traders work their way through the avenues of tents . But people here ca n't afford to buy much . They make bread with flour handed out by the United Nations , but they say it 's not enough . `` It 's very difficult , there 's lots of jostling , '' says Mehboob Shah , a man at the camp . When there is food , he says , `` it 's very poor quality -- even the cows wo n't eat it . '' Sar Bari Khan arrived 15 days ago with his wife and three children . He says his family walked almost 62 miles to escape the fighting . They had to leave his father behind . Watch a report on the plight of refugees '' There are eight field hospitals in this camp . On a recent morning , 380 new patients registered for treatment -- most of them women and children , suffering from diarrhea and heat stroke . Some have signs of mental trauma . `` They are complaining of fear , phobias , palpitations and all symptoms seem to have started since they arrive in this camp , '' said Abid Farooqi , with the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences . Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik underlined the seriousness of the situation . `` I feel that this is even worse than the earthquake in Kashmir , '' he said , referring to the 2005 disaster . He noted that most of the people are from an area with relatively cold weather , and are unprepared for the heat here . Officials , he said , `` are making all possible arrangements '' to help . Water tankers provide a lifeline in the stifling heat . And on the edge of the camp , workers are clearing the ground for more tents . There is no sign of this influx ending any time soon . | Thousands flee south to escape conflict between military and Taliban . Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar suddenly almost a city in its own right . The U.N. says it 's the biggest movement of people since Pakistan formed in 1947 . Food is `` very poor quality -- even the cows wo n't eat it , '' says man at camp . | [[417, 501], [329, 371], [502, 623], [536, 584], [536, 553], [591, 623], [1028, 1046], [1049, 1056], [1060, 1118]] |
ST. POELTEN , Austria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The daughter of Josef Fritzl , the Austrian man accused of keeping her in a cellar for decades and fathering her seven children , testified against him by video at his trial Tuesday . Josef Fritzl is seen without his face covered and surrounded by security guards Tuesday . One of Elisabeth Fritzl 's brothers , Harald , also testified by video , a court spokesman said . The media and public have been barred from the courtroom for sensitive parts of the trial . Fritzl has pleaded guilty to incest and other charges , but denied murder and enslavement . He pleaded `` partly guilty '' -- an option in Austrian court -- to multiple charges of raping his daughter , Franz Cutka , a spokesman for the court in Landesgericht St. Poelten , said . A verdict is expected on Thursday , Cutka said . Elisabeth testified on an 11-hour videotape . Portions of the tape were played Monday , and Fritzl was asked about it . The remainder of the tape was played Tuesday , officials said . Watch his face in the courtroom '' Authorities have said Elisabeth and her children were given new identities and are in a secret location . Details of her testimony were not made clear at the daily afternoon news conference . Asked at the news conference why other family members have not testified , officials said they did not wish to do so . Watch media at Fritzl trial '' The murder charge relates to an infant named Michael Fritzl who died soon after birth , allegedly from lack of medical care , State Prosecutor Gerhard Sedlacek says . A neo-natal expert gave evidence Tuesday in relation to the murder charge . As he had Monday when the trial opened , Fritzl concealed his face behind a file binder as he arrived in court to shield himself from reporters , television cameras and photographers and escorted by a phalanx of police officers . Later Tuesday he dropped his guard and was pictured with the binder by his side , talking to security guards . During the trial , prosecutors have painted a chilling picture of the more than two decades Elisabeth spent in the cellar of the family home in Amstetten with three of her children . Fritzl took three other children upstairs , authorities have said , telling his wife and other relatives that the missing Elisabeth had dropped them at the house . The woman and the remaining children never saw daylight , prosecutors said , and Fritzl went away for long periods of time , causing them to go hungry when he did not bring them food . Watch Fritzl 's first day in court '' To punish them , prosecutors said , Fritzl sometimes turned the power off in the cellar for up to 10 days . In addition , they alleged , Elisabeth was often sexually assaulted in front of the children . The case first came to light in April 2008 when Elisabeth 's then-19-year-old daughter , Kerstin , became seriously ill with convulsions , and Elisabeth persuaded her father to allow the girl to be taken to a hospital . Hospital staff became suspicious and alerted police , who discovered the family members in the cellar . Police said Fritzl confessed to them that he had sex with his daughter , kept her and their children in captivity , and burned the body of the infant in an oven in the house . Elisabeth told police the infant was one of twins , and died a few days after birth . When Elisabeth gained her freedom , she told police her father began sexually abusing her at age 11 . Seven years later , she said , he drugged , handcuffed and locked her in the cellar . To back up his story that she had run away , Fritzl forced Elisabeth to write letters , authorities have said . Defense attorney Rudolph Mayer has said his client , 73 , expects to spend the rest of his life in prison . Under Austrian law , if Fritzl is convicted on several offenses , he will be given the sentence linked to the worst crime . The charges he faces are : . • Murder : The infant who died in 1996 died from a lack of medical care , the state prosecutor said . The charge carries a sentence of life in prison . • Involvement in slave trade : From 1984 until 2008 , prosecutors allege , Fritzl held his daughter , Elisabeth , captive in a dungeon , abused her sexually and treated her as if she were his personal property -- in a situation similar to slavery . If he is convicted , the sentence could range from 10 to 20 years in prison . • Rape : Between August 30 , 1984 , and June 30 , 1989 , Fritzl `` regularly sexually abused Elisabeth , '' according to the prosecutor . The sentence could be from five to 15 years in prison . • Incest : Parallel to the rape charge . It carries a sentence of up to one year . • Withdrawal of liberty : Three of the children Fritzl had with Elisabeth were illegally held captive in a dungeon with no daylight or fresh air , according to prosecutors . That charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years . • Assault : Between August 28 , 1984 , and April 26 , 2006 , Fritzl repeatedly threatened Elisabeth and their three children with gas and booby traps as warnings in case they tried to escape , authorities allege . The sentence would range from six months to five years . CNN 's Diana Magnay and Frederik Pleitgen in St. Poelten and Melissa Gray in London contributed to this report . | Incest rapist Josef Fritzl in Austrian court for the second day of his trial . Fritzl drops his guard , is pictured without binder obscuring his face . Austrian accused of keeping daughter in cellar for decades , fathering her 7 children . Daughter Elisabeth give pre-recorded videotaped evidence . | [[225, 262], [1868, 1902], [72, 149], [0, 3], [140, 168], [3149, 3189], [0, 37], [171, 224], [834, 879]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Greece international central defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos has completed his transfer to English Premier League side Liverpool after signing a two-year contract with the club . Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has turned to Kyrgiakos because of defensive injury worries . The 30-year-old has passed a medical to finalize his switch from AEK Athens , and will go straight into the squad for Monday 's home match against Aston Villa at Anfield . He is likely to partner Jamie Carragher in the heart of Liverpool 's defense , taking the place of teenager Daniel Ayala who made his full debut in Wednesday 's 4-0 win over Stoke . Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is without two key defenders through injury . Danish center-back Daniel Agger will have an operation on his back in Germany on Tuesday , and will be out for six weeks while Martin Skrtel is still struggling with a damaged jaw , sustained at Tottenham last weekend , and is not expected to be fit to face Villa . Benitez has been searching for defensive cover for weeks , having tried to sign Stoke 's Ryan Shawcross and Hull 's Michael Turner . He was also linked with West Ham 's England defender Matthew Upson . But Liverpool 's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are believed to have put the block on any further major signings , meaning that Benitez has had to search for the cheaper options . He has snapped up Kyrgiakos for just $ 3.3 million and Benitez said of his latest signing : `` He has had experience in Scotland with Rangers and in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt as well as with the Greek national side . Benitez told Liverpool 's official Web site : `` He is strong and good in the air , and we were looking for experience and he is the perfect answer . '' Kyrgiakos , who has been capped 50 times by Greece described his decision to move to England as `` the biggest challenge of my career '' . The tough-tackling defender moved back to Greece in 2008 after one season at Rangers and two with Eintracht Frankfurt . | Greece international central defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos moves to Liverpool . Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez swoops because of recent defensive injuries . Kyrgiakos , 30 , likely to make Liverpool debut against Aston Villa on Monday . | [[0, 15], [57, 193], [194, 286], [641, 719], [287, 302], [363, 445]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shortly before his death , Sen. Edward M. Kennedy wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI asking for the pontiff to pray for him as he struggled with an aggressive form of brain cancer , it was revealed at his graveside service Saturday evening . Members of the Kennedy family gather at the gravesite Saturday evening . Kennedy , the youngest and last-surviving brother of a heralded Kennedy generation , was laid to rest on a hillside at Arlington National Cemetery alongside his slain brothers , the late President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy -- both assassinated more than four decades ago . Cardinal Theodore McCarrick read a recent letter from Kennedy to the pope at the private burial ceremony in Arlington , Virginia . `` I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines , '' McCarrick said , quoting from Kennedy 's letter . `` I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago , and although I continue treatment the disease is taking its toll on me . I am 77 years old , and preparing for the next passage of life , '' the cardinal read . Read excerpts from Kennedy 's letter to pontiff . The burial service at dusk followed a eulogy by President Barack Obama in Massachusetts , a brief prayer service outside the U.S. Capitol and a procession through the crowd-lined street of Washington 's streets . Among the congressional colleagues greeting the Kennedy family at the Capitol was 91-year-old Sen. Robert Byrd , D-West Virginia , who has been out of the spotlight lately because of deteriorating health . Watch an overview of the day 's events '' Many who had gathered at the Capitol were visibly emotional and wiping tears from their eyes . Some held framed photos of Kennedy , and many held American flags that they waved during a singing of `` America the Beautiful . '' The Rev. Daniel Coughlin -- chaplain of the House of Representatives -- said a prayer and addressed the family . `` Here we are to pray with you , offer sympathy and thank you , '' he said . `` Thank you for sharing the senator . '' Coughlin also noted that Kennedy 's hopes were `` unquenchable , full of immortality . '' As Kennedy 's widow , Vicki , went back into the car , she waved to the crowd and mouthed , `` Thank you '' as the crowd erupted into applause . The late senator 's son , U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy , addressed those on the steps , saying how his father `` knew that he was only great because he had great people supporting him . '' `` He would be very proud to see you all out here today paying a final respect and tribute to his memory , '' he said . Earlier Saturday at the funeral in Boston , Massachusetts , Obama hailed Kennedy as `` a champion for those who had none ; the soul of the Democratic Party ; and the lion of the U.S. Senate . '' `` He was given the gift of time that his brothers were not , and he used that gift to touch as many lives and right as many wrongs as the years would allow , '' the president said . `` We can still hear his voice bellowing through the Senate chamber , face reddened , fist pounding the podium , a veritable force of nature , in support of health care or workers ' rights or civil rights , '' Obama said , calling Kennedy `` the greatest legislator of our time . '' Watch President Obama 's full eulogy '' Kennedy 's son Ted Jr. delivered a tender , personal remembrance of his larger-than-life father . He said his father `` never stopped trying to right wrongs . '' Kennedy lived up to the ideals of three older brothers , all of whom died young -- Joseph in World War II , President John and Sen. Robert assassinated -- his son said . `` He answered Uncle Joe 's call to patriotism , Uncle Jack 's call to public service and Bobby 's determination to seek a newer world . `` Unlike them , he lived to be a grandfather , and knowing what my cousins have been through , I feel grateful that I have had my father as long as I did , '' Ted Jr. said . `` My father was not perfect , but he believed in redemption , '' he said . And he said Kennedy had made light of his failure to become president , despite the weight of expectations on him as a Kennedy . `` I do n't mind not being president , I just mind that someone else is , '' he quoted his father as saying , closing his remembrance with a line from Kennedy 's famous 1980 concession speech that ended his presidential ambitions : `` The work goes on , the cause endures , the hope still lives and the dream will never die . '' Watch as Ted Kennedy Jr. recalls his dad 's help when he lost his leg as a boy '' The funeral began with a hearse bearing Kennedy 's body through Boston rain from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library to Mission Church . A military honor guard carried the coffin through a sea of black umbrellas into the church . Watch as military honor guard carries Kennedy 's casket '' People lined the streets of Boston cheering for Kennedy as the service began , despite the rain . Local bars and restaurants were packed with people watching the live coverage on television inside . Former presidents Bill Clinton , George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter also came to honor the late legislator , known as the lion of the Senate . Vicki Kennedy accepted condolences from each of the current and former presidents before Holy Communion . The program concluded with an undated quote from Kennedy : `` For all my years in public life , I have believed that America must sail toward the shores of liberty and justice for all . There is no end to that journey , only the next great voyage . We know the future will outlast all of us , but I believe that all of us will live on in the future we make . '' Many of Kennedy 's fellow senators past and present came to say a final farewell . Other mourners included Vice President Joe Biden and former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dan Quayle , all veterans of the Senate , where Kennedy served for 47 years . Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick , CIA chief Leon Panetta , and several Cabinet members also turned out to pay their respects . Watch as Mass for Kennedy begins '' Sen. John McCain , the 2008 Republican presidential candidate , chatted with Sen. Chris Dodd , a Connecticut Democrat , in the pews before the ceremony began . Honorary pallbearers at the service included Dodd , Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer , Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts -- his party 's 2004 presidential candidate -- and long-time Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey , also a Democrat . The actual pallbearers were Kennedy children , nieces and nephews . World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed two pieces during the service , and was joined by the tenor Placido Domingo for one of them . At the graveside service were a number of family members , as well as Vice President Joe Biden . Kennedy 's grave is 95 feet south of his brother Robert 's , which is just steps away from the burial site of another brother , former President John F. Kennedy . A single white , wooden cross will be placed at the head of the grave and a marble footmarker put in place . The footmarker reads : `` Edward Moore Kennedy 1932-2009 . '' The setup is identical to Robert Kennedy 's grave , Arlington cemetery spokeswoman Kaitlin Horst told CNN . Kennedy , the patriarch of America 's leading Democratic family for more than 40 years , died at the age of 77 on Tuesday , 15 months after being diagnosed with brain cancer . CNN 's Jessica Yellin , John King and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report . | NEW : In letter to Pope Benedict XVI , Kennedy asked for prayers . Sen. Edward M. Kennedy laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery . President Obama hailed Kennedy as `` a champion for those who had none '' | [[57, 115], [636, 740], [770, 855], [1132, 1136], [1151, 1181], [346, 353], [418, 492], [1182, 1269], [2704, 2751]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Another child has died from last week 's fire at a day care center in northwestern Mexico , bringing the death toll to 45 , the state-run Notimex news agency said . A crib and baby seats sit outside the scene of a deadly day care center fire in Mexico . The child died Friday in a hospital in the city of Guadalajara , Notimex said . The news agency did not provide any additional information . A fire raged through the ABC day care center on June 5 in the city of Hermosillo in Sonora state . Officials said an air-conditioning unit in a government-run warehouse in the same building as the day care center caused the blaze . In another development Friday , three officials from the Mexican Institute of Social Security were fired , Notimex reported . The social security institute oversaw the ABC day care facility . Earlier , the Institute of Social Security removed its Sonora director , Arturo Leyva Lizarraga . Leyva Lizarraga was `` separated '' from the agency Wednesday to `` facilitate the investigative process , '' according to Notimex . The same wording was used in announcing Friday 's firings . Earlier in the week , two other people who ran the center resigned from the government jobs they held . Also Friday , Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora said officials had found safety irregularities at the day care center in 2005 , Notimex said . He declined to detail those irregularities but said authorities are investigating if anything was done about them . Any negligent officials will be punished once the investigation is completed , Medina said . | NEW : Three officials from supervisory agency dismissed . Death toll in Mexico day care center fire rises to 45 , officials say . Fire tore through building in Sonora state on June 5 . Fire started in air-conditioning unit in adjacent warehouse , officials say . | [[667, 696], [699, 771], [774, 781], [40, 129], [0, 11], [14, 30], [132, 161], [205, 293], [40, 129], [435, 533], [534, 624]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson has officially become the most popular person on Facebook , with more than 7 million fans on the social networking site . The Michael Jackson Facebook page is now the most popular on the social networking site . Previously , the most popular person on Facebook , with just over 6 million fans , was U.S. President Obama . Over the past week , Jackson 's page has grown from 80,000 fans to just over 7 million , generating the largest response on a Facebook page , the social networking site says . He has continued to gain about 20 fans per second and even more during peak traffic hours , said social media commentator Nick O'Neill , founder of the Social Times Web site . By comparison , actor Ashton Kutcher recently entered a race to beat CNN 's Larry King to 1 million followers on Twitter . Kutcher won and remains the most popular person on Twitter -- but still has only 2.6 million followers . During his memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California , all 10 trending topics on Twitter.com were Jackson-related . Jackson 's popularity and the viral nature of Facebook fan pages are the primary reasons for the huge fan base , O'Neill explained . He said , `` It 's simply his popularity . Also , as users become fans , the page gets recommended to others , driving the viral growth of the page . `` Michael Jackson is simply the largest celebrity in the world . While he was a controversial figure , he clearly attracts the attention of the global media , '' he continued . The Facebook page has become an online memorial to Jackson , with thousands of comments from around the world ; dozens appear every minute . Free virtual versions of Jackson 's famous glove are the most popular gift on the site , with more than 800,000 sent to members . The huge following leaves the singer 's heirs -LRB- and his record label -RRB- with a massive network to communicate with fans and continue the massive resurgence of interest in Jackson 's music , O'Neill said . `` While Sony has not heavily engaged the fan base on Michael Jackson 's page , they at least have a presence . If your fans are there , you should be there . `` This also provided an ongoing promotional channel for any future products that are released . It 's simply not an option and will become a component of all marketing strategies . '' There have been 2.6 million downloads of Jackson 's music since his death . He has the top two albums on iTunes , as well as three of the top 10 singles . In the United Kingdom , Jackson held 11 of the top 200 album positions and 43 of the top 200 singles , based on sales monitored by the Official Charts Co. for the week ended June 27 . His `` Number Ones '' album topped the OCC album chart after selling 46,400 physical copies and 10,000 downloads . The surge for demand in Jackson 's music looks likely to continue for several months : The fan page has a music player with some of Jackson 's hits and an option to buy them through Amazon . | Michael Jackson is most popular person on Facebook with nearly 7 million fans . Previously , U.S. President Obama had the most fans . Experts say Jackson 's fan base gaining more than 20 fans per second . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 109], [174, 263], [264, 274], [277, 344], [347, 373], [550, 639]] |
-LRB- WIRED -RRB- -- Two cable powerhouses have announced an ambitious pilot program that aims to convince their customers that , actually , TV on the web should not be free . Jeffrey Bewkes , chairman and CEO of Time Warner , speaks at the NCTA conference in Washington . With a service called TV Everywhere , Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers access to `` premium '' television content via broadband , and later cellphone connections . To begin with , 5,000 Comcast subscribers will begin testing the system next month , giving them access to Time Warner 's TBS and TNT channels on their computers , and the same channels ' video-on-demand catalogs on their cable boxes . If you made peace long ago with the idea of paying a monthly cable bill , this probably sounds great . It means watching your existing subscription on new screens without paying additional fees or buying more hardware . -LRB- Of course , as consumers adopt TV Everywhere , they can probably expect price increases . -RRB- . But if you prefer to watch your television for free on ad-supported sites like Hulu while paying only for the internet connection that delivers it , you could be in for a rude awakening . TV Everywhere represents an alternative -- and possible threat -- to the popular Hulu model . If the pilot program impresses the group -- and proves to other networks that its user-authentication system is secure -- Comcast and Time Warner expect the other television programmers , ISPs and mobile providers to join , giving all cable subscribers a way to watch the content they pay for on their televisions using any broadband-connected computer or authenticated cellphone . Already `` at least 92 percent of Americans qualify to watch this for free online , '' according to Jeff Bewkes , chairman and CEO of Time Warner . For these subscribers , TV Everywhere represents a potential win . The only question is whether they will keep paying for the old cable subscription model as their viewing habits shift online . There 's nothing to stop television networks from putting their content on both Hulu and TV Everywhere , because TV Everywhere 's contract will be non-exclusive , according to Bewkes . However , given the choice between Hulu and TV Everywhere , television programmers have an incentive to go with the latter . Only the TV Everywhere model promises to port yesterday 's lucrative business model onto today 's platforms . And that , according to some critics , is exactly the problem . '' -LSB- TV Everywhere -RSB- raises substantial anti-competitive issues by restricting the availability of programming to the favored distribution methods , '' said Gigi B. Sohn , president and co-founder of the public interest group Public Knowledge . `` Under the TV Everywhere plan , no other program distributors would be able to emerge , and no consumers will be able to ` cut the cord ' because they find what they want online . As a result , consumers will be the losers . `` In addition , we are concerned that this program violates the open nature of the internet . By adding this additional toll lane , Comcast and Time Warner want to create their own ` managed channel ' within the internet and turn the internet into their own private cable channel . '' So , what about Hulu ? Will its deals fall through given this new option ? `` There will be some part -LSB- of Time Warner 's content -RSB- that will be out there -LSB- on Hulu -RSB- , said Bewkes . `` Short-form content , I think , will continue to be available -- promotional content will continue to be available . '' However , only cable subscribers will be able to access other content online -- through officially licensed avenues , anyway . Bewkes added that some other television programmers have avoided Hulu `` for security concerns and because they did n't like the model , '' but that they will give TV Everywhere a chance . `` Consumers vote every single month with their pocketbook , '' he added . `` They do n't have to subscribe to cable . They do n't have to pay for these services , yet they do . The number of people paying for subscription television has gone up and up and up every single quarter that we 've been in the business . '' Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2009 Wired.com . | Comcast and Time Warner will give cable subscribers online access to tv content . Program is called TV Everywhere and will begin testing next month . TV Everywhere represents alternative -- and possible threat -- to popular Hulu model . Some of Time Warner 's content will remain on Hulu.com . | [[311, 419], [472, 497], [541, 617], [278, 318], [472, 538], [1204, 1297], [3395, 3411], [3417, 3454]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oasis front man Noel Gallagher has quit the rock group after a fallout with his bandmate brother , he announced late Friday . `` It 's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight , '' Noel Gallagher said in a brief statement on the band 's Web site . `` People will write and say what they like , but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer . '' Noel Gallagher is the band 's lead guitarist and songwriter , and Liam Gallagher is the lead singer . The band is currently on a European tour for its album , `` Dig Out Your Soul . '' Noel Gallagher apologized to fans who had bought tickets for upcoming gigs in France , Germany and Italy . Oasis had to cancel its headlining performance at the V Festival in Britain over the weekend because Liam Gallagher said he was sick and could n't sing . He later apologized for the cancellation and quashed rumors that it was the band 's last-ever British gig . Disputes between the brothers have been in the public eye in the past , but never before has one of the brothers gone so far as to leave the band . Oasis shot to stardom with its 1994 album , `` Definitely Maybe , '' which contained the band 's first major hit , `` Supersonic . '' The follow-up , '' -LRB- What 's the Story -RRB- Morning Glory ? '' produced one of group 's most famous tracks , `` Wonderwall . '' The Manchester band was one of the pioneers of the Britpop movement of the early '90s , along with British band Blur . | Never before has one of the brothers gone so far as to leave the band . Oasis shot to stardom with its 1994 album , `` Definitely Maybe '' The band was one of the pioneers of Britpop , along with Blur . | [[1074, 1128], [1129, 1170], [1396, 1514]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger can expect an apology from Premier League referees chief Keith Hackett following his dismissal in the closing seconds of Saturday 's 2-1 English Premier League defeat to Manchester United . Arsene Wenger has to stand with Manchester United fans after being sent off at Old Trafford . League Managers Association chief executive Richard Bevan has spoken to Hackett about the Old Trafford incident which saw Wenger sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean on the advice of fourth official Lee Probert . And he has been told that Wenger will receive an apology from the Premier Game Match Officials Board which appoints officials to top-flight games in England . The Gunners manager caught Probert 's attention when he kicked an empty water bottle down the touchline following a disallowed goal for Arsenal . There was then confusion as Wenger seemed unaware of where he was supposed to go -- moving first to the back of Arsenal dugout then starting to walk down the touchline as the whistle was blown . On the decision to penalize Wenger , Bevan said : `` Although correct in ` law ' , it was completely out of context in the game and it was followed by the nonsense which followed over where Arsene Wenger should sit to watch the game . '' He added : `` I 've spoken to Keith Hackett and he fully recognizes the situation was an error and an apology will follow to Arsene Wenger . `` Lee Probert totally failed to manage the situation and created a needless pressure point taking the focus away from the pitch in a big event with only a minute to go . '' Meanwhile , Arsenal 's north London rivals Tottenham have suffered a setback with a serious injury to Croatia playmaker Luka Modric . The 23-year-old broke his leg in Saturday 's 2-1 victory against Birmingham , which left the club second in the English Premier League after four wins from four . `` X-rays have determined that Luka Modric sustained a fracture to his right fibula , '' said a statement on the official Spurs Web site . Tottenham did not indicate how long the midfielder would be sidelined , but he is likely to miss the home game against champions Manchester United and the trip to Chelsea which follow the upcoming international break . Croatia play England at Wembley on September 9 in a crucial World Cup qualifier . | Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is to receive an apology from referee 's chief . Wenger sent off in the closing seconds of the 2-1 defeat to Manchester United . Wenger kicked an empty water bottle down the touchline after disallowed goal . Tottenham 's Croatia midfielder Luka Modric suffers a broken right leg . | [[0, 15], [19, 143], [549, 649], [1287, 1295], [1299, 1427], [106, 238], [419, 444], [451, 548], [708, 853], [761, 853], [1602, 1611], [1614, 1735], [1899, 1982]] |
TOKYO , Japan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Voters in Japan will turn out for parliamentary elections Sunday in what poll after poll shows will be a historic shift in political power to oust the ruling party . Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso has approval ratings in the teens . The Liberal Democratic Party has been in nearly continuous control of Japan 's parliament for more than five decades . But the country 's worst economic crisis since World War II has led a normally sedate electorate to the polls , disgruntled with how slowly the country is emerging from the downturn . Polls show that the opposition , the Democratic Party of Japan , will snag more than 300 of the 480 seats up for grabs in the lower house of Japan 's parliament . If the DPJ does win a majority , it will be the first time it will govern the world 's second-largest economy . Leading the DPJ is Yukio Hatoyama , who has been mobbed at street rallies by supporters , the kind of support the opposition has never seen . Hatoyama is touting an Obama-style message of change , pledging to raise the minimum wage and discourage hiring through agencies or on temporary contracts . That message is gaining traction in a country that is witnessing historic highs in unemployment and experiencing ramifications like homelessness for the first time . Voters are looking for somebody to pay , and if the polls are right , that target is the current prime minister , Taro Aso . Aso 's approval ratings dwell in the teens , and his stimulus packages , though credited for lifting the economy slightly out of recession , are not being credited with helping households feel more secure about a lasting economic recovery . The LDP , in political ads and stump speeches across Japan , says the DPJ is making empty promises and ca n't pay for its proposed programs . CNN 's Kyung Lah contributed to this report . | Liberal Democratic Party has been on top for almost five decades . Voters disgruntled with slow progress on economic recovery . Democratic Party of Japan set for its first majority . DPJ 's Yukio Hatoyama has Obama-style message of change . | [[268, 386], [391, 427], [499, 570], [846, 879], [988, 1040]] |
ANTIOCH , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Customers of the printing company knew her as `` Allissa . '' Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped at 11 and kept hidden for 18 years in a backyard compound , authorities say . They spoke to her about graphic design , business cards and fliers , and describe her as professional , polite and responsive . `` She was always good at getting us what we wanted , '' said Ben Daughdrill , who used to own a junk hauling business . `` You got the feeling she was doing all the work . '' But `` Allissa , '' authorities say , was really Jaycee Dugard , kidnapped 18 years ago from her home in South Lake Tahoe , California . Her identity was discovered earlier this week and her alleged kidnappers -- 58-year-old Phillip Garrido , a registered sex offender , and his 55-year-old wife Nancy -- were arrested . Watch police officers talk about Garrido '' They face 29 felony charges , including rape and kidnapping , and both have pleaded not guilty . Authorities said the Garridos held Dugard -- and the two daughters she had by Phillip Garrido -- in sheds in their backyard . Watch aerial view of backyard compound '' Garrido 's business , `` Printing for Less , '' catered to small businesses . He ran it out of his home in Antioch , east of San Francisco . His customers say he did good work and had much lower prices than competition . CNN obtained e-mails written by `` Allissa '' to Daughdrill . The e-mails came from a Yahoo account set up by Phillip Garrido and in his name , but Daughdrill said they came from `` Allissa '' because the two were either on the phone or had just finished a conversation when they arrived . In them , Dugard uses short , compact answers and lowercase letters . The e-mails also have a typo or two . Hear interview with Garrido '' `` i will take a look at the price sheet and send you over a copy of the revised brochure tomorrow , '' she wrote in an e-mail written on May 7 , 2007 . `` as to the pictures sorry ... but we do n't have a digital camera ... hopefully you can find a way to get me those pictures you want so i can add them to them brochure . i can get the brochures to you pretty fast within the week of final approval of the brochures . How many are you going to order and do you want them on glossy or matte paper , thick or thin ? '' In another e-mail , this one from January 21 , 2008 , Dugard wrote , `` heres the business cards in jpeg format let me know if you need anything else thank you . '' While authorities say they are still trying to sort out the conditions in which Dugard was held captive , it 's clear she was an integral part of Garrido 's business . Watch about recovering from captivity '' Daughdrill told CNN he met Dugard in person on two occasions . `` Nothing stood out , '' he said when `` Allissa '' emerged from the house and gave him his print orders . `` Obviously there was some brainwashing going on . That 's all I can think , '' he said . '' She had access to a phone and a computer , so obviously something went on that no one knows about . '' See photos of Dugard 's living conditions '' Three northern California law enforcement agencies have joined the investigation of Phillip Garrido , saying he may be responsible for other crimes . | E-mails show girl was integral part of business owned by her alleged kidnapper . Jaycee Dugard was known as `` Allissa '' to customers of printing business . Business was owned by Phillip Garrido , the suspect in Dugard 's kidnapping . Printing business catered to small businesses in San Francisco area . | [[2595, 2644], [10, 36], [53, 98], [1187, 1219]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities believe at least one person not in custody may have information about the deaths of eight people in a Georgia mobile home , Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering said Sunday . Seven people were found dead Saturday at a residence in a mobile home park in Brunswick , Georgia . `` I 'm confident to say that there 's somebody , at least an individual , that we would like to know about that 's not at the scene , '' whether or not they were directly involved in the case , Doering said . Seven people were found dead Saturday at a residence in the New Hope mobile home park in Brunswick , Georgia . Two others were hospitalized in critical condition , and one of them died Sunday , authorities said . Police have `` no known suspects , '' Doering told reporters Sunday afternoon . `` We are not looking for any known suspects . That does n't say that there are no suspects . They 're just not known to us . '' One person , 22-year-old Guy Heinze Jr. , was arrested Saturday night , Doering said . Heinze is related to one of the victims , he said , and was the one who called 911 . He told police he discovered the bodies when he arrived home . Heinze was being held on suspicion of having a controlled substance and marijuana , as well as evidence tampering and making false statements to a police officer , Doering said . He told reporters Heinze has been cooperative . `` We 're still looking for anybody and everybody that may be related to this , '' he said . `` That naturally includes -LSB- Heinze -RSB- . Of course we 're looking at him . '' He stopped short , however , of calling Heinze a suspect in the deaths . Autopsies on the victims were taking place Sunday in Savannah , Georgia , Doering said . Police have tentative identifications for the victims , who ranged from children to adults in their mid-40s , he said . Police have been called to the home before , Doering said , but would not say why . Doering remained tight-lipped Sunday about many aspects of the case , refusing to say how the victims died or to give a breakdown of male and female victims . All nine victims lived in the mobile home , he said , and police do not believe any of them conducted the assault . He said police are making progress , and have narrowed down the timeline for when the deaths occurred . Brunswick is about 300 miles southeast of Atlanta , on the Georgia coast . Volunteers conducted an extended search of the area around the mobile home , but nothing was found , Doering said . Meanwhile , police removed additional evidence from the mobile home . Authorities are examining surveillance video from nearby areas , but are not aware of any surveillance system in the mobile home park , he said . `` There is cause for concern , '' Doering said . `` We just simply do n't have a whole lot to go on , and I 'm not going to sit there and tell everybody not to be cautious , because people need to be . '' | Police : Someone not in custody may have information about the deaths . Seven found dead Saturday at mobile home park residence in Brunswick , Georgia . One other victim died Sunday , 9th victim still in critical condition Sunday . Police said they have been called to the home before , but would not say why . | [[19, 73], [311, 315], [326, 440], [0, 15], [42, 58], [66, 152], [208, 295], [518, 616], [629, 679], [686, 709], [1862, 1904], [1907, 1914], [1926, 1945]] |
ANTIOCH , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Phillip Garrido and his wife , Nancy , will face 29 felony counts after being accused of kidnapping Jaycee Lee Dugard when she was 11 and keeping her in their backyard since 1991 , the district attorney of El Dorado County , California , said Friday . Phillip Garrido , a registered sex offender , was arraigned in California on Friday . The Garridos are each facing charges of kidnapping someone under 14 years of age , kidnapping for sexual purposes , forcible rape and forcible lewd acts on a child . The maximum penalty for both defendants would be life imprisonment . Authorities are looking into Garrido 's possible connection to other crimes . Hear interview with Garrido '' A search warrant was issued for Garrido 's home in connection with killings that occurred in the 1990s , a spokesman for the Contra Costa Sheriff 's Department said Friday . Pittsburg , California , police obtained the search warrant , said the spokesman , Jimmy Lee . Earlier Friday , a California sheriff also admitted that his organization `` missed an opportunity '' nearly three years ago to find Dugard . Someone called 911 on November 30 , 2006 , to say that a woman and young children were living in tents in the backyard of Phillip Garrido , said Sheriff Warren E. Rupf of Contra Costa County , California , on Friday . `` This is not an acceptable outcome , '' he said . Watch Rupf talk about the ` missed opportunity ' '' The responding sheriff 's deputy spoke with Garrido , a registered sex offender , in the front yard of his house . `` None of us , particularly law enforcement , should believe a word that one of these animals utters , '' Rupf said when asked about the lessons learned from the missed opportunity . `` If there 's a sophistication -LSB- about sex offenders -RSB- in any regard , it 's in misrepresenting who they are and what motivates them . `` We took things he said obviously at face value and did not properly brand him . '' Rupf also said that `` to the best of his knowledge , '' the deputy did n't know that Garrido was a sex offender . The deputy determined that no crime had been committed even though he did not enter or ask to enter the backyard , the sheriff said . `` We should have been more inquisitive , more curious , and turned over a rock or two , '' the sheriff said . `` We missed an opportunity to bring earlier closure to this situation . '' Dugard lived for 18 years in a shed and other outbuildings behind her abductor 's house , where she gave birth to two girls whom he fathered ; the girls are now 11 and 15 , police said . CNN policy is not to publish the names of victims when there are allegations of sexual assault . In this case , Dugard has been the subject of a 20-year public search and her image and name have been widely disseminated , making protection of her identity virtually impossible . Dugard was kidnapped in 1991 as her stepfather watched , helpless , in front of her house in South Lake Tahoe , California . Learn about some missing children who have been found alive '' Investigators arrested Garrido on charges of kidnapping and abusing her after police discovered Dugard on Wednesday . `` The last 18 years have been rough , but the last two days have been pretty good , '' her stepfather , Carl Probyn , told CNN 's `` American Morning '' on Friday . Watch Probyn describe getting the news '' Phillip Garrido , 58 , and 54-year-old Nancy Garrido were arraigned Friday in Placerville Superior Court in Placerville , California . They pleaded not guilty Friday . During their time living in Garrido 's backyard , Dugard and her two children apparently rarely ventured out of their compound , investigators said . Dugard `` was in good health , but living in a backyard for the past 18 years does take its toll , '' El Dorado County Undersheriff Fred Kollar said . He described her as `` relatively cooperative , relatively forthcoming '' in discussions with detectives . She was `` in relatively good condition , '' neither obviously abused nor malnourished , he added . `` There are no known attempts by her to outreach to anybody . '' The children did n't go to school or to the doctor 's office . Now they and their mother are being thrust into a strange new world . On Friday , Dugard began the long process of reuniting with her family . Watch about recovering from captivity '' Terry Probyn , who is separated from Carl , spoke with her daughter Thursday and learned that she had two daughters of her own , he said . Carl Probyn said he expects Dugard and her two children to come back to Southern California , since `` that 's where we all live . '' Garrido apparently maintained a blog in which he claimed to control sound with his mind . The blog now has numerous profanity-laced responses from people outraged over his alleged actions . In a rambling telephone interview from jail , Garrido told CNN affiliate KCRA of Sacramento that he was relieved at being caught . `` I feel much better now , '' he said . `` This is a process that needed to take place . '' The investigation went years without apparent progress until Tuesday , when Garrido showed up on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley with his two daughters and tried to get permission to hand out literature and speak , Kollar said . He did not know the subject of either the literature or the planned talk . Police officers `` thought the interaction between the older male and the two young females was rather suspicious , '' so they confronted them and performed a background check on him , Kollar said . That check revealed that Garrido was on federal parole for a 1971 conviction for rape and kidnapping , for which he had served time in the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth , Kansas . The two female police officers contacted Garrido 's parole officer , who requested that he appear Wednesday at the parole office . Watch police talk about why they arrested Garrido '' Garrido did just that , accompanied by his wife `` and a female named Allissa , '' Kollar said . The presence of Allissa and the two children surprised the parole officer , who had never seen them during visits to Garrido 's house , Kollar said . `` Ultimately , Allissa was identified as Dugard , '' Kollar said . Scott Kernan , undersecretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation , said Garrido admitted having abducted Dugard . Dugard 's presence behind Garrido 's home since apparently went unnoticed in the neighborhood , where homes on one-fourth to one-half-acre lots typically sell for less than $ 200,000 , said Kathy Russo , whose father has lived two houses away from the Garridos for 33 years . Watch aerial view of backyard compound '' `` My dad said he never saw a young woman , '' Russo said , adding that her 94-year-old father considered Garrido to be a `` kind of strange , reclusive , kind of an angry kind of guy . '' She said the one-story house 's backyard was obscured by trees and ringed by a wooden fence . In his jailhouse interview , Garrido told KCRA that he could not go into detail about why he chose to abduct Dugard . `` I have n't talked to a lawyer yet , so I ca n't do that , '' he said . But Garrido said he had `` completely turned my life around '' in the past several years . `` You 're going to find the most powerful story coming from the witness , from the victim , '' he promised . `` If you take this a step at a time , you 're going to fall over backward , and in the end , you 're going to find the most powerful , heartwarming story . '' He added , `` Wait till you hear the story of what took place at this house . You 're going to be absolutely impressed . It 's a disgusting thing that took place with me in the beginning , but I turned my life completely around . '' Describing his two daughters , he said , `` Those two girls slept in my arms every single night from birth ; I never kissed them . '' In a later comment , he said that , from the time the youngest was born , `` everything turned around . '' CNN 's Taylor Gandossy , Tom Watkins , Stan Wilson and Mallory Simon contributed to this report . | NEW : Sex offender , wife plead not guilty at arraignment . Authorities have search warrant for Garrido home relating to 1990 killings . Victim reportedly kept in isolation in backyard with children fathered by captor . Police : Phillip Garrido admitted abducting victim when she was 11 . | [[3535, 3567], [722, 797], [789, 797], [803, 824], [10, 20], [106, 218], [1133, 1140], [1176, 1341], [1188, 1214], [1273, 1350], [2516, 2543], [2534, 2543], [2549, 2560], [3568, 3615], [3618, 3645], [3657, 3694], [3568, 3615], [3697, 3717], [3718, 3727], [3753, 3795], [4389, 4401], [4470, 4515], [10, 20], [106, 218], [6287, 6299], [6382, 6428]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mexican President Felipe Calderon 's ruling party paid the price for a weak economy in midterm elections as the opposition Revolutionary Institutional Party rolled to victories in the lower legislative house as well as state and local posts . Mexican President Felipe Calderon was n't on Sunday 's ballot and has three years left in his six-year term . With more than 99 percent of the votes counted , the PRI had 36.7 percent to 28 percent for Calderon 's National Action Party -LRB- PAN -RRB- , the state-run Notimex news agency reported Monday . The leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution -LRB- PRD -RRB- , which nearly won the 2006 presidential election , came in a distant third with 12.2 percent of the vote . In response to the defeat , PAN president German Martinez resigned from the top party post Monday . On the ballot were seats for 500 federal legislators , six governors and about 500 mayors and local legislators in 11 states . Though Calderon has three years left in his six-year term and was not on the ballot , analysts said Monday he was held responsible for Mexico 's problems amid the global economic downturn . `` He got a beating because of the economy , '' said Ana Maria Salazar , a television and radio political commentator in Mexico City . `` The government in power pays for it , '' said Peter Hakim , president of the Washington-based Inter-American Dialogue . Besides the economy , Calderon has had to face the consequences of a drug war he launched that has left more than 10,000 people dead since he came to office in December 2006 . He also had to deal with the H1N1 flu pandemic that first became known in Mexico this year . The PAN has the most seats in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies , the lower house of Mexico 's Congress , but it does not have a majority in either . The party lost its lead in the lower house , as the PRI will hold more seats when the new delegates are seated in December . No seats were at stake in the Senate , which elects its members every six years . Calderon acknowledged the setback in a late-night address to the nation Sunday . `` The federal government recognizes the new composition of the Chamber of Deputies since it is a sovereign decision of the citizens . I congratulate who they have chosen , '' Calderon said , adding he will work with the new representatives . He will have no choice but to work with the resurgent PRI , analysts said . But since the PAN did not have control of either house of Congress , Calderon has been compromising and making deals with the PRI and other parties since coming to power . `` I do n't think the job is much more difficult than it was at the outset , '' Hakim said . `` It 's all a matter of degrees . Yeah , it will make it a little more difficult . But he has had to work through negotiation anyway . '' Still , analysts said , the PRI now wields considerable more power . `` They 're in a position to run Congress , '' said Andrew Selee , director of the Woodrow Wilson Center 's Mexico Institute . By forming temporary coalitions with the Green Party and other minor parties , the PRI can block presidential vetoes , Salazar said . `` They pretty much have control over the purse , '' she said . Much more is at stake for the PRI though . After having held the presidency from 1929 to 2000 and then losing it to the PAN in the last two elections , the party is looking for a path back to power . Sunday 's results were particularly significant because the PRI finished third in the 2006 presidential election . `` The presidential campaign has started as of today , Monday , '' Salazar said . Also significant was the PRD 's apparent collapse as a major party , considering it came within 1 percent of winning the presidency in 2006 . That race was so close that the results were not verified until a controversial decision two months later . Losing candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador refused to accept the results and announced himself the winner . Fistfights broke out in the Chamber of Deputies . The PRI drew away votes from the PRD in Sunday 's election , Hakim said , noting that may help Calderon because the PRD is Calderon 's main foe in Congress . Working with a larger PRI may be easier . But Selee said Calderon is on a deadline , until the 2012 presidential race really heats up . `` His window of opportunity is for the next year and half , '' Selee said . `` The PRI wants to show that they can lead , that they 're a party of ideas . '' No one knows if the PRI is up to the task . `` The big question is whether the PRI will look forward only to the presidential elections , '' Hakim said . `` The PRI has to show that they 're responsible and capable of governing again . '' To do so , the PRI has to make sure that internal fighting over who will run as the presidential candidate in three years does not paralyze the party . `` Do n't underestimate the ability of the PRI to cannibalize itself , '' Salazar said . PRI leader Beatriz Paredes has emerged as a major power broker . As head of the party and newly elected member of the Chamber of Deputies , she will lead the PRI 's legislative efforts . That 's good for Calderon , Salazar said , because it will be `` much easier to negotiate with her than with other factions of the PRI . '' But if the PAN and PRI ca n't agree , Selee said , `` there will be a breakdown of consensus politics . '' Mexico 's leaders -- regardless of party affiliation -- also have to battle apparent disenchantment among everyday Mexicans . Voter participation Sunday was about 30 percent , officials said , but more 5 percent of those were people who `` annulled '' their ballots . They turned in a ballot but did not vote for anyone or defaced the ballot . Their intent was to show that they cared enough to vote , just not for anyone on the ballot . `` It 's a repudiation of what is going on in Mexico in general , '' Salazar said . Selee sees `` a general skepticism , '' saying , `` Mexicans have tired of where things are going . '' | NEW : German Martinez , president of PAN political party , resigns in aftermath . Felipe Calderon 's party loses lead in Mexico 's lower house . Mexican president held responsible for economic downturn , analysts say . PRI has 36.8 percent of vote to 27.9 percent for Calderon 's PAN , news agency says . | [[739, 764], [767, 838], [1838, 1880], [1052, 1155], [2429, 2444], [421, 503], [516, 567]] |
NIAGARA FALLS , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thirty years ago this summer , America learned the name Love Canal . The working-class Niagara Falls neighborhood built atop tons of chemical waste became a synonym for environmental disaster . Lois Gibbs , who runs an environmental justice group , shows a photo of children from Love Canal protesting . Troubles at the local elementary school -- and health problems among its students , such as seizure disorders -- were among the first signs of a much larger problem that made news around the world and prompted federal Superfund legislation to clean up the most polluted sites in the United States . Despite the outcry over Love Canal , little has been done to make schoolchildren safer from hazardous or toxic waste , says Lois Gibbs , who headed the Love Canal Homeowners Association and now runs the Center for Health , Environment & Justice . `` We should be farther along today than we are , '' said Gibbs , who started the nonprofit a year after her evacuation from Love Canal . The organization is dedicated to helping communities facing environmental threats . A 2005 study by the Center for Health , Environment & Justice looking at just four states -- Massachusetts , New York , New Jersey and Michigan -- found half a million children attending schools within half a mile of known toxic dumps . Gibbs points to New Bedford High School in Massachusetts as an example of children at risk . New Bedford High opened in 1972 on top of a former burn dump for PCBs , an industrial chemical linked to cancer and brain damage . PCB levels in the body build over time , raising health risks . `` Like a lot of teachers there now , I figured , how bad could it be ? I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 , '' said former New Bedford teacher Susan Dias , who is now cancer-free . She is returning to the classroom this fall but will not go back to New Bedford High . Former teacher Maria Quann also says New Bedford High made her ill . `` I became very , very sick . My immune system shut down . I collapsed and was bedridden for several months , '' Quann said . Her health improved after she left the high school , she says , and she has now retired . Maureen Woolley , who worked in the cafeteria , says she compiled a list of 25 school employees who died of cancer . Three classrooms were closed last year because of high PCB levels , but the school has been scrubbed and a new ventilation system added . The rooms are expected to be open this fall . There have been no reports of students at the high school becoming sick as a result of the toxic waste . `` I would n't have kids in the school if I did n't think it was safe . I would close the school , '' said Mayor Scott Lang , whose two sons attended New Bedford High . PCB levels inside the school now fall within federal guidelines , he says . Despite results of ongoing air-quality testing , teacher David Greene remains skeptical . `` I do think there are areas of that school that continue to be dangerous , '' he said . Only seven states have laws preventing cities and towns from building schools on or near toxic waste , according to the Center for Health Environment and Justice . They are Massachusetts , Rhode Island , California , Florida , Kentucky , Mississippi and Utah . `` You can go most anyplace and build -LSB- a school -RSB- on top of a Superfund site , '' Gibbs said . `` They can build a school anywhere they want , really . And that 's the sad truth . I think at schools , very little has changed , and that 's unfortunate . '' Even in states with laws , many are weak or poorly enforced , she says . In Massachusetts , state law prevents schools only from being built close to active waste dumps , which would not have prevented New Bedford High 's construction three decades ago on a former dump site . In Niagara Falls , Gibbs ' home was built three blocks from 20,000 tons of industrial waste placed in barrels and buried in a mile-long ditch by a plastics and chemical maker . The 99th Street Elementary was built on top of the dump . Gibbs , married with two young children at the time , recalls elementary school students playing with ooze bubbling up on the playground . `` The children would actually pick up these chemicals and handle them , '' Gibbs said . `` So , for example , one of these things was phosphorous rocks . Phosphorous rocks were little pieces of chemical residue that would bubble up to the surface . The children would pick up these phosphorous rocks , and when you threw them at a hard surface , they would explode like a firecracker . '' Some children were badly burned by the phosphorous , she adds . Gibbs says neighborhood children also played with the chemical Lindane , a pollutant associated with skin irritation , nausea , convulsions -- even death . `` I have a high school education . I do n't have a science degree , but you do n't have to be a scientist to know that 20,000 tons of chemicals and kindergartners do n't mix , '' Gibbs said . | Few states have laws preventing towns from building schools on or near toxic waste . Even in states with laws , many are weak or poorly enforced , group says . Love Canal is a Niagara Falls neighborhood built atop tons of chemical waste . | [[3035, 3135], [3634, 3650], [3653, 3729], [3588, 3620], [113, 191], [3838, 3854], [3857, 3929]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's Home Office said Wednesday it is banning the military wing of Hezbollah , the Lebanese political movement , because of its support for `` terrorism '' in Iraq and the Palestinian territories . Hezbollah fighters with the Shiite militia 's yellow flags during ceremony for slain commander Imad Mughnieh . Parliament must approve the order for it to become law . The announcement would make it a crime to belong to or encourage support for Hezbollah 's military wing . The order does not apply to Hezbollah 's political or social activities . `` It sends out a clear message that we condemn Hezbollah 's violence and support for terrorism , '' Home Office minister Tony McNulty said in a statement . Britain 's Terrorism Act allows Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to ban any group that she believes is involved in terrorism . `` Hezbollah 's military wing is providing active support to militants in Iraq who are responsible for attacks both on coalition forces and on Iraqi civilians , including providing training in the use of deadly roadside bombs , '' McNulty said . `` Hezbollah 's military wing also provides support to Palestinian terrorist groups in the occupied Palestinian territories , such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad . '' British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the ban came after `` new evidence '' of Hezbollah 's involvement in terrorism in Iraq and the Palestinian territories . In the House of Commons , Brown called on Hezbollah to lay down its arms and participate in the Lebanese political process `` on the same terms as other political parties . '' Hezbollah is the largest Shiite Muslim political movement in Lebanon and maintains an armed force that fought a month-long war with Israel in 2006 . The group has been linked to numerous terrorist attacks against American , Israeli , and other Western targets and the United States lists it as a terrorist organization . But many in Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East , particularly Shiites , view Hezbollah militants as freedom fighters . | UK Terrorism Act allows Home Secretary to ban suspected terror groups . Will become a crime to belong to , encourage support for Hezbollah 's military wing . UK PM : Ban came after `` new evidence '' of Hezbollah 's involvement in terrorism . Hezbollah is the largest Shiite Muslim political movement in Lebanon . | [[745, 804], [777, 866], [408, 513], [439, 513], [408, 424], [463, 513], [1278, 1439], [1319, 1439], [1616, 1684]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cyber criminals are setting snares that move at the speed of news . Savvy cyber criminals are taking advantage of our increasing reliance on computers and the Internet . Panda Security , a Spain-based antivirus maker , has been monitoring an onslaught of links with malicious software , or `` malware , '' on Twitter that tag hot topics such as the Air France crash , the NBA finals , `` American Idol '' runner-up Adam Lambert and the new iPhone . `` Cyber criminals have been targeting Twitter users by creating thousands of messages -LRB- tweets -RRB- embedded with words involving trending topics and malicious URLs , '' Sean-Paul Correll , a threat researcher for Panda Labs , wrote recently on a blog for the company . The growing sophistication of malware attacks mirrors the growing threat -- and cash -- generated by online crime . Already , cyber crime is estimated to cost companies and consumers more than $ 100 billion worldwide . Some officials claim it has now eclipsed illegal drugs as a criminal moneymaker . `` It 's very seldom reported ... if discovered by companies , they generally do n't want the public to know they 've been had , '' said Eugene Spafford , a computer security specialist at Purdue University who has advised two U.S. presidents and numerous companies and government agencies . Cyber crime is one of the few industries benefiting from the financial crisis . Last year , antivirus maker McAfee saw a 500 percent increase in malware types -- more than the company had seen in the previous five years combined . In the United States , the FBI reported a 33 percent increase in Internet crime last year . Companies lost an average of $ 4.6 million in intellectual property last year , according to a survey of 1000 firms worldwide by Purdue University and McAfee . `` As the economy has declined , we 've seen the threat landscape increase , '' David DeWalt , president and CEO of McAfee , recently told Richard Quest for CNN International 's `` Quest Means Business . '' That increase has helped antivirus makers such as McAfee snare record returns -- the company 's first quarter profits were 21 percent higher than same period last year . But companies and governments find themselves in a losing war with Web-savvy criminals , experts say . `` The fundamental fact is cyber criminals are highly organized with sophisticated corporate structures and business chains , '' said Michael Fraser , director of the Communications Law Centre at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia . `` They have R&D departments , strong distribution networks and Web sites for the discerning cyber criminal , '' Fraser said . On these Web sites , would-be criminals can purchase toolkits to learn how to side step security measures or create their own `` botnet '' -- referring to software that can , unbeknownst to victims , turn their computers into spamming foot-soldiers for criminal networks . One Web site advertises software that can capture information for a popular Internet secured-payment provider for $ 500 -- discounted to $ 400 for the first 100 buyers . Skimmed credit card numbers and other personal-identity information stolen from computers also can be found for sale on Web sites , Fraser said . `` When police shut these Web sites down , they just mushroom up some other place , '' he said . Although the techniques of cyber crime have evolved , online criminals prey on human vulnerabilities like criminals throughout the ages . In the digital age , that means tempting with free downloads , money schemes and pornography . The range of tools used by cyber criminals reveals the quick evolution of the industry . Viruses -- the first generation of the computer culprits -- are used for the computer equivalent of vandalism , as the malicious programs replicate , spread and damage computers . `` When the company was set up , we were seeing two or three new viruses a week , '' said Mahendra Negi , chief financial officer of Tokyo-based antivirus maker Trend Micro . `` Now there 's a new one every two-and-a-half seconds . `` With the arrival of spam in 2001 and 2002 , the big difference was it was commercial malware , '' Negi said . `` Once money became involved , the level of sophistication raised a hundred-fold . '' Now the biggest threats include `` phishing '' schemes and `` botnet '' attacks . Phishing is where criminals masquerade as a legitimate business or Web site and trick victims into revealing passwords , credit card information and other personal data . Botnet attackers commandeer personal computers as part of a large network of `` zombie '' computers that , on command , target companies for spam attacks to cripple IT capabilities . Botnets -- some of which are large enough to deploy tens of billions of spam e-mails a day -- are often used in extortion schemes . `` They ring up the IT manager of a company and say , ` Pay us a million or we 'll take you down ' , '' said Fraser , who has worked with companies victimized by botnet attacks . Companies often pay up and shut up , computer experts say , rather than report the crime and garner publicity that may hurt their corporate reputation . And unlike prankster virus-makers , these malware makers are determined to stay hidden . `` Once it became a business , then -LRB- cyber criminals -RRB- began to look at what companies like us were doing , and figure out weaknesses , '' he said . `` They are very customer friendly ... they sell updates , they will highlight what the product does and what antivirus software ca n't detect them . Adding to the difficulty is the legal situation that in many jurisdictions , it is not illegal to create or sell malware . `` It 's like the arms industry ... it 's not a crime to build and sell them , '' Negi said . And because of the transnational nature of the crime , it 's extremely difficult to prosecute . A scan of 500 headlines on Internet-related arrests from newspapers around the world the past two years found about 90 percent were related to child-pornography cases . `` Child pornography is easier to prosecute because it is possible to find the evidence on the perpetrator 's computer systems , '' said Spafford of Purdue University . Cyber-criminal networks are as porous as the Internet itself . `` There are multiple jurisdictions and unless it 's an ongoing crime that uses the same path all the time , the trail goes cold quickly , '' Spafford said . `` I may be able to trace back to a computer system , if I 'm lucky , or trace it back to a cyber cafe -- but how do I know who was behind it ? '' Often criminal networks are run in countries such as Russia and China , where government officials turn a blind eye to these activities -- so long as their victims reside outside the host country , Spafford said . `` For the host countries , that 's dangerous ... it 's kind of like breeding tigers in the back yard and saying , ` Well , they have n't hurt anyone here yet , ' '' he said . `` Mexico is a wonderful example ... they tolerated drug smugglers for years , and now it 's such a major problem and incredibly painful and costly to run them out . `` I 'm not saying -LRB- cyber criminals -RRB- are involved in physical violence , but it 's not out of the realm of possibility , '' he said . `` What are they doing with all that money ? '' | Some officials say cyber crime has eclipsed drug trade as a money maker . Latest ploy is planting malicious software in intriguing Twitter topics . Some companies give in to extortion and remain silent , officials say . Skimmed credit card numbers can be found for sale on Web sites . | [[744, 859], [824, 828], [832, 859], [963, 1044], [984, 986], [991, 1044], [5041, 5056], [5068, 5075]] |
PARIS , France -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Debris from Air France 447 , which crashed en route from Brazil to France last month , killing 228 people , has arrived in France , the French air accident investigation agency BEA said Wednesday . Searchers have discovered hundreds of pieces of wreckage from Air France Flight 447 . `` The debris ... will be sent to Toulouse where they will be examined at the Center of Aeronautics Tests of Toulouse -LRB- a branch of the Defense Ministry -RRB- under the control of the police and the BEA investigators , '' said the French air accident investigation agency BEA . The wreckage was transported to France from Brazil by the ship `` La Ville de Bordeaux , '' according to the plane 's manufacturer Airbus . It will be taken overland to Toulouse by truck . Flight 447 went down in the Atlantic Ocean in stormy weather as if flew from Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris , France on June 1 . Only 51 bodies were recovered , and the search is ongoing for the cause of the crash . The search for the data and voice recorders from the plane entered a second phase last week , according to France 's accident investigation agency . The flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder -- commonly known as `` black boxes '' -- stop giving out acoustic broadcasts after 30 days . But investigators decided to continue listening for the `` pings '' for another 10 days after that . On July 10 , two U.S. naval vessels and the French Navy submarine called off their search for the recorders , which investigators hope will shed light on exactly how and why the plane crashed . The second phase of the search will involve France 's oceanographic ship `` Pourquoi Pas ? '' which carries specialized exploration and intervention vehicles , according to the BEA . The French vessel will conduct new searches using diving equipment and towed sonar , the BEA said . Finding the recorders is of `` capital importance '' and `` no effort must be spared in achieving this end , '' Air France has said . `` We want to stress that for the sake of the families , we hope that the search for the black boxes will be successful , '' an Air France representative told CNN . The crash was the worst in Air France 's 75-year history . Earlier this month , investigators revealed that the plane bellyflopped intact into the Atlantic Ocean . Investigator Alain Bouillard said it was still not clear what caused the crash . The mountainous ocean floor in the search area ranges from 3,280 to 15,091 feet , BEA officials have said in the past , making the search for the recorders -- and the rest of the plane 's debris -- difficult . `` It is as if it fell in the Andes -LRB- mountains -RRB- , '' Olivier Ferrante , chief of the BEA search mission said . Brazil called off the search for bodies on June 27 , having found 51 of the 228 people who died , according to the military . Investigators have also found more than 600 parts and structural components of the plane , along with luggage , Bouillard said . | Debris from Air France 447 , which crashed last month , has arrived in France . Plane went down off Brazil on June 1 , killing all 228 aboard . French oceanographic ship will conduct new searches for data recorders . | [[46, 60], [69, 118], [232, 317], [46, 60], [69, 118], [0, 5], [8, 30], [121, 139], [2862, 2876], [2881, 2885], [1038, 1129], [1632, 1704], [1815, 1897]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- From the mid-1980s , Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist George Soros pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into foundations in Eastern Europe dedicated to promoting the idea of the `` open society '' and challenging the region 's Soviet-backed regimes . Here , writing exclusively for CNN.com , he describes how the work of his foundations ultimately contributed to the collapse of communism . A Soviet tank rolls through Budapest during the failed 1956 Hungarian uprising against communist domination . I set up my first foundation in Hungary in 1984 . The idea behind it was simple . The state dogma , promoted by the ruling communists , was false and by providing an alternative we could expose its falsehood . Accordingly we supported every cultural initiative that was not an expression of the established dogma . I was guided by the concept of the `` open society , '' which I adopted from the philosopher Karl Popper . I saw the open society as a more sophisticated form of social organization than the totalitarian closed societies of the Soviet bloc . The latter were trying to implement central plans ; in an open society every individual or organization was supposed to implement their own plan . To make the transition from a closed to an open society would require outside help and that was what my foundations sought to provide . In Hungary the authorities insisted on having a controlling presence on the foundation 's board . We eventually agreed to appoint two chief executives , one nominated by them and one by me . The project succeeded beyond my expectations . With very small amounts of money people could engage in a wide variety of civic initiatives ranging from self-governing student colleges to zither clubs . One of our first projects was to offer photocopying machines to cultural and scientific institutions in exchange for local currency . We used the money to give out local grants and support all kinds of unofficial initiatives , but the photocopying machines also did a lot of good . Up until then , the few existing copy machines were literally held under lock and key -- as more and more became available , the Party apparatus lost control of the machines and the dissemination of information . We did not have to exercise direct control . Civil society watched over the foundation . For instance , we were warned that a blind association , to whom we gave a grant for talking books , was stealing some of the money . With a budget of $ 3 million , the foundation had more influence on the cultural life of Hungary than the Ministry of Culture . Carried away my success in Hungary , by 1988 I had set up foundations in Poland , China and the Soviet Union . I think that I could have influenced General Jaruzelski in Poland to change his attitude toward the opposition and to see that dissidents such as Adam Michnik and Jacek Kuron were also patriots despite their criticism of the ruling party . As the Soviet empire collapsed , and eventually the Soviet Union and also Yugoslavia disintegrated , we continued to expand . By 1992 there were foundations in 22 countries and expenditure had reached $ 53 million . A year later we were spending nearly $ 184 million . Right at the beginning , I had a disagreement with the Polish board about the way the foundation should be run . But that taught me a lesson . They were right and I was wrong . I realized that the people living there understood their country better than I did and I deferred to their judgment . It did not always work . In Bulgaria , a board member who made his name as a human rights activist turned out to be a racist . A Latvian businessman sought to hijack the foundation for nationalist purposes . It was the Russian foundation that gave us the most trouble ; we had to reorganize it twice . But the foundations were the first out of the gate everywhere . I remembered the lesson my father who had lived through the Russian Revolution in Siberia taught me : In revolutionary times things that are normally impossible become possible . In Ukraine , we set up the Ukrainian Renaissance Foundation before Ukraine became independent . In Tajikistan , we persevered with the foundation during the five-year civil war although we had no way of controlling its activities . Our impact was the greatest during that turbulent period . When I set up the foundations in Eastern Europe I hoped the open societies of the West would follow in my footsteps , but in that regard I was disappointed . Unwilling to burden their own budgets , they gave the job to the International Monetary Fund , which was ill suited to the task . The IMF was accustomed to signing letters of intent with governments , making the continuation of their programs conditional on the governments fulfilling their obligations . The countries of Eastern Europe fared better , but in the former Soviet states one after another , the programs largely failed . East Germany was the exception : West Germany was willing to make the sacrifices that were necessary to integrate it . Eventually , the countries of Eastern Europe , including the Baltic states , also made the grade when the European Union gave them accession . But the rest of the former Soviet Union in the Caucasus and Central Asia never succeeded in making the transition . This has left a bitter legacy . Rightly or wrongly , both the rulers and the people of Russia harbor a deep resentment against the West , which the West has not come to grips with . The new order in Moscow that has emerged out of the chaos of the 1990s is very far from an open society . It is an authoritarian regime that preserves the outward appearances of democracy but derives its power from its control of Russia 's national resources . It uses those resources to maintain itself in power , to personally enrich the rulers , and to exercise influence over its neighborhood , both in Europe and in the former Soviet sphere . But the ideal of an open society is difficult to suppress and I have not given up hope . | Financier George Soros funded eastern European dissident groups in 1980s . Soros : In revolutionary times things normally impossible become possible . Soros set up first foundation in Hungary in 1984 ; by 1992 foundations in 22 countries . West failed many post-communist states ; Russia again an authoritarian regime . | [[0, 15], [40, 169], [3997, 4023], [4029, 4070], [532, 581], [3088, 3134], [4876, 4921], [4924, 4953]] |
ARLINGTON , Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Staff Sgt. Travis Nielsen had no idea when he joined the U.S. Army that his duty would include one of the most solemn and hallowed ceremonies in the military . John F. Kennedy 's funeral in 1963 included a riderless horse with boots facing backwards in the saddle . During funeral processions at Virginia 's Arlington National Cemetery near Washington , Nielsen walks the riderless horse , a powerful military symbol that stands among the highest honors for the fallen . Images of the so-called caparisoned horse , often referred to as the `` cap horse , '' remain emblazoned in the memories of millions of shocked Americans who watched President Kennedy 's funeral procession shortly after his 1963 assassination . According to Army tradition , a ceremonial horse is led by a `` cap walker , '' like Nielsen , in a procession with boots set backward in the saddle 's stirrups . In addition to high-ranking government officials such as the president , the cap horse honor is reserved for officers of the rank of colonel or above . The tradition dates `` to Roman times , or Genghis Khan , '' Nielsen said , `` as a high honor bestowed on high-ranking fallen warriors . '' Watch Nielsen lead a riderless horse at Arlington '' The ancient riderless horse ceremony did n't include backward boots , he said , but it did include an unusual meal . `` They were shrouding their horses or putting him in battle armor or escorting the fallen to their grave , '' Nielsen said . `` When that was done , they would eat the horse , and they would have a big feast . '' Today `` the boots facing backward symbolize -LSB- that -RSB- the fallen wo n't ride again and -LSB- the rider is -RSB- looking back on his family one last time , '' he said . Nielsen serves with the ceremonial Caisson Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry regiment , also known as the Old Guard , based at Fort Myer , Virginia , near the cemetery . Formed in 1784 , the Old Guard ranks as the oldest active duty unit in the Army . `` Memorial Day weekend is very busy around here , '' said Nielsen , who joins Old Guard comrades in the annual tradition at Arlington called `` flags in . '' `` We are responsible for going out in the cemetery and placing the American flags on all the headstones . '' Platoon soldiers rarely know any details about the troops or civilians they honor . `` Sometimes someone who served with the fallen or maybe went to -LSB- military -RSB- academy with them will come up to you and tell you what a great guy they were , '' Nielsen said . When choosing Old Guard members , commanders `` want guys who are punctual and disciplined and picky about the way they look and the way their horses look , '' he said . The focus of much of Nielsen 's duties involves drilling and training horses such as Kennedy , a cap horse whose previous career involved running around harness racing tracks . Cemetery ceremonial horses are washed and brushed until their coats have a bright sheen . Saddles and brass are buffed and polished until they shine like mirrors . Ancient caissons that carry flag-draped caskets are cleaned and readied for a day of service . As for the soldiers , Old Guard members ' woolen uniforms are flawless and take hours to prepare , as each inch is inspected again and again . Uniforms are pressed and ironed . Shoes and brass are polished and shined . `` In the winter , it can get pretty cold out there , '' Nielsen said . `` In the summer -- it 's no joke -- the summers get extremely hot . There will be heat indexes of 100 to 115 degrees . '' Nielsen described his duty as rewarding . `` We carry America 's heroes to the final resting place , '' he said . Soldiers in formation lead the procession . An Army band plays , and the unit marches to muffled drums . The caisson passes , led by six horses , either black or white . The horses ' harnesses jangle and the caisson wheels rumble through the hallowed paths of Arlington . Bringing up the rear of the procession is Nielsen , leading Kennedy . They pass in formation directly behind a flag-draped casket carrying the body of a soldier or Marine ; Navy and Air Force officers do not use cap horses at burial ceremonies . After a casket is carried to a burial site , the caisson and cap horse depart . Nielsen and Kennedy head back to the stables alone , to prepare for another ceremony . | Riderless horses honor high-ranking fallen U.S. troops , government officials . Many recall horse with empty saddle during 1963 JFK funeral . Army 's ceremonial `` Old Guard '' unit prides itself on its military funerals . Tradition of riderless horses at funerals dates to ancient Rome , soldier says . | [[200, 272], [1153, 1208], [200, 272], [1071, 1108]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Bad dubbing , angry men with extraordinary facial hair , balletic fighting and more blood than you can shake a nunchuck at : just some of the key ingredients to make a perfect kung fu flick . Tony Jaa may be the modern day Bruce Lee , and in `` Ong-bak '' he shows off his impressive skills . Whether it 's a traditional tale of ancient Chinese fighting mystics , or a slickly made , modern bloodfest , kung fu has always been a rich part of cinema . We 've compiled a list of 10 of the best . Do n't agree ? Think we 've missed one ? Share your views by using the Sound Off box below and we 'll publish the best . 1 . Enter the Dragon -LRB- Robert Clouse , 1973 -RRB- . Bruce Lee 's last movie before his untimely death , this is him at his very best . A man on a revenge mission , Lee travels to a mysterious island to fight in a deadly tournament hosted by an evil billionaire . Along with being technically amazing -- the nunchucks scene is jaw-dropping -- it 's the most stylish and iconic martial arts film ever made . 2 . Ong-bak -LRB- Prachya Pinkaew , 2003 -RRB- . Tony Jaa is a modern master . He has appeared in very few major releases , but has already made a huge impact . `` Ong-bak '' is the perfect showcase for his extraordinary skills : whether he 's fighting a roomful of people or taking part in the most exciting chase we have ever seen -- jumping through rings of barbed wire and sliding under moving cars while doing the splits -- he makes this film every bit the martial arts spectacle . 3 . Wong Fei Hung -LRB- Once Upon a Time in China -RRB- -LRB- Hark Tsui , 1991 -RRB- . Part Chinese history , part gripping kung fu movie , this eastern epic has Jet Li demonstrating his talents as the eponymous hero who stands up to invading foreign forces in 19th century China . Armed with a limitless arsenal of martial arts moves , Li takes on masses of gun-toting , badly acting opponents . A visual delight and Jet Li 's best work . 4 . Kill Bill 1 & 2 -LRB- Quentin Tarantino , 2003/2004 -RRB- . Quentin Tarantino is a movie geek -- specifically , a B-movie geek -- and kung fu has long held a place in his heart . `` Kill Bill , '' his tribute to the genre , ticks every box : revenge ; a powerful , all-knowing nemesis ; stylish fights , costumes and music ; and blood , lots and lots of blood . 5 . Wo hu cang long -LRB- Crouching Tiger , Hidden Dragon -RRB- -LRB- Ang Lee , 2000 -RRB- . Every eye-catching detail of this touching and beautiful film works . A love story with outlaws , witches and Shaolin monks is augmented by breathtaking cinematography and some fantastic performances from Chow Yun Fat , Michelle Yeoh and newcomer Ziyi Zhang . This visual feast tugs at the heart strings better than any karate chop could . 6 . The Karate Kid -LRB- John G. Avildsen , 1984 -RRB- . A simple but well-executed plot sees Ralph Macchio 's underdog work his way up an unconventional path to take on the mean and nasty establishment . It spawned a spate of copycat films , while thousands of children signed up to after-school karate ; everyone now knows how to defend themselves by waxing on or off and that the best fighting move is obviously The Crane . Hiya ! 7 . Ging chaat goo si -LRB- Police Story -RRB- -LRB- Jackie Chan , 1985 -RRB- . Jackie Chan is probably China 's biggest export to Hollywood , well-known for doing his own death-defying stunts . This is one of the films that got him noticed in the United States . When he fights , Chan is unstoppable : he uses every prop on the set and puts himself in enormous physical danger . Out and out fun . 8 . Shogun Assassin -LRB- Robert Houston , 1980 -RRB- . Referenced several times in Tarantino 's `` Kill Bill '' films , this forgotten classic must have set a record for the amount of blood spilt as our hero crosses the country on a revenge mission . Early on , Tomisaburo Wakayama says `` they will pay with rivers of blood '' ; he is n't wrong . Violent and wonderful . 9 . Siu lam juk kau -LRB- Shaolin Soccer -RRB- -LRB- Stephen Chow , 2001 -RRB- . Should this be in the best or worst list ? It 's definitely unique . Once described as `` the best kung fu football film of all time , '' this is one of the more ridiculous films of the genre . A group of down-and-out martial arts experts form a five-a-side football team to take on a group of evil , drug-taking clones . It 's as simple , and as silly as that . And it 's one of our guiltiest pleasures . 10 . The Matrix -LRB- Andy and Larry Wachowski , 1999 -RRB- . A sci-fi spin on the genre , this modern classic has all the key elements : our hero has superhuman powers ; the bad guys , led by the relentless Agent Smith , form part of a shady , all-powerful organization intent on oppressing humankind ; and the fight scenes are fantastically technical . Against all the odds , it appears Keanu really does know Kung Fu . ... . Do n't agree ? Think we 've missed one ? Read others ' comments and share your views by using the Sound Off box below . ... . And the mainstream films that lacked the killer punch ... Street Fighter -LRB- Steven E. de Souza , 1994 -RRB- . Jean-Claude Van Damme has made some good films , really he has . `` Kickboxer '' nearly made it into our top 10 . But this is , by a huge margin , his worst effort . Most depressing , though , is that this was the last major outing for Raul Julia -- not the way he should be remembered . Great game ; terrible film . The Karate Kid , Part III -LRB- John G. Avildsen , 1989 -RRB- . The franchise came out of part two with a little credibility intact , but this last installment -- unless you include `` The Next Karate Kid '' -LRB- which no self-respecting `` Karate Kid '' fan would -RRB- -- managed to kill off our last shred of enthusiasm . Where the original might have inspired you to take up karate , this would put you off the sport , and probably kung fu movies too . Bulletproof Monk -LRB- Paul Hunter , 2003 -RRB- . `` I 've got a great idea , let 's take a well-respected Chinese actor and pair him up with an annoying teen-film actor in a mystical kung fu movie ; it ca n't fail ! '' Unsurprisingly , this film was a disaster , shoe-horning silly fight scenes into a plot that spirals from implausible to disturbingly stupid . A frightful mistake , and one of our worst-named films to boot . Under Siege 2 : Dark Territory -LRB- Geoff Murphy , 1995 -RRB- . The first `` Under Siege '' was a surprisingly good film , and Hollywood 's best martial arts expert acquits himself well , but this follow up is laughable . Seagal still fights like the best , but has lost the ability to speak , and whispers his way through the dialogue . Considering the action takes place on a train , we were amazed his co-stars could hear him . Come on , Steven , you were so much better when you were just a lowly , lowly cook . Game of Death -LRB- Robert Clouse , 1978 -RRB- . Through no fault of his own , this is Bruce Lee 's posthumous contribution to the list . This tacky movie features fight scenes shot before Lee died , interspersed with material filmed using lookalikes and a cardboard cutout of the great man . The fights are impressive , but the rest of the film smacks of a cash-in -- they even use footage from Lee 's actual funeral . A desperate slur on Lee 's memory . E-mail to a friend . | Iconic kung fu star Bruce Lee hits the top spot with `` Enter the Dragon '' Tarantino 's genre tributes , `` Kill Bill 1 & 2 , '' are stylish and bloody . `` The Matrix '' is a sci-fi kung fu movie with slickly made fight sequences . But Jean-Claude Van Damme 's `` Street Fighter '' lacks the killer punch . | [[4787, 4833]] |
NEW DELHI , India -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- India 's financial capital of Mumbai was put on a high-tide alert with officials expecting a water rise of up to 197 inches -LRB- 5 meters -RRB- . High tides lash the coast near the Gateway of India in Mumbai on Thursday . Sea tides are expected to rise 5 meters Friday , 4.9 meters Saturday and 4.7 meters Sunday , according to a bulletin by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai . `` We have installed water pumps along the coast and advise the people to avoid beaches , '' said Jagtab , an official at the disaster management control room . Floodgates may also be closed in case the threat mounts , he added . High tides are also forecast from August 19 to 23 . At least 467 people have died in floods in India from this season 's monsoon rains , federal authorities said in their latest report . Flooding has affected about 1.7 million people in parts of India , according to the disaster management division of the federal home ministry . The country 's main weather office has warned of heavy rains in western and central parts of India . | India 's financial capital of Mumbai put on a high-tide alert . Officials expect a water rise of up to 197 inches -LRB- 5 meters -RRB- . Sea tides expected to rise 5 meters Friday , 4.9 meters Saturday , 4.7 meters Sunday . High tides also forecast from August 19 to 23 . | [[0, 33], [67, 117], [184, 259], [108, 183], [260, 350], [260, 350], [656, 707]] |
SEATTLE , Washington -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A man at a Fort Lewis army post on Wednesday fatally shot a woman before turning the gun on himself , military authorities said . The shootings on Wednesday occurred outside the main post exchange at Fort Lewis in Washington state . The man , who was hospitalized earlier in the day , was pronounced dead late Wednesday , Fort Lewis spokesman Joe Kubistek said . The man shot the woman and then shot himself in the head , said Maj. Mike Garcia . He said the shootings occurred outside the main post exchange , as retail stores at military installations are called . Garcia said the 59-year-old shooter was a retired soldier . The woman he shot , Garcia said , was a civilian who worked as a vendor in the store . Neither was identified . Kathy Johnson had taken her elderly mother to shop at the store when shots rang out . `` I heard five to six shots and hit the floor , '' Johnson said , `` I was hiding under a clothing rack and people were yelling that we were being taken hostage . '' Eventually , Johnson said , customers were told over the store intercom that it was safe to leave the store . Outside military police had surrounded the store and were posted on nearby rooftops , she said , . It was not immediately clear what the relationship between the man and woman was , Garcia said . He said since the shooting took place on a federal installation , the FBI would lead the investigation into the shootings . CNN 's Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report . | Alleged shooter is a 59-year-old retired soldier , Fort Lewis spokesman says . Slain woman was a civilian who worked as a vendor at the post , spokesman says . `` I heard five to six shots and hit the floor , '' witness says . FBI will lead probe into shootings on the federal facility , spokesman says . | [[362, 402], [606, 665], [618, 665], [686, 697], [700, 714], [666, 683], [700, 752], [867, 892], [867, 868], [897, 910], [1337, 1400], [1403, 1460]] |
ISLAMABAD , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In Pakistan 's combustible Swat Valley , some girls refuse to wear uniforms so they can make it to school without being harmed . Shiza Shahid , left , a 20-year-old Stanford University student , is helping to teach young girls in Pakistan . Other girls hide textbooks in their shawls to escape harassment . School-age girls are among the victims in the fierce fighting between government soldiers and Taliban militants in the Swat Valley . The Pakistani government said it has flushed much of the Taliban out of the area , but some fighting persists . Many girls remain banned from schools . Dozens of their schools have been bombed , and militants have burned books . A new program has taken 26 girls out of the battle-scarred region to Islamabad for a 10-day retreat , where they can learn in safer surroundings . A group of college students of Pakistani background is helping the girls . Among them are Shiza Shahid , 20 , from California 's Stanford University , who organized the program called Shajar-e-llm , or Tree of Knowledge . Shahid said she was moved to help after hearing about how the girls struggled to get an education . `` I think we were so angry , upset and emotional that we decided we have to do something , '' she said . Watch as Shahid says she had to act to help the girls '' Though well-intentioned , the program sometimes seems disorganized . `` We need support . We need unfortunately more organization , more of the bureaucratic nitty-gritty that you do n't want to do , but you have to , '' Shahid said . `` We are young , and that does come with the burden as not being equally trusted or seen as capable . '' Nonetheless , the group has ambitions for a boys ' learning retreat as well . The lessons are simple enough -- confidence-building exercises , critical-thinking lessons -- all framed in the context of Islamic values . The girls -- ages 11 to 14 -- spoke about their dreams . One wants to meet a poet ; another wants to learn calligraphy . Another wants to grow up to lead Pakistan . `` I want to become president and rule this country in a good way , '' said 12-year-old Malila . One day during the retreat , the girls were taught a song about freedom of speech . As a guitarist strummed , the girls sang that God gives everyone the right to free speech and no one can take it away . Free speech seemed to end with the song , however . The girls could not risk talking about Taliban harassment , because the militants ' version of Islamic law lingers . Such Islamic law , or shariah , also keeps females from going to school or going outside without their husbands . The United Nations estimates that 375,000 Swat Valley residents fled their homes during fighting that started in April . In all , 2.5 million Pakistanis were displaced in what was said to be one of the largest human migrations in recent history . Many residents have returned to their homes , but peace has not been completely restored to the region . And soon , the girls at the learning retreat will return home to the Swat Valley as well . Organizers said they hope the girls will carry a new love for education . `` There were tears and there were tough moments , '' said Madihah Akhter , a volunteer with the program . `` But the girls surprised me . They were really resilient . They were beyond their years . '' | Schoolgirls victims of fighting between Pakistani soldiers and Taliban in Swat Valley . A retreat in Islamabad gives 26 girls a safe haven to learn . A student from Stanford University is helping lead the retreat . | [[347, 479], [709, 741], [792, 800], [811, 855]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Sen. Ted Kennedy would have had a `` very , very difficult '' time politically surviving the drowning death of a young woman if it happened in the era of blogs , talk radio and 24-hour news cycles , experts said . Sen. Ted Kennedy hit the airwaves to say it was `` indefensible '' he did n't immediately report the accident . Mary Jo Kopechne , 28 , drowned after Kennedy drove his Oldsmobile off a bridge following a regatta party in July 1969 . The incident on Chappaquiddick Island , Massachusetts , helped dash the youngest Kennedy brother 's chances at the Oval Office in 1972 and 1980 . Massachusetts was more forgiving than the rest of the nation , however , backing Kennedy by a 3-to-2 margin in his 1970 bid to keep his Senate seat . That his brothers , John and Robert , had been assassinated in recent years may have been a factor , experts said . Watch Kennedy attend brother Robert 's funeral '' `` Great expectations and great tragedy has always been the storyline of the Kennedys , '' said Christopher Arterton , dean of George Washington University 's graduate school of political management . `` The people of Massachusetts were prepared to forgive a lot of transgressions . '' Kennedy vanished to the family compound for days after the incident , huddling with advisers before emerging the following week to plead guilty to leaving the scene of an accident . A judge suspended his two-month jail sentence . Critics saw the plea as an attempt to stifle details that would have emerged during a trial . In a display of the senator 's legendary oratory , he delivered a nationally televised explanation and apology , saying it was `` indefensible '' that he had n't called police until the day after the accident . See how Chappaquiddick fit into Kennedy 's legacy '' `` If at any time , the citizens of Massachusetts should lack confidence in their senator 's character or his ability , with or without justification , he could not in my opinion adequately perform his duty and should not continue in office , '' Kennedy said . Jim Baughman , author of `` The Republic of Mass Culture : Journalism , Filmmaking , and Broadcasting in America since 1941 , '' said he recalls Kennedy 's address being `` less an explanation to the country than to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts . '' The nation 's response was tepid . According to a Time-Harris poll in August 1969 , about 44 percent of respondents said Kennedy failed `` to tell the real truth , '' 51 percent said his explanation was inadequate and 77 percent said he was wrong not to report the accident immediately . However , 58 percent of respondents said `` he has suffered , been punished and should be given the benefit of the doubt . '' Watch a timeline of Kennedy 's tragedies , triumphs '' `` I think the national repercussions would have been more severe -LSB- today -RSB- , '' Baughman said . In 1969 , the national media were dominated by three TV networks and a handful of magazines and newspapers . New media and talk radio would be a `` much more ferocious force '' today , he said . Media reports from the time indicate few mysteries were solved by Kennedy 's address . Then-Edgartown Police Chief Jim Arena was often lambasted for his handling of the case . He said Thursday he would handle it no differently today except that he would charge Kennedy with vehicular homicide , a charge that did not exist in 1969 . `` I will always contend that what happened that night was an accident . What happened afterward has never been completely explained , '' said Arena , who is now 79 . In his national address , Kennedy said he was driving Kopechne to a ferry landing because she was tired . He denied `` widely circulated suspicions of immoral conduct '' and also refuted reports that he was `` driving under the influence of liquor . '' Watch Kennedy 's explanation '' Kennedy said his unfamiliarity with the bridge , which had no guardrails and met the road at an awkward angle , caused him to drive off the side and into Poucha Pond . `` The car overturned in a deep pond and immediately filled with water , '' Kennedy said . `` Water entered my lungs and I actually felt the sensation of drowning , but somehow I struggled to the surface alive . '' Kopechne did not . Kennedy said he dived back into the water several times , `` but succeeded only in increasing my state of utter exhaustion and alarm . '' Conceding he did not seek a telephone , Kennedy said he returned to the party and summoned a cousin and friend to the scene . They , too , failed in saving Kopechne , he said . `` All kinds of scrambled thoughts -- all of them confused , some of them irrational , many of them which I can not recall , and some of which I would not have seriously entertained under normal circumstances -- went through my mind during this period , '' he said . He asked to be taken to the ferry slip , he said , where he jumped into the water , swam the 500-foot channel back to Edgartown , returned to his hotel room and collapsed . It was n't until morning that he called police , and then , only after he called legal adviser Burke Marshall , he said . The media clamored with questions : Why had Kopechne left her purse and room key at the cottage and told no one she was going home ? How did Kennedy get lost on a one-turn trip to the ferry ? Was the ferry operating when Kennedy and Kopechne left ? `` The larger anger about it was the 10-hour lag -LSB- in reporting the accident -RSB- , that he was more concerned about his reputation than this young woman 's life , '' Baughman said . `` He did n't take enough time to blame himself and take responsibility . '' Today , Baughman said , Kennedy could still survive a Chappaquiddick -- largely because of the Kennedys ' clout and because Massachusetts is so enamored with the family -- but it would be tougher with the Slate.coms and Drudge Reports of the world hounding him . George Washington University 's Arterton concurs that , like Jesse Helms ' North Carolina or Strom Thurmond 's South Carolina , Massachusetts would likely forgive one of its favorite sons today . If Kennedy survived his first re-election , as he did in 1970 , he likely would have prevailed in later ones , though it would have been `` very , very difficult to remain in office , '' Arterton said . He also doubts Kennedy would have been able to isolate himself with advisers for days without making a statement . Watch a newsreel of Kennedy 's early years '' `` In the cable news era , that would not have been possible , '' he said , explaining that blogs and other new media would have prodded the networks and newspapers . `` There would have been much more effort to dig into that story nationally . '' At the least , Baughman said , `` you 'd have maybe a more diverse conversation about Kennedy 's culpability and judgment . '' Then-Chief Arena remembers the intense criticism of his investigation from his own counterparts . Diver John Farrar , who pulled Kopechne from the car , told media outlets she may have lived had Kennedy called police immediately , and George Killen , a detective-lieutenant with the State Police , alleged at the time that Kennedy `` killed that girl the same as if he put a gun to her head and pulled the trigger . '' Kennedy 's explanation was a `` weak defense , '' Arena acknowledges , but he insists there was no evidence of negligence to facilitate manslaughter charges . Arena said the Kennedys never pressured him during the investigation . He also never obfuscated details to benefit Kennedy -- in part , because of a paternal adage he has always held dear . `` When you tell the truth , you do n't have to worry about what you said the first time , '' he said . `` The charge I came up with was the only one I thought we could prove . ... I did what I could , and I 'll stick by it . '' | Media `` more ferocious '' today , would n't have left questions unanswered , expert says . Ex-police chief says he would have charged Kennedy with vehicular homicide today . Chappaquiddick incident credited with ending Ted Kennedy 's presidential hopes . Chief : `` What happened afterward has never been completely explained '' | [[3001, 3074], [3263, 3379], [466, 503], [522, 611], [3493, 3552]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You do n't want to monkey around on a blind date , especially if your friends are also taking an interest in the same dark , handsome stranger . Jookie , as she is known , studies a poster of French gorilla Yeboah , who is heading for London Zoo . So when three female gorillas at London Zoo heard that they would soon be visited by a brooding French hunk -- well , they went a bit bananas . The latest development in Anglo-French relations sees Yeboah , a 20-stone 12-year-old , leave his current home at La Boissiere Du Dore Zoo , Pays de la Loire , northwest France and head for the British capital by the end of the year . There he will be greeted by gorilla trio Zaire , Effie and Mjukuu , who were given posters of their prospective boyfriend for the first time Thursday . One female gorilla shrieked in delight , while another wedged the poster in a tree to stare at it . A third , clearly overcome by emotion , held the photo close to her chest -- then ate it . Their reception was somewhat unsurprising . The zoo has been without a male gorilla since the demise of Bobby , a silverback , in December . Tracey Lee , team leader at London Zoo , put in a good word for the hirsute lothario on the London Zoo Web site , saying Yeboah is `` a very charming , fun loving and intelligent gorilla . '' But whom will Yeboah choose to charm first ? Zaire , at 34 , is the oldest female gorilla and has been at London Zoo since 1984 . The zoo says she 's `` happiest when she 's taking down and rebuilding her nest in various spots around the island . She loves to play with fabric and often drags it around with her all day . '' Then there 's Effie , 16 , who `` enjoys seeing toddlers and often makes her way over to the glass when they come to see her , '' according to the zoo Web site . Finally there 's 10-year-old Mjukuu , or `` Jookie . '' Dan Simmonds , a keeper at the zoo 's Gorilla Kingdom , says she `` has this ` butter would n't melt look ' to her , and she gets away with murder . '' `` The other two females get along with her very well ; she seems to have them all wrapped around her little finger . '' Bridget Fallon contributed to this story . | London Zoo has been without a male gorilla since December . French gorilla Yeboah is being sent from La Boissiere Du Dore Zoo , NW France . Female gorillas at London have been shown posters of their new guest . | [[1050, 1115], [482, 488], [516, 566], [181, 187], [208, 249], [292, 399], [722, 730], [735, 814]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fireworks continued to erupt between Bolivia and Peru over a costume worn at this year 's Miss Universe pageant . Last week , during the national costume part of the competition , Miss Peru , Karen Schwarz , wore an Andean-inspired outfit featuring a headpiece with large horns based on the costume used in the traditional Diablada , or deviled , folk dance . In wearing the outfit , Schwarz unwittingly set off a firestorm in Bolivia , whose culture minister Pablo Groux threatened to go to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to claim that the Diablada belongs to Bolivia 's culture and no one else . Bolivia sent a letter to the Miss Universe organizers , citing evidence that the dance has its roots in Bolivia and distinctly belongs to the country , Bolivia 's state-run news agency ABI reported . Bolivia dancers showcased the Diablada at events in Washington and Panama , and Bolivia 's ambassador to France summed up the country 's stance , according to ABI : `` We ask that urgent , adequate , opportune and pertinent measures be taken to protect Bolivian cultural patrimony and the respect of the origin of our customs and ancient traditions . '' Peruvian officials have said that the Diablada folk dance has its roots in both countries . Bolivia has no grounds to claim the dance in the international court , countered Peru 's director of its National Institute of Culture , Cecilia Bakula told the newspaper El Comercio . `` This issue should stop because we ca n't lose tolerance or respect between both countries over things like this , '' Schwarz said in an interview with Bolivian media . `` We have a dance that unites us because the Diablada is danced in Bolivia and Peru . '' The cultural dispute comes at a time of political disagreement between the countries relating to maritime access at the border between Chile and Peru . Peruvian President Alan Garcia has accused Chile and land-locked Bolivia of negotiating an under-the-table deal that would leave Peru out . On Monday Peru said it was taking its own case to the International Court of Justice over the maritime dispute . | Miss Peru , Karen Schwarz , set off firestorm in Bolivia with Andean-inspired outfit . Bolivia 's cultural minister threatens to go to international court . Report : Peru cultural director says Bolivia has no grounds to claim dance . Peru also threatens to go to court : over maritime dispute with Chile and Bolivia . | [[19, 87], [133, 142], [145, 196], [199, 208], [227, 296], [379, 400], [403, 453], [479, 484], [491, 626], [1280, 1348], [479, 484], [491, 626], [2018, 2130]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When David Whitney traveled to Pakistan to shoot his film about a man forced to flee Afghanistan after falling foul of the Taliban he did n't expect fiction to turn into reality . A still from `` Kandahar Break . '' Production of the film was halted after the crew were fired upon by suspected Taliban militia . But that 's exactly what happened three weeks into shooting political thriller `` Kandahar Break '' in late 2008 . Gunmen attacked the first-time director and his crew near the Afghan border . Four Pakistani crew members were shot and wounded in the incident and the entire crew was forced to flee the region . Pakistani authorities later told Whitney that the gunmen were affiliated with the Taliban and were in fact targeting the Western members of the team . `` I was very upset . It was terrifying to know that somebody was trying to attack us , trying to shoot us , '' Whitney told CNN . With the help of local security forces the team was immediately evacuated to Islamabad and put on a flight out of the country in 24 hours . Whitney had only managed to film three-quarters of the script and the film 's future lay in the balance . `` When I heard that the crew members who had been shot were going to be fine I started to think like the businessman and the producer , '' says Whitney . `` I thought , ` How are we going to finish this film ? We 're not just going to give up . ' And to a man everybody involved agreed to finish it . '' After six months spent organizing financial backing , the original cast and crew flew to Tunisia to complete the movie and has been attracting interest from distributors . Despite the danger caused by shooting so close to the actual conflict zone , Whitney says he would shoot in the region again if he had the chance . `` Every place you point a camera there 's a great shot . You do n't have to go very far to find fantastic authentic Afghan architecture and beautiful landscapes . `` All the people are in the same sort of authentic costumes , so you do n't have the problem of trying to find authenticity -- it 's all around you . '' Whitney hopes the authenticity will help `` Kandahar Break '' enjoy the same level of success as Kathryn Bigelow 's `` The Hurt Locker '' -- the first film about the Iraq war to make a profit at the U.S. box office . Bigelow 's thriller tells the story of an elite army EOD bomb squad who battle insurgents and each other , as they disarm a innumerable roadside bombs on the streets of Baghdad . Bigelow shot `` The Hurt Locker '' in Jordan , as close as she could get to the actual conflict zone . She also made use of local actors . The film is based on screenwriter Mark Boal 's first-hand experiences gathered whilst embedded with a bomb unit in Iraq . `` Because it was based on real life , we wanted to keep it as realistic as possible and keep it accurate , '' Bigelow told CNN . `` I mean this is a conflict that 's still on-going so we felt responsible to the troops still there and the situation on the ground . '' The cast faced grueling shooting conditions : Temperatures ranged between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit -LRB- 46 and 49 degrees Celsius -RRB- . It was even hotter in the authentic bomb suit worn by Jeremy Brenner , who plays Staff Sergeant James . The suit weighed 60 pounds . `` You really ca n't explain the heat and the weight of the suit , '' Brenner told CNN . `` That certainly helped the realism of it all . There were a few moments I felt like ... I 've been as close as I could 've come to war without actually being in the military . `` The heat was real , the dust was real , the costumes and everything was so real that the tension -LSB- was already there -RSB- , '' Anthony Mackie who plays Sergeant JT Sanborn told CNN . `` Kathryn would come to us before every scene and say , ` Remember at any moment you can die . ' And we kept that in mind throughout all the scenes . '' While `` The Hurt Locker , '' has made over $ 11 million in the U.S. , previous movies dealing with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have struggled to make money . Observers have attributed this to `` war fatigue '' suffered by audiences due to an abundance of war-stories in the media . Bigelow and Whitney are confident that cinema audiences have a thirst for knowledge about volatile regions like Iraq and Afghanistan that goes beyond what is reported on the news . `` I think the conflict -LSB- in Iraq -RSB- has been somewhat abstract for the general public , certainly speaking for myself , '' Bigelow told CNN . `` The film provides kind of a window , a lens onto what this particular conflict might be like , and gives it some specificity . '' David Whitney hopes `` Kandahar Break '' can have a similar effect . `` Afghanistan is at the moment quite central to global security . I think it 's good that people are looking at Afghanistan , questioning it , asking all sorts of questions . If my film can play any part in that , any small part , then I 'm pleased . '' | Four Pakistani crew members shot during filming of `` Kandahar Break '' Despite difficulties , director David Whitney says it was a great film location . Star of `` The Hurt Locker '' says filming was similar to being in the military . | [[252, 347], [541, 578], [541, 568], [583, 606]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Brooke Shields is upset with a tabloid reporter over an incident involving the actress ' elderly mother . Brooke Shields moved her mother to a different residence after last week 's incident , Shields ' lawyer says . Shields accused a reporter and photographer from the National Enquirer of taking her 75-year-old mother -- Teri Shields , who suffers from dementia -- out of a New Jersey nursing home last week , People magazine reported . It was `` reprehensible and disgusting , '' Shields told People . The reporter , `` looking for a tabloid story , '' signed her mother out of a senior living facility in Old Tappan , New Jersey , by falsely claiming to be her friend , Shields said . Watch why Shields is upset '' The National Enquirer said the reporter has known Teri Shields for a decade . `` Teri asked the reporter to take her out to lunch and run some errands , '' the tabloid said . `` The freelance reporter then got permission from the facility to do so . ... At no point did the facility , which had given its permission for the outing , contend that there had been any wrongdoing . '' Old Tappan police told People they are investigating . Brooke Shields ' lawyer , Gerald Lefcourt , said the actress has not filed charges , but was exploring her options . Shields moved her mother to another facility , Lefcourt said . CNN 's Marc Balinsky contributed to this report . | Reporter takes Brooke Shields ' mom out of nursing home , People magazine reports . Reporter , with National Enquirer , claims to have known Teri Shields for years . Teri Shields , 75 , asked reporter to take her to lunch , National Enquirer says . Police in New Jersey community investigating , People reports . | [[432, 458], [739, 816], [761, 816], [820, 889], [432, 458], [1120, 1174]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wife of an Iranian pro-reformist activist detained as he tried to leave the country last week says she is `` deeply concerned '' for his safety . Fatemah Shams and Mohammadreza Jalaeipour are students together at the University of Oxford . Fatemeh Shams told CNN she had n't heard from her husband Mohammadreza Jalaeipour since she watched him being escorted away after he was prevented from boarding a flight to Dubai on June 17 . Both are students at the University of Oxford and had been returning to the UK from Iran after attending a family wedding , just as demonstrations escalated following presidential elections earlier this month which have plunged Iran into political chaos . Shams said she and her 27-year-old husband -- both activists for the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign -- planned to leave Iran on June 17 . At first , everything appeared fine with Jalaeipour having his passport stamped as he passed through immigration . But he was then approached by a plain clothes official who told him to turn off his cellphone before ordering Jalaeipour to follow him . `` We did n't get a chance to talk to each other -- I was watching what was happening and that was the last time I saw him , '' said Shams , 26 , who flew to the UK via Doha in Qatar . Watch Shams speak about her husband 's detention '' Shams said she had n't heard directly from her husband since his arrest but believed he was being held in prison . `` It 's a very difficult mental situation for me to understand what is going on and I am deeply concerned about his health and safety , '' she told CNN . Both Jalaeipour and Shams were members of the organizing committee of the Third Wave campaign , a reformist youth movement formed last year to back former president Mohammad Khatami 's candidacy in this year 's election . Following Khatami 's withdrawal from contention , the Third Wave threw its support behind Mir Hossein Moussavi , who has disputed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 's re-election , claiming that voting was rigged . In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal Jalaeipour said he had advised Moussavi on using social-networking Web sites , such as Facebook , to reach young voters . `` Third Wave was a totally legal campaign with reformist tendencies that was trying to get young people involved in the elections , '' said Shams . `` We believed we should take part to make our country better and to have a better future . We were encouraging young people to not be indifferent about their country . '' Shams said she thinks he may have been detained because of his political activities . `` Most of the activists who have been supporting the reformist candidate , all of them are in prison now . Why should the young people who want to do something for the sake of their country and their people , why are they in prison now ? '' Shams said she planned to return to Iran herself if there was no change in her husband 's situation in the next week or so . But she but admitted her own safety could not be guaranteed if she went back . Following more than a week of daily demonstrations in Tehran , Iranian security forces have been cracking down on protests and arresting activists including Ebrahim Yazdi , a former deputy prime minister who headed a group supporting increased freedom and democracy . Yazdi , who is 76 and has suffered prostate cancer , was later released . Moussavi and former president Khatami have sent a letter to Iran 's courts urging them to release arrested activists and protesters . | Iranian activist detained at airport as he tried to leave country . Wife says she is deeply concerned for Mohammadreza Jalaeipour 's safety . Fatemeh Shams says she has n't heard from Jalaeipour since his arrest . Couple are both activists for pro-Moussavi Third Wave campaign . | [[48, 133], [9, 32], [134, 185], [1520, 1607], [280, 337], [303, 337], [362, 403], [1358, 1472], [1369, 1429], [728, 830]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The first bodies to be recovered from the crash of Air France 447 arrived at a Brazilian Air Force base in Recife , Brazil , Wednesday , the air force announced . Brazilian pilots and a medical team bring one of the first bodies ashore at Fernando de Noronha island . The 16 bodies were taken to the Legal Medical Institute in Recife for identification , the statement said . Police will perform DNA tests at their lab in the capital , Brasilia , if necessary , they said . Another 25 bodies have been found and will go through the same procedure starting Thursday , the air force said . Official identification of the bodies will be made only by the Legal Medicine Institute , even if any of the bodies could have been identified while on Fernando de Noronha , the islands where they were first brought after being recovered . A French nuclear submarine joined the hunt Wednesday for the flight data recorders and other wreckage from Air France Flight 447 as Brazilian air force and navy crews continued to pull bodies from the Atlantic . Bad weather and poor visibility are expected in the search area , Brazilian Air Force spokesmen said . France is leading the investigation into what caused last week 's accident when the Paris-bound flight from Rio de Janeiro plunged into the sea off the Brazilian coast with 228 passengers and crew on board . The French nuclear submarine Emeraude began patrolling the area Wednesday morning , the French defense ministry said . Around 400 French military personnel are involved in the salvage effort . France has also sent two tugs towing 40 tons of recovery equipment , a surveillance ship and a ship equipped for amphibious operations . Fourteen aircraft -- 12 Brazilian and two French -- are participating , along with five Brazilian ships . The U.S. Navy will contribute two high-tech acoustic devices to listen underwater for the emergency beacons that are attached to the voice and data recorders . The `` towed pinger locators , '' which help search for emergency beacons on downed aircraft to a maximum depth of 6,000 meters -LRB- 20,000 feet -RRB- -- will be placed aboard the French tugs . Watch challenges faced by search crews '' Brazilian officials emphasized earlier this week that finding bodies was their main priority . The French are in charge of finding the voice and data recorders . The 16 bodies retrieved Tuesday from the Atlantic were taken to the island of Fernando de Noronha for transport by helicopter to Recife . The 25 bodies previously found were put aboard a Brazilian frigate . Watch bodies being returned to land '' The first bodies were recovered about 320 kilometers -LRB- 200 miles -RRB- northwest of the Brazilian archipelago of Saint Peter and Saint Paul ; Tuesday 's recoveries were 80 kilometers -LRB- 50 miles -RRB- away . See photos of bodies arriving at Fernando de Noronha '' It was not clear whether the bodies had drifted in the 1-2 knot currents or whether their separation suggested that the jet may have broken apart in the air . The location of the crash has not been determined , because ocean currents have moved the bodies and debris . The search area covers 200,000 square km -LRB- 77,220 square miles -RRB- , Brazilian officials said . Map of Flight 447 's flight path '' The ocean depth where the debris and bodies have been found varies , but averages about 3,000 meters -LRB- nearly 9,900 feet -RRB- deep , according to the University of New Hampshire/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association Joint Hydrographic Center . Brazilian officials said the plane debris will be taken to France for investigation but the bodies would undergo forensic tests in Recife . The cause of the crash is still not known , but investigators are looking at the possible role of airspeed sensors known as Pitot tubes , among other factors . Did plane 's tail fin snap off ? '' Air France has agreed to replace the sensors on its Airbus A330 and A340 jets , a pilots ' union said Tuesday . The airline said Saturday that it began replacing its fleet 's sensors last month . Another Air France pilots ' union , ALTER , has advised its pilots not to fly planes until their Pitot tubes are replaced . ALTER , the smallest of three Air France pilots ' unions , would not say what percentage of the carrier 's pilots it represents . The biggest union , SNPL , said Tuesday it has accepted Air France 's assurances that no Airbus A330 or A340 will take off unless at least two of its three Pitot tubes have been replaced . Union spokesman Eric Derivry added that there is no indication that the Pitot tubes caused the accident . Air France said over the weekend that it began to notice in May of last year that Pitot tubes sometimes briefly iced up at high altitude on A330s and A340s . That caused `` a loss of airspeed data , '' according to the airline -- that is , the pilots did n't know the plane 's speed . Air France decided to replace all its probes starting April 27 , following laboratory tests earlier in the year , the airline said . CNN 's Karl Penhaul , Ayesha Durgahee , Niki Cook , Jim Bittermann and Barbara Starr contributed to this report . | 16 bodies retrieved from crashed airliner arrive in mainland Brazil . Bodies taken to police laboratory in Brasilia for DNA testing . French nuclear submarine joins hunt for wreckage from Air France Flight 447 . Location , cause of crash off Brazilian coast have not been determined . | [[2365, 2490], [395, 452], [847, 975], [1370, 1451], [3685, 3726]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in President Obama what might be a new chapter in the 60-year relationship between Israel and the United States . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama visit at the White House on Monday . Based on interviews with U.S. , Israeli and Arab diplomats , no one expects a drastic change in the relationship -- the Obama administration wo n't waiver from the traditional unshakable commitment to Israel 's security . But the Obama administration seems to have a different view from Israel -- and previous U.S. administrations -- on how that security is best achieved . Observers think this administration -- Obama , National Security Adviser Gen. Jim Jones and Middle East envoy George Mitchell in particular -- are predisposed to be tougher on Israel than the Bush administration was . Israelis are concerned the special strategic relationship between the United States and Israel could be in jeopardy . Because Obama has made clear he thinks a Palestinian state better serves Israel 's and the United States ' security , there were expectations of a showdown between him and Netanyahu . Netanyahu came to Washington refusing to commit to a two-state solution and instead talked of a `` Palestinian entity '' with promises of beefed-up economic development . Arab states and the United States have said that 's not a substitute for a true Palestinian state . Because of the good will and enhanced credibility the election of Obama has brought the United States around the world , he can ask for more , and expect more , on this issue . The United States is working with Jordan 's King Abdullah to `` sequence '' the Arab initiative , a plan proposed by then-Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah in 2003 and endorsed by the Arab League . Under the plan , all Arab states would normalize relations with Israel after it returns former Palestinian , Syrian and Lebanese territories . The United States wants Israel and the Arab countries to take simultaneous steps toward peace . For instance , if Israel halts settlement activity or removes outposts , the Arabs could take any number of steps , such as opening trade offices in Israel or allowing telecommunications or air travel between Israel and Arab countries . There is a long list of potential moves and different Arab countries are considering steps from the list . Some are more willing to participate than others . We will probably hear more about this in the coming weeks as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visit Washington later this month . Netanyahu has also made clear one of his main priorities is dealing with the threat posed by Iran 's nuclear program ; he 's said that if the United States ca n't eliminate the threat through talking , Israel will do so militarily . He also has threatened to halt progress on the Palestinian issue until the United States takes meaningful steps to curb Iran . The United States has made clear that such threats are a nonstarter . Netanyahu 's position is to solve Iran first and then Israel can deal with Palestinian peace . The United States wants the Israelis to make peace with the Palestinians and it will deal with Iran at the same time . In fact , Washington believes progress on the Palestinian issue could rally Arab support for dealing with Iran . Israeli diplomats said Netanyahu is not going to provoke a confrontation with Obama and they expected him to announce some immediate steps to improve the quality of life for Palestinians in the West Bank , including removing illegal settlement outposts . However , Netanyahu made no such announcement during a brief photo opportunity with Obama . Netanyahu was expected to make a statement supporting the idea of a Palestinian state , but most analysts said he would stop short of a full endorsement . Again , sitting next to Obama , Netanyahu spoke of a scenario in which `` Israel and the Palestinians live side by side in dignity , security and in peace , '' but he did n't mention a Palestinian state . No breakthroughs were expected . Monday 's meeting was largely expected to be a chance for the two sides to discuss their positions rather than iron out differences . Some might see this as Obama being tougher on Israel , but others say it 's an evenhandedness that has n't been seen from recent U.S. administrations . In short , it seems the Obama administration is going to use more of a tough-love approach to Israel , rather than just automatically siding with it . CNN 's Jill Dougherty contributed to this report . | No one expects a drastic change in U.S.-Israel relationship . But Obama has different approach from past administrations . Observers think Obama team is predisposed to be tougher on Israel . Whether Palestinians or Iranians get attention first is at issue . | [[350, 401], [515, 582], [515, 539], [546, 619], [806, 845], [4268, 4320], [4420, 4428], [4431, 4560], [4431, 4433], [4440, 4570]] |
UNITED NATIONS -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Friday to expand and tighten sanctions on North Korea after that nation 's recent nuclear test . The U.N. Security Council votes for a resolution imposing sanctions against North Korea on Friday . The 15-0 vote on U.N. Resolution 1874 imposes an embargo on the shipment of arms from the communist regime and broadens a ban on the import of weapons . `` This resolution provides a strong and united international response to North Korea 's test of a nuclear device , '' said U.S. Deputy Ambassador Rosemary DiCarlo . The agreement comes amid rising tension surrounding North Korea , which recently conducted a nuclear test , fired test rockets and threatened U.S. and South Korean ships near its territorial waters . The nuclear test and the firing of six short-range rockets occurred in late May . Pyongyang 's actions violated existing U.N. resolutions . The Security Council 's five permanent members had already passed a draft resolution Wednesday that condemned North Korea 's nuclear test `` in the strongest terms . '' The permanent members -- China , France , Russia , Britain and the United States -- reached the agreement in consultation with Japan and South Korea . The draft resolution reaffirmed that the `` proliferation of nuclear , chemical and biological weapons , as well as their means of delivery , constitutes a threat to international peace and security . '' That resolution provided a `` strong , very credible , very appropriate response to the provocative nuclear test that North Korea launched and its subsequent activities , '' Susan E. Rice , U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , told reporters at the time . `` And we think that the message that the council will send ... is that North Korea 's behavior is unacceptable , they must pay a price , they ought to return without conditions to a process of negotiations and that the consequences they will face are significant , '' Rice said . Provisions already existing in U.N. Resolution 1718 , passed in 2006 , are strengthened by the new measure , but others are new , Rice said . The new resolution requires states to `` exercise vigilance '' over the direct or indirect supply , sale or transfer to North Korea of small arms or light weapons . Nations would be required to notify the sanctions committee at least five days prior to selling , supplying or transferring small arms or light weapons to North Korea . The resolution calls on all states to inspect vessels suspected of containing contraband . If a ship refuses , it is to proceed to the closest port for a mandatory inspection . A new regulation would prohibit nations from providing bunkering services , such as fuel , to North Korean ships believed to be carrying contraband . The draft also broadens authority to prevent the flow of funds that could benefit North Korea 's missile , nuclear or proliferation activities . Late last month , two Defense Department officials said U.S. satellite imagery spotted `` vehicle activity '' at a North Korean ballistic missile facility . The officials said the images showed vehicles used to transport Taepodong-2 missiles , but no missile parts . The Taepodong-2 is a long-range missile North Korea tested in April . That test showed a significant improvement in range from North Korea 's initial long-range missile test in 2006 . This week , a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak on the record told CNN that Washington had `` indications '' that North Korea may be planning another test . The official would not provide any details , however . President Obama 's special envoy to North Korea , Stephen Bosworth , called `` simply groundless '' accusations by Pyongyang that its nuclear and rocket tests were in response to American aggression . Washington officials have said the United States ' goal is for North Korea to return to nuclear negotiations with the United States , China , South Korea , Japan and Russia , known as the six-party talks . | U.N. Resolution 1874 imposes arms embargo , broadens weapons import ban . N. Korea recently did nuclear test , fired rockets , threatened ships near its waters . Resolution requires arms sales notifications , inspection of suspect vessels . Pyongyang 's actions violated existing U.N. resolutions . | [[211, 274], [275, 381], [275, 312], [386, 427], [646, 657], [666, 699], [702, 720], [594, 597], [725, 793], [2140, 2304], [2305, 2473], [2474, 2564], [876, 933]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Episcopal Church has moved decisively closer to full acceptance of gay men and lesbians , taking steps toward recognizing same-sex marriage and gay bishops . Gene Robinson is the Episcopal Church 's first -- and so far only -- openly gay bishop . A key committee voted overwhelmingly Monday to start putting together blessings to be used in same-sex marriages , the church 's official newspaper reported . Separately , the House of Bishops voted by a wide margin to allow gays and lesbians to become bishops , Episcopal Life reported . Both measures must be approved by the church 's General Convention before taking effect , but expert Mark Silk said there is `` little reason '' to think the changes will not `` sail through . '' `` They basically decided to move forward on all fronts with regularizing the status of gays and lesbians within the church , '' said Silk , director of the Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College in Connecticut . A leading campaigner for gay rights within the Episcopal Church welcomed the vote on bishops . `` There is no question that today 's vote in the House of Bishops was an historic move forward and a great day for all who support the full inclusion of all the baptized in the Body of Christ , '' said Susan Russell , president of Integrity USA . The vote shows the Episcopal Church `` striving to actually become the church former Presiding Bishop Edmond Browning called us to be nearly 20 years ago now ... a church where there are no outcasts , '' she said in a statement on the group 's Web site . The Episcopal Church created controversy in 2003 with its decision to ordain Gene Robinson , who is openly gay , as a bishop . The move raised the possibility of a split within the worldwide Anglican Church , the third-largest Christian denomination , with about 70 million members around the world . The Episcopal Church , the U.S. branch of the Anglican Church , has not ordained another openly gay bishop since Robinson . `` The decision has been to kind of chill out on a bunch of things , '' Silk said . But Monday 's vote ends what had been , in effect , a moratorium , he said . It was the Episcopal Church saying that `` this was n't an anomaly when we elected Gene Robinson . We affirm that partnered gay people do have callings -LSB- to be clergy -RSB- , and we have to recognize them . '' `` It is bringing the church 's position in line with the civil society 's , '' Silk said . The head of the Church of England , Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams , declined Tuesday through a spokesman to comment on Monday 's moves . But on Monday , he expressed `` regret '' at the vote on gay and lesbian bishops , according to Episcopal Life . `` I regret the fact that the will to observe a moratorium is not the will of such a significant part of the church in North America , '' the paper quoted him as saying . A number of Episcopal dioceses have broken with the official church structure over gay and lesbian issues , forming the breakaway Anglican Church in North America . They say the mainstream Episcopal Church and the aligned Anglican Church in Canada `` have increasingly accommodated and incorporated un-Biblical , un-Anglican practices and teaching . '' | U.S. denomination takes steps to bless same-sex unions , accept gay clergy . Changes must be approved by church 's General Convention . Church sparked controversy in 2003 by ordaining a gay man as a bishop . Archbishop of Canterbury expresses regret over decision on clergy . | [[0, 15], [19, 110], [0, 15], [113, 180], [559, 646], [1615, 1663], [1692, 1705], [1712, 1725], [1728, 1741], [2658, 2667], [2670, 2734]] |
-LRB- Entertainment Weekly -RRB- -- Neither the magic of Harry Potter nor the combined star power of Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler was enough to keep a crew of wise-cracking guinea pigs from scurrying to the top of the box office this weekend . Disney 's family comedy `` G-Force '' made an estimated $ 32.2 million in its debut . Disney 's family comedy `` G-Force , '' produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and featuring the voices of Nicolas Cage , Will Arnett , and Penelope Cruz as a team of world-saving rodents , made an estimated $ 32.2 million in its debut . Despite opening hot on the heels of the one-week old `` Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , '' the animation/live action hybrid pic was a hit with young audiences , pulling 55 percent of its viewers from the under-18 crowd . But Potter 's box office magic has n't worn off just yet : The series ' sixth installment landed in the number two spot its second weekend with $ 30 million , bringing its total to $ 221.8 million . After just 12 days in theaters , ` Half-Blood ' is already the fifth biggest hit of the year domestically , not to mention overseas , where the powerhouse has raked in an additional $ 236 million . There was plenty for adults to enjoy at the box office , too . `` The Ugly Truth , '' a raunchy R-rated rom-com that pits Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler in a battle of the sexes , scored an impressive $ 27 million bow , a career best for both Heigl and director Robert Luketic -LRB- `` Legally Blonde '' -RRB- . The weekend 's other wide release , Warner Bros ' creepy `` Orphan '' -- starring Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga -- pulled in $ 12.8 million from an audience that was 55 percent female . Lower down on the chart , Fox Searchlight 's '' -LRB- 500 -RRB- Days of Summer '' -LRB- at number 11 with $ 3 million -RRB- is still building momentum . The quirky rom-com posted a hefty $ 19,176 per-site average and a 95 percent increase over its debut last weekend . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. . All rights reserved . | Disney 's family comedy brought in an estimated $ 32.2 million over the weekend . The sixth installment of the `` Potter '' series raked in another $ 30 million at No. 2 . `` The Ugly Truth , '' starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler , took in $ 27 million . Check out the other top earners on this weekend 's top 10 list . | [[249, 272], [276, 334], [335, 358], [516, 563], [853, 932], [853, 883], [953, 992], [1274, 1288], [1374, 1411]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Behind the wheel of a sport utility vehicle , deposed Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya on Thursday started his journey from Managua , Nicaragua , to the country 's border with Honduras . Honduran soldiers block the road at the Honduras-Nicaragua border in Paraiso , Honduras . A caravan of Zelaya supporters and reporters headed north to the city of Esteli , close to the Honduran border . From there , Zelaya would finalize his plans to cross back into Honduras , he said at a news conference before departing . The ousted president stated his intention to return to his homeland this week , raising concerns about increased unrest . The days since the June 28 military-led coup that deposed Zelaya have been marked by mostly peaceful demonstrations by supporters and detractors of the government of interim President Roberto Micheletti . One notable exception was an attempt by Zelaya to return by plane on July 5 , only to be turned away by military vehicles blocking the airport 's runways . One man was killed in clashes between Zelaya supporters and police . When asked about Zelaya 's stated return , U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Crowley called it `` unwise . '' `` Any step that would add to the risk of violence in Honduras or in the area , we think would be unwise , '' Crowley said . Zelaya told reporters he hopes that border guards in Honduras will recognize him as president and commander in chief , and put down their weapons when he attempts to cross as early as Friday . `` We go with a white flag , with a flag of peace , '' Zelaya said . Micheletti 's government , which has vowed to arrest Zelaya on charges of violating the constitution , announced on Thursday a curfew in the border area with Nicaragua from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. , the newspaper La Prensa reported . A less restrictive curfew remained in effect in other parts of the country , the paper said . The backdrop to the tensions following Zelaya 's caravan is a peace agreement offered Wednesday by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias , who mediated two rounds of unsuccessful talks between the two sides . The document , dubbed the San Jose Accord , calls for Zelaya 's return to power , the creation of a unity government , and early elections . The accord was very similar to an original plan suggested by Arias , but with more details and a creation of a truth commission to investigate the events that led to the crisis . It also included a timeline for its implementation , which placed Zelaya back in Honduras by Friday . But Zelaya seemed intent to return on his own timeline , as neither side has signed the agreement . Hopes were slim that the agreement would be signed , as the Zelaya camp publicly said it rejected the document , and Micheletti 's side said it would have to seek approval from the other branches of government before proceeding . The Honduran supreme court has said it would not accept Zelaya 's return under any circumstances . On Thursday , the United States and the Organization of American States expressed support for the San Jose Accord . `` A favorable response to this proposal opens a path of reconciliation , '' OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said at a news conference in Washington . `` A rejection of this proposal opens a path toward confrontation . And I want to say very frankly , we do n't want a path toward conflict . '' The Honduran political crisis stems from Zelaya 's desire to hold a referendum that could have opened the door to extending term limits by changing the constitution , even though the congress had outlawed the vote and the supreme court ruled it illegal . Zelaya was removed from office June 28 in a military-led coup and replaced by congressional leader Micheletti a few hours later . The coup has drawn international condemnation , including demands by the United Nations General Assembly , the OAS and the European Union that Zelaya be reinstated . Micheletti has steadfastly rejected that a coup took place , saying Zelaya 's removal was a constitutional transfer of power . | Jose Manuel Zelaya hopes guards will recognize him as president , let him cross . Interim president has vowed to arrest Zelaya on charges of violating constitution . Ousted president 's attempt to return to homeland raises fears of increased unrest . U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Crowley calls planned return `` unwise '' | [[1331, 1447], [1353, 1476], [1593, 1619], [1626, 1693], [537, 614], [537, 557], [617, 658], [1207, 1217], [1223, 1283], [1089, 1129], [1132, 1202], [1284, 1310]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez froze diplomatic relations with Colombia late Tuesday , citing verbal aggressions from the neighboring South American country . Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro speaks to journalists on Monday in Caracas . The televised announcement followed declarations from the Colombian government Monday that anti-tank weapons purchased by Venezuela ended up in the hands of the guerrilla Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia , known as the FARC . In addition , Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said the guerrillas were trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles . Venezuela received a shipment of Russian SA-24 Igla shoulder-fired missiles earlier this year and showed them off at military parade in April . Chavez recalled Venezuela 's ambassador to Colombia , as well as most of the embassy 's staff . `` Leave only the lowest functionaries , '' he said . Chavez also threatened to take over Colombian companies operating in Venezuela if Colombia offends Venezuela one more time . Colombia 's claims are `` mistaken , '' added Chavez , who called the country 's leaders `` irresponsible . '' There was no immediate reaction from the Colombian government . Tuesday 's developments came one day after Chavez signed a military agreement with Russia to buy enough BMP-3 armored fighting vehicles and T-72 tanks to double the nation 's inventory , according to the Jane 's Defense Weekly publication . Chavez said he will use the tanks in his `` Western Shield Plan '' on the border with Colombia . Tensions between the two countries have been high since March 2008 , when Chavez ordered tanks to the border in response to a Colombian attack on FARC bases in Ecuador . More recently , Chavez has severely criticized Uribe for entering into negotiations to allow the United States to open military bases in Colombia . The United States says it needs the bases because Ecuador has ordered the closing of a U.S. installation there . Chavez accuses the United States of wanting the bases so it can attack Venezuela . Analysts say Chavez 's actions toward Colombia are tied to his feelings toward the United States . `` Chavez hates the United States and he wants to lead a group of countries that do n't pay attention to the United States , '' said Myles Frechette , the U.S. ambassador to Colombia from 1994-97 . `` Uribe is a guy who is in tune with the United States . '' Frechette notes that `` Colombia and Venezuela have complementary economies '' and could sell more goods to each other under better conditions . Jennifer McCoy , director of the Americas Program at the Carter Center , makes the same point . `` It 's a conflict between two ideologies between two countries that are mutually dependent on each other , '' she said . The latest dust-up started Monday , when Colombia accused Venezuela of selling arms to the FARC . Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos said army troops had found AT-4 shoulder-fired grenades in recent raids on jungle camps used by the FARC . `` This is not the first time that this happens , '' Santos said . `` In several operations in which we have recovered weapons from the FARC , we have found powerful munitions and powerful equipment , including anti-tank weapons , from a European country that sold them to Venezuela and that turned up in the hands of the FARC . '' The guerrillas were trying to buy anti-aircraft missiles , Uribe said . Analysts say that could change the guerrilla war 's dynamics . `` The AT-4 is much less of a heavy weapon , but surface-to-air missiles would give the FARC a much greater military capability , '' said Anna Gilmour , senior America 's analyst for the Jane 's Country Risk consultancy group . Uribe said Monday that must not be allowed to happen . `` The international community must help us , '' he said . `` These bandits have historically been able to rely on many sources for armaments . We have found out through intelligence that they are now looking to buy surface-to-air weapons to use against our airplanes . '' Venezuelan officials denied any involvement . `` To me it seems that this is a new attack against our government based on lies , '' Venezuelan Minister of the Interior and Justice Tareck El Aissami said at a news conference Monday . `` We absolutely deny that our government or our institutions are providing assistance to criminal and terrorist organizations . `` It 's laughable , it sounds like a cheap film made by the American government . '' Sweden probes ` serious incident ' Officials in Sweden , where the anti-tank weapons were made by Saab Bofors Dynamics , verified that the AT-4s were sold to Venezuela in the 1980s . Anders Jorle , Sweden 's foreign ministry spokesman , told CNN the government `` considers this as a serious incident '' and is investigating . `` We 've been in contact with Colombian and Venezuelan authorities to clarify how this happened , '' Jorle said Tuesday . `` The weapons were part of a lot sold to Venezuela 20 years ago . No weapons have been exported to Venezuela since 2006 . '' The Swedish Foreign Ministry added that the Swedish Inspectorate of Strategic Products , the authority responsible for checking weapon exports , will consider not selling any more weapons to Venezuela . The FARC most likely acquired the AT-4 grenade launchers in the past 18 months , said Jane 's analyst Gilmour . This is not the first time that Venezuela has been tied to the FARC , which has been fighting the Colombian government for more than 45 years . Last fall , the U.S. Treasury Department accused two senior Venezuelan intelligence officials and a former official of providing weapons to the FARC and assisting the rebels with narcotics trafficking . The U.S. identified one of the individuals as Hugo Armando Carvajal Barrios , director of Venezuela 's Military Intelligence Directorate . Another individual was identified as Ramon Emilio Rodriguez Chacin , who was Venezuela 's Minister of Interior and Justice until September . Rodriguez Chacin was `` the Venezuelan government 's main weapons contact for the FARC , '' the Treasury Department said . `` The FARC uses its proceeds from narcotics sales to purchase weapons from the Venezuelan government . Rodriguez Chacin has held numerous meetings with senior FARC members , one of which occurred at the Venezuelan government 's Miraflores Palace in late 2007 . Rodriguez Chacin has also assisted the FARC by trying to facilitate a $ 250 million dollar loan from the Venezuelan government to the FARC in late 2007 . '' Computers recovered last year in the Colombian attack on the FARC base in Ecuador showed that `` Chavez has been heavily involved with the FARC , '' said Susan Kaufman Purcell , director of the Center for Hemispheric Policy at the University of Miami . `` Chavez has been modeling himself more on what -LSB- former Cuban leader Fidel -RSB- Castro used to do in terms of helping insurgencies and destabilizing countries , '' Purcell said . Analysts point to Venezuela 's increasing militarization as a threat to stability . From 2005-07 , Venezuela bought $ 4.4 billion in weapons and military hardware , including 24 Sukhoi-24 aircraft , 50 combat helicopters and 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles , Gilmour said . Last year , Russia extended a $ 1 billion credit line for further acquisitions . `` Venezuela has been trying to frighten everyone in the region by buying Russian weapons , '' said former U.S. envoy Frechette . He said Chavez has become increasingly frustrated that he does n't always get his way , such as in his relations with Colombia . So he turns to the Russians . Analysts : Chavez role in military sales in question . Chavez 's involvement in the sale of the anti-tank weapons to the FARC is open to discussion , though . `` The more interesting question is how they got there and whether Chavez had anything to do with it , '' Purcell said . Frechette agrees , saying , `` Nobody can say this was done by Chavez . '' The former envoy believes there 's a good chance that the sale was carried out by corrupt officers without Chavez 's involvement . `` Do n't underestimate the corruption in that country , '' he said , adding that some military officials might have `` discovered these things that have been sitting in a warehouse since the 1980s . '' Whether Venezuela would sell surface-to-air missiles also is open to discussion . Gilmour says Venezuela will want to safeguard its stockpile . `` Venezuela would not want any kind of seepage because the missiles were acquired so recently and Venezuela-Russia relations are pretty positive at the moment , '' she said . Purcell said Russia might not care , pointing out that `` Castro did all sorts of things that the Soviets did n't like '' but still kept supporting him for decades . `` Russia has a lot of different interests , '' she said . `` It 's not clear that they would walk away from the relationship . '' CNN 's Laura Perez Maestro and Mariano Castillo contributed to this report . | Venezuela recalls ambassador to Colombia , most of embassy staff . Colombia claims weapons purchased by Venezuela ended up in hands of guerrillas . Venezuela President Chavez threatens takeover of Colombian firms in his country . | [[755, 806], [359, 386], [400, 477], [2779, 2812], [2815, 2876], [3318, 3354], [905, 911], [917, 983]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Federal authorities have charged seven men in North Carolina with supporting terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder abroad , the Justice Department announced Monday . Daniel Patrick Boyd , left , and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan are two of the seven men charged . Officials said one of the men , identified as North Carolina resident and U.S. native Daniel Patrick Boyd , had traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan , where he trained in terrorist camps to carry out `` violent jihad . '' Boyd , 39 , who went by the name Saifullah , was charged along with two of his sons : Dylan Boyd , 22 , also known as Mohammed , and Zakariya Boyd , 20 . The four others also are residents of North Carolina , and all seven are accused of engaging in weapons training and military tactics in their home state , the Justice Department said . `` We consider this significant . We 've been watching them for some time , and we think they were dangerous , '' said a federal law enforcement official who asked not to be identified . The Boyd family and defendant Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan are identified as U.S.-born citizens . Defendant Hysen Sherifi is identified as a native of Kosovo who is a legal permanent resident of the United States , and Hiyad Yaghi and Anes Subasic are said to be naturalized U.S. citizens . Officials did not immediately identify their native countries . The indictment , made public by the Justice Department , says Daniel Boyd and others left the United States for Israel in June 2007 to `` engage in violent jihad but ultimately returned to the United States after failing in their efforts . '' The defendants , with a substantial cache of weapons , had `` practiced military tactics and use of weapons on private property in Caswell County , North Carolina , in June and July 2009 , '' the indictment says . The documents make no reference to a direct threat to individuals or property in the United States . In a written statement , the Justice Department 's top counterterrorism official , David Kris , said that Daniel Boyd , `` a veteran of terrorist training camps '' had conspired with others to recruit and help young men travel overseas in order to kill . '' The U.S. attorney in Raleigh , George E. B. Holding , said , `` These charges hammer home the point that terrorists and their supporters are not confined to the remote regions of some far-away land , but can grow and fester right here at home . '' The defendants made an initial appearance in federal court in North Carolina . Officials said they are expected to return to court Thursday for detention hearings . | U.S. native and two sons are among suspects . Man accused of attending training camps in Pakistan , Afghanistan . Seven `` practiced military tactics '' in North Carolina , indictment says . No mention of direct threats to individuals or property in United States . | [[315, 322], [325, 398], [515, 519], [522, 524], [548, 598], [1042, 1135], [394, 441], [724, 822], [1825, 1849], [1850, 1950]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- German car manufacturer BMW has announced it is to pull out of Formula One at the end of the current season after a `` landmark '' decision to restructure the group 's motorsport activities was made by the company 's board in a meeting on Tuesday . BMW Sauber have opted to pull out Formula One at the end of the 2009 season . A statement on the BMW Sauber F1 Team 's official Web site stated that `` the Formula One campaign is -LSB- no longer -RSB- a key promoter for us '' and that `` current developments in motor sport '' had resulted in the decision . Dr Norbert Reithofer , chairman of the BMW board of management , said : `` Of course , this was a very difficult decision for us . But it 's a resolute step in view of our company 's strategic realignment . '' The team currently lie eighth in the constructors ' world championship with eight points after 10 rounds and of their two drivers -- Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld -- Heidfeld sits a lowly 13th in the drivers ' championship with just six points . BMW are the second manufacturer to pull out of F1 in a further blow to the sport after Honda 's withdrawal before the start of the 2009 season . CNN 's analysis of BMW 's exit from Formula One . '' However , since Wednesday 's announcement , rival German car manufacturer Mercedes have reconfirmed their commitment to the sport . `` We regret the withdrawal of BMW from Formula One . This decision will not have the slightest influence on our commitment to Formula One , '' a spokesman for the company told AFP . Motorsport 's world governing body , the FIA , reiterated their belief that the move was an indication of how the global economic downturn was affecting the sport . In a statement on their official Web site , they said : `` The FIA regrets the announcement of BMW 's intended withdrawal from Formula One but is not surprised by it . It has been clear for some time that motor sport can not ignore the world economic crisis . `` Car manufacturers can not be expected to continue to pour large sums of money into Formula One when their survival depends on redundancies , plant closures and the support of the taxpayer . This is why the FIA prepared regulations to reduce costs drastically . `` These measures were needed to alleviate the pressure on manufacturers following Honda 's withdrawal but also to make it possible for new teams to enter . Had these regulations not been so strongly opposed by a number of team principals , the withdrawal of BMW and further such announcements in the future might have been avoided , '' the statement added . BMW entered Formula One with a takeover of the Sauber F1 team in 2005 and finished fifth in the constructors ' championship in their debut campaign , before racing under their own name in 2006 . With an aggressive aim of winning the world championship within three years , the team came close in 2007 finishing second to Ferrari , thanks largely to the exclusion of McLaren-Mercedes from the manufacturer 's points standings . In 2008 , the team captured third , thanks in part to a first win in the Canadian Grand Prix for Polish driver Kubica . The statement continued : `` It only took us three years to establish ourselves as a top team with the BMW Sauber F1 team . Unfortunately , the team were unable to meet expectations in the current season . '' The car-builder was also unable to `` quantify redundancies '' that may come from the move which follows the exit of Honda in December . The Japanese manufacturer -- who according to FIA president Max Mosley were spending $ 500m a season to compete in the sport -- cited the `` sudden contraction of the world economies '' as their reason to end racing . This led to Mosley spearheading an FIA plan to enforce controversial cost-cutting measures on the teams for the 2010 season . The Formula One furor explained . These measures , which split opinion within the sport , are expected to be adopted in a watered-down form and could eventually save $ 60 million from the cost of running a team , according to Mosley . However , the FIA were prompted by BMW 's exit to warn again that if the measures were weakened too much the positive impact on the sport could be reduced . `` As a result of a sustained cost-cutting campaign by the FIA , new measures are in the process of being agreed which should make it easier for new teams to enter and enable existing ones to participate on much reduced budgets . `` It is no secret that these measures do not go as far as the FIA would have liked but a compromise was needed in the interests of harmony in the sport . Hopefully it will be enough to prevent further withdrawals and provide a solid foundation for Formula One , '' the statement read . | BMW announce that they are to leave Formula One at the end of 2009 season . The German motor manufacturer blame `` current developments in motor sport '' BMW entered the sport in 2005 with takeover of the Swiss-based Sauber team . The F1 team are currently lying eighth in the constructors ' world championship . | [[0, 15], [19, 126], [61, 158], [268, 345], [1769, 1851], [346, 576], [504, 576], [2596, 2665], [787, 857]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In 2004 , even after being captured by U.S. forces , Saddam Hussein told an FBI interrogator he believed Iran was a greater threat to Iraq than the United States , according to newly released FBI documents . Baghdad 's Al Mutamar newspaper shows Saddam Hussein , right , with Ahmed Chalabi of Iraq 's governing council in 2003 . The FBI interviews took place while Hussein , then identified by the FBI as `` High Value Detainee 1 '' was held captive by U.S. military forces at Baghdad International Airport between February and June of 2004 . Hussein regarded the Iranian threat as so serious that it was the major factor in his decision not to allow United Nations weapons inspectors to return , he said . Citing their shared border and his belief Iran would intend to annex southern Iraq , Hussein said he was more concerned about Iran discovering Iraq 's weaknesses than repercussions from the United States and the international community . He believed that the inspectors would have directly identified to the Iranians where to inflict maximum damage to Iraq . Approximately 100 pages of declassified interview summaries , previously classified as secret , were obtained by the National Security Archive at the George Washington University through a Freedom of Information Act request . The FBI declined CNN 's request to interview special agent George L. Piro , the agent who interviewed Hussein . FBI spokesman Paul Bresson declined to comment on the declassified documents . `` As a general rule , the FBI does not discuss FOIA 'd documents . We let the information stand on its own , '' Bresson told CNN . Piro , an FBI agent fluent in Arabic , conducted the interviews along with another agent whose name has been redacted from the documents . Although Hussein had been a prisoner for months , at one point during an interview he said , `` I am not the ex-president of Iraq . I am still the president of Iraq . '' Hussein also described al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden as a `` zealot '' and said he had never met or seen him . He also said the United States used the September 11 attacks as justification to attack Iraq , and that the United States had `` lost sight of the cause . '' Despite Piro citing evidence of Iraq 's contacts with al Qaeda , Hussein said , `` The Iraqi government did not cooperate with bin Laden '' and that the two `` did not have the same belief or vision . '' The former regime 's alleged weapons of mass destruction and alleged ties to al Qaeda were the Bush administration 's primary justifications for invading Iraq in March of 2003 . Piro and Hussein spoke extensively about Iraq 's chemical weapons during the Iran war , the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and in the years before the second U.S. invasion . Hussein refused to answer a question about whether Iraq would have lost the war it fought with Iran from 1980 to 1988 if it had not used chemical weapons . He also said neither he nor any other Iraqi officials discussed using chemical weapons during the first Gulf War . Hussein admitted that Iraq made a mistake by destroying some weapons without U.N. supervision . In his view , the inspectors wanted all of their expenses paid for by Iraq . Instead of waiting for the inspectors and paying the expenses , Iraq began destroying the weapons . `` We destroyed them . We told you , with documents . That 's it , '' Hussein said . When asked about restrictions he placed on weapons inspectors regarding which locations they could visit , Hussein responded , `` By God , if I had such weapons , I would have used them in the fight against the United States . '' Hussein commented about the mental state of U.S. soldiers occupying Iraq . `` If you asked the American soldier -- who came to Iraq to find weapons of mass destruction , but none could be found , and who came to remove the leaders of the Hussein dictatorship , who are all in jail now , but are replaced with other dictators -- whether he wanted to stay or go , he would say go . '' Hussein said he alone gave the orders to fire SCUD missiles at Israel during the first Gulf War , adding , `` Everything that happened to us was because of Israel . '' He said he figured that the United States would stop the war if Israel was `` hurt , '' and he wanted to punish the country he viewed as the source of all his problems . Hussein recalled a meeting in Switzerland between his foreign minister Tariq Aziz and then-U.S. Secretary of State James Baker in January of 1991 shortly before Operation Desert Storm . According to Hussein , Baker offered no solutions to resolve the Kuwait situation and gave specific steps to Aziz that the United States wanted Iraq to do first , and Baker added `` otherwise , we 'll take you back to the pre-industrial age . '' He also told Piro he wanted to have a relationship with the United States but was not given the opportunity because in his view the United States was not listening to anything Iraq had to say . Hussein also revealed details about his security measures and movements before and after the second U.S. invasion of Iraq in March of 2003 . He says he had only used a telephone on two occasions since March of 1990 . He denied ever using body doubles , claiming , `` This is movie magic , not reality . '' He also said he never saw his sons use body doubles . `` Do not think I am getting upset when you mention my sons . I still think about them and the fact that they were martyred . They will be examples to everyone throughout the world , '' he said . Hussein also states he was not in the Dora neighborhood of Baghdad on March 19 , 2003 , when it was bombed by coalition forces in an unsuccessful attempt to kill him . He says he remained in Baghdad until April 10 or 11 of 2003 , when it appeared the city was about to fall to coalition forces . Before leaving the city , he said he held one final meeting with the senior Iraqi leadership and told them , `` We will struggle in secret . '' Shortly after his departure from the capital , Hussein began to gradually disperse his bodyguards , telling them they had completed their duty , so as not to draw attention . Hussein also admitted that after participating in the failed assassination attempt against then-Iraqi president Gen. Abdul Karim Qasim in 1959 , he had stayed at the same farm where he was captured by U.S. forces in December of 2003 . CNN 's Carol Cratty contributed to this report . | Saddam Hussein calls Iran a factor in keeping U.N. inspectors out of Iraq . Hussein described Osama bin Laden as a `` zealot , '' said he never met him . He said the United States used September 11 attacks as justification to attack Iraq . | [[1954, 1961], [1967, 2026], [1954, 1961], [2031, 2066], [4540, 4560], [2067, 2069], [2075, 2221]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Schools of robotic fish could one day map the ocean floor , detect pollution or inspect and survey submerged boats or oil and gas pipelines , researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology say . MIT researcher Pablo Valdivia Alvarado works in his lab on a robotic fish he co-created . MIT engineers are showing off the latest generation of so-called robofish 15 years after they built the first one . The latest incarnation is sleeker , more streamlined and capable of mimicking the movements of a real fish . And it 's capable of exploring underwater terrain submersibles ca n't , said Pablo Valdivia Alvarado , a mechanical engineer at the school . `` Some of our sponsors were thinking of using them for inspection and surveillance , '' Alvarado said . `` Since these prototypes are very cheap , the idea was to build hundreds -- 200 , 500 -- and then just release them in a bay or at a port , and they would be roaming around taking measurements . '' MIT researchers built their first robotic fish , `` Robotuna , '' in 1994 . But Robotuna has gone the way of the dinosaur . Alvarado said the new generation -- modeled after bass and trout -- cost only a few hundred dollars and have only 10 parts instead of the thousands used in Robotuna . At five to 18 inches , the new fish is much smaller than Robotuna and built from a single , soft polymer . And unlike Robotuna , the fish is able to be released in the oceans . `` Most of the brains , the electronics , are embedded inside , '' said Alvarado , who designed the robofish with fellow MIT engineer Kamal Youcef-Toumi . `` We have built prototypes with the battery inside , but for my experiments , for simplicity . We have a lot of prototypes that are simply tethered . We have a cable that runs out from the body and connects to a power supply . '' The new generation has withstood harsh conditions in the lab , including two years of testing inside tanks filled with tap water , which is corrosive to standard robots , according to Alvarado , who says the Robotuna inspired him to take the technology to the next level . The oil exploration company Schlumberger helped fund the research , but Alvarado says the U.S. Navy has also expressed interest in the robofish . MIT 's mechanical engineers are now turning their attention to new challenges : A robotic manta ray and a terrestrial robot in the form of a salamander . CNN 's Ninette Sosa contributed to this report . | Engineers at MIT have created a new generation of robotic fish . ` Robofish ' could be used to map the ocean floor , inspect submerged boats or pipes . MIT researchers built their first robotic fish , `` Robotuna , '' in 1994 . New robofish are modeled after bass and trout and cost only a few hundred dollars . | [[314, 396], [0, 15], [43, 158], [984, 1030], [1050, 1059], [1108, 1255]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former boxing champion Vernon Forrest is dead after being shot multiple times in a neighborhood southwest of downtown Atlanta , officials said Sunday . Police say they have no suspects in the death of former boxing champion Vernon Forrest . An Atlanta police spokeswoman said it appeared that Forrest , 38 , had been robbed , which led to a confrontation in which he was shot several times in the back . Police had no suspects as of midday Sunday , said the spokeswoman , Sgt. Lisa Keyes . Mark Guilbeau , senior investigator with the Fulton County Medical Examiner 's office in Atlanta , said an autopsy will be conducted Sunday , and results are expected by afternoon . Watch Forrest 's manager react to his death '' Forrest was the International Boxing Federation welterweight champion in 2001 , the World Boxing Council welterweight champion in 2002-2003 , and the WBC light welterweight champion in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 , according to the BoxRec Web site . He was named the World Boxing Hall of Fame fighter of the year in 2002 , according to BoxRec . | Forrest , 38 , was robbed and then shot in the back after confrontation , police say . He was shot multiple times , Atlanta , Georgia , police say . Forrest , a welterweight , won several championships . He was named the World Boxing Hall of Fame fighter of the year in 2002 . | [[278, 360], [376, 391], [395, 440], [10, 162], [376, 391], [395, 440], [1002, 1072]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Honey has been used to treat wounds since ancient times , but recent years have seen a surge of medical interest in the sticky stuff . Research has shown that honey has antibacterial properties . Manuka honey has been the subject of particular interest , with the results of a study just published by Sydney University finding that it has powerful antibacterial properties , and is even effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria . Associate Professor Dee Carter , from Sydney University 's School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences said : `` Our research is the first to clearly show that these honey-based products could in many cases replace antibiotic creams on wounds and equipment such as catheters . Using honey as an intermediate treatment could also prolong the life of antibiotics . '' `` Most bacteria that cause infections in hospitals are resistant to at least one antibiotic , and there is an urgent need for new ways to treat and control surface infections . '' She added : `` We do n't quite know how these honeys prevent and kill infections , but a compound in them called methylglyoxal seems to interact with a number of other unknown compounds in honey to prevent infectious bacteria developing new strains that are resistant to it . '' Honey is a complex substance , containing up to 800 compounds and its complexity means it has been difficult to pinpoint exactly how it kills bacteria . Manuka is a type of honey that is made by bees pollinating the flowers of the Manuka bush , a member of the Leptospermum family that grows naturally in New Zealand . Now , an Australian company is claiming to have produced the world 's most potent medical-grade antibacterial honey , made by bees pollinating the Australian jellybush , also a member of the Leptospermum family . Australia 's Medi Bioactive Honey Company claims its Berringa antibacterial honey has twice the antibacterial content of normal manuka honey , and has launched the product in the UK . Dr Rose Cooper of the University of Wales Cardiff School of Health Sciences has researched honey 's antibacterial action and has written a book called `` Honey in Modern Wounds Management . '' Cooper told CNN that there are many components in honey that contribute to its antibacterial nature . She says its high sugar content , low water content and low pH are all factors . Additionally , some honey produces hydrogen peroxide , which can kill bacteria . Since 2004 , Britain 's National Health Service has licensed the use of manuka-honey wound dressings and sterilized medical grade manuka-honey creams . | Research has shown that honey can have powerful antibacterial properties . Manuka honey is made only by bees that pollinate the manuka plant . An Australian company claims it has produced the world 's most potent honey . | [[195, 231], [337, 408], [2017, 2137], [1471, 1479], [1485, 1512], [1496, 1543], [1620, 1623], [1626, 1787], [1620, 1623], [1626, 1787], [1833, 1973]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Michael Jackson was the pride of Gary , Indiana , growing up , and on Friday , his hometown paid tribute to the late entertainer with a memorial and celebration in his honor . A group pays tribute to Michael Jackson by performing some of his signature moves . They remembered him as not just the King of Pop or the musician who took Hollywood by storm , but as someone with an unmatched enthusiasm and talent for entertaining even as a little boy growing up in this city of about 100,000 in northwestern Indiana , 30 miles from downtown Chicago , Illinois . Jackson 's first music teacher , Anita Hill , spoke of teaching Jackson to sing `` Climb Every Mountain , '' and remembered him as a `` very energetic and wonderful student . '' The principal of his middle school remembered how , at Christmastime how Jackson , always jumped up and offered to sing to his class . Later , when he joined with family members to create the Jackson 5 , he performed for kids at his school , the principal said , joking about the bargain that at the time it only cost them 10 cents to see the future pop icon . Gary Mayor Rudy Clay noted Jackson put the city on the world 's map and bid farewell to the star . `` He 's going to put on those golden slippers and he 's going to dance all over God 's heaven , '' he said . The tribute at The Steel Yard baseball park in Gary was full of children dancing and singing to Jackson 's music , including a performance of `` Thriller '' complete with the cemetery scene that became so iconic . Some of the biggest applause of the night came after a video was played of Jackson in Gary talking about his love for his hometown . `` Gary , you will always have a special place in my heart , '' Jackson said in the video played on the stadium 's jumbo screen . `` And Gary , you are more than good friend -- you are my family and you always will be . '' As a finale , about 700 people holding candles sang `` We Are the World , '' the 1985 song Jackson co-wrote with Lionel Richie to benefit USA for Africa . Jackson lived in Gary for 11 years before moving to the West Coast after the Jackson 5 recorded their first album in 1969 . His father , Joe Jackson , made a brief appearance after being introduced by the Rev. Jesse Jackson . After being surrounded by TV crews and photographers , Joe Jackson made his way to the stage , thanked everyone for attending and said it was good to be home . `` This is a pleasure to be back to see so many people here , '' Joe Jackson said . `` It 's always good to come back home , you know that . '' Fans have flocked to Jackson 's boyhood home in the days following his death in Los Angeles , California , on June 25 . Autopsy results are pending . | Joe Jackson : `` It 's always good to come back home '' Teachers , neighbors remember energetic boy full of talent . Children , groups sing and dance to pay tribute to Jackson . | [[2276, 2310], [2331, 2342], [2406, 2435], [2498, 2519], [2523, 2535], [2541, 2558], [393, 465], [577, 584], [610, 615], [690, 751], [195, 234], [1325, 1508]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Guinea-Bissau will hold a runoff presidential election Sunday , five months after the leader of the West African nation was assassinated by a group of soldiers . Supporters of former president and current candidate Malam Sanha rally in Bissau . The race is between two former heads of state , Kumba Yala and Malam Sanha . The candidates won the most votes in the first round of balloting June 28 . Analysts hope the new president will usher in an era of stability to the nation of 1.5 million . The former Portuguese colony has had a history of military coups since its independence in 1974 . President Joao Bernardo Vieira became president in 1980 after a military coup . He was accused of purging political rivals and suppressing dissent , but several coup attempts in the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him . He was finally ousted in 1999 -- and re-elected in 2005 . Vieira was killed in March to reportedly avenge the death of the country 's military chief a day earlier . Yala , who took office in 2000 , was unseated in a military coup after three years . Sanha served as interim president for a few months before his opponent 's term . The conflicts have ravaged the nation 's infrastructure and economy , leaving it among the poorest in the world . Guinea-Bissau has been battling a booming drug trade and is considered a major transit point for smuggling cocaine into Europe . U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon , who urged voters to be peaceful , said he hoped the election would provide a clean start . `` The secretary-general hopes this election will mark a clear step forward for Guinea-Bissau in achieving political stability and security , and in fostering the social and economic conditions necessary to consolidate peace and fully realize human rights , '' Ban 's representative said in a statement . A 1998 conflict led to the closure of the U.S. Embassy , which operates from neighboring Senegal . | West African state holds elections five months after president assassinated . Runnoff candidates Kumba Yala , Malam Sanha are both former heads of state . U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urges Bissau-Guineans to vote peacefully . Guinea-Bissau has suffered succession of coups since independence from Portugal . | [[101, 180], [264, 340], [1413, 1435], [1442, 1469], [1413, 1435], [1472, 1528], [514, 611]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Shortly before his death , Sen. Edward M. Kennedy wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI asking for the pontiff to pray for him as he struggled with an aggressive form of brain cancer , it was revealed at his graveside service Saturday evening . Members of the Kennedy family gather at the gravesite Saturday evening . Kennedy , the youngest and last-surviving brother of a heralded Kennedy generation , was laid to rest on a hillside at Arlington National Cemetery alongside his slain brothers , the late President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy -- both assassinated more than four decades ago . Cardinal Theodore McCarrick read a recent letter from Kennedy to the pope at the private burial ceremony in Arlington , Virginia . `` I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines , '' McCarrick said , quoting from Kennedy 's letter . `` I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago , and although I continue treatment the disease is taking its toll on me . I am 77 years old , and preparing for the next passage of life , '' the cardinal read . Read excerpts from Kennedy 's letter to pontiff . The burial service at dusk followed a eulogy by President Barack Obama in Massachusetts , a brief prayer service outside the U.S. Capitol and a procession through the crowd-lined street of Washington 's streets . Among the congressional colleagues greeting the Kennedy family at the Capitol was 91-year-old Sen. Robert Byrd , D-West Virginia , who has been out of the spotlight lately because of deteriorating health . Watch an overview of the day 's events '' Many who had gathered at the Capitol were visibly emotional and wiping tears from their eyes . Some held framed photos of Kennedy , and many held American flags that they waved during a singing of `` America the Beautiful . '' The Rev. Daniel Coughlin -- chaplain of the House of Representatives -- said a prayer and addressed the family . `` Here we are to pray with you , offer sympathy and thank you , '' he said . `` Thank you for sharing the senator . '' Coughlin also noted that Kennedy 's hopes were `` unquenchable , full of immortality . '' As Kennedy 's widow , Vicki , went back into the car , she waved to the crowd and mouthed , `` Thank you '' as the crowd erupted into applause . The late senator 's son , U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy , addressed those on the steps , saying how his father `` knew that he was only great because he had great people supporting him . '' `` He would be very proud to see you all out here today paying a final respect and tribute to his memory , '' he said . Earlier Saturday at the funeral in Boston , Massachusetts , Obama hailed Kennedy as `` a champion for those who had none ; the soul of the Democratic Party ; and the lion of the U.S. Senate . '' `` He was given the gift of time that his brothers were not , and he used that gift to touch as many lives and right as many wrongs as the years would allow , '' the president said . `` We can still hear his voice bellowing through the Senate chamber , face reddened , fist pounding the podium , a veritable force of nature , in support of health care or workers ' rights or civil rights , '' Obama said , calling Kennedy `` the greatest legislator of our time . '' Watch President Obama 's full eulogy '' Kennedy 's son Ted Jr. delivered a tender , personal remembrance of his larger-than-life father . He said his father `` never stopped trying to right wrongs . '' Kennedy lived up to the ideals of three older brothers , all of whom died young -- Joseph in World War II , President John and Sen. Robert assassinated -- his son said . `` He answered Uncle Joe 's call to patriotism , Uncle Jack 's call to public service and Bobby 's determination to seek a newer world . `` Unlike them , he lived to be a grandfather , and knowing what my cousins have been through , I feel grateful that I have had my father as long as I did , '' Ted Jr. said . `` My father was not perfect , but he believed in redemption , '' he said . And he said Kennedy had made light of his failure to become president , despite the weight of expectations on him as a Kennedy . `` I do n't mind not being president , I just mind that someone else is , '' he quoted his father as saying , closing his remembrance with a line from Kennedy 's famous 1980 concession speech that ended his presidential ambitions : `` The work goes on , the cause endures , the hope still lives and the dream will never die . '' Watch as Ted Kennedy Jr. recalls his dad 's help when he lost his leg as a boy '' The funeral began with a hearse bearing Kennedy 's body through Boston rain from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library to Mission Church . A military honor guard carried the coffin through a sea of black umbrellas into the church . Watch as military honor guard carries Kennedy 's casket '' People lined the streets of Boston cheering for Kennedy as the service began , despite the rain . Local bars and restaurants were packed with people watching the live coverage on television inside . Former presidents Bill Clinton , George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter also came to honor the late legislator , known as the lion of the Senate . Vicki Kennedy accepted condolences from each of the current and former presidents before Holy Communion . The program concluded with an undated quote from Kennedy : `` For all my years in public life , I have believed that America must sail toward the shores of liberty and justice for all . There is no end to that journey , only the next great voyage . We know the future will outlast all of us , but I believe that all of us will live on in the future we make . '' Many of Kennedy 's fellow senators past and present came to say a final farewell . Other mourners included Vice President Joe Biden and former Vice Presidents Al Gore and Dan Quayle , all veterans of the Senate , where Kennedy served for 47 years . Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick , CIA chief Leon Panetta , and several Cabinet members also turned out to pay their respects . Watch as Mass for Kennedy begins '' Sen. John McCain , the 2008 Republican presidential candidate , chatted with Sen. Chris Dodd , a Connecticut Democrat , in the pews before the ceremony began . Honorary pallbearers at the service included Dodd , Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer , Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts -- his party 's 2004 presidential candidate -- and long-time Massachusetts Rep. Ed Markey , also a Democrat . The actual pallbearers were Kennedy children , nieces and nephews . World-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed two pieces during the service , and was joined by the tenor Placido Domingo for one of them . At the graveside service were a number of family members , as well as Vice President Joe Biden . Kennedy 's grave is 95 feet south of his brother Robert 's , which is just steps away from the burial site of another brother , former President John F. Kennedy . A single white , wooden cross will be placed at the head of the grave and a marble footmarker put in place . The footmarker reads : `` Edward Moore Kennedy 1932-2009 . '' The setup is identical to Robert Kennedy 's grave , Arlington cemetery spokeswoman Kaitlin Horst told CNN . Kennedy , the patriarch of America 's leading Democratic family for more than 40 years , died at the age of 77 on Tuesday , 15 months after being diagnosed with brain cancer . CNN 's Jessica Yellin , John King and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report . | NEW : In letter to Pope Benedict XVI , Kennedy asked for prayers . Sen. Edward M. Kennedy laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery . President Obama hailed Kennedy as `` a champion for those who had none '' | [[57, 115], [636, 740], [770, 855], [1132, 1136], [1151, 1181], [346, 353], [418, 492], [1182, 1269], [2704, 2751]] |
Editor 's note : Daria Roithmayr is a law professor at the University of Southern California , Gould School of Law , where she teaches on race and law . She worked for Sen. Edward Kennedy as special counsel on the Clarence Thomas and David Souter confirmation hearings . Guy-Uriel Charles is a law professor at Duke Law School where he is the founding director of the Center on Law , Race , and Politics . Daria Roithmayr says Sotomayor would add broader life experiences to the background of Supreme Court justices . No one was surprised when the subject of race dominated the public conversation during Sonia Sotomayor 's confirmation hearings . What was surprising was how unwilling both sides of the aisle were to talk about race openly . Republicans tried to argue that race should be completely separated from judicial decision-making . For their part , Democrats tried to minimize the importance of her race to her decision-making by focusing on her record , to show that her race had played no role in her decisions . Judge Sotomayor herself suggested that life experiences are an important part of the process of judging , but then sought to minimize the difference that those experiences might have made to a particular result . Most people understand that life experiences and racial identity do affect the decision-making process . But is this something to be lamented or celebrated ? We think the latter . In this , the not quite post-racial era of Obama , scholars are developing new understandings of the connection between race , life experience and decisions . Researchers such as Scott Page and James Surowiecki are telling us that varied life experiences and ethnicity can improve the result when a group makes decisions together . At the University of Michigan , Page uses mathematical models to show not only that people 's backgrounds make a difference in how they think , but far more importantly , that these differences are essential for good collective decision-making . As Page acknowledges , the relationship between life experience and decision-making is an empirical question -- a question of fact to be determined based on research . In some domains -- making decisions about the scope of anti-discrimination law or deciding on a health care policy -- we likely will see that broader life experience makes for better decisions . Surowiecki , who wrote `` The Wisdom of Crowds , '' points out that a group will more often than not come to a better decision than the average individual , so long as the group includes a range of people with different life experiences and ways of looking at and solving problems . As Surowiecki notes , if the group has enough variation in the information that they bring to the table , their thought processes and their approach to solving problems , the group is more likely to come up with the right answer before an individual , even in some instances when the individual is an expert . The Constitution itself recognizes the importance of life experiences to legal decision-making . Defendants in the criminal process are entitled to a jury of their peers precisely because jurors bring to the process a collection of life experiences that will shape their understanding of the facts and the law . All-white juries are problematic in large part because we believe that the life experiences of jurors are an integral part of their collective judgment of innocence or guilt . We also are coming to understand that race is just one of several structural factors that affect a person 's life experiences and life chances , together with economic security , gender , class and geography . These days , the best thinking on race focuses less on racial symbolism and more on understanding how race affects a person 's life experiences and life chances -- her access to education , health care , economic and physical security , her experience with the criminal justice system , whether she grew up wealthy or in a public housing project . Thus , we understand that the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. for disorderly conduct after he opened his jammed front door might be a signal of existing racism in law enforcement . But the better way to understand his arrest might be to acknowledge that whether one thinks this is the symbol of continued racism in law enforcement or an officer trying to do his job , in general , Gates ' race affects his life chances and life experiences . As an African-American , Gates runs a much greater chance of being arrested during his lifetime than does his white counterpart . We should also acknowledge the role that class plays in life chances -- Gates was able to summon with a simple phone call one of the best criminal lawyers in the country , an opportunity not available to most African Americans . Although we have not yet figured out the meaning of race in this supposedly post-racial era , we know that race still matters , even as we know that it does not matter in the same way that it used to . Democrats and Republicans should acknowledge that having a Latina on the bench will make a difference because it will improve the court 's collective decision-making . Wise men and women with different life experiences are more likely to reach a result that is better , that is wiser and that is more just . In that vein , Sotomayor 's life story -- in which a Puerto Rican girl from Bronxdale Houses grows up to attend Yale Law School and become a Supreme Court justice -- is a story that should matter to us all . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Daria Roithmayr and Guy-Uriel Charles . | Roithmayr , Charles : Race dominated the Senate hearing on Sotomayor . They say research shows groups of diverse people make better decisions . Having Sotomayor on court will widen life experiences of the justices , they say . Roithmayr , Charles : We should strive for diversity of class , gender , geography . | [[518, 647], [544, 647], [1650, 1750], [2409, 2642], [406, 517], [427, 517]] |
BELLEVUE , Nebraska -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If LeRoy Carhart 's abortion clinic had a terror alert scale , it would be at Code Red this weekend . Anti-abortion protesters plan demonstrations this weekend outside Dr. LeRoy Carhart 's clinic in Bellevue , Nebraska . `` I feel safer on an airplane than I do in my clinic , '' Carhart said , sitting at his desk in his windowless office in Bellevue , Nebraska . `` You try to think about every way an attack could happen . You try to do all you can to prevent it , but obviously Dr. -LSB- George -RSB- Tiller thought he was safe in church . '' It 's been nearly three months since Tiller , one of the world 's most well-known doctors performing abortions , was shot in the head at point-blank range on May 31 as services began at Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita , Kansas . Anti-abortion groups , led by Operation Rescue , plan to launch protests outside Carhart 's clinic this weekend in Bellevue , just south of Omaha . They will be the first major anti-abortion protests since the Tiller killing . The demonstrations are set to culminate Saturday with so-called Truth Trucks -- delivery trucks with giant rolling billboards of dismembered fetuses on the sides -- parking outside Carhart 's clinic and canvassing area neighborhoods . Protesters carrying anti-abortion signs also are expected . Operation Rescue President Troy Newman has vowed a peaceful demonstration and said that any hints of possible violence are ginned up by what he calls left-wing groups and the liberal media . His group scaled down plans to protest at Carhart 's facility Friday when it learned women 's rights groups , including the National Organization for Women , would be there . Operation Rescue will hold a rally at a church instead Friday . `` Operation Rescue has said Dr. Carhart is the next target ... , '' said Katherine Spillar , executive vice president with the Feminist Majority Foundation . `` We fear that these kinds of activities can eventually erupt in violence , and I urge the community to make sure violence does n't happen . '' Abortion rights supporters were predominant in the 50 to 75 people gathered outside the clinic Friday morning . `` Welcome , welcome , this clinic stays open , '' some shouted when cars pulled into the clinic 's driveway . Newman said earlier , `` I 'm not interested in putting our folks in any situation where the other side might flare up . I 'm very confident about our side . They 're very peaceful moms and dads and families that will be showing up with signs . '' He said he abhorred the killing of Tiller . `` Shooting someone in the head in a church , '' he said , `` is not a pro-life act . Sorry , it does n't qualify . '' Scott Roeder , a 51-year-old anti-abortion activist , is charged in Tiller 's killing . He has pleaded not guilty . Newman said he wants Carhart shut down -- through legal means . He said he was confident his organization would have shut down Tiller this summer through a legal battle . `` I vehemently disagreed with what Mr. Tiller did , as well as all abortionists for what they do . But they 're still human beings , and they deserve due process , '' Newman said . Tiller was one of about a dozen U.S. doctors who performed late-term abortions . In the wake of his death , his family decided to close his clinic permanently . Carhart was a close friend and understudy of Tiller 's . He performed abortions at Tiller 's clinic for a week every month , including late-term procedures . Carhart has vowed to open an office in Kansas and said he 'll keep doing abortions as long as he 's healthy . He said he 's performed more than 60,000 abortions in the past two decades . About 400 of those were after 24 weeks , he said . Staring across the room at a poster of Tiller , he said , `` I do n't want his death to be in vain . He spent his whole life trying to ensure better health care for women . '' Carhart was performing an abortion in his clinic when Tiller was killed that Sunday morning . He learned of the news by phone from Tiller 's head nurse . `` That 's when she told me that George had been shot in church and that he was dead . '' Carhart is unlike many abortion doctors . He 's does n't parse his words about his profession . The outside of his office has the name of his clinic in bold letters : Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska . He said he takes pride in the term abortionist . `` I do abortions , and that is what I do , '' he said . On Friday , Carhart teared up when talking about the abortion rights supporters outside his clinic . `` It 's unbelievable , '' he said of the support . Mark Gietzen , the driver of a truck for Operation Rescue , beamed with pride ahead of the protests . He stood outside his truck in Wichita adorned with a poster showing the dismembered hand of a fetus on a quarter . Across the top of the van , it reads , `` Abortion is an ObamaNation.com . '' He said he knew Tiller `` quite well '' from the vantage point of a peaceful common enemy over the years and said the killing was a setback for `` pro-lifers . '' He 's only had one encounter with Carhart -- when the doctor drove his car by protesters and `` quacked like a duck . '' Carhart acknowledges he might 've done that . Gietzen 's message to Carhart : `` Please respect the life of the babies . Stop the killing , stop committing such a horrible act for money . '' Newman , the head of Operation Rescue , said he 'll keep praying Carhart `` turns back to the healing arts and not taking babies ' lives . '' Carhart remains unmoved . `` When they 're ready to accept our position , then we 'll sit down . We say choice is right . If you do n't want to have an abortion , do n't have one . '' Here in America 's heartland , a battle is being waged and both sides are entrenched . There is no middle ground . | NEW : Abortion rights supporters dominant outside clinic on Friday . First major abortion protests set since killing of Dr. George Tiller in May . Dr. LeRoy Carhart of Nebraska was understudy of Tiller 's . Carhart says he takes pride in the term abortionist . | [[2078, 2144], [4477, 4486], [4489, 4577], [970, 1048], [4371, 4419], [4379, 4405]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Packing winds of 140 mph , Hurricane Jimena was approaching Baja California on Sunday as a Category 4 storm , forecasters said . A satellite image shows Hurricane Jimena off the coast of Mexico early Sunday evening . `` There 's a good chance this system could be a Category 5 in the next 24 hours , '' said Dave Roberts , a hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center in Miami , Florida . As of Sunday afternoon , Jimena was about 270 miles -LRB- 440 km -RRB- south of Cabo Correintes , Mexico , or about 480 miles -LRB- 770 km -RRB- south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California , according to the center . The storm is expected to continue in a north-northwest motion and approach the southwestern tip of Baja California sometime early Tuesday . Jimena is the 10th named storm of the Pacific season . `` It started out kind of slow for the Pacific , '' said Robbie Berg , another specialist at the hurricane center . `` Now we 've had seven named storms form , and that 's pretty busy for August . I think it 's been a couple decades since we 've seen that many storms in August . '' There 's no reason for people in Southern California to panic , but they should keep an eye on Jimena , Berg said . `` There 's no watches or warnings in effect , but we would like residents and tourists in the area to monitor the progress of the storm , '' Berg said . `` We do expect it to maintain its major hurricane strength as it heads up into that area . '' Tropical Storm Kevin has also emerged in the middle of the Pacific Ocean . However , Berg said it is weak -- with winds at a mere 50 mph -- and is not expected to pose a serious threat . CNN Radio 's John Lorinc and Brendan Gage contributed to this report . | NEW : Hurricane specialist says Jimena could reach Category 5 strength . Hurricane is currently a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds . Storm is expected to move northwest toward Mexico 's Baja California . Residents of Southern California advised to keep eye on storm 's progress . | [[236, 316], [0, 15], [19, 43], [46, 126], [46, 126], [649, 788], [649, 658], [671, 788], [1191, 1228], [1308, 1379]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Katie Callaway Hall trembled for four hours when she heard Phillip Garrido was arrested . Katie Callaway Hall said she wanted to scream when she heard that Phillio Garrido kidnapped someone else . His name sent a flurry of emotion running through her mind . `` I screamed , '' she told CNN 's Larry King on Monday night . `` I started screaming ` Oh my god , Oh my god , it 's him . ' '' She has thought about him every day since November 22 , 1976 when he asked her for a ride at a supermarket in California , before handcuffing her , binding her and taking her to a mini-warehouse in Reno , Nevada , where he raped her . Watch victim describe her terror '' Garrido was convicted for kidnapping and raping Hall , but was released after serving just over 10 years of a 50-year sentence . He was labeled a sex offender and put on lifetime parole . `` In many ways , the capture of Phillip Garrido has closed a chapter in my life , '' Hall wrote for a Larry King blog . `` I do n't have to hide anymore . I do n't have to live every day of my life wondering if he is looking for me . I am finally free from the fear I have lived with since the day I learned he was paroled . '' Read what Hall wrote on the blog . Garrido and his wife , Nancy , were charged last week with crimes relating to the abduction of 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard in 1991 and her captivity in a hidden shed-and-tent compound in the couple 's backyard in Antioch , California . `` With all the joy I should feel , I want to scream from the depths of my soul , '' she said . `` Scream because my fears turned out to be justified -- he struck again . '' While Hall has tried to suppress some of the memories of what happened to her that night , Garrido 's arrest took her mind back to that night in November . `` A man tapped on my window and asked for a ride , '' she said . `` I agreed . '' When she stopped the car to drop him off , Garrido took the keys out of the ignition , according to court documents from Garrido 's appeal in the case . Garrido , then 25 , `` told -LSB- Hall -RSB- it was n't intentional that he had taken her , but that it was her fault because she was attractive , '' according to the documents . `` Soon after , I was cuffed , bound , gagged , and taken to a warehouse , '' Hall told CNN . She was kept in the 6 by 12-foot storage facility , which Hall remembers was stacked with half-opened boxes with China-type dishes inside . Large , heavy carpets were hanging from the ceiling , spaced apart every few feet . `` It was like a maze , '' she said . `` And in the back of the mini warehouse where he had me , he had it set up to keep someone for awhile . '' `` Most of the details about what happened to me after I entered that warehouse have been repressed . '' She told Larry King that she feared for her life . `` I thought I was dead , '' she said . Hall was held in the small storage facility for five hours before she heard a noise . `` My recollections begin around 3 a.m. Someone banged on the door . I remember thinking , ` Oh my God , his friends are coming , ' '' she said . `` Garrido said , ` Do I have to tie you up or are you going to be good . ' '' She told him she would be good , but she knew if it was the police banging outside , she was going to `` have to try something . '' `` I barreled my way out of the warehouse completely naked . I could see the officer and Garrido standing there . They both looked at me like I was crazy , '' she said . `` I could n't see the officer 's car . I thought ` Oh God , he 's not a real cop . ' My state of mind was such that I could n't fully embrace what I was seeing . Finally , I saw his police car . '' Garrido tried to tell the cop Hall was his girlfriend . `` I screamed , ` No I 'm not -- help me , help me , ' '' she said . `` The officer told me to go back in and put my clothes on . When I went inside , Garrido must have convinced the officer we were both on drugs , because he let Garrido go back into the building alone , '' Hall said . `` I had already put some of my clothes on . Garrido came back in and begged me not to turn him in . '' Half-dressed , Hall said she maneuvered past him and asked the police to keep him away . `` They asked if I was brought there against my will , '' she said . `` I told them I was , that he had handcuffed and bound me . An officer shined a light on my wrists , saw the sores from the handcuffs , and arrested Garrido . '' Though Garrido was put behind bars for what he did , Hall said that night changed her life forever . `` For years , I walked around like a zombie , '' she said . `` I had to tell everyone I met what had happened to me -- because I did n't feel like myself . It was as if I had to explain why I was n't ` normal . ' '' For her , that 's the biggest pain Garrido put her though . `` I was a good person . I lived right , and treated others well , '' she said . `` He changed my life in an instant . I do n't feel like I can ever be that person again . Being victimized is something that only a victim can understand . I hate that he did this to me , and I doubt I 'll ever get over it . '' Though the trauma of her kidnapping has stayed with her all of these years , Hall said she could n't even begin to imagine the pain Garrido has caused Dugard and the two children she had with him . `` The only thing I can think of worse than what happened to me , is it happening to my child , '' she said . `` I ca n't imagine what Jaycee is going through . He had me for 8 hours . He had her for 18 years . `` I was an adult , with instincts that helped me deal with the situation . She was a child . This is going to be with her for the rest of her life . I can only wish her the best . '' | Phillip Garrido was convicted for kidnapping , raping Katie Callaway Hall in 1976 . Hall : `` I want to scream from the depths of my soul '' knowing he struck again . Hall was kept in a storage facility for eight hours when a cop came to help . Victim : `` I hate that he did this to me , and I doubt I 'll ever get over it '' | [[678, 730], [109, 169], [344, 383], [1504, 1547], [1564, 1638], [1621, 1638], [2229, 2230], [2265, 2285], [2307, 2356], [5500, 5523], [5069, 5098], [5105, 5137]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- NATO and Russia have agreed to restart their military relationship , nearly a year after it had been frozen over the war in Georgia , the top NATO official said on Saturday . Russia 's conflict with Georgia in August 2008 strained relations between NATO and Russia . `` The NATO-Russia Council is up and running again also at the political level , '' said NATO Secretary - General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer , speaking at a meeting of ministers in Corfu , Greece . Russia is not a member of NATO but is a member of the NATO-Russia Council , formed in 2002 . It consults , coordinates , reaches joint decisions on and carries out joint action with NATO on areas such as terrorism , cooperation on Afghanistan and military exercises . Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war in August 2008 over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia -- the first time Russia sent troops abroad to fight since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 . Differences over that conflict and Russia 's subsequent recognition of the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia strained relations between NATO and Russia . While there are differences of opinions regarding Georgia , Scheffer said member states `` share common security interests , '' including stability in Afghanistan , arms control , nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction , and concerns over drug trafficking , piracy and terrorism . Scheffer said officials `` are in the process of examining the current institutional structure of the NATO-Russia Council and have agreed to make it a more efficient and valuable instrument for our political dialogue and practical cooperation . '' Scheffer , who is completing his term as NATO head , said it is the latest time he will chair the NATO-Russia Council as well . He said he is `` confident '' that the council `` will continue to be an important channel for dialogue and cooperation among its members in the future . '' | Secretary-general : NATO-Russia Council `` up and running again '' Member states `` share common security interests , '' Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says . Council gives NATO and Russia opportunity to consult and coordinate activities . Russia 's war with Georgia and recognition of breakaway regions strained relations . | [[1192, 1421], [747, 856], [955, 1131]] |
ROCKY MOUNT , North Carolina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Authorities in North Carolina have jailed a suspect in the slaying of one of five women whose bodies have been found since 2005 in remote areas outside Rocky Mount , the Edgecombe County sheriff said Tuesday . Jackie Nikelia Thorpe 's body was found along Seven Bridges Road in August 2007 . Sheriff James Knight said Antwan Maurice Pittman , 31 , was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Taraha Shenice Nicholson , whose remains were found in a wooded area on March 7 . Nicholson was 29 when she was reported missing on February 22 , Knight said at a news conference in Tarboro . Pittman , of Rocky Point , was being held without bond . All five of the slain women were African-American , and authorities said they were from an area frequented by prostitutes . Four of them lived in Rocky Mount , which is about 55 miles northeast of the state capital , Raleigh . Michael Teague , North Carolina 's former top forensic psychologist , told CNN 's David Mattingly he believes the deaths are the work of a serial killer . `` Just the fact that the bodies have been found close together would really argue for a serial killer , '' Teague said . He also said he believes the killer is someone with a lot in common with his victims . `` Their economic level , their background , the same race . So I think it 's someone who would fit very easily within the environment , '' the psychologist said . The body of the first woman was discovered in May 2005 . All the remains were found near the Seven Bridges Road , which snakes northeast from Rocky Mount into rural Edgecombe County . The probe into the deaths of the other four women is ongoing , said Knight , who is leading a joint investigative task force of his deputies , Rocky Mount police and the state Bureau of Investigation . Representatives from the other two groups also attended the news conference . `` The investigators with the task force have worked countless hours , days and nights in order to bring this case to the point where it is now , '' said Renee Robinson , special agent with SBI . `` We are following up on leads as they develop . '' Rocky Mount Police Chief John Manley Jr. said the task force also was investigating the cases of three other missing women and a death in Rocky Mount . He has said it appears the women `` suffered a similar death , '' but authorities have not divulged further details . They did tell CNN that two of the victims were strangled , and one was stabbed and beaten . Manley identified the four women whose bodies were found as : . • Melody Wiggins , 29 , whose body was found May 29 , 2005 . • Jackie Nikelia Thorpe , 35 , whose body was found August 17 , 2007 , behind a house on Seven Bridges Road . • Ernestine Battle , 50 , whose remains were found in a wooded area along the road on March 13 , 2008 . • Jarneice Latonya Hargrove , 31 , whose skeletal remains were found June 29 , 2009 in woods off the road . | Antwan Maurice Pittman , 31 , charged with first-degree murder . Taraha Shenice Nicholson , whose remains were found in a wooded area on March 7 . Remains of five women found since 2005 along road outside Rocky Mount . Police chief says it appears women `` suffered a similar death '' City , county , state agencies have formed task force . | [[340, 353], [366, 388], [391, 473], [446, 473], [476, 530], [122, 211], [2318, 2399], [1637, 1686], [1700, 1838]] |
CABO SAN LUCAS , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After making landfall on Mexico 's Baja California peninsula , Category 1 Hurricane Jimena was weakening Wednesday night , forecasters said . After making landfall on Baja California , Hurricane Jimena started weakening Wednesday night . The storm made landfall Wednesday afternoon between Puerto San Andresito and San Juanico , Mexico , the National Hurricane Center said . As of 8 p.m. ET , the center of Jimena was located near San Buenaventura , Mexico , and about 40 miles -LRB- 64 kilometers -RRB- south of Santa Rosalia , Mexico . It was moving north at near 12 mph -LRB- 19 kph -RRB- , and was expected to turn northwest and slow Wednesday night before turning west on Thursday . `` On the forecast track , the center of Jimena will move over the central Baja California peninsula tonight and Thursday , then move into the Pacific west of Baja California late Thursday or Thursday night , '' the Hurricane Center said . See the storm 's projected path '' The storm 's maximum sustained winds had decreased slightly , to 80 mph -LRB- 129 kph -RRB- with higher gusts , the hurricane center said . Jimena is expected to weaken into a tropical storm Wednesday night , forecasters said . At its peak Tuesday , Jimena was a Category 4 storm , with winds of 145 mph -LRB- 233 kph -RRB- . A hurricane warning remained in effect for parts of the Baja peninsula , from Bahia Magdalena north to Punta Abreojos on the west coast , and from San Evaristo north to Mulege on the east coast , the Hurricane Center said . A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions , including winds of at least 74 mph -LRB- 119 kph -RRB- , are expected within 24 hours . A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch were in effect for the Baja California peninsula north of Punta Abreojos to Punta Eugenia on the west coast , and north of Mulege to Bahia San Juan Bautista on the east coast . A tropical storm warning was in effect for the peninsula north of Punta Eugenia to San Jose de las Palomas on the west coast , and north of Bahia San Juan Bautista to Bahia de los Angeles on the east coast . A tropical storm warning also was issued for northwestern mainland Mexico , from Huatabampito to Bahia Kino , the Hurricane Center said . A tropical storm warning means conditions including winds of at least 39 mph -LRB- 63 kph -RRB- are expected within 24 hours . Jimena is expected to produce between 5 and 10 inches of rain over the southern half of the peninsula , with 15 inches possible on some areas . `` These rains could produce life-threatening floods and mudslides , '' the Hurricane Center said . In addition , `` a dangerous storm surge along with large and dangerous battering waves will produce significant coastal flooding along the Baja California peninsula , '' forecasters said . CNN 's Betty Nguyen , Matt Cherry and Ninette Sosa contributed to this report . | Storm hits between Puerto San Andresito and San Juanico , Mexico . Jimena expected to weaken into a tropical storm Wednesday night . Hurricane warning remains in effect for parts of the Baja peninsula Wednesday night . Jimena could bring up to 10 inches of rain to Baja California , western Mexico . | [[281, 369], [106, 163], [185, 225], [228, 280], [1146, 1212], [1332, 1402], [2388, 2531], [2388, 2394], [2407, 2489]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- British police are reviewing the death of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones , 40 years after the hard-living rocker was found dead in a swimming pool . An autographed photo of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones who was found dead in July 1969 . Police in Sussex , in southern England , have confirmed they are examining documents given to them by an investigative journalist who has been researching events surrounding Jones ' death . Scott Jones , who is not related to the musician , has spent four years reviewing the evidence and speaking to key witnesses in the case . In an article published in the Daily Mail in November 2008 , Jones wrote , `` I 'm convinced Brian Jones ' death was not fully investigated . The only question that remains is why ? '' Brian Jones ' body was found in the swimming pool after a party at his home in Cotchford Farm , East Sussex in July 1969 . He was 27 . An inquest returned a verdict of death by misadventure , despite post mortem results showing he had not taken illegal drugs and had only consumed the alcoholic equivalent of three and a half pints of beer . One of the most popular conspiracy theories that followed was that Jones was murdered by his builder , Frank Thorogood . The theory gained credence after Thorogood allegedly confessed to the killing before his death in 1993 . The storyline formed the basis of the 2005 film `` Stoned . '' Sussex police told CNN they could not say how long it would take to review the new material , nor whether it could lead to a full investigation . There have been repeated calls for closer examination of the case since Jones ' death , which came just three weeks after he left the Rolling Stones . His drinking and drug-taking had taken a toll on his health and the band , and in 1969 Jones announced he was leaving . In a statement he said , `` I no longer see eye-to-eye with the others over the discs we are cutting . '' Last year , Scott Jones published an article containing contents of an interview he conducted with one of the people present at Jones ' home on the night of his death . In the article , published in the Daily Mail , Jones ' said Janet Lawson , the girlfriend of Rolling Stones tour manager Tom Keylock , gave him a version of events that contradicted her official police statement . She is reported to have called her original statement , `` a pack of lies ... total rubbish . '' Lawson 's revised version of events is among the documents Jones has supplied to Sussex police . It is also believed to include previously unseen files released by the Public Records Office . Lawson died of cancer soon after telling Scott Jones her new sworn testimony . | Sussex police confirm they are reviewing information on Brian Jones ' death . Rolling Stones founder was found dead in his swimming pool in July 1969 . Inquest found `` death by misadventure , '' although questions remained . Investigative journalist has handed documents , other material to police . | [[9, 32], [36, 100], [282, 298], [313, 320], [323, 366], [124, 188], [210, 247], [252, 281], [796, 889], [753, 795], [931, 985], [338, 411], [381, 411], [416, 471], [2469, 2526]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Spongy red balls wait in a queue , separating two teams wired to smack their opponent . Within seconds , the players dip and dive like dolphins until one player stands alone , relishing in victory . An adult plays in a dodge ball league organized by the . City of Sparks Parks and Recreation in Nevada . It 's the classic game of dodge ball , but these are n't fifth-graders during PE class in Sparks , Nevada . The childhood sport of dodge ball made a comeback four years ago in this bedroom community among adults in their 20s and 30s -- and even a few players who reached retirement . Now , hundreds of working professionals , doctors , lawyers and teachers congregate at the local recreation center for a dose of dodge ball on Sunday nights . `` I think a lot of it goes back to trying to stay young , '' said Tony Pehle , recreation supervisor in Sparks , who started the dodge ball program after being inspired by the 2004 Ben Stiller movie `` Dodgeball : A True Underdog Story . '' `` They might be adults , but they still like to play and have fun . '' Has Peter Pan syndrome come to stay ? From playing dodge ball to jumping double Dutch and competing in rock-paper-scissors , adult men and women , from urban nests to rural towns , are reveling in games and activities once thought to be child 's play . The 2009 World Yo-Yo Contest in Orlando , Florida , this weekend -LRB- August 13 -RRB- is all grown up , attracting more than 150 adult competitors , who can showcase dizzying tricks with the flick of a finger . Later in the month , hundreds of adults outfitted in pirate and animal costumes will race their homebuilt vehicles for Oregon 's annual Portland Adult Soapbox Derby , a crafty activity that began for youths in the 1930s . `` Once a year , I get to build something for the kid in me , '' says Jason Hogue , a 41-year-old carpenter , who has participated in the race for eight years . Last year , he constructed a car shaped like a hammerhead shark . `` We get to use our creativity and get excited with our friends . '' Whether they 're done to seek refuge from the daily grind or to provide nostalgia for youthful days -- or they 're a product of what some experts say is a generation that ca n't grow up -- these juvenile pastimes are getting more popular . For example , adult viewership of the Nickelodeon show `` SpongeBob SquarePants '' swelled by 51 percent from 1999 to 2009 , officials say . The World Adult Kickball Association , one of the largest kickball organizations , has spread its tentacles to 33 states as well a soldier division in Iraq . WAKA Kickball began as a casual game between a few young single friends in their 20s in Washington , D.C. Now , the games appeal to tens of thousands of adults , many of them yuppies wanting a quick escape from the stresses of their first 401 -LRB- k -RRB- , mortgage and job . `` I played soccer growing up , and I like competition , '' says avid kickball player Marlon LeWinter , 28 , of New York City . LeWinter , a public relations executive , usually plays the position of center with a bunch of producers , writers and analysts in their late 20s . They named their team Chipwich Nation after they scarfed down the cookies-and-ice cream treat at a bar after a game one night . `` Sometimes when it 's -LSB- the score -RSB- two to one in a kickball came , I get the jitters , '' he says . The economic bind also creates a favorable environment for adults to latch onto simple children 's games and sports . With players who are trapped in a world of layoffs and job freezes , these adult leagues , contests and tournaments are the equivalent of sandbox time for children . They can make new friends and go for a beer after the game . These activities are also budget-friendly , costing less than $ 100 to join for several months of play -- much less than a golf club membership . Since the recession , Duncan Toys , one of the biggest yo-yo manufacturers in the United States , has seen sales spike . A company official noticed many of the adults who purchased yo-yos tried to get the same models they owned as kids . `` Nowadays , everything is taken so seriously that people revert to something like playing with a yo-yo , '' says Mike McBride , a 34-year-old multimedia designer who picked up the activity shortly after college . McBride , who will compete in the Orlando World Yo-Yo contest , says the activity helps him relieve stress . `` There 's no pressure . '' In 2006 , Christopher Noxon , in his book `` Rejuvenile , '' explored why adults fancy childhood pursuits like kickball , cartoons and cupcakes . Beginning with Generation X adults in the 1990s , the group began to shift from the norms of the hierarchal corporate ladder , and the age of marriage began to steadily climb . Soon , juvenile activities that had been regarded as silly became hip . Quirky became cool , and more organized teams , groups and competitions for playground sports and childlike hobbies emerged . `` Our whole idea of adulthood has changed , '' says Noxon . `` We value flexibility and creativity , and these are things kids are good at . It 's brought us back to what we had as children . '' But it is n't just the younger generations that clutch leftovers from their youth or become interested in child-like activities . Grandparents in their 70s and 80s still collect roomfuls of model train sets , romanticizing the days when the only way to travel was by choo-choo . Women in their 40s acquire American Girl dolls that stir fond memories of reading the novels during childhood . Psychology experts say it should n't be a surprise that the affinity for childhood hobbies and activities extends across generations . After all , Americans have long had an obsession with youth . To be young is associated with being fun , vibrant and active . In the Internet age , finding one 's inner child has never been easier , with the proliferation of social networks such as Facebook or Web sites like Meetup.com , where users can create groups and meeting times for activities . On the site , groups of adults organize scavenger hunts in Atlanta , Georgia , and action figure discussions in New York City . `` This is a generation of people who are far less homogenous and more niche-oriented , '' says Judith Sills , a clinical psychologist who works with young adults . `` They can bond around their quirky differences . Ten years ago , you could n't have easily found another kickball player , even if you wanted to play . '' | WAKA Kickball started more than a decade ago by a few friends is now in 33 states . The 2009 World Yo-Yo Contest will attract more than 150 adults this year . Hundreds of adult soapbox racers will wear costumes to race in Portland , Oregon . `` Rejuvenile '' author Noxon says childhood pastimes are becoming more acceptable . | [[2445, 2481], [2512, 2602], [2603, 2701], [1333, 1435], [1333, 1372], [1438, 1544], [1545, 1563], [1566, 1584], [1609, 1709]] |
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