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WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Wendell Potter knows a little something about the health care industry 's practices and is not afraid of to speak out as the health care reform debate heats up around the country . Wendell Potter once was a vice president in the public relations department for insurance giant Cigna . The former vice president of corporate communications at insurance giant Cigna , who left his post , says the industry is playing `` dirty tricks '' in an effort to manipulate public opinion . `` Words matter , and the insurance industry is a master at linguistics and using the hot words , buzzwords , buzz expressions that they know will get people upset , '' he told CNN Wednesday . Now a senior fellow on health care for the watchdog group Center for Media and Democracy , Potter writes a blog on health care reform . He is focusing on efforts to defeat legislation supporting a government health care plan -- something he supports . In early July , Potter testified before the Senate Commerce Committee , telling senators that `` I know from personal experience that members of Congress and the public have good reason to question the honesty and trustworthiness of the insurance industry . '' Potter described how underwriters at his former company would drive small businesses with expensive insurance claims to dump their Cigna policies . Industry executives refer to the practice as `` purging , '' Potter said . `` When that business comes up for renewal , the underwriters jack the rates up so much , the employer has no choice but to drop insurance , '' Potter had said . In an e-mail to CNN , Cigna spokesman Chris Curran denied the company engages in purging . `` We do not practice that . We will offer rates that are reflective of the competitive group health insurance market . We always encourage our clients to compare our proposed rates to those available from other carriers , '' Curran wrote . But now , Potter is back in Washington at the invitation from Rep. Louise Slaughter , D-New York . He is questioning insurance companies ' public relations tactics -- and says some of the questions from town hall meetings are familiar . Watch more on the health care reform debate '' `` People talk about the government takeover of the system ... that 's a buzz term that comes straight out of the insurance industry , '' he said . A Cigna spokesman would not comment directly on Potter 's accusations . Instead , the company released a written statement saying officials agree that health care reform is needed . But the statement went on to say that officials do n't see how a government-sponsored plan can accomplish that . But Potter 's concerns fall right in line with the Democrats ' strategy of hitting insurance companies hard this summer . Republicans argue that insurance companies are n't solely to blame for the health care crisis , noting that many of their constituents are perfectly happy with the current system . The Democratic Party is also dealing with a group of fiscally conservative members known as `` Blue Dogs '' who are worried over the high costs of the health care plans being bandied about . Slaughter says that the concerns over a government option may be set up to `` try and protect one industry '' -- referring to the health insurance industry . Potter insists he has no agenda -- just a deep passion for the issue . `` This is hard to do . It 's scary to do something like this . I do n't think I 'm any more courageous than anybody but I feel I had to do this . '' Potter also has said he decided to resign in 2007 after Cigna 's controversial handling of an insurance claim made by the family of a California teenager , Nataline Sarkysian . The Sarkysian family made repeated appeals at news conferences for Cigna to approve a liver transplant for the 17-year-old , who had leukemia . Cigna initially declined to cover the operation , then reversed its decision . Sarkysian died hours after the company 's reversal . CNN 's Jim Acosta and Bonnie Knapp contributed to this report . | Wendell Potter is a former vice president at insurance giant Cigna . Potter says insurance companies use key buzzwords as scare tactics . Potter also testified on his company 's practice of ` purging ' Cigna spokesman denies claims that the company engages in patient purging . | [[211, 314], [372, 393], [400, 413], [315, 393], [416, 476], [2283, 2347], [1599, 1618], [1621, 1689]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Rancho Bernardo Inn , a San Diego luxury resort , is offering rooms for $ 19 a night . But there 's a catch -- you have to sleep in a tent and bring your own toilet paper . `` For $ 19 a night , a customer gets a shell with a tent inside , '' says Rancho Bernardo Inn 's John Gates . The declining economy has taken a toll on the Rancho Bernardo , a 200,000 acre luxury resort which has three pools , a golf course , three restaurants and a spa that was named No. 1 by Conde Nast in 2008 . `` During a brainstorming session , we were talking about discounts and promotions and wanted to come up with something different than the same promotions and discounts , '' said Rancho Bernardo general manager John Gates . `` We wanted to do something fun and clever . It 's a way of making the best of these bad economic times and trying to give customers an experience . '' Rancho Bernardo 's `` Survivor Package '' starts at $ 219 per night , but customers are allowed to customize and pick their price point . Guests can lower the cost by opting to give up breakfast and other luxury items , including toiletries . `` For $ 19 a night , a customer gets a shell with a tent inside , '' said Gates . The bed , lighting , bed sheets , towels and toilet paper are all removed . `` We ran a similar promotion in June which was very popular . About 100 people took the offer . '' Gates said he has received several phone calls , and 50 customers have already booked a reservation at the $ 19 price . The promotion will run from August 16 to 31 . And do n't forget your toilet paper and toothpaste ! | Rancho Bernardo Inn , a luxury resort , was named No. 1 by Conde Nast in '08 . `` We wanted to do something fun and clever , '' general manager John Gates says . The San Diego resort 's `` Survivor Package '' starts at $ 219 per night . Fifty customers have already booked the promotion , which runs August 16 to 31 . | [[263, 306], [684, 736], [740, 782], [1200, 1215], [890, 957], [1445, 1470], [1478, 1511], [1445, 1457], [1463, 1511], [1512, 1557]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A $ 15.5 million payout made by oil giant Shell to settle a lawsuit brought against it by relations of executed Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and other activists will allow the families of the victims to move on with their lives , Saro-Wiwa 's son has told CNN . Saro-Wiwa said the settlement would allow the families of the victims to draw a line under the past . The New York lawsuit -- brought to court by the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of Saro-Wiwa 's family and others in 1996 -- accused Shell 's Nigerian subsidiary of complicity in the writer 's 1995 hanging and the killings or persecution of other environmental activists in the Niger Delta . Nigeria 's Ogoni people have complained for years that Shell was allowed to pollute its land without consequences . Saro-Wiwa 's death sparked a worldwide outcry , and his movement ultimately forced Shell out of the oil - and gas-rich Ogoniland region . `` It enables us to draw a line under the past and actually face the future with something tangible , some hope that this is the beginning of a better engagement between all the stakeholders in this issue , '' Ken Saro-Wiwa Jr. told CNN . Shell said it `` had no part in the violence that took place '' but called the settlement `` a humanitarian gesture to set up a trust fund to benefit the Ogoni people . '' Shell fought the lawsuit until last week , when a federal appellate court ruled that the plaintiffs could sue the company 's Nigerian subsidiary in American courts , overturning a March decision in the company 's favor . Saro-Wiwa said the case set a precedent for oil companies operating in regions such as West Africa by demonstrating that they could `` be brought to trial in America for human rights violations in Africa . '' Watch Saro-Wiwa discuss how he hopes the case will set a precedent '' `` Justice is always hard won ... It took 13 years to go through the legal process but clearly before we started this corporations throught they could almost operate with impunity but now the legal landscape has changed , '' he said . Roughly half of the settlement will go into a trust fund to help the people of Nigeria 's Ogoni region , according to court papers . | Ken Saro-Wiwa 's son says Shell payout will let families move on with lives . Executed environmental activist 's family sued oil company . About half of settlement will go to help people of Ogoni region . Residents have long complained that Shell was polluting land . | [[291, 392], [301, 385], [2096, 2198], [696, 745]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Police seized approximately 150 birds and arrested 19 people in a Connecticut home Sunday in an investigation of alleged finch and canary fighting , the Shelton Police Department said . Police seized cash , canaries , finches and bird cages from a home in Shelton , Connecticut . In addition to the 150 birds -- mainly saffron finches -- police seized their cages and $ 8,000 in cash from a home in Shelton , said police Sgt. Robert Kozlowsky . The 19 people , all originally from Brazil , are being charged with animal cruelty and illegal gambling , Kozlowsky said . The homeowner , Jurames Goulart , 42 , was additionally charged with interfering with officers . Shelton Police say they 've never seen or heard of this kind of bird fighting before . `` This is new to us , '' Kozlowsky told CNN . `` Finches are much easier to keep under the radar than roosters because they make less noise and they would n't arouse suspicions if someone had a lot of them . '' Watch police haul away the birds '' Kozlowsky said police obtained a search warrant after a monthlong investigation and raided the home after receiving tips that an illegal fight was scheduled to take place . Wayne Kasacek of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture , which helped remove the birds , said that at least four of the finches have eye injuries . Saffron finches are canary-size birds native to South America . | 19 people arrested , $ 8,000 in cash seized at a Connecticut home . All arrested , originally from Brazil , being charged with animal cruelty , illegal gambling . Police call such fighting unusual , say it 's easier to conceal than rooster fighting . Police say that raid came after tips and that some of the birds have eye injuries . | [[19, 25], [61, 108], [205, 271], [357, 402], [464, 477], [509, 567], [818, 882]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fans of Usher Raymond IV view him as a singing , dancing and acting superstar . Superstar performer Usher Raymond IV at the closing ceremony for Usher 's Camp New Look . But to a special group of young people , he is a mentor and a friend . `` He leads by example , '' said Arnold `` Supa '' LaFrance , a `` Mogul in Training '' at Usher 's Camp New Look . `` Usher 's all about peace and love and giving back to the community , and it 's genuine . He does it when the cameras are on and when the cameras are off . '' Now in its fifth year , the camp is a passion for the Grammy Award-winning artist , who each year gives more than a hundred teens from underserved communities across the country the opportunity to learn about the entertainment and sports industries . Thomas Springer , a 17-year-old Atlanta , Georgia , resident , has participated in the camp for four years and said he wants to use his talent in filmmaking and what he has learned at Camp New Look to help his community . `` Before I came to camp , I did n't think I had a voice in my community and that I could do anything based on my age , '' Springer said . `` The camp let me know that no matter what your age , no matter what you do , you can make an impact on your community . '' Usher came to fame as a teen and has sold millions of records , including the hit singles `` Yeah '' and `` Confessions II . '' His success has allowed him to become part owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team and to launch his own line of fragrances for men and women . The camp , the singer said , teaches participants the business aspects of the entertainment and sports industries and imparts the importance of being service-oriented . A selection committee selects campers that are nominated by partner organizations in various cities across the country . Now the father of two young boys , Usher said he is also enriched by the camp 's experience . `` It makes me a better man . It makes me a better individual , '' he said . `` There 's a difference between hard work and heart work , and this would represent heart work . '' Watch Usher talk about his camp '' As a youngster , Usher participated in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America , and he said it helped shape his ideas about mentoring . `` I think that the Boys & Girls Club is a very positive environment for kids , '' he said . `` It 's another place that allows you to be a product of your experience . I encountered a lot of people who became mentors for me there . '' At this year 's closing ceremony for Usher 's Camp New Look , held at the Alliance Theater at Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta , the energy level was high as campers and their family members walked a red carpet alongside some of Usher 's celebrity friends , including NBA star Alonzo Mourning and San Francisco 49er Allen Rossum . The free , residential camp held for two weeks every summer in Atlanta is an outgrowth of Usher 's New Look Foundation , which he established to empower at-risk youth by giving them the skills necessary to enter careers in the sports and entertainment industries and working with them to provide employment opportunities . Mourning said Usher is one who understands that `` to whom much is given , much is required . '' `` The service that Usher is providing for these kids with these educational opportunities and expanding their lives to a whole new level , it 's important that we all rally around these particular causes and support these initiatives , '' Mourning said . Gabrielle Brou , 16 , a first-year camper from Ocean Springs , Mississippi , who aspires to be an actress , said there were countless opportunities at camp to network with successful people who are living the lives she hopes to achieve . `` Once I found out that there were ways I could better myself in acting , learn the business and also give back ... I decided that this camp would be really great for me , '' she said . `` I would love to do it again next year . '' Having a day set aside for the campers and their families to revel in all that they have achieved and their future possibilities left Usher with a huge smile on his face . `` It 's really good to see them be able to live out their dreams , '' he said . | Usher 's Camp New Look helps kids from underserved communities . Campers learn business behind entertainment and sports industries . Singer serves as mentor to more than 100 participants . Usher , who was mentored , said camp represents his `` heart work '' | [[1566, 1581], [1584, 1723], [1555, 1563], [1584, 1668], [587, 618], [635, 714], [561, 618], [2117, 2148]] |
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Miami rapper Brisco lost $ 40,000 in jewelry and his luxury SUV when armed robbers stormed the barber shop where he was getting a trim , but the artist says the hold up may help his creativity . Security camera video showed Brisco , whose real name is British Mitchell , sitting in a barber chair when four armed men rush into the Miami , Florida , business , fire a few shots and order everyone , including the rapper , to the floor . `` He went to a barber shop to get his hair cut , '' Miami Police Officer Jeffery Giordano told Miami TV station WSVN . `` They took a little bit more off the top than expected . '' Brisco 's gold watch , bracelet , chain and pendant were taken from him , along with the keys to his Range Rover . The vehicle was later recovered , Giordano said . `` For a rapper to have his bling stolen , they might as well stolen that man 's heart , '' Giordano said . Brisco , known for his songs about ghetto street life , said he was still alive and looking at the bright side . `` I 'll get bigger jewelry and still go hard , '' Brisco said . `` It 's great material for my next album . '' Music fans also know Brisco by his other nickname , the Opa Locka Goon , a reference to his south Florida hometown . The armed robbery took place July 29 in Miami 's Model City neighborhood . | Security video shows Brisco getting a trim when four armed men rush in . Gold watch , bracelet , chain , pendant , Range Rover were stolen . `` It 's great material for my next album , '' rapper says . | [[104, 150], [126, 141], [148, 169], [306, 394], [337, 421], [337, 347], [416, 470], [653, 724], [1105, 1147]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Toyota-owned Fuji International Speedway circuit will stop hosting the Japanese Grand Prix from next year -- the track operators have announced . The Toyota-owned Fuji circuit will not be hosting the Japanese Grand Prix due to financial concerns . Fuji Speedway hosted the Formula One race in 2007 and 2008 . The race is set to return to the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit this year , and was due back at Fuji for the 2010 race -- as the 16th leg of the 18-race Formula One series . The two venues were originally due to alternate hosting the Japanese Grand Prix but , due to the current downturn in the global economy , Fuji Speedway have confirmed they will no longer host the event . Fuji Speedway opened in 1965 . It staged F1 races in 1976 and in 1977 , when a spectator and steward died after a Ferrari driven by Gilles Villeneuve ploughed into the crowd . `` We decided it would be extremely difficult to continue holding the F1 Japanese Grand Prix in view of sharply deteriorating business conditions and few signs of a rapid economic recovery , '' Fuji International Speedway said in a statement . `` I apologize deeply for being unable to live up to expectations . It is truly heartbreaking , '' Hiroaki Kato , president of the the company that runs the circuit , told reporters . Kato said the economic downturn was causing a dramatic fall in the number of people attending motor sports events as the world 's second-largest economy struggles through its worst recession since World War II . `` We are afraid that unless we circuit operators and promoters grit our teeth and support domestic motorsports , it will not be able to keep on going , '' he added . Toyota 's decision to pull outcomes as the global economic crisis forces Japanese automakers to slash costs . Honda has sold its Formula One team while Suzuki and Subaru have withdrawn from the world rally championship . Motorcycle maker Kawasaki has exited the MotoGP and Mitsubishi is quitting the Dakar Rally despite a dozen victories . Toyota overtook American rival General Motors in 2008 as the world 's top selling automaker but fell into the red for the first time in the year to March with a net loss of 436.9 billion yen -LRB- $ 4.6 billion -RRB- . It expects a bigger net loss of 550 billion yen this year . | Fuji International Speedway circuit will stop hosting the Japanese Grand Prix . The Toyota-owned track staged the Formula One race in both 2007 and 2008 . Suzuka will stage the race this year but it was due to return to Fuji in 2010 . | [[0, 15], [55, 128], [169, 270], [640, 705], [271, 331], [332, 401], [332, 340], [408, 446]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Mexican man who was allegedly killed on orders from his own cartel believed they were hunting for him after he began working as an informant and was fearful for his life , according to court documents . Police say soldier Michael Jackson Apodaca , 18 , acted as the gunman . Jose Daniel Gonzalez Galeana began to worry after he began working as an informant for immigration officials in the United States . `` The victim was concerned for his own well-being and the safety of his family , '' the documents said , referencing statements the victim made to a witness . When Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials gave Gonzalez a visa so he could live in El Paso , Texas , his fellow Juarez cartel members began to get suspicious , El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said at a press conference . Allen said Gonzalez 's exit from Mexico , combined with a raid on a cartel warehouse and the arrest of cartel lieutenant Pedro `` El Tigre '' Aranas Sanchez led cartel members to believe he might be working as an informant , Allen said . Then , a Mexican newspaper named Gonzalez as an informant in the arrest of the high-ranking cartel member , according to court documents . Police say Gonzales quickly became the target of his own cartel . Police said Gonzalez knew if his fellow cartel members found him , he would likely be killed , police said . On May 15 , the cartel found him . He was shot eight times outside his home in El Paso , Texas , police said . Pfc. Michael Jackson Apodaca , 18 , Ruben Rodriguez Dorado , 30 , and Christopher Andrew Duran , 17 , were each named as suspects Monday and each are facing one count of capital murder . The three men are being held on $ 1 million bond . Police said Apodaca was the shooter , Duran was the getaway car driver , and Rodriguez was the one who coordinated the murder . On Wednesday , police also arrested a 16-year-old who they said was involved in the surveillance and reconnaissance of the victim . The juvenile also faces one count of capital murder . Rodriguez and the victim were in the Juarez cartel , based across the border from El Paso , police spokesman Chris Mears said . He said police believe Apodaca and Duran were not cartel members . Apodaca joined the Army a year ago and worked as a crew member on a Patriot missile launcher , officials at Fort Bliss in El Paso said . `` He was in the top of his class , '' said Dave Jackson , his grandfather . `` You talk to all his sergeants . He 's a good soldier . Now , before he went in -LSB- and joined the Army -RSB- , he was in , he was in with a bad crowd . '' Investigators said at the press conference they think the three suspects met through a relative of Rodriguez . `` He -LSB- Rodriguez -RSB- was the older guy , he provided the alcohol , the party locations , '' police Lt. Alfred Lowe said . `` And he recruited these people to do his bidding . '' Once the three men were allegedly hired , they were `` told to find the victim in the United States , '' Allen said . Rodriguez paid the victim 's cell phone bill hoping he would be able to learn where he lived , federal officials learned , according to court documents . Federal law enforcement was apparently concerned enough about the incident that officers told local law enforcement to signal Gonzalez 's home could be at risk . Hours before the slaying , police said Rodriguez called a tactical supply store that exclusively sells the same brand of ammunition found at the scene . The suspects found Gonzalez at a relative 's home in Canutillo , Texas , and followed him back to his home before shooting him , police said . The three arrested men 's phone records showed their approximate locations on the night of the killing and corroborated that the suspects were tracking the victim , according to court documents . During an interrogation , Rodriguez told investigators he ordered Gonzalez 's execution , police said . But Allen also said during the press conference that Rodriguez planned the killing and hired the other suspects after he was given the order by cartel lieutenant Jesus Aguayo Salas . Police said there was also a warrant out for his arrest . Rodriguez told police he paid the participants for their role in the killing , the affidavit said . It said he also noted that he was a midlevel member of the cartel , which he called the `` Compania , '' and said he was in charge of coordinating surveillance for the cartel , `` following intended victims up until their execution . '' Duran and Rodriguez told police that Apodaca was paid to be the shooter and Duran to drive the getaway car , according to the affidavit . Allen said both men were each paid `` quite a robust amount of money ... under $ 10,000 , in that area . '' Police said more arrests could still come in the case . CNN 's Ashley Fantz , Tracy Sabo , Mallory Simon and Melanie Whitley contributed to this report . | Police say victim believed if cartel found him , he would be killed . Documents : Suspect tried to find victim by paying his phone bill . Soldier Michael Jackson Apodaca , 18 , was one of three men arrested Monday . Other suspects include Ruben Rodriguez Dorado and Christopher Andrew Duran . | [[1273, 1353], [3016, 3060], [3031, 3108], [224, 271], [1481, 1575], [1583, 1592], [1599, 1617], [1481, 1575], [1583, 1592], [1599, 1617]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two days after the death of Michael Jackson , the family of the pop superstar thanked his fans for their condolences and support in `` one of the darkest moments of our lives . '' A girl holds up signs in memory of Michael Jackson outside New York 's Apollo Theater on Saturday . `` Please do not despair , because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you , '' family patriarch Joseph Jackson said in a statement to People magazine obtained by CNN . `` Continue to spread his message , because that is what he would want you to do . Carry on , so his legacy will live forever , '' the statement told fans . `` Our beloved son , brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly , in such a tragic way and much too soon , '' the statement said . `` It leaves us , his family , speechless and devastated to a point , where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times . '' Watch how one fan mourns pop star '' Family members including Jackson 's mother , Katherine , were at the estate Jackson had rented in Holmby Hills . Around midday , two moving vans pulled up . One left empty , and the other apparently contained objects from the house . Other vehicles came and went , including a silver Range Rover driven by a plain clothes police officer . Meanwhile , the doctor who may have been the last person to see Michael Jackson alive was expected to meet with police Saturday along with his lawyer , an associate of attorney Ed Chernoff said . Matthew Alford , an associate of Stradley , Chernoff and Alford law firm in Houston , Texas , said Dr. Conrad Murray , who is represented by Chernoff , was upset but willing to cooperate . Watch what Alford said about doctor 's involvement '' The ongoing meeting could spill into Sunday , according to the firm . `` It 's a human tragedy , and he 's upset obviously over the loss of Mr. Jackson . But he is not a suspect in the death of Mr. Jackson , '' Alford said . `` We intend to cooperate fully . '' Los Angeles police , who met briefly with Murray after Michael Jackson 's death , had been trying to set up an interview , Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck said . `` Is important to interview everybody that was in contact with Mr. Jackson immediately prior to his demise particularly anyone involved in his medical care , '' Beck said . `` So it 's extremely important to talk to his doctor . '' Police said the doctor has been cooperating . Jackson 's family suspects that Murray can answer some questions about the singer 's death , but they have been unable to contact him , the Rev. Jesse Jackson told CNN on Saturday . The parents need to know what happened in the last hours of Michael Jackson 's life , Jesse Jackson said . `` The routine inquiry is now an investigation , '' Jesse Jackson said . `` They -LRB- Jacksons -RRB- did n't know the doctor . ... He should have met with the family , given them comfort on the last hours of their son . '' Alford said Murray has `` not been hiding out . He 's just being prudent . '' Detectives impounded Murray 's car , which was parked at the singer 's rented home , because it may contain evidence related to Jackson 's death , possibly prescription medications . Police have released no information on what they may have found . Alford said he did not have any details . `` I have no information as to what if any treatment , or course of treatment he was doing for Mr. Jackson at all , '' he said . Michael Jackson died Thursday , and an autopsy was performed the following day . A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner 's office told reporters Friday that more tests must be conducted before a cause of death can be determined . That could take four to six weeks . The coroner said there was no indication of external trauma or foul play . Watch the coroner 's spokesman discuss the autopsy '' The 50-year-old pop star was discovered unconscious Thursday by paramedics at his home , where Murray apparently had tried to revive him . He was rushed to a Los Angeles medical center , where he was pronounced dead . `` They need an independent autopsy to get even more answers to questions that are now being driven by the gap between when Michael was last seen alive and was pronounced dead day before yesterday , '' Jesse Jackson said . Watch Jesse Jackson detail the family 's concerns '' There are lingering questions , such as : `` How long had he stopped breathing ? How long had he been unconscious ? '' he said . Jackson had been preparing for a comeback tour -- aimed at extending his legendary career and helping him to pay off hundreds of millions of dollars in debt . Jackson is survived by his three children , Prince Michael I , Paris and Prince Michael II . CNN 's Ted Rowlands contributed to this report . | `` One of the darkest moments of our lives , '' Jackson family says . Dr. Conrad Murray upset but willing to cooperate , law firm says . Rev. Jesse Jackson says behavior of Jackson 's doctor raises questions . Family should seek independent autopsy , Rev. Jesse Jackson says . | [[1545, 1552], [1644, 1661], [1697, 1733], [2016, 2046], [2772, 2792], [2842, 2865], [4335, 4358]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The U.S. military hopes to kill or capture some 50 Afghan drug traffickers with financial ties to the Taliban in an effort to shut down one of the insurgency 's biggest sources of revenue , a U.S. Senate report says . Afghan men smoke heroin in the city of Herat on August 7 , 2009 . The new plan is the first time the U.S. military has been directly involved in anti-narcotics efforts in Afghanistan , and commanders say it is an essential part of the overall plan to stabilize the country , which is under heavy Taliban influence . Until now the U.S. military has left the eradication programs to other U.S. agencies and the Afghan military , keeping its `` most wanted '' list to insurgent leaders tied to bomb making , weapons smuggling or facilitating foreign fighters into the country . `` The change is dramatic for a military that once ignored the drug trade flourishing in front of its eyes , '' according to the report . `` No longer are U.S. commanders arguing that going after the drug lords is not part of their mandate . '' It does not name the 50 targets , but says they are on a list of 367 names of Taliban and other insurgents targeted by the U.S. military . `` Some '' of the 50 have already been apprehended or killed , according to a senior military official . The official would not quantify the amount further and would not speak on the record because of the sensitive nature of the issue . The yet-to-be released report was prepared by staff for members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee . A copy was provided to CNN . It is based on testimony by U.S. military officials to the committee . Bush-era efforts by the United States and the U.S.-trained Afghan Army to eliminate poppy farms did very little to solve the problem , with numerous farmers ' crops flourishing while other farmers were left with no source of income and bitterness toward the Afghan government , the report concludes . It criticizes former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for failing to push forward on a military role in drug eradication even after being shown proof of the connection between the drug lords and the Taliban . The change in the U.S. military 's approach to fighting the drug war came last fall after the United States told NATO members that the drug trade was a threat to NATO troops because there was a direct connection between it and Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan . `` There is what we call a nexus of insurgency . There 's a very broad range of militant groups that are combined with the criminality , with the narco-trafficking system , with corruption , that form a threat and a challenge to the future of that great country , '' then-U.S. commander in Afghanistan Gen. David McKiernan told reporters at the Pentagon last October . But with a new approach to the war by the Obama administration , the United States has started attacking the drug problem head on . According to the report , this year U.S. and NATO combat forces started attacking militants , drug labs and buildings connected to insurgents with ties to drug lords for the first time since the start of the war in 2001 . Referring to people tied to narcotics and militants , the report says , `` The military places no restrictions on the use of force with these selected targets , which means they can be killed or captured on the battlefield . '' The Pentagon 's spokesman said the effort is still focused on fighting terrorism . `` There is a well-established link -LSB- between -RSB- the drug trade and financing of the insurgency and terrorism , '' said spokesman Bryan Whitman . `` It 's important to delineate that we target terrorists that are connected to the drug trade . ... Terrorist do interface with drug networks and we know they provide finance for the insurgency , and it 's this nexus that creates the security and force-protection issues that make them a legitimate target . '' A major U.S. Marine offensive against the Taliban was launched last month in the southern Afghan province of Helmand , home to the majority of the poppy farms and opium trade . The report says the Taliban make about $ 70 million a year on the drug trade . The report concedes that counter-narcotics alone will not win the war , but says slowing the flow of illicit money will play a crucial role in `` determining whether we can carve out the space required to provide the security and economic development necessary to bring a level of stability to Afghanistan . '' | Report : U.S. military pursuing 50 Afghan drug traffickers tied to Taliban . New initiative strives to shut down big revenue source for insurgency . Report : `` The change is dramatic for a military that once ignored the drug trade , '' U.S. , NATO forces now targeting insurgents tied to drug lords , report says . | [[30, 47], [65, 124], [143, 217], [823, 863], [853, 863], [869, 929], [2166, 2234], [3619, 3621], [3635, 3712]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Eunice Kennedy Shriver , the sister of President John F. Kennedy and a champion of the disabled who founded the Special Olympics , died Tuesday , the Special Olympics said . She was 88 . Eunice Kennedy Shriver speaks at a dinner in honor of the Special Olympics in July 2006 . Born on July 10 , 1921 , in Brookline , Massachusetts , Shriver was the fifth of nine children to Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy . She emerged from the long shadow of siblings John F. Kennedy , Robert F. Kennedy and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy as the founder of the Special Olympics , which started as a summer day camp in her backyard in 1962 . Today , 3.1 million people with mental disabilities participate in 228 programs in 170 nations , according to the Special Olympics . `` She was the light of our lives , a mother , wife , grandmother , sister and aunt who taught us by example and with passion what it means to live a faith-driven life of love and service to others , '' the Shriver family said Tuesday in a statement . `` For each of us , she often seemed to stop time itself -- to run another Special Olympics Games , to visit us in our homes , to attend to her own mother , her sisters and brothers , and to sail , tell stories , and laugh and serve her friends . '' No final decision has been made on funeral arrangements , a source close to the family said . Shriver 's husband , R. Sargent Shriver , and her five children and their spouses and all of her 19 grandchildren were with her when she died , the Special Olympics said in a statement . Watch a look at Eunice Kennedy Shriver 's life '' `` We are tremendously grateful for the extreme outpouring of support and prayer from the public as we honor our beloved founder , '' Brady Lum , Special Olympics president and chief operating officer , said in a statement Tuesday . `` Today we celebrate the life of a woman who had the vision to create our movement . It is an enormous loss , but I know we can rest assured that her legacy will live on through her family , friends , and the millions of people around the world who she touched and transformed . '' Even before launching the Special Olympics in 1968 , Shriver had established a reputation as an advocate for the disenfranchised and a trailblazer for the rights of the disabled through a variety of roles in the private and public sector . She also persuaded the Kennedy family to go public with one of its most guarded secrets . In September 1962 , Shriver wrote an article about her mentally disabled sister , Rosemary , which was published in The Saturday Evening Post . At an event honoring her in 2007 , Shriver spoke of her life : `` Most people believe I spent my whole life really interested in only one thing and that one thing is working to make the world a better place for people with intellectual disabilities . `` As important as it has been , it is not the whole story of my life . My life is about being lucky as a child to be raised by parents who loved me and made me believe in possibilities . It is also about being lucky to have had these extraordinary children . ... It is also about being especially lucky to have a wonderful husband . '' Watch Shriver reflect on her life '' At the same event , Edward Kennedy paid tribute to his sister , saying she had inherited the best qualities from his parents , including compassion . `` She had that sense no one should be left out or left behind . She picked this up , obviously , at a very early age . All of us could see that special relationship that Eunice had with Rosemary . '' After receiving a degree in sociology from Stanford University in Palo Alto , California , Shriver worked for the U.S. State Department in the Special War Problems Division from 1943 to 1945 , helping former prisoners of war readjust to civilian life . From 1947 to 1948 , she worked for $ 1 at the Department of Justice as executive secretary for the National Conference on Prevention and Control of Juvenile Delinquency . See highlights of Shriver 's public and private life '' In the early 1950s , she was a social worker at a federal prison for women in West Virginia and in juvenile court in Chicago , Illinois . She married Sargent Shriver Jr. , a World War II veteran who was building his career as a lawyer and public servant , in 1953 . The couple 's five children include California 's first lady , Maria Shriver . Sargent Shriver had roles in many top government initiatives of the 1960s , including Head Start and the Peace Corps . He also worked with his wife on the Special Olympics . He ran President Johnson 's War on Poverty and was U.S. ambassador to France from 1968 to 1970 . He was Democrat George McGovern 's running mate in the 1972 presidential election . In 1957 , Eunice Shriver became executive vice president of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. . Foundation , which was established in 1946 to honor the family 's eldest son -- who was killed in World War II -- to research the causes of disabilities and to improve the treatment of disabled people . Watch Shriver receive a special honor '' Her work with the foundation paved the way for a number of initiatives furthering the cause of disability advocacy . In 1962 she helped establish the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development , a government agency that conducts research on topics related to the health of children , adults and families that was named after Shriver in 2008 . Disturbed by the treatment of disabled people in institutions across the country in the 1950s and 1960s , Shriver began inviting disabled children to a summer day camp , called Camp Shriver , on her farm in Maryland . Her vision expanded over the years , and in July 1968 the first International Special Olympics Games were held in Chicago . She also assisted in the establishment of a network of university-affiliated facilities and intellectual disabilities research centers at major medical schools across the United States , including centers for the study of medical ethics at Harvard and Georgetown universities in 1971 . In 1981 , Shriver began the Community of Caring program to reduce disabilities among babies of teenagers . That led to the establishment of Community of Caring programs in 1,200 public and private schools from 1990 to 2006 . Along the way , Shriver earned worldwide accolades and awards , including the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom , the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame 's Founder 's Award and nine honorary degrees . In 1995 , the U.S. Mint issued a commemorative coin with her portrait . The Mint says that made her the first living woman to be depicted on an American coin . In 2009 , a painting of Shriver with several Special Olympians was added to the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery . See images from Shriver 's life '' Her health began to fail in recent years , landing her in the hospital in 2005 after a minor stroke and hip fracture . She was hospitalized again in 2007 for an undisclosed ailment . In addition to her husband and daughter , Shriver is survived by her sons Robert Sargent Shriver III , Timothy Perry Shriver , Mark Kennedy Shriver and Anthony Paul Kennedy Shriver . | NEW : `` She often seemed to stop time itself , '' family says in statement . Sister of President Kennedy , Sen. Edward Kennedy dies at 88 . Eunice Kennedy Shriver was Special Olympics founder , honorary chairwoman . Husband R. Sargent Shriver , five children , 19 grandchildren with her at death . | [[977, 1028], [1049, 1085], [102, 114], [119, 147], [1373, 1514]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The price of big screen televisions has been coming down , but this was ridiculous . Best Buy 's Web site offered a 52-inch TV for less than $ 10 , but the deal was too good to be true . Early Wednesday morning , BestBuy.com listed a 52-inch Samsung HDTV for $ 9.99 -- a savings of more than $ 1600 . As customers jumped on the Web site trying to take advantage of the offer , Best Buy announced it was a `` pricing error '' and was no longer available . A recorded message on Best Buy 's customer service line told customers `` we will not be placing any more orders for this unit , '' and messages were sent on Twitter apologizing `` for any disappointment . '' Customers who placed orders early Wednesday were left wondering if they got away with the bargain . Eric VanBergen of Grand Rapids , Michigan , told CNN he snapped one up for $ 84.79 -- including $ 70 shipping and taxes -- at 5:30 a.m. Then , he ordered a second . Dozens of customers were posting to Twitter and Bestbuy.com , saying they also placed often multiple orders . It appears they are out of luck . In a statement , Best Buy apologized for the mistake but said it would `` not be honoring the incorrect price . '' Company representatives posted online messages telling customers `` All current and previous orders made for the TV at this price on BestBuy.com will be cancelled , and customers will be refunded in full for the purchase . '' The company 's Web site states Best Buy reserves the right to `` revoke offers or correct errors '' even if a credit card has already been charged . The price mix-up gave way to customer frustration as people lost out on the deal of the year . '' . bestbuy dang you !!!! '' was how VanBergen reacted on Twitter after learning that his two confirmation e-mails from Best Buy were meaningless . But it appears there is little else they can do . A spokeswoman for the Federal Trade Commission that investigates consumer complaints told CNN `` The FTC act bars unfair and deceptive commercial practices . '' Those would be cases of phony offers or sweepstakes , rather than a mistake , she said . | Best Buy 's Web site offers 52-inch HDTV on Web site for less than $ 10 . Customers get on Web site to take advantage of bargain . Best Buy officials admit `` pricing error '' , says it will not honor TV purchases . | [[104, 164], [206, 229], [232, 284], [323, 355], [320, 350], [396, 443], [320, 350], [396, 443], [474, 600], [1092, 1106], [1109, 1144], [1092, 1106], [1109, 1117], [1149, 1203]] |
ARLINGTON , Virginia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery took on a different tone Monday -- the usually quiet and reverent resting place of fallen heroes was buzzing with volunteers , professional landscapers and their equipment during the annual `` Renewal and Remembrance '' project . Monday was the annual `` Renewal and Remembrance '' day at Arlington National Cemetery . `` Renewal '' was started more than 10 years ago by an Ohio lawn-care group that wanted to give a day of service to the cemetery outside Washington , according to Bill Hildebolt , spokesman for the Professional Landcare Network . `` It 's grown fantastically from a few lawn-care operators to today we had over 400 individual PLANET members , '' he said Monday . Each year , volunteers take on several projects during the service day , including spreading lime over nearly 300 acres of the cemetery and installing irrigation systems , Hildebolt said . While the 95 companies participating Monday may normally compete for business in the lawn-care market , during Renewal the crews work together to honor the service members buried at Arlington . `` It 's just a day of remembrance , '' said Jeff Dietrich of Pennsylvania-based Joshua Tree , who has been volunteering for four years . A crew of arborists from the Joshua Tree company took on one the most expensive projects -- protecting Arlington 's biggest trees from lightning . According to Dietrich , the process of lightning protection is important for protecting a valuable part of history . Watch how trees are protected '' `` Lightning , electricity is unpredictable at best . ... It 'll blow a tree apart . '' To protect a tree from lightning strikes , Dietrich and his crew climb up to the top of a tree and run copper wires down the trunk with anchors that resemble rifle cartridges . The wire is then grounded by a copper pole entrenched at the base of the tree . If lightning strikes , the electricity runs down the wire and dissipates into the ground instead of harming the tree . Even though it took the Joshua Tree crew longer to reach Arlington from Pennsylvania than the four hours needed to complete their work , the workers seemed eager for their chance to volunteer , cheering each other on while working and sharing some trade secrets with other crews . `` How many people can say they get to come down to Arlington , especially if they 're not from around here , and climb some of these trees ? '' said Deitrich . For Hildebolt , providing a service for the national cemetery is a way to make a national contribution . `` It 's a privilege , '' he said . `` It 's a very humbling experience that I 'm very proud of . '' | Landscapers volunteer during annual `` Renewal and Remembrance '' project . 95 companies participated Monday at Arlington National Cemetery . Volunteers take on several projects including irrigation , lightning protection . | [[127, 321], [774, 783], [786, 909]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Southwest Airlines jet made an emergency landing in Charleston , West Virginia , on Monday after a football-sized hole in its fuselage caused the cabin to depressurize , an airline spokeswoman said . Southwest Flight 2294 made an emergency landing at Yeager Airport in Charleston , West Virginia , on Monday . There were no injuries aboard the Boeing 737 , which was traveling at about 34,000 feet when the problem occurred , Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis told CNN . The sudden drop in cabin pressure caused the jet 's oxygen masks to deploy . Southwest Flight 2294 was en route from Nashville , Tennessee , to Baltimore , Maryland , with 126 passengers and a crew of five aboard , McInnis said . It landed at 5:10 p.m. after the crew reported a football-sized hole in the middle of the cabin near the top of the aircraft , McInnis said . What caused the damage to the jet had not been determined , she said . Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident , FAA spokeswoman Holly Baker said . `` There is no responsible way to speculate as to a cause at this point , '' Southwest said in a statement Monday night . Watch as passenger describes watching the hole form '' `` We have safety procedures in place , and they were followed in this instance to get all passengers and crew safely on the ground , '' the airline said . `` Reports we have are that our passengers were calm and that our pilots and flight attendants did a great job getting the aircraft on the ground safely . '' Southwest dispatched a replacement aircraft to take passengers on to Baltimore . See map of flight path '' Charleston airport spokesman Brian Belcher said a local pizzeria provided food for the passengers as they waited . The damaged jet will remain on the ground there until federal inspectors can examine it , he said . In addition , all 181 of Southwest 's 737-300s -- about a third of the airline 's fleet -- will be inspected overnight after the emergency landing , McInnis said . Southwest does not expect the inspections to create delays , she said . CNN 's Shawn Nottingham and Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report . | Southwest Airlines jet makes emergency landing in Charleston , West Virginia . Football-sized hole in fuselage causes cabin to depressurize , oxygen masks to drop . No injuries reported aboard Boeing 737 ; Flight 2294 was traveling at 34,000 feet . No determination of what caused the hole in middle of cabin near top of aircraft . | [[0, 15], [19, 83], [221, 300], [118, 188], [163, 188], [191, 201], [496, 563], [537, 572], [726, 850], [331, 375], [354, 377], [384, 444], [726, 850]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A woman and three children were killed in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , when a suspected robber fleeing in a car jumped a curb and struck them , police said Thursday . Four people were killed after a car fleeing police struck a home in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , on Wednesday . `` He literally cut a tree in half , '' Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey said , `` then hit the 1-year-old , -LSB- who -RSB- was in a stroller . The other individuals were on the front porch of their own home . He struck with such force that it knocked the concrete steps loose . '' Latoya Smith , 22 , died Thursday from injuries in the crash , which occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Fentonville area of north Philadelphia , police Capt. James Clark said . Smith 's daughter , Remedy Smith -- who would have turned 1 on Friday -- died at the scene , as did Alicia Griffin , 6 , and Gina Rosario , 7 , Clark said . Video of the scene showed a crumpled silver Pontiac on the sidewalk , pushed up against the front steps of a house and wedged against a tree . Watch police commissioner describe carnage '' Donta Cradock , 18 , the alleged driver of the gray Pontiac , faces charges for theft of a motorcycle , the crime that allegedly triggered his flight , police said . Other charges are pending approval from the district attorney 's office , police said . `` We 're hopeful that it will be four counts of murder , '' Clark said . Cradock and an alleged accomplice , Ivan Rodriguez , 20 , stole a motorcycle at gunpoint around 7:30 p.m. , he said . Rodriguez fled the scene on the motorcycle , while Cradock drove away in the Pontiac , Clark said . An unidentified person told a traffic police officer in the area about the alleged robbery and pointed out the Pontiac , he said . The police officer followed the car and tried to stop it at a traffic light , Clark said . `` At that point the Pontiac fled at a high rate of speed , '' he said . The officer followed the vehicle , but lost sight of it , Clark said . The officer was not close enough to chase the car , police said , but eventually came across what Clark called a `` horrific accident . '' Cradock was thrown from the Pontiac and is in the hospital , Clark said . He said a gun was recovered on the suspect . Rodriguez was arrested at his home , Clark said , and faces a theft charge . Both men have `` very extensive criminal histories , '' Ramsey said . Bench warrants were out on them at the time of their arrest , Clark said . It was not immediately clear if the two had retained attorneys . CNN 's Mark Norman contributed to this report . | Donta Cradock , 18 , allegedly fled scene of motorcycle robbery in silver Pontiac . Police chase ends when car hits home , killing Latoya Smith , 3 kids . `` He struck with such force that it knocked the concrete steps loose , '' police say . Cradock and accomplice face motorcycle theft charges ; others pending . | [[96, 145], [91, 131], [164, 186], [1147, 1185], [1623, 1656], [0, 15], [19, 73], [187, 237], [217, 267], [516, 584], [547, 584], [1278, 1291], [1366, 1379], [1126, 1139], [1188, 1227], [1292, 1363], [1454, 1487], [1490, 1504], [1512, 1559]] |
-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- If you have a heavy foot and may travel a bit over the speed limit , you might want to keep an eye out for these popular police car models . Not all police cars are as clearly marked as this one . What to watch for on the interstate . The Ford Crown Victoria is the most popular police car currently in production . Renowned for its durability , many speeders have seen this unfortunate sight in their rear view mirror . But there are other patrol vehicles that road warriors should recognize , and many of them are faster than the popular Crown Vicky . Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor : The standard . Officers value the Ford Crown Victoria Interceptor for its durability , size , and overall performance . These cruisers feature reinforced frames , a special 4.6-liter V-8 , and other heavy-duty components that enable them to handle high-speed chases . According to The Michigan State Police , the fastest Crown Victoria Interceptor will hit 128 mph . Chevrolet Impala : Under the radar . The Chevy Impala is one of the best-selling cars in the U.S. . This makes it the perfect choice for police departments who want a car that blends in with traffic . The Impala 's familiar shape does n't stand out or call attention to itself . Fitted with the special Police Package -LRB- code 9C1 -RRB- , this mid-size sedan with a 3.9-liter V-6 engine hits an impressive 140 mph . Chevrolet Tahoe : Probably not taking kids to soccer camp . Some police departments need the strength and power that only a full-size SUV can deliver . Fitted with the special PPV option , the big Chevy Tahoe SUV can hit 133 mph thanks to its high-performance 5.3-liter V-8 with 320 horsepower . Look for the black wheels with tiny center hubcaps as a tip-off should you see one unmarked or without a light bar . Dodge Magnum : The wagon that knows how to haul . Dodge produced their last Magnum police car in 2008 , but many police departments still have these station wagons in service . Fitted with the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 , the wagon can hit 131 mph and charge up to that speed with muscle-car type performance . The wagon sprints from 0-60 mph in under six seconds . AOL Autos : Wonder wagons . HUMMER H3 : Special duty . The H3 may be the smallest model in the HUMMER family , but it remains a very capable off-road vehicle . The police-version of the H3 is fortified for running off-road and carries other equipment necessary for police duty . The H3 can be equipped with a 5.3-liter V-8 , but high-speed pursuit is not this vehicle 's forte , except when the chase is across a desert , through fields , or over the Rubicon . Harley-Davidson Electra Glide : King of the road . Police departments also utilize an assortment of motorcycles in their quest to keep motorists safe . The Michigan State Police test two-wheelers on an annual basis and the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide is a perennial favorite . While the Harley offers other performance benefits , with a top speed of just 104 mph , they are not the best for high-speed pursuits . Dodge Charger : That cop car 's got a HEMI ! The sight of a Dodge Charger police car should be enough to make you think twice about attempting to out run an officer behind the wheel of one of these . Equipped with the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 , the Charger can hit a staggering 146 mph . This makes the Dodge the fastest mainstream police car available . But what about vehicles that are n't mainstream ? AOL Autos : Fast cars -- join the 600 horsepower club . Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 . Harper Woods , Michigan borders Detroit : It 's a relatively quiet bedroom community that packs a big surprise for anyone speeding on the section of Interstate 94 running across its borders : a 2005 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 . Acquired to boost `` community relations '' and to intimidate speeders , the Shelby 's supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 puts out 450 horsepower and will easily exceed 150 mph . AOL Autos : First drive of 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 . Police ID : What to look for in unmarked vehicles . Departments often use unmarked vehicles , many of which will be identical to their fully outfitted cruisers . Unmarked cars and trucks enable more stealthy operations . Tips for identifying unmarked police cars include looking for ; light bars mounted in the rear window , municipal license plates , painted black wheels , and dividers between the front and rear seats . AOL Autos : Cops in the sky . Future cop car : Coming to a highway near you . Carbon Motors , a new company located in Georgia , is developing the E7 , a purpose-built police interceptor . With a wheelbase of 122-inches and an overall length of 200-inches , the E7 is bigger than current Crown Victoria or Charger cop cars . Power for the E7 will be a 300-horsepower clean-diesel that should give the car a top-speed of 155 mph . AOL Autos : Speed cameras on U.S. roads . | Ford Crown Victoria is the most popular police car currently in production . Chevy Impalas blend in with traffic , but can hit 140 mph . Dodge Magnum wagon sprints from 0-60 mph in under six seconds . Police say a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 intimidates speeders . | [[260, 340], [1321, 1397], [2124, 2178]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Holly Hunter does n't take roles based on what she thinks viewers want to see . Holly Hunter plays a tough detective grappling with issues of faith in TNT 's `` Saving Grace . '' `` I have , frankly , very few expectations when it comes to audience , '' the acclaimed actress said . `` I 've done features , I 've done stage and I 've done television movies . '' `` I 'm used to having the experience of perhaps missing an audience where your feature , for some reason or another , may not have a large audience , while some of my features have found large audiences , so I am used to both . My expectations are adaptable and they are low . '' Hunter need not worry , because she has a hit on her hands with TNT 's `` Saving Grace , '' which is soon to debut its third season . The television drama follows the decidedly messy life of Oklahoma City Police Detective Grace Hanadarko , who lives and works hard while being shadowed by a no-nonsense angel . The premise may sound unusual , but it is just that originality that attracted Hunter , an Academy Award winner whose eclectic career has included projects as varied as the films `` Raising Arizona , '' `` Broadcast News '' and the animated `` The Incredibles . '' See the significant roles Hunter has played '' The actress said she continues to be attracted to playing Hanadarko because it allows her to explore emotions and attitudes that a lot of roles these days simply are n't offering . `` She wants to have conversations about sex , she wants to have conversations about faith , '' Hunter said . `` She is very comfortable with the darkness in herself and with the darkness in others and I want to talk about that . There are not a lot of opportunities to have that conversation in features . '' It is n't surprising that Hunter was able to find such a rich , creative playground at TNT . The network -LRB- which is owned by the parent company of CNN -RRB- has carved a niche for itself as a destination for critically acclaimed and popular dramas . That reputation has been strengthened by the popularity of shows like Hunter 's as well as the program many credit with raising TNT 's game , `` The Closer . '' That show 's fifth season kick 's off the network 's summer schedule on June 8 . Star Kyra Sedgwick said Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson is in for some changes now that she 's married -- though she will maintain the edge that fans have come to love . `` I think the character continues to be great at her job and struggles in her personal life and issues surrounding the possibility of having children come up , '' said Sedgwick . `` I think it 's hard for someone who sees a lot of darkness in the world and deals with the darkest part of humanity to believe in the benevolence of the universe and the safety of a world to bring kids into . '' Like Hunter , Sedgwick said she loves playing such a strong character . That esteem , and flexibility of working on a cable series , which demands less of a time commitment than a network show , has made it easier to be on an opposite coast from her husband , Kevin Bacon , and their children , Sedgwick said . `` I was very clear on not wanting to give up any other part of my career , '' said Sedgwick , who this season also serves as the show 's executive producer . `` By doing the show , I think it has opened up more in the way of feature films for me . '' Mark-Paul Gosselaar could n't agree with Sedgwick more . His series , `` Raising the Bar , '' will be back on TNT for a second season and the actor said he appreciates being part of a network that values drama . His role as public defender Jerry Kellerman in the courtroom drama is a continuation of the actor 's long-time collaborative relationship with Emmy-winning producer Steven Bochco . `` I 've been fortunate enough , for close to the last decade , to work with one of the most prolific producers in this genre , '' said Gosselaar , who also had roles on Bochco 's `` NYPD Blue '' and `` Commander-in-Chief . '' `` I could n't be in a better situation than to have attached myself to a man who is willing to give me these roles and is one of my biggest supporters . '' The character of Kellerman is so earnest and passionately idealistic that he might remind some of an adult version of another character who first made Gosselaar famous -- Zack Morris on the teen sitcom `` Saved By the Bell . '' It 's a role Gosselaar said he has no desire to escape , even after all these years . `` Zack has been something that has made such an impact on people and I am proud that I was able to do that , '' said Gosselaar , who hinted that a long-desired reunion of the show 's cast is in the works . `` When I was doing the show , it was almost like some people were closet ` Saved By the Bell ' watchers and now it 's become this iconic thing , so it 's fun . '' Gosselaar said `` Raising the Bar '' is a different type of courtroom drama , where viewers are able to witness the lives a different type of attorney . `` I do n't think we have ever seen a show that deals with this side of the criminal justice system , '' he said . `` We 've seen the cops and the prosecutors , but ` Raising the Bar ' gives voice to the public defenders and their clients , who you almost never hear from . '' His is not the only TNT show that is giving the audience something different . Hunter said her show will continue to explore substantive themes . `` This season is a real investigation of beliefs and what does it mean to believe as opposed to what it means to know , '' Hunter said . `` It 's a large question and many people have different answers . This show is exploring a more global idea of who God is to each of us . '' Also Included in TNT 's summer schedule are the heist drama `` Leverage '' starring Timothy Hutton , which premiers its second season and new show `` Hawthorne , '' which stars Jada Pinkett Smith as a single mom and the director of nursing at a North Carolina hospital . | TNT has a summer lineup that includes popular dramas . Acclaimed actress Holly Hunter returns as star of `` Saving Grace '' Kyra Sedgwick 's `` The Closer '' enters fifth season on network . Mark-Paul Gosselaar still loves `` Zack , '' but enjoys role in courtroom drama . | [[5732, 5801]] |
THE EVERGLADES , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Joe Wasilewski drives along a narrow stretch of road through Florida 's Everglades . The sun is setting , night is coming on quickly , and Wasilewski is on the prowl for snakes -- and one snake in particular . Reptile expert Joe Wasilewski holds a Burmese python he found in the Florida Everglades . `` The next 10 miles seem to be the hot spot for Burmese pythons , '' he said . Wasilewski is a state-sanctioned snake-hunter who regularly scours this area for the reptiles . The Everglades , known as the River of Grass , has the perfect space and climate for pythons to hide and breed . And breed they do : The largest clutches found in the Everglades have contained 83 eggs . They are also speedy travelers , able to move across 1.6 miles of land every day , experts say . The travel lets people like Wasilewski hunt the snakes from the driver 's seat of his truck . But it also means that the problems created in the local ecosystem by the non-venomous snakes are spreading . `` It 's a large predator , and they 're eating basically everything in sight . That 's the problem , '' Wasilewski said of the Burmese python . Volunteers like Wasilewski , happy to grasp the problem and the snakes with both hands , are not the only troops in Florida 's war on the invading pythons . A `` Python Patrol '' was launched in the Florida Keys , south of the Everglades , by Alison Higgins of the Nature Conservancy . Her program uses utility workers , wildlife officials , park rangers and police to keep an eye out for snakes and trains them to capture any they find . `` The Burmese pythons that are coming out of the Everglades are eating a lot of our endangered species and other creatures , and we want to make sure they do n't breed here , '' said Higgins , the conservation manager for the Keys . It is believed that the problem originated when reptile-breeding facilities near the Everglades were destroyed during Hurricane Andrew . Compounding the problem is the release of these snakes by pet owners . `` These pets were released by owners that do not understand the threat to the ecosystem , '' Everglades National Park spokeswoman Linda Friar said . She said the pets , which can grow to 200 pounds and live for 30 years , often get too big for owners to handle . The state has a pilot program with several volunteer snake hunters such as Wasilewski . Twenty years ago , no Burmese pythons were found in the Everglades , park statistics say . Now , there could be 100,000 snakes in the River of Grass , but no one knows for sure . What Wasilewski , an expert on reptiles , is sure of is that night is the best time for his hunting , as that is when the snakes tend to be on the move . When he finds his prey , he puts the snake in a bag , deposits it in a crate and delivers it to biologists for the Everglades National Park , where the snake can be studied and/or destroyed . On one recent evening , the pickings were slim , and after two hours of driving back and forth along the two-lane Tamiami Trail , Wasilewski 's crate was empty . He saw a python on the road , but it was dead , and the other small snakes and a baby alligator in the area did not interest him . Finally , Wasilewski , an environmental and wildlife consultant , spotted something . `` Yeah , baby ! Hee ha ! Look at the size of this one , '' he exclaimed from the front seat of his truck . He got out and picked up the brownish-green snake , which immediately coiled around his arm . `` This is n't a big one , '' he said , but as he got a closer look , he did not deny that it was a good one : `` At least 12 -LSB- feet . -RSB- '' Wasilewski has a soft spot for these species , and one of the reasons he volunteers for the snake hunt is to learn more about them . He says it is not the snakes ' fault that they ended up in the Everglades , but he acknowledges the problems they are causing on the Florida ecosystem and the need to do something . `` One down , 100,000 to go , '' he said . | Florida Everglades are perfect place for Burmese pythons to live and breed . Huge snakes breed quickly and travel quickly . One reptile expert patrols the area for snakes to capture . | [[290, 306], [310, 343], [520, 534], [567, 632], [723, 753], [2686, 2734], [183, 253], [424, 519], [438, 445], [446, 519], [438, 469], [474, 519]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The music is n't new , but the discovery that a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart `` almost certainly '' composed it is a stunning revelation . A researcher in Austria says the works were probably transcribed by Mozart 's father , as young Mozart played . The two compositions -- a concerto in G and a prelude in G -- have long been in the files at the International Mozarteum Foundation in Salzburg , Austria , as anonymous works and were even published in the book `` New Mozart Edition '' in 1982 . Now Ulrich Leisinger , director of the foundation 's research department , believes the works actually were composed by Mozart before he was old enough to write music , and that Mozart 's father , Leopold , transcribed them . The foundation said in a statement that Leisinger analyzed the handwriting and other `` stylistic criteria '' to determine the music was `` almost certainly unknown compositions by '' the young Mozart . The compositions were found in a book , compiled by Mozart 's father , that was used for practice and the musical education of both Mozart and his sister , according to the statement . Leisinger 's analyses `` support the claim that they were actually composed by the young Mozart , who was not yet versed in musical notation , and transcribed by his father as the boy played the works at the keyboard , '' the statement said . Jeffrey Kimpton , president of the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan , called the works `` a remarkable historical find . '' He said Leopold Mozart transcribed his son 's early works as a way of preserving them . `` When parents go to a piano recital of an early student , a young student , who 's playing for the first time , they get a video tape , they get a DVD , that 's a way of recording it , '' Kimpton said . `` I think what 's exciting is that Mozart 's father wanted to preserve this incredible genius . The young boy at this time did n't know how to write music , but he sure could play it . It 's like a family photo or video album . '' Finding such historical treasures is like detective work , Kimpton said . `` You 're kind of putting together a DNA picture , '' he said . `` This particular museum has hundreds of manuscripts . Over time as you learn more and more by various scholars working on this , you might turn the page and you may have looked at it a hundred times before but suddenly begin to see some things or understand some things that make some sense . '' Mozart was born in Salzburg in 1756 and started composing when he was 5 years old . By the time of his death in 1791 , he had written more than 600 pieces of music . | Researcher : Two pieces likely composed by Mozart before he could write music . Mozart 's father probably transcribed the music , researcher says . Compositions have long been known but as anonymous works . Pieces were in book compiled by Mozart 's father . | [[46, 158], [517, 537], [592, 683], [159, 243], [695, 711], [724, 742], [1278, 1347], [946, 983], [977, 983], [986, 1014]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended two air traffic controllers over last week 's collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed nine people , a spokeswoman said . The wreckage of a plane that collided with a helicopter is lifted this week from the Hudson River . A controller at New Jersey 's Teterboro Airport handling the flight of a Piper airplane carrying three people `` was involved in apparently inappropriate conversations on the telephone at the time of the accident , '' FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said in a statement Thursday . A source with knowledge of the investigation said the controller was on the phone with his girlfriend `` after he cleared the pilot for takeoff ; he was still on the phone at the time of the crash . '' In addition , `` the supervisor was not present in the building as required , '' Brown said . `` While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident , this kind of conduct is unacceptable , and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings , '' she said . Watch amateur video of the moment of impact '' `` These are serious violations of the FAA regulations , '' said Mary Schiavo , former inspector general for the Transportation Department . The union for air traffic controllers urged caution . `` We support that any such allegation is fully investigated before there is a rush to judgment about the behavior of any controller , '' said a statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association . The National Transportation Safety Board is working with the FAA in investigating Saturday 's collision of the Piper , which had taken off from Teterboro , with a sightseeing helicopter that was carrying five Italian tourists and a pilot . No one aboard either aircraft survived the crash . The NTSB has said the pilot of the small plane was cleared electronically and handed off to Newark , New Jersey , air traffic controllers , a standard procedure . However , Newark 's control tower never got a verbal response from the pilot of the small plane . The controller put on leave was described as a longtime employee , the source said . He and the supervisor face disciplinary action that could include their firing . Also Thursday , FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the agency may reissue advisories to pilots using the busy airspace over the Hudson . Pilots are urged to use a radio frequency dedicated to traffic in that corridor , fly no faster than 140 knots and turn on their lights as they enter that airspace . Babbitt made the comments at an event at the agency 's research facility in Atlantic City , New Jersey . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Spokeswoman : Controller was talking to girlfriend on phone during accident . Controller 's supervisor also not present in building as required , spokeswoman says . Controller was handling plane carrying three people that collided with helicopter . Nine people died in collision of tourist helicopter and plane over Hudson River . | [[189, 209], [310, 522], [587, 690], [733, 785], [189, 209], [803, 852], [226, 233], [239, 265], [310, 522], [0, 15], [19, 162], [146, 162], [168, 186], [226, 233], [239, 265]] |
She told stories , flirted outrageously with boys and was constantly changing her hairstyle . Anne Frank hid with her family in a secret room at her father Otto Frank 's office in Amsterdam . It could be the description of almost any young girl growing up in Europe . But this is how Eva Schloss remembers her childhood friend Anne Frank , who had she not died in a Nazi concentration camp , would have celebrated her 80th birthday this week . Schloss described Frank , whose account of hiding from Jewish persecution in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam is one of the world 's mostly widely-read books , as a spunky young schoolgirl with a passion for storytelling that often got her into trouble . `` She got her diary in 1942 , so obviously her father knew she was interested in writing and I know she told stories , '' said Schloss . `` She talked a lot and she was called Mrs Quack Quack . Very often she used to write hundreds of lines -LSB- at school -RSB- of ` I 'm not going to talk so much , ' and so on -- but obviously she had a lot to tell . '' In some ways the two friends lived parallel lives -- but tragically they had very different outcomes . Watch more about Schloss ' story '' Schloss and Frank both came from Jewish families who fled to Holland to escape the wave of anti-Semitism spreading across Europe as the Nazis rose to power in Germany ahead of the Second World War . But while Schloss was more of an introvert , Frank loved the limelight . Schloss said : `` I was actually quite shy and she was the center of attention . We had steps where we sat , and she had a crowd of children around her . `` She was a big flirt -- she loved boys . She was always showing us who was her boyfriend at that particular time . She was always interested in her clothes . Her style , she always changed it . Sometimes she had curls , then she had straight hair . '' Schloss says they were unaware of the full scale of what was going on around them as war escalated across Europe , placing their lives in increasing jeopardy . `` Our parents really protected us so there was no talk about the horrendous things which happened . `` You could n't go out anymore after 8 o'clock , but for a 11 to 12 year old it did n't matter so much . Or not going to the cinema -- we were upset about those little things which we could n't do , but we really did n't really take it seriously at that time . '' Like Frank , Schloss was also forced into hiding when the Nazis took control of Holland . Frank hid with her family in a secret room at her father Otto Frank 's office . But Schloss and her family had to split up . Schloss stayed with her mother while her father and brother hid elsewhere . She and her mother moved around , staying in seven different hiding places over a two-year period . Eventually both families were betrayed and were sent to concentration camps , where Frank died at the age of 15 . Schloss said : `` My father and brother were betrayed by a Dutch nurse who was a double agent , and all four of us were arrested and taken to the headquarters to be interrogated . `` I did n't know anything , which was a good thing . So eventually they realized this and they gave up torturing me . Within two days we were put on a transport to Auschwitz . '' Of her family , only Schloss and her mother survived Auschwitz , one of the most notorious concentration camps , located in southern Poland . Today Schloss , who has just celebrated her own 80th birthday , has a husband , three daughters and five grandchildren . Schloss says it took her decades to rebuild her life , with the help of Frank 's father Otto , who also survived incarceration in a concentration camp . She met Otto in August 1945 , when he showed her Frank 's diary . Schloss said : `` He read a few passages but he always burst into tears . It took me 20 years . I was really unhappy , but it was Otto who came to our apartment to talk to us , and he helped me a lot . He had lost everybody . `` Her book , she -LSB- Frank -RSB- made people aware of what happened . There are many messages . She believed in the goodness of mankind . `` People always ask me , what she would have done . I guess we will never know . But I guess she would have gone into politics -- she was a fighter . It 's a pity , but also -- maybe her diary would have never been published . '' CNN 's Don Riddell contributed to this story . | Anne Frank would have celebrated her 80th birthday this week . Frank , 15 , died at Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland . Her diary is one of the world 's mostly widely-read books . Like Frank , Eva Schloss and her family fled from Nazi persecution of the Jews . | [[385, 443], [2840, 2853], [2868, 2897], [444, 451], [545, 592], [1187, 1204], [1210, 1235]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Carolina authorities have located a 555-pound teenager and his mother , who faces a charge of violating a custody order , police said Thursday . Alexander Deundray Draper , 14 , `` is possibly at a stage of critical health risk , '' social services said . Alexander Deundray Draper , 14 , of Travelers Rest , South Carolina , and his mother , Jerri Althea Gray , were located at about 4:30 p.m. near a laundromat in Baltimore , Maryland , by the Baltimore County Sheriff 's Office , said Matt Armstrong , a spokesman for the Greenville County Sheriff 's Office in Greenville , South Carolina . `` Draper was checked out by EMS -LSB- Emergency Medical Services -RSB- personnel and turned over to the Maryland Department of Social Services , '' Armstrong said . The South Carolina Department of Social Services will work with its Maryland counterpart to have the boy returned to South Carolina , he told CNN affiliate WYFF . The mother is being held in a detention center and will be extradited to South Carolina on an outstanding warrant , he said . Watch report on finding teen and his mother '' `` The understanding was that the individual was of the weight where it was decided by medical authorities that he needed treatment that was not being provided for by his mother , '' Armstrong said . Earlier in the day officials said the boy `` is possibly at a stage of critical health risk . '' Gray was supposed to appear in family court Tuesday with her son and failed to do so , the sheriff 's office said . During the family court hearing , the boy was ordered into state custody because of medical neglect , as well as his mother 's failure to appear . The Department of Social Services then contacted the sheriff 's office , authorities said . The warrant said Gray was served with papers Monday and told to report to court for a hearing in which the department would seek state custody of Draper . `` The defendant has avoided the custody proceeding and has concealed the child , '' the warrant says . Travelers Rest is about 10 miles north of Greenville , South Carolina . CNN 's Jackie Damico contributed to this report . | NEW : Mother , boy found near laundromat in Baltimore , Maryland . Teen weighing 555 pounds , mother were sought after missing court appearance . Judge ordered Alexander Draper into custody because of medical neglect . Boy `` possibly at a stage of critical health risk , '' according to social services . | [[281, 365], [381, 450], [0, 15], [19, 94], [281, 365], [508, 527], [1647, 1680], [1534, 1565], [1568, 1668], [203, 252], [255, 280], [1321, 1414], [1355, 1414]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- As Michael Jackson fans and the media pour into Los Angeles , California , for what could be the most widely watched memorial of all time , an obvious question remains : Where will he be laid to rest ? Bette Davis is among the notables buried at the Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn park . Although the Jackson family has n't made an official statement , all signs seem to point toward Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries , the not-for-profit organization that has buried a vast number of Hollywood 's notables . Forest Lawn officials were working with the Jackson family on their plans , which were part of `` a package '' of events Tuesday , said Jim McDonnell , assistant chief of staff of the Los Angeles Police Department on Sunday . His comments , however , did not answer questions about where or when Jackson would be buried . There is speculation that the burial will be at Forest Lawn 's Glendale location , but the media are swarming around the Hollywood Hills memorial park , located right off the freeway behind Disney Studios . Tito Jackson 's ex-wife , Delores `` Dee Dee '' Jackson , is believed to be buried there . Forest Lawn Memorial is the first stop tourists make in search of the crypts of Hollywood greats . Numerous books and Web sites such as findagrave.com and seeing-stars . com claim to have insider knowledge about celebrity grave locations on the properties , but Forest Lawn is unrelentingly secretive about who , exactly , is entombed in its parks . `` We hold the privacy of our client families in very high regard , '' said Bill Martin , spokesman for the Glendale location , which is considered the `` mother lode '' for celebrity grave hunters . `` There are certain areas and property types that have limited access . '' The tombs of Sammy Davis Jr. , Humphrey Bogart and Jean Harlow are in locked areas not accessible to the general public , according to findagrave.com . With that kind of commitment to privacy , it 's understandable why Jackson , known for being reclusive , might be buried there . Avid grave hunter Lisa Burks , who frequents both the Glendale and Hollywood Hills parks , said she would n't be surprised if Jackson were to be buried at either location . Burks was first drawn to Forest Lawn Glendale because of its artwork and statuary , but once she found out that celebrities were `` buried with the regular people , '' she said , she began to grave hunt . `` We leave flowers and take pictures , '' Burks said of her time at famous graves . `` It 's the way of remembering someone who made a difference , who cheered me up when I was a kid or entertained me . With Michael Jackson ... if he ends up at a cemetery , I 'll definitely go and take flowers . They feel like a member of the family , so you treat them like a member of the family . '' Even if you ca n't find a way to see your favorite celebrity 's crypt , Los Angeles residents said that just stepping foot in the park is an experience in itself . `` I know for some people cemeteries can be intimidating or just where you go to mourn . But at Forest Lawn , it is n't sad ; it 's really a beautiful place , '' said Beth Zeigler , an Echo Park , California , professional who frequents the park 's museum . But if you call any of the Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuaries a cemetery , you would be remiss . There are certainly graves behind the Glendale park 's majestic wrought-iron gates , but that 's where the similarities end . Amid its 300 acres , the park has three churches , replicas of all of Michelangelo 's works and a copy of Leonardo da Vinci 's `` The Last Supper '' in stained glass . Instead of above-ground tombstones , the park uses flat , engraved markers for grave sites , so from afar all you can see are grassy hills . The memorial park draws over a million visitors each year , including 70,000 who come to get married . Built in 1906 as a traditional cemetery , Forest Lawn was revamped by Dr. Hubert Eaton in 1917 . Like Jackson , Eaton was `` an icon -LSB- of his -RSB- time , '' said Laura Kath , author of `` 100 Years in the Life of Forest Lawn . '' '' -LSB- Eaton -RSB- is the man who first envisioned the memorial park concept , that cemeteries should not be filled with tombstones but should celebrate the life of those entombed there and celebrate the living , '' Kath said , `` and people loved the whole concept . Eaton was a visionary . '' Burks agrees whole-heartedly with Eaton 's vision . `` Cemeteries are for the living , '' Burks said about her visits to celebrity tombs . `` We 're remembering them . It sounds crazy , but I dare anyone to do it , and I 'd bet it would make them feel good . '' | Will Jackson be buried among other stars at a Forest Lawn location ? The not-for-profit group 's strict regulations about privacy would match Jackson 's life . Sammy Davis Jr. and Humphrey Bogart buried there , among other stars . | [[242, 303], [855, 935], [242, 303], [1779, 1841], [1901, 1930]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- They are four American friends and seasoned travelers who were hiking through Iraq 's Kurdistan region before three of them crossed the unmarked border with Iran , where they were detained by Iranian authorities . Ahmed Awa , on the border of Iraq and Iran , is where police saw and warned the American hikers Friday . Kurdish officials identified the detained hikers as Shane Bauer , Sarah Shourd and Joshua Fattal , CNN confirmed Sunday . The fourth hiker , Shon Meckfessel , stayed behind in Iraq . `` My husband and I are eager for the best welfare and conditions for our son , Josh , and for the other two companions he 's with , '' Laura Fattal of Elkins Park , Pennsylvania , told CNN Radio . `` And that is our only concern , his welfare and the best conditions for him . '' Meckfessel was identified by his grandmother , who told CNN that he stayed behind because he felt sick . Meckfessel is at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad . `` My grandson has asked me not to talk to the media , '' said the grandmother , Irene Meckfessel of Carmichael , California , before hanging up Saturday . Iran 's state-run media reported that Iranian security forces arrested the three Americans Friday for illegally entering the country from Iraq 's Kurdistan region and that the matter is under investigation . U.S. State Department officials say the Swiss ambassador to Tehran is seeking information about the case on behalf of Washington . The United States and Iran do not have diplomatic relations and Switzerland represents U.S. diplomatic interests in Iran . Friends of the travelers told CNN that the three who were detained have spent time or have lived in Western Europe and the Middle East . Sandy Close , executive director of the nonprofit Pacific News Service , described Bauer -- a photographer whose material was occasionally posted on her Web site in the past -- as a `` gifted linguist and photographer with wanderlust for travel and a student of Arab cultures . He 's a remarkably talented guy . '' Shourd described herself as a `` teacher-activist-writer from California currently based in the Middle East '' on a profile listed on a travel Web site . Fattal shared his friends ' love of travel and learning , and was described as `` fiercely intellectual '' by his friend , Chris Foraker , who spoke to CNN affiliate KVAL in Eugene , Oregon . Foraker said he met Fattal during a study abroad program in 2003 , and the two worked together at the Aprovecho sustainable living research center in Cottage Grove . The four travelers spent the night at the Nirwan Hotel in Sulaimaniya on Thursday , said Mudhafer Mohammed , the owner of the hotel . Bauer , Shourd and Fattal left early Friday in a taxi for Ahmed Awa , a Kurdish town near Iraq 's border with Iran , planning to hike in the mountains there , according to Peshrow Ahmed , spokesman for the security manager of Sulaimaniya . Ahmed Awa police spotted the hikers at one point Friday , Ahmed said , and warned them that they were near the border with Iran -- which is not marked in the area -- and that they should be careful . The group was in contact with Meckfessel in Sulaimaniya until about 1:30 p.m. Friday , when they reported they were `` surrounded by Iranian soldiers , '' Ahmed said . No further communication was received . Mohammed , of the Nirwan Hotel , told CNN that the hikers said they had come to the area because they heard it was safe , saying they were considering a trip to Ahmed Awa . But , he said , he advised them against it . `` I warned them many times , '' Mohammed told CNN . `` When they told me that they are planning to go to Ahmed Awa , I told them , ` Do n't go there because it is unsafe for you because you 're American and Ahmed Awa is very close to the Iranian border , ' '' he said . Meckfessel left the hotel about 4:30 p.m. , Mohammed said , asking him to take care of their luggage and saying he would not return . Later , he said , Sulaimaniya security forces took the luggage from the hotel . CNN 's Arwa Damon and Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | NEW : Joshua Fattal , Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd detained by Iranians . Fellow travel companion Shon Meckfessel felt sick , stayed behind in Iraq . Americans accused of illegally entering Iran from Iraq 's Kurdish region , state TV says . Detainees were backpackers who blundered over border , hotel owner says . | [[176, 180], [183, 232], [338, 434], [460, 476], [497, 520], [831, 846], [853, 906], [1110, 1317], [1148, 1317]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- More than 1,100 people worldwide have died from swine flu since it emerged in Mexico and the U.S. in April , according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization . A young girl wears a mask at a hospital in Hanoi . Vietnam reported its first death from swine flu this week . As of July 31 , the total number of victims killed by the H1N1 virus , also known as swine flu , stood at 1,154 -- an increase of 338 since WHO 's previous update on July 27 . The virus has spread around the world with unprecedented speed , spreading as widely in six weeks as common influenza viruses spread in the six months , according to WHO . WHO data showed the total number of laboratory confirmed cases at 162,380 , but the number could be higher since individual cases no longer have to be tested or reported . The total number of countries and territories reporting at least one case of infection now stands at 168 , with new cases reported in Azerbaijan , Gabon , Grenada , Kazakhstan , Moldova , Monaco , Nauru , Swaziland and Suriname . In the United States , federal health officials are worried about the upcoming flu season . They say nearly 160 million Americans may need to be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus , but it wo n't be as simple as a single shot . In a background briefing with reporters on Tuesday , two senior administration officials said the vaccine , which is still in clinical trials , would require two shots . The first shot would be followed by a second shot three weeks later . Immunity to the virus would finally kick in two weeks after that . That means someone who is vaccinated by the time the program is expected to launch in late October wo n't get protection until late fall . On Tuesday , British-based pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline announced it had signed contracts with nine governments to provide 96 million doses of a H1N1 vaccine and was in ongoing discussions with governments to provide further supplies . GlaxoSmithKline has already signed deals worth $ 250 million in total to provide 195 million doses and plans to donate 50 million doses to the World Health Organization . `` First supplies of the vaccine will be available to governments from September onwards , with shipments expected in the second half of 2009 and early 2010 , '' GlaxoSmithKline said in a statement . `` The exact pace of delivery will be dependent on capacity and the yield of the influenza strain . '' Details of the immunization program were revealed as part of the government 's overall plan to deal with what is expected to be a difficult flu season . The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices last week issued sweeping guidelines for a vaccination campaign against the swine flu strain , identifying more than half the population as targets for the first round of vaccinations . The priority groups include pregnant women , health care and emergency services personnel , children , adolescents and young adults from six months to 24 years of age , household and caregiver contacts of children younger than six months and healthy adults with certain medical conditions . The symptoms of swine flu are similar to that of seasonal flu and include fever , cough , sore throat , aches and runny nose , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . A significant number of infected people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting . | WHO : Swine flu deaths up 338 in recent days to 1,154 in total worldwide . WHO : Virus spreads in 6 weeks as far as most viruses spread in 6 months . U.S. plans to vaccinate nearly 160M Americans ahead of winter `` flu season '' GlaxoSmithKline has signed deals to provide 291 million doses of vaccine this year . | [[0, 15], [19, 125], [0, 15], [128, 196], [324, 351], [405, 419], [0, 15], [128, 196], [484, 493], [549, 609], [585, 634], [585, 609], [637, 655], [3264, 3325], [1150, 1236], [1731, 1741], [1744, 1851]] |
LAGOS , Nigeria -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The imprisoned leader of the Nigerian militant group MEND has accepted an unconditional amnesty offer from the government , his lawyer said Friday . `` The president has ordered his release , and we are hoping he will be released very soon , '' Wilson Ajuwaand said , referring to his client , Henry Okah . `` We have briefed him on the amnesty and are now working out the details . '' CNN could not independently verify the lawyer 's information , and Nigerian President Umaru Yar ` Adua could not be reached for comment . Yar ` Adua made the amnesty offer to Okah in June . Okah , who had been MEND 's main arms smuggler , was arrested in September 2007 in the Angolan capital , Luanda . He was later extradited to Nigeria and has been in prison since then . `` We support Henry Okah 's decision to accept any deal that will ensure his early release to attend to his failing health under the current circumstances , '' said Jomo Gbomo , a MEND spokesman . `` Since he has no weapons to surrender , the deal should be a straightforward one . '' An International Crisis Group report in April about the conflict between government forces and militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta said Okah is accused of treason , terrorism and kidnapping . His lawyers and relatives say he needs kidney treatment not available in Nigeria , the report said . MEND has declared an `` all-out war '' on the government , demanding a fairer distribution of oil wealth in the Niger Delta . The group wants oil revenue reinvested in the region instead of enriching those the militants consider corrupt politicians . Many of MEND 's attacks have been aimed at oil and gas installations in the region . Okah 's release had been a key demand of MEND before they accept any government amnesty offer . After receiving news of Okah 's acceptance of the government officer , MEND issued a statement . `` The recent appointment of Mr. Timi Alaibe as the special adviser to the president on Niger Delta-Nigeria-MEND-Amnesty affairs by the Nigerian government is a humble and welcome development that is in line with the two-pronged approach of our current campaign , '' the statement said . `` With this channel of communication finally opened , MEND will put together its ... team of frank negotiators to pass our demands and expectations to the president through Mr. Alaibe , a man we respect and can work with . '' From CNN 's Christian Purefoy . | Henry Okah , MEND 's main arms smuggler , was arrested in September 2007 . Okah is accused of treason , terrorism and kidnapping . Lawyers , relatives say he needs kidney treatment not available in Nigeria . | [[611, 615], [622, 657], [611, 615], [649, 713], [1081, 1110], [1176, 1274], [1275, 1355]] |
BALTIMORE , Maryland -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Kim Mickens , 49 , has always been the caregiver among her eight brothers and sisters . So when her mother , Delphine Mickens , was told she had Alzheimer 's disease , Mickens took care of all the arrangements for her mother 's care -- among them , she chose a nursing home not far from her place in Baltimore . Kim Mickens , right , moved her mother , Delphine , in with her after unsuccessful stints at two nursing homes . But Mickens did n't like the way her mother was treated , so she moved Delphine to a second facility . That one did n't work out either . Mickens eventually concluded that the only way Delphine was going to receive acceptable care was to move her mother in with her . Moving Delphine into her house was n't so easy : She needed medical equipment including a wheelchair , medication and round-the-clock care . `` She ca n't walk , '' Mickens says . `` So we bathe her , we feed her , we do everything for her . '' Because Mickens works two jobs , she also needed someone to provide in-home care . Because Delphine is in her 80s , Medicare covers a lot of the costs -- but Mickens did n't know where to start ; the logistics were overwhelming . Medicare personnel helped her get some of the medical supplies she needed and also recommend a new Web site called Ask Medicare . Designed to give easy access to people taking care of elderly relatives , Ask Medicare provides information and links to services that are important to caregivers . Mickens says it was invaluable . `` The Web site tells you how to get Medicare assistance , '' she says . `` It also gives you information on how to contact people that you need to get the equipment and supplies for your parents . '' The Department of Health and Human Services says at least 44 million Americans provide care for a chronically ill , disabled or elderly family member or friend . Of those family caregivers , 7 percent -- like Mickens -- provide 40 hours or more of care a week . The new Web site designed by HHS is meant to be a navigational tool for caregivers -- for whom time is valuable -- that cuts through all the bureaucratic red tape . Listen to Kim Mickens talk about caring for her mother '' `` We call it a GPS for Medicare , '' says Rima Cohen , a special adviser at HHS . `` It 's meant to make information readily available , and presented in a format that is easy to understand . '' According to the Center on an Aging Society at Georgetown University , family caregivers provide approximately 80 percent of long-term care services in the United States . `` We know that family caregivers are really the backbone of a long-term care giving system in the U.S. , '' says Cohen . `` You might be surprised to note that about $ 375 billion worth of services are provided by family caregivers -- if they were paid . '' So helping the caregiver is key . Watch more on the Ask Medicare Web site '' Mickens says she first used the Web site to set up the living space for her mother . Through a social worker and Ask Medicare , she ordered a special bed , supplies , a new wheelchair , and even filled Delphine 's prescriptions . Because Delphine had previously suffered two strokes , she could n't walk -- a very big problem , since Mickens lives in a two-story home . But through the site , she was able to order an elevator chair that takes Delphine up and down the stairs . Now that her mother is settled comfortably in her daughter 's home , Mickens says she needs some emotional support and `` me time . '' That 's not unusual : A study in the American Journal of Public Health finds family caregivers who provide 36 or more hours of care per week are more likely than noncaregivers to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety . Mickens found support in a chat room that was linked to Ask Medicare . `` The Web site has helped me read other people 's stories , '' she says . `` And now I know I 'm not going through this by myself . '' Today , Mickens and her mother are a loving twosome . When Mickens is at work , she leaves Delphine with an in-home nurse and relies on her son to help out when he gets home from school . Mickens finally feels content about the quality of care her mother is getting , and she says it would have never happened so quickly had she not found the Ask Medicare Web site . `` I have no problems with it : Once I punch it in , it comes up and takes me out to all the different Web sites , '' say Mickens . `` It 's very helpful . I am glad they came up with it . '' | Ask Medicare is new Web site designed to help caregivers cut through red tape . At least 44 million Americans care for chronically ill , disabled , elderly family members . Eighty percent of long-term care is provided by family caregivers . The cost -- if family caregivers were paid -- would be $ 375 billion . | [[1208, 1226], [1291, 1337], [1737, 1815], [1789, 1898], [2489, 2589]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Fans around the world have gathered at arenas and record stores , big screens , parks and makeshift shrines , to watch the memorial service of Michael Jackson and pay homage to their idol . A Michael Jackson fan in Berlin watches footage of the memorial concert . As thousands of fans joined Jackson 's family and closest friends at Los Angeles Staples Center arena , millions more followed proceedings on television and online . In Germany , at least 8,000 Jackson fans watched events in Los Angeles unfold at a Trauerfeier , '' -LRB- translated as Sadness Party -RRB- at Berlin 's O2 World arena , reported CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen . Fans began arriving at least three hours before the event was due to begin , Pleitgen said . `` He -LSB- Jackson -RSB- connects races , religions and ages , '' said one fan , `` his music connects the world . '' Many fans were moved to tears when Jackson 's daughter Paris Katherine wept as she called the singer `` the best father you could ever imagine . '' Pleitgen added : `` A lot of people got very wet eyes . '' Watch fans gather in Berlin '' South African former president Nelson Mandela paid his respects to Jackson in a statement read to the audience at the Los Angeles memorial by singer Smokey Robinson . Watch Smokey Robinson deliver Mandela 's message . '' `` Michael became close to us after he started visiting and performing in South Africa regularly . We grew fond of him and he became a close member of our family . We had great admiration for his talent and that he was able to triumph over tragedy on so many occasions in his life , '' Mandela said . `` We mourn with the millions of families worldwide . '' In the southern Chinese enclave of Hong Kong , fans carried flowers and Jackson paraphernalia , such as a doll and record , at a memorial . Watch Jackson tributes pour in from around the world '' `` I can not accept MJ has already left us , and I think we should come here and do something for him and express our feeling to show that we really miss him , '' said one man . Hundreds of British fans in London braved torrential rain to watch a giant screen outside the city 's O2 Arena , where Jackson was scheduled to play a series of 50 concerts from July 13 . Many more fans are expected to converge on the venue next Monday to mark what would have been the first of his concert dates . See images of Jackson fans from around the globe '' `` I am still in denial , '' said Jenny Keme , 21 . `` We 're going to stay here to the end of the ceremony even though it 's pouring . He had such a gentle soul , that 's what I love most about him . '' Celeste Dixon , 28 , added : `` He is the King of Pop , not was . No one will ever be worthy of him , he is bigger than life . Without Michael Jackson breaking barriers , Barack Obama would never have made it . '' Elsewhere in London the cast of musical `` Thriller - Live '' paid their own tribute during the evening performance at the Lyric Theatre , with cast , crew and audience observing a minute 's silence . `` Many of them were in tears during it , '' reported CNN 's Phil Black . The theater has become a shrine to Jackson , with devoted followers holding vigils and leaving cards and messages at the building 's entrance . In Japan , meanwhile , hundreds of fans gathered at a Tower Records store -- where Jackson twice visited -- in Tokyo to watch his videos on a big screen . Followers were even offered the chance to take a photograph next to a cast of a footprint left by Jackson when he last visited . Watch fans gather in Tokyo '' In a bar in New Delhi , the Jackson memorial gathering was small -- only a dozen or so people . On the wall of the bar that usually only plays hard rock , Jackson 's music was blasting , candles were lit underneath two framed pictures of Jackson and customers had written messages saying goodbye . The bar manager said : `` We all grew up with Michael Jackson . Other generations had The Beatles , or Elvis Presley . Michael is our generation . '' And on the streets of Beijing , people were greeted by a Jackson look-alike , 28-year-old Wang Jie , who performed ahead of the memorial . Though Jackson never himself performed in China , he is loved in the country . Members of the official Michael Jackson Fan Club rented a hotel room so they could watch his funeral broadcast live . Thousands of other fans worldwide following the coverage online via CNN and Facebook , with many again moved by the comments of Jackson 's daughter about her father . `` Never cried so much ever since my dad passed away , '' said Facebook user Rinoa S Koh from Singapore , while user Nomar Levey in Jamaica added : `` OMG Tears are really pouring . '' Facebook user Manu Tyagi from India said : `` The first English songs I ever heard in India were MJ songs ... grew up with his music ... and never though we would see him die so soon . He achieved his destiny before he passed to the kingdom of god ! Really hope he rests in peace . He was the best . '' As Jackson 's coffin casket was carried out of the Staples Center , Facebook user Marika Papazoglou in Greece said : `` RIP Michael . We love you more . '' Anouk Lorie contributed to this story . | `` Sadness Party '' held in Berlin , where fans follow service live from Los Angeles . In London , Jackson fans brave torrential downpours and hail to pay tribute . In Japan fans gathered at record store , have photo taken next to cast of footprint . Online fans pay tribute to King of Pop , comment as service progresses . | [[449, 459], [462, 519], [2058, 2110], [2058, 2099], [2116, 2168], [3262, 3270], [3285, 3335], [3417, 3506], [1824, 1876]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A U.S. company is offering a rare chance to holiday on a mega-yacht once used by a Hollywood star and her husband -- and thanks to the recession it 's actually affordable . The 100-foot Katania normally would attract an additional $ 49,500 charter fee for a week 's use . The 100-foot Katania was chartered by Hollywood star Hilary Swank and her husband , Chad Lowe . Seattle , Washington-based mega-yacht rental business CEO Expeditions usually charges around $ 100,000 a week to charter their 100-plus-foot yachts , but they have introduced a deal waiving the charter fees -- meaning guests will only need to pay for the running of the vessel . The move to make such vessels more affordable comes as the recession continues to put pressure on the luxury holiday and mega-yacht industries . Although the costs of crew and luxury food are n't extremely cheap , it is expected this move will open up the recession-strained market to many more potential holiday-makers . The Katania now costs less than $ 3,000 per day . Normally it would attract an additional $ 49,500 charter fee for a week 's use . At the $ 2,950-per-day special rate , four people can stay on the Katania -- but with the maximum six on board -LRB- $ 450 extra per person -RRB- the cost per person is a slightly better $ 642 . The price includes full crew , premium wines , gourmet food prepared by a private chef , amenities such as kayaks , hot tub , fishing/crabbing/shrimping equipment , and even a 30-foot whaler for guest use . According to the company , Swank said of her charter holiday : `` We had an absolutely enchanted time aboard the Katania . A more beautiful yacht does not exist . '' There is one small catch with the deal -- the boat is based in the San Juan islands off the coast of Washington and British Columbia , and any cruises to other destinations will attract an additional charge to cover fuel costs . The company 's owner , Bruce Milne , released a statement saying the deal was largely a result of the impact of the recession . `` Travel is down , agents and brokers need deals , so rather than just a few full-price charters , we decided to stay busy , put more people to work , and help island tourism by doing charters at cost . `` Since we started chartering 10 years ago , we have been looking for a chance to provide our ` Expeditions to the Extraordinary ' in the San Juan Islands at a price any luxury traveler can afford -- this recession provides that opportunity , '' he said . Tim Wiltshire , director and sales broker at international yacht company Burgess Yachts , said the charter market is n't a complete disaster , so he was surprised to see such a discount . `` I would n't have expected to see that , '' he said . `` We are seeing discounts on average of about 25 percent . Although some people are trying interesting gimmicks to inspire new business . '' Wiltshire said CEO Expedition 's fleet is n't among the biggest or most luxurious on the market , and this deal appears to be clever marketing stunt . His opinion is that other larger vessels still warrant their greater price tags . | U.S. mega-yacht charter company waives massive $ 50,000 charter fees . The impact of the recession is reason given for the discounted deal . A yacht chartered by Hilary Swank can now be rented for less than $ 3,000 a day . | [[0, 6], [9, 32], [36, 103], [1933, 1953], [1970, 2060], [1005, 1054]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two U.S. Marines died Monday during a `` hostile incident '' in southern Afghanistan , the U.S. military said Tuesday . U.S. Marines walk through a field on patrol on July 13 , 2009 , in Mian Poshteh , Afghanistan . No further details were immediately available in their deaths . `` We deeply mourn the loss of these determined service members , who died in combat defending our freedom and the just cause of Afghans , '' said Brig. Gen. Eric Tremblay , spokesman for NATO 's International Security Assistance Force . `` This is a moment of great sorrow for these members ' families and friends , and I extend my deepest condolences to them during this difficult time . '' The deaths come as almost 4,000 Marines and sailors , along with several hundred Afghan security forces , are working to clear Taliban militants from population centers in the Helmand river valley , in the south of the country . British forces launched a similar offensive in the province in late June . The push , called Operation Khanjar , is targeting militants in Helmand province , a Taliban stronghold and poppy-growing region . The forces are trying to gain and hold ground in the perilous region ahead of national elections this August . | Two U.S. Marines killed during a `` hostile incident '' in southern Afghanistan . 4,000 Marines , sailors working to clear Taliban militants from Helmand river valley . British forces launched a similar offensive in the province in late June . Forces are trying to gain ground in the region ahead of national elections in August . | [[0, 15], [19, 103], [692, 743], [692, 702], [798, 888], [996, 1031], [1034, 1117], [921, 995], [1127, 1237]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Attorney General Eric Holder stepped up his call for the passage of federal hate crimes legislation Thursday , arguing that the federal government needs to take a stronger stand against criminal activity fueled by bias and bigotry . Attorney General Eric Holder has been a vocal proponent for tougher laws regarding hate crimes . He also sought to assure opponents that such a bill would not allow Christian clergy to be prosecuted for outspoken opposition to homosexuality . Holder made his remarks during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee , which is currently considering the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act . The bill would allow the Justice Department to provide assistance to state and local authorities in the prosecution of hate crimes while also expanding federal protection against hate crimes to cover disability , gender and sexual orientation . `` Hate crimes victimize not only individuals but entire communities , '' Holder said . `` Perpetrators of hate crimes seek to deny the humanity that we all share , regardless of the color of our skin , the God to whom we pray or the person who we choose to love . ... , '' he said . `` The time is now to provide justice to victims of bias-motivated violence and to redouble our efforts to protect our communities from violence based on bigotry and prejudice . '' The attorney general argued that recent numbers `` suggest that hate crimes against certain groups are on the rise , such as individuals of Hispanic national origin . '' Specifically , he said , more than 77,000 hate crime incidents were reported by the FBI between 1998 and 2007 , or `` nearly one hate crime for every hour of every day over the span of a decade . '' In light of such statistics , he said , it was one of his `` highest personal priorities ... is to do everything I can to ensure this critical legislation finally becomes law . '' Republicans on the Judiciary Committee disputed Holder 's assertion that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of hate crimes . They also questioned the need for federal involvement in the prosecution of violent acts -- traditionally a function of state and local governments . They pointed to FBI figures showing a slight decline from 7,755 hate crimes reported in 1998 to 7,624 in 2007 , the most recently compiled statistics . It is `` important to know -LRB- if -RRB- we have a problem of significant numbers of -LRB- hate crime -RRB- cases ... not being prosecuted in state and local governments , '' said Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions , the ranking Republican on the committee . `` Murders occur all over America every day . Robberies , assaults , rapes , burglaries occur every day , and those are handled by our state and local jurisdictions . ... They do a pretty good job . '' When pressed , Holder acknowledged he had no hard evidence of trends showing the problem getting worse , nor that states are not prosecuting cases based on their own state hate crimes statutes . The attorney general insisted , however , that the issue should be viewed more broadly . `` It seems to me this is a question of conscience , '' Holder argued . He emphasized that the bill is designed to give special protections to groups that historically have been victims solely based on who they are . Holder added that while state and local governments generally do a good job prosecuting violent crimes , there is nevertheless a need for the federal government to serve as a `` backstop '' on occasion , particularly if localities lack the resources for an effective investigation or prosecution . `` There are instances where the -LRB- federal -RRB- government needs to come in , '' he said . He also asserted that any federal hate crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias , as opposed to the prosecution of speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs . `` It is the person who commits the actual act of violence , who would be subject to this legislation , not the person who is simply expressing an opinion , '' Holder said . Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate crimes law could be used to criminalize speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality . The attorney general has been a vocal proponent of federal hate crimes legislation since his tenure in the Clinton Justice Department . Last week , in a speech on civil rights , he cited three recent fatal shootings in calling for stricter hate crimes laws . `` The violence in Washington , Little Rock and Wichita reminds us of the potential threat posed by violent extremists and the tragedy that ensues when reasoned discourse is replaced by armed confrontation , '' he said . Holder was referring to the shooting death of a security guard at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington , allegedly by a self-avowed white supremacist ; the shooting of two U.S. soldiers in Little Rock , Arkansas , allegedly by a man prosecutors say was targeting the U.S. military for its treatment of Muslims ; and the slaying of a doctor who ran a women 's clinic in Wichita , Kansas , allegedly by an abortion opponent . CNN 's Terry Frieden contributed to this report . | Bill would expand scope of federal protection against hate crimes . Eric Holder says hate crimes against certain groups , such as Hispanics , on the rise . Republicans on Senate panel dispute assertion of increase in hate crimes . Some religious groups worry law could be used to criminalize speech . | [[667, 857], [1377, 1543], [1410, 1543], [1926, 2066], [1994, 2066], [2405, 2485], [1926, 2066], [4096, 4202]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended two air traffic controllers over last week 's collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed nine people , a spokeswoman said . The wreckage of a plane that collided with a helicopter is lifted this week from the Hudson River . A controller at New Jersey 's Teterboro Airport handling the flight of a Piper airplane carrying three people `` was involved in apparently inappropriate conversations on the telephone at the time of the accident , '' FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said in a statement Thursday . A source with knowledge of the investigation said the controller was on the phone with his girlfriend `` after he cleared the pilot for takeoff ; he was still on the phone at the time of the crash . '' In addition , `` the supervisor was not present in the building as required , '' Brown said . `` While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident , this kind of conduct is unacceptable , and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings , '' she said . Watch amateur video of the moment of impact '' `` These are serious violations of the FAA regulations , '' said Mary Schiavo , former inspector general for the Transportation Department . The union for air traffic controllers urged caution . `` We support that any such allegation is fully investigated before there is a rush to judgment about the behavior of any controller , '' said a statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association . The National Transportation Safety Board is working with the FAA in investigating Saturday 's collision of the Piper , which had taken off from Teterboro , with a sightseeing helicopter that was carrying five Italian tourists and a pilot . No one aboard either aircraft survived the crash . The NTSB has said the pilot of the small plane was cleared electronically and handed off to Newark , New Jersey , air traffic controllers , a standard procedure . However , Newark 's control tower never got a verbal response from the pilot of the small plane . The controller put on leave was described as a longtime employee , the source said . He and the supervisor face disciplinary action that could include their firing . Also Thursday , FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the agency may reissue advisories to pilots using the busy airspace over the Hudson . Pilots are urged to use a radio frequency dedicated to traffic in that corridor , fly no faster than 140 knots and turn on their lights as they enter that airspace . Babbitt made the comments at an event at the agency 's research facility in Atlantic City , New Jersey . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report . | Spokeswoman : Controller was talking to girlfriend on phone during accident . Controller 's supervisor also not present in building as required , spokeswoman says . Controller was handling plane carrying three people that collided with helicopter . Nine people died in collision of tourist helicopter and plane over Hudson River . | [[189, 209], [310, 522], [587, 690], [733, 785], [189, 209], [803, 852], [226, 233], [239, 265], [310, 522], [0, 15], [19, 162], [146, 162], [168, 186], [226, 233], [239, 265]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Amid the worsening conflict in his country , Somalia 's president made a plea for Somalis living in the United States to stop sending their young men to fight . A Somali rebel points a heavy machine gun in the direction of government forces July 3 . `` I call on the Somali-American community not to send their youth to Somalia to fight alongside al-Shabaab , '' President Sheik Sharif Ahmed said on Sunday . He was referring to the Islamist militant group that is waging a brutal war against his administration in Mogadishu . `` I am saying to those young men from abroad : ` Your families fled your home to America because of insecurity . You should not return here to ferment violence against your people , ' '' he said . Somalis began arriving in the United States in significant numbers after the U.S. intervention in Somalia 's humanitarian crisis in 1992 . A sizable group of young Somali-American men left Minneapolis last year and were feared recruited by al-Shabaab militants . In October , Shirwa Ahmed , 27 , a Somali-American who had been radicalized by al-Shabaab in his adopted home state of Minnesota , traveled to Somalia and blew up himself and 29 others . The incident -- the first-ever suicide bombing by a naturalized U.S. citizen -- raised red flags throughout the U.S. intelligence community . The president 's call came after fresh fighting erupted Sunday between Somalia 's transitional government forces and Islamist rebels . According to several witness accounts , AMISOM -- the African Union Mission to Somalia -- supported government forces to push back al-Shabaab as the militia attacked the presidential palace . AMISOM tanks and soldiers were involved in the fighting , according to witnesses . `` The sound of heavy artillery in Mogadishu was very loud and continuous , '' a witness told CNN . `` It was shaking the ground , and many buildings were destroyed by the shelling . '' The president called the operation `` a clear victory '' against al-Shabaab . `` Our forces have weakened the strength of the al-Shabaab militia in this fighting , '' Ahmed said . Government forces displayed the bodies of five al-Shabaab fighters in their trademark green uniforms . Al-Shabaab , a group that is on the U.S. government 's terror watch list , remains entrenched in the northeast and sections of the south of the capital . The group categorized the involvement of AMISOM as a shift in their attempts to overthrow the transitional government . `` The fighting in Mogadishu has entered a new phase . Now it 's between us and AMISOM , '' said Ali Mohamud Rage , a spokesman for al-Shabaab . `` AMISOM was backing up the government directly , but we will keep fighting . '' Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991 , when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and sparked brutal clan infighting . The transitional government has struggled to establish authority , challenged by Islamist groups that have seized control of Mogadishu and much of the south . The United Nations estimates that more than 200,000 people have been forced to flee Mogadishu since the latest round of fighting began in early May between the government and the Al-Shabaab and Hisb-ul-Islam groups . The Somali-American population in the United States is concentrated in clusters primarily in Minneapolis ; Columbus , Ohio ; Seattle , Washington ; and San Diego , California . The potential recruitment of young Somali-American men has been made possible by `` a number of factors that come together when a dynamic , influential and extremist leader gains access to a despondent and disenfranchised group of young men , '' Andrew Liepman , deputy director for intelligence at the National Counterterrorism Center , said earlier this year . Many refugees , he said , `` lack structure and definition in their lives '' and are `` torn between their parents ' traditional tribal and clan identities , and the new cultures and traditions offered by American society . '' | President Sheik Sharif Ahmed says U.S.-Somalis joining Islamist rebels . Many Somalis went to U.S. after 1992 American intervention in Somalia . Fresh fighting has erupted between transitional government and rebels . U.N. estimates 200,000 people have been forced to flee Somali capital . | [[744, 882], [1336, 1470], [1369, 1470], [2489, 2543], [3109, 3225], [3009, 3225], [3043, 3137]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britons including Prime Minister Gordon Brown have leapt to the defense of their creaking healthcare service after President Barack Obama 's plans for a similar system in the United States were branded `` evil '' by Republicans . British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a heartfelt message of support for the NHS via Twitter . Tens of thousands of people have joined a Twitter group expressing pride in the UK 's National Health Service -LRB- NHS -RRB- , which offers free taxpayer-funded medical care to all British residents , while leading politicians have spoken out in support . Republican former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin earlier this week condemned Obama 's plans to introduce a public heath insurance scheme as an `` evil '' move that would result in `` death panels '' deciding who would live or die . Her criticism has been echoed by fellow Republicans in direct attacks on Britain 's NHS . In an article , Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich said British healthcare was run by `` Orwellian '' bureaucrats who put a price tag on life . Sound off : What do you think of the British healthcare model ? The comments caused a storm of protest in the United Kingdom , with Prime Minister Brown wading into the argument via micro-blogging site Twitter , where a conversation chain , '' #welovetheNHS '' , is generating huge online traffic . Britons react to the U.S. healthcare debate '' A posting on the 10 Downing Street Twitter site on Wednesday read : `` PM : NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort , despair and hope , life and death . Thanks for always being there . '' The message was followed by another , from Brown 's wife Sarah , adding : '' #welovetheNHS -- more than words can say . '' Professor Stephen Hawking , author of `` A Brief History of Time '' , also spoke out in favor of the British system , telling the Guardian newspaper that he owes his life to NHS treatment for the neuro-muscular dystrophy he has suffered from for 40 years . `` I would n't be here today if it were not for the NHS , '' he said . `` I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived . '' Despite the support , the 51-year-old NHS is regularly the target of criticism at home , with opposition politicians accusing Brown 's government of mismanagement resulting in long waiting lists and a `` lottery '' in deciding who gets life-saving drugs and surgery . Nevertheless , opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron also added his voice to the defense campaign with a posting on his party 's Web site . '' Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS -- including my own family . `` One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you 're injured or fall ill -- no matter who you are , where you are from , or how much money you 've got -- you know that the NHS will look after you . '' His statement followed comments from one of his own party members backing the Republican criticism of the NHS . Dan Hannan , a Conservative member of the European Parliament reportedly said in an interview that `` he would n't wish it on anyone . '' | Britons leap to defend National Health Service after U.S. criticism . Prime Minister Gordon Brown among those expressing pride in system . NHS offers free health care to all UK residents . | [[9, 224], [9, 224], [452, 491], [500, 565]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- New Mexico authorities have identified seven of 11 slain women whose remains were discovered several months ago in shallow graves in west Albuquerque , but have yet to identify a suspect in their killings , police told CNN on Thursday . The bodies of Candelaria , Chavez , Elks , Marquez , Nieto , Romero and Valdez were all ID 'd by New Mexico police . A dozen victims -- 11 women and the unborn child of one of them -- were found on a 92-acre parcel west of the city in February , police said . Albuquerque police spokesman John Walsh said Thursday that police were considering all the deaths homicides , and believe they are linked because of the proximity of where the bodies were buried and how they were buried . `` It 's ... likely that the same individual committed the same crimes , '' he said , `` But we have to leave all possibilities open . '' The victims were linked through drugs and prostitution , he said . Police identified the women as Victoria Chavez , Michelle Valdez , Veronica Romero , Cinnamon Elks , Julie Nieto , Doreen Marquez and Monica Diana Candelaria . Walsh said authorities estimate that the killings occurred somewhere between 2001 and 2004 . `` We have to leave it wide at this point , '' Walsh said of the time frame . In February , a woman walking her dog on the property -- which had been graded in preparation for development -- discovered a bone , police said . The office of the medical investigator determined that it was human . The bodies were discovered afterward . The killings have been featured on `` America 's Most Wanted , '' Walsh said . A task force in Albuquerque has been assigned to the cases , he added . | Bodies of 11 women and one unborn child found in February near Albuquerque . Police say they 've identified 7 of the victims ; no suspect yet in the killings . Police think one person killed all the victims between 2001 and 2004 . Victims were linked through drugs , prostitution , police spokesman says . | [[64, 168], [373, 436], [440, 499], [0, 15], [19, 81], [0, 15], [175, 223], [256, 372], [943, 1102], [1103, 1195], [1114, 1195], [876, 930]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Britain 's most celebrated fugitive -- `` the last of the gentlemen crooks , '' as he liked to describe himself -- was born Ronald Arthur Biggs in Lambeth , south London , on August 8 , 1929 . Biggs spent more than three decades as a fugitive after escaping from prison in 1964 . The youngest of five children , his criminal career began at the age of 15 when he was arrested for stealing pencils from a local shop . He joined the Royal Air Force in 1947 but was dishonourably discharged two years later after being convicted of breaking into a chemist 's shop while AWOL . The latter offence resulted in his first spell in prison -- four months in Lewes Prison for Young Offenders . He was released in June 1949 , but was back in jail within a month for car theft . This second prison term -- also at Lewes -- was to change Biggs ' life . He met and became friends with Bruce Reynolds , the man who later masterminded the heist commonly known as the Great Train Robbery . Between 1949 and 1963 Biggs was regularly involved in criminal activity -- he served several jail sentences -- although he also made money legally working as a painter and decorator . In 1960 he married Charmian Powell with whom he had three children -- Nicholas , Christopher and Farley . The couple were subsequently estranged . On August 8 , 1963 -- Biggs ' birthday -- he was one of a gang of 16 who held up the Glasgow to London mail train , escaping with a record haul of more than # 2.6 million -LRB- $ 4.4 million -RRB- . He was arrested a month later after his fingerprint was found on some stolen notes , and in January 1964 he was sentenced to 30 years in prison . After serving only 15 months , however , he made a daring escape from Wandsworth Prison in south London , thus beginning 35 years on the run . His first stop was Paris , where he spent much of his # 147,000 -LRB- $ 246,000 -RRB- cut of the train robbery money on plastic surgery and acquiring papers to Australia . He remained in Melbourne until 1969 , working as a builder , before he slipped out of the country using a false passport on a ship bound for Panama . There followed brief spells in Argentina , Bolivia and Venezuela before he eventually settled in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . In 1974 he was arrested and faced being sent back to the UK . His Brazilian girlfriend Raimunda de Castro , however , was by that point pregnant with his child , and under Brazilian law that meant he could not be deported . Further attempts were made to bring him back to England , including a highly publicized kidnapping in 1981 when he was seized by adventurers hoping to claim a reward for his capture . He was taken to Barbados in a sack marked `` Live Snake , '' but subsequently released due to a loophole in Barbadian law . In the meantime , he became something of a celebrity in Rio . He would entertain visitors at his house , where for a set fee he would provide a barbecue and tales of his criminal past . He featured on The Sex Pistols album `` The Great Rock and Roll Swindle '' -- singing No One is Innocent . Biggs suffered a minor stroke in March 1998 , and with his health and finances failing he finally returned to the UK in 2001 . His estranged wife Charmian said at the time : `` The man I remember was a strong , fit , big man who could take on the world . Now he looks like a walking corpse , just skin and bone . I feel so sorry and sad for him . '' Biggs and his family campaigned for him to be released because of his poor health virtually from the day he returned to the UK and was immediately incarcerated in Belmarsh high security prison . Instead , Biggs was moved to a prison facility for elderly prisoners in Norwich , his parole prospects dismissed by justice ministers because of his apparent lack of remorse . But on August 4 Biggs was moved to a hospital suffering with severe pneumonia . On August 7 , the eve of both his 80th birthday and the 46th anniversary of the heist that turned him into a fugitive , Biggs was formally released on compassionate grounds . In 2001 Biggs said his last wish was to buy a pint of beer in a pub in the southern seaside resort of Margate . But Biggs ' legal advisor Giovanni Di Stefano told journalists that Biggs was unlikely to ever leave his hospital bed . `` This man is ill , he 's going to die , he is not going to any pub or going to Rio . He is going to stay in hospital , '' said Di Stefano . | Ronnie Biggs was part of gang responsible for 1963 Great Train Robbery . Biggs released from prison on compassionate grounds on Friday . Sentenced to 30 years in prison , Biggs escaped and spent decades as a fugitive . Biggs was locked up since his return to UK from Brazil in 2001 in ailing health . | [[924, 931], [936, 1008], [3899, 3910], [4019, 4073], [229, 315], [268, 315], [1628, 1684], [1685, 1713], [1726, 1728], [1796, 1827], [2068, 2097], [3153, 3224]] |
Editor 's note : Michael Steele is chairman of the Republican National Committee . Michael Steele says it 's becoming clear that the Obama administration is spending money recklessly . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Friday marks President Obama 's 200th day in office , and in most respects , his second hundred days as president have been worse than the first 100 . Obama campaigned on bringing `` change '' to America , and during his first 200 days as president , his real definition of change is becoming absolutely clear to Americans . Obama and congressional Democrats are determined to conduct their reckless and costly liberal experiments on the American people without any regard to the consequences . Whether a $ 787 billion stimulus bill , a `` cap-and-trade '' scheme that is nothing more than a huge national energy tax on every American family and business , or a $ 1.6 trillion government-run health care plan , more and more Americans are rightfully concerned about Obama 's change for this country . Since Obama and Democrats rushed through Congress a $ 787 billion stimulus package , unemployment in America has risen close to 9.5 percent , and every indication is that it will climb even higher when July 's unemployment report is released Friday . In total , more than 2.6 million jobs have been lost since Obama took office . But what has the president 's stimulus bill brought us , if not the jobs he promised ? Wasteful spending , such as $ 18 million to redesign Recovery.gov , the very government Web site used to monitor stimulus spending , or $ 3.4 million for an `` eco tunnel '' in Florida designed to provide safe passage for turtles looking to cross the street . This is not the economic stimulus that the American people expected . The second of Obama 's grand experiments on America was his massive so-called cap-and-trade bill that was rammed through the House of Representatives this past June so fast that congressmen were n't given the chance to read it . This bill is nothing more than a national energy tax , plain and simple . Its sole purpose is to increase the cost of energy so that Americans might use less . The Heritage Foundation estimated that it would end up costing the average American family up to $ 1,870 per year and decrease the national GDP by $ 161 billion in the year 2020 . The foundation also determined that during the 2012-2035 timeline , job losses would average more than 1.1 million . Add in the fact that it would do almost nothing to prevent `` climate change , '' and all that is left is a national energy tax on environmentally friendly clothing . Obama 's third and final experiment of his first 200 days as president -- and arguably his most dangerous -- is the fundamental transformation of our health care system . Obama is correct about one thing : Our health care system needs reform . Health care today costs too much for families and small businesses , preventing too many Americans from accessing the affordable quality care they need , when they need it . However , the president 's prescription to rein in these costs has little to do with real-world dollars and cents and everything to do with the complete government takeover and control of one-sixth of the U.S. economy . The president claims that more government involvement in health care will promote competition . However , creating such a government-run entity would result in a massive government health care monopoly . Private insurers would soon be put out of business , unable to compete with the subsidized government-run plan the president and liberals want . More than 88 million Americans could be forced out of their current private insurance plans and into the government-run plan , according to a study by the Lewin Group . Obama claims that if you like your current health care , you can keep it , but this is simply not true . Then there is the issue of cost . Despite what the president says , his government-run plan wo n't make health care more affordable . Quite the opposite . Nothing ever becomes cheaper by being more expensive , and the Democrats ' plan would cost at least $ 1.6 trillion , according to an analysis by Roll Call . The Congressional Budget Office determined one of the House Democrats ' plans would add more than $ 200 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years . The president is also planning to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid to help pay for his government-run health care scheme . This is the epitome of robbing Peter to pay Paul . The president and his Democratic allies have looked to raise taxes on many small businesses to help pay for his government-run health care scheme , a foolish proposition even during the best of times , let alone during a recession . Many small businesses would be hit with a penalty equal to 8 percent of their payroll for failing to provide insurance for their employees . Punishing small-business owners with punitive tax legislation such as this will only increase the unemployment rate and extend the recession . Obama 's first 200 days in office should be seen for exactly what they are : a clear indication of where he intends to direct America during his presidency . It is a direction that places less emphasis on individual entrepreneurs and private creativity and instead places power in the hands of a massive federal bureaucracy . It is a direction that rams massive spending bills through Congress in the name of economic stimulus and job creation , it is a direction that masks a costly job-killing national energy tax in environmentalism , and it is a direction that looks to put federal bureaucracy between patients and their doctors all in the guise of reducing costs and expanding coverage . America simply ca n't afford the president 's experiments . The president has done all this in just 200 days , and there are still more than 1,200 days left in his administration . That 's a frightening thought . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael Steele . | Michael Steele : The second hundred days have been worse than the first . He says Obama 's programs call for massive spending on liberal priorities . Cap-and-trade bill is a disguised energy tax on average Americans , he says . He says health care reform would be costly and lead to government control . | [[262, 278], [281, 354], [529, 562], [578, 657], [739, 767], [773, 912], [5503, 5514], [5520, 5586], [3866, 3899], [3913, 3931], [3934, 3999]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Another summer , another iPhone hardware update . This one 's worth getting , too -- especially if you have an original iPhone or the iPhone 3G . A self-admitted tech geek , Chris Pirillo is president of Lockergnome.com , a blogging network . If you keep holding out because the iPhone does n't have everything you want , it may be time to re-evaluate your position . This is n't just a phone -- it 's a mobile communications device that boasts few true rivals in the marketplace . Instead of waiting in line at an Apple or AT&T store , I simply ordered mine though Apple , and that process was amazingly simple . I was guaranteed delivery by the June 19th launch date , and indeed , my 32GB -LRB- black -RRB- iPhone 3GS was handed to me on Friday morning . No muss , no fuss . Kinda . Before I get into the reasons I 'm in love -LRB- LOVE !? -RRB- with the iPhone 3GS , let me just say that the activation process on AT&T 's network was less than impressive . It took close to 32 hours for the SIM card to activate , and AT&T could offer little to no assistance in that process . They were , quite simply , overwhelmed . I contend that a lot of perceived iPhone issues have more to do with AT&T than they do with Apple . Even so , Apple saw fit to issue a $ 30 iTunes gift card to people caught in this delay . Now that is customer service . So , what else has Apple given the world in the iPhone 3GS ? 1 . Video recording capabilities . With the swipe of a finger , you can record a quick video . With another swipe , you can trim your recording . With yet another swipe , you can email it or upload it to your YouTube account . Even when it 's transferred over AT&T 's 3G network , the A/V quality is rather impressive . Based on my first mobile YouTube upload test , I know I 've sold a few more people on the 3GS . Apple seems to have integrated some kind of anti-shake feature into its video processing , too . 2 . It 's 50 percent faster than previous generations . Yes , believe me when I say that you 'll notice a difference in speed -LRB- in direct comparison to the iPhone and iPhone 3G models -RRB- . If you 've never owned an iPhone before , then you 're going to be equally as impressed . Animations are smoother , apps launch more quickly , and ... well , the dang thing 's just faster . 3 . Twice the storage capacity . Are you good with 16GB ? Would you rather have 32GB ? Either way , you 'll get what you want . I always say : Buy as much as you can afford . 4 . Five times the amount of usable memory . Given that iPhone OS 3.0 now supports push data -LRB- that is , it allows applications to send and receive data in the `` background '' -RRB- , you 're going to want more than just 20MB available to you . Whereas the iPhone 3G comes with 128MB of memory , the iPhone 3GS has 256MB . This translates into far fewer app crashes . 5 . Voice control . Press and hold the home button -LRB- that 's the round thing at the bottom of the iPhone -RRB- , and you 'll be passed to the Voice Control application -- allowing you to tell your device to call a friend , play a song , and more . It did n't require any training for me to use , either . 6 . Compass . Yeah , I have no idea when I 'm actually going to need this . More importantly , app developers will take advantage of this new feature . Turn-by-turn navigation , anyone ? TomTom 's working on an app for that . 7 . Improved battery life . I 'm not sure you could make it through an entire working day without attaching an external battery pack to your iPhone , but Apple 's found a balance in performance and power with the 3GS . They had to throttle the processor speed somewhat , slightly diminish the capability of the video processor , but at least people ca n't complain that they always have to keep ` er plugged in to an external power source . 8 . Better camera . Is n't 3 megapixels usually better than 2 ? Generally , yes . But Apple also added the ability to take close-up -LRB- macro -RRB- shots , and an intuitive autofocus feature . Simply tap the area on the screen you want to be in focus , then take your shot . And before I forget , a friend told me that if you wanted to take a picture of yourself -LRB- with the screen facing the other direction -RRB- , tap and hold the `` snapshot '' icon . Flip the screen away and when you 're ready to shoot , simply lift your finger from the trigger . Thanks , David ! 9 . Same form factor as the iPhone 3G . Why is this nice ? Well , you do n't have to run out and buy new cases for your iPhone -LRB- if you were previously using the iPhone 3G -RRB- . If this is your first iPhone , or you 're upgrading from the original , then you 'll still have a full range of accessories for your iPhone 3GS . I 'm sure a revision is in the iPhone 's future , but not this year . 10 . Weight Loss support . Okay , this one 's a bit of a stretch , but the iPhone 3GS has the Nike sensor built-in -LRB- no receiver required -RRB- . Maybe I can convince people that I 'm more healthy because I have the ability to track progress ? Meh . Still , it 's a convenience for those who use it -- I 'd just recommend a waterproof case for your iPhone to keep it from being damaged by sweat ! Admittedly , the iPhone is n't `` cheap '' to own . But the device is only getting better with time . The operating system is ever-maturing and -LRB- for the most part -RRB- backwards-compatible with older iPhones , the 3G S 's hardware specs are comparable to today 's sexiest smartphones , and Apple is n't going anywhere anytime soon . The only iPhone killer on the market today ... is a newer iPhone . | Tech enthusiast Chris Pirillo lists 10 things he loves about his new iPhone 3GS . It 's more than 50 percent faster than the original iPhone and iPhone 3G models . Twice the storage capacity and five times the amount of usable memory . The only iPhone killer on the market today ... is a newer iPhone . | [[118, 164], [1940, 1991], [5562, 5606], [5609, 5628]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- She 's been compared to the Dalai Lama , the Chinese Tibetan Buddhist leader , but the name Rebiya Kadeer does n't ring a bell to many people outside of China . Rebiya Kadeer has been dubbed `` the Mother of All Uyghurs . '' Nevertheless , the world-famous man and the relatively obscure woman share similarities that chime with political relevance . A diminutive northern Virginia resident , Kadeer has emerged as the voice of the restive but relatively unknown Uyghur Muslims , a Turkic-speaking ethnic minority in China , and the group 's far-flung diaspora . And like the Dalai Lama , she 's revered by supporters and reviled by the Chinese government . `` Even though one is a man , and the other is a woman , they have one thing in common , and that is they engage in activities to split the motherland and damage national unity , '' said Qin Gang , a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry . Kadeer , 62 , emerged in the world media spotlight after China blamed her for stoking July 's unrest in China 's remote Xinjiang Autonomous Region , an area four times the size of California in the northwestern part of the country . Reports vary on the number of people killed , ranging from around 200 to many more . The problems began in late June , after two Uyghur migrant workers at a toy factory in Guangdong province were killed after a brawl between Uyghurs and ethnic Han Chinese -- the majority group in China . Uyghurs protested in Urumqi , the Xinjiang capital , hundreds of miles from the toy factory . Uyghurs and Han reportedly attacked each other . Nur Bekri , the Chinese government 's top official in Xinjiang , accused Kadeer and the World Uyghur Congress she leads of instigating the unrest via the Internet . `` The violence is premeditated , organized violent crime , '' Bekri said . `` It was instigated and directed from abroad and carried out by outlaws in the country . '' China 's constitution guarantees ethnic minorities equal rights and limited autonomy . And the Chinese government has implemented several programs designed to help ethnic minorities , but Kadeer says China still treats Uyghurs as second-class citizens -- and she blames China for most of the recent unrest . Since the violence erupted , Kadeer has worked the media with a mission , drumming up support for the Uyghur cause and shining a light on what she says are China 's `` unjust policies '' toward her people . The estimated size of Uyghur population in China ranges from 8 million to 11 million people , making them a distinct minority in a country of 1.5 billion people . Uyghurs have long complained of being treated as a lesser class , but China has dismissed that charge and touted its commitment to ethnic unity . `` Let them hear our voice and raise public awareness about our situation , '' Kadeer told CNN . `` That 's the main thing that I wish to do right now . '' Dubbed `` the Mother of All Uyghurs , '' Kadeer does n't quite fit the profile of a political firebrand . Born in modest circumstances , Kadeer fell into dire poverty amid the late Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong 's forced relocation programs . She worked her way up from laundry worker to become a millionaire businesswoman as China opened to free enterprise . She amassed an empire with department stores , real estate , lumber , scrap iron , factories and other enterprises . She was also chosen as a member of a Chinese National Congress and other posts . However , the mother of 11 children -- some of whom are in jail in China -- was n't shy about speaking out about the conditions faced by Uyghurs , such as political imprisonment . Her activism landed her in jail in 1999 , an incarceration that attracted international attention and condemnation from rights groups and Western political officials . China released her on medical grounds in 2005 amid pressure from the U.S. government . She was granted political asylum in the United States , reunited with her husband , and embarked on activist work . Along with her role as president of the World Uyghur Congress , Kadeer is the president of the board of the Uyghur American Association and the full-time director of the International Uyghur Human Rights and Democracy Foundation . Those groups receive money from U.S. taxpayers through the National Endowment for Democracy , a private , nonprofit organization created `` to strengthen democratic institutions '' around the world . Hugh Pope , author of the `` Sons of the Conquerors : The Rise of the Turkic World , '' describes Kadeer as a skillful and hard-working activist who has done a lot for the Uyghurs . He said she is well-situated in the Washington area , where she has easy access to media outlets , and is a `` natural focal point '' for the Uyghur rights cause . `` She has a canny sense on how to get on top of the situation . As long as she can maintain the Dalai Lama-like profile , she will persist in being a spokeswoman for the Uyghurs , '' Pope said . Dru Gladney , an expert on China and its ethnic groups , described Kadeer as a significant leader who is a charismatic , determined and maternal figure who can move easily among the elites and the common people . She has a message that can unite Uyghurs , and China 's criticism of her in some ways has enhanced her stature , said Gladney , president of Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College in California . `` She seems like somebody all Uyghurs can look up to , '' he said . He noted that her following is `` quite remarkable '' since she is a woman and both Muslim and Chinese cultures are patriarchal . She abhors violence and favors peaceful resolution of conflicts , Gladney said . In that respect , she mirrors the non-violent sentiment espoused by the Dalai Lama , who wrote an introduction to Kadeer 's autobiography `` Dragon Fighter , '' recently published in English . `` The Uyghur and the Tibetan people have a history of relationship and in modern times have shared somewhat similar experiences . I therefore hope that this book by Mrs. Kadeer will enable the readers to comprehend the experience of the Uyghur people , '' the Dalai Lama wrote . Kadeer told CNN she has had `` close communication '' with the Dalai Lama . She said `` our philosophy in peace is the same '' and said the movements of both peoples for justice are connected . `` If the Chinese have the authority to destroy one of them , they have the authority to destroy the other , '' she said . China 's state-run Xinhua news agency reported Tuesday that Chinese President Hu Jintao , in a visit to Yunnan province this week , urged all people to show mutual respect and concern . He also said all ethnic minorities are important members of the Chinese family , the news agency reported in a story that did not specifically mention Uyghurs . The Communist Party of China and the government plan to emphasize more strongly developing areas inhabited by ethnic minorities and strengthen support to improve their livelihood , according to Xinhua 's paraphrasing of Hu 's remarks . In a recent Wall Street Journal essay , `` China 's Ethnic Fault Lines , '' Gladney wrote that by the mid-1980s `` official minorities were beginning to receive real benefits from the implementation of several affirmative action programs . '' They include `` permission to have more children -LRB- except in urban areas , minorities are generally not bound by the one-child policy -RRB- , '' paying fewer taxes , getting `` greater access to public office , '' and better education for children -- in Mandarin Chinese rather than native tongues . Kadeer has spent much of the last few weeks plowing through media interviews and chatting about how she juggles being the `` Mother of All Uyghurs '' with being a mother to her flesh-and-blood children . `` My family is very supportive of my activity , '' she said through a translator . Yet she has spent time apart from her husband , also a Uyghur activist , and children because of political ferment and imprisonment . Kadeer says this is a `` very dark time for the Uyghur people . '' She condemned Chinese security forces for killing and injuring Uyghur demonstrators this month in Urumqi . Unrest also took place in the cities of Kashgar and Hotan , she said . While she focuses on what she says is the Chinese crackdown against Uyghurs in `` East Turkestan '' -- the name Uyghurs use for the region -- she also condemned reported violence by `` a number of Uyghur demonstrators . '' `` Uyghur demonstrators were doubtless expressing discontent over the severe and comprehensive repression they have suffered for years in East Turkestan , '' she said . She cited `` arbitrary detention , torture , and execution '' the repression of their religion , `` forced abortion and discrimination in several spheres , including health care and employment . '' In her talks , Kadeer -- who sports braids and a traditional Uyghur dopa cap -- urges China to `` stop the cultural genocide '' and `` address the legitimate grievances of the Uyghur people . '' `` I do believe that even our enemy would come dine at our table , '' she said , `` because what we have been doing is in a peaceful way . So I do believe that they would come to our table and resolve this . '' CNN 's Jim Clancy contributed to this report . | Rebiya Kadeer emerges as leader of minority Uyghur Muslims in China . Chinese government reviles Kadeer , blames her for stoking unrest . Kadeer mirrors the non-violent sentiment espoused by the Dalai Lama . This is a `` very dark time for the Uyghur people , '' Kadeer says . | [[410, 581], [608, 611], [641, 676], [922, 928], [936, 1068], [5681, 5696], [5699, 5763], [8023, 8086], [8035, 8086]] |
Editor 's note : Zeyno Baran , a native of Turkey , is senior fellow for the Center for Islam , Democracy and the Future of the Muslim World at the Hudson Institute , a Washington-based think tank that says it is dedicated to `` global security , prosperity and freedom . '' From January 2003 until 2006 , Baran directed the International Security and Energy Programs at The Nixon Center . Zeyno Baran says the United States can learn much from Turkey 's expertise on Afghanistan and Pakistan . -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Turks greeted President Obama with huge excitement Monday . This was the first time a U.S. president visited Turkey at the start of his term , sending a clear signal that this administration recognizes the importance of Turkey and wants to engage with it from the start . His address in the Turkish parliament was one of the greatest speeches made by an American leader in such a setting : He not only showed his deep understanding of Turkey 's many complex issues and identities , but also handled tough issues with great skill . He framed his talk just right by underlining Turkey 's European identity as a secular democracy . That said , it is important to remember how good U.S.-Turkey relations were at the start of the Bush administration . President George W. Bush also considered Turkey an extremely valuable partner , but then came the Iraq war . The United States genuinely believed Turkey would be one of the most important allies going forward . Despite official channels and experts making clear the difficulties in allowing U.S. military to cross into Iraq via its lands , the administration chose to listen to those who sang music to its ears . As a result , they based a whole military strategy on the Turkish parliament voting yes and were shocked when they received a no . Bilateral relations then entered a downward spiral . With Obama 's election , there is renewed excitement in Turkey . Like most of the people of Turkey , he opposed the Iraq war and considered Afghanistan the `` good war . '' Going forward , as President Obama underscored in his speech , Turkey can play an important role in Afghanistan as a reliable NATO ally . The question is : How can Turkey best help ? Turkey is one of the few -- possibly the only -- NATO member that has deep religious , cultural and historic knowledge of both Afghanistan and Pakistan . In fact , the Turkish government has brought together the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan much before the United States began approaching them together . Reading the tea leaves , one may conclude that the Obama administration wants to cooperate with Turkey in engaging with the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan . This would be the wrong kind of cooperation . Although Turkey has channels to the Taliban and has means to facilitate the talks , there can not be a morally acceptable deal reached with the Taliban , whose ultimate goal is to curb all individual freedoms and universal human rights , especially when it comes to women . No matter what the reasonable sounding arguments may be in favor of this strategy , pulling Turkey into any kind of engagement with the Taliban -- either as part of NATO or bilaterally -- would have much worse long-term consequences . Instead , the Obama administration needs to think of `` victory '' not only in the short term and from a purely anti-terrorism perspective , but also in consideration of the people who have lived and will continue to live in those lands . In other words , providing true safety , security , justice and development for Afghanistan and Pakistan -- not the kind of society the Taliban has been providing . Indeed , it is in providing the basic securities that Turkey can be a great partner . Turkey not only can and will continue to help provide safety and physical security , but also could further assist with the reconstruction projects , such as building hospitals , schools , sanitation facilities and investment projects that would have direct impact on the socioeconomic development of the Afghan and Pakistani societies . There are many Turkish companies that have undertaken successful construction projects in these fields since early 2002 . There are also military and civilian trainers , nongovernment organizations and even volunteer teachers who work in some of the most dangerous regions . Still , Turkey can possibly make the greatest contribution by helping the United States frame the challenges it is facing in a more accurate and honest way . Just as President Obama referred to his personal story and that of the United States to help Turks look deeper within , Turks can do the same for the United States . To start , Turkey can explain how the vast Eurasian region it belongs to is not just part of the `` Muslim world '' but has been at the crossroads of eastern and western cultures and ideas and witnessed many brutal wars and massacres over the millennia . Moreover , each country has its own spirit -- there are ancient cultures and tribal formations , and these do not move fast . It is important to stop and drink the tea . Turkey can also explain that it is only in recent decades that jihadism and extremism took root in these lands known for their Sufi teachings that talk about love , instead of hatred . As a true partner , it can also help the United States recognize its share , along with many others , in inadvertently contributing to the creation of the Taliban and al-Qaeda by making bad foreign policy choices . Anything short of recognition of the past catching up with us will leave us all unprepared for what may come in the future . In other words , we may be doomed to repeat the same mistakes until we learn our lesson . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Zeyno Baran . | Zeyno Baran : Obama 's speech shows deep understanding of Turkey . She says administration needs to make good use of Turkey 's role in region . Baran : Using Turkey to make peace with Taliban would be a mistake . She says Turkey can help rebuild Afghanistan and provide security . | [[3659, 3661], [3665, 3735]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Yemen 's government has laid out ceasefire terms to Houthi Shiite rebels fighting in the country 's north , Yemen 's official news agency reported Thursday . Yemeni security forces have been fighting against rebels in the north and south . According to SABA , the government 's demands include removing check points , ending banditry and destructive acts , handing over all military equipment and weapons and offering information on the fate of six kidnapped Europeans who disappeared in June . The announcement of cease-fire conditions by Yemen 's Supreme Security Committee comes only days after Yemeni forces began an offensive against the Houthi rebels in the northern mountainous province of Saada , which is on the Yemeni border with Saudi Arabia . It follows one day after a state of emergency was declared in all regions of Saada Province by the Saada Local Council . The English language Yemen Post reported Wednesday that , according to local sources from Sa'ada , `` army forces and fighter aircrafts launched a massive attack on Houthi leader Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi 's headquarters in Saada province . '' Thursday , citing official sources , Yemen Post reported that , over a five-year period of sporadic battles between Yemeni forces and Houthi rebels , over 1,000 government soldiers have died and over 6,000 have been injured . According to Yemen Post , `` it is said that thousands of civilians and Houthi 's followers died in the same period , but the real number is unspecified . '' Yemen 's government and Houthi rebels have been involved in intermittent fighting since 2004 . The conflict is believed to be both separatist -- over who will have power in the area -- and sectarian -- whether Shia Islam will dominate even though the majority of Yemenis are Sunni . Yemen 's President Ali Abdullah Saleh is also faced with a separatist movement in the country 's south and a growing threat from al Qaeda . Al-Qaeda 's presence in Yemen has been a growing concern for the United States . In late July , Gen. David Petraeus , CENTCOM Commander , and an accompanying delegation , flew to Yemen and met with Saleh . According to SABA , one of the topics of discussion was how to better combat terrorism . Nine foreigners were abducted in June while apparently on a picnic in Saada Province . The bodies of three of them , a South Korean teacher and two German nurses were discovered . Five Germans , including three children and a Briton , are still missing and their status is unknown . It is still unclear who is behind the kidnapping . Initial official statements said the group was apparently seized by Houthi rebels . However , Yemen 's news agency later reported Houthi rebels accused drug cartels of abducting the group and killing the three . In addition , SABA said a spokesman for the rebels accused regional tribes of being behind the kidnappings and slayings . The incident was the latest in a string of kidnappings of foreign workers in Yemen this year . All of the previous hostages had been released unharmed , including 24 medical workers seized in Yemen 's Amran province . In March , four South Korean tourists were killed in the city of Al Shibam when a bomb exploded as they were taking pictures . In January , two female Belgian tourists and a Yemeni driver were killed by gunmen while the three were traveling in a convoy in Al Shibam . | Move follows offensive by Yemeni forces against rebels in north . Government and Houthi rebels involved in intermittent fighting since 2004 . Conflict said to be separatist -- who will have power in the area -- and sectarian . Nine foreigners abducted in June while apparently on a picnic in Saada region . | [[71, 124], [177, 258], [514, 721], [1135, 1143], [1172, 1360], [1519, 1613], [1614, 1660], [1614, 1626], [1639, 1717], [1802, 1941], [464, 487], [492, 513], [2237, 2274]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One of three inmates who escaped from an Indiana maximum-security prison was captured Monday about eight miles away in southwestern Michigan , officials said . From left , Lance Battreal , Mark Booher and Charles Smith escaped from an Indiana prison Sunday . Charles Smith , 48 , who was serving time on a murder charge , was captured in Grand Beach , Michigan , near the vacation home of Richard Daley , the mayor of Chicago , Illinois . Daley said he was inside with his wife and three grandchildren at the time of the capture . Smith and another of the escapees were spotted walking near the house at 5:30 a.m. by a Chicago police officer assigned to Daley 's security detail , the mayor said . `` I think they were lost , and they happened to pass in the vicinity , '' Daley said . Though Smith was captured and handed over to the Grand Beach Police Department , the other man escaped into the woods , where police have been searching , Daley said . Police urged residents to be on alert . `` I have residents in this area calling their neighbors and telling everybody , stay inside , keep their children inside and watch the news for updates , '' Dan Schroeder of the Grand Beach Police Department told CNN affiliate WLS on Monday . Smith escaped from the prison in Michigan City on Sunday with convicted murderer Mark Booher , 46 , and convicted rapist Lance Battreal , 45 , said John Schrader , a public information officer with the Indiana Department of Corrections . `` It appears they escaped by traveling in tunnels under the prison grounds , '' Schrader said Sunday . `` This is a very unusual occurrence . '' Smith was sentenced in 1999 to a 95-year sentence for murder . Battreal was sentenced in 1998 to 50 years for rape , criminal confinement and stalking . Booher was sentenced in 1999 to 65 years for murder and robbery . CNN 's Janet DiGiacomo contributed to this report . | NEW : Escapee found near Chicago mayor 's Michigan vacation home . Charles Smith was captured Monday 8 miles from prison . Two murderers and rapist apparently broke out of prison Sunday , officials say . Escape via tunnels under prison was `` very unusual occurrence , '' official says . | [[0, 15], [92, 159], [26, 39], [44, 91], [162, 178], [179, 188], [191, 277], [1257, 1313], [1498, 1570], [1599, 1637]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Nearly two years after he pleaded guilty to a federal charge of bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in Virginia , Michael Vick was reinstated to the National Football League on a conditional basis , according to an NFL statement Monday . Michael Vick will be considered for full reinstatement based on his progress by the sixth week . Vick `` will be considered for full reinstatement and to play in regular-season games by Week 6 based on the progress he makes in his transition plan , '' the statement said . Week 6 of the NFL season is in October . Vick may participate in practices , workouts and meetings and may play in his club 's final two preseason games under the conditions of his reinstatement , the league said . Vick , in a statement , thanked the league 's commissioner and former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy , who has served as his mentor . `` I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Commissioner -LSB- Roger -RSB- Goodell for allowing me to be readmitted to the National Football League , '' Vick said in a statement . `` I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege , not a right , and I am truly thankful for the opportunity I have been given . '' Vick , 29 , was freed from federal prison at Leavenworth , Kansas , on May 20 and returned to his home to serve the last two months of his 23-month sentence in home confinement . Vick also said in his statement that he is re-evaluating his life after the `` terrible mistakes '' he made . `` As you can imagine , the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life , mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward , '' Vick said in the statement . `` Again , I would like to thank the commissioner for the chance to return to the game I love and the opportunity to become an example of positive change . '' The former Atlanta Falcons player is a free agent and has not been signed by any team . Goodell said he was not involved in any negotiations between Vick and a team . Dungy has agreed to continue working with Vick as an adviser and mentor , the NFL statement said . Goodell said Vick underwent tests after requests from animal rights groups , including a psychiatric evaluation . `` We worked with animal rights activist groups , and we are clear , '' he said . `` We worked with their medical professionals about the aspects of our evaluations . Michael fully cooperated with all of those tests . Those tests did not indicate there was any reason he could n't make a transition forward . '' In a letter to Vick , Goodell wrote that his decision regarding full reinstatement `` will be based on reports from outside professionals , your probation officer and others charged with supervising your activities , the quality of your work outside football '' as well as factors such as the absence of any further law enforcement issues . iReport.com : Should Vick get a second chance ? `` This step-by-step approach is not meant to be a further punishment and should not be viewed as such , '' Goodell wrote , according to the NFL . `` Instead , it is intended to maximize the prospect that you can successfully resume your career and your life . I believe that a transitional approach with a strong network of support will give you the best opportunity to manage effectively the various issues and pressures that you will inevitably face in the coming weeks and months and earn your full reinstatement . '' Watch Goodell talk about his decision '' The league suspended Vick indefinitely in August 2007 after his guilty plea . Although he was released from federal custody July 20 , he must serve three years of probation , the league said . In reviewing Vick 's status , Goodell considered court records , submissions from Vick and others , reports from outside professionals and conversations with current and former players , among other items . At a hearing July 22 , Goodell spoke to Vick along with his representatives and others , including NFL Players ' Association officials . `` As I emphasized to you when we met ... it is actions that count , '' Goodell wrote to Vick . `` I accept that you are sincere when you say that you want to , and will , turn your life around and that you intend to be a positive role model for others . I am prepared to offer you that opportunity . Whether you succeed is entirely in your hands . '' Vick has also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . At a hearing in that case , he told the judge that he earned 12 cents an hour as an overnight janitor while in prison . `` We take this as a very serious matter , '' Goodell said . `` We 're dealing with a young man 's life . '' He said Vick admitted lying to him about his involvement in dogfighting and apologized . Goodell said he accepts Vick 's apology . He acknowledged that he does not like being lied to but said he intends to move forward . The Humane Society of the United States has said Vick has offered to work with the organization on anti-dogfighting campaigns . Wayne Pacelle , the organization 's president , has said Vick was to work on programs aimed at preventing youths from getting involved in dogfighting and on programs to assist young people who have been involved . In testimony before the bankruptcy judge , Vick acknowledged committing a `` heinous '' act and said he should have acted more maturely . `` Your margin of error is extremely limited , '' Goodell wrote to Vick . `` I urge you to take full advantage of the resources available to support you and to dedicate yourself to rebuilding your life and your career . If you do this , the NFL will support you . '' | NEW : Commissioner : `` We 're dealing with a young man 's life '' Quarterback can participate in practices , workouts and meetings , NFL says . Vick will also be able to play in his club 's final two preseason games . Vick was sentenced to 23 months on charges related to dogfighting . | [[4729, 4770], [590, 647], [590, 594], [639, 743], [590, 594], [639, 743]] |
HAMILTON , Bermuda -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Two of four Uyghurs relocated to Bermuda after seven years of detention in Guantanamo Bay , Cuba , denied Friday that they had ever been terrorists and expressed gratitude toward U.S. President Barack Obama for working to free them . Salahidin Abdalahut and Kheleel Mamut were two of four Uyghurs released from Gitmo . Thirteen remain there . Asked what he would say to someone who accused him of being a terrorist , one of the men , Kheleel Mamut , told CNN 's Don Lemon , `` I am no terrorist ; I have not been terrorist . I will never be terrorist . I am a peaceful person . '' Speaking through an interpreter who is herself a Uyghur who said she was sympathetic toward the men , the other man -- Salahidin Abdalahut -- described the past seven years as `` difficult times for me ... I feel bad that it took so long for me to be free . '' The two Chinese Muslims were among four relocated from Guantanamo to Bermuda ; another 13 remain in detention on the island . He said he had traveled to Afghanistan not to attend any terrorist training camps but because -- as a Uyghur -- he had been oppressed by the Chinese government . `` We had to leave the country to look for a better life , a peaceful life , and Afghanistan is a neighboring country to our country , and it 's easy to go , '' he said . `` It is difficult to obtain a visa to go to any other places , so it was really easy for us to just travel to Afghanistan . '' Asked what he hoped to do next , he said , `` I want to forget about the past and move on to a peaceful life in the future . '' In addition to the four relocated from Guantanamo to Bermuda , another 13 Uyghurs remain in detention on the island . The four were flown by private plane Wednesday night from Cuba to Bermuda , and were accompanied by U.S. and Bermudian representatives as well as their attorneys , according to Susan Baker Manning , part of the men 's legal team . The men , who are staying in an apartment , are free to roam about the island . Mamut accused the Bush administration of having held them without cause , and lauded Obama for having `` tried really hard to bring justice and he has been trying very hard to find other countries to resettle us and finally he freed us . '' He appealed to Obama to carry out his promise to shut Guantanamo Bay within a year . `` I would like President Obama to honor that word and to free my 13 brothers who were left behind and all of the rest of the people who deserve to be free , '' Mamut said . Asked how he had been treated in Guantanamo Bay , Mamut said , `` It is a jail , so there will be difficulties in the jail that we have faced and now , since I am a free man today , I would like to forget about all that . I really do n't want to think about those days . '' He cited a proverb from his homeland that means , `` What is done can not be undone . '' Asked if he had anything to say to anyone watching , he said , `` Thank you very much for those people who helped me to gain freedom . '' He said he had spoken earlier in the day with his family . `` They told me , `` My boy , my son , congratulations on your freedom . ' '' The move has had international repercussions , including causing a rift between the United States and Britain . A British official familiar with the agreement but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter told CNN the United States had informed London of the agreement `` shortly before the deal was concluded . '' A U.S. official , speaking on background , said the British feel blindsided . Bermuda is a British `` overseas territory . '' The four were twice cleared for release -- once by the Bush administration and again this year , according to a Justice Department statement . The issue of where they go is controversial because of China 's opposition to the Uyghurs ' being sent to any country but China . Uyghurs are a Muslim minority from the Xinjiang province of far west China . The 17 Uyghurs had left China and made their way to Afghanistan , where they settled in a camp with other Uyghurs opposed to the Chinese government , the Justice Department said in its statement . They left Afghanistan after U.S. bombings began in the area in October 2001 and were apprehended in Pakistan , the statement said . `` According to available information , these individuals did not travel to Afghanistan with the intent to take any hostile action against the United States , '' the statement said . However , China alleges that the men are part of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement -- a group the U.S. State Department considers a terrorist organization -- that operates in the Xinjiang region . East Turkestan is another name for Xinjiang . China on Thursday urged the United States to hand over all 17 of the Uyghurs instead of sending them elsewhere . The United States will not send Uyghur detainees cleared for release back to China out of concern that they would be tortured by Chinese authorities . China has said no returned Uyghurs would be tortured . A senior U.S. administration official told CNN that the State Department is working on a final agreement with Palau to settle the 13 remaining Uyghur detainees . CNN 's Don Lemon and Brian Vitagliano in Hamilton , Bermuda , and Jill Dougherty contributed to this report . | Two Uyghurs relocated from Guantanamo spoke Friday with CNN 's Don Lemon . Both denied having been terrorists and expressed gratitude toward U.S. president . Four of the Chinese Muslims were relocated to Bermuda ; 13 remain at Gitmo . Incident has had international repercussions centering on where to relocate men . | [[11, 34], [137, 271], [11, 34], [58, 127], [357, 380], [915, 956], [1610, 1655], [1658, 1712], [1713, 1786], [3162, 3273]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Despite some high-profile bombings in recent days , Iraq 's security forces are ready to take over for U.S. forces this week to stabilize the nation 's major cities , the U.S. commander in Iraq told CNN on Sunday . Except for soldiers in advisory roles , all U.S. combat troops will leave Iraqi cities and towns by June 30 . Army Gen. Ray Odierno said he 's seen a `` constant improvement '' in both the security situation and governance in Iraq to prepare for the June 30 deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from major cities . `` They 've been working for this for a long time , '' Odierno said on CNN 's `` State of the Union . '' In a separate interview on `` Fox News Sunday , '' Odierno said all U.S. troops already were out of Iraq 's major cities before Tuesday 's deadline . `` We have already moved out of the cities , '' Odierno said . `` We 've been slowly doing it over the last eight months . And the final units have moved out of the cities over the last several weeks . '' Watch CNN 's Michael Ware on the U.S. withdrawal '' The shift is part of the security agreement that former President George W. Bush 's administration signed with Iraq . In the CNN interview , Odierno blamed the recent violence in Iraq on `` extremist elements using the timeframe and date to gain attention to themselves and divert attention from the success of Iraqi security forces . '' The 131,000 U.S. troops in Iraq still will `` maintain full coordination with Iraqi forces inside the cities '' and continue to have intelligence capacity , Odierno said . With approval from the Iraqis , they also will carry out operations in major cities as necessary , he said . Odierno said his goal is to help provide security that allows Iraq to hold planned national elections leading to the eventual removal of all U.S. troops by the end of 2011 . He said his biggest worry is a breakdown in stability such as a `` consistent increase in violence '' or a situation that Iraqi forces ca n't handle . `` I do n't see that '' happening , Odierno said . `` I think we 're on the right path . '' Odierno also said Iran continues to `` interfere '' in Iraq , including training insurgents and paying surrogates . But he said his mission is limited to providing security within Iraq , no matter the provocation from Iran or elsewhere . `` I 'm not authorized to do anything outside the borders of Iraq , '' he said . Iran 's government has repeatedly denied fomenting violence inside Iraq . | Gen. Ray Odierno sees `` constant improvement '' in security , governance in Iraq . Iran continues to `` interfere '' in Iraq , Odierno says . Iranian government repeatedly denies instigating violence inside Iraq . | [[344, 516], [1556, 1570], [2041, 2055], [2097, 2104], [2110, 2212], [2416, 2489]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Nepalese journalist who reported on women 's rights and wrote several articles criticizing the dowry system was hacked to death in her room , a media rights group said Monday . A Nepalese journalist takes part in a protest last month demanding more freedom for the press . The killing of Uma Singh , 26 , is part of a growing and troubling pattern of violence directed at reporters in the South Asian country , the Federation of Nepalese Journalists said . In protest , journalists throughout Nepal are expected to stage demonstrations Tuesday , calling on the government to ensure their safety . `` If the government is not ready to provide any kind of security to journalists , it will be very difficult to do journalism in a free mode , '' said Dharmendra Jha , president of the federation . Singh wrote for a daily newspaper and reported for a radio station in Janakpur , about 240 km -LRB- 150 miles -RRB- southeast of the capital city of Katmandu . When she got home from work Sunday night , a group of about 15 men barged into the room she rented at a house and hacked her with sharp objects in full view of other boarders , Jha said . `` I am very very shocked , '' said Jha , who arrived in Janakpur Monday to probe the killing . `` She was my student and I brought her into active journalism . '' Authorities do not have a motive for the killing . In some of her articles , Singh spoke out against the dowry system , where a bride 's family is forced to give cash and property to the groom 's family before the wedding . Also Sunday , a group of men ransacked the house of another journalist , leaving a cross on her door and telling her it was her turn next , media groups said . Police do not know if the two incidents are related . In recent months , the number of attacks on journalists in Nepal has shot up . The federation released a year-end report , recording 284 incidents -- including three deaths and a kidnapping . The incidents also include shutting down media outlets , burning copies of magazines and beatings . Some of the assailants have ties to the Communist Party of Nepal , the largest party in Nepal 's coalition government , according to New York-based Human Rights Watch . The party is led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal , or Prachanda -- a man who led a decade-long bloody insurgency before being sworn in as prime minister . During the decade-long civil war , Maoist forces under him carried out numerous attacks on journalists they believed were opposed to their cause , Human Rights Watch said . And after he became prime minister , Prachanda issued a public warning to journalists while addressing a massive crowd in Katmandu : `` Now we will no longer tolerate criticism as we have already been elected by the people . '' `` The problem we 're facing is the problem of impunity , '' Jha said . `` There are many armed groups in plain sight . The government has to hold them accountable . Otherwise , we are not safe . '' | Nepalese journalist who reported on women 's rights is hacked to death . Killing of Uma Singh is part of pattern of violence directed at reporters in Nepal . Journalists throughout Nepal expected to stage demonstrations Tuesday . | [[19, 40], [45, 72], [294, 318], [326, 380], [372, 429], [1766, 1782], [1785, 1844], [478, 488], [491, 564]] |
Editor 's note : Maria Hinojosa , an award-winning journalist and author , joined NOW on PBS as senior correspondent in 2005 . Hinojosa , who formerly covered urban affairs for CNN , also serves as anchor and managing editor of National Public Radio 's `` Latino USA , '' a weekly national program reporting on news and culture in the Latino community . Maria Hinojosa says Sonia Sotomayor 's success has helped boost self-confidence for many . NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It 's a question I never thought I would ask my daughter . But I loved being able to ask it . `` Yurema ? '' `` Yes , Mom , '' my 11-year-old daughter said . `` Tell me what T-shirt you would most like to wear : one that says ' I am a Wise Latina , ' ` My Mother is a Wise Latina ' or ` Sonia is a Wise Latina ' ? '' She cocked her head slightly and then quickly said , `` I am a Wise Latina . '' Eleven years old , and this is the vision she already has of herself . It 's a pretty wonderful thing to watch that certain something blossom in a girl ... one of those often fleeting moments when a girl owns her own power . For me , the decision to wear my own `` Wise Latina '' T-shirt raises all kinds of issues . It makes me confront a past that I have known for decades . Deep down inside , I , like many other Latinas , struggle with my own very deep insecurities in relation to my white male colleagues . I think after witnessing history on television for the past two weeks , those insecurities have pretty much dissipated . Sonia Sotomayor has blazed the trail . I ca n't go back to thinking that way , anymore , ever . Before , when I told people that I was a Latina , I never knew what , if any , image they might have in their mind . Everyone carries stereotypes and preconceived notions . But now when I say to people that I am a Latina , might they immediately think , `` A wise Latina '' ? My daughter is learning all of these lessons from Sotomayor , a Puerto Rican woman . When I was Yurema 's age , back in the '70s , the only Puerto Rican woman I knew of was Maria -LRB- played by Natalie Wood -RRB- from `` West Side Story . '' I grew up on the South Side of Chicago after being born in Mexico . My Puerto Rican Maria from West Side Story taught me that love and commitment could transcend borders and divisions . Sonia is teaching Yurema , and all of us , that intelligence and compassion -LRB- and an honest way with words -RRB- can also cross all borders : political ones , those of gender or ethnicity . And I have learned that my own challenge now is to reach this very high bar that Sotomayor has set . I must `` own '' that I am , indeed , a wise Latina . Later on the day of the T-shirt decision , my daughter hears my reaction when I read that Sen. John McCain , whom my daughter knows well because we followed the election , is going to vote against Sotomayor 's confirmation . `` What a big jerk ! '' was her age-appropriate response . Then , after a pause , Yurema said , `` So that means John McCain thinks Sarah Palin is a wise woman ? But not Sonia ? Harrumph . '' `` Harrumph '' is also an age-appropriate response . But the lasting impact of McCain 's decision will be much more profound than upsetting an 11-year-old wise Latina girl . In fact , I would venture to say that , politically , there are many in the Republican Party who are convinced this was a politically unwise choice by McCain . It 's just not that complicated . Look at the changing demographics in the United States . Then think about what happens when you vote against the first Latina Supreme Court nominee . Maybe McCain is n't wise enough to see that reality , so I will tell him a story about a Dominican-born , U.S. citizen cabby from my Harlem neighborhood . While he drove down Broadway , I asked the cabby if he thought that President Obama was pandering to the Latino communities across the country with the Sotomayor nomination . `` Pero muchacha ! '' he exclaimed in a true Dominican style . `` He is not pandering . He owes us ! Everyone knows now that without the Latino vote , you can not win the presidency . He has to deliver , politically . I am a new citizen , and I voted for Obama my first time . Just like a bunch of us Dominican cabbies . Now this is my country and my politics . '' `` And is that the way you guys talk amongst yourselves ? That the Latino vote is that powerful ? '' `` Yep , asi lo vemos . That 's how we see it ! But even though we love Sonia , Obama still owes us . '' And what must Obama deliver to satisfy this very politically astute cabby ? `` Imigracion ! He must solve this immigration problem . Families are divided up . It is unjust . So Obama must understand that is what we want him to deliver now . '' A wise Latino with some wise advice for the president . And for McCain and the Republican Party ? Buena suerte , winning the next elections ! The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maria Hinojosa . | Maria Hinojosa : My daughter and I are wearing `` wise Latina '' T-shirts . She says Sonia Sotomayor has helped erase insecurity for many . She says McCain 's opposition to Sotomayor 's nomination was a mistake . Hinojosa : Political impact of Latino population is likely to grow . | [[647, 654], [675, 682], [685, 719], [354, 444], [369, 444], [2743, 2759], [2767, 2877]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Elizabeth and Mary Profit will not be taking center court at the U.S. Open women 's doubles final to face Venus and Serena Williams , but they share many of the athletic qualities that have made Venus and Serena the most dominant sisters in tennis history . Elizabeth Profit plays tennis while wearing an insulin monitor at her waist in this family photo . Elizabeth is 13 years old and holds a top ten ranking among 14-year-olds in Southern California . She is already defeating top-ranked players in the 18-year-old division . Her sister Mary , at 11 , is also a top-ranked player and dominating her age group . Mary won her first tournament at the age of 6 . Both girls started playing tennis as infants by hitting balls of socks across their living room . Their mother , Yvonne Profit , recognized their talent and saw it as an opportunity to develop sportsmanship and character and help them earn athletic scholarships at top national universities . So far , they have exceeded her expectations . In a sport that more often tends to develop players from affluent backgrounds , Elizabeth and Mary have already beaten overwhelming odds and endured the kind of adversity that too often ends in defeat . Watch how the sisters hope to achieve their tennis dreams '' The Profit sisters grew up in a single-parent household and trained with less than stellar coaches . They developed an exemplary work ethic to compensate for a lack of resources , Elizabeth said . Yvonne , who earned a degree at the University of Michigan , decided to give up her full-time job and move her daughters into an RV to keep up with the rigorous demands of traveling for tournaments . Elizabeth sleeps on a couch . There is a portable stove and shower . But the girls view living in an RV as an inconvenience rather than a hardship . The Profit sisters may be on a path toward a professional tennis career , but Elizabeth 's story off the court is just as compelling . She has juvenile diabetes and has been living with the disease since the age of 2 , when her body stopped producing insulin . Elizabeth learned how to test her blood sugar levels before the age of 3 and two years later , she began administering insulin injections on her own . `` My mom said I 'm not going use my diabetes as a disability , '' said Elizabeth . `` I 've got it for the rest of my life . And if they miraculously find a cure for it then that 's great , but I have to live with it . I ca n't make excuses . '' Until she learned how to manage diabetes , Elizabeth found herself collapsing at times . `` In this one particular tournament Elizabeth played in , her blood sugar was totally out of control and I kept hollering out to her , ` Quit ! Retire , you do n't have to do this , ' '' said Yvonne . `` She stopped and she turned around and said , ' I can do this . I can do this , Mom . ' '' Elizabeth went on to win the match and the tournament . `` By the time we got home , she had collapsed on the floor . And I said , ` Sweetie pie , why did n't you quit ? ' '' Yvonne remembered . `` Because you did n't raise me to be a quitter , '' Elizabeth told her mother . In spite of her diabetes , Elizabeth reached the No. 1 ranking in her age group in Southern California at 10 years old . Her sister Mary knows that diabetes can be debilitating and a matter of life and death , so she constantly watches over her older sister . `` Sometimes when I wake up to go to the bathroom , I check her blood sugar , when my mom 's sleeping , '' said Mary . `` Sometimes I wake up and give her something if her blood sugar is low . '' For the past ten years , Yvonne said , she has been unable to obtain private health insurance on the open market for her daughter because diabetes is considered a pre-existing medical condition . Elizabeth used to rely on a large insulin pump to make it through the day , but now she wears a small patch that releases insulin . Despite the inconvenience of checking her blood sugar level a dozen times a day , Elizabeth has not let diabetes deter her from achieving her goals . `` At 17 , I hope to see myself in the quarters of the U.S. Open like Melanie Oudin , '' she said . `` I hope to win some grand slams and get that No. 1 ranking . '' Elizabeth 's advice to anyone with diabetes is universal . `` I 'd say if you give up , you 're going to have to look back on your life and say , ` Oh I could have done this , I could have done that , ' '' she said . `` You do n't want to let life pass you by . You 're going to have so many years to live , so you might as well have fun while you do it . And once you die , you 're going to have a legacy behind , so make your life as fun as you can . '' Next year , Yvonne is planning to enter Elizabeth on the women 's professional tour , at the same age that Serena and Venus Williams turned pro . | Tennis player Elizabeth Profit , 13 , ranks high in her age group ; to turn pro next year . Elizabeth has juvenile diabetes , manages it ; `` I ca n't make excuses , '' she says . Sister Mary , 11 , also a rising tennis star , watches over her older sister . `` You do n't want to let life pass you by , '' Elizabeth advises others with diabetes . | [[401, 426], [2488, 2511], [3296, 3434], [3388, 3434], [2332, 2351], [4275, 4333], [4492, 4536]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rep. Joe Wilson said Sunday he will not apologize again for yelling out that President Obama lied during the president 's speech to Congress last week . Rep. Joe Wilson , R-South Carolina , shouts `` You lie ! '' during President Obama 's speech Wednesday night . `` I am not going to apologize again , '' the South Carolina Republican said on `` FOX News Sunday '' when asked about pending disciplinary steps against him by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives . Wilson said he already apologized to Obama and that the president accepted it . However , he insisted that Obama `` was misstating the facts , '' and that Democratic leaders in the House were `` playing politics '' by continuing to focus on the issue . House Democrats plan to censure Wilson if he refuses to apologize on the House floor this week . Wilson issued a statement about that Sunday , saying , `` The American people are fed up with the political games in Washington , and I refuse to participate in an effort to divert our attention away from the task at hand of reforming health insurance and creating new jobs . '' Watch the debate over Wilson 's comment '' The controversy has shifted the focus of the heated health care debate by calling attention to claims by Republicans that a health care overhaul sought by Obama and Democrats would provide free insurance coverage for illegal immigrants . Obama and Democratic leaders insist that nothing in any of the health care proposals currently before Congress includes health care coverage for illegal immigrants or would provide taxpayer money to help illegal immigrants buy private health coverage . However , Wilson and other opponents of Democratic proposals say the plans provide no enforcement mechanism to screen applicants for citizenship requirements . Wilson said Sunday that Republican amendments calling for such enforcement were rejected by congressional committees that have passed the Democratic proposals . When asked if Obama had lied to Congress , Wilson responded : `` I believe he was misstating the facts . '' He noted that Senate Finance Committee members negotiating a compromise agreement have called for enforcement mechanisms similar to what Republicans are proposing . The national response to Wilson 's nationally televised outburst , in which he yelled `` You lie '' as Obama spoke about health care to a joint session of Congress , shows the deep public divide over the issue . Wilson and his opponent for re-election next year have each raised more than $ 1 million since Wilson 's heckling of the president on Wednesday , according to aides for each . In addition , Wilson has posted a Web video that asks for campaign cash to fend off attacks from political opponents . Immediately after Obama 's speech Wednesday , Wilson issued a statement that apologized for inappropriate behavior . He also called the White House that night and spoke to Obama 's chief of staff , Rahm Emanuel , who told Wilson that Obama accepted his apology . Obama said publicly that he accepted the apology . Wilson `` apologized quickly and unequivocally , and I 'm appreciative of that , '' the president said . Wilson said Sunday that should be enough , adding that he respected the president and `` would never do something like that again . '' | Rep. Joe Wilson says he apologized to Obama and that should be enough . Wilson yelled `` You lie '' as Obama made health care speech to Congress last week . House Democrats plan to censure Wilson unless he apologizes in House this week . Wilson says he respects president , `` would never do something like that again '' | [[497, 576], [509, 539], [3180, 3220], [0, 15], [19, 171], [217, 226], [229, 264], [2289, 2318], [2330, 2417], [322, 496], [750, 788], [3180, 3186], [3223, 3311]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Many skiers who visit Colorado prefer the slopes of Aspen , Vail or Breckenridge . But there 's a cool little day trip from Denver that often gets overlooked by out-of-towners . The Ski Train begins its round-trip journey to Winter Park at Union Station in Denver , Colorado . The Ski Train is a 68-year-old local favorite that shuttles about 750 people between Denver and Winter Park . It runs on weekend days -- leaving Denver 's Union Station at 7:15 a.m. -- and begins the return leg nine hours later . The 56-mile trip takes about two hours each way , and many riders say it 's worth the cost to avoid the traffic hassles of the oft-congested I-70 . A roundtrip ticket costs between $ 49 and $ 85 . There are additional expenses , such as parking at the train station in Denver and lift tickets for skiers . If someone chooses to shop instead of ski , a free shuttle into Winter Park is available . Train riders love the trip route , which winds through the Rockies and climbs to 9,000 feet . It also travels through almost 30 tunnels , including the 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel , which passes underneath the Continental Divide . `` The train ride up there is spectacular . You see wonderful vistas as you leave Denver through the northern plains and into the mountains , '' Kristal Kraft , a real estate agent in Denver , says . `` And once you get through the Moffat Tunnel , you 're right there at Winter Park . '' Kraft says she enjoyed her maiden voyage on the train , which came courtesy of a local home builder that bought group tickets in one of the club cars . `` I loved the convenience -LSB- of the train -RSB- , ' she says . `` We relaxed , talked , socialized . And when you get off the train , you are right there at the slopes . '' According to skitrain.com , three additional cars are available for charter and one for company retreats . The Web site lists the price for the presentation car at $ 5,000 for a winter trip . The site says the current train cars were purchased after Ansco Investment Company bought the Ski Train in 1988 . Kraft says the cars are comfortably heated and there is ample room to move around . Kraft , an amateur photography buff , enjoyed switching from window to window , side to side , to take pictures . There is one occasional hitch to riding the train . It shares the track with the Union Pacific Railroad and at times has to stop or pullover to make way for a freight train or Amtrak . And there are instances where another train has an accident . One time a coal train derailed in a tunnel and the Union Pacific officials told the Ski Train operators it would take two days to clear the tracks , says Ski Train media relations director Jim Bain . They called the passengers together in a cafeteria in Winter Park and advised them to call friends and family to come pick them up . The company also arranged for a few buses to come gather the remaining passengers and Bain says they were all headed back to Denver by 8:30 p.m. . It was a worst-case scenario , he says , and it only happened once . There are occasional delays of a few hours . The bad news is you 're delayed ; the good news is you 're on a full service train with food service and restrooms . And there 's the ability to find a beverage . One reviewer on the Web site yelp.com said there 's another bonus to the train . `` What 's great is that once you get back into Denver you can hit Wynkoop brewery or any other bars around there to keep the party rolling , '' Ramon G. wrote . | Ski Train from Denver to Winter Park has been a local favorite for 68 years . Train ferries skiers to slopes in Colorado 's Rocky Mountains . `` The train ride up there is spectacular , '' says Denver resident . Train passes through 6.2-mile Moffat Tunnel underneath the Continental Divide . | [[197, 282], [296, 405], [313, 341], [347, 405], [1152, 1175], [1149, 1192], [1017, 1019], [1025, 1097], [1071, 1097], [1106, 1148]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Six hip-hop artists from five countries speaking four languages are on stage , warming up for their show at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts . International hip-hop artists warm up for their show at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday . `` Warming up '' does n't really capture it ; the dancers explode across the stage , each one with a different hip-hop style . Michelle Salazar is chic-grungy in black jeans and white T-shirt , her long black hair swirling around her head . Hassan El Haf , from Lebanon , tall and thin , does a kind of electric hip-hop mixed with salsa . Argentines Mauricio Trech and Silvia Fernandez move in a dramatic break dance . Both hail from Argentina , home of the tango . Hien Ngoc Pham from Vietnam , with a buzz cut and dressed in white jeans and a white T-shirt , has Broadway bravado in his every move . The dancing stops and Samer Samahneh begins rapping -- in Arabic . No translation needed ; it comes from his soul . Three weeks ago , the dancers had never met , but now they 're a team , participating in the State Department 's Cultural Visitors Program . The program consists of three weeks of meeting American hip-hop artists and dancers and visiting New York City , Philadelphia and Washington , D.C. `` It 's like a dream come true for me , '' Salazar said Tuesday , the day of the team 's show , `` because I only read their names in the Internet and now , like , I met Afrika Bambaataa , the founder of hip-hop . I was right next to him . It 's a real immersion into the culture . I do n't want to wake up ! '' Salazar is n't just star-struck . She 's learning a lot and she plans to bring it back to her fellow dancers in the Philippines . `` Dancers in the Philippines do n't have much of a foundation -LSB- in hip-hop -RSB- , '' she says . `` They do n't understand why dancers do this '' -- she moves her arm -- `` or why they do this '' -- she strikes a pose . `` Because if they knew why they would feel it . I can feel it by watching these -LSB- American -RSB- hip-hop dancers . '' Samahneh agrees : `` You 've got to feel it . '' His rapping , he says , comes from inside-out . `` Even if you do n't know the language , you can get involved with what I 'm saying . '' Samahneh says that when he raps in his hometown of Nablus in the West Bank , he is `` asking God to bring peace to our land . '' Colombia Barrosse , the vibrant head of the State Department 's Cultural Programs Division of the Bureau of Cultural Affairs , says the cultural cross-fertilization is the goal of the program . `` There is nothing that can substitute for being in the United States and meeting Americans in their place , to look at the richness and diversity of the United States . That 's irreplaceable , '' she says . The Cultural Visitors Program is part of the State Department 's cultural programming around the world . The $ 8.5 million budget is supplemented by institutions like the Kennedy Center , which is co-sponsoring this performance . Most of the visiting artists in the program found their way to professional dance through hip-hop . Pham , a member of the Vietnam Dance Association , is currently working to open a hip-hop training center in Ho Chi Minh City to reach out to young people . With a broad smile , he says , `` Hip-hop is such energy . It 's so young . It 's also an opportunity for our countries to get closer , and I have a lot of friends all over the world . '' Hip-hop may have started in the United States , but it belongs to everyone . Here 's how Hassan El Haf puts it : When he got to New York , he felt as if he had landed on his `` real planet . '' `` Yeah , I see them , all the dancers in the street , the music , all the people that like hip-hop music , '' he says . `` When I do hip-hop , it makes me feel happy all the time . This is my life . '' | Hip-hop artists from five countries visit the U.S. to meet U.S. artists , perform . Visit is part of State Department 's Cultural Visitors Program . Team visits New York City , Washington , Philadelphia over three weeks . `` It 's a real immersion into the culture , '' Philippine performer says . | [[1031, 1034], [1085, 1153], [1154, 1294], [1154, 1165], [1242, 1294], [1543, 1584]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Investigators are looking into whether employees at the Los Angeles County coroner 's office illegally leaked information about Michael Jackson 's death probe to the news media , according to a sheriff 's spokesman . Police stand outside the Los Angeles County Coroner 's Office when Michael Jackson 's body was there in June . Vivid descriptions of Jackson 's corpse , which was in the coroner 's custody for an autopsy , were published by tabloid newspapers in the days after his death . The Los Angeles County Supervisors office on Friday asked the sheriff to conduct a `` preliminary inquiry , '' which will determine whether there is enough evidence to launch a full investigation , said Steve Whitmore , a sheriff 's spokesman . Whitmore did not provide details on what prompted the request . The Los Angeles Times quoted Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas as saying his office called the sheriff 's department after reports that coroner 's employees not involved in the Jackson death probe had viewed his death certificate in the office database . Ridley-Thomas has not responded to CNN requests for comment . The coroner 's office is investigating the cause of Jackson 's June 25 death . It has been waiting on toxicology lab results , but a final autopsy report is expected as soon as next week , a coroner 's spokesman has said . Los Angeles police are also investigating the death . Detectives traveled to Houston , Texas , this week to search the medical office of Dr. Conrad Murray , Jackson 's personal doctor . CNN 's Sonya Hamasaki contributed to this report . | Vivid descriptions of Jackson 's corpse are published by tabloid newspapers . L.A. officials ask sheriff to conduct preliminary inquiry . A sheriff 's spokesman did not say what prompted the request . The coroner 's office is investigating the cause of Jackson 's June 25 death . | [[372, 411], [457, 533], [534, 639], [223, 260], [779, 842], [1175, 1253]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rob Thomas is a busy guy -- so busy , he apparently has n't had much time to check in with his Matchbox Twenty bandmates . Rob Thomas prefers to focus on the `` musician '' side of his career , rather than `` celebrity . '' We only know this because we ran into guitarist Paul Doucette at the BMI Pop Awards in Beverly Hills several weeks ago , where he was picking up a plaque for songwriter of the year . `` We 're interviewing Rob about his solo album , '' I told him . `` Hey , '' Doucette exclaimed . `` Tell that guy to call me , would you ? I did n't even know he was in L.A. ! '' By the time we met up with Thomas the next day , he and Doucette had already connected over drinks somewhere between midnight and the morning -- musician 's hours . Thomas recently released `` Cradlesong , '' his second solo CD . Even though he 's clearly excited about it , he spends as much time talking about Matchbox Twenty as he does the solo album he 's in town to promote . For the 37-year-old singer-songwriter , it 's all interconnected . One has fed into the other since he gained household name status a decade ago , after scoring a massive , Grammy-winning hit with Carlos Santana on `` Smooth . '' Watch Thomas describe the difference between being a celebrity and a musician '' The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : Who has given you the best piece of advice ? Rob Thomas : Carlos -LSB- Santana -RSB- will constantly send you messages out of nowhere . Carlos will call me at 10 at night and be like , `` Listen , I had a dream about you , and so much good is happening , but there 's dark forces at work , and when you get out of here , I have this woman who wants to cleanse you . '' I think Carlos ' most important piece of advice ever was that he taught me the difference between being a celebrity and being a famous musician . CNN : But some artists do n't have that kind of success , and they try for celebrity instead . Thomas : Sure , and sometimes that works -- but none of my favorites have done that . I remember when Matchbox Twenty started years ago , and we had a lot of success , but nobody knew who we were . The first time we did an interview with MTV , it was about how no one knew who we were . We had sold 8 million records . I do n't know if we were being naive at the time , but we thought we 'd won because our songs were more famous than we were . I 'm much more known for the music that I make than what I do with my life . It 's never , `` Oh yeah , I 've been seeing you in -LSB- the New York Post gossip column -RSB- Page Six at these clubs that you go to '' or `` I know who you 're sleeping with . '' CNN : When you became famous for being Rob Thomas the solo artist , did that cause problems within the band ? Thomas : No . I think the guys would rather it be me than them . None of them want the job , and they realize that it 's working now . They have a singer . I can go out and do it -LSB- publicity -RSB- for them , and they 're fine with it . They can stay home . I think there 's nothing more attractive than wealth and anonymity . If I 'm not out supporting my work , I really do n't want people to see me . I go to movie premieres -- my wife and I -- all the time , and nine out of 10 of those movie premieres , much to my publicist 's dismay , I get there , but I sneak around the pictures and get into the party -LSB- using the back entrance -RSB- . If I have a record coming out , I 'll go in front of the cameras , and I 'll say , `` Hi ! Hey , I 'm at this movie premiere . '' I liken it to being a switch that I can move on and off . CNN : What has doing a solo project enabled you to do that you ca n't do with a band ? Thomas : I get to pick my own schedule , and that 's nice . Matchbox Twenty -- it 's four lead singers , there 's four front men , and everybody 's tastes , everybody 's schedule , everybody 's personal life comes into account when you 're doing something like that . We all live -LSB- in four different cities -RSB- ... so we literally have to pull ourselves up from all over the country and go somewhere , just to get us into a room to write . And you have to not think you 're so great so you do n't get upset when somebody does n't like your stuff . Like `` Her Diamonds '' -- one of the singles on this solo album -- is one of my favorite songs that I 've ever written , and the guys loved the song , but did n't want to play it . -LSB- They said , -RSB- `` When you do a new solo record , you should put it on there . It does n't sound like a song we would do right now . '' And they were right . When we put together the last Matchbox record , it was much more of a rock record . CNN : What 's the most surprising thing on your iPod ? Thomas : Britney Spears . Come on ! `` Toxic , '' man , is just one of the baddest tracks ever ! I remember the first time we listened to '' ... Baby One More Time . '' ... We were like , `` Oh , let 's go play Britney Spears on the piano ! '' And we all come over drinking , and after a couple of minutes , we 're like , `` This Britney Spears is a lot harder than we thought ! '' CNN : Whose career would you like to emulate ? Thomas : Tom Petty is a famous musician . He 's not a music celebrity . When Tom Petty walks down the street , you know that it 's Tom Petty , but it would be like , `` Oh my gosh , it 's Tom Petty ! I love Tom Petty , right on ! '' It would never be like , `` Aaaaaaaah ! '' -- and 3 million teenage girls follow him down the street . | Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty has new album out , `` Cradlesong '' Thomas says Matchbox Twenty is still very much together . Singer : `` Nothing more attractive than wealth and anonymity '' | [[797, 835], [3069, 3137], [3077, 3137]] |
Dutch Harbor , ALASKA -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- In Dutch Harbor the smell of fish wafting from the docks and the canneries is the smell of money . And lately , the town has smelled a lot less fishy . High seas high jinx : Tobias gives his shipmate Hanns a haircut at sea using a sail bag as a barber cape . Over fishing , new quota systems and changes in expected weather patterns have all played a role in changing the face of this once swashbuckling Alaskan town , fishermen say . `` Last summer we thought that pollock fishing was over for good , it was so bad . Time to turn out the lights and go home . But then they cut the quotas by 30 percent and now there are some small signs of more small fish , so maybe they are coming back , '' said Guy Collins , who coordinates with fishing captains who unload their catch at the Unisea docks in Dutch Harbor . `` The fishermen have to go further north toward Russia now to get the fish that are near the ice . It used to be the boats would go out 100 miles , now they go out 500 . It could be partly due to temperature change and weather patterns . '' Dutch Harbor saw a revival in popularity with the reality show The Deadliest Catch , but even the high-fiving enthusiasm of the deck hands on the TV show ca n't match what the town was like in the glory days . `` Those were the days , in the mid 1980 's , there was booze , drugs and partying . You had lines of coke going down the bar and no one said anything , '' says Byron Singley , captain of the 24-ton fishing boat the Nancy Allen . `` People were making big money and spending it as fast as it came in . I earned $ 78,000 as a deckhand the first year I was here but I ca n't remember where it went . Those days are long gone . '' Aboard the Silent Sound , as we sail north through the Bering Sea , we 're finding other things are not quite like they used to be . For starters , we 've been becalmed for much of the trip when we were expecting to encounter strong winds on the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea . We have motored nearly half of our 2,300 miles so far . More importantly , the ice we were bracing ourselves for may not be where we expected to find it . While this is good news for the expedition from a sailing perspective , it 's less attractive for wildlife such as polar bears , seals and walruses that use the ice as a platform for hunting , mating and migration . `` The present extent of northern sea ice is very similar to the extents at this time in 2008 and in 2007 . It is close to values seen also in 1995 and 1990 . It is about five per cent below the long-term average of 12.2 m square kilometers , '' said Dr Humfrey Melling , a research scientist with the Institute of Ocean Sciences near Victoria , British Columbia . September 2007 was the first time that the Northwest Passage was open water from end to end . An ice forecast issued by the Canadian Ice Service on July 1 showed earlier than normal break up in many key areas in the Western Arctic . `` In the Western Arctic region , the breakup pattern is one to three weeks early in many coastal areas and by as much as one month in isolated areas , '' the report said . But we 're still some 400 miles from the Arctic Circle and a month from entering the heart of the Northwest Passage , which gives the Arctic plenty of time to surprise us . | Team aims to discover how climate change has affected Arctic and Inuit people . At Dutch Harbor , Alaska , discovered how fishing quota transforming community . Unexpected calm weather on trip so far despite sailing `` Deadliest Catch '' seas . Read the first ship 's log from the crew of the Silent Sound . | [[300, 378], [383, 430]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- After a town hall meeting on health-care reform in Belgrade , Montana , President Obama will escape to Big Sky country on Friday evening where he 'll spend time with family and go fly-fishing for the first time . White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel carries fly-fishing tackle to Marine One on Friday . Fly-fishing requires a singular focus , much like golf . Having newly discovered the sport myself , it occurred to me as I watched Marine One lift off the South Lawn on Friday that there are probably some lessons on the river that could apply to Obama 's presidency . Thinking like a producer , I called an expert -- fly-fishing instructor Tony Derosier , who described the evolution most fishermen go through . `` Usually , when you first go fishing , all you want to do is catch a fish , and then all you want to do is catch a lot of fish , and then you just want to catch the larger fish . After you 've caught a lot of large fish , you kind of go back to square one and catch just one fish , '' said Derosier , manager at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Aspen , Colorado . `` You basically just want to go fishing -- the numbers , the size , it does n't matter any more . '' Obama is in the `` big fish '' stage of his presidency : He 's trying to get health-care reform legislation passed hook , line , and sinker . If he 's successful , anything else he gets passed will be icing on the cake . Learning the fundamentals of fly-fishing can serve as a metaphor for health care reform . Obama just needs to look at hooking and landing Blue Dog Democrats and Republicans like he would trout . The first step -- learn how to cast . `` Fly-casting is all about maximizing the energy you put in your rod and you lose energy if you wait too long , '' Derosier said . `` And conversely , if you do n't wait long enough , your line will crack like a whip . '' Obama has to strike the right balance between rushing things through and losing momentum ; and maintaining support while bringing others over to his side . The second step -- reading the water : `` Instead of blindly casting anywhere in the river you want to understand where you might find fish , '' Derosier explained . Obama zeroed in on a fairly conservative state , Montana , where he faces a land full of skeptics about his health care reform plan . Third -- hook and land the fish : Derosier said once you hook the fish you have to know how to play the fish , which is a delicate balance between applying pressure but not so much that the line breaks -- much like the delicate balance of Obama 's courting members of Congress . `` The ultimate goal is to gain an advantage over the fish so that you can land him , '' he said . `` It 's the hardest thing to teach when it comes to fly-fishing , '' he said . Out in Montana , the game is catch-and-release trout . But in Washington , Obama is trying to hook Congress and take home health care reform , or risk it being the big one that got away . | CNN White House producer : Fly-fishing is a metaphor that fits Obama 's presidency . Beginning anglers desire to catch bigger and bigger fish , expert says . Obama is in the `` big fish '' stage of his presidency , Shawna Shepherd writes . Delicate processes of political success are like casting , reading the water , etc. . | [[549, 561], [567, 603], [888, 928], [1208, 1262]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Stars and Stripes , the newspaper that receives U.S. military funding to help it cover and get distributed free to American forces in war zones , complained Tuesday of censorship by military authorities in Iraq . A soldier with the U.S. Army 's 1st Cavalry Division patrols the streets of eastern Mosul , Iraq , on June 16 . In a story on its Web site , the newspaper known as Stripes said the military violated a congressional mandate of editorial independence by rejecting a request to embed reporter Heath Druzin with the U.S. Army 's 1st Cavalry Division , which is attempting to secure the city of Mosul . The military cited various problems in Druzin 's reporting on previous embed assignments with units of the division , according to the story . One example noted by the military was a March 8 story that said many Mosul residents would like the American soldiers to leave and hand over security tasks to Iraqi forces , the Stripes Web site said . `` Despite the opportunity to visit areas of the city where Iraqi Army leaders , soldiers , national police and Iraqi police displayed commitment to partnership , Mr. Druzin refused to highlight any of this news , '' Maj. Ramona Bellard , a public affairs officer , wrote in denying Druzin 's embed request , according to the Stripes story . A military official in Iraq defended the move to turn down the reporter 's request . `` U.S. Army units in Iraq remain committed to the media embed program and appreciate objective media reporting , '' said Lt. Col. David H. Patterson Jr. , a spokesman for Multi-National Corps-Iraq . `` The relationship that Druzin established with the command during a previous embed did not facilitate being invited back . '' Patterson added that Druzin was welcome to embed in another unit and that the 1st Cavalry Division was open to having a reporter other than Druzin . `` Accusations of censorship are without merit , '' Patterson said . Other allegations against Druzin by the military included that he used quotes out of context , behaved unprofessionally and persisted in asking Army officials for permission to use a computer to file a story during a communications blackout period , the Stripes story said . Terry Leonard , editorial director at Stars and Stripes , denied the Army 's allegations , calling Druzin 's previous reporting on the division accurate and fair . `` To simply say ` you ca n't send him because we did n't like what he wrote ' is unacceptable , '' Leonard said . He noted that Congress set up Stripes as an independent newspaper so that `` no commander can decide what news troops in the field receive . '' Army officials have offered to allow a different Stripes reporter to embed with the division or to allow Druzin to embed with a different Army unit in Kirkuk , Leonard said . Stripes rejected those offers because the military has no right to deflect coverage from Mosul or decide which Stripes reporter covers its operations , Leonard said . `` To deny Mr. Druzin an embed under the reasons stated by Maj. Bellard is a direct challenge to the editorial independence of this newspaper , '' Leonard wrote in his appeal to the decision , according to the Stripes story . `` That independence is mandated by Congress . The denial of the embed constitutes an attempt at censorship and it is also an illegal prior restraint under federal law . ... The military can not tell us what stories to write or not write . '' Stripes receives close to $ 10 million a year from the Department of Defense to help defray the costs of covering `` contingency '' operations in Iraq and Afghanistan , including the publishing and distribution of roughly 85,000 free newspapers a day , Leonard said . The newspaper receives additional government subsidies , with the total amounting to less than half of its budget , he said . Other revenue comes from ad sales and circulation at permanent U.S. military bases and elsewhere , Leonard said . CNN has been denied embed requests on occasion but never because of the past conduct of individual journalists . The reasons have almost always involved logistical details involving security and force coverage . | Newspaper says military 's rejection of embed request is censorship . Paper wanted reporter Heath Druzin to be embedded with Army division in Iraq . Army rejects request , cites Druzin 's previous interactions with division . Army denies accusations , says different reporter may embed with division . | [[0, 47], [176, 242], [407, 514], [1365, 1412], [3272, 3332], [641, 756], [1328, 1412], [1365, 1412], [1328, 1412], [1741, 1889], [1815, 1889], [2657, 2814]] |
BUENOS AIRES , Argentina -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner resigned as leader of the ruling political party Monday following a poor showing in Sunday 's elections , the official news agency Telam reported . Former Argentine Nestor Kirchner accepts defeat Sunday in legislative elections in Buenos Aires . The ruling Justicialist Party , or PJ by its Spanish acronym , lost its majority in the Chamber of Deputies after being defeated in 18 of 60 races , the newspaper Clarin reported in its Monday editions . The party also lost four Senate contests . The new composition of Congress could shift power away from Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner , Kirchner 's wife . Nestor Kirchner also lost a race for a congressional seat in Buenos Aires province . He lost his bid to Francisco de Narvaez , who leads a rival Peronist party , Union PRO , by a tally of 34.6 percent to 32.1 percent . The Kirchners ' party also lost in some of the most important urban centers , including Santa Fe , Cordoba , Mendoza and Entre Rios . Argentina 's ability to withstand the global economic slowdown was a key election issue . Economic indicators from Argentina look good , but there is broad agreement among analysts that indicators such as inflation are underreported by as much as half . An effort by Cristina Kirchner , who succeeded her husband , to tax agricultural exports led to a standoff with angry farmers who ultimately forced the government to backpedal . `` The Kirchners have been weakened by this latest economic crisis , '' said Robert Pastor , who was a Latin America national security adviser for former President Carter . The election could signal that the limelight on the country 's most powerful political couple could be evaporating . `` They 'll probably begin to fade from the scene , '' said Peter Hakim , president of the Inter-American Dialogue policy institute . `` It 's going to be very hard for them to govern unless they do something they have n't been willing to do -- compromise and reach consensus . '' CNN 's Arthur Brice contributed to this report . | Ex-Argentine President Nestor Kirchner steps down as leader of ruling party . Ruling Justicialist Party loses majority in Argentina 's Chamber of Deputies . New composition of Congress could shift power away from president . Analyst : `` The Kirchners have been weakened by this latest economic crisis '' | [[0, 12], [44, 142], [333, 393], [396, 479], [580, 690], [1498, 1563]] |
SWAT VALLEY , Pakistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The boys shuffle into the room in a remote army base high in the mountains of Pakistan 's Swat Valley . They are disheveled , disoriented . These boys say they were kidnapped by the Taliban and trained to be suicide bombers . There are no smiles , their eyes stare at the floor . These are the lost souls of Pakistan 's battle with the Taliban . Each has a story of terror to tell , but the trauma runs so deep they ca n't even begin to properly find the words to describe what they have been through . That task is best left to the psychiatrist who , with her team , was brought in to try to pick through the pieces of this nightmare ; to make sense of the brutality here and try to put broken lives back together . Watch Stan Grant 's report on the boys '' Dr. Fareeha Peracha describes these boys variously as `` psychotic , '' `` depressed , '' and in some cases , `` psychopathic . '' `` They have been brainwashed . Brainwashed against people like you and me , '' she said . CNN was given limited access to about a dozen boys . They had all been kidnapped by the Taliban and taken to camps where they would be trained to kill ; trained to be suicide bombers . Watch Grant 's exclusive interview with a wanted a Taliban leader '' CNN can not reveal the boys ' names ; they have handkerchiefs tied across their faces to conceal their identities . The army fears they could face retribution should they be returned to their homes and families . The boys sit in a circle as I try to get them to open up about their ordeal . What happened ? Were they brutalized ? What did the Taliban ask them to do ? So many questions . They answer hesitatingly , their voices barely a whisper . `` The first day they beat us and then made us exercise , '' one boy said . `` They made us run and told us you will wage jihad . '' They said the Taliban especially poisoned their minds against the Pakistan army . `` They just told us that they -LRB- army -RRB- are against Islam , are against the Quran . They said wage jihad against them ; we are waging jihad for the Quran , '' said another boy . They all say they were kidnapped by the Taliban , some snatched from fields and others from the towns they lived in . `` I was coming from the shop to my house , I had some stuff with me . They said , ` put your stuff in the car . ' I helped them put stuff in the car . They asked if they should drop me in my village , but when we reached the village they blindfolded me and put a hand over my mouth , '' one boy said . The Taliban 's tactics seem to have worked . I ask one boy , would he kill for God ? He replied : `` Yes . '' I asked the psychiatrist , Dr. Fareeha , if she believes the boys are capable of killing . `` Oh yes , '' she said . `` Two of them would not even give it a thought . '' The army freed the boys during fierce fighting with the Taliban . Now they are hoping to rehabilitate the boys and one day return them home . But Fareeha thinks that is a long way off -- if ever . She told army chiefs the boys are unpredictable . One boy , she said , told her if he had a suicide bomber 's jacket he would use it , that if he had a Kalashnikov , he would shoot . Of course , it is impossible to verify all of the accounts of the boys , but the doctors have no doubt about their trauma . Fareeha told Army chiefs that these boys were just a tip of the iceberg . After talking to the boys , she believes there are possibly hundreds of others just like them . These boys are the victims of the Taliban 's uprising here . All they are left with are the terrible memories , the voices in their heads : the voices of the Taliban telling them to kill , they said . | Boys rescued from the Taliban in Pakistan are receiving psychiatric help . They are abducted from their homes and are being trained for suicide missions . Psychiatrist says they have been brainwashed ; fixing that will take time . Army hopes the boys can one day return to their homes . | [[182, 243], [182, 192], [197, 201], [236, 267], [1132, 1173], [1144, 1148], [1176, 1207], [932, 963], [2892, 2967]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Florida jury has recommended the death penalty for a plumber who kidnapped , raped and murdered a police detective 's daughter . Denise Lee 's frantic 911 call was the centerpiece of her killer 's trial . Michael King , 38 , showed no reaction Friday afternoon as the jury 's 12-0 decision was announced in Sarasota . Jurors deliberated for nearly three hours . King was convicted a week ago of first-degree murder and related offenses in the January 17 , 2008 , death of Denise Lee , a 21-year-old mother of two boys . Nathan Lee and Sgt. Dave Goff , the victim 's husband and father , remained composed in court . They had maintained a daily presence in the courtroom during a trial that included the heartbreaking tape of Denise Lee 's frantic 911 call on her captor 's cell phone . Watch the jury recommend death '' In Florida , a jury 's recommendation for a death sentence is advisory . King will be formally sentenced later . Judges rarely overturn a jury 's unanimous decision . Jurors Marcia Burns and Pat O'Quinn told reporters that defense testimony about King 's head injury from a sledding accident and his low IQ carried little weight in the jury room . Denise Lee 's father and husband had hoped for the death penalty . `` I do n't think he should be able to live another day , '' Nathan Lee said Friday as he awaited the verdict . Lee and Goff told the jury that she was a bright young woman who put aside her career ambitions to marry her college sweetheart and raise their two boys , now 2 and 3 . `` She was everything we could wish for in a daughter and more , '' Goff said . Several jurors had tears in their eyes as Nathan Lee described his wife as a devoted mother who was nursing one son and potty-training another when a stranger abducted her from their home . `` I was so proud to call her my wife , '' he said . `` Denise was the love of my life , my soul mate . I knew after our first date that I had found the perfect girl . '' He added that their boys `` know their beautiful , courageous mommy has gone to heaven and now is an angel . '' King 's siblings spoke of how a childhood sledding accident left him with a head injury that contributed to a lifetime of troubles . One expert described the injury as a `` divot '' in his brain . Experts testified that scans indicated that King 's brain was abnormally shaped , especially his frontal lobe : the center for logic , planning and reason . His IQ was described as about 76 , in the low range . A person with an IQ of 70 is considered to be mentally retarded , according to testimony . King 's brother , Greg , testified that the defendant was 6 when he crashed head-first into a post while being pulled on a sled by a snowmobile . `` I felt bad for him , '' Greg King said . `` I felt responsible , but I was n't . '' As a child , Michael King would get a faraway look in his eyes , witnesses said . Once , he fired his BB gun at witches he said he saw in the trees . Another time , he chased family members around the house with a running chainsaw . His eyes were `` bugging out , '' his brother testified . King also complained of headaches and hearing `` a buzzing sound '' in his head , Greg King told the jury . King seemed to be deteriorating mentally in late 2007 , according to testimony . He faced foreclosure , was considering filing for bankruptcy and broke up with a girlfriend on Thanksgiving Day . The ex-girlfriend , Jennifer Robb , testified that he sat on the bed staring into space and unable to dress himself . `` He acted as if he were somewhere else , '' she said . But she said she never knew him to be violent . According to testimony , Lee was taken from her home during the afternoon , driven to King 's home , sexually assaulted and then shot in the head and buried in a ditch . During the trial , Lee 's voice filled the courtroom as her desperate 911 call was played to the jury . Listen to the heartbreaking 911 call '' A 911 operator repeatedly said `` Hello , '' and Lee was heard pleading with her captor : `` I 'm sorry . I just want to see my family . ... I just want to see my family again . Please . ... Oh , please , I just want to see my family again . Let me go . '' Eventually , Lee managed to say , `` My name is Denise . I 'm married to a beautiful husband , and I just want to see my kids again . ... Please , God , please protect me . '' Lee 's heart-shaped ring , a gift from her husband , was found in King 's car , and hair matching hers was found on duct tape at King 's house . According to testimony and court records , Lee fought frantically for her life , banging on the windows of King 's green Camaro , screaming for help and begging one witness , `` Call the cops . '' Several people reported seeing something suspicious and called 911 . But authorities did n't find Lee in time , and allegations that dispatchers mishandled the calls have led to criticism of the local 911 system . The 911 communications breakdown was blamed on a shift change , and two dispatchers were suspended , according to the St. Petersburg Times . Lee 's husband has launched a foundation bearing her name that works toward 911 reform . He plans to file a lawsuit this month , a family spokesman said . | Jury votes 12-0 to recommend death sentence . Michael King convicted of kidnapping and murdering Denise Lee . Mother of two was taken from her home by man in green Camaro . Centerpiece of trial was victim 's frantic 911 call . | [[0, 15], [19, 81], [226, 238], [246, 310], [285, 338], [807, 840], [383, 503], [1692, 1708], [1713, 1806], [150, 225], [698, 705], [711, 806], [3809, 3825], [3828, 3887], [3809, 3825], [3865, 3912], [3913, 3944], [3923, 3949]] |
BERLIN , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Women 's boxing will be included at the 2012 Olympic Games in London , the president of the International Olympic Committee announced Thursday . Germany 's Ina Menzer , left , fights American Franchesca Alcanter during a WIBF and WBC featherweight bout in May . The decision came during a two-day IOC Executive Board meeting in Berlin , at which board members also decided to propose golf and rugby for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games . `` I can only rejoice about the decision of inclusion of women 's boxing , '' IOC President Jacques Rogge told reporters . `` I think it 's a great decision . Boxing was the sole -LRB- Olympic -RRB- sport with no women involved . `` The sport of women 's boxing has progressed a lot , a tremendous amount , in the last five years and it was about time to include them in the Games . '' Have your say - should women 's boxing be included ? A men 's class will likely be axed to make room for three women 's weight categories at London 2012 , the UK Press Association reported . Women will compete in the flyweight 48-51kg class , lightweight 56-60kg and middleweight 69-75kg , the agency said . When the IOC dropped baseball and softball from the 2012 Olympic program several years ago , it said it would consider adding new sports that had a clean reputation and a wide appeal . Rogge pointed out that women 's boxing has around 200 athletes who could potentially compete in 2012 , while softball has only around 120 . As a result , he said , the IOC considered women 's boxing to be more popular . Women 's boxing has boomed in Britain since 2005 , with the number of registered female fighters rising from 50 to 600 , PA reported . Softball and baseball were considered for inclusion in the 2016 Games along with squash , karate , roller sports , golf and rugby , but the board decided to consider only the last two . Blog : IOC has picked the wrong sports , says CNN 's Paul Gittings . The IOC has not yet selected the host city for 2016 , but its board members will submit golf and rugby to the full IOC session for a final decision at its meeting in Copenhagen , Denmark , in October . `` Golf and rugby scored high on all the criteria , '' Rogge told the IOC 's official Web site . `` They have global appeal , a geographically diverse line-up of top iconic athletes and an ethic that stresses fair play . '' The International Golf Federation has proposed two four-day strokeplay tournaments for men and women , with 18 holes per round and medals awarded to the three players in each with the lowest scores . The International Rugby Board has proposed men 's and women 's Sevens tournaments , with 12 teams in each being divided into two pools before semifinals and finals . | Women 's boxing will be included in the 2012 Olympic Games in London . Boxing had been the only Olympic event without any female participants . Golf and rugby will be considered for inclusion at the 2016 Summer Games . Softball , squash , baseball , karate and roller sports did not make the cut . | [[9, 32], [36, 104], [480, 549], [636, 695], [364, 370], [382, 395], [401, 476], [1711, 1840], [1711, 1840]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A killer bug is spreading like wildfire . Armed guards stand outside the Mexico City Respiratory Hospital to control the flow of people . Streets of one of the world 's biggest cities are eerily empty . Bars and restaurants have been shuttered for days . The president goes on TV to tell workers to stay at home for their own safety . Those who venture outside are clad in surgical masks . Once healthy people are suddenly falling sick and dying from a new disease , H1N1 swine flu . The government swears the situation is under control . But down at the hospital , medics scurry around behind the glass door of an isolation ward . They 're clad from head to toe in biohazard suits , goggles and two pairs of gloves . At the airport , officials set up a barrage of thermal imaging machines . If the picture flashes up red or orange , would-be passengers are whisked off to medical facilities . See where the virus has been confirmed '' It may sound like a sci-fi movie . It 's not . Welcome to Mexico City . It 's a nightmare scenario and despite twice-a-day news conferences featuring Mexican Health Minister Jose Angel Cordova , people on the streets fear the virus may be out of control and that the real death toll may be greater than anyone is letting on . Watch how the city has been shut down '' `` The measures we 're taking are working and are helping us to slow the spread of the virus . But the situation continues to be serious , '' Cordova said at a news conference this week . Government orders to its citizens are clear : wash frequently , do n't shake hands or kiss , and stay away from crowded places . That 's easier said than done . The doors on the subway car snap open at Hidalgo station . Dozens more passengers clad in surgical masks stream on . It 's rush hour deep below the streets of downtown Mexico City . The subway system is the veins of the capital , ferrying millions of people from all social classes to and from work . It 's hot and humid down there and there 's little fresh air . It 's just the kind of crowded place that Mexican authorities say could be a prime breeding ground for swine flu . `` I 'm pretty nervous of this whole virus thing , '' welder Frontino Valdez mumbled through one of the masks . Watch passengers packed onto trains trying to protect themselves '' Sitting one carriage down , Berta Hernandez , a product demonstrator , tries not to show her panic and applies eyeliner like any other morning . But today she has a problem , she has no intention of lifting her mask to paint on lip gloss . `` I 'm nervous of those people who are n't wearing masks . Maybe they will suddenly sneeze or cough , '' she said . In these days of swine flu paranoia , just coughing , or worse sneezing , in the subway , or `` metro '' as they call it here , brings black looks from fellow passengers . This has been a strange epidemic since the outset . So far , the Mexican government has been unable to pinpoint where or when this outbreak started . Authorities admit there was an outbreak of influenza in a village in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz in early April . But only one patient -- 5-year-old Edgar Hernandez -- was diagnosed as having swine flu . Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta ask the boy about his symptoms '' The international media have taken to calling him `` Patient Zero . '' He made a full recovery . So far there 's no evidence a pig farm near his home reported any problems with its livestock . The family has n't explained how little Edgar could have infected a capital city let alone the world . The authorities have n't drawn up a genetic map of Edgar 's illness nor compared it to the lethal strain that swept through Mexico City and other parts of the country . Lethal it is . But getting to the truth of who has really died from the virus is tough . Since midweek , the government abandoned its initial reporting and began to speak only of confirmed swine flu cases and confirmed deaths due to the H1N1 virus . Previously it had also tallied suspected cases and others under observation . In practice , it is taking days for the government to get test results from autopsies and tests . By the time a case is confirmed the patient may be long buried . One afternoon this week , at a cinder block home perched on a hillside in a poor northern neighborhood of Mexico City , a coffin was mounted on the living room table . A steady stream of neighbors filed in to pay their final tribute to a dead 24-year-old . Biting back tears , a young man said his brother had died of `` respiratory problems . '' When asked what kind of a person his brother was , he said simply : `` He was an honest man . He never got in any trouble . '' The man seemed to be feeling an underlying sense of shame . Suddenly there was a huge stigma attached to swine flu -- like in the early days of AIDS-related deaths -- and Mexican families were keen to dispel notions their loved ones had died of the mutant virus . They did n't want the prying eyes of the media near their home . We wanted to tell their story , observe the wake and follow the funeral . But death is a rite of passage . They had a right to mourn in private . The following day came a tip-off that a 5-year-old girl , Maria Fernanda Garcia , had died . The modest side street outside her home in eastern Mexico City was swarming with police , health workers and civil protection officials . Watch how armed guards were part of Maria Fernanda 's funeral '' Little Maria Fernanda 's father appeared briefly and told us we were n't welcome . He was curt when he told us his daughter had died from pneumonia . A medic confirmed the specific cause of death was indeed pneumonia . But he added the hospital was still waiting for test results to confirm whether the underlying cause was swine flu . He conceded that process could take days . But judging by the heavy security , local authorities certainly feared this was another case of the virus . `` These are the prevention measures we must take . This case is still not confirmed but we must take these steps to protect citizens , '' said Victor Luna , a member of the public security detail for this district of Mexico City . A few minutes later , the hearse with Maria Fernanda 's body pulled out of the housing complex where she lived . Her dad was clutching a Winnie Pooh cuddly toy as he rode up front . Police and health officials shadowed the funeral cortege to the graveyard . Police guards only permitted immediate family and close friends through the iron gates . Through the bars silent , tearful mourners could be seen weaving through a labyrinth of headstones . Later that afternoon , the family had left Maria Fernanda 's grave -- a tiny patch of newly dug dry earth , not much more than 3 feet long . It was covered with sweet-scented white flowers . The plaque on the grave was a simple hand-painted affair : . `` Maria Fernanda . 2004 to 2009 . We love you . '' | Every aspect of life has been hit by the spread of H1N1 in Mexico City . Citizens told not to shake hands or kiss . Even a tragic death of a child brings suspicion , paranoia . | [[1531, 1564], [1595, 1621]] |
GAZA CITY -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A radical Muslim sheikh called Friday for the creation of an Islamic emirate in Gaza , sparking clashes with Hamas forces that left 13 people dead , Hamas sources tell CNN . Armed members of the radical Islamist group Jund Ansar Allah surround a group representative in Rafah on Friday . The clashes ended after several hours , after Hamas forces blew up the home of Sheikh Abu al-Nour al-Maqdessi , leader of the Salafist jihadist group Jund Ansar Allah , or Soldiers of the Partisans of God , the sources said . Al-Maqdessi escaped , they said , and Hamas security forces were searching for him . The clashes were the latest between Gaza 's Hamas rulers , who have said they are moderate Muslims pledged to the Palestinian cause , and more radical Islamic groups . In a televised statement , Hamas ministry spokesman Taher Nunu called al-Maqdessi 's group `` outlaws '' and said they have been `` terrorizing the country and attacking civilians . '' `` We hold the group and its leader fully responsible for what is happening in Gaza , and we offer our condolences to everyone who was killed during the clashes , '' Nunu said . `` No one is above the law , and we urge everyone who is a member of this group to surrender himself to the authorities , or they will be accountable for all of their actions . '' The gunfighting erupted near a mosque in the southern Gaza city of Rafah , where the cleric delivered his sermon , the sources said . Hamas militants raided the mosque and seized control of it . Later , the fighting spread to al-Maqdessi 's home , the sources said . The fighting has left at least 13 dead and more than 100 wounded , the sources said . Al-Maqdessi also called for a public meeting at the mosque , posting on Jund Ansar Allah 's Web site an invitation dubbed `` the golden advice to the government of -LSB- Hamas leader -RSB- Ismail Haniya . '' The group posted a statement on the site announcing the establishment of the Islamic emirate in Gaza and proclaiming al-Maqdessi `` the commander of the faithful . '' The statement declared that armed forces in Gaza should unite under him . The statement urged Muslims everywhere to support the `` young emirate '' and provide the group with money , weapons and men because `` this is the hope of the Muslim nation in raising the banner of monotheism in Palestine and to liberate all the lands and purify Al-Aqsa mosque from the filth of the damned Jews . '' Al-Aqsa mosque is in Jerusalem . The group accused Hamas of not being Islamic enough , saying Hamas cares more about pleasing `` tyrants '' than `` obeying God . '' But Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zahri dismissed statements about the establishment of an Islamic emirate as `` theoretical . '' `` It is not permitted to any party or individual to enforce their own laws , because this is the responsibility of the security forces , '' he said . Salafi is the term used to describe the radical islamist movement that follows the doctrines of the `` Salaf , '' or the predecessors , referring to the early generations of Muslims . The movement rejects all modern influences such as politics and government . CNN 's Talal Abu-Rahman in Gaza City contributed to this report . | NEW : Radical sheikh escapes ; Hamas forces blow up his home . Sheikh 's call for creation of Gaza Islamic emirate sparked clashes with Hamas . Hamas raided mosque where sermon delivered in Rafah , seized control . Hamas spokesman calls sheikh 's followers `` outlaws , '' says they attacked civilians . | [[363, 426], [29, 113], [0, 25], [116, 150], [1406, 1411], [1420, 1451], [1473, 1506], [1473, 1488], [1511, 1533], [796, 820], [823, 886], [796, 820], [823, 858], [905, 977]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Science fiction flicks featuring aliens can be a little formulaic : Aliens invade American territory , mass destruction ensues , and nine times out of 10 , Will Smith rides to the rescue . A company operative -LRB- Sharlto Copley -RRB- gets an alien 's attention in `` District 9 . '' But the alien-infested `` District 9 , '' opening in theaters Friday , takes things in a different direction -- if the producer may say so himself . `` It 's utterly original , '' producer Peter Jackson -- yes , `` Lord of the Rings '' helmsman Peter Jackson -- told Entertainment Weekly . `` In an industry that 's looking to make movies out of every obscure TV show , or sequels , or video games , you look at ` District 9 ' and it 's unlike anything you 've ever seen , '' he said . With its inventive plot and crowd-pleasing special effects , the low-profile , relatively low-budget -LRB- $ 30 million , a pittance these days -RRB- film was a hit at Comic-Con , creating a buzz before the film 's release . The brainchild of newcomer Neill Blomkamp , `` District 9 '' is a mash-up of the director 's love for science fiction with his rearing in an apartheid-divided South Africa . Set and shot in the shantytowns of Johannesburg , the film is a mix of action-movie shock and sociological food for thought . The mayhem begins when an alien spaceship runs out of fuel over South Africa in 1981 , and simply hovers idly in the sky . With no attack forthcoming , officials finally evacuate a group of aliens -- it turns out they 've fled their home world -- and corral them into barbed-wire ghettos , effectively separating the shrimp-like creatures from the human populace . Overseeing the aliens ' camp is the corporation Multi-National United -LRB- MNU -RRB- . It 's an obvious nod to South Africa 's own violent and divisive history , but director Blomkamp says he is n't aiming for political commentary . `` This is an organic thing that has grown out of me living in South Africa . I did n't want to go , ` Here 's a whole bunch of people that have been oppressed by this apartheid-esque society ' and beat people over the head with it , '' he told CNN . `` I wanted to say , ` This is the city I grew up in , and this is what it felt like , ' with a science fiction veneer to it so that it does n't take itself that seriously . '' Documentary-like authenticity was of prime importance to Blomkamp , and was the reason for his casting of fellow South African unknown Sharlto Copley as leading man . Copley has no prior acting experience , but critics have lauded his portrayal of Wikus van de Merwe , a private-sector employee who goes from being the oppressor to one of the oppressed after an accidental run-in with some DNA-transforming alien goo . `` Having grown up in South Africa , I was exposed to the tail end of apartheid as a child , -LSB- and -RSB- it 's something I felt I could relate to , '' Copley said . `` Playing the character , I saw so clearly how you discriminate . ... The film deals with things that are fundamentally human . '' `` District 9 '' is also fundamentally a thriller , and there 's no shortage of gory , gritty scenes and clever special effects that will appeal to fans who like a little action with their sci-fi . Indeed , the film has been praised for its masterful use of special effects , weaving the technology seamlessly into the documentary-style scenes . Sometimes the two are in the very same shot , Blomkamp said . `` One of the first shots completed was a motherboard shot , where -LSB- computer-generated imagery -RSB- was incorporated into some of the handheld footage , and it felt like it was working , this idea of handheld stuff with -LSB- CGI -RSB- , '' Blomkamp said . `` It set a good tone ; it captured the essence of what I was going for . '' Not bad for a 29-year-old novice , who had previously directed short films and commercials . But that body of work was impressive enough to catch the eye of A-list producer Jackson , who originally had Blomkamp in mind for feature version of Halo , the video game . '' -LSB- Jackson -RSB- had received all of the crazy short films and commercials I had done , and once I met him and hung out and got familiar with the kind of filmmaking universe he set up down there , he did sign off on me as director of ` Halo , ' '' Blomkamp recalled . But , five months into the project , the plug was pulled on `` Halo . '' `` Right away , -LSB- Jackson -RSB- said , ` If you want , you can stay in New Zealand and we can just keep the momentum going and allow another film to take place , ' '' Blomkamp said . One of Blomkamp 's friends suggested his short film , `` Alive in Jo ` burg , '' for feature treatment . Blomkamp ran with the concept , developing it alongside fellow screenwriter Terri Tatchell into `` District 9 . '' `` It 's pretty cool , '' Blomkamp said . `` I would 've packed my bags and left had -LSB- Jackson -RSB- not said that . '' It 's been more than two years since Blomkamp started the project , and though he 's found the experience exhausting , he has quite a final product to show off . `` There is nothing better than to come out the end of that process and have it play in a movie theater , '' he said . `` For that first film , I got what I had set out to do , -LSB- and -RSB- that 's a pretty awesome feeling . '' CNN 's JD Cargill contributed to this story . | `` District 9 '' offers sci-fi thrills with food for thought . Aliens in South Africa are separated into a township ; apartheid similarities obvious . Film made by relative unknowns who bring documentary-style realism to subject . | [[1239, 1314], [3062, 3081], [3101, 3111]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- South Africa strengthened their grip on the Tri-Nations with a 29-17 victory over Australia in Cape Town on Saturday . The Springboks charge forward in their 29-17 victory over Australia at Newlands . It was the third straight win for the world champions , who were indebted to the boot of Morne Steyn as he totaled 24 points with seven penalties and a drop goal at Newlands . The Wallabies took a surprise lead in the second minute as Ashley Cooper barged over for a try with Matt Giteau converting , but the home side slowly took command . Steyne kicked three penalties in the space of six minutes to put them ahead and added a fourth after Berrick Barnes had restored Australia 's lead with a drop goal . Steyne then sent over a drop goal of his own and South Africa moved further ahead as Victor Matfield went over for their only try of the match . With the Wallabies reduced to 13 men as Giteau and Richard Brown were sin-binned , Steyn took advantage with another penalty to put them 23-10 ahead at the half . Steyn added his sixth penalty shortly after the break , but Giteau charged through for a try and converted his score to give them hope at 26-17 . Steyn 's final penalty with two minutes remaining wrapped up the victory . South Africa , who have played all their three matches at home , lead the standings with 12 points , with New Zealand on four and Australia , who have played a game less , with a solitary point . Victory continues a fine run of form for the Springboks , who beat the British and Irish Lions 2-1 in a thrilling series which preceded the annual Tri-Nations tournament . | South Africa beat Australia 29-17 in Tri-Nations match at Newlands . World champion Springboks have won three straight matches in tournament . Morne Steyn kicks 24 points for South Africa to seal victory . | [[138, 219], [220, 273], [254, 275], [280, 395], [1181, 1255]] |
ORLANDO , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Disney World has not been the happiest place on Earth for employees this year . The Walt Disney World resort in Orlando , Florida , has lost some 1,600 jobs . Imagine one day receiving recognition for decades of service from your employer only to be laid off the next day . That is what happened to one Walt Disney Parks and Resorts employee who asked not be identified . Disney has eliminated 1,900 U.S.-based positions since mid-February . Some 900 salaried employees working at Disney 's theme parks in Florida were laid off , and 700 open positions were eliminated , said communications Vice President Mike Griffin . In California , 200 workers were laid off and 100 open positions were cut . Disneyland in California and Disney World are having their behind-the-scenes operations combined in a restructuring , said Griffin . Disney officials say theme parks , the Disney Cruise Line , Disney Vacation Club and off-property resorts have seen some people with decades of experience laid off during the restructuring . The former employee let go after decades of service is still hoping to return once the economy improves . Several other employees said they did not want speak to CNN in fear of jeopardizing the generous severance packages offered by Disney . Employees let go will receive pay for 60 days ; extended medical coverage ; and severance packages that vary according to their years of service , said a Disney source . Disney 's Griffin said : `` These decisions were not made lightly , but are essential to maintaining our leadership in family tourism and reflect today 's economic realities . '' Central Florida 's unemployment rate is 9.7 percent -- a 33-year high , according to the area 's job service agency , Workforce Central Florida . The rate is more than double from the same time a year ago . The job agency 's spokeswoman , Kimberly Cornett , said 40,000 to 50,000 people registered with the agency are vying for 1,000 jobs available through Workforce Central Florida . Fewer than 100 available job listings are in the tourism industry . Cornett said she does not believe Disney 's layoffs will have a significant effect to the area 's overall economy , since currently 107,000 people are unemployed in Central Florida . Cornett said , however , that the effect would be huge for those laid off . Orlando area hotels have been hit hard , too , with fewer tourist and business travelers . Orange County reported in February it collected 29 percent less revenue in a hotel bed tax in comparison to a year ago , said Brian Martin of the Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau . Martin said the large drop is due to fewer booked hotel rooms at reduced rates to attract visitors . The convention and visitors bureau , in a survey of area hotels , has found companies are traveling less for meetings in Orlando . The hotels report that in the first two months of 2009 , some 114 small business meetings were canceled , with $ 26 million in lost revenue . Martin said the White House is partly to blame for the dropoff in business meetings . President Obama said companies that receive taxpayer bailout money should not use the money to `` go take a trip to Las Vegas . '' `` When the president said ` do n't travel , ' business travel has been affected , '' Martin said . Las Vegas is the country 's most popular convention destination , with Orlando No. 2 . Orlando has not seen any large convention cancellations in 2009 , the convention bureau says . Statistics from 2007 , the latest available , show that even if Orlando saw a 10 percent drop in visitors , nearly 44 million people would still come to the city . Disney 's 2008 financial report showed income was down last year . Disney would not comment on whether park attendance was up or down . A source within Disney said that even though the theme parks are crowded , customers are not buying . Disney 's Mike Griffin said : `` We continue to work through our reorganization and manage our business based on demand . '' Griffin said the corporation 's reorganization has been under way since 2005 and many of the recent positions eliminated would have eventually been cut . Due to the economy , Griffins said , the cuts took place sooner than expected . He added that Disney is downsizing just like many other U.S. businesses . | One Disney employee recognized for decades of service , is laid off next day . Laid-off employees reluctant to talk for fear of jeopardizing severance packages . Orlando area hotels also hit hard by dropoff in business . Disney spokesman says company downsizing like many other U.S. firms . | [[196, 203], [262, 310], [311, 378], [1058, 1109], [1164, 1279], [1232, 1299], [2361, 2399], [4279, 4352], [4293, 4352]] |
MINNEAPOLIS , Minnesota -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A federal grand jury has indicted two Minnesota men in connection with the recruitment of Somali immigrants to fight with Islamic insurgents in their home country . Jamal Bana is one of several missing Somali-Americans believed to have fought with an Islamist insurgency . Salah Osman Ahmed and Abdifatah Yusuf Isse are charged with one count each of providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to kill , kidnap , maim or injure people overseas , the indictment states . The recruiting effort took place between September 2007 and December 2008 , according to the charges . Ahmed also is charged with two counts of making false statements to investigators . According to the indictment , he told FBI agents that he had traveled alone on a flight to Somalia when , in fact , he and another person were going together `` so that they could fight jihad in Somalia . '' Ahmed was arrested Saturday , FBI Special Agent E.K. Wilson told CNN . Isse had been in custody for some time , said Omar Jamal , the head of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in Minneapolis . Both were from Minnesota and in their 20s , Jamal said . Jamal said Ahmed and Isse were `` foot soldiers '' carrying out the work of others , and that he expected more indictments `` in a week or two . '' The FBI has been investigating what appears to be a massive recruiting effort by the al Qaeda-linked Somali insurgent group al-Shabaab in immigrant communities in the United States . More than a dozen young men of Somali descent have disappeared from the Minneapolis area in recent months , and at least three have been killed in Somalia , community leaders have said . The latest , Jamal Bana , was confirmed dead over the weekend , his family said Sunday . The same day , Somalia 's president -- a former member of the Islamist movement himself -- issued a plea to Somali-Americans not to join the fight in his country . `` I am saying to those young men from abroad : ` Your families fled your home to America because of insecurity . You should not return here to foment violence against your people , ' '' President Sheik Sharif Ahmed said . Al-Shabaab has ties to al Qaeda and has recruited foreign fighters to join its battle to overthrow the Somali government , U.S. officials said . It remains entrenched in the northeast and in sections south of Somalia 's capital , Mogadishu , after fighting that has uprooted more than 200,000 people since early May , according to the United Nations . Wilson said the number of missing men believed to be in Somalia is `` in the 10s , '' but their recruitment is `` a significant concern and one that we 're giving our highest priority . '' In October , Shirwa Ahmed , 27 , a Somali-American believed to have been radicalized by al-Shabaab , traveled from Minneapolis to Somalia and blew up himself and 29 others . It was the first suicide bombing by a naturalized U.S. citizen , and it raised red flags throughout the U.S. intelligence community and sparked an investigation by the FBI . Burhan Hassan , a 17-year-old Somali-American high school student in Minneapolis , went missing eight months ago , around the same time as Bana . Last month , his family learned that he was killed in Somalia . Neither family has any idea why the young males left the United States , where they came as young boys , and Bana 's family believes he was being held against his will , said Omar Jamal , head of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in Minneapolis . `` Only one time he placed a phone call -LSB- in mid-November -RSB- , he did n't say much , '' Jamal said . `` He spoke as if he was being held hostage . He could n't be speak freely . They asked him to cut the conversation short . '' Hassan 's uncle , Abdirizak Bihi , said a fourth man -- 30-year-old Zakariya Maruf -- was killed Friday , but Jamal said Maruf may only be injured . Maruf was the first of the missing Somalis to head overseas , said Bihi , who has become a spokesman for the families of the missing men . Bihi called him a `` leader '' whom the others consulted on travel plans . Many of the missing Somali-Americans are believed to have left for Somalia when Ethiopian forces were still on the ground . Ethiopia invaded Somalia to push the Islamists out of Mogadishu in December 2006 , but their presence in the country was an outrage to most Somalis and became a rallying cry for al-Shabaab . Ethiopian troops left Somalia this year , leaving Ahmed 's weak transitional government to battle the insurgents . CNN 's David McKenzie and Tricia Escobedo contributed to this report . | Two defendants were mere `` foot soldiers , '' their legal advocate says . Two charged with conspiracy , providing material support to terrorists . FBI investigating Somali militants ' recruiting effort in immigrant communities in U.S. The militant group in Africa has ties to al Qaeda . | [[1172, 1254], [316, 449], [1320, 1502], [1320, 1327], [1351, 1437], [1320, 1327], [1364, 1502], [2950, 2952], [3017, 3054], [2166, 2197]] |
ATLANTA , Georgia -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Cheryl Reed 's morning routine starts like that of millions of other mothers around the country . She makes breakfast for her 8-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter , piles them into a minivan and drops them off at school . Cheryl Reed has a rare form of breast cancer that mostly affects young African-American women . It 's the next stop that sets Reed apart from other women . Three weeks a month , she heads to the infusion center at the Emory Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta , Georgia , for chemotherapy treatments . Reed , 40 , has breast cancer ; not just any form of the disease , but a rare , aggressive and difficult to treat version called triple negative . Of the estimated 180,000 women who learn they have invasive breast cancer this year in the United States , about 15 percent will have triple negative . Like Reed , the majority of triple negative patients will be young African-American women . `` It never occurred to me that I 'm going to die from this , '' Reed said . `` I was like , ` I 've got breast cancer , let 's take care of it . ' '' Reed did take care of it . For eight months during 2006 , she endured chemotherapy and radiation treatments . She thought the cancer was in remission , but it returned last November . This time , it had spread to her liver , lungs and chest wall . `` Triple negative cancers do tend to be aggressive in their natural histories , so they have a very high rate of recurrence or relapsing , '' explained Dr. Ruth O'Regan , Reed 's oncologist at the Winship Institute . She 's one of several breast cancer experts around the country who are trying to learn more about what causes triple negative and how to treat it more effectively . Dr. Funmi Olopade , a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago , was at the forefront of identifying triple negative and the trend among African-American women . She said what makes it different from other types of breast cancer is that women with the disease lack three hormone receptors known to fuel most breast cancer tumors : estrogen , progesterone and HER2 . Health Minute : More on triple negative breast cancer '' `` When you have triple negative , it means that we can not use hormone therapy . ... The only way we can treat that type of breast cancer is to use chemotherapy , '' Olopade said . Tamoxifen and Herceptin , two of the most effective medications for treating breast cancer , do n't work for triple negative breast cancer patients . But if a patient responds well to chemotherapy , Olopade said , there 's a very good chance of curing the disease . `` The challenge we have is when the cancer comes back , '' she added . `` Right now , we do n't have any effective way to treat it , and that 's why when it comes back , it tends to be deadly . '' Reed is enrolled in a clinical trial at the Winship center where she 's receiving chemotherapy along with a drug called Avastin , which cuts the blood supply to cancer cells . Olopade is hoping better drugs will be available in the next two to five years that will help eradicate triple negative cancer cells . In the meantime , she stressed , early detection is the key to recovery , especially for women at highest risk . `` In this country , what we have found was young African-American women have a rate that is higher than young white women , and we do n't know if that is because of a gene or other risk factors , '' Olopade said . `` We know that women with a family history of breast cancer who have a BRCA1 mutation are most at risk , '' she said . BRCA1 is a major breast cancer-causing gene that was identified 14 years ago . Olopade said women born with the defective gene have a higher chance of getting breast cancer and at a younger age . Olopade also wants to explore further whether triple negative rates are higher among women who do not breastfeed their children . `` It 's that first pregnancy and first breastfeeding that really allows the breast to become fully mature , '' she said . She worried that in general , `` African-Americans are not likely to breastfeed , as they are getting in the work force and returning to work soon after childbirth . '' Even with several clues , Olopade acknowledged that researchers still do n't know a lot about triple negative breast cancer and more study is needed . She encouraged all young women , no matter what their race , to talk to their doctor about doing a risk assessment for the BRCA1 gene . If there is a family history of the gene mutation , some physicians may tell a woman not wait until she turns 40 to get her first mammogram . `` We begin screening as early at 25 , '' Olopade said . `` Many of the women are surviving . They are beating the odds of dying because they know they can do preventive approaches to reduce their risk of dying . '' Reed is trying to increase her chances of survival by getting experimental treatment in the clinical trial . She seems to be responding well , but she 's realistic . `` There 's always the possibility that once this is done , it could be two years and I 'm back in treatment again , '' she said . `` It really is a part of my life now . ... I 'm a survivor . '' CNN 's Sabriya Rice contributed to this report . | Triple negative breast cancer is rare , aggressive and difficult to treat . Most triple negative patients are young African-American women . Early detection is the key to recovery , says Dr. Funmi Olopade . | [[261, 305], [634, 657], [668, 709], [1353, 1431], [292, 305], [318, 356], [874, 953], [3260, 3311], [3126, 3141], [3144, 3147], [3159, 3238]] |
NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Misdemeanor assault charges have been dropped against `` 24 '' star Kiefer Sutherland in a head-butting incident at a New York City nightclub , according to Alicia Maxey Greene , spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney 's office . Kiefer Sutherland turns himself in to the NYPD on May 7 . Charges against him have been dropped . `` We decided to drop the charge after a full investigation , including after speaking to a complaining witness , who was uncooperative , '' Greene told CNN Tuesday . The charges stem from an incident in which Sutherland allegedly head-butted designer Jack McCollough at a New York City nightclub in May . McCollough had claimed he was `` the victim of a vicious , violent , unprovoked assault , '' according to a statement released after the incident from McCollough 's publicist . . Several weeks after the incident , Sutherland and McCollough issued a joint statement , through Sutherland 's attorney , in which Sutherland apologized . | Manhattan DA 's office : Misdemeanor assault charges against actor dropped . Charges stemmed from alleged head-butting incident at New York club in May . Kiefer Sutherland stars in the hit television drama `` 24 '' | [[0, 18], [28, 113], [325, 364]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- At least 44 people , including 23 Filipino soldiers , died Wednesday in fighting between the Philippine military and Islamic militants , the country 's armed services said on Thursday . A wounded Philippine Marine receives a medal from Major Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino in Zamboanga Thursday . The fighting was sparked by military raids on Abu Sayyaf militant training camps in the villages of Silangkum and Baguindan on the southern island province of Basilan , said Steffani Cacho , public information officer for the Philippine Armed Services . Thirty to 40 militants were killed , but only 21 bodies had been recovered , the military said . Twenty-three members of the military were killed and 22 suffered injuries . The militants used the training camps to temporarily house kidnapping victims and make explosives , Cacho said , adding that high-power firearms , explosives and documents were seized in the raids . Abu Sayyaf , which has been linked to the al Qaeda terrorist network , is one of several Islamic militant groups fighting the Philippine government . The group operates largely in Basilan , according to the U.S. State Department , and wants to establish a separate state for the country 's minority Muslim population . The government has been fighting to contain the group , which is blamed for several terrorist attacks in the Philippines , including the bombing of a ferry in 2004 that left about 130 people dead . This year Abu Sayyaf has been implicated in the kidnappings of several Red Cross workers and journalists . | Thirty to 40 militants were killed , but only 21 bodies recovered , military says . Clashes take place on the southern island province of Basilan , military says . Abu Sayyaf has been linked to al Qaeda . | [[156, 204], [563, 597], [604, 637], [640, 659], [935, 945], [948, 1003]] |
PARIS , France -- Samoa center Brian Lima 's World Cup is over after his dangerous tackle on England star Jonny Wilkinson . Lima arrives for his hearing regarding his dangerous challenge on England 's Jonny Wilkinson . Lima , the only player to feature in five World Cups , has received a three-week suspension after being cited for the tackle during Saturday 's Pool A clash in Nantes . Wilkinson escaped injury and match referee Alan Lewis did not punish Lima during the game , which England won 44-22 to knock Samoa out of the competition . But World Cup judicial officer Professor Lorne Crerar has upheld the complaint lodged by match citing commissioner Steven Hines . It means 35-year-old Lima will miss Samoa 's tournament finale against the United States on Wednesday , with an additional two weeks ' punishment also imposed . Lima is poised to quit international rugby after the World Cup , and although he has 48 hours to appeal against the decision , it is improbable a hearing could be convened before Wednesday 's game . Samoa will head home after the U.S clash , having already seen the current World Cup campaign consigned to being the worst in their history . E-mail to a friend . | Samoan Brian Lima is banned for three weeks and is out of the World Cup . The center was cited for a dangerous tackle on England 's Jonny Wilkinson . The 35-year-old is the only player to feature in five World Cup tournaments . | [[0, 5], [8, 123], [219, 223], [267, 387], [674, 736], [683, 762], [0, 5], [8, 123], [124, 218], [141, 218], [219, 223], [267, 387], [226, 271]] |
JERUSALEM -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Terrorism groups are using Facebook and other social networking sites to recruit Israeli citizens as spies , the Israeli government warned Monday . Israel says its citizens have been targeted by terrorist groups seeking to recruit spies on Facebook . Shin Bet , Israel 's security agency , issued a statement warning Israelis about the dangers of trading confidential information for money . `` The Shin Bet has gotten many reports about cases where terrorist elements are using the Internet to get in touch with Israelis with proposals to enlist in terror activity or to pass classified information in exchange for payment , '' the statement said . Not only could the leaked information hurt Israeli security , citizens traveling to other countries to exchange the information for money `` might lead to them being kidnapped by terror organizations , '' Shin Bet said . The government did not reveal any examples of Israelis becoming spies through Facebook , but it did describe one attempt . `` Lately , an Israeli citizen contacted the Shin Bet and complained about a request in Facebook from a person that presented himself as a Lebanese merchant , who asked him to give him classified information for money , '' the statement said . Shin Bet said this was just one example `` among many incidents that were identified by the security services . '' `` It is initiated contacts , concrete and direct to Israeli citizens , with emphasis on the social networks , that offers them to enlist to terror activity or to pass classified information in exchange for payment , '' it said . Shin Bet said terror groups are combing Facebook and other networks `` for business or personal matters like names , addresses , Internet addresses and phone numbers that are being used to find and contact Israeli citizens in Israel and also abroad . '' CNN 's Michal Zippori and Kevin Flower contributed to this report . | Terrorist groups using social networking to recruit spies , Israel says . Subjects are offered money to pass along secrets , security agency says . Groups looking for personal information to contact Israeli citizens . | [[224, 279], [467, 472], [479, 565], [280, 288], [319, 420], [598, 652], [741, 819], [1160, 1179], [1186, 1240], [1471, 1490], [1498, 1596], [1612, 1726]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Rainstorms and flooding in southern China have killed at least 16 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless , according to state-run media . Residents in Rongcheng , southwest China 's Guangxi region on July 4 . Authorities had sent text messages to more than 1 million people to take precautions in southern China , the Xinhua news agency said Saturday . More than 400,000 residents total were forced from their homes in Fujian , Guangxi Zhuang , Hunan and Jiangxi . At least two people were missing in southeast Fujian Province after downpours that started Wednesday , according to the news agency . The financial damage caused by the rain and flooding -- including damaged homes and crops -- was estimated at $ 35.4 million . Destruction included a flooded reservoir and damaged dike in Luocheng County , where fears of a dam collapse forced evacuations . The storms also disrupted traffic , triggered landslides and cut electricity in various parts of southern China . | Storms disrupted traffic , triggered landslides , cut electricity across southern China . Media : Authorities send precautionary text messages to more than 1 million people . Financial damage caused by rain , flooding has been estimated at $ 35.4 million . | [[0, 91], [883, 893], [899, 939], [883, 893], [919, 943], [883, 893], [944, 996], [236, 338], [626, 715], [719, 752]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Late last month , Michelle Russell somberly walked on a Maui beach in Hawaii to mark her daughter Sarah Skiba 's 20th birthday . Sarah Skiba visited her father , Paul Skiba , every other weekend . For Russell , who last saw Sarah more than a decade ago , when she was just 9 years old , some images will never fade with the passage of time . Russell especially recalls the cold Friday morning in February 1999 when she dropped Sarah off at a bus stop in Westminster , Colorado , for her ride to school . `` She loved to go to school , '' Russell said , remembering that Sarah ran for the bus and slipped on ice . `` She skinned her wrist at the bottom of her hand , and she was crying , '' Russell said . `` I had a first aid kit and gave her a Band-Aid . '' After school that day , Sarah 's father , Paul Skiba , met Sarah to spend the weekend together , a visitation arrangement in place since Russell and Skiba divorced several years earlier . `` Her father picked her up at 3:30 p.m. , '' Russell said . `` She visited her father every other weekend . '' On Sunday , Sarah joined her father -- who owned a moving company -- and his employee Lorenzo Chivers as they went to a moving job . Watch a report about the case '' `` We know they had two moving jobs that day , one in the morning and one in the afternoon , '' said Thornton Police Department Sgt. Pat Long , the original investigator on the case . The second job was for a man who lived in Morrison , Colorado . The girl , her father and Chivers left Morrison between 5 and 5:30 p.m. to return the moving truck to the Westminster parking lot where Skiba stored his vehicles , Long says . On the way , a 12-year-old relative of Paul Skiba 's girlfriend , Theresa Donovan , received a call from Sarah . The girl said they were on their way to return the truck and would then come home . But Sarah and her father never made it back to the house he and Donovan shared . Michelle Russell later called police , who initially thought it was a parental abduction , even though Chivers was also missing . `` It was almost three weeks after that that I became involved , '' Long said . `` I think we lost some key evidence during the initial time that passed at the scene . '' Paul Skiba 's family and friends went to his truck storage lot one week after the girl and the two men went missing and grew suspicious when they found what they believed were two bullet holes in the exteriors of Skiba 's moving trucks , Long said . They also noticed that Skiba 's only functioning truck was not parked quite the way he would have done it himself . `` Paul was adamant that the moving truck always be parked in a certain position , and the way it was found was pulled nose-in and not back-in , '' Long said . `` Everyone knows he was anal about the way that truck was parked . '' Suspected ambush . Long said he thinks there was an attempt to disguise the scene to make it appear that the victims had come back to the lot and left . Investigators from the Thornton Police Department CSI , the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Westminster Police Department confirmed that bullets had , in fact , pierced Skiba 's trucks . They also identified blood spatter on the two trucks and blood inside the cab of the truck used in the move . Hair attached to a piece of scalp was found on the hood of Skiba 's moving truck , and additional hair was on the truck 's fender . DNA tests revealed that blood on the ground belonged to Paul and Sarah Skiba . The piece of scalp belonged to Paul . The hair was Sarah 's . `` The pool of blood on the ground looked like motor oil that had spilled , '' Long said . Authorities believe that the three were ambushed and killed when they returned the truck to the lot . Police think their bodies were put in the back of Skiba 's moving truck , driven to another location and dumped . Chivers may have been forcibly taken from the lot and then murdered or killed at the lot in a manner that would have produced no evidence , according to police . No bodies were ever found , leaving police to suspect that Chivers was also a victim . `` We did have a witness who saw the truck come back to the lot , '' Long said . The truck 's loading ramp , moving blankets and straps were also missing . Chivers ' and Skiba 's personal cars , which they had left at the lot during their Sunday moving jobs , were parked at separate apartment complexes across Denver . Investigators were never able to make a direct link between the victims and those buildings . Skiba was the likely target , they say , and Sarah and Chivers were bystanders . Police have interviewed as many as 80 people , but no arrests have been made . `` In my opinion , I believe we know or we have a strong feeling who is involved in the murders , '' Long said , declining to say more or disclose the possible motive . A tragic anniversary . Meanwhile , Russell has been doing her part to help solve the tragic mystery . `` I 've done air , water and land searches , door-to-door searches , you name it , '' she said . She has also raised $ 50,000 in reward money for information leading to an arrest and conviction in Sarah 's disappearance and apparent murder . `` This being the 10-year anniversary , we just really wanted to get a lot of focus on this case again and find my daughter and what has happened to her , '' Russell said . On the beach , Russell did things she knew her daughter would enjoy . She even brought cupcakes . `` We went for a walk , drove around . ... I was on my own , but I was with her , '' Russell said . `` It 's pretty sad when the guest of honor is nowhere to be found . '' In her short time , Sarah celebrated life with sports , learning and music . `` Sarah sang as soon as she got up each morning , as well as at the dinner table , in the bathroom and to pet her dogs , '' Russell said . ' ` They were like her siblings , '' she added , explaining that Sarah was an only child . `` Someone took her away from me unjustly . I 'm not going to sleep until I know why . '' Anyone with more information is asked to call the Westminster Police Department at -LRB-303-RRB- 658-2400 . | Sarah Skiba and father went missing in 1999 , along with employee Lorenzo Chivers . DNA tests show pool of blood on the ground belonged to Sarah and her father . Police have interviewed as many as 80 people , but no arrests have been made . `` Someone took her away from me unjustly , '' Sarah 's mother says . | [[2049, 2075], [3435, 3513], [3468, 3513], [4627, 4671], [4678, 4705], [5974, 6014]] |
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Thirty-eight years ago , Joseph McGinty Nichol was a boy in Kalamazoo , Michigan , playing with toy robots . Many of the robots in `` Terminator Salvation '' are real machines , which increased realism , the cast says . Today `` McG , '' as he is better known , builds and blows up real robots . The prominent filmmaker is the driving force behind one of the season 's summer blockbusters , `` Terminator Salvation , '' which is filled with very expensive and very explosive robots . The choice to use real robots when possible , instead of CGI -LRB- computer generated images -RRB- , was deliberate , McG said . According to the director and the film 's stars , the decision to use real machines was a testament to the growing sophistication of the moviegoing public , whom they believe can `` feel '' the difference between actors standing in front of a green screen versus actors interacting with the real thing . It was also done in honor of the legendary special effects supervisor , four-time Oscar winner Stan Winston -LRB- `` Jurassic Park , '' the other `` Terminator '' films -RRB- , who passed away during filming last year . Watch the robots in action '' The director and three of his cast members -- Christian Bale , Bryce Dallas Howard and Anton Yelchin -- took a time out with CNN to explain why gravity and singed eyebrows both played a role in `` Terminator Salvation . '' Bryce Dallas Howard : That was something that was really important to McG ... when an audience member sees this film , that they can actually feel what 's occurring . I think that audiences are very savvy now . We can feel when something is CGI and that 's no disrespect to CGI -- we could n't do this movie without it -- but , whenever possible , in the tradition of Sam Winston , he wanted to build the robots . So a lot of what you see is real . McG : And if you drop something , we 've spent our whole lives watching physics in play , and if you say , just have the CGI do that , people can tell something 's off , and it releases you from being involved in the picture . So , we built all the robots , we built all the sets , we blew them up for real , a great many of us lost our eyebrows ! Christian Bale : It was kind of comical at times because something that 's meant to be so intimidating was actually surrounded by five guys with these kind of puppet rods I had to blank out or I would start laughing . But , the end result is something really formidable and you know , really iconic in movie history . Anton Yelchin : Now I 'm obsessed with the robots ! I 'm so -LSB- annoyed -RSB- that this guy or whoever it is that 's in charge of it would n't let me have one ! | `` Terminator Salvation '' filmmakers decide to use many real robots . Idea to avoid CGI was partly in tribute to special effects master Stan Winston . Film is the fourth in the `` Terminator '' series . | [[153, 245], [961, 1030]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When then-President-elect Barack Obama first asked Hillary Clinton to be his top diplomat , she turned him down and recommended others for the job , the secretary of state said in an interview broadcast Sunday . Hillary Clinton meets with South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on Friday to discuss North Korea . Speaking to ABC 's `` This Week , '' Clinton also said the president has answered the central question she raised about him when she was his chief rival for the Democratic nomination last year . In her famous `` 3 a.m. '' ad , she questioned whether Obama was the right candidate to handle a middle-of-the-night international crisis . `` Has the president answered it for you ? '' host George Stephanopoulos asked . `` Absolutely , '' Clinton replied . `` And , you know , the president , in his public actions and demeanor , and certainly in private with me and with the national security team , has been strong , thoughtful , decisive , I think he is doing a terrific job . And it 's an honor to serve with him . '' The former senator from New York and former first lady revealed details of how she came to accept the role . Watch analysts dissect the Clinton-Obama relationship '' `` I never had any dream , let alone inkling , that I would end up in President Obama 's cabinet , '' she said . `` When I left the presidential race after getting some sleep and taking some deep breaths , I immediately went to work for him in the general election . ... And I was looking forward to going back to the Senate and , frankly , going back to my life and representing New York , which I love . And I had no idea that he had a different plan in mind . '' When her name was mentioned in the media as a possible member of Obama 's cabinet , Clinton said , she found the idea `` absurd . '' `` And then when he called and asked me to come see him , and we had our first conversation , I said , ` You know , I really do n't think I 'm the person to do this , I want to go back to my life . I really feel like I owe it to the people of New York . ' And I gave him a bunch of other names of people who I thought would be great secretaries of state . '' But Obama `` was quite persistent and very persuasive , '' Clinton said . She added , `` Ultimately , it came down to my feeling that , number one , when your president asks you to do something for your country , you really need a good reason not to do it . Number two , if I had won and I had asked him to please help me serve our country , I would have hoped he would say yes . And finally , I looked around our world and I thought , you know , we are in just so many deep holes that everybody had better grab a shovel and start digging out . '' Some analysts have raised questions about how much power Clinton actually has in the administration , given that Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have done a great deal of international outreach themselves . The president has also appointed special envoys to focus on several key regions . But Clinton said she wanted the envoys appointed `` because we were inheriting so many hot spot problems that I knew you could never have one person possibly address all of that . '' One of the biggest is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict . Clinton and the president have called on Israel to halt construction at settlements in the West Bank . Asked whether there is any room for compromise on that issue , Clinton said the administration would not `` prejudge the effort . '' She said the administration is committed to Israel 's security . `` We see historical , demographic , political , technological trends that are very troubling as to Israel 's future . At the same time , there is a legitimate aspiration of the Palestinian people that needs to be addressed . '' On the nuclear standoff with Iran , Clinton said a diplomatic process in which U.S. representatives sit down with Iran 's authorized representatives would give `` us information and insight that we do n't have . ... We do n't have any really clear sense as to what it is they are seeking . '' Clinton also addressed the growing tensions surrounding North Korea , and what she called its `` very provocative and belligerent behavior '' with recent tests of missile and nuclear technology . `` One of the positive developments , '' she said , is that `` it has actually brought the -LSB- other -RSB- members of -LSB- the -RSB- six-party process -- Japan , South Korea , China , Russia , the United States -- much closer together '' in how they view the challenge . She said there may be additional U.N. sanctions against North Korea . Several lawmakers have asked the president to put North Korea back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism . `` We 're going to look at it , '' Clinton said . `` There 's a process for it . Obviously we would want to see recent evidence of their support for international terrorism . '' She emphasized that North Korea 's detention of two U.S. journalists , Laura Ling and Euna Lee , is separate from the political issues . `` It is a humanitarian issue and the girls should be let go , '' Clinton said . | Clinton says she was looking forward to going back to Senate after the election . She suggested to President Obama a list of other people for top diplomat post . Clinton reconsidered when Obama was `` quite persistent and very persuasive '' Clinton was recently in South Korea for discussions on North Korea . | [[1507, 1570], [122, 125], [146, 176], [2087, 2134], [2194, 2243], [242, 347], [323, 347]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The United States hailed a World Trade Organization ruling to open Chinese markets and ease controls on the import of U.S. films , DVDs , music downloads and books . U.S. Trade Rep. Ron Kirk , shown , says WTO 's decision will `` help pave the way toward more open trade . '' `` Today , a WTO panel handed a significant victory to America 's creative industries , '' U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said Wednesday . `` These findings are an important step toward ensuring market access for legitimate U.S. products in the Chinese market , as well as ensuring market access for U.S. exporters and distributors of those products . '' In its ruling , the WTO said China violates free-trade rules by requiring importers to channel media products such as movies , books and music through state-owned companies , rather than giving them direct access to Chinese markets . China denied the charges in the ruling . `` The country has always fulfilled its obligations set by WTO on issues related to publication products market entrance permission , '' Yao Jian , a spokesman for China 's Ministry of Commerce , said Thursday . `` China will carefully evaluate the decision . ... Possibilities for China to issue an appeal on its concerned points can not be ruled out . '' The U.S. trade representative 's office said the ruling could put an end to China 's discriminatory trade practices . `` This decision promises to level the playing field for American companies working to distribute high-quality entertainment products in China , so that legitimate American products can get to market and beat out the pirates , '' Kirk said . `` To me , that is a clear win . We believe that this report will help pave the way toward more open trade between China and America . '' In recent years , U.S. officials have pressed Chinese officials for help in controlling the counterfeiting of U.S. products and the illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted U.S. products , including movies , music and software . Counterfeit products are estimated to cost U.S. companies billions of dollars in lost revenue . Though senior U.S. law enforcement officials have expressed optimism , China remains a haven for pirated U.S. products . | China violates free-trade rules by impeding direct access to markets , WTO says . China rejects charges . `` This decision promises to level the playing field , '' U.S. trade representative says . | [[654, 667], [670, 887], [888, 928], [185, 209], [220, 291], [383, 437], [1404, 1479]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Madonna was `` devastated '' to hear that a man was killed in an accident during construction for her upcoming concerts in Marseilles , France , a representative said Thursday . Firefighters leave the Stade Velodrome stadium in Marseille after the accident on Thursday . A 53-year-old French man was killed when a stage being built for the concert collapsed , a fire department spokesman in the southern French city said . Another two people , one British and one American , are severely injured , and four are lightly injured , officer David Goddin told CNN . `` At this point we do n't know how it happened , but we are confident no one else is still under the rubble , '' Goddin said . `` My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news , '' Madonna said in a statement issued by her representative , Liz Rosenberg . At least one Madonna show has been canceled , Rosenberg told CNN . A crane collapsed while lifting a large metallic truss into place , Lt. Thierry Delorme of the French Navy told CNN . In Marseille , the Fire Department is a part of the Navy . An investigation has been launched into the cause of the collapse , he said . In addition to the six injuries and the single fatality , 34 people received psychological support after the incident , he said . About 27 fire engines and 80 firefighters responded to the emergency when the stage collapsed at 5:15 p.m. -LRB- 1515 GMT -RRB- . `` There were a lot of open fractures , of injuries , it was a messy sight , '' one of the rescue workers told Agence-France Presse . Madonna was scheduled to play the first of five concerts for her `` Sticky and Sweet '' tour at the 60,000-seat Stade Velodrome on Sunday . The singer was in Udine , Italy , when she heard the news , Rosenberg said . CNN 's Per Nyberg in London , England , contributed to this report . | One person was killed when stage being built for Madonna concert collapses . Accident happened Thursday afternoon in southern French city of Marseille . Another two people , one British and one American , were severely injured . Madonna due to play first of five concerts in city for `` Sticky and Sweet '' tour Sunday . | [[32, 152], [290, 376], [197, 289], [1650, 1789], [1650, 1657], [1672, 1789]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Drug Enforcement Administration said Wednesday it 's considering tighter restrictions on propofol , a drug reportedly found after Michael Jackson 's death in the Holmby Hills , California , mansion he rented . The Drug Enforcement Administration said Wednesday it 's considering tighter restrictions on propofol . `` We were petitioned and have been been looking into it for the past two years , '' said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne , who added in response to a question that the inquiry had not been affected by the singer 's death of cardiac arrest on June 25 . The agency is looking at designating the sedative as a `` scheduled '' drug , which would tighten restrictions on the its distribution and use . Payne said he could not divulge anything related to the Jackson investigation , `` but I can tell you that researchers making the decision about propofol would typically be interested in any information that would help them answer questions about the effects of propofol and its potential harm to the user . '' Propofol , known by the trade name of Diprivan , is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a powerful anesthetic and sedative . Payne said concern about the drug 's potential for abuse led to the petition . But , he added , `` as far as we know , this is not something that 's been highly abused . '' Payne said he did not know who had sought the change , adding , `` Typically we would not make that public . '' The process required to get a drug scheduled is a lengthy one , involving a number of agencies , he said . `` Lots of experts weigh in on questions such as potential for abuse , pharmacological effects , history and current patterns abuse , '' he said . Nutritionist Cherilyn Lee has said Jackson pleaded for the drug as a sleep aid , despite being told of its potentially harmful effects . And sources close to Jackson told CNN that the insomniac singer traveled with an anesthesiologist who would `` take him down '' at night and `` bring him back up '' during a world tour in the mid-1990s . The Associated Press and The Los Angeles Times , citing unidentified sources , have reported that police found Diprivan among Jackson 's medicines . Officials have said that the exact cause of death and whether drug use may have been involved will not be determined until after toxicology tests are completed , which could be several weeks . On Monday , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory , saying two lots of a generic version of the drug had tested positive for endotoxin , a contaminant . The drug maker , Teva Pharmaceuticals , voluntarily recalled the lots . No fatalities were reported . A Teva spokeswoman said the DEA had contacted the drug maker `` about a specific lot number , and that lot number is not from the two we are recalling . '' Spokeswoman Denise Bradley would not say whether the contact was related to the Jackson investigation . A DEA spokesman said he could not comment on any ongoing investigation . In a written statement issued this month , the American Society of Anesthesiologists said it `` unequivocally maintains that Diprivan , or its generic name propofol , is a drug meant only for use in a medical setting by professionals trained in the provision of general anesthesia . `` Though the drug is often used for procedures requiring sedation , patients can have extremely variable responses to the drug and some patients can become completely anesthetized , including losing the ability to breathe , '' the statement continued . `` Diprivan should never be used outside of a controlled and monitored medical setting . Use of the drug should be directly supervised by a physician trained in anesthesia and qualified to provide physiologic rescue should too much drug be given , '' the statement said . | Propofol , generic name of Diprivan , reportedly found in Michael Jackson 's home . DEA spokesman : `` We 've been looking into it for the past two years '' Spokesman says inquiry has n't been affected by singer 's cardiac arrest death . Propofol is administered intravenously in operating rooms as a powerful anesthetic . | [[123, 197], [1040, 1048], [1051, 1086], [337, 416], [419, 452], [427, 452], [459, 583], [1040, 1048], [1089, 1177]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- It does n't matter that they can be feverishly hot . Or that crowds make for long food lines or the tickets may be hard to come by . Bassist and vocalist Esperanza Spalding performed at this year 's New Orleans Jazz Fest . Music festivals worldwide attract thousands of fans wanting to hear their favorite artists live or discover under-the-radar musicians . Each major festival has its own special twist , specific to the event and city that hosts it . From the notorious mud baths at Glastonbury , England , to the breath-taking mountains surrounding Fuji Rock in Naeba , Japan , these are events that festival-goers wait for all year . Experience the New Orleans Jazz Fest '' Our guide prepares music fans worldwide for the best festivals this summer and later in the year . GLASTONBURY , Somerset , England June 24-28 -LRB- $ 255 -RRB- . Glastonbury has been around since dairy farmer Michael Eavis first held a free two-day festival on his farm in 1970 , and it 's long been the festival in England for seeing the biggest and best bands in the world . It also may be the muddiest -- heavy rain in several years , most notably 1997 , turned Glastonbury into a muddy bog . Everyone from Radiohead to Jay-Z has headlined the festival , and with more than 700 acts each year , there is something for everybody . Some of the proceeds from the festival go to Oxfam and Greenpeace . This year 's headliners include Franz Ferdinand , Blur , and Bruce Springsteen . ROCK AL PARQUE , Bogota , Colombia June 27-29 -LRB- free -RRB- . The Rock al Parque festival , launched in 1995 , has become South America 's biggest rockfest in recent years -- some 320,000 people traveled to Simon Bolivar Park in 2006 for a weekend of Colombia 's top rock bands and renowned international headliners . Funded by Colombia 's culture secretary , the free festival has included some of rock 's biggest names , including Black Rebel Motorcycle Club , Manu Chao , and Bloc Party . In the days leading up to Rock al Parque , the festival organizers host a series of panel discussions on music production , management , and the recording industry . ROSKILDE , Denmark July 2-5 -LRB- $ 220 -RRB- . Since 1971 , the rock festival in Roskilde has hosted the top names in music , from Bob Marley to Bob Dylan . It is the biggest summer festival in northern Europe , and the `` Arena '' stage boasts a 17,000-capacity tent , the largest in Europe . The festival has a daily newspaper and a 24-hour live radio station and is also home to the annual `` Naked Run , '' where the first naked person to cross the finish line receives a free ticket for next year 's festival . Some 80,000 will travel to Roskilde to see headliners including Coldplay , Oasis and Nine Inch Nails . EXIT , Novi Sad , Serbia July 9-12 -LRB- $ 105 -RRB- . Created in 2000 by three university students as a protest against former Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic , the electro-focused festival in the heart of Serbia was named Europe 's best festival in 2007 by fans voting in the UK Festival Awards . Over 200,000 people attended Exit last year , dancing at all-night raves in the gorgeous surroundings of Petrovaradin Fortress , an 18th-century castle near the Danube River . Some of techno 's biggest names will be on hand to celebrate Exit 's 10-year anniversary , including Moby , Kraftwerk , and The Prodigy . THISDAY , Abuja/Lagos , Nigeria Dates tba . The THISDAY festival in Nigeria -- launched in 2006 by the editor-in-chief of Thisday newspaper , Nduka Obaigbena , to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the end of slavery -- is the biggest music and fashion festival in Africa . According to Obaigbena , the festival is meant to highlight the positive progress being made in Africa , and find sustainable solutions for the continent 's problems . The theme of last year 's festival was `` Africa Rising , '' and it showcased some of the world 's best-known artists including Jay-Z , Rihanna , and Usher . Stay tuned for this year 's lineup . FUJI ROCK , Naeba , Japan July 24-26 -LRB- $ 410 -RRB- . Japan 's biggest outdoor festival takes its name from Mt. Fuji , the site of the first festival in 1997 . Fuji Rock has been set amongst the cool forested mountains of the Naeba ski resort for the past ten years -- gondolas and hilly trails transport people from stage to stage , and the streams and forests between them are the reason why Fuji Rock has been called the most beautiful festival in the world . It 's not just about the scenery , though -- over 100,000 people will trek through the mountains to see headliners Franz Ferdinand , The Killers , and Weezer . LOLLAPALOOZA , Chicago , Illinois , U.S.A. August 7-9 -LRB- $ 190 -RRB- . Rocker Perry Farrell began Lollapalooza in 1991 as a farewell tour for his band , Jane 's Addiction . The biggest grunge rock festival during the '90s disappeared for awhile around the turn of the century , but it was revived in 2005 as a more traditional `` big weekend '' destination festival in Chicago . The past few years at Grant Park have been marked by hot summers , huge crowds , and even bigger bands . The anticipated crowd of nearly 200,000 is staggering , as are this year 's headliners : Kings of Leon , Tool , Depeche Mode , and Beastie Boys , just to name a few . BESTIVAL , Isle of Wight , England September 11-13 -LRB- $ 205 -RRB- . The trendy Bestival , the original boutique weekend festival on the Isle of Wight , is the best way to end the summer festival season in Europe . Bestival boasts a yearly fancy dress competition -- last year 's was `` 30,000 freaks under the sea , '' and 2009 is the year of `` Outer Space , '' so make sure to dress accordingly . Thousands of Bestival-goers will witness an eclectic lineup including Lily Allen , Massive Attack , and MGMT in the picturesque surroundings of Robin Hill Park . For family fun , look no further than Camp Bestival , a three-day family festival at a castle by the sea in July . PARKLIFE , Australia Late September-Early October . The Parklife series of one-day music festivals kicks off the summer festival season across Australia . The dance-focused fests have featured heavyweights Justice , MIA , and Muscles over the past two years . The day-long festivals are followed by an official `` After Life '' party that runs until the early hours of the morning , so be prepared for a long one if you 're one of the estimated 100,000 people attending a Parklife gig in one of several cities across Australia at the end of September . WOODSTOCK , Johannesburg , South Africa November 27-30 When people think of Woodstock , South Africa is n't necessarily what comes to mind . But for the past decade , the festival has been the biggest youth music event in that country , hosting a variety of both well-known and upcoming mainstream and hip-hop acts -- not to mention a variety of extreme sports stunt acts , paintballing , and flea-market stalls . Woodstock may not have the star power of the legendary American festival -- but with the wide range of music and outdoor activities it presents , its promoters are n't lying when they say that boredom simply is n't an option . SUNBURN , Goa , India December . Sunburn Festival launched in December 2007 as South Asia 's first electronic music festival , and featured heavyweights like Carl Cox and John 00 Fleming . Located seaside in Goa , on India 's west coast , the festival has its roots in `` Goa Trance , '' a type of pulsing , transcendental electro music that became popular in the early 1990s . Sunburn again treated more than 5,000 electro revelers to a three-day party by the beach in December 2008 . The festival 's founder has said Sunburn will always be free to attend , and it is not to be missed if you happen to be in India in December . | CNN has put together a list of some of the best upcoming music festivals . You can dress to kill at England 's Bestival 's fancy dress competition . Enjoy the music , comedians and silent disco at Bonnaroo in Tennessee . Dance all weekend in the shadows of a 300-year-old Serbian castle . | [[698, 772], [5514, 5613], [3066, 3085], [3112, 3192]] |
KABUL , Afghanistan -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A fighter jet crashed in southern Afghanistan on Monday , in the fourth wreck in three days , authorities said . A French Air Force Mirage 2000 sits under a shelter on the tarmac at an airbase in Kandahar on January 1 , 2009 . Authorities were looking into why the plane went down during takeoff from Kandahar airfield Monday morning , but the role of insurgents had been ruled out , said Lt. Col. Paul Kolken , the spokesman at the airfield . The crew ejected safely , and was being treated , Kolken said . Five hours after the crash , the wreckage of the plane was still on fire . Military officials did not identify the type of jet that crashed , nor did they release the nationality of the crew . Weather conditions were fair at the time of the incident , Kolken said . On Saturday , a U.S. fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan , killing its crew of two . In addition , a civilian helicopter went down on takeoff from Kandahar airfield on Sunday , killing 16 people , NATO said . Watch details of the helicopter crash '' And a military helicopter made a hard landing elsewhere on Sunday , apparently injuring at least some of those on board , NATO said . None of the aircraft were shot down , said the International Security Assistance Force -- NATO 's mission in Afghanistan . It did not announce the cause of any of the crashes . There were at least two earlier crashes this month . Watch report on UK deaths in Afghanistan '' At least five people were killed when a helicopter went down in southern Afghanistan 's Helmand province Tuesday , a local government official said . And on July 6 , two Canadian air crew members and a British soldier were killed when a helicopter crashed during takeoff in Zabul province , the Canadian and British defense ministries said . CNN 's Ivan Watson contributed to this report . | Authorities looking into why plane went down during takeoff from Kandahar airfield . Crew ejected safely ; Role of insurgents has been ruled out of cause of crash . Military officials did not identify type of jet that crashed , nor the nationality of the crew . Crash is the fourth aircraft wreck in three days . | [[266, 372], [919, 994], [1628, 1641], [1644, 1766], [375, 420], [483, 506], [689, 739], [97, 130], [133, 151]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Luci Baines Johnson was just 16 years old when she approached her father , President Johnson , with what she considered a reasonable request . Luci Baines Johnson , left , and her older sister , Lynda Bird , pose inside the White House in 1963 . `` I asked my father if we could have the Beatles come to play at the White House , '' she recalled . `` I was very excited about it . '' His response ? A decisive no , `` without even any moment of trying to soften the blow , '' Johnson said in a recent phone interview . The president thought the move would be viewed as self-serving . His daughter , however , saw it as a chance to honor `` a great talent '' and strengthen ties between the United States and Great Britain -- not to mention a golden opportunity for her and her friends . `` I could see how different sets of folks could have either perspective . And I suspect my father could see that too , '' she said . Luci Baines Johnson learned quickly of the scrutiny that came from being a first daughter . Her family moved into the White House in 1963 , following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy . Johnson was catapulted into the exclusive fraternity of White House families and embraced what she describes as a role she landed simply by chance . That fraternity has most recently expanded to include President Obama 's daughters , Sasha and Malia . `` I was an eyewitness to history , over and over , during my father 's five years in the White House . And I was n't elected to that option . I had no qualifications that provided me that privilege except an accident of birth , '' she said . See famous first kids who grew up in the White House '' Johnson speaks fondly of the opportunity she was afforded to dine with kings and queens , meet the movers and shakers of her time , engage with the body of America and hold a front-row seat to history . While most of her memories fall into two categories -- `` the fond personal memories '' and `` the fond memories of public privilege '' -- there 's one in particular that was a combination of both . `` My 17th birthday , I received a handwritten note from my father , the only handwritten note I have , telling me how much he loves me and how much he has delighted in having me as his daughter for all those 17 years , '' she said . The note was dated noon , July 2 , 1964 . Six hours later , in the East Room of the White House , Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , which banned discrimination based on race or gender in public places , schools and places of employment . `` Can you imagine ever receiving a more momentous , glorious , exciting , thrilling birthday present that lasted forever and ever than something like that , that would change the world for all time and make it a much more decent place ? That took place on my birthday , '' she said . Life in the White House , however , came at a cost . Johnson and the first children before and after her will always have to `` pay a big price in terms of personal time , '' she said . More than 45 years after she moved into the White House , she still receives requests for interviews about the time she spent there . But the public 's interest in first daughters is nothing new . Fanny Hayes , for example , who was about the same age as Malia when she moved into the White House in 1877 , was followed by the media until the day she died . `` She was an American celebrity , '' said presidential historian Doug Wead . While the interest in first daughters has stayed steady , the pressure on the children has intensified , said Wead , author of `` All the Presidents ' Children : Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of America 's First Families . '' `` It 's like the Miss America contest -- it 's a real dilemma for the daughter of a president . She 's supposed to be gracious . She 's mocked and ridiculed if she is n't pretty , '' he said . When Chelsea Clinton was just 13 years old , for example , she was ridiculed in a 1993 `` Saturday Night Live '' sketch that declared her `` not a babe . '' Actor Mike Myers later apologized , and the skit was cut from replays of the show . Amy Carter , who was 9 when she moved into the White House , was also mocked for her appearance and for her poor manners , after she pulled out a book during a state dinner . Her parents enrolled her in public school , illuminating the already bright spotlight on her . An infamous photograph of her first day at school shows the young girl with her head hanging low , carrying a Snoopy book bag and surrounded by a swarm of paparazzi . To this date , no other presidential children have attended public school . But other presidential children have taken on power roles in their fathers ' administrations . Anna Roosevelt , for example , was a `` super aide '' to Franklin D. Roosevelt during his last year in office , Wead said , describing her as a combination of a personal secretary and chief of staff , not to mention popular in the public eye . And Alice Roosevelt , a fashion icon who was known to have quite the rebellious streak , also played a pivotal role for her father , Theodore Roosevelt . She went on an around-the-world junket for the purposes of American foreign policy -- a move that diverted attention from her father 's efforts to bring about a peace treaty in the Russo-Japanese War , Wead said . The president later won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on various peace treaties . Under the administration that followed , William Taft 's daughter became one of the unsung heroes of women 's rights , Wead said . Taft credited his daughter , Helen , for helping to change his mind about women 's suffrage . But for all presidential children , Wead said , there remains a lifelong battle of seeking approval from their fathers while struggling to carve their own identities . Many presidential daughters have gone on to author books about their time in White House , in what Wead describes as an attempt to restore their fathers ' reputations . `` It 's like sitting in front of a big window ... and seeing a billboard with misspelled words on it . It 's just irritating , '' he said . `` And the writing of a book , if it does n't change history , it is a purifying experience for the child . '' Susan Ford Bales once told the San Francisco Chronicle that while in the White House , `` I kept thinking , I want to be normal . But I ca n't be normal . ... . Everyone was watching . It was like living out loud . '' But Ford also cashed in on some of the perks of her high-profile position and took Alice Roosevelt 's advice to `` have one hell of a good time . '' Ford roller-skated through the White House , held her prom in the East Room and scored VIP treatment at concerts -- including a backstage pass to see Rod Stewart . -LRB- That move ignited the public 's interest in her , sparking rumors that she and Stewart were engaged . -RRB- . Johnson said that some of the best advice she received while in the White House was to just recognize that she could n't change things or make the attention go away . `` There are inevitably going to be moments when you feel like the pressures of the goldfish bowl seem unfair or more than you can bear , but so are the opportunities to learn , to understand , to grow , to love , to make friends , to witness , '' she said . `` I describe it as the best of times and sometimes the worst of times , but whatever the times , it was a time of extraordinary privilege . '' | Luci Johnson describes being a first daughter as an `` extraordinary privilege '' It was `` the best of times and sometimes the worst of times , '' she says . First daughters often followed by media for remainder of their lives . The pressure on first daughters has intensified over the years , historian says . | [[7349, 7416], [979, 991], [997, 1031], [3251, 3262], [3354, 3400], [3490, 3545], [3548, 3592]] |
BELGRADE , Montana -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- President Obama on Friday took his push for a health care overhaul to traditionally conservative Montana , saying a bill to extend coverage to the uninsured while helping those already with coverage will pass this year . President Obama discusses his health care plans Friday at a meeting in Belgrade , Montana . However , an influential Democratic representative said the House would only pass a health care bill in January or later , signaling continuing rifts within Obama 's party on his domestic priority for 2009 . `` We 're taking some time to make sure it 's done right , '' said Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania . `` I do n't know that we 'll get something done before January , and even then we may not get it done . We 're going to do it right when it 's finally done . '' Obama told a largely supportive Montana audience at his second of three town hall meetings this week that fixing the health care system requires improving health insurance practices and reducing the costs of treatment . He sought questions from skeptics of his proposed health care overhaul , seeking to confront some misconceptions fueled by opponents Democrats say are undermining the debate . One man who identified himself as a proud National Rifle Association supporter and believer in the Constitution asked how the government would pay to expand health insurance coverage to 46 million uninsured people . `` You ca n't tell us how you 're going to pay for this , '' said the questioner , Randy Rathie , a welder from Ekalaka , Montana . `` The only way you 're going to get the money is to raise our taxes . That 's the only way you can do that . '' Obama responded with his oft-repeated explanation that two-thirds of the cost of overhauling health care -- estimated at about $ 900 billion over 10 years -- would come from eliminating waste and improving efficiency in the current system , which includes the government-run Medicare and Medicaid programs for the elderly and impoverished . The rest would have to come from new revenue , he agreed with the questioner , and he called for reducing the amount of deductions that people making more than $ 250,000 a year can make on their income taxes . `` If we did that alone , just that change alone ... that would raise enough to pay for health care reform , '' Obama said , noting that would meet his election campaign pledge to avoid any tax increase on people earning less than $ 250,000 a year . However , Obama said some taxes would have to be raised , and the crowd applauded when he said he believes people with more money , like himself , ought to pay a heavier burden . `` We 've got to get over this notion that we can have something for nothing , '' Obama said . `` That 's how we got into this deficit and this debt in the first place . '' In reference to emotional and heated debate at some other town hall meetings across the country in recent weeks , Obama told Rathie , `` I appreciate your question , the respectful way you asked it , and by the way , I also believe in the Constitution . '' Afterward , Rathie said he was impressed by Obama 's performance but remained skeptical . `` I do n't think he knows where that money 's going to come from , '' he said . `` If he does , he 's not saying . '' Obama noted there is more work to be done , with Congress seeking to merge at least four bills , along with a possible compromise agreement being negotiated by Democratic Sen. Max Baucus and five other members of his Senate Finance Committee , into a single bill in September . Another questioner chosen when Obama asked for a skeptic identified himself as an insurance provider who wanted to know why Obama and Democrats are vilifying the insurance industry in the health care debate . Earlier in the meeting , Obama described what he called discriminatory practices by insurance companies that dropped coverage of people who became sick or refused to cover those with pre-existing medical conditions . Obama noted some insurance companies are contributing to the reform debate , but said others are spending millions of dollars to try to defeat any health care legislation . For a health care overhaul to work for everyone , he said , it has to ensure all Americans are covered so that insurance companies have incentive to participate . They wo n't be able to exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions or `` cherry pick '' healthy people while refusing coverage for sick people , Obama said , so increasing the total numbers covered will be the enticement . On Saturday , Obama will hold another town hall meeting in Grand Junction , Colorado , before vacationing in some national parks with his family next week . In addition , White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama will hold `` some events not yet announced '' in coming days . While Obama has said consensus can be reached on health care reform , contentious town hall meetings held by lawmakers around the country have created a different impression . The White House , and many Democrats in Congress , hope that by building support in the West , the president can start to turn the tide . Though the region is largely Republican , Obama made some inroads in the latest election . He won in Colorado and lost by just a slim margin in Montana . However , Murtha 's comments in Bentleyville , Pennsylvania , to CNN affiliate WJPA signaled continuing divisions among House Democrats over the scope and pace of health care legislation . `` We said to the speaker -LSB- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -RSB- , the leadership , let 's not rush this thing , '' Murtha said . `` Let 's do it right , so we 'll have a uniquely American plan , if the thing passes . '' Obama 's town hall events are just part of a larger Democratic strategy for winning support in the region . The Democratic National Committee began a TV ad this week promoting the president 's health care plan . A committee spokesman said the ad will run on national cable as well as on local cable in New Hampshire , Montana , Colorado and the District of Columbia . The group Families USA , which supports the president 's plan , also launched a campaign Thursday that includes an ad running in a dozen states -- among them Montana and Colorado . But groups opposed to the president 's plan have their own campaigns . One voter in Livingston , Montana , not far from where the president spoke in Belgrade , summarized the kinds of concerns that she and many others in the region have . `` I believe that there is a health care crisis , I really do , '' Sonja McDonald , who voted for Obama in 2008 , told CNN 's Ed Henry on Thursday . `` Do I believe that the government needs to be more involved ? No ! '' Henry met McDonald at a clinic that gets half its funding from taxpayers . `` The government being involved is fine , '' McDonald said . `` It 's just ... when they try and overstep , when they try to say , ` No , this is what needs to be done . ' '' | NEW : Rep. John Murtha says bill wo n't pass before January . Fixing health care requires improving insurance , cutting costs , Obama says . Insurance companies need incentive to participate , Obama says . President will hold another meeting Saturday in Colorado . | [[361, 471], [664, 739], [935, 1041], [1700, 1707], [1708, 1917], [4225, 4232], [4235, 4320], [4562, 4573], [4576, 4635]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The pastor of a non-denominational church in Argyle , Texas , passed around the collection plate to his congregants earlier this year -- and asked them to take money from it . Donations at the Cross Timbers Community Church had slumped because of the economic downturn . Pastor Toby Slough thought that his congregants had to be hurting , too . His gesture , instead , was met with an unexpected response : The church had its highest offering ever . It was a eureka moment for Slough : Give away money to those who need it , knowing his church members will help fill the need . `` In these economic times , we ca n't be so into church business that we forget what our business is , and that is to help people , '' Slough told CNN television affiliate KDAF in Dallas-Forth Worth , Texas . In the past two months , the 9-year-old church has done just that : handed out a half-million dollars to members and non-members who are struggling . Watch pastor on rip off concerns '' `` We 've taken $ 200,000 and spread it out to organizations -- four local , two missions that are feeding and clothing people in these tough times , '' Slough said . `` We 've paid utility bills for members of our church that are unemployed or under-employed . '' His favorite giveaway came three weeks ago . The church gave 1,400 families $ 50 each and told them to hand it out to someone else . One of the recipients was Katie Lewis . `` I 've been alone so long . Just to be thought of and to be remembered , to be welcomed -- it 's amazing , '' she said , crying . Church members are pleasantly surprised . `` You do n't hear about a church giving money away , '' Amy Sullivan said . Slough said he is not concerned if people try to take advantage of the church 's generosity . `` I told my church a couple weeks ago , if I 'm not being taken advantage of , I 'm not being like Jesus , '' he said . The church has now formed a group to look into the best ways to give out money . And , Slough said , it plans on doing so as long as there is a need in the community . | Economy led to diminished donations at the Cross Timbers Community Church . Pastor decides to give away money to those who need it . Result was highest amount of donations ever for the church . | [[195, 289], [505, 529], [426, 468]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Mothers cradle children in their arms . Fathers smile softly at the helpless bodies they hold . Other parents are bent over from the weight of their teenage kids whose legs fall limp , almost touching the ground . In the absence of basic medical equipment , these parents do this every day . An Iraqi boy gives a thumbs up after receiving his wheelchair . Brad Blauser , center , created the program . Khaled is a father of three . On this day , his young daughter , Mariam , is getting fitted for her new wheelchair . Her arms and legs are painfully thin , little more than skin and bone . She 's 7 years old , but looks barely half that . She and both her siblings , a sister and brother , suffer from varying degrees of polio . None of them can walk . Asked how he and his family cope , Khaled chokes up , fighting back tears . `` I am sick of life -- what can I say to you ? '' he says after a long pause . One man , Brad Blauser , has vowed to try to make life a little easier for these families by organizing the distribution of wheelchairs , donated and paid for by his charity , Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids . He first came to Iraq in 2004 as a civilian contractor . Struck by the abject chaos surrounding him and seeing helpless children scooting along the ground , he pledged to find a way to help . Watch dads , moms carry kids ; tears flow when wheelchairs arrive '' His first step was to consult an Army medic to find out what hospitals really needed . `` He surprised me with his answer about pediatric wheelchairs . We 've got so many children out in the city that the ones who can get around are following their friends by dragging themselves around on the ground , which is heartbreaking to see , '' he says . `` I was surprised . It took me aback . '' Enlisting the help of generous supporters and an Iraqi humanitarian group Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids was born in August of 2005 . Thirty days later its first 31 chairs were delivered . To date more than 250 Iraqi families have received the wheelchairs . Blauser has partnered with a nonprofit group called Reach Out and Care Wheels , which sells him the chairs at a manufacturing price of about $ 300 . The chairs are made by prisoners at the South Dakota State Penitentiary and ultimately delivered in Iraq by the U.S. military . `` Getting these prisoners involved , it just means the world to them , '' said Andrew Babcock , the executive director of Reach Out and Care Wheels . `` Even the prisoners , I 've been there and visited , and they 're so excited . They come up with different design ideas and ways to make things better for the kids . They want to know where the chairs are going and what kids we 're helping . '' Blauser said it 's unbelievable to be there when the chairs are delivered . `` The most affecting thing about this whole wheelchairs for children is when the parents realize the gift that is being given to their children and they reach out to hug you . '' he said . `` The tears are running from their eyes and they say , ` We never thought that you could do this . ' '' Blauser is helped on the Iraqi missions by the civil affairs division of the U.S. military , which helps organize the safe transport of the families to the distribution point and adjustment of the wheelchairs to fit each child . He said it gives `` the troops something when they go home , something good to remember where they know they have contributed , they know they have done a good thing . '' Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Jurack agrees . `` It brings a smile to your face . It really gives a different image to the Army as a whole -- helping people out , putting a smile on local nationals ' faces , little kids that need our help . '' It 's a sentiment that is echoed by Samira Al-Ali , the head of the Iraqi group that finds the children in need . On this day , she tells the soldiers she hopes that this humanitarian act will give them a different image of Iraq , not one of a gun and war , she says . Her words are simple but effective . `` I wish the world would see with their own eyes the children of Iraq and help the children of Iraq , because the children of Iraq have been deprived of everything , '' she said . `` Even a normal child has been deprived of their childhood ; a disabled child and their family is dealing with so much more . '' The children also show gratitude , even those who can scarcely move . Blauser remembers one boy 's father who dressed him in a three-piece suit , with the trousers hanging off his motionless legs . `` He could n't move his legs or his arms . But when we sat him in his chair , he gave us the thumbs up . '' Iraqi parents will go to any lengths to improve the quality of their children 's lives . Blauser points to one of his favorite photographs , of a father carrying his son in his arms , an endless desert road behind him . He had carried his son more than 6 miles to get a wheelchair . `` In August 2006 we had a distribution in northern Iraq , '' Blauser remembered . `` We watched him -LSB- the father -RSB- come forward , and people rushed to take the boy from his arms . And he said , ` No , I 've been carrying this child all my life . I can carry him the last 100 yards to receive his wheelchair . ' '' E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Wayne Drash contributed to this report from Atlanta , Georgia . | Wheelchair distribution was the vision of American contractor Brad Blauser . Humanitarian group brings the kids to a safe area so they can get the wheelchairs . `` I am sick of life , '' says Dad who has three children disabled from polio . Wheelchairs are made by prisoners in South Dakota , delivered by U.S. military . | [[390, 402], [414, 435], [945, 952], [960, 1080], [436, 465], [675, 700], [726, 764], [868, 885], [2205, 2276], [2205, 2215], [2281, 2332]] |
BOSTON , Massachusetts -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Boston police officer is suing the city after he was suspended for referring to a black Harvard professor as a `` banana-eating jungle monkey '' in an e-mail . Boston police Officer Justin Barrett apologized for his e-mail about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates , Jr. . `` If I 'm charged with a crime I want a chance to answer . I want the chance for a fair hearing , '' Officer Justin Barrett told CNN on Tuesday . Barrett has apologized and denied he is a racist . His lawsuit claims his civil rights have been violated ; Barrett 's lawyer said the words referring to Henry Louis Gates , Jr. were misinterpreted . `` The choice of words were poor ; but they were n't meant to characterize professor Gates as a banana-eating jungle monkey , '' attorney Peter Marano said . `` They were meant in a response to behavior and characterizing the behavior . Not the person as a whole . '' Marano said the city had effectively fired Barrett , though he is officially suspended with pay . He said it was fair to hold Barrett to a higher standard than the general public because he is a police officer , but that he was still entitled to express his opinions . `` Being held to a higher standard should n't eradicate his right under the First Amendment for free speech . That is part and parcel of the lawsuit , '' the lawyer said . Gates was arrested at his house last month when a neighbor called police after she thought she saw a man trying to break into Gates ' home . The man turned out to be Gates himself , who was attempting to free a jammed door . The incident sparked a national debate about race and policing , drawing in President Obama himself . Obama , who is a friend of Gates , said the officer who arrested the professor `` acted stupidly , '' but then withdrew the comment , saying he did not know all the facts when he spoke . He hosted Gates and Sgt. James Crowley for a beer at the White House to calm the tensions . Barrett later sent a mass e-mail about the encounter to other officers and to the Boston Globe newspaper . Barrett was suspended from his military duties as captain in the Army National Guard and placed on administrative leave from the Boston Police Department pending the outcome of a termination hearing . Barrett said he was moved to write the note because he believed a Boston Globe column about Gates ' arrest `` seemed like it was biased . '' `` It did not show the roles and duties of a police officer and how dangerous it already is without having a debate about people getting in a police officer 's face , which should never happen at all . '' Asked what led him to choose to use such language , he said , `` I do n't know . I could n't tell you . I have no idea . '' He added , in response to a question , that he had never used such language before . Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis denounced the e-mail . Barrett used the `` jungle monkey '' phrase four times , three times referring to Gates and once to the Boston Globe column . He also declared that he was `` not a racist but I am prejudice -LSB- sic -RSB- toward people who are stupid and pretend to stand up and preach for something they say is freedom but it is merely attention because you do not get enough of it in your little fear-dwelling circle of on-the-bandwagon followers . '' According to a statement from Boston police , Davis took action immediately on learning of Barrett 's remarks , stripping the officer of his gun and his badge . Barrett 's arrests and investigations will be reviewed for indications of racial bias , Davis said . The department will also look closely at the officers who received or viewed the e-mail . | Officer suspended for referring to black prof as a `` banana-eating jungle monkey '' Justin Barrett wrote e-mail talking about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates . Barrett is suing city of Boston , saying suspension violates his civil rights . Gates was arrested at his house after police thought he was breaking in . | [[9, 38], [66, 203], [204, 308], [572, 635], [515, 569], [1373, 1431], [1421, 1513]] |
-LRB- LifeWire -RRB- -- The TV no longer sits on a moving box , but she 's still using filing cabinets as end tables . Desiree Jacobsen graduated from college years ago , so why does her apartment resemble a dorm room ? It 's hard to save for the finer things when you 've had to shell out money to be in five weddings in one year , three times as maid of honor . Some maids of honor have gone deep into debt rather than disappoint a friend who expects a lot . `` I shop at the Salvation Army quite a bit to save money , '' says Jacobsen , 26 , a medical editor in Dallas . Being a bride 's maid or matron of honor is a distinction many women cherish . But it does n't come cheap . It can easily cost a woman $ 1,000 or more for the honor of standing beside the bride on her big day , according to TheKnot.com , the leading wedding Web site . On top of the traditional expenses of wedding attire , transportation and chipping in for a gift from the bridesmaids , maids of honor can wind up hosting bridal showers , bachelorette parties and even the co-ed Jack and Jill party -- often footing the bill entirely . Expectations are reaching bridezilla proportions , a trend Anna Post , spokeswoman for the Emily Post Institute and great-great-granddaughter of the etiquette authority , attributes in part to the extensive coverage of celebrity weddings on television and in style magazines . Watch etiquette tips on attending wedding events '' Many bridesmaids are left torn between maintaining a friendship and breaking the bank . Tough to say no . When Sarah de Maintenon , a 33-year-old real estate agent in Syracuse , New York , agreed to be her best friend 's maid of honor two years ago , the economy was good and houses were selling like hot cakes . But the currently slow real-estate market means that money has become tight as the big day -- scheduled for October -- slowly approaches . `` I seriously just did n't know . I thought it was just a bachelorette party , '' says de Maintenon of the events she was expected to throw and attend . Her distress over the destination wedding sent her seeking advice online . The advice she received was simple , but effective : Talk to her friend and be honest about her situation . `` I contemplated telling her I could n't do it , but I could n't break her heart , '' she says . `` I was afraid it would cause an argument ... I did n't want to ruin her wedding day . '' Jacobsen has n't skipped a wedding , but she did once skip the pre-wedding bridal portrait , which she would have had to travel out of town to participate in , because she was short on money and vacation time . `` She was upset with me for a little while , but it quickly blew over because I started planning for her bachelorette party . '' When feelings get hurt , Jacobsen says , she tries not to take it personally . `` It 's usually because of the stress of the wedding . '' Etiquette rules vs. reality . Is all this necessary ? Are brides asking too much of their friends ? Post says that contrary to popular belief , the bridal shower is n't the maid of honor 's obligation . Traditionally , a close friend would throw a bridal shower for the bride , and sometimes that person is also the maid of honor . But expenses can be agreed upon in advance and shared by the entire wedding party . And though there may be multiple parties thrown for the happy couple , Post says , the maid of honor is not required to go . `` That 's not true , '' claims Kim Bohnert , a 32-year-old teacher in San Francisco . She 's served nine stints as maid of honor and considers herself an expert bridesmaid . She insists that the entire bridal party -- especially the maid of honor -- is expected to attend all parties and shell out for a gift each time . `` It definitely adds up , '' says Melissa Bauer , spokesperson for TheKnot.com . Bauer ticks off some of the major expenses : about $ 300 for a dress , $ 50 to $ 200 for shoes , $ 40 to $ 60 for accessories , $ 50 for a shower gift and another $ 100 for a wedding gift . Then there are the parties . `` The big thing now is destination bachelorette parties , '' Bauer says . `` Some people might do it local , but regardless , you 're -LSB- often -RSB- footing the cost for the bride -LSB- to attend -RSB- . '' The cost of traveling to an out-of-town party can add several hundred dollars to the tab , Bauer notes -- to say nothing of the cost of traveling to the wedding itself . Going for broke . Whether popular wisdom requires such a commitment or not , there 's a very real limit to what women can afford . Bohnert agreed to be her cousin 's maid of honor , even though she was maxed out on her credit cards , and the many expenses included a $ 500 Sae Young Vu dress . `` I 'm still in debt because of it , '' she says . Ma'ayan Geller , a part-time student and assistant physical therapist in San Francisco , was glad to hear her friend wanted to be sensitive to the financial constraints of her wedding party . But when Geller , one of the bridesmaids , suggested a cheap Las Vegas package for the bachelorette party , the bride gave her the boot , saying she was n't being serious enough about her commitment to the wedding . `` I had already bought the dress -- close to $ 300 -- which was a lot for me at the time , '' Geller , 23 , remembers . `` I think it could have been done in a better way . '' Geller still attended the wedding , partially because all her friends were there and also because she wanted to support the bride , `` although the friendship kind of ended after that . '' Making it work . In Post 's experience , a wedding is a collaboration , and the wedding party often tries to find a solution that works for everyone . `` When something difficult arises , I 've seen brides put on the brakes rather than force something on someone , '' she says . Jeri Kadison , a bridal coach in New York , says communication is key : Detail expectations early , and if something sounds too expensive , compromise and brainstorm other ideas , she advises . `` It 's the bride 's responsibility to be compassionate and considerate , '' she says . That strategy worked for de Maintenon . She and her bride talk almost every day . Instead of renting a restaurant , they 're having a barbeque . Instead of renting a beach house , they 're all staying with a girlfriend . It 's also OK to say no , Post says . `` You can decline . Just do it early . '' De Maintenon recently declined when one of her best friends asked her to be the maid of honor , and her friend was n't upset . `` She knows that I 'll do anything else to help out in any way . '' LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers . Liane Yvkoff is a freelance writer in San Francisco . | As economy gets tough , more women may reconsider being maid of honor . Bridezilla expects bridal showers , bachelorette parties , co-ed Jack and Jill party . Bridal coach : Detail expectations early and if concerns rise , compromise . | [[843, 960], [963, 1074], [3314, 3382], [5842, 5854], [5886, 5939], [6405, 6423]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When Katy Milane was asked to be in her college roommate 's August 2007 wedding , she expected the bridesmaid dress to be simple and sporty , just like the bride 's taste in clothes . Katy Milane , right , said none of the bridesmaids in her friend 's 2007 wedding liked this hot pink dress . It was n't . Milane and five other bridesmaids wore hot-pink floor-length satin dresses . One wedding guest commented that they looked `` like a row of Pepto Bismol bottles . '' `` I do n't think any of us were happy with the dresses , '' said Milane . One bridesmaid had to be sewn into her gown when it ripped the day of the wedding . Another left her dress in a Cincinnati , Ohio , hotel room after the festivities had ended . `` We all tried to be very positive about it because the bride really loved them , '' said Milane . `` We would have worn anything to make her happy . '' Such is the case at countless weddings . Bridesmaids are stuck in matching dresses that they will likely never wear again . Some say that brides choose less-than-attractive dresses for her attendants to keep everyone 's attention on her . Whatever the case , there are plenty of women with bridesmaid-dress horror stories . Check out some ugly bridesmaid dresses and pretty alternatives '' Kimberlee Norbury of Orland , California , was aghast at the bridesmaid dress her cousin chose for her saloon-themed wedding in July 2006 . Norbury and three other bridesmaids were asked to wear `` saloon girl '' dresses purchased at a nearby costume shop . The dresses , complete with lace garters and corset tops , were so short that some of the bridesmaids added fabric to make them longer . Even with the additional fabric , Norbury walked down the aisle with her bouquet strategically placed in front of her . `` Everyone knew what I was doing , '' she said . `` I can laugh now , but I was so horrified . '' As soon as the wedding ended , Norbury changed out of the dress . `` I was running for my clothes as fast as I could . '' `` Afterwards I did explain that I loved her very much , '' she said . `` That 's the only reason I wore that . '' Freedom of choice . Chandi Brooks knows how expensive bridesmaid dresses can be . She 's been in five weddings -- as a bridesmaid three times and the maid of honor twice -- and has never worn any of the dresses again . According to Conde Nast Bridal Media 's American Wedding Study , the average price of a bridesmaid dress in 2005 was $ 138.20 . `` It 's money down the drain most of the time , '' Brooks said . That 's why she decided to let her bridal party choose their own dresses for her June 2007 wedding . Brooks ' attendants picked black dresses that ranged from $ 20 to $ 100 . The bridesmaids , all different sizes and ages , were pleased and so was the bride . `` I did n't have to shop around and did n't have to hear any griping . Everyone was happy , '' said Brooks . Other brides also are giving their attendants the freedom of choice . Celia Stangerone of Windsor , Connecticut , asked her bridesmaids to pick tea-length lavender dresses . The length and color were the only restrictions she placed -- the shade of lavender , style of dress and type of shoe were up to each individual bridesmaid . Stangarone said she 's close to her bridesmaids , which factored into her decision to let them choose their own dresses . `` I knew the type of personalities I was dealing with and I also knew that they were all different sizes and shapes , '' she said . `` I had to let them pick whatever style they felt beautiful in . '' The final result was perfect , Stangarone said . Her bridesmaids chose dresses in varying shades of lavender that complimented each attendant 's body type and skin tone . `` They all looked beautiful and were all really happy , '' she said . iReport.com : See the bridesmaids ' lavender dresses . Keeping bridesmaids happy . Many of those who lived through their own bridesmaid nightmares hope not to put their friends through the same pain . Milane , who remains friends with the bride , is not planning to have a wedding anytime soon . When she does she intends to choose a dress that her bridesmaids can wear again . `` I want my bridesmaids to like what they 're wearing , '' she said . `` I feel like if you choose something they can wear in their daily lives , they 're going to be a lot happier in the end . '' | iReporters shared horror stories of having to wear ugly bridesmaid dresses . Kimberlee Norbury wore a `` saloon girl '' dress for her cousin 's theme wedding . Some brides are letting their attendants choose their own dresses . iReport.com : See bridesmaids ' photos and stories , and share your own . | [[1020, 1095], [1155, 1219], [3909, 3914], [3919, 3964], [1364, 1425], [2550, 2650], [2562, 2650], [2920, 2932], [2938, 2989], [3284, 3299], [3335, 3373]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries has tagged two great white sharks off Cape Cod in an area where shark sightings have been reported , state officials said Sunday . A great white shark is tagged Saturday off Cape Cod , Massachusetts . Shark sightings closed nearby beaches . The first tagging Saturday marked the first time a great white shark had been successfully tagged in the Atlantic Ocean off the U.S. coast , the division said in a statement . A second shark was tagged Saturday afternoon , officials said . The taggings took place in the waters near Chatham , Massachusetts , two days after Greg Skomal , shark expert for the Division of Marine Fisheries , reported as many as five large sharks were seen near Monomoy Island , a National Wildlife Refuge off the southern elbow of Cape Cod . The island is about a mile away from Chatham 's Lighthouse Beach , a public swimming area . Chatham 's beaches were closed to swimmers after the sightings , Skomal said . CNN affiliate WCVB reported that all of Chatham 's east-facing beaches were closed after three sharks came within 75 yards of the coastline . Watch who is making money from sharks '' The beaches will be off-limits to swimmers until the middle of the week , officials told WCVB . After the sightings , Skomal and other biologists set out to identify the species , the division statement said . Skomal identified a great white shark on Friday , and then the two were tagged Saturday . `` The tags , which use satellite-based technology to record where a shark travels , allow scientists to better understand migratory patterns , '' the division statement said . Great white sharks are relatively rare in New England , the division statement said , but have been seen feeding near seal colonies . Massachusetts has recorded only four shark attacks since 1670 , two of which were fatal . The last fatal shark attack in Massachusetts happened in 1936 . Researchers have also tagged great white sharks off the coast of South Africa . | Taggings of great whites are the first in the Atlantic Ocean , state officials say . Beaches in Chatham , Massachusetts , closed after shark sightings . Great white sharks are relatively rare in New England , state officials say . Tags will let scientists track the two sharks . | [[167, 196], [197, 248], [307, 445], [116, 123], [130, 164], [267, 306], [923, 985], [1002, 1143], [1035, 1124], [167, 196], [1662, 1715]] |
WASHINGTON -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The Supreme Court heard new arguments Wednesday in a dramatic case that started with a movie attacking Hillary Clinton -- but that could have far-reaching implications for U.S. elections . The campaign finance case before the court stems from a film critical of then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton . `` If you thought you knew everything about Hillary Clinton , wait till you see the movie , '' said an ad last year for `` Hillary : The Movie , '' a scorching attack on the woman then running for president . Citizens United , the conservative group behind the film , promoted it as featuring 40 interviews -- a `` cast to end all casts '' -- and promised that if `` you want to hear about the Clinton scandals of the past and present , you have it here ! ` Hillary : The Movie ' is the first and last word in what the Clintons want America to forget ! '' Few Americans ever saw the ad ; a federal court ruled that it broke the law on campaign advertising . Citizens United argued that the movie was a documentary , not `` electioneering communication . '' As a result , the group argued , it was not subject to campaign finance rules that require disclosure of the movie 's financial backers or restrictions on when the film could air . It was financed with a mix of corporate and individual donations . Judges disagreed . Citizens United , a Washington-based nonprofit advocacy group , took its case to the Supreme Court . Unusually , the top court did not reach a decision on the case after it was first heard and ordered Wednesday 's rare September rehearing to consider more aspects of the case . A ruling is expected in a couple of months . The case hinges on whether corporations can be barred from pouring money into election campaigns or whether they have free-speech rights -- and the right to spend their cash to influence elections , just like individual people do . `` It 's about money , '' said Lawrence Noble , former general counsel of the Federal Election Commission and a national expert on campaign spending . `` It 's about free speech , and it 's about the ability of corporations to influence elections through the direct use of their ... money . '' Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21 said the courts were right in the first place . `` Allowing corporations to flood our elections and use campaign expenditures to buy influence would fundamentally undermine our democracy , '' he said . `` The little guy would have no role here , because the dominant force in politics -- the dominant force in Washington decision-making -- would become corporations . '' But David Bossee of Citizens United does n't buy that . He argued that groups of people who pool resources , ranging from labor unions to the health industry to advocacy groups like the National Rifle Association , still have the right to free speech . `` I do n't believe the federal government should have the right to impede people 's entry into the -LSB- political -RSB- process , '' he said . `` And that 's what I believe the Federal Election Commission is doing here : squelch our First Amendment rights . '' U.S. courts have consistently ruled that spending money on elections is a form of speech . The case has made for unusual alliances : the American Civil Liberties Union , for example , sides with Citizens United . `` For many free-speech advocates , this is maybe a case of strange bedfellows , but they agree with Citizens United , '' said George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley . `` They say , ` If you start to say these types of movies are prohibited speech , it could sweep into things like books . ' Indeed , -LSB- the first time this case was argued , -RSB- the U.S. government said , ` Yes , we could restrict books during these election periods , ' '' Turley said . `` That sent a chill through the free-speech community . On the other side , people are saying , ` Yeah , campaign finance -LSB- reform -RSB- is strangling the democratic process , ' '' he said . `` You have two worthy values and very strong values on both sides , '' he said on CNN 's `` American Morning . '' `` There 's a great deal at stake , '' he said . `` If they strike down part of the campaign finance laws , it occurs right before the mid-term -LSB- elections -RSB- , and you would see major amounts of money dumped into the campaign . '' The court 's rare special session marks the debut of Justice Sonia Sotomayor , President Obama 's first Supreme Court nominee . The original narrow focus of the case was on Section 203 of the comprehensive 2002 McCain-Feingold law , which bans the broadcast of `` electioneering communication '' by corporations , unions and advocacy groups if such a broadcast would be aired close to election dates and would identify candidates by name or image . The law also requires an on-screen notice of the groups financing such ads as well as public disclosure of all donors to the sponsoring organizations . But the scope of the case has now expanded significantly , and justices will ask whether they should re-examine important precedents banning direct corporate spending in campaigns . The Clinton movie case could launch a range of as-yet unanswered questions about political speech and government regulation . Since the filmmakers argued that their work was information , not political advocacy , should the government place itself as the ultimate arbiter of what is `` news '' ? Some media groups say no . '' ` Hillary : The Movie ' does not differ , in any relevant respect , from the critiques of presidential candidates produced throughout the entirety of American history , '' said the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in a brief to the high court . And can distinctions be drawn between regulating quickie 30-second or one-minute `` attack ads '' and a 90-minute documentary that could be viewed as an ideological `` infomercial '' ? `` McCain-Feingold clearly has an impact on every candidate and everyone that raises or spends campaign dollars , '' said Edward Lazarus , author of `` Closed Chambers , '' an inside look at the Supreme Court . `` And the court has mediated that line between trying to allow Congress to protect against electoral corruption but at the same time protect the right of expression of corporations and individuals . '' Movie excerpts and the ads can be seen at www.hillarythemovie.com . The case is Citizens United v. FEC -LRB- 08-205 -RRB- . CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears and Elaine Quijano contributed to this report . | Federal court ruled that movie broke campaign ad laws . Group behind film attacking Clinton said it was a documentary . Can corporations be barred from giving to election campaigns ? Supreme Court expected to rule in a couple of months . | [[926, 995], [115, 148], [219, 337], [996, 1091], [1685, 1838], [1640, 1684]] |
MEXICO CITY , Mexico -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- One small slice Monday of Mexican President Felipe Calderon 's war on drug cartels : two shootouts on the streets of two cities ; a man and a woman ambushed in their car ; at least four people dead ; three soldiers wounded , one of them gravely . Suspected members of Los Zetas drug cartel are presented to reporters in Mexico City in April . The confrontations between unidentified gunmen and Mexican army and federal police took place in the communities of San Nicolas de los Garza and Escobedo , near the U.S. border in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon , the state-run Notimex news agency said . One of the firefights lasted 45 minutes . At one point , the suspects launched hand grenades at the soldiers . House-to-house searches took two hours and it would be another seven hours before the areas were secured . According to Notimex and news reports from the newspapers Excelsior , El Porvenir , El Nuevo Leon and El Norte , here 's what happened : . Around 6 a.m. , a military convoy came across a group armed men in several late-model vehicles in San Nicolas de los Garza . Shooting broke out , and the gunplay continued for 45 minutes along several neighboring streets as the suspects tried to get away . The armed men abandoned their cars , blocked one of the streets with a Suburban truck and fled aboard several other vehicles . The confrontation continued for another two hours as soldiers sealed off a city block and searched house-to-house . `` From early on , we could hear the shots and much shouting , '' Excelsior and El Nuevo Leon quoted an unidentified woman as saying . `` We could hear footsteps on the roofs and soldiers yelling to them . There were several explosions ; it seems like grenades went off , because we could hear it very loudly twice . '' Around 7:45 a.m. , the soldiers entered a house where the gunmen had holed up . A grenade went off upstairs . Three gunmen died there , though officials did not say if it was from bullet wounds or the grenade explosion . At the same time , Mexican military and federal police were involved in a shootout with armed men in Escobedo . That confrontation left three soldiers wounded , with one of them clinging to life Monday afternoon . Also nearby , a man and a woman riding in car were ambushed at an intersection by armed men in several cars who surrounded them and drilled their auto with bullets . The woman died on the scene , her body sprawled on the street . The man was wounded but survived . The violent scene in Nuevo Leon , which borders Texas , has become a near-daily experience in Mexico since Calderon took office in December 2006 and launched a war on drug cartels . More than 11,000 people have been killed during that time -- about 1,000 of them police and other authorities . | Two shootouts in two cities near U.S. border in Mexican state of Nuevo Leon . San Nicolas de los Garza and Escobedo are cities . Shootouts leave 4 dead , 3 wounded . | [[539, 594], [597, 637], [2036, 2052], [2055, 2147], [240, 262], [265, 268], [2148, 2194]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Chinese official accused `` Tibetan independence forces '' Tuesday of planning suicide attacks , an allegation that the Tibetan government-in-exile immediately denied . `` To our knowledge the next plan of the Tibet Independence forces is to organize suicide squads to launch violent attacks , '' Wu Heping , spokesman for China 's Ministry of Public Security , said at a news conference , according to a translation of his remarks by The Associated Press . `` They claim they fear neither bloodshed nor sacrifice , '' he said . He did not provide details or evidence , and Samdhong Rinpoche , prime minister of Tibet 's exiled government , dismissed the accusation . `` We never heard -LRB- of -RRB- Tibetan independence force , such a group or people . Now , our suspicion is that the PRC -LRB- People 's Republic of China -RRB- might be staging such a violent act in the name of Tibetan people to mislead the world community , '' he said in Dharamsala , India . Dharamsala is the center of the Tibetan community in India , where many Tibetans fled after a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959 and where the government-in-exile led by the Dalai Lama is based . `` It is our ... suspicion , otherwise there is no ground to claim that some Tibetan people or group is planning to -LRB- use -RRB- suicide bombers or something like that , '' the Tibetan prime minister said . There was no immediate response from the Chinese government to Rinpoche 's suspicion . In the U.S. State Department briefing on Tuesday , department spokesman Tom Casey said the United States did not share China 's concern that supporters of the Dalai Lama were plotting suicide attacks . The Dalai Lama is a `` man of peace , there is absolutely no indication that he wants to do anything other than have a dialogue with China to discuss how to deal with some of the serious issues there , '' Casey said . Beijing blames the Dalai Lama and his followers for violence that erupted amid protests for Tibetan independence last month . China has drawn international criticism for its crackdown on the demonstrations , which began peacefully on the 49th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising . The protests have threatened to throw a shadow on the Summer Olympic Games , being staged in Beijing in August . Tibet 's government-in-exile puts the death toll from the protests at about 140 , but the Chinese government restrictions make it difficult to confirm that number . Chinese authorities have reported a death toll of 19 , and say most of those killed were `` innocent victims '' -- Han Chinese targeted by Tibetans . Protests have spread across the globe with regular demonstrations in Nepal . A ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame in Greece was also targeted by pro-Tibet activists . Watch protests in Nepal '' Also on Tuesday , China 's official Xinhua news agency reported that the country 's foreign ministry urged the Dalai Lama to `` stop all separatist and sabotage activities if he really wants to contact and consult with the central government . '' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu spoke in response to a March 28 statement from Dalai Lama . In that statement , the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists said he does not seek the separation of Tibet and has no desire to `` sabotage '' the Olympic Games . `` Chinese brothers and sisters , I assure you I have no desire to seek Tibet 's separation . Nor do I have any wish to drive a wedge between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples , '' he wrote . Instead , he said , the protesters seek `` meaningful self-rule '' while remaining a part of China . `` Despite my repeated support for the Beijing Olympics , the Chinese authorities , with the intention of creating a rift between the Chinese people and myself , the Chinese authorities assert that I am trying to sabotage the games . '' He called on China to called `` to exercise wisdom and to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the Tibetan people . '' China offered some media organizations -- not including CNN -- a carefully managed tour of Tibet 's capital , but ran into a public-relations roadblock when a group of Buddhist monks began screaming protests at a holy shrine . E-mail to a friend . | Suicide attacks are being planned by Tibetan militants , Chinese official says . Tibet 's prime minister-in-exile denies allegation . Tibet is center of a struggle for power between China and exiled Tibet leaders . Pro-Tibet demonstrations threaten to overshadow Beijing 's Summer Olympics . | [[19, 99], [70, 115], [190, 312], [1250, 1362], [137, 189], [595, 612], [662, 688], [2195, 2269]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The day was supposed to be remembered as one filled with happiness . Their daughter , after all , had just turned 2 years old . Instead , Nikki Peterson remembers December 30 , 2007 as the day her husband Billy got sick . Billy Anderson 's undiagnosed condition has kept him in the hospital for more than a year . Billy Anderson was in fine health until that evening last winter . He woke up in pain and his wife rushed him to the emergency room . Over the next few days , he suffered a number of ailments , from a running fever and hives to swelling joints . Nikki says she knew there was something wrong when Billy was no longer able to walk around the house . `` This is a 6-foot , 240-pound guy who does n't usually complain about anything , '' she says . The couple , from Baxter Springs , Kansas , made three trips to the emergency room . On their third visit , Nikki refused to go home until doctors agreed to keep Billy in the hospital for further evaluation . Since then , Billy , age 29 , has been in and out of intensive care . He 's spent time on a ventilator and suffered kidney failure . His body is n't absorbing nutrients , and as a result , his 240-pound frame has been whittled down by 100 pounds . See photos of Billy and his family '' One year and a battery of tests later , doctors still have n't pinpointed the cause of his condition . CNN 's medical show `` Vital Signs '' recently asked viewers to tell their health stories on iReport.com . Nikki and her mom , Vicki Peterson , jumped at the opportunity . Tell your story with iReport.com . They hope their story will reach someone who can help solve Billy 's unexplained illness . Doctors have gone through at least 40 possible diagnoses , according to Nikki . `` We 've been told that this is ` Billy 's Disease , ' and that this will be written about in medical journals . We hope somebody has missed a test or overlooked something , '' she says . Billy , a father of two who dreams of opening up his own restaurant one day , appears to have some type of problem with B-cells , according to Nikki . B-cells play a critical role in keeping the immune system healthy . Dr. Jennifer Holter , who has been treating Billy at Oklahoma University Medical Center since the fall of 2008 , says several immunologists have reviewed his case but the underlying reason for his immunodeficiency is still unclear . Early on , doctors thought he had Crohn 's disease , an inflammatory bowel disease , but that turned out not to be the case . They also have n't been able to identify a typical gene disorder that may be the source . Most immunodeficiency disorders present themselves in childhood . Adult onset that is n't linked to a genetic event is even more uncommon , Dr. Holter says . `` I think when you have close to 25 immunologists look at you and they ca n't figure out what 's causing the problem , you can call that pretty rare , '' she says . The ordeal has taken an emotional toll on the family . `` It 's been devastating . It 's traumatic for the children to have to watch someone who was once so strong suffer , '' says Nikki . Being uninsured has added financial stress . Billy had just started a new job training to be a kitchen manager when he first got sick . As a result , he did n't have insurance . He was able to apply for Medicaid , but his coverage was canceled once he started receiving disability assistance . Oklahoma University Medical Center has become the family 's second home . Nikki has moved to nearby Tulsa in order to be able to spend half of the week by Billy 's side . Billy is currently receiving treatment that helps him replace the cells his body is n't making . He 's also receiving immunosuppressants to suppress aggravation in his gut . `` This is a very unfortunate situation for a very nice 29-year-old and we will keep offering him the best clinical care we can , '' Dr. Holter says . Billy has cycled through five hospitals in the span of 12 months , and he and Nikki hope their next move will take them East . Billy recently applied for the Undiagnosed Diseases Program at the National Institutes of Health . The program uses a combination of scientific and medical expertise to help patients with mysterious conditions . Nikki , who has started a support group for Billy on Facebook and provides updates on his condition on his MySpace page , says she refuses to give up : `` Billy deserves every opportunity to survive . He 's a hard working man who took care of his family . '' | iReport.com : Viewers , readers share their health stories . Billy Anderson 's mysterious illness has kept him in the hospital for over a year . Once the picture of health , Billy has lost 100 pounds due to his sickness . Doctors call his condition ` Billy 's Disease ' , wife Nikki Peterson says . | [[1400, 1483], [1549, 1583], [241, 332], [1594, 1674], [3915, 3979], [1163, 1235], [1675, 1682], [1734, 1754], [1755, 1868]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Forget lawn mowers . Maryland officials have found a natural way to combat brush while protecting a threatened species . Maryland officials wanted an eco-friendly solution that would n't hurt the area 's bog turtles . Forty bearded goats have been dispatched by the State Highway Administration to control plant growth in the area . They have been munching in an enclosed area for a week ; they will stay until September , but will be put back to work next spring . The project is part of Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley 's `` Smart , Green and Growing '' legislative package , aimed at reducing the state 's greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020 . The pilot program will be evaluated at the end of two years , and officials will determine whether to send goats to other grazing projects on state highways , according to David Buck , a spokesman for the highway administration . The goats are reducing the state 's carbon footprint and protecting the area 's bog turtles , listed as threatened . In addition , he said , the animals are much cheaper than a mowing program : State costs are about $ 10,000 for two years , most of that for delivery and veterinary services . But the decision to utilize goats was not an easy one . Other herbivorous -LRB- plant-eating -RRB- animals were considered . Cows were ruled out because they are too heavy , and their hooves could stomp the small , colorful-shelled bog turtles . Sheep ? Well , they just are n't goats . `` Goats were just a viable solution , '' Buck said . `` They do not eat moving things . They will not crush -LSB- the turtles -RSB- out there . '' Maryland is not the first to launch such an initiative . Officials in Hempstead , New York , bought natural grass cutters for a 50-acre park and preserve this year , said Mike Deery , town spokesman . The goats -- Sleepy , Sneezy , Bashful , Happy and Doc -- were named after dwarves in the fairy tale `` Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs . '' In Vail , Colorado , officials have introduced 500 weed-eating goats in public areas after residents asked for an alternative to pesticides and chemicals . The initiative costs the town about $ 500 a day , the National League of Cities said . In Denver , signs touting `` Goats at Work '' alert passers-by to the animals ' presence on vacant lots managed by the park system . The goats cost the city about $ 200 an acre , according to the National League of Cities . Environmental activists hail the measure , calling it innovative and worth implementing . `` Most times you can replace small engines that are sources of greenhouse gases with more natural systems , that 's a good thing , '' said Bill Brower of GlobalGiving , a Washington nonprofit organization that describes itself as an online marketplace of grass-roots green projects . | Maryland uses 40 goats to `` mow '' grass along highways . Animals are reducing carbon footprint without hurting threatened turtles . New York and Colorado also use goats to trim grass . | [[237, 351], [237, 256], [314, 351], [166, 190], [196, 236], [970, 993], [996, 1018]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The search continued Tuesday for as many as 67 people missing after a boat carrying about 200 Haitians capsized , the U.S. Coast Guard said . The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted this crowded boat last week and repatriated its occupants to Haiti . The boat overturned Monday off Turks and Caicos , a British territory about 550 miles southeast of Miami , Florida . Searchers aboard boats and aircraft have rescued 118 passengers and found 15 bodies , said Petty Officer Jennifer Johnson , a Coast Guard spokeswoman , on Tuesday morning . The Coast Guard described the boat 's occupants as migrants from Haiti . The overcrowded vessel was believed to have set sail from the Haitian port of Cap Haitien , the Turks and Caicos Sun newspaper reported . The search resumed at dawn Tuesday after being suspended because of darkness Monday night , Johnson said . The Coast Guard is contributing one boat , the 210-foot cutter Valiant , and three aircraft to the search , Johnson said . The aircraft are a Falcon jet out of Miami , an HH-60 helicopter and a slow-flying C-130 cargo plane out of Clearwater , Florida . Watch Coast Guard rescue Haitians after boat capsizes '' `` If the weather and conditions are right , -LSB- the C-130 -RSB- can fly really low , '' Johnson said . `` It makes a fantastic search aircraft . '' Turks and Caicos authorities are using small boats in the search , she said . About 70 people were plucked Monday from a reef near the island group , authorities said . Four other bodies were found , though it was unclear which authorities located them . A nurse at Myrtle Rigby Hospital in the Turks and Caicos said that about 70 people were brought there , including four who had died . Five people were admitted to the hospital , and the others had minor injuries , the nurse said . The Coast Guard said it intercepted another `` grossly overloaded '' boat , with 124 Haitians aboard , late last week in the same region . Those migrants were returned to Cap Haitien on Monday . Overloaded vessels can quickly lose stability and capsize , sending migrants into the water , a Coast Guard release said . CNN 's Jim Kavanagh and Lateef Mungin contributed to this report . | NEW : 15 confirmed dead after boat capsizes ; as many as 67 missing . Boat with about 200 Haitians capsized Monday near Turks and Caicos Islands . Coast Guard intercepted another boat overloaded with Haitians late last week . | [[63, 93], [380, 415], [448, 463], [87, 130], [109, 130], [133, 147], [161, 221], [553, 625], [1819, 1919]] |
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- DNA testing to try to identify hundreds of bodies buried in a mass grave during World War I will start this week , the British and Australian ministries of defense announced Monday . File photo shows a crane unearthing the mass grave in northern France . The bodies come from Fromelles in northern France , where thousands of British and Australian troops were killed or wounded in a single night in 1916 -- a night the Australian military still considers among the worst in its history . An exploratory dig in May of this year confirmed that there are between 250 and 300 bodies buried at the site . Enough DNA has been recovered from teeth and bones to make full-scale testing worthwhile , the British Ministry of Defence said . Pieces of uniforms including belt buckles and buttons have also been found , which will help with identification , the ministry said . `` Each one of these soldiers will be laid to rest with the dignity they deserve and we owe it to them to do all we can to identify them , '' British Veterans Minister Kevan Jones said in a statement . The DNA testing program will be the largest undertaking to identify individuals killed in combat ever commissioned , the ministry said . The announcement comes only a week after the burial of the last British veteran of World War I still living in the United Kingdom . Harry Patch died July 25 at the age of 111 , a week after fellow British World War I veteran Henry Allingham died at the age of 113 . So many soldiers died on the night of July 19 , 1916 , that many were never found , identified , or given a proper burial . Two divisions of Allied infantry had attacked a strongly fortified German position known as the Sugar Loaf . The defenders knew the British and the Australians were coming ; the terrain favored the Germans . As the British and the newly arrived Australians charged into battle , the Germans opened fire . By morning , about 2,300 British and Australian soldiers were dead . About 5,000 others were wounded . There has been speculation for decades that the Germans recovered hundreds of bodies and put them into mass graves , not forgotten , but anonymous . Last year , preliminary digs commissioned by the Australian government located five mass graves near the site of the battle . `` It 's the largest military find since the end of the Second World War , '' said a spokesman for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission . `` I have been on the commission almost 11 years and it 's like nothing I have ever experienced . I have never known anything to have this sort of numbers of possible remains , '' Peter Francis told CNN . The commission is in the middle of a 15-month project to disinter the bodies , attempt to identify them , and rebury them in individual graves in a new cemetery on the site . The resulting graveyard will be the first new one consecrated by the commission for almost 50 years , Francis told CNN by phone . The British and Australian governments have asked people who think their relatives may have died at the site to get in touch , Francis said . The cemetery will be dedicated on July 19 , 2010 -- the 94th anniversary of the battle . The bodies of more than 165,000 Commonwealth soldiers killed on the Western Front during the First World War are still missing , the commission says . The commission is a non-profit organization founded in 1917 that commemorates the dead of both world wars from the British Commonwealth . | DNA tests will attempt to identify remains of World War I fallen . Bodies removed from mass grave in Fromelles , northern France . Up to 300 bodies are believed to have been dug up . | [[36, 39], [48, 85], [291, 340], [525, 615], [2083, 2123]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- If all goes according to plan , cancer survivor Kyle Garlett will compete in October 's Ford Ironman World Championship , a grueling triathlon made up of a 2.4-mile ocean swim , a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile run . Heart transplant recipient and cancer survivor Kyle Garlett will compete in October 's Ironman World Championship . And he 'll do it with another man 's heart pumping in his chest . `` I do n't think there 's anybody who would n't consider me a success story and a survivor , '' Garlett said . His medical issues began in 1989 when he received his first Hodgkin 's disease diagnosis as a high school senior . In 1995 , during his third battle with the cancer , doctors ceased his chemotherapy treatment when they discovered it had weakened his heart . Two years later , Garlett learned he had secondary leukemia as a result of chemotherapy to treat the Hodgkin 's , and three more years of chemotherapy ensued . And after five years on the waiting list , he received a new heart in 2006 . Now , the 37-year-old savors his body 's capabilities . `` It 's kind of like the starving person who all of a sudden finds himself in front of a buffet . And now I 've got the buffet . I 've got my all-you-can-eat plate , and I 'm just loading it up , '' Garlett said . A heart transplant may seem extremely daunting , but Garlett saw it as a more hopeful operation than his years of cancer treatments . `` Going in for chemotherapy , as a patient you know what 's happening . Your body is being poisoned and you know that when you come out on the other side of it , you 're going to have given up something , '' said Garlett , a sportswriter and motivational speaker living in Marina del Rey , California . `` On the heart transplant , though , it was completely the opposite . I knew that from the day of the transplant on , every day I 'd be getting stronger . And they were now doing something that was going to fix me , improve my life . '' Garlett , who says he 's `` not a klutz '' but `` definitely not a natural athlete , '' trains about 15 hours a week for October 's Ironman in Kona , Hawaii . Closer to race time , he expects to spend 20 to 25 hours a week in intense training to achieve his goal of finishing within the 17-hour time limit . Garlett was invited to compete in the elite event because organizers believe he `` demonstrates the Ironman mantra : Anything is possible , '' said Blair LaHaye , director of communications for Ironman . LaHaye said a handful of athletes are invited to take part in the event each year , but their inclusion does n't reduce the number of slots for those who get in by doing well in qualifying events , or by winning a spot through the Ironman lottery . Garlett will compete in a half-Ironman or other long-distance event before Kona to validate his selection . The training and competition are demanding enough for competitors without health issues . But being a heart transplant patient comes with the extra challenge of getting the organ to beat at an acceptable rate . `` When the old heart comes out , all the nerves are severed . And when the donor heart comes in , the nerves are not connected , '' explained Dr. Jon Kobashigawa , medical director of the UCLA Heart Transplant Program , where Garlett is a patient . In a person whose heart is intact , `` the brain will tell the heart , ` Let 's go , start exercising , let 's start beating faster , ' '' Kobashigawa said . A donor heart , however , relies on circulating adrenaline in order to get it going . As a result , heart transplant recipients must warm up thoroughly to get their heart pumping properly . The `` denervated '' heart works about 80 to 90 percent as well as a normal heart , Kobashigawa said , `` but through exercise , these patients who do strenuous activities , I believe , do get their exercise capacity almost to the normal range , if not normal . '' It 's also possible , doctors say , for the donor heart to re-innervate -- or grow nerves onto the donor heart . Following in his footsteps . Garlett is on a trail blazed by Dwight Kroening , the first heart transplant recipient to complete the Ironman , last year in Canada . Kroening , now 49 , got a new heart in 1986 after his swelled to about twice its normal size for unknown reasons . He was 26 at the time -- a gym teacher , coach and athlete . At first , running with his students became a struggle . Within days , he could n't walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to rest . Soon , combing his hair and brushing his teeth became too taxing , he said . When doctors examined him as a candidate for a heart transplant , they told him his heart was working at 8 percent of its normal capacity and he probably had about two months to live . Kroening began exercising a week after the surgery , but soon discovered he was incapable of athletic activities that required sprinting , he said . `` I -LSB- told my doctors -RSB- , there 's something wrong here . I 'm not able to do these things . And they said , ` Of course not , ' '' Kroening said . `` So being me , I was more or less bound and determined to prove that they were wrong , that I could actually train myself to be able to do these things , '' he said . But overcoming those hurdles was n't easy , even after 22 years of practice . Three-quarters of the way into the Ironman 's bicycle leg , Kroening felt ill and fatigued , he said . He questioned whether he would be able to finish . He did , in 15 1/2 hours -- one hour longer than his target . Watch Kroening compete in the Ironman '' `` When we test -LSB- heart transplant recipients -RSB- on the treadmill , their peak heart rate is around 140 beats -LSB- per minute -RSB- and they can maintain that for one minute . ... When Dwight did the Ironman , we recorded his heart rate , and he was able to exercise at a heart rate of 133 beats per minute for 15 1/2 hours , '' said Mark Haykowsky , a professor of rehab medicine at Canada 's University of Alberta . Haykowsky studied Kroening for research on exercise habits of heart transplant recipients . Since the Ironman , Kroening has competed in other events , including a marathon and a triathlon . He may compete in another Ironman next year in Arizona , the state where he received his heart transplant . `` I relate -LSB- the Ironman -RSB- to what I guess would be like childbirth , '' Kroening said . `` In the process , you 're thinking , ` I 'll never do this again in my whole life . This is absolutely crazy . ' But I think probably about three days later that I started thinking , ` Now this might be something that I might want to do again . ' '' ` The ultimate price ' Both Garlett and Kroening say promoting organ donation motivates them to compete in these endurance challenges . Kroening also says he wants to make the most of his `` orphaned '' heart . `` I wish I could meet my donor family and ... thank them personally , '' Kroening said . '' -LSB- I want to let them -RSB- know for 23 years , I 've been taking good care of their son 's heart . '' Garlett , too , recognizes his donor 's family , who provided the heart of a 42-year-old construction worker who died on the job . `` I never lost sight of the fact that that moment for my family of great joy was only going to be coming ... with somebody else having to pay the ultimate price like that , '' Garlett said . `` And that always was in my head , and this man who gave me his heart would always be with me . '' | Cancer survivor and transplant recipient Kyle Garlett will compete in Kona triathlon . Last year , Dwight Kroening was first person with heart transplant to finish Ironman . The lack of nerves on a donor heart poses an extra challenge for transplant patients . | [[49, 138], [243, 358], [4114, 4174], [2942, 3058], [3122, 3155], [3158, 3186]] |
MADRID , Spain -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A Moroccan man wanted for links to the Madrid train bombings in 2004 was brought to Spain from France on Wednesday , a Spanish police statement said . A photograph showing Moroccan-born suspect Said Rehou . The suspect , Said Rehou , 27 , born in Casablanca , Morocco , allegedly held indoctrination sessions for Islamic militants at his former Madrid home , the statement said . `` Various individuals who participated in those meetings later were implicated directly or indirectly in the Casablanca attacks of 2003 and the March 11 , 2004 , attacks in Madrid , '' the statement said . The Madrid train bombings -- coordinated attacks on four morning-rush commuter trains -- killed 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 . Spanish courts have convicted 14 Islamic militants for their roles in the Madrid bombings , along with four Spaniards , the latter for trafficking in explosives used in the attacks . Seven other prime Islamic suspects killed themselves in an explosion as police closed in on their hideout in a Madrid suburb three weeks after the bombings . The Casablanca bombings in May 2003 killed 33 bystanders and 12 suicide bombers . Rehou is wanted in Spain for belonging to a terrorist group , and is thought to have formed part of a cell created in Spain in 2002 , with the aim of recruiting fighters to carry out attacks in Morocco , Spain and other countries , the police statement said . The meetings at his home lasted six to eight hours , with the screening of videos that included sermons and scenes promoting holy war , the statement said . | Suspect Said Rehou allegedly held indoctrination sessions . Madrid bombings killed 191 people in March 2004 . Casablanca bombings in 2003 killed 33 bystanders and 12 suicide bombers . | [[241, 265], [304, 364], [621, 646], [710, 727], [1099, 1180]] |
BAGHDAD , Iraq -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- When British forces fully withdraw from Iraq on Friday , it will be the second time in a century that Britain will leave this nation with a legacy of war dead . Mechanics prepare a tank ready to shipped back to the UK from Basra . In the Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery rest thousands of British soldiers killed in a protracted military campaign during World War I , after which Britain established an occupying regime in Iraq . In the peak of the latest war that began in 2003 , about 46,000 British troops were stationed in and around Iraq . Now , almost all British troops are being pulled out because an agreement that allows them to remain in Iraq expires Friday , according to the British Ministry of Defence . Britain leaves Iraq this time with 179 of its own dead . `` It 's been a tough six years , no doubt about that , '' said Jon Wilks , the deputy head of the British mission . `` But I think what we left behind is a solid base on which to build . '' The British were based in southern Iraq , primarily in Basra , Iraq 's second largest city that sits close to the Persian Gulf . `` We have in many sectors left Basra in a better state than when we arrived in 2003 . '' Then , after the U.S.-led invasion , Iraqis welcomed British troops . They were hailed as the force that would save the area 's predominantly Shiite population from Saddam Hussein 's persecution . But the mood turned when liberation was not followed by a quick withdrawal . `` It became the opposite of what we were wishing for , '' said Mustafa Atia , a member of the Basra provincial council . '' Hope started to turn to fear . By the end of 2004 , extreme Shiite militias were gaining control of Basra . It seemed British forces had been sidelined as the militias enforced their own brand of laws . In September 2007 , British troops withdrew completely from Basra and southern Iraq was touted as the coalition forces ' success story . But Basra was left reeling . The British-trained Iraqi police had been infiltrated by militiamen ; the Iraqi Army struggled to keep them in check . Women bore the brunt of the militia 's brutal rule -- executed for `` un-Islamic '' acts like wearing tight jeans and lipstick . Or in the case of one woman , living alone . Sabriya , identified only by her first name for security reasons , recalled her sister 's plight . `` They said , ` Why do n't you have a husband ? ' '' Sabriya said . `` They came in at night and put a pillow on her face and shot her in the head . '' In March 2008 , the Iraqi government launched Operation `` Charge of the Knights '' to battle Basra 's lawlessness . The city was flooded with Iraqi soldiers and their U.S. advisers . The British were drawn back into the thick of the fight , their Mastiff and Warrior armored vehicles once again on the streets of the southern port city . `` The situation was awful , mainly because militias controlled the security forces , '' said Iraqi Gen. Aziz Swady , who was dispatched to Basra as part of the operation . `` But after this operation , the citizens started to trust the Iraqi security forces . '' Basra began piecing itself back together . On Friday , as the British leave Iraq behind for a second time , they are left to ponder the fragility of Basra 's situation -- and their own sacrifices . The question that could linger is : Was it worth it ? | In 2003 about 46,000 British troops were stationed in and around Iraq . British forces leave Iraq with 179 dead . Stationed in southern city of Basra , Iraq 's second largest city . | [[463, 492], [514, 577], [751, 807], [999, 1038], [1070, 1089], [1095, 1127]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wife of a man suspected of killing five people in Tennessee and one in Alabama was among the victims found in southern Tennessee , along with her son , father and brother , police said Sunday . Jacob Shaffer was arrested in connection with the slayings of six people in Tennessee , police said . Jacob Shaffer , 30 , of Fayetteville , Tennessee , was arrested Saturday after three people were found dead at a home in Fayetteville , 90 miles south of Nashville , Tennessee . Two other people were found at another home on the same street . The three found in one home were Shaffer 's wife , Traci Shaffer , 38 ; her son Devin Brooks , 16 ; and the youth 's friend and neighbor , 16-year-old Robert Berber , according to a statement Sunday from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation . The two people found at the other home were Traci Shaffer 's father , Billy Hall , 57 , and her brother Chris Hall , 34 , authorities said . Autopsies were being conducted Sunday on the five , and causes of death would be released by medical examiners , the bureau said . A sixth person was found dead at a business about 30 miles away in Huntsville , Alabama , the Tennessee authorities said . The person 's name was not released Sunday . Jacob Shaffer was in one of the Fayetteville homes when Lincoln County sheriff 's deputies arrived Saturday , authorities said . Police believe the deaths happened either Friday night or Saturday , according to Kristin Helm of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation . Officials said they believe the deaths were related to a domestic dispute . It was unclear when or how the Huntsville victim died . `` We have no clue yet as to what unfolded there and how it relates to here , '' Huntsville Police Sgt. Mickey Allen said Saturday . Without naming Shaffer , Allen said Tennessee authorities told him a man confessed to a slaying in Huntsville and to five other killings in Fayetteville . Shaffer faces five counts of criminal homicide in the Tennessee deaths , the TBI statement said . He was in the Lincoln County Jail without bond Sunday . CNN 's Mayra Cuevas-Nazario contributed to this report . | NEW : Suspect 's wife and her son , brother and father among the dead , police say . 30-year-old Jacob Shaffer was arrested Saturday , police said . Shaffer faces murder charges , Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says . Five bodies were found at two homes in Tennessee ; one victim in Alabama . | [[319, 355], [358, 452], [562, 610], [806, 873], [319, 355], [358, 452], [1168, 1200], [1933, 2003], [31, 82], [217, 302], [319, 355], [358, 452]] |
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The death of a spectator overshadowed an intriguing 14th stage of the Tour de France which saw Rinaldo Nocentini desperately cling on to the leader 's yellow jersey in cycling 's premier event . George Hincapie , front , upstaged his compatriot and former teammate Lance Armstrong to take second place overall . A woman died after being hit by a police motorcycle on Saturday afternoon in Wittelsheim , a village in Alsace in northeastern France which is 40 kilometers from the start of the race 's leg from Colmar to Besancon . French police told CNN that two other people were injured and taken to hospital . The Tour released a statement on its official Web site saying the 61-year-old woman was hit when she crossed the road after a group of cyclists passed , then the motorcycle slid and injured two other spectators . A 36-year-old is in hospital with neck pain , and a 61-year-old has a broken leg . The incident marred an eventful day 's racing in which George Hincapie leapt up into second place overall , five seconds behind Nocentini , following a 12-man breakaway . The American finished eighth in a group of eight who were all 16 seconds behind stage winner Serguei Ivanov of Russia , and had been ahead of Nocentini until the 143-strong peloton made up time at the end . The Columbia team rider 's rise up the standings saw his compatriot and former teammate , seven-time champion Lance Armstrong , drop to fourth place overall . Armstrong was still eight seconds off the lead after finishing 49th , with Astana teammate Alberto Contador six seconds adrift in third following his classification of 37th . Nocentini was relieved to retain first place and was grateful to his AG2R teammates , with Nicolas Roche finishing second after powering past Hayden Roche in the final few hundred meters as Ivanov claimed his second stage victory eight years after his first . `` It was a very difficult day today because we 're getting tired from all the effort in the last week , '' the Italian , who finished 45th , told the race 's official Web site . `` We had a rider up front so we did n't have to ride but because Hincapie was in the move there was a big risk of losing the yellow jersey . `` Eventually , with 50 kilometers to go , our directeur sportif Vincent Lavenu said , ` Okay , let 's go ! Let 's catch the guys . ' Okay this was n't possible but we had to limit our losses and keep the jersey . `` I told the guys , ` Listen , I do n't mind . If you want to go for it and defend the jersey , that 's great . But if you do n't want to , that 's okay . You 've already worked so hard over the last few days so it does n't really matter . ' `` Eventually I 've kept the lead by just five seconds , so I 'm really pleased with how this Tour has gone for me so far . And I 'm really grateful for the commitment from my team . '' Thor Hushovd extended his lead in the green jersey sprint category as he finished at the head of the peloton in 13th place , while nearest rival Mark Cavendish finished right at the back of it in 154th after the two tussled in the closing stages . The riders will now head back into the mountains through the Swiss Alps for the 207.5 km 15th stage from Pontarlier to Verbier , with the climbers expected to come to the fore again just a week ahead of the finish in Paris . | A woman dies after being hit by a police motorcycle during the 14th stage . Police say two other people were injured and taken to hospital on Saturday . Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy retains leader 's yellow jersey after surviving big scare . George Hincapie moves up to second place , Lance Armstrong drops to fourth . | [[331, 419], [548, 629], [576, 605], [576, 592], [610, 629], [85, 103], [110, 213], [214, 237], [240, 330], [946, 971], [981, 1031], [1304, 1429], [1432, 1462]] |
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